So Hard for It, Honey {Meri, Open!

life is bigger, it's bigger than you, and you are not me
the lengths that I will go to

Another Games, another successful Reaping, and new friendships unfolding. Maverick could hardly believe his good luck, although he could pinpoint the source. Ever since Topaz Ross had picked him out of the crowd, Maverick had been climbing uphill as though he had wings. He had been upgraded from an intern to a full time employee at the television station, and though he wasn't yet on the other side of the screen, he felt he would be, soon. He had never been shy about his intentions at the studio; surely the promotion demonstrated their faith in him, in his abilities to coax stories and truth out of people, both willing and not.

He found that with his daylight hours fully occupied at the studio that he didn't get out and around town as much as he liked. This meant he also saw Zell less, which was at once perplexing and a relief. He really didn't know what to do about the innocent beauty; he liked her, and that itself was a problem, because he would never like someone so much as he loved his career. He knew being around her made him happy though, and for now that would simply have to be enough. As for the other friendships he had struck up, he was still waiting to see if anyone had long-term potential.

Maverick didn't necessarily need friends. All he needed was the attention of Panem. As soon as the sunset invaded his cubicle, Maverick cleaned up his desk, slung a light jacket over his shoulder, and exited the studio. Many of the other regular employees had already gone home, but as he lacked a family, Maverick opted to stay late. If it reflected better on him to work longer hours, so be it. He had plans for this particular night, though. Instead of turning towards the residential area, he walked from the executive park to the city circle, where a queue had already begun. No doubt it had been slowly building for hours, but it was still reasonably short. Some people were so overly enthusiastic.

He took his place at the tail, jumping once on tip-toes to see the front. It was rather silly to have to fill out so much paperwork just to give his hard earned money away, but he didn't have much choice, still being relatively unknown. He was sure more wealthy families, the Marks for example, didn't have to wait in line. Their money would be welcome any time, no red tape. But for the rabble of the Capitol, some order had to be established. He wondered how the districts managed and then immediately felt a sneer overtake his otherwise pleasant features. Probably all bidding and betting, like apes.

Maverick managed to shift the expression into something more welcoming almost immediately. He was, after all, angling to be a public figure. Couldn't have his face all twisted up, now could he? With his expression smoothed, Maverick began to study those nearest to him in the queue, to see if there was a likely target, someone he could talk to, could practice his interviewing techniques. Subtly, of course.