tell me pretty lies. [ talon x leia ]

i know i always pull the strings, let the voices sing

but i don't know if it was just the medicine

i had to chase my dreams, but at what cost?

what i lost, i don't think i can get back again

Longevity.

In a career of politics, a person could have hoped for many things: power, wealth, perhaps even to make things better. But Talon Irvine wanted longevity, and that had always been her goal. And if a person could ever ask her why, she would’ve fixed her gaze on them, fire fit for gods burning within them, and simply said: “That way, I can have it all.”

She had squandered a few years, gotten a bit too comfortable in her corner office with only the Capitol to listen to. It had taken her some time to extend her newfound power past herself, but once she started, she hadn’t ever stopped. Not that there was anything to show for it. Gangs still ran rampant in the streets, children were still hospitalized from malnourishment, and the face of her District was a fucking joke of a victor. She had hoped the Blackfare boy would turn things around, and perhaps if he’d focused on the game instead of the pretty boy who followed his lead down death’s road, he would have. But he didn’t, and her district was still the laughing stock of the Capitol, for sure. Especially now that Six and Seven finally got off their asses and won the gold.

Talon’s golden eyes were trained on the patriarchy of the Salazar family when a familiar voice broke her concentration.

“Well, one of us is going to have to change.” A quick glance at Leia Chevallier’s outfit left Talon confused. There were similarities between their black gowns, sure, but they were not twins. Something she would have expected a mayor of District One to know better than any. Still, Leia was three steps up from Mayor Morgan, and certainly more interesting to look at. Besides, their dresses were close enough in aesthetic that it put Talon off as well.

As the other woman offered her a glass of champagne freshly snagged from an avox’s tray, she further clarified herself: “I would be flattered but... I’m competitive. Let’s not make the entire population vote on who wore it better- Clearly, it was because she knew she would lose. But that was of no offense to Talon, whose smile turned more genuine as Leia kept speaking. She’d forgotten how blunt Mayor Chevallier was.

“It’s nice to see you, Mayor Irvine.”

Talon clicked her glass against Leia’s, a sparkle of intrigue filling her eyes.

“And you, Mayor Chevallier. Tell me, has the job been what you had hoped so far?”

that's the way it is, let's just smoke this

are we crowned almost beautiful catastrophe?

but you, you should know better than anyone

we're lying to ourselves