unwind and dine [avriel&flynn] victory tour

District Six is half rubble half home and Avriel doesn't know what he's supposed to say about it. Is he allowed to point out that fifty feet from the podium they have him stood at, there's a fenced off hole where a building used to be? Or is he supposed to pretend that it's completely normal.

In Nine, it is.

Speech over, Avriel is pulled away from a crowd that's already dispersing. So far he's learned that all they want to do with him is show him what each district provides for the Capitol. Over the last week or so he's gotten used to long tours where he gets to walk through production lines and into work stations. It might sound boring to most but Avriel loves it, he's always been endlessly fascinated by workshops.

Today is different though, he's led away from the District Square down some side streets. Six is odd, not like five odd where smoke seemed to cling to him the moment he arrived, but sterile odd. Most people he's seen have been in medical wear or business attire, a far cry from Nine's sense of style. The streets are cleaner too, even with all the construction. Avriel supposes they have more money, especially with the favour of gaining a victor last year.

”Hey, over here!”

Speak of the devil.

Av shoves his hands into his pockets and hunches forward a little bit, not really knowing what to expect from Flynn. It's not like he killed Robin or Willa but he didn't do anything to stop that from happening. With the way victors can be, it's hard for Avriel to predict how Flynn might be feeling about him and that makes him nervous. Even though he's been out of the arena for months now, it's easy for him to slip right back into that feeling of never knowing when the next hit is gonna come.

Flynn only has enthusiasm for him though and Avriel can't help but relax the littlest bit. The District Six victor is around the same age as his little brother and even with the hardship of the games, he's got that same exuberent spark in his voice that Duke has.

"Yeah I eat meat," he confirms. Beggars can't be choosers in Nine.

"How'd you arrange this?" he asks, "I thought the schedule was pretty set."

Flynn's easy to talk to right away, as if Avriel has known him for days instead of the few moments it took him to walk up to him. He doesn't bother introducing himself, doesn't hold out a hand to shake either, Flynn doesn't seem that formal.

It just seems weird that a stranger would consider him and how he's feeling when nobody else on this tour seems to give a shit what he wants.

"Thanks Flynn," he says, "You didn't have to do this."

So why did you?

Avriel follows Flynn into the little diner. There’s a few places like this in Nine, but mostly you find little hole in the wall eateries or dive bars, nothing quite so clean and quaint. The metal counters and tabletops shine, it’s clear that the owner takes great care with the place.

He stops to look at framed faded photos on the walls of various people from Six and officials who stopped to eat here. The people in the pictures are all smiles and the corner of Avriel’s mouth lifts in a half-mimic.

The interior of the diner and the scents that come with it are overwhelming enough to keep Avriel quiet as the younger victor leads him up to the barstools. It’s hard for him to focus on too many things at once, always has been, even before those three days spent in the darkness.

"Hey you’re the expert,” Avriel says, "I’ll trust your judgement.”

He picks the paper menu up and slides it between his thumb and his pointer finger. The texture is smooth, the print slippery and Avriel smiles a little more. Flynn tells him about his life in tiny pieces and for one of the only times on this hell tour, he feels the smallest bit at home.

"Yeah,” he answers, ”It’s nearly across the district, I’m sorta from a shit part of town.” Not too rich but not that poor, that’s where the Baptiste family has always sat. "It's cool though, there wasn't anyone to leave behind. I don't... I'm not too close with anyone but Duke and Billie and they came with me anyhow."

He's never been great at emotional stuff but even Av can pick up on the sadness in Flynn's words. "Has it been weird? All this..." he gestures at the stylist team waiting outside, "Is it the same with your friends still?"