thecapitol | (no subject)

WHO| EVERYONE
WHAT| Effie is throwing a small scale party for just the tributes.
WHERE| The District 12 suite.
WHEN| Christmas
WARNINGS/NOTES| Secret Santa's are under the cut. Feel free to tag in whether you signed up for secret santa or not.

Effie had tried very hard to make this a party that was actually made for the tributes, not made to show them off.

She had tried very, very hard.

The food was what she had been able to investigate as “home” cooking for those she could track down, an odd arrangement of food that sometimes got close to the tributes home food, and sometimes was a terrible disaster. Blood pudding, for example, was a dish best avoided. But then it usually was.

The best hits reel had been her idea. It took a tense conversation with Haymitch and about 45 minutes to convince her that now, that wasn’t really what any Tribute wanted to see when they were trying to relax.

After that the party was much nicer, mellow music, holiday cheer and, for a holiday party, fairly low key. Lorne had karoke going in one room, while another had a large glittering Christmas tree and mellow music playing, with the District 12 windows wide open to show the snow covered city underneath.

Eliot-Neeshka
Kevin-Lottie
Valeria-Tony
Momoko-Draco
Alpha-Anna
Cinna-Momoko
Epoinine-Alpha
Alex-Jade
Jade-Ariadne
Neeshka-Eliot
Anna-Valeria
Lindsey-Glinda
Glinda-Annie
Ariadne-cinna
Elliot-Alex
Lottie- Eponine
Annie-Jade
Tony-Glinda
Shepard-Lindsey
Draco-Kevin

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

A Christmas party, tribute style. Lindsey had to be here even if it was just an excuse to get to know everyone else. Then there was the whole secret Santa thing that he was convinced into signing up for, although a slight issue occurred when he had no idea who Glinda was.

What he settled for was nicely wrapped in shining laser silver wrapping paper, something that he was assured by his district escort it would be representative of the power district. Uncaring of protests, he kept it bagged up in a paper bag and carried it in with him.

All in all he found the gathering reminded him of the office parties back home. Holding the bag on one arm, he took up a drink in the other and headed around to socialize at bit. Or whoever wanted to bump into him. He didn't really mind either way, he just made sure he plastered a friendly smile for the occasion.

After Blaine finished his number, he caught his breath, introduced himself to the crowd, waved, and made his way off the stage. Moving through the tributes, he didn't mean to bump into Lindsey who had a drink in his hand. Immediately, he apologize in case he made the guy spill some of it. And even if that didn't happen, it was rude to bump into people.

He may have been captured, but he still had manners.

"Sorry," he said, turning to face Lindsey. "I uh, wasn't looking where I was going." Yeah, he was avoiding bumping into someone else but he wasn't going to make an excuse.

Thankfully quick reflexes saved himself from most of the spill as the large martini glass sloshed flavored alcohol out from the jolt to his arm.

"It's fine," he said, brushing himself off and dabbing at what spill he did get on his clothes with a napkin. No big loss really since he wasn't that keen to dress up like gift wrap anyway.

"Don't worry about it. So, yeah, nice singing up there..." Since half the drink was gone, he placed the drink away on the tray of a passing Avox and got some more paper napkins.

Blaine did not get the fashion either and he was plenty thankful they'd averted disaster. It seemed ridiculously, to worry about manners and a small spill in the wake of their impending fight to the death. But, that was Blaine.

"Thank you," he replied, finally looking at Lindsey. "Are you going to?" Blaine didn't remember if Lindsey had sung and he hoped he hadn't or else he'd sound like he didn't pay attention.

Good guess on Blaine's part, probably since Lindsey was just walking in from the other room too. Or coming from that direction anyway. Shaking his head, he assured Blaine of his correct guess and looked to the stage where Lorne flitted about in his own element.

"Haven't quite decided yet," he answered truthfully, then gave Blaine a troubled smile. "I killed him in the last arena."

Well, wasn't that a sobering thought. What do you say to that?

"Do you sing well?" Ignoring it seemed to be Blaine's best bet.

That was precisely the reaction Lindsey was hoping to see, what Blaine would say to something as awkward as that. It turned out nothing, which he knew was the human method of dealing of things they didn't want to deal with anyway.

"Sure," he said shamelessly, "decently so. Or I used to. Not sure if dying a few times wouldn't have ruined my vocal chords."

Discarding the wad of napkins on another passing Avox, Lindsey stuck out his hand and grinned wide. "Lindsey McDonald."

It was how Blaine dealt with things. And anything he could've seen seemed wrong. Maybe the green guy would be over it. Everyone seemed to view being outside of the arena as different then being inside. But, Blaine couldn't separate the two. Maybe he'd get there.

And yet another thing Blaine couldn't really touch.

"I hope not," he decided on. He liked good singers - and attractive male singers at that. Hopefully, death did nothing to Lindsey's vocal chords.

Blaine took his hand, smiling warmly.

"Blaine Anderson." With Howard he had played things close to the vest. This guy was a lot more disarming. "I think you should sing." What would it hurt.

Death, screaming bloody murder while getting killed, dying several dozen times. The arenas weren't the deaths he was talking about.

Lindsey smiled openly when they shook hands, his previous career as a lawyer doing well to project that air of reliability even when dressed as... unique as Capitol fashion.

"I don't know, Blaine, I was thinking of just watching a bit more. It looks like there's lots of people lined up for a turn anyway... Maybe later in the night." He grinned again. "I'll sound better when everyone's had a few drinks in them."

Blaine wasn't aware. He assumed when everybody mentioned death they meant here and now. Or, even then, but Capitol then.

"The Capitol seems to love its karaoke," he replied, knowing most of the karaoke was tributes. But, there were still plenty of Capitol citizens. "Maybe later," he repeated. "Well, I'll be there. I always support a singer." He smiled. "And I don't really drink. I'm, what would you call it - a lightweight."

The party wasn't exactly a private affair, but he had a feeling it was as low key as it'll get in this world. If there was a place to sing at Lorne's karaoke and look normal, this place was probably it.

"All the better for me. Lightweights appreciate my singing the most," Lindsey said with a generous smile. "I'll consider it."

Was this guy flirting with him? He tried not to pause too long in the conversation, his smile not wavering.

"If you sing, I'll have a drink." What could he say? He wanted to hear the guy. "I'll even cheers." Not that he wouldn't have. Not really.

Lindsey was definitely not trying to flirt with him, but merely going for friendly, disarming conversation. "What's the point of drinking after listening to me sing? It wouldn't give be bonus points at all."

He laughed slightly. "Alright, I'll put my name on queue, and people'll probably be drunk by the time I get on."