Boys, say you got a girl? Yes, true you got a man

[occasio]

WHO| Phi and D4 Party House, feat. Sigma Klim!
WHAT| Most of Phi's District staff live off-location, so Phi goes to do some networking. Things get a little out of hand when Phi decides it would be a fun idea to text Sigma about all the fun (read: booze) she's having. No one likes the party police.
WHEN| During the last week of the arena. [Backdated]
WHERE| D4 house in the Capitol.
WARNINGS| Underage drinking, minor drug use, etc.


Death by vicious animal is not Phi's preferred way to die, but it's better than some of the others she's experienced in the past. It doesn't even faze her when she wakes up in the Capitol again like nothing happened, not a single mark on her body. The only weird part is that everyone else remembers it as well. And they don't seem keen on letting her forget.

When the Tower feels too stifling, Phi finds herself heading for the store. She grabs a couple bags of chips, but only after an argument with the clerk over whether or not she should be allowed to buy a case of beer. You can die for the Capitol, but you can't buy a 12-pack. Sounds fair.

She ends up at a house out in one of the residential parts of the Capitol, an address that she'd been given but had never taken the time to visit. When you only have a week to train like your life actually does depend on it, there's not a whole lot of time to waste. Now she has all the time in the world, as far as she can tell, and she needs to be away from the cameras and the crowds. This is the only place she can think of.

"Here," she says as soon as the door opens, thrusting the three bags of chips at whoever opens the door and hoping they take pity on her. "Can I crash here for a while?"

Comments

[Opening]

[occasio]

[Continued from above...]

[sociopathicwolf]

The first thing he thinks when he opens the door to food being shoved at him is that someone ordered out again and forgot to tell him. He accepts the chips automatically, prepared to growl at whatever delivery person decided to shove their food at him again while he waits for someone to pay them, but before he can turn back to snarl for whoever ordered shit to get out here to pay for it, he recognizes Phi.

His hackles lower as he frowns at her, but then he shrugs and steps aside to let her in. He and Chuck - and Anna now, too - usually do something for their Tributes when they first get back, might as well let this be Phi's.

Besides, she brought him chips, that means she gets to stay. Or at least, he's assuming the bags she shoved at him are his, because he's not giving them back now.

"Kur might try to dress you up," he warns as he kicks the door shut behind her. There's a pause, then, "Don't move the fish."

There are indeed seven or eight frilly, brightly colored fish scattered about the living room in small, individual aquariums, each strategically placed so it isn't in view of any of the others.

[furgood]

Meulin spotted Derek at the door and in a similar vein of thought, wondered who had ordered in. She slid up behind him, peeking around his shoulder. Oh--not food at all. Well. Sort of. She spotted the chips and noticed the inclusion of one bag of salt and vinegar. Her most favorite.

She smiles at Phi, waves. Then, when Derek is busy explaining something, she makes a brave but ultimately futile attempt to snag the bag.

"Are we having company? Or have you drafted your tributes into running errands for you?"

[quiethumerus]

It's clear who the Capitolite here is. Kurloz walks out in all-too-high heels, and matching garb, hair curled to perfection and dusted with glitter. He walks out with arms spreading wide, a smile on his face like he's about to drawl, daaarling. He doesn't seem to care that three's a crowd either, squishing into the doorway along with everyone else.

He saves space by draping over Meulin's shoulder's. He watches Meulin make a grab for chips, glances at Derek, then moves quick, plucking one from Derek's grip. They are hovered over Meulin's head and lowered carefully into her hands.

[occasio]

As soon as Derek steps aside, Phi gratefully takes the opportunity to come inside. What she's greeted with is... only about half what she expected. The Capitol has already prepared her for the ritzy glamour of living literally anywhere in the city, but the fish are a bit of a surprise. She's not quite sure why there's so many bettas until she remembers that at least three of the residents are from District Four. Right. Fishing. Okay. There were worse pets to have.

Meulin and Kurloz are the next to come to the door, and for a moment Phi is reminded humorously of a pack of vultures in the way that they pick at the bags of chips. There's a bit of relief that her offering has gone over so well with them.

"I'm not running errands. I just need a place to crash without a camera or a microphone in my face." That is to say, somewhere away from the Tribute Tower and half of the city besides. She figured she could count on these people not to hassle her too much. Half of them were Victors, they had to understand how much of a pain this was, right?

[sociopathicwolf]

There's an amused glint in his eye as Meulin tries ineffectively to grab for her favorite bag of chips - and it turns into a growl as Kurloz snatches them from him and ruins the game, expression disgruntled even though the growl is more playful than anything else. He eyes the remaining two bags, then tosses one over his shoulder in Chuck's general direction.

"Maybe our Tributes just like me," he deadpans at Meulin.

But his brows furrow at Phi's comment. Yeah, he does understand exactly how much of a pain that is.

"You getting hassled too much?"

[furgood]

Kurloz may be draped over her shoulders but she wiggles and shifts until she can peck him on the cheek, giggling the whole time. Derek can be put out all he wants but she has her prize.

Bag of chips secured, Meulin briefly considers making an escape back to the couch. The difficulty in following the conversation from even farther decides it for her and she simply opens the bag right there and then. Yesss there we go. Derek says something and with only half her attention on him, she catches only a few words, but it's enough to throw a grin back at him.

"You should be running errands fur them, not the other way around. We should purrobably let Phi in if she's coming in you know. Cold outside. Right, Phi?" Or at least she thinks so, what with the autumn shifting into winter, so unlike home.

[quiethumerus]

Well what a fine reward that is, to be kissed so sweet. He grins and lets her free, looking far warmer than he did when he and Phi first met. He makes a teasing face at Derek like if he could stick his tongue out her would be doing so. All in good fun.

When he turns to phi, he twirls his hand. Well, says his body language. You came to the right place. Likely still under surveillance as any part of Panem, but everyone knows that those cameras and the kinds Tributes face aren't remotely the same thing.

He bows and extends an arm in welcome, leaving space for her to come on in. Indeed, it was coming to be cold outside, though not as cold as Meulin feels, his poor summer kitten.

[occasio]

"Questioned," she answers Derek with a shrug. "Some people can't take a hint. Or you know, fill in the obvious blanks. What was the hardest thing that you had to do this arena? I dunno, die is pretty high up there. Hard to beat that."

She shouldn't bring the mood down like that, though. That was her problems to deal with. She's not here to ask for sympathy, and they're not here to listen to her bitterness over that ordeal. The faster she can forget about it, the better.

Refocusing her attention on the rest of the room, Phi gradually moves past Derek and Kurloz with a casual but curious sort of stroll. This place is nicer that the Tribute Tower. There's a certain kind of lived in coziness--like the difference between a hotel and someone's living room. Which is an apt analogy, she supposes.

"Didn't think you guys were this serious about the fish theme."

[sociopathicwolf]

His brows are pulled down as he continues to look grumpy, but there's a gleam of amusement in his eyes when Meulin grins at him and Kurloz shoots him a smug expression. It's the closest he really gets to goofing around, but it's still more than he'd do outside of their house.

"Fish're Chuck's."

Never mind the fact that Derek had bought every single one of them, carefully arranged them, and is usually the one who feeds them. They're still Chuck's.

He's still frowning over Phi's first response, though. He doesn't like that, her being questioned that much, especially without the knowledge of the staff. It's supposed to be part of his job to help her with that. "Can screen your interviewers. Pick a couple, make you exclusive. They'll help fend off others."

It's a tactic he and Chuck use. It cuts down on random people accosting them, when they have deals with others who are very interested in making sure that their exclusive remains exclusive, and are more than happy to help get rid of the competition. It means they have to give the ones they pick good stuff, every once in a while, but that's easy.

[Party/Gossip]

[occasio]

After some food and drink, Phi is starting to feel a bit better. These people are being a lot more accommodating than she really expected them to be. They haven't told her to take a hike, so she must have done something right.

For now, she's unwinding and letting herself soak up their company. The whole thing has turned into some kind of improptu chill session, and she's fine with that. It gives her a chance to get to know them better, figure out where they stand. If a bit of alcohol and gossip helps to grease those wheels, she's more than okay with complying.

[Party/Gossip]

[furgood]

Having someone new over in their space is a novelty, one Meulin is quite happy to take advantage of. Even if she and Phi had met before in the Capitol, they didn't really know each other. So she sits down, right beside her, and smiles wide and bright.

"Feeling better now?" She offers her an open bag of gummy bears, shaking them temptingly, "They're delicious. Try one. We're stealing them from a certain someone but he didn't put his name on the bag. More for us."

[Party/Gossip]

[quiethumerus]

Too slow! He says. Or would if he could speak. Instead he leans over suddenly with a grin, taking from the bag that was offered to phi. He doesn't take a handful like others would, plucking up only one and then wedging it in between his stitches. His finger is removed with a pop.

He leans back, grinning, savoring the rare bit of solid food. And so sweet it is. He wishes he could thank the person responsible, he thinks, as he washes it back with soda that's just as sweet if not more so.

[Party/Gossip]

[occasio]

Phi eyes the gummy bears with interest, only taking one to try after Kurloz's impromptu snatching. It's a bit strange, watching him stick the gummy treat between stitched together lips, but she's gotten used to this city having a general baseline of strange.

The truth is, she is feeling better, but she figures that much is apparent already. Instead, she continues on with Meulin's second comment. "Is it really stealing, if the bag doesn't leave the house?" she asks. As she waits for a response, she pops the gummy bear into her mouth. There's a rare bit of a tug at the corner of her mouth, the start of a smile.

Re: [Party/Gossip]

[furgood]

Meulin huffs at Kurloz, interrupting her attempts, but all is forgiven when Phi takes one. It's not the handful that she herself takes, but it's more than none. It's a start.

"Purrobably," she replies, shaking the bag until a red one surfaces and can be snatched up in her next handful, "Since I didn't buy them and all. I don't know. Do we have a communal snack policy?"

If they do, there's a few chocolate bars in the fridge she's had her eye on. Only those are probably Anna's and she's not here to lay claim. Meulin pouts, the reason unknown to those watching her.

[Snapchat and Party Police]

[occasio]

At some point in the night, Phi decides that sending Sigma a text would be a pretty amusing idea. See how he likes the things she gets up to in her free time. He's probably out there planning how to send more monsters after a bunch of children, and she doesn't need him to have a good night out. Not everyone is a stickler for rules like him, and really... She deserves this. If she was more sober, she would probably reconsider her own motives for doing this, but what's the worst that could happen?

She gets everyone together to take a picture, and if there's any question who she's sending it to, she just shrugs. "Just a friend." That's all they really need to know, as far as she's concerned. It's just a picture. It's not like it can do any harm.

keywords

[futilecycle]

Sigma doesn't bother replying to the inflammatory message... over the communicator.

Sigma's vigilantism for underage drinking had a complicated story characterized by an irresponsible father and poor choices in friends. In short, he liked to make sure the people close to him were safe - watching them get in trouble with the police and ruining their lives was not the mark of a 'bro,' but a terrible person. So could Phi, approximately eighty pounds with no alcohol tolerance to speak of, drink herself to death with this group of friends? He scrutinizes the photograph. Meulin he thinks he can trust. Was there a person on earth who could love cats that much and be a bad person? He has no beef with Derek or Chuck... but that was mostly out of ignorance, he reminds himself, for Gamemakers did not concern themselves with mentors. Kurloz is the tipping point. He had made his peace with the man, but could not attest to his mental health. He was unpredictable, and perhaps getting a 'Gamemaker's daughter' drunk was some pre-scripted scene in a mischievous plot...

His legs carry him out of his tower before he realizes where he is going. Fortunately for Phi, Sigma was never particularly bright - it takes him most of an hour to puzzle out the location with a couple favors and several trashy magazines. Once there, he knocks as politely as his anger can manage, ready to catch the door as it opened. And if they didn't answer? Outside of the Arena he would never dream of using his cybernetic arms for violence, but destroying an inanimate object? Well, he doesn't think that will cost him any sleep.

[sociopathicwolf]

Derek's relaxed the tiniest bit throughout the night - less because of the alcohol, and more because he's comfortable in the apartment, among the small number of people he might consider friends. But that drops when he hears a knock at the door, instantly back on guard. He makes a face, but gets up to answer the door anyway. He's pretty sure he's the most sober one here, and even if not, he usually likes to answer the door anyway.

Just in case. Not that he's protective or territorial or anything. He just doesn't like potential unwanted people encroaching in the place that's supposed to be his.

When he opens it and is faced with a Gamemaker, he turns from cautiously wary to actively defensive, especially when the guy catches the door. Derek keeps his hand on the door, not trying to shut it but holding it where it is, as he stands in the way to prevent the Gamemaker from gaining entrance.

Eyebrows raised and brows furrowed in confusion, he gives an enquiring grunt. What the fuck are you doing here, but one of the good things about being a dumb animal is not having to worry about phrasing things politely to avoid pissing a Gamemaker off. Most people expect him to be nonverbal.

[quiethumerus]

The door is knocked upon and Kurloz is bearly able to pull himself out of the steady laughter he's caught himself in as he keeps trying to make those rainbow smoke puffs into rings. The lit joint in his hand keeps him from rising and he mourns Derek's loss dramatically, pouting at him and reaching out as he passes as though it will stop him.

But Derek is gone and he doesn't pay any more mind until the quiet starts to bother. He looks over at the door, starts to lean until he's near to toppling. Then he's on his feet and walking over to the door, moving promptly to lean upon Derek's side, arms upon his shoulder, before he looks at how it is.

His smile drops fast. It's not a frown that replaces it but it is most certainly confused. He glances around for pen and paper, doesn't find any, and lifts his hand to write in the air.

U LOST?

/sneaks in here?

[futilecycle]

The reek of weed hits Sigma in the face at the cracking open of the door and the corner of his mouth curl up in disgust. If he was angry before he is pissed now, but even a man of his position could catch more flies with honey than vinegar. He wrings a smile out of his lips and draws the dregs of his kindness up from the pit. "Ahem... Evening. I hope you gentlemen are enjoying the Games..." All 250 pounds of him starts forward- not shoving past, but expecting Derek to simply move aside. When he does not, he resorts to gesturing over him, leaning over arms if he had to. Perhaps it would have been better if Kurloz had answered the door. He isn't there to pick a fight- yet- but makes it clear it would infuriate him to have to resort to vulgarities.

"Hm, there appears to be some misunderstanding. I have come to pick up Phi? I'm her escort back to her Training Center quarters, you see." Hand practically in Derek and Kurloz's faces, he waves casually (and somewhat passive-aggressively) at their guest - his face alight with tranquil rage. Uh, what the fuck do you think you're doing, dumbass?! Being her best friend, a small part of him is optimistic that she would come willingly, that she would choose a companion she'd been through hell with over a group of casual acquaintances and some drugs...

[occasio]

Initially, Phi doesn't pay the door much mind. It's not her house, and she's not expecting that their having company will affect her. These people seem reasonable. She had done some research, and if there was drama to be had, it would have shown up in the tabloids by now. If anything, that much held true with her own world. The worst you could expect of someone was probably already yesterday's news.

So when she hears Sigma's voice at the door, there's more than a little surprise in her expression. She stands up from the couch where she had been reclining, resting a hand on arm just to make sure she doesn't lose her balance. She's not that drunk, she thinks, but she doesn't want to give anyone the impression that she is.

Her first question is 'What are you doing here?', but Sigma seems to have already answered that. He's escorting her back to the Tower. There's a flush of indignation to her cheeks. She's twenty years old, and she doesn't need an escort. She also doesn't need to be picked up, or any other manor of supervision that he apparently thinks she needs. It nicks a sore spot that she's still carrying over the 'father-daughter' rumors, and Sigma isn't helping himself by showing up like a parental party crasher.

"I didn't ask you to come here. I'll go back to my quarters when I'm ready."

[sociopathicwolf]

His hackles are up even more when the guy tries to enter their home before he's invited. It's not as though Derek doesn't know that anything that belongs to him really belongs to the Capitol, but that doesn't make him any less pissed off when someone uninvited tries to waltz into the place they carved out for themselves as though they owned it. Especially when it puts the Gamemaker even more into his personal space.

There's a hand waving in his face, and it's only because it's a Gamemaker that Derek doesn't react as though it's an immediate threat. He feels it, body tense and adrenaline pumping as his hand on the door clenches even harder, but he doesn't move. Despite the Capitol's image of him, he does have more than enough control over himself not to attack a Capitolite even when he's feeling threatened. ...it also helps a little that Kurloz is leaning on him, because to do anything he'd have to push Kurloz aside and he's far from angry enough to risk hurting Kurloz.

Instead he growls quietly, tempted to shove him out and slam the door in his face, but he'll wait and see what Phi says. Derek knows damn well this guy isn't her escort, that there is no Tribute curfew at the moment and there's no meetings or interviews or other obligations on Phi's schedule tonight, but Phi could have arranged something without telling them.

She clearly wasn't planning on going anywhere with him, though, so he shifts a little to settle himself more firmly between this guy and his Tribute, giving a clearer growl.

[quiethumerus]

One could say Kurloz was lucky. He had a gift, a miracle ability of sorts. That gift was the chance to see the side of people most didn't; the side of barely restrained fury and disgust, usually directed at him. Thus, Sigma's ire does not come as a surprise. Even if they'd managed something near personable in the past, he is not particularly shattered to see it lost now. The question, really, is why.

Still leaning upon Derek, he doesn't answer with a growl, but he matches it with a quick glance up and down, brows raised at this intruder. He's the calm to Derek's anger and he feels the tension form, giving a quick pat on the shoulder, something Sigma won't notice but Derek will feel and maybe take note of for easing.

An escort. How sweet. Only it would appear not to be so, as Phi stands up and gives protest. She wobbles, but is steady enough he makes no attempt to move and help. The tiny girl is fierce in refusal. He shifts a long with Derek, lingering, smiling.

Well, well, he thinks, turning back to Sigma. He takes a drag from his blunt, holds it, and then lets the smoke spill out into the space between he and the Gamemaker. Looks like we'll not be needing your assistance today, sir.

[futilecycle]

Until the man reveals his character Sigma’s opinion of Kurloz stood in limbo, and the smoke blown in his face sends the needle spinning again. The Gamemaker exhales slowly through his nose in protest and must close his eye to stop from going off. Was he doing something wrong, here? He and Phi were supposed to look out for each other. And Phi was supposed to be the clever one - did she not realize she was a minor in a room of drunken adults she had only just met? Keeping a Tribute safe should be the least of a Gamemaker’s concern, but if anything happened to her, he would be unable to forgive himself and his game would be over too soon.

Clearing his throat to cough the crap from his lungs, he opens his eye and continues with his usual tack. “I can wait, Phi.” He smiles gently: truly, this was all just a misunderstanding, gentlemen. We're all friends, here! “You must know I am a very patient man.” A mask has settled over his face, stretched a little too lightly around the mouth. “It isn’t safe for a person to travel inebriated, and I doubt any of your friends are sober enough to be reliable.”

He turns back to the man blocking his way. Behind glass, the aperture of his cybernetic narrows into a fine point, fixed on Derek’s face, unwavering and still. “I’d like to come in for awhile. If you would please.” It isn’t a question.

[occasio]

To Sigma's credit, he manages to seem almost pleasant in the face of the barrier that Derek and Kurloz are making. Phi hadn't really expected them to come to her defense like this, even if it's relatively pointless against Sigma. He wasn't the sort to manhandle her. If she didn't want to leave, she doubted that he was going to force her. On the other hand, she's not so sure if his patience could hold out. The others may or may not notice it, but Phi is aware of the mask that Sigma puts on. It's not the genuine good nature that she's used to, and even that much is enough for her to know how much they're getting to him.

At this rate, things are going to end up in a confrontation that she's not prepared to mediate. She exhales a sigh, wary but conceding. "Just let him in. It's fine." So long as he doesn't cause a fuss, anyway. He can wait around if he wants, she has no problem with that. Maybe he'll lighten up a bit. These people weren't as bad as he seemed to think.