oh c'mon, oh c'mon what's a boy to do?

[orestes]

Who| Enjolras and Valeria
What| Enjolras wants to know about Panem's history and government from a native. Valeria just wants a night out with a cute boy. It's totally not a date and there's no way this could possibly go wrong or lead to epic miscommunications.
Where| In front of the Training Center, and then some eatery in the Capitol.
When| The day after this thread. So, backdated a bit, I guess.
Warnings/Notes| Enjolras and politics should be its own warning, but nothing too extreme, I don't think. As always, I'll update accordingly if anything comes up.



By the time Enjolras carries himself from the District 5 suites down and over to the front of the training center, he's had appropriate time to ponder --not fret or stew, or brood, thank you-- over his previous attempts at entertaining women, however (blessedly) rare they may have been. In all but one case (and the woman in that particular instance was a second-cousin on a family picnic, which he was sure didn't actually count), his involvement had been the devious orchestrations of one of his friends, usually Courfeyrac, sometimes Prouvaire, and every single instance had ended terribly. Usually by his own fault. (Always by his own fault.)

He wasn't unaware of his charm, or good looks. As a point of fact, they were things he was aware of, grateful for, and cultivated as needed to further his goals. A leader so great as to inspire and stoke the flames revolution needed to be memorable and charismatic and if being attractive helped him in that regard, so be it. It's just that there was a delicate distinction between charisma, charm, and social grace which usually daunted him out of soliciting such company. That, in addition to his general discomfort at actually needing something from this woman was enough to put him in a mood.

Seven o'clock found him pacing --shoulders slightly hunched forward, and brow furrowed-- in front of the Training Center, his mind already burning with questions for her and half-conceived but above all polite seguays to get the conversation back on track when it inevitably deviated. He could look at this as a game, a challenge from which he could glean invaluable information about this culture. In that sense it wasn't anywhere near as frivolous as his mind told him.

Comments

[orestes]

Too be honest, he was still too addled by the proximity to know rightly whether or not he should be offended. He'd seen that reaction before from women. Not in relation to him, of course, but in regard to other passing couples. By the time her hand slid into his (or was his in hers? They were interlocked so much that he couldn't tell and didn't want to even begin to contemplate whether or not that mattered) he had decided that perhaps none of that was so important, especially not now that they seemed to be moving on. Enjolras would simply thank Providence that he'd been spared any further and potentially more embarrassing ventures of physical or emotional intimacy and let it go.

"I would certainly be interested in hearing that. Your Capitol is magnificent, but I feel I've hardly had the opportunity to properly see any of its significant sights with the schedule my District demands of me." He allowed himself to be dragged after her, not at all minding the change of subject. This was safer, more easily comprehended and closer to what he'd actually intended. And if the scent of her perfume lingering around him, or the softness of her palm in his (he'd settled on that arrangement because that was less unsettling) was still enough to be mildly disquieting, well, she didn't need the satisfaction of knowing that.

[electriccandlelight]

"We'll have to save that for next time," she said, as they stopped. It was a flippant comment, Enjolras was hard enough to read sometimes that she wasn't sure if he'd be up for another outing like this. He certainly didn't appear interested in anything more physical.

"We're here." She stopped only for a moment in front of the building, giving Enjolras a chance to take it in before heading inside. "Sweet little place, isn't it? Normally I'm of the more the merrier line of thought, but the nest idea is rather adorable. You did remember to make the reservations, didn't you?" Valeria added with a wink. She was only teasing, she'd already called ahead, and anyway they were a Stylist and a Tribute, they could have showed up at the busiest hour of the day and still be guaranteed a table.

[orestes]

He flushed again, taking her teasing for more suggestiveness instead of what it truly was.

"I did not. Please excuse me, I thought--" Enjolras trialed off, embarrassment again coloring his usual eloquence. "I should apologize."

[electriccandlelight]

"Calm down, dearie, calm down," Valeria laughed, patting Enjolras before raising her hand and snapping her fingers at the hostess. "You're still not used to being famous, are you? We don't need reservations."

[orestes]

"I do not consider my participation in The Games a reason for celebrity. I have accomplished very little in the grand scheme of things." There's an earnestness to his tone which belied he casual way in which he'd smiled and tried to play off his earlier reaction.

"I suppose that is somewhat counter to the culture of his place."