thecapitol | (no subject)

Who| Hatter and OPEN
What| tea, Tea, Games, betting, anything you like
Where| Wonderland
When| Anytime this week
Warnings/Notes| For anyone not familiar with Hatter's canon, he owns a tea shop! Where he sells actual tea. Also Tea, which is something very different all together. Basically they are bottled emotions. Only good ones, not bad. Your character drinks it and they feel whatever the emotion is: passion, excitement, happiness, innocence, clear conscience, etc. Hatter's shop (Wonderland) is the only place in the Capitol where you can buy Tea, but it is not manufactured by Hatter. It's made by the Capitol, and he doesn't ask too many questions about how.

Also, if you want to come to Wonderland, you must wear a hat. Don't have one? Don't worry! Hatter will provide one at the door. But you may not like his choice.

Hatter was not at all pleased with the new directions the Games were taking, but you would never hear that from his mouth. Nope. He's playing the good citizen just now, and he's even gone so far as to spruce up the shop a bit for the occasion. It looks just a bit like the candy arena, in fact, bright colors and glistening treats. There are the Teas, of course, lined up in a neat row, bright and cheerful, but the tables and chairs are now of the same hues.

The proprietor himself is alternating between staying by the counter to monitor the bets placed and wandering amongst the clientele to see that everyone has everything they need.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Escort, not stylist. If it had been the latter not only would the hat of fit but it would have been of a colour to compliment his features and outfit, with a hundred other factors taken into consideration which she would have told Shion about as a way to try and make him engage in the styling process.

"It's fine I guess... Just a bit big." He tried another smile, casual conversation seemed almost alien, despite the fact he hadn't even been in the arena two weeks. "Why the rule? I believe that in many cultures it is customary to take a hat off before entering a building, not put one on."

He wasn't disappointed in the escort, though. He half expected it of her. But the boy's stylist still should have given him a hat. Hats were useful!

"Why not? Never know when a hat might come in handy," he said, taking his own off and flipping it between his fingers a moment.

"I guess." Shion thought, and thought and he managed to come up with three things that a hat might come useful for, though not really indoors.

But he nodded, he didn't want to be rude. "I guess you're right."

"Good lad," Hatter says with a grin, plopping his hat back on his head after one last flip.

"What can I get for you while you're here?"

He smiled, a little nervously and looked around. He hadn't been told much before being brought here, but despite the strange decor and weird jars it did seem like a regular tea shop.

"Do you sell fruit tea?" He hadn't really eaten since coming back, but fruit tea was something he had always liked.

"I do indeed. What kind of fruit do you like?"

He pulled himself to his feet and pushed in his chair. As the boy was a Tribute, he didn't immediately ask him what he'd like in his tea. If he didn't know about the option, so much the better.

"I like most fruit, but raspberry tee is nice, if you have that..." He looked out of the window as if reminding himself of the season.

"I can do raspberry. Anything else you'd like? Scones? Crumpets?" He followed the boy's gaze, leaning forward as if to see what he was looking at.

"Oh." Shion blinked, focusing on Hatter again. "I'm not really hungry." Despite the fact it looked like he hadn't had a square meal in months.

But food had tasted like ash before the arena, now he couldn't even think of food without remembering that hunger, and the taste of blood, wanting more.

"Not even a biscuit? Tea and biscuits is just the thing, you know. For...," he made a vague gesture with his hand in the boy's direction, "whatever it is that's troubling you."

"Nothing's troubling me." His voice was fake cheerful, he had been practicing though he had a feeling if Rat was here he would mock him for his lack of acting skills.

But the situation seemed clear to Shion, tributes weren't supposed to be troubled and so he smiled. "A biscuit would be nice I guess."

Hatter quite understood why he'd be troubled, but he wasn't going to show that. Because no one else seemed to. Most of the others appeared to think that the Tributes were in it for the fun of the Games, so Hatter pretended he did as well.

"Raspberry tea and a biscuit, on the way," he said, tipping his hat and getting up to fetch it for the boy.

"Thank you." Shion managed another smile, the gratitude on his face, he tipped his hat back clumsily and then pulled it further down to hide his hair, conscious of the looks he was getting.

Hatter came back a few minutes later with a small tray containing a pot of tea, a teacup, sugar bowl, milk pitcher, and a small plate of biscuits (all mismatched), and slid them onto the table.

"Sure I can't get you anything else?"

"Thank you." The display made Shion sharply homesick for a while, remembering his mums bakery. She would sometimes serve tea there as well, and though the pieces there mostly matched, it was close enough for him to remember, and miss her.

"No I'm fine, thank you mister..." He glanced at the man, realsiing he didn't know his name.

"Just Hatter," he said with a grin. "Let me know if you need anything."

He knew who the boy was, of course. He knew all the Tributes.

"Thank you Hatter. I will." He smiled again and poured a cup of tea.

And with another tip of his hat, Hatter was off to see to other customers, keeping watch on the boy in his peripheral.

Shion sipped his tea and even managed half a biscuit, watching the people in the tea house carefully, catching snippets of conversation about fabric costs and their favorites in the arena. The tea was delicious, even if it reminded him painfully of home.

Eventually his escort was finished with her meetings and beckoned him over to the counter, Shion smiled again as he handed over his credit card. "Thank you, it was very nice."

Hatter greeted his escort warmly, recognizing her as a somewhat regular customer. As she paid, he turned his smile on the boy.

"Anytime, mate. Next time, leave your hat at home. I'll find you a better one," he added with a wink.

Shion smiled, "I will." The escort gave him an odd look, after all she had chosen the hat. Shion waved as she led him out, half listening to her telling him how wasn't he glad she had taken him out.