Work Text:
What if Ren had arranged it, it still could count as a meet cute as long as he was introduced to someone cute and he would be momentarily. The new District 12 Escort had not amassed many favors to receive in the few months he had worked on the Games, but he did have one. So he had asked Keralis, a District 7 Victor, to switch assigned seating with him during the Tribute’s Parade. The assigned seat were meant to distribute Life Game representatives across the crowds, to both raise hype and show unity, so they always were in pairs. Ren had been randomly assigned to sit next to that year’s District 11 Mentor, Xisuma. He didn’t mind the man, quiet and reserved and always polite, but there was someone he was much more interested in meeting. He had been prepared to beg Keralis and make up excuses, but the other man had immediately accepted, without asking questions. So here he was, about to orchestrate the best meet cute ever.
“Is this seat taken?“
“Seats are assigned, is it your seat?“
“Yes it happens to be, nice to meet you, I’m Ren, District Twe-”
“I know who you are.“
That hadn’t been exactly how he had imagined it but it was okay, Ren sat down anyways and started to formulate a new plan.
“Oh, great then. Who might you be? We haven’t been introduced just yet, I believe.“
Ren knew exactly the man who sat beside him, even if he hadn’t even looked his way yet. Martyn, District 4 Victor of the 146th Life Games, rebellious and dangerous according to the Capitol, but such a looker, and it certainly had helped that he had won when Ren had still been a teen, having been one of his many crushes since then.
“Why?“
“Why… we haven’t been introduced yet? I don’t know but it certainly is a pity.”
“No… Why must you…“
Martyn sat up straighter to wave his hands around in a chaotic motion, just to retake his position with his arms leaning on the railing and his head hanging almost between them, longish blond hair covering his face.
“What’s…?“
Ren mimicked Martyn’s hand gesture, now genuinely confused, but Martyn did not answer and stayed immobile as the minutes dragged on. The message well received, Ren also stopped trying to talk to the guy, no matter how attractive he looked with his whole aura of disheveled desperation.
“Hey, Martyn. How’s my favourite District Boy doing?“
The Parade had begun and the crowd had been going wild over the District 1 kid when finally Martyn moved again, but it wasn’t the interaction Ren had hoped for. Someone from the surrounding crowd had approached and put a hand on his shoulder while greeting him.
“What the fuck do you want?“
The older Capitol man jerked his hand back at the quick turn of Martyn’s head, but he held the jovial expression, probably because he was drunk as he slightly slurred his speech.
“Is this the way to greet an old friend, c’mon Martyn, ditch this loser and come hang out with us in my suite, you’ll have fun I promise.“
Martyn’s face grew more enraged with every word and when the man was done speaking he grabbed his wrist, which still hung in the air between them and started twisting while pulling the old creep down to his eye level.
“I am not your friend. I have never been, get it through your grimy little head. I will not have any sort of fun with any of you slimy old pervs. That has been the case always and will continue to be so. Ask me again and I might want to reenact the finale of my Games with your face, got it?“
The Victor of the bloodiest Games in recent history released him and pushed him backwards slightly, while the Capitol man grew red and sweaty with humiliation and anger. As he walked away he began shouting insults and threats.
“District scum! Filthy ungrateful bitch, one day you will learn your place. At my fucking feet! You will pay for this boy!“
“What are you gonna do? Put me back in? Neither you nor your fucking President want that, do you?“
As the commotion grew to a close and the drunken crowd immediately forgot all about it to stare at the newest Tribute being unveiled, Martyn deflated in his seat, basically melting into the stone as if all his energy and rage had been drained out of him.
“Woah… you okay?“
“You don’t have to do this.“
“I want to. Are you okay? What was that about?“
“He’s just an asshole.“
Ren grimaced, because actually talking badly in public about important Capitol Officers was dangerous, but he bit the bullet, in the past few days he had crossed his own boundaries so many times, what was one more.
“Tell me about it, hate the guy.“
“You know him?“
“I know everyone, but him specifically. He owns the building I lived in and my parents worked for him. Then my parents died and he kicked me and my sister out within the week. We had the money but he could get more from newlyweds than from us. How do you have the misfortune to know him?“
“He has been trying to get me in bed since I won.“
“Oh… ew.“
“Yes, then again, so has half the Capitol so… life of a Victor…“
“The attention must be nice though, and not having to work too…“
“What do you think I’m doing right now?“
“Attempting to become part of the chair?“
Martyn snorted, which was already progress, or at least Ren decided to take it as such, especially cause the man sat up straighter after that and looked less tired, even if just slightly.
“Just out of curiosity Ren, if you know everyone, how come you don’t know me?“
“Of course I know who you are, Martyn…“
“Why did you say you didn’t?“
Busted… Ren voice was small and apologetic in his answer, as if trying to look pitiful more than guilty.
“Icebreaker?“
Martyn finally looked at him, raising an eyebrow in question before bursting out in laughter. It hadn’t been the most direct way but the mission “meet cute“ in the end had been a success.