IC contact post

[capitolprivilege]

"Hi, you've reached Stephen Reagan -- almost. This is his phone. Leave a message and I'll get back to you when I can. Okay?"

Comments

[capitolprivilege]

...all right. It's your call.

[He hadn't known Nill had a thing about drinking, but the fact only surprises Stephen because she seems very together; Tributes and drinking was far from uncommon. He files the information away.

He sits next to her in silence for a few moments, hands wrapped around his mug, taking a deep breath.]

I know this isn't easy for you. I wish there were more I could say, or do, to make this -- well -- anything besides what it is. But there are two things you should know. First, it was Linden's decision to reach out to bidders again. I tried to talk him out of it, but I couldn't change his mind. Whatever reasons he has for putting himself through this matter to him a lot, enough that he won't listen to me.

[This is true. Stephen tried, with everything he had, to dissuade Linden. The only part of it that's not true is the bit about Stephen not knowing Linden's reasons. He does.

When he goes on, Stephen's mouth goes thin, and his hands tighten around the cup.]

Second, one way or another, I am personally going to make sure Claudius never bids on him again. I'll blacklist Claudius from bidding on anyone, if I can. I'd like to have him arrested for assault, but the rules Cyrus put in place don't cover this situation. I checked.

[Stephen's angry. It's not immediately apparent; it's not a loud anger, but it's there in the lines of his face and his grip on the cup. Stephen didn't prevent what happened tonight, and he should have, and he is determined not to let it happen again to anyone.]

[reassures]

[it isn't necessarily that Nill has a drinking problem, though she fully recognizes that it used to be a very bad habit. She worked at a bar for a little while and the year was so bad that she was fairly content to spike her coffee while working, and because the owner of the place was very much in love with her on top of having no idea how to run a business, he never cared that much. Nill herself didn't work there for the money, so she had never minded just adding the price of whatever she used to the register.

(Of course, that probably is the definition of a drinking problem, but she doesn't often do it anymore save for situations like this, or after Arenas; she never wakes up feeling real, let alone alive.)

Linden didn't deserve to wake up to find her a wreck, and there was no way she was going to do that to him. He deserved so much better than that from her, especially since as far as she could tell, the only thing in his system last night was alcohol. Had it been her she probably would have been black out drunk, or worse, long before Claudius put a hand on her.

When Stephen really starts talking Nill looks up at him for a few seconds before returning her attention to her coffee. She lifts the mug, takes a long gulp, and settles it again, closing her eyes. Selfishly, she's so glad that he started talking about it on his own, because she needed to hear Stephen say that it wasn't his idea. She's so glad she didn't need to ask, even though she wouldn't think him capable of doing something that horrific to Linden in the first place. It needed to be real and not just an idea in her head.

It's several long moments before Nill opens her eyes again and goes to write.]

he needs the rule about touching his neck reinstated ASAP.
Claudius said it was revoked.

[It takes just about everything Nill has not to write something that the Capitol could take as a threat towards Claudius, no matter how many awful things she might wish on him. ]

if it was something he made up his mind about you couldn't have stopped him.

[She's fairly sure she couldn't have either, but maybe it's something that Stephen needs to hear too.]

is there any way Cyrus could change the rules to protect mentors?

[Even if it was only Panem mentors, it would be better than the big fat nothing they have now.]

[capitolprivilege]

[He nods. He's in agreement about the rule.

Stephen takes a deep breath and lets it out. He's always been good at changing Linden's mind. He's one of the best at it. It makes him feel very, very guilty that it didn't work this time.

Maybe this was the first time Linden had something he cared about enough to be stubborn over. Or maybe that's an excuse to make himself feel better. Stephen doesn't know.

He does, however, know the answer to Nill's question.]

I don't think he could. That kind of legislation would be seen as unnecessary -- a waste of time. The system has worked for so long, they will say, that there's no need to change it. The only reason these laws were passed is that, prior to them, there was no official regulation for offworld Tributes at all.

I'm sorry, but I don't think anyone would support it.

[reassures]

[Though Nill looks disappointed by the response she hardly looks surprised. It's not the kind of thing that she would have expected to work out in their favor to begin with, and the idea of it was more an attempt to grasp at straws. Even if someone would back it up she's not surprised Cyrus wouldn't. He was too practical, and it was unlikely he thought much of anything about the Mentors. Not like Stephen did.

She exhales slowly from her nose and takes another sip of her coffee, wishing yet again for the alcohol Stephen had offered, and hating herself just a little more for still wanting it.]

that makes sense.
you handle his bidders. the paperwork. right?
if Claudius bid on him after this could you send him to me instead?

[capitolprivilege]

[He hits his mug against the table -- not hard enough to break it, but hard enough to make a point.]

Absolutely not. One, it's hard to change Claudius's mind once he's made it up, so our only real hope is to make a case for him to be blacklisted. Two, even if I did redirect him to you, do you think that would do Linden any good at all?

He'd still be hurt. Just in a different way. A way that's harder to heal than bruises. He's got some peace of mind in knowing that bidders like Claudius haven't taken an interest in you -- don't take that away from him.