No prompt, just me messing around with Brutus because lately I just love him. I don't know. Don't ask me, lmao.

(In case you don't remember: Shella is one of my OCs, she's 4's victor and she and Brutus have a fling before Valeria (also my oc, 2's escort) comes along and steals the show)

A Drink With The Competition

The mentor lounge was disappointedly empty of his friends. Haymitch nodded at a few victors from Career Districts – the rare ones who would give him the time of day, that was – and tried to find someone in there who he wouldn't mind venting to.

He needed to vent.

First, though, he needed a drink.

He got one at the bar, downed it in one go and gestured at the bored Avox bartender that he wanted a second one. The bartender had been there long enough that he had already been ready to refill it. Haymitch had a reputation after all.

He turned around and scanned the room again. None of his friends had miraculously appeared but Brutus was rolling his eyes at Shella and clearly desperate for an escape. Their gazes met and Haymitch decided he was feeling generous so he approached Two and Four's respective victors.

Shella didn't like him much and since she clearly wasn't getting what she wanted from Brutus, she left before Haymitch could properly greet either of them.

"Troubles in paradise?" He snorted as a hello, because it wasn't exactly a secret that Brutus and Shella had been fucking for a while.

Brutus let out an irritated sigh, accepting the hand Haymitch outstretched and shaking it with enough strength to crush a finger or two. It wasn't aggressive or posturing or anything, it was just Brutus, so Haymitch didn't take offense. He simply clenched his hand in a fist a couple of times once Two's victor had released him before shaking it off.

"You know… If I wanted to hear that kind of shit, I'd talk to my wife." Brutus scoffed, shaking his head. "I don't know what Shella's problem is… We always said it was casual…"

Shella didn't seem like the casual kind to him. She seemed like the kind who would happily tear out your throat with her teeth… Then again, that girl Brutus had managed to crown victor three years earlier, Enobaria, also seemed like that kind so maybe Brutus had a thing about that…

"She's jealous." Haymitch suggested, leading the way to one of the tables in the corner. "You've got your eyes on that new escort of yours…"

Brutus laughed a good natured laugh, signaling the bartender he wanted a drink of his own. "I've got my eyes on Valeria, true. I've also got my eyes on that pretty piece you landed… Requested her to be promoted to my District last year, you know… Torello wouldn't give her to me."

He felt a twinge of irritation at that but he wasn't sure if it was because another District had tried to steal his escort from him – again, because he knew Chaff had put in an official request and, to his knowledge, so had Three – or because Torello still refused to rid him of her even though he had asked several times already.

Trinket was too good at managing him though. Or so Torello claimed.

"Thanks." Brutus muttered when the Avox brought him his favorite choice of drinks. Some sort of colorful cocktail he probably would have mocked him for if they had been closer friends and if Brutus hadn't been that much taller and stronger than he was. "Don't think Val really is the problem anyway… We've done threesomes before… Could probably convince Valeria to go for it, even…" Brutus winked at him. "She's all star-eyes still, you know? She thinks the Games are all shiny and thrilling…" Brutus rolled his eyes but shrugged. "I like her, though. She's a nice change from the old one."

Two's previous escort hadn't really looked fun, that was true.

"So you're dumping Shella, then?" he asked, only mildly interested in the gossip. Chaff would like to know, though. He liked gossip.

And if he could learn something before Trinket did he could rub it in her ugly-painted face.

"Guess so." Brutus sighed. "It ran its course, you know?" He shook his head. "She ain't gonna be fun to be around. Don't envy Mags… She's got her work cut out for her this year…"

"That boy's gonna win." Haymitch predicted. It wasn't a difficult one to foresee. Everyone knew Finnick Odair was going to be crowned victor at the end of the Games. He was smart, could use a weapon and had the whole Capitol lining up behind him, eager to empty their pockets to send him gifts… "Shella should be happy."

"Shella was mentoring the girl." Brutus objected. "And he hasn't won yet. My boy still has a shot."

"Maybe." he acknowledged. To pacify him mostly. As far as he could tell, the Games were already done. The Gamemakers were happy with the idea of Odair as a victor and it made him sick. That kid was fourteen and the moment he got out of that arena, they would push him into the wolves' den. "Tell me, you've seen a lot of that guy from Three? Bryce?"

"The one who won a couple years before Enobaria? Sixtieth, right?" Brutus asked.

"Yeah." Haymitch scoffed. "That guy's an asshole."

Brutus lifted his eyebrows, a bit surprised. "Really? I think he's kind of cool." He winced. "Too brainy, you know how those people from Three are… But… He's alright. We had a drink the other night. Seems nice enough."

Haymitch glowered at his almost empty drink. "He's trying to fuck my escort."

Brutus snorted. "Hate to break it to you, Haymitch, but we're all trying to fuck your escort. If you ain't, then I don't get you."

That wasn't helping. At all.

"Don't care enough to fuck her." he spat. "You're welcome to her. She's a pain in the ass."

Brutus looked confused. "Then why do you care if Ryce gets there first?"

"Cause he's an asshole." he muttered as if it explained everything.

He didn't have a more rational explanation than that.

The guy just rubbed him off the wrong way.

"Okay." Brutus said, clearly humoring him. Enobaria walked in, looked around and, when she spotted them, gestured her former mentor over. "Sorry, got to go. See you around?"

"Yeah." Haymitch waved his hand in dismissal. "Go try to save your boy."

Lost cause, in his opinion, but he figured if he had the money Two managed to get every year, maybe he would try a little bit harder too.

Brutus patted his shoulder. "You want my advice? Get Trinket into bed before someone snatches her."

He sneered but Brutus left before he could tell him that it wouldn't be happening.

Ever.

Keep telling yourself that, Haymitch XD I hope you enjoyed this! Let me know!