His own Victory banquet feels like a chore. It's simultaneously too dark and too bright, the noise is deafening, and he's constantly being surrounded by Capitol citizens like vultures circling a corpse. Most of them even look like vultures, with their long, drawn faces; no doubt haunted by everything that's happened.
Staying at home and begging his mom to make him fried rice and caramel dumplings would have been a much better way to spend his evening. He could have convinced her to sit down and watch a movie with him. Maybe a comedy. An old one, perhaps, from before the Dark Days or from before Panem was even a country. District One picks up a Capitol channel that plays nothing but old movies from the Old Countries. They could have found something good…
"Hey."
Electra's voice snaps him out of his daydreaming.
"Oh! Hi! What's up?"
"Just wanted to say congratulations on your…victory."
"Oh…thanks."
Electra shrugs. "Yeah. I don't blame you for not being into it. It's always tacky as hell."
Wonder giggles. "I wish staying home was an option."
"Right? Like, I have better things to do than come here and waste my time." She huffs. "Thought I should also warn you: they're always trying to snatch a piece of you. Always. So watch your back."
"Thanks." Wonder's fingers tap awkwardly on his wine glass. "So…what have you been up to lately?"
Electra just stares at him.
"Okay. Forget I asked that."
They stand there like confused mannequins at a political rally until Wonder's mother comes to fetch him.
As he's being led away, he steaks a grace back at Electra and watches, to his delight, as she smiles at him, amused.
Silver linings.