What was the one sure-fire to get all of the mentors-to-be in the same place?

The first ever Victor, Platinum Krietzer, knew – in fact, he was quite possibly the only one that had talked to all forty-nine of the other Victors at least once. A lot of the youngins feared the older Victors – which was total crap because he wasn't scary! A little chaotic in his youth maybe, but definitely not scary.

Anyways, talk about his winning personality and dashing good looks even as a silver fox at the age of 66 would just have to wait because he knew the only way to get all the Victors in one place together was a good ol' happy hour.

A good idea? No. But an excuse to use the fancy sound system in his house, make hors d'oeuvres and hire a bartender? Yes. And any reason to do that was a good one. What could he say, even as a grandfather possibly to-be great grandfather if his grandsons got their shit together, he still liked to have a good party.

"What button do I press again?" he asked as he looked at the great display and scratched his head.

"I told you already. It's this one." His only living son Dutch came over all up in a tizzy and pressed the right one. Platinum watched him do it, but he knew he would just forget again. Well that was why he had kids! Or… Well, why his sister threw her kids at him back when they were still teens.

They were far from a perfect family, and he was far from a perfect father. The Games consumed both of his kids before he even knew what was happening. He was so fucking young back then and didn't know better. He would have never imagined that the Games would end up becoming… This. And they ended up taking both of his sons because he wasn't paying enough attention – Os's life in the 21st and Dutch… Well, winning the 20th Games robbed him of everything. They had far from a normal family but who was there to understand what a Victor's life was like except for each other?

"Did you see what I did old man?" Dutch asked, putting a hand on his hip.

"Huh?" Platinum asked, blinking as he was too busy thinking about everything.

"Here," Dutch said. "I just accessed your playlist and pressed here to play it. And here's the volume."

"Yeah, I can barely hear it," Platinum said.

"It's fine," Dutch said right away, but Platinum turned it up anyways because dammit he worked hard to pick good selections and wanted to fully enjoy them!

"Let him be, Dutch." When Dutch's wife appeared in the doorway with her arms crossed and that look on her face, the man quickly put up his hands.

"I was just trying to help."

"Ah, I can always count on my daughter-in-law to keep him in line," Platinum said, because from the very start he had a special connection with her, from the time she was a young Victor. She made Os's last minutes worth living, and avenged his death. She could never fill the gaping hole that losing his son left in Platinum's heart, but she at least eased the pain a little bit from the start. He always wanted her to marry his older son and he was Platinum fucking Krietzer so of course he got his way. "Thanks for your help, honey."

"All I did was put some tablecloths on," Marlowe Glaiser-Krietzer said, putting up her hands, but also she liked being his special daughter so she just gave him a smile.

"Well they're the best tablecloths I've ever seen," he reassured her.

"I'm right here you know." Dutch said. "Hello? First-born son? Shares your middle name?"

"Well my daughter shares my last name!" Platinum said.

"Because of me!" Dutch protested, reaching over to punch his Dad's arm a few times. "Aye yay yay."

"Oh stop being dramatic, you know I love you," Platinum said, unable to pull his leg for too long without a little bit of genuine love. He patted Dutch's head a few times even though he was way too old to be doing that.

"Alright, when's this party starting?" Marlowe asked, checking her watch. "I'm ready to drink. And for this one to have one Tom Collins and then stagger around the place like a dumbass."

"It's not just one Tom Collins," Dutch said right away. "It's at least two."

"You're a cheap date," Platinum said, patting his cheek a few times.

"It's genetic," Marlowe reminded him with a chuckle, looking up when she heard the doorbell and perked up. "Oh, who could that be?"

"Honestly, surprised they're actually early," Platinum said as Marlowe got the door and his co-mentor was there.

"Heeeey!" the 41st Victor Whimsy Chandler-Ramon said, striking a pose in the doorway. And of course, on her arm was her husband Silex Ramon, Victor of the 38th Games and mentor for District Five. They both looked radiant.

"There she is!" Platinum said, lighting up when he saw her and going over to give her a hug, and then Silex as well. "Hi Sir!"

"Oh, hey Platinum," said Silex, still a little weird about calling him anything but Mr. Krietzer after he had been intimidating when he first started dating Whimsy. But it was only natural. They were so in-sync, their worldviews were so similar and positive and she was the light of his life. Platinum was always so nice to him, especially after they got married.

"Where's my girl?!" Platinum asked, looking around for their baby girl, Irina! She was one now and just really starting to show her personality and start exploring the world!

"My parents are babysitting so I can get turnt!" Whimsy said with a grin, pointing at Dutch. "One Tom Collins crew!"

"Why is it always the Tom Collins?" Dutch asked. "That was once and I had nothing to eat beforehand!"

"That was just once," Marlowe mocked her husband, laughing when he got offended and putting her arm around him. "Alright, I think I'm done now. Let's just be glad Sprite and Scotch both inherited my tolerance and not his."

"Yeah, because they had a lot of practice!" Whimsy said with a laugh as she saw the bar and knew it wouldn't be open for too long so she pulled Silex over to get a drink and browse the appetizers. "Alright, see ya! Come on!"

"Oh, I'm with you," he said, always right with her of course, but especially when Marlowe and Dutch were exchanging a look and looked like they wanted to ask her. Their kids were Whimsy's age and she knew some things. After all, back then she was the queen of gossip!

Platinum just chuckled to himself as he stood by the door, opening it when he heard another knock and blinking at surprise at who he saw.

"Jack?! You're never on time."

The Victor of the 27th Games just swatted his hand in the air lazily. "You said you'd have drinks," he said. "That's all I needed to know."

"Me too," said Talon Davenport behind him.

"You are drinking soda," Platinum said to him right away, not afraid to be stern with Talon. He was friends with Nate, the 2nd Victor, and therefore Platinum took personal responsibility for him after Nate died. It was tough. Talon was obsessed with drinking and sex for a while and he had been clean for ten years. He was not going to do that.

"Yeah, real sensitive of you to have a happy hour when you know a recovering alcoholic, Daddy K," Jack said, blowing a raspberry.

"Honestly not sure if you should be drinking either," Platinum told him, giving him a look. That boy was never right in the head, but especially not after winning.

"Relax, Pops, I'm not gonna run myself down in the ground," Jack said. "My old man body is already crabby enough, I don't gotta provoke my liver too."

"Don't even say that," Platinum said. He was 42, he was still young in his eyes!

"If you're old what does that make me?" Talon asked him right away, putting a hand on his hip.

"Oh, you're fuckin' ancient," Jack said, gesturing to both of them.

"Well you're lookin' at your future right now," Talon said, gesturing to his salt and pepper hair and beard. "And that's only as long as you are lucky like me and keep your hair."

"Not my hair!" Jack said right away, putting his hands on his head in gay offense.

"Yeah, let's hope you're lucky like us," laughed Platinum as he smiled at him for a moment. He was, of all the Victors he'd talked to, one of the most lost he'd ever met. He could see it deep in his eyes. He clutched that black bandana as tightly as Platinum protected the little chandelier necklace and that special fish hook that he'd just started to actually wear around his neck, fifty years later.

"If not, I am rich and will pay for good old man hair," Jack said right away. "Jupiter's the one that's gonna lose it because of me stressing him out, not me!"

"It's comin' for you!" Talon said, getting out a deck of cards to shuffle in his hands nervously.

"Alright, Talon Davenport bringing the entertainment," Platinum said with a smile.

"Oh! Talon! Come show us a trick!" said Whimsy gesturing him over and tucking her drink back a little bit away from his direct vision. He put up a hand to wave so he could go socialize.

Platinum looked at Jack for a moment, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Try to be a little warm today," he said. "Alright?"

"I don't need your advice," he said right away, shrugging out of his hand a little bit and walking away to go get himself something simple and just… Watch. Platinum remembered a time he was demanding constantly to be paid attention to, and he couldn't be more different now. The Games impacted everyone differently, unfortunately.

Another doorbell and Platinum was not at all surprised by who he saw on the other side. "Aha, I should have known that District Four was sending their best."

"I'm telling Sal you said that!" Mags Flanagan of the 11th Games said right away. She gave a laugh, and slapped him on the chest lightly.

"Oh, he can hear it," Platinum laughed. "Actually, I might be thinking about another dog, so don't tell him that yet!"

"Oh, Imma tell him," Cayman Geier said, strutting in and stretching a little bit before leaning on the wall and getting that look in his eye. "But you can buy my silence for a price."

"Honey I am paying for all y'all to have a drink and slaved over making you food," Platinum told him, giving him a defiant look. And… Well, Cay couldn't argue with that – and even he was intimidated by the older Victors despite being almost fifty.

He liked messing with the young shots, but also he knew when to keep in line with the older victors. "Alright, alright," he said, putting up his hands. "I mean, you can't knock me for tryin', though."

"Go in and have a good time. And no blackmail for one night."

Cayman puffed curly hair out of his eyes indignantly at that right away. "Bruh, why you gotta be that way?" he asked. "Fine, fine." The Games changed Cay a lot, but even having everything he ever wanted monetarily wasn't totally enough for him. It was one of the many ways Platinum had seen Victors mask the pain over the years. It felt like no amount of items, money, or fame would be enough to make up for everything that was lost to him the moment he stepped foot in that Arena.

"Alright, now it's just all bets on for who's gonna show up," Platinum said to himself as he sipped his martini slowly and wrapped his hand around the tokens he wore on his necklace, a new nervous habit he had as he was always afraid they were going to disappear. Only took him fifty years to take them out of his lunchbox and wear them proudly around his neck. Well, better late than never.

There was a confident knock on the door just as Platinum was going to talk to the 4 mentors – oh they didn't come around nearly enough. "Dutch!" he said loudly because he was sipping his drink.

"Of course," said Dutch, rolling his eyes as he went to get the door. Thankfully, he got the nice mentors and gave them finger guns. "Cash, Noelle, wazzup?"

"You're way too old to say wazzup," said Noelle as the 47th Victor, young at the age of 20, pointed at him with eyes narrowed. "Like. Way too old."

"Oh please," Dutch said, rolling his eyes, but at least it was just these two. They were good Victors and good mentors. "Well, my Dad got drinks so come on in."

"Ugh, I could use a good drink," Cash, the 32nd Victor, said right away.

"He's just having an old man crisis," Noelle said helpfully. "Oh sorry. A mid-life crisis or whatever it's called."

"Because Fauna is escorting once more for District Six!" said Cay loudly when he saw them there. "Come on, lovebird, drink on me!" He cleared his throat when he felt Platinum's gaze boring into him. "Drinks all on him."

"Bruh, Fauna is the nicest one," said Dutch, scratching his head a few times. "What gives?"

"There's… TEA!" Whimsy said loudly, clapping her hands as she finished her first drink. "I fucking love the hot goss!"

"I mean…" Silex asked, shrugging a little bit because he liked the tea too but not like her. "There's tea?"

"No," said Cash.

"Are you fucking blind?!" asked Noelle right away.

"Alright! Party girl!" said Whimsy excitedly.

"I'm taking you up on that drink." Cash shook his head, muttering to himself grumpily as he went over to the bar and Noelle just grinned and winked at the others. She was a bit of a sporty girl and the happiness made her forget about the horrors she faced in the Arena. So she was going to gossip away – especially because it was her District team that had the hot tea to spill!

"Aight, I'm game," said Noelle as she followed him to the bar. "Hit me!"

Marlowe went over and Dutch put his elbow on her head to use her as a shelf, which she would have protested if she wasn't so busy checking her phone. She was admittedly a little bit nervous about her mentoring partner this year.

"Whatcha lookin' at?" asked Dutch before he frowned a bit. "Luther?"

"Yeah," said Marlowe. "I hope he comes today. And… Well, maybe some mock-tails for him too."

"Shame," Dutch said quietly but he'd been there too. Victor life was tough – some days tougher than others, and the poor guy's been through it lately. Dutch rubbed his arms a little bit, thinking about a check-in on Nick when they heard a very familiar knock pattern – three, then two, then one – and then the door opened up. "Gee, who could that be?"

"Chrome!" Marlowe said when she saw their old friend, going over to him quickly. He won the 22nd Games, the year after she did, and they were so close after. "I knew you wouldn't miss a party at Platinum's."

"Oh I definitely couldn't miss this!" Chrome said, a sunny smile as wide as ever on his face as he hugged her and then Dutch as well. "Wow, it's been too long," he said, sighing a little bit as he looked at them and was just reminded how much he missed them.

"Well, we're empty nesters so we literally are free all the time, besides when we're doing press," Dutch said, chuckling a little bit because how did they all get so busy? It wasn't as much that they were getting busy, it was more that they were tired way more often now than they once were.

"We'll make plans," Chrome said. "Nick too." He smiled as he saw Platinum open up for just a moment and hurried over to see him. "Hey!"

"Oh there you are!" Platinum said as he gave Chrome a hug and gently patted his cheeks. "Oh so good to see you again. How are the Dads?"

"They're good," Chrome laughed and whistled a little bit. "Still getting into wild shit as is the usual."

"Well I'd be concerned if they weren't, at this point," Platinum laughed. "Well get yourself a drink, and… Oh, those poor kids," he laughed when he saw Dutch and Marlowe standing there awkwardly while Gio was talking to them.

"I almost didn't come, but Chrome said he was planning to come and wanted me to join so I couldn't say no. Empress would have never let me hear the end of it!"

"Well, we're glad you're here," Dutch said politely, and it always was nice to have Victors all in the same place together. "Dad made sure there's all sorts of drinks so have what you want."

"Oh, I still can't do a shot, and Tia and Tuesday always laugh at me," Gio said with a small shudder. "I swear that one time I got too drunk and I could see them all."

"Yeah, it was at fuckin' Ottile's birthday party and he kept on screaming tampon child over and over again before promptly crying profusely talking about…" Cash trailed off. Ori and Atty. His allies. There was a brief but respectful silence between the few that were listening to the conversation.

Gio had that far away look in his eyes that seemed to be a little bit misty for a moment but he just gave them all a smile. "They laughed at me for days after that," he said quietly, but he just looked sad. Dutch couldn't blame him – time had made some wounds heal, and yet at the same time it made them bleed even more.

"Well, come on in kid, have a drink," Marlowe said, gesturing him in kindly and taking him to the other Victors at the bar, while Dutch got distracted by a knock on the door – before it burst open unceremoniously and there was a collective groan in the room.

"There ain't no party without some District Ten swag!" Chaz McCormick of the 7th Games promptly touched his ass and made a sizzle sound.

"You're up, Pops," said Chrome, hiding behind Platinum a little bit when he saw the older Victor there, wearing his sunglasses, looking around the room at them.

"Ugh," Platinum said with a groan because he loved hosting – but not Chaz.

Behind him slipped his mentoring partner, Ottilie Nevin of the 34th Games, and kept her head down because she was only here because she knew that Platinum knew how to throw a party.

"Speaking of the loooooove shack!" Cayman said happily when he saw her slip in.

Ottilie put her hand up in his face. "Don't."

"Oh please Ottilie, tell me about Inspektor," said Cash, happy to take the attention off of himself and his relationship with their escort. Like, he barely even had her phone number!

"Don't you even start with me," she told him. "I know things."

"Wait what do you know?" Whimsy asked, leaning over and being pushy over her second drink as Noelle sipped and stared at them.

"I know that Inspektor won't stop talking about a beautiful mentor from Ten with that braided hair and those voluptuous breasts." Cay took a long sip of his drink and stared at her.

"I will end you," Ottilie said right away.

"I'm just tryna get into that weird little man's weird little brain," Cay said with a shrug.

"I mean. He's not wrong," Noelle said softly because she liked a good big titty mommy.

"Stop that," Cash said right away, putting his hand in her face.

"Move! Daddy Chaz wants a drink!" the 7th Victor announced, pushing past the others. "Respect your elders!"

"Ugh," said Gio, and it said something that not even Gio wanted to spend time around him because Gio could be patient with literally anybody – but not Chaz.

"Oh come on, why are you being weird, I thought we were spilling tea!" said Chaz.

Whimsy put up her hands. "No tea here," she said. She loved spilling tea with people – but not Chaz.

"But-" said Silex, who quieted when she elbowed him. "Alright never mind."

Thankfully, they would be saved by the next pair to arrive, the boys from District Nine. They were very used to mentoring together and quite frankly had to not talk to each other at all in the year just to get through spending so much time in a train and then a mentor complex beside each other.

"I heard there was alcohol." Brody Abel of the 6th Games cleared his throat as his voice had been going away quickly due to smoking and he went straight to the bar.

"Aha, someone I actually wanna see," said Chaz, and thankfully the others were left to congregate once Chaz was entertained.

"I am getting tired of seeing all of you," Pierce Camerati of the 30th Games confessed as he came in and opted for a mocktail because he wanted to come do his social piece and then leave early. And probably would end up dragging Brody along with him.

"I could never be tired of all your shining faces!" Whimsy said with a grin at them all.

"Wait til you're forty," said Pierce, shaking his head a little bit.

"Ah, I sure hope I will still get to see Victor friends at forty," Silex said optimistically with a smile as he looked around at everyone. He liked them all of course! They were all lucky to be here together.

"Of course you do," Pierce deadpanned, taking a long sip of his drink when he got it and feeling disappointed that there wasn't a kick to it – but not that disappointed.

"Oh!" Gio said right before there was a knock on the door and he hurried over to get it, smiling when he saw the two on the other side of it. "Hey Ritter. Oh, Bronx too."

"You should know we never go anywhere without each other!" Bronx said, putting his arm around his mentoring partner who just shrugged a little bit.

"I should have known," said Gio who looked at the younger man. Bronx was the 40th Victor and even though he was younger, he looked so much older than Gio due to his drug and alcohol use. There was a certain gauntness to his face now. "Well I'm glad you're here."

That makes one, signed Ritter and the 35th Victor just smirked a little bit as he was somewhat proud of that fact. He didn't really like to care too much about others, but Bronx and Gio were his two ride-or-dies.

"I'm sure there's more than one," Gio said to him in a scolding voice. "Ori agrees!"

Thanks Ori. Ritter didn't pay much mind to Gio's ramblings, but it was part of him and everyone had their things. He was one of the first to learn sign for him and that mattered to him. Where's the bar?

"Here, but they also have mocktails," Gio said as he gestured the two of them along.

"I…" Bronx said, looking at them for a moment before he said softly. "Maybe a mocktail this time. But don't tell the others I'm drinkin' a shittin' mocktail."

"Your secret's safe with me," Gio said as he took them over.

Well I want a damn real drink. Red Royal.

"Of course," Gio sighed because while he didn't like Ritter drinking, he understood it. He put a hand on Bronx's shoulder. "I'm glad that you're trying." That was all anyone could ask of him – of each other really.

"Don't get too assin' excited," Bronx said with an eye roll. But a lot had changed in the 10 years since winning the Games. He lost a lot of people he didn't even realize he cared about. He did more drugs than he ever imagined – nothin' he hadn't done – or sold - before the Games, but a lot more of 'em. He married someone just to provide somethin' for her, and they'd divorced because she wanted happiness over comfort. He built a relationship with the only thing close to a Mom he ever had – his step-brother's mom. It always felt too late for him. But it was never too late. Words he took to heart from… Someone. Not important.

"I'll keep myself in check," said Gio with a nod. "Yeah, you too Liana."

"Hey, you leave her out of whatever you're doing!" Bronx said right away, whipping around to point at him.

It's the ghosts, Ritter signed to him, and Bronx was still taking a deep breath through his nose, but laxed the tension in his shoulders and sipped the drink – which actually did taste pretty good even without alcohol. Ritter took a big sip of his drink when he got it, feeling that burn and lovin' it.

"He's right, I can't control them ghosts," Gio said with a nod, before he said quietly as if he was talking to them, "Sorry guys."

"Well I'm just sayin', leave 'em out of it," Bronx said as he took a deep breath. It had been rough, even as he was weaning off of his addictions gradually. He wanted more, not less. He needed more to get even a little bit high. It forced him to feel all the damn grief he had been pushing away. And it had been more than difficult. He was living every day for the next small fix, just hoping maybe it would work, but it was in vain.

Give him a break, Ritter signed to Bronx, sipping his drink.

"Yeah yeah," said Bronx as he sighed, looking up when he heard the door open again. "Ugh, this guy."

"Oh!" Gio said, perking up again. "Of course I'll go say hi, Krissa, relax," he said as he got up to greet the pair from Eleven.

"I'm here for the driiiiinks!" Chaff Durant said in a sing-song voice, commanding the attention in the room. The 45th Victor still hadn't lost that spark in his eye as he did a little dance in his spot.

"Heeeey!" Whimsy said, smiling at him and Silex gave him a wave. "Come on over, we're gossiping!"

"Oh, of course I love the hot goss," Chaff said with a chuckle as he went over to see what the bartender had and was willing to give him.

"Just try to control yourself, aight?" asked Noelle, looking at him with a raised eyebrow of concern.

"Oh please," said Chaff with a grin. "We're young, it's fine. Whisky on the rocks!"

"You still drinkin' on the rocks?! Oh please!" Chaz said loudly as he held up his drink and pounded his fist on the table.

"Aye yay yay," said Pierce as he looked at the two old men getting shit-faced. Ugh, why did he come here?

"Hi kiddo," Gio said as he smiled at Donovan Osten, Victor of the 39th Games. He went in for the hug before Donovan could protest. "From me," he said and then squeezed much harder.

"Air! Can't breathe!" said Donovan loudly as he slapped Gio's back.

"Sorry, that was from Krissa," Gio said as he let him go and let him gasp a few times.

Donovan's expression darkened a little bit at the mention of his sister and he just stared at Gio for a moment and then sighed. He used to hate it when the Victor of her Games mentioned her name. But over time, especially after experiencing the horrors of bloody murder himself, he came to understand it. And even though he had built up his walls, he always did try to be kind to Gio, because it wasn't his fault Krissa wasn't here. He was nothing but kind to her in the few hours they had spent together. It wasn't his fault she was gone. All he wanted was to do right by them, and thinking about them all made him happy, then that was fine. But it didn't stop him from getting a little weirded out hearing Gio talk about them all like that. He just spoke softly. "Thanks Gio."

"Thank her, not me," Gio said. "They are making sodas and such too," he told him. "You know Lev would really want you to consider not drinking tonight. Just enjoy the food and get something sugary. Lev really likes sugary thins, right?"

"Yes," Donovan said, putting up his hand desperately to stop Gio from talking about his ally. "Yes. Now… Please. I only came here for one reason anyway. Excuse me," Donovan said as he shook his head and left, staring at the ground. Gio just frowned after him as he went to order a strong drink. He felt he was a lost cause. Gio just sighed a little bit before looking at Bronx and smiling a hint. At least someone got through to one of them. But it caused him to worry so much.

"Now we start the real betting game," Platinum said to the Two and Four mentors as Cay was detailing the tea and Jack was stroking his chin and looking at all the younger mentors and trying to piece together all the gossip because he didn't get it as much anymore! "We got Sadie, Luther, and the two from twelve."

"Oh, no way Luther's hauling his ass over here," said Jack. Sadie was still tough to figure out for all of them. She had many tough moments, and few soft ones. She was way too soft going into her Games, and way too tough coming out of them. But after what they did to her, who could blame her? Targeting her the same way her older brother died years before, because she had a big mouth back then.

"Everyone put fifty bucks in and I'll make you a real bet!" Cay said, reaching into his purse to pull out wads of money.

"Do you just carry that around?" Talon asked him, sipping his drink.

"Please don't ask," said Mags, who shook her head at them. "Nobody's betting you, now put that away."

"Cowards," said Cay with a pout, maintaining eye contact with the Two Victors for a while as he slowly put his money away, silently daring them to pool money in.

"Yeah, sorry bud," Jack said, because he was chaotic and stupid, but he wasn't stupid stupid.

They were all surprised when there was indeed a knock on the door and when Marlowe went to get it, Cay mane a small screech. "Twenty bucks on Luther, right now, someone bet me come on you pussies bet me mon-ey!"

By the time he was done it was too late and the door was open, Marlowe's mentoring partner standing on the other side.

Luther had his hands tucked into his pockets. His eyes had dark circles under them. The 41st Victor was only 27, but he looked like he was approaching 40. "I'm only here to say hi."

"That's alright, I'm so happy you're here," Marlowe said, giving him a small smile and putting a reassuring hand on his back to lead him in.

"Hi Luther!" Whimsy said loudly when she saw the Victor that won before her there. "Yes yes yes come in!" she said, going over to come get him and stopping when Marlowe put up a hand like a scary Mommy to stop her.

"Chill."

"Oh yes ma'am," Whimsy said right away with a quick salute before she looked at Luther, smiling. "Glad to see you Luther."

"I'm just gonna have a drink and then skedaddle." He could feel Bronx's eyes on him. Even after so much time had passed he hadn't forgotten that he killed Nolan, one of Bronx's people. He let the girl go – the girl was more important to him anyway – but Bronx was a somewhat brutal personality that could hold quite the grudge.

"Skedaddle?" asked Whimsy with a grin. "Oh that's such a cute word. Silex! Skedaddle!"

Silex had a margarita in his hand and no idea what his wife was talking about. But he gave a supportive thumbs-up anyway. "Skedaddle!"

"Alright, drink now," Luther said, and Marlowe took him over there.

"You don't have to order anything too heavy," she told him, but it fell on deaf ears and she knew it. She couldn't blame him. She couldn't control him. She could only bring up his best friend and little brother so many times before it just got too redundant. All she could do is try. And worry. Lots of worrying.

"I can order for myself." Luther shook his head and thankfully the entrance of two others distracted them.

"Oh wow," said Platinum, suddenly invested because he wasn't expecting perfect attendance but now that District Twelve showed up he was starting to actually get hopeful! "I mean, hi!"

"Hi Platinum." Violet Ingram, the 5th Victor, stood up a little taller seeing him. She was tough, and reserved, but did have a certain kind air about her when she was out and about. As young people they had not at all gotten along – especially with him from One and her from Twelve – but age had brought about a calm cooperation between them. "I hope you don't mind our coming."

"Well that's why you were invited," Platinum said, looking at Panem's newest Victor. That faraway, dissociative look in his eyes was one that Platinum had been surrounded by – and grown so accustomed to. In the past it used to destroy him, melt his heart into liquid, set him off into a spiral. Now, it was just an everyday occurrence. He knew that Haymitch Abernathy, the 50th Victor, would eventually grow up and that look would become one of jaded regret. But he would keep going. Things had improved since the second Games drove Nate to end his life… Right? "Haymitch! Good to see you."

The seventeen-year-old – still a lanky, awkward kid, with the face of a sixty-year-old Dark Days veteran – just nodded. "Hi." He took a deep breath, in through his nose, out through his mouth. He acted like a big shot on TV and everyone loved him – what a wild Quell twist and Twelve's first victor in 45 years – but ever since he had returned to normal life, his personality was disintegrating quickly. And Platinum couldn't say he blamed the poor boy. He had been there too – but before the Games became such a big phenomena like they were today.

"It's Haymitch! Newest Victor!" Whimsy said, and Marlowe gave her that look again and Whimsy just quietly put up her fingers, spinning them in circles with a quiet "Woo!"

"Aight pretty boy!" Chaff said, already on drink number three. "C'mere, the newest Victor's gotta take a shot, it's the rules!"

"Chaff," said Violet, giving him a look. "I would advise against that."

"Well… It is the rules," said Haymitch with a small little grin, going over to sit with Chaff and Noelle as they were bickering about tequila or Fireball.

"He must be careful," said Violet, because she knew how often he was starting to drink and she didn't like it. But also… He wasn't one to play the Capitol's games, which was also making everything worse. He was a match playing a game with a line of kerosene.

"They're kids," chuckled Platinum. "They'll learn. We did, didn't we?"

"Well, we grew up under Augustus and Milionus, not Snow."

"I got a bad feeling about that guy," said Talon as he sipped his drink and looked at the others before shrugging. "But also, just let the kid have his fun. It's not gonna kill 'im!"

Violet shook her head at them. "Yet."

"Everyone in that's under 25!" Chaff said as he held up his Fireball shot triumphantly. "You, you… Sadie! Where the fuck is Sadie?!"

"I don't know," said Silex, looking at his phone. "I've texted her a few times. You know how she gets."

"Well she's a bitch if she doesn't come do this shot!" Noelle said, her cheeks red with alcohol as she stared at the Fireball. "I bet if they were tequila shots she'd be here already."

"Girl tequila shots are nasty!"

"So you choose Fireball?!"

The door did open and the Victor who was sliding in immediately slammed it. "Did someone say Fireball?!"

"Oh wow, Sadie, you really came!" said Silex, smiling at the 49th Victor from his home District of 5 and went over to greet her.

"Away," she said right away, pushing past him like a revolving door and toward the bar. "What we doin?"

"That's the spirit!" said Chaff with a grin. "I knew she'd come for Fireball."

"Well tequila is the easier way to get there."

"Girl you are crazy," said Sadie. "But obviously we need to do both to decide."

"Both!" said Chaff. "I like how you think!"

"Aight, both is fair," said Haymitch, loosening up a little bit as he got some alcohol in him.

"Thank God I am not under 25," Whimsy laughed as she watched them because ew! She hated doing shots!

"Wait, we doin shots?! Me, me!" Jack said quickly as he tried to join the younger folks who all let him in quickly to enjoy the festivities.

"This was a terrible idea, you know," Dutch informed his father as he watched them trying to convince Luther that 27 was close enough to 25 and get him in on the shots as well.

"Truly awful," said Talon, watching Cayman shake his head and making a face at the thought of a tequila shot. "Ten bucks that you'll do both without vomiting!" he said loudly and Platinum couldn't stop him from going over there, pulling cash out of his pocket and waving it at him.

"Twenty and you're on!"

"Deal!"

"I don't know why you thought having Victors over with drinks involved was going to end up anything but a total mess," Mags said, tsking her tongue at her co-mentor and how the younger ones egged him on – really all of the older ones that liked to party. Aye yay yay. She just wanted Sal to mentor, why couldn't it have been him!? Or Romy? Or Reyna? Or anyone? Well, at least they were home safe and she would protect them from another stressful year of putting too much pressure on themselves… Especially after last year was such a hard hit to the District's few trained tributes as four of them all went to die in the Games.

"Oh I knew it was going to be a mess," Platinum said, because he was young once too and he made all these mistakes. But unlike them, he didn't have anyone that had been through this to guide him. So he became the person that he didn't have. At least it was in a safe environment when he could tell the bartenders to cut them off, and make sure they all got home safely – or had a place to crash. It was what Champagne would have wanted. It was what Drake deserved. Fifty years later, he still hurt for them, and he still wanted to do literally anything to feel like he could possibly be pleasing them, even if they were gone. He wrapped his hand around the tokens he wore around his neck.

"But at least I got that perfect attendance!"

A/N: Alright, there are the mentors! A (slightly) shorter chapter just to break up the monotony of intros. And now I can post Ornstein lol, since I have this lovely stockpile.

Next chapter: District Five's Kermit Fisher. Y'all know just as much about him now as I do since this is my character without a form. No idea what he's going to become but honestly, YOLO!