heavy-lies-the-crcwn - Tumblr blog

[heavy-lies-the-crcwn]

@orion-septimus​

Her eyes had widened when she saw him through the windows. How the fuck had he managed to get up here? She quickly looked over all the screens, giving momentary control to her second in command before moving across the room. She was quick to hit the button that would black out the windows and step out of the room. “Orion,” Her voice was barely above a whisper, “how did you get up here? Why are you even here?”

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bcdblccd​:

When Invictus had spotted Valeria at the bar he had been surprised. He had expected she wouldn’t be showing her face in the Tower until after the Games were well underway. He knew she couldn’t divulge any information about the Games or the Tributes but that didn’t mean he couldn’t enjoy her company as a friend. Taking a seat on the stool beside her, Invictus chuckled lightly at her greeting. “No, not about that.” He flagged the bartender down and ordered his own fish and chips. “Your’s looked so good I had to get my own.” He chuckled before sipping the cocktail that had just been placed in front of him. “So, only twelve Tributes, that’s a first. Must have thrown a wrench in some of your Games plans.”

-

Valeria chuckled as she picked up a fry. “I do have to say, the food in the Tower never fails to be delicious.” Even the greasy fried bar food she’d ordered. “I wish the twelve tributes was the biggest thing I had to worry about. Not knowing whether or not the Games were even happening was an issue too.” That now left her scrambling in these last couple weeks before launch. “But yes, there have been adjustments made to accommodate the few tributes. It’s been.... alot to prepare for the arena.”

[heavy-lies-the-crcwn]

orion-septimus​:

He couldn’t refrain from smirking at her compliment. Was she looking? His own set of icy blues looking her over once and then giving a nod of his head as he dragged a hand over his chin. “Occasionally, not as much as I used to though.” He chuckled, leaning back in the booth as the waitor appeared with their drinks. He ignored the lingering stare the waiter gave before leaving again. “You look good too. The Gamemaker life suits you.” He was quiet for a long moment, listening to the music that played over the chatter. “Are you happy, V?” She looked happy, but he still needed to hear her say it. 

-

Valeria took the information he offered in. He certainly kept in shape somehow if not at the Academy. She smiled gently at his compliment, giving a small nod seconds later at his question. She reached for the glass of cabernet and took a small sip after swirling it in its glass for a moment. “I am, very much so. I mean... this job... its stressful,” especially when she’d only been given a few weeks notice, “but I am happy.” A lot of that had to do with her little boy, the kiddo she kept as much out of the spotlight as she could. “Are you, Ri? Happy?” She may have shut him out for years, but it was important to her that he was happy too. 

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She’d been surprised when Orion had asked about dinner. She’d almost said no. And even after she’d said yes, she almost didn’t come. Her built up walls were thinning when it came to him and it took everything she had to remain professional, to keep that distance between them. There were too many secrets now, secrets she didn’t want him finding out about, secrets she didn’t want to the Capitol to know. “Of course I did,” it was fake confidence. She almost hadn’t come. A small smile turned up the corners of her lips however when he offered his help with her jacket which she slid off her arms, allowing him to help, and then told her he had ordered her a glass og cabernet. “Yes, I do. Doubt I ever won’t.” She turned to face him, taking him in for a moment before moving to take her seat. “You look good, Ri.” She murmured after a moment. A decade laid between them in absense, but if anything, he looked better than he had ten years before. “Take it you still work at the Academy?”

@heavy-lies-the-crcwn​

He hadn’t expected her to say yes when he’d asked if she would meet him at what had at one point been their place. She hadn’t been any warmer since Snow’s funeral than she had been when he’d happened upon her there. But she’d said yes and a part of him expected her not to come. So, when she’d shown up, he was quick to stand, offering to take her jacket off. “Val… you came.” And he was kicking himself, but the surprise was honest. “I.. nevermind. I ordered you a glass of cabernet. You still drink cab, right?”

[heavy-lies-the-crcwn]

A break. She needed a break. She’d been sequestered away for over fourteen hours, surrounded by the other gamemakers as they hurriedly put the final touches on the arena. But when she had snapped at some poor intern, she’d realized she needed to take a step away, find something to eat, maybe even go back to her apartment for the night and ensure her son was okay. Soon she wouldn’t have that luxury. Soon she’d be stuck at the Tower until the Games ended. So she had done just that, excused herself for the evening and retreated down to the ground floor. She had tucked herself away at a bar with a basket of fish and chips and a beer in front of her. When a familiar face joined her on the next stool, she offered a small smile. “Hello, Invictus.” She greeted. “Hope you haven’t come to ask about the arena.” She wasn’t naive enough to believe that the sponsors had stopped betting on what the arena would be amongst other things.

@bcdblccd​

[heavy-lies-the-crcwn]

@bcdblccd​

She wanted to pull her hair out, the stress of the last week or so weighing heavily on her. She’d continued to work with her team just in case, but with no word one way or another they hadn’t gotten as much done as they should of and as a result were left scrambling at the last minute. But now, she had stepped away, come down to join everyone else to tribute watch - or perhaps drink her stress away. Sitting at the lobby bar, she twirled a glass of cabernet between her fingers by its stem, a glance to her side when she sensed someone join her. “Cheers,” she muttered as she raised her glass upon seeing her one-time friend, “to a new games cycle.” She should be more excited - her first games as head gamemaker, but stress clouded it all.

[heavy-lies-the-crcwn]

@orion-septimus​

She should’ve been asleep when her phone rang, but with the Games being officially thrown at her little more than a week before the nation was informed she hadn’t slept much since. She’d almost ignored her phone when it trilled off, snapping at one of the other gamemakers to redo something before she’d snatched her phone up and clicked to answer it without a second glance. No one called her this late unless it was the President, or something having to do with the Games. Too bad neither of those scenarios had been her reality. 

Now, she stood at the downtown jail of the Capitol, wishing she’d ignored the call. She’d been lead back to the cells after telling the peacekeeper in charge that ‘no, I am not bailing him out. but keep my name out of your mouth and you’ll find a credit in your name.’.  She didn’t need this, not now, not on top of everything else. Coming face to face with Orion, the bars of a cell between them, she crossed her arms over her chest. “You couldn’t have called anyone else, really, Orion?” 

[heavy-lies-the-crcwn]

bcdblccd​:

Invictus couldn’t help but notice the way Valeria’s smile didn’t reach beyond politeness but tucked it away. His eyes followed Valeria’s to look out over the garden. “There is a lot of that swirling around at the moment.” He smiled. “Can’t blame those gossiping, this is a pivotal moment in our Nation’s history.”

-

Her worries lay deeper than the gossip of the everyday folk in the Capitol though. She heard the mutterings, the on-goings behind closed doors, the whispers of Coriolaus’s granddaughter taking over. The very same granddaughter who’d not so long ago been so against the Games. But would anyone really let her do away with the Games? “I guess it’s a good thing people will always need stuff built, ey?” She’d keep all the gossip about Cassia to herself. It could always be just that... gossip. Baseless gossip. “What will you do with your life if they do away with the Games?” 

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orion-septimus​:

Her offer to step outside seemed to come from no where, at least until he looked up and caught sight of the gawkers. His own beer was retrieved from the bar top before he followed her outside. Walking alongside her, he didn’t say anything for a long moment. “I’m planning on making a full time come back to mentoring.” He’d been here on and off the last decade or so, partially in an attempt to avoid the emotions that welled every time he did show up and still caught no sight of her. “Trixanna’s got a kid now and though I know she says she’s got a handle on things I think Two needs an additional help.” He saw her struggle at home, though that wasn’t his business to air. “Maybe we’ll see each other around the tower.” He tried not to sound hopeful over the last statement. For all he knew she would never leave her ivory tower until he’d returned home.

-

Her steps paused when he mentioned coming back full time to mentoring. Avoiding him was so much easier when he wasn’t always in the Tower. Her gaze fell to her bottle, suddenly finding it very interesting before taking a sip of the beer. “Maybe, but Ri, I...” She sighed, her free hand moving through her curls. “Orion I... you...” She was usually so good with words, but god he just made it so hard to think clearly even after more than a decade since last speaking to him. “Yea, i’m sure we’ll see each other around the Tower some. But Ri... We can’t just pick up where we left off. It’s been a decade. Things have changed.” But maybe she was reading too much into his comment, or maybe she was expressing her own hopes by trying to push them off. 

[heavy-lies-the-crcwn]

-

Keeping her facade in place became inexplicably greater when she heard the sponsor’s chipper voice. “Would you keep your mouth shut?” But she knew that wasn’t Prue’s forte. The woman practically dealt in secrets and Valeria’s was one she didn’t want to get out. 

She excitedly bounded up to the newest head gamemaker upon seeing the older woman. “Val!” She chirped, sidling close to her. Leaning in to whisper conspiratorially, a smirk played across her lips, “I just saw someone, I’ll give you a few hints.” She paused a moment. “He’s about six feet tall. A very hunky district Two victor. Got baby blue eyes and shares an uncanny resemblance to a certain kiddo I know.” It’d been a while since she’d see Orion about the tower. The gossip potential was fabulous though and perhaps she could use the little tidbit she knew to her advantage if the victor was going to be around the tower more often again.

[heavy-lies-the-crcwn]

Benson + the blue top with blazer | 24x03: Mirror Effect

[heavy-lies-the-crcwn]

Law & Order: SVU | 23x20: Did You Believe in Miracles?

bonus:

[heavy-lies-the-crcwn]

orion-septimus​:

He was quiet for a long moment. She was right. The whispers were every which way one looked and listened. Would the games happen this year? Were they over for good with President Snow gone? Who would take his place? And Orion knew her career hung in the balance now. Her frown made him want to reach out to comfort, old habits from long nights spent together, from feelings and emotions he tried to ignore. “I’ve been alright.” He finally spoke followed by a sigh. “Valeria…” But he stopped the question - the question of where she’d been or why she’d disappeared - before it could all come out. “You been okay, Val?”

-

She knew the question that came from his lips wasn’t what he’d intended to ask. She could see the unspoken question hidden behind his eyes, the hesitation shining through the blue eyes that mirrored those of the son she kept as much out of the spotlight as she could. She caught the bartenders attention, motioning to her empty bottle in a silent request for another. “Yea, I’ve been okay.” She admitted with a shrug, taking the fresh beer that was sat before her. Her eyes flickered to a couple of people clearly gossiping, eyes watching she and Orion non to stealthily. She pursed her lips, nodding her head towards the open door not far from the bar before pushing away from the bar. “I’m stepping outside, if you want to join.” She offered, making to move towards the open door. She didn’t know if they were being watched, or if it was just that she was being watched. Either way, she wasn’t keen on the extra attention. 

[heavy-lies-the-crcwn]

Valeria had excused herself from the happenings inside of the Presidential Mansion, needing a moment to herself after coming face to face with the ghosts of her past. She was staring out across the gardens that sprawled behind the mansion, decades worth of attention from the now deceased President, when she heard the voice. Looking over she offered Invictus a cordial smile, one that didn’t even begin to touch her eyes, but was polite enough. “So say the gossip.” She shrugged, gaze returning to the maze-like florals. 

There had been whispers for years that President Snow was dying, yet for years the Games continued to be overseen by the very man that started them. So when every screen in Panem turned on and announcement was made of President Snow it was with surprise. Invictus had assumed they would pretty immediately announce Snow’s successor. However, as the nation prepared to lay Snow to rest, there had been no such announcement. Invictus entertained the thought of what it’d be like if the Games were skipped, or even ended, this year. But he also knew better than to hope for it.

Standing outside the Presidential Mansion with a sun umbrella, Invictus spotted one of the few people that may know what was to come. Valeria Thorne, Head Gamemaker. “I hear you may be out of a job.” He smiled, approaching the women and then shading her with his umbrella.

@heavy-lies-the-crcwn​

[heavy-lies-the-crcwn]

orion-septimus​:

Orion had been expecting many things that day: a dull event, a dead man in a coffin, a speech from his granddaughter and anyone else close enough to care, maybe some people drunk. But he certainly hadn’t expected to run into ghosts from his own past when coming to get a beer from the bar. Her voice, which he’d recognize without even seeing her, caused him to pause, freeze in his movements and words. Finally after several seconds that seemed to stretch on for eternity, he lifted his gaze to find her, swallowing past a sudden lump in his throat. “Val,” it came out on the wind of a breath. It took another couple seconds before he was able to continue. “Can’t say I have. I… uhh, congratulations on the promotion.” He couldn’t think of anything else to say. She’d practically disappeared into thin air over a decade ago, the only sign she was still living being her name on listed amongst the Gamemakers over the years. But now she was Head Gamemaker.

-

There was an awkwardness between them, she could feel it. Not that she could pretend she didn’t know why. She hadn’t said a thing before disappearing, before ignoring calls, before secluding herself away from the world with the exception of her job and her son - their son, their son he didn’t know about. She cast her eyes towards the bottle in her hands, studying it’s label for a long moment before giving a small nod to his congratulations. “Thanks, who knows what the future holds though.” She frowned, raising the bottle to take another drink and then sitting it down. “How’ve you been Orion?” 

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@orion-septimus​

Valeria knew exactly how long it’d been since she’d stopped sponsoring and turned to a career that kept her out of the spotlight of the Games but still involved. She could count how many years, tell how many months, down to the day. Spurred on from a need to run away, hide the truth of her son’s father, hide from her own feelings. She’d expected in the 11 years, 10 months, and 22 days since she’d made that decision that the very person she was running from might have retired. It wasn’t like Two lacked victors to mentor. And she certainly hadn’t expected for her new position to force her into the same room with the man. So when another body joined her at the bar and she realized just who it was, she contemplated turning and running off. “Ri,” but her voice spoke up before she could run again. She quickly took a drink of the beer in hand, a futile attempt to quell the sudden dose of nerve that swelled somewhere in her abdomen. “Haven’t keeled over yet?” She murmured, the corners of her lips turning up at the corner.