so i hear you like a bad boy {flynn/johnny}

[k!ah]

j o h n n y .



* * *

Mr. Garner begins to pack up early tonight I notice as I rock backward in my chair, casually sucking on a candy that I had found in my jean pocket. "You finishing up early, Boss?" I ask, as the four feet of my chair hit the ground and I push myself off, hands slipping into my pockets. I move towards the tables that had the trial strapped to them. Upon closer inspection, I realised that the girl was still alive, shallow, quickly fading breaths that have me glancing away. She didn't have long left.

"Yes." Mr. Garner said as he shrugged off his coat, placing it on the allocated hook as he grabbed his stuff. "Make sure you turn off-"

"the lights before you leave, I know, I know," I say cutting him off and waving my hand at him almost dismissively. The older man pauses for a moment and I bite my tongue, realising the error I had just made. Shit. Mr. Garner demanded respect, it was the type of boss- man, he was. "Sir," I add with a slight bow.

He pauses for a moment longer before he moves towards the door, grumbling something under his breath that I was sure was some sort of insult. As the door shuts I flip him the bird, falling back into my chair. A quick glance at the dying girl I flip open a magazine, it was a science one, boring stuff, but better than just watching, and waiting, for the girl to die.

Half an hour passes when I hear the knock at the door, instantly I think it must be Mr. Garner, maybe he had forgotten something, perhaps a slap across my face for talking back. Tossing the magazine to the side I push myself to my feet once again, quickly moving through the room I flick open the door, only it's not the Garner I expected to see standing before me.

"Mr. Garner!" I say with a wide grin, leaning on the door frame I cross my arms against my chest. The young victor, Flynn Garner, stood before me. He was all messy brown hair and warm chocolate eyes. "You look handsome, as per usual." I grin at him wider, tilting my head to the side slightly I give him a questioning look, "so what brings you here so late? Must be my good looks, or my charming smile."

[d6a georgie cham 🍓🐢 frankel]

It has been a long day of waiting. Yeah, I only just handed the application in yesterday and the old lady did say it could take three days, but these three days are going to be one of the longest in my life. Probably not as long as the first three and last three days I spent in the arena but still long enough to drag along so exhaustingly. It does not help that I have no way of spending this long ass time. Twiddling my thumbs. Flicking through books that I have already read one hundred times over.

I have still not spoken to Aurora’s parent; a reminder of that trip keeps whispering in my ears. I have not found the right time yet but if I wait too long, then I will be too late. But right now, it is too early.

I have still not taken my grandpa up on the random new tour of his pharmacy factory. The old man forgets that I have seen it probably a hundred times but supposedly there is something new to be revealed. How exciting. But if I wait too long to accept this tour, the old man will eventually die. And it is never too early to head over there, he practically lives in that factory.

Not sure why, when all he does is make the same drug over and over again. I guess he is swimming in the money now that its in the Hunger Games. I bet it has nothing to do with me winning it…

Its late in the day. My dad is on a night shift. My mom is nowhere to be seen and my sisters are perfectly old enough to take care of themselves now, so I head out of the door. Winter really bites at my face as soon as I step outside. It doesn’t help that I am only wearing a jacket, no hat, gloves or even a scarf. At least the Victor’s village is nestled close by to where all the big pharmaceutical giants are. Put the money next to money because of course the hospitals aren’t as profiteering as the factories.

The factory line is still in full force, even at this time of night. All the technicians are busy packing the little tablet blister packs of Garaplin, the demand is high now for my grandpa and his partner’s antibiotic and anti-inflammatory combination. ”Where is Mr Garner?” I ask one of the worker’s, they point to big grey silver swinging doors. The forbidden back room, my grandpa’s office where he does not like any visitor. The man is mad, honestly. He probably has his feet up while all these technicians are slaving away twenty-four hours a day.

I knock on the door, abiding by the number one rule that has been drilled into me since I could walk and talk. It is not grandpa who answers, unless we have turned back time 100 years.

"so what brings you here so late? Must be my good looks, or my charming smile."

Uhmm, what?

”Uhh… who are you?” It is cold outside, that is why my face is burning. I am not wearing a scarf! ”Yeah, uhhhmm. Do you know where Declan Garner is? And how are you even allowed in there?” Don’t tell me grandpa has been hiding young men in his office all of this time. My mum the adulterer and now this… I am really keeping all the family scandals held tight in my mind.

Celestials.

[k!ah]

j o h n n y .



* * *

”Uhh… who are you?”

The confusion on the young victors face only has my grin growing. I hadn't expect him to know who I was, after all it was part of my job description to stay out of sight, to be nothing but a shadow. He looked slightly flustered, and I would not lie and say that it was not flattering. Plus, it didn't hurt that he looked cute, cheeks flushed red against the cold. "Yeah, uhhhmm. Do you know where Declan Garner is? And how are you even allowed in there?”

"Mr. Garner has gone home for the night. You just missed him actually," I say casually, moving out of the doorway slightly so that the door could close behind me, hiding the girl strapped to the table. She might have been dead by now, I wasn't sure, but I sure as hell wasn't going to let Flynn Garner see it. "And I work here," it's a vague answer, and the only one that the cute victor would get. Mr. Garner would probably have my ass handed to the peacekeepers if I let slip exactly what my job role entailed was.

"Is there anything I can help you out with, handsome? I feel like I would be more entertaining that the old man."

[d6a georgie cham 🍓🐢 frankel]

Only people in the Capitol have spoken to me like this guy is. Everyone tells me to brush them off, it is a bit creepy, they are all old. Except this guy looks close to my age. Do I brush him off? I have no idea; it is cold, and my grandpa is clearly not here. Great.

I cross my arms against my chest as the guy explains where grandpa has gone and who he is. Then he hits me with the word handsome, one I have not heard from the creepy Capitolites. It is always cute little boy and a tug at my cheeks. I guess I am growing up. ”He was meant to be giving me a tour of the place.” I step back a little, curious to know what is exactly behind the door that the guy is blocking. ”But I won’t waste your time. I will come back another day.”

Celestials.

[k!ah]

j o h n n y .



* * *

Flynn Garner does not seem very impressed with me, his arms crossed against his chest in an almost defensive stance. I didn't know what I did to set him off, but it didn't bother me too much, I was nothing if I wasn't charming, it just meant I had to work a little harder. I was determined to see that smile before he turned his back on me.

I don't know why I was so determined to make him flustered or to see that smile, but I put it down to boredom and the fact that I was just an unrestrained flirt. Who didn't enjoy a little flirtatious banter and a hot and heavy make-out session that felt just a little bit dangerous?

”He was meant to be giving me a tour of the place.” He says as he steps back slightly preparing to leave, but not without a curious look to the door behind me. Maybe I hadn't been as subtle as I thought. ”But I won’t waste your time. I will come back another day.” He continues and I step towards him, closing the distance a little more as I tilt my head to the side and give him a curious look. "I'll leave him a message," I pause shoving my hands into my pockets. "You don't have to leave, you know."

I take another step closer, "how about I pack up here and take you out for dinner." Not that I had much money, but I was sure Mr. Garner and a few dollars hanging around the lab, if not the girl on the table might be stowing away a little cash in those jean pockets- unless Mr. Garner's snatcher had robbed her before handing her over to die.

[d6a georgie cham 🍓🐢 frankel]

It has always been a little strange, the way my family tries to get in contact with our own grandpa, through a personal assistant of all ways. He has never been the type to attend the family things. He was not even at the District Six dinner for my victory tour. Instead, all I got was a letter, not even written by his own hand with words on it that did not sound anything like him. My mum’s pa is a little different, I can rock up at his place anytime. A simple man but age is failing him. They cured that nasty neurological disease once, but it came back to bite in a different form.

Maybe I need to bite back at this dude. I have never done this before; I am probably acting a little awkward. Yet not awkward enough for the guy to stop talking. There is even an invitation to dinner. I have been speaking to him for not even five minutes, is this how people really do it? Dive right in?

I can’t keep acting awkward though, dinner is easy. I have had thousands of dinners. It is simple.

”Asking me out for dinner, and I don’t even know your name?” My arms unfold and I rest both hands on each of my hips. I have nothing else to do tonight, a whole evening wiped for one occasion. I can fill it with another. ”You can tell me all about my grandpa. I am guessing his bootlicker knows all of his secrets?” A smirk spreads my red cheeks. He can’t be that bad, he just works for my grandpa.

Celestials.

[k!ah]

j o h n n y .



* * *

”Asking me out for dinner, and I don’t even know your name?”

He almost looks surprised, his cheeks going red as he tried to fight off some of his awkwardness that just made my grin grow. He looked so cute with bright red cheeks and a stance that might have looked defensive had it not been for the way he almost fumbles to find the right words.

I also notice that he hadn't said no to my invite, so maybe I had charmed him after all.

”You can tell me all about my grandpa. I am guessing his bootlicker knows all of his secrets?” the young victor smirks and I rise my brows slightly in mock surprise.

"Bootlicker? I am nothing but a humble servant to your grandfather, but I can guarantee that there is absolutely no bootlicking." As I speak I turn to lock the door behind me, telling myself that I would leave enough time to return before Mr. Garner was due back to remove the body. "I'm Johnny and I guess I do know a secret or two about your grandfather-" I pause, giving Flynn a long slow look, "though my tongue has far better uses than licking boots."

[d6a georgie cham 🍓🐢 frankel]

Literally I was just here to do grandpa stuff and now I have a guy flirting with me. It has been long day; bedtime will be calling soon. Is it always this exhausting? It is that expected part of life – for some people anyway. There was a whole section about it in one of my biology classes, but they never spoke about how exhausting, how cringy and awkward it really is. I am about to burst, and this guy keeps hitting me with more words, is he reading these all from a book or what? A confidence I will never have, that is for sure.

None of the Capitol public media training has even prepared me for someone like Johnny.

In my grandpa’s factory. Literally the family business.

”There is no cap to you is there?” I fold my arms, maybe it is my time to play a little game. I am victor after all, I should be hard to get…”Anyway, why do you think someone like me wants to be seen out in public…with someone like you?” Yeah I am not just dropping my evening for some guy that thinks he can flirt with me, it is probably for the status anyway. Who wants a scruffy nerdy boy like me? I am butt boy after all.

Celestials.

[k!ah]

j o h n n y .



* * *

It looked like Flynn Garner wasn't used to being flirted with, all red cheeks and awkward glances. I personally found it cute, thoroughly enjoying the way my words provoked such an endearing reaction- and here I had been thinking that tonight would be uneventful, filled with reading boring silences magazines before burying a body in the cover of the night.

”There is no cap to you is there?” The young victor asks folding his arms across his chest, his posture changing from something slightly unease into something that was almost offering a challenge and damn did that have my heart beating a little faster. And I was ready to face up to that challenge, my eyebrows raising slightly at the challenge in his tone.

"Anyway, why do you think someone like me wants to be seen out in public…with someone like you?”

"Someone like me?" I throw back at him, looking at him with wide innocent eyes as I place a hand against my chest as though his words stung. "You mean handsome, charming and poor?" Okay, maybe not to innocent and a little too humble. "But if you don't want to be seen in public I could take you back to mine and cook you dinner."

Though if I was being honest taking him back to mine would not be ideal, especially considering I was broke and my apartment had a mouldy smell that I could not get rid of. No matter how much I tried.

[d6a georgie cham 🍓🐢 frankel]

Oh yeah, I need to get out of here. Fraternizing with one of my grandpa’s help? Yeah, I am sure that is going to go down well at family dinners, though grandpa does rarely take up his seat at the table. Always working late here, always working on something. Something being a secret that his lips so tightly zipped shut that we just don’t even talk about it anymore.

Though it would be cool to find out, a new revolutionary drug maybe?

Maybe this guy will know, he is here late. There must be a reason why he is here late.

Or is he just as dodgy as he sounds?

I seem to attract dodgy.

”I think I might pass tonight, in all honesty, I am just not in the mood.” Not that I have ever been in the mood, I have never done this before! Ever! I am dipping my toes into untested water, but I know one day I will have to submerge myself. That is how life is, how it is expected. Even Dale is dating now! ”Maybe another day yeah? I am guessing you are here most days?”

Celestials.