perfectly placed

Harper Whent | 31 | District 11 Mentor Victor of the 97th Games

[harper-whent]

charity-brush‌:

Charity couldn’t have been happier in that moment. It was easy to distinguish the girl who’d been insistent on wearing a crown and not a gaudy hat, though she did have to admit she quite liked the designs of some. It was a wonderfully happy evening, so beautiful and elegant it was easy to forget all that happened to bring her here. In the past three months, there’d been so many moments of triumph and joy she believed it’d all been worth it. Resting a hand on her stomach that was noticeable under her elegant dress (which she’d helped design, yet another victory), Charity finally settled down into a chair and let out a satisfied sigh. “It’s been quite a night!” she exclaimed to the other at the table.

Harper was happy when Charity emerged victorious.  It was a good feeling and she knew the girl deserved to have her life.  Now Harper just hoped the impact of the Games wouldn’t haunt her too much.  So when Charity joined her at the table she chuckled.  “Indeed.  You’re having fun then?”  Not all victors did, so she wanted to make sure.

[harper-whent]

chip-foster‌:

Chip craned his neck a little to look around the shoulder of a passing Avox to see if they might have some water on their tray, but he was of course disappointed yet again when all that was there were alcoholic drinks. Maybe a couple were non-alcoholic and he should just take a sip to see, but if they all were… Harper’s voice distracted him and he suddenly shoved his hands in his pocket as he turned to look at her. “G-good exc-cuse to just not t-talk to an-nyone.”

Harper smiled at Chip when he spoke, amusement lighting up her eyes.  “That’s a very good point.  I could just avoid everyone and slip away.  No one would even notice I was gone.”  Well, Charity would.  So would Drake.  She didn’t want to leave either of them to fend for themselves.

[harper-whent]

kyanne-flint12‌:

“Not to mention 90% of the people wearing black.” She looked down at her own dress. At least she had managed to convince her stylist of something more modern than some of the ball goers. “I’m doing great actually.” She could go into detail, but doubted Harper wanted her whole life story. “How are you? How’d the victory tour go?” 

Harper smiled.  “I’m glad to hear that,” she told her.  It was always nice to hear when people had good things going on in their lives.  “I’m fine.  The Victory Tour was good.  It’s always a lot to deal with.”

[harper-whent]

kyanne-flint12‌:

KyAnne looked up upon hearing another’s voice and gave a small shrug. “I haven’t the slightest idea.” She herself had foregone the pointy hat not long after entering, though as she looked up at the sleeping bats she wondered if it wouldn’t be a better idea to wear it to keep from having anything dropped on her from above.

Harper sighed, shaking her head slightly.  “I’ve been looking for Charity but with all of these tall hats I can’t see anyone in this sea of people.”  She offered a smile.  “How are you, KyAnne?”

[harper-whent]

It felt a little surreal.  It took twenty years for her first victor and then her second happened within a year of the first.  Harper was so glad that Charity had survived.  The girl definitely deserved a chance.  She took a drink from a passing avox and sighed.  “I don’t know how you’re supposed to find anyone when they’re all running around in pointy hats.”

[harper-whent]

drakexthornley‌:

“Mom, I don’t know,” the young man whispered into the speaker of his phone whilst simultaneously trying to remain inconspicuous around the crowd of sponsors. “The Games last as long as there are tributes left…it’ll probably only be a few more days. This time next week I’ll be home, I promise.” Drake wasn’t sure whether it was the anniversary of his own Games or a weird batch of mom hormones, but what he did know was that his mother wanted him home ASAP. It wasn’t like he didn’t want to return to Eleven himself, because he desperately did each time he was in the Capitol, but his freedom surrounding the matter was nonexistent. Especially when one of his tributes was a final contender for the victory.

“Harper needs me for something,” he fibbed, clenching his teeth to prevent the guilt from sprawling through him. “I’ll talk to you later…yes..yes, I will….don’t worry about me. Bye mom, bye.” Drake hung up the phone quickly and went immediately back to the screens, a sigh escaping from deep within his chest. 

“What do I need you for?” Harper asked as she came up behind him, an amused smile on her lips.  It seemed that he was lying to someone and that did concern her, despite not wanting to pry.  She wouldn’t want him digging into her personal life.

[harper-whent]

clover-c-darwin‌:

“it happens-”  Clover shrugged gently reaching her hand up to feel for the amount of blood: “Although I do believe I should start using more chairs to reach for things around here. And no- i think i can handle it, but thank you.”

 Harper merely nodded.  She didn’t want to pry or push help on someone who didn’t want it.  “Using a chair is probably a very good idea if you are trying to get something that’s high up.”

[harper-whent]

chip-foster‌:

Chip let out a soft, dry chuckle, mostly because he technically was physically away for a handful of Games but mentally he’d barely been around during the last time he mentored. “I-it w-was a pr-pretty fucked up Games y-you m-missed, too.”

“I’m aware,” Harper murmured with a shake of her head.  Part of her felt bad for missing it, but she really did need the break.  And she couldn’t very well leave Cruz to handle Rosie all by himself when she was sick.  “Hopefully nothing like that ever happens again.”

[harper-whent]

chip-foster‌:

Chip realized in hindsight that he probably sounded ungrateful. He knew that because of Three’s track record and important to the Capitol tech scene that their common sponsors weren’t all that bad, they just seemed to be fairly checked out this year for reasons he wasn’t sure of. Maybe two Games a year was making it more boring than exciting now. “N-no. Clover’s m-mostly got it l-locked down. I-I’m st-still kinda r-relearning th-the r-ropes.”

Harper nodded when he spoke.  She only missed one Games and it was still an adjustment getting back in the swing of how things worked.  “That’s understandable.  Coming back is an adjustment.  I’m feeling it and I was only gone for one game.”

[harper-whent]

chip-foster‌:

Chip suddenly straightened up a little bit when he realized he was being address, fumbling with his hat as it slipped off his head. “Y-yeah, just g-got sh-shitt-tty sp-sponsors,” he muttered, pressing the cap back on with both hands as he spoke.

Harper sighed, nodding.  “I know that feeling well.”  Usually District Eleven was an afterthought for the sponsors.  They didn’t have the best track record, with only Drake having won in the last twenty years.  “Do you need some extra help?”

[harper-whent]

chip-foster‌:

Chip sat incredibly slouched in a chair in one of the viewing rooms, so much so that the brim of his backwards baseball cap was being pushed up by the back of the chair. “Socks…” he muttered to himself as he scrolled through some messages on his phone, disappointed and admittedly even disgusted that in the face of such a useless Cornucopia no one seemed inclined to send his tributes something useful. “F-fuck your fucking socks.”

Harper glanced over at Chip when he spoke, a slight frown marring her features.  “Are you alright, Chip?” she asked cautiously.  “What about socks?”

[harper-whent]

clover-c-darwin‌:

“Anyone ever told you that porcelain dropping on your head hurts like shit?”

“Oh goodness,” Harper murmured.  “Do you need help with that?  How did you drop porcelain on your head anyway?”

[harper-whent]

charity-brush‌:

Charity’s heart was warmed to hear the woman’s compassion and concern for Drake, and she knew it would only make their team stronger to have a seasoned mentor around. Her chest suddenly knotted at the notion of the child she’d never met being ill. “Is your daughter doing better? What’s her name? How old is she?”

“She’s almost three,” Harper told her with a smile.  “Her name is Rosemary and she is doing a lot better, thankfully.  I never expected she would be such a cute little firecracker.”

[harper-whent]

huntedhunter‌:

‘‘I wish I had chicken pox during 120,’‘ he commented sternly, though his eyes were sorry and apologizing for the discomfort Harper must have gone through. And the worries, since no mother escaped them, probably. What a sickly child. Hunter shuddered at the thought. ‘’You can never keep them safe, can you?’’ He became worried too.

“I’m sure,” Harper murmured softly.  She couldn’t imagine going in the arena for a second time.  That sounds like actual hell. “I’m beginning to realize it’s a lot harder to keep her safe.  It was easier before she got mobile and developed her own sense of self.”

[harper-whent]

huntedhunter‌:

‘‘Sick seriously?’‘ his vision furrowed as he frowned, for the first time considering the fact that his question could reach depths. He hoped not and that it was only a misunderstanding. He didn’t wish sickness on anybody and anybody’s child. ‘’Cruz… what a guy. Is he back too?’’

“It wasn’t anything terribly serious,” Harper told him.  “She had chicken pox during 120, which is why I didn’t come.  Then she just kept having things happen.  Colds, strep, ear infections.  Kids have horrible immune systems.”  She shook her head then.  “No, Cruz stayed home.”

[harper-whent]

charity-brush‌:

Charity beamed, already so impressed by the woman and profoundly excited to work with her. “Yes, Charity Brush.” She extended a hand after she’d regained her breath, not needing more than a few moments. “This is such a pleasant surprise. I thought Drake might be my only mentor.”

Harper took the girl’s hand and shook it with a smile.  “It’s nice to meet you.”  She offered her a smile and shook her head.  “I didn’t ever want to leave Drake to fend for himself while he’s still so young.  My daughter was sick last Games and I’d planned on taking these Games off but the Capitol encouraged my quicker return.”

[harper-whent]

huntedhunter‌:

‘‘Nothing but how good my day is. Welcome back,’‘ Hunter stated, for once simply, as if tired of the theatrics. He was equally surprised, glad and sad to see Harper - she never liked the Tower much, did she, and she had a toddler to take care of, so he didn’t wish mentoring on her, though a tranquil presence turned out to be a blessing in his eyes for that winter. ‘’All good back home? The boyfriend, the baby, the soul?’’

She was both relieved and surprised to see that Hunter hadn’t really changed after the events of six months ago.  How someone could go into the arena and come out exactly the same seemed beyond Harper’s comprehension.  She smiled at him.  “Thank you, Hunter.  Yes, everything is okay back home.  Rosie has been sick but she’s doing much better.  Cruz is good too.”