SUPER BARBECUE SUPER BARBECUE SUPER BARBECUE [open as heck]

[hugling]

Who: SUPER HEROES!!!!!
Where: Ernest E. Debs Regional Park!
When: Sunday!
What: SUPER BARBECUE
Warnings: Superheroes...



It's a pleasant evening at Ernest E. Debs Regional Park, just a couple miles from downtown LA, which can be seen through the haze. Late March means spring is just arriving in LA and the trees are just starting to bud. Unfortunately, the grass is still kind of dead and dry.

The barbecue and picnic area isn't too busy, though the park does have the usual assortment of joggers, dog walkers, and cyclists. There are some balloons tied to picnic tables, and strung between two trees is a very homemade "SUPER BBQ" banner, courtesy of Hulkling and Starbreaker. There's still glitter glue on Milly's apartment floor. There's another posterboard with the rules written on it in big bold sharpie letters nearby, just in case anyone forgets:

• Don't be a jerk!!!
• Keep your weapons holstered please.
• Do not trash the park!
• ABSOLUTELY NO FIGHTING
• Anyone caught fighting will be asked to leave!
• Really don't be a jerk!

[OKAY GUYS!!! mingle! have fun! maybe some THINGS WILL HAPPEN, whoooo knows!]

Comments

[hellacold]

Jon shakes his head and rolls his eyes, but he appreciates the attention.

"Is that why you're here?"

[thelittlemerman]

"To annoy you? No," he says. He looks around at the people milling about the party. "No, I'm here to meet people. Socialize. Not whatever you're doing, which is... lurking?"

[hellacold]

"How's that working out for you," says Jon flatly.

[thelittlemerman]

Finnick shrugs one shoulder. "It's alright. I'm still adjusting to this new environment, as you can imagine."

[hellacold]

Well, Jon guesses they're having a real conversation now. He nods.

"If you need anything, we can get it for you," he says noncommittally. 'Condor gives us money for food and supplies."

[thelittlemerman]

"Oh, don't worry," Finnick says dryly, "I've more than taken advantage of their generosity."

He has this nice new outfit to show for that.

[hellacold]

Jon has pretty much exhausted the things he has to say to Finnick, so he sort of half shrugs, half nods.

"I'm glad to hear you're settling in," he says. Is that even what Finnick is saying? Whatever.

[thelittlemerman]

Finnick sighs heavily. Talking to Jon is turning out to be quite a lot of work, and he's not entirely sure whether it's because Jon doesn't like him or because Jon isn't good at this. All Finnick really knows about him is that he's friends with Katniss.

"Are you? I get the sense you aren't thrilled about my arrival here."

[hellacold]

Jon was pretty glad to find out it was actually a friend of Katniss in CONDOR custody and not an evil agent of the dystopian future. He doesn't have a lot of other opinions about Finnick. It's true, talking to him is kind of uncomfortable. He's not really sure what he's supposed to say. This question, in fact, is a prime example. He gives Finnick a kind of skeptical look.

"Thrilled is a strong word," he says.

[thelittlemerman]

If there were something more interesting to be doing, Finnick would just walk away from Jon now, but sadly there is nothing. So he just rolls his eyes.

"Are you always this personable?"

[hellacold]

Look, Jon has tried to be reasonable in the face of Finnick's increasingly pointed questions. He has even tried to be nice. Maybe he hasn't gone out of his way to be friendly to Finnick, but he's pretty sure he doesn't deserve this treatment. He frowns.

"Are you?"

[thelittlemerman]

Finnick breaks into a grin.

"Well, that depends on who you are. As of now, it doesn't look like you can do a whole lot for me. I'm just trying to figure out if my suspicions are correct."

[hellacold]

Now Jon is just completely lost.

"What is it you want," he says, perhaps a bit more sulkily than he intends.

[thelittlemerman]

He takes a moment and tilts his head with a smirk, as if he hadn't really thought about it. Of course, when he approached Jon today he was mostly looking to mess with him, but if they're going to do real talk then he can work with that too.

"I just want you to know that I'm not looking to cause any problems here. We have to work together, after all. I wouldn't want you wasting any time worrying about where my allegiance lies."

Finnick pauses, observing Jon thoughtfully. The quiet types are always so frustratingly boring, but he knows most of them have quite a lot going on under the surface, so it's worth poking and prodding until something reveals itself.

He makes a face as if just now remembering something else, then adds, "Oh, and I want you to know that I forgive you for that sad attempt at tricking me when I first arrived. Not one of your greater skills, I'm afraid."

[hellacold]

Jon shrugs, doing his best to seem casual and nonchalant, but he's a little nettled, and it shows.

"Mockingjay trusts you," he says. "I don't have a problem with you."

He has not, in fact, spared that much thought to Finnick or his allegiance, but this is making him a little suspicious. He trusts Katniss and her judgement, though. She can take care of herself.

"It might've gone easier for you with Celestia," he adds, deadpan.

[thelittlemerman]

Finnick holds back a comment or two about Katniss' trust. She shouldn't trust him - he did lie to her, even if he's not lying now. At least she's not telling her new friends what an awful liar he is, turning them against him just to make his life harder.

"CONDOR wasn't all that bad," he says. "And unless Celestia can read minds, without the Mockingjay's word no one has any reason to trust me."

[hellacold]

Jon shrugs again, the corner of his mouth tilting up a little.

"She might've given you tea."

[thelittlemerman]

"You're right," Finnick says gently with a wry smile. "I should have just turned myself in."

Indicating his new costume, he continues, "At least it turned out alright."