31_days | [Mar. 11] [The Hunger Games] As You Please

Title: As You Please
Day/Theme: March 11, 2013 "I can resist everything except temptation"
Series: The Hunger Games
Character/Pairing: Mags, OC
Rating: G

"You should feel free to indulge your appetite, Miss Gaudet," the president says to me. "We are all aware of how much you like to eat."

"W-well, as long as it doesn't seem rude," I stutter. Compared to the amount of eating I've seen so far at Capitol parties, the amount of food present seems excessive, but it does look appetizing- and gorgeous. More time and effort was probably put into styling the food into these wondrous displays of perfection than it was in gussying up me (not that I think that's a bad thing). "People keep wanting to talk to me and I was worried I shouldn't be trying to eat on and off between conversations," I sigh. When I'm feeling this nervous about this many things at once, even being around the president doesn't get to me as much.

"Yes, do, eat," he encourages me, "…Assuming the fine things we have available are to your tastes."
He pauses.

I try not to gape. …Is the president of Panem about to make a Crispco crackers joke? I hope not.

"…But I could always send an aide off to the store for some crackers, if those would be more to your tastes."

…I think I am gaping a bit now. "N-no, thank you. What you have here is more than fine."

Some of the people around us are laughing at his Games callback. He chuckles and I stiffen up. "I am always glad to oblige for a victor, my dear."

I would like to get away from the president as quickly as possible, but that's a temptation that I shouldn't give in to.

Quickly enough, however, he moves away from me, bidding me good evening and making a beeline for the pair of Jack Umber and Jeff Zimmer. I lean back against the table, feeling a bit weak in the knees.

I attempt to revive myself by biting into an excessively fancily frosted cookie.