1 ♆ joint music video ♫

[braiding]

[ The room looks like a beach house — as it is. Ten and Finnick are dressed in shorts, with wild, vibrant prints, with Finnick wearing a loose shirt and The Doctor sporting a rather dapper find. Finnick Odair isn't quite in his underwear, but he is wearing something that suggests he hadn't opened his eyes while dressing himself this morning — and Ten doesn't look like his marvellously dressed self, either, swapping a suit for something that looks like he'd wear to a beach. Finnick wears oversized red rimmed love heart sunglasses while Ten sports a large dazzling yellow pair that swallow his entire face. Standing beside one another, they seem to bounce to very loud music playing from a stereo system in the background. ]

[ Finnick points to Ten every time he sings (quite well): ] Girl look at that body.

Girl look at that body.

Girl look at that body.

[ Normally, the Doctor might feel uncomfortable, dressed as he is, but somehow, it's not really bothering him right this second. What he and Finnick are about to do is all in good fun, and honestly, he's loving every minute of it, ridiculous clothes and equally ridiculous glasses and all. ]

[ Whenever Finnick points at him, he grins and points right back, singing his part with as much vim and vigor as he can throw into the performance: ]

I-I-I work out.

[ Finnick winks at him. ] When I walk in the spot, this is what I see —

[ And he just winks back. ] — Everybody stops and they're staring at me.

I got passion in my pants — [ Finnick points down to his crotch with an exaggerated thrust of his hips. ]

[ Ten throws back his head and laughs at Finnick's exaggerated movements. But, in the spirit of things, he manages a passable imitation as he continues with the next line: ] — And I ain't afraid to show it.

Show it, show it, show it. [ Finnick moves toward Ten and grabs his glasses from his face. He slips his own off and, one-handedly — almost poking him in the eye — he slips it back over his ears. He shoves his new pair on. Finnick now wears the yellow glasses while Ten wears the hearts. ]

[ Ten mouths a silent but clearly indignant 'oi' at Finnick, but continues on with the song, now wearing those ridiculous heart sunglasses. ]

[ Together: ] I'm sexy and I know it!

[ And Finnick gives Ten a great, big kiss on the cheek. ]

Comments

I'll be waiting over here holding Finnick's balls.

[halfwinchester]

_{[Apparently it is possible to get your hackles up through text message.]}

Happy to help. :)

<sub>[It's also possible to not care all that much if you've pricked someone's ego by teasing them. Maybe the guy doesn't agree that this is all harmless fun, or he's sensitive about some aspect of his dance routine, or a combination of both, but what's Adam supposed to apologize for? Giving him a 5/10? Someone needs to pull the honking pair of sunglasses out of their ass.

He's definitely not going to add "Relax, I was messing with you" once he gets to the second part. Ooh, someone's a bit pissy after all, are they? Who knew Adam's opinion mattered so much in judging a couple of goofballs on their sexiness.]</sub>

Competitive much? So was your friend involved just because you wanted someone to make you look better? That's cheap.

you'd like that, hey? enjoy them they're big. ｡^‿^｡

[braiding]

[ if only adam knew the half of it. finnick's competitive by nature, having grown up in a district that had thrown their children into training for the games since before they could even walk. being competitive has shaped finnick into the man he is today, even if it's not in the way that they had hoped. he's competing for too much in his life to simply follow the advice of adam and relax. (he honestly doesn't know how to; he doesn't expect he'll ever get the chance. letting down his guard leads to dangerous things.) ]

No. I don't need to use anyone to make myself look better. By the sound of it, you might. Always happy to help in that arena. :)

[ finnick's really not educated in emoticons, but he has a feeling the one adam's used is a substitute for someone pulling an incredibly fake and sarcastic smile. ]

Bigger means easier to twist off. :'D

[halfwinchester]

0 points for class. Don't do your looks any favors now.

_{[All right, guy, lay it on if you want to. Adam's still not the guy who'd been hip-thrusting like a Michael Jackson groupie.]}

You say that like you aren't already.

you'd have to touch them first (︶ω︶)

[braiding]

But what about looks? Something tells me I'm out of this world for you.

[ adam can try and deny it, but he did just insinuate finnick has a timeless attractiveness. #homo. ]

It's kind of hard to help a guy who doesn't have the gumption to get up and make a fool of himself. Got something to hide?

Settle down, you homo. X(

[halfwinchester]

_{[Finnick might not want people making assumptions that he's a self-aggrandizing keener, but he's not doing much to prove that image wrong. Quite the opposite. Adam can practically hear someone's ego inflating like a balloon.]}

Pretty sure I already said I'm not your target audience. If you're pissed about how I rated you on your moves, you don't want me to rate you on the rest.

_{[-10 points on account of not giving a shit.]}

Maybe. I don't want to crowd the stage.

settles down on top of you.

[braiding]

[ the fact that he bothered to rate him at all proves to be completely amusing for finnick. for a guy who wants to remain as detached and above it all, he sure seems to like to put his finger in it. so, he doesn't comment; he'll continue to deny not being a part of his target audience, but finnick knows better. ]

The stage is all yours. The Doctor and I will gladly step aside. ;)

[ whoops, accidentally pressed the wrong button for the :. ]

Gross, who are you, Michael?

[halfwinchester]

<sub>[Adam supposes in some circles this is considered progress. There had been a time not too long ago when he'd sat alone in his room and had been too whatever you wanted to call it--sick, sad, crazy, angry, drunk--to bother with the network or the people on it. Now it's a little easier for him to talk, engage... even joke.

Just a little.]</sub>

Can I ask you a question first?

someone better. (¬‿¬)

[braiding]

[ finnick knows he's not going to like what adam's going to ask him, but he doesn't shut him down. it's a part of his act to play into the hands of those who have him. ]

Sure.

/SANITIZES SELF.

[halfwinchester]

_{[Finnick, your instincts are spot on.]}

Do you wax? I mean, is there a special secret to how you get your chest so smooth? Does it make you more aerodynamic?

That's three questions, but you said you were into being helpful.

_{[He'll treasure any advice from Mr. 5/10. If this is the example he's supposed to be living up to, Adam has to do a little research into mansculpting.]}

/drapes self over you.

[braiding]

[ oh, what good questions! adam can pretend all he likes, but finnick sincerely thinks he could be batting for finnick's team just a little. ]

It's better if I show you. Want a demonstration? I can give you private lessons at the pool. Not too keen on the chest waxing, but I'll take one for the team to wax the one hair on your chest. We'll make a date of it. ;)

[ man-boy. even though he's trying to flirt adam into submitting defeat, he can't help but get a tiny jab in. ]

Ugh.

[halfwinchester]

_{[He's got 99 problems but a shirtless fish ain't one.]}

That didn't answer any of my questions.

<sub>[He wouldn't want to steal this guy's trade secrets if he's got a Mariah Carey video to go star in next.

If Finnick's hoping to do a better job of denting Adam's dignity, he misses his mark, too. Man-boy cracks fall a little short when he has memories that stretch back in time longer than any person should conceivably be alive. You'd be happy with your single chest hair and your sallow skin if it was your body and not being shuttled around by an archangel, or roasting in Lucifer's Cage.]</sub>

But no thanks, I'll pass. You're doing fine on your own.

ヽ(*⌒∇⌒*)ﾉ ilu.

[braiding]

[ he feels a little bad for not answering any of adam's questions. but he feels as though he has a good excuse … ]

I'm better at showing than telling.

[ which is true; finnick's not exactly liked for telling stories, after all. he's more of an action man; the ones who are good with their words bake bread and create electromagnetic fields. finnick's merely a guy who does better with a trident in his hand and a woven net thrown over an opponent. if adam expected him to wax poetic words on how he maintains his physique, he's going to be waiting a long time. finnick feels like he's called adam's bluff. he can try and make finnick squirm in his shorts, but he can't quite carry through. ]

Better than a 5/10.

[ come on, bro. give a little. ]

Sorry for your unrequited feelings.

[halfwinchester]

Then I'll look forward to your next music video.

<sub>[Adam's neither a shower nor a teller, though he's always believed actions speak louder than words. But things have gotten a little confusing since promises stopped meaning what they're supposed to and actions stopped being enough, confusing enough that he can no longer trust what his eyes see (human) and what his ears want to hear (humanity).

Better to bitch at each other over the network than ever meet in person again and find out Finnick really is hiding more than he lets on. The one thing Adam's not is a truster.]</sub>

I'll believe it when I see it. The sweet talk could use some work.

cries all over nobody.

[braiding]

Thinking about retiring. :( Might need to make it a little more personalized if you want a repeat.

[ how about a one-on-one skype call, adam? but finnick doesn't think he'll put himself on display like he has today ever again. it's not like he doesn't enjoy the attention — he glows while under the spotlight — but he doesn't particularly think it's going to get him too far in finding information to get the district 12 gang and himself out of wonderland and into a safer panem. he'll blame wonderland and it's ability to inflate his ego to a point where it's out of control for even him on this one. if it gets him some allies, then it's been beneficial, but finnick personally likes working one-on-one rather than one-to-many. (fortunately for him, he won't realise he fucked up when he recited his poem to annie in front of all of panem; those pesky jabberjays will make him realise how he's been playing protecting annie all wrong.) ]

Suddenly changed your mind? I thought you weren't interested.

/wipes your tears with more pain.

[halfwinchester]

_{[Pass. And not just because this Wonderland temper tantrum would make him start singing, too.]}

Thanks but no thanks.

Turn of phrase. I'll survive without.

/wipes them on your sleeve.

[braiding]

[ you're sexy and you know it. ]

You sure? It'd be a pity if you didn't.

The Doctor will be happy to show you some of his moves. We don't need to talk at all.

Surprise, I'm not wearing a shirt.

[halfwinchester]

_{[If he wouldn't make a travesty out of a classic, he'd rather sing some AC/DC, or Guns N' Roses, or even some Bon Jovi. Finnick could use a little educating on the good stuff if he doesn't even know what the United Kingdom is.]}

Somehow I doubt I'm your type.

_{[He's sure this guy'll cry himself to sleep without Adam's company. There's enough hip-wriggling and attitude going on without even considering adding "private demonstrations" into the mix.]}

Looks to me he's got enough on his plate already and I'm a lone performer.

just the way i like you!

[braiding]

[ adam believes he has him pegged, but, unfortunately for him, he barely knows who finnick is beyond the assumptions he gathers from a peacock who preens an awful too much. he thinks he's beginning to see the way adam's been forged, humour being his best defensive and offensive weapon. ]

You should consider dropping the solo act and joining a group. Must get awfully lonely.

[halfwinchester]

<sub>[Like he needs a guy like this giving him tips on self-betterment. Assumptions are a two-way street and Finnick is starting follow it all the way around the twists and turns to a subject that Adam doesn't like.

Wouldn't it be nice if he could? Wouldn't it be nice if it were just an act he could ditch when he wants?]</sub>

My old one kicked me out of the band. I'm not hot on another.

[braiding]

Sounds like jealousy to me. Let me sweeten the pot: You can be a back-up.

[ dancer, singer, whatever! it's on the tip of his tongue to type in groupie, but something tells him this one isn't too keen on being anything like the fangirls finnick's used to flocking at his feet. ]

[halfwinchester]

Then you might just be a little tone deaf.

<sub>[Trust him, Finnick, jealousy of his old group isn't the problem, nor is some desperate desire for guts and glory. He's happy enough right where he is, out of sight, out of arm's reach, saying only as much as he wants to say.

You know, not preening.]</sub>

Too bad you're retiring, guess we'll never know if three's a crowd or not.

[braiding]

We can always have a reunion tour.

[ or a victory tour. it's the same thing, isn't it? isn't that what the quarter quell is? some reunion. the hunger games: all stars edition. luckily, this isn't audio, or else finnick's tone would be coated with bitterness. ]

The fun never has to end.

[halfwinchester]

<sub>[Does this guy really expect him to cave and play ball? At its most innocent, what Finnick's doing is just teasing, like locker room joshing, no harm, no foul... but if it's less than innocent, maybe it's a way of feeling out Adam's shell. How he ticks, where his cracks are. After the events of the Apocalypse, Adam can see the appeal. If he can't avoid them, he wants to figure out how the people in Wonderland work --paranoia and self-preservation create a potent combination even in someone who hasn't gotten a feel for reading signals yet.

Whatever the case, he has to snort at the text. There've been enough reunions in this place already.]</sub>

Here, it does. If you come to your senses in the next few days, just remember I didn't take you up on your lessons and add to the public embarrassment.

_{[You're welcome. Be glad Adam's not some single woman looking to get closer to those abs and forcing another round of singing.]}

[braiding]

[ adam's loss. after this bout of singing, the touching of the abs will be costly. ]

[ however, finnick's just amused.]

You think I'll be embarrassed about this in a few days time?

[ embarrassment isn't an emotion within his arsenal. if he's ever regretful over his actions, it's when he acts recklessly and stupidly, akin to a rebellious teenager trying to pry himself beneath the thumb of his parents. but rather it belong to a parent, it's of president snow he finds himself crushed beneath — and it most certainly isn't embarrassment he feels. shame and panic usually flank the sides of regret. ]

[halfwinchester]

_{[Save them for someone else, Finnick. Adam's lifestyle doesn't involve other men's abs, and only minimal levels of fun. ("Fun" meaning something stupid and calming like building a card house from a deck of cards over lunch.)]}

Wouldn't some people?

_{[Adam's not necessarily saying he would be, but not everyone's used to having to let it all hang out there on account of high powers mucking about with their lives.]}