Luca Acero

“You still haven’t figured out how to change a diaper?” It didn’t seem all that difficult, but she’d grown up sewing and weaving. Folding some fabric didn’t seem too bad. “I’m assuming the Mother of the Year doesn’t want a nanny to help out.”

“I-- I have” Luca shook his head, frustrated. He knew how to do it, he just didn’t feel like he did it right, not the way Hestia could, and he felt like every movement he made might hurt her, might make her uncomfortable, might show just how out of his depth he really was. “Hestia is brilliant she just-- it just comes so naturally for her, you know?”

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“Thanks,” she offered with a small smile before pulling the empty chair back and taking a seat. “I’m doing alright.” All things considered. “How’ve you been?” She asked before quickly adding, “how’s the baby?”

Luca was mid sip when she asked, so he almost choked on the beer as it slid down his throat. “Good yeah” he nodded, because Luna was doing well, and Hestia was brilliant with her, it was just him that was struggling. “She’s just so small-- it’s a little daunting”

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Everett hadn’t thought about it that way, but it certainly was a much more positive outlook. “So does that mean you’re open to sponsoring tributes from Thirteen?” he asked.

@luca-acero​

Emilia’s feet were killing her. She just needed a moment to sit, somewhere to possibly take her heels off and relax for a moment. “Do you mind if I have a seat?” She asked as she stopped behind an empty chair across from Luca. He was a friendly and familiar face, one she wouldn’t mind the company of for a few minutes. 

Luca looked up at Emilia and shook his head before nodding towards the chair, giving her the go ahead even though it definitely wasn’t up to him in the first place. “How are you?” he asked, even though small talk was the last thing he wanted.

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“Yeah, I guess no one’s too surprised,” he agreed, “since it seemed like Thirteen just kept having issues. Still, it sort of sucks. I feel like they’re not gonna be as prepared, you know, not growing up with the Games.”

“Maybe” Luca nodded. “Or maybe they’ll be a little less terrified, a little more willing to give it a go than some of the tributes who have watched their districts fail time and time again”

Surya’s eyebrows lifted so quickly, one of the tiny flowers glued to her skin near her temple fell off. “Is diaper duty better than this?”

Luca thought about it for a second and then shook his head. “Only because I don’t have a fucking clue what I’m doing, otherwise I’d change twenty diapers in exchange for skipping out on this”

Everett had thought he might get to find out before everyone else that the new plan was to Reap District Thirteen, but apparently not. It wasn’t all that surprising, he supposed, that Thirteen was being annexed, and that part of that was sending tributes into the Games, but he still didn’t like it. It felt cruel for some reason, more so than sending kids who’d grown up in Panem all their lives. “What do you think the first tributes from Thirteen will be like?” he mused, already a few drinks in.

Luca turned to find Everett, happy to see his face rather than someone else's, but still, wasn’t particularly interested in the conversation topic. “Scared shitless” he shrugged before he pulled the beer back to his mouth. “Bound to happen though”

@luca-acero​

Surya was feeling elated. Buzzed, actually, but she opted to think of her life more whimsically for the night. She felt like she was floating through the crowd, engaging with people without feeling a drain on her spirit or body. It was a triumph she could only share with herself - and her therapist, maybe. As she was picking up a fresh glass of champagne, she spotted someone on the other side of the tower of glasses. “You found a babysitter for the night?”

Luca was not in the best of places. As soon as baby Luna had come into the world, he had suffered a complete and utter panic, and for now, he was still unsure he could really be a good enough father to this tiny being who would rely on him for absolutely everything. The last thing he wanted was to attend another pretentious ball, but with no choice, he was here, grumbling in the corner doing his best to steer clear of any kind of small talk. “I’m here, aren’t I?” he sniped, which was completely out of character for him. 

Surya set her cup down and went about tucking and smoothing the layers of her dress until she lied down. “I imagine drinking for hours beforehand doesn’t help.” She couldn’t deny that the headaches were coming on quicker after a night of drinking, but especially if she slept somewhere unfamiliar. “I also imagine you might have to get used to this. I saw your darling last night. It won’t be long now.”

“Probably not-- it always seems to be the reason for a sofa sleep though” he pointed out, and maybe she was right, maybe that was the real reason why you always woke up feeling pretty rough. Luca grimaced, because the closer it got, the more terrified he became. “Yeah-- not long-- it’s kinda scary how there’s know way to know exactly when it’s gonna happen”

“Mm, classy,” Holland said dryly, snatching up the cash even though her tributes were dead. It wasn’t often that a sponsor gave her money to spend, so she’d stash this away. “I’ll spend it on the next person who starts to bleed out. Maybe I’ll just send the cash directly. They can stop the blood with it.”

Luca watched her take the money and pushed his empty hand into his pocket. Hestia was in labour, they’d kicked him out because it would be hours before anything happened and visiting hours were over. He hated it, not being there, and he felt like he couldn’t concentrate on anything other than wanting to be back there with her. “It’s probably more use at this stage” he nodded. “Who do you think will win?”

Surya was still in her ball outfit as she sat at the Tower cafe, though many of the accessories in her hair had been taken out so she could rest her head for a nap on a spare couch in the penthouse. She rubbed at a small ache on the side of her neck as she sipped a hot tea, watching the screen where not much was happening to grab her interest in the Games. “As much as I love a sleepover, I think I’m getting too old to sleep on a couch.” 

Luca was nursing a double espresso in the cafe when Surya passed, and he smiled, nodding to the chair opposite him. “It’s weird that couches are great for naps, but when you try do a full night, you wake up with all sorts of aches and pains, what’s that about?”

Mac looked at the food in question before shrugging his shoulders. He grabbed a tiny taco, stuffed it in his mouth and began talking before swallowing. “Tiny hands for sure. But, I think the tiny hands belong to babies. Babies that are great chefs. But since they are babies, they think tiny portions are enough. So, I let it slide.” He rambled.

“Babies?” Luca repeated before he laughed. “I think babies don’t have the coordination to create these little masterpieces” he hummed, picking up a taco himself to inspect. 

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“Well then I’ll make a note never to scare you again,” he said. “Are you feeling ready for the baby? Sorry, I just promised not to scare you, but I gotta check, because that thing is coming out soon.”

“Yeah-- Yeah of course” Luca nodded, but it was a lie, and Luca rarely lied, so he was terrible at it. He was downright terrified, and now he was second guessing his ability to be a parent at all. Slate definitely didn’t need to hear about that though, he knew he had to thread lightly when it came to him. “Soon, yeah, are you excited for another sibling?” he tried to sway the conversation.

Chip looked down over the edge of the balcony, mostly seeing white where all the snow was gathering on the streets and rooftops. “Uh, n-not much,” he admitted. “Th-These Games have been super busy. I-I haven’t even been back to my house to sleep s-since launch. Y-You? H-How much time do I have left to get a baby pr-present?”

“If you ever need someone to check in on Evie, let me know” Luca offered, because he knew Chip did most of her care on his own, which much be difficult in his line of work around this time. “Uh-- it’s really any day now” he admitted, scratching his head nervously. “Not gonna lie, the closer it gets, the more terrified I feel”

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safe. quiet. that was the easiest phrasing for it, although safe was relative and never garuenteed, no matter what she actually did to help it. i’m just going to stay out of trouble for the rest of my life, I think. trouble’s exhausting. she’d rather just focus on loving the people she was lucky enough to have. how have you been, luca?

“Trouble is exhausting” Luca nodded, because he was always one to steer clear of it if he could. “I’ve been good, just waiting for this baby to show up now, it could be any day” he admitted, nervously wringing his hands together. 

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“My hero,” she teased lightly, but it was paired with a grateful smile. “They shouldn’t, but I wanted to come. Needed to. This is the most important event for getting sponsors.” Her tributes had to come first while she was here, no matter what.