irradient

as power giveth so also does power taketh away

[siennaimperia]

tana-charbon​:

Tana looked over at Sienna for only a second before turning her attention back to the screen. Where was Robin?! “I’ve never seen one,” she muttered. She’d only ever seen pictures, or simulations on video. She’d read about them sometimes. “Where’s Zeppelin?” she asked, shifting to sit more on the edge of her seat. “He was with Robin, wasn’t he?”

.

“He was,” she said, checking his vitals tracker on her phone. He was alive; heartbeat heightened, of course... Where was he, though? Everything was confused as the water swept through the Arena. “I hope they can hold on to each other...” Though she wasn’t sure how much that would help.

[allard-danbur]

Tana spent most of the day before nursing a hangover. She watched through tears as Robin put the young boy from Four out of his misery, and fell asleep late into the morning. She knew Hestia or Elias would wake her if anything happened. With a stomach, head and heart that could deal with more, she made her way down to the mentor’s lounge. It was the time when the tide was normally low, probably an ideal time to send Robin a gift. She nibbled on some crackers as she scrolled through her phone for sponsor numbers. With little use for the phone outside of her time at the Tower, she was unfamiliar with it and gave it her full attention. A loud sound on the television pulled her away.

Without meaning to, she dropped her cracker and her phone right into her lap as she watched giant waves start crashing over the arena. 

[siennaimperia]

Sienna was exhausted. The night before she hadn’t slept at all, working on getting promises from sponsors in between worrying about Dahlia, hoping she wasn’t angry. She’d told her at the ball that she was sick; she hadn’t taken it well, because of course she hadn’t, but Sienna had to focus.

She and Rosa had been working round the clock. District Five wasn’t the easiest to get money for, but she was determined to get him out. Then she’d worry about herself.

“A tsunami,” she muttered aloud.

[quotemadness]

“These mountains that you are carrying, you were only supposed to climb.”

— Najwa Zebian

[siennaimperia]

dahliambervale​:

Dahlia looked at Sienna for a moment. The seriousness in the woman’s voice was not what she’d expected to happen when they walked to the corner. After a moment’s hesitation, Dahlia squeezed Sienna’s hands. “Go ahead, darling. You know you can tell me anything.”

She couldn’t hold it in anymore, she spilled it all. She told her about the headaches, the pain, the visit to the doctor’s, the diagnosis. “He told me that I have six months -- until March, or so. It’s not an exact science but... the pain has increased, even with the pain medicine he gave me.” She could hardly look Dahlia in the eye, she knew she’d taken the coward’s way out by not telling her about it until now. “At first I just thought I would push off the appointments, the treatment, but... imagining spending that money, I just don’t know if I can. I want to live, I do, but I got this money, I got in this position by killing people, Dahlia, and I don’t know if I can spend the money to save myself... If I hadn’t done that, if I’d stayed home and hadn’t been Reaped, I would never have been able to afford this treatment. People in Five die of this disease all the time, and-- it’s unfair, it’s just not right...” She finally locked eyes with the other.

[siennaimperia]

treelish​:

“oh. oh my goodness. I don’t think there’s anything I’d rather do.” Now all she wanted out of life was to hold Nilly up to a phone and let him meow to a cat across the country. “Maybe we can even send our scarves to each other!” would knitting hurt her hands? she didn’t know. but she was willing to try.

“Oh, absolutely,” she said. “I don’t know about Seven but in Five it gets cold during the winters, and I could use all the warmth I can get.” Though she did like to be inside and cozied up during the winter months, she preferred when she could spend time outdoors, exploring open spaces.

[siennaimperia]

treelish​:

“oh, shoot, you’re so right!” Addy nodded, studiously. “You’ll have to teach me your ways. Maybe we’ll need to call more often during the off season.” an excuse to talk to a friend? absolutely. she liked her friends! “once a week! we can knit and chat and have a great time!”

“Knit and chat, maybe we can occasionally put our cats on the phone to meow to each other... That’s what cat ladies do, I’m thinking.” She laughed. She liked the idea of it, though, of something small to fill her days. They seemed so empty sometimes.

[siennaimperia]

vxnine​:

As if something in her software blocked, Sienna’s suggestion of at least challenging the law left Venine speechless and neutral, blinking in confusion for a moment. Afterwards, an accomplice grin spread over her features. “Sure, yes, anytime,” she spoke, utterly impressionable and easy to convince. “I think having fun is the most important,” she concluded, as if making peace between the beliefs she had been imprinted with and the deep feelings longing for freedom that she held as her own.

There was an odd moment where her expression looked a bit strange and Sienna wasn’t sure whether she was going to become angry or just walk away -- her suggestion hadn’t been awful, not had it been serious, but perhaps to Venine, it was. “I’m glad we’re in agreement then,” she said with a nod, as if they had come to a conclusion after a long debate over the small umbrellas, having fun. Maybe, for Venine, that was a debate.

[siennaimperia]

dahliambervale​:

She grinned, brows wiggling. “Oh, a quiet corner? Certainly.” Dahlia tugged on Sienna’s hand to follow her, weaving easily through the crowd towards a corner where less people mingled. 

She felt guilty as they moved through the crowd of people, all of the bodies, the smell of chlorine, the heat of the room all pressing in. In the corner it was a bit quieter, further from the sound system, and she turned to hold both of Dahlia’s hands. “I have to tell you something,” she said. She knew that Dahlia would be angry; she could only hope she’d listen to her explanation, how confused and torn she had been feeling. She didn’t know if she deserved even that.

[siennaimperia]

santos-emilia​:

Emilia couldn’t pass up that offer. “Oh I certainly hope so. Every floor having a hot tub to enjoy, everyone could relax even if just a little.” Though she knew it wasn’t easy to relax here, in this city, in that tower. The handful of weeks she spent in the Capitol were always the least sleep she’d get all year. 

“It’s the least they can do for us,” she said. “They throw these balls and act like it’s a gift to us, as if we enjoy it.” She shook her head. It was so far from the truth. “I’d much rather a hot tub.”

[siennaimperia]

treelish​:

“oh, I can’t wait until I can do that. you know… come to the capitol and know she’s here and give her a big hug.” that sounded perfect. just… perfect. and both she and sienna were smiling like fools, now, she didn’t mind. “I thought I was well on track to being an old cat lady, but here we are.”

“You can still be an old cat lady and have a girlfriend,” she assured her. “Look at me, I’m doing it!” She wanted to be old cat ladies with Dahlia. And maybe mothers. When she thought about those types of things, she knew that she should go through with the treatment; it was the pulling the trigger that made it more difficult.

[siennaimperia]

santos-emilia​:

“I a hundred percent second that notion.” She laughed softly. “Tell you what, if I figure out how to get a hot tub out in I’ll pass the info on if you’ll do that same.” She gave a nod, making a mental note to ask Hyacinth later.

“It’s a deal,” she said. “And if I work it out first you can always come and use mine until you get your own. But pretty soon we’ll all have them, I’m sure.” She wanted a glass of wine, a hot tub, a good book, Dahlia... not the ball, the people, the commotion.

[siennaimperia]

santos-emilia​:

“The raccoon thing might be real…” She thought for a moment and then shrugged. Hyacinth had asked about Abel a few nights before, maybe he was helping her with the raccoon. “Drake and Hyacinth’s girl somehow managed to smuggle one into the capitol.” She couldn’t fathom how, but she’d applaud the girl for succeeding. “So maybe the hot tub thing is true too. God I hope so, that’d make nights here ten times better.” Though that wasn’t a hard thing to do, nights in the Capitol were always far from Emilia’s favorite. 

“A raccoon?” She raised her eyebrows, amused. “Well, if mine could smuggle snacks onto the stage at his interview, I suppose anything really is possible. These kids are keeping us on our toes, aren’t they? It would all be easier to handle with a hot tub.”

[siennaimperia]

santos-emilia​:

Emilia perked up at that information. “No, can’t say we do… But really?” She’d have to figure that out as well. “I’d like to know who to talk to about that as well.” She nodded. When did they start installing hot tubs in the district suites?  “Can’t use it now, but maybe for next games.”

“It’s just a rumor,” she said, “but I heard it from a very reliable source. Or, I don’t know how reliable Abel Evans really is, but it sounded real when he told me about it. Then again he also told me that he’s helping to petsit a raccoon.”

[siennaimperia]

santos-emilia​:

Emilia gave a nod of agreement. “Oh yes, most certainly. And my in-laws, I’m sure.” She loved Jada and Alejo, but she was sure they’d be over twenty-four seven once the twins were born. “It’ll be a nice place to escape.” She smiled wistfully. If only she could escape her reality right now. 

“You will deserve it,” she said. “You deserve it now. You know I heard that some actually have hot tubs in their suites here -- is that the case for you? If it is I’d like to know who to talk to about getting one installed.”

[siennaimperia]

vxnine​:

“Yeah, and who cares if I get my colorful umbrella? It’s not like it’s against the law or something,” Venine said, feeling powered up by Sienna and entirely serious about the matter. “Let’s go get our umbrellas, what do you think?” she then grinned at the red head, ready to skip to the bar.

“Oh, it is absolutely not against the law,” she agreed. “Though if it were I think we should challenge that law, don’t you?” She started towards the bar, leading the way. She was sick; she would die if she didn’t get treatment, and that decision was still uncertain; she wanted to enjoy this night of feeling okay.

[siennaimperia]

treelish​:

“I spilled her tea.” she laughed, nervous. “last games, I spilled her tea all over her. she’s got such pretty eyes, I couldn’t- I mean… I don’t get distracted often.” that was the truth. she was an old pro at the stand. “But… well… you see. she’s so pretty. and then we got to talking this games… and here we are?”

“Oh, you are not alone in that,” she said, “I think Dahlia’s made me do quite a few clumsy things that I really wouldn’t usually do... But sometimes you get distracted.” She shrugged. “Even after it’s been a few months, especially if you haven’t seen her in awhile...” She thought of the few reunions that they’d had after a few weeks of being apart; it had always felt new again, to be with her. She hoped that Addy got that same fluttery feeling.

[siennaimperia]

santos-emilia​:

–

“Yep. We didn’t get to use it until the following summer though. It’s awfully cold in the winter.” Snow was gorgeous to look at, but she couldn’t stand to be out in it, much less even think about swimming in. “I say go for it. That’ll probably be what I add next for once I’ve had the twins. A hot tub can be year round use, a pool not so much.”

.

“Plus, you’ll need it if you’ve got twins running around,” she said. And a new victor daughter; but she wouldn’t say that. She was rooting for and hoping for Mandi, but also for Zeppelin; as usual, she wished all of the tributes could win.