#; linden

[inkyorbs]

The Only Friend I @lindenunderstory

She found herself adrift, unable to articulate her actions even if pressed for an explanation. The revelation of her true parentage to the world had sent shockwaves through her, leaving her grappling with a reality she was wholly unprepared to confront.

Contemplating defiance against her family had been a fleeting but constant thought, something she entertained for the future, on her own terms and in her own time. Now, thrust into a decision she hadn't had the chance to fully weigh, she felt utterly defeated.

Quickly after her deepest secret had been revealed, the tower descended into lockdown, plunging her into enforced isolation. While it offered respite from familial and peer scrutiny, it also served as a confining prison, suffocating her with its walls.

Desperate for solace, she sought out the one person she felt she could trust beyond her Slate and Cress: Linden. With trembling hand, she knocked softly on the other woman's door, her eyes betraying the turmoil within as she silently implored for a response.

"Um, it's me… Are you there?" Her voice, usually steady, wavered with uncertainty. "It's Fulvia."

[inkyorbs]

@lindenunderstory

The past few weeks had been grueling as the games drew near. Her mind was almost entirely consumed with the impending carnage, especially knowing that many people she had grown close to would once again be in the arena. She often wondered if her arrival in the Capitol had cursed them all. Ever since she arrived, those she cared about were being thrown into the games. Perhaps she hadn’t kept enough distance from the tributes, or maybe she was a bad omen.

Fulvia needed a distraction to take her mind off her worries, so she decided to clean her apartment thoroughly. While tidying up, she stumbled upon a cardboard box her grandmother had sent with her to the Capitol. It was simply labeled ‘Fulvia’s’. A small smile crossed her face as she opened it and saw items from her childhood.

One item, in particular, caught her eye: a stuffed tiger with black beady eyes. She laughed softly as she pulled it from the box, its limbs dangling. She squeezed the plush toy tightly, a thought forming in her mind. She knew someone who would cherish this tiger as much as she had when she was young.

Determined, Fulvia rummaged through her apartment until she found some plain parchment paper and a medium-sized box. She wrapped the tiger carefully and cut a black bow from one of her dresses to place on top. She scrawled ‘Ellie’ across the top and made her way to the apartment where she knew Linden was staying.

She placed the box down gently and was about to leave when she heard the door open. She turned to face the door, wincing slightly at being caught.

“Sorry, I know it’s late. I was just leaving…” she trailed off, biting her lip in embarrassment. “Sorry if I woke you up.”