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[monumented]

Juniper let out a laugh as he talked about being old, that all they could do to prevent the pain was to push through. It felt good to be sore again, it felt good for her muscles to have a purpose — beyond her training, because she certainly pushed herself sparring with Cadence.

Her hand gave the strong tree a tap before turning back to her swings, chopping a few more cords, then the back of her hand wiping sweat from her forehead. "Well jokes on them because we'll take our radiation-soaked bodies right into the heart of their precious Capitol and see how they fare — and if they turn the lights off, we'll just glow," she teased, imagining the sight of a hundred rebels glowing with no light source. Wreckage, before they became the wreckage.

"It's all so strange. Not that I meant it poorly — but to live underground for generations biding their time ? Too bad 7 didn't learn from them, we could have made a city in the trees." With this, Juniper looked up at the tree tops, her hand blocking her eyes from the sun. She could imagine a thousand treehouses littering the forest.

What a wonderful world.

Then she looked back at Stone, shrugging her shoulder in a nonchalant way, her smile back. "Imagine what we'll do when all of this is over."

"You know, you are getting older. The pain comes with age, too." Stone pointed out, a hint of joking present in his tone of voice. He felt like he had aged dramatically ever since coming to Thirteen; although, if it wasn't for Capitol's additions, he'd be grey and achy already. Maybe it was his genes, or maybe it was the terrors that followed him every single day and night; he had no way of telling, not when his parents had never reached his current age. "don't stop the movement, okay? Not completely, at least. don't let the joints relax even for a bit."

"Or maybe we were just forever stuck in the past." He agreed with his friend. One of the odd benefits in a place like this was that Stone could still have one or two familiar faces around, and he was genuinely thrilled to have Juniper around. Not only was she part of home, part of Seven, but she was one of the few with a decent head on her shoulders.

Besides, it was nice to have someone around who understood him the way only people from the same district could.

"I mean, months ago, we all believed this place was nothing but ruins, and look at us. Cutting down trees full of radiation and toxicity." Stone couldn't help but finish his sentence in a tone, reserved for mocking the Capitol and its propaganda.

[monumented]

When Ezra mentioned the scout team she nodded, because she had forgotten they were the ones assessing the Capitol, that they'd come back with the necessary information. There was relief in knowing that all captors would be kept together, but it also put a pit in June's stomach, wondering if they were walking right into the wolf's den. ' Look around, June, ' she told herself, ' you're already there. '

"Me ? Well," she said, breathing out a laugh. Her hands slid into her pockets and she looked over at Ezra, a bit of a smile on her face. "Determined not to let the fear take over. But in equal measure, knowing I'm well trained. It's just a set of moves in tandem, that over time they become second nature, and I think I'm there." Juniper paused. "Maybe, but it's not about me, and somehow that makes it easier to be here."

Juniper glanced down at her boots briefly before looking up at the crowd, determined not to ' let the fear take over. ' Truthfully the part she feared the most was how easy it might be to take down Peacekeepers. If she imagined them like cords of wood, she could push through, knowing her mission was like her job, and there was only one way through. What would that do to her soul ? What would it do to her to imagine these human beings as sturdy trees, because even for the trees Juniper always sent up a prayer for their sacrifice, but Peacekeepers ? Did she have it in her to walk the delicate balance between heartlessness and empathy ?

"We're going to succeed," she said after a moment, looking back up at Ezra. She would worry about the state of her soul when all of this was done.

it's finally happening. president coin had imposed quite the long haul in this, taking about two months to finally return to the capitol. in moments that he felt hopeless and wondered if any rescue mission was going to take place, mind went quickly to thea ellis ; if he felt dejected ... how was she fairing ? ezra wasn't being held and tortured, now was he ? he wasn't stuck somewhere due to his partner's sneaky actions. sometimes he stayed up late wondering if she will ever be able to forgive him for this, annoying fletcher cresta at times with the man from two's tossing and turning. ( if everything goes according to plan however, fletcher won't have to deal with klair as a roommate anymore after this mission. )

begging for forgiveness will be step two, he needs to get thea home first. others too ... but he would be lying to say his girlfriend wasn't his first priority. snow hadn't showed her in weeks. if something had happened to thea - dark thought and worries get pushed down for now. he can't even begin to think about life without her.

they pair him with juniper. he wonders if their secret alliance within the arena might have played a part in this. they make for a good team, if you take out previous slicing and dicing. ( something that subtly bubbles in the form of guilt for him. ) he'd been fortunate with all he's been paired with at this point. sterling whitvale made for a solid partner in a previous mission.

" someone had mentioned that they're thinking it will just be in the one. we'll know more once the scouts come back from their rounds though, " he begins as he stands next to the woman from seven. vision remains glued on the hover doors, as though that might miraculously make the scouts come back sooner. " how are you doing ? " he asks curiously as juniper had only been recently given clearance for missions, and they put her on the largest one yet.

[monumented]

Between the training, additional weight lifting and rare outdoor excursions, Juniper was feeling more fit than ever. She swung her axe in the arc she'd been trained to follow from her apprenticeship days in 7, something she had done a thousand times before. Today, however, her body wore down a lot faster. No amount of lifting could mimic the motions of wood chopping.

"I'm glad they allowed us to. It's muscle memory, and yet my body hurts like it's the first day," she said, leaning her axe against one of the trees untouched by their blades.

Juniper was grateful to have Stone out here with her. The familiarity of cutting wood alongside him late June daydream she was back in 7, that no kids were ever reaped in a barbaric ceremony, that everyone had full bellies and lived past 90. Even if those thoughts lasted mere minutes, it was enough to reignite her commitment to the rebellion. It never wavered but a little incentive never hurt.

"It's as though 13 is both stuck in the past and modernized. While we were back home stacking cords of wood, they were out here masking their advancements underground. It's amazing but it's — hmm, hard to totally wrap my head around how quickly my world view changes."

where: outside of District 13 bunker with: @monumented

The few times that Stone got to get out of the confinements of District 13 bunker, he made sure that he was enjoying it. Growing up in nature meant that he was simply missing everything, the fresh air, the hard work, and the cool chill that crept up his now-older bones. It kept his mind as stable as it could possibly be, and Stone desperately needed it. More often than not he was out there, doing his tasks with someone that he barely knew, but today, he was grateful to be outside with none other but Juniper. They were all part of Thirteen at this point, but Stone still held the citizens of Seven close to his heart, treating them like family. Or, at least, as much of a family as someone like him could.

"I need a break." He huffed out, placing his axe onto the ground and sitting down on the freshly cut-down tree stump. His shoulder was starting to ache, and maybe it was an old injury, or maybe he was finally starting to feel his age. Surely, years of all sorts of abuse put a strain on the body, even if he was barely willing to admit it. "We might as well enjoy it, you know? I can't remember the last time I was out here with you."

[monumented]

[monumented]

Trail on the south side of the Skokomish River - Olympic National Park

[monumented]

for: @seasaltsurvivor where: district 13, training room when: shortly before the mission

Juniper needed to tighten up her skills. She knew there was more to her abilities, more that she could do to prove to herself she was capable. If there was one thing Juniper was determined to do, it was NOT disappoint or let down the team she was paired up with for the mission. If she were to have one itty bitty toe out of line it could mean serious disaster. She had people depending on her.

The woman pushed into the weaponry room, knowing there were guns for target practice or knives for throwing. Nothing could have prepared her for how high tech everything was, though — proof of 13s resilience. Pretending to be obliterated, yet surpassing the Capitol in so many ways. Everything shiny and new, with all sorts of buttons and knobs, June knew immediately that these weren't normal guns or knives. She spotted a bow and arrow with color indicators, immediately thinking of Katniss, and a trident that was definitely not meant for her.

June reached for a set of knives that glistened by the lights above and thought of Cadence. That capable woman wouldn't let these fly out of her hands without a target in sight, and June was determined to get a few throws in. Besides, she had been pretty damn good with an axe back home.

[monumented]

Bess & Audrey | Snowpiercer 

[monumented]

"I like the way you think," she said genuinely, because she, too, thought that 13 liked the optics of ' saving the entirety of Panem from its oppressive regime only to replace it with a similarly oppressive regime. ' Something about their hypocrisy had gotten under June's skin and she couldn't shake it. Everywhere she looked she felt anxious, like they were replacing one awful with another. ( But June knew she had no idea what the truth was and didn't fool herself into thinking she knew anything about how District 13 ran itself ).

"Listen, Cad," she said, the nickname coming easily, just as it had done last night. She was the one to reach out and take the other's hand, not knowing their minds had been on the same wavelength. June placed their hands on her knee, fingers wrapping around the tiny yet mighty hand of Cadence Kentwell. "We're going to get through this. You're incredibly capable of what's next, and you've made me feel capable, too. I know I'm not exactly the most talkative type but I've really, really enjoyed getting to know you in 13. It's not the most lively of places, actually it's kind of dull," she smiled, "but I hope to be back there with you after this mission is over."

There were a lot of reasons why Juniper felt the need to share how she was feeling, but the biggest was to avoid the inevitable guilt she'd feel if she didn't. It was important to let 13 change her and instead of burying her head into work to ignore the feelings burning inside of her, she had to face them. She'd work on her timing.

Cadence was nervous. This was important, and it really could not go wrong. Too much was riding on it. If they failed, people would die. If they got caught, people would die. Of course, Cadie was knew the chance of death was high even if it was successful there would likely be death. She supposed that would come with war. Cadie just didn't want her people to die. Saving Thea and Enobaria, along with Annie and Cecelia, had been one of the major driving forces that had gotten her through the last 59 days. Of course, there had been other things, liking meeting Juniper. Training alongside her had been fun, and as much as she was nervous, she was excited that they would be alongside each on the mission, even if it meant she was risking losing Juniper too. But she was trying not to focus on that.

She hadn't intentionally sat next to Juniper, but she supposed it was a happy coincidence. She supposed there wasn't anyone else she'd want to sit by, maybe apart from Ezra. 59 days ago she would have said Brutus, but that friendship seemed so broken, and Cadie didn't know how to go about fixing it. So, she would be grateful to have ended up next to Juniper. She wanted to reach out, to hold her hand, but she resisted. She didn't know how the other would take it.

"With they way they ration food? Of course not." Cadie mused, her voice low, just wanting Juniper to hear. She understood the need to ration, but having come from a district where she had never really faced starvation, it made things hard. "I think they're only doing a rescue because it'll benefit them in the future." But as long as they rescued her family, she didn't exactly mind. Not right now anyway.

[monumented]

Juniper took the bottle with a thankful smile and was mid swallow when she heard Cadie's suggestion. It made her cough, but it was only for a brief moment — she recovered well, with no flush creeping up her neck or throat clearing, right ? Right. ( Except Juniper could lie to herself all she wanted when the evidence was clear to anyone looking ).

"We, uh, we definitely should," she answered, screwing the cap back on the water bottle. She tried her best to keep her smile contained.

She had to admit to herself that she found Cadence stunning. The young woman had a spirit about her, too, that shone through those piercing eyes that made June feel like it was feeble keeping anything from her. June wanted to let her hands run through those long, dark locks, and find themselves losing track of time. It all felt possible that it had to be impossible. This had to be one sided, as things often were in Juniper's life, and she had preferred it — up until the moment the arena exploded and her life was forever changed.

Juniper told herself not to think of the last time she was in love. She didn't want to ruin this good feeling.

"You wanna rock-paper-scissors for who gets to go first ?"

There wasn't lots of hope that Cadence could find in District 13. Sure she was safe. But half the people that she loved were not. It was something that she struggled with. But training had always made her feel better, and training with Juniper was something that was now bringing her a little hope. She was finding that she was spending more and more time with her, and she didn't mind. She was enjoying getting to know the other woman. At first it had been friendly, but it was feeling more and more like something else every day. Cadie didn't quite understand it, but she knew she liked it.

"I won't let that happen." She wasn't going to let all of Juniper's hard work be for nothing. Juniper had worked hard, and she was good. She deserved to be on the mission roster. Cadie laughed, pulling her hair out of the plaits, and shaking her hair out. "I can't wait for that day either." Though she didn't know if Coin, or 13 would give her that privilege, but she could hope.

Cadie grabbed her bottle, taking a swig of the water, before she offered the bottle over to Juniper. She was trying to figure out what to suggest they do now. She was feeling hungry, but a brief glance at her forearm told her it wasn't time for lunch yet. She didn't even know if she and Juniper were on the same lunch slot today. And even if they could go get lunch right now, she didn't exactly want their time alone to be over just yet. Cadie liked having Juniper to herself. "We should go shower...." Although that wasn't something they could do together either. Or was it?

[monumented]

for: @fatefought ( ezra ) where: the capitol, tribute center when: day of the mission

Juniper had taken her third deep breath in, her eyes assessing the people and the organized chaos going on around her. It wasn't the size she expected, a lot more people than she would have guessed would be on this mission, and yet still small enough to know that they were all on their own out here. Everyone, including her, had an important role to take and June had trained hard the last few weeks in 13 to make sure she held her own. The importance and the weight really hit her. Her eyes looked around the tribute center she'd been in not too long ago in such a different circumstance, so quiet and self-kept, knowing her death was imminent. Such an odd feeling to be here with a similar tingle of anxiety, but this time knowing she had everyone here to watch her back.

The blonde glanced over at Ezra, her partner for the day, and knew she was ready. He was dependable and a great leader, so it meant something to her to be paired up. Cadence had given June many hours of her time, helping her train and prepare for whatever was to come, and June stood here feeling as fit as ever. Ready to kick some Peacekeeper ass ( or whatever it was they'd get up to ).

"Do you know when we'll find out which buildings to target ?" she asked Ezra. She knew they'd be given their orders soon enough but the waiting game was only adding to the anxiety. She wanted to start and put all of her effort into something bigger than her.

[monumented]

Juniper's fingertip began picking at a small piece of loose bark while Katniss told her of home. 12 sounded so interesting in her estimation of it, with the fence that June guessed was unmanned, and given the history Katniss' family had with going into the wild unknown. It made Juniper think of home and how wide, how HUGE 7 always felt. She had never run into a fence or any outlying wall keeping her in and ' them ' out. In fact she had never even considered the possibility until Katniss shared what 12 was like. Juniper preferred her version of it, although she was certain many others from 12 would speak more to soot-covered lives.

The bark fell loose into her palm and she stared at it, up until the moment Katniss said ' you helped '. Something about it sent a shock of nerves through her, like she had pushed a tiny pebble off a cliffside that was gaining momentum and size. Nothing anyone could do to stop it now, nor would June go back in time to change any of her actions — but there was a sense of belonging and duty she had to get used to.

Living alone and liking it resulted in growing pains.

"I didn't feel ready," she said honestly into brown eyes, feeling more truthful with Katniss than she had with anyone in 13 up until this point. She supposed Katniss deserved nothing but the truth, not because she was the pinnacle of the rebel plot or ' the girl on fire ', but because of her spirit. Juniper sensed a familiarity in her, too — like they had both been thrusted into something they were wholly unprepared for, always looking back at the life they understood and wanting nothing more than to be back in its grasp.

"I don't know if I'll ever be ready, but I couldn't allow myself to go into 8 without being properly trained. I don't want to be a — " she said, her fingers closing around the bark, pocketing it, her eyes looking up at the sky as though the clouds would spell out words for her. "Burden ? Hanger-on-er ? The person who finds out they're incapable at the worst possible moment ?" Juniper had to laugh a little because she'd never had that moment in the arena, she'd just DONE what was necessary, and yet she struggled to see that as proof.

There was too much at stake to let ego fool her into thinking she was ready before she put the proper amount of blood, sweat and tears into it.

she tries to imagine seven, with the little she remembers from the visit during the tour, and with what juniper tells her. "we were supposed to visit a lumber mill during our tour," katniss begins. "but…" her voice trails off, and even without the explanation, she thinks juniper may be able to tie in the pieces, as katniss herself has just had — much like in eleven and eight, the spark in seven had been lit and it burned brighter during those months the year before, and, apparently, even now, with juniper a living proof of that. either way, she can not exactly answer juniper's wonderings about the trees at the elder's home, though katniss can not help but to grow curious and hope to one day be able. such diversity all over the country, yet they were stuck knowing only their own corner of the world, concerned only about how far they'd make it through this season.

"twelve's bleak and coal-dirty, like they say in the capitol. but it also ain't." she knows that doesn't make much sense, so she continues. "we have a fence, they say to keep animals out. old folk said there were lotta bears that came 'round, and we can't go in the woods. but my daddy did, and his people before him, and, well, me. and gale," she steps quietly, paying attention on any animal trail and trying not to think of how gale must be faring in eight, between the bombing and the soldiers. "it's all kinda beautiful. there's tall trees, plenty animals, some lakes. no one touches the woods to destroy it or bleed 'em try like they do to the mines. my daddy always said we should only take what we need or nature wouldn't give it to us anymore." she doesn't know why she's gone on this ranting — few topics ever allow her to, and fewer people. maybe it's the fresh air, after so long stuck in that underground nightmare.

katniss shrugs. "that would be rebellion, y’know?” it’s almost a joke, only it is also true: even as she traded stories of home with rue, she knew that they’d be cut from the feed of the games because districts are never supposed to know one another. “not in our lifetime. the kids' that are growin' around, maybe." she knows nothing of war, but she's skeptical enough to believe that a world post rebellion wouldn't belong to them, who fought, but to those coming after. hadn't it been the way with the first rebellion, the one who originated the games? that's the extent they're allowed to learn in school.

"you helped." it's still something that puzzles katniss, to do something like destroying an arena, blowing up the world, while planning to do it (because katniss hadn't planned anything that happened in her arena. all she had wanted to do was to go home to her sister and bring the boy with the bread with her). "why didn't you go to eight?"

[monumented]

Juniper had been sitting up in her bed with a book in her lap, completely gazing over the words as she considered their mission tomorrow. So much was at stake and she could hardly stand the nerves rattling her, or the way adrenaline prickled at her neck. She'd fooled herself into thinking she could read to take her mind off of things, because all she could do was run through her training with Cadie and imagine the worst case scenarios tomorrow.

Cadie's movement was an easy distraction and the blonde looked up, eyes meeting the tense and worried expression. The other had never asked to join her in bed before, she usually curled up in the middle of the night with cold feet that she rubbed with her own warm ones.

"Yeah, of course, Cad," she said, her book closing and sliding onto the small table next to her bed. She immediately moved over, pulling back the blankets as she did to make space. "C'mere." June held her hand out even though there was no need for it, but something in her was hoping for a few more memories like this before — the possibilities of tomorrow.

When: Evening before the rescue, late,

Where: Cadence and Juniper's Room

Who: Cadie and Juniper ( @monumented)

It felt tense in the room. Cadence had been waiting for this day since she had gotten to 13. To be honest apart from small glimmers of goodness it had been the one thing that gave her hope over the last however many days. Leaving Thea and Enobaria behind had laid heavy on her heart. And although she had come to terms with the fact that she hadn't been able to save them then, not without risking the same fate a them, she still had a lot of guilt. As far as she was concerned tomorrow had to be successful. There was no other option.

That was not the only reason that there was tension in the room. the anticipation of what was to come was not the only tension present in the room. Cadie had practically spent every moment in the last month with Juniper. It wasn't a bad thing. If anything, along with the thought of rescuing her family, Juniper had been the only other thing that had made her hope, made her happy. They'd become closer, a lot closer than she'd ever felt with anyone else before. Of course, she'd been close to Thea, to Johanna, but this felt difference. It confused her, but as she sat on her bed, looking over at Juniper, she felt worried that this might all be over soon or that she was wasting time.

She was on her feet before she could think, stood by Juniper's bed. "Can i sleep with you tonight?" She'd never asked before, always just assumed she could, and climbed right in. But tonight felt different, and she couldn't quite think why.

[monumented]

for: @vengefvlx / CLOSED where: hovercraft, headed to the capitol when: moments before the mission begins

Juniper could feel the sweat pooling in her palm, her knee BEGGING to start shaking but her self-control keeping it steady. Every so often she would rub her palm against her pants and hope that no one noticed, except for Cadence, whom she had come to trust so dearly. Her time at 13 had changed her a lot, it didn't need much to shift Juniper out of her usual way of living given the routine that 13 instilled in its citizens, giving her new habits and new people to form bonds with. Cadence had been the most unexpected one of all and as the hovercraft soared towards their intended destination, June could feel her heartbeat thicken with fear.

The blonde looked over at the other woman, eyes roaming the features she'd come to stare at during long nights up, with secrets whispered and touch no longer nervously shared. It was Cadie's strength that gave June the burn to succeed — she was a fighter, this one, and was not going to back down in the face of ' doing the right thing '. This here, in this hovercraft with everyone around her, was doing the right thing. It was empowering to have that sense of belonging and duty. Juniper would be forever grateful to Cadence for that gift — even if she told herself not to think that way because it was so ' final '.

"You think 13 will give us a feast when we return ?" she smiled, knowing Cadie would see the nerves in her features. The small talk was only for curious ears around her — but she wondered, almost immediately, why it mattered, especially on the brink of something so dangerous ?

[monumented]

Lover’s insomnia. Whispering, we take little bites of each other’s life stories.

Tommy Wieringa, Caesarion (trans. Sam Garrett)

[monumented]

Juniper was grateful for every moment that Cadie spent helping her better herself. It was hard when she came from an isolated working background, where being part of a bigger whole was never an option — not even a thought that would pass by. Just as Cadie felt, June liked all of the time that they filled together. It made 13 more bearable. It made June swallow her pride and accept that maybe life underground wasn't so bad, especially with a roommate who Juniper would consider her friend, especially one who Juniper had to admit she was attracted to.

"You're right, I'll burn myself out before the mission even starts," she laughed, her own tenacity in her way. The woman let out a necessary breath and started to unwrap her hands from their protective bandages, flexing her fingers in their new found freedom. "Besides, I gotta see you sniper Snow with my own eyes."

June looked over at Cadie with a grin on her face. It was some of the best moments of her life to be in 13 training with someone who knew what they were doing. Being surrounded by them, even, especially with Ezra's steady demeanour. But — if June admitted it to herself, she knew there was a sense of safety down here that as much as she hated the regime of it all, she couldn't scoff at. Cadie would have her back, if no one else, but everyone else would, too. It gave Juniper a newfound purpose. A reason to fight and admit that loyalty felt damn good, and she was willing to lay it all on the line for those who would do the same for her, and for the greater freedom of Panem.

Training had been such an important part of Cadie's entire life. When she had been younger it had her way of proving herself, forging a name for herself outside of the Kentwell legacy. Then when she'd become a victor and training had become her job. It was something she enjoyed doing, and so being able to do it so much here in 13 made her feel at ease. Cadie was practically living in the training gym, but she didn't mind that. Training was practically therapy for her.

It also meant she could spend more time with Juniper. She hadn't thought it possible really, they were room mates after all. But Juniper was spending a lot of time in the training room. Cadie had tried explaining to her that she didn't need too, that she shouldn't over work herself. But she could tell that Juniper felt like she had something to prove, just like she had all those years ago when she was the runty kid from the orphanage. And so Cadie chose to help June.

Though the more they did this. The more the pair spent time together, both in the gym, and in their room, and in the cafeteria, the more Cadie was finding it difficult to concentrate sometimes. She'd have her arms around Juniper, teaching her the right way to throw a knife, but her mind would be miles away, thinking of a totally different situation when she was holding Juniper. But, she quite liked it.

"You think I'm going to let him get close enough to do that?" She asked, a smirk on her lips as she grabbed her bottle of water, taking a sip. "We should call it a night.... it's late." And the way Juniper was looking, all hot and sweaty, Cadie didn't know if she could concentrate on the training much longer.

[monumented]

When Katniss asked about 7, Juniper's eyes opened and she took in the woods around her. In the same vein, she too recognized how wild nature was here, how free it had been over decades to grow how it wanted to, undisturbed. It was so tragic that it had to happen because of so much tragedy, but June liked to focus on the resilience and strength of nature. Nothing could stop it. Slow it down, perhaps, as the Capitol is nothing but concrete and planted trees, but here hope could exist in the smallest of seeds. That's the hope Juniper wanted to tie herself to.

"Similar. Lots of forestry, but the trees are more — spaced apart. I used to wonder if the lumber yard was an intricately man-made forest, or if the trees just liked more breathing room. It's not far off, though. I can't imagine what 12 is like. Imagine growing up and learning about the other districts ? The real districts, not just their production and duty to the Capitol ? "

Juniper knew she was talking about a reality that might only exist if the rebellion won, but the thought that kids could grow up in Panem unobstructed by district boundaries, to understand the beauty of this place. It made her want to fight harder. If she and everyone around her could do anything brave, it would be to do it for the generation after them. A sacrifice worth making.

"mm, forty days is a lot'a time." the week juniper had spent in the arena could hardly count as time outdoor — when you have twenty-three people hunting you and the arena also working to get you killed, it's a bit difficult to enjoy the sunlight. so she lets the former tribute do just that, trying to keep her gaze away even if her mind wanders close regardless. in a way, she understood why thirteen had taken to underground, but she could never truly understand how being cooped up could be comfortable for them. would she understand it better if she had been born and raised there, with the security of a cot and meals three times a day? perhaps. but she had not, and time under the tyranny of romulus thread had already taken enough of her time with nature; she couldn't have let coin do the same. but it's obvious that she's the only one who can do this. hadn't anyone else thought to ask? would they have allowed? hadn't juniper done something similar — no, better — than she had? the unfairness of it all is disturbing.

juniper seems to be in need of the time here, too and, for now, placated by the blonde's assertion and the renewed calm the woods brought her, katniss thinks she doesn't mind being used for this purpose. "is seven anythin' like this?" she finds it unlikely, but interest prickles at her, coming out as a quiet question. as far as she recalls of the short visit to that district, the trees seemed taller, sturdier; thirteen was destroyed and born anew in seventy-five years, so most of the species of fauna and flora are still rather young, undisturbed — she's seen fruits she doesn't know blooming some ways down, but they don't harvest anything from the actual wild here, preferring to keep to the stuff raised in their greenhouses. would twelve ever grow like this again? would she ever know her woods again? the wondering is wounding. "i get it." the younger confesses, offering a light glance to the other. "take your time."

[monumented]

EUPHORIA 2x02: Out of Touch