#treelish

“hide me.” the request had no formalities or niceties dressing it up -- maybe it was something she’d unwittingly grown used to, that avoxes didn’t need addressed with pleases and thank yous. or maybe she’d just forgotten; percy was a few drinks in, had destination on her mind rather than how to get there. some sponsors had been far too annoying, apparently only fueled by the gambling, the drinks, the everything. and percy was utterly done talking to anyone. “find somewhere to hide me, i’m so tired of talking to people.”

“so, do you reckon there’s any way we can.. spike the punch, so to say ?? i feel like this party could use the littlest bit of excitement. and i know there’s flaming cocktails and all, but it still doesn’t feel quite right. if we’re gonna lose ourselves to the grandeur of the quell, i feel like the ball should be a little more impressive, at least,” arthur said, glass to his lips as he spoke and knew he wouldn’t be spoken back to. just some sad attempt to keep an avox company, or at least keep her from being ran off her feet. “i get if you’re too busy, though. it’s a busy night.”

“yes mom, i’ve been drinking water --” yuri sighed into the phone as he leaned against the wall. “look, i don’t know why.. i don’t know why you’re calling me -- no, i don’t know what i’m having for dinner. yes, i’ll make sure i eat, mom, stop !!” he was almost an embarrassed teenager, with the way he seemed to shrink the more he leaned into the wall and how his voice started to sound more and more like a whisper. he’d been staring at his feet, hoping for an ‘if i don’t look at them, they won’t look at me’ scenario with anyone walking past. however, he’d noticed a figure lingering, and as it became clearer to him why the person hadn’t moved, it gave him an excuse to quickly say his goodbyes and hang up the phone.

she dragged herself into the coffee shop with a previously unfamiliar frown on her face. since her mother died though, happy moments seemed to be far and few between, and rory had drunk more coffee than she ever had before. it wasn’t that she couldn’t sleep, more like she was unwilling to. the only sleep she’d gotten was those stretches after drinking too much when she’d just pass out, which would be fine if it wasn’t for the hangovers after. she just needed more coffee now, needed to do her job, get through the games, not think more than two steps ahead at a time. she’d only just made it past the door and she already bumped into someone. she was way too lost in her thoughts at the moment. or just lost in general. “s-sorry, are you okay ??”