this little relic of mine // nixie & enzo

[Deleted]

l o r e n z o .

" x. "

Lorenzo hasn't had a problem still staying involved in the games. In fact, he's made good peace with it recently, more so since he finally was able to move on in his life. Focus on something else, plant roots and watch 'em grow in a garden of his own. There's something special about seeing something through from creation and farming's brought a sense of peace to a boy grown crooked. 

This boy never had a chance at a regular childhood, partly being born in Panem, partly being killed at 13. There's a bit that's broken off and sold away, and that bit seems to get brought up every month. Slowly but slowly chipping away, and there's almost an escape to it as he grows older. Grows up and up, inch and inch away from the Enzo people remembered through memorial service and televised obituary. 

But every year, the rodeo comes back to town. Another Victor -- Beck, Lysander, Shy and hell it doesn't even get easier after that. The 89th came and went just like Laurence; a hard headed boy, and Nixie had something that belonged to the both of 'em. Lorenzo hadn't even known the kid much, but his parents were good people and that always meant something to him. 

Good people. 

"Howdy Miss Nixie!" He calls out from the winding field pathway to his home, the district's cab dropping both her and her escort off at Lorenzo's pasture. A small old house on a hill that houses him and two roommates, three dogs, two horses, some sheep and a whole lot more chickens. Something humble, something that reminded him of home. "Surprised you had the time to make it out," he's nearly talking to himself, babbling at the newest victor as he makes his way to the gate.

"But it's a pleasure meetin' ya, welcome to Ten." First time in a year Enzo hadn't made his way to his parents house first, helping set up the victor dinner. It's the first year he noticed the victor is just a child, an 18 year old from a different district. Just graduating high school, and she's killed 5 people. "Do you have his camera? Last time they just shipped the tokens back home, but I haven't seen nothing yet."

[kap]

I wasn't sure why I'd decided to pick up the camera that Laurence had when he died, but something prompted me to. Something, deep inside my mind, told me that it was important. I didn't want it to get crushed on the ground next to his corpse if someone stepped on it. Pictures were important to me, and therefore, so was this camera. Surely, I thought, if I made it back home, I should give it back to his family, or whoever had given it to him.

I kept it in my bag with me when I went to District Ten. That was the District Laurence was from, and even though I barely knew the kid, I felt like I should have the camera with me for whoever it rightfully belonged to now that he was dead.

Lorenzo Emberstatt had set up a time to meet with me. He called out to me as I approached where he was, and he asked me about the camera. I should have figured that was why he wanted to see me. He had no other real reason to need to see me. It was because I had something that belonged to him.

"Oh, uh, yeah, I have it," I told him. I unzipped the bag where the camera was and took it out, presenting it to him.

"Might I ask, was this the only reason you wanted to see me? I mean, I know it's important I just... I suppose I was just hoping I wasn't just your delivery girl." I admitted this because it was entirely true: I wanted an actual conversation. Besides, Enzo was a bit of a celebrity himself.

table by Rave

[Deleted]

l o r e n z o .

" x. "

"Oh!" Lorenzo fumbles the camera in his hands and looks up at the end of Nixie's question, "oh no, I wasn't gonna keep you long at all but I was gonna show you some farm animals if you wanted!" 

It's a bit embarrassing; Lorenzo was pleased with his cottage and the land he and his roommates had, but it wasn't much to show off. Not like the victor mansions Mace and Saffron had, decorated up every year by Capitolite's wanting to take pictures and make gift cards of it. Would that be lame to an 18 year old? One from Four of all that, she surely met him but is she anything like how Beck was? 

Hell, Lorenzo could hardly pinpoint who Beck is now. Things change so quick and so slow all the same, "sorry, my brain's been on this camera all week." He escorts Nixie through the gate and up past the cottage porch, following stepping stones around the side to reveal the rolling hills of pasture behind. A barbed fence cages 'em all in, "we've got some mean goats if you want a picture to take home," he pitches. They don't have bulls and pigs like the victor homes had, but they make up for it in um....

Jimmy, maybe? 

[kap]

Enzo was kind, which I suppose I didn't entirely expect. I mean, I'd killed the boy from his district, after all. That couldn't have been quite how he wanted things to turn out. I hadn't even learned Laurence's name until the anthem the night of when I had killed him. I hadn't even given the boy a chance to say a single word to me. I'd just ended his life, and after some snarky comment at that, too.

If Enzo hadn't liked me, I would've understood. I would've understood if he just kicked me out immediately after I gave him the camera.

He offered to show me some of the animals, and explained that his mind had been on the camera all week. I probably should've just left the camera with Laurence's body. Then, Enzo wouldn't have had to wait so long for it. Then again, as I had thought about before, it probably would've gotten destroyed by either the rain or the chaos.

I was honestly surprised it was still in one piece after everything I went through in the Games with it in my bag.

"I'd love to see the animals, actually," I said to him, "and I'm sorry it took so long to get the camera back to you. I considered just leaving it when... everything happened." When Laurence died, I meant. I wasn't going to say that, though." "It just didn't seem right to do, though. It probably would've gotten destroyed with the rain and everything. I'm just glad I could save it for you."

I figured I should stop rambling about the camera, and decided to agree to the goat pictures.

"We can get that picture, if you'd like," I said after a moment or so of silence.

table by Rave