Gathering Herbs [Artemis]

[Artemis]

In any other situation, Andrei might have been berating himself for such a forward move as offering to share the blanket with Autumn (and by extension, basically offering to share body heat); but she looked like a soaked puppy sitting next to him with her arms tucked close to her body, wet hair plastered to her face and shoulders as shivers wracked her frame.

His own face flush as she scooted even closer under the blanket, nearly tucked under his arm, though it was quickly dispelled feeling how hard she was shivering against his body; probably against his better judgement, Andrei pulled the blanket more snugly around her so his arm was around her shoulders. She was dry, at least, though his soaked trousers probably weren't helping in abating her shivering.

They sat there for a while in --somewhat uncomfortable-- silence. Slowly but surely, Autumn seemed to be warming up, the shake disappearing first from her hands and lips, until eventually she was so still against him Andrei almost wondered if she had fallen asleep.

"Wonder how long this rain will last," She said, finally breaking the silence, though it was apparent that she was well on her way to dozing off.

Andrei just sighed as she leaned more deliberately against him; he'd be lying if he said he minded.

"You know, Andrei, I never really got to ask exactly what you guys were doing up on that roof without a harness on."

Right, that again.

"You were lucky it wasn't a lot worse than it was."

He sighed again in resignation.

"We don't have that kind of equipment," He replied grimly, "The foreman asked once what it would take to get the construction crews outfitted with safety rigs, and... unless we all want to work for half pay for entirely too long, we have to make do."

It wasn't as if they hadn't tried to improvise, and in any case it should have been a straightforward project to get the storm-felled trees off the houses they'd fallen on. They were lucky to even have helmets or hard hats, many of them; the Capitol only provided them with the bare essentials in tools and materials they needed to get their work done. Nothing more, nothing less.

"... I hope they keep you better supplied than they do us. You certainly deserve it, healers are in short supply."

013761 - Andrei Ehrenström
d88a00 - Autumn Summerleaf

[Sage]

Post for Artemis

To hear that the Capitol only supplied the bare minimum to people putting their lives on the line enraged Autumn. That they would risk the people who were supplying it with goods was absurd. Shouldn't they be a little more grateful? Of course not, this was the Capitol after all, they didn't give a damn about its denizens. "It angers me that they would put your guys' lives on the line" she said softly, curling against his warmth. It wasn't fair, what happened when someone got seriously hurt and could no longer work?

"I get very minimal supplies. Morphling, bandages, a few of their more simple salves, and basic equipment for my shop. The rest I have to get myself. Sometimes, I can afford to get some of the more expensive medicines but not very often. I usually have to resort to.herbs and, in the winter, a snow coat. I wish they gave us more. If logic dictated, they would do what they could to make sure everyone could work and keep themselves healthy. Healthy people means higher productivity, wish they would figure that out." she said. She couldn't understand why the Capitol didn't take care of its people, why it didn't want everyone healthy and well taken care of because in the end, it would be the Capitol that benefited in her opinion.

The warmth of Andreis arm around her and the soft patter of raindrops on the roof made Autumn feel sleepy and she tentatively rested her head on his shoulder. Was Andrei a friend? Maybe she could consider him as that. There was nothing strange about curling up with a friend for warmth right? She sighed, breathing in his scent of pine and sawdust that had clung to his jacket and she wondered what she smelled like for a moment.

Allowing her eyes, to close, she felt drowsiness sweep over her as she rested against his shoulder. She was tired, lately there had been quite a few injuries around the district and she hadn't really left the shop since Andrei was hurt. For now, she felt safe and was beginning to warm up, the fire in the fireplace combined with Andreis apparent furnaceness made feel like she could rest for a while, safe with a friend who would keep the cold away from her thinner frame.