hopeful dreams {zoe; blitz}

[cass]

opal earnest

"Shit!" She cursed, throwing the steaming tray onto the table before her, before taking a step back. "I did it-"

"Mama, what does shi-" Ky appeared by her leg, eyes wide, as he clutched her pants in his small fists. Gasping she quickly covered her mouth with a hand, but it wasn't long before a smile creeped out past her fingers and she giggled lightly. "Nothing, Ky!" She exclaimed, bending down beside her son she reached forwards, one long finger reaching forwards to gently bump him on the nose. Ky giggled, raising his hands up to fend off her attack. "That's not going to work, Mister!" She laughed, before reaching around and wrapping both her arms around him, moving upwards she chucked him into the air, his delighted screech followed all the way as he slipped down and back into her arms. "Honestly, what it means is that your mother is a terrible cook." She said, before turning her gaze towards the charred mess in front of her. It was supposed to be chicken, and those long stringy things beside it had once resembled carrots. 

The kitchen looked like a war zone, and Saffron Lowe was going to appear in it at any moment. Groaning loudly she gently put Ky back down on the ground. The potatoes had turned out well, but that had been the easiest thing to make of all. She had some salad she could put together in the fridge, but no meat to go with the meal. What-

Oh.

Ky scrambled around the counter, little legs racing towards the door, one long, shrill cry escaping his lips as he raced to meet his play date. The sound of the door bell echoed in her ears, a terrifying reality that she had no food at all for her guests settled over the kitchen as she moved to follow her son. "Shit." She muttered.

[✨ zozo.]

saffron lowe

She remembers warmth. Smiles, and kind words, and feeling safe. All those years ago as she stammered through her speeches, perched on a stool to reach the microphone echoing through One, she remembers Opal's warmth the most. The grandness of One's buildings she remembers, oh yes. The translucent figures of Emery and Darren lingering beside her and the tears (or lack of) from their families. The death glares from children trained to kill and their furious parents, outraged that a ragged girl from Ten could have outlived their latest offering to the Capitol. She remembers all of it - and amongst the darkness, their was light in the form of Opal Earnest.

Mason clutches bouncing her shoulders, babbling on about Daddy and Crayons and Home soon, Saff? Her heart clenches at the thought of home: returning empty-handed once again and falling back into the arms of her family. Going home is bittersweet, just like the word: bitter, then sweet. Questions flit through her mind like morning sunlight streaming through windows and one flares up to catch at her vision, containing ideas of Mace and hands and even more questions - but she pushes them away with a kiss on Mason's head and promises of home.

Her tiny friend stretches for the doorbell of Opal's temporary sanction, inching forward to let small fingers press the button down with a shriek of delight. Nervousness threatens to put on a show of silence and shaking hands but she swallows it down, stubborn and determined to get through this night without a lack of words or earthquakes for hands. If there's any way she can find traces of home for Mason and herself, it's bound to be within someone warm.

[cass]

opal earnest

She could remember little more then the hug she'd given Saffron on the first day they'd met. It had been victory tour, back when Opal had cared and had tried so hard to bring her tributes home. It had been a year after her own victory and standing upon that stage had been the young innocent child from district ten. That memory was little more then a foggy haze, these days, sweet, little innocent moments like that had become far and few between the horror that had become her life. but now as the pain eased into something stable and endurable it had become the time for her to begin again. 

With a deep breath she wiped her sweaty hands against her apron, before quickly running them through her hair to make sure it was semi-decent amongst the chaos of her temporary home. Following her enthusiastic son, she watched for a moment, devious grin on her lips as he struggled to reach the door handle, his chubby, little legs giving him nothing. Scooping him up, she allowed him to fiddle with the handle, until it clicked, pushing it open she smiled, a warm genuine one, that had become quite common on her lips over the past few weeks.

"Saffron," she greeted, for a moment she stumbled over her thoughts, was she supposed to hug her? Shake her hand? "Erm-" She stepped back, allowing the wriggling Ky to escape from her grasp as he charged at Mason, screaming at the younger childs name as he went. "Welcome!" Then as Saffron stepped forward she flung her arms around the girls neck, hoping that it was the right thing to do. 

[✨ zozo.]

saffron lowe

Mason leaps from her arms in youthful delight, Saffron a distant memory as Ky's face swings into view. The wriggling boy hits the ground and toddles along to his smaller friend, leaving her face to face with a friend and a stranger rolled up into one. Opal Earnest had been Opal Shore the last time they held a conversation, so much taller than she remembered. So much happier. The same old sadness lingers underneath her smile and Saffron thinks of Mace and the way he shakes every time they hear more than a whisper of Elon falling through some Capitolite's mouth. She would tighten her grip on his hand in those moments - a lifeline to get him through the pain. Whether or not it works she wouldn't know. But Opal isn't Mace, and Saffron cannot simply squeeze her hand and take in the ground-shock of her grief.

But she can hug her still, and it still feels as comforting as that day all those years ago.

"Howdy" she smiles, stepping into the room not unlike her own Training Centre apartment. Arms extend outwards to pass the bowl to Opal, taking in the chaos underneath the children's loud chatter. It was comforting, somehow - like the constant whirl of life in the nursery, or the anonymity that the hustling streets of the City Centre gave her.  "I brought dessert - it's my Mom's recipe, but I can't guarantee I made it right" the Victor confesses. "Anything better than that processed Capitol junk, right?"

[cass]

opal earnest

Some things in this broken world are difficult to come by, life isn't so easy, and friends are hard to make, especially for people like Saffron and Opal. Yet, in saying that, it was easier then it had been back when she had been Opal Shore, before the games, because back before all of that she'd been the girl that her family had despised. The farewell from her own sister had resulted in violence. Every day of her life had been waiting for the next bully to come along, her crouching outside of the training centre, waiting for her racing heart and shattered breath to ease.

But as she was now it seemed as though the nightmares of her past had become mere ghosts. She had had a husband, she now had a son, she had friends, and here she was inviting someone over for dinner. If only she could go back and tell her past self that it was all going to be okay, then perhaps she could have been stronger.

Taking the bowl from Saffron, she grinned, shaking her head as she turned her eyes towards the kitchen. It was a miracle smoke wasn't pouring out. "I'm not quite sure it's worse then the charcoal I've cooked up for us." She laughed, heading towards the kitchen to put the treat Saffron had cooked up for them into the fridge. "Can I offer you anything to drink?"