colors of peace {kass + ravine}

[Knuckles]

Ravine

A single bead of sweat rolls down his brow dripping silently on the ground forever. Ravine looks around, eyes darting back and forth at each person in passing. A new victor is coming to the district today, and he simply wants to great her. A coloring book rests in the palm of his hands - it belonged to family, but seeing as she's gone and has no purpose for the book anymore, Ravine wants to pass it on. Oblivion had a stack of them sitting on her bedside table. Some of them were marked up while others were left untouched for future use. Since her future is gone, maybe Kassandra would find them as useful as she did.

Oblivion used them to find peace and erase her wandering mind since it happened all the time. Sometimes he found her lost in thought as crayons flew across the page with ease. She always colored the beautiful pictures, and the ones she's finished, Ravine will hold onto forever as it brings a smile to his face and lets him know she's somehow still here with him.

He moves through the district keeping his head low until he's standing in the midst of everyone gathering in the district square. Last time he was here sorrow filled eyes watched as two more tributes were selected for slaughter, but today it's a different kind of meeting. It's a celebration. To cheer on the new life of someone who made it through a hell twenty-three others didn't. It's not worth celebrating anyway. Even the moment a district one victor steps foot back home, Ravine only wants to mourn. It's been so long since it's happened, and he wonders if it'll ever happen again.

Standing in place, the eighteen year old watches as the peacekeepers surround the stage, and out comes everyone without a care in the world. Kassandra is so young, and she went through a living nightmare only to win and keep the nightmare going, but does she see it that way? Ravine may never know, but he's standing there watching her as he draws the coloring book tighter to his chest. She may not understand how freeing it is, yet he hopes she'll take it with her to find the peace it brought Oblivion.

Once the crowd begins to leave after everything is done, he stays in place sort of afraid to make eye contact. Maybe she would approach him, or maybe she would walk away. He doesn't know, but it's a risk he's taking. Ever so slowly he takes a step forward testing the waters only to watch the peacekeepers move around him. Patience goes a long way, or perhaps he's foolish and crossing the line.

His time is short, yet in this moment, Ravine has all the time in the world.

[sbeeg]

It's the first stop on the tour. The stylists have overdone it trying to make Kass appear both sweet and kind and a winner, but also District Eleven-ish but also suitable for District One fashion. Kass was not aware there was much difference in fashion between the districts but is told that there is. They glue small gemstones on her eyelids, her clothes a stormy blue color. Despite the chill breeze her shirt has no sleeves, her Capitol built arm on display. Perhaps she could ask them for at least one sleeve for the arm that isn't made of metal and does get cold.

She stood on the stage unsure what to do as the clips played and the speakers talked. She stayed quiet, looking at the people staring up at her. There weren't many children in attendance, everyone seemed to be older at least older than Kass.

She stepped down from the stage, flanked by Keepers. A young man pressed close. He had a book of some kind pressed to his chest. Was it a brother of a tribute? Someone else? A career looking for an autograph?

Kass paused, stopping in their march and looked up at him.

"Yes?" she asked, unsure of what else to do. He was the first regular person from another district she'd met. Everyone had been a tribute or a victor, but this boy was just a person. Not doomed to die, or cursed to live. Everyone in the Capitol had a specific air about them, the feeling of death hanging close and the desire to either give in to it or rebel. It was strange to see a person that was grieving but not for their own sake.

table by griffin

[Knuckles]

Ravine

It’s hard just standing in place wondering what will happen. Throughout his many years of life, Ravine has never felt this much sorrow, yet he wipes the tears away, and puts on a blank face trying to hide what lingers inside. Kass has done well, she managed to survive out of everyone, and while he feels some anger, it’s nothing she did wrong. Oblivion suffered the fate that nobody ever wants.

He takes a breath the moment she stops in front of him trying to find the words. It’s hard to think, hard to move, hard to do anything, but all he can do is hold the coloring book closer to his chest. It takes a lot of strength to stand in front of someone who deserves the world. All it takes is a moment, and his head drops forward as he lowers the coloring book holding it in sight allowing everyone to see.

“I was wanting you to have this.” His voice is weak as he tries to stand tall. “Oblivion used to color in them all the time, but she hasn’t touched this one.” It helped her through some rough times, and maybe it could do the same for this young victor. While it may not make sense to many, it’s all he has to offer, and instead of surrounding her with anger and sorrow, maybe it can help her to feel comfort and ease in the future. Whether she’ll accept it or not, is beyond his imagination, but Ravine just hopes she doesn’t turn him away like so many have done before.

[sbeeg]

The young man hesitates before holding out a book to her. It was thin, like a child's booklet.

“I was wanting you to have this. Oblivion used to color in them all the time, but she hasn’t touched this one.” Hasn't. He speaks like she will pop out of her grave and start to color again. Kass felt her throat tighten. This booklet, this collection of paper, it meant something to him. Something dear. He was going to give it to a stranger of all people.

Her first instinct was to refuse. To push it back close to his chest and tell him the truth- that it would mean more to him than it ever would to her. She hadn't known this girl and she never would.

But that's not what you do to people who are grieving. You do not refuse their attempts to alleviate their pain. Death was haunting this young man and if taking this small gift would ease it's hold on him, then it was her duty to accept it.

She took it in her hands, briefly flipping through the blank pages.

Kass couldn't imagine herself trying to fill it in with color, but perhaps she could try.

"Do you remember her favorite color?" she asked, looking up from the pages.

table by griffin