RAINFALL || [c. snow]

vii. twisted circus

❝THERE AIN'T NOTHING MONEY CAN'T BUY IN THE CAPITOL❞

𓆩⟡𓆪

DOLLY HUMMED SOFTLY, discretely tucking the small box in the folds of her skirt. Her steps were heavy as she approached the zoo, the proposal weighing heavily on her mind. Nonetheless, she was quite eager to meet Otto again. Hopefully he was doing alright.

Hope. She had been doing a lot of hoping recently.
A shoulder bumped her own and the soft scent of roses flooded her senses. "What was that back there?" Coriolanus snapped, but his gaze only held fear. Fear for her, she realized. "You spoke against Dr. Gaul."

"Well, nice to see you too, Snow," Dolores rolled her eyes.

"I'm serious, Imber. You could've gotten in serious trouble back there. What if Dr. Gaul really took Sejanus's mentorship? Yours?"

"And why would you care?" her violet eyes peered curiously at his blue ones, only to have him look away, rendered speechless.

"Because... because... Fine, I'd be more than happy for you to be kicked off the mentor program," Coriolanus huffed at last, releasing her arm and stalking off, clearly in a bad mood about something.

As soon as he had gone off to see Lucy Gray, Dolores let out a small sigh, willing her heart to stop racing. She really needed to go see a doctor. Not Dr. Gaul. Never Dr. Gaul. She shivered at the bare thought of the twisted Gamemaker. Instead, she chose to focus on the increase of visitors at the zoo.

The crowd parted to let her pass, giving her a sense of authority. Not authority yet, Dolly... you still need the Plinth Prize to make an actual standing in the Capitol. Oh great, now her mind was on the damned Plinth Prize. If only she was born into a rich family who wouldn't think twice to pay the tuition. If only she didn't have to pour her damn soul into the outcome of the Hunger Games. If only–

"Dolly?" Her eyes snapped up to meet Ottos'.

"Otto. Sorry, I was deep in thought." She suddenly felt ashamed of herself for even thinking of 'what if's'. They had long been taught what a waste of time those were. She brought out a box and slid it through the cold iron bars of the enclosure. "I brought something for you. I hope you like it. I don't want you getting sick, now."

Otto opened the box eagerly and smiled brightly when he pulled out a large, thick blanket. "Thank you."

"And of course, I didn't come without food," she grinned, tossing him a fresh grilled cheese sandwich, still warm from the grill.

"You really are the best," Diana Ring sighed, coming up next to her. She was the mentor to Otto's district partner, Ginnee. Diana, in Dolores's opinion, was a friend– a possible ally whom she did not despise that much. Rather agreeable, once she stops ranting about the rivalry with her twin, another student of the Academy who did not make the twenty-four: Apollo Ring.

"I know I am," Dolores winked, her cheerful attitude returning.

"Hey, sorry you got stuck with the proposal," Diana added before making more room for Dolores to stand in and running off into the crowd, probably searching for her sibling.

Her eyes surveyed the visitors... who all looked almost scared to approach. Well of course, she could pull a Coriolanus and simply beckon a boy foreward... but where's the fun in that? Being rebellious was starting to become a habit. But she didn't particularly hate it.

"I think they are afraid to get too close," Otto murmured her concerns out loud, "Even though they've got all these Peacekeepers in here with us now. I see them carrying food and gifts."