the way things change, [ROSETTA]
Jul 6, 2015 2:16:17 GMT -5
Post by ∂αмєη on Jul 6, 2015 2:16:17 GMT -5
e r i c. r h o d e s. -
"rivers 'til I reach you" --
"rivers 'til I reach you" --
Yet another day began as it always had. A sun rising through the clouds, shining light through the open window. Summer air filled the bedroom with a comfortable coolness, causing the drowsy figure to clutch tighter at the bed sheets. There was silence throughout the entire house, the only noise coming from birds outside the window. The man had only recently moved into the modest home. With a secure job and having reached the end of his fuse with his parents, the veterinarian ventured out onto his own. Alone, in a rather large bed. He would need to get up soon, though, to make it to the Training Center on time; it was never a good idea to let down a Victor. He knew that far too well.
His morning routine was muscle memory by this point. He went through it with no hiccup, deftly completing the tasks he set out to do. A bit of fruit to eat, clothes on, teeth brushed and tools packed. It took a mere few minutes for Eric Rhodes to prepare for his day. Everything the same, everything just fine. But when have I ever settled for just fine?
They came to mind far more often when his eyes were closing at night, but images of their faces lingered in the back of his mind at all times in the day. A guilt would eat at his stomach, taking away his appetite for much of the day. He had lost weight, or so it appeared when he looked into the mirror every morning. Before, Eric Rhodes would have never believed emotion could cause such an incredible impact on someone's physical well being. Not that he didn't believe in love; everything was easy to handle if you dealt with it piece by piece. Living in a home with an absent set of parents? He had managed to grow up nonetheless. Go through years of education to pursue an arduous and difficult career? He had a damn stethoscope as a trophy. Fall in love with a woman so incredibly alluring, and yet so pure? That was the simplest part of the whole situation, and even that caused problems for him.
The Hunger Games were a celebrated event throughout the Capitol. Appointments would slow right down whenever the Games aired as all would be glued to their television sets. Since meeting her on that night so long ago, Eric could never watch any of what was on the screen. She would come to mind right away, and the guilt would come in twice as strong as before. You got her pregnant, dip shit. This perfect girl was right in front of you and you let her slip away. And not just slip away, but raise a child in the hellish world they were living in all on her own. A child so wonderful - his child - and yet she would grow up to not know her father. Her mother would be the strongest woman she would ever meet, but her father would be a mystery figure. All because he avoided the responsibility.
There was no excuse, and Eric knew that. He could have blamed his upbringing, or his career, or the circumstances through which he had met the beautiful Victor. At the end of the day, Eric was fully aware that he was the one to have messed up. Whenever there was a hint of having to see her, he would run the other way out of fear, anxiety and guilt. And by this point? It was far too late for apologies and attempts to be a good man. And so every day went on as the one before; wake up, go to work, come home, go to sleep. And it worked.
Today was an odd task, but one he had the training to do. The head veterinarian had told him that the Victor of the 63rd - Cricket or Grasshopper, she had said - required assistance with her pet. Dogs and cats were normal enough, but living in the Capitol meant that there were certainly outrageous animals he would often see. In this case it was a tiger - or lion, the head vet was unsure on the specifics. It meant that he would have some variety in his life. Those little sparks of interest were what kept him moving forward. He didn't want to think about what he'd be like without them.
The building loomed ahead and he didn't hesitate to make his way in. He had been here before for similar circumstances, but more so for those that were entirely different. Stopping for only a moment to explain his presence to the lady at the front, he continued on his way towards the waiting tiger. Doors passed him on either side of the hallway, but his eyes remained on the tiled flooring below him. They look different. Renovations? Finally, he arrived at a door. He fixed his tie, flattened his hair, and knocked on the metal divider that separated him from something frightening. At that moment, a feeling crept into him. Everything would change, he just knew it.
"Hello miss? I'm the vet, Dr. Rhodes?"
His morning routine was muscle memory by this point. He went through it with no hiccup, deftly completing the tasks he set out to do. A bit of fruit to eat, clothes on, teeth brushed and tools packed. It took a mere few minutes for Eric Rhodes to prepare for his day. Everything the same, everything just fine. But when have I ever settled for just fine?
They came to mind far more often when his eyes were closing at night, but images of their faces lingered in the back of his mind at all times in the day. A guilt would eat at his stomach, taking away his appetite for much of the day. He had lost weight, or so it appeared when he looked into the mirror every morning. Before, Eric Rhodes would have never believed emotion could cause such an incredible impact on someone's physical well being. Not that he didn't believe in love; everything was easy to handle if you dealt with it piece by piece. Living in a home with an absent set of parents? He had managed to grow up nonetheless. Go through years of education to pursue an arduous and difficult career? He had a damn stethoscope as a trophy. Fall in love with a woman so incredibly alluring, and yet so pure? That was the simplest part of the whole situation, and even that caused problems for him.
The Hunger Games were a celebrated event throughout the Capitol. Appointments would slow right down whenever the Games aired as all would be glued to their television sets. Since meeting her on that night so long ago, Eric could never watch any of what was on the screen. She would come to mind right away, and the guilt would come in twice as strong as before. You got her pregnant, dip shit. This perfect girl was right in front of you and you let her slip away. And not just slip away, but raise a child in the hellish world they were living in all on her own. A child so wonderful - his child - and yet she would grow up to not know her father. Her mother would be the strongest woman she would ever meet, but her father would be a mystery figure. All because he avoided the responsibility.
There was no excuse, and Eric knew that. He could have blamed his upbringing, or his career, or the circumstances through which he had met the beautiful Victor. At the end of the day, Eric was fully aware that he was the one to have messed up. Whenever there was a hint of having to see her, he would run the other way out of fear, anxiety and guilt. And by this point? It was far too late for apologies and attempts to be a good man. And so every day went on as the one before; wake up, go to work, come home, go to sleep. And it worked.
Today was an odd task, but one he had the training to do. The head veterinarian had told him that the Victor of the 63rd - Cricket or Grasshopper, she had said - required assistance with her pet. Dogs and cats were normal enough, but living in the Capitol meant that there were certainly outrageous animals he would often see. In this case it was a tiger - or lion, the head vet was unsure on the specifics. It meant that he would have some variety in his life. Those little sparks of interest were what kept him moving forward. He didn't want to think about what he'd be like without them.
The building loomed ahead and he didn't hesitate to make his way in. He had been here before for similar circumstances, but more so for those that were entirely different. Stopping for only a moment to explain his presence to the lady at the front, he continued on his way towards the waiting tiger. Doors passed him on either side of the hallway, but his eyes remained on the tiled flooring below him. They look different. Renovations? Finally, he arrived at a door. He fixed his tie, flattened his hair, and knocked on the metal divider that separated him from something frightening. At that moment, a feeling crept into him. Everything would change, he just knew it.
"Hello miss? I'm the vet, Dr. Rhodes?"
