A/n: Thanks for reading :)
Naiya and I have been ridiculously busy trying to keep the provisions sites up and running with our now limited group of workers. Several sites lost personnel who went to the Capitol, including Sasha from our own site. Typically only one of us will be able to help Tad with our local distribution. Fortunately he's been doing a great job of getting provisions out and keeping inventory up to date. That's been one of our biggest issues with our new limitations - balancing the distribution with the inventory and administration work.
"I don't know what we can do," I tell Naiya. "We can't keep up with everything. We have to find a way to cut back." I look hopelessly over our spreadsheets, which only make it clear that we can't keep things going at the same pace. And yet there are plenty of hungry mouths that we still need to get food too. I thought it would balance out, with so many soldiers leaving for the Capitol, but it feels like there are just as many households as before, though fewer people. We at least have the inventory needed for the smaller population, but it doesn't lessen the work on the distribution end.
Naiya sighs. I know she's exhausted. The twins are back in sector three, where more extended family can help take care of them, but she goes to visit them whenever she can. It puts a strain on her, as if it weren't enough to have Rose in the war and work to be done, But Naiya is strong. I wish I were as strong as she is.
"Honey I think you're right, there's just no way to keep all this going. I hate to do it, but we need to cut back. It's the only way. I don't think we can close any stores though. We can't put that kind of strain on these families. It's hard enough for some of them as it is." She stifles a yawn and takes a moment to stretch out her neck, which is probably stiffer than mine considering how long she's been sitting here. The feeling is contagious and I bring my hands to my face to block a yawn, giving Naiya a sheepish look.
Her attention is back on her tablet as she ruminates, "But I think we can cut hours. If distribution only happens 3 days a week, we'll have more time to handle inventory and everything else. With the trains running we're only getting shipments once a week as it is so there's no point trying to run distribution every day. I think all the sites can handle the volume ... except maybe the one closest to command. That'll just have to stay on the current schedule, there are too many people to cut back hours. But we'll find a way to make it work. Maybe there's someone we can shift to that site so they have more help. What do you think honey?"
"It's the best option we have. I guess we should map it out and see how things settle?"
In response, Naiya gets straight to work to create a new schedule, so we can map out the next week under her suggestion. It takes another hour to get a working schedule in place, but by the end, we're both convinced it's the right way to go. It's been a long day, but at least we have a plan to move forward now, that will hopefully keep the system running without taxing everyone involved so harshly. I walk with Naiya until we reach her apartment, since it's close to the store anyway, before saying goodnight and heading back home. On the way, I suggest she come over tomorrow night to visit, since I know she hates the quiet of her empty apartment. She won't be visiting the twins for another few days, when she'll catch a ride with a provisions truck when the next train comes through. I hate to think of her alone under these circumstances - it's hard enough for me and I've got Bear waiting for me.
By the time I get home, it's dark and I'm dead on my feet. Even so, I'm interrogating Bear the minute I'm through the door. "Any message?" He knows I mean on the communicuffs. Having access to them is both a blessing and a curse. I don't have one, but Bear still has his and Naiya has one for the provisions work. Spinner has managed to hang on to his and sends a message back to Bear each night. It's great to be able to hear from him, but every night is tense until we get that message. We both breathe easier after his message comes through. It hardly matters what he sends, just that he sends it.
Bear answers simply, "They're good," tossing his communicuff in my direction. Today's message makes things sound boring. All's well. Tunnel cleared. That's the whole message. I know Spinner means one of the underground tunnels to the Capitol. When they first shipped out, they were based on the far side of the mountains protecting the Capitol. A couple propos have shown some of the battles involved in gaining access and control of the tunnels into the Capitol. There are shots of ground combat with rebel troops fighting hoards of Peacekeepers, but usually showing rebels winning out and gaining ground. That fact alone has made Bear & I a bit cynical about the broadcasts. They're almost as bad as the Capitol when it comes to showing just the things which support what they want to believe. A few days ago, Spinner had reported how rough a time they were having and how heavy the losses were among the rebels. The broadcasts haven't let on how dire it's been at times.
Still, it's a relief, both that our friends are okay and that the rebel forces are making progress against the Capitol. Absorbing the message I say, "Think we'll get details in tomorrow's broadcasts?"
"Some of them anyway," Bear responds with a hint of skepticism. "How's provisions?"
"Alright. We're cutting back. We'll try distributions three days a week, see how it goes." I pull off my jacket and fall onto the couch next to Bear, who wraps an arm around me. He's probably been up awhile, considering how late I am, so I ask, "Anything good in the broadcasts?"
He shakes his head. "Nah, same stuff. Rebels versus Peacekeepers, rebels win again. You'd think we'd have troops at the President's mansion by now, given the propos. Nothing new on the victors, either." While answering, he reaches across to the table, brings back a sandwich, and hands it to me.
I sigh. "Oh - Naiya and I grabbed a bite while we worked. I'm sorry." Bear shrugs it off though, setting it back down and saying, "Eh, don't worry, I'll eat it later."
Appreciating his thoughtfulness, I stretch up to plant a kiss on his cheek. He sees me coming and sort of waits for it, watching me out of the corner of his eye. Then he turns his head to me, his lips grazing mine, and kisses me in return. I let out a sigh in response, allowing the worries from today to blissfully melt into the background for a moment. Bear pulls away with a low laugh, and it takes me a few seconds before I open my eyes to look at him questioningly. "You're exhausted, aren't you?" He's right, and I guess it shows. "Sorry," I tell him.
"You've been working too hard. Get some sleep," he answers. "I'm sure things will get easier with your new schedule." I nod and give him a kiss goodnight before heading back to the bedroom.
Tonight I'm so tired my head hardly hits the pillow before I'm dead to the world. We both use the bed now, typically treating the bedroom as the place for alone time. We each take our shift and rarely go in the bedroom if the other is there at all. We keep our cuddling to the couch, and we haven't done anything more than lay together and kiss. I'm not sure I'm comfortable with anything more than kissing yet, and I know Bear won't pressure me. We haven't talked about it either, the kissing or the one person at a time bedroom policy. Our unspoken arrangement evolved on its own.
Bear still stays up late working. I guess he's just used to working nights, and what difference does it make. He's always up by the time I get home. Usually we spend the evening glued to the broadcasts, before I eventually turn in and he gets to work. Not much is happening here in district four. There's still a lot of damage in the district, but that won't change any time soon. On top of his other work, Bear is helping develop maps of the district that detail the damages, the areas the rebels are actively using, and unused spaces and resources. Hopefully, when the war ends, they'll facilitate the rebuilding work still needed in the district. It's hard to imagine the world after the war. I've only ever known President Snow's tyrrany. It seems inevitable now that the rebels will eventually win this war. We have control of all the districts, all the necessary resources the Capitol needs to survive. I often wonder how the rebels are preparing for after the war. We all have such high hopes for a new government, but who knows how it will work, or what will really happen. Only time will tell what happens to Panem, even if we do win.
The days run together, but over the next few days Naiya and I get everything in place for our new distribution schedule. We post information about it at all the stores, mention it to everyone who comes in to the sites, we even have the district news updates include information on our new schedule. We meet every morning. We break up the work, each spending some time at our local store and some time working with the other sites and our distribution network. By the end of the week, we're able to switch over to our three day a week distribution schedule. Naiya and I both push hard to make the transition as easy as possible, hoping that next week we'll both be less exhausted, able to pace ourselves better for the provisions work through the sector.