Brother Bonding//[Tom]

The day started out like any normal day, his hands itching to create more wooden animals to sell. The task itself a rough and joyful one, but his day wouldn't go as he had predicted. Mother's words in his ears before he could get to his projects, "Colin, why don't you take Cecil out around the district, spend some time together?" The Grant boy knew it wasn't a suggestion. It was an order, hands grabbing for his shoes, feet moving to the door. Forced into the public's eye, nowhere to hide from the looks. A slight panic sets inside his body, sending a new fear into him. The troublesome shivers filling his body. His mind racing, No panic attacks Colin. Not today.

The little green hill spot was one of his favorite places to relax away from the people's stares, but close enough to study them like the people from District Three. A scientist among the lumberjacks. Colin's hands lay behind his head as the two Grants would point above at the clouds, blowing softly along. Fluffy white clouds forming animals and objects, only disappearing when the wind blows them away to never be seen again.

Cecil's rude attitude came out in a storm, one that tackled Colin like a hurricane. "What an old man," His insides churned at the words, the reasoning unknown. Elders were supposed to be respected, just like Curtis. The name brings emotions that he's shoved away for what felt like years. A sight finds it's way out, and the words continue as more people walk by. Colin's already sitting up and listening, "Why is everyone so hard looking?" The question was one that the oldest Grant boy could answer. The world was a rough place, they should know by now how rough it truly was.

Colin's thoughts took time, but he tried to answer quickly, but Cecil was fast. Just like a fire, burning swiftly across the land, leaving his destruction behind. "They're all so... rough." Rough like the hands that held him steady. Rough like the day when Curtis died. Rough like the all of the tortures they all go through on a daily basis. Colin was rough just like the people in District Seven. They go about trying to create a life that they enjoy, in the rough world that they lived in. It was beautiful how the people tried their best to make life bearable for everyone they care about.

Cecil was a firecracker in Colin's eyes. Always ready to face the world head on. Only focusing on the way he sees the world, until it bursts. Anger was what Cecil had, but the oldest Grant could see the intelligence, the strength, the skills that Cecil had that he wished he had. His brother was pretty much the opposite of him in everything. Smart, strong, and definitely able to be sociable. Colin wanted that, but never could get it. His mind wouldn't let him.

Colin looked up only for a moment and noticed the woman whose face was scarred, bags in her hand and a comfortable stride in place. Cecil was quick to react, "Colin, why do you think that woman's face is like that?" A frown came to his face, twisting at the next comment Cecil made about her. "She's awfully ugly." The oldest Grant's hands squeezed into a fist and all he wanted to do was punch his little brother's face for the rude comment that had just came out of his mouth. No one was ugly. Everyone had something beautiful in them. A lovely personality, or a beauty of a memory.

His hands were wide now, calm and steady, just like how he had to cut the wood for his animals. The reply was simple. "Cecil, don't be rude." A smile finds it's way onto his face as he watches the woman with bags walk away, his voice is calm and collected, "She's not ugly. That scar probably was from a daring trial that she had to face her fears, or maybe it was from a heroic act where she saved children or animals from being injured, or she was protecting her loved ones from some evil enemy. Who knows. I think it's a great indicator for something amazing that she's done, and I find that beautiful." As soon as he finished his thoughts on the matter, the air felt nice. A soothing breeze on his neck and a smile upon his face.

Another passerby appeared before the Grants, a man who was on the older side of his forties. A little girl, most likely his daughter close behind. In the little girl's arms was a teddy bear that was rather torn up from heavy useage. A beautiful sight for Colin indeed. Family that could actually be family. The man, clearly her father, holding her hand as they walked along the path, Colin couldn't miss voicing his opinion, "That was cute. A father caring for his daughter. That's something that I find beautiful. Sometimes, I wish I could talk to people and figure out their stories. Don't you agree, Cecil?" A beautiful day to see beautiful things all around. A great time to be spending it with little brother, some actual family bonding time. Maybe his mother was right, outside can do wonders for him.

It only takes a few words from his little brother to crack him like an egg. "How do you know their story is a nice one?" He didn't, no one could ever know anyones story until they knew them well enough to find it out. The story of the daughter and father could have been violent, but the affection he saw told him that wasn't true. They were happy, just like he wished he was. Just like how he wished all of the Grant siblings were happy. His body lets out a sigh and he begins stumbling on his words, but Cecil is quicker. Rougher emotions thrown at Colin aiming to shatter his optimism. "For all you now he could be putting up a front in public and then beating her at home."

His heart shatters at the thought. A little girl getting beat by her father. The sound of it sent himself spiraling down. Curtis was his father figure in all ways, even if he was his older brother. Colin had a father that would come once a month, but that man never truly was his father like Curtis was to him. Curtis was the one who basically took care of all of the Grant kids, now it was on Colin to take care of them, working for the lumber part of the district and selling his little wooden animals to people. It was a rough life, but he did it all for them. The little girl and father were good people. He knew they were. They had to be for him to feel happy and safe about the world.

Before he could even get a word out, Cecil hit him dead center of the target, slashing at his emotions like they were nothing. "Not like you would know, you don't talk to people. You just sit carving those dumb animals," The words strike him like a match, setting his body on fire. Air escapes his lungs and he feels himself wanting to cower away from his younger brother, but he couldn't. Face your fears stupid. Cecil already has the knife deep in his gut, but the words that come next twist the knife into an even deeper pain. "You don't know anything about people." And his body is a flame, burning everything inside of him. A panic sets in him and his mind screams for him to breath.

One. Inhale.

Two. Exhale.

One. Inhale. Two Exhale. And his panic disappears, as simple as it was, it felt like minutes, but really was seconds. Cecil probably noticed his panic, but in that moment Colin didn't care. A new anger sears his body. His voice comes out stumbling a bit, "You're right. All I do is carve the dumb animals. I don't know anything. What about you? You got the brains to do good, but instead you waste them on causing problem and getting into trouble. What a waste of potential." If Cecil was playing the game of damaging emotions, Colin could play too. Two could play at this game. He didn't stop there. He continued with the same words that Cecil had used upon him.

"You don't know anything about people either."