Danger in the air (Marree, Dylan)

I question Matthew's judgement when it comes to Gala, thinking maybe that he had let her sign up but when he tells me that she signed up on her own accord, I can see even more how she's like me. She's headstrong and I'm pretty sure that she would have signed up whether Matthew wanted her to or not. I shake my head slightly toward matthew. "I can only hope that she'll do well. I do, for her sake, hope that she does well. That she brings it all to the table."

I still follow close to MAtthew, noticing the amount of people starting to appear. People that I know and I see how one or two look at me. I also begin to think they might even know Matthew and just the sight of me walking with him, makes me selfconscious for some strange reason. I shrug it off when Matthew asks me a question.

"Starving." I say. I'm not shy to admit that food sounds good right now. I'd been working in the gym all morning, except for that small unplanned nap I happened to take. I follow him inside the shop and notice how the man seems uptight about Matthew being there and it only confirms my suspicions when MAtthew claims there will be no trouble.

"What was that about?" I whisper to him, when we happen upon the deli meats, I stare at the selection and shrug my shouders to Matthew's question. "I"m good with anything." I stare at the selections and order just a basic sandwich with very little meat, but the vegitables I have them load them on it. I tilt my head over to Matthew.

"Ready when you are." I tell him, take my sandwich, grab a bottle of water and take it to the counter to the old man and pay for it. He puts it in a small bag and I walk outside of the shop and wait on Matthew.

Waiting outside, I hold the bag in my hand and I pull the bottle of water from within, uncap it and take an eager swig of it. I notice how, as we walk, he begins to tell me something more from his life. How, all of a sudden, he's starting to talk to me more freely now. It still makes me feel weird, how just earlier, he was kissing me and now, he's leading me from prying eyes and eager ears. Alone... to talk more? Freely? I'm just going along for the ride.

His voice floats around in my head about a situation he incurred the other day at the store. He indulges me with saying something about some girl that he had bumped into and then refused to apologize so easily. I shake my head knowing that sounds like something he would do. I know how he was before everything had happened that one day we decided to test our ability to survive. Since that day, I see something has changed within him. It's slow, but toward me especially, I can tell a huge difference. I like it. I really am starting to enjoy who he is becoming around me. Is it all because I opened up first to him? Was it that we had to challenge each other in order to come to this point? He then tells me the rest is history. No more to the story. Who was the girl?

I look to him inquisitively then start to put things together. The girl, whom I heard about, had her nose broken by some guy, and then it comes together for me instantly, but I don't make a big deal from it. Not now. I just understand the clerk at the store more now upon seeing Matthew and the clerks words about causing trouble.

Matthew and I walk, with very little words passed between each other. Not much further down the paths, do I notice the engineering company and as we pass by the place, I read the sign, but it doesn't occur to me that it's his dad's company. I've never really asked much about his family because the timing has never really came for that. Lately, it's always been the awkward meetings or something has always happened and talking was the last thing on our agenda's, still, I notice as we pass by the company, we end up on a dirt road and before I know it, we happen upon an old homestead.

"I can't beleive it's still standing. It looks like it could fall at any minute." I tell no one in particular. My words just find refuge out into the cold brisk air, a fog that emminates itself from my parting lips. Matthew takes the lead to open the barn and we enter and I find myself staring at nothing more than a hiding place for someone to linger in. The steel barrel in the middle. A beat up old chair off in the corner and the punching sack. A smile spreads across my face.

Welcome to my playground.

"Hmmm, I never would have guessed that you'd take refuge in here." There seems to be a lot of things that surprise me about MAtthew. So much I have commented on before now and still, in here in this old barn, I shake my head slightly as I walk around.

"Do you always come here?" I ask him, as I let my fingers touch the old wood of the barn. Beneath my feet, is an old dirt like floor, some old hay scattered around the place. Even in the cold weather, there are still a few webs from past spiders that my fingers touch. I recoil them fast and stick my hands in my pockets as I turn to watch Matthew collect things to go into the steel barrell. Making a fire? To keep warm? What is this place that he has brought me to? I ponder and walk over to the punching bag. I stare at the cloth that covers it, and playfully hit it. The chains that holds it makes very little noise, but the evident sound that it has moved. I keep my gaze on it tough as it sways slightly. Then with a bit more of a forceful punch, it swings just a little bit more than last time and bounces back and forth.

"Nice place you got. Let me guess... secretive training?" I tease him. "Is that why you're so good?"

I shake my head to Matthew when he inquires my statement about taking refuge here. I give him a, more or less, casual tone to my voice. "You just don't seem like the type of person to hide out here. I figured, with what you've told me, you'd stick around the gym and terrorize people." I give him a light chuckle thinking about how he is so easy to win against hand to hand sparring. I would love to give him another try though. I would like to see how we would match up against each other since everything has happened. I would just like for him to teach me more, though, I'm sure I'll still end up being pinned underneath him, though. Wouldn't mind that again now that we seem to be closer. It might make it more interesting. I stifle a smile behind my hand.

My eyes linger on him for the longest time as he sets the barrel to burning and then he just stands there with why he comes here. I stop playing with the punching bag so I can hear him. There's something about the way he talks about the events in his life that makes me understand him more. We all have stresses and his seem pretty normal. He talks about his dad being one reason why he comes here and then the word 'anyone' comes out as well. Yet, you've brought me here... I guess I don't classify as 'anyone' to him. The fact that he's brought me here, makes me curious as to why he is allowing me to be part of this in his life. Why, he's sharing this with me. The question returns to me.

"I dance." I simply state without hesitation. I give off this sly, huge grin and return the punch to the bag as it swings back towards Matthew. I wonder about letting him further into my wild nights out at the club. Tell him that's where I go when I sneak out at night. "After long or tedious days, I take my frustrations out by... going out at night to dance." I tell him while keeping my daring night light safe. My brother is the only one who knows about my late night travels cause he usually covers for me.

"Whose face, you ask?" I look at the bag in front of me and then turn my attention back to Matthew as he draws a circle around the middle and mouth a name. The punch he lays on the bag makes it rattle and I stand back just a little because it gets a little too close for comfort. I step up after a second and ball my fist up. "You know who I would like to hit... Him and Joel." I say the new name with so much venom. Not only had I needed to watch out for Jins, but now Joel? Will my life ever become uncomplicated? With a furious growl, I let my fist hit the bag with force and strength, and instantly feel this radiating pain in my knuckles. I hiss out at first and grasp my hand and turn around from Matthew. I'm not used to punching with so much force against something like a punching bag, but the pain disappates within a few seconds. I rub my knuckles and laugh.

"Tough opponent. Hard as a rock." Teasing myself seems natural at a time like this. The next question arrises without hesitation because I want to know. "Do you dance?"

"You what?" I turn my head toward Matthew with a curious expression written all over my face. I don't understand what he thinks of when I say I dance to releive my frustrations of daily life, but maybe he is thinking of the cutsey kind where I dance on my toes or some kind of rhythmic dance to the sound of a flute. As he starts the 'I never though...' like I did to him, I can't help but laught just a little.

"Clubber... I guess, you could say that. Maybe, as for dressing up.. I have a few appropriate peices of clothing, but nothing too fancy. I don't like to make myself noticable to a lot of people." I explain to him. "I'm only there to dance.... nothing more."

I usually don't find myself drinking because I am not really at the right age to do so, but I've never been completely drunk before. I'd rather not say that to him though. Besides... I'd hate to see what my dancing is like when I have no control over what happens to me. What ways I will dance when I can't stand up straight.

Then as I punch the bag, I hear Matthew ask who 'him' was. I've only opened up to him just enough to know the basics of what he's done in a very concise way. So, when he asks what his name was again, I sigh after I look at my knuckles and feel the sting of the hit disappear into nothing. "Jins..." I feel this jab within my body at the name of the guy, and as I look at my hand, I hear him once more about thanking him. THat would be the last thing on my mind to do for him, though, he mentions that without Jins, that 'we' wouldn't be her together doing what we are doing. With him bringing me into his life a little bit at a time. Him sharing his hideout with me. Somewhere that we dont have to worry about others. We don't have to worry about Joel and those jerks. I don't have to worry about Jins here. It's quite peaceful. The silence of the old barn, except for the random creaking of the old wooden boards.

Matthew takes my hand and looks at my knuckles. The one hand that I used to punch the bag with and the blood red marks that stain my skin for the moment. I look at his hand as he puts it near mine and I glance up at him. "Yeah.... maybe I should start carring gloves around, just for that occasion." I joke.

I move with him, as he pulls me toward the fire barrel and notice how icy my skin feels compared to the warmth of the fire, crackling away inside of the metal tube. I sit down beside of Matthew. "I"m afraid you'll be a bit disappointed. I've got not hidden talents. Not that I can recall. As for friends, might I say you? Gala? Cause I usually don't have time to really make friends. My dad keeps me training a lot of my time. Unless, you count my sparring partners friends, I'd rather keep to myself." Though, usually Jins made sure that my friends never stayed friends for long. Something always had to happen. I notice how Matthew starts into his sandwich and I realize that I've left my bag over by the punching bag. I get up, retrieve it and return to his side, pulling my legs up an crossing them on the chair that I occupy.

"I train all the time, though. Not much else to do. Except make illegal trips out into the woods with some guy I barely know to evade dogs, warm up in cabin and then kill a wolf. I'd say that's about the most exciting thing I've done aside from training in so long." I take a few bites into my sandwich then wash it down with the water. It's my turn to ask a few things.

"What about your family. What does you mom and dad do? What do you do when you're not training?" I'm curious if he'll say that he comes here when he's not training, but I'd hardly doubt that. He says he has a job. "Where do you work?"

Outside of the barn, the wind pushes through tiny cracks, giving off small whistling noises. It's chilling outside, but near the fire, it's kinda nice. It's also really nice sitting here with Matthew.

"Why are you training so hard? To win the games... or for other reasons?" He wants to know. He's curious if it's really what I want or what my dad wants. THough, at first it was all about what he wanted. After my mother passed away, I became the focus for his grief. It gave me some quality time with him as well, but the father and daughter relationship was all about strategy and training. Strength and endurance and hardly any real emotions passed through us. Even my brother did the same. He trained me harder when my dad was at work in the quarry, overseeing production. I give Matthew a slight shrug.

"For me, now. It wasn't at first. I mean... how do you really decide anyting at ten years old. You do what you're told, but I've been doing it so long, it's just part of me. But yeah, training for the games. I don't dare think about what it would be like to go into the games without knowing how to fight. That's why I was needing to spar that one day when I came into the gym and met you." I chuckle slightly. "Of all the people in the gym, why did the coach pick you, I wonder."

I hold the sandwich in my hand as I state my most exciting event as of late, and Matthew takes quick notice of what I was talking about and hinted towards. I can't help but hide this ever present grin that was fighting its way to the surface, threatening to be seen. I hold it back for whatever strength I could. A small dimple indenting my cheek on the left side. He mentions that day in the woods was the same for him, but what he says as he leans over and lets his breath tickle my ear makes my stomach knot up. I turn my gaze over to him as he moves back and I flash him this seductive eye movement as I look him over quickly and turn my grin away from his.

Questions arise from the both of us, and as he tells me about his dad, I have to wonder why I didn't notice it before. Passing by that place to come here. His last name suddenly coming to my mind as I remember reading that sign with the name on it. Matthew Dunham. So that is your name... How fetching. Then comes the part about his mom, and I remember breifly touching on that subject that one day out in the woods before I truely knew him, not that I know him now, but something is changing between us and fast.

"Piano? Really? You're not kidding?" I give him this super surprised look on my face. "Now that.. I never expected in a million year. Seriously. You?" I tap his shoulder with my hand in a way as if to say that I really didn't want to believe it. "You're so.. rough around the edged though most of the time. Piano... is suppose to be... I imagine a tiny person with no life doing that. You, though?" I tear my face away from his for a moment before I feel him put his arm around my shoulder and then I find myself leaning in to him and return my gaze to him in time to see him grow closer to me. My heart quickens. My lips part a little bit as I close the distance between our lips, and ever so gently, our lips meet in union with this jolt that sends this shockwave through my system. Definately a new sensation when neither of us are freezing cold and depending on warmth from each other to keep each other alive in harsh temperatures.

It's simple Him and I. Together in this old barn. I move the sandwich away from my laps and on the edge of the chair as I turn into MAtthew just a little bit more and allow the kiss to deepen just enough as my hand comes up to touch his cheek, and my other hand goes to find stability on his shoulder. Our contact parts just slightly, but I never fully move away from him. My lips brush up against his for only a moment.

"Did you mean, what you said... about repeating it again one day... cause I can always challenge you again to the game and see if we get the same results? " I ask with a teasing remark. Though I can't help but wonder if what is happening between us isn't just going to be a hit then miss. That we might be more than just an accidental couple for one night. I have a feeling in my gut that our time together just may end up being a start to something that will grow into a budding relationship, however slow we might take it. "Will you play the piano for me one day? I'd like to hear it."

"I didn't mean it like that Matthew." I try to amend my words to him that seems to have upset him by my surprise about being able to play. Was that wrong of me? To see such a strong and headstrong guy take part in something that I would think would take a great deal of compassion for in order to learn. It was something I really didn't expect. It's nice to know that somewhere in him he has this ability to take on complicated tasks and excell in them as much as he has with training. It actually gives me something more to like about him; to find out that he's not just about the fighting. A secret about him that I will never tell anyone about because who would believe me anyways? I didn't couldn't even believe it. Though, he ends up refusing to let me hear him play, and I feel a sort of rejection from him for once. Perhaps, what we've got going on isn't that strong. Maybe it never will be that strong. Is he worth it though, Kyanite? To try to get to know him even better though he's still stubborn. You already think he's worth it or you wouldn't be here with him right now. One day... maybe. There's always hope?

"I'm sorry, Matthew, I didn't realize it was that private." My words come and go just as fast when our kiss begins to lighten the atmostphere around us. The touch of his lips on mine. The soft, delicate skin that caresses my lips is so tempting to keep the contact. The way his arm snakes around my back and keeps me close to him is so invigorating. I would love to take it further, but there's something holding me back. Something that's holding him back I can tell as well. After a few intense moments, we seperate as I ask him a question with a teasing notion. He takes it lightly, his mood seriously changed from moments ago before the kiss and he pulls up his sleeve to show me his arm and the stitches that still grace his arm. The movement in my shoulder is anything but limber, but I hide what I need to. It's not easy to keep it still for long. There's too much I need movement for.

I could easily do without the pain and only enjoy the gain.

"That makes two of us... honestly. I swear to you, I will never offer to play that again." I confirm it with a smile to him. Though a moment later he tells me he's up for it anytime and that there is a comfortable place in the back waiting for whenver that moment arises. I see the sly little grin that comes across his face then I hear him for the first time about his need for space. He wants to take it slow due to the fact that all of this is new to him. You don't think it's new to me? To have someone kiss me with such gentleness? Caressing my back and actually not hurting me in order to do so? You think you're the only one kinda scared about all this? I'm terrified Matthew. So afraid of being hurt, you just don't understand... and you probably never will. I've let you know very little about what's happened in my past. Just a vague amount of details that I sense you understand, but to know all... I'm good with slow. I'll be fine with whatever, I just don't want what we've got now to disappear so early. I need this. You do too.

"That's fine, Matthew. Whatever space you need; whatever time it takes to get used to it, I'll be fine with. I feel the same though... this kind of thing has never been easy for me. It's not something I'd had the pleasure of enjoying before." I give him a nod, a small reassuring half grin and move back from him. I lean back against the chair, bringing my legs up to my body. I drape my right arm over one knee and watch the flames of the fire dancing in the metal bin that jumps over the rim. The orange and yellow hues mixing together. The heat barreling off the top giving it a wavering image of a heat induced mirage. I let my head rest comfortably against the back of the chair.

"It's peaceful here. How did you find this place? I mean, what possessed you to turn it into you're own personal space?" I give him a question, and eye him from my side view. Once again, the wind blows through the cracks of the walls and the whistling begins. I keep my vision studying the fire and Matthew at the same time, while small breeze tickles my face.