BliTZ|LeOwen&Mylee; b e a t up street

owen {♔} bowers-fox

As a boy with little to no talents that fall within the spectrum of physical or mental strength, my interest in the stations scattered about the room ebbs away quickly. The swords had only been a deadweight in my hands, even though I had managed to learn a few things and execute them semi-accurately against the dummies that nowhere resembled those who I would actually be fighting. The firemaking station had been interesting, but the motions got repetitive, and after successfully starting a couple of fires I wandered off, becoming content to lean against one of the back walls near the hand-to-hand combat station and watch those who passed through it.

A couple of people were threatening, their fists flying faster than my mind could process, but most were half-decent at best. They would throw a punch and miss, their hand forcefully cutting through the air and throwing their bodies off balance when the mark was missed, resulting in a less than graceful finish. A small chuckle would escape my mouth, but it would be quickly stifled as I remembered that previously I had tripped myself and fallen on my way to introduce myself to Charlie. I wasn’t the poster child for hand-eye coordination, and I could tell that it was a theme that was prevalent in quite a few people. There’s something comforting about seeing multiple people screw up, even if you’re one of the ones doing it. In fact, that’s when it becomes even more consoling.

I figured that the flow of tributes would dwindle, but at least one person was occupying the station at all times. However, this constant stream of failure disappointed me to the point where my attention wandered around the room, and eventually caught on the boy making his way towards me. He seemed friendly, but we hadn’t exchanged much conversation up to this point. He’s one of the few people in the ragtag bunch that strike me as someone worth making friends with, and I do my best to swallow the anxiety that’s been repeatedly threatening to show its presence every time I attempt to speak.

He’s calm, or calmer than I am, and my nervousness is forgotten as words fall from his mouth and I become captivated in the smoothness with which they flow. “Hey, what are you up to?” I let silence fall between us as another kid works his way up the rope, his grunts background noise as I begin, “Oh, you know, seeing how many people fall off that rope before getting to the top—” Before I can finish, the boy comes tumbling down, and I watch him for a moment before turning back to Leon, “He’s number seven.”

owen {♔} bowers-fox

We watch the unnamed resource of our entertainment as he removes himself from the scene, all the while hiding his obvious embarrassment at failing. That’s why I’ve refused to try anything out unless the area is mainly empty, for I feel that embarrassing myself in front of everybody only makes me a target, and if I become anything over the next few weeks, it won’t be a target. Our silence is broken by his simple observations, “Sounds like you’re bored out of your mind.” I nod in response, letting him continue so that words are not required from my end of the conversation, “I’m Leon, by the way. District four,” He pauses for a moment, and I consider introducing myself, but thankfully, he does it for me, “You’re Owen, right? You volunteered.” I’m caught off guard by everyone’s note of remembering me by the fact that I was a volunteer, and I look at my feet for a moment before turning my gaze back upwards to meet his.

“Yeah, I volunteered for my brother, Duncan.” The words are dull now, mostly from the repetition with which they have been spoken. The first few times I had been asked about Duncan, the words with which I responded were accompanied by a sharp, biting pain that made me question my decision to step in for him. I knew that my sacrifice wouldn’t go to waste—it couldn’t, for I was giving him everything I had, and that had to make him realize to some extent that he mattered, to me, to Cody, to our family.

I’m brought back from my dull response with a bump on the shoulder as Leon gestures over to the rope while asking, “You wanna try it out?” My first instinct say it’s a bad idea to try anything that involves strength and coordination, but all sense of reason has flown out the window as I remain lost in captivation with the boy from district four. “Sure,” I begin, taking a few steps towards the rope before stopping and turning back to face him, “but on one condition. You go first.”

owen {♔} bowers-fox

“However did I get so lucky to meet you?” The words escape his mouth in such a simple manner that even my response hangs heavy in the air, “Oh, you know, it’s like destiny, except its sure death instead of happily ever after.” By this point he’s reached over to tousle my hair, and I try my best to hide the flush of embarrassment that rushes to my cheeks. However, he doesn’t seem to be paying attention to my obvious embarrassment, for he’s calling me over. I plod over staring as amusement as he leans in, now just inches away, “Challenge accepted,” I can’t hide the laugh that escapes, but it’s quick to cut short as he asks a seemingly innocent question, “Is your brother anything like you?” I take a step back, clearing my throat before turning back to see him already attempting to climb up.

“Duncan? Oh, no, we’re about as opposite as it gets. See, he’s actually good with his words, whereas I—I uh, tend to stumble over them quite a bit.” I run a hand through my hair before continuing, “But there’s also Cody, and I guess we think in the same way for the most part, being twins and all.”

All thoughts of sorrow are lost as Leon’s attempt at gracefulness sends me into a fit of laughter, watching him regain his composure and try to shrug it off. He’s steadily ascending, and I worry for a moment, realizing that there’s no way I’ll be able to get to the point he’s already at. I distract myself with thoughts of home, before turning it around and raising my voice a bit in hopes that he can hear me from up there, “So, do you have any siblings? Brothers or sisters that you were eager to get away from?”

owen {♔} bowers-fox

He listens to my rambling thoughts of home without a word of complaint, and immediately guilt springs to my mind as he speaks only a few words about his sister. He tumbles down to the ground just as I begin to speak again and I immediately bring a hand to cover my mouth before mumbling out a shaky, “I’m sorry.” However, he doesn’t seem upset at all, only amused, and I tilt my head in confusion as he beckons me over to join him on the mat. I stumble over, tripping only as I make the transition from solid floor to unstable fabric, and I all but fall on top of him, landing ungracefully to his side. However, he pulls me to him, and before I can process the sequence of actions, he’s kissing me. His hand makes his way to the back of my neck and I shiver a bit, suddenly caught by the draft that’s seemed to make its way into the room.

As we pull away, I know there’s no use in hiding the embarrassment that’s found its way to my cheeks, and I stutter a bit as I lay sprawled across the mat, “So I—I guess there’s no need for me to climb the rope anymore, is there? I mean, I’m uh—I’m good here, if you are of course.” I try to meet his gaze for a moment before turning my head upwards, looking to the heights Leon had just scaled. There was no way I could make it as far as he had, hell, I’d be lucky to make it halfway. I pray that he is content to let me sit there with him, because for the first time in two weeks, I feel at ease in the presence of someone else.

owen {♔} bowers-fox

As Duncan was home less and less, I began to realize that he simply couldn’t have been alone the entire time. He was in constant need of someone to listen to his insistent rambling, and he had never been one to talk to himself. So when I catch sight of a girl at his side, puzzle pieces begin to fit together as I assume this girl is the one that’s protected him for the last few weeks. They didn’t seem too “touchy” as Cody had described it, and I had almost laughed at the thought of Duncan doing anything intimate.

Of course, I had never done anything intimate either.

His hand moves from the back of my neck towards my jaw, and my first instinct is to flinch away. However, I’m captivated as his eyes meet mine, so I only sit there dumbfounded as his touch grazes lightly across my jaw. Please don’t let him catch the intensity with which my heart is pounding or my mind is racing, please, please, please. Leon seems un-phased by anything that’s thrown at him, whereas I am the opposite, troubled at every little thing that comes my way. It’s for this reason that my breath catches as he readjusts himself to lay against me, and it’s only then that I remember that I’m actually the older of the two.

His head is laid in the crook of my shoulder as he murmurs out, “It’s very good here, for a while.” I try to respond, but I can only nod my head as I shift my weight to my right side, lifting my left hand and setting it on the small of his back. “Then let’s stay here, at least for a while.”