:| A Little Something There |: {Cato}

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I go "Grawr!" =)

:| A Little Something There |: {Cato} Aug 30, 2015 15:53:40 GMT -5

Post by ᕙʕ•ᴥ•ʔᕗ on Aug 30, 2015 15:53:40 GMT -5

MICAH BRIDGES

A silly grin was plastered on my face as I watched the pie-eating contest. Alex Summers? Eating? And actually trying to eat as many pies as he can? I knew Alex long enough to know that it must have killed him inside with each bite of the pie, but maybe the prize would be worth it. Or maybe it would be completely useless to him and his cause. Either way, each pie he went through made me want to laugh even more and at the same time feel concern because there was no way his stomach could handle all of that. I wouldn’t have been surprised if he did end up throwing up the whole 8 and some pies.

Yet somewhere in the hilarity, the rumble of my stomach wished I was up there next to him, stuffing my face with the admittedly delicious-looking pies. Being hungry wasn’t something new, but now that Ekky was starting to grow as well, I became more conscious of how much he had to eat while worrying about my own body as well. Alex had done a great job in keeping me alive; my stealing had done the job for my family. Even as I stood there, I contemplated the different ways I could swipe a few pies from their noses. I didn’t want to steal—if I had the money, I would have paid for all of it—but my fingers started twitching automatically as I tried to see where they would take the remaining pies.

No, it wouldn’t do. First, I was going to have to give Alex a hard time and by the time that was over, who knew where the pies went or who else had taken them? Letting out a sigh, I walked over to find Alex until I found the other tall, weedy guy. It was crazy how little he took care of himself, and yet I could see he had been starting to fill out a bit. I didn’t know who or what was the cause of it, but I had a feeling it happened after the 69th Games. I had never seen Alex so frustrated and worried, which was saying a lot as he seemed to worry about everyone in the District 7 slums all the time. I knew how close he was to Wyatt, but I didn’t realize how much of an impact Wyatt had on him. Sure, Alex was sadder now, but at least he was looking after himself one—or eight—pie at a time.

Despite how sobering that thought was, the grin didn’t leave my face as I walked up and punched him lightly in the arm. “So now you’re an expert pie eater, huh?” I teased, knowing full well that it was probably the first time he ate so much. My eyes wandered lazily to where the pie-eating contest had been. “I don’t blame ya, though. Those pies looked so good, I would be on them with no hesitation.” My grin had become a smirk as I nodded in another direction and telling him, “C’mon, let’s get moving before I’m tempted to start stealing.”

^credit to Shrimp

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:| A Little Something There |: {Cato} Aug 31, 2015 12:52:16 GMT -5

Post by Cato on Aug 31, 2015 12:52:16 GMT -5

[googlefont="Felipa:400"]

Alex Summers

Over eight pies consumed. I knew if Wyatt were here with me now, his jaw would be on the floor in shock at the amount of food I have in my stomach. Even so, I have another friend in Micah who's in as much shock if not more than Wyatt would have been. Even now, I hear his words. Expert pie-eater? Hardly. I allow a smile to break through. Grinning at Wyatt, I speak up before my reputation is ruined.

"The pies are definitely out of this world. I'd recommend them."

Micah also mentions leaving the vicinity before he gets the itch to steal. Though I'd be against stealing anything, I don't mind taking the leftover pies to feed the hungry. The pies might be too rich in flavor, but anything is better than nothing. I'm sure Micah wouldn't mind getting his hands on the pies. Even if he eats some of them for himself.

"Not a bad idea actually. What do you say we get the leftover pies and give them away? I doubt the leftovers will be taken back to the Capitol or anything. We could give the pies to people who need some extra food."

I smile at the very thought of helping to feed more people. I've always wanted to look out for others. The more people I help, the stronger the memory of Wyatt remains alive. Its my last connection to him. How we met. Well partially. We were co-workers at a time, but due to my nature in helping others, he came over to me. As a concerned friend. I miss him to this day. Helping people reminds me of him. I'll never forget his friendship. I'm grateful to have Micah as a friend. Just as Wyatt was once a friend to me so to is Micah. I love like a brother. I need his friendship to remain sane. I've been there for him and happy he's doing the same for me. Seeing him here just after the pie-eating contest is funny. Almost as if he wanted to watch me actually eat something. Probably thinks I stuffed the pies down my shirt or something.

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I go "Grawr!" =)

:| A Little Something There |: {Cato} Aug 31, 2015 15:52:36 GMT -5

Post by ᕙʕ•ᴥ•ʔᕗ on Aug 31, 2015 15:52:36 GMT -5

MICAH BRIDGES

With Alex’s recommendation, my stomach grumbled. It only made me desire them more, and I was starting to resent not having been up there either. “Well, once I’m king of the world—or at least have some money—I’ll be sure to buy those pies for everyone.” A mere joke with wishful thinking as I knew that my family and I would never amount to anything; we hadn’t for generations. Always poor, always at the bottom of the food chain, it would have taken a miracle and a half for us to have that type of money. Still, it was a joke I threw around often.

One of my eyebrows were raised as I couldn’t believe what he just said. Did he just say stealing is okay? For years, Alex had been trying to stop me from stealing by providing me his fair share of food, but it was never enough so I would have to do it in secret. I had a feeling he still knew that I was stealing—Papa had wired it into my system—but as long as we never talked about it, it was always up in the air. Of course, he also suggested that the other pies be given away and I couldn’t help but grin at him.

There was always something about his good nature, his kind-hearted way, that both spoke to me and made me laugh. My papa called it weak; I thought it was admirable. I wished I had the morals to see the world in his light, but going to bed every night on an empty stomach made me realize how unrealistic that possibility was. I would never be as good as him, never be as kind as him, because I wasn’t raised to be that way. I was raised to look out for myself and my family and no one else.

I could see the smile on his face and that made me happy. It had been almost two years since the 69th Games, but damn, did Alex miss his friend. I was worried that he would take his behavior to the extreme, but instead he seemed physically better. Still, the hint of memory in that smile was a telltale sign that he was thinking of words that had been spoken, not words that were spoken. “Well, you just give me the signal and I’ll get you those pies, my friend,” I tell Alex, a half-grin on my face. Stealing, I was good at. Fighting, I was good at. But as much as I wanted to do a good deed, I knew it was better if I had Alex take care of it.

^credit to Shrimp

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Cato
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I wish Cato didnt die

:| A Little Something There |: {Cato} Sept 11, 2015 16:22:26 GMT -5

Post by Cato on Sept 11, 2015 16:22:26 GMT -5

[googlefont="Felipa:400"]

Alex Summers

It is strange standing here in the district with a great reward. Perhaps it won't make district seven look as bad now. I mean, yeah it's a hard place to live, but at least I have friends. I have people I can call my own. People I trust. People I yearn to be with. Micah is one of them. He's one of my good friends, but his friendship doesn't replace the friendship I had with Wyatt. But the fact that I even brought up stealing the pies in the first place when I had spent years trying to stop Micah was a step in a different direction. Yet these pies could help people. I can't imagine how many starving people would love to get their hands on one of these pies.

It made me smile when he agreed to take them, but at the same time it also made me wonder. I wish I could afford all of these. Buy them instead of stealing because stealing is wrong. I knew better, and I know Wyatt probably wouldn't approve. God I miss him so much more each and every day. Letting go of him has become hard, and it still shatters me that his own district partner killed him. A girl from hope killed my best friend. It's something I never thought I'd see, but it happened.

I sigh to myself as I look around trying to decide if the coast is clear or not. I don't want Micah getting caught because I don't want to lose another friend. I don't want him to die, or be punished for something that I suggested. I wouldn't be able to live with myself. Losing one friend as hard enough, but losing another would put me over the edge. Taking a deep breath, I allow myself to close my eyes. All I can see is people celebrating because they have food to eat. I turn towards Micah with a half grin on my face, and stop before speaking.

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I go "Grawr!" =)

:| A Little Something There |: {Cato} Sept 12, 2015 0:41:56 GMT -5

Post by ᕙʕ•ᴥ•ʔᕗ on Sept 12, 2015 0:41:56 GMT -5

MICAH BRIDGES

I waited for him to give me the go-ahead, casually looking back and forth between him and the pies. The key to stealing was knowing when the window of opportunity was open and when it was closed. If he didn’t give me the signal, I was going to have to let that window completely shut. I could see that he was thinking about it—it wasn’t like Alex to condone stealing at all—but I also knew that he was thinking about all the people he could help with the pies.

I knew Alex well enough to know that he was trying to think if there was another way he could take those pies without stealing. That was the problem with being poor; in an ideal world, we would have bought those pies and given them to those who needed it. I might have snuck off with one, but that was how I was raised. Even while waiting for him to say it was okay, I kept wondering if he would be okay with me taking one back for Ekky. I could only think about how much Ekky would have enjoyed tasting one of those fine pies.

It was kind of endearing to see him look around as if he was trying to scope the scene. Sure, there were always variables that could change, but I had already planned the steal the minute I congratulated him. That was how my mind worked: if I saw something worth stealing, I considered everything from the approach to the exit even if I didn’t follow through with it. But when I saw him with a half-grin on his face, my own face mirrored his. It’s go time.

He didn’t have to say anything, but I knew. This one time, I was going to be allowed to steal in his presence. I gave him a small nod before doing a last minute case. There were very few people in the area which made it easier to get away with it. Walking past a young boy, I took his cap from his back pocket and placed it on my own head before grabbing an empty wooden box. I walked past the stand where the pies were sitting as if I was supposed to be there, taking the pies. I wasn’t able to grab them all, but I grabbed enough to fill the box to a concealable level before grabbing a cloth that had probably been used to cover the table. If anyone asked, I would have told them that my mother was in charge of washing the cloths, but no one even glanced at me, most likely preoccupied by whatever the next event was.

It was by far the easiest swipe I had done considering the number of pies I was able to take. Walking back the way I came, I took off the cap and placed it by the boy’s foot so he would think it had fallen out of his pocket. The rest of the walk went just as smooth as the approach and I gave Alex a smile before placing the box by his feet. “You better take those and give it away before I swipe them from you too,” I warned half-jokingly. The temptation was strong, but if I could convince myself that I was doing this for a good reason, then maybe I would be able to sleep with a clear conscience one day.