that arizona sky [calla]

He was bruised fruit, but the sweetness was gone. A piece of flesh that had been devoid of color. Nothing could make him happy, even though this was something he knew he would have to face at some point. Others dying in front of him? Siblings and cousins that he knew all too well? Some of them willing to risk their lives in order to gain the same amount of fame and whimsey that Ridley had done herself. He was an idiot. He knew that no matter how many books he had read, no matter how much time he had spent studying, he was no genius. He was stuck in that realm of trying to prove that he could live up to his name, and trying to differentiate himself from the pack. 

The pride had always found a way to pull him back in.

And even as his hand had been holding Vito against the wood, he couldn’t bring himself to hold him in that position forever. He was not here to kill, he was here for answers, or desperation, or even just someone to tell him that he was crazy for reacting this way. Isaac knew the risks of Emmett going in, and he knew well that he was young, that he might have not been ready to face the world for what it was. He had been so caught up in his death that he needed to realize that Ridley could have died too. However, she was older, wiser, and told multiple times that she would never amount to anything in this world because she was not of blood. She did not know what it was like to drip gold when cut open, but the joke was on the family.

Isaac still couldn’t help but giggle every time when he thought about Ridley striking down that girl from four. However, this was not the time to laugh, or even think about anything remotely happy. He was holding a boy against a wall and expecting him to tell him that everything was going to be okay.  That he knew it should have been him. Any sweet nothing would have done well at this point, completely disarmed a boy that had been trained to kill. Isaac Le Roux had always valued honesty and logic, and right now, those were his deadliest weaknesses. A true Achilles heel that he didn’t even know how to cover up.

His father would be so upset with him.

And he even spoke, Vito that was. ”Why would I ever forget you.” Isaac said clearly as his grip had loosened just a bit around the boys neck. There was no point in trying to cause harm, as the deed had already been done. Emmett, young and bright, would have not wanted that out of his cousin. At least, that is what he told himself as he felt his hand soften for just a moment. He is stoic as he listened to Vito berate and defend himself. He was like a viper that had been provoked, his venom lashing out at anything that it could touch. Isaac braced himself, realizing that maybe he was the one that was over reacting to all of this. ”We’re different people, different careers.” he wanted to say, but he didn’t have a moment to get a word in. ”Do you know anything about the games?” he wanted to add. Knowing well that no one can predict a mutt attack, and even then, a mutt death on top of it. 

It still made his blood boil, but that thick, viscus, red turned gold solid matter did not stop him from feeling like it was his fault, or Vito’s fault, or anyone’s fault. Everyone reacted to a games death differently, especially when you knew the person. That’s what killed Isaac, that there was so much callousness in his voice, a clear sign that he had been tossed to the side way too many times. Isaac realized that this was not a place that people were treated the right way, and Vito had been one of many that had been told clearly that they were nothing but a pawn in a greater scheme. Isaac had been good at picking things apart, but there was no time for that, feeling himself be pushed off hard by Vito. He simply stumbled back and stood there in silence. He had only seen the tide.

The tsunami was coming.

Emmett Le Roux deserved so much better, but Vito Armani did not deserve to die in his place. While that was not what Isaac was inferring directly, he was indirectly, and maybe he had been a bit too brash. However, this boy did not react with emotion in mind. He had been a stone wall of nothing but calculation and algorithms that he could not even begin to theorize. Vito mentioned seeing him again, and Isaac still had nothing to say, because at the end of the day, he was right. He was going to see him one more time in the flesh, and then if he ever wanted to see him again, he would have to take a trip to the justice building where he might get lucky enough to sit in front of a simulation and tell him just how sorry he was. How he probably should have volunteered. How he could have saved someone who might have not been ready for the games, but instead he chose to stay silent in the crowd as Emmett took the mantle. That was not Vito’s responsibility the moment he heard the words “I volunteer” and it was wrong for Isaac to assume that it was. 

There was always more to the story, and things that Isaac wouldn’t be able to see if he had not listened to the words that came out of the boys mouth. They had been so pointed, almost as vicious as the careers that he had faced in the academy, but the difference was that Isaac still knew how to disarm the most bloodthirsty and thought provoking of enemies. However, Vito was, and always would be a different type of class that he had never experienced before, and maybe that was good for him. Maybe he could learn something knew from someone that he had only met after a night of curiosity. 

He had nothing to say right now, and even as Vito demanded that he leave, Isaac stood there like a statue made of marble. He would stay as long as he needed too, because he could see the layers. The porcelain was cracking, and everything was seeping out. ”I never wanted you to be the shoulder, Vito.” Isaac spoke up, remembering that he did in fact, know how to speak. ”Im not going anywhere.” He felt the boys fingers prod at his chest and within seconds, Isaac had caught it and held it for just a second. However, that second ended quickly as it was ripped away, Vito’s back turned to him. 

He looked at the boy for a moment, then around the room. He realized that he had so many weapons at his disposal. However he was not here to cause harm, at least not physically. ”Vito.” he said calmly as he finally stepped forward and closed a little bit of distance between them. ”Vito.” he said softly as he raised his own index finger out and prodded softly at the boys shoulder. ”Just look at me.” he had been on the defensive now, and spectacularly so. ”Im not going anywhere.” Isaac stated, leaning on a rack of what seemed to be cleaning supplies. ”Asshole.” he said with a smirk for a moment, waiting to see if he was going to leave himself or stay.

Either one would have been valid.