Birds of a Feather [Closed to Clove]

[sbeeg]

Donovan Crater

Waking up while the stars were still out was a habit of Donovan's. Early bird gets the worm, that's what they always say. In Donovan's case, the early bird gets all the tough labor to do because no one else is willing. Not that he really minded. Just sometimes he worried that something or someone would pop out and send adrenaline rushing through his body and his knees would buckle and the certain bird he had been holding would fly away. He had to compensate for those birds which cost the equivalent of a tessera. How convenient for the Capitol.
Walking down the path, still in a daze, Donovan made for the road that led into the square. They were running low on mice and other small prey in their area, but he had struck up a good deal with a rabbit breeder. As if rabbits needed a breeder anyway.
The sun was just climbing over the horizon when the dirt roads smoothed into cobble stoned streets. Donovan paused a moment in front of TV stationed in the window of a shop in the square. It was Caesar Flickerman filling everyone in on some of the tributes. They were going over their names, their districts, their interviews. Just a recap of the rituals that had already happened. Something popped into Donovan's mind that told him how easily he could have been one of those tributes, and how thankful that he was not.
The early morning sun cast a gentle pink light over the square, softening the extreme corners of buildings and signaling the people of District 5 that is was time to start work for another day.
Donovan, remembering why he had come here, started towards the other side of the square but was distracted yet a second time. It was the small candy shop, no wider than three people standing side by side. After a moment of thought, Donovan climbed its narrow steps and went inside, making the little bell posed at the top of the door jingle. The boy had some money, and one of his birds he had named Temple, after the famous Hunger Games announcer, had a passion for sugared fruits.
The Crater kid slapped the tarnished bell on the front counter waiting to be served.

[clovegoodshot]

~Clove Goodshot

Work. It pisses me off. People come in and act stupid, ring the bell too many times, and then more. I have been here all day working this is so stupid. My Dad is rich. He is forcing me to do this says I will have better "values". Ugh. I am forced to wear this ugly uniform. A green short-dress with forest-green leggings, black shoes, and a forest green hat. It is so not cool.
I rush into the back to get a man sugar, then rush back to then front. The line has gone down thank God. I sigh, and slide down the counter, and relax.
I have just closed my eyes when

Ring

UGH! I stomp to my feet. "CAN I HELP- uh, you. Uh, can I uh, help you, uh, sir?"

I am so embarrassed when I see the boy standing in front of me is gorgeous. Wow. I reach for the mice and sugar. We sell way to much. I check this boy out. Yum. "Can I help you sir we have mice, sugar, animals, food, grocery items, um, and anything else that you want. . . . ."I say as I stick my finger in my mouth and leap across the table and grab his shirt and rip it off and kiss him like a hyena and unbutton his belt and-"And anything else you might like", I say then smile, thinking of what would happen if I did jump across the table at him.

[sbeeg]

Donovan Crater

The reverberating of the tiny bell had just come to a halt when it happened. A blur of dark green darted up from behind the counter. A quick intake of breath, eyes widen, and the one thing Donovan fears more than anything has happened, he's been scared. It took him a moment to catch his breath as his muscles gave way. His neck was no help in supporting his head and his knees started to buckle. The Crater boy slipped his palms, open, on the counter trying to steady himself. After he managed to get air in his lungs at all he took deep breaths trying to work through this attack. Who pops out from behind counters like that? Why so snippy with customers?! Donovan tried to use his anger to flush out the remaining shreds of fear still left in his system.

The green blur slowly formed a girl around Donovan's own age. The girl was babbling on about what she could get him. She was talking in that high pitched kind of voice the girls at school used sometimes. He didn't have time for this. He didn't want to stay somewhere where things popped out at him. What did he come in for anyway? Oh fruit for Temple. Yes, get the fruit and leave.

"Hi," Donovan manged out, an attempt at a smile on his face as he forced his neck to bare some weight. "I need... I need fruit. Sugared fruit."
He stuttered out the request, trying to breath. He should mention to not hide behind the counter anymore. Yeah! What good business man lets his workers scare customers?
"I just need fruit," He repeated. Donovan had to resist adding a "and make it snappy."

[clovegoodshot]

He isn't enjoying my presence so far. I have got to think of something! I motion for him to wait, and walk back into the storage room. Crap! There is no sugar fruit!

There.has.to.be.fruit.

I run out of the back, jump across the table, run past him and scream, "WAIT!", as I lunge out of the door, into the streets. I have excellent endurance. I sprint down the alleys, up the streets, all the way to the nearest grocery store. I fly in, grab a sugar-fruit purchase it, and sprint back out of the store.

I hope he appreciates this.

I fly through the door, into the store that I work in, and lunge over the count-crraaaaaack"AGHH!", I scream as my ankle catches on the counter and flings me forward. I land in a pile of buckets. I am SO embarrassed. I get up immediately, but another crack fills the air as I feel my ankle break under pressure.

I really hope that he appreciates this.

[sbeeg]

Donovan Crater

This girl. Donovan never wants to see her again. He can see that she might not know about his problem but the way she keeps bolting around, popping in and out of doors and sending his heart rate flying it is almost like she is doing it on purpose. By the time she returns to the sweet shop Donovan doesn't even have enough control to leave and same himself. He was regaining some stability but she whirled back in sending adrenaline pumping his knees buckling. She flew over the counter and he though his head fell forward, his neck was on strike yet again.

Her scream and multiple, audible cracks pierce his ears. All Donovan can do at the moment is hold onto the counter in front of him and hope he keeps control over his fingers.

"You know what," He says between breaths, his fear creeping around his lungs and making them smaller with each breath. "I just want to get out of here." and away from you!

Donovan shifted his eyes so he could see the girl's face, which was difficult from his current position. He opened his mouth to ask for her help but quickly shut it. This girl was dangerous. He didn't want to be around her, he wanted her to leave! He wanted her far away so he never ran into her again. He wanted her reaped! No... no he wouldn't wish that fate on anybody, but she was getting close.

If Donovan felt like this, he wondered what the girl's other customers felt like. Or maybe that was why there weren't any other customers in the store.