Random meeting and blood~Nick~

[Jack Lexington]

For a moment I allow my eyes to close as she explains what she’ll do with the medicine. Of course I don’t fancy her fumbling around on my infected wound that hurts considerably even if nobody touches it but I know it has to be done if I want to get better. It’s clear to me that Nitya is only acting in my best interest and frankly she could do anything to me after what she’s put herself through for me. It trust her more than myself.
“Go ahead.” I tell her and brace myself for what’s to come.
With my eyes still closed I can feel a strong burning sensation all along the cut caused by the disinfectant but keep as much of a straight face as I can. I last maybe one second before I start complaining and flinching away. “Holy shit, does that ever burn.” Counting down the seconds the burning sensation lasts much longer than I thought but eventually, after a minute that feels like ten, subsides.
“Gahh, hopefully that’s killed all the germs.”
I breath a sigh of relief and then listen to her story which instantly has me tense on a completely different level.
“You were caught by peace keepers? Did they hurt you? And your parents kicked you out?”
Instantly I blame myself for her mystery and all the trouble she’s in so I push myself up on my elbow and look at her with worry.
“Damn, Nitya. I never wanted to get you in trouble. I’m so sorry. This is going too far for you. If there are pks involved and your family is abandoning you…” I gasp because it’s horrible to think that the one person, who ahs been nothing but kind to me gets punished so badly for it.

Looking at the shot in her hands I demand. “When you’re done, go home and get things with your parents straightened out, please.”
I take her hand and look her in the eye. “You mean so much to me. You’re the kindest woman I know and I never felt this way about somebody before. I want you to be safe. I don’t want you in such trouble.”

[Nitya Demont]

My hands work as quickly as they can with the medicine while still trying to keep him comfortable. The thumping of my heart had calmed down considerably, so my hands were pretty steady. Still, it's only a few seconds before Nick is in pain. I try to hurry up the process, and it only takes a bit more time. "Alright, it's all on there," I say. "We'll do it again later." If he's going to get well, he needs all this medicine. I just hope that the burning gets less as he gets better. "That should've killed just about anything," I say softly.

Nick tenses, and I know questions are about to start coming. I remain silent as he lets them all out. "Yes, they caught me coming from the doctor's house," I say. "The only thing that hurt was them twisting my arms behind me to slap some handcuffs on. Come to think of it I haven't even looked at my wrists yet. Oh well. It's not important. I'm just glad that I made it back here." It's true, but it seems that I need to do some explaining about my parents.

"Nick, it's alright. My parents and I discussed it. I haven't actually been thrown out. We just need for it to look that way. It's safer for them that way. They still plan on helping us, but it's going to be done through my brothers or alternate ways. Kicking me out was just a ruse so that I could get back here." I pause for a moment; even though it isn't real, it still is strange thinking that I can't go back to my home for a while. "They know it's important to me. The pks think I'm foolish, but they don't. It's worth it."

"So you see, it's really alright. I just have to stay away from there for a while." He looks at me so intently as he speaks that I find myself blushing again. Hearing things like this is not something that I'm used to. It's nice; I feel special. "Nick, it's going to be alright. I will be safe; it's you we have to worry about. This is the district I grew up in after all; it will be easier on me especially since I have no prior anythings on my record." I pause for a moment to run my hand through his hair. "We shall get through this together."

I stand and go over to where I put the food. I pick out a few things and bring it back to the bed. "Here, you should eat. We need to get your strength back." For a moment, I consider laying down with him but instead I lean against the bed.

[Jack Lexington]

Nitya tells me about getting caught, which makes my breasth catch in my throat because I know what happens to so many people, who are getting caught for offenses. They get whipped publicly to set and example or yaken to the dc. In her case my past seems to work to her advantage though. Apparantly they think she's either another young foolish girl who has fallen for my charms or that I might have forced her to help me. Either way they let her off with a slap on the wrist, probably to follow her to me once she's set free.
"I think they let you off so easily because they can follow you to me. Are you really sure nobody was watching you when you came here?" I instantly become nervous because I have to picture what they'll do to me and that I might not get through it right now or ever see her again. I'm not even sure what would be worse.

At least her parents didn't really kick her out but agreed to let her brothers help, which is great news. "Thank goodness. You should not piss off your family."
Her hand is in my hair with supporting words which reminds me why I find her so great and it even puts a small smile on my lips.

The food however doesn't agree with me right now. "I'm not up for any food right now. Sorry, maybe later. I had some when you were gone."
My shirt is still rolled up so I wonder. "Are you done...what about that?" I hastily motion for the needle she had in her hand. It's not that I fancy getting that anywhere near me but I do fancy getting back on my feet soon so I can get away in case the peace keepers are closing in on us.

"We should make a plan what to do if they follow you here. How I can get away, where we would meet again and how you can safe yourself from trouble. Nitya, if they find you with me you'll be in a world of trouble. They'll whip you and throw you in detention. I don't want that to happen to you. You have to tell them that I forced you to help me...threatened you or something."

[Nitya Demont]

I was very cautious when I came back to Nick's, so I feel that we should be safe. "I'm sure. I was exceedingly careful. Besides, they would have made their move by now." I truly believe that. Why wait? We are obviously unable to get away, so I figure that they must be away from here. It's a relief because I don't know how we'd handle it if they weren't. Still, it probably is a good idea to have a plan of some sort.

"Yeah, I know I at least didn't piss of my parents or my brother Hammil. The other two I didn't see. Still, I doubt that they're pissed off." Of course I didn't know that for sure, and they were by far the most protective of me. That probably had something to do with us being closer in age. "Whatever happens, we have their help." It's something I really value; after everything that happened with Indigo, I couldn't imagine being completely out with my family.

When he refuses the food, I nod. It makes sense that he doesn't want anything right now. Quickly I finish up my small meal and pick up the needle. "I'll try to do this quickly," I say. Shots have never been my strong point, but I think I can do it without him feeling too much. I find a spot to stick it; then I start to inject the medicine. Hopefully it doesn't burn too much. "You are very brave, Nick," I say as I inject him.

I consider his words; he's definitely correct about that. "Part of it depends on how you're feeling. If you can walk, then there are a couple of caves hidden around the rock faces." I consider some of them. "We probably shouldn't stay together though. I'm faster, so I can create a diversion of some sort." For a moment I pause to think. "You can also walk in the water to hide your footprints. We can meet in one of the caves or in one of the other abandoned shacks around here."

The talk of a plan is much easier for me to handle than talk about what to do if we get captured. "I'm not afraid, Nick. I know you care, but I'm not going to let you take punishment alone. It was my choice to help you, and I will accept what consequences there are for that. You are important to me. Lying to them is like letting them win." Honestly, I don't know where that last bit came from; I almost feel like I'm in the Games speaking like this, but it's the truth. "Look, we are getting through this together." Then I give him a kiss.

[Jack Lexington]

Nitya assures me that she's been very careful so nobody could follow her and I trust her to know when she's being followed. This puts me a little at ease.
The girl has eaten just as little as I have so while I draw my blanket closer around me because another shiver runs down my back and shakes me a little I watch her gobble up the food that she more than deserves. She must have been starving judging by the speed she's eating at.

When she's done the worst part awaits me because I have a real aversion against needles. Yet I put a brave face on because I desperately want to get better since it might safe my skin. I push back the blanket and turn onto my side again while I lift my shirt.
Nitya doesn't look overly comfortable doing it either so I nod. "Just do it." For a moment I tell myself not to look but when her hand touches my skin I can't help but lift my head and watch what she's doing. The sensation is anything but pleasant and burns under my skin but I don't flinch nor do I make a sound. When she's done I let my head drop back onto the pillow and cover my shaking limbs with the thick woolen blanket.
"Hopefully this will do the trick."

Her plan of what to do in case we get detected sounds reasonable, yet I hate it because it puts her in danger again so I quickly grab her hand so she has to look at me and ask her. "Nitya, you need to promise me something. If they find us here together, you pick up your feet and you run! There's no use in both of us getting detained. So promise me to run and hide! Please. If you don't promise me anything else...please."
Her kiss shuts me up quickly. Closing my eyes I enjoy it and join in. Softly my lips caress hers and my hand slides behind her neck and pulls her close.
"Why don't you lie down and keep me warm?"

The next two days is filled with worry about getting detected. One time we even kill the lights and hide out back because we think somebody might be coming. Nitya fuzzes about me and makes sure I'm getting better and I do although I'm not sure whether it's the antibiotics that she keeps shooting into me or her tender loving touch. A bit of both I guess.
By the time the second day comes around my fever is gone and the wound barely red anymore. I manage to get up and walk around for a few minutes at a time and develop hunger again.

In the late morning I step outside of the house and let my eyes scan the meadow in front of the house. The bushes and grass are covered in a nice white coat of frozen morning dew. It's a pretty sight and I can see my breath out in the cold air. The sun looks strangely orange today.
Behind me Nitya steps out so I put my arm around her and mumble. "Nice morning but really cold. It should snow soon."

[Nitya Demont]

I have a slight headache, but once I finish eating, it disappears. I'm going to have to make sure I eat regularly; having both of us with problems would not be good. For a moment, I look at my wrists and see that there are a few marks from the handcuffs. Quickly, I let the sleeves of my jacket fall back over them. It isn't anything serious, but I see no point in calling attention to them.

It's hard to tell who is the most relieved that the shot is done. It's probably him, but it is still hard doing that to somebody even if it is to help save their lives. I put the needle in a bag away from the others; I don't want us to grab it by mistake. Then, I gently rub his shoulders. "I'm sure it will." I have faith that the doctor gave us just what we needed. He is going to be just fine.

My eyes barely meet his as he asks me to run if they catch us. It goes against everything I know and believe in to do something like that. Normally I would refuse such a request, but he is practically begging me. He has asked so little of me, and though I know it will be hard for me to keep the promise, I know I've got to. "Nick, you don't know what you're asking of me. I swore that I would never run if there was someone in danger. It goes against everything that is in me." I look down at the ground and take a deep breath. "However, you've asked me for little, so I will do as you ask. Know that I will always come back for you though."

When he touches my neck, I feel my entire body melt against him. I slowly slip in next to him where I kiss him again and let our body heat warm us.

Two days pass, but at times it feels like two weeks. I sneak out once to get a refresh on supplies from my brother which are extraordinarily helpful. It seems that everything is alright with my family. As predicted, my other brothers were not as quick to agree with me as Hammil. In fact, they wanted to drag me back, but I guess Hammil explained and helped them see how important it was to me that I keep Nick safe.

It's hard to deal with the worry of getting caught. The night we have to hide out of worry is one that is hard for both of us. However, we make it through. Other than that, I just try to take care of Nick the best way I know how. I feel myself growing closer to him with each moment that passes, and because of that, my fear over what will happen if he is caught grows as well. Of course, once he begins to show signs of regaining strength, I am able to relax a bit more.

His fever goes, and he is able to walk around. It's a good sign, and it means that escaping will be a lot easier if the need arises. At times, it is easier for me to simply push all of that out of my mind. Dwelling on it only takes away from the time I get to spend with Nick.

One morning, I step outside behind him, and his arm goes around me. It is amazing how natural it feels now. Before it just felt strange. Now, I rather like it. It makes me feel safe. "Snow might be nice," I say. Of course, it will add some more problems on us. Still, I always have enjoyed the snow. It will give the pks problems in other parts of the district. It always does. "It kind of feels like we've always lived here even though it's only been two days," i say more to myself than to him.

[Jack Lexington]

A smile crosses my lips because I was just wondering what it would be like to spend my time here with her. If things blow over I could fix up the house some more so it actually becomes more comfortable and less desolate. We could spend our days together, maybe even some nights...that is if the pks don't find us.
My facial hair hides most of my face by now but they would probably still recognise me.

"It does feel longer...like home." I state in a quiet tone. The past days when I was confined to my bed gave me a lot of time to think about things, especially stuff that I have done in the past that I'm not especially proud of and that this here might be my second chance.
With my eyes wandering over the muddy grey fields I stated those thoughts. "Do you think this could be my second chance? My second try to make things better?"
I finally turn my head to look at her and explain what I mean. "I've made so many mistakes before and then I had this accident, which could have cost me my life but instead I met you who stood by my side and showed me what a good person would do. Maybe this is my chance to better myself."
I give her a weak smile because my words also imply my regrets about what I've done to others.

Nitya is starting to change me, I can feel that. "Usually I never let anybody get close to me. Before that happens I leave. With you I didn't have a chance to leave because I couldn't get up and it happened sp fast." I joke a little but deep down I'm serious. "You're getting to me, Nit."

Again I turn my head to look out across the fields to make sure nobody is coming. Then I have to sit down in the old chair outside that last summer was still occupied by this particular young man, who kept coming here.
I still can't stay on my feet very long but I'm grateful that things are looking much better now thanks to Nitya and the doctor.
"What did your brother say, when you met him?" I ask about yesterday because I was asleep when she came back to the cabin. "Are they still staking out your home?"

[Nitya Demont]

He echoes my feelings, and I wonder what it would be like to stay here with him. It feels like we were meant to be here. Is this what it would be like in the mornings if I did stay with him? It's definitely something I could get used to. I shake my head quickly;I don't need to be thinking about those kinds of things right now. There's plenty of time for that, and I'm still a little hesitant about letting myself feel things like this. I'm grateful when he starts to talk again so I can think about what he says.

Of course, I don't hesitate to answer. "I think it could be a new chance. You know, whatever mistakes you might have made or think you made, brought you to this point. I think it probably happened for a reason. Honestly, despite what the pks may think, you are a wonderful person in my eyes. You want to change, that is always the first step. I don't think that I had anything to do with it. It was inside of yourself." What I say sounds a bit cheesy at the end to my own ears, but it is what I believe to be true about him.

What he says next has me thinking. The beginning part is true of me as well. I don't let people get close to me, but I think it is for different reasons. He is the first to get me even close to talking about things; it's not something I do at all. I don't leave, but I don't really let others come close. "You've already gotten to me, Nick," I whisper softly. Then, I move a little way away and hug myself. I know the action closes me off a little, but I'm not used to sharing my feelings this way. My face flushes, and I feel like I'm being such a 'girl' about this.

My eyes follow him once I turn around again. He looks to see if we are being watched, but we aren't. I wonder how long it will take for the pks to kind of let this blow over. It won't ever go away completely, but it also doesn't look good for them if they keep looking for us. It's hard to say what will happen.

He asks about what happened when I met my brother. For a moment I get a little sad thinking about what I'm putting my family through, but they support me. Besides, it was good to see him. "They are still watching the house, but it isn't a constant thing now. Since I don't go back there and it isn't out of place for my brothers to leave, they don't seem to think anything is going on. Besides, my father did a pretty convincing acting job throwing me out." I pause for a moment. "He wanted to know how long we plan on staying here." That has been a question that hasn't had an answer.

[Jack Lexington]

This is the first conversation we had without being under extreme stress for a while and it's the most open and honest one. My cards are on the table but I do notice the subtle changes in her posture when she confesses that I have gotten to her, which makes a quick smile rush across my features before it vanishes again. I'm glad that I seem to have found a way into her heart as well but she doesn't seem overly happy with it either. Maybe she's just as insecure as I am about true feelings. Instead of questioning her about it I leave her be.

When she talks about her family another subtle change happens, which tells me that there are some regrets somewhere inside of her that she's hiding. Maybe I should encourage her again to join her family but I'm sure her answer would be the same as before.
"Are you asking me?" I wonder whether she wants a definite answer from me in regards to how long we're staying.

My gaze shifts from her back to the cabin door. "That's actually a good question. I think we should not stay in one place for too long as long as they are still actively searching for me." The fact that I've put myself in such a bad position angers me. My expression becomes grim while I share my feelings with Nitya. "I've been roaming around for years now and I've never been discovered as a wanderer, you know, a border crosser. How could I be so stupid...?" If I think about it I wasn't stupid because I have never told anybody, not even Nitya, that I'm not from district 4, which is makes me wonder how on earth they found out? Are there mug shots of me in all public stations in Panem or "How on earth did they know?"
I wrinkle my brow and for a very brief moment wonder whether I might have told anybody. Did I maybe tell Nitya while I was telling her some of my secrets? Did she give it away? No, she wouldn't do that.

Suddenly a rustling sound from the meadow startles me and makes me freeze and my head whirl around. A second later I spot a man coming towards my home from behind a few bushes. He's dressed in dark clothes and a hat and running. I can't see more because I jump up much faster than I should and run inside to grab the old rifle that I've found in the cabin. Even if it doesn't shoot straight any more it will scare the crap out of this man.

Ignoring the pain that has instantly flared up in my side I hurry back outside and lift the rifle to my eye line while I point it straight at the young guys head, who is now within shooting distance.
"Stop! Not one step further!" I yell at him because I have no idea who he is. He could be a bounty hunter or one of the coast guards out for a quick reward for all I know.
Carefully I move in front of Nitya to protect her in case I have to.


OOC: take a wild guess who this could be

[Nitya Demont]

I'm scared. There is no fighting that. At the same time, I'm excited for what might come next. Still, I know that now that Nick has gotten to me, I'm so much more vulnerable with him than I have been in a long time. The thought is very disconcerting to me especially since it isn't like I fling my feelings about all willy nilly. That means that he must be extremely special to me. Of course, I realize that now I'll probably be even more protective of him, but it probably wouldn't be noticeable to anyone but me. For that, I was thankful.

"No, I'm not asking you," I tell him honestly. It doesn't seem like something that will have a concrete answer at this point. It's still to early, and my family and I both understand that. My brother's question came out of worry which I understand, but my place is with Nick. I told him that we would get through this together, and I am not making the we a him. There's just too much at stake for both of us, and I care too much for him to do that.

He speaks, and I nod at what he says. "There are many places along this area that are abandoned or hidden. We could choose one of them." I'm not keen on moving too far away since that would mean we'd have to try and go without being spotted. I'd been caught once, I wasn't keen to get caught again. "You weren't stupid. We couldn't have predicted how that shark attack would play out," I tell him. It's what I've been telling myself too; I still feel as though I could've done more somehow. I'm not sure if that's what he means by stupid, but that's where my mind goes because that's where I feel stupid. With a sigh, I turn to face him. "Who is to know? I think I heard somebody say something about one of your marks obviously not being from this district." I'm not entirely sure since it had been said in another room, but that was what I could remember.

The noise causes us both to look in the direction of the sound. The figure makes me turn cold. It doesn't look like that of a pk, but that doesn't mean it isn't dangerous. Quickly, I grab the spear that I keep nearby. At the same time, I see Nick return from the house with a rifle. Hopefully, he will not need to use it.

His voice rings out, and I can feel the intensity behind it. My grip tightens on my spear, and I am ready to attack. Nick moves in front of me, and I feel a tug at my heart. "Please don't let it be a pk," I whisper to myself.

Note: I was going to try to make a funny answer, but I'm too tired.

[Jack Lexington]

All my senses are sharp and alert from one second to the next as I stand with the rifle on my shoulder aiming at the intruder. If I've ever felt weak or bad it's all gone for now.
I can feel my chest rise and fall as I watch him stop for a moment. He doesn't seem very cautious as he doesn't raise his hands to show us that he's not going to try anything. Instead he looks up at us from the distance. Under the hood of his coat I can't see his face, only a nose.
"It's me." He says in a low tone but I'm pretty sure I've never heard his voice before.

My finger curls around the trigger and I close one eye to aim while my breathing becomes faster. If he doesn't stop I'll have to shoot. "I said stop!" I yell again when he suddenly pushes back his hood and reveals his face.
"What, you're going to shoot me? I'm bringing you supplies!" He yells back angrily.

His facial features are very similar to Nityas. The high cheekbones, dark hair, thin nose. If I had to guess I'd say they are related. For a short moment I cast a glance at her to see her reaction. "You know this guy?"

[Nitya Demont]

From behind him, I can't see anything about the figure. Is it a pk, a bounty hunter, what? The questions swirl. Then I hear the voice. My eyes widen in recognition, and I quickly put a hand on Nick to stop him from shooting while coming out from behind him. My spear drops to the ground, and as Nick yells at him to stop my brother pulls back his hood. I can't believe he wore that. He told mother he hated it, so I would never have guessed it was him under the cloak. His reaction to almost being shot at is not a good one, and I wish that I had been able to show pictures of my family to Nick. Still, even I have to admit that he did look suspicious.

He looks to me, and I nod when he asks if I know him. "Yes. Nick, that is my brother Titus." For a moment I am silent as I stare at my brother and he looks at Nick and me. I wish it had been Hammil as he is the most accepting of what I'm doing. However, at least now Nick knows what at least one of my family members look like. "Give me a sec," I tell Nick as I run to my brother. It's unusual that he is here as none of them have ever ventured to Nick's place, and we just had a delivery of supplies not long ago. I have to wonder if this is just business, or if there is some other motive whether it be bringing new or information gathering is anybody's guess.

"Titus," I say bowing my head slightly to him. He nods at me though he is still glaring a bit at Nick. "Stop that," I tell him. "He didn't know it was you. Come to that, neither did I. What are you wearing that thing for?"

"I've been telling you it would be better if we disguised ourselves a bit."
"Yes, as if you don't look suspicious in that," I counter. For a moment we glare at one another, and then we wrap one another in a hug.
"Don't worry. I wasn't followed or anything. With the cold, people are going about in these anyway," he told her.
"What are you doing here?" I ask him concerned at what it is that he might have to tell me.
"A couple reasons," he tells me. For the most part his face still looks positive, so I'm not scared.
"Dad and of course the three of us decided we needed to meet Nick. When you couldn't tell Hammil how long you were going to be here, we decided it was about time that we met the person you're living with. He's willing to protect you, I'll say that much for him. Also, the pks didn't come around our house today, and it's the day they usually come. We aren't sure what that means though. Oh, and I brought you some more food and some extra things. It's still supposed to get colder from what the fishers say."
I nod. None of these things are bad news. Alright, so I don't want him spying on Nick and I, but it was inevitable that they would meet him eventually. However, I didn't know what to think of the news about the pks not coming by our house. They could just be lulling us into a false sense of security, or they could be concentrating on another spot. It was very hard to decide.
"You need to meet Nick," I say at least taking Titus's hand.

"Nick," I say as I come up. "this is my brother Titus. Titus this is Nick." I'm not sure what will happen next, but I hope that they manage to get on.
"Nick, it is a pleasure to mee tyou."

[Jack Lexington]

As dangerous as it was for her brother to come here as clever was he to wear a hood. The one thing that worries me is that he found his way here. I guess Nitya described it...just in case.
Lowering my rifle I set it down on the wooden boards next to me and watch the scene in front of me unfold. The two bicker back and forth for a bit like true siblings do and then hug. It's a heart warming hug. They love each other and are very fond of each other, like siblings should. Me, I never even met my siblings.

I overhear them say that they decided that they wanted to meet me, which is only fair since their sister is staying with me and risking her life.
He still gives me that odd look, like I'm some dangerous animal, that has taken his sister captive but eventually he comes over and is introduced to me as Titus.
I look him in the dark eyes and shake his hand. "Pleasure's all mine, Titus. I'm Nick."
The attempt of a smile fails as I feel the need to sit down because I'm still having a hard time standing. Yet I do.
"So you came to see who your sister is so dedicated to?" I state the obvious but make sure not to say it in a sarcastic way.
"That's only fair. C'mon in." I motion for the house and wait for him to enter. Then I slowly follow and give Nitya a short reassuring look to let her know I'll be on my best behavior.

Inside I lower myself onto a chair as I don't want to seem weak and lying in bed.
"It is very kind of Nitya to take such great care of me. She's the reason I'm still alive but I'd also like to thank you and and your family for your support."
He must be weary. Most likely he thinks I'm taking advantage of her. "I can assure you that everything she does is on her own free will and I only want her best."
Is that really true? If I only wanted her best she wouldn't be anywhere near me and the danger I'm in.

For a moment I look over at her and offer her a gentle smile. Hopefully she knows what she means to me. Her eyes tell a thousand stories. They seem to know it all, like she can see right through the bullshit and into my heart.

[Nitya Demont]

I watch Titus closely. His eyes seem to be scanning Nick, and I know he is trying to figure things out and decide just how much he can trust Nick. It's almost like I've brought a date home for the first time, but we are at Nick's place; I almost smack Titus but feel that this would probably not improve things. It makes me relax when he introduces himself to Nick and when Nick responds. At least the introductions are done with, but I worry about what may happen next. As I've told Nick, my older brothers are extremely protective of me. Again I wish it had been Hammil that came, but I know why it was Titus. Of the three, he will be the most difficult to impress. I keep my mouth shut about that though; Nick doesn't need to know that.

I listen back into what it is that Nick is saying. He is being very nice for which I'm thankful; I don't doubt him, but I know things need to go well. Slowly, I take in a deep breath. There is no reason to be nervous; we've just got to be ourselves. Titus should be able to see how much I care for Nick, so now he just needs to form an opinion of Nick. It looks as though it will probably be a good one; at least I hope it will.

"Yes, actually I did," Titus responds. From what he can tell so far, the guy at least has some manners, and he can tell why the brothers want to meet him. He steps into the house, which isn't very big, but there are only two occupying it at this moment. Seeing how Nitya looks, while she is a little thinner, she doesn't look as though she is starving or unhappy. That is a good sign and one of the first things that he is glad to see. Usually it was Hammil or Gauis that brought supplies, so he hadn't had much opportunity to gauge how his little sister was handling this.

It is obvious to Titus that Nick is not fully healed. However, given what he knew about the wound, it wasn't surprising. He listened as the guy complimented his sister. At least he realized that what she was doing was no small thing, and he liked how Nick recognized the family. So far this guy seemed alright. "Nitya's always been a kind person," he said looking over at his sister with some affection. "Well, when my parents and Hammil saw how much you obviously meant to her, we couldn't do anything but help. Besides, we are against what the Capitol does to wanderers. Not openly of course, but you know how that is."

At his next comment, Titus grows serious. As a brother, it was something he had been concerned about, and while it didn't seem that Nitya was being taken advantage of, he did still feel a slight warning was in order. No one would be taking advantage of his sister. "I should hope so because if we ever got the sense that you were forcing her into anything, we would not be so friendly at all." It wasn't much of a warning, but he didn't want to make a big scene or anything like that. Besides, he got the feeling Nick would understand where he was coming from as a brother.

Titus watched as Nick looked over at Nitya. The guy did care for his sister, that much was clear. Still, he had put her and their family into quite a bit of danger. He decided not to give a full pass yet. There were a few things he was waiting to see and find out. For now, he watched his sister to see how she would react.

My face was already blushing as Nick talked about me. When I saw my brother's head start to turn, I tried to stop the color in my cheeks. A smile was on my face when Nick smiled at me. My eyes look deep into his, and I hope he can tell what it is that I'm thinking. I hope he can see how much I want to be with him and be with him for him and no other reason than that. "Shall I get you all anything?" I ask gently.

[Jack Lexington]

As we sit down I start getting nervous. Obviously her brother is not here to support us but make sure she's not being held against her will and am I treating her right. Given my background of using girls to my advantage without considering what they want that's a true concern although he doesn't know. Yet it makes me nervous because it raises the question for myself whether I'm just using her..despite my feelings for her.

He gives me a warning that they wouldn't stand back and watch me treat her wrong. Of course they wouldn't. They are her family. "That's only fair enough. I know you will look out for her.

He also states that they are against what the capitol does to wanderers. "I didn't know that there is a term for 'us'." I state in a low voice. "What exactly does the capitol do to wanderers?" I wonder and then add a little lost in thought. "Make you wonder why on earth it's such a big crime to leave your district..what are they hiding? I mean the other districts around 4 are not that different. Just a little poorer."
Of course the capitol tried to keep us sperate to prevent information from travelling but besides that I didn't know."

As I exchange a glance with Nitya I can tell that she is happy her brother is here. "You two are pretty close, aren't you?" I ask letting my eyes wander from one to the other to see the smiliarities not only in their features but also their gestures. Instantly I wonder whether I me and my siblings share such resemblances.
She smiles at me and asks whether she can get us anything but I only shift a little in my seat placing my elbow on the table to get some weight off my right side that is still very sore.
"No, thank you. Not for me." I reply a little more polite than I usually would.

When she hurries away to the sink I lower my voice and lean forward. "I know you want to make sure she's okay. I assure you that I don't intend to harm her but I know she's in danger because of me."
It takes a moment for me to work up the gutts to state the next thing. "I have strong feelings for her. Therefore I think she'd be better off if she was back home. I'm able to walk by myself again. Maybe it's time you take her home."
My eyes almost plead with him. Then I shoot a quick glance at Nitya, who hopefully didn't hear me.