The Third Annual Writer's Game: Roots

Natura Nihil Frustra Facit | Males

District Five - Leo Tolstoy

Leo Tolstoy hated the tightening feeling that occurred when the blood covering his hands began to dry. Although he sheltered in the mouth of the cave, he kept his arms out in the rain so the water would wash it away, scratching at the stains on his hands whilst the strange, darkening colour began to stain the ground. "Don't look at me like that," he murmured to the girl he sat beside him, her back leaning against the rough stone

Despite the warning, Calliope did not look away. Her storm-like eyes were fixed to Leo as he perched himself on the stone and rubbed desperately at his hands in order to get them clean. There was something judgmental about her gaze, a tinge that Leo did not like. "Don't look at me like that!" he ordered, scowling. When Calliope still did not move, he reached out and pulled on her ankle until she looked away. She still did not speak.

"You can say something, you know," continued Leo, even though there was anger and impatience beginning to grate at his voice. "You don't have to be so silent all the time. Stop making me talk."

Calliope simply kept her head turned, looking away. With a hesitant shrug, Leo finally returned to ignoring his ally whilst rubbing at his hands. Calliope had barely said anything since they had met, but when she did speak she had a voice that reminded him of a cool breeze. There was a bite to her tone, clipped syllables that suggested she would rather be anywhere other than talking to him. Leo did not complain – he knew that his tone was very similar and probably suggested the same sort of sentiment.

Even when the majority of the blood had been scrubbed from his skin, Leo's hands still remained red from being rubbed so raw. He bit his lip, a familiar scowl spreading across his face as he hid his hands in the sleeves of his jacket. There was a small noise echoing from the tree where Calliope was sitting, either the sound of the wind in the leaves or of the quiet girl sniggering at the sight of her unpleased ally. "Don't you dare laugh at me," pouted Leo, scowling even more at the sound of him being mocked. "All this blood – well, it just means I'm dangerous, doesn't it? People will be interested in me. They'll like me."

Calliope did not turn back to face Leo, but the sniggering-like sound continued. Leo sighed, staying on his knees and reaching out to pull on Calliope's shirt until she turned back to look him in the eye. "Stop laughing," he ordered, moving closer in order to push her on the shoulders and watch her head hit the rock wall behind her. The sniggering sound stopped.

At the silence, Leo smiled. The sight of his joy was becoming less rare as the Games continued and this time, the grin was even able to reach all the way to his eyes and give him a childish, fun-loving aura that he would have hated if he could see it. "I like you better when you're quiet," he commented, even daring to move closer to Calliope as she slid further down the tree trunk. "I don't like talkative people. They don't have secrets, but you do. There's something about you."

Calliope did not answer; Leo was close enough to count every single freckle that covered her face or to tame her ginger hair that had grown wild throughout her time in the arena, but he did not. He was confident enough to grow closer but he was not confident enough to touch, not yet. At the lack of response from his ally, Leo's smile fell suddenly. "You don't have to be secretive all the time," he added, the warmth leaving his voice as he sat on the ground and wrapped his arms around his knees. "Come on, Calliope, you're bugging me now. Do I have to kill you?"

At the threat, Calliope just watched Leo with her deep eyes. It was a look that seemed to suggest he was joking, as if she refused to take her new ally seriously. "I would!" argued Leo, like a child who was being doubted by a parent. "I mean, I could if I wanted to. There's nothing stopping me. You couldn't fight back anyway, because all you do is just sit there in silence. I've done it before!"