Ezra Agiris, originally from District 6, shipped off to the Capitol with the other unfortunate souls that are yet again forced to participate in another years round of the most brutal emotional, physical and psychological torture any human being can endure. Also known as The Hunger Games
I'd just like to explain myself a little bit here even though I already messaged the admins.
Especially to Piper, I'm sorry my activity has been absolutely, appallingly terrible. The reason for this is that I'm a senior and I've only got a month of school left which means I'm really putting my all into the assignments I'm getting. This requires a lot of my time that I'd otherwise love to be spending here, and on top of school work, I've got my job to maintain AND extra curricular senior stuff. Once summer comes I can assure you I'll be on a lot more and make up for the time lost at the moment, but until then I'm doing my best to stay active all the while getting the best marks I can achieve. Sorry for any and all inconveniences.
Piper, I'll post my reply tomorrow. I'm simply waaaay too exhausted right now to stay awake any longer after writing this. That's all, I guess... good night for now!
Ezra blinked at her, for a moment unable to find the will to speak. God, why was he so pathetic? His eyes went over her faint freckles, the same ones he noticed all those times ago when she showed up at his doorstep for his mom. He liked those best, next to her eyes. There was something about those big, brown eyes of hers that made him smile and forget the world. No one had features quite like hers and he treasured the fact that he was one of the small few who would ever get to gaze upon her with such admiration.
"U-Uh, yes, I-I mean no--I mean yes I'm fine, but I'm not scared. You just startled me is all." She nodded, trying to sound as convincing as possible because in reality his heart was about to jump out of his chest. "I'm just glad you're not coughing up any water. That would be bad..." Obviously it would be bad. What was he thinking? Stating the obvious, what a fool. Ezra had never felt more stupid than he did now and his recovery was quickly slipping further away every time he opened his mouth. When Piper stood it was almost a relief because it gave him time to breath and calm himself, but quickly that changed as she stole the breath right out of him.
He didn't mean to look, but she was right there. And her clothes were there, too, and they were wet, and... and.... sticking to her. A deep blush cascaded over his pale cheeks instantaneously Quickly, Ezra lowered his eyes as to not look like a pervert--and he wasn't, he'd just never seen a girl like that before. He felt his body stiffen an his cheeks continued to heat up, so he made the most logical decision he could conjure up and dunked himself under the water completely. Hopefully this would cool him off in certain areas and allow the blush to recede. He was quickly back up to the surface unaware of the color his cheeks were now. Hopefully they were just his regular skin tone and if not, well, maybe he could blame it on the sun?
I like your shorts.
Ezra glanced down, looking at his shorts that had become rather wrinkled due to the water. He found it kind of interesting how each fold kept so still even though the current of the stream pushed east. "Thanks," he pressed his lips together, looking her over to find something to compliment back when really he could go on for hours about the things he liked about her. He could easily say he liked her shirt, but it stuck to her breasts and therefor she might think he meant it provocatively. "I like your hair." He blurted out without thinking although it was anything but a lie. Maybe it wasn't the compliment she hoped for, if she did hope for one in the first place, but it was the best he could do with his embarrassment growing larger. Lifting a hand, Ezra ran his fingers over her hair and smiled at the softness. He followed his hand down to the ends of her strands before looking at her directly in the eye. Oh god. What was he doing?! Pulling his hand back, Ezra jerked away and stood up tall, clearing his throat, "sorry."
Ezra watched her go, a smile playing on his face. Once Piper was out of sight, Ezra let out a sigh. Half relief, half disappointed. He decided to take this moment of her absence to talk himself into relaxation. "You're..." Her looked down at his own reflection on the water. "Not dressed. You're not dressed. This is embarrassing." Only now did Ezra realize that maybe Piper had taken his undressing the wrong way. He didn't have any intention but to swim and clean himself off, honestly, and he figured she knew that, but what if she didn't? That could mean trouble for him. He was an orphan boy, any status was higher than his in District 6 which meant Piper had the favor if she decided to switch around the story. She wasn't like that, Ezra knew, or liked to pretend he knew. He didn't know her as well as he liked to think, but even so, he'd been drawn to her from the beginning.
When Piper returned, Ezra lifted his head to look at her and smiled. He didn't say anything, but the effort it had taken for her to let the bunny go was plain on her face. Truth be told, he felt sorry for her. Maybe... he could make her something like what he was making for the little girl in the orphanage, but of Mr. Bunny. Piper would like that, wouldn't she? Or maybe it would make her sad and she'd always associate those bad feelings with him. Ezra had noticed that he had become very fickle with every decision involving Piper. He weighed his options, but ultimately just wanted to make her happy. He felt like slapping himself. She didn't know him... not really and he was being stupid even thinking she thought about him at all. Still, watching her climb into the cool water was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen.
Her legs, pale and long, looked more smooth than anything he had ever seen before. It was safe to say his infatuation was quickly growing. A blush cascaded over Ezra's cheeks when he realized he'd been staring at her legs for about two minutes straight and he quickly averted his eyes. He probably looked like some pervert now. Great.
Splash.
He turned his attention to her direction once he heard her scream. Ezra's eyes grew wide in surprise and he almost chuckled, but it quickly registered that she couldn't swim. Jumping forward, Ezra kicked his legs as hard as he could, his arms moving like windmills to push himself forward through the water. He was a good swimmer, strong and experienced. He'd been sneaking off to this place for a long time now. As soon as he was in range, Ezra dived under the surface to see if she was caught on anything and found no anchor holding her down. That was a relief. He took the fish in his palms and sent it away from them before hooking an arm around her torso and swimming upward. He broke from the surface, the extra weight sending him down again only for Ezra to kick harder so both their heads were above the water.
"A-Are you okay?" He asked, his voice having gone timid.
He couldn't believe it. Here he was with the girl of his dreams holding her close to him on an accidental circumstance. The most important thing that mattered was her safety though and she was safe in his arms. He would never let anything happen to her.
"Meeting new people can usually be exciting, but I think you own his affections." Ezra said more confidently in reply to her comment about Mr. Bunny liking him more. It was clear the rabbit was used to the brunette girl, and she, it. He brushed his auburn locks back with a large, thin, dirty hand and pressed his lips together as he noticed the red hue on her cheeks. It was hard to see under the drying mud, but it was there nonetheless and Ezra had caught sight of it. It made him feel... wait--how did he know it was a blush? For all he knew it could have been a light sunburn because she had fair skin--very fair skin, in fact. Shaking his head, he lowers his gaze momentarily to the rabbit. "I think you might be burning," He gestures a hand to her face, "shade will do you good."
The sound of her feet moving behind him sent a stupid grin to his lips. She was coming. She was actually willing to spend time with him. Or maybe he was being conceded and she just wanted to wash up. Either way it left the two of them alone with a chance for him to steal glances and possibly hear her voice. He liked the way she talked, soft and sometimes unsure. It was sweet.
Once he was sure the water was just right, Ezra sat down and plucked a splinter from the ball of his left foot. Then, she resumed his previous delight of sticking his feet back into the spring. He listened to Piper talk and honestly, he thought it was sad... her words reminded him of his parents. They left without saying goodbye and no, it wasn't fair. He averted his eyes to the water that seemed to steal his thoughts away. The small current that pulled the waves east somehow appealed to him right now. "I assume you'd still like to say goodbye... if it makes you feel any better, he'll be happy here. Clean water, plenty of vegetation. And if he stays, you can visit him whenever you'd like." He didn't smile or frown, just simply kept a warm expression. Pulling his feet from the spring once more, Ezra stood up and pulled his shirt over his head, then his pants from his legs, leaving him in light blue loose shorts. He dropped his clothes to the ground and looked at Piper with a smile. "I also assume you'll like some privacy." He cocked his eyebrows and in seconds he was leaping off the bank and disappearing into the spring.
When he hit the water it was the best feeling he'd ever gotten apart from being only inches from Piper. It was cool and refreshing and he could feel the mud slipping off of his body. Add that plus the fact he'd just done the boldest thing he'd ever had the courage to do, and he was on cloud nine. He played the confident card well in those few undressing seconds and the avid beating of his heart told him it payed off. He swam up to the surface and let out a content sigh, waving his arms slowly back and forth to keep himself afloat.
hello my sensual love biscuits. since i has para’s with you guise and someone hasn’t been ol much recently, i have courageously decided that i, piper zyas will, from now on, head out into the snowy wilderness on my own. i don’t know how it…
hello my sensual love biscuits. since i has para’s with you guise and someone hasn’t been ol much recently, i have courageously decided that i, piper zyas will, from now on, head out into the snowy wilderness on my own. i don’t know how it would come to that, but if ever one of you guise will return and miraculously finish our said para, please make it so that you guise will hunt for my head so that i will run for my life and probably end up under the bridge with ezra, my dearest love.
i will be writing self-para’s and probably run into the career pack if skylar would permit me to. and from there, i would hope that she too, would hunt for my head. then, if anyone else who just sits by looking at our depressing dash wants to para, im here, doing the exact same thing you’re doing.
i hope you guise would kindly consider my request.
thank you.
yours forever and always,
piper zyas of district 6
Ezra smiled once Piper was on her feet, but it quickly faded once she voiced her notice of him holding the bunny. He blinked once, his eyes wider when he opened the again. He raised his eyebrows, releasing her hand, though he really didn't want to. "O-Oh, is he yours?" Ezra asked, pulling him gently from his arms to hold the bunny out to her. He didn't know which he wanted to laugh at more, the fact that the bunny's name was Mr. Bunny or how adorable Piper looked covered in mud from head to toe. If there were any onlookers around them, they'd probably think he and Piper were giant mole rats that just came out of the ground or something. He couldn't help but chuckle at his own thoughts, but quickly shut himself up for fear of looking more like a fool in front of this girl. "He was, um, running--er hopping away. I didn't know where he came from, but I heard you, um..." He was reluctant to say crying. "So I caught him. I think he likes you better." Ezra offered a smile, gesturing his hand lazily to her and the bunny with his ending words. He wiped the mud that began to cascade down his cheeks from his face with the back of his hand and let out a breath of fresh air.
"If you'd like, there's a stream just behind here... I was going to wash up. You're welcome to use the water as well, it's quite clean." Ezra's voice was awkward and clouded with infatuation. He tried hard not to let it show. Something about Piper really intrigued him, like he was seeing a girl for the first time. Still, he didn't feel worthy of her company. He was just a poor orphan boy, not good enough for anything, or at least that's how he felt. He nodded with his head for Piper to follow before turning his back to her and starting towards the stream. The mud on his skin felt cool, causing a contrasting temperature to the blazing sun that beat down on them. It was nice.
Twigs crunched under his bare feet, irritating his skin with every step. Ezra made an effort to ignore it needless to say he was sure he had a splinter or two by now. He pushed thin branches aside to clear a path and held a few aside for Piper. A part of him could hardly believe he was alone with her and the other part was nagging at him to say something--anything. All his life he'd hidden himself from her, nervous that he'd say the wrong thing when he'd never really tried to speak in the first place. He was always too shy. The spring came into view and grew closer and closer with every step until he was standing at the bank beside it. "Welcome to paradise." He smiled nervously, hoping he didn't sound too stupid. "Can I, um... ask you something?" He didn't mean to let his voice carry the anxiousness that seeped through in his tone, but it couldn't be helped. "What were you doing out here with him?" He nodded his head at the bunny as he dipped one foot into the water to test its coolness.
The sunlight kissed her waking face good morning. The season was mid-spring and that meant Piper could sleep as late as she wanted. She felt particularly happy and hadn’t had an idea as to why. It was just that kind of happiness that bubbled inside your stomach and slowly lodged itself by your heart. The kind of happiness where nothing could possibly put you down. Her blanket that wrapped around her felt a lot more comfortable than she remembered and her pillows softer than normal. The chirping birds seemed to drown the usual heavy sounds of machinery at work in the distance and she could hear the faint whoosh of the wind outside. The sky was blue and she smiled, she loved cloudless skies more than anything. She admired how the colors were just…there. The longer she would look at it from her window the wider her smile came to be.
The snapping of small twigs filled Ezra's ears as the unknown bunny escaped. Ezra placed the wooden bear and his knife beside him, pulling his legs from the water and forced himself up into a standing position. He didn't bother putting his shoes on again as he moved toward the sound approaching him. Suddenly it stopped and all fell silent with the exception of small sobs. He knew she was crying. A slight movement caught the corner of his eye. Ezra turned, bending down to a kneeling position as he stuck his hand out slowly and rubbed his fingers together. He made a small ticking sound with his tongue against the roof of his mouth, edging closer to the creature. His eyes caught sight of the clipped ear. It was no wonder this rabbit was terrified, it had been treated cruelly by someone. The cut was too clean to be done by an animal, that was evident.
Two small steps closer and Ezra was reaching for its small body. He was sure he had it when the small critter went hopping off. Ezra hurried to chase after it, holding his hands with his fingers spread and his thumbs together. He kept them hovering over the bunny as he chased it, ready to close in on its plump body when the time was right. He ignored the irritating poking of sticks and rocks under his bare feet as he went; he was surprised by the speed this thing was going at.
Ezra wanted to turn back and find the brunette girl whose voice he'd recognized, but somehow something told him to pursue the rabbit. One big leap forward and Ezra was in the air, falling quickly as he closed his hands around the rabbits body. He hit the ground hard, scraping his chin in the moist soil while the rest of the dirt soaked into his clothes. "Nice." He murmured to himself, sliding his feet through the mud so he was on his knees. He pet the bunny with dirty hands, adding some filth to its fur and taking away some with each pet. "Shh..." He shushed the rabbit, pulling it into his chest as he stood and began his small walk back to the stream where he planned to carefully clean it. Its fur was soft despite the drying mud that was becoming a hard casing over the different colored strands. He ran his fingers along its long ear and then the other one that had been cut short. Its nose twitched every second, something Ezra thought was amusing. He found himself smiling for the first time since his parents had died two days ago.
Arriving at the spring, Ezra knew it would only be a matter of time before Piper made her appearance. He decided he'd wait for her and in the mean time, try and look presentable. He bent down, dipping his hand in the water, then bringing it to the rabbits fur, stroking the mud clean out. Ezra himself looked like a six year old who had just climbed out of a mud pit after spending three whole days rolling around inside. Unfortunately for him, he wasn't always a patient man unless it was crucial. It had taken so long to clean the bunny that he almost forgot he was dirty too. "Let's see how well you can do at cheering up a pretty girl." He whispered to the animal, petting it again as he started off in the direction of Piper's sobbing. Ezra whispered little nothings to the rabbit, speaking soothingly like he would to Flay when he would give her the wooden bear. He even confided his darkest secrets into the depths of its long ears. One of which included a little something about the girl he was currently seeking out. Ezra used these words to provide confidence in himself knowing that he was the one looking for her this time. He was nervous; a feeling that didn't come easy to him. He used his elbows to part the tall grass until he reached a muddy patch, nearly slipping instantly. Ezra caught his balance and took another step forward. This was the closest he'd ever been to Piper and he hoped she couldn't tell he was nearly blushing.
She was even more beautiful up close. Her brown locks, although muddy, were a brilliant shade of mahogany, and her eyes... Her eyes were as dark as his dreams had been lately, yet in this light they were as brown as the rich earth. Perhaps he was smitten, not that Ezra would admit it, but she was a beauty beyond measure. Ezra cleared his throat, looking himself over quickly. He noticed he too was filthy and suddenly felt embarrassed--but he was an orphan now. All the kids in the orphanage looked like this, it was almost an expectation. That didn't make him feel any better. "Do you need a hand?" He asked, reaching his right hand out to her as he leaned forward. He held the bunny close to him with his left arm, nearly forgetting it was there altogether.
Ezra avec Piper || De nouveaux visages dans memoria
Ezra and Piper meet for the first time in District 6.
Ezra sat alone on the doorstep to his new home, also known as District 6's abode for orphan's. He watched life pass him by for two days in that very spot. Little girls with braids and long curly locks skipped by beside one another with hands tangled together and smiles shining brightly on their faces. He remembered that he had been like that only seventy-two hours ago before he was booted from his family home and brought to this place where the food potions varied on the day, blankets were hardly washed and although none of the children were truly related, they all acted like they were a family. It was a fools facade in Ezra's eyes; a desperate need to find a hand to cling to. He wasn't one of them. The hours of the morning seemed to pass him by faster than he'd realized. Just yesterday it seemed like it had taken a duration of five hours just to get from 10:00 AM when in reality it only took two. Children that ran around indoors had come outside just to talk to him, but Ezra had only scared them away without intending to. There was one girl, about six or seven years old who hadn't run from him. She hardly ever smiled when he saw her. She had long hair that looked to be made of golden thread weaved together in the finest of tangles. Her blue eyes were so dark that sometimes he mistook the hue for the absence of color; a deep, poisoning black like snake's venom. She never wore anything but a raggedy pink dress covered in dirt and other grime that stained the fabric with holes and patches missing and a brown blanket she draped over her shoulders for warmth. Ezra felt sorry for her.
The summer breeze picked up as Ezra stood, walking away from the orphanage to a field he knew wouldn't be nearly as busy as the square. People always intruded there, pulling their carts and wagons, barking at passing people to buy their soups and trading their belongings for something they needed more. It was a sad sight, and although sometimes Ezra liked being among the chaos, today he had a feel for concentration and peace. He tapped his pocket with his hand, feeling for the carving knife he kept with him. When he felt it bump against his thigh, he smiled and began running as fast he could. "Excuse me! Thanks!" He said as he pushed past strangers and familiar faces. "Pardon me--woops, sorry about that!" Ezra tripped over wheels and feet, knocking a bucket of fresh apples and quarter cut logs right off a middle aged mans cart. "You little tyrant!" The man yelled, raising a fist. Ezra ducked, picking one of the small logs off the ground and kept running with a grin on his lips. He hadn't done it on purpose, but he couldn't take the man seriously with a beard so shaggy and long. "Sorry! I promise you can yell at me when I get back!" He called over his shoulder, removing himself from the angry citizens as he headed for a path that lead behind dark houses. It was suddenly quiet as it usually was here. No voices, only birds singing and tree branches bending as Ezra pushed them aside and stepped out into the large land of grass.
He chose his spot with purpose, sitting under a large lemon tree with a dark trunk. He liked the smell and the shade cooled him off from the suns heat spell. Ezra leaned back against the bark, pulling his knife from his pocket as he began to peel away bits of the log, carving shapes and lines into the wood. He was at it for three hours until he finally saw his art coming to life. He'd made a bear holding four blocks with the letters, 'F', 'L', 'A' and 'Y'--the little blonde girls name. He smile, rounding the wood for is ear. Its face was smiling, its tail a large blob as it sat on its bottom. He smiled as he continued to work, carving each detail with care.
The minutes seemed to pass and Ezra was growing thirsty. Lemons weren't like oranges, though Ezra wished they were. He couldn't bite into them and drink up the sweet citrus juice. These yellow fruits were sour and often stung his chapped lips. He wipes a drop of sweat from his brow with his with wrist and stuck his knife back into his pocket. There was a nearby stream he knew with a fresh spring and calming atmosphere. Frogs hopped alongside the rocks that enclosed the bed of water and Ezra always liked to watch them. When he was a boy that's all he would do; crouch down with his bottom in the air and his brows creased with determination. He'd be as quiet as he could, but once they caught his presence and hopped, he would follow trying to imitate them as best he could. Luckily he'd grown out of that habit and all its foolish complexes. He thought about this as he made his way across the path again, setting out into the small bit of woods. The tall trees smelled earthly; a natural sent he could hardly find anymore. Now it was all about oils and flowers, scents he wasn't too fond of. The soil beneath his boots was soft and rich as it had rained the day before and left the earth alive.
Ezra arrived at the small clearing of the spring, carrying the wooden bear with him in his hand as he sat himself down on a rock and placed the bear beside him.. He cupped his hands and bent down, sipping up the water until he felt content. He then pulled his boots from his feet and dipped his legs in right up to his calves with his pants rolled to his knees. He picked up the wooden bear and pulled the knife from his pocket again, determined to finish his gift before sundown. A few minutes passed until he heard the ruffling of leaves and a voice he recognized. Ezra couldn't make out what she was saying, but he knew she was alone. He didn't know her name, but he'd seen her around District 6 plenty of times. At the markets, in the square, at school. He'd even seen her at his doorstep once talking to his mother when she was alive. He'd been too shy to come out and introduce himself and he was sure she'd never acknowledged him before--she probably didn't even know that was his mom she was talking to all those years ago. But he knew her voice and she was here, the only question now was: why?
