It's my job to fix things

Age | 18 Location | The Capitol I came here to fix things, and now I realise that the only way I can ever make things okay is if I save someone worth saving. I came here to win, and now I'm here to die. And I'm actually sort of glad about that.

[paige-latimer-wr]

just in case anyone is on at all, I'll be on chat tonight, from now on.  I hope you're all okay <3

[paige-latimer-wr]

Wake Up Call || Josiah & Paige

[josiahtate]

"I’m more interested in knowing in what way you see it.” Josiah could tell Paige was tired now so he didn’t push conversation. When she turned, he was stuck looking at her back, smiling at her words. He stood up, unfolding the blanket at the end of her bed and spreading it over her. “And God knows if you were there things would have been different.” He whispered to himself and not to a tired Paige. He walked out of the room just to bring back the tray of food from earlier and finish eating what was rest of it before dropping dead - falling asleep - right beside her. 

[paige-latimer-wr]

She was laid there, allowing herself to blink away she tiredness. When had she gotten so tired? Just a few minutes ago she was fine but now that she was actually lying down it all seemed too much.It couldn't have been more than a minute but when her eyes opened again Josiah was gone and the blanket had been tucked up. "Jo?" She was contemplating getting up to check, but if he had gone back to his flat she wouldn't blame him. So instead she trusted that he might just be in the bathroom. Closing her eyes once more she listened to the faint ticking of the clock. After twenty seconds she heard shuffling and opened her eyes to see him coming back with the tray. Still hungry. Smiling now she relaxed, Josiah was here, there would be no nightmares and there would be no Briar.

[paige-latimer-wr]

Wake Up Call || Josiah & Paige

[josiahtate]

He was listening, but he was also much more consumed by a specific strand of hair that wouldn’t sit back. “Right.” His voice was distant when he spoke. “You’re cure when you are trying to concentrate.” “Right,” he said again, completely unaware of what she was saying. He turned on the hair dryer to adjust something and seal it done with heat, then gave his boxers a quick heating too so they would dry faster. He turned his gaze to her. “My mom did all the girls’ hair in my neighborhood during her free time. I kind of just tried to get her attention sometimes. It became a habit and now an obsession. And I sort of don’t want to shatter that image with unruly hair in the Capitol.” He neared her, kneeling beside her bed and cupping his cheeks. “Besides I’m not as lucky as others, wasn’t born with natural beauty.” He teased.

[paige-latimer-wr]

Paige watched from her position on the bed as he continued, her attention dwindling as he moved to use the hairdryer. As much as watching him try and dry his underwear was amusing she was already trying to stifle a yawn or two. Unfortunately the warm air that now filled the room was doing nothing to help her stay awake and by the time he had made his way to the bed, cupping his cheeks and teasing her she only had the energy to tap his nose and smile. "I'm more than certain that Briar see's it the other way. That you're cute and she can't help but expect you to be putty in her hands." Turning away from him she thought about what he'd said. "Your mother sounds like a nice person. I hope you got the attention you wanted. God knows if I were there you would have."

[paige-latimer-wr]

Wake Up Call || Josiah & Paige

[josiahtate]

"That’s fine, thank you." He worked with everything all at once, applying chapstick while brushing his hair. He didn’t exactly need hairspray now, but he would want it in the morning. Seeing his hair was already wet, he played with the gel, slicking his hair back to how he usually had it, and not the surfer bangs that kept getting in the way of his eyes. For a brief moment he eyed Paige, but his gaze immediately flickered back to his reflection in the mirror when she turned. "I don’t see why you use all that." "Because. I don’t like messy hair on me. And it’s the only thing I’m good with, so I’ve grown to be a bit of a perfectionist with it." He shrugged like it was no big deal. "You have training. I have my hair. As.. weird and twisted as that sounds." 

[paige-latimer-wr]

Her hair was damp but it didn't matter much to her. Taking the hairband that always had it's place around her wrist she pulled it all back out of her face into a ponytail. By the time she was satisfied with her work she stood just behind him, watching with childish curiosity as his hands moved this way and that, twisting and tweaking individual strands into what looked like to her, the exact same places as before. "Okay, i get it. You have your things I have mine But that still doesn't mean I have to understand it. I just don't see why people use gel and all this stuff. Its long strands of dying keratin cells. Why bother to arrange them into various styles in hopes of others liking them." Waving her hands as she spoke she made her way to the bed, letting herself fall back and turning onto her side. "You're cure when you are trying to concentrate."

[paige-latimer-wr]

Wake Up Call || Josiah & Paige

[josiahtate]

He was grateful for her understanding and giving him the option to return. He wouldn’t take it, but he just wanted to feel as though he was staying with Paige because he wanted to. And once she gave the option, he knew he wanted to stay with her. “No, I’ll stay.” He took off his shirt and slid on the shirt her mentor had let him borrow. “I think you’re hot when you’re jealous. Scary, but hot.” He slid off his jeans and dropped it along with his shirt in her dirty clothes hamper. “I need to borrow your hair dryer. And hairspray. Also, where’s the gel? And do you have a hairbrush with teeth half an inch apart each? And chapstick. I need chapstick.”

[paige-latimer-wr]

Paige had finished hanging the towel, after its minor rebellion. Never did they want to balance, but she resolved that was a trivial issue for now. She could hear him moving behind her, and as she turned hearing that he'd stay she fought the urge to smile. Already he'd changed shirts and now stood without his jeans. It was hard not to say something so she resolved to biting the inside of her lip and nodding. Walking to the small dressing table in her room she placed a chapstick, a can of hairspray, a wide toothed brush and a small pot of gel in a line. Then turning to the drawer she pulled out a rather terrifying looking hairdryer and plugged it in. "I don't know if they're half an inch apart when it comes to the brush.." Trailing off she stepped back letting him doing what he felt necessary. Walking to her drawers she pulled out the bow at the back and carefully stepped out of the now ruined dress. Taking out her usual choice of shorts and a vest she quickly changed before turning to him again, running her hands through the knots in her hair. "I don't see why you use all that."

[paige-latimer-wr]

Wake Up Call || Josiah & Paige

[josiahtate]

Everything was fine until she mentioned borrowing some of her mentor’s clothes. “Your m-mentor?” He frowned but she had already turned around. He couldn’t make out their words but he could hear them interchanging several hushed whispers. He gave a small sigh of his own. Despite his feeling of her distrust, he sort of shared her same thoughts. He knew his own weaknesses and Briar knew them too. If she caught him on a particular low point he would destroy everything. When she came back he was standing where she had left him, a puddle now beneath him. “Okay. But can we also consider staying in my dorm every once in a while. We’ll lock the door, Briar won’t go in, your mentor won’t be there to judge my every step, and I’ll get to wear clothes that aren’t your mentor’s. Just, maybe, if you could please think about it.” 

[paige-latimer-wr]

Placing the clothes on the bed she stepped towards him and took the towel, folding it over her arm before sighing. "Oh Jo, of course. I know that its a lot to task that you stay here and I know you don't like my mentor. If it would make you feel better than I won't object." Paige could understand his discomfort, it was probably similar to what she had felt around his mentor or even his district partner. Moving to lay the towel on the radiator she gestured towards the clothes. "If you really want, you can go back there now. I won't make you stay, and I won't make you compromise. Just know I appreciate you understanding my jealousy and know that I would happily agree to staying there if it would help."

[paige-latimer-wr]

Wake Up Call || Josiah & Paige

[josiahtate]

He wrapped the towel around him. “Oh please you’re making me blush.” Except he wasn’t blushing at all, because it was pretty obvious Josiah could be standing butt naked without a single worry or sign of embarrassment. This time he crossed his arms too, raising his eyebrows at her words. “So I’m yours, huh?” He was evidently teasing her with a smirk tugging at his lips. “Fine, so what am I going to do? Stay here forever?” He chuckled before wondering if she was being serious. “I’m not wearing your clothes though. I don’t care how much you might enjoy that, I refuse to do so. And I’m not so sure I can fit into your District Partner’s clothes.”

[paige-latimer-wr]

She didn't care that he wrapped the towel round him batting off her petty reasons. She just stood there, arms folded as he stepped towards her. "Yes. I am yours and you are mine. And I believe that idea alone makes a conflict of interest between me and your district partner." Taking his hand she pulled him with her towards her bedroom shaking her head at his suggestion. "Of course you aren't wearing my clothes, you'd stretch them. And no, Seb's clothes won't fit you so I'll just have to get some from my mentors closet." Leaving him in her room she made her way into the lunge, where the next few minutes consisted of hushed words with her mentor. But the time their slightly frustrated whispers had ceased, Paige was returning back to her room, arms full of folded clothes. "Here, these should fit you. We can get you more clothes tomorrow. If that's okay? Sorry I just don't like the idea of her being there with you. She snuck into your room after all."

[paige-latimer-wr]

Wake Up Call || Josiah & Paige

[josiahtate]

"But this is much more fun," he played. He sat up, bringing her with him. He gave her one last kiss on the lips. "What time is it anyway?" is it nighttime? I can’t remember what time it is. He grabbed another towel, this time for himself. “I think I’m going to go back to my floor to change clothes. These are starting to cling onto very uncomfortable places.”

[paige-latimer-wr]

He was right, it as more fun to lay there and kiss him. But she also had to reason that they couldn't stay there all evening. He sat up, thankfully bringing her with him. As they stood she let herself stand by the door watching him take a towel. At the mention of him returning to his flat her smile faded. "No way. Not with her up there. Especially when your clothes are clinging to you in might I add, all the right ways. I'll say it, I like to protect what's mine." Crossing her arms she stood in the doorway now, he was not going up there.

[paige-latimer-wr]

Wake Up Call || Josiah & Paige

[josiahtate]

He smiled when she kissed him, from what he remembered this was the first time Paige decided to move first. He was still holding her while sitting on the brink of the tub, but being entirely too into the kiss he forgot and leaned back, accidentally having the both of them fall inside. He laughed but that didn’t stop him from the continuation of their kissing. They were a mess, a clean mess. “About needing only one person for that dress.” He said in between kisses. He took both of his hands off her. “I’m kidding, I’m kidding.” He grinned, trailing his kisses to her cheek.

[paige-latimer-wr]

One second she'd been comfortably sat in his lap, his arm supporting her, and the next they were in the tub, both of them half sprawled on one another. If it hadn't been for the distraction of his kiss she just might have laughed. Her eyes were open now and she watched him smile as he spoke. Her hand was raised ready to slap sense into him but he held up his hands in defense assuring her he was joking. His lips returned to hers and she couldn't help but let him distract her. His kisses trailed across to her cheek and she didn't argue. The path of his lips leaving fire along her skin. "I think , though this is honestly better than TV, that we should move from the tub."

[paige-latimer-wr]

Wake Up Call || Josiah & Paige

[josiahtate]

He could feel his smirk changing into a shy smile, even though Josiah was anything but shy. His thoughts held onto every word she said, and even though her eyes were hidden, he took it. He took her chin in his hand, trying to get her eyes to meet his. Despite the little game they had going on he kissed her as gently as he had the first time during their walk in the garden. “You win, Paige Latimer. You win.”

[paige-latimer-wr]

She'd had the towel in her hand as he'd tilted her chin up forcing her eyes to meet his. And as his lips touched hers, her eyes closed and the towel feel from her grip. It was useless. From this point on there would be no denying that Josiah Tate was her one true weakness. He made her defensive and at the same time broke down every one of her barriers. With one simple touch of his lips on hers and her heart was beating double time and her breath short. Her eyes opened slowly as a smile crept upon her lips at his words. "I think we both win. Both is good." with that said she brought her hand to his cheek and kissed him again, not caring that they were both soaked, that they were in her bathroom while her mentor waited out in the lounge. All she cared about was him and the addictive connection they shared with each kiss.

[paige-latimer-wr]

Wake Up Call || Josiah & Paige

[josiahtate]

Her reaction made him smile. “Yes you did.” He looked at her, imitating one of her famous stern looks before grinning. “You said, and I quote.” Josiah fluttered his eyes and spoke in a high voice, “Most girls want some originality.” He went back to his normal voice. “And then you said.” He resumed his eye flutters and high voice, “I don’t like cliches.” His normal voice returned along with a smirk. “Now, deny it. Deny the fact that you supposedly don’t like cliches. Tell me you don’t like me. Or accept the title of a liar.” 

[paige-latimer-wr]

Paige listened and she could only shake her head for the first few seconds. "Okay yes, I did say I don't like cliches, because I don't. I like people who put in their own little flair. But I won't deny what I said, and I most certainly won't say I am a liar, which I'm not." Dabbing the bandage on her arm, though it was evident not helping in the slightest, she used it as an excuse to not meet his eyes as she spoke. "I said I don't like cliches and I don't. But that doesn't mean I don't like you Josiah. If anything, the reason I hate cliches so much is because I like you. The Josiah you show me is far better than any cliche could ever be."

[paige-latimer-wr]

Wake Up Call || Josiah & Paige

[josiahtate]

In all of this Josiah still managed to chuckle very lightly at her only word. “Still apologizing, I see. I turned on the soap, it’s my fault. I’m sorry. I just hope you’re not even more hurt because of me. Plus, I think your mentor is already out to get me.” His hand reached for a towel and he gave it back to Paige. “Just one more thing.” With his free hand he wiped away the soap at the tip of her nose. “You’re a liar.”

[paige-latimer-wr]

She stayed as still as she could, listening as he spoke. Bringing her hands up she rubbed her eye, blinking as the slight tears in her eyes died down now that the bubbles were gone. "My mentor is harmless. He knows not to cross me." Paige was honest about that. As much as her mentor cared for her and was concerned about Josiah's influence, his care also meant he would never make her stop seeing him or hurt him. Taking the towel she wiped the remaining soap from her face. "What? I didn't lie?"

[paige-latimer-wr]

Wake Up Call || Josiah & Paige

[josiahtate]

He was now in the exact position Paige had been in just a few second ago. He was laughing like a maniac. “You look like a poodle!” He was still giggling when she fell, but an all too predictable Josiah quit laughing. “Are you hurt?” He turned off the water and didn’t even extend his hand for her to reach, just completely picked her up instead. In that moment, he completely forgot about his game. He was clearing soap away from her face, his own expressions serious and concerned. “I would have let you out even helped you out if you would have just kissed me, you know.”

[paige-latimer-wr]

She'd expected laughter, or at least some sort of witty comment about her lack of balance. But no, instead the laughter came to a complete stop and she felt his arms move around her. In the next instant she was no longer on the floor but in his arms. Blinking against the sting of soap as he cleared it from her face she could only nod. He was holding her, that was more than she had let anyone do in years. Even when she was younger and had badly sprained her ankle she'd walked. Since her father had gone she'd not let herself show any kind of weakness. But with Josiah, well all her barriers were down. She opened  her eyes, ignoring the faint stinging as she looked at his expression. "Sorry."

[paige-latimer-wr]

Wake Up Call || Josiah & Paige

[josiahtate]

He rolled his eyes wanting to defend himself but knowing any excuses he could place out there would be useless. “Forget this!” He let go of her wrist. “How about you try to make yourself heavy instead.” He grabbed her by her waist and lifted her lighter frame right off the ground, he dropped her carefully in the bathtub, stepping out and quickly pressing buttons so the water would increase in both speed and pressure while dispensing soap as well. He dried his hands with the closest towel and pressed all of his body weight against the clear shower door. It was finally his turn to laugh. “You’re a slippery mess, you’re not getting out.”

[paige-latimer-wr]

He let go and her hand came to encircle her stomach, with her laughter leaving her little room for air was saw almost doubled over now. She was vaguely aware of his speaking but Paige was far too focused on breathing to make sense of it. It was as his hands touched her waist and she felt herself being lifted that she found herself silent. It was too quick. Now already on the floor of the shower, she felt the water hammer down on her skin. Bringing her hands up to shield her eyes as he dumped soap onto her, the water instantly creating bubbles she tried to sit up. But with each attempt her hands would slip and she;'d fall back against the floor of the shower with a thud. After a minute she stopped and just laid there eyes closed as the water hit her. At least it was warm. His words made her open her eyes. "We'll see about that." Pushing herself up carefully she managed to get to her knees. Her dress weighed her down but soon she was stood up and now she just had to step out. Hand on the edge she went to move but her leg caught in the damp material off her dress and instead of stepping onto the floor she fell, crashing on the bathroom floor. "Ow."

[paige-latimer-wr]

Wake Up Call || Josiah & Paige

[josiahtate]

"Oh don’t stop there. I think you need to get far more wet than that." He knew exactly what she meant, but before he could get another ‘no’ out, she had kicked him in. His hands flew before him to catch him from crashing his jaw against the floor. Water crashed over him, his clothes immediately getting soaked. "Oh yeah?" He stood up shaking his head to shake out the water. "I think you need to have a taste for yourself." He took a hold of Paige’s wrist and it would be a lie to say it wasn’t one of the greatest struggles he had ever been through trying to pull her in. "Youre… So…Strong."

[paige-latimer-wr]

Paige watched as he fell into the shower, clothes getting doused in water within seconds. It was hilarious. At least it was for anyone in her position. What was even better was seeing him stand up, evidently annoyed and amused. It was great, his hair hung down slightly in his eyes, his clothes stuck to him in odd places and he looked like a drowned rat. The only thing that got her to stop laughing was his sudden grasp on her wrist. She had been worried for a second, a flash of concern but when she only felt the smallest of tugs her laughter started again. This time her eyes teared up and she had to bend over clutching her stomach. "Duh. I'm a career! I have to be strong, but is this all?" Paige knew he was trying but still she had to laugh she was barely even swaying at his efforts.

[paige-latimer-wr]

Wake Up Call || Josiah & Paige

[josiahtate]

He giggled like the little boy he was when Paige pushed him back. “What? You don’t like cliches! And using a napkin is way too mainstream.” He laughed as he weakly defended himself, but he stopped all at once when she dropped a load of dip over his hair. It trailed down his forehead and onto the bridge of his nose. His eyes grew wider and it was only natural that he began to freak out. “No. No, no, no. No. No.” He ran into the hallway, but then came back to grab a handful of strawberries and drop them down the inside of her dress. “You jerk!” Satisfied, he resumed his running and invaded her bathroom’s shower, turning on the water and trying to splash water onto his hair without getting the rest of him wet.

[paige-latimer-wr]

She didn't even see it coming. One minute he was staring at the dip on his nose, so much so that she swore he was going cross eyed. And then he was standing, his hand dropping something down her dress. It wasn't until she felt the slight mash as she moved that she realised what he'd done. "Now whose the jerk?!" Pulling her dress out so the strawberries fell out she carefully placed them on the tray before following his route to the bathroom. There she saw him stood splashing water onto his head. "Oh don't stop there. I think you need to get far more wet than that." Raising her foot, she kicked him square on his butt watching as he fell forwards. "Time for an impromptu bath for you Tate."

[paige-latimer-wr]

Wake Up Call || Josiah & Paige

[josiahtate]

He stared at her with an expression that could best be explained as amused shock. His lips were parted in a gasp that wasn’t given. “O-okay.” He laughed to himself and took back the dip. He bit off the top of a strawberry before bringing it to her face, then taking it back and eating the rest himself. He looked at his dirty hands. “Well I’m not going to ruin my outfit.” His gaze yelled mischief. A second later he was wiping his hands with her dress.

[paige-latimer-wr]

Paige had only seconds to figure out his notice as he narrowed his eyes at her. Too bad her expectations of how far he would go were far less than what he would actually do. As he leant forwards, hands connecting with the body of her dress she gasped, pushing him back. "Josiah Tate!" Pushing herself out of the chair and looking down at her dress in horror she took a small breath before glaring at him. "I cannot believe you just did that!" Stepping towards him, she picked up one of the containers, ripping off the seal and dumping it on his head. "Now we're even." She placed the container down and crossed her arms admiring her handiwork.