The Help (Hero and Mai)

[Lotus]

She looked to the one glass on the table but didn't move to touch it. "Did you not want anything?" Her voice was hoarse all of a sudden and she discretely cleared her throat, ducking her head down. She saw him shake her head and she sighed softly. She bent down and scratched a sleeping Atlas behind her ear. She smiled softly as she perked up a bit.

Jess turned back to look at Noah and noticed his sketch pad. "What are you drawing now? If you want to tell that is." She moved a little closer, but from what she'd done in the kitchen, she now felt awkward all over again.

[Hero]

He shook his head. "Naw. I'm fine."

He continued with his drawing once again, silence filling the air. Except the scratching of his pencil across the paper of course. He loved that sound. Especially this picture. It brought back some actually happy memories. He loved it.

"Just myself, when I was little." He scooted closer and closed the distance between them, trying to make it as comfortable as possible. Trying, that is. He put his pencil in his other hand and showed her the sketch book. "You can look at the rest of them, of you want."

[Lotus]

Jess reached for the glass and took a long sip, cooling her throat and calming her nerves. She put the glass back on the table and watched as he moved closer to her. It made her insides twist and she wasn't sure why and it especially didn't help that her hands felt clammy. She nodded her head and as he placed to sketchbook in her lap their fingers brushed. She tried not to look at him as her face flushed a light shade of pink.

She flicked to the front of the pad and turned each page with care, taking in the great amount of detail in every drawing. She wasn't even halfway through when she looked at him, incredulous. "You say you're not good..." She shook her head and went back to looking through the rest, her head ducked as much as possible. She reached the last page and looked at the faint outline of what was showing him as a little kid.

She stared at the drawing. She recognised the little boy he'd drawn. She looked back up to him and looked back down to the drawing. She shook her head and traced a finger over the face of the little boy. "Am I meant to recognise this face?"

[Hero]

He watched her with interest as she went through the drawings. Her eyes filled with wonderment as she looked at the outlines and shadowing. He ne'er thought he was good enough compared to any other artist. "I never thought I was." He smiled, looking through his own pictures himself. When their hands accidentally touched when he was passing the sketch book to her, he felt small spark. Like electricity, you know? He loved it.

As she kept going, he move his hand closer to hers. He eventually held her hand in his. He looked down at his feet, secretly hoping that she wouldn't let go. When she got to the last one, he watched her smile. "If you can recognize him."

[Lotus]

Jess continued to stare at the drawing in front of her, the face playing tricks with her memories. Then she felt his hand slip into hers and she stopped to stare. What was he doing? Yet, she couldn't deny it, it felt normal. It felt like it was supposed to happen. Slowly, her fingers entwined back around his and she smiled softly, shifting a little closer.

She dragged her gaze back to the sketchbook as she heard his words. She shook her head. "N-No...I mean...I wasn't..." She was lost for words and she had a pretty good idea it was to do with their hands being together. She took a deep breath and tried again. "I wasn't talking about your drawing skills. I was meaning, I recognise the face and I don't know if I should..." She trailed off and shifted herself so she was just in Clark's line of sight. "Should I recognise your face from when you were younger?"

[Hero]

He awaited her reaction, sacred if what would actually happen. Would she reject him, and make him leave? Would she pull her hand away, and it becomes awkward? Or will she accept it, and let him stay? Well, lets go with the third option, shall we? He leaned his shoulder back at bit at she scooted closer, the silence between them no longer unnerving a bit. It really felt comforting more than anything.

She furrowed his brow when she seamed at loss for words. That just happened. But he had a pretty good idea as to why. "Yeah. That is me when I was younger. I think I about 9? Maybe. It was some time ago. I don't even really remember anymore."

[Lotus]

Jess felt him move even closer and she drew her gaze away from the drawing in front of her. She hadn't realised how close they actually were and as soon as they made eye contact she felt her cheeks flush a shade of pink. She smiled softly and turned back to the drawing. She traced the drawing again; trying to remember.

The Games had done that to her. All she could remember were the terrible things in her life. The Games, her father's wrath against her. She'd all but forgotten her childhood and she was only nineteen. It was sad really.

"It's strange. I'm pretty sure I never knew you then, but you're face is so familiar..." She trailed off, not really getting anywhere with the memories. She turned back to look at him and her face flushed a bright pink again when he found his eyes trained on her. She opened her mouth and nothing came out. She tried again, looking away briefly. "D-Do you think you'd recognise me if I showed you what I looked like when I was younger?"

[Hero]

He smiled a little when she decided to blush. He let go of her hand and scooted back a bit, giving her some space. He saw a look of sadness in her eyes. She was remembering something that odds are, she really didnt want to remember. He wanted to tell her that he understood. But really, he didnt think he ever would.

He knew what pain was. He felt it all is life. His father had hated him, rejected him. That's all he ever really knew. Why had he come back to Jess? She had accepted him. She had felt the same way he did. That's why.

"You're right. That is weird." He gave her a second to recollect herself. "I might. It depends. Why?"

[Lotus]

She felt a little lost when he moved away from her, like he had made a mistake in being so close to her in the first place. She sighed and shook her head. "'Cause if you recognised me when I was younger you might be able to help me understand why I remember your face..." She trailed off. It probably sounded weird to him; that she couldn't remember things from when she was younger.

She stood up, placing his sketchbook in his lap. "I'll go get a photo." She smiled softly and walked away, pretty much jogging up the stairs leaving Atlas and Clark in the living room. She stormed into her room and reached under her bed, pulling out a box. Inside where all the things she didn't like looking at any more. The things that brought back sadness at the life she'd lost. She sighed and opened it, rooting through trying to find the photo of her and her brother taken on one of the Reaping days. She tried not to look at the rest of them too much.

She found the photo and placed the lid back on the box, shoving it back under her bed. She raced back downstairs without giving the photo a second glance. She sat down next to him and placed it in his lap. "Is it familiar?"

[Hero]

He shrugged. "Maybe so. But I think I would remember you if I saw a face like yours." He smiled at her. She now a lost look in her eyes, and it wasn't like her. He moved a bit closer and out his arm on the other side of her left hip. He looked up at her. "Tell me if you don't want this." He changed his gaze back to the drawing. Suddenly, she set the sketch pad back in his lap.

He heard her thundering up the stairs, looking for a picture. He was left alone with her dog, Atlas. Clark put the sketch book next to him and stood. He looked around for a tennis ball or rope or something. Under a table, he found a green tennis ball. He found a long hall and Atlas decided to follow. He tossed the ball and atlas bounded after it, skidding on the smooth flooring. He went at this until Jess came back down.

He was seated by the time Jess came back, but now Atlas sat by his feet. He took the photo from her. "Yeah. It does look familiar."

[Lotus]

Jess nodded her head and saw where Atlas was sitting. She smiled softly; Clark really was welcome around here. She looked down at the photo and felt a pang of hurt in her chest. Her eyes started tearing up and she rubbed at them before he saw. "I wasn't really a face to remember so I understand." She now had dry eyes and looked back up to him.

"What were you saying before? About me not wanting something?" She raised her eyebrow at him when she saw the funny look that crossed his face. She shifted a little closer and reached down to scratch Atlas behind the ear before sitting back up to look at him. "You can tell me."

[Hero]

He passed the photo from hand to hand before stopping and taking a good look at it. Those big eyes. He could never have forgotten them. Even though he was a yer older than her then, he still liked her. That year she was chosen, was when he told his father. His dad simply laughed at him. His father said that he was stupid for having a 'crush' on a girl that would end up dead anyways. His daddy was obviously wrong. Jess was alive and well.
"No. I would definitely remember you."

"And don't worry about it, it's nothing." He leaned back a bit so she could reach Atlas. He smiled crookedly. "I know that. But what if I don't want to?"

[Lotus]

Jess felt her cheeks flush slightly at his comment and she sat back, bringing her knees up; hugging them. She looked at him from the corner of her eyes. "So, you do remember me? How did we know each other...?" She furrowed her brows as she tried to remember anything from her childhood and it was going to bug her until she remember where she'd seen his face before; or the younger version anyway.

Finally she turned to face him and nodded her head softly. "Okay..." She watched the curve of his mouth and couldn't help but smile softly in return. "Then you don't tell me; I won't push you." She rested her head on her knees and sighed. She really wanted to know what he had meant, but he wasn't going to tell her. Just something else she wouldn't understand.

[Hero]

He leaned down and scratched Atlas's back. He slowly reached for the tennis ball and snagged the tennis ball from the dog. Clark raced to the hall he had been to earlier and threw the ball. He ran back to the couch and threw himself into it before Atlas came back. "Umm... I think before you were reaped, I ran into you in line and maybe we talked?"

"Wanna know what I meant? Okay. I'm just not sure that you would wanna put up with someone like me." He leaned his head on the back edge of the b couch. "I can be a real pain sometimes and I just thought that maybe, you would be the one to really care."

[Lotus]

Jess watched with a smile on her face as he mucked around with Atlas. It was sad that she hadn't really ever done that and yet Clark had been here less than a day and her own dog was already having much more fun. She sighed as he sat back down and listened to what he had to say. She shook her head, "That would've been true, but I wasn't reaped." He looked a little shocked. "I volunteered..." She looked away and her hand automatically gripped her wrist to bring her a little pain release. "So I guess we don't really remember each other then..." She sighed and let her head drop down at Atlas came bounding back to their sides.

She turned to him shocked though and shook her head. "There's nothing wrong with you Clark. I think it would be more acceptable to say you might not be able to put up with me. So in other words, I'm going to gladly put up with you for however long you choose to stick around." She smiled softly and moved a little closer. "If we're both pains then we won't really know will we? Besides, I care."

[Hero]

He walked around the room, picture still in his hand. Atlas walke back over to him. Clark leaned down, accidentally giving Jess the hole 'hind-end' view. He didnt mean to but that's just how it happened. "Oh.. I remember you now. Now that I think about it, I think I knew you before that." He stood up finally. "I think I might have held a job or two for your dad before any of that.

He threw the ball one last time. He walked up to the back of the couch and took her hand. "Maybe we can both put up with each other." He gave her a light smile and ran into the kitchen. He went down into the cellar and pulled out a bottle of Jack Daniels. He pulled some shot glasses and wine glasses and everything he needs to make his own drink. He brought them both to the living room and have one to Jess.

"Try it. I've been tweaking it for a while now."

[Lotus]

Jess sighed and nodded her head. She still wasn't any closer to remembering where she knew his face from, but she didn't have time to ask him what he meant before he ran off into the kitchen. She heard clattering and she was starting to get worried before he came back with bottle and glasses.

She watched him intently as he started mixing things together and the smell was intense. While watching him she got to thinking of what he'd said before he ran off; about them putting up with each other. It made her feel warm inside somehow and she was starting to like that feeling. It was familiar, yet so distant.

She smiled unsure when she took the glass of him before nodding her head. She took a sip and made a face, before realising the after taste wasn't nearly as bad. She smiled up to him properly then. "Not bad. How'd you learn to make this...stuff?" She saw him grin at her choice of words and she shrugged her shoulders.

[Hero]

Whole he was mixing the drinks and all, he was still pondering how they had met. Before this, of course. Then it hit him. Maybe she wouldn't remember it, but he definitely did. She looks at a lot of people every day. But at one Reaping, he managed to catch her gaze. He was making faces at the escort as she went on and on about the usual Hunger Games crap.

Jess had decided to take an eye for the group he was in and found him. He looked behind him and met we gaze. Since then, he couldn't get her out of his head. But it all made sense.

He pulled himself out of his thoughts. "In all honesty, I think there is. Something wring with, me that is. I haven't had a normal life. Then again, I don't think neither of us would mind having really having someone. To ya know, have someone to care about."

[Lotus]

Jess noticed he wasn't actually paying attention to the question she'd just asked and she sighed softly, taking a huge gulp and finishing the glass off. She moved next to him on the couch and placed her hand on his as he started rambling. It made her face flush a bright shade of red at her being so forward, but he hadn't really noticed.

When he finally trailed off she smiled softly. "I'm starting to think there's something wrong too. You never answer questions." She bumped her shoulder with his playfully, "But despite not answering that question, what you said makes sense and or some reason I care about you already." She didn't dare look at him though as she said those words. It made her feel embarrassed and she was letting her guard down. Could she really afford to do that?

[Hero]

He knew that halfway through his little monologue, she had stopper listening. He couldn't really comment about that. He seemed to do that a lot. He finally stopped when she put her hand in his. Her being so forward shocked him a bit. It just didn't really seem like her. He took both if his hands and began playing with her fingers. Her soft, callused hands seemed to fit in his perfectly.

"I don't know. I just never ask. Sometimes I just think that some things are better just left alone. You know?"[ He smiled over at her, his eyes kind of having a small sparkle in them.

[Lotus]

Jess nodded her head. "I know exactly what you mean..." She trailed off and looked at the way he was playing with her fingers. His touch was soft and gently, yet it still gave her a shoot of energy through her arm. "Some things just aren't worth discussing." She smiled softly and looked up to him from under her hair. She observed him. Not in a creep way, just watched the play of emotions across his face even while he was sitting still and not really engaging in conversation.

She was thinking. He kept talking about caring for people. Did that mean? Well, he had kissed her. "Are you trying to make me realise you care about me?" She hadn't realised how forward such a question was and her eyes widened in shock.

[Hero]

Clark Underton - D10

He shrugged his shoulders. "I guess so." He smiled. He looked at her large clock nearby. It read almost 11:00 pm. He pulled her up from the couch. "How about this, I'll go find whatever room I can, clean up and so can you. And then we can finish this." He walked down the nearby hall and found a free guest bedroom.

Before he left, he peered his head around the corner if the wall. "That is exactly what I'm saying." He smiled at her before disappearing into his room.

[Lotus]

Jess stood still as she stared at the corner he just walked around. He confused her to no end with his strange ramblings, but she was going to assume that he meant he cared for her. It made her cheeks feel hot and she tugged at the bottom of her sleeves. "He cares..." She whispered before shaking her head and walking out of the living room and up the stairs, with Atlas right on her heels.

She hadn't checked which room he'd gone into but it would probably be awkward to if he was getting changed. She sighed softly, he'd ask if he needed anything. She wandered into her own room and closed the door behind her and Atlas. For some reason her room had an en-suite as did most of the rooms; so the reason for a main bathroom was beyond her. She slipped off her hoodie and went to the bathroom to wash her face.

Coming back into her room she reached under her pillow for her baggy t-shirt and shorts. Slipping them on after undressing the t-shirt came to around her mid-thigh and her shorts protecting everything private to her. They were dark colours, just like usual but they showed her arms. She couldn't have her arms on show any more when Clark was around. She reached into her cupboard and pulled out another hoodie; a fluffier one than last time. She slipped on a pair of socks and wandered out onto the landing. It was quiet, which was strange. All the time he'd been with her her house hadn't seemed quiet, yet now it did. Had he walked away? She sighed and decided to go and find out.

[Hero]

Clarkson Underton- D10

He changed and showered, scrubbing all the dirt and grime of the day from his body. After about 20, he shirt if the water. He dried his hair as much as he could with the towel. He found a pair of basketball shorts he had brought over. He changed into that and frantically went through his stuff, looking for a spare shirt. "Where the heck is it," he whispered to himself.

He wondered if Jess would come up to check on him. He hoped she wouldn't. Whip marks lined his back.
Scars from where knives had cut him hadn't been treated very well. He eventually have up his search, still unsure if what she would think of him then.

He searched through his bag, seeing what else he managed to pack. Couple books. Shorts, long pants, t-shirts, long sleeve shirts. But of course, no sleep shirt. He just pulled our a book, sat on the bed next to his stuff, and waited for Jess to find him.

[Lotus]

Jess headed down stairs but he wasn't in the living room like he thought he would be, nor the kitchen. She went back and cleared away all the glasses. Maybe he had actually just left. She sighed and put everything away neatly before wandering the halls of her house looking for any sign of light. He wasn't in any of the rooms downstairs so she went back upstairs, doubting herself that she couldn't missed so much on her way up earlier.

Right at the end of the hallway the was a light peaking out from under one of the bedroom doors. Her feet padded across the floor and she knocked lightly on the door. "Clark?" Her voice was quiet and she pushed open the door slightly, letting her hoodie sleeves hang down past her hands. She peaked her head round the door and saw him sitting on the bed. He was topless and she suddenly backtracked. "Sorry. I'll wait for you to finish." She felt heat flood to her cheeks as she quickly shut the door in front of her and leant up against the wall by the door. She knew she shouldn't have looked for him.

But was that a bag by the side of his bed? When did he get that? Then she remembered he'd had a bag on his back the whole time and sometimes he slept on the streets. Of course he'd have things with him. She sighed and waited for him to tell her it was okay to see him again.