I've finally worked out the end game.
Lets do this.
And to be honest it gets a little mature.
I own nothing, except what I own.
I really hope you enjoy, Comments and Reviews in the Doobly-do
Follow me
First Movement: Chapter 2
For the longest time Cato and Errol sat and just talked, and Cato found that odd. He found it odd that he was speaking to Errol so freely and easily, like they had been friends for years. Errol didn't say much but listened to every word Cato said with an astounding focus, not an intense focus but with an attention to detail that made ever word Cato said feel valued. While they talked Cato took his time looking over Errol, not his appearance, but the deeper hidden parts of Errol, but mostly he just wanted to figure out why people seemed to detest Errol so much. Cato held his tongue and listened at Errol talked, and luckily Errol wasn't one for long speeches. Errol's words were quick and purposeful, something that Cato enjoyed immensely. Cato didn't like to waste time talking and drawing out purposeless conversations and he respected Errol for getting to the point quickly.
"You like living in district 2?" Cato asked leaning back on the bed. Errol looked down at his lap, then over to his red scarf, which was still dangling over the side of the bed. "No, but I couldn't see myself living anywhere else." He said looking back at Cato. Cato understood what Errol meant. Everyone in Panem was born into a place, if it was at the bottom or the top, wherever someone was born is where they would stay. So even if Errol detested District 2, Cato understood that Errol would probably stay there for the rest of his life.
Cato got up and walked over to their shared dresser, which like everything, else was a lavender white. Cato never tired to understand Dr. Sophia's taste but he just went with it. He pulled out a change of sleeping clothes and turned towards the door. "I'm going to get a shower, wanna come?" Cato asked, realizing how awkward the question could have been. Errol looked at Cato wide eyes and shook his head. "I'll take one later. You go ahead." Errol said still jittery. Cato wondered why Errol had suddenly started acting so nervous, but disregarded it and went to the showers.
The bathrooms seemed as grand as the rest of the building, and was lavender white...like everything else. The showers were arranged in a long line with medium high walls between each stall that offered some modest privacy, which Cato didn't care about one way or the other, if anything Cato liked being naked. It was late and more than a few guys were already showering, being loud as always. Cato picked a stall at the end of the line, stripped down and walked in. He turned to water to scalding hot and just stood under the spray. Cato wasn't trying to get clean or anything, he just wanted to relax and lose himself in the steam of the hot water. Cato stood under the spray letting the boiling hot water run over him for a few minutes, but like most things in Cato recent life it ended awfully quickly. "Hey who's using all the damn hot water?" Someone called from another stall. As the boys showers started to turn cold they all turned towards the one stall with steam billowing over the walls. Cato quickly switched off the water and walked out of the stall. The boys started yelling at the guy who was using all the water, but as the steam cleared and they saw it was Cato, most of them decided it was best to just take a cold shower. Cato tried to clear out quickly but before he could wrap a towel around his waist a pack of older boys came towards him. Cato looked up at them and raised an eyebrow, he didn't feel like dealing with more thick headed shits like them.
"You're that Cato guy right?" A red headed boy asked. "Yeah, what of it?" Cato asked still in the buff. A few of the guys smirked. "You're pared with that fag Errol aren't you?" The red head asked crossing his arms. "So what?" Cato asked getting steadily more annoyed. "Just watch your back kid, make sure he doesn't try to touch you while your sleeping or steal your underwear." The boys started laughing and Cato was near his breaking point. Even though Cato had just met Errol a few hours ago he didn't like people needlessly bad mouthing him, so while the boys laughed at their own humor Cato walked forward slowly and grabbed the red headed boy by the arm and upper neck, and in one quick harsh movement threw him over his shoulder and into the side of a stall. The other boys started to move against Cato but they were far too slow to react. In a matter of seconds Cato had managed to take down all of them. That made Cato's preverbal body count go up to seven. They were beat, but not beaten. There was no blood or big bruises, Cato thought restrain would serve him well in fights like these, and Cato was sure he would be having more of them. Cato put on his pants and quickly left the bathroom, knowing it was probably not a good idea to be around when the guards came.
Cato ran into the room and slammed the door shut scaring Errol who was laying down. Errol noticed how shaken Cato looked and the fact that he was still dripping wet and shirtless. "Cato?" Errol asked from his bunk. Cato looked up at him with heavy eyes, "You have a towel?" Cato asked getting colder by the second. Errol climbed down from his bed and pulled a white towel from his drawer. Cato gratefully took it and gave himself a quick rub down. As he dried off he put the towel to his face and noticed how good it smelled. It was like a mix between mild coffee and honey. Cato guesses it was Errol's scent, and to be honest, Cato very much enjoyed the smell.
"I can see why you don't shower at times like this." Cato said tossing the towel on the nearby chair. Errol looked at Cato and smiled weakly. "So you've heard..." Errol said trailing off. Cato just shrugged, "People like to talk, but I don't like to listen." Cato said casually. Errol looked down and sad on Cato's lower bunk. "Well, they're right...I am what I am." Errol said fumbling with his fingers, like they were some sort of puzzle with the answers to his problems hidden within. Cato was surprised by Errol, he didn't deny it for a second, and Cato found another reason why he liked Errol, he wasn't trying to hide who he was. Cato smirked and sat next to Errol. He laid back and put his arms behind his head relaxing. "I don't give a damn what you are." Cato said stretching his still tense muscles. "People can change things about themselves, liking dick isn't one of them." Cato may have stated it crudely, but he was right. Errol was somewhat speechless, partly because of what Cato had said and partly because he had still yet to put on a shirt and was stretching every muscle in his chest.
"Thank you Cato." Errol said softly. "But could you do me a favor?" Errol asked still trying to focus. Cato looked at Errol from his relaxed position and raised an eyebrow. "Whats up?" Cato asked casually.
Errol tried to hold back a smile. "Could you maybe put a shirt on? Its getting hard to concentrate." Cato immediately busted out laughing and Errol did the same. Cato really didn't care that Errol was gay. He knew Errol was a good person in the ways that mattered. So he walked to his drawer and put on a tight red shirt that always made him feel like a badass. "All right, lets go to bed." Cato said pushing Errol back to his bunk. Errol laughed at the casualness of their exchange, but was beaming inside. Errol had never felt so content in his whole life. No one had ever said what Cato had just said, and Errol somehow doubted anyone would again. Errol had been picked on his whole life for being gay. Ever since he had kissed his elementary school crush on a dare he had been an outcast, a hated outcast in district 2. So when Cato had dismissed his pain in such a casual way, Errol felt lighter and happier.
Errol crawled in his bed and Cato switched off the light. "Goodnight." Cato said getting cozy under the covers. Errol thought for a moment what goodnight meant, he felt a little stupid for analyzing something so trivial, but he hadn't been told goodnight in years. So Errol let himself savor the word for a few moments before responding. "Goodnight." Errol said closing his eyes.
The boys stayed awake for a few minutes, just staring into the dark. Cato very much liked Errol now. He was calm and smart, and unmistakably kind. Cato didn't care what Errol was, only that he was a good person who didn't piss him off, and if Cato walked around without his shirt on, making Errol nervous, it was just an extra kick. Cato laughed at the thought before he finally fell asleep.
But like everything it didn't last long. Cato was trying to sleep, but their was a rumbling near the dresser and closet. Cato opened his eyes and saw the clock mounted on the opposite wall. "3:50?" Cato thought still groggy from sleep. As his eyes adjusted he could just make out the outline of someone fumbling through the dresser drawers. "Hello?" Cato said weakly. The figure turned and seemed surprised at Cato's awakening. Cato got up from his bed and turned on the lamp nearest the bed. It flicked on and he covered his eyes, blinded by the sudden light, but no matter how bright or sudden the light was Cato could see the figure clearly now. It was Errol. It took Cato a few seconds to put everything together. Errol in the dark, and him digging through the drawers while Cato was sleeping. Cato remembered what the red headed boy said about Errol stealing underwear, and while the rational side of Cato knew Errol would never do anything like that, the irrational, fearful side took over as Cato got up and walked in front of Errol. "The fuck are you doing?" Cato barked, growing slowly more enraged. Cato had tried to be friendly to Errol, he trusted him and tried to see the person Errol really was, but the thought that Errol was trying to do something so disgusting while Cato slept a few feet away, infuriated Cato in a terrible way. Errol stepped back and knew what Cato was accusing him of, he was been accused of it several times before. "Cato..." Errol said with a hurt voice. "I said what the fuck are you doing?" Cato yelled again. Errol stepped back and pulled out a towel, chance of clothes and soap.
"I was going to take a shower." Errol said with a weak voice. "This is the only safe time I can go." Errol said trying to fight back tears. Errol gathered his things and left the room as quickly as he could. Cato tried to grab his arm but Errol moved too fast and was gone in an instant. Cato wanted to chase Errol down and apologize, but it seemed meaningless to him now. Cato went back to his bed and put his face in his hands. Cato had never fucked up like this before, he had never put so much faith and kindness into a person just to rip it out from under them. He felt weak and pathetic for what he did. He had never listened to gossip or rumors people said, so he questioned why he would believe those assholes for a second. Then it slowly occurred to Cato that maybe he wasn't so secure with Errol, and somewhere deep down he was afraid of what Errol was, maybe he even hated what Errol was.
Cato waited for Errol to come back so they could talk. Cato was exhausted but he knew he wouldn't be able to sleep without talking to Errol first. Cato waited in the room for a long time. He thought about what he was going to say, if he was going to apologize what exactly should he apologize for, and then something odd occurred to Cato. Why should he apologize, why should he care if he hurt Errol's feelings? He had only just met Errol and Cato didn't feel like he should feel so bad. Cato wanted to bury his guilt and move on, hell he might even start picking on Errol too, it seemed like it was easy to do. But that wasn't Cato. Cato wasn't a cruel man, and despite himself he couldn't hide away the burning guilt he felt anymore. He waited up, still wanting to talk to Errol, but Errol was taking an awfully long time.
Cato looked at the clock and saw that Errol had been gone for 40 minutes. Cato didn't know if Errol just liked long showers or if something else had happened, but a protective instinct inside him made Cato get up and dash down the hall towards the bathroom. Cato knew why he rushed to see Errol. To Cato, Errol was a weak innocent thing that needed his protection, like his sister, who he would have done anything to protect.
Cato ran quickly down the white halls but stopped in the middle of the building. Something caught Cato's eye, it was a tiny speck that anyone could have missed, anyone except Cato. He looked down and inspected it closer, and realized what it was instantly.
It was blood. A droplet of blood, and it was still wet.
