z_jay | Luceti | Appointments

[Chilly as it was, and as much as he disliked the chill, it did remind him of home. So to that extent he knew how to layer and improve his chances at maintaining a proper heat. He'd actually been daydreaming of his old route to work when he heard his name and his attention snapped to.

The voice was unfamiliar, but mainly because he hadn't heard it in person instead of over the journal system. Sitting up straighter, he grabbed his crutch and slid off the partition he was waiting on.

Though her face was slightly familiar, the intent of the bow, quiver, and other accessories set her apart. With a smile he approached, his own bow and quiver slung over a shoulder. Once he was close and stable enough he offered a hand to her in greeting, smiling faintly at the snow occupying her hair and shoulders.]

Katniss? I hope?

[Her eyes flickered faintly to his crutch before taking in the offered hand and then, finally, the faint smile on the boy's face. Though it's reluctant, she does return the handshake. But there's nothing firm in her grip. It's light and tentative, as so she could pull away at any moment were he to try anything suspicious.

It's also an absent minded shake. The sight of the crutch had brought an unexpected pang. A reminder of Peeta she hadn't faced in a long time. That limp of his, the result of losing his leg in the first Hunger Games.

She takes a deep breath.] Yes. Eugene?

[Despite the very brief dampening of his spirits at the first focus on what wasn't there on him, he didn't push for a firmer handshake. Or linger on the insecurity of being judged as a cripple. She'd asked a question and he had an answer, which he met with a measure of cheer.]

In the flesh. It's nice to meet you. Shall we get started? I'll have you know, I've only seen other people shoot these things...

[One of the benefits of losing his leg was the fact his upper body strength had increased out of necessity. So that, at least, might be a boon in his favor with regards to shooting arrows with a bow]

And.... maaaaaybe it might be smart not to practice this here. I hadn't expected it to be this busy...

[Realizes too late he's probably talking too much again and smiles, sheepish but quietly.]

[She glances down at his leg again, wondering what kind of prosthetic he has. She can't help it. Can't help but make that connection back to Peeta. Was it as advanced as what the Capitol had given the other Victor of the 74th Hunger Games? Or something much more simple?

Either way, she'd never consider him a cripple. Even if his leg had been something of a challenge in the Quarter Quell, Peeta hadn't let it stop him. In Katniss' opinion, Peeta could still do everything a boy with two legs could do.

But it does pose one slight problem.]

We can use a small corner. [She nods towards the crutch.] Can you stand without that?

[The empty pants leg very skillfully conceal no prosthetic at all. He hasn't yet been fitted for one and Abel Township couldn't spare the runners to find one.

A sheepish smile followed her question and he nodded, albeit a little unsure.]

For a little while, my balance admittedly isn't so great.

[Makes his way over toward a quiet corner, setting his quiver down and giving her a soft, thoughtful glance. It was nice that she didn't pity him, that there was a quiet acknowledgment but then acceptance.]

I apologize in advance if I'm a slow learner. I am serious about this, despite that.

[She nods at his response, glancing back at the crutch again. A little while might not be long enough. Or good enough. Neither would balance that wasn't all that steady. Was the crutch something permanent or something only temporary?

She should ask? She wasn't certain.]

I don't care. Not about that. [Another glance at the crutch.] How not-great is your balance?

I can stand for a while without help. I'll need to figure out the coordination, though.

[Despite his insecurity at his capabilities, there was a determination in his tone that wasn't bravado. Tongue in cheek, he glanced off to some nondescript location in the distance]

I'm looking to get a prosthetic. So after that, it'll be much better.

[And then he was back to looking at her, shifting his weight to stand on his leg, and making use of his wings to help him keep steady.]

There's also this, which helps.

[It was a similar sort of determination that she had seen in Peeta, too. The stubbornness not to let his prosthetic limit him. She had admired that. She had admired so, so many of Peeta's traits. Qualities that she knew she would never possess.

For a moment there, she almost felt a little guilty for bringing it up. But he's not Peeta. And like Peeta, he didn't deserve unnecessary pity that he probably didn't want.]

Peeta did that sometimes. [She gestures to his wings a little.] When he had troubles with prosthetic.

[His eyes darted toward his wings when she gestured and he grinned a little, soft and lopsided but not bad]

Yeah? It's pretty handy, I must admit.

[Expression softening, he focused on the bow of hers and didn't press the subject beyond a polite exchange of words. Though she did mention, so perhaps she was comfortable conversing about it]

Friend of yours, this Peeta? Seems like a clever thing to do so he must be a clever guy.

[She nodded. Friend, tribute partner. Lover. There were a lot of words that could describe what Peeta Mellark was to her. Most of the time, she had no idea which word to use. The one that didn't hurt the most, she decided. And lover still hurt too, too much.]

Friend from home. He... he was here for a while. [She paused, reaching back into her quiver for an arrow. She's not good at opening up to strangers. Not about matters of importance.] But he lost a leg when he was sixteen. Which is why he had the prosthetic.

[Just because he had something in common with a friend of hers wasn't obligation to open up, however, and sensing discomfort, Eugene wasn't about to press the issue. Besides, if he lost Jack here, he wouldn't be much for conversing about him, either. Shifting to take hold of his bow he tried to mimic her-- unsure as to whether or not the lesson was beginning]

Sixteen-- that's young. I lost mine a little over a year ago. Fell, which is a kind of a lame reason, but it did enough damage.

[Not that he was wanting to talk about himself or his circumstances, but if it took the conversation away from delicate matters, he was all for it]

How long have you been shooting arrows?

[She looked him over up and down when he mentions that year. He couldn't be all that much older than she was. In a few months, she'd be nineteen. In even less than those few months, she'd have been here for a year.

In her opinion, he lost lost his leg at too young an age, too.

Noting his attempt to mimic her posture, she walked over to correct how he held the bow.] Most of my life. My dad started teaching me when I was seven.

[If he even had an idea of her comparing years, he'd be incredibly flattered. Shifting to accomodate her correction he kept his eyes focused forward, wondering if he should try to put an arrow to the bow and attempt shooting at anything.

Needless to say he was fully prepared for some teasing]

At seven? Is all of your family into archery or something?

[Even if he knew little of her, he knew even less about the world she called home]

Hunting.

[She says the word quietly as she circles him, inspecting his posture thoroughly. She could say more. Elaborate and mention how scarce the food could be in District 12, especially within the Seam. How the Peacekeepers didn't really seem to care all that much about the poaching her father did to keep his family fed. Poaching she and Gale later continued. But she's already shared enough with this stranger.

Without asking, she reaches out to straighten the elbow pulling the string back.

Then:] That looks good enough. Do you know how to string an arrow?

Hunting-- my dad did some of that, too--

[Mainly in the capacity of recreational hunting. Eugene had tagged along on occasion, but it wasn't something that he had felt compelled to pursue. That, and it was with firearms and not a bow and arrow deal. Though the sudden movement had his wings flapping and body trying to adjust for the change in balance-- the tension helping him succeed in keeping upright. Best not to let how much effort that took show or she'd think less of his capability.]

Ah-- no. I'm afraid it's from the bottom up with me.

Okay.

[She nods thoughtfully, pacing around him in a slow circle once again to investigate his posture. He's still holding it. Good. Maybe he'll be able to do this even without two legs to stand on.

It's impressive. And she smiles just enough to reflect that thought in her features. But quickly enough, Katniss becomes all business once again.]

Watch.

[As soon as she has his attention, she holds up the arrow so he can see it, bow already in her left hand. Then, she takes a stance much like the one he had him stand in. She leans the arrow against the rest and uses the three fingers of her right hand to hold the arrow against the string. All motions are exaggerated, conducted slowly with care.]

Following so far?

[The approval-- he wouldn't let it get to his head-- but he felt relief where tenseness had helped him keep upright before and he nearly stumbled over from it. But maintaining his cool, he held the position and turned to watch when she demanded it.

Really, he hadn't expected the movements to be graceful, but Katniss made this look simple, like she'd been born into this. Though this also meant he was less paying attention to form, than how she looked placing and shooting the arrow she was demonstrating for him. Belatedly, he tried to focus, but by then it was too late]

Ah... mostly. Show me again?

[And this time he'd pay attention.]

[She notes his stumble from the corner of her eye but doesn't give it much regard. Either he'll figure out how to work with his disability or he won't. It doesn't matter much to Katniss either way. She said that she'd teach him and she has no intention of going back on that promise.

At his response, she lets the string tension loosen rather than fire the arrow. The arrow is placed back into the quiver and she turns to look at him. Then, she nods.]

Watch closely.

[And she repeats her previous actions as slowly as possible.]

[This time he focused on what was important, keeping his mind on the movement and trying to mimic it. Sure, he wouldn't be perfect on the first attempt, but his upper body strength was coming in handy here, at least for how securely he held the arrow and strung the bow back.]

How do you aim?

[The question came before he thought about it, but surely she'd teach him that soon enough... right?]</small<

[She pulls the string back and then carefully lets it loosen again as not to send the arrow flying. It's an important enough question, considering how much it does tie into stance.]

See how I'm standing right now? Perpendicular to that target over there? Stand like that. Focus on your target and fire.

[A shrug.] It takes practice, but you're not always going to have the option of having a sight to assist you. I didn't growing up.

So just a matter of tension and a good eye...

[Moves to pull his shoulders further apart-- they'd bunched up with the effort to hold the bow upright properly and he felt that this was a little less cumbersome than prior. Another glance her way and he tried to copy her stance. Shifting, his wings spreading out and back a little for balance's sake, he closed one eye and set his theoretical sights on a distant tree]

So when you release the string, how do you do it? Just pull your fingers apart, or pull back...?

Luceti | Appointments

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alsdkfjkl i apologize if katniss' comments are full of spoilers; i'm really bad at leaving them out

don't worry, I don't intend to sit down and read anything XD

alas! it is a very good series. then again, i'm biased. XD

Perhaps I can learn vicariously through you :3

Aha, quite possibly! XD

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