CONFINEMENT

CHAPTER FIVE

   Harrison was standing shirtless in front of the bathroom mirror, carefully picking the shards of glass in his shoulder and collarbone, wincing when his shaking hand accidentally shoved the tweezer too far into the wound. The bigger pieces were easy enough, but some of the tiny shards were lodged deep inside his skin, and it didn't help that the pain made him tremble.

   The thoughts were clouding his head. Why the fuck had he held her? He could've easily shoved her away and left, but he hadn't. He would never admit it but the moment he had felt her tears seep through his t-shirt and onto his skin, something inside him had moved. Pity, maybe? Certainly not empathy... Or were they the same thing?

   Harrison sighed in defeat. He put the bloody tweezers down and left the bathroom. Swallowing a big lump of self-pity and pride, he discreetly knocked at her door.

   "What do you want?" The voice inside sounded. He sighed. "I need your help."

   She slowly opened the door a bit and eyed him through the crack. When she saw his defeated expression, she opened the door all the way, but said nothing.

   Castania couldn't help looking at the muscles flexing and relaxing on his bare back, as he moved around the apartment looking for the medical kit. She started counting the scars on his back, secretly disappointed when he turned to face her, the medical kit in his hands. Then she caught herself wishing she could be closer, so she could count his freckles as well. And when her eyes started to wander down his chest and ribcage, she caught herself again and cursed herself for enjoying his nudity. There was not a pound of fat on his body, but in stark contrast to Castania, who was just skinny because she had been starved her whole life, Harrisons body was muscular, just a smidge leaner than the statues she had once seen in history class. It wasn't the first time she had seen a guy without a shirt on. Back home, Hassler and her had enjoyed the occasional trip to the lakes in the late spring, but this seemed... Different. It was probably just the lack of another masculine presence, but she couldn't help but feel a little drawn to Harrison. Then again, she imagined everyone here in the Center looked like that, they had all the opportunity to work out and stay healthy, so why wouldn't they? At least his friends seemed like they took the opportunity; she had noticed that on the train. They were all way taller than the guys she was used to in the Zones. Malnourishment was so different depending on where you were brought up. In the Zones: Starvation. In the Center: Gluttony. Ironic how only the Zones-folk were turned into workers for Gluttony, like anyone would ever be able to overeat in the Zones.

   "Castania." He ripped her from her thoughts and she looked up and met his eyes. "Sorry, I'm a little tired." She lied.

   They moved over to the dining table where the light was the brightest and she pulled out the bench for him to sit on. Carefully dabbing some rubbing alcohol on the wound, she began by wiping away the blood, and the stinging made him want to twitch but he remained calm. He looked at her kind eyes and felt like he saw them for the first time. All he had seen in her eyes before was hatred and disgust, but that was gone now. A question popped into his head but her tired expression made him hesitate.

   Castania caught this hesitation. "What do you want to say?" She asked and picked up the tweezers.

   Harrison tried to find his voice but staggered a bit. "...Why are you nice to me?"

   She stopped and looked him in the eye for a moment, then looked down and resumed picking the shards. "I'm just so fucking tired, Harrison."

   "But..." He said and she looked up at him again. "I hit you?"

   "I'm aware." She resumed. He searched for her eyes but when she wouldn't look, he chose a spot on the floorboards and drew in a breath.

   "You should hate me." He sighed.