Exploring

[Wren Hartwood]

Wren grabbed Cal's hand and led him down the hallway.

"Sorry. I mean, you don't have to come, too. I just thought..." He tried to read Cal's expression, and hoped he'd interpreted correctly. "I thought maybe we could go explore some new territory. All those days cooped up in the watchtower were nice and all...but I like the change in scenery here." Wren peeked into a few rooms in the lower hallway, mostly doctor offices and waiting rooms. He led Cal up a flight of stairs to a floor full of patient rooms.

"Wanna check some of these rooms out?" Wren asked, as he pushed open the door to a clean, comfortable-looking room.

-Fade to black

Upon entering the room, Wren locked the door behind them. He sat on the patient bed and looked at Cal, biting his lip and kicking his legs back and forth. "So...wanna explore this room a bit? Or would you rather actually go explore the building and look for stuff?"

[Cal Mensen]

Cal followed Wren as he was dragged out of the rec room and up to the patient floors. It's been quite some time since they've really looked into someplace new, seemed like as good an idea as any. He just smiles and nods his head as they walk past several rooms.

"May as well, we've had plenty of time to wrap up anything productive today. I feel a little discovery is in order."

As Wren opened the new room, he noticed its relative seclusion. Everything was falling into place as they entered the room, Cal's expression turning into a contained grin.
-Fade to black-

Cal found Wren waiting on the patient bed, looking anxious but excited. He slowly moved to him, his hands resting on the bed on either side of Wren, looking him in the eyes.
"I was thinking about what you had said earlier... I think I might be getting stronger. If it wasn't for you, I don't think I've could have become this. Something's going to happen, and I want to be share it with you. Make it beautiful."

His hands move, one to Wren's lower back, the other resting on his thigh. Cal draws him in for a deep kiss, pulling him into his body. He pauses the kiss, a quiet intensity in his eyes.
"Lets switch it up this time... should be fun, now that we're equals now."

(The deed is done, with Cal running the show. Its pretty steamy, too much so to put into words. Happy Level 7!)

[Wren Hartwood]

After wandering around to clear his head, Wren found himself back in the patient room from earlier that day. It looked like no one else had found the room, since it was in the same state he'd left it in. He decided to tidy things up a bit.

He removed the bedding and tossed it in the linen hamper, in case this hospital was ever functional again with nurses that actually took the laundry out. While tidying up, he found a pad of paper and some writing utensils. Since he'd had to walk past the cafeteria to get up here and had, regrettably listened in on some of the conversation, he didn't want to complicate things by intruding. Instead, he wrote Cal a note.

Cal- I'm going to a dark place again. I'm sorry. I'm jealous. And scared. I'm sorry I get so jealous. I've never really even had friends, so I hope you can understand that seeing the main person I care about cuddling, holding hands, nuzzling other people kills me a little inside. Especially her. I know you still care about her, but I can't define your feelings. I can't be sure of how far that care goes. All I can do is trust you, which I've been doing this whole time. Even when your trust in me faltered a bit. Mine was always there.

But...it's hard. And then I heard you mention something about wishing you were back at the hotel, and my mind went to this really dark place about you two in the District 12 room, and...well, I went and punched some stuff for a while before coming up here to write this. I wish I could be the peaceful little Wren that watched the sun rise with you, but I'm afraid now I'm a jealous, angsty, violent Hawk. I hope I still mean the same to you, as I am.

 And...I heard you guys talking about the pardon. I should tell Gwen too, but I SWEAR on my life I'm going to do my best. I honestly think that if Millie can take out Vester, she'd consider it. I can't imagine moving on without you. It's not an option at this point. I'd rather flee and risk getting shot than have to see you executed. We need to stay together in the coming days. We'll figure something out. It's you and me against the world, which is nothing new. I'm still fighting for you. So, I hope you're still mine. Only mine.
I'm yours, Wren.

[Cal Mensen]

It's been a little while since Cal had seen Wren, glad to have been able to help Gwen feel better. Opening the patient room from before, Cal was happy to see him.

"Hey Wren, how's it..."
He stops, seeing his expression. Noticing a note written on the end table, Cal walks over and eyes it. Seeing his name on the top, he picks it up to read it. Sitting down on the bed, he reads the words carefully, his expression sinking. After finishing reading it, he walks to the door and closes it, turning back to Wren.

"Is it okay if we talk about this?"

[Cal Mensen]

OOC: Sorry, I guess I didn't leave much to respond to.

Sitting down on the bed, he turns to Wren. His words drop down into a whisper, matching the privacy enabled with the note.

"Wren... I've had to make a difficult choice this week, and it wasn't as simple as just one moment. I feel like I've been pulled in two directions for a long time, the only reason why its taken so long to resolve was they walked a similar path. I never wanted to hurt any of you, and I don't want to leave anyone in pain. That's why I went to see Gwen today. She's a long way from Val, and needs some support to see her through meeting her again."

A few tears flow down Cal's cheeks, but he has to continue.

"I stayed at the Watchtower Day 1 because I couldn't let you go at this alone. I was so happy to see you again, it was like I hadn't even made a choice. But working around you two again, at the same time, that pulling was coming back. If I was going to stick to my decision, I had to resolve what was going on inside myself."

He places a hand over Wren's, trying to keep a gentle feel to it.

"I miss Gwen, its true. I missed what I had with her, and while taking care of her earlier today, I slipped back to those old times. We rested against one another and just forgot we were here. I wanted that one more time, because I know it won't happen ever again."

Cal wipes his tears and looks Wren in the eyes.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't considering how you felt when I did that. But I made my choice, and there's no going back now. I've helped Gwen and Val find something special, and I've tried to give her the push to find her again. In the process, I thought the two of us could have closure. I'm with you Wren, from here to my last day. I won't go anywhere without you, I won't follow anyone else. You're right, you've been nothing but loyal and believed in me, even in our darkest times. You fought for me when no one else would."

He rests on the bed, his head looking up to Wren.

"If you'll still have me, tell me what to do. If it means keeping an arm's length from anyone else, alright. What makes you uncomfortable? What can I do to help our allies? What's wrong, what's okay? I want to make this work, and I'm long overdue to ask how."

[Wren Hartwood]

Wren listened to Cal, wanting to jump in, but he waited until Cal was finished. Wren smiled and wiped Cal's tears and placed a hand along Cal's chiseled jawline.

"I never meant for you to feel guilty. I mostly just wanted to be honest about where my feelings are, since we never really discussed boundaries and such, or even gave things a title, for that matter. I know for Gwen, kissing many people is like no big deal. But, for me, that's unusual. People in Seven tend to stick with just one person. And I was just letting you know that I want you to be that person, for me. If you can be, that is. I don't want to change who you are. If you like to flirt, that's who you are. I just...want you to know that if that's who you are, I'm always going to be a little jealous.  I know I shouldn't be, especially because your thing with Gwen began before me, but...I dunno. I just can't imagine you and Gwen being like us.

And maybe it's okay for me to be in a somewhat dark place. Maybe the naive Wren that's always so happy is weak. Maybe I need a little fire under my ass, to keep me going. Something to fight for. Otherwise, I think I'd have just stayed in the watchtower stocking up on food for days like Lartius, and probably not attacking anyone." Wren laughed, considering Lartius's seemingly increasing weight. "And I'm sure I would have gotten myself killed.

I've been fighting for you in a few ways, Cal. I've been fighting and getting my hands dirty so you don't have to, I've been fighting to keep you safe, and I've been fighting and competing for your love. I'm sorry for pulling you away from Gwen. You guys might have had something..." Wren frowned, as the thought was too much for him. "But I got selfish for once. I saw something I wanted, and I had to make it mine.

And if closure with Gwen, of that nature, was necessary for you to be mine then that's fine." Wren fidgeted with something in his pocket. "I...don't suppose you'd let me give this to you, would you?" He held up a packaged syringe with 'morphling' written across the front.

[Cal Mensen]

Cal smiles, pulls Wren down to his level. Cuddling up with him, he rests his head against Wren and sighs.

"Thank you for understanding. No, I don't need to flirt to be me, I think I just really got into making people feel better, I didn't think about how that would affect anyone else. Now that I know, I can turn it down."

He punches Wren playfully in the shoulder.
"You know your dark place is a part of you, right? Same coin, different side. I'm glad there's that part of you, it helps drive you and keeps you from going to far either way." 

Cal puts a hand on Wren's proposed gift, but does not take it from him.
"I'll only take this if we can agree as a group how best to use it. We've still got a war to fight, and I appreciate you offering, but it's not just us in this. We've got to work with the others, for peace... And love."

He finishes his last sentence with a peck on Wren's lips.

[Wren Hartwood]

Wren pocketed the syringe and sighed. "Fine. I don't think it'll be any good until tomorrow, anyway. I think you have to let it sit for a while first." 

He pressed his own head against Cal's, trying not to imagine how many other people have shared this exact comfort with Cal. At least, in Wren's mind, it meant the most to himself. Any physical affection Wren could accumulate from Cal was helping cover up the years of being beaten up and verbally abused back in Seven. Every squeeze of his hand, head on a shoulder, and even a lean into his shoulder meant something to him. (The boning was an additional, and unexpected perk.) 

Wren sat in silence like that for a while, considering how he's changed over the past few weeks. But, he came to realize: This is who he was meant to become. He was chosen for these Games, to become the Hawk. A little wren could never have hoped to ignite something like this from the ashes and call it a phoenix. He was always meant to be here, to meet a ghost and embrace it as it was, to fall in love and discover something worth fighting for, and to make friends and promise to protect them -something that could and would not have happened if he hadn't been chosen for these Games. 

He liked to think Millie had chosen him, or had put Wren's name inside Vester's head. Wren wished he could help out more directly. He knew it wasn't his place to take on Vester with Millie, but he'd been attacked by Vester directly, and it felt personal...He shook his head of these thoughts and brought himself back to the present moment. 

He kissed the top of Cal's head. "If you die, I can't promise I'll go on much longer. I'll do as much as I can for the Accord, though. A hawk can live longer than a wren...If I'm going to continue fighting, it'd be a complete shift to that side of me. I just want you to know and accept that, since I know you've accepted your fate by now as well. I'm still going to try, though...for that pardon. I know Gwen and Val don't think it could happen at all, but I know Millie a little better, I think. She might consider it."

Not wanting things to get too somber, he got up. "So, should we go downstairs and talk with the others?"

[Cal Mensen]

Cal let Wren be with his thoughts for a while; there was so much to digest after this talk. Once Wren started to speak, he smiled, returning Wren's kisses. He really did enjoy these sweet gestures, they've come a long way from Wren's distaste of 'corny shit'. Probably helps that it isn't corny anymore, just affectionate and honest.

"Actually, Gwen would probably fight for the pardon as well. Once this is all done, reach out to her. She may be your strongest ally to get this resolved, with both of your words as true tributes and rebels. And... I appreciate you fighting for my life, here and in the future when this is all said and done. I'll stand with you, fight for our future."

He pops up to his feet, his hand extended to Wren, giving him a warm smile.
"Let's not keep them waiting too much longer."