Wren did as he was told. Moved lumber when they told him to, helped hold steel walls when his strength was needed and gathered groceries only when he was told he could. The man moved to their every order and tried to avoid fighting when he could. He didn't like it, but he also didn't have a choice. Regardless of what those around him were led to believe.
"Babe, you gotta stop thinking about it. It'll only drive you mad."
Wren didn't reply as he continued prepping dinner.
"Babe," Gie called lovingly from her seat on their little couch. "Babe! Stop ignoring me!"
Wren smiled at her persistence. No matter what they were going through, Gie hadn't lost her ability to make him believe—even if it was for but a moment—that everything really was okay.
"Hold on," he chuckled, giving the wok one last toss. "I'm making dinner."
Gie's hands appeared around his waist, slipping around and traveling down to his groin. "I want attention," she murmured into his ear.
Wren's body tensed at her touch, and he grew warm.
"But I want food first."
Wren let out a chuckle and shook his head, his smile widening as he turned to face her. "You little tease," he said with a mischievous grin.
She yelped as he picked her up, taking her to their couch and pinning her to the cushions. Careful not to hurt her, Wren used his leg to keep hers from kicking him off and ran his fingers over her rib cage.
"S-Stop! Wren, p-p-please, I'm s-sorry!" she begged between giggles.
"Sorry doesn't help the freaking boner you gave me, thanks," Wren retorted, tickling her with a little more intensity.
Gie's eyes were watering as she finally wriggled out of Wren's grasp, escaping his torment and racing to grab a wooden spoon from the counter.
Breathing heavily, she said, "Come on, let's just eat! I swear I won't do it again."
Wren cocked his head to the side. "Who said I don't want you to do it—"
Three loud knocks interrupted his statement. "Night guard. Open up."
Wren sighed. For a moment, a brief moment, he was happy and relieved of the day's worries and the stress that came from worrying. Should've known it wouldn't last.
Walking swiftly to the door, he opened it wide for the night guard to enter. Instead, only one man strode forward. The man Wren wanted to strangle. The man he so fervently regretted coming to rescue.
"What do you want?" Wren couldn't resist asking, his tone hostile and daring. Of course, there wasn't anything he'd actually be able to do before the guards put a bullet through his skull.
"To talk," Tousen answered. "May I come in?"
Wren shrugged his shoulders. "Dictators don't have to ask permission."
"Wren," Gie warned, all signs of her earlier joy completely drained from her.
That was the worst part. Watching the woman he loved struggle to retain happiness he so desperately wanted to give her was pure torture.
"Your hair's growing back," Tousen commented, walking in behind Wren. The guards stayed at the door. "Looks nice."
Gie nodded, her hand straying to the short fuzz growing over her bare scalp, though she didn't respond. Of course, she didn't. Wren knew that this whole ordeal had hurt her the most. How the hell Vert wasn't going insane consistently standing at Tousen's side, Wren didn't know.
He's a traitor, just like Tousen. That's how.
Wren shook his head. He still was having a tough time accepting that Vert's heart was as warped as it seemed to be. It was more manageable to be mad at Max, a man who'd had a lot of influence over Vert ever since the kid's father died.
"Um, sorry, what can we do for you?" Gie asked, eyeing Tousen warily. "What brings you out here."
Tousen shrugged. "This dome is basically a prototype made from necessity. I need to make sure it can properly keep its inhabitants safe while providing you the relief of your masks." He turned his violet gaze to them. "Of course, I never intend on skipping an opportunity to talk with you two."
"And what if that feeling is anything but mutual?" Wren growled.
Gie came up beside him. "Honey, please, relax. If he wanted to hurt us, he would have already," she whispered into his ear.
Wren tried to take her advice, but his body refused to listen as it remained on high alert. "Would you like dinner?" he managed to ask.
Tousen smiled. And, for once, it wasn't the terrifying or creepy-ass smile he usually wore. It was a smile Wren recognized from their college days, reaching up and lighting his unusual violet eyes.
"Oh, uh, no thanks. I'll be in the lab all night, so I've got something waiting for me there," he politely declined. "How are you holding up?"
Wren had a bitter retort on the tip of his tongue, but Gie beat him to it.
"We're fine, Tousen. Thank you," she said, threading her fingers through Wren's and holding his hand tight. The action alleviated a small amount of Wren's tension, knowing he was facing this with the love of his life. If it hadn't been for Gie, he would never have gotten this far.
Tousen nodded. "Excellent. Is there anything I can do for you?"
Wren exchanged a glance with Gie. Looking back to Tousen, he asked, "When will you be letting us, and the others from the domes, go?"
Tousen's eyes narrowed, though they weren't necessarily hostile. More sorrowful, instead. "You know I can't do that."
"Then there's nothing for you to do but turn around and leave."
Gie nodded solemnly. The pain clear in those beautiful green eyes made Wren regret not forcing Tousen out in the first place.
Tousen merely nodded. "So be it. I wish you well." With that, he and his guard began to take their leave. Before the door shut, Tousen added, "This is only a temporary measure, Wren. One day, you'll see the necessity of such actions."
As soon as the door shut, Wren scoffed. "Not likely."
***
It was easier to focus on the night prior when Gie had soothed all of Wren's anxieties and fear in her warm embrace than the list of work he had to do this morning. It was the usual rotation from area to area—prepping lumber for delivery to section 8, helping with framing in section 17, and checking on those in between to offer assistance. However, today, there were also a few additional tasks that would put Wren getting off work far later than he liked.
Part of him wanted to believe that this was punishment for the way he'd treated Tousen last night. But, the other part knew that Tousen wasn't in charge of assignments and purposefully left them to a separate group of Breathless in an attempt to avoid favoritism. Wren's group was given assignments by a cadet--a kid, really--by the name of Nigel.
Wren didn't know much about Nigel aside from his inability to act under fire back when they'd first entered the city. But, according to the few kind Breathless that had no problem answering all of Wren's questions, Nigel was really skilled in people relations and guiding large groups.
"You get the secondary list, too?"
Wren turned to face Terry, a forty-three-year-old Domer that had been offered a chance to work with Tousen when his dome was destroyed.
"Yep. Probably won't get home until after dark," Wren griped, sticking his list in one of his cargo pant pockets. "Guess that means we're partners today."
Terry nodded, handing Wren three new filters. Usually, they only burned through two a day, but you could never be too sure when surrounded by toxins just raring to kill you.
With new filters and a partner to ride the day with, Wren set to work, loading flatbed trailers with the lumber ordered by section 8. With one of the new shopping districts being put up for future trade projects that Tousen was supposedly working on, the section was calling for quite a bit and, by the time the small group of nine had finished the order, three flatbeds had been loaded.
"Alright, let's get headed to 17!" a Breathless called from one of the shuttle buses.
Wren waited for Terry, and they both boarded the short, multiple seated transport. The other seven in the group consisted of three Breathless and four more Domers. Each took their seats, and, surprisingly enough, two separate pairs were a combination of Domers and Breathless. All four of them were younger and potentially less influenced by their respective societies.
Even if Wren hated how they got to this point, he couldn't deny that part of what was being fought for was a good cause. For the most part, the Breathless had welcomed the Domers with open arms, doing their best to erect amenities that would make their guests more comfortable. Likewise, those from the domes were starting to warm up to their caretakers. Many of them—primarily the elders—still bore resentment from the thousands slaughtered at Tousen's behest. But, even they were opening their eyes to the truths the Capitol had hidden from them for so long.
"Alrighty, guys, here we are!" the bus driver chirped, opening the doors with a wide smile upon his lips. "Be safe, have a good shift!"
Wren felt his own grin forming. "Thanks, Chuck," he said, passing the driver.
"Sure thing, Wren," Chuck replied with a formality that eased some of the tension Wren was feeling.
Again, something beautiful was growing here. But, it was growing from blood and hostilities, something Wren simply couldn't agree with.
Trying to speed their day along, Wren focused on his work, steadying steel beams with his coworkers as they were welded together. The framework for this building was apparently another housing complex for incoming Domers. Most of the community knew a transport carrying several families was on its way. Still, with so little room for more to safely inhabit this area, there was a growing concern amongst Domers and Breathless alike.
If there was any pride Wren could take from his work, it'd be providing a safe haven for people like him, kept from ever returning to their own homes.
"Scatter!"
The order from above had Wren quickly looking for a sheltered platform, jumping over the small gap between him and the nearest one. Two others joined him as a heavy beam fell past them, clanking on a few beams before landing with a heavy thud. The thick plumes of dust rising around it drew the nearby medics immediately to the site.
As far as Wren could tell, everyone had made it to the platforms before the beam could catch them. Terry was the only one missing, but the man had gone on his lunch not long before it dropped, so he would be fine.
"Cease work! Return to ground level immediately!"
Wren's blood froze as the order registered. Usually, you only hear that if a significant injury occurs. Looking around once more, Wren counted the men and women making their way down the ladders. Seventeen had gone up, and seventeen were going down. Who was the casualty?
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