I Come Alive

From down the street came the resounding squeal of a woman. As merchants began to search for the source of the scream, a girl, looking no older than ten or 11 years old, ran through the crowd, carrying a small loaf of bread at her side.

"That girl!" The woman shouted from the ground with a frazzled voice. "Thief! She stole my bread!"

Each merchant turned on the woman as others began to help her off the ground, and started for the young girl who had stolen the bread.

Through loud cat-calls of the crowd, and her own pants of breath, the girl thought to herself how helpless her situation really was. If she ever told a merchant that she was poor and needed food for her brothers, they would scoff and tell her to, "Scoot because I don't need filth like you in front of my store!" And now that she resorted to the last thing she ever wanted to do, stealing food, it was earning her more trouble than ever. Perhaps if they had just given her some food....

A rough hand jerked on her shoulder, making her nearly drop the loaf of bread to the ground. The girl shouted in frustration. They were catching up to her! She had to run faster! But the bread was simply weighing her down.

"Almost got her!" A younger man shouted, lunging for the girl and missing by just a few inches. He did, however, catch her shoe, and held it within his large hand. Just a tiny thing, she was.

The girl lost all hope, forgetting about her brothers and how hungry they were, and she chucked the bread into a nearby trash can before picking up speed and crashing through crowds of other people. She could only see their feet, but it was all a blur really as she neared the end of the group of people. She was almost out of hand, until a foot of a woman caught her gaze, and she tripped upon the heel of her shoe.

The girl fell to her knees with a helpless whimper. Every shopkeeper laughed as they approached her with heavy breaths. Each one of them thought they were out of shape, but the girl was very agile.

Then she waited for her fate, for the rough hands to pull on her ratted clothes and her hair and lift her off the ground before dragging her off to a sailor station. And yet, nothing happened. The girl had been so depressed at her sudden blunder that she hadn't heard the audible gasp that rang out from the crowds, or the shuffle of feet as they stepped away from her.

"Hey." A soft voice whispered from beside her. She jumped at the sound of this voice, this angelic voice that coaxed her more than expected. A gentle hand landed on her arm, and an auburn-haired teenager from in front of her gave a grin. "Are you okay?"

Struck dumb, the girl nodded her head quickly, gazing into the majestic eyes that studied her ever-so carefully. She swiped her blonde tangles of hair away from her dirty face, revealing an expression that didn't look anything less than alone.

From behind the auburn-haired teen was another one, but he was much taller, and his hair was darker. He looked at the merchants— No, he glared at the merchants with such despise that it even scared the girl. But when he looked down at her, his eyes softened and he gave a sweet smile.

"C'mon, let's get you off the floor." The auburn-haired one said. He pulled her tiny frame off of the sidewalk with one swift movement, and he straightened her ratted clothes out with gentle hands. And as nice as he was being, she was stunned by the friendliness of this young man, especially after what she had done. Had he seen her steal the bread? How would he react when he found out that she had in fact stolen food?

"What's your name?" He asked patiently. The girl swallowed hard, poking herself in the chest as though to make sure it was her he was speaking to. He giggled lightly. "Yes, you."

She licked her chapped lips with the tip of her pink tongue, tasting sweat and fear upon her broken flesh.

"My name is Lexi." She said with a hoarse voice. The boy just smiled again.

"That's a beautiful name."

An apparent blush formed upon her cheeks, and he wiped some dirt off of her face with his thumb.

"My name's Joshua." He paused. "I saw what you did there." He nodded in the direction of the garbage can. "I—"

"Aren't you...." Lexi began quietly before she coughed and cleared her throat. "Aren't you the boy that got shot in the Capital building?"

The black haired one looked at the crowd again, and they jumped, almost like he had said, "Boo!"

"Yeah." Joshua said. "That was me."

"Is that why they're so scared?" Lexi whispered. Joshua glanced behind him to stare at the dark haired one with an accusing pout upon his face.

"Beau!" Joshua said through a hushed breath. "Don't scare the people!"

"Did you see the way they touched her?" Beau replied. "Like she was garbage." Beau turned his attention to one of the younger merchants who had stolen Lexi's shoe. "Grabbing a poor girl like she's- she's not human, is that your idea of fun?" Beau snatched the shoe away from the merchant. He murmured some cuss words, to which Joshua clicked his tongue in disappointment.

"Now, why were you all chasing her?"

"S-she stole some bread." One of merchants spoke up.

"Yeah, she just sn-snatched it right out of that innocent woman's arms." Another continued. Beau thought that it was ridiculous the merchants had to work up courage to speak when they were just chasing a young girl around the block, and for what? For a piece of bread?

Joshua turned back to Lexi.

"But that's not the whole story, is it?" He asked her with the quirk of his voice. Lexi shook her head quickly, and she remembered the entire story as to why she was really stealing the food.

"M-my brothers..... They're hungry."

"Then you buy food!" A merchant growled. Beau snapped his attention to them, baring an angry gaze when the one spoke up.

"We didn't ask you!" Beau retorted. The merchant glowered, to which Lexi giggled. She enjoyed seeing the merchant humiliated. "Let her talk!"

"Continue." Joshua said softly.

"Yeah..." She said dumbly. "I mean, anyways, my brothers, they're really h-hungry. My mom's been working all week, but she hasn't gotten her check yet, so we have no money for f-food." Lexi shot venomous gazes at the merchants. "I asked them for some food, just enough for my brothers. But they never give any. They're too busy worrying about their stupid money and crap to even care."

Joshua wiped some more dirt away from her face, sighing softly when he could finally see her beautiful face. For such a young girl, she was also very cute.

"So I just had to steal some. I mean.... I-I'd rather be labeled a thief than watch my brothers die."

Joshua nodded, and Lexi awkwardly rubbed her arm. The deviousness of her deed finally hit her, and she sighed heavily. How could she steal food?

"I'm sorry, mister. I know I shouldn't have stolen it, but my brothers, they're so weak! I-I just had to get them something, anything."

Lexi nearly lost her composure as she wiped her eyes free of tears.

"If they just gave some food, I wouldn't h-have to steal, but they're—"

"Shush." Joshua said with a smile. "You don't have to explain it to me, Lexi." Joshua pushed himself off of the ground, and swayed over to Beau, bringing his lips up to his ear. He whispered a small sentence, to which Beau replied with a shrug. Joshua whispered again.

"I don't see why not." Beau nodded. Joshua smiled, pressing a soft kiss to the side of Beau's face. Then he walked over to Lexi's side again and pressed his hand upon her shoulder.

"Go on." Beau said to the merchants. "Get back to your shops. We've got everything."

"But my bread!" The woman suddenly butted in. Beau scoffed, barely glancing at her.

"Lady, if you can afford each of those rocks on your fingers, you can buy another loaf of bread."

She 'humphed' loudly, turning on her heel and leaving the scene with the click of her shoes. Beau smiled as the crowd cleared away. He let out a heavy breath, slouching over with a tired look upon his face. His leg ached from standing his ground, and while he had no problem doing it for the girl, a shot of pain worked its way through his muscles in his leg after each merchant left, making every movement awkward and short as to not bother the flesh anymore. The medicine he took really only numbed the pain for a few hours after he took it. Some medicine, Beau thought.

"Listen, Lexi." Joshua placed his hand upon her shoulder with a sympathetic smile. He slipped a wallet out of his pocket and pulled out a few bills. She gasped at the quantity of the bills. It was enough to buy food for her family that would last for weeks! Joshua counted each one before he organized them and folded it in the palm of her hand. Lexi pushed her handful of money away.

"No, mister, I couldn't do this."

"Please take it." Joshua said. "Buy food for your brothers, buy some medicine. Make sure you keep some leftover, but take it." He leaned forward, pressing his lips to her warm cheeks. "But you have to promise me not to steal anymore. I mean, it was a lucky break we were here today. We might not be able to help you next time. Just make sure you keep your family on their feet."

"And if you do steal, make sure you don't get caught." Beau encouraged from the background. Lexi giggled, covering her soot-stained lips with her fingers. Joshua rolled his eyes, but with a smile upon his freckled face.

"Don't listen to him." Joshua laughed. "Just promise me."

Lexi nodded.

"That-a girl." He smiled. "Now go on."

Lexi placed the money in the pocket of her ratted pants, looking at the amazing teen in front of her. She giggled, throwing her arms around his shoulder with a loud laugh.

"Thank you, mister!" She said through sobs of happiness. Beau smiled at her as she pulled herself away from Joshua and approached Beau. She looked a bit scared at first, especially since he was so tall, but Lexi took in a long breath and crushed Beau's legs in a hug. He hissed in pain, but allowed her to latch herself onto his leg.

"Thank you." She whispered in happiness. Beau ruffled her hair, though it was already tangled.

"Go on, now." Beau scooted her off in the direction of the square where she could purchase tons of candy, clothes and food for her family. He just hoped she could keep some for safe keeping.

Joshua watched as Lexi led her way into the square as a changed girl. She wasn't scared, and the others weren't looking at her as a thief, but as just another child. None of them singled her out as a monster. She was real.

Beau nodded at Joshua, silently telling him that they probably should have started to get home. Joshua skipped to Beau's side, wrapping his arms around his body with a smile.

"Aw, Beau let down his macho-shield for the little girl, huh?" Joshua nuzzled himself closer to his side. Beau's face flushed from his normal pallor to a deep hue of scarlet. Joshua giggled to himself. "She was cute, hm?"

Beau said nothing in order to hide his embarrassment.

"Oh, don't act like she wasn't the cutest thing you've ever seen." Beau pulled Joshua down the sidewalk back to their house. Neither of them could really enjoy being in public anymore, not after what had happened. People always had questions, and now theories as to how the boys survived, when the truth was that Joshua and Beau had a lucky break, to be honest. They had managed to slip out nearly unscathed, especially when comparing their other option; death.

Beau's leg ached, probably from the crushing hug Lexi gave him, but he couldn't take his medication until after he took a shower, and even then, the pain would linger.

"Beau?" Joshua asked quietly. Beau looked down at him with a blank expression upon his face. "Beau, are you okay?" Joshua pressed a hand to his cheek. "You're so warm."

"I don't feel good." Beau said with a weak smile. "Don't worry about it, Joshua."

"Are you sure?" Joshua's eyes widened, and the slightest light from the sun twinkled in his amazing eyes. Beau kissed the tip of Joshua's nose.

"Yeah. I'm fine." He smiled.

Joshua furrowed his brows uneasily, but rested his head against Beau's side, keeping the pace with him. He never liked to see Beau in pain, especially when it came to things he thought were his own fault. After all, if Joshua had never made friends with Troia, Beau would have never infiltrated the Capital in the first place, though Joshua would still be a robot. Joshua thought he wouldn't mind if he were still a bot, because at least Beau would be safe. Just as Beau figured only Joshua's safety mattered, Joshua thought only Beau's well-being mattered. It also seemed like the medicine the Capital gave him never really helped Beau anymore. Perhaps he had grown immune to it, and that was why it wasn't working.

Joshua just knew that he would do anything to help Beau feel better.



"Beau, if you do not sit down, I will—"

"I'm not gonna let you move all these boxes—"

"I'm not by myself, Ethylon and Lejend are helping—"

"Joshua, don't argue with me."

"You know I don't like to argue with you."

"I know, but—"

"Please just go rest. I'm sure your back is killing you."

"Actually it is...."

"See? So go lay down, please? For me?"

Ethylon stood outside of the front door of the apartment with Lejend. Actually, they didn't stand, but crouched and had their ears pressed against the door while Joshua and Beau went back and forth.

Lejend and Ethylon had been helping Joshua and Beau move boxes from their apartment to their new house they had bought. Beau figured he had enough money to, and Joshua was excited because they could finally get an animal. Joshua was always alone when Beau went to school, and then there was work. Joshua was practically alone, except on the weekends, though his school year would be starting soon as well.

And Joshua and Beau felt the need to argue about the littlest things ever. Joshua would offer to move the boxes, and Beau would refuse. Joshua would start packing his clothes, and Beau would tell him he was doing too much, when really, he was doing nothing. Though it wasn't arguments so much as it was them bickering and then Joshua winning after a few seconds. Beau just hated to even second guess Joshua.

"I love you." Beau muttered, just enough for Lejend and Ethylon to both hear. Lejend could imagine Joshua smiling at Beau and replying, though he must have done it silently because after that, Beau's footsteps retreated to the bedroom.

"What do you think Joshua said?" Ethylon whispered. Lejend shrugged, keeping her ear pressed to the door.

"I don't know... Probably 'I love you', ri— Eeeeep!" Lejend squealed as the door to the apartment swung open, and she fell over on the ground. Joshua, wide-eyed and confused, stared down at a hurt Lejend with her head pressed against the wood floor. Then he laughed, reaching a hand out to her.

"If you wanted a show, all you had to do was ask." He giggled as Lejend wiped dirt from her hair and her shirt while Ethylon pushed himself off of the ground with a quiet grunt. Then they started to move boxes from the living room to a car that awaited them in front of the complex.

"The birds are pretty loud today, huh?" Joshua remarked. Ethylon glanced at the trees around him, though he was really only listening. "Something must be going on."

"I never really noticed 'em."