#preciousdikko

David

Whoever came up with the idea of house arrest was a sick bastard. 

I suppose I was lucky. I wasn't on house arrest. It was more like I was on probabtion for my blatant rule breaking.

General Monsare may be a rebel but her family words still held true. She did not go gentle. Her first act after arriving back from the North was put me on leave for three months, for insubordination. I couldn’t been so lucky as to think that in the jubilation at having a nation once again, she would forget about my blundered kidnapping attempt and the impromto and unsolicted rescue mission, all in the spanse of less than a week. 

I was surprised that I wasn’t fired or court martialed but now I was bored. I had never been bored in my entire life since. Now it the was a state I found myself constantly, unfortunately. 

I poured myself a glass of water after looking outside. I supposed I should be grateful that I got assigned an apartment for the time of my paid leave but at the same time, I hated the quiet the maddening calm. 

I blew some dust away from the bars on the window. I really needed to start cleaning this house. I could practically hear my mother breathing down my neck about cleanliness being next to godliness and if I didn't get the mold out the house I’d have craw-craw in an instant. I smiled. I missed the old hag. I wondered where she had gone to this time or if she would even tell me where she was. Libe certainly didn't know where she was and we both knew her better than to ask but I could tell it was something to do with the new republic. 

I looked out the apartment window at the hustle and bustle going on down below, the same how it was before. I knew that it looked like nothing had changed but the city was at a tipping point. I could feel it. Getting independence was just the first step. 

I took one last look outside when I heard a bunch of furious knocking at the door. I grimaced, running hand down my face. 

This man had terrible timing. 

I pulled myself off from my sofa and went to open the door and Libe was standing there in a white te shirt with a silver jacket. 

“What happened to phoning before you arriving?” I asked. 

He just pushed past me into the house and then turned back to me with his hands in his pockets. 

“Davido, you do know you're not in prison right?” he said and then made a show of open and closing my front dor. “You can go out if you want to.”

“Of course,I know that.”

“I don’t think you do, because no ones seen you out here for three weeks.”

“How do you know that?” I looked at each of the walls. I had the feeling someone was watching me. I knew this paid leave business in a nice appartment was too good to be true. 

“Relax, bro. Your neightbour, he hasn't seen you out and was worried that you had died in there.”

I coudhged out a laugh. Mr Uchu or at least that's what he called himself always sat out in front of his door every morning and evening. It was nice to know he cared. I should probably go out to reassure him that I wasn't dead. 

“As you can clearly see libe.” I gestured to myself. “I’m not dead.”

“Well, stop acting as if you're under house arrest.”

I grimaced. "I’m not acting like I’m under house arrest. What makes you say that?”

Libe snubbed his nose at me, looking me all over. My skin itched all over from his eyes. Was he cursed? Wouldn’t surprise me, really.

“Looking at you, you’d think that someone had just died.”

Not someone. 

It wasn't until I saw the gentleness in his eyes that I realized that I had said that out loud. 

“Look I’m not saying that what happened didn't matter…”

“I had it coming. Honestly, I’m surprised I'm not dead.”

“Ah David, you're mistaking how violent she is.” 

“Libe she wanted me to kidnap Aria because she thought she may be a threat.”

“Okay, that was war time and that girl wasn’t exactly entirely innocent.”

I winced at the memory of Aria and Aaron holding me hostage in Hellgate. 

“Besides we’re not at war any more.”

I fell back on my sofa. That’s what everyone loved to say but honestly, a small part of me missed the war. I missed having a purpose, now I had to make a new path. The rebellion had been my entire life, even durign my time working the palace. I was itching to go home but then I doubted that would ever become an option. This stage of what no was toojarrign to coperehend. I wasn't sure Libe would understand. 

He sat himself down next to me. 

“You’re angry because you’r e on leave but think about it this has been your whole life, this cause, this war.”

He looked out into the distance and I didn't need to ask to know that he is thinking about Truth. 

My first five older brothers went into business and farming like good dutiful sons, while Truth, Libe and I went a different direction, since the time we were teenagers. 

This was all we knew, all we wanted to know. 

“If only he were here,” I blurted out, breathing deeply so I wouldn’t fall apart. 

“He would tell you to go get your barber and and put him in front of a firing squad.”

I punched him in the arm.

“What the hell?”

“It’s true, remember when he would drag us out of bed just to cut our hair. I swear he was training or something.”

I howled out a laugh. That was Truth, acting more like a father than a brother.

“I’m serious though, stop acting like this is a punishment and you’re in some sort of prison.”

“But it is," I whined unseemingly.

“That woman is hard as nails, and if she wanted to pucnish you you wouldn't be alive and breathing, with all your body parts intact in this nice house that you're not paying rent in.” He had a point, unfortunately.  I was lucky to get off with what I did, with just a slap on the wrist. 

I was lucky that she was in good mood after having the Republic's independance acknowledged. 

I was lucky that she and Aria were on such better terms now. 

I had always been conditioned to accept horror and when there was a reprieve I was ready for it to burst. It would eventually, but something I could do was try to  live as best as I could until then. Be as good in peace as I was in war. 

I clapped a hand on Libe’s shoulder. 

“Notwithstanding the hair comment, thank you.”

“Someone has to make you don’t spend all your ime brooding. People will think it’s the hallmark of your personality.”

I rolled my eyes.

“I am not broody.”

“Keep telling yourself that bro,” he got up and then went straight into the kitchen to inspect the shelves. 

“David Obiakra Soro, have you forgotten how to season food!”