Archive of Our Own ^beta

It was hard to be from the poorest district, but Luzu had learned to get by. He learned to hunt from a young age, he had to, there was no other way to ensure that he and his brother would survive otherwise. 

The truth is, they were orphans. Their mother had died long ago, and their father simply left them alone one day. 

They would have ended up in the communal house if their aunt hadn't taken them in. 

Their aunt was the local doctor, however, calling her a doctor was already an exaggeration, as she could not afford to pay for studies to become a real expert. Everything she knew she learned from her mother, and from studying various herbs and their medicinal uses herself. 

This left Luzu with two options for bringing food to the table: either he could start working in the mines, or he could learn to get food himself so he wouldn't have to beg for tesserae and risk having his name added more times than necessary for the Reaping. And considering that he was still far from the minimum age to work in the mines, his choice was clear. 

His father, when he still bothered to act like he cared, had taught Luzu how to use a bow. And at least he had left some at home, old bows that he himself used for hunting. 

It took time. Too much time, and much to Luzu's disappointment, he did have to resort to asking for a tesserae or two in the process to keep them from starving, but he never gave up. 

He didn't do it when his fingers got calluses, or when his old bowstring broke and he had to replace it, or when his hands got splinters when he was learning to make arrows on his own, even though they were too fragile or too heavy at first. Not even when he failed to hit a single squirrel for months, returning home dejected and without a single prey to show his little family for dinner.

But his efforts paid off in the end. He was now probably the best hunter District 12 had to offer, and that was what mattered. 

Hunting was still illegal, and would still have repercussions for Luzu if any Peacekeepers found out, but at least now he had enough to feed his family, and even enough to trade at the market when they needed it. 

His only concern was to make sure Arin's name wasn't called on the day of the reaping. 

That day began like any other, except for the distinct anxiety that comes with waking up on the day of the reaping, not knowing if it will be your name or that of someone you know who will be called. 

Luzu met with his best friend, Lana, halfway to the central square. Lana was the mayor's daughter and therefore lived in the area where all the merchants live, which in District 12 was the equivalent of having her life solved. Her bright blonde hair was proof that she belonged to what in the District was "high society", the merchants. 

Quite the opposite of Luzu and Arin, who were practically destined never to leave the Seam, the poorest area in the District, where all those destined to work in the mines lived. 

It wasn't Luzu's first reaping, nor was it Lana's, but that only made them more nervous. Lana didn't have much to worry about, she was 17, and being from the merchant zone, she had no need for tesserae, so her name was only put in 6 times. 

Luzu, on the other hand, had his name in 18 times. He did have something to worry about. 

At least Arin's name was only put in 4 times, as Luzu never let him be the one to ask for a tessera when it was still needed. 

The registration process for the reaping went as usual, and soon everyone was lined up and waiting for everything to be finished so they could go home, or know if it would be them who would have to say goodbye to their families.

The familiar figure of the District 12 escort walked onto the big stage. Everyone in the District recognized Eret, even though they only saw them once a year during the reaping. She had been the district escort for a couple of years now, and was pleasant enough considering they were someone from the Capitol, if anything he was somewhat flamboyant, but that was to be expected. 

She always wore clothes worthy of royalty, and her makeup was always neatly done. 

Luzu wondered for a moment how he managed to walk in boots with such a high heel. 

"Welcome back to the reaping. As you know, today we will choose the tributes who will represent this respectable district in the seventy-fourth edition of The Hunger Games. May luck always be on your side." 

Eret took a step back, pausing briefly as the usual video began to play on the screens in the plaza. 

Luzu watched the stage with disinterest, also spotting the only winner District 12 had to show: Phil Craft, winner of the games 24 years ago. He looked the same as he always did on the day of the harvest: with slightly tense shoulders and the look of a man who saw death in the face and managed to escape. And, for the past 19 years, there was something else in his gaze: an undeniable panic that one of his children's names would be called. 

Everyone in District 12 respected him, not just because he was their only victor, but because he was someone worthy of respect. He was a genuinely nice person, and an excellent father to his three children. Luzu envied them a little, their father had not left them when their mother died like he and his brother Arin, it was the opposite, he had strived to be an amazing father to them. 

Still, everyone knew that Phil had his own demons. All victors had them, but the weight on Phil's shoulders was a heavy one: he was the only mentor, and year after year, he was forced to become attached to two tributes, all around the age of his own children, only to be forced to watch them die. 

Phil was a kind man, yes, and he was almost always smiling. But never on reaping day. 

The video ended, and with that Eret approached the microphone again, her red dress glowing like a spark of fire among the mountains of coal in the district. 

"Let the reaping begin! Now, as is tradition, ladies first..." 

Eret approached the side of the stage which contained the glass container with the names of the district girls. He put his hand inside, thinking a bit before selecting a piece of paper at random, approaching the microphone again before opening it. "This year's tribute from District 12 is... Lana Undersee!" 

A hush fell over the entire audience. It couldn't be true. People from the merchant zone were rarely chosen, luck was literally in their favor, their names were the least repeated because they had no need to trade food for another piece of paper with their name going inside the container.

Panic took over Luzu, and as he found his friend's face in the crowd, he knew there was no way he was going to let her go there. 

Lana was sweet, her hands were smooth and without a single callus, he was sure she couldn't even lift a knife against an enemy. 

It would be a miracle if Lana managed to survive the initial bloodbath in the Cornucopia. 

Lana was still standing in her place, not knowing what to do. 

But Luzu knew what to do. He didn't give it a moment's thought. 

"I offer myself as a tribute!" 

A new silence fell over the audience. Luzu raised his chin, starting to walk towards the stage. No peacekeeper stopped him. 

By the time he reached the stage, Eret was already looking at him, completely surprised. 

"Oh... This hasn't happened before, this is the first time the volunteer isn't a girl…" Eret looked at Phil for help, although he looked just as confused. What were they doing now? Drawing another name for a female tribute? Or drawing the name of the male tribute, since technically Luzu was taking the place of the first tribute now? 

A few seconds passed and no one said anything. Phil finally came over, whispering with Eret for a moment before Eret stood upright in front of the microphone again. 

"Well, um... We'll have a short break for a couple of minutes while Phil and I contact the Capitol." Eret informed. 

The audience immediately began to whisper to one another. Peacekeepers led Luzu into the justice building, leaving him alone in an empty room for a few minutes. 

Those minutes were enough for panic to begin to set in for Luzu. What had he done? He had possibly saved Lana, but there was a chance he had doomed himself as well. 

Yes, Luzu was the best hunter in the entire district, but that meant nothing against the career tributes of the first districts. 

He was probably going to die, and then what would happen to his brother and aunt? 

Sighing, Luzu made a decision. He would try everything he could to get back alive. 

Then the door opened, and Eret walked in along with Phil to see him.

"The Capitol has made a decision. We thought we'd tell you first before announcing it..." Eret began gently. "President Schlatt will allow District 12 to have two male tributes this time. He says it's not traditional, but it will make the games much more interesting." 

Phil huffed, and Eret gave him a look, but neither said anything about it. 

"So... I'm officially a tribute?" 

"It seems so," Phil spoke for the first time. "Nice to meet you, I'm guessing you know my name, but I'll introduce myself anyway. Phil Craft, and you are... ?" 

"Luzu Donner."

A glint of recognition flashed through Phil's eyes. No soul in the district hadn't heard of the oldest boy in the Donner family, who was more talented with a bow than everyone in the district put together. 

"Well Luzu, we must officially introduce you, and select the other tribute. We don't have all day, we are already 10 minutes late, we should already be on the train on the way to the Capitol." Said Eret in a hurry, leading Luzu and Phil back to the stage. 

The audience fell silent as they watched them leave the justice building, anxious to know what would happen next. 

Eret approached the microphone, practically dragging Luzu along. 

"Ladies, gentlemen, and others, I have an announcement to make. By decree of President Schlatt, this year there will not be a female tribute for the games, but two male tributes. That being said, I present to you the first tribute from District 12: Luzu Donner!"

The crowd erupted in whispers again, and Luzu managed to find his younger brother's face in the crowd, looking at him in horror. 

Luzu tried to tell him with his gaze the promise he'd made, tried to tell him that he would return. 

Eret barely gave the audience time to recover from the news, marching in the direction of the other side of the stage, selecting another paper from the glass container opposite the one they used earlier. 

He returned to the center of the stage, opening the paper with his usual elegance and reading the name. 

Her usual smile faded almost instantly, but she recovered almost immediately, looking nervous. Her smile didn't even reach her eyes now. 

"The second tribute from District 12 is… T-Tommy Craft…" 

Half the crowd held their breath, while the other half immediately looked at Phil. It had always been a possibility that this would happen, and he knew it, but in his eyes there was nothing but suffering.

As if he was already grieving for the son he had not yet lost. 

Tommy himself seemed glued to his spot, mouth open in surprise. He tried to compose himself, throwing his shoulders back and holding his head up in an attempt to look brave. But everyone saw through the act: he was just a 14-year-old boy, and he was terrified. 

"Tommy!" Wilbur, one of Tommy's older brothers, broke through the collective trance of the crowd, trying to push his way through the sea of people to get to his brother. 

A pair of peacekeepers rushed to cut him off. Wilbur resisted, struggling with the agents. 

"Tommy!" He shouted again, managing to push one of the agents away. The latter soon recovered, returning to grab him by the arm. "NO! I OFFER MYSELF, I OFFER MYSELF AS A TRIBUTE!" 

Again, all was silent. The peacekeepers stood still and Wilbur used the opportunity to break free from their grip on him, forcing his way to the front of the crowd. 

A young man joined him halfway, and Luzu recognized him as Techno, the eldest of the Craft brothers. He had turned 19 a few months ago, no longer of age to have his name put on the reaping, otherwise Luzu was sure he would have been the one to volunteer for Tommy. 

They both made their way to Tommy, and as soon as they were in front of him, Wilbur enveloped him in a hug, whispering things that only he could hear before pulling away and looking at Techno. 

A silent conversation passed between the two older brothers, and Techno nodded, gently taking Tommy by the shoulder. Wilbur nodded as well, and without further ado turned and walked to the stage. 

More eyes then turned to Phil. His head was bowed and his shoulders slumped, and it was impossible to see his expression thanks to the hat he always wore that now obstructed the view of his face. 

At that moment he was not Phil Craft, the victor of District 12. He was Phil Craft, the father of the now District 12 tribute.

Wilbur arrived on the stage and planted himself firmly on the other side of Eret. Eret stood silently for another moment before approaching the microphone, his shoulders slumped. 

"I present to you the other District 12 tribute... Wilbur Craft."

The audience fell silent, and a moment later they were being dragged back inside the building, this time with Wilbur at their side. 

Phil waited for the doors to close behind him, and in a second he was grabbing his son by the shoulders. 

"Wil…"

"I know. You know we couldn't let Tommy go. Techno would have done it too if he was still old enough to do it." 

Phil didn't say anything else, hugging Wilbur to his chest. 

Luzu saw no more, the peacekeepers taking him to a private room again. A couple of minutes later, the door opened once more, and this time it was Arin and his aunt who came in to say goodbye. Behind them came Lana, looking worried. 

"Luzu!" Shrieked his younger brother, hugging him. 

"Arin, listen to me. We don't have much time to say goodbye. Do whatever Auntie says, I over-hunted before the reaping like every year, you won't be short of food until I return." 

Arin looked at him with teary eyes. 

"Will you really come back…?" 

Luzu looked at his aunt for a moment before looking back at his brother. 

"Of course I will. I promise."

Arin wiped away his tears, stepping aside. Lana then approached him. 

"Luzu, you didn't have to…"

"Lana, no. I already did. It's okay, I couldn't let you go there. Don't take this the wrong way, but out of the two of us, I'm the one most likely to survive. It would be sending you to die, Lana." 

Lana grimaced, clearly knowing what he was saying was true, but still wanting to argue. What she did, however, was take something from her pocket and put it in Luzu's hand. 

Luzu looked at what it was, finding a metal pin of a bird. 

"It's a mockingjay," Lana explained. "It's been in my family for a while. Wear it as your good luck charm." 

Luzu looked at the object a moment longer before putting it in the collar of his shirt. 

"Thank you, Lana."

Lana smiled at him, giving him a quick hug before stepping aside, letting his aunt say goodbye to him. 

His aunt immediately wrapped him in a hug as well. 

"Good luck, you know we'll be waiting for you when you get back." His aunt whispered in his ear during the hug, pulling Luzu tighter against her body. 

"I know. I promise not to leave you waiting."

Her aunt broke away from the embrace, tenderly caressing Luzu's cheek. Then the door opened again and Eret along with a peacekeeper appeared in the doorway. 

"I'm sorry to interrupt, but we really have to go. We are very late, we will be late to the Capitol and we still have things to do when we arrive."

Luzu took one last look at his family before following Eret out of the room. 

Techno and Tommy were also in the hallway, saying their final goodbyes to Wilbur. 

"I'll kill you myself if you don't come back." Techno said earnestly.

" I second that. You better come back, Wil." Tommy said, sniffling his nose. He had clearly been crying a little, like Arin. 

Wilbur just laughed and ruffled Tommy's hair. 

"Dad's been training us for this for years. I'll be fine." 

Phil, who had so far kept to himself, stepped forward at the sight of Eret and Luzu, putting a hand on his shoulder. 

"We should go, we're already running a little late." 

Tommy and Techno didn't reply, and Tommy gave his older brother one last hug followed by a punch on the shoulder before a peacekeeper escorted them out of the building.

The Capitol train was definitely big and luxurious, although Wilbur didn't seem that impressed, probably because he lived in the Victors' Village, where everything was just as luxurious. 

Luzu didn't talk much to Wilbur on the first day of the trip, deep in thought, but he noticed the furtive glances Wilbur gave him whenever he thought Luzu wasn't paying attention. 

Eret at least was a talkative person, and their conversations were at least managing to pull Phil out of the pit of his own thoughts into which he was clearly sinking. 

Phil woke up in the middle of the night, unable to sleep. He sighed and walked to his son's room, something telling him he would be awake too. Wilbur had always been a very nocturnal person. 

He walked in quietly, finding Wilbur sitting in the middle of the bed and hurriedly writing something in some sort of journal. Phil knew what it was, his song journal.

Wilbur only wrote that fast when he needed to process his thoughts the only way he knew how: with music. 

He clearly didn't hear the door, so Phil knocked on the metal with his knuckles, drawing Wilbur's attention, who blinked and looked up. 

His tense shoulders relaxed a little at the sight of Phil, and he closed his journal without thinking. 

"Dad…" 

Phil didn't need to hear any more and simply walked over, sitting down on the bed. Wilbur immediately settled in beside him, holding on to his clothes as if his life depended on it. 

He looked like a scared little boy and not the almost 17 year old he was. 

Wilbur hid his face in his shoulder, and Phil automatically moved to wrap his arms around him, lovingly stroking his brown hair. 

He had inherited Kristin's hair color, if a bit lighter, and unlike Tommy, who was as blond as he was. Techno, on the other hand, was a strange mix of the two: somewhere between brown and blond, and under the lighting of the kitchen light at home, his hair even looked like a very pale pink.

Neither said anything for a long moment, Phil waiting for Wilbur to process his feelings. 

"Dad... I'm terrified." Wilbur confessed. 

"I know, Wil. But I swear I'll do everything I can to get you home." 

Wilbur sighed, finally pulling away from Phil a little. Not enough to still not be in his arms, but now he was leaning on his shoulder instead of hiding his face in it. 

Phil paused the movement of his fingers through his son's curls for a moment as he settled in, resuming as Wilbur became still again. 

The two were silent again, it was enough to know they were close to each other. It was enough for Phil to be able to hold his son in his arms, and Wilbur was more than content there. Phil's arms were safe, there were no games there, nor his possible death. Just his father's fingers caressing his hair. 

Eventually, it was Wilbur again who broke the silence.

"I think I should tell you something."

"What is it, Wil?" Phil asked gently, snapping out of his thoughts. 

Wilbur sighed again. 

"After the reaping... I was thinking of asking Luzu out on a date. I've been thinking about him for a while, and Techno convinced me to finally tell him today…" Wilbur grimaced, "I guess I won't tell him now." 

"Oh, Wil…"

Phil's heart immediately squeezed as he heard that. His middle son had never been interested in anyone, just like his older brother, and unlike Tommy, who had been trying to pick up girls since preschool. 

He was his son's possible first love. And now there was a small chance that he wouldn't have the opportunity to experience what it was like to be in love with someone. Going on dates, holding hands, all of that... It could simply be taken away from him even before it happened. 

Then a crazy idea came into Phil's head. 

True, he would go to great lengths to make sure his son came home alive, but it was best to give him the chance to experience what he wanted with Luzu, just in case.

More pieces were falling into place, and Phil suddenly had a plan. 

"Wil, I think you can still do something about that." 

Wilbur broke away long enough to look at his father with doubt. 

"You want me to tell Luzu how I feel?" 

"Yes. But also... I also think we can use this to your advantage. Think about it Wil, the Capitol loves a good twist during the games. The first twist is the first two male tributes sent from the same district. But the second twist...what if they were in a relationship?" 

Wilbur looked at him as if he'd lost his mind. 

"You don't mean…"

"You can pretend to be in a relationship. In our district it's seen as completely normal for a couple to be of the same sex, but in the Capitol it's still taboo. Not enough to be hated, but enough to cause a stir and ensure that you are the center of attention."

Wilbur seemed to think about it for a moment. 

"Jack will love it. 'The tragic lovers of District 12, and for the first time, our two male tributes…'" He said, clearly thoughtful. Phil smiled enthusiastically as he saw that Wilbur understood what he was referring to.

"This won't stop the games by any means, but it will gain you attention. Thousands of eyes will be on you, and if you know how to take advantage of it, that means guaranteed sponsors."

"Which means more chances to survive." Wilbur finished. 

"I know it won't be honest, but... Let me give you this, Wilbur. You deserve to experience it in case…"

A brief silence fell over them. 

"All right. But we still need Luzu to say yes."

Phil smiled at Wilbur's answer. That was a yes. 

He would take care of convincing Luzu. 

The next morning, Phil broached the subject with Luzu over breakfast. 

"Wil and I have a plan that will guarantee you sponsors." 

Luzu raised an eyebrow, taking a sip of his tea. 

"What is it?" 

Phil exchanged glances with Wilbur, nodding to assure him that he would see that Luzu said yes.

"It's simple. The fact that you are the two male tributes will already gain you attention, but I'm not sure that's enough. So I thought of something. The Capitol loves a good drama, and what's more dramatic than the two male tributes from the same district having a tragic relationship?"

Luzu looked at Phil, thinking about his words for a moment. 

"So, your plan is for us to pretend to be in a relationship?" 

"That could work." Eret interrupted, "I'm from the Capitol, I know that a relationship like that between tributes will be the complete center of everyone's attention."

Luzu considered that for a moment. 

"Well, let's say, hypothetically, I say yes. What would we have to do then?" 

"Talk about the relationship in the interview," Phil began easily. "Help each other in training if possible, but what matters most is how you sell the story in the games themselves. If you two kiss the Capitol would absolutely love it, but you must support each other at every turn. Convince the public that your relationship is the most precious thing you have, they must believe the tragic story of two lovers where one is sure to die."

"I'm not good at acting." Said Luzu at last.

"I didn't expect you to be, but that's okay. Wilbur can handle the interviews no problem, he's good at that kind of situation. But you also need to do your part once you're in the arena..." Phil paused, folding his hands on the table and looking at Luzu, serious. 

"Luzu, I'm going to be completely honest with you here. As the only mentor in District 12, I've always tried everything to support my tributes equally... But in the end, I've always had to choose who I will get the most help inside the arena…"

Phil paused again, still looking Luzu straight in the eye. 

"I know who you are, Luzu. The whole district knows there's no one better with a bow than you, I've heard you never miss a single shot. I don't deny that you have a high chance of survival, but if the time comes, I will choose my son without hesitation. This plan is my offer to give you the opportunity to have a line of sponsors waiting to support you too. It is up to you whether you decide to take the chance or not."

Luzu watched Phil for a moment, then looked at Wilbur, whose eyes were fixed on him as well.

They looked at each other in silence for a moment and Luzu finally leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest. 

"I guess we'll have to get to know each other if we're going to make this convincing, won't we?" 

Wilbur looked at him with surprise at that.

"Are you saying yes?" 

Luzu shrugged. 

"Why not? Phil said it himself, it's a good opportunity to get sponsors." 

Phil hid his smile with his cup of tea. 

"You have until we get to the Capitol, you won't be able to talk much after that, your respective teams will have to get you ready for the parade. Make it convincing for the interview, there you will have to start selling the story to the Capitol."

Without further ado Phil got up, followed by Eret, and they both left to their respective rooms to leave Luzu and Wilbur alone. 

Wilbur really adored his father, he deserved heaven for this. 

"Then, I guess we'll have to get to know each other. And it wouldn't hurt to have a story about us. The Capitol will want to know everything: how we met, how we started dating…" 

"Do you think it's a good idea to say that we started dating before the reaping?" 

"I don't know, the Capitol could take it as us already having time to be a couple and they might not find the story so tragic." 

"Mm, so how about we say that we both had feelings for a while, and that I was going to tell you on reaping day? And that when we ended up as tributes, we decided to come clean." Wilbur suggested. 

Luzu thought about it for a moment, nodding. 

"That could work... Then the Capitol would know that we had feelings before, but only now we're a couple." 

"Well, we can talk more about that later, dad's right, there's a couple of hours left before we get to the Capitol." 

"What kind of things, if anything, will be relevant that we know about each other?" 

Wilbur shrugged. 

"How about your favorite color?" 

Luzu let out a laugh. 

"Really?"

"Absolutely. Now tell me."

Luzu rolled his eyes in amusement, looking out the window for a moment and watching the world rush by outside. 

"... Red." Luzu confessed after a moment. 

"Like your eyes?"

"Like my mother's... I inherited her eyes, and my younger brother inherited our supposed father's... And you? Which one is yours?" 

"Blue," Wilbur said easily. 

"Like the sky?" Wilbur looked out the window too, staring at the blue sky for a moment, "I guess, yeah... It reminds me of my dad's eyes too, but my brother Tommy's are even bluer. I remember the first time I saw them I couldn't look away. I swore I would do anything to protect him." 

Luzu nodded in understanding. If his brother Arin had been the one who was called as a tribute, Luzu still would have offered himself as a tribute immediately. He understood how it felt to want to protect someone like that. 

"I would have done the same if it had been Arin."

"I don't doubt it, you volunteered in the first place for your friend. Lana, right? Mayor Undersee's daughter?" 

"Yes. She's been my best friend for a long time. She's a merchie, and the mayor's daughter. She even has an employee who picks up bread for them from the bakery every morning. I knew she would die immediately if I didn't offer, at least I know how to use a bow. Although it probably doesn't compare to what the careers in the first districts can do."

Wilbur shook his head. 

"I've seen you shoot, and I've also seen the training of the careers before, my father made my brothers and I go through the same training since we were 7 years old. I assure you, you're much better than them." 

Luzu was somewhat flattered by the compliment, but something else about what Wilbur said caught his attention. 

"You... You've seen me shoot before?" 

"Ah... Yes, I've been in the woods a couple of times while you were out there hunting." Luzu raised an eyebrow at that. 

"You don't look like the kind of person who likes to break the rules. Crossing the fence is forbidden."

Wilbur laughed in response to that. 

"Oh, you'd be surprised how much I don't like to follow the rules, my dad says as a kid my favorite game was pretending I was the president and making my own rules. My brother Tommy likes to go to the woods to play since he was little, and my brother Techno trains there sometimes too. The Victors' Village is... Lonely. Sometimes we just felt better training by listening to the animals around us. We saw you a couple of times, and you never missed a single shot. Plus, you can hit a moving target with your eyes practically closed. I can tell you that the careers who train with a bow aren't too many, but the ones who do, use stationary objects. You definitely have an advantage."

"Oh... I see. You seem to have an advantage too, you've been training since you were 7 according to what you said." 

"Yeah, our dad knew there was a chance that one of us would be a tribute. Many people told him all the time that he should expect it, there is a reason why the victors stopped having children, a lot of them were always suspiciously selected to the games sooner or later."

Wilbur paused, looking out the window again absently. 

"They told him he was being selfish by having 3 sons, knowing that anyone could be selected as a tribute. So he took precautions, and made sure we knew how to fight. He taught us everything he could and more, took us to District 1 and 2 to watch the careers train, and got us teachers to teach us everything they taught kids aspiring to be a tribute at the games."

"Oh... At least you're prepared. I have no real training, I learned it all on my own. At first I couldn't even hit a completely still squirrel."

Wilbur let out a laugh. 

"I was terrible at first, too. My older brother Techno started training just a couple of years before me, and he was already a prodigy by the time I started learning. Definitely the most qualified of the 3 to participate and win the games. I always preferred words to weapons. More specifically, music."

"Are you a musician?"

"I can play guitar and I've been writing songs for a long time. It was always my thing, Techno was the good one with the fights and guns, me with the words, and Tommy is quickly learning a bit of both, even if he is very impulsive... But enough about me, you've barely told me anything about yourself. Tell me about your family."

Wilbur turned to look at Luzu again, and Luzu was a little surprised by Wilbur's genuine interest. No one other than Lana, Arin or his aunt had ever asked him to know more about him so honestly. 

"Well... My mother died when I was little, so I don't know much about her other than what little I remember and what my aunt tells me."

Wilbur nodded sympathetically. Luzu knew that his mother had died too, Kristin Craft was a very kind woman, many in District 12 mourned her loss, including Luzu's aunt, who once treated her about her illness but could do nothing for her. 

"My father left soon after, we have no idea where he is now, nor do we care to know. So my aunt took in my brother Arin and me, and that's when I learned to hunt. With my aunt's healer job there wasn't much money, so I had to do something or I would end up asking for more tesserae than I should and I would definitely be chosen then."

"I see…"

Luzu then noticed how different his life was from Wilbur's. Yes, they were both from the same district, but Wilbur's father was a victor, so they lived in the most luxurious area of the district, a small valley with big houses lined up in a long street, but only one of them was occupied.

Being a victor, his father was practically rich. They had all the money they needed and more. They could buy good quality meat regularly and not just on special occasions, and they could buy a birthday cake from the delicious, decorated cakes in the window of Niki's bakery instead of settling for the stale, stale bread on sale. 

Wilbur had trained as a precaution in case he was called upon to participate in the games, Luzu had learned to use a bow so he could hunt and not starve to death. 

Their worlds were light years apart, but somehow, Luzu was not envious. 

Well, maybe a little. He also wanted a father as loving as Phil, and never having to worry about food again was definitely tempting too, but Wilbur's life also sounded... Lonely. 

He knew he didn't have many friends, even though he went to school like all the other kids in the district, and in his words, Victors' Village was lonely. 

Being from the Seam, Luzu was from the most populated place in the district, so there was constant movement and noise outside the windows. The way Wilbur described it, the Victors' Village seemed like a place stuck in time. 

A bunch of houses lined the street, all filled with luxurious furnishings and expensive decorations, but all empty. No one had ever lived there, and there were no other children around to play ball with, or just neighbors to greet.

It sounded kind of somber. 

In the end, Luzu and Wilbur did stay talking for the rest of the trip to the Capitol, sharing things about each other. 

It was incredibly easy to talk to each other, and Wilbur really was an expert at knowing how to keep the conversation going, not that he needed to though, as they eventually found topics of interest to both of them. 

For example, Luzu liked to read, although he could only read the old books in the school library, and had to return them when he was done. Wilbur, on the other hand, had a personal library at home. 

Phil apparently enjoyed reading as well, but the library really began to take shape thanks to Techno, who always stood out academically as someone brilliant, and apparently, in Wilbur's words, "was always training or reading." 

Eventually Wilbur became curious about the books Techno read, and although some were very complicated, he eventually understood why his brother loved them so much. 

They both agreed that the books from the old Panem, before districts and games were instituted, were the best.

And besides that, they discussed a little more about themselves. Wilbur learned that Luzu also had some knowledge about medicinal herbs thanks to his aunt, and Luzu learned that Wilbur started playing the guitar at his mother's suggestion.

By the time they reached the Capitol, they felt like they were already friends. They were definitely not strangers anymore, that was for sure. Although Wilbur didn't think of them that way in the first place, he wasn't sure what Luzu thought of him before he met him. 

Phil definitely noticed Wilbur's big smile and excellent humor, even when he had to let the styling team groom him in preparation for meeting his head stylist. 

Phil didn't regret his plan in the slightest, not when it really meant guaranteed sponsors for both of them, but especially when it made his son this happy to be able to talk to Luzu like this and meet him. 

Phil could only imagine how happy Wilbur would be when they got to the part where they had to actually act like a couple. He was almost sure he would die of happiness if Luzu actually kissed him in the arena. 

For now, it was time for the initial parade to formally introduce them to the Capitol and to President Schlatt. 

Luzu would be lying if he said he wasn't nervous. He had reluctantly let the group of stylists fix his appearance, though Luzu didn't know what exactly they had to fix and why things like making sure his eyebrows were well defined were so important.

He didn't understand it, it was just absurd to him. 

But he had to pretend to be Wilbur's partner, with whom he had previously only really interacted with once, when he was practically starving, so more absurd things were going on in his life at the moment. 

Luzu sighed, only to instinctively bristle as he heard the door open. It was time to meet his stylist. 

A man with black hair and extravagant purple clothes entered the room. 

"Luzu, District 12, right? I'm Vegetta, and I'll be your stylist."

Vegetta entered, looking at Luzu with curiosity and examining him with his eyes. 

"I'm not going to congratulate you or anything, but it takes courage to volunteer for the games, especially if you're not someone from District 1 or 2. And today I'm here to make sure the entire Capitol notices you." 

"Are you going to dress me up as a miner or something?" 

"You're from District 12, the mining district, but no. Tributes from your district have been dressing like miners for years. Besides, this isn't about putting you in a silly costume, it's about getting the Capitol to remember you and notice you. You and your partner."

Vegetta stepped forward, examining the pin Lana had given him. 

"A Mockingjay?" 

Luzu nodded. 

"Mm, I see..." Vegetta stepped back again, his eyes lingering on the pin for a moment before looking Luzu in the eyes. "Well, we don't have much time. We have to make you look good for the parade."

Wilbur was a little nervous about meeting his stylist, but he didn't expect him to be literally the most smiling, upbeat person he knew besides his younger brother Tommy. 

His stylist had entered in a hurricane of vibrant colors and had introduced himself to him as Karl. 

"Karl Jacobs, former District 7 escort, I will be your stylist starting today. This is exciting, you're my first tribute!" 

"Uh... Wilbur Craft, nice to meet you..." said Wilbur as Karl watched him carefully, walking around him. 

"Oh, you're Phil's son, aren't you? I met him when I was still an escort."

"Why did you go from an escort to a stylist?" Wilbur asked curiously, watching as Karl opened a journal he had with him and began to look something up. 

Karl paused for a moment, smiling. 

"I was lucky enough to have people who made me realize I always wanted to be a stylist. Now come closer, I'll show you the costumes, Vegetta and I had to make last minute modifications when we knew there would be no female tribute…" 

Wilbur was a little uncomfortable in his costume for the tribute parade, he felt at least a little like a little kid wearing a costume, although Karl assured him he looked good. 

The black leather suit was somewhat uncomfortable in itself, but apparently there was more to it, only Karl refused to tell him what until Luzu showed up.

Phil was accompanying them for now, wanting to see them before the parade, and Karl was moving around Wilbur, checking to make sure everything was okay with his wardrobe. 

"I have to go to the bleachers in a moment, but you look good Wil, really," said Phil, trying to reassure his son.

"See? Phil agrees, now stop being a baby." Said Karl, absentmindedly fixing the collar of his shirt. 

Wilbur just groaned. 

"Tommy's going to make fun of me for this, I know he will..." Wilbur started to say, stopping short as he fixed his eyes on Luzu, who was coming towards them with his stylist, wearing a suit similar to Wilbur's. 

That suit looked much better on Luzu than on Wilbur, that was for sure. 

Phil followed his gaze, confused, and let out a laugh as he noticed the reason for his son's sudden lack of words. Oh, he was at Luzu's feet, definitely. 

Karl, hearing that, looked up, smiling to himself as he noticed Wilbur's reaction. Oh, this had just got interesting… 

"You have to sell the story in interviews, Wil, try to control yourself." Phil mockingly said in a whisper, earning a sound of indignation from Wilbur, who turned to look at him as Luzu arrived. 

Phil laughed again, waiting for Luzu to arrive with them to say goodbye to him.

"I must go, but I'll watch you from the bleachers. The whole Capitol will be watching."

They both nodded, and after a pat on the shoulder to encourage his son, Phil retreated through a door. 

All around him, the other tributes were being preened and taken to their carriage by their stylists, and a few other mentors were standing around, about to go to the stands as well. 

Out of the corner of his eye, Wilbur saw Karl laugh and shyly wave to someone amidst the sea of tributes, stylists and mentors, but he didn't pay much attention. 

It was the first time all the tributes had been together in one place, but they wouldn't really be able to interact with each other until training, now they were busy enough with their stylists making sure they were ready. 

"You look...good." Wilbur said, looking at Luzu once he arrived with them. 

"Oh... Thank you, Wil. You too." Luzu smiled a little embarrassed. 

"Okay, get in the carriage. It's almost time."

"And we have to tell you one last thing about your outfits." Finished Karl, stepping back and seemingly finally looking away from whoever he was seeing.

Luzu and Wilbur obeyed, climbing into the carriage. Luzu almost stumbled as he did so, but Wilbur grabbed his arm to steady him. 

"Are you alright?" 

Luzu nodded, finding his balance again and holding on to the carriage, looking at Wilbur. 

"I'm fine, thanks again."

Wilbur smiled at him in response. 

"Well, lovebirds, less looking at each other and more attention to me." Said Vegetta suddenly, making Luzu and Wilbur blush, Wilbur immediately letting go of Luzu. Karl just laughed. 

"Let's see, so, about your suits…" 

"They'll be lit on fire!" Finished Karl, excited. "Isn't that great?" 

Both Luzu and Wilbur suddenly forgot their embarrassment, looking at Vegetta and Karl with surprise. 

"What?!"

Vegetta made a gesture to calm them down, pulling out what looked like a very long match from between his clothes while Karl did the same. 

"The fabric is specially made for that, and it won't burn you."

Luzu and Wilbur exchanged glances, somewhat uncertain.

"Guys, not to rush you or anything, but we have two minutes to do this and if someone steals my seat next to my fiancés because of you, I'll make sure the fire really burns you." Karl commented, smiling innocently. 

Luzu and Wilbur exchanged glances again. 

"It's okay, we trust you."

Vegetta gave a smile that looked like a mix between innocent and threatening while Karl simply lit his match. 

"You had no choice. Now, let us light you up."

The parade of the tributes had begun. The crowd, including President Schlatt, watched each tribute's costume with interest, clapping and cheering for their favorites. 

The president was known to be a heavy-handed man. He wasn't a bad leader of Panem, and the Capitol loved him for always knowing how to put a good spin on the games. 

Then the District 12 carriage came into view, and the crowd as a whole seemed to hold their breath before bursting into cheers.

Wilbur had an idea, reaching for Luzu's hand. He looked at him immediately, confused, but with a gesture Wilbur urged him to trust him. Luzu obeyed, letting him do what he wanted. 

Wilbur took his hand, raising both hands clasped in a sign of victory. 

If the Capitol had already loved their flaming suits, they completely lost their minds at such an act. 

They were definitely all going to keep their eyes on the District 12 tributes from now on.

The parade ended as soon as it started, and all the tributes were now directed to the tribute center to rest. Tomorrow the training sessions would begin, after that came the individual evaluations, and finally the interviews would follow in the evening before the games. 

They had a long week ahead of them, especially considering they were about to meet the other tributes. 

Phil had stressed that they should not show their true abilities in training with the other tributes, and that it was best if they stuck to a weapon that was not the one they knew best. That they should leave their true talents for individual evaluations, it was better to let their enemies think they knew their tricks rather than reveal them, but not to trust that they were the only ones who would use that strategy. 

So Luzu and Wilbur woke up on the first day of training feeling ready to meet the others. 

Apparently, according to Phil, it was during training that alliances began to form among the tributes. It was practically tradition at this point for District 1 and 2 to form an alliance, the training also served to know if you were going to ally with them, or against them.

They were sent directly to the training room as soon as they finished breakfast.

Nothing stood out from the other tributes, except perhaps for the fact that they could tell who were from the first districts right away. 

The other tributes were pessimistic, waking up one more day before their impending death, and they carried a weight on their shoulders: they didn't want to kill anyone to survive, but they had a couple of days to accept that they would have to. 

However, it was different for those in District 1 and 2. 

They had trained their entire lives for this, and had volunteered as tributes. You could tell they were ready to do whatever it took to win, and they were among the first to approach the weapons as soon as they were in the training area. 

It was particularly noticeable in the male tributes from those districts. They seemed to know each other, and were practically glued to each other. 

It was kind of scary to see them training together in the simulator, back to back, using knives to take down opponents. They were always aiming for vital points. 

Luzu remembered Phil mentioning them as the most dangerous potential opponents in the games. Clay, District 1, and George, District 2. They were clearly allied, and were to be feared when together. 

However, it was something about two other tributes that caught his attention. They were from District 4 and District 11. 

They were just kids. They were probably about 13 years old, Arin's age.

And no one had volunteered for them. 

Luzu knew it was unwise to approach. They may have been his younger brother's age, but they were not him. It would only hurt him to approach any of them knowing that there was a chance he might be the one who would have to end their lives. Still, though, he wasn't convinced that they would make it to the end of the initial bloodbath. 

It was sort of an unwritten rule of the games: No one under the age of 15 made it past the initial bloodbath in the cornucopia. And it was a complete miracle if anyone younger than that age managed to win. 

Turning around, Luzu decided to get as far away from the archery training section as he could and headed off in the opposite direction: knife throwing. 

Wilbur seemed to have the same idea, and instead of going for the knives like Luzu, he approached the bows and grabbed one from the rack. 

Luzu turned out to be not so bad with knives, he still had good aim, but his technique when throwing them was not the best. The same could be said of Wilbur, he missed most shots at first, but progressively got a little better. 

They made sure to keep an eye on the other tributes, noticing also the girl from District 1, Hannah, who seemed to be another worthy opponent. 

Luzu and Wilbur exchanged glances, they knew there was no way District 1 and 2 would want them with them unless it was of use to them, but they also came to the same conclusion: they wouldn't ally with anyone unless it was strictly necessary to do so. They could only rely on each other. 

The three days of training went by fast, apparently, time managed to go incredibly faster when you were days away from dying. It was the day of individual evaluations. 

Wilbur went through first, bypassing the rack with a bow and instead grabbing a couple of knives. 

He managed to hit the target every time. 

The Capitol people, however, only paid attention to the first few targets he managed to hit, starting a conversation again, with Wilbur lingering as the mildly entertaining circus act in the middle of their lavish dinner. 

So, as his time was about to run out, Wilbur approached the weights, picking up the heaviest one he could. He glanced again at the window overlooking the training room: nothing, no one was paying attention to him. 

Huffing, Wilbur straightened up in his place, grateful to his older brother for turning weight training into a competition between the two of them. He took a breath, tossing over his shoulder the barbell and hitting a steel stand which held more weapons. 

It made a loud noise on impact, several of the weapons it held falling to the ground in a shower of metal. 

Wilbur didn't bother to check that they looked at him, he knew they had, the murmur of conversation had stopped.

But Wilbur did not look up, turning away as his counter reached 0 and leaving the site. 

Luzu was the last to be called. 

He didn't overlook the mess of knives, axes and such strewn on the ground, or the dumbbell at the center of it all that caused it. 

He moved to grab a bow and some arrows, positioning himself to hit his target. 

Luzu missed the first arrow, cursing under his breath. 

He was used to hitting moving targets, and using his old bow at home. Capitol bows were different. 

It took him a couple more shots to get used to it, getting closer to hitting the target when he did. 

Luzu didn't miss a single arrow after that, but out of the corner of his eye he realized it was too late, no one was paying attention to him. Luzu's eyes scanned the place, zeroing in the weight from before again. 

He had heard the loud noise all the way from outside the room. He knew it had been Wilbur. 

And, if he gave the Capitol the show they wanted, it was only fair that Luzu should do it too, wasn't it?

He looked up at the window full of people who would never have to go through the games ever in their lives, and wasn't that what they wanted? They sat up there, on their own throne, to show off their apparent freedom and look down on the tributes from above. 

They wanted the tributes to look up, to worship them as gods because that's what they were to them once inside the games: a gamemaker could give the order and let loose some mutts which, while they wouldn't kill you, would have done most of the work for the other tributes. 

So Luzu looked. But he did so to aim his bow and arrow, and did not hesitate to let his arrow go where it should. 

Clearly he would not hit a gamemaker. That was premature suicide, even if they didn't publicly behead him before the games, they would release him in the arena and torment him to death there. 

Besides, it wasn't time for that yet. 

So Luzu aimed for the apple sitting at the mouth of the pig from which they were all happily eating, and stuck it into the wall with his arrow. 

For the second time that day, the conversation stopped. 

Luzu decided that today he had the right to be a son of a bitch, so he left the bow on the table and bowed in mockery. 

"Thank you for your consideration." He said sarcastically, turning around and leaving the room.

Phil wasn't completely happy, but he wasn't angry either. It was a mixture of pride and disbelief. 

"You told them what?!" Eret asked, genuine surprise in their tone. 

"'Thank you for your consideration…'" Luzu repeated. 

Wilbur let out a laugh, earning a slap from Eret to his shoulder. 

"That's not funny! This could have consequences, for both of you! And you, Phil!" Eret turned to look at Phil, his high heels clicking against the floor as he turned away. "You won't say anything? Your son challenged them too."

"I'll be honest with you," Phil said, "I'm proud and horrified in equal measure." 

Eret was about to say something else, but then the program to announce the tributes' scores went on the air. 

To no one's surprise, the four tributes from 1 and 2 had high scores, they were the professionals to beat. The next ones with relatively high ratings were from District 3-5. 

After that the ratings began to vary, the highest was a 7, and the lowest was a 5. 

Then it was District 12's turn.

Wilbur got a 10.

Luzu got an 11.

With scores like that, they would officially be in the crosshairs of the careers. 

The interviews, for Luzu, were meaningless. It served to get sponsors and that was it. Otherwise, it was useless: a chance for the tributes' families to see for their children, siblings, grandchildren and friends for possibly the last time, dressed in ridiculous gala costumes designed in the Capitol style, which meant they were extravagant, and have them talk for 3 minutes about what their life was like before the reaping and why they deserved to go home. 

At least Jack Manifold, the current showman and interviewer, made an effort to make the tributes look good and asked them not so superficial questions, he was genuinely interested in getting to know the tributes, even if it was for only 3 minutes. 

Jack was young, Luzu was sure he wasn't even 20 yet, and had taken on the role of interviewer about two or three years ago, but he already promised to be a crowd favorite for years to come. 

He had the charisma to be the best in the industry.

"Don't move." Vegetta scolded him again, slapping Luzu's hand away from his shirt collar. 

Luzu groaned but obeyed, letting go of his shirt. Luzu's suit was completely black with red veins, like the rock of a volcano cracking to reveal a river of lava underneath. It was the promise of something dangerous hiding beneath the surface. 

He hadn't seen Wilbur's yet, but Vegetta had assured him he would look good

Luzu didn't ask why Vegetta made sure to tell him how handsome Wilbur would look in his suit while looking at him suggestively. Although he didn't correct him either. 

After all, he was about to pretend in front of the whole world that they were a couple, even if Wilbur would do most of the work for now. Resigned, he let Vegetta get on with his work. 

Wilbur liked his stylist Karl. It was entertaining to listen to him talk as he concentrated on helping Wilbur dress and fix his hair and face. 

"Wilbur, you're in love with Luzu, aren't you?" Karl asked out of the blue, surprising Wilbur. 

"What do you mean?"

Karl stepped away from where he was helping Wilbur with a button of his suit. 

"I saw the way you looked at him the day of the parade. You can't deny it, you're in love with him."

"What about you? You were looking at someone that day."

"You avoided the question." Karl pointed out.

"You're avoiding mine."

"Yes, I was looking at one of my fiancés, he's a mentor, happy? Now answer me." Karl said, working on fixing Wilbur's sleeve now. 

"... Yes, I'm definitely crazy about Luzu."

Karl laughed,victorious. 

"I knew it! You have to tell him."

Wilbur smiled somewhat mysteriously. 

"Maybe I will tonight."

Karl smiled in response. 

"You'd better do it."

Sighing, Luzu let Vegetta lead him to the hallway where the other tributes were waiting their turn. They had barely started, so Jack was about to interview the male tribute of District 2, George. 

Luzu decided to distract himself by looking at the somewhat ridiculous outfits of the other tributes while Vegetta kept fixing non-existent wrinkles and checking his make-up.

Oh, right, Luzu was wearing makeup. Vegetta had forced him to, telling him it was part of the wardrobe. So now he had his eyes carefully traced with eyeliner and with a subtle red eyeshadow. 

At least it hadn't been too much makeup. 

Wilbur appeared around the corner with Karl, and Luzu almost held his breath at the sight of him. His suit was similar to Luzu’s, the same black color, but his seemed to be made of a different fabric, with no red lines, instead seeming to change color depending on the light, shimmering from a navy blue to a black that reminded him of coal from the mines back home. 

From his right shoulder, flowing down his back, was a piece of fabric, light and bright orange which descended to a red. The fabric was thin and fluttered behind his back as he walked, simulating a fire behind him. 

Luzu was a fire waiting to be released. Wilbur was a flame burning and growing with each moment. 

Wilbur also had some makeup on, similar to Luzu's, with eyeliner on his eyes and some blue shadow. 

He looked...good. Too good. 

Vegetta cleared his throat, catching Luzu's attention and making him jump a little in place. 

"I warned you." Vegetta said in amusement. Luzu didn't bother to answer as Wilbur and Karl arrived with them at that moment. 

Luzu had to admit that Wilbur looked even more dazzling up close, he almost seemed to glow.

"Luzu, you look good." Wilbur said, smiling. For some reason, the compliment made him feel a little nervous. 

"You too." He answered immediately. 

Vegetta sighed exaggeratedly, drawing their attention. 

"Oh, young love, am I right, Karl?"

Karl nodded, giving his own exaggerated sigh. 

"My fiancés are like that still sometimes."

"Well, Wilbur, you know what you've got there, don't you?" Asked Vegetta, pointing to the piece of cloth draped down his shoulder and onto his back. 

Wilbur nodded. 

"Karl mentioned it."

"Okay." Vegetta paused, looking at the screen to one side of him that showed what was going on outside with the other tributes. 

Now Jack was interviewing the little boy from District 11. His name was Toby Underscore, but his friends called him Tubbo, he said. Jack laughed, leaning in close as if to tell him a secret. 

"So I can call you Tubbo?"

The teenager leaned closer as well, his adorable yellow and black suit making him look like a bee. 

"I don't know, Jack, can I call you my friend?" 

Jack cackled in response, seemingly delighted with Tubbo's attitude. 

"They'll be done soon." Karl concluded, "Which means it's almost your turn."

Karl turned to examine Wilbur to make sure everything with his suit was okay. Meanwhile, Vegetta also made sure Luzu was perfect again, and a minute later, Luzu straightened up as the stage door opened and Jack called his name. 

"Now, ladies and gentlemen, we come to an interesting part of the show. As you know, something happened this year... Something rather peculiar happened with the tributes from the last district." Jack paused, anticipating the reaction from the audience, many of whom shouted in response, "So I give you our first male tribute from District 12, Luuzu Donner! 

The audience shouted again, and Luzu took a deep breath before exiting. He took one last look at Wilbur, who smiled at him in support. 

Luzu walked out onto the stage, being briefly blinded by the bright lights. He planted a smile on his face and approached Jack, shaking his hand as he offered to sit down.

Luzu nodded, feeling as if he suddenly saw everything from somewhere outside his body. 

"So, Luzu. The situations under which you are here are certainly unusual." 

Luzu felt himself give a laugh. 

"You could say so."

"It's the first time we have two male tributes from the same district, this is a historical fact. Why don't you tell me a little bit about how you ended up here?" 

"I guess the same way the others did, during the reaping." His answer earned a chuckle from Jack and the audience. 

"Sure, of course, I mean why did you volunteer as a tribute instead of the girl originally called—What was her name? Undersee...?" 

"Lana," Luzu answered. "Lana Undersee."

"Lana. Tell us, Luzu, why did you volunteer in her place?" 

"To protect her. She's been my best friend for a long time, I did it to protect her, the way I would also do it if it had been my brother's name that was called."

"You have a brother? 

Luzu nodded.

"A younger brother, Arin."

"I see. I don't doubt you'll do a good job in the games, you didn't get an 11 on the evaluations for nothing. Would you mind telling us what happened inside that room?" 

"I'll tell you when I get back."

Jack laughed, seemingly delighted by his confidence, though Luzu didn't know where that had come from. 

"We have a deal then, Luzu. I'll remind you when I see you again. Changing the subject, you and your partner put on a real show at the parade. Was it real fire?" 

"Oh, definitely, the heat left me sweating while I was in the carriage."

Jack laughed again, the audience, as usual, followed suit. 

"I see. You're not using any more of that fire today, are you?" 

"Today I am the fire, Jack. But maybe you should ask my partner the same question."

"I'll keep that in mind." Jack replied enthusiastically. "Luzu, you're planning to go home to your family, aren't you? No one else? Miss Lana, maybe?" 

Luzu smiled somewhat mysteriously.

"Lana? No, she's practically a sister to me. But I wouldn't say there's no one, it's just kind of... Complicated."

Jack leaned forward, interested. 

"Complicated? If you're so sure about coming back, I have no doubt you'll work it out. They won't be able to resist a victor, you'll see."

Luzu smiled again, this time somewhat wistfully. 

"I wish it were that easy, Jack."

"It's something else you'll have to tell me when you get back. I'm afraid I must call your partner now. Ladies and gentlemen, that was Luzu, our first male tribute from District 12. I hope luck is on your side, boy on fire."

The audience answered with applause as Luzu stood up and made his way to his place at the back of the stage, next to the other tributes. 

"Well. Now, I know many of you have been waiting for this moment. I present to you our last tribute of the night, son of the Victor Phil Craft: Wilbur Craft from District 12!" 

The audience went absolutely crazy for Wilbur, probably, as Jack had said, thanks to knowing his father. 

Wilbur entered the stage with a smile, waving to the audience before approaching Jack.

They both sat down a moment later, the audience settling down to listen to the interview attentively. 

"Wilbur, it's a pleasure to have you here with us tonight. Tell me, you volunteered for your brother, didn't you?" 

Wilbur nodded. 

"Yes, my younger brother Tommy."

"I see. And how do you feel about going to the games in his place?" 

"Relieved that he won't be there." Jack nodded in understanding. 

"That's very noble of you. Wilbur, your partner Luzu said to ask you if you were using any of the fire from earlier today."

Wilbur laughed in response, rising with a wave and stepping forward. 

He caught Karl's gaze in the audience, sitting between two black-haired men. Karl grinned from ear to ear, giving him a thumbs up. 

Wilbur began to spin in place. The fabric on his shoulder flapped at the movement, and in a second, it changed to a real fire. 

The audience erupted in cheers and applause, and Wilbur did a couple more spins before stopping.

Jack seemed positively delighted. 

"Whoa, whoa, okay, Boy on Fire, don't set my stage ablaze!"

Wilbur sat back down in his seat, the fabric going out in a second.

"That was amazing, Wilbur, thanks for the show."

"I might do it again for you when I get back, Jack."

"I'm glad to see that confidence in you too, but you know only one can win the games. "

Luzu managed to see the change in Wilbur's face through the screens. He was getting ready to drop the bomb. 

"I know that all too well, Jack. And as much as part of me wants to win for my family, another part of me knows that if I win I will have lost something just as important."

"Oh? Something like what?"

Wilbur leaned back slightly, a bitter smile on his face. 

"Well, Luzu said so, but it's a complicated thing. We're a complicated thing. It's hard to want to go back to your family knowing that it means I'll have to say goodbye forever to the love of my life." 

The audience as a whole seemed to hold its breath. 

"You don't mean...?" 

Wilbur sighed. 

"I'm afraid I do. I've been wanting to ask Luzu out for a long time, and I decided to do it on reaping day. But things didn't turn out the way I'd hoped, so I did it on the train." 

"And Luzu...?"

"He feels the same way. We decided to start a relationship while we could, before we…" Wilbur deliberately paused. "Before the games take each of us away from the other. Or before we both die in that arena."

That seemed to make the audience react. Many were still mute, but a few others began to clap and cheer in protest. They were fascinated with the tale of District 12's tragic lovers. 

"Are you saying that you are not only the first two male tributes from the same district, but you are also together?" Jack asked, clearly excited. 

Then Jack did something that was not allowed. He stood up and turned to look at Luzu and said:

"Luzu, you can't do this to us, come back here!"

All the tributes had their time. Only 3 minutes per tribute, that was the rule, and Jack was calling him back to the stage, apparently to finish Wilbur's interview with him.

Luzu complied, moving closer, and soon someone brought him an extra chair, placing it next to Wilbur's. 

Wilbur, seeing the opportunity, took Luzu's hand in his as soon as they were seated next to each other. Luzu didn't pull away, letting him as Wilbur intertwined their fingers. 

The audience loved it, erupting in cheers. Wilbur met his father's gaze in the middle of the front row of audience seats, and he smiled at him complicitly, raising his wine glass in a silent toast. 

Jack seemed to love the small token of affection as well. 

"Luzu, you could have told me." Jack said jokingly, sounding offended. 

Luzu laughed, feeling a slight squeeze of Wilbur's hand. 

"I wasn't sure if Wilbur would want me to tell, but I guess the secret is out now. It was going to be revealed anyway at some point in the games, I definitely wouldn't have the heart to leave him if anything happened to him."

The audience as a whole let out a chorus of 'Awww', finding his words tender. 

"I really wanted to say it, so at least my siblings would know, since I couldn't tell them in person, this way they would know Luzu as my significant other in case…" Wilbur paused, leaving the rest of his sentence up in the air. 

The mood in the place immediately grew more somber, the brief moment of happiness forgotten. 

"There's a chance that neither of you will return." Jack said gently.

Wilbur and Luzu exchanged glances, doing their best to look like a young couple who didn't want to think about the possibility Jack mentioned. 

"In that case, at least I'll be able to have my rose on the other side." Said Wilbur. Luzu was a little surprised by the pet name, but surprisingly, Wilbur calling him that made him blush. "And we are determined that at least one will survive. We talked it over and decided that the winner will support the other's family in whatever they need."

Luzu had to contain his surprise at that. They hadn't talked about it, but for some reason, he felt Wilbur wasn't lying. It felt like a hidden promise to Luzu. 

If Luzu didn't come back and Wilbur did, he would take care of his brother and aunt. 

"I like that conviction. I'm not supposed to play favorites, but… " Jack smiled sideways, giving them a conspiratorial look. "I'm betting on you, boys on fire."

The audience apparently agreed with Jack, clapping and cheering again. 

Luzu exchanged glances with Wilbur and knew right away that he had an idea. Wilbur stood up, motioning for Luzu to do the same, and then raised their still clasped hands, as they had done at the tribute parade. 

They were the two tributes from District 12, they were the boys on fire… 

They were Luzu and Wilbur, desperate to survive.

The audience went completely crazy this time. People stood up and cheered for them, hysterical. The Capitol clearly had two new favorites in the games. 

Suddenly the Panem anthem began to play, and the stage lights began to dim, marking the end of the program. 

The audience kept applauding them. 

Luzu looked back at Wilbur, finding that he was already looking at him, and Luzu… 

Luzu didn't know what to think. 

Because Wilbur was looking at him as if he was the only person in that place now, as if Luzu really was a fire, and couldn't take his eyes away… 

He was looking at him like someone who was in love. 

And Luzu realized that at that moment, under thousands of Capitol eyes, Wilbur had not been acting. 

Phil congratulated them as soon as they were alone in the elevator back to the penthouse. He especially complimented Luzu. 

"I thought you weren't good with people Luzu, your interview was great." Was what Phil had said. 

Phil talked for a moment about how they had definitely gained new Sponsors, but that probably meant they had taken some from the other tributes as well, so they had to watch their backs. After that he let them both go get some rest, telling them that they better enjoy their last night of peace before the arena. 

However Luzu kept thinking about the revelation he had, and that led him to overthink his own feelings for Wilbur. 

Not that he had never noticed him when they were still in District 12, but back then he had seemed unattainable. 

Though he had to admit that changed a bit the day they actually interacted for the first time. And he wasn't talking about the reaping.

It had been a long time ago, Luzu still wasn't good at hunting, and his aunt insisted that he couldn't ask for one more tessera, that she would take care of it, but days went by and she couldn't come up with any more money. 

In a last attempt, Luzu went out to hunt again, without success. He returned home more defeated than before, but ended up collapsing from hunger and exertion still some way from reaching the Seam. 

Then he appeared.

He was carrying a bag of bread with him, apparently he had gone to Niki's bakery because his father asked him to pick up the bread he ordered, and now he was on his way back to the Victors' Village. 

Luzu didn't even notice him until he felt someone beside him, talking to him, though everything felt kind of... Blurry. As if his senses had been submerged in water. 

"Are you all right?" He asked worriedly. Luzu did not answer. 

Wilbur seemed to notice what the problem was and without thinking he took a loaf of bread and put it in Luzu's hands, who noticed it after a moment and began to eat desperately. In the end Wilbur waited by his side until he felt better and could return home alone, but not before forcing him to take more of his bread to take home and eat with his family. 

Luzu never stopped thinking about how kind and selfless that had been. He literally owed Wilbur his life, he could have starved to death that time, but thanks to him he did not. 

He started paying more attention to him after that. He noticed that he didn't have many friends, but still a lot of girls tried to get close to him. He was the son of the only victor in the District, which made him practically rich, he was the best in music class and debate, and he was handsome, too. What girl wouldn't want to marry him? They'd have their lives practically figured out.

Luzu didn't want to think about what it was like to feel that way about someone, so for years he ignored that feeling, telling himself it was admiration for the time he saved him. 

And he intended to keep ignoring that feeling for the rest of his life until they both became tributes. 

Then he went along with Phil's plan and ended up digging his own grave.

Getting to know what Wilbur was really like was refreshing, they had a lot in common, and he seemed like a genuinely interesting person. But then those feelings started knocking at the door again and Luzu just wanted to run far away from the Capitol. 

He wasn't good with relationships. The one he'd had before ended lousy, and ever since then he vowed never to let himself feel that way about someone else again. 

... But then along came Wilbur with his silly infectious laugh, his cute curls, and his incomparable love for his family; and Luzu... Luzu tried to ignore his feelings again, but between Vegetta's suggestive comments and the fact of their impending deaths... Would it be so bad to come clean with Wilbur before going to the arena? 

Luzu sighed, sitting on the roof of the training center on what would be his last night before risking his life in the games. 

He had snuck up there a couple of minutes ago to think, but now he kept turning the situation over and over in his head. 

Maybe it would be best to try to get some sleep. 

A noise alerted him, and he turned around to find none other than Wilbur, who was walking out onto the roof as well and froze when he noticed Luzu's gaze on him. 

"Oh... I didn't know you'd be here." Wilbur said, stepping completely out into the somewhat chilly air and approaching Luzu, sitting down next to him. "You should be asleep by now."

"Wil, you should be asleep too."

Wilbur laughed at that, making Luzu smile. 

"Okay, yes, I should. But I wanted to come here and think a little."

"Me too."

A brief silence fell between the two as they watched the night sky. It was very different in the Capitol, here you could barely see a few stars with all the light from the buildings, but in District 12 the street lights went out at a certain time, and they were nowhere near as bright as those in the Capitol. Stars could be seen in the sky every night. 

Wilbur was the one who broke the silence, turning to look at Luzu and blurting out something that almost made him fall off the roof in shock. 

"Can I kiss you?"

"What?"

"Well, dad said that if we kiss at the games the audience will love it. I just think it would be better if we did it now, you know, so it would be more natural and not so awkward…" 

Luzu looked at Wilbur somewhat amused, knowing what his true intentions were. 

"So you want us to practice first?" 

"Yes, you could say that." 

"... All right."

Now it was Wilbur who almost fell off the roof in surprise. 

"Really?!"

"Yeah, why not? You're right, we could benefit from practicing first."

Wilbur gulped. 

"Oh... Okay, then just let me, um…" Wilbur paused, moving closer to Luzu, clearly nervous. Luzu moved a little closer as well. 

Eventually the two were so close that their breaths mingled. 

"Just for practice..." said Wilbur in a whisper that Luzu could only hear because of how close they were. 

"Yes... No other reason…" Luzu decided to take the initiative, leaning forward and joining his lips with Wilbur's.

It felt as if the world was finally making sense. As if all this time what Luzu was missing was Wilbur and vice versa. 

It was just a brush of lips, and it lasted only a couple of seconds, but for them it was enough. 

They parted with completely red faces and racing hearts and looked at each other, lost in each other's gazes. 

Wilbur was the one who decided to pull away first, but Luzu stopped him, a hand immediately grabbing hold of his yellow sweater to keep him from leaning back. 

"I have to tell you something."

"What is it?" Wilbur asked, clearly nervous. 

Luzu gulped, licking his lips, somewhat nervous. 

"I..." Luzu took a breath, "I think I'm really in love with you."

A multitude of emotions flashed through Wilbur's eyes, from surprise to disbelief and finally to hope. 

"... Really?"

"Really."

Wilbur laughed so hard he threw his head back, recovering after a moment and looking at Luzu. 

"Well, that makes me happy, because I'm in love with you too."

Luzu couldn't help it, he smiled.

"I know." Luzu grabbed Wilbur by the collar of his sweater, pulling him towards him for another kiss. 

Wilbur kissed him back gladly. This time, his hands went up to Luzu's face, taking it between his hands as they enjoyed the kiss. 

Luzu broke away now, and they both looked at each other again, somewhat unsure of what to do next. 

"I guess we'll stop pretending then," said Wilbur. 

"Seems like it…"

"We should go inside, it's late and we'd better get some sleep before the games." 

Luzu nodded, he knew Wilbur was right, but a part of him didn't want to move. He could stay kissing Wilbur under the stars for the rest of his life. Although, considering what would happen tomorrow, that might not be long. 

They both got up and headed back inside, starting to warm up a little as soon as they went back in. 

"Would it be too forward of me to ask you to sleep with me?" Wilbur asked directly, surprising Luzu. 

"Really?"

"I don't think I'd get any sleep otherwise, I'd appreciate the company, I can go bother my dad if you don't want me to…" 

"I think I need company now too." Luzu interrupted him. 

"In that case…" Wilbur took some courage, taking Luzu by the hand and giving him a smile before leading him to his room. 

Neither said anything else as they lay down on the bed, settling side by side, but with their hands still intertwined in the small free space between them. They were still nervous enough to get any closer than that now. 

"Luzu..." Wilbur broke the silence after a couple of minutes. "I know I already asked you to sleep with me, but how about a goodnight kiss?" 

Luzu smiled, clearly amused, leaning on his elbow to look at Wilbur. 

"Only because it might be the last goodnight kiss you'll ever have." He replied, leaning down to give him a little kiss on the lips that made Wilbur laugh. 

They decided then and there that this was not only their first night as an officially non-fake couple, but also their last. There was no time for embarrassment or shyness. 

The two of them moved, Luzu leaning against Wilbur's shoulder as Wilbur hugged him by the shoulder, getting closer than before and in a more intimate position. 

"Good night, Wilbur."

"Good night, Luzu." Wilbur answered, and soon both of them finally fell asleep. 

The next day started somewhat early for both of them. Luzu woke up first, thinking for a moment about the current situation he was in now. 

He had done it, he had confessed his feelings for Wilbur, accepting them for himself for the first time. And now apparently they were no longer a fake couple for their own benefit.

Now they were truly the tragic lovers of District 12, with no time to explore what it would be like to have each other in a relationship, separated by the games.

It was a cruel fate.

Luzu sighed, glancing at the clock. They were due to get up in an hour anyway, they had to start getting ready and say goodbye to Eret and Phil before being taken to the arena for the games.

He looked at Wilbur, noting how peaceful he looked sleeping and smiled to himself, kissing his cheek and getting up careful not to wake him. 

In another world, maybe they would've had more time to be there for each other. 

Luzu headed to his room to shower, leaving Wilbur to sleep a little longer. Phil would probably wake him up in a little while anyway.

Phil woke up with a heaviness in his body that he had felt only twice before in his life: the first, on the morning of his own games, the second, after the death of his wife Kristin.

And now, the third, on the morning of one of his sons' games. Possibly the last time he would see his son alive unless he won the games.

And, as the victor, Phil knew what happened if you won the games. No one really won, they just survived, but nightmares haunted them for the rest of their lives, filled with screams, pain, allied and enemy faces, and the sound of a cannon. And if the Capitol took an interest in you, they would turn you into one of their puppets: They would dress you up in fancy clothes and show you off from a glass window, where only certain lucky ones could be rich or influential enough to buy your company.

That was what had happened to one of District 7's victors, Quackity. He had been transformed into the Capitol's playboy.

Phil knew how miserable Quackity had been until he became engaged to Karl and Sapnap. 

If Wilbur survived, the same fate could await him.

And Phil didn't know which of the two options was worse for his son: death, or becoming one of the Capitol's pawns.

Sighing, he made his way to his son's room, watching him still sleeping peacefully.

For a moment, the image of the time he found all 3 of his sons asleep in a pile on a couch came to his mind. If Wilbur didn't return from the games, not only would Phil have lost his son, Techno and Tommy would be losing their brother as well.

Shaking his head, Phil walked over, sitting on the edge of the bed and stroking Wilbur's fluffy hair, getting him to start to wake up.

Wilbur stirred, groaning and opening his eyes somewhat heavily, blinking in confusion until he saw Phil.

"Dad...? Where's Luzu?"

Phil raised an eyebrow at that, pulling his hand away from Wilbur's hair as Wilbur sat up in bed, rubbing his eyes.

"Why should Luzu be here?"

At that question, Wilbur suddenly jerked upright, looking more alert. A huge smile settled on his face.

"Dad, Luzu told me he's in love with me last night!"

"What?" Said Phil, surprised. 

Wilbur nodded happily, starting his explanation without Phil's prompting.

"I went up to the roof last night to think and Luzu was already there. I may have suggested kissing, just to practice…" Phil interrupted him by letting out a big laugh, but Wilbur just continued. "So we did it, and then... Luzu said he was in love with me, so I told him I am in love with him too, and then we slept here together." 

Phil looked at his son for a moment, noticing the big smile on his face, and went over to hug him. Wilbur hugged him back, immediately settling into his father's arms.

"Wil... I'm glad he really did reciprocate. Although I'm sorry you found out under these circumstances." 

Wilbur nodded, but said nothing. Phil pulled away a little, stroking his son's cheek affectionately.

"Go take a shower, we have a short time to talk and say goodbye before they take you to the arena." 

Wilbur obeyed, giving Phil one last short hug before getting up.

Breakfast was served as it was every day, but today there was a different vibe in the air, even Eret seemed a little quieter than usual. Wilbur and Luzu exchanged brief glances and smiles during breakfast, and near the end is when Phil started talking. He had only a half hour more before they needed to get them to the arena.

"There are a lot of people interested in being your sponsors after the interview, but like I said, that means you took some from the other tributes. Not to mention you had the highest scores in the individual evaluations, so clearly you'll be the main ones to beat, the other tributes will probably try to go after you specifically sooner or later. Watch your backs, and watch each other's backs."

Both Wilbur and Luzu nodded, paying attention to their mentor. Now it wasn't Phil, he was speaking to them like the victor he was, not Wilbur's father.

"The best thing is for you to be together, but you may be separated at the start by the cornucopia, the Capitol won't want to give you the advantage of being together from the start. Whatever you do, avoid the cornucopia as much as possible. Grab one of the supply backpacks at the edge and run. Concentrate on surviving, then meeting up with each other, got it?"

They both nodded again. 

"Good. Alliances with other tributes can save your lives, so if you see the opportunity, take it. You must do whatever it takes to survive, but remember that you can only really trust each other. In the games letting your guard down can mean death. I'll do my best to help you both from here, but Luzu... You know it's nothing personal, but if something happens, my priority will be Wilbur."

"I know." Luzu understood, he really did. He would do the same if he were in Phil's position.

"That's all the advice I can give you." Phil concluded.

Eret stood up, drawing the attention of the others.

"Just in time, we have just enough time left to say goodbye before you have to leave." 

The others got up as well, with clear heaviness. Phil approached Wilbur and the two of them stepped back a little to get some privacy. 

"Dad..." Wilbur began, but Phil interrupted him with a hug. It lasted considerably longer and was more emotional than the one from before.

"Wilbur, please do what you can to come back." Phil whispered, sounding on the verge of tears. Wilbur had to blink to clear his own eyes of the tears threatening to spill out.

"I'll try. But if I don't make it... I left my diary in your room, in the back pages there are letters for you. Give Tommy and Techno theirs for me. And if Luzu doesn't come back either, promise me you'll take care of his family." 

Phil pressed his lips together in a tight line, and could not hold back a tear that came out of his eyes and went down his cheek.

"I promise…" He replied, staying silent for a moment, just enjoying holding his son in his arms and knowing that it could be the last time, that he could go home and face not only his grief, but Tommy and Techno's sadness as well.

Eret, meanwhile, approached Luzu and gave him a short hug.

"It was a pleasure to be your escort. I hope one of you comes back, and if you don't, know that I will always remember you. I remember all my tributes that I have escorted here." 

"Thanks Eret, you were a good person to us, we won't forget you wherever we go either if we don't come back."

Eret gave him a slight smile in response, and then Phil and Wilbur returned with them. Phil this time approached Luzu while Eret approached Wilbur to see him off in the same way he did Luzu.

Phil took Luzu by the shoulders and looked at him seriously.

"Luzu, thank you for making Wilbur happy, even if it is under these circumstances and for a short time." 

Luzu didn't have time to answer as Phil hugged him too, and Luzu understood why Wilbur seemed to like Phil's hugs. It was like being covered by a warm blanket or a pair of protective wings, nothing bad could happen in Phil's arms. 

It was like getting a hug from the father Luzu always wanted.

Phil then broke away, still looking at Luzu.

"Take care of yourself Luzu, and... Take care of Wilbur for me if you can."

Luzu nodded.

"I will do my best to take care of both of us." 

Phil nodded in satisfaction and stepped back as Eret and Wilbur joined them again. 

Then the elevator opened and out came a pair of avox and their styling group, the only ones who could accompany them to the arena. 

It was time to go.

They were taken to the arena in one of the Capitol's hovercrafts, injecting their tracker into their arm so that the gamemakers could follow their movements.

Luzu and Wilbur were separated as soon as they arrived, only giving them time to glance at each other before they were forced to go their separate ways. 

Wilbur met Karl halfway and together they went to the room where Wilbur was to prepare. 

Karl had a considerably less cheerful attitude than usual. It was the opposite, he looked somewhat sad. 

The two entered the room and Karl helped him with the tribute uniform without saying much. 

Finally Karl sighed, taking Wilbur by the shoulders. 

"It will be hard to have to say goodbye to you. I've been an escort, and I've seen how it affects Quackity when their tributes don't return... But I think you'll be one of the hardest to forget if you don't come back. I saw how you and Luzu looked at each other now, and I know that the interview wasn't completely true. But it is now, isn't it?"

Wilbur nodded, smiling slightly. 

"Yes... Surprisingly, he told me first."

Karl smiled for the first time since Wilbur had seen him today. 

"I'm glad to hear that, I figured he'd feel the same way. Come back so I can invite you to my wedding, will you?" 

"I'll try."

Karl walked over, giving Wilbur one last hug. 

Vegetta escorted Luzu to the room where he was to change into his uniform for the games, the two falling into a solemn silence. Luzu finished adjusting his jacket when Vegetta stepped forward, holding something in his hand.

"One last detail." He said, before placing the Mockingjay pin Lana gave him on the lapel of his shirt, covering it with his jacket and making a gesture of silence.

Luzu smiled, appreciating the gesture. Outside objects were forbidden inside the arena unless they were sent by sponsors or were from the cornucopia.

"They won't let me bet, but…" Vegetta paused. "If I could, I'd bet on you. Good luck, Luzu." 

Vegetta then pointed to the glass tube behind Luzu, a counter by the door indicating it was time for him to enter. The games were about to begin.

"Thank you Vegetta, for everything." 

Vegetta nodded and Luzu turned around, entering the tube as a voice began a countdown from 15. The door slowly closed behind him and Luzu looked up as the platform he was standing on began to rise. 

Suddenly the sunlight momentarily blinded him and Luzu found himself in the arena.

It was a clearing filled with green grass, with 24 pedestals in a circle and a large silver structure filled with supplies with a large counter being projected into the air. The cornucopia.

Luzu looked around, immediately searching for Wilbur among the other tributes and not seeing him anywhere. They were separated, as Phil predicted would happen. Wilbur was probably on the other side of the cornucopia. They would have to find each other later.

Luzu turned his attention to the counter, preparing to run as it slowly ticked down to 0. 

A cannon signaled the start of the games, and soon everyone was running towards the cornucopia. 

The carrers fearlessly charged in, grabbing weapons and beginning the traditional opening bloodbath. Luzu saw District 1 tribute Clay take a spear and immediately use it to pierce the heart of a District 6 girl. 

Luzu had only a moment to be horrified by the brutality and lack of hesitation with which he had killed the girl before realizing that if he didn't move, he could be next. He lunged for the nearest supply backpack, but unfortunately that meant no weapon other than what might be in the backpack.

He looked regretfully at the bow and arrows in the cornucopia, the girl from District 2, Hannah, was heading straight for them while George, his fellow district member, had her back.

Luzu didn't stay to watch any longer, disappearing into the trees before the careers decided to go after him.

He stopped once he thought he was far enough away, catching his breath and starting to check his backpack. He stopped as he began to hear the sound of the cannon, counting how many times it sounded.

Eleven. The games had barely begun and the careers had taken out almost half of the tributes in just the first few minutes.

Luzu could only pray that none of them were Wilbur, but he wouldn't know for sure until nightfall, when the faces of the fallen tributes would be projected in the sky.

Trying to distract herself, Luzu opened his backpack, checking it to see what supplies he had.

He had: a blanket, a sleeping bag, a flashlight, a couple of energy bars, a small knife, a rope, and a canteen that, apparently, was empty.

Cursing under his breath, Luzu put away everything but the knife, determined to keep moving. Hunting something without his bow would be difficult, and he wasn't the best at using a knife in close combat, that was certainly Wilbur's forte. It would be best to get up into the trees to sleep, and it would be best to find a water source soon. 

For now, he would wait for the night, and if Wilbur's face did not appear in the sky, then he would try to find him. 

The first day passed quickly, Luzu didn't manage to find a water source, but he didn't meet any other tributes either, which was good. Then night came and Luzu climbed a tree, stopping at a branch strong enough to support his weight, and tied himself to the trunk to avoid falling while he slept.

Soon the Panem anthem began to play, and Luzu looked up to the sky, seeing between the trees the Panem shield. The anthem continued to play and little by little the faces of the fallen tributes began to appear in the sky, indicating which District they belonged to. Luzu tensed, waiting to see whether or not any of them would turn out to be Wilbur.

The first was the male tribute from 3, then the two tributes from 4.

Luzu remembered them both, from what he heard, one's name was Aimsey, and they were about 15 years old, being one of the younger tributes, as most were 17, like him and Wilbur. He didn't know the other's name, only hearing Aimsey call him Ran or, rarely, Boo, but they were one of the two youngest, being only 13. Of the few times Luzu paid attention to him in training, they always struck him as someone very nervous, always anxiously shaking their leg or fidgeting with something. 

The two tributes from 5 had fallen as well, and then it was the girl from 6 that Luzu saw in the cornucopia, and her district partner as well. 

That was three consecutive districts which lost both tributes in the initial bloodbath: 4, 5 and 6.

They were then followed by the two female tributes from 7 and 8 respectively, and the two male tributes from 9 and 10.

Then the anthem ended and Luzu felt as if he could finally breathe again. Wilbur was still alive. 

With that information, Luzu made a mental list of which tributes were left: 

-The districts that still had two tributes not counting 12: 1, 2 and 11. 

-The female tributes of 3, 9 and 10.

-The male tributes of 7 and 8.

In total, 13 tributes remained. 

The next two days passed in relative tranquility, there were only a couple of more deaths, from the male tribute of 7 and the female tribute of 9. That meant only 11 remained. 

Luzu spent the day hunting, fortunately, he had gathered enough materials to create traps, which guaranteed him food. He also found a small stream that served as a water source, but still no sign of Wilbur. 

It was during the third day in the arena that he found him. Apparently, the organizers were bored with the lack of action and decided to use some tricks to draw some tributes out of hiding to guarantee a fight.

One of them was a very important announcement. Suddenly the loudspeakers of the arena were activated, and the voice of one of the gamemakers came from them.

"Attention tributes, it is my pleasure to inform you that for this year, there will be a change in the rules. Two winners will be allowed, only if both come from the same district. I repeat, two winners will be crowned if both are from the same district. That is all."

Luzu immediately looked up at that, surprised. That meant he could go home with Wilbur, there was still hope for both of them.

That's when the organizers decided to use one more incentive to bring them out of hiding.

But they decided to do it with a damn fire and fireballs, of all things. Luzu noticed thanks to the smell of something burning, and as he looked he realized that the forest around him was ablaze.

He barely had time to react, rushing down from the tree he was in and almost stumbling as he started running at full speed. Then something caught his attention, a noise to his left alerted him and when he looked, there was a giant fireball heading in his direction. Luzu cursed under his breath, jumping out of the way, although some of the fire managed to reach him, burning the fabric on his right pant leg and causing a burn there.

Luzu bit his tongue, forcing himself to stand up despite the pain, and then ran again. 

The loud sound of the cannon made him jump, followed quickly by another, and Luzu looked behind him to realize that the flames were no longer following him, he was now safe.

Luzu took a moment to breathe, assessing the damage done to his leg. The burn was a bad thing, and it hurt like shit, but he had to keep moving, at least find a water source so he could clean it. 

He stumbled and went through some bushes, barely managing to hold on to a tree so as not to fall face first onto the ground. He looked up, and immediately felt like vomiting.

There were two bodies at his feet. The two tributes who had been announced earlier with the cannon. 

Their bodies were bloated, and next to them was a broken honeycomb. Capitol mutts, definitely.

They had been stung to death. 

Luzu vaguely recognized them beyond their swollen faces, they were from District 1 and 2. Luzu never knew the name of the first one, but she knew the other was named Hannah. 

Among them was also something very valuable. The bow and arrows from before.

Without much thought, Luzu took them, finally feeling somewhat safer now that he had his trusted weapon with him. 

He took one last look at the tributes before turning around and continuing on his way.

There were 9 tributes left, two of which were Luzu and Wilbur. The two fallen ones were part of the careers group, which meant they now only had two to worry about. 

The others still alive were the two from District 11, the girl from 3 and 10, a boy from 8, and the two pros from 1 and 2.

In other words: there were 7 tributes left to defeat. And if they succeeded, both Luzu and Wilbur could go home. 

He had only taken a couple of steps when he ran head-on into Wilbur, who was running in his direction. The two almost collided with each other, but managed to stop in time.

The relief of both was palpable, and then they moved in for a long hug. 

"Luzu…"

"Wilbur, I'm so glad you're okay." Luzu said, relieved. 

"Did you hear the announcement?" Wilbur continued, excitedly, "That means we can both…" 

Luzu interrupted him, grabbing Wilbur by the collar of his jacket to pull him closer, giving him a long kiss that managed to silence him.

They both pulled apart, Wilbur looking up at him with a somewhat goofy grin. Luzu let out a small laugh.

"I know, we can go home together." 

A noise alerted them both, and Luzu immediately readied his bow, when a small voice said something that definitely sounded like a bad word.

Wilbur and Luzu exchanged glances, Wilbur raising his own knives and nodding. Without another word, they both moved towards the place where the voice came from, moving in complete silence.

Behind the trees, next to a river, was the small tribute from District 11, trying and failing to catch fish with a net. The tribute cursed again, and both Luzu and Wilbur looked at each other again, lowering their weapons. 

They had a silent debate until Luzu broke the silence.

"Do you need help?" He asked kindly. 

The District 11 tribute suddenly turned to look at him, looking frightened and raising what looked like a machete with difficulty. 

Luzu raised his hands, demonstrating that he was not holding a weapon. Wilbur slowly stowed his knives in his belt, raising his hands as well.

"Do you need help?" Wilbur repeated this time, "We can help you catch some fish, after all we needed to find something to eat too, right, Luzu?" 

Luzu nodded.

"You can say no, 11."

The tribute looked at them with uncertainty, and both Luzu and Wilbur took that moment to really appreciate how young he was. It was already a miracle that he had made it past the initial bloodbath, not like the other tribute his age from District 4.

"... Toby. You can help, but call me Toby, not 11. I'm more than just my district number, 12." 

Wilbur let out a laugh, clearly surprised.

"Okay, well, I'm Wilbur, and this is Luzu."

"I know. All the other tributes want you dead for what you did in the interview." 

Wilbur laughed again.

"And do you want us dead too?"

Toby shrugged.

"It's the games, and I want to win, what kind of question is that?" 

Luzu shook his head in amusement, stepping forward.

"Well Toby, I know a more efficient way to catch some fish, but you'll just have to trust me, okay?" 

Toby eyed them suspiciously again, but nodded.

"All right…"

Luzu took his bow and a couple of arrows, loading his bow and aiming at the crystal clear water. He waited a moment and fired, reloading his bow and firing again after a moment. Then he did so a third time before lowering his bow, approaching the water and retrieving his arrows, all three had pierced a fish each.

Luzu held them up, showing them to Toby.

"See? More efficient."

Toby looked at him, mouth hanging open, then looked at Wilbur, still surprised.

"Your boyfriend is kind of scary."

Wilbur laughed so hard he almost fell into the river.

Eventually the 3 of them followed the river, finding a half hidden cave, the perfect place to cook their food and spend the night. They cooked the fish, and although they had no spices or anything, it served to appease their appetite and ensure they didn't starve. 

Wilbur and Luzu thought Toby would leave after eating, but the boy stayed, apparently interested in staying with them in an impromptu alliance. 

Wilbur and Luzu decided they didn't mind if he stayed with them for a while. 

Then Luzu's adrenaline completely fizzled and he remembered the burn on his leg. He could barely move his leg from the pain. Wilbur almost went crazy when he noticed it. 

"Luzu, get in the cave and rest!"

"Wil, I'm fine."

"You are? Then get up without help."

Luzu and Wilbur exchanged glances, neither willing to give up, and Luzu huffed as he tried to stand up, putting as little weight as possible on his injured leg. 

"Now do it without making a face like you're dying of pain." Said Wilbur, earning a laugh from Toby, who had just been watching them with amusement.

Luzu was ready to answer something when a metal container with a small parachute fell in front of them. Wilbur picked it up, opening the container and finding an ointment and a piece of paper with something written on it. 

'Good job, Wil. Remember, stick together.'

Wilbur smiled. 

"Thanks, Dad." He said up at the air before looking at Luzu again, "You're going to lie down right now and let me apply this ointment, understand?" 

Luzu groaned again. 

"Fine, but I'll only do it for a kiss." Wilbur rolled his eyes at Luzu's answer. 

"I was going to give it to you anyway, but okay, now go on.

Luzu sighed and agreed, going into the cave and lying down on his sleeping bag. Wilbur followed him inside, taking care not to fall, and applying the ointment on his leg once Luzu was lying down. 

"Now rest. Toby and I will take turns and stand guard."

"I can stand guard too."

"Not until your leg is better." Wilbur replied, and before Luzu dared to say something, Wilbur reached over and kissed him. 

Luzu pursed his lips when they parted, clearly not happy to do as Wilbur said, but for now he was going to comply. 

"Okay."

"I'll come lie down with you in a little while." Wilbur assured him before he left the cave again, finding Toby where he had left him, sitting on a rock by the river. 

"I got him to stay and rest, but I don't think I'll have the same luck tomorrow, he's stubborn." Said Wilbur, sitting down beside him. 

Toby laughed in response and they both sat in comfortable silence for a moment. 

Wilbur glanced sideways at Toby. From what little he knew of him, he seemed like a smart guy, and somewhat of a lover of chaos, based on his interview alone. He seemed like someone funny and somewhat of a jokester. 

He would get along well with his brother Tommy. 

Then the anthem played and the faces of the two fallen tributes lit up the sky for a moment. 

Wilbur noticed how Toby shrank into himself at the sight of their faces in the sky, and it didn't take him long to guess why. 

"Toby?" He called out in a whisper, managing to catch his attention, "Are you okay?" 

Toby seemed to think for a moment. 

"It was me." Was what he said instead of answering the question. Still, Wilbur knew the answer was probably 'no'. 

"How did it happen?"

Toby sighed. 

"I'm a good climber, it was night and I saw the careers camping out. They were so confident that no one took guard. There was a beehive above them, so..." Toby shrugged. "I figured I'd impress my District, even if I didn't win, I could take out the 4 careers, right? So I dropped the beehive on them, two managed to escape, but they... Didn't."

They both kept silent for a moment. 

"Have you done it?" Toby asked in a whisper. Wilbur knew what he meant. 

"Not yet. But I know I will have to, if I want to get Luzu and me home together." 

Again, a brief silence followed. 

"I know your district will be impressed, Toby." 

Toby thought about it for a moment, turning to look at Wilbur. 

"Tubbo. You can call me Tubbo, I think you've earned it. Especially if we're going to be allies."

Wilbur smiled. 

"Okay then, Tubbo. You can go get some rest, it's been a long day. I can wake you up in a few hours for guard duty."

Tubbo nodded, rising from his place and stretching for a moment. 

"Good night, Wilbur."

"Good night, Tubbo."

Tubbo gave a slight smile before moving deeper into the cave to take his place in his own sleeping bag. 

A couple of hours later, Wilbur got up from his spot, somewhat sleepily, and headed inside the cave to wake Tubbo. 

The boy awoke surprisingly quickly, and did not reply, simply getting up and stretching before taking the place Wilbur previously occupied standing guard. 

Wilbur watched him go before collapsing next to Luzu, wrapping him in his arms and immediately falling asleep. 

It was hours later that the sound of a cannon woke them up. Both exchanged glances, clearly alert, and Wilbur tentatively called out for Tubbo. 

"Tubbo? Are you there?"

They received no answer, which alerted both of them, and they immediately got up, ready to find out what was going on. Wilbur didn't even bother to tell Luzu that he still had to rest, and they both ran out of the cave, looking in all directions. 

There was no sign of Tubbo. 

Before they could finish panicking, the boy emerged from the trees, but something was wrong. 

He had a blank stare, and his clothes were covered with a sticky substance that looked like honey. He was walking on autopilot, not caring where he was going. 

Then he collapsed, falling to his knees as tears began to fill his eyes and he began to hyperventilate. 

Luzu and Wilbur rushed to his side, but didn't dare touch him yet. 

"Tubbo? Can you hear me?"

Luzu took his hand carefully, Tubbo did not react. His hand was also covered with the thick liquid, but he didn't care. He took his hand and placed it on his chest. 

"Hey, it's okay, just feel my heartbeat. That's it, now breathe with me, can you do that?" Luzu exaggerated his breaths. "Copy what I do, take a deep breath... Now wait 3 seconds... Okay, now exhale…" 

Tubbo slowly started to follow his instructions, his breathing returned to normal, but his eyes were still staring at nothing, and tears were still coming out of them. 

"That's it... Is it okay if we take you to the river? We've got to get all this off of you, sunshine..." Wilbur said, not realizing he had blurted out the nickname he sometimes used for his brother Tommy. 

Tubbo didn't react when he was guided to stand up and made to enter the water, which was both good news and bad news. 

Luzu and Wilbur entered the water with him, beginning to carefully rub away the sticky substance off his clothes and body without saying anything. 

Eventually the feel of the water seemed to help bring Tubbo back, because now his gaze seemed more focused. He blinked a couple of times, then burst into tears again. 

"Shh, it's okay, you're safe now..." Wilbur and Luzu moved at the same time, hugging Tubbo. Tubbo stood in between them, holding on to their clothes tightly. 

"It's okay Tubbo, it's over…"

It was a while longer before Tubbo calmed down for good. 

The three of them came out of the water then, sitting down in the cave. Tubbo's clothes were practically ruined, there were parts where the substance had dried and solidified before they could wash it off, but what mattered was that he was okay. They sat in silence, not asking what had happened, but Tubbo eventually began to speak. 

"I heard a noise, I didn't want to wake you so I went to check. I thought it was an animal. A tribute fell into a trap set by the gamemakers. The substance was all over the place, and she was trapped…" 

Tubbo paused. 

"She was my district partner, Sylvee."

Luzu cursed under his breath. Tears returned to Tubbo's eyes, but this time he tried hard not to let them out. 

"I tried to help her. I tried to pull her out, but I almost got stuck too. Then she asked me-" Tubbo choked back a sob, shaking his head, "The substance was starting to heat up. She said she was going to burn alive or suffocate, that she rather... That I should do it. So...So I did it…" 

Wilbur and Luzu exchanged glances, clearly concerned. Here was Tubbo, carrying the burden of having taken the life of his district partner after failing to save her, and having taken the lives of two careers as well. 

He was 13 years old and had already almost died and killed 3 people. 

That was the reality of the games, as cruel as it was: it was kids killing each other. 

There were only 8 tributes left now. 

Luzu sighed, moving to approach Tubbo and hug him. Tubbo accepted the hug, holding on to Luzu's clothes.

For a long moment no one said anything, and then a package with a small parachute came down in their direction. 

Wilbur took it, opening it and finding another note. 

'Thank you for taking care of my tribute. Make sure he eats, eat some too as a thank you. And make sure he changes out of those clothes.'

Underneath the note was a pair of new clothes for Tubbo and a metal container. Opening it, Wilbur found a hot stew and 3 plates. 

He made a mental note to thank 11's mentor if he got out of there and then turned to look at Luzu and Tubbo. 

"Hey, Tubbs, your mentor has a treat for you."

That got Tubbo's attention, who finally broke away from the hug and wiped the tears from his cheeks.

"Go change out of those clothes and then we'll eat, okay?"

Tubbo nodded, taking the new uniform without saying anything, and headed inside the cave to change, leaving Wilbur and Luzu alone.

"Wilbur…"

"I know." Said Wilbur. The two had come to a silent agreement, they would take care of Tubbo for as long as they could. 

Neither had been happy to see him like this, each remembering their own younger siblings waiting for them at home.

Neither said anything more, and by the time Tubbo returned, Luzu had already served the three plates of steaming stew.

Tubbo's face lit up as soon as the smell of the stew reached his nose, sitting down next to Luzu somewhat more cheerfully.

"It's my favorite food!" He said, starting to eat immediately.

Luzu and Wilbur were pleased to see that he was somewhat more happy now.

They ate amidst relaxed conversation, and soon finished, feeling satisfied.

Then, they began to plan.

"I have experience with explosives, if we can dig up the mines in the cornucopia I can get them working again," said Tubbo. "We can lure the two remaining careers and get rid of them with the mines." 

"That's not a bad idea. But there is a chance that the careers are in the cornucopia now. Here's what we'll do first, we'll check to see if they're there, and if they are, we'll create a diversion so you can sneak in and take the mines. Then we create the trap."

Wilbur and Tubbo nodded in agreement.

"I can go check myself, I'm fast at climbing, they won't notice me." 

Wilbur and Luzu exchanged glances, clearly unsure of Tubbo's suggestion.

"I don't know, Tubbo…"

"I'm not a baby!"

"We know you're not, but something might happen. Look what happened the last time you went alone." Wilbur said. "I'll go, I'm stealthy and a fast runner, it'll just be a recon mission." 

"But...!" 

"Tubbo," Luzu cut him off, "It's all right, leave it to Wilbur, while you and I will prepare the distraction." 

Tubbo reluctantly agreed.

The three of them got ready, Luzu and Tubbo would go gather leaves and dry branches to create a fire as a distraction, while Wilbur would check if the careers were in the cornucopia or not.

It took only an hour for Wilbur to return, delivering the news that they were right: the two remaining careers had decided to take the cornucopia for shelter and to hoard what was left inside. They had to get them to come out so they could take the mines.

According to Tubbo, about 4 would be enough to make sure to get rid of them, 1 alone already had the power to blow a tribute into the air if they came down from his pedestal early, 4 would make sure to get rid of the careers.

This time, Tubbo insisted on being the one to go to the cornucopia.

"I'm the only one who knows how to dig them up without the danger of them exploding." Tubbo argued, "If you guys try it, you might get blown to bits." 

"... All right." Luzu finally agreed. "You're right, besides, that will be the least risky job, we'll be guiding the careers to us." 

Tubbo smiled triumphantly.

"We need some way to communicate so we know when to light the fire," Wilbur reasoned. "If we do it before you arrive you won't have much time to take the mines." 

Tubbo seemed to think about it for a moment until he looked up, an idea crossing his mind. He whistled a tune, and soon the birds around him were repeating it in chorus.

"Mockingjays… " said Luzu, looking in the direction of the trees.

Tubbo nodded.

"We use them at home to communicate. I'll signal you when I'm in position, and again when I get the mines and go back to the cave. Then you'll know I'm okay."

"Good. Take care then."

Tubbo smiled in amusement at Luzu's response. 

"I will. See you back at the cave."

The three then parted ways, Luzu and Wilbur going on their way to prepare the distraction while Tubbo went in the opposite direction, on his way to the cornucopia. 

Luzu and Wilbur stopped about half an hour later, far enough away from the cave that the careers would not run into them on their way back to the cave. 

They only had to wait a few minutes and then they heard Tubbo's signal, being carried to them by the birds in the trees. 

Luzu and Wilbur lit the fire. 

The pile of leaves was big enough to produce a large column of smoke. The careers would see it immediately from the cornucopia. 

That done, Luzu and Wilbur hurried back to the cave. They arrived safely, anxiously awaiting Tubbo's signal, but it never came. 

It should not have taken him more than 15 minutes to take the mines. Half an hour had passed. 

They had little time before the careers reached the campfire and realized it was a trap. They would be back at the cornucopia in about 40 minutes. 

They barely had time to get there and rescue Tubbo if he was in trouble. 

They calmed down a bit by telling themselves that there had been no sound of a cannon, but they were still on their way to the cornucopia. 

They ran there, arriving in record time, and then realized the problem: Tubbo had fallen into a trap and was under a net. The careers had prepared in case anyone approached the cornucopia while they were gone. 

Luzu and Wilbur arrived with Tubbo at the same moment that three other tributes were emerging from the trees.

They weren't the careers, but apparently they weren't the only ones waiting for them to get away from the cornucopia. 

They looked at each other in silence for a moment and then Wilbur bent down, desperately starting to cut the net to free Tubbo. He hadn't even been able to take the mines, but it didn't matter, they had to go. 

Apparently the other tributes were the girls from 10 and 3, and the boy from 8. The only other tributes left besides them and the careers had allied themselves. 

Luzu bent down to help Wilbur when he saw that the other tributes were approaching quickly, and between the two of them they managed to get Tubbo out quickly. 

It was clear that they were not going to fight, knowing that the careers were on their way. 

They each grabbed Tubbo by the arm, running towards the trees. 

But then Tubbo let out a choked cry and fell to the ground. 

Luzu and Wilbur turned around, realizing to their horror that another of the tributes had thrown his spear, managing to pierce Tubbo's side. 

Luzu did not think. He simply took his bow and fired, hitting the tribute who had done it directly in the chest. It had been the tribute of 8. 

Wilbur also seemed unaware of his actions, throwing a knife at one of the tributes, hitting her directly in the eye.

The tribute from 3 collapsed like a puppet with its strings cut. 

However, she managed to throw one of her own knives in Wilbur's direction, hitting him in the leg. 

The only one still standing, the tribute of 10, saw her allies fall in a moment and decided that retreating was the best thing to do. She turned and ran in the opposite direction, towards the trees. 

Luzu could have shot her in the back, but he immediately focused on Tubbo again. 

Wilbur also seemed more concerned about him than his wound, which was dripping blood down his leg. 

"We need to get him out of here." Wilbur said urgently. 

Luzu did not object, taking Tubbo as carefully as he could and carrying him in his arms. The tip of the spear pierced him completely, and Wilbur managed to split the half that protruded from his back so that he didn't have to remove it completely. 

He would only bleed to death if it was pulled out. 

Tubbo was getting paler and paler, and his eyes were somewhat unfocused, but he was still breathing. 

Luzu and Wilbur ran as fast as they could, but as soon as they were a safe distance from the cornucopia, all the adrenaline seemed to leave Wilbur's body and his leg no longer resisted his weight. 

Wilbur stumbled, letting out a curse under his breath. 

Luzu stopped immediately, Tubbo still in his arms, his life slowly draining from his body. 

"Wilbur!" Luzu suddenly let out a sob, and also collapsed beside Wilbur. 

With difficulty Wilbur moved, leaving Tubbo lying on the grass between them. 

His eyes were slightly unfocused, but the tears started to come anyway. There was a trickle of blood coming from his mouth. 

Tubbo opened his mouth, but only a small sob came out. 

"Shh, it's okay, we're here… " Wilbur took Tubbo's hand, Luzu taking his other hand as well. 

It was impossible to save him. 

Luzu pursed his lips, and in an act of mercy, finally pulled out the piece of the weapon he still had buried. There was no sense in letting him die a slow death. 

It was better this way. 

A sob came from Luzu. 

"We'll stay here with you Tubbo, we promise. It's all right, you'll be alright…"

Tubbo moved his lips, and what came out was a mere whisper. 

'I hope you win.'

Then Tubbo's eyes completely lost their sparkle. A couple of seconds later, the sound of the cannon confirmed the worst.

Tubbo was dead. 

Wilbur and Luzu had little time to mourn. They managed to bandage Wilbur's leg to stop the bleeding, but they still had to find a way to close the wound, and the careers would be looking for them after finding two bodies at their base. 

Silently, Luzu and Wilbur gathered flowers. As many as they could from the surrounding area, and gathered them around Tubbo. 

It looked like he was resting on a bed of flowers. 

They officially said goodbye to him with the old-fashioned district greeting: kissing three fingers and holding them up in a solemn salute. 

In District 11, everyone copied their action, mourning their last fallen tribute. 

Luzu and Wilbur returned to the cave in silence, Luzu having to help Wilbur walk unless he wanted his leg to get worse. 

The boy from 8, the girl from 3, and Tubbo. 

3 tributes fell. There were 5 left: Luzu and Wilbur, the two careers, and the girl from 10. 

3 more tributes to beat and they could go home as the winners of District 12. But they had to make sure Wilbur didn't die of an infection first. 

They needed medicine. 

Their prayers were apparently answered, because another parachute dropped in front of the cave. 

Luzu went out to check this time, taking the note and reading it. 

'This is the best I can do. Sorry, guys. Luzu, take care of Wilbur please. This will be enough to close his wound.' 

Luzu knew what Phil was talking about. He felt sorry for Tubbo. 

Sighing, Luzu looked at what Phil had sent them. It was enough to clean the wound properly, and a type of ointment similar to what he had used for his burn, but apparently this would close the wound. He also had a couple of fresh bandages in the package. 

Mentally thanking his mentor, Luzu entered the cave again and began to work, removing the dirty cloth that had been used as a makeshift bandage. 

He had to use it with some river water to clean the wound before disinfecting it completely. 

Wilbur groaned when the liquid touched his leg, gritting his teeth. He said nothing more, however, letting Luzu continue with his work. 

He applied just enough medicine to the wound before bandaging Wilbur's leg, finishing at last. 

They both then lay down on their sleeping bags on the cold, hard cave floor. 

Out of the corner of his eye Luzu saw Tubbo's backpack in the corner where he had left it. He bit his lip and hid his face in Wilbur's chest, who put his arm around him. 

Neither said anything else or moved for the rest of the day. 

The gamemakers had gotten what they wanted, three tributes had died, that was enough to leave them alone for at least a day or two while Wilbur recovered a little. 

None of them moved even when they heard the Panem anthem during the night, not wanting to see Tubbo's smiling face projected in the sky. 

The next day passed quietly. There was no cannon, which meant that the other 3 tributes were still alive. 

Luzu caught more fish in the river, forcing Wilbur to sit still for most of the day, though he began to reassure him that he was fine.

He looked a little better, definitely less pale than before, but Luzu still refused to let him do anything. 

The next day Wilbur managed to convince him that he needed to start moving and that he would pick some of the berries around. 

Luzu reluctantly agreed, clearly noticing the limp Wilbur now had. 

He hoped he would be okay if they got out of the arena. 

Luzu turned his attention to Wilbur, noticing that he had gone somewhat further than agreed. He immediately approached, seeing him picking berries from a bush. Luzu frowned, recognizing those berries and rushing to Wilbur's side. 

"Wilbur, those are poisonous!"

"I know, but they could be useful… " Wilblr began to argue, when a sound came from the trees, like someone falling to the ground. It was followed by the sound of a cannon. 

Luzu and Wilbur exchanged glances before heading to the place of the sound. 

It was the tribute of the 10th district. In her hands she held the same berries that Wilbur had been gathering. 

She had unknowingly poisoned herself.

That left 4 tributes. The two careers were the last to be defeated and they could go home. 

They were officially the 12th District tributes to last the longest in the games since Phil, 24 years ago. 

Luzu and Wilbur needed a plan. 

"It will have to be a direct confrontation, if we take any longer, something tells me they'll make us do it anyway." Said Wilbur. 

"I know, but I don't know if you're ready for that. We don't know what the careers are like, and you're still hurt."

"Luzu, I'm fine, I can fight. And I know how they fight, they trained me the same way." 

Luzu grimaced. 

"... How about taking them by surprise? I can shoot them if we get close enough." 

"They'll see it coming. By this point they know you're good with a bow, you left a corpse with an arrow straight through the heart at their base. I doubt they'll be dumb enough to stay out in the open knowing that, they'll probably take shelter inside the cornucopia now. That means we have to get closer."

Luzu let out a curse. He knew Wilbur was right. 

They had to think of something else before they… 

"What's that sound?" Wilbur asked. 

Luzu stood still, listening. 

... 

They had run out of time. The gamemakers were bored, they wanted a fight, and they wanted their victor. 

Cursing under their breath, they both hurried to grab their weapons and backpacks and ran out of the cave. 

They didn't stop to find out what was the sound of thousands of footsteps going in their direction, they just ran. 

Luzu noticed the way Wilbur kept limping, almost stumbling several times. His wound was not quite healed yet, despite what he said.  

That was a problem. 

By the time they reached the clearing, they noticed that one of the careers was also running in the direction of the cornucopia. 

Apparently they had separated for a moment, perhaps he had been looking for a way to track them. 

Taking his chance, Luzu loaded his bow and took aim. It hit him in the calf, making him fall. 

"George!" Came the other tribute's shout from the cornucopia. 

Luzu looked back, and then he saw it at last: mutts. 

They looked like dogs. And they were definitely going to tear them to pieces. 

The tribute from 2, George, tried to get up, but it was too late for him. 

The mutts caught up to him. 

Neither Luzu nor Wilbur stopped at the screams, they just kept running. 

A cannon sounded. 

There was one tribute left to beat. 

Luzu reached the cornucopia first, holding on to one end and scrambling up. He turned and helped Wilbur up at the same moment the mutts arrived, leaping to try to catch them. 

For a moment Luzu thought the other tribute had not climbed up, and then he felt a vice grip around his neck. 

"Luzu!" Wilbur stepped forward, with one of his knives in hand. 

The tribute from District 1 had him by the neck. 

"Do it, throw the knife. I'll drag your partner with me." Said the blond tribute, Clay. He let out a laugh that sounded like someone completely unstable. 

He had clearly reached his limit. 

"He killed George, now I'll take him with me if you try to kill me."

Wilbur gritted his teeth, the knife still firm in his hand. Below them, the mutts were still jumping and barking, trying to catch up. 

"In the end what the fuck does it matter who wins, right? We all end up as killers..." Clay laughed again. He was clearly losing his mind more and more as he continued. 

That too was the reality of the games. He was 17.

Wilbur fixed his eyes from him to Luzu, noticing how he marked an x on the back of the hand he was holding Luzu by the neck with. 

Wilbur returned his gaze to the other tribute, noticing that he was still laughing. 

"Come on, do it! I'll drag your little boyfriend with me!" 

And Wilbur did so, throwing one of his knives, hitting him in the hand. 

The blond tribute screamed in pain, letting Luzu go. Luzu turned around, immediately pushing him away. 

The tribute fell out of the cornucopia and straight towards the mutts.

Luzu closed his eyes tightly as the screaming started, but stopped a moment later. 

The mutts retreated with the sound of the cannon. 

The last tribute was dead. There were only the two of them left, and being from the same district, they had won thanks to the change in the rules. 

... However, the trumpets did not come. Instead, the voice of one of the gamemakers was heard again. 

"The rule stipulating that the winners can be from the same district is, as of this moment, revoked. The original rule is reinstituted in its place: there can only be one winner."

Luzu and Wilbur looked at each other, incredulous. A part of them was not at all surprised that they would back out at the last moment. 

Of course this is what President Schlatt wanted. That the tragic lovers kill each other, as a symbol that not even love could save you from the games. 

That there could only be one winner. 

"... Fuck it." Wilbur said, clearly annoyed, dropping the other knife he was holding and kicking it, sending it flying over the edge of the cornucopia. 

Luzu looked at him with surprise. 

"Wilbur...?" 

"I'm not going to kill the love of my life, Luzu." Wilbur answered. 

Luzu grabbed his bow from his back before throwing it over the edge of the cornucopia as well. 

"Good, because I don't plan to do it either."

Luzu could see the moment an idea flashed through Wilbur's mind, noticing how his eyes lit up. 

"Then there won't be a winner." He said, pulling something out of his pocket. He held out his hand to Luzu, and Luzu recognized the poisonous berries. "There won't be a winner this year." Wilbur repeated, handing some of the berries to Luzu. 

Luzu recognized the gleam in Wilbur's eye. He knows that the Capitol will not allow not having a winner this year, it is a last attempt to let them both win. 

Luzu and Wilbur looked at each other, and without saying anything else, they raised the berries towards their mouths. 

"NO!" The voice from before echoed throughout the arena. "Congratulations, you are the winners of the seventy-fourth Hunger Games."

This time there were trumpets. 

It was official, Luzu and Wilbur had survived the games. They both looked at each other with happy faces. They dropped the berries, and instead held each other as they moved in for a long kiss. 

They were taken out of the arena after that, and Wilbur was taken away to better tend to his wound, so Luzu was reunited with Phil first. 

The man hugged him so tightly that Luzu stopped being able to breathe for a moment. 

When they parted, Phil was smiling at him, pure relief on his face. 

"You did well. I'm proud of you both. Thanks for keeping him alive, Luzu."

Luzu smiled back. 

They didn't get to see Wilbur until the next day. Apparently the damage to his leg had been more extensive than anticipated, and they had had to amputate a piece of his leg. He would have to wear a metal prosthesis now. 

But the important thing was that he was alive. 

Luzu and Phil were finally able to stop by to see him, and Luzu let Phil go first, noticing how desperate he was to see his son. 

Phil came into the room like a whirlwind, immediately approaching the bed and wrapping his son in a long hug. 

"I'm so happy you're back, Wil," Phil said, stroking his son's hair. 

Wilbur just smiled. 

"Not in one piece, but I did it." 

His joke made Phil let out a laugh and finally break away, leaving room for Luzu to hug Wilbur as well. 

"Hello to you too, my rose." Wilbur said amused, repeating the name he had used for Luzu in the interview. 

Luzu broke away from the hug, but then Wilbur grabbed him by the neck, giving Luzu a somewhat long kiss like the one they shared before they left the arena. 

Luzu let out a small laugh once they were completely separated, bringing his forehead together with Wilbur's. 

"We did it..." said Luzu, smiling. 

"Yes... We did it… "

They were welcomed back to the training center just as warmly. Eret hugged them for at least 5 minutes each, and then Vegetta and Karl followed suit, Karl practically crying in Wilbur's arms about how he was happy to see him again and promising that invitation to his wedding which he owed him now. 

They would return to District 12 shortly, but as Phil told them as soon as they were alone again, it didn't end there. 

The Capitol, and especially President Schlatt, would not just let this go. 

They were now victors. Their relationship belonged to Panem now. 

They would be under the public eye for the rest of their lives. 

But at least they had made it home, together.