If It Means A Lot To You (A Hunger Games Au)

Chapter 2

He doesn't know where to look.

He forgets how to breathe.

Greg Horan.

Greg. Horan.

His eyes are glued to the screen, but he can seem to make anything out other than his brother. He looks distraught walking toward the middle aisle. No. Reapings were over for Greg. He shouldn't be walking towards the stage, he shouldn't have been called, his name shouldn't have been in the bowl anymore.

That was when Niall realised what had happened. He pushed throught the crowd of boys, manoeuvring his way to the aisle as well, a few paces behind his brother. Two peacekeepers noticed him, ready to stop him from getting any closer to his brother.

No.

Not today.

"I volunteer."

He watched everyone turn to him, the cameras all pointed at him, the peacekeepers continuing to move toward him. They walked over, holding on to Niall's shoulders, walking by where Greg stood. He looked over at his older brother, grabbing his forearm gently. He nodded, before continuing toward the stage without a word to his brother. Greg took a step towards Niall, immediately being blocked by the two men who were still holding onto his shoulders.

Greg was escorted off the floor to his mother, moving into her arms, hugging her tightly.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

*

Niall was pulled out of thought when the door to the room opened, his mother and brother appearing. Maura walked up to him, hugging him quickly.

"Oh, my baby boy. What have you done?"

"Mum I- I just-"

"She pulled back to look at her son, a soft watery smile finding her face, "I know."

Before she could even let go, Niall was caught in his brother's bone-crushing hug.

"You're an idiot."

"You deserve a life."

"So do you."

Niall sighed.

"Come back, yeah?"

"'ll try."

"No. No excuses. you will."

"Okay."

"Promise?"

"Yeah."

They pulled back and Niall began talking quickly, "Don't leave Marley's family behind. They need you just as much as she needs me. Keep them safe; for her."

Greg nodded, and his mother pulled him into another hug before leaving with his brother.

Niall watched as the door opened just as quickly as it closed.

Liam burst in, hugging his friend tightly.

"What the hell was that?" He pulled back to look at Niall, "You okay?"

"I'm fine."

"Really?"

"Yeah, I am."

"Good. Okay." He pulled him back for another hug, Niall clinging to his friend's shirt.

"Come back."

"Promise."

And Liam left.

*

Niall found himself walking up to Marley in the train the next day, who was sitting quietly at the dining table. He smiled to her softly when she looked up at him, "You okay?"

"I will be," She sighed.

"I'm sorry," the two teens heard Caroline say from the other side of the table. Her eyes a bit watery, and she looked genuinely concerned for the two. The stared at her, as she continued, "I didn't want any of this for you. I-I just-," She sighed, "I'm sorry."

Niall nodded, placing his hand over hers, squeezing it gently as if to tell her it was okay.

She smiled a watery smile before ushering the two into the next car, where they met their mentor.

Simon Cowell was his name.

Not much to him; one the games a few years back, lived alone, only surviving mentor of District 12 at the moment.

They sat silently as they watched the other tributes reapings, exchanging small comments here and there, Marley sitting close to Niall. They watched and watched. And watched.

~

It was so unfair.

It shouldn't have happened.

To Marley.

To his brother.

To... to him.

"Niall?" 

He turned, rubbing his eyes so that they wouldn't notice the tears welled up in his eyes.

"Do you know him?"

He looked away fromt he three sitting in the room with him, wishing he was back at home with his brother and his mom, sitting lazily with Greg on the couch, drinking lukewarm tea while he told him the same story of his father over and over again.

But, he couldn't.

Instead he nodded slowly, huffing out a breath, and trying so hard not to cry.

"How?"

He ignored the question, turning angrily to stare at them, rambling out everything that he shouldn't have known, 

"He has three sisters, his father died, his mother's ill, and he was the only thing keeping them alive. Now-" He took a sharp breath, whispering bitterly, "now, Zayn's family has nothing."