May The Odds Be Ever In Our Favour {PurplePhone | Hunger Games}

Eleven.

((Ehhhhhh if this is a little confusing, I'm sorry.))

Vincent jumped to his feet instantly, already poised in a defensive stance, "We have to fight."

"A-Are you kidding me?!" Scott stood up quickly, his legs shaking, "W-We have to run!"

"Run? Scott, whoever-whatever it is - it's just around that corner! We have to kill it while we have the chance!" Vincent started off towards the trees, only to have Scott's hand grab onto his arm, trying to pull him back.

He whipped around, glaring at the younger teen, "What is wrong with you?! You can't be a coward for the rest of your life!"

"Please..." Scott took a step back, not letting go. "Whatever it is... it killed someone. Quickly. Without a scream, without any warning... Vincent, I don't want you to get hurt. I-If... If you die... I'll be alone."

Vincent shook Scott's arm off, "Fine. You stay here. Go hide in a tree or something. I'll be back."

"Vincent-"

It was too late. Vincent shot a silencing glare at him, picked up his dagger from the sleeping bag, and stormed off through the empty clearing.

Scott looked around, finding himself completely alone and exposed. The bright orange sunlight pierced through the tree trunks, somewhat blinding him. He whimpered slightly. "B-Be careful!" His voice was high-pitched and wavered.

--

Vincent growled to himself, occasionally glancing over his shoulder to make sure Scott hadn't followed. Sure, getting mad at him like that had seemed a little over the top, but... as long as it meant he stayed in the clearing, it would have to do.

Tough love, so to speak.

As soon as he was out of earshot, Vincent swore like he'd never sworn before, letting out a string of curses that would have the whole of Panem shuddering. He looked down at the body of the person in front of him.

Scott was right about one thing: the thing that killed this person had done it without so much as a scream.  What he wasn't right about was that it happened quickly.

Vincent and Scott had had a sleeping bag to share last night, and they'd kept each other warm and at least moderately comfortable.

Not everyone was so lucky.

What was visible of the dead boy's skin was puffed and blue, and his body was tiny. A twelve-year old. The poor thing would have had his name pulled out of a slip of tens of thousands. Have to say goodbye to his friends and family, and head out into the arena.

He'd done well to have come all this way. In a way, it was a shame the cold had gotten to him. In another, Vincent guessed it beat being murdered in cold blood.

Still, that didn't distract him from his problem.

Now that this death was over, it wouldn't be long before the bloodthirsty residents of the Capitol were calling for another person to die.

He bit his lip, hating the inevitable.  The Capitol were smart. They knew their audience loved romance, but they weren't going to pull another 'two-winners' trick. Not after the humiliation that ensued last time.

Plus, what person could possibly resist the bitter-sweetness of a young boy having to take his lover's life? He imagined most of the girls in the city were dreaming of it now, of Scott's whispered dying words in Vincent's arms.

It was unfair. It was all unfair.

"You trained me how to survive in all the worst-case scenarios," He growled to the air, hoping his mentor could hear it. "But not once did anyone tell me what to do if I didn't want to kill someone anymore!"

Something crunched in the leaf-litter behind him. The hairs on the back of Vincent's neck stood up, and deep in his stomach, something told him he was no longer alone.

Vincent whipped around, and the girl who had been sneaking behind him froze, letting out the smallest of squeaks. She glanced around for a second, like an animal caught in headlights, before clearing her throat. "Vincent..."

It was his fellow tribute from District 1. Katha. A strong-built girl who took no nonsense from anyone, but had held a healthy respect for Vincent after he threatened her the moment they met. Vincent looked her up and down, then slid the dagger that he'd half-drawn back into his sheath. "I thought you died."

"Nice to see you too," Katha quipped almost on instinct, before evidentially deciding that was not the nicest way to greet someone who may ultimately be your cause of death. "I mean... I thought you did, too."

The tension settled thickly over the two of them, both of them seeming to expect an attack from the other, but not daring to be the first one to move. Like two predators enclosed in a cage.

"You better run," Vincent said at last, straightening up.

"Wha-" Katha flinched back, glancing around herself as if expecting some kind of surprise attack. "What are you doing?!"

"I'm not going to kill you. But you better run," Vincent repeated. "Or I might change my mind."

"But..." Katha took a step backwards, the fight disappearing from her eyes. She glared at him, "You're a coward, Vincent." Then she turned and disappeared from sight.

Vincent sighed, "A coward, yeah. But killing you would have meant having to kill Scott next." He tapped the hilt of his knife, "Don't worry. I'm sure the Gamemakers will cook up something hideously nasty for you. You won't last a day."

He turned back around and walked through the bushes towards the clearing. As soon as he took a step out of the trees, a hovercraft came, obviously to pick up the hypothermic boy who'd died.

"There you are!"

Vincent half jumped out of his skin, letting out a terrified yelp and looking up to see Scott hanging directly above him in the tree. "For Panem's sake! You almost killed me with fright!"

"Heh," Scott climbed down from the branches, stopping momentarily to re-adjust the huge backpack with all of their supplies that he was wearing. "I heard no other canons. Nobody else died?"

"Nobody else died," Vincent affirmed. "The boy that was dead had frozen to death. Not killed. That's how come we didn't get attacked."

"Right. Good! That means we've still got... two other tributes left to kill before me. Great. I didn't want to have to die today... Not the day after my first kiss!" Scott grinned lopsidedly.

"A...ha...yeah..." Vincent swallowed slightly.

He wondered how long it would take for Scott to figure out he'd lied about the number of tributes remaining in the arena.