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(M/N) strode towards the elevator, ignoring the flabbergasted guards as he hit the number twelve button. The doors closed as the elevator moved upwards. He managed to make it back to his floor before the tears started flowing down his cheeks. He could hear the others calling him from the sitting area, but he sped up to his room, slammed the door, and flopped onto his bed. That's when the tears came at full force.
Now I've done it, I've ruined everything! If I even had the tiniest chance, I trampled on it when I sent that arrow at the Gamemakers.
He wondered what would happen to him now. Would he be arrested? Executed? Would they cut out his tongue and turn him into an avox?
What was I thinking? Oh, right. I wasn't. He sighed as he rolled onto his back and wiped the tear stains of his face. What does it matter, it's not like I was going to win the games anyway.
He decided he didn't care what they would do to him, he was only concerned for his mother and Eri, hoping his stupid decision wouldn't get them killed.
I should have stayed and apologized, maybe then they would have had some leniency. But no, I just had to lose it over a dead pig and leave in the most disrespectful way possible.
Katsuki was knocking at his door, (M/N) told him to go away multiple times before he finally left. Leaving (M/N) to lie on his bed, watching the sun set over the Capitol. At first, he expected guards to come for him. But as time passed, it seemed less likely. They still needed a tribute from District 12, didn't they? If the Gamemakers wanted to punish him they'd just do it publicly when he was in the arena. Set some starving wild animals on him, they would make sure he didn't have a bow to defend himself either. But before that, they would give him a score so low that no one would sponsor him.
That's what would happen tonight. Since the training isn't open to viewers, the Gamemakers announce a score for each tribute, giving the audience a starting place for betting that continues throughout the games. The number was between one and twelve, one being horribly bad and twelve being impossibly high. The number signified the potential of a tribute, but obviously it didn't guarantee who won. Often, due to certain variables in the arena, high score tributes could be killed quite fast. But the number would still hurt or help an individual when it comes to sponsors. (M/N) was hoping his skills would at least gain him a six, maybe a seven. But now he was sure he'd get the lowest score out of the twenty-four.
After another hour or so, Emi knocked on his door to call him down for dinner. He decided he may as well go. The scores were being televised tonight and it wasn't like he could hide his failure forever. He washed his face in an attempt to hide the fact he was crying and descended the stairs.
Everyone was waiting for him at the table, including Keigo and Rumi, which just made him feel worse. For some reason, he didn't like the idea of disappointing them. As if he'd thrown away all the good work they put into the opening ceremony without a thought. (M/N) avoided making eye contact with anyone as he sat down and grabbed his portion of food.
The adults began a conversation about irrelevant things (M/N) couldn't care less about. Looking up, his eyes met Katsuki's. He raised his eyebrows which (M/N) translated to 'What happened?' He just shook his head and looked down at his food.
After a few minutes, Shota finally spoke up. "Ok, enough with the small talk, how bad were you today?"
Before (M/N) could respond, Katsuki jumped in. "I don't think it matters, by the time I got there, they weren't even bothered to look at me. They were singing some random crap and drinking, so I threw some heavy objects around until they told me I could leave."
This made (M/N) feel a little bit better. Even though Katsuki didn't attack the Gamemakers, he still felt provoked.
"And you?" Shota said
"I shot an arrow at the gamemakers," (M/N) mumbled, but it was still loud enough for everyone to hear.
"You what?!" Emi screeched, confirming (M/N)'s worst suspicions.
"I shot an arrow at them. Well, not exactly at them. Just in their direction, it's like Katsuki said, I was shooting and they were ignoring me and I just... I just got mad, so I shot an apple out of their stupid roast pig's mouth."
"And what did they say?" Keigo asked carefully.
"Nothing. Or if they did say anything I don't know, I walked out after that," (M/N) said.
"Without being dismissed?" Emi gasped.
"I dismissed myself."
"Well, nothing you can do about it now," Shota said as he buttered a roll.
"Do you think they'll arrest me?" (M/N) asked, his promise to Eri about how he would try to win was all he was holding onto right now.
"Doubt it. Would be too much of a pain to try and replace you at this point."
"Well what about my family? Will they punish them?"
"Don't think so, it wouldn't make much sense. They'd have to reveal what happened in the training centre for it to have any effect on the population. People would need to know what you did, but since it's a secret, it would be a waste of effort," Shota explained, effectively calming (M/N)'s worries. "It's more likely that they'll just make your life hell in the arena."
(M/N) already assumed that would happen, he just hoped they wouldn't torture him too much, he'd wish for a quick death but that definitely won't happen.
"Well they've already promised to do that to us anyway," Katsuki says. It was only now that (M/N) realised just how much he was trying to defend him, why though? They barely know each other.
"I'll still get a bad score," (M/N) says.
"Scores only matter if they're really good, no one pays much attention to the bad or mediocre ones. For all they know, you could be hiding your talents to get a bad score on purpose, it's not an uncommon strategy," Rumi says.
Katsuki snorts, "Well I hope that's how people interpret the four I'll probably get. Really, is anything less impressive than watching someone pick up a heavy ball and throw it a couple of meters? One almost landed on my foot."
(M/N) couldn't help but smile at the red eyed boy. He was trying so hard to downplay (M/N)'s failure and make him feel better at the same time. It made him think of just how good of a person Katsuki must be, or was this still a part of his whole act to make (M/N) let his guard down? He didn't know, but he seemed very intent on cheering (M/N) up.
After dinner, everyone moved to the sitting room to watch the scores get announced on television. First they show a photo of the tribute, then flash their score below it. The career tributes naturally got in the eight-to-ten range. Most of the other tributes averaged at around five. Bella came up with a six. Surprisingly, Wendy got a seven. (M/N) didn't know what she showed the judges, but since she's so tiny it must've been impressive.
District 12 comes up last as usual. Katsuki pulls an eight, so at least a few gamemakers must have been paying attention to him. (M/N) dug his fingernails into his palms as his face appeared, he was expecting the worst. Then the number eleven showed up on the screen.
An eleven?!
Emi let out a squeal and everyone was patting him on the back. Cheering and congratulating him. It didn't seem real.
"There must be some mistake... How could this happen? I thought they hated me?" (M/N) asked Shota.
"They must've liked your guts," he responded. "After all, they have a show to put on, they need some players with aggression."
"(M/N), the boy on fire," Keigo said as he gave (M/N) a hug. "Just wait until you see your interview outfit."
"More flames?" (M/N) asked.
"In a way," he responded mischievously.
(M/N) and Katsuki congratulated each other; another awkward moment. They've both done well, but what did that mean for the other? (M/N) got up and made his way to his room, borrowing himself under the covers. He was pretty tired, it was a stressful day after all. His eyelids felt heavy and he eventually drifted off to sleep.
At dawn, (M/N) lay in bed for a while. His mind drifted off to Shoto, he wondered what he was doing right now, was he out hunting? (M/N) couldn't help but wish he was with the other right now, after all, they were best friends. Although (M/N) thought that they'd grown closer than just that in the past year, they'd been through a lot together after all. He went through all the memories he'd made with Shoto, all the way back to the day they met for the first time.
~
(M/N) was out hunting in the woods as usual. A few months had passed since his father died, and he had grown accustomed to hunting on his own. (M/N) spent the morning chasing around squirrels in hopes of bringing at least one home. After some struggle, he managed to kill one. He had begun his route back to the fence, when he came across a dead rabbit. It was hanging by its neck on a thin wire thirty centimeters above his head. About fifteen meters away there was another. He recognized the snares since his father would use them frequently. (M/N) had been trying to use the snares for months with no success. So he couldn't help but examine this one. His fingers just touched the wire when he heard a voice. "That's dangerous."
(M/N) jumped back as Shoto emerged from behind a tree. (M/N) realised he must've been watching him the whole time. He was only 12, but he was much taller than (M/N). He could've been mistaken for a 16 year old.
"What's your name?" Shoto asked as he came over and removed the rabbit from the snare.
"(M/N)," He said quietly.
"Well, (M/N), stealing is punishable by death, or were you not aware?" He said
"I wasn't trying to steal it. I just wanted to look at your snare, since I never catch anything with mine."
Shoto scowled at (M/N), obviously not convinced he was telling the truth. "Then where'd you get the squirrel?"
"I shot it," (M/N) said as he pulled his bow off his shoulder.
Shoto's eyes locked onto the bow. "Can I see that?"
(M/N) handed it over. "Just remember, stealing is punishable by death," he mocked.
The two would meet up regularly after that, they slowly began to share their knowledge, their weapons, their secret places that were full of wildlife or wild berries. Then one day, without either of them saying it, they became a team. Dividing the work and game, making sure both their families had food.
Shoto had given (M/N) a sense of security he'd lacked since his father's death. His companionship replaced the long, painful hours in the woods. He became a much better hunter when he didn't have to constantly look over his shoulder, knowing someone was watching his back. The two shared the thoughts they could never voice inside the fence. Being in the woods with Shoto made (M/N) genuinely happy.
~
He thought back to the eleven he got, and knew instantly what Shoto would say to him. "Well, there's some room for improvement there," he would say with a smile, and (M/N) would have returned that smile in a heartbeat. He compared what he had with Shoto to what he was pretending to have with Katsuki. How he'd never question Shoto's motives while he does nothing but doubt the latter's.
He knows it's not a fair comparison though. Him and Shoto met in the woods, and stayed together through a mutual need to survive. But he and Katsuki knew the other's survival meant their own death. How do you sidestep that?
Emi's knocking at the door reminded him that today was another big day. After fixing himself up, (M/N) headed downstairs and made his way to the dining table, where Emi and Shota were eating. Where was Katsuki?
(M/N) sat down. "So, what's going on? You're coaching us on our interviews today right? Where is Katsuki anyway?"
"Yes, I'll be coaching you and as for Katsuki... well there's been a slight plan change," Shota said.
"And what's that?" (M/N) asked. He wasn't really sure what their current approach was. Trying to appear mediocre to the other tributes didn't end up working out.
"Katsuki asked to be coached separately."
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