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rubyreduji · 11 months

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eat your young | the before pt 1

tags: hunger games!au, gn!reader warnings: mentions of death, corrupt governments, depictions of poverty, mentions of sickness, parent loss wc: 5.6k an: if you wanna know the characters ages then you can look at the run down sheet i've posted here

m.list

It’s too hot out to be standing in the direct sun for so long in your opinion. Especially with everyone crowded together in one area, but it's not like anyone can do anything about it. It's the reaping. Everyone will stand here until two innocent kids are sent off to slaughter.

You shift a bit in place, your feet already hurting. You wish you had on your works boots instead of the dress shoes your father forced you in to, but you learned years ago this is not your battle to fight.

Everyone stands waiting in relative quietness as things get set up and more and more people sign in. You stand in the back section next to your best friend Joshua, but the two of you don't talk. Your face is hardened as you stare at the Justice Building. Right in front of it is the group of the youngest kids. They stand in their group all fearful and jittery. The heat probably isn't helping their nerves.

You can't pay them too much mind though. They're not the ones with their name in the bowl thirty-nine times.

There are five seats on the stage. In a row sit the mayor, the Capital representative, and the past victors Lee Jooheon, Hirai Momo, and Kwon Soonyoung. Once everyone has finished packing into the square and the clock hits the designated start time, the mayor gets up and starts to talk. He does the usual speech on the history of Panem before introducing the victors of District 7.

Jooheon is a middle-aged man who nobody really sees besides during the games, and that's only because he is required by the Capitol to attend. From what you know he carries a serious attitude and doesn't take anyone's shit. He's the oldest living victor District 7 has though, so everyone respects him.

Momo is a beautiful woman in her early thirties who tries her best to stay positive and do as much community work as she can. She's well liked by everyone she meets, in the districts and in the Capitol. She won her game at fifteen by pretending to be weaker than everyone else until she was one of the last one left, and then took the others out by surprise.

The most recent victor is Kwon Soonyoung. He's a twenty year old boy who won just two years ago. You're not close to him by any means, but you're definitely not strangers. He's a joyful personality and you and Joshua have a theory it's because he's trying to cover up the pains from his time in the games.

After introducing the victors, the mayor goes on to introduce the Capitol representative. Kim Jennie. She's new this year. At least she's easier to look at than the previous escort. He was a sleazy man who reminded you of a weasel. He was creepy and always had a sinister smirk on his face during the reapings. You hated him.

Jennie starts to talk. She is putting on that fake persona you despise from Capitol citizens. She goes on about how she's "so honored to be able to represent the Capitol" and how she can't believe she's "working with the brave tributes of District 7 who are serving their country" and that she "can not wait to bring two new tributes to the Capitol with her". You're sure she doesn't have a single thought in her brain that the Capitol didn't implant into her. She knows nothing about the true nature of the games and the real reason they exist, the horrors that are hidden behind them. No to her it's just all a game, one she gets to sit back and enjoy watching.

"Happy Hunger Games, and may the odds be ever in your favor." Her voice is starting to get on your nerves. "Now, to pull the first name."

Jennie moves to the large bowl that sits off to the side of the stage and pulls out a single slip of paper before walking back to the microphone. She eagerly unfolds the paper and leans into the mic. "L/N Y/N."

You don't move at first. It takes a moment to even recognize that it was your name that was called. For a second, you feel Joshua gripping onto your wrist, almost telling you to stay, but then he lets go and you start to walk up to the stage, like you're on autopilot. You're standing right on the edge of your section, so you don't have to pass anyone and see their looks of pity. Good.

Before you know it, you're on stage, staring at every face in the district. Jennie is gesturing to you. She has pink hair and a matching pink dress that looks like planet's rings surrounding her body. It's ugly. For a moment, before she starts talking, Jennie looks intimidated by you. You get that a lot.

"Do we have any volunteers?"

When you turned twelve you and a couple other kids started to do Hunger Games training on your own, picking up skills you saw in previous games. You've always been one of the best at, being able to fight and picking up on survival skills. Over the years you've built up even more skills working with your axe in the woods. You're grateful that you belong to a district that has a trade that's useful in the arena.

You look out at the crowd and your eyes land on the closest familiar face you see, which just happens to be your little sister in the middle of the crowd, standing with the other fourteen year olds. You lock eyes. She has tears in her eyes and her lips are quivering a bit, but she looks like she's trying to keep composed for your sake. You're grateful for that because if she started to bawl, you're sure you won't be able to keep your own composure.

You're knocked out of your stupor when Jennie is talking again. "What a brave young soul. Now for our next tribute." Her heels clack against the concrete of the Justice Hall's stage as she walks back over the bowl, pulling out one more slip.

The energy of the crowd is tense as Jennie brings her lips up to the mic. "Lee Jihoon."

You start a bit at the name. Jihoon? There’s no way she just said Lee Jihoon.

You hear commotion from behind you and you suddenly remember that Soonyoung is best friends with Jihoon. That's a tragedy for them. It's even more of a tragedy for you, because now you know what tribute the mentors are going to be rooting for.

"Lee Jihoon."

Jihoon feels a chill run down his back. Shit, that's him, isn't it? Jihoon can already see the fit that Soonyoung is throwing and he starts to make his way to the stage. His legs feel like they're about to give out from under him and he nearly trips on the first step up to the stage.

He makes eye contact with Soonyoung as he finally makes it to the top step. Soonyoung looks panicked and Jihoon has the urge to reassure him it's okay, even though it's not. Jihoon can't comfort his best friend though because Jennie is pushing him towards you.

"Shake hands."

Jihoon reaches his hand out to you and it takes you a moment to register the act and do the same. Your eyes pierce into Jihoon as you shake his hand. Your grip is firm and it intimidates Jihoon a bit. Unlike most of the kids in District 7, Jihoon doesn't work in lumber, so he doesn't have the skills like the lumber kids do. Jihoon has always been an artisan, rather than a woodsman.

Jihoon is too entranced by you to realize that Jennie is presenting you both to the crowd. "Our District 7 tributes!" Nobody claps. It takes Jennie a little too long to realize that.

The ceremony ends and then you and Jihoon are ushered into the building and into separate rooms. It's a sitting room with a nice couch being the main focus. There's art on the walls and a few other chairs scattered around the room.

Jihoon sits down on the couch and runs his hand over the velvet upholstery. He's never felt something so nice before and he wonders if District 8 kids helped make the fabric. Jihoon is still distracted by the couch when the door opens and his mom and dad walk in.

Seeing them makes Jihoon's stomach churn and the weight of the situation finally starts to set in. His mom's eyes are wet with tears and his father doesn't look too far behind. This is most likely Jihoon's last time he'll ever see them and he can't find any words to say to them.

They just sit together and enjoy their last moments together before peacekeepers come to take them away. Jihoon hugs both of his parents tight and tells them he loves them before they're gone for good.

The next person who walks into the room is Jihoon's only other close friend who isn't Soonyoung. Beomju is probably the only other person in District 7 who cares about music as much as Jihoon does and they spend long days together just working on songs.

"Jihoon-ah, I'm sorry this is the situation you've been put in." Beomju is older than him and aged out of the reaping drawing a few years ago.

Jihoon just nods. He wants to tell Beomju that he's sorry he can't write music with him anymore. He wants to tell him that if anything happens to him, to keep writing music. He wants to tell him where he keeps his music journal so maybe his music can carry his memory on after he's gone. He wants to tell Beomju that when he's scared in the arena, he'll think of their songs to calm him down. None of those words come out of his mouth though. Its's like his whole throat is closed up, but Beomju still seems to understand. That's always been something Jihoon appreciates about him.

Beomju leaves Jihoon with a nod and a good luck and then he too is gone. Nobody else comes into his room after that and it's not long before a peacekeeper is coming to escort him to the train. You're already standing outside of the rooms when Jihoon exits his. There's a scowl on your face but your eyes are red like you've just finished crying.

L/N Y/N. Jihoon doesn’t know you too terribly well, but he does know you. You live in the poorer part of the district, working as a lumberjack with your dad. You’re smart, always towards the top of the class with your grades. Jihoon sings in the choir with your friend Joshua. You’re killer with an axe and Jihoon doesn’t fail to see the irony in that statement. You’ve had a few run-ins with some peacekeepers for one thing or another, but you’re generally well liked by the public.

You can be gruff at times, but you make up for it with your overall caring nature. It’s no secret that in your free time you do woodworking, either carving figurines or building things like furniture. You help take care of your family and the people in town. It’s commendable.

It's a bit embarrassing, but Jihoon can admit that you do intrigue him. You’re a year older than him and you’ve always been a big personality, someone that everyone knows. You two are at two ends of the spectrum in District 7. You’re well respected, a helpful citizen, and skilled in many areas. Jihoon is none of those things.

Jihoon’s only interacted you with a handful of times but every time he does, he’s enraptured by you with your strong hands and woody smell and attractive face. Jihoon’s feelings for you fall somewhere between intimidation and admiration.

Neither of you say a word as you’re taken to the train station. When Jihoon boards the train the first thing that draws his attention is the meticulous interior design of the train car. The second thing he notices is the people inside of the room already. The escort and mentors are all sitting around, most likely waiting for you and Jihoon to board the train.

“Great, you guys are here!” Jennie stands up at the sight of you two. “We’ll be in the Capitol by morning so go get cleaned up and I’ll come and collect you two for dinner.” Jennie guides you and Jihoon to where your rooms will be and leaves.

Even just on the train, the room is nicer than Jihoon’s at home, and he lives in the nicer part of the district. The bed is large and dressed in heavy, soft looking blankets. There’s a bathroom attached to the room and there’s an actual shower inside. Jihoon has been sweating from standing out in the sun all day and he sheds his clothes and steps into the shower.

The water pelts down on his skin and he doesn’t think he’s ever felt something feel so good before. There’s a wide arrangement of soaps and shampoos to pick from and Jihoon takes his time cleaning himself up. If he’s going to die in a few days, he can at least enjoy himself now.

His skin is red from the heat of the water when he finally steps out of the shower. There’s a machine that blow dries his hair for him and he dresses in a soft pair of pants and a t-shirt in the closet of the room. Even though Jennie hasn’t come to tell him it’s time for dinner, Jihoon wanders out of his room and into the living room like compartment.

Sitting on a chair is exactly who he’s looking for. Soonyoung looks up when Jihoon enters the car. His face is riddled with a look that’s mixed between distress and relief.

“Jihoon.” Soonyoung stands. Jihoon walks closer and allows Soonyoung to pull him into a hug. Jihoon buries his face into Soonyoung’s chest and finally allows himself to let go, tears finally starting to prick behind his eyes.

The arms of his best friend wrapped around him bring Jihoon a bittersweet comfort. It takes Jihoon a few minutes to recompose himself as he sits down in a chair next to Soonyoung’s. The chair is plush and it dips down when Jihoon puts his weight on it.

“I would have volunteered for you if I could,” Soonyoung says and Jihoon knows he means it, but Soonyoung has already won his games.

“It is what it is,” Jihoon says with a shrug. “I just have to hope for a quick death.”

“No!” Soonyoung nearly tackles Jihoon out of his chair. “You have to try and win! I know you can do it. I was your age when I won and with me as your mentor, we can do it. You can’t give up already.”

“Soonyoung, I don’t stand a chance out there. You know that.” Jihoon loves to live in his delusions day by day, but this isn’t one he can believe in.

“But I need you.” Soonyoung’s voice is no longer loud and desperate, but rather soft and melancholy. Jihoon doesn’t know how to respond. That seems like a common theme today. He can write song after song about everything and anything under the sun, but ever since his name was drawn from the bowl, he’s been rendered speechless.

“I can only do my best,” Jihoon finally settles on.

“You do your best, and I’ll do the rest,” Soonyoung says. “I promise we’re going to make it out of this.” Jihoon doesn’t skip over the fact Soonyoung says we’re going to make it out. We. A team. Jihoon and Soonyoung. This is just as much as a fight for Soonyoung as it is for Jihoon.

“Boys! It’s time for dinner!” Jennie pokes her head into the room before leaving again, most likely towards the dining room.

Soonyoung still looks disgruntled but stands anyway. Jihoon follows and they walk to the dining room. All of the mentors are already sitting there, the only person missing is you.

The first course has already been served by the time you make your way into the dining room. It’s a crazy idea to Jihoon that the people in the Capitol eat multiple courses, but he decides to take advantage of the fact and eat as much as he can. Jihoon watches you as you eat. You tend to pick more of the protein filled options and Jihoon wonders if it’s a tactic to help you further in the games.

It’s no surprise that the games have already started. From here on out, Jihoon won’t be able to rest until he’s dead. Literally.

At last dessert makes it to the table but Jihoon is too full to even touch it. You turn your nose up at the treat as well and Jihoon doesn’t know if it’s because you’re full or because you don’t want to put that much sugar into your body.

Before Jihoon can dissect your eating habits even more, Jooheon starts to talk. “So, what are we working with this year. What skills do you guys have?”

Jihoon doesn’t respond. He doesn’t have any skills. At least not any that could help in the games, unless the arena is a stage and they have to sing to survive.

Jooheon looks at you two expectantly but neither of you say a word. Jooheon sighs. “I’m trying to help you guys, give me something. You, kid, do you use the axe?”

You nod. “Yeah. I have some basic survival skills and I can fight, both hand-to-hand and with the axe.” You’re strong too, from lifting wood and swinging an axe all day long, Jihoon thinks, but he doesn’t say that out loud.

“That’s a good start. A really good start. Once you start training keep working on those survival skills, but don’t let anyone see you use that axe until it comes to evaluations.” You nod only as Jooheon advises you. Jooheon then turns to Jihoon and Jihoon feels like sinking into his chair and disappearing forever. “And you?”

“Don’t worry about him,” Soonyoung interjects. “I can take care of him.”

“Soonyoung, we’ve talked about this. We’re a team and we have to work as one.” It’s Momo who’s scolding Soonyoung.

“I hate to interrupt, but the reaping recap is about to start broadcasting,” Jennie informs the group. It’s clear the conversation isn’t over and Jihoon assumes the mentors are going to finish it later, in private.

Everyone moves to the train car where Jihoon originally found Soonyoung in. The broadcast has already started but it’s just the introduction stuff. Jihoon’s attention is peaked when the reapings start.

Like always, the careers look threatening. It’s more intimidating to see them on the screen knowing that Jihoon will have to face them in the arena in a week. The most prominent career is a tall boy with a large build from District 4, Kim Mingyu. He has to be a foot taller than Jihoon and just thinking about it makes the shorter boy sick.

Jihoon cringes when the District 7 footage plays. You looked so strong and sturdy when your name was called and as you stood on the stage. The only time even a flicker of emotion was shown on your face was when…Jihoon’s name was called. In all honestly Jihoon thinks it’s probably because he looked like a clumsy deer in the headlights as he walked up to the stage. It’s embarrassing. It’s even more embarrassing to watch himself as he’s forced to shake your hand. He definitely stared you at way too long. You look like a statue on stage, hardened and beautiful. It’s clear from even just a glance that out of the two of you, you’re the more promising tribute. It makes Jihoon’s gut twist knowing that your skill assets are miles ahead of his as well.

The youngest tribute this year is a thirteen year old boy from District 12 named Lee Chan. The other District 12 tribute, Chwe Hansol, isn’t much older being only fourteen. It makes Jihoon frown as he watches them stand on the stage, visibly shaking with fear. The two seem to be close and it makes Jihoon’s heart ache even more.

The broadcast ends and Jihoon feels even worse than he already did. The whole situation feels like it’s crawling up his throat, threatening to spill out with all of his dinner. Jihoon is grateful when Jennie sends everyone off to bed.

“It’s getting late and we will all need as much rest as we can get in the next week. Tomorrow we’ll be in the Capitol and the opening ceremony will commence,” Jennie tells the group. She then moves to make her way to her own compartment. “Happy Hunger Games!”

You can’t believe your eyes as the train pulls into the Capitol. The buildings reach up into the skies and you don’t think you even knew this much technology exists. You hear the Capitol citizens screaming before you see them, and you have to back away from the window when you do. They’re terrifying. Not just their presence, but their actual appearances. If you thought Jennie was bad, they’re ten times worse.

The train finally stops at the station where you and Jihoon are quickly whisked away to the remake center. You don’t know what you were expecting when you showed up, but it definitely wasn’t being scrubbed, plucked, and prodded at by a team of strangers.

You’re honestly a bit disturbed by the time you’re left alone in the room. You already feel uncomfortable from how raw your skin is, but you know it’s only going to get worse from here. Another thing you’re not expecting is for a handsome young man to walk into the room.

He’s tall with a smooth face and blue and purple hair. There’s black makeup smudged around his eyes and his eyes are a bright blue that cannot be his natural iris color. Other than that, he looks normal. He’s wearing a flowy sheer shirt and tight pants and he looks at you up and down before speaking.

“You want to robe?”

You nod and the man hands you a soft robe to cover your naked body. You wrap yourself in it before sitting down in a chair opposite of the man.

“I’m Minghao, I’ll be your stylist while you’re here in the Capitol,” he tells you. “My friend Junhui will be styling your district partner. Our goal is to make you two look desirable. You want sponsors and we’re going to get you them.”

“You two are new this year,” you say, instead of addressing anything he said.

Minghao nods, though he looks a bit surprised that you know that. Despite having a large disdain for the games, you do keep up with what happens in them. “The old stylists were…outdated. We want to elevate your looks and focus on lumber, but not just as raw trees. Would you like to see what you’re wearing for the parade?”

The garment is beautiful. The construction is made out of a mix of paper origami and fabric. There are sharp edges all over it that gives it a regal, yet dangerous look. You wouldn’t want to mess with anyone wearing this outfit so you’re glad you’ll be the one in it.

“Now, I know my work is good, but it’s not the only thing that can be pulling the weight around here. Be presentable, darling. Smile and wave and get the people to like you. That’s the real key to winning.”

You decide that you like Minghao. Not just due to his designing abilities but also because he genuinely seems like a good guy. As good of a person you can be from being from the Capitol.

Minghao helps you get dressed and once you’re in the outfit he styles your hair and adds on all of your accessories. When you’re fully put together you look in the mirror and you have to stand and stare at yourself. The image is beautiful and all together everything looks like a dream, but that’s not you in the mirror.

You don’t have too much time to stand and dissect your whole new look though, because Minghao is ushering you out of the room to go to your chariot. You meet up with Jihoon and his stylist, Junhui, in the stables. Jihoon is in a similar outfit to yours with its own variation and accessories.

When you look at his stylist, he also looks oddly normal for a Capitol citizen. His hair is bleached to a platinum blond and his eyes are smudged with makeup like Minghao’s, but instead of black his is red. He’s wearing a white ensemble with a ruffled shirt and lots of jewelry. Other than that, if you put him in a different outfit he would look like a normal guy from the districts.

Something about Minghao and Junhui intrigues you, but you can’t dwell on it because you’re being forced to board the chariot. Jihoon climbs on beside you and two stand there in silence as the parade starts. Minghao and Junhui wish you two luck right before your chariot pulls out of the stables.

Right away your balance is thrown off and you nearly topple off the side of the chariot. You probably would have if it wasn’t for Jihoon grabbing your arm. You’re about to thank him for making sure you didn’t die before you even got into the arena, but you see that it seems he’s grabbed onto you to steady himself.

You two stand on the chariot, clinging to each other, as it moves through the streets of the Capitol. Once you finally seem to have gotten your footing on the chariot you lift your free hand and start to wave to the audience. It nearly pains you to do so, falling right into the trap of being their little plaything, but you know Minghao was right when he told you to please the Capitol citizens.

You smile and wave at them and they cheer and throw roses and you can even hear a few scream out your name. It’s sick.

Your stomach feels nauseous for multiple reasons when the chariot finally comes to a stop. You can’t even bother to listen to what the president is saying, too focused on not throwing up or toppling over. Jennie, the mentors, and Minghao and Junhui are waiting for you guys when the chariot pulls up. Minghao helps you down and you nearly fall on your face getting off, but you’re able to steady yourself last minute.

Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for Jihoon who does in fact fall and takes Soonyoung down with him. You look around to see if anyone saw what just happened and it seems like everyone else it too preoccupied with their own matters to care.

“You two looked marvelous out there! I’m sure that everyone will be tripping over their feet to sponsor you,” Jennie gushes. “Now let me show you guys where we’ll be staying.”

The training center is insane, and way too over the top. Each district gets their own whole floor and you want to scream knowing that back home your parents sleep in the living room so you and your sister can share the one bedroom in your house.

If you were disgusted by the bedroom on the train, you’re absolutely horrified by the bedroom in the training center. The bed could fit your whole family on it comfortably and the closet is so big it could serve as a whole new room. The room is upgraded with different technological gadgets that you don’t even bother messing with, knowing you’ll have no clue what they do or how to work them.

“Y/N, dinner time!” Jennie’s voice floats through your door accompanied by a knock. You sigh and head out to the dining area. Momo is the only one at the table which means Jennie is still out rounding everyone else up.

Slowly the table fills up until everyone is gathered around. You notice the people standing around, most likely servants. It makes your skin crawl knowing that other people’s punishments are to wait on the wealthy for the rest of their lives.

“Training starts first thing tomorrow morning. Do not be late,” Jennie says, her tone strict.

“Remember to focus on survival skill stations. They’re often overlooked but that’s seventy-five percent of staying alive in the arena,” Jooheon says. “If you feel up to it, find another weapon to try and get moderately good at, but don’t show any skills you already are good at.”

It’s clear the more Jooheon talks that it’s more aimed at you, rather than Jihoon, who never said if he has any skills. You almost feel bad for him, but you know that Soonyoung won’t let him go in blind.

“Rest up tonight, training days take a lot of stamina both physically and mentally,” Momo tells you both.

You start to formulate a plan in your head. You have three days to train and on the third day you’ll have your Gamemaker assessment. You know for sure you’ll be messing around with an axe for the assessment and that’s not something you’ll ever be rusty on, so you know not to touch it until it’s time.

You can make a fire, tie knots, and purify water pretty well but you’re not as strong with your plant identification. You’d like to get better at handling a regular knife and you’d like to brush up on your hand-to-hand combat.

Earlier Jooheon mentioned that there are tasks that everyone has to do as a general skills assessment, so you’ll have to add those into your plan as well.

“Y/N.” You’re pulled out of your thoughts at the sound of your voice. You look around to see it’s Jihoon addressing you. It’s actually only you and Jihoon in the room, everyone having already cleared out from dinner.

Neither of you have spoken to each other at all this whole trip, the most interaction you’ve had has been steadying each other on the chariot.

“Jihoon?”

You have mixed thoughts about Lee Jihoon. He’s a little famous in your District, but not exactly for the right things. He’s a small boy with an innocent face and round cheeks. You can’t deny that he’s wildly talented though.

“I’m sorry about your mother.” It’s not at all what you’re expecting him to say, and it knocks you off your game a bit.

Last year, shortly after the reaping, your mother had fallen sick. The doctor wasn’t able to diagnose it and any medicine given to her wasn’t enough. The only possible way to cure her would have been to send her to the Capitol but your family was too poor for that, and they wouldn’t have accepted her anyway. She died a few months later. Your family is still healing from the situation and now the reaping has gone and messed up your lives even more.

You don’t know what to say to Jihoon. You settle on, “Yeah, me too.”

Jihoon wasn’t at the funeral, but you remember that one of his songs was sang during it.

A lot of the district citizens don’t like Jihoon because he doesn’t work like most of the other district kids do, he writes music instead. His music is widely known throughout the district though, his most popular song being a song of mourning sung during saddening events.

It’s one of the reasons why you have such mixed feelings on the boy.

You’re not sure if you should keep talking to Jihoon or if he has more to say to you. You guys should talk about the situation you guys are in. You’ve been trying to avoid the fact that in a week you’ll be in an arena fighting for your life, but you can’t do that for much longer. The fact of the matter is that Jihoon is now your enemy, but he also has no chance of winning against you.

Jihoon is smart and his mind is well matured, but he’s not the kind of intelligent you need to be to survive the games. You hate to think about it but it’s the harsh truth. You know Jihoon knows this as well. If District 7 is bringing home a winner this year, it’s going to be you.

Even if Soonyoung does everything in his power to save Jihoon, it’s clear the other mentors do not share Soonyoung’s favoritism towards his best friend. If anything it seems like Jooheon favors you and your hard earned skills you’d built up.

Not that you’re confident enough to think you are going to win. You saw the group of careers. It would be foolish to think you can even hold a flame to them.

“Are you-,” Jihoon cuts his own sentence off. “Never mind, I’m sorry.”

You want to ask him to continue and ask you what he was going to, but you don’t say that, and you let him walk off, leaving you alone in the dining room with nothing but your thoughts. Thoughts, and curiosity for the boy who is going to die in a week.

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rubyreduji · 10 months

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eat your young | the games pt 4

tags: hunger games!au, fake dating, angst, fluff warnings: death, violence, blood, depictions of almost drowning, attempts at killing self, mentions of wanting to die [i think that's it? tell me if not] wc: 6.1k an: ahhhh this chapter is one of my favs fjsdklalfk, ALSO this is the last chapter i have fully written so this fic maybe on a hiatus until i finish the series lol just a heads up

m.list

Jihoon is panicked.

He scrambles over to you and checks your pulse. It’s still there, but that doesn’t make you any more conscious. The pain in your leg must have taken you out after so much physical labor. Jihoon isn’t sure what to do, he’s not sure if there’s anything he can do.

Jihoon falls to the ground and lets himself cry. Tomorrow will be day thirteen of being in the arena. So far three of his allies have died and now you’re on the brink of it as well, and there’s nothing he can do. He can’t use survival skills like Seokmin, or think like Wonwoo, or heal like Hansol. He most definitely can’t fight like you do.

Jihoon looks down at you. You’ve given him everything. You’ve done nothing but protect him but now Jihoon wants you to stop. He doesn’t want your protection anymore, he just wants you to be okay. You’ve been through too much already in these games.

When Jihoon reaches down to touch your face, you nuzzle into his palm. Jihoon frowns. What’s going to happen to you? It’s down to the last six tributes and the careers are going to be hunting down the other three soon and Jihoon doesn’t know if he can hold them off.

For a moment, he wonders if he should just let them kill him. Let them kill the both of you and you two can go far away from here. You’ll meet up again in the afterlife and live peacefully there, together. That sounds nice. Nicer than having to stay in this arena. Nicer than you suffering anymore. Nicer than him going home without your hand in his.

Jihoon doesn’t want to win anymore. He doesn’t care what you think he can or can’t do. He doesn’t want to win if that means you die.

“Soonie,” Jihoon whispers. “What am I going to do?”

He needs Soonyoung to hear him and understand. He needs Soonyoung to fix this.

Jihoon doesn’t know when he fell asleep. He didn’t mean to but suddenly its morning and he’s opening his eyes.

“Morning Songbird.” Jihoon jumps. You’re awake. When Jihoon looks over at you, he sees you sitting against a tree, eating a roll. “Soonyoung sent a gift in the night. Woke up with a major headache and a parachute on my chest.”

Jihoon sits up and looks into the container that is sitting by your leg. Inside is a feast of foods. Jihoon grabs a roll out for himself.

“I was hoping it was, you know, medicine, but I guess this will do. Not sure how much medicine will do for my leg anymore anyways.”

You’re still rambling on when Jihoon scoots up to you and cuddles into your side. That shuts you up. “I thought you were going to die.”

You let out a harsh laugh. “You can’t get rid of me that quickly Songbird.”

“Good! I don’t want to! I need you to stay with me. Promise me you’ll stay with me to the end?” Jihoon sits up and stares at your face. Last night was emotional turmoil for him and all he wants is for you to feel the same way he does.

You cup Jihoon’s face. “Of course Songbird.” You press a kiss to his temple and Jihoon sinks back down against you. He wants to stay here forever, wrapped in your arms.

If only the Gamemakers didn’t hate him.

The ground starts to rumble again, only this time it’s a lot more intense than all of the other times before. Jihoon shakily stands on his legs, but he can barely keep himself up.

“Ji,” you call out to him. “Fuck, Ji, they’re sinking this island. I don’t know if I can swim.”

Shit.

Shit. Shit. Shit.

“It’s okay. We’ll be able to make it,” Jihoon says, and he thinks he may be convincing himself more than you.

They’re closer to the center of the island, so it will take a while for the water to get to them. Jihoon does his best to stay calm and collect all the supplies and pack it away. Jihoon can see the water starting to creep closer in the distance. You’re now standing, but your knee keeps buckling and you almost keep falling.

This wouldn’t be a problem if Jihoon himself could swim, but he can’t. He attaches everything to himself, the bag, his spear, and even your axe. Jihoon has never seen you look so helpless and he feels the same way inside. You’re standing with your walking stick, worrying your lip as you stare at the water.

“Don’t worry about me Ji,” you say. “We just have to go for it. I promise we’ll be okay. We have to be.”

You start to walk to the water and the shakiness of your body doesn’t make Jihoon feel any better. He still follows after you. You slowly ease into the water, using your walking stick to push you along where the ground can still be reached.

“People can swim with one leg you know,” you tell Jihoon as you further into the water. “There was an article about a guy from District 4 who could do it.”

There’s a pain in your face and Jihoon knows your leg is killing you already. The salt water probably doesn’t make it any better. Jihoon just hopes you don’t pass out again.

Jihoon’s not sure how far away the next island is. He can only swim so long and he’s sure the time is even shorter for you. You’re making your way for now though, as the island sinks around you guys. The pace is slow, but it seems like you are able to swim with just your one leg.

Jihoon’s own swimming skills are nothing to preen about but he can keep pace with you. How embarrassing is that? He can only keep swimming pace with someone who doesn’t have a working leg.

Jihoon can see the other island. It looks closer than the swim from the first island to the currently sinking one. It’s a slow pace, but you two are slowly making your way there. Your breathing is labored though, and it concerns Jihoon.

You two are almost there when suddenly you let out a cry of pain. You’ve stopped swimming. You’ve stopped swimming and your body is starting to sink and Jihoon doesn’t know what to do. He grabs for you, but he’s not that strong and you pull him down too.

Jihoon can’t see anything. It’s darkness and water and it’s getting in his throat and he can’t breathe, but he feels you against his fingers and he knows he has to save you. Jihoon’s flailing his legs, hoping that it will do something. He kicks and thrashes and he swears some miracle happens, maybe a wave?, because suddenly he can feel the ground under his feet and he keeps going. He drags your body with him until both of you can fall to the shore.

Jihoon coughs up water and some snot comes out with it. He’s drenched and his throat burns and he realizes there’s probably water in your lungs as well. He can’t tell if you’re conscious or not but he does his best to turn you over and he slaps your back until you cough up all the water. You flop back onto the ground, your breathing heavy and slow, but you’re alive.

“T-thank you,” you mutter to Jihoon. So you are awake. “Sorry about that.”

“Not your fault,” Jihoon mutters and flops down next to you, not caring that you two are out in the open. “We survived, didn’t we?”

Jihoon thinks he could fall asleep like this. Just laying on the edge of this island.

“Congratulations tributes, for being the last six remaining.” The voice makes Jihoon jump. It takes him a second to realize it’s an announcement. “There has been a rule change. Both tributes from the same district will be declares the winners, if they are the last two alive. I repeat, if the last two standing tributes are from the same district, they will both be declared the winners. Thank you, and may the odds be ever in your favor.”

Jihoon isn’t sure if he heard that right. Two winners?

It must be real because you squeeze Jihoon’s hand. “We’re going home Ji,” you whisper to him, and well, Jihoon’s never been religious, but in this moment, Kwon Soonyoung is his god.

The island is a mountain. Or several sets of small mountains. You and Jihoon probably spent half the day laying there on the shore before he decided you two need to find shelter. You’re glad Jihoon is taking control because you don’t think you can think right now.

Your body is hot and you have a headache and you’re so tired. Jihoon has to half drag you into the cave he found. Jihoon rolls the sleeping bag out for you and you fall down onto it, your leg happy to final be able to rest.

You can hear Jihoon tutting. When you look at him, he’s looking down at your leg.

“We gotta redress your leg,” he mutters.

“Redressing wounds is pretty intimate Ji,” you tease him. The words slip out of your mouth before you can stop them. You’re not really sure what you’re doing, but your mind is also a little too fuzzy to care.

“Not too intimate for me, I’m your boyfriend remember.” Oh, oh, Jihoon is gonna tease you back and that’s not good because now your head is swimming with thoughts of Jihoon as your boyfriend. You’re not sure when Jihoon decided to start getting bold but it’s messing with your head even more than the fever is and you find him so hot right now.

Luckily some of his charm wears off when he starts to take the bandages off and keeps trying not to gag. You’re honestly in the same boat. You were too out of it the first time to see the damage, but you have to admit, it’s fucking disgusting.

You’re sure it looked even worse after it just happened. The raw meat of your leg is still pink and visible, but it’s also covered in a layer of pus. You head spins at the sight.

“I uh, think it’s infected,” Jihoon mutters. “Are you feeling sick?”

“I’ve been half delirious since we got out of the water,” you mutter. Jihoon touches your forehead and pulls back with a frown when he feels how hot you are.

“Baby, you’re burning up.”

“Yeah, cause you’re so hot.” You try to wink at him. You’re not sure if it works.

“Shit, okay. I’m gonna try and clean this off and we’ll go from there. I’ll be back, I promise I’ll be safe. Just, don’t move.”

“Wait, wait, no, please don't go, please," you beg, latching onto Jihoon’s arm. You don’t want him to go. What if there’s something dangerous out there and you can’t save him. It would be safer to have him here, with you. That’s all you ever want, for Jihoon to stay by your side always.

"It will only be for a little bit. I really have to go baby. I promise I'll be back though." Jihoon smooths down your hair and you can tell your words pain his heart, just a bit.

"No, please, please Ji, please stay." You nuzzle your head into Jihoon’s hand, and you can tell he’s really contemplating staying.

"Shhh, baby, I won't leave, okay. I'm staying right here, don't worry." Jihoon leans down and presses a kiss to your forehead and that calms you. Jihoon is staying with you. He’s staying with you and you’re never letting him leave.

“Can you sing to me?” You ask him. He’s sitting above your head and you think he looks like an angel right now, even through all of the dirt and grime.

“Yeah, yeah, I can sing to you,” Jihoon whispers. He scoots closer to you and starts to sing a song you’ve never heard him sing before. It’s pretty though and you close your eyes, at peace knowing Jihoon is with you.

At some point, you drift off to sleep.

When you wake up, your head feels clear and your leg feels better and your body is back to a somewhat normal temperature. You try to sit up, but there’s a weight on your chest and when you look it’s Jihoon’s head. You must have accidently roused him when you tried to sit up and Jihoon blinks awake.

“Y/N?”

“Sorry Songbird,” you mutter. You look down at your leg. New bandages. “You fucking liar.”

Jihoon laughs. “Anything to keep you alive.”

“Thank you,” you tell him.

“Yeah, I found a creek close by. The water is clean, but I mixed some iodine in with it anyways and poured it all over your leg. Super gross, but it’s okay because I’m a good boyfriend.” There’s that word again. Even when you’re not out of your mind, it does things to you. “I used the rest of the salve on it and then redressed it. Soonyoung then sent some injection to help with the infection.”

You’re a bit surprised Soonyoung sent something after the parachute he sent last night, but you guess that Capitol citizens like you and Jihoon. That or Soonyoung is working his ass out there, keeping up his end of the deal. Speaking of your deal with Soonyoung.

“So, the rule change. We can make it out of here.”

“I know,” Jihoon says. “So let’s do our best to stay alive.”

“There’s only one other district couple, right? The uh, District 2 boys. Jeonghan and Seungcheol.” You glare as you say their names. They’ll be the most difficult to get rid of.

“Do you think they’ll take out Mingyu?”

“The District 4 boy?” Jihoon nods. “I wouldn’t put it past them. If there’s only six of us left and he’s keeping them from winning, who knows what they’ll do.”

“All we can do is hide out here until it comes time,” Jihoon says.

You sigh. It’s going to be boring. But you guess boring is better than fighting for your life.

Things could honestly be worse. You’ve been given medicine, you have shelter, there’s food and water, and you and Jihoon can both go home.

The next couple days are plain. You’re sure the Gamemakers are gonna get antsy and all you can hope for is that the careers either take each other out or the other tribute left. You think that’s horrible, wishing for someone else to die, but it’s what has to be done to save you and Jihoon.

“Tell me a secret,” Jihoon says out of nowhere and you raise an eyebrow at him. You two have been laying low in the cave and Jihoon rarely leaves unless it’s for water. You want to get up and leave too, but you also understand you need to rest.

“A secret?”

“Yeah. You don’t want to share you secrets with me Y/N-ah?” There’s that flirty tinge to his voice and you have to look away from him.

You think about it for a moment. What do you want to tell Jihoon. “I’ve…never been kissed before. Isn’t that kind of sad? I’ve killed someone before I’ve even had my first kiss.”

“I can change that.” The words seem to slip out of Jihoon’s mouth before he realizes what he’s saying.

“O-oh?”

“Sorry, I just thought-”

“No, it’s okay. I mean, I wouldn’t mind, only if you want to though.” You don’t know if Jihoon’s playing things up for the camera, he feels bad for you, or he actually does want to kiss you. Just this once you let yourself give in to delusions and believe it’s the last option.

“I want to.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.” Your voices are at whispers as Jihoon scoots closer to you. He hesitates for a moment before finally cupping your face softly and pulling you into him. His lips are chapped, but they feel nice. He presses up firmly against you, but there's still a tenderness to it.

You decide that you like this. You like kissing. You like being held by Jihoon. You like it all. You don't want the moment to fade but then Jihoon is pulling away from you and looking at you expectingly.

"Was that okay?"

"Yeah. It was...it was perfect," you tell him, and you think to yourself that you might be in love with Lee Jihoon.

Something that has yet to cease to amaze Jihoon is the way that you still smell like wood, smell like home, even through all the events you've been through since departing from District 7. Through Capitol soap scrubs and sea water and sweat and blood, the smell of wood is still ingrained into your skin and Jihoon thinks it might be the only reason he's able to fall asleep at night anymore. That and your arms wrapped around him.

He kissed you earlier. He kissed you earlier and you said it was perfect. You're both gross and dirty and bloody and Jihoon kissed you for the first time ever and you told him it was perfect.

He wants to do it again. He wants to keep kissing you and kissing you and never stop.

“Ji?” Your hands play with his hair as you two lay in the cave.

“Yeah?”

“Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For saving me.”

Jihoon laughs. “Me saving you? You’ve saved me more times than I can count.”

“I think my leg would have taken me out by now if it wasn’t for you. Especially while were swimming.”

“Maybe that’s our thing,” Jihoon says. There’s a warmth in his heart and he knows it’s cheesy but you really do make his heart sing. “Saving each other.”

“Yeah, I think it is.”

You two are quiet for a moment and Jihoon enjoys the way he can hear your heartbeat through your chest and the soft breaths you let out. You’re both snuggled in the sleeping bag together, waiting for sleep to take you both over.

Jihoon is just starting to feel sleepy when you speak up. “What do you think is going to happen when we get back to District 7?”

Jihoon doesn’t know if you mean in general, or specifically between you two. Jihoon answers for the latter. “We keep being us. We’ll be neighbors then, you know. I’ll see you every day if you want. I’ll sit and write music, and you can woodwork. We’ll still take walks together, if you want to.”

“Of course I do. I want to do everything with you, Ji.”

Jihoon’s heart twists. One thing Jihoon wasn’t expecting when he came up with his genius fake dating ploy was the fact he would have to pretend to fake date you, and somehow along the way he may have fallen in love with you for real.

I want to do everything with you, Ji. Jihoon wants to as well, but for real. He wants to hold your hand and kiss you and spend his days with you as your boyfriend. Your real boyfriend.

He desperately hopes you feel the same way.

Jihoon knows that if you don’t, it’s his fault. It was his stupid idea to fake date. It’s not your fault he actually fell for you.

“You know, when you first asked me out, I couldn’t believe it,” you tell Jihoon.

Oh?

Ah, you must be playing up for the camera. That’s smart. Jihoon’s gotten so caught up in just being with you, he forgot you two are technically putting on a show.

“You’ve always kind of interested me. I’d notice you in school sometimes and you already know how I feel about your music. It was like ‘wow, he actually knows who I am’. Of course we’ve interacted before, but I never thought you’d look at me in that way.”

“What do you mean? You’re literally L/N Y/N. You’re the biggest charmer in District 7, everyone loves you. It would be difficult not to fall for you. I’m just shocked no one else was vying for your heart when I asked you out. They’re missing out. I am truly a lucky man.” Jihoon means what he says. He’s surprised you don’t have more people falling at your feet to go out with you. It’s their loss though, because even if it’s fake, you’re the best partner Jihoon could ever ask for.

“The biggest charmer in District 7,” you scoff. “That’s quite a title Ji.”

“I’m not lying! You couldn’t believe I’d looked at you that way, but I’ve been looking at you like that for years. You’re so strong and confident and charismatic. Not to even mention all of your skills. I swear I used to go to the market on Fridays just to sit and watch you sell your goods. In the third to end booth, next to Joshua.”

You let out a bit of a laugh. “You have to be kidding. There’s no way that you were watching me when every time we were in the same room together, I wouldn’t be able to take my eyes off of you.”

“It’s true. Just like everyone else in District 7, I’m enamored with you.”

“Enamored? Now that’s pushing it.”

“The people adore you, you can’t deny it. You’re everyone’s favorite, while they think I’m crazy. You know, I think I should be the one surprised you even wanted to date me.”

“Why wouldn’t I? Look at you Ji, you’re perfect.”

Perfect. You called Jihoon perfect. The same way you told him his kiss was perfect. For claiming you were going to get Jihoon out of the arena alive, you’re doing a pretty good job at trying to kill him.

“I promise you Y/N, there’s people out there far more perfect than I am.”

“Not to me there aren’t. I don’t want anyone else but you Jihoon. My perfect little Songbird.”

Jihoon sits up from where his head is resting on your chest and he stares at you. You stare back. Jihoon can’t read your expression, but something in your eyes are telling him that you’re not lying. Your eyes flicker over his face before looking back at his eyes.

Jihoon’s not sure which of you lean in first, but soon his hand is cupping your face and you’ve got your hands hooked around the back of his neck. Your lips slot together perfectly against Jihoon’s and he tells himself it’s a sign.

You and Jihoon spend the rest of the night like that. Bodies tangled up, lips locked together. Even if it’s not real, Jihoon doesn’t care. Whatever happens after you two leave the arena will happen, but he has you for now, and he’s going to make the most of it.

Within the next day another cannon sounds and another island sinks. That means the only people left are you two, and the three careers. You and Jihoon inhabit the last standing island other than the one the Cornucopia sits on. Your island will be sinking soon.

The bright side of things is that your leg is doing a lot better. It’s still not doing great, but it’s the best it’s been since you initially got hurt. Enough to the point you’ll probably be able to swim if needed.

Things are coming to end. All you need to do is make sure you two are the last ones standing. Even if you are hanging on by a thread, the Capitol will fix you up and you two can go back home.

You’re a bit sad to think about going back home though. Not that you don’t miss being or that you want to stay in the games any longer, but you know that going back home means that there will be no more you and Jihoon. The thought upsets you more than you thought it would. You’ve gotten used to his presence next to you at all times and you’re afraid that once you two get back to District 7, everything will change.

A part of you wants to ask out Jihoon for real, but you’re afraid he’ll tell you no. You know that Jihoon is doing it all as a survival tactic, but you can’t help but wish it was real. You want to be able to kiss him even when you’re not being watched by all of Panem.

Maybe it’s stupid but you really are going to miss sleeping next to Jihoon every night. You’re pretty sure his presence is now an essential thing to getting you to sleep well at night.

“Y/N,” Jihoon addresses you as you two ready yourselves. You’ve decided to go confront the careers head on. No use in waiting any longer. “Promise me that no matter what, we go home together.”

You’re not sure if anyone else would pick up on what he means, but you understand him. You always have. He’s asking you not to sacrifice yourself for him if the situation would arise. Soonyoung once told you that you’re important too. Jihoon must think so as well.

You move towards Jihoon. “We go home together,” you assure him. You lean in and capture his lips against yours. It’s only for a second, but it gives you the strength you need.

Your leg is still giving you trouble but you’re able to get down to the shore and into the water easily. The only thing on either of you are your weapons, hoping things will come to an end after this fight. The swim isn’t too far but it’s still slow and you hope the careers don’t see or hear you coming. If Mingyu catches sight of you two, you’re done for.

You were ready to start fighting as soon as you stepped foot on the Cornucopia island, but when you and Jihoon approach the shore, it seems the careers are in a fight of their own. You and Jihoon are positioned at the tail of the Cornucopia, out of sight of them.

You step out to try and get a bit of a better look. Laying on the ground is Jeonghan. He looks…well he looks half dead. He’s probably not too far off from it, from the way Seungcheol and Mingyu are engaged in a fight. Seungcheol looks mad as he swings his sword at Mingyu.

“What is wrong with you? You’ve ruined everything!” Seungcheol grows as he lunges at Mingyu.

Oh. Mingyu must have attacked Jeonghan.

“I’m going to win. It doesn’t matter if he’s alive or not, because I’m going to be last one standing!” Mingyu shouts back. He’s wielding a trident expertly as he blocks Seungcheol’s attempts to attack him. “You two were going to kill me anyways. I was just able to strike before you were.”

Mingyu hooks his trident around Seungcheol’s sword and tosses it out of Seungcheol’s hand. You watch as Mingyu thrusts his trident as Seungcheol, aiming straight for his chest. You hold your breath in anticipation for the impact, but it never comes. Seungcheol reaches out and grasps the trident. Stopping it from impaling him.

With a grip on the prongs, Seungcheol twists the trident, releasing it from Mingyu’s grasp. He looks like he’s about to toss it just like his sword was, but decides last second to wield it as his own weapon. He charges at Mingyu, but Mingyu dodges the attack, moving to the side. It’s apparent Seungcheol isn’t as experienced with the weapon. Mingyu grabs the handle of the trident and the two both fight over it, tugging it towards themselves only to have the other one tug it away.

Just like Seungcheol’s sword, the trident goes flying in the air and off to the side, out of reach of either boy. Neither make a move to grab it, instead going straight for each other in a physical fight.

Your body slightly shields Jihoon’s and you know he doesn’t have a good view of what’s happening. You’re sure he gets the idea from all of the yelling happening though.

A cannon booms and you gasp softly. You look at the boys but they’re both still standing, you suddenly remember Jeonghan was laying on the ground earlier. Seungcheol must realize what you do as he quickly disengages with Mingyu and runs over to where the other boy’s body lays.

Seungcheol kneels down next to Jeonghan. He gently reaches out, touching Jeonghan’s lifeless form. When Jeonghan doesn’t respond, the rage in Seungcheol’s eyes doubles. Mingyu, who was also a bit stunned from the passing of Jeonghan, quickly recovers, approaching Seungcheol at a rapid speed.

Mingyu runs up to Seungcheol before grabbing the boy by his neck, throwing him to the ground. Mingyu climbs on top of Seungcheol and sends his fist right into Seungcheol’s nose. Seungcheol grabs at Mingyu’s arms and rolls the two over so he’s on top. Mingyu doesn’t let this happen easily though, fighting back. The two boys roll around on the ground, wrestling for the offensive position.

Seungcheol finally dominates Mingyu and slams his head against the ground. Mingyu deftly reaches up for Seungcheol’s neck, grabbing him there forcefully just like he did to Jihoon. Seungcheol struggles in Mingyu’s grip, but is able to reach for a rock close to Mingyu’s head. You wince as Seungcheol slams the rock down on Mingyu’s skull. When he pulls it back, red is splattered all over the gray stone. Seungcheol repeats the action, again, and again, and again, until the cannon goes off. Mingyu’s arms fall limp to his sides and Seungcheol lets the rock drop to the ground.

The District 2 boy is crying now. His chest is heaving as he slowly climbs off Mingyu. His hands are covered in Mingyu’s blood and his own nose is bleeding from where Mingyu decked him. He looks like a wild animal with his bloodshot, bugged out eyes and dirt covered skin. You’re sure that you don’t look too far off yourself.

Seungcheol looks around frantically and that’s when he finally spots where you and Jihoon are standing. The sight of you two ignites another fire in him and he quickly retrieves his sword before charging at you and Jihoon.

You shove Jihoon back as you lift your axe. Your blades hit against each other, and as used to swinging your axe as you are, it’s clear that Seungcheol’s combat skills are miles ahead of yours. You do your best to just stay standing on your leg as you block all of Seungcheol’s hits.

Seungcheol backs off of you and you two stand there, staring at each other, weapons still drawn.

“You killed Hansol,” you say, finally breaking the silence.

“Does it matter? He was going to die anyways. We can’t all win.”

“No, we can’t, but Jihoon and I can.”

“No,” Seungcheol growls. “If I can’t have my district partner, then neither can you.”

You swing your axe at Seungcheol, but he dodges the attack and runs straight at Jihoon.

No. No.

He can’t have Jihoon.

You bound after him. Jihoon backs up until his back hits the Cornucopia. There’s nowhere else for him to go. Seungcheol is right up on him, his sword raised. You lift your axe to throw at him, but you realize you risk hitting Jihoon if you miss.

Right before Seungcheol lowers his sword down on Jihoon you throw your axe low, hitting Seungcheol right in the back of the thigh. Seungcheol’s leg buckles, dropping his sword as he does. Seungcheol plucks your axe out of his leg before grabbing his swords. His focus all on you again.

You’re defenseless now though as Seungcheol approaches you. He’s limping a bit, but then again, so are you. You do your best to dodge each of Seungcheol’s attacks. You back up, evading him as best as you can, until your heel catches on a rock and you go tumbling down, your back slamming into the ground.

Seungcheol shoots you a wicked grin as he swipes his sword through the air, slicing right through your good leg. Pain shoots through your whole body and you scream out in agony. You won’t be able to walk after this.

You have to kill Seungcheol. It doesn’t matter if you die as well, but you can’t leave him with Jihoon.

There’s not much you can do though as you watch Seungcheol raise his sword, ready to plunge it right into your heart.

You brace yourself, ready to accept your fate, when suddenly you hear a sickening squelching sound. Seungcheol’s eyes widen as he grabs at his heart. It only takes two more seconds for his body to fall to the ground and for a cannon to sound.

Standing above his body is Jihoon, the other boy’s spear dripping blood. He looks terrified and you can’t tell if it’s because he just killed Seungcheol or because of the state Seungcheol left you in. Maybe both. His hands are shaking as he drops his spear and falls to his knees. He quickly wraps his jacket around your leg, trying to stop the blood flow. He then moves up to your head.

His hands are warm as they cup your face. It almost takes your attention away from the pain in your leg.

“Don’t worry baby, it’s okay,” he whispers to you. “It can be fixed. We’re both alive and your leg can be fixed and we’re both going home.”

“Attention to the final remaining tributes. The earlier revision to the rules have been revoked. After an examination of the rule book it has been discovered only one winner of the Hunger Games may be crowned winner. Good luck, and may the odds be ever in your favor.”

You can’t think. Your head feels light from the loss of blood and your leg is throbbing and Jihoon’s caressing your face and it’s all so suffocating that you can barely process the words that are said over the speakers.

Jihoon reacts before you do.

“No! No. You can’t do that!” Jihoon’s screaming at the sky. “We have to- we both have to go home. Together.”

Only one of you can win. You should have known. When would the Gamemakers ever let both of you survive. Mingyu was right. It didn’t matter if Jeonghan died or not. The whole situation is fucked up. It doesn’t matter who dies to them, they just want their winner.

Your body sinks further into the ground.

“Wait, no, baby, please stay with me,” Jihoon begs.

“We both can’t win Ji,” you mumble.

“Do not give up on me. We made a promise.” Jihoon’s hands grip your neck and he presses his forehead to yours. You reach up to touch his face.

"It was always going to be you. I was only here to protect you. I've done my job. Go and be great." You rub your thumb over his cheek.

"No, no, they said we could both win so I'm not leaving this arena without you," Jihoon protests.

"It can't be anymore. This is your time." You lift your head a bit and press your lips against his. Jihoon accepts, kissing you back. He pulls you closer, taking his time soaking up every bit of you that he can.

When you pull away, Jihoon has tears in his eyes. "Please don't leave me."

"You have something to do. Honor me, honor all of us."

"I'm not kidding Y/N, I'm not leaving this arena without you."

"You have to win."

“You promised me we go home together.”

“They need their winner. That’s you.”

“No, no they don’t. It’s all or nothing.” Jihoon suddenly sits up. “Trust me, okay?"

You’re not sure what Jihoon has planned but you can’t help but scream as Jihoon grabs his spear and plunges it right through his own stomach. You reach out for him and Jihoon falls to the ground right next to you.

What the fuck?

You feel Jihoon’s hand grab yours. He’s shaking. Or maybe it’s you shaking. You can’t really tell. He squeezes your hand tightly and you squeeze back. You can feel your body shutting down.

You want Jihoon to live, but maybe this is just as good enough of a fuck you to the Capitol as you can get.

Your heartbeat is slow and just as you close your eyes you hear the speakers crackle to life again.

In a bit of a panicked voice, you hear the announcer say, “Citizens of Panem, I present to you your victors, Lee Jihoon and L/N Y/N! The tributes of District 7!”

Oh. That’s nice. You both get to live.

That’s all you can think of before you succumb to the darkness.

taglist: @hotricewoozi @embrace-themagic @066hc @biromogeulworld @hoeforcheol @milkyruins @famouspoetrydinosaur @bigtittycommitte @parkchaeyoungsbish @wooahao8 @wongyu-reads @anothershorthuman @bumbleboxwrites @belladaises @candidupped @justwonus-recs @im-gemmy

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rubyreduji · 1 year

Text

eat your young - ljh (teaser)

pairing: lee jihoon x gn!reader genre: angst, fluff, fake dating, romance, hunger games!au w.c.: teaser is 455, whole series is tbd a/n: reaping rules are changed so it's just from ages 12-20 of any gender bc jihoon is 18 and reader is 19. titled based off the hozier song.

you're prepared to survive the hunger games, what you're not prepared for is for lee jihoon to be in the arena with you

first chapter to be posted friday may 26

"Do we have any volunteers?"

No. Not that you're surprised. Nobody volunteers in District 7, let alone for someone like you. Everyone in Seven already thinks you're capable of winning the games, why would they risk putting someone else in? When you turned twelve you and a couple other kids started to do Hunger Games training on your own, picking up skills you saw in previous games. You've always been one of the best at, being able to fight and picking up on survival skills. Over the year's you've built up even more skills working with your axe in the woods. You're grateful that you belong to a district that has a trade that's useful in the arena.

You look out at the crowd and your eyes land on the closest familiar face you see, which just happens to be your little sister in the middle of the crowd, standing with the other fifteen year olds. You lock eyes. She has tears in her eyes and her lip is quivering a bit, but she looks like she's trying to keep composed for your sake. You're grateful for that because if she started to bawl, you're sure you won't be able to keep your own composure.

The energy of the crowd is tense as Jennie brings her lips up to the mic. "Lee Jihoon."

You start a bit at the name. Jihoon? There’s no way she just said Lee Jihoon.

@pandorashbox @leejihoonownsmyheart @soonhoonietrash @chaimi-yuta @embrace-themagic @kayleeshinee @coupsgyus @joonsytip @heyxxitsxxtay @synthetickitsune @chwecardcaptor @candidupped @dreamhannies @d0nghyck @niyizh @baldi-2 @enhacolor @noniestars @heavenly-mobo @sunnyteume @debsworld23 @m1nghaos @just-here-to-read-01 @blxckswxnxge @17kwans @jeanjacketjesus @x-veex @namjoonbaby @ovai @belladaises @todorokiskitten @jihoonliker @valentxi @raevyng @ckline35 @1694 @niktwazny303 @brxzilianbaby @moshiyuron @y0lkz @im-gemmy @honeylovemoon @wonchansbrooklynn @opwolfe @luvthatleader-nim @lorde-oftherings @hoeforcheol @hotricewoozi @prpldahy @nox-writes

(this is my normal jihoon taglist but if you wanna be tagged for THIS SERIES SPECIFICALLY pls fill out the form below/comment even if you were tagged because i will not be referencing this taglist after this post)

comment below or fill out my taglist to be tagged for this fic: here!

#seventeen #seventeen fanfic #seventeen angst #woozi #lee jihoon #woozi fanfic #woozi x reader #woozi series #woozi angst #woozi fluff #kpop #kpop fanfic #kpop angst #rru.eyy

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rubyreduji · 11 months

Text

eat your young | the games pt 1

tags: hunger games!au, fake dating, angst warnings: death, killing, violence wc: 5.1k an: we are in the arena i repeat we are in the arena aka yall are about to be real unhappy with me

m.list

This has to be a joke.

About a hundred yards in front of you is the Cornucopia filled with lots of goodies for everyone. A few bags and other supplies are scattered in front of it for those who aren’t brave enough to get into the midst of the battle quite yet. That’s all pretty standard for the games. What’s not standard is the rest of the arena.

Surrounding the ground that the Cornucopia and the plates the tributes are standing on is water. Past the water you can see other land masses, each looking a bit different than the next. Islands. Your arena is based on islands.

That means there’s only two options once the countdown hits zero; run into the heart of the Cornucopia, or swim away to one of the other islands. It sounds like a lose-lose situation for anyone who can’t swim and is too inept to survive the blood bath.

You also note how the arena’s suspiciously well designed for people who are good swimmers, like certain tributes who have grown up around large bodies of water. The only good thing about the bloodbath is that due to needing the supplies inside the Cornucopia, it’s unlikely any of the District 4 tributes will chase after anyone who opts to swim away once the games start.

Your eyes glance around at the other tributes. The careers are spread out, but you’re pretty sure you can make it to the Cornucopia before some of them, which gives you a good chance to get what you need and get out with minimal damage.

You flit your gaze back to the mouth of the Cornucopia. You squint a bit to get a better view and you finally see it. An axe. There are a few bags that you scope out as well that you hope have something good in them. Your eyes glance up at the countdown. There’s only five more seconds left.

Five.

You ready your legs and brain to start to run.

Four.

You train your eyes onto the axe. It’s the most important thing to get.

Three.

You can fight your way out of the bloodbath, you just need to get the axe first.

Two.

You’ll grab as many bags as you see fit afterwards and then get the hell out of there.

One.

You hope Jihoon can swim.

Boom.

The sound of the starting canon fires and you’re moving without even thinking. You can see someone else making the exact same beeline you are in the corner of your eye. You can’t worry about them just yet.

You’re not the first to make it to the Cornucopia, but you are one of the first. Many of the careers stop and pick up some of the smaller weapons scattered in front of the Cornucopia so they are armed right away.

One of the boys from District 2, Jeonghan, is already at the Cornucopia when you approach, but you’re closer to the axe than he is, and you reach down and snatch it before he can. He grabs the weapon next to him, a throwing knife, and hurls it at you. The knife flies through the air and slices right through your left arm and you hiss, but don’t let it slow you down as you turn to flee.

More careers are closing in on the Cornucopia as you try to leave and you swing your axe at them, trying to ward them off. The District 1 girl actually backs up, but the one of the District 4 boys keeps coming towards you and you use all your might to swing your axe right into his leg. He lets out a shout of pain and you quickly yank your axe out of his leg and continue running. Try and swim now.

You’re able to grab the throwing knife Jeonghan threw at you and a couple scattered bags as you start off in the direction that you told Jihoon to go. You’re almost to the water when you see a figure hunched over the ground. No, hunched over a body on the ground. After closer inspection you realize it’s the District 12 boys. Both of them.

Before you know what you’re doing, you’re moving towards them. It’s not just you though. Another tribute is approaching them as well and you pick up your pace. Just as the other tribute goes to attack you bury your axe right into his neck. He lets out a strangled gasp and his throat makes a squelching noise that makes you want to vomit before his body hits the ground.

You can’t focus on him though, because the boy is still crying on top of his friend’s dead body and you have to grab him by the arm and pull him to stand.

“C’mon. We have to go.”

“No, no, I can’t leave him! Please, I-,” his voice comes out in broken sobs and you do your best to keep your strong face on.

“I know, I know, but we have to go. We can’t stay here.” You tug on his arm a bit more. You can’t leave him here with these monsters.

“Please, give me a second, I need to- his token.” You understand and you nod. He quickly searches his friend’s body before finding what he’s looking for. You stand guard as he presses a kiss to the other boy’s forehead. After that he finally lets you drag him away and into the water.

“Where are they?” Jihoon whines. He was luckily able to find Wonwoo and Seokmin both after making it to the closest island. Jihoon’s not the best swimmer though and he nearly drowned at least three times trying to get here and now he’s cold, wet, and there’s still no sign of you.

The group is too far away from the Cornucopia to spot you and all they can do is wait. The more time goes on though the more progressively worried Jihoon gets. He told you not to go to the Cornucopia and if you die because you were too stubborn to listen he’s going to be so mad at you.

Jihoon is mulling over all the ways he can curse you out in the grave if you die when Seokmin speaks up. “Look at the shore!”

Jihoon’s head perks up and he looks to see you trudging through the shallows onto the bank of the water. Jihoon smiles when he sees the axe attached to your belt. His smile slowly drops when he notices that you’re not alone though. You’ve got a firm grip on the boy’s wrist as you guide him onto the ground where he promptly falls down and starts to cry.

Your eyes skim the tree line and when you meet Jihoon’s gaze you send him a pleading look. Jihoon quickly moves to go meet you, Wonwoo and Seokmin on his heels. On top of the axe and the boy it seems you were able to grab two bags as well, all varying in sizes. How you were able to swim from island to island with all of that in tow, Jihoon will never know. You’ve always been amazing though.

You’re dumping everything onto the dirt when Jihoon approaches you and pulls you into a hug. You let him, tentatively wrapping your arms around his neck. You two stay like that for a moment before you finally pull away.

“What’s with him?” Wonwoo whispers, breaking up the moment.

“His district partner died during the bloodbath and he was crying over his body,” you say in a hushed whisper. The boy is crying so hard though, Jihoon doubts he can hear a word they’re saying. “What was I supposed to do? Leave him there?”

Everybody’s morals don’t allow them to say yes and you give them a look that says they’re not allowed to speak on it again.

“Hansol,” you address the boy and Jihoon is slightly surprised you were able to remember his name. The boy doesn’t react though, and you sigh and sink down onto the ground with him. You pull the boy into your body and he latches onto you, burying his face in your neck. You pet his hair while shushing him in a soft tone.

The other three boys stand and watch, not sure what to do in this situation. You don’t seem too sure yourself either but at least Hansol’s loud sobs have turned into muffled cries. You rock your bodies back and forth and then lyrics start to flow from your mouth.

It shocks Jihoon to hear his own song coming from someone’s mouth, let alone his song of mourning. Something pulls at Jihoon’s heart at hearing you sing to the young boy, comforting him after his friend died.

A part of Jihoon knows this is an intimate, private moment, but another part of Jihoon hopes this is being broadcasted. People need to know the horrors of this game, and the Capitol citizens should hear the songs of the people mourning. They need to know that the tributes aren’t just pawns in a game. That they’re people who have feelings and that this isn’t something fun and exciting to watch.

This is what you meant when you told Jihoon that his songs inspire people. He’s finally starting to get it.

“Y/N,” it’s Wonwoo who speaks up, “we really do have to get going.”

“Hansol,” you address the boy again. “We have to move further into the woods. It’s not safe here. We’ll find shelter soon, okay?”

The boy sniffles more and finally sits up and nods. Jihoon can now get a good look at him. His eyes are red and his brown hair falls into his face, wet from the water. He’s still got a bit of a baby face and if the Capitol thought Jihoon looked innocent, then Jihoon doesn’t even want to know what they thought of Hansol.

Hansol picks himself up and you do as well. You grab your axe off your belt and pick up the bags you grabbed.

“Give me the knife,” Seokmin says to you and you give him a look of disdain.

“No.”

“You already have the axe, that’s not fair.”

“You don’t tell me what to do,” you growl.

“You’re not the leader here!”

“And you are? Yeah right. I bet you would have run into the Cornucopia if I didn’t tell you not to.” Seokmin doesn’t have a response to that, proving you right. “For the time being I’m in charge. After me it’s Wonwoo. Come now, we’re burning daylight.”

With that you walk into the forest, and everyone is at least smart enough to follow.

Jihoon walks by your side as you make your way farther into the island. This particular one is modeled after a forest, but it’s different then the forests you’re used to from back home.

“I think we’re far enough in that we can hide here for now. I don’t think anyone else swam to this island,” Jihoon tells you. The cannons signaling the end of the blood bath went off a while ago (eight of them, one-third down in just a few minutes), but you’re sure that careers are staying with their pile of goodies for the time being.

You stop walking and turn to the rest of your group. Hansol is standing at the back, looking scared and tired. “Let’s try and find some clean water. Seokmin, can you start a fire so we can dry off more?” You then turn to Jihoon. “Ji, help me look through these bags.”

As much as you like the other three boys you’ve gained as allies, in the back of your mind you remind yourself that in the end, it’s you and Jihoon and you have to do everything to protect yourselves. If that means not 100% trusting your allies, then that’s what it means.

Jihoon has the bags slung on his shoulder he drops them to the ground. You two sit around them as you go through them. One holds two small bundles of rope, a few first aid supplies, an empty water canteen, and a bottle of iodine. The other bag holds a sleeping bag and a small tarp. It’s a good pick, but not great, especially with no food rations and a group of five people. You also wish there was another knife or something, but you guess beggars can’t be choosers.

“Uhm, Y/N?” You look up from where you’re sitting to see Hansol standing over you. “I uhm, have this as well, but I can’t use it.” In the palm of Hansol’s hand is a utility knife. You didn’t see it when you first saved Hansol so it most of been in his pocket.

“Oh no Hansol, you keep that. You might need it for protection.”

“No I can’t use it, it- Chan.” Hansol looks like he’s on the verge of tears again and you get it. It’s the weapon that was used to kill his district partner. His friend.

You gently take the knife out of his hand. “I see. Don’t worry about it.” Hansol nods and scampers off, back to where Seokmin is attempting to start a fire. You sigh and drop the knife into the pile of other items.

“You okay?” Jihoon reaches out and grabs your hand. Right, you two are supposed to be dating. You scoot closer to him and hold his hand tighter.

“He’s the same age as my sister,” you says softly.

“I know.”

“When it comes time, we’re going to have to split from them.”

“I know.” Jihoon squeezes your hand. You’re a bit happy for this fake dating situation as you find Jihoon’s hand comforting in yours. “Let’s not think about it right now, okay?” You nod.

Suddenly Jihoon gasps. “What?”

“You’re bleeding, have you been bleeding this whole time?” Jihoon lets go of your hand to reach out to your arm and you remember that Jeonghan cut you with the knife during the blood bath. The blood has already dried in a long scab on your arm meaning Jeonghan couldn’t have cut that deep, but it will still probably scar. Now that you think about it you remember it stinging like crazy while you were swimming, but then you got distracted by other things.

“It’s fine, no big deal. Don’t worry Ji, I’m okay.” Jihoon doesn’t look like he trusts you but he drops the subject. He does pick your hand back up though and you trace your thumb over the back of his hand.

You two sit there for a while until Seokmin finally gets the fire going. You and Jihoon repack all of the items and move back to join the group. Your socks are soaked and your feet are cold so you pull your feet out of your boots and place them close to the fire. The boys all do the same.

You feel something touching your ankle and you look down to see Jihoon playing with the bracelet. “Is this from Joshua?”

“Yeah, my district token. I miss him.” Jihoon just nods solemnly.

Once you’re starting to feel dryer you slide your boots back on and stand up. You walk a bit further into the trees until you find what you’re looking for: a thick, long, sturdy stick. You take it back to where the boys are sitting and they look at you curiously but you ignore them.

You dig around in one of the bags until you find one of the bits of rope. You take the throwing knife off of your belt and place it against the stick before attaching them together with the rope. You shake it a bit to check it’s secure before handing it to Jihoon. A makeshift spear.

“Ah, thank you,” Jihoon says. He then leans into your ear. “You know, I’m not that good with this thing. You should have given the knife to Seokmin.”

You shrug. “I care about you more. I’ll give him Hansol’s knife later, it’s fine.” You then stand again. “Wonwoo-ah, come help me look for water.”

Wonwoo doesn’t complain, just puts his boots back on and follows after you.

Despite being your pick of ally, Wonwoo is the biggest threat in your group. You don’t like Seokmin that much, but you can tell deep down he’s just a scared kid like Hansol. Wonwoo on the other hand, is smart, and that’s more dangerous than anything else. It’s why you’re perfectly happy keeping Wonwoo unarmed and not left unattended with Jihoon.

“So, you and Jihoon?” You can’t tell if he’s teasing you or trying to uncover your ploy on TV. Either way it makes you frown.

“So me and Jihoon what?”

“You two are cute, that’s all,” Wonwoo hums. You glance over at him and Wonwoo is looking back. There’s an almost panicked look in his eye and you realize he forgot you two were on camera right now. He actually was trying to ask you about it. So maybe this time Wonwoo wasn’t out to get you, but you still have to keep your guard up.

“We’re in the middle of the woods, there has to be water somewhere,” you say to change the subject.

“Not for sure, the Gamemakers could have designed everything so it doesn’t need water to live.”

“They wouldn’t leave us without water though, that would make for a very quick game.” You sigh, “I guess we have some iodine to use, but I’d rather not risk drinking sea water if we don’t have to.”

“Let’s go back to the group, we don’t need water right now and maybe we’ll find some later. If not, there’s five of us, someone has to be sponsoring at least one of us.” You agree with Wonwoo and you two turn around to go back to where you started.

When you get back to the group the fire is already out and the boys are standing around. “We should get going before night falls. We’ll need to find food as well,” Seokmin says.

You nod and turn back around once again. Jihoon catches up to walk beside you and you two walk a few feet ahead of the other.

“I gave Seokmin the knife, I told him not to flash it around Hansol too.”

“Thanks,” you tell him. You glance behind you to see Seokmin taking the rear position. Good. Wonwoo walks in front of Seokmin and Hansol in front of him. Just like little ducks in a row. “The careers might come out hunting at night. Especially the ones who can swim.”

Jihoon groans. “I’d rather not have to do anymore swimming.”

“Same, but we don’t know what dangers could be on this island.”

As if on cue (they just might be) birds start to attack your group. The Gamemakers think they’re so funny. You try your best to dodge the birds, swinging your axe at them while also trying not to hit Jihoon. There’s too many of them though so you have to resort to running.

The birds continue to let out shrill screeches as they dive bomb you. You can hear the commotion of the boys also trying their best to get away from the birds.

“Wait, wait!” Jihoon shouts. “I know these birds!” Jihoon lets out a trill, mimicking what sounds like a bird call and suddenly the birds retreat.

It takes a moment for everyone to catch their breath and regroup. There are a few scrapes on Wonwoo’s face and Seokmin’s hands but otherwise no one looks too badly hurt.

“What the hell were those?” Hansol asks.

“Swallow-hawks,” Wonwoo answers. “I should have known sooner.”

“Yeah, can someone explain that more in depth?” You ask.

“Swallow-hawks are mutts that were bred during the first rebellion to attack rebels and any other threats. The only way to get rid of them is to mimic their call because then they’ll see you as one of their own,” Jihoon explains.

You suddenly remember that back in District 7 Jihoon’s father works as a historian, he must have passed some of his knowledge down to his son. That doesn’t explain knowing the bird call though, so you ask him about it.

“Well, I learned the swallow-hawk call after learning about them, but I do know a good majority of bird calls. I didn’t mean to pick up on the skill, but I like to hear the birds sing,” Jihoon tells you and you can’t help but think that’s adorable. He really is a songbird.

“So…are these things edible because I’m hungry right now and I think Y/N and I killed a couple while fighting for our lives,” Seokmin says. You look down to see that in fact, there are a few dead swallow-hawks on the ground.

“Yeah, yeah, they’re edible. Let’s find a better place to make shelter and then we can settle in for the night,” Jihoon says.

You guys still don’t find any water, but you do find a somewhat secluded place to take camp for the night. Seokmin starts another fire and cooks up the birds. There’s just enough to share between the five of you. In all honesty it tastes horrible, but it’s food.

“We should take turns taking watch,” Wonwoo announces.

“I’ll take the first one,” you say.

“No.” You’re expecting the protest to come from Wonwoo, but it actually comes from Jihoon. “You didn’t sleep last night.”

How did he know that?

Soonyoung. Fuck.

“I’ll take first watch,” Seokmin says. You’re still not completely happy with the idea but it’s clear that you’re in no place to disagree.

“Who should get the sleeping bag?” Jihoon asks as he grabs it out of the bag.

“Y/N grabbed it, they should get it,” Hansol says before anyone else can speak up. You want to protest again but Jihoon shoots you a look and you shut up.

You grab the sleeping bag and roll it out before climbing in. You are admittedly, a little tired. Once you’re done situation yourself in the bag you realize there’s quite a bit more room.

“Jihoon-ah.” The boy looks up from where he’s sitting and you motion for him to climb into the sleeping bag as well. He looks a bit flustered at the idea, but eventually joins you.

You two are pressed up against each other, but it’s not uncomfortable and you’ll be able to stay warm. You’re just drifting off to sleep when the anthem starts to play. Right, the nightly recap of the tributes who died. There’s a small break in the trees that you can see the sky.

The first person to appear is a tribute from District 5 and you cringe when you see his face.

“Y/N?” Jihoon whispers.

“I killed him. I killed him, Ji. He was going for Hansol and I just reacted and then my axe was in his throat.” The words make you want to puke. Not even ten minutes into the games and you killed someone. You did exactly what they wanted you to do and it makes you sick.

You feel Jihoon’s hand find yours under the sleeping bag. “You were protecting Hansol. We all do what we have to. You are not a bad person Y/N.”

“He probably has a family and friends and I-,” you choke.

“It was either him or Hansol. You were just defending someone else when they couldn’t do it themselves. The same way you are with me. You’re a protector, Y/N. We all do things we’re not proud of, but you have to remind yourself that these aren’t normal circumstances.”

You’re about to say something in response, when you hear a small sob. You look up at the sky to see Chan’s face disappearing. Right, Hansol lost one of his friends today. You wonder about the other boy from District 12. The youngest one here. What kind of person was he?

You can hear Seokmin consoling Hansol and you bury your body further into Jihoon. You shift around until your head is resting on the area that’s not quite his shoulder yet not quite his chest. You can feel Jihoon’s chin on the top of your head.

“We’ll get through this,” Jihoon whispers to you, and you trust yourself to believe him.

Jihoon doesn’t know how long he’s been asleep, but the sound of whispered voices wakes him up. He thinks it might just be Seokmin and Wonwoo trading shifts but then he realizes it sounds like a lot more people than just two people, and those aren’t Seokmin and Wonwoo’s voices.

“I saw the little one swim this way during the blood bath. And wherever the little one goes, they go. They have to be on this island.”

It’s the careers. And they’re talking about you and Jihoon. It sounds like there’s maybe four of them.

Jihoon jostles you until he can hear your breathing change.

“Jihoon?” You whisper. He places his hand over your mouth, forcing you to listen. You slowly start to climb out of the sleeping bag and Jihoon does as well. He reaches for his spear and hopes you’re reaching for your axe.

It’s difficult to see in the dark, but there’s just enough moonlight to see Wonwoo is sitting guard, Seokmin’s knife in his hand. He seems to hear the same thing as well.

You’re behind Jihoon as you press your lips up against his ear. “Wake up Seokmin, I’m gonna wake up Hansol.” Jihoon nods and moves to where Seokmin is sleeping.

Jihoon nudges at Seokmin, who wakes up with a gasp and Jihoon realizes a second to late he should have covered Seokmin’s mouth as well.

“They’re over here!” Jihoon hears one of them shout. No being subtle anymore.

“Run!” You shout. You have a grip on Hansol’s arm as you pull him up. Jihoon takes off, everyone else on his heels. He’s able to glance back for a second to see you taking up the rear.

Jihoon keeps running and running and he has no clue where he’s going or what he’s doing but he knows he just has to keep running. The only problem is…he can’t hear any footsteps following him, his enemy’s or his ally’s.

Jihoon stops and turns around to realize he’s completely lost and alone. He slowly starts to jog back in the direction he came from. He doesn’t want to run into the careers, but he needs to find you and the others.

“You piece of shit!” Jihoon hears a shout from not too far away. It sounds like one of the career girls.

“You’re one to talk!” And that is definitely you. Jihoon starts to make his way to where your voices are coming from, still screaming at each other mixed in with sounds of grunts.

When you finally come into sight, Jihoon can see that you two are engaged in a physical fight, your axe thrown to the side. The lighting is better in this area and Jihoon can see everything happening. You’re currently overpowering the girl, quite literally straddling her while you shove her face into the dirt.

The girl gets loose from your grip for a second though, and punches you square in the jaw.

“Fuck!” You punch her right back. Jihoon knows he should do something, he should stop just standing here, but instead he just stands and stares. Why are you kinda hot right now?

The girl throws you off of her and you scramble to your feet. While the girl attempts to get up as well you lunge for your axe. She lunges after you though, her body attaching to your back. You thrash around to try and displace her.

Out of the corner of his eye Jihoon sees something and he’s yelling at you before he can fully process what’s happening. “Y/N!”

A boy jumps out of the trees. Maybe the District 4 boy, Mingyu? You quickly swing around to see him. You lift your axe up and try to hit the boy, but the girl hinders your movement. The most you can do is counter Mingyu’s attacks with his trident. You’re going to be overpowered. Jihoon runs to get to you. He’s still not good at using the spear, but it’s better than standing and watching you try to fight both of them yourself.

Mingyu’s back is to Jihoon when he approaches and Jihoon is about to jab his spear right into his side without him being seen. Mingyu groans and drops his trident. He whips around and Jihoon is now remembering just how much taller Mingyu is than him.

“You little vermin. You’re gonna pay for that.” Mingyu grabs Jihoon and slams him up against a tree. His hand is closed around Jihoon’s throat and Jihoon can hear you screaming.

Just as Jihoon is starting to feel lightheaded Mingyu is knocked off of him. The butt end of your axe slams into the side of Mingyu’s head and he stumbles back. You’re standing alone but Jihoon can see a sheen of blood on your axe so he can only assume what happened to the District 1 girl. He didn’t hear a canon go off, but he was pretty distracted by something else.

Mingyu must realize this too. “What have you done?”

He scrambles to grab his trident off the ground and he charges at you. Your weapons clang against each other as you try to get the upper hand. You’re able to dodge one of his attacks before slicing your axe into his arm. It’s clear that even though Mingyu is large in size, and from a career district, you two are well matched in combat skills.

Mingyu sweeps his trident low, catching your leg and knocking you down. Right as he’s about to stab into you, Jihoon hears a familiar screech and suddenly the swallow-hawks are dive bombing again. Only this time, they’re only attacking Mingyu. The birds must still recognize you and Jihoon from earlier.

Mingyu screams and runs off as you stand up and run towards Jihoon. You drop your axe and grab him by the shoulders, pulling him into a hug.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah, yeah. I will be.” His throat hurts a bit from where Jihoon had a grip on him, but it could be worse. “Are you?”

“I am now that you’re okay, Songbird.” Songbird. The nickname used to be taunting, but how can you mean it any bad way when you say it like that while looking at him with those big eyes. He can’t help that he feels butterflies in his stomach, even if this isn’t the moment for it.

Once Jihoon finally pulls his gaze away from you, he realizes the actual bird sounds have stopped which means the careers must have fled. You grab Jihoon’s hand with one hand, and your axe with the other.

“Let’s go find the others.”

You two walk around the island looking for the others, but don’t see them. You two eventually come back across your camp from earlier, everything still where you left it. Either the careers didn’t want your stuff or they were too busy chasing after you to grab it.

You and Jihoon pack everything up and sling it over your shoulders, just in case, before continuing looking for the others.

“Look,” you squeeze Jihoon’s hand and point ahead of you two with your axe. Jihoon squints. Standing out near the edge of the island, in the tree line, is Wonwoo. You and Jihoon quickly make your way over to him to see him staring at something.

Jihoon slows down when he realizes what Wonwoo is staring at you and lets out a soft gasp. There’s a body lying in the opening with a knife in their stomach. It’s not just any body though.

It’s Seokmin.

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rubyreduji · 9 months

Text

eat your young | the after pt 1

tags: hunger games!au, fake dating, angst, fluff

warnings: mentions of weight loss, limb loss, mentions of death and slight gore, survior's guilt, ptsd, they're being idiots again [pls tell me if i missed anything]

wc: 6.5k

an: FINALLY IM BACK BAYBEE HEHE ahh okay getting in the after stuff hehe wooo

m.list

When Jihoon wakes up, he’s surrounded by pure white. It hurts his eyes.

The room consists of four large walls, a bed, and no doors. Jihoon looks around confused.

He glances down at his body. He’s hooked up to a few tubes and machines but other than that he’s completely naked under the blankets. His skin is clean any dirt or blood and all of his minor imperfections have been healed. He would almost believe the whole game a bad dream if it wasn’t for the large healing scar over his stomach.

The last thing he remembers is being put in the hovercraft and being separated from you. He screamed and screamed as they took you away and suddenly he was being injected with something and passing out.

Jihoon jumps a bit when part of the wall opens up and an Avox walks in. He keeps his head down as he places a tray on Jihoon’s lap and puts Jihoon’s bed in a sitting position. Jihoon wants to question him about everything, but he keeps his mouth shut. The boy leaves and Jihoon stares down at the food in his lap.

It’s not much food. The sponsors honestly have you and him better meals in the arena, but he’s sure it’s another trick of the Capitol for some reason or other. He eats what was given to him before sitting back again.

Finally with a peace of mind he starts to think and it makes his stomach turn.

God, are you even alive?

Both of your legs were damaged and you were barely hanging on when the hovercraft came to pick you two up. There’s no way the Capitol would let you die after proclaiming you a victor. They would resuscitate you a million times before they would tell the country you died after leaving the arena. At least Jihoon hopes.

That’s how Jihoon’s next few days go. He sleeps, he eats, and he thinks. He thinks about you and going home and how things will go after he leaves this room.

Then finally the day comes when Jihoon is released from his bed. Sitting at the edge of his bed is a completely clean set of the arena uniform. Jihoon glares at it in disdain but still puts it on so he isn’t naked anymore. As he’s getting dressed, he notices the large scar on his stomach has already almost faded.

Right, Capitol technology. He has to be perfect now that he’s a victor.

The clothes burn against Jihoon’s skin and he’s already itching to get out of it when the door to his room opens. When Jihoon steps out of his room he’s greeted with a large empty hallway. Are you going to be stepping out of your room as well?

“Y/N?”

“Jihoon!” Jihoon turns at his voice, hoping to see you, but instead he’s greeted by Jennie, Junhui, and Soonyoung standing in a chamber at the end of the hall. It’s not you, but the sight still makes him take off in a mad dash.

“Jihoonie!” Jihoon launches himself into Soonyoung’s arms and he clings to the older boy as Soonyoung cries into his hair, petting the back of his head. “You did it Hoonie. I knew you could.” It takes another minute or two before the pair of best friends let each other go. Jihoon gives a small hug to Junhui and even allows Jennie to pat his back.

“Wh-where’s Y/N? They’re okay right? I-”

“The Capitol wants a live reunion at the ceremony,” Jennie tells you and Jihoon finally feels like he can breathe properly for the first time since waking up. You’re okay. You and Jihoon are both alive and okay and going home, together.

“Junhui is going to get you ready, but we’ll see you later, okay?” Soonyoung says and Jihoon nods. Soonyoung squeezes his shoulder one last time before Junhui leads Jihoon away.

Jihoon is swept into a whirlwind of being bombarded by his prep team and then being bed and then being thrown into the fitting room with Junhui.

Jihoon is stripped down to just his underwear and he stares at himself in the mirror. He’s gotten skinny. Skinnier than he already was. His face has lost some of his baby fat, but that’s only due to not eating enough. His hair is longer than when he went into the arena and his skin is tanner too.

Junhui comes whisking into the room, holding a dusty green shirt and a pair of brown pants. Like a tree. Jihoon doesn’t care that much though, he’s too focused on seeing you in just a couple hours.

“Jihoon-ah,” Junhui whispers as he puts the finishing touches on the outfit. His lips are right by Jihoon’s ear. “Remember to stay safe.”

The words puzzle Jihoon for a second. Stay safe? He just got out of all of the danger.

It isn’t until he’s walking with Junhui to the stage when he realizes what his stylist really means. He just tried to kill himself in front of the whole country. The President cannot be happy with you or Jihoon. You two may have won the games, but that doesn’t mean you two aren’t still playing.

Jihoon waits anxiously under the stage alone, his team already having rose to the stage for their introductions. There’s a wall splitting the underneath area in half and Jihoon assumes you’re on the other side. He has half the mind to break the wall down right now just to see you.

Jihoon doesn’t have to though because suddenly his plate is rising up on to the stage. It reminds Jihoon of the plates rising into the arena. He guesses it’s not that different.

The crowd is deafening as they roar for you and Jihoon. Jihoon looks to the side and there you are, right in his line of sight.

You look different. Your skin is clean and your hair is styled and you don’t look like you’re five seconds away from death for once. You look beautiful, but you don’t look like you. Even back home it was rare for you skin to not have some kind of dirt on it from working in the woods all day and all of your hard earned scars have been erased from your body and it makes Jihoon a bit mad.

Jihoon can’t focus on those thoughts though because you’re looking over at him and your eyes meet with his and both you and Jihoon move at the same time and it doesn’t take more than a second for you two to be in each other’s arms.

Your lips find Jihoon’s easily and the world around him falls away. Your fingers dig into Jihoon’s checks as you hold him against you like if you let go, he’ll disappear. Not that Jihoon has any plans of doing that. It isn’t until Boo Seungkwan clears his throat and all but pries you two apart that Jihoon remembers what’s happening around him.

Seungkwan ushers you and Jihoon over to the loveseat set out for you two. Jihoon gets a good look at you now. Your outfit is also glaringly plain, but Jihoon supposes that’s not a bad thing in a situation like this. Paired with your outfit is a silver stick that Jihoon can recognize as a walking stick. No matter how amazing Capitol technology is, they still couldn’t fully fix your leg.

You sit down first, but once Jihoon sits you don’t hesitate to cuddle into his side. It’s comfortable and familiar after spending three weeks curled into each other’s sides. Jihoon feels himself relax, just a bit, at your touch. Just knowing you’re here with Jihoon makes him feel worlds better than if you weren’t.

Seungkwan makes a few comments before the stage lights go dark and a screen lights up. The three hour recap video starts up and Jihoon’s hand finds yours.

Periodically he can feel you tense up and he squeezes your hand. You do the same for him. Grounding each other, just like you did that first day on the chariot.

The story line being told this year focuses heavily on you and Jihoon’s romance. Jihoon doesn’t know how he feels about having to watch multiple clips of you and him cuddling and holding hands and even kissing with the full five minute clip of your first clip being played. Jihoon cringes through the whole thing.

Despite the focus on the romance, it doesn’t take away from the clips being shown of all of the deaths. It’s sick and seeing it on the screen makes Jihoon’s stomach turn.

The Capitol must think they’re funny because they even devote a chunk of time to highlight the relationship between you and Hansol. Jihoon feels your tears drip onto his arm and all he can do is squeeze your hand tighter.

At some point Jihoon finds himself not watching the video anymore, just staring at you. He wants to comfort you, but he can’t, not here, not now. He just opts to pull you closer into him.

The video ends with the clip of Jihoon just being put onto the hovercraft, screaming about you being taken from him.

After the video ends you and Jihoon both rise to greet the President who presents you both with the crown. There’s a sinister look on his face and it leaves a bad taste in Jihoon’s mouth. Jihoon can tell you sense it too by the way you don’t let up your grip on his hand.

The banquet ensues afterwards and it’s a blur to Jihoon the whole time. The only thing he can remember even happening is your arms around each other the whole time. Finally, when the sun is just starting to appear, you guys are allowed to go back to your floor in the Training Center.

Jihoon is exhausted but he knows he’ll have to be up soon to do the post games interview. Jihoon stumbles into his room and falls onto his bed. He frowns. It’s too big and it’s too cold without you.

When Jihoon gets up to go and find you though, his door is locked. It shouldn’t surprise him as much as it does. The Capitol controls everything, including this. Jihoon sighs and moves back to his bed as he lays down. It seems like he’s not going to be getting any sleep at all tonight.

Junhui comes and gets him to get ready for the interview. This time he puts Jihoon in a beautiful blue suit that fits him like a glove. When Jihoon looks in the mirror he doesn’t think he’s ever looked so regal before.

Jihoon is brought to the room where the interview is taking place. He’s arrived before you and Boo Seungkwan is sitting in a seat. He stands when he sees Jihoon enter.

“Lee Jihoon! Great to see you again.” He shakes Jihoon’s hand eagerly and Jihoon nods politely. Thankfully you walk in right then so Jihoon can remove himself from the awkward interaction.

Jihoon’s breath is taken away when he sees you. You look stunning. You’re in a sleek, silver outfit that Jihoon can’t describe as anything over than “sharp”. It takes him only a few seconds to realize it’s modelled after the blade of an axe. Your cane is still in your hand and when you move your hem lifts a bit to reveal shiny metal under the fabric.

Your leg has been replaced with a new one. A prosthetic.

The idea makes Jihoon’s mouth go dry. They couldn’t save your leg at all.

Jihoon can’t say anything to you though as the cameras are counting down to start rolling and you get cozy next to Jihoon on the love seat.

“Hello Panem!” Seungkwan says when the cameras start. “Welcome to our Post Hunger Games Interview with this year’s winners, Lee Jihoon and L/N Y/N, from District 7.” Jihoon waves awkwardly at the camera and you do the same. “Well, first thing to address, you two look lovely. The amazing work of Xu Minghao and Wen Junhui! Care to tell us more about it?”

“Ever since I was born I’ve been using an axe, and it’s one of the fundamental things that got me through the arena, so today Minghao wanted to honor that,” you say. “It shows that I’m more than just someone who uses an axe. The axe is an extension of my person as whole.”

“Well, that’s beautiful. Minghao did an amazing job at conveying that. And you Jihoon, tell us about this look.”

Jihoon’s mouth opens but he doesn’t have any words come out. What does he even say?

“He’s a songbird,” you say.

Oh. Jihoon didn’t know that. He guesses the blue color makes sense now.

Jihoon can work with this. “In the same way that swinging an axe is so fundamental to Y/N as a person, that’s me with singing.”

“Ah yeah, a songbird, I can see that now. Songbird, that’s what Y/N calls you, is it not?”

“It is,” Jihoon confirms.

“That is quite adorable. Tell us more about you two and your love story. You told us that you two were only dating for a short while before going into the arena, but it seems your bond has grown even more since then with even experiencing your first kiss while in the games.”

The romance. The thing that drove the whole games this year, including the joint win. It’s crucial you two don’t mess this up.

“I think I’ve been secretly in love with Jihoon ever since I first heard him sing,” you tell Seungkwan. “It was during a choir performance the school was putting on and Jihoon has a solo and I never really noticed him before, but in that moment, he grabbed my attention and never let it go. It’s the most beautiful thing you could hear in the world.”

Jihoon stares at you. Is that true? It sounds too real to be fake, but you’ve proven before you’re good at thinking on the spot.

“I didn’t actually admit my feelings for him until he approached me though, I think I was too scared to confirm I had feelings for him incase he didn’t like me back.”

“Y/N is kind of a celebrity in District 7,” Jihoon jumps in and you scoff and shove him a bit. “Everyone knows them and they are very well loved. I was always a bit afraid of approaching them, so when I finally did, I wasn’t expecting them to respond so positively. I think our fate was sealed then.” You lean in and press a kiss to Jihoon’s temple.

“My, my, you two are cute. What is the plan for you two now that you’ve both been named victors. I know Y/N, you didn’t have plans on winning so what does the future hold for you?”

“I think I’m going to spend my time loving Jihoon.” You squeeze his hand. “We have so much time now.”

“I’m taking Y/N and putting them somewhere safe,” Jihoon says, and he means it. “No more injuries anymore. You’ve had enough for one lifetime.”

“Oh, that’s right. You’re sporting a new leg these days aren’t you Y/N?” Seungkwan asks like it’s been months since you got your leg and not a couple days ago.

“Yes I am. It’s been taking me a while to get used to, but the Capitol is a remarkable place that can do remarkable things,” you say and Jihoon just knows you’re trying not to throw up in your mouth.

“Now, I have to ask. You two were very emotional at the end. Jihoon, what was going through your mind?”

Fuck. Jihoon was hoping to avoid this topic, but of course they can’t. Jihoon has to put on the show of a lifetime if he wants to save your asses.

“I was thinking that I can’t live without them. We promised each other that we would leave together, and I couldn’t bear the thought of doing anything but that. In the arena I realized that I’m in love with them, and they mean the world to me. It was such an emotional moment that my only thought was that I need them, and if I couldn’t have them, there was no reason to live.”

The words flow easily for Jihoon, as there’s a hidden truth to each of them. He really wasn’t thinking in that moment. He didn’t expect them to announce them both as winners, he just knew he couldn’t leave without you.

Boo Seungkwan coos at Jihoon’s word and he signs off the broadcast, but not before it catches Jihoon pressing a kiss to your lips. When it’s all over you and Jihoon both take a breath and say goodbye to Seungkwan before being escorted back to your rooms. The interview brings the whole month of the games to an end. You and Jihoon can go home now.

“Y/N?” You look up to see Soonyoung standing in the doorway of your compartment on the train. The train took off just a little bit ago and you’ve just finished changing out of your Capitol garb and into something more comfortable.

“Soonyoung?”

Soonyoung steps further into the room. He walks all the way up to you and pulls you into a hug. You allow him to, burying your face into his neck. The hug is the second most comforting thing you’ve felt in the past month (the first being Jihoon’s hand presses against yours).

When he pulls away you want to pull him back in, but refrain from doing so.

“Thank you,” Soonyoung whispers.

You chuckle. “I think Jihoon saved me more times than I saved him.”

“He wouldn’t have been alive to save you if you didn’t have him first. I’m not talking about Jihoon though. Thank you for staying alive yourself.”

“Oh.” That’s not what you were expecting.

You don’t know how else to respond so you just follow Soonyoung into the dining room for dinner. Jihoon is sitting there and you slide into your spot next to him. You two may have developed some separation anxiety, but it doesn’t bother you at all. You like knowing Jihoon is close to you and safe.

That’s why you don’t bat an eye when Jihoon follows you back to your room after dinner. You’re actually glad he does. You know it’s going to be difficult to fall asleep at night without him by your side, but soon you two will be moving into your own houses in Victor’s Village and will sleep in separate beds. That’s why you want to make the most of it while you can still sleep tangled up together.

You and Jihoon both seem to breathe easier now that you two can finally lay down and rest, out of the public eye.

Your eyelids feel heavy as you sink further into the bed. It’s been a long month and all you want to do is go home and see your family and be left alone. You know it won’t be that easy, but you can at least dream.

It doesn’t take long for Jihoon to fall asleep in your embrace and you pet his hair lightly. What’s going to happen between you two? You two haven’t talked about it yet and you’re not sure what’s the best way to approach it.

Once you get back to District 7 you two can cut back on some of the obvious affection, but you’ll still have to keep up with it a bit due to the Capitol’s watchful eye. That’s not the issue though. The issue is that you don’t want it to end.

You don’t know how Jihoon feels though, and that’s the scariest part. Was this all an act for him? Does he actually like you back? Should you ask him out?

You feel ridiculous worrying over this. You just survived the Hunger Games and the Capitol is going to do everything in it’s power to get it’s revenge for what you and Jihoon pulled, but your mind is only plagued with your thoughts of Jihoon.

You’re still awake, pondering all the questions in your mind, when Jihoon starts to thrash in his sleep. He’s muttering something unintelligible. You’re not sure what to do. You’re still confused on what to do when Jihoon wakes with a gasp.

“Ji?”

Jihoon sits up and looks around wildly, his chest heaving. It isn’t until he lays his eyes on you that he finally relaxes a bit, but it’s clear he’s still shaken up.

“S-sorry,” he mutters, laying back down on the bed. His hands find your body under the sheets and he pulls you closer to him. You allow him to bury his face on your chest.

“Hey, it’s okay. Are you okay?”

“Just a nightmare,” Jihoon mutters. “About losing you. I’m okay now, though. Now that I know you’re safe.” Jihoon picks his head up so he can look at your face.

You haven’t slept since you were in the recovery room where they knocked you out to go to sleep, so you haven’t had to experience any nightmares yet. You’re scared that they’ll start once you finally do go to sleep.

“I’m safe, we’re safe,” you tell him. You cup his face and rub your thumb over his cheek.

“Did I wake you up?”

“Uh, no. I wasn’t asleep,” you admit. You want to bring up why you weren’t asleep, you want to ask him about you two, but you don’t. The words close up in your throat and you can’t get them out.

Jihoon doesn’t say anything else. He just cuddles back up to you and you two lay there, holding each other, clinging on to whatever this is between you two. You don’t sleep that night. Maybe that’s a good thing.

When the train pulls into the District 7 train station the next day, it’s packed. You expected a good turn out, but nothing like this. Especially when District 7 just had a winner two years ago with Soonyoung. You guess this is quite literally a once in a lifetime situation.

Peacekeepers stand on the sidelines, ready to take control of the situation if they see fit. The crowd is packed together and everyone starts to cheer when the train doors slide open to reveal you and Jihoon standing there.

You were clinging to Jihoon’s arm, but you let go and stumble towards the three familiar figures as soon as you set your eyes on them. You fall into your dad’s arms, tears already streaming down your face as he scoops you up. When he lets you go you pull your sister in a hug, kissing her forehead as you do. She’s crying as well. It takes her longer to let you go but when she does you turn to the final person waiting to greet you.

“Shua,” you sob out as he pulls you close. Your fingers grip the back of his shirt in your hands and you cry into his shoulder. His hug is fierce and you want to meld your body to his forever but you eventually have to let go.

Before Joshua pulls away totally, he leans in to whisper in your ear, “You better tell me all about Lee Jihoon later.” You choke a bit but nod.

Speaking of, you search the crowd for where Jihoon went. You catch sight of him on the other side of the train platform, talking to his parents and Beomju. Jihoon looks over at you right at that moment and you shoot him a smile and he smiles back, his eyes softening.

You take a moment to just stare at him. A month ago you two stood on the stage of the Justice Building, shaking hands, ready for one or both of you to die. Jihoon looked different back then. His hair has grown out and his skin has gotten more hardened. Rather than the soft, doughy boy he used to be, he’s now tanned and starting to grow some muscle. You remember the intimidated look he gave you when you two shook hands, and now he stands a few feet in front of you, with soft eyes and a fond smile.

You want him to smile at you like that all the time.

Before you can stare at Jihoon anymore, you’re being bombarded by the masses; people talking to you, cameras shoved in your face, people crying. The rest of the day goes by in a blur and you’re not able to fully recuperate until you’re resting on the couch in your (new) living room.

The week spent between your victory and your home coming, your father and sister moved all of your family’s (very little) belongings into your new house in Victory Village. Your house is right next to Jihoon’s, but you’ve yet to see the boy since the train platform.

The new house is…nice. It’s big. It almost reminds you of the Capitol, but it has a homey District 7 feel to it. It’s strange to have multiple rooms to inhabit. You are used to being in close proximity to your father and sister, but now you can all sit in your own rooms and do your own things.

Right now, you’re not alone though, because Joshua sits across from you, on a separate couch. You don’t know what kind of house needs more than one couch, but you guess that’s how rich people live.

“You look…thinner,” Joshua says. His eyebrows are furrowed as his eyes trail up your figure.

You snort. “I mean, I definitely wasn’t gaining weight in the arena.”

“No…I guess not,” Joshua mutters. You can tell he doesn’t know what to say to you. You’re not sure you would know what to say if the roles were reversed, so you don’t blame him.

You decide to put him out of his misery and start a conversation. “So…Jihoon.”

Joshua perks up a bit at this. “Right. You weren’t going to tell me that your little crush is now your boyfriend?”

“Oh please,” you laugh a bit, ignoring Joshua’s dig about your previous maybe-crush on Jihoon. “I would have told you if I knew.”

“So I’m guess that was all Jihoon’s idea?”

“Yes. A very smart one though.”

“The people love you. I bet it won some Jihoon some brownie points around here too.” You cock your head at Joshua, a bit confused at his words. “The town outcast now in love with the town heartthrob? The people around here love you, if you think Jihoon is fit enough to dating, they’ll respect him as well.”

You…never really thought of that. Huh.

“So, what now? Do you two have to keep fake dating or is there some big public break up planned?” Joshua asks. That’s…also something you haven’t thought about.

You don’t want to break up with Jihoon though. You don’t want to keep faking it either. What you want is the real thing. You want to call Jihoon yours. You’ve yet to tell anyone that though. You suppose now is your best chance though.

You stare at your best friend staring at you expectantly and you take a deep breath.

“I think I love him,” you tell Joshua.

“Oh?” One thing about you and Joshua is that he has always been able to tell when you’re lying or telling the truth, even without you having to tell him. He has to know you’re not lying right now.

“I know, it’s crazy, but…there’s just something about him that makes him perfect to me. For me.”

“Aren’t you scared?” Always.

“Of what?” Is what you say instead.

“That this is just some kind of trauma bonding thing. You two just went through a very physically and emotionally demanding situation and you were all each other had for a month. Are you sure you’re not just trying to hold on to something that was once comforting to you?”

Josh’s words hurt more than you expect them to. “No, no, it’s not like that. Being with him is a whole different thing in itself. C’mon Josh, you know I’ve always been a bit…infatuated with him.” You hate using that word, but that’s how Joshua would always describe it when he caught you staring at Jihoon for prolonged periods.

“I know, I just, I don’t want you getting hurt.”

“I won’t, I promise. I can handle my own.”

“Oh, of course, I don’t worry about that. That I know,” Joshua chuckles a bit. “I just don’t want you suffering anymore than you already have. You’re my best friend and I want to protect you. You’ve fought so hard and-” Joshua chokes on his own words, and you can finally see the hurt on his face. His eyes are starting to water and he has to look away so he can wipe his tears.

You knew this had to of been hard on Joshua, but you don’t think you ever realized the actual emotional turmoil he must have gone through. You two are best friends, closer to each other than anyone else. Of course watching you fight to live everyday must have been hard, especially when you declared you weren’t going to make it to the end anyway.

Without saying more you stand up and move across the room to sit down next to Joshua, pulling him into your arms. You’ve never been one to show too much physical affection to your loved ones, but maybe spending so much time holding Jihoon has changed your opinion on it.

“I missed you so much,” Joshua sobs into your shoulder. “And I was so scared. I know you’re all big and strong, but you’re still my best friend and I wanted nothing more than to just through the screen and come and save you. To put myself in your place.”

“Shua…”

“I don’t know what I would have done if I lost you. I can’t even explain how much you mean to me and if you didn’t come home? I don’t think I would have been able to take it.” The pain in his voice stabs knives into his heart and you hug Joshua harder, burying your face in his hair.

“I’m sorry,” you mutter. “I’m so fucking sorry. I thought of you every day. Every damn day, you were on my mind. I promise I won’t ever leave again.”

“Good, because I won’t let you go,” Joshua tells you.

You don’t know how long you and Joshua spend there, holding each other on the couch, but you don’t really care, just happy to be back in the safety of your best friend’s comfort.

The next time Jihoon sees you after being whisked away at the train platform is later that night, at the district wide celebration of your home coming. It’s not much, just a small potluck and some drinks, but Jihoon appreciates the effort nonetheless.

When Jihoon sees you you’re dressed in a pair of work boots, nice slacks, and a plain long sleeve shirt. You look a lot more like the old you. You make eye contact with Jihoon and your face softens. Jihoon meets you halfway and you’re quick to slip your hand into his. The gesture is familiar and Jihoon squeezes your hand tight.

“Hey neighbor,” you say teasingly and Jihoon chuckles slightly.

“You’re demoting me from boyfriend to neighbor?” Jihoon asks, without much thinking. Neither of you have really talked about your situation, aka the fake(?) dating. Maybe it’s because if you two don’t talk about it, it won’t have to end.

“You can’t be both?” You ask him with a grin and Jihoon flushes.

“I- have you ate yet?” Jihoon changes the subject and you shake your head.

“I just got here a couple minutes ago. You?”

Jihoon also shakes his head and you two head over to where a large display of foods has been laid out by various district citizens. You and Jihoon both grab some food and move to sit a table that’s been set out as well.

Several people fill up the town square, mingling and enjoying the happy energy of the day. A large bonfire has been started and Jihoon can see your dad helping tend to it. Jihoon doesn’t know much about your family, other than the passing of your mother and the fact that your father works as a lumberjack like you. Jihoon pulls his eyes away to look at you, only to find you already staring at him.

“Are you settling into your new house, okay?” He asks you.

You nod. “Yes. It’s nice, just very large. I didn’t know that a house could have that many rooms, at least not in the districts. I’m sure that my sister will find a way to decorate it nicely for us, though.”

The rest of the night is spent the same, glued to your side. At some point you and Jihoon get up and mingle with everyone, and you even introduce Jihoon to your father. The man is intimidating, just like you, as he sizes Jihoon up and down. It isn’t until you smack your father with your cane that he breaks and a smile spreads on his face. He thanks Jihoon for taking care of you in the arena before ruffling your hair and turning to go back to tending the fire. You roll your eyes but there’s a soft grin on your face as well.

When the night ends you and Jihoon walk back to Victor’s Village together, hands still clamped together between you two. You two stop outside of your house and Jihoon realizes he doesn’t want to let you go. He has to though, so he release your hand, but not before pressing a kiss to it.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, right?” You ask Jihoon and he’s surprised for a moment before nodding.

“Of course.”

The smile that spreads across your lips makes Jihoon heart warm and it makes him feel better about letting you enter your house. He makes the (short) trip over to his own house and walks in. His parents are already in bed as he climbs the stairs to his new room.

His motions are slow as he gets ready for bed, not ready to lay down and close his eyes. He tries to not think about the horrors that wait for him in the dark. He can feel his eyes start to droop from tiredness though and he submits to his body, finally climbing into bed. He doesn’t turn the lights off though, opting to sleep with the lights on instead.

He lays in bed and stares at the ceiling until he can’t hold his eyes open any longer, finally slipping into sleep.

“Jihoon! Jihoon!” The scream is piercing as Jihoon whips his body around, searching and searching. Plants whip at his body as he runs through the jungle, trying to find you. Your screaming continues, hurting Jihoon’s ears and heart.

No matter how far he runs, he can’t find you. Your voice sounds so close though. Where are you? Jihoon keeps running, trying so desperately to find you. It isn’t until the screaming stops that Jihoon stops running as well. No, no, why did the screaming stop.

He stumbles a few more steps until he feels his foot hit something. When he looks down, he nearly throws up. Laying at his feet is your body. Your eyes stare up at him, but there’s not life left in them. Your whole body is mangled, blood and broken and ripped apart.

“N-no, please, no,” Jihoon mutters. His throat is closing up and he can’t scream despite wanting to. “Y/N…no.”

He falls to the ground, his hands shaking as he reaches out to touch your face.

“You couldn’t save them.” The voice makes Jihoon’s head whip up. He blinks as he stares at the figure of Hansol. Sweet little Hansol with his round baby face and tears in his eyes. “You let them die! Just like you let everyone else die. Just like you’re going to let me die.”

“N-no.” Jihoon reaches out, trying to touch Hansol, but he’s just too far away. “I- I don’t want anyone to die. I-”

“Shut up,” Hansol spits. The sadness in his face is replaces with fury. “You’re so selfish Jihoon. I hate you. I hate you and so does Y/N and so does Seokmin and Wonwoo and everyone else. Why does everyone else have to die just so you can live?”

“Hansol please,” Jihoon begs. Tears start to grow in his own eyes. “I-”

Before Jihoon can even get his next word out, a spear flies through the air and hits Hansol right in the heart. The boy chokes before falling to the ground. Jihoon screams, barely registering the spear sticking out of the boy’s body as his own.

Jihoon’s body shoots up. There’s sweat running down his face and tears in his eyes. His heart clenches in his chest and he can’t stop the tears from flowing down his face. His body shakes as he tries to erase the dream from his mind. As hard as he tries though, he can’t get rid of the sight of your dead body on the ground or the screams of Hansol ringing in his ears.

Jihoon throws the covers off his body and climbs out of bed, taking shaky steps all the way downstairs. He pours himself a glass of water but it’s still not enough. Without thinking much, he leaves out the front door, his body making its way to your door before he can really realize what he’s doing.

Before he can even knock on the door though, it’s being opened. You stand on the other side, a bit stunned at the night of the boy standing in front of you.

“J-jihoon,” you breath out.

“I- hi. I’m sorry I just-”

“Couldn’t sleep?” You ask and Jihoon nods. “Yeah…me too. I haven’t slept in a couple days, and the nightmares were…worse than expected.” There are dark bags under your eyes and Jihoon reaches up to cup your face. You nuzzle your cheek further into his touch.

“I dreamt that you died,” Jihoon mutters. “I was so scared. I just had to check that…that you’re still here.”

“I’m still here,” you mutter. “I promise I’m still here.”

You reach out and pull Jihoon’s whole body into you and he sinks into you. The smell of wood floods his nostrils and his body relaxes, the shaken feeling in his bones starting to disperse.

“Hey Jihoon?” You whisper and the boy hums in acknowledgement. “Would you maybe…sleep with me tonight? It’s just so hard to sleep alone and-”

“Of course,” Jihoon answers. “Whatever you need.” It will also probably help Jihoon sleep better as well, and he can’t deny that the idea of his body cuddled up to yours brings him immense comfort.

You quietly thank him before leading him through your house and up to your bedroom. The two of you silently crawl into your bed and Jihoon situates the covers over you two before pulling you into his body. You lay your head on his chest, your whole body enveloping his.

Jihoon doesn’t know how long it takes him to finally fall asleep, your fingers brushing through his hair lulling him to sleep, but he does know that he sleeps through the whole night without any more issues, your presence protecting him from any nightmares lurking in the back of his head.

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rubyreduji · 11 months

Text

eat your young | the before pt 3

tags: hunger games!au, fake dating!au, kinda fluff warnings: mentions of death and killing in accordance with the hunger games wc: 4.0k an: actual plot is finally starting to pick up yay!

m.list

“Interview training day!” Jennie enters the dining room, even more peppy than usual. “Are you two ready for a wonderful day with me?”

You don’t even try and hide your disdain at the idea.

“You will also have time with your mentors as well. I’m sure Momo will-”

“Actually,” Soonyoung cuts in, “I’d like to oversee Y/N’s interview training.”

Now that’s something that interests you. Especially after your conversation with him and the other mentors that you had yesterday.

“Soonyoung…” Jihoon warns, but Soonyoung brushes him off.

“Jennie, you can start with Jihoon and have Y/N in the afternoon,” Soonyoung continues on. You raise an eyebrow at him. That has to be good as you’ve never seen Soonyoung be commanding once in his life. Jennie looks taken aback by this as well but Soonyoung doesn’t get a chance for her to talk as he leaves the room, gesturing for you to follow and you’re too interested to not follow.

Soonyoung leads you into an empty sitting room inside the Training Center.

“So, do you have any ideas on what your approach to your interviews is gonna be?”

You turn towards Soonyoung. “You actually want to talk about my interview? I thought you wanted to talk for another reason.”

Soonyoung looks sheepish at you calling him out. “Aish, you’re not wrong. I just wanted to ease into it more.”

“This is about Jihoon, isn’t it?”

“Yes and no. I just wanted to talk to you before you, you know.”

“Die?”

“I was gonna say enter the arena,” Soonyoung corrects you.

“It means the same thing, one just sugarcoats it more than the other, and I don’t mess with bullshit like that Soonyoung, you know that.”

“I wanted to apologize,” Soonyoung moves on, ignoring your words. “For what you heard me saying about you yesterday. It wasn’t fair and it wasn’t right. I don’t wish ill will to anyone, especially my tributes, which you are. I’ve been acting like Jihoon is the only person I have to look out for in this situation, but you’re from District 7 too and I have a duty as a mentor to train and help you as well.”

“Don’t bother Soonyoung,” you tell him. “I don’t care what kind of personal guilt you have but you said what you meant and that’s that. I’m not mad at you, I’d honestly be more mad at you if you didn’t care about Jihoon more than me. He’s your best friend. Not to mention I know Jihoon needs all the help he can get.”

“Is that why you told us to look after him more than you?”

“I told you that because I want Jihoon to win. Oh why do you look so scandalized by that, you want him to win too.”

“I mean, yeah, but…why don’t you want yourself to win?”

“I have my reasons and I don’t have to share them with you.”

“Do Jooheon and Momo know?”

“No, nobody does.” That’s a lie. Jihoon does. But you’re not going to tell Soonyoung that. “All that you need to know is that while you’re keeping Jihoon safe out here, I’ll be keeping him safe in there. Don’t think of me as one of your tributes, think of me as another person helping Jihoon win.”

“You know you don’t have to do this. I don’t know what your reasons are but you can play your own game. I want Jihoon to win, trust me I do, but you shouldn’t be giving up your own game in favor of him.”

“Jihoon already tried to talk me out of it, but it didn’t work, and he has a hell of a lot more chance of convincing me to do anything than you do. I’ve already decided last two people standing in that arena are going to be me and him, and he’ll be the final one to come out.”

“Do you have feelings for Jihoon?”

“Excuse me?” You feel your face heat up.

“I’m just trying to reason why someone like you would want to help Jihoon win.”

“‘Someone like me’ what does that mean?”

“It means that you could win this whole thing, but you’re letting Jihoon win instead. Do you have the hots for him or something?”

“Stop saying stupid stuff like that,” you hiss. “I…don’t like Jihoon.”

“You’re getting defensive.”

You glare at Soonyoung. “Even if I did have feelings for Jihoon, which I don’t, that’s not the reason why I want him to win. Just drop it Kwon.”

You don’t have feelings for Jihoon…but you don’t not have feelings for him. It’s stupid, especially since you don’t know him well and you two are about to be thrown into a killing game within two days, but it’s not like you can help it.

You think Jihoon is admirable, and kind of cute. It doesn’t matter though. The only thing that matters right now is being able to get Jihoon out of the arena alive.

“Now that that’s out of the way, can you actually help me with my interview? I need as many sponsors as I can get if we want Jihoon to win this thing.”

“Yeah about that…my interview actually didn’t go so well…”

“Is that why you hate Boo Seungkwan?”

“Yes! He’s a terrible person and he did nothing, NOTHING to help me out. It was humiliating!” Soonyoung cries.

Back when you were just a viewer of the Hunger Games you were never big on watching things like interviews or opening ceremonies as they were target more towards the Capitol citizens than the districts. Even if you did watch the interviews, you rarely remember what is said in them.

“Have you ever considered…it was just you who was the problem?”

Soonyoung gasps. “How dare you? I was being perfect and charming as always, but he made a fool out of me in front of the Capitol.”

“But you still won.”

“That’s besides the point.”

“So, you’re not going to help me? Because if not, I’m just going to go find Momo.”

“Yeah, it may be best if you do that.”

Jihoon is sweating bullets.

“You’re going to do great Jihoon-ah. You’re already so cute, use it as an advantage when charming the crowd,” Junhui tells Jihoon as he gets dressed. The older man has styled Jihoon in a brown suit tonight with green leaves embroidered into the suit.

Jihoon tries to remember all of the pointers the Jennie and Momo gave him earlier, but they’re all starting to muddle the more Jihoon thinks about them.

Be humble. Be emotional. Be innocent.

Junhui leads Jihoon to the waiting area where the tributes are being lined up in district order to wait for their turn for their interview. You’re already there, speaking to Minghao in a hushed tone. Jihoon has to take a moment to take in your beauty.

Jihoon’s eyes trace over the golden branches that accent your outfit and when you turn to face Jihoon he notices you have gold eyeliner around your eyes to match.

Jihoon still has no clue what you and Soonyoung talked about earlier, but he does know that your advising session with Jennie went…less than exemplary. Jihoon doesn’t exactly blame you for that one though, as he wasn’t quite comfortable with that Jennie was asking of him either.

Jihoon is ushered into his spot in front of you in line and soon after the interviews start. Jihoon can barely pay attention to everyone going in front of him, too worried about his own interview to care. It isn’t until you nudge him in the back that Jihoon realizes the second District 6 interview is almost over.

“Lee Jihoon,” one of the backstage people call his name and Jihoon jumps. Jihoon moves to the edge of the stage and he takes a deep breath.

It’ll be fine. Just be natural.

“Next up to the stage from District 7, Lee Jihoon!” At the call of his name Jihoon starts to walk onto stage. His legs feel like they’re moving through jelly as he walks. The roar of the crowd and the blinding lights distract him for a few seconds, before Boo Seungkwan’s voice is calling out to him.

“I’m sorry?” Jihoon looks over and Seungkwan laughs.

“I was just telling you don’t be afraid to sit down.” Seungkwan gestures to the chair that Jihoon is standing in front of.

“Oh.”

“Isn’t he just adorable?” Seungkwan turns to the audience who uproars in applause. “And we’re not the only ones who thinks so. You’ve caught the hearts of many with your reaping footage. Right away we were captivated by your adorable presence.”

“Oh, uhm, thank you?” Jihoon’s not sure how to respond to Seungkwan’s statements.

“Now a little birdie has told me that you’re a songwriter, is that true?” Now this is subject Jihoon can talk about.

“Yes, it is. I spend most of my time writing music. It’s one of my favorite things to do. I think music is so important to bringing joy to mundane lives.” The crowd awes at Jihoon.

“Well, isn’t that special. You know, song writing is a very…intimate process. Is there anyone who inspires your music?”

“Like…a significant other?”

“Yes! Exactly like that. I guess what I’m asking Jihoon is…are you dating anyone?” Good. Seungkwan went down the exact path Jihoon was hoping to.

“Make up a story,” Momo told him yesterday. “Doesn’t matter if it’s true or not, just make yourself the sole focus of their attention. You evoke so much emotion in them that they can’t root for anyone but you.”

“Well…there may be someone. It’s fairly new, only about a month or so, but I’ve been…really happy with them.” Jihoon tries to put all of his (minimal) acting knowledge into this performance.

“Then I’m sure you’ll be fighting to get back to them, won’t you?”

“Not exactly Seungkwan.”

“Oh? Why not?” Seungkwan leans in, like he’s fully invested in what Jihoon has to say.

“Well because, they’re here with me.” The crowd and Seungkwan both gasp and Jihoon hopes that you’re not going to kill him after this.

“Do you know what your approach for tomorrow is?” You asked him last night.

“No,” Jihoon lied. “Do you?”

“No, but I’m sure Jennie will kill me if I come off as even a smidgen of intimidating.”

“Wait, wait, are you saying that…your district partner is your romantic partner as well?” Everyone in the room is captivated, exactly like how Jihoon hoped.

“Yes I am.”

“I- we have run out of time for you interview Jihoon,” the crowd boos, “but fortunately up next we will be talking to your partner. So, let’s her it for Lee Jihoon!” The audience goes wild and Jihoon can feel himself shaking as he walks off the stage.

Shit, shit, shit, what did he just do?

Soonyoung looks like he’s about to jump Jihoon but Jihoon can’t bother to deal with Soonyoung right now, his eyes plastered to the monitor screen as you walk on.

“L/N Y/N! What a joy to have you on my stage tonight. So, Lee Jihoon, huh?”

“What a guy, am I right?” You have a smile playing at the corner of your lips and someone in the audience gives a small whoop.

“What was going through your head during your reaping? I remember you looking quite…constipated.” Seungkwan laughs and you give him a pity laugh back.

“Well, Jihoon and I had a conversation a few days before the reaping about everything. I told him that if I get reaped, that I’ll do my best to get back to him, and if he got reaped, I’d volunteer for him. You’d imagine my horror when we both got pulled.” Jihoon is amazed by how you were able to think of that on the spot. He was expecting you to be a bit more shaken.

“Oh, I’m sure. That truly is a travesty. But what a promise, I mean, offering to volunteer for him? You must love your boyfriend very much.”

“The feelings I have for him are…immeasurable.” There’s a softness to your tone as you say the words and you almost have Jihoon believing what you’re saying is true.

“That is adorable. Now, not to get depressing or anything, but both of you can’t win the games.” The crowd boos. Seungkwan gives them an empathizing look. “So what are you plans for going forward?”

“Well, I vowed to Jihoon that I’m going to do everything in my power to make sure he gets back home. That will be my final gift to the world. The gift of Lee Jihoon.”

The whole audience coos at you, but your face is completely serious. That is one thing that Jihoon knows you’re not making up.

“That’s a very…chivalrous act, Y/N.”

“Anything for my Ji.”

“So, would you consider yourself someone fit to be able to win the games? Or, in your case, help someone else win?”

“Yes Seungkwan, I would. I mean, look at me.” You flex an arm real quick and the crowd goes wild at the sight. “I’ve been swinging an axe since I could walk. I can make a fire and find water. Jihoon is truly in safe hands.”

“It seems Jihoon has good taste.” Seungkwan winks at you.

You smile softly. “I’d like to think we both have good taste.”

The crowd screams again. “Thank you for your time, Y/N, it was truly my pleasure. Everyone give up for L/N Y/N from District 7!”

The crowd is still in an uproar by the time you make it backstage. Jihoon’s nervous. Are you going to attack him? Yell at him? He deserves it, no matter what it is. Even though you were able to work on the fly out there, he still sprung it on you and that’s not fair.

“Y/N-”

“Let’s get out of here,” you say before walking off. The trip back to the 7th floor of the Training Center is quiet and Jihoon’s nerves grow worse and worse the longer the silence goes on.

Once everyone steps off the elevator the mentors shuffle around awkwardly before Jooheon says, “I’ll leave you two to discuss this.” Everyone quickly makes their leave while you stand there in silence.

Once they’re gone you move towards Jihoon and he braces himself for you to smack him, but instead he’s being pushed up against the wall. You lean down, your mouth brushing against Jihoon’s ear. “You know Jihoon-ah, you could have just told me you have a crush on me. You didn’t have to pretend to be my boyfriend on live television, but it was quite the proposal.”

Jihoon feels his whole body heat up. “No I-, uhm, I-”

You pull away from Jihoon, laughing as you do. It’s the happiest Jihoon has seen from you since your name was reaped. “I’m pulling your leg, Jihoon. You should have told me though, really made me think on my feet there.”

Jihoon is still pressed up against the wall as he stares at you incredulously. What just happened?

It takes Jihoon a little too long to recuperate before responding. “I’m sorry Y/N-ah, please forgive me. You’re right, I should have told you.”

“You know, I wasn’t lying out there,” you say to him. “I’m going to do everything I can to get you home.”

Jihoon sighs. “Yeah, I know.”

“Well, I guess now that all of Panem thinks we’re dating, we’ll have to act the part.”

“I’ve never dated anyone before…” Jihoon admits.

“It’ll be easy. Just be…cute together? I don’t think anyone will call us out for not being all lovey when we’re literally fighting for our lives,” you say. “In all honesty though, good call on that move. It was smart.”

“Uhm, thanks.” Jihoon is so relieved you’re not upset about it. He finally did something right to help both you and him out.

“Oh my god,” you groan suddenly. “Josh is gonna be so confused.”

Jihoon is suddenly mortified. “Oh no, my whole family saw that.”

“Don’t worry Jihoon, I’m sure you can explain it to them when you get back home.”

Yeah…maybe Jihoon could.

You can’t sleep. Why could you? You’re about to be fighting for you life in less than twelve hours. There’s not much you can do about anything anymore though. The plan is set, all that’s left to do is wait.

“When the games start, run in the direction of where the mouth of the Cornucopia faces,” you told Jihoon earlier.

“What about you? Aren’t you gonna be running too?” You didn’t respond and Jihoon frowned at you. “Don’t tell me…”

“We need supplies. I’m the most capable out of our group to go in, get what we need, and get out. You have to trust me on this. Jihoon, do you trust me?” You bored your eyes into his soul, staring him down. Jihoon shifted around in his seat for a moment before sighing and nodding slightly.

“I trust you.”

“Good. Make sure the other two are with you and wait for me to come find you guys. If you run into trouble try to lose them before circling back to a place where we can meet up.”

You think about the events of this evening and how you now have a boyfriend. You were…shocked, to say the least, when you hear the words come out of Jihoon’s mouth. You didn’t get it at first. Was he making fun of you? But then Seungkwan kept talking and you understood. It was a tactic.

All of the mentors seemed shocked as well, so you guess that was an all Jihoon choice. You’re not mad at it. If anything it’s going to help you and Jihoon out loads. You’re just worried about every other factor of going into the arena.

One thing that you’ve been worried about, that you haven’t voiced to anyone yet, is allies. Seokmin and Wonwoo are both good people, you like them, but the hard truth is that they’re going to have to die in order to get Jihoon home. You just hope you won’t have to kill them yourself.

“Y/N, go to bed.” You look to see Soonyoung standing next to you.

“I could say the same to you.”

“I’m not the one going into the arena tomorrow.”

“No, not this time,” you say, without really meaning to. Soonyoung just chuckles.

“I don’t think I ever thanked you for that.”

You turn to look at Soonyoung. “For what?”

“For helping me win my games. If it wasn’t for you and your makeshift training I probably would have been toast out there.” Soonyoung was one of the winners who won by out surviving the arena, rather than the people.

Soonyoung knows how to use an axe, just not as well as you do, so he was able to make by. The careers, while they’re very physically powered, they’re not taught survival skills, so when Soonyoung was able to make a fire and find shelter, they had to rely on what they had on the Cornucopia. With Soonyoung’s games though, he was also lucky that the careers eventually took each other out after one too many disagreements.

“I also should thank you for helping Jihoon win his games as well. I know I won’t be able to thank you when Jihoon does win so, thank you.”

“Don’t thank me,” you tell him. “Just do your end of the job and we’ll be even.”

“So…you and Jihoon are ‘dating’.” There’s a sly grin on Soonyoung’s face and you have to restrain yourself from smacking him.

“Oh, shut up. If you want to hear all about it, ask your best friend,” you huff.

“I’m just messing with you. I’m not joking about going to bed though. I was going to say you have a long day ahead of you, but let’s be honest you have a long week ahead of you.”

“I know. I’ll try again soon, I promise.”

“Promise me one more thing?” You’re expecting him to say something about Jihoon, but he doesn’t. “Take care of yourself as well, yeah? I know your new focus is on Jihoon, but you’re important too.” That’s all Soonyoung says before leaving.

Unfortunately for Soonyoung, his words keep you up the whole night.

You’re still sitting in the living room when everyone else starts to wake up.

You’re swept away by Minghao before you even set your eyes on Jihoon, or your mentors for that matter. The hovercraft comes to pick you and Minghao up. You try not to wince when the tracker is placed in your arm. You’re then guided to a table with an array of food laid out. Your own personal last meal.

“You should eat up,” Minghao says to you, in a gentle tone. You remember that this is his first-time styling for the games. You’re hist first tribute and you’ve already claimed you’re not coming out. He’s not like the other Capitol citizens either. He has humility.

Instead of saying anything to the older man you just start to eat your breakfast. Halfway through you get a lump in your throat but force yourself to keep eating. You’ll need the energy, especially since you didn’t get any sleep last night.

When you get to the Launch Room Minghao leaves you to take a shower and brush your teeth. You stand in front of the mirror, naked, as you stare at yourself. This may be the last look you get at yourself. Your eyes have small bags under them, and your skin looks smooth and clean from all of the Capitol products, but it’s still you.

Knock, knock, knock. You jump. “Y/N? Are you ready?”

“Yeah.” You open the door and Minghao hands you the clothes to get into.

Over your underwear you’re put in a skintight dark gray jumpsuit that covers your legs and arms. On top of the jumpsuit you’re given a thick belt, a dark green jacket, and lightweight black boots. You’re happy for the boots. They’re the first shoes you’ve put on since you’ve left District 7 that don’t hurt your feet.

“Don’t forget this.” In Minghao’s hand he holds out a beaded bracelet to you. You stare at it for a moment. It’s your district token that Joshua gave you before you left on the train. You nearly forget about it because it was taken from you to be inspected.

You gently take the bracelet in your hand. It’s Joshua’s ‘thing’ that he makes bracelets and sells them in the market. The beads can be hard to come by at times, but that never stops Joshua.

“Thank you,” you say in a soft voice. You slip it around your ankle before slipping your foot back into your boot. The bracelet will be safer tucked into your boot rather than on your wrist.

“All set?” There’s worry in Minghao’s eyes.

“All set,” you whisper to him.

“You’re going to do amazing out there.” Minghao reaches out to straighten your jacket, even though it doesn’t really matter. You let him do it though. Neither you nor Minghao address how this will be the last time he sees you.

“Tributes please report to your launch pad. Launching will commence in one minute.” You’re not expecting to hear the voice come over the intercom and your throat tightens up when you hear it. You force yourself to breathe. Everything is going to be okay. You just need to get through the bloodbath and find Jihoon and everything will be okay.

Minghao helps you step onto the plate and you turn to face him. Minghao leans in and presses a kiss to your forehead and you close your eyes and accept it.

“Thank you,” you tell him. You’re not sure what you’re thanking him for, but Minghao seems to understand.

With one final good luck from Minghao a tube comes down around you and your plate starts to lift into the arena. Hot air hits your skin and you can already see the sun shining down onto you. Your plate finally finishes rises up from the ground and you get your first look at the arena. As you look around at your surroundings there’s only one thought on your mind.

What the actual fuck?

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rubyreduji · 10 months

Text

eat your young | the games pt 3

tags: hunger games!au, fake dating, angst warnings: death, violence, blood, gore, probably inaccurate medical stuff (its fiction shut up) wc: 4.4k an: you are legally obligated to NOT be mad at me

m.list

That’s two more gone. Ten remain. Half of them are careers. You stare at the fire blankly.

You don’t want to be on this island anymore. You don’t want to think about how Wonwoo died less than thirty feet away, but you know on this island you can get fresh water and a good supply of food, so you don’t dare move the boys.

“Y/N-ah.” Jihoon’s voice is soft as he approaches you. He sits down next to you and wraps his arms around your waist, resting his chin on your shoulder. You slightly melt into his arms, enjoying the safety of his arms locked around you, just for a moment.

“I’m okay Ji, I just need a minute.”

“I know, I know. I just wanted to tell you that Hansol and I are going to sleep soon. Please don’t stay up all night. Wake one of us up to take watch, okay?”

You nod. “Let Hansol-ah into the sleeping bag tonight, okay?”

“Okay. Don’t forget to put the fire out soon.” Jihoon presses a kiss to your forehead. It’s the first time either of you have shown any physical affection other than hand holding or cuddling at night. The feeling lingers there even after Jihoon gets up.

You huff. That’s another problem that you don’t want to worry about. The stupid crush you have on your fake boyfriend. You think you may have had a crush on him even before either of you were reaped, but now it’s real. It’s not just a passing crush on the idea of someone. No, now he’s here and real and holding your hand and kissing your forehead and making your heart go crazy.

You don’t think it’s healthy to feel this many emotions at once. Being in the Hunger Games is not for the faint of heart, you will say that.

You grieve for Wonwoo. He was your friend and your ally and he saved your life. By morning though, you will be back to good and ready to assess the next problem that arises. You have to be if you want to keep Jihoon and Hansol safe. You have to push all personal emotions aside so you can think properly and just get through the next challenge.

It’s late when you put the fire out. It’s way past the nightly recap. You didn’t bother watching tonight. You sit in the silent dark and stare at the moon. It’s not real, just another thing made by the Gamemakers, but it still brings you some comfort.

You think about your family. You hope your sister is sleeping right now. You hope your father isn’t worrying too much about you. Joshua is probably up right now. He’s always been a night owl.

“Hey Shua,” you whisper into the night. You use your old nickname for him. The one you gave him when you two were in elementary school. You’ve graduated to calling him ‘Josh’, especially in public, but every once in a while you’ll revert back to the old nickname. It helps remind you both of your past together and how far you have come.

You’re not sure if he’s going to be watching. He was never someone who would watch intently. Neither were you, but you kept more tabs on things than he did. Maybe he’s watching just because it’s you. Maybe he’s not watching for that exact reason.

“I miss you. I miss you a lot. You know after thirteen years of friendship you’d think we’d be tired of each other, yet it’s only been a week away from you and it’s like I’m going crazy. It’s hard not having you here. It’s like a part of me is missing. Well, not like. A part of me is missing. You.

“Remember when you used to accompany me during work and you’d complain about it the whole time while I chopped down tree after tree, but you stayed because it meant we could spend more time together? I wish we could go back to doing that. Jihoon and Hansol are good company, but they’re not you. I’ll love you forever, my Shua-yah.”

You’re pretty sure the Capitol isn’t going to air your little speech. You don’t care though. It makes you feel better being able to talk to Joshua in some way.

The rest of the night you wonder what District 7 has been up to. When the sunrises you look over and smile softly at the sight of Jihoon and Hansol in the sleeping bag. They’re adorable smushed together with their sleeping faces.

You stand up and all of your bones crack from sitting in the same place the whole night. You stretch your body out and grab the bag. You find the tap and put it in a tree before collecting water for the day.

You hear rustling coming from behind you and soon arms are wrapping around your waist, a sleepy face pressed to your back. “You didn’t sleep last night.”

“I’ll sleep later, after Sol wakes up.” You lean back into Jihoon’s embrace. “I wouldn’t have been able to sleep anyways.”

“Remember, you have to take care of yourself too.”

Jihoon’s words make your mind flash back to your final conversation with Soonyoung.

Promise me one more thing? Take care of yourself as well, yeah? I know your new focus is on Jihoon, but you’re important too.

You know that if you don’t care for yourself, you won’t be much help to Jihoon either. It doesn’t matter if you actually take care of yourself to take care of yourself, it won’t matter in the end. You need to be at your best for Jihoon though.

You turn around so you can face him. His hair is a mess and you reach up to fix it. “Let’s go to the shore today. I wanna wash in the water.”

Jihoon nods, though you have a feeling he’s only half listening. You lean down and kiss his forehead, as payment for the one he gave you last night. As you and Jihoon are in your own little world, you can hear Hansol starting to wake up as well.

Jihoon squeezes you once more. “Go sleep. We’ll go to the shore later.”

You nod. With a yawn you climb into the sleeping bag, and let sleep overtake you.

When you wake up, it’s way past noon. The sun shines bright in your eyes and you crawl out of the sleeping bag. Hansol and Jihoon are both lounging about and both perk up when they see you’re awake.

You three walk down to the shore where you get into the water. You clean your body off from all of the dirt and grime and blood from the last few days. The salt water still doesn’t leave you feel completely clean, but it’s something.

Hansol and Jihoon do the same and you’re all feeling slightly better afterwards. You stand on the sand, waiting for them to finish up. You glance over at the island in the middle of everything. You can see the glint of the metal Cornucopia in the distance. The place where all the careers reside.

“Y/N-ah,” Jihoon pulls you from your thoughts. “Ready to go back?”

“Yeah.” You pull your eyes away from the Cornucopia and grab Jihoon’s hand.

Another canon goes off later that evening. You guys are sitting around the fire, eating roasted nuts that Hansol found. The sound of the cannon doesn’t make you jump anymore, but it still caches your attention.

There are only two other non-career tributes out there. You wonder if it was one of them. You don’t have to wonder for too long because the nightly recap starts. When you look up at the sky you’re not expecting to see a career.

The picture of the District 4 boy you attacked on the very first day sits high in the sky. Hyunwoo? Something like that. You wonder if his leg injury got to him, or something else did. It doesn’t really matter. What matters is there are now only four careers left.

The night is peaceful. The next morning is as well.

You find a hunk of wood and grab a knife. You’re not sure who’s knife it is anymore, but it doesn’t really matter. You’re glad one of your hobbies can be done with even the simplest tools you have available to you.

The Capitol citizens have to be finding this funny right now. People are dying and you’re sitting here carving wood.

“Hey, that’s my song,” Jihoon says. Your concentration is broken and you look up at him.

“What?”

“You were humming,” Jihoon explains.

“Oh, sorry. Force of habit.” Whenever you’re working you end up humming a song. You don’t know many songs though, so you always go back to the same two or three you’ve heard Jihoon singing.

“Don’t apologize, I like hearing it.” Jihoon looks a bit shy and you think it’s adorable.

“You two are gross,” Hansol says, breaking the moment. “It was better when Wonwoo was here, so I had something to focus on that wasn’t you two.”

You laugh lightly. “Sorry Sollie, we’ll tone it down.”

You don’t want to tone it down though. You want to keep it going. You want to do more and have more and be more.

The rest of the afternoon is quiet. Then evening comes.

While everyone is sitting around, you sit up from where you’re leaning against one of the trees. There’s a rustling of leaves and in an instant you’re up on your feet. There’s a flash of something and suddenly you’re pulling both Jihoon and Hansol up, pushing them ahead of you.

“Mutts!” You yell out and start to take off at a full running pace. You glance behind you and quickly look away. It looks to be a mutation between a rhino and a large feline. It has the horn and build of a rhino, but the coat, teeth, and paws of a jungle cat. There’s only one, but it’s large and fast and you’re doing your best just to get through the thick foliage of the jungle.

The only thing that makes you feel even a sliver better about this situation is that you can clearly see Jihoon and Hansol in front of you. As long as you’re between them and the mutt, everything will be okay.

You’re a bit too focused on the boys though, because you trip. You land with a hard thud on the ground and you can barely even think before the mutt’s on you. You let out a scream as it tears sinks it’s claws into your arm.

It doesn’t let up and you’re sure you’re going to die. You feel something digging into your side and you remember your axe is on your belt. You struggle to detach it from your belt. As you do so, the mutt moves and grabs right onto your leg with it’s teeth. You’re sure if it wasn’t for the sheer panicked state of adrenaline you’re in right now you’d be dead.

With a cry you lift your axe and slam the blade down into the skull of the mutt. The mutt’s teeth loosen up on you and falls dead. Your arms fall limp as well and you do your best to remember to breathe.

Your ears are ringing and you can hear the faint sounds of Hansol and Jihoon but your vision is starting to go and you’re scared. You’re so, so scared.

Jihoon can’t breathe. There’s a lump in his throat and a stab in his heart and you’re going to die and Jihoon can’t breathe.

He sinks down next to you and cradles your head in his lap. There’s fear in your eyes and that scares Jihoon the most, because he doesn’t think he’s seen you scared a day in his life.

“J-Ji,” you call out to him.

“Shhh, shh, I’m here. Hi, baby, I’m here.”

A tear rolls down your eyes and Jihoon quickly moves to brush it away. He doesn’t feel too far away from crying himself. There’s so much blood. So much blood and your leg doesn’t even look like a leg anymore and you’re breathing is slowing and you’re gasping for air.

“Ji, Ji,” you sob, tear freely falling now, “I don’t want to die. I don’t want to die anymore. Please Jihoon.” Your fingers dig into Jihoon’s arm, pleading for his help in some way.

“Shh, shh, you’re okay, it’s okay, you’re not going to die. I- you’re fine. We’re gonna be fine.” Jihoon tries to keep the panic out of his voice as he comforts you, but he knows he’s failing. “I- Soonyoung please help.”

Jihoon cups your face with his hands, and brushes his thumb over your cheek, hoping to calm you some. Jihoon leans down to press a kiss to your forehead. The taste of salt and dirt linger on his lips.

Ding.

A parachute falls down next to Hansol. He quickly picks it up and opens it. Inside is a plethora of medical supplies and Hansol quickly gets to work. Death may work quick, but Kwon Soonyoung works quicker.

“My mom’s a medic,” Hansol explains quickly as he feeds you a couple pills. “I don’t know as much as she does, but I can do this.” His hands are shaking, but Jihoon doesn’t have a doubt in his mind that he can save you.

Hansol takes a piece of cloth and ties it around your thigh and uses a stick to twist until it’s tight. Jihoon’s never seen a medical procedure like it before but he assumes it’s to cut off blood so you don’t lose even more than you already have.

He then moves on to your arm. He takes some of your water reserves and cleans off your arm before grabbing the needle and thread that was already in your first aid kit grabbed from the Cornucopia. His fingers are still a bit shaky as is his breath as he stabs into your arm the first time. It seems like he’s also trying to keep himself from crying, the only thing stopping him is having to stitch you up. It’s clearly a novice job, but Hansol eventually patches up your whole arm.

Despite your arm being taken care of, your leg is still mangled. Jihoon can’t look at it for too long or he’ll actually throw up. He can see a bit of bone though and it’s all meaty and bloody and slightly bent out of shape.

Even Hansol looks disgusted as he looks down at it. Inside the container that Soonyoung sent is some ointment, but Jihoon isn’t sure how much that can help when you have a literal chunk of your leg gone. Still Hansol rubs it onto your skin where he can and then wraps and splints your leg.

You’ve calmed down and your breathing is soft, but steady, and Jihoon thinks it has to do with the medicine Hansol fed you at the start. Jihoon has been petting your hair the whole time, watching Hansol meticulously. There’s a tight feeling in his chest and it doesn’t go away until your body shifts just the slightest bit.

You weakly reach out for Hansol and he helps you by grabbing your hand in his. “Th-thank you.”

Jihoon’s thankful for Hansol and Soonyoung as well, but he also knows that if you don’t real help soon, you won’t make it much longer. The suffocating fear that you’re going to die creeps up Jihoon’s throat and he does his best to swallow is back down.

From that start, it was clear you were going to die. You were going to lay down your life to say Jihoon’s. It was something he had to come to terms with. Now that he’s faced with the reality of it though, he can’t accept it. Not yet. He’s not ready to let you go yet. He needs more time.

So maybe he likes you. Maybe he’s always been a little interested in you. The strong, reliable woodsman from District 7. Now you two are here together and he has you but he’s about to lose you and he can’t handle it.

Hansol gets up and leaves to go back for the supplies. Jihoon’s took shaken to do anything other than pet your hair. Hansol comes back soon and Jihoon finally gets up.

Together they make a shelter. They tie the tarp to a couple trees like a lean-to and put branches and leaves over it so it’s more hidden.

Your face isn’t in the sky when night falls though, and that’s all that matters right now.

The night is long and Jihoon doesn’t sleep a wink. He can’t, too busy monitoring you. When morning comes Jihoon finally gets a good look at you in full light. Your skin looks dull and sickly and Hansol’s stitching on your arm looks even worse in the broad daylight.

Jihoon takes a peek down at your leg. It’s still all bandaged up and Jihoon can’t even imagine the monstrosities that lay under the coverings. Jihoon can only hope that more medicine will be sent soon.

You’re sleeping right now and Jihoon keeps a hold on your hand, but only so he can keep his fingers pressed to your pulse. It’s slow and faint, but it’s there.

Soonyoung sent the group a good portion size of soup and Jihoon must think the sponsors feel bad for them. Jihoon doesn’t really care, as long as it helps you stay alive.

The next few days are slow. Other killings happen, but to other tributes, and Jihoon doesn’t really care as long as it’s not you. None of it’s okay, this whole situation is fucked up, but deep down Jihoon knows that every canon that fires gets you and him closer to winning. To surviving.

You spent most of your time sleeping. Jihoon doesn’t care though, because it seems little by little your strength is coming back. Especially with the extra healing cream Soonyoung sent. It came with a note to Jihoon to keep it up and Jihoon thinks it relates to the fake dating act they’re putting on.

Jihoon’s cried multiple times since you got attacked and he spends all of his time coddling you. Soonyoung must think Jihoon is putting on an act for the camera and the Capitol is eating it up, but little does Soonyoung know that Jihoon is genuine in everything he does. Every forehead kiss, every hand squeeze, every sweet word, he means it.

The cream is doing its job though and you’re slowly starting to recover. Your arm has healed nicely and you’re able to stand and even walk a little bit, but your leg is still messed up and it bothers you if you use it too long. Capitol technology is a wonder, but it’s still not perfect. But you’re alive, and that’s all that matters right now.

It’s down to seven tributes. You think about how that means there’s going to be family interviews. Your dad and your sister and Joshua. You miss Joshua. You’re glad the leg that got fucked up isn’t the one that has your bracelet on it because you’d honestly be more upset about the bracelet than your leg.

You’ve been dying lately though. Jihoon keeps coddling you, and it’s not that you don’t like it, but you so desperately hate being a sitting duck. You made Hansol find you a large stick that you’ve carved into a walking stick for you.

You force yourself to get up and walk every once and while. It’s been four days since you got attacked and you’ve been doing nothing for too long. Another island has sunk since then and two tributes have died, one being the other District 1 girl. Nayeon, maybe? That means it’s just three careers, your group of three, and one more tribute left.

The three careers left are the ones you like the least. Seungcheol and Jeonghan from District 2, and Mingyu from District 4. Not only do they have disgusting personalities, but they also pose a large threat to your group, especially now that you’re injured. If you don’t get your leg back in working shape soon, your whole group is in a lot of danger.

It’s the next day when you realize that you’re just about out of food. Your leg has been screaming at you since you woke up and even with the painkillers Hansol keeps feeding you, your leg is still killing you.

“We need stuff,” you groan.

“We’ll go get it, you rest,” Jihoon tells you.

“No,” you protest. “My leg is so stiff, I need to move it. Please. It’ll be okay.”

“No. Remember, you need to take care of yourself. I’m not kidding this time Y/N. Hansol and I will be back soon with food. If I found out you’ve moved from this spot, I’m not going to be a happy boyfriend.” Jihoon’s commanding voice and the use of the word boyfriend has you shutting up.

Jihoon drops a kiss on your forehead before he and Hansol head out in different directions. Just a week ago you were roaming these woods with Jihoon and killing a hog together. Wonwoo was still with you guys and he and Hansol were out finding you guys nuts and fruits. So much has changed since then.

You sigh and reach for the bag. You can luckily grab it without much effort and you grab your piece of wood and your knife out of the bag. If you can’t do anything, the least you can do is go back to your carving.

The sun is starting to move and you’re wondering where the boys are when you hear a blood curdling scream. It sounded like Hansol.

“Sol?” You call out experimentally. No response. He didn’t sound that far away. Dread starts to fill you. Something isn’t right. “Sol?” You struggle to your feet and look around frantically. Where is he?

"Y/N! Y/N!" The voice is panicked and high pitched and it makes your older sibling mode kick into gear. As quickly as you can, you start to race through the trees. Pain shoots up your leg, but you keep going. You’re not sure where you’re going but you need to find him.

"Sol-ah? Hansol!”

You nearly miss it. Nearly miss him while running, but a glint catches your eye and you sprint over. Lying on the ground is Hansol’s body, blood soaks his jumpsuit and his eyes are barely staying open. The glint you caught was his knife, still in his hand. His leg is tangled up in some jungle vines.

“Y/N?” Hansol reaches his hand up and you drop to your knees and grab onto his hand and pull it to your chest.

“What happened? Who did this?”

“The District 2 boy. I got caught in the vines. He found me and I tried to fight him off with the knife but he overpowered me.” His voice is soft, and his breathing is unsteady, his words taking a while to come out.

“I can save you. Like you saved me. I can fix this, just-”

Hansol clutches your hand tighter. “No Y/N, you can’t. You can’t save us all, it’s okay. Jihoon should win.”

You can’t save him. Hansol is going to die and you couldn’t protect him. You grab your axe and start to cut the vines away from his leg. When he’s finally free, you scoop him up and start to walk towards the edge of the island. Your leg is screaming at you, begging you to stop, but you can’t pay attention to it. You can’t when you have to focus on Hansol.

You set Hansol down on the sand and cradle his head in your lap. You don’t care if it’s fake, if it’s just made by the Gamemakers, Hansol deserves to have this. The sky is a myriad of colors over the ocean and you pet Hansol’s hair, trying not to drop tears on him.

It isn’t fair.

“It’s okay Y/N.” Hansol’s hands reach up to grab your face. He uses his last bit of strength to pull you face down to kiss your cheek. “Thank you for taking care of me.” He pats around his jacket pocket before pressing something into your hand.

You press your hands over Hansol’s as his eyes go blank and his arms go limp. You close his eyes and hold his body tight to yours. A cannon goes off. You don’t move until you hear a hovercraft coming to take Hansol. You gently lay his body down and back away as he’s lifted into the air. Your own outfit is now dirty with his blood and your leg is now even worse than earlier, but you don’t care.

You look down at your hand and sitting in your palm are two matching bracelets. Faded, worn leather braided together. District tokens. You clutch them close to your chest. One belonged to Hansol, the other to Chan, his district partner.

“Y/N? Hansol? I heard yelling.” Jihoon pushes through the trees but stops when he sees you on the sand. “Y/N…?”

“He- he- I didn’t even know they were on the island. I don’t know where they came from or where they went but I couldn’t save him and now he’s-,” you can’t continue, your words getting caught in your throat. You wonder if the pain in your chest will be enough to kill you.

“Oh, oh. Oh no.” Jihoon quickly moves to you, sinking down to his knees as well. You bury your face in his chest and sob. Jihoon cries too. Soft, silent tears, his chest taking shaky breaths every once in a while.

You cry and you cry and you cry until it’s it dark out and then you eventually just…stop crying. You’re too dehydrated and your head hurts and you know that crying won’t do anything. It won’t bring Hansol back, and at it sure as well won’t help you avenge his death.

Jihoon helps you back to the shelter and you basically fall to the ground as soon as you get back. Pain is overtaking your whole body and as soon as you hit the ground your eyes white out and the world goes black. Your last thought before you pass out is that there’s only six people left now, and District 2 is going to get it.

join the eat your young taglist: here!

43 notes · View notes

rubyreduji · 11 months

Text

eat your young | the before pt. 2

tags: minor angst, fluff (maybe?), hunger games!au, gn!reader warnings: mentions of death and corrupt government wc: 6.4k an: jihoon and yn being obsessed with each other but not wanting to admit to anyone, even themselves ♡

m.list

First day of training and Jihoon would be lying if he said he hasn’t been shitting himself all morning. He could barely sleep last night worrying about today and also replaying his conversation with you over and over again in his head. Can he even call it a conversation?

“You okay Hoonie?” Soonyoung whispers to him during breakfast. “It’s okay, training can be scary but just lay low and work on your survival skills.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Jihoon mutters. He tries to listen to what Soonyoung is saying but he gets distracted by you walking into the room. You don’t spare a glance at Jihoon or Soonyoung as you sit down and start to eat.

Soonyoung stops talking at your appearance and if you notice, you don’t say anything. It only takes a couple more minutes for Jennie to swoop into the room and usher you and Jihoon towards the elevator. “First impressions are everything, so you cannot be late.”

The elevator brings you down to the basement where a few other tributes have already arrived. Jihoon’s eyes scan the room. It’s huge with an array of different stations and simulations. There’s a wall with several weapons on the wall, some that Jihoon can’t even identify.

The tribute trainer enters the room and gives a rundown of everything to the tributes before setting everyone free. In the blink of an eye, you’re out of Jihoon’s sight line. He tries to look around the room for you but fails to find you.

Jihoon shakes his head. He shouldn’t be worrying about you. He glances at each of the stations before deciding to start with fire making. In theory it should be simple, right?

The problem is that it isn’t simple. Jihoon has been sitting here for at least an hour trying to get it right and he can’t and he’s pretty sure the careers have already noticed and are making fun of him.

“You need to go faster, and you need better kindling.” Jihoon jumps at the voice and looks up to see another boy hovering over him. He’s got a long nose and a distinctive freckle on his left cheek. “Hi! I’m Seokmin, District 10.”

“Uh, Jihoon. District 7.”

“I know! Sorry that sounds weird, I just recognize you from the reaping.”

“Do you…want something?” Jihoon knows he’s probably coming off rudely, but he’s so confused right now.

“Well, I was thinking we could be allies! You seem the most approachable and you’re small which could come in handy.” This guy…wants to be allies? He hasn’t even seen Jihoon’s skills. Well, that’s a lie, he’s seen Jihoon struggle to make a fire for an hour. So what does he want with Jihoon?

It wouldn’t hurt to have someone on his side though. Even if they do end up double crossing him, it’s not like he was going to survive anyway and Seokmin seems nice enough. Soonyoung would like him. “Yeah, okay, allies,” Jihoon says and a grin spreads across Seokmin’s face.

“So, Jihoon. What skills do you bring to the arena.”

Jihoon is about to tell Seokmin that he unfortunately doesn’t have any when he hears yelling.

“Watch where you’re going, dumbass!”

“Watch where I’m going? You’re the fucking idiot who ran into me!”

Unfortunately, Jihoon knows that voice. He springs up, leaving Seokmin behind, to run to the center of the room where you’re squaring up with a scary looking boy. Jihoon thinks he recognizes him as one of the careers. What are you doing?

“Oh, you are so dead!” The boy lunges at you and you look ready to swing on him, but before he can reach you a trainer jumps in between you two.

“Hey! No altercations before getting into the arena. Break it up you two or I’ll have you both suspended for the rest of the day.”

The boy huffs and you roll your eyes, an annoyed look on your face, before walking away. The interaction reminds Jihoon of similar run-ins he’s seen you have with peacekeepers.

From what Jihoon knows, you’re not usually an ill-tempered person, but when someone gets you worked up you get worked up. That personality comes out a lot around authority, or just general people who think they’re better than you.

“Jihoon?” Jihoon turns around to see Seokmin staring at him.

“Sorry, that was just-”

“Your district partner. Y/N, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Are you two close?”

“Not really, but we know each other,” Jihoon answers. “As for my skills, I’m gonna be honest I don’t have many. I was hoping to use the next three days to get that sorted out.”

“Hmm, well, are there any weapons that you might want to try out?”

Are there? Jihoon’s eyes look over at the armory wall. For a moment his eyes land on the axe. Everyone at home knows how to use one, how hard can it be?

It only takes one more second of thought for Jihoon to expel the idea from his mind. There will probably only be one axe put into the arena and he should leave it for you. He would probably just make a fool of himself using it anyway. Give everyone back home another reason to make fun of him.

He continues to look over the wall until his eyes land on a long, thin steel pole. A staff. If he can learn how to use it, it should prove to be helpful. Or maybe he should pick something blades? Something blade but staff like…a spear?

Jihoon walks over to the wall and finds a spear and grabs it. It doesn’t feel too awkward in his hands and he’s sure if he works on it for the next three days he can learn how to use it. Seokmin seems to approve of his choice as well and Jihoon moves over to one of the training dummies to try and start practicing.

It doesn’t take until after lunch that Jihoon can finally balance out the length of the spear to his own height and he’s even able to land a few blows onto the dummy. Jihoon’s just finish up a water break when he feels a presence behind him.

When he turns around, standing behind him are three careers, one of them being the one you fought with earlier. Jihoon cowers away from them.

“Scram pipsqueak, we want to use this area.”

If it was you in this position, you’d tell him to fuck off. What can he do? He can’t hurt you (yet). The issue is that Jihoon isn’t you, so he just scampers off. He should go back to the survival stations anyway. He’ll try the spear again tomorrow.

You feel unsatisfied as you ride in the elevator back up to the District 7 floor. The whole day you were itching to get your hands on the axe, but you know you couldn’t. Luckily you were able to brush up on some survival skills.

This gives you two more days to work on hand-to-hand combat, knife skills, and a few extra survival skills just in case.

“How was the first day of training?” Momo asks when you and Jihoon walk into the living room.

“I made an ally,” Jihoon announces. You’re a bit surprised by this. Not in a bad way just…Jihoon isn’t exactly someone who stands out compared to other tributes. “The kid from District 10, Seokmin.”

“That’s it Jihoonie!” Soonyoung cheers. Momo and Jooheon seem satisfied with this.

“And you?” Jooheon turns a watchful eye towards you.

“I just worked on survival stations. I’m gonna try and work with some knives tomorrow,” you tell him. He looks happy with this as well.

Dinner is served soon after and it’s nothing to note. The mentors make idle talk with the stylists, and you spend most of the time looking across the table at Jihoon. You’re still wondering what he was trying to ask you last night. You’re not sure why but ever since your names got called, you want to learn everything about the younger boy. Pick his brain apart and put it back together just in time for you both to be sent to your deaths.

Fortunately for you that occasion arises later while you’re sitting in the living room. You’re sitting on the couch, watching tapes from past games. Your knees are drawn up to your chest and you frown as you watch a boy on screen snap a girl’s neck.

“You didn’t tell them that you got into a fight with a career.” Okay, that is not the kind of conversation you were expecting.

“I didn’t think I had to,” you reply. “Nothing actually happened and it’s not like any sponsors saw or anything.”

“You’re putting a target on your back.” When you look at Jihoon there’s a frown on his face and you don’t know if it’s because he’s worried about you or because he’s unhappy with your actions

“There’s been a target on my back the second my name was pulled from the bowl. It doesn’t make a difference Jihoon.” There’s a solemn undertone to your voice and Jihoon doesn’t say anything else on the topic. Instead, he moves to the couch and sits down beside you.

“Doesn’t watching this stuff make you feel…uncomfortable? That’s gonna be us soon.”

You huff out a sigh. “Yeah I know, and it does, but what else am I supposed to do around here? I just thought maybe I could get more insight. See what worked did and didn’t work for others. It’s kind of driving me crazy though.”

“You’re already so well skilled Y/N-ah, I’m sure you have a chance at winning.”

“Aish, don’t say things like that,” you mutter.

“Why not? I’ve seen you use your axe before, it’s incredible what you can do with that thing.”

“That’s even if I can get to an axe,” you say, finally vocalizing one of your biggest worries. “What about you? You don’t think you can win?”

“I’m one of the smallest people here, even the fourteen year old is bigger than me. Not to mention I don’t have the skill level to survive. I can do as much as I can to train in the next three days but the hard truth is I won’t even last the first day.”

“Not with that attitude you aren’t.” It slips out of your mouth before you realize what you’re saying. It’s what you always tell your little sister when she’s bitching at you about something and you want her to stop acting like it’s the end of the world. Only, this kind of is the end of the world for Jihoon. Jihoon just lets out a soft chuckle.

“You’re very interesting L/N Y/N.”

“I’m the interesting one?” You’re amazed that Jihoon, the Lee Jihoon, thinks you’re interesting.

“Of course. Your reputation proceeds you, you know.”

“I have a reputation?” You laugh a little. “What about you and your reputation? You’re the songbird of District 7.”

Calling Jihoon a songbird may be a low blow but you hope he doesn’t take it like that. It was a nickname given to him by some kids in school and it was generally used to make fun of him, but it never seemed to phase Jihoon. You actually think the nickname is kind of cute.

“Half the district thinks I’m nuts.”

“So what if they do? They’re still singing your songs everywhere they go.”

This seems to take Jihoon by surprise. “People…sing my songs?”

“Yeah. People are always humming your tunes while we’re working,” you tell Jihoon. You take a moment before adding on, “That’s not the only place people are singing your songs either.” You hope Jihoon knows what you mean, especially since he was the one who brought up your mother’s death yesterday to begin with.

“I…didn’t know that,” Jihoon whispers. “People really like my songs?”

“Yeah, at least the people in the poorer parts of the district. So who cares if people think you’re nuts for not being a lumberjack. There are thousands of lumberjacks of in the district, there’s only one you.”

Your words seem to touch Jihoon because when he looks at you there’s a softness in his eyes. The softness is gone too quickly for your liking though, as Jihoon’s expression morphs into a frown. “Song writing doesn’t get me very far in the arena though, does it?”

“Maybe not. Who knows, maybe you can serenade the sponsors for some water.” It makes you smile when you hear Jihoon laugh at this. An actual real laugh that doesn’t have a hint of sadness tinged in it.

“Y/N? Jihoon?” Jennie’s voice cuts through the moment and you can’t help but feel a little disappointed. “You two should be getting to bed soon, you have another big day of training tomorrow.”

You and Jihoon shoot each other a look before both getting up and heading to your own separate rooms, not wanting to make Jennie upset.

When you wake up the next morning you go through the same routine you did yesterday. Take a shower, get dressed, eat breakfast, go to training. Today you head right to the wall of weapons and grab the knife you were eyeing yesterday. A good knife can be handy for multiple things and though you’re hoping you’ll be able to rely on an axe for most of your time in the arena, it’s good to have a backup plan as well.

You’re an avid whittler but using a knife to carve wood is a lot different than using it in a combat setting. When you hold an axe you have the whole handle to grip onto and the shape of the blade is different than it is on a knife.

You practice swinging your arm around with the knife in your hand and it feels awkward, like you’re doing something wrong. You probably are, you just don’t know what.

You want your motions to be fluid so you can keep up your stamina and adrenaline. You want to handle the knife in a way that it can do damage to your opponent, but not yourself. Your grip needs to be comfortable but firm, so the knife doesn’t slip out of your hand or get forcibly taken from you.

It makes you frustrated that you can’t just pick up the skill. The axe is like an extension to your arm, it feels natural. You can’t remember a time when you had to learn how to use it, you just knew. With the knife however there’s too much to remember and think about and you can’t keep it all straight.

With a defeated sigh you decide to take a break from the knife, knowing you’re getting nowhere with it. You know that Jooheon told you to not pick up an axe until tomorrow during the Gamemaker’s assessment, but you just want to give it a couple swings to prove you’re not totally incompetent.

When your eyes scan over the armory wall you see the axe that was previously there is missing. You know it’s not Jihoon who’s using it, so who could it be?

You walk around the training center, looking into all of the dummy and simulation areas to see if you can catch a glimpse of whoever is using the axe. You finally find the culprit when you make it to one of the last simulation stations. The simulation isn’t even on but inside there’s a tall skinny boy with thick framed glasses holding the axe.

You observe as he turns the axe around in his hands, inspecting the whole thing like he’s going to find a secret message if he looks hard enough. He eventually grasps the handle firmly in his hands and stances himself up. He looks awkward and uncomfortable holding the axe and it makes you feel uncomfortable.

You snort as you watch the boy try (and fail) to swing the axe. “You’re doing that wrong.”

The boy jumps and drops the axe, the blade just barely missing his foot as it falls to the floor.

“I-I wasn’t trying to use it. I was just…examining it.”

“It’s a fucking axe, there’s nothing to examine.” The boy flushed with embarrassment at your harsh words. “I can teach you how to use it.”

“Why would you do that? Aren’t I competition?”

“To be honest you don’t seem that much of competition. You look like you could use the help.” The boy looks even more embarrassed and you start to feel bad.

“I’m better at…non-physical tasks.” You don’t say anything and the boy straightens up his back before continuing. “I’m Jeon Wonwoo, from District 3.”

“So you’re smart? Sounds like that could come in handy.”

“What are you insinuating?”

“And here I thought you said you were smart. I mean an allyship, Jeon Wonwoo from District 3. You’d be the brains, I’d be the brawn,” you explain.

“Oh, oh! I see now, yes, that would be nice.”

“Great,” you smile at Wonwoo, “I’m Y/N, by the way. District 7.” You walk over to him and pick the axe up from the group. “I know I told you that I could teach you how to use this, but if I’m being honest, I’d prefer that the axe be just a me thing.”

You start the simulation before walking further into the room. Holographic attackers appear and you dodge their attacks while you swing your axe around, hitting them as they come near you. The handle of this axe is a bit different than the wooden one you have at home, but it’s still an axe that you can maneuver around with ease.

The muscles in your arms are happy to be used the way they’ve been trained to and you keep going until the final hologram pops up. You rear your arms back before launching the axe through the air. It flies across the room until it lands right in the skull of the hologram. You’re a bit out of breath as the simulation powers down and you take a moment to catch your breath.

“Woah.”

You quickly whip around to see Wonwoo accompanied by a few other tributes, Jihoon included. The look on his face is unreadable. Standing behind the crowd you see the career you had your altercation with yesterday, Seungcheol, staring at you. You make eye contact with him for a second before looking away.

“That was so cool!” It’s one of the District 12 tributes talking to you. Chan you think? The youngest one of the bunch.

“Thanks, kid.” You weren’t trying to show off and you definitely weren’t trying to gain so much attention, but there’s no undoing it now. You walk away from the simulation, letting everyone stare. Wonwoo follows after you.

“Yeah, I’m definitely glad to have you as an ally.”

Gamemaker’s assessments are today and Jihoon honestly does not know what he’s going to do when he’s in there. He could try and do something with the spear, but he’s still a little iffy on it. He’s been improving his skills with it, but he’s still not great.

After your little axe show yesterday there have been whispers about you going around the tributes. Jihoon was perplexed when he saw you showing off. Were you doing it purpose? Or did people just happen to notice you when you were trying to fly under the radar? Were you sending a message to the careers? Jihoon keeps trying to think of reasons why you did it, but he knows he won’t know the truth unless he asks you.

He reminds himself of what you said the first night of training. How that no matter what you do you’ll still be a target just from the sheer nature of the games. Once again, you didn’t tell the mentors about what happened during training. Probably because Jooheon would be mad if he knew what you did, but then again Jihoon thinks that you wouldn’t care that much if Jooheon was mad at you.

“Your district partner is kinda scary,” Seokmin says to Jihoon while they sit at a camouflaging station. Jihoon knows that he should be working with the spear to prepare for later today, but his muscles are already sore from using it the past two days and he doesn’t want to overexert himself before getting into the arena.

“They’re a beast with an axe,” Jihoon says instead of truly addressing what Seokmin said.

“Do you not cut wood in District 7 as well?”

“No, I’m actually a songwriter.” Jihoon feels embarrassed to say it out loud. It’s already embarrassing enough back home but saying to someone who isn’t from his district seems even worse.

“Woah, I’ve never met a songwriter before! I like singing a lot, but I could never write my own songs. That’s so cool!” Jihoon thinks about how you said the lumberjacks sing his songs while cutting down trees. Maybe being Jihoon is less embarrassing than he thought.

“Yeah, me and my friend Beomju write music together. It’s not much compared to what some other people do, but it brings me joy.” Jihoon thinks about how even though he’s only been gone for four days, he still misses his parents and Beomju. He tries not to cry while thinking about them, but he knows that if he does end up crying, Seokmin won’t say anything about it.

Thankfully Seokmin can sense the mood of the conversation and changes the topic. “Do you know what you’re gonna do for your assessment?”

Jihoon sighs. “Maybe I’ll do something with the spear but I’m not sure. Honestly, I’ll be lucky to get even a one.”

“Hey, it won’t be that bad! At least you’re from District 7. I heard that once it gets down to the last few districts, nobody’s even paying attention anymore. What a waste.”

Right, Seokmin is from District 10. There will be five other people who go in for their assessment after Jihoon before Seokmin has a chance to go in for his. It’s unfortunate, especially for the District 12 boys who don’t seem to have any skills either. Just shows how unfair the games really are.

The assessments start after lunch and you and Jihoon sit in silence in the waiting room. Jihoon knows in theory he could just go and sit with Seokmin but he’s not sure they would have anything to say to each other either.

Jihoon saw you working on hand-to-hand combat with one of the trainers earlier. It seems like you’ve used your three days of training well. Jihoon’s not sure if he can say the same.

Little by little the numbers start to dwindle until the second person from District 6 is called. It isn’t until your name is called that you finally speak to Jihoon.

“Good luck.” That’s all you say before you’re up and gone. Jihoon doesn’t say it back. He’s not sure why; whether he didn’t have enough time to get the words out or maybe because you don’t need luck when you have talent.

Despite having ten minutes to show off your skill, you finish up early because Jihoon is being called in only six minutes after you are. Jihoon walks in and he feels small as the Gamemakers look down at him from where they sit on their balcony.

“I-I’m Lee Jihoon, from District 7.” Jihoon wants to kick himself for letting his voice break, but he can’t focus on that. Instead of he finds a spear and drags a dummy into the middle.

He starts to fight the dummy and he feels awkward as he does. He stabs at it a couple times before moving farther away and throwing the spear at it. He misses and Jihoon tries not to let it get to him. Still, what the fuck is wrong with him?

It seems after he misses his shot the Gamemakers have stopped watching and Jihoon doesn’t blame them. He just takes his exit and tries not to cry. He feels dejected as he makes his way back up to the District 7 floor. He just hopes Soonyoung isn’t disappointed in him.

“Jihoonie!” Soonyoung cheers when the elevator doors open and Jihoon steps out. “Aw, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing, nothing, just tired I guess.” Jihoon doesn’t have the heart to tell Soonyoung he probably got a one on his assessment.

“Well you can get all the rest tonight after the broadcast. Come on now, dinner is ready!” Jihoon allows Soonyoung to guide him into the dining room.

“I mean, they didn’t look pleased, but at least they didn’t look bored,” you’re saying as Jihoon and Soonyoung walk in.

“What happened?” Soonyoung asks as he takes his seat.

Jennie huffs. “Y/N decided to throw a fit in their assessment.”

“It wasn’t a fit, I just got annoyed at their attitudes so when I was done showing off my skills I…threw the axe into the rack of the other weapons…and it caused a louder noise than I was expecting. At least they were wide awake for Jihoon’s assessment!”

Yeah, Jihoon kind of wishes they weren’t. Maybe he could have saved himself some embarrassment.

The rest of the dinner Jennie keeps letting out little huffs in your direction and you keep rolling your eyes at her. It isn’t until the group settles down in the living room to watch the broadcasting of the scores that Jennie finally seems to have calmed herself.

The broadcast starts and on screen is the Hunger Games host himself, Boo Seungkwan. Seungkwan has been hosting the games for a couple years now, and he’s a fan favorite of the Capitol. He has a charming personality and dusty blue hair.

“I hate Boo Seungkwan,” Soonyoung growls from beside Jihoon. Right, Seungkwan was the host when Soonyoung was in his games two years ago. “The nerve of that guy sometimes.”

“Shhh, it’s starting.” Soonyoung looks offended at being shushed by Jennie, but he doesn’t say anymore.

The scores of the careers are predictable, anything ranging from an eight to a ten. The rest of the non-career scores also fall pretty similarly to previous years being in the six to eight range.

The room falls silent when the District 6 scores are finished being reported. The anticipation is killing Jihoon and he glances over at you to see you staring straight at ahead, awaiting your score.

“From District 7, first up we have L/N Y/N who has receive a score of…a nine!” The room erupts into cheers, but your expression doesn’t change from the slight scowl you’ve been sporting since the broadcast started.

“Congratulation Y/N-ah,” Minghao tells you. You give him a respectful nod, your eyes still boring into the screen.

“Next from District 7 Lee Jihoon who has been giving a score of…five.” The room doesn’t celebrate for Jihoon the way they did for you, but he’s still given polite regards.

Jihoon expected himself to be more upset about his score, but he’s pleasantly satisfied with his five. He’s not putting a large target on his back which means he can hopefully fly under the radar for longer than some of the other bigger threats.

At least he didn’t get a one.

You scored a nine. You can’t tell if that’s a good or bad thing.

The careers already don’t like you, so it’s not like any more harm can be done. Your mentors seemed to be happy about the score too. Hopefully you’ll get some good sponsors out of it.

It’s Jihoon’s score that you’re more worried about. There’s pros and cons to scoring a five. It takes a bit of a target off of his back, but unless he does amazing during his interview, it will be difficult for him to get sponsors.

You’re mulling over scores and the logistics of how far Jihoon will be able to go in the games when you pass a room and hear the mentors talking. You don’t mean to eavesdrop, but sometimes you can’t help but let your curiosity get the better of you. Especially in a situation like this.

The voices are muffled and you move closer to the door to try and hear better. When you finally tune in you hear Momo’s voice, calm and serious when she speaks. "When it comes down to it, we have to pick the tribute who shows the most promise, and who the sponsors are willing to give to. I hate to say it, but from the looks of it, Jihoon isn't either of those people."

"No, no. You're just going to give up on him?" Soonyoung's voice is raw and desperate.

"That's not what I said-"

"But that's what you're insinuating! Fine, if you don't want to help Jihoon, I'll do it myself."

"Kwon." Jooheon's commanding voice makes Soonyoung stop ranting. "You know it's nothing against Jihoon. This job isn't for someone faint of heart and sometimes we have to make difficult decisions."

"Like choosing that my best friend dies? He can win, I know he can, you just have to give him a chance."

"If he shows the potential in the arena, we'll do what we can, but until he shows that he can win, we have to put our efforts into someone who has already shown their worth."

"Why can't you help him now?"

"And what about Y/N?" Momo speaks up again. "What about their best friend and their life? Nothing is fair in these games. We'll try to help them both as much as we can, but there's only so much we can do. You know this Soonyoung."

"I don't care about Y/N! They've already shown they can take care of themself. You need to help Jihoon."

"They can't both win. When it comes down to both of them, we'd have to choose one," Jooheon says.

"And you'd choose Y/N?"

"And we'd choose Y/N." It's Momo who answers the question, which surprises you a bit. You decide this is the moment to make your presence known, feeling you've already eavesdropped too much.

You open the door. Three sets of eyes turn to look at you and before any of them can talk, you open your mouth. "Jihoon should be the one to live."

"What?" It's Soonyoung who is the first to speak.

"Can you not fucking listen. I'm telling you to help Jihoon and not me."

"Why?"

"Why does it matter? I don't know why you're asking so many questions when I'm doing this for you Soonyoung." That shuts him up real quick. "I don't care what the rest of you have to say. If I come out of that arena and Jihoon doesn't, I'm not going to be nice about it." With that you leave the room again, hoping that they got the message.

"...Jihoon?" Jihoon looks up from where he's lying on his bed to see his best friend standing in his doorway. The older boy looks like he's about to cry.

"Soonie? Are you okay?"

Soonyoung moves over to Jihoon's bed and crawls in right next to him. "I'm a terrible person." This startles Jihoon a bit. What is he talking about? "This evening, the mentors were fighting about who they're going to be helping out the most in the arena. I said you. Momo and Jooheon both said Y/N."

"Oh." Jihoon doesn't know how to feel about that. He's not mad though, he knows that much. It's more like...morose.

"I told them that I want them to save you. That I'd let Y/N die to save you."

"Soonyoung..." Jihoon feels conflicted. He doesn't want the tradeoff to be you die so he can live, but he knows that's how it works. If it came down to it, would Jihoon be able to kill you? Does Jihoon want to live so badly he'd sacrifice all his morals to do so.

"Then Y/N came into the room," Soonyoung continues. "They heard everything. They told the mentors that we need to help you and that you need to be the one who wins."

You...want Jihoon to win? Why? It doesn't make since to Jihoon. Jihoon doesn't want to kill you, but would he give up his chance to win in turn for you? Jihoon isn't sure he would.

"Why would they do that?"

"They said it was for me, I don't know. Maybe they just heard me talking and felt bad, but Jihoon you don't get it." Soonyoung's voice gets tense as he starts to cry. "They heard me say I want them to die so you don't. Isn't that awful? What kind of person have I turned into?"

"You're not a bad person, Soonyoung," Jihoon tells his best friend. "You just love me a lot. The games are designed to break people, don't feel bad about having human emotions."

Soonyoung doesn't say anything else, but he continues to cry. Jihoon lets Soonyoung use his shoulder to bury his face in.

Something not a lot of people know is that Soonyoung used to be one of the kids you used to "train" for the Hunger Games with. He was one of the kids who were better at it, like you, and it's honestly probably one of the reasons why he even won his games. Jihoon was offered to join as well, but he turned them down. He didn't want to train because he thought it would manifest him being picked. Well, you trained too and now here you both are, and only one of you has the skills to survive. He should have been safe, rather than how sorry he is right now.

It should be you who lives. It should be you who the mentors are helping. But instead, you're the one who has offered your life in turn for his and what has he done? Nothing.

You said you did it for Soonyoung, but that can't be the only reason. You two aren't even close, and you're even less close to Jihoon. By all means, you should be taking the chance to live.

There's no way you can have some kind of death wish. You have friends and a family to get back to. From what Jihoon knows you actually live a fairly happy life. So why are you laying down your life for him?

Soonyoung eventually cries himself to sleep in Jihoon's bed and Jihoon quietly gets up and leaves the room. Just as he hoped he finds you sitting in the living room, staring out one of the large windows.

"Y/N-ah."

"Soonyoung talked to you." It's not a question. "What's done is done. Don't think I want anything from you because of it. I did it for my own reasons."

"Which are?"

"It just felt right. Soonyoung sounded so hurt at the idea of the other mentors helping me. I can make it in the arena by myself, at least for a while. Not that it would matter much if I did die."

Your words stun Jihoon a bit. "What are you talking about?"

"I work as a lumberjack, just like everyone else in District 7. If I win, I won't have to work and what do I do then? I don't have a hobby or anything important like that. You have your music, and it's good. It inspires people."

"You want me to win...so I can write music?"

"I want you to win so you can change the world with your music." You're not saying everything you want to. Jihoon can tell by looking at your eyes. You're trying to hint to him something bigger than just winning the games.

You want him to change the world with music? You want him to inspire people? Inspire people to...change the way things are done. Jihoon's eyes widen a bit when he finally gets it.

"Y/N..."

"I can't do it. I can't do what you do. But I know you can."

You think Jihoon could start a revolution.

"I-I can't do that," Jihoon says to you in a hushed whisper.

"You may not be able to, but you can inspire people who can. You know better than anyone else what music can do." When Jihoon doesn't respond you keep talking. "Let's become allies. I'll protect you in the arena, and that way the mentors can help us at the same time. When it comes time, I'll make myself sparse so you don't have to."

"I can't let you do that."

"Why not? I'd rather it be you than anyone else in that arena. Let me do this Jihoon, please." Your voice is sincere to the point you're almost begging. This means something to you. Something more than just a revolution or a need to do a good deed. Jihoon doesn't know what it is yet, but he's going to figure it out. He at least owes you that.

"Okay, but I cannot in good health just let you lay down your life for me. You need to fight for yourself as well, and in the event something does happen to me, you need to win."

You don't say anything, you don't even nod, but somehow Jihoon knows that you take his words to heart. "You're allied with the District 10 kid, yeah? Seokjin?"

"Seokmin," Jihoon corrects. "Yeah, he's taken a liking to me."

"Good. District 10 kids are underrated when it comes to the games, but they bring their own special kind of knowledge and skill." Jihoon wonders just how much you know about the games and just how more prepared you are than him.

"Do you have any allies?"

"Wonwoo, form District 3." District 3 is the technology district. Jihoon thinks he knows who you're talking about, the tall skinny kid with glasses and a timid personality. He must be smart though, for you to want him on your side.

"Anything else to note about the other tributes?"

You let out a small huff. “The careers.”

“Right…them.”

The career pack is larger this year, six of them with each tribute from Districts 1, 2, and 4 allying together. “They outnumber us, and even if they didn’t their fighting skills are more developed than ours. The best we can do is try to outrun them or outsmart them.”

“They don’t like you,” Jihoon states. “They’ll be out to get you.”

You snort. “I’m well aware. I guess we’ll just have to tread carefully. In the end, we can only do our best.”

Jihoon thinks about how he said those exact words to Soonyoung four days ago. He’ll do his best, and Soonyoung will do the rest. Jihoon just hopes his best will be enough.

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rubyreduji · 10 months

Text

eat your young | the games pt 2

tags: hunger games!au, fake dating, angst warnings: death, violence, survivor's guilt, panick attack-ish?, jihoon pov heavy ass chapter my bad i got caried away wc: 6.4k an: this chapter is particularly angsty idk im sorry fjdskladslk, BUT now that they are in the arena here is a rough map of what it looks like link

m.list

You and Jihoon slowly walk up to Wonwoo. None of you say anything as you all stare at Seokmin’s body. You duly note that you still have to find Hansol as well. Wonwoo turns to you two as you approach, and you can see his eyes are moist with tears.

“I-, I should have,” Wonwoo’s voice breaks, “I shouldn’t have taken the knife. I was sitting watch and I asked him for it and if he had it he could have protected himself. If I was a better guard I-”

You place your hand on Wonwoo’s shoulder. “It’s not your fault. All the what if’s in the world can’t bring him back, but no matter what it’s not your fault. All we can do now is pay our respects.”

Wonwoo gives you a teary-eyed nod and you walk up to Seokmin’s body. You gently remove the knife from his stomach and set it aside before pushing his eyelids closed. You grab knife from the ground and then stand.

“Sleep well, Seokmin-ah,” Wonwoo whispers. It doesn’t take long for a hovercraft to show up. It grabs Seokmin’s body and you look away as his body is pulled up into the air.

A few minutes later there’s rustling in the trees and you whip around, only to see Hansol emerging from the trees.

“I’ve been hiding the whole time, are they gone?” You nod. Hansol continues to walk to the group, but frowns when he sees you all standing there. “Where’s Seokmin?”

You can’t look at Hansol in the face, so you look to the side when you respond. “He…didn’t make it through the attack.”

“O-oh.” Hansol doesn’t say anything else, he just walks up to the group and allows you to wrap him up in a hug. You don’t know if the hug is to comfort him or yourself, but it doesn’t really matter.

You knew that this was going to eventually happen, but you weren’t ready for it to be within the first day. You didn’t know Seokmin too well, you didn’t even like him that much, but it still pains you to lose someone you trusted enough to ally with.

“We’ll leave at daybreak,” you say. “There’s nothing here for us anymore.”

Everyone silently agrees with you and you walk off. You’re not sure how you feel. Guilty? Sad? Angry? All of the above?

You killed that District 1 girl. Jihyo. That was her name. You remember because she was the first one reaped this year. The boy had a hold on Jihoon and you blacked you and suddenly both Jihyo and the boy were on the floor, and Jihoon was safe. Underneath the surface she was just a person too, doing what she had to survive.

Ten people are dead and you’re not even through the first night. Ten people are dead, and you killed two of them. How many more are you going to have to kill until it’s just you and Jihoon left? Your throat tightens. What happens when you have to leave Wonwoo and Hansol? Are you going to let them die off? Are you going to kill them yourself?

You can feel your heart pounding in your chest. It echoes in your ears. You stare down at your hands. They’re shaking. It’s dark out but you can see the blood stained on them. Your knuckles are dark and bruised from the fight earlier. The weight of your axe feels too heavy on your belt right now.

“Y/N-” You feel a hand touch your shoulder and you jump away. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry!” You try to focus on the voice. It’s Jihoon’s. “Hey, breathe. It’s okay. I’m gonna touch you now, okay?” You feel Jihoon’s hand slide down your shoulder to your hand where he grabs it and squeezes. You squeeze back. You focus on your breathing.

It takes a minute, and you’re still shaken up, but your chest doesn’t feel so heavy and your ears aren’t ringing anymore. Your grip on Jihoon is tight and you’re sure you’re hurting his hands. Jihoon doesn’t complain though.

You close your eyes and take a deep breath. When you open your eyes again, you can see Jihoon’s face better. There’s concern set in his eyes.

“Y/N?”

“I’m sorry,” you whisper.

“You’re okay. This is all…a lot. I’m also still…” Jihoon doesn’t continue, but you understand. “We should just sleep.”

“I don’t think I can.”

“I know, but we’ll feel better after we sleep. Just try with me?” Jihoon’s thumb runs over your knuckles. “Even if you don’t sleep, at least lay down with me?”

“Yeah, yeah, okay.” You were fighting Jihoon earlier, but as soon as you lay down you feel your exhaustion take you over. Your mind is still reeling but Jihoon’s body is cuddled into your side and you can hear him breathing in your ear. You focus on his breath and eventually you’re able to drift to sleep.

The mood is somber in the morning.

“What’s the plan for moving islands?” Wonwoo asks.

Hansol is still asleep and you and Jihoon have just woken up. It seems Wonwoo wasn’t able to sleep last night.

“We have to think about threats that may be lurking on the other islands, but we’re already down ten tributes,” you say. You’re still buried deep into the sleeping bag. “I think that we should move to the next closest island though. It minimizes time in the water which means less threat from the tributes who can actually swim.”

You stir around and eventually climb out of the sleeping bag. Jihoon wants to pull you back in and stay there forever, but he knows he can’t do that, so he climbs out as well.

Jihoon knows he’s in the Hunger Games and truly only one person can win, but he wasn’t expecting to lose someone so soon. Especially the person who was his ally. Seokmin saw something in him that nobody else did and now he’s gone.

He told Jihoon about his family and the animals they worked with and how wanted to prove himself in the games. He didn’t want to be just some silly guy who didn’t stand a chance. It pains Jihoon to know that he will never be able to show everyone what he truly could do. Jihoon saw him in training working with the knife and ropes, he was truly skilled.

Jihoon can’t blame Wonwoo for taking Seokmin’s knife though. He was sitting watch at the time, he needed protection too. The whole situation was a tragedy.

“Can someone wake Hansol up? I want us to move out as soon as possible,” you say, breaking Jihoon from his thoughts. “I’ll try and combine all of our items into one bag for easier travel.”

“Y/N-ah,” Jihoon gasps a bit and you look over at him. You look a bit shocked as well.

“Jihoon, your neck.” Jihoon reaches up and touches his neck. It’s still tender from last night.

“It’s…really bruised,” Wonwoo explains. “Y/N, your face is too.”

“Yeah, because that District 1 bitch punched me,” you grumble. Your fingers are also all beat up, purple and red spattered over your knuckles. “We don’t have time to dwell on appearances though. We have to get moving.”

Eventually everyone is awake and everything is packed and ready to go. The group stands on the edge of the island and you scope out which island is the closest.

“That way.” You point to the right. In view there’s another island that looks very green with trees and a bit of sand surrounding it, like a beach. It’s most likely a jungle styled island, there’s been a few arenas in the past that have had similar themes.

The swim looks a little bit less than a mile which Jihoon internally groans at.

It already took him an embarrassingly long time to swim from the Cornucopia to the island they’re on, and that was probably a little over a quarter of a mile. It doesn’t seem like anyone in their group are exemplary swimmers though and Jihoon knows you’re just hoping the District 4 tributes don’t come after you guys.

You’re securing your axe and the bag to your person you turn to the group. “Are you guys ready?”

“What if I drown?” Hansol asks, looking worried.

“You won’t. You were able to get across the sea the first time and you were in distress.”

“You basically dragged me the whole way.”

“Then I’ll drag you again if needed. I’m not staying on this island, so it’s do or die.”

“You know we could die, while doing,” Wonwoo says. “I’m fine with this plan, I’m just stating the facts.” You roll your eyes at him.

You don’t seem to be taking any more complaints as you wade into the water. You get until it’s deep enough you can start swimming and you take off. Wonwoo is quick to follow after you.

Jihoon follows after you, knowing that out of everyone here he’s the one who has the least say in staying on the island or not. Where you go, he follows. Seeing everyone else take off Hansol sighs and gets into the water as well. Good choice, you do have all the supplies after all.

Jihoon was never taught how to swim. It’s a bit hard to learn when you live in the middle of the woods. Out of everyone, Wonwoo is the best swimmer. You’re not too bad yourself and Jihoon wonders where you learnt to swim. Jihoon on the other hand, is struggling. He’s basically flailing around in the water and trying his best to not get water in his mouth. It only works once in a while. His spear isn’t making things easier and he almost keeps poking himself in the face.

Hansol is in the same boat as Jihoon is and Jihoon doesn’t know if that makes him feel better or worse. It’s probably been thirty minutes and the group is still only halfway through. If it wasn’t for Jihoon and Hansol, Jihoon thinks you and Wonwoo would already be to the other island.

The water isn’t as cold as it was the first time they swam through it though, and Jihoon is grateful for that.

It takes probably another twenty minutes to reach the shore of the island and Jihoon falls down onto the sand. His body is tired and he’s completely wet and still a bit cold. At least nothing attacked them while swimming.

“A jungle, huh,” Jihoon hears you muttering.

You’re standing next to his head staring at what lays beyond the beach. You’re still dripping wet and Jihoon stares in awe at the way the sun shines against your dewy skin. Your hair is hanging lip in your face and you’re slighting scowling, but Jihoon still thinks you look gorgeous.

“Hey Soonyoung?” You yell to the sky, not caring if you’re alerting any dangers your location. “Can we get some water or something?”

Oh right, sponsorships. Jihoon wonders if he has any. Or more if you have any. He’s sure you do, not just from your high training score and charming interview, but also due to the fact the whole Capitol seemed obsessed with your storyline with Jihoon. Especially the part where you vowed to get him home safe.

You stand there for a moment more and when nothing happens you grumble, “Fucking useless. Come on Ji, we gotta go find some water.”

You reach down and help Jihoon up on his feet. You reach over and push Jihoon’s wet hair out of face and smile at him softly. Jihoon blushes.

Jihoon follows closely behind you as you lead the group into the jungle. The foliage is thick and you keep having to use your axe to chop it out of the way. It seems like no threats reside on this island. At least not right now.

Jihoon’s eyes scan the area, looking for something. Food, water, shelter, danger. He’s not sure, but he’s looking. There’s a glint of something up ahead, like the reflection of water.

“Look.” Jihoon points and you follow his gaze.

“Let’s go check it out.”

As Jihoon gets closer to it, he realizes it is water. A giant pond surrounded by plants glistening in the sunlight.

“I don’t trust it,” you say softly.

Wonwoo steps up beside you. He squints at the water before moving closer to it to inspect it. “It looks artificial. It could be dangerous.”

Wonwoo looks around before picking up a stick from the ground. When he throws it into the water, the water around it sizzles. Jihoon wonders if it’s some kind of acid. It’s at least not safe to drink.

“Water!” Hansol proclaims and runs down to the pond. You try to grab him but you miss.

“Hansol, no!”

Hansol’s hands are already in the water before he hears you and he quickly pulls his hands back, hissing. He quickly wipes his hands on the ground, trying to get the ‘water’ off of them. When he brings his hands up, they’re red and blisters are already starting to form.

There’s a scowl on your face as you move down towards the water. Jihoon thinks you’re going to help Hansol, but you get up into Wonwoo’s face instead.

“What the fuck was that?”

“What are you talking?” Wonwoo glares at you back.

“You didn’t stop him. You saw him coming, you knew the water was dangerous, and yet you let him stick his hands right in it.” You shove at Wonwoo’s shoulder a bit.

Wonwoo rolls his eyes, like he’s annoyed at you. “What was I supposed to do? I didn’t know he was gonna stick his hands right in it. I barely had time to even realize he was there.”

“How unaware can you be to not notice? We’re supposed to be looking out for each other.”

Jihoon quickly moves towards you two, not wanting the fight to evolve into something worse. He tugs at your arm and puts his body between you and Wonwoo.

“Y/N-ah, come on. We have to help Hansol.” Jihoon is able to pull you away from the fight, but there’s still a scowl set on your face as you move over to where Hansol is nursing his hands.

“We need fresh water to clean his hands,” you say. “I think there’s some ointment in the first aid stuff. We just need water.”

Ding.

Jihoon looks up to see a silver container floating down out the sky. It lands on the ground.

A sponsor gift.

You quickly grab it and open it. Inside is a piece of metal tubing shaped strangely. Jihoon’s never seen something like it before and he tilts his head, trying to figure it out. You seem to know what it is though as you stand and move over to the tree.

You hold it up to the tree and use the back of your axe to push it into the tree. Jihoon then gets it. It’s a tap.

A few seconds later water starts to pour out of the tree and Jihoon helps Hansol move over so he can wash his hands off. You dig around in the bag and grab out the bandages and the water canteen. Everyone takes turns drinking the water before you fill up the canteen and pocket the tap.

You and Wonwoo both look to have cooled down now that you’ve drank some water and Jihoon hopes it stays that way. Starting a fight with the allies is not a great way to stay alive.

“We should find some food,” Wonwoo suggests. You nod.

“Let’s split up. We’ll meet back here when the sun is at it’s highest,” you tell the group.

“What happens if we run into trouble?” Hansol asks.

“Do your best to get away, come find us. You’ll be safe though, Wonwoo will protect you. Right?” You shoot Wonwoo a look and he looks like he wants to start another fight but nods.

“Right. I have a knife. We’ll be okay.”

With that you split up. Wonwoo and Hansol go in one direction, while you and Jihoon go in the other direction.

“Do you trust Wonwoo with Hansol?” Jihoon asks you once they’re out of earshot.

“No, but I trust him with you less, and I’m not letting you and Hansol on your own out here,” you respond. “I don’t think he’s going to do anything though.”

Jihoon reaches out for your hand, a desire to comfort you overtaking him. You squeeze his hand.

You two walk in comfortable silence, looking for something to eat. Jihoon went to the plant survival station, but he can only remember a few of the poisonous plants and even fewer edible ones.

The air is hot and uncomfortable and Jihoon misses the cold climate from back home. District 7 may not have always been kind to him, but Jihoon finds himself missing a lot from back home. One thing mainly being his guitar.

He wishes for nothing more than to be sitting in Beomju’s living room, writing music with the older boy. They’d take a break a few hours in so Jihoon can stretch his legs. They’d eat lunch together and then Beomju would suggest they talk a walk into town.

While in town they would walk the market and see what everyone was selling that day. Maybe Beomju would convince Jihoon to buy something that tickled his fancy. Sitting at a booth towards the end would be Joshua with his hand beaded bracelets.

If Jihoon was lucky you’d be in town as well. You’d have a bundle of wooden boards hauled on your shoulder and you’d stop for a moment to talk to Joshua. Jihoon would stare at you, the way he caught himself doing multiple times.

It never meant anything. Just Jihoon appreciating the skills of something he could never do. He’s let his eyes linger on the muscle of your arms before you were off again and Jihoon would wonder what it’s like to be you.

“Ji,” you say. The real you, not the one in Jihoon’s thoughts. Jihoon blinks and suddenly his daydream has disappeared and you’re staring at him. The one real thing about Jihoon’s imaginary scenario, is that you’re just as good looking in real life.

“Sorry I spaced out. What’s happening?”

“Look.” You nod your head towards something in the distance. When Jihoon gets a better glance he sees it’s a type of hog. It’s staring back.

“Is it a mutt?”

“It would have attacked already if it was,” you say in a hushed whisper. “What I think it is, is our meal for the next two days.”

“How are we going to kill it?”

“We? You’re the one holding the spear Jihoon-ah.”

“Me! I can’t do that. I can barely even throw the thing, let alone aim well enough to hit something. What about your axe?”

“It’s too clunky. Sure, I can throw it, but it’s not really meant for long distance. The spear is quicker and easier.”

Deep down Jihoon knows you’re right, but he’s not going to risk not eating for the next two days just because he can’t aim.

“Why can’t you do it?” Jihoon tries to push the spear into your hands but you shove it back.

“I don’t know how to use that thing any better than you do. You’ve been training with it for three days. You can do it, Ji, I believe in you.”

Jihoon has to stop himself from getting weak at the knees from your words, but it’s hard when you’re looking at him like that and using that nickname on him. All of Jihoon’s friends call him “Hoonie” and he kind of hates it. It’s too cute. No one takes him seriously already and the childish nickname doesn’t help. ‘Ji’ is different though. It gives Jihoon strength.

Jihoon lets out a huff. He can do this. He turns towards the hog and stares it down. He lifts the spear and readies himself. He’s been able to hit the target before in training, he can do it now. Jihoon reels his shoulder back before launching the spear into the air.

It flies across the jungle. It’s a bit wobbly and Jihoon’s arm muscle feels weird after, but none of that matters when the knife sinks into the boar’s leg. It lets out a high pitched squeal and tries to run but falls to the ground instead.

Jihoon didn’t kill it, but he did immobilize it.

“Oh my god, you hit it! I knew you could do. I’m so proud of you Songbird!” You scoop Jihoon up into a hug. He hugs you back tightly, filled with ecstasy. He hit it. “Come on!” You grab his hand and pull him towards the hog.

Jihoon doesn’t think he’s seen you this excited in a while and it makes him feel good knowing he caused it.

The pig is still squealing when you approach it. You pluck Jihoon’s spear out of its leg and it lets out another whine.

“Sorry dude,” you tell the hog before stabbing the spear down into its heart, killing it for good. You hand the spear back to Jihoon and he grimaces at the blood on it.

You lean down and pick up the boar. Jihoon takes a second to admire your sheer strength before following after you back to the meeting spot. Jihoon hopes that Wonwoo and Hansol found even more food as well. If they did, the group would be set for food for a while.

It’s past the meeting time when you get back to camp and Wonwoo and Hansol are waiting for you and Jihoon already.

“Woah!” Hansol perks up when he sees you two approaching. “Wonwoo look!”

“Wow,” Wonwoo whispers in awe.

“It’s so big Y/N! How are you carrying it so easily?” Hansol asks as you drop the hog onto the ground.

“I carry around trees for a living Sol, a pig is nothing.” And yeah, how is Jihoon supposed to find that anything but attractive.

“Look what we found!” Hansol moves back to where Wonwoo is sitting. Laid out on a dried piece of bark is an assortment of nuts and fruits. “Wonwoo was able to remember what was and wasn’t edible and collected as much as we could.”

“Good job kid,” you tell Hansol as you ruffle his hair. “Come on, help me collect some wood and we can start a fire.”

Despite him not being in the original alliance, Hansol seems to be a good fit for the team. More importantly, he seems to be a good fit for you. Jihoon doesn’t know the relationship you have with your sister, but it’s clear from the way you interact with Hansol that you’re a good older sibling.

Jihoon stares down at the boar. He’s not exactly sure how to skin it and cut the meat properly. He wishes Seokmin was here. He’d probably know what to do.

Jihoon is still contemplating on what to do with the pig when a cannon goes off. Jihoon jumps. He looks around wildly. Wonwoo is still sitting in the same place he’s been in since you and Jihoon walked up. You’re a few yards away. You have a hand wrapped around Hansol’s wrist, but both of you seem okay.

Jihoon lets out a sigh of relief. You guys are all okay. It was someone else. That thought doesn’t make Jihoon feel great, but it does make him feel better, as guiltily as it makes him feel.

It’s a good reminder to Jihoon that despite feeling joyful over killing the boar, he’s still here, in the arena, always two seconds away from dying.

You leave Jihoon to teach Hansol how to start a fire. You have a boar to figure out how to skin. You frown down at it. You work with trees for a living. How the hell should you know what to do with the damn thing.

The first step is clean your knife. You still have the knife used to killed Seokmin in your bag and as sick as it is to use it for this purpose, you don’t have many other options. You clean the knife off with some water and a bit of the iodine before moving back to the boar.

You decide to just go for it. You slit the stomach open and take all of it’s insides out, doing your best not to gag as you do. You don’t get how people can do this for a living.

“Do you, uh, need help?” You look up to see Wonwoo standing over you. You’re honestly still a bit upset from earlier, but you know you can’t hold a grudge if you want to stay on Wonwoo’s good side.

“I have no clue what I’m doing,” you admit to him. It’s a peace offering. You’re not going to apologize, but it doesn’t seem like Wonwoo’s expecting you to.

Together you two are able to sort of get the hog skinned and cut up in a way that it can be ate. The fire is raging on and you take your place next to Jihoon. You cook the meat in silence and when it’s finished you wrap most of it up in a few big leaves and put in the bag with the goods that Wonwoo and Hansol found for later.

When you guys are done eating you put out the fire. You’re not sure what else to do now. You have food and water and could easily make shelter. It’s not like you guys are going to go out and hunt other tributes down.

The rest of the day is spent uneventfully which, while in the Hunger Games, is a good thing. You guys decide to keep camp by the acid lake, as it’s a good landmark. Once the sun starts to set you roll out the sleeping bag and climb in, Jihoon following right behind you.

When the anthem plays, you don’t bother looking at the sky. You squeeze your eyes shut and bury your face into Jihoon’s neck. You already know two out of three deaths that have happened since the last time the recap happened, and it doesn’t matter who the third person is. You don’t even let yourself hope that it’s one of the careers. It’s obviously no one that noteworthy, from how none of the boys comment on it.

It's been an emotionally charged day with highs and lows and you easily drift to sleep in Jihoon’s arms.

Wonwoo wakes you up halfway through the night to take your shift on watch. You climb out of the sleeping bag and sit against a tree. Nothing happens the whole night and when the sun starts to come up you crawl back into the sleeping back with Jihoon.

He stirs a bit, his arms wrapping around you when you settle beside him. You drift back to sleep and don’t wake up again until midday. There are no posing threats yet and it’s not like you guys have anything else to do.

When you finally do wake up, Jihoon and Wonwoo are chatting in soft voices. You climb out of the sleeping back and pack it up before sitting down between Jihoon and Hansol. The youngest boy hands you a sliver of meat that you take and eat.

You’re still slightly waking up when a cannon goes off. It wakes you right up.

That makes twelve. Twelve tributes dead in a span of three days. Five of the careers are alive. Four people are left in your group. That means there are three others out there.

One of the careers is immobile though, you remember. During the bloodbath you put your axe in one of the District 4 tributes’ leg. You’re sure they got some kind of medicine for him, but it’s unlikely he’s completely ready to swim and run within three days.

You’re still running numbers and the possibility of the careers dwindling when the ground starts to shake.

“What the hell?” Wonwoo asks. You stand up but your legs are wobbly from the unstable ground. You grab the bag of supplies and your axe. Your free hand finds Jihoon’s.

You make your way through the jungle until you come back out on the beach. The ground is shaking, sand particles jumping around in the air, when you look across the sea. Your jaw drops at the sight.

Slowly being overtaken by the water is the island you were inhabiting yesterday. You watch in silence as the island slowly sinks further and further down before it’s completely submerged, nothing left but a giant patch of water.

“What the fuck,” Jihoon mutters next to you once the ground stops shaking.

“It’s the Gamemakers,” Wonwoo states. “Half the tributes are already gone. They’re going to try and force us together more.”

“By sinking the islands?” Hansol is the most concerned out of everyone. “What if they sink the island we’re on?”

“Then we swim,” you say. “There’s nothing we can do about it Sol-ah. That’s just how the game is.”

You suppose you should have more emotion towards the whole sinking island thing, but you’ve seen enough footage from other arenas that you’re not too surprised. You’re more upset about the ground shaking than the disappearing island.

You move back to your camp. If you don’t have to do anything today, you’d rather not. You do feel a bit bored though. You have half the mind to just start chopping down trees, but you’re not that bored yet.

“We should set up some traps,” Wonwoo suggests, “incase any threats come near the camp.” It’s like there’s anything better to do.

“What are you thinking?”

“We could take some of the vines and weave them into a net. We can hide it under some of the thicker parts of the leaves.”

It’s a good idea. Not surprising that it’s coming from Wonwoo though, you did decide to have him as an ally because he’s smart. The other boys agree as well, and you all split up to collect vines. Hansol and Jihoon go off while you and Wonwoo stroll around the jungle together.

“So you guys make all the technology for the Capitol, what’s it like living in such a rich district?” You ask Wonwoo.

“It’s not as great as it seems. Sure, we have a lot of benefits, but it’s definitely not like we’re the Capitol or District 1 or anything. We are able to use a lot of the technology we make though, so that’s nice. We still have a lot of problems though, especially in the part of the district I live in. It’s hard for my parents to find jobs and I still have to take out a tesserae every year,” Wonwoo says.

You’ve never talked to anyone outside of District 7, so you listen intently as he talks about what it’s like in District 3. You’re sure your conversation isn’t going to be broadcasted to the public, but you find you actually like that idea. This is just a conversation for you and Wonwoo.

“The school is good though, and they start everyone off really young so even the younger generations can start inventing the next new product for the Capitol.”

“Ah, District 7 schooling is okay. It’s really just basics and everything else is learned through trade. I probably spent more time in the lumber yard and in the forest than I did in the classroom. If it was really necessary, I would just skip school and go right to work.”

“You didn’t worry about your education?”

You laugh. “No, it’s not really important when you’re a lumberjack.”

You two have a good accumulation of vines and you two move back to the camp where Jihoon and Hansol have already sat down and started to weave the vines together.

“So what else do you do other than cutting down trees?” Wonwoo asks you as he sits down next to Hansol.

“I just do more woodworking,” you admit. “Carving and carpentry and other stuff.”

“Ah, I’m sure that nice though, having easy access a supply of wood.”

“Eh, not always. We can’t really use the wood we produce unless we buy it, but I get good prices because my boss likes me. The Peacekeepers aren’t always happy with him, but he runs the biggest lumber yard in the District and he has good ins with the mayor so it’s not like they can do anything about it.”

Hansol’s attention is drawn by this. “Are the Peacekeepers in your districts strict?”

“Very,” Wonwoo says. “Most people in District 3 behave though, so it’s not a big problem. When someone does act out though, it’s not a pretty sight.”

“Our Peacekeepers are…give and take,” you answer. “They’re easy to rile up but also easy to calm if you know how to work them.”

“Which Y/N does,” Jihoon pipes up. You raise an eyebrow at you. “Admit it, everyone likes you. I’ve seen your run-ins with the Peacekeepers before, you always are able to weasel your way out of it.”

You didn’t realize Jihoon knew about your interactions with the Peacekeepers which probably happened at least once a week. The Peacekeepers in your side of town where you live are a lot more lenient with you, but the ones closer to the town and in the area you work are a bit harsher and take a bit more finagling to get around.

“The Peacekeepers in District 12 aren’t like that at all,” Hansol says. “They’re friendly for the most part, but that’s probably because nobody wants to be stationed in Twelve, so they don’t care much what we do either.”

You never thought about what the Peacekeepers were like in other districts, but you guess it makes sense that the rules are less enforced in the poorer districts. You’re sure the Peacekeepers in District 2 are awful, especially since they’re trained there.

You and the boys spend the rest of the day talking about your lives back home and weaving the net together. Right before the sun sets you and Wonwoo are able to set the net trap so whoever gets caught in it will be suspended in the trees.

You know that soon you’ll have to split up from Wonwoo and Hansol. You were hoping to have more time together, but with only three other non-career tributes, the hard truth is that you guys won’t be able to stay together for much longer without being enemies.

You’ll have to split up soon, but not yet.

No more canons go off that night. Or the next day. Or the next. It’s boring, not that you want anyone to die. You spend the days talking to the boys and occasionally taking walks with Jihoon. Nothing actually happens until the next day during the evening.

You and Jihoon have just got back from looking for food (you were able to kill a bird) when you get jumped.

They drop out of the sky, but it’s more likely they’re coming from one of the trees. A good way to avoid the trap you laid. You’re not sure how they got up there without Wonwoo or Hansol noticing, but you can’t really focus on that when you’re struggling to fight them.

Their fingers claw at your eyes and your body falls to the ground. You two roll around, punch at each other. Your axe is attached to your belt, but your hands are too occupied to grab it. You’re strong, you could probably overpower them, but they keep slicing at your face with their nails and you can’t completely focus.

You grab their arms and throw them. They don’t go far due to the awkward angle, but you’re able to get your bearings and stand up. They lunge at you again and you’re ready for them this time. You swing your axe at them and they stumble back before the blade can hit them. You’re on them in a second, slamming them against a tree and they punch your jaw. What is with the people you fight going for your jaw?

They kick at your knee and your leg buckles and you loosen your grip on them. It’s just enough that they’re about to tackle you back down to the ground. You see the glint of a knife and for a split second you wonder where they pulled it out from.

Just as they’re about to slice you, something takes the person off you. When you sit up you see it’s Wonwoo. They go through a tussle of their own, but Wonwoo is easily overpowered due to his skinny stature. You swoop in again, swinging your axe at the person. Your blade slams into their side with a squelch and they fall off of Wonwoo with a groan, their blood spurting into the air. They stagger to their feet but before they can make another move you shove the top of your axe into their chest and they fall back, flying right into the pond.

You wince as they scream in agony, the liquid hissing and bubbling around them. Soon the screaming stops and a canon goes off. Wonwoo is still on the ground, his breathing heavy. You move over to him, about to thank him and help him up, when you see the blood covering his hands.

Wonwoo’s neck is also covered in blood and his breathing is labored for more than one reason.

“Wonwoo?” Your voice is soft as you sink down to your knees.

“Y-Y/N.” Wonwoo’s hand twitches and you grab it.

You don’t know what to do. Wonwoo is bleeding out and dying because he saved you and you don’t know what to do. Your panic only subsides because Wonwoo is trying to talk to you. His words come out slow and pained.

"I know you haven't trusted me this whole time, and you know, I haven't trusted you either, and that's what made you such a good ally. Thank you for being my friend Y/N-ah."

Friend.

The word pierces your heart. Jeon Wonwoo is your friend.

His grip on your hands is tight...until it's not. The sound of the canon going off makes you jump. You fix Wonwoo's bangs and straighten his glasses on his face before moving away from his body. The hovercraft comes down and picks him up and all you can do is stare as tears threaten to fall down your face.

"Y/N…” Jihoon approaches you softly as the hovercraft disappears. You turn to look at Jihoon and the look on his face breaks you. You stumble over to Jihoon and fall into his arms and finally let yourself sob.

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