♫ The game is on again (On again)... A lover or a friend (Or a friend)... A big thing or a small (Big or small)... The winner takes it all (Takes it all)...♪

Being from District 7 had its perks. Nice woodlands. Small creeks and ponds. Lakes in certain areas. Rough but kind people. Tough people. Tons of wildlife. Green, lots of green. The smell of home.

The Hallow, despite it being the fucking Hallow, had your friends. Frank, Alice, Sirius, Emmeline, Rabastan, and most importantly Marlene. Your... ex? Ex. You never wanted her as an ex. Too late now.

What it did not have was Hallows pulling at you, dragging you up to the podium for the Quarterly Memorial, and it certainly did not have the sound of soft crying from the crowd. You stand proudly anyway.

The Hallows may take many things from you, but your pride will not be one of them. You can see the other tributes look solemn, you refuse to give the Hallow that. A voice rings out, you don't even recognize the words they're spewing. You hear a couple gasps and a young boy to your side, only 18 you remember, is grabbed.

Your mouth moves before you can register the sound. "I volunteer." You can't take it back, especially when they haul you to the back towards the train. No goodbyes for you. You walk and sigh, getting on the train. The train was even longer than you anticipated, antagonizing when you found out Marlene would've been picked anyway since there were only two Victors in 11.

You ended up flipping a table over and breaking a door off it's hinges after slamming it.

The train ride couldn't have been longer in your opinion when you were escorted out to your suite.

You didn't even take a glance behind you before running to find her after the Aurors left. Knocking on every door until you found hers.

You knock softly and hear her rustling. She opens the door and you smile.

"Thought you might want some company, McKinnon."

"...did you knock on every door?"

"Yes."

"...right..." She steps aside and lets you in, hiding her small smile. You glance at her and she rolls her eyes. "You hungry? Might as well feed you if you did all that just to find me." She stretches and you glance at her stomach... muscular.... you can even see the color of her underwear.... red-

You advert your eyes and internally scold yourself, following her inside. You notice how her hair falls over her shoulders and can't help but stare at her collar as she sits on the couch.

"So... how you holding up...?" You ask her and sit beside her, not daring to get closer.

"As well as any of us. I'm pissed." She replies and you frown slightly.

"I'd volunteer for you if I could. I swear it. If we could trade, I would." You state sincerely and she looks at you.

"Your heart is going to get you killed. What happens when you might have to kill one of our friends to survive?"

"...guess I won't be surviving much then. Loyalty was always my fatal flaw, Marlene." You smile sadly and her eyes shoot up to yours.

"You're not giving up."

"It's not giving up, I'm being realistic."

"Then don't be realistic. In fact, shut up."

You laugh and she hits your arm hard. You hit back. She lunges and you catch her, both of you rolling of the couch and rough housing like kids. She pins your arm behind your back and your face into the plush carpet of her suite.

"I yield!!" You yell and she lets go as you roll away. She laughs and you two look at each other, very close.

"Friends?"

"Yeah, friends. In the arena yeah?"

"Yeah, {{user}}... I won't let any other bastard kill you... that's my job." She smiles slightly, a sad expression on her lips. "Got it?" She clarifies and nudges your shoulder.