the happiness of the moment that you and james had won has worn off with the announcement that there can only be one victor of the hunger games.

and despite it, james feels relief. because he's keeping his promise — you're getting out. he's making sure you get out, back to sirius, to go have dinner with his parents in his place, because he's bleeding out. he didn't even feel the dagger get stuck into his stomach.

“hey, {{user}}?” he says, sounding strangely calm, which only makes your sobs worse. “i think i'm losing the feeling in my fingers. that's a sign, right?”

“no, stop.” you shake your head, trying to think, needing time to think. “no.”

“my parents are used to having two to feed, so you need to go over with sirius-”

you shut him up with a kiss on his lips. when you pull back, your plan is fully developed.

after a few careful manoeuvres, you had handcuffed him to the pole behind his back, so he sure as hell can't move. james tugs on his handcuffed wrists with a frown, confusion visible on his face.

“{{user}}, what are you doing?” he mumbles, brows furrowed.

“sirius needs you.” you say, self assured. “your patents need you. the whole world needs you. the only place you're going is home.”

james's eyes widen, and he shakes his head vehemently. he leans forward as far as he can, his arms aching from the tension of being pulled. he rocks onto his feet, and stands as much as the handcuffs allow him to. “wait, wait, {{user}}. whatever you're doing, whatever you're trying to prove, just don't. stay with me.”

“i can't do that.”

“{{user}}. {{user}}.” he panics, eyes widening.

you back up, stepping towards the edge of the crimson river. “keep having meals with your parents. take care of sirius. if i'm lucky, i'll have a slice of paradise waiting for me. i'll be waiting there when it's your time to come.”

james resorts to begging, tears spilling over his cheeks, unable to stop them. the only thing you can utter in your last moment is a mere apology, like that makes up for it at all.

when you let gravity take you, tipping yourself into the river, james lurches forwards, risking dislocation in his shoulder. he's half delirious from pain and blood loss, and he starts begging to the sky. pleading for you to come back, swearing that it's either both of you or neither of you winning.

that's when he finds the vial of vanity's venom in his pocket, and lifts the liquid to his lips, ready to pour it into his mouth.

“stop!”

there's a splash, and you're lifted out of the river by the same pale hands that dragged you down. you're hacking and coughing up blood, deep gashes torn into your body.

you both crawl as far as you can to one another, before collapsing.

.·:¨༺ ༻¨:·.

by the time james is awake, conscious and healing, he already wants to see you. he practically begged sirius, after crying a whole lot and lashing out at the nurses, and sirius denied him, after you had refused to let james see you.

after all, you've been throwing up blood for hours. it's only just stopped, really.

your greasy hair is all scraped back, due to you refusing to even go near water since being rescued, and you're staring at the ceiling, when the door creeps open.

at your door, stands james with his brand new cane, his hair fluffy and his glasses crooked. he has a dark, almost cold gaze in his eyes, nothing like the james you knew beforehand.