Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Hong-er awoke on the morning of the reaping in a cold sweat. Slowly rising from the bed, he ran his fingers through the tangled mess of hair sitting on his head. Still groggy, he blinked a couple times, staring at the dusty mirror by his wardrobe. As the bags under his eyes indicated, he’d barely slept last night. He brushed his hair slightly, just enough to form it into a passable braid and threw on his only shoes, a beat up pair of brown loafers with fabric dye stains and peeling soles. Every movement felt mechanical. As he reached for the door handle, a mangy little cat began rubbing up against the side of his leg, purring. 

“E-ming! What are you doing here? Get out of my sight before I turn you into my new scarf.”

E-ming, the feline his mother had brought home a year ago, was the bane of Hong-er’s existence. His mom had loved it, but he just saw it as an extra mouth to feed. Still, as the only remnant of her, he had no choice but to keep the beast around. 

After deciding to feed the cat one more time, Hong-er headed for the reaping center. In District 8, reapings were held in a small clearing between the cotton fields and the peace-keepers station. It was isolated from the residence areas, likely to prevent runners from dipping into a nearby hiding place. The air was thick with anxiety and dread, not that it was much different from any other day of the year. Hong-er remained zoned out until a blue haired figure dressed in what can only be described as two flamingos and an umbrella waltzed towards the microphone in the center of the stage. She spoke in an airy, sing-song voice, droning on and on about glory to Panem and other bullshit Hong-er could hardly stand. 

“On this momentous day, I feel so incredibly humbled to see such bright faces! It is truly such an honor to be selected to represent one’s District for this, the 93rd annual hunger games. As always, we will start with the girls.”

She stepped over to a large glass bowl filled with small sheets of paper. Fumbling around a bit with all the theatrics of a Capitol citizen, she finally settled on one slip. She pulled it out slowly to build anticipation. 

“Ban Yue? Will the most lovely Ban Yue please make her way to the stage?”

A pale girl, likely only 14 or 15 made her way up onto the stage in a shuffle. Not a single breath could be heard across the crowd. Nearly in tears, she stood next to the bird woman with her head hung low. 

“And now for the boys! Oh! I’m nervous,” she squealed. “...Yin Yu? Yin Yu, congratulations!”

A scrawny little boy, certainly only 12, let out a squeak and started to move. He hardly looked like he’d make it onto the stage, let alone to the games. Just as he was about to emerge from the crowd of boys, a clear, cool voice sounded from the back. 

“I volunteer as tribute.”

A collective gasp shook through the air as a thousand eyes turned to look at Hong-er. The crowd may have been shocked to hear there was a volunteer, but Hong-er had been planning this since his mother’s death. He had decided there was nothing left for him in this dump, and he wanted out. He pushed past the boy, Yin Yu was it? Nearly skipping onto the stage, he wore a shit-eating grin that was most certainly out of place. 

The blue haired capitol speaker looked like she was about to pass out from excitement. “A volunteer! How noble, how brave! Well then, congratulations to the District 8 tributes for the 93rd annual Hunger Games! May the odds -” She paused, turning towards Hong-er. “Be ever in your favor”

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Only four years ago, Xie Lian had won his games at just 13. Pressured into volunteering at a young age by his father, it seemed almost certain that he wouldn’t make it out, but luck was on his side. His mentor, Jun Wu, had worked tirelessly to make him appear as a charming and personable tribute. Being the male tribute from District 1 and being beloved by the capital made gaining sponsors a laughably easy task. 

Though his initial plan had been to hide until the end, his career status made him a target by those who didn’t care that he was one of the youngest tributes there. Xie Lian had insisted on harming no one during the games, but when push came to shove, he was forced to kill his remaining two opponents, making him the victor. Overwhelmed with guilt and traumatized from his experience in the arena, Xie Lian was declared insane by Capitol doctors, left to live out the rest of his days in the victor’s village in solitude. This was what made the knock on his door one week before the reaping especially shocking. He jumped when he heard it. Who could possibly be seeking out the maddest victor in District 1? Slowly, he inched towards the entrance of his home. He opened the door to find two peace keepers he knew all too well. 

“What are you doing here?” Xie Lian asked in almost a whisper.

“Pack your shit. You’re heading to District 8,” Mu Qing stated. 

“What? What are you talking about?” Now Xie Lian was really confused. What reason would he possibly have for leaving the victor’s village, let alone visit another District. 

It was Feng Xin who spoke next. “You’ve been selected to mentor the male tribute from District 8. They haven’t had any victors in recent years, and their last one recently passed.”

“They say she did it herself. Guess she couldn’t live the lavish lifestyle anymore,” Mu Qing scoffed. 

“Oh will you shut up?” Feng Xin exclaimed, clearly frustrated with his partner.

Xie Lian didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. After a moment, he chose laughter. “Why on earth would they choose me? Truly, I pity the poor child who will be stuck with my mentorship.”

“You’ve got a volunteer,” Feng Xin explained. “Some 14 year old with no prospects of winning.”

“That’s what they said about me.”

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The train ride over to District 8 was exhausting. Xie Lian hadn’t left his home during his four years of solitude, save for a few quick trips to the market when he knew most would still be sleeping. As they passed through District 9, Xie Lian stared out the window in silence, taking in the waving fields of wheat. He had so many questions, but thought it best to keep them to himself. He knew how the Capitol could be, and didn’t want to cause a scene. 

He wondered why they could have possibly selected him. He hardly remembers his own games, the painful memories blocked out by his brain, likely as a defence mechanism. But more importantly, Feng Xin and Mu Qing had delivered the message directly from the President of Panem. Why would he be so invested in a random winner from District 1? After all, more than ⅓ of the past victors came from 1 and 2, he was hardly special. 

After 3 days of traveling, they finally reached the District 8 station. The wood panels on the floor creaked with each step and Xie Lian was certain he was breathing in dust by the bucket full. A couple of peace keepers approached him, leading him to the only relatively clean building in the District center. Waiting inside was a taller woman with raven black hair pulled into a high ponytail. She wore a scowl that made Xie Lian shudder. 

“Um…hello? My name is Xie Lian and I was brought over to mentor one of the tributes. Do you happen to know where I need to go?”

“Hmmp” 

Not much of a talker, clearly. Xie Lian thought to himself. 

Just as he was about to venture off to find someone, a pom-pom with legs walked into the room. This…person…whoever they were, was dressed in a round, fuzzy dress with little charms dangling from the bottom and a feathered golden mask.

“Hello lovelies! My name is Shi Qingxuan and I’m the Capitol representative for District 8 this year. Oh goodness, Xie Lian, my lovely boy, how are you? How have you been? How’s the family?”

Clearly, she hadn’t heard the news. After Xie Lian’s return, his parents were ridden with the guilt of sending their child into the games and had hung themselves. It was ruled an apparent double suicide, but Xie Lian had his doubts. Still, the young boy was well trained enough not to bring it up. 

“I’ve been well, thank you Shi Qingxuan. How have you been fairing?” He said, putting on his best smile. After hearing her voice, Xie Lian had recognized the Capitol citizen, though he was still unsure what led her to make such outlandish fashion choices. 

“Charming as ever, A-Lian. That's why I dote on you so much! Ah- where are my manners, Xie Lian, this is the other mentor, He Xuan from district 4. She won her games a year after yours!” She was so bubbly, it nearly hurt to converse with her for too long. 

She led them into a room towards the back of what Xie Lian deduced as their town hall, where a boy and girl were seated in silence. 

“Well then, tributes, these will be your mentors for the games. He Xuan, you will be taking care of Ban Yue. Xie Lian, you’ve been assigned to our wonderful volunteer, Hong-er. He Xuan, Ban Yue, follow me! Xie Lian, you can stay here and get to know your mentee.” With that, she clicked her heels and briskly walked out the door, He Xuan and Ban Yue trailing behind. 

“Hi. Um…so…my name is Xie Lian, and I suppose I’ll be your mentor.” God, could he be any more awkward.

“Hong-er,” He said in a monotone voice. “It’s great to meet you.”

Wonderful, Xie Lian’s mentee already hated him and they had only just met. 

“Gege?”

“Hmm?” ‘Gege’ was new, but he didn’t correct the boy. 

“I just wanted to let you know that I’m planning on dying in there. No point in wasting your time helping me, I’ve already decided.”

Well this was surely an interesting development. Perhaps this is why he had been selected. To sit back and watch his tribute die before returning to his solitude. Possibly another sick punishment from the Capitol. Still, he was curious…

“And why is that Hong-er?” He asked carefully. 

“I’m done,” He said, in a matter of fact tone. “I see no reason to continue living in this shithole. I can’t take it anymore, I want out. I want to eat Capitol food, then die.” He laughed a little at this, with only an ounce of amusement. 

“How old are you?” Xie Lian asked quietly. 

“Fourteen”

That was young. Too young to feel this way. But Xie Lian knew better than to convince him otherwise. Why should he gain a last bit of hope when the odds were against him? After all, the odds are never in your favor. Xie Lian knew this more than anyone. 

“Alright then. If that’s the case, we will focus on making your last days as enjoyable as possible!”

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hong-er was led onto the train in a hurry. He hardly had time to pack his things, though he was assured that there would be plenty of supplies for him in the Capitol. Sitting in his assigned bedroom on the train, his mind wandered back to his mentor. He’d heard about Xie Lian’s games. He had watched the footage of Xie Lian brutally mutilating his opponents, until they were hardly recognizable. What he didn’t understand was how that ruthless killer was now the District 1 laughing stock. So much so that he was chosen to mentor the volunteer from a poor district. Still there was something off about Xie Lian. Was he even insane? Or was it all an act?

One thing Hong-er had to admit was that Xie Lian was truly beautiful. His long chestnut hair sat perfectly on his shoulders and down his back. He was young and fit, clearly well trained despite his smaller, lean frame. But what Hong-er had noticed first were his eyes. Long, delicate eyelashes framed his warm honey eyes – the kindest eyes Hong-er had ever seen. When he stepped outside, they sparkled in the sunlight. Surely, if Xie Lian had not been deemed insane, he would have been scooped up to be a high ranking Capitol official’s spouse by now. 

What are you thinking right now? Get a grip. He thought to himself, getting up from the bed. 

Hong-er wandered out into the main car of the train to find Xie Lian and Shi Qingxuan drinking tea. She had 5 different pastries in front of her, each with a single bite taken out of them. Xie Lian only had a cup of tea and a small slice of bread. 

“Oh hello darling,” Shi Qingxuan sang. “Oh do come join us for breakfast. You haven’t had anything to eat yet, right?

He stepped towards the table, opting to take the chair next to Xie Lian. 

“Would you like some tea?” Xie Lian asked

“Yes. And I’ll take some of those cookies too,” Hong-er responded

“Perfect,” said Xie Lian, as he started loading Hong-er’s plate with everything he could reach. 

As the cookies piled high onto his plate, Hong-er felt relief. His mentor had taken his words to heart. 

Hong-er looked around the table. Xie Lian was wearing a simple cream blouse with a tan cardigan pulled over it, clearly an afterthought. His hair, nearly reaching his waist, was pulled into a simple braid down his back. This was nothing like what Hong-er had imagined a victor from District 1 would dress like. Shi Qingxuan, on the other hand, was wearing a sparkling low cut green dress with tiny diamond flowers woven into the fabric. Her hair was pulled in every direction to create a chandelier-like up do. This was exactly what a Capitol citizen should dress like. When she had gotten the time and where she had gotten a make-up team on this train was beyond him. 

He was downing his second cup of tea when Ban Yue walked into the dining car. He Xuan was nowhere to be found.

“Ban Yue! Perfect, now that you are both here, I want to brief you on Capitol Proceedings,” said Shi Qingxuan. 

“We are set to arrive in the Capitol in about a day. You’ll meet your stylist there and prepare for the chariot ceremony in the evening. Then you’ll have 3 days of training before a private session in front of the game makers,” she continued. 

“What if we don’t train?” Hong-er asked eagerly. 

“Then you don’t. Just sight tight and practice tying knots or something,” said Xie Lian, not looking up from his cup of tea. 

“Don’t you want to train?” Shi Qingxuan frowned, genuinely confused. “Don’t you want to win and bring glory back to your District?”

“No. I’m not giving those Capitol fuckers the satisfaction of a good show.”

“Hong-er! Language please!” hissed Shi Qingxuan. “In any case, you’ll have the chance, if you so choose.”

Xie Lian slowly turned to the tributes. “We will need to work on your skills and identify your weaknesses. Ban Yue, I know He Xuan is your official mentor, but you are welcome to come to me for anything as well.” Hong-er couldn’t help but feel the sincerity in his words. He looked for an ounce of malice, perhaps an indicator that Xie Lian wasn’t taking this seriously, but nothing could be found. Interesting. 

—---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After days of travel, the train finally arrived at the Capitol. The first thing Hong-er noticed was how clean everything was. Sterile. As he stepped out of the train car, a man with a pink curled moustache and an anaconda wrapped around his neck zipped by. Truly, Capitol fashion was something he’d never understand. Xie Lian got out of the train next, with an unreadable expression on his face. His smile is flat, enough to seem amiable, but forced nonetheless. 

“Alright Hong-er, we need to head to the tribute apartments to meet your designer. Follow close to me and don’t stray off. We don’t want to engage with anyone if it is not necessary.”

Hong-er nodded. He had no desire to interact with any of these people anyway. Xie Lian led him to an opulent courtyard with several buildings, each a different shape and color. They entered a curved skyscraper with alternating green and blue glass panels. As they headed for the elevator, they were intercepted by a small group. They looked far more well fed than Hong-er, even perhaps Xie Lian. He turned to see that Xie Lian had a bitter smile on his face. A woman among them, older than the boys she was with, approached them with a grin. 

“Xie Lian, a pleasure as always to see you. I heard you were stuck with some lowlife from District 8, is this the unfortunate fellow?

“Ah, Ling Wen. As I’m sure he has ears that work well enough, would you please refrain from insulting my mentee to his face. I could say a lot about the male tribute from District 2, but I prefer to keep quiet.” He had a smile now, but Hong-er could feel the rage seething with every word. 

“What a sharp-tongued individual you have become. Last I heard, you could hardly string together sentences.”

“Well, you shouldn’t believe everything Jun Wu tells you. Where is he anyway?” 

Hong-er was lost now. The conversation seemed to indicate that Xie Lian was well-acquainted with District 2, but for what reason, he was unsure. And who was Jun Wu? Perhaps another victor, maybe a Capitol friend? 

“He’ll be here soon. He’s mentoring that tall one over there. Lang Qianqiu is the name, as I’m sure you already know.” Ling Wen frowned. “He’s a bit rough around the edges, much less media trained than you ever were. Hopefully he doesn’t fuck up his chances of getting sponsorships with his braisen tongue.”

“Ah well, these things can be fixed with proper direction. Wishing you the best, I’ll be off now to find our assigned rooms.”

“Take care, your highness”

—---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Your highness. A nickname Xie Lian hadn’t heard since his time as a tribute. It only took him a second to recover before remembering he was still with Hong-er. The pair walked towards the elevator and up they went to the 8th floor where they would be staying. The building had been renovated to accommodate the extra two tributes from district 13. Since their attempt at uprising nearly 20 years ago, they had been subdued and quickly added to the reaping list. This made the revamped Hunger Games all the more deadly. 

Xie Lian found his room quickly and was pleasantly surprised to find that they had placed Hong-er in the room next to him. He turned to the boy with a neutral smile. 

“This will be your room until the start of the games. If you need anything, I’ll be right next door. Feel free to knock whenever.”

Hong-er nodded. “Gege, what should I do now?”

“Please just wait a moment. Your stylist should be in any minute to prepare you for the chariot ceremony.” As if on cue, a lean woman dressed in a simple, navy blue dress made her way down the hall. 

“Good evening!” She turned to Hong-er, “My name is Yushi Huang, and I’ll be District 8’s stylist this year.”

Xie Lian felt a sense of comfort seeing her. His whole body relaxed and he made his way over to the stylist. 

“It’s good to see you,” he said, pulling her into a hug. He whispered into her ear, making sure only she could hear.

“I’m grateful to have you here.”

If Hong-er had heard anything, he made no indication of it. Instead, the boy looked visibly nervous, fidgeting with his fingers while avoiding eye contact. As Yushi Huang let herself into Hong-er’s room, Xie Lian angled himself slightly to whisper into Hong-er’s ear.

“You’re in good hands. Yushi Huang was my stylist 4 years ago.” He hoped this would give even an ounce of reassurance to the boy, though he wasn’t sure if it would do much good. 

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hong-er was dressed in an ornate set of red robes covered in silver ornamentation. The fabric felt like the ones he’d made in the factory, nothing like the ones District 8 residents were allowed to keep for themselves. It was smooth and plush, having a heavy body to it that made Hong-er feel regal. Every step he took made the bells and charms hanging from him jingle. 

As he examined himself in the mirror, he couldn’t help but steal a glance at Xie Lian, who was currently shirtless and being measured by Yushi Huang. He tried to ignore the red flush that was creeping up on his face, but anyone who had been paying attention couldn’t have missed it. Yushi Huang certainly didn’t, as indicated by the little wink she sent his way. 

The chariot ceremony went by in a flash. Hong-er spaced out for most of it, only focusing when they approached the large balcony where a masked figure stood. This man, the President of Panem, had a reputation of being very secretive, so much so that only his closest advisors knew his true identity. What a coward, thought Hong-er. How easy it must be to send children to their deaths without revealing who you are. 

Now tucked into bed and awaiting the first day of training, Hong-er could do little to subside the growing anxiety in the pit of his stomach. He had come to terms with the fact that he was going to die, but being in the Capitol made that decision feel real. He didn’t like that feeling. Hong-er could feel his fears bubbling inside him, like he was about to explode. He kept thinking back to what Xie Lian had told him earlier. If you need anything, I’ll be right next door. Feel free to knock whenever.

Hong-er didn’t remember how, but he found himself standing in the hallway outside Xie Lian’s door. His knocks are barely audible, but in only a moment, he’s standing face to face with a groggy mentor. 

Xie Lian looks at him for only a second before quietly saying, “Hong-er, do come inside.”

Chapter Text

“Hong-er, do come inside.”

There was a softness to his voice, a kindness that made Hong-er’s anxieties melt away. He slowly stepped inside just enough to let Xie Lian close the door, but no further than the doorway. 

“Hong-er, what’s the matter?” 

“I was just thinking…” 

“You were just thinking.” Xie Lian repeated, not as a question, just acknowledgment. 

“...”

“Nothing, it’s nothing. Gege, do you mind if I just stay here for a little while?” For some reason Hong-er felt nervous. Not the existential anxieties from before, but a sort of juvenile shyness. 

“Of course, my door is always open for you,” he replied, and Hong-er knew he meant it. 

“Take a seat anywhere you’d like. Want some tea?”

“Yes.” Thinking for a moment, he added “Please.” 

Xie Lian just smiled at him and started to boil the water. Hong-er could tell Xie Lian wanted to ask, but was waiting for him to initiate the conversation. Unfortunately, he also became aware of just how embarrassed he felt about his panic earlier. So he lied. 

“I’m nervous about training tomorrow. I don’t care about winning, but I don’t want to embarrass myself. I’d like to have some dignity before I go.”

Xie Lian remained quiet for a moment before letting out a sigh. 

“How about we come up with a training plan? You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to. But we can help you fly under the radar without making you seem like an easy target.”

Hong-er wasn’t sure how he felt about this, but he decided to humor Xie Lian regardless. 

“Ok gege, what should I do?”

“You won’t touch any weapons on your first day. You don’t want to seem like a threat either. You will have two goals. Learn to tie knots and find at least one ally. A friend you can count on … temporarily.” 

“This seems an awful lot like a plan to survive,” Hong-er said, a smirk forming on his face. 

“Maybe, but it’s also how you will avoid bullies. Like you said, you want to avoid embarrassment. The best way to do that is to be the most generic tribute possible.” Xie Lian had a grin now too

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Xie Lian slowly carried the sleeping Hong-er back to his bedroom. Though he could feel something was bothering the boy more than nerves, he decided not to push him. If there was anything Hong-er wanted to share, he was free to do so if and when he chose to. After closing Hong-er’s door, Xie Lian started heading back to his own room when he heard a voice from across the hall. 

“Xianle” The voice was deep, smooth, and confident. Xie Lian didn’t even need to turn around to know who had called his name. 

“Jun Wu? Shouldn’t you be on the first floor with your District?”

“Our District Xianle. Ling Wen told me you were here, so I thought I’d stop by. Anyway, how have you been? You rarely come to see me anymore, I missed my star mentee.” 

If it had been anyone but Jun Wu, Xie Lian would have taken this tone as mockery. Instead, he joked back, “I’ve been busy feigning insanity.”

Jun Wu laughed, throwing his head back in an exaggerated motion. He then motioned to Hong-er’s door. 

“Were you visiting your tribute? Such a devoted mentor. You shouldn’t get too attached to him though. It’s an unfortunate truth that he hardly stands a chance against the other tributes this year.”

“If you recall, the odds were against me as well,” Xie Lian said slowly. 

“Yes, well you had a good mentor to guide you”

Xie Lian laughed politely, but something about Jun Wu made him uneasy. He had always felt an immense respect for Jun Wu, as his mentor and eventual friend. When he volunteered for his games, it was Jun Wu who requested to mentor him, likely because of his friendship with Xie Lian’s parents. But the affection he had for Xie Lian was always in excess. It felt stifling. 

“Good luck Xianle. I hope your mentoring is as good as your killing.”

A chill ran down Xie Lian’s spine as he headed for his room. 

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hong-er was still half asleep when he was led into the training center. Spotting Ban Yue talking to the boy from 9, he approached them with caution. A friend you can count on. Xie Lian’s advice from the night before echoed in the back of his mind. Pei Xiu, the boy from 9, seemed hesitant to team up with Hong-er, as indicated by the side glances he made while they were explaining the rules of training. But with Ban Yue’s support, Pei Xiu reluctantly agreed to train with him. 

Hong-er spent the day learning how to make snare traps and nets. His collaboration with Ban Yue and Pei Xiu seemed to foster an unofficial alliance with the pair, an act that would certainly please Xie Lian. Following the plan he and Xie Lian had planned the night before, he made no attempt to practice at any of the weapons stations. Instead, he scoped out his competition, paying especially close attention to Districts 1, 2, and 4. The male tribute from District 1, Lang Qianqiu as he remembered, seemed to be proficient in a sort of curved sword Hong-er had never seen before. Unlike the tributes from the poorer Districts, they had smiles on their faces, like they were playing a game rather than waiting for death. The boy from 2 began to tousle Lang Qianqiu’s hair in a playful manner, an act that left Hong-er wondering if the tributes from the Career Districts were already friends prior to their reaping. 

He kept a low profile until the end of training when a pair of Capitol attendants led him back towards the tribute apartment. Hong-er was horrified to discover that neither attendant seemed to have a tongue and apart from small nods and hand gestures, the walk back felt like he was completely alone. Instead of conversing, he took the time to take in his surroundings. The training facilities were built opposite to the apartments, with a winding path connecting the two. A collection of bright blue flowers grew along the path, a color Hong-er rarely saw back in District 8. Apart from dying fabrics to be sent off to the Capitol, 8 citizens rarely saw bright colors. Secretly, he hoped the arena would be just as beautiful. 

Hong-er entered the apartment building to find Xie Lian waiting for him. Upon spotting Hong-er, he nearly ran towards him. 

“How was training today? Did you form an alliance? You didn’t fight, did you?” 

“Relax, gege. Everything went fine. I'm in an alliance with my District partner and the boy from 9.” As he started recapping the day, Hong-er couldn’t help but notice the pair of glaring eyes focused on him from behind Xie Lian. 

“Ah, Hong-er, I’d like to introduce you to Jun Wu, my former mentor.” He turned to look at the man behind him gesturing him forward. Jun Wu walked over and extended a hand out to Hong-er. 

“It’s a pleasure to meet my Xianle’s tribute.” For some reason, his tone made Hong-er uncomfortable. Perhaps it was the strange nickname, or maybe it was the fact that Jun Wu kept a hand firmly placed on Xie Lian’s shoulder. Everything felt possessive. 

“You should work hard to make him look good. Wouldn’t want him to fall anymore from grace than he already has,” Jun Wu laughed. This angered Hong-er more than he had been all day, but if Xie Lian felt upset by the comment, he made no indication of it. Hong-er on the other hand, had his fist clenched tightly by his side. Xie Lian gently placed his hand on top of the fist before turning back to Jun Wu.

“I’m sure he will. I’m already so proud of him. I’m sorry to leave so soon, but we have to start training for the interviews. You certainly know how important those are,” he said with a smile, before turning Hong-er around, walking him towards the elevator. 

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Xie Lian led Hong-er into a large conference room on the 8th floor where Shi Qingxuan and Yushi Huang were already waiting. Shi Qingxuan sprang up from her chair allowing Hong-er to examine her attire in its entirety. Today, she wore a floor length ball gown made of animal fur. Each hand was covered with rings and bejeweled bracelets, none of which matched. 

They spent the next hour discussing interview angles. Apparently Hong-er’s “attitude” needed a re-adjustment if he wanted to gain any sponsors. Shi Qingxuan spent most of the session training him on how to answer basic questions, making sure he avoided any harsh language. Meanwhile, Xie Lian and Yushi Huang worked together to design his outfit for the interviews.

“We will need to think of a way to frame why you volunteered,” explained Xie Lian, looking down at a list of tasks he had made. “I know your personal reasons, but we can’t say that on national television.”

“Why not?” asked Hong-er

“Because the Capitol doesn’t take well to people who stray from their expectations. If you want sponsors, you’ll need to pull on their heart strings.”

“But I don’t want sponsors. I don’t care about that.”

Xie Lian sighed, rubbing his temple before turning to Shi Qingxuan and Yushi Huang. 

“Do you mind if I have a moment alone with my mentee?”

Once they had left, Xie Lian looked at Hong-er.

“You may not care what happens, but the Capitol won’t just punish you. They’ll hurt your loved ones, they’ll destroy your District.”

“But I have no one left.”

The silence was deafening. Xie Lian looked like he was about to cry, a look that made Hong-er feel bad. 

“Fine, you don’t care. But what about your District? Their food will be cut, they’ll be forced to work overtime. And don’t forget that your actions affect how people perceive me, just like Jun Wu said!”

Hong-er hated hearing Jun Wu’s name, but the pain he saw in Xie Lian’s eyes was far worse. Besides, why was Xie Lian so concerned about his reputation? 

“Fine, gege,” he mumbled, “I can say I volunteered to honor my mom. I wanted to bring glory to my district for her.”

“Ok…Ok, we can work with that.” A look of relief had washed over Xie Lian’s face that made Hong-er feel warm inside. 

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next two days of training went by in a blur and the time had finally come for the tributes to show their skills to the gamemakers. 

Xie Lian spent the day nervously pacing the halls of the 8th floor. Hong-er hadn’t mentioned any weaponry skills and Xie Lian wasn’t sure what he could possibly show the gamemakers. 

When Hong-er finally returned, they went back to the conference room to wait for the scores. Shi Qingxuan, He Xuan, and Ban Yue were already inside.

Xie Lian remembered the announcer from his games. Pei Ming was an obnoxious host who always had something to say about everything. On the TV, he began to read the scores. 

“Welcome everyone, to the 93rd annual Hunger Gamessss! I am absolutely thrilled to present the scores from the training sessions earlier today. Now, as you know, each tribute gets to showcase their best skills in front of the gamemakers to receive a score of 1 through 12. These skills can include poison identification, building traps, and of course, fighting skills,” he said to the camera with an exaggerated wink. “As always, we will start with District 1.”

Xie Lian pulled out a small leather bound notebook to record the scores. District 1: 9, 10, District 2: 9,8, Dist…

He eagerly awaited the announcement of District 8, his hands shaking. 

“For District 8…Ban Yue with a score of 7. Hong-er with a score of … 12”

Xie Lian gasped while Shi Qingxuan grabbed He Xuan by her hands and started twirling around the room. A 12 was exceptional, even by Career standards. Xie Lian had earned an 11 himself, but it was through years of training, so Hong-er’s score stood out even more. Hong-er’s score stood out even more. The implications of this realization made Xie Lian feel sick. For non-Career districts, double digit scores meant they were hunted by the Career pack. A perfect score meant Hong-er would be the first to go. 

“What did you show them?” He asked

“Nothing…”

He stood up, grabbing Hong-er by the collar of his shirt. 

“What did you show them?” Xie Lian’s voice was raised now. He didn’t mean to scare the boy, but he had to know. 

“A-Lian, you should calm down a bit,” Shi Qingxuan said, trying to get him to sit down. 

“I just painted,” Hong-er whispered. “I didn’t fight at all.”

Xie Lian let go of him slowly. He painted? That didn’t make any sense. The Capitol never gave out perfect scores. Not unless they wanted a tribute eliminated. A 12 was a death sentence and anyone familiar with how the Capitol worked knew it. 

“Come with me, now.” Xie Lian’s tone was sharp but Hong-er followed him without asking questions. 

Xie Lian’s head felt like it was about to explode. Who would possibly target a boy from District 8? Sure, he was a volunteer from a poor District, but this wasn’t enough to warrant a death sentence before he even entered the games. Once they were in his room, Xie Lian turned to Hong-er

“I’m sorry for my outburst. It’s just…a 12 is dangerous. You’ll be hunted by the Careers, and they’ll make it painful. You want to die? That’s fine. But I don’t know anyone who wants to go painfully.”

“I don’t want to die.” Hong-er said, his head hung low. Xie Lian almost missed it. 

“I don’t want to die,” Hong-er repeated, “I just have no reason to be alive. My mother is dead, I live in a run-down shack, and I have no friends in my District.

This pained Xie Lian more than he could explain. He understood the feeling of hopelessness in Hong-er. He’d felt it himself when his parents had passed. He let out a small sigh. 

“Then live for me.” Unsure of where this confidence came from, he continued, ”If you don't know the meaning of your life, then make me that meaning and use me as your reason to live.” 

Hong-er looked up at him, his eyes glassy and red. He pulled Xie Lian into a tight hug, grasping onto him like his life depended on it. Finally, he looked up at Xie Lian and whispered, “I’ll win, gege. I promise.”

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hong-er stood in line waiting for his interview. As the line moved closer and closer to the stage, he felt another pang of anxiety spark inside him. Behind him, Ban Yue and Pei Xiu started whispering something to each other that he couldn’t quite make out. Their closeness left Hong-er wondering if there was something going on between them. Such a short time to fall in love. He thought.

When it was finally his turn, he meandered his way towards a pair of arm chairs in the center of the stage. 

“And next, we have Hong-er, from District 8! Savvy audience members will remember that he scored a TWELVE, now how exciting is that. Tell me Hong-er, do you want to share what you did for your training session?”

Hong-er blinked, then spoke. “Well, Pei Ming. I’m afraid I’ll have to keep that a secret. You’ll just have to watch the games to find out.” 

With that, he winked towards the audience, an act that made a few of the women in the front row swoon. Hong-er was so relieved that he had worked on his interview with Shi Qingxuan. She had pointed out that he had a ‘lovely face’ and that a charming personality would pair perfectly. Hong-er had been hesitant at first, but quickly caved after a nod or approval from Xie Lian.

“Ho HO, I love it! The element of surprise. Now, I have to admit, you are truly one of the most interesting tributes this year. Isn’t he folks?”

A roar of applause and agreement filled the room. 

“I think we are all wondering why you volunteered. Did you know the boy who was reaped? Perhaps another reason?” Pei Ming looked genuinely curious, though Hong-er was sure it was all an act nonetheless. 

“Actually, it’s a bit sad. You see … my mother recently passed away and I wanted to win these games in her honor. We used to watch them together, she and I. I just hope I can make her proud.” He put on a pitiful expression that seemed to work. The audience harmonized into an “awwww,” some even in tears. 

“What a touching story!”

“There’s another reason,” Hong-er continued, “I want to win for someone else as well. I have a beloved someone.”

The audience gasped and Pei Ming’s ears perked up

“...And who is this someone?”

"My beloved is a brave, noble, and gracious special someone.” With that, he turned to the camera directly before adding, ”I hope that I can make you proud.”

This was enough for a standing ovation from the audience. He looked out into the audience locking eyes with Xie Lian for just a moment. The small nod of approval was all he needed to know he had done well. 

“Thank you Hong-er!” He was led off stage by another tongue-less attendant. As he walked out he could hear Pei Ming’s fade as he continued with the interviews

“Next up we have Hong-er’s District partner …”

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The night before the games left Xie Lian more anxious than he had ever felt. He sat in the conference room again with Hong-er and Shi Qingxuan, listening to her go on and on about how wonderful his interview was. 

“Hong-er, I knew you had it in you! Well done. Surely you’ll have plenty of sponsors now. Wasn’t he just spectacular A-Lian?”

“Hmm, good work. I’m glad you took your training with Shi Qingxuan seriously. Now, the only thing left to discuss is game strategy.” Ideally, Xie Lian would have liked to discuss this earlier, but the tribute’s sudden change of heart meant that strategizing was held off until now. Fortunately, his mentee is sharp enough to quickly absorb everything he needed to know.  

“You will not run into the cornucopia, you hear me? That’s practically death guaranteed. I want you to scan for the nearest bag, grab it, and run.” 

“Ok…”

“Great. You’ve got an alliance with Pei Xiu and Ban Yue right? Your next task is locating them. But don’t be reckless. The Careers will be hunting you. Can you climb?”

“I can…”

“Then you go as high as possible. I’m not sure what the terrain will look like, but find a tree, boulder, anything that gets you away from immediate danger. You’ll look for your allies from there, and you will wait out the games.”

“What happens if we are the last 3 left?” A valid question Xie Lian had been expecting, but a difficult one to answer nonetheless. He didn’t have the heart to tell the boy that this was an unlikely scenario.

“Then you will go your separate ways. If you don’t want to hurt anyone, don’t. But…be warned that there may come a time when…” Xie Lian stopped. The words were caught in his throat. He tried again, “Just be careful. There may come a time when you will choose between self-defense and death.”

Hong-er nodded solemnly. He understood completely, something Xie Lian hated. 

“Alright then. Get some rest, you’ll need it.”

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hong-er was getting dressed by Yushi Huang when Xie Lian walked in. 

“How are you feeling?” 

Hong-er just shrugged, “Nervous, of course. Nothing else to note.”

His eyes widened as he took in what Xie Lian was wearing today. Unlike his usual simple attire, Xie Lian seemed to be dressed up for a special occasion. His hair was tied back into an elegant bun with small, golden flower pins sticking out. He had on a simple, but well constructed pair of creamy white trousers and his matching white blouse had golden embroidered patterning across the neckline. But what Hong-er had noticed first was that Xie Lian’s ears were adorned with a pair of red pearl earrings. 

Xie Lian must have noticed Hong-er’s attention as he turned to Hong-er to explain, “It's for the first day of the games. The President sent this get-up my way.” He didn’t question why the President would personally select Xie Lian’s outfit. 

Hong-er was dressed in a dark green pair of cargo pants and a tight fitting, long sleeve brown top. Yushi Huang handed him a water-proof windbreaker to put on as she started braiding his hair. 

“Do you have anything from your District you’d like to take with you?” she asked. “Each tribute is allowed one item.”

“I don’t have anything.”

“Here”, Xie Lian said, removing one of his earrings and slipping the red pearl off the wiring it resided on. “Yushi Huang, you can weave it into his hair so he doesn’t lose it.” Then turning back to Hong-er he added, “something from outside the arena will do you some good.”

After he finished getting ready, Xie Lian walked with him to the hovercraft station. Pulled into a hug before his departure, he heard Xie Lian’s whispers in his ear. 

“I don’t know how you fight, but you’re smart. You can win.”

The knot in his throat made him unable to speak, so he nodded into Xie Lian’s chest instead. 

The attendant (an Avox, Hong-er had learned) strapped him into his seat in the hovercraft. As it lifted off the ground, he took a moment to look around the cabin at all his opponents. He was placed in between the girl from 13 and the boy from 7. Directly across from him, the male from District 4 bared his teeth. After what felt like nearly an hour, the hovercraft finally landed and each tribute was led to a different room. 

The peacekeepers nudged him into a glass tube with a metal base and locked the case behind him. Only a moment later, the floor started to move up like an elevator. Hong-er was hit by the bright light of the sun as he rose up to the pedestal. Everything around him started moving in slow motion as a deep voice started counting down. 

10

9

The first thing Hong-er noticed was that the large cornucopia in the middle was bright silver, with the sun reflecting off of it in every direction. Looking down, Hong-er noticed a pool of murky brown water lapping up against his feet. 

8

7

The water was so muddy that he couldn’t tell how deep it really was. Large vines, broken branches, and cut down tree trunks lay scattered throughout the swampy region. Because of the water, the scattered supplies laid mostly in the center. I want you to scan for the nearest bag, grab it, and run. Small bags hung from the half-submerged foliage. They didn’t look nearly as full as those concentrated in the center but Hong-er knew better than to risk it. 

6

5

Past the group of tributes, Hong-er saw a densely packed green forest. Turning to look behind himself, he noticed a single tree that spiked out higher than the rest. Go as high as possible. Hong-er had identified his target. 

4

3

He took one final look at the tributes around him. The boy from 11, no older than 13, was to his left. To his right, the girl from 4 looking eager and bloodthirsty. Pei Xiu and Ban Yue were much further than that. 

Grab a bag, run. Grab a bag, run. Grab a bag, run.

2

1

Chapter Text

The countdown ended with silence. Hong-er hesitated for just a second before jumping into the water around him. It felt cold and viscous, coming up to just above his knees. Not enough for anyone to drown, but high enough to slow them down significantly. The two tributes on either side of him had vanished, likely sprinting towards the cornucopia. 

Hong-er waded through the swampy water as fast as he could. Around him, muffled sounds gave no clues as to where any of the other tributes were and the low ringing in his ear drowned out even his own heavy breathing. All he could discern was the irregular thud of a cannon. He spotted a bag hanging a few yards away and began a grueling trudge through the mud towards it. With each step he took, Hong-er could feel himself sinking deeper and deeper into the mud at the bottom of the swamp. 

Swiftly grabbing a backpack that was hanging on a mess of thorny branches, Hong-er attempted to sprint towards the edge of the water. He felt something brush up against his leg, but had no time to investigate what it was. His legs continued to sink into the mud and every step he took felt like weights were pushing him deeper into the water. Finally, he pulled himself onto the bank by the swamp edge and began sprinting towards the tree he had identified earlier. The water on his cargo pants seemed to weigh him down, but there was no time to think of that now. The forest was densely packed, forcing Hong-er to hurdle over low ferns and weave through the foliage. A blueish fog circled around him as he raced through the trees. 

His senses started to come into focus as his adrenaline faded. After nearly 4 hours of hiking, Hong-er decided to rest, scanning the area for a safe location. Considering his options for a second, he decided it was safest to climb a nearby tree. The tree next to him had no low branches. In fact, it looked like none of the trees in the forest had branches. Instead, a long scaled trunk stared back at him, taunting him. Thinking quickly, he wedged his foot into the bark and pushed his body as fast as he could, using the straps of the backpack as an anchor to hoist himself up. As he pulled himself higher and higher, a thick breeze began to spiral around him, nearly knocking him down. Finally, after climbing about 30 feet in the air, he reached a thick and sturdy-looking branch. 

At this height, the fog that circled him as he ran had dissipated. All Hong-er could see was the thick melange of branches and vines that surrounded him. Turning his focus back to the bag he had managed to grab, he slowly unzipped it. In the main pocket, he found a flashlight, rope, 2 carabiners, a small box of crackers, an empty water bottle, a sleeping bag, and a spout. The small pocket in the front only carried a roll of gauze. After securing himself to the tree with the rope and carabiners, he found himself slowly dozing off.

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hong-er awoke to voices echoing below. He looked down for a moment, but the fog at the base of the tree blocked his view. All he could make out was 4 silhouettes meandering through the trees. Fortunately, the wind had died down and he was able to make out what the figures were saying. 

“I’m sure I saw the fucker go this way. No way he was able to run for that long, he must’ve stopped somewhere.”

“Well I sure as hell can’t see anything in this fog. Can’t we stop for a moment? We’ve been looking for him for hours.”

“Once he’s out, you can rest all you want. Unless you’d like to be stuck in this forest with the only tribute to score a twelve?”

“Alright, let’s go.”

Ah, so they were talking about him. Hong-er felt lucky that he had the strength to make it up the tree. He suspected that the loud boy must’ve been Lang Qianqiu, but he was unfamiliar with the other 3. 

The pack's voices faded as they moved away from the tree Hong-er had been hiding in. He’d spent so much time in the tree that the sun had dimmed now. Hong-er looked up to see a slideshow of faces begin to play in the sky above him. He counted 14 total dead. Unfortunately, Pei Xiu’s District partner had not made it. What Hong-er found surprising was that the female tribute from 4 had also died. Hadn’t she been a part of the Career pack? Plus, given the water environment, she should have had an advantage.

Hong-er let out a sigh of relief when the slide show ended. Neither Ban Yue or Pei Xiu had been in it, so they were still alive somewhere out in the forest. Hong-er just hoped they’d live long enough for him to find them. 

A hungry pang resonated through his stomach, prompting Hong-er to snack on a few of his crackers. His throat felt raw from the combination of running and the dry snack, but the pain in his stomach left him no choice. Using the spout he had found in the bag, he attempted to collect water from the tree trunk but nothing came out. Shit. He thought to himself. It was possible that the gamemakers had modified the trees to store water lower to encourage fighting. 

After debating with himself for a few minutes, Hong-er decided to make his way down in search of water. Tying the rope firmly to the tree trunk, he slid his way down, landing on the fern covered ground below. If he hadn’t been paying attention, he would have missed the slight differences in the scenery around him. The layout of the trees, the plants that had covered the ground, even the tree he had been resting on moments before had all morphed into slightly different variations of themselves. The arena is changing. This would make tracking down Ban Yue and Pei Xiu far more difficult.

At his current position, Hong-er was unable to locate the tall tree he had identified earlier. He hoped that its location had remained unchanged in the arena modification. Taking the spout from his bag, he jabbed it into the lower portion of the tree. Thankfully, after a few seconds, a slow trickle of water began to pour out. He collected a bit of water in the water bottle and made his way back up the tree. 

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Shi Wudu felt satisfied with the results of the first day of the games. For now, he kept a close watch on the Career pack as they traversed the forest. 

One of the gamemakers in the deck below, signaled him over. 

“They are getting close to the edge of the arena, sir.”

“Add a river or something to deter them. Gently, please. We want to keep them alive for now,’ he replied. Keeping the Careers around would keep the competition interesting. Honestly, it was a shame the girl from 4 had died, but it wasn’t his fault that her alliance had turned on her so soon. 

After checking his watch, he added “And change the arena again, it’s been a few hours.”

Shi Wudu turned his attention back towards the split panel screen. His focus came across the District 8 male hiding in a tree. 

“How long has the boy from 8 been up there?”

“About a day and a half sir. He only comes down for water, but he’s running low on crackers.”

This wasn’t good. He had specific orders from the President to keep the boy close to the other tributes. 

“Get him out of that tree. Prepare the Meganeura.”

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hong-er had fallen into a sort of routine. He’d snack on a couple crackers, make the journey down to get some water, and spend the rest of his time in the tree, attempting to map the small changes to the arena around him. Unfortunately, the bottle in his bag was relatively small, so he had already gone down twice. Suddenly, he felt the trees around him shake slightly. Had he not been paying attention, he would have missed the movement all together. 

The shaking in the trees intensified and a low hum reverberated through the air. He felt a small bug zip past his nose. It circled back and he caught a glimpse of its long, iridescent wings. They shone in the sun, reflecting green and purple light around him. Cute. Another one joined, slightly bigger but still just as beautiful. The larger bug nipped at his arm, a bite that hurt far more than he had expected. Another one joined in, taking little bites of his appendages and exposed neck. Hong-er quickly rolled down his sleeves in the hopes of stopping them, but somehow their bites made it through the fabric. The humming around him turned into a loud buzzing. Hong-er turned to the side to see a large group of the same dragonflies heading towards him in a swirling pack. Shit. Frantically, he started unclipping his carabiners and began packing all his supplies back into the bag. He quickly slid down the tree and began to sprint. Behind him, the sound of the cannon boomed, but he had no time to think about that now. 

The dragonflies, now nearly 2 feet long and aggressive, followed him through the trees. He tried losing them, darting through the forest, under the vines, over broken tree trunks, but they persisted. After about a minute of running, he caught a glimpse of a dim light shining out of a cave opening. The fire in the cave would surely ward off the bugs, but he wasn’t sure who would be waiting inside the cave. He decided he was willing to take the risk. 

Running in, he bumped into a girl only slightly shorter than him and let out a gasp. 

“Hong-er! Oh my gods, I heard the cannon. We had no idea where the hell you were!”

We? He turned to the other side of the fire to face Pei Xiu. 

“Hey,” Pei Xiu said in a gruff, low voice. 

A silence spreads through the cave. Hong-er suddenly becomes aware of the little bite all over him. He felt the room spin and tilt as he landed on the cold, cave floor. 

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Xie Lian hadn’t slept well after the first day of the games. Hong-er’s quick thinking so far had saved him, something Xie Lian was immensely proud of. But the stress of waiting around for the possible news of his tribute’s death was nerve-wracking.

After another sleepless night, Xie Lian sighed and slowly got up from his bed. As usual, he dressed in modest and simple clothes and headed for the main viewing lounge. Despite being back in the Capitol for nearly two weeks now, the low whispers of Capitol citizens and other mentors were hard to ignore. 

He walked into the lounge to find Jun Wu, Ling Wen, and Shi Wudu sitting together. 

“Xianle! Come join us,” called Jun Wu. 

Xie Lian walked over, trying to ignore the eyes that had now all directed their attention towards him. 

“Good morning!” He said in the brightest voice he could muster up. 

“Would you like anything to eat? We can call for an attendant.”

“Perhaps some tea?” Xie Lian wanted to refuse service altogether, but he needed to stay in everyone’s good graces. 

“Exciting that all three of your tributes are still in the game!” said Shi Wudu. 

Xie Lian remembered when he had first met the head gamemaker after winning his own games. He found it disturbing how chipper he was when he wasn’t facilitating the slaughter of children each year. Still, he tried his best to remain cordial, for Hong-er’s sake. 

“I do hope we get to see them battle it out at some point! Though I’m afraid the District 8 boy might have some trouble holding his own,” Shi Wudu continued. 

“Come now, Shi Wudu. I do think we shouldn’t rule out anyone yet,” Xie Lian said with a wink, enough to maintain the playful atmosphere, though keeping up the farce felt exhausting. Both Jun Wu and Shi Wudu let out a laugh. Ling Wen remained silent across the table, sipping her coffee with only a small grin on her face. 

An Avox returned with Xie Lian’s tea and instinctually, he thanked her in a soft voice. 

“Xianle dear, I never understood why you thank those things.”

“Ah,” he said with an artificial laugh, “force of habit, I suppose.”

“Always too much of a softy”

Xie Lian didn’t respond. Instead, he scanned the room for a group of wealthy socialites

“Please excuse me, I need to discuss something with a few of the folks here.”

He absolutely hated interacting with the people there, but he had no choice. With that, he got up from the uncomfortable environment he was just in and made his way over to another. 

“Good afternoon ladies, would you mind if I join you for a bit?”

“Oh! Xie Lian! Not at all darling,” one of them giggled. Xie Lian was thankful for what people called his “pretty looks.” He might be considered a black sheep amongst the other victors, but occasionally, a few of the Capitol citizens would see past that. 

Xie Lian had one goal, get Hong-er some sponsors. After watching the footage of him getting chased by the giant dragon flies, he knew he had to send some anti-venom quickly before Hong-er died. Instinctually, he turned on the charm and started his rehearsed speech to the group. 

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Having secured a gift for Hong-er, Xie Lian decided to rest for the evening and headed back to the apartment. In the lobby, he spotted Shi Qingxuan and He Xuan whispering to each other. Xie Lian offered a small wave in their direction and Shi Qingxuan signaled him over. 

“A-Lian! How are you? Congrats to Hong-er making it this far,” she said, before turning back to He Xuan. “And congrats to Ban Yue as well. I’m so proud of them.” 

“Are you done with the pleasantries for the day?” He Xuan asked Xie Lian in a slightly amused tone.

“Oh He Xuan, don't remind me. Truly the most exhausting part of each day. Will you be going back anytime soon? I’d love to have an ally there, “ Xie Lian replied with a giggle. 

“Not a chance”

“He Xuan, come on now! What about your own mentee? Doesn’t she deserve your support,” Shi Qingxuan asked in a playful voice. 

“Is that pig still around?” He Xuan scoffed. Xie Lian knew she was talking about Shi Wudu. Shi Qingxuan’s brother was a beloved part of the games and a ruthless gamemaker when he wanted to be. This meant that mentors with an ounce of decency like Xie Lian and He Xuan weren’t too fond of him. Even Shi Qingxuan herself had grown distant with him in the past few years, though Xie Lian wasn’t sure exactly why. 

“He will be as long as the games are,” Xie Lian let out with a sigh. 

“Then I’m not going!”

“He Xuan!” Shi Qingxuan gasped. 

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Xie Lian had been able to secure sponsors and thankfully, had been enough to send the antivenom. Having gotten back to his room, he flipped to the first page of his notebook and started to write. He knew it was illegal to send clues to the tributes, but Hong-er was so close to getting out, he just needed a nudge in the right direction. Shi Wudu had drank enough to spill just a couple of secrets about the arena, marking the first time Xie Lian had been happy to be around a drunk. He just hoped Hong-er would remain quick enough to decipher the message he was encoding. 

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hong-er awoke to the sound of the fire crackling next to him. Ban Yue was asleep, her head resting gently on Pei Xiu’s lap while he tended to the fire. After noticing Hong-er had woken up, Pei Xiu motioned a piece of fish towards him. 

“How long was I out?”

“About 2 days. Only one cannon, though we don’t know who since we don’t really leave the cave.”

Hong-er slowly rose from his resting place and began to gnaw on the fish. He turned back to Pei Xiu and asked, “have you figured anything out about the arena?”

“We have a general sense of the creatures in the forest. Mainly fish and these weird, hard, bug-like creatures in the water. Nothing to hunt on land,” he explained without looking up from the fire. 

“You can add giant bugs. I only ran here because I was chased by a bunch of dragonflies.”

“Venomous bugs,” Pei Xiu corrected. “Only reason you’re alive is because you got a parachute.” 

Pei Xiu turned and tossed him a small bottle of antivenom. “Oh, and you got a notebook too. Not sure how it’ll be helpful, but there’s a note inside. I think your mentor sent you some type of code.” With that, he handed over a small, leatherbound notebook with an attached pen. 

Hong-er opened it to find a small message written on the first page. The hand writing was small and neat, and though he had never actually seen Xie Lian write, he knew it was from him. 

The tide will change, the trees will fall. But the Capitol is efficient, they have but one stall. 

Though you may be led back to the center, stay close to the edge. The final feast is designed for your death. 

Of course he had sent a riddle. Hong-er had learned in his Capitol-mandated history (propaganda) classes that since the last uprising nearly 20 years ago, direct messages were no longer allowed. But what did it mean? Perhaps the first part was confirmation of what Hong-er had observed. The arena was changing. Maybe that’s why Xie Lian had sent the notebook, so he could draw out the arena. But what good would that be if it changes every few hours? He thought to himself. 

Pei Xiu and Hong-er sat together in silence for a moment before Hong-er spoke again. 

“You care.” He doesn’t pose it as a question, “Maybe romantically, maybe not. But you do.” He tilted his head towards the girl in Pei Xiu’s lap. 

“I knew Ban Yue before the games. The border between 8 and 9 is less guarded than the others, so we used to meet up.” He looks around the cave, almost like he’s scanning for hidden cameras before leaning in close to Hong-er

“The peacekeepers caught us once. We aren’t here by mistake, they want us gone.” He whispered. Of course their reapings were rigged. Hong-er had heard rumors about Capitol intervention and it was a known fact that communication between Districts was banned. Because of the history of uprisings, especially from District 8, it was possible that both Ban Yue and Pei Xiu were reaped to prevent another revolt. 

“I’m sorry” was all he could muster up. If the Capitol would interfere with the reapings, perhaps they would interfere with game footage as well. Hong-er remembered hearing stories about slight changes to timing of kills, mechanism of attacks, and even victors on occasion. His mind wandered back to his mentor. If the Capitol could change anything they wanted to create their desired public perception, then it was possible that Xie Lian’s games were changed as well. The thought left him even more lost than before. Truly, he hardly knew anything about Xie Lian aside from their few days together in the Capitol and footage of his games. Still, something in his gut told him that it was impossible that Xie Lian could possibly be the vicious killer turned psycho his games made him out to be. 

The gears in his head continued to grind until Ban Yue woke up. 

“I’m going out to get food. There was a stream nearby with some small fish I could catch,” said Ban Yue, getting up to head towards the cave entrance. 

“Wait, why don’t I go instead,” said Pei Xiu, looking straight at her. 

“No way! Your leg is still injured, there’s no way you’d be able to run right now if chased. And Hong-er is still recovering from the dragonflies.”

Hong-er hadn’t noticed it before, but Pei Xiu’s leg was wrapped in what appeared to be a large leaf. No wonder he hadn’t gotten up at all since his arrival. Both Hong-er and Pei Xiu tried to protest, but Ban Yue insisted, heading out the cave with a small knife tucked in her boot and the spear they had managed to grab from the cornucopia. 

“I have some gauze in my backpack to wrap that leg of your’s,” said Hong-er, turning back towards Pei Xiu. “It’ll help it heal faster so you can head out instead of her.”

Pei Xiu nodded slowly and allowed Hong-er to remove the leaf that had been covering his leg. Small drops of blood started dripping out of the deep gash across his thigh. 

“What happened?” Hong-er asked gently

“We were running from the swamp when we ran into the Careers. The boy from 2, Qi Rong I think, slashed at me and hit my leg. We managed to escape by evading them and running into this cave. Honestly, they might be some of the dumbest tributes in the arena. Only thing they’ve got going for them is strength.”

“I think you might be right, I was up in a tree and they passed right by me. Didn’t look up or anything.”

“Gods, they are idiots. Whatever happens, we have to promise not to let one of those Neanderthals win. 

Hong-er laughed at this comment. It might have been the first time he’d laughed in a while, an act that made Pei Xiu’s shoulders relax just a bit. Unfortunately, the respite only lasted a moment before the sound of a booming cannon echoed through the cave. 

“Shit” Hong-er gasped

“You don’t think it was…” Pei Xiu stammered. 

“It might not be. Let’s wait out the night.”

Chapter Text

Night had fallen and Ban Yue had not yet returned. After sitting in silence for what felt like an eternity, the boys heard the echo of the Capitol’s anthem outside.

“Stay here, I can go check to see who died,” said Hong-er in a low voice.

“Are you sure? I can…”

Hong-er cut Pei Xiu off, “No way. Your leg is still healing, you’d never be able to run or fight if someone was out there. I’m going.”

Grabbing the remaining knife, Hong-er headed for the cave entrance before Pei Xiu could protest any further. He looked up into the sky just as the slideshow of faces started. The girl from 1 who had been with Lang Qingqiu and Qi Rong appeared above. The girl from 1… Ban Yue is safe. Hong-er let out a sigh of relief and headed back into the cave. 

“It’s the girl from one. I think the Career pack might have broken up.” Hong-er opened his notebook and recorded her death. He’d decided to keep track of who was still in the games as a precaution. 

“Why would they? It’s still pretty early in the games. Maybe they turned on her or something?” replied Pei Xiu. 

Hong-er thought for a moment before adding, “Or maybe some creature like the dragonflies got to her as well.”

“hmmmm”

Pei Xiu’s eyes started to droop and Hong-er decided he would be the one to keep watch tonight. He pulled out the little notebook Xie Lian had given him and began to sketch. While he had left the cave, he’d noticed something weird – the tree near them had a small hole poked into it. Small enough that it would have been left untouched by the gamemakers, but it was clear to Hong-er nonetheless. It almost seemed like it was the same tree he had spent his first days in. 

The tide will change, the trees will fall. But the Capitol is efficient, they have but one stall. 

Was this what Xie Lian had been trying to tell him? If that hole was indeed the same one that he had stuck the water spout in, then it wasn’t that the forest was changing, rather that it was rotating. Not the caves or rivers, just the trees. This meant that Hong-er could draw out a map of the area based on major natural landmarks. He wasn’t sure why Xie Lian had felt this was important to know, but he recorded it in the notebook regardless. He knew his mentor was smart, he trusted his judgement. 

Hong-er spent the rest of the night keeping watch and sketching a map based on the terrain he had encountered. After finishing his tentative sketch, he started drawing people instead. First his mom. Then Xie Lian. Then Xie Lian again. Finally, a little sketch of E-ming curled up on his bed. He wondered how the little guy was doing. Hong-er hadn’t really thought about the cat when he’d left, but now that he had promised Xie Lian that he would try and win, the prospect of returning to his home in District 8 felt more and more real. 

The only problem was that if he won, he’d continue to live in District 8. He may never see his mentor again, a thought that made Hong-er more upset than he’d like to admit.

Once the early sunlight started to creep into the cave and Pei Xiu had arisen, Hong-er decided to search for Ban Yue. He wasn’t sure why he was so intent on saving her. Perhaps it was simply because she was from home. Perhaps it was because he could tell how much her absence was affecting Pei Xiu. In either case, he slung his backpack over his shoulders and set back out into the woods. 

The new “map” he had created was extraordinarily helpful in navigating the forest. Though the vines and trees changed each hour, the river he followed still led him back to the cave. 

As he started walking along the river, he heard a small muffled scream. He followed it until he came across a big net, trapping a girl beneath it. 

“Ban Yue! Oh my - we thought you were as good as dead!”

“Hong-er, help me,” she sobbed as he began to undo the knots of the ropes she was pinned under. Once Hong-er confirmed that she was alright, they started heading towards the cave. He told her about his map, about how he was able to track her with the river. Honestly, the talk felt relaxing. 

After about an hour into their hike, they decided to rest by the river. 

“…Pei Xiu is doing better.”

“Oh, well that’s, that’s good.”

“I know about you two.”

“What! Who? Did he tell you?” she stammered, a blush creeping across her cheeks. 

“Well, I sort of figured it out.” 

“There’s no way, I thought we were being so secretive.”

“Not a chance, though I might have only noticed because I spent all my time in that cave with your lover. He’s hopelessly in love, though I’m not sure he can tell.”

“That’s good, because I’m also hopelessly in love - not that he can tell,” she joked back.

They both started laughing, a colorful noise that was quickly cut off by a swish in the wind. Hong-er turned to Ban Yue to find that her head was gone. Instead all that remained was the rest of her body, which after only a second, slumped to the ground. Her blood began to spray into the mud and grass below them, her head resting only a few inches away. The sound of the cannon jolted Hong-er out of his trance.

He turned again to find Qi Rong racing towards him, knife in hand. Hong-er barely had the chance to stand up before he was tackled to the floor again. His knife missed Hong-er’s head by merely a centimeter as it stabbed into the ground. In a quick motion, Hong-er jerked his knee up, hitting the boy in the crotch before grabbing for his bag. Qi Rong looked sick, then filled with anger as he tackled Hong-er again. Pinning his legs in place with his knee and reaching for Hong-er’s arms, he started laughing. 

“Ha HA, and look who we have here. The creature from 8.” His face turned from amusement to rage as he continued. “We spent all fucking week trying to hunt you down and yet here you were, having a picnic by the river.” 

Hong-er spit in his face, an act that re-ignited Qi Rong’s energy. 

“It’s a shame that bitch died. I was honestly aiming for you, but then again, axe throwing isn’t my specialty.” With that, Qi Rong started laughing again. 

Hong-er tried to move his legs, but found himself unable to. Instead, he bucked his hips and rolled to the side, an act that pushed Qi Rong over for just a second. It wasn’t long, just enough for Hong-er to jerk himself over slightly to the side. Qi Rong lunged at him again, but in a quick movement, Hong-er lodged the spout he’d managed to pull from his bag into Qi Rong’s neck, pulled it out quickly and pushed him into the river. 

The sound of another cannon boomed as Hong-er watched Qi Rong’s body float down the river before disappearing after a bend. His heavy breathing slowly subsided as he turned to look at Ban Yue. The gushing of her blood had turned into a slow trickle into the grass. Hong-er looked down at his hands, only to find that they were shaking and covered in blood. That’s when the realization hit him. 

I just killed someone. I just … Qi Rong is dead. I killed him. 

Not that it wasn’t in self defense, but the thought that anyone, even a career, had died because of him was enough for Hong-er to lose it. 

He sat next to the blood soaked ground and cried. His sobs filled the air as he held Ban Yue’s body in his hands. 

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Xie Lian was woken up by a loud knock on his door. Rubbing his eyes, he slipped on his loafers and went to check who it was. 

“Happy Birthday A-Lian!” exclaimed Shi Qingxuan in a voice so loud it completely woke Xie Lian up. Behind her, He Xuan gave a little nod. 

Xie Lian rarely celebrated his birthday anymore. After having to “celebrate” in the arena, all he could think about were the painful memories. However, he wasn’t the type to bring this up to anyone, especially not Shi Qingxuan, who stood bright-eyed in his doorway. 

“Good morning to you as well,” said Xie Lian, rubbing his eyes once again with the palms of his hands. 

“We didn’t wake you, did we?” asked Shi Qingxuan with a frown on her face. 

“Clearly we did,” replied He Xuan, playfully poking at her forehead. “Sorry about that, Xie Lian.”

“That’s okay. It’s about time I got up anyway. Any updates with the games?”

He Xuan nodded, “Down to the last 10 now. Don’t worry, Hong-er made it through the night.”

Xie Lian’s shoulders relaxed and he let out a sigh of relief. Hong-er was the only thing that really mattered to him right now. 

“Anywayyy, I got you something”

Xie Lian finally noticed the giant box that was sitting next to them in the hallway. How he had missed it before was truly a mystery. It was fairly large with a grey tarp draped over it. He Xuan picked up the gift and followed Xie Lian and Shi Qingxuan into the room, setting it down in the middle of the room. Shi Qingxuan slowly removed the tarp to reveal a large animal enclosure inside. 

“I remember you telling me about the pet snake you had as a child. I know you’ll never get her back, but I thought getting a new one might be nice.”

Xie Lian stared into the case to find an iridescent, white snake. It was only about an inch in diameter and curled up on a bed of soft moss in the corner of the enclosure. Its scales were like pearls, with little hints of pink and blue that could be seen as the light bounced off of them. 

“I named her after your other one, Ruoye. But if you want to change that, that’s also fine!” Shi Qingxuan looked nervous in a way Xie Lian had never seen before. He looked back at the little snake and small tears started to form in the corners of his eyes. 

“Oh my gods, Xie Lian, are you ok? I didn’t mean to… I mean I thought…”

“No, no, it’s okay,” he said as he wiped his tears away. “This is such a thoughtful gift.” 

With that, he gave her a tight hug. She returned the hug eagerly, likely relieved that the gift had been appreciated. After about a minute long embrace, she let go. 

“I’m so glad you like it. To be honest, I wasn’t sure how you’d feel about it.”

“She's adorable. Truly, thank you.” Xie Lian beamed.

“Shi Qingxuan…” He Xuan motioned to her watch. 

“Oh goodness, look at the time! Xie Lian, sorry to cut this short, but I’ve got breakfast with my 

brother. I’ll see you later today though!”

After they left, Xie Lian turned back to the little snake. She’d woken up now and was playfully coiling around herself in her corner. She looked so similar to his old Ruoye, only younger. Xie Lian had missed his little companion, though thinking about her too long was often painful. He felt himself drifting into the memories. 

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

4 years ago, District 1

Xie Lian got off the train feeling nauseous. After spending nearly a month in the capitol, he was finally ready to see his family. He was ready to rest. Truly, he was tired. 

Xie Lian decided to walk back to his home from the station. It was nearly 30 minutes, but he needed to be alone for a bit. Plus, he was worried about what his parents would say and wanted to prolong the time before he'd have to face them. 

As he started his walk, he noticed a pair of boys staring at him intently. The shorter of the two whispered something to the other who shot him a disapproving look. They started walking toward him in a manner that made Xie Lian feel trapped. 

“Look who’s finally back to the slums. Our precious prince Xie Lian,” Mu Qing scoffed.

“…Um, how are you feeling?” Feng Xin asked, but it was more directed towards the ground rather than at Xie Lian. 

“Oh please, he’s fine. Barely a scratch on the poor baby. How was galavanting through the Capitol for a month?” Mu Qing was really starting to get on his nerves now. Typically, Xie Lian had the temper of a saint. However, feeling tired, defeated, and anxious, he no longer had it in him to be polite. 

“Mu Qing, please! He just got back, give it a rest.” Feng Xin said. 

“All I’m saying is…” was all he could get out before Xie Lian cut him off. 

“Oh shut up, will you!” The exclamation shocked both Xie Lian and the boys but he kept going. “You don’t know what I went through. You don’t know how I feel. And you DON’T know what it’s like in the Capitol. How about you just get off my back for once?”

Mu Qing’s mouth fell open as Feng Xin started to speak, but Xie Lian didn’t let him. He turned, leaving Mu Qing and Feng Xin in the dusty road behind him.

When he finally made it to his door, he waited outside for a minute. Taking a deep breath, he pushed the door open and creeped inside. Not a single sound could be heard throughout the house. 

“Mom! Dad! I'm back,” he called out. No response could be heard. “Hello?” He asked, more of a whisper now.

He walked towards his parents bedroom and knocked twice on the door. No response. 

“Strange,” he said to himself. Perhaps they were asleep or out at the market. Xie Lian was lying to himself now. He could sense something was off, but he didn't want to admit it. He pushed the door open and peered inside. 

“Oh,” was all he could muster up. Inside, his parents were hanging from a white fabric that had been laced through the support beam above them. 

“I…I…I…I,” he stammered. His rambles turned incoherent as he slid across the wall behind him with his face in his hands. 

“I’m back, I…I won…I didn’t mean…” But there was nothing he could say. They are dead. They are dead. They are dead. 

“Mom, please.”

He slowly pulled them down from the beam and laid them gently on the bed below. He spent hours in their room, cycling between waves of sobbing, laughing, and silence. Finally, he got up and crept towards his bedroom. All he wanted to do was lie down, for just a moment. 

He opened his door to find the second tragedy of the day. Ruoye mutilated and strewn across his bed. Her body was chopped and mangled, with splatters of blood across his tan sheets. 

This was enough to send him spiraling. Xie Lian started laughing, a maniacal laugh that reverberated through the house. He felt sick. He wanted to scream. He called out to Feng Xin and received no answer. Someone had broken into his home, murdered his parents, destroyed his pet, and left him all alone. This wasn’t an unfortunate tragedy, it was a targeted attack. 

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Present

Shaking his head, Xie Lian released himself from his trance. He carefully opened the top of the case and gently pulled the new Ruoye out. Instinctually, she started wrapping herself around his arm, inching herself towards his shoulder. The little creature rested her head on his collarbone and Xie Lian felt the first bit of true relief he had felt in a while. 

After half an hour of cuddling with the critter, Xie Lian finally decided to get ready for the day. He carefully placed Ruoye in her case, and for an extra precaution, slid her case into his closet. She’d be in the dark, but she’d also be safer. 

He finally left his room at around 10 and headed for the main lounge to meet up with the other mentors. He found Shi Qingxuan and He Xuan and started to make his way over when he was intercepted by Jun Wu. 

“Xianle.” He had a smile on his face but his voice was ice. 

“Good Morning Jun Wu.”

“Yes, it is. I believe a celebration is in order, for your birthday,” He said with a grin.

“There’s really no need…” Xie Lian started before getting cut off by Jun Wu.

“Nonsense! A party is already being held tonight, at the President’s mansion no less. You won’t cancel that, will you?”

“But why would the President throw a birthday party for a victor? I’m not a Capitol citizen.”

This was a valid question, but Xie Lian could tell that Jun Wu’s smile had tensed. However, he quickly brushed it off as he continued.

“Maybe, but you’re still a Capitol darling, psychosis and all. And if they want to throw a party, they will.”

Xie Lian had no choice but to agree with Jun Wu. Not that he wanted to throw a party for himself. In fact, the prospect of drinking and downing sweets all night while Hong-er nearly starved to death made him feel sick. Still, meeting with people there would help garner more support for his mentee. 

“Alright, if that’s the case, let me talk to Shi Qingxuan. She sure knows how to throw a party.”

Jun Wu frowned, but let him go. 

Xie Lian hurried over to Shi Qingxuan and He Xuan. 

“How was breakfast?”

“Awful” “Fine” They said at the same time. Xie Lian let out a little giggle. 

“A-Lian, we are SO excited for your party.”

The way she said it made Xie Lian wince, almost like even Shi Qingxuan wasn’t excited for the event. 

He Xuan put no effort into hiding her opinion of the matter. 

“No offense, but why are they even hosting this? Are the Capitol citizens really that eager for a party while we have to watch our tributes die?”

“Excuse her A-Lian, we got the news that Ban Yue passed away this morning.”

“Oh He Xuan, I - I’m so sorry. May I ask what happened?” Xie Lian was truly shocked by the news. Last he’d heard, she had joined an alliance with Hong-er and Pei Xiu, a group that proved to be a good match. 

“Decapitated by Qi Rong from 2. Right in front of Hong-er by the way.”

Xie Lian felt like he was going to be sick. “And…Hong-er?”

“Alive. He killed Qi Rong right after. Last I heard, he was in shock.”

The poor child. Poor, kind Ban Yue. And his Hong-er, shocked and likely sick with guilt and disgust. They didn’t deserve this. No one deserved this. Xie Lian excused himself abruptly to return to his room, where he spent the next hour throwing up what little food he had consumed that morning. 

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Xie Lian dressed himself in another outfit sent to him, this time by Jun Wu. He wore a navy blue silk button down with gold embroidery along the cuffs. He’d been given a pair of white, wide leg slacks to match and a new set of dress shoes. Yushi Huang had arrived to fix up his hair and keep him calm. 

“Xie Lian, everything will be alright. I’ll be there, so if you want to leave, just signal me and I’ll plan our escape.”

Xie Lian let out a hollow laugh, but all he could feel was the guilt and dread pooling in his stomach. He knew 25 of them had to go. That didn’t make their deaths any less shocking. And if this is how he felt about Ban Yue, what would he do when …

Xie Lian shook his head. No, NO. I won’t go there. 

Yushi Huang finished helping get ready and the two headed for the President’s mansion. 

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The building was the definition of opulent. Two large fountains stood on either side of a large staircase leading up to the door. Fluorescent blue floral vines wrapped around the pillars in the front and a glowing light show danced around the building. Xie Lian hated the place. He hadn’t been here since he’d been on the victory tour four years ago, an event which only resulted in him getting passed around like a puppy between all the party attendants who wanted to meet the Prince of District 1. Since then, he had not been forced into attending any subsequent parties on account of being “mad.” 

Xie Lian opened the doors to hear a loud cheer and burst of applause as thousands of eyes turned to look at him. The moment quickly ended as the partygoers went back to drinking and dancing. 

He spotted He Xuan and started to make his way over when he was intercepted by Ling Wen and Jun Wu. 

“Xianle, congratulations! You’ve had two successes tonight.”

“Two? I’d hardly even call my birthday one.”

“First is of course your birthday celebration. The second is mentoring a tribute who might actually win”

“What do you mean?”

Ling Wen responded this time, “Well for starters, your tribute killed Qi Rong today. Stabbed him in the neck if you can believe it.”

Xie Lian knew the boy from 2 was dead, he just didn’t know how it had happened. 

“Oh, and then turning on his ally back in their little hiding spot.”

“What?” Xie Lian stopped. This was news to him. 

“Yeah, after collecting Ban Yue’s head and body, he went back to that cave and killed the boy from 9 as well.”

“Why would he…”

“Honestly we were all shocked when it happened. Didn’t think that scrawny little thing had it in him.”

Xie Lian felt sicker than he had all day. There was no way Hong-er would do that. The boy wouldn’t hurt a fly. He had no training in weapons. Pei Xiu was his ally. Pei Xiu was his friend. 

The room was spinning now. Xie Lian heard someone call out, but he couldn’t make out what they said as the room went black.