Archive of Our Own

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Standing up again in front of his District felt like he was the Grim Reaper ready to take children to their death. Spoil them so they were soft and unknowing of the horror the last few hours of their lives would hold.A man in a garish gold wig stood in front of him, his hand dancing around the bowl containing the girl’s names. Carter’s face was neutral except for the downturn of her mouth and the clenching of her fists behind her back. She was feeling the same as him when it came to Games. She hated them.Wanted them gone and all the people that ran them hanging from the walls.She was more militant than Bucky found himself, but still, he could understand why.He barely listened as the girl's name was called. More focused on how she didn’t seem to mind one bit that she had been chosen. That was unnerving.Taking a deep breath and closing his eyes as he waited. The churn of the paper was loud in the pure silence. A name was pulled and not a sound was made. No parent screaming about losing their baby. No other child was crying at the loss of a friend or sibling. Just the hushed murmur.He wasn’t sure he had ever been able to go straight to the train. And leave within minutes of the names being pulled. Not once in his whole time doing this damned job.Guiding children to their death. He wished he drank himself into a stupor like other past Victors. Or even let himself fall fully into madness like others. Or just been plain ugly so they would want to ignore him after he won.Instead, he sat. Enveloped in soft velvet seating and rich brown mahogany.And watched.Bucky found himself looking at the boy sitting across from him. He should have listened to his name. He was tiny, bones were showing through the way his clothes rested against his body. The rattle left his lungs with each breath, and Bucky hated thinking that maybe he would be lucky and die before he even made it into the arena.But life would be better for him if he died before having to go through everything in the arena. Bucky just let his eyes trail over him, short cropped blonde hair, a nose that had been broken at least once and the way his eyes seemed to hold a soul so much bigger than the body it was in. Although he could see it, Steve was handsome. Every feature would have made him popular in the Capital.The girl on the train with them kept looking between them, dismissing Steve and making Bucky squirm. The way her eyes focused on him was not so unlike the people who would take him to their rooms, and leave him in a shower trying to scrub the feeling of their overly perfumed bodies off his body. Her steely eyes focused on his arm, the way the metal gleamed under the trains’ lights, they had yet again changed how it looked.The flashes of gold, caught the light and the gentle ping as his metal fingers tapped the crystal glass in his hand.Carter came up behind him, hand resting on his shoulder, the girl's eyes dropped. And Bucky looked behind him, she was also focused on Steve. Her head tipped sideways, something about him was just fascinating.Steve had just walked straight to the train after his name had been pulled. Telling them he had expected to be chosen, his name was in there the most out of any other boy in the district. A few people had looked away at Steve standing there, whispers filling the air. None that they could hear or understand, but it seemed to be that no one thought he would be back. The girl's family had screamed the whole time they were in the room with her, but Bucky didn’t see a tear fall from her face.She reminded him of the ones training their whole life to kill, but this was natural. Like to her people were just cattle ready to die and she would be the one to do it. The way she would trace over Steve, Bucky knew she was deciding how to kill him.Just being herself was going to get her killed no matter how pretty she was.“We’re the same age,” Steve says, biting into the food that was placed around. “But you won three years ago.” Bright blue eyes focused on Bucky, darting to Carter. “You ten.” He sipped the water, eyebrow-raising and mouth turning down. The latest fashion was rose-flavoured water, to Bucky it just tasted of soap.Carter sat, crossing her legs and smiling. “You studied the games?” Bucky looked at her, was she that out of touch that she forgot they had to watch. Every single death of children. Hear their screams at every recap and stand while families scream out at watching their children die. The bodies arriving half-rotten weeks later.“I have.” The girl panted, Bucky could imagine her lips and chin red with blood from another kid's throat. “It’s been a long time since they did a forest or desert one. I've been practising, making sure I won’t be the first to die.” Her eyes locked on Steve.So that was her plan take out those that were weakest. Bucky hoped she didn’t win.Peggy’s brown eyes looked darker as she locked on the girl, “The people that say that tend to die first.” She sighed, tucking her hair behind her ear. “Well at least in our games.” She smiled, all teeth and Bucky remembered how she won her games.She had managed to take out all the careers within two days and took her time in the trees. Hunting down all of the others, starting fights in groups so they would take each other out. She was called Agent 13, simply for those were her confirmed kills. And as far as Bucky knew she was the only one Snow hadn’t forced to work like he did.She patted his thigh, he looked at them both. “We are the only winners left from Twelve. Outliers if you follow what is said in the Capital, and thankfully good looking ones.” His jaw jumped at all the times he had been told he was lucky they wouldn’t need to do any work to make his face more fitting of a victor.“So we are going to help you, try and keep you alive and possibly even win. But remember you are only one of twenty-four.” His eyes locked on Steve, “And every single one of them is going to want you dead. Because they don’t want to die.” Draining the glass of Whiskey, “The best thing you can do is learn to survive and know how to die. Because the careers can and will torture you to death if they are bored and to make more of show.”Not knowing this was how Bucky had lost his arm. A Career had him pinned, knife through his hand and all of her weight pressing down on his shoulder, her eyes were like looking into ice. Nothing showed she cared or wanted him to stay alive. But the games had moved fast, half of them had drowned on the first day.She took a deep breath as she lifted her axe, the crust of others’ dried blood broke up the beautiful shine of the sun on the razor-sharp blade. She flipped it twice, catching it perfectly and then her eyes locked on his arm. Immediately throwing it down hard.The sound of it hitting the ground, before pain screamed up his arm. The heat of blood rushed out of his body. She stepped off his shoulder. Lifted the axe, and tipped her head to the side waving it as if to tell him to run. So she could hunt him down as he bled out. One shuddered breath and he looked down.His hand. Still on the ground. Knife holding it in place.He didn’t even think, he threw himself at the blade. Clenching his jaw he pulled what was left of his arm off, threw it and bolted. Zig-zagging through the swamp, his shoes getting pulled off by the mud around him. The sound of his own breath was all he could hear. Slamming his back into a tree he held the knife in his teeth as he ripped at the shirt.Winding the fabric around his arm, pulling so tight he wanted to scream. He had to stop the bleeding. Just long enough so that he could maybe live if he killed her.A flash of red had him dropping to the ground.She was walking slowly, eyes looking and listening for anything that could be him. Taking hold of the knife, he kept himself low.Moving slowly he was tracking her from behind, freezing if she started looking around. Breathing was slow and controlled, she stopped moving. Lifting her hands to her face, axe pressed to her head and muttered to herself. Bucky didn’t care what she was saying, he moved so he was only a breath behind her.Cutting into flesh wasn’t as hard as he thought it would be. It sunk in like warm butter, she whirled around, Hand around the knife, brown eyes wide and mouth hanging open. She was scared. Bucky could see it in her face and he felt nothing. He wanted her to feel that way. He smiled wide as he pulled the blade from her neck, spraying them with her blood.She fell to the floor, mud coating her. She gurgled and tried to reach for Bucky, eyes wide and begging. But with each swipe of her hand he took a step back, he had never thought of himself as someone to watch someone die. But he wanted her to feel what she had done to all the others she had tracked down to kill, not one of them had been fast.When the cannon finally went off and the fanfare started Bucky had let himself fall to the ground. He had woken up with a new arm and not a single scar to show he had been in the games. His family never looked at him the same since and he stopped going home after the first six months.They were terrified of him.Steve hummed. “Your games will go down in History for that career.” But he was watching the girl, “Hattie, if that’s your plan. Remember it just takes one person who knows the terrain better to end you.” He crunched down on a pastry.It was then, that not only did Bucky straighten up in his seat but so did Peggy. Her eyes shone. Steve was going to be this games, Darling. He looked small and soft enough to capture hearts, looking young. The blonde hair and blue eyes were the current fashion, emulating a young Snow.Peggy stood and walked towards Hattie, taking her to the other side of the carriage. Sitting her down and talking the low sound blended in with the constant hum of the train.It took seconds for Steve to join him, “You hope she is going to die.” Steve muttered, “I hope she isn’t the one who is going to kill me.” He locked eyes with Bucky, he was a fighter Bucky could see it.The silence was nice. No words were exchanged. Just the lingering feeling of loss coming.Bucky was going to lose at least one of his charges. Watch them die and then be expected to lay in someone's bed, imagining what it would be like if he had died instead. Fingers tapping at the glass, he could never explain how different it felt touching things with his metal arm.“Do you want to win?” He questioned, just wanting to hear Steve’s thoughts on the whole thing. If he was willing to die instead of living the life he did or would in the future.Stretching his hands, it was then Bucky noticed the bruises there. Steve was a fighter, the broken nose made sense now, that look in his eyes too. “I don’t want to die, but I don’t know if winning is worth it.” He sighed, “Ain’t got no one to share it with.”Bucky just nodded.Steve fixed him with a look, “My Ma died before the last reaping, took six names to get her buried. And about three a month since then to keep myself fed and another four to get medical.” He shrugged his shoulders. “Never met my Da. Died in the games about eighteen years ago, just married my Ma before he went in. Seven months later Ma had me and no husband.”Bucky leant forward, elbows on his knees and felt his jaw drop. He had seen the victor’s hall multiple times, which had the last killed under. As if it was a prize to show they had been beaten out to win this barbaric game. Steve was the spitting image of his dad, smaller sure but still his face was so similar if only for the difference in eye colour. Joseph Rogers, fought in hopes of his son not having to. Yet, here he was sitting right in front of of Bucky.This could work very well. A runner-up kid coming back. His face was a carbon copy of his dad's and he was orphaned.Bucky couldn’t explain the feeling of needing Steve to live. He wanted to talk with him. Just watch him walk around the Capital looking healthy and living a good life finally. A niggling feeling in his stomach when he would look at his face, something making his skin itch. He hadn’t felt this way since he had been back in District Twelve. When a blonde boy would threaten the boys who would pull his sister's hair, he was possibly the last person he had feelings for.But now he couldn’t remember his face. He wouldn’t even recognise his sisters if they had been standing right in front of him at the reaping.The rest of the journey was just silence, occasionally looking out the window. Watching as the closer they got the richer the areas looked. As they passed through districts the louder screams were until they were pulling into the station. The last train to arrive.They moved to the door, both of them placing hands on the shoulders of their charges. The ones they were tasked with helping get through the games or at least making a show out of them.“The cameras are going to be bright. The noise is going to be deafening.” Peggy rolled her shoulders, “They are going to touch you, gape at you. Look at you like a new exhibit in a zoo.” And with a hiss, the doors opened.Bucky was still not used to this, the cheering of people waiting for children to arrive to die. How they would coo at them and make noises to get them to look their way. He didn’t expect Steve to drop his shoulders, make his tiny self even smaller, and press back into Bucky’s grip, making his hand rest more on his chest. Darting his eyes to look up at the crowds, as if he was so scared of what was happening.He was playing a part. One seen before, but not as well. He was using what he had to make it so not a single person apart from those on the train knew. Steve Rogers seemed like the type to win this games with just brains alone. A watery smile was fixed on his lips when a cameraman asked him to look up for a photo.A stir of whispers fanned out, each person seeming amazed with how he looked. Whispers of him being like a compact Snow, were music to Bucky’s ears. He had a chance with this one and when he looked down at Steve he was pressing his body further back into Bucky’s. Making him come across as a small and scared boy. Putting himself into the category of first to pick off with every single other person in the games.A few fellow victors caught Bucky's eye, looked at his two and made that face. The one predicting sorry for your loss.Bucky placed his other hand on Steve’s shoulder, squeezing and pretending that he was guiding him. Comforting him. The boy might be skin and bones, but under that skin was muscle. Fine and corded. The ridges of deep scars pressed through the thin rough fabric.He let his face show one of quiet resignation, acceptance of the death of two more of his people. But Steve turned and caught his eye, he let his lip and eyebrow twitch up in a way that said I am matching your acting here Punk.Bucky walked them through the crowds until they finally made it to cabs, ones that would take them to the main building. Towering over the capital, home to winners who were rented out and those about to die in the newest game. Where they would train, eat and drink in luxury and eventually be forgotten after the games ended. Ghosts littering the hallways.He watched as Steve and Hattie got dragged off to the makeover teams. Steve continued the way he had as they had got off the train, he was obviously keeping this up the whole time. While Hattie looked as proud as a Career, Bucky noticed the way eyes lingered on her. She was going to die early and it would be sadly forgettable.While he waited in the room where they would spend time together, he drank nothing but bitter tea. With the lingering soapy taste of rose.“He’s going to kill them all.” Carter said draping her arms over his shoulders, “He is stronger than both of us. They are going to underestimate him and he is playing right into it.” She laughed gently.Bucky couldn’t help but silently agree. “Hattie is going to be one of the first to go. Her ego is so big you would think she was a career.” His jaw twitched, it wouldn’t hurt any less to see her picture shining above The Capital.“But there is something about him right?” She muttered, throwing herself over the high back of the cream couch. Her head rested on his shoulder, watching the reaping of all the other tributes. All of them were bigger than Steve, some looked terrifying. “If he hadn’t stopped looking my way the minute you acknowledged him, I might have found myself falling in love.”A laugh forced its way out of Bucky’s throat. “For a weekend perhaps.” He found himself looking at Steve on the screen, the minute he had walked in he had that same small scared look to him. Only a flash of his true personality showed in his eyes when he passed the Peacekeeper who shoved him up the stairs.“Carter…”“For fucks sake Bucky, call me Peggy. You're the only one I would allow to call me that.” she huffed, pressing hard into the soft flesh of his arm with her perfectly polished red nail.He rolled his eyes, “Peggy. I think he could help start the end.” his voice was so low, pressed right to her ear. Lips hidden in the soft waves of her hair. Not a camera, an avox or a microphone could hear them.She turned quickly, making it look like she was flushing and hiding her face in his neck. Hair covering her face. “As do I.” They separated as Avox entered the room, others placing mountains of food on the table. More than four people could eat. More food than people from District 12 saw in a month.It still made his stomach churn. He still remembered being told he could vomit so he could eat more at his party thrown for his winning. They laughed when he called it a waste, “But you have to try everything that would be a waste to not try.” Bucky never went to another party after that.Hadn’t needed to. The district never won. Normally picked off first.“They will be coming back soon…how do you think they will look.” Bucky whispered, his eyes on the huge door. A knock at it had him tipping his head and watching Peggy out of the corner of his eye.She stood, all grace and went to the door. She seemed to freeze and Bucky tried to look around her. The stumbling of her, “Come in, um sorry what's your name?” Had his eyebrows going high on his head and he was sure the people watching would be just as confused.An accent he hadn’t heard before came through the door, “Sorry. I was meant to meet you earlier but they were all fawning over Steve. Snow even sent down extras to help me get him into shape.” She laughed, “Oh but I’m Angie. I’m the stylist for District 12. It’s my first year doing this, I hope I do a good job.”She floats around Peggy, her dress something Bucky was sure his grandmother would have worn. It looked like something Tigris wore in her pictures with Snow when they were younger. Classic.She sets her eyes on him, moving over to shake his hand. “James right?” Bucky blinks at her.“Bucky.” It’s short and she doesn’t seem to react. Just moves to sit down on the couch.“I feel like I should explain the looks I have chosen for both of the Tributes. I may have changed them the minute I saw Steve, I was thinking a homage to the first televised Games. With the suits and classic cuts.” She darts her eyes to where a camera is, “But with the hints of the coal, I have made it look more like hot coals. When they are black and the red is coming through the cracks.”It hit him then. She was one of the people born and raised here, who saw through the games for what they were and they could start the plan. It might be years in the making but they would be ready and all willing to lay down their lives to stop what is happening continuing.“I like you,” he said, looking at Peggy. Tried to control the smile that tried to break through his face at her slightly lovestruck expression. “More than a weekend.” Peggy's eyes locked with his and she blushed. High on her cheekbones she threw a gold egg at his head.Catching it without thinking and placing it in Angie’s open hand. Her head moved to look between them, eyes widening as she picked up on the hidden dynamic they had. A bond more like siblings, than the one they had tried to push after Bucky turned sixteen.It hit Bucky then, he was going to be stuck with a budding love story. A psychopathic teenage girl, who would kill them in their sleep. And the next winner, who made his stomach twist in a way he couldn’t fully understand.The door swung open, slamming against the wall and they all turned quickly. Bucku found himself grabbing the egg right out of Angie’s hand, pressing her back against the plush couch. Peggy had a knife in hand and was ready to throw it at the door. He was ready to aim and throw in seconds to take out whoever had come to kill them.It had happened in years before, careers bursting in to kill the other tributes they deemed a threat.Instead, Hattie stood, frozen as she looked between the two. As if where she was finally sunk in. Eyes darting between their faces, Bucky knew exactly how he would look.It had once been there in a mirror as an old man took his time making it hurt. Trying to get Bucky to scream out as he fucked him raw and dry. Instead, Bucky had seen his own face, as he thought of pining the man and forcing the tap into his eye socket.Peggy had reacted once when Sam from District Seven had touched her shoulder to get her to move. She had pinned him, hand gripping his hair tight and forcing his neck to be bared. Knife a millimetre above the skin, before she let go. The look melted away, an ashamed blush taking its place as she apologised.None of the victors ever held a grudge when this happened.Steve simply looked at Hattie, rolled his eyes and walked into the room. The low light caught the lighter shade to his hair, how there was now a perfectly straight nose and not a single scar marring the now perfect skin.It made Bucky’s stomach drop. And he couldn’t work out if it was the now even more striking resemblance to President Snow or that he wanted to touch his now silk-soft skin. Clenching his jaw he looked away, Peggy catching his with a raised eyebrow and gentle uplift to her lips.He moved enough to see the table, Bucky caught how he tensed up. Steve breathed in deeply, the smell of the food making his stomach rumble loudly in the near quiet of the room. Hattie didn’t even think to ask before sitting herself at the table and clicking at an Avox to fill her glass.Bucky hoped she died slowly.Peggy moved to the table sitting next to her and asked Angie to sit on her other side. Steve moved stiffly to sit, his hands fisted tight by his sides. He looked right at Bucky who darted his eyes to a camera and Steve’s whole body changed. Out came the weak scared one. Bucky smiled and placed his metal arm on his shoulder.“Eat what you can.” He said softly, placing small bits of the food on his own plate.Angie piped up then, “And make sure you eat enough now. We have an early start for the Tributes parade in the morning and your first training session. They revamped the training outfits this year.” She hummed, “I really wish you had let me change your hair, Hattie.” Before she scooped some pink paste into her mouth, she winced a little.Bucky had taken to avoiding anything pink. It was all rose and all he wanted was a strawberry.The meal was silent, but Bucky could see how the tension stayed in Steve’s body. He wanted to touch him, make that tension melt away.Instead, he grabbed a little cake, took a preemptive bite and dropped his back. A moan left his lips and he dropped the rest in quickly. Strawberry, the little blue cake. Nothing could take him out of the second of happiness finally something that didn’t have the lingering taste of rose.He looked down when he heard a giggle, eyes on Angie. “That good?” As she took one from the plate. Her eyes went wide as she took a bite. “Strawberries.” She placed her hands over her mouth hiding the slow way she chewed wanting the taste to linger, the softness of the cake to melt instead.Steve, looked at him as he bit into the cake. He took his time eating, unlike Hattie who he was sure would eat till she threw up and started again. She repulsed him completely.Steve spoke softly, “They taste like ones you get from the bushes on the way to the Victors' homes.” He closed his eyes, “Small and sweet, my Ma used to love them in summer.”He was making it so if they decided to use video of them from in the villa that they could play him off as that sweet Momma's boy. Very similar to how Snow was rumoured to be in his youth.Dinner was quiet and Bucky followed Steve to where their rooms were. He knew bedrooms where no cameras were allowed, but the rooftop was the only play you could talk and not get caught. The wind was so strong, that cameras and microphones were useless. Not even JabberJays could record well enough up there.Not tonight but maybe in a few days he would have to go up there with Steve. Explain everything that came along with winning, maybe let him on in the plot they had been brewing for years. Taking in Victors they thought would stand for their cause.He was still amazed at the two they had from District One. Even if the first time he met them both he had felt like he was a bug being burned under a magnifying glass. They both had the same look in their eyes, showing years of training to kill and now they were not any more free than they had been before.Natasha had told him they were like child soldiers. Taught how to kill, how to seduce crowds and how to charm people. She even said that some children didn’t make it through the training of the District not because they weren’t built for it but because they were killed by the other children.She had taken her sister's place at age fifteen. Only to watch her sister have her name drawn, and for her to be the first one when an eighteen-year-old didn’t try and take her place three years later. She had confided in him that she was sure it was punishment for not laying on her back with all the rich people of the Capital who paid to fuck a pretty little Victor.It had been the first time Bucky knew that no one was exempt from it. Unless Snow felt like it was too dangerous or people had no want for them.She even spoke of a Gamemaker she knew that was on their side, but never went further than that. He had no idea who he was, but he supposed it might be an idea to talk to Natasha in hopes that he could help Steve win this.Cheating to save lives didn’t feel bad.Even if it caused him to lose his short and bloody life.The night was sans sleep, listening as people walked around cleaning. Checking cameras. Nothing let him sleep fully anymore, not even the dreams of his childhood. Playing and not feeling the overwhelming fear of whose bed he was going to be forced into. When he was going to remember the way adrenaline made his heart stop when he heard the crack of a branch or the scream of a child.Looking out his open door he looked at Steves, it was similarly open but the gentle sound of the fake birds cut through what would have been the silence. With it being so far away he was able to imagine he was in his little house. Sharing his bedroom with his little sister, how they slept mouths open and little snores.But still, he stood up. The floor is warm and smooth under his feet.It was slow as he walked over to the door. He leaned against the wall and listened to the wheezing sleeping breaths, mixed with the twittering of birds and he felt calm. He didn’t even realise his eyes were shutting.Until he jumped awake. A black hair avox smiled at him, she was someone he had seen for years. Always gentle, her hands were on his as she helped him up. He placed his hand gently on her shoulder, he knew she could read in his eyes he was sorry she ended up here.A soft noise had him turning, Steve was looking at him, eyes soft and head tipping to the side. Like he was surprised by this side of Bucky.“You are still the same.” Steve said and walked past him, only for him to screech out as he was grabbed by Angie. He only knew because she could hear her almost shouting about how amazing he was going to look. His feet made mismatched steps as he knew she would force him towards the table to eat.Bucky didn’t have time to think about what he said, he had to focus on trying to keep his kids alive. He was still a kid but nevertheless, he was going to try his hardest for these two. Even if one of them he hoped didn’t last long.Walking in Steve was sat at the table, barely able to get food in his mouth. Angie was tipping his head to and fro, checking that the dye was perfect. Humming he sat across from him, really looking at him. He did look familiar, but in the way that his sisters might look familiar if they were sat across from him.The bright white of his hair might be making it more difficult for Bucky to really know.But now wasn’t the time to think about a childhood crush he had before he became the Darling Whore of The Capital. He was less in demand the older he got, but now it is a different type of client. Ones who wanted to pin him down and make him hurt, but scars didn’t stay in the Capital and during the games, he didn’t have to warm a bed.And if Steve won he was going to kill anyone that tried to get Steve to warm theirs.He just watched him loving the blush that coloured his ears as Angie fawned over him. Saying that she was glad he was so handsome it would make styling him so easy. Hattie huffed and crossed her arms over her chest, Bucky could tell she wanted to be fawned over. He looked at her and watched as she wiggled up in her seat.Fluttering her eyes at him and smiling. Obviously thinking she could flirt with him. Maybe even have a night with him. People tried that sometimes wanting to know what it was like before they died.It was often the careers that would do the deed with them. Not caring about the age of the people they were taking to bed or even the gender, just wanting to form a bond that would be to their advantage. Thinking those that they slept with would be less likely to kill those they had been intimate with.He should warn his tributes.Biting into the flakily pink-covered pastry he smiled around the fragrant strawberry. They were going to have a lot after they all ate every single one that had been on the table the night before.He looked at Peggy, she narrowed her eyes at him. Then looked at the victors, catching on to what he may be wanting to discuss.“So there is something that you both need to know about winning.” he smiled tight at Steve and kept his mask on but his eyes glinted at him. Hattie just seemed to be excited. “First of all the careers are going to try and sleep with you.” Hattie beamed at that.This girl was going to die first.“And you can if you want.” He continued.Peggy came in with, “It won’t stop them from killing you. It won’t slow them down from it either. Fucking to them is just another way of taking part of your life.” She looked down at her polished nails.Bucky shook his head, “I wouldn’t recommend it, but we can’t stop you.” Sighing, “But after the Games there is a very high chance that you will be expected to sleep with those who supported you in the games. No matter what they look like, what they want from you. You won’t have an option to say no.”He felt the glare on his face, “Unless people are genuinely terrified of you. But Steve you have the sad part of looking like Snow. People are going to want to sleep with you.”Steve just nodded and bit into his food slowly. Hattie burst out laughing, “Like he will ever win! The only thing Stevie could do back home was lose fights and paint! He’s going to be the first to die!”And she meant it, she was planning to kill Steve the minute she could. The glint in Steve’s eye let him know that he was not going to let that happen.And then Angie’s team burst through the door. Bucky went down quickly, knife clutched in his hand and the other ready to grab anyone who came near. He spotted Peggy do the same, but she was pressed to the wall, head turned and eyes ready to fight.Angie started shouting at her team, telling them off. That she had let them know that they were to come in early and quiet. That people here could and would kill them if they were stupid again.She apologised to them and grabbed their Tributes. They were off to get ready, to be taken to be paraded in front of everyone. Looking done up and for them to then decide which one was going to die. Make bets on the order of death. Make the choices for if they survived how they would want to bed them.Swallowing he followed Peggy.They were dressing themselves and going to see the other Victors. Had time to talk while they waited for their tributes to come down looking like caricatures of their Districts. Some teams even made them smell like how they thought their districts would.He stood and leant against a wall. Flipping a knife as he looked around. Sam walked up to him and he frowned like he always did, the man hated that. But also it showed just how close they were.“Saw your boy, Steve.” Sam smiled, his teeth bright in the dim light. “You think he’s our one. Our fire in the dark?”Bucky kept his face flat, “If he makes it through this, he is going to be the spark to start the flames to tear it down.” Bucky finally looked at Sam, “He also has the face people will love.”The chariots start coming in Sam doesn’t even walk over to his. Simply looks over his shoulder and Bucky knows why right away. Those kids look vicious even more so with how they have been dressed.They stand and both jump a mile in the air as hands place themselves over their shoulders. Natasha leans close, “I might have an idea what we are up against this year. Also, don’t let your boy near mine. He has it in his head that he will become the darling of the Games if he gets ‘mini-Snow’ on his arm.”Yelena gags right into Sam’s ear as she crunches on something she has found to eat. Bucky looks at them both. Peggy is standing talking to T’Challa another designer in the Games. He looks over and winks. He was a Victor too but had been against his cousin in the end. It was the first Game where the Victors parade had seemed sad.He wore stark white. Didn’t smile and kept his head down, even the people of his district seemed to be mourning a man changed. T’Challa seemed to mourn his life before everything, more than anyone else. It had cost him his father.Bucky held back the gasp as Steve and Hattie came into view. They looked beautiful. Outfits styled like the old uniforms Snow had worn as a young man. But the fabric took on the look of hot coals, whisper-thin fabric looked like smoke rising from them as they moved. Steve’s hair was in the classic soft waves that Snow sported during his first foray into the Games.The sounds only got louder when Steve pulled into the arena. On the screen, Bucky could see the surprised yet happy look Snow had when he saw Steve. But there was also something in those eyes that he wasn’t alone in seeing.All his friends darted to him to see if he noticed it.Clenching his jaw he went back to it. Watching and listening to what was said about each one and how they were really leaning into the Snow thing. More so now that Angie had given him his makeover.After a little more showboating the Tributes were returned to them.Steve walked towards him keeping up the scared young boy mask, leaning into Bucky's side like he was barely able to keep himself up from the stress and fear he had felt just being seen by all the crowds.“You are a star, Stevie.” He whispered into his stiff hair, “Everyone wants to help you and it’s going to help so much when it comes to the actual Game.” He kept them moving guiding him with his hands as cameras tried to get more footage of them.In the strip-down post parade, Bucky stayed and sat on a seat. Watching all the people around, tracking down who’s eyes were lingering on Steve for too long. Working out what they were thinking. The most common was to sleep with him and make them look like lovers parted by a necessary evil.Only one boy seemed to want to help. His eyes darted at him once and he stopped looking at that point. Bucky hoped Steve didn’t bond with him. It would make him go mad when he eventually died.The training suits were skin-tight, and how was it they made Steve look even weaker?“So what skill are you going to show off?” Bucky spoke as he walked towards the training centre. Arm over Steve’s shoulders, making sure it looked to all the cameras that he was trying his best to shield this sweet scared boy from what he was about to go through.Steve sighed, “Painting. I am good with art.” He looked up at Bucky, “You really are the same, still too nice even after everything.”Spinning out of his arms so his back was to the door, Steve smiled at him. And that’s when it hit him. His eyes widened and Steve walked through the doors.They couldn’t be there. So he and Peggy were stuck watching the commentary for the Games until they returned after training.But all he could think about was that Steve was that scrappy blonde kid he had fought back to back with more than once when people picked on him just for being small. How his stomach had fluttered even as a kid.Bucky was helping his childhood crush.But he still had to focus. So far Steve was at the top of the approval ratings, only matched by Brock Rumlow of District One. Who looked about ten years older than his age of Seventeen. At the bottom was a girl from six who had cried the whole time, eventually screaming about how it wasn’t fair he had to die. She was too pretty to die.There was one every year like that.Swallowing he kept taking mental notes of all the other tributes. What they seemed to be motivated for, what their potential strengths could be. Most were skilled with a weapon or just large. It was an odd year where only one girl had been fourteen. But even she held herself in a way that showed she wasn’t to be discounted simply for her age.Bucky found himself worrying only for Steve to end up against Brock. He would be a force in wide-open spaces. Which seemed to be the current designer's favourite. Huge spaces, with only small dense areas for them to hide.Yet the last two games had always lasted six days.Bucky then started taking his time contacting those whom he could secure sponsorship, it was mainly those whom he had been bedded by most constantly. Each one was more than happy to keep Steve alive.Some asked about his availability after the Games. If he would be willing to for it to be both him and Steve. He had agreed even though he would never let it happen.When they finally walked back in Hattie had a scowl deeply ingrained in her face. She walked over to the table scraping food onto a plate and leaving for her room. Stepping up to Peggy when she had tried to find the cause of the anger. Peggy had huffed out a laugh before turning back to sit at the table.Eating was quiet. Steve seemed deep in thought.“She tried to bond with the careers.” Steve said around a mouthful of stew, “They laughed her off. Told her she would be better on her back or her knees than being in the Games.” he tore a piece of bread dipping it gently into the liquid, “Then one of the offered to help show me how to use a knife.”Rolling his eyes he picked up the knife used to slice meat from the bone, tossing it high up in the air. Not even looking up as he caught it and launched it at the opposite wall. Hitting the exact spot where Hattie’s head would have been.Bucky caught Peggy’s hum. She was excited. Steve was a surprise, compact and dangerous.“We’re all good then.” Bucky spoke finally standing, he never ate till he felt full. Moving to go to bed. He hadn’t done much but just the amount of time he had spent with people was draining.He found himself only hours later sitting outside Steve’s room. The sounds of birds and rain filled his ears. The breathing was not as whistly but he found the warm floor and the sounds enough to start lulling him into the start of sleep.He jumped out of his skin when Steve sat next to him. Head leaning on his metal shoulder. He didn’t say much for a second just getting used to the gentle touch, hoping that Steve’s hair didn’t get caught on the plates of his arm.A deep breath, “Brock is my biggest issue if the games are like the last two. He can move like water and crush you like a mountain.” Steve spoke, and he pulled his knees to his chest. “It feels like summer showers.”And that was the feeling. The last summer before the games. How the heat had warmed the wood outside his house, the sound of the birds singing through the rain and the touch of a smaller body cool against his own. Even the slight smell of sweat.A memory he had forgotten was in full technicolour simply because Steve Rogers was sitting next to him again.“You were my best friend.” Bucky threw out into the universe.“Yeah…”His eyes were so heavy and he fell asleep right there in the hall with Steve snuggled against his side. He felt safe sleeping for the first time in years.The days blended it was the same each day, watching them go to training. He and Peggy went through everything they could get on the other tributes. Talking with the fellow victors. Talking about what had happened in the training that day. How they should train the next day. Eating and then he and Steve passing out with each other in the hall.It wasn't until the day when they were meant to show off their skills, that Steve seemed unsure. As if he couldn’t decide what to do. Which was confusing for everyone involved.Steve stood outside the door, suddenly turning and resting his forehead against Bucky's chest. “My knives. I’m going to show them. Get a high score and get more sponsors. Need as many as I can.”Bucky couldn’t help but be proud. Steve waited to win as much as he wanted him to. Maybe not for the same reason he had at the start but he wasn’t going to fight it.The walk back from the show had been quiet. Steve hadn’t failed but kept his head down as if he had done badly. Been ignored. That they hadn’t even bothered to focus on what sweet little artist Steve could bring to the table.Bucky wished he knew what had gone on in that room.Maybe later when they were finding out he scores. Maybe Steve would tell him when he took him up to the rooftop tonight. Maybe when he whispered his secrets into Steve’s ear and felt like he had a home for a fleeting moment. Maybe Steve would whisper back what had happened. Maybe divulge a secret that would change it all.They ate slowly. Waiting for the screen to light up. So they would scramble to the couch. It felt like each second was a minute and each minute a millennia. Waiting for it.Until the screen lit up with a picture of Ceaser Flickerman, his bright white hair and red coat. Highlighting what was going to be this year's Games fashion. They rushed to the couch, forks and knives dropped food still lingering on them.Sat on the couch they were all holding hands, watching as scores came through for each victor. Brock had a ten the highest of the year so far. Steve was shaking next to him. They were filmed at this point to show for reels the next year, the tributes of past years. Often highlighting the crowd favourites, before showing their gruesome death.Hattie was almost off the seat when the giant twelve came up on screen. Her face showed up first, she screamed when she saw the eight she got. Better than half of the others in the games and the closest to Brock.A target had been painted on her back. Huge and red. Death was looking over her shoulder.Taking a deep breath Steve’s hand was sweating in his, Clammy and he kept changing the way he was holding Bucky.A picture of his face came on screen and Caesar talked a little about him. Before opening the envelope that held his score. He froze while looking at it. Taking the glasses that hung around his neck and placed them on his nose. Blinking a few times before placing down the paper and removing his glasses.“And our final score for The Capitals' newest Darling, Steve Rogers.” Caesar spoke, “Our fragile-hearted boy from District Twelve. His face would have you thinking he would have to pull through these Games with those looks alone. But instead this year he scored our first and highest score of eleven!”Music starts playing unbearably loud. But that's all that is heard in the room. It’s rare for someone to get above a ten let alone someone from district twelve.They all sit listening to Caesar’s words about the games. Mentioning a son of a past gamemaker making his debut this year. The young Tony Stark, known for making some of the amazing traps from the past few years.Bucky looks at Steve. “Knives?”“Yeah, knives.” Steve said back, “Well and an oversexed dinner plate.”Peggy had spent the rest of the night with Hattie. Bucky had heard her consoling her. Telling her she still had a higher score than the rest of the careers.It was then he decided to grab Steve’s hand, guiding him through the hallways past Brock who seemed to be on his way to see Steve. Mouth open to talk. The noise of his jaw clicking shut when he got caught by one of Bucky’s deathly glares.It rang through the hallway.The climb up the stairs, Steve didn’t say one word. Just wheezed a little. Even if they fixed his lungs he would still not be used to taking in full breaths of air.Opening the door, the rush of cold air made goose pimples break out across his skin. He kept a hold of Steve’s hand showing him to the edge of the roof, leaning against the bar and looking out at all the twinkling lights and the huge dome where the games would be.“That’s where you will be in two days.” he pointed at the dome. “We don’t know anything about the game maker. It’s his first time designing the games and his father made some of the most creative ones.”Steve hummed, leaving his head against Bucky’s metal arm. It seemed to be his preferred side, always on his left.“I’m going to talk for a bit.” Bucky warned him, “I haven’t slept well since my Games. Not until we were sat on the floor together, you leaning on my metal arm. Not scared of it one bit.” He tapped his fingers against the metal bar, the sound lingering in the air.Licking his lips, “I can’t even remember how my family looks. I try and imagine it when I look in the mirror. How they must have long hair like me, eyes like me. My sisters could have been standing in front of me at the Reaping. I wouldn’t have known them.”He wrapped the arm around Steve pulling him tight into his left side. “Winning the Games didn’t seem worth it. I have been made to share my bed with people old enough to by my grandfather. Taste their skin and act like whatever touch they give me is wanted and loved. I don’t want that for you. I’ll kill them.”He stopped there. It felt like too many words had fallen from his lips.Steve leant in close. “They do look like you. They miss you.” he sighs, “But they were so scared of you after watching you kill that girl with only one arm.” There was no comfort in the second half but at least Bucky could imagine his sisters in his face.Hands touched his metal fingers. “You were my favourite person. You only cared about justice when it came to other kids. You never cared I was small and sick, just that I was fighting for the right reasons.”Swallowing down the want to kiss Steve, he stood with him looking at the Capital until the door opened. He turned and saw Nat there. She raised her eyebrows and he pulled Steve along behind him. Ignoring her whispered words. “Falling in love with your Tribute. Good for you.”Because he wasn’t falling.He had fallen and never got back up all those years ago.The night was jarring. They had ended up sitting in Steve’s room. Still on the warm floor but with the door shut. Blocking out Hatties heart-shattering sobs. Peggy murmured as they walked in it had finally hit her, she was going to die.Sleep was light, the Avox not even having to touch them to wake them. Just the feeling of her steps on the floor had his eyes springing open. She smiled, nodded and walked away.Angie stood in front of the couch back to the huge screen, dress and hair perfect. But the slight redness to her eyes and the deep bags showed her lake of sleep. Tomorrow could only be worse. Bucky knew she was thinking that she would be dressing her tributes in the clothes they would be sent home to be buried in.“Okay, my lovely two.” her smile was strained, red lipstick cracking. “We have a long day of pampering and dressing. It’s the night of your last interview before you come here. Get a nice long sleep before we go to the dome.”The hallway outside the auditorium was wide and all the tributes were standing so close to their mentors. Many touched them, while their design team fixed hair and makeup. Tears were free-flowing that night from most districts.But eyes kept landing on Steve, from where he was just visible around Bucky’s wide chest. They often dipped to his metal hand which was placed securely on the nape of Steve’s neck. More intimate than any other was.Each person went on stage. The first two districts showed off the training they even had to make interviews entertaining. Both genders flirting with Caeser. Making Steve play up his nerves for those before him, still keeping that mask on.“Buck…” Steve whispered, “I threw the knife at them. One of them screamed threw a plate, I caught it.” he laughed, ”Then used it as a shield when I got them to throw knives my way. Hide my whole body behind it.” His hand reached up to touch the metal fingers on his neck, “It was more of a giant round tray.”Steve was telling him the story.“You are a marvel, Steve Rogers.” Bucky breathed as Steve’s name was called across the tannoy.Standing back he watched him walk off, making himself seem small and keep looking back at Bucky.On screen Steve sat down, the chair completely swamping him.“So Steve, you look positively dashing in the uniform red.” Caesar started, leaning forward “And aren’t you just a darling little pocket-sized version of our Beloved President Snow.”Steve wiggled slightly in his seat, pulling at the hem of his blazer. A flush stained his face and he looked down so that when he talked back to Caesar it was through his eyelashes. “I don’t know if I pull this off as well as President Snow did.” A picture flashed up on the screen of a much younger Snow. “But I think it looks much better on you.”Coos came from the audience as Steve sat there, only getting louder when Steve facked jumping and flushing darker while he looked at the rows of people watching him.He was winning them over like a cute little puppy that turned up on your doorstep on Christmas morning. Big eyes and a love unparalleled.“Oh, you do flatter me, Steve. But I know we all love our sweet little darling.” he shifted to face Steve fully, “Although we are sure that the girls back home are crying themselves silly knowing they never got to have a kiss with you. I can say all the girls in the Capital are hoping one turns your head.” He laughs loudly as the noise of agreement runs through the room.Steve bites his lip and looks down at his hands twisting them together. “Well…um…you see.” Steve starts stuttering over his words. “None of the girls looked my way, so a kiss was out of the question.” he didn’t look up at all.Caesar let out a gasp, “Are you telling me our Steve hasn’t even had his first kiss?” his hands reached out and clasped Steve’s in his. Holding them out so that Steve would have to look up even a little.Steve’s whole face was flushed a bright pink, he looked out at the audience through his eyelashes and nodded. Licking his lips as if he was too scared to get the words out.Falling back dramatically in his chair one hand pressed to his forehead, Caesar spoke loudly. “A true untouched darling. What will we do with you, Steve.” The gentle notes of music hinting that he was about to go overtime started playing through the room. So he stood helping Steve to his feet, before bowing and waving at all the other Tributes tending behind him.Walking off the stage Steve’s face was still flushed and Bucky wondered if what he had said had been a lie but he just couldn’t bring himself to ask. He didn’t want to know. Not unless Steve told him.The night was even more quiet and Bucky sat on his bed, head in his hands for a while. Just breathing and hoping he wasn’t going to see Steve die in the next few days. His chest felt so tight.He didn’t look up as footsteps fell across the floor. The bed shifted gently under Steve’s weight and he placed his arms over his shoulders, his face pressed into the centre of his back.The sounds of the forest were quiet compared to the sound of the breath mixing. The feeling of his heart beating in his chest, the drag of Steve’s hand up his metal arm.Sleep came slowly.But deeply.Not a single dream was there.The morning was a sombre affair. No one ate. Angie came in with their outfits, they gave a little hint at what they would be going through. Durarable knees, stretchy and the material hinted water would turn up at some point during the games.They walked down to the tubes. Each set of tributes stood in a room, where two guards stood.Nodding at each other he had Peggy split up taking each of their tributes into their individual rooms. Then a guard started running their hands over them, checking to make sure they hadn’t snuck anything in.They didn’t talk even as the five-minute mark came up on the screen. Steve just walked towards his podium. Climbing up and crouching down to see how he fit if he chose to stay that way from when he ascended into the Arena.“Do not step off till the siren sounds.” Bucky warned. Not moving from where he had stood when they walked into the room.He stared at Steve standing on the podium, strong and waiting. Breathing in and getting ready to put that mask back on his face. One that Bucky hated but loved all the same. It was the key to Steve's survival.“Hey, Buck?” Bucky looked up at the words, eyes locking on each other and how it made him feel like the world was on his shoulders and Steve was helping him hold it up. Steve waved him closer. The guards behind moved, there had been times when mentors had been killed by their tributes.Steve reached out, he was towering over Bucky. So he had to look up at him and all he could do was smile. Looking at Steve did nothing but make him crave home and safety and the end of this. His large hand grabbed him by the neck and he smiled softly, that mask in place as he kissed Bucky.Just a brush of lips and Bucky opened his eyes when he pulled back. A shock of red striped across his cheeks and his teeth biting at his lip. That wouldn’t do.Bucky pulled him back, hearing the countdown in the back of his head. Not caring that cameras were catching this moment. He kissed him like he had always wanted to be kissed. In all his life, soft. Gentle brushes of lips, the wet slide so innocent. Like how a first kiss is meant to be.He wanted to keep kissing him. Letting the slow and careful kiss slowly pitter out. End naturally. But instead, hands pulled him back and pushed Steve so he stayed in the tube. Looking at him as the glass closed around him.The lights flickered and dimmed, they did this so sunlight would blind them or the pitch dark wouldn’t be dark enough for them to see.He clenched his jaw leaning forward towards the tube, his arm whiting as he strained. “I’m waiting for you, Stevie. You and me, we are like the stars and the dark. You helped guide me home. The brightest star in the sky, you dragged me from the darkest mine. Made me love again.” Tears were stinging at his eyes, “We are going back home. Together one way or another. You will dig your way back.”Steve’s eyes widened. He had picked up what Bucky had put through the words. Not just related to where they were from but about what Steve was going into.Natasha had managed to get the word to him from her source. Caves.They were fighting in a cave system.Bucky ran from the room, Peggy was there too. Hand in hand they scrambled to the viewing area. Where all the mentors would spend however long these games would last together. Sleeping, eating and crying together.Stumbling to a stop and his breath was sucked fully from his chest. Two kids were already dead. Their names were now black, along with their pictures. The fact it was the girl from One and a boy from Six.But he couldn’t see Steve. Most of the others were silent. Even just watching these kids pushing their way through tunnels. Most of them were small and turned oddly.One kid was screaming, she wouldn’t stop and it ran through the room. She was face down a hole, arms trapped at her side and a puddle of water just below her face. Bucky knew she was going to die that way. She was going to slowly starve or even drown, but no one would even bother trying to kill her.Sitting next to Natasha, she turns and her eyes are wide. “Your little Steve slit her throat. Grabbed the knife right from her hand and grinned. She was dead before she hit the floor.” Her breath shakes a little. “Then he was gone. Like a whisper.”Yelena leant forward. Eyes narrowed between them both, “How did you teach him to be like you both, even a little of my sister.”Bucky couldn’t talk. He was sure he would see what happened during the highlights that played after all the deaths were announced at the end of the night. So he sat and watched. Kids screamed when hands came out of the dark from above them or below them.Brock was on a mission but had to stick to the wider tunnels. But it didn't stop him from having the smaller girl from two at his side, she was the one grabbing and pulling kids. But they weren’t killing them. Just scaring them.They laughed and Bucky clicked. “Their hunting.” He spoke out.They all slumped back in their seats. Only one other death happened and Bucky groaned when Hattie, screamed at the top of her lungs at her first kill. She wasn’t going to win any fans acting that way. She also had just let everyone know where she was.He really was just waiting to see Steve, with how tiny he was Bucky knew he would be able to linger in a tunnel if he so wished. But from the way the water bubbled occasionally on the girl who was upside down’s camera, it was set to raise if they felt like the games were going on too long or the kids stopped killing each other.Finally, he stood to go get some food, bright ripe strawberries shone like they were freshly washed. They would taste like heaven. His eyes lingered on them as he placed a few things he could only hope didn’t have some weird rose flavour added to them.A gasp had him dropping the glass plate and turning.Steve was clutching to the roof of a wide tunnel. Brock walked under him, slightly hunched over in hopes that he wouldn’t be grabbed by one of the tunnels overhead. Steve’s face was dark with blood, it was already flaking off in places.He was like a beautiful avenging angel.As if sensing the camera on him, he let that soft smile grace his lips as he pulled himself up into the tunnel he was using to keep himself flat against the cave roof. A few rocks fell to the floor.Brock turned frantically looking around trying to see where the sound came from, huge gloves that would help him crush whoever he wanted when he caught them.Licking his lips Bucky turned again, plucking a strawberry up. Biting into it. The sweet red juice ran like a river from his mouth, dripping down his chin. Sam watched him and winked. Bucky didn’t stop the smile from forming on his lips.“Clint! Clint!” He shouted darting across the room, “Bucky smiled at me. There is a very likely chance that he does actually like me!”Clint opened his eyes, “He might be the only person in the room too.” Natasha snorted from where she was still sitting next to Peggy.And if this was his first year in this room he might have been more shocked at the palling around. How they talked together. Joking. When on the screen and screaming through the speakers were kids dying.Trauma obviously messed up their sense of when it was right to make jokes.A plate of strawberries later he was sitting getting ready for the Caeser updates on the Games so far. Wanting to hear how many kids were dead, and what the rankings were like. And most importantly how they felt about seeing this new side of Steve.Peggy stole one and popped it in her mouth. She smiled and sipped at the rose hinted water. She too wrinkled her nose at the taste, but they had decided to only get drunk if they lost Steve.Commiserating what was the end of the beginning.So in the brief time of quiet, Bucky let himself fully think about the kiss he had shared with Steve. Most likely his first. It was a first for Bucky too. One he wanted, one that gave him those sweetly nervous butterflies.Was it the worst timing? Yes.But Bucky wouldn’t change it. Not when he knew what it was like to be kissed just to be kissed. How it felt to be seen as more than what he was. Be known by someone who knew him before and after and still wanted to kiss him.Give him a part of themselves no one else had or would ever get. It might be seen by all the people in the Capital, in the districts. But it was still theirs. In that time of pain and fear. It was the little glowing ember that would start the fire.A fire that could keep Steve fighting to keep it burning. One that could become an inferno. Burn through the world.A smiling seated Caeser came on screen. Waving at the live audience, which was new this year. “Well beautiful people joining us, we have a lot to go through.” He placed the cards in front of his mouth. “Even some very entertaining and loving things that happened before out Games this year even started!”The audience oohed loudly.“But first we have to talk about the beautiful creation coming from our new boy wonder, Tony Stark.” A picture of him came up on the screen of him leaning over the game maker table, “I know ladies and gentlemen, brains and looks! We really are spoiled this year!” He smiled, “Now as you can see we have our first complete cave system. With lots of added surprises, and how you may ask is he filming it all!”Lifting a small jar he saw it, a little glowing firefly bouncing around the jar. “And here it is Camflys! Tiny and can glow if needed, never used before the games started. He wanted it to be a surprise.”He laughed loudly, “But I’m keeping this little one to myself.” Suddenly the screen change so it was warped by the glass in the jar. The sound was slightly muffled by it too. “As you can see it is perfect quality.”“And now back to the Games. We have had four deaths already in the today! So we shall go through them. From District One, Hela Odinsdottor. Killed by Steve Rogers, District 12. From District Six Quentin Beck, was killed by Brock Rumlow of District One. Also, District Six Mar Vell was killed by Steve Rogers. And our final death. Lemar Hoskins of District Eleven, by Hattie Walker of District Twelve.”It was then silent as their pictures came across the screen. None of them stood out. Apart from Hela, she was the last of her siblings to go into the Games and the only one to die.“As always we show the first kill, in commemoration of the true start of the Games.”The screen lit up with all the kids standing on their podiums, but Steve was crouched down like he had been when Bucky last saw him. All of them were looking around frantically trying to get their feeling of where they were and trying to see properly. Yet Steve was still crouching.His blinking is slow and deliberate. It was something all kids in District Twelve learnt. It was only so long before you ended up in the mines and sometimes there was no light to see just had to know how to get your eyes to adjust and know what was real and what was a trick of your eyes.The camera seemed to linger on Steve’s face, taking in his slow eye movements.He stopped and focused on the girl from One. Bucky knew it because his eyes narrowed and a smile formed on his mouth. His hand curled around the edge of the podium. Then the bang sounded.Speed. He was fast. He was across the centre and behind the girl the knife she had just clutched in his hand. Bucky read as the words ‘Sorry’ left his lips right into her ear as he slit her throat. The wound gaped and her hands slapped over the rush of blood, her eyes wide and fear stark in them.Blood sprayed out coating Steve’s face and the few kids who were close enough to be caught in the burning hot red spray. Steve was gone before she hit the ground, only taking the things she had pulled from the pile in the middle.The camera focused on her lifeless eyes, murmurs rumbled through the room. And Bucky knew him and Peggy had eyes on them. People were going to think they hid this from the start that their sweet little innocent Steve was a bloodthirsty devil.But it was a shock to not just the others but themselves. Peggy gripped his hand in hers, a slight shake to it. Not even in her Games had she killed someone with the look on her face. It wasn’t a smile, it wasn’t fear. Just nothing like he wasn’t even thinking about what he was doing.He was killing to survive. And it was terrifying.Brock stood, frozen for a second. Wiping blood from his face before he turned and punched the kid from six. He fell back and the screen faded as Brock launched himself over the body, the start of a scream playing through the speaker.At this point the screen and Caesar were silent. He fanned himself and seemed to be scanning the audience for their reaction. All of them were also eerily silent.Bucky finally looked around and saw fear in some of the other's faces. They were terrified for their own, especially considering Steve seemed completely in his element.Hands clutched together at his chest and this sickly sweet smile. “We also have some exciting news about our lovely Steve.” Fingers pressed over his lips as if trying to hold a secret back. “Steve is the second person in his family to take part in our yearly tradition. His father was the runner-up his year.”Where they could have shown a picture instead of the video of his father's death. Joseph Rogers, stood blood streaming down his side. Facing off against the boy from District Four. Both of them bleeding, limping, and darting at each other trying to get just one good shot.Joseph slipped at the boy who was on him in a second. Pinned him down, sword through his shoulder. “Last death. Going to make it a show to remember.” Alexander Pierce grinned around blood-covered teeth as he twisted the sword. The screams of a child wishing the pain to stop, and the laughing of another who seemed to enjoy every single second of what he was doing.Alexander was standing at the back of the room, Bucky had never felt so uncomfortable around the man. Always drank milk and laughed, when people brought up his win.There was also the fact he had got all the others to kill each other off with a few choice words whispered into ears. Apart from Joseph. Who he was carving up and laughing like a madman while doing it.When the video ended Bucky felt the need to be sick. He had never seen the video, and never even wanted to know how it was to watch it. Having it described to him was bad enough. Yet now he would never rid himself of a video which showed a man so similar to Steve being carved up simply because the person wanted to enjoy it.Peggy even looked a little green seeing it, tears were welling in her eyes. And Bucky knew it was the same reason as him.Yelena leant forward, her hands sliding over his shoulders. She was trying to provide comfort. “That man is disgusting. But that man is also not your Steve.” She tapped his shoulder. Getting him to look at Natasha. Who mouthed, ‘He will be one to die.’Just the thought made the corner of his lip turn up. Steve would get his revenge against this man.“Well, fair people who do we think of that little bit of news!” Caesar shouted and fluttered his hand to get the crowd to calm down. If it was the news or the video they had watched, the crowd was roaring. “Do you want to hear the next bit? Or even see it?”He hinted and laughed around all the people shouting at him to keep talking. Don’t keep secrets about their Steve.Clapping his hands to silence them, he walked over to another screen using a long thin wire to point at it. “Here we are.”Bucky froze when it showed him and Steve walking into the chamber. How he seemed to be the more scared out of the two of them. Then he watched the way it played out from another view. How the guard had turned away at the first kiss, too then called another guard in.The strain they were under keeping Bucky from getting back to Steve. It was this way he saw the real way Steve looked. Terrified and resolute.Screams rippled through the audience. And the cameras panned to them, taking in all the people blushing or how they were gossiping. But it seemed that he and Steve had done something.“What’s even better, ladies and gentlemen? They are childhood sweethearts!” Which wasn’t true. But it might work here. “Split up before it could become anything more than innocent puppy love. And now they are connected through their first kiss till the end of the line.”Bucky had to look away. How had those words made him think that the last time Steve could possibly see him was him fighting to get back to him? But the last time Bucky would see Steve was if he died right there on screen. Probably screaming and realising that he would be forgotten before the week ended.Bucky would be the only person mourning him from home.It was too much to think about, he pulled himself away from the others. Eyes tracked him, some even stood as if to talk to him. But stopped when he swung his metal arm around in a circle, the noise it made had most freezing.It was dangerous and his face was probably that cold one that lingered after he came home after a spell in someone's bed. He knew that Natasha would come over eventually. When she felt that enough time had passed for the feeling of his personal times being shown to a nation.The pod he walked into hissed shut behind him. Locking him into complete silence. Hitting a button so that the door became opaque, another to fill the room with the sound of the forest. He started screaming, punching the hard walls and kicking hard at them. Not a single dent was made in the wall but he was at least getting every single bit of frustration out.Slumping down the wall he looked down at his flesh hand. Blood was dripping from his knuckles and bruises were forming readily. There was always stuff in the pods in case something like this happened.Sparkling clear gel. Cool and thick.He smeared it over his knuckles, watching as it already started stitching his skin together. Made the bruises start to fade and the pain ebb away.Bucky sat there. Looking up though his hair as Natasha let herself in, bright red hair tucked behind her ear. Her eyes quickly went from his knuckles to the wall. “They stepped up the build this year,” she muttered. “Even though it was Clint that lost it last year, he just slit a few wires and caused a temporary black out.” She sat down on the bed.“Kissing a Tribute? Very brave of you.” She hummed, “Was it a plan or do you really care for him?”Bucky was up and in her face before he could think. She didn’t even react simply looked him in the eyes and then smiled. One that showed she was happy for him.“But I do also bring bad news.” Her frown was deep and her voice flat. “They have decided they wish to come down and interview us all when it comes down to the final two. Which might be sooner than we thought.”Bucky turned to the screen it displayed the names of all those involved in the Games. Two more names were blacked out. Neither he cared about. If it wasn’t Steve’s he was fine.Licking his lips, “The way he killed her, I didn’t even know he could do that.” The muted flashes of blood were bright behind his eyelids. “I knew he would be okay in the caves. Our whole district is good with them. You think he is going to win?”Natasha let out a long breath, “if he keeps going the way he is? Yes. But I also think he is going to be up there with Peggy and ‘He Who Remains’, with the amount of confirmed kills.” She swallowed and it was loud enough to hear, “He’s the one, the ember you called it.”Sleep came fitfully after that. No matter the sounds or the fact that the floor was hard under him, he missed the small body pressing into his. The wheezy breaths. He wanted Steve.Morning came and he left his pod.Alexander walked right up to him. Glass of milk in hand and this look on his face. “Now tell me Twelve, how did you hide that little thing from me?” He sipped leaving a trace of the milk on his lip. Licking it off and making Bucky’s stomach turn. “My last kills kid? And he is magnificent to watch. I would love to meet him after the Games.”He moved in close. Free hand rough on Bucky’s hip. “Maybe have a new take on how I killed his dear dad. Make him scream my name for another reason.” he tugs him in so their whole fronts are touching. “Make him compliant just like you were.”He pushed Bucky away laughing, drinking more of his milk.Bucky felt his whole body shaking, the time he had spent with Alexander was a time he couldn’t remember two whole months gone from his mind. But all he could feel was pain and fear when he tried to break through that blank space.Sam slung an arm around his shoulder, “Fucking creep.” Sam had explained that Alexander only ever wanted young white guys in his bed. Would keep them till they stopped doing what he wanted and then they were out.Bucky knew he wasn’t the only one, just lucky in the sense that he didn’t remember what had happened. But he knew his preference was for other Victors. Liked to feel that he was better than them all.“Steve is up to five kills.” Sam hummed, “Getting up there, but nine kids are gone so far.” He was guided over to the table, food forced onto a plate for him to eat. And he just sat with Sam watching all the others. Some were not even watching the screen but that was the norm.Not all of the Victors cared enough when they were convinced their tributes were just going to be fodder for the bigger names. Twenty-four hours in and they were down to fifteen kids. This game could be fast. God Bucky hoped so.The silence was all Bucky could deal with, watching the highlights from the night.Steve curled up in the middle of a tunnel, a blanket covering him. The blatant amount of gifts he had received overnight showed. His skin was clean and he had a small amount of eaten food next to him.Blinking open his eyes as if he had become aware of the camera on him, he yawned. Looking adorable. Messy blonde hair and hands rubbing at his eyes. Not the face of a person who had killed five people in the first twenty-four hours of the Game.He smiled softly, touching his lips and a blush formed across his cheeks. He slowly packed up the new stuff.An elbow to his side, “You think he was dreaming of you Bucky Bear?” Sam stage whispered. Before laughing at him, Bucky knew he was blushing a deep dark red and wiggling a little in his seat.Because Bucky had done the same. Dreamt of Steve.How it would feel to kiss him again. Feel the soft skin of his face under his hands again, taste his tongue. Imagine the noises he could pull from his lips when he kissed his neck, how his face would be flushed and shy for the first time.But now wasn’t the time to think back on it. Not when he had lain awake waiting for his dick to calm down and go soft against his thigh again.He wouldn’t touch himself at the thought of Steve unless Steve said it was okay. And if Steve died he would never touch himself again. He doubted he would be able to go to bed with anyone again who wanted that type of reaction from him.The day seemed to drag, Brock killed another. The girl hanging upside down had stopped screaming. But the skin of her face had taken on this sickly purple colour and her breaths seemed to become stuttered.But they didn’t see Steve. Occasionally flashes of him, but nothing concrete. Until Caeser was about to give an update. It focused on Brock and the girl he was sitting with, they had started a fire and were eating. Chatting aimlessly.A noise came from behind Brock. They were both up, food dropped to the dusty floor and weapons clutched in their hands. Looking out into the pitch black darkness. Hands slowly came down over the girl. Stick thin arms.The top half of Steve's body was hanging from a hole in the ceiling. Barely big enough for him to fit and he closed his eyes for a second. ‘Sorry’ was mouthed and then like lightning he had his hands on either side of the girl's head.The noise of her neck snapping and the cutoff scream, bounced around the cave. Brock turned around as quickly as he could but he couldn’t get to Steve who was gone back up the tiny tunnel and most likely heading further into the system.The sound of the cannon firing at the death of another tribute had a lot of the people in the room jumping. And in the time they were breathing, trying to calm themselves from the shock, it went off again. Flashing to the girl who had been upside down.It his Bucky then. In the space of thirty-eight hours half of the tributes were dead. And half of those had been at Steve’s hands. There was less of him being used as a pleasure piece by the Capital and one used to rid those that Snow hated, only issue would be Steve.There was no way he would do it.Sleep was again difficult but this time he was joined by Peggy, she seemed to be more quiet than years before. More on her mind. Like she was unsure of something and wanted to talk but was also worried.In the morning Bucky didn’t even check the wall. Simply looked at Peggy. She was lying on her back next to him. Her hair was a mess and not a scrap of makeup on her face. And she looked beautiful that way.She laughed, “Keep looking at a girl that way and she just might think you want more from her.” And Bucky couldn’t help joining her in her laughter. “I think I am in love with someone from The Capital.”Bucky hummed. It was pretty obvious after spending time living with Peggy who she meant. And while it seemed fast, time wasn’t on anyone's side. Not even a Victors’. “Angie.” Peggy looked at him so quickly, “She will be good for you. She looks at you the way you look at her.” He spoke, staring at his metal hand as he moved the fingers. “Go kiss her or something.”The floor did in fact hurt when you hit it even from a drop as small as the one he experienced. But laughter still bubbled from deep in his chest when Peggy’s head popped over the side. Looking down at him wide-eyed and sorry.“Why don’t you go kiss Steve.” She muttered, trying to hold back from laughing like he was. It was infectious this laughter.Bucky smiled, thinking back to it. “Already have. Twice.” He threw up two fingers, telling her both the amount of times and to fuck off.He sat on the bed watching her get ready. It was therapeutic in a way, how she brushed liquids across her face to make it look like the Peggy he knew. He did flinch away at the black khol she took to her eyes.She blinked at that but didn’t press.Walking out of the pod he knew some people would think about what had happened in there. None of which had. Just the talk of falling for people and in both cases how unconventional they are.Not a single death happened on day three. It was a lot of showing people either searching for or hiding from other tributes. It did focus on Hattie, her right arm was hanging uselessly at her side.During the night she had fallen down one of the shafts and landed full force on her shoulder. Clint was sure it was both dislocated and shattered, but he did compliment her of not making a single noise when it happened. But did criticise her for not making sure it was out of the way.Steve was found once, sketching while he ate out of a can. The camera moved looking over his shoulder. And there on the paper was a few little sketches.Bucky’s metal hand, held in Steves. Peggy’s face in profile, eyebrow raised. Bucky’s sleeping face, mouth hanging open with a trail of drool pooling on the pillow. The knife that Steve had used. Hattie glaring him with a mouthful of food, crumbs dusting her lips.And a face. Someone he didn’t know. But her face seemed to show the most care. Slow unsure lines.The more Bucky through the more, he could see little bits of Steve’s face in there. How her lips curved the same way Steve’s did when he was shy.His mom.He flipped the paper over and started writing. The chicken scratch is almost unable to be read. But Bucky decided he wasn’t going to try. It wasn’t for him to read.Caesar made a huge deal of the drawing. Pointing out the ones of Bucky were recent and couldn’t have been seen in the chamber at the end. Had their romance bloomed on the train. Or even when Bucky had seen Steve walking towards him on the stage on the day of the Reaping.He was selling it like a romance. A forbidden one that might even end in tragedy. He was swooning across the stage, talking about how he would love to see how they would look at each other when they were reunited.He gasped, loud enough for the crowd to silence themselves. He could ask Bucky when he went to interview the past Victors’.Bucky hoped more deaths would happen during the night.Somehow his pod was becoming his and whoever needed to talk about their love life pod. Because Natasha sat with him, humming along with the birds that played. Making him realise that they had been singing the Capitals theme for Snow.All she did was look at him, open her mouth to speak then snap it shut. Looking forward and crossing her arms. By the fifth time she did it, Bucky was close to throwing her out of the pod and asking Sam to stay with him because he would at least talk and not have him fighting sleep for the time when she was ready to talk.“I slept with Clint.” She looked out the corner of her eye at him. “And Bruce.” Her body sagged, “And Maria Hill.”“All at once? Or…” Bucky asked, the slap he got was swift and he laughed at her. She straddled his waist and rained the most barely there slaps on him.“Not at once. But in the same week.” She flopped down face in his neck, “What kind of person does that make me?”Looking at the ceiling, “A normal one.” He starts. “Also one with good taste.” Pulling her face back so they are eye to eye. “But I don’t see the issue. Did you not want to sleep with them or did you want to keep sleeping with them all?”She blinked her green eyes wide. “The second one, but nothing more than that.”Nodding Bucky looked at her. “Tell them that and if they aren’t okay with it. Drop them.”Day four was horrific.It started with the screams of kids as water started bubbling up through the caves. Some were caught in tunnels unable to escape the water. Not able to swim and drowned. Their faces are frozen in fear as they drown in little spaces, floating along in the water.Steve, Hattie, Brock and the seven other kids managed to keep climbing in the tunnels. Outpacing the water or being able to hold their breaths until they were able to get away from it.The cameras showed them all sitting wet and panting. Checking supplies and in some cases, the kids were hyperventilating.Steve scrubbed his face before pulling at his clothes. Pulling a plastic sheet from his chest, flipping it a few times before sagging back against the side of the cave. It was the paper he had been drawing on just the day before.As he slipped it in his chest, his head whipped to the side. Knife gripped tight in his hand, and he pressed himself small and flat against the wall.Hattie stumbled into vision. Her eyes wide and crazed. Looking everywhere, but they darted to random spots, she would stumble to them. Freeze and then make these high pitched whines when she realised nothing was there.“I’m going to find and kill that little shit.” She hissed through her teeth, “If one of us is going to win from our District it’s going to be me, Stevie.” She swung the knife out. “Then I am going to take Bucky to my bed.”Bucky gagged. He would rather die.“I’m going to kill you, Stevie.” Her voice had a sing-song quality. Bordering on a slightly psychotic whine. “I’m going to watch you bleed out slowly like your daddy did. Going to make you scream and beg like him.”Steve’s face was the picture of pure unadulterated hatred.He flipped the knife in his hand, picked up a rick and made it hit the wall behind Hattie. She turned to focus on it. Took a few deep breaths. Then smiled. It was crazed all teeth. Eys forced wide.She started staggering towards it, arm still hangin limp by her side.Steve sprinted up behind her. She only had time to freeze and let out an ear peircing scream as the knife sunk deep into her shoulder. Steve used it to help cling onto her as he turned it.Her screams got higher as he pulled it out and fell flat on his back. But when it went back to her both arms were hanging limply by her sides. Completely unusable. She fell forward quickly trying with all her might to bite at Steve.She did catch his forearm from where he rammed it between her teeth to stop her from biting the skin of his neck. Blood coated her chin and when Steve rolled, punching her more damaged shoulder to get her to let go.She screamed again.Mouth stained with Steve’s blood and eyes full of nothing but the sheer want to kill. Steve yet again brought the knife down, it slid against her collarbone. Slicing her wide open but ending up in the dirt.Jaw tight Steve held the knife up in both hands and plunged it down hard at the base of her neck. Her eyes went wide and she started squirming as hard as she could between his thighs. Her arms moved with how she shook her body. Blood bubbled up from around the knife as Steve slowly turned it.Steve leaned in close. “I’m not sorry. You are the worst thing about these Games.” He stood up pulling the knife free and started his way sneaking back down the tunnel. The camera focused on Hattie’s face.How with each breath more blood bubbled up and pooled in the hollow of her throat before running of the sides. The dirt below her soaking up her blood. The cannon finally went off three minutes after Steve left her.Yelena had very bluntly pointed out she would have drowned on her own blood most likely. And that Steve was very good at this whole killing thing.Bucky didn’t like the way he felt. Happy.He shouldn’t feel that way not when one of his tributes had killed the other and so violently. Steve hadn’t killed anyone in a way that made in long and torturous until her. Each death had been quick and marked with him apologising for taking their lives.The camera quickly went to Brock, he was punching a girls face to a bloody pulp. Her screams nothing more than gurgling. But the whole time he had this gleeful smile on his face. But unlike with Steve the camera was taking huge amounts of time to avoid showing Brocks lower half.“Disgusting.” Clint said behind his now closed eyes. “There is always one of them.” His head tipped to indicate Alexander from where he was lingering against the back wall. The way his body was positioned hinted he was feeling the same as Brock.In the next second another kid was drowning their friend. Holding their face in a pool of water, tears streaming down her face as the boy thrashed. Clawed at her hands and kicked his legs frantically.The cannon went of in succession as her friend stopped moving and the girl Brock had pinned stopped gurgling.They were down to six and it didn’t seem it was going to stop. Because like a ghost Steve appeared behind the girl who had just killed her friend. His hands still red with both his and Hattie’s blood.The girl froze when Steve’s hands placed themselves on her face. “I’m sorry.” He whispered and then with another crack her neck snapped and she fell to the ground. Right on top of her friend.Steve didn’t look at them as he washed his hands in the pool of water.The room was suddenly a rush of each district's fashion team. They were running to who were the Tribute's mentors and making them up, fixing hair. Getting them to put on different clothes. Angie was right in front of him, smiling.A blush on her face as Peggy pulled on a new dress. Dark blue and red, swiping a new layer of lipstick on.As she leant in to fix Bucky's hair he couldn’t help it, “You should kiss her.”Angie’s eyes went wide and her blush got darker under her makeup. She bit her lip and nodded as she looked at Peggy again. “After.”“After.” Bucky nodded and sat down in their assigned seat with Peggy. As the ever-bright and loud Caeser walked in. The camera follows him and he starts talking with Natasha and Yelena. Both seem cold on screen.“He is a pride of District One.” Natasha started, “Followed how we learn in school to a T. I have no issue with his technique. As he was trained by both me and my sister for a while after our return from our wins of The Games.” She looks at Yelena.Yelena swallows, “Brock has made the most of being in an environment which he isn’t necessarily built for. But I can not fault him and I see him doing very well in these Games. Hopefully, bring Pride back to District One.”“Such lovely and prideful words from this year's District One Mentors.” He said to the camera, “Now to District Four. Clint Barton, how do you feel about your last tributes chances?”Reaching to turn off his hearing aid Clint speaks, “Doubtful. She hasn’t made a single kill. And she is only fourteen.” He sat back down.Caesar seemed surprised at the words and turned to the next three mentor groups each of them giving similar answers to Natasha and Yelena.When he was finally about to talk to Bucky, a gasp rang through the room. All of them turned to the screen. It was Steve again. He was standing in front of the girl from Four, tears were running down her face and she dropped the knife she had in her hand. Walking towards Steve.“Can you make it not hurt? I’m scared of it hurting.” She whimpered, doe-eyed and beautiful. She was so young-looking.Steve swallowed, opening his arms to her. She rushed forward, arms wrapping around him and her head resting on his shoulder. “I don’t know if I can make it painless, but I can make it quick?” Steve whispered, running his hands through her long red hair. She sniffled into his chest and he held her even closer.“I want to go home.” She sobbed, “I want to see my mom and dad. I want to see my dog, Sparky.” She wiped snot into his clothes, “I want to play with my brother.”Steve’s eyes shut. He swallowed visibly. Placing his hands where he had for every other kid's neck he had broken he pulled her back. “We can do that. Just close your eyes and think of them. You will get to see them soon.”Blinking back tears, her big brown eyes looked at him. “Promise?”“I promise uh?”“Wanda.”“I promise Wanda, now close your eyes.” As she closed them Steve mouthed ‘I’m sorry’ before he snapped her neck. He took his time lowering her to the ground, closing her eyes and brushing her hair off her face. He moved her so she just looked like she was sleeping. And Bucky couldn’t help but think that she was smiling.Bucky looked back at Caesar, who was actually wiping tears from his eyes. His jaw was clenched, the camera wasn’t on him and he was letting his true self come out. It was almost enough to think that maybe he didn’t deserve to die for how he took part in these Games.“After that moving show of love from Steve. We can confirm that Wanda is the twin sibling of Peitro from last year's Games.” he brushed a fake tear away, “Not often in the Games do we see such gentle death, care for those that ask for it.”Bucky couldn’t imagine how that family was feeling right at that second.“Bucky how do you feel Steve will do in this Games?” The camera and microphone were shoved in his face.Licking his lips and looking at the screen to see what's happening. “I can only speak from a personal point of view. I want Steve back. I want him to win.” He looks away feeling his face flush. “I only just got him back and I want to have all the time in the world with him.”Caesar made a soft noise and clutched the microphone to his chest. “Young love. It’s so sweet and I wish I could live through it again.” He turned quickly to Peggy. “Ms Carter, how do you think Steve will fair?”Peggy smiled, “He has nine kills under his belt. Significantly more than any other. He also has the advantage of the area and his size. All the things that are needed to win a Games. Almost all the Victors here can agree that it’s what helped us win.”A sharp nod and Caesar, walked off interviewing all the others in the room wanted their opinions of the Games so far. Who they thought would win.Peggy leant back, resting her weight on his side. “The final four.”“The final four.”The few hours were a lot of watching the other try and find each other. Until Steve stumbled, making the boy her had been following turn quickly. John Walker. He had similarities to Steve. Even his team had tried to make him resemble Snow. But the public just hadn’t taken it on.Steve had mentioned that John had stalked him around the training facility. Before huffing when he deemed him as nothing more than a pretty little thing that would die quickly.John locked his eyes on Steve stalking him around in a circle. But unlike Steve, he wasn’t as sure on his feet when he wasn’t looking. Bucky was quick to figure out it was a trap. In the small space, they changed sides. Steve took a deep breath and sprinted down the tunnel. Not even looking back and that's when arms came out of the dark.Brock grabbed John, hands on both sides of his head, Which he slammed hard into the ground. Using as much of his strength as he could.The crunch of a nose smashing, a gasp of air and then all they could do was watch as yet again Brock smashed someone's face in. Blood flying around him and staining his face in tiny flecks of blood. He licked off his lips each time it started to drip.He was laughing loudly. Mania set it as he realised there were only two people between him and winning.The camera went to Steve, skidding as he climbed up again. Only for him to drop suddenly back to the floor. Hands over his mouth. Swallowing down whatever was trying to force its way out of his body at what he had found.A camera flew up the tunnel and it was the bloody face of Wanda. Someone had stuffed her down a hole. Plugging it up.A cannon blast had Steve looking back and starting running again. In hopes of finding another way to get higher and further from Brock.But he froze in place when a second cannon went off.The camera panned to another tribute. Sat in a pool of blood, knife on the floor. Wrists were cut completely open, and only meters from where the few people who had had their face smashed in by Brock.Bucky couldn’t help but stand. It was the final two.The minutes ticked past as Steve kept himself inside the tunnel which had Wanda’s body. He was pressed into the space not touching her. Just looking down and waiting for Brock to come past.Brock had lost his gloves during the swim but it didn't stop his fists from being dangerous.Brock walked past and Steve dropped. Landing on his back and pushing the knife deep into the firm muscle of his back. A roar came from Brock's mouth and reached back grabbing Steve and pulling him off.Steve flew across the space. Eventually stopping when he hit his back against the wall, knife still in his hand. It was coated in blood and Brock reached back touching the spot Steve had got him. Rushing forward Steve rolled just in time to stop a fist hitting him right in the face.He looked up at him and as the second fist came towards him he slammed the knife up and between the middle knuckles. Keeping a tight hold with two hands as Brock yet again pulled his hand back. Looking at the damage he had made.Instead of punching him again, he fell into Steve’s space.Grabbed the front of the costume and spoke. “Want to know something? Even though your Bucky remembers you. He will never forget all the beds he’s been in. All the bodies that have been under him.”He laughed, spit hitting Steve in the face. “You will never be special in all that.”He went to punch Steve. But instead, he got a knife between the ribs.Steve used the knife to roll them. Pulling it out and slamming it back in wherever he could. Bucky could hear the mix of their breaths together, as each one was punched out with each slam of the knife.Brock started laughing when Steve seemingly got tired, but each laugh was filled with blood that bubbled from his mouth. “I was stupid to think you would die like your dad. Would have been funny that way.”He pushed Steve from his chest. “All the men in your family finding love to just die in the Games.” He didn’t try to go after Steve. “Still I know things about your Bucky, and you will never know them.”Steve lost it. Bucky could see it. He grabbed Brock's head and started slamming it back into the ground. “You should just die with the shame of knowing you lost to a boy who barely survived being born.” He growled, “You have the shame of desecrating a little Wanda’s resting place. One who just wanted her family back. She didn’t deserve to be deformed like you did to her.”Brock kept laughing.The noise was disgustingly loud and he seemed to not care one bit that he was about to die. More like he was enjoying everything he was having done to him and said about him.“Go to hell.” Steve hissed, the knife sliding right where it needed too.And it was then that Brock’s eyes widened and it seemed to hit him what was happening.And then the final cannon burst went off.Bucky collapsed to the floor. Steve had won.Steve won the Games.The camera got right in his face and the voice of the head Game Maker, Tony Stark, rang out, “Any words to give out Captain Rogers?”“I’m the start of a new time. Showing people the real winners of the Games.” He looked right in the camera, “I can show The Capital just what the people can do with sheer will and brains. And I am going to do it till the end of the line.”Bucky started to walk through to where he knew they took the winners. The same place they went when they arrived to get cleaned up and healed before they had to go and talk to Caesar again.As he rushed through the doors and skidded to a stop, Steve was sat only clothed in simple shorts.His body was bashed and bruised, and the little fly cameras were flitting about him. He looked up at Bucky and smiled. Blue eyes brimming with tears, his body sagging like he couldn’t believe he was finally out of there.His hands reached out and Bucky was there, hands deep in blond hair. Feeling the thin thighs on either side of his hips. They just breathed each other in.Bucky pulled back, tipping Steve’s face up to his. “You are here. And you deserve to be the one here and breathing.” He pressed his lips to his as if confirming it was him.Caesar did talk to Steve. Most of the The Capital were shocked with how he was after. How his words were so harsh. But yet.How his words were a very vaguely veiled threat towards the Games had the slow bubbling rebellion, strengthen. With each year it got stronger and hid further underground. Spreading through all the districts. Parents no longer wanting to accept they could lose all their children through sheer dumb luck.It wasn’t until exactly twelve years later. Not a single victor coming from a District below three. That the savours came. Two sixteen-year-old children were willing to sacrifice their lives for two twelve-year-olds. Neither of them has any relation to them.Peter Parker and Mary-Jane Watson, walked up onto the podium.Looked out at the crowd and ended The Hunger Games, in just five bloody days.