Archive of Our Own

88 minutes before Victory

Games Day 15

All Qibli Vestron had ever wanted was to see the world.

Right?

Qibli wasn't so sure.

For eighteen years, there had been a sort of emptiness inside of him. Some kind of gap, some missing link, that allowed the ache of wanderlust to live on in his chest. And that wanderlust was insatiable. No matter what he did, he couldn't satisfy it. No matter how many books he devoured, or how many explorations Adan dragged him along on, the urge to aimlessly walk until there was nothing left to seek never left him. It was like something was missing, but he didn't know what it was.

For Qibli, someone who needed rules and efficiency and plans to even function, this tendency was an anxiety-inducing nightmare. It made no sense. So in a very Qibli-like manner, he'd planned for it. He'd decided that his time to wander, to finally see everything his world had to offer, would come when he was eighteen years old.

Or, to be more specific, today.

There were only two of them left on the fifteenth day- Qibli, and the boy from Eleven. He hadn't seen the boy since the first moments of the Games over two weeks ago. He knew the boy had killed the girl from Eight the day before. According to Lucrece, he'd killed Cadoc as well, but Qibli forced himself not to worry. After all, he'd managed to kill Lucrece.

By midday, he was confident his opponent was nearby. He had to be. Qibli had planned his last day in the arena too carefully for anything to have a chance of going awry. Two hours ago, he'd shot his last flare into the sky. As any tribute left standing would have needed a good bearing on the arena's hedge maze to make it this far, Qibli knew the other tribute could make his way to him. Qibli was also aware of the fact that while Eleven was cautious, he was also desperate. He wanted to go home. He didn't have the resources or endurance Qibli had, which meant Qibli had a key advantage: patience.

So at midday, with all of these and countless other calculations swimming around in Qibli's brain, he slipped away from the Cornucopia. He slung his bow over his shoulders and made his way around the western exit, which hooked around into the perfect little perch for a smaller tribute. Since Qibli was by far that year's smallest Career at 5'4" and under 130 pounds, the spot was a strategic jackpot.

Eighty-six minutes later, his patience paid off. The anxiety curled in his stomach eased a little when Eleven poked his head around the southern exit, taking a long moment to survey the Cornucopia.

Then Eleven took a step forward.

Qibli gingerly slid an arrow from his quiver. He notched it, but didn't fire. Too soon, and Eleven would disappear back into the maze. Qibli hadn't come this far to break his promise now.

Another step.

Qibli drew the arrow back.

A third step forwards.

Qibli cocked his head.

Four steps.

Qibli squinted.

Five-

Whoosh.

The arrow flew free of Qibli's fingers, nipping perfectly at Eleven's heels. Without hesitation, Eleven took off into the Cornucopia. Qibli swung his legs over the hedge, sliding down the side and landing neatly on the other side of the maze. He ran to the Cornucopia- a lovely glass greenhouse, of which Qibli had sealed three of the four doors- and notched his last, most special arrow. A gift from a generous sponsor after his plot with Enyo.

At the thought of his district partner, his nerves hardened.

The greenhouse wasn't large. It was more of a decorative thing, really, a centerpiece for the towering hedge maze that made up the arena. It had served its purpose well on the first day, successfully trapping the tributes in with one another. And because it was so small, it heated up very, very quickly.

Just as Qibli had calculated.

In one fluid moment, Qibli ran to the open door, released the special arrow, shut the door, and turned to run.

BOOM!

The explosion served as Eleven's cannon as it sent pieces of glass flying through the air. One burning-hot shard pierced his thigh. Another sank into his lower back. A third still lodged itself in the shoulder Enyo had stabbed. Qibli fell, screaming, to the ground. He'd known this would happen- how could he not have- but it didn't stop the agony. Smoke clouded the sky and trickled into his lungs. Tears filled his eyes as he coughed, writhing with pure pain on the ground.

Soon enough, though, he forgot about all of this. Because soon enough, the announcer's voices filled his ears, and they were screaming his name.

He'd won.

He'd won.

Qibli searched his chest. For a moment, there was only joy. Then pride. Then, relief. He'd promised to come back home, and he'd soon be keeping that promise.

But then… that old ache was still there. The smile faded from his lips as he realized the ache wasn't leaving.

Despair set in. It would probably never leave. Why would it? If it was still lingering after all this, then there was no getting rid of it.

He'd thought all he'd ever wanted was to see the world, but he was wrong.

2 days, 15 hours before Victory

Games Day 13

At first glance, Enyo Paceio was a fairytale princess.

The District Two girl was stunning. Long, dark hair fell in waves past her shoulders, and her caramel skin was impossibly clear. Her high cheekbones and sweet face only supported the fantasy. Her dark eyes glimmered when she spoke, and every movement was the epitome of grace. She seemed to be lifted straight from the storybooks Qibli used to bury himself in.

They were only two Careers left now. Qibli and Enyo. The prides of District Two, united and dominating the odds.

Well… perhaps "united" was a bit of a stretch.

On the thirteenth night in the arena, the two sat outside the front door of the Cornucopia, the silence thicker than the hedges encapsulating the arena. Neither of them had spoken much since that morning. Neither of them had put down their weapons, either. Qibli's hand remained firmly around his bow, his heart rate pulsing through his fingers.

He knew it was only a matter of time now.

As he glanced over at Enyo, the Capitol's fanfare burst through the night, diverting his attention. Enyo raised her chin regally, looking toward the stars. He turned his eyes to the sky.

There were three faces tonight.

DISTRICT ONE. Lucrece.

DISTRICT FOUR. Namika.

DISTRICT FOUR. Niles.

He didn't dwell on them. He couldn't. He knew Enyo better than that.

As soon as Niles' face disappeared, he ducked and rolled away from her, landing in a crouch. Even if he was wrong, he'd shown his hand, so he had to fight. However, Qibli was not wrong. The katana lodged in the dirt where he'd just been sitting was plenty enough proof of that.

Quick as a viper, Qibli notched an arrow, aiming at his district partner's eye. In turn, Enyo leveled her second katana at his heart.

She didn't bother wasting time. "Why didn't you leave me there?"

He remained stoic. "You know why."

Enyo smirked, the cruelty unsettling on her sweet features. "You really believe in that stuff, huh?"

"Rules are rules," Qibli repeated. Don't let her break you.

"District loyalty isn't a rule," Enyo replied. "Come on, Qibli. No more games. Let's just end this, you and me." She cocked her head. "Or didn't you realize this was coming?"

It had been subtle at first, but Qibli couldn't deny it anymore- Enyo was shifting herself closer to him.

"Don't force my hand," he warned her. "I don't want to kill you if I don't have to."

"You don't have to kill me," she answered. "But it would be very helpful if you held still."

The conversation was over. He fired wildly, and missed, just as she lunged for his heart. He twisted, trying to protect his vital organs, but he didn't avoid the katana entirely. He cried out as it tore through his jumpsuit and into his shoulder, making his eyes water. With a grunt, he managed to notch another arrow, but his wounded shoulder wasn't too pleased with him.

Enyo lunged again. Qibli, on his feet now, sidestepped her, forcing his body around the left corner of the greenhouse. He pressed himself up against the glass, ready to fire. He just had to get to the other side…

"Qibli, I said no more games," Enyo called. "Don't you get tired of them?"

The answer was no, but he didn't bother telling her that. Instead, he inched backwards, hoping she was too busy rescuing her other katana from the ground to hear his footsteps. Based on the shuffling noises coming from around the corner, this assumption was correct. He steadily worked his way backwards until he was at the back left corner of the building.

Then, he fired.

In response, Enyo's head poked out from around the front corner, catching a glimpse of him. He turned and ran around the back to the other side of the greenhouse, notching a third arrow as he ran. The movement made his shoulder burn, but he ignored it.

As he arrived on the rightmost side of the glass greenhouse, he saw Enyo had followed. She stood at the far corner, her signature katana in each hand.

"This is ridiculous," she called to him. "You can't run forever."

He didn't. He fired another arrow, purposefully sending it over her head to bait her. Then he turned to hide around the corner again. Enyo easily dodged the arrow and ran directly after him, not bothering with the back-and-forth anymore.

She didn't get far.

As soon as her scream reached his ears, Qibli retraced his steps back around the right side of the greenhouse. Enyo had crumpled to the ground, her bones showing through the torn skin of her ankle. In the dark, she'd failed to see the danger.

The bear traps came in handy after all, Qibli mused.

He walked closer to her, gritting his teeth as he prepared his final shot. Enyo raised her head at the sound of his approach, regal as ever as she glared at him. Her dark eyes glittered with malice.

"I hope you lose," she said, her voice low and soft. "I hope that after all of this, you. Still. Fail."

Qibli shrugged, but didn't reply. He didn't really have anything to say. He would've said that he wished it hadn't come to this- which was true- but he knew Enyo didn't want to hear it.

She searched his face. When she saw only his usual stoicism, her lip curled. "See you in hell."

Qibli sighed. Then, he fired.

Boom. A clean shot to the eye. There was no glimmer left in the other one- only a glassy sheen.

Enyo Paceio was not a fairytale princess.

She was, however, dead.

3 days, 1 hour before Victory

Games Day 13

On the thirteenth morning of the Games, it took Qibli three tries to finish locking up the Cornucopia. This was not part of the plan, which only made his hands shake harder, which ended up delaying them even longer. He forced his face to stay blank, because he'd be damned if he let the others see how terrified he was.

What he wouldn't give to see Adan right now… he was so tired of bottling it all up.

The thought of Adan calmed him a little- just enough to steady his hands and finish locking the greenhouse. It wasn't so much of a lock as it was an obvious trap to ward off enemy tributes, but the alliance referred to it as a lock anyway.

"Ready?" Namika called, lingering at the back of the group.

"I'm coming," Qibli replied, avoiding the question. He slung his quiver over his shoulder and jogged over to where the rest of his allies were waiting at the east exit.

"All right, here we go," Enyo announced. "Heading into new territory today. Stay behind me and keep your guard up- the first hour should be fine, but beyond that, we have no idea what's out there. Got it?"

"We're not stupid," Lucrece snapped. "Let's go."

Enyo shot Qibli a glance. Qibli returned it with a slight nod. She turned and led the way into the maze, Lucrece and Niles soon following after her.

"I can hold the back," Qibli told Namika.

Namika smiled down at him. "It's okay, bud. I've got it."

Irritation sparked in his chest. "I can handle it."

"All right," Namika said, still smiling. "Let me know if you need any help."

Qibli waited until her back was turned to let himself scowl. Then, he followed her into the maze.

Enyo led them onwards for exactly an hour through the hedges, heading down a path she and Qibli knew well. As soon as he finished counting the sixty minutes, Qibli started to lag behind. He still followed them, but after a few minutes, he was noticeably far. Then, he stopped, scuffing his boot in the dirt to make sure they noticed. He kept his gaze steadily over his shoulder.

"Qibli?" Namika called, trailing to a stop.

"What's up, little dude?" Niles asked.

Qibli had never been much of an actor. He'd always been anxious, though. That meant that what came next wasn't difficult for him to fake.

"Fuck!" he screamed, turning back to his allies with wide eyes. "Butterflies! Run!"

Enyo raised an eyebrow, but she quickly took off. Niles didn't even question it. Neither did Namika, despite all the doubt she'd been harboring just an hour before. Lucrece looked a little more hesitant, but with the Fours and Qibli tearing towards her, she had little other choice than to turn and flee.

Enyo led them even deeper into the maze, zigging and zagging at what appeared to be random- forcing the others to focus on keeping up with her instead of what was behind them. Qibli kept up the charade from the back, occasionally shouting phrases such as "Go!" or "Shit!" to keep them moving. They kept it up for a few minutes, flying through the maze at breakneck speed- until Enyo screamed.

At the front of the line, Enyo disappeared. Lucrece skidded to a stop just in time, and the Fours barely managed to slow down behind her.

Qibli did not stop. Qibli pushed himself harder.

The arena was a complex place, much more than a simple hedge maze. To make things interesting, the Gamemakers had rigged it with all sorts of horrors. The most common was bear traps, which Qibli had made a habit of collecting. There were also numerous mutts, dead ends, mysterious fountains, and the hedges themselves, which Qibli would swear he'd seen move on their own once or twice.

Another example was the twenty-foot pit just over an hour's walk from the Cornucopia.

Qibli slammed into the other Careers with his hands outstretched. Namika stumbled into Niles who stumbled into Lucrece. Lucrece and Niles immediately slipped over the edge, and with one well-placed elbow, Namika soon followed. Qibli watched them fall.

Boom.

Boom.

Boom.

"Help me up."

Qibli glanced down to see Enyo hanging onto the rope ladder, her hand outstretched. For a moment, he hesitated. It would be so easy to let her fall. What had caused him more anxiety than his alliance with Enyo? That glimmer in her eyes had always worried him.

But he'd promised he wouldn't.

District partners don't kill each other.

He extended a hand, giving her leverage to pull herself out of the pit. For a second, he wondered if she'd shove him down, but she didn't. She'd caught his hesitance, though. He could tell by the look on her face.

"Well," she finally said, "that was easier than I thought." A smile played across her lips as she took in the scene. One of the most genuine Qibli had ever seen on her.

Qibli glanced down at the three broken bodies laid crumpled at the bottom of the pit. Unlike his partner, he derived no pleasure from this. "I… guess so."

Enyo rolled her eyes. "Come on."

She began to head back to the Cornucopia. After a moment, Qibli followed.

He had a bad feeling about what would happen next.

At least he was prepared.

5 days, 4 hours before Victory

Games Day 10

After his conversation with Enyo yesterday, Qibli's already heightened anxiety was spiraling out of control. He didn't dare let it show. As soon as the group split up for the day- today's pairings were Lucrece/Niles, Enyo/Namika, and Qibli on his usual business- Qibli fled through the eastern exit, desperate for some space to think everything through.

In some ways, maybe it would be nice to have an ally. A real ally. He'd been partnered with the Careers all along, but in reality, Qibli was playing a solo game. To have someone to rely on… that could be nice. He'd trained for years for this, and it was exhausting. The past ten days had been draining, to say the least.

But then again… was she a real ally? This was Enyo. One of the most ruthless trainees Two had ever seen. If she ever thought he was plotting against her, he'd be done for. Even worse, she now had confirmation that he'd been playing weak and was up to something. She knew more about the real Qibli than he'd ever wanted her to.

In a way, wasn't that a relief?

Qibli's head went around and around like that all the way to the pit Enyo had shown him. Once he was there, he took his time securing the rope net as a ladder on the inside of the pit. It would be up to her to save her own life when the time came. It would be up to him to push the others hard enough that they'd fly safely over her.

After he was done, he sat by the side of the pit, turning his options over in his head. There were two main contingencies he needed to plan for.

One: that the plan didn't work. If the others caught on to the fact that they were trying to trick them, they'd be in some serious trouble. Three versus two weren't great odds, which meant they'd need backup traps. He would definitely need to relocate some of the bear traps so that they were closer to the pit… just in case. If the others didn't catch on to their lies, then they could just play dumb and try something else another day.

Two: that the plan worked, and it was just him and Enyo left in the Career alliance.

That meant he'd need to turn on Enyo.

The idea alone made his heartbeat thrum. Qibli had been taught about the seriousness of district loyalty since he was a brand-new trainee. As far as he was concerned, it was a rule. One of the more unofficial ones, but still a rule. Even thinking about breaking a rule made his throat tight.

It's fine if it's in self-defense, right? he told himself. If she tries to kill me, I'm going to fight back.

Knowing Enyo, she would attack. It made sense. Qibli hoped that he'd found the exception to the rule, because he couldn't see any other way out of it. Furthermore, he had to be ready to defend himself. Enyo was half a foot taller than him and obviously stronger. In direct combat, he'd be lucky to last five minutes, even with six years of training.

He'd have to be ready for her.

Is that self-defense, though? If you're literally planning to kill them?

Qibli groaned, burying his head in his hands. If only Adan were here. Adan would listen while Qibli spilled his worries for what felt like hours, and at the end of it all, would hold him tight. Adan would kiss the top of his head and tell him everything would be fine, to stop worrying -

Focus , Qibli instructed himself. He had better things to do than daydream.

So he picked himself up off the ground, dusted off his arena uniform, and got to work repositioning the bear traps closer to the pit. Just in case.

If he hurried, he'd have enough time to sneak one back to the Cornucopia.

He hurried.

5 days, 15 hours before Victory

Games Day 9

"So this is what you've been up to."

Qibli whirled around, the air leaving his lungs. He dropped the net he'd been rigging and kicked it to the side, but it was no use. Enyo stood behind him, her arms crossed and her hip cocked.

"You followed me?"

"You almost had me there for a second," she continued. "I almost thought you were harmless."

"I… uh…"

"You're not, though," Enyo said. "Or else you wouldn't be here."

"Uh… okay," Qibli stammered, fumbling for a plan. "So… did you want something, or…?"

"Isn't it obvious?" she asked. She smirked. "I want in."

"In on what?"

"I know you're up to something," she replied. "Even if I don't know exactly what."

Qibli sighed.

"Think about it," Enyo pressed. "Things are going too well right now. We'll get all the way to the finale and all five of us will still be standing. Neither of us want that."

"No," he muttered. He glanced at the net on the ground.

Her eyes followed his gaze. "... Ohhh. There's more, isn't there?"

He scratched the back of his neck.

She looked back at him. He'd expected her to be surprised, or even worried, by the realization of what exactly he was doing.

Instead, she was smiling, those dark brown eyes of hers glittering with excitement.

"How many more are there?" she asked.

His hand dropped back to his side. He rocked his weight back and forth between his feet for a moment before he gave up on counting. "A lot."

Her smile widened. "I found a spot the other day," she said. "I haven't figured out how to use it yet… but this might be it."

Half an hour later, the Twos stood at the edge of a twenty-foot pit. It took them the entire walk there, plus another twenty minutes, to decide on a plan.

"You're sure that'll work?" she asked.

Qibli nodded solemnly. "As long as you catch yourself."

The two peered down to the bottom of the pit. It seemed to Qibli that the fall itself would be enough to do the job. If the plan went smoothly, they wouldn't need to worry about the rest of the Careers anymore.

That was a big if , though.

"It wouldn't be right away," she reminded him. "Let them make a few more kills, and let them get tired. Then we get rid of them."

"I know."

She paused. "How do I know you won't let me fall?"

He gave her his most serious look. "I won't."

Enyo rolled her eyes. "I need more than that."

"We're district partners," he stated. "District partners don't kill each other."

She scoffed. "You can't be serious."

"I am."

She looked at him for a moment. "Really."

"Yes."

A horrible silence hung in the air. Qibli fidgeted while Enyo's stare pierced through him.

Finally, she was satisfied. "Good."

8 days, 17 hours before Victory

Games Day 6

The sun was setting over the hedges when Lucrece came tearing into the clearing, her eyes wild and blood dripping down her arm.

She was alone.

"You're late," Enyo said flatly.

Lucrece spat on the ground. "Fuck off."

"Take it easy," Tamika said, her voice smooth. "Let me see your arm."

"My arm's fine," she shot back.

Niles' head popped out from the other side of the Cornucopia. "Yo, where's Cadoc?" he asked.

"He's fucking dead, you idiot," Lucrece snapped. "Whose cannon did you think that was?"

"I dunno!" he replied, throwing his arms up in defeat. "Just asking!"

After another twenty minutes of stomping around, the District One girl finally calmed down enough for Namika to administer some first aid.

"At least tell us what happened," Namika said as she dabbed Lucrece's wound with rubbing alcohol. She tilted her head sympathetically, and something about the gesture made Qibli uneasy. He didn't have any solid reason to distrust Namika, but he didn't have any reason to trust her, either. Especially because since they'd met, Namika Tulay had been sweet as sugar, and the contrast against Lucrece's sharpness only made Namika more approachable. Perhaps it was that her strategy seemed the closest to Qibli's own.

Obviously, it was not easy to win Qibli's trust. And Namika wouldn't, no matter how hard she tried.

Lucrece rolled her eyes, but she answered. "We were about two hours out when the butterflies found us. So we ran, obviously. He was ahead of me when he got caught in a net. I'd almost gotten him down when the boy from Eleven came out of fucking nowhere. He speared Cadoc through the chest before I could do anything. And then the butterflies were on us again, and I had to leave or I'd be dead too."

"Yo, what butterflies?" Niles asked.

"The pride of District Four," Enyo muttered.

"Niles, did you already forget?" Namika asked, smiling at her district partner. "They're one of the mutts. Their stings are poisonous." She turned back to Lucrece. "Did you get stung?"

Lucrece pulled up her pant leg to reveal a swollen red mark on her calf. "Just here."

Namika tutted and got to work removing the stinger.

"Damn," Niles said. "I'll miss him. He was a good dude."

Qibli nodded silently.

"Oh, wait!" Niles realized. "You know what? This means you guys don't have to leave me at the Cornucopia anymore! I can come along on searches now!"

After the Bloodbath, Niles had been left to guard the Cornucopia while the others searched and Qibli set his traps. It wasn't that he was a weak tribute- he wasn't- but after he'd decided to wrestle an alligator mutt that lived in one of the fountains, the alliance had decided it was best to leave him behind as a guard. Now that Cadoc was gone, however, it looked like that plan was swirling down the drain.

Namika bit her lip. "Let's figure that out in the morning, okay?"

Enyo caught Qibli's eye. She pursed her lips and gave Lucrece a meaningful look, then looked back at Qibli. The question was clear in her eyes.

Was that your trap?

Qibli cleared his throat, forcing his voice to remain even. Unassuming. "Cadoc was a good tribute," he said. "And it's unfortunate that he died. But would you be offended if I started doing netted traps? Your story gave me the idea."

"You haven't already?" Lucrece asked. "I thought you were smart."

He ignored the jab. "My focus has been elsewhere," he replied. "I'll take that as a yes?"

"Sure, whatever," Lucrece answered, wincing as Namika continued working on her butterfly sting. "Be careful!"

He glanced back at Enyo, who was leveling a calculated stare right back at him. He shrugged, unsure of what else to do. It seemed the most neutral, the most reassuring. And quite frankly, that was exactly what Qibli needed right now.

He could only cross his fingers and hope Enyo hadn't seen right through him.

12 days, 1 hour before Victory

Games Day 3

As soon as he was sure Niles had turned his back, instead of leaving through the west exit, he looped around and slipped through the north one.

So far, it seemed like he was in the clear. His allies were too caught up with the maze to pay attention to his little fibs. It had proven difficult to find tributes since the Bloodbath, and as such, the Careers' focus was entirely on searching for targets. Really, even with that distraction- which Qibli was immensely grateful for- they rarely cared for what he had to say anyway. All they wanted from him was an occasional update on where the bear traps were, and then they were off.

Perfect for Qibli.

He'd taken to spending his days alone, exploring the maze as far as it went. It was a complicated one, but he'd never gotten lost (unlike Cadoc and Namika yesterday). If he was being completely honest, he was enjoying his wanderings. He felt vindicated. He'd repressed that ache for years, and now, finally, he was able to roam as far as his feet would take him. Qibli had never felt so free.

Well, of course, he had to keep an eye out for mutts and arena traps, and other tributes, but other than that… free. He couldn't remember the last time he'd had so many free hours. However, since he'd never been the best with idleness, he'd found something to occupy his time. Nets, snares, tripwires, as many bear traps as he could carry- and the best part was that his allies didn't know about any of it. They thought he was just checking the traps, not setting new ones.

It would come in handy someday, he knew it. Someday, they'd realize just how much they'd underestimated Qibli Vestron.

But for now, he was flying under the radar, finally free.

Had he finally found what he'd been searching for?

15 days, 4 hours until Victory

Games Day 1

Qibli squinted as the sun hit his irises. Then, his eyes adjusted and he took in the arena.

The pedestals were set in a medium-sized clearing, smaller than most of the Cornucopias Qibli had seen. Or maybe that was just the effect of the fifteen-foot hedges rounding out the edges of the clearing, their leaves thick and emerald green. A quick sweep around their circumference revealed that there were only four exits, each marking the clearing like a compass. In the center of the clearing stood a relatively small glass building- a greenhouse of sorts, perhaps?

Thirty seconds left. Qibli glanced around again, looking for the other Careers. Niles was the closest to him, bouncing excitedly on his pedestal. Lucrece was a few pedestals over from Niles, glaring at the Cornucopia as she lowered herself into a preparatory crouch. On his other side he could make out Cadoc, who held himself as stiffly as ever, and Namika, who was nearly obscured by the glass greenhouse. The only ally he couldn't find was Enyo.

Of course.

Ten seconds remained. He used the precious seconds to compose himself, smoothing the sleeves of his evergreen jumpsuit.

Three. Two. One.

Zero.

All hell broke loose as the tributes ran for the center of the clearing. He spotted a few slipping out the exits already- a smart move, frankly- but most went for the supplies. Predictably, the first to reach the Cornucopia were his own allies. Cadoc snatched a double-edged sword and reentered the fray. Lucrece went for the throwing knives. Niles found his favored javelin. Namika immediately grabbed the set of nunchucks and positioned herself at one of the greenhouse's four doors, defending it from intruders. Qibli made his way to her entrance, narrowly avoiding collisions with two other tributes in the process.

"Excuse me," he called out.

Namika pulled back her nunchucks, sidestepping just long enough for Qibli to dash inside. Despite the small space, several bodies littered the ground, blood intermingling with the soil. His suspicions about the Cornucopia being a greenhouse were confirmed by the hanging plants and watering cans, as well as the significant heat increase.

He couldn't afford to linger too long, though. He spotted a bow and quiver of arrows in the corner, and he eagerly claimed it. Then, he headed to the nearest open door, notching an arrow in preparation for attack. Just in time, too, because the boy from Seven lunged at the door just as Qibli positioned himself. Qibli fired, hitting the other boy square in the shoulder with a thwip and knocking him into the dirt. Before he could aim again, though, a throwing knife slammed into the back of Seven's skull, and he slumped to the dirt.

"Sorry," Lucrece called, not bothering to hide her smirk.

Qibli frowned, but didn't say anything.

By the time the Bloodbath was done, the dirt was fully stained red. Qibli counted nine cannons.

"Someone wanna help me clean up?" Niles called. Qibli glanced over- he was dragging the corpses out of the Cornucopia.

Namika strode over. "Niles, you're bleeding," she scolded. "Let me patch you up first."

Niles glanced down at the blood on his chest. "Oh, that's not mine," he replied cheerfully.

"How many kills did everyone get?" Lucrece asked. "I had two."

"Two," Enyo replied evenly.

Lucrece scowled. "Qibli?"

"None," he mumbled.

Lucrece raised a single eyebrow, the smile returning to her lips. "Figures."

Qibli forced himself not to glare at her. She didn't take him seriously, and that was exactly how he wanted it. But that didn't mean he enjoyed it.

"The Bloodbath is behind us," Cadoc announced. "We must focus on what comes next. Qibli, you'll begin working on the traps we discussed prior. The rest of us will split up and venture into the arena. Understood?"

Enyo's eyes flashed, but she nodded silently. Everyone else murmured their agreement.

"Good. Then let's get to it: the longer we dawdle, the more likely it is that they'll get away."

A minute later, his allies had organized themselves into groups and disappeared into the hedges, leaving Qibli alone with the dead.

He knew it was only a matter of time before they returned, so he got to work.

First, he borrowed a spear from the Cornucopia and stabbed each body through the neck. Couldn't be too careful. Then, he sifted through the supplies, uncovering several useful tools- string, twine, nets, even a few simple metal traps. He collected them in his arms and began outfitting the Cornucopia, as he and his allies had discussed on the last day of training. Guarding their supplies was to be Qibli's main priority, as the others didn't seem to think he was useful for much else.

Once he'd deemed his work sufficient, he decided to head into the arena, bringing a backpack with him. The bodies were beginning to smell, and he needed some fresh air. Really, that was a flimsy excuse for the fact that it was about time Qibli was allowed to wander- after all, wasn't that why he was here?

It didn't take long for him to realize what the hedges were. They were a living maze, twisting and turning in every direction. The space between the hedges was just large enough for one person, although here and there he stumbled upon a small clearing. Most of them were filled with fountains, and he made a mental note of where they were. Water sources were always important. He also spotted a large amount of what appeared to be bear traps lining the paths. He loaded his backpack with them; they'd definitely come in handy. Perhaps he could trap the maze near the Cornucopia as well… that would keep him away from his allies, too…

Eventually, after he'd wandered as far as he could justify, he forced himself to turn back. There'd be time for more exploring later.

15 days, 11 hours until Victory

Pregames Day 7: Night Before

He needed to sleep, but he couldn't stop thinking about Adan.

Might as well, he told himself. Once you're in the arena, he'll just be a distraction. A welcome distraction, but one you can't afford…

The pair had never spent so much time apart before. Maybe that was why Qibli couldn't get himself to relax all the way. Adan was the only person he felt safe relaxing around, but in the most dangerous part of Qibli's life, Adan was nowhere to be found.

He missed him.

He missed him a lot.

He missed the way his eyes squinted when he smiled and how his lips danced when he told a bad joke. He missed how Adan would rest his head on Qibli's shoulder despite being nearly a foot taller. He missed the feel of Adan's hand in his, and how Adan always knew what to say. He never laughed at Qibli for being awkward and always took him seriously. Adan believed in Qibli.

Was seeing his boyfriend's face one more time so much to ask for?

He let himself sink into the memories one last time as he drowsed off.

In the morning, Adan would be a distant dream.

15 days, 16 hours until Victory

Pregames Day 7: Interview

Qibli took his seat on the stage, straightening the cuffs of his black overcoat as he blinked the residue of the stage lights out of his eyes. Underneath the overcoat was a smart gray turtleneck and black pants. The tiny silver pocketwatch from Adan hung on a chain around his neck.

"Welcome, Qibli!" the interviewer began. "Am I saying that correctly?"

Qibli nodded, his neck stiff. His Mentor's words echoed in his brain: Since you're after Enyo, it shouldn't be difficult to downplay your skills. Just answer the questions and try to relax.

"So, let's talk about that training score!" the interviewer continued. "Are you pleased with the 8 you received?"

Konstandina Opel was only in her second year of interviewing, but her personality was so bubbly and easygoing that it seemed she'd been on the job for years. Like many Games interviewers before her, she themed her outfits from year to year. Rumor had it her themes were hints about the arenas. Last year, her theme was "bubblegum," and the arena was made completely of candy.

This year, her theme was "butterflies"... Qibli wasn't entirely sure what to make of that.

"Yes," Qibli replied, forcing himself to make eye contact with Konstandina.

"As you should!" she exclaimed. "An 8 is a fantastic score. And on that note- are you in the typical alliance of One, Two, and Four tributes?"

"Yes."

"Are you worried about your score being the lowest of the group?" she asked.

Qibli shook his head. "I decided to save my talents for the arena," he said stiffly. His Mentor had told him to memorize that line.

"Confident, I see!" she replied. "I like it!"

"Well, I'm here for a reason," he said, forcing himself to smile. It quickly faded.

"What would you say that reason is, Qibli?" Konstandina asked.

Qibli hesitated. What would Adan say? he wondered. Adan had always been a much better talker than Qibli. He'd probably give an honest, witty answer, something that would make the audience swoon, Qibli included…

"Qibli?"

He snapped back into focus, quickly realizing that the pause had been a little too long. Of course.

"I just needed to think for a moment," he said, trying to cover. "But I would say the main reason is that I've always wanted to see the world. There's no better method than the Games."

"Well-said!" Konstandina replied. "Unfortunately, it looks as though our time together is almost up. Is there anything else you'd like to say before you go?"

"I've greatly enjoyed my time in the Capitol thus far," Qibli answered. Another coached response, one that his Mentor had been adamant about including. "And I am excited to return after I have won the Games."

Konstandina clapped, her wide smile revealing the glitter applied to her teeth. "Excellent response! I look forward to seeing you again, Qibli!"

Qibli nodded, then made a beeline for the door. Offstage, his Mentor was waiting for him.

"Was that acceptable?" Qibli asked, his heart still thumping with nerves.

Caligula nodded. "Under the radar, but not too much."

Qibli nodded to himself, taking in his words.

"Relax a little, okay?" Caligula said. "You've got a big day ahead of you tomorrow."

"You don't want to go over anything tonight?" Qibli asked.

Caligula cracked a rare smile. "Maybe in the morning," he replied. "But for now… well done. Get some rest."

19 days, 3 hours before Victory

Pregames Day 3: Training Day 1

After taking in the enormous Training Center and going over the rules with the Head Trainer, Qibli and his alliance made a beeline for one another. Given that he had memorized their names and faces, and they appeared to have done the same, it didn't take long to find each other.

"Cadoc St. Vionet," the boy from One boomed, puffing out his chest and holding his head high as he spoke. He was enormous, easily the tallest tribute in the room, and well-built with a head of dark blond curls.

His district partner, who introduced herself as Lucrece Cavalli, was dwarfed beside him. Somehow, she still managed to look down her nose at everyone, Cadoc included. Where Cadoc was all muscle, Lucrece was angular and slim. Her canary-hued hair was pulled back into a sharp ponytail.

After Enyo and Qibli introduced themselves, they met the Fours. "Namika Tulay," said the girl, offering the group a warm smile. Her movements were relaxed and fluid, automatically drawing Qibli's suspicion. What angle was she playing here?

"Niles," the Four boy said simply, pointing finger guns at his alliance members. Niles was shorter than Cadoc but rivaled him in build, although he didn't carry himself nearly as stiffly as the One boy.

"So, what do we do now?" Niles asked.

"We train," Cadoc replied. "If we split up, we'll be able to cover the stations more effectively."

"Fair enough," said Enyo. Qibli eyed her- he'd expected her to make a bid for leader, but she didn't seem interested in challenging Cadoc's authority. Lucrece was scowling, but everyone else seemed ready to follow Cadoc's lead.

"I think I'll head over to the medical area," Namika said.

"Really?" Lucrece asked, wrinkling her nose.

"I consider first aid to be very important," Namika replied, ignoring Lucrece's tone.

"As you should," Cadoc agreed, only causing Lucrece to scowl even harder. "The rest of us should divide up by weapons. How about we go to our preferred stations first, and then make our way around to the others?"

Everyone except for Lucrece verbally confirmed the plan. Then, they were off.

"I'd like you to walk me through your allies. Tell me about them, how everything's going with them."

Qibli had made it through the first two days of training. Only one was left, and then the private sessions, and then the interview, and then he was in the arena. It was a lot to process, which was why he was sitting down with his Mentor to talk everything through.

"I don't trust any of them," he told Caligula.

"Fair enough," Caligula nodded. "How about we go down the list?"

Qibli took a deep breath. "Cadoc is the leader," he began. "He seems to know what he's doing and he enjoys being in charge. He's smart enough, but sometimes he seems, I don't know, oblivious. Especially about Lucrece."

"What about Lucrece?"

"She doesn't seem happy that he's the leader. I don't like her very much. She's one of those people who describes themselves as "brutally honest" but is actually just rude. She's very confident, though."

"That will come in handy," Caligula mused. "The Fours?"

"Niles is oblivious too, but in a different way," Qibli answered. "He's just happy to be there. And while it seems like Cadoc chooses to ignore things on purpose, Niles just doesn't even notice them in the first place. He's also very reckless. He'll probably be the first to die."

"Makes sense," said his Mentor.

"And then there's Namika… she's nice. Almost too nice…"

"As if she's trying to gain your trust?"

Qibli nodded. "I can't tell if she's really good at faking it or just really nice, but either way, it won't work on me. She also has this annoying habit of talking down to me because she's taller."

"Unfortunately, that's what we want," Caligula replied. "It seems that your angle is working, though?"

"It's almost working too well," Qibli said. "They seem to think I'm useless, and I'm afraid they're thinking of kicking me out of the alliance."

"Then you need to make yourself useful," said Caligula. "Maybe stop hiding your archery skills, so they know you can use a weapon. If you play up the defenseless card too much, they might catch on to you. After all, you were chosen to Volunteer. Two tributes rarely look like you."

"Thanks," Qibli replied dryly.

"It's the truth," Caligula replied. "As long as they don't know you're taking this more seriously than anyone, you're set."

"Well, there's also Enyo," Qibli added. "And she's… she makes me nervous."

"Why?"

"I'm having trouble getting a read on her," Qibli said. "And there's just something about her that is, frankly, extremely unnerving. It's like she knows things about you that you don't even know about yourself."

Caligula nodded solemnly. "You'll need to keep an eye on her. I don't know what her plan is, but she's formidable, to say the least."

"If anyone notices what I'm doing, it'll be her," Qibli murmured.

"Stay on your toes," Caligula advised. "Keep me updated, okay? We'll talk again tomorrow. For now, you need to sleep."

"I don't know if I'll be able to," Qibli admitted. "It's too stressful."

Caligula sighed, rubbing his jaw as he thought. He wasn't looking at Qibli anymore. "District partners… they can make or break you," he muttered. His eyes refocused. "Don't let her break you."

"We need to plan for the Bloodbath," Cadoc announced. It was the third day of training, and the Careers were eating lunch together during the break.

"Plan what?" Niles asked. "Get a weapon and get to work- what else is there to do?"

"We'll be better off with an actual strategy," Qibli said quietly.

"So he does speak," Lucrece scoffed.

"I speak to those I enjoy speaking to," Qibli replied. "Or when necessary."

"Damn!" Niles crowed. "Get wrecked, Lucre-"

"Qibli's right," Enyo said, interrupting the path Niles was heading down. "We need real strategy. If we go in there expecting everything to go our way, it won't."

"Got any ideas, then?" Lucrece shot back, even more irritable than usual. She glared at Qibli, who avoided her gaze as he replied.

"The obvious idea is to guard the supplies," he said. "Keep the strong outliers away from them, and pick them off if possible. Then, once the area is secured, we chase."

"What about the supplies, genius?" Lucrece asked. "If we chase, we leave them vulnerable."

"You'll leave them with me," Qibli answered.

"Why would we do that?" Namika asked.

"I know I'm not the biggest or strongest person here," Qibli said. "I know, okay? And I know you guys know that. But I'm good with a bow, and I can keep guard. Plus, while I keep lookout, I'll be able to booby-trap the Cornucopia, so if anyone does manage to get close, they won't get away."

For a horribly long, silent moment, all eyes were on him. Qibli trained his eyes on the floor, already beginning to regret his proposal. They'd catch on to him now, they had to, or-

Cadoc nodded. "I think that strategy could work."

Qibli lifted his gaze to see Enyo smirking at him, her dark brown eyes glimmering with something Qibli couldn't quite catch. Whatever it was, it didn't ease his nerves.

A bell rang through the speakers, signaling that they had two minutes left to finish eating.

"So," Cadoc summarized, "we guard the Cornucopia while aiming for thieves and strong outliers. Then, once the area is secure, we go on the offense while Qibli maintains defense. We'll play the rest by ear once we arrive. Understood?"

The rest of the pack nodded, murmuring their agreement.

20 days, 12 hours before Victory

Pregames Day 1: Traveling to the Capitol

By the time the train began to pull out of District Two, night was beginning to fall. Qibli and his district partner were immediately guided to dinner in the dining car, where three adults sat waiting for them.

"Welcome to the dining car!" chirped Blessing Helion, Two's Escort of nearly a decade. They'd managed to hold on to the position of Escort precisely because of that bubbliness. As they always liked to say, "Kindness is never out of fashion." "Welcome to the Games! It's incredibly exciting to have you both here- let's go around and do some introductions, shall we?"

The woman sitting next to Blessing went first. Her dark curly hair was tied up in a scarf, and her eyes held a coldness Qibli remembered from his studies. "Didiane Serranos," she said, shaking both Qibli and the other girl's hands firmly. "Seventy-sixth Games."

He remembered her Games well. One of the bloodiest in Games history, mostly because of the failed rebellion the year before, and Didiane had been the one to emerge in one piece. Her victory had been well-earned, if not a little difficult to watch.

"Caligula Van Zandt," the other man said, extending his own hand in introduction. "Eighty-fifth Games."

Caligula was a pale man, with light blond hair and troubled blue eyes. Although he was one of Two's more recent Victors, he didn't Mentor as often as some of the others, such as Didiane. As he'd been announced as this year's Mentor well in advance, Qibli had taken it upon himself to study Caligula's Games painstakingly. They- along with the man's less-than-enthusiastic attitude- were largely why he was far from Two's favorite Victor.

All eyes turned to him. "Qibli," he said. "Qibli Vestron." He gave a quick little nod to everyone, figuring they'd had enough handshakes already.

Lastly, it was the female tribute's turn. "Enyo Paceio," she said, her voice lilting through the vowels. "Nice to meet all of you."

She glanced over at Qibli, and for the first time, the two made eye contact. Her dark eyes cut through his, immediately sending alarm bells screaming through Qibli's mind. She smiled faintly at him, and it was all he could do to keep himself breathing. This girl was bad news.

"After we enjoy our meal, each of you will have time to chat with your Mentors!" Blessing said, interrupting Qibli's panicked thoughts. "How fun is that? So let's dig in!"

After dinner, just as Blessing had said, Caligula took Qibli into another car. A table and some chairs had been set up for them, and Caligula invited him to take a seat.

"The first thing I need to know," he began, rubbing his jaw, "is why you're here."

"To discuss strategy with you," Qibli replied.

Caligula shook his head. "Not in here," he said. He gestured around the car with his hands. " Here. On your way to the Capitol."

"Oh," Qibli responded, embarrassment coloring his cheeks. "I, um… I…"

"Let me rephrase," Caligula said. "Why did you want to Volunteer?"

"I was chosen to," Qibli said. "It's been my dream."

"But why?" Caligula asked.

"I don't understand why this is important."

"Because I need to know that you take this seriously," Caligula immediately replied. "We're not in Two anymore. The reality here is that you're probably going to die, and that you have to kill people in order to get back on this train in a month. And I need to know that you understand that and are ready for it."

"I am," Qibli said. "I haven't stopped freaking out since the Academy chose me. And I cope with anxiety by planning, and I wouldn't have planned to do this if I didn't think I could."

"But why Volunteer in the first place, if it's so terrifying?"

"Because I had no other choice!" Qibli replied. "I had to. I needed to get out. I need to see a world that isn't District Two because if I don't, then I'm nothing. And I hate that. I hate it but I've accepted that I need to do this, or else I'll never be whole. I'll be stuck on the would've and could've and should've for the rest of my life. And… and I'd rather die than live with that."

Silence hung between them. Qibli caught his breath, a little stunned at his own outburst. He glanced back at Caligula, who was watching him carefully.

"If you want to get out of Two so badly," he began, obviously choosing his words deliberately, "then what does it matter if you die in the arena?"

Qibli exhaled. "I have people at home," he mumbled, his bravado gone. "I want more time with them."

Caligula nodded, slowly at first, but he was undeniably nodding. "Good," he muttered, more to himself than Qibli. After a moment, he refocused on Qibli. "Now that we've gotten that out of the way… what weapons do you favor?"

"Bow and arrow," Qibli responded. "And snares. I prefer to use the environment over hand-to-hand combat."

"Interesting," Caligula mused. "So you prefer to catch your opponent off guard?"

"Exactly," Qibli confirmed.

Caligula was silent for a moment. Then, he asked, "Have you considered playing weak?"

"Of course," Qibli replied. "I've considered it, but it comes with certain downsides."

"Every strategy does," Caligula said. "Even mine. Even Didiane's. All that matters is if they outweigh the possibility of success. Think about it- it can be difficult to catch another tribute off guard, especially your allies' at some point. If they don't think you're worth keeping their guard up for, then it's that much easier to strike."

"I suppose," Qibli replied. "I've been thinking that since I'm smaller than most Careers, they'll already have trouble taking me seriously."

"Lean into that," Caligula said. "Let them ignore you. Fly under their radar until it's too late for them to do anything about it."

"You really think that'll work?" Qibli asked.

"I hope so," Caligula replied. "I hope so."

20 days, 10 hours before Victory

Pregames Day 1: Goodbyes

After saying goodbye to his parents, it was time to say goodbye to Adan. As soon as he stepped into the waiting room, Qibli ran to him, and Adan swept him up in his arms. Adan was so tall that Qibli's feet were nearly lifted off the floor, but he didn't care. He just wanted Adan.

After a long, blissful moment, Adan lowered him back to the floor. "You have the watch?" Adan murmured.

"Of course," Qibli answered, pulling Adan's tiny silver pocketwatch from his pocket.

"Good," Adan replied. He hesitated. "Come back, okay?"

Qibli nodded. "I will."

"I'm serious," Adan said. "Don't let me watch you die."

"I won't," Qibli told him. "I promised, remember?"

"Yeah," Adan said, his voice soft. "I remember." He looked away for a moment, blinking rapidly. "I just… I… I don't think I'd be able to handle that."

"I'll be back soon," Qibli promised. "Let me do the worrying. I've always been better at it anyway."

Adan cracked a smile at that, despite the tears dripping down his cheeks. "Okay."

"I love you," Qibli reminded him.

"I love you too."

20 days, 9 hours before Victory

Pregames Day 1: The Reapings

He was doing it.

He was really, actually doing it.

As soon as the second name had passed the Escort's lips, Qibli threw his hand in the air and lunged for the stage. He'd dreamed of this moment for far too long: there was no way he was letting it slip through his fingers.

Looking out over the crowd, it felt like he was on top of District Two. Usually, under this much attention, he'd be dying to get away. Right now, though… he was ready.

The next time he saw this place, he'd be cured of his maddening wanderlust.

He'd finally be content.

49 days, 21 hours before Victory

April, 96 ADD (After Dark Days)

"What did they say?"

Qibli arrived at their secret spot to find Adan lounging by the pond, looking out over District Two from their position in the mountain. Stone walls bordered the other three sides, vines hanging like curtains over the rock. The spot was a ways off the path and, as far as they knew, only used by Qibli and Adan. That meant it was safe, which meant it was the only place Qibli truly allowed himself to relax.

Qibli swallowed hard, the tightness in his throat not helping matters. "They said I was the chosen tribute."

"No way."

Qibli nodded.

"No way!" Adan cried, vaulting up off the ground and towards Qibli. After squeezing the air out of him, Adan pulled back, beaming at Qibli. "I mean, of course they chose you, who else would they choose, but it's crazy that it's actually happening, right?"

"Right," Qibli replied faintly.

"What's wrong?"

"I… I… I didn't… I didn't think…" Qibli stuttered.

"What didn't you think?" Adan asked, much gentler now.

"That you'd be okay with it," he blurted out. "I didn't think you'd want me to go."

"Of course I want you to go," Adan replied, although his smile had fallen. "I… I had my own reasons for dropping out of training, but I don't want to hold you back."

After Adan's mother had died earlier that year, Adan had pulled out of training. Death is too personal now, he'd told Qibli. I don't want to get that close to it again. Qibli had understood, although he'd missed their little training rivalry immensely. Really, he was just glad to have Adan back. He wasn't entirely the same as he was before- less reckless, less energetic- but he was still Adan, which was all Qibli cared about.

"Are you sure?" Qibli asked.

Adan nodded. "Yeah."

The pair stood there for a moment, Qibli shuffling his feet and Adan lost in thought, until Adan finally broke the silence. "Did they say who your Mentor is yet?"

Qibli nodded. "Van Zandt."

"Oh, really?" Adan asked. "He hasn't Mentored in a while, has he?"

Both were very familiar with the Victors, especially the ones from Two, due to their training.

"No, he hasn't," Qibli answered. "I'm not sure if he'll be good or bad."

Adan waltzed back over to where he'd been lounging, plopping down on the blanket he'd brought with him. "I bet he'll be good," he remarked. "You have to be lucky to win like he did."

"Or unlucky," Qibli muttered.

"I mean, to try to make someone else win, only to end up winning yourself…" Adan trailed. "You've gotta be some ungodly kind of lucky to pull that off."

"He doesn't seem too happy about it," Qibli noted. "Bet he doesn't even want to Mentor, and he won't even help me."

"Eh, I don't know about that," Adan replied. "He wanted to save that girl's life. Just 'cause he's no cheerleader doesn't mean he won't do his best to Mentor you."

"Maybe…"

"Anyway," Adan interrupted. "Since this whole thing is official now, I've been wondering…"

"Huh?" Qibli asked, thrown off by the sudden change in topic.

"Can we make it official?" Adan asked. "Us?"

"Adan."

"Come on," he begged. "You're leaving soon. And if you don't come back…"

"I will come back," Qibli stated, ignoring his increasing heart rate. "That's a promise."

"It's been two years," Adan added.

"You know I can't tell my parents," Qibli replied. "I can't do that to them. It would ruin everything."

"Qibli," Adan replied, exasperated, "they already know."

"They do?"

"It's been two years and you don't hang out with anyone else. They watched us grow up together. They know."

"Even if they do know," Qibli argued, "who says it needs to be public? It would ruin their image. I don't want to let them down."

"I don't think so," Adan responded. "Please, Qibli. I'm tired of keeping it a secret."

"Can we… can we just…" Qibli stuttered, searching for an answer. "After I get back? Can we wait until then?"

Adan's blue-gray eyes searched Qibli's. "You mean that?"

"Yeah," Qibli mumbled. "I do."

"That means you have to come back," Adan said.

"I will," Qibli promised. "I will."

10 days, 8 hours after Victory

July, 96 ADD

He'd been home for a week, and Qibli still felt empty.

Upon arriving home, Two had been in uproar. Parades, parties, fireworks- Two was usually confident in their tributes, but it still felt good to win. Few seemed to notice Qibli's absence from the festivities. Adan, his parents, and Caligula. That was it. They visited him often, watching movies and cooking and reading and just keeping him company.

They were worried about him, and he knew it.

"He barely talks to us," he'd overheard his mother saying in a hushed tone. "Will he act like this forever?"

"I doubt it," Caligula had answered, his voice also low. "He just needs time. The Games are a very traumatic experience, Mrs. Vestron."

"But he did so well!" his father said. "I've never seen him this inactive before. All he does is hide in his house."

"He did," Caligula agreed. "Just give him time, and when he's ready to open up, let him. Don't push him to before he's ready. He's lucky to have you both."

Tonight Adan had come over to watch a movie with him. When Qibli made his way downstairs, he'd found Adan, on the couch, popcorn in hand, tea on the table, beaming at him.

"Hi," Adan said.

"Hi," Qibli mumbled.

"Get over here," Adan said, waving him over.

Qibli obeyed, letting the orange blanket drag on the ground behind him as he went to snuggle with Adan. Qibli curled up beside him, nearly drowning himself in blankets, and Adan put his arm around Qibli. With his free hand, Adan turned on the movie, setting the remote on the table beside him.

Qibli snuggled closer. Adan rested his head on Qibli's.

In quiet moments like these, Qibli finally felt safe again. Just him and his boyfriend, together. That was all he needed to be content.

That was all he needed…

Oh my God.

"It's been you all along," Qibli murmured, his mind racing.

"Hmm?" Adan asked, tearing his eyes away from the screen.

He searched his chest. Nothing. No ache, no hole. He felt full. Now that he thought about it, had he ever felt discontent with Adan? Had he ever felt the ache with him? He ran through his memories at light speed, searching them as quickly as he could.

No. He hadn't.

"I thought I wanted to explore," Qibli said, his breath catching. "I thought I knew what I was looking for…"

How could he have been so oblivious?

"Qibli, are you okay?" Adan asked, twisting to get a better look at him.

"I wasn't looking for some thing ," Qibli realized. "I was looking for some one ."

"Oh," Adan said, his brows furrowing.

Qibli's met Adan's gaze. "And that some one … was you. "

Adan's face slowly broke out into a smile. After a moment, Qibli wore a matching grin.

"Do you want to move in with me?" Qibli asked.

"What about your parents?" Adan asked.

"We'll tell them," Qibli replied. "Besides… they already know."

Adan's smile grew impossibly wider. "Yeah. I'd love to move in with you."

Tears threatened to spill over Qibli's eyelids. "Really?"

Adan nodded. "Yes."

And when they kissed, Qibli knew he'd finally found what he was looking for.