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A cannon sounded far off in the distance, but Theon didn’t need the sky to light up to let him know who it was. He’d shot Myranda Royce in the stomach with one of his few remaining arrows back by the lake, she must’ve finally succumbed to the wound by now.
That left three of them, sprinting towards the cornucopia at full speed: Ramsay Bolton, nose smashed in, bleeding from every visible patch of skin; Robb, limping badly from the nasty stab wound Obara Sand had left in his leg right before he drove his sword through her stomach; and Theon, one arm around Robb’s waist, keeping him from falling, and one hand clutching his bow.
The gamemakers had spawned a pack of hounds to make the final act of the games exciting, he assumed. Doubtful they’d let the wolves pick them off. The audience wanted a show, they wanted death by human hands.
They wanted Ramsay to kill one of them, and they wanted to see the other fall into madness.
It wasn’t going to be pretty. None of the outcomes looked good, but if Theon had to choose, he knew how he wanted to end it.
Robb had to go home. Robb had a family waiting for him back in district 7, Theon had no one. The only person who really cared about him came to the games by his side. Theon would kill Ramsay, then he’d either let Robb kill him, or kill himself if Robb wouldn’t do it.
Despite the adrenaline of the chase and his heart pounding in his ears, Theon felt the weight of the bag of nightlock berries he’d brought with him in his pocket, just in case .
The cornucopia loomed over them, a giant metal monstrosity, still stained with blood from the first day of the games. Ramsay reached it first, his blood slicked hands struggling to climb the slippery metal. As soon as Robb and Theon hit the metal of the cornucopia they began to scale it, reaching the top much faster than Ramsay.
“How many arrows do you have left?” Robb asked, voice hoarse. Theon’s hand strayed to his back, feeling for the familiar bunch of arrows in the quiver, but was only met with two.
He’d have to make it clean, then. One for Ramsay, one for himself. He couldn’t waste any on the hounds.
“Enough.” Theon said grimly as Ramsay’s hand peeked over the side of the cornucopia. “We’re almost home, Robb.”
“I can’t wait to see Jon’s face when he sees we’ve made it.” Robb smiled, and despite the dire situation, Theon’s heart still fluttered.
But he didn’t have time to dwell on it, because at that moment Ramsay pulled himself over the side of the cornucopia, blood dripping from the gash on his forehead.
“Did you really think it would be that easy?” Ramsay snarled, drawing a long, curved blade from his pack. Theon reached to knock an arrow and took aim at Ramsay, but Ramsay lunged toward Robb. Robb caught him by the shoulder and threw him to the ground, landing a punch that broke his jaw with a loud crack . Theon’s arrow flew harmlessly over Ramsay’s shoulder and into the pack of dogs below.
Robb drew his sword, but Ramsay kicked it out of his hands and sent it skittering over the edge. Theon knew that Robb should have the advantage, he was bigger and stronger, but he was wounded. Ramsay was smarter and quicker. Theon could tip the scale.
Theon knocked his last arrow and aimed it at Ramsay’s heart, but before he could shoot, Rasay grabbed Robb and held him as a human shield.
“Do it,” Ramsay sneered. “Don’t you know that’s what they want from you? The star crossed lovers to turn on each other in the biggest finale Westeros has seen in years.”
Robb’s frightened blue eyes were staring right into Theon’s, urging him to do it, to fire at Ramsay’s exposed face, but with his grip on Robb, he realized that Ramsay would just drag Robb down with him. Down to the hounds.
Theon shook his head, making a silent agreement with Robb. This is not how we die .
“You have no choice, Greyjoy.” Ramsay spit, the blood from his open wound dripping onto Robb’s shoulder. He traced his knife along the outline of a bruise on Robb’s neck, a bruise left by Theon, not by fighting. “Stark here could give you a shot, could give you a story the whole Capitol’s gone crazy over, but he can’t give you what I can. I’m going to make you a victor.”
Theon didn’t respond, arm shaking with the effort of keeping the bow taut. Robb’s face was starting to drain of color, but he raised one shaking hand to trace an x on the back of Ramsay’s hand.
Theon understood the sign, he didn’t have time to think about the repercussions. He changed his aim, and right as Ramsay’s eyes registered surprise, Theon sent his last arrow plunging into the back of Ramsay’s hand.
Ramsay pulled his hand back in shock, losing his grip on Robb, who spun and pushed the district 1 tribute off the cornucopia. Theon rushed to Robb’s side to watch Ramsay disappear into the pack of vicious dogs. They stood, separate and silent as the seconds ticked by until Ramsay’s screams were finally silent.
Boom .
A canon sounded, a hovercraft appeared, and the hounds melted back into the earth.
Now , Theon thought, is the worst part of the games .
“Theon,” Robb whispered and threaded their fingers together. “We’ve made it.”
Not quite , Theon wants to say. Robb can’t seriously be so naive to think that they can get out of this together, does he?
But Theon doesn’t say anything, just pulls Robb in by the collar of his jacket and presses his lips to Robb’s. Robb tastes like blood and dirt, but there’s still the familiar taste of mint, just like he’d always dreamed of back home. Robb opens his mouth into the kiss and slides his hands through Theon’s hair.
Theon wrapped his arm around Robb’s waist and pulled him closer, this would be their last kiss. If he could go back and do his life over, he’d have kissed Robb years ago. Kind of ironic that he’d only realized Robb’s feelings for him when they were thrown into a vicious death game.
They kiss for a little longer while the artificial sun begins to peek over the treeline, staining the field with even more red than before. Theon’s fingers dig into Robb’s hips, and he doesn’t care that every camera is on them, that all of Westeros can see them right now, that Catelyn Stark is probably pursing her lips so hard that they’ll probably stick together for eternity. This is their last kiss. This is Theon’s last act before he dies.
And this isn’t such a bad way to go.
Theon pulls away first, but is pulled back by Robb, who lays his head on Theon’s shoulder and squeezes him.
“I love you.” Theon whispers, as a way of an apology. “I’ve always loved you.”
“Shut up,” Robb mumbles, head still buried in Theon’s shoulder, and unless he’d started bleeding again, Theon could feel tears on his neck. “I know why you’re saying that, you wouldn’t be this sappy unless, unless you were going to-”
“Robb, I have to. You have to go home.” Theon said. “Your family, they need you. Your parents. Your siblings . Think of Bran, Rickon. Arya and Sansa. Jon . They need you home, Robb. You have people waiting on you. No one needs me.”
“I need you.” Robb snapped, and Theon’s heart twinged.
“You don’t mean that.”
“I do.” Robb looked up at him earnestly. “I can’t live without you.”
“Don’t say that.” Theon snapped, fighting back tears. He wouldn’t cry in front of the cameras, he wouldn’t give the capitol the satisfaction of turning them into entertainment. “One of us is going to go home. It’s going to be you. They have to have their victor.”
When he said that last sentence, a strange look passed over Robb’s face, and he traced his hand up Theon’s waist and to the side pocket of his backpack.
“No, they don’t.”
“What?” Theon asked, not sure if he’d heard him right.
“I said they don’t have to have a victor , Theon.” Robb said, a small grin beginning to dawn on his face.
“So what are you suggesting, we just live in this hellscape until some artificial natural disaster finally picks us off?”
“No, that’s not what I’m suggesting.” Robb’s grin turned into a self satisfied smirk as he pulls the bag of nightlock berries from the backpack. He empties half the bag into his own hands and passes the rest to Theon. The realization dawns on Theon a second later than it should. “Together.”
“Together.” Theon agrees. “On three.”
“One,” Robb whispers, reaching a hand out to stroke Theon’s cheek.
“Two.” Theon’s heart is hammering in his chest. He doesn’t have enough time. He doesn’t have enough time to memorize every freckle on Robb’s face, to remember his strong accent and how it sounds forming ever word. One more second isn’t enough to tell Robb everything he should have said.
“Three.” Robb finishes, and they lift the berries to their mouths.
“ Stop! ” A raspy, nasally voice echoed over the arena. Petyr Baelish, the head commentator for the games and all around asshole. “ Stop !”
Robb dropped his handful of berries, but Theon held tight to his, you never know with the games, they could try to throw something even nastier your way.
“ Ladies and gentlemen, the victors of the 68th annual Hunger Games!”
Now Theon drops the berries. He turned to Robb, but before he can get words out, Robb threw himself into Theon’s arms. Theon can’t do anything but stare at the sky, but Robb’s arms are wrapped around his shoulders and his legs are hitched around his waist. Robb keeps repeating we’re going home, we’re going home , but Theon keeps staring at the sky, so sure this is some other trick until he sees the hovercraft appear.
Theon and Robb hold each other as the hover picks them up from the arena. Robb doesn’t even look out the window to see the nightmare growing smaller and smaller in the distance.
*
Theon can pinpoint the exact moment when it starts to feel real.
He and Robb were separated as soon as they reached the Capitol. It took three peacekeepers to help the team of medics restrain Robb, who, despite his injured leg and weakened state, was fighting them off to reach Theon. Theon was too tired to resist, but even he wasn’t sure this wasn’t just another trick the gamemakers threw at them.
Every second he spent in the hospital was a second Theon spent on edge, unsure when he was going to be attacked, unsure if Robb was being tortured-
That’s when the door opened and his stylist tackled him in a hug that knocked the breath out of him.
“I told you, Theon, I’m never wrong.” Margaery Tyrell laughed and wiped away tears. “I knew you’d win.”
“Where’s Robb?” He winces, both in pain from using his voice for the first time since the arena, and because that’s the first thing he could find the sense to say.
But Margaery smiled, her cheeks flush and dimpled.
“He's fine. Had a pretty nasty infection in his leg, but he's coming out of surgery soon.” The stylist said, pulling a tablet out of her bag. Theon say up in bed to get a closer look at her screen, which she was furiously typing on. “Now that you've recovered-”
“ Recovered. ” Theon snorted.
“Well, more or less physically. We've got to start prepping for the closing ceremonies. The interview is tonight, and Baelish wants to have the big reunion on camera, so they'll be keeping you apart until then. I know,” She smirked. “It's torture.”
“That's not-” Theon flushed, unwittingly. “Shut up.”
Margaery laughed and flipped a golden brown curl over her shoulder. “The whole country has seen your love story by now, and you still try and be shy about it.”
“Yeah yeah,” Theon huffed. “What else do I need to know?”
“After that is the coronation,” Margaery continued, jotting down more notes. “You’ll stay on stage and President Lannister will crown you both. After that you’re rushed offstage, we say our goodbyes, and you’re on the train heading home.”
Home . He’d live in Victor’s Village now, he’d have a big house, all to himself. Rather than a tiny one, also all to himself. But maybe not. Maybe now that they had space, he could stay with the Starks like Robb always offered.
“Great, any last words of advice before you have to make me pretty?”
Margaery stopped her furious scribbling to look up at him and purse her dark pink lips. She cast a furtive glance around the room to make sure they weren’t being observed.
“Just be careful. The Capitol isn’t happy about the stunt you pulled. You outsmarted the games, no one is supposed to be able to do that.”
“Well, I did. So-”
“You don’t get it Theon.” Margaery leaned forward to grab his wrists. “They view this as an act of rebellion, and they aren’t the only ones. You’ve become symbols of resistance.”
“ I don’t want to start a revolution! I just wanted to survive and I wanted to keep Robb alive-” He argued.
“And that’s the story we’re going to play up to the Capitol. No one’s threatened by two kids in love. People are threatened by boy revolutionaries.”
“Which I’m not.”
“Which Robb is. But I’m leaving this in your hands.” Margaery replied sternly, but she leaned in close to whisper something in his ear. “There will come a time for this. But if they kill you and Robb now, the revolution dies with you before it’s begun. So we need you to be as hopelessly in love with him as you possibly can. Do you think that you can handle that?”
Handle that ? He smirked, but responded to Margaery. “I should be able to manage.”
*
The familiar fanfare played as Petyr Baelish spun around in his chair to face the cameras and the studio audience. Theon watched the TV personality laugh and cast his sick spell over the audience from the wings, where Margaery and her team of stylists were fussing over his suit and hair. He smiles to himself, imagining Robb’s stylists trying tirelessly to tame his curls.
Theon kept peeking through the curtains despite himself, trying to catch a glimpse of Robb on the other side. He knew that they were being kept separate for a reason. The Capitol citizens began to think they had a right to Theon and Robb’s relationship. They saw the confession, the resistance, the first kiss, the last kiss….now they wanted the reunion. Theon clenched his fist instinctively. The Capitol already controlled every aspect of his life. But not this, they were never allowed to take Robb from him. And they wouldn’t.
Baelish shouted something about the victors of the 68th Hunger Games and Margaery gave him a reassuring smile and squeezed his arm before pushing him out onto the stage. He stumbled onstage gracelessly, blinking into the lights and reeling at the thunderous applause of the crowd. But when he turned, Robb’s blue eyes met his from across the stage. Despite all of his fury at the Capitol, despite wanting not to fall right into President Lannister’s hands, the moment he saw Robb, the audience and the danger faded away. All that he could see was Robb, alive, healthy, and staring at him like he wasn’t sure it was will.
Theon took a faltering step first, but Robb broke into a run across the stage. Theon took one, two steps before losing resistance and running to meet Robb. They crashed into each other in front of the entire country, but Theon didn’t care because his arms were around Robb’s waist and he was kissing Robb’s eyelids, his cheeks his forehead his nose, and Robb’s hands were in Theon’s hair, Theon lifted him off his feet, and he was laughing . The carefree, almost childish giggle that Theon hadn’t heard since Sansa’s name was pulled from the reaping bowl.
“Hi.” Robb whispered, pressing their foreheads together.
“Hi.” Theon whispered back, smirking before pressing a kiss onto Robb’s lips. In the distance, he could hear the audience going wild and Baelish making a snide remark. In lieu of a response, Theon held a hand up toward Baelish and kissed Robb even deeper.
When he finally pulled away, the audience gave another roar of applause Theon gave them a quick wave before they grabbed their seats.
Obviously, the Capitol was eating up the love story, because instead of the customary chair, they’ve provided one small sofa.
Remember, madly in love . Margaery’s voice sounds in his head, so when he sits down, he pulls Robb in close and lets Robb rest his head against his shoulder.
Petyr Baelish makes a few more jokes while the anthem dies down, but by that time the large screen behind them had lit up with the Westeros seal,the highlights reel was about to begin. Theon tensed, he didn't want to relive the nightmare, to look into the eyes of the other 22 tributes who died, some he even killed himself.
Robb, sensing his nerves, grabbed his hand and squeezed it. He shot Theon a quick glance as if to say we have to get through this. And Theon just smiles as if nothing is wrong and leans in closer, pretending not to have a vice grip on Robb's arm.
The film starts with the reaping, how Theon volunteered to save Sansa and to stop Robb from taking her place, how Robb volunteered for the other tribute so he could keep Theon safe. The tribute parade, Theon could barely watch now, the triumphant music playing made it so much worse to remember everyone in the frame was dead.
Then it's the interviews. Theon looks stupid onstage, charming sure, but shallow. His only moment of depth was when he revealed his motivation for volunteering, how the Starks were the closest thing he had to family, how close he and Robb were.
Then Robb drops the bombshell. The “I've been in love with Theon for six years” bombshell. The coverage next is of Theon’s stunned face and his resistance. Theon was so sure that Robb was lying for sponsors, but he didn't have time to dwell on it because the next highlight was the games. The film covered the bloodbath extensively, Theon looked downright heartless compared to Robb, who just grabbed an outlying backpack and went to the woods. Theon ran right into the bloodbath to grab a bow from the mouth of the cornucopia.
15 tributes died that first bloodbath. Theon killed one of them.
The scenes start to alternate between shots of them and shots of the other tributes killing each other. Robb and Theon got separated after the bloodbath and the film shows Theon that it wasn't just him looking for Robb, Robb was doing the same or him, often putting himself in danger to try and find Theon.
Then there's Theon’s ally, Jeyne Poole. A tiny girl from district 12, about Sansa’s age. Theon’s heart plummeted when the footage started and he gripped Robb’s hand tighter. He had to watch again as the two of them shared food, laughed, and schemed. And he had to watch Joffrey Lannister shove his spear through her stomach once again, his arrow had been a second too late to save her.
Then, the narrative shifts into a love story. Theon found Robb wounded by the lake. The camera barely focuses on the other tributes during this time, focusing now on Theon’s panic at seeing Robb hurt, his joy at seeing him alive. Theon nursed Robb back to health, and that's when Theon finally broke down his walls. When he finally confessed to loving Robb in return. When they finally shared their first kiss, high up in a tree at night. Theon didn't need the replay to remember it; Robb’s hands were shaking and Theon was so sure this was another game or another trick. But when their lips touched, he didn't care that they were in the games, it was like nothing else he had ever felt.
The other tributes picked each other off as Theon taught Robb how to hunt, and Robb taught Theon how to fight hand to hand. But in the spare moments they were apart, the cameras captured how hard they were trying to get the other one home.
And then there were four left: Theon, Robb, Ramsay, and Myranda. The grand finale played out in front of them, but it felt like it was happening to other people. It didn't feel real anymore. Theon saw himself shoot Myranda in the stomach, he saw her collapse. Then he was running, the hounds had spawned from the beach by the lake and Ramsay, Robb, and himself made a dash for the cornucopia.
He didn’t need to watch what happens next, but time seems to slow down when Robb holds out the handful of berries. Robb was the instigator , Theon thought with a shudder. Robb may have been the warm and likeable one, but he was still the one who smacked of rebellion.
“Well,” Petyr Baelish rasped when the film ended. “I think we can all agree that that was one of the most exciting games ever, wasn’t it?”
The crowd cheered in response, Theon smiled a tight-lipped smile and Robb ran a finger along Theon’s thumb comfortingly.
“Thanks Petyr.” Theon responded, calling up a fake smile and preparing himself for a barrage of uncomfortable questions. “It was really a whirlwind for both of us.”
“I’ll say, tell me, Theon.” The host asked. “We all knew when Robb confessed his feelings, you doubted them, but when did you realize that he was being genuine?”
Theon kind of hated that he didn’t even need to lie, he was playing right into their hands, maybe he was nothing more than a lovesick teenager. But then Margaery’s reminder rang in his ears. Keep Robb alive .
So Theon smiled and pulled Robb in closer across his lap, pressing a kiss to his forehead.
“I think it was when we found each other again. No-I think I realized during the games, all I wanted to do was find him.”
The crowd aw -ed. Theon cast a quick glance to his side where Robb was smirking up at him. I thought you were never sappy ? He seemed to ask.
“Well isn’t that the sweetest.” Petyr Baelish smiled at the audience. “Now a question for you Robb, the whole world was shocked when you held out the berries. Can you tell us what exactly was going through your mind?”
“Well,” Robb started, nerves crackling beneath the surface. “I just was thinking, I can’t go home without him, I can’t live without him.”
“And now, you won’t have to.” Baelish smiled his usual predatory smile. “What do you think it’ll be like for you two, when you get home? How will you go back to normal life in 7 after being exposed to the lavish life?”
Theon felt Robb stiffen with anger beside him and rested a hand on his shoulder like a small reminder. We survive this. Change will come, but we need to survive this . Robb relaxed a bit and turned his smile up brighter to face the crowd.
“I’d rather be home in District 7 with my family. In Victor’s Village we’ll finally have enough room in the house for my parents and my five siblings...plus the dogs.” He laughed. “My sisters won’t have to share a room anymore, maybe they’ll stop fighting so much.”
“How about you, Theon? What awaits our young lovers?”
Theon shrugged.
“I’ll live across the street from Robb, not quite close enough. The house’ll get pretty lonely with just me in it-”
“Well,” Robb interrupted, a wide grin sneaking across his face. A genuine smile. “The Victor’s Village mansions are pretty big, and I know we’ll have some space…”
“What are you suggesting?” Theon asked, returning the smile.
“Well, I don’t see any reason why you can’t just move in with me.”
The crowd was holding their breath as much as Theon, whose heart was pounding in his chest.
“You really sure about that?”
“I just got you, Theon. I’m not about to let you go, ever.” The audience was going crazy at this point, he could already picture Margaery’s self satisfied smirk. The interview was going well.
“We’ll see what your mother has to say about that, Robb.” Theon pretended to shudder, which got a laugh from the audience.
“Uh oh, still have to win over the parents huh?” Petyr Baelish grinned and winked at the audience.
“Oh yeah, his mother always hated me.”
“Well,” Robb interrupted. “You saved my life, that should count for something.”
And swallowing his pride, Theon decided he could let himself get sappy.
“We saved each other.”