❤️💜21k uwuwuwuwu💜❤️

"I'm sorry about the kiss--" Nightmare blurted suddenly, scaring Cross.

He looked over at him in surprise, feeling his cheeks heat up slightly at the memory. "O-Oh, it's okay, really."

"I was an idiot." He muttered, shaking his head. "Doing that and then ignoring you right after."

"It's fine Nightmare, really." He smiled.

"Good, let's just pretend like it never happened then." He said, glancing over at the smaller.

Cross paused, rather hoping that they wouldn't act like it never happened to be honest. He didn't really want the memory of his first kiss to just be thrown aside. But he nodded softly anyway, biting his 'lip'. "Yeah, it never happened."

"We'll have to recreate it later when the time is actually appropriate, hm?" He flashed him a grin, stretching his arms out in front of him.

"Oh shut it, you." He hissed, blushing softly and swatting him with a hand. "There will not be an appropriate moment."

"You never know." He snickered and held his hands up in defence, backing up a bit. "I might be on deaths door slowly dying in front of you and ask for a kiss as a final wish. Would you really reject me?"

"Yes."

"I'm hurt."

Cross stared witheringly at him and shook his head, his hand instinctively moving to his non-existent stomach as it twinged in pain. Blinking softly, he looked down at it, feeling it twist and turn suddenly. "Nightmare--"

"Hm?" The taller looked up from searching through his backpack just in time to see Cross double over and clutch his chest. "Cross?"

"Nightmare I-I don't feel so good..." He mumbled weakly, falling to the ground with his elbow keeping him up. His stomach felt like it was being ripped apart, his soul also burning in a way he'd never felt before. It hurt.

The teen shifted quickly to Cross' side just in time to witness the smol throw up all over the floor. He yelped and stumbled back away from the splash zone before giving him an arm to cling to with a death grip.

He coughed and gagged, unable to breathe as all the contents of last night's dinner was splattered onto the floor messily. He was faintly aware of Nightmare patting his back and rubbing his skull, muttering soft things that were inaudible to him.

Nightmare gently pushed Cross down onto his side once he was certain he was done throwing up, wrapping the sleeping bag around him and balling up the raincoat as a shitty pillow. He stared down at the shaking teen whose face was deathly white - even for a skeleton - and dripping sweat once more like before.

The fever was back.

——————

"How's your neck?"

"Fine."

"Bullshit." Dream stared at Killer from across the campfire, his eyes narrowing.

The slightly smaller of the two smirked lazily at him and shrugged. "Shoot, you got me. Truthfully it hurts like hell when I talk."

"So stop talking." He growled.

"You were the one that asked the question, not me." He tipped his head back, staring at him down the bridge of his nose with the same smirk painted on his face.

"I said stop talking. And stop moving your head, you'll make your neck worse." He snapped.

"Yessir." His head fell back to normal resting position, a hand reaching up to rub the bandage fabric wrapped tightly around it. It was splotched red in some spots, but mainly clean for the time being.

Currently the two were camping out under a rocky outcrop in the middle of the forest, the stone overhang providing some shelter from the elements. They'd risked a campfire on the basis that there were two of them so therefore more likely to prevail in the case of an ambush. And Dream hated the cold.

Neither of them were completely relaxed, both having their particular skill set of weapons lying by their sides and ready to be whipped out and used. But their weapons weren't in their prime. Killer was down to one knife, and Dream only had three arrows left. Enough to kill three people. But there were six people left to kill, well, seven if he counted Killer. But he didn't want to think about that right now.

The two had formed a temporary alliance, agreeing to work together and kill off the remaining opponents that caused for the most concern. Aka Geno, Reaper and his brother, Nightmare.

Nightmare... God why couldn't that idiot have just stayed at home with mum and accept that he didn't get in. Why couldn't he have just watched Dream from the comfort of his bedroom with all the luxuries their house had to offer scattered around him. He could have carried on life without a worry in the world - apart from the huge grudge he'd probably hold forever on his brother - and just forget it. But no. He had to rush all the way down to District Tweleve and ruin everything for him. Well done you Nightmare. Well done you.

Now him and Cross and Geno and Reaper were the only complete team left in the game that could win this, seeing as Abi was dead now thanks to Killer. Yes himself and Killer were now in a team, but there was no way in hell that the gamekeepers would accept that. They were both from completely different Districts. But then again, technically so were Nightmare and Cross.

He groaned softly and shook his head, his mind trying to balance way too many things at once. He just wanted to relax. And go home. Oh the feeling of his blanket wrapped around him and soft mattress would be a very welcome attribute he would not turn down at this moment in time.

He was dully aware of Killer's shifting presence around the campfire, but didn't react. Even when the teen deemed it okay to lower himself down right next to Dream and place a hand on his knee; he barely flinched.

"What you thinking about, angel boy?" He asked, disobeying Dream's words from earlier and letting his head rest on the ever-so-slightly-taller's shoulder.

"Home."

Killer sighed, rubbing his knee softly with his thumb. "I was thinking of home the other day. But I don't miss it."

"You don't?" The teen stared into the fire, expression not changing in the slightest.

"Nah, my mum is dead and my Dad's an alcoholic that leaves the house in a mess 24/7. Hell, I don't think my dad even realised that I got picked." He picked a scab off his knee, closing his eyes.

"Your dad is shit." Dream muttered, glancing at the boy and frowning.

"I know." He smirked a little, nodding. "I know that for sure."

"My dad is shit as well." He sighed, tilting his head and resting his skull on top of his partner's.

"Snap." Killer laughed dryly, pushing the earth at their feet around with his shoe. "We're practically twins."

"Shut up." He muttered wearily in response.

"Anything you say, my love."

"I'll fucking shoot you right now."

"No you won't, that's a waste of arrows."

"It'll be worth it though."

"No it won't."

"Shut up."

"Okay." Killer shot him a grin that wasn't returned, nudging him with his elbow.

"Just, be quiet. For ten seconds, please." He groaned, pushing his face into his hands in exasperation.

To his surprise Killer went silent and slowly started uncurling his fingers, one for each second.

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine.

Just as he was about to hit ten and probably blurt out a load of unnecessary bullshit, a loud static sound rang out through the arena for a second. And then that was followed by a voice.

"Attention all Tributes. This year we've decided to be...generous. Each one of you needs something, desperately. Tomorrow morning at the cornucopia there will be a bag for each District containing what just might be the thing you need to win this. That is the end of the Announcement. Happy Hunger Games, and may the odds be ever in your favour."

Killer blinked, raising a brow. "Something we desperately need? Do we actually desperately need anything?"

Dream looked over at his almost empty quiver, shrugging. "I don't know if you could class it as desperate, but I do need more arrows..."

"Alright then, what the hell do I desperately need? An honorary pass to be a District One member?" He laughed, making it into a joke.

"I don't think the gamekeepers would be that generous. But if they were then that kind of is something we desperately need, being honest here."

"Well maybe there will be." He stretched his arms in front of him, humming. "We'll just have to risk it and go check tomorrow morning."

"Yeah, I guess so..."

——————

"Don't even think about it."

"Too late." Nightmare stater down at Cross, already shoving his weapons and useful stuff into one rucksack.

"Nightmare I'm serious it's not worth it!" Cross protested before breaking out into a coughing fit.

"Not worth it? Cross that bag will hold the medicine for your fever!"

"You don't know that!" He gasped, choking back more coughs.

The two of them had just heard the announcement, and instantly there had been a disagreement. Cross was adamant that Nightmare shouldn't go, saying that it wouldn't be worth it and a stupid way to die. And Nightmare was arguing that the bag could hold the medicine for Cross they so desperately needed.

"You're not going." He hissed, gripping onto the bottom of the octopus' hoodie and tugging him away from the cave entrance.

The taller stumbled over to him before pulling the fabric out of his weakened grasp. "Yes I am. And you can't stop me."

"Nightmare please!" He begged, shaking his skull vigorously which only succeeded in making his head spin.

The taller stared down at him and went to argue back once more before seeing his truly desperate expression. He sighed weakly, sinking down to sit next to Cross and pull him into his chest. "Cross, without that medicine, you'll die."

The smaller dug his face into his front, shivering despite it being rather warm in the cave. "I'm going to die anyway... I never stood a chance at this, you did."

"God Cross, enough with this crap. You got an eleven for Christ's sake you're not some wimpy little boy."

He sniffed, hiding his face. "I'm not worth all the trouble. Just let me die here, with you by my side and then you can go off and win..."

"Cross--"

"I don't want to die alone!"

Nightmare looked down at him in surprise, blinking. "I--"

"Y-You'll go o-off and find that medicine b-by yourself and s-suddenly the worst stage of this stupid fever will kick in j-just as you leave so that I'm left to die slowly alone, cold a-and scared in a cave!" He gripped onto Nightmare tightly, as if he were about to get up and leave him that very second.

A wave of guilt hit the taller and he looked away, understanding the smol's fear. Of course he didn't want to be left alone in his current position. And no one wants to die alone with no one for comfort. No one.

From his chest Cross let out a few sniffles, wiping his eyes rapidly as if they would prevent Nightmare from knowing they were there.

He sighed loudly and wrapped an arm around his shoulders, his face nuzzling into the crook of his neck softly. "It's alright, I wont go..."

The oreo shifted, leaning into his touch weakly. "You w-won't?"

"No Cross, I won't." He said, rubbing small circles on the back of his skull.

"Promise?" He pleaded, grip tightening.

"...I promise." Nightmare continued to nuzzle and pet him, his gut twisting with guilt as he knew he'd break that promise.

————————————————————————

Kréme and Crossmare my two favourite ships uwuwuwuwu

Little bit of fluff-angst, idk what else to call it.

Soon the numbers of Tributes will drop even lower >:3

Not gonna lie I've been thinking about how if I can manage to drag this thing out even longer, we could possibly reach 50 chapters but idk that would be pretty legit if we could

Pray maybe 🙏🏻

2,055 words uwu

Okie b y e

-Jess-