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"Do you think they'll throw something supernatural at us again?"

"Oh yeah, definitely."

"You're sure?"

"Cross, I've watched each yearly screening of the Hunger Games since I was nine. I can't remember all of them, but I know for a fact that at every ending 'ceremony', they'll bring up something big and dramatic. Something meant to kill us if the other Tributes don't."

"Just what we need..." He muttered, flicking off a bug from his shoulder and ducking under a low hanging branch.

"Just what the bloodthirsty viewers need." Nightmare said, rolling his eye and walking over a fallen log with his arms held out to balance himself.

"Not all of them are bloodthirsty..." He squeezed his palms together tightly, glancing around.

"Is that so? I'd beg to differ."

"My little brother is watching. He's not bloodthirsty!" Cross protested, shaking his head. "And neither is my mum, or Epic!"

"Who's Epic?" Nightmare paused at the end of the log, a brow raised. "Another brother?"

"No, Epic is my..." He trailed off, blinking. Oh god what even was Epic? His best friend? His brother from another mother? His hunting partner? He was certain that they were nothing more than that, I mean, the boy had never shown any romantic interest in him as far as he was aware. "...Friend."

"Friend? You forced that word so hard that I'd think he's your abusive step-dad." He stared at him, his bright eye unblinking.

"No- He's not my abusive step-dad. He's my friend. My best friend." Yes that was right. Wasn't it?

"Alright, alright." Nightmare held his hands up in defence. "He's your best friend, geez. You sounded so defensive about it."

"Well, he means a lot to me. That's why." He said, glaring down at the floor.

"Hey, what am I to you?"

Cross paused in surprise, looking up at the taller skeleton and blinking. "Excuse me?"

"I don't think I stuttered, Cross. I asked you what I am to you. Simple question."

He took a slight step back, frowning. "I-I don't see why this is relevant--"

"Just answer the damn question, Cross."

For the first time that they'd been together since the cave, Cross felt nervous to be around his partner. He stared at the intimidating teen, his throat dryer than the crusty piece of cheese that had been left to rot in the corner of his home kitchen for almost half a year. "I--"

Nightmare stared at him impatiently, a persistent look in his eye that Cross hadn't seen before. He took in a sharp breath, staring. "...You're my friend."

"Friend?" He almost seemed to laugh at that, his eye narrowing. "I save your life three- no, four times actually, and I'm still just your friend?"

"Well what do you want to be? My knight in shining armour?"

"I don't know, I mean we kissed for Christ's sake. What did Epic do to gain the title of best friend? Fuck you?"

"No! Of course he didn't!" He hissed, his face flushing in embarrassment. "It's just that he's the only person I know that properly understands me and accepts me for who I am!"

"I understand you..." His voice was barely a whisper at that point, his eye cast down at the floor. But before Cross could ask anything or show signs of concern he'd perked up again and jumped off of the log. "Anyway enough of family bullshit, let's keep going."

The smaller frowned, but didn't press the previous matter any further, instead focusing on a different one. "Where even are we going?"

"The centre." Was his simple reply. Oh boy he was definitely mad in some sorts.

"The centre? Are you crazy? You must have a death wish!" He hissed, gripping onto Nightmare's wrist.

"I mean, both of us kind of do have death wish if you think about it. We volunteered by choice to be thrown into the bloody Hunger Games for Christ's sake."

"That's not what I meant and you know it!"

He scoffed, pulling his wrist from his hand. "You can either follow me, or stay out here and wait for whatever they send to rip you to pieces."

"What is wrong with you?!" He cried, staring up at him. Nightmare glanced at him. "I don't know what you're on about."

"Is this about the whole friend thing? I'm sorry--"

"No Cross- what's the point in being sorry for feelings. They're just dumb and make you do stupid things for no reason." He muttered, continuing to walk on with Cross trailing behind in confusion.

"I--"

"Shh." Nightmare cut him off suddenly, a hand pressing against his chest and pushing him back ever-so-slightly.

"Wh- No Nightmare let me--"

"I said shut up." He growled, his eye scanning their surroundings slowly. Cross went to blurt something out again, only to get cut off for the third time. "Do you hear that?"

"...Hear what?" He frowned, looking behind them and into the dark leafy forest warily.

"That." Nightmare whispered, his eye narrowing as a low, bubbled growl came from somewhere around them, sending a horrible cold feeling down Cross' spine. It felt like someone was dripping ice cold water down the back of his top, trickling into every crevice and scar and freezing it in place.

"What was that?" He gulped, subconsciously gripping onto Nightmare's arm with one hand and his knife squeezed tightly in the other one.

"Do you think I have a clue?" He gripped onto Cross' wrist in response, starting to pull him away from their current spot. "But we need to go--"

No sooner than they'd taken four steps, an animalistic screech rang out from behind them and a large creature lept from the bushes, its claws sinking deeply into Nightmare's shoulders and dragging him to the ground.

"NIGHTMARE!" Cross screamed, dropping to the floor as a second one took a lunge at him. He rolled onto his back, feeling the beasts' back claws land on his chest and sink in, deep. He let out an anguished cry, but dug the knife in his hand back up into the creature's chest, dragging it along and kicking it off.

It yowled in pain, blood flowing from its stomach and spreading all over the grassy floor like a rushing river.

Lurching to his feet, the teen threw his blood soaked knife at the monster on top of Nightmare, watching as it slammed right into the back of its neck. It stiffened in surprise before going limp, slumping over the boy pinned beneath.

"O-Oh god, Nightmare are you okay?!" He asked, hauling the unknown creature off of him by its clumped and matted furry feet.

"I-I'm fine." He gasped, a bloody hand flashing up to grab onto Cross' equally messy hand which was slick and wet with crimson blood. "Let's g-get the hell out of here."

Cross stared in horror at the bloody mess of his shoulders, his hoodie having ripped back to reveal chunks of the dark bone gone or dislodged. In this light, his blood almost looked black, shining as it ran down his body and seeped into his clothes. It was smeared all over his neck and chin, mixing with the slime and making him look even more scary than usual. In the normal situation he would have told Nightmare to sit down and rest, but the sound of more yowls and growls from the forest forced him to comply with his words and run.

The two of them half limped half ran as fast as they could, Nightmare clutching his shoulders with one hand and Cross for support with the other. The smaller was also in pain, but clearly his chest wounds were not as bad as his partner's.

The terrible noises were getting closer and closer, tormenting the poor two Tributes almost to the point where they screamed as they ran. They didn't actually, but plenty of curses, swears and yells escaped both their 'lips' as they scrambled for the middle.

Crashing through the bracken and and ferns, they eventually stumbled into the clearing of the arena, their breaths ragged and harsh.

Nightmare stared up at the Cornucopia, his fingers slamming into its cool smooth surface and his soul thundering in his chest. "Up!"

"Wh- wAIT--" Cross let out an impressively loud cry as he was grabbed by Nightmares's tentacles and practically thrown up onto the cornucopia's surface. He collided with the top roughly, almost sliding right off and falling to the other side.

Nightmare grunted, turning around to check for any sign of the dogs in the tree line behind them. The noises were still present, but they weren't actually visible yet. Taking that as a good thing, he gripped onto one of the ridges on the cornucopia statue, starting to pull himself up.

But as he did so something grabbed onto his shoulder and ripped him back, earning a cry of pain from Nightmare as he was thrown roughly to the floor.

"Nightmare!" Cross yelled, panic laced in his voice as he watched the scene unfold from on top of the cornucopia.

The teen choked, a splatter of blood flying from his mouth and decorating the grass. He cried out in pain as a boot hit him squarely in the chest, causing him to double up and curl over.

"You and I, have unfinished business pal." A voice called from above him. "And once I'm finished with your sorry ass, I'll torture your pathetic excuse for a partner. And you know what? I'll enjoy it."

Nightmare looked up above him and hissed, his fingertips digging into the dirt and tearing up grass as he stared at his attacker.

Reaper.

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God I've been delaying this chapter for lord knows what reason

But it's done now so that's gud uwu

Lots of fights tomorrow, but probably not a very long chapter, sowwy :'D

Oh well enjoy sadists

-Jess-