Ok to start off this is not a mix of Hunger games characters this is just Hetalia characters in Hunger games universe. Also Only boys get picked to be tributes, which will be explained later on. This story contains slash and there is established Ivan/Alfred, only human names used. Enjoy!
The silent grey dawn rose like it did on every day. Though this dawn was darker, for it was the calm before the storm. Today was the day of the reaping.
Alfred awoke to such a grey dawn. It was time for the hunt. He ruffled his brothers hair gently as he lay sleeping and slipped out of their shared bed. Mathew tossed restlessly in his sleep and Alfred's brow knitted in concern. His younger twin had been dreaming that he would be reaped for the dreaded games. Alfred had told him he had nothing to worry about, and the younger twin didn't. Alfred would die first before ever letting his brother go through the horror that they were forced to watch every year at the games. His brother was gentle, kind, loving, he would never survive the games of death.
He grabbed his bow and walked like a shadow through the shanty town. He slipped under the restricted area fence and into the forest. His feet padded silently on the forest floor. He kept his eye open for any game, but saw none so he ran on. He was silent like a shadow. Something stuck out amongst the green foliage, he threw a rock at the tree and saw the deer move. He drew back his bow and was prepared to shoot when a voice interrupted his concentration.
"What are you going to do with that once you kill it," The voice mocked.
Alfred shot and missed, angry he spun and faced Ivan, his lover of almost four years now. "Damn you Ivan!"
"What were you going to do with that deer?" Ivan asked.
"Sell it to the peackeepers," retorted Alfred.
"Peackeepers?"
"What, Like you don't sell to peacekeepers," Ivan walked up to him and wrapped his arms around the blonde's slim waist.
"No, not today," He said into Alfred's hair.
Alfred nodded and led Ivan to their hill. They both sat down and basked in the grey morning. They sat in silence until Ivan spoke, "What if we just…ran?"
Alfred turned to him, "Like run away?"
"Yes, just ran. No hunger games, no peacekeepers, no starving people," Ivan said dreamily.
Alfred scoffed, "Oh come on, we wouldn't make it five miles."
"I would make it five miles," he pointed into the distant forest, "That way."
"What about your sisters?" Alfred insisted.
"They could come, Your brother too."
Alfred scoffed again, "Mathew? In the woods? No way," he said laughing at the image.
Ivan stared at him with an unreadable expression on his face. He turned away and reached into his bag, "Oh, almost forgot," he pulled out a small piece of bread and broke it in half.
Ivan relished the way Alfred's face lit up, "No way! Is this real?" He smelled it and took a harty bite, savoring the flavor.
"I should hope so, cost me a whole squirrel," they both sat in silence for a moment.
This time Alfred broke the silence, "You only have two years left of the reaping," he said.
"Yeah, and you are still in the first half of the chosen," Ivan returned.
"Yeah but this'll be my last year, tomorrow I turn fifteen and Mathew and I'll be in the second half till we're eighteen," he said.
"Yeah I suppose so," Ivan said and kissed the top of Alfred's head. "May the odds be ever in your favor."
It was time for the reaping.
/?/
As they walked through the town Alfred stopped at the market. He glanced at a sparkle of gold that caught his eye. He walked towards it and held it. It was a gold pin, of a bird with an arrow through it's beak. Interested he asked the old woman what it was.
"A mockingjay," she said.
Alfred studied it, "How much?"
The old woman studied him, a look of sadness in her eyes, "You keep it."
Alfred's eyes lit in surprise, "Are you sure?!"
The woman smiled and nodded, "Thank you," Alfred said and placed the pin in his pocket.
He parted ways with Ivan, sharing a soft kiss. Walking home was miserable. He saw parents readying their children for their possible doom. Alfred wished that his own parents were still alive.
He sighed and continued on his way home. When he got there he saw that Mathew was already getting dressed. He fumbled with the buttons, his hand shaking. Alfred smiled at him and finished doing them. Mathew's face dropped his shoulders shaking.
Alfred lifted his chin gently, "Hey, Don't worry ok. I'll protect you, just like I promised mom and dad ok?" Alfred withdrew the mockingjay pin and handed it to his brother, "This will keep you safe."
"Thanks Al," and he hugged his brother tightly. The whistle or their doom sounded and they both left for the square.
/?/
Misery resounded throughout the small space. Alfred spotted Ivan in the group of older boys, they locked eyes and nodded.
Alfred and his brother gave their blood and walked together to stand in line.
Suddenly a garishly dressed man tapped on the microphone on the stage, "Welcome, Welcome! To the seventy fourth hunger games!" He said in an oddly feminine voice. "The capital has a very special treat for you before we begin," He said and the movie began.
Alfred rolled his eyes, people rising from the ashes indeed. The people in district twelve were still apart of the ashes, no thanks to the capital. He glanced at Ivan, who rolled his eyes and Alfred smiled. They shared a smile together, then the movie ended and they refocused back on the stage.
"Now the time has come," the man cooed, "For us to select one courageous young boy and man, for the honor to represent district twelve in the seventy-fifth annual hunger games," he walked towards the two glass bowls, "As usual the oldest men first," he stuck his hand in and felt around. He pulled out a single slip of paper and read it, "Ivan, Braginksi," Alfred's stomach dropped. He watched with cold fear as Ivan walked slowly up to the stage, his expression carefully blank. Alfred had half a mind to volunteer but he knew that he could not volunteer for the older men's division. He felt tears well up in his eyes. He couldn't imagine having to watch his lover die.
The man smiled and patted Ivan on the back, "Now for the young boys," he said and dipped his hand into the Alfred and Mathew's bowl. He pulled out a name and read it aloud, "Mathew Jones!"
Alfred felt his whole world shatter. Mathew stood frozen next to his brother. They looked at each other eyes wide in fear. Suddenly peackeepers were pulling Mathew from the group, towards the stage.
Alfred snapped from his shock and ran to his brother, fighting the peackeepers when they stopped him. "I volunteer!" He cried desperately, "I volunteer as tribute," he screamed.
"No Alfred! No!" Mathew cried. But Alfred didn't care.
Mathew was shoved back into line and he collapsed into tears screaming his brother's name while Alfred was forced onto the stage. Alfred didn't look at Ivan, though he knew, the older man was burning a hole in his head.
The man came up to him with the mic and held it to him, "And what is your name young man?"
"Alfred…Alfred Jones," he answered mechanically.
"Jones…That must have been your brother then?" He said dramatically.
"Y-Yes," Alfred stuttered.
"Well, this is District Twelve's very first volunteer. Let's have a big hand for our first ever volunteer Alfred Jones," he said and clapped. His clapping resounded through the silent people.
Instead the grey starving men and women kissed their three fingers and raised it, a salute of utmost respect, to Alfred. Alfred was shocked and nodded to everyone.
"Our Tributes from District twelve, well you two, shake hands!" He said.
Alfred turned to his lover and held out his hand. Ivan took it firmly but gently and shook it. Ivan pulled Alfred's hand up to his lips and kissed it softly, "I'm sorry," he whispered.
Alfred shook his head, "Don't be."
Everyone in District twelve felt sadness for all knew of the love the two shared.
"Well, May the odds be ever in your favor," the man said and ushered the two into the building.
Alfred waited quietly in the room and the doors opened. Mathew walked in hugging his twin tightly crying into his shoulder, "Dammit Alfred, why? Why would you do this?" Mathew sobbed.
"I'm the hero, I promised I would protect you, remember. Don't act like I'm already dead," Alfred admonished, "I'm smarter than I look."
Mathew nodded, "And you can hunt, but you and Ivan…." He trailed off tears streaming down his face.
Alfred felt a pang of pain course through him, "Don't worry about us, ok? Just…Just take care of yourself."
Mathew didn't want to pull away but he did, "Ok, I will," he reached into his pocket and handed Alfred the pin he had given him not hours before. "This-This will protect you, ok?"
Alfred took it with a watery smile, "Thanks little brother," he said and hugged him for a final time before Mathew was ripped away from him. Mathew cried for his brother.
The doors opened and he saw Natalia and Katyusha sobbing into their brother's chest. Mathew felt a pang of sadness for them, but he would not allow Ivan to die. He had made up his mind the moment he volunteered. If it came down to it he would kill himself before he killed Ivan. He saw Ivan's sister were ripped away, screaming, as his own brother had been. Ivan waited until they were gone before he rushed into the doors and enveloped Alfred in a crushing embrace. Ivan was breathing heavily, trying to hold back tears, "Dammit, I understand why you did it but…. Just…. Dammit," he hissed into Alfred's hair.
Alfred buried his face in his lover's chest, "I know. I'm sorry."
Ivan shook his head, "Do not be sorry, you did what you had to do to protect your brother. If it had been my sisters I would have done the same."
Alfred seemed to stop, "Only one of us can make it out alive Ivan."
"Don't think about that," The older man shushed him.
The man from before came in, "My name is Francis and I will be your guide to the capital," he sounded happy and excited, not at all like he had just sentenced the two lover's to their deaths.
Well there you have it, first chapter. I hope you liked it. R and R