DISCLAIMER: I do not own The Hunger Games, nor do I own Merlin.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: So, the Merlin characters get thrown into The Hunger Games. Yeah, yeah, it's a boring idea, but the story kept nagging at me until I wrote it, so here you go. Also, reviews are very appreciated. I hope you enjoy~


No one could understand why, but Merlin was always more anxious than the rest of District Eight when the reaping came. It's not like he'd expect them to understand anyway. Magic is difficult to find in people nowadays. It was all wiped out with the Hunger Games and District Thirteen. The majority of magical people were in District Thirteen, or so his history teacher told him. Now magic is frowned upon. Anyone in the Hunger Games with magic is normally eliminated first. So generally the magic users have to fear the Games.

Is that what Merlin was?

Merlin's always wondered about if he had magic. He could always move objects with his mind, even before he could walk. But that's not magic, is it? Magic is saying spells and having things happen. Magically. It's magic. But that's not what Merlin could do. He would look at an object and just will it to move for him, such as when he had to do the dishes or his laundry. He just wanted it to move and it did. Didn't sorcerers have to say some complicated spell for that to happen?

Merlin sighed and pulled on his jacket. He could never understand why people dressed up for the reaping. He never did. He was dressed in his usual attire- brown pants, brown boots, a red shirt, a blue scarf, and a brown jacket. Merlin knew everyone else would be in dresses and suits, but his family didn't have enough money for that.

Well, if you could call it a family, that is. It was just Merlin and his mother. Merlin's father died before he was born. Merlin's mum said he was made an avox. She never said why, though.

On his way out the door, Merlin ran into his best friend, Will. Will punched Merlin's shoulder lightly and smiled at him.

"Why don't you ever dress up?" Will asked him. In a quick glance Merlin saw that he was wearing a suit, just like he figured everyone else would. Merlin shook his head.

"It doesn't make any sense- if they're gonna send us to our death, why should we dress up?"

"For the celebration afterwards!"

"Well what if you're reaped?"

"Then you can look nice for your family to remember you by as the last time they see you in person."

"That's slightly sadistic, Will," Merlin informed his friend with a little laugh. Will chuckled a bit and they kept walking. Merlin knew exactly how long it would take for them to get there: just over seven minutes. If they walked slower, it could take around nine minutes. As an attempt to delay the process, Merlin slowed his pace. Will slowed down with him.

They walked in silence for a few minutes until Will spoke up.

"How nervous are you?" Will and Merlin's mother were the only two people who knew about Merlin's magic, or whatever you call it. It was an accident when Will found out, but he was accepting of Merlin. Merlin was forever in his debt for that.

"Nothing I can't handle," Merlin dismissed.

"So extremely nervous?" Will asked with a grin.

"You got that much right," Merlin replied with a mirrored smirk.

Merlin heard mumbling in the distance and sighed sadly. They were almost there. He could feel Will's eyes on him as he slowed down even more. He had a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach, like something bad would happen this time. Merlin's name wasn't in there too much, as his mum refused to let him sign up for tesserae. He had signed up a few times anyway, and got into a world of trouble for it. Will's name, however, was in the bowl a bunch of times. Merlin had lost count after a few years ago.

"How many times is your name in the bowl, Will?" Merlin asked slowly.

"Sixty-seven. Why?"

"Just wondering if I'll have to find a new best friend after these Games or not," Merlin joked, the corners of his mouth twitching upwards.

"You know you'd be lonely without me," Will replied, a grin forming on his face as well.

"Mmm, I dunno about that."

"Mmm, I don't even think you would be capable of finding a new best friend."

"I'm perfectly capable of making any friend I want!"

"Oh yeah? Go talk to that girl you've been eyeing for the past month," Will smirked devilishly at his friend.

"Says the man who doesn't even have the guts to any female at all!" Merlin shot back, knowing he had won. Will knew that too. If Will was put into a group project in school and a girl was in the group with him, he'd be too embarrassed to suggest ideas to the group for fear she'd think he's stupid. Merlin never had this problem. Unless it was Freya, of course. There was something about her, he could just tell.

Will grimaced when Merlin had said this. It wasn't that bad a problem, was it? Didn't every fifteen year old worry about something like that? Besides, he and Merlin were the same age. Merlin should've understood where he was coming from, even if a little bit.

Sooner than Merlin would've liked, and sooner than Will could shoot a comeback, they were at the Hall of Justice. There were ropes sectioning off the males and females and the different ages. Merlin and Will signed in and went to the fifteen year old male section. Merlin looked around for Freya in the female section: she was with the other fourteen year old kids.

To Merlin, Freya looked stunning. She had on an emerald green dress to complement her brown eyes, a necklace with a green stone on it, and black boots. Her hair was how it normally was, but it looked neater and curlier. Merlin had to work to wrench his eyes away from her and look up at the fool of an escort for District Eight walked up on the stage.

Markus Quintin was District Eight's escort, and he was the biggest fool Merlin had ever seen. He fell off the stage practically each year. He was too short for Merlin's liking, and his hair never seemed to fit on his head, nor did the color ever work with his extremely tan skin. This year Markus decided to dye his hair green, and he looked absolutely repulsive. Merlin felt sorry for the tributes that had to stand next to him after their name was called. Merlin shook his head sadly.

"You okay Merlin?" Will asked Merlin. He nodded gratefully at him, then motioned to the stage as the anthem started playing. Will understood and watched the stupid video they made the tributes watch each year.

Merlin shivered as he watched it, though he wasn't cold. It was all so sadistic. Who thought they had the right to take children and throw them in a sick game? Someone who doesn't love their people, that's who, Merlin thought. After the thought occurred to him, he realized how chivalrous it sounded. He laughed inwardly and looked up at Markus.

After the video was over, Markus smiled at all of them. "Now, shall we begin the reaping?" Merlin could tell Markus had gotten tired of the video after seeing it over and over again, just as he had.

Markus walked over to the girl's bowl. He put his hand in and, after fumbling around a little bit and almost knocking the bowl over from being too short to properly put his arm into the bowl, grabbed a slip of paper. He walked over to the microphone and opened the paper.

"Freya Skuld," Markus called out. Merlin's eyes immediately shot over to Freya, and he saw the look of horror cross her face. She seemed frozen to her spot until some girl pushed her out of the roped off section. Freya walked up to the stage and seemed to be in a daze. She looked like she was about to pass out, and her face was extremely pale.

Will put a hand on Merlin's shoulder. He knew this was the girl Merlin liked, and could see how much it pained Merlin to know she was going to her death.

Merlin appreciated Will's gesture and decided to think about it optimistically. Maybe she wouldn't lose. Maybe she wouldn't die. Maybe she had magic and was really good at hiding it and would win and-

After the latter crossed his mind, Merlin knew what had to happen if he was ever chosen. He would hide his magic, or whatever it was, and use it to his advantage. Hopefully no one would notice…

"Now for the lovely little gentlemen," Markus smirked at himself as he walked to the other bowl. He again fumbled with a paper, trying not to knock over the bowl. He found his slip of paper and walked back to the microphone. The little pause Markus created when he read the name to himself felt like an eternity to Merlin. Suspense began to build inside of him, almost shaking Merlin to his bones. Just when Merlin couldn't take it, the name was read.

"Merlin Winterton," Markus announced with pride. The second his name was said, Merlin could feel something else rising within him. He couldn't quite place it, but he knew it wasn't a good feeling. He felt Will tense up beside him, and turned to his friend.

"Don't you dare volunteer for me," Merlin growled to Will. He could see Will tense up even more. Will was a loyal friend, but so was Merlin. He wouldn't be able to live with himself if Will took his place in the games. What good could Merlin do for Will when they're too far apart?

Luckily for Merlin, Will was too confused to volunteer. Merlin walked up to the stage with his chin up and his head high. He walked a little quickly so as not to give Will as much time to realize that he wanted to volunteer.

Of course, when Merlin got up to the stage Markus asked if anyone wanted to volunteer for them. The second this was said Merlin glared at Will. He could see Will's face brighten at the prospect of volunteering, but when he looked at Merlin and saw his stony expression, Will realized Merlin could never forgive him for taking his place, even if he won. Will instead slumped in defeat and Merlin stood straighter in pride. When no one volunteered, Markus took Merlin's arm and Freya's arm and raised them in the air.

"District Eight, these are your tributes!"

Everyone applauded for them, but there were no whoops or hollers or cheers. Just silent applauding. It was eerie, but then again, it happened every year in District Eight.