A Hunger Games fic, written by sliceofpie and PrimitivePacman. Pie wrote anything concerning Arnold or Maggie, and PrimitivePacman wrote anything concerning Lorna and Raul. Hope you like it

The Reaping

Lorna's mother was as hectic as ever, but this time she had a reason. It was the Reaping. And she was frantically praying for her children to be safe. For that very reason, Lorna hadn't gone down to the beach that day. Which was where she spent most of her time. Perhaps even all of her time, if she hadn't had family to be with. She spent her days quite happily, if also a tad odd, walking the entire length of the shore and then back, sometimes with friends, sometimes with Arnold, sometimes alone. Going to school when she had to. Her mother called her 'her lamb' or 'her dove', because of Lo's genteel spirit and sweet, if not seemingly naive nature.

So naturally, her mother was terrified of Reapings, fearing the loss of her lamb, praying for her children's protection.

As was Lorna. Yes, true, she had received incredibly minimal training, as had her brother Arnold. But only just in case. They were no Careers.

Not to say they couldn't be, if they had been of a different mentality, but it wasn't their goal. They wanted to be safe.

So Lorna was quiet that morning, unlike her usual chatty self. She let her mother talk her into leaving her dark red hair open and even let her mother use whatever bits of makeup they had saved up on her.

Lorna was generally easily upset, and on Reaping Day more so, but her family was different, they always seemed to keep her calm.

Not that she wasn't a calm person.

She was indeed rather calm; maybe it was just a District trait. She was District Four, the fishing District. The swimming District. The lay in the sun District. She was calm. Except when someone she cared for was threatened in any way. Like Reapings.

Thankfully she had Arnold. The siblings were as close as could be, loved each other unconditionally, though he was older.

It was time.

Lorna and Arnold made their way to their respective parts in the crowd, but not once did they stop looking at each other. Not once did they lose the gaze of the other.

"Boys first," the two whispered as Anna, the district representative, announced it like a joyous greeting.

Boys first this year...

Arnold was the cool, calm and collected type. And normally, he was quite happy with his existence, working on the fishing boats and just generally being out with the sea. But he hated the Reapings. True, their family had never been affected, but it was only a matter of time, right?

Sighing, he donned his straight black trousers, light blue shirt (which his mother forced him to tuck in) and black shoes, running his hands through his rough brown hair. This year, he worried a bit more. Both he and Lorna had signed up for the tesserae. And he figured his mother had got no sleep last night because of it.

Together, he, his mother, and two little sisters (Lorna and the youngest, Jaina, who was only eight so had no worries as of yet) made their way to the main square. And just before he and Lorna parted ways, he squeezed her hand.

"It won't be us," he whispered, weaving through the crowd of his classmates, neighbours, and all the other faces he knew. He glanced once at Lorna, who was staring resolute this year. He swallowed his throat surprisingly dry.

He realised he hadn't been paying attention.

"...Boys first!""

Their district's representative stuck a clawed nailed hand into the glass bowl, and his heart seemed to stop. Everything moved in slow motion, like every year, and the woman (Anna, maybe?) moved so slowly. The boys name. What was it? Her lips moved, but no sound rushed into his ears. Then he realised it was because he was being pushed forward, and he realised what it must have read.

Arnold Asters.

He stumbled on stage, his lips dry and his mind a mess. He could hear his mother. Sobbing. Begging someone to volunteer.

But no one did.

He shook Anna's hand, stepping to the side as she dug around in the girl's names. He had become numb. Nothing. He felt nothing.

Lorna felt the whole world stop spinning when she heard her brother's name. Frozen like a deer in headlights she stared in horror and Anna called out one more name.

And even her voice faltered.

"L-Lorna Asters."

That was it. A hush over the crowd. Everyone knew what this meant. Only one could come back alive. If even.

That was too much for their mother, who was sobbing on her knees, clutching their youngest sister. Jaina was crying as well.

She was vaguely aware of walking to the stage, but she ignored Anna, ignored the cameras. She just ran into Arnolds arms and held on tightly.

No one dared separate them. The entire area was utterly silent.

But Anna had to continue sometime.

"Ehm- Well isn't this exciting! Happy Hunger Games, and let's let the Mentors welcome our two Tributes."

And like that, Arnold was pushed off the stage. Separated from his sister, who ended up stretching her arms towards him, sobbing. He called to her, still numb.

"It'll be alright, Lorna, it'll be alright!"

He watched as he was dragged towards a room as Finnick, their mentor (who'd only just won last year) shook his head in pity. He was probably actually younger than Arnold, and Arnold realised the older woman next to him was probably going to help out.

Arnold sat with his hands in his lap, waiting for his mother to come and bid her goodbyes.