Disclaimer: I do not own The Hunger Games

Rated: for violence, death and sexual references.

A/n: Written for Quoteaholic who said she would like me to write something else on this site. I'm not really around much nowadays but I ended up on a 5 hour bus journey a few days ago and this popped into my head as we crawled along the motorway at roughly 1mph. Hope you enjoy!

Internecine

i. crashing trains

He walked into her compartment and sat opposite her as the surrounding country rushed past.

"You didn't cry."

She looked up. "What made you think I would?" Her voice sounded mildly curious.

"You're a girl. And Johanna is your mentor."

"So what? Have you seen the Hunger Games? You'll probably get gutted by a girl if you keep that attitude."

"I thought you'd cry. You look like the type." He smirked. "You know: a weak mommy's girl."

Ice-blue eyes met dark brown ones in mocking challenge. "What about you? Didn't you cry when you realised no one liked you enough to say goodbye to you, community home boy?"

Anger flashed through the brown eyes. "Watch it, girl."

"Or what? Gonna kill me?"

A slow, predatory smile spread across his features. "You're not gonna win the 74th Games, Runa. Soft girl like you, you'll be crying for your mother when they take your head off. Don't worry though. When I go back, I'll make sure to describe your death to your family."

She stood up to tower over him. "You think you're gonna win, Ash? I always win games. This is nothing different. And just think: no one is gonna be crying for you when a girl spills your guts for the cameras."

He stood up, his arm already swinging at her head. She took a step back, laughing. "Can't even hit a girl," she mocked.

He flashed his teeth in a grin. "You can't beat me. That was just a warning." He ambled to the door. "Watch your back, girl."

ii. night horrors

The door opened. She sat up.

"Ash, get out."

He sat on the end of the bed. His figure bobbed slightly as the train continued its course. "You gonna make me?"

"I don't know what your game is but get out."

"Only one game, Runa. The Hunger Games. No stomach for it right now?"

"If you want to be a psycho, be one somewhere else. I want to sleep."

"Make me."

She got out of the bed and padded over to him. Suddenly, she lunged for him. He caught her wrist. "Too slow."

She shrugged as though unconcerned. "Lemme guess." She tapped her face with her free hand in mock thought. "This is the first time you've ever touched a girl. That's why you're in here, isn't it? Didn't want to die without touching one."

"Like I would." He looked her up and down but it was too dark to see his expression. "Not a chance. You'd be lucky."

"Well, there isn't a good reason for sneaking into a girl's bedroom at night."

His grip on her wrist tightened. She stomped down on his foot. He yelped and let go.

"You're not gonna give up?"

"Ashy boy, I told you: I never lose a game. I dunno what you think you're playing but it's nowhere near my standard. So get out before I call our mentors." White teeth flashed in the darkness. "There's more than one way to play, you know."

"You wouldn't," he said. "It's bull. They'd know you're talking bull."

"You're the one who came in here, sat on my bed and grabbed me. I was terrified. I thought you might be crazy. I thought you were going to do something to me. So I shouted for them. It's still a crime, you know."

"Even in there?"

She went still. "You wouldn't."

He laughed. "Not so brave now, are you?"

"It's not something to joke about. You really are a psycho."

"Calm down, Runa. I'd have more important things to worry about in there. Besides, you're the one who said she wants to watch me get my guts ripped out on screen."

"You come near me like this again and I'll be the one doing it."

"Threaten me again and I'll gut you."

He turned and left. Neither of them realised that they were shaking until they were on their own.

iii. colliding horses

"That was a pretty harsh telling off we just got."

Runa laughed. "Ash, you kicked me."

"You punched me!"

"Yeah, but you started it in the chariot. It's your fault we're not gonna get any sponsors, with our bruises."

"Speak for yourself. Blight told me it looks good if it looks like we got into a fight and didn't get caught."

"We got caught."

"Yeah, by our stylists."

"It doesn't matter. District 12 stole the show. Who's gonna care about a few bruises?"

He leaned in close to her. He was, as usual, in her room: he had followed her in there. Her eyes glanced towards the door. "Giving up already?"

This time, she leaned towards him. Their noses were nearly touching. "Stating the facts as I see them. You messed up." She swept her leg around, knocking him down. "That's payback. I never lose."

He swept his legs back at hers, knocking her down as well. He didn't stand up. "How about this then. Me and you. An alliance."

"Yeah, right. Remember what you threatened me with last night? You're the last person in all of Panem I'd ally with."

"Thought so. How about in the bloodbath? We don't go for each other. Just them."

"Aren't you a bit too weak to be in that?"

"I'm used to fights. I was top dog back in the community home. No one dared cross me there."

"Well done. You achieved something useless in your pathetic, insignificant life."

"How about it? Best way to win."

"Don't tell me how to play, Tanis. I'm not stupid – you'll just stab me in the back. Hey, how did you get a surname if Mommy didn't love you enough to keep you?"

He was up and standing over her before she had a chance to react. His expression was livid. "Don't you ever say a word about my mother."

"I'll say whatever I want."

He kicked her. She twisted around and bit his ankle, making him yelp.

"How old are you? Five?"

She grinned. "Be glad I didn't draw blood." She stood up. They faced each other warily. "If you hate me so much, why d'you keep coming in here? It's not to ally with me. You're not freaking me out. So why?"

"I am freaking you out, Runa. It's fun, isn't it? Not knowing how I'll act. Not knowing what I'll do."

"It's weird, that's what it is. Blight thinks you're normal. Has he ever had a conversation with you?"

"You're not the only one who knows how to play games."

She smirked. "Maybe not but I'm the only one who knows how to win."

iv. shattered blades

She was the one who entered his room. Unlike her, he didn't protest. He simply smiled his slow, predator's smile.

"Why is a girl sneaking into my room? Was it seeing me on my first day of training that did it?"

"You've gotta be kidding. I nearly died laughing when you couldn't handle that sword."

"Perhaps I was lulling you all into a false sense of security."

"Great plan, genius. Except no one can fake being that bad."

"It's not like you were much better with the knives. And you still haven't said why you're here."

"I need a reason now? After you keep coming into my room?"

"You missed me!" His face lit up with malicious glee. "That's why you're here. You missed me."

She shook her head. "I wanted to laugh at you, actually. And now that I've done that..."

"Admit it. You want to be in here."

"You're seriously creepy."

"And you're vicious. What's your point?"

She left, his chuckles following her.

v. poisoned cups

When she entered her room, he was already there, sat in the middle of the floor. She rolled her eyes.

"I think you're lost, community boy. You sleep in the room opposite this one."

"I just wanted to laugh at you. I saw your attempt to learn poisonous plants." He smirked. "If I kiss you, would I be poisoned too?"

"If you kiss me, I'll bite your tongue off."

"And you call me a psycho."

"I could have offered to bite something more painful off. Please get off my floor and out of my room. Otherwise I might 'forget' the rule about not fighting other tributes."

"You'd lose before we even started."

"Aren't we playing more than one game here?"

He got up andwalked to the door, bumping her on the way. She responded by pinching his back. He flinched but otherwise didn't react.

He opened the door. "You've already lost the first one. I'm in here, aren't I?"

"Only because I let you."

"Only because you can't stop me."

He left.

vi. failed tests

She was still awake when he entered. This time, she didn't protest. She even moved to let him sit on the bed.

"You got a five."

"So did you."

"You'd think our ability to use an axe would count for something."

"Sure. If everyone else was a tree."

He looked at her and smiled. With humour. "How's your plan to win looking?"

"I started from a disadvantage. I'm planning around it."

"You're probably gonna die." For once, he didn't sound malicious.

"Not a chance. My brother stopped playing games with me 'cause he can never win. I'm not giving in."

"It's not cards here. You've never been anywhere like this."

"And you have? It's not some lost kids' home, Ash. You're just a weak little boy here."

He leaned across to grab her. She twisted away. "You're no Cato Eliker," she told him.

"And you're no Clove. Even if you act like her."

"I don't wanna be her. A complete psycho? That's not me."

He struck at her. She grabbed his hand and pulled a finger back, letting go before she could break the bone. He grinned despite the pain on his face.

"You're doing a good job acting like one then."

"Like you're much better. You grabbed me. On my bed."

"Not this again. It's not my fault if-"

"If what? I happen to be in my bed when you sneak into my room at midnight? After we've been told to sleep?"

"You could lock the door, you know."

"But that would mean I couldn't face you. Like I was scared. I'm not losing this one, Ashy."

He stood up. "Then the fact you can't see when you need to lose means it's not my fault if this happens on a bed."

"I don't need to lose. You need to learn boundaries."

"Not where we're going, Runa. Out there, the top dog wins. And he's the one who makes the boundaries."

"Brilliant. When you're not being creepy, you think you're a philosopher. You're no top dog. Just a crazy one. And you know what happens to crazy dogs?"

"Go on, tell me."

"They get put down." She gestured to the door. "Don't let the kennel door hit you on the way out."

vii. cutting speeches

"I'm going to watch you die," she hissed.

He smiled lazily. "In your dreams."

Her foot connected with his gut. He fell backwards and then doubled over, retching.

"I've wanted to do that for so long."

He looked up, coughing. "You'll get what's coming to you."

"Not a chance."

He rammed into her, head first. She collapsed backwards onto her bed. The hovercraft was due to arrive in four hours.

"What now?" she asked. "Prove you're the big man? Think you've won?"

"I told you: I won from the start." He crushed her ankle against the bedframe with as much pressure as he could manage. "You always let me in here. You let me hurt you." He let her ankle drop.

"I always fought back," she retorted. "I'm not scared of you, Ashy. You're the one who kept coming in here. Couldn't leave well enough alone. You couldn't make me do what you wanted. Couldn't be top dog like you were in District 7. I denied you that. I won."

"Your interview made me wanna puke."

"What about yours? Oh, Mommy, I want to win for you. You'll be so proud of me." She spat. "Your mother didn't give a damn about you."

"Poisonous words."

"But true."

They regarded each other. Suddenly his hand went to her waist and crushed her against his body. She pushed away.

"Not. A. Chance."

"Oh, I know. But I know how much that freaks you out. Worrying about why I do this."

"Is this what you do in the community home?"

"Do you hit everyone you meet?"

He began to walk away. Then he stopped.

"Not going?" she asked.

"Maybe, maybe not. I'm not gonna sleep so why bother?"

"Then don't go."

He looked back, one eyebrow raised. "Oh?"

She smiled. "Reverse psychology."

He smirked. "Of course. Goodbye, Runa. And may the odds be never in your favour."

Their newly inflicted bruises throbbed as he wandered back to his own room to wait for the hovercraft.

viii. hunger games

She fell first. She fought Glimmer. She was vicious but her ankle throbbed at the wrong moment. Glimmer went for her throat.

He fell last. He ran from Cato but his positioning made his gut hurt and he was too slow to avoid Peeta's knife. Cato stabbed him through the back.

They both knew the truth of how they had lost in the second before they died.

And they hated each other for it.