A/N: I have no idea how this turned out, I just thought of it and had to get it down. Leave a review and let me know what you think!

Tetsu felt sick as he watched the last hours play out on the television. The capitol had really outdone themselves – the arena was a warzone of the days of the rebellion, and the weapons were grenades, shotguns, automatic rifles, machetes.

The district of Teiko (otherwise known as district 2) had been devastated at the reaping of one of their brightest minds – Momoi Satsuki. She was just about to turn eighteen, too – such a waste. Tetsu was close with her – he hadn't grown up alongside her as Aomine had, but he'd learnt to love her as well as he could a friend.

He thought it had been all over for her – that was until Aomine Daiki's name was drawn from the boys' sect. Tetsu watched Satsuki's face – because she was relieved – relieved and terribly guilty for feeling so.

And even though he was close to Satsuki, he was closer to Daiki – and so he went to see her in the Justice Building first.

"You're smart, Momoi," he hoped he didn't sound like he was grieving already, "you can do it."

She laughed then – cold and hard and nothing like the girl he knew, "No, Tetsu. I can't win. Not this time," she turned her gaze to him – and if her voice was cold, her eyes were anything but – "I'll send him home. I have to."

He gaped like a fish – because even though Satsuki and Daiki were close, Tetsu never knew.

The peacekeepers came then, and as he was being escorted out she called, "Please, take care of him for me, Tetsu! Please!"

But the door slammed in his face and his time was up, and it was Daiki who he was left to visit.

"Tetsu," he'd never seen his friend look so frantic, "how did this happen?" he tugged at his short navy locks, "How did we both get picked? How?"

Tetsu could only offer a hand on his friend's shoulder, "I believe you can win, Aomine," he said, and he meant it.

"I-I don't want to win if I can't win with her-" but the peacekeepers were less than amiable that day, and they cut into the time early.

"You'll see us both again, Tetsu!" called Daiki as he was escorted from the room, "I swear!"

Tetsu watched as they rode in on chariots, glimmering as brightly as the molten gold their district was so well-renowned for. When their scores were announced, Kagami, Kise, Midorima, Akashi and Murasakibara watched it with him, sitting in tense silence as Aomine Daiki popped up on the screen, followed by a smirking headshot of their friend and the number 9. After him, Momoi Satsuki, a bright smile on her headshot followed by the number 11.

"What?" Kise had spluttered once it was over, "How – How did they both get so-"

"We're not exactly a poor district, Kise," Midorima supplied, "they're healthy and smart – well, Momoi was smart anyway. She'll figure-"

"Is," everyone stopped at the angry grunt from the usually silent purple haired giant, "Sa-chin is smart."

They fell into an uncomfortable silence once more, "I'll meet you all in the square for the opening," said Akashi – more commanding than anything.

The interviews passed in a blur of minutes. Satsuki was before Daiki, and she played the intimidating analyst that she was, barely masking her ruthless ingenious behind her sweet, kind smiles. When they asked if she had anyone special back home, she flushed a pretty pink – but before she could speak, the buzzer sounded and the crowd booed.

Daiki was up next – he was his usual cocky self – 'the only one who can beat me, is me' – and he won the crowd over easily with his brash mannerisms and vibrant eyes. He was asked the same question – "Anyone special back at home?" to which he became dead serious, and said, "She came here with me, unfortunately. But I want to go home with her. I want it more than anything in the world."

And the opening day had been something. Eleven dead on the first day – nine by hands of the other tributes and two from stepping on hidden land mines. It was to Tetsu's utmost delight to see Satsuki and Daiki team up immediately, Satsuki gathering the necessities while Daiki stood guard with a rifle, prepared to shoot anyone who so much as looked in their direction. They escaped the bloodbath through the woods, and took refuge in a cave.

In a place where no private moments were private, Tetsu thought they did really well. Daiki made a fool of himself more than once – almost eating poisoned berries (only to be scolded thoroughly by Satsuki), running right through poison ivy (to which Satsuki quickly located the anecdote), even coming close to starting a fire at the dead of night (which he received a rather nasty whack over the head for).

He helped a lot, too. Somehow he instinctively knew where to step along steep trails, always knew where not to step when they came close to a minefield. A few close calls where Satsuki almost toppled out of trees and fell off little cliffs was where is strength came into play, catching her last minute, hauling her up regardless of whether he had the strength or not.

They avoided most encounters, but set traps at the sake of Satsuki, wanting to eliminate the other competitors as efficiently as possible. The power couple couldn't tell, but their traps felled four opponents, and the career pack took care of the rest.

One night – when it was only the two of them and the four careers, Satsuki turned to him in their little cave and smiled.

He blinked hazily down at her, and Tetsu knew he was confused, being as clueless as he was.

"Dai-chan," she whispered, pulling her sleeves over her long hands, "I think it's time we organised a plan to take down everyone else."

He nodded and shrugged, "We can set traps."

"No," she shook her head, "won't work. They'll want a finale, remember?"

He frowned and glared up at the ceiling of their little abode, "What are we supposed to do, then?"

"We split up," her voice was small, and Tetsu almost flinched at the look on Daiki's face. Before the navy haired boy could protest, however, the girl spoke up again, "I'll take some down, you take the others. We'll meet up at the cornucopia-"

They were cut off by a wailing – sirens that they knew symbolised air attacks in the days of the rebellion.

"Satsuki, no-"

But she grabbed a gun and a knife, leaving the pack to him as she exited the cave. He scrambled to grab his things, too, chasing after her like a fox to a rabbit.

"Satsuki, wait-"

And she spun on her heel, grabbed him by the scruff of his shirt and kissed him full on the lips. Tetsu heard the neighbours gasp – heard the people in the town square sigh and even heard some wailing as Daiki began to kiss her back.

But she broke away, still smiling, and said, "Meet you at the finish line, huh, Dai-chan?"

"Wait for me," he said, and Tetsu saw the hardening of his jaw, the determined glint in his eye that meant business.

They split ways – and a pit sunk in Tetsu's stomach – because Daiki wanted to get them both out, and Satsuki knew she couldn't afford to be so idealistic.

He couldn't decide who was worse.

The end happened rather quickly.

There was a final battle – Daiki shot down his two careers, but Satsuki got hit in the stomach, and a cannon signalled the death of one of her opponents as her bullet hit its mark in his neck. She stood despite her injury, and raised her gun to take down her last opponent. The cameras flashed to Daiki as he barrelled through the foliage, panicked at the bang of the cannon, shouting, "Satsuki! Satsuki!" at the top of his lungs.

He burst onto the opposite side of their landmine-strewn battlefield and yelled her name as he saw her fire her final bullet aimed at a tribute from district 1's head as the career's final bullet caught her in the navel again. They fell at the same time, a single cannon ringing through the silence.

The expression on Daiki's face would haunt Tetsu for every single waking moment – the horror, the disgust – the utter fear that froze the usually fearless boy dead in his tracks.

And then –

"Satsuki!" and he was dodging through the mine field faster than anything Tetsu had seen before.

He dropped to his knees beside Satsuki, gently pulling her torso into his lap. She smiled up at him, blood-smeared face too pale, lips flecked with red, "Dai-chan." She didn't sound injured.

"Satsuki – stay with me," the panic in Daiki's voice was tangible, even through the television screen, "please – just, hold on, we've won it!"

The girl shook her head, "No, Dai-chan. I won't… be going home."

Tetsu felt his eyes prickle with tears – of anger or loss or for the look on his friend's face – he didn't know.

"Yeah, I'll take us ho-me," the navy haired boy's voice broke painfully, but Satsuki only smiled up at him, blinking through heavy eyelids.

"Only one can leave," her voice was faint, "I'm so happy it's you, Daiki."

The use of his first name seemed to jolt the teen out of his denial, and his bottom lip began to tremble, "Satsuki – please – don't leave me-"

"You have our friends," her hand found his, "you can live on. Play basketball with them. Enjoy everything the way you used to when we were young-"

"We're still young," his snappish tone was rather wet, and too raspy to have any bite, "we're too young…"

"I know…" her eyes began to lose focus, but Daiki only leaned forward, catching her gaze with his.

"How do you expect me t-to enjoy an-ything," a few droplets fell from his eyes to her cheeks, but she only sighed, as though his tears were as soothing as rain. "I d-don't know how to be without you-"

"Tch," her eyes were shut as she brought his hand up to her mouth and kissed it gently, "you're a fast learner, Dai-chan. Now shut up and sing me something."

A chuckle tore out of Tetsu's throat – and he felt sick – sick at himself, sick as Daiki began to sing in a low, deep voice.

"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine," a smile graced Satsuki's face then, and she cradled his hand to her chest.

"You make me happy," he sung around a sob.

"When skies are grey," her soft hum joined his words.

"You'll never know, dear, how much I love you," more tears on her cheeks, "so please don't take my sunshine away."

A cannon.

.

.

He sat cradling her body until the hovercrafts came and tore him away. He chanted her name, a mantra – a prayer, as though he could bring her back, have her with him by sheer force of will.

.

.

The other night, dear,

While I lay sleeping

I dreamed I held you in my arms

When I awoke, dear,

I was mistaken

And so I hung my head

And cried