Bree Mavis, 15 Years Old

District 6 Female

"Jax, finish up your bread" I say to my youngest brother as he attempts to leave the dinner table

"But I'm full Bree" he whines

I go over to him and place a gentle hand on his shoulder "We mustn't waste anything Jax, you've seen how famished the families from the Brakes look. You should be grateful"

He nods his head in understanding before going back to his meal whilst I continue with the washing. The Brakes is what we refer to the poorer area of District 6 as, most of our tributes seem to stem from there as well.

That's not to say that we're exactly rich, in fact it's sometimes a wonder how we even manage to feed ourselves everyday even though none of us have signed up for tesserae. I like to think it's due to my budget spending skills, I'm exceptionally good at making a list of the essentials we need and anything that we no longer need is either passed down or sold for good money.

It's fair to say that I've sort of become the matriarch of this family. Our mother passed away whilst giving birth to Jax, taking a terrible toll on all of us. I've had to mature since then, become more patient, considering that I was essentially helping my father raise a child.

"All done Bree!" Jax beams at me with pride, showing me his empty plate.

"Aw well done little man." I smile back in return before handing him a bright red lollipop, my reaping treat to him.

"Well done little man." I hear a mocking voice repeat from behind me.

I turn to see my older brother, Lucas, glaring at the two of us. I glare back at him. It's fair to say that me and my older brother have a flawed relationship, especially since our mother passed. Behind him stands Becky, his non-girlfriend…don't ask.

"Lucas" I coldly acknowledge him "shouldn't you be getting ready? The reaping is in an hour"

He rolls his eyes and heads towards Jax, snatching the lollipop from his hands before uttering "thanks for the sweet twerp"

"Give that back to him!" I growl

"Or what" he snickers "Seriously, what are you going to do?"

I stand there in silent frustration, he laughs in a "that's what I thought" manner before leaving us alone. Who does he think he is? For as long as I've known him he's been a monster to everyone, being exceptionally ungrateful for me essentially picking up the pieces of our broken family, treating Jax like a piece of dirt on the floor and me like I'm a household slave. I'm sick of it!

My father soon walks in, he spent the day at the mechanics, and I have to calm myself down. The last thing he needs on a day like this is an argument. Once Lucas is ready, he's always the last one to be dressed, we head to the town square. Jax goes off with my father and me and Lucas head into the centre of the square, just in front of the justice building, ready for the ceremony to begin.

"Why can't you just be nice to Jax? For just one day?" I angrily whisper to him as we walk.

He huffs at me "Like I owe that kid anything"

"Then do it for me, or for dad" I plead

"I don't owe you or dad anything either" he finishes before walking off.

The reaping proceeds as normal but I stand there infuriated. Doesn't owe me anything? I did everything for him!

I raised our baby brother like he was our own.

"And now for the girls"

I kept our budgeting precise and tidy so we didn't spend what we don't need.

"And the female tribute from District 6 is…"

I held this family together!

"Bree Mavis!"

My name catches me by surprise, but I immediately know what it means. I'm going into the games. I look around, even Lucas seems a little shocked but I'm still too angry with him to show any weakness or dread. My anger forces my body to troupe up to the stage.

I just pray the cameras aren't catching the tears struggling to remain behind my eyes.

Lucas Mavis, 17 Years Old

District 6 Male

I collapse onto my bed, wiping the sweat from my forehead.

"Wow" I laugh "That was…um"

I'm lost for words.

"Yeah" Becky breathes out, still trying to catch her breath.

Becky understands me, not like the rest of the bums my District has to offer. She understands my pain and is actually a pretty decent person to stick around with, plus the sex is great. We'd never get together officially but she's cool to have as a friend for the moment.

"God I hate reaping day" I utter, pulling on pair of jeans whilst Becky throws on her shirt.

"You should come to mine afterwards" she suggests "I know someone who's getting us a good supply."

Supply? Does she mean morphling. I know the District has a alarmingly large problem when it comes to substance abuse but I never imagined she took it. Her skins too perfect and her eyes are too young, not like the addicts you see walking around.

"You know I don't do that shit Becky" I state "and you shouldn't either"

She giggles at me "relax baby, I've only tried it twice and plus tonights a special occasion"

I smile back at her, pulling on my t-shirt "I don't need morphling to enjoy myself"

She winks at me "I can tell" before we head out of my bedroom.

Once we get downstairs I see my younger sister, Bree, dotting on my brother, Jax. The very image of it makes me sick.

Perhaps it's harsh to say but there is no one I loathe in the world more than Jax. He's only eight years old but he's already making my life feel insufferable. I know I'm being unreasonable, but I can't help but be reminded that he's the reason my mother died. It doesn't help that he bares so much resemblance to my mum either; same button noise, same blue eyes that even I have, same infectious giggle. I was only nine when she passed away. My father told me that she gave her life pushing out my baby brother, she sacrificed herself so he could live, as if that was meant to console me. What made him so special that she had to die in order for him to be born? The worst thing is that Bree and my father went on as if nothing had ever happened. I was forced to share a room with the baby, Bree began acting as if she was the mother of our family and my dad just carried on going to work without even asking how I was dealing with the whole situation. Everyone would comment on how sad it was that Jax never got to meet his mother and how brave he was, but they're wrong. It's far worse to have known someone, loved someone, become dedicated to someone and have them snatched away from your life within mere seconds than to have never known them at all.

I hadn't always been this bitter. In fact, I was originally quite excited at the prospect of having a little brother. Now I'm just filled with resentment, I hate myself for it, but I can never shake away the feeling of disdain for that little shit.

And yet, the fact that he looks so similar to my mother practically forces me to look after the brat, at least indirectly, because deep down, even I know, my mother would be disappointed to see the way I treat him. So every month since I could I claimed tesserae for him and my sister gaining us enough grain to survive, my fathers a mechanic which is a relatively low paying job in my District. Increasing the likelihood of my name being chosen in exchange for them being able to eat is the only act of kindness I intend on showing them, and I don't feel the need to inform them of this single act of charity either. They can continue thinking I'm a selfish prick, and I can continue despising them.

Which is probably why I felt a little bit of a blow when my sisters name is picked, I had ensured she never had to enter her own name into the bowl and the fact that she, out of all the girls in our District including the famished or drug addicted ones who had claimed tesserae their whole lives, was chosen feels like a cruel cosmic joke.

The moment the name "Lucas Mavis" leaves our escorts lips ,and rings throughout the entire District, I knew that fate had a sense of humour.

As I stand across from my sister, her eyes filled with anger, fear and determination, I think back to all the arguments we've ever had. Every slammed door, every moody pout and every time either of us had shouted "I wish you were never born!"

Yes. Fate definitely does have a twisted sense of humour.

Half way through the reapings! I'll be the first to admit, I hate writing reapings. I much prefer writing the actual Capitol and games part of SYOTs but the reapings are an essential part of the story either way.

Thanks to ilookhotinblack for both of these tributes!