Inevitable

Victor Exchange Fic

Week Before the Games

District 4

Tate had her hands clasped tightly between her legs. Today was the day she would find out about everything - would she go into the arena, would her brother? This was it, it was time for the universe (also known as the District 4 Victors) to tell her how much she was worth. Tate hadn't always gotten along with some of them, particularly her new mentor, Ella, who had just won the previous year, but she was confident they would make the right choice.

It was down to just 2 now, and they were all sitting together, waiting. The other girl was talented, there were no doubts about that, but she wasn't…as good as Tate was. Michaela could throw a decent knife, but there wasn't any reason to think that she could use anything else. On the other side, her brother Callum was a light-year ahead of his competitor.

Oh, Callum. Her twin had always been better than her at everything. A better shot, more powerful, more intelligent. What made it even worse was he was kinder, more selfless, and all-in-all around the best person in all of District 4. With his dark hair and sweet smile, he could charm the pants off the audience in the Capitol. Tate? She could do her best, but her determination was her strong suit.

Callum had no competition from his own side. Tengiz, a boy that would be just as like to a fish as he was to a man, was all show and nothing more. She supposed she was a little hard on him, but seriously, there was no light behind those eyes.

"Ready?" Tate elbowed her brother lightly as she sat beside him. "It's been practically baked in you're going since you were 14."

Callum gave a little shrug. "I don't think I did the best I could've. We'll see, I guess."

She wasn't surprised to hear such things coming from Callum. Subtle, kind, sweet Callum. Her father's favorite, the only one he had ever really loved. Though, who wouldn't? Callum was perfect, good at everything. Tate was nobody next to him. That was what everyone else thought. Winning the Games, proving her father wrong - it would all come together then.

The doors swung open and the Victors made their way through. Ella was out in front, flanked by older Victors. Their number alive was relatively small, but their winning ways hadn't changed. Clearly, she was their ambassador to a degree.

Tate's heart beat quickly as they came to a stop a handful of feet in front of the small group. Sweat dripped down her palms and down her spine, making an icy riverbed as it descended. We'll go in. Together. Father won't be able to say anything when I come out…and Callum doesn't. That was always the hard part. She loved her brother and he was better than her. How could she expect to make it to the end and he wouldn't? Luck. Luck and the Hunger Games. Things changed quickly in the Hunger Games.

"Thank you all for your years of dedication to District Four and the way you have carried yourselves. After close determination from our Victors, we have come up with our two tributes. For our female tribute from District 4, the assembled Victors have chosen Tate Moreno." Ella's high voice carried through the hall.

Yes. Tate deflated as the tension and worry eased out of her. She squeezed her brother's hand tightly and gave a quick thank you to the Victors. Better than anyone else. She had time to relax and sit back in her chair before she got floored with the next sentence.

"And for our male tribute from District 4, we have selected Tengiz Lomidze." Ella clapped her hands and put a pen in her clipboard. "Thank you, Callum and Michaela, for your years of training. Callum, you'll be able to freely cheer on your sister from home. To Tengiz and Tate, I will be in touch after the Reaping has been concluded. Keep an eye on yourselves, and above all, don't get injured." She gave a ghost of a smile, her blonde hair thrown behind her head as she turned on her heel and began to walk away.

Tate had half a mind to get to her feet and protest. She was halfway through the motion, her mouth beginning to open, when Callum put his hand over her mouth. Tate frowned and tried to shove him away.

"What the fuck?" Tate shoved his shoulder hard. "I'm trying to stand up for you! You know as well as I do that you're better than Tengiz."

Tengiz didn't show any sign of being visually upset by it, as he was simply gathering his things and preparing to exit. He knew too, then. Something was off, and Tate could tell it from the moment she laid eyes on Callum. He looked guilty. Those brown eyes refused to look at her, and his hands were clasped tightly behind his back. What did he do?

"Let's go for a walk, sis," Callum said calmly, helping her to her feet. He stood about a head taller than her, and his grip was always firm. Tate had no choice but to follow his lead, since she was so aghast and confused, she didn't want to look any stupider than she already had from nearly blurting out at the Victors that they had made a mistake.

The fresh, salty smell of the air hit them as they pushed the doors open from the Academy. Night had begun to settle in, as only the last rays of the Sun were poking out in the horizon. Those last rays of pink and yellow arched above them, a stark contrast to the situation below.

"What's going on?" Tate demanded as they descended the steps together, frowning as she gazed up at him. "You-you're better than Tengiz? That's a bunch of horse shit. You better have a good explanation for this, or I'm going to go back there and demand that -"

Callum cut her off with a wave of his hand. He looked so calm, serene, and unbothered that it was beginning to make her angry. How could he, of all people, be so calm about this? She let her sentence die out and waited for an explanation from her twin.

"I asked not to go," Callum said simply, his eyes fixed upon the horizon ahead of them.

"You did what?" Her voice exploded before she could think twice about it.

For the first time in her life, she saw her brother's eyes flash with anger. Her words got strangled in her throat at the look. Tate focused her eyes on the ground, wrenching her hand away to fold her arms across her chest.

"I asked not to go," Callum repeated, his tone hard this time. "You know that I wanted to protect you, but you know that I have a life too? One that I want to live? What happens to either of us, when, at the end, we have to watch the other kill themselves or die? I'm not going to let you live your life knowing that you only won because I ended mine. I know you better than that, Tate. That would strangle you from the inside out. You would live the same sad, awful life that a lot of Victors do. This way is the best way. You have a shot. You can win, prove you're better than all of them, come back here and we can continue our lives. This way, there's something to come back for."

She felt…stupid. Miserable. How could she ever have been so thick? Of course her brother wouldn't have stepped aside for any reason for himself. It was always for her. Nothing he would ever do would ever be for himself. Callum wasn't that way. But…had she been so selfish that she had deprived him of something that he had wanted?

"I-I'm sorry," Tate whispered, her voice nearly as small as she felt. "This was…it was always your dream…I was just chasing it. Chasing…"

The words wouldn't come out. Whether she couldn't admit it to herself, or to her brother, she wasn't sure. She was chasing acceptance. Victory. Pride. Their father had always loved Callum best, so what was better than to beat her twin at his own game? How foolish that all seemed now.

"You don't have to apologize, sis," Callum elbowed her. "Really. I made this choice, and I'm sticking with it. If I really wanted to, I could go back there and ask them to reconsider. You know that Ella would accept it. But I'm not gonna do that. I'm on Team Tate now, okay? We all are."

A smile came to her lips for the first time when he was speaking. She chuckled and leaned into his side, allowing herself to be comforted for just a spare second.

"Dad won't be happy," She warned as they walked down the block with more vigor.

"Oh, I know," Callum replied. He picked up a rock from the ground and skipped it along the paved sidewalks. "When I told you that I wanted to live my life, I wasn't exactly honest with why. I've lived my life to do what he wanted me to do. I haven't lived it to do what I wanted to do. I'm done with doing what he wants, what he says. This is only step one, sis."

Tate grinned and squeezed his hand tightly. She knew what it felt like to be on the receiving end of her father's disappointment. It wasn't pretty, even when it was relatively unimportant. For perfect Callum to be the one to disappoint, she wasn't sure if her father would be irate or flabbergasted. Either way, it wasn't something she could spend too much time thinking about.

"Step one? What's step two?" Tate teased as she pinched his elbow. "I'm sure there's dozens of our classmates that would love to help you out."

The twin laughed in response, giving her a playful shove. "Not that, quite yet. First, we have to celebrate your accomplishment, sis. Right this way."

Tate was intrigued, following her twin down a back alley. She pushed her dark hair behind her back and maneuvered through it with him. She took a trash can at a run and leapt over it, grinning as she slid on its top. Tate had underestimated how long they had been walking, already coming up on the serene, slow-lapping shores of District 4. Ahead of them were two people, a few coolers, and party lights strung along the sand.

The two people were laughing and dancing together goofily, the warm sounds cascading through the close, night air. She would've recognized the two of them from anywhere. The girl was Brooklyn, with her bright laughter and ruby-red hair. The lights had caught it and illuminated the locks to look as though fire itself was trailing behind her. Brooklyn had been her best friend as long as Tate could remember, and honestly, there wasn't anyone that you could compare her to.

"Messing with Kai already?" Tate joked as she approached. "Seems a bit early for that, don't you think?"

"That's my job, Brooklyn," Callum chimed in.

Just as Brooklyn and her had been friends for ages, she couldn't remember a time where Callum and Kai hadn't been friends. Kai was lanky and tall, and had a huge disposition for painting and anything artistic. He was as outgoing as Callum was, so it was natural they were as close as they were. Through the years, they'd formed a close friend circle based around the two twins. As many memories as she had of her brother and Brooklyn, there were a few with Kai as well. There were always those little things that surprised you.

"So, I assume my prodigy made it," Brooklyn grinned and threw her arm around Tate. Her heart lifted at the touch, and gave a slight nod. "And, Callum, it went according to plan?"

"It did," He confirmed as he grabbed a soda from the cooler. Her brother was tossing off his shoes and socks to put his feet into the water.

"Wait," Tate gestured with her hands, raising an eyebrow at Brooklyn. "He told you before he told me? What happened to the twin bond, Cal?"

The girl laughed and tugged her to sit down by Callum. "Don't blame him, Tate. He needed advice, and I don't want to scare him away like some innocent little fish. I'm honestly very proud that he came to me, and you can't ruin that for me." Brooklyn sniffed, putting her nose up in mock-seriousness.

If only she could tell Brooklyn what she really felt, but even as Tate sat there, watching the group laugh and smile, drink and chatter, she couldn't. There was a good chance she didn't make it out of the arena. Why would she make her best friend's last memory of her something that she would regret? No, tonight was just for fun. There would be a time after the Games that would be better.