(2021 update) If you're just now reading this story, this chapter is no longer canon. It's also just really bad so skip it and make your life easier.

Virgillo Arroya, 17

District 11, a week before the Reapings

Things were heating up in District 11. The Victory Tour and the public executions following had created quite a stir. The Peacekeepers were harsher than ever. No one was allowed to congregate in public anymore. Everyone was scared of rebellion. Virgillo was not.

His stylish boots clopped around the uneven road. There wasn't much activity at this hour, but Virgillo knew that Peacekeepers would be looking for trouble. He grinned to himself. He was looking for trouble too, just of a different variety.

Even if he wasn't looking for trouble, it often found him. Although, he was the one who so readily sought it out. He enjoyed messing around with his friends and playing the occasional prank on a Peacekeeper, if he could get away it, and to his credit, he usually could.

These days though, jokes and laughter were few and far between. Virgillo somewhat resented that Katniss and Peeta. He figured that their story was bullshit and all it did was end up escalating things. Their stunt on the Victory Tour cost D11 far too much if he had anything to say about it.

Things were fine before. Things weren't great, but they were fine, and Virgillo was fine with that. The Capitol and Games weren't much a concern to him. He was living it up and he wasn't gonna let any political bullshit stop him.

But here he was, sneaking around in the dead of night, risking his life, just to live a little.

He rounded the back end of building and nearly plowed right into the back of a Peacekeeper. He stopped dead in his tracks and quickly spun back around the corner of the building. He held his hand up to his mouth and held his breath.

The Peacekeeper's boots turned around then clomped towards the small alley Virgillo had turned in to. Rapid thoughts popped into his head. Was this really how he was going to go out? In some street corner in the dead of night? No, he thought. This could not be the end for Virgillo Arroya.

Just as he prepared to break into a full-on sprint, the Peacekeeper's enormous footfalls suddenly stopped, and then went away into the distance.

Virgillo breathed a sigh of relief. This wasn't the end. He shook his head and laughed to himself, his long hair drifting in the soft breeze.

With the obstacle vanquished, he continued his little trek without incident. Then, he finally came upon his desired destination. A medium-sized warehouse loomed before him. It hadn't been used for any actual production in a long time, and that was fine with Virgillo. It was more than fine. It was great.

He tugged his leather jacket taught around his shoulders and headed stealthily towards the warehouse. He walked around the side and came upon some neatly placed crates. With ease, he scaled them like a staircase and entered the building throw an open window.

"There he is!"

Virgillo smiled at the voice coming from a boy sitting in the center of the warehouse.

"Hit a little snag on the way here, no problems though. I was a pro. Those Peacekeepers pack a punch, but boy are they stupid."

"Peacekeepers! Dude, you've got to be more- "

"Yeah, yeah I know. Be more careful. Whoopee."

The other boy's face crinkled with worry.

"Not funny man, they will seriously kill you. Like for real. Dead."

"Ain't gonna happen."

"That is unbelievably naïve of you."

Virgillo split into a massive grin at this comment.

"I've gotten this far haven't I? I mean hey, you came out here too didn't you."

The boy rolled his eyes.

"You're insufferable."

"You love me."

The boy rolled his eyes once again at this, blushing slightly.

"I think loving you is reserved for all your suitors. But then again, they don't really love you do they…"

"Wow man, a little below the belt there."

"I-"

"I mean, I know you'd like it below the belt, but come on."

At this innuendo, the boy flushed again.

"Why you gotta be like that?"

Virgillo shrugged in response.

"It's in my nature."

"That's a bullshit excuse and you know it."

"Maybe, maybe not."

The boy threw his hands up, exasperated. He then pulled out something from his pocket.

"You wanna smoke or not?"

"Amaris, I thought you'd never ask."

Soon the embers were lit and puffs of smoke began to fill the little warehouse.

"So did you ever hook up with Elli?"

"Naw, not really, I'm kinda just…"

"The Quell?"

Virgillo slightly stiffened at this.

"Well, uh, sort of."

Amaris nodded in agreement.

"Yeah it's scary. And if you get reaped, you'll actually have to stay committed to someone. I wonder what that would be like for you…"

Virgillo laughed and playfully shoved Amaris.

"Another dig at my expense, got it."

"Well I can't help it if it comes so naturally."

"You're an ass."

"Right back at you," Amaris responded, smiling.

Silence. The two puffed, the embers fading slightly.

"It's hitting me now man," Virgillo exhaled.

"It's pretty good stuff, wasn't easy to get."

Virgillo looked around the barn. His vision was getting a little blurry, but he noticed a ladder in the far corner of the warehouse. Moonlight leaked in, sprinkling on the ladder and surrounding patches of grass, sprouting between the old floorboards.

"Hey, how bout we go up to the roof," he offered.

"Sounds dangerous."

"Of course."

"You're something else, you know that?"

The two made their way up the ladder and to the roof. They found themselves bathed in moonlight. The warehouse wasn't that tall, but they could still see a good amount of the district.

"It's something else isn't it."

"Well, it's home." Virgillo breathed, letting the luminous moonlight fill his lungs. There was so much more to life than rebellion and politics. Sure, things could be better, but things were fine. Things were fine.

Suddenly, Virgillo was pulled away from his gaze into the sky. He noticed something touching him. Amaris was looking up at the sky too, but his hand had wandered from the roof and up Virgillo's thigh.

"Uh," he grunted, confused.

Amaris turned to him. He moved his hand from Virgillo's thigh and instead clasped his hand.

"It's a nice isn't it?"

Uh oh. Virgillo knew exactly where this was going. His heart pounded violently, like a drum about to explode.

"I should go, it's late," he said, turning back to the ladder leading down from the opening in the roof.

"Virgillo…" Amaris whispered, his eyes beckoning.

"You're high. We're both really high, and we'd uh—really regret that."

"But—"

"Sorry man, I've gotta go."

With that, Virgillo was gone. He made his way down the ladder and out of the warehouse at an incredible pace.

"Shit," he muttered to himself. Everything was fine. Everything was just fine, right? He sighed to himself and looked up at the moon.

Everything wasn't fine.

the first tributes! YAY! I hope you guys liked this chapter and our first Match!

Thanks to their respective submitters and I hope I did an ok job bringing them to life.

Btw, if anyone ever has an issue with the way I write a character, please PM me so I can fix it!

So, what did think Of Virgillo?

Did you like one more than the other?

Are you #teamVirsin? (any other pair names are welcome lol, I'm bad at this)

Also, is this a good length for intros? Like do y'all want more or less? or is this good? Please let me know. For this chapter I stuck to about 1,000 words per character.

Thanks guys and btw, I'm an absolute review whore, so please review if you have the time! I'd love the feedback.