We're halfway there *whispers* Woah, living on a prayer. District Six! As this is the halfway point, have a few questions you can answer to gain sponsor points. You can only spend them once during the Games but I don't want to reveal when this is just yet as it would give too much away. However, trust me, your tribute will benefit from the amount of sponsor points you have.

Questions:

-Out of the Warriors you have seen so far (including the ones from this chapter), do you have any ships and if so, who?

-Out of the first 12 tributes, who do you think is most likely to win?

-Out of the first 12 tributes, who do you think is most likely to be eliminated?

-Favorite tribute so far?

Each question is worth 2 points and they will be scattered throughout the story. So there will be another one on the District 12 chapter.

Anyway, the chapter, I decided to make these two friends as I thought they fit together. Because of this I did something a bit different with the childhood section, be sure to let me know your thoughts on this. Also, as always, let me know you thoughts on the characters and the chapter. Enjoy.

Veyron Maverick, District Six Male

As the school bell tore through the District, the streets near the school came alive with the sound of children racing through the streets. One of these children was Veyron Maverick dressed in his worn out, hand me down clothes. In one hand he held a few coins tightly while the other pulled his school friend, Loretta Moriko along.

The pair giggled as they ran through the streets, dodging other children and annoyed adults until they came to the bakers shop. Inside was a small group of train mechanics buying their weekly bread after their shift. However, the money Veyron held in his hand was for his birthday and he only wanted one thing.

Loretta stared in awe at the beautifully decorated cakes around her, her mouth hung open. She looked over to Veyron who looked on with hungry eyes as the shop assistant wrapped the chocolate up in newspaper wrapping. "My mum says I can have a cake for my eighteenth birthday!" she said with glee, the woman behind the counter smiling softly at her. Veyron turned around, holding his chocolate with a cheerful smile on his face.

"If my mum will give me the money, I will buy you some chocolate for your 8th birthday...if you like it," he cheered before quickly thanking the shop assistant and dragging his friend towards the train station.

10 Years Later...

Veyron placed the last of the freshly prepared bacon onto the red, porcelain plate and turned to walk out of the shared kitchen. As he walked towards the slightly ajar, patio door, he took in the warming smell of the meat as he walked into the garden. Loretta, who was sat on a soft, quilted blanket, gave a small cheer when she saw the food Veyron was carrying. The blonde girl quickly turned back to the picnic, moving a few pieces of cutlery around so the giant male could take a seat opposite her. Before Veyron could even place it down, his District Partner snatched a slither of bacon, placed it in a soft bun and took a large bite. Veyron watched with a large smile as crumbs from the bread got caught in the girls wooly pajamas.

Picnic breakfasts were something him and Loretta had done every year on their birthdays since they were six. They would gather up as much food as they could and watch the sun rise as they enjoyed each other's company. It was not Loretta's birthday for another ten days but they both knew the chance they would be able to sneak away for a picnic was unlikely. After their final day of training, things would become chaotic with the run up to the Games. However, when he looked in the girl's eyes, he only saw the memories he had shared over the years with her. A warm feeling.

Veyron and Loretta had been friends since they joined school, being paired for a P.E project on the first day. After that, there two became the only friends each other had, spending every waking moment with each other if they could. They were drawn by their aversions to social situations and even as Warriors, the two were like glue. If it was not for Veyron being Asexual and Panromantic, the two might have been shipped.

"Romilda invited me out drinking tonight," Veyron sighed as he buttered some warm toast.

"Hm? Who is going?" Loretta asked, her mouth full of bacon as she poured herself a glass of fresh orange juice.

"Grover, Belinda...oh, Ares and Romilda as far as I know-"

"You going?" Loretta questioned, gulping down a mouthful of juice. Veyron looked away, his head down as he gave a shrug. Veyron might have looked intimidating with his towering height and calculating look but he was the friendliest, most timid giant you would ever meet. So without a little push, he was unlikely to take a social leap. "Go, you will enjoy it-"

"You wouldn't go," Veyron pointed out, earning a uncaring shrug from his friend.

"Don't be like me then." After that, the conversation fell, the two entranced by the bluebirds that darted around in the orange sky. The lack of speaking not because they had few things to say but because they knew each other so well, they found comfort in the other one being near by. After a while, Loretta gave a sighed, laying on the picnic blanket. "Pallas wanted to come today," she whispered, glancing over to Veyron to see his reaction.

The dark haired male hummed in response. "Well, this is time just for you and me-"

"You didn't mind Romilda being here-"

"He was better than Pallas, Lore," Veyron sighed, quickly regretting his words when he saw Loretta's face become red with frustration. "I didn't mean it like that, I just meant he didn't hurt you-"

"Just drop it," Loretta growled, turning away from her friend, leaving the two in an awkward silence. Veyron wanted to trust Loretta that Pallas never meant to hurt his best friend but as the Games drew closer and Loretta's beatings got worse, it was becoming harder to forgive. Veyron was a very patient man, shown by the fact his skill was tracking, but Pallas was starting to hit on a nerve. And no one wanted to push Veyron over the edge.

Veyron gave a groan as he turned away from the girl, placing his hand in the pocket of his dressing gown and pulled out a small bar of chocolate. "Erm, happy birthday, Lore," he mumbled as he held it out towards the girl. Her face softened as her blue eyes fell on the newspaper wrapping, the words 'chocolate' written on in black ink.

She quickly sat up, pulling the paper away to reveal thirteen rows of almost black chocolate. "Veyron-"

"It is from home, I ordered it just for your birthday...you always said how you missed it." The smile the sprang across Loretta's face as he said this made every ounce of effort he had put into the present, worth it. He first had to make sure that after ten years, the shop was still open in the District then he had to beg his adopted family to send him the bar and hope it came in time for Loretta.

The girl gave a soft giggle as she held it up to her ear and snapped two rows off. She then held it in front of her, snapping it in half. She turned to Veyron with a large smile on her face and held out half of the broken chocolate towards him.

Veyron was thankful for her offer, worried that she might forget about him, and placed a square in his mouth. The chocolate was bitter, nothing like the chocolate they had in The Capitol. However, despite it's revolting taste, it brought them both a rush of warmth. With the taste came back a thousand childhood memories back in their District. A taste that could take them away from the looming threat that was the Games that would tear them apart and transport them back to a time where they were safe.

Loretta Moriko, District Six Female

Loretta jumped up and down on the spot in excitement as Veyron unwrapped the chocolate. He waved the little blonde girl over, holding the chocolate to her ear and snapping it. He broke two pieces of the four rowed bar off and gave them to a hyper Loretta. He eyes widened at the taste, the sweetness being a shock to the tastebuds of the poor girl who could only dream about having her own bar of chocolate. "I didn't think your family had the money for this," Loretta remarked as she took a small bite of the next bit, trying to save it.

"They used the money they got from volunteering me for the Games-"

"You had to do it too?" Loretta said with sympathy.

"I don't want to go-"

"Just don't get picked, it is what I am doing," she said gleefully, placing the other chocolate in her mouth. Life was perfect to her as long as her best friend was around.

10 Years Later...

Loretta sat on the bed, shivering as Pallas lay asleep next to her, his chest gently moving. Loretta always knew how to calm him down when he awoke from a nightmare about the Games and lashed out. However, she never came out unscaved. This time she had received a black eye, a sprained wrist and multiple bruises on her arms and legs. As the Games came closer, his beatings and nightmares became more regular to the point she did not know whether to flinch or kiss him when he hugged her.

She waited until she was sure he was asleep and slipped off the bed, carefully moving across the bedroom and out of the door. Two floors down was an all night medical centre for the tributes, a place she had become a regular. However, as she made her way into the lounge area, the front door swung open. She froze as Romilda and Ares sauntered in, singing a parody of the Panem Anthem, followed by a smiling, but drunk Veyron and Grover who was flirting with a blushing Belinda.

Loretta quickly ducked behind one of the chairs before most of them had seen her but Veyron, having an eye for detail, even in a drunken state noticed her. While Grover joined in with Romilda and Ares, Veyron broke away, peeking his head around the chair. "Lore," he gasped as he caught sight of her beaten body but the girl just hushed him.

"Loretta?" Romilda said in a slightly raise voice, interrupting his sing along. Veyron flinched as he mouthed a sorry to a teary eyed girl. Romilda almost dived over the back of the sofa where Loretta was hiding and crouched down in front of her. She tried to hide her face but the stocky male grabbed it and lifted it up, getting a better look at her. His eyes then wandered down to her arms and long, bare legs that poked out from her shorts. He rose to his feet and offered his hand down towards the girl. "Can you stand?" he asked her, she gave a nod and stood up by herself.

"Dickhead," Ares chuntered as he got a look at the girl. Loretta kept her head down and turned to head back into Pallas' room when Grover stepped in front of her, holding her back. He narrowed his eyes as he looked at her face, a small flash of anger in his blue eyes.

"This is getting out of hand now, it's almost every night now," Grover said to the group that had gathered.

"I say we teach him a lesson," Ares growled, Grover nodding in agreement. Loretta looked over to a guilty looking Veyron for support.

"I agree with them, I think the personality switch is just an excuse now-"

"Don't hurt him, please, he honestly does not mean it-"

"How can we trust you, he might be manipulating you," Grover growled, pushing the girl towards Romilda.

"Hey, this is not her fault, Grove," Ares noted.

Grover held out his hands in defence. "I am just pointing out a fact."

"Well I think you are both being twats, he has bipolar, beating him when he is not in his violent personality will be like beating Grover for being a gentleman, it's up to Loretta what she does," Belinda said sternly, bringing silence to the group of Warriors. Ares opened his mouth to speak when he seemed to visibly shrink at the sight of Pallas standing behind Grover.

The blonde male's eyes widened when he saw the bruised body of his girlfriend, pushing Grover out of his way to get to her. Loretta flinched slightly as he grabbed her face before quickly pulling his crying girlfriend into an embrace. "I was worried when I saw you was not next to me," his whispered into her ear before turning around the group. "Who the did this?" He asked the Warriors in front of him, a look of fear and confusion on their faces. "I said, who the fuck did this?" he bellowed, his face flashing red, veins bulging in his neck.

Belinda looked over to Grover who looked ready to punch the man and quickly stepped in. "We don't know but she needs medical help." Pallas did not look convinced but when he went to speak, Belinda quickly shot him down. "Now!" she screamed at the man, determined to get him away from the scene before he flipped out any more.

"Fine," he mumbled, pulling Loretta towards Veyron and handing her over to him. "Look after her, I trust you," he sighed, glancing over to Romilda when he said the last bit. He quickly followed a nervous Belinda out the door, Grover and Ares running after them. Before anything else could happen, Loretta turned and started to walk towards her room.

Romilda told Veyron to say back as he ran after, catching up with her and pinning her against a wall. "Please break up with him-"

"There is nothing left between you and me-"

"Not for me, I can't be with you…but for yourself, he is going to put you in a wheelchair before the Games even start," his whispered, grabbing her face and forcing her to look at him.

"I love him," she whimpered, tears streaming from her eyes. However, when Romilda smashed his lips down onto her's, she gave little protest. Although she didn't join in she closed her eyes and allowed Romilda's lips to move against hers. It was only when he pulled away it hit her how much she enjoyed it. Before Romilda could react, she smacked him across the face.

Loretta watched as Romilda's face turned from one of shocked to anger. "Sorry," he grunted, turning and walking away. Once he was out of sight, Loretta dropped to her knees, sobbing loudly as she slammed her fist into the floor repeatedly in frustration with herself. Only when Veyron scooped her up in his arms did she become still, crying softly into his suit jacket.

District 6:

Veyron Maverick, 17

Loretta Mariko, 17

Tributes Mentioned:

Grover Underwood, D7

Belinda Herd, D10

Ares Walker, D8

Romilda Vasilios, D4

Pallas Narciso, D10