Ellis stepped out of the bathroom with her head hung low, her dark hair completely covering her face. She wrapped her arms around Niall and placed her head on his shoulder as he rubbed her back.

"Is it true? Are you really..."

He nodded quietly.

"I'm sorry, I should've told you earlier El." He sighed

"Just forget about it." She removed herself from Niall's warm body and walked into her separate room. Ellis came back just after Niall had changed into his training uniform, she had done the same. Her face now completely clean and free of makeup and dry tear stains. She actually looked presentable.

Ellis tried to mask her uneasiness while she was ushered into the training room. 23 other tributes stood before her. The male tribute from district 1 growled at her as she passed by him. She had spent the majority of the opening ceremony trying to remember the names and faces of the competitors, when she wasn't practically melting in Niall's vicinity.

His name was Zayn Malik. His black hair and eyes accompanied with a strong chin and physique gave her the chills. He was a forced to be reckoned with. There was also Josh Devine from District 9, Perrie Edwards from District 3 and Harry Styles from District 11. Her skin crawled while watching them perform their amazing feats while hers slacked greatly.

Harry was the sharpshooter could throw Javelins effortlessly, always hitting his mark and impaling the training dummy straight through.

Zayn was the strongman, his upper and lower body strength allowed him to pick up and throw extremely heavy things without breaking a sweat.

Perrie was the quick witted one, being able to identify all the poisonous plants. El's reflexes were nothing compared to hers. Perrie was never struck by anything shot at her by the machine. It was impressive really.

Josh was the jack of all trades. He possessed the abilities of all nearly all the tributes. His versatility was stupefying. Although his skills weren't as great as the others, it pushed him farther ahead than anyone else. He was the one to beat.

Then there was Niall. He lacked in basically every skill in the book. His efforts were pathetic compared to his counterparts. His throws missing entirely, his arms weren't strong enough to pick up the littlest boulder. He was useless, and Niall knew it. He tried to keep his emotions masked, not trying to show his embarrassment and shame. The others laughed at him, they were coming for him first.

Niall had been singled out from the start. Despite his best efforts, it was inevitable. He was basically a deer in headlights. How was he going to stop the others from coming for him first?

He'd never want Liam to see him being ripped apart. His piercing screams to be forever imbedded into Liam's memories. Having to live with the pain of losing his loved one.

The nights he would lay alone in bed, reaching out for him but finding his once inhabited spot empty. He'd watch as his cold and limp body is dragged out of the arena; never to be seen again.

The constant reminder that he'd never gotten a chance to say goodbye.

If he'd won though, that's a different story. They would be able to live without fear. Live in the luxuries that the previous winners had experienced. Their own home, the thought would bring Niall to tears. He always wanted to have a place to call home...their home.

A safe haven, protecting them from anything coming their way. Being assured a easy life.

The two tributes had endured three long days of grueling training and Interviews.

Niall had scored a four with the game makers and Ellis scoring a six. Pitiful scores against the four careers. Zayn and Harry had scored a nine while Perrie scored an eight and Josh scoring a perfect ten.

Tomorrow all 24 tributes would be thrown into an unfamiliar place with no means of survival.

They would have to rely on each other for as long as possible.

Niall pulled her closer towards him as they laid awake in the darkness. The bed was no longer comfortable. It became heavy with the two's fear of potentially losing their lives.

Ellis trembled in her wake and he tried to comfort her by singing. His voice low and slow.

"I've been alone

Surrounded by darkness

I've seen how heartless

The world can be

I've seen you crying

You felt like it's hopeless

I'll always do my best

To make you see

Baby, you're not alone

Cause you're here with me

And nothing's ever gonna bring us down"

Niall choked refusing to go sing any further. His Eyes red rimmed as he sobbed into Ellis' back. Together they wept in the shadow of the night.

They wept for better days, for a miracle. The miracle that would take them away from this hellhole.

Over the course of a few days the two tributes grew closer, forming a healthy told each other secrets that they would never tell anyone else. Their hopes and dreams. They acted as if they had known each other for years. It felt like a cruel joke that they would be killed in cold blood and taken away. The odds were against them. There was no way that either of them could kill another. Let alone win the games. One of them had to die for the other continue on. They had a curse placed upon them, not knowing that they had done to deserve it.

Ellis stopped her sobbing and looked at the boy with a hurt look.

"I'm gonna hold on to the times that we had. Tonight we're gonna find a way to make it out of this. Whether or not one of us dies, we can't give up." She paused " Even if it means killing each other."

She placed her fingers into the empty space between Niall's.

Ellis leaned over and placed a kiss on Niall's tender lips. He hadn't refused or put up a fight.

He soaked it in, forcing his tongue into her mouth. Their tongues pushing against each other.

.

Niall begged for more. He was needy, he needed love. He didn't care who he'd gotten it from.

But it was a mistake.

He had cheated on Liam.

He had cheated on Liam, with Ellis.

Ellis is a girl.

Niall is gay.

Niall loves Liam, not Ellis.

He refused to pull away, growling with pleasure as she kissed his neck. He pulled her shirt up over her head and she did the same for him.

He breathed heavily as he pulled his pajama pants down. Ellis watched in ecstasy.

She was finally going to see the man of her dreams naked! She kicked the sheets off the bed, she wanted nothing coming inbetween them.

Niall had stopped before pulling off his dark briefs. His face riddled with shock.

"Ellis... go" He forced out "Please go! This is a mistake. This is a fucking mistake!"

"Niall.. no this isn't a mistake, please don't stop." She said as she attempted to remove her bra, moving closer to him.

" Go!" He pushed her away " I'm gay, I don't want you. I... was desperate." His voice breaking.

Niall had missed Liam and the love that accompanied him, looking for a outlet for his frustration.

Niall had done the unthinkable.

He could never tell Li.

A/N: Aaaaah this was fun to write, sorry for the long wait. I had tons of stuff to do :). Btw the song is "Not alone" By Darren Criss. ASDSJKDAK I love him. Thank you guys for reading and supporting me ;).