Never Let Me Down Again

by amadeussss9

The Academy learns that child soldiers do not make very good friends.

Beyond the sway of the train on the tracks, the only sound filling his ears is the soft brush of Ako's fingers on the pages of their book. Their mentor is off somewhere, muttering about alliances and whoever's going to be joining the Pack, leaving Nerio with nothing to do other than fidget with his hands.

Normally, he'd probably be having a drink, but he doesn't want to make first impressions while drunk off his ass. He's not that ridiculous. Okay, and maybe because Ako had confiscated the bottle and locked it in their train bedroom, warning Nerio that he'd better not act like a child in front of their allies. Always such a goddamn bore, that one.

Nerio glances up from his hands, trying to see what Ako's reading. Something something distribution of resources, something something politics. You'd think they were Capitol born. Maybe Ako's confident enough to be already preparing for a presidential campaign after their win. That'd sure give Nerio a good laugh from beyond the grave.

"Well? Aren't you going to do something other than stare at the floor?" Ako asks, hardly looking away from their book. "Don't tell me you've got nothing better to do than drink."

Nerio almost snorts. Ako loves speaking about things Nerio does as if they're childish vices, things Ako abstains from with ease. Just because the wine Ako drinks is more expensive than Nerio's beer doesn't make it healthier. "No," he sighs, rolling his eyes. "I didn't think the ride would be so boring, to be real with you. We already watched the Recaps, talked strategy… feels like we're missing something - oh, wait!" He exclaims in mock exhilaration. "Maybe it's because my District Partner won't talk to me!"

Ako tilts their head, amused. It's a difficult thing to notice, but Nerio knows their microexpressions like a second language. "What could we possibly say to each other that we haven't already discussed?"

"I don't know." A shrug. "Like who we should keep our eyes on in the Pack, something like that?"

"I truly don't know how we are supposed to gather that from five-second clips, dear friend." Ako sets down their book, finally, and Nerio knows they're only arguing for the sake of toying with him.

"You're impossible, you know that?" he laughs, almost against himself. Really, if he hadn't known them since the womb, he would already be figuring out how to get rid of them in the Bloodbath. "Absolutely impossible."

"So I've heard." Ako glances towards the window, watches the trees and bushes flying in and out of their field of vision. "On a more serious note, I think we ought to pay close attention to that Four girl."

"Her? Why?" Nerio frowns. He hadn't noticed anything special about her. Quite frankly, he was more concerned about the 1 boy's speech about finding pleasure in killing - didn't strike him as the most chill and stable guy ever. Lord knows what conclusions Ako will draw, though.

"Didn't you find something odd about her?"

Nerio has the strange feeling that he's failing some sort of test. "No…?"

"She seemed… Apprehensive. Glancing around like a corned animal. Desperate to get onto that stage, to make sure no one took her place. Did you not notice?" Ako looks back at him, finally making eye contact. They seem genuinely asking, and not mocking. Still, Nerio knows better.

"Can't say that I did," he sighs.

Ako hums, picking their book back up. "Perhaps I've simply imagined it, then," they say, so sincerely he could roll his eyes.

Yeah, right. Maybe he should start thinking about a betrayal plan after all.

(He's kidding, of course. Lord knows where he would end up with them gone so early.)

(Ako really has an unfortunate way of making themself necessary to any endeavor. Maybe that's how they get away with everything else.)

---

It's happening again.

Ako's vision had started blurring, words on their page melting into each other, dancing. Evading them. Then, the strange pulsing in their head, thump, thump, like someone poking their skull with a stick. Luckily, evening had started falling, so they'd had an excuse to slip away into their dorm and close the door before anyone saw them having an episode.

They know it happens when they're stressed. Which, fortunately, isn't something that happens often, and Ako did feel well-prepared for the Games but… well, it seems they're not immune to getting cold feet. It's fine. They can deal with it now, with no one to impress, when they don't have to look invincible. All that matters is that it doesn't happen in the arena.

(Easier said than done, of course. No matter how hard they try, their iron grip on the world around them doesn't seem to apply to their own body.)

It's fine. It is. When they win, they'll be able to get treatment - they've heard Capitolites have injections they can take daily, to make it all go away - and it'll all be in the past. No more waking up in a haze, wondering why they're laying on the floor and why their knees ache as if they'd fallen, no more twitching fingers and knives slipping out of their fingers, no more of the panic that comes when they realize they've had one of their absences, and how they hope nobody witnessed it. There'll be no more of that.

Nerio knows. He's the only one that does. Well - not counting the dead, of course. Ako's parents knew as well, but they're gone now, leaving them to take care of their secret by themself. In theory, Ako had no real reason to lock themself up and deal with it alone, but… something about falling to the ground in front of him, spasming uncontrollably… it's a vulnerable position. Far too vulnerable, now that they're no longer friends but contestants in a death game. Who knows what Nerio would do with the knowledge that these bouts still happen. He could very well use it against them, call them weak, rob them from their status as Pack leader.

As much as Nerio pretends to be Ako's guard dog, they both know it's not exactly the truth. He enjoys life too much to throw it away for Ako - which is fair. Ako doesn't blame him. They wouldn't die for him either. It just means they have to be cautious around him from now on, now that the stakes have risen.

The room around them starts to blur, light blinking in out of their vision. It's starting. Ako shoves their face into their pillow, hoping they won't scream during this one, and waits for the dark to take them. There's nothing, and then -

---

Ako remembers the day they met Nerio. They were no older than twelve, neck-deep in Academy training with no end in sight. It was when Ako had their hair shaved into a simple buzz-cut, when they thought they had to prove their masculinity to someone. It was when Nerio wore no jewelry, or paint on his fingernails, or dark lines to decorate his eyes. Both of them prototypes of themselves.

Ako stayed up late in the gym, practicing with a dummy. Simple techniques in retrospect, but they'd given Ako quite the headache to learn at first. It'd frustrated them, to suddenly fall behind in class after spending years being leagues ahead of their peers. They've always hated doing things halfway, so here they were, practicing even though the sun had already set. With their mother gone, their father's grown more distant anyway, and Ako is in no rush to return home - such a dark place, stinking of grief and misery.

The door to the gymnasium had clattered open, and Ako turned around, confused. They'd gotten approval to stay as long as they needed, so why would someone show up now? Had the janitor not been warned of their presence? Then, a child, Ako's age, crept into the room, brown curls covering his downturned eyes.

Someone else is doing some late night training, then. Ako doesn't mind. They're not that self-important. They turn back to their dummy and continue swinging their sword, ducking imaginary blows from their enemy and digging the tip of their blade into the dummy's stomach. The cloth rips, stuffing tumbling out. Good, but not good enough. Ako's seen what the other kids can do. They need to reach that level quickly, lest they get eliminated next year.

Ako is by no means a bad fighter, never have been, but their mind has always been their strongest muscle. And Two's academy isn't most rewarding to strategists - after all, the Games aren't a war, they're more of a tournament. Strategy has little to do with it. That's what they were taught, anyway. Incredibly untrue, in Ako's opinion, but they still have to win the Academy's approval if they want to volunteer. And if they want to fix themself, they have to volunteer. So - swordfighting.

The kid next to Ako picks up a glaive from the rack, and out of the corner of their eye, they can see him hesitate, biting his lip.

"It can't fight back, you know," Ako says with a small smile. "Give it your best shot."

The boy turns around, startled to be spoken to. "Oh. Yeah. Obviously, I know that. I just… um, it feels a little counterproductive to practice on these. They can't move."

Ako looks away from their torn-up dummy. It's true, Ako does wish some trainers could stay up late to work with them, but they'll settle with the dummy. Unless… "Do you want to practice with me?" they ask. "We're both in the 30th cohort, aren't we?"

The boy's eyes light up, and Ako can tell he'd been trying to coax them into asking that question. Smart. "Yes! Yes, we are. We'll work great together, then. Thank you!"

Taking their weapons with them, they make their way to one of the sparring rings. Sword against glaive - equal enough. Ako can see the boy's grasp on the weapon's hilt, uncertain, insecure. It looks like Ako isn't training with the top of their class, but no matter. They'll just pretend they're fighting an outlier.

"So, why are you here so late?" Ako asks.

The boy flushes. "Oh. Well, I'm not really… doing great at this whole thing and my dad… he really wants me to volunteer, and he thinks that making me go here overtime will make me better." He chuckles, awkward. "I doubt it, but you know… gotta try…!"

Interesting. He doesn't want to be here, then, unlike Ako. "I see. My name's Ako, by the way. I'm here because I don't want to fall behind."

"Ako…" the boy muses, racking his brain. "What ranking are you, again?"

"Eighth." Not bad, but only two volunteer, so they can't content themself with it, can they?

The boy's eyes widen. "Oh. Shit, okay. We're probably not on equal footing, then… I'm Nerio, fifteenth."

That explains why Ako's never seen him before - trainees are usually paired off based on skill level, and Ako's never stooped low enough to have had to spar with a fifteenth before. "Nice to meet you," they say nonetheless, because they're not a brute either.

"Oh - right, sorry, nice to meet you too," Nerio replies quickly.

Ako only smiles. They're not offended, not really. It's not his fault that most parents in Two shove a sword in their child's hands before teaching them how to behave. "Shall we get started?"

Nerio nods, and crouches into his fighting stance. It's not terrible, but it looks unnatural on him, like a dancer on their first run-through of a choreography. Clearly, Nerio isn't going to make the first move, so Ako lunges at them.

He blocks with surprising strength, the clang of metal echoing through the gym. He shoves Ako's blade away, and Ako is destabilized, stumbling over their feet. Christ, he fights violent. Nerio swings his glaive at Ako, and it swipes far too close to their cheek. Still, they manage to avoid the blow, and Nerio's left his ribs open - rookie mistake - so they swing their sword until it taps his ribs, enough to make him notice, but not enough to draw blood. His eyes dart down when he feels the contact.

"Shit," he mumbles. "That was fast."

Ako isn't going to sugarcoat it. "It was. You have no technique. But… I like how you fight. You're strong, aren't you?" They glance over Nerio's body for the first time since they've met, and they notice an impressive muscle volume for a child his age. How sad that he's wasting his strength with such sloppy moves.

"Oh. Yeah, sort of. I lift a lot of weights."

"Not just that. You fight like a wild animal, you know that? So much power behind your blows…" Ako chews on their lower lip, pensive. "If you refined your technique, you'd be unstoppable."

Nerio's stance changes at that, so small most wouldn't be able to tell, but he perks up. "Really? You really think so?"

"I do." Ako's had the opposite problem, truth be told. They understand technique perfectly, know how to twist their body to avoid blows and minimize internal organ damage, know where to hit to burst an artery. They know the science of battle - they just have no passion for it. If Nerio and them traded their knowledge… well, they'd make a fantastic team.

They swing their sword around, once, twice, getting used to the feel of the hilt in their palm. "Okay," they say. "We should try again, don't you think?"

Nerio nods, and he crouches back into his fighting stance. Ako tsks. "No, not like that," they say. "You're too rigid, you need to be supple. You need to move fast. Fighting is a lot like a dance, you know?"

Nerio adjusts his stance, letting his back relax just a bit, crouch becoming less static and more of a bounce, feline ready to pounce. "Like this?"

"Yes. Very good."

Ako doesn't waste a warning on him. They attack, which Nerio manages to avoid this time by springing onto the side. He swings his glaive at their side, which Ako blocks. They exchange a few blows like that, trying to hit the other's unprotected spots but only being met with the other's steel. Nerio's eyes dart, following Ako's movements with precision. He has strong reflexes, like a predatory animal. Ako isn't going to win like this, they decide, so they step back when Nerio swings again, sword cutting only through air, and Nerio stumbles forward. Ako moves to his side, slams the hilt of their sword into the back of his neck. He yells, and crashes to the floor, glaive clattering onto the floor and sliding toward Ako. They place their foot on it, stopping its glide. Nerio looks up, clearly dizzied.

"Get up. Try again," is all Ako says to him. There's potential in him, trapped deep inside his awkwardness and reluctance, but it's there. They're going to claw it out of him tonight, no matter what - not as a favor, not so he can owe them something, not because they like him. Ako simply doesn't like abandoning a project.

And maybe tomorrow night, he can teach them how to have that passion of his.

---

Ako comes back to their senses, head still whirling, enough to make them motion-sick. There's a trickle of saliva dripping down their chin, and when they look back, there's some more staining their pillow. Fucking disgusting, but they've once thrown up on themself during one of their seizures, so this isn't the worst that could happen.

They're about to struggle to their feet to head to the bathroom, wipe the guck off of them and catch their breath, but they notice someone standing in their bedroom doorway - he's darkened by the night, but Ako can still recognize Nerio. Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck. They thought they'd locked the door - that Nerio wouldn't see them like this, not yet, not so close to the Games. Fuck.

"Hello, Nerio," they say, and their voice breaks. Christ. They must've yelled, then, which means Nerio came rushing in and… well, there he is. There's nothing Ako can do to change this now. It's not like he assumed they'd been cured of their episodes, right? He knew they were still having them. It's not like Ako's exposed a secret. It's fine.

"Hi," is all he replies. There's a beat, a moment of hesitation, and Ako wonders if he's about to say something, but he simply closes the door and walks away.

As Ako listens to his footsteps growing more and more distant, they can't chase away the feeling that they've fucked up. It doesn't make sense, though, does it? Nerio has no reason to betray them yet, and anyway, he's always known. It doesn't change anything.

It doesn't change anything.

---

Apart from the One boy, some freak named Polonius, the rest of the Pack seems normal this year. In all honesty, Adanna hadn't known what to expect. It's only been four years since the Career Districts signed their treaty of alliance, making sure their trained tributes wouldn't end up like the ones from the 25th - taking each other out and letting weaker tributes escape unscathed. But, all things considered, for trained child killers, they seem decent. And Adanna isn't going to judge them for their career choice. After all, she did the same, and though she has, in her opinion, attenuating circumstances, she can't assume that the others don't have the same. Well. Other than Polonius, who made it very clear that he's here for fun.

The dynamic had established itself pretty quickly. The tributes from Two stuck to each other, the one with the afro - a person named Ako - immediately asserting themself as leader of the Pack, and the gay looking one, whose name Adanna hasn't caught yet, nodding at their every word. Polonius had argued against it, saying he'd make a far better leader since he was here because he wanted to be, but everyone quickly turned him down. No one was going to trust that mercurial son of a bitch with the alliance, and anyhow, Ako did seem to have a solid head on their shoulders. Keye, Adanna's district partner, had talked to her about vying for leadership during the train rides, but he seems to have realized that he's out of Ako's league, as he stood for Ako during Polonius's whining. He's playing nice with the man in charge. It's smart, but it ignores a significant problem: Ako already has a second in command, and Keye won't be replacing the Two boy anytime soon.

No, if someone wants to get on Ako's good side, they're going to have to play a different card. Luckily for Adanna, it's the one she knows best.

(When Adanna was a child, her father would always complain about her temper. How sullen she was. How disagreeable. How she refused to smile at his friends, how she eyed their guns and their obscene jokes with suspicion. According to her father, it'd mean no man would ever want her.)

(How silly of him to assume that her lack of interest in pleasing would mean she could never turn it into a weapon.)

(How silly of him to believe that Adanna wouldn't turn anything into a survival technique.)

She just hopes Ako will be a better kisser than the men back in Four.

"Is everybody alright with splitting up for the first day of training?" Ako asks. "This way, we can get to know each other better and cover more bases."

"Are we, uh, being paired up by districts?" the One girl asks, darting a nervous glance towards Polonius. Her name is Cherish, but it's about all Adanna noticed about her. Still, she can empathize with the poor girl's situation. Must've been a ghastly train ride.

The ghost of a smile reaches Ako's lips. Thank God they have a sense of humor. "No, of course not. We've had time to meet our district partners already. Today is for changing things up."

Adanna's gaze flickers to the Two boy. He seems perfectly neutral to the idea of being separate from Ako for the day, which is good. Too codependent and Adanna would struggle to weasel her way into Ako's heart.

"Let's see..," Ako continues. "How about Cherish, you can go with me. Keye with Polonius and… Nerio with Adanna?"

Nerio. That's his name, then. He looks at Adanna and raises an eyebrow. Not the friendliest of greetings, but at least he's not ignoring her.

The Pack splits off into their pairs, Keye wincing a bit as he joins Polonius's side. Nerio still doesn't seem very interested in Adanna's presence, even while standing next to her. Oh, well. He's not the one she has her eyes on, anyway.

"Where'd you want to go?" Adanna asks, casting a glance around the training room. Most of the tributes are at the survival stations, not wanting to humiliate themselves or perhaps wanting to stay out of the Pack's way. There are a couple kids trying to learn basic knife moves, though.

"Swordfighting," Nerio says immediately.

"That rusty?" Adanna jokes.

Finally, Nerio smiles at her, but there's a wild spark in his eyes. "Oh please. I just felt like you might want to be impressed today."

"Oh, is that so?" Adanna giggles, amused by his confidence. Then again, if he fights as savagely as he smiles, she can understand why he thinks he has bragging rights.

"Do you not believe me?"

"We can always spar to find out."

With that, they bound towards the sparring station, Nerio in front and Adanna trailing behind. He seems incredibly excited at the prospect of fighting her. Maybe a bit too much if they're supposed to be allies, but Adanna doesn't mind. It's going to make it far more fun to win against him, even if she has to play the long game, even if she has to use her social skills rather than her battle skills.

Nerio reaches for a glaive, while Adanna for a khopesh. It's a slightly artistic weapon, better for show than fighting, but it still functions relatively well. The perfect weapon to catch the Capitol's attention - she'll need it, if she wants to play the consort angle… and to compensate for her, no doubt, lesser skills, especially compared to the Twos. She's trained as best as she can, and won her spot fair and square, but everybody knows Four's Academy is far more lax than Two's. Nerio and Ako had to beat every single child in the District to get here, while Adanna simply had to beat some rich kid flaneurs.

"Khopesh? Not very Four of you," Nerio remarks.

Adanna finds herself wondering if he ever says anything nice. "Well, do they train you quarry boys with pickaxes?"

Nerio doesn't answer, which Adanna interprets as a concession.

"So? Ready to sp-" Adanna's question is interrupted by Nerio, who dives at her with his glaive.

Cursing under her breath, she moves to the right. She narrowly avoids the blow but he just keeps going, swinging and jabbing and striking with inhuman speed. She dodges as best she can, but he forces her to keep leaping all over the place, making her short of breath way too fast.

Case in point. He's one of the best fighters there is in Panem, and she's just another rich kid. Well. Ex-rich kid.

He keeps this pattern up, which Adanna assumes is meant to tire her. She's going to have to find a way to break the cycle, maybe roll behind him while dodging, maybe -

Nerio switches up his move, driving the hilt of his blade into her cheek. The impact makes a violent snapping sound that can be heard across the gym, and Adanna yelps. She stumbles, clutching her cheek, pain throbbing where skin meets bone, and feels the blunted steel of Nerio's practice glaive against the back of her neck.

"Got you," he says, and he doesn't even sound triumphant. It's somehow even more embarrassing - like he expected to win so much he doesn't think it's worth boasting about. Fuck. She doesn't know how the hell the other Districts are supposed to win against Two kids. It's the furthest from a fair fight, but when's Panem ever been about fairness?

Nerio lifts his blade from her neck, and she gets back to her feet, still clutching her now-reddish cheek. She's about to say something nice, like good one, but she doesn't owe him any sportsmanship. It's bad enough that she'll have to lick Ako's boots - she won't do the same for this feral twink. Or whatever it is he is.

Instead, she settles for: "Jesus, where did you learn to fight like that?" It sounds a bit more accusatory than she'd like.

"Eh," Nerio says with an aggravatingly casual shrug. "Self taught."

"Self-taught?!" Adanna gapes despite herself. What the fuck do they put in Two's water?

"Yeah. Well, the beginning part at least. I was always on top of my class and I just kept climbing up."

Well, fuck this. Adanna's never going to win against him through sheer strength. Either she turns the whole Pack against him (unlikely to coordinate so many Careers without him noticing), forces Ako to turn on him (unlikely as they seem tight-knit) or just hopes a mutt kills him (unlikely that the Capitol would want to get rid of their star). All around a shit situation. But Adanna's been through worse. If she could survive her brother and his men, the blood and the fire of warfare, then she can survive this. It'll work out. It always does, for her.

"So, what now?" Nerio asks.

"How about… some survival stuff," she suggests, because they'll hopefully be on the same skill level for those. "We might get a good idea of what the arena's made of."

Nerio looks like he's about to mock her, or maybe even the concept of survival stations as a whole, but then decides against it. Enough banter for the day, it seems. "Sure."

As they make their way towards a station without an outlier - some cooking thing - a thought flashes through Adanna's mind, so blaringly loud she almost halts in her footsteps.

"Wait," she says to Nerio. "You and Ako aren't, like, a thing, are you?"

Nerio laughs at that, so strongly Adanna wonders if there isn't a hint of bitterness inside it. "Ha! No. No, we're just childhood friends is all."

Adanna's shoulders relax. Good. There's no way she could've competed with a pre-existing relationship, and she's never tried playing an angle other than a romantic one before. This'll keep her in her comfort zone. "Okay, makes sense. I mean, Ako didn't strike me as the type to be into guys anyway," she says, and it's true. Someone that self-serious wouldn't be going around fucking men of all people, right?

"Mm… not exactly. Ako kind of does whatever. They're weird like that."

Adanna's about to ask for clarification, not wanting to throw herself at someone with a heart of stone, but Nerio doesn't give her time to do so. They arrive at the station, and he breathes, "ah, there we are. Time to get cooking."

Adanna swallows back her question. It'd be suspicious of her to inquire so much about Ako's love life now, especially to Nerio. She doesn't want him noticing her getting closer to Ako - most of all if they really are close friends, as he'd want to warn them if they were about to get manipulated.

(And she doesn't want him to feel like he's being replaced.)

(Well, not right now, at least. If it leads to him snapping and one of the two killing the other, Adanna can't say she'd mind. It's simply too messy a situation to start brewing now, though.)

She'll have to find out for herself what goes on in Ako's mind, then.

---

That night, Ako, ever magnanimous, invites the rest of the Pack to dine at Two's quarters. There was a small moment of hesitation in which everyone tried to see if that meant Polonius was invited too, but he showed up anyway, so they resigned themselves to their fate.

Keye and Nerio have been drinking a couple beers on the couch now, while Adanna and Cherish talk about God knows what. According to Keye, Cherish isn't exactly here by choice. What the actual reason for her volunteering is, he doesn't know. Still, it does explain her lack of enthusiasm. Keye, however, is good fun. He's here to win and then live a nice life, which Nerio can respect. That's mostly what he wants, too.

Polonius sulks in the corner, and Nerio suspects he's beginning to guess that the others don't fuck with him, like, at all. Ako goes around chatting with the various members, but they've also been taking care of the food and the drinks. They certainly know how to make themself seem like the leader the Pack needs.

After a couple more beers are downed and Keye seems to have nothing left to tell him, Nerio makes his way towards the quarter's kitchen, where Ako is busy pouring themself a glass of red wine. It's old, from before the Games even started, judging by the bottle label, no doubt provided by the Capitol but Nerio is certain Ako could afford it anyway.

"Hey," he says, and he realizes it's the first time he's spoken to them since finding them covered in their own spit. He's seen Ako have seizures before, even helped them recover from a few, but it still shocks him every time. To see them so helpless, so vulnerable. To see that they can't control their own body like they control the rest of their life. It doesn't help that now that they're both in the Games, Nerio has better hope that Ako isn't as immortal as they pretend to be. "What's up?"

Ako looks up at him, and their expression doesn't betray an inch of insecurity. Of course. They've always been good at making you feel silly for judging them. "Hello, Nerio. I'm just having some wine. Would you like some?"

Truth be told, Nerio's never liked the taste of red wine. It's too bitter, too strange. One of those 'acquired tastes' that rich people like to parade around - if you don't like it, it's simply because you haven't been rich enough to get used to it. "I'm good, thanks. How was training?"

"Alright. Cherish is the silent type, but she's nice. She doesn't want to be here, though. That'll probably be what kills her, in the end."

Nerio jolts a little at that. It feels strange to acknowledge the death of their allies so quickly. Aren't they supposed to hold hands and all pretend they're friends, at least until the Games officially start? But Ako's always been brutally honest, especially to him.

There's a moment of awkward silence, before Nerio says, "well, I trained with Adanna."

"Ah! Yes!" Ako's eyes light up at the name, and they take a sip from their wine glass. "Of course. How was that?"

Nerio had guessed that Ako'd paired them up so that Nerio could investigate her, but he still can't tell what the hell Ako sees in her. "It was… whatever. She's nice and all, but she's not the strongest fighter. I had her on the ground in, like, minutes."

"Hmm. That makes sense, yes. Four's training is less rigorous," Ako muses, and Nerio wonders if they're just talking to themself. "That's all you noticed?"

Nerio frowns. This again. No matter how much he examined her, he didn't notice anything. And, fuck, Ako's always been the smartest of the two, so they're probably onto something, but it's starting to feel like they're purposefully humiliating him. Sending him on some wild goose chase and admonishing him when he finds nothing. "Man, I don't fucking know. She asked about you a couple times, I think. That's it, though."

"Oh? Did she?" Ako says, voice so innocuous Nerio knows they're up to some shit. "What did she ask?"

"Uh… I don't remember. About me and you, if we were, like, a couple. I think that's about it," Nerio mumbles. The question is still seared in his mind. Surely nothing between him and Ako made it seem like they were… dating, right? It's clear they're best friends and nothing more.

"Ha!" Ako chuckles. "That's funny."

(Is it? Is it really that funny to them, to imagine him as their lover? Is it really that fucking laughable?)

"Say, she's invited me to strategize with her, in private, tonight. In Four's quarters, after the dinner," Ako continues, piercing through Nerio's burning thoughts. "I wonder if she plans on making a move there."

Oh. Oh. Nerio's a fucking idiot. Adanna's into them. Adanna's fallen for the whole caring prince act and that's why she was asking about Ako's relationship status. And Ako, so smart it borders on prophetic, knew this would happen. That little freak knew Adanna would be wrapped around their finger.

Nerio doesn't know what he should make of that. Pity for Adanna? For being too naive, for falling in love in a death game, for being Ako's latest prey? Or should he be happy for Ako, to see that their best friend knows exactly what they're doing and won't be dying any time soon…

(Or jealousy? To know that even now, looking death straight in the face, they don't seek his comfort first?)

"I suppose I'll keep you updated," Ako says with a grin, and begins making their way past him and towards the living room.

Nerio reaches out and grasps their arm, keeping them in place. "What do you possibly see in her?" he hisses, not wanting to draw the others' attention. "I already told you she's a shit fighter." He sounds pathetic and he knows it, like a scorned wife begging a husband to stay, but he genuinely doesn't understand. Why is Ako so fixated on someone hardly worth their time? When Nerio is right there, has always been right there…

"I see potential, not talent. You of all people should know that, Nerio." Ako's eyes are narrowed now, no longer grinning, and Nerio knows they don't appreciate being manhandled like he just did, but he's not scared of them. Not really. He's seen them at their worst too many times for that.

Their words still sting, though. A reminder that Nerio had no talent until Ako came along and fixed their life, mentored them better than any of the Academy trainers. A reminder that he'd be nothing if it weren't for them. Bullshit.

(Is this karma for telling Adanna that he was always a natural prodigy? What else was he gonna say, though, admit that the entirety of his success revolves around his district partner?)

"I - I get that, but…" Nerio doesn't know how to finish that sentence. That he thought their attention was for him only, and not a general hunger to improve others? That he thought he'd be the only one? No, he's not stooping that low - that sort of confession would be music to Ako's ears. "But why the fuck are you trying to… to improve someone now? She's your enemy, you know that, right? The weaker she is, the better for you."

"Are you implying that I don't know what I'm doing?"

"No." Yes.

(Or at least that he doesn't understand what the fuck is going on in their mind, and how foreign that feels. He's supposed to know their plans, he's supposed to be their partner in crime. That's how they used to work.)

Ako's smile returns at that, but it's a far sharper one. Acting like they won an argument, like always, when Nerio's only trying to fucking talk to them. "Good. We can talk more when I return from Four's rooms, yes?"

"Fine," he says, and he hates how childish the word sounds.

Ako wrenches their arm free from Nerio's grasp, which had loosened without him noticing. They make their way into the living room, where the rest of the Pack is still chattering.

Nerio shouldn't feel sick. This doesn't change anything between them. It's clear that Ako's never thought about him that way in ages. It's clear that Ako has enough common sense to not actually fall in love this close to the Games and that they'd betray Adanna for a piece of bread if they had to.

(But…)

Ako gets these moods sometimes, ones that people often confuse with their true self. Nerio, though, has spent enough time around them to know that it isn't a mask slipping - it's a strange surge of loneliness, an ache that doesn't seem to leave them alone. Causes them to become abominably charming, instead of their regular boring self. What if that were to happen to them again, what if Adanna could truly worm her way into their heart?

(Does it matter to him, when Ako has to die anyway so that he can have the life he wants?)

But he knows Ako's tenderness doesn't last. It's a fleeting thing, tantalizing in its ephemerality. Because maybe Nerio's been swept away once or twice in those bouts, believing they were going to become something.

(So what? He's always been a fucking idiot, and Ako's always been the one in control.)

He has kissed them once, if you really care to know. Only once, when they were seventeen and Ako was most likely going insane because they became the most romantic person alive. Wine, poetry, candlelight dinners, concerts, you name it. It was slightly unnerving, in retrospect, how good it was. That the cold, immovable person he knows could also be… like that.

(Did they say they loved him? Nerio isn't sure - isn't sure what that word would even mean to Ako, had they even said it.)

And never again. Never again. Ako acted like it'd never even happened. Turned back into that statue of a man, both mentor and confidante to him.

(Is he really a fool for expecting something after an encounter like that? Isn't that just common sense?)

(What counts as sane and what doesn't seems to evade him in Ako's presence.)

He watches from the kitchen as Ako sits down next to Adanna on the couch, offering her a second glass of wine. They clink their glasses together, and the smile that they give her is so infuriatingly gentle. He can see Adanna blush, rose rising to her cheeks, eyes having a hard time meeting Ako's as they drink in unison.

She is so, undeniably, fucked.

Nerio just doesn't know if what he feels is solidarity, or jealousy.

(And he doesn't know what to do about either.)

---

Keye isn't there when Adanna lets Ako into Four's quarters, confirming their suspicion: their rendezvous is for more than strategizing. Truth be told, Ako's not certain why Adanna's been falling for them. They'd first decided to ignore the way she kept looking at them and accidentally brushing fingers with them during group training - maybe they were imagining things. Stress, loneliness, narcissism, all the various things they've been accused of could definitely cause such delusions. But after Nerio told them about the questions she kept asking, after she'd blushed when Ako offered her wine… well, it'd be more delusional to ignore it.

Ako isn't certain what she sees in them. At the risk of sounding insecure - which they are not - Ako's never found themself particularly attractive. Their face has always been too angular and sullen by their eternal seriousness. Nobody back at the Academy was exactly falling over themselves to be with them. Most people found them too boring, too much of an old soul. They didn't want to be taken to the opera or a five star restaurant, didn't want to read poetry or listen to music from the Ancient World. A shame, of course, but Ako's long resigned themself to one night stands with strangers in bars who don't yet know how fucking soulless they can be.

So why Adanna? And why now, of all times, when they'll soon have to see the other dead, if not be the one to cause it?

Thus far, Ako's theory is that Adanna's interest is fueled by a loneliness produced from the fact that she might be dead very soon, combined with, no doubt, a sliver of strategy. Who wouldn't want to be on the good side of the Pack's leader? Ako just hopes there's some sincerity in her emotions. They don't want to sleep with someone who doesn't want to be there. They'll feel like those ugly, old rich men that hire women to fill their nights instead of just trying to be organically likeable - one of the most pathetic things to be, in Ako's opinion.

Adanna clears Four's dining table from a couple books and water glasses, sitting down on one of the chairs and pulling one out for Ako, who follows suit with a polite thank you. The quarters' lights are off, no doubt under the excuse of not disturbing their neighbors, but Ako is sure it's so that Adanna could light the candles flickering on the table to set an atmosphere. It's cliche. Terribly so. So terrible it's in fact charming. They feel a small smile growing on their lips, which would be embarrassing if the point of the evening wasn't so evidently to end up blushing.

"So," Adanna begins. "I feel it's worth highlighting that nobody else in the Pack knows we're having this conversation. All of this is off the record."

Oh. Whoops. Ako's already told Nerio… though if Adanna really believed they'd keep a secret from him, she's just stupid. Oh, well, what she doesn't know won't hurt her.

"I understand," they say with as much sincerity as they can muster. Which is to say, quite a bit. They've never quite understood how people manage to be bad liars. It always comes naturally to them - the trick is to simulate, not unlike a film actor, the thought you are saying, to believe it just in the instant you say it.

(They don't like how that implies they've lied to Nerio before.)

"Good." Adanna nods. "So, obviously, we'll discuss strategy as a group tomorrow, but I think we need to address our alliance dynamics. Things are already… not off to the best start."

Ako raises an eyebrow, this time genuinely intrigued. "What makes you say that?"

"Well… have you met Polonius?" Adanna chuckles with a conspiratory wink, which makes something warm flutter in Ako's chest. They do like the idea of combining a date with a scheme… there's nothing better, after all, to realize that the person you're flirting with shares your interests.

Ako laughs, their real laugh - a sharp bark, not entirely pleasant to the ears. "Yes, I have. I see what you mean. I wouldn't worry too much about him, though. He'll be easy to take care of."

"Oh? How so?"

"Well, men like him snap fairly fast. That bloodthirst is going to lead him astray rapidly. Everybody in the Pack already wants him gone and is looking for an excuse to get rid of him - which he will give them by going psycho in the Bloodbath, or something like that. And then, like that -" Ako snaps their finger, making Adanna blink "- everybody agrees to kill the guy at the same time, and it's a bonding activity. His existence is honestly a good thing, other than wasting space we could've used for a more trustworthy alliance member."

Adanna is silent for a moment, mulling over Ako's thoughts. "So… you think killing Polonius will bring the Pack together instead of... Shattering it?"

"Exactly," Ako says, pleased. No matter how much they try to remind themself that they're no better than their alliance members, they always find the urge to teach them. Just like they did to Nerio years ago. It's not supposed to be a condescending thing: to them, pushing improvement in their close ones is a show of love.

(How they would've wished for their father to encourage them the same way, to push them towards perfection instead of rotting in his home, withering away in grief. How they wish that someone had been there to teach them ambition, so that it could've been born out of love and not of their own stagnation.)

"By creating a common enemy, a common goal, humans form solidarity," Ako continues, and they know how pretentious they sound (probably enough for Adanna to stop wanting them, in fact) but it's true. And sharing knowledge shouldn't be a shameful thing, right?

Adanna's eyes light up, and Ako can practically see her thinking it over, which almost makes Ako reciprocate Adanna's feelings. Finally, someone their age who can fucking think. So what if she's not as good a fighter as Nerio? At least there's something in her brain. "...that makes sense, actually," she finally says. "Alright, that's good. What about Cherish and Keye?"

Ako notices Nerio's omission, but decides to brush past the topic. If she thought that Nerio might be a competitor for Ako's heart (which he is not, for his own good) it may be best to ignore his existence for now. "Well, from what I've gathered, Cherish is one of those reluctant types. She seems grumpy enough to kill, though, which is all that really matters. Keye… I'm not sure about him. I'm having a hard time reading him." It's not entirely the truth. If Ako had had more time to talk to him, no doubt they'd be able to figure out what's in that mind of his. But, for now, they want to let Adanna talk about her District Partner. It might make her happy to know that Ako wants to hear her opinion, too.

Adanna purses her lip. "I don't know." There's a small silence, and Ako guesses she's deliberating how honest she should be with them. Finally, she says, "well, I know he told me he wanted leadership during the trains. But he clearly didn't argue against your proposal, so… I'm guessing he gave up on that?"

Oh. That is interesting indeed. Something Ako never would've guessed had they just based their conclusions off their own intuition. Adanna is decidedly the right person to be close to. "Oh, is that so? He struck me as more of the hedonist type."

Adanna laughs, candlelight bright in her eyes. She really is beautiful like that, cheeks highlighted by the flame's amber glow, a delicate sharpness in her jawline… Christ. "Oh, he absolutely is that. He wants to win for his own sake. But… I don't know. I'd just keep an eye out for him. It's kind of strange how quickly he ceded leadership to you. A guy with his personality probably didn't just think you were out of his league or something."

"Mm. Many people at the Academy thought they could beat me by being an underdog, too. Not the smartest tactic, I'm afraid."

"What happened to them?"

"Well, I'm the one who volunteered, aren't I?"

(Ako learned quickly enough that being an underdog, patiently awaiting your turn achieves nothing. You have to seize what you want with strength - that way, the next time you ask for something, people listen.)

"Fair enough," Adanna chuckles again, finger absentmindedly to her lips. They're very slender, Ako notices, frighteningly easy to break. That sort of physique would never make it out of Two's Academy… they find themself wondering why Adanna's wound up here in the first place. Not the time to ask, though. Maybe after the Bloodbath, in the evening. That sort of close brush with death tends to inspire confessions from people.

"Alright," Adanna continues. "So, get rid of Polonius fast for team morale, watch out for whatever the fuck Keye might do, Cherish ought to mind her business, and…"

(Ah. And so we arrive to Nerio.)

"...and Nerio?" Ako finishes for her.

Adanna winces, almost apologetic. "Yeah. I'm guessing you two know each other, like, closely?"

"Nerio told me you thought we were dating," Ako says before they can stop themself. They can't lie, they've been wondering all evening what could've possibly made her reach that conclusion. It's not that important to them, but as irking as an inch you can't scratch.

Adanna laughs again, but this one feels more nervous, at being caught off-guard. "Fuck, my bad, I'm sorry. I just wanted to make sure I saw the whole picture, you know? It's not like… it's not like you two were… indicating anything. That was probably so fucking awkward to hear, I'm sorry." She hides her face with her hands, turning red. If she's lying, then she's an awfully good actress.

(Is it so bad that Ako would prefer her to be so talented in the art of lying rather than just a starstruck teenage girl? Is it so bad that they'd prefer to be manipulated because at least it'd mean that they were being challenged?)

"The full picture for what?" Ako asks instead.

(There's no way they'll do the first move. They won't risk complicating an alliance unless they're absolutely certain it's what Adanna wants.)

Adanna groans in her hands, as if she really didn't want the conversation to make its way here. Which implies, of course, that that's exactly what she wanted - it's simply more polite to act flustered when confronted about your advances. Something Ako learned recently enough. "I just… you know. Wanted to know what the alliance was like…" she trails off, a silent invitation for Ako to insist. In a way, flirting is a lot like politics, Ako realizes. So many veiled threats and orders, complex ways to make someone arrive at a conclusion without speaking it outright.

So they do insist. "And…?"

"And, um… well, to know if I would be… intruding on anything," Adanna finally says.

Ako could practically stand up and applaud - it's a masterful way to say what she means without actually saying it. She'd make an amazing Capitol politician, Ako thinks, someone they'd would've wanted on their side if they ever do end up having that career.

She's truly giving her all for this strategy. All of her charisma, her social maneuvering, to get Ako in this room and spring a trap on them. It's a brilliant one, in fact. She's found the only way to rival Nerio for their attention.

(And all Ako's ever wanted was to find someone brilliant. Who could maybe keep their attention for more than one night.)

It doesn't really matter how honest she's being, how much of her truly finds Ako charming and how much of her is using them for her own gain. She's doing it well, and it'd just be so rude of Ako to foil her plans, wouldn't it? It would be undignified of them to not reward such initiative, such innovative thinking, with success.

(Ako reaches out for Adanna's cheek, and presses their lips against hers.)

(Adanna kisses right back, and Ako can taste the triumph on her tongue.)

---

As it turns out, Ako is a damn good kisser. Adanna should've seen that one coming. Of course Ako has to be excellent at everything they do.

Which includes, as it turns out, being a lover. They spent the rest of the evening complimenting her, setting some awfully romantic music in the background and asking questions about her with genuine interest. For a small fraction of a second, drunk on all that attention, Adanna thought she might actually like them back. It passed as quickly as it came, though, when Ako went to sleep and left Adanna in the darkness of her bedroom, alone, with her thoughts, where she reminded herself that this is all a ploy in which Ako ends up dead.

Had they had more time, they most likely would have become friends, or maybe more than that. But there is no time. One of them needs to be six feet under in a week, and Adanna can't lose track of that.

The morning after the encounter, the Pack went training all together, taking turns showing off their skills with their respective weapons. The occasional sparring match was held, though no one was forced to show off. Notably, Ako never once stepped into the ring, preferring to encourage Nerio after he wipes down to the floor yet another member of their alliance.

Adanna joined as many spars as possible, wanting to get a good idea of her relative skill level. They do say that Four's training system is more relaxed than the others, and her fight with Nerio had been simply humiliating, so the idea that her only true skill in these Games is her relationship with Ako had started creeping in. It'd infested her with doubt - she can't have only one protector in that case. She can't be solely reliant on Ako, because when they die, Adanna will be left utterly exposed. So, on a whim, she wondered if she could also get on Nerio's good side. He enjoys bantering with her, that much is obvious, and he's unfortunately good looking, so it's not like she'd have to force herself much…

But, then, she quickly realized through her sparring matches that she's just as good as the rest of them - Nerio is just so far ahead it has given her a false impression. Still, the seed had been planted in her mind - getting both of the Twos on her good side might be the best course of action. Nerio is clearly the volatile type, and ridiculously impossible to beat. If he were to get jealous about Ako's focus on her, she'd be utterly screwed. If she manages to turn the thing into some strange three way, though, she might stand a better chance.

(And, if she's being real, Nerio's more fun to be around. He actually has a sense of humor, and something about that annoying smile of his makes Adanna want to punch him. Which is a good thing, in her books.)

(Ako, meanwhile, spends too much of their time playing gentle king to talk to her, making a nice show of spending equal time with the other members of the alliance. Other than Polonius, of course, who Ako seems hellbent on ostracizing for team morale.)

Because of this, Nerio and Adanna end up spending more time together than expected, united by the way they wait for Ako to stop talking to somebody else and finally come interact with them. In the proverbial same boat.

They're currently at a rope-making station, absentmindedly trying out the complex ones posted on the gymnasium wall for inspiration. Ako's off explaining to Cherish how to improve her aim with a bow and arrow (Cherish had insisted that it isn't her weapon of choice, while Ako retorted that it's best to cover as many bases as possible).

Nerio clearly isn't going to make the first move, too busy grumbling to himself about the way a trainer had talked to him during lunch, so Adanna asks the first question to pop into her head: "Why do they do that?"

Nerio takes a few seconds to realize she's talking to him. Which doesn't exactly bode well for a friendship, but oh well. "What?"

Adanna nods in Ako's direction, who's adjusting Cherish's grip on her bowstring. "That. Why does Ako spend so much time helping tributes when they need to die for them to win. It doesn't make sense to me."

"Ha." Nerio snorts, giving Adanna the impression that it's an old topic between the Twos. "Fuck if I know. They have this whole thing about… being the bigger person. About helping others better themselves. I don't know, it's fucking weird. They're fucking weird."

Ako's certainly a bit strange, but Adanna's never considered them to be weird. Just a bit… particular. Nerio's known them for far longer, though, so she trusts his opinion.

"I don't know how you do it," Nerio continues, threading pieces of rope together without much purpose.

"Do what?"

"Fuck them."

Well. He certainly doesn't beat around the bush. Adanna blinks her surprise away, then laughs uncomfortably. "Um…?"

"Oh, shit, sorry. You probably thought it was a secret or some shit. It's not, by the way."

Adanna looks down at her own rope, hoping he doesn't see the red rising to her cheeks. "Jesus. Okay. Well, I guess I should've expected them to tell you. You're their best friend, after all."

(Still, Adanna swears she made them promise not to tell anyone. Maybe Ako thought she just meant the conspiracy. Maybe Ako isn't as infatuated as she thought.)

Yet another reason to also keep Nerio close. Adanna clearly can't rival their bond, so she'll have to make them both like her instead.

"That was crude as hell, wasn't it? My bad. I mostly meant that I don't know how you find yourself, like, tolerating them for that long."

Adanna raises an eyebrow then. Isn't that a strange thing to say about your best friend? "Don't you?"

Nerio laughs sharply, and she can hear a trace of resentment in it. "Oh, I'm just real fucking used to it. But for someone to meet them and go, wow, boyfriend material… I don't know. I have a hard time believing it."

"Hey," Adanna scolds gently, "they're honestly really nice. And generous. I don't see what you think is so awful about them." Of course, they'd definitely not be Adanna's first choice in an ideal world, but she nonetheless feels the strange urge to defend Ako's honor. They've done nothing wrong to her, which is a pretty big first considering Adanna's history with men.

Nerio finally lifts his eyes from his rope to give her an odd look. A mix of judgement and pity. It'd feel awfully condescending if Adanna couldn't tell that he's mostly trying to insult Ako with it instead of her. "Oh, I bet you think they're real nice. They pull that shit all the time."

"What shit?" Adanna asks. Listen, they did seem a little too serious for an eighteen year old but they didn't strike her as some sort of closeted psychopath.

"Oh, they act all charming and suave and shit for a night, and then they drop you like a wet sock. It's the Ako classic. They should probably rename one night stands after them. There's a reason nobody at the Academy tried winning them over."

Oh. Alright. A playboy, then. That's not that bad. Considering Adanna's dealt with drug dealers all her life, including many who wouldn't mind dropping things in women's drinks if it made them feel powerful, she can't say she really gives a shit. One of them's gonna die, anyway. They both have bigger fish to fry than commitment problems.

"I think I'll be fine," Adanna chuckles, because it's pretty damn true. So what if they have a high body count? She much rather that than for them to secretly have a high body count in the serial killer way. "Thanks for the warning, though."

Nerio emits a sound that's a hybrid of a hum and a grunt. "Just make sure you don't end up crying your eyes out cause all I'll have to say is that I told you so."

At that, Adanna full-on laughs, tilting her head back. "Sweetheart, I think you're projecting here. I really don't care that much about them. You, on the other hand…" Adanna trails off and winks at him.

Nerio sours up immediately, just like he did when she asked him if Ako and him were dating. That confirms her theory, then. He's way more down bad for Ako than her. And if that's the case, then she has her trap card against him, the one thing that can set him off spiraling if she ever needs to get rid of him. Because Lord knows she's not beating him in a fair fight.

"Shut up," Nerio snaps. "You have no idea what the fuck you're talking about." He then returns to his knots, tying them more tightly than ever.

A small smile creeps onto Adanna's lips as she watches him. Oh, how easily flustered he gets, how quick he is to rile up.

She's just hit her fucking jackpot.

---

The private sessions feel an awful lot like the end-of-the-year test back in Two.

They used to be Nerio's most dreaded day of the year, a darkness looming over him as he watched his ranking fall more and more behind, knowing his father won't spare him any fury if he's eliminated.

Then, he met Ako. And they became so ridiculously easy.

The Gamemaker stares at him, eyes a bit vacant, sipping absentmindedly from a cup of coffee. "Can we provide anything for you?"

Nerio nods. "Yes. Give me your strongest trainers. Three of them."

The Gamemaker nods, waves his hand towards someone else in the observation pod, and soon enough, three trainers, clothed in white from head to toe, emerge into Nerio's room. Immediately, his grip strengthens on his glaive's hilt, and he lowers himself into a fighting stance.

(The Academy's trainers look at him in surprise. They're not used to seeing him so flexible, so relaxed in the face of a spar. To see such perfect form look so natural on him.)

A trainer leaps at him with a knife, which he blocks with ease. He shoves the trainer away, who stumbles backwards. Nerio uses the distraction to deal a blow to his stomach, but the trainer brings his elbow into Nerio's jaw. Cursing, Nerio feels himself being flung backwards. He needs to focus.

(He needs to focus. He needs to remember Ako's lessons. This is his last chance. If he fails this evaluation, he'll be sent packing home, to an angry man and an empty future. He needs to focus.)

Nerio growls, and it's a primal sound but it wakes him up from his dizziness. There - he spots a second trainer coming for him, running around him to try to score a hit from the back. No such luck. Nerio darts at him, glaive swinging to hit him in the arm, as hard as he can. The trainer goes to clutch his arm and Nerio swings again, this time hitting him right in the neck. If his blade wasn't blunted, the trainer's carotid artery would be severed.

(Nerio clenches his teeth together. It's just one trainer, just like his training sessions with Ako. He needs to channel his rage, that's what Ako said, while remaining in control. Easier said than done but they swore he was ready. He has to be.)

The trainer, recognizing that he's dead in this simulation, retreats from the room. Nerio whirls around, looking for the other two trainers. They both attack at once this time, one going for each side of him.

He needs to be fast, faster than light. Thankfully, he's been trained - (Ako's trained him) - to be faster than a cat, whipping his blade back and forth to block blows from each trainer.

(Nerio leaps at the trainer. He gets to make the first move today. He's going to fucking take it. He deals blows at the trainer's shoulders, but the trainer quickly recovers from his surprise at Nerio's new skill level, and begins swinging back. Nerio whirls back and forth, summoning Ako's grace, before whipping forward and shoving his blade straight into the trainer's gut. The trainer retches and curls up on himself.)

He can tell they're trying to corner him, making him back up with each block until his back hits the wall. He needs to avoid that. He needs to find a way to fight them one by one. Just for a split second, it's all he needs to kill one, then move onto the other.

(It's a fucking wonderful sight. Nerio's never won a fight before. He never knew it could end in him covered in sweat and victorious instead of hauled to the infirmary. He never knew he could hurt people if he tried.)

Nerio feints darting to the right, making both trainers lurch in that direction. He leaps to the left instead, faster than lightning, and brings his blade right into the left trainer's stomach. It's a powerful blow, precise (like Ako taught him) and would cut clean through all the intestines and bones of a tribute.

(He never understood why his father wanted him to succeed at this. Why his father looked at him and saw a warrior, who could carve a legacy through steel and flesh. It never made sense to him. Until now.)

The 'dead' trainer exits the room, and Nerio whips around to face the remaining one.

(He understands, now. What his father saw in him. Most importantly, what Ako saw in him, the potential that made them spend their nights trying to fix him, make him better. What made them help him up and tell him, try again, and again, and again, until you're fucking perfect. He understands now. It was in him all along, and it tastes so fucking sweet, like a summer peach, now that it's freed.)

It'll be an easy victory, now. The trainer makes the first move, jabbing at his side, and Nerio side-steps, bringing the hilt of his sword down onto the trainer's back. The trainer groans, stumbles to the floor, and Nerio grabs the man's hair, fingers twining hard and pulling at his scalp. He tugs the man's head upwards, forcing him to look up at the observation pod. Nerio does the same, locking eyes with the Gamemaker and smiling at him. He must look fucking deranged right now, out of breath and triumphant and so much to fucking prove. He brings the glaive's blade to the man's neck, and, still looking dead at the Gamemaker, takes his sweet, savoring time dragging it along his throat. It doesn't do anything, of course, it's only a simulated fight, but it's a nice appetizer for what's about to come.

(Nerio wonders how much sweeter it'll taste in the arena. He wonders how much sweeter the real thing will taste.)

He can't wait to find out.

---

Adanna doesn't want to find out her score. Sure, her sessions hadn't gone horribly. She's done better than any outlier, without a doubt. But she knows she could've done better, so much better. She knows her allies must've done better. She's sure Nerio's at the top of the board, most likely Ako following shortly behind, then that psycho Polonius, and Cherish is really good at stylistic fighting and Keye was higher ranked than her at the Academy so she's certainly dead last.

It shouldn't matter. It doesn't matter. The Games are about luck. Luck and strategy, and Adanna has an egregious amount of both, so it doesn't mean her fate is sealed. But, but, but…

(She wonders where her brother is, right now. Whether he's off on a deal with his henchmen by his side, or if a man of his status doesn't even have to go out for deals anymore. If he's sitting all pretty and proud in the Melanthios home, where the blood stains have been scrubbed clean and the walls are once more pristine. Whether he's watching the television, curious to see if his sister's still just as useless or if her annoying tendency to get lucky is continuing to bless her in the Capitol.)

Ako is lounging on a sofa in Four's living room, flipping through a book on the Dark Days war, making a satisfied little humming sound whenever a side pulls off a brilliant strategy. It's apparently Ako's idea of fun, and Adanna genuinely doesn't mind them but something about the stress coursing through her makes the sight irritating.

Why is Ako so fucking calm in the face of death? Are they really so assured in themself that they don't even feel the urge to pace while waiting for the score to drop? Has everything in their life always gone so unbearably perfect? Is that why they're like this?

Because Adanna's never had the luxury of being calm. Of being confident. She's always lived with the knowledge that someone could be out to get her, wanting to make her fall, wanting to hurt her. First to get back at her parents, and then it became her brother's vengeful rage.

Ako's never had to pretend to love someone so they can offer them some safety in the night. Ako's never felt desperation clawing at their ankles, trying to drag them into the darkness. Ako's here by choice, because they want to be, and not because they were cornered until they only had one last option to escape.

Adanna shouldn't resent them for that. It's hardly their fault that they've had it better than Adanna, and they're supposed to be a united front, especially this close to the Games. So she tries to stay calm, adjusting her makeup in the bathroom mirror and returning to check the television to see if the scores have dropped yet and then returning back into the bathroom because she's sure she can find some flaw in her lipstick to justify her avoidance.

After a couple minutes of this cycle, Ako's voice calls out from the living room. "The scores are being announced!"

Adanna stops picking at some scab on her cheek and makes her way into the living room, bare feet slapping onto the cold floor of the bathroom and onto the soft carpeting of the living room.

Cherish is dealt a 9, which already sets the bar high. Ako smiles to themself at that, and Adanna supposes it means that Ako thinks their last minute training sessions with her have something to do with such a good score.

Polonius gets a 10, and Adanna's stomach clenches. She's definitely not gotten more than an eight, and a third of the alliance is already soaring above that. She doesn't want to be the weak link. Can't be the weak link. Because then, she's only considered valuable because Ako likes her, and -

("You're a fucking whore, you know that?" her brother hisses in her ear, and his gun is so so close to her and she-)

- and nobody likes someone who slept their way to the top, it's common sense. Fuck.

Ako gets a 10 as well, which makes them nod, content. "Nerio will most likely receive an 11, then," they say without much care.

(They're so fucking lucky, they really are. They're allowed to be indifferent to being second-best. They're allowed to be calm as their best friend continually upstages them because in the end they have the assurance that everything goes their way. Lucky, lucky, lucky.)

Nerio gets an 11. Of course. Because Ako has to be right about that, too.

Adanna looks away at the Threes' scores, focusing on her hands instead. She fidgets with a hangnail on one of her fingers, hoping the sting will distract her from how fucking hard her stomach churns.

Then, the announcer announces Four's scores, and Adanna has to look up, so she does, but she feels fucking lightheaded. She's not sure she's even hot enough to attract sponsors with a low score. She's not sure she can even whore herself out to them, which is so stupid since it's the only thing she's ever been good at -

Adanna Melanthios with a 7.

Her head finally goes quiet.

Keye gets a 9, of course. Of course.

Adanna vaguely registers Ako glancing her way, no doubt their face scrunched up in such genuine concern that it might make Adanna's guard drop. And that's the last thing she needs. She needs to upper hand in this relationship because it's the only weapon she has, now. So she looks away from them, and rises from the couch.

"I - I need some air," she mutters, and darts out of the room and into the tribute center's hallways.

She basically speed-walks through the hallway, as if the rapid change of scenery will prevent her brain from having another thought. She's on the verge of starting to run because walking isn't fast enough until she screeches to a halt, narrowly avoiding bumping into someone.

Nerio.

"Hey, you good?" he asks, and it's not as sweet as what Ako would be saying but maybe Adanna needs that right now.

"Um, no," she mumbles, avoiding his gaze.

He moves closer, fidgeting awkwardly with himself. "Is this about… your score?"

What the fuck else could it be, idiot? She wonders, but she's not cruel enough to say that outloud. "Yeah."

"Yeah. It's a tough bounce," Nerio says, looking down uncomfortably. Then, he adds, "I mean, if you hadn't been distracted with falling in love with some bitch you hardly know, then -"

Somehow, it stings even more than being called a whore, than assuming she's using her relationship for her advantage. Does Nerio really think she's that stupid? To get swept away by a stranger who may very well kill her? Does he think she's that fucking stupid?

Anger bursts in her chest and before she knows it, she's gotten so close to Nerio, on her tip-toes to look him right in the eyes. "That's not the truth," Adanna hisses, and she can tell how goddamn close their lips are all of a sudden. It'd be so easy to lean in for the kiss, just once, just now, to forget her stupid plans and her stupid schemes and her stupid family. Her fucking failures and her dishonesty and maybe make her feel something real for once.

He doesn't take her seriously and she knows it, but it's strangely tantalizing in opposition with Ako's ever scrutinizing gaze.

("Stupid fucking slut," her brother whispers in her ear. "Always falling for men who don't care about you. I thought you'd learn your lesson by now, but I guess not…")

"I don't actually… it's not true. It's a lie," she repeats, this time more strongly.

Nerio frowns, and she's so close she can see the small flickers of his eyes as he tries to understand what she's saying. Then, his eyes widen, pupils dilating just slightly. "Oh," he half laughs, half whispers.

(Is it that funny to him?)

"You… you're trying to femme fatale Ako?" Nerio snorts, and he backs away from her, and her lips suddenly feel so cold. "That's, like, the stupidest idea I've ever heard. They're gonna eat you alive."

Something about his scorn stings deep. He doesn't even believe she'd be capable of pulling off a scheme like that. He doesn't even believe she has it in her to fuck her way to the top. It's somehow even worse, somehow even more condescending it makes her want to rip her skin off.

(That's what she gets for trusting a man who doesn't take her seriously. She'll always be embarrassing, delusional, making stupid decisions to that kind of person. She knows that, she should know that. She's been surrounded by those men all her life, first her father's friends, then her brother's.)

And anyway, her tactic worked for her so far, so why not now? And what makes him so vehement about Ako now, after they've spent the entirety of training ignoring his existence? What makes him so violently loyal to them? Because as far as she can tell, her seduction's worked pretty damn fucking well. Maybe Nerio should start considering that someone can topple his precious District Partner before it's too late. Before he goes down with the ship.

(Truth be told, Adanna doesn't mind Ako. There's a strange tenderness about them that Adanna's never experienced before, a genuine interest in what she has to say. Asks her for her opinion on strategies for the upcoming Games while playing with her hair, eyes lost, almost dreamy, when they look at her. A romantic quality she has a hard time reconciling with the person they otherwise are. It's charming, and maybe she'd even learn to care for them with time.)

(But they don't have that time. And Ako doesn't deserve to keep both of them as some sort of lap-dog.)

---

After the scores have finished being announced and Adanna still hasn't returned, Ako takes their things and returns to Two's apartments. As much as they'd like to stay and try to comfort Adanna, they also know how to take a hint. Adanna doesn't want them around after their respective scores.

So be it. They're not going to be upset when the relationship doesn't work out. One of them is going to die, anyway. There's no point in getting too attached. Ako doesn't take it personally.

(They've done the same thing to fr too many people back in Two to blame Adanna.)

Nerio walks into Two's apartments shortly after, looking disheveled and a little out of it. Christ, is everybody drunk tonight? Ako wonders.

His eyes widen a bit in surprise at seeing them there, then, strangely, fill with comprehension. As if it only makes sense that Ako sleeps here tonight. Ako's about to question him about that, but he speaks up first.

"Good job on your 10."

"Oh. Thank you. Congratulations on your 11," Ako responds. They know it's been too long since they were twelve for Ako to take any credit for Nerio's success, but a spark of pride had nonetheless glowed in their chest at the sight of his score. In a small way, Ako's helped him get so far. In fact, further than them. The student outwits the master. They're certain they should feel jealous, or perhaps less secure, but they don't. Nerio will always be so much more than that to them.

A small beat of silence. Then, Nerio speaks up again: "Adanna's had a bad bounce, huh?"

"Yes." Ako bites their lips, looks down. Maybe they should've focused more on her during group training. Maybe they would've noticed more that her skills were deficient, and would've given her last minute training like they did for Cherish. They didn't want to make it seem like favoritism in front of the rest of the Pack, in case their relationship was an open secret, but maybe they should've spent more time with her. Maybe she wouldn't be so upset now. Maybe they'd both be in her apartments right now. "I… feel bad," they admit.

"Ako, I…" Nerio begins, but then trails off, staring into the void.

It's strange to see him this way. Usually, Nerio speaks a bit too freely, all caution thrown to the wind and a grin splayed on his face. Why the hesitation now? Especially amongst friends.

"What is it?" Ako asks, drawing closer to him. It's the first night they've spent away from Adanna ever since that… dreadful conversation that'd only caused further problems for the both of them. "You can tell me anything, you know that, right? I'm your friend."

Even Ako can recognize how insincere that sounds, but it is true. They've always found it impossible to stay angry at Nerio for very long, no matter how much it betrays their internal logic.

"I've… talked to Adanna, right?" Nerio starts, and he won't meet Ako's gaze. Ako's heard many times that their eyes are a very intense thing, intimidating to look at, but for Nerio to be intimidated is simply ridiculous.

"Well, yes, haven't we all. Get on with it."

"She - she doesn't love you. There. I said it. She told me in secret that it was all some sort of weird… ploy to get on your good side." Nerio seems almost frustrated at the words for escaping his lips.

"Ah."

The revelation does sting, a bit. Of course, Ako never expected the relationship to be a genuine thing - who in their right mind falls in love in the middle of the arena? Especially when you've trained to be there your whole life, and desperately need to make it to the other side. Still, they had held some hope that… well, maybe a genuine interest was there. A fleeting one, maybe one that came after the trap was already in motion… but, still. An interest.

(If Ako's being honest, Adanna's nowhere near being their type. Too submissive, too pliant, resembling more a lonely person's fantasy of a lover than a true one. That didn't prevent them from still finding her interesting, though, did it? Surely she could've returned the favor.)

No matter. Ako has bigger problems to worry about than how boring they are - they can focus on such vanities after winning.

"Does it not surprise you?" Nerio asks, confused by their lack of reaction.

Ako shrugs, laying down on their bed. "No. Not necessarily. It'll be harder to keep up the charade, though, won't it? Knowing none of it is real. I'll quite frankly feel like a real creep, being so affectionate towards someone so… uninterested." They fidget with the edge of their bedsheet, pensive. "Oh well. She's the one who decided we'd have to get romance involved in all of this. She can deal with the consequences, I'm sure."

"It's definitely not her first time doing that kind of stuff."

How strange. A hint of bitterness in Nerio's voice. Jealousy, maybe? Is she playing the same game with his heart, too? If Ako's being honest, that crosses the line. There's a difference between trying a strategy and simply being cruel. "A fair point, my friend. Anyone who jumps to that sort of defense mechanism as a first resort is someone very used to it. It's a very hard thing to do, you know, pretending to love someone? Very difficult, indeed. Even I couldn't do it."

Nor are they very interested in trying. It's hard enough to know what the emotion is when they're actually experiencing it. Simulating it would be a far greater challenge.

Nerio's eyes flicker up towards them, and they catch the light from the city, pouring through the window. "No? The great Ako couldn't pull that off? I'm sorry, but I doubt it." Again, that resentful chuckle. Dear god, is he jealous of both of them simultaneously?

A small moment passes, silent enough to hear the footsteps of their upstairs neighbors on the ceiling. Then, softly, Ako shakes their head. "No. No, I do try to be truthful in that. One thing to be honest about, yes? Everyone needs that one speck of truth." Lest they lose themselves completely. Briefly, they wonder what truth it is Adanna keeps close to her chest. Certainly not love, that's for sure. How they wish they could find out. A shame she'll never truly let them in.

Nerio approaches the bed, cautiously, as if Ako were some sort of dangerous animal. "Oh, yeah? You're honest about love? Is that what you tell yourself?" he asks, but his voice is just a whisper now.

Ako looks up at him. Tilts their head, blinks, like a puzzled cat. "What on earth are you rattling about now, my dear friend?"

Nerio sits down on the bed, and Ako finally sees how erratic his breathing is. The prospect of the Games really is affecting him more than they thought, isn't it? Strange. They'd expected him to be quite resilient in the face of death.

"You know damn well what I'm talking about, Ako," he sighs. "Those few weeks, when… you took me out to the opera and you… you kissed me and… said you were so happy to fight alongside me. That it was an - an honor. And then… nothing. Was that not a lie?"

"I-"

"I'm not angry at you," Nerio clarifies, perhaps too quickly. "This is not what this is about. It's been a while since then and - and honestly you're not my type, right? And I think we both know that. But… come on. Don't look me in the eyes and tell me that you've never fucked around with people's hearts. Cause you do it all the time. Everytime you start feeling a little lonely, a little misunderstood… boom, suddenly you're fucking Cassanova."

A strange, burning sensation emerges in Ako's chest. Is it shame, embarrassment? They're not sure. Christ, they wish Nerio didn't have to bring this up, especially not now. Does he really have no sense of priorities? They're about to enter the fucking Games, and he wants to bring up old, messy stories? Now? "That's not what that was at all." Ako's voice seems to cut through Nerio like a blade of steel, because he flinches - so slightly that anyone other than Ako wouldn't have noticed it. "It's no lie. It was no lie. I meant every word of what I told you, and I mean every word I tell to whoever has the misfortune of finding me charming. It's all true."

"So why the fu-"

"Because," Ako interrupts, pressing on. There's no way he's about to do this to them, not now. Not fucking now. "Because I might say something, something true, but it doesn't mean it'll stay true forever. I can love you one night and then forget you the next. That's how I work, and I think you'd be aware of that by now. Christ. Do you not have anything better to do than to bring up things like this in the middle of the night?"

Nerio snorts, turns away, as if he'd been slapped. "Yeah. Okay. You know that almost makes you worse, right?"

Ako reaches for him, forces him to look at them - to look at them good and remember who the hell it is he's talking to, who the hell he's preaching moral judgements to. "You think I give a shit about right or wrong? I just am, that's all."

"Mm. I've heard that one a bunch of times."

"Don't you start getting moralistic on me, Nerio," Ako hisses. "We're fucking child killers, okay? And pretty soon we're gonna get up and we're gonna do some child killing - you more than me, I'm sure. You're not a saint - and I don't care, nobody is. But there's no way in hell you're going to bring morality into the equation, you hear me?"

Nerio blinks, swallows. Glances down at where Ako is gripping his arm. "Fine. You're right. Sorry. I just… I guess I wanted to clear the air before we went up and fought to the death, you know? Kind of my last chance to find out what the fuck you meant that night."

That makes sense, in a way. Ako can understand not wanting to leave without clarity. They wish they could give them a more sensible explanation, though, something to ease the pain. Something other than the fact that love is a bruise for them, some weird ache that comes and goes as it pleases. "Yeah. Alright." Ako releases his arm. "I get it. I'm sorry about that night. Sincerely, I am. And that's why I never did it again. Realized immediately how cruel it'd be to make you the victim of these… phases of mine. That's all. All it is, and all it ever will be."

(Does it make them sound pathetic, self-pitying, to acknowledge that being the object of their affection is a curse? Does it make them sound like those tortured poets from One? It's true, though. It's an affliction they wouldn't wish on anyone.)

"That makes sense," Nerio nods, and he seems to regain a sense of balance. "Okay. We're good."

Ako cracks a smile. They've always felt so much lighter when Nerio's his regular self. They're not sure what they'd do without his loyalty. "We're good."

(They can only hope this fragile balance holds strong during the Bloodbath.)