No Time to Die (A DSMP Hunger Games AU)

The Reaping

By the time they'd clambered back through the tattered fence the roads of District twelve were bustling with motion and Sapnap had two more squirrels and a rabbit strapped to his belt, deftly shot down on the way back.

It was easy to slide back onto the crowd, their feet swiftly carrying them to the sight and to the small black market, a routine after every hunting session. It was where they sold the most of their catch and was stationed in an old coal factory. It had originally been where the barrels full of coal would be dropped off and then forth taken to the Capitol but a few years ago they had built a more efficient railway that took it straight from the mines. It hadn't taken long for the shops to move in.

It's normally closed on Reaping day, but there were still the regulars George and Sapnap could count on, easily selling some squirrels for some more bread, a larger loaf then the first time, and a rabbit for some salt. The rest they either sell for money or split between them. There's usually a feast thrown after the reaping ceremony, a celebration of those who don't get picked so half the meat they sold will probably end up coming back round into their stomachs anyway.

"Hold up George I want to buy something, wait for me ahead." Sap called, half jogging back into the dark interior of the market, leaving the brunette hanging by the door.

The Peacekeepers cared little for the use of the shack. They knew that the food they brought most likely would come through here so like with the hunting many of them turned a blind eye. That didn't mean George felt any less nervous as he hung around the entrance, eyes flickering around for any passerbiers, fingers tapping nervously against the wood.

It took what felt like minuets before Sapnap appeared from the dimly lit area once more, practically skipping over to him, hands locked behind his back as if concealing some surprise he most definitely didn't want to see.

"Whatever you've got I don't want it." George drawled, eyeing his friend up warily as they continued walking. Their last stop would be the mayors house. He had a daughter that had a love for the strawberries they would pick from just by the boarder. He always gave them a more than fair price.

"Oh come on." The dark haired male whined, speeding up so that he traipsed in front of the other. "You don't even know what it is."

"I know you just bought it, so I know it's probably nothing good." George decided. The walk between the market and the Mayors house wasn't that far, but it was separate from the more slum parts of the District, by the perfectly pristine victors cottages. Not that any of them really had someone living in.

Their only victor spent most of his time in the pub.

"Okay, promise it's not bad, just have to close your eyes Gogy."

If the words were supposed to reassure George of the presents harmlessness it ended up doing the opposite, the other reviving a sceptical look. "If I have to close my eyes for it it's definitely bad."

"Oh George stop being such a wimp. Accept my present and I won't tease you about your height again. Promise."

The brunette stopped in his place, unbelieving at the others surely untrue promise. It was a sort of habit of Sapnap's, that being the very annoying habit of picking on George for his height. There must only have been a few centimetres between the two, but that was all the ravenette needed to start the long years of bullying and teasing between them. He would never let George win it over, especially the fact the shorter was a few months older then him.

"Deal." He sighed, closing his eyes and bracing for the worst of what his friend would give him. Once he had found a grass snake and plonked it into George's hands claiming it was a gift and another time it had been a raw fox liver.