Firecracker: The 99th Games Book One

Arena, Night 8 Part 2

In the end, Fuyuko and the Ionicas harvested a couple of taro roots, three heavily bruised mangoes, and some broken sugarcanes. It wasn't a large haul, but it would keep them satisfied for a few days at least. Marco used a few thick jungle leaves and their wire to lightly tie some makeshift bandages around Fuyuko's neck, just so she didn't have to see the scar if they happened on any reflective puddles during any successive journeys. They used the rain to fill their water bottles and used the last of their iodine tablets to disinfect it. Fuyuko didn't leave Piero's side all day, and even as the sun set and the moon rose, bidding the alliance to get ready for sleep, she found she couldn't will herself to move away.

"...Marco, I'll stay up with Fuyu for first and second watch," Piero decided. "You get some sleep."

"...I think you need some sleep," Marco said gently.

"I can't," Piero replied simply. Fuyuko glanced up at him; that same empty expression and monotonous voice from his murder of Chou had returned. Worried, she hugged his arm closer. Piero smiled sadly at her. "...Besides, we...we need to talk."

Marco nodded. Hesitant, he crawled over to hug Piero close, gently brushed Fuyuko's bangs behind her ear with a warm smile, and returned to his corner to curl up and try to sleep.

For a while, Fuyuko and Piero were quiet.

"...I'm sorry," Piero finally said. "...For...a lot."

Fuyuko frowned, shaking her head. Whaddaya mean, " a lot...?"

"I shouldn't have kissed you," Piero continued in a low voice. "I...I think a piece of me was a little spiteful. When I realized you only cared about me because you had to...I guess it stung more than I expected."

Fuyuko squeezed his arm closer, licking her lips. Though she was still struggling with the lingering horror of Evan's attempted murder, her voice was slowly coming back. Could she finally speak again...?

Mustering courage, in a broken whisper, she said, "that's...n-not true."

Piero blinked, worried. "It's okay, you don't have to talk. It's alright."

Again, Fuyuko shook her head. Barely audible, she continued. "I...i-it's not...b-because of him."

Piero frowned. "...Well, now I feel even worse."

"...At..." Fuyuko hesitated, shaking. Every time she spoke, she became aware of the tiny cut on her neck again. Shuddering, she snuggled closer to Piero, giving up on talking for now. Come on. I gotta talk to him somehow...!

Piero was quiet for a moment. Seemingly thinking of something, he pulled two backpacks closer and dug inside until he found their flashlight. Clicking it on, he shined it at the mud just in front of the two.

"Here, write in the mud," he advised. "I'll read it and respond out loud. Is that okay...?"

Fuyuko let out a quiet sigh of relief, nodding. That sounded perfect.

Removing one hand from Piero, she wrote in the mud with a trembling finger.

"I wasn't just pretending to like you."

Piero chuckled bitterly. "...God, I'm so sorry. I jumped to conclusions."

Fuyuko wiped out her previous message and wrote a new one. "But Asahi does want me to pretend to be in love with you. He told me to kiss you to get sponsors interested again."

Piero nodded slowly. "...And you didn't want to," he guessed. Fuyuko also nodded. "...You could have told me, you know. I would have tried to help you think of another option instead of traumatizing you."