As Above (So Below)

Chapter One: Avarice

Megumi straightened his shirt in front of the mirror, avoiding Satoru's eyes.

The boy had always been nervous around reapings - understandable, due to his upbringing and family history, but still a little unnerving. Satoru approached him from behind, ruffling his hair and straightening the pressed white button-up for him, getting Megumi in order for the main square. It wasn't a requirement to dress up, but in a Career district, everyone was looking their best for the reaping. Megumi batted his hands away, blushing, but Satoru could tell he took comfort in being taken care of. It was Megumi's first reaping, and the younger boy was terrified.

"You're not going to be reaped, Megumi." Satoru said, firm and immediate. Megumi nodded

once, but it was clear he didn't believe him. That was his biggest set-back - he was too caught up in his own head to rationalize that Satoru would rather die than let him get whisked away to the arena. Megumi doubted all of Satoru's kindnesses, though. He couldn't fathom that someone found him worthy of protecting. Satoru wanted to march right up to Toji and beat his ass again.

"What if they do pick me, though?" Megumi asked, his voice small and wavering. Satoru waved off the question with a hand motion, dismissing it.

"I won't let that happen. Besides, we're District One - there's gonna be a line for volunteers. None of the original selections actually go to the arena." Satoru replied, letting a soft, reassuring look slide over his neutral features. Enough to charm and soothe, but not enough to smother. He'd always had that quality - being able to conceal or even pick and choose his emotions. This time, it was a concealment. Reapings always set his teeth on edge - there was no telling when the volunteering rules would be amended again, and Satoru knew the Capital must be getting tired of the song and dance year after year. They'd amended them twenty-four years ago, for the annual Quarter Quell, anticipating the sheer number of volunteers. Those rules had locked-down the process somewhat, but not enough that Satoru was truly concerned he couldn't volunteer in Megumi's stead.

"And what about Tsumiki?" Megumi asked, his voice quivering. Satoru sighed. Tsumiki was complicated - Satoru didn't feel the same obligation to her as he felt to Megumi, mostly because he'd had Megumi and Tsumiki's drain on his expenses funded by the Career Technical School, and the only one they'd really wanted was Megumi. That meant Satoru spent most of his time looking out for the younger boy, and so their bond was deeper. Tsumiki was smart, pretty, charming - all qualities that should've endeared her to Satoru, but he'd always had a soft spot for Megumi.

"If Tsumiki gets reaped, the exact same rules apply." Satoru reassured, leaving Megumi's small room and knocking on Tsumiki's door. "And Shoko will volunteer for her if no one else does." As if called by the mention of her, Tsumiki exited her room in a pale blue knee-length knit dress, a ribbon tied sloppily in her hair. He reached for her, spinning her around so her back faced him, and re-tied the ribbon. Megumi darted to her, replacing her shadow with how close he curled to her side. She looked painfully young in the outfit, and Satoru was stricken by the immaturity of the two children under his care. Twelve and fourteen. Tributes had won at fourteen, but never at twelve. Megumi smiled at his sister, soft and innocent, the slight pudge of childhood clinging to his frame. Never ever at twelve.

"Alright, who wants breakfast?" Satoru asked, voice laced with false cheer. Megumi and Tsumiki were too smart to buy it, but they played into it anyway, much to Satoru's relief. He couldn't handle a pre-reaping meltdown, not like Tsumiki's first year. Megumi had wailed so loud the neighbors called the Peacekeepers, and almost earned himself a whipping if Satoru hadn't talked them out of it. He got certain benefits from being the CTS Darling, like a monthly stipend for the kids and the ire of the faculty for not volunteering already. That, plus the monthly guilt allowance from Megumi's piece-of-shit father, Toji, was enough for his little rag-tag band of strays to live comfortably. All he needed was one more year without being drawn in the reaping and he'd be in the clear - he'd have a teaching position at CTS and the peace of mind that he'd be around for the kids.