Tw mentions of blood and death
.....
The arena was silent, the only sound was the rustling of the leaves as a light breeze swept through the forest. James Potter's breathing was heavy, each inhalation a painful reminder of the past few days' brutality. Y/N L/N stood a few feet away, her eyes scanning their surroundings for any sign of danger. They were the only two left now, lovers in a death match.
James wiped the blood from his forehead, a mixture of dirt and sweat stinging his eyes. He looked over at Y/N, his heart aching at the sight of her worn and battered body. She was standing strong, but he knew she was exhausted, every muscle in her body screaming for rest.
"We need to keep moving," Y/N said, her voice barely above a whisper. She was clutching a makeshift spear, her knuckles white from the grip.
James nodded, swallowing hard. "I know. But we're safe for now. No one's coming."
Y/N looked at him, her eyes reflecting the fear and uncertainty they both felt. "How can you be so sure?"
"Because it's just us," James replied, his voice cracking. "There's no one else left."
They were the last two tributes, the final pieces in a deadly game orchestrated by the Capitol. They had survived against all odds, and now, it came down to the two of them.
James stepped closer to Y/N, his hand reaching out to touch her face. She flinched slightly but didn't pull away. "I can't do this," he whispered, his voice breaking. "I can't kill you."
Y/N's eyes filled with tears. "James, we don't have a choice. If we don't, they'll kill us both."
James shook his head. "No, we can find another way. We can beat them at their own game."
Y/N stared at him, hope flickering in her eyes. "How?"
James looked around, his mind racing. They were in a forest, surrounded by trees and underbrush. An idea began to form. "What if we pretend? Pretend to kill each other, but we don't. We make them think we're dead."
Y/N's eyes widened. "And how do we do that?"
James reached into his pocket, pulling out a small vial of nightlock berries he had found earlier. "We use these. We pretend to eat them, but we don't actually swallow."
Y/N looked at the berries, her heart pounding. "What if it doesn't work?"
James took her hand, squeezing it gently. "We have to try. It's our only chance."
Y/N nodded, her resolve hardening. "Okay. Let's do it."
They sat down on the ground, facing each other. James handed Y/N a few berries, keeping some for himself. "On three," he said, his voice steady. "One... two... three."
They both put the berries in their mouths, careful not to bite down. James could taste the bitter tang of the nightlock, his stomach churning at the thought of what they were doing. He looked into Y/N's eyes, trying to convey all the love and determination he felt.
Suddenly, a loud voice boomed through the arena. "Stop! Stop, right now!"
James and Y/N froze, their hearts racing. They looked around, trying to pinpoint the source of the voice.
"This is the Capitol. Do not eat the berries. You are both winners. Repeat, you are both winners."
James and Y/N spat out the berries, their hands trembling. They had done it. They had beaten the Capitol at their own game.
Relief washed over James as he pulled Y/N into his arms, holding her tightly. "We did it," he whispered, his voice choked with emotion. "We survived."
Y/N clung to him, tears streaming down her face. "We did. But at what cost?"
James pulled back, looking into her eyes. "At the cost of showing them that love and humanity can triumph over their cruelty. We gave them a story they can't ignore."
They sat there for a moment, holding each other, as the hovercraft descended to take them back to the Capitol. They knew their fight wasn't over. They would face new challenges, new battles. But for now, they had each other, and that was enough.
As they were lifted out of the arena, James pressed a kiss to Y/N's forehead, whispering, "I love you. And no matter what happens, we'll face it together."
Y/N nodded, her eyes filled with determination. "Together."
The Capitol had tried to break them, but they had emerged stronger, their bond unbreakable. And as they faced the uncertain future, they knew they had something the Capitol could never take away: their love and their will to fight.
