Chapter Text
Gerard slowly stirred, hearing a soft call of a crow in the distance. He was quite a light sleeper, and had been woken by a door shutting once. It would be quite a problem to many people; not Gerard. He counted on automatically waking up early so he could hunt for food with Frank.
Being careful to not stir his brother, Mikey, Gerard quietly got ready for hunting. He slipped his leather boots on. They were pitch black, and were his late father's. He didn't care what clothes he was in, as he didn't have a mother around to tell him to put some decent ones on. They would suffice for hunting, anyways. A white, button-up shirt, and brown slacks.
As he got his jacket on, he made sure he had his knives with him. Throwing knives... Three silver ones. They were his prized possession, and he made sure to keep them clean.
He grabbed his game bag, and made his way out. The usual hustle and bustle of the Seam was nonexistent today. Maybe it was because of Gerard's early awakening, or maybe it was because of the Reaping. Probably the latter. Coal miners usually swarmed the streets, armed with mining helmets and pickaxes. But, today, they would get in their best clothes. They'd hug and kiss their sons a possible last goodbye. They'd try to eat, but have a sick feeling of the possible in their stomach. Then, they'd go to the reaping.
It was the 100th Hunger Games. The 4th Quarter Quell. President Snow had gotten a bit lazy with this one, and just had said odd numbered districts had to send 2 girls and no boys. Even numbered districts, on the other hand, had to send 2 boys and no girls.
Gerard pushed a feeling of possible inevitability back. Mikey was 15. He hadn't been allowed to take out any tesserae; Gerard found it to be too dangerous for his baby brother to do. He'd taken out two tesserae instead. His name was entered twenty one times. Mikey's, on the other hand, was entered four times. Four was four more than Gerard wanted, but it was the least he could have.
Gerard stopped, making sure that no sort of buzz was coming from the usually dead electric fence. Hearing nothing, he slid under it using one of the various holes in it.
The forest was dense, wet, and beautiful. Foliage dotted the floor, and Gerard was careful to not step on any of it as he made his way to where he knew Frank was.
The black-haired boy smirked as he saw Gerard coming in.
"Hey, dude. Did you bring stuff?"
"Yup." Gerard searched his game bag, revealing a few pieces of bread. Not like the ones you'd make from tesserae. They were like bakery bread. He'd been saving them for today.
"Cool. Look what I shot us." Frank held up a bag of greens and strawberries, with an arrow piercing the bag. Gerard giggled a bit.
"Anyways, we should probably get to hunting."
"Yea. Your little bro needs to eat, too."
They nodded, and walked together. Frank was definitely a better hunter than Gerard by a landslide. Gerard could only use knives and fishing rods. Frank could effectively use tridents, fishing nets, knives, bows, and lances. Gerard was grateful to have him as a friend, as just a meagre knife wouldn't have been able to support Mikey and himself.
They shot five rabbits, eight turkeys, and a deer. Combined with the greens they gathered, it was essentially a feast. They walked back to their meeting place, as it overlooked a meadow, and sat down. They started eating, wild blackberries being placed on the bread.
"So... How much are you entered?"
"Twenty one times."
"Oh. I'm only entered fourteen times. If you get in the games, I'll volunteer to be your buddy, though."
"Dude, who the hell would support Mikey then?"
"He's fifteen. He can care for himself. If he can't, the boy's home will take him in." Frank took a blackberry from the pile of greens, and popped it into his mouth. "It's as simple as that."
"Frank, he can't go to that home. I've seen boys who live there, and the light's completely drained out of their eyes. They're obviously abused there. Mikey's way too fragile to go to a hellish place like that."
"He'll get used to it."
"God, you can be so cold sometimes."
"I know." Frank noticed that Gerard obviously looked hurt from his remarks. He did know how much Gerard cared for Mikey, but didn't know he wouldn't take a joke.
"Fuck, dude, I didn't mean it. Gee." Frank grabbed Gerard's chin and turned his head to face him. "I was joking."
"I know, but the thought of that happening to my baby brother..." Gerard shivered.
"He's freaking fifteen, Gerard."
"I know, but that's three years younger than me. That's still a baby to me."
"We should probably get this all split and traded."
"Yea, probably." They started gathering up their hauls, splitting them evenly between themselves.
They traded the deer for about 30 good loaves of bread, as it was a good-sized kill, and was nearly unhurt. The birds and rabbits brought in 16 fish, and they split the greens they gathered without trading. Frank walked Gerard to his house, and hugged him.
"You're not gonna get reaped. Don't worry."
"I'll try. Bye, Frank."
"See you later, Gee."
Gerard walked into his house, to see Mikey sitting at the table. He was ready for the Reaping, and had the biggest grin on his face. It almost reached his glasses.
"What were you doing with your boyfriend while you were gone?"
"Mikey, we're not dating! So help me, I will break your glasses..."
"What? It's not my fault you say his name in your sleep." Mikey was answered with Gerard blushing, and laughed.
"Can't refute that statement, eh?"
"I-I guess not."
Gerard threw his game bag on the table, and walked into the bedroom to get ready.
Mikey took care of all the domestic duties around the house: Cleaning, cooking, and stuff like that. He'd laid out Gerard's dressy clothes: Just a tie, dress shirt, and pants. He slipped into them, and combed his long, black hair. Staring at the mirror, he noticed he didn't look half bad.
Walking back out, he sat at the table. He started taking things out of the game bag. Handed a handful of greens and half a piece of bread to Mikey. It was obvious that even Mikey was stressed.
They didn't eat anything, really. They silently got up, putting the remnants of their meal in Gerard's game bag. Before walking out, Gerard hugged Mikey.
"It's gonna be okay. Don't you worry, baby bro."
Mikey usually would tell Gerard he wasn't a baby, but he refrained from doing that today. Along with about 50 other people, they walked to the Market Square. There was a low-key buzz as they made their way to the registering. They got their fingers pricked -Gerard hated this part, since he had a deathly fear of needles-. Making his way to the eighteen year olds, he noticed Frank among them.
Pushing through the crowd, he hugged Frank suddenly.
"What the f- oh, Gee. Quite a coincidence to see you here."
"Same to you, Frank."
"It's strange to only see guys in the pens, isn't it?"
"Yea, I guess so." He waved to Mikey, who was sitting feebly in the fifteen year old pen.
The mayor made his way to the stage. Read some stupid things. Gerard honestly didn't listen to it anymore.
A crazy-looking Capitol lady walked on the stage. Said some stuff Gerard didn't bother listening to. It never changed.
"And now, it's time to pick boy number one!" She said in her horrid accent, sashaying over to the glass bowl. She dug her hand into it, and opened a single paper. Gerard didn't know what happened next.
All he knew was that he heard the name "Mikey Way".