Nightlock
As Sirius returned to the cave, Gideon's concern etched across his face, he called out, "Gideon. I got the medicine."
Gideon's eyes darted to the cut on Sirius's forehead, his worry intensifying. "What happened to you?" he asked.
"Nothing. I'm fine," Sirius reassured him, though Gideon wasn't convinced. "No, you're not fine. What happened?" Gideon persisted.
"The girl from 3, she threw a knife at me," Sirius explained.
"You shouldn't have gone. You said you weren't gonna go," Gideon scolded, his concern turning into frustration.
"You got worse," Sirius pointed out, attempting to justify his actions. Sirius carefully applied the medicine cream onto Gideon's injured leg. "I'm sorry," he added, noticing Gideon wincing at the pain.
Gideon, acknowledging the apology, insisted, "You need some of that too."
"I'm okay," Sirius insisted.
"That feels better," Gideon admitted after Sirius applied the cream. "Okay, now you," he said, determined to tend to Sirius's wound.
"I'm okay," Sirius repeated.
"No, come on, you need it too," Gideon insisted, urging Sirius to take care of himself. "All right," Sirius relented, leaning forward so that Gideon could massage the cream into the cut on his forehead.
The next morning, as Sirius and Gideon woke up, their eyes met, and they both smiled, exchanging a simultaneous "Hi." Gideon couldn't help but be drawn to the cut on Sirius's forehead, and he gently cradled Sirius's head in his hands, saying, "You're so much better."
"Oh my god, Gideon," Sirius responded, their eyes locked.
Looking down at Gideon's leg wound, Sirius remarked, "I hardly feel anything."
"We could go home," Sirius suggested.
"We could. We're the only team left," Gideon acknowledged, and the possibility of returning home brought smiles to their faces. They shared a hug, a silent understanding passing between them.
Walking along the rocks in the water, Gideon strategized, "We know Tyler took off. Rodolphus is gonna be by the cornucopia. He's not gonna go someplace he doesn't know. Foxface, she could be anywhere."
"We should probably hunt around here. We don't have any food left," Sirius suggested.
"Okay, I'll take the bow," Gideon teased.
"I'm just kidding. I'll go pick some stuff," Gideon added with a playful smile, noticing Sirius's attachment to the bow.
Sirius was on the verge of shooting a bird when the sound of a cannon pierced the air. Panicking, he turned and ran in the direction Gideon had gone. "Gideon?" he called out anxiously.
Turning a corner, Sirius came across a pile of poisonous fruit. "Gideon!" he yelled, fear and concern coursing through him. Spotting Gideon, he ran toward him. "Are you okay? I heard the cannon, and I thought..."
"That's nightlock, Sirius! You'd be dead in a minute," Gideon explained.
"I didn't know," Gideon apologised.
"You scared me to death. Damn you," Sirius scolded, the fear turning into a mixture of anger and relief. They wrapped their arms around each other for comfort, and Gideon could only say, "I'm sorry."
"I didn't even know she was following me," Gideon added as they noticed the lifeless body of Foxface.
"She's clever," Sirius acknowledged.
"Too clever," Gideon agreed.
Sirius approached Foxface's hand, gathering the berries. "What are you doing?" Gideon asked.
"Maybe Rodolphus likes berries too?" Sirius replied, a hint of dark humour in his voice. The arena had taught them to be wary, even in moments of relief.
As Sirius and Gideon ventured deeper into the woods, Sirius asked, "Can you hear that noise?" Suddenly, screams and the barks of dogs echoed through the arena. Gideon questioned, "What was that?"
"The finale," Sirius responded, and a cannon shot confirmed the grim truth. The holographic poster of Tyler from District 2 appeared, signalling his demise.
"Let's go," Sirius urged, realising it was now just the two of them and Rodolphus. Without warning, an angry dog lunged at Gideon, causing chaos. Sirius swiftly aimed an arrow, diverting the dog's attention and allowing Gideon to break free. They sprinted deeper into the woods, with Gideon instructing, "Go."
Two more dogs appeared, forcing them to retreat to the cornucopia spot. Gideon assisted Sirius in climbing the monument, pulling him up just in time to evade the pursuing dogs. However, Rodolphus emerged, swiftly turning Sirius towards him and delivering a punch to Gideon's face.
Anticipating Rodolphus's impending attack on Sirius, Gideon tackled him, initiating a wrestling match. Despite Gideon's efforts, Rodolphus managed to break free, tackling him to the ground once again. He then turned to Sirius, engaging in a fierce confrontation. Sirius, blocking Rodolphus's attacks, found himself in a perilous situation as Rodolphus grabbed his neck and pushed him to the monument's floor.
Gideon intervened, pulling Rodolphus off Sirius and delivering a powerful punch. Regaining composure, Sirius locked an arrow, aiming for the opportune moment. Rodolphus, holding Gideon in a headlock, taunted, "Go on, shoot. Then we both go down, and you win."
"Go on. I'm dead anyway. I always was, right?" Rodolphus continued, revealing a hint of self-awareness. "I didn't know that till now. I can still do this one more kill. It's the only thing I know how to do."
Unable to tolerate Rodolphus's manipulation, Sirius released the arrow, striking Rodolphus's hand. Rodolphus yelled in pain, giving Gideon an opportunity to elbow him and push him off the monument. As Rodolphus fell, the hungry dogs below found their new target.
Sirius, feeling a surge of compassion for Rodolphus, aimed another arrow at him, ensuring a swift end between the pursuing dogs. The atmosphere shifted as the hungry canines devoured their fallen adversary. Sirius and Gideon, relieved and emotionally drained, shared a tight hug on top of the monument.
As they descended, another announcement echoed through the arena. "Attention, tributes. There has been a slight change of rule. The previous revision, allowing two tributes from the same district, has been revoked. Only one victor may be crowned. Good luck, and may the odds be forever in your favour."
Gideon suggested, "Go ahead. One of us should go home. One of us has to die. They have to have their victor."
"No," Sirius protested, slamming his bow on the ground. "Why should they? They don't."
Sirius revealed the nightlock, and Gideon hesitated. "No," Gideon said, covering Sirius's hand. "Trust me!" Sirius insisted.
Meanwhile, Gellert watched the screen with an indecipherable look.
"Together?" Gideon proposed.
"Together," Sirius affirmed.
"Okay," Gideon agreed.
"One," Gideon started.
"Two," Sirius continued, while Gideon played with his hair.
"Three," Gideon declared, moving the nightlock close to their mouths. However, they halted when a voice on the announcement speaker exclaimed, "Stop! Stop! Ladies and gentlemen, may I present the winners of the 74th Annual Hunger Games!"
Relieved, Sirius hugged Gideon. "They're not happy with you," Alastor warned Sirius after they were collected by the peacekeepers. "Because I didn't die?" Sirius retorted. "Because you showed them up," Alastor explained.
On the penthouse roof, Sirius expressed his discontent. "Well, I'm sorry it didn't go the way they planned. I'm not very happy with them either."
In the meantime, Gellert found himself locked in a room with a bowl of nightlock, following Alastor's instructions.
"When they ask, you say you couldn't help yourself," Alastor instructed Sirius. "You were so madly in love with this boy that the thought of not being with him was unthinkable. You'd rather die than not be with him. You understand?"
Rita Skeeter questioned Sirius and Gideon about their feelings during the Games. "I felt like the happiest person in the world," Sirius confessed, reaching for Gideon's hand.
Gideon added, "He saved my life."
"We saved each other," Sirius concluded.
In the parade stadium, Tom Riddle crowned Sirius. "Congratulations," Riddle said. "Thank you," Sirius responded. Tom noticed the mockingjay pin and commented, "What a lovely pin."
"Thank you, it's from my district," Sirius replied. "They must be very proud of you," Tom acknowledged.
On the train back to District 12, Gideon asked Sirius about their future. "I don't know. I guess we try to forget," Sirius replied. However, Gideon expressed his reluctance to forget.
Upon their return to District 12, they waved to the cheering crowd. Sirius spotted his mother, Regulus, and the supportive faces of Remus, James, and Peter.
In the dimly lit gameshow room, Tom Riddle observed the jubilant celebration in District 12 on the large screen. The cheers for Sirius and Gideon echoed through the room, and the dangerous glint in Tom's eyes intensified. The victorious atmosphere seemed to irk him, as if the joy of the people below unsettled the calm façade he usually wore.
As the camera panned over the ecstatic crowd, Tom's gaze remained fixed on the screen, revealing a hint of displeasure beneath his composed exterior. The noise of the cheering masses and the jubilation of District 12 seemed to grate on him, an unwelcome disruption to his carefully laid plans.
Suddenly, Tom stood up from his seat, his movements deliberate and controlled. The dangerous look on his face lingered, a silent indication of his thoughts and emotions. Without a word, he walked out of the gameshow room.