"Wow, look at you, don't you just look incredibly handsome."

After combing through the thick locks of the younger boy's hair, Baekhyun couldn't really stop himself from pinching the rosy, red cheeks of the smaller boy, despite the little boys protest. But nevertheless, Baekbeom smiled, checking himself out in front of the terribly cracked mirror in the corner of the room.

"I'll get ready now okay little man? I'll see you in a bit."

Baekhyun stood up and walk out of the old room, only to be stopped by the little boy hugging his waist.

"Thank you for everything...I love you...daddy."

Before Baekhyun had the mere chance to decipher what the younger had said, nor the time to dwell on the depths of those simple words within seconds, Baekbeom had ran off, most likely to keep the warm in front of the fireplace in this dead winter time.

Baekhyun softened as he saw the little kid crouched down to play with the two cats. It's a shame they'll have to skin them eventually for food and possibly some clothing but that was besides what Baekhyun cared for at the moment. All he cared about was that one boy that was like a puzzle piece of his family, a puzzle piece that were assembled to create his life, and there was nothing that could ever burn piece away, because Baekhyun wouldn't allow that. Never.

'I'll be your father, Beom....I'll be your father...I'll protect you.'

--

Baekhyun took the time to check himself out in front of the same overly-damaged mirror which was the only one in their destroyed, worn-out house.

Not too shabby, Byun. Not too shabby.

Baekhyun wasn't wearing any particularly special, after all, their District's wealth couldn't keep them suffering starvation, let alone consist of a fashion sense. He wore a simple denim blue plaited shirt, he same one his father had worn before he was taken away from them. He also has brown suspenders clipped down to the washed out, ripped jeans. He combed his hair over to the side, letting his side roots show.

Baekhyun took a whiff of the shirt, something he did to keep his pride high and mighty. It seemed like mere seconds, just standing there smelling the scent of his father, when in reality he was there for minutes. Yet, Baekhyun did nothing about it, he just simply stood there and eased all the anxiety and nervousness.

None of these games are going to be different. Every year, 23 tributes will die in vein, for the satisfaction of others, leaving one person victorious. But to Baekhyun, these games were never going to be different. There was never a winner. Only a savage.

After a fair period of time, the thought he would spend some time with his mother, after all, she needed him as much as he needed her.

His mother was in her own room. Although she was aware of her oldest' sons presence in her room, she had not acknowledged him, still lost in her self despair.
She was sitting on the corner of the small, double bed, looking down brokenly at a framed photo. It was a family photo, the last one they ever took, and the last time she ever smiled. In the photo, she had one hand on her husbands arm whilst one of her husbands hand was on her waist. Both had one of their hands on Little Baekhyun's shoulder. Little Baekhyun was smiling cheekily with his two front teeth still growing, holding a baby Baekbeom in his small arms.

"Times like these were simply, where we didn't have to worry if we could see another tomorrow, where we didn't have to ponder on the meaning of our existence for the Capitol..." Although her back was still turned away from her son, she was still talking to him, knowing well that he was attentive to everything she said.

"These games...at what cost will they pay for the sake of inhumane entertainment...it sickens me. No one should go through such pain of losing someone so dear, so special...no one should be left imprisoned in their own dark self abyss."

She finally stood up and turned around. Despite Baekhyun doing everything to keep her up on her feet, he could still notice the unhealthy features, from the deep dark circles that showed her sleep deprivation to her pale, skinny body, cheeks naturally hollowing unhealthily. 

She slowly walked up to Baekhyun, who noticed as if she was purely dragging her feet across the floor. Lifting her hands to flatten the creases on the plaited shirt, her frown straightened out as she looked straight into her suns eyes with tear-shrouded eyes.

"You look extraordinary handsome, especially in this shirt...just like your father."

Baekhyun knew what she needed the most at the moment and he would be denying it if he said he didn't need the same but in the matter of seconds, he had his mother in his arms, letting her realise all the pains and sorrows onto his shoulders, fighting his own tears. Tears were unacceptable for Baekhyun. No. They were a sign of weakness and that wasn't what he needed in him. Not one bit. Because he is the responsibility to this family.

After times and times of comforting his mother, her messy hair and patting her back, his soothing voice spreading throughout the enclosed room as she calmed down from the beautiful sounds that was Baekhyun's voice.

"Nothing's going to be different, Eomma, we'll go to the reaping, someone will be sacrificed and then we can go back to our daily life."

"I-I just hope your right, my dear...I just can't afford to think like that...Are the odds ever in our favour?"

--

Walking hand in hand with little Baekbeom, Baekhyun was walking into the open area where the reaping took place every year. A special podium was created every year, contrasting it's modernised look with the ruined city and the poor sanitised living conditions of District 12. 

Here Baekhyun saw many other teenagers and young adults assemble, most of which Baekhyun had known or are a acquaintanced to. The death of his father left a great toll on his social life. He had distanced himself from the friends that he loved, fading away like the Ink pigments of a fading photo, taking the importance of family into a whole new level. Baekhyun is always out of the boarders of the ruins of District 12, despite that being prohibited with the punishment of death, hunting for food to feed for the people of his district and keep his family well.

They were out of his life, practically, but not out of his mind. Especially that one person. That one person was truly something. His deep voice that would soothe all the pains of life, where he could just close his eyes and just forgot about everything, forget about the pains of the past that haunts the future, forget about the past and most certainly, forgot about the future that is to come. His smile that made his insides melt, melt with all the insecurities and weaknesses that would drag him down like shackles made of pure steel. But his eyes stood out, the beautiful eyes that burnt bright, like the wings of a blazing Phoenix, blazing with hope and desire. It was also the same eyes that longed to say 'I love you' to none other than Baekhyun himself. But Baekhyun had made up his mind.

'No...I must...this is for the greater good...for the both of us...'

Not focusing on the reality he was in, he had bumped into a sturdy chest, almost falling over if not for the strong hands clasped around his own arms. Baekhyun looked up and another part of him died again.

It was him. He was the one.

He looked down at Baekhyun with the same beautiful burning eyes, the eyes that longed for one thing.

"Hey Baekkie...it's been a while, huh?"

'No, this isn't right, please don't do this to me. You're making it harder for me. All these years haven't changed a thing.'

Baekhyun only looked down towards his muddy boots and continued to speed off, still holding onto a confused Baekbeom as he was struggling to keep up.

The odds as always were never in his favour as 'the one' had a soft yet restraining grip on his wrist. The grip was so soft yet so hard. Hard to let go. Baekhyun tensed with the touch and quickly pulled away.

"Baekhyun, please...."

Baekhyun couldn't let his feelings escalate anymore. The feelings were still strong and overpowering after all this time.

"I'm sorry....Chanyeol."

--

The reaping was about to begin and just like every year, the atmosphere was dead, just like what 23 of them will be in a weeks time.

They were forced to give a blood sample of each possible tribute, just In case you were to escape if you were reaped, which would result in public execution, along with the age. The older you are, the higher the chances your name was getting reaped. 

Once all errands were done, they were all the line up with their respective age groups.

Baekhyun took the time to look around, trying to ignore the disgusted feeling that they all looked like army men going into a so-called 'war'. With the odds, out if the entire crowd, his eyes had landed on him again, still the same eyes. Baekhyun looked away almost instantly, missing out on the hurt that flashed clearly on the eyes of the boy.

Parents of the possible tributes were all surrounded the army of kids and teenagers. Baekhyun's mother was at the very front, biting her nails nervously.

With the screeching of the microphone, a booming, enthusiastic loud voice was heard from the surround sound microphone.

"Welcome, welcome, welcome. The time has come to select two courageous warriors. Warriors who will fight for the honour of their district, fight for the honour of their pride, and to fight, for the honour of the 49th annual, Hunger Games." An overly caked faced women had announced deatheningly.

"I'll save you from the 'dying' anticipation of seeing who the tributes will be this year, so let's get started. And may the odds be ever in your favour. Peacemakers."

With that, an army of what were known as Peacemakers marched on stage, they were policemen all dressed in white, with armed technology and weaponry. Two had come up, with a huge jar with a collection of names. Their name was ironic itself, Baekhyun thought. He saw them as nothing but Nazis rather than makers of human peace.

The cake faced women elegantly flicked her hand as she picked a name out, walking about to the middle of the stage. She has a feline snarl that Baekhyun just wanted to swipe off her face.

"And the first tribute is....Byun Baekbeom."

'W-w-what..? N-n-n-o...."

--

The entire mob was in absolute shock. For the first time in 49 years in District 12, a 12 year old has been called out.

Baekhyun body was frozen solid, sweat building up profoundingly. He was finding it hard to breathe as the world around he turned silent and slow. Everything moved so slowly, yet reality escalated too quickly. Chanyeol looked extremely worrying at Baekhyun, not aware of his hands bleeding from his nails digging deep into his flesh from the pressure.

It wasn't until there was a bloody shriek did Baekhyun wake up to reality. His mother had fallen to the grounds, punching the group as she cried and cried, clawing at ep anyone who dared to approach her.

Baekbeom was at the very front, still not moving from his space. In no time. The Peacemakers were next to him, ready to the boy.

"You're making history, kid. Don't let it get to your head now get going."

Baekbeom, completely scared and traumatized, stayed in the spot as he hyperventilated, finding it difficult to breathe as the men towering over him intimidated him to no ends.

The Peacemakers, however, mistaken this as an act of resentment, went ahead and man-handled the tiny boy. The so-called police, taking a huge grip of the boy's hair, pulled him towards the stage. The little boy screamed and cried in pain as his entire body was being dragged on the floor by his hair as he desperately looked for Baekhyun.

"BAEKHYYUUUUUUUUUUUUUN."

Baekhyun had already ran past all the Peacemakers, unaware that Chanyeol was close by and making his way to his brother, with a huge swing of his arm, the Peacekeeper was seen flying across the ground, rolling to the side as his brother dropped on the group. His mother was in the background, being held back by the Nazi-like police as she clawed at their faces, scratching and marking their faces as she lost her sanity.

" THE CAPITOL. YOU FILTHY, BLOODLUST SAVAGES. YOU MONSTERS. YOU INHUMANE CREATURES. ALL YOU ING SHALL BURN IN THR DARK ABYSS OF HELL YOU-YOU'' the Peacemakers tried to silence and maintain her as she lost her sanity, going completely insane.

A herd of more Peacemakers came, blocking Baekhyuns way's way to Baekbeom. The boy desperate pushed his way through, fighting back. Through the gap of the police' arms, he saw his tiny, innocent brother, being guided to the stage. It was the where he got a visionary.

Baekbeom in the arena. Baekbeom crying for his life. Baekbeom escaping death, Baekbeom dead.

The Peacemakers were dragging him back and the distance between him and Baekbeom were too close, yet the distance was increasing.

No...I made a promise....I-I must protect my family. I am the responsibility for this family. I made a promise. I made a promise...and there's only one thing I can do now.

"I VOLUNTEER AS TRIBUTE."

--

So yeah, sorry for the late upload ;^; keeping up with fan fics and school is a lot harder than I thought OTL but yeah I hope this long chapter will make ip for it ;; sorry for any typos, I'll edit in the morning cos it's 3am ATM OTL

So s going down...and I hint if baekyeol <> u <> baekyeol is so mysterious! but I'm sure more will be revealed ;)

Subscribed, upvote and comment for more guys ^^ u guys are my motivation and inspiration <3 thanks~