A Dangerous Game

Chapter Twenty-Four:

Lamentable Tragedy

Before Kurt could stop him, Blaine popped the berry in his mouth. He swallowed, surprised at the sweetness of it. At first he thought that perhaps he had been mistaken in thinking the berry was poisonous, but then a wave of nausea hit him, simultaneously feeling like being punched in the stomach and like all his energy was being wrung out of him.

Dizzy, he grabbed onto Kurt's arms for support as the poison speedily started taking effect and he began to lose the ability to stand. Kurt gently eased him onto the ground, his eyes brimming with tears. "Whatever happened to our deal, Blaine? We promised each other that we would survive this."

"You promised me you wouldn't kill, remember? Sometimes," he coughed, hacking and choking. Kurt held him through the convulsions. "Sometimes," Blaine continued, "promises have to be broken." He looked up at Kurt, golden eyes clouding over, "I love you so much."

"I love you, Blaine! Please don't leave me!"

"Kurt…" he whispered.

"Don't… don't you dare leave me. I never thought anyone would love me until I met you."

Blaine smiled, chuckling. His laugh turned to hacking coughs, and he clung onto Kurt's shirt, moaning from the pain. He relaxed slightly, lying back on the ground. "You are so amazing… and sweet… and high pitched…"

Kurt snorted, then collected himself.

"There… that's better… you have such a nice smile…" Blaine tried to push himself up to meet Kurt's lips, but collapsed back to the ground, exhausted from the slightest action. Kurt understood, bending over to touch their lips together. A tear fell from his cheek onto Blaine's. "I love you," Blaine whispered. His eyes had slowly started to close.

"Blaine, don't do this. I love you! Don't leave me! Don't... Blaine?" Blaine had stopped breathing, lying still.

The wall of fire snapped away, leaving behind the smell of burnt air. "Congratulations, you are the..."

"No!" Kurt screeched. "No, I'm not leaving him. We leave together… we leave here together or neither of us do..." he looked around wildly, searching Blaine's pockets for another berry.

"Don't you have another?" he said hysterically, "One for me Blaine? Why don't you have one for me?" he dug around in Blaine's left jacket pocket, his hand closing around something hard. He freed the slender knife from its casing and turned it over and over in his hands, trying to remember where Blaine had got it. Oh yes, from Harmony! It seemed so long ago, but it couldn't have been more than two weeks, maybe even one. Kurt closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. Then he slowly leaned down and pressed his lips onto Blaine's still ones, gently sliding the knife into his heart. A shot of pain consumed him and he moaned, his heart clenching over the object protruding into it. Kurt gasped, collapsing next to Blaine. He wrenched the knife from his chest, which took a lot more effort than pushing it in had done. It didn't hurt… it had at first… now he was just numb. Kurt pulled himself as close to Blaine's body as was possible. He closed his eyes, going limp.

I will always love you was his final thought before his life snapped out of existence.

That was the year that the Hunger Games had no winner.