A/N: Half-assed writing is half-assed, probably because I'm still tired from a sleepover. And when I proofread I was too lazy to modify to better describe the plot. Sorry.

For the anon who requested KanoKido prompt #6: Person A and Person B are the only two left in the survival games, and only one can win.

Warning: Death, violence, mentions of blood.

Disclaimer: I don't own shit. Except for the plot and the laptop, probably.

It was down to the final two of the 56th Hunger Games. Both tributes were from District 2. As expected of Career tributes to last so far into the game. The green-haired girl gripped the battle axe tighter in her right hand, watching every move of the blond boy in front of her. On the other hand, the blond plastered a lofty smile on his face as he tapped the hilt of the sword that was against his hip. It was a silent exchange between them: they didn't want to kill each other, but they had to.

This was the Hunger Games, after all.

Kano Shuuya, the male tribute, was agile and an expert strategist, also having an ability to lie and lull others into a fake state of calmness. However, he faltered whenever things didn't go his way. On the other hand, the female tribute, Kido Tsubomi, was strong and versatile, albeit a slow attacker with the heavy melee weapons she preferred to use.

The two stood on opposite ends of the middle, gauging each other, hesitating to attack. But they both knew if neither of them didn't make a move soon, another strange phenomenon would happen in the arena. Narrowing her eyes as she watched him approach her, but put his hands up in surrender, she began walking towards him as well, grip not loosening on the axe.

Now, people were surprised when Kano revealed that they were close friends during the interviews. They certainly didn't look like they'd get along. They sure proved Kano's words right during the entire game, she mused to herself. From the start of the game to now, they had each other's back. From when that brat from District 9 tried stabbing Kido, to when the Careers cornered and planned to kill Kano, they looked out for each other.

But being pit against each other in the final two of the games... what reason would there be to look out for each other now when the enemy was right in front of them?

"Tsubomi," he said softly as they walked closer to one another. He eyed the axe in suspicion, raising an eyebrow.

She didn't reply to that, nor did she need to. They didn't need much words to understand each other anyway. She asked, "Could you ever kill me?"

"I could never." Her grip on the axe lessened.

"Likewise." His hand left the hilt of his sword as she uttered that word.

A sigh escaped both of their lips. Both of them knew the next possible scenario well. If they couldn't kill each other...

"Would you be mad?" he inquired.

"Extremely," she replied, taking a step forward. He took a step back. "Shuuya..."

"It's the only way-"

"Now's not the time to-"

"It's the only time and you know this is the only way one of us will be able to live with it, Tsubomi."

His voice cracked near the end. It was near imperceptible. The damn smile was still on his face, making him appear far more calmer than what the voice gave away to her.

Kido murmured, "Damn it, Shuuya..."

Kano's smile grew sadder, and his fingers tapped the sword hilt again. "Well, a sword's way too romanticized, don't you think?"

"Idiot... stop acting so casual."

He drew the sword, Kido taking a few steps back as she buried the axe head into the ground. "If I use the dagger you have, you'll insist that it's still you. Sword it is."

The green-haired girl saw Kano raise the sword, made eye contact with him, and- was that regret in his eyes? There was barely any time for her to react as the blond surged forward and tried to decapitate her. Ducking just in time, she cursed and stuck her leg out, took his legs out from under him.

There was the ability to lie and lull others into calmness. Getting back up, she dashed for the axe, Kano getting back up as well. As soon as she started twirling the axe in a challenge, he charged again and she quickly blocked the attack he set up.

So she probably threw away whatever trust she had in him by now. Good.

He was forced a few steps back, due to Kido's sheer brute force. Her eyes reflected pure anger. Kano grit his teeth and relinquished his attack, moving far away to the other end of the center of the arena, past the giant Cornucopia, like how they started. As much as he hated lying to Kido like that, it was for the best. Taking a few deep breaths, Kido didn't tear her gaze away from him, her glare a harsher sight than the blood he'd seen pool under his victims. Kano raised his sword again. Once he did this, Kido already took initiative and started running towards him. But the blow wasn't meant for her.

The blond grimaced as he plunged the sword into his own abdomen. He fell to his knees, his upper torso doubling over the sword. Kido let out an anguished scream, dropping the weapon and sprinting hard towards him. There were tears in his eyes, probably, and it would've hurt too much to speak.

"Damn it, Shuuya..." she repeated, her own voice cracking like his did earlier. The blood from his self-inflicted wound drenched his shirt and eventually the grass around him. Kano fell to his side, the weakest of smiles playing on his lips for her. He mouthed three syllables that Kido didn't even understand before a cannon sounded.

'I understand, though,' she thought, as the head Gamemaker officially declared her victory, 'why he'd do this. But he's probably right.' The girl walked over to the very center of the arena with her clean axe, raising it above her head.

'It wouldn't be good if I didn't move on from his death. But that was a dumb way of making me realize that, stupid Shuuya.'

A/N: Reviews are much appreciated.