Watching Avery talk to the districts made Damen realise how strong he was. It made him realise that despite everything, Avery was still holding on, holding onto his humanity, his sanity. Everything that made him him.

When Avery finished in district one, Damon met him At the door, eager to hold him tightly. Avery had been distant and quiet throughout the whole process, and Damon feared that the capitol was getting to him. "You did amazing Av." Avery didn't reply, but hugged Damon back, his head buried into his boyfriends shoulder, as though he was trying to wipe something from his mind. "I'm so proud of you." Damon continued, before Cammie pulled Avery away from him and towards a medic, who had been waiting by the door for him. Damon watched him go, he was never allowed to go with him, to go anywhere with Avery, except the train and backstage. Damon was beginning to resent those in charge, especially president Snow.

"When will he be back?" He asked Mila, who looked like she was about to cry.

"I don't know." She replied. "He's in so much pain."

"I should have volunteered for him, I wanted to, he made me promise not to." Damon said, he sighed.

"My heart dropped when I called his name, as it does every time I call a name. As I know him now, seeing him in pain breaks my heart." Mila told him. "Hes such a sweer boy, I can't wait for all this to be over for him. He beat all the odds."

"I used to live in the capital. Before we had to leave, and you hear things, about what Snow makes the victors do." Damon sighed. "How do I protect him?"

"This is it for him, the capital have their eye on him. They love their innocent underdog and they won't let him go." Cammie told them cynically as she walked towards them. "Good news is he's finally healing."

"Oh I'm so glad." Mila clapped her hands. Damon just sighed, all he wanted was to go home.

^^^
It was finally over, and after enduring a party in the heart of the capital, Damon sat with Avery in their room, his hand lazily messing with his hair and he held the victor close to him.

"What are you thinking about?" Damon asked, Avery had been staring at the ceiling for almost an hour now.

"How many more people are we going to watch die for a corrupt man to make a point?" He asked, Damon's eyes widened. He dreaded to think what would happen to Avery if he was heard.

"Av-"

"How many people have died? How many more are going to die because of the capitol?" Avery asked, "I'm sick of seeing death."

"Av-"

"I see death every time I close my eyes, I dream of that arena every night and how can i just sit by and watch it happen to someone else?" Avery sighed deeply. "If I could go back and die, I would."

"Av, i know you're guilty that you survived, but god knows what would happen to you if they heard all this." Damon's heart was beating fast, what Avery was saying was terrifying him.

"I'm not scared of them Damon, not anymore." Avery had a steel in his voice, one Damon hadn't heard before.

"You should be, Avery I've heard rumours of what Snow's done to tributes who rebelled. He'll torture you, kill your family." Damon held him tighter. "I can't let that happen."

"It's not up to you." Avery sighed. "You can't stop the inevitable."

Damon sat up in shock. "Avery what does that even mean?" Avery didn't answer. "Av, no no please. Please don't do anything stupid."

Avery sat up as well. "Is it stupid to want to put an end to this?" He sighed. "Damon your name is still in there, what if you get picked next year?"

"I won't." Damon was so sure, and he could tell it wasn't helping. "Avi, don't get yourself killed for something you can't do anything about."

"Maybe we can do something."

"Avery listen to me." Damon gently cupped his boyfriends face. "I'm not losing you, I've almost lost you once, and I'm not doing it again. And I'm definitely not losing you because of some idea that you've got. You can't change it Av, and trying to fight the capital will not change the past."

To Damon's surprise, Avery had tears running down his cheeks. "I love you."

"I love you too." Damon wrapped his arms around Avery and kissed his forehead gently. "I'm not losing you, okay? I won't let anything take you away from me."

"What if I have to go back in?" Avery asked quietly.

"You'll never have to go back, you're free from it now." Damon told him, "you're safe."

"I don't feel safe, I feel like the walls are closing in, I feel like I'm drowning." Avery said quietly. "I just want it to stop."

"Hey, we'll get through it together." Damon assured him, he tightened his grip around Avery as though not sure how best to handle what his boyfriend had just told him. "We will get through this."

"How Damon? It would be easier if it just stopped." Avery murmured, Damon's heart skipped a beat in fear, he couldn't lose Avery now, they'd had to many close calls already.

"You've come so far, you've fought so much. Avery you can't give up now, you have to keep fighting." Damon was feeling sick at the thought of losing Avery.

"I don't think I can." Avery whispered. Damon gently stroked his boyfriends hair.

"We can, we can do this together." He told him, Avery shakily took his hand. "We've got this."

"I love you."