By Your Side//Ems {JB Thread}

[Arrows]

Kirito Miristioma

It was such a weird sensation, Kirito could see his legs carrying his body through the gates of hell and into the building, yet he could not feel a single step. His body had contracted and twisted and now he could only hear the sound of his feeble heart racing far too quickly within the sanctions of his rib cage. At least it was still beating when it might not be in two weeks time.

The PeaceKeepers that constantly shoved Kirito forward sure as hell didn't help either. Their constant snide remarks and abusive shoves, it was all to much to bare. In fact part of Kirito wanted to punch the keepers but he knew that would only triple confirm his already laid out fate. Still he would have to learn to find the courage to fight somehow, no longer could he avoid the conflicts of battle.

As Kirito turned a corner he noticed a large portrait if Katelyn hanging proudly upon the victor's wall. With any luck she would be able to help him through the hell he was entering. He was her only tribute after all so she would give all his attention to him. Now whether that was a good or bad thing, only time would be able to tell.

The painting also brought up a brief memory of the last time Kirito had entered this building. Tears were streaming like rivers from his eyes as he wept over the recent loss of his father. Although the stay wasn't long it was then the Kirito realized that the world was filled with the people that have, and those that do not, and sadly he fell upon the lower end of that spectrum.

A sudden halt by his escorts surprised Kirito and brought him back from the dark hazes of his past. In front of him was a single wooden door with a lovely golden knob. With a slight nod Kirito entered and allowed them to shut the door behind him, as if he had a choice. In all honesty Kirito wished he could already be on the train, he knew above all things that this was going to be the hardest part. Saying goodbye.

With his hands shaking like that of a newly born fowl's legs Kirito made his way over to the light window sill. Even in a room as nice as this he could still see the permanent layers of dirt and dust that covered everything. However now it only made him smile, it reminded him of home for he knew that no dust would be found within the Capitol, only perfection.

The sound of the door creaking open sent shrills down Kirito's spine as he stood stiffer. Without even turning he could feel the tears begginning to pool in the corner of his eyes. His breaths shooks with every passing second and his heart beated with the speed of a tribute train. Then finally he gave in and turned.

As his eyes found his brothers the tears finally began to wilt down the sides of his face. Within seconds he was en-wrapped in his brother's arms as his sobs filled the room. He didn't want to leave. He didn't want to go. All he wanted was to stay home, with him.

made by anzie

[Knuckles]

Ikaia Miristioma

It happened. Time stops moving. His heart stopped beating for only a second. It's racing faster than he could ever imagine. Faster than a speeding horse flying through a race, or a bird flying through the sky, and it shattered like a mirror falling against the ground sending shards in every direction. The pain lurking inside his chest was far more than he could ever imagine as he watched the peacekeepers push his twin through the justice building. He's seen it before. Many times over the years, yet with every step Ikaia can't bring himself to think about what's going on inside. Deep inside every string holding him to reality begged for this just to be some nightmare, but it wasn't. It was a nightmare, but one he wouldn't ever wake up from.

Wrapping his hands around the rose pendant his brother gave him for Christmas this past year, Ikaia moved forward. Tears sitting in the corner of his eyes threatening to spill down his face at any given second. His lips quivered. The young boy wanted to remain strong for his brother. For his twin. For his lover, but nothing mattered right now because he was going away. Fighting for his life. Kirito wasn't a fighter. He stayed home and healed people. He did everything he could to help one another. To make them feel right. To feel safe. He couldn't kill a fly let alone another person. His heart hammered inside his chest as he stopped in front of the doors. Peacekeepers stared at him trying to push the hobbling kid away, but Ikaia wouldn't let them stop him.

Opening the door to the room where his brother rested was far more impossible. All he could see was the back of his head. His lungs screamed for air as one of his hands flew in front of his mouth. Ikaia couldn't break down crying. Not now. Not when Kirito needed him to be strong, but it was impossible. His chin kept quivering as a single line of tears streamed down his face. Every word caught in the back of his throat. What could one say to someone who was being sentenced to death? What could one do? Nothing. Nothing would change what happen. Nothing would make it better.

Then he turned around, and he started bawling his eyes out. Ikaia stood there for a moment as tears spewed from his eyes. Listening to his brother sob shattered his heart even more, and all he could do was wrap his arms around him and hold him tight. He never wanted to let go. He wanted this one second to remain forever, but in a few moments the door would fly open again, and they would jerk him away. His heart was heavy, and he couldn't move and couldn't think, but he had to do something before the room turned into a lake. "Kirito, listen to me. I know it's not easy, and I know we didn't want this to happen, and I know that I can't change it, and that nothing I'll do will make it better or go away."

Ikaia paused for a moment sniffling trying to get rid of the thoughts forming in the back of his mind. "You have to promise me you'll fight. That you'll do the best you can. You have to be strong and brave, but don't let them change you. Don't let the games change you. Stay true to yourself." Slowly he removed the rose pendant from his neck, removed the small sheet of paper from his pocket, and shoved it deep into the rose pedals before placing it around his brother's neck. "I want you to have this."

[Arrows]

Kirito Miristioma

Every inch of Kirito's body was shaking as if an earthquake was laying waste to his body. With every loud sob that echoes through the room the more and more Kirito wondered whether he actually would come home. Katelyn was Katelyn, he had no clue how she went out there and just killed other kids. It wasn't his nature to hurt other thing, none the less kill them.  How the hell was he going to survive?

The sound of his brother's sobs also rang harshly into the caverns of Kirito's ears making him sob even more. Never in their lives have they been separated, and now one of them was being shipped off to an almost certain death.  Talk about one hell of a brutal end to two souls that have been bound since birth. An end that they could have never saw coming.

As Kirito stepped back from his brother's embrace he attempted to blink away the never ending clear water in his eyes. It was then that he watched his brother gently place his bronze rose pendant on his neck. Instantly a saddened smile crept onto Kirito's face. His memories of giving Ikaia this very special gift wafted gently though his mind. "Thank ya." Kirito whispered weakly as he sat blindly down on the windowsill.

It was then that Ikaia spoke softly yet encouragingly to him, each of his words sticking to Kirito's soul like a knife. "Kirito, listen to me. I know it's not easy, and I know we didn't want this to happen, and I know that I can't change it, and that nothing I'll do will make it better or go away. "You have to promise me you'll fight. That you'll do the best you can. You have to be strong and brave, but don't let them change you. Don't let the games change you. Stay true to yourself."

As chills sprinted through Kirito's spine he stood up and placed his hands softly on his brother's shoulders. "Ya contradicted yaself, I am a healer not a fighter. Yet to win I got ta fight." Kirito sighed as he looked in his brother's strong eyes. Then softly he leaned in and pecked his lips. "I don know how much time we have but I wanna let ya know I love ya."

made by anzie

[Knuckles]

Ikaia Miristioma

It hurt. Every breath. Every second. Ikaia wanted to freeze time. Throughout his entire life, he had never left his brother's side for more than a moment of work, and that night they always returned home together. And this was different. Kirito wouldn't return home with him tonight. Tears spewed from his eyes rapidly as he tried to remain strong, but every ounce of strength he had inside of him shattered the moment Snow called his name. It felt like someone took a knife and jabbed it into his heart over and over before carving it from his chest.

A smile filled with grief crept across his face as his brother slowly thanked him. The memories of it. Everything. Getting it. How happy he was the moment Kirito handed it to him. He wanted that moment back. The moment of happiness. Yet it was all gone. All the happiness was replaced with hopelessness. Katelyn returned last games. She won. She made it home, and Ikaia prayed she would return home with his twin because without him he was nothing. Just a mess of words strung together. All of it shattering through his entire life. A fragile glass prepared to break at any given second. Pieces barely held together.

"Ya contradicted yaself, I am a healer not a fighter. Yet to win I got ta fight." Ikaia's heart melted the moment Kirito's lips touched his. And once again shrieks flew from his body. It was a horrible feeling. Knowing that nothing was going to change what was about to happen. Nothing in the world because the stupid president demands this to happen. He hated Snow more than anything in the world, and wanted to wrap a noose around his neck and hang him, yet he wouldn't dare speak that to anyone around him since big brother is always watching. "I don know how much time we have but I wanna let ya know I love ya."

Slowly, he raised a hand to wipe the tears away once more, and slowly moved his hands over to Kirito's face and wiped the tears from his eyes. "I love ya, Kirito. Ya gotta fight, but don't let them take away the person ya are. Don't let them change ya personalty 'cause ya gotta remain yaself." Taking a deep breath he turned his gaze away for a moment trying to regain his composure. "I gonna take care of ma. Might not be good at it like ya are, but I gotta try."

[Arrows]

Kirito Miristioma

Why of all the times did their true emotions have to flow out now. Why when Kirito now stood open the last ride of his life did their words of love have to be thrown into the world. Now it would be even more heart crushing when his own heart finally froze in its place. However Kirito could feel something changing within him. A shift. A new and stronger reason to fight. Not just for family, but for love.

A terrifying thought crossed Kirito's mind like a black cloud on a warm Summer's day. What if some how in the confusion and chaos of the games he forgot Ikaia. Was it even possible? It couldn't be, could it? No. Kirito would never let his heart felt vision of his brother fade. Till the very end his heart would remember Ikaia. Even after he had drawn his final feeble breath. If he did...

As Kirito looked up at his brother's tear stained eyes he felt his heart cracking within his chest. He was being torn apart cell after cell by nothing more than complete sorrow. He was suppose to leave the person he loved most of all to just take care of the life they shared. He had to leave Ikaia all alone to care for mom when he knew nothing about healing. He had no power, just as usual he was weak.

As if on queue Ikaia confirmed Kirito's thoughts as he vowed to care for their Ma and keep her breathing no matter what just as he use to do. As he would hopefully do again once he returned. "Listun Ikaia to help Ma just make sure every night an mornin' you mash up tha red plants outside by tha vines and feed em to her. That will keep her goin' till I come back okay?" He said calmly to his brother.

Another thought swam into Kirito's head as his voice quietly trailed off. If he were to some how win the games he could finally get his Ma the help she needed. He could save her life, she could finally get better after all her time of being sick. With every passing second Kirito was finding more and more reasons to do whatever it would take to return to his family alive. 

made by anzie

[Knuckles]

Ikaia Miristioma

It was quiet for a moment, and the world spun faster and faster throwing a storm around through the life of twins who haven't been separated before. It tossed the emotions through Ikaia's body like waves crashing down on a beach, but in all reality, the one emotion he never dreamed of showing lingered the longest. It carried far throughout his entire body. Bouncing from bone to bone as tears continued rolling steadily from his eyes. The games weren't right. They weren't supposed to happen. Kirito's name was never supposed to be called, and Ikaia wasn't supposed to let his brother go from his site.

Stumbling around his eyes fixed back on his brother's. Fear crept through his body as he wondered what to do. What to say. All he wanted was for his brother to remain with him. To cuddle him during the night. To make him feel safe because it's all he knew. Maybe they could even share a story, but it wasn't one that he would find. One that he wouldn't explain if his life was taken away. His legs were shaking like an earthquake vibrating through the ground destroying everything in its path, and all Ikaia could do was stand there.

Maybe he could fight. Maybe he could return home, but with all the careers standing in the arena, his chances of winning are slim to none. His chances of returning home to Ikaia and their Ma wasn't likely. He'd return one way or another, and the thought of staring at his twin brother in a box ready for burial slammed into him, and once against violent sobs tore from his throat, yet it quickly went away. Strength was needed. A fight. Something to give to his brother. Something to make it right. To give him a reason to fight. Something to keep him going during the hell he's about to be placed in.

"I can do that. E'ery mornin' and night. Got it. I keep Ma goin' until ya get home. I make sure she ain't fallin' through like she done before. Is there anythin' else I need ta know 'bout caring for her?" Ikaia wasn't sure how much longer he had with Kirito. He wasn't sure when the doors would open. Or what would happen now. Or where to go. Or anything, but he knew that taking care of a very ill mother was extremely important. Especially since it'll all be up to him.

[Arrows]

Kirito Miristioma

Kirito's mind was racing in every single direction all at once. He was racing through every single thread of healing he had acquired and stored away. Yet he was having so much trouble since it all had become to natural and obsolete to him. However he had to find the information he needed. He had to relay it all to Ikaia so he could keep their Ma alive even without their precious healer there. One way or another Kirito had to ensure her safety and health.

One memory after another began to play within Kirito's head as he remembered the first remedy he made. Or all the cuts and broken bones he had fixed. To him being a healer had been his whole life. His true life goal was to be the best healer he could be. All Kirito wanted to do was help people when they needed someone. Now some how through the blood and gore of the 70th Hunger Games he had to find a way to stay true to that glimmering light of good he had. He couldn't allow himself to bend and break just as so many victors and tributes before him had. Some how he had to muster up the strength both Ikaia and his Pa carried. It was time for Kirito to become a man and he knew that.

It was as his vision of a manlier him flashed into his eyes he remembered another thing to tell Ikaia about their Ma. "Alright, ya I do remba somethin' else to tell ya. Every otha week on waterin' day Ma has to have a mixture a tha purple flowas out by the fence ya always bring me. Then ya gotta add tha nectar of tha big blue flowas out by the square. She will try not ta drink it but ya hafta make her not matta what. It will keep her breathin."

Finally Kirito took a breath since he had told his brother everything he needed to. However there was still one thing he needed his brother to know. Where to find something Kirito always held so closely to his heart. The sole place that held all his feelings and his overall emotions. All the secrets he never told everyone. All of those that deserved to belong to his brother. 

The door suddenly flew open as their time ran out and Kirito could feel his heart beat fly through the roof. "Ikaia!" He called out worridly, "Listun in the reaping chest where we kept tha outfits. There is a book, a journal, read it, read it for me!" Then he was gone, his brother was gone.

made by anzie

[Knuckles]

Ikaia Miristioma

"Alright, ya I do remba somethin' else to tell ya. Every otha week on waterin' day Ma has to have a mixture a tha purple flowas out by the fence ya always bring me. Then ya gotta add tha nectar of tha big blue flowas out by the square. She will try not ta drink it but ya hafta make her not matta what. It will keep her breathin." Kirito kept passing off more and more important information that was needed to keep their Ma alive. How to keep her going while he was away. Deep inside Ikaia prayed with all that he had for this separation to last only temporarily. The odds of him returning home alive wasn't much, but giving up on him wasn't an option.

Ikaia grew up the day their Pa died. He took on the heavy work that nobody else could do. He worked hours upon hours in the orchards and fields, yet he only brought home a little amount of money. It almost wasn't enough to keep food on the table, and when his Ma became ill, his portions went to her. It took all the strength in the world for him to survive the months that went before him, and even know it's still extremely questionable to whether she would live or die. Some days were better than others, and knowing that Kirito promised her not to worry about anything rested heavily on the teenage boy's mind. Ikaia wasn't sure what to say, or what to do, but he had to keep her alive no matter what.

"Aight. I got that down too. I'll keep Ma alive. Ya dun worry 'bout a thang. Ya just worry 'bout yaself, and keep yaself safe. I got Ma and myself. I promise ta take good care of her."

He walked forward embracing his brother once more. Tears still streaming down his face. Deep inside he knew nothing would last forever. He knew that at any second the door would fly open and he'd be taken away, and Ikaia didn't want to leave. He wanted to trade places. Nobody would ever know. They look the same in clothing, but it's doubtful his brother would listen. Ikaia slowly leaned forward giving his brother what was possibly the last peck on the lips, and the door flew open.

Fear swam throughout his entire body. His mind raced as the peacekeepers shouted the time was up. "Kirito!" He shouted over and over and over again listening as the words about a journal fell from his brother's mouth fell on his shoulders. "Kirito!" He screamed again reaching for his brother's hand. It was over. He was going away. He prayed it wasn't the last time he would see him alive in person. He prayed that it was a dream he'd wake up from. The peacekeepers grabbed his hands pulling him away from his brother. Ikaia fell to the floor. His fingers scrambled for anything to grab a hold of because he didn't want to leave. He wanted to stay here forever. "Kirito! Please!" His shouts mixed with the howls flying into the air as the screaming of his heart grew louder and louder, and they were slowly dragging him away.

"Kirito! Kirito! Kirito!" His voice cracked every time the twin's name was spoken. A river formed under his body as they slowly dragged him away. "Kirito please come ho-" And the door slammed shut in his face. They pulled him away from the door and out of the justice building where most of the people had already left. The sound of their footsteps retreating broke the silence as his loud sobs filled the air. Ikaia was broken. His heart aching for someone to help him. For someone to save him.

Slowly he forced himself on to his feet, and he sprinted as fast as he could towards the train knowing that it would leave, and he wanted to be there to see his brother away for what he hoped wasn't the last time.