𝓥𝓲𝓬𝓽𝓸𝓻 | Katsuki Bakugou x Male reader

Chapter 2

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...What?

(M/N) froze after hearing those words.

Eri?

Eri's eyes widened after hearing her name get announced.

"Where are you dear? Come on up."

Eri's expression morphed into one of complete fear as she stood in place.

"Well come on up!"

She slowly made her way towards the stage as people around her moved out of her path. Groans and murmurs could be heard throughout the crowds of people as Eri walked past them. Everyone always hated it when the younger kids got chosen, it was horrible having to watch 12 year olds get slaughtered in the games. (M/N)'s mind was still trying to process what he had heard, he didn't understand. Why her? Out of everyone here, why did she get chosen? There's only one strip with her name on it, one strip out of thousands, the odds should have been entirely in her favour! Shoto was trying to gain (M/N)'s attention but it was no use. The boy was stuck in his own world, and it wasn't until he saw Eri emerge from the crowd as she walked towards the steps that he snapped out of it. (M/N) quickly made his way through the crowd, not needing to shove past anyone as people around him moved out of his way.

"Eri!"

She turned around with a shocked expression as she heard her brother call her name. (M/N) ran towards her, before swiftly pulling her behind him.

"I volunteer!" He shouted, "I volunteer as tribute."

There's a moment of silence on stage. District 12 hadn't had a volunteer in decades, therefore the rules surrounding that of volunteers have become somewhat forgotten. In some Districts, winning the reaping was seen as a great honour, meaning that there are many people eager to risk their lives, so volunteering was more complicated. However, in District 12, the word 'tribute' basically meant 'corpse', which is why volunteering was an extremely rare occurrence in said District.

"Well I never, it seems we have a volunteer!" The woman announced, before turning around to the authoritative figures sitting on chairs behind her by the Justice Building, "Are there any protocols that we should be aware of if we're to allow a volunteer?"

The authority figures just looked amongst each other before District 12's Mayor spoke up, "Not that I'm aware of, it should be fine, let the boy come forward."

Meanwhile Eri wrapped her tiny arms around her brother's torso. "No! You can't go!" She screamed.

"Eri, you need to get out of here, go find mum."

Eri's eyes watered as she held onto him even tighter than before.

"No!"

"Eri please, go find mum," (M/N) said. He was trying his hardest not to cry, because the reapings would be televised later today, and if he cried, everyone would see. He didn't want to be seen as weak, considering he'll be sent into an arena where he'll need to fight for his life. It was at this moment that Shoto ran over to them from his place in the crowd and pulled Eri away from (M/N) before picking her up. Walking over to where (M/N)'s shocked mother currently stood.

"What a dramatic turn of events, District 12's very first volunteer in who knows how long!"

(M/N) was then escorted up to the stage by peacekeepers as he heard Eri screaming and crying in the distance. It broke his heart but he had to do this, he wasn't going to let her die. Once (M/N) made it to the stairs the peacekeepers left him to go back to their original positions. He looked up to see the woman gesturing for him to walk up and grab her hand, which he did, as she then guided him to stand next to the microphone.