Archive of Our Own ^beta

There's six minutes left to finish the game. They were sitting side by side on the entrance steps of an old-looking fake house, watching the ground in silence. Both of their marbles are still complete, no missing one. They haven't played yet.
Chester had insisted on teaming. He grabbed Mandy by the arm and tugged at her. Mandy rejected Chester because she wanted to team up with a strong girl like Lumi or someone fast and agile like Fang, but in the end, she couldn't resist his pleas.

But now they were here, staring at the ground without saying a word. After the guards explained the game, Chester objected, asking ridiculous questions such as can't we play another game or can we skip this one. Mandy grabbed him by the arm and turned him around and they were face to face. There was horror and dissent on Chester's face, while Mandy had fear and determination on her face. "Stop talking nonsense. Do you want them to eliminate us already?" Mandy said. "You've seen the other games. We can't change anything. Let's just think about what we have to do."
A lot of emotions ran down Chester's face: fear, sadness, denial, despair, and finally acceptance.
"...Okay... okay." He exhaled and him and Mandy started walking to find a place for themselves. Mandy gripped Chester's hand slightly. Chester walked hunched over and pretended to glance around the houses, but he was actually trying to keep his emotions under control. Mandy's facial expression was unreadable. Except for an expression of deep determination, she kept herself away from any emotion that would distract her. They needed a plan. A quick one.

When Chester finally came to his senses, he tightened his grip on Mandy's hand and they continued walking. Finally, they found a nice place. Regardless of the situation they were in, the place they found was quite lovely.
They sat on the doorstep. They both took out the bags containing their marbles. Mandy opened her bag and without hesitation poured the marbles into her hand, while Chester was looking at the bag in his hand. He was scared, very scared. He looked at Mandy next to him. She was looking at him too.
Mandy sensed his fear and despair. "We still have time, wanna... calm down for a bit?" She offered carefully. She couldn't afford Chester freaking out right now. Chester stared at her for a few seconds and then nodded his head. And right here they were, with six minutes left for the game to end.

Mandy turned to Chester, opened her mouth, but at the last moment she gave up, decided not to say what she was going to say. She sighed and turned her eyes back to the spot she had been looking at earlier on the floor. Chester had done the same some minutes ago.
Mandy didn't know how to say this to Chester, 'go on without me.' 'i'll let you win.' 'live happily, for me.'
Every time she thought about saying it and reconciling with him, she saw the look on his face and gave up. They continued to sit in silence until Chester finally turned to Mandy and actually spoke.
"Let's draw. Then maybe they can't do anything and let us go." Chester says firmly. The desperate expression was gone, replaced by an expression of shaky determination. It seemed like it could collapse at any moment but he held it on.

Mandy was glad to hear that. Finally, they were going to move on to the game. That wasn't actually her plan, but she nodded her head to keep Chester calm and composed. "You are right. After all, when we draw, we don't win but we don't lose either."
They moved on to the game. There was little time left for the game to end and they had to act quick. They were both trying to equalize each other's marbles. They tried to keep it that way until the end of the game.
Mandy knew what to do. She knew that Chester was trying to get a draw, and it felt like betraying him to do so. They tried to keep it even, but somehow, within a minute, Mandy had taken the lead, and the marbles in Chester's hands were really few. A 'lucky' shot put Mandy ahead. Chester looked stressed and was sweating.
"No problem, Chester. Make the other shot good, okay? We'll get back on equal." She said. Chester narrowed his eyes as he looked at the guard standing above them. He looked back at Mandy and looked more determined this time. He nodded his head.
"Say odd. I have two marbles." Chester leaned over and whispered to Mandy.

Mandy looked at Chester's face. His sweat-soaked hair was slumped over his forehead, his brows furrowed slightly. But this time, he didn't look so scared. He seemed more... excited. Mandy turned her eyes to Chester's fist again. There was also a glint of mischievousness in Chester's eyes that Mandy hadn't noticed, and Mandy would soon notice it.

"Odd." Mandy said,
Chester opened his trembling hand and showed the three marbles in his palm.

Mandy took a quick breath. "Chester."

"Got ya." Chester's voice trembled and tears streamed down his cheeks.

"Chester, what-" Mandy's voice trembled this time, too. "What have you done."

"I just pretended to be bad at the game. You immediately fell into my trap. You think you're more cunning that me, huh?" Chester giggled and grabbed Mandy's hand. Now his whole body was shaking. He knew what was going to happen.

"What have you done!" Mandy exclaimed, "You idiot- you-!" In response, she gripped Chester's hands tightly. There was desperation and anger on her face as tears rolled down her cheeks.
"Do you really think If I got out of this place, I would spend that money on something useful?" He chuckles "Win the games and get out of here, Mandy. Use the money for good deeds. You said you wanted to open a candy store? Go open one. Sell candy. Make kids happy. Live comfortably without money shortages. So far, I've only won by escaping. Now I'm doing something good for the first time. Believe me, someone like me doesn't deserve that money."

Mandy looked at the man in front of her in horror. This man had always been afraid of death. He had always hid behind someone, he had done his best not to die. But now... Before Mandy could comprehend the situation, Chester leaned over to Mandy, his lips met hers. They stayed like that until someone tugged at Mandy, both of their faces wet with tears. She resisted as the guards pulled her back, but when she looked ahead, she saw the sight that she would never want to see.
The triangular guard who was waiting over them pointed his gun at Chester's head and- BANG

Chester's body collapsed on the doorway where they had just sat, a pool of blood forming under his body. And Mandy was speechless. This stupid man who had been hovering around her since the beginning of the games had sacrificed himself for her.
In the chaos of the dormitory, he hid behind some beds and somehow got out alive. He was a coward, and he had survived by chance until now. And Mandy underestimated him. She thought he was more afraid of death than losing Mandy, but he was actually more than that. She didn't even think about this possibility. Chester knew how to distract someone. To make someone do what he wants without them noticing. It was also his last move, his last cunning.

And Mandy held on to the feeling of his lips on her lips desperately as the guards pulled her out of that place.