away from the castle [toby, post-castle game]

Toby's opinion? He was totally fucking robbed.

The Castle Game was supposed to have one winner: one survivor. This one survivor was supposed to win a whole one million dollars, but instead, no, the three of them who'd been allowed to live had to split fifteen thousand dollars. What a rip off!

If Toby ever got the chance, he'd be having some choice words with the hosts.

Okay, yeah, yeah, maybe he should be grateful he even survived. He was let go with his life. Although, it was without the complete satisfaction of being a sole winner, and without the amount of money he felt that he was owed. This was just a fucking consolation prize. Absolute robbery.

Toby arrived home District Eight from the Castle Game to "welcome home!" and a bunch of congratulatory remarks, but that wasn't what he wanted. He was angry— furious, rather. He pushed through the crowds that welcomed him home, ignoring them until he met his sister's gaze. Then, he stopped in his tracks.

Bea. She'd been his motivation to win, after he realized that the fame wasn't the most important part. He wanted to impress her, to make her proud of him. He wanted her to look up to her big brother Toby. He wanted to bring home all the money and give her the best life she ever could have wished for, but instead, he had far less than even a quarter of the money, and very little feeling of accomplishment.

When her arms wrapped around him, though, all that frustration started to melt away.

He hugged her back, tighter than he probably ever had.

"I missed you."

"I missed you too, big brother."

After a moment or so, they released from their hug, and Bea spoke up, tears forming in her eyes as she did so.

"You scared me, Toby," she started.

"I know, and I'm so sorry, Bea. I really am. I shouldn't have risked so much. I should've just—" he was frantically rambling an apology to his sister with tears starting to form in his own eyes from how overwhelmed and guilty he felt, when she made a shhhh sound to interrupt him.

"Shhhh, Toby!" she insisted. "I'm not mad at you. You scared me, yeah but... I'm so proud of you. You're so strong."

She hugged him tight again, and the two held the hug together for what felt like ages.

Bea's voice whispered to him through tears.

"I'm so proud of you, Toby."

-

[400 words]