Put on your war paint
You are a brick tied to me that's dragging me down
Strike a match and I'll burn you to the ground
We are the jack-o-lanterns in July setting fire to the sky
Here, here comes this rising tide, so come on
- Fall Out Boy, The Phoenix
Disclaimer: I don't own The Hunger Games nor Supernatural, otherwise Finnick would've lived, and Cas would be in more episodes.
The warmth, Dean decides, is not something you can find comfort in. The night air seems to be thicker than before as Dean lies on the warm sand with sweat prickling down his neck.
Not long after Dean had joined Cas on the beach, Katniss and Peeta had woken up and claimed that they would stand watch for the rest of the night. Which means that Dean has to find the courage to fall asleep again. Falling asleep seems to get harder and harder every day, and Dean couldn't decide which dreams where worse; the nightmares that would spook him for the rest of the day, or the dreams that would wake him up filled with longing and nostalgia for his home, only to be reminded of where he was. So here he is, tossing and turning on the warm sand while listening to the heavy breathing of Cas and Beetee next to him.
Dean doesn't think that he will be able to fall asleep anymore, but joining Katniss and Peeta right now doesn't look like something fun either. The last time Dean checked, Katniss and Peeta were tangled together, and Dean had quickly looked away, reminded of the times he would find Sam and Jess asleep on the couch, tangled together. For the first time since forever, Dean couldn't wait for the sun to rise again.
Dean's not sure how long he lays still before Peeta comes over to wake them up, all he knows is that he hasn't slept in the time it took for the sun to rise.
They walk down the beach just in time to see a parachute fall down. Cas is the first one to reach it, and he holds it out for the others to see. "Bread. 24 of them." He tells them, his eyes fixing on the bread almost possessively.
Beetee pushes his glasses further on his nose as he turns one around in his hand. "This is district four bread, isn't it?" He asks, holding the bread out for Dean to see.
The bread is in the form of a fish, sprinkled with salt.
"It is." Dean confirms, grasping one of them out of the basket as well. It's still warm and Dean breaths in the scent of home.
"Well 24, that means everyone of us can take four and the others we'll keep for later." Peeta says, and although no one says it, they all know what he means with later. Later when one of them has died so they can split the last four fairly.
"I say we go catch some fish and make a nice breakfast." Dean says, his stomach gurgling with the idea of food.
The others agree and set out to make a nice breakfast for themselves.
The rest of the morning is filled with quietness while they all enjoy a good meal, only stopping for a moment when the ten o'clock wave hits the beach. Soon after that a cannon sounds. "11." Castiel says, watching the hovercraft pick up a body with mixed emotions that Dean can't pick out.
"You'd thought the others would've figured out the clock by now." Dean says, just to scare away silence while the hovercraft is flying away.
The others hum in agreement, and for the rest of the meal they don't say anything.
When they're finished, Katniss and Peeta go swimming while Dean, Cas and Beetee stay behind. They stay by the sand, relaxing for a bit.
While Dean sits there, staring at the trees, he can't help but think how in a couple of days, the people surrounding him, or himself, will probably be dead. It's not a nice thought, and Dean tries to shake it off, but he can't stop worrying about when Katniss and Peeta are going to turn against them. With only eleven left, how long will it take for them to realize that they have to get Cas, Beetee and himself out of the way. The thoughts won't leave him alone, and soon he finds himself thinking about running away with Cas. He rethinks the idea for a while before he stands up and scrapes his throat. "I think it's time for us to tab some water again. Cas, buddy, you wanna help?"
Cas looks at him in confusion, but he must find something on Dean's face that convinces him to go along with arguing. Cas takes his time standing up and picking up the weaved baskets that Dean made them before he follows Dean through the jungle. They follow a path made out of moss, and as soon as Dean knows that the others won't hear them anymore, he picks out a decent tree and starts chopping in it.
"There are only eleven of us left, y'know?" Dean begins, whipping his arm across his face to get rid of the sweat prickling down his eyes.
"I know," Cas answers, frowning down at the mossy ground.
"Cas, I think we should go." Dean continues, rearranging the sword in his hand before chopping into the tree again.
"What do you mean?" Cas asks, turning his head to watch Dean with a narrowed gaze.
"That we should run – y'know, leave the others." Dean explains, waving his left hand around.
"Why?" Cas asks, looking confused.
"Because the star crossed lovers aren't gonna choose us over each other, Cas."
"So?" Cas asks.
For a moment Dean wonders if he's talking to his friend or to a small kid.
"So, one day we're gonna wake up with an arrow stuck in our neck if we don't leave soon."
"And then what, Dean?" Cas asks.
The question makes Dean stop with chopping, lowering his small sword to look at Cas. "What'd you mean?"
"We run away, and for some miracle we make it to the last few, then what? Are you going to kill me? Or do I have to kill you?"
Dean can feel his mouth run dry, and he tries his best to come up with something to stop his friend's thoughts. "Dean, to be completely honest, I would rather die by an arrow from Katniss then by the trident from my best friend. Or even worse, have my friend die from my sword."
Dean can't think of anything in return, and he just stares at Cas when he moves to put the tab into the hole Dean made. It doesn't take Cas longer than a minute to fill up the weaved baskets, and then he's already walking away from the tree, one weaved basket in either of his hands, with the tap awkwardly held between the fingers of his right hand. "Are you coming, too?" Cas asks, turning around to look at Dean, who is still standing there in silence.
Dean scrapes his throat before answering. "Uh, yeah, you go, I'll be right behind you."
While walking behind Cas through the jungle, Dean starts to rethink his plan again. Should he leave Cas behind? Then the change of having to fight his best friend would be a hell of a lot smaller. But the thought of leaving Cas behind is also unbearable. Cas a good fighter, sure, but against two victors who want to get each other home no matter what, Cas doesn't really stand a chance. But then again, if he did, then the chance that Dean and Cas had to fight was bigger too. The thought of leaving his friend to die, or to be killed by himself, is so horrible that Dean feels sick.
The thoughts still circle around his head when they break through the clearing, only to see the others already sitting around each other on the beach, and by the looks of it, discussing. They stop when they hear them arrive, and Dean gives Cas a pointed look.
"We've got water." Dean says cheerfully, flopping down next to Katniss. "Anyway, what were you discussing?"
Katniss looks at him annoyed. "We were discussing an idea that Beetee came up with."
"And that idea is?"
"We have already figured out that the careers and other tributes are most likely hiding around the edges of the jungle, because, just like you said, most of thme have probably figured out that the arena is in fact a clock." Beetee begins, pushing up his glasses.
"So what I'm suggesting is that after the lighting strikes at noon, but before it hits at midnight, we run my wire from that tree all the way down into the saltwater, which is, of course, highly conductive. When the bolt strikes, the electricity will travel down the wire and into not only the water but also the surrounding beach, which will still be damp from the ten o'clock wave. Anyone in contact with those surfaces at that moment will be electrocuted," Beetee explains.
Dean nods, biting on his lip as he thinks about it.
"Will that wire be able to hold that much of electricity?" Castiel asks.
"Of course it will," Beetee says, looking a bit offended, "I was the one to invent it after all."
"But if this plan doesn't work, we'll be without food, won't we?" Dean asks.
Beetee nods, "yes, the electricity would fry all the seafood, but Katniss told me there were food sources in the jungle?"
"Nuts and rats," Katniss agrees.
"And besides, we've sponsors." Peeta adds. "Anyway, I'm in."
Katniss seems to rethink it for a moment before nodding as well, "I'm in, too." Cas agrees to the plan as well, and that leaves only Dean. The others look at him expectantly, and Dean hesitates for a moment before nodding as well. "Me too."
Beetee looks relieved and pleased with himself, "well now that is settled, let's eat."
While they eat dinner - fish, again. Not that Dean is complaining – another cannon sounds, which means that they're down to the last ten, which is something worrying. This time, no one says anything as the hovercraft comes to pick the body up, but because it gets picked out of the monkey hour although it is just somewhat before the wave, it probably means it was another tribute that killed him. The anthem plays not long after that, showing the face of the guy from district five, and the girl from district ten. Soon after that they go back to bed, because tomorrow they'll bring Beetee's plan into action, and that means that they should get some sleep while they still can.
This time it's Peeta and Beetee who take the first watch, leaving Dean to struggle with falling asleep again, which, surprisingly enough, he does.
Also not sure about this chapter, but hey, am I ever?
Now, I have a one week long vacation, so I'll probably (hopefully) update soon.
Uhh, seems like we're nearing the end of this story, which I'm not sure wether I'm pleased with or not. (Only 13 chapters so far :()
Thank you if you took the time to read this story, and a big thank you if you took the time to comment, follow or favourite this story!
Huge thanks for Emmie16 for still sticking to this story, your reviews mean the world to me!
Well, goodbye? I'll hopefully see you next time!