The Tribute From the Ocean (A Hunger Games Fan Fiction)

•17•

"Woah, it's just me." The voice was familiar and when the speaker steps out from behind the bushes I notice it is Brandon.

"What're you doing back?" I scan him quickly and realize he has two squirrels over his shoulder and berries wrapped in plastic in his hand.

"My canopy fell last night, so I went hunting. I left you the dried fruit for breakfast and a knife just in case someone attacked though I was pretty sure nobody would." Brandon looked oblivious.

"Sorry." I breathe and return to my work on the fire. "I thought you'd left for good." I mutter, distractedly.

"I won't leave. I promise." It wasn't too reassuring considering the situation we were currently in. I nod and continue working on the fire. Brandon climbs the tree and puts his backpack in my canopy and makes his way back down. "I thought you might know if they were edible. I couldn't remember."

I took the bag from him and nodded. I
recognized the berries from the edible vegetation station days before the games.

"They'll be fine." I tell him.

That night, after dark we climbed back into the tree and sat against opposite branches. Brandon looked at me up and down.

"I'm sorry about your brother." Brandon mutters through the darkness. It was random, but I could tell he had been thinking about it.

"How did you know him?" I ask without looking up.

"We went to school together. We were tight, but sometimes I wish it had been anyone else he told about leaving. Maybe I could've stopped him if I'd tried harder, but I was oblivious to what I should do." Brandon sits up so our faces were closer.

"Was he nice?"

"He was. He hates the Capitol though and wanted to change the world. I guess he just won't be the one to do it." He shrugs. "Someone will one day though. I believe it too. One day nobody is going to have to live like this."

The cameras may have been watching us and listening. The entire public might be in awe of what was happening but I didn't care.

"I just wish it had happened before now." I say with a sad smile I didn't think the cameras could make out through the darkness.

We were both silent for a short period of time just looking away at the distance. Maybe if something had happened before now Brandon and I wouldn't be in this situation.

Unexpectedly, Brandon fits his lips to mine, pulling me closer to him by my waist.

For some reason, I didn't pull back. I leaned into him and closed my eyes.

Yes, I'm sure cameras were focusing on us, and yes I'm sure everybody I knew was surprised but I didn't care.

We stayed like that a few seconds longer then I let go for a breath. I rested my forehead on his but didn't open my eyes. I'd never kissed someone before and I didn't know what to do.

"I'm sorry." Brandon whispers so no camera could hear, but he didn't sound apologetic.

"It's okay." And at that moment it was. Everything was. "Let's get some sleep okay?"

We both shared the canopy since the other broke. I get in first and Brandon lays down beside of me, putting his arms around me protectively.

"I'll keep watch tonight." He says gently. I nod, because I was almost completely asleep.

"I love you." I told him blankly.

I could feel him smiling and looking down at me. "I love you too. I wish we were somewhere but here."

I close my eyes and nod. "Me too."

•••

That morning we started eating some of the fish we had cooked the previous day. None of the other tributes had bothered us and it was almost like our lives weren't on a countdown.

"What's that?" I hear Brandon say and look above my head. I turn around and a small silver parachute was floating toward us. It lands a ways up the tree and I have to climb up to get it.

I sit back down with it and it's a flat container with a latch on it. I open it and find a piece of paper. I lift it closer to my face to read it.

Don't get to attached ~Finnick

I hold myself together on the outside but on the inside my blood is boiling.

"What is it?" Brandon asks, a confused expression on his face.

"Oh nothing." I put the note in my pocket and look where it used to sit. Under it was a pair of tinted glasses. "These help you see in the dark right?"

"Night visión glasses yep. These Can come in handy. We will try them out tonight if you want."

I nod and sit back. Why had Finnick sent that? Did he think I didn't know that I would never talk to him after the games? It was impossible for both of us to be alive did he not think I knew that?