Justice is the one thing you should always find.

[the_marshal]

WHO| Wyatt, Maximus, and OTA
WHAT| Surviving in general, hunting down Aunamee in particular.
WHERE| Pretty much anywhere except the Compound.
WHEN| Tail end of Week 1, and Week 2
Warnings/Notes| They're trying to find Aunamee in order to kill him, so, yeah, there's that. Also, if you'd like one over the other, or them both, feel free to specify in Subject Line.



Max called it hunting. Wyatt's conscience prickled a bit at that, at first - he'd have preferred tracking - but he didn't quibble over it, and before too awful long, even the little whisper in his head fell quiet. There was no denying what they were planning on doing, and while they might be skipping a few steps there in the middle, he believed the result would have been the same even if this was a place for fair trials.

(And, truth be told, having already done it the once, it was easier to swallow the second time around.)

It needed to be done, and if the Capitol wouldn't, they would.

They traveled during the day. Max never complained, but the Roman was moving along at a noticeably slower clip. Wyatt never mentioned it, but he found excuses - as often as he dared - to pause, to give him a chance to rest and recuperate. The rain, heavy and hot and generally unpleasant, actually helped a fair bit in that respect. Deaf to all but the driving storm, all but blind, they had no choice, but to take refuge where they found it and wait out the downpour.

At night, they camped, taking turns in the bag, one watching over the other's back when the other slept. Waiting out the strange, alien calls of the dark jungle, for the sun to return.

Comments

[mediumdrip]

Blaine's eyes narrowed a bit. On the one hand, it was a little disturbing to think that the man who had killed him last time would want to come back into the Arena to kill again. On the other, he was aware enough to know that there weren't really any such things as choices in the Capitol.

Instead, he slipped into the mode of trying to get whatever group he was in on all of the right news broadcasts by playing on the interpersonal drama between each of the people. He'd have to apologize to Wyatt for it later.

"Did you do it for him?" he asked, gesturing towards the Marshall.

[wantwhatiwant]

Ian knew enough to know that there were no real choices here. Choice was an illusion and a flimsy one at that.

But still Blaine's question shocked him though he sort of got why he asked it. He knew there was more at stake than just the arena, that the game went deeper. But he didn't like playing it and so just shoved his hands in his pockets and waited to hear what Maximus said.

[gluteus]

Maximus' face was a mask, but he met Blaine's eye when he asked the question and he didn't waver.

"I would not let him face the games alone," He agreed, flatly, with a sort of rugged honest truth. There were very few things that Maximus had left to fight for.

But Wyatt was one of them.

[the_marshal]

Wyatt, for his part, looked increasingly uncomfortable. Being discussed like he wasn't even there.

Being the reason for Max's continued suffering.

He stared blankly at Blaine.

"Satisfied?"

[mediumdrip]

Blaine looked at Wyatt with a tinge of sadness in his face. For a moment, he focused on Wyatt completely. "I'm okay with the idea that he's here, even knowing what he can do to me or the people I care about," he gestured towards Ian then. "If it means that he's here to watch your back."

"You're a good man, Marshall," he added, with complete sincerity. No matter what Wyatt had been forced to do to survive, Blaine still believed he was a decent human being. "You deserve to have someone around you puts you first."

[wantwhatiwant]

Ian just stood, hands in pockets and listened. He wasn't sure what Blaine was trying to do but Wyatt didn't seem happy about it, and drama or not Ian wasn't sure pulling apart peoples private lives on camera was the best method.

But Blaine was an actor, or a singer, whatever, and so Ian figured he knew more than he did about this part of the arena. So he just nodded along, and kept his mouth shut.

[the_marshal]

Wyatt was direct man, saying and doing things that needed to be said and done when they needed to be. To whom they needed to be. And when something chewed at him and he needed to have it out, he turned to a small list of confidants he trusted. Usually to the one in question it most related to.

He did not do it in a group setting. Tried his damnedest to keep it away from the cameras - though he knew they were there.

So while he appreciated Blaine's vote of confidence, it still left him feeling off-footed. Unsure what to do with it.

A ruddy wash of color darkening the skin around his collar he nodded awkwardly.

"Then we're agreed then," he said, clearing his throat. "Ya ain't got anythin' to worry 'bout here."

[gluteus]

Maximus raised an eyebrow as they proceeded to talk about him as if he wasn't there.

Ultimately though, he was amused. It was unfortunate that when he was amused he tended to make terrible jokes.

"Nothing to worry about. I already ate, this morning, and I doubt I'd get a full meal between the two of you."

[mediumdrip]

Blaine winced a bit at Maximus's joke and shuffled a little closer to Ian. Then, after a moment, he wanted to change the subject completely.

"What other Mentors are in this Arena?" he asked, wanting to know who all he was up against.

[wantwhatiwant]

Ian just grinned at the joke, he figured as long as they stayed close to the exit they could escape if either man turned on them. And being warm and dry was better than the alternative.

"Is it just the ones like us, or the ones from before?"

[the_marshal]

Wyatt's sidelong look was meant to discourage Max from terrifying the boys, but admittedly, the twitch of his mouth - the small curling at the corners - likely lessened the impact.

He trusted in Max and didn't doubt for a second that their guests would be safe.

He couldn't help but be amused.

"I ain't seen any'a the others myself, but it sounds like they approached most'a the mentors."

[gluteus]

"We volunteered," Maximus said quickly, a little too quickly. He did not want to give the Capitol any reason to target him, not over something so small.

"I know there were other volunteers, but I could not tell you how many. In the end, it would be the same. There are still plenty of dangerous people in the arena, victors or no."

[mediumdrip]

Blaine sighed a bit. "Dangerous people and everything else in here with us," he said. His voice was resigned, a little tired, but otherwise he just set his jaw and reached out to put a hand on Ian's arm. It was nice just remind himself that his friend was there.

[wantwhatiwant]

Ian smiled at him, trying to be reassuring. "Yeah, so nothings changed, there's just more people to look out for." More killers. The game was still the same.

[the_marshal]

Wyatt nodded and shifted to lean back again, resting against the damp trunk of the tree beside Max.

"We'll be movin' on, once the storm passes, but til' then you boys are welcome to wait it out with us."

[gluteus]

Maximus didn't relax nearly as thoroughly as Wyatt did - listening around them, while he was listening to them, and once Wyatt spoke he stood up.

"I'll take guard. Get some rest," He added as he carefully stepped past them and out into the open.

[mediumdrip]

Blaine nodded, but he tensed a bit when Maximus moved. He didn't think he could relax as long as Maximus was around, but at least he and Ian were somewhere dry.

[wantwhatiwant]

Ian squeezed Blaine's hand, and led them further into the cave to sit down. "Thanks." He took off his jacket, wringing the water from it. Shivering as he did so.

[the_marshal]

"Nothin' to thank," Wyatt murmured, eyes half-closed, watching the curtain of water Max had disappeared through a moment longer before closing with a soft sigh. "Get some rest while ya can, boys."

The arena was just starting.