AN: I do hope that you guys like it and leave me a comment! :)

Good Actors

Dean knew what it meant to volunteer as a tribute. To the people in his district joining the Hunger Games meant fame and glory. But to him, it meant that he could save a life by substituting it with his own. He knew nothing good ever came from participating in the Games. It was just a killing spree for the rich. He had enough experience in that when his father, a Career who had died in the Game.

The next to go would have been Sam, his younger brother had he not volunteered as tribute. Dean was glad that he had though, he was sure that Sam wouldn't even have been able to survive the first day. As night falls now, Dean nimbly climbs up the branches of a pine tree sitting astride the thick branch now, he reaches down and grabs onto the other boy's hand, helping him up.

"Thanks," the boy says, his name is Benny. He's the tribute from one of the poorer districts, 11 or 12 if Dean remembers correctly. He and Dean had made a truce of sorts; they weren't going to kill each other. For now they would survive together, they would protect each other. They didn't know why, maybe it was because they knew how precious life was and how it would feel like to loose someone important to you.

"Get the granola bar will you?" Dean tells him one hand still holding on to Benny's arm to stabilize him, the other steadying himself on the branch as he lets Benny lean in towards him to reach for the backpack. He tries hard not to think of what another tribute, a dark haired boy named Castiel had told him awhile back when they had been in partnership briefly. He isn't going to use Benny like that.

Benny reaches into the side pocket of the backpack and fishes out the unopened granola bar. "That's the last one," he tells Dean leaning back against the tree trunk now as Dean's grip slips from his arm.

"We'll figure something out tomorrow…" Dean murmured, his eyes trained on the little granola bar as his stomach rumbled.

Benny stifled his laughter, "Hungry aren't we?"

The rustling of the packaging as it opens is the only thing that can be heard between the two of them. Benny is salivating at the thought of a meal, no matter how small. He rips the packet open and takes a bite of the granola bar before passing it to Dean.

He doesn't mind that Dean eats more than a small bite; he knows the other boy is hungrier than he lets on. Benny finishes the last bit of the granola bar and their meal for the day is done. He leans forward stuffing the wrapper back into the backpack.

The two had been sparingly eating what had been kept in the backpack. Neither of them had taken it from the Cornucopia himself. As soon as the race started they'd run off, away from the Cornucopia. Dean spending the first day hungry and trying to find a safe place to hide on the second, but as soon as he was on the run, he was attacked by two boys. That's how he'd met Benny who had saved him and killed one of the boys, clobbering him to death with a wooden bat that he had taken to for defense. That was the story of how they got the backpack and the beginning of their sort of truce.

"Let me get the water," Dean says attempting to move the backpack to the front without any support.

Benny reaches to grab ahold his arm now, "I got you," he says noticing the way Dean flinches at his touch. The boy has been doing a lot of that recently ever since they parted ways with Castiel, a tribute from district 9. He doesn't understand why.

Dean ignores the way Benny's fingers are warm against his skin, his grip is firm and strong. Quickly he takes out the water bottle and hands it to Benny, their fingers brushing at the exchange. Once they have taken their one sip of water, Dean slips the bottle back into the pack.

"Goodnight," he says and then nimbly climbs from one branch to the next, one that isn't too far from Benny and settles down for the night.

Benny smirks, "Night," he mutters watching as the boy moved, silent and agile onto the next branch. Dean didn't kill unless it was necessary. In the five days that they had spent so far, they had shared their pasts and Benny knew more than ever that he could trust Dean.

Dean leaned back against the thick trunk of the tree, staring out into the darkness. In his mind he was remembering all that Castiel had said to him. Sponsors were the ones that they –as tributes – counted on. Some soup, water or an army knife could be what made the difference between life and death. Those things could be obtained throughout the game through the sponsors. And the only way to get these prized objects was to get sponsors to like you or the show that you were putting on.

"You've got something going for you," Castiel said, "You and Benny should play it up a little, it'll be to your benefit."

"Play it up? You want me to pretend to be interested in Benny?" Dean asked.

Castiel gave him a 'you got that right' look, "If it helps you to survive wouldn't you do it?"

Play it up? Dean thought incredulous. He wasn't going to pretend to be interested in another male. That wasn't to say that Benny wasn't attractive. He was. So much so that the other day Benny had gotten a pack of biscuits from one of the female tributes who had wished him best of luck. Benny had shared that packet of biscuits with him after that.

He looked to where Benny was on the branch next to him, already fast asleep. He didn't know how to go about getting the sponsors to like them. Dean had turned the notion of making a good show over in his mind now a few times and he'd come to the same conclusion each time. A good show always equaled to romance, seduction and sexual tension.

But that applied to getting a girl.

This was different.

But they needed the food, that or they had to kill and Dean wasn't up for that. He sighed, closing his eyes now as he drifted off, a plan already forming in his mind. He just hoped that the sponsors would enjoy the show enough to send them something of value.

"No."

"Well someone woke up on the wrong side of the branch this morning," Benny murmured. Why was Dean being so difficult today? "If you don't want to go and find other tributes with food then what do you want?"

"We go back to the Cornucopia and get whatever weapons are remaining there, then we go after the others," Dean said. That seemed the logical thing to say. Logical to make Benny angry that is.

"You're risking your life for a bunch of rubbish," Benny said. There would be nothing good left by now so why was Dean suggesting going back to the Cornucopia?

"It's better than fighting with sticks and stones!"

"I ain't gonna go back there. There's nothing worth going back for Dean!"

"Alright. Fine. Don't go back with me. I'll go on my own," Dean said and turning on his heel he headed back the way they had come. It was just an act but it hurt so much at the thought of having to leave Benny behind. Dean had grown so used to his company. He didn't have to wait long before he was ambushed, Benny tackling him to the floor from behind.

"It's too dangerous, I ain't gonna let you go back there Dean," Benny growled as he tackled the boy to the dirt ground.

Dean had to remember to fight back; he clawed and scratched at Benny's arms around his neck trying to elbow the boy off his back. He got in two good blows and Benny released him. Dean gasped for air, "Why?" he rasped eyes fixed on Benny.

"Because I care for you," Benny replied and he meant it.

Dean's eyes widened at the statement, Benny was taking this too seriously. In a flash he had Benny pinned to the floor, straddling him as he grabbed the other boy by his shirt, hand raised in a threat to punch him. Benny didn't resist, he merely laid there his eyes flashing hurt and betrayal and Dean broke at that look, leaning in to Benny now, lips by his ear.

"…act…" Benny heard Dean's whisper before the boy pulled back. He caught on quickly enough and caught Dean's fist as he was about to throw a punch.

"Aren't you going to say anything?" Benny challenged him.

Dean was confused, why was he still bringing up that statement? He went along with it anyway, acting, "I don't care…" he growled pulling his hand away from Benny's touch.

"Don't say that."

Dean felt it before he even realized what had happened. He felt the soft warmth of Benny's lips on his as the boy's hand slid to the back of his neck and pulled him in close, thumb lightly stroking against his rising pulse. He didn't fight back though and he let things take its course as Benny deepened the kiss, tongue begging for entrance and slipping into his mouth.

Dean shuddered as he felt Benny's tongue slide against his boldly, circling around his tongue and making him moan into the kiss. His hand unclenched around a fistful of Benny's shirt smoothing out against the boy's chest as he lowered his body to Benny's.

This wasn't acting anymore, at least to Benny it wasn't. He poured his emotions into the kiss, liking the way Dean complied to him when he had pulled his body closer. Their kiss was anything but skilled. It was just raw need and hunger, almost as though they wanted to devour each other. Teeth and tongue lashed about and Benny growled into the kiss letting his leg possessively curl around Dean, trapping the boy there.

He needed to breathe so badly but for some reason he didn't want to end the kiss. Dean gently pushed against Benny's chest, making a sound, telling him to let him up. When he did, Dean didn't move more than a few millimetres apart, their lips still brushing as he gasped for air. He was shocked and surprised at the emotional overload that he'd felt from Benny. And the body contact, the way their bodies clicked into place like that…Dean thought it felt deliciously good.

He blinked now, averting his gaze, "Don't do that again…"

Benny gazed up into Dean's eyes, the boy had beautiful green eyes, he liked that.

"Then don't go back to the Cornucopia."

"Okay…I won't…"

Benny smirked, "Good."

By noontime there were two parachutes that were waiting for them. One carrying bread, cheese, apples and water while the other held twin hunting daggers. Dean was surprised at the amount of items that the sponsors could give them just over one small encounter. This was enough to tide them over for at least 4 days max.

"They sure enjoyed the performance," Benny whispered softly coming up behind Dean now.

Dean shuddered at the hot breath that feathered his ear, "We were good actors," he lied.

Benny chuckled, "Right," he answered, "Good actors indeed."

-FIN-