runaway [dio dp]

“The god created plants with its steps-“

Ike’s words muffle like he’s stuck underwater, like when Everest dunked him full bodied into the training pool and held him there while Helena tried to shout instructions though the shifting haze. He could hear him, the sound registering, but he heard created plants with its steps and his brain checked out.

A mutt. A fucking mutt.

His pulse thrums under his skin, flutter-beat as uneven as his shallow breaths fighting against the tide of air that crests through his torn suit. They’re being toyed with, led through the dark and given visions of creatures unimaginable and set back upon each other because how could he fight Ike or Kass? He doesn’t know them. He doesn’t, not really, not for long enough and certainly not well enough, and yet…

Mother must think he’s so weak.

Everything is fake and yes, Ike was right, they were going crazy, but how could Dio bring himself to strike Kassandra or Ike down when they had cared for him just the same? He wants Kass to survive, and for Ike to survive, and for Cedar and Leet and all of them, but the world is sideways and upside-down and Dio doesn't know how to right the ship.

It’s not real, it’s not real. They’re not real. Nothing is real. I’m not real, I’m not real, I can’t be real, this can’t be happening-

How many other tributes had silently vowed not to harm those that were left and been seen through as if they were made of nothing, the Gamemakers reading all of their intentions written in action before the ink had even dried in their minds? And so interference was the only option.

It’s not real, I wouldn’t hurt them, I wouldn’t do that, I can’t do that, I was never meant for this-

Hand shaking, his grip loosens on the fire extinguisher, fingers clenching suddenly to try to keep it from slipping altogether and the sudden rush of sound returns to his ears as it discharges some at his feet. He staggers forward, towards that red light, towards where he thinks he hears Ike’s panicked breathing and Kass's voice trying to call them back to reason, his eyes glassy as he stumbles over his own cape.

The words tumble out of his mouth without thought, the colors above and the darkness blurring as he breathes in heavily through a stuffy nose, feeling the hot trail of tears down his cheeks as he begs. He isn't sure who he's begging, be it Ike and Kass and that nameless fourth tribute amongst them on the bridge, or the Gamemakers, or Helena, his mother-

He doesn't know who he's begging, but his voice cracks around the words all the same, the glass of his helmet fogging as he screams as loud as he can into the darkness they've been subjected to.

“It’s not real! It’s not real; we wouldn’t do this. We shouldn’t be doing this, please! Stop it! Please-”


CRACK!

























































The sky blinks out in the same moment that all sound snaps to silence. No color, no light, no noise, no breath. His momentum carries him forward all the same, knees buckling under autopilot steps, once, twice, and then there is no more running for Dio Markham to do as he tumbles past the edge of the cable bridge and into darkness.

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