What if Cato and Clove were the afterlife of Romeo and Juliet? What if their love, their memories never truly died? What if fate gave them a chance?
But fate didn't. Fate is always cruel that way. Even after all this time, their love still ended in blood and tears.
The first time she saw him, that was when they were reaped.
No. Actually, it was her who was reaped, it was her name that was called up. He volunteered. The instance their eyes met, she knew this was the last day she ever saw her family. Not ever again. Cold, caculating, and ruthless, it was all in his icy stare.
But the moment their hands touched, she saw something flicker in his eyes. Or was it her imagination? Was it a trick of the light that made her see something hidden in him, something promised of warmth, gentle, and careness? Was it because of her breakfast that made she think, maybe, just maybe, in another place and time, it would be the warmth and the smile in his eyes, when he bent down to kiss her hand?
It must have been so.
She thought she caught him glancing at her sometimes during the train.
It could have very much been because of her hunger. How could it be true anyway? Sure they were in alliance for a while, but then, what had to happen would eventually come. There was no other way, no chance to even think of it. Why did she even bother?
But she knew for sure he stared at her and she walked down the stair to their horses. She, in her fierce, gorgeous and stunning dress and he, in his deadly - looking shining armor.
Music was up, the crowd went wild. Light danced on their skin. Neither of them saw any of it.
Standing in the line waiting for their turn to show up, with hands barely touching each other, she couldn't help but thinking about another place in another time, where the crowd parted away, the music was up, and their first dance began.
Anh when he looked down, he would smile gently at her.
She was informed of the character she would play on the last night in Capitol. Sure, she could do it, all the elegant, stunning, royal acting thing, it was no strange to her. She was calm, she was well prepared. She would live.
But her heart skipped a beat, her breath stuck in her throat the momentbshe laid her eyes on
him. There he stood in a handsome mysterious black tuxedo...
Her mind, out of her control, wandered to another place in another time, where he swayed her around the ball room in that tuxedo like a true gentleman she knew he was, and where he would lean down and whisper...
"Marry me, Juliet."
He, somehow, had managed to steal a moment alone for both of them. Alone, without the direct prying eyes of the Capitol. Alone, but still under the watch of those hidden cameras.
He never said a word that night, neither did she. Both sat in the safety of the darkness, staring down the street, where those ignorant people sang and dance and cheered for the death they were about to witness the next day. Never before has she felt so lonely and small in this cruel world.
At some point during the endless night, her hand was wrapped in his again, but that was all they dared to do. In that precious moment, she allowed herself to dream of a different place, in a different time, where all they hid from was the loud music and nosy people, not their certain death.
Just a few minutes, she told herself so.
Time was running out, and even so, she couldn't help but looking for him.
There he was, across the Cornucopia, all ready and dealy, like a true angel rising from Hell...
She dropped her gaze back to the backpack in the middle. It was all she should focus on, it was all she should think about, not the tingling feeling in her hand, not the illusion that kept popping up in her mind about another place, in another time, where they would run to each other's open arms, swing around laughing until their side hurt.
And most importantly, not to kill each other.
The night they announced that there would be two victors to be crowned this year would forever be held most dear in her short life.
The glim in his eyes and the smile on her face... Oh never before have they ever been so happy, never before have they dared to dream of the future they sure have lost.
That night, that only night, she allowed herself to close her eyes, allow herself to lay down next to him, and to feel his comfortable warmth wash over her.
In her dream, strangely, she dreamed their future together, where they would lay side by side with him every single night, feeling safe, happy, and most important, there would be no death looming over them.
"Cato! Cato!"
Fear, it was a strange feeling to her, however reasonable, especially when it was her life that was hanging on the cliff.
Please please please, she prayed, for whom, she was not sure, please Cato. Not now, no today, not when their hope was just waken up...
He was near, she kept telling herself, so close now! Please please please Cato. She knew he was running to her, was racing to her. She knew he would come. Please Cato! Just hold on, hold on for one more seco...
The first blow hit her as if the sky had just fallen down on her. She wished she felt the second blow, but she didn't.
Oh Cato, she screamed, but no sound came. She wished she could see, or hear, or feel, or anything! Anything! Please. Why was it so dark? Was she opening her eyes or not? Why couldn't she feel a thing? Why?
She thought she was drowning. She guessed Cato must have been by her side then. She wished she could at least see him, before she completely faded away. Oh Cato, he had just talked about it last night, about their kids, their house, their garden and the flowers he would plant... Oh Cato...
A/N: I would like to thank my best friend Cam Thi Nguyen for helping me with this fic. She is a true savior in a boring philosophy class at university! I wrote this one just for you, hopefully it meets all of your expectations.