Suzanne Collins is acknowledged as the creator of the Hunger Games characters and story.

This short story is told from Cato's point of view. The same events told from the point of view of Katniss are told in Katniss and Cato: Love in Dangerous Waters (Fan Fiction story ID 10188003).

1: The midnight swim

It's nearly midnight. Tomorrow is the last morning of training, and the final assessments are in the afternoon. Two days after that we will be inside the Hunger Games arena fighting for our lives. Six years of competitive training in the District Two academy have gained me the dubious honour of being the District Two male tribute for the 74th Hunger Games. Clove had to go through the same process to become the female tribute, although in her case I think she enjoyed the brutality of the final elimination rounds. No one was killed in those rounds, but maiming your opponent was well within the rules. I won the male competition easily enough, but I can't say I enjoyed the bloodshed.

I lie in bed unable to sleep despite everything so far going to plan. The traditional alliance between the District One and District Two tributes is already working well. Between us, Clove, Marvel, Glimmer and I have intimidated nearly all the other districts' tributes. I'm fairly certain this year's Hunger Games will see a victor from among the four of us. Only the boy from Eleven seems strong enough to be a serious challenger. As for the girls, apart from Clove and Glimmer, I don't rate any of them as potential victors. The red-haired girl from Five is clever, the young one from Eleven is agile, and the frosty looking one from Twelve is an enigma. But apart from Clove, none of the girls show the ruthlessness to be a victor. When it comes to the crunch, they will hesitate and forfeit their lives as a result.

So what is keeping me awake? I know the answer to that question all too well, and thinking about it just makes Roger go harder. My mentors, Cassius and Enobaria, are aware of my problem. Although Cassius treats it as a big joke, he has at least offered a solution. He's says it is quite normal at this stage of the Games, particularly when things are going so well. It is partly a product of our academy training. We are taught to believe a mighty warrior about to enter battle is entitled to prove his manliness to a girl in the most intimate ways imaginable. Cassius has offered to purchase the services of one or more young women to tend to Roger's needs, but I don't want a prostitute. Nor am I going to force my attentions on an unwilling partner. No, I want a girl who willingly submits herself to my desires. Enobaria tells me I'm being too picky. In other circumstances I might have approached Clove, but I'm the wrong gender for her tastes. Besides, she is just as likely to kill me as lie with me. We are temporary allies, not friends.

After tossing and turning for a while I decide there is no point in staying in bed. Perhaps a swim in the pools down on the training level will help. At this time of night there will be nobody about. The security cameras will be watching, but after years of being under constant surveillance, I've grown ambivalent to the presence of security cameras. I slip my dressing gown on to hide my nudity and head for the elevator. It is only then that I remember that at this time of night the elevators are controlled from the security desk at the entrance to the Training Centre. Will I be allowed to leave our apartment before morning?

I summon the elevator which arrives almost immediately. I enter the car, but nothing happens when I press the button to go to the basement where the swimming pool is located.

"State the purpose of your journey," says a bored sounding male voice over the elevator intercom.

"I'm going for a swim," I reply, politely but firmly.

"Very well," comes the reply after a few seconds delay. The elevator begins to move. The doors open onto the basement level where the training rooms and the swimming pool are located. As I thought, no one is about. I walk to where the swimming pools are located. I would never had known they were here had Cassius not pointed them out to me earlier in the week. Cassius said that since we weren't offered any training in the swimming pool this year, it is unlikely the Hunger Games arena will contain any significant stretches of water. I hope he is right. I can swim but not sufficiently well to compete with the swimming skills the District Four tributes will possess. Their district is heavily oriented towards fishing and maritime activities. Being a proficient swimmer is mandatory for everyone in District Four from an early age.

I enter the swimming pool complex. The main swimming pool is to my left. At the other end of the pool are doors that lead to the changing rooms and the hot tubs. I need the cooling waters of the main swimming pool if I'm to resolve my problem with Roger. I drop my dressing gown onto a chair and slip into the water. I swim for a few minutes before the sight of someone else swimming disrupts my rhythm. I've no idea who it is. Most likely it is one of the late-shift administration staff taking a relaxing swim before heading home. At this distance I can't tell if the head belongs to a male or female swimmer.

I ignore the other swimmer at first but curiosity gets the better of me. Besides, the swimmer could be a young woman willing to provide of the sort of company Roger desires. I swim closer and my heart misses a beat when I see the swimmer is indeed a young woman. I admire the rear view of her as she swims ahead of me. It could be an optical illusion caused by the rippling water, but I'll swear she has nothing on below her waist. That thought alone has Roger standing to attention. The girl hasn't seen me yet and I take a few moments to plan my next move. She could be the answer to my little problem, and I don't want to scare her off.

Uh-oh! She's seen me! Oh No! It's the girl from Twelve. Little Miss Frosty Face. I'm out of luck. Although if she's wearing that flimsy thing, perhaps I've misjudged her. More likely she thought, like me, that she would have the pool to herself and didn't bother to dress properly.

"Well, this is a surprise," I say. "I didn't think any of the other tributes knew about this place, and be brave enough to take a midnight swim. I can see you are someone I'm going to need to be wary of in the arena."

"You had best keep your distance from me, Cato," she replies. "We're not allowed to fight before we enter the arena."

Wow! She knows my name. All might not be lost.

"Why would you want to fight with me here?" I reply in a casual tone. "There's time for that soon enough. I intend to enjoy my swim and then go to bed. I suggest you do the same."

Now to test her mettle.

"Or can't you sleep?" I ask. "You wouldn't be the first tribute to be afraid and suffer sleepless nights before entering the arena."

"I'm not afraid," she says, defensively. "I just can't get used to sleeping on a soft bed."

Almost certainly a lie, but since she answered in a steady voice I will let it pass. I have her where I want her. I can see she will prove an interesting challenge tonight. Roger definitely agrees.

"Yeah, whatever," I reply. "Well, if you're not afraid you won't mind racing me to the other end of the pool and back."

"Why?"

"Because it's fun and I don't often get the chance to swim with a naked girl. Are you normally so argumentative?"

"I'm not naked. And I'm not arguing. I'm being curious."

"Ha! You may as well be naked for all that flimsy thing you are wearing is hiding. You have a nice body. You shouldn't be afraid to let people see it."

My first overt sexual comment and Roger nods in approval. I can see my comment has her bewildered. She'll either run like a rabbit for her apartment, or stand there frozen like a lamb awaiting slaughter. This is completely new territory for her. Perhaps she's even a virgin. Ha! Wouldn't that be the icing on the cake. My very first maiden for Roger to deflower!

"Are you ready? Go!" she calls suddenly and launches herself off in the direction of the far end.

"Hey! Cheat!" I call back before taking off after her. That's a response I hadn't expected. This one is definitely going to be worth the hunt.

I'll concede that she's a good swimmer. But I'm physically stronger. I gradually overhaul her, despite the ten metres start she gained by her sudden action. But she isn't done yet and seems to call on some hidden reserves of energy. In the end I can't tell which of us wins the race, but that isn't important. She's obviously willing to play some games with me. I just hope she realises how these games are going to end.

We haul ourselves out of the water and lie side by side regaining our breath. I study her as she lies facing me. Her face is so different from the frosty one I remember seeing during training. It's more relaxed. More alive. And as for her body … well I'm struggling to keep Roger under control and not to spoil things by jumping on her here and now.