*Please SYOT for my story The 32nd Hunger Games! Thanks!
The fire crackles beside me as I sit warming my freezing limbs, creating friction by rubbing my hands together to keep warm. All that I can think about is him. How I long for him. To be with him, to feel the warmth of my body pressed against his. He knows that I really like him, and he feels the same way, but we haven't told anyone and we plan on keeping it a secret from the Capitol as well.
Cato stands from the log that he was sitting on, stretching his arms above his head and giving a small yawn. His muscles ripple and he looks in my direction with a familiar smirk on his face. He winks so fast that I barely catch it, but I'm staring into those beautiful, sparkling eyes, and I couldn't miss it if someone had run me over with a car.
"Well, I'm off to get some more fire wood so that we can all settle in to bed," Cato states in his husky voice, "Clove, why don't you come help me?" I blush and look to my feet, hoping that it isn't noticeable in the light of the pale moon, or the glowing fire. "Sure. Why not, I've got nothing better to do," I say in a sarcastic tone.
I rise to my feet, my cramped body aching from staying in one position for so long. I walk slowly to meet Cato – mostly so that I don't trip – and we continue to walk from our camp near the lake, to the edge of the forest. Once we are far enough away that the others can't see us, Cato stretches out his hand and firmly takes mine in his own. We walk through the forest, hand in hand.
When finally, we are no longer on the outskirts of the woods, Cato stops and releases my hand. I wipe my sweaty palm on the back of my pants and look for some good firewood. "Clove," Cato says. I turn to look at him and answer hesitantly, "Yes, Cato?" "Nothing," he replies, "I just wanted to look at your gorgeous face."
I smirk at him and look down, suddenly embarrassed. He lifts a gentle hand to my chin, and tilts my pink face up to look at him. "That was a compliment, you know," he says glaring into my eyes. "I kn-" I get cut off mid-sentence as Cato kisses me softly on the lips. We stand with our foreheads pressed together and finally, I am close enough to examine those dazzling hazel eyes. They are a perfect mixture of green and brown, the brown taking on a more golden colour.
I close my eyes and wrest my head against his chest, wrapping my arms around his neck. His strong, muscular arms move up to the small of my back and we stay frozen, holding each other. "One of us will make it out, Clove," his whisper so soft that it tickles my ear. "We are stronger than all of the rest," he says confidently, still whispering.
I lift my head so that my eyes can meet his once again. Here, I am safe, warm, comfortable and happy. I never want this moment to end. "I wish we could freeze this moment, right here, right now, and live in it forever," I say before planting a gentle kiss on his soft, warm lips. "As do I," he replies lovingly.
We haven't been able to be this close to each other since the reaping, and I am in heaven. Eventually we break apart though, hoping that we have not been caught on camera. We get a few logs of firewood and this time, I reach out and take Cato's hand.
"I so long for a time where I would have had the chance to make beautiful babies with you," Cato says, dreaming of a different world. I sigh. "Well we can't dream for something that can't possibly come true," I say realistically. "I guess you're right, but I still like to imagine the possibilities," he says with a wink.
We are nearing the edge of the forest and I stop Cato, giving him a long and wonderful hug. After all, this might be the last time we can actually touch each other or feel each others warm embrace.
When it is time to let go, I feel empty and lonely, bearing our secret that I so want to spread.
But secrets remain secrets for a reason. Just look at Katniss who is forced to love lover boy.