RUN AWAY – CHAPTER ONE
A/N- Guys! Omg I came up with a plot finally after like, months! Okay, this is from Cato's P.O.V... And there's plenty of fluff... I think there'll be, at least. And uh... Angst? And just an F.Y.I, Maroon, Xander, Rhodes and Morgan are O.C's... Okie-dokie! Enjoy!
I roll over in my bed, staring out at District Nine. It was prettier than the other Districts made it out to be. It smelt of pine and it looked like something described in a romance novel. Of course, I did come here because of the person I love. Speaking of Peeta... He smelt pancakes.
"Dad!" Morgan's seven year old voice yelled into his room. "Come on dad! Peeta and I even cooked for you!"
I groan. "Morgan... Just give me like, ten more minutes."
She puts her hands on her hips. "Did you forget what today is? It's your birthday, daddy!" She reminds me.
Ugh... Fucking birthdays. My fucking birthday. I don't wanna be 25... I just wanna stay young with Peeta... And the kids of course! Xander and Morgan. Me and Peeta took em' in. They're parents died in a fire. They didn't sound all that responsible in the first place...
I sigh and sit up, watching Morgan help Xander down the steps. He's only three after all. It makes me smile, seeing my family. My family.
It was a convenient coincidence that they looked so much like us. Blonde hair, blue eyes, pale skin. Xander was a little Peeta though. He was so innocent. Not to mention adorable...
And then Morgan apparently took after me. Arrogant, pushy and full of herself. Sorta. I mean, I was bad. She's still really... well, normal.
I'm still half naked from the "Birthday gift" Peeta gave me last night. I decide just to pull on a pair of jeans and go downstairs, pasting a smile on my lips. I really hated birthdays.
Peeta came out of no where at the bottom of the stairs, flinging himself into my arms. He too, was still half naked. It suited him so much better than me...
"Morning, love." he laughs, staring up at me. He stayed wrapped up in my arms, like most morning went. God I just loved that. God I just loved him.
"Morning." I smile, giving him a soft kiss.
"We made you breakfast and everything. Even Xander helped." He takes a quick glance over at the toddler, who's a little preoccupied with trying to get a pillow on the couch.
"Wonderful. But you know I hate birthdays." I sigh, resting my forehead on his. His skin's so damn soft...
"But you don't hate my cooking." He grins.
"I don't. It's my favorite." I pause before correcting myself. "Well, you're my favorite."
Morgan looks up from her sketch book. "Hey! What about us?"
"Yeah, you're all my favorites. But Peeta's the best." I grin, knowing she just hates that.
Morgan pouts before running to the kitchen to put the food on plates. Peeta goes to help, and just as he does so the door bell rings.
I answer to find Rhodes and Maroon. They're both pretty much like our welcoming committee to Nine. They'd both become pretty wonderful friends of ours, and we have more similarities then it seemed...
"Well Happy Birthday." Rhodes smiles, taking a glance back at Maroon. She looks slightly irritated (as always) and her red hair dye has faded to show her original orange colored hair.
"Yeah, yeah." I groan. "It's really just another year closer to death, you know."
He crosses his arms and nods his head, giving me a look. "But Cato, don't you remember? You already died..."
I try to hold back a smirk. I would only let Rhodes joke about something that serious. After all, he had suffered it just as much as Peeta did. Rhodes was crowned victor of the 72nd games, and Maroon was the lover he lost. You could say they were the original star-crossed lovers... "The star-crossed lovers of One and Nine," was my usual nickname for them. Just like me and Peeta. A career, and an outlier.
"Hey, red-head, you sure are quiet back there. Usually we can't shut that pretty mouth of yours up." I smirk back at her, watching her return the notion.
"Be quiet." she groans out, then puts on her regular genuine smile. It rarely comes out. "Happy Birthday, you fucking wonderful bastard."
She runs up and wraps her arms around me. This was probably my favorite thing about Maroon. The way she acted like a rude, stuck up District one bitch, but then was compassionate and proved you otherwise. Me and her were to much alike. She too, was brought back by the former powers technology. We've gone through a lot together. I helped her remember, and got her through the terrible nightmares. She was definitely my best friend. We got each other in a way no one else did. Peeta and Rhodes wouldn't understand what it was like to know you were dead, and they brought you back like that.
I chuckle, hugging her back. "Well look who cares. A career from One." I joke about that a lot. I know I can, because look at me! I'm the one who went soft for a guy I barely knew. Maroon and I both wore that career mask that came off when we were around each other or Rhodes and Peeta. They got us soft.
Maroon smiles, stepping back and brushing invisible dust off of her shirt. She shakes her head, then leans back onto Rhodes side.
"Hey, Cato, invite em' in!" Peeta yells over to me. I nod, motioning them inside.
But just before I close the door, I see something drop. Out of curiosity I continue watching, and then see a house burst into flames. What the hell? Another two things drop. I realize they're bombs.
Maroon glances back from the door way next to me, and my mouth drops as I realize what is going on.
District Nine is under attack.