A/n: This will be in an AU where those who die in the arena are pulled out and moved to a Capitol facility. The Capitol experiments on them- although most of the tributes die before their wounds are healed.
This is a Clato fanfic. It will be updated weekly on Wednesdays.
Clove's fingers strained in their restraints, grasping at air. She emptied her lungs until they finally collapsed to the lurching rhythm of her breaths. "Cato!" she yelled once she had the chance to again. "Cato!"
Her throat felt raw after it all, her yells growing scratchy and rough in the metallic ice of the Capitol's labs. "Poor thing," the scientist cooed, a voice that cut through the post-screaming silence of the room. A little cup of bitter medicine slipped between Clove's lips by force, guided by the hands of her captors.
Clove couldn't see yet, but she could feel the cold fingers within the dent of her head. Her jaw clenched as she felt her skull being pressed out, molded like putty in the doctor's fingers.
"Good as new," the doctor and the scientist said to each other, both of them running their cold hands over Clove's newly formed head in turn. They held a mirror up to her, peeling hre eyes open and handling her like a newborn child.
Her hair was sheered close to her skull, the light fuzz all that remained of the long hair she'd cultivated for so long. Her face was still hers- unchanged, The same dark eyes and the same freckles scattered across yellowed skin.
"Cato," she repeated, his name having lost so much meaning.
"Ooh, I'm betting on him," the scientist said with a grin. "He looks like he has quite the vendetta!"
Clove didn't know what that meant, but she played along with eyes following the conversation as it left the Scientist's lips and then the Doctor's.
"Killed the boy from Eleven yesterday!" the gleeful tone made hope rise in Clove's heart. "It was beautiful!"
"Bloody, brutal Cato," Clove croaked.
Both of the Capitol citizens looked over at Clove, brushing some hair from her face and cooing, "Star Crossed Lovers from Two, yes?"
Clove's smile disappeared. No. They were not like Loverboy and the Bitch on Fire. They were so much better, so much more focused on their goal.
"We could've won it," Clove murmured, not noticing the duo was gone. The rule change, we could've won it.
