Note: Thank you to both reviewers and lurkers. On with the show, that's what you're here for right?
Chapter Three: In Motion
By the time he was done, the sun had already risen for the official start of a brand new day. What once was a dark, empty street from his view near the window was now a busy place filled with the people of the Capitol – people who were all at once familiar and bizarre in their multicoloured outfits, strange tattoos, and outrageous hair – the list was endless. Nothing in them or about them was plain or untouched. And although he grew up seeing this grandeur, for a reason he could never really explain Cato would always find these people peculiar with what they had done to themselves.
Turning away from the hustle and bustle outside that had distracted him if only for a bit, Cato directed his attention back to his two companions, laying the file he had just finished perusing atop the low, mahogany table in front of him. He glanced first at his sleeping cousin – Marvel had his mouth agape, chin resting on his chest, his breathing slow and even. He smiled a little to himself at the sight before he was finally turning to Dr. Finnick Odair – ever patient, as he had been for the past three years.
"So," Cato began, shifting in his chair for a more comfortable position. They'd been here for hours. "This girl… Katniss Everdeen, yes?" The doctor merely hummed in reply, giving a slight nod as he waited for Cato to further continue. "Peeta responds to her, to sum up the medical file you compiled."
"Yes. As he would to anyone before three years ago."
Cato laughed a little at this. "Well three years ago I wouldn't say he had ever sponsored a Hunger Games tribute…" he shared a smile with the doctor. "I can't believe the amount of money he spent for her. Peeta is…" Cato paused, his smile faltering a bit as he corrected himself. "Was the thrifty one between us. Although we had money, unlike me he's never been the one to spend them on things he thinks are useless."
Dr. Odair leaned forward, eyes twinkling. "Which is the point, Cato. You see, for the longest time Peeta has forgotten what's important and what's not. But now, he's found something that isn't completely useless again."
Isn't completely useless…
Water. Burn medicine. Food. A weapon.
"The bow and arrows," Cato stated, remembering the list of things his brother had given to Katniss Everdeen during the course of the 74th Hunger Games. "The file said it was custom made, right?" The doctor nodded and suddenly was grinning. "It is. The most expensive gift ever given to a tribute, or so the rumors say. It cost a lot to have it made from scratch, but it cost even more to send it to her. It was unbelievable – Beetee wanted to faint when he found out how much it would cost."
A soft smile lighted Cato's face at the mention of the butler. Old, reliable Beetee who had been with the family ever since he was a kid. He shook his head slightly, fondly. "Typical of Beetee," he muttered to himself, before he was looking up at Dr. Odair, all of a sudden with an air of resolve. The doctor noticed the shift, there was something decided on the smile on Cato's face now.
Cost. Victors too, had a cost. The word turned something on within Cato's head. "Okay. We'll have to put her in Peeta's life then, this Everdeen girl."
Dr. Odair narrowed his eyes. "How?"
Cato brought his mobile phone out of his jacket pocket. "It's time to check how much they're selling Victors nowadays." He put the phone on his ear and winked at the doctor, who narrowed his eyes as he realized what this could mean.
"You're not saying…"
Cato's lips curled into a smirk as he stood up to head outside to make a phone call. "Yeah. I'm buying her."
Her voice was hoarse with sleep. "WHAT?!" He chuckled at this, amused by her manners – or lack thereof. No one could answer the phone like Johanna Mason. "Good morning to you too."
There was a pause. "What the fuck Cato?! D'you know what time it is? It's six in the morning for crying out loud! Go mess with someone else!"
"Just got to bed after another night of partying I assume?" There was no answer, but the call had not been ended so it meant she was giving him the chance to talk. "That's what you get for partying without your favourite cousin." There was an annoyed, almost animalistic growl on the other line and he laughed. "Okay, okay. I'm not messing with you. I need you to check on something for me."
There was a sigh on the line, and then some rustling before she was speaking again. "Then spill it! I haven't got all day!" Cato smirked, shaking his head – but no more games.
"I need to know when the 74th Hunger Games Victor's bidding is going to be."
The pause that followed this statement was a long one. And then… "Seriously?" she blurted out. "You, Cato Mellark who have men and women begging on their knees for your attention – you're trying to get into the girl on fire's pants?"
"No. This is for Peeta."
"WHAT THE FUCK!" Cato winced at the cursing that followed this reaction but had to laugh aloud at Johanna's words. "You fucker, you're despicable! Don't use Peeta as an excuse you son of a bitch!"
Shaking his head which Cato just noticed he seemed to be doing a lot lately, he was smiling when he spoke. "I'm not. You can talk to his doctor about it. It's a lot to explain especially over the phone. But yeah. I need the date of the bidding, I need an invitation and my name on their list, I need to know who's going to be there."
"She's fucking expensive, I'm telling you that," On the other end of the line, Cato could hear more rustling – Johanna sounded like she was getting out of bed. "But okay if this is for Peeta, give me until noon and I'll send you a message with the details."
"I want to know my competition so don't forget the list of attendees."
Johanna snorted. "I know we're rich but she's for rent Cato, you're not gonna be able to buy her completely." And at this, Cato smirked.
"Watch me."
Her braid flying behind her as she ran, bow in hand, sling of arrows on her shoulder. Her laughing at something Rue said, green eyes twinkling like stars. Her poised to shoot an arrow at an unsuspecting bird, face schooled into focus. Her curled up in a sleeping bag in a cave, tranquil looking and delicate. Her climbing a tree, hands and feet finding the right branches effortlessly. Her singing with tears running down her cheeks, cradling a dying Rue in her arms.
Her.
"These are amazing, young master." Beetee said softly, looking at his charge with a gentle smile on his face. He was in Peeta's special room, watching over the young man since he had free time in his hands. Canvas after canvas of paintings were displayed on the walls, hours and days and years of Peeta's hard work. But the newest set sat on the floor being dried, and all of them contained a single face.
Katniss Everdeen's.
Peeta, who was at that moment painting, did not reply to his words. Peeta hadn't been doing so, ever since three years ago. He did acknowledge others though, and he did just that to Beetee, but never long enough. A fleeting glance maybe, but that was all he spared. People had stopped being interesting to the youngest Mellark that he gave them very little attention, did not even talk to them.
The lack of response no longer fazed Beetee, really. He had come to expect it. So he kept talking, as he always did, continuing a one-sided conversation. "Ms. Katniss Everdeen has just come back to the Capitol from visiting her District, did you know young master?" Beetee was crouched on the floor, so busy with staring at the one of the paintings of the District 12 Victor that he did not see Peeta pause in his work.
Oblivious, he continued. "We'll have to watch her homecoming tonight. I'm sure you wouldn't miss it. I wouldn't miss it myself." Beetee moved on to the next painting, the one of Katniss laughing, doing a monologue or so he thought. "I wonder if she's wearing one of those dresses that have fire on them…"
"It doesn't matter what she's wearing."
Beetee's heart stopped.
The poor butler looked up so fast that he actually toppled backwards, having moved too quickly while in such an unbalanced crouching position. Gaping at Peeta Mellark whose blue eyes were focused on him, he merely sat on the floor with wide-eyes, listening to the boy continue. At a loss, amazed, emotional all at once.
"Can we record tonight's show? I'd like to paint her wearing one of those fire dresses…" Peeta smiled gently at Beetee, before going back to the painting he was working on, muttering softly to himself. "Katniss in a fire dress…"
Picking himself up from the floor and wiping the tears behind his eyeglasses, Beetee quietly exited Peeta's painting room to look for a phone and call Cato.
Note: Yeah. He speaks. Drop a review and maybe I'll update sooner deal?
