Peeta had stayed in the workout room for longer then he thought. They really needed to fix the broken clock in the room. He found himself running up the stairs since the elevator was only for the Tributes and other Capitol inhabitants. Peeta scowled at how he could have been up there in about three minutes instead of this long run. Why did whatever higher powers up there hate him so much? When he burst through the door, he quickly ran to the bathroom and got a quick shower and changed as quickly as he could. He looked at his outfit today, and frowned. A black button down shirt and a pair of tight jeans. He felt…normal.

Before the Games, he was just a regular Avox. He had to wear the ugly red outfits. The red shirt, the red pants, the black shoes. Everything. Red and black, all day, every day. But now, he had variety. He had colors he didn't even know about. He looked at his blonde hair; his natural dirty blonde hair looked lighter for some reason. He could only hope that was a good sign. Lord knows he'd need all the luck he could get, especially with a Tribute like Cato. It was taking all his reserve not to tackle the older boy. That and the knowledge that the boy could probably kill him with one hand.

Right when he gets into his normal spot, the far corner with Emilia right beside him, the Tributes and their escorts walked in. He could immediately smell the odor of sweat over the air freshener that Emilia was spraying before he came running in. He let his eyes drift over to the small redhead by him, and he saw her smile and nod at him. He smiled as he looked into her green eyes before looking back at the others, waiting for them to need him. Which, knowing Cato, would be very soon. He watched as they all walked over towards the couches, and Rian said, "Avoxes! Turn on the TV!" Peeta had to bite his lip from yelling at the mentor, wanting to tell him that his arm was literally next to the remote. Lazy assholes… He thought as he reluctantly went over to the man's arm and grabbed the remote.

He looked up to change the TV channel, and saw Cato looking at him with a smirk. He stared back, this time not backing down, and saw Cato's smirk widen. Peeta, in all his years of pretending to be a mute, had learned to tell which facial expressions meant what. And the smirk that Cato had on, he seemed to know something. Something not good… What could he know? Peeta wondered.

When he first entered the room, Cato couldn't help but let a sneer cross over his features. Of course, there was his Avox standing next to Clove's. He hated how close the two where, he wanted his Avox far away from her. All in good time… Cato thought. If I win these Games, I can have him for all my life. And then I can officially start courting him. Cato thought with a sadistic grin. He followed the others towards the blood red couches. He sat down next to Clove and turned to talk to her, but instead he saw her looking over by his Avox.

Cato's eyes narrowed. The Avox girl, she would be easy to get rid of. But Clove, she was his best friend before the Games. But if she tried to get in his way, in the Games or getting to Peeta, he wouldn't be afraid to take her out. And it was then that he saw who she was really looking at.

The girl Avox.

"Clove, can I talk to you for a moment?" He asked and he saw Clove nod at him, and the two got up from the couches. He could see his mentor and their escort looking at them questioningly, and he just shook his head. "Alone." He said and the two went to Cato's bedroom. He locked the door and turned around with a smile on his face.

"What did you want?" She asked as she crossed her arms. That was another thing he liked about Clove, she was straight to the point. She didn't bother with being polite and dancing around the main subject. She just went head on and didn't waste any time. And time wasn't something that he liked to waste.

"So…you and the girl Avox?" Cato couldn't help but smirk as he saw Clove blush, something she rarely did. But she got herself under control and fixed him with a heated glare.

"What are you implying?" She asked gruffly and Cato let out a bark of laughter. He saw Clove's eyes wander to the door, and realized that she was probably scared that their mentor and escort was listening through the door.

"Don't worry; the Career doors are all sound proof. So are the walls. Anything we say is strictly between us." Cato told Clove as he patted her on her shoulder, and she sagged with relief.

"Well… It was an accident really. She walked into the bathroom when I was leaving the bathroom from a shower and we both kind of ran into each other and well… Our lips might have made contact." Clove explained and Cato grinned sheepishly.

"I wish I was that lucky to get a chance like that with my Avox." Cato replied and Clove's eyes widened.

"You mean…" She trailed off.

"That I like ass instead of pussy? Yeah, that's exactly it." Cato said with a grin, neither him nor Clove caring about his vulgar language.

"Well, it looks like you and I are both going to be fighting for our Avox's." Clove said while she put her hand up for a handshake. "But don't think that if we're the final two, I won't throw a knife at you the first chance I get." Clove said and Cato just punched her shoulder playfully.

"I'd be offended if you didn't. Have some honor for our District. But let's make a deal, we stay with the Careers. And then we team up until we take everyone else out. We have to bring honor to District Two some way, they haven't really won a Hunger Games lately. And then we go after each other when it's just us." Cato said and Clove laughed and nodded her head.

"Fine, but if you betray me I'll haunt you."

Peeta sighed as he watched his Tribute go through the bedroom door to talk to Emilia's and he suddenly found himself feeling angry. But why? Because that bitch is in there with him, he thought. But then, why did it matter to him if Cato and Clove hooked up? It shouldn't affect him at all! It must be because I just washed those sheets, and I don't want to clean them just for that slut. He thought and nodded. That made perfect sense. It was just for the sheets, nothing more nothing less.

"Hey Avox, come in here! I need to have a word with you!" Peeta looked up and saw Cato poking his head out of his room and motioned for him to come into the room. Peeta quickly moved to get to the room, feeling awkward with the silence that had settled when the two young people left. He looked over and saw Emilia walking too, and he smiled. They never specified which one they were calling for.

When they got to Cato's room, he saw Cato pat the bed. His mind raced with thought of what to do. Sitting down in the presence of our Tributes are punishable by death, Peeta thought, but what if their telling us to sit? Is it still frowned upon, even if I'm following orders? Finally, Peeta grabbed the red head and sat with her on the bed. He saw Cato's eyes narrow, and he wondered why. It doesn't matter. Peeta thought.

"I know you can talk." Peeta's eyes widened, as did Emilia's, when Cato talked.

"How?" Peeta's eyes widened more, as his head snapped and looked at the red head. Clove's and Cato's eyes widened, and she blushed as everyone's eyes were on her.

"Um…I was talking to Peeta…" Cato said, and Emilia's eyes widened in fright. Her voice was small, but beautiful. He wondered if she could sing if her voice would sound like a singer's voice.

"I can also, though." Peeta talked and looked over at Emilia. He wouldn't let her get punished alone. They where a team. He had grown attached to her, and he'd fight Snow himself if he tried to separate them. "What was the point of pointing this out though?" Peeta asked, glaring at Cato defiantly now. The two where more than likely going to be killed now anyways, might as well leave a mark.

"I was just saying I know… So when we're in private you can talk." Peeta's eyes widened. Cato was giving permission to talk? Why? What would he gain from this? Information. Peeta thought, he must think that us Avox's might be able to give him a lead or an advantage. Yeah, that'd make perfect sense.

"But only in private, you understand? Now, I'm going to sleep. Long day of training tomorrow, and I'm pretty sure Rian and Tress is going to try to teach us what our strategies should be in the interviews." Cato told as he looked at Clove and she nodded. "But, I want to know your real names. If we find out you're lying, I'll come back and kill you." Peeta shivered at how honest he sounded.

"Peeta." Peeta said while glaring at the boy, as if daring him to think he was lying.

"Emilia, but I like my nickname better. Foxface." Peeta nodded, remembered how some of the other Capitol people called him that. That was even her name on the Avox's brochures. Her red hair and green eyes gave people the impression of a fox, and her face almost seemed to be shaped like one. Sharp and angler, but in a cute way. Not a threatening way.

"Right, now. Goodnight." Peeta nodded at Cato's words, the Avox's clearly being dismissed as well as Clove. He went over towards his sleeping corner again, and laid down gently.

Before the two went to their separate corners, he whispered in Emilia's, or Foxface's, ears, "This should be interesting." Before going and laying down in his corner. Wait…did Cato actually be polite and say goodnight? Was Peeta's last conscious thought before he found his eyes closing and the world getting darker.

"…up…up! Get up!" Peeta's eyes snapped open and his hand snapped up to stop an oncoming boot from smashing into his face. He looked up into the face of Rian who was glaring heatedly at him. "Get up, now! You and Foxface are going with Cato and Clove for training! You got five minutes!" Peeta stood up quickly and rushed for the bathroom. Bloody bastard…I wish he never survived the Games…Peeta felt bad for thinking that the moment he said that. As he stepped into the showers, he thought about everything the man must have gone through. One of the tributes had eaten all of the other tributes. He had to watch the girl he loved get eaten right in front of him. A slow, painful death while his leg was stuck in a bear trap. Peeta shivered at that thought before he stopped the shower and hopped out after quickly washing his body. He didn't have time to shampoo his hair.

The elevator down there was Cato and Clove both giving orders to them. Peeta was wearing the same clothes as all the Tributes did in the training room. Apparently, no matter what class you were, everyone had to wear the same.

"…and above all, do not speak in front of anyone!" Clove barked in Emilia's, no Foxface that's the name she likes, face and Peeta had to resist the temptation of reaching over and pushing Clove away. However, the look in Clove's eyes stopped him. Is that…adoration? Does she have feelings for Foxface? Peeta thought, shocked, just as the doors dinged open.

"You and Foxface go sit on the bench and wait till you're needed." Cato simply said and Peeta and Foxface nodded, walking over to the bench with their head bowed.

Cato frowned, as did Clove, as they watched the two walk with their heads bowed. They moved effortlessly like that, as if they've done it all their life. Who knows, Cato thought, they might have. He decided to just ignore the subject. He practiced just about all the stations for an hour, then went towards the weapons station and grabbed a sword.

He started to turn, and stabbed a dummy through the neck. The head fell of immediately, and he started stabbing all the other limps. He smirked as he saw Peeta's eyes on him alone, and he couldn't help but feel his ego get stroked. Of course me, there's no one else who's even on the same level as me… He thought as he turned back…

…and noticed that there was a Tribute staring at his Avox with a look of…was that lust? Cato instantly remembered him being the boy from District 12. Gale something. Was it Hawkthorn? Oh well, it doesn't matter… Or that was, until he crossed the room and whispered something in Peeta's ears. He growled as he saw Peeta blush and Foxface giggle.

"Whoa, be careful there Cato. What did the sword ever do to you?" Glimmer asked as she danced, of course sexily, over towards Cato and took the sword from his death grip on it. Cato didn't even spare a glance and just continued to growl as he saw the man depart; of course he had to give Peeta a kiss to the cheek before leaving. Cato didn't know why, but that kiss almost seemed tauntingly. He growled and decided that Gale whatever his name is must die. And he'd gladly kill him.

I'd like to thank you for reading the third chapter of this story! And you guys might want to think the amazing beta that was able to Beta this chapter in one day! Thanks, Through And Light! Anyways, next chapter I'll start working on probably tomorow. For the people waiting on Forest Boy, my Gale/Peeta fic, I'm waiting for my Beta on that one to resend it to me and I have the next chapter already typed and ready! Anyways, care to leave a review?
Sincerely,

Jayciefer!