Career Bonds

LabRat3000

Chapter 2 - Hospital Bonds

Cato woke up with a start. He felt weighed down and dizzy. All he saw was a woman in white clothing with a big needle. He felt all of it.

He desperately tried to remember what happened, but he barely remembered his own name.

"Peeta," was all he could say. The nurse looked up at him and smiled.

"Good evening Cato. Congratulations on winning the Hunger Games." Cato finally saw her face. It was messed up. She had a pink eye on the left and a gold eye on the right. Her skin was green. He must've been in the capitol.

Then he realized that if he won the Hunger Games, then Peeta must've died. He couldn't control himself anymore. He sobbed.

"Peeta's fine. Don't worry. You're just the first to wake up. They definitely suffered more then you did in the arena." said the nurse soothingly. With that, she injected Cato with another needle.

A week after Cato woke up, it finally happened. He had been getting shots throughout it all. The only thing keeping him awake was the desire to see Peeta.

The nurse walked in one morning, which Cato found unusual. She would usually come in the afternoons and evenings. "I have a surprise for you!" she squealed.

Cato looked up. "What is it?" He got out of bed a little to quickly. The nurse handed him some clothes and motioned for him to follow.

When Cato was all dressed, he went across the hall and into the room that the nurse pointed out.

Cato walked in to find a sleeping Peeta. He walked over and caressed Peeta's cheek. "I guess we did both win after all." With those words, Cato leaned in to kiss Peeta. Right before his lips make contact, Peeta screamed in his face.

"...Cato? Is that you?" Peeta asked after a while. This brought Cato back in to reality. Cato looked into Peeta's eyes and sees the comfort slowly covering his fear.

"Of course it's me, lover boy." Cato whispered as he leaned down again to kiss Peeta. Again, Peeta stopped him.

"Where's Katniss?" asked Peeta. "I need to see Katniss!" Peeta jumped out of bed. The nurse screamed, but Peeta wouldn't listen. Peeta fell into Cato's arms.

"Your new leg hasn't been finished." stated the nurse as she walked away.

Cato stared at him blankly before putting him back onto the bed and asking, "Why is everything always about Katniss?" He looked away from Peeta.

"It's not always about Katniss!" Peeta argued while shaking Cato. Cato still didn't look at him.

"I hope you know that I love you, even if you don't love me back." Cato told him. His voice was hollow.

Peeta grabbed Cato's face so that Cato had no other option be to look into Peeta's eyes. "I do love you though."

This time it was Peeta who leaned up to kiss Cato. Cato quickly returned the kisses before breaking away to breath. This break was short because soon after Cato was placing kisses all over Peeta's neck.

The kisses were soft but hasty. Cato trailed down until reaching the fabric of Peeta's patient attire. Peeta saw this as an opportunity to take over.

Peeta sucked on Cato's neck as Cato's hands snuck under the fabric covering Peeta and onto Peeta's chest. Peeta quickly took off Cato's shirt, but they were interrupted by a cough.

"Well, good morning Peeta. I see you and Cato have been... catching up." observed Haymitch. "I'll just close the door and let you get dressed."

After sharing a blush with Peeta, Cato got dressed. Peeta then told Haymitch to come in.

Haymitch entered with Derik, Cato's mentor throughout the games. "Cato, I have some bad news to tell you. The Victor's Village in District 2 is full. I need for you to select an old person so that we can dispose of him and give you a house."

Cato looked at Peeta who was staring at him expectantly. Cato wondered if Peeta thought Cato would actually kill an elder just for their mansion. "No, I was actually wondering if I could move to District 12 instead."

This grabbed the whole rooms attention. Derik laughed, unsure if Cato was serious. Peeta grinned at Cato. Derik then realized that Cato was completely serious and answered, "I think that's possible. I just have to clear it with some people." With that, he left.

After Derik left, Haymitch closed the door. "Peeta, this is very serious. Snow is mad at you for that stunt with the berries. You're the one that stopped the killing. How can you justify this?" whispered Haymitch.

"I-I couldn't think about living in a world without either Katniss or Cato," started Peeta, "because I love them both."

Cato immediately let go of Peeta's hand and left without a word. "Don't worry," Haymitch told him, "You'll see each other next week at the interview with Caesar. Remember what you told me today. You might just get away with it."

The three hour long recap was torture for Cato, but for Katniss it was worse then death. After seeing the kiss that Cato and Peeta shared, all she did was watch them, not the screen.

Katniss and Cato were devastated and wouldn't talk at all. Peeta, on the other hand, was answering questions about why he did what he did. He tried looking at both of them, but they wouldn't make eye contact.

They were silent when they boarded the train, but that silence soon died out.

"Why would you do that to me? Why would you love me and a killer?" Katniss yelled. She turned around to glare at both of them.

"Killer? Killer? We all killed, but least I loved. I didn't do it for the sponsors. I thought about Peeta throughout the whole game. What were you thinking about when you blew up our supplies? I'm sure you didn't think it was Peeta out there, lighting a fire." Cato paused and saw Katniss's hurt expression. "I'm sorry. I lashed out... If anything, don't blame Peeta. I made the moves at first, and I tried to steal him from you."

Katniss looked up into Cato's eyes. "No, no. You're right... I don't know how I feel about Peeta. I'm not sure what was acting and what was love. I don't even know if what I feel for Ga-, one of my friends back home is love." She turned around to make eye contact with someone much older. President Snow.

"I suppose you three have a lot of things to talk about so I'll make this quick. I hope Peeta picks one of you before the Victory Tour. I hate to see you fight." Snow leaved just as suddenly as he came.

"I think I have." Peeta states before kissing Cato. Katniss smiles, but she can't mask the pain in her eyes.