You guys are honestly the cutest things. Thank you so much! And I will finally add a snippet from Katniss's POV here, just to branch out a little more. Like I said before, I'm probably focusing more on Cato, since there are a lot of limitations with Katniss's character, being already created by the lovely Suzanne Collins.
-Tiffany
Katniss
Numb.
Cold.
I feel so indifferent. Mother thinks there is nothing wrong.
I laugh on command. I smile. I talk.
It isn't me.
Cato's eyes scare me.
Death.
All I see is death.
Fragmented, that's what I am.
He knows me too well.
Shut up, Cato. Shut up.
"Get out!" I tell him.
My wrists hurt.
He doesn't leave.
Warmth. There is warmth in his eyes. There is sadness.
He pities me. He knows me.
We are the same. Too much so.
We have risen above Snow's games. Teaming with Cato.
What a horrible idea.
Cato
I left with more jitters in my stomach. I couldn't place it, so I pushed it away; assuring me it was the nerves that came with talking to Katniss. She was tough, strong and bitter. I would have been intimidated if it wasn't for her eyes. Once in a while, her gaze would slip and she would look like a doll with no purpose. A puppet. Her last remark had been cold, with a measured glare. As I stood to leave, her expression left, leaving a blank and passive face in its midst. I tried to talk more to her, but she didn't reply. Again, I felt worried, but when her arm rose to push me out, I left without looking back. I knew my visit had been too much pressure on her, like me.
I felt the anxiety start over again. The running – god, the running – it was full of panic. You never knew if the person after you had aim. You never knew where you were going. You had to rely on your mind and your instincts. That fact that I could die any minute pushed me. Sadistic? I've heard. Brutal? Obviously. But when you're afraid, it could lead you on two paths; one where you will ultimately lose and one where you overcome and win. A piercing scream rang through my mind. I winced and glanced around, seeing the emptiness around the Victor's Village. It wasn't anyone. It was me.
"Please! Please, don't!" She screamed. She had large, green eyes and limp brown hair. I felt my face curl into a sneer as she kept pleading. It would do her better anyways, I told myself. She was already emaciated. She had absolutely no materials. When my spear finally entered her, I hoped she would stop.
She didn't.
Her screams racked through my brain. They say she's a fighter, but she isn't. She would keep screaming. But then a boy stumbled into the clearing, knife in hand. He cried out her name, but I couldn't hear him. Blood roared in my ears. They loved each other. I yanked the spear out of the girl and whirled it. It found its target in the boy's head in a matter of seconds. Collateral damage.
What had I become?
"Hey, kid." The familiar gruff voice grumbled. I felt two hands under my arms lift me up and prop me against their shoulder. "Why is it always me?" Haymitch. I felt myself come to my senses when he plopped me down on the foul-smelling couch.
"Are you okay?" His eyes searched my face. "Do we need to take you next door? Everdeen's a doctor."
"No!" I cried out. "No!"
"All right, kid." He sighed, limping over to the kitchen. He brought back a glass of water. "You were making a nuisance out there. You were lucky we live here, instead of out in the crowded areas." I shuddered again. Blood. So much blood.
"I hate them."
"Who?"
"The Cap-" My heart almost burst out of my chest when Haymitch slapped a hand over my mouth, hissing angrily. He dragged me outside and dropped my on the ground. I looked up, stunned.
"You can't say anything against the Capitol in there, dumbass!" He hissed. "They could be listening."
"Listening?" I gaped. I had to tell Katniss.
"I don't know what happened while you and Katniss were in the Games, but rules around here have gotten a lot stricter. New Peacekeepers and more enforcement. It never used to be like this." I didn't understand, since District 2 had always been strict and uniform. Sure, we had fun, but it was all under the watchful eyes of the Peacekeepers.
"I understand you're experiencing those flashbacks. You hate the Capitol. Get used to keeping it in." He strode back towards the house. "By the way, the feast is in half an hour, so you better get ready. You're arriving with Katniss."
Her eyes were panicked and frightened when I entered the room. She was rocking on the couch, her face ashen. When her eyes found mine, she let out a small moan, followed by a whimper.
"Katniss?" I asked nervously. She didn't respond, still mumbling and rocking. "Mrs. Everdeen?" I called. The house seemed empty. They left Katniss alone. I rushed to her side as she opened her mouth to scream.
"Hey, shh. It's okay." I grumbled, burdened with the task of comforting. I sat down next to her and awkwardly watched as she didn't seem to get better.
"It's okay." I said again. I watched her face.
Oh.
The same face I had earlier. She was having flashbacks and nightmares. I put my arm around her shoulder and brought her body towards mine. She flinched and stiffened, but her shaking subsided. We stayed like that for a while, with me whispering soothing words. It was odd. It was uncomfortable. When she finally calmed down, she wrenched herself from my grasp – I hadn't realized I was gripping her so tightly – and straightened, as if nothing had happened.
"We have a feast to go to." She muttered. I followed her form, walking quickly into the night. We came upon the chatter and lights, the whole district roaming around the plates of food. I looked around, noticing the malnourished people and the ones that seemed much healthier. They had a class barrier here.
"The Seam." She whispered.
"What?"
"Those that live in the Seam practically starve." A long silence followed as eyes turned towards us. "I used to live there."
"Ah, here they are!" Haymitch interrupted Katniss's next words with a drunk hug. The feast had barely begun and the man was already unsteady on his feet. Katniss rolled her eyes and set him down on a chair. The other citizens grew quiet as they sat around the clearing, with more of Katniss's choice people around the table. I saw the realization on Katniss's face when she realized they were waiting for her speech.
"Oh. Um..." She glanced at me helplessly. I could only give her a hopeful look back, because I was a terrible public speaker – well, while being kind - and I knew 12 would not like me to speak. They didn't even like my appearance here. I could see the sideways glance towards me, some longer than others. A group of teenagers relaxing in the center of the crowd, glared maliciously at me. They seemed to be the richer part of the town, though almost as starved as the kids from the Seam. I remember learning Lover Boy was a baker, meaning they created the luxury cakes. He was probably part of the crowd glaring at me right now. I seem to make enemies everywhere I go now, even if I hadn't met them.
How exhilarating.
"Thank you all for being here today." Katniss started. I smiled. What a joke. These were government-mandated, unless you were dying. "I am glad to share this victory with everyone here." She paused for a second, looking into the small camera, perched before her. Her speech would be broadcasted across Panem, while I would sit behind her, staring like a complete idiot.
"Of course, I do wish Peeta was here with me." My eyes widened. She was staring defiantly into the camera now. "It is good to know he is in a better place now." She picked up the glass next to her, filled to the brim with a sweet, tangy juice. "For Peeta." The other citizens lifted their glasses wordlessly, worried about the Peacekeepers' shocked expressions.
"May the odds be ever in your favor." I grumbled, lifting the glass. Katniss whirled to look at me. For too long, our eyes locked.
She laughed.
"I have to get air." I told Katniss. She gave me a strange look, seeing as the feast was outside. She whispered to Haymitch, who whispered to a Peacekeeper. With a nod, I almost dashed out of the crowded town square, running towards the trees. I stopped at a fence and sighed loudly, glad to be alone for once. I had met the whole town in a matter of two hours. Katniss stayed by my side for a while, pitying me, but then she disappeared into the crowd, giggling with Gale. Fake smiles glittered at me, and I knew what they were thinking; what a monster. I couldn't blame them. But then, I had to defend myself. I understood their malice. I remembered watching my brother being slowly tortured to death by tributes from District 4 and 6 and I felt the same way everyone felt towards me.
Betrayal.
Anger.
Rage.
"Don't!" Jack's voice rang out. Every eye in the square turned to look at me, watching my brother. My friends blocked me from their view, whispering comforting words.
"Please, stop!" Jack was sobbing.
No.
I blinked, staring up at the dark sky. How long had I been on the ground? I stretched, trying to get up. I stumbled, tripping over the branches gathered at my feet. A rustle in the leaves broke the peaceful silence. I turned around until I saw two blond heads come out of the shadows. I swallowed loudly, seeing the stature and looks of Lover Boy on them, except older and, now, more malicious.
"You're Cato." One of them said. "I'm Marcus. This is Tony. We are Peeta's brothers." The threat in his voice was evident. I nodded rapidly, never feeling more unprepared and scared in my life. I couldn't kill or hurt. Not right now. I wasn't feeling the malice I felt in the Games. Nothing to drive me. Blood. I shivered.
"So you're scared now?" Tony hissed. "Peeta must have been before you threw him to the mutts."
"I'm sorry..."
"We've heard, coward." Marcus shoved at me. I flew back, almost into the fence behind me. The brothers grinned at each other.
"You know, the fence is electric. It's rarely on. You could get out." Tony said. "Go on. We wouldn't miss you." I glanced at the fence, and at the small hole at the bottom. I could dig my way out. My heart almost soared, but I knew I would have no where to go. But looking back at their stormy faces, I almost bolted. As I bent down, I frowned, hearing something. I bent my ear closer to the fence, hearing a hum.
Lies.
It was on.
A shove. A scream. Was it me? A blinding pain. White. Pain.
It hurt.
Katniss
The scream was guttural and painful. It made my skin crawl, and I immediately knew something was wrong. The other citizens looked at each other, startled. My eyes met with Gale's.
Cato.
Overdrive. My mind went back to the Games.
Rue?
We ran in sync, following the deep footsteps Cato left behind. I almost groaned as I saw the other two pairs of footsteps joining his. How could Cato be so stupid? All that time fighting and killing, the guy couldn't hear two men stomping after him. I saw his body, twitching on the forest ground. He was getting punched, wailed on.
I flew.
Marcus and Tony tried to run, but they couldn't beat me.
They were on the ground in seconds.
"Katniss!" Gale roared. He pulled me off of them, and yanked them to their feet. The Peacekeepers that had followed us –funny, didn't hear them – grabbed their arms and pulled them to who-knows-where.
"Get my mother." I snapped at Gale. "Go!" I bent down next to Cato, my eyes taking in his appearance. I couldn't see his face. It was covered in blood. He was stiff, still feeling the pain from the electrocution. I took his hands, trying to massage them so he would stop twitching. It was gruesome, but after the Games, I wasn't throwing up like the inexperienced Peacekeepers. I thought they were stronger, but no. They weren't. I could see the angry red on the side of his face; the burn. No. They held him there long enough to affect his skin too.
"Help." I command. No one moves.
All I want is help.
But no one comes because they are too afraid of touching a monster.
Cato
Darkness. All I see.
Voices. Yelling. Fighting. It hurts my head.
"I'm not letting them touch him!"
"He wouldn't want to live like this!"
I want to tell them to stop.
But I can't.
Stop.
They don't.
Sleep.
It is cold metal under me.
Uncomfortable.
It smells like roses.
I awaken to blackness.
I sleep to blackness.
"Cato?"
Bitch. Let me sleep.
"Cato?"
My eyes snap open.
"Fuck off, Firegirl." And then I gasp. I can see. Katniss smiles wryly. I struggle to sit up. There is no darkness.
There is Katniss.
"Welcome back, Cato." Haymitch says gruffly. My head aches as I nod. There is a man, seated in the back. He stands when I blink at him.
"Cato, you were injured."
"No shit." I grumble. Katniss smiles again.
"You were blind."
"What?" I stared at him incredulously. I turn to look at Katniss. She doesn't meet my eyes. I struggle to see how District 12 was able to bring a miracle to life. I should be happy, but all I am is confused.
And then I realized.
The clarity of the images weren't like before. I could see every detail from the window beside me.
Oh no.
Katniss gave me a mirror.
My eyes.
One blue as the sky, one green as envy.
"Why did you let them do this to me?" I hissed. Katniss just sadly hung her head, sighing.
"See, we wanted to keep your old eyes, but they were useless. Of course, a victor like you can't be blind for the tour. Unfortunately, we matched the colors wrong, but don't you look nice?" The doctor smiled and stood. "Now, I must be leaving 12. Too dusty here!" Haymitch practically tackled him to get him out the door. I looked at the mirror, then at Katniss, then back to the mirror. Besides the eyes, they had cleared my skin of any scars. I hated it. I was rubbed as shiny and raw as Snow's ass. I wanted the scars, to show my battles. Now I looked like a pretty boy, getting ready for polishing shoes. I turned my eyes to Katniss. She flinched.
"Not fucking used to it?" I snarled. "Get used to it. You let them operate on me."
"Cato..."
"Fuck off!" I roared. I turned away from her.
My eyes used to look like my brother's, Jack.
And now when I look into the mirror, I see a stranger.
I start to cry.
