Shout outs !
Shinigami : Waouh, did you just basically write a fanfiction in a review ? Haha, more seriously, don't try to think too hard on this. I have the story planned for a while. You'll see in the next chapters why and how Peeta convinces the careers to accept him in their group. Trust me, you even had a clue in the previous chapter ;)
JoshuaEvans123 : Haha, thank you for reviewing then :D I don't want to ruin the story to you though, so I won't answer that... but it's part of the plot, you know, so... what do you think ? ^^
fadi25402702 : oh you, my most faithful reader, let me tell you how much I love your reviews ! Thank you so much. :D To answer your question, well.. yes. Cato will be jealous. The next chapter is here, the next one will arrive in a few days if not tomorrow.
I like how you understand me, that's really comforting to know I'm not the only one who wants not to rush things between the characters.
London : I'm so glad to hear that ! I hope you will do fine on your exams and I wish you luck. I'm happy to know that my fanfic can bring you some entertainment. :)
WholeWheatWaffles : Indeed, I kind of changed the story of glimmer, though she's still as disgusting. What a beautiful review anyway, thank you a lot :)
LabRat3000 : I'm glad. I try not to make Peeta too OOC though, since I already have one very OOC (Marvel).
DemonicAngelGREED : Go away Marvel is mine ! haha, I hope you'll like the next chapters as well :3
Again, sorry for messing up the chronology of the days at the Capitol, considering I've read the books like one year ago I don't remember everything perfectly.
I honestly think you're going to like this chapter. Again, if there are mistakes, let me know... frenchie over here !
Peeta's P.O.V
Chapter 7 : You cast a spell on me
It's the very last night before the games. Maybe my last night at all. I want to see the Capitol from the edge one last time. And I want to get away from Katniss. After the interview, she almost strangled me. I owe my life to Haymitch, who stopped her.
When I'm there, I walk towards the glass and look down. It could be so easy... easy to end it, end it now. I wouldn't have to deal with the games, with Katniss, with Cato... But of course, the Capitol has set up a force field so the tributes can't kill themselves. Clever.
The door opens behind me. Of course.
"You. You !" Cato yells.
I bite my lip without turning back, and close my eyes.
I think he rushes towards me, and suddenly he puts his hand on my shoulder and forces me to face him. I can't look at him, so I just keep my eyes closed.
"What was that ?" he yells.
"What was... what was what ?" I ask with difficulty.
"You know what I'm talking about." he answers angrily.
I open my eyes and slowly look up at him. "I did what I had to do to protect her." I lie.
"Why do you even want to protect her ?" he asks furiously." She treats you like shit !"
I push him away and walk towards the elevator. I stop and look back at him.
"So do you." I tell him, and I see that my answer has a huge effect on him because he looks confused. And he doesn't answer anymore. "Goodnight, Cato. May the odds be ever in your favor." I say before getting in the lift.
That night, I sleep horribly. I can't help thinking that I could have spent more time with him at the edge. After all, we're going to have to kill one another from tomorrow, so...
I finally fall asleep.
Early in the morning, my avox wakes me up.
I don't want to eat anything. Yet, Haymitch forces me to. He says I have to be in good health for the games, and I know he's right. Neither of Katniss and me talk. I don't want to talk to her, and there's nothing to say.
We're leaded through different corridors by a bunch of Peacekeepers, then we split into two groups.
I'm not in Katniss' hovercraft. Marvel sits next to me, and Glimmer in front. I do my best not to look at her. The other tributes, I don't know their names.
A woman with a syringe in her hand comes to inject something in everyone's forearm.
Marvel asks what it is. Apparently, it's to know where we are in the arena at any moment, like some kind of tracker.
It's painful, when the woman puts it in my arm, and I bite my lip not to cry.
After a long flight, we're leaded to separate doors. I walk down a staircase, then a corridor, before one of the Peacekeepers opens a door.
"Peeta !" Portia exclaims.
I run into her arms. A few moments after, she hands me my clothes for the Games.
"30 seconds" the voice says through the speakers. 30 seconds before my eventual kill.
I start shaking. It's going to begin. Portia hugs me.
"You're going to win, Peeta. I count on you." she says, and the fact that she trusts me so much gives me courage.
"20 seconds."
I step back. I look at the tube I'm supposed to go into. It's scary. It looks like some gaz is about to get spread and kill me.
"10 seconds." There's no coming back. I get in, and the door close behind me. I put my hands on the glass and yells at Portia, who sobs and smiles at the same time, but I think she doesn't hear a word of what I'm saying.
The platform gets up.
The sunlight burns my eyes. I put a hand in front of them as a protection. As always, the cornucopia is a huge metallic horn. Inside, I see many weapons and survival kits. There are backpacks. Up the cornucopia, there is a countdown.
I look to my right. I see a lake. The water seems so pure, yet I imagine that it will be full of blood at some point of the games. It would add another dramatic side to the games. So 'capitolesque'.
I spot Marvel about 20 meters from me, to my right. He gives me a thumbs up.
The number on the cornucopia gets lower every second.
When it reaches 10, we hear a man's voice saying the numbers out loud. It definitely adds a dramatic size to the situation, because I'm scared as hell.
10... I see Lethe, smiling at me. Oh, Lethe, I'm so sorry I lost your necklace...
9... I see Cahier. Cahier, I wish I could have spent more time with you, we could have get to know each other better.
8... I see my father. Oh, dad. I miss you.
7... I see my mother. I don't miss you, but I understand why you used to hit us. Life is shit sometimes. I forgive you.
6... I see Katniss. Katniss, I am so sorry about what I'm gonna have to do to you. I changed my mind... I can't save you, I don't even want it anymore.
5... I see my Dad's bakery. I wish I could bake again.
4... I see my district. Oh, I wish I could go back there. It was so poor, but it was home.
3... I see District 2. The District I wanted to go to. It's not possible, I know that. I wish it was, because it's one of the most beautiful landscapes I've ever seen.
2... I see Marvel and Glimmer. One is smiling at me, the other is frowning. Why are you frowning, Glimmer ? Is it because you're screwing the man I want ? Wait... What ?
1... I see Clove. She is waving at me happily.
0... I see me. And Cato. Both alive, and that's all what matters to me.
I rush towards the cornucopia and try to avoid the other tributes as much as I can.
A girl, from district 7, I think, jump on me. I jump on my left side to escape from her, yet she catches my feet. Without waiting for her to do anything, I hit her with my feet, that goes right into her face. I think I broke her nose. While she screams, she lets my leg go. I turn my head as I get up and I see that there are tributes already dead. I don't lose time at looking for who it could be.
I spot a bag with knives, I think I could throw them. I rush towards the bagback and take it. I turn my head to see where Marvel is. He's currently fighting with another tribute. I don't worry too much about it, I know Marvel will do what he has to even if it's disgusting.
I look instinctly for Cato. Where is he ?
My heart misses a beat when I see him with blood on his face. He seems to be fine though, I'm relieved. He goes inside the cornucopia to get some weapons. I walk towards him when I notice a boy - from District 6, I think - who rushes towards him with a dagger.
"Cato !" I yell from the bottom of my lungs. I'm to far to stop the boy. I find myself taking a knife and throwing it at the boy. The time seems to slow down, I'm like in a bubble. The knife slowly enters in his flesh. Cato turns back at the moment the boy throws up blood.
He slowly falls on his knees, then crashes on his left side.
Cato, surprised, looks up at me.
"Did you..." his expression changes. He quickly picks up the district 6 boy's dagger and throws it at me.
I jump on my side to avoid it.
"What the hell, Cato ?" I yell.
I look up, and I see the girl from District 7 with the dagger in her chest, falling on the ground. I glance back at Cato who rushed towards me, helping me to get up. "You okay ?" he asks.
I look at him, in the eyes. It's not the usual Cato, he actually seem to care about me.
"You just saved my life..." I whisper, forgetting that I actually saved his' first.
He shrugs goes away.
There are corpses all around me. I feel like I'm about to puke, but I try to control myself.
I glance at Clove. She's picking up knives on a dead tribute. We're only five still alive around the cornucopia. Everything happened so fast...
I try to catch up my breath. I cough and reach for somewhere to sit, but all I see is blood, blood everywhere.
Someone catches me and pats me in the back.
I see Lethe, I mean Marvel, watching me gently. Without hesitating, I rush into his his arms, because I know that it's the only way for me to recover my mind.
A few moments later, when I can see clearly again, I see Cato who looks furious, starting at Marvel.
I slowly back off, thank Marvel with a smile and look at the remaining tributes. Of course, all the ones still alive are the careers. I look at the ground : Katniss is not dead. I sigh. I don't want her dead, but since it's the only solution to get back home, I would rather have her dead by now than later – and probably by my hand...
I walk hesitantly towards Cato. I'm so glad he's fine. He looks at me and seems about to say something, but Glimmer squeaks and jumps on his back. He looks at me and rolls his eyes, like he wants my help to get rid of her. Honestly, I would gladly help him to.
"Killing people with you is so much fun !" she smiles.
Oh my god, she's so disgusting.
Clove walks by me, and so does Marvel.
"What is he sill doing here ?" Glimmer asks. I feel my blood freeze in my veins. How dare she ? She's the one who told me to join them in the first place !
Cato doesn't say a word. Marvel steps and puts his arm in front of me to protect me. "What even, Glimmer ? He's one of us !"
"No, he's not !" Cato says.
I look at him desperately. If he doesn't want me in his pack, he's not going to let me go alive. But Marvel told me he would fight for me... does it mean that the bloodbath isn't over ?
"What are you saying, Cato ?" Clove yells.
"He won't help us, he's in love with the girl !" he answers.
I roll my eyes. Didn't he get the message ? Even if I have to admit that saying "that person" was confusing, it was him I was talking about during the interview, for god's sake !
I step back.
"No, he's not." Glimmer laughs. She starts giggling as everyone stares at her.
"What do you mean ?" Cato frowns.
"I mean that he lied. To everyone ! To get sponsors during his interview."
How could she know ? Did Marvel told her ? No, he can't have. I'm terrified : she basically said to everyone that I was a liar.
"How would you know ?" Cato asks.
"He said to Marvel that he was going to lie. Didn't you, Loverboy ?"
I blush. What was that nickname ?
"Is that true ?" Cato asks to Marvel. Couldn't he ask me ?
I look at the boy that I see as my brother. I sigh and close my eyes. He understands that he has my signal. He nods at Cato. He stares at me with a strange look on his face. I guess he's both disappointed and glad. Yet I never know what crosses his mind... Glimmer, all happy, hugs him like she has just proven something.
"Do you like her ?" Cato suddenly asks. It's the first time he actually talks to me since the games begun. I look down and blush. Then I shake my head.
"I don't want a liar in the team." he asks.
How can he say that ? He lies to everyone too. Just as I do. We both lie, because nobody knows what happened between us. And it seems like he tries to hide it by 'dating' Glimmer – who, I must admit, plays her role perfectly. I really want to tell Cato that she's the actual liar, but it would just look like I'm trying to accuse someone for something I did.
"Please, Cato" Marvel begs. "He fucking saved your life two minutes ago !"
Cato seems to be angry, yet he doesn't answer.
"To me, he's in the team." Clove says, and I'm glad I can find an ally in her, because I honestly don't know who I can count on anymore.
Cato still remains silent. His face seems to relax though. He looks at Glimmer.
"Oh, whatever !" she exclaims. "I don't mind him."
Oh, Glimmer, if you knew all the things I want to do to you right now. She's the one I would happily kill, actually. Yet I have not to, because if I do, the careers will kill me too.
Cato stares at me. I can tell he doesn't know what to do.
"Cato." I tell him. "Please."
He shrugs. "Fine." he mumbles.
I'm so relieved I sigh. Marvel pats my shoulder. "See ?" he asks. "Everything turned out well."
Yeah, sure...
"Let's set up a camp- stop that, Glimmer !" The girl was trying to get up on his back. "My shoulder hurts." he explains. "Peeta, come here." I shiver. "The others, try to find the tents first, then we'll take the weapons and the supplies." he commands.
As the other walk away to the cornucopia, I slowly head to his direction.
"Sorry about that." he says.
I frown. "What ?"
"I had to remind them who commands here. But I have to ask you something."
"Go ahead..." I tell him reluctantly.
"Was it really a lie ?"
I sigh and look at his face in detail. His gray eyes, so beautiful. His cheekbones that I like so much. His lips, that I want to kiss again. "It depends on who you think I was talking about."
He shakes his head. His look is like the one he gave me two days ago when I reached for his hand at the course station. He thinks I'm retarded.
"I'm not in love with Katniss. And to be honest that girl really pisses me off."
Cato sighs. "It was about time !"
"What was about time ?" I ask, not sure what he means.
"It was about time you realized that she's just a bitch who only thinks about herself and treats you like shit."
"Which is a lot like you. You still treat me like shit, Cato." I say and I walk away. I secretly hope he runs to catch me, but... he doesn't.
I realize the hovercrafts have taken the dead tributes' bodies when I was talking to him. It's better that way.
"Hey ! Look who I found !" Glimmer laughs.
We all look at her. She has found the boy from District 3, who is cowering. Yeah, I was sure that the bloodbath wasn't over. She raises her hand with a sword she found on the ground.
"Wait, wait !" he says. "I can help you, don't kill me !"
I pity him. What is he going to say that can potentially interest the careers ? …
"How would you be helpful ?" Clove asks.
"I- I know how to use the mines from the platforms. I could set them around the supplies so no one can still them without being killed."
"Clever." Cato says. He's right, actually, and it surprises me. No one ever thought about it. "You're on the team. Get started as soon as possible."
"Tha-Thanks" the boy stutters. "I'm Anary, by the way." he tells us.
"We don't care what your name is." Glimmer says.
"Shut the fuck up, Glimmer." I answer angrily. "We don't need you to tell us what we all do."
Marvel nods in approval. She rolls her eyes and walks away.
We hear the cannons. Twelve tributes are dead. Ten more to go.
I find a tent in the cornucopia. I up it with Marvel, then we grab a few supplies and put it in it. The sun starts going down, and it's getting dark in the arena.
Considering I'm the only one who knows how to do it, I light up a fire a few meters away from the tents. The other careers are still getting stuff from the cornucopia. I hear a few footsteps. Maybe it's Anary ?
I turn my head to see Cato. I sigh. I still don't know how I feel about him. When we're with the others, he pisses me off. But when we're alone he completely changes. Yet we're not alone. The entire population of Panem is here. We can't talk about the things I would like to, like why he kissed me the other day. Was it to get rid of me ? Or was something else ? Because so far, I can't say I think he actually has feelings. He's a very close person. He doesn't open to anyone.
"What do you want ?" I ask.
He sighs and sits next to me. The fire is lit, so I sit too. He's a little too close, maybe.
"What's up between you and Marvel ?" he asks abruptly.
I frown. "Nothing. It's none of your business anyway."
"It is because I'm the leader. I told you I don't want any liar in my team."
"This is not your team, Cato, it's our team. You have to understand you're not alone here. In the sense that you think you have to decide everything, but we're a team. Stop being a dick to everyone, please.
"You don't have to give me orders, you stupid." he says harshly before getting up and leaving.
"Come on, that's all what you've got ? Calling me stupid ?" I answer without looking at him.
"Oh, I have a lot more for you." he answers. "But I'm going to keep it for later, Loverboy."
I roll my eyes when I hear that nickname again.
"Hey ! hey !" Marvel yells. "There's someone there !" I look at the place he shows us with his index. Someone has been stupid enough to set up a fire in the middle of the woods. It's basically a signal saying to the careers "come here and kill me !"
"You, you stay here !" Cato yells at Anary.
I grab a knife just in case, but I think we don't really risk anything.
We all head towards the woods. After half an hour, we find the girl. She must have been freezing. We move towards her silently. Cato hands his sword to Glimmer.
She hears us and turns her head. She starts screaming and Glimmer inserts the sword into her stomach. I turn my head and sighs. The girl's scream dies out. We start coming back, Glimmer walking proudly before us, when Cato realizes something none of us has :
"Shouldn't we have heard the cannon ?" he asks. We realize he's right.
"No, I killed her !" Glimmer protests.
"Shut up." he tells her.
She pouts and crosses her arm, yet she actually closes her mouth. Thank god.
"Why wouldn't you check out if she's really dead, Loverboy ?" Cato asks me.
Marvel gives me a comforting look. I nod and head towards the girl. I finally find her. She has fainted. I take my knife.
"Forgive me, Lethe." the world hear my saying.
Reluctantly, I put the knife in her heart. Less than one second later. I hear the cannon.
I've killed the other boy during the bloodbath because he was trying to kill Cato. But this girl... I just killed her but she was harmless. I try to hold my tears but I can't. I dry them quickly and join the others.
Marvel puts his arm around my shoulders and we start walking back.
OoO
I take the first night watch, even though I'm tired, because I know I won't be able to sleep anyway. Because of the games... and because of Clove's snoring. How is she even able to make that noise ?
I hear a zip and turn my head. It's Cato.
"You should be sleeping." I tell him.
He shrugs. "Couldn't." he mumbles. I give him an interrogative look.
He sits next to me, in front of the fire.
"I couldn't stop thinking about the other day. You know." he says. He doesn't want to talk about it, considering all Panem is watching.
"I have been too." I confess. "But there's nothing to say." I answer.
"Yes, there is." he answers. I look at him. "Why did this jewel count so much for you ?"
I sigh and look elsewhere. "It belonged to my brother." I answer.
"Oh. I didn't know you had a brother."
"I have two, actually." Why am I telling him that ?
"I have a sister." he tells me. "She's only twelve."
I close my eyes, trying to picture him with his sister. I see him, in District 2.
"Your District is beautiful." I let out.
He seems surprised. "I guess it is, yes."
He wants to take some wood to throw it in the fire, but he winces.
"You okay ?" I ask.
"Yeah, yeah. It's nothing. You know, just my shoulder. It hurts a bit. It's no big deal."
"Don't give me that." I tell him.
"I said that I was okay."
"I'm not buying it, Cato. You can't just start the games with a shoulder that hurts so much. Take off your shirt." I hear myself saying.
He gives me a confused look. "What ? Why ?"
"I'm going to give you a massage. I'm a baker, trust me, I know how to use my hands." He silently nods. "I'll be right back. I saw some supplies at the cornucopia earlier, I know that we can use some cream for your shoulder."
I get up and head towards the tent we put all the supplies in. I don't want to see Cato half naked, honestly. The main reason why I offered him to do that is because I can't stand to see anyone hurting."
When I get back to the fire, I see that Cato is already topless. His shirt is just a few meters away. When he sees me, he lays on his stomach. His face is on the grass and he looks at me. I smile to him, and start looking at his back, starting with his neck. I look at his shoulder. My gaze slowly gets down his back, to his hips. All his muscles seem so tense. I swallow and get closer.
My current position, sitting next to him, isn't very convenient to give him a massage. "Do you mind if I... ?"
"No, please do." he mumbles as if he knows what I was talking about.
Slowly, I get up on him. I take the bottle of massage oil and squeeze it above my hand to get some. I put the oil back down and rub my hands against one another. Then, I bench a little and puts my hands around his neck. His skin is so soft.
I start massaging him. I hear him sighing : I guess it's a good sign. His very developed muscles start relaxing.
"Mmmh... Loverboy... this... is good..." he mumbles. It makes me smile.
I rub my hands on both his shoulders and his neck for twenty minutes before telling him to put his shirt back off. Just before he does, I look elsewhere to give him more privacy.
"Thank you." he says when he's fully dressed again.
I smile and look at the fire.
"My turn." he says.
"I don't want a massage." I tell him.
"Erm, no, I was talking about returning the favor in another way."
I frown when I see him pulling something from his pocket. It's Lethe's necklace ! He hands it to me.
I reach out, and he gives it to me.
"I'm sorry for stealing it from you." he says. "I didn't know it mattered so much to you."
I shake my head and look elsewhere. I feel the tears coming. At least, it's not lost.
I bite my lip and curse myself for what I'm about to do. "Cato." I say without looking at him.
"Hmm ?"
I take his hand, open his fingers, put the medallion in it and closes his finger above it. He looks at me, confused. "Keep it." I say.
I realize that my hands are still on his.
"Why ?" he asks, putting his other hand on mine.
"Because I want you to remember me if you win and I die."
"With any luck we'll be on the same team, and we'll both make it back home."
"Don't you want to be on Glimmer's team ? You guys are dating."
"You think so ?" he asks.
I nod. "You know that better than I do."
He sighs. "I should just dump her."
Confused, I look at him. "Why ?" I ask.
"You know why." he answers, giving me a serious gaze.
Yes, I want him to dump her. Then I realize that if before, I was physically attracted to him, I must admit that now... I like him.
(please read)
Gosh I had absolutely no idea when to stop writing.
I was very tempted to make them have intercourse, but I just hate those fanfics where they all get it on from the first chapter or so, I mean what's the point. So, I'm sorry if it takes long for the boys to get along but I certainly don't want to rush things. As you can see it gets really better between them.
I just realized I have written more for that fanfic that for the second book I'm actually writing... How weird. I guess I'm going to write a little for my book too. But it won't stop me from writing this fanfic. You know :)
The idea of the massage actually came to me when I started my job, one month ago. It was so tiring, my back hurt so much and it still does, and I was just thinking 'wow what if a guy gave me a massage, I would totally go for it right now.' anyway * cough *
Review if you want, just know that I read each one of the reviews you leave and answer all of them. And it shows me you like the fanfic :D and if something bothers you, or else, if there's something you really like, please tell me in the review section ! :D
xx
AC