183 reviews… :O Wow everyone…just…wow. Thank you all so much. Can we hit 200 for this chapter? Pleeeaaasseee? :D I know I took longer than usual to update. My parents were trying to sell a bunch of the crap in our garage, and parents…well let's face it. They can't get anything done without us half the time can they? Lol, at least, not in my house.
So who figured out the real meaning behind Haymitch's note? :3 If you didn't, It's in this chapter. I also realized that after the bloodbath, I was still killing tributes in order without looking online to make sure. So I either subconsciously memorized the order of the tributes deaths, or got lucky. Either way: I'm happy about it.
This chapter is dedicated to LuvQu! :D Congrats! Once again, great use of your spoiler question! :) Keep R&R-ing! I adore your reviews! They're sweet and you make me laugh :) Let's hope I can make this chapter, "Your chapter", your favorite. It's a tough task, but I'm willing to try it!
Ok I wanted to give everyone somethings to think about real quick: When we get through with this story, should I continue into Catching Fire and then Mockingjay? Should I make them each new stories, or creatively merge them together into this story? I like the last idea better personally, because I can do more with it, and make the story a lot longer, but I'll do whichever idea is most popular with you lovelies. There's plenty of time before now and the end though. :) I just wanted to ask now so everyone has time to give me their two cents.
Oh, and Paige Melark needs tributes for her SYOT! :D Help her out guys?
To those of my lovelies who have been telling me that this is "the best story ever", 1) Thank you! and 2) It wouldn't be "The best story ever" without the best reviewers ever. :)
LIIIIIIIIIIIIMMMMMEEEEEYYYYY! Fyi… :D Like…legit this time…
Chapter 10: Strays
-With Rue- Just before the Cannon…
Rue's grandparents had tried to teach her certain things throughout her life. Their teachings had be completely contradictory, and for a long time Rue had been confused about what was right and wrong. Eventually she managed to interpret things in her own way. She wasn't one-hundred percent sure on everything, but her solutions were satisfactory.
Her grandmother is a firm believer that everyone is born equal and good. Nobody is born with an ounce of bad in them, according to her. She said that no matter what district you were from, you belonged there and believed that you were born into the life you were supposed to live. If you were supposed to die poor, you died poor. If you were supposed to be the first to die in the Hunger Games, that's what would happen. So, if you were born in an outland district and you were dirt poor, that's your life and you need to live it as happily as your situation allows.
Her grandfather was the complete opposite. He believed that everyone was born neutral, and that you were raised to be good or bad. He believed in Karma and self-government. And that if a man or woman worked hard, they should be able to move up through society and into better living conditions for themselves and their families, but if they didn't work hard they should get the opposite. He didn't believe that the Hunger Games were right, and that they should be illegal.
Rue decided on a number of things. The first being that the Games should be obliterated. Permanently. The second that people shouldn't be confined to one district, if you want to work in agriculture, you should be able to study towards it and be trained to do so in District 11. However, if you think that electronics are incredible, they should ship you off to District 3 and teach you how to do what you want to do, while earning a better living for yourself, if you worked for it and providing for your family. The third being that people aren't born with the intent to be bad, and that selfishness is a part of human nature. People are molded into who they become not only by their parents, but also by other external forces. Nobody can be all good or all bad. Good people have bad sides. Bad people have good sides. And sometimes it's hard to tell if someone's bad when you normally see their good side, and vice versa.
Then the cannon rang loud and hard in her ears, chilling her to the bone. She couldn't breathe. Was it Katniss? Was she so determined about not leaving without Cato that she gave herself over to the careers? She wouldn't do that to him. Would she do that to Rue? Katniss wasn't like that, she's a survivor. District 12 is worse than District 11. So, if Katniss was willing to sacrifice herself in the Games for her sister, even though that meant her boyfriend becoming her 'enemy' in terms of the games, then she wouldn't stoop so low. She wouldn't break her promise to her sister that she made in her interview.
The cannon's echo had just dispersed into a tar-thick silence when she had finally consoled herself enough to risk meeting Cato's gaze. Doing so sent a jolt of fear into the pit of her stomach and caused the severity of the situation to fall like a weight on her shoulders, making her tremble. She couldn't tell if she was afraid of him or for him, but terror is terror and it made her start thinking again. Is Cato good and this is his bad side, or is he bad and Katniss brings out his good side? She wanted to believe that he was truly a good person and that Katniss simply helped him show his goodness to others, but his inner brutality had shown through several times since these Games began; when he was giving Peeta his threat warning, when Clove had attacked Katniss, and now. His eyes had turned to tempestuous blue stones, void of their usual serenity and tenderness that he only bestowed upon her, Katniss, and slightly on Peeta if he was in a good mood. What would he do if that had been Katniss's cannon…?
His head jerked in the direction of where they had seen Katniss last and Rue understood. She could stay hidden easier, and if Katniss was all right and the careers saw him with her, they would all become instant targets. Plus, she's lighter, therefore faster when racing through the high, flimsier branches.
"Stay hidden," he hissed as he started to climb down.
Rue took that as her cue to leave and swiftly made her way through the branches. Swimming in her mind were dozens of questions. Everything from 'What if it was Clove?' to 'Who wins the Games if it is Katniss?' and she couldn't think straight enough to give herself any answers. She leapt, landed, soared, climbed and panicked, over and over again. She wondered if the woods were endless or if she was even going in the right direction. What if she wasn't? Would she ever find Katniss? She stopped on a sturdy branch briefly and listened. Nothing. Absolutely nothing. The birds and everything else had quieted. Someone was close. A predator was close. Rue searched the surrounding trees quickly and carefully, hoping to find Katniss, the careers, anything.
That's when she saw a glint of silver to her right, bright and shiny. She focused on it as it flickered, stopped briefly and then continued to flicker, almost purposefully. She changed her course, staying high enough that if it was the careers, she would be safe. She had to stop and hide behind a tree trunk when she heard Marvel and Clove fighting. She figured eavesdropping on them would give her the answers she needed.
"There aren't any fucking guns, Clove! How could somebody shoot her with a gun, silently, when she was five feet behind us!" Marvel growls
"Can you think of a better explanation, Oh Wise One?" Clove sneers.
"Anyone with a knife could have easily carved a stake and made a slingshot or something."
"Where's the stake then?" She asks simply.
"I don't fucking know Clove! That's the point! We don't have a fucking clue what the hell just happened to her!"
"You're just freaking out because you were starting to like her!"
"Fuck you, Clove!"
Rue hesitantly peeked around the trunk of the tree without showing herself to the careers, who weren't paying attention anyway. The first thing she noticed the glint of silver, and then the eyes beside it. Grey. Cloudy and reticent instead of warm, kind, bright, happy, and…and…
Motherly…
"Nana, tell me about Momma and Daddy again."
The older woman smiled down at a 7-year-old Rue and pet her hair. "What should I tell you this time?"
"Anything."
Her grandmother laughed heartily, "Oh fine, child," she began with a smile, "Well, you know that love changes people, right?"
"Yes, Nana. Sometimes in good ways and sometimes in bad ones."
"That's right. Well, your Momma had your Daddy wrapped around her little finger real tight. He was so much happier when she was around, not that he wasn't happy before he met her, but he just didn't know what he'd been missin'. They met when they was just teenagers, still old enough for the games. Luck'ly they never got reaped, we wouldn't have you if either of them had. Once they was both safe from the Games they got married. Your Momma got real sick after she had you, she passed not long after. Your Daddy wasn't the same after that, Baby Girl. It was like you'd taken his heart out. He tried to be there for you, Baby, he tried his hardest, but I guess your Momma was callin' him real loud, the way she would when she was pregnant and needed his help with sumthin'. So he went to her…," she pauses. "Love can make you happy, Rue, love can make you sad, but there's one thing love will never do."
"What's that, Nana?" Rue asked, almost in a whisper.
"It will never make you weak. Love is the strongest thing out there. It's stronger than hope, faith, happiness, sadness, everything. Love can kill a man, but it can also bring beautiful little angels into the world, like you."
Rue giggled, "Nana, I'm no angel."
Her Nana smiled brightly, "Yes you are, you just haven't found your purpose yet. You're gonna help somebody important one day, Rue. I can feel it in these raggedy old bones of mine. You're gonna do something real important one day, Baby Girl."
Momma and Daddy. Katniss and Cato. It all sounded the same to Rue. They were meant for each other and one of them would die, but then the other would follow without much hesitation. Rue's father had committed suicide when she was three months old. Is that what would happen to Katniss? Would part of her die when Cato died at the end? Who is she without Cato, and who is Cato without Katniss? Katniss is a good person, with a very light bad side. So what if Cato is bad? His good side shines through the darkness so long as his Girl on Fire warms him up first.
She heard Clove and Marvel decide to head back to the cornucopia, and they were out of sight quickly, but Rue didn't move towards Katniss until she could no longer hear them. Katniss carefully made her way down her tree and waited patiently at the base of the trunk for Rue to watch up. She slipped her way down and crossed from tree to tree quickly, landing a few feet in front of Katniss. All of the warmth from the relief of finding her vanished when she noticed the bloody arrow on Katniss's belt with a thin brown cord tied to it.
"I thought you hated killing people…" She whispered, her voice crackly and hoarse.
Katniss sighed heavily. "I had to, Rue," She said quietly, "The rest of the tributes, aside from you and Peeta, can't know about me and Cato. We'll become everybody's target. Amanda figured us out. She was fighting with Clove about it a few minutes before I…" She trailed off.
Rue nodded and tried to smile, but ended up with a grimace and trembling lips. "I thought it was you…," she whimpered, blinking back tears.
At this Katniss's expression softened and after clipping her bow to her belt on the opposite side of the arrow, she held her arms open. Rue gladly accepted the hug and Katniss surprised her by lifting her up in her arms. Rue wrapped her legs around Katniss's torso and her arms around her shoulders. Katniss had one arm under Rue and the other around Rue's middle. After making sure she had Rue securely, she began to walk back to camp.
"I'm sorry I scared you…" Katniss said softly
Rue nodded into her shoulder, letting a few tears break free and remained mostly silent.
"Don't cry, Rue. Everything's okay."
Rue sniffed and took a deep breath to try to calm herself, but failed miserably. "You know, y-you and C-Cato remind me of my p-par…ents…," she said, the last word coming out as part of a sob. Katniss rubbed her back soothingly.
"I thought they passed away when you were a baby, Rue…" Katniss said quietly, rubbing her back gently.
"T-they d-did. Nana told me s-stories." She explained quietly. "She said t-that they were like you t-two when t-they were young, but Momma d-died after I was b-born. D-daddy couldn't lived w-without her s-so he went w-with her."
Katniss's grip on Rue tightened. "I'm sorry, Monkey…"
"Hey, Katniss…?"
"Yes, Rue?"
"C-can I-
Tee tee too too tuu…(Deep in the meadow…)
Katniss stopped walking and they both turned their heads up to the Mockingjays. Katniss grimaced slightly, probably not looking forward to telling Cato about what happened, but she replied and the Mockingjays did their part.
Tuu tuu tee too too…(Under the willow…)
The echoes of snapping twigs and pounding boots reached them seconds later. Katniss made no move towards him. Nor did she move closer to him when he finally reached them. She just waited patiently for him to catch his breath and briefly made it so she could hold Rue with one arm. Rue assumed that she had showed Cato the arrow.
"Who?" He asked quietly.
"Amanda." Katniss said, her voice was thick, not with tears or regret, but like she was trying to suppress her emotions.
"Why?" he asked, clearly confused and in shock.
Katniss, who had wrapped her other arm around Rue again, shrugged lightly as she started walking. "She knew."
Rue didn't pay much attention after that, but the walk back was pretty mundane anyway. She spent most of the trip failing to control her breathing and cease her tears, but Katniss didn't seem bothered by her at all. She just rubbed Rue's back in gentle circles and held her close. Rue wanted to ask her question, but not with the boys around. No doubt they would somehow find a way to fight about it (and Cato would win. As usual.) Rue noticed when Katniss stopped walking and gently set her on her feet without loosening her hold. Judging by the noise to Rue's left (Katniss's right), the boys were mostly out of earshot.
"You were about to ask my something before the boys showed up, Monkey…" Katniss said softly
Rue nodded and pulled back slightly. Katniss watched her with her calm stormy eyes and patiently waited for her to continue. Rue wiped her tears and took a few slow breaths before she spoke.
"Remember how I said you and Cato remind me of my parents?"
Katniss nodded.
"Well…my grandparents always made sure I knew that they weren't my real parents, because they didn't want me to feel like they'd replaced them. Even though I appreciate that, in a weird sort of way, I don't know what it feels like to have parents. Cato might not want too and that's okay, but…can I call you 'Mom'? I know the Games will be over soon, but it's better to have a little of something good and then lose it than never have it to begin with right?" Rue asked sheepishly
To Rue's surprise, Katniss's eyes lightened and she smiled warmly.
"I'd be honored to be your mom for the rest of the Games, Rue. And between you, me, and the camera's: Cato's always wanted a little girl…"
"Really? He seems like the type to want a bunch of boys…"
Katniss nodded in understanding. "He's one of three boys back in 2. My sister, Prim, is basically his little sister too, but he would have tried to convince me to have kids if we weren't in the situation." She explained
"Would you have?"
Katniss thought about it for a few seconds. "I don't know, but if anyone could convince me, it's Cato."
Rue smiled cheekily. "My mom didn't want to have kids either. At first."
Katniss smiled back at her and led them over to one of the trees at the edge of the clearing, where they sat and talked quietly for hours. When Peeta called them over for dinner, Katniss opted out but encouraged Rue to go. Rue ate quickly, so she could come back to Katniss and they continued talking until they were tired.
"Come on, Cato's already asleep it looks like." Katniss said. She stood, stretched and took Rue's hand as they walked to their sleeping bags.
"Goodnight, Mom." Rue said quietly before they parted, liking how the name rolled off her tongue.
"Goodnight, Monkey." Katniss replied with a small smile.
Rue snuggled into her sleeping bag, still smiling and quickly fell asleep.
-With Cato-
The morning went by in a breeze and late afternoon settled upon the group like a warm haze. They had ventured away from their campsite that morning and were near a small stream with berry bushes lining it's shore. Peeta was napping under an oak tree. Cato was lying down beside one of these bushes, lazily popping raspberries into his mouth every now and then while he watched the girls. Katniss was patiently teaching Rue how to throw knives. They had tried spears first but Rue hadn't liked the feel of them. Much to his surprise, she was extraordinary with knives, better than Cato remembered Clove being at this age. She managed to kill a squirrel, causing him to choke on a berry.
"Holy shit, Rue!" he yelled, sitting up so he wouldn't die at the hands of the evil raspberry.
She turned around, startled and tilted her head at him. "What? Did I do it wrong?" she asked
Katniss smirked, looking back and forth between Cato and Rue's kill with amusement. When he finally managed to get all of the berry out of his windpipe, Cato stood to inspect the squirrel closer. It was still stuck on the tree, unmoved from the position it had been in when Rue's knife had hit it.
"Rue…," Cato began slowly.
"Yeah..?"
He blinked once, still in shock and took a deep breath. "How did you manage to do that on your first try?"
Rue shrugged bashfully and looked away. "I just aimed and threw it like M-…Katniss said too," she mumbled.
"Uh huh," Cato said slowly, "Rue, you flicked that knife like it's a frisbee…and...beheaded a squirrel with it,…while managing to keep it attached…to…the…tree…"
Rue laughed sheepishly. "Beginner's luck?" she offered.
Katniss sent a ghost of a smile at them as she reached up to take the squirrel off the tree. Cato sat with them and watched as Katniss taught Rue how to skin and gut the poor creature. Although Rue was mildly disgusted, she did quite well and they put the meat in a small satchel she had weaved for herself that morning. Although he hated fresh game with a passion, mostly from his spoiled years in District 2, squirrel was bland enough to choke down and he would eat it if he had too or if it made Rue happy. Same thing. He also noticed that Rue seemed to be stumbling on Katniss's name a lot, when she wasn't pointedly trying to avoid using it, and he wondered why. He'd have to ask Katniss about it later.
"Ngh…how long was I out, guys?" Peeta mumbled, finally waking up.
"A few hours." Katniss replied gently.
"Rue's a little bad ass with knives now, so you may not want to call her a kid anymore." Cato added
Peeta raised a questioning brow while he rubbed his eyes and Cato retold the story of the squirrel, adding a little bit of emphasis on the details to make Rue blush. Katniss added her two cents here a there, but for the most part she was still being quieter than usual. Cato tried not to crowd her by keeping a physical distance between them most of the time, but making it a point that he was paying close attention to her. She had caught his stares periodically throughout the day, only to flick her attention back to Rue quickly and avoid his gaze as much as possible. Even though he was much closer to her now, and they were all talking as a group, she wasn't talking to him directly or looking him in the eye. It bothered him, but it was probably just the Amanda issue. How had Katniss known about Amanda finding out their secret? Was it a hunch or had Amanda said something to her before they'd left the alliance to make Katniss suspect her comprehension of the situation? Katniss liked Amanda, was it a mercy killing? Was she protecting her friend from Clove's rath?
The air seemed to shift as Katniss stood abruptly, bow in hand, and began to walk alongside the stream. Everyone watched her leave until she was out of sight, and then Cato stood. As well.
"You guys head back to camp and start making lunch, alright?" he said
Rue nodded with a slightly saddened smile and Peeta stuck a thumb in the air.
Cato took off in a light jog after Katniss. It took him a few minutes to catch up with her, to his surprise. She must have started running once she was out of their sight. She stiffened when she heard his approach, but continued walking at a brisk pace. He fell into step beside her while he slowed his breathing. She didn't look at him, her gaze was cold and positioned directly in front of her, she'd glance down occasionally to make sure there wasn't anything at her feet, but that was it.
"You okay, Kitten…?" he asked gently.
She doesn't answer at first. Cato's unsure if he's being ignored, or if she didn't hear him, but he never gets to repeat himself.
"Peachy." She replies placidly.
Cato sighs deeply. "Look, you can be introverted at camp if you want too," he begins, "But I'm not putting up with this shit. We only have so much time left, Katniss, and you will not spend it sulking. I'm not dead yet. So quit acting like I am."
He pauses briefly because her eyes have glassed over. Showing him that she's not really seeing what she's looking at, but she's actually listening to him.
"As for the Amanda issue," he says, "I'm not one-hundred percent certain why you killed her, but it was going to happen anyway. Clove probably would have carved her like a sculpture, so you did her a favor." He pauses, "Oh, and why the hell can't Rue say your name today?"
At this he's pleased to earn a twitch of her lips and she finally looks at him.
"Rue asked me if I would be her mother for the rest of the games," she said quietly, "I told her yes, but not to call me 'Mom' around Peeta. She's too shy to ask you if she can call you 'Dad'. I told her that I would ask you."
Cato stares at her in shock for a few minutes.
"She wants us to be her parents?" he says in disbelief.
Katniss offers him a small smile. "She told me all the stories about her birth parents that her grandmother told her. Rue thinks we're a lot like her real parents, and from what I've heard I kind of agree with her. She only knows the love of grandparents. She wants to know what it's like to have a mother and father," Before the games end, but that goes without saying, he decides.
There's a pause while he mulls things over for a few minutes.
"I don't know if I'm surprised or flattered at this point," He mumbles eventually.
"You've always wanted a daddy's girl…," she points out.
Cato decides not to argue with her and point out that the more attached they get to Rue, the harder it's going to be when she dies. So instead, he just gives her a tight smile and says, "I don't think I could imagine anyone I'd be more proud to claim as my own, even if she isn't mine by blood."
Katniss beams at him for the first time in days and stops walking to launch herself into his arms. He sighs in relief and holds her close, having greatly missed her affections the last two days. He'd nearly forgotten how perfectly she fits against him. Her head rests gently over his heart, her breasts pressed against his ribs, her thighs against his…He kisses her neck slowly, taking his chances. Then he works his way up to her ear, flicking it with his tongue. She shivers against him and he smirks.
"How did we manage to go nearly 48 hours with little to no physical contact?" he whispers in her ear.
"Well, I found it much easier when I remembered that Haymitch and Brutus are watching, along with the rest of the world."
Cato shudders. "Forget I asked, that sentence doesn't get along well with my…hormones."
Katniss snorts softly and pulls back to look at him. "I thought you'd say something a little more vulgar."
"Oh, allow me to correct myself," He says cheerfully, Katniss tries to open her mouth to protest, but he cuts her off. "Forget I asked. That sentence doesn't go well with my genitalia. Better?"
Katniss giggles, even though it's clear she's trying not to, and that's why Cato keeps going.
"Or maybe I should say penis? Would that make you feel better? Hey…wait a minute…Peeta…Katniss…HOLY SHIT! If you two were dating your relationship name would be peeniss! With two E's and two S's!" he shouts with glee.
Katniss stumbles backwards, still laughing uncontrollably, and trips over a tree root, but she doesn't seem to realize that she's on the ground. Her face is bright red and she's struggling to breathe, but he intends to keep her that way for a while regardless of her position. She gasps and gulps down air greedily while he pauses in his verbal assault and smiles down at her.
"My oh my, Katniss. I didn't know such dirty language excited you…," he teases.
"Maybe if you had asked, Dr. Cato...," She purrs. He's tempted to pounce on her. So very, very tempted.
Touché, Kitten. Touché, he thinks. He suddenly wonders why his stylist made his pants so form fitting and…restrictive.
"Watch it, Kitten," he warns, "You can't always stop everything you start."
She snorts. "Like what, Dr. Cato? Surgery?" She asks innocently.
You asked for it…Cato's lip curls into a predatory grin. "I was thinking more of an examination…"
Her eyes darken, either with his concealed challenge or with lust, but the latter would end up being part of her problem eventually anyway. He couldn't help but wonder where this flirtatious, delicious seductress had come from, but he likes her. A lot.
He walks towards her slowly, and it's painful for a multitude of reasons. Once he's close he drops to his knees and crawls up her body until his hair tickles her forehead. Her eyelids look heavy, her eyes are stormy, her breaths shallow. He decides to start where they'd left off and snakes a hand up her shirt. He take his time teasing her and making sure each twin gets its fair share of attention before trailing kisses down her neck. He skips over her bunched up shirt to her navel, his feather-light kisses give her groosling bumps and he smirks at his accomplishment. She coils and writhes beneath him, causing him to smile. Her pleasure is his pleasure, and if she's enjoying this anywhere near as much as he is…
He smiles and sets his plan into motion.
-With Haymitch and Brutus-
"Note pad?"
"Check."
"Pens?"
"Check."
"Liquor?"
"Haymitch…"
"Brutus."
He sighs.
"…Check."
"Popcorn?"
"Check."
"Are we missing anything?" Haymitch asks
They look around. They're the only ones in 12's apartment tonight, Effie was with them until Cato's "Inappropriate" language scared her off. The others are somewhere in the city, at Flavius's apartment having what they're calling a "Catoniss Love Child Party" in honor of Rue and her new adopted parents. Haymitch hadn't been invited because Flavius was sure he didn't have enough liquor for all his guests plus Haymitch. Brutus had declined, as he preferred Haymitch's company to that of the obsessive masochistic Capitolites any day.
"Now, to figure out how the fuck this kid had her eating out of his hands…" Brutus sighs
He picks up his note pad and quickly writes:
Raspberries
Caramel
Roleplay
He notices that Haymitch had written the same things. They return their attention to the screen, and wait patiently for Cato to do something else unexpected. They get their wish.
"Hm…," Cato starts, lifting his head so he can look Katniss in the eye, "Well, you're heart rate is a bit abnormal…and I think you have a high fever, Ms. Everdeen."
She catches on. Her reply is breathless. "Am I going to be alright, Dr. Cato?"
He chuckles, "Of course, I know the perfect cure…"
"Will it hurt, Dr. Cato?"
"Trade you tributes." Brutus says, completely serious.
Haymitch guffaws. "Nah, I think I'll keep her."
"I'll be gentle, Ms. Everdeen." Cato assures her.
"Oh please, Dr. Cato, call me Kitten." She purrs.
"Seriously, I'll pay you."
"Shut up, Brutus." Haymitch sighs, munching on a handful of popcorn.
The angle of the camera keeps Cato's left hand hidden, but they know where it is and what it's doing. Katniss bites her lip so hard that a trickle of blood runs down her jaw, but Cato licks it off and kisses her.
"Dr. Cato I don't think my fever's going down…" Katniss murmurs
"In due time, Kitten. Good things come to those who wait."
Brutus triple underlines Roleplay on his note pad. Haymitch circles it until there's a thick black ring around it. They both pause briefly before adding Charm to their lists.
-With Katniss-
Coherent thoughts left her ages ago. The camera's are long forgotten. He tastes sweet and a little tart from the raspberries. Her head is spinning because of it, among other things. Maybe it's his fingers, moving torturously slow. Or his lips, which have taken up residence on her neck, greedily sucking at her jugular, biting occasionally. Maybe it's his other hand, which had moved from under her shirt, to trapping her hands above her head. She was pinned. She couldn't get away. And to be honest…
She doesn't want too.
Her core is knotted with an unfamiliar feeling. It's fire. It's ice. It makes her body burn. It gives her groosling bumps. Her stomach knots. It hurts, but it feels so good at the same time. She leans her head against his, loving how his soft golden hair feels on her skin. Everything is out of focus. He muscles tighten of their own accord. The knots in her stomach continue to tighten. Then there's this other thing. It creeps up on her in waves, slowly gaining intensity. It starts from Cato's lips on her neck, and moves down to her breasts, still tingling from the memory of his hands. Once it reaches her stomach she starts to squirm again, her toes curl in her boots. She moans. She can't help it. Cato chuckles into her neck.
"Cum for me, Kitten…" he whispers, making her shiver.
The waves get stronger. The knots are torture. Her back arches. There's blood on her tongue. Her lip is stinging. She doesn't care. Cato's grip on her wrists is like a vice when she fights against it. Everything's slipping away from her. Her self control is gone. Her common sense. Gone.
"Cato." She whimpers.
"Cum, Kitten…"
The waves are violent now. Crashing into the knots. Black spots cloud her vision. Every muscle in her body is on fire. Everything screams at her. Everything tells her to wait, because it will be over soon. She can't move. She can't speak. Then there's nothing. For half a second she thinks the torture will stop. Half a second. Then it hits her. All at once. She starts to scream, but something that tastes like raspberries muffles the sound. If only a little. The fire is still there, a blinding light behind her eyes. It still burns, but it's a different burn now. It's satisfactory. It feels like a victory, even though she's unsure as to why. She can't seem to figure out why everything tastes like raspberries either.
The breath she hadn't intentionally been holding comes out in a whoosh, and her back hits the ground. She'd gone from feeling light as a feather to feeling like she was made of lead. She feels like there a dent in the ground below her, and it's exactly her shape. She feels like she's laying it in, thick and heavy. She figured out how to open her eyes again, although it's hard. Her eyelids are made of lead too.
"Ca…to…?"
"Yes, Kitten?"
Her sight adjusts to the brightness of the afternoon sun, and she finally finds his eyes. They're darker than usual, and his voice sounds a little forced. She blames her imagination.
"I think….we're even…"
He tilts his head to the side with a smirk. "What do you mean, Kitten?"
"Remember when I said I had a score to settle with you…?"
"Mhm."
"We're even."
He chuckles and kisses her softly.
"I take it you enjoyed it then?"
She groans. "Do you have any idea how hard it is to form sentences right now?"
He laughs at her. "Go to sleep, Kitten. I'll carry you back to camp and wake you for dinner later."
She doesn't need told twice.
It's Rue who wakes her at sunset. She's munching on a caramel apple and smiling cheerfully. Katniss lazily returns her smile and sits up slowly. Rue's happiness starts to envelope her immediately, and she wonders what in the world had made her so happy to begin with. Her eyes are twinkling, and Katniss can tell that she's just waiting for her to ask. So she does.
"Okay, Monkey, spit it out." She teases.
Rue grins, and it's so contagious that Katniss finds herself mimicking her unintentionally.
"What's got my girls so happy, hm?"
They both look up at Cato, who'd snuck up on them. He's smiling and he laughs quietly at Rue.
"If I'd know it'd make you this excited, Rue, I would have suggested this before the games even started." He says.
"Why didn't you, Daddy?"
"Hell if I know."
Katniss grins at them. "I told you he'd say yes, Rue."
"Yay! You're in a good mood again!" Rue cheers. "How'd you fix her, Daddy?"
He chuckles, offering them each a hand. "It's a secret, Monkey."
Katniss blushes and lets him help her stand. Peeta's too far away to have heard their conversation, but he looks up when Katniss approaches and offers her a warm smile.
"Have a nice nap?" he asks, offering her a skewered caramel apple.
She takes it happily. "Yeah, I must not have been sleeping well the last few nights. Sorry about my mood."
Peeta shrugs it off.
For a while they all sit by the fire, enjoying the peace and caramel apples. Rue's between Cato and Katniss, closer to the latter, Cato pouts at her when Peeta's not looking, but Rue shrugs and flicks a blade of grass at him. Peeta's a few feet to Katniss's right, staring into the fire. He'd been quieter than usual, but he seemed cheerful enough so Katniss didn't call him on it. She's just finishing her third apple when Peeta clears his throat.
"Hey Katniss, when you're done can I talk to you for a sec?" he asks tentatively.
She shares a brief glace with Cato, who stares into the fire. He shrugs very slightly, only enough for her to notice and flicks something in Rue's direction.
"Sure, Peeta. I'm done now actually…"
He smiles at her at stands. He starts walking towards the trees and she silently follows him, staying a few feet behind. Cato and Rue drill holes into her back until she's out of sight. She gets the feeling that this conversation won't really be private…
They stop walking after a few minutes, but Peeta seems unsure of what to do next.
"Something on your mind?" she asks gently
"Uh…yeah…Look Katniss about what Haymitch said-
She holds up a hand to stop him. "You really need to learn when and when not to take Haymitch seriously…"
He blushes in the growing darkness."Yeah well we didn't exactly make all of that up you know."
"What do you mean..?" she asks slowly, hesitant of where this conversation is headed.
Then she realizes that he's a lot closer than he was before, but before she can react to it, he's kissing her. And then he's not. And she's confused. Peeta has one hand on his leg, another on his shoulder. There's a dagger in his leg, and a throwing knife in his arm. He's glaring behind her, but she doesn't have to turn around to know who's there.
"Hands off my Mom, Loverboy."
"Well said, Rue."
"Thanks, Daddy."
Peeta stares at them like they've grown extra heads. "'Mom'? 'Daddy'?"
Cato enters her line of vision, but he doesn't look at her. He's heading towards Peeta. Rue sneaks up on her too and gently grabs her hand. Katniss acknowledges her, but can't help staring at the boys. She hasn't seen this side of Cato years, and she knows this won't end pretty. Her Cato is gone, if only for a little while. Peeta flipped a switch. A switch that doesn't get flipped without consequence.
"You can't say I didn't warn you," he says. His voice is void of emotion, but it holds a weight that settles in your stomach, and then you're afraid, even if you tell yourself not to be. "I told you to stay away from her. Didn't I?"
Peeta doesn't answer. Cato slams him into a tree, and he's nearly unconscious from that alone. He manages to fight it off though, but his eyes are still slightly unfocused. Cato's still unreadable.
"Didn't. I." he says slowly.
"Yeah." Peeta manages.
"Did you think I was kidding?"
"No…"
"Then what the fuck makes you I'm gonna let you kiss her and get away with it?"
"You won't kill me in front of her." Peeta says with confidence. Bad move.
"Kitten, take Rue back to camp." Cato says. He's serious, and Katniss isn't about to argue with him when he's like this.
"Daddy, don't! You don't like killing people either." Rue whimpers, "Let him go. He's hurt. The careers will find him or he'll get an infection. He'll die slow and painful those ways too right?"
Katniss squeezes Rue's hand, surprised she's spoken up at all. This side of Cato had to be terrifying her if it was giving Katniss chills. Although she knew he wouldn't turn a hand on either of them, but he sure as hell wouldn't hesitate on Peeta. Or so she thought.
"I'm not big on second chances, Peeta," he says, his voice slow. Deadly. "Next time I see you, I won't hesitate to drive a dagger into your chest. Even if Katniss and Rue are in sight. You better hope death finds you before it gets down to the last five, because if you haven't I'll lead Clove right to you. She'll butcher you far worse than I want too."
He releases him, begrudgingly, and angles himself so that he's closer to Katniss and Rue than Peeta is.
"Get the fuck out of my sight before I change my mind."
Peeta limps out of sight, but Cato stares after him for a while longer. Katniss knows the look and the feeling of prey getting away. She knows it's going to eat at him for a while, but eventually he turned around. He smiles half-heartedly at Rue, who runs up and hugs him. He lifts her up and she twists her way onto his back. Cato starts act a little more normally, the Career shine leaving his eyes, when he's giving Rue a piggy back ride to camp. He holds Katniss's hand tighter than usual, and she rubs his knuckles with her thumb. It's hard for him, and she knows that.
"I'll take first watch…" Cato mumbles, "I'll wake you in a few hours, Kitten."
"We can't stay here can we?" Rue asks, "Peeta knows where this campsite is, he'll tell the careers…"
"Well, hopefully the game makers like us a lot more than Peeta does. Maybe they'll make us another pretty meadow to sleep in on the other side of the river." Katniss says, "But for tonight we're probably safe to stay here."
"That's part of why I'm keeping watch. Nobody can sneak up on me besides Katniss." Cato says with a slight sigh.
Rue rests her head atop Cato's. "I believe that," she says earnestly.
"And sometimes you, Monkey."
"Well duh, Daddy. I can sneak up on everybody."
Cato chuckles at her and sets her down once they reach camp. The sun is gone, and Cato dims the fire with dirt. Rue gets her sleeping bag while yawning and rubbing her eyes. Katniss grabs hers too and sets up beside Rue, who cuddles against her.
"Goodnight, Daddy."
"Goodnight, Monkey."
"Night, Momma."
"Sweet dreams, Monkey."
Rue's asleep in minutes, but Katniss can't. She glances over at Cato. He's a statue beside the fire, staring into it, but not really seeing it. She takes care not to wake Rue when she detangles herself from her, and she tries not to be too quiet as she approaches him. He's still touchy, she doesn't want to alarm him. Her plan works and he hears her coming, she can tell by his posture, even though his eyes stay on the flames. She sits beside him.
"Hey." He mumbles.
"Hey."
"Can't sleep?" he asks.
"Worried about you."
He sighs and looks at her. "Don't be."
She sighs deeply. "Look, you can be introverted at camp if you want too," she begins, mocking him slightly, "But I'm not putting up with this shit. We only have so much time left, Cato, and you will not spend it sulking. You're not dead yet. So quit acting like you are."
His lip twitches slightly at the edge. "Touché."
She shrugs.
"Since we're up…" she begins, swinging a leg over him. Straddling him. "I kind of owe you from earlier."
His brow quirks lazily. "Good thing I'm a lot quieter than you are."
"Shut up."
He kisses her, then hisses and pulls away with his eyes shut tightly and his head leaned back.
"What?" she asks, slightly hurt.
"You ate caramel again…" he growls, attacking her lips again with fervor.
"Mhm…so did you." she murmurs
"Kitten, it's incredibly rude to give a man such a painful case of blue balls…"
She giggles. "Got a cure for that, Dr. Cato?"
Growling, he falls backwards, brining her on top of him and moving a hand to his left thigh, even though that's not what was under her hand.
"I can think of a few things…" he whispers.
"You sure you're quieter than I am?" she says, giving his 'thigh' a squeeze. He hisses.
"Game on, Kitten. Game on."
I'm so evil ending it here aren't I? :D muwhaha. I know I took way too long to update this time. Lots of distractions from my parents, who are still trying to sell our junk. Hopefully they hurry up and get rid of it all so I can be left alone. :) Lots happened in this chapter yeah? I'll try to keep the RRC short, but no promises. I gotta do what I gotta do.
~RRC~
MariaMikaela: Haha, I know right, but the Capitol is obsessed with drama…and so am I. :D
Larka Rinna Luna: Questions answered? :)
thepinkmartini: I agree, Caramel Cato is absolutely, the best thing Panem has to offer. Exceeded only by Dr. Cato… ;)
Prixie Anne Riddle: What were you saying about Peeta nearing his breaking point…? xD –virtual oven dings, pulls out a fresh batch of virtual cookies- 23 reviews til 200. I'm like…shaking with anticipation. I worked so hard on this chapter, hoping it's good enough to get 23+ reviews…
Guess Who/Kilani Heals: Did this chapter have enough limey love for you? It was almost awkward to writ it honestly…xD Almost. Have I gone from ABC Family to HBO? :D I kept my promise this time. I said at least two. That was technically two. Although the last one was very weak, but I think the first one made up for it.
H4CK3R: I've already got mental blueprints for drama in my Catoniss versions of CF and MJ. :D Don't worry, I plan on continuing.
LuvQu: Everybody love's Haymitch and Brutus. You can't hate them. Even if you want too. They're just so…perfectly inappropriate. :3
OdairBear: YOU HAVE ONE OF THE BEST USERNAMES EVER! NOT EVEN KIDDING! :D
Bloodredfirefly: I'm not sure how long the whole fic will be just yet. I'm thinking we'll be near chapter 20 before this part is over and I start working my way into Catching Fire. Maybe more, depends on what I come up with. I've been trying not to stay up too late. But it's almost 2 am…heh.. :D I've been up until about this time the last few nights anyway. Summer must be setting into my blood.
Fleur24: I agree, I loooove bad boy Cato, but sometimes it gets over done. The first Catoniss story I read they hated each other until way late in the fic and there wasn't much of a transition into her falling for him, so I still kind of hated him in my head. Then I decided to write this. Mix things up a bit. :) I don't think I know how to write without at least a hint of H&B anymore. :D They aren't going anywhere..
Peeniss0314: I love how we agree on almost everything. There nothing I need to add this time. Aside from denying you answers on the Rue situation, but that's habitual now. :) How'd you like Dr. Cato and his uh…examination? Hehe xD That was fun to write. Took ages though.
Shortest RRC in a looong time. :D Alrighty…well. Thoughts? Feelings? Ideas? Lay'em on me. There's a box right down there, yup that's it. You should totally type something sweet in there and post it. :D
XOXOXO
~D.A.K-hime