~Cato~
I held Katniss to me that night as we slept. It felt good to have her in my arms, knowing that nothing is going to kill us in our sleep. I tucked us into bed and she cuddled into my chest and rested her head on the pillow as I put my arms around her protectively. I had discarded my shirt after I laid her down on the bed. I've always slept without a shirt. She fell asleep almost immediately after I whispered in her ear, but it took me a few minutes to let the sleep overcome me. But it didn't last long. I awoke to her screaming and thrashing against me. Calling for me and for help. I shook her shoulders gently to wake her up and when she did she had a frightened look in her eyes. Until she realized I was there and she was okay.
"It was just a nightmare. You're okay." I said soothingly to her and she wrapped her arms around my bare chest sobbing into me. "Do you want to talk about it?" I asked her softly.
"It was in the Games." she whimpered. "At the Feast and Marvel was trying to kill me, and you didn't come. He had me on the ground with a knife raised above him and he was about to kill me when you woke me up. Instead of seeing him, I saw you." she said to me, her sobs breaking up her voice and words.
"I'll always be here for you. I'll always save you." I said to her and after she calmed down I laid back down taking her with me and we fell back asleep. Neither one of us woke up again after that until the next morning. I guess we can help each other keep the nightmares away. The next morning a shrill voice came through the door, taking us from the comfort of sleep.
"Wake up! It's time to get ready to go ho- What on earth is this!" Effie shrieked as she stood in the doorway.
"It's us sleeping Effie what does it look like?" Katniss snapped sarcastically.
"Why is that boy in your bed?" she demanded angrily.
"Sleeping, keeping the nightmares away, giving me comfort, take you pick." my Girl on Fire burned back.
"Well he needs to keep to his own bed." Effie said pointing her Capitol manicured finger at me.
"No." Katniss said firmly.
"Excuse me?"
"No." I said myself. "I'm not going to leave her to sleep with nightmares every night. I keep her's away and she keeps mine away. You can't make me stay away from her anyway." I said with a glare on my face. She huffed and stomped her foot in frustration.
"Fine. Now hurry up we have a schedule to keep." she said angrily before turning to walk out the door, slamming the door behind her. Katniss sighed and crawled out of my embrace to get dressed.
"Come on, five more minutes." I said taking hold of her hand and pulling her back to the bed. She laughed and pulled away from me again.
"No we have to get up. If we don't she'll come back with a bucket of cold water." Katniss said. "Come on get up and get ready. You need a shower and so do I so get up." she said going through her closet. When she turned back to me she saw me still sitting on her bed. "Get up!" she said laughing and I chuckled doing as she said.
"I'll see you in a bit." I said kissing her forehead before walking out of her room to mine and taking a shower. When the two of us were done getting ready I was wearing black dress pants, shoes, and black jacket with a yellow button up shirt. Katniss walked out in a pale pink dress with short sleeves, a ribbon around her waist, and a few ruffles here and there. Plus she was wearing some shoes that matched her dress.
"Ready to go?" I asked her and she nodded but still seemed sad.
"Good now let's get going. The train won't wait forever." Effie said cheerfully as Brutus and Haymitch groaned. We all rode down in the elevator together and got into cars that will take us to the train station. Katniss and I sat in a car together as our Mentors and Effie sat in the other car.
"Katniss what's wrong?" I asked her holding her hand.
"I don't know if I can do this." she said looking out the window.
"Do what?" I asked her, I hope she didn't mean us. I know it all happened fast but I hope she doesn't want to end us.
"Going to the different Districts and seeing the families of the fallen Tributes. They'll hate us no doubt but their children had to die for us to live." she said sadly. I reached over and turned her face with my fingers to make her look at me.
"Remember what we talked about last night?" I asked her and she nodded. "We didn't want to kill them, it wasn't our choice. The Capitol made us do it. Just remember that if their parents were in our position they would have done the same. Because they would've wanted to live as well." I told her and she nodded.
"Yeah I know but i-" she started but I stopped her.
"No buts. It was all the Capitol and if anybody tries to hurt you they'll have to go through me." I said to her with a serious tone in my voice. She reached up and held the hand that was holding her face and nodded.
"Okay." she said and I sighed, pulling her to me.
"Okay. I promise I won't let anything happen to you or let anyone do anything to you." I promise her.
"Thank you." she whispered to me.
"Anything for you. So are you ready to see my family again?" I asked her trying to lighten the mood and she chuckled.
"I've met everybody but your father." she said pulling away slightly to look up at me. I smiled down at her.
"Well Sessa has gotten bigger since you've last seen her. My mom and Selima kept asking when they were going to see you again. Citch want's to see you again too. And my dad wants to meet you as well." I told her and she tensed up slightly.
"What if they don't like who I am now that they know?" she asked me sounding nervous. "They know about me now. My name, where I'm from, what are they going to think?"
"They liked you when they knew nothing about you. I doubt that being from Twelve will change any of it." I said to her, trying to calm her nerves.
"Are you sure?" she asked.
"Positive." I promised. She smiled softly at me and I leaned down to her as she leaned up to meet me half way. Our lips were about to touch when the car stopped and the door was opened to reveal Brutus.
"No, no time for that. You can do that on the train. Let's go." Brutus said taking Katniss's hand and gently pulling her out of the car. I could tell by how gentle he was with her that he still sees her like his Trainee, but not as much. He has grown attached to her which isn't surprising. When Brutus grows attached, he treats any of the Trainees like his own kids. He's done that for me countless times. When ever my brother and I got in a fight, or my dad and I, he would let me vent to him if I was working myself too hard. We boarded the train and didn't even look in awe as we looked around. It was the same train we use on the last Victory Tour, the one where the two of us tagged along.
"We'll be in District one by tonight and the speech is tomorrow morning. Because there are two of you we won't be doing the normal schedule" Effie told us and we just look at her confused.
"What are you talking about?" Katniss asked, her scowl on her face.
"Well people are more eager to see you, the first pair of tributes to win the Games. So by order of the Capitol we have to provide instant gratification. So we start the Victory Tour tonight." Effie explains before she went to get something to eat from the dining car. Katniss nodded and walked into her room. I decided to leave her alone for a little bit, she needed time alone. She's taking this a lot harder than I am.
"Is she okay?" Brutus asked.
"She's taking this hard. I don't think she's ready for this tour yet." I said to him.
"No surprise." Haymitch said from across the room.
"What do you mean?" I asked him.
"She's from Twelve. We don't take death very well. When her dad died she was a wreck, nearly died if it weren't for Peeta. But now that Peeta has died, she probably feels lost. Peeta gave her hope when she was a kid to keep surviving. Now that she lost him, she might have lost hope. Even though she has you and her mom, sister, and two other friends she still lost somebody. Plus Peeta was very well liked back in Twelve, the good baker's son, it wouldn't surprise me if people blamed her for his death." he said.
"But it wasn't her fault! It was Marvel's, if he wasn't there she would've made it back to him in time. They shouldn't blame her and she shouldn't be blaming herself." I told him angrily.
"Make sure she knows that and make sure that they know that. District Twelve usually hates the Victors but since she is from there they might be more forgiving. But because Peeta had to die for her to come back who knows! A lot of people liked Peeta more than they liked her." Haymitch said.
"But there was nothing she could do and she tried! They should've seen it during the interviews and in the Games that she tried."
"I know. But not everybody thinks the same way." Haymitch said finally before leaving the current car to I'm guessing the bar car. I ran a hand through my hair and went to Katniss's room. When I arrived I saw her laying in her bed with a pillow on her arms.
"Katniss?" I called to her and she looked at me.
"He's right. They liked him more than me, they'll hate that I came back and not him." she said and I walked to the bed and sat next to her, pulling her up and into my arms.
"Hey hey hey, don't think about that right now. Let's just take time to relax before tomorrow. Okay?" I offered and she nodded after a moment. I laid us back down and she rested her head on my chest. "Everything will be alright. Lets just lay here and act like the rest of the world doesn't exist, that it's just the two of us." I said and she gave out a sigh that was mixed with content and relief. Her stiff muscles started to relax as I stroked her hair.
"I wish we could stay like this, here in this bed and nothing to come and bother us. Just a peaceful silence." she said and she snuggled into me. I looked at her and lifted her chin so she could look at me.
"After all of this is over I promise I will make that happen." I said to her and I could see the hope in her eyes. I cupped her cheek and pulled her face to mine, intending to finished what was going to start in the car. I kissed her again and it was just as good as the last. Her lips were soft and full, she was a little hesitant but she kissed me back softly and I smiled into the kissed. After a few moments I pulled away to regain my breath and I looked into her eyes.
"Was that okay? You seemed a little nervous." I said to her and she huffed out a chuckle.
"You're the only boy I've ever kissed." she said sheepishly. I was her first then. And her only.
"Not even Peeta?" I asked her with a little jealousy in my voice.
"Not even." she said with a blush creeping onto her cheeks. I kissed the corner of her mouth and her blush deepened.
"Well I hope I'm the only one you'll ever be able to kiss." I said to her and she giggled. She reached her hands up and pulled my face down to hers in another sweet kissed that lasted longer than our previous. After a few moments I ran my tongue along her bottom lip, we haven't done this yet, so she surprised me when she opened up to me. This is the first time I've been able to taste her like this. She tasted just like she smells. She still smells like the woods but there is a sweeter taste to her. But I can't place it. Most people would describe a kiss like this as their tongues fighting for dominance, but not this kiss. They danced together, because we were done fighting and we didn't need to fight on this level. We broke apart a few moments later we broke apart for the need to breathe and I saw a smile on Katniss's face and she chuckled.
"What are you laughing at?" I asked her a little confused.
"I was just thinking of how far we've come. Two years ago we hated each other and now look at us." she said reaching for my hand. I intertwined our finger and brought them up to my lips and kissed the back of her hand.
"I always knew there was something about you but I didn't know what it was. I hated you for it because I didn't know what you were doing to me. But then I began to realize what it was and I was starting to act on it, but then we would get in a fight and it would seem like we didn't feel the same way about each other. I don't know how Luna figured out that I liked you way before I did." I admitted and she chuckled.
"Well you asking me to dance at the first Feast was a big give away to her." she said and it made me think of the conversation the two of them had about me after we danced.
"Would you hate me if I said I heard the conversation you two had after our dance?" I asked her and she went silent and her smile fell from her face. No, please don't get mad this isn't what I want to happen.
"How much did you hear?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
"That you didn't want to have kids or get married." I said nervously, we had to talk about this sometime. Knowing Snow he'll force us to do it, but will it be when we're only sixteen? I wouldn't put it passed him.
"Oh, that." she said sitting up and pulling away from me. No don't do this, I thought. I sat up to and tried to look her in the eye but when she refused I raised my hand to make her look at me.
"I understand why you don't. So your kids won't have to go through what you went through. And you don't want to get married so there won't be a chance of you having kids. I understand that. I don't want my children going through the Reapings and the Hunger Games either. But Katniss I don't know if we can avoid it now." I said to her honestly. Doesn't she understand that because we won together that we might be forced to get married and have a kid? Maybe Snow will show us mercy and not put the child up for Reaping, with parents from different Districts I don't know how that would work. But knowing President Snow he'll find a way.
"I know we can't avoid it but Cato I'm not ready. We're only sixteen! I don't even know where I'm going to live. Am I moving to Two with you? Are you moving to Twelve with me? Or will Snow keep us in the Capitol?" she rambled.
"Where ever you go I go. If he splits us up I don't care I will follow you to District Twelve." I said to her seriously.
"But what if he threatens to kill your family? Will you still come?"
"I don't know." I honestly hadn't thought about that. I could tell Katniss didn't really like that answer because her shoulders slumped down slightly. "But my dad owns the biggest Masonry in the District and it's the best. If my dad dies my brother is the next in line to take over. After him it's me. If he kills my family I'll have to take over which means I can't be a Mentor in the Games." I explained to her and it's all true. My dad said that if he died the family business is left to my brother and I.
"But he can hurt my family. My family is nothing important in Twelve. Sure my mom is a healer but it doesn't matter the Capitol doesn't care about my District. If my District loses my mom, the only healer in the District the Capitol isn't going to care." she told me. It's sad to think that the Capitol doesn't care that much.
"But with out your District there would be no coal." I said trying to make her feel more important and that her District is more important.
"Coal is the only thing the Capitol cares about from Twelve." she said angrily but sadly looking away from me. I rested my forehead on her temple to whisper in her ear.
"I care about you." I said and she turned to look at me.
"Promise?" she asked to clarify but she shouldn't need to.
"Promise, always." I said and there was a sudden knock on the door.
"Come on out you two we are in District One!" Effie said cheerfully. We groaned and got off the bed and walked out into the living room.
"You okay?" Haymitch asked Katniss as soon as he saw her. He seemed very attached to her as well. He probably kept an eye on Katniss when she was home. Like when he called Brutus that one day in the Academy just before the Reapings, when she was whipped.
"I'm fine." she said trying to sound confident. I walked up and held her hand casting a smile down at her while she squeezed my hand.
"Well let's go over the schedule for tomorrow shall we?" Effie said taking a seat on the couch and ushering people over to sit down as well. Effie started to go over what we needed to do, did she forget that Katniss and I have been through this before?
"Effie we already know what to do." Katniss snapped as Effie talked like we were children.
"What?" she asked confused.
"They went on the Victory tour last year as part of their training." Brutus reminded.
"Oh yes, silly me I completely forgot." Effie said chuckling to herself. "Well then since you know what to do, we should all get to bed so you can be fresh and ready for your stylists tomorrow before the speeches." she said waving us off. Katniss bolted from the seat and went back to her room shutting it tightly behind her. Haymitch and Brutus looked at me confused and I shook my head at them.
"What's wrong with her now?" Brutus asked.
"We were talking about what Snow could do to us. Make us get married and have kids and stuff. She's freaked by it because neither of us are ready for it. Plus she's worried about her family and what he can do to them." I explained to them. Haymitch nodded in understanding, deep in thought about something but Brutus just looked a little confused.
"Can't she go a day without constant worry?" he asked and Haymitch scoffed.
"She's gone through her entire life doing nothing but worrying. Worrying about her sister, her mother, her friends, surviving, and getting caught by the wrong Peacekeeper when she hunted. Which she eventually did get caught, as you two very well know." Haymitch growled to us. He's right, she has been worrying all her life.
"So then how do I get her to stop worrying?" I asked him and he sighed.
"Hopefully after this tour she won't be doing so much worrying. Her family will have food and a nice place to live. She won't have to hunt but probably still will. The only thing she'll have to worry about is Snow."
"But still she's gonna worry." I reminded.
"Well there is one thing to get her to stop worrying." Brutus said with a smirk, letting his hint float in the air.
"She doesn't want kids Brutus, at least not now so don't even suggest that." Haymitch glared at him.
"Just take some of the worry for her. Let her know that you're worried about it too. Maybe it'll get her to calm down. But what she really needs is to know how to not let it get to her. Neither of us are in the clear yet either." Haymitch said gesturing between him and Brutus. "But we get so busy with the Games and mentoring that we practically don't have time to worry." he finished.
"Okay." I said before getting up to go to bed.
"Where are you going?" they asked.
"Bed, like Effie said I have to be presentable tomorrow." I said before walking into my own room. I don't want to leave Katniss alone but I think she needs it for tonight. I think she just needs time alone to her thoughts. A few minutes later I fell asleep on my bed to be woken up a few hours later from a nightmare to screams coming from Katniss' room. I shot out of my bed and went into her room to see her tangled up in her sheets. She was thrashing around like she was trying to get out of them but couldn't. Must be a nightmare. Like people are trying to grab her and hold her down and she was fighting to get out of her grip. I went to her bed and ripped the sheets off of her and she started to calm down. But seconds later she was thrashing around again.
"Katniss." I said trying to wake her up as I pinned her shoulders down. Her arm shot up and hit me in the face. I groaned but kept my hold on her. "Katniss!" I shouted again and she woke up. Her eyes flew open with a scared look in them. Instantly she calmed down when she saw it was me. She lifted her hand and it caressed my cheek.
"Are you okay?" she asked sounding concerned.
"You're asking me that? You were having a nightmare." I said to her chuckling slightly at her concern for me.
"But your cheek, it looks like it's bruised." she said and I touched my cheek.
"Yeah you kinda hit me when I tried to wake you up." I said sheepishly and she sat up quickly.
"I'm so sorry about that."
"It's okay you were dreaming. What was it about?" I asked her and she sighed.
"I don't really want to talk about it." she said and I cupped her cheek.
"It might make you feel better." I told her and she nodded.
"I was back in the Games. And it was the two of us plus Clove against the rest of the Careers, and a few other Tributes, like Thresh and Foxface and a couple others. They killed you and Clove and I was alone, they pinned me down as Marvel-" she said but her breath caught and voice cracked.
"What? What did he do?" I asked eagerly.
"He started to rape me," she finished and my hands clenched into fists, my knuckles turning white. "But you woke me up before he could do anything bad." she reassured and I unclenched my fists. I raised my hand and held her cheek, pulling her face close to mine so I could rest my forehead against her's.
"I would never let anything like that happen to you." I vowed to her. She tilted her head and lightly pressed her lips to mine, just ever so lightly. She pulled away and looked in my eyes.
"Will you stay with me tonight? I don't want anymore nightmares."
"Me either." I whispered and she laid down. I moved around the bed and got under the covers next to her and wrapped my arms around her, pulling her back to my chest, spooning her. She fell asleep within minutes after I settled myself next to her. I watched her sleep for a while, wondering what her family is going to think of me.
Will they like me? Probably not. Will they be happy that Katniss has found somebody who cares about her as much as I do? Hopefully, but they'll probably wish it was somebody else instead of me. Am I going to prove myself to them? Hell yes I will. But the most I can do now is to just meet them. I know my family has met her, but I hope that when they meet her officially, they'll accept who she is. I know my mom, Citch, Selima, and Sessa will, but I don't know about my dad. Sure he didn't want me to train, but he still has his views of the lower Districts. Right now all I can do is hope for the best and hope that tomorrow in One goes without a hitch, but no promises since I delivered the final fatal blow to Marvel and Katniss killed Glimmer without hesitation. In all my musing I fell asleep with my nose buried in Katniss' brown curls that splayed out on her pillow, breathing in the scent of the forest that lingered on her.