Katniss woke up slowly with her eyes still closed, she almost panicked when she felt she was in someone's grasp but then remembered who it could be. She could feel the girls smaller arms wrapped around her holding her up and from the heartbeat, she could hear in her right ear, she could tell she was held up against her chest.
With a small deep breath, she slowly opened her eyes to the sight of Rue leaned up against a tree looking around for any other tributes. "How long have you been up?" she asked and caught the attention of Rue who finally looked down at her with a small smile. "Hard to know, I could see you were pretty tired" Katniss wanted to be upset because Rue was supposed to wake her up when it was her time to take watch so that she could get some rest too. But she couldn't because of this moment of bliss that she felt just being able to rest like she wasn't fighting for her life.
"Thanks," she said with a small smile looking up at Rue, who still had her arms wrapped around her holding her close, "No problem, we need you in top shape." After a few yawns and some constrained stretches in Rue grasp Katniss slowly sat up resisting the objections that came from Rue for her to get some more rest.
"While it would be nice for us to just spend the whole day doing nothing, we have to get ready for today." Katniss got up from the small hideout after quickly surveying the area to make sure that there were no tributes laying in wait. She was quite impressed with what Rue had managed to do while she was sleeping by building this small makeshift shelter hidden in the brush.
"When did you even do this?" she asked as she saw Rue get up and wiggle out of the shelter "You were cold so I had to make something quickly." Katniss was impressed, to say the least, she had seen just how skilled Rue was during Practice and that was cemented in her ratings. Rue looked around as Katniss readied her weapons "I saw some bushes back there that might have some edible food."
Katniss nodded in response and signalled for her to lead the way, but even as they started to walk deeper into the forest, Katniss made sure that she stuck close to Rue. They arrived in a small clearing in the forest but stayed in cover, "Okay we have to find Peter." Katniss said taking a knee next to Rue as they looked out over the clearing. "It means we have to Split up" Katniss said nervously, she knew Rue wouldn't like that idea and the glare the girl gave her said enough. But what was worse was the look that followed, a content almost at peace look even given their situation.
"Hey don't look like that" Katniss said placing both hands on the other girl's shoulders "we are only splitting up for a little bit and we will be back together soon ...i said we are going to make it out of this together and i meant it." Rue just gave a weak nod and a smile that didn't reach her eyes, "and if you get into trouble just shout out for me." Rue shook her head "Too loud" and then she signalled for Katniss to look up, and the other girl didn't know what she was supposed to look out for.
Rue then began to whistle a tune and Katniss was about to tell her to stop it before it attracted attention to them but to her surprise, she heard a large flock of birds singing the tune back to Rue. Katniss looked down back a Rue who now had a smile on her face because of Katniss's amazed look at something she considered simple. "It's a call in my district, we can use that to see if anyone of us is okay ...but we have to do it regularly."
Katniss nodded thinking it over "Yea it makes sense if we don't hear the tune from one another we come running." Rue nodded in agreement and Katniss did the same before getting up looking around and with one final nod disappearing into the bush. A few seconds later Rue heard the calls of the Mockingjay meaning Katniss was okay. She then left her hiding place in the bush to look for stuff they would need today, after all, they couldn't find Peter on an empty stomach.
The games master had been watching them closely since he saw Rue's display of affection towards Katniss at night. He had seen how she had run hand down Katniss's cheek and stroked her head whilst she slept. All of it had been captured by the camera's and broadcasted to the capital becoming a sudden hit. "Another in pursuit of the girl on fire" "Peter or Rue?" "Seductress or Heartbreaker" "Crush or True Love."
Various headlines had been written and many people in the capital were now cheering for Rue to go get Katniss. It wasn't out of a sense of actually wanting her to succeed but of most wanting to know Katniss's answer before either of them were killed.
"Hey Charli, how are we doing with directing her towards that other tribute" "Doing fine sir, she should be there about now."
"KATNISS!"
Katniss froze, that was Rue's voice screamed after a quick second to steady herself, she turned around running through the forest throwing caution to the wind and on her mind was only " Rue Rue Rue."
"KATNISS!"
She burst into a clearing only a few moments later frantically looking and saw Rue a little into a clearing under a large net and their eyes locked. Katniss ran towards her already bringing out her knife and dropping her bow to the ground, her cries for Katniss still present but now only reduced to whimpers. She was cutting up the net as fast she could be trying to avoid cutting Rue even as her hands were shaking.
With one last cut, Rue was free and she immediately bolted up wrapping up her arms around Katniss's torse and planting her head into the crook of her neck. She was doing her best to suppress the tears that were welled up in her eyes but Katniss just held her as tightly burying her face into Rue's head giving her soothing whisper's "you're okay, you're okay, I'm right here."
Katniss knew they had to get out of here because whoever setup this trap who be back soon. She gave a shift kiss to Rue's forehead and reluctantly let go of the girl as she went to retrieve her bow. As she was sorting her equipment Katniss just looked up and saw Rue pointing behind her "Katniss."
She turned around fast and saw a tribute with a spear already arched back as he threw it towards her. Katniss nibbly shifted her head out of the way and fired an arrow into his chest, making sure to watch him go down to make sure he was dead.
"Katniss"
It was barely a whisper but it made her blood run cold as she turned around to see Rue clutching her side where a pool of red was now forming. Rue stood there froze looking at her side and back to Katniss as if she couldn't believe it herself. There was an ear-piercing scream but Katniss could see Rue's face it was the girl screaming it was her. She scrambled forward as she saw the girl's eyes roll back and she fell on her back.
Rue wasn't panicking as she had before but Katniss was, continue to screaming and shout as she did her best to press on the wound tearing apart her shirt to wrap around it, anything to stop the bleeding. After what seemed like hours to Katniss but was probably a few minutes Katniss saw that no more blood was coming out of the small girl.
She knew they should probably leave this place and hide, her screaming had probably attracted attention. So she slung her bow over her shoulder and carefully picked up the now unconscious girl and thought of places that she could go.
After some agonizing minutes and many more making sure to hide their tracks Katniss arrived back at the small makeshift survival shelter that Rue had made, glad that Rue hadn't destroyed it as planned before yet. She slid back into the shelter making sure to put up the branches and leaves that hid them as just another part of the forest and any tributes.
The wounds she could see on Rue were bad but she knew the girl could make it if she had proper treatment but here in the games, where would she get such. She remembered the gel she had gotten before and took it out. She laid Rue down and slid up her shirt looking back on the bloodied wraps against her torso. Even under the weight of it all she couldn't help but think how would Rue react to this, probably panic and be shy about it which brought a smile to her face.
Katniss waited for what she thought she thought seemed like hours before she started unwrapping the makeshift bandages. The bleeding had stopped which was good but there was a large deep gash in the girl's side. They didn't have much water but this was the best use for it in her mind as she poured some of it on the wound to clean it. She could see Rue's face scrunching in pain but hoped the girl would just endure it and before long, she had cleaned as best she could.
She shifted Rue a bit to her side and started rubbing generous amounts of the gel into the girls wound and around. Rue shifted and awakened and before she could scream Katniss put a hand over her mouth "it's okay just bear it a little longer for me." Rue gave a pained nod with teary eyes as Katniss continued nearly using up most of the gen but saving some in case she needed it again. She tore apart some more of her shirt and wrapped it around the wound only getting pained grunts from Rue.
After she was done she sat up against the tree and place Rue's head in her lap then put her jacket on the girl, who had gone quiet with the only noise coming from her being her pained breathing. "I have to do something."
A lightbulb in her head lit up and so did Effie's words "Sell your story to the Camera and views can help you." She kept her head low looking down at Rue's head propped up on her thighs with Katniss's jacket over her as she now only had a shirt.
But as she looked down her peripheral vision was at work looking around subtle, till she caught it. A small silver object up a tree "there you are" she knew they had to be watching just like last time. Now the only thing that stood in her way was how to get them to help Rue. she wasn't paying attention as she lightly stroked Rue's head to distract herself as she looked down at the girl. Rue was looking up at Katniss trying to see what she was thinking but both didn't know how the two of them appeared to any outside observers.
'Are they just going to let her die?' 'what do we have to do to save her' 'i want to see what happens next 'look at the look in their eyes' 'i have never seen anything so perfect.'
The world spoke and so the games master thinking proactively delivered he knew he would have his fun later. Before Katniss could begin thinking of how to play Rue to the audience and have them help her she saw a small chute falling and knew what it was, but that made no sense she hadn't done anything besides look after Rue. Was that what people were giving it to her for because she looked after Rue? She laid Rue down and went outside with the girls eyes never leaving her as she went out, took the chute before returning.
There were badges, disinfect and quick stitches, more than she could have imagined and she quickly shook the shock off and started getting to work, clearly, the audience cared for Rue if they sent her this much.
After hours of struggle resistance from Rue as Katniss worked on her stitches with nothing to take away the pain and some recommendation from Rue on what to use from the forest. Katniss laid back against the tree, it had been a tiring day but she had managed the best she could for Rue. She just hoped it would hold "Katniss you need to sleep" she heard the girl say from her lap. Katniss wanted to argue that she should keep watch but the weakened glare from Rue was enough for her to give in with starting "Fine but you need to wake me if you hear anything" she said looking around as it was already a bit dark out.
She gently removed the girl from her lap and laid beside her, it was starting to get cold and she wanted some body heat and since she couldn't move the girl much to get it lest they opened up the stitches thus this was much better. Katniss felt Rue shift a little and opened her eyes quickly scanning over her whole "Body Rue are you okay?"
Rue hand shot up grabbing Katniss's shoulder and slowly pulled her back down "I'm fine just wanted to get a little more comfortable for something." Katniss could see the small pained sheepish smile on Rue's face and was wondering what brought it on "Katniss ...you know i almost died today and i never had my first kiss."
"Charlie make sure to zoom in this is the moment"
"Really don't worry about that, once we leave here you can get as many kisses from practically anyone you want," Katniss said with a small chuckle. But Rue never took her eyes off her "Yes, but we don't know if they will be a tomorrow" Katniss was about to retort but Rue placed her finger over her lips. "I'm just asking that if something happens tomorrow, can i have at least one thing i can take with me ...can't have my brother knowing i died before my first kiss."
"Sir the ratings on the net are crazy right now," said Marshall monitoring on the other side of the games room, "Well get me more angles on them now."
"So you want me to kiss you?" Katniss asked and the smile on Rue's face was the answer, she didn't know how to feel about this because Rue reminded her of her little sister but what did she remind Rue of. "Okay" Katniss removed Rue's finger and moved on top of the girl making sure to prop herself up with both of her hands on either side of Rue's head. She leaned down and gave Rue a light peck on the lips and as she moved to pull away she felt Rue's hand on the back of her head dragging her back into a much more passionate kiss.
"Booom there we go, that's the money shot right there!" the game master cheered and was applauded by surrounding technicians.
Katniss could feel Rue's tongue trying to find its way into her mouth and as soon as she opened her mouth it slid in. She could tell it was sloppy but that only made sense given it was Rue's first. They parted with Katniss lifting herself a little more to avoid laying on Rue, they were both panting heavily looking into each other's eyes.
"And we have the cover image for the next issue people"
"So how was that?" Katniss asked she didn't want it to show how much she was turned on, the last thing they needed was them going all the way on tv or getting themselves found and killed. Rue smiled up at her "I never said stop." She reached up to Katniss and the girl on fire didn't need to be pulled back as she went back down for another kiss.
