Thanks to all my followers! you guys are the best! keep reviewing, I love knowing what you think!
My last reviews requested some more Katniss/Peeta action...this is the chapter you've been waiting for!
This has a scene of sensuality, good thing it's rated M!
It was Thursday. One day until the plan was to be executed.
Katniss woke up the next morning feeling nervous. Remembering the previous night, She began scrubbing off the remainder of the black eye shadow she had worn. No one can ever know I left the servant's quarters. Peeta can never know it was me.
'The less he knows, the better… they're going to execute him in front of everyone…'
Katniss closed her eyes, banishing Haymitch's words from the night before. I can't let that happen. I'll find a way.
She went about her usual day business, worrying about Prim in the morning, Haymitch and Cinna in the afternoon, and the districts in the evening. By the time she reached Cato's apartment, she had a splitting headache.
She walked in slowly after hearing him sneer "C'mon in, girl on fire!" This is going to be awful.
She stopped and stared at him, his self tan glistening as he sat on the couch, shirt open, having a drink. "Aren't you going to make me a fire?" He asked her flirtatiously, referencing the giant fire place in front of him.
Without saying anything, Katniss dropped her tools to the floor and began prepping his fire. Hurry up she told herself. Something feels wrong.
Suddenly, she felt Cato's hot breath on the back of her neck and froze still. "I don't understand how someone from district 12 can smell so good," he whispered, kissing her lightly on her ear. Katniss closed her eyes to keep them from welling with tears as she remembered the perfume Cinna gave her the night before in the package.
"I have a lot of work to do, you better back up," she threatened. Basically the polite way of saying get the fuck away from me.
"Yeah you do have a lot of work to do," Cato sneered, grabbing her neck roughly and turning her around for a kiss. He used his other hand to pin down the arm Katniss was flailing. Katniss struggled against him as he flipped her on her back and started grazing his hands up her legs and in between her thighs.
Without a second's hesitation, Katniss clobbered him on the back of his head, causing him to yell out. With her free hand, she punched him as hard as she could in the nose. Gasping for air, she backed away from him, crouched against the wall like an animal ready to strike. Her neck was stained red from where he had choked her.
Cato touched his nose, blood coming out of it. "You'll go to hell for that," he muttered at her. "Guards!" He called, and two peacekeepers came bursting in, grabbing Katniss by either arm. "This one needs to be punished."
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Peeta sat in his office reading reports on the riots in district 11. Rubbing his temples with his hand, his eyes shot up as Cato came strolling in, with two peacekeepers behind him, holding a thrashing girl. They pushed her to the ground and she let out a slight whimper in pain, yet she hid her face.
"What's going on here?" He asked, standing up from behind his desk.
"This servant girl attacked me," Cato explained, referencing his nose. "I want your permission for punishment. It has to be cleared by the president."
"What punishment were you thinking of?" Peeta asked quietly, closing his eyes shut. I hate giving permission for punishment.
As he opened them slowly, Katniss perked up her head, revealing to Peeta the bruises on her neck. She was gasping for air, her hair was tossled, and her dress was ripped at the bottom. Peeta's eyes bulged quickly, before he took a quick breath and realized Cato was speaking to him. "What?" Peeta asked as Cato rolled his eyes.
"I said I would prefer to do whipping-"
"No!" Haymitch blurted out from behind them.
"What is this, some kind of servant free for all day?" Cato sneered at him. "C'mon Peet, just give me permission real quick."
Peeta raised his hand slowly, referencing Haymitch to back down. "I'll take care of it, Cato."
Katniss' eyes bulged out of her head, her breathing becoming fast and labored. She bent her eyebrows, determined to show some sort of anger and lack of fear. I'm not afraid, she told herself. I'm not afraid…
"Leave us," Peeta commanded. The peacekeepers exited the room, yet Cato stayed. "You too, Cato," Peeta ordered. "No need for an audience."
Cato smirked at him, bending down to Katniss' level and whispering "have fun". Leaving her with a cold shiver, he left the room, Haymitch giving him a death glare as he closed the door behind him.
"Lock the door, Haymitch," Peeta said urgently as he bent down to Katniss. "Are you okay…" he spoke to her, more like a command for an answer rather than a question. Katniss stayed quiet. "Katniss!" he yelled at her, her eyes shooting up into his. "Are. You. Okay."
Katniss bore her eyes into his. Why is he asking me this? Katniss thought to herself. I thought he was going to… Recognition crossed her face as she realized he was pretending to Cato in order to save her.
"M' fine," she mumbled, standing up. She stood for a moment before shakily beginning to collapse to the floor again, Peeta quickly catching her by her elbows. He helped her over to his couch and sat her down next to him.
"Haymitch, go get us some ice and a first aid kit," he commanded, examining Katniss' neck by maneuvering her face with his hands. He didn't think twice about touching her face, checking her for injuries felt normal, like he had done it a million times. I wonder why…Peeta began to think. He shook his head and continued to examine her.
Katniss didn't mind. She let him touch her, remembering what it was like to have him take care of her. Then she looked over at Haymitch, who stared at Katniss, his eyes frozen with fear and anger.
"I'll be fine, Haymitch," she choked out, her voice strained from the pain in her throat. Then she looked into Peeta's eyes. "He's not going to hurt me," she continued darkly. Haymitch, with a quick nod, left the room.
"What happened?" Peeta asked her, taking his hands away from her face. "Your neck…"
"I'm fine," Katniss immediately argued.
"Katniss-" Peeta began.
"I. am. Fine," Katniss repeated. "I've had worse, honestly."
Something about the way she said it reminded him of the girl from the previous night. Stop thinking about that, Peeta. You have something more serious going on right in front of you.
"What happened," Peeta repeated, enunciating his words slowly.
Katniss looked into his eyes. Do I tell him the truth?
She took a deep breath. "He scared me when I was making his fire. The punch was an accident."
Peeta shook his head at her. "You're a rotten liar, Katniss."
Katniss stared at him. "How can you tell when I'm lying or not?"
Peeta pointed his finger at her. "So you do admit you were lying," he said with a slight smile.
Katniss looked down at her lap. She couldn't help herself, she gave a small smile too. "I didn't admit to anything," she told him.
Peeta chuckled breathlessly, before slowly reaching over and taking her hand. "Please tell me, Katniss."
Katniss took a deep breath. "Well he kind of… attacked me. He tried to… you know…"
Katniss watched Peeta's eyes as they turned angry. "Nothing happened!" She felt the need to assure him.
That piece of information didn't seem to help as his face remained furious. He didn't even have time to remind himself not to care about the servant girl in front of him; his blood started to boil and his heart pounded faster. He took a deep breath to steady himself. "Thank you for telling me," he said darkly, releasing her hand.
Katniss got angry at his reaction. "You're welcome, I guess…" she croaked out. I'm fed up with him being hot and cold, even if I am a servant. "Why didn't you just let them take me?" She blurted out furiously. Peeta's eyes snapped up.
"You mean have him publicly whip you for defending yourself?" he snapped back at her. "Yeah, great idea... everyone deserves respect Katniss. Servant or not."
Katniss took a deep breath, remembering her saying that to him the night before. Maybe I had an influence on him.
"You can't do anything to Cato. Please," she begged, thinking only of Prim. What would Snow say if he found out I punched an elite member of the capitol in the face? What would he do to Prim? What would he do to Peeta?...
Peeta stood up. "I have an obligation, Katniss. I'm the damn President. I can't just let him get away with this-"
"Obligation? You have no obligation," Katniss contradicted. "What's your obligation? And don't say the law because that is just complete bullsh-"
"An obligation to you," Peeta blurted out without thinking. Katniss took a deep breath as she watched him throw his hands in the air. "I don't know why, but I feel like I owe you something." He sat down next to her again. "I feel connected to you."
They sat in silence for awhile before Katniss felt the need to speak. "You feel? What kind of feeling?" Maybe… she thought, her heart swelling with hope. Could it be?
Peeta looked at her confusedly. "I don't know, I-I guess its like an unconscious thing. Lately I've been feeling really off. Ever since you came here. I keep having these weird dreams-"
"What kind of dreams?" Katniss asked urgently. He looked at her. "Tell me," she commanded, placing one of her hands gently on his cheek and the other on top of his shoulder.
Worried, Peeta looked in her eyes. "I keep dreaming that I'm dying. It's dark. And the only person I can see is you."
Katniss froze, slowly taking her hands away, his words sinking in.
He's having a memory. An actual memory. She took a deep, shaky breath as she watched him.
Peeta looked down at his hands, his face showing a frusturated smile. "I don't know what it means. At first I thought it was just because I was attracted to you. But then I started getting headaches when you came around," he rambled. Katniss listened, slightly alarmed, as his words continued to pour out. "Like, horrible headaches," he explained. "And the dream became constant, every time I fell asleep. I resented you for it," he admitted, looking into her eyes finally. "You can't tell anyone about this. I-"
Before he could say something insulting about her status, Katniss grabbed his face and pulled him into an aggressive kiss.
:O ! What will happen next? Another chapter up later if you guys review!