Insanitywriter- Haha, yes. If only Boggs knew how Peeta planned on abusing his newly appointed position in the Star Squad, he'd probably flip out. If 'Badass Peeta' was an actual toy, I'd totally fight the crowds to buy us each one.
CupcakeSprinkles14- Thank you. Writing that didn't feel as natural as some of the other smut chapters, but it was still fun to give it a try.
abugsaunt- Your Thanksgiving sounds awesome. I love big get togethers. Peeta trying out the dominating persona in bed just seemed logical to me given that he is a fighter in the story. I don't know if I'd do it again, so I can't say we'll be seeing Cato tied up anytime soon. I certainly wouldn't mind seeing it pop up in your story though ;)
Abysslullaby- I know, right? You literally fight for you life only to end up having people telling you how to live it. That really boiled my blood when I read about it in the book.
DrarryFrerard- I understand. It was just something I wanted to try. I'm thinking it was a one time thing though. I definitely like Cato being the more dominant one. It suits him well.
sysi huhu- Haha, tying Cato up seems to be a popular premise. I can totally understand why, lol.
MangoMagic- Thank you. Yes, it was a chapter dedicated to smut rather than character development. I can foresee them talking more later, if they both make it out of battle.
Ixyria- You're absolutely right. My chapters are so short that some things fall by the wayside. I've been trying to keep my focus on Peeta and Cato so much that I've been neglecting their relationships with other characters.
Pale Is The New Tan- Thank you. I liked the idea of Peeta possessing Cato the way Cato always seems to do, but I think overall, it's best to leave the dominating up to the professionals. Cato is a 'Career' after all ;)
When the Star Squad had finally completed their training, President Coin addressed the entire rebel military and ordered them to begin preparation for deployment into the Capitol. As preparations were being made, she pulled Peeta, Boggs, and Mitchell aside and gave them the prized task of capturing Snow. She stated to these three soldiers that she wanted the Capitol president brought back alive so he could be publicly tried and punished for every crime ever committed. Looking back on his reign of terror over the decades, no earthly punishment seemed fitting for such a monster.
When the provisions were made and the equipment readied for the full-scale invasion, 13's entire military was assembled aboard the abundant number of hovercrafts headed for the infamous Capitol. Peeta sat next to Cato and held his hand tight but remained in stoic silence. He was too caught up in Coin's orders. He would be the one moving straight for the mansion. The boy fantasized about meeting Snow face-to-face. The revenge would be delicious.
Hours later, the hovercrafts had transported every soldier to their positions outside the Capitol. But before the Star Squad exited their craft, Cato pulled Peeta aside.
"I need to tell you something, Peeta," he said as he approached the boy. Peeta tilted the side of his head towards Cato as the Career bent down to whisper in his ear. Cato cupped his hands around the baker's ear to shield his lips from the other soldiers, but instead of whispering anything, he began nibbling and sucking the boy's tender lobe, exciting involuntary shivers down Peeta's body. Cato eventually pulled away and looked into Peeta's eyes. "I want you to stay safe. Do you understand me?" He said aloud for everyone else's benefit.
"You made your point crystal clear," Peeta smirked back with his trademark blush.
The rebels moved closer to the city by traveling through the mountain tunnels leading up to it. They eventually made their way to the abandoned outskirts of where Capitol forces had evacuated civilians before they had fallen back to regroup further into the city. These streets were empty, but not before being booby-trapped.
As Commander of the entire Star Squad, Boggs took out his Holo to project the map of the Capitol. It had been separated into grids, showing landmarks of hidden pods. His Star Squad, now made up of not just his sniper team of Peeta and Mitchell, but all the surviving tributes and rescued mentors, stared in disgust at the plethora of marked pods on the holograph.
"This is some serious bullshit," Haymitch stated eloquently as usual.
"At least we know where they are this time," Johanna countered. "That makes it an improvement over the arena already."
The Hunger Games alums couldn't argue with the blessing of knowing where all the pods were. Every different squad was assigned a specific grid to sweep for them. The Star Squad was given the bonus task of filming their part for what they hoped to be the final propo before victory. They had with them two brilliant cameramen, Pollux and Castor. Boggs sent his squad out to their assigned grid to detonate pods for the cameras before moving further into the city with the rest of the rebels. As they marched forward, they became separated from the other squads of district 13 who had taken their positions in the other streets. The "action" was less than thrilling for the cameras. Castor suggested the Star Squad spice things up.
"I can strip down and start shooting the pods in my underwear," Finnick suggested amusedly. "It'll become the number one propo the second they air it, guaranteed."
"Hell, maybe the Capitol citizens will take one look and all switch sides," Johanna replied sarcastically. "I can see the headlines now: 'Finnick Odair and His Underwear; The Secret Weapon to Winning the War'."
Everyone laughed but they knew a little sex appeal would provide good publicity. Finnick didn't completely strip, but he did get sweaty enough to take his shirt off in slow motion for the cameras.
The other members of the Star Squad did their own acting bits. Marvel and Clove teamed up to take down pods in double time, Thresh acted tough and intimidating, and Enobaria's razor sharp smile chilled straight down to the bone. Boggs and Mitchell proved to be less than natural in front of the camera. Boggs stayed stiff as usual and Mitchell's acting skills were even worse than Katniss'. He was rolling around on the streets while 'grrring' like a bear and he kept bulging his eyes out for some reason. The entire show gave the whole squad giggle fits and they lost track of how far they had been separated from the rest of the district 13 soldiers.
As district 1's mentor, Gloss, was taking his turn in front of the cameras, he got dangerously close to an undetonated pod. Before disaster struck, Peeta dived to tackle him while simultaneously whipping his gun up and firing at the pod. A spiked net jolted up from the ground that would slice and dice any object caught in its clutches. The whole squad breathed a sigh of relief at the disaster avoided.
"Nice going, Sweet Cheeks," Finnick commended the boy.
"Aww, that's cute," Cashmere cooed as she pinched Peeta's face. "What a perfect nickname."
"I wasn't talking about those cheeks," Finnick winked. Cato couldn't help but scowl as he went to stand by Peeta's side possessively.
Johanna and Finnick just cackled while Peeta shook his head, embarrassed. "We're on a mission here, people. Let's try to stay on track."
Just then, sirens began to blare inside the city limits. It was the Capitol alerting its citizens that the rebels had breached their walls. The other squads must have just ambushed the peacekeepers' barracks and began the attack while the Star Squad was busy dicking around for the cameras. They immediately put their mission into high gear, destroying targets as quickly as possible to get to the action.
As they moved closer, a hovercraft suddenly flew overhead. Strangely enough, it had no logo on it. It began to rain down parachutes onto the streets. Well, not all the streets. It rained down on Star Squad's street.
"Parachutes?" Brutus pondered. "Are we getting sent supplies?"
"This isn't the Hunger Games, you idiot!" Enobaria barked. "Only the Capitol sends parachutes. Everybody get down NOW!"
The Star Squad scattered and took refuge in doorways and ditches as parachutes started exploding. The blasts triggered undetonated pods and the controlled chaos they had been filming only a moment ago turned into hell. Sheer and unadulterated hell.
Peeta pulled Cato into an alleyway and they crouched close together as the blasts rocked their bodies. Cato grabbed Peeta and tucked the boy underneath him, trying to shield him from flying debris. When the explosions stopped, they hesitantly looked up to see the disaster unfolded. Rubble and fire littered the streets, and, unfortunately, they saw some bloodied limbs scattered about as well.
They quickly rushed out into the warzone looking for survivors. They found the decapitated corpse of Brutus and the dead body that the amputated limbs belonged to, Enobaria. Peeta squeezed Cato's hand in condolence, but the Career kept a stiff upper lip and moved on to find the living. They discovered Boggs and Mitchell helping Katniss take care of Haymitch, who had sustained a laceration to his face.
"Haymitch!" Peeta cried as he ran to his mentor.
"I'm okay, boy," the old victor assured. "Just a nasty cut marring the old noggin. I bet some would say it's an improvement."
The young rebel laughed, relieved that Haymitch was well enough to dish out his trademark humor. Johanna joined them then, limping badly, and informed them that Gloss and Cashmere had fallen. Finnick approached unscathed but mournful, claiming he was unsuccessful at reviving Thresh. Marvel was spotted carrying a defiant but very much alive Clove. Apparently, all she did was bump her head. She kept insisting Marvel put her down, but he refused, not wanting her to leave his arms after such a close call. Pollux eventually stumbled out of a crumbling shop, his camera surprisingly still intact. Castor was no where to be found. No one else showed up after that. These were the only survivors of Star Squad left.
"Some of us are too injured to move forward," Mitchell told Boggs. "What should we do?"
"I think now's the time to split up," Boggs decided. "Peeta, Mitchell, and I will move directly through the lines towards the mansion as President Coin requested. The rest of you stay and aid the wounded. When everyone is stable, join the rear of the rebel forces and help where you can."
"What!" Cato roared. "I'm not gonna get left behind. I want to fight!"
"Same here!" the other two Careers chimed in. Finnick, Katniss, and Johanna joined in agreement as well.
"I gave you all an order, Soldiers!" Boggs barked back at them. "Stand down!"
Cato approached Peeta then, desperate. "I don't want you to go without me. I want to be there to help you."
"I know, Cato," Peeta replied. "But I have to go alone. I have to do this."
"Let me come with you," the Career pleaded.
"If you come, I'll be spending all my time worrying about you. I need to focus and I can only do that if I know you're safe. You have to stay here."
Peeta sealed his decision by reaching up and pressing his lips firmly against the Career's. They kissed passionately, their tongues dancing to music only their hearts could hear. For a moment, they were oblivious to their squad; oblivious to the whole world. Their kiss was forceful. It held desperation, fear, longing, and a promise.
"I'll see you soon," Peeta whispered when he broke away. And with that, he and his sniper team were gone.
Cato stared blankly at the empty and broken street, the war-torn pavement mimicking his own heart. He looked over to see his fellow Careers staring back at him in sympathy and he brusquely turned away from them, not wanting their pity. He had to keep his mind occupied with the task before him or else he would get lost in the nightmare of imagining the dangers Peeta could face. Helplessness was not in a Career's vocabulary.
Cato and the others gathered the bodies of their fallen soldiers and placed them somewhere safe. They wrapped Johanna's ankle and slowed the bleeding on Haymitch's face. When everyone was stable, they moved forward to find the rebels. As the remainder of the Star Squad joined the rear of the rebel forces, they were met with some unexpected faces. Beetee was there, fidgeting nervously, and standing by his side was his faithful apprentice in the Special Intelligence sector, Foxface.
The old district 3 victor glanced their way as they approached and he looked ecstatic to see them.
"What are you doing here on the battlefield, Beetee?" Finnick asked, bewildered.
"I've come specifically for all of you," the genius replied. "I came with Foxface on my own volition with the secret mission of warning you all. Wait a minute... where are your snipers? Peeta, Boggs, and Mitchell?"
"They went on without us," Cato answered bitterly. "They're headed for the mansion right now."
"Then I've arrived too late," Beetee declared with horror. "Coin is plotting to kill them."