While Naruto, Katniss, and the other remaining tributes fought on to survive in the arena, things outside had grown more violent and chaotic by the day.
The riot in district one was subdued, but only through force. The destruction of grain silos and buildings as well as dozens of deaths from the peacekeeper crackdown had made the district appear as if it was a warzone.
Outside of district eleven, other outer districts or those that were the most oppressed also rose up in protest. They too faced peacekeeper retaliation, though none as badly as district eleven had.
While things there remained tense, they were slowly being returned to normalcy. More out of fear of further reprisal than anything else. In districts eight and twelve things were only growing more intense though.
"The people are really standing up for themselves." Katniss said in slight games had gone on for years but they had never protested this loudly before.
Jiraiya nodded and rubbed his chin in thought. "People can only take so much subjugation before they start pushing back. This ends up being the result eventually."
District twelve had always had a bit of an independent feeling to it. They got the least food, least power, and least support from the capitol out of all the districts. To survive in a place like the district twelve seam, you had to bend rules and pull off some creative stunts.
Gale Hawthorne and many others among the young adult generations of the district had found themselves locked down in holding cells following a brief riot. From there he and the others were still forced to watch the games, only now in the discomfort of a detention center.
District eight was different though. It was one of if not the most densely populated district in the country. Extremely urbanized sub-divisions made up the district's territory and nearly its entire population toiled in the massive factories for textiles, producing clothing and fabric for the rest of the country as a whole.
"Making clothing and getting the fabric for the over the top lifestyles of the capitol is just another level of wrong." Naruto grounded out.
Haymitch nodded. What was worse was that they then used the fabrics to create some of the ugliest clothing they'd ever seen.
Those that didn't work on the factory floor either worked to maintain the machinery that the district used or fit into the extremely small group of people that filled the same role as the merchant side of district twelve.
The food rations in eight were thereby more strictly enforced than anywhere else and shortages were common. Hunger was also common and while death by starvation was more likely in the remote district twelve, that was only due to population statistics as district eight's numbers dwarfed those of district twelve.
At the very least those in twelve could rely on poachers when things grew too lean. In eight there were no forests to hunt. The closest they had were ratcatchers whose title implied exactly what source the protein they provided came from.
The non-natives grimaced. The thought of eating rats on a daily basis was disgusting. They of course had all had their share of terrible foods during missions, but this was just wrong.
"Host. I'm pleading with you to let us visit the world when this is all said and done." Naruto requested.
The hosts 'face' turned to him. "I'll consider it."
With the threat of twelve and eight outright rioting in greater and more organized shows of force, Seneca Crane was beginning to truly feel the weight of his position. As well as the weight of President Snow's disappointment.
The Game Master was facing an impossible situation. The President expected him to fix things with the games but even someone born and raised entirely in the capital like Crane had been could see that the system was broken. Revolt was inevitable.
Sasuke nodded. Revolt was a good idea, and he didn't care what anyone else said. It would have worked in their world too.
How could he possibly use a game designed to kill the children of the districts to keep the districts happy, or at the very least docile?
It was entirely impossible.
That is until Haymitch Abernathy approached him. Haymitch was an opportunist. It was ingrained into the people of district twelve to think outside the box, but people like Haymitch took that further. He could easily see the situation that the Game Master had found himself in. That meant he had an opportunity.
Eyes turned to Haymitch who now seemed to be paying much more attention. This was what he was looking for. An opportunity. His heart swelled knowing that one would soon present itself.
It took time to corner the game master for a conversation, but when he finally did the man listened. He had no other options really.
"You want to get the people out there to calm down? Show that they have been heard and give them just a little sliver of hope. Give them a show. Those two kids care about one another and between Flickerman and Effie the whole country thinks that they are in love with each other. Take their mind off of the death of that girl from eleven and put it on something positive for a while." Haymitch whispered into Seneca's ear as they sat at a table and picked at the lavish meal before them.
The game Master chewed his food silently while he contemplated the mentor's words. Despite his drunkenness and unkempt nature Haymitch was one of the most popular victors still alive. He had fought in the second quarter quell and managed to come out on top of a much larger hunger games than was normal.
Naruto was really impressed by what he'd heard. "You know, I thought you were just an asshole who saw this as a sick game but it looks like there's more to you than I thought."
The shinobi minus Tsunade and Jiraiya, who already knew this, agreed. Naruto continued.
"Before she keeps reading, I just want to say I owe you an apology, I wasn't really familiar with your game."
Between his time in the games, his time as a victor, and his time as a mentor, Haymitch had more experience dealing with all of this than Seneca did. Much more actually.
"Alright, what did you have in mind?" Crane asked.
Haymitch smirked a bit as he leaned in again to give him his idea. Truth be told he couldn't care less if Crane hung for it or if the plan worked at all. It was for Naruto and Katniss. The slimmest chance that both might come home and get the chance to live the lives they deserved.
"Let's see if it works." Katniss muttered. After hearing about Haymitch pulling the strings behind the scenes, she could at the very least make sure Naruto treated the man a little better.
Back in the arena, Naruto had set out to look for his fellow district twelve comrade. A night had passed since the explosion that had claimed the career pack's campsite. A night that saw Rue appear in the sky.
Naruto had given the same sign his district had to Katniss when she volunteered. Unknowingly mirroring his partner from home. He pities the girl, and he pities Thresh knowing the boy wanted nothing more than to see Rue go home alive.
That being said, worry had begun to grow in his chest. Did that mean his deal with Thresh would be gone now? What reason would the District Eleven tribute have for continuing to work with Naruto and Katniss, assuming of course Naruto could reunite with either of them soon.
In fact, if he was in Thresh's position he doubted that he would even bother returning to the rendezvous point they had agreed upon. He would rather avoid a chance of being betrayed or possibly having to betray someone he got along with so easily.
That's a fair point." Tsunade said. "At the same time however, if it's you and Katniss, you have the upper hand."
"Thresh doesn't seem like the kind of person to try something knowing he's going to lose. He also said he knew he would die. Maybe he'll help you out." Sakura suggested.
That didn't matter at the moment though. Right now his mind needed to be focused. Not just on finding Katniss either. His arm had been poorly stitched and had reopened when he had been trying to bandage it the night before.
It was thankfully not infected, but the pain and blood loss was not helping him in the slightest. He fought exhaustion and nausea continuously and he was effectively down to one arm at the moment. Still he knew that he needed to find Katniss and to set out to do just that.
He started by edging past the center of the arena. He couldn't say for certain but out of all of the remaining competitors, Katniss was the only one he could see somehow destroying the career pack supplies. Who else could really pose that sort of threat to the likes of Cato and his remaining cronies.
From there Naruto slowly began working his way further and further into the woods. Even with the bad luck Katniss had suffered so far in the thick woods, it was the environment she knew best so he was sure she would stick to it.
Naruto knew her well. Katniss, even now, was memorizing the layout of the woods to use to her advantage. If she could just get hold of a bow early on, she would be solid. Her from long range with Naruto in case people got close would make an almost unstoppable combination.
"I think we make a pretty good team, Katniss." Naruto commented, taking credit for what his other was doing.
"Yeah we do. Hopefully…" She cut herself off when she saw the eyes on her again. She shook her head and shut her mouth. Anything she said would be twisted to fit their agenda based on what she had said earlier about the kitty.
Her cheeks burned both in embarrassment of her word choice but also because she constantly thought about what she had implied.
After several hours though, the best he had managed to do was find a few of her snares to catch small game. As the sun passed the midpoint in the sky he began slowing down and preparing to turn back for his cave.
More than disappointed he was beginning to really struggle with his injury, the poor attempt at stitches he had performed threatened to make the wound even worse than it had been and traveling over rugged uneven terrain made sure he had no way to stop jostling the wounded limb.
Since Rue had been killed Katniss had become almost numb. Her tears had stopped but she worked almost on autopilot as she set up snares and found a place to rest.
That was extremely dangerous on her part as she wasn't paying close enough attention to her surroundings in the event that the careers or another tribute might get the drop on her.
Thankfully the person she encountered wasn't one of the tributes itching for a shot at her head. In fact it was her own fellow tribute from twelve. Clearly he hadn't noticed her hidden far up in the branches of the thick trees as he trudged past her, or rather underneath her.
"What a stroke of luck." Hinata said happily. Things had been going too south for them but now they were reunited. One was injured physically and the other mentally, but now they could plan for the future.
Of the games, she added mentally.
Naruto looked worse for wear with one of his arms in tattered and bloody bandages held in a makeshift sling to try and keep it from moving too much. He stumbled a bit but was more sure footed while injured than some of their opponents had been while perfectly healthy.
Katniss was incredibly relieved to see him with her own two eyes. He had already helped her out twice now and it looked like she could return the favor…and she wanted to until she reminded herself that only one of them would be leaving the arena alive.
After holding Rue as she died, Katniss didn't want that again. Not with someone that she actually knew from back home. She didn't think she could bear it.
So she watched silently as he passed by. It looked like he was searching for something, and when he found one of her snares she knew he was looking for her. It made it even harder to watch as he passed by and the sun began to dip lower into the sky with the late afternoon.
Settled in for another night in the woods, Katniss jolted slightly as a voice came to life over the sound of the forest.
"You're not gonna call out to me?" Naruto asked, feigning hurt. The others were relatively impressed with his performance, he looked convincing.
"I'm sure I will right now." Katniss replied with a roll of her eyes. "I won't let you die. Promise."
"Attention tributes, attention." The game maker's voice said clearly. "The regulations requiring a single victor have been…suspended. From now on two victor's may be crowned if both originate from the same district. This will be the only announcement."
Everyone's eyes widened in shock and soon, all eyes turned to Haymitch who seemed just as surprised.
"You did it." Sakura muttered.
"I didn't do anything." The victor mumbled back, still reeling from the surprise announcement. If only he had something to drink, he could truly celebrate.
While this was definitely a victory and a boost to the tributes who were still alive with their partner, there was also another issue. This came as a result of certain people dying, which meant they would have to die again or find another way to recreate this result.
Katniss blinked in shock before scrambling to undo the rope that kept her secured to the tree. She needed to catch up to Naruto. There was a chance for both of them now and they wouldn't have to fight at all.
She quickly collected her handful of items and began moving through the forest after Naruto. She wasn't quiet or all that careful, more worried about catching up to him before he moves too far away than anything else.
She was a far better tracker than he was as well, and while Naruto could recognize her snares, Katniss could pick out his path from even the sight of bent grasses and broken twigs.
Soon enough she was hot on his trail and certain she was gaining on him until suddenly she felt a hand snap out and wrap tightly around her mouth. Her eyes went wide as thoughts surrounding the large career tribute Cato running her through with his sword now of all times ran through her mind.
Instead the hand let go and she slowly turned to see who had released her.
Naruto stood before her. He had pressed into a thick bit of underbrush and waited for whoever had been trailing after him to step past him.
"Even with the amount of blood he's lost he's still showing why he's a threat in these games." Haymitch said, clearly impressed. He was definitely going to help the kid when they got back, assuming the shinobi didn't go.
"That's Naruto for you. Never gives up." Tsunade said with pride.
"Never lets you down." Sakura added.
"You can count on him to not run around and desert you." Hinata finished, wanting to add some praise to the boy she had feelings for.
Naruto was grateful for the praise but did find that last one strange. It didn't really fit with what was going on but he shot Hinata a grateful smile nonetheless.
Both stood and stared for a moment before exhausted smiles spread onto their faces and they tightly embraced.
At least until Naruto hissed in pain from the girl brushing against his arm. She jumped back apologizing while he waved off her worried tone.
"Don't worry about it. It hurts but it isn't killing me. I'm just glad to see that you are doing better than last time that I saw you." Naruto said as he let himself slowly drop down to sit on an old fallen tree.
Katniss smiled softly at that reminder. One of the times he had come through for her even before the announcement that they could both be allowed to survive. It made the numbness she'd felt since Rue was killed begin to dampen and a warmth return. Just a little.
"Just a little huh?" Jiraiya asked the girl with a grin. The grin was soon knocked off thanks to a smack to the back of the head courtesy of Tsunade.
"We shouldn't stay here. I was pretty loud trying to find you." Katniss said as she remembered their situation.
"Right. I was pretty surprised, never thought I would hear you tramping through the woods like that. You are more controlled normally." Naruto agreed.
"Yeah, well I was in a hurry to catch up to you." She replied with that small soft grin beginning to return yet again.
Even though she had just hit someone for it, Tsunade was looking forward to seeing how the two would react now. It was painfully obvious that there was some sort of attraction between them, even if they didn't know it, but now there was a chance to display it.
Knowing Naruto however, she fully counted on him to miss it. Katniss was just as awkward about it so there was a chance she would let the moment slip, but something told her there would be more where this came from.
'Better act fast Naruto, or ours will make a move first.' She thought to herself.
Naruto couldn't help but share one of his own with the girl. Stiffly he stood back up and waved for her to follow him before taking a much more careful and roundabout route back toward his cave. It was better this way to keep others from simply following after them or from running into those that might have stumbled onto their trail that they had made while looking for one another.
The fact that it was a smoother path than what he had taken previously so that his arm was jostled less as he moved was neither here nor there.
Soon they came to his hideout. One that impressed Katniss well enough. Naruto had to show her the path through his defenses which made it clear how difficult actually attacking his cave would be for others. On top of that the cave was comfortable and well stocked with a decent amount of supplies. Naruto didn't hesitate tossing a bit of food her way.
"Ration bars? You still have some?" She asked in shock that Naruto had so much food left.
"Mostly from stealing some supplies from others either while they were distracted or…" Naruto trailed off, they both knew what he was going to say and there wasn't a need to voice it out loud anymore.
"Or killing them." Sasuke finished for him. "Their sacrifices weren't in vain at least."
That did nothing to help the atmosphere. Leave it to Sasuke to once again say things when it wasn't necessary.
Katniss quietly tucked into the food he had given her. She settled into a semi comfortable place beside the makeshift bed Naruto had made. For a cave made up of cold damp stone it was actually a pretty cozy place to rest or even sleep. Much better than up in the trees she had gotten used to during the nearly week long games.
When she had finished she noticed that Naruto was sitting nearby just watching her. Her cheeks heated up slightly at that. Not because he was looking at her, she wasn't so bashful at that, but because she had practically shoveled the food he had given her into her mouth like a pig without thinking about it.
Naruto seemed to notice her blush though as he chuckled at her expense, making Katniss pout faintly as she flicked a small stone in his direction.
The boy twisted his head out of the way but in doing so brushed his arm against the rocks of the wall causing him to jerk away from it and hiss in pain.
"That's what he gets." Katniss muttered with her own grin. She knew he'd be alright. He'd made it this far after all.
Naruto pouted. "I go to all that trouble to help you and that's the thanks I get?"
She rolled her eyes but played along. "I'll make it up to you if you come back with us." She said before freezing again. She let her head hang knowing she'd just made another innuendo.
"Oh God, are you alright?" Katniss asked worriedly, mentally kicking herself for somehow forgetting he was injured.
"Yeah, fine really." Naruto replied, trying to turn so that he hid his hurt arm behind his body.
"Let me see it. I might be able to help." Katniss said.
"I handled it. It's as good as it's going to get as long as we're here in the arena." Naruto argued.
"Then it shouldn't matter if I look at it right?" Katniss asked with a bit of steel in her tone that surprised Naruto a bit.
"Really, it is fine Katniss. Let me worry about it." Naruto tried to argue.
"Of all the things to act prideful over, it's a hole in your arm? Really? Give it to me." Katniss practically commanded.
"Give it to her, Naruto." Sasuke said, just as annoyed at his behavior. He looked around and cursed under his breath when he saw the grins on people's faces. They would need to have a chat once this was over.
Naruto looked at Katniss out of the corner of his eye and saw her quickly look away. He was ashamed to say he was telling himself to give it to her as well.
Naruto stared over at her for a moment. With a small grumble he slowly did as she wished.
Katniss removed the makeshift sling and gently set the wounded arm into her lap before carefully unravelling the old bandages that he had over it. The moment she finished she gasped at the injury.
The poor attempt at stitches that Naruto had done himself had torn at some point and the wound was a bloody mess of torn flesh and fishing line.
"I have to stitch this properly. You managed to mess it up pretty bad." She said seriously as she snatched up the makeshift needle and thread Naruto had made from a fishhook and fishing line.
Naruto really had no choice in the matter. Katniss carefully cut the old line free before threading the needle and starting on repairing the damage done to her partner's arm.
Naruto bit his lip and grunted softly as the girl worked on him. It was painful, though not nearly as bad as the initial injury had been. He was not having a pleasant time though.
"For a hack job in the middle of a deathmatch I don't think you can blame him that much." Sakura defended.
Katniss agreed. "Yeah, but now that I'm there it'll be alright. I'll see if I can get him to learn how to do it properly when we get back."
"Just tell him it's in preparation for the games and he should be onboard. With the right wording you can trick him into anything." Sakura grinned.
In an attempt to distract him from the pain, and to a certain extent just calm her own nerves at sewing up human flesh, Katniss began to talk.
She talked about all manner of things. Little unnecessary things. To the point she was just babbling incoherently about something from their time at school back in district twelve.
"Katniss." Naruto finally said between deep breaths to keep himself steady from the feeling of her digging into his arm with a needle and thread.
"Huh?" She asked as she pushed the sharp point of the needle through his skin once again causing him to choke back a gasp of pain.
"You don't need to fill the silence. Really I'm fine." Naruto said.
The girl simply scoffed at him.
"You know it was fine, I didn't need you to help me with this." He said snappishly as his hackles rose at the dismissive scoff she gave him.
"That arm was more messed up than how Gai-sensei ended up after using the eighth gate. He was most certainly not fine." Naruto countered.
"Well he's just trying to play it down. He knows he needs it." Sakura replied. "He's actually lucky it's Katniss and not me. I'd have shut you up and done it anyway."
Sasuke shook his head at his teammates' words. Why was her answer to things always violence? He hated to see it.
"Oh really? Maybe you didn't want my help but I wanted to help you. You've been helping me plenty even before the rule change." Katniss replied, gradually speaking more softly.
The pair grew silent at that as Katniss grew close to finishing. She paused briefly to glance at his face only for both of them to freeze as they locked eyes with one another. Blue and gray unwavering as they looked at one another.
"I never really thanked you for all that. Or for helping back in twelve, with my family." Katniss said awkwardly.
Naruto huffed faintly while shaking his head. "Don't think about it like that. You helped me first, I just don't like owing people anything."
Jiraiya shook his head. God the kid was awkward. In his books, things would have probably gotten steamy already. A look from Naruto told him he knew his train of thought but that wasn't enough to stop him.
Darting his eyes repeatedly at Katniss, Jiraiya pointed at the blond and then at the girl over and over while nodding at him.
'Go for it' He mouthed to his student.
Naruto clenched his teeth and looked away. He wanted to, but now wasn't the time. They still had to make sure this ended well otherwise it would be strange.
Katniss was quiet for a bit before she turned to look up at him again. She frowned at his words the last few weeks had really started to confuse her and his choice of words both compounded that and sting her slightly.
"That was all it was, huh?" She asked quietly. Almost whispering.
Naruto stared back at her. Only now did he realize that they were so close to one another. Inches apart. He opened his mouth to say something before closing it again when words failed to form.
They continued to simply sit pressed against one another and eyes locked until Naruto felt a pull. He wasn't certain what caused him to do it, but he leaned forward and kissed Katniss. Deeply.
"That's what I'm talking about!" Jiraiya cheered, shaking Haymitch's shoulders. Oddly enough, the man was grinning widely himself. Looks like his machinations ended up becoming real after all.
Sakura was surprised by Naruto's boldness but even she sent a happy look over at Katniss, who would rather look anywhere but them.
"I just remembered something." Sasuke muttered, quieting everyone down. "Isn't everything they do being broadcasted?"
"My mom and sister…" Katniss realized. She covered her face, knowing her mother would watch her kiss a guy.
The girl was stunned but after a brief second of surprise her eyes closed and she returned his kiss just as deeply. Slowly the two pulled back when they needed to catch their breath.
Naruto coughed and cleared his throat, clearly surprised by his own actions. The wave of peace and pleasure that washed over him during the kiss was still very present in his mind but the boy didn't know what to do and had no idea how to answer her inevitable question of why he had done that.
"You should get some rest. I will sit and watch for a while to make sure the careers didn't pick up our trail." Naruto said before hustling out of the cave without a look back at Katniss.
Had he looked he would have felt some relief. She was blushing, worse than he was in fact, and a warm soft smile had splayed itself across her face as she gingerly touched her finger tips to her lips.
"That is absolutely adorable." Sakura cooed at the girl.
Katniss couldn't say she didn't like what she saw but it was certainly not something she wanted others to be seeing.
Oddly enough, she could feel a pair of lilac white eyes boring into the side of her head.
Katniss was happy he hadn't seen her reaction to his kiss, she was embarrassed by it. Like him she was unsure what her feelings really were and battling her own thoughts regarding him.
Unfortunately for her, while Naruto had missed her reaction to his kiss, beyond returning it during the act itself, the multitude of cameras set up by the capitol had not.
The very real and tender moment between the tributes was broadcasted across the country, even to the rioting districts. No. Especially to the rioting districts.
"Let's see how this affects the riots."
The Capitol
Caesar and Claudius practically glowed after watching the interactions with Naruto and Katniss. For something that would be such an unimportant event with any normal pair of teens across the nation was the talking point of practically every person in the capitol and plenty of others across the districts.
Naruto and Katniss were naturals in the talk show host's opinion. The kids didn't even realize the effect their actions likely had on the country, managing to achieve exactly what Seneca Crane had hoped for as the hotly stoked rebellious ideas of the districts began to flicker slightly in the face of such a change with the games.
"Everyone's focus is on these two young lovers now, Caesar." Claudius commented.
"Indeed, my friend. Such sweethearts these two are. So bashful with their emotions but despite that our man Naruto is showing his blood nature by taking the lead with Katniss." Caesar replied.
"With that new suspension of the single victor rule this entire year has become so much more intriguing!" Claudius cheered.
"The games have now turned into a play by play of your love lives." Jiraiya said. "I wonder if they'll show your family's reaction, Katniss."
The woman groaned. "I really hope not."
"I couldn't agree more. Though it must be a disappointment for all those poor boys and girls back in district twelve, with both Naruto and Katniss taking one another off of the market." Caesar joked, getting a characteristic over the top laugh from his co-host.
The two went on to replay the moment of Naruto kissing Katniss, slowing the footage to pick apart every aspect of the kiss, especially the moment when it became clear that she was returning the act.
"Ok now it's kind of creepy."
District Twelve
Gale Hawthorne did his best to ignore the glances of his cell mates. His closeness to Katniss Everdeen was pretty well known among their age group in the Seam. Most of those in the detention center at the moment had been a part of the riot along with him and had been locked up as one of the leaders of the riot when it occurred.
The teen kept his face tucked away from the others to avoid the sight of his burning face and slightly stinging eyes. Much like the conflicted and confused emotions of Naruto and Katniss, Gale was distraught with his feelings at the moment.
He was no naïve boy. He knew his interest in Katniss was more than that of a close friend or even a simple crush. He had grown up along with her and been closer with her than anyone else except for maybe her little sister Primrose.
She and Naruto weren't close like that. He told himself they were doing it for the show. Pretending and playing the parts that they had to play to survive.
"I haven't seen anyone cope that hard in a while." Sasuke said with a grin. "Pretty sure I saw some tongue in there, that was not for show."
Haymitch coughed to conceal his laugh but the part of him that was still an asshole showed itself. "Would you still say that if he was here?" He asked.
Sasuke nodded. "I'd send him a poster of it if he wanted it."
"If that is what you want, he will join us very soon."
Haymitch was stumped, he didn't think the host would actually make it happen. The boy would now have his heart broken twice and Sasuke would mock him about it to his face. Maybe he really was an asshole.
He still felt a tightness spread across his chest and a burn grow in his eyes. Seeing her return Naruto's kiss and the showmen running everything replaying it over and over again seemed like the capitol was rubbing it all in his face.
Despite all that though, here in the detention center he couldn't escape the television and the broadcast as the games continued.
When Naruto returned from standing watch, not that it hadn't been an excuse for some privacy to get a handle of his emotions, he found Katniss setting up a place to sleep beside his own. The sun was already disappearing behind the horizon and they would need to head out for the rendezvous with Thresh in the morning if his alliance still stood.
"I didn't think you would mind if…" Katniss murmured.
"Ah, no you're fine." Naruto replied as he moved over to his own sleeping place.
Katniss nodded and finished setting up her bedding. Naruto crawled into his own and lay down facing the girl as she finished up. Exhaustion from the games and the knowledge that they were likely watched ensured neither attempted to kiss once again or continue any more emotional moments.
"I've been blocked from moments with guys by individual people but never an entire country." Sakura groaned.
Naruto and Sasuke blinked.
"What?" Naruto asked.
"Yeah, it's usually just a person or something."
"No, the part before that." Sasuke requested.
"You may discuss your teammates sex life once the book is complete." The host interjected.
As Katniss laid down though, they found themselves naturally pulling one another closer and wrapping each other in their arms. Both privately told themselves it was because they were feeding off of the body heat of their partner.
"In the morning we need to set out for that tree I hid you in after the tracker jacket hove situation. I agreed to meet Thresh there." Naruto said.
"The boy from district eleven, right?" Katniss asked quietly.
"Yeah. He and I agreed to help one another find and protect you and the other district eleven tribute." Naruto explained.
"Rue." She whispered.
"Yeah… you were there weren't you." Naruto didn't ask her. He could already tell.
"I tried to save her." Katniss' lip quivered and without thought Naruto pressed his lips to her brow and pulled her in closely.
"I'm sure you did." He comforted her. Tomorrow might end up being more difficult than he wanted. He hoped Thresh saw reason.
Slowly the two teens fell asleep tightly twisted together, much to the joy of most of the country watching them from home and the anguish of a young man in district twelve.
"That was really cute." Naruto said, smiling at Katniss. She smiled back.
Worried that they might have a similar situation as in the book, it disappeared and once again shot itself into Tsunade's lap.
"I already read." She complained.
"You can read again." The host said, waving her off.
Flipping him a single finger, Tsunade opened the book and offered everyone a chance to take a break. Unsurprisingly, no one chose to do so.