The anthem pulled all three of us from sleep. Probably a good thing, none of us really got any sleep at all in the past 2 days. It had to have been even longer, the sleeping weed was an artificial sleep that didn't really refresh you at all.
We watched as the sky lit up, noticing the blizzard had ended. Thinking only three had died today, I was surprised to notice the list went on. The cannons must have gone unnoticed out by the ferocity of the blizzard, and assuming the tributes death was also caused by it. Watching, I noticed Marvel cover the sky immediately. I didn't know the others that appeared after until Bessie from District 10 appeared. It was the last one, eight in all. That meant fifteen had died in all, so much for the Capitol not wanting us to die from the elements right away.
I mentally recapped the nine of us that were left. Clove, Peeta, and I made three. Glimmer was still out there: four. Thresh and the girl Rue made six. Surge and Alex, Thresh's friends made eight. And Katniss. I was actually sad that her name didn't appear in the now clear sky.
Clear sky…
"Shit!" I shouted, jumping to my feet. "We have to put this fire out!"
It was slowly roaring, having become mostly embers. I kicked the snow over it, hoping that our position hadn't been given away after the storms departure. The fire died, and I noticed I could still see clearly. The moon was brighter tonight than last night and gave the forest a strange luminescence.
Clove yawned, not quite fully awaking. "Who's taking the first shift?"
I wanted to move, in case our position was actually compromised by the fires light. Clove appeared to be completely against the idea, and Peeta still seemed to be slightly asleep. I wasn't sure if he caught the anthem's death list tonight, but it didn't matter. All of us were tired, I'd let Peeta sleep for the time being.
"I'll take it." I answered. I was tired, but Clove had taken the last shift back when Katniss was considered an ally. I wanted to let Peeta sleep, and Clove looked like she was going to pass out at any moment. If anyone would approach, I'd be able to wake them up in time. At least I hoped. I watched Peeta sleep for a moment, realizing that we no longer had the warmth of the fire to protect us from the cold. I pulled out the large sleeping bag and rolled it out, opening the zipper and turning it into a single sheet.
I picked Peeta up, his soft breathing confirmed I hadn't woken him, and gently laid him on the outstretched sleeping bag. Maneuvering his limbs to make sure he looked in a comfortable position, and closed the sleeping bag around him.
Turning to Clove who was already fast asleep, I repeated the process with her own sleeping bag before climbing into Peeta's. At first, I was afraid he woke up from my movements, but he only rolled over against me, his arm draping across my chest.
The howling began, but tonight it was softer. The monster wolves must be further away tonight. Their echoing noise wasn't as distressful, and I noticed Clove and Peeta were able to sleep right through it.
The time slowly passed and it gave me time to think, the only noises were the wind rusting through the trees and the distant howls echoing across the frozen planet. Peeta rustled in his sleep, his head using my chest as a pillow now. I wanted to run my fingers through his hair, but didn't want to take face mask off. Choosing to rest my hand against his head protectively and play with the collar of his jacket.
How far have I really come? I was starting to see who I really was after the few days spent in the tower, but I've changed so much from then to now. Reflecting on the last two days, I had grown even more. I wasn't sure if it was dedication to find Peeta that changed me so drastically, or if it was how scared Clove was of me when I switched at the cornucopia. It must have been an unintentional thing, to force myself to become who I am now for the people I cared for.
My hand started to feel the cold from it's exposure around Peeta's neck. Moving it inside the sleeping bag for the warmth I was reminded of my marble. I hadn't thought about it in a while, really no need to since Peeta was here by my side. Pulling it out, I saw it shine, reflecting the moons unusually strong light. It held the same shine in Peeta's eyes, only another reason for the marble to forever remind me of him.
I returned my arm to beneath the sleeping bag, letting the black sphere's weight roll between my fingers and thinking of how life would be different if we were allowed to return home instead of being forced into the arena. Would it have been any different? Aside from the fact that now we had to kill each other? In reality, Peeta would have been dead in my eyes either way. I'd have never been able to see him again if we went home, so what was the difference? The difference was now I'd either have to kill him myself, watch him die, or let him watch me fade away into nothing.
The thoughts hurt to much to think about anymore. I'd have to find some way to save both of us. Clove mumbled in her sleep and I felt instant regret. I never thought about including Clove. I cared for her just as much as Peeta. It sickened me that at some point we would have to turn on each other, and I hated myself for knowing that I would turn on her before I would on Peeta. Maybe I wasn't growing, only changing from one monster into another. The arena would undoubtedly kill me in one way or another, even if I won, I'd never be able to live with myself.
Peeta turned over, his eyes opening showing a darker shade of blue from the moon's light. The moon was in the middle of the sky, I must have been thinking for a few hours and didn't notice how much time had passed.
"What's wrong?" Peeta asked, moving closer against me.
"Just thinking." I didn't really feel like talking about it. The marble in my hand was still rolling in my palm.
"What about? Seems like something is on your mind."
"It's nothing." I replied, "Only thinking about whats going to happen towards the end. Trying to find someway to save us both. But then Clove…" I was pushing my luck with trying for two victors, let alone three.
He nodded, understanding what I meant and noticing the urgency to change subjects. "Whatcha' doing under there?" I could see the smirk hidden behind his mask and I instantly stopped playing with the marble.
"Just playing with my token." I answered, pulling my hand out to show him.
"How did you get that?" Peeta asked, his smirk instantly changing to a frown. "I thought I lost it."
I tried to explain, but all that came out was "Must have fallen out of your pocket that morning…" He was waiting for a more detailed answer as to why I didn't return it to him. "I thought I'd never see you again, and I wanted something to remind me of you."
He smiled up at me, "Then keep it. It has more meaning for you. It was just a toy, one of my better memories of my childhood. My dad gave it to me for my birthday when I turned seven, told me it was special and rare. As I grew, I knew he was lying and that it was only pollished coal, but it made me feel special at the time. The feeling kind of faded as I grew, but I always kept it with me."
At his story, I wanted to give it back to him. It was something special to him. "No, you should have it back, it was an impulse to keep it for myself."
"No, I want you to remember, Cato." Peeta answered, "If you end up winning, I want you to remember me."
He moved up onto his elbows, my eyes following his movements. "Like I could forget about you, anyway." I answered.
His eyes seemed to flash at me, as if it was a challenge. He pulled his face mask off and answered "I'll give you something you'll never forget."
Our kiss was passionate, and the fire inside me burned through me quickly as our tongues found each other. It lasted only a moment before he pulled away from me. His eyes shone with an animalistic hunger. He slipped his head under the sleeping bag.
"Peeta! What are you doing?" I nearly shouted it, but managed a whisper not to wake Clove.
"Giving you something to remember me by." Peeta answered, his hand slipping the elastic material of my snow pants down, reavealing my hardening member. "Looks like you've been waiting for this." I could feel his smirk against my stomach and I knew I was at his mercy and now impossibly hard.
Shivering at the initial contact with his hand, sending jolts of heat through me that added to the increasing flame inside me. "Peeta, fuck!" I mumbled.
"Like that?" Peeta asked.
"Oh God, God yes!" I answered, his fingers surrounding me and pumping slowly. His grip on me was loose, and I wanted more. More friction, something more to add to my growing fire. "Peeta, please."
His hand left my aching cock, causing me to whimper. "Since you asked so nicely." Peeta's sultry voice was music to my ears. His lips wrapped around me, enveloping me in his heat, adding to my own. The fire inside me grew even hotter as his tongue slid around me.
I nearly lost it as he started to bob up and down on my length, his fingers sliding up my body to pinch my nipples. "Peeta, shit. Fucking God!" I was a babling mess, letting myself be lost to the heat that was building.
His tongue swept in circles around the head of my cock, sending heat through me. I didn't notice his hands were gone from my torso, until I felt him cup my balls, gently rolling them. The sounds he made around me were to much, the slick slurp and the muffled groans that sent vibrations down my cock and settled in my core.
I arched my back, my hands in his golden hair, "Peeta, I'm close!" His hand continued to play with my nuts, his tongue sliding down me, enveloping my length entirely. I pulled on his hair; a groan slipping from my lips as the fire inside me erupted shooting down his throat.
His hands continued to roll my balls, my cock still buried deep in his throat as I rode out my orgasm. Peeta let me slip from his lips, "Didn't want to make a mess in the sleeping bag."
"What?" I asked, not really catching what he said in my daze. I let myself recover before I noticed he had slipped my pants up again and was resting against my chest.
"What about you?" I asked, I could feel his hard on against me.
"I'll take the next watch. If I let you, I know I'd only fall asleep and leave us all vulnerable. I'll wake Clove in a couple hours. Go to sleep, Cato." Peeta whispered against my chest.
I felt guilty that he wouldn't let me return the favor, but I understood where he was coming from. Someone needed to be awake, and from what Peeta just did for me, all I wanted was sleep. Peeta's soft breath against my chest soothed me, and I let myself drift into unconsciousness.
I woke up to Clove shoving the two of us awake. "Get up, sleepy heads. Time to start our day. Oh, and this arrived a little bit ago. I didn't want to open it until we were all awake."
"Ung… huh?" I was still tired, having only gotten half a night's sleep. My eyes opened to the bright light of morning, Clove holding up a box attached to a silver parachute. Did the sponsors send us something? Peeta was still trying to stay asleep, his head against my chest refusing to move.
"Peeta, wake up. We got something from a sponsor!" Clove shouted excitedly.
His eyes shot open at the words and he crawled off of me, much to my dissatisfaction. Peeta and I climbed out of our sleeping bag to join Clove and open the gift. Initially we saw the note, 'Thanks for the show, the Capitol loved it.' Inside were three loaves of bread and a single glove.
"What is that supposed to mean?" Clove asked. My body was instantly catatonic. I was vaguely aware that Peeta went rigid as well. Thank God the blush that warmed my face was hidden behind my face mask. I had completely forgotten that everyone was watching us at every moment. "What did you two do?"
I was at a loss for words, having no idea how to tell her that Peeta basically gave me head not even 5 feet away from her while she slept.
"Seriously?" Clove exclaimed. I could see the inner school girl in her surfacing and her mind wandering. "You couldn't have at least woken me up to watch? So inconsiderate!"
I relaxed at her statement, even started to smile. I was happy the glove was here, and that Peeta and I wouldn't have to share one anymore, allowing both of us to keep our hands warm. I pulled the glove on and started walking towards the sleeping bag to roll it up. As I reached for it, a freak gust of wind blew it out of reach.
Recovering, I noticed the arrow lodged into the tree next to me. "We're under attack!" I shouted as I moved to the opposite side of the tree, "Everyone down!"
I had little time to think how lucky I was that the wind picked up right at that moment when I heard the ear piercing sound of the cannon firing. No, Peeta! Spinning to see the carnage, I caught the sight of Clove falling to the ground, an arrow lodged deeply in her eye.
A/N: Ahhh, don't kill me for this. :( Hopefully you all 'enjoyed' this one, a little more happened in it, obviously... compared to my last which was just a bunch of walking and talking and a needed filler to explain things...
Please, don't hurt me. Enjoy the sex.