Once again, thank you to all my lovely reviewers. And WAY too many story favorites/alerts to count. Love you all. I still can't believe 33 reviews in only.. about 3 days or so for 4 chapters of a story I thought would just flop.

Thank you to

~.**.~

"Ladies and gentleman, let the seventy-fourth Hunger Games begin!"

60 seconds. That's all they had. 60 seconds to watch each other. 60 seconds to see what the Cornucopia held for them. Survival. That was the goal. Peeta remembered what Cato had said to him before they'd arrived, not remembering anything Haymitch said, just what the Career had told him.

"Run. Into the woods the second the buzzer starts and the Games begin. You run straight into the woods and don't look back. I'll make sure to get you some things. I don't want you hurt in the initial blood bath. I'll come find you if you stay near the Cornucopia in the trees. I promise, you'll be fine."

Peeta believed him. He trusted Cato. So when the buzzer rang after those precious 60 seconds, he turned and ran into the woods without a second thought. He heard the cries of the tributes that died right away by trying to retrieve something from the Cornucopia. He stayed quiet, stayed hidden. He saw Katniss try for the bow and arrows, but only managed to get a backpack before running away into the woods.

"Peeta."

The blonde jumped, flinching at the hand resting on his shoulder. Cato knelt down next to him, blood smeared on his jacket. "Peeta, are you okay?"

The District 12 tribute nodded, standing again. "I.. Is it over?"

Cato nodded, handing Peeta a backpack and a spear. "Here. That pack has water, food, some bandages, and paints." He took Peeta's hand, leading him back to the other Careers. Peeta knew his job. They weren't going to let the others know that he and Cato were.. basically lovers. Just that he was going to help them find Katniss to kill her. It was him, Cato, Clove, Glimmer, and Marvel.

They didn't do much but scout around for other tributes for a while. Peeta knew what tributes were dead by the pictures that flashed above the arena. From almost every district. None from 11 and none from 12, 1, or 2. Singles or both killed from the others. It was.. a bit sickening to see. And hard to believe that this was what the citizens of the Capitol waited for every year. To watch teenagers murder each other for their gain.

It wasn't long before they spotted a fire, but it wasn't from Katniss, it was the girl from District 8. Peeta stayed back a bit as the Careers attacked, killing her as the cannon sounded for another death. A part of his mind reminded him that it would soon be him. His face flashed above the arena and a cannon sounding for his death.

"Peeta." Cato's quiet voice brought him back to himself. "Are you okay?" They were both a bit away from the others, hidden by the trees.

"I keep thinking.. " Peeta's voice was soft, his legs brought up against his chest as he sat. "That it might be me.. my face shown to Panem as one of the dead tributes."

"Stop it." Cato pulled Peeta closer, lightly kissing his lips. "What have I told you about thinking like that? I'll protect you. I promise."

"You know.. you're the first person.. to really.. care about me," Peeta said with a soft smile.

"I'm going to show you how much I really care," Cato promised with another kiss. He laid Peeta back, tugging at his belt to get it undone.

"W-Wait.. W-What about the others?" Nonetheless, Peeta lifted his hips for Cato to tug his pants down a bit. "A-And P-Panem.. "

"Let them watch.. " Cato whispered against his lips, tugging his own pants down. "Let them know that you're mine.. and I'm yours.. " He slowly pushed into Peeta, holding him close.

They were quiet, trying not to disturb the other Careers, but the rest of Panem saw them on the screens shown throughout the Districts. The Career from District 2.. and the male tribute from District 12.. together intimately.

~.**.~

Peeta woke up in Cato's arms again that morning, both of them cleaned up from last nights.. activities and fully clothed. He moved away a bit, towards the water that wasn't that far away to wash his face and get something to drink.

"Mm.. Morning.. " Cato lightly kissed his neck, coming up behind him.

Peeta smiled, turning his head for a kiss. "Morning. Are the others up?"

"Not yet. Thinking of dumping some water on them as a joke to wake them up. Give them a bath."

Peeta smiled again. "I think I know where Katniss is. She's up in a tree." He pointed. "Right there." And sure enough, tied to the tree branch to make sure she didn't fall, was Katniss, fast asleep.

"You are amazing." Cato kissed Peeta once more before taking him back to where the others were waiting. "We found Katniss."

"Then let's go," Glimmer said, grinning as she grabbed her bow and arrows. Peeta forced back a gag. God.. what were these District 1 and 2 people thinking with these names? Glimmer.. Marvel.. Clove.. He only liked the name Cato. For.. obvious reasons.

They headed over the river to where Katniss was now waking up and realizing that she was surrounded by the best players in the Games and.. the tribute she came with. "Come on down, girlie!" Cato called, smirking up at her.

"Go get her, Cato," Clove smirked, pushing him forward lightly.

Cato grinned, holding his sword in one hand as he started to climb the tree only to just fall back to the ground. Peeta refrained from going to make sure he was okay. Glimmer frowned, trying to shoot Katniss down. Peeta now had to make sure he didn't laugh at her incompetence with a bow. Nothing like what Katniss could do from what he'd seen and heard.

"Look, just.. wait until she climbs down," he suggested. "She can't stay up there forever."

"12's right," Clove said. So they started to set up camp under the tree to wait for Katniss to come down so they could kill her.

Peeta and Cato snuck several feet away from camp to camp together in secret. Like they'd been doing so far in the Games. Just to have some alone time. Talking.. sex.. It was really nice. Until the screaming started.

Katniss had dropped a tracker jacket nest on the camp, scattering everyone and killing Glimmer. Which meant that Katniss now had a bow and arrows. Peeta hissed, smacking at his neck when he was stung by a tracker jacket. Cato immediately pulled the stinger out, starting to pack a few leaves against the sting. "You're gonna be okay," he said, checking the sting. "It's just one sting." Which meant.. hallucinations. Cato was always taught it was like being drunk or on drugs.

And soon enough, the effects were starting to show. Peeta actually giggled, clinging to Cato and nuzzling him. "Mm.. You smell good.. "

Cato smirked a bit, detaching the tribute from him. "C'mon, Peeta, you gotta calm down."

"But I wanna do something.. " Peeta grabbed Cato between the legs through his pants, rubbing a bit. "Mm.. That your sword or are you just happy to see me?"

Oh, this would be an interesting night.

~.**.~

Ah, tracker jacket-injected Peeta. So much fun.

Review, please! It makes me wanna write faster!