Chapter 2: Roses and Thorns
The Penthouse
"Cato?!" Katniss screeched, piercing Peeta's ears like a siren. "Why would you want that bloodthirsty monster in our alliance? You seen how he treated the others during training yesterday, not to mention Haymitch's disapproval!"
"I know, I know" Peeta began, attempting to reassure Katniss that he had not completely lost it. "Look, I spoke to him briefly in the elevator on the way up here, he's not like the other tributes!" Katniss' piercing glare followed by a look of disbelief signaled that Peeta wasn't too convincing in his endeavor. "Yes, alright, he's violent and has a strong temper, but he also seems to be hiding a side to him that's unlike the rest of the other tributes. I saw it when I spoke to him. I promise, I'm not craz-"
"Not crazy? No, Peeta, you've gone completely mad! He's not a good guy, and I won't stand by and allow you to be played like this!" Katniss interrupted in an enraged tone. Overly upset, Katniss got up from the couch and began to pace back and forth before him in the living quarters.
"Fine! We'll play it your way. We need more than one ally, Katniss. Who knows how many careers there are if District 4 joins them too," Peeta spoke quietly. He was a little disappointed that Katniss didn't trust him the same way he did with her, but he would have to learn to be more of a team-member if he was to survive in the arena.
Before they had their chance to continue their conversation, the sound of heels clicking against the marble floors and a figure appearing dressed in a mirage of green silk and white floral patterns, with emerald hair and green lips, signaled that they were in for it.
"My my, I never!" Effie proclaimed, looking at both Peeta and Katniss with a glare that signaled her unhappiness. "Are you aware of the hour?! You two need to get some rest immediately. We have a big day tomorrow, what with President Snow's annual ball. Now off you go!" she stammered, ushering Peeta from the room as a smirk began to rise on Katniss' face in regard to Effie's costume.
"Goodnight, Katniss!" Peeta hollered, before the door closed and he was escorted to his room to receive a little shut-eye before tomorrow's event.
Snow's Mansion
"Now, you both are to be on your best behavior tonight. Remember to smile, this is a recorded event!" Effie reminded her tributes. Peeta had become accustomed to Effie's constant nagging by this point. Although she was similar to every other brainwashed citizen of the capitol, she had a heart that both Katniss and he were made aware of through her constant badgering. It was endearing really.
"Yes, Effie, what would we do without you" Katniss retorted, her sarcasm clearly evident in her tone of voice. For Peeta, this went without saying, although Effie was not too quick on the uptake and smiled before running off after a stylist from District 6.
Peeta had never seen such a beautiful home. Well, the outside anyways, he thought. The mansion was towering and lengthy, all white of course, like much of the other buildings in the capitol. Snow's mansion was trimmed with evergreen trees, ostrich ferns, and a rose garden that spanned the entire right side of the building. The backyard where the gala took place had brick walkways with white-patterned capitol seals and a garnishing fountain that had ice statues of roses that bobbed on the waters surface.
The night sky was illuminated with reds and whites as lights from the garden shone unto the bricks. Candles illuminated the tables, which were lined with white sheets, red napkins and a single red rose.
"So this is where our taxes go to," Peeta joked, a giggle rising from Katniss who gave him a quick smile, and proceeded to go mingle in an open-back red gown, hair curled and threaded with white sparkles.
Walking toward the floor, Peeta notices that across the yard a couple of tributes are staring at him. Looking down to avoid their gaze, Peeta quickly heads for the drink table. The table is lined with fanciful drinks of every shade and color with glasses resembling broad icicles, and fountains of alcoholic juices flowing down into a large dish. Glancing at his choices, Peeta goes to grab a red drink, before it is quickly taken from his grasp.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you," the man spoke. "Head Gamemaker Plutarch Heavensbee."
"Hello, I'm Pe—" Peeta began before being cut off.
"I know who you are, Peeta Mellark. The drinks here are a little…strong, for lack of better words," Plutarch stated.
Before their conversation could progress, a gong went off signaling the arrival of President Snow and the beginning of the night's festivities. The doors to the balcony of the mansion opened up, revealing a tall figure dressed in a white tuxedo, like the rest of the men at the party, with a white beard, and a single red rose garnishing his suit.
"Welcome citizens of Panem! A round of applause for our tributes who join us tonight!" Applause rang out around the building, before Snow continued: "In a way of celebrating the 89th annual Hunger Games, we take the night to acknowledge the sacrifice of our tributes for the honor of their districts. In this, the 89th Hunger Games, we celebrate tonight's evening as a Fire and Ice ball. May you all enjoy your stay!" trailing off, Peeta disregarded anything the man had to say, and quickly went over to where some of the other tributes were standing.
"Johanna!" Peeta called out, before approaching the District 7 tribute with a smile and a slight wave of his hand.
"What are you doing, Peeta? We have to keep our alliance on the down low, you idiot" Johanna said, attempting to stay calm, but losing her temper quickly with him. "Go talk to someone else," she stammered.
"Uh, okay, sorry to bother you" Peeta said, before walking off.
"Hey, Twelve!" Peeta heard, before turning around to see a strong, blonde-haired boy with broad shoulders standing before him. Cato, he thought.
"Um, h-hi Cato, what's up?" Peeta said, unsure whether he was about to be pummeled or not.
"Meet me in the rose garden in 20 minutes," Cato said, smiling before running off to see the other careers, particularly a young girl with black hair and a petite figure that Peeta remembered from his training sessions. She was good with a knife, and pretty cocky about it too.
Time passed quickly as Peeta mingled with some of the tributes from District 5 and 9 who were unusually absent from training lately. Walking over to the garden, he made sure that he was not being followed by anyone, and taking one last glance over his shoulder, walked down the brick pathway and through the passageway, before he was entranced by a swarm of red roses on either side.
The Rose Garden
Peeta seemed to be the first to arrive, so he took a chance to admire his surroundings and the smell of fresh cut flowers that lingered in the air around him. Sitting down on a white marble bench that had intricate patterns of some sort of ancient civilization, he began to hear a shifting of footsteps to his left.
"Peeta…Peeta…Are you there?" Cato whispered, trying not to notify any of the peacekeepers that lined the hedges of the mansion walls before the garden.
"Hi Cato, I see you made it. But let me ask you: Why did you want me here?" Peeta spent no time trying to play around, and simply got straight to the point.
"Look, Peeta, I wanted to see if you had made any alliances yet in the games?" Cato asked, suddenly interested in what Peeta had to offer. "I'm not like those other careers, and when you group me with them it hurts that you or anybody else would consider me that bloodthirsty."
"I-uhm-I-I don't really have any alliances in place yet, Cato" Peeta explained. Why did I just lie to him? Peeta thought, before continuing with a smirk: "I didn't realize you were so easily offended, I guess because I assumed you were all tough and-"
"I am tough. What are you talking about twelve? I could take you down right here if I wanted to…" Cato exclaimed, Peeta suddenly aware of his situation and how he'd have to begin to think about things before jumping into them like this.
"I was only joking, Cato, learn to take a joke" Peeta said, nudging the other boy with his elbow and a half-hearted smile ringing across his face.
"Oh, sorry" Cato said quietly. Peeta took notice of how hard that must have been for Cato to say, so he decided to take things a little more seriously. "Look, if you don't want to be in an alliance, that's fine. I have plenty of options anyways. I just thought since it was so easy to talk to you in the elevator yesterday…" he trailed off, seeing a sudden glimmer in Peeta's eyes light up.
"I'd love to." Peeta admitted. He could have made a comment about how hard it'd be to trust him or throw in a joke about how desperate Cato must be to have come to Peeta as an ally, but he thought it better that he keep things simple.
"Great! Oh, that's so great! Perfect" Cato said, before realizing how excited he must have sounded and corrected himself with a small "good" comment. Peeta thought that was really cute. Did I just say that Cato was being cute, Peeta thought? Shaking his head and telling himself that now was not the time to be crushing on someone, he nodded in approval to Cato and began to walk off.
"Peeta, wait" Cato said, which made Peeta smile since he didn't refer to him as 'twelve' anymore. Reaching out his hand and grabbing Peeta's wrist, Cato said in a light voice, "I just have to know…is there something going on between you and Katniss?"
Feeling the pressure of Cato's hand against his wrist was enough to cause Peeta's pulse to skyrocket. Cato's hand was firm in place, strong but not overbearing, and it caused the hairs on his arm to rise. "Why would you ask that?" Peeta asked, voice shaking due to his nervousness. The boy had yet to let go of his wrist.
"Well, I've seen you and Katniss talking a lot, whether in training sessions or tonight at Snow's 'Fire and Ice' party. I see the way the she looks at you as if she has something she has to protect. Well, am I wrong?"
"So you've been watching me?" Peeta said, a flicker of happiness flashing across his face and a smile settling on his lips.
Letting go of Peeta's wrist quickly and suddenly, Cato quickly tried to correct his previous statement, "N-No, I just…I've been watching everybody, which includes you, I guess" Cato's voice was clearly a little shaky and a tinge of red began to paint itself all over his cheeks.
"No, we're not together. Trust me, we're just friends, nothing more. She's just protective because she doesn't want me to get hurt again." Peeta admitted, able to confess how he was really feeling to Cato.
"Hurt? Who hurt you? So help me I will—" coughing to compose himself, Cato continued on: "I mean, that's good. I'm glad. No, not glad, I just meant that I didn't really know, and if you two were, then I'd have been right and that would have been bad, well not bad…" stopping himself out of embarrassment, he looks up to Peeta, blue eyes shining under the moonlight. "Am I making any sense?"
"I understand what you mean, Cato. Don't worry, it's just the wrong time and the wrong place." Peeta assured him.
"You mean with Katniss and yourself, or?" Cato inquired.
Peeta suddenly became aware of how curious Cato had become throughout their conversation, and knew that he wasn't like the other tributes. He had something none of the other careers had. Something that distinguished him from the countless other careers who came and went throughout the Hunger Games. Cato had a heart.
"Cato…Katniss and I will never have a right time because… well because…because I'm not into girls. Cato, I'm gay." Peeta admitted, quickly regretting his decision as his nerves registered with him. The seconds passed in a way that seemed like hours, and yet Cato didn't make any movements and his gaze was unwavering. Completely flushed with embarrassment and insecurity, Peeta apologized and began to walk away mumbling, "I understand if you no longer want to be in an alliance with me."
Walking away, Peeta began to tear up when he realized that this time he would not have a hand to stop him. With each and every step he was walking away from a potential love interest, someone he was able to be completely open with, whom up until this point, didn't judge him for what he had to say. Someone who could take away his own problems so that he could comfort the other boys' problems back at home in District 2.
Upon leaving the garden he hears Cato sigh, and ducking his head back through the passageway, makes his way back to the party. Catching a glimpse of a girl in an open-back red dress, he approaches hoping it's Katniss.
"Katniss?" Peeta began, before the figure before him fell into him with a thud.
"Where have you been?" Peeta makes out between the stammering and mumbling. Noticing a glass in Katniss' hand, he quickly makes the connection and takes the glass, placing it swiftly on a server's tray that happened to pass by at that exact moment.
"I had to meet with someone. Katniss, I'm leaving and you're coming with me" Peeta exclaimed, propping her up and putting her arm over his own shoulders. Stammering back from the party seemed like ages, the walk from the party to the chauffeurs wasn't exactly easy to keep from the media, and so he had to take the long way around. He wished he had told Katniss about the drinks before he got so caught up in his own affairs…At least it'd take off the edge, and Katniss was anything but composed as of recently.
The Penthouse – Following Morning
"Time to get up, Katniss!" Peeta said, shaking the sheets that lay above Katniss' head. He had spent the night with her to make sure she was all right. It was their final training session, because tomorrow was their last chance to make a name for themselves before the Capitol, during their interviews with Caesar Flickerman. Today was their last chance to prepare themselves for what they might endure during the arena, and to learn new tricks. Peeta especially had to practice with the throwing knives so he'd be prepared for his private session with the gamemakers.
"I'm up, I'm up, God you don't need to say it twice princess" Katniss said drearily before propping herself up quickly, and grabbing Peeta's shoulders, concern flashing across her face. "I didn't mean it like that…you know, in that way…" she said, excusing her behavior.
"Don't worry, I can take a joke." Peeta replied, unlike some people, he thought, memories of the night before striking him like a knife..."I was with Cato last night, when I ran off about halfway into Snow's party."
"Are you stupid, Peeta? There's no other explanation as to why you would want to hang around with that boy unless you…." Katniss started groggily, and then it hit her.
"Peeta Mellark! You have got to be kidding me!" Katniss screamed, and pulling the sheets over herself, crashed back into the bed with a grunt of disapproval.