It's that day again, folks! Thank you to everyone who is reviewing and following. Makes me feel good but nervous and worried, too. I know the story won't disappoint though, I love it and you all will too.

MangoMagic: Thank you! I hope you enjoy this chapter and thank you for reading, :)

Abysslullaby: I'm sure Cato likes Peeta's tongue too. Oh, I just went there. I just went there. Sorry, couldn't resist. Thank you for reading!

BrittBrat03: Cato would probably be the first to cut somebody up into itty bitty pieces, as you said. Nununu, so you would treat the whole Careers thing like Peeta. Mhm, I see. Peeta could be a smart ass in the book, I had to bring that attribute out more and make it bolder, because, you know, Peeta is amazing and all that. Thank you for being my beta for this Potato!

Through Darkness and Light: Haha, seriously, just give the Careers something so they don't just kill you, lol. Thank you for reading and reviewing, it means a lot!

When Boredom Takes Over: I have a quick question for you: what happens when boredom takes over? Okay, now onto what needs to be said, haha. Thank you for your review, it made my day, seriously. I hope you enjoy the character development and the fact I was a star and updated soon, lol. Thank you again, your review meant a lot! I'm glad you're enjoying it.

Well, here we go, with Chapter Five! I shouldn't had been lazy and named all the chapters but er, oh well. ENJOY.

Chapter Five.

Peeta rubs at his eyes, trying to will his body to stay awake. He had been on watch for most of the night and even though he didn't expect it, he was hoping somebody would come relieve him of it. But nobody had made a sign of waking up until the next day and he slumps against the container, letting out a sigh. The fire was dying down and he was allowing it, a few flames still licking up to the dark, fake sky, casting light out a few feet behind him. He hears a shuffle and he jumps up, the spear he had been allowed to have for watch in his hand. The handle feels heavy, his palm sweaty, and he isn't even sure how to use it. He hopes he doesn't have to use it; it feels foreign and strange. He realizes the shuffle comes from the tent and Cato is crawling out from it. Even crawling, he looks deadly. In the light of the fire, it shadows his muscles just right, shows them flexing, as he stands up and stretches his arms above his head. His sword is in one hand, gleaming from the firelight. He looks around before walking over to Peeta.

"Shit, 12, you could have woke one of us. It looks like you're about to pass out." he says, sitting on the container, purposely bumping his knee into Peeta's shoulder.

Peeta feels his body heat up with Cato so close. "I didn't want to get stabbed," he says seriously, looking into the fire.

Cato chuckles. "I wouldn't have stabbed you... the others, though." he chuckles again and Peeta's brows furrow. Why was Cato being nice? First, he said Peeta could have woken him up. And then, he's saying he wouldn't stab him. That's his way of dragging you in, Peeta tells himself, his way of gaining your trust. Two can play this game.

"I'll keep that in mind," Peeta says, running his finger up and down the handle of the spear, feeling the smooth wood.

"You can go to sleep now, Lover boy. I won't be going back to sleep," he says, sounding bored but there's an under layer of something, something that sounds close to fear. Peeta would never bring it up though.

Peeta glances up at him and finds the warmth Cato gives him causing him to be wide awake. He takes a deep breath and shrugs. "I'm fine," he replies, picking up one of the rocks nearby that he used to light the fire with. He tosses it into the air and catches it.

"Whatever," Cato replies, leaning forward on his knees, his sword dangling between his legs.

Why does Peeta feel like Cato didn't argue because he didn't want to be alone? Of course, that was a stupid thought. Cato didn't give a shit about any of them; he was here to win. He just knew he couldn't force Peeta to go asleep. And yeah, sometimes, company was soothing. But Cato was a ruthless, killing machine. He didn't feel the need for company... right? If he's so ruthless and such a killing machine, why was Peeta finding warmth fluttering through his body around him, his pants getting tighter when the Career got too close? Peeta would never be attracted to someone so horrible and cold hearted. At least, he hopes he would never be. But as he glances up at Cato, he's questioning himself. Peeta keeps tossing the rock in the air and catching it, his thoughts racing a mile a minute. He jumps as a pale hand shoots out and catches the rock.

"That is fucking annoying," Cato growls, throwing the rock into the fire.

Peeta frowns and rests his hand on his bent knee. He leans his head back and stares up at the stars twinkling back; fake stars that the Gamemakers were allowing to be there. He begins to count them, seeing how real they looked. Back in 12, there were never enough lights to make the stars dim and so, he was always able to count each one. Every night, he would stare out his window and try to count each one. He would attempt to count them all but there were always so many, too many. As he got older, he realized he would never be able to count them all but for some reason, he still tried. He was doing it now, eyes flickering over the dark canvas with winking white specks, as a sense of calm sweeps over him. If he tries hard enough, he can imagine the dim light from the fire is from the candle at his bedside, the container at his back is a old rocking chair, and that he's back home, in his room, not in a living nightmare. The smallest of smiles touch his lips when Cato's voice breaks the image.

"Whatcha thinking about, 12?" he asks.

Peeta's smile drops and he glances at Cato, realizing he must have been being watched. He bites his inner cheek and shrugs. "Just counting the stars." he replies.

Cato looks up towards the sky and scoffs. "That's stupid. There's too many to count. Why would you even try?"

"I use to do it as a kid... it helps me." he whispers, not sure why he told Cato that bit of information of himself. Well, he thinks, he'll have to give out some of his past, if he wants to show Cato he's beginning to trust him. Though, he just let that bit of information out without even thinking about it. Was he beginning to trust Cato and not even realize it? No, no. He wouldn't let himself. Cato would trust him, not the other way around. Peeta knows Cato already had his death planned. Didn't part of the plan involve something to do with cutting his balls off?

Cato's quiet for a few minutes after that, an odd, comfortable silence settling around the two boys. Because that's all they are: boys. Boys thrown into a fucked-up world, into a fucked-up game, and being forced to do fucked-up things. It all was just very fucked-up. "Yeah, it's pretty relaxing," Cato finally whispers.

Peeta feels like they just had a moment. Feels like Cato and him just related, bonded, over something and it's putting a smile on his face. He isn't sure why he's smiling but once he does, he can't stop. And as he looks up at Cato, he sees the hint of an actual smile grazing his lips. Not that twisted grin or a conceited smirk but an actual smile. But before it can form, Cato's eyes shoot in the direction of something Peeta was just noticing. Smoke, billowing high into the night sky. Someone had started a fire.

"Well, Lover boy," the smile is gone, replaced by that grin. Peeta wants to see the smile. "Looks like a hunt's about to begin."

Peeta feels a chill crawl down his spine and he stands up as Cato does, bringing the spear with. "Everybody wake the fuck up!" Cato suddenly yells, walking over to the tents and grabbing one of the poles, shaking the whole thing.

Clove stumbles out first, pulling her jacket on and rubbing the sleep from her eyes. "What the hell is going on!?" she yells as Marvel crawls out after her, pulling his shoes on. Clove must of slept with hers on. Smart. Glimmer is next, pulling a shirt over her head first and then her shoes, hopping comically on one foot and then the other, before her jacket follows. Who sleeps shirtless, Peeta wonders. And then he realizes, only Glimmer. Three comes out next, fully clothed, looking nervous.

"That is what the hell is going on!" Cato says, pointing to where the smoke is still raising at a steady pace.

Everyone looks and Peeta gets an insight on just how monstrous the Careers are. Clove's face twists into one of pure pleasure and hunger, Glimmer's face lights up and she smiles like she just got handed a car, and Marvel smirks, his eyes darkening. Three just bites his lip and looks down. Clove is already getting something from the tent and Peeta sees what it is; flashlights. They want to announce their presence to the whole world, don't they? Then again, nobody will probably mess with them, since they have all the long-range weapons. Nobody wants to approach the pack of Careers.

"Three! Stay here and man the camp! Everyone else," Cato gives a dark chuckle, not like one he gave after he came out of the tent, "Let's start the hunt."

...

It surprises Peeta it took them this long to decide to go after other tributes. Maybe they were just waiting for something like this. A stupid mistake on somebody who wasn't mentored well. Or was and they're going against their mentor wishes. Who knows, all Peeta knows is that the Careers are fast as fuck and he's nearly fallen on his face a few times. But he manages to keep up with them and eventually, they come across them. It's a girl and Peeta isn't even sure the District she's from. When her face flashes in the sky, he'll know then. He sticks to the back of the Careers, watching Cato's shadowed face. The girl is still unknowing the danger she's in, since they were as silent as the shadows and had turned off their flashlights. If possible, an even more twisted grin comes to Cato's face but there's something else to it too: excitement. He tosses his sword up and hands it over to Clove, who happily takes it and watches. Cato purposely steps on a stick and the girl jerks, turning around. Her eyes grow wide and Cato licks his lips, sending a chill of fear down Peeta's spine. He's like a tiger and the girl is his prey. It was almost sickening to watch. He's on her the next instant, pulling the knife from the sheath on his thigh and jabbing her in the gut. She's sobbing, pleading, blood spewing from her mouth. Cato pulls his knife out and steps back, slipping it back in place. The girl is twitching on the ground, blood still spewing from her mouth, a plea managing to make its way from her lips. Peeta can't look away, staring with wide eyes. The fire illuminates her face perfectly, the way the color was draining from her cheeks, her eyes becoming more and more distant. He wants to throw up and run, run and not look back. Cato was capable of this, enjoyed doing this. How could he ever have such feelings for such a person, ever think of him as a friend? It was sickening, just disgusting.

"Let's go!" Cato snaps after he gets tired of getting the cheers and whoops of the kill. The Careers begin to go back from the way they came and on heavy legs, Peeta begins to follow. His head is swimming as they flick on their flashlights so they won't fall, their pace slower now, as they laugh and joke about the girl they just killed, about the life they just took away. Peeta feels like he's about to fall over and be sick. "Hey," Cato speaks up above the rest, all of them falling silent, "Shouldn't we have heard a cannon by now?"

"I'd say yes. Nothing to prevent them from going in immediately." Clove answers, looking around in confusion, as if the answer was in the shadows.

"Unless she isn't dead," Marvel deadpans, looking at Cato.

"She is dead! I stabbed her myself," Cato's on instant defense, glaring daggers at Marvel, who just looks away. Peeta bites his tongue. Why doesn't someone just go back and take care of it? ... Should he? After all, the Careers looked at him like something to eat. They probably wouldn't expect it from the baker's son from 12. To go back and finish the bloody job. And as much as Peeta hates it, he knows he can do it. He knows he can step up and kill somebody when the time came. And the time was coming. He's strong, stronger than anyone else thinks he is. He might as well prove it. No. He needs to prove it.

"Then where's the cannon?" Clove says mockingly, giving the angry Cato a smirk.

Cato glowers at her and his glower turns to Glimmer when she speaks up. "Someone should go back. Make sure the job's done, you know?"

"I said she's dead! I am capable of killing somebody!" he says, spinning his sword in his hand and pinning each one with a glare, even Peeta, whose been quiet. "Do I have to prove that?"

"Oh, whatever, Cato! A cannon would have sounded by now so obviously, you aren't capable of it!" Clove yells, getting fed up with Cato's instant defense to the death of the girl.

"You better shut your damn mouth right now, Clove, or I'll do it for you!" Cato's on her in an instant, standing chest-to-nearly-chest with the shorter District 2 Career. Clove is scowling up at him and Peeta realizes this can get bad fast. He doesn't need the Careers turning on each other now. No, he needs to gain their trust and do that.

"We're wasting time!" he suddenly snaps, receiving the attention of all of them. "I'll go finish her," he throws his spear into the air and thankfully, catches it, "and then we can move on and stop acting like children." he glares at them before turning and walking off.

He can hear them still snapping at one another and about him but he doesn't care. He walks back into the campsite and he slowly walks up to the girl's body. She doesn't look alive but as Peeta stares down at her, he spots it; every few seconds, her fingers twitched on her right hand. Peeta lifts the spear up, ready to drive it into her throat. "I'm sorry," he whispers before he digs it into her throat. A last arch up and choked noise and a cannon booms through the night. He doesn't feel regret. He knows it had to be done. He feels slight disgust in himself for being able to do it so easily but that's it. Besides that, he feels... numb. And then, he feels it. Pride. He did it. He actually showed the Careers he was able to do it and himself. He could do this, he knows he can. He pulls his spear from her throat and heads back towards the Careers; he can see their flashlights through the dark. He stops though, as something the firelight allows him to see catches his eye. He slowly kneels down and feels his heart stop. A snare. Roped in a figure-eight. Katniss was nearby, she probably saw what he did. She saw how cold hearted he just was. He slowly raises to his feet, wondering how he should feel about that.

He feels... a bit good. She saw he can kill. She saw he can do this. She saw he's strong and can, possibly, maybe, win. As he heads back towards the Careers, he feels something swelling in him. He isn't sure what it is at first. He reaches them and Cato flashes some light on his face. "How was it, 12?" he asks, that grin twisting onto his lips.

"What?" Peeta deadpans, staring at him. He has a sneaking feeling what Cato means though.

"Your first kill." Cato replies and everyone seems to be all ears now, watching him, the beam of the flashlight on his chest, so they can see his face.

As a smile touches Peeta's lips and the next word leaves his lips, he realizes what that swell was inside of him before that's now overtaking him. "Comforting." and all of him hopes, Katniss can hear him.

...

Um, yep, there's Chapter Five! I really like the ending, how about you guys? So, hope everyone reviews. Sending everyone love who have reviewed, will review, who have followed, and will follow. It means a lot, makes me keep wanting to update! So, here's the QUESTION OF THE CHAPTER OH YEAH.

If a Career came to you and opened up just the tiniest bit, like Cato did, would you believe it or think they were lying? Review to answer, lovelies!

Until next time, much love, LW.