It's Wednesday! I'm actually really excited for you guys to read this chapter. A lot happens and I think you'll all enjoy it very much. All of you, thank you so much for the follows and reviews, it means a lot. ALSO, a BIG thanks to Through Darkness and Light and llk for pointing out the typo in the last chapter. A typo I laughed at. I fixed it though, guys.

BrittBrat03: The ast part. Ahh, typos. I think you mean the last part haha. We already discussed that, though. I know you love and hate this chapter, considering what happens. Three needs to start thinking like you and maybe he'll actually have hope of winning haha.

SakuraDrops141: I'm so glad you're enjoying the story! Well, his District is probably pissed at him so you better get ready for a lot of butt kicking.

Abysslullaby: Glad you're enjoying this too! You have a great plan. If only Three was a smart thinker like you haha.

writer with no words: Well, I do like your username. Good reason for having it haha. I agree with you, it would be hard to kill someone when they were asleep and defenseless.

MangoMagic: I'm glad you liked that line a lot! It's actually a favorite of mine. I'm a sucker for character development and it feels good to know I'm doing a decent job at it. Thank you!

Through Darkness and Light: Yayyy, someone who enjoys character development over sexy man loving! I enjoy a good smut too but the Peeto/Potato stories, well written though so no offense to those, that rush their romance and get straight to the loving bothers me. I like a good story and some character development and them getting to know each other. Ohh, yes! Xander and Josh, in a locked room, all to ourselves... I'm not arguing. Also, thank you for pointing out that typo! I fixed it.

llk: Thank you for pointing out that typo, it's fixed. And I know, it's torture but it's a slow-paced romance so bare with me. Just enjoy this chapter.

Setsuna Hyuga: Thank you so much! It means a lot to me. I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Lolitadelirium: Thank you, thank you, thank you so much! You don't know how much your reviews mean to me. I hope this story doesn't disappoint you. Thank you again so much, I'm glad you're enjoying it.

Guys, I think you'll really enjoy this chapter. Don't forget to review. Much love to you all!

Chapter Eight.

"It's about time you get your lazy asses up," Cato snaps when Clove, Marvel and Three emerge from the tent. Peeta jerks a little at Cato's loud voice, his eyes shooting wide open. He was just dozing off, the rays of the raising sun not bothering him. Cato kicks the fire out and heads towards the pile of goodies. "Breakfast time," he says over his shoulder as he does the awkward dance. At the mention of food, Peeta feels his stomach growl and he pulls himself up onto the container, stretching his tired muscles out.

"Those leaves worked out, Lover boy," Clove says, plopping on the container across from him. Three sits on another and Marvel sits beside Clove. "Doesn't mean I'll go easy on you." she says, shooting him a glare.

"I didn't ask you too," Peeta shoots back.

A smirk twitches at Marvel's lips as Clove glares up at Peeta. "Listen, Lover boy, I don't like you and-"

"You can shut the fuck up." Cato's back, putting a loaf of bread on an unoccupied container, along with a bag of beef jerky strips. He makes a sandwich of beef jerky strips and Peeta is about to get up when Cato hands him the sandwich. He stares up at him, slowly taking the sandwich. "It ain't gonna bite, 12." he mumbles, making another sandwich. Peeta's expecting him to hand the sandwich to Clove, who is busy glaring at him with a devious smirk, but instead, he sits beside Peeta, their shoulders bumping. Peeta feels that familiar warmth that he's barely getting use too but this time, his cheeks are feeling hotter than usual. Cato made him sandwich and that was... sweet. That's the only word he can think of. He bites into the sandwich, taking another bite after, realizing how hungry he was. He couldn't even remember the last time he ate. He doesn't need to make that mistake; hunger could kill him as easily as Cato could. He enjoys the simple tastes of the sandwich. It's a fine bread, a type of bread they rarely made at the bakery, and the jerky is salty and just right. They eat in silence, Clove, Three, and Marvel shuffling as they get their sandwiches.

Peeta has a feeling Three won't be around much longer; he feels like he already outdid his stay. Has he? Cato was beginning to trust him, it seems or he's playing his game well, and he knows if he keeps up the act he's trusting Cato back, he can make it to the end with the Career and off him before he even realizes it. He finds himself drifting back to last night. The way Cato's eyes looked in the fire, the way his smile stretched onto his face, the way he looked hopeless. If he was faking it, he was a good actor. If he wasn't faking it... Peeta would feel guilty since he finds himself drawn to the Career but that won't change anything. Peeta's proving to the world he can do this. Peeta's proving he can win, win against anyone, even the Girl on Fire. Speaking of Katniss...

He looks down at the almost-finished sandwich. What can he do about her? Would he kill her? Would he kill himself if they were the last two? No, he doesn't think he'll do that. He doesn't want to die, he knows that, but the part that cares for Katniss doesn't want her dead. If he wants to win though, it might have to happen. He'll just find out in that moment. Peeta decides, that if he has to face down Katniss or even Cato in the end, he'll go with what his heart tells him. He might be changing, turning into something stronger and devious, but that doesn't mean he'll fully let go of the person he is, the baker's son, the Boy with the Bread. But here, in the arena, he's the Boy on Fire and he'll be proving to everyone that fire is catching.

...

The day was going by slowly. They decided to rest their muscles and drag their feet around camp. Peeta had a feeling this was a short process of mourning for Glimmer, as well. Marvel kept disappearing towards the lake, sitting beside it and staring out into it. It made Peeta feel a bit bad for him. It reminds him that the Careers are people too, they have feelings, and they've cared before too. He swears a few times, he sees Marvel's hand shooting up to his face, as if he's crying. He trys to not watch him as much as before. Cato keeps going from messing with the pyramid of supplies, reorganizing it, and from laying around, to practicing with his sword. "Hey 12," he calls when the sun was almost in the middle of the sky, "C'mere."

Peeta slowly stands up, Clove glancing up from where she was boredly throwing knives into the dirt. Marvel was back at the lake and Three has been sitting there, tense and nervous and bored. He walks over to Cato, whose twirling his sword in his hand. "I'm getting sick of sitting around. We should be preparing for a fight. You know how too?"

Peeta's taken back by his question. He slowly shakes his head. "I practiced at training with wrestling and did decent. I wrestled in school back in 12."

Cato nods. "I saw you wrestling, you weren't too bad... think you can take me." he grins, that twisted grin, and there's a flash of something in his eyes. It's been a while since Peeta's saw that look in Cato's eyes; the lust.

"I don't know," Peeta says honestly, taking Cato in. He's taller, more muscles, and thicker. He was frightening but if Cato wanted to have a friendly wrestle, then he would. Or maybe Cato was planning on killing him and was only pretending it was going to be innocent practice.

"All right, c'mon," he says and walks towards the tent. Peeta's brows furrow but he follows Cato. He doesn't need to lose his trust by showing he was thinking anything but trusting thoughts. He catches Clove's eyes briefly, whose watching them curiously. They walk past the tent and Cato stops at the spot behind the tent. They're still noticeable to the others but not as exposed. This is it, Peeta thinks as Cato twirls his sword, watching him, Cato was going to kill him. He would be ready for it, ready to turn back, get a knife because earlier Peeta camouflaged some and planted them around the camp or get the knife from Cato's thigh, and kill him instead. But then he would have to figure out Clove and Marvel.

Three, he'll be easy to deal with. It's Clove and Marvel he's worried about. Clove, he could just pretend nothing was wrong and walk past her with the knife. He could quickly slip it across her throat, cover her mouth so Marvel doesn't hear. And then he can sneak up behind Marvel, he's too loss in his current grief even though he would never admit it, and he can stab him in the back of his neck. Three, he'll take care of him once he takes care of his two tougher enemies. When he stabs Clove, he'll make sure Three stays quiet, pretend he's helping Three and doing them both a favor. But then he'll stab Three and he'll have taken out the Careers and another. It was as good as any plan can get. It was all he could do. He tenses as Cato grips his sword, lifts it up and... throws it aside, along with the knife at his thigh. They're too far for either them to reach and Peeta stares at them, confusion clear on his face. "C'mon, 12, didn't think I was going stab you, did you?"

Peeta looks at Cato and there's that grin on his face, an amused glint in his eyes, but there's also an underlying tone of hurt and Peeta feels guilty. Did Cato really stop his game with Peeta and was actually trusting him? Or was Cato just a good actor? Either way, Peeta tells himself, Cato will go down. "No." he lies smoothly, giving a grin of his own. "Just thinking you might need them once I pin you."

"Ohh," all hurt is gone and it's all amusement and smugness and slight annoyance. "You think you're going to beat me?"

Peeta takes a defensive stance just as Cato does. He nods. "I know I'm going-" he doesn't finish his sentence before Cato is ramming into him, knocking him to his back, all the air leaving him. His back throbs for a moment before he realizes Cato is on top of him. He flashes back to the first night he joined the Careers, had that only been a night ago or was his time messed up, and he remembers just how Cato felt on top of him. He feels a stirring in his pants but he refuses to let Cato feel it this time and he wasn't going to let him get the upper hand. As Cato grabs his wrists, intending on pinning them, Peeta thrusts his body upwards. Cato is surprised, not expecting it, and tips forward, catching himself on his elbows so he doesn't land flat on Peeta, his chest nearly smashing into his face. Peeta wraps his arms around Cato and flips them with a grunt, pinning Cato down as he grabs his arms and puts them under his legs, sitting on Cato's stomach. Cato lets out a sound close to a growl, his face turning redder as he trys to free himself. He's strong, nearly knocking Peeta off, but Peeta manages to stay balanced by placing his hands on Cato's chest.

"What's wrong, Cato?" he says, a menacing grin coming onto his lips. If he had a knife, he would consider digging it into his throat but he finds his mind not even drifting towards that. Instead, he's enjoying the view he has; Cato struggling underneath him, his face getting steadily redder, anger and that glint that scares and excites Peeta flashing in his eyes. He knows he shouldn't tease Cato but it was too perfect of a moment. He was, at the moment, overpowering Cato. "Are you mad that a lowly baker's son like me can manage to pin you down?" he asks and bites back laughter at the anger in Cato's face. He's realizing how fun it is, pushing Cato's buttons, when suddenly, Cato's arms are free.

Cato grabs Peeta's shoulders and roughly shoves him down, hovering over him the next second. This time, Cato grabs hold of Peeta's wrists and pins them above his head, all this happening before Peeta can even get the breath back in him. He glares up at Cato, trying to jerk his wrists free, though he stops struggling when all he sees is that glint, that look, in Cato's eyes. Lust and not blood-lust either. He feels his breath catch when Cato leans down, his hips sliding down off of Peeta's stomach and their groins lining up perfectly. Oh crap, Peeta can feel the stirring in his pants growing.

"What's wrong, Peeta?" Cato whispers in his ear, his lips brushing the shell of it. Peeta shudders, the warmth making him sweat in his jacket, his face turn red. He feels his pants growing tighter, the strain in his pants uncomfortable, and most shockingly of all, the large bump pressing against the strain in his pants. He thought Cato was messing with him this whole time but did Cato actually feel attracted back to him? Some of Peeta hopes so; another part is hoping Cato will kill him because, god, this was embarrassing and worse of all, all cameras were probably on them.

"Screw you," Peeta manages to get out and lets out a strangled gasp when Cato rocks his hips a little. The pleasure that shot through him, the way their groins rubbed together, he wants to feel it again. He feels his hips raise a little and he quickly stops them, his breath hitching. He can feel Cato's breath getting heavier against his skin, his voice a little shakier with his next words.

"You want too, don't you?" Cato mumbles, his fingers tightening on his wrists, his short nails digging into the jacket. He begins to mouth the spot underneath Peeta's ear and there's another strangled gasp from Peeta, as shock and pleasure shoots through him. He squeezes his eyes shut tightly, trying to will himself to stop Cato. This was part of Cato's game, part of something Cato was doing. He couldn't let this happen. He was attracted to Cato, he finally could admit it, but that doesn't mean he had to act on it. And even, he's supposed to be in-love with Katniss.

"No." Peeta whispers out, his breath choppy and heavy, his heart loud to his own ears. He wonders if Cato can hear it.

Cato chuckles against his skin, the vibrations sending a chill down Peeta's skin. God, Peeta has never been so turned on before. He wants to grind up into Cato, he wants to turn his head and kiss him. But that would show weakness. That would show that's what he wants, how he feels about the Career. He can't allow that. And he thinks this is Cato's game, just a sick part of his game that he was a pawn in. He refused to be a pawn. He had been a pawn his whole life, it was time to step up and put his foot down. Cato's tongue comes out, assisting in sending pleasure through Peeta. His body is shaking, noises threatening to spill from his lips. Cato twitches his hips forward a little and Peeta bites back a moan. God, that was the best friction. Though, couldn't Peeta use Cato back? Make Cato think he had Peeta right where he wanted him? Yes, he could play that card. He could pretend Cato had him starstruck and under his thumb when really, Peeta was anything but under his thumb. He was playing this game, too, after all. With that thought, the thought of not being a pawn and making Cato his pawn, he turns his head and smashes his lips to Cato's.

He hadn't thought he would ever kiss a guy. He's kissed a few girls before, there were those few crushes back in 12 that he thought would go somewhere but never did because the thought of Katniss always got in the way. But he never thought about kissing a guy and didn't think it would ever happen. And even though he has checked out a few guys but stopped himself from fully thinking about it, he never thought he would take action about it. And he certainly hadn't thought it would be with a blood-thirsty, killing machine Career. But he also hadn't thought he would be in the Games, faking a romance with a girl who got so much attention it killed him, and fighting for his life. The way fate worked. Cato pushes back against his lips, fierce, rough, bruising. All Cato. It was so Cato, to give such a hurtful kiss but Peeta finds himself pushing back, forcing himself to act like he wanted it. But that was the thing: he wasn't forcing himself because he did want it. He wanted it so bad. His body ached for Cato's touch. Maybe any touch, he just wanted something to happen. Cato's tongue slips past his lips and he can mark his french kiss off his 'haven't had' list too. By the way Cato's tongue moves through his mouth, he knows this isn't Cato's first kiss. Cato's hips twitch forward again, this time grinding down into Peeta roughly, and he lets out a small cry into Cato's mouth. That sweet friction, he needs more. In the part of his mind that isn't hazy with lust and pleasure, he tells himself that he's just playing the game back.

Though, Cato freezes in his attacks when that cry leaves Peeta. He slowly pulls his lips back and Peeta opens his eyes. Blue clashes with blue and Peeta's shocked at what he sees there. There's that glint of lust but there's also a softness he didn't even see in Cato last night. It's a softness that his father looked at his mother with, a softness he's felt in his own eyes when he use to watch Katniss. No. It isn't real. Cato is playing a game, he isn't like this. He's just good at faking it. He searches for something in Cato's eyes; disgust, anger, annoyance, but all he finds is lust and softness. He feels anger building in him. No, Cato can't feel anything but disgust and annoyance towards him. He can't be doing anything but playing a game. Peeta refuses to believe anything else. If he lets himself believe something else, he might drop out of the game too and just fall into what's Cato.

Cato's faking it and so is Peeta. He knows the last one is a lie but he isn't sure about the first one. He wants it to be the truth. Cato can't, he knows how the Games are. You can't fall in-love in here. It's bad enough he's supposed to be in-love with Katniss, now Cato... that look of softness, that little quirk of his mouth, the way his hands loosen their grip on his wrists. Peeta isn't sure he can stay in the game with how Cato was looking at him. It was a look he's seen his mother give his father and his father give back. A look exchanged between two people in-love. He jerks his wrists from Cato's hands and Cato lets him. Peeta pushes on Cato's chest and slowly, the Career raises and gets off of him, sitting beside him. Why was Cato being so willing? Why was he being so nice and giving him that look? It was all an act, it was all an act. It had to be an act. Peeta's getting up before he realizes it, his legs feeling like jelly, his hard-on straining against his pants. He needs to get away. He can't stay near Cato right now. All he wants do is grab him and kiss him, love him, show him somebody cares. But Cato, he isn't looking for that. He's looking for somebody to trick, somebody to be a pawn in a sick game of his very own.

Peeta's going to use the excuse some tracker jacker venom was still in him, even though he knows it's all gone out of his system by now. He thinks of Cato last night, telling him his feelings, the words he heard before he passed out - "Don't you die on me, 12" - the way Cato's lips felt, the way his heavy breath moisten his skin. He shudders as he manages to make it to the tree line, his knees shaky. He leans against a tree, catching his breath, trying to clear his lust-filled mind. He looks back and Cato isn't sitting there, his sword and knife gone, and he's afraid he might be taking advantage of Peeta's weak state. Weak state from lust, weak state from confusion, weak state from battling his own self. He waits for Cato to come up, to strike him, but it never comes. Is Cato actually much different than he thinks? He enters the woods more, sucking in the air, feeling like he isn't getting enough. No, no. Cato doesn't have feelings like that. He isn't capable of feelings such as love or caring. He was built up from the Capitol, born to fight and win these sick Games.

"Who am I?"

"Why do I have to kill?"

"Why was I raised on it?"

"Why do we have to do these Games?"

"Who am I? Who am I? Who am I? Who are you?"

"Damnit!" Peeta curses, slipping to his knees and clenching his head.

He can't get Cato out out his head; his musky smell, his rough kiss, his breathy voice, his blue eyes, his words from last night. Why did it have to be Cato? A guy? A Career? Why couldn't it be Katniss that he can't get out of his head? He's in-love with her... no, he cares for her. But the world thinks he's in-love with her. How are they reacting to him kissing Cato, helping Cato, trusting Cato? Because that's what it is, trust. He thought he was tricking Cato, making Cato believe he was trusting him. When all along, he had actually been putting trust into Cato and he hadn't realized how much till now. He trusted Cato with his whole being, would follow Cato into a fight, would trust his word if he said something was okay. This whole time, he thought he was playing a game back with Cato but no, he had been stuck in Cato's game, a pawn, while Cato let him believe he was winning, he was beating Cato. He trusted Cato so much and he hates himself for allowing himself to fall this deep into loyalty for the Career. He's a Career, a killing machine, somebody who was taught to be good with words and to trick everyone. He was going to kill Peeta. Peeta would have to kill him first. He grits his teeth as pain shoots through him at the thought.

The thought of killing Cato was worse than the thought of killing Katniss. How much did he trust Cato? How much did he... care for Cato? No, he couldn't care for him. That was wrong, sick. He was a killer, the enemy, and he saw Peeta as just another piece of meat to sink his knife in too. That look of softness, it was a lie. He's just good at faking it, he's good at lying. Better than Peeta. Cato had to die. Even if Clove killed him or Marvel or even Three, Cato had to die. Peeta couldn't take these feelings anymore, these thoughts of turning on Katniss because he blames Cato for those. He had to kill Cato. He slowly raises to his feet, his intention known now. He was going to kill Cato. The pain in his chest would go away after he did it. He just didn't want to kill somebody. Yeah, that's all. He was beginning to feel guilty at having blood on his hands but one thing was certain. He had to kill Cato before Cato killed him. There was no way around it. And if there was, Peeta tells himself he wouldn't take it. Eventually, Cato would have to be killed. And he wanted it by his hands... he wanted to kill Cato. No, you don't, he ignores that little voice and turns on his heel, ready to walk into camp and go through with his plan. But as he turns around, he's met with angry brown eyes, scowling pink lips, and a knife at his throat.

Clove.

...

Chapter Eight, done. So... what did you guys think about the Peeto action? And the ending? Oh man, I love it. I hope you guys do too. I'm excited for you guys to read the next chapter. A fair warning: I call this a slow-paced romance for a reason. I'm not jumping into the sex. Just a warning. Please review, I love hearing what you guys have to say. Question of the chapter time!

If you were Peeta, would you have kissed Cato or gotten him off? If you would have kissed him, would you react like Peeta or would you have kept kissing him? If you had gotten him off, would you have tried killing him or just ran off?

Reviews are love and I love you guys a lot! Feedback, I adore it. I might actually reward you guys and update early... I don't know. I probably will haha. Till next time, my lovelies.