I pull myself from the memories and look down at Clove. Tears are falling from her eyes, but she refuses to look at me. I can feel them on my shirt, though, so I'm not sure who she's trying to kid. Despite how much we've been through together, Clove still hates looking weak.
"No secrets here, Little One," I whisper, using one hand to turn her face up to me.
Using my thumbs, I gently wipe the tears off her pale, freckled cheeks. She always used to complain about how much she hates her freckles, but I like them. It reminds me that she's still innocent and not the sadistic bitch that she tries to portray to others.
"I miss her," Clove mumbles, trying to turn away again as a fresh wave of tears fall.
"Me too," I agree, pulling Clove closer. "We'll make her proud, Clover. Fuck bringing honor and all that bullshit to District 2. We'll bring honor to Citali and destroy anyone who gets in our way."
"Good plan as always, Cato. But I don't want to form an alliance with Districts 1 and 4," Clove admits, looking at me with wide eyes.
I could never say no to that face, but I knew I had to be smart about this.
"I know, Clove, believe me, I know. But if we suddenly forego an alliance with them…an alliance that has been pretty much set in stone since the first Hunger Games, we'd be putting a target on ourselves-"
"I don't care, Cato! Those fools are nothing without us. I'm not scared of fucking Glimmer and her sluttiness, or that Marvel douche who looks like he doesn't know the difference between a spear and an axe. Don't even get me started on the District 4 duds," she rants.
She tries to get up, but I refuse to let her go. If she starts pacing during her rants, I'll never get another word in.
"Clove, Clove, Clove, your faith in me is disappointing," I tease in an attempt to calm her down. "Of course I have a plan for them."
"Do tell, Oh-Wise-Cato," she sneers, but I know she's interested. My plans were always dangerously adventurous and with her sly maneuvering and overall innocent persona, we never got caught.
"Well, we make nice with them as is expected. Survive the Bloodbath, all that good stuff. And then we tie them up, torture them to death, and then go hunt the others."
Clove cocks an eyebrow at me, before letting out a small sigh of disappointment.
"That's it? And how do you plan to get them all tied up when it's four against two? We're pretty awesome, I agree, but isn't that a bit risky?" she asks.
How dare she doubt my abilities!
"Of course there's more to it than that," I reply haughtily, trying to quickly think of something to add to my Master Plan.
She stares, silently waiting. I see the doubt in her eyes.
Ah, well here goes nothing.
"I want the District 12 girl in our group. She's smart, fierce, and the crowd already loves her. Plus, I doubt she'll care that we stab the others in the back."
Her face is expressionless.
"I don't see her being a big supporter in the torture you're planning, though," she answers, emotionless. I can't read her expression, and for once, I'm completely lost as to what she's thinking.
"Well…she can go sit in a tree or something. She'll get over it," I respond, debating various other ways to keep her away from the carnage I was going to inflict on the Careers. I wasn't going to fool myself and think she won't be able to kill someone, I could see it in her eyes. She will do whatever it takes to survive, but I'd bet my entire sword collection that whatever kills she gets will be quick and painless. Katniss Everdeen didn't seem like someone who would enjoy the suffering of her victims. Not like Clove and me.
I'd be lying if I said I wasn't looking forward to gutting every single one of the Careers. The other tributes I didn't give two shits about. A quick thrust of my sword into their hearts, and they'd be dead. Quick and relatively painless, no need to get things too messy.
But Glimmer, Marvel, and the two District 4 fools were going to suffer. I don't care if I lost every single sponsor. Hell, I wouldn't even care if the Game makers made me a target in the Arena afterwards. As long as I avenge my sister, I don't care what happens next
"Ya know, Cato, I'm surprised and mildly offended you waited to so long to tell me about your crush on Firegirl," Clove remarks casually, laughing at my startled expression. No wonder why Citali loved her. They clearly were mind readers.
"Uh," I blush, not sure what to say to that. "That obvious?"
She laughs loudly now, all traces of sadness gone as we fall into our usual teasing routine.
"My god, Cato, you really think the warning bells didn't go off in my head when you jumped the 12 boy? You might have fooled Adara into thinking he "looked" at you funny, but I know better than that. You're not as brutal as even you like to think."
"I resent that!" I exclaim, in mock offense. "I am a vicious killer who will rip out the throat out of anyone who doesn't look at me with the utmost admiration on their ugly little faces."
Clove's crying again…but this time from laughing so hard. What the fuck, it was not supposed to be that funny…
"Whatever helps you sleep at night, my precious. Now, I'm going to assume you went to talk to her?" she asks, composing herself again. "How'd that go?"
"Heh…"
"You embarrassed yourself, didn't you?" Clove questions, sighing. "You're hopeless at social interactions, ya know."
"I know," I sigh, too, not even bothering to deny it. "I never had to be social at the Academy. I just intimidated everyone by my amazing strength or used my stunning beauty to woo the crowd, and boom, I got whatever I wanted. She doesn't seem to fall for the usual tricks, though. I'm at a loss, Clover."
"Tell me what happened, and we'll go from there," Clove directs, adjusting herself in my lap to get more comfortable.
I can tell she's prepared for a long story, so I tell her everything that happened since I last saw her. I include the bit about Leyla, too, since she played a big role in the rooftop interaction.
When I tell her about the wink I gave Katniss, I can tell Clove is trying to keep herself from laughing at me…again.
"You're a fucking creep, Cato."
"That's what Leyla said, too," I sigh, wondering how I got so awkward. I used to be the shit at the Academy, even without talking.
"We can work with it, though," she asserts so powerfully, that I almost believe her.
"What's so special about her, especially since you barely know her?" Clove asks, and I'm surprised not to hear judgment in her voice. "You've never been interested in like, anyone, before."
"It's…complicated," I answer, unsure how to explain something I can't even put into words yet. It's just a feeling I have and can't shake. I'm not a romantic at all, but I guess it's something like love at first sight.
It isn't as shallow as it sounds, though. I mean, Glimmer is definitely the most attractive girl here, but I'd rather be ugly for the rest of my life than have to spend more than 5 minutes in a room with her. And it's not even because I loathe District 1…she's just obnoxious and gross. She's nothing like Katniss.
"The way she volunteered for her sister like that, it just drew me to her. She's strong but caring. She's powerful, with just a touch of defiance. She's a survivor. She's smart. She's beautiful and everything just stops when I see her. And the weirdest part is, she doesn't understand the effect she has on people," I explain, passionately. I had to get Clove to understand. "She's just everything I could have ever dreamed of in a future partner and more. It's hard to explain, even to myself, it's just this intense feeling that she's meant for me…that I'm meant for her."
"So… she's like the female version of you? But better and doesn't know it?" Clove laughs, untucking herself from my hold to stretch her body out across my bed.
"I guess," I laugh, too, because what else can I say? Katniss was perfect in my eyes. I didn't want to possess her at all, a spirit like that isn't one to be tamed. But I want her to need me, like I can feel myself already needing her. It was a weird feeling to actually like someone.
Before Clove can say anything else, Leyla quietly slides back into the room, two chocolate cupcakes held protectively in her hands.
Leyla must be able to read minds, too, because there is nothing that Clove loves more than chocolate, except maybe her knives, and even that was a close competition. I can see Clove's eyes light up as she adjusts herself on the bed, in case she needs to steal one of the cupcakes for herself.
I honestly had never heard Clove throw such a tantrum when Adara told us on the train that only the higher up Districts get dessert, especially when her only reasoning was, "That's just how it is, deary." Clove ranted for at least half an hour and left over twenty deep dents in the walls of the train with the only knives she could find on the train…butter knives.
"She knows the secret, and she'll keep it on the down-low," I say to Leyla, who was eyeing Clove wearily, unsure if she should speak or not…or perhaps wondering if the older girl was about to throw a knife at her if she didn't get one of the cupcakes as well.
"Oh, good, that makes this a lot easier. Here, Clove is it? I brought you one, too," Leyla smiles, surprisingly warm to Clove who greedily snatches the cupcake from the Avox. My mom always said chocolate brings women together. And hatred over a specific male, but chocolate was most important.
"You might want to wait until you're in your bed to eat it, though," she adds, giggling as Clove painfully forces the treat away from her mouth. "The Avox who oversees us all used to be a chemist for the Capitol, and he developed a sleeping serum that works pretty fast. I mixed it into the icing, so between the endorphins in the chocolate and sleeping serum, you two should have a good sleep with, hopefully, even better dreams."
"Has this been tested, ya know, on humans?" Clove questions, though I don't know why. We both know she'll take her chances.
"Yeah, a lot of the Avox have problems sleeping, so it knocks them right out. Since you don't have the recommended eight hours to sleep, I swiped a few adrenaline needles to get you going in the morning."
Two seconds after Leyla finishes her explanation, Clove has already shoved the entire cupcake in her mouth and is chewing slowly, eyes closed, with an expression of utter bliss on her features.
"You're gross, brat," I state, as I try to hide my smile.
"Yew wuhv meh," she retorts, her mouth still stuck together from the icing.
I roll my eyes at her, but she's too preoccupied trying to keep herself from choking to death to notice.
"MANNERS, CLOVE!" Adara would screech if she saw her tribute right now.
I lick my thumb and wipe off some of the icing she managed to get on her nose. She scrunches her face up in disgust at my actions, but I can already seeing her eyes drooping.
"Hey, Cato?" she asks tiredly.
"Yes, Clovey?"
"Do you think Katniss will give us her desserts if we all become allies? I'll be a good teammate, I promise."
"Maybe, Clove-"
Before I even finish, she's out cold, a small smile adorning her pale face.
"That was really cool of you, to bring us these," I address Leyla, who's already yawning.
I don't even bother wondering if she ate a cupcake of her own, because I notice there's a little bit of the icing on my cupcake missing that was there two minutes ago.
She gives me a big grin before plopping down on my bed and stealing a pillow from Clove.
"No one will know," she whispers to herself, as she snuggles next to Clove.
So much for having a huge bed to myself. Stupid brats, they're lucky I'm too nice to push them off the bed and onto the floor.
"Leyla?" I question, hoping the girl didn't knock out as fast as Clove.
"Yes, Cato-Kitten?"
I cringe at the nickname.
"Why were you so scared to talk on the roof, earlier, when it was just you, me, and Katniss?" I inquire, genuinely curious.
"Oh, that my Cato-Kins, is called acting," she purrs, lightly giggling before falling silent. I raise my eyebrow at her, though no one seems to be awake to see it. She's either a lightweight or ate half the icing when she was making these cupcakes. My guess is the latter. Girls were fat asses when it came to chocolate, not that I'd ever dare to say that aloud. They'd murder me in a second.
I quickly devour my cupcake and fall into a deep sleep.
"Merrrh, I don't want to get up," I grumble, as I feel someone trying to shake me awake. "Five more minutes?"
"Well, hold still at least," the female voice commands, but my sleep filled brain can't determine if it's Clove or Leyla. They both sound like brats, especially this early in the morning.
"WHAT THE FUCK," I roar, attempting to roll away as the person, who I see is Leyla, pulls a ten inch needle from my arm.
"Adrenaline shot," she smirks, clearly enjoying the pain she put me through. "You gotta be on your game, dearest Cato, or whatever would Katniss think? Imagine that Clove," she calls over her shoulder, where I suppose Clove has taken over my bathroom, "If our precious Cato made a fool of himself in front of his girlfriend."
I hear laughter coming from the bathroom and then Clove answers, "He's already done that, what, twice now?"
They're both laughing now, and I can't help but wonder what I did in a previous life to deserve this. Clove was bad enough, but now that she's partnered up with Leyla, I'll never survive Training.
Shit, I'd rather be in the Arena right now. At least that made sense…or at least it did before Katniss.
"Dude, though, seriously, are you a sleep walker? Cuz you got a nasty bruise that wasn't there last night."
I carefully touch my face where Clove kicked me last night and can already feel how swollen it is. I drag myself out of bed and look in the mirror closest to me. I cringe at the bruise marring my beautiful face, even though I've seen worse. I want to look perfect for Katniss, but whatever. I was still fucking gorgeous with or without the bruise, especially compared to that midget Baker Boy. At least the other tributes will think I got in a fight with someone else and didn't get caught.
Thinking of Katniss reminds me of the dream I had where we got to share a bedroom in the Academy, much like Clove and I had…but way better. The dream reminds me of the question I meant to ask Clove last night.
"Hey, Clove!" I holler over the noise of some device she always uses on her hair.
"What?" she yells back.
I patiently wait for her to turn that shit off, and I'm rewarded when I hear her sigh and come out of the bathroom.
"What'd you have on the Dean that was so bad that he let us share a room?" I inquire, hoping now that we were out of the Academy she'd finally tell me. She always used to laugh when I asked and told me not to worry my "pretty little head" over it.
"Oh, nothing," she's smirking now, and I'm pretty sure I don't want to know the answer. "I just told him since you were gay that it would be better for us to share a room instead of you and another dude."
"You're lying!" I accuse, "No one would believe I'm gay. All the bitches loved me."
She's laughing again, and I'm glaring at her tiny frame. Sometimes, I wish she came with a mute button. Okay, more like all the time, but I tried not to stress over it.
"You can only reject the advances of so many girls before people start wondering about you, Cato," Clove laughs, before dancing her way down the hall, demonic hair device in hand.
Fuck my life. Things were starting to make sense now. Like why random girls started asking me for my opinion on their outfits or hairstyles. Some even tried to ask me for boy advice. I usually told them to put out or get out, which always got them to leave me alone. But still… awkward.
"Move, Cato!" Adara screeches from outside my door. "We have a big day, today!"
Every day was a big day in the Capitol.
"Out, munchkin," I direct to Leyla, who flees from the room so I can dress.
When I'm done pulling on the standard training outfit, which gratefully makes me look even more muscular and built than I already am, we take the elevator down to the Training Center.
Adara tsks over the bruise on my face, or my lateness, or perhaps both, but I can't be bothered to care. I was about to see Katniss in my element where I'm less likely to make a fool of myself. Swords didn't need words, and I hoped I'd impress her enough with my abilities. Well, I knew I'd impress her because I'm fucking awesome, but I hoped it was enough for her to realize that an alliance with me would be beneficial to her, and she should ditch Baker Boy who looked like he about as much talent as the bread he bakes.
I'm curious to ask Leyla why she's riding down with us, but I figure her job as "babysitter" continues all the way up until we're in the Arena. I don't mind this, though, she's good company. I'm positive that she'll be willing to help during training if I need a partner.
I'm dying to engage Bread Boy in combative "training" so I can solidify that I dominate him, and will thus, obliterate him in the Arena. Regrettably, tributes can't fight one another until the Games begin so I'll just pass the time with vicious glares and flirting with my Firegirl.
The elevator ride ends, and we step out into a huge gymnasium filled with weapons and obstacle courses. Every weapon glints in the artificial light and on the inside, I'm drooling. I glance towards Clove and smirk when I see her Avox has his hand placed firmly on her shoulder to keep her from running to the knives. They walk ahead to join the rest of the tributes who were congregated in a circle, but I lag behind with Leyla. Katniss wasn't there so no need to socialize, yet.
"What the fuck have you been up to, Avox?" a deep voice bellows, and I feel Leyla being pulled away from me. "What part of 'keep your tribute out of trouble' did your stupid little mind not process? His face was not bruised the last time I saw him. You have been negligent in your duties and will be punished accordingly, you useless excuse for a servant! "
Before I can bat an eyelid, he smacks her brutally across the face, and she falls to the ground, a cry of pain escaping her lips. Redness blurs my vision, and without thinking, I immediately lunge at her attacker, and after one quick punch to the face and a swift kick to the stomach, he's wheezing on the floor, gasping for air.
"What the fuck is your problem?" I contend, glaring roughly down at the Peacekeeper, who is already at least 6 inches shorter than me.
"Stay out of this, boy," he growls, pulling himself up off the ground. "This is grownup business, and you'll be lucky if the Game makers don't kick you out of the Games for what you just did to me."
I ignore his comment about the Game makers. What the hell were they going to do to me? I was the life of the show, next to Katniss of course. And with her on my side, we're guaranteed to be the most exciting duo the Games has seen in years. I'm hot. She's hot. We're even hotter together. The Capitol people will eat that shit up.
"If a man derives his self worth from striking girls half his age and a third his size, than I will happily be a boy for the rest of my life," I snarl, lips pulled back in disgust. "Keep your disgusting paws off MY Avox and leave us the fuck alone."
I lean closer to him for the extra intimidation factor, because I just don't think he gets it.
"And when I win these Games, you best believe the first thing I am going to do is make sure Leyla's okay," I hiss, voice loaded with malice. "And if I find you ever so much as looked at her the wrong way, I will slit your throat and mail your head to your wife, to you understand me, sir?"
He nods and shakily walks away, muttering a "sorry" in Leyla's direction. I resist the urge to kick him one more time because that would just be unsportsmanlike, and I was always a good sport.
"You okay?" I ask, trying to shake the anger off. Now is not the time to throw one of my infamous "rage tantrums" as Clove calls them. "Who was that?"
"He's the Head Peacekeeper over the Avox. He gives us our orders and makes sure we follow them," she whispers, "Thanks, Cato, for standing up for me, it was sweet of you."
"Always, babe," I laugh, and she jokingly curls her lip upward at the term. "Up you go."
Before she can protest, I scoop her up and swing her onto my back so that I'm giving her a piggyback ride.
"Oh my god, Cato, this is so embarrassing, put me down!" she whine. "You're making me look like a baby."
"You're my baby," I say in sing-song voice. "No, but seriously, who are you trying to impress? Cuz if you like any of the tributes, I'm judging you…harshly."
When I hear no response from her, I turn my neck so I can get a good look at her. Leyla is about as red as a tomato and looking determinedly at anything but me.
I'm unable to harass her about it, though, because at that moment the last two tributes arrive.
Ah, Katniss is fashionably late. That commands attention. I like it, I think to myself. And she looks delectable in her training outfit, almost as good as me. I'm bombarded with images from my dream, and I start to realize how hot it is in the gymnasium. I will have to drink plenty of water to stay at premium fighting level.
I join the circle of soon-to-be-dead tributes, giving Bread Boy a look of contempt just because I can. There's a bruise adorning his cheek as well, and I can't help but frown at this. Clearly, most of the tributes will think we had another scuffle, which is all fine and dandy, but a bruise on my cheek insinuates that he got a good hit in. And let's be real here, if there was ever hand-to-hand combat between us, he'd be dead before he could even pull his fist back.
I hope Katniss hit him for being a creep, I think bitterly, pushing down my jealousy that his room is probably right next to hers. Fucking douche.
Leyla gives me a little poke in the leg with her foot, interrupting my musings. I look away from Why-Is-He-Still-Alive Puppy and see Katniss looking at me. When she sees that she has my attention, she raises an eyebrow and runs her hand along her cheek in the exact spot where my bruise is.
'I'll tell you later,' I mouth, and she nods, turning her attention back to the lady talking about some shit I didn't care about.
I silently congratulate myself, because fucking Katniss Everdeen noticed me and agreed to talk to me.
Of course she noticed you, dumbass, I scold myself. I am the best looking person in this room right now, and I have an adorable 13 year old on my back. Chicks love the big brother shit.
I instinctively start to flex my biceps, subtly of course, but I feel Leyla tighten her legs around my waist, and not-so-gently stick her nails into my arms.
"Stop," Leyla warns. "You're acting like a tool."
"Katniss and I are going to talk later," I whisper quietly enough so that none of the other tributes hear me.
Fortunately, I'm standing only near Clove who is freakishly absorbed in this lady's lecture and the little District 11 girl, who seems to be making faces back and forth with Leyla.
However, the District 1 slut is staring me up and down like I'm a piece of meat she wants to consume. Normally, I'm flattered by these looks, but she just grosses me out. I fight the urge to gag, and instead raise my eyebrow at her. She pretends to be embarrassed about being caught, but then sends me a very unsubtle wink. I blanch. This girl was going to be taken out quickly to save us all from her presence.
"Congrats, deary. Maybe you should let Clove beat you up more often since it seems to be quite the selling point for conversations today."
"She got a lucky shot," I grumble, relieved that the lady is finally letting us go to the stations.
"Yeah, sure," Leyla agrees. "Put me down, I have to go stand in the background with the other Avox."
I let her down, and she dances her way over to the back walls where the other Avox are standing inconspicuously. It's scary how well they can blend into their surroundings, but I suppose for them it's better to go unnoticed. I shudder at the thought.
Clove is already at the knife station and entranced by whatever the guy there is saying. The District 11 girl is at the top of the net climbing wall, smiling down at Marvel who has gone pale while watching her climb. Stupid idiot must have finally realized how high he now has to climb or else he'll look like a pussy. I laugh, hoping he falls from the top.
I scan the room for Katniss and find her at the knot station…with Dead, I mean Bread, Boy. I let out a low growl and slink my way over, undetected by both.
"Hey, beautiful," I murmur in her ear, letting out a husky laugh when she jumps.
"Uh, hey," she says, giving me that weird look again, like she's trying to figure out my motives.
"You want me to teach you some moves with a sword?" I ask, hoping she warms up to me. And quickly. I'd probably snap Bread Boy's neck if she rejected me in front of him.
Then I realize all the sexual innuendos in my last sentence and can't help but blush. She didn't seem to catch on, but the leech at her side seems to, going off the look of hatred on his face. I piss him off without even trying. Perfect.
"We're busy," Bread Boy answers for her, and I see her twitch slightly.
"Did I ask you?" I bark, not in the mood for his shit. He clearly has a death wish, and who would I be if I didn't grant it to him? I crack my knuckles, threateningly.
"You didn't really say anyone's name, so I mean, for all I know, you might have been asking me," he smirks, eyebrow raised in silent challenge.
Even Katniss seems surprise at his daring. I feel the growl building deep in my throat, but before I can respond, Katniss finally speaks.
"No, thanks Cato, I really need to practice my snares," she replies, "But we'll talk before lunch?"
I nod, because I don't trust myself to speak, and head over to the sword area. Shoving the District 5 male tribute out of the way, I grab the nearest sword and channel my anger into practicing.
A/N: Yay another chapter! Cato has two allies now, but are they enough to help him win the girl?
Here's a look at what to expect in the next few chapters:
Katniss/ Cato talking in the Training Center
Leyla has a new scheme in mind
The interviews ! Not sure how I'm going to play this one, but I have some surprises in store
Thank you all for your love and support! I don't think I can ever convey how much it means to me. You're all the best :)