A/N: Chapter 7! Just because you all are wonderful and I feel terrible for disappearing without notice. :c (Cato's POV)

"Mhm." Before I know it, I lose all sense of the world and fall asleep. Everything is out of control in my mind. Who am I? What am I? How could something happen so fast...do I like this boy for real? No, I think I'm starting to fall harder than like. And it sucks. It doesn't suck because I can't resist his adorable, cautious personality, but because the Games will have to end eventually. I don't want them to end. I could've had anyone. All the girls threw themselves at me. I probably had my choice of guys, too, if I really wanted. But instead, I chose the one that I wouldn't be able to keep. Damn it, Peeta. ~

I'm finally given a peaceful sleep on Cato's arm. I feel warm and safe for the first time in a while. Since before the Reaping. I dream of a world where there weren't any Games, and Cato and I met in some other way. And that we were able to stay together. That something so right didn't have to be cut off by an untimely demise, and that we didn't have to treat every moment as if it could be our last. ~

My sweet sleep is interrupted by a sudden BOOM! I shoot up immediately and look to Peeta...who's sleeping. Sleeping. And that noise sounded oddly like a cannon. "Peeta?" I turn to my right a little bit and kneel beside him. "Peeta!" ~

I wake up, and can't move. My eyes won't even open. I still feel Cato by me, and I hear him saying my name. I try to answer, but I cannot. I hear a loud boom, but I know it's not for me, because I'm here, conscious...just immobile. Damnit. ~

"Peeta, wake up, please!" I let him fall asleep. He probably fell into a coma and died. Stupid! "I told you not to sleep...come on, wake up!" I can't control what happens next; a tear actually falls. Fuck! "Peeta, I'm sorry..." ~

I'm okay! I want to shout. I can't, though. I can't shout. I can't speak. I can't even whisper, or give him some sort of nod telling him that I'm okay, that I'm alive. I shouldn't have slept. He asked me one thing and I couldn't even do that. ~

I start to sob at what I'm about to say. Now, I don't even sound coherent, really. "I mean, I'm sorry about what I said last night...that I liked you." I wipe my face on the sleeve of my jacket. "During my short nap this afternoon, I thought about it...I loved you." I do, with all my heart. I'm a fool for him. ~

He...what? Did...did he just admit he loved me? But now...now he's crying. Does he think I'm dead? No, no, Cato, I'm here, right here... Please, stop crying. You can't cry. ~

"I don't know, there were just...things that I liked about you. We're more alike than we thought, which is a good starting point...then just, the entire time you were telling me about how people didn't like you...I just wondered why." I kiss him on the forehead before standing up. "I...just hate that all of Panem is hearing me say this, but...you're not." ~

I hear you! His voice gets more distant. Is he leaving? Please, don't go. I'm here, love. Listen for my heart. It's beating! I'm just immobile...please don't leave. I can't follow you. But I'll find a way. I swear, I'll find a way to follow you forever. ~

"Peeta...?" I stand about five feet away from him. When he doesn't respond, I sigh. "Forget it." Shaking my head at the ridiculousness of me actually thinking we could've lasted, I turn around and walk away. "Goodbye, Lover Boy." I don't know where I'm going. I don't know what I'll do. But this is why I told him love is stupid.

The universe-or the Capitol-just takes it away. "You happy, Capitol?" Fuck with me now, I don't care. You've already done enough. ~

No, don't go! I'm begging you, don't leave me here. I said always, and I meant it...and I might have just screwed things up for good. I hear him shout at the Capitol. Was he really that upset? Oh, Cato... Oh, love. ~

I think to myself a lot as I walk along some path. God, I'm so fucking angry right now! With me, with the Games, the world-everyone but Peeta. Everything sucks. I came into these Games expecting to win, and then I just wanted to give it all up for this poor boy from District Twelve. ~

A long time goes by where I'm just freaking out, trying to figure out what's going on with me. In reality, it's only about five minutes, but it feels a lot longer because I can't do a thing. Then, suddenly, I'm able to open my eyes. The movement slowly refills my body and I go to stand-stumbling to my feet. I look around for some sign of where Cato went. ~

Now my head is throbbing from crying. Crying. I haven't done that since I was four. This is exactly why I don't let myself get attached to things! And my parents wonder why I never wanted a pet. This is why. "Damn it, Mellark," I say aloud, in an attempt to cool off. It wasn't worth it. It never is, whatever the meaning of love is. It's a silly thing to feel, especially for another tribute. A tribute from a completely different District. Never again. ~

"Cato?" No answer. I see behind me that the bush by the tree is messed up. He must have gone that way. I start running as far as I can in that direction before I start getting dizzy. I stop and shout, hoping he can hear. "Cato! Stop!" ~

When I hear a hoarse voice calling behind me, I stop and prepare for the worst. "What? If you try anything, I'll snap your skinny ass neck!" Because I have no weapons. Everything is back there. Great. ~

"No, I don't want to fight!" I follow his voice. I just have to keep him still and talking. "I..I know!" ~

"You know what? That I'll kill you if you take another step?" I will. ~

I bite my lip and get a little closer in silence. "I know about you and the boy from Twelve." ~

What? I didn't know we were that obvious. "He had a name, you know!" ~

"Peeta Mellark. I know." A bit closer. ~

"What's it to you?" I sniffle as I try to keep my emotions under check. This is terrible. ~

"Nothing...that's yours to know. I don't want to fight." I see him in a clearing ahead and walk up slowly, putting my hand on his shoulder. "I won't fight." ~

I jump when I feel something touch my shoulder, and out of the corner of my eye I see a hand, so I twist my arm to go around the person's head. "Why wouldn't you want to fight me? Hmm?" I don't want any bullshit here. "I can kill you with just a little twist of the neck, remember that." ~

It all happens so quickly, I can barely register everything. "I know you can!" I cry out. "But you don't want to!" My entire body is shaking. ~

"And why wouldn't I?" ~

I'm starting to lose breath. "B...because, you're not a bad guy." ~

"What did you just say?" I loosen my grip a little. Did I just hear that correctly? ~

"You're not a bad guy, Cato," I whimper out. "I know it." ~

"Peeta?" I let go completely and turn around. It's him! "Wait...but you...? Help me out here?" ~

"I couldn't move! I heard you yelling and crying and all I wanted to do was tell you I was okay!" I wrap my arms around him and bury my head into his chest. ~

"But...I heard a cannon, and you...how do I know it's you?" ~

"Ask me anything." I say. ~

The Capitol knows everything. There's nothing that I can ask him that would prove if he's a mutt or if it's really him. So I just stare into his eyes for a few seconds before saying, "As crafty as they are...they could never get you right. Right?" ~

"There's only one Peeta Mellark." I smile. ~

He's barely able to finish his thought because I pull him into the tightest hug ever. "I thought you were gone." ~

"You really think something like that could keep me away from you?" I laugh. "You clearly underestimate my love." ~

"You followed me all the way here?" ~

I nod. "Of course I did. How else would I have gotten here?" ~

"I don't know, I was just so-wait." He said he heard me. Please don't tell me he heard everything. ~

"Wait what?" ~

"You heard what I was saying to you...everything," I say. "Didn't you? Be honest." ~

"I...did." ~

"...Oh." Well, shit. "So you know, now." ~

"I do." He seems nervous about it, so I put my hands on the back of his head, playing with his short hair for a moment before getting on my toes to kiss him, deeply. More than we have before..so he knows that I'm here for the long run. ~

Okay, well this kiss just confirms my love for him. I put my arms around his back and lift him off his feet a little bit. When I put him down, I pry him off of me. "I didn't intend on telling you...but it's alright, I guess." ~

"Why not...?" Was he nervous? In denial? Why wouldn't he want me to know? ~

"Because it's new for me." Peeta is the only one I've ever felt anything for. Definitely new. ~

"Don't be afraid...I'm here for you. No matter what." He may try to chase me away with his jerky comments, and he may be nervous...but we didn't have much time. "You've got to be honest with yourself. There's only so much time." I kiss him again softly. "But I swear, even after the Games, Cato...I'll follow you. I'll follow you forever." ~

"That's nice, Peeta." I smile. "I...do love you, you know." I don't mention that I'd want him to win, because I know he'd object. ~

"I...I know." I hold my hands on his broad shoulders. "I'm sticking around as long as I can." I laugh a little bit. "You can't just get rid of me like that." ~

"I don't think I'd want to." I reach up to my right shoulder and take his hand. "Where to, boyfriend?" ~

"Well...I kind of left our stuff back there in a rush to get you." That was stupid, Peeta. "So maybe we should go check for it?" ~

"Fuck!" I grip his hand tighter and pull him along the road. "If we don't get back, someone could take them and we'd be screwed." ~

"Sorry!" I yell as he pulls me away. "It's straight along this way!" ~

"It isn't your fault!" I laugh. "I'm the one who stormed off without it!" ~

"I understand that you'd be distracted, though." I squeeze his hand. "We'll figure it out!" ~

A/N: REVIEW PLEASE AND THANK YOU. Haha. Oh god I ship this so hard. If you have your own FFs of them, too, share them with me! I WANT TO READ YOUR FICS. xx