A/N: YAY PLOT DEVELOPMENT! Starts in Cato POV.

"No, you're going to try and succeed...you okay?" ~

"...Yeah." I lie. That's not a story for today. But I'm also a terrible liar. ~

"I thought we established earlier...that lying is a bad thing." Maybe I'm just really bad at detecting lies from him now. "No lies?" ~

"Just...not things to talk about today." I look away. "I told you, I've got a lot of things you don't know, Cato." ~

"And you said secrets are bad..." I'm keeping a pretty big one from him now, though. One that'll probably scare him off. "I'm not gonna like...kick you out or anything, if it's something bad...I don't want you to go." ~

"I'm just...afraid you'll see me differently. We've only known each other for a week, really." ~

"I feel like I've known you forever. And differently? You'll always be cute, sweet Peeta to me. Okay?" ~

"It's definitely not sweet." I squeeze his hand. "You're going to worry. If I tell you, you'll just worry or think I'm crazy. Can...can we not?" ~

Well, I can't say this isn't making me worry. "I won't think you're crazy." ~

"Cato," I insist. "This isn't something good, like me being in love with you. So stop persisting, okay?" I stop for a second. "I'm...sorry I raised my voice. You didn't do anything wrong." I just snapped. ~

"I...wasn't persisting. I was just saying, good or bad, when the time comes, I won't think you're crazy..." This is a bit uncomfortable now. ~

"...I'm sorry." I really have to stop talking. "It's bad, I promise. But...doesn't really concern you. It's...past." ~

"You'll tell me eventually, right?" He can't just leave out his past when he tells me all about himself. ~

"Of course. It's not something I can avoid...the time just really isn't right." ~

"Alright," I sigh. "I'll still love you after it, if you're worried about that or anything." ~

"I...I'd hope you would." Because it's a very loveless story. Besides my dad, really. It's a story all about love with him. ~

"I'll always love you." ~

"I hope you're right." ~

Only hope? "I know I'm right." ~

"Thank you." He's perfect. "For loving me...broken me." ~

"Hey now...you're not broken." ~

"Oh, but I am..." I finally look back at him and smile sadly. "Nearly beyond repair. But...then you came along." ~

"Do you want me to fix you, Peeta?" I ask. ~

I look him in the eyes. "Please." ~

"Okay. Close your eyes." ~

I raise an eyebrow in confusion. What's he doing? But I comply, and give a little nod once they're closed. ~

Once I'm sure he can't see me anymore, I quickly and quietly climb on top of him and kiss him. Love can fix anything. ~

At first, I'm taken by surprise by the kiss. But quickly, I work into it, kissing him back and relaxing beneath him. ~

I start to laugh a little bit into the kiss and pull back a little, much to Peeta's dismay. "Fixed yet?" ~

"It's going to take a lot more than that...I've got 16 years of broken. I.." I look up at him hopefully. "I guess you'll just have to stick around for a long time." ~

"I'll stick around. But...if it's gonna take more than that, then..." So I go in and kiss him again. ~

And we just kiss for some time. It's nice...knowing that there isn't anyone watching anymore. That we don't have to constantly be worrying or watching our backs for something. I think I hear something for a second, but dismiss it. I'm just so into this moment and this kiss, but...then I hear shouting.

"Cato, I know you're home! I forgot my key!" ~

At the sound of that voice, I immediately pull away from him and roll onto the floor. Shit, shit, shit. "Peeta. Peeta, go somewhere. Now." ~

"Why?" I sit up a bit on the couch. He seems really worried and almost afraid all of a sudden. "...Are you okay?" ~

"Peeta," I say, ignoring the pounding on the front door. "Hide somewhere. Like, the closet. Upstairs underneath our bed. The fridge for all I care. Just go. Don't make a sound. You make a sound, you're dead." ~

At how grave and serious he sounds, I know not to question any further. I run over to a random door which turns out to be a walk in closet type deal. I give Cato a little wave before locking myself inside. Who could it be?

"Cato!" ~

"I'm coming!" Being as silent as I could possibly be, I run over to the stairs, then stomp on the bottom one a few times to make it sound like I just came down from my room. I'd normally be up there, locked away from the world, at this time of day. So it only makes sense. "Coming," I rush over to the door, unlocking it and pulling it open. "I'm here." Peeta better not make a fucking sound. ~

"Jeez, I know you hide away in that room for hours on end...but it doesn't take that long." The blonde man at the door sighs, stepping into the front hall. "Thanks, though." ~

I step to the side to let him through. "Yeah, I know...I'm just a little slow. That happens after...sitting." Wow. ~

"Uh huh..." He gives Cato a curious look before going in and sitting on one of the chairs in the living room. "Listen...I came home because I knew you'd be here. We've gotta talk about something." ~

Oh fuck he knows. "What's something?" I go and sit in the far off corner of the couch that only moments ago, Peeta and I were making out on. ~

"You've been distant ever since you came home..." He crosses his legs. "And...as tough as I can be, I'm your father. And I don't want you to have to lie to me about things." ~

"Yeah, of course...no lies." Just shoot me dead. No-just shoot Peeta dead. Then he can get a more pleasant death than if he was brought to the Capitol. "I'm sorry if I'm distant? I...the Games are over, so there's just nothing I can really...ya know?" ~

"It has to do a bit with that boy from Twelve, too...doesn't it?" The man leans in a bit. "You can tell me," He says honestly. ~

He's better at detecting lies than I am. Maybe it'd be better for everyone involved if I didn't completely fabricate some story. "I've been a little...off since he died, okay? That's probably it." ~

He sighs. "And with the recent news...have you seen?...that can't help. And I get that you had a phase...but you've got to get on with your life, Cato." ~

This discussion isn't comfortable to be a part of. "Life goes on, doesn't it?" I laugh, because yes, life goes on. Yay. "I can get on with it." ~

"But...you're not even trying."

"Trying, what? No, I'm trying and succeeding," I say, giving him a big smile. "See? Genuine happy." ~

He shakes his head disapprovingly. "You don't have to pretend for me. You don't go out at all, you won't take interviews...The mayor's daughter's asked for you time and time again while I'm over there, and I just tell her you're not feeling well. Why not?" ~

"Because I don't want anyone. And...she's not really my type." The mayor's daughter is all giggly and I hate it. I know. She's flirted with me before. ~

"No one's seemed to be your type." He sighs. "A phase is a phase, Cato...and it's best you get over it and move on. Why not date her? It's not really about her being your type, after all. You're a Victor, she's the mayor's daughter...it'd be really good for you to be with her in the long run." He insists. ~

"But what if I'm happier being alone?" Oh god. He's trying to set me up on a date. ~

"That's not what really matters, Cato. This is all part of being a Victor, now. It's not all about you anymore." ~

"Really? Then what does matter?" ~

"Your face in the public eye." He attempts to not raise his voice. "You asked for this. Now take it. You can't just get the benefits without taking it all." ~

"Yeah, well, you know what the public thinks of me?" I'll have to bring him up. I have to. "The public thinks I'm madly in love. What would it be like to just go out with someone else after that? They'd think I'm a fake. Wouldn't that make me worse?" ~

"It'd give you character, instead of looking like a pathetic, introverted kid! You've got to be mature about this, Cato. Stop whining." He crosses his arms and leans back. "Besides, it won't do you any good to associate with that gay kid from Twelve anymore. Not after what's been happening." ~

"I have character. I'm not pathetic, I'm lovesick. And mature? If you want me to be mature about this, then I will be. Mature people are able to make their own decisions. And my decision is..." Dramatic pause. "No." I take a moment to breathe and calm myself down. "Don't you think that after what's been happening, all the interviewers would go after me more? It can only do good." ~

"You don't know half of what's happening." He hisses. "It'd only do you well to seem as if you've moved on from him and stick to the Capitol like glue. You hear me?" He's not even trying to be cordial anymore. ~

"I don't do well with moving on, father." I bite my lip to keep myself from raising my voice again. "I couldn't get anyone before the Games, and I definitely can't now. Can't we just leave it at that?" ~

"No, we can't." He says in a commanding tone. "You have to establish that you've moved on before the news gets out, or things'll get very bad for you. And not just from me." ~

"Really? And why is that?" I give up. Ugh. ~

"Because an innkeeper in Ten reported seeing your supposedly dead 'Lover Boy' about three weeks after the Games were over." ~

So Peeta wasn't as sneaky as he thought. "That's stupid." ~

"It isn't. Because if it's true, and that kid is somehow alive...he's being branded as a traitor of the Capitol. And anyone associating with him or siding with him'll get a similar fate." ~

"What, and he dug himself up from the underground? Beneath all that...dirt?" I promised I'd stand by him if something like this happened. I won't stop associating with him. ~

"We don't know. But if he's found...he'll face worse than death." No one defies the Capitol like that and lives to tell. ~

"Okay? So say he does get found. If I'm not helping him sneak around, then why would I get in trouble?" ~

"Because, if you're not against him...you're for him. And that means you're against the Capitol. People might think that there's some way to escape the Capitol's power, then...and they could start breaking into riots. Especially if some rebel has the support of a Victor. So you will be meeting with Flora tomorrow night. She already knows. And you will speak out against Peeta Mellark when the time comes. Do you understand me?" ~

"Compromise." If it's not my way, there's no way. "I'll speak out against him. If people ask me if I love him, I'll deny it. It was only for the Games, wasn't it?" I pause. "But I won't be meeting with anyone." ~

"I don't get why you're so adamant about not meeting with her." He shakes his head. "She's not the brightest, but she's a pretty girl." ~

"Exactly. I can't deal with someone stupider than me." Because that's just pathetic at that point. "There was one girl I wanted," I whisper harshly. "Just one. I'd rather her than any of the others." But she hates me. So I won't have to worry about that ever again. If Peeta's super jealous, I don't want to worry him. ~

"Well if you don't have her already...then just move on from that, too. Really, Cato. You get hung up on too many things. Go on one date. It won't kill you, for God's sake." ~

"It won't kill me to not go on a date. I don't want anyone. Anyone," I lie flat out. "Is that good enough? I don't want any of them and I definitely don't want that loser from Twelve. You can tell the world that if you want." ~

He gives a frustrated sigh. "Fine. I won't make you. But...consider it. For me. For yourself. You want kids one day, don't you?" The man shakes his head. "I'm not going to be around for a while because of this whole District Twelve issue...you know how it is. Just...try to get out there, okay?" ~

Good. He won't be around here. "Alright. I'll see if I change my mind. Yes, I want kids." Not in this world, though. "Maybe one day I'll go out, see some girl, think 'Oh, she's cute,' and go on a date and marry her. I don't know. But I'll get out there, kay? I don't want to disappoint you." I couldn't care less. ~

"Good. I...just wanted to assure that you weren't retaining any feelings." He pauses. "Because you know that if we find him, he's dead. And I don't want hard feelings between you and I. I'm your father." ~

"Right. Good luck finding him," I smile. "And I'll be sure to start going after those girls." No I won't. ~

"Mmhmm..." He stands, going over to give Cato a pat on the shoulder before turning to go, stopping in his tracks. "...Did your mom bake?" ~

"...No." Damn it. "I did...do you want a muffin or something?" ~

"Since when do you bake?" He laughs. "No, I was just wondering. Smells good." ~

"I bake since I was hungry for breakfast and Mom didn't cook anything for me. But thanks." Haha. My dad likes Peeta's baking. ~

"No problem." He turns and gives a wave. "I'll keep in touch...okay? Don't get yourself in trouble, be good for your mom, all that jazz." ~

"There's no keeping myself out of trouble," I laugh. "But I'll try my best. Bye, Dad." I wave to him. ~

"Bye," He says one last time before walking out and closing the door behind him. ~

A/N: And...there's Cato's dad. Opinions? Questions? REVIEW! Xo