beta-read by gkmoberg1
Only You by The Pretty Reckless
Oh boy, have you seen my head?
I've lost my mind till I forget
And oh boy, have you seen my heart?
It's beating so loud, I'm falling apart, and
Only you can bring me back to life
Only you can pull me into right
Tell me when I can breathe again
Chapter 23
Winnow lay curled up in a ball at the creek's edge – unable to watch Cato collect their supplies. She had been more than alright with staying by the tree and Thresh's net, but her lover wouldn't leave her alone. Not for even a minute. Against her protests, he had picked her up and carried her from the treek and back to where they had crossed the river.
Cato brought the pack straight to her and rifled through it. "Is there any medicine in here that would help you?" he asked, pulling out a small silver tin – peering at its label.
"There's only some topical medicines. They won't do much besides close my cuts," Winnow answered.
Cato heaved a sigh. "That's better than nothing." he muttered, opening the tin of medicine and beginning to apply it to Winnow's face. She winced at his lightest touch – making his frown deeper.
He slathered the whole tin on Winnow's myriad of wounds – spreading all the blood around and making her look even more horrific than before. "We'll wash your face off later, once we find shelter." Cato suggested.
Winnow agreed easily – allowing him to help her to her feet. Cato slung the pack over her back and grabbed up their weapons – handing the trident to Winnow. He stabbed his sword down into the ground before – leaving it standing upright in front of him. "Thresh's shelter can't be far." she said.
Cato nodded and crouched before her – motioning for her to climb onto his back. "Cato…" she protested.
"Damnit, Winnow, would you let me do the work just once?" Cato snapped at her, gesturing again for her to climb on. She sighed and slid her trident in the space between their pack and her back, and then wrapped her arms around Cato's neck and legs around his waist.
Once he felt that she was secure on his back, Cato gripped his sword and yanked it from the ground. "What direction?" he asked.
"Through the clearing where we trapped him. It can't be too far from there." Winnow answered.
They hiked through the fields in silence. Winnow rested her chin on Cato's shoulder, trying to stay awake and help Cato find his way. They needed to find Thresh's shelter before sun-down – otherwise they'd be lost in the seemingly endless fields of grain.
After maybe half an hour of wandering, the pair stumbled upon Thresh's shelter – which was nothing more than a waterproof tarp held up over a few sticks. But compared to the place they had been sleeping - it was paradise. There were even blankets spread over the ground in the shelter – which meant a softer surface for Winnow and Cato to sleep on.
For the last many nights, they had slept under the stars and a meager cover of leaves. The thought of something keeping them dry as they slept was oh-so-very welcome. Cato crouched by the entrance to the paltry tent, allowing Winnow to climb down.
Cato helped her keep her balance by resting his hands on her hips as Winnow lifted her trident from her back and lay it on the ground before the tent, and then dropped their supplies pack to the ground as well. With her partner's help, Winnow settled at the mouth of the tent.
Cato knelt before her, rifling through their pack to draw out their canteens. Cato pulled a rag from his pocket and doused it in water. "C'mere," he requested. Reluctantly, Winnow leaned towards him and allowed him to begin wiping the mixture of blood and medicine from her face.
The more Cato cleaned off of his lover's face, the more broken and bruising skin was revealed to him. Winnow cried out at every stroke of the cloth – from both the pain and the cold rag against her hot skin.
Once Winnow's face was clean, Cato applied more medicine – using up the rest of their stores. "I'm going to look for water. Don't move, Winner." he remarked, standing up and grabbing for his sword. "I'll be back soon." Cato added.
Winnow managed to pull her lips into a smile. "Be careful." she said quietly in response.
"Lay down and rest," Cato instructed in return. She nodded, twisting her torso carefully to scoot farther under the tarp.
Winnow lay back on the mess of blankets with a sigh. Cato had been taking good care of her – but there wasn't much that the medicine they had could do. It was weak – it would only heal her wounds on the surface.
And how could she fight at Cato's side if she could barely even walk? Every time Winnow turned around, she seemed to get injured – and force Cato to take care of her. How could he win – how could she win – with as weak a tribute as Winnow was?
Cato returned after a mere five minutes. Winnow could tell he had been successful – for she could hear the water sloshing in their canteens as he crawled under the tarp. "Here, you should drink," he remarked, holding the canteen out to her.
Winnow groaned as she tried to sit up – Cato quickly placed his hand on the small of her back, giving her some much needed support. She took a long draught of the water before handing it back to Cato, and laying down again. "How far is the water?" she asked, smacking her wettened lips.
"Only a few yards. In the morning, I'll help you out there. But for now, you need to eat." Cato answered, screwing the top back onto the canteen and placing it in Winnow's reach. He rifled through their pack for food, drawing out a single packet.
"How much is left?" Winnow asked, accepting a strip of jerky. She bit into the dehydrated meat, grimacing at the soreness of her swollen cheekbone as she tried to chew.
"Just this." Cato admitted soberly – gesturing to the open packet in his hands.
"We'll share it." she decided, even as Cato began to shake his head. "We'll share it," Winnow repeated firmly. "It'll be dinner tonight, and then I can find breakfast tomorrow," she added, only accepting another piece of jerky once Cato had eaten one.
"You can find some?" Cato asked warily. He was torn between wanting her to rest – and knowing how hungry they'd both be in the morning without her skills.
Winnow nodded. "That's why I suggested we come out here to begin with, remember? The first time I came out here, I found an oyster bed in the creek. There's plenty to eat, Cato." she explained as she munched on another stick of jerky.
"We'll feast tomorrow," Cato grinned – earning another pained smile from his lover. "How do you feel?" he asked more gently, reaching out to brush a lock of hair from her shoulder.
Winnow didn't answer for a moment – closing her eyes and assessing. "… tired. I'm so tired, Cato," she murmured, reaching up and rubbing at a blackened eye and wincing.
Cato frowned – shoving another piece of jerky at her. "Eat another piece and I'll let you sleep." he ordered. Winnow didn't usually respond to orders well. Normally, she enjoyed arguing with Cato till they were blue in the face. But she didn't have the energy to argue with him tonight.
So she accepted the jerky and half-heartedly ate it – before laying her head down on the blankets and closing her eyes. Cato reached for his sword, moving it closer to him so he would be able to reach it easily if need be.
Then he lay down beside Winnow – pulling her into his arms carefully – in order to not injure her further. With the tarp shielding them from wind and rain, the blankets beneath separating them from the cold ground – they had no need for a blanket – only each other's warmth.
It was not often that Winnow woke before Cato - at least in their limited time together. She would rarely wake and find him still lying beside her. It wasn't out of a lack of sentimentality, Winnow knew – but more that he was an early-riser that couldn't sit still. At least during the Hunger Games, that is.
Cato looked different sleeping. His face was softer – relaxed – a small smile curling his lips. It was different to his weary eyes and serious expression. Like this, he was safe. They were safe. Winnow didn't want this moment to end.
She nestled a little closer to him – smiling when Cato tightened his arms around her. Winnow closed her eyes again, planning to savor the moment as long as she could.
It was only a few minutes before Cato began to shift and stretch. She could feel the vibration of his chest when he chuckled lowly at finding Winnow's face pressed into his shirt. His hand moved from her waist to supporting the back of her head as he moved back carefully.
Winnow finally opened her eyes to find her lover regarding her solemnly. "Good morning," she greeted softly.
Cato smiled in response, trailing a finger down her cheek. "You look better this morning," he commented.
"Really?" Winnow asked, raising a hand to tentatively touch her face. "It's not quite as tender – except for my cheek," she added.
Cato nodded at her. "You've got a hell of a bruise there, Winnie." he said, gently brushing his thumb over her cheek. Winnow winced, shifting away from the touch. Cato frowned. "I think it could be broken," he remarked.
"I thought I felt something break when he hit me." Winnow offered.
The mere mention of Thresh brought a look of contempt to Cato's face. "If I hadn't already killed him, I would kill him for what he did to you." Cato said through gritted teeth.
"Didn't you?" she asked in response.
Cato shrugged slowly. "For you. And for Clove." he suggested. Winnow smiled softly, cupping the side of his face. She kissed him slowly and deliberately. Cato's whole body relaxed and curved towards her.
They enjoyed kissing for a few minutes – until Cato's stomach rumbled loudly. Winnow broke away and started giggling. The blond grimaced in embarrassment, his cheeks flushing red. "Let's find something to eat," Winnow suggested.
"Sounds good to me," Cato admitted. They climbed out of the tent leisurely and stretched out before picking up their weapons. Cato lead his partner to the water source he had found the night before – it was the same creek they had followed just the day before – it was just distantly upstream.
Cato stood back and watched as his lover walked up and down the small stretch of shore, eyes trained on the rushing water. Winnow pointed her trident at a spot near the middle of the creek. "I think I see an oyster bed there." she remarked.
"Are you sure?" Cato asked in response.
The dark-haired girl shrugged. "No. Not till I dive and look." she admitted.
Cato shook his head. "I don't know, Winnow…" he hesitated.
Winnow sighed, placing a hand on her hip. "You're not an experienced enough swimmer, Cato. How else do you suggest we get to the food?" she questioned.
The blond shrugged. "I could go in with you." Cato suggested.
"I'm not sure you'd be any help," Winnow said honestly – coaxing a sigh from him. "Look, you can jump in and save me if I need you to. But until then, I'd like you to stay out of the water if possible." she offered.
"Why?" Cato asked.
"Because I'm not sure I could heave your fat ass onto the shore right now if you needed help." Winnow deadpanned.
"I'm not fat!" the blond protested – making a smirk rise on the girl's face.
"If you're so sure, make sure I don't have to save your ass." Winnow retorted quickly. She began to undress – placing her clothes at a safe distance from the water. Cato sat on the rocky shore, sword in hand – grumbling about big-mouthed women. "Here," she said, offering her trident to him.
Cato took the deadly weapon and placed it down at his side – sneering at Winnow as she jumped into the creek. For the love of Panem, she looked far too good, far too graceful for her own good. He watched her form dart through the water – saw as she took a deep breath before diving down towards the spot she suspected held oysters.
Winnow surfaced after only a few seconds with a handful of oysters and a huge grin. She swam back towards Cato, dropping a few oysters onto the shore.
"We're going to feast," she said breathlessly, her pale blue eyes especially striking with the clear water around her. Cato couldn't take his eyes off her.
Winnow made two more trips back and forth carrying handfuls of oysters to the shore before climbing out. Dripping wet, she drew a small knife from her pile of clothing.
She plopped down by the pile of oysters and shucked one open. Winnow offered it to Cato; but at the sight of the slimy, raw mess, he hesitated. With a shrug, the dark-haired girl slurped the delicacy down.
"We're not going to cook them?!" Cato exclaimed incredulously. His stomach twisted when Winnow ate another oyster.
She shook her head at him. "We could. But that's a lot of effort." Winnow said lazily. She sighed at the look of disbelief on her lover's face. "Oysters are meant to be eaten raw. And they taste better raw, too. Cooked oysters taste like rubber." She explained, offering an oyster to him.
Cato shook his head stubbornly - despite his rumbling stomach and the sigh he received from his partner.
Winnow stared him down for a long moment before shrugging again. "Suit yourself," she said, cracking open another oyster and sucking it down. Cato watched, nose crinkled. "You know… they say that oysters are an aphrodisiac…" Winnow remarked – looking up towards him from under her eyelashes.
Cato perked up at her words – his interest piqued. He watched her eat another very closely. "Are you sure you don't want to try one…?" Winnow asked, holding out a freshly shucked oyster.
He stared at the morsel in her hand for a long moment before he took it. Cato stared at the oyster in his hand hesitantly for another minute, and then gulped it down. He grimaced at the slimy, salty taste – but the moment it hit his stomach, he was even hungrier.
Cato snatched another oyster and the knife from Winnow's hand – and tried to open it. He struggled – snapping the shell into jagged pieces before downing it. Winnow laughed and took the knife back and started shucking the oysters in preparation for him. Cato was slurping them down faster than she could keep up with.
After downing quite a few, Cato stopped – plopping onto his back and resting a hand on his stomach. "Full now?" Winnow asked and he groaned in agreement. She ate the last three oysters and then lay down beside him.
"I haven't been this full since we were in the Capitol," Cato remarked, putting an arm around her. Winnow hummed in agreement, rubbing his lower belly. He pressed a kiss to her forehead.
"Let's go nap in the tent," Winnow suggested. Cato agreed easily, but neither tribute moved. Getting up from laying in the warm sun was a struggle for them both. But after a few minutes, the two teenagers got up and brought their things to the tent.
Winnow never bothered to get redressed – merely dropping her pile of clothes at the mouth of the tent and moving inside. Cato crawled in after her and lay down beside her. He held his arm out to her and Winnow immediately scooted over and rested her cheek on his chest.
Cato curled his arm around her and folded his other behind him to pillow his head. After a few moments, Winnow raised her head to kiss him. Unlike the other kisses they had shared in the arena, these had some real heat – and Winnow did not pull away.
Cato was surprised – remembering how Winnow had sworn to never sleep with him in front of the cameras. And she had never kissed him like this and have it not lead to sex. "Winnie?" Cato questioned.
"Shhh…" she said, pressing another kiss to his lips. "How much longer do we really have?" she mumbled – Cato could feel his heart sink. "I don't care what they think of me anymore." Winnow breathed.
Cato returned her kisses fervently. After her words, he felt hopeless. Hopeless and in love – reality was closing in. They didn't have much time. He didn't know who would survive. But he did know that they wouldn't be together. And that was a reality Cato wasn't ready to face.
It was as Winnow and Cato redressed after their tryst that a cannon echoed throughout the arena. "I wonder who it was." Cato remarked. He stood outside the tent shirtless and barefoot – stretching out.
"I hope its Fire Bitch." Winnow muttered. She sat at the mouth of the tent, legs folded to her chest. Cato glanced down at her questioningly. "Why should they get to be together?" she questioned bitterly. "They're not really in love. Not like us. We're not on even ground, Cato."
Cato didn't reply, settling beside her. He leaned over to her, kissing her bare shoulder and laying his head on it. Winnow shook her head, resting her cheek atop his head.
As the sun began to set, Cato and Winnow went to the creek to fill their canteens. "What the hell!?" Cato shouted. The creek was dangerously low – only a small stream trickled through the riverbed. The creek that had been at least five feet deep that morning was less than a foot deep now.
Winnow scrambled down into the riverbed carefully and filled up their canteens. "We'll have to ration this. I bet it'll be dry by morning." she remarked, handing the water-filled instruments up to Cato. Winnow climbed back up onto the shore cautiously and accepted a hand up from her partner.
It wasn't until they were walking back to their camp that Cato spoke up. "We'll have to look for water in the morning. They're trying to draw us together." he speculated.
"The finale." Winnow added in a downtrodden tone. Cato took her arm in a comforting gesture and they finished their short walk to their tent. They sat down at the tent's entrance and watched the sun set.
When the Capitol's anthem began to play, the teenagers snapped to attention. After a long, suspenseful moment, the girl from District Five showed up on the sky as the fallen tribute. "It's Katniss and Peeta!" Winnow laughed sourly.
"Winnie." Cato warned.
"We should have known! Of course they would be pitted against us – lovers against lovers!" she ranted – jumping up to pace across their small camp.
"Winnow," Cato said again.
"What?!" Winnow snapped. When he didn't answered, she finally looked at him. Cato sat beside her – toying with his mother's ring. "Cato?" she asked solemnly.
"I'd forgotten about it. Until I was getting dressing this afternoon and it fell out of my pocket." he remarked.
Winnow sat down beside him, leaning her head on his shoulder. Suddenly she wasn't angry anymore. Now she was just tired. Tired and frightened.
Without saying a word, Cato lifted her left hand from her lap and slid the ring onto her finger. Winnow didn't protest – merely looking up at him questioningly. "That's where it belongs now."
A/N: I am absolutely overwhelmed by the response to the last chapter. You guys make me feel so great and even more inspired. The next installment after If I had a Heart is complete and ready - and the first chapter will posted as soon as If I Had a Heart's final chapter is up.
I only hope that you will keep up your response- because, as I said, I feel much more inspired when I know people are reading and enjoying. So please review.
Whether you are reading this a week, a month, or a year after it was posted, please remember that I'm always looking for input on my writing and what you think of my stories. Please review to let me have it - whatever you want to say - go ahead, make my day. Thanks!