Welcome back, everybody! Here's the latest installment of the story! Please review!
Disclaimer: I don't own "The Hunger Games" or "Naruto," they belong to their respective owners.
Winner Takes All
Haymitch had been emotionally drained and exhausted since the start of this year's Games.
He had to send in each sponsor package and ensure that each one came in with a note.
When Katniss was struggling with her burn, he delivered the ointment.
When Naruto needed a weapon, he delivered the throwing knives.
He spoke with Seneca Crane on why both tributes should be given a chance to go home together. Funny enough, Crane was already thinking about the idea before Haymitch brought it before him.
Afterward, the rule change was implemented and everyone in the Capitol held their breath at the chance that the lovers from District Twelve may have a chance to win together.
Now, he was just watching as the kids he helped shared their first kiss.
"Who would've thought people could find love in the Hunger Games," he joked mentally while taking a swig from his flask of alcohol.
Seeing them fight for their lives each time made Haymitch clench the leather chair he was in. Each time Katniss or Naruto could potentially lose their lives, he gritted his teeth.
He had come to care for these two kids more than he would like to admit.
It also shocked him when Naruto saved Katniss early in the Games, especially since she was giving him the cold shoulder before they entered the arena.
These kids had come so far and now they had a chance to go home.
"This is proving to be an interesting Hunger Games, don't you agree Claudius?" asked Caesar.
"Most definitely," Claudius Templesmith nodded, "The two star-crossed lovers from District Twelve keep surprising us all."
They zoomed in on the image of both tributes sharing an intimate kiss.
"Well, things certainly got spicy in here," Caesar joked while fanning his shirt.
Haymitch just kept his eyes locked on the screen in front of him. He wanted these kids to win… he NEEDED them to win.
With Naruto & Katniss
After having a make-out session that was full of passion, Naruto felt that all of his feelings that had gone unsaid were finally conveyed.
As for Katniss, she was in her world as well. She initiated the kiss because her feelings had finally boiled over for the blonde.
His kindness, ability to make her feel safe and the fact he had stuck with her through so much made her begin forming feelings for him.
Falling back asleep, both tributes fell asleep in one another's arms.
In the morning, things were surprisingly not awkward for the duo. They laughed, joked, and shared a quick kiss now and then. It felt nice to be able to convey their feelings for once.
However, in the back of her mind, Katniss did feel slightly guilty. Some part of her heart wished for Gale while another yearned for Naruto. Pushing those thoughts to the back of her mind, she decided to spend the best of her time while she could.
Making their way to the freshwater stream not too far, they both washed up, refilled their containers, and drank as much as they could without feeling bloated.
"I guess we should make our way to the feast," spoke Naruto while holstering his backpack on his shoulders.
Katniss nodded.
With their agreement, both tributes made their way back to the Cornucopia. As they came into the clearing, they saw a large table in the middle of the field which contained different bags.
Each bag was marked for a certain District, signifying that everybody got something. Oddly enough, however, there was only one bag for each District left in the game.
What could be so worthy as to fit in one bag for her and Naruto?
They both realized that the Games were coming to an end soon as only tributes from Districts remained. They had a shot at actually winning this.
Just as they were planning their route to get in and out, both tributes from District Twelve noticed a red-haired girl run in and take her bag.
"That's Fox-Face…" spoke Katniss aloud.
Naruto snorted, "That's a cute name. I like it."
Katniss blushed at his comment. They were both much more lovey-dovey with one another after last night.
The girl, now nicknamed "Fox-Face," ran out and into the woods with her bag. It was now their turn to do the same.
"You run for the bag," Katniss said to Naruto, "You're faster and have better stamina than me. I'll keep a lookout with my bow back here and cover you."
Thinking it was a solid plan, Naruto took a deep breath before he sprinted to the table. Katniss then drew an arrow and had it at the ready just in case she needed it.
"In and out… in and out… in and out…" thought the blonde as he ran towards their pack. He didn't need to fight any other tributes while out in the open, it wouldn't be smart for him.
Grabbing his bag quickly, Naruto did a 180 turn around and began sprinting back to Katniss. As he did, he noticed a crouching Clove off to the side. She was preparing to throw a knife at Katniss's unprotected side.
Knowing a shout would be too late to warn Katniss, Naruto acted on instinct.
As he ran back to Katniss, he locked his eyes on Clove's form and reached into his pouch of weapons.
Clove let loose her blade with a sinister smile, aiming for Katniss's throat.
Naruto let loose his as well.
CLANG
Just as Katniss was skilled with a bow, so was Naruto with his throwing knives. He had just made both blades clash in mid-air while he was sprinting at the same time.
He also needed to predict the trajectory, speed, and aim of his throw to make it perfect. And perfect it was.
Being startled by the clanging of steel, Katniss turned to see an angry Clove now charging her with murderous intent. She didn't expect Naruto to intercept her projectile like that.
Raising her bow, she let loose an arrow that Clove dived under to avoid. She got back up and continued her sprint.
Just as he was approaching Katniss to go and help her with the fight she was about to be in, Naruto heard footsteps coming out of the woods to his left.
Looking in that direction, he spotted a bruised Cato charging at him. The boy also had dried blood down his nose.
With an "oof," both boys were now sprawled on the ground as Cato had tackled the Golden Boy.
It would have to be a one versus one for now.
Naruto rolled over and began wrestling with the boy from District Two. Both were trying to get an upper hand on the other.
Neither noticed Thresh grabbing his own District's bag in the background, along with District's Two pack.
Pinning Cato onto his back, Naruto had one hand push Cato's left hand into the dirt under them.
As for his right hand, Cato reached behind his pants and pulled out his trusty machete. He had learned to make his weapon much more accessible.
Cato went to slice Naruto in the side, but Naruto managed to grab Cato's wrist just in time.
If he let up, he would be killed.
"I-I'm… going… to kill… you!" strangled out Cato while exerting as much effort as he could into bringing his blade into Naruto's torso.
Naruto didn't respond as he was too focused on keeping Cato's strength at bay.
Katniss was also having difficulties at the moment. She had been trying to fight Clove in close-quarters combat but it wasn't going well.
The girls scrapped, punched, kicked, and jabbed, but neither were willing to give in.
Eventually, it was Clove who pinned Katniss with both of her hands under Clove's knees.
It was the exact opposite scenario that Cato was in.
Pulling out a small dagger from her waist, Clove taunted Katniss.
"Look at this here," she spoke while waving the dagger around Katniss's eyes.
Katniss merely grunted and struggled, trying to get free.
"Oh, I'm going to take my time with you," she began, "Just like we did to that little girl. What was her name again, Rue?" she mockingly said.
"Don't say her name!" spat out Katniss.
Clove's smile grew bigger, "Don't worry, you'll be joining her soon. I'll cut you up just like we did to her!"
Before Clove could plunge her dagger into Katniss, Thresh from District Eleven pulled her back and grabbed her by her neck.
This action startled Katniss who scooted back, not hearing Thresh approaching at all.
"What did you say about Rue? HUH!" he shouted at her face, "You're the ones that killed her?! ARE YOU?!"
"NO!" shrieked Clove in fear, "We didn't do anything to her!"
"LIES!" Thresh spat out in anger.
Realizing she may die soon, Clove screamed out in fear for her life. She reached out to her only lifeline in the game, her tribute partner.
"Cato! CATO!" she cried out while Thresh held her by the neck.
Cato heard his partner's screams and dropped the machete instantly. This confused Naruto who was then pushed off of Cato with a sudden burst of monstrous strength.
Not caring for the girl's life any longer, Thresh snapped her neck. He dropped her body like a sack of potatoes. A cannon sounded which meant she was now dead.
Thresh then looked at Katniss, "I had a sponsor tell me you and that Naruto guy helped Rue in her final moments," he said while locking eyes with the girl on fire.
Katniss nodded.
"Good," Thresh said as he turned to run, "Then we'll call it even here. I could have attacked your friend from behind but didn't. Now I saved your life. No more freebies from here on out."
Thresh then started sprinting into the woods, taking his bag as well as District Two's pack.
Katniss then got up and sprinted to Naruto, wanting to make sure he was okay as well.
Ironically, for the first time in the entire Games, Cato didn't attack Katniss while he ran past her. He needed to check on Clove.
Finding her dead body, Cato began to sob silently. He picked her up gently and held her close while he cried.
Perhaps there was more between the Career Tributes than Katniss had thought.
Katniss barreled her way into Naruto's open arms, both narrowly surviving once again.
"C'mon, let's go," Naruto said as he led Katniss away from the Cornucopia, "It's not safe here."
She nodded as they ran away with their District's bag in Naruto's grip. They didn't stop running for minutes on end.
Once they were deep enough in the forest, Naruto shouted at himself.
"Fuck… FUCK!" he screamed while punching a nearby tree.
Katniss was wondering what was wrong.
"I had him Katniss…. I had the bastard…" he began. "…when he was running away, I could have lodged a knife into his back and called it there…."
He then looked down, "…but I just couldn't do it… I couldn't let him die before he said his final goodbyes to his dead teammate. I know it's stupid of me to let him get any closure for what he's done…but I imagined myself in his position and hesitated…"
Katniss walked over to Naruto and gently grabbed his face, "It's okay. I understand."
Naruto stared deep into Katniss's gray eyes with appreciation.
"You're not a monster, Naruto. And these Games are going to make you into one."
With that said, she planted a deep kiss on the blonde's lips, which he reciprocated feverishly.
Naruto would be lying if he said he didn't like having his lips on Katniss's. This was the first time he had ever gotten affectionate with somebody else and it was exhilarating.
Calming down from his rant, Naruto held Katniss close. As for the girl on fire, she allowed herself to be pulled into the hug and closed her eyes in comfort. Both fighters loved being in the other's presence.
Suddenly, both felt the droplets of water begin to land on their heads. They looked up to see that rain clouds were starting to form in the sky.
"Here," Katniss said in a soft tone, "Let's go back to the cave we were at before. It'll give us protection from getting wet."
Naruto agreed and walked alongside Katniss as they made their way to the cave.
Soon enough, they arrived at their shelter from the night before and began to unpack.
"Let's see what we got from the feast," spoke Naruto while opening the pack and kneeling.
While Naruto did this, Katniss stood in the back and undid her ponytail. She slowly wrung out the rain from her hair and braided it back into her signature ponytail.
Zipping it open, Naruto pulled open both sides of the backpack to reveal something interesting.
"It's more arrows," Naruto said, "It looks to be around ten."
Walking over to take a look, Katniss leaned over Naruto's shoulder and saw that he was right. There in the bag were ten steel arrows in perfect condition.
Grabbing them gently, she placed them into her quiver and added to what she had. This was good for her, she had been running low on arrows so this was amazing.
"Oh, there's one more thing," Naruto said while searching another pocket.
Searching through its contents, a smile broke out on his face, "No way!"
Standing up and turning around, Naruto showed Katniss what he had in his hands. He had just received two trench blades with sheaths. They could easily snap onto his belt.
The blades were dark in color and had a hole for each of his fingers on both handles. The steel was thick and could easily puncture through the skin. It was straight-edged on one side and flat on the other.
Spinning them around in his hand with one finger, Naruto gleamed with excitement. He didn't know how the Gamemakers found out he was proficient with hand-held blades, but he wasn't complaining.
Katniss chuckled at seeing Naruto play around with a deadly weapon like it was a toy. It was kind of cute if she was being honest.
Placing each trench blade onto his sides, Naruto was fully equipped for any fight now. He had his remaining throwing knives, two trench blades, and a bag of magnesium powder if he needed to make a fire bomb.
Things were looking up for them both.
Just as Naruto was about to explain some reasons for his excitement, they heard a familiar "ding" in the air.
Going outside to grab whatever sponsor package had arrived, Katniss stepped out of the cave momentarily. Seeing the small package land a few feet away in a tree, she easily grabbed it and opened it.
She read the card while she was walking back into the cave.
"You both act like a married couple. But here's something you'll both need – H."
She laughed at the card and looked inside the package to realize it was a basket of food. This was perfect for them as they had been struggling with finding food lately and had been mainly surviving off of the freshwater stream nearby.
Inside the basket were fresh apples, oranges, nuts, ration bars, and bananas. There were also dry strips of cooked meat.
Setting the food down gently, both tributes began eating and chatting. They laughed, talked, and got to know one another better.
It was a pleasant time for both of them.
Katniss then decided to ask a genuine question, "Naruto…" she began.
"Hmph?" he asked with a mouth full of orange.
She giggled at the sight. After getting her laugh under control, she continued, "When did you first begin taking an interest in… well me."
Swallowing the food, he answered, "Oh that's easy, it was when I saw you walking around District Twelve for the first time. I was young back then, but I thought you were the prettiest girl with your dark brown hair and gray eyes."
She blushed at his genuine answer.
Nonetheless, he continued, "I also remember when you sang for the class when we were little. It was a short tune, but I thought you had the most beautiful singing voice out of anybody ever."
Katniss was stunned at the detailed answer, "Really?"
He nodded, "Really."
This made her heart skip a beat as this confirmed for her that Naruto's feelings were genuine. He may have played it up for the cameras sure, but deep down inside he liked her romantically.
"You're also free-spirited and quick-witted," he admitted, "I have to admit, those traits attracted me to you as well."
She joked, "So I'm quick-witted? Not beautiful, amazing, glorious, or stunning?" she asked with raised eyebrows.
He answered back, "That's obvious, you're already all of those things."
Feeling a blush crawl on her cheeks, Katniss smiled at the kind words.
Time passed by.
"Now do me!" Naruto said like a school child, "Tell me what I have!"
Katniss giggled but answered his question, "Well… you're kind of clumsy, scatterbrained, and dense."
This made Naruto deflate visibly, obviously hurting his ego.
Katniss giggled once more at his reaction, "… but you're also kind, strong, and protective. You provide me comfort and warmth that I haven't felt in a long time…"
Now this answer made Naruto blush, not expecting such a deep response.
Letting the kind words ring in the air, both tributes shared another kiss.
A cannon rang out in the sky. Getting startled, both lovers looked outside their cave to see a surprising sight.
"...no way!" whispered Naruto in shock.
There, in the air, was Thresh's picture. Cato had gotten to the man for killing his tribute partner.
"How did he manage to pull that off?" questioned Katniss while holding Naruto close, "Thresh was bigger than Cato and had both of their bags as supplies."
Naruto shook his head, "I don't know… but we need to keep an eye out. My gut is telling me that Cato is slowly getting unhinged."
With that being said, both stayed in the cave for the night as their bellies were full.
However, before they went to sleep this time, Naruto placed his barbed wire around the entrance to the cave. If anybody tried hurting them in the middle of the night, they would be in for a rude surprise.
Getting into Katniss's sleeping bag, both tributes gave a final peck before going to bed.
In the morning, they would find a trail of blood leading out of the cave. It was Naruto who awoke first once again.
"Hey Kat… wake up…" he shook her awake.
"Hmm?" questioned Katniss with tired eyes.
Seeing what he was pointing at, Katniss widened her eyes. Somebody had tried breaking into their shelter last night only to be pricked by the barbed wire.
Judging from the amount of dried blood trailing away, they must have cut themselves quite well on the wire.
The fact that it was dried already let them both know the culprit had been long gone.
Getting up and cutting down the wire with his trench blade so they wouldn't run into it, Katniss and Naruto got ready for the day.
Before they left, Katniss spoke up.
"Wait a minute… Kat?" she asked with a smirk.
"I give everybody close to me a nickname. It's kind of my thing," Naruto gloated with a puffed-out chest.
Giggling at his antics, the two set out of the cave. They went to the nearby stream only to make a startling realization.
"The stream is… dry?" asked Naruto in amazement.
"The Gamemakers probably want to herd us closer to one another….we'll have to find another water source."
"Yeah… you're probably right. Let's get out there and see what we can find."
They were fine on food for once, but now they needed water. They had a few bottles left, but that was it.
As they traveled through the forest, another cannon shot was heard. This time, it was the red-haired girl's image in the sky.
"Fox-face…" thought Katniss in sadness. The girl didn't hurt anybody, she was just trying to survive like everyone else.
After pausing for a few moments, Naruto spoke up, "Let's keep moving. It looks like it's just us and Cato now."
Walking deeper into the forest, both began to search for water.
However, it was a bust after bust. Every pond, stream, and puddle was devoid of any water. The Gamemakers wanted to herd them all together.
"Let's go to the lake by the Cornucopia," spoke Katniss, feeling tired of searching for water only to come up at dead ends.
Walking towards the Cornucopia, both tributes kept an eye on the time of day. It was reaching evening as they had spent the majority of the day searching for a water source. Time was running out before they needed to sleep once more.
As they walked to the Cornucopia, they heard the strangest noises. A primal growling, almost like that of a dog, was heard far behind them.
Turning around, they laid their eyes on a disgusting mutation. A mutt had been let loose on them and it was hungry.
"RUN!" shouted Katniss, with Naruto running alongside her.
They sprinted and sprinted while the mutt chased them down. They could hear it howling and other howls reaching back, meaning there was more than one mutt.
Breaking into the clearing of the Cornucopia, Naruto shouted, "Quick, let's get to the top!"
In agreement, they began sprinting to the metal structure in the middle of the flat field.
Katniss would occasionally turn around and shoot an arrow, killing or wounding a mutt.
Naruto would do the same by using his throwing knives. Each knife embedded itself in a mutt and dropped them dead.
Putting one foot in front of the other, both tributes made it to the metal structure. By the time they reached it, Katniss was only left with two arrows and Naruto had run out of his knives.
After helping Katniss up, Naruto used his arms to lift him onto the structure by himself. They both hugged in relief and stared down at the mutt that had chased them.
"The eyes…" thought Naruto while looking at the mutation barking at them, "...where have I seen those eyes?…"
Then it hit him. The mutt had blonde fur and green eyes. He had seen those green eyes before…when he stood over Glimmer's dead body.
"Oh fuck," Naruto choked out in disgust while trying not to gag.
"What is it?" Katniss asked in concern.
"Those aren't animal eyes… they look like the eyes of Glimmer… and I don't know what to think about it…"
These mutts could just be bred to represent fallen tributes, they could be the corpses of tributes just repurposed, he didn't know. And he didn't want to know.
Before they could continue their conversation, Naruto felt a shove and flew forward.
"NO!" Katniss shrieked as she tried to hold her hand out to catch his leg, but it was too late.
Before she could check on the blonde, Katniss was then yanked back by her jacket. Standing on top of her was a beaten and battered Cato. His wounds from Naruto were reopened and he had a few new ones. Probably as a result of fighting Thresh.
Her bow rattled as it flew onto a nearby ledge, being just out of reach.
"Oh man… you almost won.." Cato gloated as he pulled out his machete. He had retrieved it from where he dropped it after fighting Naruto the day before.
"YOU BASTARD!" Katniss screamed out, "NARUTO LET YOU HAVE CLOSURE WITH CLOVE AND YOU KILLED HIM!"
Cato gave out a choked laugh, "Who cares? We're all pawns anyway!"
He then gestured around with his machete and bloody smile. "Isn't that right? We don't mean anything at the end of the day, right? RIGHT?!" he yelled.
Nobody responded to Cato's taunts.
The death of Clove had changed the young man permanently.
"You know," Cato began as he walked over to Katniss with his machete, "I volunteered for this shit, just like you and lover boy. The only difference is that I was tricked into believing this was glorious… I was meant to bring honor to my District…"
He then raised his machete high into the air, "Now I know… IT'S ALL CRAP!"
Before he could swing his blade, Cato was tackled to the side. The sudden force caused him to drop his machete once more.
It was Naruto who had saved her life once more, looking just fine.
"How?!" thought Katniss in surprise, she thought Naruto had fallen to his death.
She didn't realize that a cannon never sounded
As for Naruto, he was breathing heavily and feeling happy that he was lucky.
When he was pushed, Naruto managed to survive by grabbing his trench knives and digging them deep into the Cornucopia. His quick instincts left him doing a handstand with only the trench blades to hold up his weight.
The mutts that were snapping their jaws at him were only inches away from his face.
After calming his beating heart, he heard Katniss yelling from above. He assumed Cato had been hiding atop the Cornucopia before they arrived.
Once he had stopped his fall, he slowly adjusted his body to climb back up the Cornucopia with his trench blades. Step by step, he made his way back up slowly.
It was sickening for Naruto as he had to worry about not slipping but also being quick enough to help Katniss. After a few seconds of doing this, he had finally been raised high enough to leverage his leg on a nearby ledge.
Once he had that down, he placed each trench knife back into his waist within their sheaths.
Now being right side up, he climbed over the edge of the Cornucopia only to see Cato about to strike down Katniss. That was when he tackled the boy from District Two.
Over and over again, Cato and Naruto fought throughout the Games. However, this time, it would be the last.
Pushing Naruto off of him, Cato stood back up.
"Oh not this time lover boy," Cato mocked as he pulled out two weapons, "I learned my lesson last time. I'm not just using one weapon anymore…"
Cato held a short sword in his left hand while he held a metal scythe in another. It was clear to see that he stole it off of Thresh's body.
Not responding, Naruto pulled out his trench blades and held them tight.
"Ohh… you have some toys too…" Cato smirked. Naruto noticed he was missing a tooth.
Taking this time to try and make herself useful, Katniss slowly edged herself backward so she could try and retrieve her bow from the nearby ledge. She just hoped Naruto could last long enough until she could help.
"I need to be extremely careful…" Naruto noted, "...one good stab and I'm done...He's lost his mind…"
Giving a battle cry, Cato rushed forward with both weapons in tow. A clash of steel on steel occurred, both men fighting for their lives.
Naruto held off Cato's scythe with one trench blade and aimed to slash at Cato's side with the other trench blade. He wanted to end this fight before it could get started.
CLANG
"Fuck!" Naruto mentally shouted, realizing that Cato was wearing some kind of armor underneath his clothes.
This cost him a shallow cut along his stomach as Cato slashed with his short sword. He was disappointed that he could only land a cut on the blonde, but he did have sharp instincts.
"Surprised?" smiled Cato, "Chain mail works wonders."
Taking a step back, Naruto winced slightly at the cut.
Cato then swung his scythe forward and it caught into the back of Naruto's left shoulder.
The pain was immense, but Naruto knew he needed to act if he didn't want Cato ripping the scythe through him.
With a quick slash, he cut through Cato's right bicep in half. Cato screamed in agony and dropped the scythe.
Both boys went back to aiming for the other's life.
While the fighting was taking place behind her, Katniss tried to reach for her bow. After a few failed attempts and close calls at slipping off the Cornucopia, she eventually reached it.
Grabbing it quickly, she loaded up an arrow into the drawstring.
Without hesitating, she shot an arrow into the back of Cato's knee.
"Ugh!" Cato shouted in surprise, feeling a sharp pain in the back of his knee.
The pain was so great that it managed to make him fall on one knee mid-battle.
Acting off battle instinct from their fight, Naruto took advantage of the opening provided by Katniss.
He slit Cato's throat.
Cato's widened at the fact that he was slowly dying. He could only clutch his throat with his left hand as his right was useless due to his bicep being sliced apart.
He could only stare up at Naruto's eyes, realizing he had been beaten. Blood was pulling around him at a fast rate.
BOOM
Hearing the cannon sound was music to Katniss's ears. The Games were finally over, they could leave this arena.
Rushing the blonde, Katniss hugged him tight and sobbed silently. They could go home together now.
When they were done hugging, Naruto looked down at Cato's body. Despite him being an enemy and nearly taking his life, he was also a victim of the Capitol.
In a way, he felt that Cato had it horrible. Being bred and raised into believing the Hunger Games was some kind of honor only to find the ugly truth moments before death must have broken Cato.
Cato was just another victim of the Capitol's torture.
"Here, Kat," Naruto spoke gently as he pried the scythe out of his body. Grunting in pain, he dropped the weapon onto the Cornucopia with a metal rattle.
His shoulder was leaking blood, but the cut wasn't deep enough to hit anything vital. He would be found once they were escorted out of the arena.
The barking of the mutts below them garnered their attention.
"We should probably do something about them…" Katniss said.
Nodding his head, a plan was devised in his head. Grabbing Cato's fallen backpack, he emptied any contents inside. Once that was over, he grabbed his bag of magnesium powder and dumped the entire thing inside.
Throwing the bag to the mutts, the dogs sniffed it at first before ignoring it altogether.
Now that it was in the center of the mutations, Naruto grabbed a trench knife and cut off a piece of his shirt. Grabbing the strip of cloth, he asked Katniss for an arrow.
She obliged and gave him her last remaining arrow. After fastening the clothes around the tip of the arrow, Naruto tightened it.
Grabbing his fire starter kit, he lit the piece of cloth hanging off the arrow's tip.
Holding the arrow by the center, he looked back at Katniss.
"Want to do the honors?" he asked.
Katniss, realizing what he was trying to do, nodded. She carefully grabbed the arrow and loaded it into her drawstring.
Aiming Cato's fallen backpack, she let the arrow fly loose. As usual, it hit the target.
The tip of the arrow speared through the bag and hit the powder within. The lit cloth then hit the powder which caused a miniature explosion.
While the blast was not great enough to harm Katniss or Naruto, it did manage to kill or maim the nearby mutts.
"That's from Rue…" Naruto whispered. He clenched the fire starter kit in his hand, reminding himself of the young girl.
Once the mutts were dead and Cato was gone, both tributes awaited their escort out of the arena.
Instead, they got another announcement, "Attention remaining tributes," it spoke.
Both fighters listened attentively.
"There has been a… change. No longer will two tributes from the same District be allowed to win. Only one Victor will be crowned."
With that being said, the announcer went quiet.
The color from Katniss's face went away, leaving behind a pale face. She turned to see Naruto's reaction and saw him staring at the sky with his eyes closed.
Opening them to face Katniss, Naruto spoke, "You know I'm not letting you die here, right?"
This made Katniss break down, "No, you are NOT doing this right now! We're leaving together!"
Naruto gave a hollow chuckle, "You heard them Kat, we both can't win anymore. It's better if you survive. You have a family and loved ones. Besides, I'm already injured, I won't be able to continue much longer without medical attention anyway."
She shook her head violently, "No, you've saved my life too many times for me to stand by and allow you to throw yours away willingly."
Naruto didn't answer her but instead pulled her into a hug. He kissed the top of her head and held her tight.
"I'm glad I met you…" he whispered into her ear, "...I'm glad I was able to fall in love before I died…"
Katniss sobbed even louder into his chest.
There they stood, atop a Cornucopia, holding each other until the end.
Eventually, Naruto separated himself gently.
Hearing the soft click of a sheath being opened, she saw Naruto grab a trench knife and place it on his neck. He planned to stab himself through the side of his throat and get it over with quickly.
"NO!" she shouted in defiance, grabbing the other trench knife off his waist. She then also placed it by her neck, "If you do it, I do it. They don't get their Victor this year."
Naruto widened his eyes at seeing this girl who he barely knew before this fiasco lay her life down for his.
"...What if there was no victor?..." Rue's words rang out in Naruto's head.
Staring into each other's eyes, they came to a realization. Neither could live without the other around.
"Okay," Naruto said softly, "On three."
Katniss agreed, "On three."
"…One…"
Their grips tightened on the blades.
"...Two…"
Both raised their blades to their throats.
"...Th-"
"ENOUGH! WAIT, WAIT!" spoke a frantic voice throughout the arena.
Naruto and Katniss stopped their advance.
Clearing their throat, the announcer spoke one more, "Ladies and gentlemen… I present to you the winners of the 74th Annual Hunger Games."
Before either tribute could say anything, a hovercraft landed and dropped a crane. It slowly snatched up Cato's dead body before lifting both tributes in as well. The crane slowly retracted.
Soon, they arrived in a bright, white room of the hovercraft. The light was so overbearing that both tributes had to squint at first.
Gently pulling the blade out of Katniss's hands, Naruto clicked both into their sheaths.
"What now?" Katniss whispered to Naruto, not knowing what to do or where to go.
"I'm not….sure… I-" Naruto then collapsed after slurring his speech slightly. His blood loss had finally caught up to him.
Looking down at his shirt, she saw a leak of blood coming from the cut he sustained against Cato. The wound on his back was also bleeding profusely.
The blood-soaked shirt stained her hands.
"Naruto!" Katniss screamed out, trying to hold up his body.
Suddenly, many Capitol officials walked into the room. They grabbed Katniss and sedated her while dragging away Naruto's unconscious body.
"No! Get off of me!" Katniss yelled, "Let go!"
They were taking away Naruto to who knows where.
"Ms. Everdeen," began an official, "We are doctors. Do not fret, your fellow tribute will be alright."
"Bullshit!" Katniss screamed out, not trusting these people at all.
"Give her another does, this time higher," said the official, completely ignoring her outburst.
Sedating her once again, Katniss felt drowsy as they dragged her away as well. The final visions she had were of Naruto's slumped form being taken down the hall.
"No… let him go…" she mentally said, feeling the effects of the drugs on her.
Finally, she let darkness claim her and closed her eyes.
Many Hours Later
Katniss awoke feeling tired, and exhausted… but healthy. She could confidently say this was the first time she felt healthy in a while.
Looking down at her foot, the burn that was once there was little more than a slight discoloration. Soon, even that would disappear. The medicine of the Capitol was truly otherworldly.
Turning her head over, she realized an IV bag was hooked up to her arm. It had been pumping fluids for who knows how long into her drained body.
She was clean, could move around fine, and felt fresh.
Just then, the Avox she met earlier while in the train car walked into the room.
The Avox brought Katniss a tray full of food that made her stomach rumble. It looked delicious, especially since she hadn't had a filling meal in a long time.
Before she could focus on food, however, she needed to ask a few questions.
"Where's Naruto?" she frantically asked, "Did he make it?"
The Avox nodded, indicating he was fine.
This gave Katniss the relief of the world… he would live. He would live.
Thanking the Avox, she then walked out of the room.
While eating the food, Katniss savored the flavor. It was amazing to finally eat something solid after so long.
Soon, an official walked into her medical room.
"Greetings, Ms. Everdeen," said a Panem official.
Katniss didn't respond.
"Please dress yourself when ready. Your team is waiting in the hall outside."
Then, just like they were never there, they walked out.
Putting the dinner tray aside, Katniss quickly dressed herself in the outfit provided. It was similar to what they wore when first entering the arena.
Finally dressed and ready to go, she opened the door into the hallway and saw her team.
Seeing Cinna, Haymitch, and even Effie brought a huge smile to the Girl on Fire's face. She was finally among people she could trust.
Crashing into them, she gave them all a group hug.
"Woah," Haymitch said while patting the girl on the back, "Didn't know we were missed that much,"
Katniss laughed in the group hug, happy to see them again. She held back tears of joy.
Cinna then spoke, "Congratulations Katniss. You and Naruto both managed to make it back, I couldn't be any prouder."
Katniss held back the tears that nearly came to her eyes, "Thank you, Cinna."
"Oh, darling!" said Effie while squeezing Katniss tightly, "You did it! I'm so happy!"
Even Effie wasn't spared from Katniss's group hug.
After collecting herself, Katniss leaned back and asked a question.
"What happens now?"
Cinna answered, "Now, we prep you for the closing ceremony. We have to get you dressed to be on stage again."
She nodded, "And Naruto? Where's he at?"
"Calm down sweetheart," Haymitch said with a chuckle, "You'll see him at the closing ceremony. He's getting prepped as we speak."
Cinna nodded, "He's with Portia right now getting dressed. He woke up not too long ago, we just saw him before coming to you."
"Good…." Katniss whispered, happy he was doing fine.
With no more questions left, the group arranged Katniss's appearance.
The group of four then entered a room that would house Katniss's new dress. Cinna quickly got to work on making Katniss look presentable.
Emerging from the changing room, Effie spoke up, "You outdid yourself with this one, Cinna!"
Haymitch nodded in agreement.
Standing there, Katniss looked into the mirror. Merely hours ago she was fighting in dirt, grass, and mud, and now she was standing here looking squeaky clean.
The dress Cinna picked for her was a soft tan color and sparkled with silver glitter. As per Cinna's request, she let her hair down and flowed around her shoulders.
The bottom puffed out as well, concealing her legs.
The outfit did what was intended for Cinna, it made Katniss look innocent and pure. That was exactly the look he was going for.
"Well now that we have your outfit," Cinna spoke while looking Katniss up and down, "Let's get ready to be on stage. You'll be on in an hour."
Before they left, he stuck her signature Mockingjay pin along her shoulder, "Was able to snag this from your outfit before they changed you."
Nodding her head in thanks, Katniss followed her team.
The group walked and walked until they finally came across a door that led backstage. Stopping briefly, Cinna spoke.
"Go out there and do your best. Show off your feminine side, be girly."
He then tapped her shoulder in comfort and walked off to find his seat in the audience alongside Effie.
"Give me a hug before I go back to my seat," Haymitch said with open arms.
Feeling confused but not seeing the harm in it, Katniss hugged her mentor.
Haymitch then spoke in a low voice, "Snow is after you. He thinks the stunt you pulled with Naruto wasn't made out of love, but a rebellion against the Capitol. Be careful on stage, show them your love."
Katniss widened her eyes at this revelation.
"Chalk up any thoughts of a rebellion to your love for Naruto. The last thing we want is Snow coming after you or anyone in your family."
He squeezed a little tighter, "Some bought your act of love, others thought it was to embarrass the Capitol. Leave them with no questions about it after today."
Being warned, Katniss nodded seriously. She would need to tread carefully if Snow was now going after her.
Cinna's advice was now making sense.
Giving one last squeeze of confidence, Haymitch walked away.
Taking in a deep breath herself, Katniss pushed past the double doors into the backstage area. As she walked in, an official placed her where she would be waiting.
She wouldn't wait for long.
"Now please welcome the Girl on Fire and the Golden Boy of District Twelve!" Caesar shouted into his microphone, "Katniss Everdeen and Naruto Uzumaki!"
Walking on stage, Katniss noticed Naruto walking in from the opposite entrance.
There he stood, smiling and waving to the crowd. He looked perfectly healthy and was dressed in a blue suit with a black undershirt. He looked incredibly handsome.
Without thinking about it, Katniss rushed at Naruto and flung herself into his arms.
Naruto, feeling just as overjoyed at seeing Katniss, spun her around in celebration of being reunited.
"Would you look at that folks!" Caesar said, "I'm starting to feel like a third wheel, and this is my show!"
The crowd laughed at the host's joke.
Setting her down gently, Naruto looked into Katniss's eyes.
"You look gorgeous," he whispered with kind eyes.
"You don't look too bad either," she joked.
He laughed and held her hand. Together, they walked over to the seats they were meant to take. They stayed holding hands, giving off the image they were truly in love.
"Nice to see you again Caesar," spoke Naruto while they sat down.
"Likewise!" Caesar laughed, "If I'm being honest anyway, you two were my favorites to interview!"
Katniss and Naruto both just gave a fake laugh, trying to feed into Caesar's energy.
The closing ceremony then went underway.
"So, Naruto," Caesar began, "How did it feel when Katniss laid her lips on you for the first time in the arena?"
Naruto blushed while holding Katniss's hand. He looked over at her and squeezed it.
"Well Caesar," Naruto started, "It felt like I had won the Hunger Games then and there."
The crowd laughed while some whistled.
"But seriously, I felt like I had been completed. Like I found my other half in that moment."
Katniss blushed heavily at hearing this, not realizing the true extent of Naruto's feelings. The more he spoke about her, the more she fell for him.
"And you, Katniss," said Caesar, shifting his attention over to her, "What made you make the first move?"
Remembering Haymitch's advice, she answered, "I couldn't stop myself any longer Caesar. I thought it was the perfect moment to show my love."
"And show your love you did!" Caesar then gestured to the screen behind him, which played multiple moments of both tributes sharing a kiss.
"Now," Caesar said while holding up a finger, "We do have some highlights here tonight, who wants to see them!"
The audience clapped louder, obviously in favor of seeing them.
"Ahahah! Let's play them then!"
Caesar, Naruto, and Katniss all turned their heads around to see the screen.
It flashed from Naruto saving Katniss the first time when she had stumbled into a ditch.
It flashed to when Katniss and Naruto fought off Cato and Clove.
It flashed showing Naruto throwing his blade, intercepting Clove's in mid-air.
"What remarkable aim!" Caesar said when the event popped up on the screen.
It flashed to Naruto doing his handstand back up the Cornucopia to help his partner.
Finally, it flashed to them embracing at the end of the Games and holding each other tight.
"Well, that was truly a spectacle to watch," Caesar said, "You both went through so much in the arena."
"We did," Naruto said softly, "But I knew as long as Katniss was there with me, we could overcome anything."
"And you both did!" Caesar cheered. "Speaking of…" Caesar got deadly serious.
"Why would you risk taking your own life alongside Naruto, Katniss?"
This was a critical moment in Katniss's mind. She could frame this moment as an act of rebellion or true love. She needed to play her cards right.
To make the most of this answer, she took her eyes off of Caesar and only looked into Naruto's blue ones.
She then spoke, "I knew that if Naruto was gone, I wouldn't have anything else to live for. He's my other half… and I couldn't survive in this world without him."
Naruto, feeling touched, raised Katniss's hand up to his lips and gave it a soft kiss.
Multiple chants in support of the couple came from the audience.
"I can feel the love radiating off of you two!" Caesar said with a grin, "It almost makes me jealous!"
Both tributes chuckled at this.
Standing up, Caesar announced, "Give it up to this year's 74th Annual Hunger Game Victors! The tributes from District Twelve!"
The crowd stood up from their seat and cheered, giving a standing ovation for the two.
Waving and smiling, both walked off the stage together, hand in hand.
"Don't forget about the crowning ceremony," spoke Naruto as they walked.
"The what?"
"Did Haymitch tell you about it?"
She shook her head.
"Sounds like him," snorted Naruto, "We're going to be crowned as 'victors' personally by President Snow. We have to be at the ceremony in about twenty minutes."
"Oh great," Katniss said as she deflated.
Not knowing what the problem was, Naruto just rubbed the back of her palm with his thumb in comfort.
Eventually, both tributes stood in front of thousands as Snow crowned them this year's winners. They zoned out his speech about the glory of the Capitol and awaited their moment to shine.
Both crowns were placed upon a soft pillow which rested on a metal podium.
Soon enough, Snow approached Katniss first with a golden crown that contained small pricks at the top around the edge.
"Congratulations, Ms. Everdeen," spoke President Snow while placing the crown atop her head.
"Thank you, President Snow."
Looking at her shoulder, he spotted the Mockingjay pin. "What a beautiful pin you have there."
Katniss looked into his eyes, "Thank you, it's from my District."
Snow then leaned into Katniss's ear, "I know darling. Trust me, I know."
He then retrieved the second crown from the remaining podium. This crown was much wider in thickness and had a blue jewel in the center.
As he approached Naruto, Snow spoke to him, "You know young lad, you remind me much of myself when I was younger."
Snow adjusted the crown atop his head.
"I appreciate the compliment, President Snow."
Finally done adjusting the crown, he grabbed Naruto's shoulders and gave a gentle squeeze.
"It wasn't a compliment my boy."
Walking off, Naruto could only stare in confusion as Snow walked back to his podium. He needed to finish addressing his speech, but Naruto could only think about the words he said.
The rest of the ceremony went by quickly for both tributes as they were finally able to leave. Walking hand in hand once more, they disappeared inside the Capitol building.
Once they were in private, Naruto grabbed Katniss by her waist and delivered a deep kiss on her lips. Reciprocating the action, Katniss slowly placed her hands around his neck.
"Didn't mean to interrupt anything important," joked Haymitch as he stood there grinning, "But I wanted to let you both know we leave in about thirty minutes."
They both blushed at getting caught in action.
On the Train Ride Back Home
Naruto lay on the couch in the dining room with Katniss sleeping in his arms. They had been watching a movie on the television before she started softly snoring.
He just hugged her tightly while he watched the rest of the movie in silence. These moments made him happy, moments where they could just be together in peace.
As the train kept going, Naruto's necklace occasionally bumped against his chest. He had retrieved it from Haymitch after they had won the Hunger Games.
He had also decided to attach his father's wedding ring alongside the jewel. Both mementos of his parents strung proudly across his neck.
Jolting awake from the train momentarily stopping, Katniss asked on reflex, "Are we in danger?"
It seemed the Hunger Games would have a lasting impact on the girl on fire for a while.
Kissing the top of her head and rubbing her shoulders, Naruto spoke, "No we're fine, we just stopped at a refueling station."
Accepting his answer, Katniss then slowly tried to go back to sleep.
"Kat…"
"Hmm?"
"I wanted to ask you something."
"...Hmmm?"
"… what are we? Do you want to give a relationship a try? Are we just friends who kiss? Or am I just that irresistible?"
Slapping his chest at his attempt at a joke, Katniss answered back, "… I didn't know what I wanted at first."
Naruto listened intently.
"… I thought I wanted to spend my life with Gale… but when I would dream of him… you would take his place…"
Again, Naruto didn't interrupt her.
"...I slowly realized that I was falling for you even before the arena," she admitted.
"Really?"
Katniss nodded in his arms, "Really. When we jumped into the Games and you saved my life countless times, I knew you were risking your life for me each time."
She snuggled further into his embrace, "I like the warmth you give me, the security I feel around you. I can be myself and not have to be this rough girl everyone sees me as. I can be… girly…"
She squeaked out that last part but Naruto heard it nonetheless.
"So I'm guessing we're dating then?" he asked with a grin.
"Something like that," joked Katniss.
Tickling her sides for that comment, Katniss started squealing with laughter. It was another peaceful moment for the two lovers.
Once calming down, Naruto spoke once more, "Then what about Gale?"
Katniss hummed in response, "I guess I'll have to talk to him. I know he may have had feelings for me before I left, it's the least he deserves."
Naruto could respect that so he nodded, "Just let me know if he puts the moves on my girl and I'll do something about it," he responded while puffing out his chest.
Katniss rolled her eyes in amusement, "Oh please, you're just all talk. I know you're a teddy bear deep inside."
"Would a teddy bear do… THIS!" he shouted before lifting her into the air by her sides.
They then looked at each other, face to face.
Leaning in, they shared a quick kiss.
"Yes," Katniss said with a smile, "A teddy bear WOULD do that."
"Welp," Naruto shrugged, "You got me."
They both laughed. Naruto gently placed Katniss back into his arms as she lay down.
"Knock, knock," spoke Haymitch from the other side of the door, "I'm coming in, please be dressed!"
He then opened the door with a smile. Both Katniss and Naruto gave him a look that conveyed amusement.
"Don't worry, I'll be out of your hair soon," Haymitch said.
He then pulled out a clipboard, "But I did want to know what you both wanted to do with your Victor winnings. Any special distribution I should know of? Normally Effie does this sort of thing but she's out with food poisoning so I'm covering for her."
"That's right!" Naruto thought in shock. He had completely forgotten that once you become a victor, you get a year's worth of wealth for every year you are alive. Furthermore, when you initially win the Games, you also get another year's worth of wealth to distribute as you'd like.
Sitting up, Katniss answered first, "Give everything I have to District Twelve. It's too much money that I wouldn't know what to do with it anyway."
Haymitch nodded and scribbled something on his clipboard, "Noted."
As for Naruto, he was a little different.
"Can I give the wealth to the other Districts?"
"Ummm…" Haymitch scratched his head, "I don't see why not, but don't you want some of the money for yourself?"
Naruto shook his head, "Nah, I have enough saved up from before I left for the Games anyway. I'll be fine, I'd rather distribute what I have now between the other Districts evenly."
Checking every box on his clipboard, Haymitch nodded.
Katniss was curious however, turning to her new boyfriend, she asked a simple question. "How come?"
Naruto answered with honesty, "Because I realized… we're all victims of the Capitol."
Haymitch froze at hearing these words.
"Districts One through Twelve all get crap in some way or another. We all lose our children, so I wouldn't mind helping them all. Plus, it'll help others less fortunate than me. I might even do the same with my yearly 'salary' as a victor if they let me."
Just like when he would give away his poached game for free in District Twelve, he would do the same with his newfound wealth.
"Stop talking!" barked out Haymitch.
Looking over in confusion at his outburst, Haymitch apologized, "Sorry… I didn't mean to shout. I was just trying to concentrate on this clipboard."
Accepting his apology, both tributes snuggled back into each other. They wanted to spend as much quality time as they could before arriving back home.
District Twelve
The train car came to a screeching halt once it arrived in District Twelve. Opening the doors, the group was greeted to their people cheering for them.
"GIRL ON FIRE! GIRL ON FIRE!"
"KATNISS! WE'RE SO HAPPY YOU'RE BACK!"
"THE GOLDEN BOY IS BACK!"
"WELCOME HOME, NARUTO!"
Deep inside, it felt nice for both tributes that feel appreciated by their District.
At the front of the group were some of their loved ones.
"Gale… Mom… Prim…" Katniss wondered in joy, happy to see her family once again.
"Ed! Peeta!" thought Naruto in surprise, happy to see his loved ones cheering his name.
Edwin stood towards the back of the group with his arms crossed, but he had a smile on his face nonetheless. Peeta was with his family and they were happy for both tributes.
Before they could meet their loved ones once more, Effie appeared between them both.
"Let's get you acquainted in Victor's Village before you run off," spoke Effie in a friendly tone.
Multiple Peacekeepers then cleared the crowd as both victors were escorted to their new homes. As they walked into Victor's Village, Effie spoke in a rapid pace.
"Here are your keys," she turned to Naruto, "And here are yours."
Haymitch then caught up to the group, as he had fallen behind.
"You'll both be having fully stocked fridges, new furniture, and indoor fireplaces. How cozy!" shrieked Effie in happiness.
"It sounds like you are more excited for our houses than we are," deadpanned Naruto.
"Hmph!" she said, "Don't be such a killjoy… Golden Boy," she said with a wink.
"Ughh…"
Everyone shared a laugh at that.
They all arrived at Haymitch's house first.
"This is where I depart," Haymitch spoke while pulling out his house keys, "I'll see you both soon."
Nodding, the group was about to continue. Just as they were, Haymitch grabbed Naruto's shoulder and pulled him back slightly.
Looking over his shoulder, Naruto heard Haymitch whisper in his ear.
"I'm sorry for being such a prick earlier on the train car," he started, "But the rooms were bugged and I didn't want President Snow getting any ideas that you may turn against the Capitol."
He continued, "That's why I fell behind, I went to double check if we were being spied on, and… we were."
Understanding now that Haymitch only had his best interest in mind, Naruto nodded in appreciation.
Seeing that they were on good terms once more, Haymitch walked into his home and shut the door behind him. It was weird to have neighbors now.
"And here's your home, Naruto!" Effie presented with open hands.
It was a massive mansion that could house up to multiple families. It was way too big for Naruto's taste.
Grabbing the keys, Naruto thanked Effie. Pulling Katniss towards him, he gave her a quick kiss.
"I'll talk to you later, okay?" he said, "Go spend time with your family and catch up."
Katniss nodded, happy that Naruto was fine about giving her time with her family. She gave him a peck on the cheek.
"I'll see you later then."
Effie then took Katniss to her house with a stride in her step. As they both left the blonde alone, he took in a deep breath.
Opening the doors to his new house, Naruto stood at the entrance for far longer than he should have.
The interior was nice, it housed a chandelier and fur carpet. Some stairs went up for three floors and had a golden lining.
But it lacked what made a house a home… a family.
"So… you and Naruto, huh?" said Prim while she wiggled her eyebrows.
Mrs. Everdeen laughed at her daughter's reaction as they all sat around Katniss's living room couch. They had made some coffee for everyone and sat around to pass the time. They had been talking for hours, just catching up.
They had been transported here by personal escort after gathering all of their belongings.
"Behave, Prim," Mrs. Everdeen said after calming down from her laughter fit.
"Thank you, Mom," said Katniss in relief.
"But, she does make a good point. Are you and Naruto a couple now or was it all for the cameras?"
Katniss groaned at the question, why was everyone so invested in her love life?
Gathering herself, however, she did answer the question honestly, "Yes Mom, me and Naruto are dating."
Prim squealed in happiness, "I knew it! I called it!"
"You didn't call anything!" shouted back Katniss.
"Did too!"
"Did not!"
"Did too!"
"Did not!"
Mrs. Everdeen simply leaned back into the couch and sipped her coffee. It was nice to see her daughter in such a childish state, especially after what she had to go through.
Whether Katniss realized it or not, Naruto had a positive effect on her entire personality. She was much more social, open, and relaxed. This kid was a good influence on her daughter.
It also helped that he saved her life multiple times.
Hearing a knock at the front door, all conversation instantly stopped. Soon they heard a voice from the other side of the door.
"Hey Kat, it's me! I was wondering if you wanted to take a walk through the District?" asked Naruto.
He was dressed for the cold that was assaulting their District lately. He had owned a leather jacket, thick pants, and a pair of thick leather shoes.
Opening the door with a nervous smile, Katniss answered, "Hey, I-"
Prim then chose to enter Naruto's view, "You should come inside! You can tell us all the embarrassing things about my sister!"
Katniss's mother then added, "Yes you should! It would be lovely to meet my daughter's boyfriend!"
"Yeah, I would love to talk with you all!" Naruto answered back with a cheery tone.
He wanted to make a good impression on his girlfriend's family after all.
Seeing that she was outvoted, Katniss released a deep sigh. She cracked the door even wider and stepped aside, "Feel free to come in."
Thanking his girlfriend, Naruto took his shoes off by the door and placed his coat on a nearby rack.
"Would you like some coffee?" asked Mrs. Everdeen who was getting ready to go make some more.
He waved her off, "No thank you! I'm fine for now, but I appreciate the offer!"
The mother of two just smiled and nodded.
Taking their spots back on the couch, the group of four began talking. Naruto decided to sit next to his girlfriend.
"So," Mrs. Everdeen began, "What attracted you to my daughter?"
"MOM!"
Naruto chuckled, "Well I thought she was the most beautiful girl in the world. Her spirit is unbreakable and she's good at keeping me grounded."
"No way!" Prim said, "She's like the ugliest girl I know!"
"PRIM!"
Everyone laughed, except Katniss of course whose face was red.
"If you don't mind me asking," Mrs. Everdeen said while sipping her coffee, "How did you enjoy your first day back home?"
"Oh, I spent it with my best friend and mentor," Naruto said, "I'll be back to training tomorrow."
"Training? For what?" Katniss asked.
Naruto rubbed the back of his head, "Oh, just cause I want to stay in tip-top shape…"
He didn't want to admit he had been having visions of the people dead in the arena, he wanted to get lost in training to keep his mind off of it.
Not accepting his answer but not willing to grill him in front of her family, Katniss merely nodded for now.
The rest of the night went by rather quickly, with all four making small talk.
The Next Day
"Again!" shouted Edwin as he watched Naruto practice his blade work.
Being a victor had allowed him to afford more things in quantity. He had just purchased himself two trench blades and a bundle of steel throwing knives while Edwin used his connections as a retired Peacekeeper to avoid detection.
They were both in the forest, just as they always had been.
Closing his eyes once more, Naruto took a deep breath and released a throwing knife that clunked into a tree. It was only millimeters away from the previous one.
"Again!"
So he did it again, this time mere millimeters away from his previous knife.
"Again!"
So he did.
This went on for hours between the duo. Naruto would throw all of his blades in a straight line, grab them, and throw them again. His accuracy was amazing but it was never enough for the blonde.
Taking a break for the day, Edwin decided to call if off.
"That's enough for today," he held out a white towel, "Come rest."
Thanking his mentor for the towel, Naruto wiped his forehead from the sweat and sat down next to the old man. They perched themselves upon a log and talked.
"Do the visions… do they ever go away?"
Edwin sighed, it seemed that Naruto may have developed PTSD from his time in the arena. This was quite common for him to see as a Peacekeeper so he needed to tread carefully on what he said.
"Sometimes they do… sometimes they don't… but what matters," Edwin placed his hand on Naruto's shoulder, "… is that you don't let them define who you are."
"Thanks Ed… I needed that…"
"Anytime kid… anytime…"
They stayed like that for a while, just enjoying the silence and birds chirping in the distance.
Looking at his wrist, Naruto cursed, "Damn, I gotta go. I have a date with Katniss that I can't miss."
Edwin nodded, "Just use protection son, don't want any little blonde kids running around anytime soon."
"YOU PERVERTED OLD MAN, WE DON'T DO THAT!"
"WHO ARE YOU CALLING PERVERTED! YOU LITTLE SHIT!"
They both loved each other but also clashed on a common basis.
After calming down, Naruto spoke once more, "So you're sure I can't convince you to move in? You've always been like a second father to me..."
Edwin felt bad, "I appreciate the offer kid, but I have some memories in my old house. Memories that I'd like to keep."
"Damn," Naruto chuckled, "I couldn't convince Peeta to move in either."
As for Katniss, she was getting ready for her date later today. After dressing herself and tying her hair in a ponytail, she went out leaving Prim and her mother in the house.
It was a weird concept for the girl who had always had to fight for survival, she was now going on a date.
Both she and Naruto agreed to go on a hunting expedition for the day. It may not seem like a good idea for most people, but both victors loved hunting. It would be a good pastime for them.
Given that she still had time before her date, she walked over to the Hob and looked to see if there were any goods she could bring back for Prim or her mother.
As she went from vendor to vendor, she was stopped by Greasy Sae.
"Katniss!" spoke the old woman.
Looking over to see the lady, Katniss smiled and walked over.
They two began exchanging small talk and catching up.
"By the way," Greasy Sae with a smile, "Did you hear the rumor about Gale lately?"
Shaking her head, Katniss said no.
"They said Gale was your cousin! All because it wouldn't make sense for you to be in love with him when you were in the arena!" Greasy Sae laughed.
Feeling bad about the topic of her former interest, Katniss sighed. Maybe it was time to talk to Gale.
Thanking Greasy Sae for catching up, Katniss made her way to Gale's home.
She wasn't purposely avoiding the guy, but she had been so caught up in adjusting to her home that she didn't think of Gale as often. It hurt her heart in a way, knowing that she went from being romantically interested in the guy to cutting him off.
Walking onto the front steps of Gale's home, Katniss gave a few soft knocks.
No answer.
Another few more knocks was her response.
This time, she heard a pair of footsteps reaching the door. It swung open and showed a surprised Hazelle Hawthorne, Gale's mother.
"Katniss," she began, "I didn't expect you."
Katniss had the decency to look embarrassed, "I know, I'm sorry for not coming around as often. But I was wondering if Gale was here?"
Hazelle's face hardened, "I'm sorry sweetheart, but he's busy. He works in the coal mines now. He just recently got the job."
Katniss's eyes widened, "I see… could you please let him know I was here? I'd like to speak to him."
Mrs. Hawthorne nodded, "Of course dear, I'll let him know."
With that being over with, Hazelle softly closed the door while Katniss made her way to the hunting grounds. Her date would be starting soon.
As she crossed the wired fence, she spotted Naruto already there with his back to her. He was setting a snare trap as he keeled down.
Wanting to give him a spook, Katniss slowly crept up on her boyfriend. As she approached, her foot snapped a twig on the ground.
Instantly, Naruto shot up and pulled out a switchblade he kept on his belt. The blade flung out with ferocity.
"Kat," Naruto said with apologetic eyes, "I'm sorry, I didn't know it was you…"
She decided to drop her playful nature at the moment. Walking up to the blonde, she placed both hands on his face.
"Something's wrong Naruto… please… talk to me…"
She noticed his behavior had changed last night when they were speaking with her family.
Sighing deeply, Naruto confessed, "I've been having visions and dreams about the people I… killed in the Games. I'm training or doing something constantly to get my mind off of it."
Katniss then glanced down at his hand, "Is that why you're buying more weapons? I've never seen you use a switchblade before."
He nodded, "I bought some stuff to train with… and others to defend myself with."
She hugged him tight and whispered, "It's okay… no one can hurt you anymore. We won the Games… we won…"
"I know… I know…"
Both broken individuals found solace in one another.
"I have a confession to make to…" Katniss began. "I've also been having some effects from the arena… but they mainly go away when I'm with you….so please… let me help you like you've helped me…"
Deciding to be more upfront with his partner from now on, Naruto nodded.
"That's enough sad stuff," he broke the air, "Let's get to hunting and enjoy the day."
Agreeing with her partner, both fighters spent the day together. They shared stories, hunting techniques, laughs, and kisses.
It was a much-needed stress reliever for both.
"I wonder…" Katniss clenched her hand in Naruto's palm while they walked, "… if this is what true love feels like?…"
It was nice.
Boom! Done with the fourth chapter of the story so far!
Please review if you can, I greatly appreciate it!
The story is about to get a lot more suspenseful moving forward! Can't wait to show you all what I have in store!
Cheers!
