A/N: First and foremost, thank you to all my readers who've taken the time to read this far! I apologize for the delay with an update! My college has been kinda crazy, and with the holidays, I finally had some free time to complete this chapter! My goal is to have at least another chapter published before the 16th. On the bright side, this fic is completely outlined, which means I completely intend on finishing this story. I hope the emotions have been a whirlwind, and I hope I've done a good job of portraying Cato in a different light. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this next chapter! Please R&R!
Your humble story-teller,
FLUX
-*** 74th Hunger Games. Day 1 ***-
Peeta's wide eyes looked up at him as another wave crashed down on them. Cato's blade dug into the sand beside Peeta's face, leaving a small gash on his cheek. The boy from District 12 felt the sting of the iron against his flesh. His mouth held firm, his eyes trembling with fear. Cato's frustration grew as the boy remained silent.
"What? Are you fucking deaf!? Where's Katniss!?"
Peeta gasped, feeling a swell of guilt and panic surge from his chest. "Cato… I'm s—"
The sound of splashing broke Peeta's concentration. Cato turned back, finding Clove joining them. She readied her blade, stepping forward with fury in her eyes.
"Kill him, Cato! Kill him!"
"No," he replied coldly, lifting Peeta by the collar of his suit. "He's gonna be a good boy and help us track his girlfriend. Then, we'll kill him."
"Cato…" she warned. "They're gonna kill him if we bring him back. We can't look weak."
Cato smirked. "They can try. I need him alive."
He pulled his sword from the sand, pressing the shaft against Peeta's throat. His eyes narrowed on Peeta, his tone cold as ice. "If you try to flee, I'll cut off your leg. Understand?"
Peeta nodded silently, avoiding the blade from grazing his throat. Cato stepped behind him, shoving his shoulder toward the shore.
"Move." he barked, leading Peeta toward the island's western half. Clove gave him an unapproving look, holding her dagger by her side as she trailed behind.
The three trudged silently through the dense brush, reaching the island's western side. Midday passed as the heavy foliage and pine trees thinned as they continued their journey. The hillside leading to the top of the plateau was steep but climbable. Peeta struggled against the steep slopes while Cato and Clove barely broke a sweat. The boy from District 12 was panting by the time they reached the summit, stumbling forward to catch his breath as an arrow came whizzing past his kneeling form.
Cato stood before him as Luna, Reef, Marvel, and Glimmer came running. Luna stepped forward, readying her trident. He raised his blade.
"Stop! He's with us."
Luna gritted her teeth, snarling her lip. "What the fuck do you think you're doing?"
Cato met her intense stare, stepping forward to swat away her trident with his sword. "Loverboy is going to help us track the Girl on Fire. Once she's dead, so is he."
Marvel stepped forward, pursing his lips. "Oh, come on, man. He's just another mouth to feed."
"Yeah! He'll slow us down. Come on, Cato. Let me kill him!" Glimmer chimed, notching an arrow on her bowstring.
"No one is killing him!" he shouted, readying his sword. "When he has served his purpose, I'll take care of him myself."
Reef shrugged, lowering his spear. "Who's gonna watch him?"
"I will," Cato replied, lowering his blade as the Careers fell at ease. "Do you have a problem with that?"
Reef raised his hands defensively, stepping back. Cato leaned over, glaring at the Careers, pulling Peeta to his feet.
"Well, what is everyone staring at? Back to camp!"
He was met with eye rolls and sighs as the group turned toward the amphitheater.
"You're good at making friends, Cato." Clove laughed, trailing ahead of the pair of blondes.
Peeta glanced at him as she strolled ahead.
"Thanks…" he whispered, pursing his lips. "I thought I was done for."
Cato didn't meet his stare, keeping his eyes forward on the pack ahead of him. "You haven't outlived your purpose yet— so don't count yourself too lucky."
He closed his mouth, looking down at the ground as he walked. "I'm sorry, Cato…"
Cato glared at the blonde from District 12. He didn't want to hear his false apologies. He had used him for a leg-up in the competition. It was nothing more than a twisted fantasy. Cato had to focus on himself, not anyone else.
"Save it. You were playing the game."
"I didn't m—"
Cato stopped, his nostrils flared. Peeta froze. The cold anger seething from the Career was enough to chill his bones. His glare cut through him like a knife.
"Listen to me, Twelve. You were nothing more than a quick fuck, and after I kill your girlfriend, you're dead too," he voiced in a hushed whisper. Peeta's eyes trembled as he stepped closer. "You mean nothing to me— got it?"
Peeta chewed the inside of his cheek, narrowing his eyes with a nod as he turned to follow the rest of the pack. Cato's stomach curled. He silently damned himself for getting involved with the baker boy. His fingers pulsed as he reached the edge of the Cornucopia. The tenderness he once felt was lost underneath the chemicals that dulled his mind. Cato reminded himself he was a killer, watching the blonde silhouette sway down the marble steps before him. A cold-blooded killer— that's what he needed to be.
That's what the world expected of him.
The group found shade beneath the Cornucopia. The mid-afternoon heat was sweltering. A sickening humidity made the air heavy and the sun's radiance even hotter. The hovercrafts had already cleared the bodies from the Cornucopia. Reef and Luna headed to the water, attempting to catch dinner for the evening. Glimmer and Marvel took inventory of supplies while Clove prepared their packs for their hunt that evening. Cato watched their prisoner, offering sips of water from his canteen every so often to keep the boy from District Twelve from passing out. Using a piece of parchment and a pencil, he sketched the basic layout of the arena.
The amphitheater and the Cornucopia were located on the main island. The three islands were connected to the main island via sandbars. The rigid, mountainous islands surrounded them, connecting the three structures. Then, there was the sea. There was no telling how deep the ocean was or what dangers the Gamemakers threw within it. Their best bet was staying on the islands and avoiding what threats lay beneath.
Reef and Luna returned after two hours of fishing. Marvel and Glimmer had finished inventorying their supplies, stockpiling their weapons at the back of the Cornucopia. Clove had built four tents while Cato remained steadfast in his guarding of their prisoner. Peeta remained silent, sitting in the shade as ordered. His hands were bound with rope behind his back, preventing him from grabbing a weapon and taking off without a struggle. He offered Cato woeful eyes and pursed lips.
Cato's eyes trailed his form as he watched Reef skin the fish near the fire. The bruises he had left showed beneath Peeta's exposed neckline. A familiar warmth filled his stomach. Memories of their bodies collided beneath the steam-covered windows—moans echoing like whispers on the wind, gnashing teeth, and swollen lips.
Cato chewed the inside of his cheek with a breath. He needed to step away.
"Clove, watch him for a second. I need to use it."
Clove nodded, taking a seat across from Peeta. The blonde piped up. "I-I need to go too…"
"Piss yourself, Loverboy," she laughed, earning a scowl from Cato. He sighed, grabbing the boy by the shoulder to lift him upright.
"I'm not having Loverboy smell like piss all night. Come on, move it."
Cato escorted him to the edge of the village beside a broken building out of sight from the Careers. He stood there awkwardly.
"Well? You said you had to go—"
"My hands…"
He glanced at Peeta's binding, realizing his arms were bound behind his back. He groaned with a roll of his eyes, unzipping Peeta's suit. Cato's calloused fingers brushed against the soft, supple skin beneath the sheer layer of his black jumpsuit. His eyes trailed the red marks that dotted his neckline and chest. The faint tremor of Peeta's breath filled his ears. He smelt the lingering scent of salt and vanilla on Peeta's skin.
Their wandering eyes met, marked by a silence broken only by a distant bird song. Cato turned away quickly, feeling the twin flames of embarrassment burn his cheeks and throb within his fingers. He gritted his teeth with a breath. The Refrain did wonders to block his emotions but did little to curb his carnal urges.
He cleared his throat, grabbing Peeta roughly by his forearm. He undid the bindings with his blade, letting the baker boy handle himself with shifting eyes.
"If you try anything, you're dead."
Peeta's cheeks flushed, lowering his gaze. "I wasn't planning on it—"
Cato tugged on the baker boy's shoulder, pulling his face closer. Peeta's hot breath crested against his neck.
"Listen here. You'll do as you're told if you know what's good for you," he growled against the shell of Peeta's ear. "Is that understood?"
Peeta nodded, shuddering as his eyes flickered toward the growing bulge against Peeta's briefs. The blonde from District 12 tried to cover himself with his hands as Cato shoved him away.
"Go piss. You fuckin' perv."
They returned to the campsite as Reef and Marvel finished grilling the chunks of bluefin tuna. Luna, Clove, and Glimmer protested Peeta's release from his bindings. Still, Cato quickly dismissed their concerns, asking which one wanted to hold his cock every time he had to piss.
Their protests fell silent after that.
Cato kept a close eye on the boy from District 12. It wasn't like Peeta had much room to protest. If they didn't kill him, the environment surely would.
After watching Reef indulge in the chunks of fish with no restraint, Cato enjoyed a flank of the tender, buttery flesh. The fish he and Luna had caught had to be well over forty pounds. They would eat well for the next few days after it was salted and dried. He grabbed two more strips, watching Luna pick at her teeth with a fishbone.
"Feeding the whelp?" she asked with a grin.
He glared at her, flickering his disdain for the girl from District 4. "Even the weakest member of the pack needs to be fed, but you know that already. Don't you, Luna?"
Marvel and Reef laughed at her expense as she scowled at him. "He better not slow us down during the hunt tonight."
He rolled his eyes, stepping away from the fire. "Don't forget your place, Luna. Or I'll cut your tongue out."
Cato walked onto the stage beneath the Cornucopia, where Peeta sat against a crate of supplies, staring up at the late afternoon sky. The air started to cool as the sun began its descent. A dense humidity lingered upon them as the sky became an aurora of reds, yellows, and oranges. Revulsion rose in his throat—a bitter taste that made him feel like sprinting away from here as fast as his strong legs would carry him.
"It's funny. I kiss you like I've known you my whole life… but I don't even know your favorite color."
A smile crept upon Cato's lips as he squeezed Peeta's hand. He shifted to face him, sitting cross-legged on the table. "It's yellow, but not like the sun… More like a dandelion. A warm golden yellow. What about you?"
Peeta's lips turned upward. "Orange."
"Like… the fruit?"
"No... a bit more muted," he replied, shaking his head. "More like— a sunset."
Cato's eyes traced over Peeta's face. His amber eyes were sunken from lack of sleep. The only wound that marked his flesh was the gash on his cheek that had already scabbed over. Peeta turned toward Cato as he approached, offering one of the fish flanks before tossing down the canteen.
"Eat. Drink. You'll need your strength."
Peeta accepted the offerings without a word. He ate silently as Cato sat against the far wall, watching him.
"When the sun goes down, we'll set out to hunt. I suggest you get some rest after you eat."
Peeta's gaze flickered toward him, his exhaustion spurring his brazenness. "Why are you doing this?"
Cato shrugged, taking a large bite of the piece gripped between his fingers. "Doing what?"
Peeta's lips quirked with a questioning look. "Why are you protecting me? Why are you feeding me? What's the point in all of this?"
"I can't have you lagging. I don't want to give the rest of the pack a reason to kill you because I'm going to show them all my strength," Cato knelt beside him, finishing off his fish. His intense gaze met Peeta's. "How you lived because I willed it. You're a fucking pawn—an extension of my will."
Peeta's brows furrowed as he chewed his fish with a slow swallow.
Cato reminded himself of his purpose. His mother and his sister. Nothing else mattered, especially some boy from District 12.
His emotions for Peeta were faint, hiding deep beneath the concrete layer of anger and resentment. Temptation leaked from between the cracks of his walls, but the drugs held him in check. They kept him from acting on his impulses.
Peeta chewed his cheek, resting his head against the crate as his eyes drifted heavily. "What did they do to you?"
"I'm the same person, Twelve," he scoffed, chewing his cheek. "I just woke up to my finite reality."
Peeta's lips twitched into a frown as he struggled to open his eyes. His agitation grew from beneath his scowl. "You're not who I thought you were."
Their eyes met at the twinkle of twilight: Amber and azure, fire and ice. Cato chewed his lip, feeling the raw flesh breathe his pain into his being. His cool stare burned into the younger blonde.
"Funny, I could say the same thing about you."
A silent tension lingered between their glares. Cato's fingers throbbed, itching to see the agitated figure before him lash out. He wanted Peeta to strike him, strangle him—anything to end the memories that drifted in the back of his mind. Peeta's eyes narrowed to the floor as he finished the piece of fish in his hands. His stern features softened, leaning his head back against the crate.
"For whatever it's worth," he whispered, closing his eyes as a breeze swept between them. "I'm sorry..."
Cato pursed his lips, rising from his crouch. He couldn't bear himself to accept Peeta's apology. Forgiveness was a word he was unfamiliar with. Like Angel said, he was bred for this. Tragedy and misery were in his blood—the same blood that stained his hands.
No amount of apologizing could prevent the inevitable.
Peeta slumped against the crate, letting the exhaustion finally take him. Cato sighed, leaning against the far wall of the stone Cornucopia. Thankful, the fiery eyes of the blonde before him remained closed. He watched as the aurora of reds, yellows, and oranges swirled amongst each other. His thoughts lingered back to his mother and Octavia. He wondered how they were doing, what they thought of him, and what their lives would be like after the Games.
A low beep rang in Cato's ears as a small plastic pot attached to a silver parachute drifted down before him. He quickly opened the canister, finding a metal spile.
"Keep up the good work. Drink up. – C."
He smirked at the note, placing the card in his pocket and sliding the metal tap into his bag. So much of the arena was left unknown to him, and he was grateful for any offerings from his sponsors. The tiny metal spigot might be his salvation.
Hours passed, and eventually, the sky darkened with every passing second. The yellows and oranges faded, leaving a deep red hue that bathed the horizon. Cato climbed the amphitheater steps with his fellow Careers. The sun sank below the horizon, darkening the sky; the flicker of lights appeared on the horizon.
He gripped his sword, looking at the closest southern island as a small billow of smoke grew.
The hunt was on.
In the eerie glow of the full moon, Cato, the Career pack, and Peeta ventured away from the Cornucopia perched atop the steep plateau. The air was tense as they walked along a narrow sandbar that extended through the ocean's warm, inky black waters. Cato led the pack, Peeta trailing behind him as the rest of the Careers followed closely. He was thankful the night air had cooled drastically, but the dense humidity kept his limbs sluggish as they trudged through the warm waters.
The distant rumble of waves crashing against the shore provided a constant soundtrack to their journey. The full moon cast a radiant sheen on the water's surface, shimmering like a pathway of silver that guided their way. The group moved with a predatory grace—their eyes sharp and alert, watchful for any threats lurking in the shadows.
Their destination was the southern island, visible as a silhouette in the distance. As they drew closer, their eyes were drawn to a stone building on a hill. The shadow revealed a Greco-Roman temple, a relic of a bygone era. The rugged limestone peristasis reminded him of the colonnades at Stonebridge Academy.
The moon's glow seemed to bathe the area in an ethereal, silver light. Cato's eyes trailed the tiny billow of dark smoke clinging to the surface of the tree line. As the temple's silhouette grew closer, the shadows and light played tricks upon their eyes as they moved silently along the temple's edge. Their soft footfalls across the sands whispered the promise of danger as the shimmering light of a small campfire danced between the tree limbs and fauna.
Cato's heart raced as they crept slowly through the dense brush. The flicker of light revealed a young girl with tattered blonde locks—the tribute from District 8. Her frail figure huddled close to the dwindling fire, desperate to stave off the cold that seeped through her soaked clothes. Her wide, fearful eyes darted in every direction.
A figure shifted beside him. He watched as the girl's eyes widened, letting out a strangled cry that pierced the night's silence.
Blood spat forth from her mouth as she desperately tried to remove the shaft of metal embedded within her chest. Her labored breaths echoed as Marvel stepped forward with a laugh, ripping the spear from her ribcage with a forceful pull. The girl toppled over, staining the white sand crimson. She clawed at the sand as if to crawl away, but there was no escaping.
"One less to worry about," Marvel smirked at Cato, wiping the blood from the blade as he made his way slowly to the fire's light, trailed by his fellow tributes.
Cato and Clove rolled their eyes at him while Glimmer beamed, hugging the broad-shouldered boy. "Good job, Marvel!"
A lone voice broke the celebration.
"She isn't dead."
The Careers turned back to Peeta, shuffling a few steps behind them. His sunken eyes scanned over their forms with disdain. Glimmer grinned at him like a Cheshire cat, draping herself around Marvel's shoulder.
"Hey, Peeta. Maybe… you want to be a gentleman and finish her off?"
The pair from District 1 laughed at his stoic expression. Luna trudged forward, scanning Peeta's face with her cunning eyes.
"What's the matter, Loverboy?" she asked, dancing her fingers across the grip of her trident. "Wouldn't you want the same courtesy when it's your turn?"
Cato watched Peeta's demeanor shift as she inched closer. The baker boy looked faint, glancing at the prongs of Luna's trident. Cato chewed the inside of his cheek, finding the behavior of his fellow Careers unsettling. The croaking sound of the fallen tribute curled his stomach. Even after all he'd been through, the ethos of Stonebridge Academy was burned into his being.
Her unnecessary suffering was beneath him, but he had a point to make.
Cato stepped away from the fire, drawing a small blade from his belt. He handed it to Peeta, beckoning his head to the girl crumpled in the sand. "You heard them. Get to it."
Peeta's eyes widened, shaking his head. "I don't want to."
Cato stepped closer, pushing the handle harder into his palm. His azure eyes met Peeta's, cutting through his being. "Kill her or let her suffer. Your choice, Twelve."
Peeta gulped, trembling as he approached the girl near the flickering fire. Cato turned back to his pack with a harsh scowl. "Why isn't anyone looking for more fires?"
Glimmer giggled, feigning a salute as she pulled Marvel along. "Aye, Aye, Captain!"
Reef nodded toward him, nudging Luna to follow him as Clove remained. Cato watched as the baker boy from District 12 knelt beside the blonde girl. Her breath became raspy. Peeta's hands trembled, clenching his jaw as he tried to steady his hand to deliver the final blow. A wet gurgle seeped from her chest wound as she stared at him with hollow eyes.
Cato slowly approached the baker boy, hearing Clove's footsteps trail away. Peeta's breath shuddered, avoiding the boy from District 2's disapproving gaze.
"I can't do it, Cato… I'm not a murderer…"
Cato's eyes scanned his face, kneeling beside the boy. His lower lip trembled, shaking like his amber eyes, filled with despair and worry as they darted between the dagger in his hand and the girl choking on her blood. Looking down at the tribute from District 8, he felt a vile feeling pitting inside his stomach. He knew a distant part of him felt something, driving Peeta to this point, but the sentiment was quickly subdued by a cold cognition spurred by the serum flowing through his body.
Unsure of his motivations, Cato opened his palm. "Hand it here."
Peeta did a double take, his tired eyes widening. "W-What?"
Cato's gaze rested on him. The icy demeanor behind his glare had softened. But perhaps it was just exhaustion; that's what Peeta told himself.
He surrendered the blade, closing his eyes as Cato slit the girl's throat without hesitation. A spatter of red mist sprayed Cato's face as the girl from District 8 gasped. Three seconds passed before the sound of a cannon echoed in the arena. Peeta avoided his gaze as the pair stood, backing away from the fire. Cato used his foot to kick up some sand to snuff the flames. The distant sound of a hovercraft loomed on the horizon.
"Thank you," Peeta whispered, trailing his eyes upward to meet Cato's face. The Career wiped the blood from his face with his sleeve, shifting his gaze with weary eyes.
"Don't mention it."
The blondes returned to the temple, climbing up the hill to find Marvel and Reef lighting the braziers underneath the colonnade. The tribute from District 4 perked up as Cato returned.
"Hey, Cato! We were thinking of using this place as a camp tonight. What do you think?"
He quickly surveyed the area. The thick columns were worn but sturdy. Much of the roof was still solid even after centuries of wear. The only downside to the structure was the chokepoint leading into the temple's interior.
Cato nodded at Reef. "Yeah, this'll work. Where'd the girls run off to?"
He nodded toward the front of the building. "They're checking out the temple. Marvel and I will be inside once we're done lighting these. The wood is saturated with oil, so they'll burn for a while."
Cato smelt the pungent odor of petroleum as Marvel ignited another brazier. They couldn't use them for cooking until the oil burned off, but why chance it? They had plenty of rations and fire starters. Plus, the beacons would be a welcoming sight after the next few hours of hunting. He walked around the edge of the columns with Peeta trailing behind.
From his schooling, Cato was familiar with the design. The building was similar to those at the Academy. However, this place was ancient in comparison.
The wooden doors of the temple had long since rotted away, leaving behind the rusted hinges. The inner room was a simple, windowless, rectangular space divided by two colonnades into a central nave flanked by two aisles. The mosaic tiles had long since worn away, leaving only tattered cerulean banners upon the columns to offer color to this dusty crypt.
Glimmer lit some sconces upon the walls. Luna and Clove stood before the statue of a woman, overcome by bewilderment and curiosity.
Standing several feet high, the statue was carved from smooth, white marble, polished to a high sheen. She was dressed in full armor, with a Corinthian helmet resting gracefully on her head, framing her stern yet serene face. The goddess was clad in a chiton, a draped garment that fell elegantly in soft folds. She held a shield in her right hand, bearing the emblem of a Gorgon's head, while her left hand grasped a spear, pointing forward. An odd table sat before the statue, made of fine marble. The painted pieces were made of ivory, which sat on a circular checkered board.
Clove turned toward them, hearing his footfalls on the rough tile. "It's a naos."
Cato's mouth quirked. "I failed Greek, Clove. What is it?"
"It's a temple," she replied, walking past the table. Using her hand, she wiped the dust from a stone plaque to read the inscription beneath. "Dedicated to the goddess, Athena."
"Goddess? What an archaic thing," Luna sneered.
Clove glared at the dark-haired girl from District 4. "What you see as archaic, others see as alluring."
She rolled her eyes, bellowing a laugh. "Nothing is alluring about the worship of some paganistic deity."
Cato remembered reading the tales of the Greeks and their unwavering devotion to their gods. The feats of their forgotten children transcended their mortality. But such stories were only told to children as fairy tales. It never crossed his mind that he would be standing in a place considered to be so—sacred.
His eyes returned to the board. "What's with that?"
"Who knows?" Luna shrugged at him, turning her gaze back on them. "We just got in here. Judging by its age, I reckon the Gamemakers put it here."
Her frigid eyes flickered toward Peeta. "Maybe our little Loverboy wants to play? We could use a guinea pig."
Peeta didn't have a chance to respond as Cato stepped between them. He felt a dark impulse beckoning him to spill her blood onto the ruined mosaic. Her callous nature made his skin crawl. He smelt the lingering aroma of copper, salt water, and lavender from Luna's skin. Her pearly teeth flashed a playful demeanor, but he saw nothing more than a nightmare disguised as a daydream—a shark swimming dangerously close to shallow waters.
"Are you two going to kiss, or are we going to go hunting?" Clove's voice mocked, breaking the tension as Luna puckered her lips at Cato with a goading kiss.
The girl from District 4 turned away, heading toward the entrance with Clove trailing behind. Cato's eyes flickered to Peeta, the lull of the silence overtaking the air around them. His cobalt eyes simmered with uncertainty, masked by the hardened demeanor Luna left upon his face.
"Be sure you keep up."
Peeta nodded his head, catching the flicker of Cato's gaze. Eyes that offered a glimmer of respite in the echoes of turmoil.
But then again—perhaps it was just exhaustion.
The night air grew dense, charged with electricity as the Careers ventured across the western half of the southern island. Heavy clouds gathered overhead, their presence announced by a wondrous display of dancing lightning and bellowing thunder. Steep mountains forged a natural barrier on the island's western edge, cresting so high that they touched the clouds above. The vast ocean and the beach lay to the east, with the jungle cradled between the two.
Cato's legs ached from trudging through the thick brush and rugged terrain for hours. Marvel had spotted tracks not far from the temple, prompting their pursuit deeper into the jungle. They paused to rest, the muggy air forming a thick layer of sweat on Cato's body. The water in their canteens had long run out. He pulled the spile from his bag and slammed it into the trunk of a nearby tree.
Cato drank hungrily from the stream of clear water, desperate to quench his thirst as the Careers lined up behind him. Each drank with similar enthusiasm, leaving what little remnants for the boy from District 12. The flow was less than a trickle as Peeta eagerly drank whatever droplets remained. His face contorted into a cascade of bliss and relief, a familiar expression that made Cato's stomach turn. Peeta pulled away from the metal spile, panting desperately as Cato yanked the tap from the trunk.
"I'll tap another. We need to fill our canteens."
Luna and Reef sat across from them on the thick roots of a nearby tree while Clove notched a nearby tree as a marker. Glimmer leaned against a trunk, frowning as she raked her fingers through her tousled hair. Cato drove the spile into an adjacent tree and handed his empty canteen to Peeta.
"Fill it up."
"Be careful, Cato," Luna chimed in. "Loverboy might poison you."
"He wouldn't do that," Cato glared, rolling his eyes. He narrowed his gaze on Peeta. "Would he?"
Peeta gave him a wary eye, darting his gaze to the other Careers before returning to him. The predatory look behind their stares was unnerving.
"No."
Cato smirked, flicking his eyes toward the boy on the ground. He felt the disdain growing behind his stare. "Good boy."
Peeta shuddered, feeling a calm wind blow from the north. He watched as Cato trudged over to Marvel, who was scouting ahead just beyond the brush. A crackle of lightning above made him jump as he filled the metal canteen in his hand. He wasn't used to such loud storms.
Then, Peeta felt the soft trickle of warm rain on his forehead—a blessing in this heat.
"We're heading back!" Cato's voice called out, trampling through the foliage. "We'll lose these tracks in the storm, so we'll try again in the morning."
Luna scoffed. "Giving up already?"
"We've killed twelve tributes in the first night. I'd consider that a new record, wouldn't you, Luna?"
Luna rolled her eyes as Marvel joined the blonde, resting his hand on his shoulder. "Plus, you all look like shit."
"How charming," Glimmer mocked, tying her hair back to let the rain wash over her face. Cato pulled the stopper from the tree trunk, grabbing the filled canteen from Peeta without a word. The soft trickle quickly grew into a deluge. The blonde from District 1 squealed happily, unzipping part of her suit to let the water run down her partially naked frame. "This is amazing!"
"Hey, wonder tits. You're flashing your stuff for all of Panem to see," Clove spat with a firm glare, hurdling herself over the large tree roots.
"That's okay. I'm sure the audience is enjoying the show because I've got loads to offer," she jeered. "Unlike some of us."
Clove scowled at the blonde, her laughter echoing amidst the distant rumble of thunder. Cato rolled his eyes, pushing through the dense brush. He unzipped part of his top, letting the warm rain wash the sweat and grime from his chest as they ventured on.
For hours, heavy droplets of comforting water continued to pelt them as they ventured toward their camp. Finally, a flicker of light erupted from amidst the brush. The braziers beneath the peristasis were welcoming as Cato sheathed his sword. He relished the opportunity to cleanse himself of the grime from his chest and back, pulling his arms from his suit's sleeves. The tempered waters danced across his skin, relieving some of the tightness from his sculpted frame—a halcyon feeling of days past.
Cato trailed behind the pack, watching Glimmer turn to Peeta as the rest of the group entered the temple. He averted his gaze from her bare chest, her emerald eyes burning into his skin.
"Can you zip me up, Peeta?" she cooed, inching closer. Her fingers danced across his knuckles. "My hands are so small, and I'm having a hard time."
Glimmer's cat eyes shifted toward Cato with a sly smirk before returning to Peeta. The baker boy flushed, feeling her soft hands guiding his hand near her bosom. The heat of Glimmer's body radiated from her like flickering embers. The heavy rain continued to pour, splashing down from the rooftop onto his leg.
Cato's eyes flicked to her hand, encapsulating the baker boy from District 12. The fatigue from their hike and the restless night of sleep undoubtedly drained his body and mind. His hand twitched into a fist as an unsettling feeling churned in his stomach. He just wanted to rest, but Glimmer spurred his annoyance by playing cat and mouse right before him. Except, in their world of predators and prey—he was the apex predator.
She needed to be reminded of that.
Cato gripped her zipper, yanking it up firmly to her collar. A plunge of water splashed onto the tributes as Cato pushed through the curtain of water, which fell steadfastly at the top of the steps. Glimmer scoffed with a glare.
"You're no fun, Cato! I was only playing with him," she whined with a huff. Her piercing eyes flickered back to the baker boy.
"Such a shame we have to kill you," Peeta flinched as her fingers trailed along his jawline. "I know some designers in District One would've loved to dress you up."
The sinister undertones of her dazzling smile left his skin crawling. Cato's gaze met hers, watching her eyes trail alongside the bruises dotting his neck. Her lip curled upward. "I can see someone has been…busy."
His eyes narrowed on her, flaring his nostrils with a deep breath. Exhaustion was finally setting in, and his patience for Glimmer's antics was thin.
"Goodnight, Glimmer," he grunted, feeling the tension in his body grow. "Tell the others I'll take the first watch. I'll wake you in a few hours for the second shift. Don't touch anything in the temple."
"Whatever you say, boss," she sighed, slowly turning to enter the temple.
"One more thing," he stepped closer, uttering his words in a harsh whisper. "Leave Loverboy alone."
Glimmer's eyebrow raised, a smirk dancing across her plump lips. She gave a fake salute, turning on her heel before finally entering the archaic building. Cato's gaze turned to Peeta, standing beside the rain curtain falling from the sloped rooftop. A curious demeanor painted his features, bathed in the warm light of the oil braziers. Cato shrugged his shoulder toward the door.
"Get some rest. We move out at first light."
Peeta shifted nervously to the temple before pausing. "Where are you keeping watch?"
Cato looked around the entrance briefly. The elevation of the hillside protected him from a distance. With only one opening to the building, he'd settle against the brazier near the main door. He pointed to the brazier beside Peeta.
"I'll be posted up here. Why do you need to know?"
"Because…" he hesitated, narrowing his eyes to the water trickling over the stone steps. "You won't kill me in my sleep… At least, I don't think you will."
Cato scoffed, shaking his head. "You don't know that, Loverboy. Maybe I'll offer you a peaceful end while you rest."
Peeta shuffled beside the brazier, resting his back against the aged marble. He pulled the blanket from the pack Clove provided him, using it as a pillow. A smirk tugged at his lips.
"That would be a godsend."
Cato rolled his eyes, watching the blonde settle in against the stone. It only took a moment for the baker boy's exhaustion to take him. His eyes traced the gentle rise and fall of Peeta's chest. The rain had lessened, and the soft synchronization between his breaths and the patter of droplets seemed to relax Cato's tense being. It was a feeling that left his stomach aching.
A few minutes passed before soft footfalls echoed across the marble. Clove appeared from the doorway. She had taken her hair down from her ponytail—still wet from the torrent of rain, her brunette locks messily painted the sides of her face.
"Need some company?" her chestnut eyes flickered toward the sleeping boy beside the brazier. "I don't think Loverboy will do you much good."
Cato shrugged, turning back to the soft patter of rain. The waves of the sea churned in the distance, crashing against the shore. Panem's anthem played throughout the arena as the names of the fallen tributes were quickly displayed before fading out across the sky. The brunette lingered beside him.
"How're you doing?"
His eyes traced the lightning that danced across the sky. "My feet hurt, and my shins feel tight."
"No, you idiot," Clove laughed at his dismay. "I meant, how are you feeling?"
His jaw tensed, following a dull ache that radiated across his face. "I forgot how cold it was."
"Does it feel…good?"
He ran his fingers along his arm, fidgeting with the soft fabric of his sleeve. "It's carnal… There's no feeling behind what I do anymore, just—impulses…"
Clove raised an eyebrow. "Impulses?"
"Yeah," Cato replied, avoiding her gaze. He watched the waves splash against the sands below. "Carnal ones… Sometimes, I feel like I'm losing control."
"Just don't lose focus," she muttered, playing with a dagger she pulled from her belt. "Do whatever you need to steady your resolve. We can't have them thinking we can't handle our own."
"You sound like Instructor Amata," Cato scoffed. "What now? Are you going to scold me for my lack of virtue? Is my behavior unbecoming of a Legionnaire?"
She shook her head, playfully rolling her eyes. "I'm just looking out for you."
"Thanks," he breathed, pursing his lips. "I'm just trying not to lose myself."
Cato didn't remember the Refrain feeling so intense. He wondered if it was the residual effects of the extended dose. The drugs worked quickly to alter his synapses, controlling their chemistry—like a twisted puppeteer and a marionette. His eyes drifted back to the brunette beside him. Clove's youthful face was illuminated by the brazier's light, a flicker of understanding crossing her gaze.
"When you tossed my pills off that train, I thought you killed me," she said, her eyes unwavering from his gaze. "I thought you were only protecting yourself, furthering your ambitions."
Her voice echoed with confidence as lightning flashed on the horizon. "But then I realized you and I were the same. We were both broken, molded into something greater by some fucked-up grand design…"
Clove walked closer, placing her hand gently on his shoulder. The squeeze was firm and reassuring. "You helped me find myself, Cato. I'll make sure you don't get lost as I did."
His lips tugged into a small smile. "Get some rest, Clove. It'll be a long day tomorrow."
Her lips pulled upward, and with a nod, she turned on her heel, heading back into the temple. Cato was left to the silence of the night. The dance of lightning across the sky, the crashing of waves upon the sand, and the gentle breaths of a boy from District 12.
It was the calm before the storm.
-*** 74th Hunger Games. Day 2 ***-
The soft caws of seagulls and the gentle warmth of the morning sun stirred Cato from his slumber against the temple's façade. After waking Glimmer for her shift, he remained outside to keep an eye on the boy from Twelve—just as a precaution. Damp sweat formed on the nape of his neck from the considerably warmer air. He had zipped his top up after drying out last night, but now he felt a lingering layer of sweat from the sheer humidity. His sleepy eyes trailed the figure beside him. Peeta sat upright against the marble, staring at the ocean behind the portico's columns.
The boy's tousled blonde locks flickered against the gentle breeze. Cato grew fixated on how Peeta's lashes fluttered like butterfly wings as his amber eyes watched the crashing waves. His nostrils flared with each breath, and his lips jutted forth as his mind wandered. A swelling pit formed within Cato's stomach, feeling his gaze linger too long on Peeta.
He shifted his form, sitting up against the rough stone as he wiped the crust from his eyes. Peeta turned toward him. "How'd you sleep?"
"Like the dead. What are you staring at?"
Peeta's lip tugged upward, returning his gaze to the water. "I've never seen the ocean before. Only ever in textbooks. I never thought it'd be so—blue."
His eyes shifted to the seafoam waters. Cato didn't get a chance to appreciate it yesterday, but he felt what the boy meant. The smell of salt, the way the sun trickled against the water, and how it foamed against the shore. This place would be serene if the lingering thought of the day's bloodshed and death didn't hang in the back of his mind.
But that was a daydream, and this was reality.
Cato pulled a flank of salted fish from the wrapping in his bag. Their haul yesterday gave them each five flanks minus Peeta. At least they weren't going to starve anytime soon. He ripped the jerky in half, tossing half to Peeta before shoving the other in his mouth as he got up from the floor.
"C'mon," he muttered between chewing as he slung his backpack over his shoulder. "Let's muster the others."
They entered the temple, finding the sunlight peering through the crevices in the ceiling, illuminating the area in a dull glow. Marvel slept against the far wall, Glimmer resting her head against his arm. Reef rested against the far wall while Luna wrapped some of the tattered cloth around the grip of her trident. Clove sat at the chessboard, meticulously looking over the pieces before her.
Cato's heavy footsteps echoed on the marble, stirring his fellow Careers from their slumber as Luna nudged Reef awake with the pommel of her trident.
"You shouldn't be messing with that, Clove," he warned, stepping closer to his partner. Her gaze flickered between his and the board.
"I think I figured it out. There's a circuit board beneath the tiles. If I just—"
"Clove, don't!"
Clove's fingers shifted the pawn out of position as the statue's eyes began to glow. His breath stilled as a flickering holographic display emerged before the statue of Athena. It was blurry, but the outline of the topography was barely visible as the rest of the Careers surrounded them.
"It's a map," she gleamed smugly. "See? I told you I know what I'm doing."
Cato watched anxiously as the opposite piece slid into place against her as if it were automated. The Gamemakers were not fools. Clove should've known better than to play around with any mechanism of theirs, but her curiosity had gotten the best of her. He scanned her face as Peeta nervously shifted closer. A playful smirk danced across her face as she moved piece after piece.
"What is she playing?" he asked in a hushed tone, looking between the pair as the rest of the Careers gathered around her.
"It's a game called Chess, but I've never seen this version. The board is usually square and not round."
"Does that make a difference?"
Cato's uncertain gaze shifted toward him as Clove took her first piece. Their eyes met briefly as his gaze went to the hologram.
"I'm sure it does. They have a reason for everything in the Hunger Games."
The picture grew more precise. From what he could determine, it was a map of the arena. He could distinctly distinguish the divide between the three islands and the Cornucopia, but he wondered why they would offer them such a prize. There was always a catch.
She sat momentarily, bewildered as a piece was taken from her. It rolled onto the floor beside her. Cato noticed her demeanor shift as her eyes scanned the board. "That's not… how did it do that?"
Glimmer shifted beside her curiously before quickly moving a piece of her volition. Fire erupted from Clove's eyes. "What the fuck!? Why did you move that?"
She shrugged with a sly smirk. "Why do you get to have all the fun?"
The board flashed red as the piece Glimmer moved was ejected. Clove scowled, moving her piece to capture the one that took Glimmer's.
"See? You fuckin' tits for brains. This game takes intelligence. Something you're lacking."
Cato watched with anticipation as the board showed markers. From what he could assume, they were buildings like the temple they were in. The Cornucopia was centered on the middle island. Then, some other locations were difficult for him to discern; either way, it was another way to verify their location. A pitting anxiety grew in his stomach as she captured piece after piece.
Soon, the map showed markers around the island—tribute markers. The points were labeled for Districts 1, 2, 4, and 12 before finally revealing a tribute from District 11 on the island's western edge. Their proximity to the temple was revealing them.
Then, Clove lost another piece. The prodigy paused for a second.
"I—I just don't understand," she muttered, her eyes drifting heavily. "S-something's—wrong."
Clove toppled over, unable to maintain her equilibrium. Cato's heart pounded, lurching forward to catch her as Glimmer collapsed beside them. Marvel rushed to her aid as Cato lowered Clove to the stone floor. Her chestnut eyes were now bloodshot with a violet hue. Black lines distended from within the veins of her face, uttering only one word before her body started convulsing.
"Poison."