Forever [Prim/Cato]

Chapter 8 - The Day Off

CATO:

There were three days left before the next reaping. Willow and I were working as hard as ever, something we always do right before the reaping. We touched up on all of her skills, and I made sure to work her until she couldn't work anymore. Of course, she thought it was just stress from having to plan the Games, and that's why I was so tough, but she still worked her ass off to put a smile on my face.

Willow doesn't know that she's going to be reaped. She thinks that since she's in the Capitol, she won't be pooled into the mix since all other Capitol children are technically exempt. I want to tell her that's not the case... that we're nothing like Capitol people (which she can probably see from the way we act and dress) but I want her to enjoy her life before it's changed forever. I'm trying to do all that I can to protect her, and I want to tell her so badly so that she can prepare herself. But, at the same time, I know my baby. I know that not telling her is the best thing that we can do for her. She'll be on edge, scared for whenever it'll come. But, being reaped will ignite a fire in Willow. Her practices would be harder, and she wouldn't do as well as she is now if I told her. So, it's staying a secret.

Rose, on the other hand, has been acting very strangely this year. Usually, she's afraid and tense and angry, but this year, there's something different about her vernacular. She keeps telling me that this year is Willow's year. She has a gut feeling that only a mother can feel when something bad is going to happen to her baby. I keep trying to calm her down because her behavior is really starting to disarm Willow, but it's not working. She's cried every night for the past week and a half. She continuously tries to smother Willow, spending every waking hour with her, but of course, Willow is a teenager and wants to focus on friends and... well other teenage girl shit. I don't know why Rose is acting this way. I can understand that there's a large level of uncertainty with Willow going into the Games, but still. There is an absolute guarantee that Willow will come out of the Games without any complications. She will win.

But, Rose still has it in her that Willow may not make it out alive. And because of this, I have that feeling as well.

I want nothing but to protect her from what could result from entering the Games, but that's not possible. There's nothing we can do but prepare her for what's to come. I've been doing that for years, now. I've been training Willow for the moment that she's reaped. She picks up on skills so effortlessly, quicker than anyone I've ever seen. I know she gets this from me. But her determination... she gets that from her mother. When her face sets into that little frown and she sticks her tongue in between her teeth, I smile, because that's exactly was Rose does when she sets her mind to doing something.

I admire my wife after all these years. She's really done so much for the both of us. We've both left everything behind to create a more comfortable and substantial life for Willow, something we couldn't have done back home. I can't believe that this is the life that I'm living. If someone told me this was what it would be, I would never believe them. But here we are. And I wouldn't have it any other way.

I decided, much to Willow's disagreement, that today we would take the day off from training. Rose has been getting really anxious about the Reaping, and to be honest, my ass is sore from Willow's beatings, so I thought that we could just spend the day together, without any distractions. Willow could sleep in, since we were keeping her from school for the day, and we could just enjoy being together. I love it when we're all together. I get to watch my two favorite girls; watch how they brighten up the room with their pure, wholesome hearts. I swear, they could mend the most broken of hearts. As Willow has grown, she resembles me physically, but she has her mother's personality, her mother's heart. I'm glad she didn't turn out like I did when I was a teenager.