Clato : I'll fight for you

11

I'm not sure how long I'm standing in the door for. Thinking about it all but somebody saying Cato's  name catches my attention. I look out my window.

It Cesar. Cato walks out his front door waving into the audience that nobody can see because they're all sitting comfy in the capitol. Cesars about to ask him his first question but Nimit and Cinna are already whisking me up.
'Manning the stations!' Is what Nimit had said.

A member of the capitol TV crew let's himself in the front door and closes it silently as not to disturb the on-going interveiw.

Cinna swops around making sure my outfit is completely camera ready and directs me so I'm facing the door ready for it to open.

The 3 minutes of nothing seems to stretch into forever. Just staring at the back of my front door wondering how Cato's doing. And then suddenly the door is pulled open by the capitol crew.

I plaster a smile on my face and walk forwards. A camera is following me all the way from my doorstep untill I see tape on the floor signalling that's where I stop.

A car is just disappearing through the gates of victors village, I can only assume that it carries Cato. My stomach drops I thought maybe we could travel together but my smile remains.

The audience applause are being broadcasted across the village so I can hear it clearly. The natural light clearly wasn't good enough there are massive beams of light further illuminating me.

I don't even know what time it is. I know it's morning but I don't know the exact time.

I faintly hear Cesor ask a few questions about life in victors village and how the district has been treating me so just the basic stuff which I always seem to get asked now a days. The whole ordeal seems to be over quicker than it began which I'm grateful for.

The cameras follow me into the car, when I get in i finally relax. Allowing my face features to rest. The windows are blacked out so they won't see inside. The next time I'll be recorded is when I enter district 12. I am not looking forward to it to say the least.

The car doesn't start moving. I see all the cameras start to pack away. Cinna gets in the car next to me whilst Nimit gets into the passenger seat.

"You did wonderfully!" She clapped

"Great, glad I was there to entertain" I say through gritted teeth

Nimit leans over her chair slapping my knee
"Attitude!" She proclaims

I can not be bothered to hide the fact I find this whole thing completely disturbing. Especially now Enobaria and Brutus can't come with us. I roll my eyes and look out the window seeing nothing but brick dust.

We quickly arrive at the train station and are loaded on by an abundance of peacekeepers. A few citizens have gathered to wave goodbye to their victors for now. I smile and wave back at them out of duty more than anything else.

The insides of the train remain exactly how they were on my first ever adventure in them. It's sickening. It's like the whole experience of the games have started over except this time I know the truth. So do the other districts and its mine and Cato's job to uphold the hope this years tributes brought to the games.

I scan the room for Cato but he doesn't seem to be in the main compartment of the train. I walk away from the team peeling off the winter coat and throwing it over the back of a random sofa. I can hear Nimit start to protest but I move to quick through the doors to the hallway. Heading to the room I've come to learn as Cato's room.

I knock on the door and hear no answer so I give it a shove. It swings open. I see Cato crouched in the corner of the room his head on the wall supporting his whole body.

He doesn't even seem to realise I'm here. I walk over slowly and place a hand on his shoulder.

"Ca-" I start

But the hand already startled him and he leaps up swinging his arm haphazardly to ward off whatever touched him.

I take a few steps back. I understand his reaction all to well. His eyes dart around the room not managing to focus on anything untill he spots me standing in his room. His eyes focus.

But his breathing doesn't slow and he looks like his focus falters. He places is hand behind his head and walks around the room.

I try again "Cato?" I say softly

He seems to have forgotten I was in the room as he shots me a look full of confusion.

He stands still and I take this as an opportunity to walk over to him again. I'm not scared, why should I be scared.

His eyes are trained onto me. There's something furious yet still soft within him.

"Cato are you alright?" I ask again

He wraps his arms around my torso and I hold him back "I'm ok now. It was just a moment... I don't want to scare you like that again."

"I wasn't scared. I would never be scared of you"

We walk over to his bed hand in hand. He bows his head but he doesn't let go.

"I liked it Clove" he says

I have no idea what his talking about. I think he might've lost it like some tributes had before him.

I stroke the back of his hair "liked what?"

"The Morphling. I felt so free. And when I came back down. I wished it had killed me" he practilly growls the last words like he was mad at the Morphling for not taking his life.

"You can't! You can't take your life from me. I need you" I exclaim is that selfish ?

Cato leans into me and I can feel his chest heaving up and down and the warm damp spot on my shoulder. For now I let him sob. But then we have to sort ourselves out and become stronger.

I brush the back of his hair with my hands whilst his face is buried in my shoulder whispering comforting lies "it will be ok" , "this will be over soon" The only thing I can tell him is Enobaria and Brutus will be protecting his family with their lives.

We stay like this for a long time whilst the train speeds along gently swaying from side to side. I let Cato pull away first. He eyes look dead and puffy. I silently lead him into the bathroom running the tap and getting a flannel out to gently dab his eyes.

"Thank you Clove" he whispers

"It's okay" I reply "I'm here I'm always here... we'll be at district 12 in 10 hours they have the train going at full speed" I tell him

"Did you sleep much last night?" He asks

"Not without you" I reply

Cato's already moving over to his bed pulling up the corner of the sheets he gets in still holding up the corner. I slide in beside, the bed is still so soft compared to the ones we have at home.

He pulls his arm down letting the duvet fall and his arm fall over the top of me as I push my face into his chest to I can feel his heart beat. He leans his face down so it's in my hair.

This feels natural blending our bodies together like we had done in the games to keep warm. The closeness was comfortable in a way other people wouldn't know.

"I don't think I'm going to get any sleep" I say into Catos chest

He leans back slightly before asking me "what was that?" Because he didn't quite hear

"I said I don't think I'm going to be getting much sleep" I repeat

"No me neither" Cato confess "but this is nice, just staying here together"

So that's what we do busk in each others warmth