let it fly | cato hadley

30 | Be the Mockingjay

"What are you thinking about?" Finnick asked as he entered the room, causing Cato to look up.

"They're not going to save them," Cato replied, turning on his side to face Finnick. 

"What do you mean they're not going to save them?" Finnick questioned the boy, borrowing his eyebrows. 

"They said it was too dangerous. Apparently, it's not possible or worth the risk," Cato explained as he gritted his teeth. Finnick looked down at his lap in despair. Was there really no saving them?

"It's not like it would matter anyways," Cato began again with a dry chuckle, "Who knows what they'd do to Celeste and Peeta here for doing those interviews? Peeta especially."

"They didn't have a choice," Finnick explained, but Cato just shook his head.

"I know that. All of us victors know that. But no one else here has gone through those games. No one else understands what we would do to save ourselves. What we did."

"We could make them," Finnick urged, looking up from his lap.

"How? They don't want to hear from us," Cato replied, but Finnick ignored him.

"Maybe not us. But they'll listen to Katniss. That's' why we're here, isn't it? So she'll be the Mockingjay?" Finnick answered, moving closer.

"Katniss won't agree to it, especially if they refuse to help Peeta," Cato shot back. And Finnick knew he was right, but they'd listen to Katniss more than they'd listen to Cato. They needed Katniss. Cato was just part of the deal.

"Exactly. If we can get her to agree to make a deal with them, we can get them back. I'm sure Katniss is already planning it herself. We just need to make sure it happens."

"And how do we do that?"

-

The next day, Cato found himself hiding in a corner, avoiding his duties once again. To his surprise, he wasn't the only one there.

"I thought I'd find you here," Cato greeted Katniss as he sat down next to her. The girl lifted her head off of the wall, opening her eyes.

"Oh, Cato. What are you doing here?" she asked as she rubbed her eyes. It must be hard to sleep, Cato thought. It'd been hard for him too.

"Avoiding my duties. The longer I can go without them catching me, the better," Cato explained with a small chuckle, "What about you?"

"Same as you. This is where I come to sleep. It's one of the only quiet spaces during the day," Katniss replied, sending the boy a half smile.

"Too hard to sleep in your room?" 

"Gives me nightmares," Katniss replied, shifting her body to face Cato.

"I get them too," Cato replied, "About the games. Both games. And about Celeste."

"I'm sorry about Celeste," Katniss whispered, but Cato just shook his head.

"I know. You said that before," Cato answered, "I'm sorry about Peeta though. And all the backlash from the interview. He doesn't deserve it. Not when he's just trying to survive."

"Tell them that," Katniss argued as she pointed toward the door.

"I would if I could. But they don't listen to me. I'm useless to them here," Cato admitted, tensing his jaw.

"What do you think they'll do to them? In the Capitol?" Katniss mumbled, eyes back on the floor.

"They'll use them as propaganda for a while to make sure everyone that's loyal believes their side. Then they'll probably kill them once they're done with that," Cato replied.

"And if they're rescued?"

"Probably the same thing. At least, after those interviews. You saw the way District 13 reacted, they won't take any propaganda for the Capitol lightly, especially with Peeta."

And then, for a moment, the two went silent. Cato had been right. There was no way the rebellion would let them get away with doing the interviews, especially after Peeta called for a ceasefire. But then, it seemed to hit Katniss.

They want her to be the Mockingjay, then she'll be the Mockingjay. But only if it meant getting all the other victors back and safe.

"What if I made a deal with Coin?" Katniss began, "I'll be the Mockingjay only if they rescue the victors and grant them immunity."

"That could work," Cato replied, "They'll listen to you, right?"

"They have to. They need me for this war."

- 

A/N: Sorry if it's a shorter chapter !! Finals are killing me rn lol,,, hopefully you guys still enjoy this though. It's a bit of a rollercoaster of a chapter, but its kinda hard to have happy moments when they're separated... They'll be reunited soon though !! (hopefully lol) Also not Cato lowkey playing Katniss tho,,, like it's clear her 'big' idea was exactly Finnick and Cato's plan all along lol,,, Anyways, have a good week guys !!!

Love you, Hannah <3