LOVELY

~ 1.10 ~

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'Ain't nobody hurt you like I hurt you.
But ain't nobody need you like I do.
I know there's others that deserve you.'
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"Hey, you." Gloss said softly, giving his niece a sympathetic smile as he entered the room.

"Hi..."

"Oh, honey, it's okay." Gloss comforted, sitting beside her on the bed and pulling her in for a hug upon noticing the pain in her tone.

"H-he." Indiana choked out, the words sticking in her throat.

"I know, Indie. I know it hurts but you'll move past this."

"You mean because come tomorrow, I'll have to fight him to the death?" Indiana whimpered. "We told each other everything. At least, that's what I thought. And then he humiliated me! Everyone back home would have seen that! Everyone in Panem!"

"Listen to me, you need to bottle that rage and use it in the arena tomorrow. But, that's not why I'm here."

"You're not here to give me tips?"

"Of course not. You don't need them. I know you'll win. I'm here to give you this." Gloss pulled a small package out of his pocket.

Unfolding the wrappings, he pulled out a beautiful silver locket, that when unlocked had a picture of Indiana's mother and father on their wedding day on the left and Cashmere and Gloss on the other.

"I was informed to give this to you when you needed it the most, or your wedding day. Your mother was very strict about that. Anyway, there's a letter for you as well. I'll leave you alone to read it but before I go; your aunt and I love you so very much and we're honoured to have been given the chance to raise you. When you enter that arena, we'll be with you every step of the way."

"I love you too, Uncle Gloss. Thank you for raising me, and doing a great job of it."

Placing the letter on the nightstand, Indiana decided she would read it in the morning before entering the arena as she wasn't in the right frame of mind to see whatever was written inside. Deciding that she needed a good night's rest to clear her head, she began getting ready for bed but another knock on the door ruined her plans. Opening the door, Indiana came face to face with a frustrated Cato, who looked as if he was waging a war inside his own head.

"Did you want to come in?" She asked, widening the door invitingly.

"If you don't mind," he mumbled in response, shutting the door firmly behind him.

"Are you alright?" Indie questioned, attempting to diffuse the weird tension that had built between them immediately.

"I don't know. I wasn't even sure I was going to come up here but then I remembered you in that dress and I saw what Marvel said, and I knew that would've hurt you. He should count himself lucky that I didn't come up here and beat him. Little shit. Too blind to see what's right in front of him." Cato rambled to himself, running his hands through his hair.

"Cato." Indiana cut him off, placing a gentle hand on his arm.

Words stopped coming out off his mouth, Cato glanced between the hand on his arm and the lips of the woman before him. Self-consciousness crept in and Indiana went to remove her hand but the strong man gripped it and used it to pull her closer to him.

"I know we've only known each other for a week but it feels like it's been much longer." Cato whispered before crashing his lips against her soft, pink ones.

"Wait, what are we doing? We're going in that arena tomorrow and no amount of feelings will change that." Indiana tried reasoning, pushing him away slightly.

"All the more reason to be doing this then." Cato argued back, leaning forward.

Deciding he was right, Indiana knew she had only one more night to act impulsively and so she stood on her tiptoes and met his lips with her own. Deepening the kiss, Cato fell back on the bed, dragging the small blonde with him.

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The blonde couple were too busy enjoying their last night alive together, too wrapped up in the other person, that they failed to notice when Indiana's bedroom door cracked open slightly. It closed almost immediately after.

Walking back to his room with anger and pain etched on his features, Marvel felt his heart shatter into pieces with every step he took. Slamming the door shut, he slid down to the floor and buried his face into his hands. He should've been happy. His plan of pushing away Indiana had worked after all. So, why did it hurt so much to see her with somebody else?

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'Sat in the corner of the room.
Everything's reminding me of you.
Nursing an empty bottle and telling myself,
You're happier, aren't you?'
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