Our Love Could Be Lethal

Act II: Anew

It's become common knowledge that we're siblings here in the academy now that my grandmother is gone. Her little network of cronies disappeared as soon as the money dried up. It's not something that the Capitol knows yet, and we plan to keep it that way until after his games.

He rolls his eyes. "You know I think you need to stop spending so much time with Finnick because you keep picking up all these terms from 4. And in case you haven't noticed, I haven't been little in years."

"How's your training going?"

"It's great. I'm the shoo-in for the male tribute," he says excitedly. I mentally groan. "Isn't that right Brutus?"

His mentor sighs. It's probably true, but Brutus can't say anything because he's on the selection committee like me. "You are a standout student Cato, but you'll have to wait for the announcement at the end of the month. Nothing is final yet."

Cato is about to retort but he looks at his watch. "Sorry Vee, I gotta go. I have a one-on-one sword lesson."

He's already begun to walk off when I shout back at him. "Dinner at my house tonight!"

He turns back to me to answer while running backwards towards his lesson. "Make sure you make enough protein for me." I groan. That boy is meticulous when it comes to training and eating.

Brutus and I begin to walk and talk as we make our way through the facility. "He's still cocky. I thought we talked about you trying to humble him—"

"I have tried. But have you seen him? He's better than every single kid in here, and he knows it."

We stop abruptly as an arrow goes flying by, followed by a student's apology, but continue to walk as if nothing had happened.

"Well I know that, but you can't tell him that," I retort.

"And I haven't. But when there's been no one here to match him but the trainers... it's hard to keep his head on the ground."

"I wasn't that cocky."

Brutus's eyes widen as he starts to laugh. "I'm sorry that's not correct at all. You tried to take on Enobaria. When you were twelve. And she was eighteen. I just remember you walking in and looking for the scariest girl in the oldest class and challenging her. You lost by the way. Big time. And then there was your interview w—"

"Okay, yes, I suppose I was a bit cocky," I say as I flush in embarrassment of my old self. There were more than a few things that I had done in the past that just thinking about would make me cringe. But hey, that's part of growing up, isn't it?

I turn more serious. "But he's dangerously cocky. If he starts to underestimate tributes like people did to Jo, it could blind him from seeing the real threats."

"I don't think that will be his biggest issue," says Brutus factually as I quirk an eyebrow at him. "His anger could be an issue. If someone pisses him off in the games' training centre, then he might go after them even if they aren't a big threat."

I shrug. "I'll keep an eye out for it over the next little bit. But hey, in the games being too aggressive isn't really a thing, am I right?"

" I suppose not. Hey, how much longer are you here for?

"Just for the day, but I'll be back in a few days after that."

"Ah, yes, I forgot you're a Capitol supermodel now," teases Brutus.

"Yea, something like that," I muse.

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Later that day, after I'd finished my stealth demonstrations at the academy, I made my way back to Victor village. As soon as I walk in the gate, I feel little arms wrap around my leg.