lethal 。 𝔠𝔞𝔱𝔬 𝔥𝔞𝔡𝔩𝔢𝔶

020 ─── together .

"So we have time," he persisted, looking back down at me with a lopsided smile. I suppressed a grin of my own, let out a small laugh and looked away. "You don't want it to get infected, do you?" he asked as if he already knew the answer.

I knew he wouldn't stop asking, so that was why I exhaled loudly and nodded, avoiding his eyes. Every bone in my body told me not to let my guard down. For heaven's sake, this wasn't one of those frivolous love shows that the Capitolians produced by the dozens. I should have focused on what was important. Damn him, he skewed my judgement.

My eyes widened when he grabbed my wrist; gently, yet with enough force to derail me from my path. If he had been an opponent, I would have twisted his arm, pulled it behind his back and forced it upwards. The shoulder blade is an easily exposed pressure point, but Cato wasn't an enemy anymore.

He sat me down on a conveniently placed trunk, reaching into one of the many pouches in his protective jacket. I had noticed immediately upon arriving in the arena that the Careers had well outfitted jackets, compared to the outer district tributes, whose jackets wouldn't keep out heavy rain. He pulled out a small water flask and a tin of what seemed to be ointment. He placed them down before going back in the pocket, and frowning when he found nothing.

I smirked slightly, raising my eyebrows. "Looking for something?"

He kept searching his pockets, his brows furrowed in endearing confusion. "I must have dropped it."

"Well, that's a sign. We should keep goin-" I attempted to get up, but he just dragged me back down with a look of conviction. I huffed, crossing my arms in protest. "This is ridiculous," I scowled petulantly.

It seemed as if nothing I said could make a difference, even though I knew he had the same worries about Thresh that I did. If he had been listening to good sense, we wouldn't have stopped for something so unimportant.

He held up a single finger to silence me, excitement flickering deep down in the blue eyes that I had caught myself seeing in my dreams in the nights past. I doubt he knew how he haunted me, just as I didn't know why he had chosen to save me.

"Watch this," he said before tipping his head up to the sky, searching the dome for something I couldn't see.

I chose to spend that time watching him when he couldn't see; my eyes roamed the freckles on the bridge of his nose, which were light on his warm skin, but just noticeable enough that I could see them.

"We need a cloth," he said to the sky, and I frowned before realizing who he was addressing. I waited for a few moments, watching him before I looked up just in time to see six silver silk parachutes falling from the sky. The bells rang as a celebration of aid, as if there was nothing harmful that could come inside those packages.

Cato grabbed the nearest one, twisting it open so easily that I had no doubt he had received dozens, if not more. It was no secret that the Careers received much more support from the Capitol than the other tributes, but I truly had no idea until I saw the immediate reaction of the sponsors to Cato's words.

Inside the canister laid a perfectly folded, immaculately white cloth, of some of the purest fabric I had seen in my life. The wealth of the Capitol never failed to surprise me, and remind me of the struggle for life back home.

Cato, however, seemed unbothered, and proceeded to open his flask and pour his precious water onto the cloth, reaching up to clean my cut. His eyes were completely focused on the cut, but I had nothing to focus on while the fabric brushed against the open skin, making me wince.

"Tell me something." He looked at me, puzzled by the question, so I reluctantly cleared my throat and clarified, "just, distract me. Tell me about your home." Admittedly, I didn't need distracting. More like, I needed validation for this reckless choice in trusting him.