I plan on writing the rest of these in 2nd perspective. It just makes it easier for me to write down. And yes, I will finish editing chapters in the past.
꧁ꕥꕥꕥꕥꕥꕥꕥꕥꕥꕥꕥꕥꕥꕥꕥꕥꕥꕥꕥꕥꕥꕥ꧂
A few days, you had to get tested to see if there were any injuries that could affect you in the mere future. Had wasn't the correct way of saying it, you were forced to. You begged the doctors to have Cato there just to calm you until they put you to sleep, to which they had no choice but to comply. Not mainly in comfort. But in fear of you lashing out at them.
That's what Cato hated about this place. Almost nobody showed proper sympathy towards the injured or mentally disabled. None of the doctors cared about if you were ok, they only cared about themselves.
You however, needed the doctor's to leave your room when you needed to changed into the hospital gown. You didn't allow any of them to look at your arms, body, or even legs. You had covered yourself entirely. The doctor's assumed something happened but decided it would only be best to observe any internal damage. They knocked you out with some gas so you didn't struggle, allowing them to work carefully.
The results were horrifying, the doctors went to Cato and brung him out of the room. They couldn't believe what they were seeing.
"Was (Y/N) ever pregnant in the Quarter Quell?" The doctors first asked. Cato's eyes widened. In what way would you make them think that?
"No, she never was." The doctors looked at each other, then back to Cato. He grew furiously impatient.
"What is there you need me to know?!"
"(Y/N) can no longer have children." Time stopped. Did the Capitol do something... horrifying? The doctors read his facial expression and desperately tried to explain.
"The Capitol did not do anything in a way you may be thinking. But I'm afraid they may have done some severe damage to her uterus without knowing." Cato sighed in relief about the fact that you weren't... you know. But he was still horrified about the fact that you wouldn't be able to make a child or see little (Y/N)s running around.
"Anything else I should be aware of?" Cato asked, wanting to make sure he could help you in anyway. "Yes. Any sudden movements, or enough adrenaline or stress may cause her to lash out. We have a feeling it's from the PTSD.
"Please do not tell her about this, we don't want her to go into another trauma." The doctors said. Cato nodded, trying very hard to keep tear's from forming, as they led him back to the hospital room where you lay. He didn't find this fair that you had to go through this while nobody else could help you.
You slowly woke up a few hours later, the first thing you were able to see was Cato. He smiled at you, holding your hand in his. You muttered something unintelligible, trying to reach out towards Cato. He saw this as a sign of wanting to hug him, to which he laid on your bed and wrapped his arms around you.
"You ok, (N/N)?" Cato whispered, you felt his breath tickling your ear.
(N/N). The nickname Clove gave to you before her demise. During the doctor's examination, your brain started to array memories in which you had to decide which were real and which weren't. Clove was a real person, she was your friend from District 2. She was killed by Thresh. You sang her to sleep, then you surrounded her in flowers as a memorial. You cried and mourned for her along with Cato. This was a process you always had gone through whenever you were sorting out which memories were real and fake. However, some memories were too twisted with the other memories the Capitol had implanted while torturing you.
Outside, President Coin and Katniss had watched the two interact. President Coin looked at Katniss, making sure Katniss was positive of what she wanted.
-
After a few days of your recovery, you, Cato, and a few others went into a meeting room with President Coin. Cato had held your hand under the table, your fingers intertwining with each other. The others who sat across in the room were people who were familiar to you. Beetee. Gale. Katniss. They all were gathered in the room as well.
President Coin started it off simple. "I know each of you are still recovering in one way or another, but Katniss has requested to go to District 2 to help take over and have them be on our side. She has also requested (Y/N) and Cato to join us. I have agreed, hoping you two can help persuade District 2."
You were eager to go, but you didn't exactly like the way Coin had put it. It felt as though your only purpose was meant to serve as a beacon. Cato felt the suspicious vibe coming from you, and had to respond back. "I will gladly go, however (Y/N) and I need to be together at all times." Coin nodded, knowing it wouldn't be a problem for her.
Beetee had then motioned the two of you to come over to another weaponry room. He revealed a beautiful sword that was for Cato, and a long axe that was able to turn into a mini hatchet upon the press of a button on the handle. Probably thanks to Beetee. You smiled and thanked him before preparing to go to District 2 for the second time. Only this time, you knew it wouldn't be as festive as last.
You quickly changed into the dark military clothes laid out for you, and headed onto the hovercraft with Cato, your weapons sheathed away by your backs.
During the plane, or hovercraft ride, you nudged Cato, turning his head towards you. You felt a slight wave of nostalgia fill you, remembering what it was like when you two first rode a hovercraft to your first games. You could feel your hands clench together, trying to press your knuckles down.
"What's wrong?" He asked, causing you to snap out of your thoughts.
"We went to District 2 on tour... right?" He nodded.
"And did District 2 hate me?" Cato shook his head.
"No, they loved you. They loved you for helping me go home and for Clove." You nodded, looking back down to the floor. Cato moved over to you, using his fingers to tilt your head so you looked at him. "Don't ever be afraid to ask me something, ok?" You sadly smiled back. "Okay."
When the hovercraft landed by District 2, Cato's and your eyes widened. The city in which you two had known was crumbled, empty, and more grey than usual. You didn't like it at all, and neither did Cato. It was his home. You felt his hand shake in shock, his lip quivering at the sight. You wrapped your arms tightly around him, making him feel a sense of comfort. He hugged back, taking a few deep breaths before being ready to move on five minutes later.
'That's my Cato.' You beamed inside, proud of him. The commander there didn't recognize you, only Katniss and the people in front. The group walked towards where the rest of District 2 was. A loud sound boomed and the area shook. You were the only one who didn't flinch or duck. You just kept walking. The group had gathered around a technical map of something that Cato recognized.
"The Nut..." He whispered. You leaned to him to whisper back. "What's the Nut?"
"The main source of all the Capitol's weapons. It's protected both by aircraft, military down there and civilians. It seems they're trying to take over it." He whispered back to you, causing your eyes to survey the area shown. Large mountains, a small hidden area.
"We can flush everyone out or bury them in." Gale suggested.
"There are civilians. They should be given a chance to surrender." Boggs commented.
"We will leave the train station open for survivors." Coin replied.
"And if they don't surrender?"
"Then we will need a compelling voice to persuade them."
The District 2 leader noticed you and Cato. "They're back." Everyone turned to see you and Cato. Everyone who was in District 2 had nodded in respect. "Cato and (Y/N) will be able to persuade them."
And the plan was set in motion. Cato and yourself watched away from the crowd, solemn looks on both of your faces. Both of you didn't want either of this. Having to go into a war like this for something that you don't even care about.
"I can feel something wrong with Coin." You stated out of nowhere. Cato froze for a second. "You think so too?"
"I wonder why of all times she chose now to stop the Capitol." You whispered to Cato.
"But we can't do anything about it." Cato whispered back, watching as another explosion boomed throughout the district, everyone cheering. You looked back to Cato, as he did to you. The two of you overheard Gale and Katniss talking, paying attention to what they were saying.
"Even if those civilians are mopping floors they're still helping the enemy. If they can die I can live with that." Gale said indifferently. You could feel Cato's rage emitting off him. Of course he could be angry. These weren't just civilians these were his people, his family.
"With that kind of thinking you can kill anyone. You could send kids to the Hunger Games to keep the districts in line." Katniss retaliated.
"It's war Katniss. Sometimes killing isn't personal."
"I of all people know that it is always personal! (Y/N) and Cato know that as well!" She snapped back, not proud of her friend. Gale looked back to see the two of you staring at him. Cato was about to head over to Gale before you pulled him by the shirt and pressed your lips onto his in a quick kiss.
"Don't get rash, okay? He talks big but doesn't chew anything." Your words tumbled out of your mouth in comfort, soothing Cato down. He looks at you with adoration, before kissing you again. You lost yourself in the moment thanks to Cato.
Everyone had gathered to the train way. Medics, army soldiers, Katniss, Haymitch, Boggs. You and Cato. The two of you went behind Katniss, ready to see what was going to happen. The plan was that if Katniss couldn't persuade anyone, it was your's and Cato's responsibility. You would do whatever it took to make the District who raised the 2 people you've grown the closest to join the rebellion.
Katniss's propaganda team had started recording, and she started to say her speech.
"This is Katniss Everdeen, speaking to all of the loyalists—"
"Survivors!" And there were. A train bringing in many survivors with guns appeared. Everyone demanded to force the survivors to stay down on the ground and drop their weapons. You could feel Cato squeezing your hand tightly out of nerves.
Someone fired a gun. In a flash, Katniss had ran over to see if one of them were ok. "Stop!!" She cried. She ran over to one of the men and was put in a headlock, with a gun by her neck. Boggs had a gun pointed to him, demanding to drop the gun.
"Let her go!" You cried, you and Cato moving to the front. All the survivors looked up to see you and Cato. The victors of the 74th Hunger Games, the two who brought honour to District 2 in multiple ways. The man with the gun by Katniss's neck looked over to see you and Cato. His dark coloured eyes widened a fraction.
Suddenly, the man looked familiar. You knew him. It was Clove's dad. He stared over to you and then to Cato. "Aren't you sided with the Capitol?" The father muttered, the gun still pointed to Katniss. Cato held you protectively.
"No. She was brainwashed with tracker jackers venom." Cato and Clove's father locked eyes. They both held desperation, exhaustion, and the same hopelessness as when Clove had died in the arena just 2 years ago.
"And how do we know that?" Another man spoke up. All the survivors had their eyes on the two of you. You realized you didn't have any other choice and that if you needed to convince them, you had to show them. Slowly, you started to unbutton the long shirt you were given, your tank top being revealed underneath. Cato himself looked confused as you started to take off your shirt that hid the horrors of the Capitol underneath. When it was fully taken off, everyone let out a gasp.
Because it wasn't just a bruised body.
It was burnt and gashed to no ends.
Your arms had been covered with black marks everywhere, your shoulders having large, crimson red gashes that had been turned to nothing but transparent skin. You lifted up your tank top to your stomach, to where the old mark of Thresh sinking his claws into you. Instead of seeing the once thin line of a scar, it had been reopened, teared to stretch even wider, and poorly stitched up. Your neck also had a cut mark near your throat.
People from District 2 and the rebels gasped in shock and horror. You saw Katniss's jaw drop in disbelief. You heard Cato choke a sob behind you. You smiled bitterly. "Awful, isn't it?"
Your best friend's father shook his head in disbelief, lowering his gun. Letting Katniss go. You slowly put your military shirt back on, watching as Katniss got back up to finish her speech.
"These people are not your enemy! We all have one enemy, and that's Snow!"
You turned back to Cato, and you almost gasped in shock as Cato had tears falling down his face. His facial expression was mixing between horrified, to outraged, to disbelief, and to sorrow. You couldn't remember the last time seeing Cato cry. Which was...when Clove had died. Cato brung your body to his, one of his hands massaging the back of your head while the other rubbed your back, and you could feel his body shaking, racking of sobs as he buried his face in the crook of your neck.
"I'm so sorry baby... I'm so f*cking sorry..." He murmured, rocking you back and forth. Katniss had continued her speech.
"He corrupts everyone, and everything! He turns the best of us against each other." You could still see people in tears of your wounds, some of the soldiers had been crying without realizing it. District 2 was horrified, one of the darlings of their district had been turned into a lab rat thanks to Snow.
"Stop killing for him! Tonight, turn your weapons to the Capitol! Turn your weapon to Snow!"
And someone got up, shooting Katniss in her chest. Her bullet proof chest.
Gunshots fired everywhere, however none of them aimed for you and Cato. Cato had turned you two around so his back was facing his people, shielding you incase anything dared to try and hurt you. People were raising their guns, however the ones that didn't shoot - including Clove's father, stayed on the ground in surrender. When the gunfire finished, anyone who had surrendered was taken by aircraft to District 13.
You and Cato both shared a bed back, he wasn't going to let you sleep alone. You were exhausted, just having to watch everyone and everything crumble around you was so much. And Cato knew.
You fell asleep only shortly after.
I'm tired so we get this chapter. I might do another chapter with some angst angst and maybe some fluff fluff in one chapter.
And tomorrow I'm adding onto the Cato Imagines book too 😃
Enjoy this~