Today was the day to get scores and Clove was as nervous as ever. What if she did horribly? She didn't even train yesterday. Enobaria and Brutus walked her and Cato downstairs, both confident in their tributes. Cato and Clove remained silent, both showing their nerves in their own way. Once they entered their private room, Cato remained pacing, while Clove sat in silence.
"Cato Hadley." The speaker rang through and Cato took a deep breath before he left.
"Good luck," Clove said with a small smile.
"I won't need it," Cato said cockily, turning to smile at her before leaving. Once Clove was alone all her nerves came crashing down, anxiety filling her up. This was her chance to prove herself, to show everyone that she could win this.
"How was it." Clove murmured to Cato the second he returned and he shrugged
"It was fine." He said with a shrug.
"Clove Kentwell." The speaker rang out and Clove took a long breath before heading into the room. Even though she'd been training in this room for days, it suddenly felt a hundred times bigger, everyone's eyes on her. But she knew what she was doing. She betrayed nothing but confidence, making a beeline for the knives as she hit one bullseye after another, her knife never faltering. She could feel the gaze on her but remained silent until her last knife hit the target. The rest of it went by in a blur and before she knew it she was back in the small room with Cato.
"How was it?" He asked, standing up as she entered.
"It was ok." Clove said, "I think I did alright."
"Good." He said, "That's good." The two sat in silence but continued to inch closer toward one another until they were practically touching. "If you want to kiss me all you have to do is ask," Cato said with a smug smile, feeling Clove's eyes on him.
"Not every girl is interested in making out with you Cato," Clove said with an eye roll.
"No, but you are." He said with a smile, and before Clove could stop herself she felt her lips against his. They were quick, rushed kisses, having no time to stop or talk about what was going on between them as their death sentence quickly approached. The door swung open and Clove and Cato broke apart both beet red.
"I told you we should've knocked," Enobaria said with a sigh to Brutus, who merely shrugged, not phased at whatever was going on between Clove and Cato.
"How did it go?" Brutus asked and the two exchanged glances before answering.
"It went well." Cato said, "I think we both did good."
"Good." Brutus said, satisfied "Enobaria and I have a few meetings but you two are free for the rest of the day." "The tribute scores will be released tonight so please meet up after dinner to watch the scores with us," Enobaria said before bidding goodbyes with the two tributes.
"They always have meetings." Clove noted, "I wonder what their really doing."
"What do you mean?" Cato asked only half paying attention as the two strode down the hall. "I mean there's no way in hell the two of them are in meetings all day." Clove said with an eye roll "Haymitch is practically at the bar all day, I don't think I've ever seen him away from it."
"Well, that's Haymitch." Cato said in defense "I bet they have boring adult lives."
"Do you think either of them is married?" Clove asked, making Cato's eyes widen "I feel like Enobaria is."
"You are too curious Clover." Cato said with a laugh "What can we do in this place anyway?"
"I don't know." Clove said, "But I'm not spending the day with Marvel and Glimmer."
"I bet there's a kitchen somewhere in here." Cato said with a smile "I am going to make us a feast."
"What are the chances we don't get caught," Clove said with a small smile.
"We're going to be dead soon anyways." Cato said bitterly "Might as well enjoy a good meal."
"Alright." Clove conceded, laughing at Cato's eagerness as he dragged her down the hallway. The two were silent as they found a small kitchen, hidden away from the rest of the building. Unlike the rest of the capitol, the kitchen was perfectly simple, bearing nothing of extravagance, which made Clove feel more at home than she'd felt her entire stay here.
"I'm in the mood for some District Two banana bread," Cato said with a smile as he whipped out the ingredients.
"Now that sounds good." Clove relented, happiness flooding through her as the familiar smell filled the air. She gasped as Cato splashed some flour on her face.
"You're going to pay for that." She screeched as she cracked an egg on his head, letting the yolk drip down.
"I'm going to kill you, Clover." He grunted as he tossed sugar on her.
"Well, this is certainly a party." Both instantly silenced at the voice, both guiltily turning towards the door. But instead of a frowning Brutus or Enobaria, a smiling man stood there, practically laughing at them. He was gorgeous, his skin perfectly tanned and his hair lightened by the sun. "Finnick Odair." He said with a charming smile "And I'm guessing you two are Brutus and Enobaria's."
"How did you know?" Clove asked curiously.
"Johanna's talked plenty about you two." Finnick said, "Now please tell me there is some treat in here because I really am a fan of sugar."
"Banana bread." Cato said, pulling out the tray from the oven "District Two staple."
"Hmm." Finnick said curiously "I guess not everyone can have the fish like District Four." Everyone around Panem knew the name Finnick Odair. The youngest winner of the Hunger Games in history. And definitely the hottest. He got looks from practically everyone, being charming and charismatic.
"Are we going to get in trouble?" Clove asked, blurting out the question she'd been wanting to ask since Finnick had come inside.
"Oh no." Finnick said with a laugh "Johanna and I have done far worse, but this is cute." He shot them both a smile "Now I have to go but it was a pleasure to meet both of you." Both watched curiously as he left.
"That was strange," Cato said slowly.
"Let's get out of here before we're caught by someone who actually cares," Clove said, grabbing the banana bread before dashing out of there. The two made it back to their floor before dissolving in laughter, neither wasting any time before in each other's arms once again, desperate to cherish the short time they still had together. Before they knew it Enobaria and Brutus returned, both in seemingly high spirits. They looked different than either had ever seen them, both wearing sweatpants and sweatshirts instead of looking professional as usual.
"Is that District Two banana bread?" Brutus asked incredulously.
"Yup," Cato said, exchanging a smile with Clove.
"How did you two manage this?" Enobaria asked, taking a slice.
"Magic," Cato said with a smirk, earning eye rolls from both of the mentors. But once the TV turned on, it silenced any of the fun they'd been having. Now it was serious.
"Cato Hadley the handsome brute from District Two!" Caesar called out "A ten!" Both Enobaria and Brutus congratulated Cato.
"Guess you weren't that bad," Clove said with a smirk.
"And Clove Kentwell, the terrifying knife girl!" Caesar exclaimed, "Also a ten." Enobaria's face lit up as she embraced Clove
"I knew you could do it." She whispered in her ear.
"Guess you weren't half bad either," Cato whispered to Clove. All of them were in high spirits until District 12 rolled along. None of them were even paying attention anymore until they heard that number.
"11." The number silenced all their side conversations and thoughts, all outwardly gasping.
"How did 12 get an 11," Enobaria murmured to Brutus, the two seemingly worried.
"What the fuck!" Cato exclaimed, his anger instantly taking over him, as he smashed the piece of china only inches away from Clove's head.
"Jesus Cato!" Clove exclaimed, "Calm down."
"Oh, and you're going to act like you're not worried." Cato shouted, "Like you aren't worried about being killed by that girl."
"Of course I am!" Clove screamed "But I don't go around attacking everything in sight do I?' For a second Clove thought Cato was going to attack her, he was dangerously close, his fist only inches away from her face, his other hand having a little too hard of a grip on her shoulder.
"Alright, that's enough!" Brutus demanded, his booming voice echoing through the room. Like his voice was poison to Cato's ears, Cato shot away from Clove, staring at her as if he'd been burned. Clove practically sprinted away to her room, shutting the door before sinking to the floor. Enobaria wasn't far behind her, ignoring Clove's protests as she came inside.
"He's going to kill me," Clove said as she burst into tears, not even caring that Cato could hear everything she was saying. Enobaria stayed silent, wrapping Clove in her arms, whispering sweet nothings to her as she sobbed and sobbed. "I can't do this." Clove hicupped, lifting her head off Enobaria's shoulder.
"Well, you're going to have to." Enobaria said honestly "But they didn't give you a ten for no reason Clove." Enobaria said softly "You have just as much of a chance of winning as he does."
"Do you really think so?" Clove asked quickly and Enobaria instantly nodded.
"I know so."
"I think I'm going to try to get some sleep." Clove finally said.
"Alright." Enobaria said quietly "Sleep well." Clove laid down, but was unable to shut her mind off, she ended up going back to the living room, carefully stepping over the broken china. She was surprised to see Cato, sitting on the patio, with tear streak marks along his face. If there was one thing Clove knew about Cato it was that he never cried, always using anger to show his emotions. Clove wordlessly sat beside him, letting the cool night breeze blow over the two.
"I'm scared too you know." Clove said quietly "I'm really scared."
"I'm not going to kill you." Cato murmured "I'm not going to Clover I swear, not even if we are the last two."
"Well, what are we going to do if that happens?" Clove asked, her voice breaking "I can't kill you, Cato."
"I don't know." Cato said brokenly "I'm so fucking sorry Clover."
"It's o-"
"It's not ok." Cato shot out "I've been treating you like shit, and have been nothing but terrible to you since we got here."
"I need you, Cato." Clove said softly "I really need you, but I don't know how much more of this I can put up with." She admitted tears beginning to stream down her face "You're scaring me."
"I'm not going to lose you, Clover." Cato said, as tears of his own came streaming down his face "I'm not going to lose you ok?"
"Please don't lose me, Cato," Clove said through tears, letting him hold her tightly, both staying in each other's arms until the sun rose the next morning.