𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐁𝐎𝐃𝐘 𝐊𝐍𝐎𝐖𝐒 | ᴄ. ʜᴀᴅʟᴇʏ

We've Got Company

"Sorry!" I peep as I accidentally kick dirt into Cato's wound. 

"It's fine." He groans out through clenched teeth. It's not the first time I've accidentally gotten something or other stuck in the gash in his leg, and I've only been helping him walk for five or ten minutes. I found Cato not a half hour ago doubled over and looking ready to throw up behind a large oak tree. Naturally, I helped him up and have been wandering around trying to find shelter for us since. Probably should've killed him, or at least left him, but I'm not going to do killing. That's not my plan anymore, Marvel's death is already going to haunt me, I'm not getting my hands dirty again. I can hear Haymitch pitching a fit from here. 

"I'm sure we'll find something soon," I say, trying to give some sort of encouragement. His only response is a pained nod, and we struggle on. 

Trees. Nothing else for an hour. Just trees, and trees, and trees. I never thought I could get sick of seeing them, but these aren't real trees, they're man made, and hardly have a difference about them. Brown trunks. Cracked bark. Bright green leaves. Back in twelve, our tress had all kinds of crazy, twisty branches, and greens from all over the spectrum. We had oak trees, spruce trees, birch trees, and so many more. These are all practically the same, probably came out of a machine code. 

But then, there are no more trees. I blink twice. Nope, the inescapable forest has been escaped. Cato must be relieved too, because his shoulders sag, putting more weight onto me. I'm not weak, but I'm not a body builder either, and Cato weighs something just over 200 pounds, most of which is muscle, and my frail form can't take the extra weight. 

I stumble, and we both nearly face plant into the dirt. Cato lands on his back, and I scrape both of my palms stopping my fall. I give a short exhale of annoyance. I get up first, and offer Cato a hand. 

Grunting with effort, I haul him upright. His eyes flick over me, checking for injuries. His eyes look strained with the effort of holding himself up, but he none the less wraps his arms loosely around my waist and pulls me in for a hug. 

Being hugged by Cato Hadley definitely grabs a spot in the top three most bizarre things that have happened to me in my sixteen years of life. He's admittedly a good hugger, probably due to his size, but I let myself enjoy the odd sensation for a few moments. 

We pull away at the same time, and offer each other small smiles. His eyes really are a beautiful shade of blue, they're an icy colour, but they hold a certain depth to them that is rare to see. 

I nearly jump out of my skin at the sound of a dull metallic beeping sound. Cato spots it before I do, leaning himself on a tree and pointing towards a small package floating down from the sky on a light blue parachute. 

"Sponsor." I whisper disbelievingly. "We got a sponsor!!" I repeat, giving a small laugh of happiness. "Thanks Haymitch." I whisper, hoping wherever he is he knows I mean it. 

"What's in it?" Cato asks, studying the small jar. I shrug, gripping the lid and giving it a firm twist to the left. 

Inside is a thick, beige ointment. I sniff it, it smells nothing like anything we can afford in District 12. The jar practically radiates wealth, I wonder how Haymitch managed to scrape this together. 

I screw the lid back on tightly, slinging my backpack off my shoulders and placing the gift safely inside. Cato raises an eyebrow at me.

"Aren't we gonna use that?" he asks. My eyes dart around, spotting a cave behind a copse of bushes a few meters away. I nod at him in affirmation. 

"We're going to use it, but let's get over there first." 

The two of us hobble over to the cave (not before tripping a few more times) and sit down on the dirt. Because of the way the cave juts into the ground, we will have to slide down on our butts to get inside. 

Cato goes first, half sliding, half falling inside. An "umph" sound is heard, and a small "owwwww" 

"Quit whining!" I yell, a small grin playing across my lips. He scowls up at me from the cave floor. 

"I am a wounded soldier, have some respect!" A pouty look settles itself on his face, and I almost laugh. 

I think that if Cato were raised in 12 we could have been good friends, I doubt Gale would like him very much, but he might get on with Katniss. Gale just doesn't like other guys very much as a rule, he doesn't trust them as far as he can throw them. In fairness to him, he has a big family he has to protect, he's got his mum and his three siblings, Katniss has her sister, and me I just have my mum. That was all I ever really needed though, we all took care of each other, but I think it would have been good for Cato to have been apart of the Family bond I shared with them. Blood relatives are swell, but sometimes there's almost a stronger bond with your chosen family. 

But Cato wasn't raised in 12, he was raised in 2 where everything is industrial, and people are greedy. 1 and 2 are like the Capital's offspring in a way. They're the most privileged, the most beloved, the most rich, and the most sponsored. People like them because they're winners, and they're strong, my people are skin and bone, and don't know a thing about self defence or money. 

As my mind flitters about, I don't notice that I've been staring at Cato's face all this time, and based on the smirk on his face, I'd say he's noticed. 

My cheeks burn red, and I do my best to slide casually into the cave. "You're not the first person to stare you know, gorgeous." 

"Someone's self assured."

"You gave me a reason to be."

". . .Nice cave, isn't it?"

"Nice change of conversation."

I frown at him, and the cocky look only stretches faster across his face, his previous wounded soldier behaviour forgotten all of a sudden. Sometimes I wish I wasn't so serious all the time, even if we live in a world full of serious things and situations, Cato's playful banter brings out a more refreshing side of myself that I prefer to tuck away. 

I look down at my lap, suddenly finding my black cargo pants to be particularly fascinating things. 

For a few hours nothing happens, I apply ointment to Cato's injury, some to my own wound, and we occasionally eat a bite or two, and we keep our eyes trained to the cave entrance. Dawn sets, and an evening breeze blows down from the mouth of the cave. The air has that summer sort of sent that you only get on rare balmy days. Time ticks, my eyes droop, and the day's exercise and tiredness nestle into my aching muscles. 

A yawn escapes my mouth, and I quickly try and cover it up but there's no use. Cato spots my sign of fatigue and immediately tells me to rest. 

"I'm not leaving you up to fend for yourself in your condition."

He snorts, disbelieving. "I'm fine, you're not, get some sleep."

"No, you sleep, I'll take first watch."

"How about we both sleep? We'll just go in that dim corner over there so even if someone does come in they won't be able to see us before we hear them."

I bite my lip, we're both clearly exhausted, but it seems unwise to both just go to sleep on a whim and a hope of no one finding us. But I suppose if I'll die, I'll die in my sleep, and that's not such an awful way to go. I nod reluctantly, and we both crawl towards the corner. We settle next to each other, his arm slips loosely around my waist, and my head rests gently on his shoulder.

I guess it's good I slept so well that night, because the next morning we sure as hell had company to entertain.

A/N SINCE I FORGOT TO SAY IT LAST CHAPTER, CONGRATS TO MY MAN ALEXANDER LUDWIG, I HOPE MARRIAGE TREATS YOU WELL. (Also I'm really sorry about my update time again, this chapter was super boring, but I have a lot planned for the next one ;))

P.S Quick thank you to @CarKann for the beautiful graphic!!