The Capitol Games

Chapter 41

Keaton, Laython, Addie and I have been graciously spared from any packing. What takes the most time is figuring out what jacket and outer shirt is whose. Because of the snow yesterday, and the four of us' adverse condition, almost everyone offered up their jackets and outer blue shirts to get us warmer.

I'm sitting uselessly on the floor of the cave with a backpack on my lap, two quivers of arrows and a bow strapped to my back, and a nice in my boot.

"How's your arm?" I hear Keaton ask Kace. Their voices float over to me from the right.

Since I'm leaning on the wall, the uneven walls of the cave completely hide me from view of Keaton and Kace. I know that eavesdropping is bad, but I am rooted to the spot.

"Better," Kace says, and his voice is guarded.

"Good. I'm glad," I her Keaton say, in his signature good-natured tone.

I hear scuffling, and then Kace says urgently. "Wait," I assume Keaton made to turn away and Kace grabbed his arm. Or maybe just my imagination is enthusiastic and dramatic.

"Wait," Kace repeats. "You... you guys didn't have to go through all that trouble for me."

"I know," Keaton says, his voice low. "But we wanted to. I wanted to. And if your arm is better, really, it's worth it."

"You don't mean that," Kace burst out, and it surprises me a little, because I've never heard such vulnerability in his voice before. "You guys were trapped in the cornucopia, starved and dehydrated, freezing your ass off, almost found out by Jett and Leigh-"

"I do mean it," Keaton says, politely cutting him off, and I can hear the smile in his voice. "And seeing that you were worried sick-"

"I wasn't-"

"Makes it even better." Keaton concludes, and I can literally hear the wide grin on his face.

"Oh why is there grimy water in this backpack!" comes Kylie's voice, breaking through the moment.

"That's my backpack," I hear Keaton call out to her. Then he lowers his voice to tell Kace. "Come help me pack?"

There's the shuffling of footsteps, and I see Keaton go over to a bewildered Kylie and explain why there's grimy water in his backpack.

After a moment, I hear Kace sigh, then follow after Keaton.

Sitting on the cool, dusty cave floor, I can't help but feel that the conversation I just witnessed was so incredibly adorable. I don't know exactly what to make of it yet — because I don't want to jump to any conclusions— but it warmed my heart.

I watch as Laython joins Kace and Kylie. "That's melted snow, you know," Laython tells Kylie. "We tried melting it when Addie and Keaton were huddled up in that sleeping bag-"

"What?" Comes Finnick's question. Several heads turn towards him at the sudden question. My eyes widen in surprise.

"Oh for warmth," Finnick says in comprehension. I may be imaging it, but is there also a little embarrassment in his voice? "We were toasty here with a fire." He covers in a lighthearted, playful manner

Mayra splutters some argumentative sentences towards Finnick, but automatically, my eyes find Addie. Her face is as red as her hair (that's out of their braids, and in their full firey glory), but she quickly ducks her head and her curtain hair covers her face. To my ultimate surprise, I see a slight blush on Finnick's face as well. But I blink, and it's gone.

Whoa. What just happened?

However, before I can think on it, there's a large crackling, whooshing sound, and a heartbeat later, our whole cave shakes.