Ignite The Flame Within | Cato Hadley X Male Reader | Vol. 2

4 ~ Snowfall

It seemed that the atmosphere in my home had changed. Ana, my dad, and I may have only lived here a mere few months, but we tried to make the most of it and look at the positives. We spent many joyous nights laughing and doing normal things a family should be doing. We didn't have to worry about the things of the past. We had food, clothing, even a television. Our home was a constant reminder of the fact that we were there for each other, always just down the hall or in the next room. Snow's presence, however, cast a dark shadow over everything, shifting the joyous and loving walls into something that felt dark and chilling.

An eerie silence had been present in the room, and he hadn't spoken a single word since he had gotten here. Simply standing behind the wooden desk we had in our study,  back facing me as he stared out of our large arched window. He admired the powdered snow that dusted itself among the leaves of the pine forest outside. I desperately wanted to say something, anything, but my mouth wouldn't move. My chapped lips felt as if they were sewn shut. Why was he here?

It couldn't be the victory tours. Thinking back to previous ones I remember seeing the victor on stage with their mentor and stylist, possibly a government official too, but Snow was never there. He was only ever shown to us through the communal televisions we had in our downtown area. But even then he was always in the Capitol.

If he had made the trouble to travel from the Capitol to District 7 something must have been extremely wrong, and the fact that he wanted to speak to me didn't help ease the fear either.

I had done something wrong in the games because I had helped Katniss, I was willing to kill myself to let her win, and when she didn't we threatened to kill ourselves. We had outsmarted his precious hunger games, we had outsmarted Snow. And like I said, that was what he hated most. A district citizen who decided to step out of line, especially one who was being televised across all of Panem.

The silence was finally broken as Snow turned to face me, his figure feeling as if he towered over me. "What are you thinking about right now Mr. L/n?" He says as he rests his hand on the chair across from me.

"Whatever do you mean, Mr. President?" I reply in the most innocent-sounding voice I can put up.

"What are you thinking about?" He repeats, this time slower and more heavily emphasized than the last.

"I'm just thinking about how much of an honor it is to have you in my home," I start, feeling that my false mask of innocence wasn't working, "I'm just wondering what could bring you all the way out here. That's all."

He flashes a toothy grin, something that only made me feel increasingly uncomfortable. "Now my Dear, I told this to Miss. Everdeen when I visited her earlier and I'm going to say it to you as well, " He pauses as he looks down at me, "I think things will be much simpler If we agree not to lie to each other. What do you think?"

"Yes, that would help," I mutter as my eyes watch as his glooming figure slowly falls back into the desk chair he once stood next to. He leans forward causing his black coat  to ruffle, quickly reaching out to tap a device he must have brought.

It takes a second for the device to work but a screen soon flashes above it. It had a blue hue to it but the video was clear as day. I stare into the screen watching as Cato and I stand on top of the cornucopia, Peeta and Katniss close behind. It was our games, the end of it to be exact. I feel my eyes begin to tear up as I watch Cato drop his weapon, giving up on everything as I rush forward into his arms and pull him down. Holding him tightly before we shared a single desperate kiss.

President Snow reaches out, pausing the video and zooming in on Cato and me. "Aren't you two adorable," He says with a malicious grin, his blue eyes staring straight into mine. "You see Mr. L/n I don't have a problem believing you," he says. "It's actually quite the opposite. I believe Cato is in love with you, and you with him. Who I do have a problem with is Miss. Everdeen and Mr. Mellark." His hands slowly tighten as he intertwines them, ever so slightly shifting around in discomfort. "This problem started ever since you gave up on killing Cato, and..." he pauses, eyes falling to the desk, "Ever since Mrs. Everdean pulled those berries out."