FIRE ON FIRE ( cato hadley! )

chapter twenty-five

——☆ FIRE ON FIRE
chapter twenty-five: stay

AFTER THEY FINISHED their presentations at Districts 1 and 2, Lilia Conway was exhausted. The cheering crowds, lavish banquets, and endless interviews had drained her more than she'd expected. She felt like a doll, always on display, always expected to smile, to charm, to play the role the Capitol had written for her.

That night, Lilia tossed and turned in her bed, squeezing her eyes shut, trying to force herself to sleep, but it was pointless. With a frustrated sigh, she threw the silk sheets off and sat up, staring into the darkness. The train felt too quiet, too claustrophobic.

"We just need to get through this tour and be prepared for what's coming next," Haymitch's words echoed in her mind.

The girl slipped on a pair of soft slippers, the floor cold beneath her feet as she quietly opened the door and stepped out into the dimly lit hallway.

She knew she shouldn't be out of her room at this hour, that the Capitol had eyes everywhere, but she couldn't stand to be trapped in that room any longer.

As she wandered down the corridor, her footsteps barely making a sound, she wasn't quite sure where she was going. That was, until she found herself standing outside of Cato Hadley's compartment.

Lilia froze. She hadn't planned to come here — at least, not on purpose.

The girl stared at the door for a long moment, her hand hovering just inches from the metal. Maybe this was a mistake. Maybe she should turn around and go back to her room.

But then, before she could overthink it, she gave two quick knocks. A moment later, the door slid open, and there he was.

Cato Hadley stood in the doorway, shirtless, his deep blue eyes widening in surprise at the sight of her. For a moment, neither of them spoke, the only sound the soft click of the door shutting behind him.

"Lilia," he said finally, his voice rough. "What are you doing here?"

The girl paused, suddenly unsure of herself. Why was she here? She didn't have a good answer, didn't have any answer at all.

"I couldn't sleep," she whispered. "I just...I needed to talk to someone."

Cato looked at her for a long moment, his expression unreadable. He seemed different, somehow—more stern, more guarded than she remembered. The boy she had once known, the one who was always so sure of himself, seemed like a distant memory.

After a moment, he stepped aside, allowing her to enter. Lilia moved past him into the compartment, her gaze flickering around the room.

It was much like hers, with a large bed and a window that overlooked the dark landscape outside. Behind her, Cato leaned against the door, watching her.

She could feel his gaze on her.

"I know it's late," Lilia continued, her voice barely more than a whisper. "And I know we haven't talked much since..."

Her words trailed off into the silence of the room, and for a moment, she felt a wave of regret wash over her. What was she thinking, coming here like this?

"Listen," she said, swallowing hard. "I just...I needed to talk to you. Everything feels so overwhelming. The Capitol, the rumors..."

"Stop."

Without another word, Cato moved toward her in one swift motion, wrapping his arms around her. The touch was sudden and unexpected, and for a split second, Lilia froze. But then she felt herself melt into him, the warmth of his skin soothing into hers. She hadn't realized how much she missed this—missed him.

"They could kill us right now if they wanted," she murmured against his chest, her voice trembling. "I feel like they're just watching...waiting for the right moment."

"Hey," Cato said softly, his voice steady and calm. "They're always watching us, but they can't touch us. We won."

"Did we?" Lilia asked. "It doesn't feel like it's over. It feels like...it's never going to be over."

"I know," Cato agreed. "But I promise you, even if they try something, I'll protect you."

Lilia looked up at him, her eyes searching his. There was something in his voice, a confidence that made her believe him, if only for a moment.

Cupping her face, the boy repeated, "I won't let them touch you, Lilia."

And then, before she could second-guess herself, she leaned in, closing the gap between them. Lilia could feel his breath on her lips, and for a moment, she paused, looking into his eyes.

"Come here."

Without a second to waste, Cato closed the distance, his lips pressing against hers. Their lips moved in sync, pushing forcefully against each other in eagerness.

When they finally pulled apart, both of them were breathless, their foreheads pressed together. Cato's hands were still on her waist, holding her close.

"I've missed you, Lilia," he whispered.

"I've missed you, too."

There was a moment of silence. Then, the boy gripped her waist tighter and looked into her eyes.

"Stay," he whispered.

Of course, he wasn't asking, but demanding. Lilia nodded, a small smile tugging at her lips. She didn't want to be alone, didn't want to go back to her room and face the nightmares that waited for her there.

"Okay," she whispered back.

They moved to the bed, Cato wrapped an arm around her, pulling her close against his side. She rested her head on his shoulder, closing her eyes as she felt his heartbeat beneath his chest. For the first time in what felt like forever, Lilia felt safe.

"Just for tonight," he murmured, his lips brushing against her hair.

"Just for tonight," she agreed.

As they lay there, their breaths began to slow, and Lilia felt her eyelids grow heavy. She closed her eyes, feeling the warmth of his body against hers, the comfort of his arms around her, and for a moment, she allowed herself to believe that maybe, just maybe, they could get through this.