Careers Have Feelings Too | CLATO | GLARVEL |

Chapter 6

CATO POV

I watch Clove throw a knife that lands point blank in a dummy's forehead. 

As soon as it sticks, she spins around and throws another one as if she were fighting for her life already. The second knife whistles as it flies to lodge into the chest, and a third into the stomach. She exhales and pushes her braid back, turning her head back to us with powerful defiance. 

A real person would be gone after the first knife, but Clove is showing off. Not that she needs to anymore, obviously. It's now our third day of training, and we have three days of frightening the rest of the tributes completed under our collective belt. Our pack is strong and violent. When we're together, the rest of the room vanishes into silence. 

Clove throws another knife, this time at the dummy next to the first. I watch her intently, allowing myself a short rest from my own training as I get the chance to watch her in action. Everything about the way she moves is clean in the most cutthroat way, from the flick of her hair and wrist to the burying of the blade in the lifeless plastic. Since the night we'd spoken in her bedroom, we'd thankfully returned pretty much back to normal. Perhaps slightly better off, actually, as I'd managed to push through whatever strange incompetence had come over me when I had felt helpless in her presence. Now, her power impresses me. All I can hope is that mine does too, for her. 

She notices me watching and wanders over. A tribute in her path scurries out of the way as she glides towards me. 

"Good throwing," I smile. 

She shrugs. "It wasn't bad. Better than Glimmer's archery." 

I do like Glimmer, but Clove's right. I'm not sure why Glimmer is here, actually. I don't think she volunteered, but part of me doesn't particularly care. I feel bad for thinking this way, but why worry about these people? Their lives already hang in the balance. 

"I'd like to see you do better." 

Her piercing blue eyes hit mine with a jolt of annoyance. I want to shudder at the physical effect she has on me, but I laugh it off instead. "I'm joking," I say, patting her on the shoulder.

MARVEL POV

I know we should be trying to learn survival tactics, but the only reason I'm here at the fire station is because Cato and Clove won't stop flirting, and Glimmer won't stop watching me with her big puppy dog eyes. 

I wish we would never have to stop training. This is where I can see myself thriving, in the controlled environment that's a complete replica of my home routine. 

Cato saunters over, running a hand through his hair. He's barely ever separate from Clove now, and it actually sometimes makes me smile. Or, it would, if my life wasn't such a disaster. 

"How's the fire?" He asks, just as I manage to find a spark. I keep at it, nursing it to life. 

"All good. How are you and Clove doing?" I say politely. 

"Hmm, she's alright." 

I chuckle, the fire beginning to burst into life. "I reckon you think she's more than alright." 

Cato scoffs at me loudly, shaking his head and laughing. "I don't know what you mean." 

"Come on, man. Do you like her? I mean, you should go for it if you do. I bet the Capitol would love that. The Hunger Games: A television show filled with death, pain, betrayal, and a little bit of you and Clove getting it on." 

Cato laughs, rubbing his hands together and looking over his shoulder. It's just the two of us, no girls in sight, or, at least, not ones that matter. It's refreshing. "Shut up. Although, they probably would love that, the sick bastards."