Never Yours (Peeta Mellark X Reader)

Chapter 14--Nothing Romantic

YOUR POV

The sound of birds chirping early in the next morning made you sleepily open your eyes, and you were greeted with the sight of a bright sunny blue sky, sunlight just peeking through the tree branches. You shifted in your sleeping bag, surprised to feel a pair of arms still wrapped strongly around your body, and you turned to see Cato, mumbling in his sleep as he held you tight, his breath tickling your skin. As romantic as it probably sounded, it kind of ticked you off, especially since you turned your head and saw everyone else already up and on guard.

"Cato," you hissed, pushing on him. "Cato. Get up. Everyone else is up."

Cato seemed to refuse, though. He only buried his head further in your shoulder. "Safe...keep you safe..."

"Cato." You rose your voice just slightly as you pushed him with greater force. "Wake up!"

"AHHH!" Cato bolted up, his eyes snapping open as he let go of you, grabbed his sword, and got onto his feet immediately, looking around the arena like a wild dog for tributes to kill. 

You shook your head as you got out of the sleeping bag as well, picking up your bow and quiver of arrows. "There's nothing there. Relax."

"Then why'd you call me up?" Cato asked exasperatedly as he sheathed his sword. 

You nodded at the other Careers, who were only smirking at the both of you. 

"AWWW! You two looked adorable in your sleep!" Pearl gushed, her face turning pink as she grinned like a maniac, trying her best not to squeal.

You only glanced at her with confusion. "Pearl, really?"

Everyone nodded in assent, which made the both of you blush. You knew Cato wasn't going to be friendly to you if he didn't promise to get you and Peeta back together. But the fact that everyone else was shipping the both of you pretty much made you feel embarrassed. It was then that you suddenly realized your mistake--your mistake of not forgiving Peeta. Who knew how much he could have seen of you and Cato? He could move around too. Not like he'd be rooted in one place anyway trying to avoid all the other tributes. Instantly, you felt a twinge of guilt in your heart, but it's too late to try and find him now. You're with the Careers, not Peeta. Best be able to stick with your current band of allies.

"Anyone else died yet?" Cato asked the group.

Glimmer and Clove shook their heads. "Not yet. But anything can happen today, right?"

You nodded grimly, recalling the gory death of the girl from District 8 last night, and shivered. 

"Who's left?" Marvel asked, picking up his spear.

"Let's see." Glimmer sat down on a fallen trunk to think. "There's us, the boy from 3, the girl from District 5, the boy from District 10, both from 11, and the boy from 12."

"Peeta," you corrected her under your breath. 

"So...12 of us," Marvel nodded. "Ah. Okay."

"Why? Were you planning on finding someone else today?" Clove asked him. 

"No no," Marvel said lightly, shaking his head. "I mean, maybe. The faster the tributes die, the quicker one of all of us can get out of here."

"Oh god. Don't remind me," you groaned, about to laugh when you stopped short. Another memory of your past with Peeta flashed through your mind--the day before the reaping, when you and he joked about the stylists...

By this point, Cato seemed to sense your pain so quickly that he soon hovered over you with an arm around you again. 

"Really?" you murmured to Cato.