Never Yours (Peeta Mellark X Reader)

Bonus 3: Cato's POV

This is probably the last time I'm going to write a chapter in someone else's POV, so bear with me. But this is very important to the story line, so bear with me.

"Cato? Cato. Please. Talk to me." 

I was very aware now of Clove waving a hand in front of me shortly I came back to tell her the news. I mean, who hasn't heard it by now? All of Panem by this point would be rooting for their favourite team to come home, and if I had to bet right now, they'd be completely puzzled. I knew I screwed things up just being with (Y/N), because now I don't even know where she is, and she probably wouldn't trust either of us to be on her side anymore. 

I shook my head. "Clove. This is all messed up. And it's all my fault," I finally cried, burying my head in my hands. 

"What's your fault?" Clove asked me, crossing her arms. "The fact that you initiated romance with (Y/N)?"

"I didn't initiate any romance with her, Clove," I said defensively, removing my hands from my face. "I was just trying to help her, protect her. But I guess something turned," I eventually said, heaving a sigh. It's true. If (Y/N) goes back to Peeta, would she forget about me? What was I even thinking, sending her back to Peeta? Was it really for her good? Was it for my good? I know what I did was real. 

Clove shook her head in completely exasperation. "Listen, Cato," she said, grasping onto my shoulders. "I miss her too, you know. But we have to focus on getting home together. What's so important about her and Peeta by this point? They die, we leave. We get out of here, and celebrate our victory in District 2. Do you understand that?"

I wish I did. Honestly by this point, I didn't want to win this game anymore. I already know that death is inevitable, that people would probably start rooting for (Y/N) and Peeta despite the latter supposedly having a girlfriend back home. If they somehow found each other again...now what? Would the Capitol root for them? Sure, District 2 always have the glory, and being old favourites we might be one of the best bets. But now that we look onto the top 6, I have never remembered anyone from District 12 making it this far. And if there's anyone I want to see take the glory, it's (Y/N) and Peeta. 

Now I think back to the time I talked with (Y/N) on the balcony, and gave her my sweater to keep her warm. The very first time I opened up to (Y/N), alone, without any of the Careers to tease me, not even Clove...and immediately, I shivered. I told her that I didn't know if I could keep up this image of me as a potential fighter.

And thinking about it now, I know I can't. 

"Yeah," I responded to her automatically, nodding, though my heart twisted inside. I knew I can't win. (Y/N) and Peeta have been crowd favourites since their interviews, and knowing them now, I want them to get the chance of winning together. And in doing so, I have to sacrifice myself entirely. 

"Good." Clove's eyes were cold and steel-like as she removed her hands from my shoulders and began to rearrange her knives. "So who's left?" 

"(Y/N) and Peeta from 12," I said bluntly. "Then there's the girl from 5 and the guy from 11, Thresh."

"Huh." Clove shrugged as she sheathed her knives away into her pack, stuffing her sleeping bag away too. "Easy pickings for us. We'll get rid of the girl from 5, then the two from 12, and then Thresh. And then voila! We'll be home before we know it."

"Clove," I said, facing her with a clenched jaw. 

"And of course after that, we bask in the glory of winning the Games, as victors," Clove continued, not paying the slightest attention to me.

"Clove," I repeated, my voice growing edgy. 

"And then we'll be mentors!" she cried, pumping the air with a fist. "Mentors to all the future tributes who show up at the Games and follow our footsteps!"