Star Crossed Lovers [Everlark]

Left for dead

"Okay Rue you light these, and I'll blow up their stash," I tell Rue, who hid me, and helped care for my Jacker stings while I was out for about 2 or 3 days.

She had noticed that Cato kept their supplies surrounded by explosives. So we came up with a plan to flush him out. As I walk to my hiding spot, I can't help but wonder where Peeta is, not like I should care.

He is the one who has been helping the careers track me. I see the careers running off by the time I focus on what I'm doing. I'm taken off guard when Fox Face gracefully maneuvers around explosives and off to the woods. The guard hears something and starts to walk towards it away from the stash. I quickly send two arrows flying; the first just grazes the bag of apples, the second one sends them tumbling down.

The explosion knocked me backward; the ringing returned to my ears louder than ever. I reach out for my bow and duck into the woods. I take off running as soon as I in the cover of the woods. I reached our meeting spot quickly. But Rue isn't there. I start looking for her; her last pile never was lit. I try to shush the pounding in my heart as dread washes over my Body.

"Katniss ," Rue cries out.

I follow her voice; she got caught in a net. Rue looks so helpless as I run over to her, with a panicked looked on my face.

"I'm sorry" she whispers. She gives me a hug. I try to calm her.

Then I the I see a figure from the corner of my eye, and just like that, my bow is drawn, ready to fire. It's a kid with a spear. He raises it to throw, and I release my arrow at the same time. He drops to the ground, and I pay no mind to the life I just took. I focus on Rue; she reminds me so much of Prim.

It's hard not to love her, and I look down at her small, fragile hands holding something. I realize it's the spear. Tears immediately fill my eyes; I fear she's not going to make it. The spear pierced her through her upper torso. She collapses in my arms, running my hands through her hair, soothing her like I would when my sister had nightmares, I sang her the same song too.

            Deep in the meadow, under the willow
               A bed of grass, a soft green pillow
           Lay down your head, and close your                     sleepy eyes. And when again they open, the       sun will rise.

Here it's safe, here it's warm
Here the daisies guard you from every harm
Here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true
Here is the place where I love you.

Within minutes her body went limp in my arms. I just broke down. I laid her on a bed of white flowers, covering her blood spot. I sprint away so they can pick up her body. Not looking back I run for about 10 minutes, I finally break down. Screaming and crying, anger and sadness all at the same time. Then an announcement is made;

"Attention Tributes, the rule for one Victor, has been lifted. Two tributes may be crowned Victor as long as they're from the same district." Seneca says

Just like that, I was on my feet running. I know Rue said Peeta was by the water. I start to see massive drops of blood on the ground, leaves, and rocks. I follow the blood trail, then the trail disappears.

"Peeta " I call out frantically.

My head feels as if it is spinning, as I search for him to no avail. 'Was I too late?', Before I know it, something or someone grabs my boot.

"Don't step on me," a hoarse voice says

I look down, and it takes a minute for my brain to process everything, but then he rewards me with a smile. His teeth so white in contrast to the dirt caked on his face. It clicks in my head 'it's him,' I scream in my thoughts. I eliminate any debris I can from him, I notice his pants ripped at his thigh and is bloody.

" what was it?" I ask.

"A sword," I say my voice still hoarse from dehydration

I avoid making eye contact; I don't want him to see the worry my face displays as I try to clean his wound. It doesn't look good, and it's bright red, puffy and swollen with puss.

" I need to get you to the water's edge so I can try and clean this better," I tell him.

---------- Peeta

I lay for what seemed like days. Who knows it could have been, I'm afraid to set up to look at my leg. Fearing they could be watching, so I just lay and wait to die. I didn't get to say goodbye, but at least I gave Katniss a shot at getting away.

I think over and over again how maybe I could have avoided the blade and held him off longer. I fade in and out of consciousness; I try to make myself stay alerted by focusing on the sounds of the water and creatures in the forest. I can hear bits and pieces of an announcement,

"two winners will get to be crown...... the same district " is all I could hear.

That's new. Two people get to be crown as the victor as long as they're from the same area. I assume that's the gist of it since I could only make out bits and pieces of the announcement

I must be hallucinating; I swear I hear the love of my life calling my name. I hear her voice getting louder as she calls my name. She is standing right in front of me now.

"Don't step on me," I tell her my voice comes out hoarse.

I use what strength I can muster and grab her boot. Katniss looks down at me with confusion and shock, I try and give her a loving smile, at least I hope it was a smile. Between the pain and camouflage, it's hard to tell, though.

She starts freeing me from my tomb of dirt and moss.

"what was it," she asked avoiding eye contact.

"A sword, " I say dryly.

I know Katniss must not love me anymore after seeing me with them, but I was trying to protect her. She sighs;

" I need to get you to the water's edge so I can try and clean this better," she says, no emotion in her voice.

I nod, not deserving her care and affection. I may be weaker from the wound, and dehydration, but still have enough strength for me to lift her chin

"I had to; I had to make sure you was safe" I managed to tell her, though I am certain this makes no sense to her. She just shushes me and continues to evaluate my leg.

" I'm going to need clean it, but your pants are in the way" she blushes as she tells me.

I chuckle, then realized that meant by getting me closer to the water's edge; this will be rather painful. We managed to scooch me closer to the water's edge; Katniss props me against a boulder. Then pauses to look at me then my pants. After drinking a flask full of water, I am feeling refreshed and not so sluggish, I'm still considerable amount of pain.

" you typically start with unbuttoning the buttons, " I tell her, stifling a laugh.

She splashes water at me, then turns a cute shade of pink at the thought. I may be injured, but I'm still a guy. Thankfully the pain keeps something from popping up, as she straddles over me avoiding putting weight on my bad leg. Her confidence seems to build with every movement.

"Well let's get the shirt off first," she says, her voice teasing me as she tugs at the hem of my shirt.

I give her a crooked grin.