I can still do this

chapter 10

"Don't fall asleep," Katniss instructs firmly, but she doesn't listen to her own advice. She's out in minutes, leaning on my shoulder, completely limp. Doesn't seem to care that I'm here. It even seems like she might be comforted by it, but that's probably just me.

I don't care that she's sleeping; I don't need somebody babysitting me to stay awake, even with high-end morphling in my system. The TV is enough to keep me up, especially with so much of Katniss on the screen. I could watch her for hours. She fights so fiercely when she has to, with a lot more skill than anyone from twelve in the tapes I've seen. But the weird thing is that she doesn't. It's pretty obvious that she hates hurting the other tributes; she flinches when she hears the scream of the girl I killed. And I can't stop watching that because I want to figure out how she does that.

It makes me feel weird, seeing her so scared and knowing it's because of me. She never let herself look that terrified while I was around. I killed the girl she tried to save. I guess that's the difference between her and me right there.

She jerks awake after several hours, and the first thing she says is my name. "Cato!"

She sounds scared, and for a second, I am, too. "I'm here," I say, to calm her down. She wakes doesn't have to be scared right now. "You can go back to sleep," I add, because if she really wakes up, maybe she won't stay here with me.

"Oh good," she sighs, sounding content, and relaxes back into sleep.

I don't know if I can remember when I was ever happier than I am now, because she's sleeping on me again. Once would probably be just chance, but twice... twice means she trusts me at least a little bit.

I mean, I know she's said something like that before, and she's done a lot that could mean she trusts me, but this is different. You never sleep in front of someone you don't trust.

I guess I should stop being surprised by her, but I've got a feeling that's never gonna happen.

The elevator doors open an hour after she falls back asleep. At first, I think it's Haymitch - he should be back some time soon. It's getting late, and mentors are supposed to be with their tributes at least most of the time. But then I see who it actually is.

President Snow.

"What are you doing here?" I say quietly, so I don't wake up Katniss.

The old man's as creepy as always, looking at the two of us like he's gonna eat us alive. He frowns, mildly disapproving. "Come now. That's no way to speak to your president."

"What are you doing here?" I repeat, because I can't think enough to figure out something better to say.

"Looking for the victor," he says, with a pointed look at Katniss. "She and I have some... unfinished business. Though it seems that perhaps the same may be true for the two of you, as well."

Definitely not. No. He can't be disgusting like that, not about her and me.

The instant I feel myself getting emotional about this, I shut that part of me down, go cold just like they taught me to do. "She's busy right now," I tell him. "What do you want?"

Snow walks calmly towards us. I get ready to defend us if he attacks, but he just sits down on the couch near us. "Not that it's any business of yours, but Miss Everdeen owes the people of the Capitol a small favor."

"What kind of favor?" I ask suspiciously. He's not waking her. I won't let him.

"I'm sure you're aware of the radiant beauty your co-victor unconsciously possesses," he starts off, and I hate him more for sounding so arrogant, for complimenting her when he obviously doesn't care about her or anyone. He probably wishes I were dead.