LOVELY

~ 1.11 ~

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'I hear your silent scream.
Deep in your private dream.
Two ways to go from here.'
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Yawning, Indiana groaned as she attempted to roll out of bed only to find herself pinned by two muscular arms. Snores poured out of Cato's slightly opened mouth and he looked so at peace that Indiana was reluctant to wake him. However, he had to sneak back into his room before anyone discovered that he had spent the night anywhere other than the comfort of his own bed.

"Cato, you need to wake up. C'mon. Up." Indiana tried to prod, poke and pinch him awake but nothing worked until the kicked him in the shin, trying not to put too much force into it.

"Fuck, woman! Your feet are freezing!"

"Sorry," she giggled quietly. "I had to wake you up somehow."

"You could've tried a nicer method." Cato wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, voice husky with sleep.

"Shut up. You need to leave before my aunt and uncle wake up and catch you in here."

"Fine, I'm going. I'm leaving. But, Indie, I meant what I said last night. I really do like you. Obviously it's not going work out but I needed you to know how I felt before we entered that arena." Cato said, hand resting on the doorknob and his shirt missing.

Crossing the room, Indiana pressed a final light kiss to his lips. "I like you too, I meant it also."

"I'll see you in the arena."

"I can't wait." Indiana replied, voice dripping with sarcasm.

Shooting her a final gorgeous smirk, Cato took a good long look at the woman before him, clothed in nothing but a thin blanket before disappearing out the room.

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"I'm not really sure what I'm supposed to say right now." Cashmere huffed out a laugh, biting her lip and wringing her hands nervously. Tears glistened in her eyes but she did not let them fall. "Your uncle and I have every faith in you. We love you both so much, Sweetheart. You may be my niece but you'll always be my daughter in my heart. Now, I refuse to say goodbye because I know you're going to come out of this. I know it."

Kissing the top of her niece's braids, Cashmere watched as the young woman she had raised and loved walked onto the jet. Nails digging into her palms, Indiana didn't look back.

The other three Careers had already made their way onto the jet, leaving the seat next to Cato free for her to sit in.

"Morning, Princess." Cato smirked, leaning over to whisper in the smaller girl's ear.

Ignoring the man beside her, Indiana struck up a conversation with Clove, completely ignoring Marvel. She had yet to acknowledge his presence.
Once all the tributes had arrived and seated themselves in the chair corresponding with their District number, the doors to the jet closed, taking away the last glimpse of real sunlight that the tributes would see. Once the jet was level in the sky, high above the Capitol, a woman dressed in white walked over to Marvel with an odd looking gadget in her hand. Injecting the needle into his arm, the woman said nothing as the gadget beeped and Marvel winced in unexpected pain.

"Cato, give me your hand." Indiana whispered when the woman began walking over to her.

"Why?" He whispered back.

Grabbing his hand without answering him, Indiana hid their intertwined fingers between them as she held out her left arm. Trying to ignore the stinging pain, the blonde watched as the little metal square in her arm lit up before disappearing from view. Almost immediately, the pain vanished. Cato remained silent until the woman was finished with him, moving onto Clove.

"What was that about, One?"

"I didn't know you cared, Two."

A bitch face was the only response she received.

"Alright, fine. I have a slight phobia of needles." Indiana admitted, ashamed.

After all, she was skilled with knives and had no fear of being stabbed with them. Instead of taunting her, Cato just nodded in understanding before returning his gaze to the metal panelling of the floor. At the end of the jet, Katniss was kicking up a fuss about the injection.

"What is that?" she demanded, staring at the woman with fear.

"Your tracker," the woman responded monotonously before jabbing the needle into Katniss' arm.

After the incident, Indiana decided it would be beneficial to keep one eye trained on the girl from Twelve, noting that she wasn't as docile as most tributes from outlying districts were. Unaware of the woman watching her, Katniss began comforting the young girl from Eleven, attempting to ease some of her fear. Unable to hear the words being spoken, Indiana didn't miss how some of tension in Rue's shoulders dissipated. Against her will, Indiana gained a minuscule amount of respect for the 'Girl On Fire' purely because of the kindness she had shown the frightened child. Something Indiana wished she could've done.

Once the jet had landed, the tributes were ushered into separate rooms so as to meet their stylists and be dressed in their weather appropriate suits. Looking down at her right hand, Indiana realised that Cato hadn't released it during the entire journey. Despite the situation, she couldn't help the small smile that graced her lips.

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'Like a frightened child.
Fragile in spirit.
Like a wind blowin' wild.
No name you can give it.'
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