Disclaimer: All these beautiful bamfs belong to Suzanne Collins not me, though Suzanne, dear, if you're reading this…how much do you want for them?.

The Star Crossed lovers of District 12. It was what was on everyone's tongue in the Capitol, even the other tributes let the words flitter through them like idle gossip; the boy who bakes and the girl on fire – they were destined to fail because even if one of them won they would lose the other. A real tragedy.

"It's bullshit, that's what it is." Cato grumbled under his breath as he bit into the rabbit leg in his hand as he sat watch, Clove at his side as the bright orange glow from the fire they'd built bounced off their surroundings and their faces; each line and detail defined in a new light by the bright flicker of the flames. "What is?" The girl spoke up as she turned her head to look at her district partner, her own mouth filled with meat as she spoke; her hand going to wipe her lips with the sleeve of her jacket as she swallowed. "Loverboy and his stupid girlfriend; I don't buy it." The burly blonde mumbled again, another mouthful of rabbit muffling his words slightly as they left his mouth. He gestured with his head towards the sleeping blonde from District 12 that they'd taken in provided he helped them find the girl Cato very much wanted to light on fire. "I dunno Cato, the kid seems pretty dedicated." Clove glanced over at the sleeping boy, screwing her nose up in distaste for him like he was a piece of garbage. There was something about the boy, he was useless in more ways than one, he looked hopeless like he knew he was going to die – so many tributes did but Peeta had looked like he'd already given up hope. But there was a spark that set him apart from all the other pathetic sad excuse bags of blood that were in the games; there was a sense of something that Clove couldn't quite pinpoint but she had known Cato had seen it too.

"And? That doesn't mean shit." The bigger blonde huffed as he took another bite of the meat in his grip before tossing the clean bone towards the fire and kicking up a bit of ash and charred wood on impact. The dark haired girl opened her mouth to speak but decided against it, she knew Cato well enough to know it was like arguing with a brick wall – no matter what she said; until Cato was proven wrong about the pair then there was no point in trying to sway his thoughts. Instead the girl took to glancing around the camp, Glimmer was out like alight with her head on Marvel's stomach, who was spread out like the entire ground beneath him was one giant mattress and it belonged solely to him; and as her eyes continued she let them dwell on the District 3 boy who slept balled up and slightly away from the others and then, finally, she looked at Peeta. Glancing back to Cato, Clove noticed the bigger boy's steel blue eyes hadn't wavered from the sleeping blonde boy opposite him. She kept her mouth closed as she watched Cato's gaze, flittering her own between Loverboy and the bulky blonde to her left as she tried to study his face; there was an array of things going across his features though he appeared to try and keep a straight face but the fire light showed Clove the way his muscles in his jaw flexed and the movements of his Adam's apple with every shallow swallow, even defining the occasional furrow of his brows. "Get some sleep." Cato spoke up, shattering the silence that was held only by the sound of the flickering fire. Clove didn't argue, simply nodding and watching her district partner stare straight ahead, past the fire and right at Loverboy.

Cato didn't tear his gaze away from the sleeping blonde for longer than a few moments, the sounds of the wild within the arena occasionally causing the burly blonde to look up and around him but he never met anything other than the extending deep shadows. Eventually, every time his gold blue gaze strayed, he returned to looking at the bread boy that seemed to idly lay out like he was dead to the world and oblivious to the games around him. On one occasion Cato pulled his gaze away to notice the brightening pink tones on the fake horizon above the arena; the mix on tangerine and pale rose signalled the time must have been nearing 5 in the morning. Peeta was the first to stir, having been used to the early arising from having to help his mother at the bakery back in his district to prepare bread early. With a stretch and a groan, the blonde rubbed one of his eyes and slowly lifted himself up into an awkward sitting position, barely taking in Cato or the others at this point and instead simply rubbing at his face. Before Cato could do or say much however the boy from three made his own similar noises as he lifted himself up, his attention instantly going to those around him and for a brief moment he let a look of relief register on his face as though he was thankful to survive the night considering his company. With a hand on his stomach, Cato got to his feet and stretched his own hulky frame out with several cracks running through his bones and causing his muscles to tense up before relaxing once more. "You." He pointed one of his fingers at the smallest of the three boys that were now awake before gesturing to the fire with a jerk of his head. "Keep watch and keep it lit." He then turned to Peeta, a smirk on his face – the first sign of emotion all night and matching his smirk he had a tone of unchallenged authority. "You're with me Loverboy, we're going hunting." The bigger blonde tossed a knife towards the other as he settled his own sword on his back. Peeta fumbled as the knife was tossed towards him, jolting back a little as if he was afraid the weapon had intent to actually harm him; though once it hit the floor the boy was able to collect it, stuffing it in his own belt.

"Hunting?" The smaller of the two blondes retorted, his own gaze not on Cato but instead watching the boy from District three restoring the crackling flames on the fire; the boy's hands shook noticeably as he seemed to scour all the other sleeping careers. Cato was preparing a pack, stuffing a few bottles of water into a satchel they'd managed to collect when they conquered the supplies from the other tributes; looking up finally as he tossed the strap over one of his bulging shoulders. "Yeah, hunting. What? Does killing your food make you uneasy Loverboy?" The bigger blonde scoffed cruely before making his way past the other blonde, shoving his shoulder slightly, speaking as he went and encouraging the other to follow. "C'mon." With that he made his way towards the heavily wooded area, Peeta in toe like an obedient dog following its master; though in Peeta's eyes he was merely doing what he could to stay alive for as long as he could to protect Katniss. They seemed to have won over the Capitol but the reaction he'd received from Katniss seemed to sway his initial feelings, she had made it obvious she didn't reciprocate them – but then again he had hoped the little story would at least gain her and him enough sponsors to survive. But Cato didn't need to know this, no one did; it was their little secret.

Peeta had been so lost within his own thoughts about his own district partner, wondering how she was holding up on her own, if she'd made any alliances or if she was still alive and well; he hadn't noticed the career stop before him, causing Peeta to run right into him. "Watch yourself!" Cato snapped as he felt the smaller blonde collide with his back and send him forward a little though not enough for him to lose his balance. "I-I'm sorry!" Peeta quickly retorted as he pulled himself back from the bulkier blonde and did his best to steady his own footing in the mossy undergrowth beneath their feet. Cato shot the boy a dark look before muttering under his breath as he held a hand up near the other boy to make sure he didn't retaliate. "You better be." Peeta opened his mouth to retort despite the signal not to but was silenced again as Cato moved his hand forward to beckon the other slowly; he'd seen something in the distance, moving and breathing – oblivious to its impending demise. It happened in seconds, faster than Peeta could register as the animal released a pained cry and the smaller of the two blondes felt a warm spray litter across his cheek; blue eyes wide and looking very much like the animal Cato had just slaughtered without a single blink. Hoisting the deer over his shoulder, the bulky framed boy raised an eyebrow at the other boy before sneering in amusement at the look on his face. "Can't handle a little blood, huh?" It was rhetorical though even if it wasn't Peeta was still shocked at the swiftness and carelessness the Career before him had shown to such an innocent creature. Surely he should have expected it; he'd seen Cato slay so many tributes the day before hand but still it seemed to set in concrete the younger boys thoughts - Cato wasn't a brute, he wasn't simply a boy with an anger problem or a boy with more muscles than brains; Cato was, in every sense of the word, a monster.