“But are you really attracted to me?” I had to get a straight answer out of him. I was from District 4! I was open about these kinds of things. “Because it would really suck if I wanted to kiss you right now.”

He probably didn’t expect me being so forward, but he turned me around and gave me a kiss on the lips. I felt warm all over this time. My hands tangled into his hair and his arms tightened around me until me whole body was pressed on his.

I didn’t know for how long we were like this, but we were only brought back to our senses when one of the victors cleared her throat.

I smiled guiltily, whereas Slate didn’t look like he was sorry at all. His arrogant features came back on, but we both couldn’t hide how flushed we were.

“I think you two better head on in. You still have training tomorrow and your mentors won’t appreciate you being so…distracted.” The victor was familiar. She was one of the mentors now, but I knew that she wasn’t from any of the districts that held Careers.

We complied and headed on up. He brought me to my floor first, commenting that the apartment didn’t look any different except that our ceilings seemed higher. At the door to my room, he kissed me goodnight before heading back to his own quarters.

I didn’t know if what we were doing wasn’t allowed, but no one seemed to be stopping us. If it really mattered, then they might have intervened.

I had forgotten that I hadn’t had dinner yet, so I just pressed a button and up came a few pieces of bread and cream of mushroom soup.

~

The second day of training, I went for the stations, which I have neglected on the first. I had the weaponry down yesterday, trying everything that I have never encountered at least once. I worked on it until I was comfortable using it to my advantage. A refreshed my memory on the other survival skills as well.

The second day was all about what I didn’t know. It was also the day that Slate seemed to take it upon himself to attach to me to every station.

He abandoned Lark to her own devices, but she didn’t seem to mind. She looked like she was expecting it even. I wasn’t very bothered, but I felt like I needed to entertain him, since he wasn’t taking the stations I went to very seriously.

It seemed I was light enough for climbing, and I had strong arms that kept me from falling toward the mats. I got to about 20 feet up without difficulty.

After training, Slate waited for me again.

We headed for our place by the lounges, outside at the balcony again. I didn’t even need him to pull me in. I settled into him without needing his invitation.

“Don’t you have any girl back home who might get a little angry at me?” I asked, peering over the edge. We were at a level low enough to see the flashing lights and the people who were taking photos in front of the Training Center.

“Don’t you have a boy?” he countered, hugging my waist tighter.

“I guess I used to, but not now. It couldn’t really compare to what we have right now,” I said teasingly, “and how we got together because of the pressure and the thought that we wouldn’t see the people we love anyway.”

He laughed. It was one of the few sounds these days that didn’t put me on edge. “It’s a little unfair though. What if the person you were meant to be with was in another district, but you wouldn’t really know, would you?”

“So do you have a girl?” I pressed.

“I was too focused on training and the honor of it all. Romance was a distraction that I couldn’t afford, although the occasional thing did happen, but nothing came to fruition from those.”

“Do you have any siblings?”

“I have three older brothers. One of them died in the Games, when he volunteered. The other two made it safely through the reaping.”

“You volunteered even though one of your brothers died in the same situation?” I stared at him. He was gutsier than I thought.

“You have a brother who was a victor. My father was a victor. It seemed right that someone from the second generation bring honor to the family. My brother did, but he had been only thirteen when he was chosen, and no one had volunteered for him then. It was just an unlucky time for him.”

“I didn’t know that. No wonder the Capitol’s crazy about the two of us. We’re the only two tributes here with immediate family who were victors.”

“I wouldn’t be surprised if they wanted to see the two of us at the end. Which victor’s family would have it in their blood to continue the legacy?” He seemed at ease with the idea, and I pulled away from him.

“Is that okay with you, if the two of us end up alive and killing each other?” I said harshly. “I would rather someone else finish you off. I would rather just run away.”

“I didn’t say that I was okay with it, Serena,” he said, alarmed at my reaction. He tried calming me down, but I wouldn’t let his arms around me. I had started to forget that this few moments of bliss were only illusions.

These would be over in a few days. In the arena, we were allies. He wouldn’t protect me in there. He put honor above all else, and I wanted my parents’ happiness. I didn’t want them to grieve over my death.

This seemed to anger him. “What did you expect, Serena? We both knew that one of us would end up dead by the end of this. I told you this last night. You know how I think about it. I just know that it might be a possibility for them, for more entertainment. Think about it.”

I stopped to think about it, just like he said. They would make the Games more interesting, and the both of us at the end would definitely make it better. This was a TV show, of course, and so interesting and entertaining things were welcomed.

Slate and I wouldn’t only be related to past victors, but we would also be two tributes who had this impossible relationship that would never happen. I scanned Slate’s face and it was just as grim as mine.

For the first time since the Games started, I cried. It was the first time anyone had seen my cry. His arms snaked around me, rubbing my back and kissing the top of my head. He muttered assurance, although we both knew there was nothing reassuring. Here I was seeking comfort from a boy I barely knew, when the people I cared were far away.

I loved him. I didn’t know to what extent, but I knew I did. If not love, it was fondness. I wouldn’t be the one to kill him.

I didn’t know whether to be thankful for the Games that I ended up meeting him, or despising it that I had to meet him on these terms.

I now understood how my brother felt, right after he won.

I hadn’t even entered the arena and I could feel that my evident destruction was just around the corner.

~

A/N-Please vote and comment on the story if you're enjoying it! :) It's entered in the Watty Awards, and I need all the votes I can get!