Forever and always: A Clato story

Chapter 21

Cato
Clove better hurry up, Mackenzie is about yell about how our schedule is important.
"Sorry I'm late! I couldn't find anything to wear", she apologises.
Mackenzie tuts, "You have a whole wardrobe full of clothes!".
"Yes but-".
"Come dear, it's starting". Clove takes a seat next to me and curls her legs up close. I warp my arms around her and hold her tight. She rests her head on my shoulder and let's herself relax.
"District one. Glimmer with a score of... 8", announces a Caesar Flickerman. How the hell did she get an 8? I saw her train, she cant shoot for shit!
"Marvel with a score of...9". He is better than Glimmer but not by far and he is very cocky and confident. I hate him to be honest.
"District two. Clove with a score of... 10!". Her eyes widen and her jaw drops in shock.
"Well done, well done Clove!", congratulates Mackenzie followed by more 'well domes' from everyone else. I give her a quick peck on the cheek and we continue to watch.
"Cato with a score of...10!". Around round of applauses for me and this time Clove kisses me on the cheek and whispers, "My room, now". I get a tingly feeling as she pulls me along with her.
We get in her room and I shut the door. We are standing face to to, just like the first time she came to my house, I have the same feeling, butterflies in my stomach. I look at her lips, then at her eyes whilst she blushes and bits her bottom lip, making me want to kiss her. We hold a loving gaze for a while then I decide to make the first move. I gently lean in and so does she. When our lips meet, she puckers her lips and gently kisses me. We break apart to breath and I place and hand on her neck and lean in again. This time was harder but still gentle.
She pulls away, "Cato, the games are in a couple of days. What are we gonna do?". What are we going to do?
"Make every second count. Now, where were we?". I lean in again but she rejects me.
"What's the point? At least one of us will die. Why make happy memories?".
"If one of us dies, the other will alway cherish these memories".
"It will be grief. Not happiness... Cato?".
"Yep?".
"I'm scared", she admits.
"Clove Kentwell scared? I don't believe it!", I joke.
"It's not funny Cato! What about our families? I have seen members of my family die. It hurts Cato".
"Your not going to die, you won't like it but I will protect you no matter what you say",she nods, "It's going to be okay". I pull her in tight and don't let her go.
After a while, we sit and I rest her on my lap. Once she begins to drift off to sleep, I lift her onto my bed and tuck her in.
"Goodnight my beautiful Clovers".
"Goodnight Cato. I love-". And she falls asleep. I get undressed and get into bed with her but I don't sleep, I stay awake thinking. Thinking about the games.
"Arrggghh!", Clove screams. She is still asleep. Must be dreaming. I say her name but she doesn't reply, she just keeps screaming. I shake her shoulders and she screams one more time, "Cato!". She shakes in pure terror until she sees me. She stops shaking a calms herself a little.
"It was just a dream Clove. I'm here and your okay", I whisper into her hair.
"It was so bad! You...".
"What did I do?".
"W-we had a child and...and we were at war with Snow. You shot her and then... You shot yourself. I-I didn't know what to do! There was so much blood and she was so, so young...".
"It was a dream, that never happened".
"I know but-".
"I would never hurt your or our child, I promise".
"Our child?"
"Well, if we didn't live in such a cruel place....it may be a suggestion".
"I'm never having kids".
"I might, if we didn't live here".
"But...we do".
"I know. Now, go back to sleep".
"I can't. Not now".
"Then we will have a party. Just us two".
"What about Mackenzie, Isabelle and Cane?".
"Party at Snows".
"How do you know? This could just be an excuse to make out"
"They were talking about it before you came and we saw our scores. It's a tradition apparently".
"Very well then Hadley! Let's get started".
"First things first, dress up! Meet me back here in 10". When she leaves, I change into a smart looking shirt, 2 top buttons undone, and black trousers.
Clove returns with a handful of clothes.
"I'm not sure what to wear! Help me Cato!". She dumps them all on the bed. In the pile are dresses, skirts, tops and high heels.
"You would look beautiful in any of these! Now, I must ask you this".
"No, I'm not marrying you!".
I laugh, "Not yet... Anyway, it occurred to be that we have never been on a proper date like a candle lit type of thing".
"What are you trying to say?".
"Moonlight picnic?".
"Of course". She walks over to the pile and pulls out a light pink dress and a belt with diamonds along it, high heels in the same colour, her hair is straight and is hanging limp with a flower crown carefully placed on top. Her nails have been delicately painted a light shade of pink, the same as her dress.
"My beautiful princess", I say as I kiss her.
"My retard wrapped in foil".
"What? I'm your knight in shining armour!".
"Not yet but for now I have a retard wrapped in foil and, I love him that way".
"I knew you loved me really".
"I always have, I just have moments of doubt. Let me just get my jacket...".
"No, if your cold, I pull warm you. I'm your hot maybe sexy? Retard wrapped in foil".
"Yes you are pretty good looking", she admits.
I lay out a blanket for us to lay down on then unpack the few bits of food I managed to scavenge from the kitchen.
"This is the most normal food they had okay?". Clove laughs and sits down leaning on a chimney.
"Now what?", she asks.
"We could kiss...". She sighs and pulls me towards her by my shirt and kisses me hard. Her hands grasp my hair and I hold her at her waist. When we break apart, I pull her up and push her up against a wall and kiss her again. Much more passionately. This is probably the last night we have together. This means everything to me. I slowly raise my hands upwards so that they are edging up the ribs. She doesn't push me away so I continue still kissing her. The lips reach her neck and she lets out a small moan.
"Cato. I...", she trails off.
"Shh baby. Enjoy the moment". I kiss her again on her lips whilst fiddling with the dress zip. How the hell do girls do this, it's so long! Once I finally find how to work the contraption of a dress, I feel Clove struggle against me. I don't let her move very far. She is just playing hard to get and I like that.
"Cato, sto-". I cut her off with a kiss and my hands work on the zip. When it in fully undone, I slip in down her body and she instantly goes red. What have I done wrong?
"Cato! Can we do this somewhere more...private?". God I'm stupid! I carry her back into my room and we carry one from where we left.
"How far is this gonna go?", Clove asks.
"As far as you want babe. I'm yours".
On the bed, I sit in straddle position and Clove sits on top. I can't seem to draw my eyes away from a certain area...
"My eyes and lips are up here Hadley".
I blush, "Your so beautiful. I'm such a lucky man to have you". Without looking down, I look in to her eyes and keep whispering, "I love you", while I attempt to undo her bra. It gets stuck on her head.
She laughs, "We are a hot mess". I soon figure out the the clip has to be undone for it to be removed. Clove pushes me back and slowly undoes my trouser buttons until I'm just in boxers.
"Are you sure you want to do this Clovers?".
"If we don't do it now, when can we? I'm sure. I trust you Cato". She gently pulls down my boxers and sits beside me. I gesture for her to come under the covers with me and she does.
Tonight, will be the night of all nights and I'm ready. I have waited for this and now it's here. I am giving Clove the ultimate gift, something that can never be gave back or returned.