The Hunger Games: Multi-Verse

Day 8

Clove Kentwell's POV

Before these Games, I had never felt love or affection for a boy. I had never thought it possible for me, the toughest girl in District 2's academy, the knife-throwing menace, to find a simple boy attractive. I had always been strong and resilient, and not feminine in the least.

So the fact that Seth Clearwater was making me feel these emotions in the middle of the Hunger Games was incredible. And impressive. Of all the places and situations in the world, Seth had me falling for him in the middle of the dreaded arena.

I was taken aback at first, and unsure of how to confront my emotions. Did I have a crush? Did I really think he was cute? Did I find the way his eyes carefully flickered to me constantly and then he looked away as if he were afraid I would get mad at him admiring me adorable? Did I love his cute little toothless grin that he shot me all the time? Did I think the way his muscles flexed when he was sensing danger and about to go wolf was incredibly hot?

Finally I had admitted to myself that I definitely liked this boy.

One of the most compelling reasons for me to Seth was one of the reasons that I was surprised I liked him in the first place. Seth liked me. He loved me. As much as I had never taken an interest to any boy before, no boy had ever looked at me in that way -- ever. The fact that Seth could see past my tough facade and see me as a real girl, a real woman, made me feel emotions I was unprepared for going into these Games.

But like all Hunger Games, I knew these must eventually end. In the back of my mind I knew either Seth or I was bound to die most likely within the next week. But I pushed away my bad thoughts because even though we were in the midst of an intense Games, I loved feeling the lightness in my chest when he looked at me with such endearment.

The venison Seth had caught us lasted us a few days, and a care package of water floated from the sky when we began getting thirsty. I knew the audience was loving the cute romance that was on display for them.

When I first accepted my crush I was still hesitant to show him affection due to my past void of no emotion towards boys. And I told him that, too. One night, in the dark of the woods, Seth and I were falling asleep. He was in wolf form and I was laying right next to him. He always slept in wolf form so he could stay alert and be ready for any threat throughout the night. Also he kept me warm. He curled his body around me so I was nearly enveloped in fur and his body heat.

"Can I say something?" I started shyly. He purred in response.

"I've never had anyone feel this way about me before. Or felt this way about anyone. This is all . . . So new." I admitted. The forest grew even more quiet around us. I could only hear Seth's breathing, and I felt the corresponding rises of his body against me as he did so.

"But I like it." I spoke quietly. I heard a few dull thuds as his tail hit the ground a few times, and I grinned uncontrollably, pushing myself closer to his body. I pushed my fingers through his fur for a few minutes, enjoying how soft it was even though it was a little knotted.

That had been a few nights ago. Now Seth and I sat around a fire as the sun rose. We had stayed up the whole night because I thought I'd heard something rustle nearby, but there were no bushes for a tribute or mutt to rustle in. Seth hadn't heard it either, so we stayed put, but alert.

I sat right next to him, both of our legs going towards the fire to keep our feet warm. He was in human form this time. His arm was wrapped around me waist and I was leaning into him.

Even though we were in the Games, I wasn't as fearful as I should've been. For some reason I did feel incredibly protected by Seth, and the way he made me feel distracted me from my reality. I was less focused on my dangerous surroundings and more focused just on his presence around me.