~ 3.28 ~

                                    

                                          

                            

                                
                            
                              
                                  
                              
                              
                                
                                  
                                  
                                
                              
                             
                            
                            
                          
                          
                          
┏━━━━━━ ⋆⋅ ➹ ⋅⋆ ━━━━━━┓
But I won't lose this fight 
Even though all of my fears 
And all of my doubts 
Are outside my door 
┗━━━━━━ ⋆⋅ ➹ ⋅⋆ ━━━━━━┛
                          
Only two days had passed yet Indiana felt as if she had been sitting by his bedside for a lifetime. It was only a glimpse of what Cato had suffered considering she knew he would at least wake. No sheets adorned his naked body as his skin was still too tender, having been wrapped in numerous sheets of fresh skin. Knowing that a blanket would only irritate his skin, Indiana had to resist the urge to cover him up for fear that he was cold. 
                          
Once fully healed, he would look as if he had never been practically incinerated in the first place. Katniss, whilst still tremendously wounded, had fared better. Cato had shielded her body well. President Coin had imposed on Indiana's grief the moment she had hobbled from her own bed to sit by his. In so many words (and hidden threats), Coin had announced that the worried wife had been granted a full pardon. Indiana thanked the malicious woman despite simmering with hatred for her. 
                          
Rhythmic beeping echoed throughout the room as Indiana pressed a kiss to the back of her husband's hand. His blond locks had been shaved off so small blond fuzz covered his skull. For the first day, he had been forced to sleep on his stomach whilst they worked tirelessly on his melted back. Apparently his spine had been visible when he had first been brought in. Three hours ago, he had been deemed fit enough to be flipped onto his back. Startled blue eyes glanced up at her. 
                          
"Hi, you. How are you feeling?" Croaks came out of his mouth as he struggled to form words and Indiana cursed her own stupidity. 
                          
His lips were chapped and he hadn't had a drink in two days. Quickly filling a glass of water, she helped him sit long enough to drink the entire glass. Filling it once more, she waited until he had drunk half and placed it on the bedside table. Still, he said no words. As indicated, she leant in closer to hear him better but instead he reached for the back of her head and pulled her in for a bruising kiss. Tongues brushing against each other, they only parted when oxygen began to run out. 
                          
"I didn't know if I would ever see you again." Cato whispered, forehead pressed against her own. "And there would've been no cannon to let me know if I had lost you."  
                          
"I think I'm starting to understand how you felt at my bedside all those nights in Thirteen."
                          
"You could never begin to understand that. I didn't think you'd ever wake up." 
                          
"I'm just so glad you're okay." Indiana said, lip wobbling. 
                          
Patting the empty space beside him on the bed, Cato frowned when she hobbled towards him. She was injured. Sliding on the bed, she leaned down to grab her lame leg and pulled it onto the bed. Thick bandages were wrapped above the knee all the way down to her ankle. Catching Cato's gaze, she reluctantly explained about her infected Mutt bite. Reassuring him that it would help, she explained that she might have a limp but they had managed to get all of the poison out. However, she would once again be left with scars from her battles.