The bird perched itself upon her finger. She watched as it titled its head to look at her face. Her eyes were soft with admiration. The small bird trusted Evelina enough to be near her, to land on her. She felt honored.
"That thing probably has disease." Evelina turned gently to see a shirtless Snow make his way toward her.
She blew air through her nose. "Doesn't matter if it does," says she. "It's my last night alive." She thought this was funny, but looking up to see Coryo's scowl, her smile faded. As he reached down to cup her face, the bird got startled and flew out of the window from where it came. Evelina would have been bothered if she wasn't so entranced by the touch of Coriolanus any time they were close. Both of his hands gripped the sides of her head, his left thumb tracing circles on her jawline. She turned a deep crimson as he leant down and placed soft kisses on her forehead.
"You're beautiful," he says, breaking the silence.
She didn't respond, and instead spun around and began to dress. "You should get going before they come looking for you," she states, pulling her shirt over her chest.
"No one's looking for me," he shakes his head. Running a hand through his hair, he flops onto the bed. "I don't want to leave now." She sighed and climbed into the bed beside him. She placed her hand on his back, feeling the coolness of his pale skin.
"You're beautiful, too," she says. She sees a small smile crack on his face, and she reciprocates it.
"Evelina," he mumbles, his eyes closed.
"Hm?"
"They're probably going to change the setting of the arena. I'm guessing a forested area, maybe even more bare than before, like a desert," says Coriolanus, his long eyelashes fluttering as Evelina played with his hair.
"I'm prepared for anything," said she, and seeing him scrunch his eyebrows together she added, "really, I am."
"Okay," he replied. "I trust you."
"Why?" She asked.
"Why, what?" He questioned, his eyes shooting open. He sat up on one elbow, and his other hand played with the ends of her braid.
"Why do you trust me?"
He shrugged. "I don't know. You make me feel safe."
"Hm," she snorted.
He raised a brow. "Should I not trust you?"
"No, it's just..." she shook her head, biting her lip. She couldn't find the right words. "Never mind." She leaned down and kissed his nose.
"Okay, then." He sits up fully, leaning against the headboard. He gestures for her to come over, and she lies down on his chest. This moment is very sentimental, very intimate, and Evelina can't help but feel tears stinging her eyes. A few fall onto Coryo's bare chest, but he doesn't seem to notice. Or, he's choosing to ignore it altogether. She'd never know what he was thinking, his actions were always too closed off to know what his opinion was. She decided to open up.
"Tomorrow," she starts, her voice shaking slightly, "I will be thrown into an arena and forced to murder other people."
Coryo was quiet before responding. "It's just the way it is. You'll be fine-"
"But you can say that!" Evelina interrupts, sitting up, her arms straddling between him. Their faces were inches apart, but there was no sign of intimacy between the two at this time. "You get to stay here. You get to live."
"And if you win, you live!" He argues.
"You don't get it..." she mumbles, sitting on the edge of the bed. "Just go."
"Evelina-"
"No. Please, go," she hushed through tears. He did not reply, and instead got dressed and left swiftly, the door closing without a sound. Evelina allowed herself to sleep now.
She sunk deep into the mattress and closed her eyes, wishing, hoping, praying she would not die tomorrow.
"comfortable silence is so overrated
why won't you ever say what you want to say?"
YOU ARE READING
Panem Forever
Fanfiction"hope. it is the only thing stronger than fear." Anyone would tell you that Evelina Sanders was not a "go getter". She was a gatherer, not a hunter. She wasn't particularly good at anything, though she could fancy herself a painter if she were aske...
