Panem Forever

Chapter 16

Summer
꧁༒☬.☬༒꧂

A soft sunshine was peeking through the windows when she awoke. Her hair was sprawled over her face, concealing her sleepy expression. How long had she been asleep? She raised her head just as Coryo walked in, throwing a shirt over his naked chest.

"Good morning," he smiled.

"Morning," she yawned, stretching her arms over her head. "Wait, are my parents here?"

"No," he shook his head. "They're still at the Corwin's."

Corwin. Daffodil Corwin. The pain of losing her still weighed on Evelina's chest. The girls' parents had grown closer from the death, but Evelina couldn't help but feeling guilty. Which, by the way, she didn't understand at all. It was supposed to be a good thing, right? Death either tears apart or brings together, and the fact that it brought two families closer should help with feeling lost, but it didn't. She'd probably never know.

"Hm, good." She brought her hands out, gesturing for him to come lie down. He nestles himself on her breast, his large arms wrapping around her torso. She was wearing nothing but her undergarments, and Coryo felt himself blush as he rested the side of his face. She stroked his head, though the loss of hair made it impossible to play with the curls she loved so much. She would just have to wait until his Peacekeeping duties were over and his hair could grow back freely.

Coryo, however, enjoyed the feeling of her long nails scratching at his scalp, almost massaging it. He could feel himself drifting off to a soft sleep. Anytime he were with her he felt slightly drowsy, like he could just lie down next to her and fall asleep at any given moment. Unless they were dancing, of course, or kissing beneath the bridge.

Evelina had suggested that they have a night at her house, so she could show him where she grew up. He almost winced as he entered the house. Still, it couldn't have been much worse than what he had been living in almost a year prior. There was a sort of homey touch he didn't quite have back at the Capitol. Freshly potted flowers, paintings from Evelina's childhood, and family photos decorated the otherwise simple home. It was nice, in a way. To be with the girl he admired so much in a place she trusted him to see brought him a sense of pride.

"They're hanging that man today," she states, rubbing her hand over his hair.

"Mhm," he grunts, eyes closed.

"He's innocent, you know."

This makes him lift his head up, puzzled. "He was directly associated with treason, I doubt that's very innocent."

"I don't know," she sighed. "There's no actual proof."

"Knowing there were rebels planning to revolt is enough for me," he laid his head back down, his nose sat contently between her neck and collarbone.

"And what if it was me up there?" She asked. Her hands had stopped massaging and were now on his shoulders.

He stifled a laugh. "What?"

"What if there was a slight chance that I had been associated with treason, would you still feel the same?"

"Well, you wouldn't."

"Oh, don't count me out so soon. I'm a very tricky woman, Coriolanus Snow." She was partly joking, but her eyes were narrowed, growing impatient. He, of course, did not see this, for he was too busy laying on her chest and fiddling with her bra straps.

"I don't know, Evelina," he sighed. "Can we just go back to sleep now?"

"I was just trying to put things in perspective," she whispered. "A man dies today, it's not a reason to celebrate."