𝐓𝐎 𝐁𝐄 𝐄𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐍 𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐕𝐄 * 𝐂𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐎𝐋𝐀𝐍𝐔𝐒 𝐒𝐍𝐎𝐖

𝐅𝐄𝐄𝐋 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄 𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑

A sensation of indescribable proportion enveloped Coriolanus.

"I-I don't understand." The boy stuttered, his brain firing off an alarming amount of signals as he tried to decipher what her spoken code meant. "In what world would your life be in any danger associated with these Games?" 

Her tone softened. The anger and the hurt fizzling out at his concern. "You're not the only one with a lot riding on the results of the Games." She said meekly, any sign of ferocity gone as her fate was in the open. She should have known the truth was bound to come out sooner or later to him, she just never expected she would be the one to do it. "I made the mistake of challenging the need for Dr. Gaul and her Games a year ago. It was never publicized, I answered a question about the Hunger Games in my end of year essay which resulted in a conversation with Gaul and Dean Highbottom. If they thought it was going to make me back down, they too made a mistake in believing so."

"But--"

"Coriolanus, please!" She begged him to stop talking. If he interrupted her again, she did not think she would have the strength to continue. "My grades were stripped away immediately. Grade point average dropped severely, and I couldn't end my time at the Academy that way. I couldn't let you get all of the glory that should have been mine. I did everything humanly possible to build myself back up and the Hunger Games was supposed to be my release. One last project before Graduation until I was called to Dean Highbottom's office early on Reaping Day."

Venus thought back on her time in his chambers. Shuddering knowing that that is when she was given her death sentence.

"The last phase of my punishment was that I had to produce the Victor." She said in a shaky breath, her sorrow forming once more in her brown eyes. "If my tribute dies...so do I."

Death as punishment? Coriolanus thought. The odds were never in Venus's favor. He wouldn't be surprised if they somehow were able to rig the Reaping and give Venus the weakling of the tributes just to ensure she would fail. Who did Dr. Gaul and Dean Highbottom believe they were? What agency did they have over who lived and who perished? Even with the Hunger Games, they could only manipulate so much ... they did not have the qualifications to play God. Not with his Venus.

"They can't do that to you." Coriolanus's said, his thoughts growing more calm than frantic.

The girl blinked in confusion. "I-I don't have any power in this situation, Coryo. I'm not sure why you don't understand—"

"I will move Heaven and Hell to make sure nothing happens to you, Venus." He stated, taking a step forward. He saw the tears glistening in her eyes, now red from the expression of her turmoil. His hand grazed her cheek carefully, thumb swiping away a stray tear falling down. Venus was always known to be rigid with him, however, in this moment she settled into his touch. Taking a deep breath and allowing herself to fully give into her feelings.

The last few days he felt a sense of protectiveness over her, but, it felt nothing like this. They were tethered to each other. The stakes so high for the both of them on the outcome of these Games. He often thought about his own destiny, who he would become upon winning the Plinth Prize and attending University ... now there was the possibility of a future where Venus wasn't present. Not simply because she was no longer in his life, because she would be dead. He didn't like it. Coriolanus hated the thought of her being away from him in any capacity. Leaning down to her eye level, he tightened the grip on her cheek.