No POV:
Sitting around the campfire, sharing stories from their childhoods. -A pretty positive way to spend an evening.
"What was it like around here during the war?" Coriolanus asks, looking for some insight into how District 12 ended up in such a disheveled state.
"About the same as the others, by what I've heard. The Capitol wasn't too happy about the supply of coal being disrupted, nor for how many Peacekeepers were killed by rebels."
...
"Things were bad in the Capitol too. Almost every day, more names would be added to the list of casualties. The streets were full of death. Bodies from battles over food, those dead from starvation. We always feared we'd end up on that list- Tigris and I usually were the ones to go out looking, never did we come up with much. Some people went as far as resorting to cannibalism... eating the remains of those who didn't make it."
Lucy Gray sits there, a blank stare in her eyes as she tries to visualize the lavish society in such disarray
"You saw it?" She asks
"Yes. I was only small then. I asked Tigris why, all she said was that's what starvation does to people."
"-we were always taught that all those things we saw during the war were the sole doing of the Districts."
"I was shielded, the Covey did their best to keep my from seeing the worst of it. But- it gets you to wondering why you saw someone so often... and then never again."
Coriolanus sighs, remembering the day he found out what really happened to his dad.
"Finding out my father was killed by a rebel sniper- it gave my mind a scapegoat to pin the events on. All Districts- that's why everyone's dying... at least, that's what I thought."
"The amount of information the Capitol kept from us... it makes me wonder if they wanted us to be angry, creating an environment with no empathy or understanding between the parties."
"I don't know."
"You're here with me now. We need to make new memories together, to snuff out some of the pain we've both been through." Lucy Gray places a hand on Coryo's shoulder
"I guess that's why we have the Hunger Games. I sure do hope that if you are truly the 'Future President of Panem' you can try to make things right- or, as close to 'right' as possible in the circumstances."
For some reason, this makes him smile. He takes a moment to think.
"I will sure try. Trust me, Lucy Gray... I'll try."
...
"But- it's getting late. You ready to lie down?" Coriolanus changes the subject, suddenly realizing how he's covered in goosebumps.
She nods
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
They move all their supplies underneath the overhang and proceed to cover up.
"It's cold, Lucy Gray. Do you need another layer? You can have my jacket-" He offers
"Nah, I'm okay. I know you'll keep me warm"
Her expression turns into a faint smile- and despite it being dim- Coryo notices and immediately feels warmer.
"Goodnight, I love you." He whispers, but before he can close his eyes, Lucy Gray kisses him on the forehead and then once more on the lips.
The subtlety, mixed with the sensation of her soft fingers on his cheek- it brings an inner feeling of ease.
One more thing escapes her before she falls asleep- "Remember what I said."
...
As he, himself, starts to drift off, he tries to figure out what she meant- concluding that it's probably when she said about making new memories. "We've already started" he thinks to himself, throwing his arm around her before everything fades into dreamland.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The morning is a dim and frosty one, a low fog hangs in the air. Neither wants to leave the comfort of their warm bed- their current clothing being seemingly insufficient for the almost-freezing temperatures. They stay there, wrapped up in each other along with their mass of blankets.
All is normal... until it's not.
Coriolanus is startled as the audible crunching of leaves catches his attention
"Did you hear that!?"
"What was that!?" He frantically whispers- all the color has left his face.
...
Being so scared, Coryo more closely resembles a ghost, rather than a human being.
...
"Relax... it's probably a deer or something. Shhhh! You might scare it off." Lucy Gray tries to assure him, although he doesn't stop quivering. Whether it be from the fear or from the cold- she can't tell.
"That sounded like heavy boots in the leaves, Lucy Gray! What if they found out that we ran off!?" The question of it being fear or cold is answered.
"Just... act normal" she instructs
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Footsteps grow closer and louder until a figure emerges from among the trees. Billy Taupe.
Coryo's POV:
He's alive!? There is no way he survived that shot- almost point blank in the stomach. I was there! I saw him fall to the floor and writhe around in pain.
If the shot didn't kill him, the blood loss surely would have- but how? That looks like Billy Taupe- too closely to be anyone else. Plus, I think I can smell him from here.
Lucy Gray's POV:
Billy?
Spruce killed him. There's no way that can be him- no way.
...Then again, I didn't stay in the room long enough to watch him die. How could he survive something like that- and to come back for more? He never fails to confuse me.
More importantly, HOW DID HE FIND US ? You don't just show up to a campsite in the middle of the woods -with complete strangers- for a social call. He had to have known that we were out here. One thing's for sure...
...I smell a rat.
No POV:
"Well...Well... What do we have here?" Billy Taupe chortles as he takes a few steps forward
"We should be asking the same thing- what are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be decomposing in a hole somewhere?" Coriolanus goes for the tough-guy approach
Only more laughter follows "Me? Dead? No! You really think a phony like Spruce could kill me?"
Lucy Gray takes a jab at him as well "It sure looked like it. Watching you squirm around on the floor like you did."
...
"What do you expect me to do after getting shot in the guts!? You-"
He stops mid-sentence for a rethink
"I should have killed both of you right then and there. Selling us all out like that- and for what? Your little Capitol Swine over here?" Billy Taupe takes a few more steps in their direction. "You should have known what would happen if you chose a spoilt pig over a real man like me."
"...and what's that supposed to mean?" Coriolanus stands up and says, smugly.
"It means you STOLE my girl!"
"Y'know, I broke up with you before the reaping." Lucy Gray stands up beside her mentor and adds with her signature flare "I was his tribute. It's almost funny- someone who was only supposed to watch over me during the Games, he still treated me better than you ever did." She takes a deep breath. "Him? He actually came to greet me when I was forced off the train. You didn't even say goodbye when you surely knew I'd never make it home."
"None of the other tributes got the same type of compassion that I got, not from their mentors, and definitely not from the Capitol as a whole."
A tear forms in the eye of a speechless Coriolanus
"You only made friends with him to get stuff from him- even I can see that!" Billy Taupe hisses
"Fuck off" is the only phrase that escapes Coryo between sniffles
"Crying? Awww... I almost feel bad for you. Too bad you both have to die." He mocks, then proceeds to snatch Coriolanus by the back of his coat- restraining him in a headlock before he could think to defend himself
"Let's make a deal... Lucy Gray gets to leave." A devilish smirk forms across his face "if I can keep you."
"RUN! LUCY GRAY!" He screams out before a knife is pressed against his throat
"Ha-ha, yeah. Look! She doesn't love you. She's leaving you to die like the greasy snake you are."
The edge of the blade presses against his neck more forcefully "Any last words before I slash your windpipe open?"
Now hyperventilating, Coriolanus growls between crying and choking on his own saliva "I really loved her. You'll never feel the type of love she made me feel... so go ahead- just make it quick!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Right as Billy Taupe is about to finish the job, he is struck by ...something...with a loud crack. The shock causes him to fall to his knees, pulling his hostage down too.
"Huh?"
His vision is blurry, contorting trees and the beautiful District 12 sunrise fade in and out- he's also hit his head, though, not nearly as hard as Billy has. Through the distortion and confusion, Coriolanus sees a human figure hop down off of the small cliff.
He instinctively rolls to the side, then completely loses consciousness.
Unsure of the state Coriolanus is in, Lucy Gray lunges at Billy as he's wounded on the ground. The large rock has opened a gnarly gash on his forehead, leaving her feeling certain that there's more damage on the inside.
Not a twinge of sympathy or guilt is felt within her, and with a swift hand gesture, the knife is retrieved from her boot.
"YOU KILLED HIM!" She screams in pure terror as she repeatedly plunges her knife into his damaged body. "YOU RUINED MY LIFE!"
By the time he stops breathing, stab wounds cover the majority of his chest, stomach, and limbs. An attack fueled by nothing short of rage. Lucy Gray finalizes the act with the hardest punch she can muster- right in Billy Taupe's face.
In no more than a second, the fire leaves her eyes and she's right by Coriolanus's side
"Wake up! PLEASE wake up!" She sobs
...
After inspecting every inch of his body and seeing no injuries, hope floods in. He has a pulse. Watching closely, she can also see his chest rise and fall with each breath. "You're alive." Lucy Gray whispers to him through a sigh of relief.
She gently removes the blood spatter from his face with her thumb, then, she slips her hand into his after wiping it clean.
All that's left to do is... to wait.
Lucy Gray quietly sits with him. Never leaving his side until he opens his eyes again.
Had she really killed her ex to protect this guy?
It sets in, the reality.
Although, no guilt comes with it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Boyfriend?
Never before has she used such a word to describe Coriolanus. Even now that she has, it seems inadequate. Lover?
That's got to be it. Seems more... fitting. There's nothing she wouldn't do to protect him - and she's proven it.