She looked so beautiful. Even with the bruises and cuts and the tinge of pain on her face, she was as clear and stunning as ever.

She was awake now. Out of it, but awake.

Coriolanus approached her as if she were a wild animal. Cautious, afraid if he wasn't careful enough that she would fly away from his grasp. But that all changed when her eyes met his.

"Coryo..?"

She was alone. They had her lying on a small mattress next to the kitchen table. Blankets were wrapped around her waist, keeping secure the tight bandages on her rib cage. And her voice… That sweet angelic voice was reduced to a hoarseness that was so unlike herself. It pained Coriolanus to see that it took effort for her to get a single word out.

"Lucy Gray." He mumbled.

She was so eager to touch him, to feel his embrace and hold on as if she was falling again. She beckoned for him to come closer. And he did.

He dropped to his knees at her side and reached his hand out to touch her face. The contact sent a shiver through Lucy Gray's body. She pulled her arm from beneath the blankets and held tightly onto his wrist. It hurt him but he didn't care.

"Coriolanus, I'm sorry.." She let out.

"Sorry? For what??"

"I thought I could do it. I-I got scared and…I saw them. I saw the others."

He knew immediately that she was referring to the other tributes. The trauma it must have left her with. He could imagine. There were some times where he could swear that he saw a dead body or a bloodied mess when it had only been his mind playing tricks on him.

"Hey, look at me." He grabbed her chin and faced her towards him. The gesture sent another chill through her body. "Don't ever apologize to me for anything. Do you understand?"

His voice was cold and callous, but it was completely from the love he had for her. She gave a subtle nod in response.

"I'm just glad you're ok. I thought…I thought I lost you Lucy Gray."

She smiled, opting to be more lighthearted. "You couldn't get rid of me if you tried, sweetheart."

This got a chuckle from Coriolanus.

They stood still for a few long seconds, their eyes never breaking contact. It was as if they were both searching for something. Something they tried finding in each other ever since they first met.

Coriolanus found himself not being able to hold back any longer, and Lucy Gray must have felt the same. She tried lifting her head up to make the first move, so desperate to feel him, to cling to his lips with an undying passion, or else the darkness might encapsulate her once more.

Coriolanus gently put his hand behind her head and pulled her close, showing no mercy as their lips finally met.

Lucy Gray let out a small moan as his hunger for her grew violent. Their lips parted to make way for their tongues, and Coriolanus couldn't help but bring his hands to her chest. He made sure to be as gentle as possible, keeping a distance from where the bandages were coddled around her.

It took everything within him not to rip off the blankets, her dress, her bandages. But he tried as hard as he could to keep some of his mind out of the passion filled frenzy that ensued.

Before he breached the loss of self control, he parted his lips from hers. She whined in desperation and tried to pull him back.

"Coriolanus, please…"

Her doe eyes were big and filled with longing, her lips quivered at the loss of his. She looked the same as she did when she was in the cage at the zoo. So lost and alone. Trying to find some semblance of consolation in such unutterable madness.

But there were no bars separating them now. No cameras or peacekeepers or Gauls and Highbottoms. Now they were in their own arena, vying for something from the other that they so desperately needed. Why should he deprive her now? Why should he allow this chasm to grow wider?

It's true. He had held back every single time they were alone, scared of what it could do to him. Scared that he would be lost forever in the Ballad of Lucy Gray. But what did it matter? He was so close to losing her in the arena, and had almost lost her again. What if this was his last chance? What if next time she was really gone?

He didn't care anymore. He drew closer to her, not breaking the eye contact or even blinking. This arena was his now. He was gonna claim the prize, win the Games. And become the Victor.

He broke the chasm and his lips clashed violently against hers. She moaned into his mouth and clung to him for dear life. He was gonna give in. Every ounce of self control was ebbing away as he began to take off the top part of her dress. They both knew it couldn't go too far with her injuries, but they needed to go as far as possible to come at a standstill in this arena.

It wasn't until the sound of footsteps came into play that Coriolanus realized he had completely left the outside world and everybody in it to be in this moment. Sure there were no cameras, guards, Gaul's, Highbottoms, the entirety of Panem. But there was a Barb Azure.

He broke the kiss in one swift motion and turned to see Barb, her mouth open in surprise and disarray, her cheeks red with embarrassment upon walking in on them.

Him and Lucy Gray only stared at her with similar looks on their faces, a great tension building between the three of them.

But luckily it was broken almost immediately, as Barb doubled down in near hysterical laughter.