Stay with me, always.

Chapter 12. Salt in the Wound

It's dark, by the time we return home. Mother insisted I go to the doctor and be given a full body examination. Aside from a few bruises and scratches, I got off easy. I can't imagine what Titus is going through right now, how embarrassing. I mean, it's one thing to start a fight, but to lose a fight as well? He's lucky he's expelled because it would be pretty hard showing his new, ugly face at the Academy again. Mother went straight to bed since today was clearly exhausting for her. My Father was just beginning to walk to his study when I called out, "Sir?" He turns around, but it's too dark for me to be able to read his expression. "I've come up with a mantra, I think it shows real promise," I say, nervously shifting on my feet. I've caused enough trouble for an entire year, this would be the cherry on top if I fucked this up as well. "And what, have you come up with Coriolanus?" He asks. "May the Odds be Ever in Your Favor," I say with a small amount of pride. He stands there for a moment, both of us staring at each other, reflections of each other. I'm what you could never be, and you're what I could be. After the silence has been long enough to be awkward, he turns and starts walking. "You surprised me today," he says, disappearing down into his study.

Stairs are hard. Not enough people talk about how difficult stairs are after a long day. The doctor confirmed my suspicions that I have a mild concussion, and he told me to refrain from any intense physical activity for the next two weeks. Happily Doc. Finally, I make it to my room ready to take a hot shower and possibly never wake up, it's when I open the door that I realize my plans have been foiled. My adrenaline kicks back in when I see Soarynn, curled up under my sheets, sleeping soundly. She's told me before that my scent was comforting, but I never thought I'd see her in my bed again after today's fiasco. Trying to be as quiet as possible, I pad over to the bathroom and shut the door. I opt for a shower instead of a bath, when Mother first insisted on a tub I thought she was being ridiculous. It did, however, take me one try to become addicted and start taking several a week. Fragile masculinity my ass. I make quick work of scrubbing down my body, finding new bruises along the way. I lather on some lotion, comb through my hair and throw on a pair of boxers before calling it a night.

When I come out of the bathroom I find Soarynn sitting on the edge of the bed slouched over sleeping. Waiting for me. After seeing her cry, I was scared of what she thought of me. It was no secret I could get into a fight, but I wasn't inherently violent either. I just knew how to put people in their place. But the way I talked to her–talked at her today? Well, my behavior towards her today was unacceptable. Since she came to live with us I always treated her like fragile glass, delicate and ready to shatter at any moment. Abandoning all those precautions over Titus? Maybe these bruises would serve as a reminder for today. I didn't care what other people thought of me, but her being afraid of me? It was like rubbing salt in the wound. Slowly approaching her, I gently lifted up her chin with one hand. Her eyes fluttered open, seeming surprised to see me as if she wasn't in my bedroom. Perhaps she thought I'd have to stay the night in the hospital.

 Neither of us knew what to say, so I decided to break the silence with a joke. "Well," I said, gesturing to my bruises, "Now we both have bruises." Her eyes welled with tears, "Oh Coryo," she said, wrapping her arms around my waist. I crouched down to pick her up, carrying her back to the top of the bed where we both could lay down and forget this day ever happened. "I'm sorry for the way I acted today," I said, running my fingers through her hair. We were in the same position we woke up in this morning, I realized as she propped her chin up on my chest. "You were only looking out for me," she said softly. "Still," I said, grabbing the side of her face, and stroking her cheek with my thumb, "I should've been upfront with you from the beginning." "I just wish no one had to get hurt," she said, tracing her nails along my stomach. "Well if it's any consolation, Titus won't be coming back," I say, not knowing if this will be good news, or bad news to her. She looks back up at me, "Who started the fight?" She asks, eyes boring right through me. "Titus," I say automatically. I almost want to offer to show her the security footage. "Coryo, who really started the fight?" She asks one more time. She knows. 

I sigh, rubbing my head, my poor beautiful concussed head. "I wasn't gonna let him think he could talk about you like that and get away with it," I say looking down at her. She processes that for a moment before speaking, "I understand, but I'm not some damsel in distress, so please, promise me no more fights," she says, grabbing my hand with her own. I lace our fingers together. "No more fights," I promise her. She lets out a small sigh of relief, "Good, there's enough excitement going around with the Hunger Games starting next week, we should leave the fighting to the arena," she declares. I can't help but smile at her, she's always been one to think ahead. "It feels like they just happened," I say, playing with the rings on her fingers. "Hmm, it always goes by fast in the Capitol," she says before crawling up to the pillows and sinking into them. "Well, Father seemed to like the new mantra, but I doubt he'll use it," I say, reaching to turn off my bedside lamp. "Why not?" She asks in the darkness. "Because," I say, pressing a kiss to her forehead, "he hates any ideas that aren't his."