"𝘍𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘧𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘴𝘯𝘰𝘸."
in which persephone ignis, born of fire and love, writhes under the tricks and power of snow to form the black swan.
(young! coriolanus snow x fem! oc)
takes place during and after th...
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—The Last Goodbye—
Persephone forgot how cold the night would get in the Capitol. She hadn't gone out after dark in so long, the bite of a gust of wind sent a thorough shiver through her body. She tugged her Academy uniform blazer around her body and hoped the warm sandwich hidden in a pocket inside wouldn't lose too much heat.
Only a streetlight gave enough vision for her to settle in front of the fence and squint to find her friend. "Reaper!" She shouted in a harsh whisper. "Reaper!" Persephone heard shuffling before he appeared in front of her.
"Capitolite." He greeted her, a slight sense of relief washing over him when he noticed she wasn't badly injured. "You should have run in the Arena. Save yourself and not that loverboy of yours, Snow. Really stuck by his side even if it was the end, didn't you?"
"We saved him, though. Coryo's back is burned, but that couldn't be prevented." Persephone pursed her lips and sighed. "Thank you for helping me, Reaper. Even if you didn't know him."
"Figured dying before the Games to save some Capitol filth could get me some honor. Maybe a little glory." The girl chuckled and shook her head. Reaper didn't want to make the night before the brutal Hunger Games too somber.
Something he hadn't shared with his Mentor just yet was the fact that he made peace with his impending death. To never breathe at all was better than knowing every breath after he survived was at the expense of slaughtered children.
Death was better than guilt.
"Listen, Reaper," Persephone's gaze darkened as a serious expression appeared on her face, "nothing matters right now. Not until they push you into that Arena and the countdown is over. When you're in there, never forget who you're fighting for. It will push you to survive so you can see them again. You're fighting for your family, right? And Dill, to protect Dill?"
He nodded with his face cold as stone.
"If you have to kill Wovey or Lucy Gray or even Dill, I am begging you," her voice cracked as tears pooled in her eyes, "please give them merciful deaths. Let them die in as much peace as you can grant them. Please."
"I was already planning to, Capitolite. But you've gone soft." Reaper pointed out, though proud of her shift in character. "You helping me as my Mentor or as a friend?"
"A friend." Persephone admitted without hesitation, then dug into the inner pocket of her coat and pulled out the food she bought for him. "Sit down, Reaper. I know you're starving."
She found herself on the verge of breaking down when she realized this was most likely the last time she would ever come face to face with Reaper Ash, District 11's male tribute, alive. Persephone lowered herself to the ground and sat across from the boy with a zoo cage fence separating them.
