peacekeeper•coriolanus snow ✓

𝟎𝟏𝟎. a man who murdered three

chapter ten
a man who murdered three

It was dawn. Avery Spade was at the hanging tree. The only thing that held her back from leaving was Coriolanus Snow. She awaited his arrival.

As soon as he got there, they fled District 12. They fled Panem. Maybe this wasn't so bad. Avery would be free from everything, free from the Capitol and free from The Hunger Games.

Coriolanus and Avery were nearing their destination. They were far enough from the districts and Avery knew of an abandoned cabin not too far from where they currently were.

Coriolanus wore a plain white T-Shirt and he carried a backpack of supplies off one shoulder. They walked in silence until Avery admired the nature and turned to him.

"It'll be nice to not have to kill anyone up here, huh?" Avery genuinely asked.

"Three's enough for me."

Avery froze in her footsteps.

Three. Three is enough for him. Coriolanus killed someone in the arena, and he killed Mayfair. She had never heard of a third person that he killed.

Who else did Coryo kill? Her heartbeat was unreal. She was worried. She was alone with him in the woods. She trusted Coryo, but what if he wanted to kill her?

He kept talking like he said nothing. "I'm going to make a walking stick, do you want one?"

Was Coriolanus trying to pretend like he didn't just admit to three murders instead of two? Avery felt sick.

"Who's the third?"

"What?" he asked innocently.

"Coriolanus, you said you killed three people. I only know about two. Don't lie."

Coriolanus rushed over to her, walking stick in hand. He breathed heavily, staring into her eyes intensely. He dropped the walking stick.

"You killed that tribute in the arena and then you killed Mayfair. Who's the third?"

Coriolanus hesitated before answering, as if he was trying to come up with a third person. "My old self. I killed him so I could come with you."

Avery didn't believe him. He killed someone else. He made that excuse up on the spot.

And then the suspicion she's been holding back all along rose to the surface of her thoughts. Was Coriolanus the reason Sejanus was killed?

It was terrible to think about, but it made sense. Coriolanus could have ratted Sejanus out. That could have been why he looked so guilty during Sejanus's execution.

She tried to look away, but Coriolanus grabbed her chin, propping her face upward with his hand. His thumb pressed into her skin and she felt ashamed when she felt eased at his touch.

"You trust me, don't you, Avery?"

Avery wasn't sure at the moment, but she just nodded.

"I can tell that you don't anymore. Please, let me convince you otherwise."

Coriolanus stared at her lips and Avery watched in realization. He was trying to distract her and it was working extremely well.

He was extremely seducing and Avery has learned to feel for him after all they've been through together. Coriolanus has made her happy and he's kept her and her sisters alive.

Coriolanus began to lean in, and she did the same. Their lips touched and Avery could feel Coriolanus's passion through the kiss.

He returned the same feelings that she had for him. Her face was enclosed by his large hands on either side, his fingers tangling in her hair.

He kissed her as if she was his oxygen.

And Avery kissed him back as if he was her everything. And he was. She had no one left aside from him, and her feelings for him had grown stronger and stronger since they day they met in the Hob.

And that was the moment Avery realized that she loved Coriolanus Snow. No matter if he killed Sejanus or not, she loved him.

They finally broke apart, and shared three long seconds of eye contact. That kiss made Avery forget everything bad she thought of Coriolanus in earlier moments.

They continued to walk through the woods, not saying a word.

Coriolanus and Avery arrived at the cabin by the lake. Avery sat down on a chair and put her head in her hands.

"Coryo, I'm worried about my sisters. What if Lucy Gray isn't able to take care of them and herself?"

Uh oh. It slipped out. Now Coriolanus knew that Avery told Lucy Gray about their departure. He would never trust her again.

Avery admitted to herself that maybe this wasn't the best thing to talk about directly after their kiss in the woods.

Avery could still feel his lips on hers and she could still feel the spark going through her body. The kiss was powerful and meaningful.

"Lucy Gray?" Coriolanus asked curiously as he turned around.

Ever since he shot Mayfair, Coriolanus has been a bit more... aggressive and tense. Avery didn't know how to describe it. He just seemed different.

He walked towards her. "Did you tell Lucy Gray where we were going?"

Avery sweated a bit. "I didn't tell her where, I just told her that I had to go. I needed someone to take care of Gretch and Gwynn."

Coriolanus sighed, bending over to be at Avery's level while she was sitting. "That was a dangerous move, Avery."

She sighed, nervously trying to explain herself "I know, Coryo. I just couldn't leave them alone, they would die. The only reason they were alive was because of you."

Coriolanus felt powerful when she said that (even though it was Sejanus's doing).

He brushed a strand of brunette hair behind her ears. "I'm sure they'll be ok. But now we have each other."

Avery could feel another intense moment coming. It was like they couldn't stop expressing their love after learning that the other felt the same way.

Even with Coriolanus bending over, he still wasn't exactly at Avery's level while she sat. She wanted to get up and wrap her arms around him, but it didn't feel like the time.

He was on his knees now, and it was getting hard for Avery to breathe. Coriolanus pulled her in more hungrily this time.

Avery closed her eyes as his lips smashed against hers and she longed for more. But it eventually ended.

They were in a room of silence again until Avery stood up and looked at Coriolanus who was looking for something.

It was pouring rain outside.

"If you want to fish, there should be rods under that floorboard."