Real or Not Real? ~Coriolanus Snow AU

3-Halen

Halen's POV:

I spent the next few hours chatting with Reaper, Kanan, and Dill. Dill was sick with something that didn't seem to be getting better. My attention was drawn to two men in red walking towards the cage we were in. I smiled as he got closer and I could recognize him, "Coriolanus," I pushed myself up and walked over to the fence to stand face-to-face with him. Kanan got up and followed me, Coriolanus opened his bag and pulled out a large wadded-up napkin, "Is that for us?" He didn't reply and just handed it to me, I unwrapped it and sighed when I saw the amount of food in the napkin. "Kanan," I said and handed him a sandwich.

"I'm not hungry," He stated staring down Coriolanus.

"You think I can't hear your stomach growling Kanan Storm? Come on," I handed him two halves of a sandwich, "Share with them,"

Kanan slowly backed away and went back to where we had been sitting. "What happened to his hand?" Coriolanus asked.

"A bat bite, it was our first night on the train. He didn't sleep at all until that bat was dead because he was trying to protect me so I could get some rest," My attention was drawn to a mentor who was teasing her tribute with water and I shook my head, "The one thing I learned in 12 is that hunger is a weapon, your friend over there sure knows it. You should probably tell her to stop,"

"She's not my friend, she is poison with perfect teeth," I smiled, Coriolanus got closer and whispered, "Are you going to share everything I give you with Kanan and the two from 11?"

I took a step back, "Why? Do you think I need to build up my strength so that I can strangle them in the arena? Not exactly my style,"

"I might have a chance to help you, to make some suggestions to the game makers. I might even be able to get the audience to send you gifts in the arena. Food and water to keep you going, you just have to sing again to win people over,"

I shook my head, "I don't really sing on camera, kind of a fear of mine. Besides, I've seen that arena, there's nowhere to hide so what's the point? I also overheard the guards after you left earlier that the more viewers that watch the more you get paid and now you want to help me? Which is it?"

"Both," He said and straightened out. I took a bite of one of the crackers and saw Coriolanus staring between me and the cracker and that's when it really hit me, this was his food. He didn't eat so that I could. I handed him a cracker, "No thank you,"

"I saw you staring, please, I don't enjoy eating alone," He took the cracker and we sat down, "Does everyone always call you Coriolanus?" I asked.

He shook his head, "Not everyone, some people call me Coryo,"

"Can I call you that?"

He smiled and nodded, "Sure,"

"So why'd you pick me?" I questioned.

He sighed, "I didn't. All of us mentors were assigned a tribute. I won't lie to you, this year's Hunger Games is different. The capital wants to make you into spectacles and that's where mentors come in, to essentially make you more likable,"

I nodded and looked away, "Well, I'm sorry you got stuck with me,"

He shook his head, "I'm not. I believe in you,"

I smiled faintly, "You know, I always thought there was plenty of food in the capital,"

He laughed faintly, "There was this one time during the war when I ate a whole jar of paste just to stop the pain in my stomach,"

"And how was it?"

He shrugged, "Pasty," I smiled and he laughed lightly.

I looked over at the boy and girl from District 8 and smiled faintly, "That little one, she's just so sweet and so young. Something about her reminds me of Carina, she's a young girl who's a part of the Covey back home. I hate having to think of them without not only me but Kanan as well,"

Coriolanus sighed, "I'm sorry,"

I looked down for a moment before looking back at him, "You seem like a good man, Coriolanus Snow," He shook his head, "It sure would've been nice to meet you under different circumstances,"

He smiled faintly and tilted his head, "One of your shows, maybe?"

"Yeah," I smiled back, "We could've had a drink and maybe shared a dance or two like we had all the time in the world,"

The way that Coriolanus was looking at me made chills run up my spine, I had meant every word I'd said to him. I really did wish I had met him elsewhere and maybe, just maybe, something beautiful could have bloomed from it.

I was drawn from my thoughts when I heard a scream. I looked to my left and watched the girl from District 10, the one whose mentor was teasing her, yank her mentor towards the bars, take the glass bottle from her, break the bottle, and then stab her mentor in the neck. I stood up and gasped, Coryo took off running, "No!" He grabbed onto the girl and held her in his arms. The civilians ran in terror, and I just stood and watched, completely losing my appetite. "Somebody help, please!" Coriolanus called out but he was only met with a peacekeeper who shot the girl from 10. He ducked at the gunfire and I dropped to my knees and covered my head.

I moved towards the fence, "Coryo? Are you okay?" I whispered.

He couldn't even form a sentence, "Wha- huh?" The two peacekeepers lifted him, "Oh no,"

"Let's go,"

I watched my mentor get dragged away as he stared at his hands.

Kanan ran over to me and grabbed a hold of me, he looked me over, "Are you hurt?"

I shook my head, "N-No,"

"Thank god," He sighed and wrapped his arms around me, I hugged him back. I was in shock from witnessing that and if I was this worked up over one death, I wouldn't survive in the Hunger Games, but I already knew that it was Kanan who was in denial still. "Come sit down,"

It was interesting that each of the Districts had their own little 'area' in the cage that we stayed in. Districts 1 and 2. Districts 3, 4, and 5. Districts 6, 7, and 8. Districts 9 and 10. Districts 11 and 12. We basically all had our allies, but if things continue to stay this tense, I have a feeling more than just one person will be deceased before the games even start.