Chapter Seven

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"I wasn't holding out on you." He said softly to her, leaning in just a bit closer. Testing the waters. They were sitting so close together now, sharing the same breath. She smelled like vanilla and lilacs. Her green eyes melted into his, flecks of gold and brown swimming around in her eyes. A small smile played at her lips, and she tucked a piece of hair behind her ears, not breaking eye contact with him. 

Coriolanus was no prude; and had no problem planting kisses on girls when the opportunity arose. But there was just something about Olivia that reeled him in and kept him guessing. That made him hesitate. Just when he thought he had figured her out, she surprised him with reforms others would have felt too harsh. She understood what needed to happen in the games for the country to prosper. 

There was pain behind her eyes whenever she spoke of the rebellion, and the fact that she was so hell bent on preventing another one made him feel like they were two of the same. His classmates were becoming complacent, believing another uprising so soon after the last would be impossible. Not understanding that this was time the Capitol was the weakest, where any form of rebellion could turn into a fire that burned them all to the ground.

His heart was already pounding in his chest, after recommending a Capitol citizen pick the names on Reaping Day, he thought she'd be on her way to tell the world Lucy Gray was a rigged choice. That the Mayor said her name because of his daughter. And then Dr. Gaul would personally throw him into some pit with her muttations. 

He recovered quickly, and Olivia looked like she believed him. With all of his bases covered, and the majority of their assignment done, he figured why not? Why not kiss the girl who seemed to understand a bit of what he wanted. It was more than he settled for in the past.

Coriolanus leaned in closer, cradling her face in both hands. Their noses touched and then their lips met. Softly, and slowly, pressed against each other. Tasting. His heart was racing, heat soaring through his hands and lips as they moved against hers. It felt too good. She kissed him back, her hands wrapping around his neck and tangling themselves in his hair, pulling him closer. Closer. Closer.

Keep kissing her. Keep. Kissing. Her.

It was a feeling he didn't think he'd be chasing after this summer. The yearning. Wanting more from someone who had nothing else to offer him in return, except themselves. His hands moved further down her body, one on the small of her back and the other buried in her hair, keeping her close. She dragged her fingertips across his skin, resting them on the sides of his face. So gently. Their kisses grew hungrier, their teeth clashing. She took his lower lip between her teeth and he groaned out, breaking apart to come up for air.

"I hate to be the fun police, but we really have to finish up this paper." Olivia said, resting her forehead against his, smiling. He pushed his nose into hers and stared at her, a bit annoyed that she had stopped but grateful because she was right. And then he kissed her again, holding her face in his hands, softly pecking her lips before nodding in agreement.

They both rolled over onto their stomachs on the ground, shoulder to shoulder again, but hopefully this would limit their ability to make out. They needed to focus now.

Coriolanus felt light and silly for a few minutes. Like a schoolboy having asked his crush to the dance and receiving a 'yes'. Whenever he caught her staring up at him, he winked and flashed her a boyishly handsome grin and she knocked her shoulder and hip into his in response. 

"You're right again, I guess. I've got to hand it to you Lumen, I don't say that often." He cleared his throat, trying to come across more serious but failing. The proximity of their faces just made everything so airy between them. Like they were in their own little rose and vanilla scented bubble. It was almost enough to cover up the weight of what they were really doing here - planning out how to make murdering children worthy of entertainment.

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