𝒎𝒐𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒖𝒄𝒌 || 𝑺𝒆𝒋𝒂𝒏𝒖𝒔 𝑷𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒉 𝒊𝒎𝒂𝒈𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒔 ☾☆☽

☾☆☽ 𝒂𝒏𝒂𝒈𝒂𝒑𝒆𝒔𝒊𝒔 ☾☆☽

(n.) loss of feelings for someone who was formerly loved.
a/n: reader is the "bad one"
warning(s): angst, hurt/comfort, mentions of suicidal thoughts

As he heard the door closing, everything he knew -or thought he did- came crumbling down. He wondered how he got here. The truth is, he didn't know. These past few days have been a wild ride, and it had all happened too fast for his liking. First, he found out his so-called best friend, brother even, had snitched on him. To top it off, you broke up with him not even a day later, so it's no wonder why he's been a complete and utter mess. It all felt... so unfair. Honestly, what on earth was he supposed to do with his life now? Might as well end it all, end it for good. Where to go? Where to run away? Where? He felt trapped like Dr. Gaul's pets. The only place he could think of was Lucy Gray's house.

Sejanus peeped out the door, checking to see if there was any potential danger, anyone who could recognize him. There was none. He stepped out of the room and closed the door behind him. He headed to the main square as silently as he could, making his way to the Seam. Once he arrived at the house, he knew something was off. There was no music coming from inside, and he had a bad feeling that it had to do with Lucy Gray.

Barb Azure sighed. "We don't know where she is. She couldn't just disappear like that. Not without letting us know."

Maude Ivory sang sadly.

You yet may spy the fawn at play
The hare among the green
But the sweet face of Lucy Gray
Will nevermore be seen.

"Before you ask, we went to the Meadow. But she wasn't there," she said.

"Maybe a pair of fresh eyes can help?" Sejanus offered. Really, he'd do anything to get away from Twelve.

"Yeah, sure," Barb Azure nodded. "We're almost running out of katniss, anyway."

"Lemme call the others, though. They wouldn't wanna miss it if we found her," Maude Ivory said, before heading to where Tam Amber and Clerk Carmine were.

"That's a big if," Barb Azure sighed.

As soon as she was back, Maude Ivory asked with innocent hope shining in her eyes, "Should we bring her guitar with us?"

Barb Azure tried to mask her sadness with a smile. "Sure, baby. I'll take it."

Sejanus walked behind the rest of the Covey, keeping his eyes fixed on the road. The Meadow always meant picnic to the Covey, so he helped carry food with one hand while holding a box of Ma's treats on the other one.

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They settled down beside the lake, relaxed by the breeze. Even Sejanus felt his muscles relax and his mind unwind from everything that had been going on these past few days. He set down the box of treats.

"The lake always makes me feel happy," Maude Ivory smiled, taking a popcorn ball to her mouth. "Tastes like good times," she giggled.

"I'm gonna go for a swim," Sejanus said, standing up and heading to the lake. With nothing on except for his undershorts, he dived head-first into the lake. Once he swam away from the shore but not too far so as to touch the bottom, his feet found something. A bag. "Hey, I found something here!" he called.

"What is it?" Maude Ivory asked curiously.

"I'm gonna have to take it closer to the shore." He kicked the bag until he could pick it up without having to dive. "Oh my god... is it really what I think it is? No... it can't be..."

"Show us!" she whined childishly. Sejanus opened the burlap sack and there they were. The guns. Maude Ivory shrieked at the sight, hiding in Barb Azure's lap.

"She doesn't like guns," Barb Azure said calmly, stroking Maude Ivory's hair. "They remind her of the war." Sejanus nodded, understanding.

"What were they doing there?" Clerk Carmine asked. "And why?"

"Okay, so this could be kinda confusing, but I'll try to explain it as best as I can." So he told them everything. The plan to rescue Lil, Mayfair threatening to tell the mayor, Coriolanus shooting her, Billy Taupe charging for him, Spruce shooting him. "Spruce was supposed to leave them in the cabin so that Billy Taupe could get rid of them, so I don't understand why I found them in the lake. It would make sense if... no, but he wouldn't dare. Would he? Yes, he would. Oh my god..." The rest of the Covey exchanged confused looks.

"Care to elaborate?" Tam Amber asked impatiently. "It could lead us to Lucy Gray, so speak up."

"Coriolanus was here. I don't know why. He passed the officer test, so he didn't have a reason to leave... wait, he did! He figured out that she was the only loose end that could connect him to Mayfair's murder. And to some extent, to him snitching on me."

Maude Ivory sobbed. "Oh, you don't think he-"

"Wait, wait. He did what to you?" Barb Azure said, rocking Maude Ivory on her lap.

A knot formed in Sejanus's throat before he could answer. "Tried to get me hanged. For treason."

"That bitch," Tam Amber exhaled, fuming.

"What're you gonna do with them? Send them to the Capitol and get him arrested? Leave them here?" Clerk Carmine asked.

Sejanus shrugged. "Maybe I could tell Ma what he's done. My father will know what to do." The song came from a high branch, a bird, a mockingjay. Then more followed.

Are you, are you
Coming to the tree?
Wear a necklace of rope
Side by side with me.
Strange things did happen here,
no stranger would it be
If we met up at midnight in the hanging tree.

"If they still sing it, it's because it's been sung recently. They would've changed to another song, otherwise," Maude Ivory smiled. "And that song was written by Lucy Gray. It must be her, she must be alive!"

"I'll go," Sejanus said. It wasn't up for debate. Once out of the lake, he toweled off and slipped back into his clothes. He followed the mockingjays' beautifully haunting rendition of The Hanging Tree until he arrived at the cabin. Footsteps all around the lake. He remembered another part of the song Maude Ivory had sung.

They wept - and turning homeward cried,
"In heaven we all shall meet!"
When in the snow the mother spied
The print of Lucy's feet.

"Shh," a voice shushed him. "I can't be seen." His eyes rose up and there she was.

"Where were you? The Covey are worried sick about you."

"I know. But it's for the best. Tell them this." Sejanus just nodded. "When he told me that three kills was enough for one summer, I asked about the third one. He made a joke out of it, telling me that he killed his old self. I call that a load of shit. Still, I went with him. We were supposed to run away, you know? Start from scratch someplace else. So I suspected the third one was you. Of course, you're not dead. But he didn't know that. Anyway, I had to run away from him. So I told him I was going to get some katniss. Then it all went downhill. If that's even possible," she paused. "He tried to shoot me with one of those rifles. I wonder where they are now."

"I found them in the lake."

She raised an eyebrow. "Oh, really? Hm."

"You know what hurts? I considered him my friend, my brother."

"And I considered him my boyfriend. Someone I could trust. Turns out I couldn't. Hey, dcry... shh, it's okay." Lucy Gray kneeled on the grass and hugged him. "You and I will get our revenge soon. I know that. You're not alone, Sejanus."

"Will you come back?" he asked, wiping his tears.

She shrugged, smirking. "Maybe I will, maybe I won't. Who knows? I'm a mystery. Go on. Get back with the Covey before they start looking for you too," she chuckled. "Tell them everything."

Sejanus nodded. "I will." With that, she headed to the trees and disappeared as silently as she had come. He stood back up and walked over to the lake.

"You found her?" Maude Ivory asked.

"Yes. But she told me she couldn't stay. She also told me to tell all of you everything." And so he did.

☾☆☽ 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒆𝒏𝒅! ☾☆☽