ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴇʟᴏᴅʏ ᴏꜰ ꜱᴡᴇᴇᴛʜᴇᴀʀᴛꜱ ᴀɴᴅ ꜱɴᴏᴡꜰᴀʟʟ

𝚜𝚒𝚡

Sejanus' eyes darted downward, watching his friend's hands tremble as she stared at her fists. By her side was Persephone, equally curious as to why the usually soft-hearted and kind Clemensia was now lashing out. 

The trio was settled in a corner of the Healer's Room, a closet-turned-therapist office, as decorated by Hippocrata Lunt, and the settings were absurdly dressed in varying shades of yellow and pink, with splashes of blue. For all the color, as Sejanus had usually enjoyed, it was like a smack to the face of his former home in District 2. 

"Clem, you can talk to me, you know," Persephone soothed, rubbing her back as she tried to initiate eye contact, "I know that Coriolanus disappearing is surprising for all of us, and especially since he was your partner-" 

It was the wrong choice, as Clemensia saw red, turning to her friend in a rage, "Is that what you think? That I'm upset because Coryo can't help me do work?" 

Persephone bit her tongue. 

"Well, that is what you always talk about-" 

"Out." Clemensia demanded. 

She took her hands of Clemensia, and Sejanus watched as Persephone shot him a worrying glance, but nonetheless shut the door gently as she exited. 

As if forgetting who was in the room, the anthem slowly began playing in Clemensia's head, the soft notes of music trilling through her brain. Humming filled the room, compliments of Panem were heard but not spoken, and she finished through the fourth verse with Sejanus watching her. The melody reminded him of the propaganda spread through the Districts and Capitol, of the song he pledged never to bow to. 

She turned, shocked to see Sejanus still standing there. 

"Sej, what are you doing here," she looked at him angrily, "I thought I told you to leave." 

"I- thought you just meant her," he chuckled nervously, "y'know, Persephone." 

"I meant the both of you, Sejanus Plinth." she raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms. She tapped her foot, as an impatient rabbit would, waiting for him to move. 

He sighed, relinquishing his desire to remain in the room, and turned on his heel, spinning around as he reached for the door

"It was beautiful, Clemmie," he amended softly, hand on the doorknob, "the singing." 

There was an unintelligible laugh from his classmate, "I didn't even sing." 

"You might as well have been, y'know. I could hear it in your voice. You were meant for music." he chuckled, "born for it." 

It was silent, and he felt compelled to turn around, but she made no movement to speak. Pushing on the door to open it, he suddenly felt a weight on his back, and looked down to see her hands wrapped around his torso. 

Sejanus didn't move, barely breathed, as she squeezed for a moment. 

"Don't turn around," she whispered softly, almost begging, "I don't want to cry."

"You want me to stay?" he asked breathlessly, her nodding in response as she let go.

"So then what's going on?" he asked, closing the door as he leaned against the doorframe, "you've been weird lately." 

"I don't know, I've just been, angry I guess." Clemensia shrugged. 

"Angry is an understatement," Sejanus spluttered, "you slapped Arachne Crane in the damn face!" 

At this, they both stared at each other, before Clemensia started to laugh. Her face turned red as she doubled over, staring at her hands, and it wasn't long before Sejanus joined in the hysterics.