𝒎𝒐𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒖𝒄𝒌 || 𝑺𝒆𝒋𝒂𝒏𝒖𝒔 𝑷𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒉 𝒊𝒎𝒂𝒈𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒔 ☾☆☽

☾☆☽ 𝒔𝒎𝒊𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒏 ☾☆☽

• deeply affected with or struck by strong feelings of attraction, affection, or infatuation.
• in which the only thing that can stop him from doing something stupid is the thought of you.
• warning(s): none! (other than Sej being completely in love with you)

Part 1 / 2

He's got everything worked out. His role in the whole deal - what he'll do, where to go once he's done. It'd be perfect if it weren't for one small detail - you. What would happen to you if he's caught? He knows what happened with Lil. She was arrested just because she knew the condemned. You don't just know him, you are his girlfriend. So he knows it'd be worse for you. He can't bear the thought of you dangling from that rope while your last cry echoes from jabberjay to mockingjay in a macabre song. He can't let it happen to you. To him.

The plan comes crumbling down. What to do? What, indeed. He hates keeping secrets from you, but what choice does he have? Tell you everything and risk you being arrested for knowing the rebels' plan? That's not even an option. He'd blame himself every day if anything happened to you. He has to quit, he knows that. But he's never been good at decision-making. He remembers how long it took him to decide whether to talk to you or not, but you made the decision for him. He smiles at the memory. He can't afford to lose you.

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Shocked. Two people are dead. The mayor's daughter, Mayfair, and her flame, Billy Taupe. This wasn't the plan. No one should've ended up dead. "This wasn't supposed to happen."

"But it did!" Coriolanus grabs his shoulders and shakes him. "Not a word."

"Hey, I saw you sneaking out. Barb Azure said if you-" Lucy Gray stops mid-sentence.

"Inside. Go back inside. I'll handle this," Coriolanus urges her. "Go! That's your alibi." She turns around and heads back out.

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Surely, they won't expect to continue with the plan, Sejanus thinks. Not since Spruce's been arrested. Things couldn't have been easier for him. He's the only one left now that Smiley's reliable nurse told him Spruce died. He could quit now. But does he really want to? Of course, he doesn't want to put you in harm's way.

"Is it still on?" Coriolanus asks him. Sejanus knows what he's talking about.

He shrugs. "What's the point? They're both dead now."

Coriolanus nods. "Alright then. I'm gonna take a walk. I need some air."

"See you."

Now that he's sure it won't happen, Coriolanus feels there's no need to send the jabberjay after all. So he heads back to the hovercraft, saluting Dr. Kay with a respectful nod and hurries to where jabberjay number 1 is locked. He looks around. No one in sight. Good. He presses ᴘʟᴀʏ, then ɴᴇᴜᴛʀᴀʟ, then ʀᴇᴄᴏʀᴅ, then ɴᴇᴜᴛʀᴀʟ again. Done. This didn't happen. Feeling relieved, as if the crushing weight of his action had been lifted from his shoulders, he marches back to the barrack. Deep down he knew there was no turning back. He had almost thrown his friend, his brother, to an uncertain future.

"Hey," Sejanus greets him.

Coriolanus almost chokes on his own spit, but manages to get out a raspy "Hey."

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As they pack a box of Ma's treats for Commander Hoff's birthday, he can't help but feel relieved. He's got his whole life ahead of him, and what better way to spend it with you? He kind of hopes to go to the lake later today. Bug, Beanpole, Smiley, Coriolanus and himself head over to the mess hall.

"They've hired that band from the Hob," he hears someone say. His grin grows so wide it almost splits his face in two once he sees you and Maude Ivory sing the standard "Happy birthday" song.

Happy birthday
To someone special!
And we wish you many more!
Once a year
We give a cheer
To you, Commander Hoff!
Happy birthday!

Sejanus claps and smiles, his eyes fixed on you. Maude Ivory does a little curtsy, pulling you in. Lucy Gray steps forward, clutching her guitar. A soft tune begins.

Everyone's born as clean as a whistle -
As fresh as a daisy
And not a bit crazy
Staying that way's a hard row for hoeing
As rough as a briar
Like walking through fire

This world is dark,
This world it's scary
I've taken some hits, so
No wonder I'm wary
It's why I
Need you -
You're as pure as the driven snow

Sejanus beams over in Coriolanus's direction. He knows it's about him. Coriolanus shoots him a knowing glance. Once the song is finished, you take a step forward and lean into the mic.

"How about another round of happy birthday to Commander Hoff?" The crowd roars affirmatively, but most of them are quite past their drinking limit. They somehow manage to slur out the whole song. It draws to an end and everyone claps.

"Happy birthday!" Maude Ivory says, earning a few more whoops and hoots from the audience.

"Before I forget, I promised someone to sing this song," Lucy Gray giggles into the mic. "And that's what I'll do now." She begins strumming her guitar as a haunting tune starts to play.

Are you, are you
Coming to the tree
Where they strung up a man they say murdered three?
Strange things did happen here
No stranger would it be
If we met up at midnight in the hanging tree.

Are you, are you
Coming to the tree
Where the dead man called out for his love to flee?
Strange things did happen here
No stranger would it be
If we met up at midnight in the hanging tree.

Are you, are you
Coming to the tree
Where I told you to run so we'd both be free?
Strange things did happen here
No stranger would it be
If we met up at midnight in the hanging tree.

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.

"Thank you all! And as my daddy used to say, you have to get to bed with the birds if you want to greet them at dawn." She bows in gratitude while Maude Ivory hops around with her basket, collecting a few coins from a drunken Bug.

"Thank you kindly," Maude Ivory grins. "Oh, hi!" she greets Sejanus.

"Hey there, little one," he smiles. You walk over to him. "Oh, what do my eyes see? Is it a vision?"

"No, silly," you chuckle, plopping down on his lap. "I'm real." You rest your head on his shoulder and Maude Ivory awws at you both.

"Thank you," he murmurs softly in your ear.

"For what?" you giggle.

"For keeping me sane." You look at him, confused, but he just shakes his head. This was not the time nor the place.

☾☆☽ 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒖𝒆𝒅... ☾☆☽