Dancing with our hands tied || Snowbaird

Chapter Seven

-Coriolanus-

Lucy Grays silence, as she was dragged out, echoed as loud as her previous screams did, and Coriolanus didn't know why. Well he did, but he didn't understand why. She had taken down one man, and if she put her mind to it, would've taken down the two others who were restraining her. Maybe she knew that they'd see each other again. Somewhere. Coriolanus wasn't sure how exactly, as the Capitol didn't really seem to want her unless she would be tortured, which made him clutch his stomach at the fear of throwing up his breakfast everywhere.

The feel of her back pressed up against his was still there, and if he closed his eyes and focused hard enough, he could feel how warm she was and the way every few breaths she would heave a sigh so deep that he could feel her shoulder blades dig into his. Lucy Gray was nowhere and there was no guarantee that he'd be able to experience those things ever again. A faint (and very short) memory of their encounter a moment ago, was what he held onto for hope.

"Mr Snow," a voice that he knew all too well boomed from the far side of the room, directly behind him. It was Dr Gaul. He sighed loudly and twisted his neck until he could see her standing there in her red and white dress like some sort of statue. She looked like an absolute joke to mankind. "Yes?" The sarcasm spilled out casually and he was too stunned at what he just did to say anything else, so he waited for her to get to the point. A clock he hadn't yet noticed ticked in the background as she stared back at him. Her eyes had always unsettled him but she never realised just how much until then.

"You called me?" He spoke, inpatient that she wasn't even making an effort to start a sentence. "You trespassed," she began, the same aggravating tone flooding her words, "you broke my trust Mr Snow, and now I must break yours." Only one word escaped his lips, more of a sound, as he formed a 'huh' and leaned his neck out. Why was she speaking in riddles? Why did she always have to speak in riddles? "What do you mean you must break my trust, there is none." Dr Gaul took a little step back as if she was offended. "Sorry, let me make myself clear," she grunted and clasped her hands, "I'm going to punish you, by punishing your little songbird."

Cold sweat slid down his back and he could almost feel himself turning some sort of crimson that very moment with the way his face felt like hot coal. "Lucy Gray? You lay one finger on her and I'll make sure that you have none left." Dr Gaul only laughed. That menacing laugh that haunted his dreams at night. "Oh you poor child, you have no say in this. Lucy Gray won't even know what's waiting for her," she sighed and turned to walk out of the room before looking at the guards, "get him out of here, he's got a ball to attend."

Coriolanus felt defeated. As if someone had taken all his years of achievements, awards, his extra classes, successes, accomplishments, and threw them into the trash. He felt like he was five years old again and getting told off for eating an extra portion of that gloppy cabbage soup or throwing a tantrum in a public place.
Lucy Gray wasn't safe and there was nothing he could do. It felt like the world was caving down around him and falling solidly onto his chest until he couldn't breathe anymore. It was all his fault.

-Lucy Gray-

Tigris was the closest person to an angel that Lucy Gray ever knew of. More angelic than little Maude Ivory, who always had a fiery side to her when confronted with things she didn't like. Tigris was the definition of having a heart made of gold, of being a ray of sunshine, of being the light in the darkness. It was like nothing that she had gone through, and Lucy Gray learnt that it was a lot, had changed her in any way, shape or form. Each time she came to visit she became happier. Tigris was also the closest thing she had to being back with Coriolanus, who gnawed at her mind.

It made her head hurt a bit when she thought of the fact that she left him like that in the white room, when she had the ability to fight her way out. Maybe meeting Tigris was a promise that they would see each other again soon though. It still didn't fully disqualify the fact that she missed him like the time she hoped her father would come back after being killed. Love was the weirdest feeling, because he had tried to kill her and she had tried to scare him, but they came back to each other like magnets.

"You okay?" Tigris smiled warmly, shutting the door lightly behind her. Lucy Gray hadn't even noticed that the reason her throat prickled with pain was because of the fact she was crying and holding back louder sobs. Feeling vulnerable, she took the back of her hand and wiped her tears away before moving away from the topic as quickly as possible. "So we should get ready for the ball or whatever, yeah?" Tigris nodded and went out of the room for a moment to grab something.

It almost made the brunette pass out when she saw it. Why was it here again? How did they have it? A flood of memories resurfaced and she felt a new oncoming wave of tears glaze her eyes delicately. Her rainbow ruffled dress hung before her like a test of how strong she was, the colours on the skirt brought back from their dead state and the material on the bodice almost as clean as it was before the games. Last time she had worn the dress was when she sang the hanging tree at that officers...peacekeepers-? birthday party. It didn't even matter who he was to her that day, she knew she was seeing Coriolanus and that was the only thing that mattered.

"No," she shook her head and smiled gently at Tigris, "I can't wear that, I'm sorry. They can do anything to me but I won't wear that again."
The blonde stepped forward and took Lucy Grays shaking hands in both of hers, squeezing them reassuringly as tear drops slowly dropped from her eyes into the space between them. Her voice spoke in a hushed whisper, "you'll have to, only for tonight. Only for a few hours. I know it's easier said than done but pretend it's just your moms dress. Pretend you didn't have to fight to survive in it, okay? Can you do that for me? If not for me, then for Coryo."

At that Lucy Gray grinned a little and she could feel her cheeks flush pink for a moment. "I wasn't sure you knew about that," she mumbled. Tigris let out a laugh that made both of them chuckle even harder. "Didn't know? That boy came running to me right after you guys kissed before the games started. He was smiling like a little girl," she rambled until she had to wipe tears from laughing too much," Sometimes I couldn't even talk to him because he seemed so far away in the clouds just thinking about you."

"Oh wow, I had no idea," Lucy Gray sighed. Her eyes drifted back to the dress and a sudden fear overwhelmed her again. "Okay let's get this dress on then and get this done and over with. Quickly and painlessly, right?"

Once the dress was back on the girl looked in the mirror and could barely recognise her current self. It was as if she was transported back to a few months ago, before the games, before she met Coriolanus, before she was even reaped as a tribute. She stood in the Coveys small shack of a house, and watched herself in the cracked mirror that stood in the corner of their one room. It was obvious she would be reaped. Mayfair had sworn to have it happen.

"We could cover up your bruise here a little bit," Tigris added and reached out her hand to touch the purple mark stretching over Lucy Grays forehead, "not that we have to, but I think it would be best for people not to ask questions." The girl nodded and let Tigris do her thing as she distracted herself from the pain.

Coriolanus was bound to be at the ball, and even if he wasn't, they would probably broadcast her singing to all of Panem and he would see her. He'd know where to find her. He was the only one who knew how and where, as he'd done it before. She was positive.

"Does that look good?" Tigris whispered and put one of Lucy Grays locks behind her ear, only to reveal a bruise that had been completely covered up and now looked exactly like the rest of her skin. It was funny how easily you can cover up the mark that the Capitol made on you, where they had hurt you and how badly. Any amount of makeup would clear their name and make them seem as pure as a dove. Lucy Gray smirked, "yeah, perfect. What about that one though?" She pointed to another small bruise and scar beneath her left eye, which had been covered up by dirt and sweat. The only way she knew it was there is because she could feel the gentle pain it gave out when she pulled certain expressions.

"I didn't even notice that one," Tigris said and already began to cover it up. Now she looked flawless, and perfect for the Capitol to put her on stage like a show dog.

-

A/N

I'm so sorry for not putting basically any snowbaird in this, i had a completely different plan and then changed it but i swear next chapter there will be LOTS of snowbaird to make up for it 💗

thank you so much for reading as always, you guys are the best 🫶🫶