See How Snow Falls (The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, Reimagined)

Chapter 8: Snow Is Melting

By the time that Crow made it back to The Hob they had calmed down enough to stop crying. As they stood at the door, daring themself to go back in and face Sejanus as though nothing was wrong, they found themself unable to shake the feeling of Coriolanus kissing them from their mind. Their skin crawled at the thought of seeing him again, and yet, at the very same time, they felt a sharp pang of regret at how harshly they had rejected him. Up until recently he had always been kind to them and they longed for those simpler times to return.

***

        "Crow! Wait for me!"
Crow giggled, as Coriolanus chased after them. Ever since he'd come to District Twelve, the two had become close friends.
        "Catch me if you can, Corri!"
Crow, cheered, running even faster. They were taking Coriolanus out to their favorite field, it was a small but welcoming area with wildflowers covering every square inch of the ground.
        "Damn it, Crow!"
Coriolanus grumbled, speeding up as they nearly ran out of his sight. Eventually Crow stopped, standing in front of the wild area they loved so much. Unfortunately Coriolanus had not realized they stopped and ran directly into them.
        "Ow!"
They whined, as Coriolanus accidentally body-slammed them into the tall grass.
        "I'm sorry, I didn't realize you stopped-"
Coriolanus started to apologize, only to stop and notice that Crow had started laughing. Their laugh was infectious, and soon he was laughing right along with them, struggling for breath as the two lay in a tangled pile of limbs on the ground.
        "Alright, okay, come on. Get off me."
Crow giggled, shoving Coriolanus off of them, before standing up and offering him a hand to help him up as well.
        "So, is this the place you wanted to show me?"
Coriolanus asked, brushing the dust off his clothes as he stood and surveyed the field.
        "Mhm! Lucy Gray loves the flowers that grow here. You should pick her a bouquet."
Crow grinned.
        "Oh, so that's why you brought me here? So I can bring your sister a bouquet? That's awfully sweet of you."
Coriolanus commented, seeming a little surprised.
"I also brought you here because it's my favorite place in District Twelve. Besides the lake of course, but technically that borders on being outside of the District."
Crow explained.
"This is your favorite place?"
He questioned, raising an eyebrow.
"Yep!"
Crow replied, popping the 'p.
"But, why?"
"Because nobody ever comes here. I can just sit here and think and look at the flowers. It's a place to be alone without being lonely, y'know?"
Coriolanus smiled softly at Crow's reasoning.
"I suppose that makes sense."
After a moment of comfortable silence he put an arm around Crow's shoulders, pulling them with him as he stepped forward.
"Well come on then. Show me where the best flowers are. Lucy Gray only deserves the best."

***

Crow sighed, breathing deeply as they tried to shake off the memories plaguing their mind. It was like their head was being torn in two. One half of them could only see what he'd done to them the past few days. The way he'd thrown them to the ground, that kiss, that evil, self-satisfied look in his eyes when they cried. But the other half saw him how he could be, how he was when he was good. It saw the way he'd been so kind to them, swimming in the lake and laughing in the flower field. It saw that sweet, kind, hurt boy underneath it all. And Crow was left to wonder what to do. Which side of them was right? Ultimately in that moment Crow decided, as they heard footsteps approaching behind them, and felt their skin crawl at the idea of him touching them again, that they weren't able to face him. Not after everything that had transpired. And so with one more deep, slightly shaky breath, they walked into The Hob in search of Sejanus.