a/n: oops I ended up cutting this chapter in half bc it got too long but good news is next chapter will be out sooner (and will probably have light smut, even if the ending of this chapter does not suggest that at all lmao)
tw: mentions of emotional abuse
*three days later*
"I think we should put in a transfer for District Two."
It was lunchtime for all the officers. The crowded cafeteria warehouse was loud and filled with people. But Coriolanus managed to find a table far away from the others. He sat there, and he waited until Sejanus came to join him before suddenly springing the idea on him.
Sejanus was startled, obviously. "What?"
Coriolanus told him, "District Two wants more officers. They're desperate for them. If we applied, they'd accept in a heartbeat."
"But..." Sejanus frowned. "I don't understand."
"Most peacekeepers can barely read," Coriolanus explained. "We're a million times more educated than these men. If we take the placement test, they'll promote us right away. We'll be placed in the high division in District Two. We'll get better pay. We'll have better ranking. It's better there, Sejanus. We should go there."
Sejanus's frown stayed on his face. "Why would we want to do that? Why would we want more responsibilities?"
"Aren't you from Two?" Coriolanus pressed. "You always talk of that place as home. Don't you want to go back?"
"Yes, but..."
"But what?"
"But this is our home now," Sejanus said. "Our house is here. Liville is here."
"Obviously, Liville will come with us."
"But-Our house is here."
"So we'll get a new one."
"Liville's friends are here."
"Her friend. One. Lucy Gray. And the best thing you could do for Liville is separate those two."
Sejanus tried to rationalize this request, but he couldn't. "You cannot be that heartbroken by the situation with Lucy Gray, can you? A few days ago, you said you didn't care about her anymore. Now you're so upset that you want to run away?"
Coriolanus was getting frustrated with the pushback. "Don't you want Liville back? You won't be able to have her here, but you can have her there. You'll be all she has. If you want her to love you again, we need to get out of this place."
Sejanus fell silent.
Coriolanus pressed, "Things will be better if we leave. Let's just leave, Sejanus."
The district boy stared down at nothing, before slowly shaking his head. "No. Get this idea out of your head, Coryo. I'm not leaving Twelve. So if you want to go, you go alone."
Sejanus picked up his tray of food, and found a different table to eat at.
Coriolanus sat alone, and silent.
...He couldn't stay here.
No, Coriolanus couldn't stand to stay in this place any longer. It didn't even feel like an option anymore.
The last three days had been absolute proof of that.
Coriolanus knew deep down that he was only holding onto Liville by a thread. A frail thread connecting the two lover's together, which thinned out every time he let his anger get the better of him.
