Surprisingly, life resumes as normal. 

I don't get stopped in the street by gorgeous girls asking me with twisted expressions how someone like me could date Aeolus. 

In fact, no one seems to know. The only glares I get are merely glances, and are only when he is beside me, his hand comfortably in mine. They are from girls and they are from boys, and surprisingly again, they don't seem to matter that much to me. 

Schools go on break for the holidays--or so they are called, although no one really celebrates holidays anymore, apart from the occasional extended family dinner, something I've obviously never taken part in. 

Really, they're more for fishing reasons, and at the least letting tired fisherpeople rest their weary bones, but 'holidays' sounds more festive and exciting, so that's what they are known as. 

"Here, I have something for you," Aeolus says. We are huddled up in his living room, watching the snow fall on his front lawn, a blanket draped over the both of us and mugs of warm tea on the coffee table right in front. 

I look over at him, smiling softly. "What is it?"

"It's a surprise," he says, reaching into his pocket with one hand, his other being occupied by my shoulders. 

"A surprise?"

His fist is closed around something small. He nods, playfully moving his hand out of sight when I crane my neck to try to catch a glance. 

"Sorry, I didn't have time to wrap it," he says with a grin in my direction that I happily return.

"You know it's fine. I'd accept a pile of dirt if that's the gift you wanted to get me."

He raises his eyebrows. "Oh, well if I'd've known that was an option, I wouldn't have gotten you this! Maybe we can just return it..."

"God, you're so cheesy," I mutter under my breath, leaning closer against his side. 

"But you love it," he teases, and I smile because I can't deny it. 

"Okay, gift time." He moves his closed hand closer to me, opening it slowly to reveal a beautiful gold necklace, the pendant at the end a small, opalescent pearl. 

I intake a sharp breath of air. "Really, for me?"

He shouldn't have. Pearls are rare, a luxury usually only those in the Capitol get to experience. I wouldn't want him spending that much money on me, even if he can afford it. 

"All for you," Aeolus murmurs, removing his arm from his shoulders to hold my hair back as he clasps it around my neck. I feel the pendant, running my thumb over its ridges and bumps. 

"It's beautiful," I say with a thankful smile. "Thank you so so so much. I love it."

I don't know if I can wear this. I don't want it to get stolen. Maybe I'll just wear baggy clothes now and forever, so that no one can tell it exists, or at least if they see it, think it's only a chain. 

But on the other hand, how would Aeolus feel, with his girlfriend doing everything she can to hide the expensive gift he got her?

I don't know. Maybe I'll alternate. It's too cold for skimpy clothes right now anyways, and I barely leave the house. That can be a problem for another day.

I keep my hand on the necklace, a reminder of the boy who probably doesn't love me but definitely does like me a lot, a feeling that is very much reciprocated. 

My gaze flicks upwards with a soft change in the shadows on the ceiling, and I frown, imagining Terra watching me right now, watching us. She would be staring at me, maybe even just me, and she would not be happy.

But then she would walk away. And I don't think she'd hold a grudge, because although she was relatively stubborn in the Games, she would understand. She is eternally sixteen, and I am no longer seventeen. While I am an adult, while I will age and mature and grow old and gray, Terra will forever be a young, blonde, teenager, fighting to stay alive. 

Aeolus hums something under his breath, a soft melody I don't recognize, and I know Terra would want me to forget about her. I know she'd want me to do the right thing--which certainly isn't mourning a dead girl the rest of my life. 

And yet, the pain in my abdomen from the knife I thrust into my own chest still lingers, right below my heart, the ache of which outweighs anything I have ever felt before. 

The shadow on the ceiling moves again, but I lean closer to Aeolus, if such a thing is even possible, and keep on watching the snow fall peacefully, gathering on trees and bushes and the roofs of houses until everything is covered in a sheer white blanket.

The person making the shadow comes into view. It is Altalune--which really shouldn't be surprising, but with how little I've been seeing her lately, it is. 

She's talking, her voice quiet but still carrying into the house, not loud enough for me to make out exactly what she's saying. 

Beside her, a woman with straight brown hair covered by a red beanie, her expression stoic as she returns Altalune's conversation. Mayor Gallopetal. 

I jolt slightly, and beside me Aeolus shifts in return, his shock for different reasons. I don't speak, not to alert him of her presence (which he is already very much aware of anyways,) or, obviously, tell him about my treasonous meeting with her earlier. 

What he doesn't know can't hurt him--at least, usually. I guess right now that may not be true--as a punishment, the Capitol likes to go for loved ones, not the criminal themselves. 

He is not safe, but I don't know how to make him safe, how to unhear the dangerous information I was told, if it would be possible to convince the Capitol I heard nothing, even if I believed so myself. 

Neither of them notice us watching, too engrossed in their own conversation to think about spies lurking behind windows. The mayor walks Altalune to the door and then turns and starts back down the walk, glancing once inside, her gaze landing firmly on me before flicking away again. 

By how unsurprised she seems to be, I assume she did notice us earlier, but thankfully didn't say anything. 

Altalune, however, is another story. She jumps at the sight of us cuddled up on the couch, her expression morphing from shock to confusion to annoyance and back to shock again. 

"Hey, guys," she says, and some of that annoyance creeps in. Just a bit, barely noticeable, but it's there. 

"Hey, Loony," Aeolus responds jovially. "Where've you been lately? Haven't seen much of you around the house."

She shoots him a look icier than the ground outside right now, and I frown, knowing that Aeolus's attempt at improving the mood was completely in vain. 

"What were you doing with the mayor?" Aeolus asks, and although I don't say anything, I find myself eagerly listening in, curious on what her reaction will be, what she'll say, if it'll be a lie. 

I have had my own talks with Guinevere Gallopetal, and with the way that those went, I think I can probably guess the nature of Altalune's relationship with her. 

"I was applying for an internship at the city hall, and she gave me a ride back," Altalune says simply, but she won't look at either at us, apparently too busy with untying her boots and putting them away. 

It's a lie. I know it is. But I have no way of calling her on it without revealing every little secret I've promised to hide, at least not right now. 

"When did this start?" she says, changing the subject very obviously. Her hand gestures towards us on the couch in stilted movements, her expression indecipherable. 

"It's recent," I respond, wanting to play a part in this conversation, unwilling to leave it to the two siblings when I am so much a part in the subject. 

Aeolus nods. Altalune frowns. When I glance back and forth from one to the other, I recognize some similarities, but altogether they are different, completely. In personality and looks. In everything, really. 

"Not that recent, I guess," Aeolus mutters, and at first I think only I hear, but Altalune's frown deepens. 

He's right, and I guess I was wrong. It's been maybe a month since Aeolus first asked me out, but it doesn't feel that way. Our romance has been anything but whirlwind, and yet still, the short winter days have passed in a flash. 

"When were you going to tell me?" She sounds genuinely hurt, and although I have not spoken to the girl in months, I do feel bad. 

Aeolus gives her a look only a brother could pull off. "You've been out like all the time. I swear, sometimes you don't even come home to sleep."

I examine her cheeks closely, expecting a blush, but there is nothing, my suspicions (probably) proved wrong. 

"I have my reasons." She crosses her arms over her chest stubbornly, and begins to move toward the stairs. 

"Care to share those reasons?" Aeolus shouts after her, twisting his head and shoulders to look over.

"Classified," she responds, with a slam of a door I believe is probably from her room--the room I've never been in, maybe the only one in the house, apart from their parent's bedroom, which is empty most of the time anyways. Even Capitol-born people have to work. 

"Bet it's not actually classified, she just wants to sound cool," Aeolus says, turning back to me with a grin. I return it, but somewhat hesitantly. 

She is talking about the mayor; I know it. The only thing I don't know is why she is talking to the mayor. 

I'll find Altalune later, because I definitely intend to find out.