𓅪𝟬𝟭𝟮. times have changed
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TBOSAS ⋆ 🏹🐍🕊️. ♯
❝ WE'RE NOT MADE OUT OF SUGAR. ❞
CHAPTER TWELVE ✧・゚
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DAWN HAD ALREADY RISEN OVER THE SLEEPING TOWN OF DISCTRICT 12 WHERE ONLY THE PEACEKEEPERS WERE PATROLLING, while (Y/N) and Lucy Gray stood behind the hanging tree a day after where two people familiar to them were killed and strung up for the crimes they apparently did.
They were both waiting for the arrival of the Snow twins, since they both promised them they could come and join the girls on their journey of leaving the district for good. But the brothers were taking their sweet time, and the two grew a bit worried since its been more then ten minutes.
(Y/N) was wearing a flowing jumpsuit dress again with a coat over her bare shoulders that Cassian gave her, a bag full of supplies over her shoulders, and hair down up in two braids again as a few roses were intertwined in the strains.
Her thumb was constantly rubbing over the ring on her fourth ringer, eyes flickering back and forth around them to see if anyone was coming, or if Cassian was close by, as her stomach was churning a bit with a bad feeling.
But she had to calm down since she knew Cass wasn't going to be alright after watching his best friend, his brother since forever get hanged in front of him. And the fact his actual twin brother was the reason why Sejanus had gotten into trouble also. She had to be there for him, and she would be no matter what may happen.
Both sisters before going to the hanging tree said their tearful goodbyes to the covey, since they knew they would most likely never be back, or at least until everything had cooled down. It was hard to leave their found family, but it was for the better this way, where the sisters could live and not bring anyone down with them.
Lucy Gray rubbed her sisters arm up down comfortingly with her free hand, and leant her back against the tree they were hiding behind. The Archeron girl looked back to her sister, and flashed a small smile of appreciation, glad she was here with her right now.
The sound of incoming footsteps however had them both pausing, and (Y/N) quickly peaked out from around the tree, eyes lighting up seeing Cassian leading Coriolanus up to where they were, both dressed in their peacekeepers uniforms.
She didn't waste a second as she run towards him making sure her bag didn't fall off, and meet him in the middle. Cassian smiled lovingly at her figure opening his arms for her, and caught her in them in a tight hug, twirling her around for a second.
Her sweet giggles into his ears made his hurting heart flutter a bit, keeping her in his arm as he set her down carefully, and pushed back to look over her. She gripped the back of his shirt scanning him also, and felt a frown crease over her seeing how tried, and exhausted he was.
"I'm sorry I took so long, my love." His raspy voice talks knowing her out of her worries, feeling his larger hands cup the sides of her face, and brushed some of her lose hair back gently, "I'm here now though."
She shakes her head giving him a soft smile of understanding, eyes moving behind them to see Lucy Gray signally to move with Coryo standing there also. She pressed a quick kiss onto Cassian's palm nuzzling into it, before slipping her ringed hand into his one.
"Don't worry about it." She assured in her thick accent leading him up the small flight of stairs, making him follow her like a puppy dog. She squeezed his hand, glancing at him from over her shoulder sheepishly, "I just thought you weren't comin' that's all."
It was his turn to frown at her words and moved up beside her so he was walking directly next to her, "That's nonsense." He scoffed showing a charming smirk that had her chuckling fondly, and he squeezed her hand back firmly, "Like I said before, I'd follow you anywhere. To whatever end, Fireheart."
She leant into his side after his confession pressing her forehead onto his chest briefly while they walked, and felt him brush a warm kiss onto the top of her head, smiling against the skin also, as his thumb rubbed over her knuckles sometimes over the ring he gave her.
The couple met up with Lucy Gray and Coriolanus waiting for them at the end of the stage, and all began their journey away from district 12, hopefully to be never seen again otherwise things surely would of ended differently.
The four of them walked the way the covey always did traveling away from the town, through the open mountain area, through the grassy hills that went on forever, and the massive forest that covered everything in sight. Including above them, where there was mostly only shade because the sun couldn't peek through.
Once they arrived in the forest pathway, the four split up a bit having Coryo and Lucy Gray walk a bit ahead but still kept in eyes view, and (Y/N) and Cass were walking behind them, keeping to themselves. The only hearable sound in the forest also was the Archeron's girls humming.
She swings her and Cassian's hands together back and forth, as she hums a familiar tune that she song when she and him first kissed, making him gaze at her adoringly from time to time. He also made sure she wouldn't trip on a branch or tree, and listened to her humming closely as it comforted him.
He lopped his bag around his shoulder more so it wouldn't fall off, and had his jumpsuit open to show off his white tee that did well for his abs and muscles. It took a lot of restraint for the girl to not gawk, and admire them, and he would always tease her when he did catch her trying to do so.
She eventually stopped humming the soft tune, and they were back to comfortable silence between them, listening to the nature sounds around them. Her boot almost slipped over from the massive root underneath her, but he easily caught her by the waist, and kept her steady loving how embarrassed she was by the clumsy act.
"You're so cute." He cooed in a playfully tone rising his hand to pinch her cheek, grinning widely like a feline watching how she pouted angrily, and slapped away his hand causing him to laugh loudly.
She shot him a narrowed eye look rubbing the spot he pinched, and released his hand to fix up her bag that he offered to take but she stubbornly said no he didn't have to do so. She loved him for asking though, but she was more then fine to carry her own supplies for now.
"Cass, I know you probably don't want to talk about him, but..." She trailed off in a hesitant voice gaining his attention, her eyes flickering between his blue soft ones, and back down to how tired he looked, "Are you thinking about Sejanus?"
His eyes turned a dark shade of blue if that was even possible, and pulled his bottom lip in between his teeth, "Yeah, I am. I had no idea that was going to happen." He admitted in a low tone, glancing at Coryo walking in front frowning before back to her with a sad sigh, "I'm sorry you have to leave this place, darling."
She shrugged her shoulders playing with the ring on her finger, and leant more into his side as they walked slowly, "I mean, I'm with you and Lucy Gray, so I'm alright." She retorted smiling, "I will miss the covey though. Hope they'll follow us someday."
"You know what I won't miss?" He mused nudging his arm into hers, a mischievous smirk across his mouth as he pushed a tree branch out of the way for her to get through, "The people there. Gosh, they were annoying. But we're good at times though."
She snorted rolling her eyes amused, and bumped her hip into his playfully also, "I can agree with you there somewhat, but it's the world that does to them." She answered him in a statement, as they round a corner in between some trees on the path, "Like all of us in the arena. I think there's a natural goodness born into us all. You can either cross that line into evil, nor not. And it's our life's work to stay on the right side of that line."
Cassian looked down at his girl with admiration, and awe in his eyes hearing how smart she sounded. He felt his lips tug up, and nodded his head in agreement, "You have a point, Fireheart." His words dropped into a mumble when he glanced at Coryo again up front with Lucy Gray, "It's not always that simple sometimes."
(Y/N) hummed softly tilting her head to the side seeing the familiar river through the trees, and felt Cassian linger behind looking for something, "I know. I'm a victor shockingly." She chuckled bitterly coming to a slower stop in her walk, "Sure will be nice not to have to kill anyone else up north, though."
His movements trying to find a walking stick paused suddenly hearing her words, a nervous sweat starting up remembering who was with them, and what his brother had recently just done to save the four of them. He didn't want the girl to panic, but his gut said otherwise to not keep quiet.
"Don't worry about that, love." His voice was steady and soft when always addressing her like usually, but his shaking hands holding the stick said otherwise, "You won't ever have to get your hands dirty with blood again. Not while I'm here."
She furrowed her eyebrows worriedly catching the smallest of crack in his voice, turning around to see him shaking his hand out from the leaves on it. She took a moment to gaze over his figure, spotting how nervous his aura was now, and how his bottom lip was being chewed on. Something she noticed he did when he was always uncomfortable.
"Cassian. Is there something you're not telling me?" She asked him suspiciously, but kept her gaze soft and inviting to not scare him off, as she walked up in front of him, hoping the other two weren't too far off from where they had stopped.
His eyes were immediately looking away from her to something over her head, hand dropping the stick he had to cross his arms over his chest, and chewed more onto his bottom lip, not knowing what to do now that she figured him out.
Something w is going on.... she thought to herself worriedly noticing more of his little ticks he was doing to avoid her, and felt her heart start to pick up also getting nervous now from not knowing what he was keeping.
"Look, Cass. It's alright." Her soft voice broke the tense silence between them, reaching up to cup the sides of his face to direct his glazed eyes back down to hers forcefully, "It's just us here right now. No one else. So whatever you are holding in, please tell me."
It wasn't like he didn't want to tell her what he was thinking, and what he found out about his twin, he just didn't want the woman he loved to have this burden on her shoulders also. And he didn't want her to panic like he was, since his main priority right now was to get her, and Lucy Gray far away from Coriolanus.
A heavy sigh escaped his parted lips letting his forehead fall onto hers, noses pressing into each others as they both savoured the moment for a few second. Her hand still were cupping his cheeks, as his was holding onto her wrists gently, brushing a soft kiss onto her lips also.
"Whatever happens from here on, I need you to promise me something." His hoarse question like statement was whispered onto her lips, before he pulled back to look into her eyes with a sad but longing expression, and squeezed her wrists.
Her anxiety raised up even more now as she nodded against his forehead, pulling back also to leave a small space between their faces, "Always, you know that Cass." She assured firmly giving him a bright smile, that he weakly returned.
He pressed another hard kiss onto her lips that she responded by moving hers in sync with his, before he pulled back once more to leave some space between them, and swallowed the lump in his throat.
"I need you to promise me that you won't leave my side." He breathed out as he began to talk, blue eyes staring into hers seriously, "I need you to promise me that whatever happens, I'll protect you and that you can trust me, Fireheart. I can't tell you everything now, but I need you to understand."
She could tell he wasn't messing around anymore, and that his words held more meaning that he cared to share. But she wouldn't pressure him to say anything, and would let him come to her when it was needed, despite her gut twisting with unease of not knowing the unknown.
"I understand, Cass. All those are a given for me." She whispered back nodding her head, squeezing his larger hand in hers in between them, and sent him a warm smile that had his heart fluttering, "You're stuck with me, Winter. I hope you know that."
He chuckled softly at the nickname she called him, his worries flying away for a second looking down at the girl smiling up at him. He dimpled grinned adoringly, and pressed a warm kiss onto her forehead, making her hum in delight feeling it.
"Thank you, sweetheart." He breathed in a thick tone against her skin, letting the touch linger a few more seconds before pulling back to tug on her hand, "C'mon, we better not keep the other two waiting. And I think it may rain soon also."
Hand in hand to two began to follow along the pathway that Lucy Gray and Coriolanus had just finished, and got more closer to seeing the lake through the forest clearing. However the rain had indeed started coming down, and it caused the group to jog a bit until they arrived at the small cabin for shelter.
(Y/N) was going to argue about stopping when they needed to keep going a few more miles, but screwed her mouth shut when she felt Cassian's surfcating squeeze on her hand, and him tugging her back to right beside him away from his twin up front of the group.
Her confused gaze shifted to Lucy Gray also standing on Cassian's other side before the cabins door, and saw her wide eyed stare, followed by a scolding head shake to back off. Both of these reactions sent the girls stomach churning even more, wondering what in the world happened.
"Stay close you two." Cassian whispered sharply to the sisters, having a feeling Lucy gray knew about his twin and what he had done, but his love didn't yet. With a squeeze to her hand, he walked forward up to Coryo placing down the walking stick, and twisted open the doorknob to push the wood door open for them.
Their clothes were already drenched from the pouring rain, and the girls hair was soaked also. The sisters walked in first when the door opened, followed by Cass who stuck right behind them, and Coriolanus who was last, shutting the door softly behind him.
"If you want to fish, there's rods under the floorboards." Lucy Gray was the one to break the silence between them first, turning around to face Coryo who stepped further into the cabin towards the other three in the middle of the small room.
Cassian had his hands on (Y/N)'s shoulders pressing her back against his chest, his wet hair all over the place but that didn't matter to him right now. All their stuff was still on them just in case, and he moved them out of the way when Coriolanus bent down on the floor to look at the boards.
He raised an confused eyebrow at his twin brother standing up with the girls, before turning around trying to find the one Lucy Gray was talking about. Once he found the floorboard, he lifted up the wood and found what was inside of it.
When he did he paused seeing what was staring back at him, briefly looking over his shoulder at Cass who bit his bottom lip nervously and gave him a firm glare. Coryo then picked up the gun in his hand carefully not believe this was true, and breathed out a laugh of disbelief.
"What is it?" (Y/N) asked in a quiet but curious way, placing one hand over Cassian's on her shoulder, feeling him trembling a bit out of nerves, and squeezed a little to assure him of his worries.
Coriolanus glanced over the three standing near the door, and stood up soon after holding the weapon in his hands. He showed them what he had, it being the same rifle he shot Mayfair with a few days ago causing all their breaths to hitch in their throats.
"It's the gun." Cassian muttered lowly, face scrunching up into a scowl looking at the weapon before it shifted into a bitter expression staring at his twin, the one whom he thought would comit more then one crime, "The one you fired at Mayfair. Seems like Spruce must have known about this place."
His brother just stayed quiet observing Cass who stared back just as blunt, which had the two girls sharing a stressed out look with one another, and Lucy Gray decided to talk next to ease the already thick tension in the room, and between them.
"If we destroy that gun, you're free." She stated the obvious, wrapping her shawl more around her cold figure from her clothes being wet, meeting Coryo's blue eyes that moved to her from Cassian, "You can go back home. Will you?"
He sighed heavily through his nose, a longing expression on his face glancing down at the rifle in his hands, "No more loose ends." He mumbled more to to himself, and looked back to Cassian who was glaring a bit more now, pulling the quiet (Y/N) against his chest more.
And we're about to join that if we don't leave.... Cassian thought to himself watching his brother hold the gun like it was his prized possession, and the way he was talking with Lucy Gray. It both concerned him, and sickened him.
His blue eyes flickered down to (Y/N) in his arms, who was already staring up at him knowingly, making him realise she was starting to figure out that his brother had done something more then she knew. His girl was smart, and he knew that from the very beginning.
"Alright, well while you stay here for a bit," She began to talk in a surprisingly confident voice, grabbing Cassian's hand and nudged Lucy Gray who understand as she went to take the knife off the wall, "us three are going to go dig up some Rose and Katniss. Gonna need the Rose if want to heal faster if one of us every gets sick or hurt."
Coriolanus furrowed his eyebrows not understanding why they all needed to go, but also got that his brother followed wherever (Y/N) went and so did Lucy Gray. He still wasn't convinced, but would play along for now to see how things would end since he was the one carrying the gun.
"I thought it was too early for those."
Lucy Gray faked a bright smile brushing over the dirty knife in her hand, and lopped her free arm with her sisters left one that wasn't being held by Cassian, before going to walk out of the already open door, "Well, the world changes awful fast."
"(Y/N). Lucy Gray. Cassian." Coriolanus sicking calm call of their names had the trio tensing, and turned back around to him before they could full leave the cabin into the rain, "It's still raining."
The Archeron girl placed her hand onto Cass's chest when he moved forward, pushing him back beside Lucy Gray as she tilted her head to the side, flashing a wide feline grin at Coryo, "Well, we're not made out of sugar."
As soon as she spoke that comment the three were stepping outside wearing their bags over their shoulders, door shutting behind them to leave Coriolanus alone for good inside, while they took this chance to escape.
The rain began to poor on them even more so also, as they started to run through the forest the best they could trying to get far away as possible from the crazy male they ditched and left, which he deserved after what he did to Sejanus.
"Something happened with your brother, didn't it Cass?" (Y/N)'s loud voice asked over the sound of their boots running long the muddy ground, and the rain above them that was just as loud, "That's why you were so desperate to flee from him!"
It's not like he did want to up and leave his twin in blood from the day they were born, his other half, but Cassian had no choice from the moment he realised who exposed Sejanus and got him killed. He knew Coryo was just doing it to protect them, but it still didn't justify his ways, nor how he was changing.... and for the worst he was.
"Yes, and I'm sure you already figured that out." He answered back just as loud, pulling her up to his running figure so she would't lag behind and made sure Lucy Gray was safe also who was leading them down the pathway through the forest.
She blinked away the rain droplets falling onto her cheeks and face, pushing back her wet hair off her forehead also. She turned to look over her shoulder no longer seeing the cabin behind them, expect for endless paths and forest that she knew would be hard to navigate if someone didn't know them well enough.
"I only know he shot Mayfair. What in the world else did he do?" She questioned the both of them now knowing her sister could hear them, and used her bag to protect herself from the rain again. Normally she'd love it, but right now she just wanted to have a warm bath with Cass and forget about everything.
Cassian slowed down his jogging a bit since they were now further into the forest, where it wasn't as wet and the rain was beginning to ease. He nods at Lucy Gray when she stopped running as she came over to them, and sent a reassuring look to her panicking sister brushing through her wet locks.
"I never wanted things to end up like this for him. I didn't want to leave him alone." Cass began to rant in a low tone running a hand down his face sighing, a sad glint in his eyes staring at (Y/N), "But I knew I needed to if I wanted your sister and you to survive, to be safe. Coriolanus is changing, well he has changed. Not for the better, but for the worst."
Her heart drop to the pit of her stomach hearing what he was saying, snapping her head towards Lucy Gray who met her gaze with a upset one also, causing her to release a tremulous breath scrunching her eyes shut, "I thought he was going fine, what-"
"It's true, bird. Coriolanus killed three people, and I think we all know who that third one is." Lucy Gray spoke up with a thick voice, blinking back her tears stinging her eyes making her sisters eyes fill up with it also, "Sejanus was that third, and once I figured it out, I knew also Coriolanus could no longer be trusted nor was he safe to ever be around. Even if he did claim to protect us."
(Y/N) placed the back of her hand up to her mouth to muffle her cry, shaking her head in disbelief at how blind she was to what was happening, "I can't believe he would-" She choked mid away to calm her breathing down, and met Cassian's teary but serious gaze on her, "Oh-"
A lone tear ran down his cheek when she cradled the side of his face again in her hand, making his bottom lip tremble a bit as he nuzzled into the hold, feeling her press a hard kiss onto his forehead also whispering words of reassurance to him.
Lucy Gray watched the lovers comfort each other with a smile, but felt her heart ache a bit knowing she'd never be able to experience that again. But her sisters happiness was enough for her, and it always would be. She'd choose that every time no matter what.
The Archeron girl used her thumbs to wipe away his tears from his cheek, and under his eyelashes. She flashed him a wonky smile as he nudged his nose into hers, and captured her lips in a wet, but soft and quick kiss, making her move hers against his straight away.
"Alright, Fireheart, Songbird." He rasped out once they pulled away from the touch, a small smile over his face looking between them both as he nods in a confident way taking his lovers hand in his tightly, "We better hurry now-"
The sound of a gun shooting a bullet now echoed around the forest, causing the trio to tense up and freeze where they stood. Cass was fast to bring the girls right beside him to protect them, and scanned the area to see where it came from, but found nothing but more trees.
"I think this is our sign to like, run." (Y/N) whispered yelled to the others nervously, gripping onto Cassian's hand tightly and held Lucy Gray's in her other one, who passed the male her knife she held now to use it for defense.
This gained two frantic nods back when more gunshot were heard, followed by the familiar voice of Coriolanus yelling their names from somewhere in the forest. The trio began to now full on run down a different pathway through the trees, hoping to end up where the hidden cabin was that only Lucy Gray knew of.
And that was the last time Cassian Snow ever saw Coriolanus snow, his brother, his twin brother ever again.
However, it wasn't the last Coriolanus would see of (Y/N) Archeron, the girl with a fire in her heart, the one whom they called the Mockingjay girl. She would rise again, in a different version of herself.
❪ ✏️ ❫ 𝚆𝙾𝚁𝙳𝚂 : 4509
─►☆ AUTHOR'S NOTE :
longest chapter yet i think omg and i wanted to write more but forced myself to stop since it would of been an even bigger pain to edit/read later on LMAOAO
but anyways this is the official second last chapter of this fic and the next one will be the last chap... sadly but that's okay cause that means i can work on my peeta fic straight afterwards HEHEHEH 🫡
the ending of this chap also went through so many changes i swear like i was originally gonna make cass go to the capitol with coryo and have a bittersweet ending where they still love each other but can't see one another, or where cass gets hurt trying to save the sisters from his brother and goes into a como in the last chap but no. i didn't pick them and im glad i stuck with the one i made now
˚ ༘ .˚🌱୭ ˚. ᵎᵎ
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