Love and Other Unreliable Things

Chapter Four

    The morning light woke the Coriolanus up and he pulled his senses together to sit up freeing himself from Sejanus' warm arms. He climbed down from the tree allowing Sejanus to sleep a little longer. His head danced with thoughts about his loyal friend. He thought of the way Sejanus' chest rose and fell against his, the way that when he was completely still he could feel Sejanus' heart beating against his chest. Coriolanus shook his head and decided to walk the mile to the stream that they had seen yesterday in order to bathe himself.
    The walk didn't take very long and he stripped himself of his clothes and eased himself into the river. The water was so cold against his skin it felt like he was being poked by tiny needles. It didn't take him long to get used to it though. He tried scrubbing the layer of dirt that had caked onto his skin over the past few days, but without any source of soap that proved to be difficult. He stuck his head under the water and scrubbed his blond hair untill he felt satisfied with his work and he got out. He put back on the same dirty clothes that he had been wearing and started his walk back to camp.
    When he was about half a mile out he heard an alarmed voice in the distance. "Coryo?! Coryo?!"
    His paced quickened. Had something happened to Sejanus? "Sejanus!" He broke into a run.
    "Coryo?" Sejanus yelled as Coriolanus ran toward the tree that they had slept in the previous night. He saw Sejanus broad shoulders in the distance and he continued to run. He must have seen Coriolanus too because he ran over to him as well, throwing his strong arms around him. "I thought you were dead." Sejanus mumbled into Coriolanus' neck.
    Coriolanus spoke. "I thought you were in trouble."
   They stayed like that for a moment before Coriolanus pulled away from the hug. "I'm sorry, I just wanted to go back to the river for a while." He said, feeling guilty about the look of fear he had on his face when Coryo had arrived back.
   " 's alright im just glad your okay." Sejanus said, still mumbling as they grabbed their packs and kept walking more or less following the pattern of previous days. Around noon they stopped at sat down, finishing the last of Ma's cookies. They were out of food. However, they did have guns and Sejanus was the best shot at the base so he figured they could scrape up something if they needed to. His companion looked at his leg which had improved and not gotten infected, which was always a good sign. They sat there a moment before Sejanus spoke up.
   "Coryo, thank you for coming with me, really thank you." Sejanus looked at Coriolanus as if he was some kind of savior rather than a cruel person whi typically only used people's friendship when it was convenient. However, Coriolanus couldn't look at the boy's brown eyes that glistened with hopes of a better future and not believe every word that came out of his mouth.
   "Sejanus really it was nothing your my..." he trailed off. What were they? Surely more than best friends. Well, Coriolanus thought so at least. He was begining to accept the fact of the matter. He was attracted to the boy from District Two. With his brown curly locks, his light brown skin, his eyes that always seemed hold admiration for Coryo. His lips that Coriolanus was increasingly noticing. "Partner."
   Coriolanus froze realizing that sounded much more romantic than he meant it to, but Sejanus never seemed to catch on. "Partner? I suppose we do complement each other's personalities." And in a weird way they did. Day and night, yin and yang.
   "I suppose we are opposites in the best way." Coryo said with little thought. "Yin and Yang."
   "I kinda like this whole partner idea." Sejanus said with a small smile playing on his lips, his beautiful lips. "Makes me feel special."
   "You are special to me, in so many ways." Coriolanus said leaning into the coversation, almost bordering on flirtatious. "Ways you wouldn't begin to know."
   "Coryo I think I prefer you out here to in the Districts or the Capitol, you're very sentimental." Sejanus said and Coriolanus layed back onto the cool afternoon grass that grew in the small clearing of the forrest. 
   "I don't know about that." Coriolanus said, as suddenly the self preservation he knew so well from his years in the Capitol returned to him. He didn't like the idea of being sentimental. In his mind that was the equivalent to weak. Weak was worse than dead.
  As the old feelings from his past arived so did supressing his emotions. Especially the emotions that he was begining to feel for Sejanus. He had left his old life at the door of that cabin that seemed so so long ago, but as they say, old habits die hard.
    "Well I think you are." Sejanus said softly. He reached over and touched Coriolanus' arm softly. "And so much more." 
   Coriolanus' heart thumpped angrily in his chest begging him to reach out and touch the district boys hand. His brain begged him not to, but he had listened to his brain his entire life. Just this once. He hesitantly brought his left hand over his body to touch Sejanus hand.
    "Sejanus" he whispered. He stared up at the boy. he notices a little scar on his cheek he hadn't noticed before. He noticed the curves of his lips, his sharp jawline, the way his hand felt in his. It was intoxicating.
   " Coryo." He said as Coriolanus sat upright next to him. He rubbed soft streaks into the back op the blonde's hand. Coriolanus loved the way he said his name, the way it rolled of his tounge like sugary, sweet honey. "Coryo." Sejanus said once more as he put his thumb under Coriolanus chin softly pulling it up. Their faces were so close that they were almost touching.
   No. Coriolanus pulled his hand away and stood up. "We should be going, we've been here a while." He couldn't give into Sejanus. He looked down at him. Sejanus looked embarrased and almost, hurt. Almost.
  "Your right." Sejanus stood up. "Ill get the bags."

(Sorry this one is short. <3)