AU: Journey to Redemption (Coriolanus Snow)

In Silence, We Crumble

Aurora was in the Snows' penthouse living room, acting as if she hadn't shared the best kiss of her life with her friend's cousin a week ago. It was already late when Tigris answered the door and faced a worried Mrs. Plinth. Coriolanus would arrive half an hour later, questioning the situation. His gaze quickly passed over Aurora, and a nod of the head was the most interaction between them that night.

The woman pleaded for Coryo to help rescue Sejanus, even though the boy hated the idea. There was a phone call, and the boy and Mrs. Plinth left hastily. Aurora followed Tigris to her room.

"It's late; I can't let you go alone," Tigris said anxiously, probably because Coryo had just left for the arena again.

"Okay, I'll stay here with you," Aurora replied. It wasn't the first time she had slept at her friend's house, so it didn't take much to convince her mother. Whether she liked it or not, it would be good to have company that night. Aurora had stopped worrying about Coryo's death before the Games. She was more concerned about those around him and what he might do. Every day, she hoped some situation would help the boy reflect on the future.

"You know, when I took care of Coryo, I never imagined he would turn out like this," Tigris said while painting her toenails.

"Authoritarian? Conceited? Arrogant?" Aurora thought.

"Like what?" Aurora asked, saving the insults for when she saw Coryo in person.

"He sometimes looks a lot like his father. And that's not a compliment."

"Maybe we all have something from our parents, right?"

"I wish he were a bit more like his mother."

"What was she like?" Aurora asked.

"She was beautiful, intelligent, kind, sweet... She looked like a princess," Tigris said, smiling nostalgically. "Maybe Lucy Gray could help bring out that part of him, huh?"

"Did I miss something?" Aurora was confused.

"Oh, the whole Capitol is talking about them, as if they were a couple's goal."

"Couple's goal?" Aurora couldn't help but give a sincere laugh. "As if she didn't have bigger things to worry about."

"Coryo said they kissed a few days ago."

THE KISS. THE VISION'S KISS. She saw the two kissing through a cell. If she knew it was going to happen, why did it make her so uncomfortable? Moreover, another vision had been confirmed. Wasn't she doing anything useful to change his fate?

"And what did he say about it?"

"He said it was good, it must have been his first kiss. If not the first, the one that makes the heart beat faster, you know?" Good? That bastard...

"I know," Aurora said without thinking.

"DO YOU KNOW? Have you ever kissed someone like that?" Tigris was excited.

"Oh no, I read a lot of romances..."

"I see... Aurora, you have a lot of secrets, and I will uncover them." Aurora threw a pillow at her friend, who quickly caught it.

The girls quickly fell asleep after gossiping about life in the Capitol. Tigris was very worried; she didn't want to sleep at all, but Aurora managed to convince her after a lot of effort. The two chatted quietly until eventually, one of them stopped responding. But a noise during the night would wake Aurora up.

She looked at the clock beside the bed; it was 02:15 AM. She looked at Tigris sleeping peacefully on the left side of the bed, which, by the way, was quite large. Aurora got up quietly not to disturb her friend. She arrived in the kitchen and didn't notice anything different. She decided to heat up the tea that Tigris had made earlier for Sejanus's mother.