𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗼𝗶𝗮 ♛ ꜱᴇᴊᴀɴᴜꜱ ᴘʟɪɴᴛʜ

♛𝗲𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁♛

"How could you be so stupid, Lia?"

Aurelia sat with her head in her hands listening to her brother lecturing her back in their apartment.  The photo of Aurelia and Sejanus had spread like wildfire, to say the least.  Every media station, all the tabloids were broadcasting the same image of the two in the alleyway.

"Me? Fuck's sake Cori, are we not going to talk about how you jumped right into a cage full of bloodthirsty tributes?"

"Forget that for right now, this is the bigger issue.  Besides, thanks to Lucy Gray, that became good press.  This is bad.  Very, very bad."

"I know."  Aurelia let her face drop down onto the table again, groaning at the injustice of it all.  How did the cameras even find them?  Scratch that, she knew how.  They always found everything, no matter how secret it was supposed to be.

"So what are we going to do, Li?  We can't get them to just take the photos down, so you have to explain it somehow.  I think we should make it out that you were dared, or he kissed you and you couldn't say no, or-"

"Anything that makes Sejanus look like the fool, or the villain?"

"Exactly, yes."

"No!" the blonde exclaimed.  She knew this was what Coriolanus was going to try to do, throw Sejanus under the bus to allow Aurelia to escape all this bad publicity.

"What do you mean, 'no'?  This is the only way that we can get you out of this unscathed."

"Cori, I love you, but I refuse to hurt Sejanus when it was just as much my fault.  It isn't fair to him.  I don't want to ruin his reputation over something stupid."

"Well it's his reputation or both of yours.  You pick.  I don't understand why you won't just- oh god, you don't like him, do you?  Lia..."  Coriolanus's disgust at the very thought was clear as day.  Aurelia knew he wouldn't stand for his sister being with someone he considered 'district scum.'

"Cori! We aren't anything, not really.  We're... we're friends."

"Yes, friends who kiss each other in dark alleyways for all of the Capitol to see!"  The boy slammed down his fist on the table, making Aurelia jump back.  She'd never seen her brother so angry, irritated past the point of controlling his emotions.

"Hey! Cori, calm down."

Coriolanus's face softened as he realized what he'd just done.  The side of his hand was turning a shade of red from the force of the blow.  "Lia, look, I'm sorry for getting angry.  But don't you understand, this could totally ruin all that we've worked so long and hard for.  Everything that we've protected over the years.  Snow lands on top, remember?"

"Snow lands on top, I know.  But Cori, you know it isn't fair, nor true."

"Truth is relative, Lia.  It all matters who's controlling the story.  And it might not be fair, but its necessary."

"Do what you want Cori, but when the time comes for me to speak, I can't promise I'll back you up.  I can't, I won't do this to him.  Sejanus doesn't deserve this."

"Whatever," Coriolanus muttered.  Aurelia could tell that she'd won.  Coriolanus was a smart boy.  He knew that if him and his sister told different stories, he would look like he was manipulating the truth and create more chaos and scandal surrounding their family.  He wouldn't do that. 

Aurelia wasn't exactly scared of what was to come.  But she couldn't help but wonder, where was the next step leading?

♛