THE DOCTOR WASN'T KIDDING WHEN HE SAID PUTTING THESE stitches in would hurt. In fact, I think it might not have been exaggerated enough.

My hand is wrapped so tightly around the metal bar of this gurney that I almost worry it might break off.

"Almost done," he repeats for the sixth time now, and it feels as though this pain will never end. I can feel the needle going in and out of my flesh and pricking my wound and it fucking sucks.

It's worst isn't quite as bad as when he was sterilizing my wound and cleaning it--but this is so much worse than when he was simply only wrapping my waist in compound bandages to help my ribs heal.

I'm now sweating from the pain I've now endured in the last hour with no help from a single painkiller, and it feels like my entire body is on fire with discomfort.

My jaw is clenched so tight my teeth feel like they're wearing off against one another and they might actually fall out. My knuckles hurt and the skin on my fingers are red and worn from the hold I have over this bar and I can literally feel this man tightening the skin of my forehead and brow.

"Just one more," he breathes out slowly, digging that need into my head one last time before pulling it out completely. "and there you go."

I blow out a breath and look back at him. "You sure?"

He chuckles, sliding his gloves off. "Yes. Now get some rest."

I don't want to rest. I want--need to see Coryo.

I give myself barely 30 seconds to catch my breath before pushing myself up with my elbows and using my biceps to hold most of the weight.

I walk two steps and for the first time in my life, I decide it'll be better if I ditch my heels. carefully sliding them off my feet without hurting my middle too much, I carry them in one hand while my other helps navigate me down the hall.

The wall has a popcorny feeling and it's almost rough to the palm of my hand.

I didn't realize so much pain at once could drain all my strength and energy out of me--especially on top of a concussion. But it has. I'm exhausted.

"Mari!" I hear a familiar voice call out, and I look up to see Sejanus jogging toward me from the front desk.

I don't know if I've ever seen so much worry and relief on a person's face at the same time.

Once he reaches me, he just wraps his arms around me and I'm consumed by his scent. It's like a dome of safety and warmth enveloping me. He squeezes and it shoots a pain from my ribs up to my head. "Ow. My ribs are a little sensitive."

He pulls away, then looks down at the heavy bandages wrapped around my waist. "Jesus, what's wrong with them?"

I offer a half-smile. "They're just bruised."

He hesitates. "I'm so sorry, Mari."

He's looking down at me with such guilt and sadness, I would cry if I hadn't already used up all the water in my body on sweating. "Why?"

He shrugs. "Because I wasn't there."

My hand reaches over to squeeze his hand and give him a forgiving smile, and I'm happy to be having this moment with my brother.

The moment, however, is cut short when the door to Coryo's room is opened and Tigris steps out with a smile. "Coryo's awake. He said he wanted to see you."

My heart begins to pace again and that stupid feeling returns to my stomach. Sejanus hums. "I'm going to go wait in the waiting room for Mom and Dad."

"You called them?" My voice level is only at a whisper-shout because I'm afraid I might actually scream and disrupt everyone in this infirmary if I let myself get pent up over this.

"Mari, they told me you were in critical condition! Of course, I called them!"

My jaw clenches. "Yeah, well, they were being dramatic. I'm fine."

Sejanus doesn't want to fight with me, nor do I want to fight with him. So instead, he begins to walk away, leaving me to attempt to gather myself--the best that I could in this condition--before heading into Coriolanus' room.

My hand trembles over the doorknob as I open it and I'm not entirely sure whether it's due to the buzz all this pain has given me or if it's because I like Coriolanus Snow.

The door opens and on the other side, I'm met with Coryo, who has dark circles under his eyes and pale, clammy skin--similar to when I saw him last. Except now, he's awake and he's almost smiling at me.

I inhale and exhale a deep breath, trying to soothe myself as I sit back in the same chair I'd previously been sitting in, right beside his bed.

"Tigris said you waited for almost an hour," he says, voice still groggily and croaked. "thank you."

I smile for the first time ever at Coriolanus. "I, uh, like your outfit."

He shares my smile. "Yeah? Something you'd wear?"

I roll my eyes and shake my head, a laugh escaping my lips. "Oh no. I got myself taken care of without the hospital attire."

He joins in on the laugh but it dies out when his eyes land on the bandages around my waist. "What happened?"

I shake my head. "There was some sort of bombing. I,uh, fell head first on the ground. Bruised a few of my ribs and now I have a concussion."

He frowns, but then he sees the stitches on my eyebrow and his eyes go from saddened guilt to crazed worry. His finger flies up to my forehead with no hesitation. His thumb grazes across the scar, and rather than pain shooting down my spine, a chill does.

Every hair on my body spikes up as I can focus on nothing but the feeling of his cold fingertip grazing across my forehead. It almost tickles, and it also feels like, in a weird way, that he's taken all my pain away.

One touch and suddenly all the pain was worth it because in the end, I'd get him here. Right now. Looking into my eyes with such deep thought and such complex feelings.

When he notices that I'm watching his eyes, he meets my gaze and there's so much untold in the blue that I just want to ask him everything and talk to him forever.

We're eternally staring into one another, and he hasn't bothered removing his finger from my forehead, but rather, moves it down to just below my jawline and he kisses me.

I feel a nest of butterflies release in my stomach and it feels like everything has locked into place--like everything makes sense now and nothing else matters.

His lips are soft and warm and welcoming and it's everything I've ever wanted but could never realize or admit.

But now Coriolanus Snow is kissing me and--

He pulls away and I've never felt such disappointment so deep in my gut. His face colors with regret. "I'm sorry, I read that wrong--"

I realize I didn't kiss him back. My stupid mind wouldn't shut up and now he thinks I don't like him in that way.

When he's the only person I've ever liked in that way.

I lean forward, holding his face and I use my thumb to swipe the sweat off of his top lip as I smile before connecting our lips once more and I feel like everything in this world now makes sense.