TW (per Lua's request): a lot of Coriolanus chapter

"Hello Bell." 

Coriolanus Snow. What was he doing here? Is this why Father wanted her home?

"Coriolanus," Bellona said absentmindedly, paying no mind to the boy as she turned to her Ma with a look of annoyance. Ma, however, waved her daughter off with a smile.

"Bell! Why don't you sit down? I've made a lovely meal," said Ma, gesturing for the seat next to Coriolanus. Bellona groaned but complied.

"Where's Sejanus?" Bellona asked, noticing her brother's empty seat. Immediately, the table went quiet with only the clanking of silverware to be heard.

"In his room," her father sternly replied, angrily eyeing Bellona. He must still be mad about earlier. Of course, he was.

The room went silent again as Bellona went to object, but Ma quickly reassured her.

"He's not feeling well, Bells. Just needs some rest," Ma muttered, sending Bellona a warm smile before clearing her throat, "Did Festus walk you home right now?"

Bellona turned red as she nodded, glad her parents didn't know exactly what went down last night. She'd be mortified if they ever found out.

"Are you two together now?" Coriolanus asked her, loudly enough for the entire table to hear. Bellona turned to him with a menacing look, hoping desperately that he would shut up.

"Not really," Bellona muttered quietly, trying to send Coriolanus a hint to shut up. Of course, the idiot didn't get it.

"Really? I heard you two were seen ki-"

Immediately, Bellona began to cough loudly, cutting off the boy's sentence. There was no way in hell she was letting Coriolanus tell her parents she kissed Festus.

"Bell! Are you alright?" Ma called out as she ran to her daughter's side, falling for Bellona's coughing fit. Father, however, did not seem to fall for it, eyeing his daughter cautiously before gesturing for everyone to eat.

She was in the clear. For now.

The group sat in an uncomfortable silence for a while as their silverware clattered, cautiously eating the food in front of them. Bellona couldn't help but wonder why Coriolanus was here. Was he invited? Or did he show up to gloat about saving Sejanus?

"I assume you're wondering why I called you here, Coriolanus," said Father, pausing his eating to speak up.

So, it was Father who invited him.

Coriolanus looked just as shocked, a deer in headlights hidden behind a tight-lipped expression.

"Yes, sir," Coriolanus replied, keeping his words limited. Good, Bellona thought. She didn't want to hear his mouth more than she already had to.

"You see. I just wanted to thank you for being such a good friend to my son," said Father, eyeing Sejanus's room before lowering his volume, "Sejanus can be a difficult child sometimes. It isn't always easy being his friend."

Immediately, Coriolanus let out a chuckle, although forced, infuriating Bellona.

"Like you're any better," Bellona spat back to her father before turning to Coriolanus, "Or you. Don't think I've forgotten what you did in the arena."

"Bell-" Ma tried to cut in, but Bellona brushed her off, standing from the table angrily.

"You're always going on and on about wanting a better child, but Coriolanus is surely not that," Bellona insisted, angered that her father could talk so harshly about his own son, "He's a snake that'll do anything to get ahead. Even if it means befriending the weird kid. Isn't that right, Coriolanus?" 

"Bellona I think that's enough," Father interrupted, clenching his jaw as he sent Coriolanus an embarrassed apology. But of course, Bellona didn't stop.

"I don't think it is. You spend all your time judging others when you're just like him," Bellona muttered, letting out a bitter chuckle, "Maybe that's why you like him so much."

"BELLONA! I said that's enough!" her father yelled, standing up and slamming on the table. The loud bang seemed to scare Ma, who jumped in her seat as Bellona clenched her jaw.

"Coriolanus, why don't we take this to my study? It seems my daughter has decided to throw another fit," Father muttered, gesturing toward his office. Bellona scoffed, wanting to follow them, but got held back by Ma.

"Why don't you help me with dishes? I don't think now is a good time," Ma suggested, though Bellona could tell it was more of a plea. Bellona bit her lip, grabbing some dishes before going to the kitchen.

"I hate him," Bellona grumbled as she shoved the plates into the sink with a frustrated sigh. 

"No, you don't, Bell," Ma insisted, placing a comforting hand on Bellona's shoulder, "I know he can be harsh sometimes, but he really does love you guys."

"He doesn't act like it," Bellona replied, wanting to continue bashing her father. But from the look on Ma's face, Bellona could tell she didn't want to discuss this anymore.

"Fine. I'll drop it," Bellona grumbled, ending the conversation as she angrily cleared off the plates.

The two stood in silence for a while, cleaning off the dirty dishes that plagued the sink. Only when all the plates were clear did Ma begin to speak again, this time, asking about something entirely different.

"So when did you kiss Festus?" asked Ma, causing Bellona to halt.

"Who told you that?" Bellona muttered, eyes wide as she tried to hide her expression from her ma. Ma only laughed with a headshake.

"I heard Coriolanus earlier. Besides, I always knew it was coming," Ma answered with a warm smile. Bellona cleared her throat as she awkwardly shifted.

"Well nothing's going to come of it," Bellona insisted, cleaning off an already dry plate.

"Did he say that?" Ma asked, confused by the sudden change in Festus's attitude toward Bellona.

"No. I did."

Ma furrowed her brows, trying to scan her daughter's expression. But Bellona continued to hide her face.

"Why would you do that?"

"I don't like him like that," Bellona insisted, quite aggressively. She didn't really understand why she was getting heated. She and Festus already had this conversation, didn't they? 

Ma let out another chuckle, earning a look from Bellona.

"Oh Bell. Sometimes you can be so oblivious," Ma insisted, chuckling so hard she had to hold her stomach. Truly, Bellona felt a bit insulted. She always thought of herself as an observant person. What did Ma mean?

"Bellona," Ma muttered, growing serious as she grabbed her hands, "You like him."

Instantly, Bellona pulled her hands away. What was Ma talking about?

"I do not," Bellona insisted, defending herself as she stood up taller. Ma only sighed at this.

"Bell, you spend every waking moment with him. You talk about him all the time. You made me make strawberry tarts a week early for him-"

"I did not!" Bellona defended, face turning hot that her ma had caught her. But Ma only chuckled again.

"Then why did his Ma phone me the day after thanking me?" 

Instantly, Bellona's eyes widened. When did they become friends?

"You're talking to his ma?" Bellona sputtered, growing frantic as she learned new information.

"Only occasionally. She called me this morning telling me you stayed the night with Festus. Thought something might've happened to you beforehand that I might want to know about," Ma defended, but her reassurance only made Bellona grow more frantic.

So Ma knew about her going to Festus's last night? Did Father know?

"It's not what you think-"

"I know, Bell. You're a good girl," Ma admitted,  grabbing her daughter's hands again, "But I also know you wouldn't have just gone to anyone. You chose Festus for a reason."

Bellona froze as she thought about it. Why had she gone to Festus? 

She knew why. For some odd reason, Festus made her feel safe and that's exactly what she needed last night. 

Did Festus know that? Did he feel the same around her?

Suddenly, Bellona found herself wondering about the boy's feelings, scaring her deeply. 

"I can't like him," Bellona muttered, shaking her head as she looked at her Ma. Ma smiled softly before tucking a piece of Bellona's hair behind her ear.

"Yes you can, Bell. Just let yourself love him."

Love? No. Bellona couldn't love him, right? Could she? 

"I-"

Suddenly, a loud crash coming from Father's studio grabbed their attention.

Festus could wait.

Immediately, Bellona rushed toward the room, eyes growing wide when she saw what was happening inside.

"GET OFF HIM!" Bellona yelled, shoving Father off of an angry Sejanus. What had just gone down? Bellona didn't know. All she saw was Father gripping onto Sejanus's shirt as if he were about to hit him before she intervened.

Soon after, Ma came barrelling, grabbing onto Father as he went to charge at Bellona.

"What's wrong with you?!" Ma yelled, eyes wide as tears began to brim in her eyes.

"Come on," Bellona muttered, grabbing onto Sejanus's arm as she led him to her room.

Sejanus quickly followed behind, body trembling.

Bellona sighed as she examined her brother, noticing nothing wrong but a crumpled shirt, making her ease a bit.

"What happened in there?" Bellona asked her brother, eyebrows furrowed as she examined his face.

She had no idea what could have gone down. Last she saw, Coriolanus was discussing something with her father as Sejanus sat in his room. When had that all changed?

"I heard Father saying something about you not coming home last night. How he knew you were most likely at Festus's house acting like-"

Bellona clenched her jaw, waving him off.

"I get it. But why was he going after you?" Bellona asked, hoping not to relive any words her father had said about her when it came to boys.

"I got mad at what he was saying. Came in to defend you, but he just kept getting angrier. He said I wasn't any better and how he wished he had better children. He started to get in my face right as you came in, mad that I was defending you," Sejanus muttered, gaze looking at the ground as he began to grow upset.

Poor Sejanus. It must've been hard to hear Father tell him he'd rather have another child as his son. 

Bellona sighed as she pulled her brother closer, patting his back as he began to cry.

"I can't do this anymore, Bell. I can't," Sejanus cried out, causing Bellona's heart to break. She hated how much pain Sejanus was in. If she could take it away and give it to herself, she would in a heartbeat.

"Sejanus," Bellona muttered, pulling him for a hug as he sobbed.

"I know you weren't serious in the arena about leaving but I am, Bell. I want to leave. And I want you to come with me," Sejanus muttered as he tried to stop the tears falling down his face. Of course, he failed.

Bellona froze at that. She never actually meant what she said in the arena. Leaving would be hard and something that she could never undo.

But Sejanus. He was suffering in the Capitol. He needed to get out.

"Sej-"

"Bell," Sejanus muttered, eyes pleading as he stared up at her. Bellona bit her lip as she thought again.

What would Ma do? Would she come with? 

And Festus.

No. This has nothing to do with Festus. Why was she thinking about him right now? If anything, he'd like it if she left.

Besides, Sejanus was her priority right now. And from the look in his eyes, it was clear he needed her. 

So, even though she wasn't exactly certain, Bellona nodded.

"Fine. I'll leave with you," Bellona muttered, feeling a warmth in her heart as she watched Sejanus beam, "But we have to wait until after the games."

Sejanus looked down before nodding.

"Okay. After the games, we'll leave."

-

a/n: I need you guys to know how much I absolutely hate this chapter yall I'm so sorry... no festus is driving me crazy... like why do I have to write coriolanus being here??

at least we kinda got bell realizing she likes festus thoo... that's good ig... no but guys I'm so serious. I'm extremely sorry about how terrible this chapter is

thank you guys so much for sticking it out,,, i really appreciate it <333

love you guys,

hannah <33