#i think peacekeeper coryo is my favorite one

[evielmostdefinitely]

scorned earth |young!coriolanus snow x capitol!reader|

prompt: the last stop on your honeymoon tour of the districts, leaves coriolanus to show you parts of his past, making new memories with you. based off this ask from the other day :)

contains: smut 18+. dark!possessive!coriolanus. mentions of corio's past. dom/sub dynamics. skinny dipping, semi-public sex. pinvsex. mean-ish!coriolanus.

“Where are you taking me?” You looked around at the tall trees, the sun peaking through the branches onto the moss covered ground. Your hand in Coriolanus’, fingers intertwined, letting him lead you through the thicket of trees. 

“It’s a surprise, my love. I told you.” Coryo’s eyes were bright, daring with excitement. Turning back to look at you over his shoulder, the sun caught in his baby blues, making your heart skip. “You trust me, don’t you?” 

You melted at his words, smiling softly. “Of course, I do.” You whispered, letting him tug you through the forest. “I-I’m just worried about snakes, or bears, or-” 

“-I won’t let them hurt you.” Coryo smiled, squeezing your hand. The pistol resting on his hip offered some comfort to you. “That’s why I’m going first.” 

You’d blame it on the warmth of the day, hot but breezy, as the reason you were so flustered at his words. The heat in your cheeks, tingling up your spine. District Twelve was the last stop on your tour, the last stop on your honeymoon. Coriolanus insisted on showing you around, to some of his favorite spots from his Peacekeeper days. After putting the town on a strict lockdown- you weren’t sure why he did it, but you didn't dare question it- he dragged you out here. 

“This is…” You looked at the water, sparkling from sunlight, and the greenery all around it. 

“Breathtaking isn’t it?” Coriolanus’ arms found your waist, chin tucking over your shoulder. The breeze fell between the two of you, fresh air, not smoggy or stuffy like the polluted city air of the Capitol. 

“It is.” You nodded, hand sliding over his biceps, leaning back into his touch. “How’d you ever find this?” 

Coriolanus paused for a moment, heart skipping a beat at the thought of her. He wouldn’t tell you about her, not now, at least, it was your honeymoon. “We used to come out here on our days off.” He said instead. It wasn’t a complete lie, he supposed. 

“Stay in that cabin, sometimes, when it would rain.” Coriolanus pointed to the cabin, a little more worn than he remembered, a lot colder looking too. 

You turned, smiling at the sight. “That’s… This is very nice.” You grinned, head tilting back to meet his gaze. You looked pretty like this, Coryo decided, under the bright District Twelve summer sun. 

“Would you like to go swimming?” Coryo smiled, hand brushing over your hip, squeezing it gently. 

“Swimming?” You giggled. “In what, Coryo? I didn’t pack any swimwear.” 

“Do you think they have swimwear here?” Coriolanus scoffed lightly, shaking his head at you. “Just go in your undergarments.” 

“Coryo.” You blushed, looking around like there might be others to overhear. It was so improper, you were surprised he even suggested it. 

“Or just go without anything on.” Coryo rasped, his crotch grinding lightly into the fat of your ass. Your body jolted with electric heat, grabbing at his arms. “No one’s out here, darling. I won’t mind.” His breath was hot on the shell of your ear, leaving you shivering at the thought. 

Your hands trembled lightly with excitement, pushing down the straps of your dress, gaze on Coriolanus. He grinned proudly as you stripped, your eyes on him so obediently- just as he trained you to be. You were bare, arms covering your most private parts, standing in front of him on the small dock. 

Coriolanus followed, slinging off his slacks, his shirt, grinning at you with that familiar, wild look in his eyes. It made your heart flutter, his gaze animalistic, roaming all over your body. 

“I’m going to throw you in.” Coriolanus growled playfully, though his eyes were primal. 

“Don’t you dare, Coryo.” You pointed at him, walking back on the creaking dock. “Coriolanus Snow, I swear-” 

Coryo lunged at you, laughing at how you shrilled, your scream bouncing off the trees, the mockingjays echoing it through the breeze. Your bare feet padding against the wood, ass jiggling with your run, taunting him. You skidded to a stop at the edge, whipping around to look over your shoulder. Coriolanus pacing towards you, arms reaching out for you, eyes narrowed with a primal sense that had you reaching your arms out in instinct. 

“Coryo, no!” Your squealing pleas were cut short, his hands on your waist, slinging both your naked bodies into the lake water. 

Cool water plunged around you, hands clawing at Coriolanus even under the murky water. You surfaced, a large gasp of a breath, hands hitting the rippling waters with a panicked fury. You could swim, sure, but not very well, especially not when you were thrown in unexpectedly. 

“I’ve got you, I’ve got you.” Coriolanus hummed, hands pulling you into his wet chest, bobbling with you through the water. You crawled up his back, legs wrapping around his waist, hugging him tightly to you. 

He could feel your heart beating on the back of his chest, your pebbled nipples from the cold water pressing to his back, making his cock lurch with lust. 

“Don’t you dare let go of me.” You hissed, nails digging into his shoulder. “There’s no telling what’s in this water. I can’t even see the bottom.” 

“Oh,” Coryo taunted, chin hooking over his shoulder to grin at you. “Might be a monster, hm? Might come up and bite you.” His fingers pinched the fat of your ass, you squealed in his ear, feet pushing up on his hips, dunking him slightly. 

He sputtered, water, feet kicking steadily under the water to keep you both afloat, wiping the droplets out of his eyes. Your pouting face greeted him once his vision cleared, brows creased in a deep furrow. “That wasn’t funny.” You grumbled. 

“Oh, don’t be pouty with me, darling. I was only teasing.” Coriolanus’ hands found your waist, pulling you around his body so you rested on his hips, legs still tight around him in a vice. “You know I wouldn’t let anything hurt you, petal.” He muttered, cupping your jaw gently. 

It was a rare pet name, but by far your most beloved, which is why Coriolanus used it so sparingly. Only when he was especially in love, when he wanted you to know. 

You ducked into his kiss, your own hands on the back of his head, pulling you closer and closer to him. His lips moving on yours, noses brushing, teeth gnashing in a positively sloppy makeout. It felt exhilarating to be doing this in public, showing such crude affection outdoors, even if no one else was around. 

Coriolanus’ hand on your hip, squeezing gently, sliding under the water up your back to cup your breasts under the water. You giggled breathy into his kiss, legs tightening under the water. Coriolanus tipped you into the kiss, dunking you under the water accidentally. 

You sputtered, coughed at the water invading your nose, glaring back at him. He grinned cheekily, squeezing the fat of your left ass cheek firmly under the water. “Maybe this isn’t the best idea.” He hummed. “Far easier in the bathtub, I’m finding out.” 

You blushed, shoving his shoulder playfully. “So what then? On the banks? Like animals?” 

Coriolanus’ eyes left your gaze, darkening at what he saw past you. You could see the change in them, that crossed over to something sinister and dark, it made your stomach flip with thrill, anticipation. 

“No,” Coryo’s eyes met yours, lips curling in a sinister smile. “I have a better idea.” 

“That’s it, that’s perfect, my love.” Coriolanus grunted, head tipping back into the hardwood of the floors. 

The floorboards squeaked beneath you, with every rise and fall of your hips. Your hair was still damp, as was his, bodies still soft from the water that hadn’t been wiped away. His hands pawed at your breasts, squeezing them with every roll and rise, riding him in the small cabin. 

His mind flooded with memories, memories of before, everytime he looked around. The dark day he didn’t want to remember, a dark time before you. Coriolanus felt guilty, thinking of her while you were on top of him- his wife. So he did what he could to keep his mind from wandering, pawing at your breasts, grabbing at the fat of your ass, but he swore- swore he could hear the mockingjays singing that same song over and over. 

“Wait, just a- hold on, darling girl.” Coriolanus grunted, pressing on your hip to stop you. 

“What?” You panted, chest rising and falling sharply. “What’s wrong?” You muttered, purely lust drunk, your eyes told him so. 

Coryo smiled, cradling your jaw gently, pulling you to him. Your body folded over his, lips on his, kissing him passionately. Coriolanus flipped the two of you, rolling you lightly onto the wooden floor, the floorboards groaning at the shift. His hands cupped under your knees, pressing your thighs forward, letting you hook them over his shoulders while he bottomed out in you, smug at how your eyes rolled back. 

“C-Coryo,” You whimpered at the sudden change of pace, his hips snapping and rolling into you sharply, cock spearing that spongy spot that had your eyes rolling back, mouth falling open dumbly. 

Coriolanus’ pace didn’t stop, fucking you nearly barbarically, at a punishing pace. You hadn’t expected it, truthfully, he normally saved this type of sex for when you’d been bad, when you needed to get fucked like this. Maybe he needed it. Something about District Twelve had him off, but you didn’t pry. 

“Look at me.” Coriolanus growled, hands pushing into your hips, fingertips curling so sharply you knew there would be bruises. 

Your eyes fluttered open, glazed with ecstasy from every punctuating jab of his cock into you. “Who do you belong to?” 

You were confused, mind dwindling away, thoughts following them. Coriolanus tapped your cheek lightly, hard enough to get your attention, eyes snapping obediently back to him. “Answer me.” Coryo repeated through gritted teeth, his pace not letting up, not once. “Who do you belong to?” 

“Y-You.” You shuddered, body rolling with another wave of pleasure, thighs trembling around him. 

“Say it again.” Coriolanus spat, reaching forwards, hand cupping your cheeks, squeezing them between his fingers so your lips puckered. “Who do you belong to?” 

“You, Coryo, you. You- oh!- it’s only you. Only you.” You babbled, tears leaking out of the corners of your eyes as your orgasm consumed you. He didn’t stop, squeezing tighter around your cheeks. 

“You’re all mine. Mine. You belong to me, you got that? Not anyone else.” Coriolanus growled, his thrusts faster now, leaving you no time to recover. You whimpered at the sensation, the sensitivity. 

“You’re never leaving me, either. You got that?” Coryo snarled. Your eyes had glazed, looking at the wood ceiling above him, half heartedly pushing at his arm. 

Coriolanus’ hand pulled your chin back to him, stilling suddenly, still deep inside of you. “Look at me.” He sneered. Your eyes fluttered to him. “You’re not leaving me, ever.” He held your gaze, his wild eyed one peering back at you. 

“Say it.” Coryo demanded. You whimpered, his hips pressing further into you, filling you more- you didn’t even know he still could, you felt so full already. “Say it!’ 

The sheer possessiveness, his tone, a chilling edge that had you shuddering. “I-I’m not going anywhere.” You whispered, voice caught around the lump in your throat. “I’m not going anywhere, Coryo, staying with you.” 

“Forever?” Coryo hated how needy he sounded, but he doubted you noticed, not with the way your lip was trembling, eyes glazed. 

“Forever.” You repeated, squeezing his wrist lightly. “Forever with you. Only you.” 

Coriolanus dropped himself over you, face buried in the crook of his neck to breathe in your sweat soaked scent, rutting into you like a mutt in heat until he was spilling, presseed deep inside of you, milking his load into you. 

The walk back to the train was much slower this time. You clung to Coryo, legs wobbly and unsure, his arms wrapped around your back. It was silent, the chirping of the birds, the breeze floating between the leaves, your only sound. 

Coryo left you later that night, tucked into the bed, pressing a kiss to your head. You didn’t pry as to where he was going, and he was grateful for that. You didn’t ask why he smelled of smoke when he came back, why he was just as ravenous as before, which he was even more thankful for. 

As Coriolanus left you, meeting with the General over the Peacekeepers, leading them back through the thicket, he thought of her. Her smug grin, her in his mother’s shawl, how she’d just left it- left him. He thought he’d never recover after Lucy Gray. Then he met you. How you treasured every gift, only looked at him, craved him the way he did you. 

You wore his mother’s ring with pride, and he knew she’d be pleased with you. 

Which is why he had to kill all of his past before you. 

Kill the woman who wrecked him, the girl who took his heart and shredded it, made it jagged for your hold. 

And as the cabin burned, scorched under the starry night sky, Coriolanus was pleased knowing his last memories of the cabin were with you instead of her. 

Knowing that part of him was ash like the wooden cabin was now, soot mixed with the soil of District Twelve. 

Coriolanus returned back to you, holding you as close as he could in his arms, skin to skin, heartbeat to heartbeat. You were his, and he was yours. Now until forever.

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[lqveharrington]

Silver Roses & Fallen Snow

6: The Peacekeeper (series masterlist)

summary: Coriolanus Snow is sent of to District Twelve to become a peacekeeper and memories of you and him come up too often in his daily life there, not to mention the news he finds out about you.

pairing: young!coriolanus snow x fem!reader

includes: mentions of cheating, fluff, angst, suicidal thoughts, death, hanging, gun shooting, wrongful executions, drinking, implied sex, coriolanus is a manipulator, heavy screaming, backstabbing, uses of Y/N, italics are flashbacks/memories, bold italics are coriolanus’ thoughts (let me know if i missed any.)

word count: 6.9k

a/n: so, almost 7k words is insane for one chapter, but i wanted coriolanus as a peacekeeper to be completely done in one because the main focus for this was definitely being at the Capitol. the next chapter is reader’s POV during this time

Coriolanus Snow was caught cheating by Dean Highbottom. Of course, there were repercussions.

Coriolanus Snow was sent as a Peacekeeper for the Districts. It didn’t matter which District he was sent to, as long as he managed to claw his way to the top of the rankings to get back to the Capitol as soon as possible. He left his family behind with nothing. He lost his favorite person by violating your trust. He lost the opportunity to give the Snow name a meaning again.

He lost everything.

From celebrating the winnings to getting sent to District Twelve played a dangerous shift to his emotions, and it didn’t help that the silver necklace hidden underneath his layer shirts felt hot and heavy.

“Stop fidgeting.” Coriolanus wrapped an arm around your shoulders, kissing your temple. “It’s not going to make it any better.”

You huff, dropping your hand from your necklace, and tilt your head to face him. “Coryo, this is the only class I don’t feel confident in. I need to study.”

“You’ve studied for over three hours straight.” He took a seat in the chair next to you. “I think you’ll be okay.”

“I would be if you were here to help me study.” You look back at your textbook then your notes, tapping your pen onto your hand. “You were supposed to meet me here.”

“I know, but Demigloss had questions about the report I turned in.” He set his hand over yours, stopping the taps. “You’ll be fine.”

A beat passes.

“Quiz me.” You hand him the notes, taking him by surprise. “If I can get all the questions you ask me correctly, I’ll stop studying.”

“Fine.” He shuffled through your index cards. “What type of government did Panem have before the First Rebellion occurred, resulting in the change of government?”

You stared at him and creased your brows, “We learned that in the eighth grade. I’m pretty sure those aren’t even in my—“

“Answer the question.” Coriolanus cut you off.

“Totalitarian dictatorship.” You tangle your fingers into your necklace again, confused at his question. “Alright, give me one of the cards.”

“Sorry, that was all the questions.” He tucked the index card into the inside pocket of his jacket and gave you a smile. One that you did not return. He stood from his seat and left his hand out for you to take. “Let’s go.”

“Coryo.” You deadpan. “I have to study.”

Coriolanus leaned down, pecking your lips. “You answered the questions I asked you correctly.”

You roll your eyes with zero malice, biting back a smile at your boyfriend’s actions. “You are horrible, Coriolanus Snow.”

“Oh, yeah.” He reached one hand up to stop your fidgeting and the other to your chin. “I’m bad news.”

A voice behind Coriolanus interrupted his thoughts, making him stand at the familiar one. “You know, I thought I might find you here sitting all by yourself.”

Coriolanus gave him a surprised look, “Sejanus, what are you doing—?”

“What do you think? For what I did in the arena?” Sejanus shoved his bag down into a seat. “My father had to buy the Academy a brand new gym just so I could get my diploma.”

Coriolanus watched him make his way over to where he currently resided, watching with piqued interest.

“They begged me to stay, but once I found out where they were sending you,” He blew out a small chuckle, crossing over to the seat across from the blond. “I couldn’t get out fast enough. Barely made the train because of this stupid knee, but it’s okay.” Sejanus rubbed his knee as he took a seat, glancing outside the window. “They gave me morphine for the pain.”

Coriolanus looked at him with astonishment, albeit confused at the willingness of the boy. “You volunteered for this.” He replied, almost sounding like a question.

“Figured I get through basic, then maybe I become a medic. Make a real difference out here. Just like you said.” Sejanus gave a weak smile before regarding the bigger issue at hand. “They never told us what you did.”

“I cheated.” He shifted his gaze from the window toward the Plinth, subconsciously reaching out for the necklace but quickly stopped. “I had to save Lucy Gray from the snakes to win.”

Sejanus nodded solemnly, “I’m assuming you told your family and Y/N what happened? Why you’re being sent off to the Districts?”

Coriolanus frowned at the mention of you, clearing his throat. “I told Tigris, and Y/N knew. She uh,” He placed his thumb on his wrist. “Her and I aren’t together anymore.”

“Really? Because you got sent out as a peacekeeper?”

He shifted in his seat, annoyance spreading through his chest. “No, she just thought it was for the best. After all, I did cheat.”

“Coryo…” He shook his head, watching the landscape change.

“You know when you came in, I was weighing the merits of suicide.” Coriolanus looked down at his hands. The gesture he had done for you to calm down wasn’t the same for him.

Sejanus looked back at the young Snow, “When we were about to be free? When the girl you risked everything for might be waiting for you when you get back?”

This time, Coriolanus scoffed, shaking his head. “I’ll be back in twenty years. She’ll be married off to someone else by then.”

Upon their arrival to District Twelve, Coriolanus watched the grime and coal dust stick to the train as he and Sejanus stepped off. There were people dressed in the same uniforms covered in black soot, crossing the station with trolleys.

Coriolanus held back a scoff as he followed Sejanus, along with the other peacekeeper recruits, to their ride taking them to the barracks. Of course, he was sent to the worst District, and as far away from the Capitol as possible. The place was filled with those who thought lowly of the Capitol elites, and here he was among them, one of the District locals.

With you out of the picture and his family at home, the best thing he had for comfort was your necklace, still hidden underneath his layers. It sat high on his collarbone, the weight reminding him of what he had done to be here in the Districts.

“Welcome to Twelve.” Commander Hoff spoke toward the lined-up peacekeepers. “We are proud to have every one of you serving your country out here. For the next twenty years, brothers and sisters in your immediate squad will become your family. You will train together, sleep together, eat together. You will rise together, and you will fall together.” His voice echoed across the vast room, each recruited peacekeeper stoic. “You will be our eyes and ears out here on my base, as well as off of it. And it will be your duty to report anything suspicious you see because if you do not, you are as good as a rebel yourself.”

A few days passed for Coriolanus’s first days of peacekeeping, and there was already a hanging to be done to a man named Arlo Chance.

“Last month, a peacekeeper and two mine bosses were shot dead in the pits.” Commander Hoff shouted over the formed crowd of District Twelve people. “We retrieved the murder weapon. We swabbed it for DNA. And the results…“

Coriolanus focused on his breathing and adjusted his hold to his rifle, blocking out the rest of his Commander’s words. He glanced toward Sejanus, watching his face contort into discomfort before screaming could be heard coming from the crowd, causing both their heads to snap up at the sound.

“He’s innocent! He’s innocent!”A woman screamed from the top of her lungs, others immediately coming over to pull her back.

The man being hung stared in horror, screaming for her to leave. “Run, Lil, run!”

Coriolanus looked back at the man when another peacekeeper pulled the lever, hanging Arlo Chance before he could get any other word out. He flinched as the body dropped and how the jabber jays repeated the last words.

Quickly, peacekeepers came to pull the woman away, causing Sejanus to step forward. Coriolanus pulled him back and stared in disbelief before staring up at the jabber jays once more, taking heavy breaths.

As the day progressed, Coriolanus knew something was wrong with Sejanus, especially the way he would stand and listen to the yelling coming from the cell the woman was kept in.

“What were you thinking back there?” Coriolanus spoke calmly, holding onto his own helmet.

“She didn’t do anything, Coryo. What is she guilty of?”

“Being directly associated with rebels.” He shook his head, looking at the Plinth. “What more do they need?”

“If she had gotten through that crowd… I don’t think I would have been able to shoot her.” Sejanus stayed staring at the brick wall. “Would you?”

Coriolanus creased his brows at him, “You need to find a way to make peace with our life here now. Or have your father buy you a discharge and do something else.”

“You haven’t made peace with your life here.” Sejanus finally looked over, meeting Coriolanus’ icy stare. “Every night at our lockers, I see you mess with Y/N’s necklace.”

“Sejanus—“

“You think I don't realize the small things, but I do.” Sejanus looked up, shutting his eyes for a split second. “I know you miss her, Coryo.”

“Hey! Hoff’s given us all leave passes for the weekend.” A peacekeeper shouted from the side, waving the paper at them. “Boost morale.”

“Boost morale.” Sejanus raised his brows, stepping away from Coriolanus.

The blond watched him leave before looking back at the cell and reaching to grab the necklace hidden underneath his peacekeeper suit.

Coriolanus and Sejanus were at the front of their group of peacekeepers, now changed out of their service uniforms into a more lenient uniform. They were heading to the Hob as the live music echoed from the place, loads of people packed inside with drinks.

“Hey, uh, I’m gonna go get a drink.” Sejanus moves past Coriolanus, putting a hand on his shoulder.

He simply hummed, leaning against a brick wall near the entrance. He shifted his gaze around the room, looking at the different people inside the Hob, not realizing who was about to go on stage.

“Is it hot in here?” A young girl spoke loudly into the microphone, getting a unanimous reply from the crowd. “‘Cause we’re plannin’ on heating it up a set more!”

Coriolanus chuckles at the young girl’s stage presence before she announces the special guest.

“The one, the only, Lucy Gray Baird!” She points her hands over to stage right, her cousin twirling onto the stage with a guitar.

“Well, hey there, District Twelve, did you miss me?” The crowd roars with an answer, making Lucy Gray’s smile widen. “I bet you never expected to lay eyes on me again. And, let me tell you, that goes both ways. But I am back. I sure am back!”

Without fail, Coriolanus reached for the necklace under his dog tags, twirling the silver charm between his pointer and thumb as Lucy Gray started her song after a swig of alcohol to clear her throat.

“Can’t take my past…”

While she sang, Coriolanus flickered his eyes down to the charm, clutching it in his palm.

“That’s enough for you.” Coriolanus pulled the flask of posca away from you, taking a swig himself. “You’re drinking this like it’s water, baby.”

You hum at the name, yet shift from your spot on your bed, pressing yourself closer to him. “It’s only our second bottle.”

“Of posca, my love.” He kisses the top of your head before taking another drink.

“I want some.” You whine, reaching across his body for the glass bottle. “Coryo—“

“Sh, here.” He gave you the bottle, laughing a bit. “Don’t be too loud.”

“I thought you liked it—“

Coriolanus took hold of your thigh and squeezed, “Not the same thing.”

You take a sip — by sip, you swallow almost half of the bottle — of the burning alcohol before pouting at him. “It’s not?”

He smiled at you, kissing the corner of your lips. “No, two different things.”

“Oh.” You furrow your brows, hand finding the necklace.

Coriolanus pulled you by the hips, sliding you closer, and reached over to drink from the posca, hands restless over your skin.

“Wanna know something, Coryo?” You rest your chin on his shoulder blade, watching his head tilt down to meet your eyes.”

“What is it?” He mumbled, pulling you much closer to the point where your legs were tangled together and you were practically on top of him.

You let out a small hum at his action, still resting your head on his shoulder. “My mother used to sing me a song whenever I had to go to bed and I was too loud.”

“Really?” His glassy eyes looked around your face, hands trailing up and down your hip and abdomen. “What song might that be?”

You took one last swig and passed the bottle to Coriolanus who finished it off, placing it on your bedside table. Coriolanus placed a soft kiss on your lips, tasting the alcohol.

“I don’t know what it’s called, but if I had to give it a title, it would be called Invisible String.” You smile into the kiss, feeling one of his hands travel up to your neck.

He hummed, twirling the rose charm. “You have to sing it for me one day, beautiful.”

“Maybe.” You giggle, peppering his jaw in drunk kisses.

Coriolanus shakes his head at the memory, tucking the necklace back underneath his white shirt. That night ended with the both of you throwing up in your bathroom, with horrid hangovers in the morning.

He had a plan for his future. Many of which included you by his side. So having his head rerun a memory of you was not his idea of boosting morale, especially when Lucy Gray reminded him so much of what he had done to lose you.

The music suddenly came to a stop, pulling Coriolanus out of his head. He watched as a man came closer to Lucy Gray, tugging at her skirt.

Coriolanus weighed his options of getting caught in a fight or staying out, sadly, it was cut short when Sejanus came over to punch the guy harassing Lucy Gray.

“Shit.” He pushed past the people, pulling Sejanus away from the man. “Sejanus, stop!”

“No, Coryo, let go!” Sejanus tries leaving his hold. Lucy Gray watched Coriolanus pull his friend away, tilting her head at the brunet.

“What are you, crazy?” Coriolanus asks over the loud noises, pushing Sejanus toward the exit. “Come on, we gotta get out of here.”

“Coryo, you can’t just let her go through that after everything she’s been through!” Sejanus inhales sharply, spitting and grabbing his jaw. “Fuck.”

“Twice now that I’ve had to save your ass.” Coriolanus chuckles, patting his back.

Sejanus lets out a tired laugh, shaking his head. “Yeah, I guess so.”

“Where are you going?” Coriolanus let his eyes linger on his friend as he tried stepping away from him. “We’re supposed to ask around about the fight last night.”

“I know, but I just—“ He cut himself off, listening to the strumming of a guitar. “I just want to ask if Lucy Gray is alright.”

The blond raised a brow, “You want to make sure she’s alright?”

“Is that wrong?”

Coriolanus held the urge to roll his eyes, dropping his hand. “Whatever, just be quick. David and Moore will be doing rounds soon.”

He thought that Sejanus had gone insane. Hell, he thought he was insane ever since he met him, but it just seemed worse because he was placed in a District that wasn’t his home. Coriolanus’ eyes followed Sejanus as he trudged down the grassy hill. Coriolanus really didn’t get why Sejanus cared so much about a District girl who ruined his life. His life that he tried so hard to protect and build up. It didn’t matter much as he was called by one of the other peacekeepers in his group, saying he received a letter from someone.

Coriolanus thanked them and sat down outside the mailing station, peeling open the cream envelope.

‘Dear Coriolanus Snow,

I hope you’re doing well out in the Districts. Don’t worry too much about Grandma’am and I, we’re doing as well as we can. I’ve gotten a promotion at my job to make up for the rest of the rent for the month, but it might not be enough until you get back. Please take care of yourself out there and don’t do anything reckless for my sake, I want you back in one piece. I won’t make this long, but make sure to eat right over there and get enough sleep. Please write back soon!

From your favorite cousin,

Tigris Snow’

He let out a quiet chuckle, running his thumb across the cursive writing. He’d be back before his family could worry too much about him.

Coriolanus would make sure snow would land on top this time. No loose ends and no regrets.

Coriolanus held his own envelope as he made his way around District Twelve. He had forgotten about Sejanus and his antics with Lucy Gray until he saw him speaking with Billy Taupe, the man who harassed Lucy Gray at the Hob.

He watched as Billy and another man murmured words to Sejanus, taking their leave when they saw Coriolanus approaching.

“Hey—!”

“You’re back.” Coriolanus interrupted, tapping the envelope in his hands. “I figured you’d be a while.”

“What’s that in your hands—?”

The blond cut him off again, “Why were you with Billy Taupe? And who’s that other guy with him?”

“I remember that from the Academy. Watching you watch everyone. Carefully choosing when to weigh in.” Sejanus says with a calm demeanor.

“Are you trying to help these people?”

“Don’t you think they need help?”

“They lost the war, Sejanus.” Coriolanus shakes his head in disbelief, tucking the letter inside his uniform and reaching for the silver charm for the nth time since being drafted. “A war they started that made your family rich. I am not about to throw away any chance I might have of getting home someday and being with her just because you feel a bit guilty.”

Sejanus squints his eyes, jaw ticking. “Fine.”

Coriolanus didn’t have it in him to argue with Sejanus any longer, taking long strides to deliver his letter toward the mailing station.

“Coryo!” You call for your boyfriend from the bathroom, huffing in frustration. “Can you come here? I need help!”

Coriolanus sets down a book from your bookshelf, shuffling into your extensive closet connecting to your extensive bathroom. “What is it?”

You smile as he comes into view from your mirror, “Can you zip me? I can’t reach it.”

“Of course.” He runs his hand over your waist to the silver zipper, tugging it up with ease. “Happy?”

“Very.” You turn and bite your bottom lip, tugging him down by his black tie. “You look very handsome.”

“Thank you.” He murmurs, tugging you close by your hips, pressing a soft kiss to your lips. “You look beautiful as always.”

You smile, twirling your finger around his tie. “Do we really have to go to Ravinstill’s gala?”

“Beautiful, I just zipped you up.” He chuckled at what you were insinuating, rubbing a thumb on your bottom lip as you pouted jokingly. “Plus, I think we should make an appearance. After all, it is the President’s son.”

“That’s too bad.” You sigh, letting go of him to check yourself in the mirror one last time, running your hands across your stomach and then down the back of your legs, checking for any imperfections in the dress that hugged you perfectly in all the right places. “We’re good to go, yes?”

Coriolanus gazed in places he shouldn’t have been staring at before snapping his eyes up to your teasing eyes through the mirror. “Stop.”

“Stop what?” You frown, your voice laced with amusement as you tilted your head. “I’m just fixing myself.”

He wrapped one arm around your waist while the other slid up your arm toward your jaw, turning it toward him. “You know what you’re doing.”

“Do I?” You scan his face then peering at his lips. “Maybe I don’t. I haven’t gotten what I wanted yet—“

Coriolanus pulled you into a fast, rough kiss, sliding his tongue inside as you let out a surprised noise. You simply returned the gesture, not wanting to ruin his hair or his perfectly pressed suit. He tapped your waist as a warning before pulling you flush against him, chest to chest.

“Coryo—“ You pull away for a bit, staring up at him before he starts to kiss you again, cutting you off. You finally push away, holding his face in your hands. “Okay! I get it! Let’s go.”

“You’re fucking spoiled.” He kissed your temple. “Next time, wear a dress that doesn’t show everything.”

“Got it, wear a dress that shows everything.” You link your hands with him, watching him roll his eyes. “What? You love it.”

“I do.” He pulls you toward your vanity in your room, pulling the makeup wipes to wipe the lipstick smearing across and around his lips then pulling one out for you. “Open.”

You obliged, letting him wipe your lipstick off your lips and carefully around the side, not wanting to ruin the rest of it. “You’re lucky my father’s out on a business trip, or you wouldn’t be able to act like this at all.”

“I wouldn’t be allowed to step foot into the house, my love.” He took the lipstick from the set and carefully applied it to your lips. “Done.”

“Perfect.” You grin and grab your clutch. “I was thinking—“

“Don’t think you're getting off so easily from the antics you just pulled.” Coriolanus interrupted, making you raise a brow. “Just wait.”

You shook your head as you exited your room, not thinking much about his words until you were completely bent over the Ravinstill’s guest bathroom a few hours later, body flush against Coriolanus with his hand over your mouth, silencing any loud noises coming from you. The repeated shaking of your necklace was the only thing keeping you grounded.

Coriolanus blinked at the sudden memory, adjusting his uniform as he walked through District Twelve’s peacekeeper vicinity, nodding at the peacekeepers at the metal gate before getting stopped by them.

“Private Snow? Come with us.” A pair of peacekeepers pushed him around, making him confused at the sudden action.

As soon as Coriolanus learned where they were taking him, he walked at a steady pace, posture perfect as he entered Commander Hoff’s office. He saluted before he was given the command to be at ease, feet spread and back straight.

“Snow.” Hoff shuffled the papers on his desk, looking at the young male. “I received the results from your aptitude tests this morning. Looked over your training records too. Your performance is exemplary.”

Coriolanus gave a small grin without showing too much pride, looking around the commander’s desk. “Well, half the other recruits can’t read, sir.”

“You’re General Crassus Snow’s boy.” He clasped his hands together. “What did you do to end up here?”

I ruined a relationship. “I made an enemy, sir. In the Capitol.”

“I’ve made a career out of ruining my enemies’ plans. I’m gonna reassign you to officer training in District Two. You’ll earn a real wage. Maybe even another shot at the Capitol one day.” Hoff’s gravel voice echoed through his office. “Train leaves in ten days. Keep a clean record, you’ll never see anyone from District Twelve again. This is an honor, Private. Not an option.”

“Yes, sir. Thank you.” Coriolanus collects the papers and cards from Commander Hoff, doing his best to hold back a smile.

Coriolanus left his commander’s office, heading toward the telephone booths to call Tigris about the promotion.

“Coryo?” Coriolanus heard through the static, messing with the dials.

“Tigris?” He leaned in, looking at the screen with his cousin slowly coming into focus.

“Coryo!” She smiled brightly, scanning his features.

Coriolanus let out a small, tired laugh, “Tigris.”

“Your curls!” She laughed softly, eyes squinting with glee.

“Yeah, I know.” He reached up to touch his buzz cut, laughing with her. “Where are you?”

“Coryo, we’re fine—“

“Tigris, where are you?” He tried peeking at her background.

She sighed, looking around before speaking again. “We had to move out. We’re renting this place just for right now.”

“They evicted you?” Coriolanus murmured, frowning at the words his cousin spoke.

“Listen, I’m fine. Grandma’am is fine. I really don’t want you to worry, okay?” She whispered, watching his emotions through the screen.

“I think I found a way out of here. I just have to make it through Officer Training in Two. And then I can make my way back to the Capitol. I will fix this.” He shook his head, doing his best to stay positive for her.

“Okay.” She smiled, opening her mouth to say something before another voice slowly came around from the kitchen, making Coriolanus flinch.

“Tigris? I need your help with something. I don’t think I made this the right way.” You frown at the mixing bowl in your arms, showing the older girl. Your eyes flickered up at her when she didn’t respond, catching her on the phone. “Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t know—“

“It’s just Coryo.” Tigris did her best to cover both the screen and your body, knowing about the breakup between you two.

“I’m gonna be home soon. I promise.” Coriolanus held the charm in his finger for the umpteenth time, smile turned down at the sound of your voice.

Tigris let herself smile again, “Don’t give me hope.”

Just as she finished, the phone glitched and the screen became static, losing all connection with the Capitol. Coriolanus slammed his palm into the metal contraption, shoving the telephone into its slot.

Coriolanus, Sejanus, and the rest of their unit were assigned to recollect and check over the Jabberjays, then place them into a train car that would take them to the Capitol. However, Coriolanus thought it would be best to confront Sejanus about what he’s been doing while on his outings with Lucy Gray and conversations with those in jail cells.

“Whatever it is you’re doing, you need to stop it.”

“What are you—“

“Don’t.” Coriolanus shook his head, hands fisted on top of the table. “I saw you talking to that woman in the jail. If I don’t report you now…”

“You don’t know anything to report.” Sejanus lowers his voice, slowly setting down his clipboard.

“They know we’re friends, Sejanus. You’re gonna get us both killed.”

“You told me I could do something. You told me I could make a difference.”

Coriolanus pursed his lips together, looking away from Sejanus. He shook his head as he continued to speak, Sejanus’ voice getting louder by the second.

“Don’t. Stop Talking.” Coriolanus got closer but Sejanus kept him away. “I can’t hear this—!”

“Listen to me.” Sejanus pushed Coriolanus back to his side, watching a peacekeeper walk by before continuing.

He continued to talk about this ‘plan’ that Coriolanus had no intention of understanding. All Coriolanus knew was that he could get murdered for associating himself with someone working with rebels. Just to be safe, he took the remote for one of the jabber jays and hit record, finally putting Sejanus’ plan onto a database.

“I was just trying to save you the first time you did something stupid enough to ruin my life.” Coriolanus returned with some anger toward the Hunger Games. “What if they catch you bringing this woman off base?”

“It’s worth the risk to do the right thing.”

“For you.” He let his shoulders drop in frustration. “Your father will just buy your way out of it like he always does, while I’ll be hung just for knowing you. Please. Don’t make me rescue you again.” He let his hand drop toward the remote again and switched it to ‘stop.’

“I don’t need you to rescue me, Coryo.” Sejanus grabbed his two cages of Jabberjays. “And instead of worrying about me, ask yourself how Y/N feels nowadays. I hope you know it’s not good.”

Coriolanus bit the inside of his cheek, watching Sejanus walk away like he didn’t just drop a bomb on him. Of course, Coriolanus was wondering how you were. The last he heard of you was from the phone call the other day, and it’s not like he actually saw you. All he heard was you asking Tigris something. It was torture not knowing how you were. He knew that he broke you, but he also knew that your father wouldn’t be kind to the traveling news of him being drafted as a peacekeeper.

As Coriolanus put his jabber jays onto the train, his thoughts were moving one hundred miles per hour just thinking about how you were.

Coriolanus pressed a kiss to your temple as you rested your head against his shoulder, soaking up the sun as you strolled through the park. “I can practically hear your thoughts, beautiful.” He murmured against your head, pressing one last kiss before glancing down at you. “What’s on your mind?”

You sigh but softly smile at his gestures, squeezing his hand that was intertwined with yours. “I don’t know, mainly the future.”

He hummed, taking a sip from his coffee before pushing for more. “What about the future?”

Shrugging, you look across the Capitol park, watching families walk around with their children. “Just in general, and what it would look like later in life… What I would do or where I would live.”

Receiving silence from Coriolanus, you continue to speak, occasionally receiving hums and nods to know he is listening.

“I also figured that I would probably still love you.” You whisper, earning an eyebrow raise at the sudden switch in topic and voice level. “I mean, I don’t think I could see myself in the future without you.”

“Probably?” Coriolanus squinted his eyes at you. “You mean you will, right?”

You roll your eyes at the question, “Yes, Coryo. I will still love you. We’ll be fine.”

He playfully pinched your hip, earning a small squeal from you. “What made you think about the future, beautiful?”

Your smile faltered at the question, looking toward the gravel and dirt instead. Coriolanus frowned at your reaction, pulling you closer to him.

“My father,” You quietly say, reaching up to grab your necklace. “He… I don’t know. He keeps asking me to pick someone else to be with instead of you and stop hanging out with Tigris. I mean, I like being with Clemensia and Livia, but I love spending time with you and Tigris. I can’t just break up with you and get with some stupid prick.”

“Hey,” Coriolanus stops you from walking any further. “I’m here. I’ll always be here. If your father hates me, what’s he going to do about it? I love you. So much. I’m secure with you, and I know whatever happens between us will be okay in the future. I love you, and nothing will ever change that. Even if you do marry a stupid prick.”

Your eyes welled with tears, burying your head in his chest. “I love you.”

“I love you too, beautiful.” He put a hand on the back of your head, kissing the top. “Thank you for telling me.”

Coriolanus already knew the mess Sejanus got himself into when he told him what those in District Twelve were planning to do, so it was no shock that both Billy Taupe and Mayfair Lipp, the Mayor’s daughter, were shot and killed the night Lucy Gray performed a song about Snow.

Coriolanus had already told Spruce to get rid of the guns used to shoot Billy and Mayfair, but Sejanus’ crying and sputtering were enough to make him yell at the Plinth.

“For once, shut up!” Coriolanus directed his anger toward Sejanus, his dog tags clanging on your necklace. “All of this is your fault! It’s only gonna get worse if you don’t pull yourself together. If you breathe a word now, both of us, we’re finished. So we go back there and act like nothing is wrong.”

“I don’t know…” Sejanus choked out a sob, eyes glassy as he shook his head.

“Hey.” Coriolanus took long steps to Sejanus, grabbing the back of his neck and face. “Hey, look at me. You have to pull yourself together. You have to pull it together. You came here for me, right? We’re brothers?”

“Brothers,” Sejanus whispered out, taking deep breaths.

“So whatever you’ve done, I swear I will keep you safe. Those guns were the only loose end beside the four of us. So we’re gonna be okay. Okay? Not a word.” Coriolanus patted him, blatantly spewing more lies to him. “Okay?”

He nodded, mumbling out a response. Coriolanus patted him again, guiding him outside toward the open area of the Hob.

Eventually, the peacekeepers had to turn in for the night, but Coriolanus could tell Sejanus was struggling internally with what happened earlier. He just shook his head as he undressed from the issued uniform, tucking your necklace underneath his white shirt.

“Three years… I fought for the Capitol during the war. I’ve been angry. But this was the first time I felt ashamed. Get the other up here!” Commander Hoff pointed toward the crowd.

Murmurs went around as Coriolanus looked toward his right, hoping that Sejanus wasn’t the one being brought. He took deep breaths as the crowd parted, revealing Sejanus Plinth being pulled toward the hanging tree. Coriolanus’ cover faltered at how battered Sejanus was, his eyes widening at the boy.

“Coryo.” Sejanus watched him, tripping over his own feet. “Coryo—“

“The Capitol has received word via jabber jay that these two men conspired to break into our base’s jail and flee north to release this terrorist from captivity.” Commander Hoff pointed toward Sejanus this time, other peacekeepers putting the noose around his neck. “I’d expect this of a rebel but not from one of our own. This is treason, plain and simple. Play the recording!”

Coriolanus bit down on his tongue as the recording played, shifting his hold on his gun. He did what he had to survive, and if it meant losing Sejanus Plinth, then so be it.

“No, Coryo. Coryo, help!” Sejanus screamed from his ‘friend,’ wriggling in his constraints.

The hatch slammed down, executing all three people, including Sejanus. Coriolanus flinched at the noise, looking up at the jabber jays that were repeating Sejanus’ last words.

Everyone watched the bodies hang, slowly leaving with the thought of remorse for the young boy. As soon as the crowd cleared, Hoff dismissed his peacekeepers which allowed Coriolanus to take a breather.

He slammed down his protective gear on his thin mattress, drawing shapes on his wrist. He needed to calm down, but how could he? He just lost another person in his life, and it was all his fault. He wiped a singular tear before sighing, moving over to look through Sejanus’ belongings.

Coriolanus’ eyes immediately went to the photo card above a stack of letters. He flipped it over, realizing it was the photo taken seconds before the Tenth Annual Hunger Games began. He held back a sob at the two people in his life that have been there for him, both gone, but one truly lost.

Taking a deep breath, he took the letters from underneath and inspected them. It all came from one person. Coriolanus assumed it was Sejanus’ mother until he recognized the seal on the letter.

The Lovett seal.

Immediately, Coriolanus opened the first letter on the top, scanning the cursive words you had written. The sudden guilt and repentance Coriolanus felt for Sejanus was gone as he read further down the letter. How come he received letters? How come you sent letters to Sejanus?

He felt the weight of your necklace as he read the last few sentences. What the fuck?

Coriolanus shoved the letters back into Sejanus’ belongings, along with the photo. He was leaving for District Two tomorrow and didn’t need the distraction of both you and Sejanus when you weren’t even here.

For the next 24 hours, all Coriolanus could think about was leaving the hell hole called District Twelve. When he was training in the early mornings? He wanted to pack and leave. When sorting out the mess of jabber jays? He wanted to get on the train to Two. It was early the next morning when Coriolanus realized he could leave the mess he made behind.

After fulfilling his final tasks as a peacekeeper in Twelve, he filled his baggage with his personal items that he brought with him, along with Sejanus’ certificate of graduation and the tin box containing small shots of liquid Dean Highbottom would consume and the many letters you sent to Sejanus.

He wanted to burn them, he really did, but he had better plans for everything Sejanus owned.

“Sir.” Coriolanus saluted Commander Hoff, body itching to get on the train and leave.

“There’s been a change of plan, Private Snow.”

“Congratulations, Mister Snow.” Coriolanus heard Dr. Gaul as he approached her, holding onto his peacekeeper hat. “I’ve asked President Ravinstill to grant you a full pardon, effective immediately. I also told him that you are too promising to waste in the military. So you’ll be studying under me now at the Capitol University.”

He watched her as she fed meat to whatever was swimming in the pool in front of him, not wanting to meet her eyes. “I can’t afford University.”

“A certain Mr. Strabo Plinth has offered to pay for everything you need while you’re there. All for being such a good friend to his Sejanus. He doesn’t know quite how good a friend you were, of course. I never mentioned your little recording.”

Coriolanus held his breath and stood up straight, Dr. Gaul earned his full attention.

Dr. Gaul tossed another piece of meat into the pool, “Quite impressive, how you sent your only friend to the noose just to get my attention.”

“That’s not what I did.” Coriolanus denied.

“Are you sure? Because I think that won you the Plinth Prize, after all.” He loosened his shoulders, slightly tilting his head at her words. “The President has agreed to another year of the Games. People watched. And I have you to thank for that.”

She placed the tongs onto the metal tray beside her, clasping her hands in front of herself. “Not to mention your dear flower. She obviously played an important role, so thank her for that.”

Coriolanus clenched his jaw but said nothing.

“But before I take you under my wing, after everything you’ve seen out there in the real world, let me ask you one final time.” Dr. Gaul watched his gaze shift toward the eels. “What are the Hunger Games for?”

“I used to think that the Hunger Games were punishment for the districts. Then I thought they served as a warning to us here in the Capitol about the threat the districts posed.” He let out a sharp breath, remembering all that he’s done and what you’ve said. “Now I know the whole world is an arena. And we need the Hunger Games. Every year. To remind us all who we truly are.”

“And who are you, do you determine?” She grinned wickedly.

Coriolanus chuckled, the necklace worn underneath rustling. “The victor.”

“Welcome home, Mister Snow.”

“I’m going on a run.” Coriolanus knocked on Tigris’ door frame, watching her stick up a thumb.

He shook his head at her and left. It was hard to break a habit he was already used to, so his daily runs in the morning would have to be done until University starts again in September. Coriolanus meant to come by your manor multiple times because your birthday was coming up, but somehow, all forces were against him, pulling him away from it with other jobs Dr. Gaul, his family, or the Plinths presented him. He wasn’t planning on visiting you today, but the world seemed to hate him.

Stopping at the cafe, he ordered a hot coffee for himself and tea for Tigris and Grandma’am. He wasn’t going to come back home empty-handed of course. The barista took his order and went to make it, letting Coriolanus breathe for a while.

It wasn’t until he saw you dressed in a black dress, assuming you were mourning over the loss of Sejanus, did he lose his breath again. You were sipping on your hot chocolate with a planner and book in front, not realizing that a certain blond was to your far left.

“Snow.” The barista called out in the shop, causing both you and Coriolanus to snap your heads up.

He caught your gaze, eyes slowly flitting down to your left hand which adorned a precious rock.

So it was true. Coriolanus thought back to your many letters to Sejanus, watching as you tucked away your left hand and focused back on your work.

Y/N Lovett was engaged.

taglist 1: @peterparkerluvvbot @nathaslosthershit @springholland @psychicpuppyarcade @whodis-26 @coconut-dreamz @cowgirllharry @slytherinholland @lacysversion @perks-of-being-jojo @itzmeme @noodlesketchbook @upsidedownjill @mizuki80 @unclecrunkle @tiaamberxx @bxtchopolis @starrynightstory @namelesslosers @lugiastark @dangelnleif @aemondsb1tch @witchsbitchestime @ace-spades-1 @ordinarylokix @kookie29 @secretsicanthideanymore @angelscrime @ms-longbeach @rosieleej @alpha-mommy69 @loklaufeysonssgodess @aoi-targaryen @imaginebeingmentallystable @sighsophiia @innercreationflower @cascadingbliss @edb954 @castellandiangelo @nowitsmissing @lookclosernow @bambi-horror @httpfandxms @goobitagoobre @vxnilla-hxrddrugs @captainbabybear @becauseseaotters @mvdhvtterxx @moonisu @boredperson120 (comment to be added)

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©lqveharrington - all rights reserved. do not copy, translate or share my work on other media platforms

#coriolanus snow imagine #coriolanus x reader #corio snow #coriolanus snow fanfiction #coriolanus snow #coriolanus imagine #coriolanus smut #coriolanus fanfiction #coriolanus snow smut #coriolanus snow x reader #coriolanus x you #coriolanus x y/n #coriolanus snow drabble #coriolanus snow angst #coriolanus snow x you #coriolanus snow headcanon #coriolanus snow oneshot #coriolanus snow fluff #coriolanus snow fic #coriolanus snow x female!reader #coriolanus snow blurb #august’s srfs ❄️ #august’s works 🫧 #tbosas #the ballad of songbirds and snakes #the hunger games #the hunger games x reader #billy the kid x reader #tom blyth #tom blyth x you

[catindabag]

That’s it. Here are my personal Top 10 favorite TBOSAS fanfics to read on the weekends.

PS: Most of them were published even before the trailer for the upcoming movie premiered.

So here are my recommendations:

1. The Plinth Prize by Redex

This oneshot is a certified classic angsty Snowjanus/SnowPlinth fic. And honestly, this is why I support my fellow SnowPlinth shippers, cuz this story could definitely replace the last 3 chapters of TBOSAS and I wouldn’t even question it.

2. Nothing to lose by HopelessRomantikk

This oneshot is another Snowjanus/SnowPlinth fic. However, this one is quite romantically sweet as cinnamon with lots of kisses. Just play the song Say Yes to Heaven by Lana Del Rey in the background and you’re good to go.😘

3. Reflections of the Garden by madzdolin

This one is an angsty SnowBaird fic that actually gives you one of the best bittersweet endings ever. It also gave the readers a proper closure to Coryo’s relationship with both Lucy Gray and Sejanus. You might even cry a little when you read the last chapter. Just saying~.😚

4. Saving Each Other by flipflop_diva

This oneshot is one of those unique SnowBaird fics that gives the readers a good “What if” scenario to seriously think about, cuz in this AU, Coryo doesn’t escape the Arena with Sejanus. So he’s basically stuck with Lucy Gray as another “tribute,” until they both won by waiting and poisoning everybody else. And yes, Reaper was not amused.

5. You Complete Me by gaytriforce

This oneshot is another classic Snowjanus/SnowPlinth confession fic. Moreover, I really loved the simple way of how they got together. And to be honest, this short fic could replace the whole Peacekeeper arc and I wouldn’t even notice the change.

6. Pursuit Predation by evaerobics

This oneshot is that rare Snowjanus/SnowPlinth AU fic that deserves another 50 chapters. It basically gives the readers a “What if” scenario where Coryo was chosen to Mentor District two’s male Tribute, Sejanus Plinth. And yes, Sejanus kissed Coryo in front of his classmates before entering the Capitol Arena.

7. The last two loves of his life by boneslen

This one is a good bittersweet angsty SnowBaird/SnowPlinth fic. Basically, Lucy Gray was forced to become an Avox by Dr. Gaul. Sejanus is still dead. And Coryo is busy having a mental breakdown every second of the day. The newly elected President of Panem just really wants both his girlfriend and boyfriend back, ok. The Bi-panic is real with this one.

8. Roses and Nutmeg by PliaPlia

This Snowjanus/SnowPlinth oneshot features a very stressed out malnourished AF Coryo, who became quite ill because he keeps giving away his food to a very busy Tigris. Seriously, somebody give the poor cabbage boy some soup. Sejanus, call your Ma and feed your future boyfriend.

9. Feverish Dreams by Cordeliadumaurier

Let’s just agree that this long ass SnowBaird fic has the craziest story of the season. I mean, the revenge plot alone is amazing, and every single character is insane in their own way, even Lucy Gray. Moreover, everyone is just borderline obsessed with Coryo’s dead dad, Crassus Snow. Even dead Dean Casca Highbottom was freaking in love with Snow’s dead dad! So yeah, they’re all obsessed, depressed, and crazy. Everyone needs therapy, but Snow still lands on top. #Crasca4ever

10. The Sound of Snow Falling by PRES_CS_HGT

This HG/TBOSAS fic is one of my personal favorites. The plot alone is great and unique in its own way, because it features a very young and confused 5’4 and a half Coryo Snow waking up after the end of the Second Rebellion. Also, the new President, Alma Coin wants to place him inside the Arena as a Tribute for the crimes he doesn’t even remember committing. And his assigned Mentor, Katniss Everdeen hates him for some reason. And what the heck happened to Tigris?! Why is she so old?! And why does she look like a literal tiger?! Who knows, Coryo Snow.

Special Mention:

1. I’m so sorry, Coryo by HopelessRomantikk

Basically, this features Sejanus Plinth’s angsty POV in TBOSAS, and how he was secretly in love with Coryo Snow since forever. However, he still meets the same fate here.

2. The needle in the brain by Sweetlit

This TBOSAS AU fic is already wild and spicy like some Lana Del Rey album. The plot alone is great and full of mysteries. Moreover, this story’s “What if” scenario features a very desperate and depressed Coryo Snow seducing a heartbroken Dean Casca Highbottom to let him stay in the Capitol after winning the Hunger Games. And let’s just agree that if ever Crassus Snow reads this fic, he might as well burn Panem to the ground.

3. The Hanging Tree by SirFanfic

This oneshot features a regretful Coryo Snow, who decided to have a last minute change of heart and saved Sejanus from being hanged.

#coriolanus snow #president snow #coryo snow #tbosas #bosas #hunger games #lucy gray baird #sejanus plinth #casca highbottom #dean highbottom #the ballad of songbirds and snakes #ballad of songbirds and snakes #the hunger games #suzanne collins #thg #fanfic #thg fanfiction #thg fic #thg fandom #snowbaird #snowplinth #fanfiction #fic recommendation #ao3 #ao3 link #fanfic rec #fic rec #coriolanus x sejanus #snowjanus #crassus snow

[coryosmin]

Heyyo!! You think Coryo would have any opinions on a so who’s a really good cook/baker? Type of person who makes everything from scratch and can make anything taste good. On another note, can you imagine bringing him brownies or some shit while he’s tutoring under Gaul and you start getting requests from this scary ass lady for baked goods. Like maybe after you bring him stuff a few times she intercepts you as you’re leaving and you lowkey freaking the fuck out cause she’s never spoken to you without Coryo and her eyes are just penetrating your skull and then it’s just about pastries

oh my god!!

fluff - no warnings here pookie

you loved to cook and bake. it was one of your favorite pass times, especially because you didn’t have much to do due to coming from such a rich family within the capitol. so most of your time was dedicated to making treats for your lovely boyfriend, coryo.

you were on your way to the university to visit him while he’s studying with dr gaul. you had packed him a lunch and some treats so that he wouldn’t go hungry during the day. he usually forgot to eat due to being so busy and you didn’t like that at all :(((.

when you got to the university, the peacekeepers allowed you to go see coriolanus. which was rare as they usually just asked that you drop off the food. you walked to the laboratory, entering through the doors. no one was in the room other than dr gaul, who was playing with her rabbit. “ah ms. l/n, how wonderful it is to see you.” the scary woman said, smiling so menacingly as she usually does. “what brings you here today, sweet girl?”

you tried not to visibly frown. the woman always freaked you out. you only speak to her when coryo is around, never alone because she just gives you the wrong vibes. you held up the box of goodies you were holding. “just bringing coriolanus his lunch today,” you said softly, walking over to where his desk was.

dr. gaul grinned, putting the rabbit down before walking over to you. “yes, coriolanus snow always seems to forget his food,” she said, looking at you. her eyes stared at you, practically penetrating your skull. “what did you make for him today?”

you were confused by this question. “i made him a simple chicken roast and some cookies for dessert.” you murmured as you looked at the doctor.

dr. gaul smiled. “i have a request for you.”

oh god what was she going to make you do? “what is it?” you asked.

“could you make me some brownies?” she asked, tilting her head. “coriolanus always has such delicious smelling treats. i think it would be excellent if you made some for all of us, hmm?”

you couldn’t help the shocked look on your face. that’s all she wanted? just some brownies? why is she so creepy about it? you nodded your head. “i can do that.”

and when you left the lab and went back home, you waited until coryo came home as well and told him about the experience you had at the lab today. and he couldn’t help but chuckle and say “ah yes, she’s been asking me to ask you to make her something. i suppose she got to you first.” he said, kissing your forehead.

and the next day, coryo didn’t forget to bring his lunch. because you made sure he brought that and the plate of brownies with him as he went back to the laboratory.

#the hunger games #the ballad of songbirds and snakes #minsasks #coriolanus snow #fanfic #coriolanus snow x reader #thg tbosas #thg #tbosas #dr gaul

[especiallythewomenandthechildren]

As If Destiny (part eight) 🌹

Part Seven 🌹

Warnings: Parent death, sibling death, death and brutality (it is the hunger games after all) characters may be ooc. Reader may not be your fav this part. I read the book a while ago but don't really remember much of Snows way of thinking (I mean I know its toxic and insane but yk the other things) so I will mostly be basing off the film and my own thoughts. Also I can't spell for the life of me so be prepared for bad spelling and grammar. Enjoy loves!

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The air of the station was stale, as if taking the simplest of breaths would cost a significant amount of energy. It felt as though even the bugs buzzing around in the spring weather were flying in slow motion. Maybe it really was the air, or more likely, the atmosphere of your mind.

You felt nauseous and dizzy at the arguments that split your soul. The tributes were to arrive today, naturally, Jessup with them. Were you here to give the best first impression or to size him up? A part of you wanted to save him from the horrors, but the lately very loud voice has been telling you that he deserved it. Especially a boy from District Twelve, around the age of those who murdered your brother in the dense woods of the small district.

Your long time waiting for the train arrival was spent trying to settle that internal struggle to no avail. You were staring straight ahead onto the empty tracks when something felt different. The peacekeepers were still stoic, tracks still echo-filled at even the slightest noise. But a slight breeze was felt behind you. When you turned around, that breeze of fresh air happened to be a certain blonde with irresistible eyes.

He was in the rouge academy uniform, as were you, and he held a pristine white rose in his hand. He had clearly expected the station to be empty, so the sight of your drained eyes made him suck in a breath.You let out a tired laugh at his appearance.

"So are we allowed to be here, or are we both going to receive whatever nightmare Highbottom has set up for us?"

Coryo walked to stand next to you as he retorted back with a sly grin.

"At least we will go through whatever the punishment is together."

"Ah, yes, nothing shakes the trouble duo!"

He took a sideways glance at you as he started chuckling.

"Trouble duo? That's really the best you thought of? I thought you were the poetic one."

He joked at you as you gasped in mock offense.

"I'm sorry, do you have any better names for us?"

Yes. Yes, he did. But none of them had to do with Highbottom or any mocking moniker. His personal favorite was "couple." The others were a bit ambitious and would be used in the far future, such as President and First Lady. Not a bad ring to it. But he wouldn't voice out his desires, even if he was on his death bed. Especially after what happened in that hallway yesterday.

However, you were too busy observing for the upcoming train to notice Coriolanus's gaze. When you turned around, he didn't shift away his gaze.

But you didn't question it. Maybe because it has become familiar and a comfort these past weeks. You had ammunition of reasons such as his hyperobservation to explain these glances. Not a single one of them hit the real reason.

The blonde was fidgeting with the rose slightly, which made a slight laugh creep past your lips. It took him a second to realize the cause, but when he did, he slightly blushed.

"I would have gotten you one too if-uhm, I knew you would be here."

Your lips curved into a shy grin at his flustered words.

"I'm not the one you need to charm, Coryo; you did that a long time ago."

You noticeably were avoiding his eyes, and he let it be because he was quite sure he was turning as red as his uniform.

"Can I ask why you are here, Coryo?"

He seemed a bit taken aback at your sudden question. Of course, he knew the reason he was there: to win the Plinth Prize. To do that, he needed Lucy Gray's trust, and this was just the way to do it. But he feared his reasoning was a bit too harsh. It was the last days of this girl's life, and he was just seeing her as a means to an end. Coriolanus didn't want you to think of him as heartless or worse, that he would be using your trust as a means to an end as well.

So he simply replied that he wished to gain the odd girl's trust, and this seemed like a good way to get a head start. You nodded along, agreeing that she seemed like the character who wouldn't do anything without trust.

Although, your eyes seemed to darken after his reasoning. He couldn't decipher the look completely, but it was clear guilt was a factor.

"Y/N?"

Your faraway eyes and mind locked into his at hearing his soft voice.

"Why are you here?"

You stared at him, slightly getting lost in the ever-shifting color in his eyes. You looked downwards as you breathed out.

"I don't know. I wish I did. Something told me I should come, see him for myself. Maybe it will help clear my thoughts on everything here. And I know a part of me wishes to find something in him to justify his murder."

You bitterly admitted. You were still glanced down when Coriolanus responded.

"This isn't your fault; you know this, right? You didn't choose him, and you didn't make the games."

He let it sink in for a moment, enough for it to visibly break through your guilt-made walls. Coriolanus waited for you to finally regain the will to look up at him.

"And if anyone has reason for the things you are thinking and feeling, it's you. They still want us dead. The Capitol says the war is over when it's far from done. I mean, come on, these kids are the next generation of rebels. It's either them or us."

His tone started out light and soft but quickly turned to stone. You wanted to argue with him, to shout at the top of your lungs that they are innocent and no part of the massacres you suffered. But how could you? How could you fight your exact sentiments?

You knew he was right, no matter how much it hurt your morals. They were old enough to feel fear. Old enough for that fear to become hate. Hate to violence.

And they were old enough to kill. The minimum age for the Reaping was twelve. You and your classmates had the ability to take a life at half that age.

After that, the long-awaited train began pulling into the station. You've only ever seen a train in person once. When you gave miniature hugs to your uncle Averic and freshly fourteen-year-old Octavious.

You were only five at the time, and the upcoming horror of the Dark Days were still a few months away. There were others there saying their goodbyes, but you weren't focusing on them. Or how they began filtering out as the time for departure came closer. You were still clinging onto your older brother's legs as your mother, aunt Fiora, and uncle Averic seemed to be in serious talks.

"Otto?"

The young boy seemed to be trying to listen in to their conversation, and it took a little slap to his leg to get his attention. When his eyes, which were the same shade of yours, landed on your own, they softened from his prior harden state of focus. He knelt down to your height as he turned all his attention on you.

"Why are you leaving?"

The boy had to take a shaky breath. He had slightly hoped you would just accept your mother's reasoning that he "just had to go." But, of course, you, being too attentive and curious for any kid your age, just couldn't let his absence go. In reality, he didn't have to leave. He had forced himself to be involved. It took every stretch of persuasion to convince his uncle to let him come along to what was being described as "a small rebellion."

He wasn't to do anything but take note and follow his uncle's lead. Otto dreamed that within a year, he would be given his own battalion, and the next, be his own commanding general. It was not extremely unusual for a young man of age sixteen or seventeen to be in command. Averic Emberidge was a living example. And like his maternal uncle, Octavious Vaun had great military promise. He had life promise.

He had promise.

And a promise given to his young sister. That he would come back.

Otto achieved his goals of military prowess. But the young man, no matter how skilled or trusted, broke his promise to the person he loved most.

But back then, the promise was fresh and believed to be easy to keep. The platform was empty save for one family by the time your own was forced to part. Your mother and aunt switched between the two members who would be off in District territory. You stood back and watched the goodbyes as a man approached.

He was tall, broad, and commanded the air of the room. As if even the rules of the universe had to bend to his will. He had two children and an older woman trailing behind him. All four had bright and magnetic blue eyes.

The Snows were not easy to miss, not even miles away, as though their powerful aura was felt in all areas of proximity.

He stopped right in front of your mother, who stood in a deep green fashioned vintage day dress. The beautiful woman still looked forward, slightly past her brother's shoulder.

"Cloria. Fiora."

He gave a nod after each name. The former turned to him with those still captivating eyes. The latter rolled her own pair at his presence. He acknowledged your uncle and brother as well, but they would have time for conversation later. They were all to be on campaign together after all.

Crassus and Cloria broke away for a very brief discussion while you still stood a bit away from the group. Your uncle noticed you and your lack of an official goodbye and smiled in invitation. You sprinted into his now-open arms as he spun you around, much to your oblivious enjoyment. When he set you down and grabbed your arms to make you focus on him, his prior smile dissolved into a grave thin line.

"Hey, kid."

Uncle Averic's voice wasn't the joyful one you were used to. You knew then that you needed to listen up and closely.

"I know you are a tough little girl. I saw how you beat up your brother, after all."

You smiled proudly while the aforementioned beaten boy scoffed. He was referring to the past few weeks in which Otto taught you how to fight. It was safe to say he wasn't expecting your level of skill and dedication. The fourteen-year-old just wanted you to have basic defense skills, but your speed of skill accelerated the lessons considerably.

"But y/n, things are going to be a little different now. I need you to watch out for your mom and aunt Fi, okay? I know Rhayen will be there, but you are responsible too. You are smart and strong, kid, just don't be reckless. Your mom doesn't need any more stress."

Your uncle struck his hand out, and you shook it in agreement. It didn't hit your young mind all that you would have to endure to keep this agreement.

Your mother and Crassus seemed to be finishing up talks, so you turned to Otto, who seemed to be holding back tears as the gravity of the situation hit him.

"Hey."

His still-changing voice broke. He scooped you up in his arms as he stared down at you.

"I will write all I can back home, and I'll make special letters just for you, okay? I'll draw out the words for you."

You could read, and at a very accelerated level for a girl your age, but Otto was already missing the days where you would draw out what you were feeling in situations you couldn't speak out loud.

"No! I want words, I can read Otto! I want hard words too!"

He laughed at your little pout of demand. Your determination to push yourself even in that small way was one of the many ways you motivated him throughout the war. Otto knew you were waiting for him, so he rushed to come back. But even his speed could not make him outrun fate.

Your mother had come back and had taken you - begrudgingly - out of her oldest child's arms. You watched them board the train and watched the adults' reactions. Each had a different expression.

The older woman who was with General Snow, who you would eventually call Grandma'am along with her grandchildren, looked proud; she looked overconfident and a bit arrogant. Fiora was on the brink of biting her finger off as she bit nervously at her nails.

And your mother. Her eyes were scanning the train, but they saw two worlds. One where the three men would come back, unscathed and victorious. The other was grim and the unfortunate reality of only the news of their death coming back.

You remember as you scanned the faces, all which were focused on the now-departing train, one was staring back at you. Even all those years ago, Coriolanus was always a face of comfort and reliability. Across the platform, you two bore into the soul of the other, trying to make sense of any of the chaos around them. Your family began walking towards the west exit while his the east.

The distance grew and grew, but so did the intensity of your connected gaze. Neither seemed to want to let go. As if you both knew this would be your last look for three years. The last look as unscathed children.

But those children grew up. And you were back on a train platform with those ever-searching blue eyes. Though, no longer did he search for sense or his father, but now for his ticket out of poverty. A ticket in the form of a fascinating brunette.

He walked towards the now-opening doors of the cattle train. The smell was foul, but you followed him. Some tributes got out, either by their own or forced out. A bat also flew out which you noted. The tributes looked at the Capitol duo with a range from curiosity to murderous intentions. You went down the near entirety of the vehicle the two from District Twelve appeared. Jessup got down first and helped Lucy Gray down by her waist.

You and Coryo sucked in a collective breath. Any last-minute nerves had to silence themselves because it was far too late now to back out.

Jessup immediately noticed you both and sent a glare. He stepped closer to Lucy Gray in protection while she was busy taking in her surroundings. The movement of Jessup and his noticeable stare past her made the girl turn.

She was quite beautiful; the screens didn't do her justice. She had coffee brown eyes, matching colored hair, and clear, tanned skin. But it was her expression that added to her beauty. She was clearly suspicious, to which no one could blame her, but as she raked over both you and Coriolanus's forms, she had a slight grin of curiosity.

It was quite a contrast to her fellow tribute, Jessup. His eyes were sharp, and he was clearly displeased at your presence.

But you cleared your throat anyway, although Coryo beat you to speaking.

"Welcome to the Capitol."

He held out the rose for the girl, who took a long good look at it before taking it.

"We are your mentors. It's nice to meet you both."

You said sweetly and had a small smile to which the girl returned but fell flat on Jessup. You put your hand out to Jessup, but not surprisingly, he left you hanging. You gulped down your embarrassment and bit your lip, signs of uncomfort ot unnoticed by Coryo. Lucy Gray looked you both up and down as she sized you up.

"When I was little, my mama used to bathe me in buttermilk and rose petals."

She took a petal off and stuck it right in her mouth. She gave it a good taste followed by a smile.

"Tastes like bedtime."

You turned to Coriolanus, who was still wide-eyed at his tribute's actions. You didn't know exactly what to expect when you came here, but it surely wasn't this.

"So what do our mentors do?"

It seemed like Lucy Gray was going to do all the talking as her friend stayed stone-faced besides her.

"We do our best to take care of you. Lucy Gray, Coriolanus is your mentor while Jessup, you are stuck with me."

Lucy Gray nodded along and examined her mentor once again. Jessup examined you as well but not in the pondering way his companion was. Rather, he looked like he was thinking venomous thoughts of you and as if your being was yet another punishment he had to endure.

Any further conversation was interrupted by several peacekeepers motioning for the two from twelve to get moving. Lucy Gray looked over her shoulder and wished you both luck on that front while she was being pushed towards a small vehicle along with the rest of the tributes.

Coriolanus already began asking the silent peacekeepers if we can escort them, but none were willing to answer. You followed him aimlessly, ready to start your exit and walk to the Academy. You both still had classes today, even though they were modified to center around your mentorship. But Snow wasn't willing to give up.

When a tall and lanky boy tried to make a run for it and distracted the peacekeepers, a certain look overtook Coriolanus. Everything seemed to be blocked out, just him and the door to the truck. You had a feeling what he was going to do and cursed him once you saw his legs start pumping.

I hate you so much, you idiot Coriolanus Snow.

Your chant of dislike was all you could think of as only a split second after him, you followed him into the abyss of the vehicle that held twenty-three (Wovey yet a year away) teenagers who wanted you both dead. A desire they might just get once the doors shut, trapping you in.

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As soon as Coriolanus landed on the truck, he went directly towards the back. Your legs weren't as tall as his, so it took enough effort from you to get on the truck that you fell onto the floor. That was when Coryo noticed you had joined him. His eyes widened in fright, and he moved to pick you up when another tribute shoved him against the back wall. He let out a painful groan as he tried to charm his way out of the situation.

The tribute holding onto him was even taller and considerably broader than the blonde boy.

"I'll kill you right now."

He snarled at Coriolanus and was backed up by a sick girl.

"He killed a peacekeeper back in eleven."

You learned that the peacekeeper killer was named Reaper, and the ill-looking girl was named Dill.

The threat on Coriolanus's life made you get up in a second and get ready to stop any further action. But as soon as you landed on your feet, your position mimicked Coriolanus's as you were being shoved by Coral, the girl from four. You knew she was Festus's assigned tribute and she seemed like a clear delight with her wicked smile.

"I call dibs on killing her."

Her breath, with the scent of fish still lingering, fanned all over your face. But unlike Coriolanus, your face didn't show any fear or desperation. You held her gaze with a glare of your own. You've fought off a lot more menacing figures than her.

While you had no fear, Coriolanus was taken over with terror.

"Don't you touch her!"

He made a move against Reaper, who shoved him back even harder against the wall. His struggle made the red head girl holding you laugh.

"Aw, how cute. Your boyfriend tryin to help you, princess."

Your hostile glare deepened at that. She had so much confidence in her ability and power over you. And while she was much stronger than you, she was sloppy. She didn't even hold back your hands or disarm your legs. You could easily throw her off if she made a move.

Lucy Gray watched the events unfold and glanced at Jessup who seemed okay with letting their mentors suffer fates similar to their inevitable ones. She didn't like not doing anything to help them. They were supposed to help her and Jessup, right? They would be at a clear disadvantage if something happened to them.

Plus, you and Coriolanus were interesting; nothing like what she imagined Capitol kids to be like.

As the rest of the group agreed on the murder of the academy students, Lucy Gray piped up.

"Y’all got family back home? They’ll kill them if you hurt them. Then you."

She made sure her message was clear. The thought of their families being hurt made them pause, as well as the instant death. In the Hunger Games, they at least had a shot at living. Reaper loosened his grip, and she continued.

"Besides, he’s my mentor. I might need his help."

She nodded her head towards the disgruntled mentor. She didn't mention who you were mentoring because she hoped Jessup would speak up. She knew Jessup didn't necessarily care for you, but he knew you might be some sort of help. The dark-skinned boy didn't get to speak up before Coral, however.

"And you a mender, princess?"

She shoved you again, which made Coriolanus flinch, but Lucy Gray motioned with her eyes for him to stay in place. His involvement would only make things worse.

"Better hope I'm not yours."

She didn't like your answer if her teeth-bearing snarl had anything to say about it. Something about it fueled your fury.

"Do you know why they call it the Hunger Games?"

You beckoned her with a slight smirk that angered the aggressive girl across from you.

"I'll still kill you."

She threatened you as she didn't know where you were going with this. The unknown was a disadvantage to her and fueled her fear.

You asked again, and the sweet-hearted Wovey answered instead.

"Because there is no food."

She answered confidently and in that sweet voice, which felt so wrong in this environment. You didn't want to go ahead with your plan of words, but when Coral turned back from looking at the little girl to you, the fire was back.

You stared straight into the angry eyes of Coral with a menacing smile.

"Oh no, there is plenty of food. I mean, look around. I see twenty-six bodies of food."

You could feel the girl's arms shudder, and you saw the rest of the faces go pale. But you weren't done.

"Hunger stands for the hunger in one's eyes. Once that bell rings, that hunger takes over. Hunger for blood, corpses. For survival and victory. And if you lose focus for just a second-"

You made quick work as you shoved Coral's arms off of you and placed them behind her back. You have now reversed places as she struggled against the wall and beneath your far more forceful and effective hold. Attention was still hooked onto as you finished your lesson.

"You're dead."

Your quick move shocked the entirety of the truck, including Coryo. He knew you could fight back from your younger days by the pestering of Festus, in which you gave him a solid black eye for days. Yet, he didn't know just how good you were, much of it still from your brother's teachings and occasional lessons from Rhayen.

You were ready to let the girl, who still wore her scowl but couldn't hide the fear behind her eyes, go. Although, you bent closely in front of her face to let her know your last message.

"You better thank your lucky stars I'm not in that arena with you. I already won my games."

You hissed out the now positively infuriated teenager. The other tributes ranged from absolute horror of you to confusion on your last statement and how you were so cutthroat. No one expected children of the Capitol to have this in them.

The entirety of the truck's eyes were on you, except Lucy Gray. She looked to Coriolanus to examine his expression. She wanted to know if this was all a front or your sweet nature on the station was. The best way would be to see what the boy, who clearly knew you, thought of the situation. His face was not expressing fear or confusion like the others, but rather a sad look of understanding.

All of the Capitol struggled most definitely during the Dark Days and still with its legacy and effect. But you were one of the few to suffer nearly all the horrors it brought during the war and the only one who still lost after it. The rest of your classmates seemed to move past the traumas, but not you. Maybe it was because of your mother, but it always seemed to play out on repeat behind your still-shining eyes.

Lucy Gray's eyes bounced from Coriolanus's face to yours again. She seemed satisfied and understood. You weren't bluffing. Though, as she looked again at you, she saw your eyes soften. You realized all you had done and said. You had felt threatened, and it had just become instinct to take control of a threatening situation. It hit you that you just became Coral. It was clear she was scared of being here, and her menacing demeanor was a defensive mechanism. And your haunting words were yours.

Lucy Gray took note. Maybe she and Jessup could trust you. But all of a sudden, the truck began shaking harshly and began tipping as the doors opened into the bright light. It shocked you, and due to being closer to the door, you were one of the few to fall. You fell silently but locked eyes with Coriolanus as you did, which was enough for him to let go as well. He was already slipping anyway as Lucy Gray hung onto him, and the truck began tipping.

The mentor was able to land without a scratch and checked on Lucy Gray, who was the same. She looked to her friend, who dusted himself off from where he landed a few meters away from her. Coriolanus watched her make it to Jessup when he began frantically looking for you.

You were more in the middle of the area, which he soon realized was the Capitol zoo. He scoffed at the insult to the districts as he rushed to your side. However, you weren't as lucky as those in the back. You had landed face first into some rocks, which busted a nasty cut above your eye. You had swatted away Coryo's helping hands and slipped off your academy blazer to dab at the blood.

"Huh, look at this. Capitol bleeds."

Your head snapped up to meet the mocking Coral. Coryo looked as if he was going to pounce on her, but you pulled his arm back. He helped you up as you looked past his shoulder.

"What in the world is the weather guy doing here?"

The quite loud presentation voice of the notorious Lucky Flickerman was heard as he tried to get your and Coriolanus's attention.

Lucy Gray and Jessup had moved towards you two while Coral walked off. When Coriolanus heard that he was live for all of the Capitol, he began to panic. His breath became rapid and shallow. You were quick to grab his cheeks to make him look down to you.

"Coryo. Look at me. It's nothing you haven't done before. I'm here with you, okay?"

You waited for his nod to smile back at him, which calmed his nerves considerably. Your tributes watched on, slightly amused. Lucy Gray felt charmed by your clear looks of affection, although it hurt her due to her own recent love troubles. Jessup felt amused that the girl who was just threatening Coral was so taken by a skinny, lanky, and pale boy such as Coriolanus.

You both turned to the other half of your makeshift group.

"Lucy Gray Baird, Jessup Diggs, let us introduce you to our neighbors."

You beckoned them forward, while you opened your hand for Lucy Gray, who took it with an amused tilt of her head. Jessup and Coriolanus shared a look, in which the latter looked at the former's hand and was swiftly met with a clear "no" at the thought of the two mirroring your actions.

When you reached the edge of the cage, you noticed two small children. Coriolanus moved to the other side of Lucy Gray while Jessup moved to you, still a bit back. However, your attention is quickly taken by the questions of Lucky Flickerman.

"Who are you two? What are you doing in the cage here?"

Coriolanus responds and explains the situation to Lucky while you and Lucy Gray focus on the children in front of you.

They seem very taken by Lucy Gray, and she is quite the charmer. She captures the attention of all around with her honey-like voice and witty answers. Soon enough, Lucky focuses on her, eager to learn all about the strange girl. She explains the Covey and the importance of her beautiful dress.

"This dress was my mama’s so it’s extra special to me."

You glanced at her with a shared sympathy as she informed the ignorant host of her mother's passing. She felt your stare shift and turned to you as you gave her the slightest of nods. You didn't know if she understood its meaning, but her knowing eyes crinkled with a smile that let you know your message was well received.

Lucy Gray had a good feeling she could trust you. Maybe if she somehow won, you two could be good friends. She was a charmer and well-liked in twelve, but she didn't really have friends besides the Covey; who were more family than friends.

"Do you know the wonderful mentors for me and Jessup? Seems we got the cream of the cake 'cause no one else even bothered to show up."

You took a gulp and forced a smile as the camera visibly moved to focus on you.

"Well, we've met Coriolanus Snow, yes?"

Flickerman paused to ensure he got the blonde's name right and was met with a nod.

"And who are you, young lady? And did you get that nasty cut from the other tributes when you jumped in the cage? Were you told to jump in?"

His questions flew a million miles a minute, but you responded with grace.

"Hello there. My name is Y/N Vaun and oh no, I fear I am quite clumsy."

You covered up the fact that you might have had your neck slit if not for Lucy Gray.

"And the game makers didn't tell us that we couldn't. They just said that it was a mentor’s job to introduce our tributes to the citizens of Panem. And we thought, well, if they were brave enough to be here, then why shouldn’t we be, too?"

You looked up to Coriolanus to assure your answer was sufficient enough, to which he agreed. Lucy Gray did have one adjustment though.

"For the record, I didn’t have a choice."

Which you couldn't help but tilt your head to the side in agreement to her statement while Flickerman opened up again.

"For the record, I think you both are about to be whisked away."

Suddenly, two strong peacekeepers began dragging you away with Coriolanus. You fought them off to freely walk on your own as you noticed Lucy Gray stop him and whisper urgently, to which he agreed.

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The walk to the academy wasn't too far, but your pace was set quite fast. You and Coryo were already going to attract a lot of attention; missing class for an assumed press event with the tributes was a big no. Your dash to the prestigious institution was a silent conversation between you and Coryo. There didn't feel like much to say as you both were too far in your heads.

Coriolanus turned to you slightly as the question that's been burning in his mind came out.

"Why did you jump in the truck with me?"

You didn't even hesitate as you answered him, still looking forward.

"Are you seriously asking me that, Coryo?"

When you were met with nothing but silence, you turned to him.

"You jump, I jump. You throw yourself in a cage filled with people who want to gut you? Expect to have a friend with you. Maybe it will make you think before you do something stupid next time."

Your answer and vow of companionship caused a satisfied smile to overtake the handsome boy's features. It stayed there for some time before your now dark voice piped up.

"Do you remember the station?"

Your sudden question broke the prior silence. The fair-skinned teen looked at you in question.

"The station we were just at?"

He felt as if he missed something. The thought of being out of the loop unnerved him. You motioned that the recent setting wasn't the point of your question as you elaborated.

"No, I meant right back when the rebellion started. That day when they shipped off."

The heir of Snow's face scrunched up as he thought of the memory; one of his first clear ones. Young Coryo was so confused with all happening around him. Crassus rarely acknowledged the five-year-old's confusion while grandma'am kept on repeating curses about the rebelling districts. Though, as always, Tigris tried to calm down and help her little cousin. She wasn't that much older but she was old enough to understand; her uncle, the sole provider of their family, was to be off across the country. It worried her beyond what her youthful face would show. A face constantly lit up with the warm smiles her young cousin elicited.

But there were moments, although few, where Tigris's attention was elsewhere besides Coryo. One of them being on that now demolished train station, where she watched Crassus Snow depart from the Capital and eventually, their lives. It was in that moment where Coriolanus didn't look to his cousin for comfort but rather the girl with curious and wandering eyes. He had seen you before, but that was the day you truly entered his life. The young man laughed sweetly at the memory.

"You refused to look away even as we were being pulled away."

"Hey, you didn't look away either!"

You retorted back to the reminiscing adolescent. His eyes were still glued forward as you neared your destination. Out of his peripheral vision, however, he noticed a solemn demeanor took you over.

"Funny how different my only two train experiences are."

You laughed without humor, a grim noise.

"The first time, I had the privilege of ignorance. Hands were clean. And the people. Nearly every person I loved in one place. Fast forward today. I'm all too aware of the blood dripping from my hands, and I keep on making it gush."

You paused to take a bitter breath while refocusing your eyes straight ahead. You both were nearly to the entrance of the academy campus.

"Not a single one of them made it out alive. The only one was you."

The boy in mention furrowed his brows at your statement. It didn't strike him until now that you were right. Every member of your family on the platform that fateful day is six feet under. And by the way you spoke, so was little five-year-old you. The thought of your absent family made him reflect. His life wasn't easy in the slightest, but he did have his loved ones, no matter how little the number was. Sure, his grandma'am was a bit eccentric and not whole in the head, but she was a reminder of the glory indebted to the Snows. She was, most of the time, a sweet grandmother and a constant pillar of support.

And of course, Tigris. His life was mostly filled with darkness, metaphorically and literally with the high cost of electricity. But Tigris was always a light shining bright. Guiding him when he was lost in the slightest bit. He left that station with nearly the same family he has today, excluding his cold father. And even though his absence was a painful reminder of their living situation, Tigris often reminded Coryo that was given a chance to be a better person without his father's controlling and cold nature. A chance she tried to make possible at every possible moment.

But you didn't have a single member of your beloved family anymore. It was true your father was alive, but Coriolanus knows he has all but officially stepped out of your life. A move that made the young man resent and hold a place of disrespect in regards to your father. Your feet had carried you through the vast academy doors and down the hallways leading to the class you should have been in half an hour ago.

It was when you were mere feet from the door when a realization hit him. You said everyone you loved was on that platform and he was the only one to live. wait. did you just- does that mean-

"Your little excursion was in violation of about five different Academy rules, Mr. Snow and Miss Vaun. Chief amongst them, endangering a Capitol student."

You had entered the domed classroom, and Coriolanus couldn't further question your prior statements. You had ascended up the stairs with Coryo following close behind. You turned to question Dean Highbottom, who didn't even look up at your presence.

"Neither of us forced the other to go. We went on our own accord."

You responded back to the dean still focused on his papers.

"I don't care how or why it happened. You both put yourselves in danger regardless. I’m moving for the Gamemakers to disqualify you as mentors immediately."

You scoffed at his actions in disgust. He really jumped at any chance to make Coriolanus suffer. Highbottom has now become a plague you now have to deal with as well. Young Snow didn't appreciate his operation against him and you as he questioned his validity.

"You said we had to get our tributes to perform, not that we had to stay away."

"I’ll add insubordination as well."

Coriolanus opened his mouth to retort back when he was cut off by a chilling voice.

"Snow and Vaun fell down in the cage."

The ever-infamous Volumina Gaul appeared with a devilish smile playing on her bright red lips. She crept closer as she continued.

"Snow fell down in the cage but it landed…"

Her riddle was quickly figured out by the pair who answered at the same time.

"On stage."

The quick and correct reply made her wicked smile grow impossibly more.

"You’re good at Games. Maybe one day, you two will be Gamemakers like me. You are quite the pair."

The decrepit Casca Highbottom turned to watch the interaction and grumbled at the head Gamemaker's implication.

"If the Games continue at all."

"Oh, they’ll continue. With performances like young Mr. Snow and Miss Vaun's in that zoo."

The eccentric woman made her way to the end of your row as she questioned.

"Which one of you had the idea to jump in the cage with the tributes?"

You and Coriolanus knew neither of you had an idea that you would end up there. That doesn't mean the brave (and stupid) idea to jump in the truck came from nowhere.

"Coriolanus was the one."

You were quick to respond that the boy couldn't cut you off to mention your own involvement. That doesn't mean he didn't have his own speed in answering.

"Y/N was the one who fended them off, though. She also was the one who thought of presenting Lucy Gray after gaining her trust."

To say Dr. Gaul’s already peaked interest didn't skyrocket would be an understatement. She remembered her surprise, an emotion that appears very little in the woman's life, at seeing the two academy students in the zoo. Their elegance and charisma in their performance were extraordinary. And to see how fast they are to jump to the other's defense and bolster made the peculiar woman ache for more. She may have found not only one but two promising students.

"Holding her hand, Y/N? Introducing her to people? You make it look as if we’re one and the same as those animals."

The disgust was clear in Clemensia's voice as she spoke. She was willing to give you the benefit of the doubt when it came to Sejanus, who lived most of his life in the Capital after all. But straight district? That was a whole different level of abhorrence.

Said district - not district boy had his own opinions to voice.

"Coriolanus and Y/N didn’t show those people anything they didn’t already know. That the tributes are human beings. Just like us."

He paused to let the idea sink in for the snobby children of the Capital. You and Coriolanus were not surprised at his little outburst, but that doesn't mean you were happy with it. You were very far from it. Sick and tired of constantly hearing the saintly nature of those in the districts. But the curly-haired boy continued.

"That’s why nobody wants to watch the Games. It’s because people know deep down that winning a war 10 years ago doesn’t justify starving people’s children, taking away their freedoms, their rights."

You stayed silent as your nostrils flared, and your teeth ground against each other. You weren't sure where all this anger came from, but you assumed part of it was all your memories of the war becoming so clear lately. The constant yapping of Sejanus that they are oh so innocent while you remember otherwise did not help the blood boiling. Your symptoms of rage did not go unnoticed by Dr. Gaul.

"And what do you think, Miss Vaun? Are the inhabitants of the districts human or animal?"

The entirety of the class focused on you as you took a second to compose yourself. You took a deep breath, and instead of looking at the woman who proposed the question, you locked eyes with Dean Highbottom.

"They are obviously humans."

The man's eyes seemed to have an odd look of relief at your response, but you weren't finished. Your eyes didn't blink nor flinch as you bore into the older man's eyes. "

Animals are incapable of reaching a man's level of sinister."

The recipient of your gaze flinched at your tone and words. It felt as if you stabbed a blade straight into his already shattered conscience. However, your answer sparked new levels of interest within Dr. Gaul. You seem to be more of a promise than you initially let on. Sejanus was far from impressed by your answer. You never spoke out against the districts before; what caused you to now?

"Some of those kids were two years old when the war ended. The oldest of them were only eight! They didn’t have enough to become sinister."

His tone implied the thought that your description of the districts' "humanity" was ridiculous. The people outside of the Capital were good. Far better than those within it, clearly. But Sejanus's blind opinion of them brought you to new levels of anger. You scoffed out a breath of pure disbelief as you turned to stare straight into the brown eyes of the boy.

"Too young? Eight is quite old enough to do sinister things. Look around, Sejanus. You think any of us, who, by the way, were those eight years old, survived by playing with our dolls?"

You paused, trying to compose yourself, while all pairs of eyes were on you. Well, all except Sejanus. You two have never had a quarrel. If there was anyone who the rest were certain would back up Sejanus, it would be you. But here you were, spitting words of venom and unfortunate truth.

"Death doesn't discriminate by age. War doesn't discriminate by age. Each and every one of us here had to become soldiers and survivors by age five." You paused, "Does that sound like humanity? Like the pure good you preach about the districts? They are just like us. Whether or not you want to see it. You claim us evil and we might be. But tell me who do you think caused us to be so harsh? If we were able to kill at six years old, I am quite sure those sixteen-year-olds wouldn't bat an eye. If you don't believe me, let me ask Otto."

The mention of your brother caused the already dead silent classroom to stiffen. Even Highbottom, who disliked yet another reminder of Cloria Vaun (or Emberidge, depends on what memories), had to throw back another shot of morphling. Sejanus was already uncomfortable with your sudden shift in demeanor and your public argument. His discomfort increased when you began using the words "we" and "us," but the mention of Octavius Vaun made him freeze. You rarely mentioned him and if you ever did, you couldn't bring yourself to say his name. You never gave the full details of his death, but you told him enough to know it was a subject never to be brought up. Now that you did, he, along with the rest of your class, knew you weren't going to be able to be controlled.

And you weren't. You didn't let up your hold on attention for a good while as you kept going.

"Hmm? Or how about we ask all of our classmates that should be here? All those people who should be our friends, lovers, siblings? What about those infants who died before they could take a breath because their mothers died of starvation? Let's go ask their corpses, huh! Oh wait, right. Just go around and ask the Capitol population. We didn't have a body clean-up system back in the war. What do you think we did with the bodies?"

The slow realization and remembrance of whispers of the war crept back to Sejanus's mind. Your voice was steady as you continued.

"We had to get whatever nutrition we could, no matter where it came from."

Clemensia had turned deep shades of green at the mention. At the memories.

"Y/N, please stop."

Her wobbly voice and discomfort did the exact opposite of her pleas. You took a look around the classroom to see your peers avoiding eye contact with you and looking one step away from barfing. The sight made you laugh in dark hysteria as you now addressed the room.

"Really?! That's all it took? Ten years? Ten years and you forgot everything! Now that you don't have to throw the last words of your loved ones in a fire to keep warm! These pristine uniforms and marble classrooms enough?! You forget when you had to survive for weeks off of a single rat carcass? When you had to fight deranged old men for a half-empty bag of moldy peaches for your entire family? When your only drink was your own blood? No memories!? No memories of the insanity causing people flinging themselves off of rooftops and others beating the vultures to cut up their corpses!"

Your voice was in a full, rage-fueled yell by the time you finished. You would have continued if a hand on your shoulder didn't signal to stop. You looked up, ready to fight whoever it was, until you realized it was Coryo. You expected him to be embarrassed of you, maybe angry. But he wasn't. His eyes seemed to be glowing with understanding and a shared irritation. After a minute of you calming down, a voice perked all too happily.

"My, my, what a declaration!"

Dr. Gaul was all too eager at your fury. Her blood was on fire with excitement at your sentiments. The question she initially came here to ask you and Coriolanus was finally ready to be asked.

"What are the Hunger Games for?"

The woman looked between you and Coriolanus, eager for an answer to which the latter responded.

"They’re to punish the districts for their uprising, to commemorate the end of the war."

Her smile was gone at the disappointing answer.

“Commemorate the… Dull, dull, dull. Punishment can take myriad forms. Why not drop bombs, cancel food shipments, stage executions? Why Games?"

Her question was not met by either of the two students she wished but rather the clear sympathizer in the form of Sejanus Plinth.

"Shouldn’t we be asking ourselves whether or not they’re right in the first place?"

"You have a problem with my Games?"

Any answer was intercepted by Dean Highbottom who has more than enough of this discussion and development.

"Perhaps the Capitol students are ill-suited to be mentoring tributes. Perhaps the Game’s time has passed."

It was then when you regained your voice.

"It clearly hasn't. The Games, whatever their ultimate purpose, is a reminder. To the districts, most definitely, but also the Capital. It is clear that most here wish to forget and hide away the horrors we've endured. Forget all you wish, but the districts won't. They have to suffer what we did and we have to remember why."

Dr. Gaul was taking in your answer. And it clearly pleased her, whether that be a good or bad thing. That curiosity and thrill continued as Coriolanus added in some suggestions.

"Maybe we should be viewing those tributes as human beings. I mean, you saw those kids in the zoo; they just… they just wanted to get to know Lucy Gray. If we need people to watch, we should be letting them get closer to the tributes before the Games. To make the stakes personal."

As your apparent partner continued, the gears in your mind started turning.

"Who will watch the Games if they care what happens to the tributes?" Arachne questioned. And you were the one to answer.

"Everyone."

When you answered, Coriolanus looked to you with a ghost of a smile on his lips as you understood.

"You wanted them to be spectacles? What's better than letting them share their characters? Their lives, dreams, regrets. Biggest loves and losses. If you want people to watch, they will when they have people to root for and against."

Young Snow was quick to pick up after you.

"And if we bend a few Capitol laws, we could even have them place bets. The winner of the arena may not be the same as the winner of the people."

You jumped back into the conversation with a slightly more chipper tone.

"Give them interviews to learn who they are. Maybe we can even do skill tests. If you use Coriolanus's betting system, it can give even the weakest of tributes more of a chance. People would not only be able to bet on who they like the most but who has more of a chance. Not to mention they would have the power to change those odds."

Dr. Gaul was at all-time levels of elation at the pair. She knows promise when she sees it.

"I’d like you to write up a proposal of these thoughts tonight, Mr. Snow and Miss Vaun. "

You turned to look at said Mr. Snow when a certain raven-haired girl stood up from her seat next to him.

"Wait. You mean you might actually use their ideas?"

Clemensia thought her two high-achieving friends' ideas would just be left floating and not actually implemented in one of the most important events of the country.

"If it’ll help the ratings, why not."

Dr. Gaul’s words made the realization hit you like that cursed cattle train. Your ideas were shared in a slight haze of excitement and lingering fury. If your suggestions really were implemented, you may have just subjected generations of children to death.

Your revelation was clear on your face as Sejanus looked up to who he called his closest friend. He felt slightly betrayed by your outburst, but more so confused. Though, his anger and confusion dissipated a good amount when he saw the horror of realization upon your face.

On the other side of the star pupils, Clemmie slightly shuddered as the outlandish Gamemaker turned her cold gaze upon her. The young woman put on her charming smile as she tried to weasel her way into success.

"Coriolanus and I are class partners, Dr. Gaul. We do all of our assignments together."

You shared eye contact with the girl's partner who seemed to be just as skeptical as you. You turned in Dr. Gaul's direction, which also happened to be Sejanus's. You looked down and saw his face look glossy and hurt. A pain that transferred over to you at the sight. But that would be for a later time. For now, you looked up and informed the Gamemaker that you would be doing your proposals on your own.

The classroom was filled with the manic laughter of the woman. Doubt started filling up your veins at working with the prominent figure. Her bright teeth shone bright as her diabolical smile grew.

"It’ll be an interesting test."

A test of intellect, character, and survival indeed.

  ⋆✦⋆⋇⋆✦⋆⋇⋆✦⋆⋇⋆✦⋆⋇⋆✦⋆⋇⋆✦⋆⋇⋆✦⋆

You and Coriolanus sat at a small table on the edge of the cafeteria. You wished to be nowhere near the prying eyes and gossiping mouths of your peers. But apparently, Lucy Gray asked for food, and you couldn't let her or Jessup go hungry. Yet, you were now an active hand in their death.

That ever so active voice in your head kept on screaming against your heart. Your napkin was full of the food that used to reside on your plate, and now you were just waiting for Coryo, who came in a bit later than you. He was fast and smooth in his movements and was barely deterred from his actions when a voice rounded your table.

"You trying to fatten those kids up so you can finally start taking bets? Make sure they look lively enough to make good interviews?"

Sejanus spewed his remarks as he sat down on a chair at the head of the table. You glanced down in shame, but the words didn't bother Coriolanus.

"You think they’ll give those kids a scrap if we don’t give them a reason to do it? How do you think your tribute will have a chance if he can’t eat?"

You looked between the two. Sejanus seemed to concede at that point while Coryo kept on stuffing the napkin. The brown-eyed boy's voice seemed to soften in pain.

"He was my classmate. Back in two."

You sucked in a sharp breath. It was already hard enough for him to be a part of the game, especially being given a tribute from his home district. But his own classmate? If you were Marcus, you wouldn't spare Sejanus a glance or a word. And that was the worst part. Sejanus would try to help in any way he could, but the situation he was in, "the lucky one," wouldn't make it very easy to gain the trust of his former classmate. Coryo stopped his movements to look at the only boy he could call a solid friend.

"It’s not your fault it’s him."

You both knew that it would still sit on his conscience, no matter if he really was to blame or not. His scoff said it all.

"See, I know. I’m so blameless, I’m choking on it. My father bought him for me, you know, at the Reaping, just so he could show me that I could never go back to two."

You couldn't believe it. It was common information to you how much Starbo tried to change his son. That doesn't mean you expected him to go to such lengths.

"Maybe you could use that to your advantage."

Sejanus whipped his head to you as he squinted at you. The girl in front of him wasn't the same angry one in the classroom. No, this was the same one who he called his best friend for years, yet it just confused him even more as to why you would suggest that. You were quick to elaborate when it seemed that neither boy caught on.

"You want the Hunger Games to end, right? You can do something about it. No real change will happen unless it happens in the Capital. You are one of the few who can actually do something and one of the even fewer who wants to."

Sejanus seemed to be contemplating your words when Coriolanus added on.

"The best way to change it is to be subtle. Small little changes and actions cause enough damage over time."

Sejanus looked down at his two friends' laps and looked back up with a smirk starting to form.

"Like napkins of food. Make them strong enough to be remembered. Quite the rebels."

His smirk seemed to be contagious as it spread to Coryo. You had a smile as well that only grew as Coriolanus spoke again.

"Oh yeah. I’m bad news."

His eyes were on you the entire time as a blush crept on you. Your teeth couldn't help but show as the three of you got up and started your walk to the Capital Zoo.

Like your morning walk with Coriolanus, this walk was short but a bit more cheery as your little friend group conversed. You feared Sejanus would hold your prior actions against you, but he understood, as always. Well, that and Coryo's explanation on how you both expanded the odds for the weaker tributes instead of making it worse.

You and Coriolanus were recalling the earlier events of the morning that didn't appear on live television.

"Wait wait, you did what to her?"

You were holding back a laugh as Snow described how you switched up Coral and the overdramatization of it.

"Okay, first of all, I did not knock the life out of her. And she was getting on my nerves. Like if you are gonna threaten someone, at least do it right!"

The two boys shared a look and laughed a bit at you. A laugh that was swiftly met with a glare.

"Wanna see me execute my threat, Plinth?"

He was quickly grabbed by his sleeve by Coryo to ensure his friend's safety. You turned forward with a smug smile at their fear while they walked a good meter away from you. Soon enough, however, your little moment was met a swift end as you reached the zoo.

There were far more visitors than this morning, but many seemed to be a ways away; the tributes being watched from afar. You and Coryo spotted your two tributes on the far left side of the area, laying their backs on a large rock. Marcus was on the other side, so your trio split as Sejanus tried so hard to get him to take the food from his hands. A task that was unsuccessful.

You got closer and saw Lucy Gray smile at Coryo and the food he carried and promised he kept. She noticed the napkin of food in your hands as well, making her smile grow.

The singer walked to the bars while Jessup stood behind, still pensive at your presence.

"Is that for us?"

She took the two napkins out of the Capital students' hands, handing one of them to her friend. He didn't even give the food a glance as he bore into your eyes, displeasure evident.

"I’m not hungry."

You had a polite smile prior, hoping to get off on a better start this time. But his refusal made it slightly deplete. You understood why. You and the rest of the Capital students here, which now included Arachne, must have seemed like a cruel joke life played on him. You were willing to walk away, maybe try to focus on helping Coriolanus with Lucy Gray if Jessup refused you.

But Lucy Gray refused the boy who protected her to go hungry. She pushed the food into his hands like a mother would to her child.

"You think I can’t hear your stomach growling, Jessup Diggs?"

He looked between the food, his friend, and you a good number of times before he surrendered to his growling stomach.

Satisfied, Lucy Gray turned back to Coriolanus and seemed to settle in across from him. You doubted Jessup recreate the friendly posture, but you sat down a bit further down from Coryo. She wasn't much further from Arachne, who seemed to be playing a torturous game with her tribute, Brandy.

Your face contorted in disgust at her actions. The girl was going to already struggle, what is the need to play with her hunger?

"You sure you don't want to play with me first?" You turned your head from the perusing scene to the new voice. In front of you stood Jessup Diggs. He stood there, analyzing you as if you were a puzzle that had no connecting pieces. Your eyes moved down the concrete you sat on as you let out a soft, sad laugh.

"Already bad enough I'm not in there with you. Don't need to rub it in any further."

He squinted his eyes down at you. Every statement that has come out of your mouth has only served to confuse him more. From your very first meeting, the truck, earlier when you were in the cage, and now. Arachne's moves and character were what he expected when he was traveling to the Capital. But you and Coriolanus (and a recent brunette curly-haired boy on the far end of the zoo) were the anomalies. Lucy Gray told him to accept your help as she would her mentors, which was reasonable enough.

But why did it seem like she actually trusted you two? Sure, you jumped in with them, but it seemed for more personal gain than their tribute's benefit.

You looked back up to a questioning Jessup. He didn't understand what you meant that you should be in there with him.

"What's the difference between us? I happened to be born in the right place, I guess."

Your nonchalance intrigued him more than it brought fear. You may be just putting up a facade to make him trust you, but what would be the point? He was gonna die soon enough.

Jessup, much to your surprise, sat across from you as he gobbled down the food. He noticed you looking down and eyed you suspiciously. You just lightly smiled and promised to get him more if he would accept. He turned his head from side to side in thought, which caused the left side of his neck to be exposed. A dark and deep mark appeared against his skin, which caused you to have an instinct to reach out and help.

However, your sudden movement towards his neck caused him to back up rapidly. The action caused Lucy Gray and Coryo to look over in fright. But neither of you looked back as you stared at him apologetically while he eyed you again.

"Sorry, I just noticed and worried me."

You mumbled it quietly, which was oddly enough, reassuring to Jessup. He did see the worry appear in your facial features. The emotion was too deep and genuine to be faked. He slowly got back to his original position.

You kept your hands to your sides as you looked over his wound. Your eyes moved from his neck to his deep brown eyes.

"It looks new. Can I ask what it's from? I may be able to get some medication."

Jessup wondered how much was available to you at just a snap of a finger. Were you the type of person to do that? His assumption of the Capital made him believe so, but your personal actions proved otherwise. Especially your little stunt with Coral.

"Bat bite. Got it when covering for Lucy Gray. Rather me than her."

Your eyes went from warning to a softened glow. He didn't like the feeling of trust building

"I don't want medication though. I want to go out my way."

You couldn't help but smile at his conviction. If he didn't get medication, there was no way he would be able to survive. But that didn't seem to bother him.

"Jessup, if it's from a wild bat, there is a likely chance you can get rabies. Are you sure? It does wild things to those infected."

The effects of it bothered Jessup slightly. He didn't want to die as a deranged man he couldn't recognize, but he didn't want to give the people who took everything from him the satisfaction of his death. He shook his head in assurance, and you were ready to drop it when a thought sprang through your mind.

"I am willing to drop it, but please, be completely sure if this is what you want. Do you have family back home who need you?"

The mention of his family made him clench his teeth, and you were sure you messed up. You were quick to apologize, but that didn't erase the pounding thoughts of the boy's family.

"The only thing they need me for is to clean their gravestones."

Your gaze was sympathetic, but you turned it away. You knew what it felt to be looked at like a kicked puppy after people learned of your mother's passing. You were sure a man like Jessup wouldn't be very fond of pity.

"He looked a lot like you."

Your head went through whiplash due to the speed you turned to the boy. Your eyes were now the analyzing and questioning ones. You motioned for him to continue; to make sense of his statement.

"The boy who killed my family. He couldn't be any older than me, sixteenish. He had your eyes."

Your breath seemed to speed up as it dawned on you what he could be saying. That sweet little Otto was capable of murdering an entire family. Then again, what would he think of your actions in the war? Jessup took in your reaction as he cautiously continued.

"Don't think he don'it before. Kept looking back and forth between my pops and brother. Like he was begging them to change back time."

You were no longer looking at the talking boy, but it was clear you were hanging onto every word. Your eyes fluttered around as you tried to make sense of the new knowledge.

"He had reason if that makes you feel better. They were rebels and took out a good number of Capital forces. Just those two on their own."

He didn't hide his proud smile as he didn't even realize it appeared for a few moments. When he did, he was ready to see you storming off, glare knives into him, or plan ways to make him and his fellow tributes suffer. But you were just looking at him, a sad smile on your lips. You couldn't blame his smile. It was his family succeeding in their beliefs, no matter how it pained you. It wasn't as if you were sentenced to a bloodbath as your final moments.

The lack of aggression you presented allowed for Jessup to precede.

"They stood proudly as they were accused of their crimes. He gave them a chance, but they didn't say a peep. The boy with your eyes was shaky as he raised the gun. My momma couldn't hold back and ran into the gunfire. In just three seconds, my entire family erased. Glad they didn't shoot into the floor."

His face shifted from pride to bitterness to a hollowed smile.

"Always check the floorboards of twelve. Never know what you find."

You wanted to pipe up when you heard the disgruntled grunts of Brandy and the mocking laugh of Arachne. It had paused for the majority of your conversation with Jessup because Arachne was busy being interviewed by Lucky Flickerman. Though now she was back, her little game was resumed.

It burned your blood at seeing her cruel game. No one would ever describe Arachne as nice, but she would never stoop this low. Unless they were the district, apparently. You quickly muttered an apology to Jessup as you got up and walked unamusedly to the red-haired girl. Your hand swiftly snatched the glass bottle before it disappearedinto the bar to tease the starving girl again. Arachne looked up to the intruder, and a deep scowl appeared when she saw your face. Behind you, the sun was bright, as if casting a halo down on you. Oh, how fitting for little miss perfect, the sour girl thought.

You turned to Brandy and gave her a warm smile as you gently laid the bottle down next to her. Her eyes narrowed at your act and were glazed over in dehydration. The girl's hands were lightning as they snatched the drink and gulped it down as fast as was possible.

You left the tribute to her drink as you were met with the nasty stare of Arachne Crane.

"Feel proud of yourself for making her suffer even more? I mean, come on, Arachne!"

You huffed at her, irritated at her childlike behavior. Your back was turned as you began walking back to your own tribute when her voice sneered.

"Wonder what dear old Otto would think of you taking care of the same animals that chopped him up into tiny little—"

At the sound of your brother's name, you had turned back, and as she continued, so did your strides. But it was the sound of glass shattering that made you jump into action.

Physically jump as you pushed Arachne out of the way of the oncoming bottle. Brandy had a clear shot to the front of her mentor's throat but due to your speed and slightly turned position, it didn't hit her target. Instead, the broken bottle jammed itself within the side of your neck as your knees buckled on impact. You felt around the area as hot sticky blood poured all over your fingers.

Your hearing began getting muffled, but the gunshots were piercingly loud, as was the sound of your attacker's body hitting the ground. You saw red around you, unsure if it was one of your fellow students or even more blood.

Black dots began spotting your vision as you fought to keep them open upon the orders of someone. You weren't sure who, but whoever the saving angel was, they were doing everything to keep you conscious. No screams came out of your mouth, but warm salty streams across your cheeks, mixing in with the now pooling blood.

The lack of audible panic made your internal one settle slightly. Your mother surely screamed herself on the path of death as did your aunt Fiora. But then again, maybe your brother died without a squeak.

Your eyelids felt as if they were being welded shut against all your will power. You turned your head to the left, which was the side that hadn't been stabbed. The last thing you witnessed before you lost all reality was a head of pretty white hair with matching gorgeous blue orbs. His mouth kept on moving and forming words, but no sound pierced your ears.

You felt his hands around you, cradling your gushing neck. His hands looked as if permanently stained with red dye as he moved them around frantically. In such movements, his hands happened to fling your now apparent rings in front of your view. The two golden ones on the outside seemed mostly clear if the blood overtook her. That accursed silver of a thousand snowflakes glistened under the sunlight. As much as a ring being drowned in blood could.

Your eyes flickered from the bloody snowflakes up to the eyes of a bloodless Coriolanus Snow. A Coriolanus Snow who begged you to open up your eyes. Who attempted to will it into existence before he was pulled off by peacekeepers. Your body was hastily put on a stretcher and sent straight to the Capital hospital.

Not a single blink occurred from the blue frozen eyes of the Snow heir. How is it that it was only this morning when you were on the other side of the cage? Safer on that side.

Snow was on the verge of a breakdown. One of anger and of fear. He was only mere feet away. Only a few feet away and you still might lose your life because he wasn't careful. A promise was sworn internally within that calculated boy that day.

Never again will you be choking on your blood while he stood aside with nothing happening. You were not going to suffer the same bloody fate as your mother. You would not suffer. He swore the vow repeatedly as he rushed through the streets to meet your unconscious body. The world can take his money, parents, even the Plinth Prize. He would refuse to give it anymore.

He would not give up on you.

He would not give you up.

A/N: so sorry for it being so long! Not very carefully read I'm so sleepy I'm seeing things help. Pls lmk your thoughts. Much love !!

⋆✦⋆⋇⋆✦⋆⋇⋆✦⋆⋇⋆✦⋆⋇⋆✦⋆⋇⋆✦⋆⋇⋆✦⋆

@notyourwildestdream 🌹@darktrashsoulbear🌹@fantasylovestoryme 🌹@nekee-lilac02 🌹@a-avengerparker 🌹 @queenofshinigamis 🌹@darlingisntit 🌹

#coryo snow #arachne crane #coriolanus snow #coriolanus x reader #the hunger games #snow lands on top #tbosas #ballad of songbirds and snakes #reader insert #the ballad of songbirds and snakes #coriolanus x you #hunger games #sejanus plinth #tigris snow #snow #sejanus my beloved #sejanus x reader #sejanus deserved better #corio #clemensia dovecote #lucy gray baird #lucy gray my beloved #jessup diggs #dr. gaul #casca highbottom #dean highbottom

[aroacebkgo]

hunger games/tbosas agere headcanons?

THE HUNGER GAMES AGERE HEADCANONS PART I

A/N: Omg yes. I’m gonna turn this into like. A mini series like my PJO headcanons I think. I’m gonna start off with TBOSAS.

Characters: Coriolanus Snow, Sejanus Plinth, Lucy Gray Baird.

Coriolanus Snow:

He is a caregiver. I don’t think he would ever allow himself to be emotionally vulnerable enough to age regress. And also he just. Doesn’t want to. Doesn’t interest him.

He doesn’t care what age you regress to, he’ll take care of you and love you no matter what, and he’s the same amount of strict no matter what.

He likes being called “Coryo”, “Dada”, or “Daddy”. He thinks it’s really adorable and he likes hearing those names from you. Only you, though. He would punch literally anybody else so fast lol.

He is strict. Very. You have a set bedtime, set meal times, don’t talk back or else you’ll be put in time out, he’ll talk sternly to you, and you have to hold his hand whenever you go outside.

If this takes place after his peacekeeper arc, then he’ll SPOIL you. Mainly because that’s the main way he knows how to show affection. Buys literally anything and everything for you, age regression stuff or not.

Surprisingly, he plays with you whenever he has time. He likes doing puzzles with you and reading you books. He’ll put you in his lap while you do a puzzle and he’ll give you a little kiss on the cheek when you finish it.

He calls you pet names a lot. “Little girl/boy/one”, “baby”, “sweetheart”, and “darling”. He sweet talks you so much.

He’s not very good with temper tantrums or comforting you, but he tries his best. He tries to be gentle and patient with you, because he loves you, he really does.

Sejanus Plinth:

FLIP. The biggest flip I have ever seen. He wants to love you and take care of you but he also needs to be loved and taken care of sometimes.

When he’s a caregiver, he does well with younger regressors! Like 0-3. He loves taking care of baby/toddler regressors. He thinks they’re adorable. :)

When he’s regressed, he usually regresses pretty young himself, around 2-3. He babbles and toddles and it’s really cute! He also really likes pacifiers and stuffies.

He has a favorite stuffie. It’s a stuffed lamb named Gallus and he loves him very much.

When he’s a caregiver, he likes being called “Dada” or “Daddy”. He likes being seen as a parental figure and he loves that you trust him so much. It makes him feel so loved and appreciated.

When he’s regressed, he’ll love and cherish any nickname you give him, but one of his personal favorites is “baby boy”. He doesn’t know why, but it makes him all giggly and happy.

He isn’t a very strict caregiver, only has set bedtimes and meal times. He plays with you and rarely ever puts you in time out. He doesn’t like rules very much himself either when he’s regressed. Just make sure he gets into bed and eats on time.

He has loads of money, and he loves spending it on you, as a little or as a caregiver. He’ll buy you whatever you want or need, no questions asked. Especially stuffies. Both of you have an absurdly large collection of stuffies and it’s all his fault.

He plays. This boy PLAYS. Whether it’s letting you dress him up when you’re little or making you play pretend with him when he’s little, this guy loves playing with you. It’s a bonding activity to him and he sees it as special. He loves you so much and he wants to spend time with you.

He’s really good with comforting you and handling meltdowns or temper tantrums. He knows how to comfort you and he often tries to make you laugh to calm you down.

When he’s regressed, he’s extremely emotional. Biggest crybaby ever, but in a good way. He doesn’t know how to regulate his emotions and has shocking low self preservation skills. The only person he’ll allow to comfort him and make him feel better when he’s little and having a meltdown is you.

Lucy Gray Baird:

Little. Sorry not sorry. She’s the biggest regressor ever. Her age regression is voluntary and involuntary. Primarily involuntary after The Hunger Games. She’s so traumatized and desperately is trying to cope. :(

Her little age is usually slightly older, like 5, but if it’s a bad day it can be as little as 2.

She really likes playing with stuffed animals and coloring. She sings a lot too. Often times she’ll ask you to sing with her or at least listen to her sing. It’s really cute.

She gives you all of her drawings and the things she colors. You save it and put it in a drawer or something because it’s so cute.

She likes pet names a lot, mainly “Sweetheart”, “Darling”, and “Songbird”. They make her giggle and kick her feet lol.

She likes being spoiled. Please buy this girl new clothes, toys, pacis, etc. She’ll start crying, but in a good way. She loves it so much and it makes her feel so loved and appreciated.

Doesn’t really like it if you’re too strict, but you do need to set rules for her like bedtimes and meal times. And also you do have to make it a rule to hold your hand whenever you guys go outside, or else she will run off because she gets so excited and curious.

You also have to make it a rule to not go around touching random plants or putting unknown berries in her mouth lol.

She’s very emotional, like I said, she mainly regresses because of trauma. She’ll get really bad PTSD attacks, especially after nightmares, and she desperately just needs to be held and cared for. :(

She’s also very hyper, excited, and energetic! She gets happy and excited about things easily and she’s always quick to show you new things she’s found or things she’s made. She wants you to be happy and proud of her.

She’s such a sweet baby. 😭

#age regression #agere #the hunger games #the hunger games agere #the ballad of songbirds and snakes #Coriolanus Snow #Sejanus Plinth #Lucy Gray Baird

[torturedcoveydepartment]

The Tortured Poets Department but it’s all tbosas (two favorite things combined, cannot get any better. Both pivotal for my well-being) 🤍

1. Fortnight

A period of 14 days, so I’d like to say it’s something the mentors put together during the preparation and running of the hunger games. Perhaps even one of the tributes? Though I believe the calamitous events of suffering went on for a week or so (reaping to death)

2. The tortured poets department

Definitely about our dear favorite covey. Referencing to themselves as tortured poets in the way of being locked down, unable to use their voices to express their minds freely due to peacekeepers banning their songs (such as with the hanging tree) The feeling of being told what’s right and wrong about THEIR EMOTIONS. Obviously also from the mistreatment.

3. My boy only breaks his favorite toys

Ladies, gentlemen and beautiful souls - it’s time for a Lucy Gray ballad about Billy Taupe begging at her feet, as well as Coriolanus fucking up. I don’t believe it would be a downbeat melody, but a real statement.

4. Down bad

Coryo realizing he’s in love with both the lovely district 12 songbird, and his handsome friend originally from 2. Said what I said.

5. So long, London (So long, Panem)

A song the covey’s ancestors left behind as they got killed during the dark days. It’s about how they saw Panem change, and that what they used to know is long gone. Their nomadic days are over. Their freedom is gone.

6. But daddy I love him

OKAYOKAY my very first thought was Sejanus confessing with teary eyes to his father about his feelings and caring for Coriolanus. How he wishes him the best even if he got caught cheating in the game.

7. Fresh out the slammer

CORIOLANUS COMIN BACK FROM 12 HAHA

8. Florida!!! (Once again, we’re changing it to “Panem!!!”)

Grandma’am singin about her beloved country of Panem. Poor Tigris and Coryo are about to suffer through another one of her banger morning concerts.

9. Guilty as sin?

Lucy Gray accused herself, putting the blame on herself for being “responsible” for the deaths of children in the arena. Wouldn’t point directly onto the victims, but use metaphors to make the situation transparent for those who knew her in and out.

10. Who’s afraid of little old me?

Young age, old soul. Why am I imagining Maude Ivory singing something about people not taking her seriously cause of her age. Invalidating her feelings & fear when Lucy Gray got reaped.

11. I can fix him (No really I can)

First thought is ironically enough Livia Cardew? Though I believe a great amount of people viewed the blond boy’s change as an empowerment of the state, unwilling to even try and change his obvious controversial behavior (apart from dear Tigris)

12. Loml

Barb Azure to her girlfriend <3 IDK I THINK IT’S SO CUTE?!?! Now let’s wait and see if it really means “love of my life”, or ends up being “loss of my life”.

13. I can do it with a broken heart

Lucy Gray can do anything at any fateful condition. Even with a broken heart she will kick the ass of anyone who does her wrong.

14. The smallest man who ever lived

SLAP EM LUCY GRAY BAIRD. Definitely pointed against her former lovers assholes who betrayed her. None of them will ever manage to break her, because she’s stronger than any haunting scar.

15. The alchemy

GAUL GAUL GAUL LMAO. The most absurd thing about this scary woman is how she enjoys chemistry and biological genetic engineering?

16. Clara Bow

Old covey song from centuries ago about a tortured actress, first it-girl and country’s thirsting desire.

#tbosas #the hunger games #taylor swift #hunger games the ballad of songbirds and snakes #lucy gray baird #coriolanus snow #hunger games #the tortured poets department #ttpd #sejanus plinth #livia cardew #maude ivory #tigris snow #taylor’s version

[xlovelybluebellex]

hey there!! Can I hear some Little Coryo and Cg Sejanus headcanons, if you have any? They’ve been in my head lately haha

Happy too! This is such an interesting pair and I’d love to see more of them tumblr. Also I love your work and can’t wait to see more!

CG!Sejanus Plinth and Little!Coriolanus Snow Would…

🥀Coryo regresses to about 1-4. He’s a grouchy little toddler, but Sejanus has enough energy for both of them. He’ll also go into baby space once in a while, but he tries not too.

🥀Coryo basically regressed with Sejanus once, and now Sejanus dubbed himself Coryo’s caregiver. Snow acts like he hates it, but he tends to throw tantrums whenever Sejanus even just goes to the bathroom.

🥀Sejanus is basically a mom. He fusses over Coryo a lot, always asks if he needs to regress for a bit, and always carries around a pacifier and blanket in case Snow does regress.

🥀Sejanus spoils his boy! Seriously, they went shopping once and even if Coryo looked at a toy for more than five seconds, it was in the cart. Now Sejanus just grabs anything he thinks Snow would like, even if he pretends not to.

🥀Coryo sometimes bites. But only when he’s in a bad tantrum and doesn’t want to be touched. So, Sejanus got him options of chewlery and about nine pacifiers.

🥀While working as Peacekeepers, Snow regressed out of fear a few times and was actually really clingy to Sejanus. He was really confused, but went with it.

🥀Snow normally regresses involuntarily, but if he’s under a lot of stress, he will take a minute to play with a few toys. Sejanus may or may not have forced him to do that and now Coryo just does it.

🥀Coryo is secretly a cuddle bug, big or little. He won’t ask for it, he’ll just whine at Sejanus and maybe throw a few toys. The usual way he tries to get attention.

🥀Snow doesn’t really have a stuffy or a blanket, instead he has his mother’s scarf. Whenever he’s overwhelmed or upset, he holds it close and smells the rose scent. Sejanus is the only person who knows about that.

🥀This little guy shoves his feelings down. Like, almost never tells Sejanus if he’s feeling fussy and then proceeds to have a massive meltdown, then cry to him after. But Sejanus is very understanding and always holds him close right after.

🥀Sejanus makes sure his boy eats. He saw Coryo in Peacekeeper training and in the cafeteria, that boy is skinny. So, Sejanus uses the whole ‘three more bites and you can go’ type of persuasion.

🥀Now, there’s one person Snow will let watch him aside from Sejanus and that is Tigris. Meaning he’ll only throw a minor fit if Tigris has to watch him for an hour or so.

🥀Sejanus takes after his Ma! He always bakes Coryo’s favorite treats whenever he’s good. Let it be chocolate chip cookies, bread pudding, you name, Sejanus can make it!

🥀Coryo hates certain fabrics. They’re either too itchy, so restricting, or too hot. So Sejanus makes it an effort to get Snow shirts, sweatpants, things he knows his boy will be comfy in.

#age regression #sfw agere #sfw littlespace #hunger games agere

[silkszns]

What is your favorite scene from TBOSBAS

ok so its been a hot minute since i read the book but the first kiss scene right before lucy gray goes into the arena was one of my favs !! i don't think that one was in the movie (i only watched it halfway, tho, so idrk) but it was such a sweet scene to read 😕

i also liked the scene when coryo's watching lucy gray preform for the first time as a peacekeeper and the whole internal monologue he has about how he should approach her was so cute 😭

#coriolanus snow biggest fumbler of the century #he was literally so sweet and then he wasn't 🤨 #tbsoas #the ballad of songbirds and snakes #coriolanus snow #lucy gray baird

[ellanainthetardis]

Alright, this will be my review for The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes so obviously spoilers under the cut.

Also obviously, this is my opinion, I force no one to share it and I’m happy to discuss the book with anyone who wants to. 

First off, I won’t go into all the deep themes in the books. It seems obvious to me there’s a very clever allegory for a contrat social at work here but since I am not very much interested in that, I will leave it aside. It’s well done, I think, but I am more a character driven sort of reader than theme driven and the debate over “are we the product of our environment or is man a beast at heart” is a bit null here. Surely enough, as one of the quotes at the beginning implies, the whole book more or less struggles to show Dr Gaul somehow turns Coryo into a monster to her Frankenstein… Sure, he seems to hesitate between right and wrong, the nature of the two etc etc. But, really, I have troubles relating to a character questioning the nature of man when that character is so plainly a psychopath himself.

I’m sorry. I said it.

Did I love Snow in this book? Sure. Even when he was being bad, I loved him. What’s not to love? He’s completely over-dramatic. All the time. He’s a complex character with Draco Malfoy vibes and who tries to do well by his family. But he is also sick in the head and that predates Dr Gaul’s little mind games. Can we argue it’s because of his traumatic childhood? Maybe. It doesn’t change the fact he equals love with possession, does not seem to experience remorse nor guilt – or at least not very long and he’s  very quick to rationalize it – and has a natural ability to mimic or force himself to act as is expected in any given situation. He doesn’t react  to things, you will notice, he behaves the way he thinks people expects him to.

So, he is sick. And since he is sick, the whole debate through his head about the nature of violence, men being beasts without laws, freedom versus enforcement, right and wrong, etc seems void.

Let’s leave that aside for now.

The question you will probably ask me is: did you like the book? And the answer I will give is yes I did. I did enjoy the book. At least the first two third of it.

It’s fast paced, it’s engaging, it’s easy to read…

What I like most is the worldbuilding. What a difference a 3rd pov makes… I mean we finally got all the world building we deserved. And the names. Actually, there were so many names in there I’m pretty sure she threw them as a joke. But, yeah. Everything I reproach Thg was fixed here: we have a more consistent idea of how the Games work out of the arena, we know the currency used is dollars (which we didn’t up until now), we have a  better idea of how the Capitol works as a society, about the working of Peacekeepers and Districts… I quite enjoyed learning more about the 1st war and the post war world too.

I also enjoyed the Capitol families Cameos – and I was very wary about them if you read some of my posts pre-released. They were nice nods, it wasn’t too on the nose…  I am relieved beyond measure not to have seen a mention of an Abernathy or a Trinket – or an Everdeen or a Mellark, I guess – mostly because that means we are still free to stick to our own hcs. (it’s not that important but still).

The cast of characters were all great – with two notable exceptions but I will come back to that.

I loved Snow’s family. What a surprise to find out Tigris is a Snow? But what joy she is. I really enjoyed her character but I have to say I’m a bit disappointed we didn’t get to see (or at least were told in the epilogue) how they grow apart or how she comes to have whiskers. The Grandma’am was an awesome addition too. Lucy Gray, the Coveys, the Peacekeepers, Sejanus, the other mentors…  They were great.

I will argue that maybe Lucy Gray, as a main character (second main character? She’s the yin to his yang in this book) could have been more fleshed out because when it comes down to it, she seems to float around in the story only in relation to Snow. This being said and the pov being mostly Snow’s, it’s coherent with his egocentric view of the world. And I’m sure a lot of people will argue the case that her only purpose being to die so he can get over love is a bit problematic better than I could.

The two characters that I think were disappointing were the “villains” of the tale: Dr Gaul and Highbottom. They were actually so disappointing that I spent a good portion of the book convinced that here was some kind of secret plot, that there would be a conspiracy or something. But no, they were just that… flat.

Highbottom first: the creator of the Hunger Games who, obviously, didn’t mean to and ends up doctoring himself with morphling to forget. And seems to hate Coryo (yes that’s Snow’s nickname) for no obvious reason. I was sure there must be some twist but no, it just turned out he hates Snow because his father stole his Hunger Games idea to pitch it to Gaul for a grade and now he’s responsible for the death of kids. Which, I mean, is valid. But since it’s only here to bring into contrast the “is Snow really bad or have the circumstances make him bad” when, really, he’s a psycho, it ends up being very disappointing on discovery – never mind as the final reveal of the epilogue.  

As for Gaul. Is she terrifying? I mean, for a young adult book, sure, I guess. She’s too obviously mean and crazy scientist for me though. I like my villains a little more subtle. She spent her times torturing her pet rabbit and various animals ffs. All she needed was a mustache to twirl. She’s cliché and, again, I’m sure it was like that for rhetoric purposes but… She’s Frankenstein and Snow is her creature, we get it. Why though? She takes a shine to him and proceeds to groom him so he can deliver the world she wants? So he’s her legacy? Because she’s a psycho too and she needs an apprentice? I thought that part was a little fishy because, at the end of the day… I don’t know, it seems a bit random.

But, I suppose, yet again, everything has to revolve around Snow in the book and in Panem.

And we’re touching to the part that annoyed me to death, that really really angered me and that, right now as we speak, I am a little disgusted by.

A short word first about the fan service. And there was plenty of that to go around. All the little wink wink, nudge nudge made me smile at first (like the grandma saying it only takes a spark for fire to catch, that sort of things), it was subtle so it worked. But as the book goes on, all the references built to the point I was sort of terrified Katniss would end up being related to Snow. And while she is not, I am fairly convinced she’s descended from the Coveys, it makes a lot of sense.

Ok… Where to start with that part and be coherent…

The less offensive (yes, I am using that word because it was offending to me) thing was Snow’s recurring reflection about the mockingjays. On hindsight, of course, it has so much more meaning than what is going on on paper, so it made sense and while it was a bit sold too thick, it was also interesting. That’s something I’m willing to grant was good.

I also liked the “it’s not over until the Mockingjay sings” saying. To be honest, I was 100% confident the epilogue would be a flashforward to the end of MJ and that quote would somehow come back into play but apparently not, that’s for us to fanfic instead.  

Now, as for the rest… I am going to speak as someone who loves Haymitch Abernathy an unhealthy amount, and while I speak as someone who loves Haymitch, I also feel it is only minorly about Haymitch and a lot about Katniss, Peeta and the rest of the victors. But Haymitch is my favorite character in the series, Haymitch is a big part of why I have dedicated so much time writing fanfics and contributing to the fandom, I am very protective of Haymitch. And, on his behalf, I am so deeply, deeply offended.

In this book, Suzanne Collins makes Snow a victor.

We can argue the semantics. Naturally, he didn’t actually win the Hunger Games.

Or does he?

Because there are no winners, only survivors and by that very definition Coriolanus Snow is a victor.

Coriolanus Snow walked into an arena, was forced into the arena.

Coriolanus Snow fought in the arena.

Coriolanus Snow killed someone in the arena.

Coriolanus Snow walked back out of the arena.

He survived.

It makes him a de facto victor. He is actually literally called that a couple of times throughout the book. It’s reinforced by the idea that mentor and tribute are a team, even.

And this very idea that Snow is a victor, has been a victor all along, is so deeply, deeply upsetting to me. The bond between victors, it’s something very special, I feel. Victors share something nobody else can understand – my very favorite part of the whole series is in Catching Fire when they hold hands, it is such a strong emotional moment, it always moves me, always. And Snow being a part of that defiles it. Worse, that means a victor was actually the one imposing such horrors on other victors all along.

And that’s… I mean, probably in terms of themes and the story as an independent object, it’s all very ironic and dark and full of great meaning about man and it’s condition. But for someone who loves Haymitch, it is very deeply offending to learn the man who has taken everything from him went through the same experience he did, that they share that bond, that they have so many similarities.

Too many similarities actually. And here we are going to branch out on TBOSAS in relation to Katniss more specifically.

That’s another thing I am not sure I liked: how similar Snow’s conditions were to our beloved characters. The starvation, the very similar experience they had growing up.

At first, I didn’t mind it. I thought, even, that it was quite fitting. But the problem came when so much of Katniss’ story was being… stolen, turned around. It started feeling like this book was subverting the powerful story in THG, not just the main plot, but everlark, and the character building. So, of course, here again, it’s probably a matter of questioning if, stemming from the same conditions, you become a hero or a villain. Nature or nurture. That sort of things. And, again, it depends if you look at the big picture and analyze it calmly or if you react with your guts as a fan, I guess. Yeah, no surprise, I’m going the fan route.

So there were a lot of parallels to Katniss.

The starvation. The strong sense of family. Lucy and the singing…

And it wasn’t limited to Katniss, it touched to everlark too.

The star-crossed lovers thing comes to mind obviously (and I want to talk about the ship too but after). Then, there was the bread thing that was both Snow’s and Lucy’s favorite and the fact that Snow brings her food all the time.  The poison in the arena we can land at snow’s door since it’s his weapon of choice, but still poison in the arena, my mind goes straight to the berries… (I will tackle the hanging tree song after)

At this point (before she goes in the arena), I was still mostly okay with it because I thought it would somehow have a reason later. Like either Katniss would turn out to be related to Lucy or it would remain light enough to turn out to be foreshadowing for THG.

Then came part 3. And that’s where the book mostly lost me.

There are eleven other Districts in Panem. So why Twelve? And if it had to be Twelve why pollute everything Katniss loves? How are we supposed to see those things the same way again when we know what we now know?

The meadow? The meadow where the toastbabies are dancing and running? Where so many people are laid to rest? Snow has been there, kissed his girl there. And let me tell you, as a Haymitch fan, knowing that Haymitch never gets to reunite with his girl in the meadow because of Snow, it’s a special kind of pain to read Coryo frolicking there in the grass “with his girl”.

And then, of course, I don’t know what is worse… The lake or the song?

Let’s start with the lake. Where do I begin? The lake that is so special to Katniss? The little shack where she stocks everything? The lake that features into so many fanfictions and that, if some people feel the same way I do, can never be used again the same way? So, that lake was where Snow murdered (possibly) his “love”. The lake, thus, becomes a part of Snow’s narrative.

It’s stolen away from Katniss.

And to better stress that point? The scene with the Mockingjays taking up the hanging tree when Lucy is about to get murdered. (let’s make a digression to say oh boy how fun it must have been for Snow during mj, I’m very tempted to fanfic THAT). It’s all very full of symbolism, of course, but with the hindsight? It’s another great important moment stolen away from Katniss. Highjacked. Not unlike a mutt, actually. This book is a mutt XD

Which brings me to what really, really made me angry: the hanging tree song.

That song is so symbolic of MJ and everlark. I mean, there’s one thing I will give MJ the movie and that’s this scene with the song. The people attacking the dam and getting butchered while humming that song? Iconic. But more prosaically, book based, that song is such such a powerful moment. It’s special. And not only because of all the thing with everlark and the tree and midnight.

And suuuuure there might be a lot of symbolism in that song being not strictly about but still intimately related to Snow. Sure. But you know? It’s also another thing that now is about Snow. So even as Katniss was singing that song, getting the Districts to rebel, showing Peeta that District 12 was gone, letting the Mockingjays by the lake take up the chorus… It isn’t just about hope or freedom anymore. Now, it’s about Snow and about how terribly ironic it is this particular song comes to be his demise, how it’s fate or karma or whatever you want to call it. Because now, we can’t unread this book, we can’t unknown what we know.

And I hate that.

Because Katniss’ journey in THG? It’s now so deeply linked to Snow’s story that if you take a step back and think, it’s more all about Snow than it is about her, or her sister or the Districts. Snow lands on top, right?

And you know what really irks me?

The book is actually good as a character study book (not really so much as dystopia because in terms of actual plot, I feel there was really little) but it didn’t have to taint so many elements of THG the way it does.

Let’s say for a moment Snow isn’t Snow. Let’s say he is a wealthy Capitol fallen from grace and that character who is not going to be the President of Panem has the same journey Coryo does. Let’s say at the end of the story, he moves on to become a famous Head Gamemaker or a close advisor to the President?

Well, the themes explored then remained the same, the conclusions remained the same. We lose the visceral signification of his connection to the mockingjays but is that really important? The Hanging Tree now has a resonance for another character in that world, the meadow has probably seen countless lovers reunions and someone killed someone else at the lake, those things happen. The problem is they happen to Coriolanus Snow.

And baring that, let’s say we keep Snow as a main, why did it have to be Twelve? Again, there are eleven other Districts in Panem. He could have come to the very same conclusions in any other place.

Twelve is only relevant in relation to what happens in THG, to Katniss, to Peeta, to Haymitch.

Lucy and the Covey could have ended up stuck in any other Districts. It didn’t have to be Twelve. It didn’t have to spoil the Meadow, or the lake or even the Hanging Tree song.

Is that why Snow hates Twelve so much? Is that why he kills Haymitch’s family even if it’s completely stupid and leaves him without a leash around a Quell’s victor’s neck? Is that why he bombs the Districts into complete oblivion ? Not to punish its victors but because he so intimately hates the place? Because he walked in their very shoes? Because, for a brief time, from his Frankenstein’s experiment, he played in the mud?

For that matter, is that why he has this weird relationship with Katniss? Because she reminds him of Lucy? The similarities are there if you look…  Is Katniss a sort of ghost to him? Come back to haunt him after all those decades? Is that why it feels so personal between them?

I will say a quick word about the ship: I was into it at first. Then there was this scene at the zoo after the snake attack on Clemmie and I felt everything started going downhill from there. The ship is rushed. They go from attraction to love in ten seconds FLAT. I know it’s YA and concessions have to be made (although I will argue I read plenty of YA and some ships don’t seem this juvenile), I made them on account of the fact they’re both young and prone to being drama queens.

(I’m making a brief parenthesis because, rereading this, I realized I did say when the book announcement came out and we all very obviously predicted the romance, that as a hayffie fan I hated the thought Snow would have a Capitol/District romance, but on that account, I have to say after reading I don’t even care because it felt so immature and so not actual love, that I don’t feel it really counts? But at the same time, it’s definitely something I have to think upon in terms of hayffie and Snow because would his own experience play in the way he sees them/manipulates/threatens them?)

All in all, though, that ship didn’t convince me. I couldn’t believe it was real. On either part. On Snow’s part because I’m  not certain he’s capable of love. He equals love with possession,  “his” girl, she “belongs” to him, he liked her better locked in the zoo because he knew where to find her, he constantly questions Lucy’s loyalties… Every  time she sings something, he’s like “is it about me? Is it about me? It’s not about me? Who is it about? I hate her. She’s dead to me. Oh but now she’s singing she’s over him. So I love her again”. Being in his head is a journey, let me tell you.

As for Lucy, it’s frustrating. But with Collins, I learned long ago to be frustrated (hey, hayffie fan here XD. You know the two characters you need to build your own hc about if you want to use them with some depths). You can feel there’s this whole backstory about her but we never get to really touch that and so we’re treated to this very strange scene with the ex-lover but we don’t really care because there is  no passion, nowhere… In fact, as a character, outside of her singing, her being a show girl, and her little discourse about how man should be free, live and let live yada yada yada, Lucy’s character is very flat in the third part of the book. She’s here only to allow Coryo’s character development.

I would argue that Sejanus actually makes more of an impact on Snow and the general plot than she does in part 3 – or, if you think about it, in the book in general. Lucy is the trigger that gets Coryo’s reflection starting about the hunger games but it’s really Sejanus that challenges it and keeps it going. Sejanus is, in fact, the District character since Snow keeps telling himself the Covey aren’t really Twelve.

I  also want to say, on a completely unrelated note, that the constant mansplaying of songs by Snow was unbearable. And that’s not his fault. So, Mrs Collins, I know how to interpret a text thank you. And I’m sure everyone else does to. It broke the pace and the emotion so much for me when he started randomly explaining. The Lucy Gray ballad was the worst. “she’s dead.” NO KIDDING SHERLOCK.

And while we’re in that Lucy Gray thing: very subtle foreshadowing here, btw. Didn’t see it coming at all.

Ah and also something that made me cringe and that I felt was very out of place: the livestock cars and the cages at the zoo. Not to go all social justice warrior but when I read, it immediately hit home and not in the right way. It felt like a prop to stress how inhumane and racist the Capitol was being, they were easy references to loaded terrible horrifying history events and I truly, truly thought it was borderline because, like I said, it was used as a prop.

To conclude.

Is this book great? Yes and No.

I think if you take it independently of THG, it’s a very good book. It’s interesting, the characters are compelling, there is a moral for you to reflect on… It’s not the best dystopian book I’ve read in recent years, it’s not the best young adult book I’ve read in this lockdown (Hi, do yourself a facor, check out the Shadow of the Fox trilogy and then come shout at me in my ask box) but it was still a good read. And I forgot to say but the first half of the novel is actual crack. It was hillarious. Might not have been the intent but come on. It was funny. (and I’m satly they sent him in the arena but they sent him with a can of pepper spray and that will make me laugh forever) I had  a good time and, at the end of the day, that’s what you ask of novels.

However, in the general context of the series, loving thg as much as I do, it tainted some of the iconic things, twisted them, insulted some of my most favorites characters, and that really dampened my joy and made me angry. So as a fan… I’m not sure I can say it was great, no.

It certainly didn’t let me indifferent though and that’s already something.

And, I mean, it is so much better than the cursed child I feel I cannot complain too much.

 It also does leave the door rather open to a sequel, doesn’t it? I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s another announcement soon.  

#tbosas spoilers #tbosas #the ballad of songbirds and snakes #the ballad of songbirds and snakes spoilers #balladspoilers #spoilers #i read stuff #namely abosas #abosas spoilers #book review #I did my best to correct spelling errors and such #but i've spent the whole day reading and my eyes are killing me

[thgfanficinspo]

Fear of the Water - 19

(protective) fluff, healthy dose of angst

FULL STORY - Jonsa - Coryo

(ANNIE)

My eyes open when I feel myself being lifted out of bed. My muscles are stiff and my eyes are sore. Someone has their arms around me and I start to writhe and I beat my fists against the body that holds me and they’re trying to hurt me, I know they’re going to hurt me –

“Hey, hey, hey, hey, it’s me! Annie!” I know his voice. He holds my wrists in his big hands as gently as he can to keep me from hitting him.  “It’s okay, it’s just me.”

My eyes finally focus on the face before me. Finnick. His pillowy lips and his bright eyes. Cheekbones sharp enough to cut glass. I stop being scared for a moment because you can’t be scared looking at Finnick. Can’t be anything when you’re looking at him cause he’s everything.

He bends down a bit so he’s at eye-level with me. “It’s just me. Nobody else. All right?” He’s so tall. So handsome. “It’s just me. It’s Finnick.”

I manage to nod.

He lets go of my wrists, a guilty look on his face. “I’m sorry to wake you. We’re going home.”

Home. I try to repeat the word, but it clings to the inside of my mouth and instead comes out as an exhausted groan. I try to tighten my grip on Finnick but my fingers won’t listen to what I tell them.

“I’m sorry,” he says again. “I wanted to wait until the stuff they gave you wore off, but we have to be on the train before dawn if we want to avoid the cameras. Your team’s gonna get you changed and then–”

Beest and my prep team appear behind him and usher him out of the room before I can protest. My limbs are still heavy and slow, so they help me change my clothes. A long, plain skirt and a huge sweater with ribbon woven in. It has a wide cowl neck and the sleeves end at my elbows.

I start shouting and trying to push them away from me when they start to scrub my face cause there are too many of them and I don’t want to be touched and I don’t like how it feels but the morphling makes my limbs too heavy to move. Help.

The door busts open. Finnick. Finnick. “Hey!” He comes straight over to me, pushing the others out of his way like swatting flies. “Annie? Hey, hey, hey, you’re all right.”

Mags is beside him now, face creased with worry.

I’m shaky and sleepy. I want to go home now. Can we go home? Back to my nice safe bed, and I can pull the covers up over my head and be by myself and nobody will bother me because nobody can find me there. Yes. Let’s go home.

“Can you stand?” Finnick asks. Try to but my knees give out right away. Finnick manages to catch me before I hit the ground.

“Pick her up,” Mags says. “We’ll carry her to the train.”

Finnick looks at me nervously. “Can I?”

I lift my heavy arms in silent reply. He sweeps me up without ceremony and starts walking. He might as well be holding a glass of water for all the effort it takes him. I’m too fuzzy to get butterflies from the close proximity even though I think I should.

He smells nice.

I nearly start crying when he sets me down on one of the couches in the last car of the train. The ceiling and walls are all glass so I can see the whole world moving past. I’m tired and scared and the only time I feel safe is when he’s there. Thankfully, he doesn’t go far, just to the couch across from mine.

We’ve gone through the security field now; all the big defense guns are behind us and beyond them the elaborate Capitol buildings. Bye-bye. Won’t miss you.

“Can I brush your hair?” Mags asks. “My grandmother used to brush my hair before bed. It always made me feel better.”  

Trees start going by now, faster and faster with every second. How many seconds until I see the lake with those big metal lookouts on top? Until I see the Harrington?

Mags’s voice again. “Annie?”

And what about the ocean? Are the waves still capped white, still strong and beautiful? Or have the just become like the water in the arena?

“Annie?”

Finnick’s voice pulls me back to reality. He’s still sitting on the couch across from me. He leans forward deeply and I lean in, too, cause maybe he wants to tell me a secret. Mags is standing beside him with a brush in hand. She repeats her question and I shake my head because I don’t want anyone to touch me because it’s not safe and I don’t want anyone to touch me.

Mags just smiles. “Are you hungry? I can ask one of the Avoxes to bring peaches. You seem to like those.”

I nod my head. Finnick leaves the room for a moment to talk to someone and comes back in with an armful of the yellowy fruit. He dumps out his harvest on the couch beside me. He hands one fruit to me and another to Mags before selecting his own. He goes back to his couch across the room and plops down, taking a large bite as he does. The juice runs down his chin.

“Thank you, dear,” says Mags.

Finnick smiles in reply.

Mags would’ve been a great mother, but her only baby was stillborn. To this day, no one knows who the father was; she’d never say. The timing of its birth made some people think that the baby was conceived in the Capitol. That doesn’t really matter. She practically raised Finnick, though, and she’s a sort of mother figure to all the victors.

“There won’t be any cameras,” Finnick says to me. His voice is soft, but it’s enough to bring me out of my trance. “No crowds, either. They only told your closest relatives what time we’re coming in.”

Closest relatives.

Bosun.

I burst out into tears just at the thought of his face. His green eyes and his floppy strawberry blond hair.  I don’t know if the crying is happy or sad. I’m not sure if I even missed him or not. I’ve hated him hated him hated him so much in the last few years but I loved him a lot before Daddy died. But he did die, and then Bosun was cruel. He never laid a hand on me, but the things he would say to me hurt even worse but I can never explain it right so no one understands and he’s never like that when other people are around so nobody knows.

I don’t think I want to see him. I don’t think I want to see anyone. I don’t know anybody anymore.

The tears drain what little energy I have left and I soon fall asleep against the cushions.

I drift in and out of twilight sleep, half aware of my surroundings. People are speaking in soft voices; I hear the whole conversation but I don’t understand a single word of what they say. That would require me to concentrate and I can’t do that.

My body gets heavy and heavier but my mind is light and light and the conversation goes away.

I am a bird. I am flying high above the ground, keeping pace with the big train tearing through the woods. We are racing – the train and the pretty bird and what a pretty bird am I.

No. I don’t like the bird song anymore. I don’t want to sing it.

I make a whining noise without meaning to and Mags strokes my hair. “Shh. Go back to sleep.”

But I can’t. Not until I know if Finnick’s here. He should be here. If he’s here then I’m okay because he’s here so I’m okay because he’s here.

I crack my eyes open. He’s slumped in the couch across from mine, arms crossed over his chest, head tilted back at a sharp angle, and mouth open. He’s sleeping, too. And snoring. And drooling.

I can’t help but smile to myself. Finnick Odair, the national standard for beauty, the most popular victor ever crowned, Panem’s favorite son, our district’s finest, the golden boy, is drooling in his sleep. He stirs when he hears me laugh. He straightens up, rubbing the soreness from back of his neck. He uses his free hand to wipe the drool from his face.

I shut my eyes just as he looks at me. I hope he didn’t see.

(FINNICK)

There is only one person waiting at the train station – not including the four Peacekeepers, led by a man we call Shark Teeth because of his big, toothy smile. A boy. Must be around Annie’s age. His hair is a light strawberry color, very different from Annie’s reddish brown. They share the same big, bright eyes. This must be her brother.

“Annie!” he gasps when he catches sight of her.

Annie freezes in place.

He rushes forward with his arms open to embrace her. She squeaks something that I can’t quite make out and jumps behind me to use me as a shield from whatever attack she fears is coming like she did before her final interview.

Bosun’s arms slowly fall back to his sides. Shark Teeth has the decency to pretend he’s doing something else but two of the other Peacekeepers just stare.

There’s a long awkward moment of silence before Proteus steps forward and introduces himself. “Proteus,” he says, shaking Bosun’s hand. “It looks like we’ll be neighbors, assuming you and Annie live together.”

Eefa and Broadsea slipped off while no one was paying attention, leaving me and Mags as the only others to introduce ourselves.

“I’m Bosun,” the boy says. “Annie’s brother.”

“Nice to meet you. I’m Mags. This is Finnick.”

He looks at us for a moment, trying to figure out what words to use. “Thank you.”

Mags smiles softly. “You’re very welcome.” Bosun looks back to check if Annie’s still behind me. Mags distracts him with small talk. “Have you been to Victors’ Isle yet?” She starts talking about the houses and the landscape with enough animation that Bosun is sufficiently distracted.

I turn partway to check on Annie. She already seems more relaxed. She slowly inches out from her hiding place behind me and makes her way over to her brother. She steps back when he tries to hug her again but at least she’s not afraid.

She’s barefoot again. Did she even have shoes on when we got on the train? Does she even understand the concept of footwear?

Bosun looks back and forth between me and Mags to gauge our reactions – surely we of all people will know why she’s acting like this. Mags keeps going like nothing happened; I nod once to reassure him. It’s not that I’m an expert on his sister’s mental breakdown, but he seems to think I am because of the way Annie hid behind me.

“I would love for the two of you to have dinner at my house tomorrow night,” Mags says. “But if you’d rather just be alone I understand.”

Bosun looks to Annie for her opinion but she’s lost interest in what’s going on around her. Her head is bent back so she can look up at the overcast sky. Her lips move but no sound comes out. I realize she’s counting the clouds.

“Sure,” Bosun says after a moment. “Why not?”

(ANNIE)

Bosun tells me all about our new house on Victor’s Isle as we march across the flat, sturdy wooden bridge that connects the island to the primary town, Mainland, and my feet get heavy.

District 4 is a strip of land – practically an island – with the sea on one side and the lake on the other.  Two canals run through it, and the way they’re laid out divides the district into a few semi-islands connected by bridges. Mainland is the largest. It’s where the docks are, where all the longshoremen work loading and unloading ships. It’s where the market is, too, and the shops, and the school and pretty much everything else important.

There are two little islands in the District, too. One is the Rock, which is the worst place in town. The only things there are the group home and the hovels where most of the sirens live. There’s a little graveyard for the handful of people whose families want to bury them. It’s beside burner house where everybody else’s bodies are cremated.

The bridge that connects it to Mainland is narrow and shaky and more than half a mile long. I don’t like going there.

Then there’s Victor’s Isle, of course, which is nice houses and artful landscapes on one side and a forest and cliffs on the other. The bridge that connects it to Mainland is wide and well kept; it’s just under a quarter mile in length.

Bosun says our new house has three floors. There are four or so bedrooms, all on the second level. Bosun’s taken the master bedroom for himself. His things are all in there, though he hasn’t quite sorted everything out. He told me he started getting my room ready, but all the other rooms on the second floor are empty.

I’ve never had a room to myself before; Bosun and I have always shared. At my aunt’s house we slept in the loft. It was small, but at least we weren’t sharing with our terrible cousins – not that Bosun was the easiest person to be around. There was a mattress on the floor and a hammock hung from the ceiling; we’d switch off sleeping in each one.

We reach the Isle and Mags points out everyone’s houses. Broadsea’s is the closest to ours in the semicircle arrangement. Mags’s is directly across from ours. Finnick’s is beside it. “We’ll be just there if you need anything. And please, do tell us if you need anything,” Mags says.

I keep my eyes straight ahead as Bosun leads me to the house. He takes me on a little tour. The ground floor has a kitchen and a huge living room and two bathrooms and a little library I don’t go into. The second floor has bedrooms; Bosun has taken the master for himself. I don’t care and I don’t like this floor because there are too many rooms, too many places for bad things to hide.

“Do you want to see your room?” he finally asks. I nod.

He leads me toward a flight of stairs – the one that leads to the third floor. They’re much narrower than the other ones and slightly steeper, but it’s nothing too hard or unpleasant to climb.

At the very top of the stairs, there’s a door. “You can change rooms if you want. I just thought you might like this one,” Bo says, and opens the door. He steps into the room and gestures for me to enter.

It’s not as big as his room, but it’s still large. There’s barely any furniture – just an armchair and a chest of drawers and a bed. The bed has a metal frame with peeling white paint, and a metal sort of half-canopy set up over the area where the pillows are. There’s a woven net thrown over the frame piece to act as a canopy. It’s one of the nets Bosun and my cousins and I wove; I can tell from the material and the knots. The wooden floor is cold on my bare feet.

Across from the door, there’s an enormous bay window with a cushioned windowsill. If you look out, you can see the grass and the trees and beyond that, the beach. Its curved, though, so it looks out on the other victors’ houses too.

“Do you like it?” Bosun asks. I’d forgotten he was there. I nod wholeheartedly. “Good.”  He waits in the doorway for a few moments longer while I explore the room.

“Big,” I say quietly.

“Is that bad?”

I shake my head. “Just . . . big.”

Bosun and I spend the night wrapped up in blankets on the couch. I even hold his hand at one point but not for very long because it’s not safe because maybe he’ll drag me down into the flood.

He eventually falls asleep but I don’t because I can’t. The dark scares me. And it’s worse since I’m in a new place.  I should make sure all the doors and windows are locked but I’m too tired and too scared to move because there are all sorts of things in the dark and I have to stay very still so they won’t see me.

If something did happen, if I screamed for help, would Finnick hear me? I think so. And I think he would come to help me, too. He seems to me that he likes taking care of other people. Mags makes it sound like that, too.

I look out the window by the door at the other victors’ houses. I pick out Finnick’s and I watch it all night, even after his lights go out. It makes me feel better.

(FINNICK)

Bruises have formed along my chest and shoulder by the time I finish having dinner with Mags, angry purple splotches ringed with yellow that mark the places where Annie hit me this morning when I first tried to wake her. They’ll only look worse tomorrow.

I can’t stop staring at them. I can’t believe Annie made them.

She didn’t mean to hurt me; she was just afraid of the hands and arms around her. She didn’t know who they belonged to. It’s a natural reaction. But it’s still alarming.

I draw myself a bath and sink in as far as I can, which isn’t nearly as far as I’d like because the bathtub is too small for me. Water sloshes onto the floor as I settle in. I keep poking at the bruises to see how bad they are. I’ve certainly had worse, but these aren’t small or shallow. Annie struck me as exceedingly gentle before she entered the arena, like she might apologize to a tree root or a rock for stumbling over it.

It isn’t in shock, at least not anymore, and it’s not just trouble adjusting. Something really is wrong with Annie Cresta. I don’t know if insanity is the right term for it but I know she’s not okay.

President Snow was right. It would be better if she’d died. Better for everyone, really. Better for her, too. At least she wouldn’t be stuck in limbo like this. She may even find peace.

I pray to God I won’t dream tonight. At least not about her.

#finnick #finnick odair #finnick x annie #finnick imagine #odesta #Annie Cresta #fanfiction #Suzanne Collins #ao3 #ao3fic #ao3 writer #Prequel #prequel fic #henry cavill #face claim #Fancast #fanfic #The Hunger Games #catching fire #mockingjay #ballad of Songbirds and Snakes #bosas #President Snow #mags #mags flanagan #imagine #fluff #romance #angst #protective

[abusedapricots]

I JUST finished The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. WOW

I really enjoyed it, though not sure if I’ll feel the same way in a week when the book high has worn off, we’ll have to see.

*UPDATE: its meh, I dont regret reading it but I wouldn't recommend it to a friend. Honestly this book didnt need to be a thing but its not the worst.

I’ll admit, at first I was skeptical. I thought this would be a cash grab returning to an old world with guaranteed readers. I was worried that Panam would feel phony, after 10 years away from the original trilogy I didn't think it would feel real. I was quickly proven wrong. Coriolanus Snow definitely had his own story. The post-war capitol felt real even district 12 felt real. This book surprised me. Though my expectations were low I’m really happy about TBOSAS.

CORE-E-O-LAN-US or CORE-E-O-LANE-US?

I just quickly typed this up for some unbiased thoughts before I watch/read some reviews. As I'm sure there are lots of typos grammatical errors, and sloppy writing, I'll be back in a week to revise this review once I've let the books simmer.

Spoilers Ahead

I loved Coriolanus’ story. LOVED IT. He was smart, reserved, calculating, only ever giving away what was needed of a situation. Maybe it was the narcissist in me but I loved being in his brain. I liked how this book dealt with the other side of classism. How the once-revered Snows had fallen and Coriolanus need to keep up appearances, refusing to let the snow dynasty die. I like how thought-provoking the three C’s, chaos, control, and contract were. I liked how Coriolanus didn't have hard-set opinions, they changed as he grew. I find that a lot of the times with YA novels characters had a very strict world view of what is good and what is bad. Coriolanus’ view of humanity is never really clear until the end. He teetered on good and bad. Suzanne wrote a great villain, Snow was always able to justify his actions. He says it himself, he’s a capitol boy and he decides to play the game of fame and fortune instead of rising against injustice.

Coriolanus’ Superiority Complex

I think my favorite aspect of the book is how unattached Coriolanus was. Every time Coriolanus had to do anything he always weighed his options. He never rushed to help because it was the right thing to do, he did it to preserve an image. He’s all about his image. In the beginning, when he and Lucy Gray begin their relationship, Coriolanus never felt fully in it. Suzanne Collins writes in a way that obscures his motivations. He would often do and say things that made me believe that Coriolanus was really falling for Lucy Gray but then shortly after Coryo always mentions how he could benefit. He’s ‘love’ for Lucy Gray came from the want of the prize, the full ride to university, to bolster him and his family name, I don't think Coryo ever did anything out of pure intentions. He was never blind with love, he could still clearly see the options in front of him and every move was calculated, always self-serving. This is why him switching up on Lucy Gray wasn't very surprising, he saw a better opportunity and he took it. He never really loved her, he loved what she brought him, fame, attention, a chance at the prize, freedom once he used her up he had no use for her. Sure he was drawn in by her charm but in the end, he never really knew her, he had been too self-involved to ever really get to know people.

I think his lack of attachments was best represented in his unwavering distaste towards Sejanus. While he and Sejanus grew close (even just by proximity) Coryo never failed to look down on him, he never seemed to acknowledge that Senjanus’ worries were valid rather, he brushed them off as Sejanus being a district kid, never worthy of respect. When it came to it he was ruthless in his betrayal. Returning to the capitol and having the Plinths care for him as their own only solidified Snow’s heartlessness. I don’t think Snow was a psychopath, lacking all emotion, I think he definitely could have teetered over to the good side, but his superiority complex kept him from doing so. His classist need to divide and look down upon only grew as he goes on to become president. He has a very us against them mentality, a rich vs poor outlook where if you were born district that's all you'll ever be despite proving otherwise. Call it old fashion or heartless? He even had to convince himself and the capitol that Lucy Gray wasn't ‘truly’ a district kid, much less from district 12. He couldn't bear it, to be into someone from the lowest rung of society. It wasn't he style, not for the exceptional Coriolanus Snow. Funny how during the game when choosing which of the remaining mentors to eat with he thought “cannibal over cutthroat” while he was the most merciless himself.

Thoughts On Lucy Gray

I didn’t think she was anything special. Sure she was that cool, quirky™ girl but I’m not head over heels for her. I wasn't ever super invested in her. This might be because I’m reading in Coriolanus’ head, not seeing her as more than something to be used. I liked that she was nothing like Katniss though.

I liked it when Coryo saw her as a killer. When he had found the guns when his heart decided to kill her then. Lucy Gray knew the future too when she saw the guns, she knew it before Coriolanus knew it. She was smart, maybe reading from Coriolanus’ point of view shrouded her intellect as he refused to see anyone being better than him. He justified killing her by thinking of her as a killer. He altered his thoughts of her arena killings as a must for survival to cold-blooded. He no longer saw her as a ‘Poor Lamb’ but instead the “clever, devious, deadly girl”.

It was a shift for both Coryo and Lucy Gray. This showed that Lucy Gray wasn't without fault, she too could be cunning and ruthless, when need be of course. These few pages of the book were monumental in proving why Coriolanus was a bad person. It allowed the audience to see that everyone had this malice in them yet the majority chose not to listen and do the right thing while Coriolanus lead his life with that voice. He actively chose to do the wrong thing to move up in the world. His behavior was not special to him, his up growing, experience, and hardships didn’t make him an evil person, Coriolanus’ choice to choose evil at every turn to do good made him an evil person. Everyone has this malice in them but the majority chose not to act on it while Coriolanus welcomed it.

For Coriolanus, it showed that in his head, he could justify any action despite how cruel. I think this is where Coryo lost any last bit of humanity. He refused to see the world and its people to be good, to be capable of free thought. He saw the world to be controlled. These few pages were my favorite out of the book, I feel it to be the catalyst of his tyrannical rule. He couldn't trust the girl he “loved”, much less the district people.

Concluding Thoughts

This book made me think about responsibilities to preserve humanity vs our individual need to survive and be successful. If this what it takes to be president then so be it? how can you stop someone's pursuit of success? At what cost is someone's dream. At least we know that Coriolanus knows that the hunger games are wrong, he knows but to him its worth the cost of keeping the district complacent.

I think the cruelty of Dr. Gaul was needed to make Snow seem like a halfway decent person. With the addition of Dr.Gaul, it softened Coryo’s shitty behavior because what Coriolanus thinks and does pale in comparison to what Dr. Gaul thinks and does. Without Dr. Gaul, Coryo would have been the only one with these sick cynical thoughts, amplifying him to be the bad guy. I think it would be interesting to re-read this book while writing off Dr. Gaul’s action just to see just how evil Coriolanus is without the comparison of Dr. Gaul’s cruelties. I wonder if I would still be as understanding towards Coryo and if Dr. Gaul’s character had that large an impact to make Coryo seem not too bad.

Though I am left wondering how Tigris was left in the dust by the end of Mockingjay. It seems unlikely that Coryo would have just left Tigris to fend for herself given how fondly he spoke of the sacrifices she made for him and the family name. I wonder how she ended up with a failing fur undergarments business by Mockingjay. Had Coryo betrayed family? Coriolanus is callous but he still had loyalties, his family, Pluribus. It just doesn't seem like his style to leave the few he actually cared about to fend for themselves while he had the means to help. I mean even as peacekeeper Coryo sent most of his money back home. Maybe Tigris was the one that left Coryo as she was made out to be kind and caring, lacking the grandiose nature Coryo possessed. Also given that Tigris is older than Coryo, and him being a pretty old dying man in Mockingjay I can't seem to see Tigris being alive much less as active as she was in helping Katniss (and crew) in killing Coryo. Maybe it was her capitol surgeries that allowed her aging to slow?

I think its interesting that in the end Coriolanus still saw what he had with Lucy Gray as love. Maybe to him what he had was his version of love, being able to use someone and for them to be used so willingly. I wonder if he knows the difference between the two and what real love looks like. I wonder what he thought of Katniss and Peeta, stupidity? what's the point in being with someone if they dont benefit you?

Some stand out quotes:

“Oh, no. You don’t like it?” he exclaimed. “I can try and bring something else. I can-” Pg. 85. When Coryo brings Lucy Gray the bread pudding Tigris made. Coryo’s care of Lucy Gray’s taste preference was sweet. She hadn't had food in a while, having this bread pudding should the highlight of her day. The fact that Coryo cared that she didn’t like it and was quick to offer something else was very sweet of him. Ugh, image the type of gentleman he could have been if he had been genuine and not so rotten.

I like how Suzanne Collins didn’t try to get the audience to love and sympathize with Coriolanus. Instead, she makes it clear that Coryo activity chose to do the self-serving thing at every turn.

I genuinely really enjoyed this book. Maybe my second favorite out of the entire Hunger Games books (bold ranking!!! but it might change once the magic of being nose deep in a book for 3 days has worn off). I think this book works great as a stand-alone, I wouldn't be afraid to recommend it to those who haven't read the trilogy.

UPDATE* woah my post book high is bad. DEFINITELY NOT second favorite??? HUHH?? what was I saying? what was I thinking?? (my deep seeded resentment towards mockingjay is showing) this book in no way supersedes any of the trilogies, yes including mockingjay 😒.

I’m not gonna lie, I did start developing a crush on Coryo in the beginning. Him being so smart and driven, so gentlemanly, caring about the little things like handkerchiefs SWOON. Buuuuut he quickly became an ass.

I said that the title “The Ballad of Songbird and Snakes” was a ripoff of “A Song of Ice and Fire” before reading the book. I thought Miss Collins just wanted a super sick book name but as I have finished the book, I would like to formally apologize and retract my statement. The title does fit this book.

SNOW LANDS ON TOP

#the ballad of songbirds and snakes #hunger games #suzanne collins #coriolanus snow #coryo #snow lands on top #why did I write a 2000 word analysis on this book while I can't bring myself to do my one page of homework?

[catindabag]

TBOSAS CRACK! TAKE: ✨AMNESIAC!CORYO SNOW✨

It’s that time of the year where my favorite buddies from the other side of the ocean text me nonstop about their weirdest TBOSAS/THG prompts. Lol. One of them even gave me a call yesterday to make a short crack!AU about our poor cabbage boy (Coryo Snow) accidentally getting ✨amnesia✨ after the Arena Explosion Incident (which is honestly an interesting idea to write and read).

However, because of that, my crack!fueled brain is currently stuck on the mental image of seeing an amnesiac Coryo Snow trying to navigate his old/new life in the Capitol without remembering anything, even the Dark Days and the Hunger Games. He might even become Himbo!Coryo or Soft!Coryo for all we know. Well, let’s just say that his original personality was deliberately thrown out and erased forever when he finally woke up in the Hospital.

But seriously, think about it. If Coryo had amnesia after the explosion, he wouldn’t be able to get Sejanus out of the Arena or save Lucy Gray from the snakey snakes because of his memory loss. He wouldn’t even be of use to Dr. Gaul, which will affect the future of the Hunger Games.

And honestly, I believe that the games would eventually die out in this AU because amnesiac Coryo is not fit to do anything “that” complex. So say goodbye to Snow’s political dreams and ambitions.

Lol. Coryo’s new hobbies will be cooking, gardening, and sewing whether he likes it or not because Tigris is now the head of the family.

Moreover, even if Lucy Gray won and Sejanus was still alive by this point, Highbottom can’t just send an amnesiac Coryo to District 12 because our cabbage boy technically didn’t cheat in this AU.

So hypothetically speaking, let’s say that Coryo won the Plinth Prize. He still wouldn’t be accepted in the University because of his current condition. So what’s his next step?

Option 1: Work in the fashion industry with Tigris in order to pay rent.

Option 2: Marry Sejanus Plinth and his money.

Option 3: Become the best gardener in all of Panem.

Option 4: Sue Highbottom and Dr. Gaul for the Arena Explosion and end the Hunger Games.

Option 5: Marry Plinth, end the Hunger Games, and live a vapid wealthy lifestyle while sipping tea with Festus, Felix, Clemmie, and Lizzie.

Either way, Sejanus is happy that amnesiac Coryo genuinely likes him now.😂

They be like:

Sejanus: Coryo, I’m so glad that you’re alive!

Coryo: Um- who are you again?

Sejanus: I’m your friend!

Coryo: My friend?

Sejanus: Since childhood.

Coryo: You’re my childhood friend?

Sejanus: And more~.😘

Coryo: What do you mean-

Sejanus: We’re together~.😍

Coryo: Together?!

Sejanus: That’s right, my love!

Coryo: My love?!

Sejanus: Yup! I’m your husband-

Tigris: Sejanus Plinth, what are you doing?

Sejanus: Tigris, hi-

Tigris: Are you bothering my poor baby cousin again?!

Sejanus: It’s not what it looks like! I swear-

Tigris: Get away from my poor baby cousin, Plinth!

Sejanus: Coryo’s mine now!

Tigris: He’s mine first!

Sejanus: He said yes!

Tigris: I never gave you my blessing!

Sejanus: Take my money!

Tigris: I’m calling the Peacekeepers!

Coryo: Ugh. My head hurts.😞

#tbosas #crack post #crackship #snowjanus #snowplinth #coriolanus x sejanus #coriolanus snow #president snow #sejanus plinth #lucy gray baird #tigris snow #grandma’am #dr gaul #casca highbottom #the ballad of songbirds and snakes #ballad of songbirds and snakes #hunger games #thg #the hunger games #suzanne collins #alternative universe #crack treated seriously #tbosas incorrect quotes #tbosas fic #thg fic #thg incorrect quotes