I really love you keep him there/christmas kiss! you mention that it’s common theme amongst polite capitol society children to have known each other their entire lives, did this also include sejanus when he arrived in the capitol? and was she friends with him? 🥺
you'll never belong - coriolanus snow.
Pairings/Characters: Coriolanus Snow x Reader. Sejanus Plinth. Arachne Crane.
Word Count: 1.1k+.
Apart of: You Keep Him There. Christmas Kiss - however, these can absolutely all be read as stand alones.
A/N: I know this wasn't a request but, it does answer your question and it's an opportunity to introduce one of the reasons why she doesn't 'like' Coriolanus.
Also, military family = her mother's side; blizzards = father's side (murdoch is paternal grandfather).
Heavensbee Hall buzzes with excitement, every available standing and sitting space filled with Academy faculty, graduates and their parents, bar yours - not that it mattered to you. For the last ten years, July 4th has been a high priority and exceptionally busy day for your family with your parents always personally overseeing the network’s airing of the Reaping for each District - not even your graduation could take priority over that. Not that you’d expect it to either, you had barely scraped a pass; it was with the help of one person that you were graduating at all, one person you were currently looking for and had finally spotted in the corner with his parents.
You quickly tell your grandparents, “I’ll be back.”
But before you can step away from them, you’re immediately stopped by them - the pair acting as eyes and ears for your parents. You didn’t blame your parents for the precaution and if it had been up to you, you wouldn’t have been here at all but, instead with them. Unfortunately for you however, they had asserted that you were to attend your graduation and remain present for the entire ceremony - no exceptions. They’d even gone so far as to inform your Aunt to keep an eye out for you since she’d be present as a guest of honour.
“Where are you going?” your grandfather asks gruffly.
You nod towards Sejanus Plinth and show him the medium-sized gift box in your hand.
“I need to give this to him.”
There’s a look of disdain mixed with suspicion in his eyes as he looks to where you nod, at the Plinth’s, then back at you until finally he relents but, not without a warning to remain in his sight.
You want to roll your eyes, your mother knew what she was doing when she sicked her military parents on you.
Weaving through several bodies to get to him, you catch bits and pieces of conversations here and there. Only one catches your attention however, involving your three elite cohort - the topic bringing you to a halt.
“... I don’t like him, Arachne. I tolerate him. He’s district.”
“No need to guess who the three of you are talking about,” you interrupt Coriolanus, Arachne and Festus.
“Well, well, well,” Arachne drawls with her nasally voice. “So nice of you to actually show but, shouldn’t you be in the Academy Rouge? You certainly didn’t place in the top 24.”
“You know it’s funny you mention that, Arachne, because Murdoch actually offered to buy me your place in the top 24 but, out of the kindness of my heart, I told my grandfather, no.”
Thick tension fills the air, Arachne’s red painted lips dropping into a scowl, furthermore when you lean in close and remind her of her place.
“Never forget, Arachne - truth doesn’t matter, only perception and I control the narrative, always,” you smile, saccharine. “Not you.”
You want to roll your eyes at the stubborn look of hidden terror on her face. As if you’d actually do anything to the detriment of any of them - Murdoch had successfully hammered unwavering allegiance to this little group here - The Old Guard of the Elite - into you but, still... they could use a little reminding every now and then of their place.
Stifled laughter from both boys breaks the tension and you divert your attention to them, specifically Coriolanus; your eyes immediately finding the red rose pinned to his waistcoat, the smallest of thorns still present on its stalk.
“A rose,” you touch the stalk gently. “So, very fitting of you. Beautiful to look at but harmful if you touch.”
You allow the thorn to prick your finger, a little bulb of blood blossoming on the tip. You hold your finger up to show him.
“A shame that not everyone knows this,” you tell him disdainfully.
Recognition flashes in his eye, you’re talking about Sejanus - you excuse yourself from the group, carrying onto your final destination who was already headed your way but not to you.
“Hey,” Sejanus greets you with a small smile when you plant yourself in his path.
You bypass the greetings, “where are you going?”
You already know where he’s going and you’re not surprised when he tells you - to Coriolanus - but, you asked as a courtesy.
“Why?”
“There’s something I need to tell him before the ceremony starts.”
“There’s no need to talk in code, I already know about the Plinth Prize or should I say lack thereof.”
Sejanus looks at you puzzled but, before he can ask how you know, you provide him with the answer.
“You all seem to forget who my Aunt is, she’s the one who told me.”
Recognition becomes Sejanus and he nods in understanding.
“Hey, listen.” You step closer to him. “You should really stop hanging out with Coriolanus.”
“And why is that?”
“He’s not your friend.”
This makes him laugh, “oh and you are?”
“Compared to him? Absolutely I am. Sejanus, you could have all the money in the world and it will never make them- him like you.”
Sejanus bristles at your words, becoming defensive - you don’t mean to hurt him but, you do.
“Thank you for pointing out the obvious,” he tells you bitterly. “As if I needed another reminder that I’ll never belong here.”
You roll your eyes, “I’m not trying to remind you that you don’t belong here, I’m trying to tell you that they don’t care about you. Coriolanus Snow does not care about you.”
“And how exactly would you know that when you only care about yourself?” he snaps at you. "He has been the only person who has ever been my fri-"
“Well then you are as stupid as you are willful, Sejanus Plinth because Coriolanus Snow only cares about Coriolanus Snow,” you cut him off.
Irritation seeps into your voice because what he said wasn’t true about Coriolanus or about you.
You were fiercely protective of those you care for and love - your military grandfather said it would be your downfall - and right now, despite your unwavering allegiance to the Old Guard, you were stupidly trying to protect him.
“He’s going to get you into trouble or worse- but you know what? What do I care, right? So, whatever- here.” you shove the box into his hand. “My thanks for your help.”
You don’t give him time to process, swiftly turning and walking away once you feel his hands take hold of the medium-sized gift box - baked goods from District 2.
That would be the last conversation you’d had with Sejanus Plinth before he was hanged for treason in District 12 only two months later.
You’d hardly known him and yet you cared for him; his death still hurt.
The truth of Sejanus's death would find you eventually, haunting your relationship with Coriolanus; unable to completely trust him.
-
Can you guess where the Blizzard family has made their wealth?
-
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Disclaimer: I do not own any characters/places mentioned above.
Do not copy. Do not translate. Do not repost.
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