SPARK ✩ CORIOLANUS SNOW.¹

𝐬𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧.

          The knock on his door came abruptly, stirring him from a deep, restless sleep. Jude's eyes were dry when he blinked them open, red with irritation when he risked a quick glance in the attached bathroom. He rubbed his palms into his eyelids, then his fingers through the muss of mangled hair limply hanging on his shoulders.

A second knock came as he was changing clothes, and Jude groaned in frustration before deciding to abandon the shirt and head to the living room's entrance. He definitely wasn't letting anyone in, so it didn't matter.

He unlocked the door's main lock, leaving the deadbolt chained. Tugging the door open, he leaned an eye in the open gap. "What the hell do you want?" He demanded gruffly, having no patience that early for the person on the other side.

Coriolanus Snow smiled. "I told you I'd see you tomorrow, didn't I?"

"It's the asscrack of dawn."

"Such filthy words." He clicked his tongue, nodding toward Jude's still shut door. "Are you going to let me in?"

Jude's eyebrows furrowed, a scowl staining his expression. "Why the hell would I do that?"

"If I have to explain everything to you, Jude," the Gamemaker sighed, slowing his words as if he were speaking to a child, "you truly have no chance of winning."

His mouth opened to argue, and closed, opening again and staying for a split second. Coriolanus did nothing but watch him, the two corners of his mouth pulled into a dare of a smile. Jude's lips pinched together as he slammed the door shut.

With a few grumbled curses, Jude made his way back to his new bedroom. He threw open the dresser drawers, finding a long-sleeve black shirt and putting it on with an equally disgruntled huff. The drawer below had some sort of training gear pants made out of cargo, and he went ahead and put them on too. There was no way he was letting some Capitol drama queen into his -- though temporary -- space and show him up. He wasn't even looking at the man's outfit but he knew it was far too fancy for the occasion and therefore Jude hated him.

Honestly, Jude marched back into the living room with the confidence that Coriolanus was gone. He truthfully hoped for it. What mentorship could he even offer, anyways? Rumors whispered through the streets years ago that his previous mentorship, Lucy Gray Baird, only won through him cheating, and now those Hunger Games were as erased as she was. He wasn't going to be erased like she was because of decisions he made.

Unfortunately for him, he unchained the deadbolt and was met with a bored looking Gamemaker. Jude's face dropped into a frown. Deep red suit empty of any wrinkles, cream colored undershirt, and a creamy white rose in the jacket pocket. The man looked stupidly immaculate, even wearing his frustration so evident on his face.

"I was about to knock again," Coriolanus stated matter-of-factly, nodding at the door again. He did a onceover of Jude, and Jude stood taller at the scrutiny. He refused to shrink under the gaze of someone who was used to the prim-and-proper when he was being sent to die. "Shall we finally get started?"

Jude stepped out of the doorway and back into his room, gesturing defeatedly for Coriolanus to follow. The apartment, while bigger than his at home, was not much. The biggest of the space was dedicated to the shared room in the middle of the apartments where the two district partners could unwind on a large leather couch, or two plush looking chairs, both surrounding a large screen on the opposing wall. His apartment had a living space that doubled as a dining space, a small kitchen and a bedroom with a full bathroom attached to it.

He was not self conscious for the Gamemaker to be there, but he was uncomfortable to be in such close proximity of him, and for such a long period of time. Here was the man who held his life in his palms – and he was supposed to relax? Jude circled around the opposite side of the room, standing behind the couch to put some space between them for his own comfort.