Light the Way

Chapter Nine

Coriolanus left the Lumen's residence feeling light and content. His lips were a bit swollen, the sweet smell of vanilla lingered around him. The streets were empty and dark, the occasional streetlamp lighting the way, so the Avox was able to speed him home without any issue. He had hoped the Corso would be just as deserted, with Tigris and Grandma'am fast asleep, making it easier for him to slip into bed without the barrage of questions. Where were you? Who were you with? Who's got you smiling like that?

To Coriolanus' dismay, as he exited the elevator of the gloriously renovated building, he noticed bright lights creeping out from under the doorway. He paused a moment at the door, taking a deep breath and mentally preparing himself to keep a straight face any time he mentioned Olivia Lumen.

It's just a crush, he reminded himself. In a few weeks it'll lose its sheen and you'll be back to normal, he thought. Although, talking about Livia Cardew never made him feel this way. It was the exact opposite, he'd pay someone to never have to think about her again.

Going inside, he was met with what could only be described as a fashion crime scene. Clothes were piled up all around the entryway and furniture. Bright colours and patterns stacked on top of each other to create a big mass of neon and animal prints. Various pieces of material were scattered around, making it look like someone got ripped to shreds in here. Somewhere under one of the larger piles in the middle of the room, a voice piped out.

"Coryo, you're back! Just in time because I need-" Tigris started, climbing out from under one of the piles to greet her cousin. She took one look at the boy in front of her, who was trying to not look so sheepish and exclaimed, "oh you look like you've had a fun night!" She clasped her hands together, excited to see her cousin finally enjoying life.

"Tigris, what's going on in here?" Coriolanus tried to change the subject, gesturing around the room with the piles of clothes. Willing to do anything to take the attention away from him and his rosy cheeks.

"I'm preparing for my first launch, and I need it to be perfect. Can you help me? I need someone to model some of the menswear for me. It's just a few pieces that need tailoring and you have the perfect shape for it all." She gushed. She seemed so alive, and happy, being able to commit every spare moment to her dreams now. How could he say no to her?

"Absolutely, Tigris. You lead the way, I'm all yours." He answered, moving to follow her.

They danced around the various piles of clothes and made their way towards Tigris' room which doubled as her second workstation. In there, she had a full shooting area to take photographs and a full size tailoring table used to make alterations to her clothes. She rented out a larger studio on the main strip downtown where she did the bulk of her design work, but always seemed to have most of her creative ideas here, at home.

He tried on the first suit set she had laid out – a navy blue jacket made of a silk material with black embroidering weaved to make it look like there were black flames eating away at the coat tails of the jacket. The slacks were similar, silky and flowy, with similar flames licking down the legs. The suit was much too big for him, and much too loud for his style, but she was right, he had the perfect frame for this kind of thing.

Coriolanus stood in front of the mirror for her while she put her fingers on her temples and began to envision what the final product should look like. Making him twirl and bend in various positions so she could picture it. Tigris let out a triumphant hum meaning she had her eyes set on a final look and was ready to get to work. Grabbing some pins, she ordered him to stay still and began tucking them away into the pant legs.

He took the time to look at himself in the mirror – his blue eyes staring back at him, the colour getting lost with this suit. His hair was growing back, thick blond curls returned to his once shaved head, reminding him he was home again. And far away from the Districts and their problems. He was able to maintain his muscular build, giving thanks to Peacekeepers for keeping up such a routine. Watching his cousin, he regretted how little time they'd spent together since he got back. Everything just happened so quickly.