HEART OF GOLD | CORIOLANUS SNOW

𝘾𝙃𝘼𝙋𝙏𝙀𝙍 91

All the Gamemakers not required for transportation of the tributes to the arena had been instructed to assemble at the Capitol Arena at eight. Although the Games didn't commence until ten, they only had an hour to work—final camera and sound checks, overseeing the set-up of the breakfast buffets—before guests started streaming in at nine.

As Head Gamemaker, Coriolanus would not be personally involved. He wasn't even here in a supervisory capacity; he trusted his team to get their jobs done. Leading by example, however, had been very effective for him in earning and thereby commanding respect, both here and in the military. He was therefore always present when asking more from his subordinates.

Never ask a man to do something you are not prepared to do yourself.

Predictably, Lilith arrived with her friends rather than her father. Athena Click and Olympia Heavensbee plucked a cup each from the pulp carrier tray borne by the brunette, leaving two in her possession as they split up, trotting toward their respective mentors. People always dressed up for the first day of the Games, as they did for the reaping, and Coriolanus wasn't surprised that Lilith had jumped on the opportunity.

No, he was surprised by the colour of her outfit, and apparently, she felt the same way about him.

Decked in an elegant cream ensemble, Lilith halted abruptly in her tracks, yet maintained perfect balance on her heels—glossy, three-inch high stilts, with a rounded cover over her toes and narrow straps buckled around her ankles. Face powdered, cheeks rouged, lips painted, she was more made-up than usual, but not to the heavy-handed extent of Monday. This was her formal events standard, he figured, recalling the look on similar occasions like her birthday, his birthday...

To each of her earlobes had been fastened a single pearl, but Coriolanus discerned no necklace. Her collarbones were shrouded under her top, which additionally featured puffy, balloon-like sleeves that stretched to her elbows. It was the same—or at least largely similar as determined by his untrained eye—as the one she'd worn to Dr. Gaul's funeral. He hadn't quite liked it that day.

Admittedly, it had been a refined and dignified pairing with a matching skirt that hung past her knees. With her hair bound into a low ponytail as seen at Andromeda Heavensbee's ceremony, however, not the high, bouncy things she had sported while styling up the tributes, she'd looked overly mature and solemn, too dark and too austere.

Today, though, that stuffiness was alleviated by the light hue and a short skirt made of the same textured fabric but ending mid-thigh rather than mid-calf. Only the upper sections of her mane had been pulled back, with enough of her chestnut tresses allowed to flow behind her back. At the moment, he couldn't tell if they were adorned with any flowers.

Examining his jacquard suit, which according to the invoice was off-white, Lilith seemed less amused—his sentiment—and more unnerved. Was it his tie and rosebud, which were coincidentally a pink indistinguishable from that of the purse dangling from her shoulder? Finally, she overcame herself and proceeded toward him.

Jokingly, Coriolanus said, "Perhaps I should grant you access to my wardrobe and not just my calendar."

"That would be useful," replied Lilith, albeit not quite matching his level of humour as she handed him his coffee.

"Thanks." He took a sip. Lilith did the same with her drink—hot chocolate, by the looks of the barista's shorthand. As she licked it off her lips, she just stood there, furrowing her brows at absolutely nothing at all. "Everything okay?"

Peering up at him, Lilith glanced around their surroundings, as though checking for something.

"When do you think you might have a minute?" she asked, quiet and tentative. "There's something I'd like to discuss with you."