𝐖𝐈𝐂𝐊𝐄𝐃 𝐆𝐀𝐌𝐄 [𝐂𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐮𝐬 𝐒𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐱 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫] 🔞

ꜰᴏᴜʀ: ᴛʜᴇ ʜɪɴᴛɪɴɢ

Not even if it involved self defense would Sunny ever harm another person. He made it clear that it was against everything his religion stood for, hence the reason as to why he did not plan on making it out alive in protest of what the Capitol was forcing them to do. You were not as surprised as you thought you would have been hearing this. You were aware that not every tribute could find the heart to be a killer. From what you gathered, Sunny Flanagan was a kind, friendly individual who simply cherished life. You would just have to work with him and figure something else out.

"Is something on your mind?"

Coriolanus' voice pulled you out of deep thought. You could tell there was a hint of concern in his voice. His eyes were studying you, trying to determine the source of your turmoil.

You hesitated before answering him. "I was talking to Sunny and... he has no interest in winning the games and plans on dying in there. He doesn't want to harm anyone which I can't blame him for. I just feel... I don't know... sad because I want to help him win so badly."

You no longer wanted the Plinth Prize. The moment you saw Sunny and his family on the television, you knew all you wanted was to get him home safe. Hearing him talk about them today only fueled you to try further.

Coriolanus listens, his expression grave as you shared about your tribute who had so much potential to be the victor. The thought of the tribute willingly giving up his chance to win was sitting uneasily with him. "That..." He starts slowly, his own expression mirrored yours. "That's... a bit of a problem."

"I know. I can't blame him for feeling like that or other tributes for preparing to kill each other for the chance to live. But I... I can't get what I saw from the reaping out of my head," You say, your voice a little shaky. "His mom and sister holding onto him. His mom crying on the ground. She and his sister are by themselves now. And I just feel so... helpless. I want to return him to them but... what am I going to do..?"

Coriolanus reaches out, setting his hand on your shoulder to comfort you. His thumb gently rubs over the fabric of your uniform as he speaks. "You can't blame yourself. This isn't your fault. You have to understand that we can't control everything. And sometimes... we can't save everyone."

"No, I can't accept that. I'm going to try to figure something out. I'm obligated to at least try, no?" You say stubbornly, glancing up at the blonde. Without thinking, you reached up and placed your hand over his.

Coriolanus' heart thumps harder in his chest at the contact of your hand. Something he was not expecting.

"Yes, you absolutely can try. You should do everything you can, but you have to remember..." He hesitates to continue, caution in his voice. "You have to guard your heart. You can't let yourself get too attached. Otherwise..."

You frowned, your eyes low.

He watched you look down, frustration for you swelling inside of him. He knew your nature, your compassion, your ability to care deeply for others. It's what drew him to you in the first place. But he also knew that the games would chew you up if you were not careful.

"Listen to me," He says, his voice slightly more stern now. He reached out with his free hand, placing it on your chin and gently tilting your face so you were looking at him again. "I want you to promise me something."

Your heart leapt into your throat, your face turning red as you felt the touch of his hand against your skin. The strange sensation of butterflies filling your stomach returned as you met his gaze. You were suddenly overwhelmed with nervousness. You swallowed hard before answering. "What?"

Coriolanus looks at you, his expression earnest. "Promise me you won't let it consume you. That you won't get so wrapped up in trying to save him that you will forget to look after yourself. Because it will break you, otherwise. And I can't bear to see that happen."

It really did seem like he cared.

You released a breath you did not realize you were holding, nodding. "Okay. I promise."

Coriolanus held your gaze, searching for any signs of dishonesty. When he found none, the tension in his shoulders ease slightly.

"Good. Because I..." He trails off, the words he wants to say caught in his throat.

"What, Coriolanus?" You ask him, encouraging for him to tell you what he wanted to say.

His voice catches slightly at the sound of your voice, the way you said his name. His heart pounds in his chest, a thousand thoughts and emotions running through his head. He feels many unsaid confessions rise up in his throat, the need to pour out exactly how he felt about you.

But he can't. Not here. Not yet.

Instead, he simply shakes his head and released your chin. He glances around the gates of the zoo, aware of the people surrounding the two of you and their chatter. "Nothing." He replies, his voice coming out a little more raspy than intended.

You were puzzled by the way he was behaving towards you recently. Your mind was filled with questions and uncertainty, beginning to wonder if there was something more going on between the two of you. You attempted to hide how much you were starting to think into this.

"Nothing?" You repeat, clearly unconvinced.

Coriolanus could see right through your attempt to appear calm. Your nerves may have been masked, but he could sense the anxiety emanating from the way you spoke. He let out a quiet exhale.

"Forget it." He says finally, his tone betraying a hint of frustration, both with himself and the situation. He looks away, running a hand through his blonde curls.

• • •

You had initially tried to brush off what had happened today, convincing yourself that you were simply reading too much into things. However, as you remembered all the interactions you had shared with Coriolanus, you were easily able to pinpoint the sentimental hints he gave off.

You laid in bed after dinner, picking apart every word and gesture he had made towards you. The one you could not get out of your head was the way he had touched your chin earlier. You felt your heart race as you replayed the gesture in your mind once more. You giggled while you daydreamed about it, a huge grin spreading across your face.

Hold on- does Coriolanus Snow like you? Did you like him??

Your cheeks flushed and you gasped, slapping a hand over your mouth.

That would make so much sense. He had been noticeably less flirty with you recently and slowly became more awkward. Which was unlike him, he was typically known as a smooth talker.

But he is pretty cute when he's shy...

You groaned to yourself. You were so nervous to see him tonight to work on Dr. Gaul's assignment. And at the same time, you were eagerly anticipating it.

You pushed those thoughts towards the back of your mind. You needed to take the time to think about what you could possibly do to accommodate to Sunny's passive nature. What could potentially aid him to victory in the arena without having him actively engage in violence?

You sat up in your bed and grabbed your journal off your nightstand. You rapidly jotted down your thoughts before you could forget. You needed to pitch your idea to Coriolanus when he gets here. You were certain you came up with a solution that could benefit both of your tributes.