Disclaimer: Nope, just a fanfiction writer. I would be richer, if I did.
Story: Peeta dies. Katniss isn't returned home and is forced to live in the Capitol. Seneca tries to be her salvation. AU drabbles.
Set AU at the end of the first book, "The Hunger Games."
Spoilers: Just the first book.
Warnings: Cursing and violence for now…hm, just in case since I'm usually writing it, bit of crazy humor, perverted humor, morbid or sarcastic humor, and maybe some sexual situations…
Pairings: Seneca/Katniss, ambiguous Gale/Katniss, one-sided (almost not) past Peeta/Katniss.
Caged Nightingale
Romans (with a side of Drinks)
Wine:
"I'll be right back," Katniss calls, lugging a box to a room.
"I'm bringing sexy back
Them other boys don't know how to act
I think it's special, what's behind your back?
So turn around and I'll pick up the slack (Take it to the bridge)
"Dirty babe, you see these shackles
Baby I'm your slave
I'll let you whip me if I misbehave
It's just that no one makes me feel this way~"
Seneca glances blankly at the cell phone innocently sitting on the kitchen counter, playing the provocative song.
"Can you answer that? Stupid Finnick, probably got his hands on my phone again and chose that stupid song…" he's pretty sure he hears her mutter from the other room.
Seneca tentatively reaches out and takes the phone, answering it. And then he was subjected to five minutes of Finnick relating a play-by-play of a date he'd just ended (with details he's pretty sure he didn't want to know) and orders him to relate the whole thing word for word to Katniss. Perhaps he shouldn't have said that Katniss was too busy to get on the phone…
When it's all done and over with, Seneca decides he really, really needs a drink.
Fumbling around Katniss' kitchen, he grabs a wine glass and goes to the fridge where a wine bottle is waiting and ready (set aside especially for him). He doesn't waste any time pouring a drink.
"Hey, you okay?" he turns to see Katniss looking at him in amusement with raised eyebrows.
"Peachy," he replies sarcastically.
She smirks and slides into a seat next to him. "Can I have a taste?" she gestures to his glass.
He hesitates, remembering the last time she had wine…
The day is finally over and he's completely exhausted. He's just turning up to Katniss' walkway, when he catches a glimpse of some of the peacekeepers' faces. Some of them are fighting off grins while others are full out chuckling. Then he looks over at the house and sees bright neon lights flashing out of the windows.
He nearly gapes, but catches himself in time and hurries to the door. When he enters, he's not expecting what he sees next.
A strobe light ball is in the middle of the living room, causing all the lights flashing everywhere. Finnick is dancing crazily with him shaking his entire body like he was having a seizure, dressed in only his boxers. Katniss, on the other hand, is dancing eerily the same, except less rowdily and was shaking her arse more to the beat of the song and…dressed in one of Seneca's shirts? He wasn't even going to dwell on the beard drawn on Finnick's face and supposed to be like his…
"When I walk on by, girls be looking like damn he fly
I pay to the beat, walking on the street with in my new lafreak, yeah
This is how I roll, animal print, pants out of control –"
He sees two bottles of wine, one empty and the other almost to the bottom as well, set aside.
When he suggested that Finnick come over for Katniss to actually be able to tell someone she was engaged, because they weren't really supposed to let anyone know just yet (but Finnick wasn't known to be close so this would have been perfect), this was not what he had in mind.
"Seneca! You're home!" Katniss giggles and waves hectically at him. "We're celebrating the engagement!"
Finnick slings an arm around her shoulders and gives him a thumbs up.
"Congratulations, Seneca. Do I get to be best man?"
"I'm sexy and I know it, I'm sexy and I know it
Check it out, Check it out
Wiggle wiggle wiggle wiggle wiggle, Yeah!"
Dear Lord…the song was on repeat.
He's still hesitating and she instinctively starts pouting, just knowing what he was remembering.
"It was just that one time. And I just want one sip," she huffs, twitching.
Even as he slowly hands over his glass to her, he has one thought running through his head.
Sometimes he regrets introducing Finnick to Katniss.
Cinderella:
"What are you doing?" she asks, watching in interest as Seneca takes out three types of juices and a mixer.
"Making you a drink," he replies simply.
Her eyebrows fly up. "I thought you declared that I was a lightweight and that I was especially unfit for wine?"
He smiles at her. "Exactly. That, plus you are underaged to be drinking. I thought, instead of wine, I could make you a non-alcoholic drink. It's called a Cinderella. You take three ounces of lemon juice, orange juice, and pineapple juice, mix and then serve with ice."
She can't stop the blush from coming, so she turns her head away and tries to shrug nonchalantly.
Still…
She glances at him from under her eyelashes, watching him carefully pour the juices into the mixer, his concentration fully on the task of making her drink. She bites her lips, starting to smile as she watched.
"You know, in a very twisted way, this whole thing is like a fairytale. A bad fairytale, but still a fairytale. Getting the whole royal treatment and all, like Cinderella? I guess the drink is kind of fitting," she says, keeping her voice neutral.
She sees him pause and only barely manages to see him slightly tense. Then he turns to her and holds out her finished drink, smiling softly.
"Well then, here's my princess' drink."
She takes the highball glass filled with her drink and holds it in both of her hands, staring down at it.
"…Hey…sometimes, you really make me happy midnight's never come."
When she focuses on and tastes her drink, she misses the astonished gaze he sends her way at her words before the gaze gives way to a happy look.
Water:
She twirls her legs in the water, watching the circles she makes in subdued interest. Hermes, her sweet jabberjay, is twittering around her right hand, as she used the other to tug her rolled up pants further up her thighs.
"Hey there. Why are you dipping your legs in your lap pool?" she hears Seneca from behind her.
She glances up at him and was about to make a smart remark, when she forgets the glass of water she'd placed beside her and almost spills it. Her hand snaps out to steady it, but so does Seneca's and amusingly little Hermes. Afterwards, she moves the glass and Seneca shifts and sits beside her, though he keeps his legs away from the water.
"I was just thinking," she murmurs. "I'm supposed to be this Girl on Fire figure and Snow wants to put out the flames so badly…that maybe I should just embrace 'water.' Besides, I remember my father used to tell me a glass of water revives the senses and the soul. It keeps your body clean and refreshes it. Water is the source of life."
She idly takes a sip of her water before putting it back down, gazing back at the waters and doing a little kick with her feet.
"You know what you remind me of? You're kind of like water to me," she says sincerely.
She was having an honest moment here, and she'd be damned if she messed it up now.
She pushes him into the water and he sputters up to the surface after a moment, but before he could say anything, she jumps in after him and pulls him back under the surface. Before she could change her mind, she pushes herself against him and places her lips against his. He's stiff in shock before he's pushing back against her, and his hands are tangling in her hair and she doesn't know what to do so she lets him lead. His lips are moving roughly against hers, like at any moment he was afraid she'd break off suddenly and he just wants to take as much as he can get right now before it all ends.
He feels like a desperate man, dying of thirst, and his kiss tells her everything and nothing –he's been waiting for this forever, she's not sure what it means to him, he loves her, she can't tell what's going on in his head (if anything at all) while he's kissing her…
They're running out of air and she's starting to feel lightheaded, but they're clutching tightly to each other and they're not letting go. The water is heavy and pushing down on them, but they're still suspended in the midst of it, and their bodies are molding into each other's like puzzle pieces (where does he begin, where does she end?).
Then they're pulling back and then hurriedly drifting back to the surface, gasping out and breathing heavily for air once their torsos are above the water. They're looking at each other and she sees a light in his eyes, along with hope, and an amazed look on his face as he gazes at her.
She doesn't regret her decision to take a step forward.
Caesar:
"Seneca…why don't you just bring all your stuff here?"
He looks at her in surprise, trying to understand what she meant.
She looks at him pointedly. "You practically live here, especially after the spam thing. We've been comfortable sharing a room since that first time, and have shared one consistently since you proposed. Half of my drawers have your stuff in it. You have an extra toothbrush here. Take the spare key and keep it as your own; just move in and make it official."
She tosses the spare key to her home at him and he catches it easily.
Seneca fights off a smile, but doesn't succeed. "It would make sense for me to just move in –we are getting married anyways and it's not like I'm not here all the time or share a room with you. Plus, your house is larger than my penthouse, so it would be logical to make this place our living space after the marriage."
"Great. Now hand me that knife and hold this thing steady. I swear, I never did like cooking turkey. And at least I don't have to skin this thing like I did back home!"
Seneca laughs lightly at her and she shares a smile.
A little later, he contemplates that Katniss is better and feeling a little more comfortable here at the Capitol. But she still doesn't know many people closely, ones she can talk to as freely. She talks closely with him and slowly has become easily attached to Finnick. She has an odd relationship with her peacekeepers that enables her to communicate with them without speaking, and he's rather proud he can also do the same thing with her. But outside of them, she's rather isolated –as Snow had intended.
At least they've managed to expand her circle of friends more than Snow would ever have thought they could.
He decides to take Finnick's advice and calls up Brutus.
The man sounds sedate on the phone, agreeably conceding to coming over for a visit. He doesn't sound like the down man he'd gotten the impression from Finnick.
His eyebrows practically disappear into his hairline when Brutus is calling him the next day, asking when is it a good time for him to come over. Apparently, as he gathers the facts, the victor had gotten on the bullet train as soon as he'd gotten off the phone with Seneca, and had reached the Capitol by nightfall. He guesses Brutus is truthfully actually eager for the meeting, much more than he'd let on from the call…
He's set the time for dinner and tells Katniss of the news, utterly befuddled at the fact the man had come so quickly and keenly for the meeting, and he could swear there had been a hint of impatience in the man's voice.
Katniss is cooking the spicy rice for the occasion, winking at him with a smirk.
"He seems the type to appreciate a little heat."
Seneca can't help shaking his head in amusement.
Brutus comes ten minutes before the time. Seneca amusedly notes the man has groomed himself, his salt and pepper hair combed neatly and he's wearing a suit and tie. He shakes Seneca's hand and kisses Katniss', and then they're sitting down for dinner. As Katniss predicted, Brutus actually does enjoy the spicy rice with a subdued gusto.
When Brutus makes a comment about wondering what the Quarter Quell will be about, he sees a brief smirk flitter across her lips before disappearing.
"Et tu, Brutus?" she deadpans.
Brutus stares at her in disbelief before he breaks out in boisterous laughter and slaps his thigh in delight.
"That's just brilliant! I love her!" Brutus turns to Seneca at that.
Seneca also finds the hilarity in it, but a part of him wonders whether she realizes she's become a sort of Caesar –not Flickerman, but the Roman dictator –who had been much admired and loved by the people, and who was so charismatic they would have made him king. A leader in wars and a brilliant politician, someone who had been very clever in propaganda…all of which was slowly becoming applied to Katniss…
"Honestly, I think I'm more of a Brutus –not really the type to lead, but to help propel a nation. It's kind of my role right now anyways, being on the sideline," she hints at her role as the Mockingjay, but it flies over Brutus' head.
"If you're 'Brutus', who's your Caesar then?" Brutus goes along with it, grinning.
"Before the assassination, Brutus was very close to Caesar. Therefore my Caesar is close to me. I'm pretty sure Seneca's my Caesar then," she says matter of fact.
Seneca's been ignored and shoved out of the conversation by now, but he's still flabbergasted.
Brutus:
Brutus is…kind of odd. He's usually a quiet (though firm) and serious man, and especially around others. However, he also has a boisterous side to him, which is common enough, but he isn't too comfortable showing that side often. It doesn't stop him from showing it; just that he's less than comfortable showing that side.
It's kind of…bipolar.
"And I took my sword and shoved it into his gut –just a twist later and his intestines look close to falling out –"
He's also kind of violent (well, mostly in that he loves violence, because he's rather calm and a gentleman in words and manners otherwise). Right now, he's recalling a kill from the Hunger Games he participated in, and she doesn't stop the cringe or hide the disgust. It was a rather graphic image...
Brutus beams at her, though she's not quite sure why.
"You know, it's kind of refreshing that when I end up speaking like that and recall my games that you don't apologize for your reaction or attempt to hide it. I used to get lost in memories and can't help getting into my retelling that I get really graphic back in my district, and the audience usually ends up revolted or something –but they always try to cover it up or apologize if I call them on it. I think I prefer you being unashamedly honest and that you don't hide your feelings on the matter, even as you still keep respectfully listening to me."
She shrugs and smiles at him. "Anytime, Brutus. But that's still sickening."
She laughs because she can't help it and Brutus is rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment.
"You know, I kind of wasn't sure what to think of you or if I'd like you when I first decided to come over," he muses out loud. "But then you said that one line and I decided I love you and you were just brilliant because of that. You're definitely my type of person."
She also notes that Brutus, like Seneca had told her Finnick had said, really is kind of lonely, though he doesn't show it obviously.
She knows this because ever since their dinner meeting three days ago, Brutus has shown up at her home every morning and stayed late into the night, before he's visually disappointed and reluctantly leaving by the end of the day.
He likes to pick at Seneca about details of the games, though they're sure to make sure they're out of her range (she's grateful for that). He also likes to help her out with cooking sometime, even though he's a disaster in the kitchen. She has at least managed to teach him to cook ramen and boil eggs, and has managed to get him somewhat competent in the kitchen when supervised. Supervised closely.
He's in his 40's and doesn't know how to cook. She wonders how he's managed so far in his life. He tells her takeout and begging off of neighbors and family helps.
"I miss the games," he mutters suddenly. She looks at him in surprise. "I miss the adrenaline. Kind of like…I'm hooked on it. Do you understand?" his voice is a tinge desperate. "Fighting was –is –all I know. I don't know what to do without it and how to live in society when I'm addicted to the rush of the fight and the thrill of being in a life or death situation. I recall my games so much because I want to feel it all again."
She also knows now that all victors are broken, and she now knows there are those who fight away from memories and echoes of the games and those who cling and have become so addicted to the rush of the fight that they can't forget it and wish they could be there again.
They feel safe and comfortable in that environment because it's what they know and it's where they feel they can belong and be understood. Society is too different to them and they don't know how to relate.
"I'm completely the opposite," she answers sincerely, patting his hand. "Sometimes, I even feel like a paranoid freak."
They laugh lightly in bitterness together.
She knows, too, that she's completely glad that she had Seneca to pull her away from the dark pit of despair she was sure to have fallen into had he not been there for her through it all.
The next day, Seneca is tossing a key at Brutus, who looks at him in confusion.
"You're staying at a hotel, right? You don't look like you're leaving the Capitol anytime soon, nor look like you're going to stop visiting us so frequently," Seneca starts out, voice sarcastic. "You might as well stay at my penthouse. I live here anyways, so it's not being used. It'll save you money too."
Brutus looks blankly at the key before giving them a small, genuine smile.
"This actually means a lot…I love my district and everything…but it doesn't feel like home anymore," he admits to them, and they understand.
But they still don't understand just how much this gesture really means to the man, who honestly is very lonely and is grateful that they're putting up with him and letting him infringe so much.
That doesn't stop Brutus from continuing his routine of visiting frequently, if only slightly less than before, to their home –so much so that Seneca comments it's like the man lives there with them, even when he now has a home in the Capitol to stay in.
Marc Antony:
When Finnick suggests a victor get together so that Katniss can meet the others and have more people to talk to, and get over that slight fear of people she still sort of has, Seneca is a bit hesitant. He knows the other victors are all rather damaged and he doesn't know how they will act towards Katniss. He'd thought Brutus would be a rougher and more gruff person, someone he'd been hesitant to let near Katniss because he'd been afraid of the man's tendencies towards violence and brusque personality would put her off or scare her even. He'd been wrong on that count, but that didn't mean he would be every time.
He also doesn't want to overwhelm her, so he tells Finnick to try slowly introducing the others first, before they decide on a huge get together.
He regrets it now, when he realizes that Finnick had chosen the Astley siblings. Cashmere is as gorgeous as ever, smiling coolly, while her brother is just as handsome and smiles with all the charm in the world.
Cashmere looks over at him and her smile widens just the slightest.
Seneca is pretty sure he feels doomed. He feels worse and even jealous when Gloss immediately flirts with Katniss, and unlike Finnick's playful flirting, Gloss goes about it very smoothly and charmingly –serious in his intentions to sweep Katniss off her feet.
He has the urge to toss Gloss back into the arena and do his job as Head Gamemaker very seriously.
He's so intent and focused on watching the two he doesn't notice Cashmere sidling up to him until she's seductively curling around his arm.
"Please let go," he says shortly.
She laughs lightly and surprisingly does so, but her jade eyes are watching him closely. She pushes her blonde hair behind her and turns to where he's still watching.
"She is pretty," she comments. "Better, she's got this whole fiery personality. The 'Girl on Fire' title totally fits. I like her."
He doesn't answer, still watching, but his eyes have narrowed as Gloss says something he can't hear from where he's standing, but whatever it is causes Katniss to burst out laughing.
"I actually get why you actually gave in and went to the system and slept with me, in order to get your mind off of her."
His eyes finally leave Gloss and Katniss, to snap towards her in alarm. But she's smiling sadly and shaking her head.
"Please don't tell her," his voice becomes thick and he feels panic closing in on him. This wasn't something he wanted Katniss to know. He doesn't want her to know he'd used that system, and he doesn't want her to know it was over her. He's ashamed to admit to that truth and worried about her reaction.
Cashmere looks at him quietly. "I won't," she surprisingly agrees. "But you know it's best to tell her before she finds out on her own."
"I know," he murmurs. "And I will. I just…would like to tell her on my own terms and tell her myself. So please don't tell about it."
She agrees without problem, and he lets out the sigh of relief he'd been holding.
"I'm sorry," he apologizes though. "I'm sorry that I ended up using you, that I wasn't strong enough to resist thoughts of her then or that I wasn't self-disciplined enough to control my urges or my desires."
She laughs lightly again, though this time with genuine (though sad) amusement.
"Sweetie, at least you're apologizing. And you were a lot kinder and gentler than most of the others. Don't worry about it. And besides, like I said, I understand the draw," she gestures her chin towards Katniss. "It's understandable and I won't pretend to know what it's like to be in love."
He turns absolutely red at the accusation, but he doesn't deny it. He's pretty sure it's beyond obvious by now, to practically everyone who's seen him with her.
"I won't begrudge you one night of weakness, when you probably didn't know if she was going to live or die in the games and probably thought you'd never be able to have her. That and the fact back then, you really weren't allowed to be with her," she shrugs.
He can't help turning his eyes back to the two in front of them, jealousy creeping up on him again.
She laughs once more. "You look like you're about to murder my brother."
"He's starting to get touchy feely now."
"You stand here. I'll go get back my brother and stop him from committing suicide by flirting. Just keep brooding here, huh? I'll go make sure to keep the idiot away or at least hands off and to cool the flirting."
As she leaves, he recalls the moniker the Capitol citizens have given to Gloss Astley, that of being the 'Marc Antony of the Capitol' for being such a passionate, amorous lover (second only to Finnick, who needs no other moniker other than simply his name).
Therefore, if Katniss is being considered the Cleopatra in the situation, as her Caesar he deserves to claim that he had her first.
Cicero:
Honestly, Caesar Flickerman was more of a 'Cicero' than a 'Caesar.' The man was gifted with words and knew how to work the crowd like the original silver-tongued Marcus Tullius Cicero of the Roman era.
In fact, the man was such a smooth talker that he'd managed to persuade Seneca into letting him visit Katniss without him even realizing it until the man was in Katniss' living room and talking gaily with her.
He doesn't much regret it though, because Katniss is smiling and happy to have yet another visitor, and quite enjoying Caesar regaling her with different tales.
Seneca hadn't been sure of this visit, if only because Caesar was such a known and high-profile persona. No one was supposed to visit Katniss and he'd only managed to sneak in Finnick and Brutus because they're not that closely watched, or as highly maintained in the public eye (strangely though that was) as Caesar was. But things seemed well and Caesar was succeeding in entertaining Katniss.
When Caesar has to leave, Seneca walks him out and down the pathway. In the middle of it, Caesar stops suddenly and turns to him with a soft gaze on his face.
"I have been hoping to check in on her for awhile now, but as I understand –she's not allowed visitors. Thank you for the opportunity and for managing to sneak in this visit. And…do your best to keep her happy and keep her fire going, my dear Seneca."
Caesar nods solemnly at him before leaving him behind.
Eloquent as ever, that man.
Coriolanus:
"You're nothing like your namesake, you know."
Snow smiles at her in dark amusement. "Oh?"
"Coriolanus was supposedly a great general, leading his army into battle and all. You're such a coward and I bet you've never led anyone anywhere personally. Probably hide behind your desk the entire time."
"Such brutal honesty."
"We did promise not to lie to each other."
"That we did. Otherwise, I would have your tongue removed and make you an Avox, my dear girl."
Katniss stares at him blankly, refusing to back down or show weakness. He continues to smile back in amusement.
But inwardly, she delights in this. Because even if he takes all her decisions away from her, isolate her, and threaten everything and everyone she loves…she could at least fight back with her words, even if it means only in private.
"Coriolanus doesn't fit you at all," she says softly, but disdainfully.
Started 4/22/12 –Completed 4/23/12
A/n: I hope everyone is okay with my version of Brutus. And if you don't get his mindset, I was kind of thinking like some soldiers coming back from war but rather go back and end up being career soldiers (The Hurt Locker, anyone?). I don't really have much to say this time, but I've got images for Katniss' home, a fanfic cover, and a music playlist you can listen to for this story on my website.
Thanks to everyone for their support of this fic and the pairing! Please keep reviewing and sending prompts, if you have any ideas!
To Maeve: Thank you for giving this story/pairing a try! Glad to see someone else to end up like them, cracky-pairng that they are.
To N: Eheh, sorry –I'm feeling a bit lazy so I didn't search up your login name to reply in a PM. Thank you as always, and it's no problem that you haven't reviewed. I get the school thing too; it's gets super hectic, especially when the work piles up. Wow, I didn't mean to get you all emotional with the chapter. Snow is a bastard, though. He won't be changing any time soon. I'm glad you like so much of it, especially the little girl and the citizens. I'm trying to do a different POV when it comes to the Capitol than the usual.
