"Lucy Gray... We won. Today, we are both entering this train as victors."
After a successful, 2-week tour throughout Panem, when the journalists finally left their train, Coriolanus Snow pulled Lucy Gray Baird's hand and they quickly rushed to escape as far as possible to the furthest side of one of the train carriages. They were all over each other this entire time, and without even changing from their tour giving clothes, the youthful souls fell to the train's floor, accompanied by the girl's loud laughter.
Both were not at all concerned by the rumpled clothes - Coriolanus without regret examined Lucy Gray's slightly damaged green, fluffy dress, with artificial orange flowers all over its pattern, which he accidentally crushed with his weight.
The most important thing is that they are together now. Their hands intertwined with each other, and Snow nuzzled Lucy Gray's slender neck. She was still quite thin to touch, but at least she no longer resembled the bag of bones she had when they first met – the Capitol treated her quite nicely, much to Coriolanus' satisfaction, as she deserved the treat, to fit her title as the '10th Hunger Games victor'.
Lucy Gray raised her head and through her already messy hair, forced Snow to look into her dark eyes, which were sparkling like a bunch of fireworks. She was happy.
"Did you see how people applauded?! I thought that no one would show up, and those grains that did will only boo me. But look how many people gathered in each of the Districts!" Lucy Gray was used only to sing for the Hob or bushes, scattered around District 12 - the fate definitely did not mean to play out like this, that the organization of her 'Victory Tour' would make a single little birdie with heart-melting songs to perform for almost the whole Panem.
"Yes, yes, yes. You were inimitable, my dear songbird."
He was definitely proud of himself. In order for this tour to take place at all, Snow had to try very, VERY hard, pull all possible and impossible strings, and also resort to her own eloquence, just so that it would be approved by the Academy, organizers and the Gamemakers - of course, no show connected to the Hunger Games could go on without Volumnia Gaul, who, by some of rumors, even dragged a political figure into sponsoring of the tour, all to help her guinea pig (also known as her future successor) and his rebellious, free spirited girl from the dumps of Panem.
But, as soon as he put his tired head on her shoulder and felt her stroking his already grown out hair, Coriolanus understood that it was all worth it: this was truly a success of the Snow family.
Residents of the Districts could talk as much as they wanted about Lucy Gray's victory, but this was only because Coriolanus himself allowed them to think so. In this dragged game he is the actual victor. Even if the girl who is now messing his hair had no idea about it.
Lucy Gray tried to mutter a quiet song, but Snow covered her mouth with his hand and teasingly waved his index finger in front of her face.
"No need for this now. Better take care of this voice of yours, my treasure, you've been performing all day today - aren't you tired?
"Not at all," Lucy Gray wiped the sweat from her face while a completely white hand, once soft, but now roughed up from physical work, gently ran across her tanned cheek.
"And what is it? Did you really get tired of my voice so quickly?" Lucy Gray's words seemed absurd to Coriolanus.
He, one might say, breathed her songs - they were created to lead him forward, and Lucy Gray herself was born to become his precious muse. He again ran his finger over her slightly cracked, thin lips and whispered, thinking that he was giving the girl a compliment:
"The lyrics of the songs that the stewards gave you were just terrible. Only your voice saved them, know it."
"Not funny," Coriolanus definitely did not expect to be cut off by his girl so abruptly, as Lucy Gray jokingly pursed her lips.
"Oh, come on, smile - tomorrow is an important day; we are finally returning home."
Snow spoke with delight, but the girl never had any particular passion for the Capitol, her hatred for which intensified, after this very city forced her to stain her hands up to her elbows in blood, all for some Capitol entertainment. But for the sake of her man, she was ready to endure these fairy tales about "home", as she knew it made him happy when they were on the same page.
The girl expectedly took both of his hands and Coriolanus immediately understood what she wanted to hear from him.
"Your tour is just the beginning. We will raise the morale of the Districts with the songs of the victor of the 10th Hunger Games herself; and then I swear to you, when I reach a respectable position, I will erase this damned "entertainment" from the face of Panem. You believe in me, right?"
After those words, Snow pressed himself closer to Lucy Gray and the protruding, starched collar of his blue suit dug into her neck. She only smiled, briefly touching the Capitol 'boy's' cheek.
"Of course I believe: I will always be on your side, no matter what happens," the girl noticed how his eyelids and head drooped slightly, either from fatigue, or from the realization that there was a lot more that needed to be done for his plan. And it definitely won't be easy...
"Is he really scared?" The girl truly knew nothing about big politics and she had no idea what was in Coriolanus's head right now, but she knew what empathy was, so all she could do was ease his state of mind.
"Well, that's enough - come here," Lucy Gray wrapped her hand around his head and brought it closer to her.
The young people sat huddled in a corner and were silent while their heated hearts beat in time with each other. And the heir to the "great" house of Snow was now hiding his head in the shoulders of a girl from the pathetic District 12 - this shouldn't have happened, this is wrong. But it was happening right now.
It was this kind of Lucy Gray that Coriolanus was so infatuated with - a little eccentric, somewhat rebellious and free spirited, but always caring. The one who can support him in any difficult moment or cheer up with an uplifting song.
"Hm. The song right now does not sound like a bad idea."
"…There will still be songs about me, right? Only one does not feel enough," the guy muttered with a grin, still keeping his face in the sleeve of Lucy Gray's colorful dress.
"You want too much - I'm tired," the girl chuckled smugly and returned to fiddling with his hair.
Coriolanus Snow was not the type to ask twice or lie down at someone's feet. But he didn't want to spoil the pleasant atmosphere, so he didn't respond to his lover's caustic comment.
"This is no problem, I can wait. You will have enough time to write something else dedicated to me." She's not going anywhere now. This girl blew her only chance to escape from the Capitol as soon as she saved him, Coriolanus, from death in the arena.
And then, she confirmed this when she chose him instead of escaping into the forest. Now he definitely won't let her go and will force the entire Capitol to recognize her as a worthy life partner for him.
After some mere seconds, the young man took a couple of deep breaths and Lucy Gray felt his hand moving.
An uncomfortable expression crossed Snow's pale face when, due to his awkward position, he had great difficulty in getting a small object out of his pocket. Lucy Gray didn't even have time to blink before a ring, definitely not luxurious and clearly bought with the last saved money, ended up on her finger. Her eyes widened and her breath caught up, when Coriolanus began to say:
"Marry me. Don't leave, stay - right now, I cannot live without you, no matter how hard I try," he looked at her with his seemingly genuine, ice blue bright eyes, while his mouth slightly curled from his own bravery – no Capitol citizen ever proposed to a Districts' bred person, so he was the first. Well, Lucy Gray definitely deserved such honor; after all, Snow always knew that she was the exception for any set up rule.
"What? What in the world?"
...These were all the thoughts that were now spinning in Lucy Gray's head while she, baffled to the core, stared at her finger, which now acquired a surprising and shiny decoration.
She looked Coriolanus straight in the eyes, hoping that he would now take that tiny headband back and blurt out that it was a mistake. But he was not moving at all – his breath seemed ice cold and the moment, by the feelings of it, lasted forever, as he continued to wait.
"Coryo."
"...Lucy."
"Lucy Gray will never refuse me. Since her arrival... No. Once she was chosen at the Reaping, she belonged to me. I chose her for myself and this girl has no right to break my heart just like this."
But I cannot be your wife. I don't have money, I wasn't born in the Capitol... And I'm not going to dance to their tune," finally going back to her senses and throwing away some of the initial shock, Lucy Gray began to argue.
"Listen. You are now a victor, an actual celebrity!" The guy stood up slightly so that they were now parallel to each other and put his arms around her shoulders.
Lucy Gray felt his always confident voice begin to tremble a tiny bit and his head dropped slightly, breaking eye contact - she really rarely saw "her" Coryolike this... Meanwhile, Snow was not giving up.
"When I get promoted, I will be able to cancel the Hunger Games and provide access to the Capitol to the people of Twelve. I will later earn so much money that I can shower you with it - you wouldn't starve for a day, like how you were in your former home. So agree on this, choose me."
She truly didn't know what to answer. As a matter of fact, she gave her answer to Snow's proposal back in that hut, when she refused to run away from District 12 with him, and instead, at his encouragement, went on a 'victory tour'. But still... But what about the freedom her heart longed for? What about the Covey?
With Coryo, the road there was completely blocked for her. Although, if you think about it, it's Snow. And she, Lucy Gray, the keeper of all his hidden secrets, the only living key to his crimes, whom he left alive only because of personal feelings. Albeit, it felt scary to think what he will do to her if she refuses him right now.
Also... Lucy Gray didn't want to admit it, but she really loved him. Even if this love was... Well, definitely not from the fairytales her poor mama used to read her when she was a kid.
"Don't be silent, Lucy. I'm waiting," she was pulled out of her trance by the voice of Coryo, who leaned so close to her, that she could clearly differentiate single hairs on his head.
Now she heard his heartbeat and agitated breathing, which he tried his best to hide. Well, here he is not alone – she feels as if a minute or less passes, her heart would literally jump out of her chest, leaving nothing but a giant hole.
Breathe in. Then out.
"You can do it. Hang in there, Lucy Gray."
She is in no hurry to take off the ring. On the contrary, she examines it and understands that he chose this not only because of a lack of money - anyone who knew Lucy well, knew exactly how much she despised expensive trinkets and especially large stones. And Coryo, apparently, was one of them - the ring was simple, just a band made out of copper, her favorite material.
To her little surprise, inside of the ring, there were three initials scrawled: "L.G.S." The girl's thin mouth curved into a smile. Now, look at this man! What a cheek!
"Oh, so that's how we do it? You didn't want to ask me?
"It meant to be a surprise: do you think I don't know you?" Coryo fixed his messed up hair sarcastically. "You would definitely answer 'no'."
Lucy Gray let out the most genuine and most innocent laugh, sounding like almost a tiny child. It was in moments of pure bliss like these, that she could allow herself to remember that she was only sixteen years old…
People like her lived for one day - it wouldn't matter if they died or lived the next one. Lucy Gray was no exception to this rule, although she slowly started noticing changes in herself, all of which started from when she barely crawled out of the Capitol's poisonous grasp and was unceremoniously returned to District 12. The girl looked at the person, who owned her heart and who gave his own heart to her on a cracked, wooden plate - none of them could've afforded a silver one.
If a simple definition of 'love' as to all good against everything bad existed, their story was not it. But if a bond, as deep as the ocean, united by blood and promises made to each by two broken people, too young to go through any of this, who fought for their lives with Death itself and won– oh, now it would definitely be the story of Coriolanus Snow and Lucy Gray Baird.
Lucy Gray loved Coriolanus. Coriolanus was obsessed with Lucy Gray.
She separated her slim finger, checking out the ring again and after two-three seconds, planted a short, but sweet kiss on the tiny copper band – Lucy Gray raised her head up and looked right into his light, non-blinking eyes again, smiling from ear to ear. He was Capitolite and that's a fact - but also, a Capitolite who accepted her, who was kind to her and who saved her life at least 2 full times; although the Arena could have been separated to all of situations, where Lucy Gray's life was in danger and "her" person always came to her aid, even if she couldn't see him, she knew that he was there, caring for her like no other.
"You're as pure as a driven snow…" she remembered her own song, which she wrote for him; about him, about their seemingly impossible relationship.
The prospect of marrying Coriolanus has never crossed her mind: Lucy Gray believed that after returning to the Capitol, he will bury the memory of her deep in his head, so she could only imagine the surprise, when in just a week, the Capitol boy came back for her, basically snatching out of Twelve and claws of crazy Mayor Lipp, putting on this train with words: "the Victory singing tour program was approved".
How can she even refuse him after he did so much already and plans to do more?
He, without even waiting for the answer, hugs her, pressing her small body to his and his hand left lightly strokes her cheek.
"Stop talking nonsense. You knew that I would never refuse you," the girl kissed the tip of his nose, then touched his lower lip with her single, now decorated with the ring, finger – the huge swollen bruise from the last half of the year definitely healed nicely.
"I don't care. I had my doubts and the worries caught up with me, let me calm down - have a heart, my darling Lucy,"
Coriolanus laughed, and then embraced Lucy Gray in a long kiss. His lips were soft and hot, causing her to gasp at first and then struggle to keep herself from tearing that suit on him right then and there.
But it would be a shame to destroy such a prime piece of cloth: the suit was provided by Dr. Gall and probably cost more than Lucy Gray herself earned from her performances in her entire life.
The young couple kissed, almost tearing into each other for so long, that they even began to choke a little, being inexperienced in such matters. Sometimes, Coryo kept turning away from the kiss and talking, while his forehead was red hot and it felt like he had a fever, which Lucy Gray found amusing - who could have guessed that out of them, the boy from the Capitol will be the most innocent one, at least in the romantic part? Haha.
"I swear to you, now everything will change - I will get approval from the Capitol-"
"Shhh," Lucy Gray interrupted Coryo, placing a finger on his plump lips. "Be careful not to burst from promises, my sweet."
Someday, she'll stop teasing him like that. Someday.
This will also need to be worked on, but Coriolanus could not help but accept that he liked her brash, simple playing to some extent. He was not one to kneel and even proposed when they were both half-sitting and on the floor: but that doesn't mean he'll force Lucy Gray to kneel on her own before him.
"This is exactly the kind of wife I need. She may not be a "proper lady", but she is still the best in the whole wide world."
"So your non-existent answer means 'yes', right? -
"Silence is a sign of consent. In the Covey, we do not need words to understand each other, but it looks like you still need to study and study," the girl laughed and laid her head on his chest. "It's okay, I'll help."
"Oh, well, yes... Ha-ha-ha," Corio could hardly keep himself from arguing with her - he didn't need anyone to lecture him or teach him anything. And yet he managed to keep calm, instead just hugging Lucy Gray back.
A wonderful future was already emerging before his eyes - as Tigris and Grandm'am used to say: "Coriolanus Snow, future president of Panem," and he planned to follow those barely clear instructions - all he knew, that he will be the one standing on the old fart Ravinstill's place. And his First Lady will stand next to him while the entire Capitol applauds them - the lost greatness and honor of the Snow family will finally be restored. Coriolanus closed his eyes and licked his lips in such sweet anticipation - here it is, richness and glory, just a couple of steps away from him!
Of course, the way he would achieve this was not without bumps or even mountains on the road, at least Coriolanus had some sort of plan and a couple of tricks in his pocket. At least thanks to this little songbird of his, he will remain sane this entire time.
They remained in this position for about an hour, so much so that their bodies began to ache and their bones began to crack slightly when Snow helped Lucy Gray get up - for some reason, she was chuckling on her bones making a "crack" sound and even purposely moved her arm up and down.
"Oh dear, is that how people like Lucy feel when sleeping their entire life on the ground or in straw? Then, she is surely so happy I am taking her out of this hell on Earth," Coriolanus held Lucy Gray's hand in his, fighting an internal battle to pick her up and just carry this entire way back, like a weightless feather.
The staff of the whole train had already started their search for missing youngsters, but the couple just casted sidelong glances at them and headed to Coryo's room together, without detaching their hands. None of these "Capitol rushers" noticed the shining of the ring on Lucy Gray's finger and gladly: this should be a surprise for the Capitol city itself.
Once inside, when the couple examined their poor event clothes, as they awkwardly laughed at the amount of dust on both the suit and the dress.
"Tigris will definitely roll me into cement and throw me into the river - she sewed it for me as a gift," Lucy Gray noticed how one of the flowers on her dress broke, looking at it with slight shame in her eyes as she attempted to fix it, but Snow stopped her hand mid-air.
"Calm down, I'll explain everything to her," Corio did not let go of her hand and led her towards his bed.
She understood what he needed now. He looked at her with the eyes with which Lucy Gray herself used to look at a fried sausage dripping with blood when she had not eaten for two days.
Lucy Gray played along with him and carefully removed the up layers of his suit, grinning this entire time.
"Wow, he really added some muscle on that soft, slim body I remember him having - not bad, not bad; once in a lifetime, training of the Peacekeepers brought at least something good."
Now, they are only wearing a shirt and the lower layers of a dress and all that was in her head was pure heat. They sat on the bed and Lucy Gray started to stroke his leg, carefully pulling down his pants.
Indeed, they will celebrate the engagement in a special way...
"Look at me. Don't even think about being greedy."
"Are you kidding me? I've always been greedy, Lucy," the guy grins, feeling his black ribbon around his neck being untied, pulling the neck forward, as it fell down on the bed. Then it was the turn of the buttons on his shirt, which were pulled off before they were completely unbuttoned - she placed some kisses on his chest and then already somewhat res neck, which felt like boiling water to Snow; he felt a ashamed over her taking the initiative in her dexterous, tenacious hands, but he also felt something resembling pride for his girl - at least with her, he wouldn't have to drag her along with him.
She was burning with passion; so different from the Capitolite girls, who had mercury running in their veins.
And only then, Lucy Gray began to take off her white underdress, doing it slowly so that Coriolanus could look at her fully: she enjoyed it when people looked at her with the same admiration that was now on his face.
"Have you done this with anyone before? "Lucy Gray roughly put her elbow on his bare chest while her mane of black hair hung down, partly covering her face; on her face, there was the same venomous, desire-filled grin as on Snow's.
"No. I've kissed before, but it didn't go any further. And you?
"I did. And it sort of sucked - dirt and straw everywhere, it was pretty cold. Not the best first impression, would you say?"
She laughed, but Coriolanus clenched his teeth: damn it, she remembered her ex again... Well, at least she didn't like it with him, so that was good. He calmed down as soon as he heard the smell of lilies of the valley emanating from Lucy Gray; it was able to beat even his cologne, which contained roses with a particularly strong scent.
The girl's crookedly cut nails dug into the skin of his shoulders and he, throwing his head back, allowed himself to relax - after all, this was his reward, right now he deserved every inch of this girl.
"Since you didn't like it last time with that pathetic, alcohol-reeking guy, does that mean my bar is not high? Lucy Gray just nodded, clearly not intending to get distracted from what she was doing to him.
"Just relax, please - I'll do good. Pretend that nothing happened before - pretend that you are my first."
"And the only one," Coriolanus wanted to correct her. He liked the way she played with him and didn't plan to stop her any time soon - it was pretty amusing, seeing as she thought that she had any power over him; it would be very funny to think about, in any different situation.
He pressed himself against her, still showing his power and desire in his eyes, pulling Lucy Gray with him. Well, some of her words were in fact true: it really was her very first time. Lucy Gray had no life before she came to the Capitol - no pathetic dancers without a home, or District 12 either, there was only him.
Now, she understood that she only belonged to him. Yes, as Lucy said, he was always too greedy, but Coriolanus had no remorse for this - he got everything he wanted, which means he's doing everything right. Today, he allowed himself to dissolve in this girl, with an unearthly voice, while she ran her hot, brazier-like hands over his chest, continuing to tease him even now.
Snow was breathing raggedly, and on his mind was not only Lucy Gray herself, which made him turn into a stone below. The Capitol hall floated before his eyes, where he spoke at the central podium, announcing the law on the Hunger Games.
"Lucy Gray," he whispered, clutching her body. "Stay close and help me build a new world. Do you promise?"
"I promise. And then, you bettef promise me that I can sing," Lucy Gray wrapped her arm around his head, smelling the roses in his hair - it made her nose itch a tiny bit, but it was nothing, compared to the possibility of hugging the warm body of her man under herself. He was here, alive, real and hungry to death for her affection.
"Deal, my little songbird…"
She is smiling at him. So she really, truly loves him, devoted to him.
Snow won again.
Seven years passed and the Capitol seemed little changed, but that was not the case. In the main hall of the Presidential Palace of Panem, thunderous applause could be heard.
The people surrounding the ornate stage, which, in some places, aas decorated with gold, were dressed like the brightest splashes of paint on a purely white cloth - it was truly a show of fashion "disaster" to witness, although those people developed a liking to such vibrancy, which was even creepy in some places.
Most of the crowd was wearing hot pink, turquoise and all sorts of rainbow outfits - many had multi-colored hair, and some had surgical knife marks on their faces, making them "beautiful" - and this is the same bunch of Capitolites, who called Lucy Gray a "clown" at the 10th Hunger Games' Reaping ceremony. Although, even their ridiculous and over-the-top outfits could never outshine the two actual stars of this glorious night.
On stage, with a break in applause, a young-looking woman in a bright blue luxurious dress with a long train and a high hairstyle was singing from her heart. Over the years, the bright star of the Capitol, Lucy Gray Snow, has changed a lot - now, she was a real primadonna, who sang to an audience of millions and whose angelic voice was the main gift for the inauguration of the new President of Panem.
Lucy Gray sang the notes of the song about the 'Driven Snow' and everyone in the hall understood who exactly it was dedicated to, smiling at the thought of a harmless love story of the tribute and the current President, that was famous (or rather infamous) throughout the Capitol.
And at this time, sitting in the highest place of the stands, the hero of the occasion quietly sang along to the beautiful words of the song, savoring their incomparable taste. Coriolanus's feet were crushed by his little treasure with chubby cheeks, blue eyes and very long honey-colored curls for such a young age. Philomel Snow.
Coryo loved to put his precious daughter on his lap or carry her in his arms - he did not want to let go of his second favorite even for a second. The little girl, who had recently celebrated her fifth birthday, held her tiny palm on the finger of her older brother Aster, who was only a year older than her.
Unlike Philomel, the boy inherited his mother's dark hair and thin lips, although in other aspects, he was his father's tiny copy. The boy looked at his parents and was incredibly proud of them. Coriolanus himself pressed the children closer to him, feeling how proud they were of him. What a blessing - he definitely deserves it.
Probably, to half of those Capitolites that are now wishing him a good ruling, this winning and this exact inauguration was a joke. 26 years old, barely two years out of University and having a background in working as an assistant Gamemaker and only organizing one of the Hunger Games - of course, he had to say thanks to obtaining such privileges to his dear mentor, Dr. Gaul.
Surprise, surprise, Ravinstill turned out to not be immortal, who could have thought of that? So, for the past three months, the Capitol had been out for blood, all for that one tribune - no one expected Coriolanus, a literal kid by the some pathetic old people's standards, to not only dare to stand as a candidate and not become the laughing stock of Panem, but also keeping up his confidence the entire election process; promoting himself as a youthful, capable mind, someone who is going to be staying ruling Panem for a long time, offering lots of innovative projects on the table.
And, by pure luck, the naive and having their minds already spoiled by luxury, the Capitol citizens believed in this promising person, who was always known as someone having all the first places in every possible competition and a truly brightest mind.
Oh, such a shame that almost any possible truly threatening opponent has mysteriously disappeared from the face of the Earth.
Finally after a long way he had to come, he is here, towering above everyone, along with his children - Coriolanus Snow knew he was destined for greatness and now had returned to his rightful place.
"I promised you that the Snows always land on top. You understand, right?" - he remembered saying this to his cousin, Tigris and he turned out to be right, as always.
His children will never starve. His children won't have to wear cast-offs and eat long-spoiled soups like he and Tigris did, playing rich, pretending that everything is fine.
He was especially charmed with his children that night, they clearly wanted to make their dad happy on such a special occasion. Aster and Philomel looked great - the boy wore the same strict dark burgundy, almost black suit as his father, while Lucy Gray herself chose for Philomel a fluffy beige pink dress with a fur cape around it.
Now, the Snow family looked like something out of a picture and Coriolanus was very pleased with the results of a unit between him and his precious Lucy Gray - their kids surely took all their best from him.
They will definitely have a great future in politics, he is sure of it and he will be there to guide them and give his kids all of the best opportunities imaginable - because starting from that day when he won the elections, Coriolanus knew that he would not give up his chair to anyone, ever; president of Panem until the last breath.
Lucy Gray's songs ended and a wave of stormy applause and screams of enthusiastic people covered the hall, flowers started flying up to the. Everyone in this room has adored Madame Snow since she was a tribute, singing all for their entertainment.
Coriolanus clapped the loudest, but kept his face subdued, suppressing his grin of satisfaction and feelings of superiority - long-forgotten "See that? This is my girl!" feeling that he had back in Twelve, witnessing his dearest's performance in the dirty Hob, started making its way back into his head. At this time, Aster almost fell over the balcony, while Coriolanus maintained a firm grip on his shoulder.
"Mommy! Bravo, mom!" Little Philomel squealed with delight, clinging to Coryo's formal suit and at the same time pulling her hands down towards the stage, on which her mother stood.
Lucy Gray herself looked at the audience with an unblinking gaze, smiling with her usual theatrical smile, practiced over seven years, and spread her arms to the sides, clearly looking at one point on the ceiling while bowing as low as she could to her audience.
For a while, she closed her eyes, and when she opened them, the first thing she saw was Coriolanus, Aster and Philomel, who were chanting her name, smiling as if they were on vacation, away from all the cameras...
Taking a deep breath, Lucy Gray looked away from them. At this moment, her face expressed nothing, as if it had been made out of glass, on which first cracks started to appear.