The Ballad Of Songbirds and Snakes || One-shots

Free Haircut

REQUEST: Coriolanus doesn't have any money for a haircut. Lucy Gray wants to help. (AccioPotters)

The droplets of water beaded down Coriolanus' chest as he threw his head back, his curls bouncing back from his eyes. His hair was getting so long, but Tigris had been busy lately, he didn't have money and he didn't trust himself to do it.

The warm water felt comforting on his skin, it was so cold out; Snow was surprised that they even had hot water. He would wash himself while he could. The steam started to cover the windows and shower door, making everything translucent, filling the room with a hot mist.

Slowly, standing in the bath, Coriolanus climbed out of the shower gingerly. It was always an irrational fear of him to slip and fall, and either Tigris or his Grandma would have to help him while he lay there naked. He had always been extra careful at this step.

The smell of the soap Snow was using filled the entire bathroom, a sweet and earthy kind of smell. In the distance, he could hear his grandma singing the Capitol anthem, he laughed when she couldn't hit the note.

He reached for a towel hanging beside the bathroom mirror and quickly dried himself off. The rough material made him feel itchy, but he preferred it to the discomfort of being wet - it was impossible to warm up that way.

He stared at himself in the mirror, teasing his curls with his fingers. He needed to get his haircut, but he just couldn't afford it at the minute. He gave his head a shake and rubbed it dry with his towel.

Quickly, Coriolanus threw a gray top on over his head, it was too large for him, but he preferred it. It was his fathers, and Tigris would always tell him that he would grow into it. But he doubted this, he had always been a skinny kid. This ebbed in his favour though, people seemed not to try to fight him if they don't think it's a fair fight. Some Thugs stupid code of conduct.

He pulled up a pair of black jeans. It was the weekend, and he was going to visit Lucy Gray, he didn't need to keep up any sort of charade that he had been playing lately. It was okay to be comfortable, at least just for today.

*******************

"Lucy Gray?!" Snow allowed himself in through the front door, making himself at home. Since Lucy Gray had won the Games, she was allowed to come to and from the Capitol freely, she liked to visit Snow on the weekends. Her house always reminded Snow of warm cookies, partially because it was constantly warm, and because there was just a constant smell of freshly baked goodies.

Snow halted, waiting for a response that never came. The silence hung heavy in the air, his anticipation growing. He made his way down the hallway, peeking his head through an open door. Lucy Gray was standing by the window, staring out at the streets of the Capitol, lost in thought. He made his way towards her quietly, smiling to himself.

"Hey." He quietly whispered in her ear, snaking his arms around her waist and pulling her close to him. Every time they were this close, Snow could feel his heart skipping beats.

"Hey stranger," Lucy Gray whispered back to him, smiling and turning her head to look at him. She raised her arms to play with his hair, "Your hairs getting long." She said, pulling out the strands to feel the length.

"Tigris is pretty busy at the minute," He replied without thinking, it was nice not having to pretend to be someone else around someone. "Plus, I don't have the money to get it cut at the minute."

Lucy Gray left his arms to face him and Snow instantly missed the warmth. She reached out to his chest, putting a hand flat on him. Looking at him and her face breaking out into a mischievous smile.

Coriolanus instinctively recoiled, his voice trembling with fear, 'Lucy Gray, no! Please, you can't cut my hair!' The thought of losing his distinctive blonde curls filled him with dread. He backed away, a look of visible fear on his face. Lucy Gray approached him, laughing loudly and carelessly.

"I did it all the time in District 12! How do you think the Covey all look so good?! Come on Coryo, you've got nothing to lose!" Snow had a feeling she was lying about this, but she seemed really eager to help. Snow could never say no to that face.

"Fine, but only because it's in dire need of it," He gave in to his insistent puppy dog eyes. What's the worst she could do? He only needed a little off the ends.

Lucy Gray shot to her feet, running into the kitchen to get the scissors. Snow chuckled to himself, feeling a large amount of affection for her at this time. He rose slowly to his feet, taking a seat at a large table.

In an instance, Lucy Gray was back and snipping scissors in her right hand to show Snow she got them. "What can I do ya for today then?" Lucy Gray joked, pretending to be a barber.

Coriolanus rolled his eyes at this stupid interaction, but played along never the less. "Just off the ends today please." He relaxes and sits himself up straight as Lucy Gray starts to spray his hair with water, making it wet. "Busy today?"

She didn't respond for a second - intensely focusing on not messing up Snows hair. She took a strand in her hair and Snow heard the first snip, shivering down his spine in fear. His blonde curls were a large reason people could recognise him.

After what felt like an hour, Lucy Gray had finished the hair cut. She touched the back of his head, rubbing it and pulling the strands out to see the length. She made her way round to the front of Snow, bending down to see him eye to eye.

She put a hand on each side of his head, trapping strands between fingers and pulling them out. Coriolanus gave her a sheepish smile, they were pretty close and he could smell her distinct smell: roses. Lucy Gray looked him in his eyes, and giving him a small smile, leaned in and gave him a small, innocent kiss.

"Please don't be angry at me." She whispered into his ear. Snow instantly snapped out of it, staring at her with wide eyes and panic.

He shot to his feet, running to the nearest mirror. "Lucy Gray Please tell me you didn't!" He yelled to her, staring himself the mirror. The right side still head many of his curls, it actually looked good. It was the left side that was the problem, almost no curls left at all. Snow was confused on how she even managed to cut his hair like this. The curls that normally fall into his eyes were pretty much none existent.

Snow stared at himself in the mirror, seeing Lucy Gray in the corner, looking guilty and frightened. Snow felt this feeling rise in his stomach, in his chest, he had never looked so stupid in his life. Then, all at once, he burst into laughter, he looked ridiculous!

Lucy Gray looked at him first, a bit jarred by his reaction. Slowly, she started to relax, laughing along with him. "Just shave it." Snow said with a smile after his fit of laughter. It was time for a new era anyways.