The Scent of Roses || Coriolanus Snow

Chapter XI

Walking alongside Coriolanus Snow in the market's produce section was the last thing you had on your agenda for today. Yet, here you were.

Never had you seen someone so cautiously scan every fruit or vegetable placed in your basket. It was almost like he didn't trust them. You couldn't help but laugh as he picked up every apple, glancing over its entirety well over four times before deciding if it was worthy to buy or not. He would smile and move on to the next item, making you question if he was shopping for you or himself.

He spoke to the gentleman at the bakery like they were age-old friends. They chatted for over fifteen minutes on which bread was best for every meal until Coriolanus finally decided on a very fancy-looking sourdough. As he placed the loaf in your basket, his hand wrapped around your arm, pulling you back as two children ran down the aisle chasing each other. Their mother offered a quick apology as she ran after them.

"As much as having terrors like that in my life would be enjoyable, I'm more than happy waiting to enter that part of my life." He amused, still keeping his arm wrapped around yours. You knew what this contact implicated, but you weren't willing to pull away. "I realized I haven't let you pick much of anything, and this is your food. Where would you like to head next?"

You felt your heart begin to flutter, a concerning feeling, especially because you were feeling it for him. Though you knew you wanted fish, eggs, and meat, you were virtually clueless about what to get. Coriolanus had no problem ordering that for you as well, grabbing some significant cuts of beef you could do anything with, some chicken, haddock, and a dozen eggs.

Before you headed to cash out your basket full of items, he grabbed a rather large block of cheese and a container of rice. "You're not just going to eat straight-up chicken," he laughed. "Sides make the meal."

No one was about on a day like today, probably due to the weather. The lady at the cashing station looked rather lovely, her hair in two tiny buns to keep her fiery red locks out of the way. Coriolanus greeted her, taking the basket out of your arms as he helped weigh the items and handed her the slips from the deli and bakery. As she gave your total, you reached into your pocketbook for the exact change. But you heard her say, "Thank you, have a nice day."

You saw Coriolanus holding all your items, bagged and tucked away in your basket. He smiled as you looked past him to see that the lady already had payment, his payment.

"You're joking," you protested, sending him into a hard-to-contain chuckle. "You did not!"

"Oh, but I did." He was grinning ear to ear as he practically danced out of the market, completely infatuated with your reaction. To your dismay, your face was almost as red as the tomatoes he had picked out, and he refused to let you forget it.

Even when the moment felt so good to be in, your guilt was overwhelming you. Coriolanus was intelligent, kind, and far too charming for his good. He was a different person when he was away from the games, but you knew deep down that person was still with him, simply lying dormant in the background.

You wanted to question him, ask why he wanted to be so involved in the games, but that would ruin the moment. Here you had a handsome man, buying you groceries, stocking your shelves, and washing your bedding. It didn't get much better than that.

Still, the true intentions behind his sudden interest in you were unknown. Though he was charming, you didn't fully buy his story of why you two should become closer.

"That should be enough to last you a while." Coriolanus shut your cabinets, taking a second peak at the fridge to ensure it was organized adequately. "I'm assuming you don't spend much time here."