CHIONOPHILE - Coriolanus Snow

ABIENCE

Abience (n.) The strong urge to avoid someone or something

«If i didn't think, I'd be much happier," - Sylvia Plath

(This is the only chapter I'll use 1st POV, and I'll probably edit this chapter later to be in 3rd POV soon. I just wanted to try it out.)
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My head snaps up, and I find myself looking into the eyes of Coriolanus Snow.

Realizing that I am still holding his hand, I quickly drop it to my side, still clutching the flower in my other hand.

«What? Why are you looking for me?" I finally ask, my thoughts were a jumbled mess, my heart thumping against my ribcage.

"I need to talk to you," he says simply. Still, completely lost and confused. I suddenly feel his hand on my lower back and flinch. He doesn't remove it as he leads me down the corridor. "Do not worry, Miss Bellerose. I am not taking you to be reprimanded," Snow adds.

I steal glances at him, trying to decipher any clues about the impending conversation. The subtle smirk on his lips only adds to my unease, making me wonder what exactly Snow finds so amusing.

We arrive at a secluded room, and he opens the door, gesturing for me to enter. I take a hesitant step inside, feeling the heavy tension in the air. My hands tremble and I clench them to avoid him noticing.

The room was bathed in a soft, golden glow from the dimly lit lamp, with a large mahogany desk dominating the space. The walls were lined with bookshelves, and a few framed pictures of flowers hung on the walls. Why did he have an office in the academy?

"I was graciously given the office temporarily by Dr. Gaul," he explains, noticing the question written on my face. It wasn't exactly the most pressing question on my mind right now.

"Why have you brought me here, Snow?" I asked, my irritation growing. He chuckled at my obvious annoyance.

Snow was fucking laughing at me.

"So very impatient," he says, sitting down on his chair and gesturing for me to take the chair on the opposite side of the desk. "Sit."

I narrow my eyes. It was an instruction, and I did not like it one bit. But I figured Snow would never tell me why he needed to talk to me if I didn't comply, so I reluctantly sat down, crossing my arms.

"Can you tell me now? Believe it or not, I have places to be and people to see," I roll my eyes and cross my arms, not trying to hide my impatience.

"I'm sure you do, Miss Bellerose," he says, leaning forward on his desk. "That is partly what I wanted to discuss with you."

"Oh," I said, my confusion growing and my heart racing with anxiety.

"Mrs. Plinth is very upset that you haven't returned her calls." He paused, and I felt a bit of relief but still confused. "As you probably know, there was never a funeral for her son due to the circumstances of his death," he said motionlessly.

I narrowed my eyes again."What, you can't even say Sejanus's name? I thought you were his friend." I inquire, my annoyance growing with each passing moment.

"He was my friend, but he was also a traitor. It was a tragic outcome that I wish could have been different," he replied, sounding a bit remorseful.

A pang of guilt washes over me as I realize this might be his way of coping.

"I'm sorry," I said, glancing down at my lap, as I did so, I noticed that I was still holding his white rose. I extended my hand, my hand trembling slightly as I offered it back to him.

"You can keep it," his charming smile doesn't reach his eyes, and I can sense a hint of smugness behind it.

I didn't understand why, but being around him made me feel so tense, even though he wasn't doing anything in particular.

"Why are you bringing this up to me now? It's been almost a year since he passed away," I asked with unease.

Snow leans back in his chair, his smug expression that was incredibly agitating.

"She has received his ashes. She wants you to spread them at his favourite spot," Snow said, not seeming very interested in the matter.

I couldn't help but wonder why she couldn't do it herself, and why he was the one who was informing me of this. Before I could even ask the questions he explains.

"She thought I would probably see you now that I'll be spending more time at the academy, guiding the mentors. As for the reasons why she wants you to do it, you'll have to talk to her about that," he added checking his wristwatch.

I didn't know how to respond, so I looked down at my lap, the silence in the dimly lit room felt suffocating, like a heavy weight pressing down on my chest.

The thought of seeing Mrs and Mr Plinth was uncomfortable. A wave of overwhelming emotions washed over me, and I felt like I might break down at any moment.

It was a painful reminder that the only person I could confide in was gone.

"Alright, that's all for now, Miss Bellerose. You can leave," he said, dismissing me. I didn't need to be told twice and quickly got up, my chair scraping against the floor as I stood.

His demeanour was so arrogant and condescending, his charming smile only adding to my annoyance.

As I opened the door, he leaned back in his chair before adding

"And good luck with your tribute, Bellerose. You'll need it more than the others."

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The chapter is a bit short, im aware . I prefer shorter chapters that are sweet and to the point, rather than long and tedious to read.

My goal is to keep Coryo in character, and I believe that after his time as a peacekeeper, he became more confident than he was at the beginning of the book/movie. This may seem obvious, but since we didn't see much of that change, it may feel out of character. However, he will still have his awkward moments like in the book, but they won't be as frequent. As Tom Blyth would say, he "becomes a baddie."

Also, I would love to know if you enjoyed reading this chapter in 1 POV, or if you prefer 3 POV.

Your feedback is greatly appreciated, whether it is positive or negative. Thank you for taking the time to read this.