𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐊𝐄𝐃 ⎯⎯⎯⎯ CORIOLANUS SNOW

iii.

Sejanus spoke against them once again, "Shouldn't we be asking ourselves whether or not they're right in the first place?"

Offended, Dr. Gaul strongly retaliated, "You have a problem with my Games?" 

"Some of those kids were two years old when the war ended. The oldest of them were only eight. The Capitol is supposed to be everyone's government now. It is supposed to protect all of us. I don't see how making children fight each other to the death is protecting anyone." He exclaimed.

Dr. Gaul shook her head in disappointment, "That sort of sympathy might interfere with your mentoring assignment."

"Perhaps the Capitol students are ill-suited to be mentoring tributes. Perhaps the Game's time has passed." Dean Highbottom suggested.

Coriolanus stood up, poised to deliver a statement. The students' focus shifted to the boy who now commanded their attention.

"Dean Highbottom is wrong. My classmates, too. Maybe Sejanus is onto something here. Maybe we should be viewing those tributes as human beings. I mean, you saw those kids in the zoo, they just... they just wanted to get to know Lucy Gray. If we need people to watch, we should be letting them get closer to the tributes before the Games. To make the stakes personal."

"Who will watch the Games if they care what happens to the tributes?"

"Everyone," Caroline declared, prompting heads to turn in surprise at her unexpected contribution to the conversation.

She continued, "People need someone to root for. Like in sports. If you let them get to know the tribute and have them gain an attachment to them, it'll hurt more. We want the viewers to root for their favorite tribute. We want them invested in the game."

Coriolanus' gaze lingered on the girl, appreciative of her help. He nodded along with her opinion before finishing his statement.

"And if we bend a few Capitol laws, we could even have them place bets. Look, I know Lucy Gray may not win in the arena but if you give her a chance, I would bet the Plinth Prize that she can win people's attention."

"I'd like you to write up a proposal of these thoughts tonight, Mr. Snow―"

Dr. Gaul couldn't finish her sentence as Clemensia interrupted, "Wait. You mean you might actually use his ideas?"

"If it'll help the ratings, why not." The woman shrugged.

Clemensia gleamed at this. She saw Dr. Gaul begin to walk away, and she hurriedly called out, in an effort to regain the Gamemaker's attention.

"Coriolanus and I are class partners, Dr. Gaul. We do all of our assignments together." Clemensia chimed.

Caroline's eyebrows furrowed at the lie, her expression shifting into a frown. She stiffened slightly, directing her gaze towards Clemensia.

She became even more furious when she noticed Coriolanus remaining silent. He didn't make any attempts to call Clemensia out on her lies.

Dr. Gaul laughed sinisterly, "It'll be an interesting test."

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CORIOLANUS SET HIS plate down beside Caroline's on the placemat, taking a seat in the chair opposite her, a sly and suspicious smile adorning his face.

"Coriolanus."

"Carebear." He smirked.

"What do you want?" She spat.

He shrugged, "Just to speak to you. We're technically partners, now."

"No, we aren't. You and Clemensia are partners." Caroline corrected.

"I like you better." He countered.

"Well, I don't like you."

"Why so?" Coriolanus asked as he leaned forward with a smirk tugging at the corners of his lips.

Displeased with the amount of words they were exchanging, Caroline ignored his question and repeated her initial question.

"What are you here for, Coriolanus?"

"Can we put aside this whole thing we have going on? Lucy Gray won't do anything without Jessup and if that's how things are going to be, we need to be on good terms." He explained.

"No."

"No?"

"I don't want anything to do with you."

"We used to be friends. Me, you, and Sejanus. Whatever happened to that? Why can't we go back?"

Caroline scoffed in disbelief, feeling herself getting more angry by the second.

"Do not act like you don't know what happened. You're not the same person I was friends with, before." She stated.

"I'm sorry, Caro." Coriolanus apologized.

"Which thing are you apologizing for? Actually, never mind, it doesn't matter. I'm not accepting your shitty apology four years later." Caroline thundered.

"Caroline.." He trailed off, unaware of what he could say to make the situation any better.

"I don't have anything else to say to you. We're not friends, Coriolanus. You're the one who established that. Don't play the victim, now." She remarked while tucking the lunch sandwich into her pocket, intending for Jessup to enjoy it later.

Caroline walked away as she headed in the direction of the Capitol Zoo to focus on what was really important here: winning the Plinth Prize and winning against Coriolanus Snow

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―dee speaks !
i love their banter