"Harder Coryo, harder!" Livia Cardew screeched, her nails digging into his back, something she was making an annoying habit out of. And calling him Coryo.
He hated having to stand in the steaming shower for an extra few minutes to try and get the marks to fade. He wasn't opposed to a little fling with a girl like Livia, hell he was having quite the time at the beginning. But her attractiveness was quickly fading as the pillow talk became almost insufferable. His summer away as a peacekeeper made him forget just how arrogant she could be.
He obliged, and fucked her harder, steadying himself on the wall so that her bed wouldn't squeak, not wanting to let her parents know how she was spending her free time. Of course, these days having rumoured to be spending alone time with Coriolanus Snow was more of an accomplishment than it was a detriment. His stint as a peacekeeper had given him some notoriety. He reached his other hand up into the space between them, dancing across her skin. Smooth and supple.
Upon his return, Dr. Gaul had framed it as an internship idea that he had approached her with, with the goal of blending in with the districts enough to learn more about their ways. Gain a better understanding, figure out their strengths and weaknesses, and ultimately use it against them in the games. She had made it sound like a luxury and a choice. Both of which they knew, it was not. It did however, earn him a coveted spot in her Game Making course at the University. It was just a lucky by-product that the ladies loved the buzzcut.
Strabo Plinth had offered him an interesting arrangement once he got back – he was missing a son, and Coriolanus was missing a father. Together, they'd make one big, blended family. He couldn't really say no. The Plinths moved into the unit below them at the Corso, gifting Coriolanus an unlimited allowance and war-chest. It really gave him the backing he needed to feel comfortable here again. Dr. Gaul was unpredicatble. Now he could go after what he really wanted without the worry of burning a bridge he might need to cross later. Now he could just pay to build his own. It really wasn't all that bad, they were in no way trying to replace the image of his mother and father, and they never would, but it was as much of a favor to them as it was him. They gave him the means, and in exchange he made them feel like they actually belonged in the Capitol.
Not having to keep his poverty a secret was quite liberating. He was able to make more time for things he wanted to do, as opposed to doing things out of sheer obligation. And some of that free time included rolling around the sheets with some of the Capitol bred girls he grew up with. They were just as excited as he was, to finally capture the attention of a Snow, especially after years of receiving no more than a friendly nod in passing. The girls flocked to him the first week of university, Oh Coriolanus! How did you ever manage to live amongst those savages? Oh Snow, you're so strong and handsome... Coriolanus, this, Coriolanus that. It was all rather amusing to him, to be at the centre of their worlds when they were no more than a blip in his. Something to pass the time until it no longer benefited him.
And Livia Cardew was just about reaching that point in time. Her looks could only get her so far, along with the reputation of her parents. But her incessant complaining and jabbering were starting to make his head hurt. Last time they had hung out, he wasn't able to have a single full thought without her interrupting him. Slopping her hands all over him and begging for even more attention. Seeing her, fucking her, had begun to feel like a chore.
But now here he was, trying to decide the right time to end things with her. He wanted it to be as amicable as possible. Who knows if he'd need her help in the future, with her parents running the largest bank and all. Maybe he'd need some funding for his future presidential candidacy. He decided right now wasn't the time for that – emotions were running high and it was the first day of classes, and he wanted to be at the top of his game. Getting dirty looks from her friends as they consoled her while she wailed over the heartbreak wasn't on his list of things to deal with today. He had to head home and get ready, and then meet Dr. Gaul before class to go over something.
He steadied himself again on the wall, not really wanting to think of Dr. Gaul while he was having sex. Very unpleasant. He worked hard to force himself to look down at Livia, her full breasts bouncing up and down, in sync with his rhythm. He began to speed up his pace and she moaned, that ugly high-pitched moan she would put on. He was convinced she was completely acting this part up. He was good, but he wasn't that good. Another reason he had to get away from her, his ears couldn't handle it anymore. They were begging him for relief. She let out some strangled whimper, signalling she was finished, and he rolled off of her.
Out of breath, she clutched her silk sheets against her chest, letting out a girlish giggle. She leaned over and gave him what she thought was a deep and meaningful kiss. He let her. It would be one of the last, so why not appease her so she could relive this moment when she missed him?
He took the rare silence as an opportunity to look her over and think about if it was worth ending things with her so early on. With school courses starting up again, it would be easy to use that as an excuse for not having any more free time for her. On the other hand, he might appreciate the distraction with having to spend so much time with Dr. Gaul.
She was attractive in the way that most Capitol girls were attractive. Clear skin, on the paler side, full breasts and rather flexible, although she had a little more curve to her than most girls her age. Otherwise, very much the same as everyone else. Rumor had it her family had stockpiled food during the dark days, and she never missed a meal. A crime punishable by death at the time, although there really was no solid evidence. But that was just a rumor. Maybe he was just being biased because he had to listen to her drone on and on for so long these past few weeks. For a girl who was given everything since the day she was born, she sure had a lot to chatter on about.
"Did you see the student list for the Game Maker's class?" She asked him. She had turned over onto her stomach, kicking her feet behind her. Odd she was asking him a question, normally it was all about her. Maybe she could feel him slipping away. He should have been more focused earlier.
The class list was filled with familiar names. Overall, 60 students had made it. He expected not all of them would complete the class, there seemed to be a high rate of casualties in the Game Making department, at least at the Academy. Or Dr. Gaul wanted some extra bodies in case she had any other containers filled with snakes that she wanted to toss someone into. Clemensia wasn't on the directory. Maybe she was taking a year off.
"That little Lumen bitch made it on. I really thought I'd get away from her. Figure she would be running District 5 by now as their stupid little Mayor." Livia griped.
They had always hated each other – probably because their names were so similar and people would often confuse them. Livia always got so riled up because how could people associate her with power production and not the banking system her parents ran? Oh heavens, no, we've got deeper pockets than that!
"Her and her stupid little bread..." Livia huffed.
Oh right, that's why they hated each other. The bread!
It was during the earlier years at the Academy, after the Dark Days had officially ended and the Capitol was returning to its vibrancy. Olivia had developed some weird routine when it came to bread at meals. She would section it off, or only eat it a certain way, he couldn't really remember. But anyways, one day at lunch Livia Cardew had wanted to differentiate herself from the girl with the similar name and marched right up to her in the cafeteria and began heckling her.
"You know you're supposed to eat the bread right? Or did your mother forget to teach you how we're supposed to eat in the Capitol?" Livia has sneered at the girl, turning to look back at her flock of friends who were giggling alongside her.
Olivia continued moving her bread around and then acknowledged the girl, taking a moment to finish up what she was doing.
"I believe some call it a diet, they're becoming quite popular in the Capitol. Perhaps you should try it." Her voice was firm and direct. Olivia had looked the girl up and down to prove her point, and then went back to eating her lunch. The lunch room was still and quiet, watching the exchange, and then the halls erupted in laughter.
Ah yes, the bread! The diet joke! It truly was legendary at the time. Especially with the rumour swirling around that their family had much more to eat everyday than most. An illegal amount more. He remembers trying to hold in has laugh but ended up doubled over with Festus Creed.
He wasn't really sure what was up with the bread. Olivia had never wasted food so she must have been doing something with it near the end of her meal. Perhaps ripping it up into pieces to give to Sejanus to toss on his loved ones.
Sejanus. He had been hoping not to think of him for the rest of the year.
"Ah, she's not that bad, she'll be too busy anyways. We probably won't see much of her." Coriolanus reasoned. She was barely there at the Academy, one of the reasons she didn't get a mentoring spot. She was pretty much running her father's energy company. But somehow along the way she had impressed someone, otherwise she wouldn't be in this class.
"I have to go, have to get ready and then meet with Dr. Gaul." He said and strategically turned the opposite way of Livia to avoid a good-bye squelch from her. Let the distancing begin.
"Ugh... you always have to go when things get fun. Do put in a good word for me if you can... With Dr. Gaul." She begged. Always trying to get a leg up.
He gave her some half efforted nod and tugged his clothes on, trying to get out of there as fast as possible. Hoping her parents weren't nearby and he'd be formally introduced to them as Livia's fling. Ex-fling soon.
The ride back home was filled with silence. Finally, some peace. But he had wished it wasn't. All he could think of now was Sejanus and those mocking jays. He pressed his head against the cool glass of the car and hoped the next round of games would be so grand he'd be able to forget it. Forget Sejanus, forget Lucy Gray and all of the others who played a part.
The 11th Hunger Games would be something to remember, he would make sure of it.