A Baird and the Snow

Cards

Coriolanus hadn't been able to tell from his short, occasional walks how many more people had shown up on the compound. "Are they all from District 8?" He asked in a low whisper, almost in awe.

There were probably 200 people sitting around the mess hall, looking freshly cleaned and completely ravenous as they ate the food that they must not have seen anything like in who knows how long.

Lucy Gray nodded grimly. "I think so," she said, taking Coriolanus' hand and squeezing it. He squeezed back.

"I'm ready to start helping, Lucy Gray," Coryo said, turning to face her.

"Me too," she replied. "And we will just as soon as Coin has something for us," she poked his ribs and when he didn't react with a wince, she smiled. "All healed now."

"Thanks to you," he laughed, not sure Lucy Gray knew just how grateful he really was.

"Also Lennox and Valia," Lucy Gray reminded him.

"And them," he agreed. A month ago, Coriolanus could have confidently said that he and Lennox were nothing close to friends, but they had become fairly close over the past few weeks.

He was a good man. He taught Coriolanus some fighting techniques, to help him avoid another situation like the one with Heavensbee. He was fairly certain he would be able to get by in a scuffle, but probably not with a skilled fighter, which Heavensbee is thankfully not.

Lucy Gray asked for lessons too, so while he was resting, she trained with Lennox.

The times when he was awake, it was only because he was captivated by the sight of Lucy Gray using calculated movements rather than the desperate ones in the games. That was mesmerizing enough, but when she was thinking about her next move? That's when Coriolnaus couldn't get himself to tear his eyes away.

It was like her music. Every word was intentional, whether it be something metaphorical or the straight, hard truth.

Of course, Lennox looked like he'd been doing this his entire life. It made Coryo wonder where he and his wife had been before they came to 13.

When Lucy Gray and Lennox stopped drills, he started talking about the logistics and that's when Cory let himself close his eyes.

—

"Coriolanus," He heard Lucy Gray speak from somewhere beside him and he opened his eyes from where he lay on the bed. She was sitting on the edge of the bed, a hand on his leg.

He sat up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. Lennox was gone. How long had he slept for? "What time is it?" He asked.

"It's seven," Lucy Gray said, shocking him. Last he checked it was three in the afternoon. "I was going to ask if you wanted to get supper. Lennox and Valia invited us to eat with them. They're going around now."

Coriolanus smiled before kissing her cheek. "Just let me get dressed."

Lucy Gray stood up so that he could throw off the blanket but when she didn't make any move to look away, he smirked. "Going to watch?"

She shot a devilish look at him and it surprised him. "Coriolanus Snow," she started, pulling him up from his sitting position to string her arms around his neck. "We've been sharing a bed for the past month and a half. I think I have some right to the things I see or don't see."

Coriolanus could feel his heart racing as he leaned closer. Their lips brushed and he couldn't tell who moved first when their lips collided. He wrapped his arms Lucy Gray, pulling her body flush against his.

He would have stayed there forever, letting the pull between them keep them stuck in this one place for the rest of their lives. But when Lucy Gray pulled away to take a breath, she grinned before mussing up his short, ragged hair. "Get dressed, pretty boy," she said, her swollen lips moving to kiss him once more.