#snowcote

[snowcote]

This is literally them 🤏

[malice-kingdom]

Judging you!

-

I got a request from @snowcote to draw Coryo and Clementia and it actually motivated me to finish a big tbosas fanart I had abandoned.

I hope you like it :)

[clemensiadovecotes]

Exploring Dr Gaul’s lab… moments before disaster

[meekmedea]

conversations over tea (V)

previous part

~~~~~

After her slip of her tongue, Coriolanus, or Coryo, as he’s come to insist her calling him now during these teas continues to be an enigma. 

“What do you know of the horse carriage rides down at the Central park by the water?” he asks without prompting one Saturday. 

“What about them?” 

“Would you say the experience is,” He paused, as if struggling to find the right word. “Memorable?”

Her nose wrinkled at said words. “Quite.” It was a fad that she was sure would die out soon. For the conditions weren’t the best – for both the horses and the passengers. The smell of manure was one that’d unfortunately linger in her memories. 

`

At that, he raised an eyebrow. 

“The smell is rather…strong,” she settled on. 

“Ah.” There was a pause. “What of Elysée?” 

`

The Gardens? Surprised, Clemensia choked on her cup of tea. Both were all popular dating venues amongst the wealthy. So why was he asking her for her opinion? Waving away his concerned look, she coughed out, “I’m fine. But are you… Are you asking me for dating advice?” 

“No.” The answer comes a little too quickly for her to take at face value. 

Oh, he absolutely was. 

~~~~~

Clemensia did wonder who the girl in question was though. Because as hard as she tried, nobody came to mind. 

She supposed she’d find out eventually, considering all these places he asked were rather public ones. And when combined with the fact that he was President, unless he completely closed off the public space, there was no way that people wouldn’t find out. 

~~~~~

The pictures spread just as quickly as the rumours. 

The lady in question is just another socialite within their circles, one a few years younger than them. There’s not much of note. Invidia is just one of the many faces within the upper crust.

`

Sometimes, Clemensia will take advantage of this ‘friend’ status he’s bestowed upon her to poke at the topic. And while Coriolanus doesn’t outright dismiss the questions, his answers are so curt, one might have thought he was reporting to a superior officer. 

He made them sound so bland and boring, making her wonder just why he kept going on these outings with Invidia. 

He always turns the topic back to her instead. 

`

“And how was your own date?” he asks, adding far too much sugar to his tea. 

Idly, she wondered if he ever got cavities from the amount of sugar he consumed. “It wasn’t a date.” Thank the stars it wasn’t…

“So you just happened to be in the area?”

`

It’s become a little easier to tell if he is simply poking fun at her or if he’s being serious. 

Today was the former. 

`

“I was passing by,” she clarifies – because Panem forbid that anyone thought it was a date. “And he simply happened to tag along.”

A snort of laughter escapes, cracking the image of the ever so dignified president. “As you say, Clem.”

“Don’t laugh,” she protests. 

`

How strange it was to hear him refer to her as  ‘Clem’ nowadays, coming from him, the nickname felt more foreign to her ears than ‘Clemensia’ did. 

For the longest time, he’d only ever used to call her ‘Clemmie’. But that had been a long, long time ago. When they’d been different people. 

~~~~~

The social aspect of being a socialite was stifling at times. Because as she got older, the vultures disguised as people began to bring up the topic of marriage more and more. 

It gets awfully tiring, especially when her parents have begun to ask her about her plans for the future. 

In hopes of a respite – brief as it may be – she ducks behind some curtains where a pair of glass doors led out onto a small balcony. What she doesn’t expect is to find it already occupied.

`

At the sound of the footsteps, the man turned. “Clemensia,” he says, offering up a small if not weary smile. 

“Pliny,” she greeted. After a second’s pause, she added, “You can still call me ‘Clem’, you know.”

“Only if you call me ‘Pup’. Pliny makes me feel like I’m my father.” He waved at her to stay. “How have you been?” he asks once she settled beside him. 

“I ought to be asking you that. It’s been months since I last saw you.” 

`

“The life of a naval commander isn’t quite as interesting as you might think,” he says wryly. “Much routine and nothing else.”

“And the life of a socialite is any different? Besides, of the two of us, you’re the one who gets to flitter between the Districts and the Capitol.”

He laughed. “That’s fair.”

`

Slipping into conversation with Pup nowadays is as easy as breathing. As children, they hadn’t been close, but they hadn’t been exactly strangers either. 

It was only once they reached their University years that they’d grown closer due to their similar circumstances. 

The older they get, the more commonplace inquiries into their future become. And by that, Clemensia didn’t mean about their career, but rather about marriage and future children. 

`

“Mother’s got a list of eligible brides that she’s dying to introduce to me, I’m sure of it,” he sighs. “As much as I love her, I wish she would understand that things aren’t going to change once I meet the so-called right person.”

She made a hum of agreement. The feeling was understandable. 

“There’s some engagement that she’s arranged nearly every day that I’m back here. Tomorrow’s some tea party…” Pup waved his hand wildly, making a nondescript gesture. “...garden event or something.” 

“The one at the Elysées?”

“That’s the one. What are the chances I’ll be forced to endure some romantic boat ride?” He wrinkled his nose at the thought.

This time, she was the one to laugh. “Fairly high, I imagine. The ladies shall be lining up in droves to have the handsome naval commander row them on the lake.”

“Alright, now you’re just being cruel, Clem.”

`

Society may pride themselves as progressive and whatnot, but in circles like theirs, the expectation was that they’d marry someone in their circles to continue the family name and whatnot. And if one preferred their own gender? Well, lovers weren’t a foreign concept in their society, so long as one did their duty first.

These rules were far more lax for second borns and spares, giving them more leeway. But for only children like them? Duty was all but demanded of them. 

~~~~

“I thought you said you weren’t seeing anyone?” remarks Coriolanus during their weekly teas. 

“And I thought you weren’t one for idle gossip,” she teased. “Tell me, which man have I been saddled with this time?”

He raised an eyebrow. “I’m surprised you haven’t figured it out, considering all the time you’ve been spending with him lately.”

Ah. “You mean Pup?”

“I wasn’t aware you two were so close.”

“Well he’s only back for a short while before he’s back out patrolling the waters of 4, so of course I'd take the opportunity to catch up with him,” she says blithely. She knew exactly what Coriolanus was trying to hint at, but it was fun to tease him. “Besides, I wasn’t aware spending time with friends was a treasonous offence nowadays.”

`

He sighed. “You know exactly what I mean.”

She flashed him a cheeky smile. “More tea?” At his pointed look, she conceded, “He understands me. And I, him.” There was no need to launch into a whole explanation of the understanding Pup and her had.

Shaking his head, Coriolanus pushed his tea cup toward her slightly. “More tea then.”

Her grin only widened. 

~~~~

first

next

[daisythornes]

moodboard for we're all flesh and bones (so catch me if you can), my tbosas little goody two shoes au <3

summary (still a wip): Poor orphan Coryo Snow is dissatisfied with his lot in life, working as a lowly servant day in and day out for the people of the little Alpine village of Kieferberg. His ever-growing hunger for wealth and power will lead him to the deepest, darkest part of the forest, where something very old and powerful will make him a tantalizing offer: all that he wishes for the price of a humble offering.

But does Coryo have it in him to go all the way down this twisted path, past the point of keeping hold of his humanity? What is he willing to give for the chance to have everything he's ever wanted?

(I'm thinking this will be a choose your own adventure style story when it comes to shipping, to reflect the dating sim elements of the game it's based on 👀. so! snowbaird, snowjanus, and snowcote, all in one place!)

[snowcote]

Worried Snowcote 🥺🫶

[clemensiadovecotes]

Clemensia in her reaping outfit is something so personal to me 🥰

[snowcote]

Snowcote fanart🤍

🎨 malice-kingdom

🎨 kaphkas

🎨 101panem

[meekmedea]

(Epilogue) - Fatum Faciendum Est

See AO3 for the fic

Even from the doorway, he could hear Pandora’s inquisitive voice as she chattered to her mother. At the age of 5, his daughter was curious about everything. An endearing trait at times, and at other times, Coriolanus almost wished that she was still a baby, for Pandora’s questions could get rather much. 

Coriolanus didn’t understand why they were allowing Pandora to entertain notions of Santa Claus’ existence and other imaginary figures, but Clemensia had insisted. So he’d conceded, if just for Clemensia’s sake. Also, he’d never admit that it made it easier to purchase presents.  

`

Stepping into the greenhouse, he followed the voices until he saw Clemensia taking afternoon tea with Pandora. “How are my two favourite ladies today?”

“Daddy!” A wide grin appeared on Pandora’s face as she hopped off her chair to run towards him. Her hands were stretched up toward him. “Up!”

Had he mentioned how demanding their daughter had become lately too? But he acquiesced to her demand, spinning her around to her giggles. 

`

“And what do we say?” says Clemensia once Pandora is back on the ground. 

“Thank you, Daddy!” She flashed him the same charming smile that was all Clemensia and turned back to face her mother. “Mama, I don’t want a new bike. Or a new doll. I want something else!”

“Oh? And what do you want?”

“A brother!” she says enthusiastically. “I want him to be this tall, with eyes like you, Mama. So we can match!–”

Clemensia coughed in surprise. Meanwhile, Coriolanus stood there and wondered if he should be insulted or not that his daughter didn’t want her hypothetical future sibling to have his eyes. 

“– a sister would be okay too. I guess. But only if her hair is white like Daddy’s.”

“Blonde,” he corrects absentmindedly.

`

“Darling, that’s not how–” starts Clemensia. 

“She can't have the same hair like me,” Pandora explains, like it was something that they should understand was of great importance to her. “So, can I?”

“I don’t think they’d get here on time, dear,” he says, trying to hide his amusement as he ruffles Pandora’s hair. “Perhaps for your birthday?”

“Really?” Her eyes widened at the idea, it was all too adorable. 

`

“Coryo–” splutters Clemensia. That was a rather adorable shade of red on her cheeks. 

He made a hum of agreement, focusing on Pandora. “Will you give your mother and me a moment alone?” 

“Okay!” 

They watched as she went deeper into the greenhouse – her dark curls bouncing with every step. 

`

“Don’t go too far,” Clemensia calls after her. Once Pandora had turned the corner, she turned her attention back to him. “Why did you say that? Now you know she’ll be insistent on it.”

“But I thought you said that I should encourage her interests.”

“That’s not what I meant.”

He feigned surprise. “It wasn’t?”

`

“Oh you…” She shook her head, exasperated. 

“Would it truly be so awful to give her what she asked for?”

Clemensia raised an eyebrow. “You do realize the stringent criteria our daughter just gave us.”

`

“You’re avoiding the question, Clemmie.”

“And you’re not the one who has to carry the baby to term.”

Touché. 

“But let’s say I humour you, how would you go about convincing me?”

He grinned, knowing that she wasn’t entirely against the idea. “I can be very persuasive when I want to.”

“Prove it.”

`

A demonstration? He could do that. Pulling their daughter’s previously occupied chair close to him, Coriolanus sat down and leaned in, his hand reaching to lift her chin to give him better access to her lips. 

Alas, before he can do so, the moment is shattered with a cry of, “Mama! Come look!”

Expectedly, Clemensia’s head turns, causing the kiss to land on her cheek instead. Before he can try to get a proper kiss, she is up and following their daughter’s earlier footsteps. “Coming!”

After a second or two, when it was clear neither of them would be returning anytime soon, he sighed and got up, following after them. 

`

Foiled by his own daughter…

Who’d have thought?

[meekmedea]

Most people: sorry, I missed your birthday, let me make it up to you? Here's a late birthday present, and maybe I can take you out for a meal?

Coryo: sorry I missed your birthday. Here's a late birthday present – also remember Gaul? Haha yeah...

*cue reveal of Dr. Gaul's death through public media channels*

Ok, well maybe he doesn't admit out loud to her about having killed Dr. Gaul – but he'd probably watch her reaction to learning that the doctor had been torn apart by the eels.

Clemmie (a little horrified upon learning about Gaul's death): Oh. That's...horrible.

Coryo: Yes. Quite tragic.

`

Clemmie: ...

Coryo (inner monologue): Why does she look horrified instead of relieved? I thought she hated Gaul???

Clemmie: ...

`

Coryo: What's wrong?

Clemmie: Why do I feel so relieved that she's gone?

Coryo: *instant relief*

[daisythornes]

plotting and scheming a little goody two shoes au for tbosas 😈

i'm thinking a little something like:

Coryo is a terribly unfortunate poor orphan boy stuck in a cycle of servitude and narrowly-avoided starvation.

He lives in an idyllic Alpine village, but it doesn’t matter to him - not when everyone there treats him like the dirt underneath their boots. Well, not everyone. Beautiful musician extraordinaire Lucy Gray, the snooty but sweet Bergmeister's daughter Clemensia, and of course, the kind-hearted, ever-loyal Preacher's son Sejanus, are quite good to him.

But it’s never been enough for young Coriolanus Snow - on the darkest of nights, it seems nothing but a gilded palace and boundless feasts and an army of servants catering to his every whim will suffice to sate his desires.

Something old and powerful lurks deep in the woods. It can sense the might of Coryo’s greed, and it knows the boy will be ever so easy to bend to its will, just like all the wretched souls that came before him, seeking better than they were dealt at any cost. But is Coryo really willing to follow in their footsteps all the way down the twisted path? Who will he bring along at his side? What will he sacrifice?

[meekmedea]

conversations over tea (XII)

previous chapter

~~~~

Upon her discovery of the deed to Lavinium, Coriolanus had taken a glance at the will. “Clem, I don’t think he could have made it clearer to anyone else that Lavinium was to be yours. He even goes so far to write that should you accept it, then this jewelry box and all its contents are yours.”

Then after she’d accidentally let slip that perhaps her discovery would stop the sad attempts at threatening her into submission, he’d more or less dragged her out to the lawyer’s office, demanding to see both of the wills that were being contested for their validity. 

“That qualifies as harassment and why should you put up with it, Clem?”

`

It’s a peculiar sight, watching people scurry about and Clemensia was rather glad to not be on the receiving end of Coriolanus’ ire. The office that employed her aunt’s lawyer had quickly learned that answers of proper paperwork and following procedure weren’t what he wanted to hear. Or accepted. 

If President Snow wanted something done, he wouldn’t take no for an answer. He wanted it done immediately. A bit tyrannical, Clemnsia supposed, and rather unorthodox, but at least he was able to get through the bureaucratic hurdle with ease. 

Because when Clemensia and her family had tried to get a look at the ‘new’ will that her aunt had found, they’d been continuously met with the same barriers and unable to pass by. What they had been struggling with these past few days was now being rapidly solved.

`

Mr. Lamont is summoned as well, to produce the copy of her uncle’s will that he’d read on the day of her uncle’s funeral. Mostly for appearance’s sake and to verify that the copy Clemensia held was just as valid. 

On an impulse, she called for the Dovecote family lawyer to come as well; if there were any legalities she needed to be concerned with, she wanted proper representation. She didn’t trust any of the lawyers here to have her best interest at heart. 

`

Coriolanus’ eye was getting twitchy as they waited and she pitied the next person who’d set him off. 

It definitely translated to their skittish behaviour upon dropping off two cups of tea in front of them. They looked terrified that the President would order their heads to roll if they breathed too loudly in his direction, much less look in his direction.

`

“Well,” he snapped upon Mr. Lamont’s arrival, “can you prove that the copy we have and the one you have are identical?” Then his ire landed on the unfortunate intern that was passing by. “And where is that blasted copy of the so-called ‘new’ will?”

Upon seeing her aunt’s copy of the will, Clemensia realizes a glaring issue. “Oh.” Laughing was wrong, but she couldn’t help the strangled noise from escaping. Was this why they kept stalling, preventing her family from seeing the will?

“Clemensia?” Coriolanus’ ire had turned to concern as he turned to face her.

She points to the date listed on the will. “Uncle would have been dead for nearly three days when he signed this.”

`

A gasp came from the door, they turned to find her mother and her aunt standing there. Her pale-faced aunt who looked as if she wanted to run. 

~~~~~

With such a glaring revelation, ownership of Lavinium is uncontested. 

Her grandfather denies any knowledge of her aunt’s misdeeds and begs for forgiveness, and Clemensia wasn’t sure what to believe anymore. After all, he’d been so quick to take Aunt Agave’s side of the matter, even going so far to say that the forged will should be followed to the letter when it had first come out. 

It will take some time before she can look at him again without the sting of betrayal. 

`

Not a word escapes to the media – physical or otherwise – about the entire debacle. Father’s influence, and his consideration for Mother’s wishes. Because even though she couldn’t forgive her sister for her actions, she didn’t want to give them any more attention than they needed to. 

It didn’t stop the Valencik family from running into a bout of bad luck though – recently her aunt’s husband’s business had been audited and there were a number of metaphorical skeletons that had been unearthed. 

`

So Lavinium is hers to run. 

She settles into the business – thankfully the staff are there to help make the transition easier – but sometimes, she forgets that uncle is no longer around when she looks for a second opinion. 

It’s a slow process, but it gets easier with every passing week. 

Clemensia won’t make him regret choosing him as heir to the business. 

~~~~

Coriolanus and her weekly teas continue. Though he might not be the same boy of her childhood, it didn’t mean she couldn’t get to know the man that had grown up since then. And to call that individual a friend. 

Because that was part of growing up, was it not? She was no longer the same little girl either, so it’d be hypocritical to expect that he’d remain the same since childhood. 

~~~~

It is just another of their teas when they have a surprise visitor – no, not Sirius. But Invidia. 

Invidia looks furious, and her rage grows even more upon seeing Clemensia sitting across from Coriolanus. “You,” she says, her voice full of venom. 

What? 

“What’s your excuse now? Busy every Saturday? Hah! As if.” Her finger pointed at Clemensia. “I knew you’ve been seeing her behind my back.” Invidia doesn’t wait for an answer from him when she turns her ire to Clemensia. “And you! You’re that slattern–”

“I think you’ve got me confused–” tries Clemensia. 

“Confused?” she interrupts. “No, I don’t think so. After all, you’re the one he bought those earrings for.”

This was over a pair of earrings? 

`

“Are you done embarrassing yourself, Invidia?” cuts in Coriolanus. He almost looked bored by the accusations. “Do you hear what you’re saying?”

“Do I hear what I’m saying? Of course, I do,” she snarled back at him. “How dare you shame me like this, Coriolanus? With this…” She gestured wildly at Clemensia. “...her?”

`

This seemed like a private matter between the bickering couple, and Clemensia wondered if she should make her excuses to leave. But the moment she shifted in her seat, making to get up, Coriolanus’ gaze turned to her. 

“Where are you going?”

“I–” She wasn’t sure what to say. “I should head out,” she tries. 

“No. Stay.”

`

“Her? Stay?” screeched Invidia. “Is this your choice?”

Clemensia wanted nothing more than to leave the room. Before she could insist on it, Coriolanus gave her the look that usually had people fearing for their life, but she’d known him for years and it wasn’t quite so effective on her. “The gardens,” she concedes. If those two wanted to deal with their relationship, they could, but Clemensia had no wish to be in the middle of it. 

“Very well.”

~~~~

Coriolanus finds her by sitting on the edge of the fountain. “Kore said I might find you here,” he says in lieu of a greeting.

She didn’t say anything to that. 

“I’m sorry that you had to see that,” he says, settling beside her. “Invidia has been sent away.”

This time, she made a small hum to acknowledge that she’d heard him. 

`

“It was a long time coming.” At this, she glanced sharply at him, yet Coriolanus continued on, “I should have ended things earlier.”

Had he just broken up with his girlfriend? “Coryo–”

“You’re not the first girl that she’s accused me of having an affair with,” he says, offering up a wry smile. “Every female that more or less glances my way is regarded with the same brush she tried to paint you with.”

“Oh,” is all she can say to that. 

“And she admitted to sending you that dead dove.”

“Oh,” she echoed dumbly. Well that was a bit disturbing. 

“I don’t appreciate my friends being threatened.” 

`

She doesn’t recall much of the rest of her visit at the mansion. 

The image of the plucked dove in the gilded bird cage is too horrifying to make her a good conversation partner. 

first chapter

next chapter

[meekmedea]

For someone who’s named for the goddess of mercy and forgiveness, Clemensia finds that she has little to spare these days.

After all, Coriolanus didn’t spare Felix. Or many others for that matter. Yet he continued to profit from one death after another.

That is until Clemensia realized she too could profit from a death.

[meekmedea]

conversations over tea (XIII)

previous chapter

~~~~

The next Saturday, Clemensia likes to count it as off to a good start when there are no girlfriends hiding around the corner, ready to accuse her of having an affair with the President. 

He’s busy at the moment, with something that had come up last minute. This means Clemensia gets free reign of the piano in the room until he comes by, to which she doesn’t mind very much. 

`

The maid serves her tea. Some fruity blend for the summer. 

She’ll maybe venture a sip or two later. 

`

And that is her first mistake. The moment she drinks a small sip of the tea, Clemensia can feel her throat swelling up. Huh? 

The teapot is in the room with her and when she lifts the lid, she sees nothing out of the ordinary. Tea leaves greet her. Not a strawberry in sight. But her throat was acting as if she’d ingested strawberries – she’d love to think more into it if she wasn’t having an allergic reaction. 

Grabbing her purse, Clemensia pulls out her medication for cases like these. There was no water in the room and opening the door showed an empty hallway. Her luck was terrible. 

Considering time was of the essence, she decided she’d rather attempt to dry swallow the pill than hunt down a maid. 

`

Putting it in her mouth, she almost gags. 

The medication usually works pretty fast, but today wasn’t looking like it was one of those days. If anything, she felt worse. She felt unusually warm and her vision was beginning to blur. 

Stars…

`

Stumbling down the hallway in search of anyone that might be able to help, she bumps into something, or rather someone, as she turns the corner. It was starting to take more effort to focus. 

“Careful there. I didn’t know you missed me that much, Clem.” The teasing lilt to the voice grounded her back to reality. 

“Coryo?” As he steadied her, her grip tightened on his shirt. “Coryo,” she repeats, looking up to meet his gaze. “I can’t–”

The amusement on his face died. “What happened?”

`

“I–”

His mouth is moving, yet she had little idea what he was saying. Faintly, Clemensia registers that he now looks just as panicked as she was feeling. 

The room was spinning now. 

It was getting harder to breathe and – oh stars, there were two of him now. “Please.”

Her legs give out from underneath her. 

`

“Clemmie!”

As her vision faded to black, she wondered how many years it’d been since he’d called her that…

~~~~

Time is a funny concept in her haze. There are people coming and going out of her room. Only it’s not her room because she doesn’t recognize it. So where was she? 

“No hospitals,” she chokes out to someone. 

Surely they’d understand? She would rather die than be locked in a wretched hospital room once more.

`

Drifting in and out of consciousness, the next time she’s semi-lucid, she asks, “Am I going to die?” to the familiar floral scent. 

“No. Get some rest, Clemmie.”

Drowsily, she listens and roses haunt her dreams. 

~~~~

Clemensia wakes to him in her room, she couldn’t recall the last time she’d ever seen him with such a haggard look. If ever. 

“You’re awake.” He tries for a smile, but it comes out looking so weary. 

“How long have I been out?” she rasps out as she sits up. Blearily, she rubbed at her eyes and noticed the pile of white fur sleeping on the ground beside her bed was none other than Sirius.  

“Nearly three days.”

`

There were a multitude of questions she’d wanted to ask, but her throat was so dry she didn’t want to speak very much either. He comes close to pour a glass of water from the pitcher on the bed stand. “Here.”

She takes a small sip. Then another. It’s emptied before she knows it. “Thanks.” 

He pours her another glass. “I’m sure you have questions. Ask away.”

`

“What happened?” 

“You were poisoned.” 

“The tea?”

He nods. “Mixed amongst the tea leaves were poison and strawberry leaves.”

So it was to look like she’d have died from an allergic reaction then. “Who?”

“Invidia. She came in just before you arrived, begging me to reconsider things. And during that time, she had one of the maids serve you the tea that she convinced them was a peace offering.” He scowled at the memory. “Needless to say, the staff will be reeducated in the coming days.”

`

She closed her eyes momentarily and thought about her next question. “Where are we?” she asks, glancing back at him. 

“There are many skilled doctors on hand at the mansion.” He looked away briefly, a flash of awkwardness on his face. “You were delirious, but you were clear on one thing. No more hospitals.”

She looked down at the glass in her hands. “Like you said, I was delirious. People say strange things in desperate times.”

“Clem.”

`

She didn’t look at him. Stubbornly, she continued to look down at the glass of water. “What of Sirius?” 

“Clemensia.”

“What of Sirius?” she insists. This time, she meets his gaze. 

Reluctantly, he gives in. “I had a maid head to your apartment to check in on him, feed him and all. He escaped her when she took him out on a walk, making his way here. So I let him stay.”

`

A silence fell between them. 

“We were 18,” he tries. 

At the same time, she says, “I was foolish.”

“You were grieving. I agreed to give you credit.” The same words from nearly a decade ago are repeated to her. “I thought I was doing you a favour.”

“I should have known better than to agree.”

`

A complicated look flashed on his face. “Clemmie,” he says softly, in the way one might approach someone frightened. “Do you blame me for what happened all those years ago?”

“I don’t know.” Somehow that is the honest answer, because she genuinely didn’t know – perhaps a small part of her did blame him. “It all happened so quickly and… and–” Clemensia cut herself off, unable to find the right words to string into a coherent sentence. “Then you were in 12.”

“I was in 12,” he echoed. 

By the time he'd returned, the gap in their friendship had widened considerably. Enough so that it was easier to pretend to be close when the occasion called for it and to leave one another alone for the rest of it. This only made it easier to drift further and further apart as life took them in different directions. 

`

“Why am I here?” At his confusion, she clarifies, “Why do you invite me week after week to have tea?” Prior to the start of their weekly teas, they had barely talked in the past decade. Just a handful of words at the odd social gathering. 

“Would you believe me if I said that missed you?”

She didn’t say anything. 

`

“During our first year at University, I kept expecting to find you beside me whenever I had news to share,” he says quietly. 

Something twists uncomfortably at her chest at his comment. Guilt? Pity? She didn’t know what it was.

“I’m sorry about how we left things,” he adds. “I do mean it when I said I missed having you around. If I could, I’d have tried harder to fix things before I left.”

“I could have reached out too,” she concedes. “When you were in 12. Or even after you returned from your summer away.”

`

There are a great number of things they could say and apologize for, things that might take all day if they were to list them all. 

He seemed to realize that as well as he sat by her bedside. 

`

A realization comes to mind.

While the teas may not have started on a warm note, she had enjoyed having him around. And a part of her had missed him in that period where they pretended to be friends. An absence that he had filled during their weekly teas. 

`

“Do you think it’s too late for us?” she asks eventually. Is friendship still in the cards for us?

“No. I don’t think so.”

“Alright.” Holding her glass in one hand, she extended her free hand out to him in a mimicry of their very first meeting as children. “Hi, my name is Clemensia, but you can call me ‘Clemmie’.”

The corners of his lips twitched upwards as he shook her hand gently. “Coriolanus Snow. My close friends call me ‘Coryo’ and I must insist you do so as well.”

~~~~

FIN

first part

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[meekmedea]

conversations over tea (IX)

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~~~~~

No piano this afternoon, or even a walk in the gardens despite the lovely weather they were having in the Capitol today. Rather Clemensia took one look at the divan in the drawing room and settled onto it. Within seconds, her eyes began to droop. 

Never had she thought that Sirius would miss Pup so much once he’d returned to patrolling the waters of District 4. But he had, and he was very vocal in expressing it. All night long with his pacing and whining outside her bedroom. 

She was on Day 3 of said changes and last night, she’d kept her bedroom door open – hoping Sirius would be reassured that she was still here. There was less whining, but it’d still been very hard to fall asleep. 

Hopefully Coriolanus would be tied up with work today and she could nap a little longer…

`

Clemensia wasn't sure how much time had passed, but however much it was, it wasn’t enough.

“What happened to you?” asks Coriolanus, upon seeing her half-asleep on the divan. 

“Sirius,” she says, muffling a yawn. “He’s been miserable these past nights since Pup left the Capitol. He’s kept me up all night with his crying and I’ve had to let him sleep in my room.”

“Sirius?” he echoed. “Like a child?”

“I guess.”

`

Coriolanus looked baffled by her answer. “What do you mean, ‘you guess’? Is he yours or not?”

Right…they were supposed to put her name on the adoption papers. “Legally, not yet. Maybe after the next time Pup is in the Capitol.”

He only looked more and more confused. And perhaps a little concerned. 

`

Just then a knock sounded on the door. A nervous looking maid entered. “President Snow,” she says, looking ready to cry. Clemensia wondered if the maid had been nominated to be the bearer of bad news or something. 

“What is it?” asks Coriolanus wearily when the maid was unable to get her point across. 

“Sir…there’s an issue at the front gates. And security is wondering how they should proceed.”

At that, he snapped to attention. “An issue?”

`

“Yes, there’s a–” She seemed ready to burst into tears. 

“A what?”

“A dog and he’s…” 

`

The words began to spill out of the maid, faster and faster, about the dog who’d appeared in front of the mansion’s policed gates since Clemensia arrived at the mansion. One that they couldn’t chase off and was continuously barking outside. 

They were hesitant to use brute force, considering the dog didn’t look like a stray with how well-groomed he was and the shiny collar around his neck. 

And just as she finished, another maid appeared and informed Clemensia that they’d gotten a call from Janus – the dogwalker she’d hired – that Sirius was missing. 

`

Combined with the description the first maid had given Coriolanus about the dog, Clemensia knew where her missing dog was exactly. “Where is he?” she says, standing up. “I’ll go see to him.”

“Clem?”

`

“Sirius seems to fancy himself a bit of an escape artist these days.”

“Hold on, Sirius is a dog?”

Clemensia gave him a strange look. “What else would he be?”

~~~~

They sit in the garden – Coriolanus’ suggestion – nowhere the roses of course, but on a grassy lawn where a table and a pair of chairs have been hastily set up for them to sit and converse. 

Sirius is having the time of his life running around, he might be hunting squirrels while Clemensia sips at her coffee. She needs caffeine, if she is to be a functional participant in this conversation, and elected to ignore Coriolanus’ teasing that it was hardly coffee with how much cream she’d added into it. 

`

Curiously, she wondered what was in Sirius’ mouth as he bounded in their direction.

A large stick was left in front of Clemensia, and it didn’t take much to realize what he wanted. After fetching and chasing after the stick a few times, Sirius must have decided that Coriolanus was being left out or something because he eventually dropped the stick at his feet. 

`

Coriolanus eyed the saliva on the stick like it was poison. 

It took every ounce of self-restraint in Clemensia to not outright laugh at the look of disgust on his face as he picked up the stick and threw it far away from him.

Too bad Sirius ran back with the stick within minutes, clearly delighted by how far Coriolanus had thrown it.  

This time, she let the snicker escape. 

~~~~

As the months pass, while Sirius has proven that he’ll listen to Clemensia without too much of a fuss, he is a clever dog, he knows who he can take advantage of to get things going his way. 

Like how Janus was terrible at dog-watching. About a month in, she’d stopped hiring the man to take Sirius out on walks during Saturday afternoons because Sirius consistently outran the man and escaped to make his way to the presidential mansion. 

`

Instead, she now spent her Saturday mornings at a dog-friendly park and let Sirius go wild, hoping to tire him out prior to her weekly standing appointment with Coriolanus.

Sirius is a bit of a hunter. If not a menace to the local unsuspecting bird population. Since her visits to the park, she has seen her dog pounce on a handful of birds and bring it back to her like it was a trophy. It’s a work-in-progress – she is trying to stop him from doing that as often.

Today, she idly wonders if this is an improvement. Instead of a dead bird, Sirius gently drops a baby rabbit in front of her. Where he had found the poor thing, Clemensia had little idea, but at least it was still alive and looked visibly unharmed. 

~~~~~

Her birthday comes and goes – Pup was still out patrolling the waters of district 4, though he manages to send some birthday wishes through a phone call and send in a lovely gift. He sends her piano sheet music, a physical copy of Chopin’s nocturnes, knowing her preference of turning pages to playing off a tablet as was more commonplace nowadays with how technology had improved. 

Clemensia likes to think that she’d chosen well – they might not be marrying for love, but at least they had an amicable friendship with one another. 

`

A stunning pair of earrings also comes her way. This one, she recognizes from Lavinium, a pair she’d been admiring for quite some time, but hadn’t bought for herself. Coriolanus had attached a note to it, addressing the gift as to his dearest friend. It was rather sweet. 

Many compliments had been passed her way when she wore them out and about. 

~~~~

In fact, those are the earrings that she’s wearing when Pup is finally back in the Capitol, they’re on their way out to meet up with her uncle when they bump into Invidia. 

“Was it just me, or did she seem oddly hostile to you?” asks Pup once Invidia had turned the corner. 

“A little.” But Clemensia couldn’t come up with the reason why. She hadn’t talked to the socialite since…well since the last time Pup was in the Capitol. So maybe for quite a few months. 

“Right?”

“Maybe she was having a bad day?”

He shrugged. “Maybe. Or maybe she was jealous that she didn’t own your earrings. She did look rather envious when she saw them.”

`

Luncheon with her uncle is a pleasant affair, if not a little embarrassing. Uncle Aurelius spends far too much of it talking about Clemensia’s achievements –

“Uncle Aurelius, please–”

“What? Can’t I be proud of my hardworking niece?”

Thankfully Pup seems more amused than annoyed. “Come on, Clem, I think it’s sort of sweet. Let your uncle brag a little.”

“See? Thank you.”

`

“Not you too,” she complains half-heartedly. “Aren’t you supposed to be on my side?”

Pup elected to ignore that and cheekily added, “Did she tell you about how she had President Snow purchase from Lavinium?”

“You remembered?”

“You only spent the two letters and 3 phone calls telling me how you were worried that it wouldn’t be perfect,” he reminds her. 

`

As their luncheon comes to a close, Uncle Aurelius brings up the real reason he’d ask her and Pup out to meet today. “I know it’s still early, and you might not have a dress or anything in mind yet. But I was hoping you’d give me the honour of designing your jewelry for the wedding, Clemensia.”

Touched by the request, she found it hard to voice out her thoughts. 

“I’m fine with it so long as Clemensia is,” Pup says, squeezing her hand gently under the table to remind her to say something. 

`

“Uncle,” she breathes out. “I don’t know what to say.” It was a generous offer – to have the director of Lavinium personally design for her? 

“I’d designed the jewelry for my sister– your mother’s wedding,” rambles Uncle Aurelius, a little nervous. “And though I know it’s early for this, there’s no pressure on you to accept right now. It’s just that I think of you as one of my own as well and…” 

Oh. Oh. 

`

Upon realizing how that could be interpreted, he hastily adds, “not that I wish to diminish your father’s importance or anything. It’s just that I don’t have any children and–”

“Uncle,” she interrupts. “I understand and I’d be honoured if you did design my jewelry for the wedding. Truly.” 

`

The smile on his face is blinding. “Have I ever told you that you’re my favourite niece?”

“Uncle Aurelius, I’m your only niece.”

“Which makes it even easier to pick a favourite,” says the man without missing a beat. 

A snort of laughter escaped Pup. 

~~~~

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[meekmedea]

conversations over tea (VIII)

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~~~~

Clemensia falls in love when Pup returns to the Capitol a few months later with the dog in tow. His name is still up in the air and ‘dog’ has been its current placeholder these past months. 

Regardless, pictures hadn’t done ‘dog’ justice – he was far larger than she ever imagined. And ‘dog’ was due for a trim with how he resembles more so a gigantic ball of white fur than anything else.

`

A name is hastily chosen when they take him to the vet to make sure he’s in good health, gets his shots and everything. Well, technically ‘dog’ has final say on his name. 

Pup first suggests ‘Argos’ and the side-eye the dog gives him makes Clemensia laugh. They quickly run through a few more names before settling on ‘Sirius’.

The vet places Sirius at about a few years old and says he’s a Great Pyrenees. Which would explain his enormous size as the breed were once bred to guard livestock, being able to fight off wolves and supposedly scare off bears. 

`

Under the guise of courting –training Sirius – they try to get Sirius comfortable with Clemensia so that when Pup has to return to the ship, she won’t have much trouble on her hands. 

So far Sirius is wary of most, if not all people. Especially males. He’s also very active. At least more so than Clemensia. Twice a day – long walks. Her health has literally never been better. 

That and for such a large dog, he doesn’t seem to realize he’s not the size of a lapdog. Sirius will attempt everything a lapdog will do, but the outcomes are not quite the same. Quite a few of their cups have been shattered this way when he launches himself to lay on their lap. 

And he’s very, very strong. At a park, Sirius runs, chasing after something. Except she’s dragged along for the ride as she’d still been holding the leash. Pup attempts to catch them or at least one of them – they end up in a mud puddle sans the dog. To his credit though, Sirius returns once he realizes neither of them had followed and sits primly by the puddle, wagging his tail. 

`

“Maybe we should just get a place with a huge garden and set him loose,” says Pup with a groan as he got to his feet and offered out a hand to her. 

“Would our garden survive the day?”

“That can be the gardener’s problem.”

~~~~

Washing the dog is a veritable feat. It’s a group effort between the two of them and by the time the task is completed, she’s too exhausted to move. “Do we still have to meet your parents for tea?”

“M’afraid so,” he says, just as morosely. 

`

For all the mischief and stubbornness that Sirius is, Clemensia likes having him around. Having a 90 pound ball of fluff wait for you to come home is surprisingly a lot more heartwarming than she’d have imagined.

Also, their dog had great taste in people -  Pentheus could say whatever he wanted, but honestly, what did her cousin expect? That mocking Clemensia in front of Sirius wouldn't have any consequences? 

`

“Are you training Sirius to bark at my cousin?” 

Caught in the act, Pup looked conflicted on whether to lie or not. “No?”

“Pity.” Out of the corner of her eye, she swears she sees him slide Sirius a treat. 

~~~~~~

Held in one of the grand hotels within the Capitol, it seemed as if his and her families were determined to go all out for their engagement party. 

In her ear, Pup mumbled that if all this was for an engagement, then what would they be subjected to for a wedding? 

“This is our curse for being an only child,” she whispers back. 

`

And in a few days, they'll be due for yet another party - though this one is to celebrate his promotion to Captain. 

The captain of the ship Pup was serving was retiring soon, and it seemed the higher-ups had been pleased with his track record as of late, setting him up to take over that very ship. Although Pup's rank was higher now, his duties are more or less the same as the previous captain had usually let Pup call the shots anyway. 

`

Invidia is unofficially introduced to her as Coriolanus' girlfriend when he brings her along to Pup and her’s engagement party. 

Invidia seems alright, they don't talk much save for the compliment she gives Clemensia about the strand of pearls that she's threaded into her hairstyle tonight. 

She does privately note that Invidia is wearing the earrings that Coriolanus had custom ordered for her. They suit the socialite well, adding to her regal appearance tonight. 

`

“Have I ever told you that your cousin has a very punchable face?” asks Pup once he's returned from greeting some of her relatives. 

Clemensia stifles a laugh behind her hand. “You don't say?”

“With his personality, Pentheus would never last a day, much less an hour on my ship without the whole crew wanting to toss him overboard.”

`

And whatever frostiness Coriolanus has for Pup melts when Pup puts her boorish cousin in his place in front of him. 

“You know, it's a real pity that duels aren't legalized anymore…”

“A pity,” agreed Coriolanus. “Perhaps an exception should be made for the odd occasion or two.”

“Please don't fight him,” Clemensia interrupts with a sigh. “Besides, it wouldn't be a fair fight. We all know you'd lay him out on the ground in less than a minute.”

 ~~~~~

Pup doesn’t stay very long in the Capitol after he’s been officially promoted to the rank of Captain – and as promised, he brings her out on his ship for a few days. Sirius comes along as well as neither of them were quite comfortable with leaving the dog alone for a few days. 

The ship runs like a well-oiled machine – both the vessel itself and its crew. By now, he’s introduced her to some of his crew – they seem to like him and are loyal. Even comfortable enough to crack the occasional joke with Pup. 

Like Coriolanus had mentioned – the smell of the sea was strong, but it wasn’t something she couldn’t grow accustomed to. However, Clemensia would never admit that she’d been seasick for the first day or so. Coriolanus would only make fun of her for that tidbit. So this, she swears Pup to secrecy, a vow that he laughingly agrees to keep. 

~~~~

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