Chapter Text
A Ballad of Thorns and Roses
Part One
“A rose does not answer its enemies with words, but with beauty.” – Matshona Dhliwayo
Coriolanus had never felt this affronted by someone's existence before.
He and Sejanus had somehow managed to survive their encounter with the tributes in the arena and had been dumped unceremoniously at The Citadel to have their injuries examined and treated. Coriolanus was shaken up pretty badly, but his wounds were considered minor. He didn't tell anyone during treatment about the blow he'd taken to his head, for fear of being readmitted to the hospital. Sejanus, on the other hand, suffered from a stabbing to his leg and needed many stitches.
They'd been separated upon their arrival, and Dr. Gaul had visited with Coriolanus, checking in and asking questions about his experience in the arena. He'd been generously doped up during the interaction, and the main takeaway, or rather the only thing he could remember at this moment, was that she'd given him a personal homework assignment. After all of the hell she'd put him through, she still managed to twist it into some kind of fucked up lesson. What was the topic, again? Oh yes. Chaos, control, and contract. He'd have to find the time to work on it, but for now all he could think about was his warm bed waiting at home.
He didn't see Sejanus anywhere after a brief search, not that he was in the mood to deal with him, so he wandered until he found the exit alone and was barely out the door into the fresh air when a voice called out to him.
"Coryo, over here!"
Coriolanus froze up, immediately recognizing the culprit without needing to look. He took a moment to compose himself, not entirely sure he could trust himself not to snap or possibly just run away. He took a deep breath and his chest constricted, a dull ache forming in his battered and bruised rib cage. He turned slowly and locked eyes with Sejanus Plinth. He stood at the curb of the street, conversing in sign language with his Avox chauffeur outside of a luxurious stretch limo. Sejanus beckoned him over.
Coriolanus hesitated, not wanting anything more to do with the boy. He never should have allowed things to go this far, and now he'd reached his limit.
'Maybe he'll give me a ride home,' Coriolanus thought to himself, He'll offer me a ride, I'll accept one last time, and then I'll never have to put up with him ever again. His tribute is dead, there's no reason I should see him at the Academy after this.'
He approached the limo, and just as he'd predicted, the Avox opened the back passenger door and motioned with his free hand for the boys to get in. Sejanus lowered his gaze and moved aside to allow Coriolanus to slide in first. Coriolanus didn't bother to acknowledge Sejanus as he scooted to the far seat and set his sights fixedly out the window, prompting an unspoken understanding that the ride would be in silence.
Coriolanus gazed at the buildings as they passed, the lights from the city illuminating an almost romantic glow through the glass into the car. He watched, transfixed, lost in thought.
He couldn't believe that only a few hours ago he was sitting in this exact spot, completely unaware of how much his life was about to change. He was a different person now. He murdered a boy, and what's more, he came close to losing his own life as well. Just hours ago.
Was this "friend" next to him worth it? Was anyone worth putting himself in danger? Maybe Tigris because she'd done it countless times for him. But no one else. So how had he gotten himself involved with Sejanus and his messy, ungrateful outbursts? Dr. Gaul called them friends, but Coriolanus knew now that she'd meant it as a way to mock him, punishing him for showing the district boy any compassion at all. What if she really starts to think he's a district sympathizer? If she had her way, surely, it'd be Sejanus taking Marcus' place in the Games. However, Mr. Plinth held too much influence financially and so Sejanus was untouchable, at least for now.
The car pulled onto his street and stopped in front of the imposing building. Coriolanus unbuckled and spared a quick glance at Sejanus, who sat hunched over, glowering at his shoes. One pants leg was torn off below the knee, putting his fresh white bandage on display. Already, blood was visibly seeping through onto the back of his calf where he'd been sliced. Not that Coriolanus cared. He hoped it hurt.
"Well, this is my stop," he said stiffly, "Thank you for the ride. I'll see you tomorrow in class?"
The Avox unlatched the door for him, and he moved to exit. A hand caught his shoulder from behind, and he tensed, waiting.
"Coryo," said a weak voice, "Hold up a sec. I'll walk you up."
Sejanus got out of the limo after Coriolanus and struggled up the steps after him, barely concealing a wince every time he stepped with his injured leg. 'Dr. Gaul must've decided not to spare any pain meds on him after the stunt he pulled,' thought Coriolanus smugly.
They lingered together outside the entrance, and the doorman regarded them in their raggedy, blood-stained clothes with an air of disgust. The man caught Coriolanus' piercing glare and quickly looked away. Sejanus took his time to gather his thoughts. "Coryo, I have a favor to ask," he said, slightly out of breath, "You've done so much for me, I just can't... shit!" He doubled over in pain and grasped at his bad leg.
"Sorry, I don't think these stitches are gonna hold up," he said, straightening up, "I wanted to ask if I could crash here for the night?" There was an awkward pause and Sejanus looked flustered. He continued his appeal, much to Coriolanus' dismay. "I'm embarrassed to even ask. I just can't face my parents right now, not looking like this. I need time to put a story together. My Ma might understand but my Pa... He'll be ashamed of me for sure. He's gonna tell me how I humiliated him in front of the whole Capitol and find some way to throw money at the Game Makers and probably Dr. Gaul to make this," he gestured to himself," all go away. The truth is that I wasn't thinking clearly, I was reckless and irresponsible, and you were hurt because of me. Please, Coriolanus, I'll never ask anything of you again. You're my only friend and I owe you my life. I'm indebted to you."
Another pause. Coriolanus considered the pros and cons. He wanted desperately to go upstairs and bury himself under the safety of his blankets and be rid of Sejanus Plinth forever, perhaps be lucky enough to wake up to find that this was all just a really bad dream. He also worried about having him roaming around his family's penthouse. He'd never brought any of his school acquaintances over due to the conditions of the apartment. He couldn't stand to have anyone at the Academy thinking that the Snows weren't well off. Coriolanus glanced at the doorman who now faced away from them. Could he trust Sejanus to keep his mouth shut? Should he send him away?
But on the other hand, Sejanus did owe him. The entire Plinth family owed him. Why, Mr. Plinth should be calling him up soon with a generous offer of a reward for his sacrifice and bravery, saving his only heir.
He adopted a look of concern and squeezed Sejanus' shoulder reassuringly, smiling warmly.
"You are always welcome with the Snows," said Coriolanus, "Let's go inside, we should probably check on your stitches and get some sleep. Do you think your parents will come searching after you?"
Sejanus let out the breath he'd been holding in and visibly relaxed. He looked back at his Avox chauffeur, patiently waiting for instruction outside the limo.
"I'll tell my driver to let Ma know where I am so she doesn't worry. She adores you, you know."
"She's too kind," Coriolanus replied. He waited on the steps while Sejanus relayed to the Avox his plans to stay over. Before he was dismissed, the man reached into the car and presented Sejanus with a large paper bag. He drove off and Sejanus approached Coriolanus with the package, holding it out to him. "For you," he said, glancing down at the bag with a small smile, "Ma insisted you get this."
Together, the boys went inside and took the elevator up to the penthouse suite. The elevator chimed their arrival and they let themselves in, pausing in the foyer. Coriolanus peeked around the corner to see Tigris waiting by the tea table in a ratty fur coat that had been her mother's. It was her security blanket, much as the rose powder compact had been his before he revamped it as a weapon.
He looked at Sejanus and lowered his voice. "We need to be really quiet and go straight to my room." Sejanus nodded in understanding.
Coriolanus grabbed a school jacket from the coatrack and pulled it over his damaged shirt. He locked eyes with Sejanus who proceeded to tidy up his appearance as best as he could.
"Am I presentable?" he whispered to Coriolanus.
"Yeah, you're fine, just try not to limp. What about me?" Coriolanus replied, his posture straightening automatically.
Sejanus took in his appearance. "Hmm, I think you look okay, just a little scrape right here..."
Sejanus reached out his hand and delicately cupped Coriolanus' cheek and jawline, tilting his face up to expose his raw chin. Without thinking, Sejanus licked the thumb of his free hand and wiped a smudge of dried blood from the cut. The intimacy of the act shocked Coriolanus, causing him to freeze up and his face to flush a brilliant pink. His eyes darted back and forth as he scanned Sejanus' features quizzically, unable to make heads or tails of the boy's expression. Sejanus seemed to linger a fraction of a second longer than deemed appropriate before letting go and ducking his head.
"Shall we?" asked Coriolanus quietly, wondering if it was too late to turn back.
They rounded the corner into the open space where Tigris was waiting. Coriolanus tried to make light of the dreadful night. "Surely, it's not so bad you need the coat?"
Her fingers dug into the fur. "You tell me."
He hugged her. "Not that bad, really. I'm here. Got Sejanus out, too."
Tigris looked over his shoulder at Sejanus who gave an awkward wave. While Coriolanus consoled his cousin, he slipped past and into the safety of Coriolanus' room. Tigris' eyes widened as she looked at Coriolanus expectantly.
"It's going to be okay, Tigris. But you have to let me get some rest. You need to sleep, too."
She nodded, but he knew she'd be lucky to snatch an hour or two. He handed her the bag. "Courtesy of Ma Plinth. Breakfast, by the smell of it. See you then?"
Coriolanus entered his room to find Sejanus sprawled out on his bed, looking way too comfortable. He immediately regretted the whole thing. Sejanus looked up and grinned before catching on to Coriolanus' evident displeasure. He quickly sat up.
"I'm sorry, Coryo, I couldn't help myself. Your bed is so comfy and it smells like roses." He chuckled and swung his long legs over the side of the bed and sat up. He glanced around the room, taking in his surroundings, and Coriolanus felt his cheeks heat up once more.
"Am I the first person to see your room?" asked Sejanus.
Coriolanus was flabbergasted at his bluntness, and annoyed that he got it right.
"Oh, I'm sorry!" Sejanus exclaimed, taking notice of the rosy hue on his friend's face, "I didn't mean anything by it. You're just very private about your personal life and I haven't heard any of our classmates mention visiting you here before. Not that anyone has come to visit me, either." He looked down.
"It's fine," Coriolanus stammered, "It's just- it's just I would've preferred chatting in the living room if it wasn't so late. But you're right," he admitted, scratching the back of his head, "I haven't had anyone over. You're the first."
Sejanus smiled shyly and patted the spot next to him.
"Well, don't be a stranger. Come here," he said softly.
Coriolanus sat down beside him on the bed and looked down at his lap, fighting the urge to fidget from their proximity. This was unknown terrain to him, but something about it felt... nice.
In the stillness of the room, the events of the day seemed to become solidified as reality. Coriolanus slouched his shoulders, heavy with the weight of it all. Even still, he couldn't allow Sejanus to see him as weak. He stared down at his hands and waited.
"Coryo," Sejanus said slowly, "Thank you for coming after me."
"What are friends for?" offered Coriolanus half-heartedly.
Sejanus shook his head and frowned. "No, listen, I mean it. If you hadn't come, if you didn't care, I'd be dead. It's just, what they did to Marcus, I couldn't just sit there in that stupid room and do nothing. I couldn't sit there obediently while they did those horrible things to him. It's sickening! We live in a world where people look on and no one does anything to stop the cruelty. I don't know if it's out of fear or selfishness. But in that moment when you found me, I wanted to die."
Coriolanus shifted in his seat and looked at Sejanus. "Sejanus...," he said, uncomfortable with the conversation.
"No, please, I really need just one person to hear me out," Sejanus pleaded. He let out a soft gasp, clearly fighting to control his emotions. A tear managed to escape. "These kids from the Districts, they aren't monsters. They're just children."
Coriolanus nodded slowly, thinking of Lucy Gray. "Yes, it's a shame they were born into Districts. It was an unlucky draw."
Sejanus narrowed his eyes at Coriolanus. "Unlucky? That's what you think they are? I'm from the Districts and I'm proud to come from District 2. If I was given the choice to have been born from the Capitol, I wouldn't change a thing. The isolation I was put through, the bullying, and having the fortune to know people like Marcus... No, " he said firmly, "I wouldn't change a thing." He put his head in his hands, and his tall slender frame became small and fragile-looking in his vulnerability.
"Please," he sobbed, "Please tell me there was some truth in what you said in the arena."
Coriolanus struggled internally with seeing Sejanus in this depressing state, and something told him to trust that whatever was said between them would remain so. Sejanus didn't have any other friends and owed too much to him.
He wrapped his arms around Sejanus' shoulders and shook him almost playfully. "You mean about how I can't seem to stop rescuing you? You make it so much fun, I can't resist."
He felt Sejanus' shoulders shake but he couldn't tell if it was laughter or more sobs.
"I meant every word, Sejanus," he tried again, "You can do anything you set your mind to. If you want to help people, you can. Use your family's influence. Sometimes it's not about immediate results but playing the long game. You are in control of your own destiny."
There it was. Control. What were the other two again? Oh, yes. Chaos and contract.
Remembering how late it was and that he still had a paper to worry about, he released Sejanus and sighed. "Sej, it's really late and we'll both feel better if we-"
He was cut off suddenly by Sejanus' lips on his. The kiss was soft, and before Coriolanus could process what was happening, it was over. Sejanus pulled away, looking as taken aback by his actions as Coriolanus felt.
"Shit!" Sejanus exclaimed, "I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have done that without your consent. I don't know what's wrong with me."
Coriolanus felt a wide range of emotions in a span of seconds, the first being shock. The rest were jumbled together. There was confusion, anger, frustration, intrigue, and most embarrassingly, disappointment that it was over. He sat there, stiff and silent, mulling it over.
"How long have you...?"
Sejanus sighed. "A long time."
"How long is 'a long time'?" Coriolanus pressed, "Are you sure this isn't some reaction to our near-death experience?"
Sejanus shook his head and chuckled darkly. "No, Coryo, it's not. I've known I've liked you since the day we met, and I've known that I've loved you since you found me in the arena tonight."
"Oh," said Coriolanus quietly.
'Could I... Could I use this?' Coriolanus thought, 'Could this fix my problems, is this the answer right in front of me? I could get closer to Mr. Plinth this way... But what about Lucy Gray? If she lives to see the end of the Games, I'll never forgive myself for betraying her. But if she dies anyway then I'm possibly missing my only chance.'
He stood. "I need fresh air. Let's go to the roof."
Sejanus stood up, eager for the change. "Yeah, fresh air. Let's go."