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Clemensia was worried about her friend Coriolanus. He had seemed really distracted as of late, and it was incredibly unlike him.
Over the past week she’d caught him staring off into space several times, completely zoned out and smiling. She was worried he’d fallen and hit his head or something.
He’d started sitting quietly in class instead of participating, and seemingly not paying any sort of attention. The other day a professor had asked him a question and he’d had to ask them to repeat themself.
Another thing, it looked like he’d stopped properly doing his hair, or steaming his uniform. His hair looked uncharacteristically messy, and his lapels and collar looked creased. It was like he’d completely stopped caring about his appearance.
The guy was so absent-minded that he’d even stopped sitting with them outside of class, and letting Sejanus Plinth of all people sit with him instead. Clemensia had even seen him actually talking and laughing with the district boy. Something was clearly wrong.
She’d raised her concerns with their friends, who’d all agreed with her that something was up. Festus had apparently spotted him flipping through a book of poetry too. He’d always hated rhetoric class, it was the only subject he had absolutely no interest in.
Therefore, Clemensia decided that she needed to speak with him. Maybe he was sick, or there’d been some horrible revelation that had completely flipped a switch in his mind. She’d hate for his brilliant mind to go to waste because of some sort of mania.
After the last class of the day, she managed to catch up with him before he wandered off to wherever he’d been going as of late. It had become increasingly difficult to find him after the school day had ended.
Immediately she noticed the way he’d scowled when she called his name. It was quite rude, especially given they hadn’t really spoken in days.
“Yes?” He asked, putting on a pleasant expression that was clearly fake. The strain in his voice was evident, like she was keeping him from something important.
“Hey, I wanted to talk to you.” She said, looking at him curiously. He seemed fidgety.
His blazer lapel caught her eye. The rose he always wore was missing. She could have sworn it was pinned there this morning. He hummed, clearly wanting to get the conversation over with.
“Are you alright? You seem,” She paused, unsure of how to phrase it without offending him, “distracted lately.” He rolled his eyes.
“Clemmie, I’m great. Never been better.” He smiled, that faraway look returning to his eyes.
She winced. He certainly didn’t seem fine.
“Are you sure? You’ve not been paying attention in class, or sitting with us, or-“ He cut her off.
“I’m okay. More than okay. I’ve just got different priorities now is all.”
“Your grades are your biggest priority, always have been.” She said, trying to convey her worry through her voice. He didn’t seem to catch on, just shaking his head and letting out a breathy laugh. She didn’t think she’d ever actually heard him laugh before.
“There are more important things than grades.” He said. Her eyes widened. Coriolanus Snow, top of the class, was saying he didn’t care about school?
“Coriolanus, you-“
“I have to go. See you later Clemmie.” He didn’t even wait for a reply before turning away and walking off. She really didn’t like his new habit of cutting her off. For some reason, he was walking much faster than usual, which was saying something. Coriolanus always kept a brisk pace, but this was more like a jog.
She decided to follow him, to find out what was more important to him than the academy, or his friends. Maybe he’d eaten something bad, and it was messing with his internal rhythm.
Once she’d reached the entrance she looked around for where he could have gone. Thanks to his practically running away, she’d lost him in the sea of students. She couldn’t see him walking in the direction to his house, so scanned around her for any sign of him.
After looking in every direction, she spotted a flash of white hair turning a corner, in the complete opposite direction from his home. Eyes narrowing in suspicion, she pursued.
Turning that corner herself, she saw that he wasn’t alone. For whatever reason, he was walking with Sejanus. Of course, Sejanus had also noticed he was acting strange, and had somehow coerced Coriolanus into walking him home. Typical.
He was smiling again, a genuine smile she rarely saw on his face. His eyes were fixed on Sejanus as he spoke, listening intently to whatever crap Sejanus was spewing as if it were actually interesting. As much of a good actor he’d always been, she didn’t think he was acting.
Her eyes flicked down, and her jaw dropped. Why the hell was Coriolanus interlocking his fingers with Sejanus’? What would possess him to let Sejanus Plinth, the district boy, the uncivilised rebel, hold his hand? He’d never so much as hugged her.
The horrors only grew, as Sejanus turned his head to nuzzle his nose into Coriolanus’ cheek, a disgusting display of affection that was immediately reciprocated with fervor.
She looked at her friend’s face again. That goofy smile he’d been sporting: lovesick. That distant look in his eyes: adoration. The messy hair: Sejanus was tentatively brushing through it. The missing rose: sticking out of the side of Sejanus’ book bag.
Dear lord. Coriolanus, the ice king of Panem, was in love. In complete, undeniable, grotesquely obvious love with Sejanus Plinth.
She watched, completely frozen in place, as Coriolanus pressed a short, sweet kiss to the side of Sejanus’ mouth. How could he bring himself to kiss the lips that constantly argued against all logic and reason, that shouted defiantly against everything that made sense?
The answer was simple. He was wholly, categorically, irrevocably in love with him. What a sight, to see Coriolanus Snow so completely smitten. She wasn’t sure whether the feeling in the pit of her stomach was sickness or some kind of sick pride.