Y'all wanted details. Here are the details.

This does not contain spoilers for The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, but if you haven't read the book/seen the movie, you will probably be confused.

BELIEVE ME, I have been SHAKING with the restraint not to publish the intro chapter right the heck now even if it's not ready. I am not even close to fully fleshing out this fic and yet my brain is like IT MUST SEE THE LIGHT !!!!! So I hope that the details I put here will satisfy that incessant urge for now.

Now it's time for the usual threats: Don't steal my characters or ideas or I will find you and put worms in your ears. Then strap headphones onto your head and force you to listen to a podcast about High-Value Men^TM and why women are to blame for all of men's faults.

I literally thought of this idea AS I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM THE THEATER. I came up with one (1) plot point and immediately sent silentwishing like 3 voice memos where I rambled and figured out the basic plot aloud.

I was literally like

Then I got home and made the OC and a Pinterest board. Now there's a cover. And I hate myself.

THE TITLE: Every Rose Has Its Thorn
THE OC: Rosalind "Rosie/Rosa" Ellewood
THE FACECLAIM: Natasha Liu Bordizzo
THE LOVE INTEREST: Sejanus Plinth

THE TENTATIVE EXTENDED SUMMARY:

FROM THE MOMENT SHE WAS BORN, it was written in the stars that Rosalind Ellewood would one day be the First Lady of Panem. More accurately, it was agreed upon by her father and Crassus Snow: their children would be married. Both families had the political power to ensure all steady rise to the metaphorical throne.

Rosie has lived her entire life knowing that she is unofficially betrothed to Coriolanus Snow, but it doesn't mean she has to like him. He's just as insufferable as most of her other classmates at the Academy— always gloating over his family's wealth and stepping on the toes of anyone who dared get in his way. She's never found his cold, steel-blue eyes comforting. His charm feels superficial like the hypnotic dance of a snake just before it strikes.

Personal feelings aside, Coriolanus and Rosalind are inextricably tied together by a string of fate. He has the wealth and prosperity of the Ellewood family to fall back on as well as a guaranteed spouse. She can rest assured that she, at least, knows her future husband. They've been living parallel lives for the past eighteen years, biding their time until Rosalind's father decides they should begin their formal engagement.

But the thing about the world is this: you can pick your spouse, but you can't choose who you fall in love with.

Sejanus Plinth is district-born, a tribute sympathizer, and an outspoken critic of the Hunger Games. He is everything her parents would hate, even aside from his family's wealth. And yet... Rosie can't stop her eyes from straying to him in class. She can't help that her heart beats twice as fast when he's in the same room as her.

He says everything she wishes she could. He is never afraid to speak his mind, knowing that no real repercussions can strike him. Rosie wonders what it would be like to break out of her shell and speak her mind— reveal to her family that she has to fight the urge to be ill every time she watches the Games. When she finally connects with Sejanus in their shared sentiments toward the districts, he's warm and receptive. And it makes looking at Coriolanus so much harder.

By the time she realizes she's head over heels for a boy she can never be with, it's too late.

————

Me knowing this fic will destroy y'all:

Me knowing this fic will also destroy me as I write it:

The plot will be based mostly off of the book, but with some movie elements, kind of like how I did with Radiance. But the timeline will be more book-central.

My original idea was "ARRANGED MARRIAGE TO SNOW" and then it spiraled out from there. I wanted to explore the concept of political power in the Hunger Games universe, how wealthy families had influence over so much in Panem, and at whose expense they were willing to do horrible things to get what they want. For example, Rosalind comes from a TERRIBLE family. Like, her parents would willingly murder Sejanus and make it look like an accident if they found out he was coming between Rosie and Snow, even before they're formally engaged.

I also love the idea of a character who is doing everything she can to help the less fortunate without anyone knowing. Perception vs reality is a Big Thing in my THG fics, and it's definitely at work here. Her peers will think she's just another spoiled Capitol girl, but Sejanus will know that she has a huge heart and hates the Games. Plus... she's going to have a tumultuous relationship with Snow. She will experience similar moments of thinking "oh he's not that bad! OOOH,,,, JUST KIDDING" that the audience does while reading/watching TBOSAS.

THINGS WILL NEVER BE ROMANTIC BETWEEN HER AND SNOW. THEY WILL ALWAYS THINK OF EACH OTHER PLATONICALLY EVEN AS THEY ARE EVENTUALLY FORCED TO MARRY. PLUS SHE WILL HATE HIS GUTS.

Just wanted to make that OVERWHELMINGLY clear.

Oh! Rosie also has two older sisters— Venus and Drusilla ("Dru") played by Chloe Bennet and Kelsey Chow, respectively. I'm still fleshing out their characters, but I'm thinking "bitter eldest sister who will step on the necks of anyone to get her way" and "studious middle child sister who's just trying to graduate the academy".

I don't want to make Venus too similar to Hestia in Radiance, but I don't think I'll have to worry about that. Hestia is passionate about the rebellion and shows tough love. Venus is passionate about whatever can improve her reputation.

I'll probably make some more OCs (I really want to use Taylor Zakhar Perez as a faceclaim because... HAVE YOU SEEN THAT MAN) but these are the confirmed ones for now.

OH AND I'm going to be using my personal fancast for Sejanus, Jeenu Mahadevan. I think Josh Andres Rivera did a fantastic job, but I can't get Jeenu out of my head.

Isn't he just ...... BEAUTIFUL....

I'm not giving you ALLLL of my ideas because that would spoil the whole thing, but just know: secret romance. Sejosie has my heart. Coriosie does not.

Ok bye