"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TODAY?" Coriolanus asked politely over the dinner table, sawing into his slice of meat. Not snake today, unfortunately, but a juicy ham roast that leaked onto his porcelain plate and stained the red velvet tablecloth. 

Behind a goblet of dark juice, Soma smiled. "Visited an old friend. I wonder if you'd remember her. And you?" 

Coriolanus didn't press her, wisely. Soma knew he was dying to ask, but unwilling to fight when they had a third guest at the table: her father. 

"I worked, mostly," he said modestly, placing the slice of meat on his tongue, chewing thoughtfully. "Being a Gamemaker is enlightening." 

This was said for the benefit of Strabo Plinth, who looked sullen when the conversation did not concern him. 

Soma's father perked up. "Do share. I've been curious about your work, my boy." 

Soma smiled encouragingly over her cup. Coriolanus tore his eyes away from her to look at her father. 

"Well, sir, we've only begun the early stages. The Reaping is not for several months, but I believe we've nearly finished the Arena. I'm very intent on engaging viewers further this year, since the reactions to a victory story were quite positive. I believe it's good for morale, as well as better highlighting the lesson we are attempting to teach," Coriolanus said contritely. 

Soma had forgotten how pretty he was when he bullshitted, all gleaming white and hard muscles and severe jawline. She smiled, and placed a green bean between her teeth. Crunched down. The juices burst in her mouth. 

"What lesson might that be?" she asked, eyes wide and innocent. "I've never quite grasped politics." 

Strabo sighed fondly, patting Soma's arm. "Don't worry yourself, girl. It's not to be trifled with." 

"Understood," she smiled at him, chunks of green bean strung between her teeth. "Might we talk about something I do understand?"

She didn't wait for his permission. "Coryo, I was wondering if you wanted to host a party with me. I know you've been quite absent from society lately, and I think people are beginning to forget your alliance with our house. If Father says we can--" 

"Well, I do say so," Strabo leaned back, dabbing at his mouth with a greasy napkin. "A party would be a great way to endear our Coriolanus back into society's good graces. You've been holed up in your office, son." 

Coriolanus laughed good-naturedly. Soma smiled with a fox's grin. "Well, sir, if you insist." 

"You two will have good fun. Children need to have their romps sometimes," Strabo said, magnanimous, arms spread wide. "And it will do the public good to see you two together." 

Coriolanus bit particularly hard onto his fork. Soma saw him wince, rub his jaw. She bit back a screech of laughter by chewing hard on her slice of ham. 

"Sir?" Coryo repeated. 

"Well, you are a bit young, but an official courtship would reflect highly on us both. Our sponsorship of you can only go so far, my boy," Strabo smiled charmingly. "Isn't that right, Soma?" 

"Very true, Father," she chirped. 

"And as much as you two try to hide it, I know you've spent a little more time with my daughter than you let on, you sly dog," he winked at Coriolanus. The tops of his cheekbones burned a faint pink, which was about as close to bright red as the bloodless Coriolanus could get. 

Soma dug her nails into her palms to keep from burning, too. "Father, please, let's not be crass." 

Strabo laughed loudly. "Fine, fine, anything to appease my little princess. Have you noticed Soma's manners improving? I'm sure you have. Sending her to District Four was the smartest way to shock her into behaving. Brilliant idea, Coriolanus." 

Coryo froze with mid-chew, eyes stuttering between Soma and her father. 

Soma's hand stiffened around her fork, her heart spluttering in her chest.

"You're welcome, sir. I think Soma learned a lot," Coriolanus recovered smoothly with a glacial smile. "If you'll pardon me, I need to finish a few more drafts. Thank you for dinner." 

Run, you bastardly coward, Soma seethed at him. Run like the traitorous scum you are. 

She had suspected this. She would be a fool not to. But to hear it so plainly, so matter-of-factly, from her father's lips? To see him smile afterwards, then run with his tail between his legs? The metal of her fork bent in her palm, and she dropped it quickly, swallowing hard. It lay on the tablecloth, warped and bent. 

"I'm sorry, I'm quite tired," Soma stood as well, her heart in her throat. Her voice sounded funny. "Goodnight, Father." 

Strabo waved her away, mouth full of ham. Juice dripped down his chin. 

Soma turned and fled. 

CORIOLANUS CAUGHT HER BY THE WRIST, just before she slammed the door to her room. 

"Soma, wait--" 

"So you can send me to another district? I don't think so," she laughed bitterly, and he was startled to see a redness around her eyes. 

"I thought he told you." 

"I'm sure it didn't matter to you in the slightest," she said simply, her black eyes glittering. She pushed the door to her room open, light flooding the dark mahogany hallway. Then she turned on her heel and marched into her room. An invitation. 

Despite all his misgivings, he followed her inside, and shut the door behind him. 

Getting rid of her had always been the plan. Soma had a knack for getting into things she didn't belong, and he knew she had the power to tip his future. Especially after District Twelve and the Hanging Tree. District Four had been the kindest place, reasonably safe, and with a need for a Capitol representative. He told himself that he had done her a favour. 

Soma had thrown herself onto her bed, the bottom half of her body hanging off the side, the canopy curtain of her bed cutting off her torso. She looked like a child, sulking, but Coriolanus knew better than to fall for her guise. He was sure as he was a Snow that inside, she was seething. Soma always burned angrily, and he knew that a trip to the seaside would not abate her wrath. 

She drew her legs and her skirt up into the bed, vanishing behind the star-embroidered curtains of her bed. Swallowed up by the night sky. 

Coriolanus took a seat at her vanity, facing the bed. 

They sat in overwhelming silence. Occasionally, Coriolanus could hear a rustle or a shift from behind the canopy. He remembered when Soma used to put on puppet shows, giggling and whispering to herself behind the drapes of her bed, before popping her hands out. They would be clothed in the most ridiculous things, from a leopard's head to a fishnet glove, and then she would tell equally outrageous stories. Coriolanus had always watched grudgingly, her kiddishness had never been endearing to him. Sejanus had watched her with the widest smile that she would never see, his heart full on his sister. 

"Are you going to continue to sulk?" he asked after a moment. 

"Are you going to continue to be a prick with his head stuck in his ass?" her voice returned sourly. 

He sighed. "What do you want me to say, Soma? I'm sorry? We both know that would be a lie." 

Her head popped out from behind the curtain, and she narrowed her eyes at him, the rolls of hair atop her head fuzzy and mussed. "I want you to propose." 

He nearly choked. "I'm sorry?" 

"You meant it then," she cackled, her nose screwing up with amusement. "You heard me. At the party, propose to me. Marriage." 

He stood. "That's outrageous-"

"No, it's not, and you know it," she corrected. "You think you can live off my father's good graces forever? Do you think that he wrote you into his will? You may have his sponsorship, but it's just that. It's still his. Marrying into the family means you inherit that fortune, and what's more, you get to steal it from me." 

Coriolanus stared at her. "And what do you get from this?" 

"Besides a handsome husband to lay next to in bed?" she mocked him. "I get protection. Safety. From Highbottom and from high society and most importantly, from you." 

"Protection for what?" he demanded. 

She fixed him with a level stare. "For whatever it is that you got my brother killed." 

He stared back. Silence. 

"You once thought about it," she said softly, her skin paler than usual against the backdrop of black. "Once, you would've said yes, and you would've meant it, too." 

"Yes," he rasped. 

She drew back into her curtains, her voice disembodied and muffled. "You'll do it?"

God above and Sejanus below, he should not do this. 

"Yes."