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slaymitchabernathy · 2 days ago

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Hearts in Hands

Many things can be said for the Snows.

They're a small family made up of five individuals. Coriolanus Snow, the head of the household, the father, the husband, the breadwinner. People know him to be stern and authoritative, only melting when he's near his children or his wife.

His wife, Soarynn, is known to be quite the homemaker, keeping their penthouse apartment in pristine condition. Soarynn is often spoken of in regards to her kindness and motherly nature towards everyone she comes across, not just her own children.

Ceraphina, Celeste, and Caspian, all born in that order, are known to be sweet children. Well-behaved and adoring towards their parents, especially their mother with whom they spend most of their days while their father is at work.

So it's no surprise that on a special morning, all three children and their father are hard at work in the kitchen.

After all, it's not every day that it's Valentine's Day.

"Daddy, why don't we get Mommy to help us with this?" Celeste asks with a small whine in her tone, probably because Coriolanus woke her up earlier than she's used to. If he left it up to Soarynn then she'd wake up around seven but then their breakfast surprise would be ruined.

Coriolanus wants Soarynn to wake up to a nice breakfast in bed with the children carrying cards. He wants this to be perfect.

"Because we're doing this for your mother," he gently explains, handing her a measuring cup, "now fill this up with flour darling, all the way to the top." Celeste still looks skeptical but is happy to dip the cup into the container of flour so she can measure it. Coriolanus glances down at the floor where Caspian is scribbling all over the card he bought for the children to sign.

In the corner of the card, he can see that the girls already signed their names. Ceraphina's name is printed in neat letters since she's learning to write at school and Celeste's is a bit more sloppy since she has yet to master the craft of writing. But she spelled her name correctly and that's all that matters.

Ceraphina eyes her sister while she measures, eager to correct her whenever given a chance. That's the thing about having an older sister, she's always waiting for a chance to boss you around.

"Ceraphina darling, why don't you help me with the eggs?"

He's met with two looks, an excited one from his oldest daughter and a sharp one from his youngest who drops the measuring cup in the flour container. "How come she gets to crack the eggs?" Celeste asks, putting her hands on her hips, a serious look on her adorable face.

Coriolanus chuckles, reaching over to ruffle her tangled curls after a long night of sleeping and rolling around, "Because last time you cracked the eggs we had more shells than pancakes on the plate."

Celeste huffs, clearly unimpressed with his logic and reasoning but Ceraphina is quick to offer a solution, "You can always just sit in the living room if you don't wanna help."

It's remarkable how quickly Celeste's demeanor changes, "Nevermind!"

Coriolanus shakes his head at the girl's behavior, always ebbing and flowing. He really doesn't know how Soarynn handles them all day long. While he's at work, providing for their family, Soarynn is here or anywhere she needs to be to ensure that their household has everything they need to survive the week.

She goes shopping for clothes, and groceries, picks up prescriptions, makes reservations, attends social events, and takes Ceraphina to and from school and she's still a wonderful, devoted wife.

He thought that after having Ceraphina, she might become a bit more reserved around him, wanting to spend as much time as possible with their daughter rather than him. He's seen how smitten she is with their oldest daughter, how much she adores that little girl.

But Soarynn surprised him, she was more caring towards him, she was sweeter, kinder, she couldn't get enough of him which led to Celeste coming rather quickly after Ceraphina did. It was as if Soarynn realized that Coriolanus was truly the man of her dreams, that after she became a mother, she realized that he made it possible for her.

Coriolanus certainly isn't complaining either, not after seeing how his other colleagues and their wives act around each other. They all warned him when Soarynn got pregnant, told him that he should say goodbye to his happy, perfect marriage.

"Children put a strain on everything."

That's what he was told repeatedly by every man he came across who knew that they were expecting a baby girl. And once the gender was revealed, oh, all hell broke loose. He was constantly warned that Soarynn and his future daughter would run him dry, spending all his riches before he could even realize it.

Looking back at it now, it's comical. Just watching Ceraphina be so cautious with the egg in her hand tells him all he needs to know. His darling daughter would never recklessly spend his money, nor would his darling wife.

Soarynn is quite good about sticking to the budget, only going over for special things such as birthdays and holidays. The Snows are rich beyond reason and Coriolanus would like to keep it that way which is why certain budgets and precautions are put in place.

He smiles as Ceraphina carefully cracks an egg on the edge of the bowl, letting the contents fall on top of the dry ingredients. "Look at you," he praises, "you girls are doing a terrific job at making your mother breakfast."

It took Coriolanus a very long time to become a better man for Soarynn, a better lover, boyfriend, fiance, and husband. So the thought of becoming a father was terrifying to him. All his life he remembers how his own father was with him, strict, stern, distant, cold, and closed off.

He can't imagine being that way with any of his children.

When learning that they'd be having a girl, he felt some sense of relief. Surely he couldn't mess up raising a girl, not with Soarynn also being a girl. When they found out that Celeste would be a girl as well, it felt like letting out a deep breath he had been holding in.

It was when they found out about Caspian that he began to panic.

A boy, a baby boy. Soarynn was elated to have a little boy whereas Coriolanus was dreading it up to the moment she was giving birth. He was prepared for his son to instantly hate him and resent him the same way he did with his own father. He was ready for his son to be terrible, reckless, and selfish.

But Caspian was none of those things.

He's good, kind, loving. When he's scared, he knows he can trust his father to protect him. When he doesn't know what to do, he knows that he can follow his father's example. And when he wants to show how much he loves Soarynn, well, Caspian didn't need to watch a damn thing to know how to love his mother.

Coriolanus thought it was impossible for another man to love Soarynn the way he did. Then Caspian came along.

Caspian is the true definition of a mama's boy, clinging to Soarynn, gazing up at her with those wide blue eyes and that big smile. They can't get enough of each other.

It's not like Coriolanus is faring any better with the girls who have him wrapped around their little fingers. Batting their lashes just like their mother whenever they want something, bringing him to his knees to see them happy.

He can't imagine a life other than this one, a life without the children he was so brazenly warned about.

It's the life he was meant to lead.

꧁ ꧂

The smell of pancakes, bacon, and fresh squeezed orange juice fills the kitchen. "Pannacakes," Caspian says, pointing at the carefully curated plate of food they're about to bring to Soarynn. Coriolanus nods, smoothing down his son's blonde curls, "That's right Cas, we're going to bring your mother some pancakes."

"And our cards," Ceraphina adds, holding up the one she just finished making. Coriolanus had given the girls some paper and crayons, encouraging them to make Soarynn something special aside from the store-bought card they already signed.

He had to help Caspian with his card since the small boy was more interested in using the scissors than the crayons. Coriolanus helped Caspian cut his card into the shape of a heart and then Caspian drew a picture in the middle of Soarynn, himself, and Lenny the Lion, his favorite stuffed animal.

Lenny was the first stuffed animal Caspian ever got and by his books, the only one that truly matters. That thing goes everywhere with Caspian, no questions asked. Coriolanus sometimes thinks it's a little ridiculous but Soarynn won't hear any of it. If her baby boy wants to run around with a stuffed lion, then run around he shall.

"Yes, and your cards. Now you girls help your brother while I carry the tray alright?" The girls nod at his request, usually, one parent would hold Caspian's hand but his hands are full, full of breakfast sitting on a silver tray. It's a slow, quiet procession as they pad down the hallway towards the primary bedroom, a mysterious domain to the children who rarely go inside.

"Can we surprise her by shouting?" Celeste whispers up to her father and he quickly shakes his head, "Not this time sweetheart, maybe for her birthday." The children love getting to shout, mostly because they're not allowed to do so inside so they're always looking for any excuse to raise their voices.

Coriolanus carefully nudges the doors to his bedroom open, pleased that everything is exactly as he left it before waking up the children to help him make breakfast. The balloons, the flowers, and the chocolates are all by the sitting area, waiting to be noticed.

But Soarynn is also right where he left her, sound asleep without a care in the world. It's rare for her to sleep in this late, she usually wakes up when he does so they can both get ready before waking the children.

The girls slowly walk into the bedroom, Caspian in tow with curious eyes, looking around their parent's bedroom. With their own spacious bedrooms, Coriolanus has never felt a need to have the children in his own room at any point in time. Even when they were little babies they slept in their nurseries.

Caspian's eyes immediately zero in on Soarynn, her nose peeking out from under the thick covers.

"Momma."

He breaks away from his sisters, toddling over to the bed with such determination that Coriolanus doesn't even try to stop him. Once he reaches the edge of the bed, Caspian lifts his hand up, trying to grab Soarynn but he's too short so he settles for patting the side of the bed with his hand.

"Momma, Momma wake."

It's almost magical how quickly Soarynn wakes up at her son's voice. Her stormy eyes open and she lets out a sleepy groan, stretching, "Is that my sweet little boy?" The girls run over with their cards, excited now that their mother is awake, "Mommy! Mommy we made you breakfast! We made you cards!"

The bedroom becomes a lively place in a matter of seconds. Coriolanus flips on the lights, smiling at the sight of his family coming together. Soarynn sits up against the headboard and scoops Caspian off the floor, pressing a kiss to his cheek, "Oh, you made me cards? How sweet."

The girls clamber onto the bed, giggling and rolling around on top of the covers, "Daddy let me crack an egg," Ceraphina tells her in the midst of her giggles. Soarynn looks over at Coriolanus, a certain fondness in her eyes when she sees all he's done for her.

"How sweet," she says again, but this time directed at him in a softer, more appreciative tone. He grins, walking over to the side of the bed where he can set the tray down on the bedside table. "We thought you might appreciate a slow start to your morning," he explains, sitting on the edge of the bed.

Soarynn smiles at the pancakes and bacon, it makes his heart ache knowing how much he'd do for her, knowing what he'd do for her if she asked him. Coriolanus would gladly burn the world down if she asked him to, bring everyone to their knees to pay homage to her beauty.

Soarynn has such a hold over him and the worst part is, she doesn't even know it. She doesn't know how he'd kill in cold blood for her, how he'd search the ends of the earth for her. She holds his heart in her hands with such gentleness, it's no wonder he became a better man for her, for their children.

The children show Soarynn their cards, all vying for her attention which she gladly gives to them. Coriolanus snakes an arm around her waist, holding her tightly against him while they both read the cards the children made for her. They both grin and chuckle at the artistic drawings and the little words of love on the cards, especially Caspian's.

"Oh, this is just so precious," Soarynn mumbles, resting her head on his shoulder, "thank you all so much, and the balloons? When did you do all of this?" Coriolanus shrugs, it's easy to act nonchalant with the children around, fawning over everything he does, "I have my ways," is all he says.

Soarynn raises an eyebrow but doesn't say anything else once the children start asking to be fed or to be held, both of which are quickly granted. Coriolanus feeds Soarynn and the girls pieces of pancakes and bacon while Caspian sits in his mother's lap, content to curl up with her under the covers.

"Just wait until you see what we got for you," Soarynn tells him in between bites. Coriolanus feels his expression turn into one of surprise, he hadn't planned on really getting anything for himself. The way he sees it, this is another holiday for women. Soarynn always makes sure to get the children a little card and gift, most likely a stuffed animal or some candy.

She always gets him a card as well, pouring her heart into the note she put inside of the card. Coriolanus doesn't consider himself to be a sentimental man, but he's kept every card she's ever written for him, birthdays, holidays, anniversaries, and cards she's given to him just for the sake of it.

Over ten years of cards from Soarynn and every card still feels like the first. He remembers the first card she ever gave him, how his hands shook as he opened it, how his eyes soaked in every drop of ink she left on the page.

Just like the children, she's scribbled all over his heart and he doesn't even care.

He watches how sweet she is with them, how she makes sure everyone has enough to eat before feeding herself. Coriolanus prides himself on taking care of his family but Soarynn is the true heart of their small family. She's the most selfless of them all.

He doesn't know what the rest of the day will entail, maybe a trip to the park, he's taking Soarynn out for dinner tonight to celebrate the holiday but they still have the whole afternoon with the children.

He used to think that to get married, he'd have to cut out his heart and give it to his wife without question, but now that he's got his arms wrapped around her, he knows that a heart, can oftentimes be a person.

And a man is nothing without his beating heart.

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