𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗼𝗶𝗮 ♛ ꜱᴇᴊᴀɴᴜꜱ ᴘʟɪɴᴛʜ

♛𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗲♛

After Sejanus decided trying to feed Marcus was futile, the two snuck off into the crowd to avoid the press.

For the record, it was Aurelia's idea that they both split up when they left to avoid further questions.  The boy just gave her a short nod and turned in the direction he was heading.  He didn't look back, as far as she could see.

A little disappointing, but it had been a really shitty day for both of them.

Did he think she was pushing him away?  Was she pushing him away?  The questions in her head were relentless, every doubt collecting into one cloud of horrible thoughts spinning around in her brain.

Thoughts whirled and whirled, similar to the winds in a tornado.  As soon as her apartment door shut behind her, Aurelia collapsed, one hand on her chest, unable to breathe.

Her lungs wouldn't cooperate.  Rapid breaths, but it felt like she had no oxygen.  She didn't even notice when the tears started flowing, she was just so weak.  She couldn't see, couldn't move, ears ringing.  All her doubts, fears, came rushing in like a flood after a dam was broken.  There was nothing to do but wait.

Until a voice came.

"Lia? Oh my god, Lia, are you okay? No, thats a stupid question, um, hold on, I've got you."

The blonde girl couldn't even process what was happening or who was speaking to her, only that one moment she was alone, and then someone was holding her, whispering nothings into her ear.  Slowly, her breathing began to slow, she actually took in her surroundings.  The person holding her was her cousin, Tigris.

Of course it was Tigris, sweet Tigris who was borderline abused at work and would never hurt a fly, even if it stung her over and over again.  Tigris who always took care of the twins, sorted out their injuries and resolved their silly arguments.  It was almost enough to make the girl burst into tears again, but she held herself together.

"Lia, what's going on?"

The blonde had to take a few breaths before her answer.

"You saw the news, didn't you?"

"Obviously.  But I want to know what happened, if you feel okay to tell me."

"It was my idea, after feeding the tributes, to split up.  And Sejanus didn't even say anything, he just nodded and walked away.  And I realized, he's never that quiet to me.  Did I say something to offend him, or did he feel uncomfortable, or did he hate me-"

Tigris gave a sympathetic smile.  "I'm going to stop you right there.  Thats called having anxiety, and spiraling.  I think you had an anxiety attack.  You know what that is, right?"

"Yes, but I don't have anxiety."

"People can develop these things at any time.  You don't have to pretend like everything's okay with me.  You can tell me when things get rough.  We had a tough childhood, Lia.  This is normal."

Somehow, when Tigris was around, Aurelia could almost believe that everything was going to be okay.

♛

The next morning, at school, Aurelia made it her mission to talk to Sejanus.  She wanted to fix whatever had happened between them.  Tigris said the best way to overcome her problems was to face them, so that was exactly what she would do.  Tigris was usually right about things like this.

She saw him in the hallway and tried to catch up to him.  He was walking oddly fast, even though the bell wouldn't ring for another few minutes.

Aurelia was used to people staring, but not like this.  Every person in the hall was huddled together, whispering, looking at the pair.

"Sejanus."

He didn't even turn to look at her.

"Sejanus."

"What?"

The single word stung Aurelia.  Sejanus had never spoken so harshly to her, to anyone before.  Sarcastically, yes, but never raw and angry as that one word was.  It was so disheartening to hear him talk like that, she bailed on her plan to apologize.  Maybe he did hate her after all.

"Forget it."

"Aurelia-"

"I said forget it."

The blonde turned on her heel and walked the other way down the hallway.  If he was going to talk to her like that, in front of all these people, then forget the apology.  

He didn't need it.

♛

"So how did it go?"

Aurelia slumped on the kitchen table as Tigris borderline interrogated her.

"Terrible.  The first time I said his name he wouldn't even look at me, and then he gave me this firm 'what,' like he was angry at me or something.  So I told him to forget it."

The older girl laughed at that.  "Of course you did.  I can't blame you.  I would have probably done the exact same.  Why do you think he's angry?"

"If only I knew," Aurelia sighed.  She truly had no idea what had happened between them.  Everything was fine, even after the alleyway incident.  At the zoo later on, they were okay.  Then he just left and she couldn't do anything about it.  Now he was giving her stupid one word answers and trying to humiliate her.  Well, she thought, we turned that around, didn't we?

These thoughts were so different than what she had been thinking just yesterday.  Defending Sejanus to her brother, even at his disapproval?  She had done that.  Why did he deserve all of these thoughts if he wasn't going to even speak to her?

♛

im so sorry for the short chapter in advance

i wanted the next event to have its own chapter but

when i tell you it made me so sad to make them fight.

BUT AURELIA WAS GIRLBOSSING SO. HARD.

when i wrote that panic attack/anxiety scene it hit so close to home i can't even tell you and it was genuinely so hard to find the right words to describe how anxiety attacks feel.

also tigris HAS MY HEART.

i also went on another 3 or so week hiatus (naturally) and im sorry for that! i have been so busy because i work almost every day and im just so burnt out but i still manage to write for you guys <3

QOTC: what do you think is going to happen between sejanus and aurelia? is sejanus still going to be a sassy little bitch? (jk) (sort of)

drink. eat. take care of yourselves because if you dont ill tell my mom.

ILY 

-jess