drapetomonia - the overwhelming urge to run away.
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When Junia Beaumont, her brother and their classmates get a last assignment before the end of the school year, she doesn't know just how quickly things will change for her.
Who would have thought t...
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12. afternoon sun
Junia is relieved to know Cas is taking her advice. When classes are over for the day - everything almost dragged itself out to the point where it was unbearable - they head to the school counselor, Hippocrata Lunt.
Lyssie tags along, concerned for her friend's brother. After seeing Arachne's death and his attempts to save her on TV over and over again (they were hard to miss as the Capitol aired them almost hourly, if not even more), her concern for him grew at least tenfold. She was concerned before and wasn't able to get the sight of his blood-soaked uniform out of her head all day yesterday, so seeing the toll it takes on him only makes it worse.
Compared to that, Coriolanus is almost back to normal. There are moments in which he behaves uncharacteristically quiet or drawn-back, but whatever grief he's feeling is carefully concealed. That alone is reason to worry, sure, but after him and Clemmie were pulled out of class, they didn't come back either.
Unsurprisingly, there's a long line in front of the school counselor's office. It's quiet, uncomfortably so, and Cas visibly hesitates to get in line.
Everyone is shaken up. Everyone has seen the footage. Everyone has seen his futile attempts at saving Arachne's life.
And, above all, everyone has seen him fail.
Hippocrata Lunt doesn't think twice when she sees him either. Castiel is to skip the line and does so, albeit hesitantly. He doesn't want to give off the impression that his grief and mental state should be put over anyone else's. They're all suffering silently.
Junia and Lyssie wait outside. Whatever is happening inside Lunt's office, no one can hear it. The people around them speak quietly and in hushed voices, not wanting to disturb those who grieve silently.
About fifteen minutes in, Junia gently nudges her friend. Lyssie looks over and fixes the collar of her jacket anxiously.
Leaning over, Junia whispers, "What's the matter?"
Lyssie chews on her lower lip and then exhales softly. "We haven't heard anything from Clemmie or Coriolanus since they left. You wouldn't expect the Academy to just let them go home after seeing Dr. Gaul, would you?"
Junia frowns. "No, not at all. But maybe they're still discussing details with Dr. Gaul?" She suggests carefully, trying to calm her friend down a little bit. "They must've gotten side-tracked." A bit more humorously, she adds, "It is Dr. Gaul, after all. I don't find her that easy to talk to."
