Sejanus had tried his very best to appear unbothered that night. He forced himself to act normal with Liville on the way home, to laugh with her and joke with her. But the whole time, he felt a pit of insecurities eating away at him.
Coriolanus hardly ever spoke in class, especially not random chit-chat. Not even with Clemensia, who Sejanus knew he was most comfortable around due to her higher class ranking.
But twenty minutes?
Liville had him captivated in conversation for twenty minutes? That wasn't something that could happen, Sejanus told himself. Coriolanus didn't small talk like that.
At least, he didn't with anyone else.
Only Liville.
Liville, the girl who insisted on speaking with Coriolanus after school. The girl who'd given him a gift, even. A gift Sejanus had no idea about, one he'd been itching to know the contents of, since the moment he saw her hand it to him.
It all made Sejanus so...bitter.
But Sejanus knew better than to bring this up to Liville. He had been told all his life that he was too sensitive, so he convinced himself he was overreacting to the situation. And he was so scared he might overreact in front of Liville, in a way that'd cause her to dislike him, that he hid all his reckless emotions.
Every speck of bitterness and insecurity and jealousy was masked. So at no point did she realize anything was wrong.
Liville actually thought things were quite good between her and Sejanus. She planned on spending the day with him after school that Monday. When they got home, she even went as far as asking him, "Would you like to do schoolwork with me in the garden, Sejanus?"
He slowly shook his head. "I'm feeling under the weather. I...think I'm going to lay down."
"Do you want to lay in the living room?" she asked.
They were still banned from entering each other's rooms. So she hoped he'd stay downstairs, because she wanted to see him longer.
"I can do homework beside you," she offered. "And I can ask the kitchen staff to make you some tea."
He forced a tight lipped smile. "It's alright, Liv. I just need to rest in my room for a bit."
"...Alright," she said. She wasn't as good at masking what she was feeling, so her disappointment came out more obvious than she wanted it to.
Sejanus made his way to the stairs.
"Sejanus," she called. He paused as Liville made her way over to him. She kissed his cheek, before feeling his forehead. Satisfied he didn't have a temperature, she said, "Feel better, alright?"
A genuine, shy smile appeared on him. "What are you doing kissing me, are you trying to get sick too?"
"Of course," she said. "Then I can stay home with you."
She always soothed his aching heart so quickly. It still amazed him.
Letting out a small laugh he said, "You aren't here with me enough already?"
Smiling, she shrugged. "I wouldn't mind some extra time."
They had forever, Sejanus kept insisting to himself. Forever would belong to them.
When Sejanus disappeared into his room, Liville completed homework in the living room, alone. And while she was by herself, she thought about how much more she preferred being around Sejanus than she did Coriolanus. Because Sejanus would never, ever call her a bother.
