He was crying again. As he'd been doing all night.
Crying in her arms. Draining her soul, because there was nothing she could do to fix him.
He hadn't spoken a single word since they arrived home, besides a low, "Hold me, Liville."
They'd hidden themselves away in the garden because he'd been too embarrassed to cry this loudly inside.
But he wasn't embarrassed to cry in front of Liville. Never Liville.
Mr. and Mrs. Plinth forced both of them to the dining room at dinner. They wanted to pretend that everything was normal. Sejanus had dried his tears, ashamed they'd fallen in the first place.
He sat at the dinner table with hatred in his eyes, refusing to eat his food.
"You must eat," Mrs. Plinth instructed her son. "Don't starve yourself to prove some senseless point-"
"I've survived eleven days without food, don't you remember?" Sejanus said icily to his mother. "When we were still district. When we had nothing. Don't you remember that we were once so hungry, that you got on your hands and knees and begged a peacekeeper to spare something, but they refused-"
"Stop it," Strabo warned. "Do not upset your mother with stories of our darker times."
The story stunned Liville. Her face turned a shade paler just imagining it. Imagining Sejanus having to go through that as a young boy. Imagining Mrs. Plinth getting on her hands and knees begging for help.
It was the kind of story that made Liville feel ashamed that she ever complained about her own childhood to Sejanus. She was spoiled growing up. So completely privileged. She'd never come close to starving.
"They're not just stories, they're memories," Sejanus said. "From before we moved to the Capitol, before people saw us as human. Look how quickly you two have turned your noses at people just like us-"
"Liville, what do you think of your tribute?" Mrs. Plinth said, trying to change the subject. "Do you think you'll have any luck with him? I see you got the district 12 boy?"
Liville wondered if Sejanus would get angry at her for answering. But she was put in charge of this boy against her will, certainly he wouldn't hold it against her if she took this mentorship seriously, right?
She cautiously began, "Yes. Um...his name is Jessup, I believe."
His mother continued, "Do you think he has a chance of winning? With the right help?"
Liville glanced at Sejanus first, worried that this line of talk would bother him. "Possibly. He looks healthy. He seems strong enough-"
"Strong enough to kill other children?" Sejanus suddenly spat at her.
She shut her mouth.
"You yell at Liville for simply answering a question?" his father scoffed. "I see you're still trying to prove you're a man-"
"Please," Mrs. Plinth tried. "This is clearly going to be a sore subject for a long time. But...can we at least pretend to be civilized at the table?"
Sejanus scoffed, leaning back.
"Are you intending on coaching this Jessup?" Strabo asked. "Will you give him strategies?"
She wished they would stop with this subject. Didn't they see things were just getting worse?
Liville looked to Sejanus, unsure what to do, unsure if she should answer at all.
"Now look what you've done," Strabo berated his son. "She's scared to talk."
