tw: slight sexual content
"Sejanus," Liville called out quickly, rounding the corner of the office. "Sej-"
She came to a quick stop.
Sejanus wasn't waiting for her anymore.
Only Coriolanus was.
He was standing straight and proper as he waited. He didn't lean against anything, he never did. Coriolanus seemed to be the kind of boy that was too elegant to be caught acting so casual. So he was always standing still, shoulders back, like a man of high authority.
When he noticed her, he spoke with his stricter voice, so deep and perfect as always. "What happened, Liville? What did Highbottom want?"
Seeing him, alone, sent it all flooding back into her mind.
Hearing him speak her name in that way, the way that sent shivers down her spine, replayed the prior night in her head.
His eyes, his lips, his touch. It was as if she could feel his hands on her face again, feel the warmth of his mouth against hers. And it shocked her so badly, because she'd never felt this way before.
Never in her life had Liville felt so stirred, both her mind and her body, by the simple presence of a boy. Even when she was nearing twelve, and fully in puberty, and truly drawn to boys for the first time, she'd never felt so...distracted by her attraction to a boy. She couldn't think around him anymore.
Realizing she'd been caught in her mind, Liville averted her eyes away from Coriolanus, shame hitting her harder. Her mind then replayed the video. The horrifically inappropriate video showing what they'd done. What Liville, a betrothed woman, had done. How she'd let Coriolanus kiss her, when both of them knew she belonged to another man. She felt sick.
And it then occurred to her that there were cameras all over these halls.
That there were cameras everywhere.
And she could never be caught with Coriolanus like that again. She could never be caught with him at all.
Eyes on the ground she only asked, "Where has Sejanus gone?"
Coriolanus responded with a simple, "He left. He told me to escort you to say goodbye to your tribute."
She felt a flicker of doubt. She didn't believe him. "Sejanus would not say that," she mumbled, still refusing to meet his eye. "Where has he gone?"
"He left," he said again.
Liville glanced around the hallway. Her eyes fell onto a security camera.
She couldn't be seen with Coriolanus anymore, she reminded herself over and over.
She didn't know if anyone else had that footage of their kiss in the nurse's station. But regardless, it was important she didn't give anyone else footage to use against her.
It wouldn't be right to Sejanus for her to be seen over and over again with this other boy.
So without another word, she tried to leave the hall. She didn't say goodbye to Coriolanus, she merely headed to the door.
But he was right beside her, of course. He wasn't letting her disappear without speaking with him. "Liville," he called.
She didn't stop.
Finally, he quickened his own pace, and stepped in front of her fast, forcing her to a stop.
"Liville," he said again. "What has happened? What did he say?"
