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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06. consequences
The silence at the dinner table is almost deafening.
After coming home, Junia and Castiel were relieved to find their home empty. It gave Junia enough time to gather herself before the inevitable and Cas got to take another nap before things would eventually take an uncomfortable turn.
What almost drove Junia up the wall was that they both went ignored by their parents until they were called downstairs for dinner. Even though she's used to receiving the silent treatment whenever something happens that displeases them, it also means they've had enough time to discuss how they'll approach the topic when the time comes.
When they make it to the dining room, where a more than generous amount of food is waiting for them, Junia can hardly say she feels hungry anymore. Her stomach may be empty but her fingers and feet feel cold despite the warmth in the room.
If anything, the sight of the untouched roasted potatoes, peas and pork roast covered in gravy on her plate only makes her feel more nauseous. The rich smell invades her nose in an unpleasant manner, in a way that makes her wish she could cover her nose without risking an additional scolding from her parents.
She feels bad, knowing the chef must have put in a lot of effort to cook this meal for them, but with the events of today in the back of her mind, she can't stomach it.
She thinks of the tributes that are probably still starving in the Capitol Zoo at this very moment, unless someone else is there to provide them with food.
Treech. She promised she'd be back. Well, not word for word, but she can't just leave him hanging.
Castiel is eating but even he is taking his time. For someone who was hungover in the morning, he seems to have recovered somewhat but his tense shoulders give away that he's also bracing himself for the inevitable.
Finally, after about ten minutes of uncomfortable silence, it's Alaric Beaumont who speaks up. He sets his fork down, takes a hearty swig of his wine, and lets his gaze wander across the dinner table.
His daughter and oldest son are avoiding eye contact like it's second nature, and his youngest is too focused on making sure his peas don't touch his potatoes to really pay attention to anything around him. Perhaps ignorance truly is bliss. Or, what is more likely, is him distracting himself from the tense atmosphere as much as possible.
"So, Junia," Alaric Beaumont says, setting his wine glass down. He eyes his daughter who's hesitant to meet his gaze. "Look at me, please."
When she sighs but finally lifts her head and looks away from her plate, he's surprised to see none of the guilty look he was expecting. If anything, she looks almost displeased they're about to have this conversation in the first place. Well, that makes two of them.
