Me and the Devil: Sebastian Sallow

Chapter SIXTEEN - Inches

We flipped through the rest of the book in near silence. The worn parchment slipping across my fingers and occasionally his as well. He studied each page as if it held some great answer if he only looked hard enough.

The candlelight around us danced over the ink and caressed the runes. The starlight twinkled faintly above our heads.

The realization that I was so incredibly comfortable here, struck me across the lips and I pulled the bottom one between my teeth.

I was more comfortable here in the Undercroft than I had found myself in any other area of the castle aside from maybe the library.

Perhaps it was the secluded silence.

The twist of the air and mixture of candle and starlight.

Or maybe it had to do with the company I was currently keeping too.

I couldn't deny, having the warmth of Sebastian's body so close to mine was a comfort I didn't know I needed. I liked my space, I liked to be left alone. I had been forced to be that way for two years. Yet, having someone, having a friend, was incredibly relieving.

By the time we reached the last page of the book, I was blinking back sleep and stifling a yawn. No part of my conscious mind wanted to leave this space, to stop looking through the book, to leave Sebastian. Yet, my body ached for rest. 

I parted my lips to let Sebastian know we should pause for the night but I noticed his eyes had fluttered shut and his head was leaning heavily on his right arm, tilting ever so slightly in my direction. The steady rise and fall of his shoulders, the soft look on his face... I had never seen him look so peaceful. I knew I should wake him, should head to bed, but- I couldn't.

The crinkles next to his eyes had whispered away, a few strands of his hair hung over his brows - messy and out of place. The pain in his eyes had been swallowed up by his tired lids and I traced my vision over his features. His nose, his cheeks, his lips. The flame of the closest candles kissed each warmly.

The dark circles under his eyes.

I reached my hand out gently, thoughtlessly, and tapped his knee. 

He started awake and my heart sunk as his brows creased. His head slammed back and his hands slapped against the ground.

"I'm sorry, I just wanted to let you know I was heading to bed." I tried to speak gently. I always hated how it felt to wake suddenly and have to jump back into reality.

"Oh!" He wiped at his eyes with the base of his palms and then blinked rapidly as the sleep shifted from his features. "Ya, I should probably go too." He smiled before adding quickly and desperately, "Meet up tomorrow?"

"Of course."

I packed the book back into my bag and rose my creaky bones from their campsite. I padded across the floor towards the grate entrance and felt the steady step of Sebastian walking behind me.

I smiled at him over my shoulder and just barely stepped over the threshold when he caught my arm and I stumbled back in surprise, nearly tumbling into him. His other hand flew out to steady me. 

Our faces were so close now. 

Inches.

"I'm sorry! I just, I- wanted to thank you..." 

"For what?"

His eyes were on my lips.

The warmth of his palms hugged my shoulders.

"For trusting me." He was looking me in the eyes again and the air was so thick I was worried I couldn't breathe.

I was intensely aware of his fingertips.

I found my words crumpled up in the back of my brain. "You're not such terrible company for a Slytherin."

He laughed sharply from his nose and took a step back from me, warmth lingering for a moment before seeping through my clothes and into my skin. He rubbed the back of his neck and his cheeks flushed ever so slightly.

"Goodnight Atley."

"Goodnight Sebastian."