Me and the Devil: Sebastian Sallow

Chapter FORTY SIX - Shattered

(Wait - M83)

Taking Sebastian's hand, I followed the lights below my feet as they led to a rippling wall. Hesitantly, I placed a hand against it and watched as it shifted before my eyes, opening up to a dark night mountainside.

I stepped through, keeping my grip on Sebastian's hand tight and pulling him through.

His eyes immediately widened as he took in the space around us.

We were somewhere deep in the forest, dark trees towered overhead, blanketing a wide field under our feet. Thick blades of grass tickled our ankles. The only light shone down on us from the moon and stars as they peaked through the trees.

At any other time, being in such dark might have terrified me, but something about this place

felt comforting.

Sebastian and I walked a few steps further, trying to get our bearings.

I nearly jumped as small flower bud twisted up above the blades of grass and blossomed before our eyes. Its center faintly glowed a deep shade of purple. A few more flowers around us begun to sprout their own buds of light until the entire field was cascaded in thick blues, deep purples, and calm white flower lights.

I clutched Sebastian's hand tight, needing the warmth of his skin to ground me, to assure me I wasn't dreaming.

"What in Merlin's name is this?" He breathed.

The surreality of it all bubbled in my lungs and I let out a cry of joy, laughing as I let go of his hand and twirled around the space.

"Oh I love magic."

Sebastian was smiling at me but wincing slightly, fingers pressed gently against his cheek and head.

"I hate to interrupt," He did truly look pained as my smile dropped. "but, do you have anymore Wiggenweld?"

"Oh Merlin. Of course. Come here." I dropped my bag from my shoulder into the grass below and motioned for Sebastian to take a seat in front of me. 

Gently, he dropped his bones and grunted at the pain. He removed his own bag from his shoulder. How the two of these book bags had survived such a fight, I may never know, but I was incredibly grateful.

My hands shook as I handed him a green bottle and nodded to his canvas bag. "Do you have any more cloths? Water?" He nodded, took the bottle and drained it quickly. "There should be a green shirt in there you can use."

I reached over him to shuffle through his things. It really was as much of a mess in here as I had expected. Books, papers, ink bottles, quills and even a few small smooth rocks in the very bottom. There was no sign of a shirt though and I grumbled, the darkness of the night not making it any easier.

"Why do you have rocks in your book bag?" I laughed, not really expecting an answer.

"They uhm... They're from the lake outside the castle."

I continued digging. "You just carry around a bunch of these- for fun? Your poor shoulder." I giggled and finally wrapped my fingers around the shirt he had mentioned, bringing it out.

He swallowed and breathily laughed, running a hand over the back of his neck. "They're more like keepsakes... from- from the first time I took you to the lake, to see the sunset."

I felt the air crush from my lungs and my eyebrows raise.

Our eyes locked and I tried to hide my melting heart.

I felt the edges of my traitorous lips slip up into a smile and my equally traitorous heart skip slightly.

He dropped his head to his bag and if it wasn't so dark I was sure I could see a blush across his face. The blues and purples of the glowing flowers around us danced over his cheeks and I noticed a small dimple in his cheek.

"Here." He shoved a bottle into my hand. "Here's the water."

I accepted it and swallowed my giddy heart.

Gently tipping the bottle onto the fabric, I shifted my weight closer to him and he averted his gaze.

I raised the damp cloth to his head first and dabbed at the blood there, he winced slightly but tilted his head lower for me to have better access.

I could feel his breathing against my wrist.

Warm and fast.

Once I had cleaned his head to my liking, I moved down to his cheek, placing a clean bit of the damp fabric to it. He swallowed and I felt the muscle in his jaw clench under my fingers. 

I could feel my heart pounding against the cage of my ribs but I pressed on, careful not to press too hard.

Sebastian's fingers flexed against his legs as he watched my face. I could feel his gaze against mine.

He swallowed again, chest heaving and he pinched his eyelids shut.

The pain must not have worn off from the Wiggenweld yet.

His hands begun to shake in his lap and his nostrils flared once, his breathing stopped.

"Atley-" He opened his eyes and looked at me, blues and purples and white lights dancing over his pupils. "I swear if you don't stop touching me right now... I- I don't- I- don't think I can stop myself from kissing you."

Time stilled

My hands froze, dropping to my lap

Nothing moved

Except for my heart that now beat drums through my entire body.

Sebastian shuddered and his brows creased, eyes shattering with fear. "I just.... fuck... I'm sorry! It's just that- whenever you're near me, it's like my skin is on fire, that my heart is on fire. I feel like I'm going to combust or fall to pieces or- or- I don't know- but I also feel as if you're the only thing holding me together- the only one keeping me from breaking. I don't- I- I-"

"Then do it."

"What?"

"Kiss me." A whisper.

He let out a shuttered breath and shattered the space between us. 

Hands on either side of my face, 

thumbs against my cheeks and pulling me deeper into him, 

warmth through my soul,

lips against mine.