Always || Sebastian Sallow x Reader

Chapter 24

"Stop moving, I'm almost done," Sebastian groans.

"I'm trying– it tickles, okay?" you giggle, pulling away from him.

He drops his hand into his lap and sighs, glaring at you.

"I could have let you walk around like a living ashtray today, but I didn't. And now you're making it difficult to help you. Unbelievable."

Potions was quite the disaster this morning. You were working on your Thunderbrew potion– it was actually going well, when you noticed Ominis grab something unfamiliar off of his station. As you peered over to him, you noticed that it was the wrong ingredient, and no one knows what could have happened if he poured it into the cauldron.

Except you.

You found out the hard way.

"I had just snatched it out of his hand, and the smallest amount fell into the cauldron," you mumble, as Sebastian lifts your chin, wiping an ivory cloth over your face.

"Yes, I saw that happen," he replies, dutifully wringing out the cloth into the grass, then dipping the cloth back into the tin water bucket next to him. He wraps it around his fingers again and looks up at you.

"Professor Sharp was livid," you groan, squeezing your eyes shut as the cold washcloth presses against your skin. A small amount of water trickles in between your eyebrows and down your nose.

"I've seen worse," he shrugs, giving your face one final wipe, ridding all of the ash from your skin.

"One time, Garreth stole a fwooper feather from his office, and ugh– That ended up ugly," Sebastian shakes his head, wringing out the cloth once again and dropping his shoulders.

"Spare me the details," you laugh.

The sun was halfway through the sky. Students were whizzing above you, gliding through hoops and between structures during Madam Kogawa's flying course. You could hear Imelda's jeering at them from a kilometer away.

You turn your attention back to Sebastian, rolling your eyes. His cheeks were flushed slightly, and his hair was whipping wildly in the wind. You smile, reaching your hand to his chin, turning his face toward you and leaning forward, delicately placing a small peck on his lips. He tastes faintly of butterscotch and sweetness– you practically melt right then and there. As you pull away, his eyes soften and he smiles, interlacing his fingers with yours.

"Your lips are warm," you comment, shifting in your place on the grass.

"Ah," he says nodding.

"I stole the rest of Ominis' butterbeer on my way over."

You glare at him.

"You didn't care to share?" you ask, pulling your hand from his dramatically. His jaw drops slightly, and he looks you up and down with disgust.

"I did share. With Ominis."

You scowl at him, beginning to stand.

"I see how it is," you sigh, wiping off your robes. Sebastian groans as he stands, rolling his eyes at you. He lifts up his finger, pointing at your chest.

"I love you, but you never fail to annoy the fuck out of me," he flashes a knowing smile as you drop your jaw.

"What type of–" he places his hand over your lips, his other hand grasping the back of your head. You mumble into his hand, warmth spreading across your face.

"Just shut up for a moment and look at me," he whispers. You swallow your words slowly, raising an eyebrow at him.

"I've piqued your interest now, haven't I?" he asks, tilting his head. You roll your eyes and push his hand off of your face.