Me and the Devil: Sebastian Sallow

Chapter SIXTY FOUR - Sleepyhead

(A short and sweet chapter for tonight. Longer coming soon)

The rest of the night was spent in silent company. I read through my ancient text and the transcriptions from Professor Fig once again. My fingers traced lazily along the little drawing inside the cover - still dark and lifeless. Sebastian flipped rapidly through Salazar's spell book, mumbling to himself and taking notes on some spare parchment. Ominis had spent the rest of his time in the Undercroft close to my side, reading from the raised braille of his book.

A few hours after our cinnamon snack, Ominis' head began to bob. Sebastian's crumpled brows loosened as he glanced up from the text and smiled to himself, catching my eye.

Ominis lulled again and his body weight shifted silently until his head was inches from my shoulder. Sebastian was grinning ear to ear now, watching his poor, exhausted friend sink slowly into sleep. Ominis caught his heavy head and righted himself with a jolt, only to tilt back towards me a moment later.

I bit my lip to reign in my smile.

The heat of his cheek warmed my shoulder and I held perfectly still as I felt his bones relax into mine. Peeking gently forward I watched his lips curl into a smile of content and I felt my heart swell.

Moments of tender Ominis.

The feeling felt eerily similar to the satisfaction of being chosen by a cat in a room full of people.

I glanced back up to Sebastian and his cheeks were beaming.

Careful not to wake the sleeping boy, I pulled my own parchment onto the cover of my book and dabbed my quill and ink against the page.

I wish I had one of those tintype cameras to capture this moment. He looks so peaceful.

Gently, I pushed the page off my book in Sebastian's direction. It glided gently to the ground and he grabbed it with a small smirk.

Picking up his own quill, he scribbled quickly and placed the paper back on my lap.

I would never let him live it down.

I rolled my eyes and lifted my quill again but froze as Ominis shifted. His cheek rolled forward, nearly dropped and I panicked, holding my hands out and gently easing his head down to my lap. I pushed my quill and book onto the pillow beside me to make room.

He mumbled something inaudible, shifted his weight onto his hip and settled his cheek against my thigh before his muscles relaxed again.

The scribbling noise of quill on parchment pulled my eyes from the rather silly looking wizard.

I want to be jealous of him so badly... but just look at him! How can he be THAT cute just sleeping?

I smiled into my lap and watched as his shoulders moved slowly up and down, the little smile on his lips had fallen into sleep with him, but Sebastian was right. This wizard. This incredibly talented, intelligent, hilarious and stern wizard was utterly tranquil, features void of all stresses

of all evils of the world.

I hoped his demons would stay far away.

I hoped he would sleep for awhile.

I hoped.

And he did.

Sebastian went back to reading and I let my weight shift back onto my left hand.

The flames flickered and wicks cracked overhead, the oranges and reds pressed against his closed eyelids. I couldn't help but look at my friend and feel his peace like breeze against my skin. I brought my right hand up and gently stroked a bit of his hair out of his face, running my fingers through it as he had done for me earlier that night.

He slept for awhile longer until my leg had started to fall asleep at the weight of his head.

He lifted his body quickly, his hair flicked over his brows and the imprint of my corduroy pants red against his cheek. The peace slipped from his features and his brows furrowed.

"Oh...My... Atley darling... is that you? I'm so sorry."

Sebastian snorted. "I love you Ominis, but you definitely weren't sleeping on MY leg."

Ominis' cheeks flushed and his shoulders shifted uneasily. He rubbed a quick hand through his hair and over the back of his neck.

"I'm going to bed."

"Goodnight sleepyhead!" Sebastian called as Ominis gathered his things and shuffled out through the gate.

"Goodnight Ominis."

Sebastian grinned wildly as the silence filled Ominis' absence.

"So... is his hair as soft as mine?"