The Twilight Children//The School for Good and Evil

40 ~ Mutual Understandings

. : Sebastian of Havfrue : .

Sebastian had, in fact, heard everything.

He knew he wasn't supposed to, but he had been looking for Merlin in the hopes of figuring out their exact travel route and had stumbled upon them on the roof.

He stared now at Laura's back. She was a few metres in front of him, clearing the dark jungle foliage with ease as he tripped his way behind her. The cat marched in front, leading the way.

Sebastian turned what he had heard over in his head. He didn't know of anyone named Lexus, although Sebastian had gleaned that he had been at fault for something involving Lexus'. He itched to ask her about it, but he would have to admit to evesdropping, and he didn't want to do that either. 

Then there was the matter of Merlin asking about her parents. Sebastian hadn't expected her parents to be alive, but from what he had heard Merlin say, they were alive and evidently didn't know about Laura. 

Sebastian let out a huff. Light rain was dripping down the leaves above him, smattering over his head and drenching him to the bone. They had both been dressed in dark green and if it weren't for the incessant noise of the cat, Sebastian would've lost track of Laura.

He couldn't figure out if it was worth asking about or not, but he wanted to know who Lexus was, and he didn't know when he would get the next chance.

Resolved, Sebastian quickened his pace until he was next to Laura, sliding around thick vines and trees. 

He could sense her side eye as he fell into step beside her. She had been quiet-- although that wasn't unusual-- and slightly distracted in Shazabah. Sebastian had expected her demeanour to change once they were out of the desert city, but it hadn't. She remained stuck in her own thoughts.

"Who is Lexus?" Sebastian asked. He regretted it almost instantly, as Laura stumbled in surprise, and knocked into him, their bodies colliding. He braced her with his arms, and she shoved him off, resuming her steady pace. 

"Was," Laura's voice was sad, but there was a twinge of bitterness that Sebastian didn't expect. "Who was Lexus? How much of Merlin's and I's conversation did you overhear?"

Sebastian flushed pink. He had been caught. He fell back into pace with Laura, copying her careful stride through the jungle. "A little bit. Nothing I understand, or would care to share. I'm just curious who Lexus was."

Laura scoffed and carried on walking. "Consider that between Merlin and I."

Sebastian rolled his eyes. It had been two years since he had first discovered that he had gotten the water magic, and all he truly knew about Laura was her name and her magic, and he wasn't even certain about the former. 

"You can't be fucking serious," Sebastian frowned, narrowing his eyes. "Any time I think I might have some bit of information on you, you act like this."

Laura stopped, an unnatural stillness coming over her. She continued to face forward through the rain, her dark hair plastered to her forehead. Sebastian watched an angry red tinge come over her cheeks.

Sebastian knew he was baiting her, but couldn't help himself. "You're a complete asshole."

Laura turned, and Sebastian nearly smiled. Finally, some display of emotion. He regretted it almost immediately when the air crackled with heat, the raindrops that had been bouncing off his head evaporating before they could reach him. 

The air felt hot and dry as she stepped towards him, her eyes smouldering. Sebastian was faintly aware of the water magic rising up to meet the challenge, the raindrops that weren't immediately vaporized coming to a skidding halt on their way down.