Me and the Devil: Sebastian Sallow

Chapter EIGHTY NINE - First Day of Break

"You cannot possibly still be sleeping."

Anne was standing with both her hands on her hips and kicking the toe of her boot gently into Sebastian's ribs.

He grumbled against the pillows on the floor and lazily tried to push her foot away with a limp arm. He mumbled some things that I think were supposed to be words but came out as jumbled syllables.

After Sebastian and I had fallen asleep leaning against each other in front of the fireplace last night, Ominis and Anne had worked quickly to make three makeshift beds just to our left nearest the couch. She had gently lifted my head from Sebastian's shoulder and ushered me towards the sleeping area, muttering something about taking turns sleeping on the couch. Being half asleep, I wasn't entirely sure what she had just told me, so I curled up under one of the blankets on the ground and tossed my head onto one of the pillows. I wasn't sure where everyone else fell asleep, I was too exhausted to mind much.

I was only partially conscious when a hobbling Solomon pressed quietly in through the front door a few minutes later. He kicked off his boots with no regard for the spraying snow and hung his jacket on a coat rack near the door. He brushed past our little nest of sleeping materials and tucked himself into a small dark room at the back of the house that I hadn't noticed before. Nothing much more than a grumble of welcome, but I wasn't sure if that was because we are all nearly passed out or if he truly didn't care to offer more of a proper greeting. The door clicked shut.

It was now barely morning and the sun had just tipped up over the windowsills, drifting misty gold light across the table. I had also just woken up, thankful to have done so on my own as to not be assaulted by the thick leather of Anne's boot. The smell of freshly brewed coffee and something slightly nutty wrapped around my tired fingers and I rose, joints snapping, to investigate the source. 

Ominis was leaning against the counter, hair ruffled and tip of his nose red, clutching a small brown mug between his hands. Little wisps of steam crawled from the top and he blew gently before bringing it to his lips.

Ominis hummed into the mug as my weight creaked against the floorboards.

"Did you rise those two hibernators out of their cocoons darling?"

"Good morning Ominis."

"Oh!" He blushed. "I'm sorry Atley dear, I thought- you sound an awful lot like Anne."

I sniffed a laugh. "Can you normally tell who someone is just by their footsteps?"

He took another sip. "Often times I will know by presence or breath alone, but yes, footsteps are often a large indicator for me. I must be more exhausted than I thought."

"Did you sleep well?"

"I did. Anne forced me to take the couch while she slept next to you and Sebastian on the floor. I tried to protest, but there is just no arguing with her." He grinned.

"Why didn't Sebastian and Anne sleep in their own beds?"

"Atley! Would you like some coffee?" Anne tapped my shoulder as she rounded into the room. She was wrapped in at least three shawls and looked a bit paler than last night. Her smile however, was just as wide.

"I'd love some. Thank you."

She reached up to one of the taller shelves, fingers grazing a couple of handles but only managing to move them over an inch or so. She grunted a bit at the effort.

"Here darling." Ominis was behind her, his own coffee placed on the counter where he had been moments before. His chest pressed to Anne's back, he reached up and over her shoulder, fingers tracing each of the shelves until he found the right one and quickly retrieved two mugs. He held them out to her proudly before walking back to his place.