In The Shadow of Love // Sebastian Sallow x Reader

Chapter 16 - Peaks and Troughs

Sebastian POV

The next morning, sleep-deprived and burdened by regret, I make my way straight to y/n's dormitory to speak with her. The argument from last night replays relentlessly in my mind—I can't believe how foolish I was. 

I left Ominis and Samantha still in bed, I'm very grateful for his friendship, we had spent the night sharing stories from our early years at Hogwarts and bringing Samantha up to speed on everything that's been happening. The poor girl has no idea what she's getting herself into, but she seems eager to help. 

I knock on y/n's door and anxiously await her response. "Sebastian... What are you doing here?" she asks, her confusion evident.

"I want to apologise. Can I come in?" I ask, hoping she'll grant me entry. With hesitation, she opens the door and gestures for me to enter. Stepping into the middle of her room, I take a deep breath, ready to make amends.

I reach out to hold both of y/n's hands, pulling her close to me. "y/n, I am so sorry for everything. I should have visited you more in the hospital," tears well up in my eyes as I continue, "I shouldn't have let my obsession with finding a cure consume me again." I lock eyes with her, but then lower my head in shame.

There's a moment of pause before she gently frees herself from my grasp, placing her hands on my face and wiping away my tears. "I forgive you," she whispers kindly, offering a small smile.

"You do?" I ask, slightly confused yet immensely relieved.

"Yes. A wise friend once told me that emotions can overpower us, causing us to say things we don't truly mean," she explains softly.

"I love you so much," I whisper, and in response, she leans in, our lips meeting in a passionate kiss. As she pulls away, she whispers, "I love you too, Sallow." Before I can even smile at her, I feel the sting of her hand striking my cheek.

"What the bloody hell was that for?" I exclaim, bewildered, as I hold the side of my face where y/n just slapped me.

"That's for telling me that I don't care and for blaming me for not having a cure," she says, laughter escaping her lips.

"I deserved that," I chuckle nervously, desperately attempting to hide the pain she just inflicted upon me. We both laughed for a moment before letting it subside back into an awkward tension, I start rubbing the back of my neck, making it evident that the silence is making me uncomfortable. 

talking about how we missed our first game while we were in the hospital," y/n finally speaks up, settling herself onto her bed and taking a seat.

"Absolutely! I'd love to join. Should I go and gather the others?" I respond, my voice brimming with excitement at the prospect of spending time together. As I make my way towards the door, y/n stops me in my tracks.

"Where are you going?" she asks, her curiosity evident.

"I, erm... I wasn't sure if you wanted some time alone," I confess, unsure of her intentions. Y/n looks at me, a puzzled expression on her face, before patting the space next to her on the bed, inviting me to join.

"We still have the whole morning ahead of us. I thought maybe we could spend it together in bed?" she suggests playfully, flashing a mischievous smile. With a raised eyebrow, I find myself slightly taken aback by her forward offer. However, I gather my composure and make my way over to her. I settle myself next to her on the bed, wrapping my arms around her and pulling her into a warm embrace.

We lie there in comfortable silence for some time. I watch as y/n engrosses herself in a book about advanced potions, gently intertwining my fingers in her hair. Planting small, affectionate kisses on her head, she eventually closes her book and turns to face me, her eyes locking onto mine.