(No surprises - Juliana Chahayed)
None of us dared to speak as the thought drifted through our breaths, passed around our lungs in whirls and pounded with our heartbeats. Ominis' shoulders heaved, collarbones pressing against his shirt, eyes rimmed red, shaking fingers rubbing absentmindedly over the edge of the glass, lips curled up into a hesitant smile.
Sebastian and I had simultaneously brought our own bottles down to our sides.
The silence stretched between the folds of our clothes, tossed between our teeth and brushed across our noses. Ominis clenched his jaw and took a big breath, taking a moment to swallow his uneven thoughts before speaking.
"Alright. I am as prepared as I should ever will be, let's drink."
Ominis tipped the bottle up once more but Sebastian darted forward, catching Ominis' wrist in his hand.
"Wait. We- we'll let you go first... should this work... we- I want you to see us as us..."
The thought crushed my throat.
Ominis' face scrunched though his smile still tugged at his lips. He nodded slowly and brought the bottle back to his mouth.
The liquid disappeared quickly.
Sebastian didn't move.
Ominis gagged.
Sebastian raised a wand, flicking it once and Ominis' clothes dropped in a heap at his feet, though he wasn't naked. In their place were flitting sparkles of magic that faded to a deep green overcoat, thick blue bow and white undershirt just beneath a grey vest, striped trousers and shiny black shoes.
His body shifted and turned, crushed against the otherwise frozen silence for what felt an eternity until slowly,
ever so slowly,
yet ever so suddenly,
Headmaster Black.
Headmaster Black?
The confusion flitted in my mind for only a moment as the man in front of us righted himself, blinking rapidly through the room.
"Oh!"
He slammed his eyes shut, palms slapped over his lids and arms shaking harshly.
It was an odd thing, seeing a man so commonly obtuse in nature, now fragile and demeanor that of one of my closest friends.
Sebastian pressed closer, gently raising his hands to Black- Ominis' wrists and wrapping his fingers around them gently. He didn't pull but instead kept the warmth of his touch close, reassuring. He cast a quick, worried glance back to me, confirming the oddity of the situation was not lost to him either.
"Ominis. Are you alright?"
"I-I- it was so bright. I do- don't think I can do it." His stuttered voice harsh and clipped.
Sebastian's voice wrapped blankets over our shoulders. "We're right here Ominis. Take your time. We're right here."
Though his hands shook, he slowly peeled them away from his face, Sebastian cradling them in his own.
Ominis' lids were still closed tightly though his breathing slowly steadied.
In through his mouth
out through his nose
YOU ARE READING
Me and the Devil: Sebastian Sallow
FanfictionSebastian Sallow is a tortured soul with the world on his shoulders whose only mission is to save his sister Anne - at any cost. Atley Barlowe is a budding new witch who also carries the world on her shoulders as she travels the road less traveled t...
