Me and the Devil: Sebastian Sallow

Chapter ONE NINETEEN - Trust

"Stop."

Ominis' shoulders trembled with his breathing, a single tear threatening to spill over. "What?"

"Don't say that."

"I haven't-"

"You can't- you- we're-" He swallowed, raised brows dipping in the center, dropping his hold on my wrist. "Anne-"

"...I love her Sebastian."

His face contorted, eyes slammed shut and fingers pressing into his temples, his wand clenched against his head with them.

Ominis pressed forward, fingers held out for a moment before halting the movement and dropping them to his sides. "I believe you and she share a very similar scent... I should also know the difference between the two, having smelt both at different times... but you don't have to worry! I-"

"...stop." Quiet, nearly inaudible.

"-I have felt something far deeper for you before but-"

"Stop." A hair louder, head shaking back and forth below his fingers.

"-but it is Atley that should- that does, hold your heart. ...I'm so sorry to ever have... Anne and I, that is where my heart truly belongs-"

"OMINIS STOP!" Sebastian tore his hand from his face, yell crushing the air and sparking a flame beneath my chest. "I don't want to fucking hear it! I don't-" The words fell off as his bottom jaw trembled. 

Voice a whisper.

"You were my closest friend."

Ominis sniffed. "...were?"

Sebastian's fingers clenched so deep across the relic I feared it would cut his skin.

"Seems you had something different in mind."

"Sebastian shut up." 

Though I spoke quickly, nothing could stop the pain from slapping Ominis across the face. His feet stumbling back a step as he scrunched his nose.

"You don't mean that."

"Am I wrong?"

"Sebastian-"

"How long?"

"Sebastian."

"How- long-"

"It doesn't matter."

"The hell it doesn't."

"Sebastian!" I yelped.

Sebastian whirled on his heal, dropping the relic back into his pocket and pulling both sets of fingers through his hair at the back of his head. He stepped a few paces away, breathing hard.

I reached a hand out to Ominis' but he jerked it back.

Tears spilled over his cheeks, seemingly having a hard time catching his breath.

"I never meant to... feel for you... that way Sebastian." 

Sebastian dropped his hands to his side, hanging his head back on his neck, all muscles relinquishing their strength.

Helpless, 

useless, 

out of place.

I felt unwelcome in my own body, a stranger eavesdropping on a conversation not meant for them to hear.

Sebastian's breathing deepened, slowing steadily as his shoulders rose and fell quietly.

Ominis' voice cracked. "I'm sorry."

Silence.

"You- you see now why I won't let you take that relic... I can't lose both of you..."

"You aren't going to lose her." His voice sounded not his own. "I'm going to save her."

"Not with that relic."

Sebastian pulled his head back to his shoulders, stepping slowly through a deep breath back around to face Ominis.

"It's either this relic or the two of us Ominis. You either lose this fight or you lose us."

"Sebastian..." My words sprinkled hesitantly through the air. 

Ominis swallowed deeply. "Are you really willing to sacrifice your friendship over this?"

Sebastian's eyes locked to Ominis', 

darkness devouring the light.

"I would do anything for Anne. Sacrifice-"

I cut him off, fumbling quickly. "Ominis... Sebastian and Anne deserve this chance. Please, allow him to leave with the relic under one condition: after this, no more."

Ominis was pacing now, laughing as he wiped away his tears. "I feel that's what we agreed to already. I'm being taken for a fool."

"No Ominis. Never... we just need to trust him..."

"How can I trust him when he- when you both- have gone behind my back?"

Sebastian stepped quickly forward, holding his hands out and gently shoving Ominis' shoulders backwards.

I reached out quickly but he was too fast, pressing forward out of my reach.

"You don't get to talk about trust-"

Ominis stumbled another step.

"You have had these feelings for me all along yet you've said nothing, pretended as if they didn't exist-"

Another shove.

Another step, spine now pressed against the wall.

"Sebastian..." Ominis held his hands out, fingers trembling.

"You were my best friend Ominis. I trusted you to tell me- Did we not swear as kids to always have each others' backs?"

Ominis sniffled. "I-"

"Did you not show up on my doorstep one summer with curse marks on your skin and tears on your cheeks begging me to let you stay with us? Did I not promise to protect you from anyone who hurt you-"

Sebastian's own tears now spilled over one after the other, voice faltering with one final shove.

"You didn't tell me how you felt and instead let me hurt you over and over and over again..."

Ominis finally managed to choke out his words. "The Dark Arts come with a cost... I will not let that be you."

Sebastian took the final step forward, chest nearly pressed to Ominis' as his voice lowered.

Ominis' throat bobbed.

"I've hurt you. I- I'm truly sorry I do not feel the same... but I can make it up to you- I can save her... I just need you to trust me..."

"I-"

"Please- let me do what I need to do... I am taking this relic with me Ominis. One way or the other. Trust me... 

If not for me, then...then for Anne."

Sebastian's face mere inches from his.

Ominis stopped breathing.

"...I- I trust you... I just-"

"Imperio."