Rekindled Bonds

Chapter 9

Ominis was frozen like a statue, his mouth slightly agape. The red on his cheeks and ears stood out starkly against his pale skin. He lowered his fist and clasped his hands in front of his body. Ash's gaze followed his movements down to where his trousers were pulled quite taught against his hips. Her eyes widened as the blush on her face spread to match his.

Oh Merlin... He definitely heard me earlier.

"Um..." Ominis spoke hesitantly, "May I come in?"

Ash stepped to the side and Ominis tentatively entered her bedroom. The pair stood awkwardly in the center of the room.

"Ominis, um... How can I help you?"

He stayed silent and twitched his fingers, his hands still clasped in front of his body.

"I was just hoping to speak with you... privately." His posture was rigid. "I wanted to continue our conversation from earlier."

"Which part?" The dull ache between her legs returned.

He paused. "Both parts."

Ash and Ominis moved to sit on the edge of her bed. She shuddered as his knee brushed against hers. Ash struggled between guilt and lust, love and hate. She wanted to throw something at him- a book, a shoe, herself- she wasn't feeling picky. She needed something, anything, to make these feelings stop. The nervous silence was suffocating. She steeled herself in preparation to speak.

"When did you know?" she asked. Ominis looked toward her curiously. "About the engagement... When did you know?"

He sighed. "About a week before we went to Honeydukes. I tried to get out of the arrangement but my parents can be quite... persistent."

Ash nodded. "Why didn't you tell me?"

His jaw clenched. "I wanted to, I just didn't know how. I hoped to enjoy whatever time we had left together. I didn't wish to burden you with my issues."

"Ominis, I'm your-"

Friend? Girlfriend? Partner?

"I care about you," she continued, "I'm here to listen and support you." Ominis nodded in resignation. "Why didn't you at least say something before you left?"

Ominis cast her a sideways glance. "You were... preoccupied."

Embarrassment washed over her as she bit her lip. She gripped her chemise, her knuckles turning white. "I can never express how sorry I am, Ominis. I didn't wish to cause you pain."

"But you did. And you still are," he said quietly.

"I'm sorry..."

"Stop apologizing." He took a shaky breath and spoke with intensity. "You're like a never-ending Cruciatus Curse, but not for the reasons you may think. All day, every single day, my thoughts are consumed by you. There is not a single moment, a breath I take, that I am not thinking of you."

His body trembled as his pent-up thoughts flowed out. "When I left, every night I laid awake in bed haunted by you. I tried to sleep but all I could hear was you and your... noises." A flush crept up his neck. "For a while, I found the thoughts depressing- constant reminders of what I could no longer enjoy. But then... then it became intoxicating. Listening to you like that, hearing your shuddering breaths and strangled moans, it's enthralling."

Ash tightened her legs as the meaning of his words sunk in.

He liked it.

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(A/N: Ominis POV flashbacks)

"Sebastian..."

Ominis made out the faint voice of Ash as he approached her bedroom door, hangover cure in hand. His grip around the bottle tightened, and he craned his neck in an attempt to hear the muffled sounds more clearly.