Safe & Sound//Sebastian Sallow

fifty-three.

Imelda had made dinner while Sebastian and I were talking and invited me to stay for it. My stomach had been aching from hunger, so I accepted. Along with being a talented Quidditch player, she was a magnificent cook.

After we finished eating, I decided it was best if I went back home. Ominis only had one spare bedroom and Sebastian was currently residing in it, so there wasn't exactly room for me. I helped Imelda clean up before saying my goodbyes.

"Thank you for dinner. It was the best meal I've had in months," I complimented Imelda. I was prepared for something sarcastic to come out of her mouth, but she surprised me.

"I'm glad you enjoyed it. I made you a plate to take home for later," she said.

"That's really sweet. Thank you. And thank you for helping to pull me out of my pity party."

"It's no problem at all. Just don't fall back into it. We're here to help you if you need it." Imelda surprised me again by pulling me into a hug. After the initial shock, I embraced her back. We shared our brief moment before joining Ominis and Sebastian in the sitting room.

"I'm going to head back home," I told them. "I appreciate your help today, Ominis. And it was nice to talk to you, Sebastian."

"Would you mind if I went with you," Sebastian asked.

"What?" His question caught me completely off guard.

"Is it okay if I go with you? It's my house, too, right? Maybe something will trigger a memory."

"Yeah, it's yours, too. I'm fine with it if that's what you'd like to do." The thought of Sebastian coming home with me both excited me and made me nervous. I wanted to spend more time with him, but he wasn't the him I was used to.

"Are you sure you're up for that, Sebastian," Ominis asked his friend.

"Yeah. It's been over two months. I think it's time," he replied.

"Okay. You're welcome back here anytime."

"Thank you, Ominis. As always, you've been a good friend to me." He pat Ominis' shoulder as he stood from the sofa. "Let me shove my things in a bag real quick and we can leave," he said, turning to me. He then hurried upstairs.

"Do you think this is a good idea," I asked Ominis and Imelda, knowing they would be truthful with me.

"It's either really good or really terrible," Imelda said. "I don't see any in-between."

"Agreed. I'm more worried about you than I am him," Ominis told me.

"Me, too," I confessed.

"Please get me if you need anything," he said seriously.

"I will, I promise."

"And no drinking while he's there. Don't fall into that spiral while he's with you," Imelda warned. I nodded at her. Sebastian came back down to us a few minutes later, his bag packed and ready to go. We said our final goodbyes before leaving.

To make things easier since Sebastian didn't know where we were going, he held onto me and I disapparated to our home. We walked the short distance from the path to the doorway in silence. Once inside, I lit some lanterns. The place was spotless thanks to Imelda and Ominis' earlier help.

"Let me show you the guest room and then you can explore," I told him. It only felt right to give him his own space. I led him down the hallway and to the room I barely frequented.

"I like how we decorated," he said as we walked through the house. "It feels homey."

"I'm glad you think so. We did our best to make it a home after we moved in. I bought the place as a birthday surprise to you."