Basilisk (Dark Ominis Gaunt x OC gothic romance)

Chapter 117: Tracing Charm

~~Sebastian~~

He really wasn't sure what to make about the amused smile on Ominis' face, but hey who was he to argue with Ominis in a good mood for once. He was cleaning up after dinner in the kitchen, and it was just the two of them for now. Veela had gotten tired enough to go to bed in one of the guest rooms, while Damien and Marie had both headed down early to the servant quarters. A bit odd, considering Damien usually stayed up part of the night.

"We should probably look more into Kent." Ominis said over the rim of his tea cup. "If that was even his real name."

"Yeah, we know nothing about him other than he was a dog animagus. Isn't there a registry for that? Can't be too many dog animagus running around London." Sebastian said as he scrubbed at a pan.

"If he registered himself. He may have been under the radar." Ominis sighed, sipping more of his tea. "Do you think you could help look into it? You would certainly be less conspicuous than me."

Sebastian laughed a bit at that, grinning over his shoulder. "That reputation is a double edged sword. You can pull strings with it but you're always recognized."

Ominis let out a deep groan of frustration. "What I would give to just be a normal person, sometimes." He grumbled.

"You are normal." Sebastian scoffed. "You're just normal but also rich."

Ominis gave a wry smile before sipping his tea again.

"How is Ariadne doing? I saw you shooed her back to bed earlier." Sebastian chuckled. Ominis was always rather firm, but Ariadne didn't seem to care at all about his ire. It had taken him promising tomorrow to go book shopping with her to get her to go back to bed again.

"Bribery wins again. I'm going to run out of room for books, though." Ominis chuckled a bit. "I need a new thing to use as leverage."

"Eh, you know what I'd use usually." Sebastian grinned with a crooked smile. "But in your case I think she'd just use that to her advantage." He snickered.

Ominis shook his head. "You're impossible." He grumbled. "Always thinking with the wrong head."

Sebastian chuckled again, but then turned solemn as he realized where that had gotten him. He and Veela were still... on rocky grounds. He didn't blame her at all for being so furious with him, and now she was also annoyed she had to rely on him like this too.

"Do you... think she'll ever forgive me?" Sebastian asked quietly. Ominis and Damien were the only ones he ever voiced his vulnerabilities to.

"That's entirely up to her... but I think it depends on how you treat her. I know you genuinely care for her, but you broke her trust in the worst possible way. If it can be repaired it will take time and patience." Ominis said in a more serious tone.

Ever the practical one. He was right, though. He had to be patient. "I'm not good at being patient." Sebastian grumbled.

"Of this I am well aware." Ominis grinned and shook his head. "You'll need to work on that either way, if you're going to be a father."

He set down the pan he was cleaning as a wave of multiple emotions crashed through him at that. Fear, yearning, dread, and worst of all insecurity. He leaned against the counter as he let out a long breath from all of it.

"How will that even work if she still dislikes me so much?" He asked weakly. "I fucked this up so badly..."

"If I could tell the future I would tell you, but unfortunately I'm not a seer. All I can tell you is to try your best to mend bridges." Ominis shrugged.