Under Your Scars || Sebastian Sallow x MC

Chapter 17 - Sweet Dreams

Sebastian POV

It was just after curfew by the time we left the Undercroft. The chances of being spotted by students was slim, so I offered my arm to Juliette and walked her back to the faculty tower. 

I was proud to let her into my recently-tidied quarters. Not that I had expected her to come back with me, or anything. 

I honestly didn't think things would  go as far as they did. I expected this new territory for us to be awkward, clumsy, that we would want to take things slowly as we transition from friends to something more. 

But it wasn't like that at all. We'd known each other so long, the intimacy felt almost natural. Still, I truly did want to wait on some things. I didn't want to make love to her for the first time on a sofa or the stone floor of the Undercroft. She was worthy of so much more than that. 

"Merde," she turned to me sheepishly. "I don't have any spare clothes." She bit her lip. She was so cute when she was flustered.

"No worries, I'm sure I've got something you can throw on, if you want."

"Yes, please."

I rummaged through my wardrobe and found a pair of black silk pajama bottoms. I selfishly chose a deep green jumper for her. 

"Here you are." I placed them on the sofa and stepped into my bedroom. I shut the door behind me to offer her some privacy while I changed into another set of silk pajamas. I typically didn't wear clothes to bed, but that didn't feel right. The intention was to sleep, after all. I needed as many layers of fabric between us as I could get.

I downed a vial of dreamless sleep. I was curious if sleeping next to this amazing woman would keep my own nightmares at bay so I could finally stop living on potions. An experiment for another time, perhaps.

There was a soft knock the door.

"Come in, I'm decent."

"Bummer," she joked as she opened the door. 

When she entered the room, it was as if the air had been sucked out of it. Juliette looked damn good in green, and damn good wearing my clothes. The jumper was clearly too big and baggy, and my pants were so long on her that she was stepping on the hems. I couldn't see a single curve of her body and still she looked as gorgeous as she ever has. The green suited her skin tone and chocolate brown hair. 

Her amber eyes scanned the room as I took her in, saving me from being caught staring. My bedroom consisted of a four-poster bed, my desk, and a wardrobe. Her gaze landed on my desk and she strode over to it, running her hand along the edge as she examined the small collection of cherished photos I kept there.

A picture of my parents. One of me and Anne as children. One of Ominis and I. Ominis and Poppy's wedding photo. She picked up my favorite, a picture of me, her, Anne and Ominis. It was the only photo I had of all of us together. 

I joined her at my desk, wrapping my arms around her waist and resting my chin on her shoulder. She leaned into me as we admired the moving photo together.

Anne and I had been sitting on a small sofa in the Fontaine family room, we laughed as we showed off our new Christmas gifts that year, hand-knit hats and handmade soaps from Juliette's mum. Ominis leaned over the back of the sofa, his arms wrapped around our necks, pulling us in so his face was sandwiched between ours. Juliette sat on the floor in front of the sofa, one of her legs stretched in front of her while the other was bent, her arm draped across her knee. She tilted her head just slightly to her left, where it had rested against my leg for a moment before she flashed a soft smile for the camera.