Forbidden Request

Chapter Thirteen: A Sunday Of Surprises

I blinked awake again, feeling the familiar cold of the stone beneath me, but this time the heaviness of sleep still clung to my limbs. The soft, steady sound of breathing beside me pulled me from the fog of dreams.

My head was once again resting on Sebastian's thigh, his arm still draped lazily over me.

For a moment, I stayed still, letting the quiet of the room and the steady rise and fall of his chest anchor me to the moment.

A blush crept across my cheeks. Slowly, I lifted my head, careful not to wake him, and rubbed my tired eyes. The dim light from our wands flickered across the room, casting shadows against the stone walls. It was easy to forget, for a moment, where we were—deep beneath the castle, hidden away in the undercroft.

I glanced over at the book we had taken from the restricted section, now lying untouched on the stone floor. The weight of what I had promised Professor Fig pulled at me. That book might hold the answers I needed, but how could I keep all of this a secret? Especially when Sebastian had been with me every step of the way?

As I sat up, I couldn't help but notice the soft rise and fall of Sebastian's chest, his face relaxed in a way I rarely saw. He was always so full of energy and charm, quick with a witty remark or a mischievous grin. Seeing him like this, vulnerable and unguarded, felt almost... intimate.

I wasn't sure how much time had passed, but the exhaustion still tugged at me. I considered waking him, letting him know I was going to head back to the common room. But there was something calming about the silence, about this strange, secret space we now shared. And after everything we had done that night, maybe it was better to just stay here a little longer, hidden from the world above.

Just as I was about to settle back against the wall, Sebastian stirred, his arm slipping slightly from my shoulder as he shifted. His eyes blinked open, and for a brief second, confusion crossed his face. Then, his gaze found mine, and a small, sleepy smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

"Morning," he murmured, his voice thick with sleep.

"Morning," I replied softly, trying to ignore the sudden flutter in my chest.

He sat up slowly, stretching his arms behind his head as his eyes flickered to the book. "Did you get any further with it?"

I shook my head, glancing away. "No, not yet. I, uh... fell asleep."

He chuckled lightly, rubbing his eyes. "So did I, apparently."

There was a pause, a comfortable silence between us. And for a moment, it felt like there was nothing else—no secrets, no ancient magic, no danger. Just the two of us, tucked away in the shadows, with nothing but the quiet hum of the undercroft around us. He leaned back against the wall and closed his eyes once more.

I was just beginning to wake fully when the heavy door to the undercroft creaked open. My heart leapt into my throat as I quickly sat up, causing Sebastian a fright. He groaned softly, still half asleep, but before I could nudge him awake, I heard a familiar voice—calm, but tinged with concern.

"Sebastian?" Ominis's voice echoed through the stone chamber as he carefully stepped inside. "I knew you'd be here... You didn't come back to the dorm last night."

Sebastian stirred beside me, blinking awake with a groggy smile before rubbing the back of his neck. "Ominis... it's early, mate."

Ominis, his wand held in front of him like a guide, continued forward. "Early, yes. But not too early to wonder why you didn't bother to return at all." His voice softened as he got closer, concern evident. "Are you alright?"

Sebastian yawned and stretched beside me, clearly still waking up. I froze, realizing Ominis had no idea I was there. After all, Sebastian hadn't mentioned bringing me to this secret space of theirs. I was sure I shouldn't be here.