𝐃𝐈𝐕𝐈𝐍𝐄 || 𝐒𝐞𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐒𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰

Chapter Three

"Remind me why I need to go to this thing anyway?" Sebastian asked, glancing at Ominis over his shoulder as he tied his tie in the mirror. It was a lot harder than he remembered, but to be fair, it had been years since he had to put one on.

Ominis was seated in a chair just a few feet away, legs crossed over one another. He was already dressed for the event. "Because you've been cooped up in this house for too long. It'll do you good to go out and socialize with some people." He replied plainly.

"I'm sure it would do me good. Just not with a bunch of uptight pureblood snobs; they might start a fight if they're not careful." Sebastian scoffed. "I thought you hated these kinds of events anyway."

Ominis let out an exasperated sigh. "I'm going because I was invited by a friend who lives nearby. She and a few others are the reason I go. I'm going to keep you company, and I'm going to introduce you to some people I know who aren't total wankers." He scoffed.

Hearing Ominis use that word made Sebastian hold back a laugh. Even at twenty-six, he was still a little immature when it came to things like humor. It was also just a word he never expected Ominis to use.

Sebastian just shrugged. "Well, I've never been one for massively sociable events anyway." He spoke casually, as if trying to brush the matter off. The truth was, he was just nervous to go out. Ever since being released from Azkaban, he had hardly socialized with anyone outside of Ominis.

He feared he'd be an outcast or that people would recognize him as some criminal and only that. Nobody knew the truth—or they excused it if they did.

After being in a place where the only other company was dementors and other prisoners who were slowly going insane like him—and could care less what happened to him—it was hard to set people outside of Azkaban away from that. When you're in a place experiencing something for ten years, it was hard not to expect the same thing to happen after.

Ominis let out another sigh, trying to understand his friend's situation but also not allowing him to completely back down from what he feared; it wasn't good for him to just stay in here forever. Even after getting out of Azkaban, it was almost like Sebastian was making this home his own personal prison, as if he didn't know better and as if that's all he knew how to do.

"Sebastian, you can't just be stuck in this house forever. You're not in Azkaban anymore, and nobody there is going to drag you back to it." His expression changed, a small, comforting smile on his face. "I promise."

"Just relax and do try to enjoy yourself. I'll be right next to you practically the entire night."

Sebastian sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "I know. But being in that place for so long... it's hard to adjust back into a life like this. Around people you can actually talk to. The fear is practically eating me alive."

Ominis frowned a little at Sebastian's words, feeling a pang of sadness in his heart. He knew exactly how Sebastian was feeling regarding the fear of being rejected. He had experienced that many times in his life before. "I understand where you're coming from, but trust me, that won't happen. I'll be right next to you practically the entire time, I promise."

"And besides, you've changed so much the likelihood of anybody noticing you anyway is generously low." He added.

That was true. He looked much different. So different that sometimes he didn't even recognize himself in the mirror because he was still expecting the face of a sixteen-year-old boy.

Sebastian nodded his head, trying to weigh the negatives and positives in his head. Ominis had a point, and he knew he needed to get out of the house. And he knew there was even a chance he'd meet someone he really liked.