Closure (Sebastian Sallow x MC)

Chapter 17

This isn't good. I shouldn't run away like this from the problem. I should be the one coming up with solutions- good solutions.

But I don't have anything. My mind is blocked, too focused on keeping my life. All I have left is to trust Sebastian, and do as he told me. I run in the same direction as before, chopping trees behind me so they can't follow me. It's a smart plan, but they will follow my trail eventually. All I can do is go faster than them.

I run and chop until I'm out of breath and my lungs are on fire. I'm not even running anymore; I'm just jogging. My legs hurt, and my vision is cloudy. If I keep up I will end up-

Falling to the ground. That's exactly what happens. I trip on a big root and I end face first on the ground. This is ridiculous. I am ridiculous. How can I be so clumsy? I roll so I'm facing the sky and I take a moment to inspect my surroundings. A little open in the forest. A path comes from down the hill and continues up in the direction I was coming from, just a little to the side so it isn't blocked by my path of destruction.

I'm behind a big fallen tree, big enough so if somebody would come this way, they wouldn't see me. I let my head fall to the ground again. And now, what? How much am I supposed to keep running? I guess I should get up and keep going, this isn't remotely a good hiding spot.

When I'm about to get up, something - or someone- falls on top of me, hard. I let out a cry; that hurts.

"Shit." He groans. He lifts himself up, only to stare at me in shock. "April? What are you doing?"

"The same thing as you, Seb. Enjoying the ground." I groan under his weight. "I tripped, too."

We stare at each other with false annoyance. And then, the situation begins to sink. He's on top of me. His legs are strangling mine and his hands are at each side of my head. And we are so close I can see the little yellow dots in his eyes. I see him come to the same realisation as me, at the same time. If I wasn't red already from all the running, I would blush. This is beyond inappropriate.

"Um, are you okay? I felt pretty hard on you." He traces all my face with his eyes.

I don't even know where to look. "Yeah."

"Nice." I see him swallowing. "Um, sorry. I should get up. I don't know why-"

I don't let him finish that sentence. I grab his neck with both of my hands and I pull him closer, burying his head next to mine. He falls frontwards from the shock, and his chest -and all of him, really- falls into me.

"Quiet." I whisper.

"Um, April? What are you...?" But then he hears them too.

The poachers are running in our direction. Their footsteps grow louder and louder until they are right here, just metres away from us. I grab into Sebastian's clothes harder and I feel one of his hands cupping my head. If they see us, it's game over. Right now, we are hiding in a decent spot, but, if they have the brilliant idea of just look around, they'll see us.

In one lucid moment, I have an idea. And it's so good, but the execution terrifies me.

"I'm sorry." I whisper in advance.

I move one hand slowly and without making any noise. I pass it under Sebastian and -Merlin, he's going to hate me- I keep going downwards until I reach my waist. I can feel everything with the back of my hand. The sweat on his neck, his fast pulse on his heart, how hard his chest and his stomach are. He lets out a shaky breath that goes directly into my neck. I shiver. Focus, April. I will apologise again later. I have to move my entire body -and so, I end up moving against him- so I can free my hand and take it out of between the two of us. Another shaky breath. Another shiver. God, I'm going to kill myself after this. I search blindly in the ground until I find it; my wand. With a quick flick of my wand, I cast a Disillusionment spell on both of us.