#former ominis x reader

[cranetreegang]

In the Light of Death - Part 4

Sebastian x FemReader with former Ominis x FemReader

Summary: Things are awkward as they wonder how to proceed with their relationship

Warnings: Explicit Content - They getting on that Rocket 69 babyyyy and they having SEX

Word Count: ~2,500 words

Read Part 3 Here - Find Whole Light of Death Series Here

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Their supper is a quiet one. There’s an underlying tension building beneath the surface as the night begins to come to an end. She’s not sure how to broach the subject which is on both of their minds. Even as they clean up the kitchen, they can only make awkward eye contact with one another - the words never quite making it out of their mouths. 

“I enjoyed today,” she says, hoping he would understand it included their morning as well. 

He smiles, “I wouldn’t mind taking you out on more explorations, ya know. Another set of eyes to witness some of the lost beauty with me.” 

She nods, “Perhaps we could. I… missed being out in the field like that.” 

“It’s nice having you along.” 

They both shift between their feet as they stand across from one another. She bites her lip then steps away from him.

“I… should go to bed,” she whispers, noting the longing in his eyes.

“Of course. Been a long day,” he replies with a terse grin. “So, um… goodnight.” 

“Goodnight,” she turns on her heel then heads towards the stairs. 

Every step feels heavier than the last and once she arrives at her bedroom door, she can’t quite bring herself to go inside. 

How can she go back into that dark, empty room? 

She turns around and her back hits the door, sliding down with a heavy breath. Her gaze lingers down the stairs - the lights slowly dimming until she’s fully in the dark with only the moon to keep her company. Several emotions all fight for control within her. Before long though, one emerges above all others. 

Loneliness. 

It’s a selfish feeling, but she has it all the same. And it’s enough to drive her slowly to her feet. She sneaks her way down the stairs, and pads softly across the wood floor towards Sebastian’s door. The looming obstacle makes her heart pound loudly in her ears. She raises and lowers her trembling hand several times before sucking in a sharp breath and knocking on the door. 

Before she can even think about running away, he opens the door. His eyes are wide for a moment then he shifts into a warm smile. He holds out his hand in a silent invitation. She stares at his awaiting offer, wrestling with the last bit of doubt still lingering within herself. Another deep breath to quiet her hammering heart and she takes his hand. 

With a slight tug, he guides her inside and shuts the door behind them. She’s lost in his warm gaze while he cups her cheek. He leans down and just before his lips can brush hers, he whispers,

“Is this okay?” 

“Yes,” she whispers breathlessly.

His lips are warm and gentle against hers. Like he’s trying to coax a scared animal from hiding. She eases into him, and his arm wraps around her waist to pull her closer. In a sudden movement, he lifts her up and she gasps while wrapping her legs around his waist. He grins, then takes her to the bed to lay her down. 

He cups her cheek like she’s a delicate doll while his eyes roamed over her blushing face. 

“Tell me to stop, and I will,” he whispers.

He awaits her answer, hovering over her like a predator ready to pounce. Like he’s barely able to hold himself back from devouring her. It makes her skin tingle and her body shiver.

“I promise, I will.”

It’s all he needs to hear to capture her lips with a far more needy kiss. Not wasting any time, he’s quick to rip off her clothes then his own - leaving them both bare. He leans back to admire her and how the moonlight bathes her in an ethereal glow. Never in all of his wildest dreams did he ever believe he would have her like this. His lips trail down her neck, taking the sensitive flesh between his teeth to mark her before he ventures down. 

Sucking, biting, and massaging her breasts makes her emit the softest of noises. It all but encourages him to lose control - to consume and ravage her. Oh, how he’s longed for her. But, he wants to take his time. Unlike their morning, he wants to savor her - to engrain her into him. He wants to hear more of these sweet sounds from her. He wants-, needs to know every inch of her. 

She watches him as he continues his journey down. Her breath hitches in her throat and her eyes widen as he kneels in front of the bed. His eyes seem to almost shimmer with want and desire as he beholds her plaint form laid before him. He kisses down her stomach and past her hips. His eyes roam over her while his hands work along her legs dangling over the edge. The soft flesh of her inner thigh is too tempting to not indulge in and he sinks his teeth into her. 

She whimpers, biting her lip to keep some of her desperate pleas at bay while he creates marks on both of her thighs. The way he looks up at her with such searing intensity makes her heart skip a beat. He pulls her legs to rest on his shoulders and she forgets how to breathe for a moment. Watching him as he kisses his way closer and closer to where she wants him, makes her mind go blank. Without breaking her gaze, he places his lips right over her. 

Her head falls back onto the bed with an audible gasp. She can feel his smirk against her then it’s quickly followed by his warm tongue. He swirls and laps at her while his calloused hands hold her hips, rubbing up and down her flushed body. When his lips enclose around her to gently suck, she can’t stop herself from letting out a pitiful whine. 

“Sebastian,” she whimpers, her back arching off the bed for a moment.

He makes a pleased noise, vibrating her to the very core, while he continues to unravel her. Her salty-sweet essence and divine warmth makes Sebastian’s head spin. Desperate to find something to ground herself, she tangles her fingers into his hair and her other hand holds his. He emits another moan, squeezing her hand while he flattens his tongue across her folds. A warm coil starts to burn itself inside her belly, and her legs tremble and tense. She opens her eyes and leans up enough to watch him. His eyes are closed and he looks positively lost in her. 

Sensing her watching, he opens his eyes to meet her gaze. Her breath catches in her throat with how he looks at her. A soft moan escapes him, which brings her  dangerously close to her release. 

“Wait,” she pants, pushing his head away by his forehead. 

His eyes widen and he looks as if he’s been stricken. 

“Is something wrong?”

She opens and closes her mouth several times, suddenly shy at what she’s wanting. He gives her a gentle smile, stroking up and down her thighs and squeezing her hand. 

“You can tell me, sweetheart. Tell me what you want,” he says.

“I…,” she has to look away from his awaiting gaze, “I want to… I want to make you feel good too, Sebastian.” 

She slowly looks back over to him, and he has a soft smile on his flushed face. 

“And how would you like to do that?” He wonders, placing a kiss on her inner thigh. 

Unable to form words, she pulls his hand and guides him back on the bed. She gently pushes him to his back and she straddles over him. He watches her with both curiosity and burning want. She strokes his cheek then places a kiss upon his swollen lips, tasting herself on his tongue as she does. His hands roam up her back and it takes every ounce of strength to break apart from him. 

With a deep breath, she rotates herself - sitting on his chest while she admires his hard cock resting against his belly. She looks over her shoulder to him, finding his eyes wide and his lips parted. 

“Is this… okay?” She quietly asks. 

He blinks then lets out a breathy laugh, “More than okay.” 

His hands run up her legs then grip her hips - gently urging her to slide towards him. She leans down, trailing her lips down his taut stomach until she hovers over his cock. Seeing him up close, she notes how large and rather girthy he is. Her hand wraps around his base, giving him a light squeeze, then she places the glistening head into her mouth. 

Sebastian lets out a surprised, but pleased groan from below her. Hearing his pleasure, she takes more of him - letting her tongue twist all around him. He silences his moans by pushing her onto his lips. It’s hard to concentrate on taking his cock deeper when every lap of his tongue makes her body roar with electric currents. Her cloudy mind focuses enough to engulf his cock, nearly all the way to his base. She slowly works back up to his pulsing head, twirling her tongue to earn herself more of his needy moans. Hints of salt coat her mouth while she continues to bob her head up and down his cock.

A finger prods at her entrance then dives into her, making her still for a moment. She tries to concentrate back on pleasing him when another finger joins in, stretching her. She lets out a strangled whimper when his fingers press against a spot inside her. His nimble fingers combined with him sucking on her, she’s all but a needy mess. Her legs tremble and she’s completely flush against him. The coil in her lower stomach burns and snaps. 

“S-Sebastian.”

She’s panting, unable to do anything but ride out the wave of his lips latching onto her and his fingers thrusting into her. 

“That’s it. Yes,” he encourages as she tightens and pulses around his fingers. He gives her one last kiss then guides her to face him once more. Her eyes are blown out and her breathing is all but heavy pants. She’s fully draped over him - practically putty in his hands.

He grins, wrapping his arms around her to bring her into a sloppy kiss. Her hand tangles into his messy hair and he does the same to hers. His other hand grips her hip, squeezing her on occasion. They part with a heavy sigh and she holds his lust-filled gaze as her hand reaches down between them. He audibly gulps when she guides him into her, both of them letting out breathy moans. She’s so tight around his aching cock - it’s nearly maddening.

With both of his hands on her hips and hers on his shoulders, they work in tandem with one another. Her pants and breathy moans spur him to drive deeper into her. The threads of his control are all but snapped - and when her lidded eyes look down at him with such unbridled desire, he is fully lost. His heart hammers in his chest, and despite how close they are - he needs her closer still. 

He flips them over and pins her to the bed, locking his lips with hers while he drags one of her legs to wrap around his waist. Her body pressed against him makes his skin spark and chest coil. His movements are frantic and desperate, and she has to cling onto him. He grunts as he practically slaps his hips into her, making her see stars. 

Their eyes gaze into one another, with his filled with a loving adoration for her. Seeing a flicker of the same sort of love kindling within her eyes causes him to fall apart. Whimpers and moans flood the room as he spends himself inside her. He presses his forehead to her, letting out hard, heavy breaths through his nose. He places soft kisses wherever his lips land on her face, slowly floating down from his blissful high.  

Unable to bear the thought of letting her go, he falls beside her while keeping a tight hold around her. She gives him tender kisses over his cheeks and forehead, making him blush. He tucks away her stray hairs behind her ear - a warm smile coming over the both of them. 

“I’m happy you’re here,” he whispers.

She strokes his cheek as she whispers back, “I’m happy you answered the door.” 

As he drags her into his chest - and she nestles into his neck - she wonders just how deeply he feels for her. And where her growing affection for him will lead them. The longer she listens to his slowing breaths, the more she can’t bear the thought of sleeping alone again - of being alone again. She needs him… she wants him. 

The very notion makes her gut churn with guilt. Like she’s betraying Ominis by letting a love grow for Sebastian. She traces her fingers up his chest until they arrive at his neck - where she rests just under his jawline. A soft kiss is placed on her hairline.

“What’s on your mind, sweetheart?” His voice is gentle, but laced with undeniable worry.

“Us,” she admits. 

He tightens his hold around her for a moment as he asks, “Are you having… regrets?”

“No. And I think that’s what bothers me the most.”

He’s silent for several breaths before he turns her chin up to look at him.

“Being with me, doesn’t mean you love him any less.” 

Her lips part for a moment and she turns her eyes away from him.

“It doesn’t feel that way,” she murmurs with pinched brows. 

“Sweetheart,” he urges her to look at him again, which she finally does. He strokes her cheek with a thoughtful expression as he says, “Your love for him was always something I envied. You loved him fully, and completely. It’s what he deserved - someone to love him like you did. So, don’t think for a moment that you’re betraying that. I never want you… to question that. And I’m not asking for you to love him any less. I meant what I said. I only want you to be happy.”

“And what about you? Are you happy like this? With… me?” She wonders.

He holds her gaze, his dark eyes flicking over her features. Not even the night can dampen his glow - the moonlight highlighting his serene face. 

“As long as you’re happy, I’m happy as well,” he smiles. “And I mean that. No matter what, you’ll always be my closest friend. Not a thing in the world could ever change that. Your happiness has always meant the world to me.” 

She doesn’t realize she’s crying until he gently wipes away her tears. She buries herself into his neck with a soft breath.

“Thank you.”

It’s all she can say. As to what she’s thankful for, she’s not sure. 

His understanding? His patience? His kindness? His love…

It’s all things he gives to her, yet she doesn’t deserve any of it. Not when hers are only given with half a heart.

He brushes her hair and places more tender kisses on her. 

“Sweet dreams, love,” he whispers.

His embrace makes her eyes grow heavy and she soon falls into a deep sleep.

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Read Final Part Here

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AN: Ominis watching as his best friend is pounding the shit out of his wife from the afterlife - "bro... this is NOT what i MEANT by taking care of my WIFE!"

Anyways, more smut, cause i can't help myself and the idea of Seb going down on her and being super needy and romantic and wanting her just idk sounded good.

Final part should be out soon and it'll wrap everything up. hopefully everyone is enjoying the fic so far -> can't believe this was meant to all be in one long post and I'm glad I broke it up so you're not just bogged down by a whole ass novel.

Feedback always welcomed <3

[anto-pops]

Possessive Touch - Sebastian Sallow x Female!Reader

Summary: Sebastian has never been the sharing sort. He was happy to loan people notes or quills, maybe even the occasional book from the Restricted Section. But not you. Never you. 

Alternatively summarized as Sebastian acting incredibly possessive after watching you hug someone else and then staking his claim on you the only way he can.

Word Count: 3.4k

Warnings: 18+, aged up characters, explicit sexual content, possessive behavior, rough sex, yandere!Sebastian

Locked away in my drafts for months and unearthed by this ask I received. Everyone say thank you anon

Full fic can also be found here on Ao3 (with better tags as usual)

There were a number of words you could use to describe Sebastian Sallow. He was smart, loyal, and daring, to name a few. As brave as any Gryffindor and as insightful as any Ravenclaw, he had many positive attributes that you found to be remarkable. But every coin had two sides, and as much as you admired his more positive attributes, he could also be equally callous, brash, and vindictive when circumstances called for it. His moods fluctuated frequently and gave you whiplash half the time, because more often than not– despite it being accidental– you had a tendency to be the root cause of his emotional turbulence. 

You hadn’t meant for your conversation with Ominis to last for so long, much less for it to cut into your allotted study time with your boyfriend. The Gaunt scion had, in a moment of weakness, confided in you about the burdens of his personal life with a kind of desolate demeanor that tugged at your heartstrings and made you genuinely feel bad for him. You had lent him your ear for nearly an hour, and eventually your shoulder as he came to rest his head against it to embrace you in thanks. It was simply you comforting a friend; offering him a brief moment of reprieve from the dreary thoughts that had plagued him for Merlin knew how long before the two of you had gone your separate ways. Nothing more, nothing less. 

It had apparently looked like something more to Sebastian, though. He had been watching from the end of the Dark Arts Tower corridor with narrowed eyes, jealousy burning in his veins as he took in the sight of his girlfriend holding his former best friend in a manner he deemed reserved for him and him alone. You didn’t know how much of the exchange he had actually witnessed, but all that mattered was that he had seen the two of you hugging. Wracked with a silent yet palpable fury, Sebastian had dragged you down the steps of the Undercroft before tossing you into the room without a second thought, your protests and justifications falling on deaf ears. 

A new word came to mind to describe Sebastian shortly thereafter. One that scared you as much as it excited you. 

Possessive. 

His fingers had branded you as he’d stripped you bare, pressing and pulling incessantly against your clothes until you were clad in nothing but your undergarments and left shivering under the intensity of his stare. He had stretched you out along the cool stone floor, his hands holding you down without a measure of care while he touched whatever parts of you he could reach. Your breasts were tender and sore by now– no doubt covered with tiny fingertip sized bruises from the sheer strength of his groping. His breathing was heavy and tinged with the occasional grunt when he shifted his hips over yours, the telling bulge in his trousers more than likely causing him discomfort, but he paid it no mind as he took his time focusing on you. An unmistakable wetness had gathered between your legs despite the depravity, and as much as you wanted to clench your knees together to ease the rampant ache there, Sebastian’s own leg between yours prevented you from doing so. 

He was toying with you, that much was certain, and he was enjoying every blasted second of it. 

In response to your absentminded squirming, Sebastian moved so his knee was nestled directly against your core, the sudden pressure causing you to gasp and arch beneath him. He took advantage of your closer proximity and looped his arm under your back, holding you flush to him with a desperate sort of yearning that made you dizzy, and the way he inhaled your scent before groaning was almost primal.

A choked moan slipped from your lips as Sebastian ducked his head into the crook of your neck to bite and suck fervently, the pain laced pleasure blinding you to his true motives, but not for long. There was no doubt in your hazy mind that he was behaving so brutishly in some attempt to remind you of who you belonged to. Leaving visible marks would only further his intentions, and you found yourself whimpering as you trembled against the floor. 

After he bestowed a particularly playful nip against your marked flesh, Sebastian sat back on his haunches to admire his handiwork, taking in the sight of you dazed beneath him. You made quite the pretty picture; skin flushed, hair mussed, and an eclectic assortment of finger shaped lesions decorating your neck, breasts, and thighs. The knowledge that they had been put there by him only appealed to him more, and Sebastian hummed appreciatively at the sight. 

You, on the other hand, were coiled tighter than a spring. The Slytherin man had been edging you like this for what seemed like an eternity, but it realistically could only have been half an hour or so. Time was something of an illusion at present, and all you could truly focus on was your ardent need for release. The fiery sensation that stayed stubbornly aflame in your lower stomach was beginning to drive you mad, and you gazed longingly up at Sebastian, who in turn bit his lip at your watery stare. 

“Please, Sebastian,” you implored him, voice catching. His hands trailed down your chest and over your pert nipples before eventually settling on either side of your waist. Then with a grip tighter than Devil’s Snare, he tugged you harder against his knee with a wicked smile, forcing a low groan from your throat in response to the friction that he seemed to revel in. “Please.”

“I don’t know what you’re begging for,” he admonished in a low voice. “You’re going to have to be more specific, darling.”

Fuck, he was still upset. That much was obvious to you. It was evident in his tone, in the way his fingers dug sharply into the skin of your lower back– but mostly it was his eyes. The usual spark that danced behind his irises when he was with you was dull, and his gaze was anything but soft. It was hard and unyielding, cold and unfeeling. You were going to have to talk your way out of this one. 

Licking your chapped lips, you did your best to still your writhing as you grit through your teeth, “I need you. I can’t take any more of this, please Sebastian.” 

Both of his hands left your waist then. One of them braced flat against the floor to support himself while the other curled under your neck, pulling your head off of the ground to press your forehead against his own. The unrelenting pressure against your cunt didn’t lessen as he hunched over you and forced you to stare directly into those dark, greedy eyes of his, and you whimpered pitifully beneath him as he took in the delicious expression you bore. “Is it really me you need, or would any man do, hm? Should I fetch Ominis? Let the two of you continue where you left off earlier? Or maybe you’d prefer Garreth instead– your standards seem to be all over the place, so I wouldn’t be surprised.” 

“N-No–” you stammered around the word when his fist clenched painfully in the hair at the nape of your neck. “Just you– only you– I swear, we were only talking earlier–”

“That’s not what it looked like from where I was standing…” he muttered darkly, releasing your head and letting it thunk back against the floor softly. His hand was akin to molten fire as it trailed along your clavicle before he moved his thumb to lightly brush across your bottom lip. You barely had time to take note of the movement before he dove forward to capture your lips in a heady, domineering kiss that stole your breath from you completely, and all you could do was mewl softly when you felt his tongue sweep along the inside of your mouth. Sebastian groaned into the kiss, cupping the side of your jaw with his hand as he shifted his knee away from your core to give him the space he needed to drop his hips and grind his solid manhood against your thigh. He broke away for a split second to breathe out, “Say it again.” 

It was hard to get a word out with how ferociously Sebastian was kissing you, but eventually his mouth trailed wetly to the side of your face to suck another mark into the skin below your ear, and you managed to gasp out, “Just you, Sebastian. There’s only you, I love you.” 

The sound of his nails scraping against the stone floor beside your head drew your attention, but before you could roll your head to look, he was sitting up once more with a new sort of emotion glinting in his eyes. Those brown orbs of his were no longer flat or cold and instead appeared to be scalding with blatant lasciviousness, his want for you as potent as Firewhiskey. 

Through hooded eyes you watched as Sebastian reached for his belt, the sound of metal and leather coming undone filling you with a kind of urgency that left you biting the inside of your cheek hard enough to draw blood. Finally he would give you what you wanted– what you’d been craving from the moment he stripped you bare and pinned you to the floor. The version of your boyfriend above you hurriedly shoving his pants down his hips was unfamiliar to you; he seemed wholly animalistic, driven forth by some inherent, primitive need to claim you all for himself, and as much as you loathed his inability to rein in his jealousy at times, an equally intrinsic part of you craved his possessiveness. 

You were his, and he was yours. 

Freed from the confines of his trousers, Sebastian knocked your legs to the side so he had more room to situate himself between them. He slid his knees under your bent legs, caging the limbs under his arms as he ran his calloused palms down the tops of your thighs and the head of his cock slid through the overwhelming wetness that had gathered at your center. The rampant ache in your stomach roared back to life tenfold at the mere feeling of his thick shaft, and you twitched in anticipation while Sebastian fixed his lustful gaze on you. 

“That’s right,” he started to slide into your wet heat as he spoke, your mouth falling open around an airy groan at the sensation of being filled. “You’re mine. Everything you have to offer is for me and me alone, don’t you ever forget it.” 

Sebastian was stretching you out torturously slow, stuffing every inch of himself into you with a measure of control that went against his earlier behavior. He was utterly transfixed as he watched your chest rise and fall with panted breaths, and when he finally bottomed out with his hips flush to the backs of your thighs, a wanton groan ripped from your throat as your head fell to the side. Your hand shot up to push back against his lower stomach– silently trying to convey that you needed a moment to adjust– but Sebastian merely pulled his hips back and plunged back in, drawing a keen whimper from you that lit a fire in his blood. 

Overwhelmed tears pricked at the corners of your eyes as you struggled to breathe through the sheer size of him breaching you, and you threw your arm over your face to hide the sudden flush you felt heating your cheeks. “S-Sebastian, I can’t– ah–” 

His hands slid down your thighs to grip at your waist once again, pulling you impossibly closer to grind against your ass before he began pumping into you steadily. It stole your breath– all of it; the angle, his bruising hold on you, his pulsing cock brushing against the deepest parts of you. It was exquisite agony, and a quivering moan tore from your lips when he leaned forward to spear downward into you, the head of his shaft hitting something that made you jolt against him. 

Your arm fell away from your face in that instant, your fingers scrambling for purchase against the stone floor beneath you, to no avail. “F-Fuck, you’re too much– Sebastian!” 

With your neck tipped back and your eyes squeezed shut, you felt Sebastian lean forward to brace his elbows on either side of your head before grasping your cheeks in his large hands. He lifted your skull from the ground and held your forehead to his again, prompting you to look at him as he slowed his pace. He continued to drive his hips into yours, but the mind numbing intensity had mercifully lessened. 

“You’ll never do this with anyone else,” he said brusquely, his breath fanning across your lips. You could only moan in response, especially when he started to grind against you after each plunge of his cock. “This is all for me– every bit of you was made for me– do you understand?” 

The grating moans that had been sounding from you transformed into gentler ones, Sebastian’s wave-like movements with his hips delivering tantalizing friction against your clit that had you melting beneath him. You nodded dumbly, and your boyfriend released your face to sit up so he could better watch as you fell apart under him. With one hand on your waist and the other propping him up, Sebastian held fast to you while he upped his tempo, pistoning his hips into you so fast and rough that the wet sounds coming from where you were connected were all you could hear. 

More choked whimpers cascaded from your lips, sounding like an angelic symphony as far as Sebastian was concerned, and he threw his head back as he got lost in the sensation of your velvety walls clamping down on his cock. You could tell he was close based on how ragged his breathing became, and your own looming climax frayed the remaining tethers of your self-restraint. You surrendered completely to him, relishing in the overwhelming fullness of him as well as the scrape of the stone floor against your shoulder blades. Pain faded into pleasure, the cold air of the Undercroft transformed into a blazing inferno, and you swore you had never been so thoroughly fucked in your life. 

When Sebastian’s gaze fell back on you, his eyes darkened and he practically snarled as he bent you clean in half. He nudged your knees over his shoulders so he could wrap his arms around you, burying his fingers in your hair and clenching the strands in his fists, and as he rammed his cock into you harder– more feral and beastly than ever– the air in your lungs was expelled with every intoxicating thrust. 

All you could see, smell, hear, and feel was him. He had effectively rendered you brainless as he claimed your mind, body, and soul, and the only thing you could do was submit to him and take it. 

Your clammy hands blazed a trail along his skin as you wrapped your arms around him, your nails digging into his back so hard that it had to sting– but if Sebastian’s throaty groan was anything to go by, he fucking loved it. 

“Gods, it’s so deep, isn’t it?” he asked you, the words coming out in-between panted breaths. A shiver ran up your spine at the thought before you clenched around him even more, the unmistakable feeling of his cock hitting your cervix making you see stars. “I’ll come inside– fill you up so good that you’ll walk out of here with it dripping down your legs. See what everyone else has to say about that.” 

You couldn’t even formulate a response. The most you managed was a witless, muffled cry of his name against his shoulder, the weight of him pressing down on you smothering any of the unintelligible noises that escaped you. His rapid, uncompromising pace drove you higher than you had ever thought possible, and your climax steadily built from a whisper to a deafening clamor. 

“Ah– Sebastian, please–” you babbled, spittle hanging from your lips as you begged. “Please, please, please–” 

The hands he had fisted in your hair tightened even more, prompting you to crane your neck back to ease the prickling feeling. “Please what? Come on darling, tell me what you want.” 

The bestial way Sebastian fucked into you intensified in that moment, his toes digging into the stone floor to lend him the support he needed to chase his own pleasure while simultaneously amplifying yours. It was too much– it felt too good– and you had to fight tooth and nail to get the words out before his efforts left you a useless, twitching pile of limbs beneath him. “Please, let me come!” 

“Swear that you’re mine,” he growled in your ear, the rough timbre to his voice making you tremble in earnest. “Tell me that no one else will ever have you like this– swear it.” 

“I s-swear– I swear it– I’m yours, Sebastian. Only yours, I swear, please please please– I swear–” 

Sebastian said nothing else, instead rewarding your admission with a toe-curling roll of his hips as he plunged in all the way to the hilt. He kept moving like that, the chill-inducing friction against your clit combined with his sinfully precise, cervix-kissing thrusts more than enough to drag your finish from you. Your walls fluttered around him as you lost control of your voice, your entire body quaking and jolting as an assortment of moans, cries, and and airy gasps poured from your throat. 

“Fuck–” Sebastian swore roughly, both of his hands abandoning their hold on your hair to brace against the floor to better support his body as you seemingly sucked him in deeper. “Good girl, fuck– I’m close. You're going to take it all, yeah?”

There wasn’t a chance in hell you could respond– not that Sebastian was waiting for you to. With a husky groan, he pushed himself as deep into you as he could go, getting a few last thrusts in before he bottomed out and unraveled. Hot, potent strings of his seed painted your insides, causing your eyes to roll back in your head before he began rutting and grinding his hips into you to milk as much of himself as he could. You could barely hear him mumbling for you to take it all– not that it was even up for debate– and when he finally relented and stilled his movements, you were too dazed to so much as glance at him. 

A warm, featherlight feeling brought you back to the present after a couple of heated moments. Sebastian’s hands brushed a few stray strands of hair away from your forehead, his eyes unapologetically roving over you as he took in the sight of your fucked-out expression. He seemed pleased with himself, a barely there smirk revealing itself as he dropped his hand to your waist to dig his fingers into the bruised skin there. You inhaled sharply, but beyond that, you didn’t so much as wince. You were far too weary for that. 

“In the future,” he started to say as he rocked forward, pressing his still-hard length into you briefly before withdrawing halfway, only to repeat the motion again. “I’d rather you keep your hands to yourself when you’re with your ‘friends’. Especially where Ominis is concerned…” he trailed off, his hands skimming along all the love-bites and bruises that littered your body. “That is, unless you want more reminders as to who it is exactly you’re dating.” 

One look into Sebastian’s dark, piercing eyes told you that he wasn’t bluffing at all. You already knew that he was more than willing to stake his claim on you should the need arise, and part of you even wondered if he would have the decency to do so in private next time. 

Next time? Would there even be a next time? He had certainly made his point.

The pleasant ache that lingered throughout your body had you second guessing yourself, however, and you honestly wondered if it would be worth it to rile Sebastian up again in the future. As terrifying as the thought was, you couldn’t help but entertain it as you smiled up at him innocently, a flurry of unholy visions racing through your mind as you relished in the possessive way he continued to touch you. 

When he began to move his hips again, you decided to label the notion as a ‘maybe’ for now. Clearly he was far from finished with you, and despite the mildly terrifying side of him you had just been made privy to, you couldn’t help but shudder in anticipation. 

Maybe rousing the sleeping dragon again wouldn’t be such a terrible thing… right?

[arthenaa]

Say Yes To Me - Ominis Gaunt x Reader

Plot Summary: After your eventful years at Hogwarts, you are now a famous magizoologist known by all. Life's great and all's well until you see Ominis Gaunt's engagement on the daily prophet.

Content Tags: that dilemma newt and tina had in fantastic beasts, yeah this is it but its you and ominis, ominis works at the ministry, mentions of ominis's older brother, gender neutral reader, sebastian being sebastian, slight angst if you squint, reader trying to keep their shit together, kiss kiss fall in love, idiots in love basically.

"Poppy! Can you please hand me the eye drops for the mooncalfs? I think I left it upstairs!"

You had yelled from your place within the Erumpent's mouth as you examined it's molars with your illuminated wand. This certainly wasn't a good position to look at, after all who would be putting their head inside a giant's mouth knowing it could very well decapitate you in seconds. However, this was the usual for you.

After graduating Hogwarts, your specialties and skills have led you to the magizoology field due to your affinity with beasts. It wasn't a big surprise to all considering you had always excelled in Beasts class and the questionable returns to the castle with a new beast curling in your arms. Professor Fig had often joked about which magical creature you'd be holding in your pocket for the day. He thinks it's absolutely comical whenever you did have one.

With your accomplishments and great efforts in defeating Ranrok, you had immediately garnered influence and reputation in magizoology, earning you the title of being the wizard world's most famous magizoologist. It certainly helped a lot with gaining access to various areas all over the world for you to rescue and release the beasts within your care.

Currently in your apartment in London, you busy yourself with a checkup on the beasts. Poppy Sweeting, a very old friend and your co-worker as well had been your partner since last year. The two of you lived together in the apartment and tended to the needs of the wondrous beings living in the magical depths of your basement.

You lift yourself from the creature's mouth, smiling as you gently caress it's horn. The Erumpent nudges your hand, unaware of its strength causing you to stumble back. "Easy Lola. Feels better doesn't it?"

It lets out a grunt before turning to do whatever it was originally doing. You let out a sigh as you turn to look up the stairs, waiting for the former Hufflepuff to come back with the eyedrops. "Poppy? Did you get lost or something?"

"Sorry! I just received today's newspaper." Poppy apologetically replies as she rushes down with the drops on her arms. She stops in front of you, a sympathetic look on her face.

"What's wrong?" You look at her, confused. She gives you the eyedrops with a sheepish smile. "You look worried."

"I— Well. It's fine," She nervously chuckles as she places the newspaper on the cluttered table behind you. "It's just the usual anyway."

You furrowed your eyebrows at her skittish behavior before shoving the eyedrops back to her arms and grabbing the newspaper from the table. Poppy tries to steal it back from you but you simply raise your hand and using your height advantage.

"I swear, Y/N. It's just the usual! You needn't concern yourself with it!" Poppy reasons as she tries to jump up and take the paper from your hands.

"You always read it out to me, I don't get what all the fuss is about if it's just the—" And there it was. Written in bold letters at the front page was a name you didn't even expect to reach the Daily Prophet. "... usual."

"I told you." Poppy sighs as she takes a step back. Your eyes were stuck on the front page, rereading the same set of letters printed on the paper.

Ominis Gaunt engaged to Eleanor Rosier. The Gaunts continue to rise.

Ominis Gaunt engaged to Eleanor Rosier.

Ominis Gaunt engaged.

You let out a shaky gasp as you hide your face with the newspaper. Poppy stares with a sad look on her face. Everyone knew of your trio. Wherever Sebastian was, everyone expected Ominis and you to be there. The three of you were stuck to the hip and it was like that for the rest of your years in Hogwarts. It was because of that fact that you'd fallen in love with one of them. Many suspected it to be Sebastian but it was in fact the blue eyed blonde that had your heart in his grasp. You had tried to hide it in your 6th year but failed because of Sebastian's meddling and so you had this weird situationship with him during your last year in Hogwarts. It was never established that you two were together but the fleeting touches and lingering glances were the reason you held on for so long.

Being a magizoologist meant that you needed to travel a lot. Mostly it was out of the country and that meant you rarely got the chance to see him after your graduation and so over time, you two had fallen out of communication. You hoped, hoped, that someday you'd be able to face him and that he would return the same feelings that he proclaimed back then in the safety of the Undercroft, your hands in his and a warm smile on his face but apparently, Merlin had other plans for you.

Poppy makes a move to comfort you but you suddenly pull away, looking at her with a crazed look. "No. No! Don't comfort me. I'd feel all the more pathetic."

"Eh, well. I've seen you in worse situations." Poppy smiles. You roll your eyes, mood gone sour as you toss the newspaper in the fireplace before pointing your wand at it and casting Incendio. Poppy looks between the fireplace and at your face. "I still needed that—"

You send her a glare to which she raises her hands up in defense. You grab the eyedrops from her and walk over to the mooncalfs who chirp at your presence. Blobs of liquid fall down the dropper as you give your undivided attention to the cute beasts in front of you.

Yeah. I'll just stay here and wallow in my misery. At least, I have my beasts with me.

"I can literally hear what you're thinking, Y/N." Poppy chuckles as she watches you tend to your creatures. "I won't let you lock yourself in here for 4 weeks."

"How'd you know it's going to last 4 weeks?" You reply as you turn to glance at her for a moment before going back to tending to the mooncalfs. "I've got a call for a Thunderbird in North America. I'd probably just bury myself in work... Forever."

"Do you really believe the news? You know Daily Prophet has a tendency to overexaggerate details. It's basically the whole point of journalism." Poppy shrugs as she plays with a loose thread on her coat. You let out a breath as you turn towards her with a deadpan look on your face.

"How can you exaggerate an engagement exactly? Tell me Poppy, I would like to be enlightened." You sarcastically reply as you finish the mooncalfs before moving on to the puffskeins. Poppy follows you, finding the situation amusing.

"I find it to be considerably suspicious. Didn't Ominis mention that he would be renouncing his own family? It's just so odd that out of nowhere he's engaged." Poppy reasons as you lift a puffskein in your arms, examining it's physique. Poppy moves to stand next to you, lightly petting the creature in your arms.

"Stop pulling ideas out of your arse, Poppy." You mumble. Poppy rolls her eyes before slapping your arm. You yelp in pain before gently putting the puffskein back with it's family.

"I'm just saying you really can't believe baseless stories unless you hear it from the source." Poppy leans on the fence surrounding the puffskein enclosure as she looks at you with a smile. You look back at her with a frustrated huff. "On the bright side, if it's true, then you'd get to finally move on!"

"Merlin help me or I will use an unforgivable on myself." You mutter as you bury your face in your hands. Poppy full on punches your arm causing you to groan. "Ow! Do it again and I'll fire you! For real, this time!"

"Yeah? Eat shit." Poppy snorts to which you flip her off. "You have no choice, you'll get to see him tomorrow anyway."

"Yeah..." You absentmindedly reply before your eyes widen in fear. "Huh? Tomorrow? What do you mean tomorrow?!"

"Don't tell me you forgot that you'd have to renew your wand permit and travel visa." Poppy chuckles. "I heard Ominis works in that department. Such a perfect timing, isn't it?"

You let out a horrified gasp as you crouch down on the floor. You'd rather let yourself be swallowed by a basilisk if it meant that you'd get to postpone seeing Ominis Gaunt (a bit of a overreaction but it doesn't matter).

"Can't you just do that for me?" You whine as you grab the bottoms of her coat. Poppy slaps it away.

"I can't renew your own wand, dumbass. I already did mine a week ago. You were too busy drinking away with Sebastian." Poppy pats your head as an apology before making her way back upstairs. "Wear your best perfume tomorrow, love! I'm sure he'll ditch Rosier for you."

Poppy winks before laughing. You glare at the Hufflepuff as she ascended up the stairs.

I can't do this. Fuck.

"You can do this, dumbass."

Sebastian grabs your shoulders, preventing you from leaving the building. It seems that the Sallow boy had taken on Poppy's role as your tormentor for the day and it doesn't help that he's an auror. Wand permits are a must and being deemed as an illegal wand owner is not really the best look for your reputation. You look back at Sebastian, giving him the best crup eyes you could muster.

"I will hurl you myself into that department if you do that again." Sebastian threatens with raised eyebrows to which you pout and frown. "I know why you're feeling so skittish today. Everyone's gossiping about it and it's not really the best thing to hear about your best friend. Talk to him. You, of all people, should know that."

You feel your body surrender to Sebastian's tough grip as he walks with you (more like drags) to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. He places you in front of an office before turning you towards him as he fixes your tie and hair. You look up at him with sad eyes. "Is it too late to apparate out of here?"

"Wizards and witches can't apparate within ministry grounds. You'd have to go outside for that." He smiles brightly as he tucks a stray hair back to your hairstyle. He leans close to sniff you before furrowing his eyebrows in contemplation. "New perfume?"

"Ugh. It was Poppy's idea." You flush at Sebastian's discovery. The former Slytherin chuckles.

"He'd love that for sure." Sebastian winks.

"Shut up."

"You know he's just as whipped for you as you are for him, right?" He pats your arm before slipping his hands in the pockets of his coat. "You have nothing to worry about."

"Easy for you to say." You mumble. Sebastian's eyes crinkle as he smiles at your sulking behavior before it moves slightly to the side of your face, directed behind you.

"Sebastian." A voice you haven't heard in months was finally within your presence. You're almost too afraid to turn around but you're glad you did. Ominis had grown so well in your absence. The face once filled with soft curves had now developed more into a sharper and sculpted face. He seems more taller and leaner than before and absolutely looks dashing in his three piece suit. Your mouth falls open as you unashamedly check him out. ".... is that you, Y/N?"

You had almost forgotten to reply if it weren't for Sebastian hard nudge to your ribs. You yelp in pain, clutching your side as you glare at the man beside you. "O-Ominis, hey...."

The gorgeous man in front of you smiles nervously as he shifts in his position. "What brings you here? I've heard a lot about your travels. It seems you were quite busy these past few months."

"Y-yeah. Lot of creatures need saving, y'know?" You laugh awkwardly as you glance at Sebastian who looks like he's about to combust with how red he is from preventing his laughter.

Awkward silence engulfs the three of you and Sebastian had to calm himself down to prevent him from cracking up. "They're here for a renewal, both wand and visa. I don't want to chase a magizoologist all across the world just because they forgot basic wizard law."

"Haha, funny." You sarcastically reply. Sebastian winks at you before walking towards Ominis who leans close to whisper something to him. The blonde flushes and you can't help but wonder what the actual fuck did Sebastian say to him that got him coughing and blushing.

"I'll see you two later for lunch! Admin needs me." Sebastian waves before rushing off. This now leaves the two of you standing in the hallways of the ministry. You let out an awkward cough that alerts Ominis.

"Ah Right. Come in." He nervously opens the door to his office. You cautiously enter the room, marveling at the sight of his cozy office. Paraphernalia decorates the shelves on his walls with banners of his former house, Slytherin hung on one side of the wall. A plant is situated on one corner and an array of food is presented on one side. Comfortable chairs are positioned in front of his desk and a flashy name plate with the words 'Ominis Gaunt, Department of Magical Law Enforcement' engraved on it. What catches your eye though is a frame of you three on his desk. It was captured on your last day in Hogwarts. The picture moves as you three huddle for the picture, smiles on your faces before laughing at one another. It continues on a loop that puts a smile on your face.

"I have this on my desk too." You mumble softly as you lift the frame to admire it more. Ominis smiles before sitting behind his desk, putting his wand down and leaning back on the chair.

"Yeah. It's made quite differently for me." He extends his hand, palm facing up as he signals for you to give it to him. You place it on his hand and with a grab of his wand and a flick of his wrist, you suddenly hear sounds from the frame.

"Sebastian come closer!"

"I'm already close! Do you want me to fuse into you or something?"

"Can you guys shut up, he's taking the memento!"

Then laughter was heard. Ominis smiles at the audio before placing the frame back on his desk. "I play that whenever I miss you two."

You look at him as he fiddles with his wand, still reminiscing the memory. Whenever he misses me, huh? And Sebastian... Of course. Don't get too ahead of yourself.

"Listen Omini-"

"Y/N-"

The two of you began to speak at once and stopped altogether. A moment of silence is heard before you both laugh at the situation. "You go first." Ominis smiles with a nudge of his hand.

You look at him, remembering the details of his face as you decide that this is it. The moment you'll let go of him. It shouldn't be a surprise to you that Ominis would get married soon. He came from a family known for keeping their blood pure and while you hoped that he'd escape the grasps of his wretched bloodline, it seems like even he would not be able to and so as a good friend of his, you'll just try to be happy for his sake.

"Listen, I came here not just because I needed to renew my visa and permit. I just really wanted to tell you that I'm happy for you." You bite your lip, distracting yourself with the physical pain rather than the emotional one. Too invested in thinking of what to say, you fail to notice Ominis's face drop at your words. "I-I know it's hard but I want you to know that I'll always be here. Me and Sebastian. I'll support you and--"

"Wait! No!" Ominis abruptly stops your speech which you were grateful for because if you continued any further, you fear that you'd end up bawling in front of him. "I-I don't want you to be happy."

"Huh?"

"I mean-- I don't want you to be happy that I'm happy because it's not happy at all. But for you, I'm happy--" Ominis fumbles with his words as he grips the fabric of his pants on his knees. "It doesn't make sense but you know what I'm talking about."

Your tongue pokes the inside of your cheek before letting out a confused laugh. "... I actually don't know what you're talking about."

"I should be the one saying that to you." He whispers as he leans forward to rest his face in his hands before taking a deep breathe and exhaling. "I-I heard that you were seeing people and I just- I just wanted to congratulate you."

Seeing people? What in Merlin's name?

"Ominis." You blink in confusion. "Who told you this?"

"Uh... Sebastian?" He mumbles quietly as if he had been caught doing something wrong.

"I'm not seeing anyone, Ominis. Did you really let yourself be fooled by Sebastian, again?" You giggle as you watch his expression change from nervous to annoyed.

"That bloody fool always read me news about you. I can't believe he faked me out on this one. Of all things!" He groans in frustration. "I'll skin that boy."

"Please don't. Merlin knows we'll need him as a scapegoat for something in the future." You joke. He laughs at your jest and you almost let yourself fall all over again. "Aside that, I'm really happy for your engagement."

A confused look is back on his face again before a dreaded look appears on his face. This is the most expressive you've seen Ominis ever since he caught you sneaking out of the Undercroft. "Gods Y/N. I'm not engaged. I-It's my older brother who's going to be engaged to Eleanor. We both have similar names and the Daily Prophet assumed that it's me. I've already sent a report regarding that."

You have never felt more relieved in your life. You bury your face in your palms. "God, I thought I was about to die. I had almost tried to bury myself in work for 4 weeks because of that."

"Why?" Ominis stands up from his seat as he feels his way around and eventually kneels down in front of your seat. "Why would you want to do that?"

You remove your face from your palms before cupping his cheeks. "I admit I have made myself scarce these past few months but I have-- I still am hoping that you... you..."

You couldn't bring yourself to finish as you stare at his face that looked so full of hope and so you did the only thing you knew that would communicate the words you couldn't tell him.

"Y/N?" He softly speaks your name before you pull his face to yours and pressing your lips to his. Ominis had frozen in shock but eventually recovered as he pressed himself closer to yours. His arm encases your waist while the other cups your cheek. Lips move against one another as thousands of unspoken words flow through the air. The two of you release one another with a final peck before a smile graces your faces.

"I'm still hoping that you're in love with me." You finish as your index finger gently caresses the beauty marks that grace his skin. He closes his eyes at the feel of your touch before grabbing hand to kiss the inside of your wrist.

"Yes. Yes I am." He answers with no hesitation. You smile at his confession before pulling him in a tight hug. He releases you after a short while, hands cupping your face as he continues to leave chaste kisses all over it. You giggle at his affections. "I wasn't able to ask you back then but will you be mine? Merlin knows how long I've wanted to ask you this."

He has a hopeful look on his face that makes you want to coo and baby him but all you do is smile and peck his lips. "Of course. I'd always say yes to you."

The two of you smile and bask in each others presence before you're reminded of his face flushing earlier. "By the way, what did Sebastian say to you awhile ago?"

Ominis's face flushes before intertwining your fingers. "He told me to make the most out of your stay."

You let out an amused chuckle. Sebastian that sneaky motherfucker.

Before you could tease him about it, Ominis grabs your hips and pulls you in close. "Think Sebastian will mind waiting for a while? I'd like to heed his advice for once."

You chuckle before biting your lip as he pulls you up, grabbing your thighs and carrying you to his desk. You wrap your arms around his neck as he brushes his lips against yours.

"Go ahead, I don't think he will."

A/N: i also want to makeout w him in his office good lord. anys tysm for supporting my workss. i love writing for my two idiots <3

[crypticslytherin]

Rescued || Sebastian Sallow

————————————

Parings: Sebastian Sallow x Reader

Summary: A few years after Sebastian was sent to Azkaban, you couldn’t bare for him to be there anymore. You felt guilty for his imprisonment, and your love for him had never truly left.

Word Count: 2805

This is my first One Shot AHHH I hope you like. C:

⚯͛▕⃝⃤ ⚯͛▕⃝⃤ ⚯͛▕⃝⃤ ⚯͛▕⃝⃤

"What have I done?" you whispered to yourself, standing amidst the ruins of Feldcroft, once a lively hamlet now reduced to ash and bones. The air was heavy with the scent of burned flesh, blood, and smoke, a grim reminder of the recent battle between villagers and goblins. Weapons, tainted with goblin silver, lay about, silent witnesses to the violence that had unfolded.

Before you stood the remains of the Sallow home, a mere shadow of its former self. Books lay scattered among the rubble, their pages torn and tattered, while scraps of fabric bore witness to the ferocity of the flames. A tear traced its path down your cheek as you clutched your wand tightly, half-expecting some lingering threat to emerge from the devastation around you.

If only Sebastian were still here. He would have known this was happening when it happened. But he wasn't, and you couldn't shake the guilt that weighed heavy on your heart. Ever since Sebastian murdered his uncle Solomon, you'd felt guilty. You had helped and encouraged him in his quest to find a cure for Anne. You never could have imagined it would lead to such darkness.

When Ominis suggested turning Sebastian in to the authorities, you remained silent, paralyzed by indecision and fear. He was sent to rot in Azkaban. Now, years later, Sebastian's haunting cries echoed in your dreams, accusing you of betrayal, of abandonment. He pleaded for your help with tears in his eyes, and you found yourself suffocating.

You loved Sebastian, fiercely and unconditionally, and the thought of him suffering tormented you to your core. You knew what you had to do, what you should have done long ago. You would find a way to make amends, to seek forgiveness for your silence. You would tell Sebastian the truth, apologize for failing him when he needed you most.

And you would do whatever it took to make things right.

As you stepped back, the click of your feet echoed along the pavement, filling the heavy silence around you. With your wand clenched firmly in your grasp, you drew in a deep breath, the crisp air filling your lungs. Closing your eyes, you felt unsure without a precise destination in your mind. All you knew was that you would reach Azkaban, though Sebastian's exact location remained unknown. You conjured a vivid mental image of the fortress's interior, a place you had visited once during your fifth year.

"Apparate," you uttered softly, your wand tracing a swift arc through the air. Instantly, a sensation of pressure enveloped your body as you hurtled through space. As the disorienting spin came to a stop, you felt the solid ground beneath your feet transition to cold, unforgiving stone. The once-brilliant sunlight vanished, replaced by a darkness that seemed to swallow the very essence of light. A wave of nausea briefly washed over you, prompting a hand to press against your chest as you steadied yourself. Your eyes adjusted to the dimness as you gazed down a wide, shadowed pathway.

The walls were lined with cells on both sides, the desperate screams of prisoners echoing off the cold stone, sending a shiver down your spine. Gathering your courage, you took a hesitant step forward, knowing all too well what awaited you.

Dementors, the guards of Azkaban, began closing in on you.

As they drew nearer, you could feel the chill of their presence enveloping you, draining the warmth from your body. Their hooded figures glide effortlessly, their eerie movements sending a sense of dread through your veins. The air grew colder, and a thick mist seems to swirl around them, obscuring their ghastly forms.

With trembling hands, you raise your wand and summon the courage to cast the spell. "Expecto Patronum!" you shout, the words echoing through the oppressive atmosphere. A silvery mist bursts from the tip of your wand, taking shape and form. It materialized into a powerful Patronus, a radiant shield against the darkness.

The Dementors recoiled at the sight of the Patronus, their spectral forms shrinking back from its brilliance. They let out unearthly wails, their icy grip weakening as they retreat from the protective barrier of light. With each passing moment, the threat diminishes, until finally, the Dementors fade into the shadows, defeated by the strength of your Patronus.

"Revelio, Sebastian Sallow," you whispered, wand poised as you hurried down the pathway. Inside their cells, prisoners' wails echoed, a symphony of despair. Above, a faint green outline materialized on a higher floor, pacing restlessly. Sebastian. With cautious determination, you navigated the corridors, the air thick as inmates hurled profanities at you. Some resorted to self-harm, slamming their heads against the stone as their desperate cries fillied the air.

The environment was suffocating, the weight of Sebastian's presence in Azkaban bearing down on you once more.

How could you have let this happen?

The staircase stretched seemingly endlessly as you continued to cast Revelio, refusing to lose sight of Sebastian. Finally reaching the correct level, a metal door blocked your path. "Alohomora," you whispered, the lock yielding effortlessly to the flick of your wand.

Your heart raced as you cautiously navigated the dim hallway, the atmosphere just as somber and bleak as the last one. The chilly air caused the hairs on your arms to stand on end. Approaching Sebastian's cell, doubt gnawed at you. Was coming here a mistake? You wondered how he might appear after all these years in Azkaban—whether he'd be a mere shadow of himself or if the glimmer still remained in his eyes. Your breaths grew unsteady.

"Oi! What are you doing here?" A grim voice pierced the air, and you turned to see an elderly man to your left, his hands clutching the steel bars of his cell tightly. His eyes were sunken, the darkness beneath them almost consuming, and his head was bald, his prisoner garb stained with sweat and blood. His gaze drilled into you like black holes. A predatory hunger gleamed in his eyes as he licked his lips, sending a shiver down your spine. "You'd make an excellent toy."

"Silencio," you whispered, flicking your wand toward him. His head jerked back, hands flying to cover his mouth, rendering him unable to utter another word. Pressing forward, you approached Sebastian's cell.

Standing beside it, you leaned against the cold stone wall, uncertainty flooding your mind. Your heart pounded against your chest, your palms growing clammy with anticipation. Each step felt heavy as you moved to the front of the steel bars, peering in cautiously.

There he was, pacing back and forth. As your shadow cast across the floor on the other side of the bars, his restless movements ceased. Sebastian's gaze met yours, a mixture of surprise and recognition flickering in his caramel eyes. You let out a soft breath of air.

Sebastian stood tall, his figure appearing slender within the confines of the cell. His once vibrant auburn hair now hung in unkempt and greasy strands, a stark contrast to its former lively tussle. Despite his exhaustion, there was a lingering trace of his former charm. His eyes, still resembling caramel, held a weariness that spoke volumes, yet they retained a glimmer of their former warmth. Freckles adorned his face, their playful dance seemingly unaffected by his  state of despair

As you gazed upon him, a surge of conflicting emotions washed over you. Relief mingled with sorrow, and the guilt pressed even harder. This was the consequence of your actions, of the choice that led Sebastian to this desolate place. Yet, there was a flicker of hope. You believed that perhaps, with your help, he could become himself again.

With trembling hands, you reached out to touch the cold steel bars separating you, the barrier that had kept him imprisoned for far too long. There was a palpable ache in your heart, a silent plea for forgiveness.

Sebastian's lips parted as if to speak, but no words emerged, silenced by the oppressive atmosphere of Azkaban. His shoulders, once squared with confidence, now slumped. You could sense longing in his expression, the yearning for freedom that mirrored your own.

Taking a steadying breath, you reached your arm out to him, your voice barely above a whisper. "Sebastian," you said softly, the weight of your words hanging in the air between you. "It's time to go home."

 Slowly, almost hesitantly, he extended his arm, fingers trembling as they reached out to touch yours. For a moment, his hands lingered in the space that separated the two of you, then bridging the gap. In that fleeting instant, it felt as though time stood still, the weight of your shared history heavy in the air.

With a gentle squeeze of his hand, you offered him a small smile, a silent reassurance. His hands felt like ice, and as you stroked the top of his hand with your thumb, you could almost feel his skin defrosting.

"Hold on tightly, Sebastian," you whispered, quickly glancing around to ensure no one had approached. He tightened his grip on your hand, his eyes never leaving yours. "Apparate."

The familiar squeezing sensation of apparition enveloped you as you whisked away to a new location. Your feet touched down on wooden floors, your hand still firmly clasped in Sebastian's, reluctant to let go. Shaking your head lightly to dispel the brief wave of nausea, you opened your eyes.

There you both stood, in the comforting surroundings of your cottage nestled in the hills of Clagmar Coast. The familiar scents of firewood and pumpkin pastries filled your nostrils, and the warm, cozy environment provided a stark contrast to the bleakness of Azkaban. A crackling fire danced in the hearth, casting a comfortable glow over the room. 

You glanced at Sebastian, noticing the toll the apparition had taken on him. It seemed he hadn't traveled that way in a long time, if ever. Guiding him gently, you led him to the worn sofa by the fireplace and helped him settle down. Grabbing a folded knit blanket from the back, you draped it over him, providing comfort and warmth.

His eyes met yours in the soft light, revealing the paleness of his complexion and the exhaustion etched in his features. His cheeks were hollow, and dark circles marred his under eyes, evidence of sleepless nights endured in imprisonment. As the nausea subsided, his gaze held yours as you knelt before him, your hand resting gently on his lap.

"Sebastian, I am so sorry," you whispered, your voice trembling with emotion as you poured out the thoughts that had weighed heavily on your mind for years. Tears welled in your eyes as you blamed yourself for his suffering. With a tender touch, you cupped his cold, hollowed cheek in your hand, his eyes closing as he leaned into your touch. 

"When everything happened, I froze. I didn't know what to say to Ominis..." Tears began to stream down your cheeks. "So I said nothing. I could have prevented this, but instead... I was a coward."

Sebastian softly nuzzled his face against your hand, finding solace in your comforting presence.

"This is all my fault," you whispered, swallowing the lump in your throat. "I couldn't bear for you to suffer any longer. I had to do something. I had to get you out of there."

Sebastian tenderly lifted his arm from beneath the blanket, gently placing his hand over yours that rested on his cheek. A soft smile graced his lips as he closed his eyes, breaking the heavy silence with a whisper. "Finally," he murmured, his words carrying a hint of disbelief. "I'm free. I've made it to the afterlife."

-

Your heart wrenched at his words, realizing the depth of despair he had endured. Swiftly, you reached your other arm out, gently clasping his other hand in yours. "No, Sebastian," you murmured, your voice filled with compassion. "You've not gone on. You're here, with me. You're still alive."

Sebastian's eyes fluttered open, and you felt a pang in your heart as you gazed at the man you loved. The man who occupied your thoughts every morning and every night. With a tender squeeze of his hand, you rose from your kneeling position and settled beside him on the couch. He turned his fragile body slowly to face you.

"I can't be?" he whispered, disbelief coloring his voice.

Taking a deep breath, you moved closer to him, your leg brushing against his. Releasing his hand, you gently reached out, running your fingers through his disheveled hair and letting your hand rest on the side of his neck. He lifted his arm, placing his hand on yours as it extended toward him.

"You are, Sebastian. This is real. I am real."

Sebastian's expression softened, gratitude and wonder shimmering in his eyes. Slowly, he leaned into your touch, his hand tightening around your arm as if anchoring himself to this newfound reality.

"I never thought I'd see you again," he confessed, his voice choked with emotion. "I thought... I thought you couldn't bear to look at me. After... what I did." His gaze fell to your lap, tears escaping his eyes, leaving wet paths along his cheeks. "I'm a monster," he trembled.

"No, Sebastian," you said firmly, stroking his cheek with your thumb, gently wiping away stray tears. "That is so far from the truth. You are not a monster."

Drawing closer, you locked eyes with him, determined to make him see himself as you did. "You are incredible," you began, your voice soft but unwavering. "You're funny, and intelligent. You have a heart of gold, and you've shown me kindness and compassion like no one else ever has."

A smile tugged at the corners of his lips as you continued. Feeling the bones of his shoulder beneath your hand as you moved them, you gripped him softly. "You're the best person I've ever known, Sebastian. I have missed you so much. Every day. I should've rescued you sooner. If anything, I'm the monster. For not stopping Ominis. For letting this happen to you." Choked up, you stared at the broken man before you. "Merlin, Sebastian. I cannot tell you how horribly I feel."

"Stop," Sebastian whispered, his eyes flicking back up to meet yours. He released his hand from your arm, and with shaky fingers, he reached out to touch your cheek, mirroring your gesture. His touch, though cold, was comforting. You felt warmth spread over you, relishing in the moment you thought would never happen. He was here, with you, in your home. "You are no monster, Y/N. This is not your fault. Thoughts of you were the only thing that kept me sane in that place. You consumed me. You were my light in the darkness. I love you, Y/N"

The lump in your throat returned, and tears relentlessly began to stream from your eyes. He smiled softly, a smile you thought had disappeared forever. The sight of it sparked a rush of emotions within you — relief, joy, and an overwhelming sense of love. It felt as though a weight had been lifted from your chest, and you couldn't help but return his smile, your heart swelling with affection. "I love you, Sebastian."

As you gazed into his eyes, you felt a wave of tenderness wash over you. Every feature of his face seemed to hold a lifetime of memories — the curve of his lips, the sparkle in his eyes, the lines etched around his eyes from countless smiles shared between you. In that moment, you were overcome with gratitude for his presence, for the chance to hold him close.

Without hesitation, you rose slightly from where you were sitting, your movements guided by a yearning that had lingered in the depths of your soul. Moving your hand back to the side of his neck, you savored the coolness of his skin beneath your touch, the sensation grounding you in this moment of raw vulnerability.

As you leaned in to press your lips to his, you felt a surge of longing flood your senses. His kiss was like a balm to your wounded heart, a reminder of the depth of your connection and the strength of your bond. Despite the chill that lingered on his lips, you were enveloped in a warmth that radiated from deep within you, filling every corner of your being with a sense of completeness.

His hands found their way to you, one resting on your side, the other tangling gently in your hair. With each caress, each tender touch, you felt a rush of emotions — passion, desire, and an overwhelming sense of belonging. In his embrace, you found solace.

As you melted into him, the boundaries between you blurred, and for a fleeting moment, you were lost in the intensity of your connection. It was as though time stood still, the world falling away around you as you surrendered to the embrace of your love. And in that moment, as your lips moved together in a silent dance of longing and desire, you knew that nothing in this world could ever tear you apart again.

[sebluvi]

Love Sick

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧ Word count: 2,700

Ominis Gaunt x fem!reader

One sided Sebastian Sallow x fem!reader

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧

Sebastian is in love with y/n, but she is in love with his best friend. How far will he go to steal an intimate moment with her alone?

~Based on a request I received!~

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There she sat, hooded eyes looking upwards at him through her eyelashes. Her plump, glossed lips hung slightly open, and she ran the tip of her tongue along them slightly without even noticing. She swept her hair behind one of her ears, letting her locks flow perfectly over one shoulder, and the rest lay over her other, spilling over her robes. The smile on her face was sickeningly sweet.

She was beautiful. Flawlessly, thoughtlessly, obliviously perfect.

 Her posture was straight and direct, leaning the slightest bit towards him as if she was drinking in every detail of what he was saying to her. She would glance down his body and slowly rake her eyes up back to his eyes, shamelessly checking him out.

 She was entranced,

love drunk,

And he was sick.

He was physically nauseous watching her look at his best friend like that.

What did Ominis have that Sebastian didn’t?

Well for one, Sebastian had sight at least.

He shook his head at his rude internal thought.

Okay, Too far. Shouldn’t have thought that.

He opted to turn his gaze back to his food in front of him, deciding to stare down at his plate instead of at the dastardly sight. He poked his fork at his potatoes, mindlessly moving them around his plate.

Jealous, green, thoughts swirled maniacally through his mind.

“Sebastian?”

“Hm?” He turned towards the voice.

“Did you hear me?”

He did not hear him actually, he was too busy plotting his murder.

Not really.

“..I asked if you wanted to accompany me to Hogsmeade tonight. Y/n can’t since she’ll be at the astronomy tower starcharting.”

She smiled at him while listening to him speak.

Sebastian rolled his eyes, taking advantage of the fact his friend couldn’t see the rude gesture. He was becoming increasingly more aggravated at not particularly anything but his friend getting more attention than him.

“I’d rather not. I have assignments to attend to.” Sebastian idly waved off his friend, rejecting his former invitation. He didn’t have any assignments, not any he had to do tonight specifically anyway, but he truly did not want to hear his friend gush about y/n all night.

He was feeling figuratively sick as is, and didn’t need his friend’s innocent expressions about y/n bothering the quality of sleep he had that night.

He shoved some peas in his mouth, signaling that he was done chatting for now.

Y/n stood up, and placed her hand gently on Ominis’ shoulder, squeezing gently. “Let’s go to the library Ominis, you can help me gather notes for tonight since you can't join me.” Her hand slid further down his arm until she was gripping his upper arm right above his elbow.

Ominis smiled at the touch, turning towards her. “Of course. I'll see you later, Sebastian.”

She quickly slipped her arm into his, linking them together, gave Sebastian one last glance, smiling weakly, and she proceeded to lead Ominis out.

Sebastian watched them walk away with a bitter expression on his face, and he shoved more peas in his mouth, angrily staring at the wall in front of him.

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Sebastian was walking back to the slytherin common room..

 alone.

After he had enough of angrily eating peas and glaring at a wall, he decided to get up and actually get some studying done as he claimed to have to do to his friends earlier.

He trudged through the halls, gripping his textbooks so hard his knuckles were turning white. Silent rage coursed through his veins, and he had no idea what to do about it, other than distracting himself. He eventually found himself impatiently waiting for the stone snake in the ground to form into the door of his beloved common room. Once it opened, he started towards his room.

He truly did not understand what she saw in Ominis that she didn’t see in himself.

If one thing is for certain Ominis surely didn’t see anything in her,

 or at all.

He shook his head again, eyebrows furrowed at himself.

They weren’t even compatible! She was bold, brave, spontaneous, witty, and insanely competitive.

Ominis tended to shy away from battle, carefully calculated all his moves, and tended to keep to himself most of the time.

Most of all, she was incredibly independent. Yet, Ominis had her wrapped around his finger, and that fact alone infuriated Sebastian.

Ominis and y/n were complete opposites, yet Sebastian felt that he had never met someone so familiar to himself. He felt as if she truly understood him. She was made for him, and he would win her eventually. He hoped he wouldn’t have to play the patient game, but it looked as if that was the only option.

 The thought of having to wait for her killed him. I mean, how long would he have to wait? Weeks? Months? Years? If you and Ominis ended up together, how long would he have to wait after the two of you split to make a move? Actually, would it ever truly be appropriate to pursue her after his best friend had fallen in love with her?

He opened the door to his room, slamming it behind him. He tossed his books on the bed, a couple falling off onto the floor, and shrugged his robe off, letting it pool at the bottom of his feet He flopped carelessly onto his bed, laid on his back, and struggled to unwrap his scarf from his neck. After successfully doing so, he tossed it across the room. Where it landed, he had no idea. He turned over on his side, and then to his belly and stared out the window of his room. His cheek smushed against his silk sheets and he let a hand dangle over the side of his bed, fingers grazing the floor. A loud dramatic sigh fell from his lips.

He'd never have her, and he needed to come to terms with that.

For y/n , Ominis, and his own sanity, he had to let you go.

How he would do that, he had no idea.

He shifted his gaze from the window towards the floor where his books had fallen to. His eyes landed on a book, his potions textbook to be exact. When his book toppled to the ground, it managed to flip open to a page he had bookmarked previously in class. In big letters the top of the page spelled Polyjuice Potion.

 It was a potion they had learned about a few weeks prior. Professor Sharp was going to have them attempt to create the potion in time, and he made the students bookmark the page so they’d have the correct information easily accessible to gather the resources required to craft the potion. Sebastian did his fair share of foraging whenever he went out on adventures with y/n, so he always had potion ingredients readily available and normally didn’t need to make special trips to gather them.

 The only catch was the potioneer needed some sort of DNA from the person they wanted to turn into. Professor Sharp was responsible for finding a volunteer who wouldn’t mind an entire class of 5th year students turning into them for a short period of time, which was a harder task than one may think.

Sebastian’s eyes widened.

Wait.

Polyjuice potion.

That was it! He was brilliant!

He rolled off the bed, landing swiftly on his feet and skipped to the other side of the room to Ominis’ bed. He grabbed Ominis’ hairbrush from his nightstand and plucked a blonde strand of hair out from it, holding it up to his eye.

Easy.

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Some time after, Sebastian had found himself in the empty potions classroom, with a bottle of Polyjuice potion in hand. His potioneering skills were exceptional, as well as everything else he did if you asked him, and the potion turned out perfect.

It was getting late at this point, and Sebastian knew 3 things.

Y/n was at the astronomy tower, most likely alone.

Ominis was in Hogsmeade, and would be for a while since he did not have someone accompanying him.

Y/n and Ominis both were under the impression that Sebastian would be in his room all night, working on assignments.

He had the perfect opportunity.

He quickly made his way out of the potions classroom, and headed towards the bathroom. He needed to drink the potion in a private area. Professor Sharp walking in on Sebastian morphing into his best friend in the middle of the classroom wasn’t entirely an ideal scenario.

He ran to a stall and closed the door behind him. He held the small bottle in front of his face, analyzing it’s features. The potion was lime green, and had what seemed to be shiny glittery specks moving throughout the liquid, yet something told him it wouldn’t taste like limeade. He closed his eyes, bracing himself, and downed the liquid.

After a few seconds of intense pain and feeling his organs shift around in his body, he opened his eyes.

He looked down, and noticed his skin was a paler shade of white, and that his freckles that normally scattered throughout his skin was gone.

He also noticed he could see. Which was nice, he honestly was worried he’d receive all of Ominis’ characteristics and that wouldn’t have been very good. He slipped out of the stall and ran to the mirror, examining himself.

Woah.

He ran his hands over his face, taking it in. As he stared in the mirror, he made eye contact with his best friend.

He smirked.

You told him fun was a relative term, but one thing he knew is that this....

This was going to be fun.

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He rushed to the astronomy tower, hoping to still catch you there alone. Once he made his way up the ladder, and through the classroom, he put on his façade.

He stepped out onto the balcony, and saw you there, sitting next to the telescope, taking notes in the moonlight.

You sat, one leg crossed over the other, eyebrows furrowed in concentration at the notebook clutched in your hands. It looked as if you were writing notes, presumably about the stars positions in the sky. You had a couple strands of hair falling over your face, and you gently bit your bottom lip in concentration.

Breathtaking.

He took another step towards you. Your head snapped up towards his direction, alerted by the presence of another person. Once she saw Seb- well, Ominis..her features softened.

“Oh..It’s just you.” She smiled warmly at him. “Back from Hogsmeade early?”

“Yes..I figured I’d find you up here. I tried to hurry back so I could join you.” He smiled.

She sat her notebook on the bench next to her, and slowly got up, walking to him. She gently grabbed his arm, pulling him towards her. “Come.” She started backing towards the bench, signifying she wanted him to sit with her. He let her pull her towards the bench, and then he stopped. He put a hand on her upper arm, stopping her, and kept his eyes diverted towards the ground.

“Wait.”

“Hm?” She cocked her head to the side. “What is it?”

Sebastian had realized he hadn’t much time, and he needed to cut to the chase. Now..this was the part he hadn’t quite thought of yet. All he figured he needed to plan was just actually getting here, and he figured the rest would come naturally.

“I need to tell you something.” He raised his eyes, looking directly into hers, and stepped closer.

He let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding, and gently let his forehead fall onto hers. She allowed it, and let her mouth gape open slightly, and she stared into his eyes through her thick eyelashes, awaiting his next statement. "Yes..?" His eyes fluttered closed, and he took a deep breath. He let his hand trail down her arm, to her hand, and he squeezed it gently. He let his eyes open, and looked at how her hand fit in his. He raised her hand to his lips, closed his eyes once more, and left a gentle kiss to her knuckles.

And then, it all came rushing.

Every unresolved, convoluted feeling he ever had for her came rushing to him all at once.

It hit him like a bag of bricks.

He realized it.

Finally.

Fuck.

He loved her.

                                                     He loved her.

                   He loved her.

                                                                                  He loved her.

Ｈｅ ｌｏｖｅｄ ｈｅｒ

                          ˙ɹǝɥ pǝʌol ǝH

ᴴᵉ ˡᵒᵛᵉᵈ ʰᵉʳ.

A single tear trickled its way down his cheek, falling onto their intertwined hands.

He couldn’t do this.

What kind of sick fucking pervert would take advantage of the woman he was in love with without consent?

He was betraying her trust, hell, his best friends trust just being in this situation right now.

He had to stop.

“I’m sorry y/n, I don’t know what came over me.”

He let go of her hand, taking a step back, attempting to distance himself from her. She gasped at the loss of contact, and quickly grabbed his hand again, pulling him towards her.

“No. Don’t be sorry, please.”

She pulled him straight into her chest, and onto her lips.

Her free hand travelled up his arm, over his shoulder, to the back of his head. She tangled her fingers in his hair, pulling him deeper into the kiss. His eyes fluttered closed, and he found his hand grasping at her waist, pulling her as close to him as he could manage. She was perfect. Everything about her was perfect. The way her lips felt against his, the way she tasted, the way she smelled. Everything.  He poured every ounce of passion and feeling he had into her lips,

and then it was gone.

She pulled away, cheeks flushed, chest rising and falling rapidly, and her eyes hooded and filled with lust,

and then...... they weren’t.

First it was her eyebrows. They furrowed together. Led by her eyes widening. Her lips parted into a frown, and she took an urgent step back.

She stood, silent, chest heaving, and stared.

“S-Sebastian?”

The look of horror, no, betrayal, on her face would haunt him for the rest of his life.

He looked back down at his hands, and saw freckles that scattered over them.

He had morphed back into himself sometime during the kiss.

He stood there, silent.

He was going to stop, abandon the plan, but he was too late.

He had nothing to say.

All he felt was shame.

He raised his shame-filled eyes and looked into her shocked ones.

She started, “I-“

“No.” He said sternly. “Don’t say anything, please. I can’t bear it.”

He took a step towards her, tears beginning to spill over his cheeks. He reached up and wiped the tears off her cheek with his finger, letting it linger for a second.

He reached his hand down under his robe, and swiftly pulled out his wand.

Obliviate.

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I really liked this one. If you liked this please give me some nice words of encouragement, it really means a lot and gives me the motivation to write more! My requests are open! Feel free toa sk me anything or just send in a request!

[uchi-mochi]

Regret - Sebastian Sallow x Reader

. ⋅ ˚̣- : ✧ : – ⭒ ⊹ ⭒ – : ✧ : -˚̣⋅ .

Contains spoilers for the Sebastian quest line!

Warnings; angst mentions of the cruciatus curse, use of the killing curse, not really proofread

Feel free to request! <3

. ⋅ ˚̣- : ✧ : – ⭒ ⊹ ⭒ – : ✧ : -˚̣⋅ .

This was not what you were expecting to happen. The events you witnessed today were straight out of your nightmares.

Ominis had send you an owl mentioning his grave concern for Sebastian and telling you to meet him at the catacombs as soon as you could.

"Ominis, what's going on? Where's Sebastian?"

"He's inside the catacombs, I'm surprised you aren't with him"

"Ominis, I-"

"Stop. You did what you had to do"

Despite how busy you were with completing the trials that were laid upon you by the keepers, figuring out how far ahead Ranrok was and trying to take down Harlow with Natty you made sure you still had time left over to help Sebastian to find a cure for his sister. Sebastian was important to you, no doubt about it. Since you had kicked his ass in your first defence against the dark arts lesson the two of you had been practically attached at the hip.

But recently Sebastian spiralled down a path you couldn't follow him; the empty promises of the dark arts and the desperation he felt towards finding a cure for his sister changed him. He was a shell of his former self and there was nothing you could do about it. It pained you to see him like this. You missed the Sebastian you fell head over heels for.

"I'm going back into the Catacombs to find him. Anne's right - he and the entire hamlet are in danger" Ominis took a breath and readied his wand. "The place is crawling with inferi"

"Inferi? What are you talking about Ominis" there hadn't been any inferi when Sebastian had dragged you with him to explore the catacombs.

"You'll see" Ominis mumbled under his breath, entering the dark hallways. As you followed Ominis an uneasy feeling grew in your stomach. 'Curse you, Sebastian' you thought. 'Don't you dare do something stupid'.

-

Ominis had been right, the place was overrun by inferi. You were suddenly very thankful for the range of fire spells that were at your disposal.

"That was the last of them" you spoke. The uneasy feeling had begin to swallow you whole.

"Anne's gone to get Solomon" Ominis said as he pulled a hand through his hair in frustration. "Anne thought that Sebastian was attacked by the inferi, but when he showed her the relic..."

This was bad. Involving Solomon in this mess would be catastrophic. "The relic had carvings of inferi, you don't think Sebastian-"

"He didn't create them, he's controlling them. I need to get to Hogwarts, I must get to professor Black first. Twist the story a bit, tell him it's a family fight. Please, don't let Sebastian go further down this path"

"Be careful, Ominis"

Ominis turned around and left in a hurry, leaving you alone in the dark hallway of the catacombs.

-

There he was. After traversing deeper into the dark hallways of the catacombs, taking down more inferi than you wished to count you finally spotted Sebastian standing in an empty room, surrounded by inferi. Ominis was right, he was controlling them.

"Sebastian!" You called out. The Slytherin turned to look at you with a dark expression.

"I told you the relic was the answer!" Sebastian stepped towards you. "I've been trying to reverse the dark magic that injured Anne, but this - this will allow me to control it!" Sebastian took another step towards you making you take a step back. "Just like I can control the inferi"

Your patience with the boy was already running thin, but this broke whatever was left. "Control? Me and Ominis have been fighting inferi all through the catacombs and you mean to tell me that you can control it?!" You snapped at him. You didn't want to believe that he chose to attack you and Ominis.

A spark of magic pulled your attention towards the figure that now stood in the ruins. Solomon was here, just like Ominis warned you about.

"You need to stop Sebastian. Accio relic!"

The relic was pulled out of Sebastian's hand. Solomon pointed the wand at the relic that was now in his possession and destroyed it.

"No!" Sebastian yelled as he threw a curse Solomon's way. "You'll pay for this!"

The inferi seemed to have regained whatever was left of their conscience and launched themselves at the three of you. Sebastian and Solomon seemed too focused on throwing curses at eachother to notice. You opted to focus on taking down the inferi, not wanting to risk the danger they posed to the three of you as well as the hamlet that laid close by.

You weren't prepared to be slammed into the wall by a depulso spell that Solomon casted at you. This only seemed to anger Sebastian further and further.

"She cannot be healed Sebastian! You must stop!"

Sebastian groaned in agony. "I won't let her suffer. Avada kada-"

"Expelliarmus!"

Sebastian's wand flew into your hand right on time. Tears flew down your cheek; how did he let it get this far?

"Depulso!" You yelled as you casted the spell, sending Sebastian crashing against the wall. You turned towards Solomon. Anne came into the room, rushing towards her uncle. "Please Solomon, get her out of here" you said to him.

"Bombarda!" Anne casted the spell right towards Salazar Slytherin's spellbook, lighting it aflame. Sebastian screamed. Anne shot him a final look filled with disappointed as he and Solomon apparated out of the room.

You turned towards Sebastian as he laid hopeless against the wall. You pointed your wand at him as more tears fell.

"How could you!" You yelled at him. "Your own uncle!"

Sebastian tried to get up, but you casted a simple hex onto the wall next to him as a warning. "Don't you dare" you muttered under your breath. Your wand was now a couple centimetres away from his neck as he stared onto your eyes. You couldn't place the emotions that were held within them.

"You're beautiful"

His words hit you with immense force making you crumble down onto your knees. You sobbed into your hands. "Sebastian..." You whimpered. You wanted the old Sebastian back. Not this. "How could you let it get this far? How could I let it get this far?"

Sebastian cupped your cheek with his hand. You slapped his hand away without thinking.

"No, Sebastian. I've been by your side the entire time convincing myself and Ominis that you deserved another chance, and another" you stood up and threw his wand across the room. "And look at what you've done"

"Please don't leave me" Sebastian whispered. He was crying now too. A part of you wanted to embrace him, to tell him that everything was going to be alright.

But you couldn't.

"Why, Sebastian?!"

"The relic was the answer the finding the cure!"

"The relic was destroying you!" You wiped your tears away with the palm of your hand. "For weeks, I've been trying my best to help you. Merlin, I even took that damned cruciatus curse for you" you stood back up. Your knees still felt week and unstable, but at this moment you wanted nothing but to leave to cursed place. "Everyday I tried to get the Sebastian I loved back. But you've made your choice. You lost the last person who stood behind you. I hope you're happy, Sebastian" you shot the boy a final look as you walked towards the exit of the catacomb, leaving a weeping Sebastian Sallow behind.

[slytherin-obsessed]

every detail below the cut ❤︎

★ fluff. banter. canon compliant. subplot romance. canon typical violence. as close to canon as possible. friends to lovers. found family. friendship. i try my best to not go ooc. trigger warnings before each chapter when needed.

★ about the female OCs: All my fanfictions as of now had started as self-inself daydreaming. I have a maladaptive daydreaming and dissociative disorders and sometimes these stories become more than just silly little self insert scenes with my current obsession, and they start growing and growing until at some point the self-insert persona turns into a whole new original character.

Which is why the female main OCs are most of the time blondes with green eyes and fair skin, because as former self-inserts, they look like me. But their personalities and goals have developed so much that they no longer resemble mine. They have become their own. These characters I now think of as OCs and not avatars of myself.

→ I consider my work to not be self-insert for these reasons.

★ What not to expect in my work? → smut or any kind of sexual content. AU. crossover. wild canon divergence. modern-day AU. reader insertion. RPF. omegaverse

★ What pairings can you expect? → main cast: Ominis x Original Female Character Anne x Original Male Character Sebastian x ???

→ side characters: Poppy x Imelda Natty x ??? Garreth x ???

★ I am currently working on 3 wips in these fandoms: Hogwarts Legacy / Strangers Things / Rebel Moon

★ You can find my subblogs for each of them where I post updates, snippets, edits and other bonus content:

❤︎ Hogwarts Legacy → Everything Slytherin @slytherin-obsessed ❤︎ Stranger Things → Everything Billy @billy-hargrove-obsessed ❤︎ Rebel Moon → Everything Rebel Moon @rebel-moon-obsessed

★ you can find two of my wips already being posted on ao3 and wattpad:

❤︎ Hogwarts Legacy → ✦ Beyond You Eyes ✦ on ao3 and wattpad ❤︎ Stranger Things → ✦ Stranger Love ✦ on ao3 and wattpad

(coming soon)

(coming soon)

✦ tiktok ✦ → I post updates, bonus content and other random things for all my fanfics, fandoms and all my c.ai bots.

✦ character ai ✦ → main account.

✦ charcter ai ✦ → french version.

✦ caard ✦ → all my links in one place.

notes:

I am completely new to tumblr so I apologize if i do awkward things, please kindly let me know if i do a no-no here.

If you ever come on this post I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart, I am very passionate about my creations but also extremely nervous about posting my things out there.

Thank you in advance if you ever like/reblog/ follow any of my content. Any kind of interactions literaly makes my heart flip in my chest so thank you ❤︎

Finally, English isn't my first language so I apologize for any awkwardness 🫣

[cranetreegang]

In the Light of Death - Part 3

Sebastian x FemReader with former Ominis x FemReader

Summary: Sebastian shows her just how much she means to him. She's not sure she's worthy of his love.

Warnings: Dealing with death, mentions of depression, grief, mourning, smut aka sexy time

EXPLICIT WARNING don't read if underage

Song to listen to: 🎶 Unending I 🎶 999 Renaissance 🎶

Word Count: ~3,270 words

Read Part 2 Here - Find Whole Light of Death Series Here

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The sun peeking into the room and landing on her eyes, awakes her. She’s initially confused by the warmth surrounding her, until she feels his gentle breath followed by the rise and fall of his chest. She’s still locked firmly in Sebastian’s arms, their fingers intertwined. Loosening her grip, she adjusts herself to face him. 

The pale morning sun illuminates his resting features. His face, adorned with numerous freckles, is peaceful and his dark hair is mussed. She reaches out to him to trace the tips of her fingers along his cheek, following the erratic path of his freckles. He’s soft under her touch and a warmth blossoms in her chest. She brushes away his hair from his handsome face, admiring the contrast of his coarse hair compared to his skin. For as long as she’s known him, she can’t recall ever actually looking at him.

Not like this. 

She starts with the sharp rise of his cheekbones, his black eyelashes a stark contrast to his tanned skin. His dark brows are thick, eased in a serene expression. She traces over his nose, noting a small bump on the ridge - from a fight, no doubt. Trailing down his nose, she hovers just above his lips. They’re curved in a slight smile. She muses how he looks mischievous even while sleeping. Carefully, she touches over his full lips, noting how soft and warm they are under her fingers. Then she brushes along his jawline, heading back to his temple to stroke his hair. He’s a handsome man, especially now with how the light of the morning sun kisses his face.  

His eyes slowly flutter open, and he gazes at her. His dark eyes draw her in, and she’s warmed by how bright they are. They’ve always captivated her, his eyes. They hold mysteries, secrets, passion - all the things that make him the way he is. She’s always found him easy to read, because his eyes told her everything. 

Except now. 

She doesn’t understand what she sees looking into his dark depths besides herself staring back. Her heart skips a beat, her breath growing heavier, as he matches her gentle touch. He caresses her tear-stained cheek with tenderness, but his warmth singes her skin all the same. He’s so warm. So very warm. 

She shifts to be closer to him until their breaths mingle and her nose brushes his. He tangles his leg around hers while he continues his gentle strokes along her cheek. She’s never been so close to him before. Strange feelings swirl in her chest and tighten her stomach, and he hasn’t once looked away from her. Yet, she still feels too far away with an overpowering longing for more. Drawing closer, her lips gravitate to his, and her eyes flicker up to him.  Finding no apprehension, she presses her lips against his, feeling their softness and warmth. A spark ignites within her as his lips press back.

When they part, it’s only to ensure he’s still fine with this, and then she eagerly crushes her lips against him in a more needy kiss. He cups her cheek, wrapping his arm around her back, pulling her flush against him. He feels so good. He makes her feel… alive. A fire catches within her cold, broken heart and she can breathe again. Her fingers tangle with his unruly locks and his tongue pushes into her mouth to dance with hers. The taste of salty tears mingling with a bitter sweetness, similar to dark chocolate, drives them deeper into each other.

He rolls over, now on top of her, pressing his body more into her. She lets out a whimper, craving his touch and his weight on top of her. He doesn’t hold back, his kiss is filled with passion as if he’s been waiting for this his whole life. Breaking the kiss, he gazes down at her with sweet adoration. He tucks away her stray hairs with a soft smile, but a coldness seeps back into her. 

Ominis used to look at her with that exact expression. A sudden guilt crashes over her at what she’s doing, and she shuts her eyes with a whimper.

“I’m sorry,” she whispers. 

His eyes widen, his fingers still stroke her cheek, and he presses his forehead to hers. 

“Why? What’s wrong?” He asks, his eyes searching for hers.

She opens her eyes, finding herself lost in his dark depths, but she resists being pulled in further. 

“I… I don’t know what this means to me, but I can see this means everything to you. And… I don’t want to lose you too, Sebastian. I can’t lose you too.”

His gaze softens, “If you want this, then so do I. It can be once, or a hundred times. My feelings for you won’t change, sweetheart. I will always love you,” he says, pressing a tender kiss to her forehead.

She lets out a soft noise, a near whine, at his confession.

He… loves her. 

Somehow it doesn’t surprise her. Deep down, she’s always known he harbored feelings for her. Feelings she’s never had for him… until now. She’s not sure what to make of them though. Are they true? Or just something to smother her broken heart? Her eyes fill with pain. It hurts him to see her with such agony and conflict. 

“I don’t know if I can ever truly love you back,” she whispers. “Not like you deserve. My heart belongs to him. And that’s not fair to you. You deserve someone who will love you, fully, not… not like this.”

He shakes his head, “I only want your happiness. That’s it. I just want to make you happy.”

She tentatively cups his face, her heart racing as she studies his features. His eyes hold only understanding, and she doesn’t know what to do. He’s always been someone she considers her closest friend, but she’s never looked at him in this sort of light before. It frightens her how much she wants him, but it frightens her more to stop.

“Tell me what you want, sweetheart,” he says in a pleading tone. “Whatever it is. Tell me.”

She lets out a shuddering breath, her mind reeling with what to do.

“You make me feel so warm,” she finally whispers. “And I… don’t want to be cold anymore.”

“Then, if that’s what you want,” he whispers just as quietly back. 

He lowers himself back down and kisses her. He’s gentle, but there’s an underlying hunger he’s keeping at bay. Her trembling hands move along his neck and down to his chest, exploring his body, before tugging at his sweater to remove it. He grins against her lips as he pushes himself up to appease her. He tosses the offending garment off to the side, revealing his bare chest. Her eyes widen as she takes in the bare expanse of his body. He’s about to resume kissing her when she gently pushes against his shoulders. Worry dances in his eyes, and she blushes, looking away.

“I… I would like to look at you,” she admits in a quiet voice. 

He smiles and nods. He helps them both sit up, and her heart is about to beat out of her chest. His body is lean from traversing the countryside so often, with some definition of muscle. Her hands tremble as she rests them on his broad shoulders. He grips her hips while she explores his arms and chest, his thumbs stroking the flesh on her hips. She admires the freckles which adorn him, like kisses from the sun or the countless stars in the night sky. Her palm rests over his heart, feeling it beat just as fast as her own. 

His grip on her hips tighten, pulling her flush with his bare chest, while her hands glide up his neck all the way up to his reddening cheeks. She’s never noticed how beautiful of a man he is. Holding his face, she gazes into his eyes with awe, his breath hitching at her intensity. If Ominis was like the cool moon, then Sebastian is like the summer sun. He is all consuming and she’s never been so willing to be burned.

“Sebastian,” she whispers.

His eyes flutter, and he nuzzles into her palm, “Yes?”

Summoning her courage and wits, she says, “I want this. But only if you do, too. I… I don’t want your pity. I just want you.”

He holds her gaze, dragging his fingers up her body until he tangles them into the nape of her neck.

“And I don’t want your regret, sweetheart. I can’t bear to lose you too.”

His eyes are earnest and plead with her. He holds her firmly, their chests rising and falling in time with each other. She strokes his cheeks with her thumbs, a decision solidifying in her mind.

And she dives in.

She kisses him with all the longing she has kept within. Sebastian moans, losing himself in her desperation, and he matches her intensity. She quickly falls behind and he eagerly savors the soft noises she makes, raring to hear more. His lips trail down to her neck, sucking sharply before kissing the reddening flesh. She angles her head to allow him unhindered access, and she can feel his smirk as he sucks and nibbles. 

Her clothes are ripped and torn away in a deft movement, and she’s lowered back onto the bed. She watches him with wide eyes as he takes off the rest of her clothes then his own. Her breathing picks up as she gazes upon his fully bare form, his arousal obvious. Sebastian smiles as he lowers himself to her stomach. He presses tender kisses along her body, slowly mapping every inch of her as he makes his way up. 

His touch lingers on her breasts, teasing over the supple flesh. The slight tremble in his hands gives him away just as he takes her nipple into his mouth. Sucking and swirling over the raised peak, she lets out small gasps and breaths. He flicks his eyes up to her, watching intently for every tiny reaction written upon her flushed face. Her fingers grip onto his upper arm, frozen by his teasing tongue as he gives the same treatment to the other side. 

She grabs his hand, placing a kiss on his palm, then she drags him back down to her hungry lips. Tangling her fingers in his hair, she lets her other hand feel down his back and along his side. 

He groans with a slight thrust of his hips when her heated body becomes flushed with his.  Feeling his hot cock pulsing against her, makes her whole body yearn for him. He seeks her eyes, ensuring she’s still wanting this, and his heart skips a beat at the lust which inflames her. 

He presses himself into her, and she’s lost in how full and tight she feels, gasping and whimpering for more. His moans are needy and desperate as he begins to unravel inside her. Their lips are locked together in a heated kiss as their bodies intertwine. With his body on top of her, she’s in a bliss of warmth.

He’s nothing like her Ominis, and she’s thankful for it. No, Sebastian is wholly himself - reckless and passionate. His grunts and moans send shivers down her spine while she kisses and nips his freckled neck and shoulder. He thrusts into her with such force, it rattles the entire bed - slamming it into the wall with every snap of his hips. She wraps her legs around him, driving him further into this frenzy. The fire between them comes to a full raging inferno.

“Look at me,” he demands with a breathy moan. 

His fingers nestle themselves into the nape of her hair while his eyes hold hers. The intensity she finds within his dark gaze makes her shiver. His panting breath fans across her face as he drives deeper into her. Her hand finds itself lodged into his unruly locks, while her other hand grips onto his shoulder for dear life. 

It’s not long before they both reach a gasping, breathless climax. He lets out a soft moan - a near whine - as he fills her with his warm release. She urges his lips to hers, sharing a lasting kiss to solidify the moment while he continues to thrust softly into her. He collapses on top of her, his chest panting in time with hers. She holds him close, urging him to the crook of her neck where he places tender kisses on the harsh marks he left earlier. His arms wrap around, engulfing her in a loving embrace.

They lay there for sometime as the morning sun traverses the quaint room, casting its rays upon them. When he regains himself, he looks up at her with an adoring smile. Kissing his way up her neck to her cheek, he delicately plays with a lock of her hair between his fingers, his eyes filled with awe as if he’s beholding something truly magnificent. He wraps an arm behind her neck, bringing her into a deep kiss. Brushing his nose against hers with a soft smile, he whispers,

“You’re beautiful.”

She closes her eyes, resting her forehead against his, and breathing in his spiced scent. He kisses her, tenderly and slowly, as he begins to rise.

“Let me make you breakfast,” he says with a toothy grin.

She smiles, “I wouldn’t mind helping you.”

As if he couldn’t look any more adoring at her, he all but swoons as he places another kiss on her lips. With a bright smile, he rolls out of bed and playfully drags her along, carrying her like a bride in his arms. 

“Sebastian!” She giggles while he takes her down the stairs to the kitchen. 

“Yes, sweetheart?” He teases, kissing her hot cheek.

They make breakfast, or at least she tries to, as Sebastian can’t take his hands off her for more than a moment. But she finds his arms around her to be more enjoyable than anything else. As they eat, they both find themselves catching each other’s gazes, smiling each time. Afterwards, they finally dress themselves and tidy up. She’s washing the dishes when his arm wraps around her waist. Kissing up her neck, he reaches her ear to whisper,

“I have a surprise for you.”

He practically drags her away from the sink and she giggles.

“A surprise?” She wonders as he grabs her hand to lead her out the door.

Awaiting them are two brooms leaning against the lone ash tree. She gives him a quizzical look while he rushes ahead with a beaming grin. 

“Come on, it’s a beautiful day for a flight,” he hands her broom to her. 

She stares at the well-loved broom for several moments. It’s been some time since she’s flown. 

“I don’t know-,”

“No excuses,” he interrupts with a smirk. “You were the fastest flier back in the day, and if you even think about saying otherwise - I’ll knock you right on that pretty arse of yours.” 

She rolls her eyes - biting back her grin, “Please, it’s been a long time since those days.”

Sebastian mounts his broom and begins to hover above her, “Well, time to find out if that’s true.”

She scoffs, mounting her broom. He can rile her up way too easily, she scowls to herself. Matching his height, she smirks.

“Well, now what?” She questions.

Sebastian smiles as he quickly takes off. She watches him for a moment, laughing to herself, before chasing after him.

She quickly catches up to Sebastian. They both laugh as they zip around the Highlands. She’s forgotten how freeing it is to fly - how the wind whips through her hair and stings her cheeks while she makes daring dashes between narrow crevasses and trees. Sebastian makes a sudden dive towards a patch of woods and she circles around to join him. He awaits her in front of an old ruin of a formerly grand castle. She lands, her eyes wide and her mouth parted in awe at the grandeur of the dilapidated structure. 

“This is one of the places I’ve been investigating,” Sebastian states with a proud smirk. “Skelside Castle.”

“Wow… it’s so grand still,” she whispers. 

He grabs her hand with a chuckle, “You haven’t seen anything yet. Come on, let me show you my favorite room.” 

They place their brooms by the entrance and he leads her inside. It’s all surprisingly preserved in some places, and overtaken by vegetation in others. He navigates through the collapsing dining hall and up the crumbling stairs. Glancing back on occasion, he gives her hand a tight squeeze every time he catches her eyes. 

He lets go of her and rushes towards a set of double doors.

“Right this way, milady,” he opens the doors with a great flourish and bows as she walks in. Her giggles fade away into a soft gasp as she takes in the room.

They’re in a tower with stone that is intricately cut and sculpted into several beautiful lofty archways. In each of the arches, holds stained glass. The glass, despite having vines and grime covering them, possess a beauty she’s never seen before. Each of the stained pieces contain majestic trees swaying in the wind - all telling the story of the changing seasons - with the center arch containing the sun’s rays beaming down. 

The mosaic of colored light shimmers into the room - bathing the entire place in its vibrancy. She looks over herself as the golds, blues, reds, and purples dance over her. 

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” his voice breaks her from her thoughts and she glances over at him. He’s looking around the room in both reverence and awe. “This was a place of worship. Lord Skelig was a religious man - even for a wizard. He believed Nature to be the one true power of this world - shaping and forming it to its wishes. While we were merely its caretakers - protectors. It’s quite fascinating how he viewed the world. His journals were quite thorough.” 

He looks over to her and his smile widens. Taking both of her hands in his, he whispers,

“And you haven’t seen the best part yet, love,” his head cranes to look above them, and she follows his gaze to the ceiling. 

Another quiet gasp escapes her lips. Above them, is the moon with a beautiful night sky hiding behind the swirling gray clouds. The circular glass takes her breath away and Sebastian chuckles at her awe-struck expression.

“Never in all my travels have I found a place like this. It’s a shame it’s been lost to time for so long,” he comments with a slight frown.

“What will become of this place?” She wonders.

Sebastian hums in thought, “I’m not sure. I notified the guild of this place. Whether or not anything will come of it is a different matter,” he squeezes her hands and gives her a mischievous grin. “All that matters is that we are the only two who have set foot in this place in over five hundred years.”

“Five hundred?” She looks around the surprisingly well-preserved room. “Whoever built it, must have had charms in place to keep it from totally falling apart.” 

Sebastian smirks, “Makes you wonder what other secrets lie around - just waiting to be discovered.”

He wants to say more, but his mouth quickly clamps shut. Instead, he squeezes her hands then motions towards the exit.

“We should get going. Before it gets too dark.” 

She spares one final glance around the sanctuary then follows after Sebastian.

------------------

Read Part 4 Here

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AN: Well hopefully the smut wasn't too unbearable to read cause there's more in the next part LMAO

as always feedback welcomed <3

idk im a sucker for really sweet passionate love making - and im like a prude about some of the words (cock, pussy, nipple, ect) so i tried really hard to not be a complete prude about it. hopefully it was enjoyable

also im a sucker for stained glass. and seb nerding out about it. he's my cute lil nerd. leave me alone

[cranetreegang]

In the Light of Death - Part 5 - Final

Sebastian x FemReader with former Ominis x FemReader

Summary: She has to make a decision - but will she make it in time.

Music to Listen to

🎶 Never Goodbye 🎶 (whole train scene like my god does this slap and make me teary eye listening to) 🎶 Earth 🎶 (at the very end - this one slaps hard too)

Word Count: ~2,800 words

Warnings... can't think of any besides mentions of death

Read Part 4 Here - Find Whole Light of Death Series Here

---------------------------------

Sebastian caresses her cheek with a gentle hand, admiring the beauty laying next to him. He traces under her closed eyes, noting how the dark circles have faded and her skin has returned some of its vibrancy. As he tucks her tangled hair behind her ear, a smile splays across her face. He wonders - who is she smiling for? 

He’s no fool. He knows the love she has for Ominis will never fade - never diminish. He only wishes to help that love, which had given her such joy, not be her ruin. Yet, despite knowing that she loves Ominis so fiercely still, he can’t get rid of the look in her eyes she had for him last night. It warms him - makes his chest tight and his heart flutter. He never imagined receiving such a thing from her, having accepted his place as her friend long ago. It’s something he never minded, for as long as he was able to be by her side - he would be happy.

Yet now…,

A smile comes over him as he strokes her hair - enjoying how it wraps around his fingers as he does. It’s foolish, selfish even, of him to hope that a new love would blossom within her - just for him. But, he hopes all the same. His eyes drift over her tranquil features and he lets out a soft sigh. Her spark had been reignited - that he won’t deny. The kindling of her spirit is nearly back to its full inferno. She just needs to take flight once again. And the time to spread her wings is rapidly approaching. 

She shifts, her eyes slowly opening. His breath catches in his throat at watching her smile diminish. Disappointment… no, melancholy weighs her eyes for a moment. He’s not the face she longs to see, but her smile slowly forms again. The brief sorrow blossoms to fondness. His breath catches in his throat for a different reason now. She’s always held a certain affection - warmth - for him, but now it’s deeper. It’s something more. 

“Morning, sunshine,” he whispers with a grin. 

She lets out a soft laugh then whispers, “Morning, handsome.” 

“Sleep well?” He manages to ask with nary a hitch in his voice even though his heart is all but frantic in his chest at her simple greeting.

She closes her eyes and hums in thought. 

“Yes… I had the best, yet strangest dream.”

“About?” he wonders.

“You’ll think it’s silly,” she murmurs with a sad smile. “But, since Ominis… I dream of him every night. He’s always facing away from me, and he’s never in my reach. And last night… Ominis was there. Facing me. Waiting for me by the tree line.” 

She meets Sebastian’s gaze with a bittersweet expression, “He smiled at me. It was… nice. Perfect.” 

Sebastian wipes away a stray tear rolling down her cheek and she lets out a slight laugh.

“I’m sorry,” she whispers, “I know it’s silly to think of it as anything more than just a dream. But… something about it…,” 

“I don’t think it’s silly at all,” he replies. 

Appreciation and warmth floods her teary eyes, and he can’t resist placing a tender kiss on her forehead. 

Her features contort into a grimace as she says, “I wish I could talk to him. One last time.” 

“What would you want to say to him?” 

She smiles, “That I love him. And how much I appreciate all the things he’s done. How much he means to me,” a sigh escapes her and she shuts her eyes to keep more tears from forming. “I thought we had more time. I miss him so much. I miss his voice. I worry I won’t be able to remember what he sounded like. What he felt like. He’ll be nothing more than a memory.” 

Sebastian kisses her cheek, “He lives on in you, sweetheart. He’ll always be with you.”

She lets out a shuddering breath as she nuzzles into his warm embrace. His lips press softly along her hairline and the gentle gesture eases the sorrow into something manageable. It’s strange how their relationship has evolved into something more intimate. More precious. Familiar yet wholly new. 

“I was thinking,” Sebastian says after some time.

She giggles, “That’s never good.”

He squeezes her with a scoff, “I have good ideas on occasion,” he releases her from his tight hold so he can look at her. “Would you say that you enjoyed yesterday? Roaming about in an old castle.” 

“I would,” she grins.

“Well,” he begins with a growing mischievous smirk, “what would you say to more jaunts like that? You and I - explorers of the forgotten and unknown!” 

His enthusiasm is contagious - filling her with a similar sort of excitement. The more she thinks about exploring the Highlands, finding more buildings or artifacts just like that castle, the more excited she gets. They could leave every morning and go exploring then return in the evenings to document their findings. 

She nods, “I would like that. I would like it very much.”

His lips crash onto hers, pressing several smothering kisses onto her as he smiles.

“That’s my girl! I knew you couldn’t resist forever,” he trails his lips down to her neck, holding her tightly. “I can see us now. We’ll be infamous.” 

She giggles as he nips and teases her neck. 

“This is cause for a hearty breakfast,” he’s suddenly out of bed, throwing on a pair of pants, then practically skipping out of the room.

She lays in bed, a warm smile unable to leave her lips. She looks out the window - towards the towering tree line by the lake - and she whispers in a teasing tone,

“What have I gotten myself into now, Ominis?” 

They share a late breakfast together, enjoying the quiet comfort of one another. Although, Sebastian does a poor job of keeping his jittering giddiness at bay. A smile hasn’t left his freckled face for a moment, and she chuckles at how overjoyed he is. 

She’s cleaning the dishes when his strong arms wrap around her. He places several kisses on her neck, making her giggle, before he holds out a piece of paper in front of her. 

“What’s this?” She wonders, staring at the ticket. 

“It’s what I wanted to tell you the other night,” he whispers into her ear. “My research is taking me halfway across the country.”

“Oh,” she says, her brows furrowing the longer she stares at the ticket. “Does that mean you’re leaving?” The disappointment is hard to miss in her voice, earning herself a reassuring squeeze around her waist from him.

“It does,” he shifts the ticket to reveal a second one, “And I want you to come with me.”

Her eyes widen as she takes the second ticket from him, noticing that the departure is for this afternoon. She turns to him and his face is bright with a beaming grin.

“We’ll go on an adventure - just like we talked about. We can discover ruins like yesterday. Find lost artifacts - cause a bit of mischief as we go.  Come on, what’d’ya say?”

No… this isn’t how she imagined this going. They were supposed to stay here… discover new things here. Not leave… not now.

She frowns, “Sebastian… you’re asking me to just… leave?”

He firmly takes both of her hands with a sure nod, “I am. The train leaves today. We can be packed and on our way within the hour.”

Her mouth parts in shock and she looks around her house, her home, with pinched brows. 

“I-I can’t leave.”

“You can,” he insists, releasing her hands to hold either side of her face. “You can’t stay locked away here forever, sweetheart. You must start living again. It’s what he would’ve wanted. Not for you to waste away here.”

His dark brown eyes plead with her. The sight makes her head whirl and her heart rip in two. She shuts her eyes and grips his wrists, slowly removing his hands from her face. 

“I’m sorry… but I can’t go with you,” she says in a near whisper.

Sebastian’s eyes widen and he shakes his head.

“It’s not like you’ll be gone forever. We can come back,” Sebastian implores. “It’ll only be for a month. Perhaps two at the most. Think of it as a holiday - if that helps.”

It’s like a vice has been placed around her chest with how shallow her breathing has become. Placing the ticket back into his hand, she whispers, 

“I can’t leave. This is all I have left of him. I-I can’t leave him.”

Sebastian wants to argue, but she hurries out of the kitchen before he can stop her. She locks herself in her room, sliding down against the door until she sinks on the floor. Drawing her knees to her chest, she digs her fingers into her scalp with a whimper. She shuts her eyes, hiding behind her legs while she listens to him packing his things. Then his footsteps make their way up the stairs to just outside her door. 

“Please, come with me,” he begs. “I don’t want to leave you… but we can’t stay here. I can’t stay here any longer. I can’t watch you waste away,” his voice cracks and he lets out a heavy breath.

She opens her mouth to reply, but nothing comes out. 

“Sweetheart,” his head is pressed right against the door and it’s almost like he’s whispering in her ear, “I know it’s scary. I know you’re feeling like it’s impossible. But, take this chance with me. Take a leap - and I think you’ll find that you’re more than ready for this. Staying here will only keep you trapped, and you don’t belong in a cage. You need to free yourself. Be free again.”

Her heart feels like it’s about to pound out of her chest. She can’t breathe - her eyes swimming with black dots. 

“Please,” he whispers. 

There’s a long silence before the ticket slides under the door. She hugs her knees closer to her chest as his footsteps descend down the stairs. When the front door shuts, she rushes to the window. 

He’s walking along the path and towards the village, pausing once he reaches the top of the hill. He turns back towards her with a pleading expression written upon his face. But she remains where she is, and he eventually walks away - leaving her. 

She clings to the windowsill, pressing her hand over her mouth to stifle a sob. Turning back towards her room, she expects to be met with the destruction of the other night. Instead, it’s as if it never happened. Another sharp pang rips through her. He… must have fixed it all at some point. Shuddering breaths leave her as she shuffles towards the picture frame on her bedside table. As she stares at their smiling faces, it feels like she’s looking at two strangers - a totally different life.

She runs her finger along Ominis’ smiling face before bringing it to her chest with a sigh. She returns to the window with the frame in hand. Staring at the photo under the sunlight, she notices something. It’s faint, but it looks like something is written on the back. She quickly flips the picture over and takes it out of the frame. There, written in Ominis’ elegant handwriting, is a note.

My love, 

Despite never seeing your face, I know your smile. I hope to always make you happy.

I love you. Now and forever.

Always yours,

Ominis

She stares at the message then she looks back out at where Sebastian was standing mere moments ago. 

Isn’t that what Sebastian told her? 

That Ominis asked Sebastian to come here, to her, to make her happy. Even in death, he still wanted her to be happy. And right now, that’s with Sebastian. Her mind whirls then settles just as quickly. Sebastian. She has to get to him. Before it’s too late. Before he’s gone too.

She tucks the picture into her pocket, snatches the ticket from the ground, and rushes out the door. Sprinting through the town, and shoving through the crowded streets, she arrives at the station with patrons already boarding the train. She scans the sea of people until her eyes land on Sebastian. She runs to him as he heads towards the train.

“Sebastian!” 

There’s so many people talking, and the train’s steam exhausts over her cries. He’s in line to board, and the crowd seems to conspire against her as she struggles to get to him.

“Sebastian!”

He boards the train while she desperately wrestles through the droves of people. The train’s signaling horn rattles her chest and makes her ears ring. 

“Sebastian!” She cries, but not even herself can hear over the train roaring to life. 

By the time she frees herself, the train is already pulling out of the station. She stares at the departing train with a gut wrenching feeling, and the pain of grief clawing at her heart anew. She missed him. And now he’s gone too. Her hand clutches over her aching heart - like someone had pierced a knife right through her. It takes everything in her to not collapse to the ground. 

“You came,” his voice calls.

She whips around to find him standing at the end of the platform, his face adorned with a wide smile. Her lip trembles, her feet moving her towards him on their own accord. They slowly approach each other, as if in a trance, until she stops just in front of him.

“I won’t stop loving him,” she states in a wavering voice. “I will always love him.”

“And I’m not asking you to stop,” he reaches out and grabs her hand with a soft smile. “I’m only asking you to live with me.”

Tears well in her eyes, a shuddering breath leaving her, as she wraps her arms around his neck in a suffocating embrace. He holds her close, sighing in relief while he strokes her tangled hair. 

“I thought I lost you, too,” she whispers.

He squeezes her against him as he whispers, “Never.”

They hold each other until she’s calm once more. She looks into his earthy brown eyes - finding them filled with warmth.

“I… you’re right,” she states. “I can’t stay here forever. And I am scared. I’m terrified that if I go with you - then I’ll be abandoning him.”

Sebastian shakes his head, “You won’t be abandoning him. He would want you to go wherever your heart decided.”

She lets out a pained gasp then lowers her head. Closing her eyes, she slowly nods then looks back up to Sebastian with newfound resolve. 

“There’s something I would like to do first. Before we leave,” she says. 

He nods, “Anything.”

They head down to the lake - towards the tree line - and to where his headstone stands between the towering trees. Ominis, wanting something simple, has only his name engraved on the polished white marble followed by: Beloved Husband to a Beloved Wife

She kneels before Ominis, while Sebastian stands at a distance, giving her this moment alone. Placing her hand on the stone warmed by the sun, she smiles softly.

“I know I haven’t been down to talk to you, and I deeply apologize,” she frowns. “It made it too real… even though it’s just your name on a slab of stone.” A bitter laugh escapes her for a moment.

She shuts her eyes with a sigh, “I see now. You always knew, didn’t you? You knew the only way I could survive without you, was if he and I were together. You were always so clever, my love,” she whispers, her tears starting to well in her eyes. “And now, I’m living once again. I’m… happy. It’s not the same. I don’t think anything will ever be the same. But, that’s okay. Because this is something new, and I’ll make the most of it.” 

She runs her fingers over his engraved name with a smile, “I’m not leaving you. You’re with me everywhere I go. You’ve made a home within me. And I can’t wait to tell you all about it when I see you again. Even though I’m sure you’ll be giving me quite the lecture about how dangerous this all is, and how reckless we’re about to be. But I look forward to it.”

She places a kiss onto the headstone and takes a deep breath, “I love you. My sweet Ominis. Now, and forever.”

Rising to her feet, she looks towards Sebastian, who smiles back at her. Casting one last glance at Ominis, she strides forward - taking Sebastian’s outstretched hand.

“Ready for this?” He asks with a grin.

She looks at the serene lake, the breeze ruffling her hair, then back to Sebastian’s bright face. Squeezing his hand, she returns his warm smile.

“What’re we waiting for?”

----------------------------

AN: annnnnndddd that's a wrap folks!

Hopefully you enjoyed. I had the idea a while back and decided to go ahead with posting it in celebration for reaching 400 followers.

I go hard for Ominis - and the only way I could envision MC and Sebastian getting together was in the aftermath of Ominis' death, and Sebastian being a bit older/more mature.

I probs could have done a better job in building up MC and Seb's romance -> but who has time for that am i right?

Thanks for reading and feedback is always welcomed <3

[cranetreegang]

In the Light of Death - Part 2

Sebastian x FemReader with former Ominis x FemReader

Also, I'm the worst and forgot to mention my girl @underthenightskydreamsneverdie cause i went to her and begged for her wisdom about Seb. So thank you again for looking this over waaay back when <3 I love you <3 (also i can't wait for you to read the spicy bit i added in part 4 hehe)

Summary: Sebastian helps her through her grief, and she starts to wonder if she can survive on her own without him.

Warnings: Dealing with death, mentions of depression, grief, mourning

Song to listen to: 🎶 A Nearly Peaceful Place 🎶

Word Count: ~1,900 words

Read Part 1 Here - Find Whole Light of Death Series Here

-----------------------------------

The days turn to weeks, then a month passes - with Sebastian still by her side. Not that she’s complaining. She’s grateful for his presence, even as it spreads all over the house. His various books have drifted from his room and are strewn about the coffee table in the living room, while papers of all sorts cover both her side tables. It smells like the library with how many ancient tomes he has lying about. There’s a new ink stain on the couch that she hasn’t bothered to remove, and he’s spent many nights up with her as they both quietly read.

He asks her for her thoughts on the studies he’s working on, and they end up in heated debates half the time. It reminds her of all the times they spent studying and researching, exploring and discovering, when they were at Hogwarts. In fact, there were several ruins back in the day they wound up exploring from their mutual burning curiosity - much to Ominis’ chagrin. 

Sebastian asks her to join him as he goes out to the field to explore said ruins. But, she can’t bring herself to go. It feels wrong, as if she’s not meant to be happy with anyone else. Even though the house is suffocating when she’s alone, and she has nothing to occupy her thoughts. 

But when Sebastian returns, it’s like he carries the light and warmth of the sun with him. He’ll excitedly prattle about what wondrous new findings he discovered, and he insists they go the next time. She can only nod with a slight frown.

He helps her around the house as well; keeping it tidy, cooking when she has no desire to, and even fixing many of the broken things she can never remember to do. But, most importantly, he’s there when she’s caught in the tight clutches of grief. He’s always there, comforting her, as she mourns. Sometimes, he cries with her, sharing in her pain. She’s grateful he understands, truly understands, the agony she’s in. Because he feels it too. This emptiness. This loss.

She reflects on all of this as she walks along the lake’s shore. She hasn’t been here in some time, finding it far too challenging at first. But now that she’s here, a bittersweetness envelops her, and she all but avoids the towering trees looming just out of her peripherals - as if even the briefest of glances would be enough to destroy her. 

Her and Ominis would walk along the shore for hours, talking about whatever was on their mind - or simply enjoying the silence. His hand would always tightly grip hers. As she walks now, she holds her own hand, trying in vain to mimic his grip. 

The setting sun casts a gloomy, yet colorful hue across the lake. She stops, taking in how the water reflects the vibrant sky and the soft crashing of the waves as they come to shore. The damp breeze ruffles her hair and she closes her eyes - imagining all the times they’ve been here. 

“I miss you. Every day,” she whispers. “They say it gets easier, and I guess it has… I don’t cry as much. You’ll have to thank Sebastian for that. He’s been… very kind. And patient. But, it’s only a matter of time before he leaves too. And… I don’t know if I can do it by myself, Ominis. I really don’t. I know you said I was strong, but it was only because you were by my side. I-I’m utterly pathetic on my own.”

Her burning eyes gaze up at the darkening sky and swirling gray clouds with a grimace.

“But, I’ll try. I know you’d want me to at least try.” 

With a deep breath she turns away, heading back to her house.

Music greets her before she even has to open the door, and as she steps inside she’s welcomed by the warm scent of spices in the air. She heads to the kitchen, finding it bustling and alive as Sebastian dances to the upbeat tune from the record player. His eyes light up when he notices her.

“Ah, there you are!” He exclaims. 

He flicks his wand to keep everything stirring and cooking while he dances his way towards her. 

“Enjoy your walk?” He asks with a grin. 

“I did-,” she gasps as he grabs her hand and spins her into him. 

He chuckles as he begins to dance with her. He’s spinning them all around the room, narrowly missing furniture, and he moves off-beat to the music. But, she can’t find herself to mind as she lets him spin and lead her, giggling along the way. Food smears his cheeks and stains his forest green wool sweater, but all she can notice is his freckled face filled with a warm, contagious joy. And once the song ends, he spins her several times before lowering her into a dramatic dip.

“You’re not too bad,” he winks as he pulls her back up to stand. 

“I would hope so. Ominis enjoyed all manner of dance lessons,” she smiles. “What’s got you so jovial?” 

Sebastian takes her hand and leads her back into the kitchen with a wide grin. 

He pulls out her chair and says, “I got some good news today.”

“Oh?” 

He prepares their plates, setting the steaming pile of curry in front of her. He pops open a bottle of wine, pouring them both a glass, and then sits down next to her. His knee brushes against hers as he smiles.

“To exciting news,” he clinks her glass.

She laughs, “I would like to hear the news first.” 

“Well, I got a letter today,” he says.

“And? What did it say? Come on, Sebastian. I’m dying of suspense.” 

Sebastian smirks, eating a huge mouthful of curry. His eyes flutter as he mumbles about how good it is. She rolls her eyes, taking a bite herself. It’s spicy and it warms her entire body, like a fire has been set within her belly, but it’s comforting. It reminds her of home, of a mother’s cooking. 

“So, the letter today,” he continues, “it’s about my research.”

She takes a sip of her wine, “And? What about it?”

A frown comes over her as she tastes the wine. 

It’s familiar… 

She looks over at the bottle and she turns it around to read the label. Her heart falls into a pit formed within her gut. 

“Hey, what’s wrong? What is it?” Sebastian wonders, his hand landing on her knee. 

“W-Why did you open this?” She hisses, hot tears already starting to fall down her cheeks. “You had no right to!”

His eyes widen, “W-What do you mean? What’s wrong? Tell me what I did wrong.”

“This wasn’t for you! This was for him and me! And you ju-just opened it!” 

“No, no, hey, I didn’t know. I-” he stammers.

“Enough!” She shoves his hand away as she bolts to her feet. The question on the forefront of her mind comes forward in a sharp hiss, “Why are you here, Sebastian? Why have you stayed? You could’ve left at any time. Why stay?”

Sebastian’s lips part in shock and he looks away from her with a grimace, “Because he asked me to.”

She gasps, “What?”

A storm brews outside, slowly forming and churning. Heavy droplets slap against the window panes like tiny stones. 

“He asked me to keep an eye on you,” he says as he looks back at her. “He had a letter sent to me the day after he-,” he closes his eyes, swallowing down the pain she knows all too well. “He wanted me to make sure you’d be alright. And to… make sure you keep on living. For the both of you.”

Her lip trembles and she shakes her head, “W-Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I never found the right moment. I’m sorry.” 

She scoffs, “‘Never found the right moment?!’ You’ve been here this whole time, all because you felt obligated to respect a dead man’s wishes, and you didn’t think it important to tell me!” 

“That is not the only reason I’m here,” he slams the table as he stands, towering over her with a heated stare. “You’re my friend. My best friend. Even if he didn’t ask, I would’ve came anyway.”

Lighting strikes almost on top of the house and the thunder which accompanies it is deafening. They both recoil, but it’s not enough to quell her fury.

“Why?” She seethes. “To take care of me? Am I really so pathetic?! I-I must be because now you’ve made me completely in need of you. Is that what you wanted? To make me spiral out of control every time I’m alone, because I can’t bear it! I can’t bear to be alone anymore, Sebastian! Is this what you wanted!” 

Her voice is hoarse and cracking as she screams and her whole body is flush from her rage. The thunderstorm outside is at full force, rocking and shuddering the walls with its mighty gales.

“That is not at all what I wanted, and you know it!” Sebastian hisses. “I miss him, just as much as you do. So don’t stand here pretending like you’re the only one who’s hurting, because I am too! I need you just as much!”

She rolls her eyes and storms away, stomping up the stairs until she’s able to slam the door of her bedroom shut. She paces around the room, fists balled at her sides. ‘Keep living for the both of them’?! How dare he? How dare he! 

She grabs the picture on her nightstand and hurls it across the room with a wailing scream. It shatters against the wall, but she doesn’t care. Her breathing is hard and hot, and she throws more things around their room - her room. The window seems to almost breathe with how strong the storm rages outside.

Glass breaks, vases shatter, memories are torn and shredded as she unleashes her fury on anything within sight. And when there’s nothing left, she collapses on the bed with a sob. The rage tempers and cools into a bitter sorrow she’s far too familiar with. The storm subsides until only soft rain patters on the window. Through her tears, she doesn’t hear her door open until a heavy weight makes the bed sag. 

She stops crying, her breath catching in her throat. A warm hand is placed on her shoulder and she gasps. It starts to retreat, but she quickly snatches it by the wrist. She holds onto the wrist, unsure of what to do at first, until she pulls the hand towards her. A warm arm drapes over her - the weight comforting. Her fingers tangle with his and she clutches onto his hand against her chest. 

A solid warmth presses against her back as another arm wraps around her until she’s fully engulfed in a tight embrace. She grips his other hand too, keeping it close to her hips, and presses her back fully into the inferno of his body behind her. And for a moment, she feels alive. His breath passes through her hair like a summer breeze and his arms are secure around her. He smells of spices, old books and ink, and all the things that are not her love. It’s something entirely new.

Her body relaxes into him, her breaths becoming gentle and soft. He holds her tightly, enveloping her in his warmth. She can’t keep her eyes open any longer and she lets herself drift away into a dreamless sleep.

--------------------

Read Part 3 Here

--------------------

AN: mhmmmmm analogies mhmmmm the storm is tied to her emotions and i'm def not on the nose about that at all mhmmmm cause magic mhmmm yes mhmmm i'm like a microwave now mhmmmmmm

anyways

Part 3 is when the spice starts >:)

im not the best at writing smut so uhhhhh forgive me

Feedback always welcomed <3

when i first wrote this, i had no intentions of splitting it up like this, and it probs shows. oh well. forgive me and my infinite sins.

[cranetreegang]

In the Light of Death - Part 1

Sebastian x FemReader with former Ominis x FemReader

This will be I think a four or five part series - depending on how i break it down. I have it all written, it was just A LOT to slap into one fic.

Uhhhh fic kind of depressing at first, but we'll get through it to the more spicy bits <3 def a friends to lovers type fic

Summary: Suffering from death of her beloved husband, Ominis, Sebastian comes to comfort and support her.

Word Count: ~2,800 words

Warnings: Death, Depression, Loss, Grief

Find Whole Light of Death Series Here

------------------------------------

She stands above Ominis, his body resting  upon a stone bed adorned with a white silk sheet. Matching white flowers lay all around him and he almost looks like he’s floating on a cloud. He looks peaceful, as if he’s in a pleasant dream with a faint smile playing on his pale lips. Even the sun peeks through the dense gray clouds, casting its light upon him. It makes the nightmare she’s living all the more painful. She leans down, softly pressing her lips on his forehead, her eyes shut as tears continue to fall and her body trembles. 

“I love you. Now, and forever,” she whispers, gently stroking his cheek that’s far too cold. 

With a hard, sharp breath, she slowly steps away from her beloved Ominis. Several arms and hands wrap around her, offering comfort, but none of them provide the warmth she so desperately craves. But, they’re the only thing keeping her standing, and not shattering at the base of his altar into a hundred, million pieces - never to be whole again.

A golden light envelops Ominis’ body, and he’s consumed in a beautiful, radiant glow. She watches as the light drifts off, ascending into the sky, leaving her with a suffocating pressure around her throat. But, she doesn’t cry. Instead, a harrowing thought rings in her head like a deafening bell.

He’s gone.

She’s not sure how she made it home, but she now stands in front of the kitchen sink, gazing out towards the garden that they planted. He loved to be out there in the warm afternoon sun, tilling away with his hands. Then he’d come inside to show her his harvest, a proud smile tugging on his lips while dirt coats his pale cheeks. She can almost hear his teasing laughter as she tries to clean him up. 

Instead of finding solace, only bitter, crushing emptiness smothers her. An indescribable pain and yet a chilling numbness all at once. Her mind - unable to comprehend such a loss. It’s like a vital piece of her is gone, and she’s merely a husk doomed to walk the land until she turns to dust. 

Lying in bed, her eyes fixed on a picture of them together, she can’t bring herself to move. He didn’t want to take the picture, but she asked him to anyway. He’s scowling at first, then she kisses his cheek and his whole face lights up into his beautiful, warm smile. She pulls his pillow to her face, inhaling his scent, as the numbness suffocates her. 

Everything serves as a cruel reminder of what she no longer has: His empty chair at the table, his favorite nook to read at collecting dust, the lack of his upbeat humming to banish the quiet. Even her dreams are no longer a sanctuary, as Ominis is always there, but just beyond her grasp, walking further and further away. Never once turning to look back - no matter how much she screams and begs. 

A knock at the door startles her. She stares at the door from her place on the couch, momentarily disoriented, before dragging herself over to answer it. Sebastian’s face brings a flicker of welcome relief as he smiles at her, familiar and warm. For a brief moment, she smiles, her lips forming Ominis’ name to call for him, but her eyes fall to the ground instead.

“Sebastian,” she whispers.

“Hey,” he whispers in equal softness. “May I come in?” 

She nods, stepping aside, and he strolls inside. Sebastian’s eyes widen at the once-lively rooms, now shrouded in darkness, with drawn curtains and an eerie stillness permeating the air. He grimaces, his dark brows furrowing, as he follows her towards the kitchen.

“Let me make us some tea,” she says. 

Sebastian joins her in the kitchen, observing her movements for a moment, “Shouldn’t I be the one making you a cup?”

She pauses then musters a tight smile, “Last I checked, you’re notorious for burning tea.” 

Sebastian chuckles, “You still won’t let me live that down, eh? That was one time!” 

“I never thought it possible. So excuse me for still being in disbelief,” she giggles, surprised by the noise for a moment. He smiles to himself at hearing a bit of joy from her, even if it’s at his expense.

While she prepares their mugs, Sebastian looks around the dimly lit room. It really is too dark in here, he concludes. He yanks open the curtains one by one, letting the fading afternoon sun in. As he opens the final curtain in the living room, his eyes land on a picture on the fireplace mantel. A sad smile tugs on his lips as he approaches it, holding the picture like a delicate flower. 

He recalls this moment - Christmas two or three years ago with himself, Anne, Ominis, and her. They’re all wearing horrible, matching sweaters that Anne insisted they wear, but everyone is smiling and laughing despite it. 

“I was happy to burn that horrid thing afterward,” she says, diverting his attention to her as she hands him a mug of hot tea. “Ugliest thing I’ve ever seen.”

“That’s Anne for you. Impeccable taste.” 

She stares at the picture, her smile fading into a deep frown. They’ll never have another Christmas together, and they’ll never have moments like that again. It’s all gone. 

He places the picture back up on the mantle and he guides her to sit on the well-loved couch. With sunlight cascading onto her, he can finally see the depths of her despair. There’s a dullness, a void, in her eyes - a dark, empty well that seems bottomless. The dark circles beneath her eyes only amplify the effect. Although her hair is brushed and her clothes are fresh, he doubts she’s been eating. He shifts his gaze to the tea in his hands. The steam swirls up to his face and he can see his frowning reflection peering back at him.

“I thought the funeral was nice,” he says. “Didn’t expect so many people-,”

“Is that why you’re here?” She interrupts, her tone sharp as she sets down the mug with a huff. “I don’t need, nor want, more condolences.” 

He places his mug beside hers and turns to face her, “No, that’s not why I’m here.”

She barely turns her head towards him, so he continues.

“I have some work in the area - research mainly - and I was hoping I could use the spare bed.” 

She stares at him, blankly and unnaturally still. He takes her hand and she jolts, her eyes blinking rapidly. Eventually, she nods.

“Of course. You’re always welcomed. You know that,” she smiles, but it’s forced and doesn’t come close to her anguished eyes. Sebastian squeezes her hand and she notices how warm he is compared to her. He’s practically an inferno.

“And as appreciation for your humble hospitality, I’ll help you around the house. Cook you dinner from time to time. Run errands, anything you need,” He offers, grinning. 

There’s a certain yearning in his eyes. She’s familiar with that look. He does it every time she’s angry or upset with him, and he’s trying to make her smile or laugh. It usually never fails to wear her down, and she’s thankful to have a bit of normalcy right now. 

“Thank you,” she whispers with a slight frown. It’s a weak show of gratitude, but it’s all she can give him. She withdraws her hand from his, finding his warmth too much to bear, and stands up, “I’ll… go check to see if the room’s picked up.”

As she disappears into the back bedroom, Sebastian runs his hand through his hair with a heavy sigh. He’s never seen her like this before - it’s like she’s dead too. It’s hard for him to keep himself from falling into the same void with her. His gaze returns to the picture on the mantle, stirring a bittersweetness within him. 

Oh, Ominis, she’s far worse off than you thought she would be, he thinks to himself. He grits his teeth as he stands, determined to rekindle her spark again. 

The bedroom is neat, untouched since their last visitor. She runs her fingers along the patchwork quilt as she tries to recall who last stayed over. She thinks it was Sebastian, and they all enjoyed a long weekend by the lake. Her eyes squeeze shut, her hands clench to her sides. 

All of their memories hurt. Like something is tearing and ripping at her throat as her heart sinks further into her chest. Thunder rumbles and rocks the house, plunging the room into darkness. She sucks in a sharp breath, not realizing she’s been holding it in, and she leaves the room. 

The sounds of clanking dishes and sizzling food lures her into the kitchen. It’s a familiar noise, bringing a bloom of warmth amidst the pain. But when she rounds the corner, it all fades. Instead of her husband, it’s Sebastian who occupies the kitchen. She watches, captivated by his dance, as his wand is hard at work - swishing the air to command the various spices, vegetables and pots. Ominis would do much the same, cooking for her as he hummed a soft song. She always loved to watch him, silently smiling as he pretended to not notice her staring.

Sebastian is far more chaotic to observe - and far noisier too - as he has the whole kitchen sprung to life. She finds herself smiling at his excitement. The evening sun bathes the kitchen in a warm glow, the storm passing as suddenly as it appeared, and Sebastian seems to almost shine, like a beacon. 

“It smells nice,” she comments.

Sebastian whips around and smiles at her, his whole face lighting up.

“Hope you don’t mind, we’re having pasta tonight. It’s all I could scrounge up, so we’ll need to hit the market tomorrow,” he spins back around and continues about his preparations. She joins him in his whirlwind and gazes at the pasta creation. A pot boils golden noodles, and a bright crimson sauce simmers. She steps closer to feel the steam against her face, a smile tugging at her lips. Sebastian grins at her.

“What do you wanna have this week? Ah,” he snaps his fingers with a chuckle, “you know what I’ve been craving for? That roast of yours - with those little potatoes and carrots. Merlin’s Beard, I can almost taste it now.” 

“Sure, that sounds nice,” she murmurs with a slight giggle. “Do you need any help?”

“Just set up the table, and pick out a bottle of wine. A good one. I know you’ve got something stashed away back there,” Sebastian teases with a wink. 

She lets out a snort as she heads to the cupboard. There’s several bottles and as she skims over them it’s like she’s tossed right back into her sorrow. She pulls out a bottle her and Ominis were saving for their anniversary. She runs her hand over the label with a sad smile before putting it back. She grabs a bottle at random and sets it on the dining table. By the time she’s got the table set, Sebastian is levitating a steaming pot over. 

He fills their bowls, sending the pasta away, then he opens the bottle of red wine. He pours their glasses with the dark burgundy drink and he raises his up with a smirk.

“To my incredible cooking.”

She giggles as she clanks his glass, “We’ll see about that.”

His cooking is actually decent, impressing her. The flavors and robustness warms her heart. She can’t remember the last time she enjoyed a good meal, lacking any motivation to cook since she first got the news. People had brought their own food over, of course, but it all tasted bitter or bland. As she sips her wine, glancing over at Sebastian, she can almost pretend that they’re waiting for Ominis to walk through the door and join them. 

It’s silent, save for their chewing and forks scratching their plates, and as they drink more and more of the bottle, the more she enjoys herself. They shove their plates aside and they both lean back in their chairs with their fourth glass of wine in hand, and their bellies full. Sebastian has a smile playing on his lips and she catches the light of mischief within his dark eyes.

“Well,” she says with a grin, “say it.”

“Say what?”

She rolls her eyes, “What’s on your mind.”

He laughs with a slight shake of his head, “I truly can’t keep anything from you. You’re just as bad as Anne!” Biting his lip as he swirls his wine, he says, “I was just thinking about when we all went to that wine garden in France.”

“Where you made a fool of yourself by mispronouncing all the wine they had?” She chuckles. 

“The very same!” He laughs as he leans over to her, “But, it wasn’t me who was embarrassed, was it? Ominis was about ready to rip my tongue out.”

She hides her wide smile behind her hand as she recalls Ominis’ outraged face. 

“I’ve never seen him so embarrassed. Actually, that’s not true,” she giggles. “There was this one time where we were at some gathering. I don’t know how it happened, but he ended up holding hands with, well, not me.”

“No!” Sebastian exclaims with an open-mouth smile. “He’s so good about that.”

“I know, I know. I blame the beverages they were serving, they were quite strong, and you know how he gets with sweet drinks. But, oh, I wish you could’ve seen him. I went up, I tapped on his shoulder, and I said, ‘Excuse me, I’m looking for my dashing husband, have you seen him?’”

They both burst into laughter, sipping more wine as they calm down. 

“Ah,” he nudges her, “remember our school days?” 

She scoffs, “How could I forget?”

Sebastian grins, “Remember when we all drank Garreth’s ‘brilliant brain brew’, so we could pass our Charms exam we forgot to study for?” 

She falls back into her chair with a groan, “Oh, I wish I didn’t. I have never puked that hard in my life! I never should’ve talked Ominis out of hexing Garreth into a toad.”

“You talked him down from that? What were you thinking?” 

The warm buzz is pleasant and she laughs with a shrug. As she stares up at the ceiling, she recalls many fond memories from their days at Hogwarts. 

“Remember when you first showed me the Undercroft, and Ominis caught me straight after? I’ve never been scolded like that before in my life.” 

“You and me both. Now, that was a tongue-lashing that would put that poor old librarian to shame,” he sighs.

She leans forward, chipping her nails along the glass stem with a soft smile.

“That’s how I first met him, really met him. I thought he’d always hate my guts. Now look at us,” her smile fades, replaced by a grimace. “Fifteen years… and now he’s gone.”

A sharp gasp leaves her. She covers her face with her hands as sobs escape her. Hard rain pelts against the windows and a gale rattles the shutters. Sebastian’s hand is quickly on her back, pulling her into his chest. 

“It hurts so much, Sebastian. H-How am I supposed to live without him? I-I can’t bear it. I can’t. I can’t. I just want him back.”

Sebastian holds her tighter, “I know. I’m… He’s… He was special to me too.” 

He doesn’t know what else to say, so he just holds her as she cries for a love forever lost. Lightning flashes, casting eerie shadows across the room, and thunder rumbles, making the walls tremble, in time with her rapid breaths. As her tears subside, so too does the storm, and she slowly removes herself from Sebastian’s embrace. She wipes her cheeks with the back of her arm and gives him an apologetic look. 

“I-I’m sorry. I… thank you for dinner. I think I’ll just go to bed now,” she whispers, her voice raw from her outburst.

“Okay,” he nods with a gentle smile, squeezing her hand. “Get some rest.”

She leaves, collapsing onto her cold bed, and dragging Ominis’ pillow to her. A whimper escapes her at his scent already starting to fade. She doesn’t want to cry anymore, yet more tears come. It feels endless, like being trapped in an abyss. She shudders, clutching the pillow close to her, and she gazes at their picture - barely visible in the darkness. 

“Why did you have to leave me? Why couldn’t you have taken me with you?” She whispers.

Ominis only smiles - like all is well - and she closes her eyes - wishing that were true.

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Read Part 2 Here

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AN: i really wanted MC to be disjointed and sporadic - like time is moving around her but she's sort of stuck. And I def want her emotions to be all over the place. She's both feeling nothing and everything all at once. Hopefully that's conveyed well enough. ngl, when i first wrote the intro, i nearly cried. and i hope i made one of you cry cause im a terrible person. SHARE IN MY MISERY MUHAHAHA

As always, feedback welcomed. Love to hear what y'all think and if i got seb right or not LOL

Also I love the idea of Seb being like a lil puppy trying to cheer her up. also also, this is how i think of older seb. no idea where this pic came from, i had it saved in my google doc. forgive me

[anto-pops]

Atonement - Dark!Sebastian Sallow x Female!Reader

Summary: Sebastian had tried to escape. From what you understood in the article you’d read, he had actually succeeded, only to be discovered and apprehended in the water mere miles from the shore. It was mind boggling– nearly impossible to believe– but you had no choice but to accept it as the truth when you read he was being re-sentenced as a result of the transgression. 

He had been doomed to face the Dementor’s Kiss.

Word Count: 5.3k

Warnings: 18+, aged up characters, angst, brief thoughts of suicide, violence, minor character deaths

Part 1 of this fic can be found here on Ao3! PART 2 now finished!

The brisk London air chilled your bones, billowing through your unkempt hair as you sat perched on the roof of King’s Cross Station. At this time of year, it wasn’t unusual for temperatures to dip well below freezing in the dark of the night, chasing any meandering residents back inside the safety and comfort of their warm homes. 

Good. The less people milling about when the caravan arrived, the better. 

You had been sitting there for the better part of two hours, lying in wait for the Ministry assigned escort from Azkaban to arrive with their prisoner in tow. Sebastian Sallow had, for the most part, been serving his life sentence rather quietly based on what you heard through the grapevine. Which really wasn’t much, but no news was good news, and that turn of phrase had held true for two long, painstaking years– until about five months ago. 

Sebastian had tried to escape. From what you understood in the article you’d read, he had actually succeeded, only to be discovered and apprehended in the water mere miles from the shore. It was mind boggling– nearly impossible to believe– but you had no choice but to accept it as the truth when you read he was being re-sentenced as a result of the transgression. 

He had been doomed to face the Dementor’s Kiss. 

A fate that many said was worse than death. It would strip him of everything that made him human– everything that made him Sebastian. They would take it all away and leave him a husk of his former self, and for what? For running? For trying to escape what you knew could only be Hell-incarnate? It was your fault he had ended up there in the first place; a part of you had always known Azkaban was never a solution. The prison wasn’t exactly synonymous with rehabilitation, and yet you had practically held the cell door open for him by telling Professor Black what he’d done. 

After that, you knew what you had to do. Ominis had silently listened when you’d gone to him with your idea— begging for his help— because without his connections, who knew if you would be able to reach Sebastian in time. Any remorse you may have felt for essentially manipulating him into agreeing vanished when he came to you weeks later with a stack of parchment.

“He’s being brought to London in three months. It sounds like they’re charting the trip along a road just west of the tracks near the station, but you can double check– I think there’s supposed to be a map in here somewhere. They’ll transfer him from Azkaban and bring him before a hearing. The Dementor’s Kiss will happen there, in the main chamber.” 

Your stomach lurched at the thought of Sebastian being reduced to a brainless, drooling pile of flesh in front of hundreds of unknown eyes. “Why wouldn’t they just have the Dementors do it in the prison?” 

Ominis deposited the papers on the rickety table in your kitchen, his brows furrowing. “They won’t risk a Dementor going rogue in the prison. There aren’t enough wands available to handle something like that, so they use one housed within the Ministry that’s surrounded at all times.” 

You hummed your acknowledgement before thumbing through the thick wad of information you now had to sift through. It had to work– there was no alternative in your mind. With Ominis’ assistance, you stood a real chance of getting to Sebastian now. All you had to do was stay two steps ahead of the Ministry and not do anything impulsive. You would have to act alone– no one else could know of your plot to get to him before the Dementors.

Ominis’ head turned, and you glanced over to see milky blue eyes trained in your direction. “Are you sure you want to do this?” 

“What other choice is there, Ominis? Let him have his soul sucked out? I know what he did was wrong, but when does all of this stop being punishment and start becoming torture?” 

The taller man’s eyes pinched shut, and his head hung heavy between his shoulders. He sighed, raking his long fingers through his neat coif of hair while he waged against his own internal turmoil. “I know. You’re right, I just…” 

He trailed off in silence, so you continued, “If I don’t do this, he’s as good as dead. If I can’t get to him before they do, the Sebastian Sallow you and I both know and love will be a thing of the past. He’s learned his lesson, Ominis. I refuse to believe that he hasn’t, and I can’t sit back and let him continue to pay for one mistake forever. He won’t even be making up for anything after this, he’ll just be some mindless husk shut away in a dark cell, left to rot all alone and–” 

“Alright!” he clipped, the edge to his voice making you snap your mouth shut with an audible clack of your teeth. “I get it, okay? I’m sorry. It’s just– if you do this, you can’t come back here. You know that, right? You’ll have to take him and run. Get as far away from London as you can before the news breaks and then stay hidden until things die down.” 

You frowned, “What about you? They’ll immediately suspect that you had something to do with it– I don’t want you getting into trouble for this. This was my idea, not yours.” 

He gave you a sad smile, those hazy eyes narrowing slightly as he pondered the possibilities that raced through his mind. “I’ll figure something out. It might not be pleasant, but there’s always the Obliviate charm.” 

“Come with me,” you implored him. Ominis shouldn’t have to erase his own memory just to save himself from the ire of the Ministry. You suddenly felt awful for having come to him for help. “Come with us and you won’t have to. We can all leave– together. Start over somewhere far away from London and the Ministry. There’s nothing here for us anyways.”

Ominis shook his head, the action small but firm. “At least if I’m here I can spin a story. Lead them in the opposite direction. If I go with you I’ll only slow you both down, and you’ll need to be moving fast if you want to keep him out of the Ministry’s reach. Besides, someone has to stay here in case they try roping Anne into all of this. It wouldn’t be fair to let her face their scrutiny by herself– I refuse to do that to her.” 

Something in your chest cracked. Ominis, always the logical and reasonable one. It pained you to even begin to agree with him, but at the end of the day, he was right. All of your good work for Anne’s health could be undone in a second at the Ministry’s hands. She would need Ominis’ help, and once you had Sebastian with you, there could be no stopping. You would never be able to settle in any one place, effectively on the run for the rest of your life. But if that was the price you had to pay to atone for sending Sebastian away in the first place, then so be it. 

The memory faded from your mind at the sight of carriages peeking over the hill. There had been a few false alarms thus far, so you waited patiently and scanned the line of wheeled transports for a sign that this was what you’d been waiting for. One carriage came over the cobblestone path, flanked by a second that had two Auror’s perched precariously on either side of the driver. Their robes set them apart from the man holding the reins. A long, white flag flapped in the breeze, and the familiar ‘M’ of the Ministry’s logo flashed in the vivid moonlight. 

Sebastian was here. 

You shifted so you were laying across the slanted roof on your stomach, watching silently as the carriages followed the west road leading towards the train station. All you had at your disposal was a desperate plan and a shit-load of ancient magic, but it would have to be enough. You would ensure that it was enough. Otherwise… 

Otherwise you would die trying. 

—

The entire carriage ride from Azkaban to King’s Cross Station had been… interesting, to put it mildly. To start everything off, the two Auror’s who had come to retrieve Sebastian from his cell insulted him immediately after confirming he was present. That wasn’t too unusual, though, and he honestly considered it to be relatively standard treatment from the Ministry’s best and brightest. At least, it was normal as far as the inmates were concerned. 

Then the blokes had pushed him against the wall and shoved a bag over his head, and it was game on from there. Sebastian knew what lay in wait at the end of the tracks they were taking him to, and he’d sooner cut out his own tongue than make the task easy for the bastards. 

So, he fought. He had kicked and flailed and quite possibly shattered his cell guard’s nose with the heel of his foot when Alexander Shacklebolt used Levioso to suspend him in midair, opting to float him into the carriage instead of letting him walk to his untimely demise– the nerve of the condescending asshole. 

Now, after four hours of listening to the second Auror, William Singer, sing his own praises and retell the story of how he “took down the biggest poaching ring in Northern Ireland”, Sebastian was looking forward to the Dementor’s Kiss. It should be illegal, he thought, having a prisoner’s last coherent hours on Earth be spent listening to moronic rambling. 

There was a long list of things he would have preferred to have cashed in on before being made into a failed lobotomy patient, and none of those things had shit to do with William Singer’s escapades in Ireland. 

You appeared an unhealthy amount of times on said list. 

Sebastian’s infatuation with you had only grown in his time locked away from the outside world. With nothing else to do but think, he found himself replaying the events that had landed him in Azkaban over in his mind, day after day. Perhaps it was counter-productive to admit it, but he never regretted killing his Uncle. Solomon had been a stain on his life for far too long to start backtracking now and say he missed him– but what he did regret was putting that look of fear in your eyes in the catacombs that night. 

You had done everything in your power to help him in his search for a cure for Anne. In his crazed pursuit for power, he started taking everything you and Ominis had given him for granted. Somewhere along the line, Sebastian knew he had become a terrible friend. One unworthy of Ominis’ loyalty, and most of all, undeserving of your love. 

Your shared moments with him haunted his dreams every night in Azkaban. From the adrenaline filled adventures the two of you had gone on in the Highlands, to the far more intimate moments shared in the Undercroft late at night. Sebastian longed for you like a man lost in the desert craved water. You were his mirage in the barren wasteland of his prison cell, and it was your name that tumbled from his lips during those particularly dreadful nights when all he could do to cope was stroke himself to the mantra of your name on his tongue. 

William Singer started talking again, interrupting Sebastian’s life-before-brain-dead montage, and he rolled his eyes within the confines of the sac on his head. If he could cast wandless magic, Singer would have been transfigured into a rat long before now. 

“Is the convoy waiting in London already?” Singer directed the question towards Alexander, and Sebastian had the good sense to believe that the seasoned Auror was the real brains behind this whole operation. The man allegedly came from a family of powerful purebloods and was highly skilled with his wand, rising to the ranks of Auror when he was only twenty-four years old. 

Alexander sounded equal parts uninterested and irritated when he replied. “No. As I stated before we got in the carriage, we’ll send an owl from the platform. That way the Ministry won’t be sitting ducks out in the open when we’re still heading their way.” 

The two men didn’t even bother to conceal their conversation from him, and Sebastian scowled, almost offended that they considered him to be so little of a threat. Hadn’t he put up a fight on his way out of the prison? Or maybe they figured that since he would be a witless, soulless idiot in less than a few hours, him knowing their itinerary wasn’t the end of the world. 

Merlin, he wanted to Confrigo them both into scorch marks. 

The carriage finally lurched to a stop, and Sebastian’s stomach sank into his feet. They were here. His unfortunate quietus loomed ominously in the far reaches of his mind, and he couldn’t help but feel a tad defeated at the realization that this was the end of the line. After this, whatever happened to him probably wouldn’t matter to him. He had seen what fate came after the Dementor’s Kiss plenty of times with other inmates. The most obstinate and ferocious of prisoners would return from their own sentences cross eyed and shuffling their feet, taking beatings from the guards with little more than soft grunts. 

Maybe he would throw himself in front of the train. He could sort of see through the threadbare bag over his head– albeit not very well. But how hard would it be to just… jump forward when he heard the train approaching? If Ominis could maneuver around the world without sight, Sebastian figured he could easily do it for five measly seconds before becoming a bloody splat on the tracks. 

One of the Auror’s gripped his forearm to haul him out of his seat, and he was cursing up a storm as he was unceremoniously thrown from the carriage doors. The temperature change was drastic, the cold fresh air hitting his skin like a bucket of ice water, but he couldn’t help but relish in it. He’d been too preoccupied with thrashing like a fish out of water on his way out of Azkaban to appreciate the undiluted, clean breeze that existed outside the prison walls. 

“Don’t try anything stupid, Sallow.” Shacklebolt muttered ominously from somewhere behind him, and Sebastian sighed in annoyance. 

He felt the Auror grab his bound wrists to push him forward, and he blindly allowed himself to be guided towards the front gates of King’s Cross Station. As they approached, a different kind of chill ran down his spine, causing the hair on the back of his neck to stand on end. All he could see through the sac concealing his vision were the brief flashes of light from the streetlamps, but he still strained to look around and figure out what surrounded him.

“Quit fidgeting and walk, Sallow.” William spat his name like it was a curse, and Sebastian sneered behind the safety of his makeshift mask, slowing his stride purely out of spite. William groaned, “For crying out loud…” 

The closer he got to the station, the more potent the energy around him felt. It was electric and warm, almost soothing against his skin as his footsteps echoed through the barren streets. It didn’t sound like there was anyone milling about, so what was the source? 

“Do you feel that?” William whispered to Alexander, and the older Auror stopped walking to look around with narrowed eyes. Evidently, he did. 

A few beats of silence followed the question, and Sebastian felt Shacklebolt tighten his grip around his restraints. The rope digging into his bony wrists bordered on painful, but he grit his teeth through the discomfort. He had dealt with worse. “Take him back to the carriage. Now!” 

At the same time Alexander was pulling Sebastian backwards, a brilliant flash of red illuminated the sky through his head covering. It arched overhead and slammed into the ground behind them, raining shattered wood and debris on his shoulders. Instinct screamed at him to duck down and keep his head attached to his neck, but with Shacklebolt roughly tossing him towards William, Sebastian found himself being forced to sprint back towards the carriage with Singer’s wand pointed against his back. 

“What the hell was that!?” Sebastian found himself yelling over another blast of magic. 

“Shut up! Get back in the carriage and stay there–” Another explosion heated the air in front of them, the force of it blowing him and William back against the rough stone pavement and ripping the bag away from his head. 

The night sky and crackling spells danced above him, and Sebastian blinked away the fog from his mind as the ringing in his ears subsided. His head ached when he lifted it from the cold ground, but he willed away the impending nausea to hurriedly take in everything happening around him. 

The carriage he had arrived in was now a useless pile of charred wood, as was half of the second transport that was still disintegrating into ash. Whoever had been riding inside was likely no longer amongst the living. The whole thing screamed preventative measures, and Sebastian wondered dimly if this was by any chance a prison-break. 

Alexander was entirely on the defensive, every other spell from his wand being cast to protect himself from the brutal onslaught of magic coming from above the train station. Whoever was attacking them had the high ground and was thoroughly thrashing the Auror, an impressive feat in and of itself, but then he noticed William stirring from his spot on the ground. The beady eyed man wobbled as he got to his knees, grabbing his wand from beneath him as he moved to take position behind the older Auror. 

“Accio!” he called out, and the purple tether of magic whizzed past the unknown assailant as they dove across the roof. Sebastian saw their dark cloak billow behind them as they leapt from the clock tower in an absolutely insane freefall, and right before they would have hit the ground with a bone-breaking splat, a spell shot from their wand and allowed them to float down the remaining distance. 

What the fuck kind of magic was that? 

The figure stood straight, and they weren’t very tall at all– kind of youthful in stature, actually. When they slowly began stalking closer, Sebastian realized they had a mask on under their hood. Their narrowed eyes glinted with recognition when they flickered over to him still lying prone on the ground, and Sebastian’s heart threatened to beat straight out of his sternum. Did he dare to hope?

“Whoever you are, you’re a right fool for attacking Ministry officials,” Shacklebolt’s voice was booming, drawing Sebastian’s attention from his rescuer back to the two Auror’s that separated him from them. “Rest assured you’ll get to spend plenty of time with Mr. Sallow on the train ride to London. I take it he is why you’re here, am I correct?” 

The cloaked figure said nothing, but Sebastian saw the way their gloved hand tightened around their wand. Your wand. 

His breath got caught somewhere in his throat at the revelation at the same time you were moving into a dueling stance, and it dawned on him then that you were taking on fucking Aurors to get to him. You were trying to help him escape his fate– and he couldn’t do a damn thing to help. The bindings on his wrists kept his hands uselessly sandwiched between his back and the road. 

“Last chance,” Alexander growled, leveling his wand with your head, which in turn prompted William to do the same. “Drop your wand and surrender, and maybe I’ll put in a good word and get you a nicer cell with a view. What say you?” 

You stayed silent, but the spell you fired off said everything that you didn’t.

It sounded a lot like fuck you.

Sebastian watched as Shacklebolt and Singer both started countering your attacks with devastating ones of their own, but you held your ground. Despite the uneven odds, it was you advancing closer to them, stealing the space that they tried to maintain in vain. Your wand was constantly glowing, your ancient magic pulsing in the air around him and charging the breeze with flakes of electricity. 

That was what he had been feeling this whole time– your magic. 

He never remembered it being so palpable. Sure, you’d always had something of a magnetic aura– it was one of the reasons he’d found himself so drawn to you years ago– but this was different. Something had changed. Your power had transformed into a ruthlessly sharp entity, yet it's eerily familiar warmth from your fifth-year was still there. It caressed his skin as if to put him at ease, before shifting back into the cold, jagged flecks of energy that worked to set the two Aurors’ teeth on edge. 

William rolled to the right, narrowly avoiding Bombarda as it broke apart the Earth where he had been standing seconds before. Sebastian watched in awe as you used the demolished remnants of the transport as ammunition, lifting and throwing a detached carriage wheel to knock Singer off his feet before he could steady himself. He flew back against the loose gravel with a grunt, and it was like the universe was dangling a bone right before Sebastian’s eyes, because the man’s wand bounced and came to rest not two feet away from him. 

Sebastian threw himself to the side and awkwardly clasped the crooked wood like it was his lifeline, and despite it feeling clunky in his fingers, it hummed in acknowledgement as he finally let his magic channel through him after two and half years without it. 

“Incendio,” The rope bindings around his wrists went up in flames for a heartbeat, then fell away in a pile of smokey ash underneath him. He could feel the fresh burns on his skin from the direct contact with the fire, but that was hardly important right now. 

Sebastian took his own dueling stance behind Shacklebolt, who was too preoccupied with shielding himself from your casting to notice that his partner was incapacitated behind him. Your wand whipped towards the Auror, your own spell breaking the shield he’d encased himself in, and Sebastian leapt at the chance. 

“Depulso!” It felt incredibly strange to be casting magic again– much less with an unfamiliar wand– but the way it got his blood pumping brought a dark smile to his face. He hadn’t felt this alive in years. Alexander went flying through the air before hitting the streetlamp across the road, and Sebastian couldn’t help but wince a little at how the man seemed to wrap around the pole. The Auror slid down to the ground in an unmoving heap, and at the sight of his wand rolling out of his lax fingers, Sebastian let his guard drop as he turned to face you fully. 

You had no time to say anything to warn him as William Singer reappeared behind Sebastian, wearing a positively murderous expression that promised trouble. The Auror looped his arm around Sebastian’s throat, pulling him against his chest with a strangled choking sound. 

“I’ll fucking kill you for that, Sallow,” Singer spat while trying to grab his wand from Sebastian’s outstretched grasp. All the while Sebastian struggled to take a breath to utter a spell– any spell– to save himself. He was fading quickly– the awareness in his eyes slowly seeping away as William tightened his hold against his airway. “The Dementor’s Kiss is too good for you anyways, you’re gonna die here and now, at my hands–”

William was cut off as he was snatched up into the air faster than either man could process, and he stayed hanging in midair as Sebastian collapsed to his knees, bracing himself on his hands to suck in greedy breaths. Looking over to you, he saw your wand pulsing an angry red– a red that seemed to be reflected in your eyes– and you swung your arm down in a broad motion to hurdle the Auror against the pavement. A sickening crack resonated from somewhere within him, and Sebastian’s blood ran cold. You repeated the motion two more times, essentially ragdolling William Singer’s body back and forth with the force of a damned Troll, before you let his broken form hit the ground in a bloody heap. 

Holy fuck. 

Your shoulders heaved with exertion as your magic receded beneath your skin, and the only thing you could hear was your own heartbeat thrumming in your ears. Hot, puffs of your breath warmed your cheeks beneath your mask, and with one last look at the slumped bodies of both Aurors, you ripped the face covering off and turned to Sebastian. 

His pale skin had a sheen of sweat covering it along with a few scrapes, and he was breathing heavily. An ugly bruise was starting to form along his neck from the Auror’s arm, but beyond that, he seemed to be okay. Despite being locked in the dark for two and a half years, his freckles were stark in comparison to his alabaster complexion, and you couldn’t help but smile softly at the sight of them. Sebastian’s dark brown eyes widened at the sight of you, his lips parting as if he wanted to say something, but the words got caught in his throat. 

Your steps were slow and tentative as you closed the distance between the two of you, and when you finally came to kneel in front of him, Sebastian’s hand flew to the front straps of your cloak and yanked you into a desperate kiss. 

It was all tongue and teeth as you collapsed against him, with your frantic hands cupping his cheeks and then raking through his unkempt hair, while his hands gripped your hips with bruising strength to hold you as close as possible. Part of him was afraid that if he let go, you would disappear entirely– that all of this would just turn out to be some torturous dream inside the carriage with Singer still monologuing in his ear. 

Any thoughts of William vanished at the feeling of your burning hands cradling the back of his head tenderly as you kissed him harder, more urgently, and a keening noise sounded from deep in his chest. Sebastian’s hands roved up the small of your back, tugging you harder against him as he started to pull at the fabric of your shirt.

As riveting as everything was, it was equally sobering to feel the cold pavement beneath your knees, and you forced yourself to stop and remember where you were. You placed your hands against his chest in a bid to break away, but he chased your lips as you pulled back to gaze at him. 

“Sebastian, wait–” he stole you into a kiss once more, swallowing your startled gasp and delving his tongue into your mouth to taste you. He had forgotten how sweet you were, and he felt that if he didn’t commit everything to memory now, he would never get another chance. 

“Say my name again,” he heard himself say against the curve of your jaw, the husky, needy tone to his voice making your toes curl in your boots. Merlin, you had missed the sound of it.

“We need to leave, it isn’t safe–”

“Please,” he breathed the request against your heated skin, and when his head lifted to stare up at you in his lap, the look was desperate and showcased just how haggard he actually was. 

Dark, reddish circles framed his deep-set eyes and made the whites stand out drastically, giving him something of a haunted expression. Being this close to him clued you in on how thin he was beneath his clothes. There was still a little muscle definition, but his cheeks were gaunt, and you could see the sharp outline of his collarbones poking over the neckline of his shirt. The tortured glint in his eyes imbued you with a fresh sense of remorse, and your guilt gnawed at the lining of your stomach, effectively smothering any joy you might have felt at reaching him in time. 

You might have made it to him before the Dementors, but you couldn’t shake the feeling that you’d still failed him. 

Swallowing around the lump in your throat, you let your hands rise to cup his cheeks, ghosting your thumbs across the constellation of freckles that lined his nose. “I’m so sorry, Sebastian.” 

Chuckling cynically, he lowered his stare and shook his head softly, the longer strands of his overgrown hair brushing over his shoulders. “You can make it up to me later– tell me you have a plan that gets us out of here quickly– I don’t particularly want to hang around for more Ministry dogs to show up.” 

Nodding, you blinked away the sting from your eyes and slid off Sebastian’s lap, extending your hand to help him to his feet. He took it graciously, mindlessly fidgeting with the wand he had taken from William in an attempt to distract himself from his own nerves. You let him collect himself for a moment while you took in the state of the streets outside the train station. 

Chunks of cobblestone littered the ground, along with what little remained of the carriages you’d exploded. Your eyes skipped over the bodies of the Auror’s you and Sebastian had killed, noting dimly how little the sight affected you. At this point, you had seen and done worse, but that didn’t shrink the severity of the crime. You forced a breath into your lungs to squash the sinking feeling that you would be apprehended at any moment– carted before the Ministry to face the Dementor’s Kiss alongside Sebastian– all of your planning done in vain.  

The plan. Right. The one you had spent months refining and memorizing. Snap out of it, you implored yourself, or all of this will have been for nothing. 

“Come on,” you forced yourself to say, extending a hand for him to take. He cocked a brow at you, the action so very Sebastian of him, and almost cautiously interlaced his fingers with your own. 

“Are we going to apparate?” He sounded surprised. 

You flashed him a half-smile, though you were positive it came across as more of a grimace. Of course he would be shocked at the revelation– he’d been imprisoned for two years. 

The tiny devil on your shoulder was having a field day reminding you what a massive piece of shit you were. 

“It’s a newer trick. I’ve been practicing here for a few months to get it down, but I won’t splinch you if that’s what you’re worried about.” 

He huffed a laugh, but the sound was devoid of any humor. “Hardly. I guess I assumed we’d be using the Floo network, that’s all.” 

Your grip on his hand tightened a fraction as you spoke, “I don’t think it’ll be wise to use the Floo network for a long time. I wouldn’t put it past the Ministry to somehow track us making jumps that way. It’ll be this and our own two feet for a while.” 

Sebastian gave you a nonplussed blink, but then he surprised you by giving you the first real smile you’d seen from him since saving him. “That doesn’t sound too bad. We certainly have a lot of catching up to do. How far will we get tonight?” 

“Far enough to grab a few things and rest,” you whispered, in some futile attempt to conceal your plans from the dead men surrounding you. “Are you ready?” 

Sebastian’s free hand came to curl gently around your bicep, tugging you closer, and you felt the ghost of his breath against your temple as he muttered coyly, “Lead the way.”

[subastian-swallows]

Dark Whispers, Light Vows

CHAPTER FOUR: DREAM OF ME

★ Chapter three

Pairing: Dark!Sebastian x AurorMC x AurorOminis - Love Triangle Fic

Words: 6k

Warnings: Just Angst, really

Summary: “In a race against time, (Auror’s) Alice and Ominis must work together to recapture their former friend Sebastian, an escapee from Azkaban. But when Sebastian begins to use a mysterious new form of magic to haunt Alice’s dreams, she’s torn between bringing him to justice or helping him escape, risking everything in the process. Love, friendship, and the battle between light and dark intertwine as Alice must decide which path she will take.”

A/N: Hello readers, I am sorry LMAO! That's all I can say, my writing has been taking the back burn lately, I am on holidays and recently celebrated my five year anniversary with my partner...SO FORGIVE ME.

"If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice." — Neil Peart

Alice’s head pounded. It felt as if she had been trampled by a herd of Centaurs, unable to string together a single thought from the night before and she could no longer tell—whether it was from how much she drank or how long she had cried. But what could be said, was just how horrible she now felt in this moment and as her hand quickly reached to cover her mouth—Alice slipped off the bed and grabbed for the bed pan. The slow ache in her stomach now, almost resembled the sensation of someone twisting a knife into her side and so she could do nothing more but clutch the bed for support. It was clear as day that she was feeling miserable because of her own choices and yet, a part of her wanted to blame Sebastian—because blaming him was easier than dealing with her foolish decisions.  

Emptying out whatever was left in her stomach, Alice slumped against the bedpost and tried to recollect what had happened—her thoughts still unclear as she attempted to sort through them. She remembered the letter, which now sat crumpled and more ripped against the bedside dresser, she remembered the firewhiskey, which now made her stomach churn at just the thought—but it was when she recalled how the night ended, that Alice’s head twisted much too fast, to look towards the bed. Reaching up to place her fingers against her lips, as the sudden realisation of what had happened quickly filled her head—Alice couldn’t recall Ominis’ reaction and she groaned, pushing her face into the tousled blankets which had begun to slip off the side.  

It felt as if she had done something wrong, or perhaps simply used the excuse of her drunken state to allow herself a moment of happiness and yet, she knew it might have screwed things up. But she still didn’t regret it. Something that she would soon realise, would only get her into trouble, except it was almost as if she didn’t have it in her to care anymore. Ominis had been the stability she needed, never too far, in case she required his support—and although she never wanted him to feel indebted to her, almost as if he owed her something. Alice quickly realised that he did it, simply because he loved her and perhaps that was worse. 

She didn’t mean to hurt him and truthfully, deep down, she knew there was a part of her that wanted to allow Ominis into her heart—to give herself willingly to him, like he had done for her. But, like a disease, which slowly seeped its way through the body, hindering all of her functions—Sebastian simply refused to leave, attaching himself to every part of her, that was too weak to stop it. And so, Ominis was in constant battle with someone not physically there and perhaps, that had already set him up to fail. Except, it seemed that he had never planned on giving up and it was as if he could not love another, the way he loved her—and so, he decided to play this foolish waiting game. He would wait until his last breath left his body if she asked him to and Alice felt a mixture of gratitude and guilt—both morphing into one another and doing nothing but causing her to hate herself.  

Alice would have loved nothing more, than to hide away all morning, burying herself among the blankets. But Ominis would never have let her and perhaps, a part of her was grateful for it. He was always there, ready to pick up the pieces and eventually it just got too easy, Alice found herself almost obsessed with the idea that Ominis was willing to do just that. And yet, although she knew it was cruel holding onto someone’s love like she did, unsure with whether or not she could ever return his feelings and more—Alice still just couldn’t let him go. Feeling her head begin to spin again, as if she was about to vomit once more, her thoughts were cut short—when the door clicked and despite her poor attempt at trying to compose herself, Alice reaches for the bed pan again, the same time Ominis steps into the room. 

“Alice? Are you alright?” Ominis asked, his hand quickly finding its way to her lower back, rubbing it just hard enough to make some sort of difference and when Alice attempted to push him away—Ominis simply ignored her and continued to draw circles against her back. “You should have listened to me when I told you to stop.”

“Where’s the fun in that, Ominis—besides, this is only a slight hiccup.” 

Ominis shook his head when Alice whined and leant over the bed pan again, before he smiled slightly at her misfortune—now rubbing her back a little softer as she seemed to be feeling better. He hadn’t really been paying attention to the fact he was touching her the way he was, until she finally pushed away from him. “Forgive me, I just heard it helps—the rubbing…”

“Why must you apologise for everything,” Alice said, her voice a little hoarse from throwing up and so she slips out her wand to clean up her mess, before turning to see Ominis resting against the side of the bed. She wasn’t trying to start an argument, but she couldn’t hide the fact that it was something she was curious about. “Doesn’t it get tiring?”

“I don’t apologise for everything, you know. Just when it comes to you.”

Alice hummed and pushed back to rest against the bed, attempting to brush off his comment—but it was almost impossible when Ominis said it so forwardly and so Alice ended up nudging him awkwardly, trying to make it playful. “Well—shouldn’t you apologise for barging in on me, then? We might be friends, but I am a woman first…what if I was getting changed.” 

“Alice, you do know that we shared this room—right?” Ominis said, resting his arms against his knees as he fiddled with the ring on his pointer. His expression hadn’t changed from the small teasing smile he had since entering the room and when Alice shifted slightly at his comment—Ominis chuckled softly. “So, technically speaking, I have every right to walk into our room. But you’re right, forgive me.”

“You know, apologising after the fact—doesn’t actually fix things.”

Alice’s thoughts suddenly returned to the night before, but more importantly to the kiss they had shared. Had she done more—she didn’t remember getting that drunk, or perhaps she just didn’t remember anything but getting drunk and so she cringed, resting her head back against the bed. After a short moment of silence, Ominis turned slightly to gently raise her head. “But it is a start—and besides, you always seem to forgive me? So, I suppose it’s just a full circle.” 

“A full circle—what a charming representation of our friendship, Ominis,” Alice said, nudging him softly as if he wouldn’t understand her teasing, except it seemed he had been prepared for it—grabbing her hand, before she had a chance to playfully hit him. She always admired how quick he was, but it was also quite frustrating. “You still should be careful slipping into a room with a woman, who isn’t your wife. You know better than anyone that rumours spread like wildfire.”

“Well, considering I practically carried you back to the room last night—I wouldn’t be surprised if rumours have already begun to spread.”

Alice tensed up at his words, while the hand he was still holding grew limp. She had been so focused on how she felt in the matter and on how it might have strained the already strange relationship she had with Ominis, that she didn’t think about who might have seen them. It wasn’t like she was ashamed of it, no, truthfully she just didn’t like the way gossip followed them—she barely could figure out her own feelings, without having rumours pushed on top of them. Alice was jealous of Ominis in this department. He cared little for gossip or idle chatter about his secrets, always waving it off as if it was nothing—something Alice could never do. 

Slowly attempting to slip her hand free from his grasp, Alice hummed softly, almost positive that Ominis wasn’t going to let go—until his smile softened and he did. His hand lingered slightly in the air, only for a moment, before he dropped it and turned to rest it against his knee again as she pouted. “It seems now that I must apologise, Ominis. I shouldn’t have gotten so drunk.” 

“We don’t need to talk about it, Alice. Like you said you were drunk, we can just leave it at that.” 

“But—I don’t want to leave it at that,” Alice said, subconsciously reaching forward to grab his hand, only to squeeze it lightly and yet, Ominis simply hummed and shrugged her away—Alice now exhaling as she twisted her body to face him properly. “We should talk about it, right?” 

Ominis chuckled softly and turned to face her, his hand reaching slowly to tuck a strand of hair, which had fallen before her face—behind her ear, something he only realised, by the sound of Alice attempting to blow it away. The simple act caused her to freeze up slightly, as she swallowed hard. “And talk about what exactly? I don’t know what you expect me to say?”

“Right, of course. Feign ignorance and pretend it didn’t happen, because that makes everything better.”     

“So how should I react to last night, Alice? Did you want me to storm in here and demand you tell me if it meant something?” Ominis asked, exhaling softly as Alice suddenly stood up and so he quickly followed. He hadn’t come here to fight over last night and what it did and did not mean—all he came to do was to make sure she was alright and so he reached for her arm. “We kissed—well, you kissed me. That’s it. We don’t need to make this a big deal.”

Alice nodded slowly, pulling away from him. She didn’t enjoy the way he was just glossing over everything, but could she blame him? The kiss was merely a drunken slip up, nothing more—and the sooner she drilled that into her own head, the easier it would be to believe. “You’ve always got to make things professional don’t you, Ominis? I suppose that's what makes you a better Auror—emotions come second, right?”

Ominis had no idea what Alice wanted from him. It was as if she had completely forgotten she had spent last night getting drunk over another man and now she was upset, he didn’t want to talk about their kiss. And it wasn’t because he wished to forget about it, no, because that would have been too easy—classified as the normal response to a drunken mistake, no instead, Ominis would have loved nothing more than to kiss her again and again. But he knew that it wasn’t fair, to him or to her and so pretending that it didn’t affect him in any way—was the best he could do, because if she begged hard enough, he might not have been able to stop himself from pushing her against the bed. 

The silence that filled the room was enough to make them both tense now and so Alice no longer wished to hesitate—reaching for the crumpled letter and moving to open the bedroom door in a quick, clean swing. She perhaps had just hoped to slip away for the morning, give them space, before they had to continue their search and truthfully—Alice just needed time to think about everything. However, what she wasn’t expecting to see as she swung open the door was Poppy Sweeting—the new Beasts Professor at Hogwarts and old friend, standing at the top of the staircase with her hand halfway up in the air, as if she was about to knock.

“Poppy Sweeting?”

“Ah, if it isn’t the infamous Alice Dumont—it’s been a long time, hasn’t it?” Poppy said, dropping her hand quickly and before Alice could even react, perhaps too shocked to do so, Poppy simply chuckled softly and pulled the bewildered Auror into her arms. It was clearly something Alice didn’t know she needed, until she was wrapped tightly in Poppy’s arms and when she eventually returned the hug, Poppy was quick to smile. “Now, you better have a good reason as to why you’ve been ignoring my owls.”

Alice hummed softly and pulled back from Poppy. It was impossible to deny that she wasn’t guilty of ignoring a few letters here and there and perhaps more than she should have. But you see, overtime it just became increasingly easier to pretend they didn’t exist, allowing them to clutter her desk and eventually they stopped coming. “Would you believe me, if I said that my owl…got lost on its way to you?”

“For an experienced Auror, I would have hoped you’d be a better liar.”

It was Ominis who laughed, cutting off any chance for Alice to refute Poppy’s claim and when Alice quickly turned to scowl at him, even though he could not see it—her eyes glanced up almost automatically, when he towered over her and placed a hand on her shoulder. “You must forgive my ability to recall memories, Poppy, but if I’m not mistaken Alice has never been good at lying—”

“Says the man that believed anything I told him?” Alice said, shrugging off his hand and turning just in time to see him roll his eyes. But Ominis couldn’t deny her words, because it was more than just simply being tricked into thinking a certain way—no, it was purely just because he would gladly accept anything she said, no matter how foolish. “But, that can be left for another day to unpack—right now, I wish to make up for lost time…if you will allow for it, Poppy?” 

“How could I possibly deny such a request—you both must join me for breakfast.” 

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The walk down to the lower level of the Three Broomsticks wasn’t a particularly long one, but it was welcomed—as if Alice just needed a moment of silence, except it wasn’t truly silence, at least not with Poppy around again. She had forgotten how much her friend liked to talk, but more importantly, how quickly she liked to flip back and forth through things that excited her—and Alice just enjoyed listening to her. It became apparent that she had missed a lot, Poppy pulling her towards a booth in the back, before Alice looked back and noticed Ominis had disappeared. She wondered if he was upset with her and yet, when Poppy squeezed her hand—Alice turned back to see her big brown eyes, watching her curiously and so she frowned. 

“I couldn’t help but notice that the two of you shared a room last night,” Poppy said, letting go of Alice’s hand to move into the booth, tapping the table as if she was requesting Alice to sit and when she finally did—Poppy grinned eagerly, leaning against the table, desperate for the details. “Has something finally happened between you two? I had hoped, it would have been sooner—but now is better than…not at all.” 

“I have no idea what you’re insinuating, Poppy. But, nothing happened between us.”

Alice lied, because lying was easier than describing whatever it was she had with Ominis and as she reached forward to grab a paper napkin, slowly ripping it apart—Poppy hummed, not at all believing her. Truthfully, it was a known fact that many of their friends had placed bets on her relationship with Ominis and many of them felt confused by Alice’s reluctancy, well—all except Poppy. “Alice, you do know…that it’s not wrong for you to move on and be happy, right?” 

“It doesn’t always feel like that though, does it?” Alice said, crumpling up the half torn napkin in her hand, before she attempted to ease the tension with a forced smile—one that Poppy realised was fake almost immediately and rolled her eyes at. Alice however, ignored it and focused on the pieces of napkin against the table. “Perhaps, it’s Merlin’s way of punishing me—or I suppose, I simply just need to make up my mind.” 

“And why don’t you? I mean, Alice—is it truly a hard choice? Does Sebastian…even stand a chance now?” 

Looking up from her hand, Alice suddenly felt Sebastian’s letter grow heavy in her pocket and she hummed softly as she flattened the rest of the napkin against the table. Perhaps Poppy was right—Sebastian was no longer part of her life and everything just felt intense and confusing again, because of resurfaced memories. But even with common sense, trickling in and Poppy’s words ringing true, Alice could only think about the letter and if Sebastian’s words still had any truth to them. “It should be that easy, but—oh Poppy, do you really want to talk about my dilemmas with love? I would rather hear about the new Beasts Professor.” 

“You and I both know, that’s the last thing I want to talk about,” Poppy said, reaching forward to grab Alice’s hand, keeping it still against the table—before she could pull away and Poppy leaned down to peek up at Alice. It was clear that Poppy had no other motivation, but to learn about Alice’s feelings surrounding Sebastian—and more importantly why she was being so foolish. “Tell me something Alice, are you truly stuck in the middle—or perhaps, are you leaning to one side?” 

“I thought…I was slowly reaching a point where I could choose—openly, without the gnawing sensation of lingering feelings. But, now I am not sure.” 

Alice smiled sadly now, her eyes finally lingering away from their hands as Poppy slipped free and sat back against the booth—barely needing to wave the barmaid down for drinks, before two cups of coffee were sent over. The warmth from the cup was enough to draw a lengthy exhale from Alice, until she quickly lifted it to her lips and took a sip—Poppy swiftly doing the same, as if to think over her response. It must have appeared to be more obvious now. The foolishness of her inability to choose, to give her heart to Ominis and yet, no matter how much others told her—how she told herself, the choice was never up to her on whether Ominis would stay. The choice was always his.

“Will you humour me with something, Alice?” Poppy asked, her question breaking Alice from her thoughts as she nodded, barely even acknowledging that she could be agreeing to anything. And yet, Alice didn’t need to fear what she might be asked, knowing full well that Poppy knew when to reel it back with her questions and so she placed her cup against the table—and looked up. “You’re confused, right? Since Sebastian is back—which is completely valid, might I add. But think of it this way, when you see a life with Ominis…what do you see?” 

“Well, I suppose with Ominis I see—comfort, warmth…and the feeling that my worries will eventually just melt away and all I’ll be surrounded with is stability.”

Poppy smiled, perhaps too eager at the thought of Alice and Ominis, hidden away from the world in their little bubble and she hummed softly—placing her own cup down against the table. Even Alice couldn’t deny her words sounded welcoming, as if she was trying to convince herself and yet, maybe a small part of her knew she didn’t need to. “And, what of Sebastian? What do you see when you think about life with him? A life with the version of him now and not the one that you knew?”

“With Sebastian…? Well, I haven’t really thought about it,” Alice said, resting back into her side of the booth as she looked away from Poppy, just for a moment—as if just by saying his name he would appear and she pouted, looking back. Poppy must have realised her hesitancy and reached forward to grab her hand, the act alone making Alice smile awkwardly. “I suppose, it would be a life full of danger…and passion, but one where I lose everything—I’d constantly be on edge, just waiting for the day it ends.” 

“Now, that’s two very opposite life’s you could live, but the real question is, Alice—which one do you actually want?”

Alice looked at Poppy for some time before she hummed and slipped her hand free, bringing both now to her face—rubbing her temples as if it was the hardest decision in the world. And truthfully it was a little foolish, perhaps even incredibly foolish—considering she hadn’t seen Sebastian in years and to fantasise over ‘what if’s’ now seemed rather insane. Lowering her hands, Alice laughed softly, mainly at herself. “This all doesn’t matter though does it, Poppy. He’s no longer in my life—”

“Then why the need for a decision? Why are you so afraid to give yourself to Ominis?” Poppy asked, pulling out her wand and tapping her cup to refill it—before she placed it against the table. She couldn’t comprehend why Alice was still allowing Sebastian to hold onto her heart, as if she was not allowed to love another and Although Poppy knew well of everything they had been through—Ominis had been there too. “You’ve thought about him as more than a friend, right? More than a colleague? It’s obvious, he has thought about you as something more.” 

“It’s complicated, Poppy—”

A sudden commotion from outside, caused Alice’s words to falter to a complete silence, before she twisted in her seat to watch the inn’s door swing open. It was only a glimpse, but it was enough and when she swiftly stood up—Poppy followed. Ominis had what appeared to be a young boy, by the scruff of his neck as he attempted to squirm from his grasp. Alice and Poppy glanced at each other just as quickly as they made it outside and when they reached the scene—which had now donned a crowd, Ominis seemed unfazed and Alice was almost positive he wore a smirk. 

“What’s your problem! I told you I’ve got nothing in my pockets,” the boy quipped, his hands desperately clawing at Ominis’ hand. It seemed to be doing little but cause him to hold on tighter and when Alice stepped towards him—the boy pointed to her. “Hey lady! Help me out, this blind fool is making things up!”

Alice looked up at Ominis, whose eyes flicked towards her—as if he sensed her hesitation and his smile softened. Moving closer and pulling out her wand, the crowd gasped in unison as the boy seemed to do nothing, but squirm harder. “Do you not know who this is, boy? Does he look like the type to stop you, without reason?” 

“I ain’t done nothing!”

“Well then, you wouldn’t mind if I emptied out your pockets, yes?” Ominis asked, clearly already onto the boy’s pathetic tricks, attempting to pull at the heartstrings of those around him—wishing to be let go and when Alice smiled, flicking her gaze to Ominis, his smile seemed to have grown. But despite the confidence that oozed off the pair, the boy was adamant on holding his ground and refused. “Just one tap of my wand and your secrets will spill. So—why don’t you do us all a favour and just confess.”

The crowd seemed to be unsure what to think now, seeing a grown man grabbing the scruff of a young boy’s neck—but no one dared to step forward, perhaps too afraid of Ominis’ reaction if they did so and so they simply watched on with curiosity. Alice seemed to notice this quicker than Ominis, or perhaps he just didn’t care—and so she stepped forward and tapped the boy's legs with her wand. In an instant, trinkets of all sizes, potion bottles, sweets and anything else you could think of—came spilling out of the boy’s pants and quickly began to clutter the ground around them, the crowd now gasping at the revelation. 

“An extension charm on your pockets, I’m a little impressed,” Alice said, reaching up to place her hand against Ominis’, who happily dropped the boy and as if she already knew he was going to try and run off—Alice swiftly casted incarcerous and the boy fell to ground, with a great thud. “Ah—you will need to try harder than that. Ominis, have the proper authorities been sent for?” 

“They’re on their way now.”

Alice smiled and looked down at the boy who seemed to have been cursing them beneath his breath and yet, had clearly given up on struggling—knowing well that there wasn’t much to do now but wait. Slowly moving to Ominis’ side, Alice smiled when he pulled out his wand and enchanted the stolen items to return to their original owners, before the crowd was eventually dispersed by the Hogsmeade officers. “So, this is what you were doing when you deserted me? Finding trouble?” 

“Deserted you? What are you talking about, Alice?” Ominis asked, his eyebrows furrowing quickly as she watched his eyes flicker, a soft reaction he did when racking his brain for answers. Alice laughed softly, realising that her teasing had done nothing of the sort and so she exhaled and placed her own wand away—while Ominis looked down at her. “I was simply giving you a chance to catch up with an old friend. Should I have stayed? I mean, if I did—then how would you have been able to talk about me?”

“W-What? We were certainly not talking about you.”

Ominis smirked slightly and hummed, though Alice could tell he didn’t believe her. Despite his teasing, it would have been impossible for him to know her conversation with Poppy and yet—the way he looked down at her, she no longer was sure. Pressing her hands against the small of her back, Alice turned to see Poppy speaking with a local—before Ominis placed his hand against her head. “Keep your secrets then. But you really do need to get better at lying.”

“Now, I have no idea what you’re talking about, Ominis,” Alice said, slipping free from his hand and turning just enough to see his smile soften, but only for a moment—before he chuckled under his breath and nudged her. It felt nice to feel normal with him again, despite last night and this morning—but even Alice knew it would not last. “Besides, we have more pressing matters. Such as, figuring out our next move—any ideas?”

“What about Feldcroft?” 

Alice hummed softly and nodded. She too, had thought about Feldcroft and if Sebastian would be foolish enough to return home—and truthfully, the risk was probably too enticing to pass up. Catching Poppy’s attention, Alice smiled as she waved her over, before she turned to Ominis and reached for his arm. “It’s a start, if anything—hopefully we can find some answers. Places he’s mapped out, or more.” 

“You both aren’t leaving, are you? You just got here,” Poppy said, slipping past a few crowd lingerers, before she made her way to Alice’s side and when Ominis chuckled softly at her question—Poppy pouted and flicked her gaze between the pair. She knew their visit wasn’t a social one, but she had almost hoped that they’d make a little more time to talk. “We still have so much catching up to do?” 

“Poppy—we’re sort of on a timer here, the Ministry needs Sebastian brought in as fast as possible.” 

Alice frowned at her words, knowing she hated the very thing she had come to do and yet, she swiftly shook it away and forced a smile—when Poppy’s eyebrows furrowed. It was more than obvious that she wanted to continue to pry, but instead she exhaled and Alice welcomed the fact—she was so understanding. “Well then, before you scurry off—Ominis, I must thank you. I received word a couple of weeks ago that you managed to clear all of the poacher camps around the outskirts of the forbidden forest. I appreciate it.” 

Ominis nodded and the two shared a short conversation on poachers in the surrounding areas, before he slipped her a letter. Poppy then turned to Alice and pulled her into another warm embrace, squeezing her softly—before expressing that she wanted her to try to be better at sending owls and Alice reluctantly agreed. After a short while and a great deal of promises that Alice wasn’t sure she would be able to keep, Poppy waved the pair off as they returned to The Three Broomsticks to collect their things. Reaching the room now felt a little strange, perhaps because of the events that had happened in there—but regardless, they still had a job to do and Alice was just hoping to get it over with as quickly as possible.

“So, you’ve been helping clear poacher camps?” Alice asked, tapping the rest of her belongings to swiftly pack themselves into her suitcase, her eyes now focused on Ominis’ reaction to her question and she smiled when he did. “You’ve been busier than I thought, Poppy seemed really thankful.”

“She’s been rather busy with teaching and when she asked, well who could refuse a request from Poppy Sweeting.”

Alice laughed softly and nodded, noting all too well of her first interactions with Poppy in school, being far from a normal one and she moved to sit against the bed—leaning back slightly as she exhaled. It seemed strange now, recalling memories, good or bad and Alice’s smile softened. “Well still, you did good. I suppose, sometimes I just forget—how good you actually are.”

“Should I not be? Are you half-expecting me to do something bad?” Ominis asked, moving to sit down beside her on the bed, his leg brushing up against hers and yet, Alice didn’t pull away—so neither did he. Something felt oddly calming being close to her, as if she centred him and a part of him knew that she felt the same way—except for her, it just seemed harder to admit. Leaning back slightly himself, Ominis nudged her softly. “I think deep down, we all have good and bad in us—but we determine which side we show. I just don’t plan to leave a bad mark on the world, or my name—”

“You aren’t your family, Ominis and people are noticing it. Now, more than ever.” 

Ominis nodded and leaned forward, clasping his hands together. It was comforting to know that Alice always treated him like a person, above his name—something that for a long time, had been hard to come by. Well at least, before the Sallow twins, before that Ominis simply succumbed to the hatred that was simply forced onto him, with little chance to retort it. But now, little by little, he was changing that and it finally felt good. “I think what helps the most is having such a supportive cheerleader in my corner.” 

“And I’ll always stay there, Ominis, no matter what,” Alice said, nudging him back as she now leaned forward and when she did, Ominis gently placed his hand against her knee—and for a moment, even just a simple touch sent electric shockwaves through her body. Slowly reaching to place a hand on his, Alice laughed softly. “We just have to be there for each other, alright? This job…it’s going to hurt and we just need to protect each other.” 

“Alice—”

“Not another word, Ominis—just agree with me and say you’ll protect me…protect us.”

Ominis squeezed her knee and slipped his hand free from her grasp, which now seemed to burn his skin. She didn’t need to ask such a ridiculous request, because he had already made up his mind to do just that and he would do anything to make sure he kept that promise. “Of course I agree with you and do you really have to ask? Alice, I’m ready to protect you with my life.”

“I don’t need you to be prepared to die for me, Ominis—”

“Well, you don’t have a say in that, do you,” Ominis said, cutting Alice off before she could say anything more, or perhaps continue to argue with him over what he had said and so she grumbled and looked away. Ominis smiled at the sound of her defeat and softly nudged her again, just to make sure she knew he was teasing her—but still meant every word. “Alice, we’re in this together, alright? But, I don’t plan to hesitate, no matter what.” 

:•.•:•:•:•:•:•:•:•☾☼☽•:•.•:•.•:•:•:•:•:•:

The rest of the evening was uneventful, with Ominis finishing off a few small jobs here and there, slipping in and out of the inn—when he thought he was being sly about it, but Alice couldn’t seem to sleep. They had decided to stay one more night, solely for Ominis to complete business before they left and although Alice was hesitant about staying—she eventually gave in, simply for the comfort of a nice bed. Ominis allowed her to sleep first, simply requesting that he would take the floor, after everything that happened—but Alice refused. She had no right to deny him a good night’s rest, simply because she was embarrassed about kissing him and truthfully, it felt comforting to have him close by. 

Alice always had trouble sleeping, but today felt different. It felt like every time she laid down, something crept over her and sat directly against her chest, as if it wished to make itself known to her and each time she almost fell asleep—it woke her up. Eventually, perhaps with the help of a sleeping draught that she had brought with her, Alice drifted off to sleep and it suddenly felt like she was transported into something different—almost as if her dream…had been hijacked. Soon, a wave of nothing and everything all at once, washed over her and Alice felt like she was trapped—and it became clear, something was wrong.

*** 

The rattling was what Alice heard first, before she could see anything. It was as if she was awake in a darkened room, in which all of the light had been sucked out of and yet, it still felt warm. Slowly the darkness slowly grew less dark and more clear, as if someone had opened a window and began to remove it with a simple action, but she was still alone. Alice was used to dreams, nightmares, which had latched onto her—since her final moments with Sebastian, but this felt different, it didn’t feel like hers. 

When the darkness finally cleared and Alice could now see where she was, let alone her hands before her, it was the slow sound of a whistle—soft and familiar, that caused her heart to suddenly leap into her throat. Panic. Alice felt her chest ache and she almost forgot how to breathe, when a figure slowly appeared—too far to determine who it was, but with the way her body had begun to react, it was clear she had an idea. Stepping back slightly, almost instinctively, Alice shuddered as the whistling grew louder and the figure grew closer. 

Swallowing hard and reaching for her wand, she gasped softly and realised she didn’t have it, but more importantly—she no longer was wearing her nightgown, no, instead she was wearing a green silk dress. Glancing back up towards the figure, Alice felt her mouth dry and her hands begin to shake, the air in her lungs now growing heavy and she felt it linger in her throat. Stepping back again, the whistling stopped, just as the figure did and then he appeared before her—changed and so very different from the boy she knew, the air growing cold as he smiled and eventually reached towards her. 

“You’ve become quite the woman, Alice,” Sebastian said, appearing in front of her now as his fingers brushed lightly across Alice’s jaw causing her to freeze, her breath now completely stolen from her and yet when he noticed—Sebastian simply chuckled, almost too softly and brushed his fingers down to her neck. “Breathe, sweetheart. We have so much to discuss.”