Apr 23, 2025
MC: “You don’t need me to praise you, your ego is big enough as it is.”
Sebastian: “That’s not the only thing that gets bigger when you praise me."
MC: “You’re such a dog.”
Sebastian: “If you pet me, I’ll–”
SMACK
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MC: “You don’t need me to praise you, your ego is big enough as it is.”
Sebastian: “That’s not the only thing that gets bigger when you praise me."
MC: “You’re such a dog.”
Sebastian: “If you pet me, I’ll–”
SMACK
wip goofy lineless art wwwooaaahhhh
Excuse me sir, but what is happening with TSP?!!!
Of the 40+ asks in my inbox pertaining to TSP I'm choosing to respond to this one cause I fuck with the shrimp ngl (at least I think that's a shrimp)
TSP is back in the works ! I know that's hard to believe given my track record, but it's finals month and I'm the exact opposite of a procrastinator so 2 of my 4 final projects are already done ahead of schedule (yippee !!!!)
In a feeble attempt to prevent another long ass break from happening, I'm basically gonna write the rest of TSP and break it up into probably 2-3 chapters before posting it. At this point I'd rather have the entire thing done before even THINKING of making an announcement of any kind, so... yeah. Bear with me as I dive back into that shit show. I'm giving that whole damn fic mouth to mouth and reviving it cause if I don't see it through I'll probably land myself in jail.
Get you a man who can do both
The Serpent's Paramour CH 18 - Sebastian Sallow x Female!Reader
Summary: You talk with Sebastian and make your stance on a number of things perfectly clear. With that mess dealt with, you make the most of your time with him. After all, you can't exactly go back to your room since you gave it up to Devlin...
Word Count: 9.5k
Warnings: 18+, aged up characters, explicit language, confessions, explicit sexual content, sex with feelings, lots of sexual praise, oral sex, rough sex, basically just smut
Update schedule ?? Never heard of it. New chapter is up on Ao3 :))
Your face was still unnaturally red as you remained rooted to the floor outside of Sebastian’s door. It had been roughly two minutes since you’d made the short trek from your bedroom to his, and Devlin’s mocking laughter was still ringing in your ears, his taunts and jeers echoing repeatedly in your mind.
“Try pushing the beds together, it might give you more room to work with.”
“The walls are thin– don’t crack the plaster.”
Or your least favorite: “Do everyone a favor and try not to end up stuck with any little Sebastians.”
Merlin. The man might be older, but you didn’t think his wit would ever dull with age.
Stalling really wasn’t going to help you, though. This conversation was a week overdue, and hovering around like a ghost haunting the hallway wasn’t going to accomplish anything. But even though you had come to Uganda wanting desperately to be on good terms with Sebastian again, you were still incredibly nervous to clear the air with him. Finding out that he had been sent after you– that Victor was the one who had suggested finding you– had scared you. Moreover it had left you wondering if any of the sweeter, softer moments the two of you had shared were even real, or if they were all just some ploy to get you to trust him blindly.
His behavior in recent days told you that there was some truth to the affection he had for you, but… the only way to know for certain was if you asked him.
Rocking back on your heels, you sucked in a deep breath and knocked on the door, a strange sense of déjà vu washing over you as you thought back to the last time you’d sought Sebastian out like this. You hadn’t known it then, but that night spent draped around him in your bed would prove to be your last ever spent at the manor. At the same time you started to wonder if you would ever go back there, the door opened.
Since Devlin had told you he and Sebastian were sharing a room, you elected to blame that for the glower on the brunet’s face. It quickly morphed into a look of surprise, however, and he stepped out into the hallway as he gave you a quick once over. “Are you alright? Is something wrong?”
“No– I mean, yes. I’m fine, everything is good. Or, well, as good as it can be given the circumstances.” Merlin, you wanted to slap yourself. You couldn’t have sounded more frazzled if you tried. Sighing, you raked your fingers through your damp hair and spoke again, trying a smidge harder not to sound like you’d never held a conversation in your life. “Nothing is wrong. I just wanted to talk. Unless you’re about to go to bed, in which case I can come back in the morning. Or whenever works, it’s not urgent or anything–”
“We can talk,” he insisted, mercifully cutting your nonsensical rambling short. Those brown eyes of his softened as he stepped back inside his room, holding the door open so you could tentatively step inside.
Aside from the two twin beds Devlin had mentioned, the room was largely the same as yours, sans a bathroom. The same decor lined the walls, and both mattresses had matching quilts thrown over them. The view from this room’s window overlooked the front of the house, and the vantage point above the courtyard was slightly obscured by the gargantuan Acaccia trees that rimmed the edge of the property. The branches swaying in front of the glass panes made it seem like you were staying in the middle of the jungle.
You remained standing in the middle of the room as Sebastian closed the door behind you, the soft click of the latch sealing your fate. Despite your nerves, you weren’t nearly as afraid to speak with the dark wizard– not like you had been when you’d questioned him about Rookwood. This was something you both needed, and if Devlin was right and Sebastian had been privately agonizing over everything, you wanted to set the record straight. Especially since he had agreed to pause the journey to the ancient magic site and come to Uganda.
“I saw you practicing outside today,” Sebastian’s quiet voice sounded from your left, prompting you to glance at him as he busied himself with fixing the wrinkled edge of the blanket. He was still wearing the collared shirt he’d had on earlier, the cuffs rolled up to his elbows, but you spied the hint of a flush creeping up the back of his freckled neck. “For your first time trying, I think you did well.”
Such monotonous small talk wasn’t what you’d expected when you had come in here. That, coupled with his skin reddening further, told you that he was anxious. “At least someone thinks so,” you eventually murmured. “I found the whole ordeal rather disappointing.”
Sebastian shrugged, straightening once he had deemed the corner of the bed smooth enough. When he turned back around so you could see his face, you noticed that the flush had spread higher and was coloring his ears a brilliant shade of rouge. Any minute now and you assumed you would be watching him keel over from the stress. “No one said it was going to be easy, but Natty was right; if anyone can learn quickly, it’s you.”
“I don’t know what gives everyone the idea that I can absorb knowledge at break-neck speed. I wasn’t exactly the greatest in school.”
“You broke my dueling win-streak in Defense Against the Dark Arts on your first day,” he helpfully pointed out. “Natty was the best student in Charms class, and you beat her at Summoner’s Court like it was nothing. You learned every spell the Professors taught you in less than two days, and you took down a Troll in Hogsmeade by turning it into mist.”
“But I used my ancient magic for th–”
“Come on, princess. Magic is magic– it doesn’t matter what kind you used back then. You’re a talented witch, so just accept that you did well today and we can move on to the real reason you’re here.”
The curt statement left you gaping at the side of his head, and Sebastian rolled his neck before sitting down on the edge of his bed with his hands in his lap, looking for all intents and purposes like a child about to be scolded by a parent. If you had to guess, he was feeling rather pessimistic about your presence in his room to talk. You mirrored his position on the other bed so you were facing one another with ample space between the two of you. Warily, Sebastian glanced at you through his lashes, his leg bouncing in his attempts to expel the jitters that plagued him.
“Why do you think I’m here?” you asked him after a moment.
“To tell me off, mostly,” he murmured. “Or to tell me we’ll part ways when you finish your lessons with Natty. You– you seem happier here with everyone else than you did with me at the manor, and I can’t exactly blame you for that. If you want to leave when this is all over, then I’ll save you the time and tell you that it’s fine. Do what you think is right. I won’t stop you.”
Merlin, Devlin hadn’t been exaggerating. Sebastian really was moping. If one week of giving him the cold shoulder amounted to this, you wondered what he would be like if you actually did leave. Whatever look you had on your face made Sebastian shrink in on himself, and he averted his gaze to the window while he worked a muscle in his jaw. You didn’t think you had ever seen him so sullen.
“I’m not going to leave,” you said matter-of-factly. His eyes were wide as they landed back on you, but you held up your hand to stop whatever comment he was about to make. “I want to see this training with Natty through to the end, and then yes, I’ll help you get the relic. But I have conditions.”
Eagerly, he blurted, “Name them.”
Alright… good start so far, you thought. “First, you need to talk to Anne. You need to get her to agree to this before we go through with anything, because I won’t force her to accept a cure if that isn’t what she wants. I know you think you know what she wants, but you’re only going to hurt her in the long run if you make her do anything she isn’t comfortable with. At this point her autonomy is the only thing she has control over, so her approval is essential.”
Concern, apprehension, understanding, and fear passed over Sebastian’s face as he processed your terms. “What if she says no? What then?”
“Then we leave her alone. We let her live her life the way she chooses, and we enjoy every moment of it with her for as long as we're able.”
“But… she’ll die. I can’t–” he tipped his head forward to bury his fingers in his hair, directing the rest of his sentence to the floor. “I can’t lose her after everything. It’s not fair.”
“Life isn’t fair, Sebastian. Everyone dies, but you have to consider what Anne wants. She’s here with you now, and despite everything that’s happened, she loves you. She’ll appreciate your acceptance more than your persistence.”
For a while, he said nothing. He just blinked down at his feet as he forced himself to breathe deeply, and after you saw a fat tear slip down his nose and splatter against the floor, he managed to choke out a raspy, “Okay.”
You almost wanted to cry alongside him, because you knew what you were asking wasn’t easy. Anne was the last of Sebastian’s family, and his desperation to save her bordered on extreme. Still, his willingness to try was commendable, and it was all you could hope for. “Thank you.”
His voice was still choked when he asked, “What other conditions do you have?”
Right. “If she agrees to the cure, then we move forward with the plan. But Rookwood– I don’t want him involved at all. He can’t know anything about our progress or where we are.”
“Easy enough,” Sebastian nodded at the floor. “I haven’t been in touch with him since Henri kidnapped you. I’m sure he’s furious about it, but I meant what I said back in Colmar: I’m done answering to him.”
“Is it really that easy? Your Vow with him doesn’t make you an indentured servant or anything?”
“The Vow was established to ensure I didn’t mention his role in my escape to you. I wasn’t to talk about how I got out of Azkaban or the work I do on his behalf. Since Devlin filled you in on all of that, I can loosely talk about him, but I won’t tempt death by reiterating what you already know.” He glanced up at you, his eyes glossy under the dim light of the lanterns. “But you don’t have to worry about forced servitude. I was a willing participant before now, but I’m leaving whether he likes it or not.”
A weight lifted from your shoulders at the confirmation. Unbeknownst to anyone else, you had wondered if Victor could somehow manage to sway Sebastian back to his side. If the Vow truly had just been a means to keep you from finding out the man was alive, that was good news. It further proved that you were right, too; Rookwood wanted you, not to help his protegee.
Once again, you were left wondering if Sebastian secretly knew Leglimency, because he narrowed his eyes at you and said, “I swear to you; Victor won’t touch you. I won’t let him get near you, and if he tries, I’ll kill him with my bare hands.”
Unsure of what to say to that, you settled for nodding in understanding. It made perfect sense that Sebastian had his own vendetta against the dark wizard after everything he had uncovered. In a way, it made you feel better. Victor had been using Sebastian to get to you, and Sebastian had lied to you because of Victor’s deception. At the end of the day, you’d both been played.
Which left you with your last condition: you needed him to be honest with you.
“There’s one more thing,” you looked away from his piercing stare to play with the fabric of your nightgown. “The lies, the secrets… it needs to stop. As in right now.”
“Of course,” he nodded vigorously as he sat forward. “I know I wasn’t truthful about a lot of things, but you have to know I never wanted to keep you in the dark like that. I just… I had no choice.”
“You lied to me for months, Sebastian. You could have had Devlin tell me the truth from the very beginning to work around the Vow. Instead you just doubled down on the lies– you made me feel crazy for putting the pieces together.”
“I know.” His face fell upon hearing the harsh truth, and he exhaled shakily through his pursed lips. “I know. I’m sorry, princess. For everything. I’m sorry for tricking you, and for making you feel insane. You’re not stupid, and I should have known better than to try keeping the wool over your eyes after I found you in my office that day. You’re well within your rights to hate me for that.”
That was just it: you didn’t hate him for it. You were too understanding for your own good, and the man’s kicked puppy demeanor had you relenting quickly. Anxiously balling your hands into your nightgown, you murmured, “I don’t hate you. I was upset, and I was hurt, and… now I’m just confused.”
“Confused about what?”
“It’s not as important and I might regret asking–”
“Ask it. If you want to know, it is important, and I’m done keeping things from you, princess.”
You almost smiled, because the reassurance did more for you than he could ever know. “Was any of it real? What we… what we shared? Am I an idiot for thinking you genuinely liked me?”
He was quiet for a minute, which scared you to no end. But then his gentle voice reached your ears as he said, “Every second of it was real for me.”
Your head snapped up so fast that strands of your damp hair fell into your face. Sebastian looked overcome with emotions– though which kind, you weren’t sure– and he swiftly slid from the bed to kneel on the floor in front of you, taking your clasped hands in his larger ones. Unlike at the inn in Colmar, this time, you didn’t pull away from him.
“When I was told to find you, I was furious. Yeah, you’d gone along with Ominis’ decision to turn me in, and I was still bitter about that. But I was also terrified that you would still hate me, and I was angry that Victor didn’t have faith in my ability to breach the site on my own. Then I saw you when the Ashwinders brought you in and I knew it was the right idea, if only because it gave me the chance to spend time with you again. You were so beat up from the way you’d been living that I couldn’t help but want you to stay.
“I was right, though. You still resented me, and you were stubborn as hell in the beginning, but just having you around was like a breath of fresh air. It made all the difference in my day-to-day– something that Devlin never shut up about– but I didn’t care. Having you so close made me realize that I never stopped caring about you even when I was in Azkaban, and those moments we shared? In the office and in your room the morning before Henri showed up? They made me realize that everything I’d done and agreed to in those two years out of prison was worth it, because if I hadn’t, I never would have gotten to fall in love with you all over again.”
Your eyes stung with unshed tears as you gazed down at Sebastian, completely and utterly at a loss for words. The bashful smile he flashed you warmed you to your very core, and when he lifted your joined hands to press a chaste kiss to your knuckles, you couldn’t hold back the waterworks any longer. The thick, salty rivulets cascaded down your cheeks and dripped off your chin to soak into your lap, which prompted Sebastian to reach out and brush his fingers against your skin.
“Don’t cry, princess. Just don’t think for a second that the lies extended to how I feel about you, because that couldn’t be farther from the truth. I love you, and that’s never going to change.”
Hoarsely, you croaked, “H-How can you love me? After Azkaban a-and everything else? I was… I got you sentenced, and then… I was such a bitch.”
He surprised you by laughing, the sound reverberating off the walls of the bedroom and bringing forth the smile you had suppressed earlier. “Kidnapping your childhood crush and stealing her wand is deserving of a little attitude, don’t you think?”
Yeah, okay. Point taken. “You really love me?”
Nodding, Sebastian moved his hand so he was cupping the side of your jaw, trailing his thumb gently across your cheekbone. “I really love you. It’s hard not to– you don’t put up with my shit, you’re headstrong, and you’re devastatingly beautiful. Can you blame a guy for being enamored?”
Your watery smile grew in that moment, and you reached up to wrap your fingers around Sebastian’s wrist as you shamelessly nuzzled into the warmth of his palm. “I love you too, you know. It’s why I was so pissed at you. You’re stubborn, you’re arrogant, and you’re prone to poor decision making–”
“This doesn’t sound at all like the traits I listed for you,” he mumbled incredulously.
“You don’t need me to praise you, your ego is big enough as it is.”
“That’s not the only thing that gets bigger when you praise me,” he purred coyly, waggling his eyebrows at you all the while. Unbelievable.
You rolled your eyes, but the smile on your face never fell away as you mumbled, “You’re such a dog.”
“If you pet me, I’ll–”
You shut him up the only way you cared to; you let go of his wrist to clamp your hands on either side of his face, then leaned down to press your lips to his. Sebastian had no qualms about your methods and eagerly reciprocated the gesture, a throaty sound emanating from deep in his chest as his mouth molded to yours.
The kiss started off tentative and smooth– salty from your shared tears and soft in the wake of such heartfelt declarations– but those silky kisses steadily turned into ravenous ones, and you let yourself become consumed by the shift. The swelling wave of feelings in your heart was hard to process, the sensation equal parts exhilarating and frightening, but you were ready to accept it. It was human nature to be scared of the unknown, but you wanted to know Sebastian.
You wanted to know what motivated him, what scared him, and what enticed him. You wanted to know what made him tick, and what niche things he favored in life. You wanted to go beyond the obvious and get to know the mundane sides of him; his favorite color, his favorite food, his favorite place. You wanted to know which parts of himself he liked having touched, and what he looked like waking up beside you after a night spent much like the one in his office all those weeks ago.
You wanted to know everything about him, and you were thrilled to discover that the prospect didn’t scare you.
At the same time acceptance washed over you, Sebastian rose up from the floor, his lips still working in tandem with yours. The new angle forced you to drop your hands and lean back to accommodate him, but he didn’t stay standing for long. He carefully moved over you, bracing his knee on the bed so he could slowly guide you down until your back was flush to the mattress. His weight settling over you was perfect and made your head spin, and when you felt his hand bunching the material of your nightgown up your legs, you moaned wantonly.
The feeling of his bare fingers skimming up your thigh was simultaneously too much and not enough, especially with the added knowledge that you had nothing on beneath the clothing. His other arm was braced beside your head as he continued to kiss you senseless, and when you shifted your leg up to press into his featherlight touch, the growl Sebastian let loose was absolutely sinful.
When he broke away to catch his breath, you gasped for air as well, struggling to find the control that was swiftly slipping through your fingers. His eyes were positively luminescent as they bored into yours, and when he closed them tightly, it gave you a perfect view of the long, thick lashes that fanned across his cheeks. “I don’t know if we should do this here.”
You threaded your fingers through the curlier strands of hair at the nape of his neck, hoping that he didn’t notice how badly your hands were trembling. “Me neither.”
He nodded before lowering his head to kiss you again, his tongue probing for access with renewed tenacity.
Good to see that you both had the same amount of willpower at present, which was next to none.
Your lips parted of their own accord to allow for him to deepen the kiss, and your hands slid down his back to rip the hem of his shirt out of his waistband, the appendages finding their way under the material to splay against warm, tanned skin. The leg you’d lifted earlier came to hitch around his waist, and Sebastian effortlessly wrapped his hand under your thigh to hold you closer to him. The air in your lungs was stolen from you as he tilted his head to the side, devouring you with his mouth as though he were a man starved of your very essence, and you were all too willing to oblige him.
“You,” he murmured in-between kisses. “Drive me crazy.” His hips rocked down against yours, his clothed groin rubbing tantalizingly against your bare cunt. You couldn’t stop the satisfied moan that spilled into Sebastian’s mouth in response to the motion, and he brazenly ran his hand up your thigh so he could grope at the swell of your rear. “You’re a vision, princess. I don’t deserve you.”
Your heart pounded wildly in your chest, the rapid thrumming tangible in every part of your body. The words left you before you could second guess them, “You deserve everything.”
Sebastian pulled away from your lips to gaze down at you longingly. So many rebuttals danced on the tip of his tongue– you knew because you could see the gears in his head turning– but you dragged your hands to his front to begin deftly undoing the buttons of his shirt, opting to silence him with your actions instead of with your words. He let you work your way up the trail of clasps, his breathing growing ragged with every inch of skin you revealed. Before long, the attire fell open to give you an unobscured view of his toned chest, and you spotted the swirling edges of his tattoo poking out from beneath the collar. Your fingers traced the coiling pattern almost instinctively, and Sebastian shivered delightfully at your featherlight touch.
He let you get your fill for a few uninterrupted seconds, watching you as you studied him at a slower, more leisurely pace than before. Back in his office, your joining had been frantic and unrestrained, the byproduct of weeks of tension finally reaching their boiling point. But here, in Natty’s house in rural Uganda, things were… calmer. More intimate. You wanted to take your time and enjoy every second to the fullest.
But then Sebastian moved his hand from your rear to your waist, dragging your bunched up nightgown with it. He finally looked away from you to glance down between your legs, and a ravenous hunger immediately became visible on his face and ignited the fire in your veins. When he looked at you like that– predatorily, obsessively, insatiably– it made you feel like the most wanted woman in the world.
You wanted Sebastian, and he wanted you.
Suddenly motivated by your desires, you pushed him away and sat up, your leg falling back against the mattress. Sebastian’s hands flew down to assist in the removal of his trousers, but you peered up at him shyly through your lashes and whispered, “Let me. I want to try something.”
The look on his face told you that he would let you try anything. With his pupils blown wide, his chest rising and falling quickly, and his hands shaking ever so slightly, you didn’t doubt that Sebastian was riding an anticipatory high to rival all others. It made you feel confident– enough so that once you unbuttoned his pants and slid the zipper down, you grasped him by his shoulders and steered him back against the bed.
The dark wizard blinked up at you in wonder as he settled back against the pillows, watching with bated breath as you slid his trousers down his thighs. He lifted his hips to give you easier access, and once those were removed, you were left staring at a tenting pair of briefs. With what you hoped was a sensual expression, you hooked your fingers under the waistband to inch those down until the hard, thick length of him sprang free.
It wasn’t like you could forget how big Sebastian was, but seeing his cock again after so long was like a slap to the face. The fat, red tip was already leaking, his length accentuated by the bulging veins that lined the shaft. It was a miracle that he had fit inside of you at all in the past, and you briefly wondered just how the hell you were going to go about your impulsive idea.
Sebastian looked like he was on the verge of passing out– the mere sight of you kneeling between his legs and staring at his cock enough to work him into a vibrating frenzy. His unruly hair fell in front of his eyes as he tipped his head forward, a heady flush spreading from the tips of his ears all the way down his exposed chest. “You don’t have to do this, princess,” he muttered, his voice strained with desire. “I don’t expect you to. We can just–”
“I want to,” you interjected, the stubborn tilt to your chin warranting a shudder from the brunet. “I will. I’m just… I’m thinking of what to do here.”
“I really don’t think you can do anything wrong,” he reassured you breathlessly, then smirked and added, “Just don’t bite it off.”
Obviously. You appreciated the consolation, though. Knowing that he was okay with you trying whatever felt natural made you feel better. While you weren’t a master at anything like this, you hoped that your enthusiasm would make up for your lack of experience.
Not wanting to waste any more time, you steeled your nerves and slid Sebastian’s briefs down more, leaning back when he hastily kicked the undergarments away before spreading his legs apart for you. You took advantage of the offered space and settled down on your stomach, the front hem of your nightgown bunching up under your hips, but that was hardly deserving of your attention right now. Sebastian’s cock twitched when you wrapped your hand around it, another thick bead of pre-cum pearling at the tip, and you chanced a quick glance at him to gauge his reaction.
He looked more flustered than you had ever seen him, and for some unfathomable reason, that excited you.
Needing no further encouragement, you gave him a testing squeeze before twisting your hand around the head, slicking your palm with the opaque liquid leaking from him. Sebastian’s legs tensed on either side of you, so you took that as a good sign. You repeated the motion a second time before leaning down to plant a quick, tentative kiss against one of the veins lining his shaft, and you were rewarded with the sound of his shaky intake of breath. Another good sign.
You continued to slide your hand up and down his cock as you took to kissing whatever parts of him were left exposed. The swollen tip, his throbbing length– even venturing far down enough to the spot between his shaft and balls. That seemed to be a particularly sensitive area, and you heard Sebastian’s head thunk back against the headboard at the same time he groaned loudly.
“Fucking hell– keep doing that, princess. Just– fuck, don’t stop–”
The needy timbre to his voice sent a spark of arousal straight to your groin. You had half a mind to stuff your hand in-between your legs to alleviate the growing tension there, but you didn’t want to risk ruining the pleasure Sebastian was feeling. So, you settled for clenching your thighs together. It helped… a little.
More stammered praises fell from his lips as you twisted your wrist dexterously around the head of his cock, the wet, squelching sounds bringing a brilliant flush to your cheeks, but you didn’t lessen your ministrations. In fact, you grew bold enough to thumb gently at that delicate spot on the underside of his shaft as you carefully wrapped your lips around the tip. You laved the flat of your tongue over the copious amounts of pre-cum seeping from him, and getting to hear the throaty moan Sebastian let slip was nothing short of a spiritual experience.
“Gods– gods– I take it back, you’ve got to stop. I can’t–” you silenced him by bobbing your head down lower, taking as much of him into your mouth as you could until you felt him bump against the back of your throat. Your tongue continued to press enticingly along the underside of his shaft all the while, and it was at that point Sebastian chose to bury his fingers in your hair and tug. “Stop– stop–”
Well, since he was asking so nicely…
You allowed him to pull you off of his cock, the shaky breath you sucked down intermingling with the frantic puffs of air Sebastian expelled. Through hooded eyes, you peered up at him as you wiped the back of your hand across your mouth, and the expression on his face was somehow a lot of things all at once. It was bewilderment, because you had actually just done that. It was discomfort, which you figured had to do with how solid and stiff he currently was. There was also blatant yearning twinkling in his dark irises.
You blamed yourself for that.
He let go of your hair to grab you by the back of the neck, hauling you forward so abruptly that you fell against his chest. Your hands scrambled for purchase against the bed, but Sebastian held you steady as he recaptured your lips with his in a toe-curling kiss. If he was at all bothered by where your mouth had just been, he didn’t show it, and you felt his chest rumble against yours as he swept his tongue along your bottom lip.
“You’re a fucking menace,” he growled under his breath. “A wicked, conniving little vixen. You expect me to believe you’ve never done that before?”
You were going to answer him, but then he was kissing you again. Those warm, broad hands of his fell to your waist, hurriedly gathering your nightgown up your body to remove it entirely. Your attempts at helping were futile; Sebastian expertly hauled up the bunched material by himself, only deigning to break away from your swollen lips when the clothing passed over your head.
He froze completely when he looked down at your naked body. His mouth opened, but no noise came out. Sebastian’s entire being seemed to be wholly consumed by you, and when you bashfully lowered your head to hide the blush creeping along your cheeks, your hair cascaded over your shoulders and tumbled over your breasts. Sebastian slipped his finger under your chin to force your eyes back on him, at which point he regained the ability to formulate coherent words. “You’re gorgeous, you know that?”
No one had ever said something like that to you with such conviction before, which only prompted your blush to deepen.
His eyes glimmered with mirth when he added, “You’re beautiful when you blush, too.”
The soft smile you gave him was tender, and you shyly reached out to play with the edges of his shirt, the material still hanging loosely at his sides. “Flattery will absolutely get you everywhere right now.”
“Good to know,” he mused with a smirk, dropping his finger from under your jaw to trail the digit down your neck, then between your breasts, before it scratched lightly above your navel. “Because I plan on going everywhere– and I think I’ll take the scenic route.”
You couldn’t help but laugh at his teasing, and the sound prompted Sebastian to wrap his hands around your waist so he could move away from the pillows and swap places with you. In a flash, you were guided back against the mattress, your hair fanning out behind you like a halo as you gazed up at the brunet through hooded eyes. He matched the intensity of your stare easily– if not more so– as he smoothly shrugged his unbuttoned shirt off of his freckled, sculpted shoulders. His eyes burned you from the inside out, and the bone-deep fondness you felt for Sebastian nearly overwhelmed you in that moment.
There was never a chance in hell you could have stayed away from him. Not after everything. You were two sides of the same coin; one motivated by dark magic while the other fled from it. Your life in recent years had been spent hiding from the sins of your past whereas Sebastian had embraced his. He was volatile and impulsive, and you tried to be rational and in control. When you had been brought before him in the manor for the first time, you had truly believed that you were natural opposites. Light and dark, good and bad. But in the end, you were both more alike than anything else, and acknowledging that fact didn’t scare you anymore.
Sebastian kept his eyes on yours as he slithered down the bed, beginning the long, drawn out process of worshiping every part of your body he came across. His hands trailed up your calves, ghosting his thumbs over each spot he kissed– and he took exceptional care to bestow extra attention to the sensitive skin of your inner legs. Those plush, soft lips of his formed a grin when you jolted in response, and your hands fisted around the sheets when he playfully nipped at the junction of your thigh and nether region. He did it once more– chuckling when you twitched again– and then he actually bit down.
“M-Merlin, Sebastian, what–” you gasped when he started to suck at the patch of skin between his teeth, the sensations setting your nerves ablaze. It was so close to where you actually wanted his mouth, the close proximity making you mewl and shift atop the bed, but Sebastian didn’t relent. He worked his mark into your thigh with gusto, watching you through his lashes as he wrapped his arm under your leg to hold you more firmly to his mouth.
The torment didn’t end there. Once he was satisfied with the purpling bruise, he moved on to your other leg, giving it the same treatment despite your writhing. You could feel how wet you were becoming– and you were astounded that your body was reacting in such a way when he hadn’t even made contact with your center yet.
Once both of your thighs were amply decorated with a slew of love-bites that you knew would take an eternity to fade, Sebastian slid an arm under each leg and pulled you down the mattress easily. His face was mere inches away from your cunt, and the immoral gleam in his eyes told you that he was nowhere near finished playing with you.
That was exactly what he was doing, too. Playing with you. He was toying with your body– tweaking different parts to see what got you to squirm, what made you moan, and how much you could take before you inevitably got impatient.
“You look agitated, princess,” Sebastian remarked coyly, digging his fingers into the tops of your thighs. “Something wrong?”
The gall of this man. Your grip on the bed sheets turned white knuckled at the same time you narrowed your eyes, “Quit messing around.”
The faux innocent look on his face was positively dripping with sarcasm, as was his voice when he retorted, “I said I was taking the scenic route… are you trying to rush out of here or something?”
“Hardly,” you muttered, knowing damn well that you had nowhere to rush back to. “I gave up my room to Devlin, so I’m stuck here all night.”
“All the more reason for you to practice patience, your highness. Good things come to those who wait.”
You were about to tell him exactly where he could stick his patience, but he leaned forward to exhale roughly against your wet, waiting folds, and suddenly you were the living embodiment of the word. The way your lips parted with anticipation would have been humiliating in any other situation, but right now you were drawn tauter than a wire. You wanted– no, you needed him to close the distance.
The asshole knew it, too. His taunting grin was proof enough. So, you obediently held back the snide comments that danced on the tip of your tongue and waited.
And waited.
A few more seconds ticked by, and you were still waiting.
He was still smiling at you.
Just as the extent of your patience began to thin, you heard his husky voice murmur, “Good girl.”
Then his mouth was on you, and your back was arching off the bed.
The hard, flat expanse of Sebastian’s tongue swept through your folds, pressing deliciously against your clit and pulling a strangled whine from your throat. He lapped furiously between your legs as though it were the only thing he knew how to do– each pass of the wet muscle lingering against your bundle of nerves longer than the one before– and with his arms locked tight around your thighs, all you could do was take it.
The sloppy, sordid sounds that filled your ears were nothing short of obscene. Your needy moans reverberated off the walls of the bedroom, but you didn’t care if anyone heard. You couldn’t care– your mind was overwhelmed with the never ending pleasure Sebastian gave to you, reducing you to nothing more than a sentient ball of desire.
The tip of his tongue plunged deep within your trembling walls, his nose shamelessly burying itself against your clit, and even Sebastian wasn’t strong enough to stop your legs from clamping down on either side of his head. “Gods– Sebastian–”
His laugh was so muffled that you barely heard it, but you absolutely felt it. You groaned ardently and abandoned the sheets, raking your nails across his scalp before tangling your fingers around the strands. It all felt so good, but you didn’t want to close your eyes like your body demanded. Instead you looked down at the man reverently sprawled between your legs, taking in the sight of his broad back tensing and untensing, his hips undulating against the mattress as he devoured you.
He was rutting into the bed. Fuck.
That brought you closer to the edge than anything else– the knowledge that he was deriving pleasure from pleasuring you. Your tryst in his office weeks ago was child's play next to this. You had never been so aroused in your entire life, and the fire burning in your gut amplified tenfold.
“I’m–” your voice halted when he withdrew his tongue abruptly, sliding it back to your clit again before glancing up at you. His stare branded you down to your very soul before he sealed his lips around the swollen pearl, somehow rubbing titillating little circles over it with his tongue. His palms trailed up your thighs to soothingly caress your lower stomach, which allowed him to feel how tense your abdominal muscles were. Your body trembled with its pending release, and Sebastian’s eyes darkened in understanding, his dexterous tongue quickening its movement with renewed vigor.
He wasn’t going to stop, and you were so, so fucking grateful for it.
The tidal wave of pleasure that washed over you was so powerful, it brought forth a surge of your dark magic. Nothing like what it had been at the manor– just a ripple that filled the room before suddenly dissipating– but it was tangible all the same. Your eyes squeezed shut as your head fell back against the pillows, a long, drawn out moan escaping your throat, and Sebastian continued to move his mouth over you through all of it.
Only once you were twitching and limp did he relent and pull away from your cunt, his lips glistening with the evidence of your pleasure. He panted heavily as he pushed himself up to crawl over you, his biceps flexing as he stared down at you with a hunger that bordered on animalistic, and you swore you had never seen a more erotic sight.
The lightning-looking tattoo on his right arm seemed to coil faster around the limb, but that was easy to overlook when you compared it to the debonair wizard it was imprinted on. Sebastian’s hair fell into his face and cast a seductive shadow across his lust-dark eyes, the corded muscles in his arms bulging as he held himself over you with his hands braced beside your head. The sheer size of his body was all the more apparent when you were caged beneath it, and you numbly reached up to press your hand to his chest. His heart hammered violently against his sternum, and when your eyes flicked back to meet his, he clasped your hand in his before pinning it to the bed, then leaned down to kiss you.
The action said more than any words could, but when he lowered his hips so his cock fell heavily against your hip, you groaned into his mouth.
Sebastian kissed you deeply, indulging for a long while while both of your bodies came down from the highs they’d been riding. Yours was more of the post-climax type, but Sebastians? His was one born of denied release and a desperate need to remedy that fact. You could feel the tension radiating from him, the arm that pinned yours to the bed quaking minutely. His shaky exhales were colored by barely there groans, and that was what caused you to finally pull away from the intoxicating taste of his lips.
“You’re shaking,” you remarked lamely. The fingers attached to your restrained hand wiggled tellingly, and Sebastian’s grip on your wrist tightened.
“I’m…” his voice was low and strained, further validating your assumption that he was holding back. His eyes slid shut for a moment, and you watched as he sucked in a steadying breath with rapt focus. “I’m fine. Just… trying really hard to stay gentlemanly.”
The assortment of love-bites on your legs said that it was far too late for that. “Why? Don’t tell me we’re going to have a picnic on the floor now. Or are you planning on reading me a bedtime story?”
Sebastian’s eyes opened into narrow slits at the taunting challenge in your voice. “You’re walking a dangerous line, princess.”
“Just calling it like I see it,” you shrugged, perfectly aware of how risky your teasing was. “If I wanted ‘gentlemanly’, I’d be in Ominis’ room taking notes on which fork to use at a formal dinner party.”
Regardless of the statement itself, mentioning the Auror elicited a deep, rumbling growl from Sebastian. It was at that point you considered you might have made a mistake; maybe metaphorically poking the sleeping Graphorn wasn’t the smartest idea.
“Alright, darling,” he muttered seriously, sliding his knee up the bed so it was nestled directly between your legs. You gasped when it made contact with your still-sensitive center, the sound bringing a savage grin to the dark wizard’s face. “No more niceties. But when you’re crying and begging for a break later, just remember you asked for it.”
“W-Wait, I didn’t mean– ah!” Your remaining free hand was swiftly manhandled alongside your restrained one, Sebastian’s one-handed grip on both of your wrists more than sufficient to keep them bound. His expression had transformed into one that was purely and unequivocally feral. The self-control he had exercised earlier was nowhere to be found as he used the knee between your legs to knock your thighs apart. When he curled his empty hand under one of your knees to hoist it off the bed, you stammered incredulously, a heady flush erupting down your chest as you were brazenly spread open for him.
The weight of his cock made its grand reappearance against your hip, the blunt head dragging down, down, down, until it pressed tellingly against your slick folds. Sebastian fixed you with a predatory look– his lips curling into a self-satisfied smirk as he let your knee fall over the crook of his elbow– and he held your stare with fiery intention as he gingerly pressed into your soaked hole.
Your eyes rolled back into your skull at the feeling, your lips parting around an airy whimper. Sebastian’s guttural moan shook you to your core, his hands clenching around your wrists in a way that made the bones rub together uncomfortably, but you were hardly of a mind to care. His cock was thick. So gloriously long and perfect– you couldn’t help thinking that you were made to take him. It felt like an eternity had passed before he bottomed out in your fluttering walls, the breach made so much smoother thanks to the copious amounts of slick still coating your lower half.
Sebastian gave you the briefest of moments to adjust, in which time he managed to grit through clenched teeth, “F-Fuck, princess– you feel so hot. You’re so wet– gods…”
Something akin to a croak was your response, and then he was moving.
The drag of his cock through your walls felt like nothing born of this Earth. Somehow, someway, the way he held your leg up allowed for him to probe deeper than ever, the tip of his length brushing against parts of you that had never been touched before. It felt like he was stirring up your very insides– each steady pump of his hips halting your breathing and making your mind go blank. The steady roll of his pelvis was methodical and controlled, and while it was a great way to get acclimated, it left you yearning for more.
“S-Sebastian, please,” you wheezed, digging your nails into your palms as you attempted to rut up against him. “Please, more.”
The brunet’s head fell forward so it was inches away from yours, your crazed face reflecting back at you in his dilated pupils. The tip of his incisors peeked out from behind his upper lip as he grinned diabilocally at you. “I can’t hear you, princess. You’re going to have to speak up.”
“More,” you begged louder. “I want more. I want it– I can take it.”
Maybe you’d look back on this moment in the morning and feel some semblance of shame, or maybe you wouldn’t. But right now? You didn’t care. Especially not when your pleading got you everything you’d asked for and then some.
Sebastian put more of his weight on the arm he held yours down with, shoving your conjoined wrists so far into the mattress that the springs beneath strained. You were more flexible than you gave yourself credit for, because when he readjusted your elevated leg so it hooked over his shoulder, you were effectively bent in half with next to no difficulty. He held the limb in place by gripping the top of your thigh, and then without any warning, he picked up his pace.
This was far from love-making or fucking. Sebastian was consuming you– claiming you– slapping his hips against your skin loudly and roughly and with no hint of restraint. He rammed his cock into your cunt, your body sucking him deeper of its own accord and tightening so ferociously that a bestial hiss slipped through his clenched teeth.
“Perfect–” you heard him groan, which prompted you to crack your eyes open. “Fucking perfect. All of you– all mine. All for me.”
It was completely possessive, and it made your head swim with potent arousal. Your eyes greedily drank in every inch of his body; his broad, sculpted shoulders, his toned abdomen, the veins in his arm rising to the surface as he maintained his unrelenting hold on your wrists. The man was a work of art, and if your brain wasn’t currently being muddled by his hips hammering against your ass, you would tell him as much. You wanted to communicate that you were his– that your heart belonged to him, and that he could have you any way he wanted.
But then the hand he held your thigh with drifted lower to rest on your lower stomach, the subtle pressure he applied there making you acutely aware of just how deep inside of you he was, and suddenly the head of his cock was hitting the same spot that had driven you mad in his office. You gave up on trying to speak.
Instead, you wailed.
You were delirious.
Your spine attempted to round off the mattress, but between Sebastian’s grip on your arms and your knee slung over his shoulder, all you managed to do was crane your neck back. That spot– whatever it was his cock was touching nullified all coherent thought. Your folded position and his hand pressing on your stomach forced you to remain in place and endure the euphoric torment, and you were fairly certain your eyes fucking crossed.
“I-I can’t– I can’t–” you babbled dumbly. A tight knot of pleasure was quickly forming in your gut– right where his hand was pressing down– and you were almost afraid for it to come undone, because it was too much. “S-Seb– Seb–”
“Come on, princess. Where’s that smart mouth of yours now?” He chuckled darkly, the sound punctuated by the rough, grating breaths he expelled from his lungs. “Is it good, darling? More?”
Gods, could there even be anything more to give after this? The hard thickness of his cock driving into you, punching the very air from your lungs as it simultaneously dragged over that sweet spot over and over again. You didn’t think you could handle much else, and you fixed your fucked-out gaze on Sebsatian’s face in the hopes that he would somehow read your mind and figure that out.
He met your stare, then flashed you a wicked smile that told you he didn’t care in the slightest what you could or couldn’t handle.
The pressure on your stomach vanished when Sebastian planted his thumb directly against your swollen clit, rubbing tight, maddening circles over the nub that matched the tempo of his hips, and you were gone. Your consciousness was no longer on Earth, and your rough cry of his name was all that registered in your ears as the fire coursing through your veins burned hotter.
Your noisy pleas of “Wait” and “More” fell on deaf ears since you couldn’t stop contradicting yourself. Sebastian didn’t stop owning you– didn’t ease up the pressure he held you down with. The bed creaked violently beneath you, the headboard smacking against the wall so aggressively that you were certain there would be a dent in the plaster afterwards, but all you could focus on was the budding ecstasy building in your lower half. Overstimulated tears streaked down your flushed cheeks as you teetered on the brink of euphoria, and Sebastian dove forward to kiss you voraciously.
“Come for me, princess,” he groaned against your mouth, his hips bucking frantically into you and driving the head of his cock straight into your sweet spot so perfectly that you couldn’t hold back your keening moans. “I want to feel you. I know you can do it– come for me.”
That was all it took for the coil to snap, your mouth falling open with a cry as your walls clamped down on Sebastian’s cock and sucked him in so suddenly that his entire body shuddered. The heel of your foot dug sharply into his shoulder blade as you brainlessly pulled him closer, some primal part of your mind trying against all odds to keep him inside for as long as you could, and gods did he let you.
His thrusts turned uneven, his balls grinding against you as he pounded into you through your climax. The shaky iterations of your name he managed to grunt out were so unlike how he normally sounded– his voice pleading and piteous, his tone reverent and awed– and it wasn’t long before he came just as hard as you had. His thighs shook with the force of his finish, the hand holding your wrists gripping you with bruising strength before going lax. Sebastian’s entire body quaked as he cursed and groaned through his teeth, and you trembled in earnest beneath him as you felt his hot seed seeping out around his cock before dripping down your rear. Watching him was a primitive and carnal display, and through the fog that clouded your mind, you couldn’t help but cling to the thought that it was the most titillating sight you’d ever been graced with.
The two of you were both shaking and panting when he finally stilled. Sebastian was breathing harder than you’d ever seen, a thin sheen of sweat decorating his body and making his sun-kissed skin glow against the dim light of the lanterns. He was beautiful, you thought at that moment. He was handsome and strong and perfect, and he was yours. You wanted nothing more than to wrap your arms around his neck– to pull him down so you could kiss him and thank him even though it was a silly thing to do.
But the aches that littered your body clued you in on how impossible that would be. You couldn’t feel your arms. Or your legs.
You wiggled your fingers, the flexing tendons prompting Sebastian to finally release your wrists. He was incredibly gentle as he slid your knee off of his shoulder, taking care to set the boneless limb atop the mattress without jostling you too much. He stayed sheathed in your walls, though, not quite ready to pull out as he began running his fingers over your skin soothingly. “Are you alright, princess?”
‘Alright’ didn’t even begin to cover how you were feeling. You still weren’t fully capable of speech– Merlin only knew what would come out of your mouth if you tried to talk. So you settled for giving him a tender smile. The relief that washed over his face imbued you with emotions so strong, you knew there were no words you could say.
Sometime later, after Sebastian had kissed the life back into you and massaged the feeling back into your tingling limbs, he carried you over to the other bed that had remained unsoiled. He pulled back the covers and tucked the two of you in before wrapping an arm around your shoulders, drawing you snug against his side at the same time you curled your legs around his.
It was a wonderful, perfect little slice of paradise that you never wanted to leave. So much of your future was uncertain– Sebastian’s even more so since he was still a wanted man. But you didn’t want to dwell on the what ifs. Not with him holding you so securely, reverently tracing shapes against your hip with his chin resting on top of your head.
Fatigue inevitably sank its claws into you, and as the steady sound of Sebastian’s heart beating under your ear lulled you to sleep, you heard and felt his voice rumble through his chest against your cheek.
“Merry Christmas, princess.”
DIMITRI AS SEBASTIAN SALLOW IS NOT SOMETHING I KNEW I NEEDED UNTIL RIGHT NOW OMG
Upon further inspection, you're so right it's not even funny
It fits so well, I'm gonna be thinking about this for days
Bonus because I can't unsee it, Devlin mediating a Seb/MC argument:
The Serpent's Paramour CH 28 - Sebastian Sallow x Female!Reader
Summary: With Sebastian finally back to normal, the last thing the two of you have time for is to search for any shred of normalcy or peace. Still, you both decide to steal a moment for yourselves while you still have the chance, and in the end, you're grateful that you do.
Because the morning that follows reveals that the time has come to head to the ancient magic site.
Word Count: 5.8k
Warnings: 18+, aged up characters, nightmares, angst, hurt/comfort, smut, explicit sexual content
It was overcast outside.
You had no recollection of how you had ended up there, though. The grassy strip of land you had stood in mere hours ago was familiar in a way that made your hair stand on end. Terrible things had happened here– things you knew would leave lasting marks on your soul until the day you died. Gray stormclouds covered every inch of sky up above, and the biting breeze that swept over the hills chilled you to your very core.
You were wet. Soaked. Cold, icy water dripped from your chin, your hair, your fingers, and you glanced down at your hands as you clenched the numb limbs into tight fists in a bid to regain some semblance of feeling in them. Even though you vividly remembered Sebastian cleansing the dirt from your body, you could plainly see mud and grass stains covering your palms again.
Had you dreamt it all? Was everything you’d experienced nothing more than a cruel trick your stress-addled mind had conjured up?
The idea made your stomach churn violently, and you blinked furiously as tears threatened to spill down your cheeks. When the waterworks became manageable, you willed yourself to lift your head and take in your surroundings some more, but you instantly wished you hadn’t. The scenery had changed– for the worse.
There was a body lying in the grass a handful of feet away from you. It hadn’t been there before– or maybe you had just overlooked it? No… you couldn’t have possibly missed something so obvious. Especially given the dark clothing the person wore– the color was stark in comparison to the vibrant, green landscape the corpse was strewn across.
Not a single part of you wanted to approach the body. Your brain reeled in protest as your legs started to move of their own accord, slowly and cautiously carrying you towards the unmoving man. His dark, unruly head of curls billowed softly in the breeze, and as you padded closer, the puzzle pieces began to come together. It was Lincoln. It was Lincoln who had been beaten into submission in this very place by Sebastian– days of retribution delivered with each precise strike to the dark wizard’s face while you lay twitching and whimpering in the grass.
A devastated sound burst from your lips, however, when your body planted itself directly beside the pale, unmoving corpse. It wasn’t Lincoln.
It was Sebastian.
His skin was colorless. Whiter than snow– so much so that even the darker hue of his freckles seemed flat. His eyelids were barely cracked open, revealing his familiar chocolate brown irises that gazed unseeingly out at the barren hills. Dull.
You collapsed to your knees before you knew what you were doing. Your control over your hand was nonexistent, the appendages shaking violently as they flew down to clasp his cheeks, but you recoiled as soon as you made contact with his skin. He was ice cold. There wasn’t a lick of warmth to be found throughout his body. Lifeless.
This wasn’t right. This wasn’t how it had happened! Lincoln was the one who should be here, not Sebastian!
Without Sebastian, your Vow with Rookwood made you nothing more than a martyr. Without Sebastian, you were wholly alone and at the mercy of quite possibly the most vile man in existence. You had only made the deal with Victor to ensure Sebastian’s safety while he was Imperio’d by Lincoln. If he was dead, what was the point of any of it?
You knew you were crying, but you couldn’t bring yourself to stop. Kneeling in the grass atop a freezing hillside, drenched in the water you’d been doused with by Henri… it didn’t matter. Not with Sebastian’s motionless body mere inches from you. He wasn’t supposed to be cold– he was always so warm. His warmth was his life force, and there was none of that to be found before you now.
Dead.
Grating laughter sounded from beside you, malicious and wicked in its entirety. The biting wind stung your eyes as you lifted your head to look at Rookwood, who had materialized at your side from out of nowhere. His crooked, bony fingers curled around the armrests of his wheelchair, pure delight etched across his hollow, cruel face as he sneered down at you. Then your heart lodged itself in your throat as one of his withered, aged hands peeled away from his chair to loom closer. Closer. Closer.
“You’re mine, little hero.”
Someone called your name at the same time you screamed, and suddenly you were staring up at Sebastian’s worried face. His arms were braced on either side of your head– his expression one of second-hand terror– but the look softened the moment he realized your eyes were open and fixed on his.
“Easy, princess,” Sebastian’s voice was thick with sleep, but it calmed your nerves all the same. “You were dreaming.”
A dream…? No, a gods-awful nightmare, more like. You shuddered as you sucked down a deep, steadying breath, rolling your head to the side to confirm what your frazzled mind already knew. You were in the tiny room you’d been staying in for the last few days, sans the wet clothes Sebastian had stripped away from your body hours earlier. Had it been hours? Minutes? There was no way to know, but if the brunet’s disheveled hair was any indication, he had been asleep for a while alongside you. At some point before he’d passed out, he must have removed his shirt, because the broad, freckled expanse of his chest was fully visible despite the lack of light. The darkness that permeated every inch of the small space made you think it was the middle of the night, but unless you ventured out into the kitchen to glimpse the windows that lined the walls, you would only be guessing what time it was.
And you wouldn’t dare to set foot outside your room. Hell– you couldn’t fathom so much as stepping out of bed.
Sebastian’s hand appeared against your cheek then, gently turning your head back towards him so he could search your eyes for something. He still looked incredibly tired; shadows rimmed his dark eyes, and the way he held himself over you spoke volumes of his physical exhaustion. You wondered, then, what kind of effect being under the Imperius Curse for so long had had on him.
As much as the thought made your heart hurt, you were grateful that he was here with you now. An exhausted, weak Sebastian was better than a mindless, obedient one. He was alive, too. Even though your eyes strained to adjust to the darkness of the room you could clearly make out the dark freckles that lined his cheeks and dotted his nose. His complexion– while slightly pale from days of accumulated fatigue– was vibrant. Lively.
He wasn’t dead, thank Merlin.
You wanted to burn the image of his dead body from your brain completely, but it seemed the universe intended for you to writhe some more. The horrid, lingering images of your nightmare flashed through your mind repetitively, and even though you were looking up at a very alive, very whole Sebastian Sallow, tears still welled up in your eyes. That was the extent of your sadness, though. Your expression remained stony while a fat, lone tear slipped out and snaked its way down your temple. Despite the lack of light in the room, the man above you saw it plain as day, and his brows furrowed with concern.
Sebastian was quick to wipe away the moisture from your face, his muscles flexing as he lowered himself against the bed to gather you in his arms. You let him haul you sideways until your cheek was pressing into his chest with one of your hands trapped between your bodies, and you shamelessly wrapped your free arm around his waist to hug him tight. Featherlight, gentle fingers traced the line of your spine up to your neck before eventually splaying there to hold you in place, and you relished in the familiarity of his embrace.
“I don’t like seeing you cry,” he said after a while. Your eyes drifted open, and you were met with the sight of Sebastian’s broad chest. His heart beat steadily beneath your ear… which was something that gave you more relief than you were willing to admit.
“I don’t like seeing you cry, either.”
His sudden scoff jostled you in his arms, and you lifted your head to peer up at him only to discover that he was already smirking down at you. “I never cry.”
While any evidence to the contrary was slim, it still existed. Rolling your eyes, you muttered around a grin, “Liar.”
A quick, chaste kiss was placed against your forehead, and you sighed as you unabashedly basked in the tenderness of the moment. Sebastian lifted his hand from the back of your neck to tuck a strand of hair behind your ear, and it felt like he was peering into the depths of your very soul as his eyes jumped back and forth between yours. “You’re smiling.”
Said smile wavered, if only a little bit. “I guess so.”
“I don’t know when your smile became my favorite thing to see, but it is. You…” Sebastian trailed off, ghosting his fingers along your cheekbone as he struggled to find the words he wanted to speak. His expression became somewhat melancholy before he softly murmured, “You changed everything, princess.”
It felt like your heart lodged itself in your throat, and no matter how much you swallowed around the lump there, the tightness persisted. Hoarsely, you managed to croak, “Is that a bad thing?”
“Fuck no. You just– you make me want to be a better man,” he admitted, but his brows furrowed with uncertainty. You couldn’t exactly blame him for the contrast.
Even if he wanted to embrace change and turn his life around, the situation the two of you found yourselves in was hardly one that would allow for you to plan your futures. Between Rookwood, the relic, and the Ministry sniffing around the ancient magic site, well… it seemed like your dreams would have to stay dreams for now.
As though he knew exactly what you were thinking, Sebastian’s expression smoothed out into one of calm reassurance. He leaned forward to press another kiss against the tip of your nose, then rolled onto his back so his head was nestled on the lone pillow. His arms remained securely wrapped around you which left you half-draped across his chest, but you didn’t mind the odd angle. “Don’t make that face– I swear to you, we’ll make it out of this together. No matter what it takes.”
The trapped hand between your torsos curled into a loose fist, and your nails dug into his bare chest as the potency of his promise washed over you. It was too much for you to tell him that you believed him– to foolishly disregard how high the odds were stacked against you. But it was also impossible to completely dismiss what he had said. So, you simply sighed and snuggled closer, breathing in his calming scent of cedar wood and parchment.
Only a few seconds passed before you heard Sebastian’s low, teasing voice rumble through his chest against your ear. “What about you?”
“What about me?”
“What’s your favorite thing about me?” The question was sudden and unexpected, so you lifted your head to blink up at him quizzically. Doing so left you face to face with Sebastian’s coy grin, and he waggled his eyebrows at you tellingly. “Is it my debonair smile? Or my luscious hair? Maybe it’s my wit and charm– I know you’re a sucker for my silver tongue.”
You huffed out a humorless laugh and perched your chin against his sternum, staring up at him incredulously with that small smile still playing on your lips. “I hear modesty is all the rage these days…”
Sebastian rolled his eyes and waved off the remark. “Modesty is for the birds. Come on, tell me. Is it something I already listed? Or is it something dirty?” He smirked shamelessly as your cheeks flushed an unhealthy shade of red. Gods. “Let me guess: you’re too shy to praise my finer parts out loud? Should I pull the words out of you myself? I’d be happy to give you a reminder, princess.”
“You really like the sound of your own voice, don’t you?” You could feel your skin warming with every purred word, and when Sebastian brazenly began trailing his hands up your back to fondle the clasp of your brassiere, the noise that came from the back of your throat was loud enough that he heard it. A mischievous glint came to life within his irises, twinkling so brightly that you swore his eyes were actually gemstones in that moment. He tipped his head to the side, casting the bed-mussed strands of hair at the front of his face across his forehead, and the look he fixed you with was full of hunger and yearning.
You blinked, and the next thing you knew, Sebastian had flipped the two of you over so you were laid out in his original spot while he gazed down at you imploringly. The arm he supported himself with flexed deliciously, and when his other hand skimmed along the side of your torso to fondle the waist beads there, you shuddered.
“I like the sound of your voice better,” he whispered in a sultry tone. His soft, full lips ghosted over yours when his head dropped lower to reach you, and almost instinctively, you reached up to bury your hands in his hair. “Especially when you’re making those pretty little sounds for me… I really like your voice then.”
It was ludicrous to indulge him this way. It was insane to even consider lowering your guard given where the two of you were. Dark wizards and Poachers alike crept throughout the house like phantoms, and even though no one had ever barged into your tiny bedroom in the middle of the night, safety and security weren’t guaranteed here. It was risky to gamble that way even with Sebastian present to help protect you.
But still… you craved him. You needed him. Much like your safety, tomorrow also wasn’t guaranteed. Things could go up in flames at any moment. The ceiling could come crashing down on top of you and leave you with nothing but fleeting hopes and bittersweet memories. If things did end poorly for you and Sebastian once you reached the site, the last thing you wanted was for your remaining time with him to be spent riddled with fear and uncertainty. It was a distressing way of thinking, but you already knew yourself to be a realist.
If this was one moment in a sea of many that you could be selfish with, you wanted it.
And if any of the villainous leeches under the same roof thought to intrude, well… your Vow with Victor didn’t apply to Sebastian. You would happily sit back and let your lover bestow the same fate upon Rookwood that he had Lincoln.
As your train of thought returned to the present moment, Sebastian placed a quick kiss against your lips, then ducked his head into the crook of your neck. The hand at your waist made its way south until his fingers curled under the waistband of your undergarments, but instead of tugging them down like you anticipated, he paused. He waited.
It was a small gesture, but one that made your heart swell with more affection than you thought possible. Your shallow, panted breaths got in the way of proper English, so you nodded and tightened your grip on his hair compellingly. Go ahead, the motion said.
Sebastian swallowed thickly before kissing your throat, then pulled away to give himself the leverage he needed to slip the thin cotton down your legs. The material was discarded somewhere against the floor, and you watched dimly as Sebastian hurriedly unbuttoned his trousers and kicked them off, leaving him in nothing but his dark briefs.
“I want to give you everything,” he confessed in a shaky voice, slowly moving so he could sprawl out belly-down between your legs. His stare was branding. You felt bare for reasons that had nothing to do with your lack of clothing, but the flurry of emotions whipping through your mind were far from bad. “I want to hear you sing my name. If I heard nothing but your voice for the rest of my life, I’d die a happy man. You have no idea, princess– none.”
Melting helplessly under Sebastian’s attention, you curled your fingers into the threadbare blanket beside you, spreading your knees to give him more room as he trailed his fingers along your inner thighs. You were slow to process his words, but once you had, you muttered, “I-I don’t think I should be singing here… someone might hear us.”
Lust-dark eyes danced up to meet yours, “Normally I would agree with you, but I’m going to kill them all anyway. No one will be alive to remember it.”
Sweet fucking Merlin.
“At the very least,” he continued casually– as though he hadn’t just uttered the most outlandish statement of all time. Then he dropped his head so his lips were directly against your cunt, and your next intake of breath got caught in your throat. “Just make sure I can hear you.”
It wasn’t like you had any other choice but to obey his command– not when he sealed his lips over your flesh to begin licking and sucking like a man starved. A ragged moan tore from your throat as your head kicked back against the pillow, your stomach tensing and rolling with each pass of Sebastian’s tongue over your clit. You couldn’t tell if you were so sensitive because you’d just woken up or if the brunet had simply mastered his craft, but everything he did imbued you with pleasure so fierce that you had to bite the inside of your cheek to stifle your groans.
Before long, you felt the tip of his finger teasing at your entrance– sliding through the wetness that had gathered there and spreading it around coyly. He carefully sucked your swollen nub between his lips and worked his tongue over it repetitively, and at the same time you began to pant hotly, he pressed his finger inside of you.
“Sebastian,” you gasped breathlessly. The blanket you’d been holding on to was abandoned, your hands flying away from the bed to instead grab hold of the soft, curly strands of his hair, and Sebastian groaned appreciatively when you brainlessly pulled more of him against your cunt. “Gods, I missed you– I missed you so much.”
You were fairly certain he rolled his hips against the bed in response to your declaration, and when you lifted your head to look, you found that he was already staring at you from between your legs. The dimness within the room couldn’t dull the brilliant whites of his eyes, and you shuddered at the sight of him gazing up at you with hunger that brought your arousal to new heights.
When Sebastian finally pulled back to breathe, he only left a hairs-width of space between his lips and your drenched core. His eyes remained locked on yours as he groaned, “I missed you too, princess.” He ground his clothed cock against the mattress again, prompting his lashes to flutter beautifully. “I need you– I want you so bad, you have no idea.”
You pushed his hair out of his face, dragging your palms down to cup his cheeks so you could pull him towards you. “Come on then… I don’t want to wait anymore.”
Sebastian must have felt similarly, because in the next instant he was pushing himself up onto his hands– abandoning your lower half entirely so he could crawl over you and plant a heated, heavy kiss against your lips. The wet slide of both of your mouths was made slicker thanks to the moisture covering the lower half of his face, but you didn’t mind in the slightest. You were too enthralled by the man above you– too desperate to indulge in this one, stolen moment together before everything potentially went to hell.
Mercifully, Sebastian didn’t wait for any more insistence from you. He broke away from the kiss with a shallow exhale and grabbed your knee, hitching your leg around his waist before lowering his hips, and the first bump of his cock against your cunt made you shiver. By now, your eyes had more than adjusted to the darkness of the room, which allowed you to see the blatant yearning etched across the handsome features of your lover. The sheer adoration on his face brought a soft smile to your lips, and you managed to croak, “I adore you, you know?”
“Not as much as I adore you.”
“Must it always be a competition with you?”
“You know me,” he purred, leaning down to kiss the tip of your nose. “I like riling you up.”
Sebastian elected to press into you with a low, raspy moan at that moment. He took his time rocking his hips into you, drinking in the stuttered breaths you let loose as he filled you up until his hips were flush to your own. A bitten back curse fell from his parted lips, and he left you to hold your leg against him so he could run his hand up your thigh. The appendage traveled up your chest, over your shaking shoulders, along the column of your throat, until it finally came to rest against your temple. It was like he was studying you– committing every tangible detail to memory as though he’d been apart from you for a thousand years.
You almost wanted to cry. But then he ground his cock into you with measured, torturous pressure, and you gasped. “Gods, I love you, Sebastian, fuck–”
It took every remaining lick of brain power you possessed to rock back against him, and his pupils were blown wide with lust as he watched you try to move under him. When you lifted your other leg off the mattress to hook it around the other side of his hip, you brazenly spread your thighs in open invitation. Sebastian didn’t bother hiding the way he glanced down– openly watching his cock disappear into your tight heat when he pulled his hips back and jerked them forward again– and his groan of approval shot straight through you and amplified the arousal you felt racing through your veins.
“You look so good, princess,” he hummed, shuddering at the visual you’d granted him. “So damn good.” Flashing you a dazzling grin, he reached down to run his thumb gently along the slick, stretched ring of your entrance, seemingly worshiping the area you were joined. “I wish you could see how pretty you look around me.”
If you were lucky, the lack of light in the room would hide how red you knew your cheeks were. “S-Shut up… you can’t just say things like that.”
“Why not? I promised never to lie to you again. I’m just being honest.”
You lifted your hands to rest them easily on Sebastian’s shoulders. You opened your mouth to speak again, or maybe to plead for your lover to move, but your words broke off into a gasping whine when Sebastian pulled back and rolled smoothly into your cunt again. This time, however, he didn’t stop.
Sebastian ran his fingers over your entrance again, staring almost disbelievingly at the way you took him, and then he sat back to plant both of his hands against your hips to tug you harder against his cock. The muffled thump of your arms falling back to your sides was muted as you stared up at him in lust-drunk wonder. Your legs slid loosely down his waist as his spine straightened, but you didn’t get the chance to hook your ankles around him again before he was moving, and your body fell effortlessly under his control as he held you right where he wanted you.
A keening whimper snuck past your lips as Sebastian’s grip on your hips turned bruising, and then he was pumping into you steadily– his pace growing faster and more urgent with every raspy gasp you choked out. Through his teeth, he groaned, “So perfect.”
The speed with which he moved dragged guttural moans and stuttered cries of his name from your throat, and you were dizzy from how good it all felt. Sebastian grunted and shifted his hands– one skimming higher up to your waist while the other slid down to squeeze your ass– and the dual-grip he had on you allowed for him to pound into you desperately and without restraint.
The way you seemed to practically bounce off of Sebastian’s cock was something you would let yourself be embarrassed about later. Right now, it was imbuing you with pleasure only he was capable of giving you. He moaned shamelessly and gasped your name, but the way you cried out in response to every hard thrust echoed throughout the room and overrode his own ardent sounds.
“S-Sebastian, fuck– fuck, j-just like that. I’m–” Fistfuls of the blanket were gathered in your grip as you attempted to ride back into his every thrust, your eyes clamped shut from the bliss, your thighs shaking from how perfectly Sebastian pounded into you. His groans became louder at the same time his rough pace turned frantic– leaving you a sloppy, gasping, pleading mess beneath him.
Today, tomorrow, the next day– there would never be enough time to bask in exactly this.
Both of your peaks began to build between the two of you. Your shaky, panted gasps of Sebastian’s name were more than enough to convey that fact, so he let go of your rear to plant his thumb against your clit, rubbing tight, tempting circles over the hypersensitive nub.
Your climax was instant. There was no chance you could have held on any longer after that. The choked wail that ripped from your chest was muffled in a heartbeat by Sebastian’s lips slamming into yours, and he kissed you nearly senseless as his throbbing cock continued to spear into you fervently, vehemently, desperately. He fucked you through your finish with astonishing vigor until your fluttering walls and trembling body yanked him right over the edge with you.
Sebastian’s shaky growl of your name directly in your ear made you whimper, and you opened your eyes at the same exact time he buried himself deep inside with a heady gasp.
It was a long while before either one of you could think coherently. Sebastian gave up on supporting himself over you and fully collapsed on top of your twitching form, nestling his face in the crook of your neck with his chest flush to yours. It was a wonder you were able to wrap your arms around his shoulders at all, but you forced yourself to do it simply so you could reassure your frazzled brain that this was real.
It wasn’t a dream. It wasn’t a hallucination. Sebastian was alive, whole, and content pressing against your body– and you wouldn’t have had it any other way.
—
The term ‘rude awakening’ couldn’t have been more fitting. Even if the Gods themselves crafted a situation that fit the description of the phrase to the letter, it wouldn't hold a candle to the horrendous way you’d been dragged out of your blissful, comfortable sleep.
Violent banging on your bedroom door had startled both you and Sebastian awake. The two of you were still fully in the nude following the events that had transpired in the early hours of the morning, and since your sleep had already been interrupted thanks to that damn nightmare, you had only managed to rest for a little while. So to be scared awake again– well aware that the only thing protecting your modesty from whoever was on the other side of the door was a meager, thin blanket– made you anxious.
It also pissed you right the hell off.
Sebastian hadn’t waited for you to contemplate getting up before he’d thrown the blanket off and climbed to his feet. His discarded trousers from yesterday were hastily pulled on with the top button left undone as he stomped over to the incessant knocking, and he glanced back at you as he placed his hand on the handle. He motioned for you to cover yourself up more, and you obeyed eagerly by hiding beneath the blanket, leaving a small gap by your eye to peer out of.
When the door swung open to reveal Henri’s gross, smarmy face, you were glad that there wasn’t an inch of your skin showing. The only part of your body that he needed to get well acquainted with was your fists.
“I’ve been asked to inform you that we’re leaving,” Henri announced in a flat voice. “Get dressed and come downstairs.”
Leaving? Leaving where? Sebastian must have been thinking the same thing, because he planted his hand on his hip and echoed your thoughts. “Where?”
“Where else do you think, imbécile? Now get moving– I won’t repeat myself again.”
Just like that, Henri absconded from within the hallway, likely heading to the dining area where you assumed Victor was. Sebastian didn’t waste a second before closing the door– taking exceptional care to slam it hard enough that you knew the sound would carry. In a few short strides, he reappeared beside the bed and sat down on the edge of the mattress, tugging the blanket away from your face to reveal your disgruntled expression.
“We’re going to the site, aren’t we?”
He nodded solemnly, his mouth turning into a thin slit as he pursed his lips. “No doubt about it. I can’t say I’m not thrilled to get the hell out of this hellhole, though. I’ve had enough of this shack to last a lifetime.”
You voiced your agreement in the form of a low hum, then pushed yourself up so you were sitting upright. Even seated, your eyes only came up to Sebastian’s chin, and you glanced up at him through your lashes with an almost pained look. “What are we going to do?”
“First, we’ll clean up. I don’t give a shit if they’re stuck waiting for an hour– we both need a proper rinse.” You opened your mouth to protest, but Sebastian’s finger appeared against your lips to silence you. “I’ll be with you every step of the way. Trust me, princess, you’ll thank me later.”
Okay… it wasn’t the worst proposal in the world. Ignoring the way your stomach lurched, you continued, “And then? After we get there, what then?”
Warm, gentle hands came to cradle your face, and you were left with an unobscured view of your lover’s chocolate brown eyes as he tipped his forehead against yours. “We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it. If what you said is true and the Ministry is lurking around out there because of Ominis, then maybe he isn’t far behind. Maybe we can find him– but we can’t bet everything on conveniently running into our people outside the front door. We might end up having to handle everything inside once Victor has the relic and your Vow with him is void.”
All very sound, logical arguments. There weren’t enough words to convey how grateful you were to have Sebastian by your side again. “Alright… you’re not wrong about most of that–”
“Most of it? I’m never wrong, princess,” he teased with a smirk, dropping his hands to your bare shoulders before squeezing them. “Admit it; my logic is undeniable.”
He was such a chauvinistic little tyrant. All he got from you was a theatrical eye roll which warranted a chuckle from him. Jokes aside, however, you found yourself wondering… “Where is the site, anyway? Everyone has spent all this time planning to go there and I still have no clue where it is.”
Contemplative silence was your answer– but only for a moment. A far off look appeared in Sebastian’s dark eyes as he thought about the answer, and then he gave you a half-smile. “You’re not going to like this…”
What the hell did he mean? Saying something like that while smiling– was he daft? “What? Don’t make me beg– out with it!”
Snickering, he let go of your shoulders and leaned back with his arms braced behind him. “Sorry, I’m just remembering how much you hate the cold. You’re going to want to conjure up some warm clothes, princess.”
“Oh, for the love of–” you slapped your hands in your lap, trying your best to keep them from darting out to wring Sebastian’s coy little neck. “Where are we going?”
“Isidora was born and raised in Feldcroft, and before that her parents had lived in Scotland. But way before that? Her lineage actually goes all the way back to Poland. The site we found is in the Tatra Mountains– a little ways south of Kraków.”
Bloody hell. You gaped openly at him, at a complete loss for words until you brought yourself to mutter, “Poland?”
“Yes, princess. Poland.” Sebastian stood swiftly from the bed, fixing you with a look that was equal parts teasing and serious. “No matter what happens when we get there, stick close to me. I’ve only ever been to the site once before, but that was just outside. I have no clue what might be waiting for us once we get in.”
As Sebastian plucked up your wand and went about conjuring up bathing supplies and a pile of winter clothes, you stared unblinkingly at the wall and mulled over the information.
Poland. The Polish mountains was where the site had been this entire time. No wonder you’d never come across it– you’d never even been to Poland. On top of that, Isidora’s family line originating from anywhere other than Scotland was news to you. Had she always known? Based on the few memories of hers you’d glimpsed, you had only ever gotten the impression she’d resided in Feldcroft.
But Poland? A whole other country, so far to the east?
If Sebastian was telling the truth and you were about to freeze your bits off out there, you were in for it. And if the blistering, icy winds of the Polish mountains didn’t kill you, there was a good chance that whatever foreign traps Isidora had laid within the site might do the job instead.
To assume otherwise was arrogant. You knew better than anyone what magical tricks Isidora Morganach was capable of, so steeling your nerves and preparing for the worst was the only feasible course of action.
The Serpent's Paramour CH 29 - Sebastian Sallow x Female!Reader
Summary: Poland isn't what you expected it to be, and the ancient magic site you had heard so much about is also something of a surprise. Once you open the doors to grant everyone access, your curiosity burns hot in your veins. What will be waiting for you inside? What secrets have remained hidden within all this time?
Word Count: 5.5k
Warnings: 18+, aged up characters, explicit language, banter, mounting suspense
New chapter is up on Ao3 as well !
You weren’t sure what you had been expecting when you’d heard about the ancient magic site being in Poland. The Tatra Mountains, well… you had never heard of them before. All you’d known for certain prior to arriving was that it was bound to be cold– hence the five different layers of thermal clothing Sebastian had conjured up for you.
Part of you had anticipated a frozen wasteland; snow mounds piled high enough to reach tree peaks, piercing wind that sent icy flurries biting into your cheeks, low visibility. The scene you had constructed in your mind was the stuff of nightmares.
But ending up in a quaint, bustling village? Surrounded by market stalls beneath warm rays of sunlight that made the frozen lake in the center of the town glisten magically? It was more like a fairytale than a nightmare, and winding up in a place like this had been well at the bottom of your list of expectations.
Not that you were able to enjoy much of the scenery at present, though. Rookwood’s entourage had you and Sebastian completely surrounded, a guarded circle of sorts keeping the two of you subtly isolated from the denizens of the village. Henri and Victor had taken off together shortly after apparating everyone here– although where they had gone, you didn’t know. The only thing the dark wizard had elected to say before leaving were orders directed at his men, instructing them to keep you and Sebastian under control until he got back.
It was a rather boring turn of events, but you were hardly complaining. As far as icy hellscapes went, the Tatra Mountains weren’t so bad, but you weren’t about to let your guard down and assume that things would stay pleasant.
“We should make snow angels,” Sebastian suddenly said, his heels rocking atop the snow covered ground jovially. He was the picture of ease beside you; with his arms braced against the back of the bench the two of you were sitting on, his head tipped back to enjoy the dancing beams of sunlight that punched through the cloudy sky to streak across his face.
At least he was able to relax. You had yet to find a silver lining of your own. “What?”
“Snow angels,” he cracked open one eye and smirked at you, a singular dimple gracing you with its presence. “We never got to make any when we were in Uganda. Better late than never.”
“Stop talking.” One of Rookwood’s men turned around to glower down his nose at Sebastian, his hazel eyes narrowing distastefully at the brunet.
Unfazed by the man’s command, Sebastian opened both of his eyes so he could roll them dramatically, scoffing as he raked his fingers through his wind-blown hair. “Or what? You’ll kill me? Go ahead and try it, I could use the exercise.”
Merlin, he was exhausting. Your shoulders hunched forward at the same time the guard pulled his back, doing his best to appear larger and more intimidating as he glared down at the cocky man beside you. “You’re awfully arrogant for someone who was drooling on himself not long ago. I saw firsthand just how pliable you can be with the right influence.”
At that, Sebastian sat forward and perched his elbows on his knees, somehow managing to look even more confident as he grinned wickedly at the guard. “Then that means you also saw how I broke free from said influence. Even after drooling on myself for a few days, I was able to make minced meat of Lincoln. What makes you think you’ll fare differently? I’m rested, my mind is my own, and you’re starting to look more and more killable. So go on– keep pushing me.”
As much as you loved to watch Sebastian bully Rookwood’s men, now wasn’t the time or place to get into an all out brawl. You planted your hand on his shoulder to pull him back against the bench, but he only relented and catered to your silent demand when another one of the guards slapped the hazel-eyed fellow upside the back of his head.
Seemingly amused that the bloke was being scolded, Sebastian settled back into his seat and gently placed his hand on your thigh. He gave your leg a reassuring squeeze, shooting you a charming smile that seemed incredibly out of place given the situation you both found yourselves in. Hell, the two of you were in Poland surrounded by a bunch of dark wizards. If your hunch was to be believed, there wouldn’t be any more delaying going to the ancient magic site, which meant that it was only a matter of hours before you were forced to grant Rookwood access and help him acquire the relic.
Sebastian’s relaxed demeanor should have put you at ease, but it was no use. It wasn’t like he had some secret plan he hadn’t clued you in on– he had been a mindless puppet prior to now. Was he simply confident that things would go his way? Did he not think Victor would succeed?
You hoped that was the case… with every fiber of your being, you prayed that by some stroke of luck, the two of you would come out on top. The Ministry being here was a good sign, but seeing was believing. Since you had yet to spot any Aurors, you figured that holding your breath for a government-sanctioned intervention wasn’t the wisest course of action.
The sound of snow crunching under feet and the squeaking of wheels pulled you from your thoughts, and you turned in time to spot Victor approaching with Henri at his side. Unlike when they had left, it wasn’t just the two of them any longer. A different set of hands was steering Rookwood’s wheelchair, and they just so happened to belong to the one man you had hoped would remain out of commission.
Lincoln flashed you a grin that then turned wicked as his gaze swiveled to Sebastian. There was no way the two of you could hide your twin looks of shock and contempt. You felt your lover tense up beside you, his fingers digging into your leg as he practically vibrated with barely contained rage. If he had the chance, Sebastian would absolutely throw caution to the wind and give Lincoln a repeat of what had happened yesterday– only this time you knew he would make sure he put the bastard down permanently.
“What, not happy to see me?” Lincoln drawled sarcastically, more and more of his teeth showing as his smile widened. He was missing a few, though. One near the front of his mouth on the bottom row, and another on the side of the top. There was even some light bruising still coloring his face. Evidently Wiggenweld couldn’t fix everything. “You didn’t honestly think a couple of lousy punches would take me out? You should know better than that, Sallow.”
“I had my hopes,” Sebastian muttered darkly. A shadow of murderous intent flitted across his face, but apart from that and his tight grip on your leg, he gave no indication that he was about to change Lincoln’s status from alive to deceased. “I always did think you were distantly related to a cockroach. I shouldn’t be surprised that you have the survivability of one.”
Lincoln’s grin wavered and his eyes narrowed, but Victor chose to click his tongue disapprovingly at that moment, cutting the banter short. “That’s enough. We’re not here so you two can repeat what transpired yesterday. Do I make myself clear?”
Even though the statement was loosely directed at both men, the willowy man elected to glare pointedly at Sebastian. Prick.
A muscle in the side of Sebastian’s jaw popped tellingly, but he said nothing. Rookwood thankfully decided not to push his former protege for a verbal response, instead glancing around to take in the sights that surrounded him. A muggle couple decked out in furskin snow clothes similar to your own passed by and eyed Victor warily, probably due to the fact that he looked so haggard. Or maybe it was just because one-third of his chair wheels were buried in the snow. Either way, the scowl he shot their way caused them to avert their gazes and scurry away.
“I think we’ve dawdled long enough,” he muttered under his breath. “Time to go.”
“We agreed to wait for my men to arrive,” Henri interjected sharply, leaning around Lincoln to narrow his tawny eyes at Victor. “They’ve been told to come here.”
“So tell them to meet us at the site– I don’t care. It’s unwise to linger in such an uncivilized environment. If I catch anymore mudbloods staring, this hovel will end up razed to the ground.”
Gods, they were like an old married couple…
While the two men bickered about whether or not to stay in the village, your own eyes started to wander. Whatever the name of the village was, it was a beautiful place. Victor threatening to burn it down seemed like a hollow threat caused by his own insecurities, but you mentally vowed to come back here when all was said and done to ensure that it remained untouched. The frozen lake, the market stalls made of dark, reddish wood, the crisp winter breeze that carried with it the scent of pine needles– all of it was too perfect to be sullied by Rookwood’s bony, withered hands.
Lincoln said something that pissed Henri off, because the Frenchman threw his hands in the air and began shouting something in French. His outburst only prompted more muggles within the market to stare, and you sighed tiredly. The sooner you were rid of these vile men, the better off you would be.
As you slowly swept your eyes over the town center, someone staring at you put an end to your drifting thoughts. It wasn’t a chance meeting of the eyes, either. It was an unwavering kind of stare that conveyed a strange sense of urgency that didn’t make sense to you.
The young man on the opposite side of the lake had his hands stuffed in the pockets of his long, woolen overcoat. His front was completely facing you, giving you an unobscured view of his pale, smooth face which just so happened to look deathly serious. Eyes nearly the same color as the frozen water were fixed on yours, luminescent beneath the rim of a time-worn bowler hat.
A very familiar hat.
Your eyes widened at the sight before you could think better of looking so blatantly shocked, but no one took any notice of it. Henri swore venomously and turned away from Victor, and his obvious displeasure made you nervous. You’d been so distracted by the man across the lake that you had completely missed their argument.
“Good,” Rookwood purred arrogantly. Judging by his smug expression, he had come out on top of their little lovers quarrel. “Now, enough waiting. Get up– both of you.”
“I know you’re evil and all, but would it kill you to say please?” Sebastian droned monotonously. With his hunched shoulders and the deepening crease between his brows, he mostly looked annoyed, but you still recognized the anxious set to his jaw.
“Get. Up.”
Sebastian sighed and did as Victor instructed, taking care to extend his hand towards you so he could help you up from the bench. You weren’t looking at him as you climbed to your feet, though. You were still staring across the lake– holding your breath as the man with icy blue eyes dipped his chin slightly. Then he tipped the brim of that damn hat down, turned on his heel, and started towards the row of houses that dotted the landscape behind him. You couldn’t so much as blink while you watched him depart, and Sebastian was only able to draw your attention once the man’s retreating form disappeared completely within the residential area.
His handsome, freckled face ducked down so it was directly in your line of sight. There was faint concern glimmering in his eyes as he asked you in a low voice, “Are you okay?”
“Yes. Yes, I just…” swallowing thickly, you glanced at the dark wizards beside you. They weren’t paying attention to you thankfully– too preoccupied with hurling muttered insults at one another under their breath. Lincoln seemed to be on the verge of hitting someone whereas Henri’s face was red with anger. Only Rookwood appeared to be content, which told you that he was undoubtedly the one taunting the other two with his authority. Your eyes slid back to Sebastian’s, “I’ll tell you later.”
His expression effortlessly conveyed what he was thinking in response; you better. There was no way in hell you could keep what had just happened from him, though. As soon as you reached the site and had a moment to do so, you would give him the good news.
For the first time in your life, you could safely say that you were overjoyed to see that abhorrent, ugly hat again.
—
There was no way you were looking at an ancient magic site. It wasn’t possible for something like this to even exist in what was essentially the middle of nowhere.
The sites you had explored in the Highlands over the years had been diverse. Some were slyly hidden within the ruins of long-abandoned forts while others had been out in the open– only slightly concealed by trees, gnarled roots, or Merlin Trials– but otherwise easy to access. Perhaps it was the landscape of the Hogwarts region that had limited the extravagance of such places, or maybe their simpler locations were just a result of time altering their surroundings. Whatever the reason was, your expectations for your final destination in Poland had fallen short of what you were looking at now.
It wasn’t any old ancient magic site you were currently craning your neck back to stare at. It was a gargantuan citadel. Built into the side of a huge, snow-capped mountain was a towering doorway that could roughly be compared to the size of the clock tower from Hogwarts. How something so grand had successfully been chiseled into the side of a mountain, you didn’t know, nor did you know how on Godric’s green Earth Isidora had found out about such a place.
Had she created it herself? Had she stumbled across it by pure chance? Was Percival Rackham responsible for its creation, or someone else entirely? If that were the case, then was it mere coincidence that it was located in a country Isidora had ties to?
You had too many questions and not enough time to come up with answers. You could barely hear yourself think with Victor and Henri bickering like fools six feet away from you.
It was a redundant argument, to put it mildly. Henri wanted to wait to enter the site until his men arrived to accompany everyone inside, and Rookwood didn’t care to wait because his men were already present. Roughly twenty Ashwinders had been standing around the colossal double doors when you’d apparated here– something that made the hair on the back of your neck stand on end. Somewhere in the midst of counting the enemies that surrounded you while simultaneously listening to the disagreement happening beside you, you’d gleaned one obvious truth.
Neither Henri nor Rookwood had any intention of holding up their respective ends of the ‘deal’ they had struck. Whatever the terms were that had resulted in their partnership didn’t matter anymore. Once you got everyone inside and the relic was in sight, you had a feeling that it would be every man for himself. A free for all, and a race to the finish.
Using the festering distrust to your advantage was definitely an attractive prospect, but it was nothing more than an idea for now. You wouldn’t dare speak aloud presently– not with so many prying eyes and straining ears glued to you and Sebastian.
Lincoln, who was still unfortunately breathing, had abandoned his post at Rookwood’s side to talk with a cluster of Ashwinders directly in front of the site. His dark eyes had been constantly jumping between the doorway, the men, then to you before repeating the pattern again. You should have felt more anxious with the bastard leering at you the way he was, but despite his staring and the impending task at hand, your mind was focused elsewhere.
Specifically, it was focused on the memory of the young boy you had seen back in the village.
It had been Devlin– you were sure of it. He’d been disguised by his Metamorphmagi abilities just enough to move around undetected, but not enough to conceal his true identity. Well, at least not from you. He had definitely wanted for you to spot him, and he’d known the perfect way to get your attention without causing a scene. But why?
You slyly glanced around the snow-covered clearing everyone was gathered in, taking note of the nearest Ashwinder as you debated on whether speaking was wise. They were all absorbed in their own discussions– the loudest of which was thanks to Victor and Henri– but apart from the repetitive glances Lincoln continuously cast in your direction, no one was paying much attention to you.
Sebastian hadn’t left your side since departing the cabin, and even now he stuck so close that you felt his elbow brushing against your arm. His stony expression masked his feelings well enough, but you knew that hidden beneath the impassive facade was a whirlwind of emotions similar to the ones plaguing you.
“I think I saw Devlin,” you whispered under your breath, mindful of your volume as you discreetly informed Sebastian of your thoughts. “Back in the village, right before we left.”
His body tensed against yours, but his face remained impassive. “You’re sure?”
“Positive.” Thinking back to what had given his identity away brought a small smile to your lips, and you snidely added, “Only he would have the guts to pair that ugly hat with winter clothes. We’re going to have to bury him with it.”
Sebastian smirked, his eyes glimmering playfully as he shot you a sidelong look. “And you were even nice enough to buy him a new one… such a shame.”
You snickered softly, and then the brief moment of reprieve came to a grinding halt when Victor’s sharp voice rang out across the clearing.
“That’s enough!” he bellowed. You turned in time to watch the man in question throw his hand up dismissively towards Henri, “This discussion is pointless– we’re talking circles around one another. My men are here, unlike yours, so I say we go in now.”
Despite the chilling breeze that swept over the landscape and stung at everyone’s cheeks, you knew the red hue to the Frenchman’s skin was a result of anger. His gnarled, yellowed teeth showed themselves as he bared them at the back of Victor’s head, his pudgy hands curling into fists– and for a split second, you genuinely believed the Poacher would act on his frustrations.
Rookwood’s head swiveled towards you in the blink of an eye. “You,” he aimed a skinny, trembling finger in your direction, and you stiffened instinctively. “Open the door. Now.”
Asshole.
“If you would exercise a modicum of patience, my men will be here any minute now,” Henri gritted through his teeth. His voice wavered tellingly as he struggled to remain civil in the face of his associate’s blatant dismissal. “Just because there has been no sign of the Ministry today does not mean they aren’t still here. We don’t know what will be waiting beyond that door, Victor. More wands to use for protection would be wise, no?”
“I’ve done my waiting! Five years of blasted waiting– stuck in this gods-forsaken chair and forced to sit idly by while arrogant children echoed my orders to my men.” Rookwood’s icy stare landed briefly on Sebastian, who seemed to stand taller in a silent act of challenge. Victor scowled and hastily attempted to maneuver his wheelchair towards the door himself, but the snow clinging to the bottom half of the wheels made the attempt pointless and pitiful. “No more fucking waiting. We’re going in now, and that’s final.”
Near the door, Lincoln muttered something to the men he’d been speaking to before peeling away to head for Rookwood. It seemed to annoy the older man that he was forced to rely on his underling when it came to steering through the snow, but when Lincoln wrapped his hands around the chair’s handles and started pushing Victor towards the entrance, the only sign of displeasure on his face was his frown. Thick, uneven trails were left in the path of the wheelchair, and as you watched them form into longer lines, you wondered…
Where had the Ministry officials gone? Did their sudden disappearance have anything to do with Devlin’s abrupt reappearance in the village? The timing was curious.
Meanwhile, the two Ashwinders Lincoln had been conversing with made their way towards you and Sebastian. You found yourself pressing against your lover instinctively to avoid their outstretched arms, and just as a hand appeared against your shoulder, Sebastian reached around your front to slap it away.
“Hands to yourself, asshole.”
“You heard Victor,” the man said flatly, making a point to look away from you to glare at your protector. “Time to get to work.”
“She’s got legs,” Sebastian growled threateningly, moving sideways to put himself between you and the dark wizard– which just so happened to grab the attention of everyone nearby. A few other Ashwinders stepped forward in preparation for a potential fight, but the brunet either didn’t notice or didn’t care. “She can walk to the door by herself, thanks.”
As the staring contest between Sebastian and the dark wizard continued, you observed the others scattered throughout the clearing steadily nearing. Victor’s piercing glare from over his shoulder spoke volumes of his impatience as well, and you pursed your lips as a multitude of potential outcomes flitted through your mind. Too many of his men had their wands at the ready– a sight that made your blood run cold– so you resigned yourself to your fate and moved away from Sebastian without a word. You saw him shoot you a panicked look in your peripheral vision as you strode past him, but you couldn’t reassure him. Not with Rookwood’s silent threat twinkling in his eyes.
Your legs carried you confidently towards the massive, intricate doors. Unbeknownst to everyone present, you’d been trying to figure out how the hell to get the damn thing open the entire time you’d been here. There were no handles, no keyholes, and the vertical seam between the doors seemed to be surface level at best. Even if the doors weren’t a thousand pounds each, it wasn’t like anyone could stuff their fingers in the crack and pull them open.
To make matters worse, you weren’t feeling any ancient magic ebbing from this place. At all.
You could feel Victor’s eyes drilling into the side of your head, however. “There’s no point stalling, hero. You know what’s at stake here.”
“I’m not stalling. I’m thinking,” came your flippant reply.
“I didn’t bring you here to think, I brought you here to–”
“To open the door. Yes, I know,” you fixed the crippled man with a lethal look that you wished had the power to kill. Much to your satisfaction, he bristled. “This is the first time I’ve seen a site like this. If you’ve waited five years, then you can wait another five minutes while I figure out how the hell to get this thing open without killing us.”
Waiting around for Rookwood’s response would have been a waste of time, so you spun back around to face the door and continued your analysis of the entrance. The detailed carvings etched into the stone slabs had been worn away by both time and the elements, leaving behind faint lines and grooves that you were certain had once been beautiful. There was a good chance they had once depicted the secret to opening this place, but without seeing them in their full glory, you would be forced to guess how to get inside.
Your gaze swept higher and higher as you scanned every inch of the towering entrance, tears stinging at your eyes as the brutal winds assaulting the clearing grew stronger. It took blinking a couple of times to clear your blurry vision, but then you saw it.
There. At the apex of the doorway was a symbol– just slightly slightly concealed by the snow that clung to the edges– but you would recognize the design anywhere. It was a pattern you had tirelessly sought out during your explorations– a trio of lines that intersected with one another to form a simple depiction of a flame. Or at least, you had always thought it looked like a flame.
The same symbol that had adorned the Portkey you and Professor Fig had traveled through. The same motif that had greeted you when you’d made your way to the obscure places the Keepers had sent you to. The ancient magic sigil.
It was lifeless, though. In the past, you had always felt magic ebbing from the symbols you came across. If you couldn’t see one, you had always been able to feel it. The one you were currently staring at was dull and ordinary– no more than an etching in the stone. No wonder you’d been struggling all this time.
But maybe… maybe it just needed a little help coming back to life. Maybe that was one of the safety measures put in place to protect the site from any ordinary wizard that discovered it.
Your wandless magic training came back to you in that instant, and you spread your feet apart to ground yourself as you lifted your arms above your head. Much like before in Uganda, your ancient magic thrummed to life easily, willing and eager to go where you commanded. There wasn’t any particular spell that you were thinking of– just the simple thought that you wanted the door to open. So when a brilliant stream of whitish-blue magic shot from your fingertips and struck the symbol, that’s what you echoed over and over in your mind.
Open. Let me in. Yield. Open. Let me in. Yield to me.
The snow covering the motif fell away to reveal the symbol in its entirety, and a collective rush of quiet murmurs and soft gasps rang out from behind you as the design began to glow. It was almost as if it was absorbing your magic– drawing the familiar power into itself in a bid to gather the energy it needed. The crackling sound of your abilities filled the clearing, and as the symbol began to shine like a second sun from the collective magic you channeled there, a buzzing feeling began to dance over your skin.
It was energy. Power.
“Merlin’s beard…” someone said from behind you, but you didn’t dare to look. Your concentration was fixed wholly on the shining symbol symbol. Some innate part of yourself could feel the site hoarding the magic you willingly gave to it, and even though there was no visual evidence to confirm you had lent enough of your abilities to the door, you knew when to sever the connection.
The crackling tether of magic suddenly snapped, warranting a few curses and shouts of alarm from the dark wizards behind you. You, however, were the picture of calm as you dropped your arms back to your sides, then watched and waited with bated breath for something to happen.
And waited. And waited. The symbol emitted a brilliant white glow, but aside from that, nothing changed.
“I don’t understand,” Victor hissed, his wheelchair creaking as he presumably sat forward despairingly. “Why isn’t it–”
A violent crack sounded from the entrance as the partition down the middle of the door jolted outward, sending a plume of dust through the minuscule gap that carried the scent of stale air with it. Tiny pebbles rained down from the top of the doorway, and the loud, grating sound of stone scraping against stone filled the clearing as the entrance slowly but surely yawned open for you.
It felt like an eternity had passed when all the movement finally ceased. No one said a word– not even Victor. Your heart hammered against your chest as you drank in the sight of the cavernous foyer ahead of you, and you squinted in some pitiful attempt to see more of what was inside. Everything was shrouded in darkness, and the telltale smell of old, uncirculated air wafted potently from the entrance.
As far as grand reveals went, it was a bit… lacklustre. But there was a tangible energy brushing against your skin that hadn’t been present before– something alive and familiar. Ancient magic. Only this time, it wasn’t your own.
Rookwood barked an order at someone, and he appeared alongside you not long after. There was a fiendish glint of sorts in his eyes as he mirrored your stance, leaning forward towards the entrance so intensely that it was a miracle he didn’t fall out of his chair. He was focused– excited. “I can feel it… that power.”
When it came to power, Victor was a gods-damned bloodhound.
He didn't blink for a long time. Then, as though remembering where he was and what he was here for, Rookwood narrowed his eyes and pinned you with a commanding look. “Well? Don’t just stand there– go in.”
You were so past the point of caring about pissing him off. The scowl on your face slid into place instinctively, and you glared at the cripple with every ounce of ire you possessed. “Our deal never said anything about me acting as your human shield.”
The manic gleam in his eyes intensified, and his fingers curled ardently over the armrests of his chair. “It was implied. If your magic can unlock this place, who’s to say it won’t also deactivate any traps inside? Did you think Ranrok never told me about those sentient statues that attacked him at Gringotts? Despite what you might want to believe, I’m not stupid. So yes, you are my human shield, girl.”
That was a really long-winded way of saying he was a coward.
As much as the shadowy corridor unnerved you, it was also equally enticing. You were curious about what was inside. Seeing as you had spent five years exploring ancient magic sites on your own, doing so now would be like second nature. In addition to your inquisitiveness urging you forward, the magic emanating from within the foyer seemed to call to you. Strange…
There was a commotion coming from elsewhere in the clearing, and you heard Sebastian’s clipped voice as he growled, “I don’t care. Move.”
Both you and Victor turned around to find him attempting to bully his way to your side, but the cluster of Ashwinders surrounding him were making it impossible. Multiple pairs of hands were wrapped around his biceps and pressed against his chest, firmly holding him back so he would remain where he was. His annoyance gave way to panic when his gaze met yours, and even though you couldn’t read minds, you knew what Sebastian was thinking the moment you locked eyes with him.
He didn’t want you to go in. Not by yourself.
But the last time he had been at your side prior to facing the unknown was at the manor. He had put your safety above his own, and in doing so had ended up whisked away before a harem of dark wizards who then placed him under the Imperius Curse. While the circumstances now were largely different…
You couldn’t– no, wouldn’t go through that a second time. This was your area of expertise. You wouldn’t allow Sebastian to put himself in harm's way again– not when you were the key to getting through the site unscathed.
Pursing your lips, you shook your head gently at him, trying to wordlessly convey that he needed to sit this one out. Sebastian’s confusion was evident, as was his dread, but you turned back to the door before he could sway your decision with those wet, puppy dog eyes of his. He definitely wasn’t happy about it– especially considering how loud he became as he attempted to shove the Ashwinders away– but you left the task of keeping him at bay to Victor’s men.
It made you cringe internally to think about it, but Rookwood had a point. Traps were commonplace within ancient magic sites. The only reason you had known Sebastian’s men were trying to kidnap you all those months ago was because they had set off an avalanche of boulders, capturing your attention and prompting you to flee.
To think of where you had ended up as a result of that fateful day… Merlin.
It was pointless to dwell on the possibilities any longer, though. Squaring your shoulders, you lifted your chin and drew in a deep, steadying breath before stepping through the snow towards the doors.
It was nigh time to finally unearth the infamous dark relic that had brought everyone together. For better or worse, everything would end here. You just hoped that you, Sebastian, and your friends would make it through to the other side.