Reid didn't budge from his spot on the doorstep, just followed Sebastian with his eyes, trying his best to work some semblance of composure back across his features, but then-
Then you happened-
He didn't owe him anything. This was just a silly fling they'd been thrown into. Nothing more. Physical attraction, nothing else. That's all it was-
Try as he might to convince himself, Reid still couldn't help the crushing weight pushing against his chest.
"So why- why can't you just stay, then? Just because it's what you've been doing- I mean, no one's running you out of town- Jems'll be torn up, hell, so will Mr. Dorny-" He wasn't sure whether or not he wanted the 'so will I' he was feeling to be as implied as he felt it was, what with how his voice managed to waver just that slightest tell tale amount-
He didn't have to say it. The expression on Reid's face might as well have screamed it for him. Sebastian wasn't prepared for the way that would hit him - hard and crushing on his chest.
Biting his lip, Sebastian shook his head a few too many times - a poor, failing attempt to make a million thoughts swirling through his head stop.
"I don't... I never came back for a reason, even if you think it's bullshit." He didn't mean to sound snappy, but that tended to be his default setting. Wincing, he reined it in. It didn't help that he was starting to think Reid was right. "I... being here is too much. Even if... Leaving is never this hard. It's not supposed to be. It's what I'm good at. But I'd almost suffer through it just to..." He didn't know how to finish that. To see Reid again? To actually get to know him? To hang onto Jemma and her father?
"Just to what?" It was no recent development nor a secret that Reid's brain routed directly to his mouth, generally bypassing any kind of filtering system. The question sparked in his mind before he could stop himself, and he regretted it as soon as the words were out.
"You know what, nevermind. Forget it. I shouldn't even be here. Do what you want. It's totally not my business-" He forced the best impression of a dismissive smile he could manage, though it fell away quickly enough as Reid took a step back, eyes nervously flickering away from Sebastian.
That was it then. Sebastian was in the clear. Reid had essentially backed down and all that was left was to grab his things and walk away. It should have been so easy to leave the house vacant - again- and disapparate. Disappear.
Except Reid walking away was doing weird things to Sebastian. Somehow, he'd become this link - the linchpin - between Sebastian and ... whatever his life had been since returning.
"Hold on, wait," Sebastian crossed the room - the distance he'd just created - to grab Reid's arm. "I kind of made it your business, didn't I?" Maybe they weren't anything to each other, but when Sebastian kept tracking him down, maybe he'd started making them something out of sheer fascination.
He shouldn't ask, it was probably going too far, but. "Do you want me to stay?"
It was a simple yes or no question, requiring nothing more than a yes or no answer. But Reid still found himself fumbling for an answer, his mind spinning with all sorts of thoughts and feelings he completely unused to dealing with.
He wanted him to stay. Of course he wanted him to stay. It genuinely terrified him how badly he wanted him to stay. Whatever this thing was, it had been taking him for a hell of a spin, and as dizzying as it was, he hadn't been looking to get off of it anytime soon.
Then again, this was an easy out. No chance to screw things up, no awkward run-ins, no mess or fuss- oh, who was he kidding.
"I- don't want you not to stay?" Way to work the double negatives...
"Shouldn't Ravenclaws have a better grasp of grammar?" Sebastian said before he could help it. For all his grumpy, disaffected and/or annoyed expressions, Reid made Sebastian feel more like his old self. The guy that had essentially been killed when his family died and he'd caught the worst disease he'd ever thought of had gone from serious but also carefree and snarky.
That Sebastian was long gone, but in that moment Sebastian felt more like that version of himself and that version wasn't one that ran off because things were hard or might be awkward.
"I could stay, I think, maybe. It's only been a month. Which is... short term even for me."
"Oh, great. So now you think you're funny, too," he teased despite himself, the weight that had been pushing against his chest lifting slightly as the bit of humor cracked through Sebastian's usual shell - though, he'd found that he'd been able to peak under that shell more in the past few weeks than most people would apparently hope to in a lifetime. Whatever that meant, he wasn't about to complain, same as every other opinion or observation he had had about the man since been launched at him back at that damned party. No complaints. None.
The small smile that crept across his face was less forced this time, more amused than anything. "You think? Maybe? What, do you need convincing?"
He hadn't intended it to be meant as a dare or an invitation, but, well...
"I am funny, when I feel like it," Sebastian shrugged. That, though, was mostly for show. Funny wasn't something Sebastian could remember having ever been called. When Reid said it, though, Sebastian kind of wanted it to be true.
What even. How was Reid able to pull something like that off? Sebastian was really going to have to actually think this through. Later, though, because right now, there was a question to answer.
Trying not to smirk, Sebastian shrugged. "You got something convincing to offer?" This conversation had turned around quickly, and they hadn't even left the doorway.
This really had turned around quite suddenly - from confused, to shocked, to angry, to strangely upset, to forcedly nonchalant, to, well, weirdly turned on...
That last and most recent one, at least, was a bit more familiar as far as his dealings with Sebastian were concerned-
"I've been told I can be pretty convincing, actually, yeah," he half-shrugged, flicking his eyes from the hand Sebastian still had settled on his arm then up to that ridiculously tempting smirk of his.
"Prove it," Sebastian challenged. This was ridiculous. He'd been ready to run and now he was about three seconds from shoving Reid and his ridiculously attractive smirk against the wall.
He met the challenge's declaration with a quirk of an eyebrow before stepping forward, shouldering his way past Sebastian and stepping over the bags that had been dropped on the doorstep as he took it upon himself to accept the invitation. He whirled back around to face him, the stern 'challenge accepted' look he had been trying to keep going quickly slipping into more of an amused smile.
Sebastian grinned to himself as Reid passed, ducking his head toward he door as he gripped the edge to push it closed. "You can probably expect a lot more of those, now that I know you can't resist them." Sebastian leaned back against the door, ankles and arms crossed.
He watched Reid for a moment then carefully raised an eyebrow.
Once the door had close behind him and Reid was convinced that for now, at least, leaving wasn't a thing that was happening, he managed to stay away for all of three seconds, watching as Sebastian tauntingly leaned back-
Reining in the urge to instincitvely launch himself at that ridiculously tempting figure, Reid slowly walked his way towards him, stopping just inches short of making actual contact - he felt the fabric of his shirt catching against Sebastian's and tilted his head up just the slightest amount as his face hovered mere inches away from his.
"Who said anything about a dare being the thing I can't resist," he commented quietly, barely just above a whisper.
"You going to tip your hand and admit it's me?" Sebastian didn't miss a beat with the quip. He also used the opportunity to slid his hands smoothly from onto Reid's waist, uncrossing his own legs to pull him close enough for their legs to slot together.
Reid's breath hitched more noticeably than he would have hoped at the urging press of Sebastian's hand and the very obvious increase in points of contacts as their hips jerked together.
"Who said anything about that, either?" he shot back with a halfheartedly raised eyebrow, rather uselessly considering the way he had so easily melted into Sebastian's grip.
He dropped one hand to rest against his hip, snaking the other up his chest until he could hook a finger around the fabric at the neck of his shirt.
Sebastian deliberately leaned toward the small tug of Reid's finger in his shirt. Not that he needed much incentive beyond Reid sort of ... existing and looking at him that way.
"You're sort of easy to read," Sebastian's voice was low, deep in his chest. Words were getting more difficult, though, when he was this close to Reid's lips and their bodies were so perfectly lined up. In the end, the tease wasn't worth the delay, and Sebastian caught Reid's lips roughly with his own.
Then you happened-
He didn't owe him anything. This was just a silly fling they'd been thrown into. Nothing more. Physical attraction, nothing else. That's all it was-
Try as he might to convince himself, Reid still couldn't help the crushing weight pushing against his chest.
"So why- why can't you just stay, then? Just because it's what you've been doing- I mean, no one's running you out of town- Jems'll be torn up, hell, so will Mr. Dorny-" He wasn't sure whether or not he wanted the 'so will I' he was feeling to be as implied as he felt it was, what with how his voice managed to waver just that slightest tell tale amount-
Reply
Biting his lip, Sebastian shook his head a few too many times - a poor, failing attempt to make a million thoughts swirling through his head stop.
"I don't... I never came back for a reason, even if you think it's bullshit." He didn't mean to sound snappy, but that tended to be his default setting. Wincing, he reined it in. It didn't help that he was starting to think Reid was right. "I... being here is too much. Even if... Leaving is never this hard. It's not supposed to be. It's what I'm good at. But I'd almost suffer through it just to..." He didn't know how to finish that. To see Reid again? To actually get to know him? To hang onto Jemma and her father?
Reply
"You know what, nevermind. Forget it. I shouldn't even be here. Do what you want. It's totally not my business-" He forced the best impression of a dismissive smile he could manage, though it fell away quickly enough as Reid took a step back, eyes nervously flickering away from Sebastian.
Reply
Except Reid walking away was doing weird things to Sebastian. Somehow, he'd become this link - the linchpin - between Sebastian and ... whatever his life had been since returning.
"Hold on, wait," Sebastian crossed the room - the distance he'd just created - to grab Reid's arm. "I kind of made it your business, didn't I?" Maybe they weren't anything to each other, but when Sebastian kept tracking him down, maybe he'd started making them something out of sheer fascination.
He shouldn't ask, it was probably going too far, but. "Do you want me to stay?"
Reply
He wanted him to stay. Of course he wanted him to stay. It genuinely terrified him how badly he wanted him to stay. Whatever this thing was, it had been taking him for a hell of a spin, and as dizzying as it was, he hadn't been looking to get off of it anytime soon.
Then again, this was an easy out. No chance to screw things up, no awkward run-ins, no mess or fuss- oh, who was he kidding.
"I- don't want you not to stay?" Way to work the double negatives...
Reply
That Sebastian was long gone, but in that moment Sebastian felt more like that version of himself and that version wasn't one that ran off because things were hard or might be awkward.
"I could stay, I think, maybe. It's only been a month. Which is... short term even for me."
Reply
The small smile that crept across his face was less forced this time, more amused than anything. "You think? Maybe? What, do you need convincing?"
He hadn't intended it to be meant as a dare or an invitation, but, well...
Reply
What even. How was Reid able to pull something like that off? Sebastian was really going to have to actually think this through. Later, though, because right now, there was a question to answer.
Trying not to smirk, Sebastian shrugged. "You got something convincing to offer?" This conversation had turned around quickly, and they hadn't even left the doorway.
Reply
That last and most recent one, at least, was a bit more familiar as far as his dealings with Sebastian were concerned-
"I've been told I can be pretty convincing, actually, yeah," he half-shrugged, flicking his eyes from the hand Sebastian still had settled on his arm then up to that ridiculously tempting smirk of his.
Reply
"But you should probably actually come in first."
Reply
"Was that actually a dare?"
Reply
He watched Reid for a moment then carefully raised an eyebrow.
Reply
Reining in the urge to instincitvely launch himself at that ridiculously tempting figure, Reid slowly walked his way towards him, stopping just inches short of making actual contact - he felt the fabric of his shirt catching against Sebastian's and tilted his head up just the slightest amount as his face hovered mere inches away from his.
"Who said anything about a dare being the thing I can't resist," he commented quietly, barely just above a whisper.
Reply
Reply
"Who said anything about that, either?" he shot back with a halfheartedly raised eyebrow, rather uselessly considering the way he had so easily melted into Sebastian's grip.
He dropped one hand to rest against his hip, snaking the other up his chest until he could hook a finger around the fabric at the neck of his shirt.
Reply
"You're sort of easy to read," Sebastian's voice was low, deep in his chest. Words were getting more difficult, though, when he was this close to Reid's lips and their bodies were so perfectly lined up. In the end, the tease wasn't worth the delay, and Sebastian caught Reid's lips roughly with his own.
Reply
Leave a comment