Safe & Sound//Sebastian Sallow

eleven.

I kept myself busy the rest of the week, choosing to be proactive with my work. I completed my lesson plans for the fall season and made sure I was up to date on grading. A couple of the students whose parents tended to hover over them and their schoolwork thanked me for being so punctual with getting their work back to them. I was glad that my work was appreciated.

I didn't go out of my way to avoid Sebastian, but I didn't exactly put myself in positions to run into him. I'd asked Deek to have my meals sent to my room and spent my down time either in there or the Room of Requirement. I'd reached out to Ominis to fill him in and he'd sent back word to come visit him to get away and talk it over. I accepted his invitation.

When Friday rolled around and classes were over, I grabbed the small suitcase I'd packed and then used Floo Powder to get to Ominis' neighborhood just outside of London. When I arrived, dark storm clouds were rolling in and rain was starting to fall. I hurried my pace and was soon knocking at his door. Luckily, I hadn't gotten too wet yet.

"Welcome," Ominis greeted. He stepped aside and let me come into his flat. "I'm glad you could make it," he told me.

"I'm glad I could, too. It'll be nice to have some time away." I set my bag down and pulled Ominis into a hug. He towered over me and my head rested on his chest while he hugged me back. It was the first embrace I'd had all week and it felt comforting. We stood like that for a moment as I tried to let all of the hurt and anger I felt for Sebastian go for the time being.

"Would you like a cup of tea," Ominis eventually asked me.

"That would be great. Thank you."

Ominis led me into his sitting room where a tray was set on a small table. There was a fireplace with a small fire burning and it all felt very cozy. I sat down on a plush loveseat and Ominis sat next to me.

"Honey and two sugars, right," he asked, remembering how I took my tea.

"Perfect," I smiled. I watched as he prepared my cup, his hands knowing exactly where everything was. "Thank you," I said as he handed me the cup. I waited until he was done preparing his own to take a drink.

"So do you want to fill me in now, or wait until later," he asked me, getting straight to the point.

"I suppose now is as good a time as any," I sighed. I took another drink of my tea before getting started.

It wasn't necessarily a long story; not much had actually happened. But Ominis let me vent my frustrations and complain about the anger I'd been feeling. He let me talk and was a great listener. He'd always been one.

"I've known Sebastian most of my life and I can't remember a single time he's talked about wanting children," Ominis told me once I'd finished. "It makes sense that he would want to give his future kids a better childhood than he'd had, but I didn't even know he wanted them."

"Exactly! He's never once eluded to it!" I felt vindicated and validated.

"I'm surprised he'd let it all affect him like this, and I'm surprised he'd feel so strongly over something he's never once talked to me about. I've been vocal over the years about not wanting children, so perhaps he felt like he couldn't talk to me," Ominis blamed himself. I put my hand on his arm.

"It's not your fault he didn't say anything. You're his best friend. You can have different wants and still respect each other."

"I suppose you're right," he said as his put his own hand on top of mine. We sat like that in a comfortable silence for awhile.

"Things would be easier if you were the one," I whispered.

"It would've been fun," he replied. We both knew, however, that my heart was with Sebastian. Even if my time with him was ending just as quickly as it began, no one would ever live up to him. It wasn't fair to put that on anyone else, especially Ominis. I sighed and leaned back, resting my head against his shoulder. He placed his on mine and we just sat together, listening to the falling rain and crackling of the fire.