In The Shadow of Love // Sebastian Sallow x Reader

Chapter 21 - The Perfect Moment

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Theo POV

We ascended the stairs to the balcony, where I had arranged a blanket, pillows, and a basket of snacks. A gentle glow emanated from the scattered candles. I guided Y/N to the balcony railings, the anticipation evident in her eyes.

"Theo, what's all this?" she asked, a mix of astonishment and confusion coloring her expression. I took both of her hands in mine and gazed deeply into her eyes.

"You look absolutely stunning, darling," I uttered, completely captivated by the girl standing before me. Y/N blushed and laughed awkwardly, and I briefly released her hand to lift her chin, locking our gazes. Then, I intertwined our hands once more.

"Y/N Archer, from the day I first met you in that Hogsmeade alleyway, I knew you were going to be trouble," I began, my voice trembling. I tried to steady my nerves as I continued, "Since that day, I've become utterly obsessed with you. You possess this innocent yet enigmatic personality, the kindest heart I've ever encountered, and the most beautiful smile and laugh. You make me experience emotions I never thought possible. You've made me appreciate the simple joys in life, and every second spent with you has been the best moments of my life so far."

Y/N chuckled, her eyes brimming with tears. "Where is this going?" she playfully inquired.

"I want you to understand that you are more than enough—for me and for everyone you've encountered," I pressed on. "I want you to remember that. I know you ran away earlier because you wanted this moment to be special, so I had to make it as special as I could. Y/N, I love you." I swallowed hard, struggling to hold back my own tears.

Y/N gazed at me, a radiant smile gracing her face. "I love you too, Theo," she whispered softly. I brushed my thumb against her cheek and pulled her in for a kiss. As our lips met, it felt like fireworks exploding. My stomach fluttered with butterflies as our tongues entwined, and Y/N leaned into me effortlessly, devoid of any hesitation. It was an intimate and profound moment we shared.

Our connection was broken abruptly when we heard cheers and applause from behind us. Ominis and Samantha stood in the doorway, and Y/N turned bright red with embarrassment.

"Y-You knew?" she questioned in utter disbelief.

"Of course we knew! The moment you told me about your encounter with Theo earlier, I had to send him an owl," Samantha laughed, rushing over to give us both a hug.

"You told him!" Y/N exclaimed, now completely flustered. Samantha simply laughed in response.

"Yeah, you should really be careful about what intimate details you share with us" Ominis chimed in, a small chuckle leaving him as he swings his arm over my shoulder for hug. 

"Well that was definitely special... Thank you, all of you" y/n expressed, tears still streaming down her face with joy. 

"You deserve it y/n, you always do so much for us, it's about time we paid you back" Ominis replied in a calming tone. 

We all sat down on the blanket and passed around a bottle of liquor, y/n started rummaging through the basket of snacks. 

"Chocolate frogs, pumpkin pies... Weed!" Y/n exclaimed, quickly looking up at me. 

"You said you liked the second option better" I smirked, her face was beaming with glee. I lit the joint and y/n cuddled up to me underneath the blanket, Ominis and Samantha were in a similar position as we passed the joint around, laughing and talking for hours. 

As the hours passed, the atmosphere on the balcony grew more relaxed and carefree. The soft glow of the candles illuminated our faces as we shared stories, laughter, and the occasional deep conversation. The joint made its rounds, adding an extra layer of warmth and camaraderie to our gathering.