Basilisk (Dark Ominis Gaunt x OC gothic romance)

Chapter 75: The Deal

~~Ariadne~~

When they finally made their way out into the living room after cleaning up and getting dressed the others were already waiting. Damien gave them a knowing glance, a little smirk on his face that Ariadne tried to ignore as best she could. He must have heard them regardless of her being quiet. Damnit! How embarrassing...

She sat beside Ominis on one of the sofas in the living room, looking anxiously over to Sebastian as he occupied himself by twirling his wand in his hand idly, a soft frown on his face.

Ominis was silent for a long moment as he frowned as well, and Ari shifted under the tension in the room as she heard Marie scrubbing dishes in the other room. She almost had half a mind to join her, but she wanted to be here just in case things got out of hand. She knew how protective Ominis was... but if Sebastian had feelings for this auror it would make things complicated.

"We need to talk, Sebastian." Ominis said after a long moment of silence.

Sebastian visibly tensed after the words, glancing over to Ominis as he dropped his wand in his anxiety. "Yeah... we do."

Ariadne let out a soft sound at how uneasy this felt, glancing over to Damien as he was glancing between Ominis and Sebastian as if expecting something.

"We cannot just keep a petrified auror in the backyard... someone will eventually find her, and more aurors will come looking for her." Ominis said solemnly. "Other aurors that will be more competent than she is."

Sebastian tensed a bit under the words but nodded. "So what are you planning on doing?" He said through gritted teeth.

"Well first, I need to ask... what are your feelings toward her, Sebastian?" Ominis folded his hands in his lap thoughtfully as he asked the question, his expression calculating.

Sebastian let out a small sound of unease at the question and recoiled a bit as he thought of how to answer. It was another moment of silence before he finally answered, "I don't know... it's complicated." In a small voice.

"'Complicated' is more than you've felt toward a woman before, Sebastan." Ominis said softly.

Sebastian glanced away with a soft huff of frustration. "It doesn't matter anymore, she hates my guts, how I feel is irrelevant."

Ominis sighed and rolled her eyes in exasperation. "Sebastian, for all the time I've known you, I've never seen you give up on something so easily. Why this?"

Sebastian gave him a harsh glare, which Ominis of course couldn't see so it didn't affect him. "It's different. It's complicated. I don't know how to deal with it, and if she hates me there's no point anyway."

Ominis made a thoughtful noise. "Do you think she had feelings for you?"

Sebastian gave him another glare. "I don't know." He said quietly.

Ominis shook his head in frustration. "I suppose that part is irrelevant for now. But what's important to me is whether or not you feel something for her. Because we can go two routes with this. One would be to use obliviate on her,"

Sebastian let out a deep growling sound at just the thought of that, his dark eyes turning angry.

"Well that answered that." Ominis sighed.

Sebastian looked rather sheepish at his reaction, looking away from them all as he crossed his arms to try and look nonchalant.

"It was only a suggestion, Sebastian." Damien said, trying to calm him.

"I don't- I don't want her to lose her memories." Sebastian said in a strained tone.

Ominis nodded. "Then we don't do that, but it leaves us limited for what we can do. I will not let her harm anyone, or let the Ministry come down on our heads. You all are more my family than my actual father and brother... so I'd see us all safe if I can help it at all."