Invisible String - A Sebastian Sallow Story

Chapter III

"Wait Sebastian you were so adorable!" She exclaimed looking at the photo of him on his mothers lap when he was around 5 years old.

"Were?" He asked feigning being upset by placing his hands on his chest.

"I mean you still are, however look at this. You looked adorable. Look at your little ponytail" she says waving the photo around still amused how precious his former self looked.

He pawed the hair on his neck, trying to remember what it had felt like to have his hair that long. She noticed him looking down in his lap with the saddest of expressions while pulling on his hair so she shifted closer, putting the photo back in the box and pushing it aside. She was slightly unsure how to proceed however she had an idea. So lifted her hands to his hair and slowly brushed her fingers through the slightly wavy brown locks. The second her fingers made contact his hand stilled and he looked at her. For a brief moment she was terrified she misread his emotions and had annoyed the boy. His wild expression unreadable, however he made no attempts to stop her. So she continued her slow motion, helping to separate the gel so it returned to its more wild and natural state.

"While I appreciate the attempt at grooming I prefer you a bit more, we'll say, ruggedly handsome" she mentioned as an explanation for her actions.

He immediately calmed feeling her deft fingers along his scalp. Thinking of how his mothers hands used to brush through his hair, separating the knots and tying the band to keep it contained while he played. His mother always loved his hair when he was younger and took much time to attend to it. While it may not have been his fathers favorite look for the young boy, his love for his wife overshadowed all else. Sebastian, even as a young boy, felt that those moments where his mother lovingly adjusted, groomed or simply played with his hair to be some of the most loving actions he had ever felt. While Anne had grown into a similar role at times with both their lack of a mother, she never really intended the action the same way. He loved his twin more than anything, but she saw attempts to help her brother groom as a necessity, almost a chore, not an outlet to show love and affection as their mum had.

Sitting in there undercroft now Sebastian couldn't help but let out a single quiet tear at how much this moment meant to him. It rolled down his freckled cheek so quickly most people would have missed it. She noticed it almost immediately, reaching a thumb over to brush it from his cheek before continuing without a word. It's his story to tell or keep she reminded herself.

After a while a he peaked open his brown eyes, looking directly into hers. His eyes had remained glassy despite not shedding anymore actual tears. The knot in his throat remained. She smiled briefly at him as she slowly started to pull her hands away. He reached his hand up to stop her from removing her fingers. Pushing them back up into his hair she chucked as he acted almost childish in his wish to be doted on. While she didn't want to admit that the position had become slightly uncomfortable she was beginning to struggle to keep her arms up as the boy was taller than her even while sitting. She slowly eased his slumping shoulder down so that he laid on the floor of the undercroft atop the blanket they conjured. Laying with his shoulders and head across her lap he sighed as she continued.

Hours, minutes, days, he had no clue how long he laid there allowing her to give him the simplest but most meaningful affection he had experienced in years possible ever. Every so often he'd crack open his eyes to see her smiling down at him. She'd brush the back of a hand over his forehead or freckle filled cheeks before returning to his brown hair. The action slowly made the lump in his throat dissipate and this almost sad expression was replaced with a slight smile as he thought she must truly care for me, to show such affections.

"My mum used to always do this when I couldn't sleep" he said, voice horse from the lack of use and swelling emotion he was feeling. He opened his eyes to gage her reaction. She simply nodded continuing while allowing him to say what he wished. He appreciated her understanding that this kind of a story, should be left completely on him to share.