Into The Flames (Sebastian x Reader)

Explanations and Restitution

The first thing I was aware of when I came to, was how absolutely dry my mouth and throat were, and the second, as I managed to crack open my eyes, was that I was once again back in my room at Phantomhive Manor.

"You're lucky I was right about you being only partially human. A wound like that would have killed anyone else."

My gaze snapped over to the corner of the room at Sebastian's voice, tone low and soft, to where he was standing, leaning against the solid wood of the boudoir, watching me with shining crimson eyes, bright in the limited light seeping underneath the drawn curtains.

I groaned in response, shifting upward in the bed, and lifting the satin comforter, I peered down at my middle, hesitantly pulling back my nightgown to reveal my abdomen. I gasped quietly to myself, at the sight of the unbroken skin, only marred by a large scar-still red and angry and pulsing-but a scar nonetheless. The wound, given probably a day earlier, if my sense of time was any indicator, still should have been bleeding and unclosed, wrapped tightly beneath a layer of thick gauze.

Wincing slightly as I draped the fabric back over the sensitive injury, my gaze was drawn back up to Sebastian, who had crossed the room during my perusal, seating himself on the side of the bed, his eyes still scanning my face.

Suddenly, I felt uncomfortable, and my fingers started to fumble with the ties on the comforter, as I asked, "Why aren't you with Ciel?"

"The young lord had to attend to the Queen for a few days in London. She wanted his full report on what transpired." Sebastian's voice held a slightly dry edge, as if he didn't think the trip was worth his master's time and effort.

Still not looking up at him, fingers fiddling on the quilt, I asked again, tone now slightly confrontational, "And you didn't go with him? I thought you two were always inseparable."

"He and I both agreed that it was more imperative for me to stay here while he was gone and watch over the....." Sebastian paused, hesitating over his words, and I finally glanced up at him, something unreadable coming into his gaze as he finished casually, "house."

I stared at him for another moment, a sudden flare of anger rising in my stomach, catching me off guard, as I recalled Clary's words to me a day earlier, and before I could stop myself, I blurted out, words holding a sharp edge, "You lied to me."

A brief flash of confusion could be seen on Sebastian's features, but just as quickly, he was calm and unreadable, lips pressed into a thin line in the face of my rising anger, as he said simply, "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Like hell you don't." I pushed myself farther up into the bed, back stiff and straight, as I glared at him, head on, not wavering as is scarlet, swirling eyes connected with my own. "You lied to me, Sebastian. You told me that my powers had no effect on you." I paused for breath, trying to control the absolute rage that was licking at my insides, before I continued. "That was a lie. Absolute bullshit. My powers affect you, just like any other. And by letting me touch you, they didn't not affect you, you just built a wall against them to keep them out. To keep me from burning you."

He watched me, gaze steady, as I took in a sharp breath, and when it was clear that I had nothing else to say in the moment, he sighed, slender brows crinkling together, as he said gently, "I didn't lie to you. You didn't burn me. And whether that was thanks to my own power, or something else entirely, it wasn't a lie that you could touch me, when you cannot even dare to approach anyone else."

"Why?" I asked, fire gone from my tone, voice sounding almost pathetic, as I asked him the question that had been gnawing at me since I awoke. "Why did you do it? Why did you let me touch you, when it wasn't easy for you?"