Chapter 21: The Undercroft
"There is tension in between us,
I just wanna give in,"
Camila Cabello
Penelope Silverthorn sat on the edge of the bed in silence. Her fingers gripped the wooden pillar as her tired eyes stared at the floor. The cloudy ambiance of the morning sky beyond her windows didn't improve things.
Penelope had lost sleep from staying up that night in the Hospital Wing. Luckily, no students reacted again after the turbulent night. It was reported that the students from St Mungos were also doing alright, so the stress was gone for a few days.
The stress of the students was gone but now, Penelope stressed over the sleep deprivation. She stressed over the pain she felt inside her body. She stressed over the avoidance and guilt she felt towards Sebastian Sallow.
"Luna," Penelope sighed, feeling the white dog jump onto the bed and lick her face to attempt a positive mood.
As the dog detected stressful emotions in its owner, it kept doing kind gestures as Penelope just sat there in a bad posture and wasted time that morning.
Penelope petted and kissed the dog once before forcing herself to stand up from that rotting bedroom and start the day.
"Alright, come on. I know you want to go to that Vivarium, Luna." Penelope motioned and the dog jumped happily, following.
Penelope Silverthorn yawned multiple times on her way to the faculty meeting that was scheduled after breakfast. She had been skipping the first meal of the day, but it didn't bother her at that point. All she wanted to do was solve the case and go back home. Right?
"Miss...Miss Silverthorn. Thank you for joining us this morning." Matilda Weasley greeted upon the entering.
Sebastian Sallow sat tiredly over his seat, watching the woman enter that meeting room in a weakening movement. He tried his best not to pay attention to her, but it was impossible to not detect the dark circles and pale lips.
When Penelope took a seat, you could already feel a heavy aura lingering on the air as she brought her weight down slowly and looked around at the, also, tired adult faces.
"Good morning." Penelope said, but almost in a whisper from the tiredness.
The room was pure silent and it killed Penelope Silverthorn.
"How are you feeling?" The headmistress asked her.
Penelope didn't think much about the directed questions. She had been scattered with questions like these from Percy Dumbledore the last few days on how she was feeling from the magic.
"Oh, me?" Penelope flushed a little, "I'm okay. A little tired, but nothing new. How are the students?" She asked.
Sebastian looked down at the preparation.
Matilda Weasley adjusted her hands on the table and cleared her throat, "Meredith and Greg have been resting smoothly since that night of attempt, Miss Silverthorn."
Penelope felt a wave of relief at the positive news, but the way the words were coming out of Matilda was concerning.
Matilda raised her hands, referencing the two men aside, "Albus here, and Mister Beaufort went to St Mungos early this morning after a help request owl was sent." She informed.
Penelope nodded, but tilted, "Oh. I thought the patients were doing well, regarding what had happened that night, compared to the ones at Hogwarts—"
"Yes, yes, correct," Matilda nodded, but then she adjusted her glasses and set her fingers together, looking down, "But it is unfortunate to inform you, as for all, that...Estellar Mellen and Nillon Carrow have passed away during dawn hours."
Penelope's ears rung for a few seconds at the news. The voices around her disappeared and only she could hear her own heartbeat as she felt her chest raise more from the truth.
"What?"
"I believe they've also had an attack similar to the students here, but—"
"W-Why wasn't I called when the moment of the attack was happening?" Penelope questioned in disbelief, "Why—"
"It was a very paced moment, Miss Silverthorn. We were recently informed of it ourselves this morning. It is not your fault." Matilda reminded.
It was Penelope Silverthorn's fault. It was her job to take care of these students and she failed them. Someone died in her responsibility and she couldn't believe it. It had never happened before. Not in her ten years.
Sebastian Sallow felt as distraught as Penelope Silverthorn. They were his students too, so the news hit him harder than expected, but even in times of mourning, his concern stood on the woman across from him. How she had an expression of fault.
Penelope closed her eyes, taking in the information.
I failed. I failed, not one, but two students. Two. At once. Penelope thought to herself. It became exhausting.
"The families..." Victor Beaufort asked in between.
"The families have been informed," Aesop Sharp stepped in, clicking his quill over the desk, "But they are not taking it lightly, as expected. They are upset at the system for not having the proper reasoning on the cause of death since it's still unsolved."
Unsolved. A case unsolved, still.
"It's harsh to know that many parents have started reaching out upon this news that they don't want to send their children back to Hogwarts until a solution is gathered." Matilda Weasley sighed at the thought.
Penelope glared up, observing the grief-stricken expressions of the adults around. Some facepalm, while others looked down — Professor Sallow stood in a bad posture like she was that morning and looked down. It was so pressuring.
Taking manners into her hands, Penelope Silverthorn stood up from that chair and breathed out, declaring more responsibility for the case.
"I'll do anything I can to advance this case," Penelope called out, "To keep the students safe."
"We don't want to put that weight on you, Miss Silverthorn. The least we want is for you to also—"
"No," Penelope interrupted the headmistress, "I believe I came here to help, and it is my duty to do everything I can to solve this, as soon as possible." She breathed.
Penelope was not alright. Sebastian thought to himself. His eyes watched the little things — the pink lips trembling from her words, the cracking tone, the wiggly small fingers — she was in stress mode. The woman was going to crack.
"I just ask as a team that we keep the rest of the students safe. And distracted." Penelope ordered, "That is all I ask."
The faculty members, except Sebastian Sallow, nodded, not wanting to interrupt the powerful witch.
Penelope nodded along, but didn't take a seat back on the chair. She couldn't. If she took one seat back, she'd probably cry from the stress. From the failure. She wasn't used to it.
"W-Would you excuse me?" Penelope gathered her journal and pens, preparing a slow exit from the devastating deaths.
All Penelope Silverthorn heard along those castle halls was about the topic she wanted to avoid the most. The students, the deaths, and the concerns. She wanted to escape. Go somewhere to avoid it all for a few minutes.
"They were so young,"
"My mum says she doesn't want me back after the holidays!"
"I'm scared--"
Penelope's feet squeaked on the fancy floor of the Defense Against the Dark Arts tower; the journal she was hugging was beginning to slip off from the anxious sweat and emotions. The tower itself was triggering, but she was almost there.
The rusty floors remained unchanged over the years as Penelope walked rapidly over the hovered area. You can see a sense of time travel from looking around.
Penelope Silverthorn stood in the middle of that Undercroft; her lungs calling for air as her eyes scanned around the abandoned gray setting and looked at it in emotion.
The Ancient Magic down her fingers was already glowing as Penelope panted at each take she saw on those walls; the written walls, the unfinished portrait of Isadora, the pensieve, the books — it could've gone on with memories.
"No," Penelope shut her eyes, afraid that if she opened them again, she'd just see her fifth year self in that Undercroft.
Penelope didn't want to confront or reflect back on the younger version of herself as a student right now. If she did, she'd be disappointed that she wasn't able to save Hogwarts students. That she had defeated every monster in the world, but she couldn't save an innocent soul. It was unfair.
Again, Penelope heaved into that Undercroft's floor, the blue magic burning through her veins as she was waiting for an orb of it to project out rapidly and hit the nearest wall.
"It's my fault," Penelope said angrily to herself, "I failed. You failed." She whispered.
The thoughts of negativity consumed her. All negative and bad memories began to eat up Penelope's brain, slowly. She couldn't tell if it was her talking, or the bad magic that was flowing normally underneath these floors of the castle talking.
"They're dead." Penelope said, the mystical energy growing more and more potent on those cold hands, "Because of me."
Maybe, if she threw this magic over that wall and it bounced back to her, it would—
"Penelope."
Penelope gasped, her eyes reopening and bringing her thoughts back into place at the voice that echoed down the Undercroft. You can feel the blue traces of magic absorb back into the skin as she turned and confronted the name-call.
Sebastian Sallow stood in the middle of the Undercroft. His brown hair seemed like a mess from running his fingers stressfully through it and his sleeves were rolled up from scratching himself at the anxiety from the deaths. The man also needed somewhere to escape.
Penelope was in full emotion. She wasn't very welcoming at the presence. She was flooded with more guilt as the man she left eight years ago stood right in a place where they made the most memories. It was horrible.
"Why are you here." Penelope said, turning her back onto the professor again and avoiding him.
Sebastian wasn't afraid of Penelope. He never was, so he stood there and spoke firmly to her.
"I could ask you the same."
"Am I not allowed to be here?" Penelope asked, a deep of hurt and annoyance in her shaky tone.
"I never said you were." Sebastian reassured her, "It is not my place to have a say in. I just predicted you'd be here." He notified.
Predicted.
Penelope gave an expression of confusion and squints as she stared at the blank wall in front of her while processing Sebastian's words.
"You were following me," She gave out, still having her back on him.
"I wasn't." Sebastian said gravely, but deep inside he was partly incorrect with his own words. "Allow me to remind you, it's been a devastating day."
Penelope Silverthorn felt vanquished at the truthful words. The professor was right, it was a heavy morning, and the Undercroft wasn't in her control. Any of four were allowed in there — but why now? And why him?
"So, your first thought was to come to the Undercroft?" Penelope asked, her head now turning to the side to give him a side view of her face.
Sebastian kept his stance stuck in the same position inside the old setting. He knew Penelope was at her peak from emotions and power, and the least he wanted to do was worsen it.
"Yes," Sebastian looked up at the ceiling, also trying his best to cause avoidance. As if it wasn't his choice to enter this Undercroft to see if she was actually there. "On rare occasions, but yes."
On rare occasions. Penelope processed his words. She remembered how those rare occasions were once everyday habits. Every three hours meet-ups. Now it was just, rare occasions.
Although the presence of Sebastian Sallow triggered Penelope's head, she was afraid to admit that the conversation that was happening with both parties was calming her. That magic that wanted to corrupt and those negative thoughts in her were winding away.
So, it kept going.
"When was your last rare occasion?" Penelope asked in curiosity, but she made sure her voice was still stern as she didn't want to seem too pushy to conversate.
Sebastian looked down, his brown shoes fiddling in place on the floor to cause a distraction in his head and lower the nerves.
"A year ago," Sebastian gulped. "Or more." he cleared his throat, not believing it himself.
One year.
Penelope stood there, shocked to also hear the confession of the professor's visits in the Undercroft being limited — until now, of course.
"Sometimes, I'll take year gaps to even stroll around here," Sebastian continued, "The Undercroft became useless after everyone went on with their lives."
Penelope gulped, almost following the same mood as the professor behind her from the thought. To think she just came here to let her emotions out and yet, it seemed like she was the first to enter this year.
It took a good minute for Penelope Silverthorn to finally turn around completely and face Sebastian Sallow; the tense standoff between them finally breaking as they stared from afar.
Penelope felt a stir within her, looking straight into Sebastian's eyes for a moment and feeling vulnerable. She had to break the sight immediately as her view now wiggled around the entire area as she spoke.
"They're dead." Penelope confessed her worry, and the words blew out of her lips in a whisper.
Sebastian listened to the words of Penelope in clear. He listened and stared at her. He read over the realization that the woman across from him was plagued by tormenting thoughts of the students' deaths.
Penelope's breaths were growing higher as she struggled with her thoughts, and Sebastian noticed.
"I know." Sebastian confirmed, "But—"
Again, Penelope's eyes were rolling all over the place and the tip of her fingers felt tingly as her lips parted while continuing the denial.
"I failed a student."
Sebastian's brows puckered at the revelation and he took a step forward, denying her words.
"No, that's not true. You didn't fail anyone—"
"Not one, but two students," Penelope whispered. "I could've...I could've saved them like I saved the others." She furrowed in regret.
"No, you couldn't," Sebastian broke away her hope and spoke his truth, "It was impossible. You couldn't stand a chance. It was too fast."
Penelope didn't listen to Sebastian. She never did. The woman was as stubborn as him.
"I could have," Penelope fixed, pacing around, "I never failed anyone. For ten years, I never failed a person." She cracked.
Sebastian Sallow became a ticking bomb himself ten feet from Penelope Silverthorn. The bomb was him nearing up at Penelope and grabbing her face, telling her that everything was okay. That it would be okay, even if it wasn't.
But as the saying goes to himself, he was in no position to do that anymore.
...
"Pen..." Seventh year Sebastian Sallow's Slytherin robe waved as he entered the Undercroft and followed behind the panicky witch.
"Alfie almost died!" Penelope Silverthorn freaked, her innocent eyes staring reflectively at the undone painting, "I was responsible for him, and if he—"
"Hey, hey," Sebastian said repeatedly, and his hands reached over to cup his girlfriend's face, lowering to calm her, "Hey, listen to me,"
"If my ancient magic wasn't energized, he would've been gone, and I—"
"Pen,"
"I was doing my best—"
"HEY!" Sebastian snapped, and Penelope Silverthorn took a glance, looking at the frustrated student above her, "Stop with the negativity, okay? He's not dead. You saved him. He is back home with his mother."
"But he's all unwell and—"
"Pen, is nothing magic couldn't fix," Sebastian whispered, his nose touching her's as his eyes closed, "You're the most powerful youngest witch that stands beyond this moving globe. Please, stop underestimating yourself before you make me go crazy." He assured.
Penelope's eyes also closed at the reassurance and her hands gripped the side of Sebastian's waist as she nodded.
"You're right...he is alive. Injured, but he's alive."
"Yes," Sebastian nodded, "You're outweighing yourself lately, darling. Please, rest up." He ordered.
Penelope sighed, but felt soothed at the sentences of Sebastian Sallow, "Ugh, not the darling. Please..."
...
Professor Sallow stood in place, now more mature than ever as he reflected on the memory and sighed, taking an opposite take on his help.
"You attempted your best. You did your part," Sebastian kept telling her, his arms crossed as he witnessed the pacing of the stressed witch, "We are still discovering the case itself. It was out of everyone's hands."
"Their blood is in my hands!" Penelope said shakily, "The families were relying on me, and now...now..."
Penelope stopped her pacing for a moment, beginning to see how the professor wasn't reacting the same as her. It almost seemed odd that she was the one worrying about these students when he was the one who taught them all these years.
"How are you so calm?" Penelope said in disbelief, "They were your students too."
Sebastian bit the inside of his cheeks, and uncrossed his arms as he brought a hand over his forehead and rubbed his temples at the reminder.
"Yes, they were my students. You can only imagine how I'm processing this too." Sebastian talked, his eyes closed as he kept rubbing in stress, "But I've witnessed many things in my life in the last years. It's a little difficult to process emotions the same." He said bluntly.
Ouch. Although his words were not aimed at anything, there was this bitter feel to them on the way he said them and Penelope felt the need to almost step back on even asking him in the first place.
"My apologies."
"It's alright." Sebastian shrugged. He removed his hand from his head and brought it back to his side, lifting and turning at Penelope.
It was a difficult sight for both. Staring at each other. It was insane to think that such a basic action with two adults can become the most difficult challenge. Staring. Fucking staring.
"I did my best, Professor Sallow." Penelope said, her posture lifted and kept a professional talk.
Professor Sallow. Oh, that bloody name-call from Penelope Silverthorn.
Sebastian's skin around his neck tightened at the uncalled apology and he blinked at her, "I know that. Do you think I'm misjudging your strength?"
Penelope looked down, her hands lifting as she grabbed a few strands of her hair and played with them in a way of being nervous in situations like these.
"Y-Yes."
Sebastian watched Penelope Silverthorn play with her hair like a girl. His eye movements followed her fingers. Penelope always did that when she was stressed in every way. He knew that because she'd do it all the time after a tough event.
"Don't stress too much, Miss S," Sebastian gave out, and pressed his lips, his fingers struggling as he pointed at her actions.
"Huh?" Penelope said in confusion.
"You're doing that...thing..." Sebastian said awkwardly.
Penelope stopped her movements, her eyes going down to the hair tangled in her fingers and dropped her arms, flushing from embarrassment.
"Oh, I..." Penelope stopped blinking fast and stared up at Sebastian from afar, "Y-You remembered."
Penelope Silverthorn regretted even asking that. Of course, he would remember. It's not like he obliviated her out of his memories or so, but it was such a surprise at the moment to see how much of the little things Sebastian Sallow knew about her.
"Yes, I do." Sebastian Sallow confirmed without shock.
As Penelope and Sebastian stood there, the silence filled the air between them. It was a heavy silence. It was thick with all the emotions that had been kept locked away for so long.
Neither one of them knew where to begin, the distance that had grown between them was making them both feel like different people, like strangers who shared a past, but not a present.
"I want to apologize for what I might've said the other day." Sebastian Sallow blurted out, breaking the silence.
The professor wasn't intending to be the one to apologize, but the place was secured and he felt like he could say anything right now and not deal with consequences. Plus, it was bothering his sleep from what he had said.
Penelope was taken aback at the random apology, but shrugged it off, "No need to. It's alright. It was a hectic night for everyone and—"
"I'm not talking about what I've said in the Hospital Wing." Sebastian corrected harshly, and Penelope stepped back, "I'm only apologizing for referring to you as a summer fling. That's all."
Penelope let him speak. She didn't complain about why he sounded so passive-aggressive in his words or why he was doing it in the first place. If anything, she was supposed to be the one apologizing.
"Okay," Penelope gave out a normal breath at the fix, "It's alright. I don't think I could even give you fault for doing that."
"You should. You weren't just a summer fling and you know that yourself." Sebastian explained.
I did know that. Penelope thought to herself. She made it clear she knew by ignoring him the last week and not glaring at him, even if she wanted to. She was upset over it, but she wasn't going to say that — but Sebastian Sallow knew her well, as always. She didn't need to say anything to admit it.
Penelope didn't know what to say or respond to that. All she did was rub her nose with her fingers as she sighed.
"Did you think I was apologizing for what I said in the Hospital Wing the other night?" Sebastian asked.
"No," Penelope lied, "I don't even think there's an apology for what you said. I miscommunicated my thoughts right now. All you did was say the truth." She looked down.
Sebastian's body tensed at the confirmation.
The Undercroft was no longer a place of letting out your emotions. Right now, it was becoming a game of tension. A game of, 'whose back-handed insults are better?'.
"I did leave eight years ago, so I really can't argue on that." Penelope said tiredly, "You could be upset all you want."
Sebastian's jaw clenched, "Can I? You haven't apologized once for it." He muttered under his breath.
Sebastian Sallow began to gain confidence underneath that castle to pin Penelope Silverthorn with truth, as if she wasn't stressed enough already. He did care that she was overstimulated by the morning news, but he cared more about the truth.
Penelope stood there, unable to bring herself to speak and she was caught in a stupor, but she was Penelope Silverthorn.
"I...I've tried, Sebastian," Penelope defended, "I've tried multiples times, but...then....I—I wasn't ready to apol—"
"Ready?" Sebastian gave out a scoff of sarcasm; it was dry and dark. His dark eyes turned to Penelope, "Ready is a big word coming from you, Penelope."
It was easy to tell that Sebastian Sallow was still upset by Penelope's actions eight years ago. It was no questioning and Penelope knew that herself by the subtle hints and discussions he'd caused since her arrival, and now she tried to excuse it.
Unlike, Sebastian, the word 'Ready' was a big word for her, and to him, she was in no position to use it.
Penelope was silent, but her stare was kept up as she stared back at Sebastian with confidence.
"Well, I am sorry." Penelope snapped, "It's more complicated than you would've thought—"
"I don't think it was, considering you are doing very well in life eight years later." Sebastian shrugged at her, and he frowned.
"Easy for you to say, considering you are also doing well yourself eight years later." Penelope argued.
Sebastian was quiet now.
"It's the past." Penelope breathed.
Sebastian looked to the side, breaking his contact with her, and crossed his arms, "How considerate of you."
"Thanks." Penelope said, almost the same tone as the night in the Hospital Wing.
Sebastian's tongue rolled over his cheek, not knowing whether to give out a hard chuckle or a snort from Penelope's stupid sarcasm. The fucking humorous trait she had on herself, even in the worst situations.
It felt as if, Penelope entering the Undercroft made her more stressed than she already was. It became a claustrophobic space for a moment and she wanted to leave it. What was once a safe place, felt like a tormented reminder.
Penelope took one last gulp, shaking her head at the power she had to just leave, and adjusted herself, preparing for the departure.
"I should leave." Penelope said.
"Well, you've always been pretty good at that." Sebastian clenched his jaw, murmuring the words.
Penelope's hands turned into fists from Sebastian's irony. If she had taken his words to the heart, the ancient magic would have begun to fuel down the blood cells; but she didn't let it get to her.
She kept her fists in place as she began to walk rapidly down the pathway to exit, but when she made it halfway on that Undercroft, she was stopped.
Sebastian's shoes squeaked a little as he stepped back and blocked Penelope's way, purposely. His arms were still crossed and his stare was straight down the wall behind her.
Penelope hitched in a breath at the almost-touch she would make onto the professor's chest if she didn't move in time. She was inches away from him as she breathed heavily at the blocked sight.
That familiar Mahogany and Musk scent — no.
"Sebastian" Penelope whispered, almost feared over the hovering, "Don't do this."
Purposely or not, Penelope's heart began to steam at the movements and she kept her stare down, afraid that if she looked up, she'd see him right there.
Sebastian began to give himself breathing techniques that he'll give his students when they'll freak out over spells; it was funny that he found himself doing it from the actions right now.
"Do what?" Sebastian asked, "I'm not even touching you. I just took a few steps back. That's all."
Penelope flushed at how truthful he was and it bothered her, but she also knew Sebastian Sallow and she definitely knew his mechanism. His ways. His patterns. She knew everything too.
"I know you well," Penelope said in a breath, "And I know that when you take steps back is because you are preventing an exit."
Sebastian nodded in place, "Well," he cleared his saliva, "If you know me so well, why are you trying to leave then?"
Penelope's heart thumped over her ears. Perhaps, if you placed a hand over them, you would probably feel the rhythm from the nerves that were kicking in on that enclosed place.
"You're too close," Penelope warned, "Your girlfriend hates me enough—"
"Cecil doesn't know about the Undercroft," Sebastian interrupted, "And she never will."
"Why?" Penelope whispered, her eyes still staring directly at the buttoned-up dress shirt from the chest view, "She's your—"
"I don't see a reason to. And it's not mine to allow newcomers." Sebastian kept cutting her off, almost as if he was getting annoyed by his own fiance's topic. How shameful of him.
Again, silence. The more silence, the more higher the tension grew.
"Still," Penelope shared.
"Still what?" Sebastian mimicked.
Penelope's mouth shut, and her lips pressed tightly together, rubbing them as she began to spiral over the entire thing. The way they stood; the way she was sweating; the way it was reality.
"Are you really going to stand in this bloody Undercroft and not think once about the things we've done in this place?" Sebastian whispered, nearing her ear.
Penelope's throat became dry at the comment and she became in denial, stepping a few steps back.
"This is very unprofessional, Professor Sallow."
"Oh, I'm professor now?" Sebastian furrowed and looked down at her.
Penelope gave a blend of a frown and confusion, "Y-You know what I mean."
"I don't." Sebastian said sternly, "You lack courage to call me by my name, then confuse yourself by wanting to be professional and call me professor...or mister," he explained to Penelope.
Penelope felt itchy in her talk, but she sighed, "Isn't that what you want to be called? Do you not want me to call you—"
"I want you to be honest with me for once." Sebastian gave out a very hoarse whisper, almost annoyed that she wasn't keeping up with the references.
Penelope's eyes gazed upward at the voice. You can feel the connection of unwanted love and confusion between both stares. The game was really starting to get more deadly.
Penelope closed her eyes and panicked with low breaths, "Please, don't do this."
Sebastian Sallow couldn't understand why he also grew the courage to step forward and get much closer to the woman. It felt so wrong, but so right. As if it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
"You're making me do this." Sebastian declared.
Penelope wanted to wiggle herself, but her intrusive thoughts were winning. She didn't move.
"We haven't had a proper conversation since you've arrived." Sebastian reminded, and you could see his pink lips closing in on Penelope's right ear as he spoke.
"I...I don't see a reason to, professor." Penelope excused.
"Stop calling me professor." Sebastian's fingers tingled at the name-calls.
His voice. It was becoming deeper and deeper for Penelope Silverthorn.
"Why not?"
Sebastian's hands were now into fists like Penelope's; fighting the inner urge to grab anything. All he could do was clench really hard and hold it in.
"You know why," He told her.
All Penelope saw was darkness in her view, only because her eyes were still closed, but a gasp escaped her when she unexpectedly felt a warmth of touch on the side of her cheek.
"This is wrong," Penelope let out at Sebastian's touch, "This is very wrong."
"Then tell me to stop," Sebastian directed, "Stop me."
But Penelope's lips began trembling from the tension. She couldn't speak anymore.
"You haven't told me to stop." Sebastian noticed.
"You're a loyal man, Sebastian," Penelope reminded him, "This isn't like you. You wouldn't do something so scandalous. You're a good man."
Sebastian was a good man. To her. He was loyal to Penelope. He was everything to her.
"But I'm just checking your temperature," Sebastian lied, his hand rubbing the cheek, "You've had a rough morning. I have the right to check upon you." He excused.
"Sebastian,"
"You're not telling me to stop," Sebastian said more roughly, fighting it off.
Tell him, Pen. Humble the man.
"Stop." Penelope declared.
"Do it with your eyes open." Sebastian competed.
Penelope was becoming sexually frustrated. The lack of sex and the lack of touch she's had the last few months worsen the situation. It was tumbling down terribly and this was potentially going to ruin her.
Sebastian Sallow knew exactly what position he was in doing this. His lack of pleasure the last few months from the stress of the case and ongoing arguments with Cecil; it was also putting him on edge. And having such a woman like Penelope Silverthorn right in front of him, right this close — it was hard.
Penelope's eyes opened, confronting the man once and for all. His eyes were murderous, killing her time and she was ready to let her guard down.
Maybe, being scandalous seemed fun. It was nothing new for them.
"Pen, please," Sebastian begged.
Their foreheads were connected and Penelope's hand finally raised, resting flatly over the professor's chest. She was only touching his chest, yet, Sebastian fell for the bare minimum. He was edging on the movements.
"Sebastian." A voice echoed from the corner of the Undercroft.
Suddenly, reality was set in between the tension and frozen time came out of the shackles, bringing them both back to reality.
Penelope stepped back from her position from the scary tone call out and turned with sweat, her vision blurry from the lack of view, but then it cleared.
Penelope became aware of her surroundings at the recognition and she finally gasped, giving more distance to Sebastian, and put her arms down.
"Ominis."
_________
Don't worry, the next chapters become more scandalous. 🥰