𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐮𝐬𝐭 ~ 𝐄𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧

𝐒𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧

After last night's fiasco, Sebastian was beyond embarrassed. Nightmares were frequent, haunting him every chance they got, breaking his body into a cold sweat, screaming his throat raw, though, Sebastian never had anyone to calm him down. Never had warm arms wrap around him, pull him into their chest, kiss his panic away and hush him back to sleep.

Chris was an angel. One Sebastian thought he may not be able to live without.

Sebastian rubs the sleep from his eyes and ducks under the warm water of the shower, easing the tension in his muscles, easing the panic swelling inside of Sebastian. It hides the tears that fell down his bruised cheeks, washes the saltiness down the drain, hidden somewhere Chris would never be able to find.

Sebastian drops to his knees, hunches over himself, holding a hand over quivering lips. Sebastian was shaking, whimpering, trying his hardest to keep quiet. Everything was all too much for Sebastian. Chris's kindness, the kindness Sebastian hadn't felt for what seemed like years. The laughter that was never brought out. The smile that was never shown. Chris was showing something Sebastian was beyond afraid of, because he knew what were to happen next.

Chris would leave. Chris would never speak to Sebastian again. Let alone look at him. He would forget his week with Sebastian and get on with his life.

Sebastian needed to get out of the trip. Needed to get out of the heartache of losing Chris.

A knock at the bathroom door cuts Sebastian from his thoughts.

"Sebastian?" Chris. "You okay in there? It's been almost forty minutes."

Sebastian punches the knob, shutting the water off and wipes away his tears. "Y-yeah." Sebastian croaks out, clearing his throat. "Fine."

"Oh." Chris is definitely not convinced, he knows Sebastian a bit better now to know he was lying. "Okay well, some of my friends want to go on that hike. Would you like to come with us?"

Sebastian pauses. "Uh.. s-sure."

Sebastian can hear the smile on Chris's lips. "Awesome, sweet. I'll let them know. Don't be too long. We'll be outside."

With that, Chris was racing out of the cabin, allowing Sebastian to sink to the floor in the bathroom, wrapped in a towel, holding back the tears.

Why did he say yes?

Chris grabs ahold of Elizabeth's shoulders, erupting a scream from Elizabeth and causing her to fire a slap in Chris's direction. "Jesus, Chris!" She cries, slamming a hand over her heart.

Chris lets out a loud laugh, placing a hand over his left peck. "Got ya!"

"Don't do that, C!" Tessa hisses. "You scared the living shit out of me."

Chris chortles. "Oh well, you'll live. Sebastian's coming with us if that's okay?"

The two girls nod. "Course."

"Sweet."

It only takes Sebastian a few minutes to arrive at the meeting spot, dressed in baggy, long sleeved clothing. His eyes are casted down at the ground, hands stuffed inside of his pockets.

"Hey." Chris greets him, patting his back. "Seb, this is Elizabeth and Tessa. E, T, meet Seb."

Sebastian raises his head and mumbles a shy "hi."

The girls smile warmly. "Nice to meet you, Seb."

"Y-you too."

Chris grins. "Well, I wanna have a quick chat with Sebby here, you guys go on ahead."

The two leave with a nod of their heads, linking arms and catching up with the rest of the group of students. Chris wraps an arm around Sebastian's shoulders and he flinches.

"Hey, you okay?" Chris asks softly, beginning to walk and dragging Sebastian with him. "I'm sorry about what I said last night-

Sebastian shakes his head. "I-it's okay. I got quite snarky so we're even."

"You sure I-

"Yes."

Chris nods. "Okay."

Once everyone else was quite a far distance away from the two, Sebastian and Chris begin hiking, wanting to only keep to the two of them. Elizabeth and Tessa seemed fine with it, wanting to catch up with one another thankfully.

Walking up the first path was already breathtaking. Sebastian was in absolute awe. It was almost as beautiful as the woods his mother had shown him many many years ago, where they would have picnics and camping trips when his father was away for work. Just the two of them. Happy. Content.

Sebastian tilts his head up to the sky, taking in the suns warmth and flutters his eyes shut with a small smile.

He can remember the one camping trip, Sebastian's favourite out of all of them, where he and his mother played tag, hide and seek, laughed a lot, sung. She would read him a small story before they fell asleep and when Sebastian was close to closing his eyes, she would whisper the same few words every single time.

"You're my speck of stardust. My hope, my charismatic little boy."

Sebastian breaks from his small daze at the soft nudge to his side and he looks over to the culprit in fright. Chris.

"You okay?" Chris asks with a softest of smiles that set Sebastian's heart on fire.

Sebastian nods. "Yeah just.. thinking."

"What of?"

Sebastian smiles. "Oh nothing."

Chris chuckles softly, gazing at the pure happiness shown on Sebastian's glowing face. His eyes were bright under the sun, and Chris could make out little specks of stardust. Sebastian was beautiful.

Sebastian couldn't contain the smile tugging at his lips once they had entered the snug forest, the sun shining through the small cracks in the green leaves, birds chirping, little bunnies hopping around in hopes of finding any sort of food.

That had Sebastian gasping softly and dropping to his knees, holding a relaxed hand out to the shy animal. Chris pauses his movements at not seeing Sebastian by his side and turns his head, heart melting at the sight.

"You're quite the animal whisperer, Seb." Chris says when the bunnies rub against Sebastian's outstretched hand.

Sebastian shrugs. "I guess. I've always loved animals and have always wanted a pet."

"Well maybe I should bring you out to mine if wild bunnies make you this lively. I've got a dog of my own. Dodger. He's a real sweetheart."

Sebastian turns his head to Chris and gets back on his feet. "I'd like that."

After many many breathtaking sights and soft laughter, the group of teens reach the end of trail. Chris was right, Sebastian did feel lively. Happy. For the first time in forever he was content in what was happening and felt as if nothing could ruin his mood.

As they head back to the camp, feeling happy and as if they had had an amazing time, Sebastian is knocked right into a students back. He steps back, slightly dazed, and shakes his head.

"I'm sorry—

Sebastian looks up at the person and freezes. Joel Anderson, Sebastian's bully, stares right into his eyes, a large smirk across his lips.

"It's okay, Stan. But I need a favour now that you've put your sweat all over my new shirt." Joel responds.

Chris looks confused and Sebastian blushes. "O-okay." Sebastian whispers. "What do you want-

"Money." One of Joel's goons interrupts, coming into Sebastian's view. "Wanna head into town, have a good time. You do owe us, remember?"

Sebastian blinks a few times in confusion. "N-no?" He says, unsure. "I don't owe you anything."

Joel rolls his eyes, tutting. "Well, seeming as you won't give it to us, we'll just have to beat it out of you."

The words have Sebastian's heart leaping into the back of his throat. Sebastian's stomach was churning painfully, tears welling up in his eyes. Please no, not now. Not when things are going so well.

The group lift a few stones from off of the ground, rolling the grey heaviness around the palm of their hands before throwing them at Sebastian.

Sebastian can't seem to move. Just like every single time he saw his father in the distance, that same devious smirk on his lips, making his way towards Sebastian, causing him pain the only thing on his mind.

The stones begin to chip at his skin, bruising it with ease. Just enough to cause Sebastian to start bleeding. That is until two pairs of arms wrap around Sebastian's shaking body, using their bodies as a protective barrier from the sharp rocks.

Chris begins to shout, throwing even larger rocks at the bullies and slamming a punch right into Joel Anderson's nose. "Leave him the fuck alone, you heartless assholes." Chris yells.

Joel wipes the blood from above his lip. "Or what?" He taunts.

"Or you'll be going home with more than a bruised nose."

That seems to do the trick, Joel rolling his eyes and nodding his head for his goons to follow after him. Sebastian feels the two people free him from their hold and cup his cheeks and check for the bruises.

"Are you okay?" Elizabeth asks, wiping away Sebastian's flowing tears.

"Those assholes." Tessa growls. "God when I get my hands on them-"

Before Tessa can continue her threat, Chris shoves past both girls and wraps Sebastian in his arms, holding him close to his chest. "Shh." Chris whispers, running his fingers through Sebastian's hair. "Your okay. I've got you."

Chris checks over Sebastian's face, finding small bruises over his olive skin and his lip busted, tears still flowing down his cheeks.

"A-are you okay?" Chris asks, taking Sebastian's hand in his bruising one.

Sebastian nods, barely a movement, and looks over Chris's hand. "I-I'm Sorry." He whispers.

"What for?"

"For not keeping my mouth shut." Sebastian hiccups. "If I didn't, you wouldn't have had to do that."

Chris shakes his head. "Even if you didn't say anything, Seb, they still would've done what they did. I just wished you told me you were being bullied."

"It didn't seem important. We weren't friends."

Chris's heart drops. "Well we are now."

****