We go down, together

Olivia

The sound of whispers accompanied by the aroma of fresh baked bread coaxed me from sleep. It took a moment to register that I was lying in someone's lap, their warm thigh was a stark contrast to the cold floor of the undercroft.

It took another long insufferable moment to remember why we were in the hidden space. Pain began to blossom in every nerve ending as if on queue. A groan involuntary escaped me.

"Looks like sleeping beauty is awake."

"I'm not in the mood, Sallow."

"Pity. I always am."

"For Merlin's sake, Sebastian!"

"What? Am I not allowed to joke, Ominis?"

Ignoring them, I slowly rose to a sitting position, immediately regretting it. Every bone and muscle throbbed, the pulsating amplified the pounding headache that was quickly making its presence known. I squeezed my eyes shut and hugged my knees to my chest, silently praying that Merlin would take pity on me.

Two sets of worried gazes burned holes into my skin.

"I got us some breakfast." Sebastian's voiced carried as he crossed the room, "and I brought you this... I assumed you might want to change out of that uniform." I peeked up at him, he was offering me clothes... his clothes. My heart skipped a beat.

My muscles screamed in protest as I rose my arms, I bit back a whimper. My hands shook with the effort it took to hold the garments, my grip failed almost instantly and they fell haphazardly to the ground.

How embarrassing.

"May I?" Sebastian's brown eyes bore into mine, my cheeks began to heat.

"Yes."

His hands gingerly picked up each foot and slid the thick sock up and over my ankles. The heat traveled along my chest and up my neck.

He inched closer with his jumper, I swore Ominis stopped breathing. My fingers began to shake as I clasped the first button of my dress shirt, they stumbled over the fastener.

It's just clothes.

It's just skin.

This is nothing he hasn't seen before.

It's just...

Sebastian.

"It's okay. I won't look, I promise. That is, unless you want me too." My gaze collided with his, a corner of his mouth tilted up. I let my hands drop. He lifted his arms slowly, giving me time to tell him to stop. Ominis shifted his head to the side, the gesture purely for show but easing me all the same.

Sebastian's fingers found the buttons, the question swirled in his eyes. I couldn't form the words but managed a simple nod. The sound of rustling fabric along with my pounding heart beat broke the tense silence. There was no need for words, our eyes held a conversation all their own.

He never once broke the contact.

The rough material slid down my body, leaving me bare to the brisk temperature of the undercroft. He very gently pulled the jumper over my head, it hung limply around my neck. "Do you think you can manage to slide your arms through?"

"Yes." He nodded in response and quickly backed away.

"Breakfast?" I jumped at the sound of Ominis' voice.

"Yes. Breakfast." He clambered to his feet, "I met a house elf in the kitchens, seems you've got an admirer."

The rapid change of topic made my head spin. "What?"