Hiraeth | Sebastian Sallow Love Story

Chapter Forty: Secret's Out

After a brief moment and the feeling of whiplash, Gracie's vision went dark before it became light again. She was straddling Sebastian's lap and went to climb off, when his hand gripped the front of her shirt. Gracie stared at him in surprise, but it looked like he too was caught off guard by his own actions.

She tilted her head with a silent question in her eyes. Sebastian fisted his hand in her shirt and pulled her up. His lips brushed against hers, but he didn't kiss her. Not really.

"This is the part where you let me get off you." Gracie pointed out softly, looking up at him through her lashes.

Sebastian gazed down at her with an unreadable expression, "Right. You're going to go get the dirt on that wanker. But a little advice, shortcake?"

"What?"

Just barely, did she feel his lips against hers when he spoke, "It's not wrong to care about someone who doesn't care about you. It means that you have more empathy and emotional intelligence than they do." His voice grew serious and quieter, "But what I want you to never do is beg for someone to love you."

Gracie's eyebrows furrowed as she pulled away from him. "And why's that?"

"You don't deserve someone who wouldn't fight for you. If he isn't willing to fight to keep you by his side, then he doesn't love you. You should plague his thoughts at every moment. So much so that he finds it hard to breathe when you're not near." Sebastian replied wryly before tapping the side of her arse, "Up now. You've got a scourer to hunt and I'm going to go walk around the merchant stalls to see if there's any news about odd beasts appearing out of now where."

Gracie did as he said, but had to admit she felt surprised. "You're letting me go onto the boat?"

"I know you can handle it." Sebastian said simply, taking a deep breath. His eyes darkened, "But just know that if anyone so much as bumps into you, I'll find out, and I'll kill them."

"You're a sadist."

Sebastian's smile was like a bad omen in itself. "No, I'm territorial."

Chapter Forty: Secret's Out

All of Charles' employees wore white shorts that came to the tops of their knees and a matching white shirt. The fabric wasn't just cotton, but a poly blend that allowed for it to be lightweight, yet waterproof. There were two large pockets on either side of her chest with three buttons down the front. She wore a white undershirt and white socks that came up to her knees. Even the shoes she wore were white with thin laces.

The pale color may have been to reflect the sun, but she wasn't sure how the Muggles kept these items spotless. There was already a dirt mark from when she brushed her leg against the bulkhead of the ship.

Luckily the man she was parading around happened to be... indisposed at the moment. Meaning Gracie knocked him out and shoved him in a storage closet before putting a locking charm on the door. He'll be alright. Eventually.

"Jack." She felt her shoulder grabbed and turned around to see another man with the same stature as her staring at her incredulously, "What are you doing here?"

Gracie blinked, hearing her deep voice answer. "Walking?"

The side of his head was smacked, "Smart ass. Come on, the Captain wants to see us. Says something happened to Frank and we'll be short handed for the next couple months."