Sebastian Bear (complete)

THIRTEEN

Thirteen

"How long are you guys going to be here?" Ezra was stubbing the bright orange end of her burning cigar into a marble ashtray. She snuggled further into her fluffy white fur blanket. Madeline was tired but relaxed. She was still sitting in Sebastian's lap, her back pressed comfortably against his chest. He had been staring into the purple flames of Ezra's fire for at least five minutes, somewhere deep in thought.

"Earth to Seb," Ezra rolled her eyes laughing. "How long are you guys going to be here?"

"Little while longer," he yawned. Madeline glanced back at him curiously. He smirked as if he could read her thoughts. She moved her eyes away before he actually did enter her mind and see all the forbidden thoughts dancing around her brain. He would have a field day if he managed that.

"So Madeline," Ezra leaned forward. "How would you like to go into town and have some dinner before you guys go back to your side of the wall?" Madeline shrugged. She would enjoy that. She was curious about the more metropolitan area of Avlis. The rural area was beautiful, there was no doubt about that. Sebastian hugged her tighter against his body, his cheek rested against her right arm.

"What kind of food are we talking about?" Madeline asked grinning. 

Avlis looked silver from far away but up close it appeared to be made of pure crystal. Madeline was in awe of it all. The buildings seemed to defy gravity, all shiny and perfectly clear. She could see the people working inside, all busy doing their normal day things, which to her wasn't in the least bit normal. The city itself seemed to change in just moments. In the setting sun, it took on the shades of orange, its unusually sharp buildings pressing against the perfect sky. The sidewalk was no exception, the glass was thick under their feet, gears turned further down. There were no paths here, another question she'd have to ask Sebastian later. Ezra explained quite quickly that the city ran like a clock, the metal insides pushing out the electricity that powered the entire place. It all made sense in a nonsensical sort of way.

Madeline had let Sebastian hold her hand, his fingers stayed tight around her own. She pretended she was someone else for a while, someone who had it all together, who didn't constantly question her reality or the awful way her brain made her feel. She pretended she was just a normal girl going to eat with her group of friends. It was almost painful how nice it all felt.

Ezra skipped along in front of the couple, her bright yellow sneakers squeaked along the glass sidewalk. Madeline laughed at her quietly. Ezra seemed to buzz with positive energy. She glanced back smiling over her freckled shoulder. "Almost there!" She turned the corner. Sebastian threw his arm around Madeline's shoulder, pulling her close. She took a deep breath as they rounded the same mysterious corner.

It was a diner with hot pink metal walls that were covered in old posters of unrecognizable popstars. Madeline assumed it was like the old retro restaurants back home. It was very busy, busier than she'd expected from the outside. The place was filled with people, a hundred voices from different groups of happy people having their own conversations. It smelled great. Madeline's stomach gurgled instinctively, begging for food.

Ezra was gone. She tackled a lanky boy sitting in a nearby booth, her arms wrapping around his porcelain neck with enthusiasm. He laughed out loud, letting her pepper his face with a thousand tiny kisses.

"I have a surprise!" She whispered to the platinum blonde. She looked back at Madeline, her bright green eyes sparkling with excitement. "Seb is back and he brought a friend. She's... mortal. Isn't it wild?" The blonde guy looked stunned but he quickly smiled and moved out of the booth to embrace Sebastian in a hug. Both males laughed, making comments on how different they looked.