SILAS

"Argh! Enough hovering over me!" Rosemary snapped, her voice sharp as I took a hasty step back, though I couldn't help the grin tugging at my lips. Her neck was wrapped in layers of bandages, matching the ones on her arms, and her leg was propped up in a splint—evidence of the brutal encounter she'd survived at the hands of the servant of the Vampire of Gluttony.

"Alright, alright," I replied, raising my hands in mock surrender, though the playful smile on my face didn't waver. Rosemary shot me a half-hearted glare before her eyes flicked to Sebastian, who was seated casually in the corner of the clinic, his attention glued to his phone.

"And why is this weirdo here?" she snarked, her words devoid of any real bite. Sebastian barely looked up, offering a lazy wave with his free hand.

"Yo," he greeted, his tone as nonchalant as ever before returning to whatever had him so engrossed on his screen.

I couldn't help but giggle.

"He was worried about you too," I said, taking a seat on the edge of her bed. "After you two showed up here in the middle of the night looking like you'd been dragged through hell, you nearly gave me a premature panic attack."

Rosemary's expression soured at the reminder.

It had only been a day since the attack, but the memory of it lingered like a storm cloud over all of us. I could still feel the rush of panic I'd woken up to when Shira had nearly broken down my door, yelling for me to get to the clinic. 

I'd run down in a daze, heart pounding, only to find Rosemary lying on one of the beds, barely conscious and swathed in bandages, while Sebastian had collapsed into a deep sleep in the bed next to hers.

At the time, Rosemary had been awake—barely. She'd fought against the pull of exhaustion just to explain what had happened. The servant of the Vampire of Gluttony had somehow infiltrated the academy, masquerading as a student: Mori Rand. A girl who, according to Seraphine, had been gravelly "sick" for days before suddenly making a miraculous recovery.

It wasn't suspicious at first. Zaudseth's clinic was infamous for its ability to heal even the gravest injuries and illnesses. But now we knew the truth. The real Mori hadn't recovered—she'd been killed, her identity stolen by the vampire servant.

The thought made my blood boil, a sick churn of anger and disgust twisting in my gut.

But amidst the chaos, something unexpected happened—Rosemary and I had finally managed to talk.

Shira had questioned them both about why they'd been out after curfew, and Rosemary admitted that she'd been planning to leave the academy. Sebastian, somehow, had caught her in the act and tried to stop her. Their confrontation had went well but it also lead to the attack.

It was a mess, but... it was also because of Sebastian that Rosemary and I had finally broken the ice. 

Neither of us had been able to approach the other, the weight of unspoken words and unresolved tension keeping us apart. But Sebastian—whether intentionally or not—had bridged that gap for us.

I owed him for that. For saving Rosemary's life, yes, but also for helping to mend what had felt irreparably broken between us.

"She said the vampire who killed my family wasn't Gluttony," Rosemary said suddenly, breaking the quiet that had settled over us. Sebastian had left the room a little earlier to give us some space, leaving just the two of us in the dim, sterile light of the clinic.

"What?" I blinked, caught off guard by her words.

Rosemary bit her lip, her gaze dropping to the floor as she chewed on her thumbnail, lost in thought. "She said it was Sloth (Minerva)," she continued, her voice quieter now. "The Vampire of Sloth is the one who killed my parents."

I stared at her, stunned. "But… Sebastian…" I trailed off, the implication hitting me like a cold wave.

"Sebastian is the servant of Sloth," Rosemary finished for me. Her gaze snapped to mine, sharp and searching. There was no anger in her eyes, no accusation—just a quiet intensity that made me feel like I was being tested.

"It's not his fault," I said quickly, my voice rising in a rush of defensiveness. "He didn't choose this. He was turned against his will—"

Rosemary snorted, cutting me off with a roll of her eyes. "Relax," she said dryly. "I'm not going to blame him for something he didn't do."

Her casual dismissal caught me off guard. I blinked at her, waiting for the other shoe to drop.

That left me completely speechless.

"What? You think I'd try to hurt him just because the one who turned him was the same vampire who killed my family?" Rosemary said with a smirk, her tone laced with dry humor.

Before I could respond, she shrugged casually, though her eyes betrayed a flicker of something deeper. "Nah…" she added, shaking her head. "I owe him my life anyway. If he hadn't stepped in, I would've died there like an idiot. Tsk." She clicked her tongue and looked away, her smirk fading.

Her expression darkened as she clenched her fists tightly, the tension visible in her knuckles. But just as quickly, she let out a deep sigh, her fingers slowly uncurling as if forcing herself to relax.

"I don't think he told you… that he lost his arm, right?" she asked, turning toward me with a tired, almost bittersweet smile.

That stopped me in my tracks. I let out a confused noise—half gasp, half exclamation. "What?!" I almost shouted, my voice breaking slightly.

Rosemary winced at my outburst, and I immediately felt a pang of guilt. "Sorry," I murmured, softer this time. "What do you mean he lost his arm?" My voice now barely above a whisper, the words soaked in horror.

It didn't make sense. Seraphine had checked over Sebastian just yesterday while he was asleep. Sure, he was a mess—muddy, bloody, and in desperate need of a bath—but there were no visible wounds. No scars. No signs of anything as catastrophic as… losing an arm.

Rosemary chuckled, a grim kind of amusement lighting her face. "That bitch sliced his arm clean off," she said bluntly. "And he was passed out for half the time I was running. Eventually, the vampire caught up to me, and he…" She paused for dramatic effect, her smirk returning. "...he saved me."

Her voice grew sharper, more animated, as she leaned forward slightly. "His arm grew back, just like that. And bam!" Rosemary suddenly mimicked a punch, her fist sweeping through the air. "He punched a hole through her chest like it was paper."

I grimaced at the mental image, and she noticed, laughing at my reaction.

"At least that got you to stop looking so horrified," she teased, her laugh softer now, but genuine. "Your friend? Yeah, he's terrifying. I see it now. No wonder I was scared of him the other day… There was something familiar about the way he looked at me—something that reminded me of her."

Her voice trailed off, and her expression grew distant. "Maybe it was Sloth who really killed my family," she murmured, her eyes fixed on her hands as if the answers lay there.

I bit my lip, hesitating for only a moment before reaching out and wrapping my hands around hers. Her fingers were cold, trembling slightly as she blinked in surprise.

"If we find her," I said firmly, staring into her eyes with as much determination as I could muster, "we'll make her pay."

Rosemary's eyes widened at my words, her lips parting as if to speak. But instead of responding, she snorted—an abrupt, unexpected sound that quickly grew into full-blown laughter. Her shoulders shook as she wiped a tear from the corner of her eye.

"You're like a kid," she said between laughs, her grin wide and teasing.

I pouted, crossing my arms over my chest. "That was genuine!" I protested.

"I know, I know," she replied, her laughter softening into a chuckle. "I could feel it, deep in my bones." She smirked and reached out, poking my cheek playfully.

I swatted her hand away, though not with much effort. She was laughing now, and I couldn't help but feel relieved. At least she was feeling well enough to make jokes again.

"I haven't even thanked that weirdo yet," Rosemary said suddenly, glancing toward the open door as though half-expecting Sebastian to appear. "Where is he, anyway?"

"Probably wandering around somewhere," I replied with a laugh, shaking my head.

She shot me a look—a mix of a pout and a silent plea for help. It was clear she wasn't great at expressing gratitude, and she needed someone to nudge her in the right direction.

My heart felt lighter seeing her like this. Maybe things weren't perfect, but at least, for now, there was a little room for laughter.

***

I found Sebastian napping under the tree a few hours after I had finished my class. He was curled on his side, his hood pulled low over his face, shielding him from the sunlight. For a moment, he looked so peaceful, like the world couldn't touch him.

"Seb?" I called softly, trying not to startle him. He stirred, shifting slightly before raising his head to look at me with bleary eyes.

"Hey," he mumbled, his voice heavy with sleep. Then, almost as if it were the most natural thing to ask, he added, "How's Rosemary?"

A small smile tugged at my lips as I lowered myself to the ground beside him. He sat up with a yawn, scratching his cheek lazily. His disheveled hair and half-lidded eyes made him look like a cat that had been rudely woken from a nap. Somehow, the image suited him.

"She's doing better," I said, resting my elbows on my knees. "The collar on her neck is slowing her healing, though. I'm debating whether I should request to have it removed, but... it'd probably get denied. Rosemary's still seen as a threat."

Sebastian frowned, his brows knitting together. "Paranoid much?" he muttered.

I shrugged. "It's just how they operate," I said, my tone resigned.

He hummed noncommittally, then turned to look at me properly with a curious glint in his eyes. "So, why are you here? Don't you have classes to teach?"

A wry smile crossed my face. "I was hoping you'd come to listen to one of my lectures again," I admitted.

Sebastian blinked, his gaze flickering to mine, and for a moment, his expression darkened. He looked away, his lips slightly parted as if searching for a response.

"So… you want me there?" he asked quietly, his tone almost uncertain.

"Uh, yeah? Didn't I just say I want you to listen to my lectures?" I teased, raising a brow. "It feels nice seeing you there, you know. Makes me think I've actually done something right—getting you interested in my teachings and all."

I grinned and clenched my fist, pumping it in mock triumph with a giggle. But Sebastian didn't seem as amused. He gave me an unimpressed look, his lips pressed into a thin line.

Before he could retort, I softened my expression. "Also, this isn't just about Rosemary—though she'll thank you herself when she gets the chance. I wanted to thank you. For saving her. For putting your life on the line like that."

I reached out and placed a hand on his arm. Sebastian stiffened at the touch, his shoulders tensing.

"I—uh, it's no problem," he stammered, his words awkward and uncertain. "Anyone would've done that."

I smiled knowingly. "No, they wouldn't. No one else would have risked themselves against something like that. Rosemary told me what happened, how you took a hit for her. She said you saved her from being killed by the servant of Gluttony."

Sebastian's cheeks flushed slightly, and he shifted uncomfortably under my gaze. He looked away, rubbing the back of his neck.

"That… that was…" he trailed off, clearly embarrassed. "I just thought I could take it better than she could. I heal faster, you know? And I doubt she'd bounce back if she lost an arm," he chuckled weakly, though his voice carried a nervous edge.

"Still," I said, my tone turning serious. Without thinking, I grabbed his shoulders and turned him to face me. "Don't you ever do something like that again. Do you hear me? I know you came back in one piece this time, but what if you hadn't? I don't know how I'd react if I saw you missing an arm—or worse. And then you were asleep the whole day yesterday! Do you know how worried I was? I thought… I thought you wouldn't wake up."

My voice trembled as I spoke, and I realized my breath had grown shaky. I hadn't even noticed the way my body had started trembling until that moment. My eyes shut tightly, and I bit my lip, trying to steady myself.

I knew Sebastian was strong, a vampire trained by Shira, someone who could take care of himself. But he hadn't lived the kind of life I had. He didn't understand how fragile everything could be. His world had been calm, quiet—boring, even. Mine was chaos. Every day, I risked my life just to finish a mission. And now, he was a part of that chaos too.

A light touch on my arm pulled me from my thoughts. I opened my eyes to find Sebastian watching me, a soft, almost hesitant smile on his face.

"Hey," he said gently. "Relax. You're shaking."

I don't understand. How can he stay so calm after what happened?

"I—I was scared too… I guess…," Sebastian says, his voice hesitant, the words slipping out like they don't belong to him. " —And… I think I even died for a moment there before I woke up. When I saw Rosemary getting choked by that vampire…" He pauses, his jaw tightening. "I was mad. Really mad. Because, in my mind, she was trying to take away someone that matters to you the most."

Someone that matters to me?

Rosemary?

Did he really care that much? 

I blink at him, unsure how to respond. Before I can find the words, Sebastian continues, his face shy as he looks away.

"I promise you, I'll be careful if—if there's even a next time," he says, attempting a weak joke. But the humor falls flat, his voice trembling with guilt and fear.

I sniffle, unable to hide the sadness bubbling up inside me. My lips tremble as I give him a frown.

"Okay, okay! Don't cry, I swear I'll be careful!" Sebastian blurts out in a panic. He awkwardly pats my back, his hand hesitant but warm.

"Don't die on me, man!" I manage to say, my voice cracking with emotion. Crossing my arms over my chest, I pout at him. "You're so important to me, you know?"

Sebastian freezes.

His eyes widen, and he stares at me like I've just said something unbelievable.

"I'm… important to you?" he asks, his voice barely above a whisper. The words sound foreign on his tongue, like they're something he's never let himself say—or believe—before.

I nod, watching as his expression shifts through a dozen emotions: confusion, disbelief, embarrassment, and finally, something softer. A tentative smile tugs at his lips, small but genuine.

"Why? Do you think I wouldn't be angry if you got hurt?" I gasp, feigning offense.

His eyes widen in alarm, and he waves his hands frantically. "No! I didn't mean that!" he stammers, his words tumbling over each other as he tries to explain.

"That's it," I declare, pointing at him with mock seriousness. "You're getting the hug of doom."

Before he can protest, I tackle him into a hug. A startled, choked yell escapes him as I wrap my arms tightly around his shoulders.

I brace myself, half-expecting him to push me away. But instead, he freezes. I remember, suddenly, how much he needed a hug back then—how he seemed so fragile, even when he pretended to be fine.

And to my relief, he doesn't pull away.

Instead, his arms slowly come up to wrap around me. He hugs back, his grip firm and desperate, and I feel him bury his face in the curve of my neck.

"Remember," I tease, my voice light as I pat his back, "this is the hug of doom. You're cursed to hug me forever."

I giggle, expecting him to groan or roll his eyes. But Sebastian doesn't respond.

His arms only tighten around my waist, holding me as if letting go isn't an option.

"You're liking my hug too much," I joke, my voice soft. "This is a curse, not a blessing."

"'Kay," Sebastian mumbles, his voice muffled against my shoulder.

I blink, surprised by his response. But I don't push him away.

I let him stay, his grip warm and grounding. Maybe he needed this more than I thought. Maybe he really was scared, even if he refused to admit it.