Chapter Text
The hallways were quieter than usual, the term winding down. Students bustled about with the last assignments and exams looming, but there was a sense of ease in the air. A lull before the inevitable chaos of finals. Ominis leaned lightly on his cane, Sebastian’s hand brushing against his as they walked toward the familiar spot near the library, where Imelda often held court on whatever gossip or advice she could dispense.
“Hey, you two,” Imelda called, balancing herself carefully on her casted leg. “Guess what? I can almost get rid of this thing, and soon I’ll be back in full swing as your guide, Ominis.”
Ominis froze mid-step. His heart skipped. “You mean — really?”
Imelda’s face split into a mischievous grin. “Well…” She leaned on her crutch and surveyed their expressions, Sebastian with a brow raised in mild suspicion and Ominis with his mouth slightly open, heart hammering.
“I’m kidding. Don’t even think about it. Sebastian’s a permanent employee now. You’re stuck with him, buddy.”
Ominis blinked, and couldn’t conceal the relieved look that spread across his face.
“I’m sorry, Imelda,” he sighed. “It’s been lovely to have you as a guide. It’s just —”
“Yeah, I know,” Imelda said, and poked Sebastian with one of her crutches. “While I can offer you excellent guidance, Sebastian can offer you mediocre guidance but excellent dick. I can’t blame you for your priorities.”
Ominis choked. “Imelda!”
Sebastian’s flat smelled faintly of burnt toast and freshly brewed coffee. Sebastian sprawled on the couch, one leg draped over the armrest, flipping through TV channels. Ominis had claimed the other end, back against the cushions, fingers brushing against Sebastian’s as they both lazily reached for their drinks.
Ominis had lost count of how many evenings they had spent curled up together like this. Going home to Sebastian, cuddling up next to Sebastian, felt like second nature. Like coming home.
“You know,” Sebastian said after a while, a tentative note in his voice. “I was thinking…” He paused, as though weighing whether to keep going. “It’d be nice… someday… maybe not right now, but, you know, eventually…”
Ominis tilted his head toward him, catching the light in his smile. “You were thinking what?”
“Maybe…” Sebastian let out a little sigh, stretching his arms above his head. “…we could move in together.” He said it casually, almost like he was musing out loud, letting the thought hang in the air rather than demand an answer. “Not like, right now, but sometime in the future. You wouldn’t have to deal with Marvolo’s commentary, and you don’t have to tell your parents every time you stay over with me. I would get a personal chef to cook me perfect toast and scrambled eggs in the morning. We could ruin sheets together. Wake up together. You could take the better side of the bed if you want.”
Ominis’ heart stumbled at the image. His thumb brushed over Sebastian’s hand in an absent-minded touch. “That… actually sounds… nice,” he admitted. Suddenly, the future felt almost palpable, fluttering in his chest. “Like, really nice.”
“We could split rent,” he continued, almost as if he were trying to convince Ominis, though Ominis knew he didn’t need convincing. He would have agreed to almost anything Sebastian suggested. “I can guide you to school every morning. We’d have traditional Friday movie nights with snacks, and you’d heckle me for wanting pizza three nights in a row. I’d tease you for wearing a waistcoat on a Sunday morning.”
Ominis snorted, the corners of his mouth lifting. “We’d split chores, but I’ll end up doing them anyway because you are incapable of washing dishes…” he added, teasing.
“Hey!” Sebastian protested, mock-offended, though a soft laugh escaped him. “I’m great at doing laundry. I wash my sheets like every second day nowadays. And hey,” he added, leaning in closer, teasing, “if we start practicing now, we’ll be pros at ruined sheets together in no time.”
Ominis reached for the remote and smacked him across the back of his head with it.