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"Maybe if you weren't so," his gaze met theirs for the first time since they entered the undercroft, "ignorant." He shrugged. Trying to play nonchalant, feigning control as he usually did when he felt too much. He knew it was stupid, a low blow, a reminder of their first real argument so long ago. But he didn't have the heart to say something more hurtful.
Y/N scoffed, a smile gracing their face at the audacity of Sebastian. He said it to get a reaction. They knew that. He knew that. He studied them, hoping he'd get the response he so desperately craved. He knew he was in for it when their eyes narrowed, almost, challenging him? Mischievous? He wasn't sure, and couldn't study them longer to find out, as they turned on their heel, waving him off.
"I'll go study then, better educate myself, since I'm so ignorant."
His jaw was left agape as they finally left his field of vision, the familiar clicking of the undercroft entrance echoing in his head. They actually left! He scoffed, knowing he was being unreasonable. He rolled his eyes, sure that tomorrow they'd grovel at breakfast, clinging to him with puppy eyes as Ominis faked a gag at their sappy acts. He strode out of the undercroft, almost excited to have them on his arm again in a few hours.
"Sebastian, you are leering so hard that I, can see it." Ominis's face rested on his palm, his other hand holding his fork, poking at his breakfast.
Sebastian rolled his eyes, shaking his gaze from Y/N's giggling form at the Gryffindor table. They did it to get a reaction out of him, he was sure. Well, it wouldn't work. He would be fine without them at breakfast, even if they always ate together. They clearly didn't care enough to take the tradition seriously, and so he wouldn't either. He shoveled down his breakfast, scowl on his face as he his heavy footsteps retreated from the great hall.
It was 2 days later when he graced the Slytherin table with his presence. forcibly tearing his gaze away from Y/N, and back to Ominis.
"So what did you manage to do this time, Sebastian?" He smirked at him.
He felt his eye twitch, his muscles tense as he took a breath, "nothing. I called them ignorant, and they're playing games now to get a rise out of me." He shoveled chicken into his mouth, chewing with more force than necessary.
"Have some decorum, chew with your mouth closed," Ominis feigned a dramatic disgusted expression, "anyways, it's clearly working. You're wound tighter than a spring." He chuckled to himself, turning his attention back to his food.
"I am absolutely not. It's just a change in routine. They'll come running back soon." He pushed the bass in his voice, hoping to get their attention, taunt them. They didn't even glance at him.
It had been a week since he saw them in the undercroft, a whole week. They spared him virtually no glances, no attention, and he was starved. This may be the longest they've ever spent apart. There was no way they weren't struggling as much as he was. Was he above groveling? Yes, this wasn't serious. This didn't warrant dramatics. It was hard to bargain with himself. But as he laid in his bed, the moonlight shining in on his skin, he wondered if this little game was really worth it. All it would take is an apology. He'd get back his partner. The warmth. The infectious burning of their skin against his, their lips. Their giggles at the breakfast table, their hand in his. Their voice, breath grazing his ear while they avoided the wrath of Madam Scribner. Okay, maybe Sebastian Sallow wasn't above groveling, he decided.
They entirely ignored him at breakfast, even as he stood behind them, a hesitant tap on their shoulder. "Y/N, can we talk?"
They didn't even turn his way, continuing with their breakfast chatter, Poppy eyed him, giggling when she caught his eye before turning back to Y/N. He stood there for an embarrassingly long time before turning back to the Slytherin table to rethink his plans.
He felt like a true Slytherin, plotting his moment to get them alone and pull them aside. It wasn't hard, after charms class, where Y/N and Natsai parted ways to head to separate classes on different ends of the castle. He tugged their robes to him, pulling them against him in the dark corridor. If he was reduced to groveling, he could at least make it private.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that. That was wrong of me." He sighed, almost out of relief as he felt their breath against him for the first time in about a week. He met their gaze, his mouth agape as he took in their expression, pursed lips, blank gaze.
"Are you done? I have class." They pulled away, and almost as soon as he had them in their grasp, they were gone again.
It was only the next day when Y/N arrived into the History of Magic class, a very small smirk on their lips when they noticed the very distinct, very white, tulips on their desk. They held back a smile, and willed themselves to ignore Sebastian's burning gaze from his desk behind them. They would not give in so easily, he'd learn his lesson one way or another. They pushed the flowers to the corner of their desk as Poppy approached, a giddy expression on her face.
Sebastian's nails dug into his fists as he eyed Y/N, shaking his head at their nonchalance to his gesture. Seriously? He went all the way to hogsmeade yesterday for those! After classes ALL day! He had to RUN, to get there before the shops closed. He'd do it again, everyday, for as long as they wanted him to, if they'd just speak to him. Even if his chest burned from the lack of oxygen again, even if he missed dinner again.
He huffed, settling in his seat as the lecture began. His focus drifted quickly, as the professor droned on. As usual, his thoughts drifted to Y/N. Normally it'd bring him solace. But lately, it just made him ache. He had grown used to the comfort of their presence, maybe he'd been getting too comfortable, taking things for granted.
The same day, he tugged on their robes as Leander and Natty dueled on the platform of the DADA classroom. He was surprised when they turned around, following him to the back of the classroom.
"I'm sorry. I regret it. I miss you, please-" Urgent hushed whispers were quickly interrupted by Professor Hecat, their eyes turning to her as she approached.
"Mr. Sallow. Please refrain from interrupting my demonstrations."
He gave Y/N a pleading look as Hecat ushered him to the other side of the classroom, effectively ending their conversation.
He couldn't believe he was about to do this. But being ignored was NOT for Sebastian Sallow. He was a man starved, and if his lover wanted him to grovel, to prove himself, he damn well would.
He sighed, willing his body to move and sacrifice his dignity. He rose from his sitting at the Slytherin table, taking one last breath before bringing his foot to bench, then the next, to the top of the table. He was thankful he didn't eat yet, the empty place setting giving him room to stand all the way up. It was almost instantaneous, feeling the weight of the stares, some jaws agape.
"Sebastian, what the absolute hell, are you doing?" Ominous tugged at the bottom of his robes, whispering fervently, as if he could will Sebastian down from the table.
It didn't take more than a few seconds for Y/N to catch his gaze, their table members gesturing to him almost wildly. They stood immediately as he raised his voice.
"Y/N L/N, I am-" He was cut off almost immediately by Y/N yanked him down from his spot at the table, a physical strength he'd never felt used against him. They were mere feet from the door before his mouth caught up with him.
"I-,"
"Shut your MOUTH, Sebastian." Were they angry? He couldn't see their face as they dragged him out of the great hall, almost huffing. He decided it would be smart to keep his mouth shut for now.
When they reached the undercroft, they finally turned to face him, flushed, breathing heavily.
"What the hell was that, Sebastian?" Okay, so they weren't angry. The smile of disbelief told him as much.
"I missed you. I thought-," he swallowed the lump in his throat before continuing, "I thought you wanted a grand gesture!"
"Sebastian," they were caught off by their own laughter, mouth agape. "I am begging you. Please, NEVER do that again. Please. I just wanted to teach you a lesson, to miss me, maybe grovel a little, I didn't think you'd do," they gestured wildly, "that!"
"I learned my lesson! Please! Are you done ignoring me?" He looked pained, as if his dramatic stunt wasn't embarrassing, sure to be the talk of the school for the rest of the year.
"Oh Merlin, I'll never ignore you again if you promise to stay off the table, forever!"
"Fine, done! Done!" He smiled, enveloping them in a bone crushing hug.
The ache that he'd been feeling since the undercroft had seemed so distant in this moment, as the soft strands of their hair brushed against his face. The smell of their shampoo, the mallowseet they carried, made him sigh with relief. It seemed to only get further away the longer they spent apart, harder to conjure up in his imagination. But in this moment, in an all consuming, almost overwhelming suffocation, he couldn't get enough. He would drown here, in them, if they would grant him such a privilege.
They weren't sure how long they stayed there before Y/N spoke, "I hate to say it, but it was kind of romantic. Not that I want you to do it again, but that you'd do something so. Embarrassing for me."
He chuckled into their hair, "Y/N, I am so desperately in love with you. I would burn the world if you so much as gestured to it."
Y/N felt themself flush, although they knew they loved him, it felt like a big step, really hearing it. Verbalizing felt like a vulnerability that neither of them was entirely used to.
"I love you too, Sebastian."
He buried his face further into their hair, "I can't believe I did that," reluctantly, he pulled away, holding their face in his hands. Thumbs caressing their cheeks.
"I missed you," he rests his forehead against theirs, smiling softly when he feels their breath against his lips.
"I missed you too, Seb." He relished in the moment, but couldn't hold himself back from pressing their lips together, pressing himself against them fervently, as if he couldn't get enough.
In the quiet of the undercroft, he felt at home again. He was sure he wouldn't let it get away again.