Page 36 of Snapdragon

All I can do is lie there as Sebastian comes back into the room and cleans me off with a damp cloth. He leaves and comes back again, this time bearing a glass of water.

“Come here,” he slips an arm behind me and helps me up into a sitting position. He hands me the water and strokes my hair out of my face as I drink. I love how he dotes on me, making sure I use the bathroom and then tucking me into bed.

Sebastian climbs in under the covers a moment later and I laugh. “It’s a good thing I’m a cuddler…” He takes up the entire bed. I push up and look, sure enough, his feet are hanging off the end.

He pulls me into him, calling me a brat and tucking my head under his chin. I snuggle into his chest, stroking the scales on his chest until I fall asleep.

Chapter 20

I get into the elevator, laden with bags as I make my way down to the parking garage. Sebastian left already, but I didn’t need to head to the studio quite so early today.

I’m giddy, a huge smile on my face as I remember the events of last night. It certainly wasn’t what I expected to happen, but I am so happy that it did.

We didn’t fuck again this morning, my pussy throbbing from being stretched out so much the night before. But boy did he make up for it, he went down on me again and I swear I have never met someone so skilled with their tongue. I squeeze my legs tight together now, just thinking about it turns me on so much.

I shiver a little as the cold breeze of the garage hits me. Quickly walking over to my car, I pop the trunk and put my bags in. I’ve made up a little overnight bag to keep in there in case I have an impromptu visit to Sebastian’s. I try to believe that I’m not totally delusional, he mentioned like three separate times that he wanted to have me over.

“Slut!” I click my trunk shut and turn to see my neighbor from yesterday. The one who saw me and Sebastian at my car. “I had hoped this whole relationship with that filthy creature was all for the press. I know how you kids get stuck into awful kinds of contracts… But now I know better, you filthy Monster fucking slut!”

I stand there, not sure what to say. This is an older man that I’m pretty sure I’ve helped with his groceries before. He’s usually so sweet and kind.

“You should be ashamed of yourself.” With that, he turns on his heels, making his way into the elevator.

I get into my car and lock the doors. What the fuck just happened? This is like Cian all over again… Why do people feel the need to push their hatred like this?

Trying to internalize whatever the fuck that was, I drive to the studio on autopilot.

I block out the experience entirely when I’m in the studio with Alex and Hyacinth. But I’m just running through the motions. I order us Poke bowls for lunch and I force myself to eat it. I made sure to order it from my favorite place to cheer myself up, but it doesn’t hit the way it normally does. I barely eat half before putting the rest in the fridge for later.

Alex doesn’t seem to notice there’s something off with me. Or they do and they don’t say anything. Either way, I’m more so being present for some post-production work. I don’t even really need to be there.

Brightening, I think about the session I have booked in with Sebastian soon. Working on our song should cheer me up.

I don’t follow Alex and Hyacinth out when we’re done, sticking around for Sebastian. I don’t have to wait long though, he comes in holding a tray with two cups of tea on it.

“Hey, Sunshine.” He smiles, setting the tray on the coffee table. He sniffs the air gently, then turns to look at me properly. “What’s wrong? What happened?”

I burst into tears, sobs wracking me. How does he know there’s something wrong?

“Hey, shh…” he sits next to me and pulls me onto his lap. I cry into his chest and he strokes my hair until I tell him what happened in the parking garage.

“That little fucker…” Sebastian seethes, shaking his head. “I shouldn’t have come to your place. I put you in danger… I didn’t even think…”

“It’s not your fault,” I sigh and pick up my cup of tea. The hot liquid soothing my burning chest. “I don’t even care about it really, I was just so shook by it. I was in such a good mood and he caught me at a vulnerable time. I don’t care about the words of a bigot.”

“I’m a bigot, Flora.” Sebastian admits, running a hand down his face. I twist to look at him properly. “My family are as bad when it comes to Humans. I’m as bad…

“I’ve always been raised to hate Humans, and I was forced into the whole PR thing with you. I didn’t want to improve relations, I didn’t care about them. But then when I met you and I didn’t hate you… It made me so angry.

“So I refused to speak to you, only when I absolutely had to. I couldn’t help but be drawn to you, though. I was attracted to you when we first met, and it kept getting worse.”

I’m trying to see the positive here and not be insulted. Is he trying to say that he likes me in spite of himself? I’m trying to think through my other interactions with him, but there’s never really been another Human that he’s been nice to. Well, not since we started working at the studio together. I’ve seen him chat with other Humans, haven’t I?

“What about now?” I ask him, my sniffling voice quiet.

“I’ve been so wrong,” he chuckles. “First it was you. But then I met other Humans, and I didn’t hate them either. I liked your friends, and nothing crazy happened when we all started working together. And it made me wonder why I felt the way I did. Was it because of any actual thing? Or was it because it was how I was raised to feel?

“We’re all people. And I regret how long it took me to get there.”