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witticasterThis did not start out this long, Jesus.
Walking from the house to the end of the block and back hadn't been a privilege in Sebastian's mind since age four or so, but at that moment, it was something of a relief. Archie certainly didn't trust him, he knew that much, but he'd at least begun to give Sebastian a little room to breathe on his own. His bedroom door didn't lock, but it did shut, and they no longer kept one of them in the room every time Sebastian and Rosie were near each other.
"Take a walk down and come right back," Archie'd said, pretending it was a matter of timing, not of keeping a sharp eye on Sebastian. "Dinner'll be ready by the time you're back."
The silent threat behind that--if you're not back in time for dinner, I'll know not to let you out again--seemed clear enough to Sebastian. He tried not to think about it on his walk, tried not to think about anything except the sunset and the movement of his shadow next to him. It was all working out fine until he saw the most beautiful boy the world had ever known.
Sebastian tried not to stare, but it was hard not to. Whoever he was, he was lanky and thin, but not especially delicate-looking, with tan skin and dark hair and the longest arms Sebastian had ever seen. His attention was so suddenly lost that he didn't notice a crack in the sidewalk where he otherwise might have and went sprawling onto the ground, the air knocked out of him. That caught the boy's attention--in the most mortifying way possible--and he jogged over Sebastian.
Luckily, he was already back on his feet by the point the boy reached him. The only thing more embarrassing than tripping like a child in front of someone so handsome would have to be suffering the indignity of being helped back up.
"Are you all right?" he inquired in a crisp accent.
Sebastian nodded.
"Oh. Good. My name's Aziz," the boy offered after a moment or two, giving Sebastian a half-smile as he held out his hand. "Nice to meet you."
Sebastian shook it, feeling strangely immature--he'd never have thought to shake hands, but maybe that was an English thing--and wondered what Aziz wanted to hear from him. Most of the people he'd met had been polite to him, but all of them had met him with Archie hovering nearby. And none of them had been his age. "I'm Sebastian."
"Oh," Aziz said, and Sebastian knew oh meant that Aziz had heard of him, some way or another. He hoped the extent of Aziz's knowledge was the fact that he existed; Archie had promised not to tell people about where he'd come from, but if some of it had slipped out anyway... "You're William and Archie's kid, right? I mean--er, you live with them--"
Shrugging, Sebastian stuck his hand back in his jacket pocket. He balled it into a fist, unsure what answer would get the fewest questions in reply. All he knew was no, I spend most of my time in a nuthouse because no one trusts me outside of one wasn't a wise option. Deciding that a short answer was probably best, he scuffed the toe of his tennis shoe against the sidewalk. "Archie's my dad. I guess."
It was strange to say; he hadn't had to introduce himself to anyone before, and that meant he hadn't had to explain his accent or his clothes or, most obviously, his sudden appearance before that moment. In the hospital, they checked your chart and thought they knew all about you, while everyone he'd met in William's family had clearly been warned about him before. And all the other neighbors he'd been introduced to had gotten to hear Archie say this is my son, Sebastian for himself, proof Sebastian wasn't lying.
Aziz only got it from Sebastian, and Sebastian was willing to bet that he hadn't sounded all that friendly about it, either. At the reply, Aziz looked like he was ready to stutter out some kind of excuse and go back to his own home, but he didn't. He just tried to keep that little smile on his face and said, "Oh. I, uh--I mind your sis--I mind Rosie when Archie and William go out."
"Oh," said Sebastian, and realized that his promise to walk up the block and come straight back was technically ruined by several minutes now. "Well. I better get going."
Aziz frowned, and for a moment, Sebastian was certain he was going to ask why Sebastian had to go. It was almost gratifying, if not for the fact that he'd have to come up with a quick lie--because Archie might think I'm shooting up wasn't an option by any means--if he'd actually spoken. Instead, he smiled again, in that slight, hesitant way, and said, "Yeah. Er. Have a nice evening."
"See you around," Sebastian told him, and couldn't deny, as he dashed back to the house, explanation for his tardiness already in hand, that he hoped he would.
Walking from the house to the end of the block and back hadn't been a privilege in Sebastian's mind since age four or so, but at that moment, it was something of a relief. Archie certainly didn't trust him, he knew that much, but he'd at least begun to give Sebastian a little room to breathe on his own. His bedroom door didn't lock, but it did shut, and they no longer kept one of them in the room every time Sebastian and Rosie were near each other.
"Take a walk down and come right back," Archie'd said, pretending it was a matter of timing, not of keeping a sharp eye on Sebastian. "Dinner'll be ready by the time you're back."
The silent threat behind that--if you're not back in time for dinner, I'll know not to let you out again--seemed clear enough to Sebastian. He tried not to think about it on his walk, tried not to think about anything except the sunset and the movement of his shadow next to him. It was all working out fine until he saw the most beautiful boy the world had ever known.
Sebastian tried not to stare, but it was hard not to. Whoever he was, he was lanky and thin, but not especially delicate-looking, with tan skin and dark hair and the longest arms Sebastian had ever seen. His attention was so suddenly lost that he didn't notice a crack in the sidewalk where he otherwise might have and went sprawling onto the ground, the air knocked out of him. That caught the boy's attention--in the most mortifying way possible--and he jogged over Sebastian.
Luckily, he was already back on his feet by the point the boy reached him. The only thing more embarrassing than tripping like a child in front of someone so handsome would have to be suffering the indignity of being helped back up.
"Are you all right?" he inquired in a crisp accent.
Sebastian nodded.
"Oh. Good. My name's Aziz," the boy offered after a moment or two, giving Sebastian a half-smile as he held out his hand. "Nice to meet you."
Sebastian shook it, feeling strangely immature--he'd never have thought to shake hands, but maybe that was an English thing--and wondered what Aziz wanted to hear from him. Most of the people he'd met had been polite to him, but all of them had met him with Archie hovering nearby. And none of them had been his age. "I'm Sebastian."
"Oh," Aziz said, and Sebastian knew oh meant that Aziz had heard of him, some way or another. He hoped the extent of Aziz's knowledge was the fact that he existed; Archie had promised not to tell people about where he'd come from, but if some of it had slipped out anyway... "You're William and Archie's kid, right? I mean--er, you live with them--"
Shrugging, Sebastian stuck his hand back in his jacket pocket. He balled it into a fist, unsure what answer would get the fewest questions in reply. All he knew was no, I spend most of my time in a nuthouse because no one trusts me outside of one wasn't a wise option. Deciding that a short answer was probably best, he scuffed the toe of his tennis shoe against the sidewalk. "Archie's my dad. I guess."
It was strange to say; he hadn't had to introduce himself to anyone before, and that meant he hadn't had to explain his accent or his clothes or, most obviously, his sudden appearance before that moment. In the hospital, they checked your chart and thought they knew all about you, while everyone he'd met in William's family had clearly been warned about him before. And all the other neighbors he'd been introduced to had gotten to hear Archie say this is my son, Sebastian for himself, proof Sebastian wasn't lying.
Aziz only got it from Sebastian, and Sebastian was willing to bet that he hadn't sounded all that friendly about it, either. At the reply, Aziz looked like he was ready to stutter out some kind of excuse and go back to his own home, but he didn't. He just tried to keep that little smile on his face and said, "Oh. I, uh--I mind your sis--I mind Rosie when Archie and William go out."
"Oh," said Sebastian, and realized that his promise to walk up the block and come straight back was technically ruined by several minutes now. "Well. I better get going."
Aziz frowned, and for a moment, Sebastian was certain he was going to ask why Sebastian had to go. It was almost gratifying, if not for the fact that he'd have to come up with a quick lie--because Archie might think I'm shooting up wasn't an option by any means--if he'd actually spoken. Instead, he smiled again, in that slight, hesitant way, and said, "Yeah. Er. Have a nice evening."
"See you around," Sebastian told him, and couldn't deny, as he dashed back to the house, explanation for his tardiness already in hand, that he hoped he would.
