The morning light filtered through the curtains of Lucas's cottage, soft and golden, carrying the gentle sounds of the village waking up.
Lucas stirred in his bed, the remnants of sleep still clinging to him. For a moment, he forgot where he was, forgot the past few weeks, forgot the pain, forgot everything except the warmth of the sun on his face.
Then the memories came flooding back.
Lucas pressed the heels of his palms against his eyes, willing the thoughts away. He wasn't ready to face them yet. He wasn't ready to face him. Not yet.
But then he heard it, a sound that made him freeze.
Giggles. High and bright, the unmistakable laughter of children.
Lucas sat up slowly, his brow furrowing. He crept to the window, pulling back the curtain just enough to peer outside.
And his heart stopped.
The shoreline stretched before him, the early morning sun painting the water in shades of gold and rose. And there, running along the edge of the sea, was Sebastian.
Sebastian was laughing, actually laughing, a sound Lucas hadn't heard in weeks.
His dark hair was tousled by the wind, his pale skin glowing in the early light. And around him, darting between his legs and tugging at his sleeves, were three young wolf cubs.
They were small, barely more than pups, and their fur was a mix of gray and brown.
They yipped and barked, chasing each other in circles around Sebastian, who was playing along with them, his movements light and carefree.
Lucas's breath caught in his throat. He stared at the scene, his mind struggling to process what he was seeing.
Moments of silence engulfed the scene, and then it hit him.
Sebastian was a vampire. Vampires shouldn't be out there in the sun, playing and laughing like nothing was wrong.
Panic surged through Lucas like ice water. He didn't think.
He didn't plan. He just moved, throwing open the door, racing across the sand, his heart pounding in his chest.
"Sebastian!" he shouted, his voice raw with fear.
"Get out of the sun! What are you doing?! Are you insane?!"
Sebastian turned at the sound of his voice, his eyes widening in surprise. The cubs paused, their tails wagging, their ears perked with curiosity.
Lucas reached him in seconds, grabbing his arm and dragging him toward the shade of a nearby tree.
"Are you insane?! You're a vampire! The sun! You could have—" His voice cracked, his hands trembling as they gripped Sebastian's arm.
Sebastian stared at him, his expression shifting from surprise to something softer.
"Lucas. I'm fine. Look at me."
Lucas's eyes darted over him, searching for signs of burning, of pain, of anything that would explain how he was still standing. But Sebastian's skin was untouched. His clothes were intact. He looked... normal.
"How?" Lucas breathed. "How is this possible?"
Sebastian's lips curved into a small smile. "Aida. She gave me some potions. It's temporary, only lasting for a few hours at a time, but the potion let me walk in the sun."
He paused, his voice softening. "She said I needed to experience the warmth again; that it might help me remember what it feels like to be alive."
Lucas stared at him, his heart still racing. "You scared me."
"I know. I'm sorry." Sebastian's hand came up, hesitating for just a moment before gently covering Lucas's trembling fingers. "I didn't mean to. I just…The cubs wanted to play, and I couldn't say no."
The cubs in question had followed them, their small bodies tumbling over each other as they crowded around Lucas's feet.
The smallest one, a grey-furred ball of energy, looked up at him with wide, curious eyes.
"Lucas! Lucas!" the cub chirped, her voice high and bright. "Is he your mate? He's fun! He runs fast!"
Lucas's face flushed a deep red. "He's—we're not—"
"He's a vampire, right?" another cub interrupted, his nose twitching. "I've never met a vampire before! I thought they were scary, but he's nice!"
Sebastian laughed, the sound warm and genuine.
"I'm glad I don't scare you."
"Are you really Lucas's mate?" the smallest cub asked again, tugging at Lucas's pant leg. "He talks about you sometimes when he thinks we're not listening. He says your name like it's sad."
Lucas's blush deepened. "I do not—"
"He does!" the cub insisted. "He says, 'Sebastian this' and 'Sebastian that.' He said your eyes are pretty. And that you write stories. And that you smell like old books."
The other cubs nodded in agreement, their tails wagging enthusiastically.
Sebastian could only chuckle as the second furball turned to him, eyes filled with curiosity. "Do you really smell like old books?"
Sebastian's smile was soft, his eyes fixed on Lucas. "I've been told that before, yes."
Lucas's breath caught. He looked at Sebastian, really looked at him, and saw the hope in his eyes, the nervousness, the love that he'd been too scared to admit for weeks.
The cubs, oblivious to the tension between them, continued their barrage of questions.
"So are you mates or not?" the grey cub demanded.
"Are you going to kiss?" another asked.
"Do vampires kiss differently?"
"I don't know, do they?"
"Let's ask!"
Before either of them could respond, the cubs had scattered, racing back toward the village with their questions still hanging in the air.
All the noise left the two in silence. Despite his nervousness to see Lucas after what had happened yesterday, Sebastian liked this silence.
He hummed quietly with much satisfaction as he looked over the rising sun and decided to sit down on the shoreline.
Lucas watched his every move with nervousness. He did say he couldn't face Sebastian yet, but here they were.
Sebastian was looking at the sun, enjoying the lasting effect of the potion Aida gave to him.
And Lucas, his back facing the sun, did not know what to say or what words to form. All he could think of was straddling Sebastian's lap, putting his head in between his shoulders, and engulfing the familiar scent that he had been unknowingly craving for weeks.
"I'm sorry about them," Lucas finally said, his voice quiet.
"They're curious. They don't know boundaries."
"They're wonderful," Sebastian said softly. "Reminds me of Shane. Same energy."
Lucas let out a shaky laugh. "Shane. He's here too, isn't he?"
Sebastian nodded. "Yeah. He was yapping stories to annoy Zachary and Casper."
"Casper? Your eldest brother is with you?"
"Yes. My parents insisted he come."
Lucas could only nod in response. He looked at Sebastian, who was still basking in the sun as if nothing were wrong.
Lucas took a deep breath; it nearly knocked him out as he accidentally heaved some of Sebastian's scent.
He shakingly sat beside Sebastian, a few centimeters away from him, keeping a safe distance between him and Sebastian.
Lucas looked at him, at the man who had hurt him, the man who had lied to him, the man who had come all this way to find him. He looked at the way the sun caught his features, the way his eyes held so much hope.
"Stay," Lucas said softly. "Stay in the village. For now. Let me…" He paused, his voice catching. "Let me figure things out."
Sebastian's smile was small but genuine. "I will. I'll stay for as long as you want me to."
Lucas smiled so thinly. A smile that Sebastian had never seen before. It made his cold heart ache; however, he knew it was all his fault.
"I'll be going now. S-See you around."
Sebastian hummed in response. Lucas nodded, then turned and walked back toward his cottage, his heart pounding in his chest.
He didn't look back.
But he knew, deep down, that he would. Eventually. When he was ready.
And maybe, just maybe, Sebastian would still be there.