"I thought you were dead.", is the first thing that Clary blurts out after opening the door to reveal Sebastian, dressed as if returning from some far away trip. From hell, maybe. She can't remember.
He just gave her a shit-eating grin, passing through her as she motioned to let him in. Clary was just baffled. What Sebastian was doing on her house? Why was he acting as if everything was normal? Why wasn't he dead?
"Don't answer a girl's texts for three days and there's already a funeral planned for you,", he answered, putting his bag on the floor. His green - not black,but green - eyes glinted at her, the faintest hint of mischief in them. "Don't worry, Clarissa. It was just a nightmare you had."
She relaxed. It makes a bit of sense. Yeah, maybe Clary dreamed the whole thing. Demons and its hunters didn't exist beyond the realm of fantasy, after all. It was a simple dream. Nothing to worry about.
Sebastian then went to the kitchen, and Clary followed him a bit after, reminding herself sleep time was over, she was awake and Sebastian was alive, and found something on the table, wrapped in colorful gift wrapping, her brother quietly watching as the smell of coffee filled her nostrils.
She didn't see him carrying that. Maybe she was still half dreaming, after all. Clary tried to blink herself awake, and Sebastian chuckled behind her. Hell, she needed coffee.
"I'm making it for you, too.", he said, as if reading her mind, and Clary sat on the table, feet dangling off the floor, suddenly aware of her shorts and shirt, holey and old and comfortable. Sebastian doesn't seem to notice it, and if he does, he doesn't seem to care. He gestured to the package at her side. "Open it. It's your Christmas gift, but I'm sure mom and dad won't mind you open it early."
Was it Christmas already? Shit, she really needed coffee. She couldn't even remember what day it was. Clary looked at the package, a bright red ribbon shining in the early light that spilled in the kitchen, and plucked it out carefully, setting it aside and ripping the wrapping carelessly.
Meanwhile, Sebastian (... Where that nickname had come from, anyway…? She couldn't remember a lot, not in that weird sleep haze she was.) just chuckled, serving the hot beverage in mugs, and she could hear his smile when Clary saw the five brushes in a small plastic case, painted flowers decorating it.
"The finest brushes money could buy,", he said, closing the small space that separated them, putting the mug by her side and taking a sip from his. Clary opened the case and touched them, quietly marveling at how perfect they already seemed. "What do you think?"
"They're great!", Clary answered, turning back to Sebastian, who seemed closer than necessary. She smiled softly and picked the ribbon, putting it on him. "You're a gift, Sebastian."
He smiled and put his mug away, touching her face with reverent fingers, almost as if Clary was something so fragile a mere touch could break. Sebastian's face approached hers, and warm spread through her face.
"Aren't I, Clarissa,", he whispered, and Sebastian closed the space between them, kissing softly her lips - and then hungrily, like she was the last drop of water in the desert.
She reciprocated - she had missed him so much and this was so wrong, but she could not bring herself to care, not with the way Sebastian's fingers threaded through her hair, nor with how his body felt against hers. His free hand was playing with the hem of her ratty shirt, and she let her hands secure themselves in his arms. His hand in her shit went north, and then he -
Someone knocked on the door, and Clary's eyes shoot up, looking into Sebastian's suddenly black ones. She backs away, but he keeps her firmly in place.
"Seems like our time is over, Clarissa,", he said, his face full of the angles she has known, not anymore the sweet boy she was dreaming of.
The door opens, and Clary awakens, sitting upright, heart beating wild in her chest, and Jocelyn looks at her with a frown marring her face.
"Are you alright, Clary?", she asked, and Clary nodded quietly, pulling the covers up. "Are you sure? I tried calling you, but you wouldn't wake up."
"Yeah, sorry. Rough night,", she answered, voice quiet because she didn't trust herself. "I'll be down in a minute."
Her mom watched her for a second too long, waiting for something, and then nodded, closing the door. Clary sighed, passed a hair through her hair, and kicked the covers to the floor, deciding on what to do - until something hard hit the floor and made her pause.
She went over the heap of blankets and peered cautiously, finding the small plastic case with flowers she saw in her dream.
Clary's head felt dizzy as she opened it, touching the brushes, and they felt exactly the same as in her dream. She choked a bitter laugh in her throat, and with careful fingers, she threw it under the bed. Clary was not going to deal with that particular can of worms.