A/N: This story is finished. There are seven chapters all together, and I plan on posting one a day. Warning: There will be smut at some point. Did you really doubt that was where this was heading?
Another Level Not Okay
Chapter Four
One thing he learned from directing the musical was that he loved being in charge. Bossing people around was his forte. Maybe it was all the time he spent in the chair, feeling powerless. Maybe it was his natural tendency, and he was just now realizing it.
It didn't really matter why … and certainly this wasn't the moment to explore the reasons behind it. Not when he had Sebastian Smythe within touching distance and pulling away. What mattered was that he liked to take charge.
And so he did. Artie reached out, grabbing the Warbler's tie and pulling him closer. The air crackled with a mixture of surprise and anticipation as they shared the same breath. He felt powerful in that moment and yet powerless to stop it. He wanted Sebastian. Needed to taste him.
He kissed him hard, before slipping his tongue through slightly parted lips. Each fought for dominance as they kissed, until Artie did a little thing with his tongue that Brittany had taught him-God bless that Cheerio—causing Sebastian to moan in appreciation. Artie pulled away sucking Sebastian's tongue into his mouth as he went.
"Holy fuck," Sebastian muttered as he they parted. He sat back on the couch rubbing his face.
"So?"
The Warbler glanced over at him, his customary smirk quickly back in place. "Gotta admit, Abrams, you surprised me. I pegged you as a virgin, but I think I'm going to have to revise that opinion."
"I'm not…" he hesitated, trying not to stumble over his words. "A virgin I mean. I've just never been with a guy…" He hated the blush staining his cheeks.
Sebastian wandered over to the bookcase, trailing the spines of several books with his fingers. Artie was suddenly afraid that he'd said too much. Maybe he wanted someone with more experience.
"As tempting as all this is…" Sebastian said, turning around slowly, as if every move was calculated, "I'm afraid I have to pass."
"You don't want me."
"I think you know that's not true, Artie."
"Then why? I want you, Sebastian."
"We're enemies."
"That's not a reason."
"I just don't do the whole romance thing."
And the anger was back. Had it ever really left? Artie wheeled over, barely stopping, and glared up at the Warbler. "I didn't ask for a relationship…"
"Then what do you want?"
"I want to know what it's like to be with a man… to be with you. I want to stop feeling dead inside."
He could see the war going on in his head, see the temptation to give in… and yet he could also see the moment it was lost.
"I don't think I can give you that."
"You don't understand, Sebastian. You already have. Every time you look at me like that… I feel it. When we kissed… I just want more."
"I'm sorry."
"Just tell me why and I'll leave you alone." He'd already figured out the pattern. He just had to push Sebastian until he blew up… until he told the truth.
"It doesn't matter…"
"Then quit being a fucking coward and tell me."
"It's going to end badly. Don't you get it?" Sebastian said, his voice rising. "Sure it'll be fantastic sex and then it will be over. And things will get awkward and horrible. And I just don't want it to. Not with you."
"So it is because of the chair."
Sebastian rolled his eyes. "Seriously?"
"Tell me it's not."
"It's not. It's fucking not."
"I'm guessing you have sex all the time, Sebastian. How many of those times are you worried about hurting someone's feelings? It's because you see me as weak, isn't it? Because I'm in this wheelchair. Tell me again it's not."
Sebastian stared at him for a long while, anger and frustration radiating from him in waves. "This conversation is over. I'm sorry you wasted a trip." He walked over to the door and placed his hand on the knob. Instead of opening it, he turned around. "Just so you know… I'm a selfish person. I don't usually worry about how anyone else feels. I have sex for pleasure. I like the other person to enjoy it, of course, just to feed my own ego. But it's not like I really care."
"And you're telling me this why?"
He hesitated for just a moment, and Artie felt the next words were important. Very important.
"You think I pity you? Worry about you getting hurt?" Sebastian asked, shaking his head sadly. "Have you ever thought that maybe you aren't the one I'm worried about?"
As the click of the door resonated through the room, Artie realized he was shaking, a residual effect from the adrenaline coursing through his veins. He could barely process what had happened. His goal had been to make Sebastian pay… but he had been the one to suffer.
What had he expected? That Sebastian was going to have sex with him right then and there?
And for some reason that made him think of Mike. Sitting patiently in the van, waiting for Artie to return. He quickly called his sidekick. Suddenly he couldn't wait to leave the Dalton campus.
