Testing, Testing
As he walked westward toward Violet's place, Sebastian texted Sam and Abigail to join him at Fairy Rose Farm to help with the tests of his magical ability. While he knew a lot of this was likely going to make him look an idiot, if something cool happened, part of him wanted his friends there to share the excitement.
A person was hard-pressed finding something completely new in a place they lived most of their life, so Sebastian knew this was special. The potential for magic in his life opened up so many possibilities, even if he would not be able to use it in the open most places. Luckily, Violet's farm was private property and Sebastian would have the freedom to try some of the riskier spells without risking harm to the denizens of Pelican Town.
Sebastian felt his heart begin to race with anticipation as the path sloped downward toward the clearing. But was it just the idea of magic or was something else making his heart pace as well? He glanced down at his chest where the nicotine patch was placed under his clothing. That was a side effect. For now, the theoretical sorcerer smiled and continued down the path.
Abigail was walking around the mountain lake when she got Sebastian's text. Ironically, they could have walked to Violet's together, but the amethyst-haired woman realized that Sebastian likely did not know she was so close to his house. Oh well.
Her light blue eyes spied Linus leaving the lake area about the same time. Part of her always wondered how the wild man managed to survive out here year-round. Perhaps a person could simply live off of fishing and foraging? Either way, Abigail did not know much about Linus. The only reason the young woman would consider speaking to the bearded man was because of his close relationship with the mysterious wizard who lived in the old stone tower in the Cindersap Forest. Her mother had forbidden her from speaking to Rasmodius, though she did not know why. Either way, today was not the day to demand answers from a stranger.
The amethyst-haired woman pulled her phone out of her pocket to check the time. 4:00 PM. Sam just got off work. Maybe she could swing by to pick him up before heading over to Violet's? That way the farmer and Sebastian could have a little alone time without the pressure of it being a one-on-one thing for too long. As much as she promised Leah she was not going to push things along, Abigail regarded arriving a little late to a group gathering as no big deal.
So rather than taking the more direct mountain path toward the farm, Abigail went south back toward town. *Hey, Sam. I'm going to swing by to pick you up. Don't leave home yet, okay?*
*Sure thing, Abi. I'm just gonna shower real quickly. A Joja Cola exploded on me earlier.*
Abigail blushed at the idea of her boyfriend still steamy from the shower. Despite how teased she felt by Sam pumping the breaks on their physical intimacy lately, she really wanted to see the blond in some state of undress. Maybe if she just sat and waited for him on his bed, facing away from the bathroom? That way, if he did not want her seeing him, Sam could let her know to leave for a moment so he could get dressed. And if her boyfriend was into that... well... Abigail walked a little faster down the mountain toward town.
Leah grabbed the last of her groceries from the counter of Pierre's General Store and gently packed them away in her canvas messenger bag. The ginger was disappointed that Haley had not been in the Cindersap Forest this afternoon, but the artist should not have been too surprised. Most people changed their schedules around when the weather got warmer and the days grew longer in the summertime. Even she was no exception.
Still, part of her wanted to speak to Haley after the Flower Dance, but she had not really seen the blonde since. Was Haley avoiding her? Leah sighed, shaking her head. Don't be ridiculous, she told herself. We hardly spoke at all before, why should now be any different?
Leah remembered the way Haley's clumsy attempt to kiss her at the dance. While the artist did not like the circumstances in which Haley chose to make a move, for a moment Leah had seriously considered not stopping her beautiful blonde neighbor's lips from pressing against hers. It could have been nice… the redhead thought to herself.
Leah had not been in a relationship for a while now and she openly lamented to her blonde neighbor how difficult it was to be the only lesbian in town. Maybe… Haley found some courage from her words? Leah had assumed that she was the only lesbian in town because no one else in town appeared to be out of the closet, but perhaps she had jumped to conclusions. After all, before the Flower Dance Leah was only out to Elliott and Violet, as far as she was aware. Maybe Emily, too. The barkeep probably heard plenty of her complaints to Elliott over the past year. Leah told herself that these ideas were probably wishful thinking, and yet...
The braided-haired woman paused outside of Haley's house for a moment, pretending to admire the cactus and summer flowers in the garden box. Should she stop by and apologize? Leah noticed her reflection in the window and spied the wood shavings in her hair from her work earlier in the day. Haley probably would have made a disparaging comment about it, the sculptor thought to herself sadly. Then again, the blonde was quick to apologize when she realized her words came off more harshly than she intended.
Laughter rang out into the air and Leah realized that it was Haley. The ginger spun around to face her, only to realize that Haley was coming toward the house with Alex. Leah's heart sank at the bright smile on Haley's face as the giggling continued. No, she only even considered me for a moment when Alex was preoccupied with someone else, Leah told herself, scolding her own foolishness. The artist decided to make her escape before the two noticed her, but as Haley reached for her keys in her purse, she could have sworn she glimpsed a red braid disappear behind a bush, heading toward the Cindersap Forest.
"Everything okay, Haley?" Alex curiously asked, leaning his back against the beige siding of the house next to the door frame.
Haley nodded, though it was clear to the spiky-haired brunet that the blonde was distracted by her far-off look toward the west. "I just… thought I saw something beautiful I might want to photograph."
The gentle rapping at the door informed Violet that Sebastian arrived to start the magic tests. Opening the entrance to the house with protest from the squeaky hinges, the farmer invited her guest in and then quickly returned to the kitchen as the chime of a timer rang out.
"Did you… just pull out home-made french fries?" Sebastian asked, eyeing the baking pan Violet removed from the oven.
The floral-haired woman smiled. "I made an attempt," Violet admitted sheepishly, "though I can't say whether or not they were successful until they've been taste-tested." She dumped the shoelace-thin strips onto a large plate and although they already appeared to be seasoned, Violet dusted them with a little extra something. "I don't have a fryer, so they might not be as tasty as what Gus could make, but I wanted to give it a shot with my fresh potatoes!"
Sebastian could not help but notice the way Violet's face lit up with pride at the fruits - or in this case, vegetables - of her labor. The smell was mouth-watering but he did his best not to openly drool. "They - uh - smell good," the programmer told his friend.
Violet beamed as she presented Sebastian with a plate of his own at the table. "Congrats on volunteering as my first guinea pig!" she teased.
While they did smell appetizing, Sebastian had never had a woman make him food other than his mother. If this smell lied to him, the dark-haired man was not sure how to react without insulting his friend. But there was always the chance that this alluring aroma matched the taste of the food.
The pastel-haired woman chuckled in amusement at her friend's expression, which she mistook for a different kind of fear. "Oh, c'mon," she insisted, "I didn't poison them." Her deep blue eyes glanced at Sebastian. "Besides, if you ate those strawberry cheesecake chimichangas at the Flower Dance, you already know I'm not a completely terrible cook."
"Wait, those things were yours?" Sebastian blinked, snapping out of his daze at the memory of what Sam had dubbed "better than sex dessert tacos," which was ironic coming from Sam whom Sebastian was almost certain was still a virgin anyway. Not that Sebastian himself had any room to talk, the opportunity just… never presented itself living in the Valley. And whenever he went to ZuZu City on his motorcycle, Sebastian usually went to be alone. He was never great at talking to girls anyway, even when they approached him outside of bars. They made him so nervous. After the incident on his 21st birthday, Sebastian was careful not to let himself too drunk when he went into the city anyway.
But Violet had not asked about that, she had mentioned food. Sebastian then realized that in his excitement over impressing Demetrius with his first spell with tangible evidence, he had forgotten to eat lunch. No wonder his mouth was watering. "I only got a little bite by the time everyone else got to them. They seemed popular."
The farmer smiled at him, "In that case, I'll be sure to make them again and set aside a few just for you." Violet said as she turned away to wash the pan sheet in the sink.
The programmer realized that this was the best chance to try the fries without offending the farmer if he didn't like them. His face would be a dead give-away, but she was facing the other way. Sebastian shoved a few into his mouth and his eyes widened in surprise at the flavor, "They're spicy!" he observed aloud.
"Well you can't just have plain fries!" Violet insisted, setting the pan in the drying rack so that time could finish the chore for her. "Spices make most food better."
Sebastian had to agree with the farmer in this case as he tossed a few more fries into his open mouth. While they were not the same as greasy fries, they had a different appeal to them. The would-be sorcerer discovered that his tongue certainly appreciated the vacation from the normal tastes he expected.
The young man suddenly became self-conscious when he realized that Violet stood smiling at him and he blushed at the attention. "Did I… say something wrong?" he inquired hesitantly, tugging at the sleeve of his sweatshirt.
The farmer shook her head, her light purple hair ponytail bouncing slightly to and fro. "Oh, no! Not at all." Her cobalt eyes darted toward the far wall. "It's just… been a while since I've had someone new to appreciate the food I made."
Before Sebastian's brain could think, his stomach took control. "Well, if you keep making stuff this good, I'll try whatever you want."
Just as Sebastian finished his sentence, the door hinges squealed in protest as Sam burst into the house, his face immediately twisting into a grin. "You'll try whatever Violet wants? Damn, Sebby. Who knew you were so bold?" he queried with a mischievous wink.
Both Violet and Sebastian blushed at Sam's intended innuendo. "SAM!" the farmer protested. "He didn't mean it like that! He was offering to taste-test edible food things." The embarrassed woman stumbled over her words as she shoved a plate of fries toward Sam and Abigail before disappearing into her room for a moment to compose herself.
Abigail burst into laughter and called after the young woman. "Oh, it's okay, Violet. Sam was only kidding."
Sebastian, however, did not have the luxury to hide in a bedroom because this was not his house. Sam took a handful of fries and stuffed them into his gaping mouth. "Mmm, these are good, V!" He chuckled and gave his best friend a wink before he called after their host. "I take it back, Violet. I can see why Sebastian gave you such high praises. Will you adopt me so I can eat this stuff all the time?"
"Isn't she younger than you?" the programmer questioned.
Sam shrugged and Abigail stole a few fries from the plate. "Well, it's not like I'd ask V to marry me," he glanced at his girlfriend with a grin. "I can't say that Abi would like that."
Abigail groaned happily after sampling the spiced shoestring potatoes. "I dunno…" she replied doubtfully. "If Violet cooks food like this all the time, I could be down for some polygamy," the amethyst-haired woman smiled, stealing a look at Sebastian's ever-reddening face.
"Th-that's enough, you two," Sebastian demanded shakily. "You're embarrassing Violet." Though neither of the two were convinced that the pastel-haired woman still hiding in her bedroom was the only one.
The skater relented. "Eh, I guess I can't steal all the ladies in town."
Abigail emphasized her agreement by wrapping her arms over his shoulder. "You can't handle me as it is," Sam's girlfriend reminded him, planting a slightly possessive kiss on his cheek.
"Ugh, get a room, you two," Violet chimed in, rejoining the group in the kitchen. Her eyes swept over her friends and noticed both plates were already cleared. "Shall we go outside and see what fun new things Sebastian can do?"
The trio of non-magical individuals formed a half-circle around Sebastian, giving him a wide berth for safety purposes. "So, how do we do this?" Abigail wondered aloud. "Just shout out ideas?"
Sebastian pulled a book out of his backpack labeled "Spell Compendium" and the amethyst-haired woman shook her head. "You are such a nerd, Sebastian."
The hopeful sorcerer tried to ignore his friend's teasing. "Just… pick something relatively low-level that doesn't need weird materials and I'll try it."
Rasmodius felt the faint presence of a magical source tickling the back of his mind as he worked on the latest of his arcane research. Eventually, the wizard became curious enough to scan the town for the being responsible. Using the enormous spy glass that peered out into the world from his roof, the purple-clad man found what he sought. "Ah, it's the kid from the mountain again…"
The wizard noticed the flashes of magical energy that none of the young man's companions could see as he attempted several spells in quick succession. After watching for a while, Rasmodius decided to take a closer look in-person, but kept himself concealed. He teleported himself to the farm and kept a close eye on the events under the guise of invisibility. Rasmodius waited a moment to discern whether or not any of the others detected him and when it became apparent that none of the four had done so, the wizard settled in the grass to observe.
The tests were incredibly inefficient, as there was little structure to them. The banana-haired boy would call out spells seemingly at random and the untrained sorcerer would try it. Nothing was working and the spell names were often ridiculously campy. From his observations, the color of the mystical aura the raven-haired boy emitted suggested to Rasmodius that the boy was best suited for two specific types of magic in particular. But how to point them in the right direction without revealing himself?
"Nothing's working," the beginner sorcerer complained. He sighed, obviously discouraged. "Maybe all I'm cut out for is the general convenience spells that don't have a lot of power behind them."
The young woman who visited him last season spoke up. "Don't give up, Sebastian. We just haven't found your magical niche yet," she encouraged her companion.
The forest guardian then took what Rasmodius assumed to be their spell book from the taller of the two men and began to flip through the pages. "Perfect!" the wizard said quietly as he muttered the spell to share the young woman's sight. "Aha!" The purple-wearing man then gently nudged the girl's attention to one spell in particular.
"What about this 'chill touch' thing?" farmer Violet suggested to the group. "It's low-level and it doesn't require any material components…"
The inexperienced caster took the book to read its description and nodded, "Okay," he agreed. Sebastian, as Rasmodius heard the farmer call the lad, reached out toward a small tree nearest him and the air around his outstretched palm took on a sudden chill. The young leaves on the branch shriveled and fell away as the bark became encrusted in a thin layer of frost. As quickly as it appeared, the faint ice-blue of the newly minted sorcerer's power faded away, and he stepped back to admire his work.
"Fam!" the spiky-haired blond exclaimed, leaping to his feet in disbelief. "That was awesome!"
"Wow!" Caroline's daughter chuckled. Though the wizard could tell it was not entirely out of joy. There was a trace of something else… Shock? Disappointment? Envy? "Who knew you actually had it in you, Sebastian?" Abigail thought out loud.
Sebastian, still staring at his hand and the results of his magical power, grinned like a small child who had been given sweets for the first time. "I - I did it!" But his face fell as soon as he looked up to see the farmer with a strange expression on her face. Ugh, if this boy was going to dampen his magical ability because some girl was unimpressed, he was going to have to intervene.
"What's wrong, Violet? Isn't this great?" Sebastian questioned the friend of the Junimos, the happiness in his voice almost palpable.
Violet nodded quietly, but approached the tree that Sebastian had chosen as his target. "It's great, Sebastian, but… I think you killed my pomegranate sapling," she whispered solemnly, her voice cracking from the anguish of losing her only fruit-bearing tree.
The sorcerer balked, unsure of what to say. Clearly this was not the reaction he anticipated. Twisting her face, the friend of the forest looked as if she were holding back a great deal of frustration. Rasmodius decided that now might be best to take his leave after all.
Alex rounded the corner of the mountain path down toward Fairy Rose Farm and coasted downhill in a jog to make sure he would be able to make the turn toward town without sliding in the fine layer of dirt. The last thing the athlete needed was an injury right over something stupid before he even made his big break. Dusty trotted at his master's heels happily, his pink tongue lolling out to one side and his tail wagging behind him.
As the spiky-haired brunet reached the path Violet cleared for him through the property, he noticed that the farmer and the three town weirdos were all gathered in a small clearing.
"I can't believe you killed my little pomegranate tree," the shortest among them complained to the goth guy.
"I didn't kill it!" the black hoodie-wearer insisted frantically. "It was one tiny branch and it's already thawing! Maybe the leaves will grow back?"
Alex had no idea what was going on, but he could tell that the poor bastard was in trouble with the farm girl.
"When a sapling has only three little twigs on top, one branch is a big deal!" Violet shot back, her face flushing red from exasperation. Alex noticed that Sam and Abigail had taken cover in the shelter of the pine grove, laughing at the situation from a safe distance. "Of all the things you could have touched!" Violet complained.
Better come in and save the day, Alex thought to himself. "Yo, nerds!" he called in greeting, interrupting the farm girl's shouts and causing the group to fall into an immediate and unnerving silence. He began to jog in place, "What? I'm doing my cardio…"
"Shirtless? On Violet's farm?" Sebastian replied suspiciously, eyeing the jogger and his faithful dog. What was this guy's deal? Did he seriously think that he was trying to make a move on the farm girl?
Violet waived off her friend's accusation. "Alex asked permission to do the route Maru gave him, Sebastian. Chill." Oh, farm girl is pissed! Alex thought with amusement as he saw the icy glare the woman shot her friend. The athlete wondered what caused the friction, but decided it was best not to ask in front of everyone if he wanted the scoop.
Sam's lips pursed as he tried to hold back his words, but they came bursting out anyway. "I think Seb has done enough of that today. Don't you think, V?" he chortled.
Violet's deep blue eyes rolled in their sockets. "Yeah, yeah..." The farmer turned to her friends, "I'll be back," she told them as she followed Alex toward the eastern exit of the farm toward the center of town.
Once they were out of hearing range, Alex leaned in toward Violet like he wanted to share a secret. "So what's the deal, farm girl? Trouble in paradise?" he asked unabashedly.
The woman let loose a heavy sigh. "We were messing around with some dry ice and Sebastian killed part of my only fruit tree," the farmer informed the jock. It was only half a lie, she reasoned to herself.
Alex looked disappointed. "That's it? You guys are so weird." He paused for a moment. "And what the hell is dry ice?"
The amethyst-haired woman assumed Violet was trying to distract the jock from the unnaturally dead branch on Violet's unfortunate pomegranate tree, but she noticed the spark of jealousy in Sebastian's eyes. Abigail yanked him aside, "Sebastian, it's fine. Violet's probably just using the opportunity to step away from the situation and find out if Alex saw anything he shouldn't have."
Sebastian's first reaction was defensive, "I wasn't-" he sighed, letting his balled up fists slowly unclench. While he wanted to set the record straight that he did not care to whom Violet spoke, it was not worth the effort at the moment. "Violet can talk to whoever she wants. I just want to make it clear that I didn't mean to kill the tree," he told his friend anxiously. "I wasn't thinking when I chose it to try out the stupid spell!"
Abigail reached out to touch his shoulder, "It's okay. I'm sure Violet's excited by the magic, too. She probably just wished it didn't come with the loss of her favorite tree."
The amateur sorcerer paled. "It's Violet's favorite?"
"Yeah, Violet loves pomegranates and those saplings aren't cheap." Her cerulean eyes examined the tree and she reached out to touch the rough bark of the untouched branches. "Other than the number you did on the first branch, the rest look okay," the amethyst-haired woman said, assessing the overall health of the rest of the tiny tree. "We should probably trim the dead branch just in case. Even when saplings get infested with pests at the shop, dad always trims them back to try and save them before resorting to setting it on fire to save the others from contamination," Abigail chuckled nervously.
The woman spied Violet approaching the trio without Alex, so Violet must have been satisfied that the visitor did not see anything suspicious. Abigail smirked at Sebastian and gave him a reassuring pat on the back, "I'm sure she'll forgive you someday."
I hope so, Sebastian thought. Things had been going really well today, otherwise. His obsidian eyes glanced down at his hand and he felt a cool energy pulsing through it. "I guess there's a reason I never get cold," he smiled to himself. Things were starting to make a bit of sense, but Sebastian still had so many unanswered questions. Where did these powers come from? The man's thoughts drifted to his mysterious father. Was he the source? And if not his dad, then why him?
The only other magical ability Sebastian discovered before Sam and Abigail had to head home was one most appreciated by Bruno. Abigail had tossed an acorn at Sebastian's head and when he returned fire with a pinecone, the seed pod flew through the air for about a hundred feet, which was further than the programmer usually threw. After this, the resident dog demanded a long game of fetch. Violet giggled when Bruno set the slobber-coated stick at Sebastian's feet and barked at the hoodie-clad man expectantly.
While it was cute to watch at first, Bruno was a boundless fountain of energy and Abigail decided to call it an evening. Sam was quick to agree. Violet had a sneaking suspicion that the two had plans of their own, but that did not bother her. Besides, the farmer had a long day and it would not be the worst thing if her friends left.
Once the couple took their leave, Violet overheard Abigail clarify to Sam that she was not serious when she said earlier that she was open to polygamy. "I'm more than enough for one person," the amethyst-haired woman told him, leaning her head on Sam's shoulder as they walked side-by-side toward town and disappeared into the night. While the farmer could not hear Sam's exact reply, from his tone it sounded as if he was reassuring her it was only a joke as well.
Violet turned back toward the house and saw Sebastian still lingered behind in the soft glow of the porch light. "I, uh… have your comics to return," the young man informed her awkwardly as he began to unzip his bag.
The farmer stopped him with a gentle touch. "Just bring them inside and we can swap them out for the next set," she instructed, gesturing for Sebastian to follow into the farmhouse. It would be easier to hand off the next set if he came inside anyway.
Sebastian blinked, surprised that Violet was going to allow him to touch any of her things after destroying a good portion - if not entirely killing - her pomegranate tree. "You sure about that?" he inquired with an anxious laugh.
The farmer opened the creaky old door to the farmhouse and paused in the entryway. "Why wouldn't I be?" she asked, tilting her head to one side before disappearing into her home.
Sebastian's heart began to race again, though this time he was doubtful it was because of the nicotine patch or experimenting with spells.
Violet pulled the next four volumes from the shelf and handed them off to Sebastian, while returning the six he had borrowed back to their designated spot.
"Hey, only four this time?" Sebastian complained jokingly, taking the comics into his arms and sliding all but one into his open backpack. "What? Do I have to come back here in the middle of the night for the rest?"
"Not if you plan on finishing those four before you leave," the farmer replied with a soft chuckle.
Sebastian shrugged and sat on the couch, cracking open the first of the newly borrowed volumes. His obsidian orbs traveled back and forth, following the flow of the story across the pages.
"I wasn't serious!" Violet hollered, playfully trying to pull him off the couch, though her laughter told him that the farmer probably found it more funny than annoying.
"If you want to kick me out, just say so and I'll leave," Sebastian told her, his eyes not looking away from the page.
For some reason she could not explain, Violet found Sebastian's intent to focus oddly attractive. Was it weird she wanted to watch him read her favorite series? The young woman wanted to know what Sebastian thought of it, study his facial expressions and guess which part of the plot he was currently reading. Maybe they could talk about it when he finished...
Feeling eyes upon him, Sebastian glanced up to look at Violet and their gazes locked on one another. For a moment the two sat in silence, unspeaking and still.
He had such beautiful eyes, like the rich, deep vastness of the night sky. Violet was not sure how long they sat there, but eventually self-consciousness took over and she averted her stare, hiding her face with her ponytail. "Are you sure you don't have the 'mesmerizing glare' spell after all?" she asked Sebastian bashfully.
Not only did Violet know the correct spell name, but the low-level sorcerer found the heat rising in his face when he caught on to her meaning. "I… don't think so," he replied sheepishly, clearing his throat, and returning his attention to the inked pages in his hands. "It only seems to happen with you."
The comic book nerd heard shuffling as Violet rose to her feet and before Sebastian could process what was going on, the farmer was already halfway to her room. "I have to go to the bathroom," she excused herself. "I'll be right back!"
Sebastian heard the door close quickly. "Was it something I said?" he wondered aloud. Bruno barked as if in answer, though the human could not understand.
"What the fuck is wrong with you, Violet?!" the farmer whispered in panic to herself in the bathroom. She looked into the mirror and saw that her face was radish red. "Did you seriously think that inviting Sebastian inside to hang out alone was a good idea?" she reprimanded her reflection. Okay, maybe she had originally only intended from him to come in and borrow some books, but she had not kicked him out when he promised to leave if she asked.
Violet could practically feel her heart attempting to escape the prison of her rib cage. Leaning against the cool wall, the young woman allowed herself to slowly slump to the floor. The farmer removed the hair tie from her head since it got in the way of her resting her head against the wall. Shaking the pastel waves out with her hand, Violet slipped the hair tie over her hand onto her wrist for later.
"Just… chill out for a little bit," she told herself calmly. Violet wondered to herself how she could find both Sebastian's cocky, confident smirk and his quiet confession that she was the only girl whose eyes he lost himself. It was not fair! Couldn't her mind just stick to a type? That would make this so much easier.
The woman sighed heavily. "Who am I kidding?" she thought to herself. She was not particularly into one-dimensional characters in books, comics, or video games, so why the hell would she in her real life? As infuriating as it was at times, Violet found herself enjoying the facets of Sebastian's personality. And maybe she was wrong, but… he seemed to enjoy her company, too.
What was worse was that she could not even justify her outburst for damaging the pomegranate tree. Once Abigail pruned the dead branch, the sapling appeared to be just fine. Maybe she had been a little overly dramatic. Sebastian was so thrilled about a successful spell and she had to go and ruin it over a single tree branch. "I'm an idiot," she cursed to herself quietly. "Why couldn't I just be excited for him like Sam and Abigail?" Violet groaned.
After taking a few more soothing breaths, Violet resolved to be a better friend and stepped out of the bathroom into her bedroom. She eyed the comfy shirt laying out on her bed. The soft cotton called to her. Violet decided to change into her pajamas to get more comfortable before stepping out into the living room to rejoin Sebastian. Just because he was loitering in her house did not mean she had to stay in jeans all evening, right?
Sebastian began to worry when Violet did not return right away, but he soon heard the bathroom door click open and the rustling on the other side of the wall in Violet's room. For a moment, he wondered if she had forgotten he was there and decided to go to sleep, but shortly after she emerged in his old, slightly oversized t-shirt and a pair of shorts. For a brief moment, the shorts were entirely covered by the shirt and looking up, Sebastian thought Violet had stepped out of her bedroom, hair unbound and wearing only his shirt. The idea, though proven entirely incorrect when the shorts became apparent as she walked across the room, clung to his mind like a parasite.
He felt a stirring in his body and panicked that Violet would notice. Fuck! Sebastian knew he had to either find a kill switch to get his mind out of the gutter immediately or escape. The young man paused, wondering if perhaps Violet had changed her mind and was doing this to entice him. He shook his head vigorously, his bangs flopping to and fro against the side of his face. No, if she intended it that way, Violet would have informed him. Sebastian literally invited himself to stay longer by sitting down to read, so who was he to say she could not get more comfortable?
Reading. Right! He focused his attention back on the manga Violet had leant him and as Sebastian became more engrossed with the plot, his body relaxed. "This Izumi is pretty badass," he said casually.
"Isn't she?!" Suddenly Violet leaned over the back over the couch to read over his shoulder. Sebastian had not been prepared for this level of enthusiasm over a minor character. "She's one of my favorites. Just wait till you meet the General! That's still a ways off, though."
Sebastian's eyebrow rose quizzically and he lowered the comic to rest in his lap. "The General?" His head turned to face her and he realized how close Violet stood behind him.
Violet placed her hands on his cheeks and turned his head back to the book in front of him. "Just read!" she ordered with a little laugh.
The young man was suddenly grateful that Violet was not facing him since she was reading over his shoulder. Absentmindedly, Sebastian's fingers brushed up against his face where the farmer had just touched him and he felt his heart begin to race as the warmth of her breath tickled the tiny hairs on the back of his neck.
She must have sensed something was off, because Violet stepped back and apologized. "Sorry, it's rude to read over people's shoulders."
Sebastian could hardly reply. "I-it's okay…" he assured her shakily. Dammit… He needed to leave ASAP but the black-clad man felt his body tense up from nervousness. Violet looped around the couch to stand in front of him and he covered his lap with the comic book just in case.
Violet tilted her head to the side as she sat down next to him on the couch. "Is everything okay, Sebastian? You look a little… nauseous."
The black-haired man nodded, finding himself unable to speak at the moment. Even if it was a lie, at least it would give his friend something else to focus on. But Violet focused intently on him out of concern. "Maybe all the magic experiments were too much?" she mused. The farmer rose to her feet. "I'll get you something to settle your stomach!"
The woman quickly hurried to the kitchen and Sebastian did the only sensible thing he could think of at the moment. He fled, opening the door and darting out to the porch to get some fresh air.
After a few deep, cleansing breaths, the muscles in his body relaxed. Sebastian thought it was better to leave now with a fake illness than go back inside and explain himself. At least he still had the comic still in his hand. He would have to come back for his bag another time.
The deception still made Sebastian feel a pang of guilt, however, so he looked around for something he could do for Violet as a minor apology for leaving so abruptly. The fruit tree matter would have to be resolved another way. She liked sushi, too. If he got some for the two of them that would be a win-win, right?
In his search, Sebastian noticed the watering can was mostly empty. He considered just refilling it for her the old-fashioned way, but as a newly minted sorcerer, the young man remembered that "create water" was a low-level spell he could try. The man closed his eyes and cleared his mind, imagining the watering can filling up slowly from a small, invisible waterfall. To Sebastian's delight, when he opened his eyes, the watering can was filled to the brim. He smiled triumphantly before heading off home, feeling a sense of pride in learning something new and expanding his repertoire of spells.
As the light of the waning moon shimmered on the water within the can, it gave off a misty purple aura for a moment before going completely still.