The Aspect of Magic rolled her eyes the moment he added the part about business being lucrative in the eternal city. “And you said you’re only here for me-“ she scoffed, what a load of crap, she thought. But, she didn’t know why she felt upset to hear that he is indeed here for something other than just being at her beck and call. Wasn’t that unfair for Sebastian? To come whenever she needs him yet she has never done anything similar for him? 

If she didn’t feel strongly towards him, if she didn’t love him anymore, then how come it’s making her feel irritated? “Just don’t go poking around the big dogs without having a definite plan… I swear I better not have to bail you out of trouble” especially given how high end the underground businesses are here. They can’t control and filter everything. What they don’t see, they don’t know. 

The kiss they shared was not what she expected. Honestly, she didn’t know what to really expect. Malva came in here wanting to find a solution, a way that she could use to remedy this creeping insomnia she has that has been bothering her and her balance. But here she is, entertaining the possibility of sleeping with the man she thought she would never see ever again. And what’s more, she’s responding to it. 

Mal deepened the kiss, trying to match Sebastian’s passion and whimpered silently. All she needed to hear was that he’d take care of her. That’s it. That’s all she needed. Because Sebastian Daystar always keeps his promises. Before long, both of them already had their hands on one another, his on her blouse and hers on his belt. Everything was moving fast. “Can’t believe we’re doing it again.” 

He chuckled, giving a playful smile when she rolled her eyes and made a snide comment “Well, you’d think something was wrong with me if I didn’t have some other reason” after all, the last time they had seen one another before the citadel felt much like a goodbye. Perhaps he was supposed to still be holding a grudge but honestly, he couldn’t bring himself to do that, not when she looked at him the way she did, like she was lost and needed a beacon to bring her back.

“I know how to play the games” he responded and nodded his head slightly, he understood her concern but it wasn’t the first time he’d started over in a new city, strong diviners were a valuable commodity even in a city like this “Besides…I won’t be doing too much, just a few spells here and there where needed, maybe a little trading…” it was too tempting to resist.

Kissing her felt warm, it always did and much more familiar than he would ever admit. He had shared passion with others in his years but it never seemed to quite compare to the way his entire body ignited when he was with her. Perhaps it was because they were always going back and forth from one end of the scale to the other, you never knew what to expect, but you guarantee they would put everything into it.

Perhaps earlier in the day he would be more rational…tell her this wasn’t a good idea and they would end up back at square one when it came to moving on from one another. But he was kidding himself if he really thought he could ever move on…how did you move on from the best memories of your life. He pushed the blouse off her shoulders and pulled back for a moment, eyes meeting hers just long enough to catch his breath and search for any hesitation in her features.

He couldn’t find it, so he pulled her back in without hesitation, lips locked to hers “I can” he teased softly “We’re both too good at making bad decisions” he whispered.

She narrowed her eyes when he mentioned he was only going to be doing a few things like a spell one or two. “A spell one or two for you usually ends up being worth more.” She sighed, she couldn’t very well tell him no because who was she to do that? And he wouldn’t listen anyways. “If I tell you not to, you won’t listen would you” he was much too hard headed and stubborn. At least she tried.

She shouldn’t have. She shouldn’t have kissed him but she couldn’t help herself. He was offering her a really good deal and well, who was she to deny that? If she could get sleep from it, then she would do it. It wasn’t as if she wasn’t benefiting from it.

With her blouse undone, she bit her lip and hummed softly. “Feels like… centuries ago.” She stopped him halfway and cleared her throat “This is irresponsible of us.” But irresponsibility and them? It’s a familiar mix. Maybe. Just maybe. One more time.

That’s what she says. Every single time.

It wasn’t the kind of intimacy that rushed or burned too brightly, but one that settled between them like a familiar song rediscovered after years of silence. In the quiet space they shared, every small gesture carried meaning, the way their hands found each other without thinking, the way laughter came easier, the way their presence felt like coming home. There was comfort in knowing they had both changed and yet remained unmistakably the same. It was tender, unspoken, and deeply reassuring, as if the world had finally given them permission to begin again. And Mal knew she shouldn’t have restarted it but here  she is, doing exactly that.

”I’m sorry.”