Just a Bit Wicked

Chapter 17

The next morning, Sebastian dragged his hollowed out body out of the room.He barely slept after returning to his room last night, and he was caught by Vlad sleepwalking again, and he offered to let Vlad kiss him, it was too embarrassing.Vlad probably now has more reasons to think he's a psycho, not just because of his sexuality.Sebastian kind of wishes Luke—and Vlad—went to Luke's office so he wouldn't have to confront them.

But they are both in the living room.

Luke beamed when he saw him. "Good news!" he said cheerfully, pushing a lock of curls behind his ear. "The cult was finally taken down last night!"

Sebastian winked at him.Out of the corner of his eye he could see Vlad in black, but he was careful to avoid that direction. "That means I can go home, right?"

Luke nodded. "But you can also stay—"

Sebastian turned around immediately. "I'm going to pack my luggage." He twisted his shoulders and withdrew to his room.

As soon as he got back to the room, he started to be in a daze.

He can finally go home.Stay away from Vlad.

Hermione's meow urged him into action.He quickly packed up, scooped up his cat, and went to thank Luke for taking him in.

"You don't have to move right away," Luke said, frowning.

"I mean it myself." Sebastian could feel Vlad staring at him thoughtfully.He was rather disturbed, unable to make out what was going on in Vlad's head. "Thank you so much, man, but I miss my bed."

"I understand, but I hope you can stay longer." Luke accompanied him to the elevator, making a face. "I don't want to be alone with Vlad."

It took all of Sebastian's strength to stop himself from looking back at Vlad.He knew Vlad could hear clearly. "If the cult has been taken down, why is he still here?"

"I remember telling you that he wasn't here just to guard against the cultists? There was—"

"You shouldn't have said that," Vlad interjected from behind them, and Sebastian flinched.To his surprise, Vlad's voice sounded very close to him.

Luke sighed and muttered under his breath, "I feel like I'm in jail in my own home." Then he raised his voice. "When Roman comes back, you don't have to be my bodyguard. I could have persuaded Roman to fire you completely, but I know that you and Roman are old friends. He is always soft-hearted towards you, and I don't know why. He I think you are a decent person."

"That's right," Vlad said, sighing. "Luke."

Luke turned around, and Sebastian turned away too, unable to contain his curiosity.

Vlad looked at Sebastian inscrutably, then fixed his gaze firmly on Luke. "Listen, I know our relationship started off badly, and I didn't help you. I didn't care if my people beat you—"

"You fought with them, one time," Luke said grumpily, crossing his arms across his chest.

Vlad looked a little embarrassed. "I wasn't quite sober at the time. We were celebrating my birthday, chain reaction. Best thing for you to do."

Luke chuckled. "You think this is an apology? You'd be wrong if you thought so."

Vlad shrugged, shoulders dropping slightly. "I'm not trying to apologize or pretend I'm a better person. It's nothing to beat people up. I've done far worse things. If I apologize to everyone, let's just stay here and do nothing. It's gone." He casts a quick glance at Sebastian, then back at Luke. "Someone told me recently that I'm a bully. Maybe it's true. But the Russian incident was just my misjudgment. Just that one time, I didn't do it often-if I did it often, Roman would have put me in the wrong place." Fired. So you don’t have to keep looking at me like I’m going to punch you, no matter how annoying I was to you before.”

Luke bit his lip. "Annoy me? Before?"

Vlad rolled his eyes and smiled at Luke. "Do you think that as long as you slap your beautiful eyelashes, others have to be fooled by you? You can't stand it if someone doesn't like this?"

Luke looked at him puffed up, but the corners of his mouth curled up too.

Sebastian watched them communicate, an unpleasant feeling making his stomach clench.When he recognized the ugly emotion, he looked away.He was terrified.He couldn't be really stupid enough to be jealous because of Vlad.He didn't.

But he had to admit, he didn't like seeing Vlad smile at Luke like that, he'd never smiled at him, at Sebastian.And he doesn't like that Vlad notices that Luke has beautiful eyelashes.

Hold.He is so ridiculous.Luke's eyelashes were beautiful, of course; Luke was probably the most beautiful man Sebastian had ever met, save for Tristan Duvall.Vlad must have noticed how handsome he was.He wasn't blind, and he was gay, no matter how much he lied to himself.

Maybe Vlad had a secret crush on Luke, which was why he was so hostile to him.

His cat howled in protest, and Sebastian held her too tightly to his chest.He forced himself to relax.

"Okay, I'm leaving." Sebastian said awkwardly, feeling that this place is like a middle school campus, and he has become the failed otaku who no one cares about. "Goodbye, Luke. Thank you for everything!"

He walked into the elevator without waiting for the others to respond.

Once inside, he banged his head against the wall and sighed.

"It's so sad," he pressed his face against Hermione's. "I'm such a failure."

It doesn't matter how handsome he is now; in his heart, he will always feel like an ugly duckling.Yes, Vlad was clearly attracted to him, but that was all, the outward attraction was too superficial.He was nothing special to Vlad.As long as he looks good, anyone can attract him.

He is nothing special.