Sebastian watched as Althaea paced the room. Her steps clicking against the wet cobblestone. She reached her hands to tuck her hair behind her ears, letting out a deep sigh.

“Seb, I don’t know what else to do. I have lost everyone I care about and now I feel so lost.” Silver rimmed her eyes. He tried not to take it personal as his lifelong best friend forgot his existence.

He stood deadly still, his voice low, “You haven’t lost everyone, you still have me, You know you will always have me.”

She stopped her pacing, finally meeting his eyes. “You know what I mean, Sebastian.”

“No, actually, I don’t”

She rolled her eyes, a defeated laugh escaping her lips, “The one person in this world that I love- loved so deeply, so effortlessly- and has actually loved me back is gone. Dead.” Tears began streaming down her cheeks. Her gaze on the floor, arms wrapping around her torso. “I will never get that love back.”

Sebastian took a step closer, reaching to whip her cheeks, “You’ve always had that type of love, Thaea” Her eyes slowly tracked back to his, brows furrowing. “From the moment I met you, when we were just children, I have loved you. I never stopped loving you, it just grew as we did. Despite everything that tried to get in the way- it was always you.”

Her throat bobbed, “Seb,” she shook her head, pulling away slightly, “I love you, you know I do.” His eyes were now lining with that same silver, watched as a wall went up within her, “But you’re not him.”

He felt the crack in his heart at those words, felt the drop as she left the room. Silence rang in his ears, his head. He let her walk away this time.