The Cuddle Pact

25

Here.

In which Sebastian stays.

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» SEBASTIAN »

"MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BABY!"

I leaned over her, pressing my lips to her cheek as she laid across the sofa. Kale had told me she was taking a nap since she was tired from the drive back from Surrey. For the past three days, she had been with her family since her father would be working a shift on Christmas.

And I guessed she was happy to get some time away from me since our relationship had severely changed. Even with me reluctantly deciding to have heart surgery, she had been touching me less and I knew she was still upset.

I was selfish and keeping it from her was a mistake. I was slowly losing her, that much I knew, so I had to do something to get back in her good graces.

She smiled and slowly opened her eyes, making a move to sit up on the sofa. "Thank you," she murmured sleepily, giving me room to sit down. She hugged her legs and I frowned slightly, wanting her to hug me. It was like she was putting as much distance between us as possible. "I get two presents right?"

Curling my hand around her ankle, I tugged her closer to me before she steadied herself. "I haven't seen you for four days, and I don't even get a kiss?" I watched her break eye contact so I cupped her chin, guiding her eyes back to mine.

She sighed and closed the distance between us, slanting her soft lips over mine. My body relaxed into her as my hands ran down her arms to bring them around my neck. She was stiff as cardboard in my arms and I pulled back with a sigh.

"I'm flying to New York later on, so I just want to have a good day with you. Is that okay?"

Her eyebrows lowered. "Why would you need to ask?" she questioned, and she was back to putting distance between us as her arms unwound from my neck.

"Because you won't touch me, at least not willingly, so I'm guessing you don't want to be around me today." I couldn't prevent the frown from settling on my face and she noticed it as she grimaced.

I really fucked up.

Rising from the sofa, I checked the time on my watch. It was 11:11 and I was wondering if I could cancel what I had planned. I didn't want to experience it by myself, and all of my family had landed in New York last night, which meant if Mira didn't want to come with, there was no point.

"Sebastian, stop." She stood up and pulled the strap of her spaghetti top back on her shoulder. "I'm sorry. I do want to be with you today." Stepping up onto her tiptoes, she placed her hand on my face and laid a gentle kiss on my lips.

I felt like a teenager again with my heart doing flips in my chest and butterflies swarming my stomach. She was driving me wild and her kiss felt like it used to. Passionate and meaningful.

Bringing her into my arms, I sighed against her lips and deepened the kiss. I could feel her coming back to me and I couldn't help but smile as she leaned her forehead on mine.

I love you.

I knew she wasn't ready to say it back, so I wasn't going to say it unless she was. I couldn't deny that it hurt when she didn't, but her feelings mattered a lot to me at that moment. She looked broken in front of me, and I could tell she was comparing me to Weston since she muttered his name in her sleep that night.

I did the one thing I promised I wouldn't. Lie to her. So she no longer trusted me.

"Your present is outside," I broke the silence. "And it's yours so you can't give it back."

She tilted her head to look at the front door and an excited expression passed her face. "Why would I give it back?"

I left her without a response until we were standing outside of her apartment and Kale brought her car around. From the early stages of our friendship, I could tell that she fell in love with my Lykan Hypersport so I got her very own.

Her jaw dropped in pure shock and she turned to me with wide eyes. "Sebastian, this costs £2,000,000!" she exclaimed with tears beginning to cloud her vision. "My present costs £20!"

I minimised the distance between us and wrapped my arms around her to stare into her eyes. "And I'll love it anyway. You wanted it, so I got it for you."

She wiped at her eyes. "Where would I keep it? I'd be asking to get robbed."

Chuckling, I kissed her nose. "You can keep it in my garage. I have a place in Belgravia, and whenever you're ready, you can move in with me."

I had to let her know that I saw a future with her too, and I was no longer getting in the way.

She seemed shocked and absentmindedly pecked my lips. "Thank you!" she pulled up to stare at me seriously. "This is the last expensive gift you're getting me. Don't buy anything I couldn't afford, okay?"

Nodding, I motioned Kale forward and he dropped the keys in her hands. She stepped towards the car and ran her hand over the exterior, turning back to me with the brightest grin. My breath was taken away and I cursed under my breath.

Why in the hell did I want to leave this beautiful person?

Unbeknownst to Mira, my doubts hadn't disappeared, but I didn't know what else to say. To have her look at me in that way made me feel sick in my own skin, and once my family found out that I was having the surgery, they were overjoyed. My parents hadn't cried that hard since...well they had never cried that hard ever. And at that moment, I knew I couldn't go back on my word, no matter how much I wanted to.

I would have to live with the decision, and I hoped that it would be the right one. One where I wouldn't have regrets and become unhappy later on in life.

"Can I take it for a ride?" she almost screamed, looking like a child who got what they wanted for Christmas. In a way, she did get what she wanted.

"You can do whatever you want, baby."

Damn, I'd have to make her happy more often.

"Wait," she held my face and gently caressed my cheek with her thumb. "I want to give you your present now. Stay here."

She exited the car and jogged back into her apartment. It was a few minutes before she came back with a book in her hands. My curiosity was piqued and my heart soared when she placed it in my hands, gnawing at her lip in anxiousness.

On the front, the cover said 'Mira and Sebastian: Memory Scrapbook.'

Turning each page with awe, I saw the front pages had pictures of us two together and towards the back were separate pictures of the younger versions of us. I could tell that it was a present from the heart since she had written small messages on every page.

You're extraordinary.

Your smile is breathtaking.

You're all I've ever wanted.

Lifting my head up, I was sure that my grin was so wide that my eyes were beginning to disappear. "This is way better than a car."

"Really?" she questioned, tucking an errant strand of hair behind her ear. "You like it?"

"I love it," I admitted, brushing my fingers across the pages and looking at like she was the best thing since sliced bread. Just like I love you. Leaning forward, I hugged her tightly and nuzzled my face into the crook of her neck. "It's the best present I've ever gotten."

Once she got over the shock that the car we were in was actually hers, I suggested that we could just go directly to what I had planned. I felt bad that the day she put so much effort into didn't go according to plan, so I managed to get the ice rink all to ourselves. The fact that I couldn't skate to save my life was slightly less embarrassing since there would only be a handful of people there to witness it.

My nerves hadn't gone away when I was fastening the skates on my feet. Mira, enthusiastic as always, was already on the ice and she directed a sly smirk my way. "Scared?"

My facial expression was bland in comparison to hers. "Yes," I confessed unashamedly as she skated back towards me, holding out her hands. I tried to be aware of how tightly I was gripping her when she pushed herself backwards and eased me forward. She seemed confident on the ice and looked as if she was trying her best not to laugh at my expense.

"You're like a scarred giant. It's unusual." She chortled, gesturing to my shaking legs with a nod of her head. "Relax, it's easier that way."

During those two hours, she taught—or tried to teach—me how to ice skate, but I was taking advantage of how close she was to me since I sneaked in kisses whenever she was trying to brace me.

I felt like a kid again when I rubbed at my sore leg. "I can't believe you let me fall," I muttered it under breath, but she caught it and released a loud laugh.

"There's no way I was going to fall backwards with you. You had to experience that by yourself."

The smile unintentionally made its way onto my face and I tugged her back by her hand. The wind softly blew her hair so I ran my hand over it to stop it from blowing in my face as I tipped her chin upwards to lightly brush my lips over hers. I didn't want to leave her just yet.

"Ada's staying with her parents for a couple of days, right?" I inquired and nodded when she gave an affirmative answer. "Come with me to New York."

She looked into my eyes, wetting her bottom lip with a flick of her tongue before she smiled softly. "I'd love to."

Finally, she wasn't trying to get as far as possible from me.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Mira was a part of my family.

That was the first thing I thought when my mother embraced her as tightly as she did me. She wasn't expecting Mira there and was over the moon when she realised that she would be with her for her birthday. The flight had taken 8 hours, but since New York was 5 hours behind London, it was only four in the afternoon. That meant that we hadn't missed much.

When my father came round the corner into the living room, he grinned brightly at the sight of Mira and my mother, pulling her into a hug soon after.

"This is such a nice surprise. Happy birthday and Merry Christmas, Mira."

She beamed happily and voiced her appreciation. I wanted her to meet my grandparents, but my dad had texted to let me know that they were taking a nap since everyone had a big breakfast. My thoughts roamed until we were alone again, and she suddenly hugged me tightly.

I lost my balance and stumbled back in pleasant shock, glancing down at the love of my life. "Are you okay, baby?"

Her head moved against my shoulder and I silently listed as she voiced her thoughts. "I'm just scared that this isn't real and that something will go wrong before you have your operation."

I instantly frowned, knowing that was exactly what I was frightened of. I would rather allow my health to deteriorate and die naturally than build my hopes up only to die during the surgery. That would crush my family more.

My arms wrapped around her and I tilted my head downwards to sink my nose into her hair. She smelt amazing and her scent made me feel like home was wherever she was. I was irrevocably in love with her, and it scared me how quickly I fell.

"I'm right here," I mumbled soothingly to her, kissing her head tenderly. "I'm not going anywhere anymore." She tilted her head upwards and I saw the hopeful glint in her eyes as I slowly smiled. "You're stuck with me."

I wanted to live for her, and everything our future promised.