Nightmares weren't something new to Sebastian. He'd had them most of his life. The insecurities of reality seeping into his unconscious mind and recreating his greatest fears in varied and sometimes terrifying forms. They were only part of the reason he rarely slept through the night. Even more frightening than nightmares he had no control over were the racing thoughts he had no control over.
But here he had found some solace hidden amongst the books. The safe ones he didn't have to be afraid of opening. He'd also discovered birds again. Randomly and suddenly appearing whenever he was lost in thought or reading. They seemed just as curious about him as he was about them. They were one of his passions and he'd learned the common and scientific names of so many. But there were no birds to distract him as he made his way to what he hoped would be a great distraction from nightmares.
His father had pressured him so much about joining a sport he had found the one sport he hoped would make them both happy. Swimming was another passion he'd discovered in highschool. Like Jack.
Sebastian turned away from those thoughts and peered past the shelves of books, breath held in his chest for a moment, so sure he had heard or felt something. But when nothing else happened he quickly made his way to the new bath area.
Nightmares he new. But the feeling of not being able to wake up, tormented by the past, by regrets, by the loss and humiliation, and then finding the physical manifestations still marking his body had left him too shaken to simply lose himself in a good story. Soaking in the solace of a bath was something he really missed. And if it really was large enough to swim in he'd be even happier.
What he found was even better. Almost enough to make the nightmares feel distant and fading, unlike the cut bisecting his right eyebrow or the bruise on his cheek courtesy of his highschool bully. There were others. But all Sebastian could focus on were the beautiful stars.
And whether or not he should risk being naked or wear his boxer-briefs as he was removing his clothes.
1 & 2 Combo
But here he had found some solace hidden amongst the books. The safe ones he didn't have to be afraid of opening. He'd also discovered birds again. Randomly and suddenly appearing whenever he was lost in thought or reading. They seemed just as curious about him as he was about them. They were one of his passions and he'd learned the common and scientific names of so many. But there were no birds to distract him as he made his way to what he hoped would be a great distraction from nightmares.
His father had pressured him so much about joining a sport he had found the one sport he hoped would make them both happy. Swimming was another passion he'd discovered in highschool. Like Jack.
Sebastian turned away from those thoughts and peered past the shelves of books, breath held in his chest for a moment, so sure he had heard or felt something. But when nothing else happened he quickly made his way to the new bath area.
Nightmares he new. But the feeling of not being able to wake up, tormented by the past, by regrets, by the loss and humiliation, and then finding the physical manifestations still marking his body had left him too shaken to simply lose himself in a good story. Soaking in the solace of a bath was something he really missed. And if it really was large enough to swim in he'd be even happier.
What he found was even better. Almost enough to make the nightmares feel distant and fading, unlike the cut bisecting his right eyebrow or the bruise on his cheek courtesy of his highschool bully. There were others. But all Sebastian could focus on were the beautiful stars.
And whether or not he should risk being naked or wear his boxer-briefs as he was removing his clothes.