Changing Roles

[Sebastian Rossi]

Sebastian rarely, if ever, paid attention to the gossip magazines that lined the aisles of shops. Even in the wizarding world, the magazines told half-truths, choosing instead to over exaggerate negative qualities about famous people from the wizarding world. He knew about as much as he wanted to about quidditch players and reading about what they were spending their galleons on wasn’t something he was interested in the slightest. As the man waited to purchase some things for his grandmother, Sebastian’s eyes briefly glossed over the cover of the latest issue. Something drew his green eyes back and he found himself glancing over again. His second look made him realize just what had caught his eye in the first place. There in the corner was a small picture of the Potter brood and standing right next to Potter’s wife was Katheryn. Sebastian’s vision tunneled, overlooking the article that said that the young Mrs. Potter was ready to pop any day now, choosing to instead focus on the redhead that he hadn’t seen or spoken to in months. His green eyes fell to the ground where they remained until he’d reached the clerk and had to check out his products. Sebastian felt ashamed of how he’d behaved in the days and months since he’d last been with Katheryn. Rather than live by what he had told her – that everything was fine between them and nothing had changed – Sebastian had avoided Katheryn. He was sure she probably hadn’t noticed at first. It wasn’t like they saw each other all that often. They had only seen each other every few months over the past couple of years. Sebastian, however, was doing a little more than that. He had been making a concerted effort to avoid places if he’d been invited by mutual friends and hadn’t been to New York, one of his favorite places in the world, for fear that he’d run into her in the wizarding areas they both frequented. After a few months of this, Sebastian realized what an ass he was being. More importantly, he realized that he missed Katheryn. Even though they hadn’t seen each other as often as he would have liked, Sebastian knew that every moment they had spent together was enjoyable to him. He and Katheryn had shared many laughs and many secrets, mostly about their dreams and goals. Sebastian knew he had been making a mistake, so he’d begun to head to different places, half hoping and half dreading running into Katheryn. That had been going on for a month or two, but he still had yet to run into her. Whether she had caught on to his foolish game, decided to avoid him, or simply decided to not attend the events, Sebastian didn’t know.

Stepping out of the store, Sebastian decided against apparating the block to his grandmother’s home. He began to walk, mulling things over. By the time Bas arrived in his grandmother’s home, he had come to no conclusions. He put the items away and left a quick note for his gran on the counter and then left, apparating quickly to his flat in the next town. Heading to his guitar, Bas picked it up as he settled onto his couch. With his feet on the coffee table, Bas played for hours. When he stopped and looked up, night had fallen outside. He put his guitar off to the side and searched for a piece of parchment and his quill. Leaning on his coffee table, Bas began to write. When he was satisfied with what he’d written, Sebastian knew that he’d have to get the letter off today or he’d probably never send it. He headed back to his grandmother’s so he could borrow her owl and hoped that Katheryn wouldn’t have too difficult of a time explaining why she was getting a letter from an owl. “Make sure she’s alone when you give this to her” he told the bird before realizing that the bird probably wouldn’t understand him. As it soared off, Sebastian wished that he had thought of this earlier. Then, he could have sent the letter the muggle way.

Spoiler: Letter

Katheryn,

How’ve you been? I know I’ve been out of touch for a bit while, but I’ve been spending a lot of time thinking about what I want to do with my music, helping my Nana out, and wondering about us. Yes, I have been thinking about us…a lot. I still haven’t come to conclusions about anything other than that my Nana is finally retiring from potions making. I don’t think I’ll ever come to any conclusions about us on my own though. It’s taken me a while, but I’m finally realizing that. Whatever is going to happen, I think we need to work it out together, Katheryn. I guess this is my roundabout way of asking you if you wanted to hang out sometime. I was at Jill’s a couple of weeks and I thought I’d see you there, but I guess you were busy with some press. That’s what Jill told me anyway. I saw you on a magazine cover earlier today and it reminded me about the movie you’re filming. Do you still need a date to the premiere? If you do, my calendar is still free.

Hope all is well in Tinseltown (that’s what they call it, right?)

Sebastian

 

[Katheryn Kingsley]

Katheryn was startled when she saw and heard the owl tapping on her window. She frowned slightly as the owl really looked out of place in New York City. She didn't receive many owls as her family knew to call her on her telephone. She didn't want her neighbors to notice the oddity. The redhead opened the window and allowed the owl to drop the letter before it settled on a chair in the room, obviously waiting for a reply. Her blue eyes grew wide with shock as recognized the writing on the outside. Sebastian. Kat hadn't heard from him since he had told her to take the movie role which she had in fact done. She would be appearing on a talk show tomorrow in the city to promote her movie. She had been doing a lot of press lately. When she hadn't been working, Katheryn had been with her sister and the children. There was still no word of James, and Kat felt as if the worst had happened to him. Not that she dared say that to Kiera or the twins. Any day now, Kiera was set to give birth to the baby. It was horrible that James wouldn't be there for it, so the rest of the Kingsleys were on call. They wouldn't let Kiera go through that completely alone.

Katheryn's slender hand reached down to pick up the letter to read. Her blue eyes scanned the letter once, then twice. She wasn't sure what to make of it. Kat hadn't heard from Bas in months and months. She was almost certain he had been avoiding her, not that she had been trying to see him. Katheryn sighed. She knew he was right. They definitely needed to talk and work things out, but it wouldn't be easy. The months that she had spent away from Sebastian had made one thing very clear to her. She really did have feelings for Sebastian. Ones that she couldn't seem to get to go away. She had missed him more than she cared to admit. Of course, Kat had no intention of mentioning any of this. She would rather spend time with him as just a friend than not at all. The actress wrote a quick note to Bas inviting him over the day after tomorrow before sending it back with the owl. She watched it leave before reading through his note another time.

Spoiler: Letter

Bas,
I am doing alright. My sister isn't though, so I've been spending a lot of time in New Zealand with her. I was out of town for two months for the filming of the movie. Now, I'm traveling doing press, just like Jill told you. It's good to know that your grandmother is doing better. I agree that we do need to talk. Would you like to come over day after tomorrow? We could go grab coffee and talk or something.

I do still need a date to the premiere next month if you are still interested.

See you tomorrow (I hope),
Katheryn

 

[Sebastian Rossi]

Katheryn’s note still lay on Sebastian’s bedside table. He had heard a tapping on his window just after he’d turned off the light to turn in for the night. He’d ignored it for a moment, but the persistence of the noise had finally caused him to get out of bed to find its source. A smile had crossed his face as he recognized his grandmother’s owl. How the bird had returned so quickly was beyond him, but he was glad that it had. As soon as he had the letter in his hand, the bird had flown away, likely afraid that it would have to make that long trip once more. Sebastian had gone back to bed, turning on the small lamp beside his bed as he gazed down at his name scrawled on the outside of the parchment. Opening it with shaking fingers, Sebastian began to read the letters contents. When he finished, he turned the parchment over, expecting to see more. The letter was painfully short, but as Bas reminded himself, he had no right to expect anything more. The man mused over what was there. Katheryn still seemed to want him as a date to her premiere. That was something, right? Sebastian hoped so. Putting the letter down, the musician shut off his light and settled in for the night.

Waking up the next day, the man quickly calculated the hours and realized he had some time before he would need to apparate to New York. He headed to his job at the Potions shop to pick up his paycheck and then spent the rest of his morning running a few errands. By the time he returned home, Sebastian had only enough time to shower and change. He quickly dressed in a plain blue t-shirt and a pair of jeans before grabbing a pair of sunglasses as he remembered that it was summertime in New York and likely to be hot and sunny outside. Grabbing the letter, Sebastian quickly scanned it to read over where Katheryn had said they should meet. He realized that she hadn’t. Bas allowed a moment of panic before he remembered that there were other, quicker methods of getting in touch with his friend. Rummaging through an old bag that he’d used back when he’d been traveling, Sebastian’s green eyes lit up when he felt a familiar rectangular shaped object. He pulled it out and checked it, pleased to discover that it had some juice left. Sebastian slowly typed out a message to Katheryn to tell her that he’d meet her at the diner that was just down the block from her house in just a few minutes. Her number was in this phone and he could only hope that she had his number in hers. Stepping out of his apartment, Bas waved hello to a neighbor before apparating away. It was good to not have to hide his wizard side from his neighbors.

Landing in the middle of Central Park was a different story, but Sebastian was glad that only a couple of now-frazzled squirrels had witnessed his landing. With his phone still in hand, Sebastian headed in what he hoped was the right direction. He knew that apparating a little more would likely be helpful, but he also knew it would be super risky. Not wanting to risk trouble for messing with the secrecy statute, Sebastian continued to walk. Katheryn didn’t live too far from the park, so when he exited, he was already at the diner he’d mentioned. "It'll be two" Bas stated before following a waitress to an empty booth. "At least I hope so..." he muttered as she left. Bas gazed out the window, hoping that Katheryn wouldn’t change her mind about coming. He felt like a lot was riding on this ‘talk.’ Shifting in his seat, Sebastian forced himself to take a deep breath and calm down, but it was impossible to do when every sound of the door’s bell sent his heart drumming.

 

[Katheryn Kingsley]

Katheryn Kingsley had arisen with the dawn as was her custom. Instead of her daily run, she had gone to a daytime talk show to be the special guest. It was just another promotion deal that they needed her to do with her co-star who was much more well-known than herself. Katheryn had actually found the talk show to be quite a bit of fun. They had told several anecdotes that had been entertaining and funny. When the hosts had found out Katheryn's musical talents, they had insisted that she sing. Katheryn had performed one of the songs she had sung in Wicked, receiving lots of applause. Katheryn had always been a little on the shy side, but you wouldn't know it. She had really come into her own since leaving Hogwarts as she transformed on stage. The whole affair had really taken her mind off of Sebastian. She had been too busy to stress out over their meeting that was sure to be awkward and uncomfortable, no matter how desperately she wished it would not be.

That abruptly wore off as Katheryn felt her phone buzz in her pocket. The redhead was gathering her things out of the dressing room, preparing to go home. She pulled it out to see a message from Sebastian. Katheryn felt her heart beat quicken just at the sight of that name. It was only after reading his message asking to meet at the diner near her apartment that she realized that she had not told him a time or place in her letter. Katheryn couldn't help but feel pleased that Bas had come to see her anyways. Kat quickly texted him back that she would be back soon. Even though she had no right to be, Kat was looking forward to seeing Bas, to being near him once more. She couldn't help it. The redhead picked up the rest of her stuff before apparating back to her apartment as the diner was only around the corner. Kat hurried to her bedroom, kicking off the uncomfortable boots that she still felt made her look like a street walker. The producer had insisted she wear them. He had also insisted on a red top that had a slit down the front of it. It was clear that he thought the more seductive she looked, the more people would show up at the movie. Kat traded the boots for a comfortable pair of sandals. It was very warm and sunny outside today.

The slender young woman grabbed her purse once more before heading down to the lobby of her apartment building. She waved to the doorman as she walked out onto the street. It didn't take Katheryn long to arrive at the diner. She entered, hearing the bell chime as she did so. Katheryn smiled at the hostess. "Um yes. Hello. I'm meeting someone here. A guy, handsome, green eyes.." she said, her voice drifting off. The hostess nodded and led her to a booth where someone was already sitting. Katheryn smiled at Bas, feeling her heart tighten with desire. She settled with a quick kiss on his cheek before sitting down across from him. It was a friendly, familiar gesture that she had often greeted him with before. Kat hoped it didn't make him feel uncomfortable now. "Hey, Bas." she said with a smile. "It's good to see you." she said, meaning her words. He looked really well, maybe even more handsome than when she had last seen him. Or maybe it was just that her attraction to him was growing. Katheryn was sure she looked different to him as her autumn red hair was straight today instead of curly like she usually wore it. She looked at him with her blue eyes, intent on what he wanted to discuss with her. She would allow him to bring it up since he had asked to meet her to talk. Katheryn wanted him to get it over with sooner rather than later. She hated the fact that they hadn't seen each other in so long. She was willing to bury her feelings for him as long as it meant she got to have him in her life. The alternative was unthinkable.

 

[Sebastian Rossi]

Bas knew almost as soon as Katheryn walked in. His head turned towards the door, not only because of the chime but also because of the sudden palpable energy that seemed to permeate the diner. Other people seemed to notice it to as Bas saw more than a few heads turn as Katheryn conversed with the waitress for a moment. Then, he realized why they were probably looking. It was either because they recognized her or found her attractive, likely both. Sebastian couldn’t deny that, today, Katheryn looked like a star. Her hair was different and her outfit wasn’t one he would have expected her to wear, but she looked amazing, even in her flat sandals. Sebastian watched silently as Katheryn drifted nearer to the table, on the heels of the waitress who had seated him just moments before. If Bas thought that the weird energy would disappear once she arrived at the table, he was sorely mistaken. Bas returned the smile, glad that things seemed to be sort of normal. She didn’t seem to notice the weird energy, or if she did, she wasn’t making any comments about it. The waitress was smart enough to give them a few moments, leaving two menus silently on the table as she took her leave.

“You too” he said after a beat. “You look great, Katheryn” he breathed, his green eyes staying on her face for a moment before he looked down and busied himself grabbing a menu. Sebastian didn’t bother to open it, wondering if they would actually stay to eat something. When he looked up again, Sebastian saw that Katheryn was looking at him intently, waiting for him to speak. It seemed that she was waiting for him to get to the point. Sebastian couldn’t help but be disappointed in her eagerness to get this talk over with. He was afraid, but he wasn’t sure what he was afraid of – that she would disagree with him or that she wouldn’t. Glancing down at his menu, Bas fidgeted with it for a moment. He knew that he should just get things out in the open. “Has your sister had her baby yet? That’s how I saw you the other day. The two of you were on a magazine cover and it said something about her being due soon” he stated, trying to delay the inevitable, with a hint of a smile as he looked up again. Family was always a safe conversation, right? And everyone liked talking about babies. Bas figured that anyway and he was searching for any opportunity to stall and attempt to gather his thoughts more.

“Thanks for agreeing to meet up. I’ve missed seeing you” Sebastian admitted. He hoped that it wouldn’t come as a huge surprise to her. They had become closer and closer over the past few years. The man knew that it was his own fault that he was missing Katheryn. Had he not been such a coward, he likely would have run into her ages ago and prevented the ever-present awkwardness that seemed to fill the booth. Shifting his feet, Sebastian’s sneakered foot hit against Katheryn’s. “Sorry” he stammered, not wanting to step on her foot.

 

[Katheryn Kingsley]

Kat picked up the menu on the table that the waitress had laid in front of her. She had been here too many times to count, and if she recalled correctly, they had even been here a few times together. It was a great place that stayed open all hours of the night. They had the best burgers in the world. Katheryn really only fooled with the menu at all to busy her hands. The upcoming conversation made her anxious. A part of her worried that Bas had called her here to say he didn't wish to see her anymore, but that couldn't be true as he had still offered to go to her premiere. Kat wasn't sure what Sebastian was up to, only that he wanted to talk through it with her. The redhead blushed slightly as Bas complimented her appearance today. Her baby blues darted up to meet his eyes. "Thank you." she said with a soft smile. "You know, you don't look too bad yourself." Kat said, grinning and half teasing him. She was trying to convince him that things could go back to the way they had once been. That she wouldn't try to kiss him again. Even if that was what she wanted to do at that precise moment.

At the mention of Katheryn's sister, Kat frowned. She hadn't realized that she had made it on to a magazine in the wizarding world, but it was one of the hazards of having Kiera Potter as a sister. Katheryn shook her head at his question. "No, but it should be any day now. I worry about her going into labor without anyone around. I know Cameron tries to go by every day at check on her, but he has his own pregnant wife to worry about." Katheryn smiled. Her sister-in-law, Cyndi, was also pregnant with their second child. Katheryn couldn't be happier for them as she loved all her nephews and nieces. She just wished she saw them more frequently. "Kiera's supposed to call me as soon as she starts to St. Mungo's. I just keep hoping that we will find James before then. Kiera's miserable and lonely and it isn't fair to her or the kids. I just can't imagine what happened to James. He would never abandon them, but there's been not a trace." she said, shaking her head. She knew Bas didn't come here to talk about all of her family drama. "Anyways, I think Kiera's decided to name the baby, Jemma James, after James. I think it's a cute name." she said with a smile. She knew her niece would be just as adorable as the twins and Noah.

Katheryn pursed her lips as Sebastian said he had missed seeing her. "I sort of got the impression that you were avoiding me." she said, a bit accusingly. It was something that one of their friends had implied one day. "I'm glad you asked me here because I really do miss you, Bas. I don't like going this long without seeing you." she said, frowning her displeasure. Katheryn winced slightly as Bas' foot hit hers. There was an awkward tension all around them. "Bas, why did you want to talk to me?" she said, trying to get straight to the point.

 

[Sebastian Rossi]

Sebastian ducked his head as Katheryn complimented him. It filled him with hope that perhaps, just maybe, they actually could get back to a good place. He would enjoy it for the moment, especially since he assumed that what he had to say would ruin it. Sebastian was an optimistic person most of the time, but when it came to relationships, he often assumed the worst. It was a bad trait that he hadn’t yet managed to overcome. As the conversation was shifted to Katheryn, Sebastian listened, upset with himself for letting Katheryn go through so much alone. He wasn’t entirely sure what she was talking about in regards to her brother-in-law, but it didn’t sound good at all. And, poor Katheryn seemed to be shouldering a lot. Surely, she didn’t need any additional problems, not with her upcoming movie premiere. “Wow…I had no idea, Kat” Sebastian stated with a shake of his head. He frowned as she continued on. It sounded like something the Aurors would be involved in, and the fact that even they hadn’t found a trace of the man was not a good thing at all. He nodded his head, a faint smile coming across his lips. “It is a cute name” he agreed.

The smile quickly left the man’s face as the conversation turned. As he had expected, Katheryn had noticed that he was avoiding her. He was about to speak up and admit as much when she continued on. Listening to her, Sebastian realized that the conversation was not going how he wanted it to at all. He didn’t want Katheryn to be upset with him, but it seemed to be unavoidable. He’d made a big mistake by staying away and making the choice to avoid her. As she directly asked him why he had asked her to meet, Sebastian let out a sigh. He was grateful that the waitress chose that very moment to return to the table with glasses of water for them. Taking a sip as she walked away, Sebastian looked up, directly into Katheryn’s blue eyes. ” I don’t like going this long without seeing you either.” It was true. He had grown used to seeing her and knew that he would do whatever it took to keep her in his life, somehow, someway. “I know that we can't go on pretending that the kiss never happened. It did happen. What I didn’t expect was that I’d…um…like it” he trailed off, a blush crossing his cheeks. He hadn’t come expecting to admit that to Katheryn, but it was too late to take it back now. Clearing his throat, the musician continued. “ I thought that if I stayed away from you for a while, it would be easier to act like things were normal when we actually did see each other again” he admitted, an embarrassed expression on his face. His eyes dropped back down to the menu in his hand, but he wasn’t focusing on the words written there or even looking at the pictures. His mind was too busy trying to figure out what to say next. “ But, then I realized that if I kept staying away from you, you were probably going to realize I was avoiding you and think it was because you did something wrong. And please don’t apologize again, Kat. We kissed and it was a good kiss. You did nothing wrong.” Sebastian was much more forceful than he probably would have normally been, but he wanted to stop her from apologizing again. It made him feel bad every time she did so.

Remaining silent for a moment, Sebastian didn’t know how to say what he wanted to say without just going for it. After a moment of silent contemplation, he continued, his voice dropping so that no one in the nearby booths could overhear what they were saying. “Kat, I have a bad track record with dating friends. I don't want, no, I can’t lose you as a friend, but I don't know if I'm ready to be your boyfriend too.” Sebastian knew that he couldn’t say that he’d never date Katheryn. She was beautiful, smart, and accomplished and he knew that he’d be lucky to date her. It wasn’t her who was the problem in this equation at all. Sebastian placed that blame squarely on his own shoulders. He had too much history, all of it bad, with dating close friends. And, now that Katheryn was getting really famous in the muggle world, he knew that she’d be better off with some muggle actor. “So, that’s what I wanted to tell you and I needed to tell you in person because I owe you that” he finished with a half shrug, his eyes drifting away again. “I’d still really like to go with you to the premiere, but if you’d rather we didn’t go together, I’ll understand” he said, a hint of sadness in his voice. He tried to cover it up by making a joke. “I just can’t guarantee that your date will make it through the night. He might develop a case of vomiting slugs” Sebastian let out a dark chuckle at the thought.

 

[Katheryn Kingsley]

The waitress came over at that moment, interrupting their conversation. The twenty seven year old woman wasn't sure that she even wanted to hear what he had to say. She was worried about the direction that this was going to go, but she knew that she would probably feel better when everything was out in the open. They had spent too much time avoiding each other, and Katheryn really didn't want that to happen. She didn't want to lose Sebastian from her life. She had grown accustom to seeing him on a regular basis. Kat thought she saw a flash of relief in Sebastian's green eyes as he was momentarily off the hook so to speak. The slender girl ran a hand through her red locks as the waitress sat the glasses on the table. "Thank you. Give us a moment, please." she said politely to the woman before she turned and walked away. Katheryn was getting hungry, but she didn't know if they would be here long enough to eat. She had no idea what Sebastian wanted to say to her.

"I don't want to go without seeing you either, Bas." The redhead reassured her friend as he spoke to her. Katheryn's blue eyes widened in shock. She didn't know what she had been expecting him to say, but it certainly wasn't that he enjoyed their kiss. Kat had spent the last few months imagining that he had been complete disgusted by her out-of-nowhere kiss. The blush on Sebastian's face proved that he was telling the truth. Only, she didn't understand why this fact was upsetting to him. Kat had enjoyed the kiss, and it had made her want to kiss him again. Katheryn understood why he had stayed away for she had the same thoughts. But they had been wrong. It wasn't any easier to sit here across from him than it was to talk to him in the kitchen the morning after she had kissed him. Katheryn opened her mouth to argue with him before shutting it once more as he told her not to apologize which she wouldn't do.

As Sebastian stopped talking, Katheryn felt confused and conflicted. She was surprised that he would make that leap from friends to boyfriend in his head without even knowing how she felt about him in return. She understood how his was feeling because she had been battling with similar feelings ever since she last saw him. The difference now was that she knew he had some sort of feelings about her if he was thinking about dating her. Katheryn waited patiently until he finished talking, not really understanding his joke at the end. She knew the bit about vomiting slugs was a jinx, but she couldn't remember which one that was. Her magical knowledge had gotten a little slack since she left school. "Didn't you ever pause to think about how I feel?" she asked, looking him straight in the eye. She needed to get this out now as long as they were being honest. This might be the only chance she had to tell him how she felt. "I have spent more time thinking about you and that kiss than I probably should have. You are my friend, and I don't want to lose you either." she told him, pausing to gather her courage before continuing. "Bas, I like you. I do. It's really hard for me to think of you as just a friend after that kiss, but I was willing to do that when I thought you didn't care for it. I know you have had some bad relationships, and so have I. I will accept it if you don't want to date me, but I didn't want you to make that decision without knowing that I have feelings for you." Katheryn said, not having the slightest clue how he would take this news. "Of course I still want you as my date, Bas. I will always want you around." she told him with a smile.

 

[Sebastian Rossi]

Once Sebastian had gotten going, it had been difficult for him to stop. He eventually came to an end and quickly took a sip and then another of the water that they’d been given. It had looked as if Katheryn might have stopped him a time or two, but in the end she hadn’t. Sebastian was pretty grateful for that. Now that he was done, he felt slightly better. For a second, he felt lighter as if the weight of his guilt had suddenly floated away. As the two sat in silence, Sebastian could feel the load pressing down once more. He looked at the redhead, wishing that she’d say something. But when she finally did speak, Sebastian began to reconsider his wish. The musician looked down even though he knew that she’d get her answer from that one gesture. Her question was a valid one, but Sebastian had no reply. The truth was that he hadn’t stopped to think about how she felt. Not right away anyway. After the kiss, Sebastian had been in a rush to put distance between them because he needed it. When he’d stayed away, it was because he was afraid to see Katheryn. It wasn’t until fairly recently that he had actually considered Katheryn’s point of view, and that was when he realized that avoiding her was silly. Still, Sebastian couldn’t help but feel embarrassed at how long it had taken him to think not just about his own feelings. He gave a swift shake of his head, acknowledging the painful truth that he had waited too long to acknowledge his friend’s feelings. He could only hope that it wasn’t too late.

As she continued, Sebastian looked back up at Katheryn’s blue eyes for a second. After a moment, he looked down, just because it was easier to listen that way. His hands fidgeted with the menu that he’d laid on the table. It wasn’t surprising for him to hear that Katheryn had been wrestling with similar feelings. He didn’t know what she wanted from him though. After the kiss, he had begun to suspect that perhaps Katheryn’s feelings for him had morphed into something more than just about friendship. It had been easier for him to not know for sure though. Now, he knew for sure. Sebastian wasn’t sure that admitting to having enjoyed the kiss had been a good thing. He was pretty sure that it would confuse the situation even more, which was not something he wanted or needed. Sebastian had always found Katheryn to be an attractive, intelligent, friendly woman. And she was easily one of the better friends that he had. He knew that if he needed advice or a swift kick in the ass, Katheryn was always one of the first people that he contacted. But, did knowing that she liked him as more than a friend change Bas’s opinion about dating her? Sebastian looked back up as Katheryn informed him that she still wanted him to go with her to the movie premiere. His green eyes met her blue eyes, taking in the smile on her face. She was still all of those qualities that he saw in her. Knowing her feelings for him changed none of those things. He knew that any sane guy would likely have leapt across the table and pulled her to her feet in a heart-stopping kiss. With a sigh, Sebastian accepted that he had taken several steps closer to insanity as he spoke. “I’m glad you still want me to go with you, and I’m sorry that it has taken us this long to get things out in the open” Sebastian replied with an embarrassed sort of grin on his face.

The musician knew that Katheryn deserved a better response, a definite yes or no. He knew that it wasn’t fair of him to leave her with possibilities that could end in disappointment for both of them. But, he didn’t have a good response for her right now. “I wish I could just give you a straight yes or no answer right now. Believe me, I do. I…I just need some more time to think about things. Sorry…” Sebastian finished lamely as he mentally berated himself. The boy stared over her shoulder to the door where a couple was making their way inside. They looked happily involved with each other, only marginally paying attention to the hostess as she tried to seat them. Sebastian watched them until they’d slid into their seats before he focused his attention back on Katheryn once more. Sebastian didn't know whether that was the future for him or Katheryn or not. He couldn't think that far ahead and knew that he shouldn't. He usually got in his own way when he tried to think too far ahead. This conversation was a sign of that. Sometimes, he knew it was better to live in the moment and let things happen as they should. Putting that into practice would be a task for Sebastian. If he and Katheryn were meant to be in a relationship, he had the feeling that it was going to happen. He knew that sometimes magical forces, different from the ones that they had grown up around, were at work. “So what should I be wearing to this premiere? I’m figuring jeans and a t-shirt aren’t going to cut it” he added, a smirk crossing his face.

 

[Katheryn Kingsley]

It might seem like this confession was easy for Katheryn, but it was anything but easy. Sebastian might not even realize how much courage she had to muster to confess her private feelings. Sebastian was one of the few people that actually got to hear Katheryn's private thoughts as she was careful about who she trusted. She was always kind, sincere, and friendly. However, her deeper thoughts and feelings were reserved for those closest to her. Still, Kat had never shared any of her romantic feelings with Bas. It just wasn't the way that she had been raised. Her father had taught her how a man should treat a woman. Katheryn wanted a man who understood her. One that knew her and accepted her despite her many short comings. Bas was all of those things and more. He was funny, attractive, talented, clever, and honest. Over the past few months, Kat had been considering these things, and she had thought that Sebastian might be what she had been looking for. Now, she wasn't so sure. He wouldn't even look at her as she spoke making her feel like she should stop talking. Katheryn would absolutely not chase after Sebastian Rossi. Yet, there is was. All of her cards were on the table, and Kat wished she could pull them all back because it didn't change anything. It only made her feel embarrassed.

As Sebastian spoke about getting things out in the open, Katheryn attempted a smile. At least it made him feel better about the situation. She had to agree that it was nice not to be avoiding him anymore. Katheryn took a sip of her water to give her something to do other than look into those beautiful green eyes. She listened, not sure what to say. The more he talked, the more she felt rejected despite the fact that he said that he couldn't give her an answer. She sighed and shook her head. "It's fine. Forget I mentioned it. Really. I won't again." she promised. Katheryn didn't want to cause any more tension or awkwardness in their relationship. She meant what she said. She wouldn't bring it up to him again. He knew how she felt, take it or leave it, it was his choice. Katheryn was not one to use pressure or force on another person. Even though she knew that she probably still have feelings for him, she was determined never to act on them again. Things needed to go back to the way that had been once if they were not going to be moving forward. The red head didn't particularly like where they were right now. After all, Katheryn was an excellent actress. Her blue eyes met green as he asked about what to wear. Katheryn grinned and shook her head. "No. Jeans and a t-shirt won't cut it." she said, shaking her head. "I'm going to be wearing an evening gown, so preferably, wear a tux." she instructed him. He should know what a tux was since he was raised by a muggle mother.

Katheryn glanced at the clock on the wall. Tonight, she had plans to flight out to the west coast. She would be doing another appearance on a show in the morning and to spend time with her father. Apparating would be much more effective, but the airline ticket had been bought and paid for by the movie company. She could hardly say no and come up with a logical reason. She had intended to spend more time with Bas, but plans changed. The redhead needed time to get over this and try to move on. She just wanted to be alone. Not that she would be telling him that. "So, the premiere will be in Los Anglos two weeks from tomorrow. You can meet me at my father's house. It's a little bit away, but it's safe to apparate there." she said, taking out a pen and piece of paper. She scribbled down the address and handed it over to him. "We can go from there to the premiere. I think that you will like the movie. The storyline was good, and I don't think the acting was half bad." she joked. "Anyways, I need to go back and pack. I'm heading out again tonight." she half lied. Katheryn had repacked her bag last night, not to mention she had tons of clothes at her father's house. It was an excuse for her to leave the diner. She didn't know if he would see through it or not. The slender girl stood up, not paying any attention to the people around them. "It was good to see you." she said, leaning down to kiss him on the cheek, an attempt to retain normalcy. "I will see you in two weeks. Don't be late." the actress said with a grin. The grin vanished as she turned and started for the door.

 

[Sebastian Rossi]

Sebastian knew that Katheryn had probably come to the diner hoping for a different outcome. It pained him to not be able to give her the outcome that he had a feeling she desired. He knew that he had to be honest with her, and himself, and the truth was that he wasn’t ready for anything more than their continued friendship at the moment. He knew that what she was saying was the truth, that she wouldn’t mention it again. It made him neither happy nor sad to hear. Sebastian simply nodded his head. He knew that he would be heading home to France with a head full of words that he should have spoken, but for the moment, he was content to remain silent. As Katheryn began to speak about what he should wear, a mock frown crossed the man’s face. He usually wore a t-shirt and jeans, but he knew that the event likely called for something more fancy. “Oooook. I guess I can wear a tux…wait? A penguin suit? Hmm…” he responded, eyes wide, as he realized what she’d said. He couldn’t even remember the last time he’d worn one. It hadn’t been any time recently. That he was sure of. Thinking on it some more, Sebastian was pretty sure he’d only worn a tuxedo one time, back when he was about seven or eight and he’d gone with his mother to a friend’s wedding. Sebastian had no intentions of embarrassing his friend on her big night, so he knew that he’d be going tux shopping soon.

As Katheryn continued discussing the plans, Sebastian realized that he’d have to get his tuxedo this week. He’d been to Los Angeles a couple of times, so he was familiar with the address that she had written down for him. He knew the general area anyway, and since he could apparate there, he was sure that he would be fine. He nodded to show that he’d understood. Katheryn continued to talk, not giving Sebastian an opportunity to get in a word edge-wise. He was only able to nod to show that he was following. As she mentioned that she had was going to be heading out, Sebastian wondered if that might be why. Or she could just want to be away from you , he thought to himself as she stood up to leave. “It was good to see you too” he murmured as she kissed him on the cheek. She was gone before he could say anymore. Sebastian stared after her a moment before practically vaulting out of his seat. He maneuvered his way around a waiter and reached Katheryn just as she reached the door. Pushing it open for her, Sebastian waited for her to exit before he did. “Two weeks then” Sebastian smiled as he stood just outside the door. “Safe travels, Katheryn.” With a wave, the man turned to head to one of the floo networks in the city. He wasn’t confident in his ability to focus enough to apparate safely at the moment. His mind was just too full of thoughts. Glancing back once, Sebastian watched as Katheryn turned a corner. The pit in his stomach seemed to grow as she disappeared from sight. With a sigh, Sebastian stuffed his hands in his pockets and continued on.

End​

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