As Kirke withdrew from the room, Sebastian fiddled with his healer's kit, tapping his wand here and there as bottles and supplies flew out of it: rags, towels, potions and more. But he should have seen this talk coming. Hell, he'd been told it countless times by patients who came in pairs - If something happens to me, you must choose them. It wasn't something he was unfamiliar with but it was different when it was family, when it was someone who you loved. Thank Merlin he'd been rooting around in his healer's bag when she issued the warning that he might not like what was coming next. It only gave him a fraction of time to adjust his grip on the potion bottle in his hand, else he would have dropped it, despite having ample time as he gave her room to respond between her contractions.
His grip tightened on the bottle as he met her eyes and heard her wish. His throat immediately closed and he had to force himself to not tear up — the fact of the matter was, with life there was always a risk of death, no matter how positively one could gamble, and Sebastian would have given up all he had to make sure her words would not come true.
But any amount of emotion that had risen in his chest, made his heart thud even louder in his ears, had to be ignored. He had disappointed her once before with his reaction and he wouldn't make the same mistake again. Even so, the circumstances were different, and — though he'd just reminded himself to never make promises — "I promise." He said, his voice steady as he nodded to let her know he understood her request.
And for a split second, he let the desperation building in his chest go as he grasped Elsie's hand with his free one, dipping forward to press a kiss onto her forehead. "I promise. I won't need to follow through with it, because you're strong, and Tybalt will be here to help too, and we're not going to let anything happen to you or the babe." As he drew away, he smiled at her before letting the calm facade settle over him once again.
His grip tightened on the bottle as he met her eyes and heard her wish. His throat immediately closed and he had to force himself to not tear up — the fact of the matter was, with life there was always a risk of death, no matter how positively one could gamble, and Sebastian would have given up all he had to make sure her words would not come true.
But any amount of emotion that had risen in his chest, made his heart thud even louder in his ears, had to be ignored. He had disappointed her once before with his reaction and he wouldn't make the same mistake again. Even so, the circumstances were different, and — though he'd just reminded himself to never make promises — "I promise." He said, his voice steady as he nodded to let her know he understood her request.
And for a split second, he let the desperation building in his chest go as he grasped Elsie's hand with his free one, dipping forward to press a kiss onto her forehead. "I promise. I won't need to follow through with it, because you're strong, and Tybalt will be here to help too, and we're not going to let anything happen to you or the babe." As he drew away, he smiled at her before letting the calm facade settle over him once again.