SEBASTIAN SMYTHE

Sebastian: Someone has to represent the bad guys. How else do you make money as a lawyer? And that’s a real challenge too - disproving the truth.

↳ CHARACTER AESTHETICS: SEBASTIAN EMMETT SMYTHE ( @smytheactually )

Oh, why’d you have to be so cute? It’s impossible to ignore you, ah Why must you make me laugh so much? It’s bad enough we get along so well Just say goodnight and go

QUINN

The entire day went by in a blur. Apparently the men who manhandled her and her mother were thieves who tried to get their hands on the Empress’ tiara. As soon as the ship docked, Quinn and her parents went to the hospital to get her neck looked at, though the real reason she agreed to go was because she knew Sebastian was going to be there. As soon as her cut was stitched up and patched up and she made her statement to the police, Quinn made her way over to the waiting room.

Still dressed in a pair of jeans and a sweater from the night before, she fixed her hair and covered her neck as much as she could before taking the seat next to Blaine and offering him a cup of coffee she brought for him. With no word on how he was doing or when they would be able to see him, Quinn decided she was just going to wait. She got a few hours of sleep, as much as she possibly could on the chair in the waiting room, and her mom was sweet enough to bring her a change of clothes as well as some food for her, Blaine, and Sebastian’s parents. By the time the sun set on Sunday night, Quinn had a knot in the pit of her stomach as she thought about the worst possible scenarios. But she continued to wait, she didn’t care how long it took for him to come to.

Quinn had just pulled herself from another small nap when she noticed his parents coming out of the room. It was still dark out and Blaine was still next to her. Relief washed over her entire body at the notion that he was finally awake and asking for them and she stood up immediately, fixed her appearance, and followed after Blaine. She wanted to see Sebastian, but was also a little scared about what she might find on the other side of the door. She knew her best friend well enough to know who he wanted to see first, so she hung back, not wanting to interfere with what was sure to be a very intimate moment.

BLAINE

Blaine hated hospitals.

Hated the smell. Hated the echoes of footsteps as doctors and nurses shuffled between rooms. Hated the way they would lower down their voices when they had to say ‘there’s nothing more we can do’ to those who were waiting outside. He hated the false pretense of calm and hope. Hated that the televisions were always muted; he couldn’t even get himself distracted even if he wanted to.

But most of all, he hated it because it reminded him of his own assault. He was no longer a teenager, but the shadow of memories and pain still lingered on even after all these years.

He blinked tiredly at his wristwatch. It read 3:45 AM. It had been more than 24 hours since he had last seen Sebastian’s face, and it took everything Blaine had in him to not cry right there and then at the thought of that. If he had known things would turn out this way, he wouldn’t have left his side. He wouldn’t have just left him with a “don’t take too long” as his final words. But that’s the thing about life – things hardly turned out the way people expected them to be. People always thought that they had more time, but did they really?

The only consolation he had, the only source of comfort he was desperately grasping onto, was the fact that Sebastian knew that Blaine loved him. He knew that if he had to go, at least he could leave knowing that he was truly loved in return.

Shaking his head, Blaine readjusted his mind as he looked over to where Quinn was sitting down and resting her head on the arm of the chair. They had hardly spoken to each other than the occasional ‘are you okay?’ and ‘do you want anything?’. Blaine didn’t trust himself with words right now, couldn’t, not when Sebastian was still unconscious.

This wasn’t about him. This was never about him. No matter how much he wanted to be by Sebastian’s side, taking his hand in his and holding onto it tightly. He couldn’t and he wouldn’t, not when his own feelings were incomparable to what Sebastian’s parents must be feeling inside. It must have been ten or twenty times worse to see their son completely motionless, not knowing what else they could have done to take away the pain, to protect their son from getting hurt in the first place.

A tear fell down his cheek and Blaine wiped it away quickly. It was then that the door opened and there stood Sebastian’s parents, informing them that Sebastian had finally woken up. Blaine was the first to stand up, but he hadn’t forgotten about Quinn. She never left the waiting room, despite the exhaustion that was etched across her face. And so when she deliberately hung back from seeing Sebastian, Blaine gently and carefully took her elbow, saying, “He almost lost the both of us. He’s going to want to see you too, Quinn.” Taking a breath, Blaine mustered up the only smile he had left and led her forward until they were both beside Sebastian’s bed.

Another short breath left Blaine’s mouth, before a small whimper escaped when he finally saw Sebastian’s face. The sight in front of him practically ripped Blaine’s heart out. Sebastian’s frame was swallowed in the white of the hospital blankets, skin tone almost matching. His chest was steadily rising and falling to the beep of the monitors he was hooked up. And all those tubes and wires…

His vision blurred as he rushed forward, half hugging Sebastian in that position before burying his face in his neck, feeling relieved but also still scared. This wasn’t fair, and he just wanted it all to disappear.

“Don’t you ever scare me like that again.” Blaine shook his head, his bottom lip trembling. He had never experienced such an intense pull, such an intense fear of losing another human being before. The idea of losing Sebastian forever twisted and clawed at his insides and he hugged him tighter, feeling the sting of unshed tears as they burned beneath his lids.

SEBASTIAN

As his parents left, the room fell silent, except for the monotone beep echoing against the walls every few seconds. He looked down at the IV in his hand, squeezing a gentle fist as he watched; it was just as numb as the rest of his body was. Even his brain felt a little numb and even black in some parts, and he hated trying to fill in the blanks. In some way it made him feel less than -- not only did he get shot, but he also couldn’t remember how. The only worse thing that could happen would be for him to...

His eyes rose to the door, meeting both Blaine and Quinn as they entered. Before he had time to process it, Blaine was on top of him and Sebastian’s eyes fell shut. He mimicked his boyfriend, nuzzling his head into Blaine’s neck, taking in his familiar and comforting scent. He couldn’t find the right words to greet him, not knowing whether it would be appropriate to greet him at all. Instead, he let himself go, letting his body say whatever it felt. 

MADISON

Madison was desperately yanking at Sebastian’s hand, her mind only focused on the word ‘RUN’. She was glad when she got Sebastian’s attention, though she felt a tiny bit of panic as the comfort of the man’s hand in hers was suddenly gone. Still, she focused, running as fast as she could, praying that Sebastian was still behind her and that they would be able to get away. She tried to glance back, but was afraid she’d trip, so she just kept running as fast as she could.

She couldn’t help the squeak that left her throat as Sebastian reached out and grabbed her, though easily let him guide her in front of him and to the right, around the corner. She wanted so badly to reach back and yank him in front of her, especially at what his reaction to freeze had been. It was then, however, that a deafening bang and Sebastian’s cry of pain broke her out of her run.

Stumbling, she stopped herself against the wall, turning and looking with wide eyes at Sebastian, who was laying on the ground in pain, blood blooming across his back. “Sebastian!” She cried out, seeing the fear and uncertainty on his face, and jumping once more into a ‘mother bear’ action. Reaching for the door nearest to her, she was beyond grateful that it easily opened.

Moving quickly, Madison grabbed Sebastian, tugging and pulling him into the room with her, and slamming the door shut. “No, no no,” She breathed out, “Seb, stay with me. Stay with me, okay? You have to stay with me.” She bit her lip, then glanced around in a panic, trying to figure out what she could use to put pressure against his wound. Deciding she didn’t want to try and leave his side, and not knowing what else to use in that second, she just took a deep breath and reached, ripping at the hem of her dress.

Wadding the fabric up, Madison shifted Sebastian a little, so that his head was in her lap, and so she could put pressure against the wound once she found it. She knew that it might hurt, but it had to happen, she had to put pressure on it, so that the bleeding would slow down until they could get it to stop. Holding it there with one hand, she used her other hand to fumble with her purse, glad that she hadn’t dropped it in their run. She managed to quickly type out a couple of texts, her hand starting to shake as she tried to focus.

She had to take care of Sebastian first, that was all that mattered. She had to get a hold of Blaine, and of anyone who could get to them, to get them help and get them to the medical wing. Once she was sure people knew and would come find them, she sat her phone down, focusing again on looking down at Sebastian and trying to make sure he was alright. “… Seb?” Her voice was soft, worried at seeing his eyes looking more distant, and then closing, “Sebastian!”

Her face crumbled as she saw his eyes closed, chin wobbling and sure that he’d just passed out on her. “Sebastian…” Her voice broke then, the reality of the situation finally sinking in completely, and the fact that she assumed he was passed out finally allowing her to break. She started to cry, hands shaking as she held onto her friend, letting out soft sobs and hiccups, tears rolling down her cheeks rapidly once she finally let go. She was crying hard and just trembling, tears dripping off of her chin onto Sebastian’s face, as she waited for someone to come find and save them.

SEBASTIAN

Sebastian looked over his shoulder as Madison turned back for him, unsure if the man in black was close behind. With any energy he could muster, he got to his feet with her help and moved into the closet before dropping himself once again to the floor. 

He was too panicked to speak, the searing pain in his shoulder overwhelming his body and his mind. Tears welled up in his eyes as he looked up at Madison, not knowing what else he could do. He could feel the blood -- his blood -- soaking through his jacket, and the wet, stickiness soon beginning to pool underneath him. When Madison moved him and then pushed against his wound he let out a sharp cry of pain, the feeling possibly just as bad as when it first happened.

Sebastian was in a complete state of shock; he couldn’t process what had just happened. One second he was walking Madison to her room, the next he had been shot, and now he was laying on the floor of a supply closet, bleeding out onto the floor. Bleeding out. He hadn’t thought about it before, but now, as he laid there, it was the only thing on his mind. If that was the end for him, he had missed out on so much. He had held back with Blaine for so long and for what? Two weeks after saying ‘I love you’ to have everything ripped from him? He would never get to say goodbye to Blaine or Quinn or his parents...

MADISON

“I know that I can,” Madison laughed out softly, “It’s just not something I’ve really thought of. Besides, it’s nice to go places with just friends and have fun with no expectations.” she shrugged, because to her it would always be that way, until she was forced to get married to someone. Then things would be different. At how much Sebastian smiled when she mentioned Blaine, she had to giggle and beam at him. She thought it was adorable how happy he seemed, and she was glad that the two had each other.

“You’re welcome,” She chirped out, “And it’s something not many get the privilege of, holding my hand and walking with me.” She was teasing, of course, grinning innocently at him as they moved down the hallway. “This boat is a lot nicer than I could have even imagine,” She spoke as they moved through the ship, “Confusing, but nice. Also, good drinks, I have to say that.” She was giggling more, when the lights suddenly went out and she blinked.

“Huh?” She glanced around and grabbed Sebastian’s hand again too, squeezing gently. “Yea,” She stated softly, “I’m good. And I can find it. Just follow me, okay?” She held onto his hand tightly, not letting go at all as she walked down the hallway, trying to remember in this dim lighting which way the room was. She was grateful for Sebastian being with her, a little nervous about being in the dark like this, but sure that they’d manage and then would be informed about what was going on to make this happen.

It was then that they turned a corner and she came to a stop next to Sebastian, at seeing what lay before them. Her eyes were huge, quickly taking the situation in and feeling her instincts kick in. The woman was laying there not moving, there was a man with a gun, and Sebastian… he was gripping onto her hand and frozen in place. So, Madison made the move.

“GO!” She hissed at him, grabbing at his hand and pulling at him, trying to drag him back around the corner as fast as humanly possible. They had to get out of there, it’s all she could think, they had to get out of there and get to safety. Freaking out could come later, processing could come later, safety had to be the first priority.

SEBASTIAN

Sebastian stood still, panic taking over his mind and body. It wasn’t until the man turned to him that he processed Madison tugging at his arm. Snapping back to reality, Sebastian dropped her hand and started to run, eyes moving from Madison to the hall in front of them, unwilling to look behind. He could hear footsteps after them, causing his heart to beat out of his chest. He couldn’t think of anything except to run, to get away from the danger chasing them, and even though they seemed to be getting further away, he knew he couldn’t stop running.

MADISON

“I… Don’t know. Maybe he just meant that he’d be tempted to talk to me more, if he met me again,” Madison stated with a shrug, “I mean, maybe he’s afraid he’d be more of a grump or something. I don’t know.” She smiled then at Sebastian and chuckled softly. “I’ll keep that in mind,” She hummed, “Maybe next time I’ll invite one of the guys I know from work or something. They’ll be my pretend dates, if I need them to.” She laughed softly, just giving Sebastian a grin, wondering why he thought she deserved a date.

“You did! I’m glad to hear that, I’m sure you and Blaine are having a wonderful time, right? You’re both super awesome, so I’m very excited for you two!” Madison beamed, bouncing a little at the thought. She’d seen enough posts and things that this had been something she’d actually clued into, and she was very happy for them. “Okay,” She stated, then nodded and added, “I was about to head back to my room, yes. I’ll totally let you walk me there, Seb.” She giggled, playfully holding her hand out to him.

SEBASTIAN

Sebastian rolled his eyes once again as Madison gave Hunter the benefit of the doubt, something he never deserved. “You can have a friend be a date, you know. I’ve done it before,” he explained. “Although real dates are a bit more fun.” He gave her a wink, although he knew his implication would go over her head. He didn’t mind though; if she didn’t care about being on the cruise by herself then why should he? 

He couldn’t help but smile upon hearing his boyfriend’s name; they had been together nearly 24/7 during their trip and this short time apart was already starting to make him miss him. “Thank you,” he grinned proudly at the compliment. He reached out and took the hand she offered, letting her lead the way. “Let me? What a privilege this is.” He couldn’t help but tease her - after all, she was such an easy target and she never took it too seriously.

Following next to her, hand in hand, Sebastian followed Madison onto the elevator and through the ship. The floors were maze-like and navigating wasn’t easy, but they finally had come to her floor. They were a few steps out of the elevator when suddenly everything turned black. The darkness had made Sebastian jump, and by the time his eyes adjusted, the hallway was lit with the dim shine from the emergency backup lights. “Are you okay?” he asked, reaching out for her hand once again. “That’s weird... Do you think you can still find your room like this?”

He followed her lead once again, letting her guide him around a corner. He had only taken a step or two before he stopped dead in his tracks as he took in the scene in front of them. There was a man dressed all in black, standing over a woman who’s body was limp and lifeless and covered in blood. It took him a moment to register what he was looking at, his eyes slowly moving from person to person until they landed on the gun in their hand, hung loosely at their side. 

If Sebastian thought her first eye roll was dramatic, the one she offered after his little quip about her smelling like alcohol was farcical. Quinn should have known that running into Sebastian during the cruise was unavoidable, she just hoped that she was less inebriated when it did happen. Sebastian was seeing her a little too drunk too often as of late and she was starting to feel as though he was judging her a little more each time. 

Quinn pulled herself up and sat up straight, swinging her legs over the edge of the chair so that she was seated next to Sebastian, ignoring the way her body wanted to lean into him. She mulled over his question for a moment before offering a small nod. “I’m fine.” It was a lie, one she knew her best friend would see through, but she was also nowhere near ready to talk about what was bothering her, not that she could even put it into words. “Just keeping myself busy while I avoid my parents,” she added with a shrug. “You shouldn’t be worrying about me anyways and you shouldn’t keep your boyfriend waiting.”

When Quinn moved to her new position, Sebastian turned toward her so he could see her face as straight on as possible. He had anticipated her lie but had expected it to be better, although with the amount of alcohol she had probably consumed, that might have been the best she could come up with. “No, you’re not,” he replied, reaching out to rest his hand on Quinn’s thigh. “If that were true we could have gotten drunk and avoided your parents together.” Despite having spent almost all of the cruise with Blaine, if he knew that Quinn was in such a bad place then he would have definitely made time to hang out with her. “Mitch Sinclair’s got blow too. That definitely would’ve been a distraction.” 

“He’s fine. You’re not,” he countered with a shake of his head. He knew Blaine wouldn’t mind if he took a pit stop to help out a friend. “ What’s wrong?” He didn’t want to start fishing, but if she wasn’t going to give it up, Sebastian had no other choice. “Is this about what your father’s doing? About what he asked me?” He didn’t get much from Quinn when he had told her he was declining his offer and wondered if she might be upset about that too. “C’mon, Quinn. Talk to me.”