Shadow of eternity and necklace of death

Alice hurried back into the hall, clutching the fruit basket like it was a treasure salvaged from disaster. Her face was still red from embarrassment, but she forced herself to straighten her posture and hold her head high.

Sebastian was sitting on a sleek, throne-like chair near the fireplace, casually swirling a glass of dark red wine in his hand. He looked up as Alice entered, his sharp gaze landing on the basket.

"Ah, the elusive fruit basket finally makes its grand appearance," he remarked, his tone laced with dry humor.

Alice forced a grin, walking up to him and presenting the basket with a dramatic flourish. "Here it is! Hand decorated, freshly prepared, and absolutely unforgettable—assuming, of course, you don't leave it behind in a carriage."

Sebastian chuckled softly, setting his wine glass down. "Good one, Alice."

She placed the basket on the table beside him, her nerves starting to settle until she noticed something. One of the ribbons on the basket was coming undone, and a small apple tumbled out.

"Oh no!" Alice lunged forward to stop it, but Sebastian was faster. With a flick of his hand, he caught the apple effortlessly before it hit the ground.

"Such energy," he said, inspecting the apple like it was a rare artifact. "One might think this fruit is enchanted."

Alice straightened, brushing her dress and trying to act composed. "Well, it's not enchanted, but it is fresh and delicious! I picked the best ones from the forest myself."

Sebastian leaned back in his chair, still holding the apple. "You picked them yourself? Quite the personal touch. Though I do wonder… were you planning to impress me, or were you simply hoping I'd take mercy on your mortal soul?"

Alice's mouth dropped open, and she waved her hands frantically. "What? No! I mean… yes? No! Wait! This was just a coincidence!"

Sebastian tilted his head, smirking. "Relax, Alice. I'm only teasing. Mostly." He took a bite of the apple, his teeth sinking into it with precision. After a moment, he nodded approvingly. "Not bad. You may yet survive this evening."

"Ehe, thanks," Alice muttered, crossing her arms. "You know, for a grim reaper, you're awfully sarcastic."

Sebastian raised a brow. "Would you prefer I be grim and menacing all the time? It tends to dampen your mood."

Alice sighed, realizing she was being baited again. "Fine, fine. Laugh it up. At least I didn't bring you a rotten basket.

Sebastian leaned back, his eyes glinting with a mixture of amusement and something more intense. "A rotten basket would have been an interesting twist to the evening, don't you think?" he said, the edge of his smile never quite fading. He picked up his wine glass and took a slow sip, His glass was almost empty, as if he was paying more attention to the wine than to Alice. his gaze lingering on Alice. "Though, I doubt you're the type to disappoint someone like me."

Alice's heart fluttered a little at the weight of his words. She had, of course, been invited here by him, a rare gesture from someone like Sebastian. It wasn't every day that a reaper extended such an offer.

"Maybe not," she replied, shifting in her seat and placing her hands on her lap to hide the nervous tremor. "But I can say I've exactly been..excited"

The corners of Sebastian's mouth twitched upward. "Hmmmm~. You should feel honored Because I invited you more than twice in the same year." He tilted his head slightly, studying her with a calculating look. "Though, I must wonder..Were you excited about the food or meeting me?"

Alice froze in place and blushed. She knew that he knew how much she loved food, but that wasn't the reason... She stammered as she tried to find the right words to say, "Because I can't refuse the offer of someone I've known for a long time like you?..um or-"

She opened her mouth, but the words caught in her throat. She couldn't tell him the truth not the part of her that was drawn to him more than she was willing to admit. Not the part of her that felt an inexplicable pull toward the enigma that was Sebastian.

"I… I guess I was just curious," she said after a pause, trying to keep her voice steady. "Yeah..that's it!" She laughed a nervous laugh as she avoided eye contact with Sebastian.

Sebastian watched her closely, his expression unreadable. "Curiosity," he repeated, as if savoring the word. "Such a dangerous thing, Alice. It can lead you to places you never expected...As it happened to you many times~"

His gaze softened for just a moment before he leaned forward, He was contemplating her innocent and slightly shy facial features.

Small straight nose, peach lips, Eyes with thick eyelashes and golden eyes..his second favorite color, And let's not forget her Chubby cheeks. He is still waiting for her answer.

Alice felt a heat rise in her cheeks. The truth was, she wasn't entirely sure what she expected anymore. She puffed out her cheeks and pouted her lips and frowned her eyebrows.

"I don't know," she admitted, the words slipping out before she could stop them. "Maybe… maybe I just wanted to meet you again..You may be dangerous but...you're the only person who makes my life less lonely."

Sebastian's eyes gleamed with something unreadable. He studied her for a long moment, his gaze both gentle and unnerving.

Alice didn't say qnything more. She wasn't sure what the right words was. Maybe the answers weren't even something she could truly grasp. After all, who could truly understand someone like Sebastian? A being who walked the line between life and death, who held so much power yet so much isolation.

The silence stretched between them, thick and heavy.

Finally, Sebastian broke it, a smirk tugging at the corners of his lips. "Well, if nothing else, I suppose we can agree that the fruit is a decent start to our evening."

Alice blinked, a laugh bubbling up unexpectedly. "I suppose it is," she said, feeling the tension in the room ease slightly. "At least it's not poisoned."

"Not unless you've gone and cursed it yourself," he teased, his voice light once again.

The playful tone was a welcome relief, and Alice let herself relax for a moment. Alice laughed lightly, "No, I didn't put any curse on it, and I don't think I have the ability to do something like that."

Sebastian smiled softly, taking the last sip of his wine."It's just a joke, Alice. But who knows, maybe you have some hidden abilities. You might be more dangerous than you appear."

Alice ignored his teasing comments as she closed her eyes for a moment, trying to calm herself. Talking to Sebastian was always a mix of seriousness and sarcasm.

"I'm not dangerous to you, Sebastian. Though you always seem to expect something from me," she said, her eyes twinkling with a bit of challenge.

Sebastian chuckled, his eyes were sparkling. "Maybe you're."

"I'm just too sweet and pure~" She said in a childish tone that made Sebastian roll his eyes with a smirk.

Sebastian tilted his head slightly, smirking. In fact, he loved the fact that she was so comfortable with him that she didn't even think about if her acting were silly sometimes. "You still have hidden intentions, Darling."

Although his tone was calm, his words struck her, and for a moment, Alice felt her heart race. Was he referring to her hiding her feelings? Or was it just his usual sarcasm?

"I don't need to hide anything, Sebastian," Alice replied quietly, but her emotions were already shifting.

Sebastian smiled lightly, putting his glass down. "I'm just curious if you're hiding something, or if it's just your way of dealing with things."

Alice's heart skipped a beat, unsure whether he was being serious or just playing with her. She couldn't tell if he was trying to get under her skin or if he really knew something she was trying to keep hidden.

"Don't I already act how I am?" she said softly, trying to mask her own unease.

Sebastian looked at her with an almost unreadable expression, his eyes observing every detail of her face. "Maybe you do. But I wonder, Alice, are you being truthful with me about everything?"

Alice felt as though he had seen through her exterior, and she struggled to maintain her composure. There was something in his tone that suggested he was more aware of her inner thoughts than she had initially believed.

Sebastian smiled again, leaning back in his chair. "Just kidding..You are too innocent to lie." He didn't quite mean it but he said it while he was still smirking and his eyes darkened a little and shone with a dim violet light for a moment.

For a moment, there was a silence between them, the words hanging in the air, unspoken but understood. Alice wasn't sure whether she should continue this conversation or change the subject, but she could sense the unease she was feeling wasn't entirely misplaced.

"Midnight called me monkey" Alice spoke without thinking, While pretending to be sad..She wanted to lighten up the topic.

Sebastian raised an eyebrow and looked at her curiously. "Monkey?" He let out a chuckle.

"rude crow~" Alice replied, avoiding his gaze. "I was climbing a tree just to get a good surprise~" She said, puffing out her cheeks and talking like a spoiled girl.

"Really?" Sebastian's tone was soft but cold. "Well this is definitely a monkey." Alice raised her eyebrows as she sighed dramatically and said, "I fell on my back because of its sudden voice... It was scary~"

"Stop spreading lies!" Midnight croaked and tapped Alice on the head With its beak. Alice covered her head with her hands as she laughed softly at Midnight who had suddenly appeared. Sebastian's eyes softened as he listened to her laughter, which sounded as beautiful as a viola. "You are mean,midnight~"