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Ominis settled himself at the little wooden table and pulled his bag onto his lap. His (belated) lunch wasn’t anything ambitious today, just a sandwich, but it tasted a thousand times better knowing Sebastian had made it for him before heading off to his own lecture that morning. Imelda and Garreth were already chatting about Garreth’s latest fling as they unpacked their own lunch boxes, and Ominis listened with half an ear. Wednesday lunches were usually late, nearing 2PM, and were often spent outside when the weather allowed. Whenever Amit and Poppy’s classes finished early, they tagged along as well.
He fumbled with the foil around his sandwich and froze when his fingers brushed a thick piece of paper. Carefully, he turned it over and ran his fingertips across the surface. Just as he thought.
Have a great day, babe! Love you. Hope I’m writing this correctly. Hug.
Sebastian had insisted on learning Braille, something that warmed Ominis far more than he’d ever admit. His “handwriting”, the small raised dots, was a little uneven, but perfectly readable.
Smiling to himself, Ominis tucked the note into his bag and finished unfolding the foil. They wouldn’t see each other again today; Sebastian always worked straight after lacrosse practice on Wednesdays, though they’d hopefully manage a call tonight. His university was only twenty minutes from Ominis’, but even so, finding time together could be a challenge.
“... and then he just didn’t reply!” Garreth complained through a mouthful. “Four dates. Third base. I met his sister. I thought we really had something. And then — nothing. For a whole week. I’d just given up on him when he sent this pathetic excuse like ‘sorry been busy’. I mean, the audacity?”
Imelda hummed. “Men,” she said, with barely disguised disdain. “I always say I’m attracted to men, but I don’t like men.”
She and Garreth high-fived before Garreth returned to sighing gloomily at his pizza.
“I just don’t get these mixed signals.”
Ominis made a sympathetic sound. “I’m glad Sebastian doesn’t do any of that.”
Silence followed, just a second too long, making Ominis feel like everyone was looking at him. “What?”
In the quiet that settled, he could practically feel his friends exchanging glances.
Garreth cleared his throat. “Ominis,” he began. “Don’t take this the wrong way. You’re our friend and we love you. But this thing with Sebastian…”
Ominis put his sandwich down and groaned. “Please don’t tell me you still don’t believe me.”
“It’s not that we don’t believe you, per se, it’s just … well, you’re you.”
Ominis glared at Garreth. “Gosh, thank you for the compliments, Garreth. Keep them coming.”
“It’s not that there’s anything wrong with you, Ominis,” Imelda cut in quickly. “It’s just… you’ve got quite a sharp, snarky attitude, you hate meeting new people, and the only times you leave your flat are to see me, Garreth, Amit and Poppy — who also happen to be your only friends.”
“Wow,” Ominis said flatly. “Thank you. That feels more like an attack on my personality than a discussion about my supposedly imaginary boyfriend, but sure, carry on.”
Imelda let out a long sigh. “Sorry, Ominis. But we’re saying this because we care.”
“If you cared, you wouldn’t be doubting me,” Ominis muttered, taking a small bite of his sandwich.
“That’s not — we don’t think you’re flat-out lying,” Garreth tried, then abruptly fell silent. Ominis suspected Imelda had shot him one of her lethal looks. Garreth cleared his throat and tried again. “We just think you might have… embellished things a little? I fully believe this… Sebastian exists. And that you met him in… a club, like you said. Even if I personally find it very hard to imagine you going to one in the first place.” He yelped. Imelda had clearly kicked him under the table.
“Anyway,” Garreth continued, voice slightly strangled from the pain, “we think you might’ve been a bit generous with the details when it comes to you and Sebastian continuing to see each other.”
“Do you just need a shag?” Imelda asked bluntly. “Is that what this is about?”
Ominis groaned in frustration. “The problem is that you don’t believe me, you stubborn bullies!”
“And there,” Imelda said dryly, “is yet more proof of that razor-sharp attitude of yours we’ve learned to overlook — but which is also the reason we struggle to believe you’ve managed to get yourself a boyfriend.”
Ominis muttered something unintelligible and slumped back in his seat.
“Look, there!” Garreth suddenly exclaimed. “Isaac Cooper! He looks a bit lonely. Perfect candidate, Ominis, if you just need a bit of dick to take the edge off.”
Ominis hoped his glare conveyed every ounce of contempt he felt. He doubted it; his eyes had never been particularly cooperative.
“I don’t need a pity shag!” he hissed. “I’m in a happy, monogamous relationship with a boyfriend who is respectful, attentive, funny, and actually communicates with me. Why won’t you gits believe me?”
“There’s that delightful attitude again,” Imelda said, bone-dry. “But fine, Ominis. Let’s set you aside for a moment — and I mean that in the least insulting way possible. You know you’re a proper snack, and if you weren’t basically my brother I’d have absolutely tapped that — but let’s focus on Sebastian.”
Ominis leaned back with a resigned expression. He knew what was coming.
“So,” Imelda began, “Sebastian is a year older than us. Apparently he’s so attractive that, at the club where you met, you were the only one who didn’t hit on him, which is why he noticed you in the first place. Maybe not weird granted you're blind, but still. He’s an A-student on a scholarship, he’s won the Dean’s Award, and he’s captain of his university’s lacrosse team. Don’t you think that sounds a little too good to be true?”
Ominis threw up his hands. “It’s hardly my fault he’s ambitious.” In fact, it was one of the things he loved — and admired — most about Sebastian: his drive, how hard he worked for the things that mattered to him.
“And,” Garreth added, “in his spare time he works at a restaurant, and most of his pay goes towards his sick little sister’s medical bills.”
“Twin sister,” Ominis corrected automatically, then grimaced.
“The point still stands,” Garreth said. “Even if we assume he’s basically Superman and somehow managing all of that — how do you two even have time to see each other?”
Ominis bit his lip. That was a genuine issue. Sebastian’s packed schedule made it hard for them to meet. He only lived about half an hour away by tube, but trying to fit in time between lacrosse practice, hospital visits, studying, and his part-time job was like trying to complete Tetris on the highest difficulty.
It wasn’t easy, but Sebastian’s communication helped. Morning texts like, ‘I’ve got a mad busy day today so probably won’t be able to talk much. Hope you have a good one, thinking of you <3 maybe we can call tonight?’ — that was enough. It sucked not seeing each other, of course it did, but those small gestures showed Ominis that Sebastian cared, that he checked in, that he made Ominis’ feelings a priority.
“We text and call all the time,” he said loudly to Garreth, which wasn’t even a lie. Imelda made a doubtful little noise.
“Mmhm. And can we see these conversations?”
Ominis frowned, his hand instinctively coming to rest over his phone. “Absolutely not.” He would sooner die than show his friends what he and Sebastian texted each other. The mere thought of the text message Sebastian had left Ominis to wake up to made him blush all the way to his hairline.
“There it is again,” Imelda pointed out. “A bit suspicious, if you ask me.”
Ominis scoffed. “Sorry for not wanting to show you my private conversations with my boyfriend.”
“Pictures, then?” Garreth pressed. “Don’t you have a single photo of the two of you together?”
Ominis turned to him with a weary expression. “Seriously, Garreth?”
“It’d still be nice to have in your camera roll, even if you can’t… you know, see it,” Garreth defended himself. “Do you at least have a picture of him?”
Ominis shook his head.
“And then there’s the whole social media thing,” Imelda continued. “You’re telling us this guy doesn’t have even one tiny profile on any platform at all?”
Ominis shrugged. “He doesn’t like people being able to stalk him online, and he has no need for social media.” Which was true. Sebastian had had Facebook ages ago, but deleted it when his sister fell ill. He couldn’t stand the flood of sympathy comments from friends and family on his or Anne’s posts, or the yearly birthday prompt to donate to some charity. Ominis himself had Instagram, mostly to keep vaguely updated on what his friends were doing, but he had no real affection for social media either.
“You do hear how this sounds, right?” Garreth asked. “No social media. No pictures together. No proof of communication. He’s busier than, like, Spider-Man and Superman combined. Next you’ll tell us he volunteers at a shelter for visually impaired kittens.”
Ominis stuck out his lower lip. “... no, but he is taking an evening course to learn braille.” He suddenly brightened, dug through his bag, and pulled out the note. “Here! Evidence of communication! He learnt to write ‘have a good day, love you, hug’ and wrote it for me.” He held up the slip of paper. Imelda and Garreth took it from him and examined it for a moment.
“I’ve got no idea what this says,” Garreth admitted. “Sorry, Ominis, but you could’ve made this yourself just to shut us up.”
Ominis reached blindly for the paper, grabbing Garreth’s wrist instead. “You’re the worst. Give it back!”
“What’s going on here?” chirped a bright new voice. Poppy and Amit sat down beside Ominis, who was still tussling with Garreth.
“We’re discussing Sebastian,” Imelda said matter-of-factly. Poppy made a knowing sound.
“Ominis’ imaginary boyfriend?”
Ominis, who’d finally snatched the note back, rounded on Poppy and Amit.
“For the last time, he’s not imaginary! He’s very real, very normal, and very sweet. We met in a club, we started talking, we kept texting, now we’re together. I’m not having this conversation again.”
He braced for pushback — sighs, a sarcastic “sure, of course” — but none of them said anything. Ominis frowned at the sudden silence.
“What?”
Amit cleared his throat. “There… is someone walking towards our table.”
Even Ominis abandoned his indignation and sat a little straighter. Their table was tucked off to the side of the campus building, with no other tables nearby. The only reason someone would walk straight towards them was if they specifically wanted to speak to—
“Oi! Omi!”
Ominis froze. It couldn’t be—
But it was. The voice came again, closer this time. A voice he would have recognised anywhere, even if right now he could hardly believe his own ears.
“Merlin, your campus is enormous. I had to ask for directions to the lunch hall three times. Why don’t you lot have printed maps for visitors? We do.”
A pair of warm arms wrapped around Ominis from behind, and Sebastian’s cologne washed over him as he pressed a kiss to Ominis’ cheek. Ominis sat completely rigid. Not a sound came from his friends, who were undoubtedly wearing the same stunned expressions as he was.
“I… what are you doing here?” Ominis managed, once Sebastian let go and slid onto the bench beside him. He couldn’t believe this was real. Sebastian was busy on Wednesdays. He was always busy on Wednesdays. Why on earth was he here?
“Well, since the match went so well last weekend, I told my team to take tonight’s training off,” Sebastian said cheerfully, rustling around with something. “Then my manager messaged saying he’d overbooked staff this evening, so I’ve got the night off. Probably the first time I’ve ever been glad to lose hours. Here — I passed a café on the way here and I picked up some chocolate biscuits for you and your friends.”
He set what sounded like a small box on the table and pressed a chocolate biscuit into Ominis’ limp hand, which was still clutching the note. Automatically, Ominis curled his fingers around it.
“Lovely to finally meet you all!” Sebastian went on brightly. “I’m Sebastian. You must be Omi’s friends. I’ve heard loads about you.”
At last, Ominis pulled himself together enough to make a clumsy introduction of his friends, who still hadn’t uttered a single word. Honestly, had none of them been raised properly?
“Right, um, this is Amit, the one who likes stars and all that.” Amit made a noise that might’ve been a greeting, or a cry for help.
“Poppy works at the animal shelter. Oh, and she’s the one who makes those incredible toffee biscuits I brought home once.”
Sebastian let out an appreciative whistle. “So that’s the genius behind the masterpiece! I swear those biscuits made me ascend to another level of reality.” Poppy gave a tiny, shuddering gasp, not entirely unlike the sound Garreth had made when he met Lady Gaga at a meet and greet.
“Imelda’s the one who looks like she wants to stab you with her fork. She’s the one who told me my collar makes me look like I’m from the Victorian England and desperately need a shag to loosen up.”
Sebastian hummed sympathetically. “No need to worry about that, Imelda. I make sure he… loosens up.”
Imelda let out a strangled noise. With cheeks as red as Garreth’s hair, Ominis introduced him as well.
“And that’s Garreth, who managed to get the entire chem building evacuated during our lab.”
“Brilliant! You’ll have to show me an experiment sometime!” Sebastian exclaimed.
The fact that Garreth didn’t immediately launch into an excited rant about acids, reactive compounds, and explosions was proof of just how shocked he was. When no one spoke, Ominis stomped hard on the nearest foot. Judging by the muffled yelp, it was Amit’s.
“Say something!” Ominis hissed to no in particular. “You never shut up any other time.”
Garreth cleared his throat and managed to recover slightly.
“So, Sebastian,” he said, voice pitched oddly high. “You… look good. I mean — you are good. Your day, is good. I mean — have you had a good day?”
Ominis pressed two fingers against his temple. This was a disaster.
Thankfully, Sebastian only laughed softly and slipped an arm around him.
“Considering I get to see Ominis today, it’s an excellent day,” he said, and Ominis tried very hard not to melt in front of his friends. It was difficult. He flushed bright red.
“Oh, stop,” he muttered.
“What? It’s true.” Sebastian kissed his cheek again. “I thought we wouldn’t manage to see each other until the weekend, but if I’m off tonight we could wander around town for a bit, look in some shops. I need to get Anne a present. She’s just finished a pretty awful round of treatment and deserves something nice.”
He paused, as if glancing up. “Your friends could come along too, if they want.”
“No!” Ominis said, a little too quickly. He coughed. Truth be told, he wouldn’t actually have minded his friends spending time with Sebastian, seeing that Ominis hadn’t exaggerated; he was every bit as charming, attractive, capable, and funny as Ominis had said. But he was also selfish, and wanted to make the most of the few hours he had alone with Sebastian.
“Maybe another time,” he added.
There was silence for a few more seconds. Not even Sebastian seemed able to come up with something to say now, and that said a lot.
“So,” Poppy said at last, hesitant but warm. “You… study at UCL?”
“Yep.” Sebastian took a bite of his biscuit. Only then did Ominis remember the one still in his own hand, and that the chocolate had begun melting across his fingers. Carefully, he extracted the now slightly sticky note, took a bite and licked the chocolate away. “I almost chose the same programme as Ominis, actually, but it didn’t work out that way. If I’d known he was going here, I might’ve made a different choice. But we met anyway, so I’m happy.”
Ominis almost wished he could say Sebastian was laying it on thick, but he wasn’t; this was how he normally spoke. As if Ominis was the best thing that’s ever happened to him.
“And you… work at a restaurant too, I’ve heard?”
Sweet, precious Poppy — of course she’d jump in immediately to smooth things over and welcome Sebastian into the conversation, when the rest of their friend group was utterly useless. Ominis decided he owed her a very nice birthday present.
“That’s right.” Sebastian pulled a water bottle from his bag and took a sip. “It’s a bit tricky to balance it with training sometimes, but it works. I study quite a bit as well — I haven’t the faintest idea what I want to do with my life, so I figure I may as well try to get good grades. And whenever I have a spare moment, of course I try to see Ominis.”
Now, Imelda seemed to have regained the ability to speech.
“Why don’t you have social media?” she asked, blunt as ever. Ominis groaned.
“Imelda!”
“It’s alright,” Sebastian laughed. “I know it’s a bit unusual for our age, but after my sister got sick — I’m sure Ominis has told you about her — I found I couldn’t deal with all the empty ‘so sorry to hear that’ messages, or the links people kept sending, totally uninvited, to research about whatever illness they thought Anne had. It felt better just to delete everything, and I’ve never reinstalled it.”
Which, to Ominis’ normal and sane mind, sounded perfectly reasonable and understandable. Unfortunately, not in the clusterfuck of minds that were his friends’.
“Isn’t it a bit odd that you and Ominis don’t have any photos together?”
Thankfully, Sebastian didn’t seem bothered by the interrogation. Ominis planned to give Imelda a piece of his mind later, but for now he just smiled stiffly, eyes screaming bloody murder, while Sebastian replied:
“Oh, we do. Quite a few, actually. But they’re all on my phone. One of them is my lock screen. Here.”
Sebastian straightened up, presumably showing the screen to the others judging by the little mutters and awed sighs that followed.
“Which photo is it?” Ominis asked warily. He hadn’t known about the lock-screen situation.
“The one I took in the mirror two weeks ago, when we were brushing our teeth together,” Sebastian said, setting the phone back on the table. “But I added a filter so your hair looks like a halo.” He ruffled Ominis’s hair, and Ominis ducked mostly out of instinct.
Before Amit could ask Sebastian what his star sign was, Sebastian pocketed his phone and stood up.
“I hate to cut this short, but we should probably head off if we want time to go shopping. I thought we could grab Indian on the way home and it’d be nice to pick it up before the evening rush.”
Ominis rose to his feet, a little hesitant. “I actually have group work with Poppy and Garreth…”
“Oh, no, go!” Poppy said quickly. “Honestly, it’s fine. Garreth and I can get started, and we’ll send you what you can finish up.”
Ominis suspected Poppy was being so accommodating and compliant because she felt guilty for not believing him. But he wasn’t about to turn down the chance to leave early and spend time with Sebastian. He reached for his bag, pulled out his cane and unfolded it. His hand searched for the foil from his sandwich, but Sebastian said:
“I’ve already grabbed your rubbish. And I brought a power bank for you, because I noticed you didn’t charge your phone overnight when I left this morning.”
Imelda seemed to mutter something that sounded like, “is he even real?”
Ominis straightened a little, aiming a smug smile at his friends. Fuck yes, he was real. Eat that, Imelda. Suck it, Garreth. His super hot, super kind, super competent and super caring boyfriend was more real than any hookup Garreth would ever have.
“That sounds perfect,” he said pointedly, and held out his arm. Sebastian took hold of his elbow and bid his goodbyes to the group.
“It was really lovely to meet you,” he said politely, and wasn’t that truly a testament to what a gentleman Sebastian was? Uttering such an undeniable lie for Ominis’ sake, because nothing about this had been lovely. Ominis’ entire friend group had acted as if it were the first time they met another human their age. Now, they echoed a monotone “you too,” as if they still hadn’t snapped out of their trance.
Ominis gave them a half-hearted wave.
“See you,” he said, adding a pointed warning to his tone, something along the lines of: Naughty friend group. Bad behaviour. We will discuss this later.
They’d barely made it a few metres away before frantic whispering broke out behind them. It was hard to make out, but Ominis’s sharp hearing still caught snippets like, “what the fuck was that,” “is he actually real?” and “his smile. His smile could cure cancer.”
He smiled to himself and squeezed Sebastian’s arm a little tighter as they headed off campus.
They were almost at the tube station when Ominis realised something.
“Rookwood couldn’t have overstaffed today. He barely has enough people on the floor as it is.”
Sebastian let out a guilty cough. “True. I may have rung in sick this morning, when I decided to cancel lacrosse practice. I just thought it was the perfect chance to show up and introduce myself to your friends. I know it’s been bothering you that they didn’t believe you when you talked about me. Even though”— he straightened slightly, taking on a smug tone —“I am very impressive. Sometimes I also doubt I'm real.”
Ominis rolled his eyes. “Do you ever get tired of loving yourself that much?”
“Yes.” Sebastian kissed him on the cheek again. “That’s why I started loving you too. Nice to have some variety.” Then he kissed him on the mouth, quick and soft, and Ominis couldn’t stop the small smile that escaped.
"Oh and, by the way," Sebastian continued, leaning closer to whisper in Ominis' ear. "That text message I left you ... d'you think we have time to make that into reality tonight?" His low, sultry voice and hot breath made Ominis shudder, anticipation spiking inside him.
His boyfriend really was Superman, he thought, as Sebastian guided him onto the tube and insisted he take the only empty seat while he himself remained standing.
Garreth and Imelda could choke on that.