Sebastian tapped the end of his pen against his notebook, his dark eyes focused on Anne as she flipped through her own notes. The café had emptied out a bit, the evening crowd thinning, but neither of them seemed to notice. They were too deep in discussion—crafting something between them that felt more than just a game.
"So, your Warlock made a deal with a demon," Sebastian said, his voice steady, analytical. "What did she bargain for?"
Anne smirked, leaning back in her chair. "Power, obviously. But also knowledge. She wanted to understand things no mortal should. Secrets, forbidden magic, the whole deal."
Sebastian nodded slowly, processing. "And what does the demon get in return?"
She shrugged. "I haven't decided yet. Her soul? Her memories? Maybe her free will piece by piece."
A small smirk played at the corner of Sebastian's lips. "Interesting choice."
She narrowed her eyes. "Why? What are you thinking?"
He closed his notebook, resting his hands on it. "That you're willing to gamble with things that have long-term consequences."
Anne raised an eyebrow. "That a bad thing?"
Sebastian exhaled through his nose—almost a chuckle, but not quite. "Not necessarily. But it makes me wonder how well you handle real deals."
She tilted her head. "Real deals?"
He met her gaze directly, and for the first time that evening, his expression was unreadable. "Let's make one now."
Anne blinked, caught off guard. "Wait, what?"
Sebastian tapped his fingers against the table, his tone casual, but the weight behind it made it clear he was completely serious. "In-game, gold matters. Mistakes have consequences. You lose money, you owe me something."
She crossed her arms, amused. "Define something."
Sebastian leaned forward slightly, his glasses reflecting the dim café light. "The smallest thing you owe me? A date."
Anne blinked, her smirk faltering just slightly. "What-?"
"And every mistake after that? The stakes get higher." His voice was calm, matter-of-fact, like he was just stating a rule of the universe. "A favor. A promise. Something I get to decide."
Anne studied him carefully, trying to figure out if he was joking. But there was no hesitation in his expression, no teasing smirk—just quiet certainty, like he'd already planned this move long before she even realized she was playing.
"And why exactly would I agree to this?" she asked.
Sebastian's lips curved into a small smirk. "Because you like a challenge."
She scoffed. "And what do you get out of this?"
He didn't even hesitate. "You."
Her breath caught for half a second. She wasn't sure if it was the way he said it—so simply, so completely—or the fact that she suddenly felt like she had underestimated him this whole time.
Sebastian leaned back, tilting his head. "You can say no, of course. But then I'll know you're scared to lose."
That did it. Anne huffed a laugh, shaking her head. "Fine, DM. Let's see how good I really am."
Sebastian nodded once, satisfied. "Good. Session one starts this weekend."
He grabbed his coffee, took a slow sip, and for the first time that night, Anne realized—she might have just walked straight into a trap.
A really, really well-set one.
Session One: The Game Begins
The apartment smelled like coffee and warm spices, the kind of cozy atmosphere that clashed with the tension brewing in Anne's chest. She had arrived a little earlier than the others, partly to settle in, partly to see if Sebastian would say anything about their deal.
But he didn't.
Instead, he was setting up the game in his usual calm, methodical way—placing the DM screen, arranging the miniatures, rolling dice absently between his fingers. His glasses reflected the soft glow of the table lamp, making it hard to tell exactly where he was looking.
Anne leaned against the counter, watching him with crossed arms. "So, Dungeon Master, do I get a warm-up round, or are you throwing me straight into hell?"
Sebastian didn't look up. "You made a deal with a demon, Anne." He paused, then tilted his head slightly, his voice dropping just a bit. "What makes you think you deserve mercy?"
Her stomach did a weird flip—part anticipation, part something she didn't want to name. Before she could respond, the door opened, and the rest of the party spilled in.
The group settled in quickly. Character sheets spread out, dice clicked against the wooden table. Sebastian was in full DM mode now—calm, precise, weaving the world around them with unnerving ease. The game was immersive, too immersive, and Anne quickly realized two things:
Sebastian was brutal. His NPCs were cunning, his world unforgiving. Every decision had weight, every failure left scars.
He was watching her.
It wasn't obvious—not to anyone else, at least. But every time she made a riskier move, every time she hovered over a decision, his gaze lingered just a second too long.
And then it happened.
Her party had stumbled into a shady underground market, searching for rare magical items. She'd found what she was looking for—a spell scroll that could strengthen her Warlock's connection to her patron. But gold was tight, and she had miscalculated the hag merchant's patience.
A bad persuasion roll. A worse deception check.
And suddenly, the deal turned.
"You don't have enough coin," the hag rasped through Sebastian's voice, low and smooth. "But... perhaps we can arrange something else?"
The table laughed, someone muttering about classic Warlock problems. Anne clenched her jaw.
She knew.
She knew before he even turned his gaze toward her.
Sebastian said nothing, just tapped two fingers lightly against the table—subtle, unreadable. But the message was crystal clear.
This wasn't just a failed roll.
This was a real deal.
Anne swallowed, gripping her dice tighter. She could back out. Walk away from the scroll, take the loss.
Or she could lean in.
Her party was watching, waiting for her next move, completely unaware of the weight of this decision.
She inhaled, tilted her head, and smirked just slightly.
"Fine." She met Sebastian's gaze directly. "Let's make a deal."
His lips barely twitched. "Noted."
She swore she saw the faintest flicker of satisfaction in his eyes before he moved the game forward.
After the Game
The session wrapped up hours later. The others packed their things, chatting about their next moves, completely unaware of the tension still humming between Anne and Sebastian.
When the last player left, silence settled in.
Sebastian turned to her, adjusting his glasses. "You owe me."
Anne huffed, crossing her arms. "Yeah, yeah. What's my price?"
He studied her for a moment before speaking. "One date."
Her stomach did that annoying flip again. She rolled her eyes, playing it cool. "Alright, DM. Where are we going?"
He tilted his head slightly. "Who said you get to know?"
Her breath hitched for just a second before she scoffed. "You really play the long game, don't you?"
Sebastian's smirk was barely there, but it was enough. "I told you, Anne. I can handle you whole."
And just like that, she realized—this wasn't just a game anymore.
She was playing on his terms now.
And she wasn't sure she minded..