Anne had been expecting something predictable. Coffee, a bar, maybe some fancy little nerd-themed bookstore café where they'd sit and debate which D&D edition had the best mechanics. Something logical. Something that fit Sebastian's methodical, calculated mind.
Instead, she found herself in a candle-lit antique store at night, staring at him like he had officially lost his mind.
Sebastian stood beside her, cool as ever, adjusting his sleeves like this was the most natural first-date location in existence.
"Okay," she said, arms crossed. "Explain."
He smirked slightly. "You made a deal with a demon, Warlock. Thought I'd introduce you to a place where real deals happen."
She raised an eyebrow. "You brought me to a store where old people sell haunted furniture?"
"Artifacts," he corrected, glancing around. "And history."
She sighed. "You're being creepy now, you know."
"And yet, you agreed to the date." He glanced at her, an unreadable expression in his eyes.
Anne scoffed but followed him deeper into the shop. The place smelled like old paper and dust, with a hint of something metallic in the air. The wooden floor creaked beneath their steps as they wandered past rows of bizarre objects—Victorian jewelry, rusted keys, books with no titles, clocks that all seemed to be set to different times.
Sebastian moved like he knew exactly what he was looking for, his fingers trailing lightly over different objects. She watched his hands, sharp and careful, like he was sorting through code in his head, deciding what mattered and what didn't.
"Alright, Professor," she drawled, leaning against a glass case. "What's the actual game here? Or is this just you trying to see if I'll run away?"
Sebastian stopped in front of a tall, cracked mirror. "You think I expect you to run?"
Anne shrugged. "Most guys don't start a date with existential dread."
He turned slightly, watching her through the mirror instead of facing her directly. "I know your next turn. Actually, I know what you'd do."
Something about that sentence, the way he said it without a trace of hesitation, made her throat go dry. Anne rolled her eyes, trying to ignore the heat creeping up her neck. "You always talk like you're narrating a tragic novel."
Sebastian finally turned to her fully, his glasses catching the dim light. "And you always act like you're not intrigued when you clearly are."
Her smirk faltered for a second. Before she could fire back, he reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a small, ornate coin. It was old, worn at the edges, a strange insignia engraved into the surface. He flipped it toward her. Instinctively, she caught it.
"What's this for?" she asked.
Sebastian's voice was quiet but steady. "A choice."
She frowned. "You and these dramatic setups."
He ignored the jab. "Flip it. Heads—we leave, grab food, and I pretend to be normal for the rest of the night."
She raised an eyebrow. "And tails?"
His gaze didn't waver. "Tails—you play my game."
Her stomach twisted, but she grinned through it. "And what exactly is your game?"
Sebastian's smirk was subtle, but his eyes were sharp. "You'll find out if you flip it."
Anne stared at him for a long moment, rolling the coin between her fingers. The metal was cool, heavier than she expected. She could walk out right now, take the easy route.
Or...
She flicked her thumb. The coin spun in the dim light, flipping high into the air—
And landed tails.
Sebastian exhaled softly, something dangerously close to satisfaction in his expression.
"Good choice," he murmured.
And for the first time since they met, Anne had the distinct feeling she had just stepped into something far, far bigger than herself.
The second the coin landed on tails, something shifted.
Sebastian had a blank expression. He didn't smirk or give some overdramatic monologue about her decision. Instead, he just... nodded, slipping his hands into his coat pockets like this was exactly the outcome he had expected. Anne, on the other hand, suddenly felt very aware that she had no idea what she had just agreed to.
"Alright, DM," she said, flipping the coin once in her palm before looking at him. "What now?"
Sebastian glanced toward the back of the shop. "Now, you follow me."
Her instinct was to scoff, to make some teasing remark about how mysterious he was trying to be. But something in the way he said it—calm, sure, completely in control of whatever game he was playing—made her pulse skip.
So, for once, she didn't argue.
She followed.
Sebastian led her through a narrow hallway, past stacks of old books and shelves filled with strange trinkets. They stopped at a small wooden table tucked in the corner, dimly lit by a flickering candle. On the table sat a deck of cards. Old, intricate, but... it looked like a tarot, but it was actually for playing.
Anne glanced at him. "Are we summoning something, or is this just a weird date idea?"
Sebastian pulled out a chair and gestured for her to sit. "Neither."
She hesitated before sinking into the seat, watching as he took the spot across from her.
He picked up the deck and shuffled—smooth, practiced, the cards barely making a sound.
"New rule," he said, eyes locked on the cards. "You're in my game now. Every time you pull a card, I get to ask you something. You answer honestly."
Anne narrowed her eyes. "And if I don't?"
Sebastian flicked a glance up at her, something darkly amused behind his glasses. "Then you owe me."
She exhaled a sharp laugh. "You and your deals."
He just tilted his head. "Are you playing or not?"
Anne considered it.
This whole thing had started as some harmless debt over a D&D game, but now... it felt like something else entirely. A different kind of contract.
And the worst part?
She didn't mind.
"Fine." She reached for the deck. "Let's play."
She pulled a card. It was a knight.
Sebastian glanced at it and hummed. "Fitting."
"How so?"
"You act like you're reckless, but you move like someone who knows exactly when to strike." He leaned back, studying her. "Alright, my question—what's one thing you don't want me to know about you?"
Anne stiffened. That was... a first move she wasn't expecting.
Most guys would have asked something surface-level. Something easy—what's your favorite movie, drink, hobby... But Sebastian? He didn't waste time on classic first-date questions.
She tapped her fingers on the table, buying herself a second. "That's a deep question."
"That's the point."
She exhaled. "Alright. Fine. I don't... like relying on people."
Sebastian didn't react immediately. He just watched her, like he was memorizing the way she said it. Finally, he nodded. "Noted."
Something about the way he accepted her answer, without pushing or prying, made her stomach twist in a way she didn't expect.
She straightened, gesturing toward the deck. "Your turn."
Sebastian pulled a card.
The Devil.
Anne smirked. "Oh, that's too good."
Sebastian just chuckled. "Go on. Ask then."
Anne thought for a moment before tilting her head. "What's something you've wanted to do, but haven't yet?"
For the first time that night, Sebastian hesitated.
His fingers brushed over the card as he considered his answer. Then, he leaned forward slightly, closing the space between them just enough to make her pulse jump.
"You."
Anne's brain stopped working.
"Sorry, what!?"
Sebastian smirked, but his voice was completely steady. "That was my answer."
Her throat went dry. "That's—"
"You asked," he cut in, completely unbothered. "I answered."
The worst part?
He meant it.
Anne swallowed, suddenly very aware of the warmth in her cheeks. "This is cheating."
Sebastian just tilted his head. "No. This is playing by my rules."
And just like that, the game was no longer about the cards.