The crews visit

Evander was the first one in the room, and I could hear the sound of his hurried footsteps approaching even before the door swung open. When he stepped inside, I saw the instant relief flood his face as he saw Sebastian awake and alert. Without a second of hesitation, Evander rushed toward him, wrapping his arms around his brother in a tight embrace. “It’s good to see you,” he murmured, his voice thick with emotion. “Really, it’s damn good to see you.”

Sebastian returned the hug, giving Evander’s back a solid pat, but his smile held a softness that I wasn’t used to seeing.

Next was Ratface. He entered the room quietly, his usual carefree expression replaced with a cautious smile. He shuffled a bit before speaking, finally glancing up with a faint grin. “Every time I passed your window, I looked up, hoping to see you there, staring down like you always do.” His voice was lighthearted, but I caught the worry hidden beneath his words. “It’s strange, but I think we all missed seeing you watch over us. Makes us feel... grounded.”

Sebastian nodded, appreciation in his eyes. “I’ll be back to keeping an eye on you soon enough, Ratface.”

Redhead Junkie followed, leaning casually against the doorway. He wasn’t one for big, emotional displays, and true to form, he gave a short nod before speaking. “Good to have you back,” he said simply. “I kept an eye on the crew; I checked on everyone while you were down. They’ve all been waiting to hear you’re okay.”

Sebastian acknowledged him with a nod of thanks. There was a silent understanding between the two.

Then Mamba spoke up, his voice rich with relief. “I was with Evander most days, so I saw what was going on,” he said, casting a glance around the room. “But having good news—seeing you back like this—feels… right.” His words carry meaning.

“Good to have you back, boss." Behemoth simply said with a smile

Finally, all eyes turned to Raven, who stood back quietly, her arms folded tightly across her chest. Her face was calm, but her eyes betrayed the whirlwind of emotions she was holding back. She looked at each of the crew members as if waiting, then slowly stepped forward as the others gave her space. Evander gave a half-smile, a signal as he murmured, “Here we go.”

Raven walked to the side of the bed, and in an uncharacteristic show of vulnerability, she dropped down to her knees beside Sebastian. She took his hand, squeezing it tightly as tears welled up in her eyes. Her voice shook with restrained emotion as she said, “I didn’t think I’d ever feel this relieved.” She looked up at him, her expression a mixture of happiness and worry. “I told myself you’d make it, that you were strong enough to come back to us. But... there were so many moments when I wasn’t sure.” She let out a soft, broken laugh as a tear slipped down her cheek. “Seeing you awake, seeing you okay... it’s everything.”

Sebastian placed his other hand over hers, a small, reassuring smile gracing his face. “I’m not going anywhere,” he said softly. “I’m here, and I’m staying.”

Raven blinked back the rest of her tears, a relieved smile spreading across her face. She squeezed his hand once more before standing and taking a step back.

Evander then cleared his throat, clearly wanting to shift the focus back. “The last place we captured was a complete success,” he informed Sebastian. “No complications, no losses. Everything went as planned. We’d love to have you at the crew meetup this evening.”

Though I was in the room, no one seemed to have noticed me. I mean, I tucked myself in very well, plus I was covered by the curtains, though they were see-through.

The room fell silent, but just as I was processing everything, I realized I was still in bed, half-buried under the sheets. I’d been awake, but I hadn’t realized I’d fallen back asleep as the room filled with voices. I’d been invisible to everyone else until, with a sleepy yawn, I blurted out, “What’s all the commotion?”

The sound of my own voice startled me as much as it did everyone else. I opened my eyes, blinking in confusion at the number of faces staring back at me. And then it hit me—I was lying here, half-buried under the covers, in Sebastian’s room, with every single member of the crew gathered around. Why the fuck did I just talk?

My cheeks went scarlet as I scrambled to sit up, pulling the covers around me in an attempt to maintain some semblance of composure. “Hi… guys?” I managed, forcing a smile even though my mind was racing with embarrassment.

Everyone burst into laughter, the tension in the room melting into a more comfortable atmosphere. Ratface chuckled, “Didn’t even know you were there, honestly,” and Redhead Junkie smirked, adding, “You blend in pretty well when you want to, huh?”

Evander chuckled, too, offering me a playful nod of acknowledgment. But Raven, watching from the side, only shook her head with an amused smile. “Oh, I noticed,” she said, her tone teasing.

My cheeks burned even more, but the genuine warmth in the room calmed my nerves. I smiled at each of them as they greeted me individually, their welcomes sincere and friendly. But as I looked around, I found my gaze drawn to Sebastian. He was watching me, an unmistakable softness in his eyes and a smile playing at the corners of his lips. It was as if, for that brief moment, I was the only one in the room.

Evander broke the silence by turning to me with a grin. “So, Ariella, are you coming to the meetup later tonight?”

I hesitated, glancing over at Sebastian before answering. “Oh, I don’t know... That’s your private crew time. I wouldn’t want to intrude.”

Sebastian raised an eyebrow, amusement flickering in his gaze. “What are you talking about?” he asked, his voice soft yet firm. “You’ve been part of the team for a while now.” He glanced around the room, a silent challenge in his eyes. “Right?”

The others nodded in agreement, their faces lighting up with approval. My heart swelled with happiness at the unexpected acceptance, though a small part of me couldn’t help but worry. Sebastian had been acting kinder and more open with me than I was used to, and while it made me incredibly happy, a part of me couldn’t shake the lingering doubt. Was this just a temporary kindness? Would he return to his more distant self once he fully recovered?

But for now, I decided to accept the moment for what it was. I smiled, feeling a sense of belonging that I hadn’t experienced in a long time. “All right,” I said softly. “I’ll be there.”

The crew stayed a little longer, exchanging lighthearted stories and updates about the compound. They told Sebastian how things had been going in his absence, recounting small changes and little challenges that had come up. Evander explained how they’d handled the minor disturbances and maintained order, and Ratface described the adjustments they’d made to keep things running smoothly.

I listened quietly, my heart full, as I saw the way everyone interacted with Sebastian. Each of them had their own relationship with him, and seeing the loyalty and care they all shared for one another was both humbling and heartwarming.

Finally, one by one, they said their goodbyes, each offering Sebastian a few last words of encouragement before filing out of the room. Raven lingered a moment longer, her gaze lingering on him with a quiet intensity. She gave me a small, knowing nod before she followed the others out, leaving me alone with him.

As the door clicked shut, I turned back to Sebastian, feeling a mix of happiness and nervousness. His eyes were still on me, that soft smile tugging at his lips.

“Thank you for staying by my side,” he said, his voice low.

I felt my cheeks flush again, and I nodded, unable to hide the smile spreading across my face. “I wouldn’t have been anywhere else,” I replied softly, realizing that, for the first time, I truly meant it.

Sebastian glanced over at me, the warmth in his gaze lingering. The comfort and closeness we shared in that moment felt profound—a quiet understanding passing between us that needed no words. For now, everything felt right, and I didn’t want to be anywhere else.