19. Forever
Chapter nineteen
Forever
Sebastian arrived outside the large gallery in his Lamborghini all alone. It felt odd to go anywhere alone these days, but his omega had already been there for hours. Sebastian had taken Asher to many parties over the last months, as the fall collection was released and the campaign that Asher participated in was revealed, their relationship, though already known by those who followed gossip, was shown to the world for what it really was… a beautiful and playful omega and the alpha he unwittingly had wrapped around his tiny, soft fingers. Sebastian stepped out of his car and straightened the bowtie on his tux and the lapels of his winter coat. He was dressed to impress as he handed off the keys to the valet and headed inside.
Asher had spent the last few months working late into the night at university on the piece he was entering into the fall showcase. He’d been accepted into the Winter International Art Fair, which had been a huge achievement in his blossoming career. Sebastian understood his need for his art, and though it was hard to miss out on time with him, Asher had refused to bring home his piece or to even show Sebastian what he was working on. Usually, Asher didn’t mind Sebastian seeing his works in progress, and over the last months, he’d drawn and painted Sebastian dozens of times, not always finishing them, but Sebastian loved them all, especially the half-finished ones, because those came with a memory of pulling his omega into bed or otherwise distracting him from his artistic pursuits. But that was the reason it was so strange to him that Asher was keeping so quiet, coming home splattered in paint and exhausted.
He’d been looking forward to seeing this secretive painting ever since Asher began working on it. He couldn’t help but wonder if it had something to do with him, and that had him wondering if he was being narcissistic. Of course, Asher had many things to paint about, and Sebastian would be awed at his talent in any case, but it was the secrecy that made him think it must have something to do with him.
He showed his invitation at the door and was let into the large atrium, where waiters walked through the well-dressed crowd with platters of hors d'oeuvres and tall flutes of champagne. The doors into the event weren’t open yet. Sebastian checked his coat at the little booth near the entrance and walked through the crowd, looking around at the venue that was both classy and modern, all kinds of art filled the space, from paintings to great statues and modern art sculptures. It was an impressive setup full of impressive people.
The event was a huge deal in the art community, Sebastian knew that Diego often found artists to display in his gallery through it, and just as his friend crossed his mind, he spotted him in the crowd with none other than his own artistic director on his arm. Sebastian made a beeline for them, snatching a glass of champagne from the nearest waiter as he went. He greeted his friends, sipped his champagne and looked around at the art and the crowd, waiting to be let into the main part of the event, where his omega was waiting.
“Asher’s piece is very impressive.” Diego commented and Sebastian’s head whipped toward him.
“You’ve seen it?”
“Oh, you haven’t seen it?” Diego said, clearly surprised. “I thought you must have since… but I won’t spoil the surprise.”
Sebastian wanted to wheedle him for more information, but at the same time, he wanted to enjoy the painting as Asher intended him to, so he kept his mouth closed around the questions that wanted to pass his lips.
“I think they are opening the doors.” Evan said and Sebastian turned to see the doors into the gallery were indeed being opened.
The alpha set his champagne on a passing tray and made for the doors, waiting with everyone else to be allowed inside, as the crowd filed through and into the larger space. Sebastian didn’t know where Asher was, or where his painting was displayed, and he’d lost Diego in the crowd. He decided to start at the beginning and see if he could find it. He’d seen enough of Asher’s art, he was sure he’d recognize it if he saw it.
So, he made his way down the first aisle of the exhibit, looking at the various paintings in an array of styles, the colors vibrant and beautiful, everything from almost classical-seeming oil portraits, to wild, modern abstract, but none that looked like anything his Cherry made. There were sculptures too and Sebastian gave them all passing glances, searching for his quarry. It was almost twenty minutes into his search that Sebastian saw it, a painting that stopped him dead in his tracks for a full five seconds before he remembered how to use his feet and he stepped toward it. It was massive, at least 4 feet wide by 6 feet tall, and so realistic it was like looking through an enormous window set in the ceiling over the scene. The alpha looked at it and his heart beat so hard he felt dizzy.
The canvas was a dark black around the edges, mixed with deep blues of nighttime, and he recognized the shapes and outlines of his own bed and headboard, but his attention was reserved for the two figures in the center, Asher… and himself. The folds of blankets and sheets covered them from the waist down. Asher was on his back, head thrown back, eyes closed and mouth open in an unheard cry. Sebastian was on his side, with his front pressed to Asher’s side. The alpha’s lips were on Asher’s neck, right where a mating mark would be and his hand splayed across the omega’s chest between his nipples… over his heart.
One of Asher’s hands was in his hair, clearly pushing him closer to his neck and the other was gripped into the fabric of the bed. But… what made the painting so ethereal and unique, other than the absolute realism, was that, the places where Sebastian touched him, the hand over his heart and his lips on his neck, those places glowed , as if peachy pink light was emanating from inside the omega’s body and everything in the dark room was cast in that light, little highlights shone off of everything, like Asher’s body was a nightlight and the room was lit by the luminescence that Sebastian himself pulled from him.
The alpha wasn’t really aware of his surroundings at all, or the fact that he was crying, silent tears trailing down his face as he realized that this was how he made his omega feel. Nothing registered past his shock and awe until his nose filled with the scent of cherry and a soft, familiar hand ran across his shoulders. Only then was he able to rip his eyes away from the painting and to the artist by his side who was dressed very prettily in a silky peach colored top that made Sebastian think of the light in the painting, black slacks, and makeup that the alpha had applied himself earlier that night.
“Baby?” Sebastian husked, and Asher reached up to wipe away his tears as Sebastian did the same for his omega.
“Do you like it?” Asher half laughed, half cried, voice thick but full of joy.
“I love it, Cherry… It’s wonderful.” Sebastian answered, also sounding like he had a slight head cold from crying. “What did you call it?” Sebastian asked and Asher beamed and pointed at the small placard beside the painting.
Sebastian stepped toward the painting and read the little placard, and as he read it, his mind refused to process the words. He cocked his head and turned around only to see Asher kneeling with a ring box in his hand and fresh tears trailing down his cheeks as he repeated the exact words of the title to him.
“Sebastian Rossi, will you be mine forever?”
Sebastian gave a soft laugh, and reached into his inner jacket pocket to pull out a ring box of his own. He stepped forward and fell to his knees in front of his omega and kissed his glossy lips, tasting cherry on him and feeling the purest love burst through every molecule of his body and he broke the kiss to set his forehead against Asher’s.
“Only if you’ll be mine too.”