darling [s.stan]

[7] real life

when they first pulled up to the theater, chris went in through the back to avoid the paparazzi, dragging a tired and grumpy sebastian behind him.

"i'm not going to talk to her, chris." he spoke sternly as they stood backstage, a few people trying out for the role hung around. sebastian never said it aloud but he thought they were all wasting their time, trying out for a part that would most definitely go to nora.

"why are you so sour about her, sebby?" he asked, unfortunately chris never got the whole story about his friend and his ex-girlfriend.

"she broke up with me over the phone because 'distance was too much and she needed to focus on her career,' whatever that means."

"we'll see, muchacho." he smirked, eyes locked on something behind sebastian, "take 5 steps backwards."

"why?"

"because i'm in charge, do it." and angrily, sebastian took five steps backwards before he was halted by a familiar voice.

"excuse me, sir, please watch where you're going. i don't mean to be rude, but i'd rather you not spill my tea all over me."

he knew it was nora from the time the first syllable left her mouth and his thought was confirmed by the assertive tone that plagued her voice.

when he turned around to apologize, she got caught. specially, she got caught in his eyes, the bright blue that for so long held the soul of her lover, but now just seemed to hold the soul of a stranger. the ice softened for a minute and he almost smiled, but regained his hard exterior.

"bash?" she asked, a slight stutter, still thinking she was dreaming, "i mean, uh, sebastian. what are you doing here?"

he smiled, a signature smirk that he used many times before to come off a lot calmer and colder than he was really feeling.

"chris asked me to come, i guess he has a small part in picking his counter part for this musical."

she nodded, struggling to not meet his eyes. nora wanted to smile so bad, but she wouldn't give him the satisfaction of knowing his effect on her; she would not and could not let him know he won.

"no potato chips to grease up your throat, ellie?" he asked, a sudden pang at her heart when he used the nickname that she hasn't heard since they broke up.

she looked down at the dirty black floor, "i already ate them."

sebastian nodded and couldn't help but smile while looking at her, despite how their relationship ended, he would never not be proud of her.

"fuck me if i'm wrong-"

"fuck you if you're wrong?"

he nodded again, an unreadable gleam in his eyes, "it's a new saying i'm adopting and please do not interrupt, miss bozzi."

and he began speaking again, "fuck me if i'm wrong, but i imagine you'll be singing the same song from les miserables. on my own, perhaps?"

she laughed a little, a melodious sound he hadn't heard for many years, "guess we have to fuck."

he shrugged and walked back to chris as they were beginning the auditions, nora had requested to go last, her special spot so she would always be fresh in the evaluator's mind.

"i'm not complaining," he winked and nora thought she was going to melt, "it was nice to see you, eleanora."

she waved back with a soft smile, "you too, sebastian."