A Whole New World...Or Possibly Life

He's back

It took a while for me to loosen my hold around the neck of my long lost friend after first seeing him standing in our doorway. He was shivering from a multitude of things. Rain, obviously, night air, worry, doubt, self-loathing, sorrow, sadness, the unknown, loneliness, fear of being rejected and the list could go on. As tightly as I held him, he returned the grip I had on him. Both of us feeling the loss of the other over the past few months. I knew that wasn't the real Sebastian, my Sebby, but it still didn't make it less painful to endure all that time without him. Chris was the one who spoke first.

"Seb, are you hurt? In danger?"

Sebastian didn't let go, his head buried in my neck as he shook his head and quietly said no.

Scott had come back with some towels, leading to us breaking our embrace, handing one to me and a few to Sebastian, before moving to the door and wiping the floor up. Chris put his arm around our friend and started to move him from the fourier. "Why don't you take a hot shower and I'll get you some dry clothes to change into."

Sebastian nodded as I whispered to Chris. "Take him to our bathroom so you don't have to go far from him. I'm gonna text Chace and let Georgetta know he's here, then I'll be right behind you."

As soon as I texted Chace to tell him Sebastian was with me, he texted back that he was on his way to us. Sebastian's mother, Georgetta, was relieved to find out her son was with me.  While Seb was in the shower, Chris and I sat on the bed waiting and I tried to choose my words carefully. I didn't want to cross any boundaries with Chris in what I was about to say. It wasn't about secrets or feelings, I thought maybe Sebastian would feel more comfortable talking if it was just one person, being me, if he wanted to talk at all.

"I'm wondering if he needs to talk about what's gone on or if he'll just do it when he feels comfortable."

"At this point, I have no idea."

"Well, I'm just thinking it might be easier if I try to talk to him alone first. You already sat the clothes on the counter in the bathroom so I can wait here for when he comes out. If he wants to talk, he will, if you're comfortable with that."

Chris didn't say anything at first, I could tell he was thinking. I just didn't know how he took it. Placing his hand on my thigh and giving it a squeeze, he answered. "It may actually be better that way. He could have gone anywhere. Chace is around, and his friend Charles. I know he didn't come here for me. It was because he knew you were here."

Smiling, I reached around and pulled his head to mine, placing a sweet kiss to his lips before pulling back to look into his eyes. I didn't let go of him though, keeping my hands on the back of his neck so he didn't go far. "I love you. You know that right!"

"You know I do." His smile was a small grin, not seeming to know where I was going with this.

"I do. I love my friends too, but in a different way for each. Scotty and I have a bond because of him taking me in immediately when I needed someone the most and bringing me to you. Then, well, we immediately clicked. Sebby and I because of the obvious accident thing but because we just get each other too. I know you didn't like it in the beginning because of the whole favorite Bucky/Sebastian Stan thing, but that was way before I knew any of you. You know I don't think of y'all as celebrities now. Just my fiancée and friends."

"I do."

"I just like reminding you I love you with my whole heart. Just like I love my friends, but in a different way. I need to know you trust me, regardless of what others think or feel or say. Before anything else, I never want to give you a reason to not trust me or do something you may not like. This is my anxiety working tricks on me now. There's a lot going on here and our friend is hurting. Regardless of what's been said in tabloids or whatever, he would never try to hurt us."