✧˚[ 𝐈𝐍 𝐀 𝐁𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐊 𝐎𝐅 𝐀𝐍 𝐄𝐘𝐄 ]˚✧ ||| A Sebastian Stan short story

✧˚[ 4 - PINCHES AND PROBLEMS AT THE RED CARPET ]˚✧

July 20th, Paris

Finally the time had come. Here they were. Together. It was like a miracle when everyone got their vacation approved and managed the flight up here. A sign that it was meant to be, that on the penultimate day of their trip they stood at the very red carpet on which the actors of the internationally successful Marvel movies would walk past them in the next half hour.

Nika was totally thrilled. Just like almost five months ago. The atmosphere, the excitement and impatience for this one moment filled the air with a tension that flowed into every fiber of her body, embedding in it.

It was a beautiful, hot summer's day. The refreshing gentle breeze, fighting the warmth of the sun's rays, eased the heat and helped make the waiting a little more bearable. Only a few scattered clouds drifted across the otherwise bright blue sky. A blue which Nika loved as much as the man whose eyes shone in the same shade. It was a crush. Nothing more. However, she loved him in a very special way. For the person he was. For his kind heart, his whole nature. And most of all for what he gave her: a feeling of being enough and capable of achieving anything in life. Sebastian was her guardian angel and today she was going to meet him again.

And as the icing on the cake, she also got the chance to meet some of the rest of the Marvel family in person.

Something she didn't want to miss out on. That's why she, Maike, Judith and Mischa already occupied a place at the very front of the barrier in the early morning. They all particularly looked forward to Sebastian. But Mischa also fancied Chris Hemsworth. Just like Stella had a thing for Chris Evans. She and Jessica joined them at around 1 p.m. and completed their small travel group in the crowded fan area.

"Wow, Ladies. Almost time", Judith tiptoed from one foot to the other. "They're almost here. I can't believe it. Someone pinch me, please. Ouch!"

"What?" Mischa dryly looked at the suddenly miffed face next to her, shrugging in full innocence. "You asked for it."

Judith rubbed her forearm and clicked her tongue once with a grin that was visibly difficult to suppress. "It was just a saying. You don't have to go all sadomasochistic on me."

"The pinch of love", Maike joined in, half leaning over the railing, whereupon the three of them burst out laughing.

"Oh, crap!" It was Stella, whose chalk-pale face suddenly brought the hilarious mood to a sudden stop.

"What's wrong?" asked Nika, looking back and forth between her and Jessica.

"Man, I'm so dumb. I forgot to pick up our badges 'cause of all the hurry", Stella whined on the verge of breaking out in tears.

She was referring to the badges for the following Meet & Greet Special in the afternoon, where the Marvel cast sat together on stage in a specially constructed small arena like at a high-school reunion, chatting about old times. If you were an early bird with some luck, you might have got one and could be inside. Otherwise, you were able to watch this undoubtedly hilarious spectacle live from outside on a big screen.

As a person with handicap, Jessica managed to get one of the few wheelchair spots available in the arena before sales officially started.

Of course, she was allowed to take a companion with her. Her companion now got extremely frustrated that their badges still had to wait for them at the hotel where the Marvel Event Organization stayed.

"Hey, no big deal", Jessica tried to reassure her. "I'll call my boyfriend. He'll come over quickly."

"Nah, that's a stupid plan", Stella disagreed crestfallen, already accepting her inevitable fate. "Your fellow art enthusiast wanted to explore the Louvre in peace today. It would take him ages getting all the way back through the city. If I leave now, I'll be back in half an hour... and at least catch a glimpse of Chris's attractive back view."