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

✧˚[ 8 - FIRST LAYER OF FRAGILE TRUST ]˚✧

"So? You help me?"

Nope.

"I...At least I'll try."

How could she not. How was it possible for Nika to say no to the puppy dog eyes that already melted thousands and thousands of women's hearts?

Good thing Sebastian decided to wait until after dinner, otherwise she might not have been able to finish a single bite and would have simply fallen off her chair due to hypoglycemia and the shock. Not exactly a bad timing to make a fool of herself once more and test whether he actually knew how to do CPR.

What am I doing here?! If he finds out, I'm so fucked. Definitely.

He politely asked her. No pressure. No high expectations. And yet Nika now faced the greatest misery of her modest existence. She had a choice. Either she came clean before it was too late and risked that he wouldn't believe her or - far worse - that he'd be disappointed when he found out who the person behind the name really was. Or she kept up her show, hoping he would not notice and thus buy more time in this incredible dream. With him.

She picked gate number three: another one of those sweet, tasty cocktails whose alcohol numbed her conscience and flushed away all consequences.

The chimes of the rustic grandfather clock in the lobby announced a new day at midnight. While Paul and Miles decided to return to their hotel rooms an hour ago, Sebastian felt cheerful despite his sleep deprivation and ordered another Gin Tonic from the bartender with a wink.

"You never searched for your father?" he asked, setting the empty glass down on the coaster.

It was obvious why this topic bothered him. Some daddy issues still haunted him to this day. Even after the little group decided to treat themselves to a nightcap in the hotel bar, Nika's personal stories about the main reason for her visit to Sweden and the linked family history didn't let him go.

"Mm-mm. True though, there were times I thought I needed to know who he was. Until I remembered that my mother wasn't interested in me either." She shrugged one shoulder and pulled on the glass straw amidst the quiet clinking of ice cubes.

From one of the dimly lit corners bubbled a roar of laughter. Lost in thought, Nika looked behind her to the only three other audibly drunk hotel guests.

"Guess that's why my aunt always wanted to take me up north. To get to know my roots at least once in my life and stop wandering around so lost..." There was a sad, resigned smile on her lips as she turned back to Sebastian.

"So that's why this question. About Bucky."

He hit the bull's eye. Nika toasted him in silence. The grasshopper, which loosened her tongue and led her back to a topic she actually wanted to avoid even more, went down like oil.

"But enough from me, Mr. Chameleon. How about you? Why are you so obsessed to find this... Finia? And what makes you think I can help you? I mean", Nika leaned on the back of the couch, burying her fingers in the hair to support her slightly dizzy skull, "I have nothing more in common with her than the source of our first names."

"And you're from the same fanbase and are good with words. Just like her."

"You've read her books?"

A sudden crinkle on the bridge of his nose and a seemingly uncomfortable expression appeared on his striking yet gentle features.

Did he regret it? Nika thought, not knowing how else to interpret his reaction.

"That's not it", Sebastian then explained. "It's just still cringe when one of the protagonists resembles you a lot."