Media Secret: Hidden Johansson

Bonding

The days blurred together after that moment. We were deep into filming now, and the routine had become second nature—wake up, get to set, act, repeat. But there was something about Hailee that made everything feel different. She had this way of making the mundane feel electric, like she was constantly in motion, pulling everyone around her along for the ride.

One evening, we wrapped a bit earlier than usual. The crew was packing up, but I didn't feel like going straight back to my flat. The thought of being alone, sitting in that small, empty space, felt heavier than it had before. I needed to be somewhere else, with someone else.

"Hey," Hailee's voice cut through the noise of the crew. She was standing a few feet away, her jacket slung over her shoulder. "You wanna grab a drink? I'm starving."

"How about we skip the usual and head somewhere else? I know a spot down at the Liverpool docks. It's not far, and the food's good. Plus, there's something about the place I think you'd like."

Hailee raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. "A secret spot, huh? Alright, lead the way."

We made our way to the car, and I found myself stealing glances at her as we drove. There was something about Hailee that made me want to open up, share pieces of my life that I usually kept buried. It wasn't easy for me, but tonight, with her, it felt like it might be worth it.

"What's this place?" Hailee asked, breaking the silence as we neared the docks.

I hesitated for a moment, then decided to dive in. "It's a restaurant right by the water. My uncle Chris filmed Captain America here when I was kids. I was probably around seven or eight at the time. I remember watching him run through these streets, in full costume, like he was invincible. It was... mesmerizing, you know? I was a kid, but I wanted to be just like him. I wanted to be the hero."

Hailee glanced over at me, her curiosity piqued. "Chris Evans, huh? Captain America?"

I nodded, a small laugh escaping me. "Yeah, that's him. We grew up together. I mean, we went super close at that point but the more mum was involved with marvel the closer we became and we'll he's my godfather not in the mafia way but... but we spent a lot of time together. Watching him film here... it made me want to do something bigger than myself. It was like seeing him save the day on screen and thinking, 'I want that.'"

"That's amazing," she said, her voice soft with understanding. "So, what did you do with that inspiration?"

I glanced out the window as we passed the water, the lights of the city reflecting off its surface. "I joined the army. Thought it would be my chance to be a hero in real life. I wanted to make a difference, you know? But... it didn't exactly turn out to be all the glory and superhero stuff.

She was quiet for a moment, and I could feel her eyes on me, sensing the weight behind my words. "You don't have to say more if you don't want to," she said gently.

I shook my head, my grip tightening on the steering wheel. "It's fine. I... I guess I thought the army would give me purpose. But what I didn't expect was what it would cost. The things I saw, the things I did—it changes you. It's hard to come back from that."

Hailee didn't interrupt, just let me speak, and I appreciated that more than I could say. "It's not just the army, though," I continued. "It's what happened when I came back. I suffered and god my mum was broken for years while I was gone, I hurt my best friend while I was suffering from nightmares, soI left for a year, and when I came back, the woman I loved had moved on. She found someone else. Someone... stable."

The word "stable" hit me like a punch to the gut. I could feel my chest tighten as I spoke, the old wound reopening. Hailee seemed to notice, her expression softening.