Higher [S.S fanfiction]

3

A/N: I present you this adorable gif because everyone deserves puppy Seb on their lives! Enjoy and please leave a vote or a comment :)

Isn't it funny when life pulls a trick or two on you? You think you've got everything going on smoothly and then, when you least expect it, a road bump happens and you know you should have been wearing your seat belt.

Sebastian was currently in the aftermath of the bump; that period of time when you don't know if something really happened or you're just going crazy and you feel like you need to pinch yourself in order to come back to reality.

Ouch. Okay, this is real, it's really Emilia who's dragging me by my sleeve.

"You know, you haven't really changed much", Sebastian says, stepping outside the building, scrunching his nose at the LA morning humidity.

Emilia smiles softly, "Really? Is that a bad thing?". Emilia knew she was no supermodel but simply the so called "normal" type: medium height, curvy body and long brown hair and eyes; yet, she had never had serious self-esteem issues, only having the occasional insecurities girls have while growing up. Sebastian, however, was always the thing she was more insecure about. She always thought he could do so much better and she would often confess that to him, only to be assured that there was no one else in the world for him, followed by a sweet kiss or two. Now though, Emilia was sure she had been right all along. Sebastian was the kind to turn heads while walking down the street in a pair of sweat pants and an old shirt, he didn't need vintage, he didn't need to try.

"It's a good thing, of course," agreed Sebastian, placing a single thread of hair that had fallen on his face behind his ear, "You never needed to change anything", he concluded, smiling softly at the brunette next to him.

Emilia blushed, shaking her head, "Always the charmer". Sebastian really had meant it though, he had always found her naturally beautiful. Emilia never had been a girl to care too much for make up, preferring being comfortable over looking pretty; she was who she was and she was always comfortable in her skin, never overly caring about what other people thought of her. It wasn't easy to find a girl who carried herself so naturally anymore and, granted, he never had been the popular type all throughout high school, only getting his fair share of female attention when he was already in college, but still, since they were little he was always drawn to her, fascinated even.

Sebastian opted by not sharing his inner thoughts out loud though, not wanting to disrupt the comfortable atmosphere surrounding them. They had arrived at Sebastian's favorite coffee shop in the city, only two blocks away from the studio, and were soon both involved by the warm coffee aroma. "This is one of my favorite places in LA, I often come here after a long day at the studio, or when I need to go over the script. I find it quaint and relaxing.", Sebastian offers, smiling softly while looking around the 40s like styled place.

"It does smell good", Emilia admired the space, smiling softly, "and I can't imagine how it might help you to get into Bucky's head." Sebastian laughed at her comment. Emilia noticed how bright his eyes gleamed when he laughed; she had forgotten they would do that.

A waitress stopped at their table, wearing a pleasant smile, her eyes widening a fraction as she took in her costumers, a brunet in particular, "Hello, what can I get you this morning?"

Sebastian offered a polite smile, making the young girl blush in return while taking her notebook off of her shirt front pocket, "I'd like a coffee, black, and a chai tea for her please", he finished, motioning with his head towards Emilia, who was staring at Sebastian not really knowing what to say. To say she was surprised was an understatement. Since she could remember them going out to get coffee together, Sebastian never knew what her usual order was, always saying it was inconceivable for his best friend, a person so close to him, to not like "God's nectar".

"I guess you, on the other hand, have changed a little." Sebastian smiled, looking out the window, his cheeks now sporting a soft red tint, "Well, it only took you 14 years", she added, a teasing smile on her face.

The conversation between the pair was as fluid as can be and neither of them seemed to notice how quickly they had gotten back to their old ways, chatting, laughing and reminiscing, good and bad moments, with no reservations whatsoever. It was as if they had never been separated, as if not 10 years had gone by without each other's company. They would ask each other questions about their lives, Sebastian wanting to know everything about her college years and about the different experiences Emilia had come across while she was studying abroad on her 2nd year of college, in Germany. On the other hand, Emilia pried about Sebastian's career, admitting only remembering seeing him on Gossip Girl, as she hadn't exactly had the time to watch TV very frequently; she wanted to know what had motivated her little Bas to pursue a career so different from his childhood dream of becoming an astronaut.

Sebastian never remembered blushing so much, however he tried not to dwell on the fact that Emilia's little slip on the use of the possessive pronoun, as well as the use of the almost forgotten way she would always refer to him back in the day, could actually be the cause of such embarrassment.

That morning coffee had been a blessing, her appearance had been a blessing; Sebastian hadn't realized how much he had missed her company and their banter. For those couple of hours they had been simply Bas and Emmie all over again, innocent and unknown to the world and for that he couldn't be more grateful.

"I missed you Emmie, it was always so good to have such a genuine person like you to be there for me... I hadn't realized how much you always used to keep me grounded." Sebastian swallowed his sudden nervousness and rested his hand on top of her small one, on the wooden table.

For his pleasant surprise, Emilia didn't seem affected by his gesture, instead turning her hand so her palm would rest against his warm one, "I know Bas. Right now I'm having a hard time believing we didn't actually see each other for 10 or so years", she let out a nervous laugh, "I'm also strangely relieved we can still keep a genuine conversation for old times sake.", she added, "I guess that in the back of my mind I always thought you would resent me for leaving when I did...".

Sebastian couldn't believe his ears. He shook his head in astonishment, "What?", he stared at the window for what Emilia thought was an eternity, always keeping his hand on hers, gripping it fiercely. When he turned to her, he seemed upset, "Why would you think that? I never blamed you. There was no one to blame." Emilia couldn't make herself to look into his eyes, every time she did it was like he could see straight into her; she took refuge, instead, on their used cups still resting on the table. "Look at me.", Sebastian tugged at her hand. Dammit. She obeyed.

For long minutes they just stared at each other and as cliche as it was, everything else seemed to disappear. It felt like they were staring into each other's souls, trying to read every single thought and expression the other one had mirrored in their faces, in their eyes.

"I lost you once, before. Now I've got you back, for some miraculous reason and I want you to stay. I want my best friend back Emmie."