Starting At The Bottom [Sebastian Stan]

[20 - Real Life]

TIFFANY STOOD IN the building silently, occasionally breathing in deeply to hold the ever growing tears at bay. She'd spent weeks in this one building before, hiding beneath the rubble as the people mistook the building for empty. Tiff would never forget the hunger she had felt or the sadness as the realisation had dawned.

Kneeling down, she brushed away a few stones and picked up an extremely ruined teddy bear. Most of it's stuffing had fallen out from the massive gash in its side and both eyes were hanging on by loose threads. An ear had been ripped off while the other had a singular chunk missing. It seemed to be unloved.

Tiff held it close to her, letting her emotions crash together, creating a storm inside which she let out. Screams and sobs melted together as she sat in the same spot for hours, clutching the unrecognisable teddy bear close to her chest. It was when a hand was placed on the girl's shoulder that she came back to reality.

Her tears had since dried up, but the spot surrounding her knees was wet from where her tears had fallen and sunken into the cracked stone. Tiff hung her head, not daring to meet the stranger in the eye, not wanting them to know her. She'd spent years hoping for this, the fame to come and rid herself of the darkness that had wormed its way into her since the fire. But all she got was more darkness and words to cover up the pain.

"Tiff.... Come on." His voice, the one she used to love to hear. Looking over her shoulder, Tiff stared straight into the blue eyes of the Romanian man. "You can't stay here."

His voice held a suppressed pain, cracking slightly as her eyes watered again. When she made no movement, Seb knelt down beside her and took her shaking form into his arms. He'd always been told his hugs could work magic, he only hoped they'd work now.

Clutching onto his jacket, Tiff gave his chest a few weak punches, crying over and over the same word. Why. Why. Why. Seb could only let her. He hadn't told her the truth and now his angel lay in his arms breaking.

Slowly resting his hands on her cheeks, Seb brushed away her tears and kissed both her eyelids with a feather like touch. Tiff's eyelids fluttered for a moment, before opening fully. Seb grinned slightly, brushing stray pieces of hair from her face.

If it was gravity that pulled them together, or even magnetic force, the two adults didn't want to get in the way of science. And as their lips touched, even if no sparks or fireworks went off, they were both sure a chemical reaction had happened.

PLACING A HAND on his chest, Tiff swiftly pulled away and stood up, leaning against the wall for support as a single hand gripped her hair while the other hung limp. A goofy grin spread across Seb's face as the realisation of what had just happened hit him.

"No. We can't do that." Tiff spoke up, looking at him wide eyed.

"Why not?" Standing up, he slowly made his way over to her. "You're not really dating that Theo, are you?"

"Well, no." Nibbling her lip and gazing downwards, Tiff missed the spark that passed through Sebs eyes as he took in the sight. "But, the paps..."

Tiff trailed off as memories consumed her. The rumours she'd had to deal with, the control her management had over her life, the dates she'd had to endure with Rhode. And looking at Seb, Tiff felt that this one decision could do no harm.

"Screw the paps." They said, crashing their lips together once more as one could do without breaking the other's nose.