Beyond the Black Curtain

Chapter 10 - LDR Sucks!

A/N: For those that *might* not know, LDR stands for Long Distance Relationship. There will be a little time jump this chapter. Hope you like it!

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Rae

Two Months Later

"Well you tell me, Sebastian, seeing as how you haven't even bothered to send me one fucking text over the last two weeks!"

"Rae, baby, I told you this already, the Russos wanted to do some reshoots in Germany. I told you this before I left!"

I massaged my temples and folded my laptop shut. This constant fighting with Sebastian about his schedules is beginning to drive me nuts.

Two months back, we decided to give this long distance thing a shot. The connection we felt to each other was too strong to deny and it was something we agreed to try as it might be something we'd regret if we didn't.

But as Infinity War annihilated box office records left and right, the Russos ordered more and more reshoots for the untitled sequel. That meant more unscheduled overseas trips as well as additional appearances in nearly anywhere Marvel can send any cast member to. Just in the last two weeks, Seb had been shipped to Germany, Paris, South Africa and Japan. I knew he was exhausted, but it's not like I wasn't dealing with shit of my own back home.

Since I wasn't able to write about my afternoon with Chris and Seb, I had to finagle something out of thin air so that my Singapore trip wasn't lost in vain. I managed to have the two of them answer a few questions I originally had for them just hours before they flew back to the US for the premiere. I thought I had a good thing ready for publication, but I was so emotionally distraught and anxious about me and Seb connecting and separating so soon that I had to hand over my interview notes to one of my writers instead. Turns out, since my trip was a secret, said writer took credit for the interview and began his own blog. Because of his 'exclusive' with Cap and Bucky themselves, his readership and subscription grew far more than what we have. Not to mention he started a smear campaign against me online, causing me to lose a huge chunk of subscribers as well as the advertisers I just got six months ago. I had to shut down the site and let go of my writers, as much as it pained me to do so and for them to leave me.

Everything happened so fast, and all of it while I was tending to being in a relationship with a movie star halfway across the world. I sometimes wonder if Seb would have cheated on me already, but Rex kept my thoughts in line, reassuring me that Seb would never do that to me.

Which all led me to where I am right now, bunking with Rex, and struggling to resurrect my career and reputation. Writing is all I've ever known and I wouldn't ever give it up even if my life depended on it.

I just wish that I at least had Sebastian right by my side to tell me everything will work out just fine.

My phone vibrated while still on the call with Seb which reminded me I have to be someplace else in the next hour. I pull the phone away from my ear for a bit and check it. I had to be at the office of a US based-magazine setting up shop in the Philippines within the next hour, they were interviewing me for an editorial position. I took another deep breath and exhaled, this argument with Sebastian had to be put on hold.

"Seb, I have to go, I have a big interview and I have to be there in an hour," I say exasperatedly. "Can we please, PLEASE do Facetime later?"

"What?! No, we just got talking, Rae, please!" His voice crackled on the other end. "Can you ask them to reschedule?"

"Sebastian," I say his name slowly while trying not to lose my shit. "I'm not some hot shot celebrity who can ask people to bend backwards for me. I'm not Sebastian fucking Stan."

"Oh wait, maybe I should ask them," I continue sarcastically. "Maybe they can be more flexible for me..unlike some people I know."

"The fuck does that mean, Rae? It's not as if I'm doing this on purpose!"

I was beginning to get tired of this conversation at this point. I mustered the last shred of patience I got left and spoke again.

"Sebastian, I can't do---I have to go, okay? I'll try if I can Facetime you later. Rex should have the internet fixed before noon here. I'm sorry, I have to go."

I end the call, not wanting to hear him say anything else to me or me having to say anything else I might regret.

A lone tear escapes my eye. I swat it away quickly, put down my phone and began getting ready for my big interview.