The Other Side (A Sebastian Stan Fanfiction Story)

That Side - Channeling Energies

A/N: Sorry for the slow down on the updates. I think I already have a schedule in mind. I just need to lay them all down as well as my outlines for the next chapters. Please don't leave me! :)

***

The days that followed after the dinner at Tom's house seemed to have awakened something in Sebastian. Before that week ended, he managed to have about 20 pages worth of drabbles that he was now showing off to James. Deciding to start simple, he took in one of his favorite books and based his current work off of it. Not original as he would have preferred, but at least he got something started.

They were currently seated in the living room, Sebastian finally having had the courage to show James what he got so far. He was squirming in his seat as his friend went through the manuscript he had printed out.

"Oh my..." James began as he turned to the 3rd page. "Wow...wow," he mumbled as he kept his face devoid of any reaction.

"Dude you are killing me!" Sebastian slapped his arm, but James didn't budge as he kept reading. "Fine, I'm gonna go get myself a beer, want one?" The darker haired male stood up and waited for a response, only to get the guy seated to wave at him dismissively.

Sebastian's phone buzzed in his pocket, momentarily stopping him in his tracks. Pulling it out, he sees an email notification from someone he had been trying to avoid the last few days.

New Email Message from charliegirl34 @ gmail.com

His index finger hovered over the notification, unsure whether to swipe it away or open it. After meeting Charlie a few nights ago, he couldn't bring himself to continue under the ruse of being online friends with her. He felt sick to his stomach as soon as he got home and immediately decided to ignore her text messages until he figured out what to do.

Thing is, he wasn't sure whether he wanted to do something about him being a fraud or not, hence the decision to ignore Charlie first. Good thing he caught a wave of ideas to write about and focused on that for the meantime. He shoved the phone back to his pocket and snatched 2 bottles of beer and returned to the living room.

James was looking at him expectantly when he came back, most likely having already finished reading his first draft. Sitting beside him, he hands him a bottle and looks at him and the manuscript sitting at the coffee table.

"So...what do you think?" Sebastian asked after taking a sip.

"For a first timer, that," James looked at the table and then back to Sebastian. "...was not bad at all. It could use a few tweaks here and there, but overall, you have a certain reverence to the source material that doesn't border line on being too safe nor being too aggressive. I'd suggest work with a more experienced writer who could show you a few more tips on how to be better."

"Really?" Sebastian asked, a little flummoxed at the response he's got. At the same time though, he was a little relieved that he at least got something started right after trying so many times and just failing at it. "I should probably call my manager or agent or something to see who I can contact."

"That would be a good idea," James responded. "And just keep at the direction where you started. You got great promise, Seb."

"Thanks man, I really appreciate it." The two men hugged it out.

***

"You sure you can't join us for lunch?"

Sebastian just got a call from Chris asking if they could meet and catch up. It was also the same day that James was leaving to go back home to Portland.