TALK ME DOWN → SEBASTIAN STAN

forty eight | private

riley bear
i wish you could be here
right now babe.

seb 💘
i wish i could be there too
bear, but lizzie didn't want
to ruin the surprise for me.

riley bear
i'm really nervous, sebastian.

seb 💘
hey, don't worry yourself about
it, okay? it's going to be fine. i
won't let them throw loads of
questions at you. chances are,
you'll just be asked what you're
wearing. maybe a question or
two on me.

riley bear
after everything with janie, i
guess i'm just worried they're
going to try and pick me apart.

seb 💘
they won't baby. they'll be more
focused on the premiere than
anything else. i won't leave your
side, okay?

riley bear
i guess it just got really real for me.
like, before it was just a dream and
it didn't seem like it was actually
happening but now it suddenly
seems so much closer.

god, i think i'm gonna have a
panic attack.

seb 💘
hey, baby where are you? i'll
be right there.

riley bear
yo seb, it's lizzie here. i've got
riley's phone. don't worry about
it, okay? i'll look after her.

seb 💘
i want to see her in person, liz.
i wanna make sure she's okay.

riley bear
i mean, she's not okay right now,
but she will be if i can get off the
phone and start talking to her.
it's all under control, okay? don't
worry.

seb 💘
damn it, lizzie, i can't just sit back
and know my girlfriend is having
a breakdown because of me. please
let me talk to her.

riley bear
okay, okay, you can call.

seb 💘 is calling.
ACCEPT OR DECLINE

When the dial tone finally stopped, Seb's heart stuttered. "H-Hi, S-Seb." Riley's voice was hoarse and quiet and when her breath came out ragged, Seb's fists clenched. All he wanted to do was find her and hug her and make sure no harm ever came to her. She didn't deserve to suffer.

"Baby," he finally breathed. "Oh my God, you sound —"

"Awful?" she offered, before forcing out a quiet laugh. "Yeah, I k-know."

He couldn't find it in him to contradict her. "Yeah, you do but I don't mind!" he amended himself at the end, and she laughed again. The laugh sounded more real the second time and he smiled a bit. "Hey you listen to me, little miss. I am not going to let them ask you anything that makes you uncomfortable. You are going to get out of that car, wearing whatever the hell it is you wanna wear, and all of them are going to love you because you're so damn lovable."

She giggled lightly, and he could practically see her blushing. "You're such a charmer, Stan," she mumbled. Then her breath came out in a gasp, a sob sounding down the phone. His heart stuttered. "I'm so s-scared, S-Seb."

"Oh no, babe," he said, his eyebrows knitting together, "baby, please. Don't worry about it, honestly. It's going to be fine, I'm going to protect you. No matter what happens, I'll be here."

At first, he only meant it in reference to the premiere. But on reflection, he realised he meant it for more than that. And when she cried once more, he hoped she realised he meant that too. "Baby, please don't cry," he pleaded. "Focus on my voice, okay? I'm right here and you've got Lizzie there and we're both here for you. We are not going to let you get ripped apart by the press. They'll love you, sweetheart, because I love you and I know that you're an absolute cutie and a sweet little munchkin."

She sniffed and laughed lightly. "I don't know if I can do it, babe," she mumbled.

"You can do whatever you want," he told her, despite feeling his heart sink in his chest. "I'm not going to force you to go."

"I don't want to let you down," she replied. "You came all the way down here to get me ready and —"

"I came all the way here to see you," he corrected. "I came to see my beautiful, funny, kind, girlfriend and that's what I've done. The premiere doesn't matter; all that matters to me is your wellbeing."

She sniffed once more. "I love you, you know," she said, her voice hoarse.

"I love you too, baby," he said softly. "You alright?"

"Yeah," she said, "thank you."

"Aw, I don't want to leave you alone now babe," he said, smiling. She seemed better, her voice much less shaky, but he couldn't be too sure. He knew he wasn't always the most perceptive. "I'd feel like a massive tool."

She laughed, "Don't worry babe. I'm fine. Just enjoy your day and when I get back, you can take me to a nice dinner."

"Of course," he replied softly. "Anything for my best girl."