Have Courage & Be Kind

[tf-lilyj]

[tf-lilyj]

Lily's outfit for party @behindtheglam

[ofstans]

Vulnerability was not a feeling Sebastian liked in the slightest, but he hated cowardice more and he knew well enough to know that vulnerability was not always a weakness, most times a strength. Still didn’t mean he liked it though. And though the two were in the middle of the living room, open for anyone to come meandering in, or the camera’s to be lurking around - Sebastian’s full, undivided attention was on Lily and no one else. That’s how it usually was when he was around her, she was all he could see – all he wanted to see. A muscle in his jaw ticked as she said his name, preparing himself for the worst, however soft her voice may have been. This time, he let’s a small laugh out, “No? You didn’t?” Most people around them would say it was pretty obvious, well… Most people who knew Sebastian pretty well. But he couldn’t blame Lily, when Sebastian guarded himself, he did it too well. For the first time since she placed her hand on top of his, Sebastian flips his hand over, threading his fingers through hers. The gesture brought on a sense of comfort, or was that just Lily’s presence? God, he fell pretty hard for her - this would absolutely destroy him if she didn’t feel the same. 

She’s leaning closer to him and though Sebastian has remembered every detail in the dark memorizing eyes of hers, he got lost in them all over again. Then she said it and any trace of doubt that lingered in his system just simply vanished. He had his suspicions, of course. He even tried to get her to say it that night in Livorno but she pulled away and when she did, that doubt crept back in, telling Sebastian he was just imagining things. “You’re crazy to think I would never feel this way about you.” Sebastian replies with a small laugh between them, “They did.” He nods, his tone soft between the two. Though those relationships had ended, either on good or bad terms - he always took something positive out of it. “But you make me happy too.” He adds, keeping his tone quiet between them. “Happier than I’ve been in awhile.” He adds a tone softer than the last. She pushed it away, and he fought to keep these very feelings locked in some impenetrable chest all for the same reason. It wasn’t as impenetrable as he thought it was though, there’s been numerous times where he’s openly displayed some kind of attraction towards her, whether or not she picked up on it. Lips, soft and tender, meet his own and he practically melts into the very kiss. Hands find purchase on her waist as he pulls her closer to him, deepening the kiss he’s been wanting to do for ages. They’ve kissed…. so many times before but this was different than any kiss they’ve ever shared. This was full of passion and longing that belonged to them, and only them. And he would happily spend hours kissing the very woman in his arms. He pulls back only slightly, gently taking her lesser lip between his teeth before kissing the spot over. “No more pushing it away, or locking it away in some box.” They were both at fault for that, Sebastian’s lips are on hers again, letting himself get totally lost in her. “I just want you.”

[tf-lilyj]

Lily felt a rush of emotions flood her senses as Sebastian’s words washed over her like a warm embrace. She had kept her feelings hidden for so long, afraid of the vulnerability that came with admitting them. But now, here in this moment, as their lips met in a passionate dance of longing and desire, she knew that she could no longer deny what her heart had been screaming at her all along. The tenderness of his touch, the intensity of his gaze, all whispered to her soul that this was where she belonged. As they broke apart slightly, catching their breath in the hazy air thick with unspoken promises, Lily felt a surge of courage rise within her. She locked eyes with Sebastian, her voice barely above a whisper but laced with unwavering determination. "I want you too," she confessed, her words hanging in the air like a promise waiting to be fulfilled. "I've never felt what you've made me feel before. I know it might sound strange but in my all my past relationships, nobody has ever made me important as you have in our friendship and I think that's why I fell so hard for you and i just..." Lily blushes, "I want to try us... if that's something you'd be into."

[tf-lilyj]

Lily: Have courage and be kind @behindtheglam

[ofstans]

A soft smile forms on his lips as he follows Lily to the couch, mentally holding onto the string of confidence he woke up with this morning. He could easily say one of his downfalls was keeping the way he felt in for so long, sometimes too long and then there’s that small nagging voice in the back of his mind. Has it been too long? Teeth sink into the flesh of his cheek to pull his mind away from that thought, sitting on the couch next to her. “Yeah, yeah, no - everything’s good.” Sebastian replies with a small laugh, hoping to ease that worry. “There’s just – I haven’t really been honest with you.” Well, that’s a great way to open this conversation up, Sebastian. “It’s nothing bad,” He’s quick to add, “Well - I hope not. I don’t know, I guess it depends on the way you look at it.” Ramble much? 

The smile is back with ease on his lips then, thankful for the small moment of distraction. “Thank you. You look good too.” She always did, strikingly so. The small laugh emits as he nods, “I have, yeah.” He was excited to get back into the role of Bucky. Sebastian draws his lesser lip in, his mind going in a million different directions on how to start the conversation he wanted to have with her. And in that instant, Sebastian’s azure hues lock onto her darker ones. “You know how I’ve been telling you there’s only one person I really wanted to impress?” He asks, letting her sit with that thought for a moment. “You’re that person,” He admits, “It’s always been you. I haven’t said anything for the longest time because we’re friends, and I didn’t want to ruin that.” And he very well may be ruining that now, “And even now I’m terrified that I am ruining it but -” He pauses, “I tried to ignore the feelings, but then I see the way you are when you’re happy and your nose scrunches and the way your eyes light up when you laugh and I’ve never seen anything more beautiful than that.” He takes a small breath, teeth sinking into his tongue as he keeps his hues on her. “I don’t want you to feel like I pushed you into a corner and I’m not giving you an ultimatum. If you don’t feel the same, I’ll be okay. We’ll still be friends, that won’t ever change. I just… you deserve to know.”

[tf-lilyj]

Lily sat there in stunned silence, her heart racing at Sebastian's confession. She had never expected him to reveal his feelings in such a vulnerable and heartfelt way. His words echoed in her mind, each one carrying the weight of his emotions. As she gazed into his azure eyes, she saw the sincerity and fear mingling together, creating a storm of emotions within her. Taking a moment to collect her thoughts, Lily reached out and gently placed her hand on Sebastian's, offering him a reassuring squeeze. "Sebastian," she began softly, her voice filled with tenderness, "I had no idea… I mean, I had no idea you felt this way." Her own feelings swirled inside her, tangled yet somehow clear in that moment. She could feel the warmth of his hand under hers, the connection between them growing stronger with each passing second. She thought thought in a million years, he'd fall for her like she did him. She knew the man was very easy to fall in love with, but it was more then what most people say, when they describe how they fell for him. There were little things about Sebastian, that not many people notice, that Lily noticed immediately and found it adorable. A smile tugged at the corners of her lips as she looked into his eyes, seeing the depth of his emotions reflected back at her. It was the exact way she looked at him when he wasn't looking. Lily took a deep breath, feeling a sense of calm wash over her. She knew in that moment that she had a choice to make, a choice that could change everything between them. With a soft smile, she leaned in closer to Sebastian and whispered, "I feel the same way." The words hung in the air between them, filled with hope and possibility. "I just never thought in a million years you'd feel the same way. I mean I've met most of your exes," she admits with a chuckle. "They were all something that made you happy and that's the Seb I love seeing, you happy." she gives him a soft smile. "It's always been you. I think I known it for awhile but I pushed it away because I didn't want to ruin our friendship.." she finishes explaining. This was now or never Lily, she told herself as she just decided to go for it. Without hesitation, she cupped Sebastian's face in her hands and pressed her lips to his in a gentle yet passionate kiss.

[percyfraser]

LILY JAMES for Charlotte Tilbury

[neonhelper]

Lily James as Pam Adkisson in The Iron Claw (2023)

[oliviadumhan]

It's not so very bad. Others have it worse, I'm sure. We must simply have courage and be kind, mustn't we? LILY JAMES as Ella in CINDERELLA (2015) dir. Kenneth Branagh

[tf-lilyj]

Lily James made a new post on Twitter (X)

[ofstans]

He wasn't sure what gave him the courage today - but Sebastian woke up with the intention of hopefully dissolving any kind of tension between him and Lily. He didn't like how it settled over them like a heavy cloud that followed them wherever they went. Didn't like that he could see she wasn't happy - even when she tried to appear as if she was. He didn't like that he has held onto these feelings for so long that it felt as if he was going to combust at the seams. Strides carried him to where he believed she'd be, flashing a small smile to some of the passing crew members but otherwise making a beeline for the blonde. When he sees her, he could feel that tiny part of himself trying to close up again but Sebastian put a mental foot in the door to stop it. "Lily," Sebastian steps into her view, a smile on his lips despite the nerves? in his stomach. "Can I steal a few moments of your time?" @tf-lilyj

[tf-lilyj]

Lily's heart skipped a beat when she saw Sebastian standing in front of her. His smile was warm and genuine, but there was a hint of uncertainty in his eyes that mirrored her own insecurities. They had been avoiding this conversation for too long, each one afraid to risk losing what little they had left between them. But as he reached out to her now with such vulnerability, Lily knew she couldn't keep running away. "Hey Seb," she said softly yet with determination. "Come sit with me." She gestured towards the couch, silently asking him to join her. As they sat down, their unspoken thoughts hung heavy between them. Lily took a deep breath before meeting Sebastian's gaze. "Is everything okay?" she asked gently, worried that something was wrong. Was he going to finally tell her that he had met someone else? That his heart belonged to someone new? Or was there something about her that made it hard for him to be around? A million questions raced through Lily's mind as she nervously smiled at him. "You look good," she added, trying to lighten the mood. "Have you been training for Thunderbolts?"

[ncutii-gatwa]

Lily James via instagram

[ncutii-gatwa]

LILY JAMES Only Natural Diamonds (Sept 2022)

[ofstans]

God, Sebastian has never paid so much attention to the detail in the walls, or the carpet, or the sounds of their footsteps before until now. Hands were shoved into the depths of his pockets as they continued down the hall, the silence between them foreign and heavy. He wanted to call her out on her lie, tell her that he could tell she was lying. The smile said it all. And he just about did, until her voice cut through the silence like a sharp knife, hues looking to the side of him at her question. “It’s been awhile since I’ve been on a date.” He forces a laugh, thinking back to the last date he had with Alejandra before he called it quits. “I’m pretty sure I’m already in the doghouse with her too.” Sebastian adds with a laugh, “It should be fun though.” He wasn’t exactly sure if that was an answer enough. 

Once they stepped out of the hotel, the breeze of air was welcoming and Sebastian embraced it, finally letting out a breath to hopefully ease the tension in his shoulders. “Always.” Sebastian flashes a smile to Lily - the question itself didn’t catch him off guard, it was the way she asked and the way she was looking at him. And jesus, fuck - if the tension between them wasn’t so thick, Sebastian would pull his phone out and take a picture of her in this moment, the sun casting a soft glow off of her, making her features soft… she looked absolutely beautiful. He pauses his strides, attention fully on her and nothing else. “Yeah,” He finally answers, wanting nothing more than to reach out and pull her to him and close the distance between the two. Before he could comprehend what was what, Sebastian had taken a step closer to her, his hand reaching out and gently grasping hers. “I do.” He nods. “It’s kind of painful, looking for that soulmate.” The heartbreak one would go through in search for their soulmate, “There’s been times where I wanted to not believe in it. But I’ve always kind of held out.” He finishes, “What about you? Do you believe in soulmates?”

[tf-lilyj]

Lily's eyes widened slightly at Sebastian's question, her hand still held in his. She hadn't expected the conversation to take such a serious turn, but she appreciated his vulnerability. As she looked into his eyes, she could see the flicker of uncertainty mixed with hope. "I...I believe in soulmates too," Lily began, her voice barely above a whisper. "It's something I've pondered about a lot, you know?" She paused for a moment, her gaze shifting to the horizon where the sun was beginning to set. "And I think maybe… just maybe, we could be each other's." The sky was painted in shades of pink and orange, mirroring the emotions swirling within her. "But it's also terrifying," she continued, her voice gaining strength. "The thought of putting all your faith and happiness into one person, hoping that they'll be everything you've ever dreamed of. What if they never come along? Or what if they do and it all ends terribly? I've honestly had enough bad relationships for a lifetime. I just...." Lily stops walking for a moment and turns, moving closer to Sebastian.

[lwxtomlinson-deactivated2024041]

"Alright, let's do this." Louis rubbed his hands together as he sat down on one of the chairs in the room. Looking at Lily, he couldn't help but smile. "This is a bit weird, isn't it? Asking questions to each other. I've always been more of a private person but getting a bit out of me comfort zone here. I wonder why I said yes to this now." He chuckled softly as he started to tap his foot on the floor. Waiting for the crew members to mic him up, he felt himself loosen up a little. Hearing the others whisper to each other, he wondered what that was all about.

When things were all set up, the woman behind the camera handed them each a card with questions. Reading them one by one, Louis' eyes widened and he heard a couple of the crew members chuckle. "Wow ok, if these are things that the fans want to know, they're some dirty minded fuckers." Shaking his head, he turned his attention back to Lily. "You ready?" @tf-lilyj

[tf-lilyj]

With a confident smirk on her lips, Lily confidently replied to Louis, flipping her long hair over her shoulder in a playful manner. "I was born ready, Louis," she stated, amusement dancing in her eyes. "But let's be real, these questions might require a little bit of creative storytelling. I don't think we want to turn this interview into a tell-all session." Giving him a teasing glance, she raised an eyebrow and continued, "Besides, we both have our own personal secrets to keep." As the crew signaled that they were ready to start filming, Lily adjusted her earpiece and flashed Louis a supportive smile. "Good luck!" she chuckled before turning her attention to the camera. "Hello Vanity Fair! I'm Lily James," she introduced herself with confidence before gesturing to Louis beside her. "And this is my partner in crime, Louis. We are here today to answer some of your most burning questions." She turned back to Louis with a playful wink and added, "Are you feeling nervous about these questions? I've seen some pretty wild ones on this show." As the cameras began rolling, Lily waved to the audience and grabbed the first question card from the producers. Glancing at it quickly, her eyes widened in surprise before turning to Louis with a sly smile. "Looks like we're diving right in," she remarked with a hint of amusement. "First up: Have you ever indulged in erotic fiction?"

[madelynclinehq]

Madelyn was running a little bit late, but she didn't mean any of it. She was still a little jet lagged, but she got dressed as quick she possibly can. Deciding on a light jacket, black blouse, and a nice pair of jeans, she changed into her slip on vans. The blonde hurried down into the lobby, her blonde hair over her shoulders. "I am so sorry." She said out of breath as she approached her friend.

She pouted, feeling bad for having Lily wait. "How long have you been waiting?" She asked, beginning to tuck her loose strands of blonde hair behind her ear. On the outside, Maddie looked put together. On the inside, exhaustion was taking over her body. "I'm ready for a fun shopping day, but I need coffee first."

[tf-lilyj]

Lily raised an eyebrow, trying to suppress a smirk as she looked over Madelyn's disheveled appearance. "Oh, just a casual eternity or so," she quipped, with a hint of exaggerated nonchalance. "But who's counting, right? I mean, I've only had time to read 'War and Peace' cover to cover while waiting for you." She gave Madelyn an exaggeratedly dramatic eye-roll before grinning. "You're lucky I brought a book with me, or I might've actually started to worry. Anyway, I could use a coffee too, so let's high-tail it to the nearest caffeine dealer and get this shopping show on the road." With a playful wink, Lily linked arms with Madelyn and steered her towards the nearest coffee shop, ready to kick off their shopping adventure. "I'm just kidding by the way, it was only five minutes." She admits with a laugh. "So, how have you been? Tell me all you've seen so far."

[sydneysweeneyhq]

"I'm more than ready to do some people watching and indulging." Sydney said with a small laugh. She frowned as she noticed about Lily's demeanor. She hoped that she was okay, but she would bring it up later. She laughed softly at her friends comment, crossing her arms over her chest for a moment. "Uh, meh. I just got out of my engagement a few months ago. I didn't think I'd be dating this soon." She shrugged her shoulders. "How do you feel about it?"

[tf-lilyj]

Lily's smile was strained, trying to hide the sadness and jealousy that bubbled up inside her. She couldn't help but think about her crush being on a date with someone else, and it was like a constant weight on her chest. But she pushed those thoughts aside, determined to not let them ruin her evening with her friend Syn. As they walked towards the market, Lily couldn't ignore the heavy feeling in her heart as Syn shared about her recent broken engagement. She immediately wrapped her friend in a hug, offering words of comfort that she hoped would ease the pain. "Syn, you deserve so much better than that," she said firmly, placing a hand on her shoulder. "I'm here for you, always." Lily's mind drifted to the reason she wasn't a fan of dating aspect of the next few episodes they were filming - because someone she admired and had a secret crush on was going on a date with someone else. The thought made her cheeks flush with embarrassment as she confided in Syn. "I know it's silly, but I can't help how I feel," she shrugged, hoping her friend wouldn't judge her. As they approached the bustling market, Lily's eyes lit up with excitement at the sight of fresh produce and enticing food stands. "We should definitely grab some things and have a movie night tonight," she suggested eagerly to Syn. "What do you say?"

[glenxpowell]

"No sadly it isn't. Weird though because I could go through training for Top Gun just fine but a boat? That seems too much. But it might just be the rough sea. It should get better. I hope." He chuckled softly, trying to stay positive. "I wanted it to be a surprise. So it's a good one? It's good to see you too, Lils. I've been alright. Keeping myself busy. What about you?" When she interlocked her arm with his, he chuckled softly. "Always so caring."

[tf-lilyj]

Lily's words were like a warm embrace, her smile radiating comfort and assurance. "It will be, I promise," she says softly. "Just close your eyes and think of something that brings you joy." Her voice was gentle yet persuasive, as if she had a secret power to make worries disappear. "I saw that movie finally! You were absolutely stellar in it," Lily exclaims with genuine admiration in her tone. "I was completely blown away." She beams at him, her eyes shining with pride and affection. "What's something that makes you happy?" she asks, leaning in closer as if sharing a confidence. Perhaps this simple trick could help ease his troubles. As he playfully rolls his eyes at her suggestion, Lily responds with a playful nudge to his shoulder. "What about me?" she teases back, her laughter dancing through the air. "I've been keeping busy," she continues, her excitement evident in her voice. "After my play in December back home, I've been taking some time to relax. But I'm also auditioning for new projects and have two lined up already!" Her words are punctuated by an undeniable sense of determination and optimism. "Nothing set in stone yet, but I know something great will come along soon."