{ i. particular arrangements }
"ELSA, YOU DO understand that this course of action our team is going to take will be more than beneficial for your career, right?"
Gerda sat before the blonde in an office chair, hands clasped on a mahogany table; her eyes were intense and her tone resolute, and it seemed as though her very presence demanded attention in the room. This, Elsa remembered, was why her parents chose this particular woman to be her manager.
The girl in question sat back-straight in the padded chair she was provided with, the chair all of Gerda's clients had been familiarized with at one point in time. Her blonde hair — normally braided or tied for the sake of neatness — laid loose, long tresses resting on the small of her back, with a few haphazard strands she had been picking on for quite a few minutes now.
It was not as if she abhorred the proposal. She was merely uncomfortable with the idea that she had to go through something so heinous to save face in public. When it was finally clear to the older woman that Elsa would provide no response to her rhetorical question, she sighed deeply and heavily, pulling out a printed article from a drawer.
"Do you see this, Elsa?" The blonde nodded. "This is an article, by Perez Hilton, of all people — and do you know what it says?" The blonde shook her head. "It says you're becoming too boring for Hollywood now. Somehow he's gotten a hand on some of the directors you turned down, took statements from them, and have given his own commentary on the fact that you've been denying roles that were tailored specifically for you, on the grounds that it was too risque for someone like you to take on."
Elsa tipped her chin up, almost making Gerda want to cry for finally eliciting a response from the reserved actress. "They know I was raised by a conservative family; they should know, by extension, that I won't be accepting roles that might question my morals."
Gerda's jaw clenched; she had heard those words before, coming from Elsa's father. "You're seriously taking a page out of your father's books? What — is he the one in control of your career now?" The hardened look on Elsa's face made her believe she struck a nerve. "News flash, princess; he stopped having a say on any matter concerning you the moment he practically disowned you after you expressed your desire to work in this field instead of taking over the family business." Whilst Gerda felt guilty for having to push her buttons like this, the blonde needed to see that she erred in her perceptions with regards to particular matters. "And beyond that, you're an actress, Elsa! These roles do not reflect your morality, or lack, thereof! You simply act out roles given to you on scripts — nobody said you had to become your character. If you can't understand that, then you shouldn't even be in this career."
Tense silence permeated the atmosphere.
"Elsa," the woman spoke again, rising from her seat and taking the one opposite to Elsa's, "since you started out, I've been the one who remained by your side, through everything. The ups, the downs, everything in between — I was there, and I don't plan to leave anytime soon. Every decision I've made for you has been for the best, hasn't it? And so far, I've respected every denial and acceptance you've done with your roles. Can't you trust me again, this one time, to make a decision that's for the best?" Elsa still didn't speak, and Gerda heaved a sigh once more. "Read through the article for yourself. After that, I want to something. Anything."
With a sick sense of satisfaction, Gerda watched as Elsa took the bond paper in trembling hands, crystalline eyes following the line of text.
GOOD CHICK GONE CHEAP?
Hollywood's Golden Girl, or so she had been dubbed, has been reportedly denying directors of the chance to work with her?! Goodness gracious, Elsie, and here I thought you were awesome.
A couple of big-shot directors have recently expressed their disappointment on not getting to work with the beautiful Ms. Anderson, due to the fact that the roles written especially for her have been declined because it argued with her moral standing. Sheesh — prude much? (Just kidding, Elsie, I adore you.)
But still! The parts are being offered instead of auditioned for, written specifically instead of generally, and I still don't understand why they aren't being taken? Tsk, tsk. It seems as though some people don't appreciate what they're being given anymore. Hollywood really has gone to people's heads. However, that doesn't take from the fact that Elsa is an incredibly talented actress — if only we saw her more on the screens!
Minutes passed without a word from Elsa, and Gerda was ready to sigh some more...
...until the blonde looked up, cerulean gaze aimed directly at her manager.
"Who else is involved?"
Gray Fullbuster.
The moment the young man's name was voiced, Elsa could feel her pallid complexion taking on a new level of pallor. She'd heard about him, how could she not? He had achieved notoriety for being dubbed the standard for modern bad boys; the combination of dark hair, dark eyes, and fair skin, along with his tendency to gravitate towards dark and tight shirts — or no shirts, actually — and his cold and sardonic demeanor, was apparently found attractive by the majority of women.
Not only that — he also had a reputation for being quite the ladies' man, with a few vices here and there. Despite how she was disgusted by smokers and drinkers, it seemed as though the feminine population was even more attracted to that, for some godforsaken reason. Though he had been called out on this multiple times by multiple gossip columnists and writers, it took nothing away from his appeal... and his talent. Even she had to admit that he was quite talented.
Still, that hadn't deterred from the fact that she was supposed to be dating him for the next few months. It was for publicity, yes, and would admittedly contribute to the brightening of the two stars' careers — Gray was apparently spiraling into his vices and his women, and was losing job offers and being declined of roles, while she was slowly being thought of as nothing but a good girl whose morality issues gave the perception of prudish and boring.
Yes, it would work for their careers. But did they really have to date?
And apparently, she realized that Gerda somehow knew that her coercion would reap positively, because when she reluctantly agreed to the publicity arrangements, the older woman had only clapped happily and pulled out her cell phone, immediately launching into a conversation with a woman named Ur. Ur, from what she picked up from the hushed conversation, was Gray's manager — who had arranged for a meeting with Gerda and herself on this very day.
"What was that?" Elsa practically hissed, and while her voice held no hostility, panic in its stead, Gerda still flinched, pocketing her phone. "Was I the last one to know of this arrangement...?"
Gerda only smiled apologetically. "They've been waiting in the lobby for about half an hour now, the amount of time I told them it would take for me to convince you into agreeing with this." The woman seemed genuinely remorseful, and while Elsa believed that she was only thinking of the best, the blonde still seethed.
"I can't believe this, I—"
The door opened; Gerda breathed an almost inaudible sigh of relief (the woman did have a knack for sighing) while she welcomed the two new additions to the room with a benevolent smile. Elsa, who was still under the effects of adrenaline from nearly going on a tirade, snapped her gaze toward the doorway and aimed an angry glare at the visitors. Ur was still in deep conversation with her manager, so her glare was intercepted by someone else.
Her "boyfriend", it seemed, who merely flashed her a sarcastic smirk before leaning on the door frame.
It was in that particular moment wherein Elsa realized just how troublesome this arrangement was going to be. It was also in that particular moment wherein she realized how the majority of the female population disregarded Gray's vices in favor of his physical appearance.
Gray was gorgeous.
—hence reinforcing her first realization. She was screwed.
author's note: aaaand here it is, my new story and plot bunny. unfortunately, my muse for realism has gone poof for the time being, so i'm focusing on this new story in hopes of reigniting my muse! either way, i'm extremely fond of the idea of gray and elsa, and excited to be the first (i think?) frozen/fairy tail crossover to be featuring this pairing. i may have to raise the rating a little later, however, for there will be scenes that require mature audiences. wink wink. but yes. enjoy, and review, please!