"Get down!" Kisame barked as he forced his female companion back behind some wooden crates. All around them the decrepit factory erupted into an explosion of flames and searing heat. He pressed her up against the heavy boxes and took the brunt of the blow. The back of his shirt was singed, revealing parts of his muscular back.

"You're hurt!" The woman wailed miserably. Despite her own dirty and torn clothes, her long crimson hair still looked magnificent with its cascade of curls.

He shook off the hand she rested against his shoulder. "We don't have time to waste comparing bruises," he said gruffly. "We've got to get out of here!"

Tears filled her eyes as she shook her head in silent refusal. She gasped as he pulled her up to her feet. He tried to lead her away but she resisted just once more. As he turned back to face her, she gave him a passionate kiss. Now it was his turn to hesitate and his brow furrowed slightly.

"We'll never make it out alive," she whispered into the corner of his mouth. "And I won't waste another minute…er wait, second! Second!" She blurted out in embarrassment as she over-corrected herself. "I won't waste another-"

"CUT!" A man's voice shouted from the Director's seat in the distance. "Cut! Let's just stop there for now."

The woman's face fell in frustration but Kisame seemed at his ease. It was just another day in the life of Hollywood's Hero, and he felt like things had been fairly smooth today on set. He clapped a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry Avaron, we all make mistakes."

"But you don't," she said with a slight pout.

"That's because I'm a pro," he said proudly. "Stick it out and you'll be more than a one-hit wonder."

A scowl seared over her delicate features. "But at least I won an Oscar in my first role!" She snapped.

He rolled his eyes and shook his head in exasperation. What a diva! Serves him right for trying to cheer her up in the first place. He walked off the set, careful to step over the rubble.

"Twenty minute break and then we'll go over it again when the set is reset by the pyrotechnics." The Director shouted again.

Kisame's manager approached his client with a towel and water bottle. He took an impressive swig of it as the little man praised his earlier performance. "This will be your most stunning role yet! The box office with explode with rave reviews, I'm sure of it!"

He wiped his mouth afterwards and tuned out the rest of the rambling man's monologue. He frowned as he looked around the busy set. He was used to praise and flattery, what he wanted was an honest and frank assessment of his performance. And he knew just where to get it. Just then he spotted a familiar spiky mess over by the food table, setting out sandwiches for everyone. He tossed the empty bottle to his manager and left without a word as he made his way towards her. The girl was slender and youthful in appearance, though her tone had experience that didn't match her years. He still hadn't figured out her age yet, she wasn't that forth-coming in personal conversation, but he would have guessed early twenties. Then again perhaps it was because he wanted her to be of legal age. He'd hate to fall for jail bait. She was alluring in all the right ways with her vibrant personality and sharp tongue.

Even as his shadow fell over her, she didn't acknowledge him. Unlike the other staff who were flustered by his large size and impressive muscles, she was never impressed. She treated him with the same indifference she showed everyone else.

"So what do you think?" He asked.

"I don't like it." She cast him a side-ways glance, her dark eyes were blank. "I hate the smell of tuna. I wish the Caterer wouldn't use it so much in their sandwiches."

He frowned severely. "I meant me."

She chuckled darkly. "Oh yes…it's always about you, isn't it?" Her sarcasm was more teasing than harsh.

"Seriously kid, what did you think of the scene just now?"

She straightened up and checked something off on her clipboard before turning to face him. "Why are you asking me? The only opinion that truly matters is the Director's."

"Because I can trust your opinion to not be influenced by greed."

Her face fell slightly, as if pained by some memory. But she shook it off before he could inquire further. "Fine, if you really want to know I thought it was incredibly phony."

His eyes widened. "Phony?" His tone squeaked slightly.

"Well the first problem is that you've been paired with a lesbian actress. There's no chemistry or genuine attraction so it looked fake, forced even. It was hard to watch." She frankly confessed. He felt like the wind had been knocked right out of him. Chemistry wasn't required on the job, but it had to look genuine at the very least. But she continued on. "And you're totally ignoring her too. Lovers on the run would be more unified than you just dragging her around like some lagging kid. And why is she acting so scared and whiny? You're built like a tank! You'd think she could trust you to protect her." She shook her head in a condemning fashion. "I couldn't stomach more than three minutes of it. It was so over-dramatic and predictable; all of Hollywood's hallmark traits. Sure to be a big hit!" Her exaggerated praise sounded so hollow that he flinched.

"So it's hopeless then?" He grumbled as his shoulders hunched in dejection.

"No, not really. Just make it more realistic, that's all." She shrugged. "Don't just act it, live it." Her gaze lowered to his charred shirt which made her smile in spite of herself. Wow he was ripped! She wasn't a fan of nudity in movies but she was willing to make an exception in his case. "But first you've got to make that kiss convincing. After all it's supposed to be the most climatic part of the film, right before you die in each other's arms so make it count."

He scowled. "I'm an action star, not a rom-com sucker."

"But that's what you signed up for," she smirked. "You did read the script beforehand right?"

"Of course I did," he huffed though it was a lie. He trusted his agent to handle that sort of thing. He still didn't know what made him agree to this one. Yes it had plenty of action in it, but the love interest? What a drag.

Just then others approached the table, eager for a snack break. She started to fade into the crowd but he wasn't willing to let her go just yet. He caught hold of her elbow and steered her towards a secluded corner. "What are you doing?" She protested as she tried to pull free. His grip was firm but not painful.

"You know it's not as easy as it looks," he huffed defensively, still sensitive to her earlier criticism. He released her by a stack of shelves that held electrical equipment.

She rolled her eyes. "Oh yes because you the Hollywood Hero can do no wrong!" She said sarcastically. "No one's saying you don't have the skills to pull this off. You just need to emotion to." His bottom lip curled at such sappy sentiment. She giggled softly as she leaned back against the shelf, resting her elbows behind her. "You do have those right?" She gently teased. "Even big tough guys need some love."

"And what do you know about love?" He taunted. He couldn't help himself, sometimes she got under his skin.

The smile fell from her face and her gaze dropped to the floor. "Absolutely nothing," she said flatly. Her cheeks reddened at her slip and she tried to laugh it off. "Which is why I'm just a stage hand and not a big movie star!"

He leaned forward, resting his hands on either side of her. She frowned slightly at his closeness but didn't move away. For a time they just stared at one another, silently assessing the other. She looked so vulnerable in spite of the stubborn look on her face. And he was…softer than she imagined. There was compassion that she didn't expect to see in his eyes.

"Love isn't something you learn about," he murmured. "It's something you feel."

She snorted in derision. "That was so lame just now. Seriously, do you even hear yourself?"

"You yourself said it's more than an act, it's meant to be lived." He gently countered. So close now…her scent was empowering. He bent closer towards her, desperate for a taste. Just one…

Her face went red as she realized what he was about to do. "I didn't mean us! I meant-"

His mouth silenced hers as he kissed her. Her breath caught in her throat as she completely froze. What was he doing?! And yet what surprised her the most was just how tantalizing it was. A thrill ran up her spine as his fingers gently massaged its length. The kiss grew persistent and she groaned softly as she found herself unable to resist. Once…just once…she allowed herself to long for something. To want something for herself…He parted her lips to deepen it, eager to explore what he had only imagined before. He growled possessively as he pulled her in tight against his toned body. Her hands squeezed his hips in turn; fingers digging in eagerly. Never before had desired burned within her as strongly as it did now. Lust clouded her vision as his hand snuck down the back of her skinny jeans. Clearly this was getting out of hand, she was dimly aware of that as his pelvis grew hot against her own. Yet in that moment, she wanted him just as badly. What the hell was wrong with her? She knew better than this…

"Mr. Hoshigaki!" His manager's whiny voice called out. "Mr. Hoshigaki! Break's over! The scene is ready! Where are you?" He came around the corner to discover the amorous pair. She reddened in humiliated silence, especially when the manager didn't seem all that surprised. "You haven't time for that now sir," he gently scolded. "You've got work to do."

She realized with absolute horror that this wasn't his first time being caught! So were the rumors true? There had been whisperings of closet affairs, fairly discreet liaisons between him and the staff. She knew so many who lusted after the movie star and perhaps he wasn't against using that to his advantage. Oh she felt like such a fool! He was no better than Madara himself! She shoved him hard and ran away before he could see her cry. He reached out for her, but his manager gently discouraged him. "Please don't make a scene sir." Kisame watched with a heavy heart as she ran. He didn't mean for things to get so out of hand.

She threw her clipboard and headset at her boss as she shouted her resignation. She would never come back! She never wanted to see Kisame again either!

For the rest of the day Kisame felt a knot form in his stomach. It was so weird. He wasn't one to really dwell on things; he was truly a man of action. And yet…his heart ached. But it didn't make sense. Ritsuko was really no different than his other flings. He had a high sex drive and knew that women found him appealing. It had never caused problems in the past. But Ritsuko wasn't like those other girls. She had bite to her, both in conversation and in passion. And he wasn't satisfied with just one taste. But he forced her from his mind for now. He had work to do.