Thank you xwynn for sending the prompt~
It actually became a little multichapt fic that I'll update during ResBang cuz I love the AU TvT
Thank you to hidding-in-shadows and lucyrne for being wonderful betas!
~Prologue~
They met each other only two months ago in the city that never sleeps.
Soul had been panicking over his most recent screenplay. He was a newbie producer, graduating from college with a double major in Film and Music only two years ago. He was scouted by one of the most influential companies of that time and Arachne was willing to take him on as a full time producer, a dream come true for someone with little background like himself. She supported his first script full heartedly, giving him access to never-ending funds and to a top notch film crew to help him get into the rhythm of working in the company.
Along the way, he met minor actors and members in the background, becoming friends with them instantly and receiving their promise to keep in contact. They had been the ones who supported him through his initial production, sending their words of encouragements and inviting him out for breaks.
His first movie had been a blockbuster hit, a miracle that kept on giving. Arachne sung praises and compliments to the work and demanded a sequel immediately. She told him that she was putting him under her sister's department and that she would be his boss for the rest of his time here. When Soul meet Medusa, everything started going downhill for him.
After submitting his script, he was forced to wait an outrageous amount of time even though Arachne had made him Medusa's number one priority. Three months later, and he finally heard back from Medusa.
It had been approved, and not a moment too soon. Soul thought that he would go crazy and lose all drive within those months. On the day he heard back, he also decided to skim the briefing she sent along with it and found that she managed to slip an extremely unrealistic deadline into the contract for his movie. He was given only six months to direct, edit, and then produce his movie. The woman was clearly out to get him.
He wasn't worried at first. He already had a crew on standby and minor actors who he knew personally who were willing to add on his film to their workload. He even knew someone in the editing department who could finish the job as fast as lightning on his own. It wasn't going to be a long film, perhaps only an hour long. He was almost confident, that is, until he realized he didn't have a lead actor.
That night, he took a walk down Main Street towards downtown, feeling cheated by his higher ups. Lights of the city flashed all around him in the city that never sleeps. There was no way he could audition and train an actor in a month. Even that was pushing it too close for comfort since it left him with only four months for shooting and a month for editing and production.
He stopped in the middle of the sidewalk abruptly to squat down, groan, and ruffle his already messy hair. He couldn't even begin to dissect why Medusa snuck in the deadline. Did she feel threatened? She had no reason to be since he was a very fresh director. He had only one other film out at the moment, one about a demon and his influence on others. He tried to capture what mental illnesses could do and how serious it was. He felt the need to let people know and understand that having a mental illness can be life ruining. -The Oni- was a perfect way to let the world know that it was just as important as a physical illness. Nah, that woman was simply pure evil's incarnate.
His next movie was supposed to be about how one man's life could be completely shattered by a disease in the mind, a side story and a continuation of his first movie. He wrote the main character after his younger self, a fact he kept secret from his cast and crew. He wanted the world to know the loneliness and the struggles of depression. He especially wanted to portray the relief of overcoming it in the end.
He let his head droop and stared at the concrete, tracing the cracks in the ground. He thought they resembled a mind. No matter how stable the ground or how it appeared from afar, there will always be cracks of madness. He continued to trace them absentmindedly until someone tripped over him.
It was a small young man whose body was sprawled on the ground next to Soul. His cap teetered on his head, revealing ash blond hair, and caused his sunglasses to slip from his nose.
As he picked himself up, brilliant green flashed at Soul. The boy adjusted both accessories immediately, looking almost suspicious of a crime.
"S-sorry…" he stammered out an apology and reached out to help Soul up.
He took the outstretched hand. 'Huh, this dude has really soft hands and a high voice…' "Nah, it's my fault. I shouldn't have been on the ground like that."
The boy glanced around him, concerned about something Soul couldn't seem to grasp. "No no, I shouldn't have been rushing like that." His mouth flattened out into a line. The street lights flashed in the sunglasses for a moment when the boy moved his head to meet Soul. He saw three men running towards them in the glasses' reflection. "Let's talk over here."
The boy pulled Soul into the café next to them. It was surprisingly still open at this hour with bustling customers sitting at every table available. The boy let out a loud tsk sounds and continued to drag Soul all the way to the back—and into the women's bathroom.
"WRONG BATHROOM!" They already had their heads in the room but Soul grabbed his hand and yanked them out. He shoved the men's bathroom door open and pushed the boy into the room. The boy fidgeted and it was clear that he didn't think this completely through.
Soul didn't know what the boy wanted but he knew that must have been trying to hide from those men outside. Soul had his fair share of rough days so he didn't mind helping someone out and hopefully lead them to a safer track in life. His hospitality didn't extend to a bathroom rendezvous with a random stranger though.
"Umm… Why were you on the ground? It's a weird place to take a break especially since you were smack in the middle of the sidewalk." The boy continued to twiddle his fingers.
Soul didn't have a real explanation to give but he decided to entertain him. "Was just thinking about lines."
The boy seemed to perk up at the last word. "Lines? What kind of lines? Like acting?"
"Yeah, I guess." 'Why the sudden interest?' "I'm actually a producer and I'm in some serious shit right now."
"What's it about? What kind of shit? What's the problem?" He was practically vibrating with happiness and passion.
Soul glared down at him. He didn't need a kid who was trying to make quick money and fame causing more trouble for him. "None yah business, kid. Now, I don't know what kind of trouble you got yourself into with the men out in front but mind your own business. No one cool wears sunglasses at night so you're already pretty shady in my book. I think I'm done here, later kid."
He started to leave but he felt a small tug on his sleeve.
"Wait."
He turned around in time to see the cap and sunglasses come off, revealing long ash hair and emerald eyes.
Seeing all facial features at once, he quickly realized that it was a woman, a very beautiful one in fact. Her eyes sparkled with life and she grinned up at him. A small light bulb in the back of his mind formed and he recognized her.
"Maka? As in, the Maka Albarn!? Winner of 5 Oscars and just about every other movie award out there for the past six years? You even have an Emmy for a show you shot while shooting two movies at the same time. Holy fuck are you…?" Soul openly gapped at her. The more he stared, the more she resembled one of the most famous actresses he's ever met.
The gears continued to click and churn in his head. The three men must have been paparazzi who were after her. Her most distinguishable features, her hair and eye colors, were hidden under the accessories which she was forced to wear even at night when they were most impractical. It explained why she was in a panic to straighten them after her tumble. It also explained why she tried to drag them both into the woman's bathroom rather than the men's.
"Say it ain't so, that I accidentally tripped one of the most famous actresses out there." Soul reached to cover his face with his hands but found one of them still tangled in hers. 'Did I ever let go after pulling her into the bathroom?'
She released her fingers and clipped the sunglasses on her shirt's neckline. "It was my fault, honestly. I should've looked where I was running." She twirled her cap between her fingers. "Calm down there fan boy and tell me about this problematic movie of yours."
He shifted on his feet, "Not in a grimy bathroom." He didn't know how to begin but he didn't have to.
His heart stopped for a moment when she reached out for his hand again, pulling on her cap and leading them both out into the café where she urged him to talk about his screenplay. She listened intently and questioned the plot where it was begging to be questioned. She pushed for details and asked him to retell parts that he tried to skip and downgrade. By the end of his summary, he realized that he spoiled the entire movie for her, giving her more of the characterization than his actual draft he sent to Medusa.
It wasn't all in vain. Maka had been looking for another movie to star in and none of the screenplays she'd been offered had that flair that she wanted. However, his story caught her interest. She wanted a movie that moved hearts and changed the world for the better. She wanted something that showed true courage and love. She found just what she was looking for.
Soul walked away from the café that night a little stunned. He didn't find a lead actor, but he found an lead actress. A few tweaks to the character wouldn't hurt anyone, especially if it was for Maka.