Thanks for all the reviews for the first chapter! I'll reply to them soon!
I finally have the outline of Chapter 6 of The Stranger ready but in the meantime I can't help but write this. Don't worry, I promise I'm not abandoning The Stranger! It's just that I need to get this out of my system. For some reason, I find it easier to write in first-person POV lately. It's strange, because it used to be that I don't even like reading first-person POV, much less writing it!
"He's an asshole, that Jaegerjaques," one of my advisors had warned me, back when I told him that I got the internship position in Urahara's latest project. "Arrogant, narcissistic, and perverted as hell to top it off. You be careful, Kurosaki, be very careful."
A senior of mine put it simply. "He'll try to get in your pants if you catch his eye," he said matter-of-factly. "And he always wins."
I had taken that with a grain of salt. Sure, I don't expect Jaegerjaques to be an angel. I've heard and read a lot of things about the man. I mean, who hasn't?
He's currently the most sought-after actor in the industry - any movie that he's in automatically sees at least a fifty percent increase in revenue. He's a human magnet, drawing females to him like moths to a flame. They love his rugged good looks, his well-toned body, but most of all - his piercing glacial blue eyes that somehow possess the ability to make women wet just by looking at them. Men love him for his thrilling action sequences, especially because he's famous for performing all the stunts himself.
With everything feeding his ego, of course I expect him to have some kind of attitude problem. I personally don't care. I'm here for the job, not Jaegerjaques. The production assistant intern position is a coveted position. It's notoriously hard to get on a Urahara Kisuke project, and such opportunities are really, really rare.
When I caught him looking at me like a shameless sex predator earlier, I was disgusted but wasn't all that surprised. I had been warned after all. But, shit, why didn't anyone tell me to stay away when Jaegerjaques films a sex scene?
I'm a hot-blooded, completely normal male college student in my early twenties, so can you blame me for being a little curious? It doesn't matter that I play for the other team. Nelliel tu Odelschwanck is hot, I give her that. Add that to the fact that they're doing that scene in full view of Urahara - I'm sold. I just had to see it for myself.
I assumed it was going to be awkward. Nelliel is married to Urahara after all, I'd be a little nervous making out with her, even if it's just for a movie. But, fuck me, not only was it not awkward, Jaegerjaques had taken it to a whole other level.
His brows had furrowed just a little, the way someone would when the first wave of pleasure courses through their veins, and he had groaned in that gravelly voice of his - god, my mind just took off on its own, and before I knew it, I was hard.
Horrifyingly, embarrassingly so.
It's not because I'm lusting after him, of course. It's just a natural physiological reaction. You know, like morning wood, like how you can't control your body's reaction when you have a wet dream at night. It has nothing to do with Jaegerjaques.
After taking care of the problem, I lean back against the wall right outside of the restroom to catch my breath. I want to bury my head in the ground and stay there forever. I remember scoffing at my senior and saying that I don't even like Jaegerjaques as an actor. He's a talented performer, yes, but I'm more of a Johnny Depp person myself.
Apparently, my body doesn't know that.
I return to the set quietly, hoping that nobody would ask me where I've been. It's almost lunch time, so I hang around the front of the set to wait for the other two interns. Ishida Uryuu is working at the costume department, while Hirako Shinji is interning under the famous Ayasegawa Yumichika, one of the great legends in the makeup field. I've only talked to them once this morning, but they're the only ones close to my age here so naturally we'd flock together.
I'm still waiting with my hands stuffed in my jacket bocket when I suddenly spy the unmistakable shade of electric blue out of the corner of my eye. To my dismay, I can't control the heat wave that consumes my face immediately. I turn away quickly. No, I'm not hiding. I just...don't want to attract his attention, that's all. It's completely normal, nothing to be ashamed of. Remembering the looks he'd given me this morning, I can't help but tense up.
Shit, he's going to come up to me for sure. He's going to try to hit on me, and then he's going to expect me to become all starry-eyed just like all his other conquests. Hah! I'd never do that. I'll show him that not everybody worships the road he walks on. He can pull all his tricks on me, but they're not going to work and I'll -
He walks to his trailer and disappears inside without a single glance in my direction.
I don't think I've ever felt so stupid in my life. No, not even when I licked the chalk board in second grade just because Keigo dared me to.
I don't know how long I've been staring at Jaegerjaques' trailer, but I'm brought back to reality when someone gives me a smack on the back of my head.
"Oww!" I grab my head and spin around to find myself staring into the grinning face of one Hirako Shinji.
"What were you daydreaming about?" he asks, completely oblivious to the fact that he's trespassing on my personal space and the fact that he's being much too friendly for someone who had known me for barely half a day.
A knowing smirk appears on Uryuu's face for a split second, but luckily for him and me both, he keeps his mouth shut.
"So, what's for lunch?" I ask hastily before Shinji senses something amiss.
Lunch turns out to be tuna sandwich and coffee for all staff members. The stars of the show remain in their trailers. One of the set assistants, a new guy called Yamada Hanatarou, makes the mistake of knocking on Nelliel's trailer door to inform her of lunch. When he returns, his eyes are wide and watery, looking utterly traumatized, but he refuses to tell us what happened. The veterans start snickering at once, and by the end of lunchtime I've manage to conclude that one does not simply interrupt Urahara and Nelliel when they're getting it on.
After everything is cleared away, we prepare for the next scene. It's a short one, where Jaegerjaques has a chat with one of his contacts before the poor bastard is shot in the forehead execution-style by a sniper. The gory scene won't be filmed till tomorrow, so this is just the scene where the two men meet secretly at an abandoned warehouse. Being the rookie set production assistant, I help the other set assistants with last-minute setup while Uryuu and Shinji scurry away to help with costume and makeup.
"Hey Kurosaki!"
I nearly jump out of my skin when the Assistant Director hollers my name from across the studio. I drop what I'm doing and jog over to him. The tall, burly man thrusts two pieces of paper in my face.
"Get this to Jaegerjaques now," he growls, glaring at me with his one good eye as if I'm the cause of his foul mood. "And ya make sure it happens, ya get it?"
I keep a lid on my temper and snatch the paper from him, then his words finally sinks in and I'm immediately filled with a sense of dread. It just gets better, because I quickly realize what I'm holding in my hand.
Last-minute dialogue change.
Fuck. Somehow, I don't think Jaegerjaques is going to like this very much, but I have no choice but to suck it up and deliver the good news. Clutching the sheets of paper in my hand, I make a beeline for his trailer.
I find Shinji standing next to Jaegerjaques, his eyes practically sparkling as he watches his idol hard at work. Don't get me wrong - Shinji couldn't give two shits about Jaegerjaques. It's Ayasegawa he's worshipping. The slightly effeminate older man is applying the finishing touches to Jaegerjaques' face. The split lip and the jagged cut that slices his right eyebrow in half look so convincing that I'd swear they're real were I not seeing this with my own eyes.
I cough politely when nobody pays me any attention.
"Yes?" Ayasegawa turns to me with a perfectly manicured brow raised in a questioning arch.
Shinji continues to stare at his mentor with a dreamy look on his face, and Jaegerjaques continues to tap away on his smart phone like I don't exist. I can't believe I had to jack off because of this jerk.
I take a deep breath and stick out my chest to look more confident than I feel. "I have something to deliver to Mr. Jaegerjaques," I say cooly.
At the mention of his name, the actor finally lifts his head and looks at me. Well, my reflection in the mirror, to be more specific. "What is it?" he asks, sounding like he's bored.
Oh god. That voice.
I act like my palms are not sweating and hand him the modified script, extending my hand as far as it can go so that I can stay as far away from that evil man as I can. Then, I wait.
"No."
Huh? I shoot a look of confusion at Ayasegawa, who shakes his head and gives me a sympathetic smile.
"Sorry, I don't understand?" I blurt, suddenly feeling very dumb. I feel like I'm missing something, and Ayasegawa's reaction is not helping.
Jaegerjaques rolls his eyes. "I mean no, I'm not changing my fucking line," he says, lips curling in annoyance.
A shiver trails down my spine as he looks me up and down in the mirror as he speaks. His eyes linger somewhere below my navel. Much to my horror, I feel a rush of warmth blossoming across my face even as I open my mouth to snap at him. He's downright leering at me, right in front of two other staff members. It may sound crazy, but it's as though I'm being undressed by him, leaving me feeling utterly naked and vulnerable.
"Tsk, tsk, Grimmjow," Ayasegawa giggles as he arranges the man's hair to a state of perfectly-controlled chaos. "Give the kid a break. He looks like he's going to pee in his pants."
Blood roars in my ears and I glare at the makeup artist with murderous intent.
The corners of Jaegerjaques' mouth quirk into a lopsided, lecherous grin. "Sure," he says.
Why are my internal alarm bells ringing?
"Come here." The man curls his finger in a come-hither fashion.
I fume for a few seconds before finally accepting that I don't want to lose my hard-earned job position over something so stupid. Pursing my lips into a thin line, I stalk over to him. Once I'm standing next to his chair, he turns to me. I blink involuntarily as he flashes his brilliantly-white teeth at me. Up close, his irises look like clear ocean water.
"I have one condition," he states, bringing a hand to his chin like he's deep in thought.
"What," I ask curtly, fuming inwardly. Once again I curse myself for having let this...this monster stir my desires.
Jaegerjaques' smile widens. "If you give me a kiss, I'll do it," he says.
For at least five seconds, I just stare at him blankly. The request is so ridiculous that my brain simply refuses to process it.
"Come on, Kurosaki," he taunts, eyes dancing with confidence and mischief. "Just one kiss. What's the big deal?"
What's the big deal? What's the big deal?
"You're out of your mind!" I explode. I don't quite know where to put my hands - the temptation to strangle him is too great, so I end up balling them into fists and keeping them at my sides.
Ayasegawa clicks his tongue and bats his feathered eyelashes at me. "Cut your losses, boy. It's this or face Kenpachi's wrath."
The image of the Assistant Director screaming at me flashes in front of my eyes. I don't think I'd get into trouble with Urahara, but my official mentor is Kenpachi and I have no doubt that my internship will become three months of hell if I go back empty handed.
"On the mouth, Kurosaki, no cheating."
I hate Grimmjow Jaegerjaques.
Shinji gives me a sympathetic nod, which makes me feel even worse. I chew on the insides of my cheeks and clutch the hem of my t-shirt in a death grip, pretending that it's Jaegerjaques' neck and that I'm wringing the life out of that bastard.
The entire time, the man taps his foot on the floor and grins at me triumphantly.
Fuck it. Might as well get this over with. I grit my teeth, bend over, and clench my eyes shut tightly.
Huh.
His lips are surprisingly dry and the texture is kind of strange with all that makeup on. Maybe it's because of that, it doesn't feel like I'm kissing someone on the mouth. I feel oddly relieved, as though this somehow makes this less degrading...until he sticks his tongue out and licks me. My eyes pop open in shock before I backpedal away from him so fast that I nearly crash into Ayasegawa.
"Gross!" I sputter, rubbing my mouth vigorously with the collar of my t-shirt. "You...you...asshole!"
Jaegerjaques cackles like this is the most amusing thing in the world. "Deal," he says between laughter. "Go tell Kenpachi that I said okay."
I don't even remember leaving the trailer. I just know that I need to get out of there before I give in to my urge to pound that man into a bloody pulp. It doesn't help that it feels like there's an inferno raging on my face, and that I can't get the feeling of his soft, wet tongue across my lips out of my head even as I make a mad dash back to the studio.
It's not till I pull up in front of the giant looming figure of Kenpachi that it registers in my mind that Jaegerjaques had called me by name.
To be continued...