A/N: Thank you for continuing to show your support! I'm opening up a bit more, so that the story can have different avenues. I feel like I rarely touch up on Gee. Of course, what the happened to Jai and Clark? I'm sorry if any of you dislike this chapter or find some of it boring, but I felt like it needed to be done. Thank you.
Limes With Lipstick
Hey unfaithful, I will teach you
to be stronger.
Chapter Eight: Hollow
The alarm on her phone never went off, since the device was well over dead, and needed to be charged. She plugged her phone in and searched for something to snack on, before she took a painkiller or two. If she was expected to be active, then she would need something for the pain, and a nice long shower.
She stripped down and caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. What she saw had her frozen completely still. The length of her neck and collarbone were covered in deep red bruises. It was something one would expect to happen in high school, involving normal promiscuous teenagers. This was just worse somehow. Images of last night plagued her mind, from the fall to the pub, his bed, and to her storming out of Jared's hotel room.
It was too warm during the day to be wearing scarves, but she used it in today's attire anyway. The last thing she needed was someone to actually pay attention to her. She made herself a cup of flavored coffee. The selection at the store had been pleasantly exciting. New tea and coffee sticks made her day for the most part.
"Sweet potato and honey coffee, you aren't too bad," She said, after taking a long sip. It was time to go and see where her boss was, despite how they ended things last night. Only she was the one who should have to feel embarrassed about it.
She expected him to be himself, if not more glorified, than usual.
Grabbing her things, she went to reach for the knob on the door, when it was jerked opened. She had almost fallen forward, when a steady hand was at her waist keeping her up. Oh, she knew this person very well.
"Mr. Leto," she breathed, taking a step back inside the trailer. He closed the door behind him and fixed his eyes on her. She could feel the tension, as it hung off of him in a thick cloak. "I was just about to go meet with you."
"I'm here now, so that you may thank me in person." His blue eyes darted to the knitted scarf she was wearing. It was possible that things could have been different now, but in the heat of what felt like betrayal, he wasn't willing to give her any chances.
"I can think of a dozen things that I should be thanking you for…You're going to have to be more specific, sir." Now she was back to being professional. If anything, it only made things easier for him.
"How about you start off by thanking me for the tremendous opportunity that I've given you?" He asked, using her words against her. Her face was filled with confusion, as she stood there lost. He took slow steps closer to her, "For my patience and my kindness, perhaps?"
She unzipped her bag and searched for the white envelope, not seeing it there. He retrieved it from his pocket and held it up in front of her face.
"All resignation letters must be sent and processed through the agency. Furthermore, you must give ample notice." He smoothed back his green hair, impatiently. He wanted to dig into her. "Weren't you ever taught these things or were you just in that much of a rush to get away from me?"
How could he invade her privacy like that? "Didn't your mother ever teach you not to look through other people's belongings?"
She was annoyed. He wasn't supposed to see her stupid resignation letter. The letter itself was more like that of a failsafe. The moment she wanted to leave, she could. It made her feel better when facing him, but now it was like a joke.
"If I hadn't brought this up, would you have used it?"
"I can't answer that for sure."
"So, you were what, saving it for a rainy day? The one thing that I cannot tolerate is..."
"Lying. You can't trust liars, sir," She said, finishing his sentence. It was a fact that she knew all too well now.
He tilted his head, his blue eyes narrowed darkly at her, "You were dishonest with me, again, which is a shame, because I liked you. You were no good as an assistant, but as a person, you were exceptional."
It sounded like he was about to fire her. It made her chest feel as though it were throbbing in a way she'd only experienced a few times throughout her entire life. She was glad that she'd been so lucky as to sidestep being broken by other people on numerous occasions. Today would not be one of those days.
Because she respected him, therefore, disappointing him hurt, more than she was willing to admit to herself.
"I must've not had the confidence to keep this job," she offered with a small shrug. "I wasn't meant to be here anyway. So, if you're firing me, then I'll gladly accept it."
"It's that easy for you, is it?" Her back met the counter behind her when he closed her in. The letter in his hand fell between them. The knitted obstruction was removed from her neck in a single tug. "Of course it is. My first reaction was to be furious. I was livid with you. I'm still mad, you understand that, don't you…"
"I do understand." It was written all over his gorgeous face. His skin was flushed and his jaw was stiff. It was like he was holding something back. "I'm sorry to interrupt our moment, but you are scheduled to be in makeup."
"It can wait."
"It can't…" It really couldn't. He was late enough as it was…
He brought his hand up to her neck, relishing in the marks across her skin. He traced each one slow and meticulously with the tip of his finger.
Jared stared down into her eyes, "Have we met sometime before you were my assistant?"
She shook her head at him, "I would have remembered you."
"I can't tell if you're being nice or not."
"According to you, I'm not all that nice."
"Me neither, but after you hear it so many times, it starts making sense, doesn't it?"
"It's not that you aren't nice." She closed her mouth when he pressed himself against her, trying desperately to collect her thoughts. Her body's natural response was to lean into his touch, to fall under the influence that is him, and to be drunk by it. He smelled wonderful, earthy, and fresh.
"Go on…" He whispered, so close now to her lips.
Oh, that's right. She was trying to speak.
"I'm not going to keep paying you compliments. Overfeeding that ego of yours will only do more harm, than good."
He closed two fingers on her bottom lip, pulling gently. "This mouth...it's filthy, isn't it? You probably hold in what you'd really like to say to me, our situation, the real nitty-gritty, and all that."
She laughed, "I'm sorry. You'll have to remind me again. Are you here to fire me, fuck me, or bore me?"
The side of his mouth twitched up into a smirk, eyes ablaze with amusement. "You've taken the safety off now, but you aren't brave. No, you're a runner. You run."
He detangled himself from her and glanced down at his watch.
"You're late," She said to him, as she brushed past him out the door. Deep breaths, she reminded herself, deep, and steady breaths.
They walked in silence to the makeup trailer. Their shoulders brushed from the close proximity of one another, though neither of them seemed to mind it, or even notice. The stylist was at the counter, sorting through her belongings. When the door opened, she cast the actor a glare that was so glacial hell could have frozen over.
Jared's assistant closed the door behind him and took a seat in one of the unoccupied chairs. She'd sat there before for the entire process. It could have been a lot longer or worse. There were no heavy prosthetics to be done, thankfully. The tattoos, scars, and grill weren't particularly time consuming either.
"Any news about the tour?" He asked, still trying to cool down.
"Your flights are booked. You'll be meeting with your brother at the airport. David grumbled, like really grumbled, but he accepted it all the same."
"I love it when he gets all manly about it." Jared spared the assistant a look, wondering what the hell just happened. He was dead set on firing her one minute, now all was fine and dandy. It had gone back to normal. This would have never happened. Was he going soft?
The door to the trailer swung opened and in walked Jai Courtney, tall and distractingly broad. The Australian saw the girl sitting prettily, as though she were an apparition at first. It made him feel immobilized and haunted all at once. He hadn't seen her in days, but the time had dragged on endlessly it had seemed. He'd wondered if she had been fired or worse.
He had his mother's mind, simply worrisome.
"Ah, well if it isn't the beautiful assistant," Jai said, exuding an alarming sense of confidence, as though he hadn't been concerned by her absence at all.
She looked up at the sound of the familiar accent and beamed a smile at him, "Hey, stranger."
"My sweet girl," he said, as he reached out his hands for her to take them. She allowed him to haul her up into a big hug. His body was warm and hard against her, as he held her still, "Where did you pop off to for all this time?"
There was no pleasant way to explain it, so she gave a careful response instead, "It's been a long, crazy weekend."
He touched a finger to the bandage on her face, speaking softly, "It sounds like you and I should have a little chat about that later."
"In the chair." Jai's stylist pointed to it in a 'down boy' fashion. If only she'd been holding a whip, it would have completed the command. "I need to tame those wild locks before it all goes to hell."
"Say you'll come to dinner with me," Jai said, while he did as he was told, and took a seat. He crossed one of his long legs over the other, comfortably, "There's this French restaurant a few minutes from here. It's not as cheesy as it sounds, I promise."
Jared watched them engage each other in the mirror, brooding quietly to himself, as his skin was undergoing the delicate process of going from natural pale to a pure white.
"I don't know," she said, truly perturbed by the question. It wasn't like many guys asked her out, ever. It was a wonder how she'd even landed her first boyfriend. She was naïve and not in a fun, adorable way, but rather it was obnoxious and annoying.
Either way, Jai's invitation was sudden and even if Jared wasn't within earshot, she would have felt odd about accepting it. Sure, it wasn't like they were dating, but the fact remained that things kept transpiring between them, intimate things. It was like a spark that refused to diminish no matter how many times she tried blowing it out.
Out of all of life's intricacies, she would never understand why people purposefully hurt one another. Was it a game? She wanted Jared to care by unsettling him. Jai's feelings were second to her own personal vendetta. She was almost fired twenty minutes ago. Getting a handle on the situation would be in her best interest.
"Tonight after the shoot," she started saying, as she shoved her guilt to the side. She didn't belong to anyone. Testing the waters, going out for the evening with Jai, why couldn't she do those things? "I'd love to go out to dinner."
Even though her eyes were trained on the floor, she could feel the heat of Jared stare, trying to penetrate through her resolve. The desire to see the look on his face then was almost irresistible, but she refused it.
The door swung open once more, hitting the wall loudly. Clark was standing there with his hands on his knees, doubled over, and out of breath. His glasses were halfway off his face and his usually tame hair was all disheveled. "You run way too fast…" He sucked in another breath. "There's no way I'll ever beat you."
"Just give it up, Clarkie," Jai said, amused by his assistant.
Out on set, it was quiet as the film was rolling. The scenery mimicked every Gotham cliché, dark shadows, and wet glittering streets. The scene was focused on Jared, following every eccentric wave of his arms. He was very animated, unable to stay still. It wasn't unlike the Joker, but he accomplished every movement with elegance.
Pale fingers combed through electric green hair, as dark lips turned up into a wide smile. He was all business and calculating. The suite had been tailored to perfection, sharp, and refined. The buttons of his shirt were undone, revealing his toned pale chest and black ink. Watching him was like looking at art. You try to interpret what you're seeing, emotions evoked in its message, and you can't stop taking it in.
Indeed he was the Clown Prince of Crime.
She grabbed one of the large coats Jared had brought with him to the set. When the director called 'cut', she made her way on over to him, and helped him into the sleeves. The chilly night air was biting through her clothing. There was too much going on right in front of her that she had remained oblivious to how cold it actually was...
It was when Jared's hand grabbed hers that she'd noticed that she was freezing and he was scolding hot. With the addition of the portable heaters, he was bound to be at a comfortable temperature.
He pulled her closer, so that she was standing in front of him. The makeup outlining his eyes made him appear sinister, although his voice was soft. "Why are you so cold? Is this bulky thing not warm enough for you?"
Jared tugged at the scarf and frowned when her hands stopped him from freeing it. His care was genuine, as he removed his coat and wrapped it around her shoulders. Blue eyes searched hers then, trying to read her thoughts.
"You're really going out with Jai tonight? I thought I told you to stay away from him."
Her head shot up at the question. "Will you try and persuade me not to?"
'Tell me it's a bad idea,' her mind demanded, wanting him to tell her that it was true. She shouldn't be doing this. It would take away from her credibility.
"It's not my job to dictate your private life." And just like, her fantasy ended. There was no fight or argument. Where were his immature acts of jealousy? He brought his hand up to the back of her head, petting down her hair soothingly. "I'll see myself to the hotel. Enjoy your evening."
He stepped away from her and off the platform, leaving his assistant there beneath the lights. The actor's night would mostly consist of having his makeup removed and more script reading. Sure, his heart was dark enough to feel the irrepressible rage of knowing that she would be going out to dinner with another man, a man who had made his feelings more than clear, when he hadn't.
Jai Courtney was perpetually fucking irritating.
Gee was at the pinnacle of boredom, having been robbed of her best friend. Her good, moralized best friend, the only person who was able to keep her grounded. The only person to influence her to be better, than what she was, and what she was, was reckless. Gee had done terrible things throughout her entire life.
Being in the company of men had sort of become a nightly ritual. Whether it was for free drinks or a guiltless fuck, she really was beyond the point of helping herself. All this time she thought that she was easing a pain that had been there for years and that the company would close the gap at the center of her chest.
But she felt alone, even though there was a body right beside her then. He was warm and firm with his arm wrapped securely around her waist. It didn't make her feel safe. The trysts were always brief and she was always so fearless in the moment. It took courage to bring complete strangers home to her bedroom.
Her mind was still groggy from the alcohol. It would be hours before the stranger would wake up and leave the vicinity. She couldn't sleep with another person there – breathing, existing. She moved his arm from around her and grabbed her robe from the back of her computer chair.
The phone on the desk was lighting up, letting her know that she had a missed call. She picked up the device and headed into the bathroom. It was her best friend, perhaps her only true love at this point, no matter how sad it was…
Gee tilted her head to keep the phone between her head and shoulder, "You rang?"
The assistant was looking through her wardrobe, "I need your help."
"Boy, that's a phrase I never get tired of hearing." Gee picked up her pack of cigarettes and opened the sliding door to her balcony.
"I've done something bad."
She lit up the cigarette and leaned over the black iron fence, taking in New York, "Bad for you is finishing the last cookie and not throwing away the box."
How should she put it? "I accepted the terms of a date, but it isn't with Jared. It's with Jai and he's gorgeous, but… "
"Who the hell says that?" Gee blew the nicotine from her lungs impatiently. "You've accepted the terms of use of dating? This is why we're surprised when you actually bag someone. It's like, 'Her? No.' And then we all share a great incredulous laugh about it.'"
"Wow, thanks Gee."
"Dating more than one person at a time is actually normal. You date, date, date, until you find the right one. Technically, you're not even going out with Jared, so I don't see the problem."
"I agreed to the date for a reaction," she admitted, shamefully. "And he was cool about the whole thing."
"Men really hate it when girls are insecure. Insecurity is self-sabotaging."
Yeah, well, what girl can help it? "Blue dress or the black one?"
"The blue one, of course. Save the black one for Jared. He is the guy you like, right?"
"I don't think I've come to that conclusion yet."
"Oh, that's weird, because it sounds like you have, otherwise all of this bullshit wouldn't be such an issue." Christ, she was losing her temper. Her friend's predicaments were nothing, nothing in comparison to the hell that she faced on a daily basis.
"Bullshit? You sound weird, Gee. Are you okay?"
"Yeah, it's just that my throat is a little raw from screaming all night. You know me. I never turn down a good fuck." She buried the cigarette in the sand she'd stolen from the beach, until it went out.
She could hear her friend cringing on the other end, as she said, "That's so crude and you know I hate it when you say things like that to me."
"So, it's alright if I do it, just not okay if I say it?"
"You know that I want you to meet a good guy. No, a great guy! The guys we used to talk about all night."
"I met those guys. They're not that great. Soon you stop looking and just accept it for what it is…hopeless."
"I really needed my friend tonight, but I guess she's not around, so I'm going to go panic, and put on this blue dress. Have a good night. I love you, Genie." Always the, 'I love you' at the end, as though she were saying it to family.
She closed the phone on Gee and stood there for a moment, going over their conversation in her head. There was something off, which wasn't unusual. Every few months or so, Gee would go through her bouts of depression. Then she would bounce back, the cloud gone before the rain could fall.
The appointments she'd made for Gee always landed her a hefty bill for last minute cancellations. The extent of her help reached its limits.
She attempted to carry on with her evening.
Now Jai Courtney was not Jared Leto, yet she still covered herself in makeup and her best perfume. The kind you bought in vials, since it was too expensive to afford in a bottle. The blue dress was complimentary, as it clung to her curves. It wasn't like she was asking for danger, but the man was an actor bringing her out for French cuisine. This was only ever something she'd imagined as a girl.
There was a knock on the trailer door, so she grabbed her purse, and headed down the steps. Clark was standing there adjusting his glasses.
He set his eyes on her, biting back a compliment, "I've come to fetch you."
"Fetch? Will you be getting a treat at the end of the night?" She took his hand when he offered it to help her down. The heels were newish, not quite broken in yet.
Clark walked in step with her towards the car, "Look at you being all witty. You'll need that."
"That's reassuring," she muttered, distastefully. She was already nervous from getting into tonight's argument with her best friend about these exact plans. The last thing she needed to do was freak out.
The door opened, as Jai stepped out to greet her.
'All bad ideas start out like this', she thought, 'every single one'.
TBC
