A no supers, actors au that started off as a small oneshot and spiraled into this mess. I wrote most of it while I was half asleep, over the course of several days, so the tone kind of fluctuates, but hopefully it's a tolerable blend of fluff and minor angst. I didn't have any particular ages in mind, but somewhere in their early twenties makes sense. Please enjoy!
Also - Raven just goes by Raven. Like Zendaya and Bono. c:
"So tell me about your characters."
Raven watches their interviewer shift in her chair, tucking her long blonde hair behind her ear. Cat Grant is popular. The kind of interviewer who takes on big stars. And, ultimately, that means she's a big star now. It's… amazing. On the other hand, it also means the dunderhead to her right is also a big star, which kind of dulls her accomplishments. If Garfield Logan can make it big, how hard can it really be?
"Well, Jack is super cool, obviously."
While the other two giggle over the lame joke, Raven twists her bracelets around her wrist. She hadn't planned to become an actress. She wasn't really made for fame, and interviews prove taxing. Gar, on the other hand, is a seasoned pro. He's been doing this since his first role in a child's show when he was, what, seven? He's outgoing, bubbly, quick to crack a joke. Raven, on the other hand, has the world's most famous resting bitch face.
Sensing his gaze, a sixth sense she never wanted, she looks at him from the corner of her eye. He quirks an eyebrow at her, lips ticking up in one corner with that infuriatingly knowing smirk he does. The one he only seems to aim at her. She raises an eyebrow right back at him, which morphs his smirk into a grin.
"Nah," he says, dragging his eyes back to Cat. "I mean, yeah, Jack is cool. But he's a lot more than that. He's got depth behind it all, and a lot of growth that we see throughout the movie. Aided, of course, by Sarah." He gestures towards Raven. "Arguably even cooler than Jack."
Cat, nodding along with an encouraging smile, turns her attention to Raven. Her cue to talk about Sarah, apparently. "Uh… Sarah's a good foil to Jack. More reserved, less focused on the way people perceive her. But Jack helps her grow as a person, as well. To come out of her shell, and to be more open to the people around her. They're good for each other."
It seems to be an appeasing answer, because Cat smiles and glances between the two costars. "Very good for each other, if the trailer's any indication. That kiss, by the way…" She flaps a dramatic hand, like she's fanning herself off. "Your fans are going crazy over that."
It takes every ounce of willpower not to stand up and walk away. This movie is going to be the death of her. This movie and that stupid kiss. The worst part of it is that the trailer doesn't even show the kiss. It's just the leadup, and it cuts away before they… do it. Ugh, she tries so hard to block the memory out.
"What kiss?"
Raven turns her entire head this time to look at him.
Gar grins. "I didn't see a kiss in the trailer."
Intrigued, Cat leans forward in her chair. It creaks quietly, fabric rubbing against wooden posts. "It was a definite lead up. Wild chemistry. I mean, if that wasn't going to be a kiss, what was it?"
Leaning forward, too, Gar shrugs. "Guess you'll have to watch to find out."
Even though it's obviously not the answer she wants, Cat's bright smile returns. "Fair enough," she agrees on a laugh. "But that scene aside, you two do have great chemistry. How much of that is genuine? Or do you have to rely on your acting skills?"
"Oh it's real," Gar enthuses, causing Raven to send him a sharp glare. "Rae reacts to every little thing I do. I walk in the room and bam! Takes less than a second for her to roll her eyes, or heave out a big ol' sigh." The two giggle again, leaving Raven to resist rolling her eyes. Lest she prove him right. They're supposed to be promoting a romantic drama, which relies on fans thinking they have a natural connection. Stupid as that is. Honestly, what's the point of being a good actor if people don't want you faking it?
Apparently the only one of the two who doesn't want to deal with an angry press team, Raven reaches out and places a gentle touch on Gar's forearm. His laughter dies, and he stares at her with those bright green eyes of his. She blinks, then withdraws her hand. "He's teasing," she manages to say, almost having forgotten what she was doing. He catches her off guard, sometimes, the way he looks at her. "We're very different from one another, but we get along well. We compliment each other."
Cat jumps on that. "Like Jack and Sarah?"
Raven fakes a smile, though she's sure it looks more like a grimace. It feels like a grimace on her face. Next to her, Gar laughs freely. She wonders if it's a real laugh. If any of them are. He's so generous with his laughter that some of them have to be pity laughs. But he's so good at it she can't tell the difference. In her opinion, he's too kind. Too willing to please. Except when it comes to her. For some reason, he'll push her buttons. Sure, he'll do what he can to be kind to her, but he also takes great pleasure from getting a rise out of her.
"It does feel like the roles were made just for us," Gar teases.
Discreetly checking her watch, Raven decides there is entirely too much time left in this interview.
It does end, though. Eventually. The camera gets turned off, and Cat stands from her chair, smoothing out her pencil skirt. Garfield and Raven stand as well, shaking Cat's hand in turns when she offers it. "Thanks for the interview, you two."
"Always a pleasure, Cat." Because, yeah, Gar's been at 'Cat level fame' for three years now. Obnoxious.
Raven simply bobs her head in a polite nod, and then she and Gar are walking away. There's a pleased little grin on his face, and she manages to ignore it for thirty-six seconds. "What?"
He glances at her, stuffing his hand in his pocket to find his keys. "Nothing. That just went well."
She hums. "Were you expecting it not to?"
"No." He stops walking, and she has to, as well, because for some stupid reason she agreed that they should carpool. The ride here was spent in agonizing silence. She's not sure that she wants to spend another twenty-two minutes alone in a car with him. Even if she wanted to ditch him and call a ride, though, she can't. He's right in front of the exit, midday light kissing the floor through the sliver of a crack beneath the door. She'd have to push him out of the way, and she's learned it's better not to touch him. He's entirely too fit, and it annoys her.
"No?" Because apparently there's more to his answer, but he's taking too long to continue on his own. She just wants to leave.
His eyes flit between hers, not quite serious, but far from his usual expression of jovial contentment. "I think we make a good team, you and me."
Raven contemplates this. They do work well together, she must admit. He's too loud and dorky and overall just a doofus, but he's an incredible actor, and he takes his career very seriously. And while he does get on her nerves, he knows when to back off. He likes to rile her up, but he's never out to ruin her day or anything like that. He respects her, and, grudgingly, she respects him.
"Do you want to go to the premiere with me?"
The question seems to come out of nowhere, and she reacts appropriately. "Um. What?"
His gaze skitters away, and he runs a hand through his dirty blond hair. Now that filming's over, he's got streaks of green artfully dusting the strands, as he tends to do between movies. She's done the same, her naturally black hair fading gently into what the color menu called eggplant. But, have it known, the decision to dye her hair had nothing to do with his. A fact in special need of clarification, considering he walked into the salon to have his done while her stylist was brushing the color onto her hair and everyone there gushed about their plans to celebrate the end of their movie together by dying their hair. Together.
Of course this was several months ago. But she still stews over it.
"It doesn't have to be, you know, a big deal anything. I just thought maybe we could go to the premiere together, maybe the reception. But if you don't want to, I understand. No biggie." His hands go to his pockets, and he rocks between his heels and the balls of his feet.
Going to the premiere with Gar would make for great press. She pretends that's why she answers as she does and not because the idea of showing up to a red carpet event with him, specifically, gives her butterflies. "Yes." Butterflies are stupid, anyway, and Raven has never, does not, and won't ever have butterflies. This is purely for the press.
She has to deny just that much harder the existence of butterflies when his face positively lights up. "Yeah?"
"Yes, that's what I just said. Can we leave now? I have to feed my fish."
"Oh, yeah, sure." He pauses. "You have fish?"