So it's been a little bit since I did a one-shot on here so I decided to finish up this older Actors AU one and let you guys have it lol Hope you enjoy it!
Ever since I was a little girl, my world has revolved around theater and acting. Doesn't come as a surprise when you're the daughter of Truman Zanotto, one of the best and most proclaimed directors in history. He's done everything from Broadway shows to directing voice actors in studios. Because of this, I spent most of my life in and out of studios and sets. Over the years, I've learned how to build props and backdrops as well as how to plan out a stage set and blueprint how certain things would be styled or built.
But the one thing I learned the most over my fifteen years surrounded by the arts?
I glared down at the backdrop panel I was working on as the double doors of the theater were slammed open. I turned my head to look over toward the main doors of the theater to see who exactly had swung them open so carelessly.
Actors are so stupidly pretentious.
"That's right, ladies and gentlemen, your leading man has arrived as always!" I rolled my eyes as the 'Leading-Man-Bobby' flaunted a large toothy grin as I slipped my hammer into the side hook of my little tool belt.
No one cares. No one would have noticed anyway, Zilch.
I sighed as I picked up the small panel I was working on and brought it so that my work and I were further back on the main stage.
Why did we have to work on stage during auditions? This is ridiculously obnoxious to try and work when those fuckers are always in the way. It gets overly crowded and then some of the actors decide to mess with shit they shouldn't and even more so, ruin things. If I had a nickel for every time Zilch and his partner in idiocy ruined scene backdrops and panels we had prepped for auditions alone, I would have enough to buy one of those fancy rotating table saws for the shop.
I grabbed my hammer back out from the side of my tool belt before kneeling down beside the panel and making sure the wood pieces were flush before taking out the nail I held with my lips and lined it up in just the right spot. In one clean motion, I brought my hammer back and hit the nail right on the head, making it go just enough into the wood so that I didn't have to hold it in place anymore.
I doubt any of those guys know how many hours we techs have already put into everything here. After all, we start building weeks before they're even told to show up. Hell, Cruller had Dogen already mapping out light setups so we could have them audition with real light cues. Do they care though? Absolutely not.
I placed my hand firmly onto the side of the panel to keep it in place as I went to hammer in the nail the rest of the way. Each hit on to the nail matching the beat of my thoughts.
Ignorant. Fucking. Assholes.
I sighed as I moved to slip my hammer back into my tool belt.
Nothing's gonna change though. So many of them just act like they can do whatever and get away with it. Just like the older actors I've met over the years. Some would actually present themselves kindly, but that's a dime in a dozen.
Suddenly, while lost in my thoughts, my hammer slipped out of the loop and fumbled onto the stage floor.
"Son of a bitch." I cursed to myself as I adjusted my little tool belt so I could kneel down and grab it. Before I could, a gloved hand wrapped itself around it and picked it up for me. I brought my gaze up toward a familiar smiling face.
But there was one actor that made me believe that not all actors were hard to work with. Despite how he could lack a brain cell from one time to another.
Green eyes locked with my hazel ones as I felt the smallest trace of a grin appear on my face.
Razputin Aquato.
"I thought Cruller would make up a swear jar if he heard you curse like that while working again, Zanotto." I rolled my eyes at his comment as I took my hammer from his now outstretched hand.
"What he doesn't hear won't hurt the old man." I couldn't help but smile as Raz let out a small chuckle in reply.
"I don't know, he seems to be everywhere these days." The red-haired boy smiled wide as he slipped his gloved hands away into his jacket pockets. "Hell, I thought I saw him selling popcorn at the circus while my family was performing." I shrugged at the idea as my mind went on a tangent.
Sometimes one could forget that Raz was a member of the well-known Aquato family. He didn't have the pretentious arrogance most kids around the Motherlobe Performing Arts Academy carried, but he came from practically performing royalty. His great-aunt was one of the best singers to have ever attended the academy and his family doesn't just do professional musical acts, but circus acts as well. They're performers through and through and seeing them live was something people would die for. Their acrobatic shows were the talk of any city that they would travel to and whenever one of them was a part of a showcase, you knew it was going to be one hell of a showing.
After all, they didn't earn the nickname 'The Amazing Aquatos' for nothing, and Raz wasn't any different than the rest of his family. A reigning leading man of the past three shows he's auditioned for at the academy and Cruller's personal favorite actor, after all.
"So how's my favorite tech?" Raz crossed his arms over his chest as he leaned against the already stabilized backdrop beside him. "Don't have a hit list already, right?"
"Other than the normal hatred for people like Zilch, not yet." The actor chuckled to himself as I felt a light blush paint my cheeks.
I've known Raz since we were eleven and he quite literally stumbled into his first audition here at the academy, but for the past few shows, I've been a lot more attached to who has always self-proclaimed himself to be my favorite actor. His smile made a sense of joy swell within me like nothing else as his laugh was becoming my favorite sound in the world. I knew exactly what was stirring within me, but I would never admit it no matter how many times I have been asked by those who noticed the slight changes in my behavior around the slightly taller boy.
I have a crush on Razputin Aquato.
He gave a toothy grin that made my mouth run dry as the thought echoed in my head.
And anyone that muttered the idea would be met with death threats.
"That's my Lils." He uncrossed his arms from over his chest before slipping them back into his pockets. "But it's been a bit since I saw you last, with the family show and all, so how's life out of the academy? Anything new?"
"Other than dad being away in Italy still for some film and people driving me crazy while he's gone? Not much."
"I did say that if you wanted an escape, you could come and see the circus."
"You said and I quote, 'run away to the circus'."
"Same difference." He gave a sloppy smile as a small laugh escaped him. "I would have saved you the best seat in the house!"
"As tempting as that is, Raz, kinda hard to escape this place for more than a few hours."
"Damn." I couldn't help but smile at his remark as I adjusted my tool belt. "Are you sticking around to watch auditions this time?"
"I don't know yet," I smirked before moving my arms to mimic how he crossed them over his chest earlier. "Does a specific actor want me in the audience?"
"Well, I always perform better when you're around." A wide genuine grin took over his face as he straightened how he was standing so he wasn't leaning against the backdrop anymore. "Even then, you're the only one around here that's honest with me when they think I could do something better."
"I just have my father's eye, is all."
"And you're brutally honest which is what I need at times." I smiled at his comment as he continued. "Even then, I would love to see my best friend in the crowd."
"Best friend now, huh?" My voice had a teasing tone as he rolled his eyes at me.
"Well, duh. You know me better than anyone else at this point, Lils."
"Is true."
"So please?" I felt the blush from earlier deepen as he stuck out his bottom lip in a pout. "With sprinkles on top?"
How could someone be so adorable? Was that legally possible? Who allowed him to exist and how could I thank and punish them for it?
"Fine." I felt like my ears were burning as the happiest look took over the acrobat's face.
"YES!" He pumped a fist in the air before pulling me into a quick hug. "You're the best, Lils!"
"Not like I'm going out of my way or anything." I mumbled to myself as he pulled back and took the loving heat his hug gave me away as he did.
"You didn't have to though and that's what matters." A soft smile took over his lips now as he bounced happily on his heels. "You got me excited now though! Gonna make sure it's the best audition of mine you've watched yet!" I couldn't help but smile at his joyful face as Cruller's well-known whistle came out from the audience area.
"Alright, everyone, gather 'round!" Raz shot me a wide smile as he rolled up his jacket sleeve for a moment.
"Sounds like Cruller wants to start auditions already, but I wanted to show you something." I looked at Raz's wrist to see a familiar green and black bracelet sitting there loosely. "Got my lucky friendship bracelet! Hopefully, it helps me get this role." The blush reappeared on my face as the bracelet in question was the one I made him during a strengthening exercise between the techs and actors a few years back.
"You're you, Raz, you'll get it even without the bracelet." He gave a shrug as he rolled down his jacket sleeve once more.
"Can't be too careful, after all, you've become my good luck charm." He turned on his heels and started running over toward Cruller in the audience. "See ya, Lils!" I couldn't help but stand there awkwardly for a moment as I tried my best to gather my thoughts.
Yep, he was my favorite actor alright.
I cleared my throat before turning toward the backdrop pallet I was working on once more.
And he was going to be the death of me.