Chemistry at Bay (1/?)
Title: Chemistry at Bay (1/?)
Fandom: Real People/Gossip Girl actors
Pairing: Ed/Leighton
Rating: PG-13
Summary: They're in the same movie but not as love interests. It was for their own good they weren't cast as opposites, the director said. Ed and Leighton think they'll be fine. They're just friends after all...right?
Notes: There has to be a special place in Hell for me. I vowed I would never RPF, no matter how much I loved Ed and Leighton. I said I wouldn't do it despite reading RPF. I said I would not do this...and I did. It was nice knowing you all. I'll send you a postcard from the river Acheron. Oh yeah, these two don't belong to me...or else that makes me a very scary person.
Banner by issa_bell
Part 1
It's good to keep your chemistry at bay...
Those words echoed in Leighton's head for the past couple of nights. It was something that she should have done easily. After all, the two of them were already good friends. They had fantastic chemistry on the set of Gossip Girl. They got along off set. But that was where they drew the line. She had Sebastian, he had Jessica. They were all friends. Everything was good.
Keep your chemistry at bay...he's not into you.
But that was something that, no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't do. She could not turn off the attraction to him. If she didn't learn to keep that chemistry out, then she could not do this movie with him. It was difficult enough on the set of Gossip Girl. But that set had a lot more support. She had friends and Sebastian to lean on. The producers thought well of her. Even at her worst, they trusted her to deliver. Here, it was pure torture.
And I really wanted this role too, she thought, thinking back to the events that led her to this moment. How it went from excitement of a new movie to her room in this hotel, slightly aching and frustrated.
What should have been a dream come true was now a nightmare. She and Ed had gotten the movie roles of a lifetime. They would be up there with the bigger names. She knew that Ed would be winning the Oscar for this role. It was challenging both physically and emotionally, but he had gone into audition prepared and born to play the role of a spy. He was supposed to be the next Bond and it had been a dream of his. While this was more Alias than Bond, it was worth it. It was physically grueling for him and Ed was learning things he didn't know before. But that was the good thing about this film; he was gaining experience. He was starting to look better physically too. Of course, he had always been attractive but the exercise was giving him more shape and form. She felt slightly envious of Jessica now. She was going to get quite a surprise when they went on vacation next time.
But Leighton didn't have it as easy. She had tried out to be his leading lady, a dancer in danger, partially because she was interested in the script and partially because she wanted to be in it with him. It sounded a lot like The Bodyguard but it would be far better acting. The audition went well and she had been thrilled to get the part. It wasn't until reading the rest of the script that she realized the awful truth: Ed's character was supposed to be gay. He never had a fling with her character and their steamiest moment was one excruciating tango scene. In the end, they stayed as friends while he went off with his lover, a pilates instructor, into the sunset. Her character was killed by the villain. Not exactly the fairy tale end she had expected.
All you have is a dance scene together...you're a dancer. He can dance. This is as much as chemistry as you need.
And the dancing! God, the dancing. Ed was being challenged physically, but she ended up with more bruises from being dropped and kicked by accident during rehearsal. Their steamy tango scene had far too many lifts and spins. It wasn't Ed's fault that this was turning out so hard. He was always polite and apologized, but that didn't heal anything. To top it off, their dance instructor was a bitch. She was a snappish Russian woman with a beak for a nose and a moustache. Granted, she was a very good dancer but her expectations were too high for beginners. She was always in Leighton's face, telling her to work on steps or point her toes, and then cursing when she wouldn't. She also felt that Leighton lacked chemistry with Ed, which was laughable.
"You have no spark with him! None!" The woman would always snap. Obviously, she was not a fan of Gossip Girl. She snapped about Leighton's lack of chemistry and spark with Ed during their rehearsals. Then she would complain about the director making a wrong choice for leading lady. She would never say Leighton's name but the glares shot in her direction did all the talking.
She wasn't doing that either. Leighton's frustration with part was affecting her work. Ed was prepared, of course. He was like that on the Gossip Girl set, never needing a script while the others would pour through them while rehearsing. He was a professional and a perfectionist. She tried to follow his example, keeping up with him and remembering her lines. But the snapping from dance rehearsals killed all her professionalism. On more than one occasion, she had to stop rehearsal and take a breather. Ed's gaze would follow her as she stormed off but his body didn't move. He would just watch, wondering what to do.
The frustration was just getting worse. Sometimes, the rest of their friends would show up; Jessica and Chace came around often. Of course, Sebastian stopped by to give her support. Blake and Penn were busy, but they made sure to make it to set once. Taylor had sent her regards and best wishes though she couldn't make it in person. They all wanted her to succeed and she appreciated the encouragement. But the one person she needed it from seemed stuck on what to do.
He's not into you...
Damn.
Then again, she couldn't blame Ed. Like her, he had been told to keep the chemistry at a minimum. If it meant staying away from her, so be it. He always such a good actor and did what he needed to stay in character.
Feet aching, she stood up anyway and tried to remember her lines. While she was up, she could practice that damn tango. That way, she could avoid the complaints at the next rehearsal. Rocking on her bare feet, she tried to say her lines again. This part was the biggest struggle. She and Ed were doing a verbal tango here. They were bickering and dancing at the same time.
For this role, knock off the sexual chemistry. He doesn't want you. He'll never want you. You're not the object of his affection. You're just the client and nothing more. It shouldn't be too hard.
Oh, those were hard words to swallow. True words, words that would matter on his set, but she couldn't take them in.
"You are a dangerous man," she began to recite while doing her steps. So far, so good. "You flirt with those who are vulnerable and strike when they feel strong."
No tripping over her feet yet. She swayed her hips and started moving backwards. "You are strong and suave. You make me weak in the knees. I want to faint anytime you're in the same room as I am, but I have to keep my distance. You're poisonous to the women you attract. A predator that doesn't let his prey go. If you and I fell in love, it would never last."
"So what? Does that mean you're in love with me?"
She bumped into something warm and soft behind her. Someone grabbed her arms and she felt her face grow hot. Go figure he would show up at this time. "Lock your door next time, Leight. Anyone can get in."
She blushed and tugged his arm. Just the person she wanted right now. The only person she wanted.
"Nice to see you too, Ed."
TBC...
~ ~ ~
Note: As you can see, there's more to this. I doubt this will be a long fic though. No, I haven't forgotten about my other fic, "Postcards". I've just hit a bit of a rut and I've been so busy that I didn't get a chance for working on that one. Then this idea refused to leave my head. So...here you go. I'm hoping to get back on "Postcards" soon. Thanks for reading, your support is so much love. &hearts
Fandom: Real People/Gossip Girl actors
Pairing: Ed/Leighton
Rating: PG-13
Summary: They're in the same movie but not as love interests. It was for their own good they weren't cast as opposites, the director said. Ed and Leighton think they'll be fine. They're just friends after all...right?
Notes: There has to be a special place in Hell for me. I vowed I would never RPF, no matter how much I loved Ed and Leighton. I said I wouldn't do it despite reading RPF. I said I would not do this...and I did. It was nice knowing you all. I'll send you a postcard from the river Acheron. Oh yeah, these two don't belong to me...or else that makes me a very scary person.
Banner by issa_bell
Part 1
It's good to keep your chemistry at bay...
Those words echoed in Leighton's head for the past couple of nights. It was something that she should have done easily. After all, the two of them were already good friends. They had fantastic chemistry on the set of Gossip Girl. They got along off set. But that was where they drew the line. She had Sebastian, he had Jessica. They were all friends. Everything was good.
Keep your chemistry at bay...he's not into you.
But that was something that, no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't do. She could not turn off the attraction to him. If she didn't learn to keep that chemistry out, then she could not do this movie with him. It was difficult enough on the set of Gossip Girl. But that set had a lot more support. She had friends and Sebastian to lean on. The producers thought well of her. Even at her worst, they trusted her to deliver. Here, it was pure torture.
And I really wanted this role too, she thought, thinking back to the events that led her to this moment. How it went from excitement of a new movie to her room in this hotel, slightly aching and frustrated.
What should have been a dream come true was now a nightmare. She and Ed had gotten the movie roles of a lifetime. They would be up there with the bigger names. She knew that Ed would be winning the Oscar for this role. It was challenging both physically and emotionally, but he had gone into audition prepared and born to play the role of a spy. He was supposed to be the next Bond and it had been a dream of his. While this was more Alias than Bond, it was worth it. It was physically grueling for him and Ed was learning things he didn't know before. But that was the good thing about this film; he was gaining experience. He was starting to look better physically too. Of course, he had always been attractive but the exercise was giving him more shape and form. She felt slightly envious of Jessica now. She was going to get quite a surprise when they went on vacation next time.
But Leighton didn't have it as easy. She had tried out to be his leading lady, a dancer in danger, partially because she was interested in the script and partially because she wanted to be in it with him. It sounded a lot like The Bodyguard but it would be far better acting. The audition went well and she had been thrilled to get the part. It wasn't until reading the rest of the script that she realized the awful truth: Ed's character was supposed to be gay. He never had a fling with her character and their steamiest moment was one excruciating tango scene. In the end, they stayed as friends while he went off with his lover, a pilates instructor, into the sunset. Her character was killed by the villain. Not exactly the fairy tale end she had expected.
All you have is a dance scene together...you're a dancer. He can dance. This is as much as chemistry as you need.
And the dancing! God, the dancing. Ed was being challenged physically, but she ended up with more bruises from being dropped and kicked by accident during rehearsal. Their steamy tango scene had far too many lifts and spins. It wasn't Ed's fault that this was turning out so hard. He was always polite and apologized, but that didn't heal anything. To top it off, their dance instructor was a bitch. She was a snappish Russian woman with a beak for a nose and a moustache. Granted, she was a very good dancer but her expectations were too high for beginners. She was always in Leighton's face, telling her to work on steps or point her toes, and then cursing when she wouldn't. She also felt that Leighton lacked chemistry with Ed, which was laughable.
"You have no spark with him! None!" The woman would always snap. Obviously, she was not a fan of Gossip Girl. She snapped about Leighton's lack of chemistry and spark with Ed during their rehearsals. Then she would complain about the director making a wrong choice for leading lady. She would never say Leighton's name but the glares shot in her direction did all the talking.
She wasn't doing that either. Leighton's frustration with part was affecting her work. Ed was prepared, of course. He was like that on the Gossip Girl set, never needing a script while the others would pour through them while rehearsing. He was a professional and a perfectionist. She tried to follow his example, keeping up with him and remembering her lines. But the snapping from dance rehearsals killed all her professionalism. On more than one occasion, she had to stop rehearsal and take a breather. Ed's gaze would follow her as she stormed off but his body didn't move. He would just watch, wondering what to do.
The frustration was just getting worse. Sometimes, the rest of their friends would show up; Jessica and Chace came around often. Of course, Sebastian stopped by to give her support. Blake and Penn were busy, but they made sure to make it to set once. Taylor had sent her regards and best wishes though she couldn't make it in person. They all wanted her to succeed and she appreciated the encouragement. But the one person she needed it from seemed stuck on what to do.
He's not into you...
Damn.
Then again, she couldn't blame Ed. Like her, he had been told to keep the chemistry at a minimum. If it meant staying away from her, so be it. He always such a good actor and did what he needed to stay in character.
Feet aching, she stood up anyway and tried to remember her lines. While she was up, she could practice that damn tango. That way, she could avoid the complaints at the next rehearsal. Rocking on her bare feet, she tried to say her lines again. This part was the biggest struggle. She and Ed were doing a verbal tango here. They were bickering and dancing at the same time.
For this role, knock off the sexual chemistry. He doesn't want you. He'll never want you. You're not the object of his affection. You're just the client and nothing more. It shouldn't be too hard.
Oh, those were hard words to swallow. True words, words that would matter on his set, but she couldn't take them in.
"You are a dangerous man," she began to recite while doing her steps. So far, so good. "You flirt with those who are vulnerable and strike when they feel strong."
No tripping over her feet yet. She swayed her hips and started moving backwards. "You are strong and suave. You make me weak in the knees. I want to faint anytime you're in the same room as I am, but I have to keep my distance. You're poisonous to the women you attract. A predator that doesn't let his prey go. If you and I fell in love, it would never last."
"So what? Does that mean you're in love with me?"
She bumped into something warm and soft behind her. Someone grabbed her arms and she felt her face grow hot. Go figure he would show up at this time. "Lock your door next time, Leight. Anyone can get in."
She blushed and tugged his arm. Just the person she wanted right now. The only person she wanted.
"Nice to see you too, Ed."
TBC...
~ ~ ~
Note: As you can see, there's more to this. I doubt this will be a long fic though. No, I haven't forgotten about my other fic, "Postcards". I've just hit a bit of a rut and I've been so busy that I didn't get a chance for working on that one. Then this idea refused to leave my head. So...here you go. I'm hoping to get back on "Postcards" soon. Thanks for reading, your support is so much love. &hearts