AU Chapter 2: First Impressions
Title: First Impressions
Pairing: Renji X Byakuya
Warning: ...Kids, don't smoke; you're burning money...
Rating: PG-13 (NC-17 overall)
Summary: Renji doesn't exactly impress Byakuya on the first day of filming.
Authors: day_eight as Renji and lcpdragonslayer as Byakuya
So... next chapter of the collab of EPIC proportions.
Chapter One and Plot Summary
Renji rolled over on the bed and buried his face into the pillow. There were exactly two glorious seconds of sleepy bliss before the throbbing pain in his head hit him, making him groan loudly into the soft cotton comforter. He tilted his head and just barely opened his eyes… shutting them again quickly as the bright morning light hit them. Shifting on the bed, he felt the fabric of his jeans against his legs and realized that he still had on the clothes that he had been wearing the night before. It was just like him to go and get drunk like that... he should have had the smarts to stop after the first couple pitchers of beer. Stretching his arms above his head stiffly, he turned his head and glanced at the alarm clock through half opened eyelids.8:30 A.M.
Oh… shit.
He had been told to be in wardrobe at eight o’clock. Being late was extremely unprofessional, but being late on your first day… well, that was just plain dumb. Cursing his stupidity, he jumped out of bed and pulled on some shoes and a hoodie. Rummaging around in his suitcase, he found his bottle of aspirin and popped open the cap. He threw a few pills in his mouth and washed them down with a swig of water from the bathroom faucet before making a beeline for the door.
Going as fast as the splitting pain in his head would allow, he left his suite and made his way down to the lobby of the hotel… somehow managing to make it out of the building without running anyone over. He cut a hard right once he was outside, sprinting down a couple of city blocks to the dingy little alley where that day’s scene was being filmed. There were several cast and crew trailers set up in an adjacent parking lot, and he made his way over to them-trying his best not to stumble as he ran. Scrambling into the one marked ‘Wardrobe’, he quickly apologized to the people inside and changed into his attire for the scene.
Next, he bolted over to the ‘Makeup’ trailer and tried to sit completely still as the slightly annoyed makeup artist did her job. It was really all he could do not to squirm in the chair as he watched the minutes tick by on the small clock hanging from the wall. Kenpachi would probably… literally… kill him for being late. Plus, he wasn’t really looking forward to making an ass of himself in front of Byakuya. It was bad enough that he was the 'young, amateur actor'; he didn't need to be labeled as 'lazy and incompetent' on top of it. Mentally beating himself for his idiocy, he sat on his hands and waited for the girl to finish.
While Kenpachi and the filming crew were busy talking and fiddling with their equipment, he sat quietly on the stool at the small round table, drumming his fingers against the polished wood. He glanced down at his Tag Heuer again. 9.15am... Filming was supposed to start 15 minutes ago.
'Supposed', being the key word here... They could not actually start filming if the lead actor who appears in the starting scene is not present.
He stood up slowly, brushing the back of his pants delicately. He was in a suit - a classic, black one. It was going to be, more or less, his main outfit throughout the movie.
"Kenpachi," he said, his low voice silencing the noises from the crew. The director turned around to look at him.
"Hm?"
"I'm going out for a smoke," he said. He glared at Kenpachi when the director began stammering a response, and it effectively shut the crazed man up.
He slipped his hands into his pockets and headed for the door.
The second that the makeup girl told him that she was finished, Renji jumped up and sprinted out the door. He ran over to the trailer where Byakuya and Kenpachi would be, almost tripping twice on his own two feet. Maybe no one would even notice that he was late - he was only fifteen minutes behind, after all. It wasn't like he was showing up three hours into the filming... surely they'd have some mercy, right? Barely coming to a halt, he grabbed the doorknob and gave it a violent shove, pushing the door open and rushing inside.
In his haste, he failed to realize that he was about to run into someone until the very last moment. He stilled his feet in time, but the top part of his body was still moving forward - sending him stumbling forward. So as not to tumble to the floor, he gripped the shoulders of the person in front of him, steadying himself and trying to catch his breath. Once the shock of almost falling down subsided, he heaved a sigh of relief.
"Hey, sorry man," he muttered, bringing his head up to look at the person he had almost just bulldozed.
Oh....no.
His jaw dropped and he immediately took a step back, a look of horror creeping over his face. Standing in front of him was none other than Byakuya Kuchiki... looking very unimpressed.
He had almost reached the door when he heard the doorknob twist and the door fly open. Raising his gaze, his eyes widened as a figure charged towards him in a flurry of red. He tensed up immediately as he felt hands resting on his shoulders. He stumbled back two or three steps in surprise, regaining his balance almost as swiftly as he had lost it.
Oh yes - unimpressed was an understatement of how he was actually feeling. That young punk had the nerve to be late - on his first day, to top it all off. And, as if that would not suffice, Renji had the audacity to burst in and... And...
He reached up and pressed his forefinger and middle finger into his temple, closing his eyes momentarily. He was going to get a headache.
He wanted to say something, but his lips merely parted wordlessly, mostly in disbelief, but partially in... Annoyance.
He sighed, and sidestepped the redhead, walking out through the open door. He was definitely going to need a smoke.
Renji winced as Byakuya brushed past him and walked out the door. So much for mercy... Hanging his head and shoving his hands into his pockets, he took a seat by the small table and stared at his shoes. Christ... he had really fucked it up this time. Mentally kicking himself, he waited silently for Kenpachi to start yelling about his late arrival. His eyes widened when the director kept going about his business, seeming to not even notice his presence. Apparently, the burly man was a bit more forgiving than Byakuya. Either that, or he was just so absorbed in his own little world that he failed to notice anything else.
Sighing, he crossed his arms on his chest and stared out the window. He could really use a cigarette, but there was no way in hell he was leaving the trailer when an angry Byakuya was probably standing right outside the door. Instead, he pulled down a loose strand of his hair, studying it closely and rolling it between his fingers before biting off a split end. If he couldn't act out one of his bad habits, he might as well resort to a different one...
The cigarette burned away between his fingers as he held it by his leg, seeming to be looking down at the ground even though his gaze had grown distant. Weeks of filming, and they had gotten nowhere - nothing had even started, and already they had encountered some problems.
He sighed, leaning to rest his head back against the wall. He was just beginning to think that things had finally settled, and that they would be able to shoot the movie without anymore major hindrances. He lifted his hand and took a drag from the cigarette again. Perhaps he should just...
He pulled the cigarette away again, exhaling light, grey smoke into the air. He had promised Kenpachi, and the man had been very accommodating, eventually acquiescing to his every request and demand. It would not do either of them any good if he were to walk out. Additionally, he would have wasted everyone's invaluable time, and money, and effort.
He took one last drag before snuffing the cigarette out and throwing it into the bin. Taking a deep breath, his gaze wandered over to the set, where all the commotion was. He might as well return.
Renji fidgeted in his seat and continued to inspect the ends of his hair, unsure of what he should actually be doing. Just when he was about to speak up and ask if he should go out on set, Kenpachi turned around and seemed to notice him for the first time.
"Ah! Renji!" the director boomed. "We're filming the opening sequence today... and that mostly involves you... so... why don't we go outside and get started, hm?"
Standing up, Renji nodded in acknowledgement and turned to follow Kenpachi out of the trailer. He had never gotten nervous before or during shooting before, but for some odd reason he had butterflies in his stomach as they walked out the door. Maybe it had something to do with the pale figure of perfection standing a few feet away, looking over at the set. Ducking his head, he walked by Byakuya a little quicker than he had to - the man's annoyance at his behavior was almost tangible as it hung in the air. Silently, he followed Kenpachi over to where the crew was getting things set up. There still seemed to be a few things that needed to be done, and Renji felt a little relieved that everyone hadn't been sitting around waiting for him to arrive.
He caught a glimpse of that startling blur of red walk past, and he sighed and closed his eyes momentarily. He was partially relieved by the fact that he had not been mowed over by that reckless… Well, wreck, but he was still not very comfortable with his co-lead. He watched the filming team fuss about with the cameras, and microphones, lighting, and whatnot. It was amazing, how many people there were that went into a movie unseen, unknown. Nameless faces, bustling about like busy bees; doing so much work yet getting little or no recognition whatsoever.
A movie was not just about the director and the celebrities acting in them. It was so much more - yet all the public was interested in was just the odd famous face or two, feigning smiles, rehearsing choreographed fights, reciting lines, and the like. He admired the filming crew - much more so than famous actors and unimaginably rich celebrities.
They were ready now, as the crew settled down and the actors got into their positions. He had seen this first scene re-enacted over, and over, and over again, with Kenpachi always asking for more violence, more blood. That man was a crazed, bloodthirsty hound - but perhaps his peculiar ways were what won awards and earned him his reputation.
Everyone went quiet, and he observed the scene with mild interest. In a flurry of fists, Renji had the other actor back against the wall, slumped down to the floor, shaking the man for his life’s worth, trying to get a name - his name, to be precise.
Kenpachi seemed to be quite impressed. The young ruffian looked… promising, perhaps… But it was too early to tell, and he was not one to compliment others so readily, anyway.
Renji loved acting… he lived to act. He always looked forward to immersing himself so deeply in a scene that the lines between it and reality started to blur. Every time that the film started rolling, he got a surge of adrenaline that was more intense and satisfying than any other drug mankind could offer. His heart raced, his head felt lighter, and his body tingled in a way that made him wish that he could go through life with the camera on him constantly-always acting. It’d be a hell of a lot easier than everyday life… somehow he always seemed to fail at the real thing.
The only problem with his acting was the tendency he had of losing track of reality as he became more and more involved in a film. To him, the movies he acted in were far more exciting than real life, and he often wished that he could completely lose himself in that made up world and never hear the word ‘cut’.
In his mind, Renji became his character… an up and coming, young punk in the city’s underground systems of crime and gangs. He put on the character’s past and personality like he would a suit-a tailored suit that fit him perfectly. His acting was flawless, as it always was. Part of his skill came from a few years in acting school when his career was just starting out, but the majority of it was simply passion and sheer talent. He had a knack for it… and it showed.
Fire flashed in his eyes as he slammed the other actor into the ground and fake-punched him in the gut. “Give me the fucking name,” he said under his breath, flashing his white teeth as he snarled warningly. “I don’t have time for this shit.”
A small smirk tugged at his lips as the actor made a mess of his character’s name, noting the mild sense of humour the scriptwriter had, before Renji ensued the vicious onslaught of punches and kicks. Kenpachi had only stopped the scene twice, asking for more blood, more pain, and making slight changes to the choreographed fight. That director was difficult to please; yet Renji seemed to fare quite well under his expectations.
He could see it in the young man’s eyes too - the passion for acting. That fire that burns inside him, the immersion of the virtual into the real - Renji carried the stage with him wherever he went. He was in this field of work not just for the money, like almost every other actor and actress, but because he really enjoys what he does. In this day and age, at the level acting has dropped down to, Renji Abarai was quite a rare find.
There was something utterly revolting he found in violence - he never had a taste for it, and he was certainly not a violent person. As he watched Renji stand again momentarily to pulverise the poor soul, his focus shifted to Renji himself. He watched that signature wild, red hair sway with every body movement. He watched that face, those expressions of anger taking form, taking hold of his facial muscles, moulding him. Dark irises moved down, to the toned muscles rippling underneath his shirt as he threw out one punch after another.
His gaze continued shifting down, to the jeans that clung loosely to his hips and legs. He watched the hips sway as Renji’s body moved, looked at that curve of h-
“CUT! That was GREAT!”
He looked down at his nails, running his thumb over them idly. They would be shifting the scenario when this scene was done, and then it would be his turn to appear.
The director’s loud voice yanked Renji away from the scene almost as if someone had pulled the back of his shirt and tugged him out of a body of water. He blinked a few times, feeling the thrill of the moment trickle out of him slowly. Standing up straight, he offered a hand to the actor he had just ‘beaten’ and helped him to his feet. A girl came over and handed him a towel, which he accepted gratefully and used to wipe up some of the fake blood that was on his hands.
Walking over to the fold up chair marked “Renji Abarai”, he sank into it and took a sip from the bottle of water that was waiting for him. The slight disappointment that stung him whenever a scene was over still lingered, and he stared at the sky-trying to get accustomed to boring old reality once again. He sighed and found the pack of smokes that he had requested to be by his chair, pulling one from the box and lighting it up. Leaning back, he blew smoke rings into the air, watching them as they slowly floated up and blended in with the puffy white clouds above.
There was a flicker of black hair and pale skin to his left and he turned his head slightly to see Byakuya standing on the far side of the set, seemingly absorbed in his own thoughts. Renji had been so immersed in the scene that he had momentarily forgotten about the other actor… probably a good thing, since the butterflies made their second appearance as soon as he caught sight of the other man. He wondered what Byakuya must have thought about his acting. Someone of that caliber must have thought a young whelp like him was absolutely untalented. He shifted in his chair and took another long drag from his smoke. If that was the case… he’d simply have to prove him wrong.
He sauntered on in to the set, hands seated snugly in his pants’ pockets. It saved Kenpachi from yelling out his name, seeing as the director was busy threatening his minions with such coarse language he was sure his ears would bleed if they could not find the other actors within the next five minutes.
He took his seat at his designated chair, straightening as he tugged at the lapels of his suit jacket, moving to run a hand through his hair, flipping it behind his back, letting a few black tendrils stray to the front again. His fellow mafia began trickling in, taking their respective seats. He swallowed and adjusted his tie a little, glancing over to the camera lens for a brief second. He was not too keen in fighting with Kenpachi over anything today.
Straightening up the pile of coloured chips on the table, he picked up his hand of cards, spreading them in his hand. It was probably quite obvious; from the way he held the fanned cards, that he was no stranger to card games. He ran his finger over his bottom lip again - an unconscious habit of his, examining the cards in his hands. Even though it was a mock, onscreen play, he was dealt a different set of cards each time, and he enjoyed the card game for what it was worth, even though they were not genuinely playing it.
The camera was rolling, and chips were flying across the centre of the table. They were making small talk, and his sparkling eyes wandered around the faces in the dimly lit room. All big names - hundreds of thousands at stake on the table. He did his natural, charismatic smile, raising the bets each time, his unreadable expression trained from years of experience giving nothing about his hand away.
Renji lit up another cigarette as the other scene started to unfold. He had never been one for poker, so had never gotten the urge to learn the logistics of the game. Patience had never been his strong suit, and waiting around for other people to make their bets wasn’t exactly his idea of a good time.
Byakuya was an incredible actor. Even in such a subdued scene, Renji could tell that he was one of the best in the field-his skills honed and perfected by years of practice. There was nothing in the world of acting that was more valuable than experience. With every movie completed came another title that you could add to your list, and the longer the list, the better your rep. True, there were those actors that ended up in a bunch of shit movies, but the chances were-when someone had a lot of experience, they also had a lot of skill.
He twirled the cigarette in between his forefinger and thumb before taking another long drag. It was these long hours of sitting around that he really disliked about being an actor. For some reason, he always felt like he should be doing something during his breaks in acting… but whenever he asked the crew if he could help, they looked at him like he was crazy.
Sighing, he slouched further in his chair and watched Byakuya act. There wasn’t much going on in the scene… just a bunch of guys playing poker. However, it was still evident that the older man was extremely talented. Renji studied each of his movements, noticing everything from the slight flick of his wrist when he threw his cards on the table to the gorgeous smile that the redhead was beginning to assume only graced his face while he was being filmed.
If he watched close enough, he was sure that he could learn something from the other man. One does not simply work along side their idol without trying to pick up a few things, at least. His heart skipped as he thought about what it‘d be like to actually act with Byakuya. The thought made him fidget a bit… it was almost too exciting.
He joined the rest of the table in light laughter at yet another witty joke the scriptwriter wove in, the smile remaining on his face as he tossed in another hundred grand to the bidding pile. It used to feel weird - smiling, laughing, crying, being angry, being ashamed and the like - on cue, so openly. He had gotten used to it, to the point where it meant nothing to him - for better or worse, he did not know. It was just an act; everything, even life itself, was an act. It was a script, written to be played.
Even though, more often than not, life was playing with people, and not the other way round.
The scene was coming to a close as a young man approached him, murmuring something inaudible in his ear. He mocked the faintest look of surprise and cast his gaze toward the young man before looking at the questioning people at the table. Excusing himself, he stepped away, and wandered to the adjacent room, picking up the phone on hold.
His jaw tightened ever so slightly.
“What exactly do you mean by ‘missing’?”
He sighed, slipping his other hand into his pocket as he leaned against the small wooden table, his back brushing against the petals of the flower in the quaint vase.
“Incompetence is very… unbecoming, of you.”
A dash of anger flashed before his eyes.
“I don’t care. Don’t call until you’ve found him - dead, or alive.”
He hung up without waiting for a response, moving his now free hand to rub at his jaw and cheek contemplatively. The situation has certainly taken an interesting turn.
His eyes widened slightly at Byakuya’s feigned irritation. It was very convincing… and Renji found himself silently hoping never to be the object of that anger. The sparks that lit up the man’s dark eyes were a bit frightening, and the redhead thought that he could probably be very intimidating if he tried. Hell, the man was intimidating under normal circumstances… but that was to be expected of someone as talented and famous as the Byakuya Kuchiki.
He sat back in his chair and watched the scene for a little longer before his attention was caught by a looming figure standing by the large camera. Kenpachi was leaning forward, his arms crossed, tapping his fingers on his huge biceps. Renji could tell that the director definitely preferred the scenes with violence in them over these slow paced, filler scenes. A slow smirk worked over his face-he quite agreed with the burly man. The action sequences were his favorites, as well. There was just something about the blood and sweat and strength that really got his blood pumping.
His gaze wandered back to where Byakuya and the other actors were still acting. He wasn’t sure what scene was coming next, so he didn’t know if he should be preparing… or what the hell to do. One of the downfalls of being the ‘new’ star on the film was that he hadn’t had time to fall into the rhythm of this particular crew yet. After a week or so, he’d feel more comfortable and be able to make himself more useful. Stuffing his hands in his pockets, he looked around the set and waited for someone to come over and tell him what to do.
He returned to his poker game, calmly as ever - as if nothing had happened. The scene faded to a close as more cards were thrown onto the table, and Kenpachi seemed to be all right with it, despite his apparent disinterest. That director was really only very particular over the action and violent scenes, which probably did them both good seeing as he was in very little of them. He hated arguing, and with him and Kenpachi coming to loggerheads with each other, he knew they were both equally stubborn, and nothing would get resolved.
The next part was more Renji - Kevin Steele, to be more… contextual… Much of the scene involved his interactions with some minor characters. Kevin would talk and maybe exchange a few fists with some mafia henchmen before arriving at his doorstep. The scene would close with them meeting for the first time, and more explanation and talks would ensue in the next scene. It was rather amusing, really, how Kenpachi had to have these snippets of blood and gore in between the ‘plot buffers’, as he called them.
It would be their first time interacting with each other on stage, as it were. He could make a better judgement of Renji Abarai then - more so in the following scene, as well, even though he was not too keen to form an impression of the redhead, an impression already tainted by this morning’s… tomfoolery.
He made himself comfortable on his chair, folding his hands in his lap, looking around casually as they prepared to start again. He quite enjoyed sitting around, actually, watching the scene fall into place, watching the movie progress.
The makeup girl came over to freshen up his face as Byakuya walked back to finish the poker scene. Once she left, another girl came over and fiddled with his hair for a bit-pulling it in odd directions and making Renji wince. He breathed a sigh of relief when she finally left him-and his head-in peace. After a few more minutes of filming, the scene came to a close and the actors retreated to the sides of the set. Renji grinned and hopped up from his chair… it was finally his turn to act.
His excitement was obvious as he advanced to where Kenpachi was discussing something with the cameraman. Sticking his thumbs in his pockets, he waited around until the crew was ready to start filming. Once everyone was ready, he got into place and started out the scene.
It was a relatively simple scene… just a bunch of dialogue between him and a few other actors. He, or Kevin Steele, was supposed to be getting information about a higher up in the mob played by a certain dark haired actor. Renji let the memorized lines flow effortlessly from his lips, accentuating important words and phrases with a tilt of his head or a wave of his hand. Eventually, the scene grew a little more heated, and he stepped into another actor’s space, threatening him boldly and staring him down. The violent undertone thrilled him, and he found his pulse racing slightly as he gripped the other man’s shirt and threw him down onto the table.
“I want some goddamn answers,” he growled, tightening his grip on the man’s clothes. Pulling out a prop knife from its holder on his belt, he pressed it against the man’s throat and looked around at the other actors. “Tell me what I need to know or I’ll separate your buddy’s body from his head.”
He watched the scene unfold with mild interest, getting the chance to study Renji Abarai uninterrupted, more closely. Kenpachi’s infatuation with violence had given him more time, more opportunities to study his co-lead. He had the tendency to study people - the people who acted with him, the people around him, the people who might be watching him act on screen. Every time Renji looked over toward him, his gaze would fall away, seemingly disinterested and aloof. The last thing he wanted was for the young actor to get the wrong impression.
This scene was one of the more important ones - something he and Kenpachi could finally agree on - and so they spent more time doing takes and re-takes, experimenting with angles, altering the choreography, the positions, the way they spoke, the way they fell over, and the like.
He tore the seal off his own bottled water, and unscrewed the lid, pouring a mouthful of the potable fluid into his mouth. He wanted to leave - to wander off, on his own, away from the set, seeing as he was not needed, and he was most likely not going to be needed until tomorrow or even the day after. But he knew that as soon as he left the filming set, he would enter the realm of crazed paparazzi and flashing cameras. He had purposefully avoided them to the best of his ability, only attending the short interviews about the movie and his role in it. They had been hounding him incessantly for a personal interview, which he had politely declined each time, and the mere thought of having to step out there made something inside him churn.
A drop of sweat formed at his temple and slowly traveled down his neck to the fabric of his shirt. They had been over the scene countless times, and he could feel that he was starting to reach his limit. There were only so many times that he could bring a different approach to the scene before it started to wear on him mentally. Plus, there was also the physical strain on his body that came with throwing the other actors around the set.
His gaze moved over to where Byakuya was seated off set. The man seemed completely unfazed by all of the commotion around him. Renji wondered how someone could be so poised all the time. If it were him sitting there, he’d have left a long time ago to try to find something to do. Byakuya, however, seemed neither bored nor interested. He just seemed like he really didn’t care what was going on around him.
Straightening his back, he rolled his head forward and rubbed his neck. He was going to be sore tomorrow… probably should hit the gym six days a week instead of four to get himself in better shape for the movie.
Kenpachi walked over from where he had been talking to the lighting people and grinned manically as he put a heavy hand on Renji’s shoulder. “One more time,” he said, his sharp teeth flashing with every word, “and then we’ll call it quits for the day, hm?”
Renji breathed a sigh of relief and smiled weakly. Moving over into position, he prepared to do the scene, again. He would definitely need a smoke after this… and maybe a beer.
With every take and re-take, Renji and the other actors got wearier and wearier. It was fortunate they had the stamina to do enough re-runs to satisfy Kenpachi - but everyone had their limits. He watched the scene play over for the umpteenth time, watching the long day take its toll on the actors, and his gaze fell away again. He took a deep breath and exhaled audibly. Glancing down at his watch, he figured there would probably be one or two more tries before they finished for the day.
Shifting in his seat, he crossed his legs, tilting his head to one side, then the other. He himself was tired even though he had done nothing strenuous the entire day. Perhaps he had been lounging around too much. Somehow his finger found its way back to running over his bottom lip as he sank back into thought once again, his gaze growing distant. His mind wandered off now, to the script - the entire movie playing in his mind. He experimented it with the previous actors before, and they did not get too far before things started getting disjointed and the movie ceased.
But now, picturing his interactions with Renji, he managed to get to the end of the movie, and it flowed rather well. From what he had seen, the redhead seemed rather easy to work with, and he fitted the role - at least, better than the previous actors chosen for the job. If Renji Abarai could be mature and professional enough about the movie, they should still be able to finish filming on schedule.
He realized he was indulging in his bad habit again, and seated his hands in his lap casually. He had come back to reality in good time - they had just finished shooting. He stood slowly, running his hand up the side of his neck, applying pressure on the back of his neck with the tips of his fingers. That was the first day of filming - the third time over, no less - done.
Thankfully, Kenpachi seemed satisfied with the last take and didn’t demand another. Renji had pretty much been expecting the director to shout out that they needed to do it one more time… and another…
Straightening his shirt, he trudged over to his chair and plopped into it, grabbing the bottle of water and downing it in one chug. Wiping his mouth on his sleeve, he reached for his smokes and lit one up, inhaling deeply before exhaling with an audible groan. It had been a long day… he had forgotten how much went into filming. The scenes would only get harder and more demanding as the movie progressed, however. It was fortunate that he was privileged enough to work with such talented people. Lack of skill and experience on set often made for a hell-like working environment.
He let his gaze wander over to Byakuya. The man was standing a little ways away, rubbing the back of his neck. For some reason, Renji was starting to believe that the other man found all of this rather uninteresting. He supposed that could be expected for someone who had starred in as many films as Byakuya had. Still, he couldn’t help but feel like the famous man looked at anything and everything as if it was somehow… inferior. Dropping his head, he admitted to himself that that was probably the truth. How could he compare to someone like that? It made him worry more about the scenes that they would share.
His attention was pulled over to where Kenpachi was giving loud orders out to the crew. It always amazed him how hard the people behind the scenes worked. They were there long before the actors arrived and would stay long after, working diligently the whole time. Kenpachi finished his instructions and walked over to where he was sitting, calling out for Byakuya to join them.
“I want to talk to you both about tomorrow,” the director said, “We’re going to be filming the scene where you meet.”
Renji took another drag off his cigarette to hide his worried expression. Suddenly, tomorrow seemed to be approaching rather quickly. He couldn’t believe he was actually nervous… but knowing that he’d soon be acting with Byakuya Kuchiki was making his stomach do all sorts of weird things. The next day’s scene was probably be much more taxing than that day’s had been.
“OI, BYAKUYA!”
He turned around, a blank expression on his face, uttering a soft ‘huh’ at the mad director screaming at him.
“Fuckin’ hell man I called you like fucking 3 times. Do I gotta drag you over ‘ere?”
He sighed softly and walked over briskly, not too keen on being… manhandled… by the burly man beaming at him with a grin bordering on menacing. He stood, hands seated in his pockets, his gaze fixated on the ground as Kenpachi continued talking about their scene together. He looked over to Renji for a fleeting second, swiftly looking away when he realized Renji had been looking at him as well.
“So, how’s that sound, Byakuya?” He looked over to Kenpachi, making the smallest of nods. He had clearly been paying attention to the rambling voice this whole time. Craning his neck a little, he slipped a finger into his tie and loosened it, pulling on one end, taking it off. He unbuttoned the first two buttons of his shirt, sighing softly in relief. He slipped his jacket off as well, folding it neatly and flapping it over his arm.
“So, you got yer lines sorted out n’ shit?” He cringed. Kenpachi’s language was absolutely revolting. Seeing as he had performed the scene before with the previous actors, he figured the question was not directed at him.
Renji hooked his thumbs in his belt loops and listened to Kenpachi ramble on about the next day’s scene. He had originally been looking forward to his first scene with Byakuya, but now his nerves were getting the better of him. His eyes turned towards the other man, only to dart away quickly when Byakuya turned and caught him looking.
After a few moments, Renji turned to look at his co-star again, studying him silently as the director kept up his explanations. Although Byakuya was a walking portrait of perfection, there seemed to be something… missing. It was almost as if he was sad… but that couldn’t be it. Even after studying him for another minute or so, Renji still couldn’t figure it out. Just when he was about to look away, Byakuya reached up and removed his tie before unbuttoning the top part of his shirt. Renji’s eyes widened as he stared at the flawless patch of skin that had been revealed. It was perfectly white and looked unbelievably soft…
Kenpachi’s voice suddenly cut through his thoughts, making him flinch a bit in surprise. Dragging his eyes away from Byakuya’s neck to the source of the sound, he tried to discern whether or not the director had been talking to him.
“Uh… yeah,” he said after a moment, “I’ve got them sorted out… and shit.” Hell, he had the whole script memorized twenty-four hours after getting the call about this job.
Kenpachi grinned and clapped him on the back, making him fall forward and almost land on the ground. “That’s great,” the director said, beaming. “I’ll be gone for the first hour or so tomorrow, but Yachiru will be filling in for me. Don’t worry though, I’ll be back before you get to the big scene.”
Ah… Yachiru. Renji had heard about her… had been warned, actually. Just what he needed-another reason to dread tomorrow. He sighed and lit up another cigarette; he was getting a sneaking feeling that he was going to be chain smoking until the next day’s filming.
Oh… Yachiru… He was most definitely looking forward to tomorrow’s filming… Just the thought of having to work with the little immature brat made him queasy. He looked toward Renji, and the man was having another smoke.
Not a bad idea, actually. But he would probably hold out until he got back to his room, got changed, removed the makeup, and everything else.
“Okay so. Is there anything else you guys wanna talk about?” He shook his head slightly, even though his gaze was still a little distant. Renji was silent as well.
“Great. If you wanna talk about something tonight, you know where I’m at.” The director grinned as took his leave. He stood there for a moment, rubbing at his cheek contemplatively. He finally willed himself to move, and slipped his hand into his pocket.
“I’m going to go,” he said, turning away. Tomorrow was going to be a long day.
He watched Kenpachi leaved and took another drag off his smoke. The only thing he felt like doing at the moment was going back to his room and passing out. He could probably do with a little extra rest with such a big day ahead of him. If he went to bed shortly, he could probably get up early, go to the gym, take a shower, and end up arriving on set early... which was probably a good idea after showing up late on his first day.
Putting his hand on the side of his jaw, he pushed gently until he heard and felt his neck crack. He sighed and straighted his shoulders, silently chiding himself for having such bad posture. It had been a problem for a while... he was constantly slouching and it gave him a hell of a neck and back ache. Not to mention it wasn't particularly attractive...
He turned and nodded when Byakuya announced his departure, staring at where the older actor had been standing long after he had left. Sighing again, he snuffed out his cigarette and turned to leave, as well. There wasn't much he could do around the set, and it appeared like the crew pretty much had things handled. A long shower and a couple beers before bed were starting to sound pretty damn good.
Pairing: Renji X Byakuya
Warning: ...Kids, don't smoke; you're burning money...
Rating: PG-13 (NC-17 overall)
Summary: Renji doesn't exactly impress Byakuya on the first day of filming.
Authors: day_eight as Renji and lcpdragonslayer as Byakuya
So... next chapter of the collab of EPIC proportions.
Chapter One and Plot Summary
Renji rolled over on the bed and buried his face into the pillow. There were exactly two glorious seconds of sleepy bliss before the throbbing pain in his head hit him, making him groan loudly into the soft cotton comforter. He tilted his head and just barely opened his eyes… shutting them again quickly as the bright morning light hit them. Shifting on the bed, he felt the fabric of his jeans against his legs and realized that he still had on the clothes that he had been wearing the night before. It was just like him to go and get drunk like that... he should have had the smarts to stop after the first couple pitchers of beer. Stretching his arms above his head stiffly, he turned his head and glanced at the alarm clock through half opened eyelids.8:30 A.M.
Oh… shit.
He had been told to be in wardrobe at eight o’clock. Being late was extremely unprofessional, but being late on your first day… well, that was just plain dumb. Cursing his stupidity, he jumped out of bed and pulled on some shoes and a hoodie. Rummaging around in his suitcase, he found his bottle of aspirin and popped open the cap. He threw a few pills in his mouth and washed them down with a swig of water from the bathroom faucet before making a beeline for the door.
Going as fast as the splitting pain in his head would allow, he left his suite and made his way down to the lobby of the hotel… somehow managing to make it out of the building without running anyone over. He cut a hard right once he was outside, sprinting down a couple of city blocks to the dingy little alley where that day’s scene was being filmed. There were several cast and crew trailers set up in an adjacent parking lot, and he made his way over to them-trying his best not to stumble as he ran. Scrambling into the one marked ‘Wardrobe’, he quickly apologized to the people inside and changed into his attire for the scene.
Next, he bolted over to the ‘Makeup’ trailer and tried to sit completely still as the slightly annoyed makeup artist did her job. It was really all he could do not to squirm in the chair as he watched the minutes tick by on the small clock hanging from the wall. Kenpachi would probably… literally… kill him for being late. Plus, he wasn’t really looking forward to making an ass of himself in front of Byakuya. It was bad enough that he was the 'young, amateur actor'; he didn't need to be labeled as 'lazy and incompetent' on top of it. Mentally beating himself for his idiocy, he sat on his hands and waited for the girl to finish.
While Kenpachi and the filming crew were busy talking and fiddling with their equipment, he sat quietly on the stool at the small round table, drumming his fingers against the polished wood. He glanced down at his Tag Heuer again. 9.15am... Filming was supposed to start 15 minutes ago.
'Supposed', being the key word here... They could not actually start filming if the lead actor who appears in the starting scene is not present.
He stood up slowly, brushing the back of his pants delicately. He was in a suit - a classic, black one. It was going to be, more or less, his main outfit throughout the movie.
"Kenpachi," he said, his low voice silencing the noises from the crew. The director turned around to look at him.
"Hm?"
"I'm going out for a smoke," he said. He glared at Kenpachi when the director began stammering a response, and it effectively shut the crazed man up.
He slipped his hands into his pockets and headed for the door.
The second that the makeup girl told him that she was finished, Renji jumped up and sprinted out the door. He ran over to the trailer where Byakuya and Kenpachi would be, almost tripping twice on his own two feet. Maybe no one would even notice that he was late - he was only fifteen minutes behind, after all. It wasn't like he was showing up three hours into the filming... surely they'd have some mercy, right? Barely coming to a halt, he grabbed the doorknob and gave it a violent shove, pushing the door open and rushing inside.
In his haste, he failed to realize that he was about to run into someone until the very last moment. He stilled his feet in time, but the top part of his body was still moving forward - sending him stumbling forward. So as not to tumble to the floor, he gripped the shoulders of the person in front of him, steadying himself and trying to catch his breath. Once the shock of almost falling down subsided, he heaved a sigh of relief.
"Hey, sorry man," he muttered, bringing his head up to look at the person he had almost just bulldozed.
Oh....no.
His jaw dropped and he immediately took a step back, a look of horror creeping over his face. Standing in front of him was none other than Byakuya Kuchiki... looking very unimpressed.
He had almost reached the door when he heard the doorknob twist and the door fly open. Raising his gaze, his eyes widened as a figure charged towards him in a flurry of red. He tensed up immediately as he felt hands resting on his shoulders. He stumbled back two or three steps in surprise, regaining his balance almost as swiftly as he had lost it.
Oh yes - unimpressed was an understatement of how he was actually feeling. That young punk had the nerve to be late - on his first day, to top it all off. And, as if that would not suffice, Renji had the audacity to burst in and... And...
He reached up and pressed his forefinger and middle finger into his temple, closing his eyes momentarily. He was going to get a headache.
He wanted to say something, but his lips merely parted wordlessly, mostly in disbelief, but partially in... Annoyance.
He sighed, and sidestepped the redhead, walking out through the open door. He was definitely going to need a smoke.
Renji winced as Byakuya brushed past him and walked out the door. So much for mercy... Hanging his head and shoving his hands into his pockets, he took a seat by the small table and stared at his shoes. Christ... he had really fucked it up this time. Mentally kicking himself, he waited silently for Kenpachi to start yelling about his late arrival. His eyes widened when the director kept going about his business, seeming to not even notice his presence. Apparently, the burly man was a bit more forgiving than Byakuya. Either that, or he was just so absorbed in his own little world that he failed to notice anything else.
Sighing, he crossed his arms on his chest and stared out the window. He could really use a cigarette, but there was no way in hell he was leaving the trailer when an angry Byakuya was probably standing right outside the door. Instead, he pulled down a loose strand of his hair, studying it closely and rolling it between his fingers before biting off a split end. If he couldn't act out one of his bad habits, he might as well resort to a different one...
The cigarette burned away between his fingers as he held it by his leg, seeming to be looking down at the ground even though his gaze had grown distant. Weeks of filming, and they had gotten nowhere - nothing had even started, and already they had encountered some problems.
He sighed, leaning to rest his head back against the wall. He was just beginning to think that things had finally settled, and that they would be able to shoot the movie without anymore major hindrances. He lifted his hand and took a drag from the cigarette again. Perhaps he should just...
He pulled the cigarette away again, exhaling light, grey smoke into the air. He had promised Kenpachi, and the man had been very accommodating, eventually acquiescing to his every request and demand. It would not do either of them any good if he were to walk out. Additionally, he would have wasted everyone's invaluable time, and money, and effort.
He took one last drag before snuffing the cigarette out and throwing it into the bin. Taking a deep breath, his gaze wandered over to the set, where all the commotion was. He might as well return.
Renji fidgeted in his seat and continued to inspect the ends of his hair, unsure of what he should actually be doing. Just when he was about to speak up and ask if he should go out on set, Kenpachi turned around and seemed to notice him for the first time.
"Ah! Renji!" the director boomed. "We're filming the opening sequence today... and that mostly involves you... so... why don't we go outside and get started, hm?"
Standing up, Renji nodded in acknowledgement and turned to follow Kenpachi out of the trailer. He had never gotten nervous before or during shooting before, but for some odd reason he had butterflies in his stomach as they walked out the door. Maybe it had something to do with the pale figure of perfection standing a few feet away, looking over at the set. Ducking his head, he walked by Byakuya a little quicker than he had to - the man's annoyance at his behavior was almost tangible as it hung in the air. Silently, he followed Kenpachi over to where the crew was getting things set up. There still seemed to be a few things that needed to be done, and Renji felt a little relieved that everyone hadn't been sitting around waiting for him to arrive.
He caught a glimpse of that startling blur of red walk past, and he sighed and closed his eyes momentarily. He was partially relieved by the fact that he had not been mowed over by that reckless… Well, wreck, but he was still not very comfortable with his co-lead. He watched the filming team fuss about with the cameras, and microphones, lighting, and whatnot. It was amazing, how many people there were that went into a movie unseen, unknown. Nameless faces, bustling about like busy bees; doing so much work yet getting little or no recognition whatsoever.
A movie was not just about the director and the celebrities acting in them. It was so much more - yet all the public was interested in was just the odd famous face or two, feigning smiles, rehearsing choreographed fights, reciting lines, and the like. He admired the filming crew - much more so than famous actors and unimaginably rich celebrities.
They were ready now, as the crew settled down and the actors got into their positions. He had seen this first scene re-enacted over, and over, and over again, with Kenpachi always asking for more violence, more blood. That man was a crazed, bloodthirsty hound - but perhaps his peculiar ways were what won awards and earned him his reputation.
Everyone went quiet, and he observed the scene with mild interest. In a flurry of fists, Renji had the other actor back against the wall, slumped down to the floor, shaking the man for his life’s worth, trying to get a name - his name, to be precise.
Kenpachi seemed to be quite impressed. The young ruffian looked… promising, perhaps… But it was too early to tell, and he was not one to compliment others so readily, anyway.
Renji loved acting… he lived to act. He always looked forward to immersing himself so deeply in a scene that the lines between it and reality started to blur. Every time that the film started rolling, he got a surge of adrenaline that was more intense and satisfying than any other drug mankind could offer. His heart raced, his head felt lighter, and his body tingled in a way that made him wish that he could go through life with the camera on him constantly-always acting. It’d be a hell of a lot easier than everyday life… somehow he always seemed to fail at the real thing.
The only problem with his acting was the tendency he had of losing track of reality as he became more and more involved in a film. To him, the movies he acted in were far more exciting than real life, and he often wished that he could completely lose himself in that made up world and never hear the word ‘cut’.
In his mind, Renji became his character… an up and coming, young punk in the city’s underground systems of crime and gangs. He put on the character’s past and personality like he would a suit-a tailored suit that fit him perfectly. His acting was flawless, as it always was. Part of his skill came from a few years in acting school when his career was just starting out, but the majority of it was simply passion and sheer talent. He had a knack for it… and it showed.
Fire flashed in his eyes as he slammed the other actor into the ground and fake-punched him in the gut. “Give me the fucking name,” he said under his breath, flashing his white teeth as he snarled warningly. “I don’t have time for this shit.”
A small smirk tugged at his lips as the actor made a mess of his character’s name, noting the mild sense of humour the scriptwriter had, before Renji ensued the vicious onslaught of punches and kicks. Kenpachi had only stopped the scene twice, asking for more blood, more pain, and making slight changes to the choreographed fight. That director was difficult to please; yet Renji seemed to fare quite well under his expectations.
He could see it in the young man’s eyes too - the passion for acting. That fire that burns inside him, the immersion of the virtual into the real - Renji carried the stage with him wherever he went. He was in this field of work not just for the money, like almost every other actor and actress, but because he really enjoys what he does. In this day and age, at the level acting has dropped down to, Renji Abarai was quite a rare find.
There was something utterly revolting he found in violence - he never had a taste for it, and he was certainly not a violent person. As he watched Renji stand again momentarily to pulverise the poor soul, his focus shifted to Renji himself. He watched that signature wild, red hair sway with every body movement. He watched that face, those expressions of anger taking form, taking hold of his facial muscles, moulding him. Dark irises moved down, to the toned muscles rippling underneath his shirt as he threw out one punch after another.
His gaze continued shifting down, to the jeans that clung loosely to his hips and legs. He watched the hips sway as Renji’s body moved, looked at that curve of h-
“CUT! That was GREAT!”
He looked down at his nails, running his thumb over them idly. They would be shifting the scenario when this scene was done, and then it would be his turn to appear.
The director’s loud voice yanked Renji away from the scene almost as if someone had pulled the back of his shirt and tugged him out of a body of water. He blinked a few times, feeling the thrill of the moment trickle out of him slowly. Standing up straight, he offered a hand to the actor he had just ‘beaten’ and helped him to his feet. A girl came over and handed him a towel, which he accepted gratefully and used to wipe up some of the fake blood that was on his hands.
Walking over to the fold up chair marked “Renji Abarai”, he sank into it and took a sip from the bottle of water that was waiting for him. The slight disappointment that stung him whenever a scene was over still lingered, and he stared at the sky-trying to get accustomed to boring old reality once again. He sighed and found the pack of smokes that he had requested to be by his chair, pulling one from the box and lighting it up. Leaning back, he blew smoke rings into the air, watching them as they slowly floated up and blended in with the puffy white clouds above.
There was a flicker of black hair and pale skin to his left and he turned his head slightly to see Byakuya standing on the far side of the set, seemingly absorbed in his own thoughts. Renji had been so immersed in the scene that he had momentarily forgotten about the other actor… probably a good thing, since the butterflies made their second appearance as soon as he caught sight of the other man. He wondered what Byakuya must have thought about his acting. Someone of that caliber must have thought a young whelp like him was absolutely untalented. He shifted in his chair and took another long drag from his smoke. If that was the case… he’d simply have to prove him wrong.
He sauntered on in to the set, hands seated snugly in his pants’ pockets. It saved Kenpachi from yelling out his name, seeing as the director was busy threatening his minions with such coarse language he was sure his ears would bleed if they could not find the other actors within the next five minutes.
He took his seat at his designated chair, straightening as he tugged at the lapels of his suit jacket, moving to run a hand through his hair, flipping it behind his back, letting a few black tendrils stray to the front again. His fellow mafia began trickling in, taking their respective seats. He swallowed and adjusted his tie a little, glancing over to the camera lens for a brief second. He was not too keen in fighting with Kenpachi over anything today.
Straightening up the pile of coloured chips on the table, he picked up his hand of cards, spreading them in his hand. It was probably quite obvious; from the way he held the fanned cards, that he was no stranger to card games. He ran his finger over his bottom lip again - an unconscious habit of his, examining the cards in his hands. Even though it was a mock, onscreen play, he was dealt a different set of cards each time, and he enjoyed the card game for what it was worth, even though they were not genuinely playing it.
The camera was rolling, and chips were flying across the centre of the table. They were making small talk, and his sparkling eyes wandered around the faces in the dimly lit room. All big names - hundreds of thousands at stake on the table. He did his natural, charismatic smile, raising the bets each time, his unreadable expression trained from years of experience giving nothing about his hand away.
Renji lit up another cigarette as the other scene started to unfold. He had never been one for poker, so had never gotten the urge to learn the logistics of the game. Patience had never been his strong suit, and waiting around for other people to make their bets wasn’t exactly his idea of a good time.
Byakuya was an incredible actor. Even in such a subdued scene, Renji could tell that he was one of the best in the field-his skills honed and perfected by years of practice. There was nothing in the world of acting that was more valuable than experience. With every movie completed came another title that you could add to your list, and the longer the list, the better your rep. True, there were those actors that ended up in a bunch of shit movies, but the chances were-when someone had a lot of experience, they also had a lot of skill.
He twirled the cigarette in between his forefinger and thumb before taking another long drag. It was these long hours of sitting around that he really disliked about being an actor. For some reason, he always felt like he should be doing something during his breaks in acting… but whenever he asked the crew if he could help, they looked at him like he was crazy.
Sighing, he slouched further in his chair and watched Byakuya act. There wasn’t much going on in the scene… just a bunch of guys playing poker. However, it was still evident that the older man was extremely talented. Renji studied each of his movements, noticing everything from the slight flick of his wrist when he threw his cards on the table to the gorgeous smile that the redhead was beginning to assume only graced his face while he was being filmed.
If he watched close enough, he was sure that he could learn something from the other man. One does not simply work along side their idol without trying to pick up a few things, at least. His heart skipped as he thought about what it‘d be like to actually act with Byakuya. The thought made him fidget a bit… it was almost too exciting.
He joined the rest of the table in light laughter at yet another witty joke the scriptwriter wove in, the smile remaining on his face as he tossed in another hundred grand to the bidding pile. It used to feel weird - smiling, laughing, crying, being angry, being ashamed and the like - on cue, so openly. He had gotten used to it, to the point where it meant nothing to him - for better or worse, he did not know. It was just an act; everything, even life itself, was an act. It was a script, written to be played.
Even though, more often than not, life was playing with people, and not the other way round.
The scene was coming to a close as a young man approached him, murmuring something inaudible in his ear. He mocked the faintest look of surprise and cast his gaze toward the young man before looking at the questioning people at the table. Excusing himself, he stepped away, and wandered to the adjacent room, picking up the phone on hold.
His jaw tightened ever so slightly.
“What exactly do you mean by ‘missing’?”
He sighed, slipping his other hand into his pocket as he leaned against the small wooden table, his back brushing against the petals of the flower in the quaint vase.
“Incompetence is very… unbecoming, of you.”
A dash of anger flashed before his eyes.
“I don’t care. Don’t call until you’ve found him - dead, or alive.”
He hung up without waiting for a response, moving his now free hand to rub at his jaw and cheek contemplatively. The situation has certainly taken an interesting turn.
His eyes widened slightly at Byakuya’s feigned irritation. It was very convincing… and Renji found himself silently hoping never to be the object of that anger. The sparks that lit up the man’s dark eyes were a bit frightening, and the redhead thought that he could probably be very intimidating if he tried. Hell, the man was intimidating under normal circumstances… but that was to be expected of someone as talented and famous as the Byakuya Kuchiki.
He sat back in his chair and watched the scene for a little longer before his attention was caught by a looming figure standing by the large camera. Kenpachi was leaning forward, his arms crossed, tapping his fingers on his huge biceps. Renji could tell that the director definitely preferred the scenes with violence in them over these slow paced, filler scenes. A slow smirk worked over his face-he quite agreed with the burly man. The action sequences were his favorites, as well. There was just something about the blood and sweat and strength that really got his blood pumping.
His gaze wandered back to where Byakuya and the other actors were still acting. He wasn’t sure what scene was coming next, so he didn’t know if he should be preparing… or what the hell to do. One of the downfalls of being the ‘new’ star on the film was that he hadn’t had time to fall into the rhythm of this particular crew yet. After a week or so, he’d feel more comfortable and be able to make himself more useful. Stuffing his hands in his pockets, he looked around the set and waited for someone to come over and tell him what to do.
He returned to his poker game, calmly as ever - as if nothing had happened. The scene faded to a close as more cards were thrown onto the table, and Kenpachi seemed to be all right with it, despite his apparent disinterest. That director was really only very particular over the action and violent scenes, which probably did them both good seeing as he was in very little of them. He hated arguing, and with him and Kenpachi coming to loggerheads with each other, he knew they were both equally stubborn, and nothing would get resolved.
The next part was more Renji - Kevin Steele, to be more… contextual… Much of the scene involved his interactions with some minor characters. Kevin would talk and maybe exchange a few fists with some mafia henchmen before arriving at his doorstep. The scene would close with them meeting for the first time, and more explanation and talks would ensue in the next scene. It was rather amusing, really, how Kenpachi had to have these snippets of blood and gore in between the ‘plot buffers’, as he called them.
It would be their first time interacting with each other on stage, as it were. He could make a better judgement of Renji Abarai then - more so in the following scene, as well, even though he was not too keen to form an impression of the redhead, an impression already tainted by this morning’s… tomfoolery.
He made himself comfortable on his chair, folding his hands in his lap, looking around casually as they prepared to start again. He quite enjoyed sitting around, actually, watching the scene fall into place, watching the movie progress.
The makeup girl came over to freshen up his face as Byakuya walked back to finish the poker scene. Once she left, another girl came over and fiddled with his hair for a bit-pulling it in odd directions and making Renji wince. He breathed a sigh of relief when she finally left him-and his head-in peace. After a few more minutes of filming, the scene came to a close and the actors retreated to the sides of the set. Renji grinned and hopped up from his chair… it was finally his turn to act.
His excitement was obvious as he advanced to where Kenpachi was discussing something with the cameraman. Sticking his thumbs in his pockets, he waited around until the crew was ready to start filming. Once everyone was ready, he got into place and started out the scene.
It was a relatively simple scene… just a bunch of dialogue between him and a few other actors. He, or Kevin Steele, was supposed to be getting information about a higher up in the mob played by a certain dark haired actor. Renji let the memorized lines flow effortlessly from his lips, accentuating important words and phrases with a tilt of his head or a wave of his hand. Eventually, the scene grew a little more heated, and he stepped into another actor’s space, threatening him boldly and staring him down. The violent undertone thrilled him, and he found his pulse racing slightly as he gripped the other man’s shirt and threw him down onto the table.
“I want some goddamn answers,” he growled, tightening his grip on the man’s clothes. Pulling out a prop knife from its holder on his belt, he pressed it against the man’s throat and looked around at the other actors. “Tell me what I need to know or I’ll separate your buddy’s body from his head.”
He watched the scene unfold with mild interest, getting the chance to study Renji Abarai uninterrupted, more closely. Kenpachi’s infatuation with violence had given him more time, more opportunities to study his co-lead. He had the tendency to study people - the people who acted with him, the people around him, the people who might be watching him act on screen. Every time Renji looked over toward him, his gaze would fall away, seemingly disinterested and aloof. The last thing he wanted was for the young actor to get the wrong impression.
This scene was one of the more important ones - something he and Kenpachi could finally agree on - and so they spent more time doing takes and re-takes, experimenting with angles, altering the choreography, the positions, the way they spoke, the way they fell over, and the like.
He tore the seal off his own bottled water, and unscrewed the lid, pouring a mouthful of the potable fluid into his mouth. He wanted to leave - to wander off, on his own, away from the set, seeing as he was not needed, and he was most likely not going to be needed until tomorrow or even the day after. But he knew that as soon as he left the filming set, he would enter the realm of crazed paparazzi and flashing cameras. He had purposefully avoided them to the best of his ability, only attending the short interviews about the movie and his role in it. They had been hounding him incessantly for a personal interview, which he had politely declined each time, and the mere thought of having to step out there made something inside him churn.
A drop of sweat formed at his temple and slowly traveled down his neck to the fabric of his shirt. They had been over the scene countless times, and he could feel that he was starting to reach his limit. There were only so many times that he could bring a different approach to the scene before it started to wear on him mentally. Plus, there was also the physical strain on his body that came with throwing the other actors around the set.
His gaze moved over to where Byakuya was seated off set. The man seemed completely unfazed by all of the commotion around him. Renji wondered how someone could be so poised all the time. If it were him sitting there, he’d have left a long time ago to try to find something to do. Byakuya, however, seemed neither bored nor interested. He just seemed like he really didn’t care what was going on around him.
Straightening his back, he rolled his head forward and rubbed his neck. He was going to be sore tomorrow… probably should hit the gym six days a week instead of four to get himself in better shape for the movie.
Kenpachi walked over from where he had been talking to the lighting people and grinned manically as he put a heavy hand on Renji’s shoulder. “One more time,” he said, his sharp teeth flashing with every word, “and then we’ll call it quits for the day, hm?”
Renji breathed a sigh of relief and smiled weakly. Moving over into position, he prepared to do the scene, again. He would definitely need a smoke after this… and maybe a beer.
With every take and re-take, Renji and the other actors got wearier and wearier. It was fortunate they had the stamina to do enough re-runs to satisfy Kenpachi - but everyone had their limits. He watched the scene play over for the umpteenth time, watching the long day take its toll on the actors, and his gaze fell away again. He took a deep breath and exhaled audibly. Glancing down at his watch, he figured there would probably be one or two more tries before they finished for the day.
Shifting in his seat, he crossed his legs, tilting his head to one side, then the other. He himself was tired even though he had done nothing strenuous the entire day. Perhaps he had been lounging around too much. Somehow his finger found its way back to running over his bottom lip as he sank back into thought once again, his gaze growing distant. His mind wandered off now, to the script - the entire movie playing in his mind. He experimented it with the previous actors before, and they did not get too far before things started getting disjointed and the movie ceased.
But now, picturing his interactions with Renji, he managed to get to the end of the movie, and it flowed rather well. From what he had seen, the redhead seemed rather easy to work with, and he fitted the role - at least, better than the previous actors chosen for the job. If Renji Abarai could be mature and professional enough about the movie, they should still be able to finish filming on schedule.
He realized he was indulging in his bad habit again, and seated his hands in his lap casually. He had come back to reality in good time - they had just finished shooting. He stood slowly, running his hand up the side of his neck, applying pressure on the back of his neck with the tips of his fingers. That was the first day of filming - the third time over, no less - done.
Thankfully, Kenpachi seemed satisfied with the last take and didn’t demand another. Renji had pretty much been expecting the director to shout out that they needed to do it one more time… and another…
Straightening his shirt, he trudged over to his chair and plopped into it, grabbing the bottle of water and downing it in one chug. Wiping his mouth on his sleeve, he reached for his smokes and lit one up, inhaling deeply before exhaling with an audible groan. It had been a long day… he had forgotten how much went into filming. The scenes would only get harder and more demanding as the movie progressed, however. It was fortunate that he was privileged enough to work with such talented people. Lack of skill and experience on set often made for a hell-like working environment.
He let his gaze wander over to Byakuya. The man was standing a little ways away, rubbing the back of his neck. For some reason, Renji was starting to believe that the other man found all of this rather uninteresting. He supposed that could be expected for someone who had starred in as many films as Byakuya had. Still, he couldn’t help but feel like the famous man looked at anything and everything as if it was somehow… inferior. Dropping his head, he admitted to himself that that was probably the truth. How could he compare to someone like that? It made him worry more about the scenes that they would share.
His attention was pulled over to where Kenpachi was giving loud orders out to the crew. It always amazed him how hard the people behind the scenes worked. They were there long before the actors arrived and would stay long after, working diligently the whole time. Kenpachi finished his instructions and walked over to where he was sitting, calling out for Byakuya to join them.
“I want to talk to you both about tomorrow,” the director said, “We’re going to be filming the scene where you meet.”
Renji took another drag off his cigarette to hide his worried expression. Suddenly, tomorrow seemed to be approaching rather quickly. He couldn’t believe he was actually nervous… but knowing that he’d soon be acting with Byakuya Kuchiki was making his stomach do all sorts of weird things. The next day’s scene was probably be much more taxing than that day’s had been.
“OI, BYAKUYA!”
He turned around, a blank expression on his face, uttering a soft ‘huh’ at the mad director screaming at him.
“Fuckin’ hell man I called you like fucking 3 times. Do I gotta drag you over ‘ere?”
He sighed softly and walked over briskly, not too keen on being… manhandled… by the burly man beaming at him with a grin bordering on menacing. He stood, hands seated in his pockets, his gaze fixated on the ground as Kenpachi continued talking about their scene together. He looked over to Renji for a fleeting second, swiftly looking away when he realized Renji had been looking at him as well.
“So, how’s that sound, Byakuya?” He looked over to Kenpachi, making the smallest of nods. He had clearly been paying attention to the rambling voice this whole time. Craning his neck a little, he slipped a finger into his tie and loosened it, pulling on one end, taking it off. He unbuttoned the first two buttons of his shirt, sighing softly in relief. He slipped his jacket off as well, folding it neatly and flapping it over his arm.
“So, you got yer lines sorted out n’ shit?” He cringed. Kenpachi’s language was absolutely revolting. Seeing as he had performed the scene before with the previous actors, he figured the question was not directed at him.
Renji hooked his thumbs in his belt loops and listened to Kenpachi ramble on about the next day’s scene. He had originally been looking forward to his first scene with Byakuya, but now his nerves were getting the better of him. His eyes turned towards the other man, only to dart away quickly when Byakuya turned and caught him looking.
After a few moments, Renji turned to look at his co-star again, studying him silently as the director kept up his explanations. Although Byakuya was a walking portrait of perfection, there seemed to be something… missing. It was almost as if he was sad… but that couldn’t be it. Even after studying him for another minute or so, Renji still couldn’t figure it out. Just when he was about to look away, Byakuya reached up and removed his tie before unbuttoning the top part of his shirt. Renji’s eyes widened as he stared at the flawless patch of skin that had been revealed. It was perfectly white and looked unbelievably soft…
Kenpachi’s voice suddenly cut through his thoughts, making him flinch a bit in surprise. Dragging his eyes away from Byakuya’s neck to the source of the sound, he tried to discern whether or not the director had been talking to him.
“Uh… yeah,” he said after a moment, “I’ve got them sorted out… and shit.” Hell, he had the whole script memorized twenty-four hours after getting the call about this job.
Kenpachi grinned and clapped him on the back, making him fall forward and almost land on the ground. “That’s great,” the director said, beaming. “I’ll be gone for the first hour or so tomorrow, but Yachiru will be filling in for me. Don’t worry though, I’ll be back before you get to the big scene.”
Ah… Yachiru. Renji had heard about her… had been warned, actually. Just what he needed-another reason to dread tomorrow. He sighed and lit up another cigarette; he was getting a sneaking feeling that he was going to be chain smoking until the next day’s filming.
Oh… Yachiru… He was most definitely looking forward to tomorrow’s filming… Just the thought of having to work with the little immature brat made him queasy. He looked toward Renji, and the man was having another smoke.
Not a bad idea, actually. But he would probably hold out until he got back to his room, got changed, removed the makeup, and everything else.
“Okay so. Is there anything else you guys wanna talk about?” He shook his head slightly, even though his gaze was still a little distant. Renji was silent as well.
“Great. If you wanna talk about something tonight, you know where I’m at.” The director grinned as took his leave. He stood there for a moment, rubbing at his cheek contemplatively. He finally willed himself to move, and slipped his hand into his pocket.
“I’m going to go,” he said, turning away. Tomorrow was going to be a long day.
He watched Kenpachi leaved and took another drag off his smoke. The only thing he felt like doing at the moment was going back to his room and passing out. He could probably do with a little extra rest with such a big day ahead of him. If he went to bed shortly, he could probably get up early, go to the gym, take a shower, and end up arriving on set early... which was probably a good idea after showing up late on his first day.
Putting his hand on the side of his jaw, he pushed gently until he heard and felt his neck crack. He sighed and straighted his shoulders, silently chiding himself for having such bad posture. It had been a problem for a while... he was constantly slouching and it gave him a hell of a neck and back ache. Not to mention it wasn't particularly attractive...
He turned and nodded when Byakuya announced his departure, staring at where the older actor had been standing long after he had left. Sighing again, he snuffed out his cigarette and turned to leave, as well. There wasn't much he could do around the set, and it appeared like the crew pretty much had things handled. A long shower and a couple beers before bed were starting to sound pretty damn good.