Chapter Text
The afternoon passed slowly, wrapped in a kind of quiet comfort María hadn’t realized she had missed.
They were both on the sofa now, a soft blanket thrown over them, the TV casting a warm glow across the room. The movie had been María’s choice.
Brother Bear.
One of her favorites.
She sat curled up slightly, her legs tucked under the blanket, while Joe leaned back beside her, relaxed. Every now and then, their shoulders brushed, neither of them moving away.
On the screen, the story unfolded, but María found her attention drifting.
Not away from the movie—
But around it.
The warmth of the blanket.
The quiet.
Him.
Her gaze shifted slightly, wandering around the room until it landed on something leaning against the wall.
A guitar.
She tilted her head, studying it for a second.
Then she turned toward Joe.
“Hey,” she said softly.
He glanced at her.
“Yeah?”
She nodded toward the guitar.
“Teach me how to play.”
Joe blinked, clearly caught off guard.
“Now?” he asked, a small smile already forming on his lips.
María didn’t hesitate.
“Now.”
He studied her for a second, amused, as if trying to figure out if she was serious.
“You just decided that out of nowhere?” he asked.
She shrugged slightly, curling up a bit more under the blanket.
“I saw it,” she said simply. “And now I want to learn.”
Joe let out a quiet laugh, shaking his head.
“That’s how all great musicians start, you know. Pure impulse.”
“Exactly,” she said, pointing at him. “So you should support my artistic journey.”
“Oh, I will,” he replied, standing up and pushing the blanket off. “But you should feel very honored.”
María raised an eyebrow, already smiling.
“Oh, really?”
Joe walked over to the guitar, picking it up carefully before turning back to her.
“Yeah,” he said. “Not everyone gets lessons from the best guitarist in the world.”
María laughed, shaking her head.
“Wow,” she said. “So humble.”
“I’m just being honest.”
“Sure,” she replied. “Until I learn and steal your title.”
Joe smirked as he walked back toward her.
“I’d like to see that.”
María shifted slightly to make space for him again.
“You’re underestimating me,” she said.
Joe sat down beside her, the guitar in his hands.
“I don’t think I am,” he said. “I just think you’re about to realize it’s harder than it looks.”
She leaned a little closer, narrowing her eyes playfully.
“That sounds like a challenge.”
He glanced at her.
“It is.”
María smiled, a spark of determination in her expression.
“Good,” she said. “I like challenges.”
Joe held her gaze for a brief second, his smile softening just a little.
“Yeah,” he said quietly. “I know.”
She shifted slightly on the sofa to make space.
Joe gently placed the guitar on her lap, adjusting it so it sat comfortably.
“Okay,” he said. “First rule—don’t be scared of it.”
María looked down at the instrument.
“I’m not scared,” she said.
“Good,” he replied. “Because it can tell.”
She let out a small laugh.
Joe stepped behind her then, sitting close—closer than before.
Carefully, he reached around her, guiding her hands.
“Alright,” he said, his voice softer now. “This is the neck. You use your left hand here.”
He gently placed her fingers on the strings.
María’s breath hitched slightly.
Not because of the guitar.
Because of how close he was.
She could feel his presence right behind her.
His arm brushing lightly against hers.
His breath, warm, just at the side of her neck.
“Does that hurt?” he asked quietly.
“A little,” she admitted.
“That’s normal,” he said. “Your fingers will get used to it.”
He adjusted her hand slightly.
“Press harder,” he added. “Otherwise it won’t sound right.”
She tried again, focusing.
“Like this?”
“Yeah… that’s better,” he murmured.
His hand moved to her right one.
“And this hand,” he continued, “you use it to strum.”
He guided her wrist gently, moving it across the strings.
A soft, uneven sound filled the room.
María smiled a little.
“That sounded… not terrible.”
Joe laughed quietly behind her.
“That’s a strong start.”
She tried again.
This time, the sound was a little clearer.
Joe leaned in slightly closer, his chin almost brushing her shoulder as he watched her hands.
“Okay, now try this,” he said, shifting her fingers into a simple chord. “This is one of the basics.”
María frowned in concentration.
“This feels impossible.”
“It’s not,” he said. “You just need practice.”
She glanced at him over her shoulder.
“Are you saying I’m bad?”
He smiled.
“I’m saying you’re a beginner.”
She narrowed her eyes slightly.
“Rude.”
He chuckled softly.
“You asked me to teach you.”
She tried again, focusing more this time.
The chord rang out—still imperfect, but closer.
Joe noticed.
“Hey,” he said quietly. “That was actually good.”
María smiled, a small, proud smile.
“Don’t sound so surprised.”
“I’m not,” he said. “I’m impressed.”
There was a pause.
Neither of them moved.
They were still close.
Too close.
But neither of them said anything about it.
María looked back at the guitar, trying to ignore the way her heart was beating just a little faster.
“Again,” she said.
Joe nodded.
“Again.”
Time slipped by without them noticing.
Until—
“Alright,” Joe said suddenly, gently taking the guitar from her hands. “Superstar, that’s enough for today.”
María laughed.
“Superstar?”
“Yeah,” he said. “Time to go to work.”
She sighed dramatically but stood up anyway.
“Tragic.”
Joe smiled as he set the guitar aside.
María grabbed her bag and coat, slipping them on quickly.
A few minutes later, they were both out the door.
They walked side by side to Joe’s car, the air outside cooler now.
María got into the passenger seat, adjusting her coat as Joe started the engine.
The drive began quietly.
Comfortably.
Until—
Her phone lit up.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
She frowned slightly and picked it up.
Henry.
Her stomach tightened.
She opened the messages.
A link.
The article.
Then another message.
Henry:
"What the hell is this?"
María sighed softly.
María:
"It’s nothing. Just gossip. You know how this works."
A few seconds passed.
Then—
Henry:
"Doesn’t look like nothing."
She frowned.
María:
"It is. We just had dinner with the cast."
Henry:
"And he walked you home?"
María’s jaw tightened slightly.
María:
"Joe is my friend. That’s it."
There was a pause.
Then—
Henry:
"You seem pretty close for ‘just friends’."
She exhaled slowly.
María:
"Because we are close. He’s my friend."
Another message came almost instantly.
Henry:
"Right."
That word again.
Short.
Cold.
María:
"What is that supposed to mean?"
A few seconds.
Then—
Henry:
"It means I don’t like seeing my girlfriend all over the internet with another guy."
María looked out the window, her grip on the phone tightening.
María:
"I’m not ‘all over the internet.’ It’s one article."
Henry:
"It’s enough."
She felt frustration building in her chest.
María:
"You know how this industry works."
Henry:
"Yeah. I also know how people act when something’s going on."
She froze for a second.
María:
"Are you serious right now?"
Henry:
"I’m just saying it doesn’t look great."
María shook her head slightly, disbelief written all over her face.
María:
"There’s nothing going on."
No answer.
Then—
Henry:
"Whatever."
Her chest tightened.
María:
"Don’t do that."
Henry:
"Do what?"
María:
"Act like this."
A pause.
Then—
Henry:
"Maybe if you didn’t give me reasons to doubt—"
She cut him off.
María:
"I haven’t done anything wrong."
Another pause.
Longer this time.
Then—
Henry:
"I have to go."
María stared at the screen.
Of course he did.
She swallowed, her throat suddenly dry.
María:
"I’m about to go on set too."
No reply.
She locked her phone and put it on silent, dropping it into her bag.
Joe glanced at her briefly while driving.
“You okay?” he asked.
María forced a small smile.
“Yeah,” she said. “It’s just Henry being… a complete idiot.”
Joe didn’t press, but his expression softened slightly.
Instead, he reached forward and turned on the radio.
Music filled the car, light and familiar.
“Remember last year,” he said after a moment, “when Gaten forgot his lines and just started making stuff up?”
María let out a small laugh despite herself.
“Oh my god, yes,” she said. “And the Duffer brothers didn’t even stop him.”
Joe smiled.
“They were just watching him like… ‘let’s see where this goes.’”
María shook her head, laughing softly now.
“And Finn couldn’t stop laughing,” she added. “They had to cut like five times.”
“Best scene that never made it,” Joe said.
She smiled, her mood slowly lifting.
“Or when you tripped over that cable,” she added.
Joe glanced at her, offended.
“That was not my fault.”
“It was completely your fault.”
“There was a cable in the middle of the floor!”
“You were looking at me instead of where you were going,” she said, smirking.
Joe paused.
Then—
“Okay,” he admitted. “That might be true.”
María laughed again, softer this time.
And just like that, the tension faded.
Not completely.
But enough.
The building loomed ahead of them, large and buzzing with quiet activity as Joe pulled into the parking lot. María watched through the window as people moved in and out, already feeling that familiar mix of nerves and excitement settle in her chest.
Joe parked smoothly and turned off the engine.
“Ready, superstar?” he asked, glancing at her with a small grin.
María rolled her eyes, but she smiled as she grabbed her bag.
“Always.”
They stepped out of the car, the cool air hitting their faces as they walked toward the entrance. The moment they were inside, the atmosphere shifted—voices, footsteps, distant laughter, the hum of a working set.
“Makeup first,” María said, adjusting her coat.
Joe nodded, then suddenly looked at her with a mischievous glint in his eyes.
“Race you.”
Before María could even react, he took off running.
“HEY—!” she shouted, freezing for half a second in disbelief.
By the time her brain caught up, he was already halfway down the hall.
“That’s cheating!” she yelled, breaking into a run after him, laughing despite herself. “You didn’t even count!”
Her footsteps echoed as she chased him, trying to catch up, her laughter mixing with his as he glanced back.
“You snooze, you lose!” Joe called over his shoulder.
“I hate you!” she shot back, though she was still laughing as she ran faster.
They burst into the makeup room one after the other, Joe arriving first. A few people inside turned to look at them, amused smiles spreading across their faces.
Joe raised his arms slightly in victory.
“I win.”
María arrived a second later, slightly out of breath, and immediately hit his arm lightly.
“You’re a cheater,” she said, trying—and failing—to look annoyed.
“I won fair and square,” he replied, completely unbothered.
“You literally started running mid-sentence!”
“Strategy.”
“That’s not strategy, that’s betrayal.”
Joe placed a hand over his chest dramatically.
“I can’t believe you’d accuse me of such things.”
María narrowed her eyes at him, but she was smiling.
“You’re unbelievable.”
“And yet,” he said, smirking, “still faster than you.”
She scoffed.
“Rematch. Proper start this time.”
“You’d still lose.”
“Keep talking, Joseph.”
He leaned slightly closer, lowering his voice just a bit.
“You love it.”
She rolled her eyes again, but there was a hint of a smile she couldn’t quite hide.
“Keep dreaming.”
“Oh, I don’t need to,” he replied. “I already proved my point.”
“What point?” she shot back. “That you run away from fair competition?”
“That I adapt quickly.”
“That you panic and sprint?”
Joe let out a quiet laugh.
“You’re just mad because you hesitated.”
“I didn’t hesitate,” she said immediately. “I was processing your betrayal.”
“Excuses.”
She crossed her arms, tilting her head.
“You’re insufferable.”
“And you’re slow.”
María gasped softly, placing a hand over her chest in mock offense.
“Wow. That was low.”
“Accurate, though.”
She stepped a little closer, pointing at him.
“You know what? Next time, I’m not even going to warn you.”
“Please do,” he said, amused. “I like a challenge.”
“You won’t like losing.”
“I won’t lose.”
She smiled, a competitive spark lighting up her expression.
“We’ll see.”
Joe held her gaze for a second, clearly entertained.
“Careful,” he said. “You’re getting confident.”
“I am confident.”
“That’s dangerous.”
“For you.”
He laughed under his breath, shaking his head.
“Alright, superstar.”
María rolled her eyes again, turning away as she started taking off her coat.
“I’m sitting down before you say something even more annoying.”
“Oh, I have plenty more,” he said, following her.
“I know. That’s exactly the problem.”
“You’d miss it if I stopped.”
She glanced back at him briefly.
“Don’t test that theory.”
“Noted,” he said, though the smile never left his face.
Joe laughed softly as she hung up her coat and sat in one of the chairs in front of the large mirror. He followed, sitting nearby, still clearly pleased with himself.
A few moments later, Gaten Matarazzo walked in, greeting them with an easy smile before sitting next to María.
“What did I miss?” he asked.
“Joe cheating in a race,” María said immediately.
“I won,” Joe corrected.
Gaten looked between them, amused.
“Sounds like cheating.”
“Thank you,” María said, pointing at him.
“Unbelievable,” Joe muttered.
As the makeup artists began working, María picked up her script, her expression shifting into focus. She skimmed through her lines, occasionally mouthing them quietly, while Gaten leaned over slightly.
“We’ve got a lot together today,” he said.
“I know,” María replied, nodding. “Try not to expose my secrets like Dustin does.”
He grinned.
“No promises.”
Joe chuckled softly from beside them.
“Good luck with that.”
They spent the next minutes reviewing lines, joking occasionally, María fully immersed—switching between laughter and concentration with ease.
Once her makeup was done, María stood up.
“Wardrobe time.”
She disappeared briefly, changing into the outfit prepared for her, and when she returned, she headed straight to the set.
Everything was ready. Cameras, lights, crew members moving around with purpose. Duffer Brothers stood nearby, talking quietly.
Joe and Gaten were already in place.
María joined them, taking a breath as everything settled.
“Ready?” someone called.
She nodded.
And then they started.
The first take began smoothly, but it didn’t take long before things started slipping.
“You drool,” Dustin said casually.
Steve immediately shot back, “I do not—”
María, standing as Blair, tried to hold it together—but the way Gaten delivered the line, completely serious, made her snort.
“Cut!”
Laughter broke out across the set.
“I’m sorry!” María said, covering her face. “That was—no, I wasn’t ready.”
Gaten laughed too.
“You started it!”
“I didn’t even say anything yet!”
Joe shook his head, smiling.
“Very professional, both of you.”
“Shut up,” María muttered, still laughing.
They reset.
Second take.
They made it further this time—until:
“The blanket. It was soaked.”
María lost it again, turning away as she laughed.
“CUT!”
Even Joe cracked this time, looking down and shaking his head.
“This is impossible,” he said.
“It’s your fault,” María said, pointing at Gaten. “You say it like you mean it.”
“I do mean it!”
“Stop meaning it so much!”
More laughter.
After a few tries, they finally found their rhythm. The jokes still landed, but they managed to stay in character. María felt it click—the flow between them, the timing, the chemistry.
By the final take, everything worked.
“Cut! That’s good!”
A small wave of relief and satisfaction moved across the set. María let out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding, a soft smile forming as she glanced at Joe and Gaten.
“That felt better,” she said.
“Yeah,” Joe nodded. “You didn’t laugh this time.”
“Barely,” María replied. “I deserve an award for that.”
Gaten grinned.
“I was trying to make you break.”
“I know,” she said, pointing at him. “You’re evil.”
“Alright, let’s go again,” someone from the crew called. “Next scene!”
They reset quickly, moving back into position. María shook out her shoulders slightly, slipping back into Blair’s mindset. The shift was almost automatic now.
They reset quickly, everyone returning to their marks. María took a small breath, rolling her shoulders as she tried to focus again. Joe stood beside her, already back in position, but there was still a trace of a smile on his face from the last take.
“Don’t laugh,” he murmured under his breath.
She glanced at him sideways.
“That’s your job,” she whispered back.
“Action!”
She glanced at him sideways, lips curling into a knowing smile.
“So,” she said lightly, “what were you two talking about back there?”
Steve didn’t look at her. He focused very hard on scooping another handful of raw meat from the bucket and flinging it ahead of them.
“Nothing.”
María hummed. “Funny. Because Dustin looked way too proud for it to be nothing.”
Joe shrugged. “He’s always proud. It’s his default state.”
She laughed softly and nudged him with her elbow. “Come on. You can tell me.”
Joe kept his eyes forward.
“Nope.”
She raised an eyebrow. “Not even a hint?”
He finally looked at her, jaw set.
“Absolutely not.”
Everything was going well—until María noticed the way he was avoiding her gaze too deliberately.
It hit her.
She bit her lip.
“Steve—” she started, but her voice broke slightly as a laugh slipped through.
Joe’s lips twitched.
“No—don’t—” he muttered, already losing it.
“Cut!”
Laughter exploded between them almost instantly.
“I’m sorry!” María said, covering her face. “You looked so serious!”
“You started it!” Joe shot back, laughing. “You made that face!”
“I didn’t make a face!”
“You did!”
“Reset!” someone called, amused.
They tried again.
“Action!”
“So,” María began again, more controlled this time, “what were you two talking about back there?”
Joe didn’t look at her.
“Nothing.”
María hummed. “Funny. Because Dustin looked way too proud—”
Joe glanced at her too early.
Their eyes met.
That was it.
A beat.
Then another.
And suddenly María couldn’t hold it.
A small laugh escaped her.
Joe inhaled sharply, trying to stay in character—but the second she laughed, he lost it too, turning away slightly.
“Cut!”
More laughter.
“This is impossible,” Joe said, shaking his head, smiling.
“You looked at me!” María accused.
“You looked at me first!”
“I was supposed to!”
“Not like that!”
She laughed harder.
“What does that even mean?!”
They reset again, both trying to compose themselves.
María took a deep breath.
“Okay. Serious. This time.”
Joe nodded.
“Serious.”
They both paused.
Then at the exact same time—
They smiled.
And immediately looked away again, trying not to laugh.
“Guys,” someone from the crew warned, half-laughing.
“Sorry!” María said quickly.
“Action!”
She glanced at him sideways again.
“So,” she said lightly, “what were you two talking about back there?”
He didn’t look at her this time. He was determined.
“Nothing.”
She hummed. “Funny. Because Dustin looked way too proud for it to be nothing.”
Joe shrugged. “He’s always proud. It’s his default state.”
She nudged him.
“Come on. You can tell me.”
“Nope.”
“Not even a hint?”
“Absolutely not.”
María slowed, forcing him to stop.
“Steve—”
This time, it worked. The rhythm came back. The dialogue flowed.
“It was… educational.”
“Educational how?”
“Eyes on the demogorgon bait.”
“Was it about me?”
Joe froze perfectly.
Just long enough.
María leaned into it.
“It was about me.”
“No—okay, maybe partly, but I’m not discussing it.”
“Why not?”
“Because… some conversations are classified.”
She laughed lightly.
“Classified. Wow. That bad, huh?”
“Drop it.”
María studied him, letting the realization build.
“Oh,” she said softly. “Oh.”
Joe felt it—and reacted instantly.
“Don’t.”
She tilted her head.
“Did you give my little brother advice?”
“No.”
“About girls?”
“No.”
“About hair?”
Joe groaned.
“Stop talking.”
María smiled—too much.
Joe saw it.
She saw that he saw it.
And for a split second, they both almost broke again.
But somehow—somehow—they held it.
“Oh my God, you did.”
“I said drop it.”
She stepped closer.
“Did you seriously coach Dustin on romance?”
“I will leave you here.”
She grinned.
“Did you tell him your secrets, Harrington?”
“You’re enjoying this way too much.”
She turned fully toward him.
“Very well,” she said sweetly. “Fabergé.”
Joe went completely still.
Perfect.
Slowly, he turned.
“He told you.”
María switched instantly.
“No. But you just did.”
Behind them, Gaten was barely holding it together.
Joe stared at her.
“I am going to kill him.”
María stepped back, laughing as she called—
“Four puffs, right?”
“BLAIR—”
“CUT!”
There was a brief silence.
Then—
Applause.
And laughter.
Joe let out a breath, running a hand through his hair.
“That was dangerous,” he said.
María laughed, still coming down from it.
“We almost lost it again.”
“You almost ruined that,” he teased.
“Me? You looked at me!”
“I did not!”
“You did!”
He stepped a little closer, lowering his voice.
“You smiled first.”
She crossed her arms, still smiling.
“Lies.”
They held each other’s gaze for a second—
And immediately both looked away again, laughing.
“Okay,” María said. “We need a break.”
“Agreed,” Joe nodded. “Before we completely lose all professionalism.”
From behind them, Gaten finally gave up and laughed.
“Too late.”
This time, the laughter came after.
Gaten broke first, bending slightly as he laughed.
“That was so good,” he said.
Joe shook his head, smiling despite himself.
María exhaled, smiling as she turned to Gaten.
“Hey,” she said. “That was really good.”
Gaten smiled, clearly pleased.
“Yeah?”
“Yeah. You nailed it.”
“Thanks,” he said, a little shy but happy.
She gave him a quick side hug before heading off.
Back in her dressing room, María changed into her own clothes, letting out a quiet breath as the day started to wind down. She grabbed her things, said her goodbyes to the crew, and stepped outside.
Near the parking area, she spotted them immediately.
A couple of paparazzi.
Her expression shifted slightly as she adjusted her position, turning just enough so her face wasn’t fully visible, pretending to scroll on her phone while keeping her head lowered.
A few minutes later, Joe’s car pulled up.
He leaned over and pushed the door open.
María got in quickly, shutting it behind her.
She glanced toward the outside.
“I think we have an audience.”
Joe followed her gaze, spotting the paparazzi almost instantly, and let out a quiet sigh.
“Of course we do.”
He started the engine, one hand resting on the wheel as he glanced at them again.
“Persistent, aren’t they?”
María shifted slightly in her seat, lowering her head just a bit more and turning her face toward the window.
“Very,” she murmured. “They’ve been there for a while.”
Joe shook his head lightly.
“Do I at least look good today?” he added casually, like it was the only thing that mattered.
María let out a soft laugh, some of the tension easing out of her shoulders.
“Sadly, yes.”
He nodded, satisfied.
“Good. If I’m being watched, I want to look iconic.”
She glanced at him, amused.
“You’re unbelievable.”
“I’m practical,” he corrected. “If they’re going to take pictures, at least let them get my good side.”
“You assume you have a bad side?”
Joe pretended to think about it for a second.
“…No.”
María laughed again, shaking her head.
“Wow. The ego.”
“Confidence,” he said. “Big difference.”
She leaned her head back against the seat, exhaling slowly.
“I should start charging them.”
Joe raised an eyebrow.
“For what?”
“For the free content,” she said, gesturing vaguely toward the paparazzi. “They’re building entire stories out there.”
“True,” he said. “We should at least get a percentage.”
María smirked slightly.
“Exactly. If they’re going to invent things, they could at least make it interesting.”
Joe glanced at her briefly, a hint of curiosity in his expression.
“Oh? And what would you suggest?”
She shrugged, pretending to think.
“I don’t know… something dramatic. Secret wedding. Hidden life. Double identities.”
Joe let out a quiet laugh.
“Wow. Straight to chaos.”
“Go big or go home.”
“I respect that,” he said. “But if there’s a secret wedding, I feel like I should know about it.”
María turned her head to look at him, raising an eyebrow.
“Maybe that’s why it’s secret.”
He smiled, playing along.
“Wow. Betrayed again. First the race, now this.”
She laughed softly.
“You started the race thing.”
“And you escalated to marriage.”
“Don’t act like you didn’t enjoy it.”
Joe glanced at her for a second longer this time, his smile softening just slightly.
“I might have.”
There was a brief pause, quieter now, before María looked away again toward the window.
“They’re still there,” she said.
Joe nodded, shifting the car into gear.
“Yeah.”
He pulled out smoothly, the car beginning to move away from the building.
“Don’t worry,” he added. “We’ll lose them.”
María glanced at him again.
“You sound very confident.”
“I am,” he said. “Years of experience.”
She smiled faintly.
“Is this the part where you drive dramatically into the sunset?”
“Only if there’s music.”
She reached toward the console, turning it on.
“Your moment.”
Joe laughed under his breath as music filled the car, the tension fading as they drove away.