Chapter Text
*
bike. pt. two.
*
“Don’t forget, the chemistry read will be sometime next week, and after that you’ll be staying in New York again for a while. Have you read the script I sent you?”
“Yeah, I was just learning my lines.”
“Okay, good. Uh…” Eddie hears the hesitation in his agent’s voice. “Eddie?”
“Yes?” He asks, starting to get anxious.
“I heard this thing is going to be risky. I need you to be mentally prepared for what’s to come. The script will most likely…” Hannah breathes deep across the phone speakers, letting the silence tell Eddie exactly how much the script will be riskier than he already thinks it is. Eddie taps his foot to try and release some excess energy. “Anyway, I trust that you can adapt to any script. You’ll do well, Eddie. I’ll call you later.”
That really doesn’t do anything other than cause Eddie to spiral deeper into his thoughts and well-founded anxieties of Fucking Things Up and Not Being Good Enough. He’s heard the script might have some setbacks—especially if it’s released as the blockbuster that they’re intending it to be. But Eddie believes in the writers, and even if he doesn’t think he could do it, he would have to do it. He has to. If he doesn’t try now, he’ll never get anywhere.
The script he has right now will most likely be changed after the script reading, so he’s not so much as memorizing it than getting to know his character. The premise itself is familiar: it’s the basic YA film— a Seven Deadly Sins YA film, in fact. By its DNA, it should be gritty. It has the tone and title that attracts the edgy and brooding audience that is the young. It should be like Twilight, by principle of its name and basis. But Lane has promised that it would be more of a Dungeons and Dragons episode done on crack.
While Eddie might be on the better side of “a gullible mess!”, he’s not an idiot. He’s learned not to believe those kinds of things, especially from someone with Lane’s track record. Lane is a bastard who will make you laugh so hard in one scene that you’ll snort coke (the beverage) and then in the next scene, you’ll cry so hard that your tears come out as that same coke. It’s how he gets people— by mastering the two extremes of drama: comedy and tragedy.
Eddie hasn’t finished reading the script yet, but he skimmed through it and saw a few lines that demonstrated exactly how brutal the writer is. Knowing where the story will generally lead shows him the gist of what he’s about to go through both emotionally and physically. And… well, it’s going to be hard.
But instead of feeling the foreboding sense of dread and destruction that’s basically become his personality, Eddie feels small sparks of excitement. There is a thrill in his bones that is electric. He’s only felt this a few times in his young life. It comes in the moments of self-despair, and in overcoming it to take whatever challenge. It comes when the opportunity to prove himself becomes so humongous that he can’t help but take it. It comes in the eve of great change. One that he will not be able to sense at this point of his young life, but one with which he will reflect and wonder upon.
He feels alive.
Like he’s ready.
And Eddie thinks, fuck, he might just be.
--
That confidence lasts him until he goes to the auditions. He’s been reading for a couple of kids already—and given that the main cast centers around seven kids, Eddie’s got himself a lot on his plate. He slumps against the wall where he rests while on break. He catches the casting director looking down at her paper disapprovingly.
Since the morning, he’s had to read for both boys and girls and no one has quite… reached Eddie. Everything’s bland, and Eddie thinks it might be because he’s bland. And then they’d have no choice but to get rid of him and—
“…so, you’re saying we’re only looking for four now?”
“Out of the seven, yes. We’ve got Eddie for the lead character. We’ve got the… the second lead character. We’re only missing three boys and a girl.”
“One girl? Why?”
“Oh, come on, we’ve talked about this—”
Eddie squeezes his eyes shut. He’ll know about it when it comes, he’s already way too invested in this. Unless he’s forced to quit, he’ll be here through and through.
“Alright, back to work everybody.”
And so, the cycle repeats.
--
Actually, it doesn’t quite disappoint him as much. Two of them actually did well. One of them, Ben, is a chubby kid with rosy cheeks and a kind smile. He’s soft in all the ways that matter, but when he needs to act tough for a scene, he delivers. There is a certain hardiness in the way he ploughs through, and the way he backs up Eddie’s character creates a distinct tone from the rest of the earlier kids’ auditions.
There is strength in his voice, yeah. But underneath that is also fear. And it becomes this act of bravery despite the paralyzing fear. And that’s what makes it more… significant. Because you’re brave if you do things when you’re scared, right? At least… that’s what Bill always told him.
Another one of the kids was Mike. The first thing Eddie could remember about Mike was his smile—god damn that kid has got a gorgeous smile. He looks dependable, like he’s a pillar. His voice—so cool and confident. Eddie wants to be like him. He initially read for the Wrath character, but the casting director made him switch to Sloth.
Eddie watches as Mike studies Wrath’s lines for, what he assumes is, the first time and then immediately adopts to the character. The sheer skill and professionalism he had takes Eddie out of his comfort zone. He feels challenged, but never threatened. And if he could make an ally and a friend out of Mike, it would be his damn pleasure.
--
About two weeks pass with no luck on the other characters. Hannah calls Eddie about them and tells him that they’re still looking for two characters.
Hesitantly, Eddie suggests Bev and Bill. He knows this is different. He won’t be the same kid depending on their charm to survive. He would be the one leading them. Eddie trusts them enough for that. But more than that, Eddie believes that they will shine in the film with him rather than overshadow him.
He doesn’t know where he gets it. This surge of confidence that is always fluctuating. But it always comes back up when he needs to make decisions. That’s good enough for him.
--
“Eddie, Eddie, Eddie, Eddie—”
“Bev.”
“EDDIE.”
“BEV.”
“Eddie, my dear—” Bev drapes herself over Eddie and then falls limp, but not completely so that she will fall on the floor.
Eddie giggles at her antics, “Oh my God Bev.”
“Eddie, I hate you so much.”
“I love you too Bev.”
“Y-you got the role, right, Bev?” Bill asks from where he’s sitting on the couch. Bev is visiting them right now, a few blissful weeks of nothingness—its summer so they’re officially out of school, and Bev was on a break from projects.
“Duh, my dear Denbrough. Yes. I got the role,” she said, raising her head from Eddie’s shoulder to give Bill a dead stare. When she deems it threatening enough, she glares back at Eddie, “And it’s all because of Eddie.”
“And it’s bad because?”
“Cause now I’m going to be absolutely feral on set! Medieval setting?! Fantasy? Seven! Deadly! Sins! William Denbrough, how do you expect me, a fashion enthusiast, to stay sane in a set like that?!” Bev begins throwing her hands in the air, frustrated and buzzing at the same time. Passion ploughing through her usual exuberance, more fire than sunlight. “And my manager said we’d be shooting in an actual location! God fucking damn it, you’re going to have to drag me away from set every day cause’ I’ll be damned if I don’t live like the fae that I am!”
“You know it’s not exactly that kind of fantasy, right?” Eddie says, eyebrows raises both physically and spiritually.
Bev scoffs, “A girl could imagine. It’s not that hard.”
“But wait,” Bill perks up, looking at Eddie, “Are we really staying in the middle of nowhere?”
Eddie feels a shot of excitement at the way Bill looks to him for confirmation. It feels like just a few months ago, he was on the couch, looking up at Bill and asking him about important things. Now, its Eddie who’s standing up. And if Bill stands up as well, it won’t make Eddie feel less, but… it’s more like standing on the same field as him now.
“It’s not confirmed yet, but the producers are aiming for that. They want to do some things the old -fashioned way, and CGI won’t work for them if it’s making, like, 80 percent of the movie. They said real terrain will help.”
“Wow,” Bill says in that quiet way of his, “that’s so c-cool, Eddie.”
And when Bill smiles at Eddie, he can’t help but grin as wide as he can, right back at Big Bill.
--
Eddie is legally allowed to scream. He gets into the chemistry read early with Bill and Bev. Bev’s chatter is enough to distract him from the responsibilities he feels he has as the main lead, so the pressures feels more like a hand on his neck than a chokehold. Manageable.
He observes the large room with a long table set up for the actors, writers and the crew. He feels his gut drop down to his knees when he sees Lane and Heather talking at the side, the inherent need to please them increasing every second. At the side, he sees a lone teen sitting primly on the chair by the end of the table.
Eddie thinks he’s looking at the most adult person in the room. An old man trapped in the body of a teen. His curly hair coils in a clean way, almost, like he’s told it to stay exactly where it was and it was too afraid to defy his orders.
He must have been looking too long because just at that second, he catches his eyes.
Now, Eddie’s never really had to take charge before. As he’s established, that had been Bill’s job. But because he needs to prove to himself, starting now, he goes against his anxieties and walks toward his cast mate.
“Hi, I’m Eddie and I’m—”
“You’re playing Pride, right?” he says, eye brows raised and looking Eddie up and down like he’s a particularly judgmental robot scanning him for defects.
“I—uh, yes! I am. How about you?” Eddie slaps himself for stumbling. Exude. Confidence! You’re Hollywood’s new leading man, Eddie. Act like it!
“I’m supposed to be Envy,” he says, like he’s not quite impressed.
“Supposed to?”
“Well this is a chemistry test,” he shrugs, and even then, he’s like a hundred-year-old Queen, “everything’s not exactly set into stone.”
“Ah,” Eddie breathes, suddenly feeling nervous, “yes. Of course. Yeah.”
He knows he’s the main lead, but could that change? He feels his hand itch to call Hannah and then to take a heaping gulp of his— no. It’s not real. He doesn’t need that thing. He’s here, and he will be here until they ask him to leave. And if they do, he’ll try to convince them to let him stay. He’ll fight tooth and nail for this role, and it will be a bloodbath before he left willingly.
“I’m Stan,” the other teen tells plainly.
“Oh!” Eddie jumps, thrown out of his own inner monologue. He slaps his hands right by his thighs, twitching but resisting movement. “Right, good luck to us. Let’s hope this chemistry read goes well.”
Right then, Stan heaves an irritated sigh, looking down at his phone for the time. “Yeah, well, it’s not starting out to be a good day, that’s for sure.”
Concerned, Eddie asks, “Why?”
“The dumbass was supposed to be here an hour ago. I swear to God, he’s going to be the death of me. He told me he was going to be here early, cause—well,” Stan flounders for the first time, and then recovers immediately, “Well, he promised. And I knew I shouldn’t have taken his word for it. Guy’s notorious for spewing nonsense.”
“We all know that guy,” Eddie sympathizes.
At this, Stan smirked, “Oh, indeed.”
Eddie doesn’t quite get it, but he lets it be. People like Stan are what he calls an Old Soul. They speak in riddles and make you feel inferior because of just how poised and knowing they carry themselves. He’s the kind of person you want to trust because they’re reliable, but the exact person you shouldn’t trust because you never quite know what they’re thinking. His dry way of talking also does put him in the spot. But apart from that, he’s kind of… neurotic in a way that Eddie finds familiar. The way he rearranges the script on his table and the particular way he taps on the wood tell him of the state of agitation and discomfort Stan is right now. He finds a kind of camaraderie with that.
“Anyway, I have to go to the bathroom. Excuse me.”
Stan leaves him standing by the table, alone and inquisitive. When he looks behind him, he finds that Beverly has started charming her way into both Mike and Ben. One… more than the other.
There are other teens filtering in the room, much less than the ones he had to work with a few weeks ago, but still more than seven. They’re the final contenders for the roles, and while Eddie knows he’s kind of set in stone as the lead character, he reserves an expectation of being replaced. Who knows if there’s someone with more… Pride energy? Someone better. God knows most of them have more talent than him. He shivers.
--
It’s about thirty minutes into the chemistry read and he’s had to interact with everyone in the cast roster. So far, he’s confident in his chemistry with Bill and Bev. They’ve been working for three years, it’s easy to get back into it.
Stan was a bit hard to work with at first, but after a stumble or two, they finally found their tone and the deadpan/panic duo works wonders for them.
So far, Eddie’s worked with the rest of the cast—Mike and Ben included. But he feels like there is a distinct lack of chemistry for the read throughs with this one character. Mike’s already read for Sloth, and he’s sure he’ll get the role of the ‘essential narrator’ what with his smooth voice and relaxing demeanor.
Ben also proves himself as Gluttony, playing off his naturally shy demeanor with eagerness and spontaneously genuine reactions. The guy blushes on command!
Eddie kind of flinches at the role Bev has taken—thinks that just because she’s a girl, she didn’t have to be Lust. But she was determined for the role. And when Eddie looked into her eyes, he saw purpose, so he let it go.
Since Bill was wrath, that left him with Greed. So far, no one has quite landed themselves enough of an impression, chemistry wise. And his real fear of getting replaced begins to come true again, since Greed is the deuteragonist (“Just say second lead!”) he thinks that maybe this is when he’ll get replaced for a more versatile main character. Someone who could get along with just about anyone.
Just as he’s about to spiral into that thought process (cut! Do it again, but this time with more despair), Eddie hears a crash from the hallway and the distant sound of frantic footfalls. From his left, he feels more than hears the exasperated sigh of Stan, and then by his right a few ways in front, he hears the excited chatter of Heather and Lane.
He tries not to let the obvious surge of new energy intimidate him. Because whoever that person is might be the one they’ve all been waiting for.
Eddie gulps, and he feels Bev shift in her seat closer to him. “You think that’s the one?”
“Who?” he squeaks. Damn it.
Bev rolls her eyes playfully, “You know. Your deu-te-ra-go-nist. Your partner in crime this time. Your best friend on set. Your,” and here Bev leans in close, “love interest.”
“My what!” Eddie whisper-screams.
The footsteps get closer.
“You can’t be serious,” Bev deadpans.
There is a voice echoing in the halls and everyone is waiting for the person to arrive.
“What love interest—I—isn’t this supposed to be about a ragtag group of friends—where in the script--!”
STEP. STEP. STEP.
“They never told you about the change they’re making? Apparently, and, by the way, this is just wild speculation, someone overheard Lane talk about a kiss in the end. And reading the script—I honestly don’t think it’d be you and me doing the do.”
Eddie blushes and smacks Bev lightly. “Bev! Oh my god, I’m, I’m supposed to kiss someone—what if I don’t like them?!”
“Well, you gotta do it anyway, if it’s in the script.”
“Bev, I’ve never…”
“Oh.”
“Yeah!”
“Oh.”
The hall is entirely quiet, and the door knob quakes and quivers with the door as the person on the other end struggles to open it.
When a crew rushes to help, the door slams to the wall, almost hitting the poor man.
Eddie jumps at the sound and refuses to turn back around. Bev gives him one last look before turning away to see who the lucky bastard is. He sees the way her eyes widen in surprise and he almost gives in. He’s not quite ready yet. He… he’s gathering courage, okay?!
He watches Bev, instead. Her eyes suddenly crinkle, and it might just be mischief or humor, which he does not understand. Beside him, he hears another insufferable groan from Stan. And few chairs from him, the soft and quiet, “Oh,” of Bill.
Finally, he looks at the door.
His curly black hair is tousled into the most obnoxiously try-hard bad boy look, and it sends a deep-seated desire to set in on fire.
Suddenly all his nerves were replaced with the familiar irritation that he has so intimately associated with the dumbass. He’s probably here for some music shit. Maybe he’s just lost.
“What the fuck is he doing here?” he mutters, loud enough for Bev to hear.
And in the seconds it take for Lane and Heather to walk up to bastard, for his eyes to meet his, and for his brain to register the damning words that went, “Richie Tozier, you really took all the time in the world, you greedy little bastard.” Eddie catches eyes with Bev, and the world shone on Eddie’s haunting realization.
“Oh.”
And then.
“Oh no.”
--