Chapter Text
I. First Day on the Job
Yennefer was ready, born ready. She had finally had a break through in her career as an actress. She was tired of playing the sex piece in shows on TV. It had been flattering at first, knowing that others thought she was hot. But the novelty wore off when all she got was requests to flash her tits on screen. She knew she had a great pair, but seriously, she was more than a pair of tits. She could act too. She'd gone to school for it.
Fed up, she had applied for roles out of her normal expectations, and when she'd gotten a call back for a fantasy role as a hot witch, who was she to deny it? Finally, she'd be able to show off her acting chops. She was concerned about the 'hot' part. Often times that meant screen time being naked. But, this wasn't a modern show, or a dark gritty crime show. This show was a fantasy show, and fantasy was all about killing and dragons and magic. No time for boobs, right? At least she hoped. Her agent had promised her this role she had gotten didn't require any of that. She was hoping he was correct, because the stakes were high-for him. She was going to castrate him if he was wrong.
Looking forward to her job, with a degree of nervousness, she arrived at the shooting location early. She'd been given a script for the pilot and she had memorized everything. She was only on screen for about five minutes but she hoped to make an impression during her filming today.
Her agent had tried to get her to read up on the cast but she hadn't bothered to. She was going to focus on her own work and not get involved in the petty dramas going on. Last time she'd filmed for the show Sex by the City, there had been so much infighting among the cast over her sleeping with one of the directors.
They were all jealous she could and they couldn't. She didn't care much about people either. There were only two she did care about. One of them was her friend Triss who had also gotten a role on this show, as a supporting witch. Yennefer was happy they would be working together. She and Triss had started down this path together, and they helped each other so that they could become famous. Yennefer wanted to become an A-lister. And she knew she could do it. She was still young, she had a lot of time to become the queen of media.
Which was why she was going to put all her effort into her script and not into screwing her directors who only lied to her about getting her the access she needed to better roles. A bunch of useless lying pricks.
Yennefer got to the set and found people milling around, back and forth in different states of business. She went to where the director's office was. They would be having a meeting there with the rest of the cast. And she had dressed for the occasion, in all black and slim fitting clothes. She wanted them to be impressed by her.
She opens up the door and steps in, finding several other folks already there, all milling around and helping themselves to the breakfast spread. She has no idea what roles they're playing. But one person does catch her eye, and she does nearly a double take.
It's Tissaia De Vries.
The second person that Yenn cares about.
Yennefer has only ever had a childhood crush on her since forever. Yennefer remembers sitting in front of a TV with a huge bowl of popcorn and watching up into the late hours of the night, consuming whatever media Tissaia had been a part of almost religiously and even acting out some of the action sequences. And then when she was a bit older, in her teen's, acting out...um, more romantic scenario's.
It was part of the reason Yennefer became an actress. She wanted to be as prolific as her. Tissaia is known for the depth she brings to her characters with just a few expressions, and for being able to breath life into them. She's starred in a lot of fantasy work and a few seedier films when she was younger. Films that Yennefer really should not have been watching as a child.
And now, Yennefer is going to be working on the same show as her. She's bubbling with excitement and nerves for a whole other reason. She decides to go introduce herself. Striding over, she notices one or two men glance at her in interest but she ignores them. When she gets in front of Tissaia she holds out her hand in introduction.
Tissaia has just turned around, a croissant in her hand. There's a man with a graying beard next to her that had been murmuring to her about something. “Hi, I'm Yennefer Vengerberg,” Yennefer says as she turns her attention only to her childhood star. “I'm excited to be working with you on this new show.”
Tissaia seems a bit frozen by this, given the way her blue eyes open in shock but she takes Yennefer's hand in hers. It's cool, smooth, and so small! But strong at the same time. Yennefer could squeal out loud. She never imagined she'd met her, ever! This is beyond amazing. “Tissaia De Vries-”
“Yes, I know,” Yennefer can't help but cut in, gushing so hard her smile hurts. “I've seen most of your work. You're an amazing actress.”
“Why thank you,” Tissaia said, blinking rapidly at Yenn's enthusiam. “I'm afraid I'm not as familiar with your work.”
“I've seen some of your work,” the man gives Yennefer a lecherous smile. Of course he would. She tries to hide her distaste at this. “Very niche.”
“I'm trying to branch out,” Yennefer says through gritted teeth because why can't he just fuck off when she's talking to Tissaia?
“What work does she do?” Tissaia asks her friend, curious.
Yennefer does not need this coming out, so she hastily says, “no, it's fine. I'm not much on screen.” But Tissaia isn't listening.
The man has typed something into the phone already in his hand and shows it to Tissaia, as Yennefer's hands curl up with the urge to rip it away from him. Would it be fucking rude to just rip it out of his hand? Normally she would go right for it but she doesn't want to cause a bad impression in front of her crush and on the first day of filming too. “That's not really necessary,” she says, starting to panic a bit. This is not how she imagined this would go.
Tissaia reads what's on screen before looking back up at Yenn, face unreadable.
“Oh, I know you now. You're the one whose famous for her tits,” Tissaia said bluntly and Yennefer felt herself wilt as her cheeks flared up.
“Um, no?” she said, voice small and aware that others in the room were looking at their interaction, no doubt having overheard this. She can see from the corner of her eye a few of them googling this fact.
Tissaia nodded her head sternly. “No, I'm pretty sure you are. I recall reading an article about it, saying you were going tits down inside of tits up, taking to more boring roles to save your career. I hope you'll find this show fine.”
“Right,” Yennefer gave a very stiff smile, wanting to sulk into a dark corner. She was saved from further interaction when the director finally came in.
II. Filming
Even as the director talked about the upcoming show and how excited he was to work on it, Yennefer kept replaying her failed introduction to her childhood crush. She knew Yennefer's shameful acting roles. Yennefer could not stop cringing throughout the whole meeting, entirely not listening to a single word being said.
“Are you alright?” Triss asks when Yennefer leaves the meeting. Triss' role was too small to require her appearance in front of the director so she came later to set. “Does your stomach hurt?”
“No,” Yennefer says, breezing past Triss and to the breakfast spread so she can get some coffee. She pours a cup and chugs the brown sludge down like it's a shot.
Triss watches, one eyebrow raised over the shades she's got on even though it's dark inside here. “If you wanted alcohol you could have just asked,” she says, handing Yenn the coffee cup in her hand. “There's vodka in here.”
Yenn scowls and pushes the cup away. “It won't help.”
“With what. You didn't clarify.”
“My stomach doesn't hurt. But my ego does,” Yennefer answers, the two of them moving somewhere quieter which is hard given it's loud everywhere. “I...I met Tissaia De Vries.”
“Oh shit, she's here?” Triss whips her head around, trying to spot her. She can't.
“Yea, and I didn't know because I didn't bother to google anything about this show so I could actually just focus on the acting.”
“Oh, not planning on causing drama this year?” Triss smiles and drinks her not coffee.
“I don't ever intend to cause drama-”
“But you do,” Triss cuts in to Yennefer's protestations.
Yennefer huffs, pushes back a strand of her hair. “It's not my fucking fault people be shady. If they wanna throw me under the bus you best believe I will throw them first.” She knew the tabloids liked to make her out as the villain character but Yennefer was only ever protecting herself.
Triss changes the topic. “How was it meeting her? Did you ask for an autograph?”
Yennefer glares at Triss. “No, I was trying to be cool. And introduce myself as her colleague. But then scraggly beard blew up my spot by telling Tissaia about my previous roles.” Her cheeks flush as she recalls the indignity of this matter. “And now she probably thinks I'm some dumb bimbo.”
“Look, don't sweat it. Actors all have to get their start from somewhere. Even Tissaia did a couple of shitty movies before she hit it big. She probably never had to flash her tits but she did have terrible dialogue. I'm sure she's not judging you for it. This show is your chance to show how good you are at not flashing your tits on screen.”
Yennefer nodded her head, emboldened by her friend's words. “You're right. I'll just show everyone how good I am.”
“Good, cause I think they're calling for you for wardrobe,” Triss said as a woman with a clipboard was shouting out Yenn's name. Yennefer gives her friend a quick thank you hug and then booked it over to get changed.
III. Afterwards
Yennefer spends more time in wardrobe and make up then she does in actually filming her scenes. They're basic scenes. Her playing a hunchbacked girl who was abused by her family. Yenn doesn't mind getting down and dirty in the mud of the pig pen to showcase the horrible nature of this all. Her mind is on her acting, which is why the first time when Tissaia comes on scene, she's not expecting it.
Because Yenn's stayed away from researching the cast and was too busy being stuck in her mind during the meeting, she has no idea what roles her costars have. So when Tissaia steps out of the carriage, Yenns mouth drops open. Tissaia looks amazingly regal in her costume. It's navy blue with a high collar. And her brown hair is pinned back and in a braided bun. Her eyes are cool and disinterested.
Yenn just stares at her, almost forgetting she's on film. “How much for her?” Tissaia says as her eyes glance over Yenn's form and to the father.
“Six marks?”
“Six marks for this pig?” Tissaia doesn't sneer but it's clear in her voice her disdain. “She's not worthy of more than four.”
“Four it is then,” Yenn's show father says. “I'd be more than glad to get her off my hands.”
Tissaia reaches in and pulls out the marks and Yenn finally snaps to, recalling where she is and what she has to go. She can fangirl over acting in the same scene as Tissaia much later in the safety of her trailer.
“I won't go,” she spits out as the marks exchange hands.
Tissaia glances at her from the corner of her eyes. “That's not up for discussion. I own you now.” And with a small satisfied smirk, Tissaia turns and expects Yenn to follow and that's the end of the scene.
It's annoying getting out of costume but at least Yenn is comforted by the fact it seems this role is serious. She catches up with Triss later, the brunette walking with her down the street. “I was thinking we should get drinks.”
“Drinks?”
“To celebrate our first day here. For doing some good filming.”
Yenn's smile is teasing. “What sort of filming were you even doing?”
“Some side stuff with that hunky man Geralt.”
Yenn blinks blankly at this.
“He's the star of the show? Plays the Witcher? Does this ring any bells?” When Yenn shakes her head no, Triss sighs. “Don't tell me you didn't pay attention to anyone else today.”
Yenn sucks on her teeth a touch sheepishly. “No, I didn't. I was too busy fangirling. But I got to act with her today! Do you think I'll have more scenes with her?”
“Well, I would suppose so seeing as she plays the head witch whose training all of us.”
“Good,” Yenn nods her head. “This way I can get her to respect my acting skills.”