Work Text:
“And… Cut!”
The director’s voice rang out across the set, and Ranmaru turned off his camera as they broke for lunch. It was going to be another long day of filming, a process of too long hours and two short breaks. Sometimes Ranmaru wondered why he stayed on as a cameraman, instead of going back to school and getting an office job somewhere. At least then his hours would be more consistent. Then again, he wouldn’t get to meet as cool of people in an office job.
Later today would be the first day that A-List actress, Sara Chidouin would be coming in to film. For any celebrity Ranmaru got excited, but Sara had been his celebrity crush for forever, so an extra burst of butterflies exploded in his stomach when someone announced she would be here any minute.
Of course, with any actor who had been around, there were rumors spread about them being rude or difficult to work with. Ranmaru had long since learned to ignore those rumors, preferring to actually meet the people before passing judgment.
How disappointing to learn that for Sara Chidouin those rumors were true.
The rest of the cast and crew heard her before they saw her, listing out demands to the director and a flustered assistant, who was frantically scribbling them down. Ranmaru let out a small huff of disappointment and took a sip of his ginger ale deciding he would just stay as out of her way as possible. Unfortunately for him, Sara decided that Ranmaru staying under her radar was not a part of her plan. She strode up to him and began lecturing him on proper angles and lighting as if he had never held a camera in his life. A part of Ranmaru wanted to snap back at her, tell her to do her job, and let him worry about the camera work. But ultimately, he wanted to keep his job, so he let her go on her tirade, figuring she would forget he even existed by tomorrow.
Three days in, and Sara had not forgotten about Ranmaru’s existence. It probably didn’t help that on the second day when she came in she gave him an almost identical lecture, he lost his patience and snapped that he didn’t tell her how to act and that he wouldn’t work here if he had never filmed movies before. From there on, Sara decided that every delay in filming was his fault and constantly sent thinly veiled insults his way.
Maybe Ranmaru should just go for an office job at this point.
Finally, they were nearing the end of filming, and for the first time, Ranmaru was ticking down the day with relish. Just two weeks, fourteen more days and he wouldn’t have to work with Sara again for a very long time, if ever. It was the thought that kept him going when Sara would go on her daily rant about how incompetent he was.
“Cut!”
The actors and crew paused mid-scene, and Ranmaru prepared for the verbal onslaught that was surely coming his way. He was saved by the fact that they had been stopped so the director could give the actors notes on their performances. They were filming one of the most intense scenes of the movie, and the more takes they got in the harsher the director’s criticism became. He called for everyone to go back to their places, and they began to run the scene again. It was all going relatively smoothly until Sara burst into tears and ran offset.
The rest of the cast and crew were all frozen, unsure of what to do now, until the director sighed and called for a break, waving Sara’s manager over. While the director and manager conversed in hushed tones, the crew broke up into small groups around set, probably swapping rumors. Ranmaru really didn’t have the energy for gossip today, so he walked off to the vending machines to get another ginger ale. His fellow cameramen joked that he had an addiction to the soda.
He was on his way back to the set when a sniffle from a supply closet made him pause. It was undoubtedly Sara, and he was tempted just to walk away and let her be miserable for herself, after all, she had been nothing but rude and condescending toward him. But, she had also seemed really upset. She would probably just tell him to go away, but Ranmaru figured he may as well check so he could at least say he had tried to extend the olive branch. He sighed and knocked on the door before entering.
“What do you want?” Sara’s voice was thick with tears, coming up from where she was sat on the floor with her arms wrapped around her knees.
Ranmaru blinked, slightly taken aback by seeing her so vulnerable. “I heard you crying, and I thought you might want to talk to someone about it.”
“I’m fine,” Sara huffed, “just go back to drinking your stupid soda and filming with your stupid camera.”
“Alright, if you insist,” Ranmaru said, turning to leave the supply closet. His hand was on the doorknob when Sara grabbed his free wrist.
“Wait,” she said, her voice small and still tearful, “don’t leave me alone just yet.” Ranmaru stared at her for a second before sitting down as Sara shifted to make room for him.
They sat in silence for a few minutes before Ranmaru cleared his throat, “You know, I thought you would’ve yelled at me to get out. We haven’t exactly been on good terms.”
Sara chuckled lightly. “Yeah. I was going to, but when you were leaving I got scared. I… I don’t want to be alone anymore.”
“You? Alone?” Ranmaru was surprised. “I would’ve thought that the great Sara Chidouin would have people line up around the block to pay to be your friend.”
Sara shrugged, “It would just be because I’m a famous actress. I don’t think I’ve ever had a real friend.”
“Never? Not even when you were a kid?”
Sara looked at him, purple eyes rimmed red from crying. “I got my first big role when I was twelve. Before that, my parents homeschooled me so I could do commercials and roles in smaller movies. After that, I was too busy to really make friends.”
They sat in silence for a second before Sara continued. “You know, I’ve never really chosen my own jobs? It used to be my parents and manager who decided, and now the only way I can keep track of movies and interviews and everything else is if I have someone else do it for me.”
“I’m sorry to hear that. I had no idea.”
“Most people don’t. My lack of control in my own life isn’t something I exactly broadcast.”
Ranmaru realized that they had probably been sitting there for far too long. He stood, offering Sara his hand and a warm smile. “We’d better be getting back,” he said as he pulled her up, “You know if you’d like I can be a friend to you.”
Sara smiled, and Ranmaru realized it was the first time he had seen her do so off-camera. “I’d like that.”
The director made a relieved noise when he saw the two walk back onto the set, and while Sara talked to her agent the director pulled Ranmaru aside to thank him for tracking her down. He waved off the director’s praise, and returned to his spot at his camera, offering Sara a thumbs up and another smile.
The last two weeks of filming flew by quickly, with Ranmaru and Sara talking to each other over every break, the two cracking up with laughter over the dumbest jokes. One day, as they were returning to places Sara grabbed his hands and thanked Ranmaru, telling him this was the happiest she’d been in years.
When the director called it a wrap, something in Ranmaru’s chest ached. He and Sara probably wouldn’t work together again for a long time, if ever. He never thought he would’ve said that he was sad when this movie wrapped. As everyone filed out, Sara hugged him and made him promise that he would text and call her often. He agreed and even managed to summon the courage to invite her over for coffee.
Over the next few months, the two met more and more often, managing to avoid the paparazzi. When it came time for the movie premiere, he texted her, telling her good luck on her red carpet. She just sent him a smiley face in reply and told him to come outside his apartment. There, in a limousine was Sara, decked out in her red carpet finest. Across her lap was a tuxedo for him.
“Hope you didn’t have plans for tonight, I really need a plus one.”
Ranmaru just smiled, and when he offered his hand, Sara didn’t hesitate to take it.