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“Leon? What happened?”
“You fainted. One minute you were looking in the mirror,” Matt looks up, at the mirror on the fireplace’s mantle, and then back at Ashley, her eyes half open, propped up in his arms like a piece of cardboard. “The next–”
Josh begins waving, and Matt is already halfway to his feet before he even shouts, “Cut!” He bites back on the groan building in his throat, instead pulling Ashley up so they can get into position to do the scene again.
A grip on his arm halts him, and Matt turns to find Josh pulling on his sweater.
“You guys take five,” Josh says, nodding around at the rest of the group watching from behind the camera, before looking at Matt again. “Come run lines with me, dude.”
“Yeah, sure,” Matt says, trying to hide the sour note in his voice.
Everyone drops onto a couch or chair now that the main room is free, sinking in with various relieved sighs. Most of the scenes they’ve filmed for Josh’s project have been outside--this is the first one they’ve gotten to do in the warmth of the lodge, but they’ve been so busy no one’s really gotten a chance to relax. Especially Matt, since he is co-star of this production.
Ashley gives him a sympathetic look over her shoulder from the couch, and he tries to smile for her so she won’t worry. Josh leads him into the lodge’s kitchen, patting one of the bar stools as he hops up on another.
“Alright, man, lay it on me. What’s your beef?” Josh wiggles his eyebrows suggestively as he says it, and Matt rolls his eyes.
“Look, I’m not an actor. I suck at this,” Matt says, and he doesn’t mean to be so blunt about it, but after an hour of being directed to do the same few scenes about a hundred different ways, he’s too tired to be as polite as he normally is. This isn’t like football, where your goal is obvious and all it takes is your body to get you there. “Why don’t you get Mike to do it?”
“He’s already playing Hopkins. Besides, dick-for-brains in there doesn’t do gentle–not that he’ll admit, anyways. You… do.” Josh’s voice is light as he rubs his head through his beanie, and Matt can’t read anything from his face, but something about Josh’s tone seems like he’s holding back. “So, do these lines with me. This time you’ll be Jill, and I’ll be Leon.”
The script is already being shoved into Matt’s hand, so he holds in a sigh and decides not to push it.
Josh starts, and the sudden change of tone is so startling, Matt actually looks up from the page to watch him speak. “What do you see in the mirror, Jill? I don’t see anything. Jill, what are you looking at?” There’s a softness that wasn’t present the moment before, deep concern and confusion--worry. Matt wasn’t aware Josh was such an actor.
“I--” Matt fumbles the line, has to look at the page again. “I see you. I can see you, in the forest.” He tries to mimic how Ashley says the line every time, but it comes out stronger, more sure.
“In the forest? What are you talking about?” Josh places a hand lightly on Matt’s shoulder.
“You’re walking through the forest, can’t you see it? It’s clear as a window.” Matt leans forward on the bar stool, as if to make him understand better.
“Jill, there’s nothing there. It’s just a mirror,” Josh says, leaning forward as well and looking Matt in the eyes, like he’s trying to see into Matt’s mind. He’s not even reading the script.
“No, I see it!” Matt startles himself with the vehemence in his voice. “You're in the forest, and there’s something in there with you. I don’t know what it is, I-”
It’s the moment where Ashley’s character faints, and on a whim, Matt makes a good show of slumping towards Josh, who catches him easily. He “wakes up” a moment later, looking up into Josh’s concerned face.
“Leon? What happened?” Matt asks, looking around in confusion.
“You fainted...” Josh leans down, somberly, and says, “Straight into my arms. You know, if you wanted my attention you didn’t have to go to such extremes.”
Matt drops his head as a burst of laughter escapes him. “Oh my god, really?” he manages. “What happened to running lines?”
“What, am I supposed to waste an opportunity to hit on the hottie who practically threw himself into my lap?” Josh laughs too, and Matt can feel the back of his neck prickling hot with embarrassment.
“It was for the sake of the scene!” he mutters, and then realizes he is, in fact, still in Josh’s lap. He pulls himself up using the counter, but Josh’s hand on his arm steadies him.
“Okay, sure, but, you get what I’m getting at here? You two are a team, you have to work off of each other,” Josh says.
“Yeah, actually, I think I understand,” Matt nods, because somehow it had felt more natural, as if he wasn’t just faking it for the camera. Josh had used his energy to get Matt to react, building up the momentum of the scene, just like you build up energy and momentum in a game. Matt almost feels like he could go back in there and do it again, better.
“Plus, man, you need to relax some. This isn’t football--no need to get your game face on, we’re not out here to murder the opposing team with our muscles,” Josh says jokingly.
Matt grabs Josh’s arm as realization sinks in. “Wait a minute, you did this on purpose, didn’t you?” He should have known. He’s seen Josh do this a million times--calming Emily down when she’s stressed over school and at her worst, defusing arguments between Hannah and Beth, taking everyone’s mind off of things. Matt’s always wondered about this perceptive quirk--it’s weird being on the receiving end of it for once.
“What can I say?” Josh shrugs. “You needed to loosen up. And I am the master at loosening people up.”
His lecherous grin has Matt laughing again, and he can practically taste the mint on Josh’s breath in the air between them. Josh’s smile softens, as Matt catches his breath, but they’re still close, Matt’s grip on Josh’s arm anchoring him.
There are dark lines under Josh’s eyes--a muscle in his temple twitches, and his shoulders are a hard line. Josh has probably been just as stressed and overworked as the rest of them. Even though he’s not acting in the project, he’s still out in the cold, moving props, running back and forth constantly to get everything right. And yet he’s taking time to watch out for Matt, when he looks like he’s ready to fall asleep right here.
Josh’s tired eyes take Matt in, that soft smile like a gentle light reaching his face.
He doesn’t know who moves first. Somehow, their lips are touching, Josh’s mouth opening under Matt’s. Matt slides off the bar stool and Josh’s knees part, fingers finding purchase in Matt’s shirt and hauling him closer. Josh is surprisingly strong for how small and tired he looks.
Matt finds his hands in Josh’s hair. He runs it over Josh’s scalp, knocks the beanie askew, and Josh closes his eyes like he’s in heaven. He repeats the action, and Josh breaks the kiss suddenly, head tilting forward onto Matt’s chest, a long moan escaping him.
“Holy shit, dude, do that again,” Josh mumbles, hands rising to cup Matt’s. “I’ve got a killer headache, that feels so good.”
“Oh, really?” Matt runs a hand across his scalp, back and forth, and Josh’s shoulders noticeably relax, hands falling to his sides. “How’s that?”
“Fucking perfect, my man. Where did you learn to do that?”
“Football,” Matt says, hands slowly working down to Josh’s temple. His lips still feels warm where Josh’s met his, and he tries not to think about what that means.
“Football? You learn to give massages in football?” Josh asks incredulously. “I mean, if that means I get the chance to run my hands all over a hunk like you, I can actually see the appeal, but football?”
Matt’s face heats, but he keeps his hands steady as he says, “Massages help relax tense muscles, which means you don’t injure yourself as often on the field. Maybe you’re the one who needs a break.”
“No, I’m good, really,” Josh says, but his voice is slurring, as if he’s on the verge of passing out right there. “We’ve got so much to do, can’t stop yet.”
“Yeah, I think you need to take a break.” Matt’s seen teammates run themselves ragged, like Josh seems determined to do, and he is not going to have it. “Go find a couch or a bed and get some sleep, dude.” Matt finally removes his hands, and Josh’s shoulders slouch in disappointment, but his forehead leaves Matt’s chest.
“Alright, but you gotta do something for me first, man,” Josh says, and though his eyes are drooping sleepily, his tone is sly.
Matt eyes him suspiciously. “Yeah?”
“Gimme a goodnight kiss, duh.” Josh smirks as he tilts his head up, as if he’s won something.
Matt huffs a laugh, and leans in again. He doesn’t know what this makes them, but Josh’s chapped lips against his feel good, and he wants to wipe away the darkness under Josh’s eyes like old eyeliner.