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The shoot for the day was already wrapping up, the staff were finishing last minute shots before they went home, despite this all Daffy found himself alone, he had finished his scenes for the day a few hours ago, and found himself waiting for his boyfriend Bugs to go home.
He hated how he felt like just a side kick to Bugs, they were supposed to be co-stars and despite it all he was again regulated to the one who keeps getting whacked, he really needed a new agent.
He stared at Bugs intensely, Bugs was the big star as always ever since his debut, Daffy tried to shut down the feeling but he always felt beneath him, he felt jealous.
He remembers when they met, he had only started out as his stun man, trying his best to outdo him, despite his mayhem, Bugs saw something in him and had asked for him personally for his writer debut, which gained a lot of high praise, Daffy liked to claim it is because of him amazing acting.
Despite the acclaim, Daffy barely gained any following, nevertheless Bugs has always treated Daffy as a friend, inviting him to vacation with him and letting him stay over during the off season which unfortunately to Daffy kept growing.
He was lucky to have Bugs, everyone had said that to him. He hated that he could feel the shift between how people treated them, Daffy had to put triple of the effort of Bugs, only get a smidgen of the recognition. It felt exhausting like always living in Bugs’s shadow, despite this Bugs always met him with a smile, never got mad at his antics, always wanted to include him, people were even nicer to him in front of Bugs, more patient. Bugs was naturally a charmer and people couldn’t get enough of him and if they had to accommodate Daffy in front of Bugs they would, they were fake so Daffy got more brazen and acted worst to cause them to break, to Bugs delight.
At the start didn’t know why Bugs even liked him, was he a joke to him?
Daffy wasn’t dumb enough to think everyone liked him, he just thought he was a good performer, a diva and divas aren’t supposed to be likable people. Maybe he was something to look at when your life was empty to feel better about it, since Daffy was barely getting any call-backs. That what he thought at one point, a pity friendship.
One day that thought shifted, Daffy had a movie with his first ever love interest, Melissa Duck, finally he made it in the big league.
“I am so excited to see the premier of your new movie.” Bugs said with a smile as he sat with Daffy to watch the new movie, despite it being Daffy’s film, Bugs attending had taken all the attention away from the movie. Daffy was a bit disappointed but more people were talking about the movie so he couldn’t be angry about this. Not like it was his idea the director suggested inviting Bugs and despite Daffy’s protests he was forced to do so.
“Yeah, I finally get to be the star. I will be huge in no time watch out, pal. I am coming for your crown.” Daffy said threateningly forcing a giggle from Bugs. He was always surprised when he managed to do that, Bugs rarely genuinely laughed, it was always a curtsy or a forced one. It made him feel proud, despite how small he felt, he was one of the few that managed to make the great Bugs Bunny laugh.
“Can’t wait.” Bugs said with a soft smile.
The movie started and despite how proud he was, Daffy couldn’t help but keep glancing at Bugs’s reaction, he wanted him to like it, he wanted Bugs to see him differently from anyone else like the star he truly is. but instead of proud, Bugs looked annoyed and upset. Did Bugs truly think his acting was that bad?, if he wasn’t mistaken he saw a flash of jealousy pass through his eyes upon seeing the love interest. Daffy wondered at the time if Bugs had met the actress before but now he know better. The kiss between them caused Bugs to grind his teeth. At that point Daffy felt small, like he disappointed Bugs and wasted his time. The movie ended with a few applauds, and Bugs quickly leaving.
“I have a few calls to make, I will see you later.” Bugs said leaving, forcing Daffy to understand that whatever Bugs saw wasn’t to his liking, he felt small again. The news about Bugs’s not looking pleased and leaving before the QnA session. tanked whatever interest the public had. Daffy couldn’t blame them, he would have listened to Bugs too.
Daffy barely got any movies with love interests after that, Melissa never acted alongside him again. Despite multiple auditions he aced with a love interest, he always got rejected, so Daffy stopped auditioning to these types of movies. Not like his love life was better.
He had tried to date multiple times but he quickly discovered many were with him to meet his famous best friend Bugs, and like clockwork would immediately leave him the second he introduced them to Bugs, the worst part was with Tina, who despite dating him for a year and not seeming any interested in celebrities, had broken up with him when she met Bugs. Only telling him “I’m sorry, I can’t do this, My mom needs me.”. He ended that night crying in his apartment before Bugs being a good friend came to console him.
After the fifth time this happened he had given up on love, He didn’t want to cry in Bug’s arms anymore, it felt humiliating after knowing the people left to get with Bugs. Bugs never rubbed it in, he just told him to choose a better partner, someone who deeply loves him. He didn’t think that existed at the time, so he choose to be alone. In hindsight he thinks Bugs probably meant himself.
He envied Bugs who every love interest he had acted alongside eventually grow into a relationship. Daffy wished his love life was half as lucky as the rabbit. Until he was.
Daffy was helping Bugs practicing for a new role.
“Thank you so much, How can I ever repay you?” Daffy said bored out of his mind, they had been redoing this scene for the last half an hour. Bugs didn’t like the scene and kept tweaking it, this was the climax of the movie after all and Bugs needed it to be perfect.
“You aren’t doing this right Daffy!” Bugs said looking at Daffy “You need to be more seductive, more flirty.” Bugs stopped and took the discarded wig “Maybe put on the wig again, it would help set the mood.”
“But it’s scratchy” Daffy said but with an pissed look from Bugs he complied, He really needed to find a better agent. “How about now?”
Bugs stared for a while “No, I don’t like it. You look like you hate even being here.”
Daffy took off the wig for, biting down complaints about this whole scene, “That’s because I do. I want to go home, I am done with all my scenes already, and I am starving. If you hate me playing the love interest so much why don’t you try it, can’t see you doing any better.”
Bugs smiled a devilish grin like he was waiting for this request from Daffy for the past half hour, “Oh, I know I can do better.”
Daffy looked annoyed “Oh yeah, prove it.”
Bugs smiled, before his energy fully shifted to be more relaxed, more flirty looking at Daffy with what he imagined is Bugs’s bedroom eyes. Daffy felt a bit flustered, it probably wasn’t something he was supposed to see. Bugs finally said with a seductive voice “Thank you so~ much~.” Brushing softly the bottom of Daffy’s bill, tenderly forcing his head up to look at Bugs as he got closer.
His finger were tracing Daffy’s cheek, as he breathlessly said “How can I ever repay you~?” Daffy was blushing hard, he can now understand what it felt like to be seduced by the rabbit, he tried to think of the next line, but nothing came out, he looked at Bugs expecting him to feed him the line but instead Bugs said. “Did a rabbit get your tongue~?” Bugs said with a sweet smile, getting even more close to him, until they were but a mere breathe away.
Daffy could barely breathe without tasting Bugs breathe, which was a mix of the sweet carrots he kept munching on every now and then. he tried to pull away, a bit embarrassed. he hadn’t kissed anyone in a while and being this close to someone was doing things to him especially with Bugs looking at him with eyes full of desire, he can see now why all of Bugs costar ended up dating him.
Bugs held him in place forcing him to look in his eyes, and for the first time he felt the pull people had to Bugs, the sly smile along with his eyes showing enough interest to try to earn more, he wanted to taste what everyone was craving, so Daffy just leaned in and kissed him, Bugs immediately returning the kiss full force with so much enthusiasm it shocked Daffy, they ended up staying in Bugs trailer that night, exploring a new side of their relationship Daffy never expected.
Despite their love for each other, the relationship was never stable, it was a secret relationship first of all and the studio forced Bugs into contracted relationships one after the other. Filling Daffy with jealousy and self doubt. It’s easier if they broke up like the studio wanted, why is Bugs even tolerating suffering for the sake of anyone.
Bugs was the biggest thing on the planet and he was just another actor. Every thing was getting on Daffy’s nerve, Daffy sees Bugs with Honey Bunny at their movie premier it sparks an argument and they break up, Bugs is seen with his co-star outside of the studio another argument and they break up, Bugs kisses someone in a movie another argument and they break up. Despite how much Bugs tries to make Daffy feel secure in their relationship he never does. They get back together and a timer starts counting down to when they will break up again, waiting for the final break up.
Daffy waits for Bugs, he breathes heavily when one of the other actors, Honey Bunny sit next to him, she was the latest of Bugs’s contracted girlfriend, Daffy doesn’t like her but she never treated him with anything but kindness. Daffy greets her despite his annoyance at his peace being disturbed. She smiles before saying “You know he pulled so many strings to get you in this movie and a lead role nevertheless.”
“I am sorry?” Daffy said annoyed.
“You heard me, I know you two have whatever going on but do you think riding on the coattails of your famous boyfriend forever will get you nothing. Or do you just want to milk him until he is dried and just move to the next sucker.”
Daffy looked shocked, he wanted to cut her off but, she took his silence as agreement.
“The worst part is knowing he could be happier with someone his own calibre, someone who isn’t insecure that breaks his heart at the slightest issue, you know he cried yesterday in his trailer when you two fought, all staff can see it in his eyes, he tries to play it cool but we can see how miserable he is when you two fight. He might think you hung the moon for now but one day he will wake up and realize what everyone can clearly see, an insecure, narcissist, little man that isn’t worthy of him.” She said taking her water bottle before leaving him to ponder her words.
Daffy didn’t take long before leaving, it felt like she took a mirror and showed him how he really looked like and for the first time in so long, he couldn’t take it. So he ran and ran, cut contact with everyone, even Bugs, he took whatever he can from their shared apartment and left with a two words note “I am sorry”.
Bugs had tried to contact him multiple times, forcing Daffy to change his number, a clean start, that is what Daffy needed.
It took some time, he went to a lot of auditions, he couldn’t get any roles in movies after walking out from his movie, even an extra was impossible, Bugs know his biggest dream is to star in his own movie so it was easy to guess, that Bugs using the excuse Daffy left mid filming got him blacklisted, hoping Daffy could contact him.
But Daffy wanted to take back control of his life, so he went to the small screen, took a lot of small roles slowly building his reputation not as Bugs’s friend but as his own person, a good actor. After a lot of hard work, his luck changed. Getting a main role in a new show.
The best thing that happened to him is meeting his two friends Porky and Marvin. They met while auditioning for the role together. Their dynamic captivates the public and slowly the show gained a huge following, they felt like they were carving their own corner of the world, it wasn’t the big screen but it was enough for now, a place just for them.
His best efforts for a clean break, didn’t do so well. He keeps hearing about Bugs, despite running in different circles, Bugs huge public breakup from Honey Bunny was all over the gossip magazines, his long break from the screen after the breakup. And recently he was hearing a comeback is in store.
It didn’t bother Daffy not in the slightest, not when Porky had asked him about how it felt to work along side Bugs, not when Marvin had asked him if he know why Honey Bunny and Bugs broke up, not even when they had told Daffy a huge star was guest appearing in an episode and he was met with Bugs in his dressing room. It didn’t bother Daffy in the slightest.
“What’s up ,doc?” Bugs said with his usual phrase sitting on what is meant to be Daffy’s makeup chair, like they hadn’t seen each other in so long, like they didn’t break each other’s heart over and over again.
“Don’t start with me. What are you doing here?” Daffy said putting on a brave face, he refused to cry in front of Bugs.
“I am just here to meet with the king of the silver screen. You have done well for yourself. Do you know how many actors were fighting to be the first guest star here?” Bugs said with a proud smile.
“Spare me the compliments. I know about Tina.” Daffy said annoyed, he had met up with Tina during his hard times who told him that Bugs offered her money to leave Daffy and with her mother being sick, she had no other option.
“I am sorry about that, but look at it from point of view your best friend, comes each time with someone who only wants to use him for fame or money, I had to test them to avoid you getting hurt.” Bugs said casually.
“It is my heart! I get to do with it what I want.” Daffy yelled back “I didn’t even mention you getting me blacklisted from doing movies.”
“Why wouldn’t I? I needed you to talk to me I was desperate. The love of my life disappears, along with all his stuff from our shared apartment and leaves me with no explanation but a note saying ‘I am sorry’. What would you have done?” Daffy looked at the ground shame slowly washing over him, “You didn’t even leave a shirt for me to hold. I thought I had imagined all our relationship. I was going crazy.” he finally lifted his head finally noticing Bugs was standing right in front of him.
“I- I am-” Daffy started, He wanted to tell Bugs, he didn’t want to live in his shadow, but got the words stuck in his throat, .
“I forgive you.” Bugs said ending Daffy’s train of thoughts like he got it and no words were needed. “I am happy you could make a name for yourself. I wanted people to see what I have always seen. The talented duck, I had fallen in love with from the very first moment. The only one who makes me laugh, the only one who makes me cry.” Bugs said capturing Daffy in a sweet long awaited kiss.
The kiss was sweet, filled with possessiveness and love. Making Daffy’s eyes tear up, he had missed him, he missed his laugh, his soft touch, his whispered ‘I love you’s, his sleepy kisses in the morning. He couldn’t imagine how being separated from him ever again.
When they finally separated to breathe, Daffy smiled and said “I am the love of your life?” electing a laugh from Bugs who happily kissed him again to prove it.