Chapter Text
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Be A Star News @BeAStarNews
Leaks indicate Louis Redder and Legosi Growlf are cast to play the lead roles of the series adaptation of “A Beast Among Stars”, Ruy and Regos, respectively. The two join Haru as the lead of the adaptation of the popular novel.
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Growlf Simp @GrowlfSimp
YAAAAASSSSS! Finally a reason to watch that!
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Lulu <3 @lululululu
This is my dream casting for this! I told evbd there’s no better choice for Ruy than Prince Charming Redder and Regos had to be played by Collar Daddy Wolf!
-> Erect Biskit @bisket_bistec
COLLAR DADDY CAN WRECK ME!
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Undressed To Impress @underwear_union
Hope they add some sex scenes. Really use that casting.
-> Undressed To Impress @underwear_union
The locker room scene from the books would be just… *drolls*
--
“I can hear you scowling from here,” Ibuki says from the kitchen, the smell of vegetables starting filling the air around him. Louis could only see his back from the counter separating the room of this apartment to the kitchen.
“It’s a very simple script,” Louis admits, dropping it on the coffee table in front of him.
“There are many simple movies that are elevated by a good lead actor,” Ibuki says without turning away from the stove.
“Ok, fine. What else do you have for me.”
“Well… nothing.” Ibuki’s shoulders tensed when saying it.
“What? Ibuki…”
“Sorry, Boss, orders from the Big Boss.”
“What does my father have to do with it?”
“Well, last year you decided to pack your schedule to hell and your health…”
“He doesn’t need to baby me. I’m an adult, I can make my own career choices!”
His agent knew better than to get in between the fights between the two deers. They were both too stubborn to listen to him when they were pitted against each other like this. Those two deers were vicious as if they were carnivores when something they wanted was on the line, so he looked down and focused on the frying of vegetables.
“Regardless, those are your father and my big boss’s orders, and I kinda need to follow, boss.” He said with an apologetic tone, hoping that the deer’s focus would shift to his father. “Also, it’s for your health! Remember how overworked and burnt out you were last year? And that… other thing too.”
Louis sat with a bothered face on the counter like a pouty child who knows better than to contradict his parents, but is far from happy with the situation; his teeth gritted and face contorted in a quiet and subtle kind of anger.
The deer pulled out his phone, swiftly finding his father's number and calling him. Ibuki knew he could object, but decided not to, this was not his fight.
"Hello, office of Hornstars CEO Oguma, Dolph speaking."
"Dolph, it's me, patch me up."
"..." The line went silent. "Boss, Big Boss is kinda busy right now, I don't think that…"
"He's trying to limit the roles I can take?"
"Big Boss is looking out for your health…"
"He's treating me like a child!"
"He cares about your health. Listen, last year…"
"I know what happened last year, I was there. It was an accident, I'm fine now, and I want to find some more opportunities for myself. It has nothing to do with anything right now."
"...Your father's decision about your schedule was final and very strict. You are not to take more than one project at a time and you are to take breaks between each one. Ibuki and your father selected a project that is lucrative, popular, and not too complicated. You will also get to work with some up and comers that you can network with " Dolph spoke in a well-practiced tone. That speech was all set by his father, likely predicting this exact call.
"Dolph, don’t treat me with kid gloves!"
"I'm sorry, Boss, but we are busy here right now. Maybe you can try calling your father about it later, I'm sure he'll be willing to listen to…"
Louis turned the call off. Although he was seething, his face was a cold and serious stare, but his fingers were shaking holding his phone.
"Lunchtime, Louis," Ibuki said with a fatherly smile that he hoped would placate the boy at least a little.
The deer is exhaling a threatening aura that Ibuki knew better than to mess with. He placed the plate in front of the younger man and turned back to the stove to make his food, letting him process his anger.
--
Eggs, energy drinks, a handful of candy for when he needs a sugar rush in his next overnight session, and a scientific magazine he can read on his next day off.
Legosi eyes through the black tinted world of his sunglasses a magazine at the corner of the stands, hidden beneath a few others like a shameful secret, a sexy rabbit holding her bra and hiding her breasts with an arm and a flirty smile on the cover. He wonders whether he should buy that too.
No, it's fine, he has internet access, no matter how distracting that, or the sexy deer guy on the cover next to it is.
Oh, wait, sexy deer guy.
The cover was that of a lifestyle magazine, an interview with Louis Redder, fresh out of a two-month-long vacation and straight into working on a series. He'll be his new co-star soon too.
Is it weird to have a bit of a celebrity crush when you're already a celebrity? He hopes it isn't. It isn't fair if it is, because Louis Redder is so perfectly his type, from the majesty that he commands in a way only herbivores can do, and the way he smiles and is serious. He was made for and his job is to conquer hearts, wouldn't it be weird if Legosi didn't feel like this?
"Kyaa, here it is!" The high pitched voice of a girl broke his train of thought.
At his side, three schoolgirls, all of them hyenas, fawned over a magazine. Legosi himself was on the cover, unbuttoned red shirt and a collar on his neck, his stoic face staring forward like he had found prey. It was embarrassing to see himself like that, but he guesses if his fans are happy to see him like this, then it's ok.
"Legosi Growlf's latest sexy photoshoot!" One of them, wearing a pink ribbon on her neck said.
"Oh, and in a sexy collar nonetheless. Collar Daddy strikes again!" Her friend with the blue bag agreed. Legosi cringed at the nickname with his mouth twisting in an uncomfortable expression. "Oh, to tame that bad boy." She swooned.
Legosi pouted slightly at that, focusing on the magazine selection again. He can't complain about his breadwinner, he supposed.
Nothing struck his fancy as the three girls giggled and sighed, flipping through his interview about his role in a movie releasing this weekend, playing a mysterious loner who seduces a young ingenue into helping him smuggle precious jewels across the country.
He had to do at least one back nude scene, his ass is finally on display for the world to see, and after this weekend, the world will see. He blushed at the very thought of it. His grandpa will probably laugh about it.
Legosi turned his back to the stand and straight to the self-checkout, he did not want to think about that right now.
Right now, what he wanted more than anything was to get to his home, read the script he had received, and then spend some time at night working on his scripts.
--
“Who the hell has the tackiness for having a champagne fountain?” Haru said, being careful not to be too loud, Rex knows how this hotel's ballroom could echo
“Our host,” Louis says, nonchalantly. “Now stop acting like you’re too good for alcohol just because it’s in a fountain.” He picked a flute, poured from the fountain on it, and offered it to the rabbit by his side.
She huffed but took the flute from him and downs it quickly.
“This party blows,” Haru complained.
“It’s an announcement party. We’re just here to meet the people we’ll work with, it’s essentially just a business meeting, barely a party.” Louis said, his face still stone-cold while picking champagne for himself.
“Careful with that.” Haru shot him a glance the second his fingers touched the glass. The two became still for a moment, but Louis reluctantly nodded in agreement and took it. She continued. “Should we be trying to schmooze around, then?”
“Let me charge up a bit first.”
“Not in the mood for work tonight?”
“I already know almost everyone here, so who cares.” Louis scoffed. “Worked with a lot of them in the last few years.”
“But not all of them.”
“No.” Louis sipped from his flute. “I haven’t talked with the bad boy yet.”
“Oh, Legosi? The new sex symbol around here?” She squinted her eyes with a sly smile while elbowing him. “The man that is coming for your fans?”
“We appeal to completely different types.”
“Yeah, he’s supposed to be the sexy bad boy you can’t help but like, and you’re supposed to be the guy a girl can bring in to meet her parents.” She eyed him from top to bottom in a very obvious gesture to draw his attention. “‘Supposed’ being the imperative word in that sentence.” She giggled when he sent her a glare. “Imagine what they would do if they found out you’re a workaholic, foul-mouthed, gun-loving asshole.”
“Yeah, imagine if anyone found that your cute, girl next door stuff is also a facade for your…” He looked down at her and they shared a knowing glance and a smile. “nightly adventures.”
“Yeah, yeah, rabbit, speciesist stereotypes and all that, I’m gonna cancel you.” She joked. “Anyway, we do need to meet him.” She indicated towards the other side of the room, where a grey wolf in a tightly fitted dark suit and blue shirt and a stern, stoic expression chatted with another, smaller grey wolf, or rather, he was being chatted at by her. “If things go the way they keep going, he might still last for a while here.”
“Yeah, yeah, I know, fine. He’s talking with someone right now, though. Juno."
"Oh, yeah, the girl is slobbering all over him, has been for the last half-hour or so," Haru commented. "You'd think she could have some self-control."
"She's a newbie meeting an up and comer, she's probably just excited," Louis answered.
Juno wore a white and red dress that complimented the color of her fur well, she had all the signs of a female trying to move on to a male: the casual touches on his chest and arms, laughing all the time, the slight way she tweaks herself to show cleavage or sway her hips. She was a beautiful woman, but it did not seem to be working for her this time.
"That man is giving her nothing." Haru snickered. "She is trying every trick in the book, but look at him."
Louis never fully had time to analyze that man, his competition, but looking now, it did not take long to realize his eyes were unusually small for a wolf, his face much more stoic than that of any canine he had ever seen, and his massive size dwarfing a female of his species to a degree uncommon for that of his species. Oh yeah, he could see why that guy got people throwing themselves at him, the man was practically sculpted to play a bad boy with his threatening yet cool and alluring aura.
Juno had a reason to try whatever it is she's trying right now, Louis could hardly fault her, but that guy was a stone wall, impermeable to whatever she is doing.
"We should probably introduce ourselves, we'll be his main coworkers, after all. Also, that is getting hard to watch." Louis finally said. Haru nodded but picked up a flute of champagne before moving behind him.
Louis's eyes took time to further analyze the man. His tie had gotten crooked from Juno's attempts to play with his chest, so did the pocket square he had, his eyes darted away from her on occasion, another indication of being bothered that Juno was either accidentally or willfully ignorant of.
"Juno," Louis spoke with a commanding yet soft tone. "Nice seeing you here. Glad to be working with you again." He smiled with all his carefully manicured charm radiating at her.
"Louis-senpai! I'm glad as well, it was a delight working with you last time." She smiled, putting a bit more of a distance between her and her fling. "Please take care of me again, Louis-senpai. You as well, Haru-senpai."
"And I believe we have not yet been introduced, Mr. Growlf." Louis turned to him, extending his hand. "Louis Redder, a pleasure to work with you."
In the few moments after raising his hands, Louis felt a chill up his spine. This man was huge and something inside his dumb herbivore brain felt as a threat to him. An apex predator was in front of him, his small eyes analyzing him, his broad shoulders perfectly fit into that suit, giving him a further imposing air to him as his gaze and face refused to emote and merely studied the deer as if he was weighing the pros and cons of eating him.
Louis blinked and the larger man took his hand in a firm handshake, letting him release the tension in the firmness of his hand and wrist.
“T-the pleasure is mine, Mr. Redder.” He bowed his head only an inch, not breaking eye contact. Despite his presence just a moment ago, he seemed to have adjusted himself to Louis and Haru’s presence. His shoulders maintained rigidness, but his posture slouched forward, his eyes were trying to be less intense, and his other hand was closed a little to hide claws.
Louis hated this. He was either scared of this man, or this wolf was treating him with kid’s gloves and both hurt his pride, where he hurts the most.
The handshake took a moment too long and in his thoughtlessness, Louis held the other hand with a little too much strength. He put on a friendly smile and let go.
“Also, this is Haru White, she will be our other co-star in this project.” He gesticulated towards the smaller one.
“Oh, we already know each other.” She said. "How are you, big guy?"
"Well." He responds curtly with a nod. She seems to take it with a smile. "How about you?"
"Oh, fine as well. Happy to be working with you again." Haru smiled at him. She seemed to notice something Louis didn't in that glance. "I should go touch up my makeup, Juno, would you like to come with me?"
"Of course." The girl smiled.
The two girls promptly started moving away from the two. Haru and Louis exchanged an entire conversation just in glances and facial expressions as she walked away.
Don't leave me alone with this guy!
Be nice to him.
Why?
Because he's your coworker? Professionalism? Decency?
Fine.
As the two merged with the crowd of the party, Louis was left alone with the wolf.
And he didn't even have whisky. Great.
Louis composed himself in front of the man, his charm and smile ready to do their work. "So-"
"Well-" He responded at the same time.
The two quieted down waiting for the other to continue, further moments of awkwardness continued. "Sorry, please continue," Louis said finally.
"Well, I was just gonna say," Legosi continued, his body looking yet a bit smaller, but even then and with Louis standing with his back straight, their size difference was notable. "It's genuinely an honor to work with you, sir. I really liked that movie from last year you were in."
"Which one, exactly?"
"That trippy one, where you played a boy meeting his girlfriend's parents." Legosi starts, his eyes seem less threatening and filled with something else than their stoic seriousness. "'The End of Things'."
"Oh, that one." Louis smiled. "Thank you, I also really liked that movie. I also quite enjoyed your recent movie. You were very intense and charming." That was a lie. He was just repeating what Haru said, but he trusted her judgement and it seemed polite to do so.
There was a brief moment where Legosi's tail gave the slightest wag and, discreet as it was, it was impossible not to notice he was happy with the praise, especially because for the first time, his face painted a clear picture of what he was feeling, with a shy, restrained smile.
"Thank you, i-it means a lot to me, coming from you, Mr. Redder."
"Louis is fine."
"Oh, no I couldn't, possibly-"
"Louis is fine." Louis repeats.
For the first time, it seems that his shoulders weren't squared for posture as much as simply tension, because he relaxed the smallest bit when Louis assured him.
"Then, thank you, Louis-senpai." He settled with.
Louis wanted to giggle at this man's words, but he settled for a sly smile. "That'll do too, I guess."
Legosi smiled just a smidge wider and scratched his chin.
"Ah, if it isn't the two stars." A singsong voice came from their side.
The perfectly and carefully groomed wool is the first thing anyone ever noticed about Pina. The up and comer model-turned-actor, hiding voracity and ambition behind his friendly demeanor, approached the two of them, his tailored and decorated white suit, for as much as Louis wanted to deny, made him look angelic.
Louis hated him because it was so obvious he wanted to compete with him. Their fanbases made sure that they'll be enemies.
"Ah, Louis, it's so good to see you again, I was so happy when I heard we'll be working together again!"
You mean heard you were having the chance to upstage me again? Louis thought, but his smile didn't falter for a second, he was not gonna give Pina that satisfaction. "Ah, Pina, so did I. I can't wait to be on screen together again."
"Well, let's just hope this time we both get awards for it, let's try, right?" Pina smiled.
The audacity . Louis steeled his jaw so his demeanor would not crack, as nice and friendly as he could, even the bite of his teeth hurt a bit.
"Indeed. Let's both do our best this time again."
Legosi seemed to have noticed something and turned towards the crowd to their side, his nose moved quickly, feeling something in the air, and his hand was placed on the deer's shoulder, calling the attention of both smaller animals.
"Excuse me, Pina Wholte, right? It's a big pleasure to meet you, and congratulations on your recent award-"
"Thank you." Pina interrupted with a conceited smile.
"You're welcome, but I'm afraid that I and Louis-senpai were in the middle of an important conversation about some private plans for this project, if you don't mind, we'll continue it on the balcony for some privacy." With a slight squeeze on the deer's shoulder, Louis looked to the side to notice the silhouette of Juno coming closer.
Maybe they both could use some time alone. "Indeed," Louis agreed, a calmer smile painted on his face. "We are off to have a private chat about some ideas. I'm sorry we can't talk more today, Pina."
Before Pina could add more and perhaps needle Louis a bit more, a strong pull made both dart away from the sheep and the wolf and they merged with the crowd. Legosi kept a rhythm of his steps forward, Louis noticed his hand tightened uncomfortably in his shoulder as the wolf behind him squirmed a little and kept bumping and apologizing to people around him.
Louis sighed and took the other confused man by the wrist, tugging him towards a balcony on the other end of the room. With him at the helm, he didn’t need to ask, people just moved out of his way, clearing a clear path for them now that this clumsy, guilty-looking wolf wasn’t the one pulling him.
They were able to get fast to the balcony, empty and dark in the night, the cold air refreshing against them now no longer surrounded by bright lights and people. Their steps slowed down while Louis closed the glass door behind them. Legosi released a long sigh, his shoulders finally not tense and fixed and his face no longer constricted into a stoic expression. Louis watched as he stumbled his way to the balustrade and slumped against it, supported by his elbows and loosening his tie.
“So, we ran away like a couple of lunatics for some reason?” Louis asked, setting himself on his side. The outlook from the hotel was beautiful, city lights glistening, and a full moon above them.
“I-I’m sorry about that.” Legosi apologized, his voice lacking all the gruffness Louis expected of the bad boy persona, likely because all that acting was turned off now. “I just- I needed… well…” He scratched his neck in an anxious gesture, looking for words to continue and avoiding his gaze.
“Let me guess: Juno was slobbering all over you, and you needed space,” Louis says, also losing the facade of his princely charm. “Well, at least I avoided Pina in that.”
“You didn’t seem comfortable there too. I-I thought I could help.” Legosi admits.
“You did. That guy is such a pain. I don’t know if it’s just professional jealousy or if he dislikes me, but he is after me.” Louis confesses with a tired huff of air. “Rex, who the hell makes a party with nothing but champagne, literally the worst of all drinks, what I wouldn’t give for whisky right now.” He complained.
The sound of liquid being shaken near him called his attention. Legosi held a shiny, but old-looking hip flask to him, the smoky scent of whisky filling his nostrils from it. Louis took it and drank from it with gusto. The burning of his throat and the bitter flavor doing wonders to his nightly mood.
“Rex, that is good whisky.” Louis smiled, returning the flask to the other, but with a gesture from Legosi, who sported a satisfied and happy expression and just a bit of a joyful wiggle in his tail, he maintained it in his hands. “Do you just walk around with a flask?”
“Yeah. At all parties. It’s one of grandpa’s advice.”
“Advice?”
“Always walk around with a flask of whisky. The big hats always love whisky and they like the people who have it.” Legosi said, the smile on his face perhaps the most genuine he gave all night.
“Your grandpa knows his stuff.”
“Yeah. He’s been in the business for a while now.”
“Is he an actor too?”
“Well, kinda, sometimes, if people need him, but he mostly works behind the scenes. Scripts, producing, actor coaching.”
“Anything I might have seen?”
“Well,” Legosi averted his eyes and his ear flickered in a fast motion, but only once. “Probably no. He mostly works under pseudonyms anyway, he likes his privacy.”
“I get it. Privacy is a luxury.” Louis pretended he did not notice the signs he was sending and agreed to change the subject. “Don’t you want some?”
“Oh no, I am not very good with alcohol. One glass and I’ll get sleepy.” Legosi scratched his neck.
“Well, at least you’re good at networking.”
“Hehe, my manager, she had to smack those skills on me.”
Louis was quiet for a moment. A collection of scenes before that night came to him, his big and clumsy body moving when he tried to walk, his quiet answers to him, the way he spoke, especially now that they’re alone, and the occasional stutter.
Louis laughed loudly, probably louder than he should have. Legosi jumped a little at that. “Sorry, sorry, I just realized something. You’re a bit of an awkward guy, aren’t you?”
Legosi blushed. When he was not trying to be the stoic bad boy persona the public needed, he was very expressive.
"A-a little." He admits, with a scratch on his nose.
"And shy too, it seems." Louis took another gulp of the drink. "If you weren't doing the bad boy thing, you could probably be quite the interesting boy next door. The good boy next door." Louis giggled at him.
“Th-thank you, Louis-senpai!” He thanked with enthusiasm, his face a big smile and red blush, his tail no longer bothering being discreet when wagging, though that seemed to make him even more embarrassed.
The cold breeze was such a pleasurable feeling, keeping his skin and fur cold while the whisky kept his body hot inside. The presence of his companion was a looming shadow, but a comforting one, this hulking apex predator by his turned out to be closer to a puppy than anything.
"So, what do you think of the book we'll be adapting. Have you read it yet?" Louis asked.
"It's nice. I enjoy the themes about self-love and self-compassion, and the way the sub-plots intertwined is very tight so nothing feels like padding too, and the characters are very likable. What about you, Louis-senpai?"
"It's not my particular style." He admitted. "But the script translates it well, even if I think that the result is a tad simplistic."
"A good actor can bring a lot to a simple script."
"So I've been told." Louis swirled the flask, wondering about one more sip. "Then I better bring my A-game for it. I assume you'll give it your all as well?"
"O-of course!" Legosi straightened his back, suddenly gaining height. "I really respect your work and I want to show you what I'm capable of, senpai!"
"Such enthusiasm," Louis commented. "Bring it to the set, will you?"
"Yes!"
He no longer wanted to quite come back yet. Juno was likely still looking for the wolf to invade his personal space, Pina was still looking for ways to needle him, and god knows Haru will come down with a vengeance on him if she catches him downing a flask of whisky under her watch, he doesn't even want to imagine if Ibuki or his father find him like this, so he downs even more of the flask to forget about it.
"I don't suppose your grandfather also told you to walk around with breath mints so it won't show that you were downing whisky, did he?" Louis asks, noticing he drank almost the entire flask during their conversation.
Legosi patted his suit in quick motions before feeling something and pulling a metal box with mints from one of his inner pockets.
"Your grandfather thought of everything."
"He says that if you're going to a party full of beautiful women, it's a good idea to have breath mints around."
"So grandfather was a player too?" Louis joked and took pleasure in seeing the man blush.
"No! I mean, maybe, we don't talk much about that."
"And you brought breath mints planning on charming someone?"
"No! I mean, I wasn't planning to… anything of the sort would be…" He scratched his neck again, looking in any direction but Louis.
Every moment he spent with the man beneath the bad boy facade was a delight for Louis. Maybe it was what made him get floaty enough to not realize his princely facade was cracking too.
"Calm down player, almost everybody sleeps around in this business, no reason to be shy about it."
"I don't do that, you know, sleeping around is…" Legosi keeps looking away.
"Eh, fair enough. Everybody can be a threat to your privacy sometimes."
"Yeah. Thanks." Legosi extended the box of mints to the other man, who placed them on the balustrade.
"I'll be owing you some whisky," Louis said before downing whatever was left on the flask. "You can't imagine how much I needed that." He admitted, unpacking the mints and throwing two in his mouth before giving the flask back to its owner.
The two stayed quiet, taking in the view of the city, waiting for the breath mints to eliminate the scent of whisky, and sadly it's taste and the burning on his throat. It was likely their proximity that got Legosi's tail wagging, no longer containing some joy, canines were friendly on their core.
"Can I call you Legosi?" Louis asked, without turning his eyes to the wolf.
"Uh? Oh! I mean, if you feel like it!"
"Then, Legosi," Louis turned to him. "It was a genuine pleasure meeting you today."
Legosi looked down with his face red. "I-I-I-- The pleasure was all mine Louis-senpai, sir!"
Louis chuckled, he didn't want to go back inside yet. The whisky left a buzzing feeling in his body and throat. This was nice.