Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

《 You Already Own Episode One. 》

Hmm... The sheet says that the audition room is 3L, but all I see is L3. Is this a typo of some sort?

You held a piece of paper in one hand, while the other was atop your forehead. All of the doors in the hallway looked the same. The numbers and letters were all so tiny as well. You wished they placed signs up or something. You looked back to the sheet. It would be nice if they didn't make typos either...

You were looking for the room that said 3L—third floor, room L. Getting to that room on time was very important for you. Very, very important. You managed to get an audition for an upcoming anime. How you did so will forever remain a mystery... You wanted to voice a character in the show. Being a voice actor, any type of voice actor, has been a dream of yours for a while. Getting this audition was like a dream come true.

Of course, the dream would actually come true if you could actually find out where you were going. It's just your luck: Having something amazing happen, only for there to be obstacle—a possibly avoidable obstacle—preventing it.

You sighed. I swear, this looks like the correct place. But the stupid sheet says otherwise. Suddenly, you got nervous. Even more nervous than you already were. What if this is all a big joke? What if... What if someone is messing with me? What if...

Your thoughts were interrupted, thankfully.

"Excuse me, but you wouldn't by chance be hear for an audition, would you?" Someone behind you asked.

Quickly, you spun around. You met face to face with a women. Her dark hair came up to her shoulders, and her eyes were big and wide. They reminded you of a doe. Even though she looked young, you figured she was probably older than she looked. Your eyes caught sight of a small pin on her blouse. The pin had a date on it that passed years ago. She had smile on her face. You couldn't tell if she was nervous or trying her hardest to give a "customer service" smile...

"Yes! I am." You said. You showed her your paper. "Am I in the correct area? It says 3L, yet all I see is L3..."

The lady squinted at the sheet, her lips pursed. She appeared just as confused as you were. Then, after a minute, she acted like she understood the situation.

"Ah... So that's why we had to track down so many people around the building. It must be a typo of some sort. We're very sorry for the inconvenience." She motioned to one of the doors. "L3 is where the waiting room is. You may go inside now. Good luck with your audition!"

"Thank you!"

You waved at her. You followed her directions and went inside the room. Right at the door's entrance was a packet. The width of it was similar to your finger. Since other people were reading it, you figured that it must be the script. When you got an email about the audition, they sent you some parts of the script, so you knew most of. But maybe this was here so you could practice some more before the audition. You grabbed a copy, sat in an empty seat, and began to read.

Every five minutes or so, you would glance at someone in the room. You knew you would be up against all of them for a role. You felt as if the odds of you gaining a part would be low. You kept telling yourself that you had as good as a shot as the rest of them. The only problem with that was that you didn't fully believe it.

You were just starting your career. These people looked like they have been in the industry for a while. Beating them would be equivalent to carrying a team as a rookie. Difficult and uncommon, but not entirely impossible.

"We'll take the next person now."

You looked up. The waiting room led to another room besides the hallway. You wondered if that was where they were having auditions... A man stood up and walked to the door. He seemed very nervous, even more so than you. He covered his eyes, either out of embarrassment, or with hopes that people wouldn't look at his face. You thought about how he acted, and hoped you don't act the same. Not only did you need to look the part, you needed to act the part as well. One of your coaches always taught you to do so.

Fake it until you make it!

As he walked to the next room, you checked the number they gave you. He had on the number 27. Your number was 28. The world just seemed to stop. You felt yourself getting dizzy. You were next since the other person just went in. But it would be a while until they were done. Hopefully, anyways.

You waited some more. How much time went by? Did a minute pass? An hour? Is an eternity going on?

"We'll take the next person now." One of the workers said again. They looked down at a clipboard. No doubt they were looking for your name and number. "Number 28, please. [Name]."

Number 28... That's your number! Oh wow, the other person was done? Already?

There was the dizziness again. This time your stomach bothered you as well. And, was it hot in here? No, it was cold. Hot, cold. Cold, hot. Each temperature flipped back and forth between the other, which didn't make any sense. You were fine a minute ago. Were your nerves getting the best of you? That won't be good for your audition...

Stay calm. Stay calm. Deep breaths... Deep breaths... You inhaled and then exhaled to calm yourself. You kept on mentally repeating your words to make them stick. I'll do fine. I'll do fine. I'll do fine.

Now you managed to get yourself onto your feet. You forced a smile on your face. Somehow you felt like it was similar to the one the lady in the hallway gave you.

You walked past the worker and in to the next room. There were four people waiting for you while they sat at desks. There were two men and two women.

One man had silver hair. That was a nicer way of saying he had grays. The other had a shade of strawberry blonde. They sat next one another. The man with strawberry blonde hair was playing with his pen. He kept pressing the top of it over an over again. He appeared to be doing his best to hide his boredom. The man beside him had his hands on the desk. His light brown eyes studied at you. You could only guess what he was thinking.

The two women tried to act more polite and professional. Presentation was everything. Your eyes met the eyes of the women on the farthest right of the table. She was the one you spoke with in the hallway. You saw her smile as she began writing. Again, you didn't know what that smile meant... The lady to her left was the most professional looking one out of the four. Neat, formal clothes, hair up in a bun, calm but firm posture... This women intimidated you a bit.

You did your best to speak.

"H-Hi, I'm [Full Name]. Thank you for giving me a chance to audition. I am r-ready when you are." You said with slight stuttering. Anyone could see that you were nervous. All that mattered was that they didn't take it into consideration.

The packet in your hand was being grasped tightly. You waited for one of them to give you instructions. There was silence in the air. The lady you met in the hallway then broke it. Suddenly, she didn't seem as friendly anymore. Her eyes stared at you, not blinking. She seemed like a judge. A judge that was going to be difficult to please.

"Well then, [Name]. Please begin."

Chapter Text

《 You Already Own Episode Two. 》

"We'll keep in touch. In two weeks, you will get an email saying whether or not we want you to come back. Thank you for coming down today." One of the men said.

You nodded and then left the room. Someone called out for the next person. Once you were out of sight, you let out a big sigh. You couldn't believe you actually did that! Finishing your first audition! An abundance of adrenaline was going through your body. You felt lightheaded again. This time, it was in a good way.

A smile, a real and genuine smile, came upon your face. There was a possibility that you might not get a part, but for now, you were walking on air.

You made your way to the lobby. The bright colors in the carpet matched your mood. The receptionist at the front desk was busy typing away at something. From what you could see from the front entrance, the day still looked nice. You thought about what you would do for the rest of the day. Your mind was indecisive. Get food, do an activity, sleep, surf the internet... There were so many options and choices. How would you be able to pick one?

"It's still early. I could walk around and—" You fell to the floor. "Oof!"

You fell on your knees. Someone either pushed you, or bumped into you. It was hard to tell which one happened.

"Ahh! I'm so sorry! So, so sorry! I can't believe that I bumped into you..." Said a male voice.

You got up to face them. For such a simple fall, that was also an accident, he was taking it too deeply. Was he a high empath?

"It's alright, it's alright. I'm fine, haha..." You laughed nervously.

The person who bumped into you didn't seem to be as carefree or calm as you were. He had a hand covering most of his face. His uniquely colored eyes were looking everywhere else but your direction. You could've sworn he also had a blush.

"I-It's not fine! I bumped into you! Just like some lousy, lame klutz!"

His side-swept hair was a dark purple. Some of it partially covered his eyes. A pair of orange headphones decorated his neck. The sound of music could be heard quietly playing. It was a bit difficult for you to hear, but you assumed the music was in Japanese; That was the language it sounded like, after all. You also noticed a sticker on his shirt. It was a sticker with the number 27.

So this guy auditioned as well. I wonder what role he wants... You thought. You wondered if he was new to voice acting, just like you were. The sight of him didn't ring any bells. You would know if there were any voice actors in the industry that looked like him. He must have been a newbie, then. Perhaps you two could get along with one another?

"I'm fine. Honest!" You said. You changed the subject immediately. It was with hopes that he would forget about what happened. "So, um, what's your name? It looks like we both auditioned for the same show. It might be nice to keep in touch." A smile went on your face. You wanted to make a friend.

He was still fidgeting, and he was still refusing to look at you. You could tell he was trying to speak. But he was having trouble with getting the words out. Eventually he gave you an answer.

"Leviachan." He said before immediately regretting his answer. "No! Wait! Gah! I meant Levi! I'm Levi!" You could definitely see a blush on his face now.

"Levi? That's cool. What part did you audition for, Levi?"

"I, uh... Um..." Levi backed up a bit. He stayed silent for a minute as well. When the minute was up, his tone and personality changed drastically. "Obviously I auditioned for a part that would make any otaku scream for joy. I bet you don't even know who the character is because you didn't read the manga, you normie!" He was glaring daggers at you now. Why was he upset? What did you do? "I'm gonna become a great voice actor. Normies like you can't even begin to understand how great I'll be! That's why I auditioned for that character!"

He walked past you and stormed out. You were left confused and stunned. What in the name of hell? What did I even do? I hope that guy feels better. I wasn't trying to be mean or condescending... You said mentally as you shook your head.

Well that happened.

Levi left the building quickly. The headphones on his neck were placed on his head. He appeared to be trying to block out both his thoughts the environment. He did not turn around. He made a sharp right turn and began walking. Walking with anger, apparently. You watched him disappear from sight. There were all sorts of people in the world, then.

Back to the topic of what you were thinking about doing... After that interaction, you felt tired and hungry. You thought about ordering pizza or Chinese food to take home. You also thought about making something quick and easy at home.

You suddenly lost your feeling of adrenaline, however. Which was fine since it was nice while it lasted. You stood in place some more. Eventually you started walking again.

A great voice actor, huh? I'm sure I have what it takes too. I have the same chances as him. You thought. You were trying to make yourself feel better about the situation. Levi basically put you down, which was upsetting and weird. He seemed shy at first. Where did those feelings of anger and cockiness come from? It almost came off as jealousy in a way.

Whatever his emotions were, he was gone now. You wondered if you would ever see him again. The both of you are clearly now in the same industry. Wouldn't it be funny if you both got the lead roles? The chances of that were slim, though. Still, anything was possible.

When you ended up outside, you checked the time. Two weeks seemed so far away. How could you wait that long? In the span of two weeks you would either be given a callback or not. With a callback, you would go through phase two of auditions. Callbacks meant that they liked you, and well, called you back. Not having a callback meant... The opposite. You hoped that what you would get wasn't the opposite.

Only time could really tell what you were going to get. You just hoped that your fate was a good one.

Chapter Text

《 You Already Own Episode Three. 》

Levi didn't like being nervous. Why can't they just give us trivia questions? Some of us read the manga. Wouldn't it make sense to give those people the main parts? We're the ones who will know how to give it our all for the characters! He thought. Levi also didn't like to feel inferior. Unfortunately, though, he felt that way a lot.

He sat in the waiting room. Funny, they call it a waiting room when people are usually too impatient to wait. Levi fidgeted in his seat. He was unaware that voice acting required a lot of waiting. He was also unaware about how competitive voice acting was.

He was given lots of different glances in his direction. Levi knew his appearance was different—purple tinged hair and bright orange eyes—but could people not stare? It's making him even more uncomfortable!

Levi knew that the looks weren't completely due to his appearance. (Although, with his low self-esteem, it was hard for him not to think that way...) Looking at other people was something he was doing too. Everyone was in a state of fear and alertness. The same sentence must have been playing in everyone's heads: It's me or them. He was thinking the same thing as well.

It's me or them, them or me. Why are auditions so nerve racking? I just want the part! I really, really want the part! He said mentally. The part in question Levi wanted? Levi wanted to voice one of the main characters. And not just any main character, but his favorite. Henry! Oh, Henry! Thou art the best character in this series!

Yeah... Levi was obsessed with any character named Henry... It started with his favorite show, but then the name appeared more often. Eventually, Levi started to believe that the name had a certain meaning behind it. And Levi was determined to have that meaning be associated with him.

Henry was the name of the person Levi wanted to voice. While he's usually known as a love interest, Henry was one of the heroes in the story. Levi dreamed about being the hero. He always saw himself as one. Playing Henry was the closest stepping stone in achieving his dream.

Levi was unsure who Yuki would be. In this series, Henry was second to Yuki. Yuki was the main, main character. The whole story revolved around them. If Levi got the part, then he hoped that he would get along with Yuki's voice actor. He was terrible when it came to meeting new people. Sometimes, he would put others down so he wouldn't be the only one who felt that way. Misery enjoys company. Hopefully, though, whoever voices Yuki will be just as big of a fan as Levi is. Levi usually gets along with those who share the same interests as him.

Hearing the sound of a door open made Levi snap back to reality. Someone was coming into the waiting room. A few people tried to make it seem like they weren't looking. (But it was obvious that they were.) While others didn't care at all. And then there were people who did what Levi did: Look at the newcomer who would be competition.

He saw a person that appeared to be close to his age. Levi wondered if they were nervous—like him and half of the other auditionees. They didn't seem to show it, however. But if they were, then they hid it well. They grabbed one of the packets up front and started to read it. Levi watched them sit down quietly. He envied how confident they looked.

That's not fair. Why can't I have that confidence? I could really use it! He thought. Levi had no idea how long he had been waiting. It felt like eternity. In a sense, he was grateful that he was waiting. It meant that he wouldn't have to do his audition yet. But that also meant he would have to do it eventually.

More time passed. Levi was growing more impatient by the minute. He fiddled with his fingers. His eyes searching for signs that he wasn't the only nervous one there. Levi knew that the others were nervous. But he wanted proof that they actually were.

Damnit! I just want this to be over! I knew voice acting was a bad idea. I'd have better luck being a streamer. At least by playing video games I could control the environment I would be in. This isn't fair. It's not fair!

He was yelling mentally. Levi was starting to feel overwhelmed. Really overwhelmed. Social places did this too him. Overthinking did this to him. He was doing this to himself, and poor Levi didn't even know how to stop.

"We'll take the next person now." A voice said.

Levi's thoughts were abruptly stopped. He turned to face the source of the noise. It was one of the workers. They were looking right at him.

"That would be you, sir. I believe that you're number 27." They said again, just quieter so that he was the only one who heard.

Levi felt his face grow hotter. His head felt light as well. The feeling of embarrassment grew in him. Levi did his best to ignore the emotion though. He nodded and proceeded to stand. He covered his face. Anything to make himself feel slightly better. Levi hoped no one noticed him.

Levi walked inside the next room. This was where he'll be auditioning. Upon entering, his eyes caught sight of four people waiting for him. Where these the people who would be judging him? Oh gosh. Levi was even more nervous now. What if he messed up? What if he made a fool of himself? What if... What if...

The questions all came in at once, harassing him and only him. Levi's head felt heavy and dizzy. His nerves and fear were growing. Maybe this was a bad. He should quit now. Quit, and never do this again.

Except now that he's here, he doesn't want to go. Levi didn't want to give up. He stared at the judges, locking eye contact. While he was terrified, he also wanted this role. Levi didn't want to always be a quitter. He wanted to prove his own mind wrong. He needed bravery. After all, heroes are brave.

And Levi wanted to play the hero.

"Uh, good evening." He said. "I'm Levi and I'm here to audition. How would you like me to start?"

One of the judges wrote the information down. Along with some more writing. Levi didn't think his name took a long time to write. However, they could also be writing other stuff as well. Notes and comments for later.

"Thank you, Levi. We would like for you to start with this simple line, if you may..."