Actions

Work Header

Rating:
Archive Warning:
Categories:
Fandom:
Relationships:
Characters:
Additional Tags:
Language:
English
Series:
Part 1 of ☆ at the top of the Hollywood hill ;
Collections:
HP Femininomenon Fest, HP Rare Pairs Comment Bingo 2025
Stats:
Published:
2025-03-05
Completed:
2025-03-25
Words:
6,870
Chapters:
3/3
Comments:
66
Kudos:
42
Bookmarks:
5
Hits:
351

long story short

Summary:

Lily Evans is the new rising star of Hollywood. But like every popular person, she has her own hidden secrets. And sooner or later, she will have to make a choice - should she hold on to this secret or give up this part of her life for the sake of her career?

Notes:

first, this was supposed to be a one-chapter story, but my depressive episode ruined those plans. so here is the first scene of three.

second, it's quite experimental for me, but I hope you won't get bored with this style of storytelling!

update: I make it my first step into HTML coding, huge thank you to this tutorial!

(See the end of the work for more notes.)

Chapter 1: The Chronicles of Lady Skeeter

Chapter Text

The Chronicles of Lady Skeeter

“Raven's Hill": the top of Hollywood today


By Rita Skeeter
Celebrity columnist

The spotlights and camera flashes of every self-respecting Hollywood publication are blinding, but they don't stop me from being here and now - at the stunning premiere of this season's new Oscar nominee! 

If the title Raven's Hill doesn't ring a bell, what rock have you been living under, gentle readers? If you are expecting me to describe the plot or critics' reviews, then close this blog and look for a more boring one! Because we are not here for dull numbers and another favorable commentary on cinematography. My dear readers are always interested only in the most important thing - bright faces that make us fall in love with them!

The red carpet is clean and not yet trampled on, the black posters for the movie are in perfect harmony with the red color, but this author wants to see only our stars... and here they are! The first figures appear to the audience and instantly make a splash! 

These days we don't have many opportunities to see dear Andromeda Black! Or, if you'll forgive this author for the mistake, the newly turned Tonks. This seems to be the price that a gorgeous and popular woman is willing to pay for the opportunity to marry her true love. Of course, her beloved husband, Edward Tonks, is also there, accompanying his beloved wife by his side. The famous screenwriter is not used to being in the spotlight and it is noticeable - the gorgeous Andromeda looks like a fish in the water on the red carpet, the woman is clearly in her element. However, Mr. Tonks just radiates his shyness and tries to hide in his wife's shadow. It's understandable why the couple tries to stay away from the public after marriage, as anyone would be ashamed to remind them that they have married a woman out of their league. However, what kind of sister is Andromeda if she doesn't come to support her dear sister at her premiere? You can change your last name, but blood is thicker than water.

How many of you have missed the incomparable Druella Rosier-Black? This premiere promises to be a real extravaganza, no other film could have brought together the best actors of two generations on the same carpet just because of a shared last name. And although the honorable Druella has been away from the big screen for fifteen years now, living her luxurious life on huge royalties for nude shots from her youth, there have been hints of her return for a grand sequel! Yes, yes, you heard right, the Mamas promise to please their fans with a new movie. However, we all understand that they will have to do a great job with rebranding to  Grandmas, even the latest technology will not hide the fifteen years that have settled on their faces with wrinkles. 

But then the blue train of Druella's dress disappears, making way for the next guest - a clear demonstration of how the previous generation is making way for new talent. And the previous excitement is nothing compared to the way the press' ears perk up when the lean and tall figure of Regulus Black enters the camera lenses. 

As always, the first thing the public notices is the absence of a girl on his arm. None of us can remember the last time we saw a young actor in the company of another actress or model. And if even your dear author doesn't remember it, there is only one answer: it never happened. Perhaps we should thank dear  youngest Black for all the hearts he saves from breaking by remaining single. However, if you want to be the first to hear when changes happen on the bachelor's personal life, don't forget to subscribe to this blog! 

The moment that many adult viewers have been waiting for - will the star couple Walburga and Orion Black appear on the red carpet? And the answer is ridiculously simple - no. It seems that the recent scandal with the cheating Orion has hit their reputation and poor Walburga's pride harder than the Blacks would like to pretend! Last year, the film festival red carpet had already lost the eldest Black son - remember how Sirius disowned his ambitions in the shiny realm of cinema and chose the dirty music scenes of beer bars instead - so isn't this half of the star family starting to fade from view? Stars don't just shine, they burn. 

However, the red carpet is not empty for long after Regulus Black - finally, fresh colors and faces appear on the scene, sharing nothing but headlines with this family. Lily Evans' bright emerald dress really speaks for itself - the girl is like a new flower sprout in early spring, declaring herself to the whole world. The vivid freshness of a new face among a bunch of familiar names. Isn't it perfect? When a girl climbs the career ladder with such speed, all eyes are on her, including this author. However, no matter how carefully we observe the talented young woman, she still maintains her flawless image and does not give us a reason for a loud headline. Ms. Evans, show a little generosity and let us enjoy at least a piece of the scandal! 

As everyone expected, the redheaded beauty's waist is not at all empty - James Potter's hand is holding his partner as gently and confidently as ever. It's been a year and a half since that fateful movie where Evans and Potter played a madly in love couple and took their passion beyond the borders of the set. “They're just playing to the audience!” said some, "It's a promotional campaign!" came from others, "Potter is just sponsoring her, but he'll get bored soon!". And your author naively dived into each of these versions. But time passes, and these two still look inseparable. Maybe it's time for all the skeptics to delete their old critical articles and write drafts for engagement news, because James Potter's grip on this girl's waist looks like something serious.

But not to get off topic, are there any of my dear readers who are ready to propose? Because just for you, our team has a special promo code for purchases in the Golden Century jewelry store! Follow the link, take a simple survey and get a special promo code on your email!

And who will definitely envy the ring you bought is dear Narcissa Black. Here she is, elegantly walking along the row of cameras. Her smile is as calm as ever while the actress waves to the camera lenses - and on her fingers are still only standard rings from well-known brands. But why is it that our femme fatale's ring finger still doesn't have a single stone on it? Last year, we were all waiting with anticipation for this big news about her engagement to designer Lucius Malfoy. Who made the youngest of the Black sisters change her mind? Be sure, this question has been on this author's mind day and night and the answer is close at hand. 

“Never give them too much” should be the main credo of any acting school, and Ms. Narcissa is undoubtedly an excellent student. She doesn't stay long and disappears backstage again, not letting us savor her longer.

Impatience grows in the crowd, but the next figure on the red carpet... is almost unknown to anyone. The volume of the crowd is noticeably lowered by a few tones, but the bright Pandora Rosier is not bothered by this at all! The smile on her face dazzles more than the spotlight - who wouldn't smile in her place, right? The young woman has made an outstanding debut in her music career, breaking into Hollywood with such a high-profile project. Apparently, the amount of applause won't spoil this star moment for her. 

What can spoil it, however, are attentive observers who have probably already noticed the young singer's common surname with the star actress... But we'll talk about that in another article, my dears. 

The impatient buzz is growing and this author can already read your thoughts - where is the most interesting part? Where is the thing we are all here for? But don't worry, because here it is - the star of today's picture is finally coming into the camera's sights. Rodolphus Lestrange!

Oh, this man has made a lot of noise over the past two years. Several good roles in sentimental family films in a row gave him three nominations for the most important awards last year. When he was cast in Raven's Hill, there was some debate about whether such a drastic change in image would suit him, but the worries were groundless. And in the end, it was this role that brought him together with the “love of his life,” as the actor said last week after announcing his wedding next month. But is it now considered something incredible to conquer and put a ring on Bellatrix Black's finger? Someone should remind Rodolphus that he's about five weddings too late for the gorgeous Bellatrix. Being on the list of this woman's husbands is only the first step to being on the list of her exes. 

Oh. Forgive this author for being at a loss for words, but this is the usual reaction of every sane person to the appearance of Bellatrix Black herself on the red carpet. Rodolphus demonstrates something unprecedented, his greed for attention, and does not leave his spot in front of the cameras. The man's hand is reaching for what every other man or woman in Hollywood wants, reaching for Bellatrix's waist. And Mr. Lestrange should be grateful that she allows him to embrace her and share this star moment. 

The ring on Bellatrix's finger shines and sparkles almost as brightly as she does. I'm sure you already know all the details about every facet of this gem. But if you somehow missed my article about Ms. Black's new engagement ring, this author recommends that you catch up on it here. However, many readers agreed with me that this finger has seen better rings in the past. 

Without a doubt, the black color belongs to Bellatrix. No other actress could wear it with the same sense of pride that our brightest star radiates today. Her black hair is gathered in an incredibly fancy hairstyle, decorated with several red stones. Plump lips are emphasized by the most attractive red color that exists among the available lipsticks, and attract every observer. Gray eyes framed by black long eyelashes are piercing. Ms. Black does not forget to remind every journalist who the true predator is in this crowd.

I'm sure you don't need to know the color of the dress that hugs that gorgeous body. Looking at those folds of fabric, this author can already promise you a whole article about this work of art, so stay tuned! 

Just watching Bellatrix waving to the cameras and journalists in front of her is already worth the hours that were reserved for the event. But now the main star and her temporary partner are slowly disappearing from our view, reminding us that the first screening of the long-awaited movie will begin very soon. 

In just three hours, we'll be able to discuss how many Best Actress nominations Bellatrix Black can claim! Your author is ready to bet on all of them even without watching the movie. 

Comments (387)

user2754: wow, I'm waiting for a review of Rita's mansion that she bought with money from Bellatrix for all this obvious favoritism

reply to user2754: oh, you're with us for the first day? let me look for that legendary thread for you of all the things this author bought with bella's royalties lol 

user64329: looking at pandora you'd think she'd sound like an angel, but have you heard her movie soundtrack??? at one point i thought it was time to call an exorcist. wow. all the speculation about relatives in hollywood just doesn't make sense when you see real talent

user9767: i'm sure rita already has a draft article for the day bellatrix dumps this guy haha. she dumps them more often than benji fenwick releases a new book

user8635: gosh, lily looks better every day. any more and no one will notice potter next to her

user75382: it's been a year and you still mention malfoy in every article about narcissa, how annoying that a man's name sticks so easily to women 

reply to user75382: this is a skeeter paper, what else do you expect from it

(Read more) 

Chapter 2

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Lily presses her fingers on her cheek and stretches the delicate skin under her eye, looking at it critically in the reflection. Her thin layer of skin already shows her bruises from lack of sleep, her blood vessels shimmering in colors of purple, blue, and sometimes yellow. The overly bright artificial light of the bathroom only adds to the contrast. Sighing, she reaches into her purse for a tube of concealer.

The handbag hanging off her shoulder makes Lily angry. It's a stupid tiny clutch on a long chain that can barely fit her phone and a few tiny tubes of makeup. But her manager continues to agree to any sponsor, and Lily is forced to wear their products with a big smile and pretend that it is the most comfortable and beautiful thing in her wardrobe. When in reality, she would gladly throw the stupid thing out the window of a luxury limousine and take a good old fashioned shopper from the supermarket instead.

At this stage, a woman dreams of wealth only to be able to refuse sponsors if she doesn't like their products. But she is still far from her dream dresses with pockets.

In the meantime, Lily tries to breathe as deeply as she can, feeling the top of yet another designer dress squeezing her chest tightly. According to some irrational rule, the bigger your breasts are, the tighter the dress is made to fit them, and Lily is not exactly the smallest of breasts. Her fingers itch to reach behind her back and loosen the tight knots of her corset, but she'll need help to get it back to its original state.

If only she could call James... No doubt he would not hesitate to drop everything and suspiciously disappear behind the door of the women's restroom, sparking a new wave of gossip about his and Lily's unrestrained passion for each other. Few people know that the period of true passion between the two actors is long gone, and their closeness is now nothing more than a strong friendship and a desire to maintain a safe image that helps them both stay on the front pages. Lily thinks of James only fondly now, appreciating this opportunity to exchange jokes about the next article predicting their “expected” marriage.

But just as Lily is thinking about pulling out her phone and texting her partner, the door to the restroom opens. She is in no rush to pay attention to the newcomer, after all, this is a public restroom. However, the bright silver in the mirror's reflection catches her attention, and Lily turns her head to the woman and makes eye contact with Narcissa Black. Her silver dress, combined with her perfect silver hair under the bright artificial light, creates a halo of moonlight around the woman, leaving no corner of the space untouched by her ephemeral presence.

Lily holds her breath.

It had been a few days since the last time they had been alone together, and Lily hoped it wouldn't happen again so soon. She had planned to stick to James' shoulder for the entire evening, so that no one, let alone Narcissa, could take her by surprise. But this woman, among her many talents, also had one that made Lily catch her breath and feel her legs shake. This time, not in a good way.

“Greetings,” Narcissa was the first to say. A cold and reserved welcome that matched the way the press and her fans imagined the woman to be.

But Lily knows better. In Narcissa's single word, she senses pent-up emotion, the trembling of the silver lock hanging on this Pandora's box, hiding the true passionate essence within the woman. She follows Narcissa through the reflection, noticing the piercing gray-blue eyes surveying the restroom. Scanning the room for anything that might invade their privacy.

Satisfied with her search, Narcissa takes an extra step, the sound of her heels echoing off the tiles on the floor and walls. Lily thinks she's about to feel the woman's minty breath on her cheek, so close does she come to stand next to her. In a way that she had never allowed herself to get close in front of cameras, in public. Except, of course, for their movie together a few years ago. But that closeness was a script, a game. Now the intimacy is provoked only by the woman's desire. After all, Lily, despite all the alarm bells, cannot force herself to distance herself, to retreat. She can't lie to herself that she doesn't want this intimacy either.

“Lily,” this time Narcissa's voice is so different. If the previous one resembled a cold bar of silver, hard under the touch of her fingers, this time it is a molten stream-just as shiny, but dangerous because of its high temperature. “I expected to hear from you sooner.”

As if remembering that she is not a cornered victim, but a self-aware and confident woman, Lily straightens her back, leaving her hands on the cold marble of the countertop. Out of the corner of her eye, she sees her reflection, how her posture changes with this slight movement. Without even looking, she knows what she looks like now - the heels make her taller than she is, the tight dress she cursed a minute ago is now her weapon, the seductive curves of her torso add to her confidence.

Lily had been dreading this conversation like fire, but now she feels like she's at the very heart of the heat. She just had to remind herself that she is the reason why that cold silver in Narcissa's eyes can turn into soft metal.

“I said I'd answer you when I felt ready,” Lily's voice lacks firmness, but she still doesn't sound weak.

“Did you get my message?” Narcissa tilts her head slightly, looking at her.

“Yes,” Lily answers briefly. A message with a short content - the name and contacts of a journalist who can be trusted. Someone who is ready to write the biggest sensation of the year, while preserving their reputation. Describe the love story of Narcissa and Lily not as a dirty betrayal of their partners on the set (which is exactly what you would expect from most other publications), but as a love story full of passion and sincerity.

Narcissa has been obsessed with this since her relationship with Lucius was finally broken. She walked around daydreaming about this opportunity to finally reveal everything they had been hiding for so long. The Snow Queen had fallen in love with her younger colleague as a teenager, drowning in hidden meetings and stolen kisses backstage. Eventually, her feelings melted this cold silver armor surrounding her heart, but now Narcissa can't live with this secret anymore. She wants to be open and live freely without hiding.

Even though she hadn't expected Lily's reaction to be less than joyful and positive.

“I'm sure this Benji will do his job as...” Narcissa's hand slowly slid over the surface of the marble with the clear intention of touching Lily.

“Oh, I don't doubt his abilities,” Lily interrupted her rudely, removing her hand from the countertop. She studied Benjy Fenwick's portfolio, his abilities as a journalist were truly impressive, he could turn an ordinary drama into a real fairy tale. It was his articles about Andromeda and Ted that helped them become one of the most “healthy” couples in the celebrity world. “But it's not about him,” she says more quietly, looking away.

Lily is still hoping that her avoidance of direct confrontation will be a clear enough sign for Narcissa. But no, the woman's next words sound like she's not reading between the lines at all. “If he doesn't suit you, I have a few other options. I'll send you their contacts later and you have time to choose, but I'd like to do it as soon as possible,” she wrinkles her nose as if she smells an unpleasant odor. “I don't know how many more times I can take these sappy articles about you and Potter.”

The outright disgust at their fake relationship is a familiar sight on Narcissa's face - the idea of maintaining the image of a happy couple even after a peaceful breakup with James disgusted Narcissa from the first second. Not only could she not declare her love for this woman to the whole world, she also had to watch Lily in the arms of another man on a regular basis. Eventually, this became a regular topic of their arguments.

“I like James,” Lily says honestly. “He's a good man.”

“Oh, no man could ever be good enough for you,” Narcissa retorts, and Lily finds it hard to argue with her. Men have really been a disappointment to her these past few years. “That's why you have to end it, darling,” Narcissa's voice lowers and tenderness seeps into it. “You deserve this, to be happy and free.”

The cruel part of Lily inside whispers venomously, “And you think I can only be happy and free with you?” but she doesn't say it. Narcissa may be blind to her feelings, but does she deserve such cruelty? No, she doesn't.

However, Lily's patience is wearing thin anyway, and her hope for a gentler solution is fading. Drawing air into her lungs, she says, “I don't want this, Ciss... Narcissa,” the gentle name almost escapes her lips out of habit.

She turns to the woman just in time to see a light crust of ice cover the surface of her eyes, the silver armor building up again to protect Narcissa from the emotional blow of those words. Apparently, her quick to judge mind must have already given this phrase a different meaning, Lily can almost see the I don't want you echoing in her mind.

So Lily quickly adds, “I like everything between us... I love you,” she adds to her voice with tenderness to show her sincerity. “But I'm not ready for this. It's too risky.”

These words do not make the pain disappear from Narcissa's eyes. The woman shrugs her shoulders slightly, as if trying to shake off an unexpected and uncomfortable pressure, and tries to regain her confident look with her head held high. Her elegant hand leaves the tabletop and rests on her hip. “I thought I gave you enough materials to be confident. To cover every possible risk. What else do you need?”

The woman's voice and the words she chooses now sound like they are discussing business. Although in reality, when your whole existence is your job, this situation is really more like a business deal. Lily doesn't like that, she doesn't want to feel like just a business to the woman she first felt alive with off the set. “You... Narcissa, I'm afraid that you treat this, me, as a project. But I'm not a project.”

Narcissa snorts, folding her arms across her chest, and her gaze rises to the ceiling for a moment, as if addressing the gods with a silent request to spare her from this. “Of course you're not a project. You are the woman I love and want to be with. All I'm doing is trying to be cautious about what the future holds for us. Actually, I thought you would appreciate how seriously I treat this. Doesn't that demonstrate my intentions?” a perfect light eyebrow rises on her face.

Lily holds back the storm of emotion, anger, and resentment inside her, searching through the mess for the words that feel right. “You say you love me, but you don't pay attention to my own desires, Cissy... Try to remember if I ever told you that I was ready to do this?”

The woman presses her wine-colored lips together before bitterly replying, “Oh, so you mean I made up all those feelings between us?”

This hurts Lily, because hasn't she been honest about their relationship all along? “No. No, everything between us has been real, but... I think you've been so caught up in your own feelings that you've forgotten to check in with me to make sure we're on the same page.”

“I don't understand you, Lily. I'm not stupid, but I don't understand what's wrong. If all this is really happening with us, then what exactly is wrong for you?” finally, the anger in Narcissa's voice makes itself felt. It's not burning, but it bares its fangs and threatens to bite if Lily's next words are not satisfactory. And she doubts that anything in her arsenal will satisfy Narcissa now.

With each passing second, Lily finds a little more of her courage, saying, “I... I care about you, Cissy. But I'm not ready to take that risk. I've invested too much of myself in this career, I've given everything... I'm not ready to sacrifice that.”

“But what makes you sacrifice anything? This journalist, we are looking for him precisely to minimize the impact on our careers, right? That risk has been taken into account.” Narcissa waves her hand to the side, as if to point to the imaginary journalist, to her implied efforts that she is putting into this relationship.

But this does not work on Lily in the way she would have liked. No, it only reawakens her own anger, which she has been holding back all this time before, trying to preserve the remnants of a good relationship between them. However, Narcissa's stubbornness, confidence, and determination, which Lily once loved her for, now only add fuel to her inner fire.

Lily doesn't have time to stop herself before the next words burst out of her, the kernel of her doubts that she has been nurturing inside for the past few months, “But what guarantee is there that this will last? Look at it from my point of view, I have nothing but this reputation, nothing but my career. I dropped out of my studies for this, I cut off my family for this career, I spent so much time on this, and I'm not getting any younger. And to do something like announce our relationship... Narcissa, it will tie me to you. It will make people discuss how much of my success is yours, and we both know that's not true,” Lily might be lying to herself, because from time to time she feels like Narcissa has been pulling strings behind her back these past few years. But she tries to ignore these thoughts for her own peace of mind. If it's true, she'd rather not ever find out.

“And why do you say it like being with me sounds like a trap?”

“Because it is!” Lily doesn't hold back. “I don't understand how a woman as smart as you can't see it, but it seems your family history, that power and confidence, prevents you from seeing things for what they are. I'm not like you, Narcissa. I'm not like most of you. You had everything from the beginning, you were born with a silver spoon in your mouth. You can go out and declare a relationship with anyone and it will never destroy you because of your last name, because your name will always be firmly tied to a dozen other names that will keep you afloat.” Lily feels an imaginary dam inside her breaking, letting it all out, “Your uncle could get caught up in a sex scandal and it would be over in a week. Because he's a man and because he's Black. Your sister can throw swingers' parties all over Hollywood and no one will make a peep about it in front of the press. Bella can sleep with journalists for fun and to get a few good articles. Tomorrow, another photo of Regulus with a joint will appear on the web and everyone will just laugh at it! Sirius may have abandoned this family and your inheritance, but his name still works for him, all doors are open for his band just because of the opportunity to promote themselves on the name of the famous black sheep. Narcissa, nothing in this world can destroy you, you are forever protected simply because you were born into the right family. Every journalist here knows that trying to destroy this family will only mean that you will destroy them.”

Narcissa keeps her arms firmly crossed over her chest, openly protecting herself from the flood of truth that few dare to voice. The glint in her eyes already reflects the strong wall she has built between them. “And I invite you to be part of this family, Evans. You talk about being attached to me as a bad thing, but wouldn't it give you more power? More opportunity? All this stuff you're saying right now should be a piece of cake for you to grab.”

Lily sighs tiredly, still catching her breath after her tirade. “No, Narcissa. You're wrong. To them, I will always be a provincial girl who once served coffee to screenwriters. And if in a couple of years you get tired of me and I'm out of the door? I will never return to my former fame, I will be ruined. I will never become a member of this family.”

“So what now? You've decided to become part of the Potter family instead?” she says the name with the disgust that comes with every member of the Black family.

Lily snorts. Narcissa's jealousy speaks louder than any other emotion. “You're wrong. I will never be a Black or a Potter. And it's not because I can't, Narcissa. I just don't want to. I want to stay Lily Evans, it's the only name that has always belonged to me and will always belong to me. I built it on my own and I don't want to lose it, nothing will make me do that.”

Narcissa says in disbelief, “You're choosing a career. A name. Over me.”

And Lily can't blame her for this distrust. Anyone else would choose Narcissa Black without hesitation, this cold beauty. The only question is whether many would be able to stand her and survive her. Lily could. It may sound overconfident, but Lily could.

“Yes,” is the short but true answer. Lily is tired of finding any other words. “This is the most important thing to me right now, and as much as I love you, you're putting everything I've accomplished at risk.”

Narcissa's painted lips are tight with offense. They squeeze with pain. But she doesn't answer right away, she turns to the sink and turns on the water. She puts her hands under the stream and then answers:

“There is something you are also wrong about. I may have a name that has been helping me since birth, but that's no reason to belittle all my efforts, Lily. Not everything in this life was given to me by birthright. As a younger sister, you should understand this as well as I do.”

The smile on Lily's face is sad, but she nods briefly in agreement. Now her gaze is directed at Narcissa's reflection, which avoids her gaze. She wanted to say many things, but none of them were meant to diminish the woman's own abilities. “I'm sorry,” she says shortly and quietly, putting everything into it. Forgive me for not loving you more than myself.

After washing her hands, Narcissa takes a quick look at herself in the mirror, fixes a strand of hair that has fallen over her forehead, and turns to leave. “I hope you get everything you've ever wanted, Lily Evans,” Narcissa says coldly, looking back at her over her shoulder. But her eyes glisten, drowned in unshed tears, I hope then you'll realize it was never worth it.

With the same ringing of her heels on the tile, she disappears behind the door, never looking back.

Tiredly, Lily leans against the marble countertop, trying not to break the silence of the room with the sound of swallowing tears or the sound of her heart fragments falling to the tile.

Notes:

I struggled a bit with writing this chapter because I'm not very good with dialogues but finally it's here!
I appreciate your thoughts, comments and kudos!

Chapter 3

Chapter Text

Today 11:55 PM

James

I can see you from my window

James

But help me read the scene, are you sitting there with the mood of ‘I look like I don't want to see anyone near me and I really don't want to see anyone near me’ or ‘I look like I don't want to see anyone near me but I really hope someone will be brave enough to come over and share my melancholy’?

Lily

Huh, that depends on who is brave enough to come over.

James

Me?

Lily

You're fine.

Lily sets her smartphone down on the tiles behind her, hoping not to drop it into the pool water. Although perhaps drowning her smartphone would be better - that way her agent would stop texting her, demanding a quick response to the new script she was sent yesterday.

Lily's thoughts are now too far away from the potential new movie. Lily's thoughts are trapped in the joints between the shiny tiles in the women's restroom of the movie theater, the sound of the woman's heels still echoing in her ears as she walks away. And isn't it irrational to feel such pain for a woman whom Lily herself rejected? But people are irrational, and she is no exception.

Her bare feet are dipped in the water and Lily moves them in the cool liquid, enjoying at least this little bit of comfort. She tries to concentrate on the way the pool's lights shimmer in the small waves she creates. The tiles beneath her thighs are warm and unpleasantly sticky, but Lily can't find the strength to get up and return to her room.

A moment later, she hears the sound of the door to the hotel courtyard opening behind her, and she glances over her shoulder - James never keeps her waiting. It's one of the things she loves most about him, but unfortunately, it's also one of the things she sometimes uses selfishly. Like right now, because Lily needs his strong arm to squeeze her shoulder, hug her, and help her leave that damned women's restroom.

“It's not that this is my favorite hotel in the area, but this pool? It makes me want to come back,” James says with a smile, sliding down beside Lily and dipping his feet into the water next to hers.

Lily almost smiles back, her eyes riveted on the contrast between their legs - James' calves are wider, the muscles of a runner showing beneath the skin. Even with the spray tan, Lily's skin is lighter, almost doll-like in contrast to the man's hair-covered skin. Lily has forgotten the last time she saw her legs with even a hint of natural hair. Was it before or after her first small role at the beginning of her career? She resists the urge to reach out and stroke a strong man's thigh to remember the feeling of short hair under her fingers. Many months have passed since she was with a man for the last time.

“So what's my good girl doing here?” James tilts his head toward her, his tone sounding more like an invitation than a demand to tell him everything. His eyes seem to say, You can just make a joke in response, or you can answer sincerely, you can rely on me, I'll be there for you.

This is a difficult choice, perhaps more difficult than the one Narcissa put her in front of earlier. No one warns you that breaking a heart can sometimes be easier than talking about it.

Lily can't stand the look in James' warm eyes and looks down at the water. “I'm thinking about how you're handling this,” she says quietly.

“Like what?”

“Flirting with the press. That's... all we do,” Lily wraps her arms around her waist, leaning forward a little, closer to the water.

James doesn't answer right away, he lifts his hand and Lily feels his palm on her back, his fingers touching her through the thin fabric of her top, not daring to reach higher and touch the bare skin in the wide neckline of her back. “It's not hard. I just... enjoy what I have.”

Lily looks at him, raising an eyebrow, “Enjoying playing a couple with me?” she asks skeptically.

“Hey, you make it sound like being paired with you is a burden,” a light laugh escapes James' lips.

Lily wants to ask, but isn't it? Doesn't being with her feel like some sort of work? Doesn't James notice how she uses him every time something in her life goes wrong, when another person she cares about is on the other side of the high and strong wall that Lily has built around her. When she makes the wrong choice again and pushes away someone she shouldn't have. Or was it the right decision? Lily will never know, but in moments like these, she relies again and again on the strong male shoulder of the only person who sees through her and stays by her side.

Sighing heavily, as if releasing all the heavy thoughts from her, Lily tries to say jokingly, “Well, we did break up, so it must be really difficult to do, right?” She glances at James out of the corner of her eye to see how he reacts.

James doesn't move, but the corner of his lips twitches and a wry smile spreads across his face. “Honestly? It was meant to be. We had to break up to keep something important between us, didn't we?”

He's right, and Lily loves that about him. As her best friend, she values James much more than as a boyfriend. They were never really right for each other, but that experience was worth it.

Lily nods briefly, returning her gaze to the water in front of her. A silence hangs between them, but it doesn't pressure the woman. On the contrary, all the pressure on her is concentrated from within her own mind - endless questions that she wants to ask, but her tongue does not turn to voice them. Did she do something wrong? Or is it too selfish? When should you step back? How to look into that other reality and see what exactly she has lost? How or with whom to patch the hole inside?

Will it get better?

The inside of her cheeks and lips hurt from the intensity of Lily's biting, the taste of blood is on her tongue, but she can't stop. She gnaws at herself figuratively and literally, unable to find peace. The only comfort is a heavy man's hand, which remains on her back, slowly stroking through the fabric of her shirt. Lily can't control her fantasies and imagines James holding her closer, wrapping both arms around her body, covering her with a story and letting her forget...

“We're not alone,” James' voice comes from the other side. For a moment, Lily thinks that he is reading her thoughts and thus wants to stop the frantic flow of fantasies in which she wanted to find comfort.

But no. The man's gaze is on her, but his eyes are pointing in the direction of the bushes that are supposed to give privacy to the backyard of the hotel complex. Lily tries to look at them in a less obvious way, and in a moment she notices the most important thing: a round camera lens hiding among the greenery and watching them.

“We're never alone,” Lily says bitterly, turning fully to James and leaning in to whisper. “Do you think she wants a show?”

“Oh, you always want to give them a little something extra, don't you?” James smiles fondly and reaches out, brushing a strand of hair away from her face. “But only if we go to separate rooms afterwards, okay?”

This makes Lily let out a laugh. Of course James sees right through her, but he's never willing to give her more than he can handle. She's glad he's on the defensive and won't let her make another mistake she'll regret in the morning.

With a brief nod, Lily tilts her head to the side and lets James lead the way, allowing him to slowly press his lips to hers in a gentle kiss, to guide her torso so that their pose looks as attractive as possible through the lens for which they are doing this.

Secretly, however, they both hope that their audience today is not only a pair of eyes in the bushes, but also several pairs of eyes in the windows of the hotel complex behind them.

Notes:

thanks!

Series this work belongs to: