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believesthings · 7 months ago

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Not Just A Girl - Chapter 14 // Jason Sudeikis x Reader

Sitting on the bed in the new room the hotel has shuffled you to, you can’t seem to look away from the preliminary list of your destroyed belongings. Memorabilia, gifts from friends and family, pretty much your entire wardrobe – nothing had been safe from the person or persons who had found a way into your hotel room. At least you still had the few items you’d taken with you on your trip to see Jason.

Jason!! With everything that had happened you’d forgotten to call him. At least the phone has been charging while you were talking with Todd, Charlie, and the police. You tap the icon to call him and wait for an answer, startled by the garbled hello before you remember that for him it is the middle of the night. No wonder you were so weary. God if you were just still there, in bed sleeping rather than sitting there on the edge of an emotional tailspin. “Hey – oh. I’m sorry. Go back to sleep.”

“Hey Baby. Hang on.” You hear the rustle of movement and him clearing his throat before speaking again, “I thought you were going to call after landing?”

You have to physically turn yourself away from the itemized list that the police had given you a copy of… the page was full of words. Words… items… things. They were all just things. Things can be replaced. “No…” You are betrayed by the unsteadiness of your voice. You sigh when you see the video chat request pop up on screen. “Jase, can’t we just talk? I look like shit. I haven’t really slept since I was there with you. And I really need a shower.”

“Answer, please.”

You close your eyes and shake your head before relenting and watching him moving to sit up in his bed. Seeing his bare chest stirs both longing and guilt. “God, I should have waited to call. I’m sorry I woke you up.”

“You can wake me anytime you want. I figured you had fallen asleep as soon as you got back.” He is almost playful, almost. He knows something is wrong. He narrows his eyes at you, “So – what happened? Your last text said the flight was going well.”

Everything had been going well. Even the trip from the airport to the hotel was even a decent one, aside from the caffeine jitters you’d inflicted upon yourself. He listens as you explain the security guards bursting into the weight room where you had been running on a treadmill, all the way until you relayed Charlie’s conversation with his security team and then suddenly Jason is in motion. You haven’t even gotten to the part that freaked you out the most about the whole thing. You pause your narration to watch him. “What are you doing?”

He had tossed the phone down and out of the corner of the screen you can see he is pulling on a pair of slacks. He pauses to come back into view and blink at you as though it were completely obvious. “Catching the next flight.”

“Oh, Jason.”

He’s holding his slacks loose at his hips and frowning down at his phone, thereby you. “If they’re worried about your safety I’m worried about your safety.”

“For all they know at this point it could have happened anytime during the week. While I was sitting there Charlie said he could only find key access codes for Todd going into the room and then the hotel staff to clean.” You’re trying to keep your voice steady while you speak. Maintain control. You can do this.

Jason cocks his head to the side, “It? Cleaning staff? Ok you need to explain further. You’re not talking about another fan or paparazzi incident…” He picks up the phone and perches on the edge of the bed with his trousers still undone.

“Evidently…” you don’t like how that sounded so you try the word again. “Evidently while I was there with you, someone broke into my room here at the hotel and trashed, well, everything.” You pick up the paper and hold it up so he can see the filled page. “The things in the safe – scripts mainly – survived but… God Jason, they shredded or smashed everything they could get their hands on.”

He drops the phone again and messes with his zipper and button so he can continue getting dressed. “I’m coming there.”

If Jason makes the trip to LA it will be the reverse of the situation that the pair of you were in while in London. You would be going in to work every day and he would be waiting for your return. You attempt a smile and try to feed him the same words that don’t quite appease your own feelings regarding the loss, “It’s … it’s just things. I’ll be in the new place tomorrow. Moving will be… easier? Nothing really to carry now, just the stuff I had with me there. As much as I would love seeing you so soon I don’t want you to drop everything. I couldn’t ask that of you. You have your work to concentrate on and I have mine.”

Jason sits back down on the bed, half-clad, and scoops the phone up into his hands again, “If I can’t come to the rescue then what use can I be?”

You continue to try push aside the side of you that wants to despair over your material losses. Focus on the good in your life right now. Focus on Jason. “Well if you refuse to go back to sleep –”

He cuts your sentence off with an adamant, “I do.”

You can feel the corners of your mouth briefly try to twitch into a smile. You may still be feeling angry and violated along with the sorrow over the loss, but Jason has the ability – even at a great physical distance – to lift your spirits. “I guess, talk with me? Now that you know about my wonderful day, how was yours?” You remove the list of destroyed items from your field of vision before you get comfortable in the overstuffed chair near the bed. You place the list atop the dresser and put your bag on it for good measure. Out of sight out of mind.

He yawns as he situates himself so that he can lean back on the headboard of his bed. “Well, I have a confession. Until recently I’ve had a beautiful woman in my bed.”

You roll your eyes, “Oh?”

Absently he is running one of his hands under his chin and down over his Adam’s apple. The light casts some interesting shadows over his bare chest. “The bed feels a little too big, a little too empty now.”

“All the more room to spread out.” The mental image of him throwing his legs and arms out to try to fill up the bed flashes in your head. Log that away to giggle at later. “I wish I was there.”

Jason is the voice of reassurance and reason, which was the point of calling him. “Staying here wouldn’t have changed what happened to your things. Ignoring what you went back to, it’s a good thing you went back today. Shooting went long. Since you weren’t here to come back to I stayed to greet the fans that had been waiting. I was so exhausted I fell into bed the moment I got home. If you had stayed, it would have been another long day spent with Ivan or Bruno.” He pauses, “You didn’t have to do the wash, you know.”

“It was the least I could do. Besides, we’d already restocked your groceries.” You had only washed the linens. It was just something that had kept you occupied while you waited to go to the airport. It seems like ages ago rather than just a few hours.

“True enough. Do you want me to see if we can get Ivan or Bruno to come there? You like them right? No complaints?” Mercifully he has stopped massaging his throat to hold his hand out palm up while he makes the suggestion.

“Jason, they’re contracted to protect you, not me. Todd and I will figure something out. He’s probably already got someone ready and waiting.” He leans forward while you are talking causing the shadows on his body to migrate. Ok enough of that. “Lord, Jason you need to go put on more clothes.”

He counters your statement, his words accompanied by a wry smile. “You need to take off more clothes. I was in bed, asleep. And be fair, I was trying to earlier and you stopped me.” Despite the emotional wounds of the day you laugh, and when you do Jason nods approvingly. “That’s more like it. Now, before you say no outright - remember you’ve told me I can’t fly there and be your white knight. What can I have delivered to your place?”

“Jason…”

He shrugs, “Fine. It’ll be a surprise then.”

You place your free hand over your eyes then drop it down to cover your yawn which delays your reply. “Please don’t.” His frustrated expression makes you amend your words, “Something small, if you must, but let me get there and sorted first, please. I think Dad was going to have one of his guys make something – a coffee table, something functional at least.” You shake your head, “After the read through I’ll…” Jason looks like he is about to fall asleep. You smile at the image you hold in your hand of the overly exhausted man that you adore. “Hey – I’m going to go.” He immediately tries to blink himself awake to protest. You talk over him, “I need to shower still and get some sleep so I’ll be able to read the words on the page tomorrow. Go back to sleep, if you have time.”

He relents which is a sign in and of itself that he needs to sleep. “Alright. Goodnight darling.”

“I –” you stutter your sentence before going a different route, “I’ll call you and show you the place once I’m able. Goodnight.” After ending the call you sit there and stare at your phone. You’re not quite sure how you feel about the fact that your mood can change so drastically depending on him. You’re too exhausted to try to analyze that at the moment though. He had made you laugh, which you desperately needed, and by trying to reassure him you were okay you had partially reassured yourself.

The things you had lost were only precious to you because of the memories you associated with them. This was a survivable event.

______________________________________

A text from Todd wakes you. Dropping something off and then coming to pick you up and give you the keys to the new place. He probably would have called if he wasn’t still so mad at you for staying the extra night at the hotel. He’ll get over it – eventually – maybe. There’s also a message from Jason waiting for you: Good morning gorgeous. The boys and I ran sprints in the park. It isn’t the same without your laughter pushing us on. Let me know when and I’ll try to be available for the virtual tour of the new place. Back to the long distance relationship routine – it’ll be difficult but you vow to make it work.

While lying there in bed you tap out a response: It’ll probably be late for you babe. You frown at the term of endearment – He calls you sweetheart and darling, why does it sound so odd for you to try a pet name with him? You backspace before continuing on. It’ll probably be late for you but consider it a date. Sorry for waking you last night. I hope you were able to get enough sleep – I’ll make it up to you, promise.

The next thing that draws your attention is how hungry you are. It is no wonder – you’d showered and gone right to bed after talking to Jason and had slept through the night until the text from Todd had woken you. Todd’s timetable probably gives you exactly enough time to shower and run down to eat something before he gets to the hotel. The moment you step out of the elevator you find Charlie waiting. He probably saw you on the elevator security feed. It’s a little strange, but nice to have his company while you eat – and Todd seems pleased by it when he wanders in. Todd doesn’t mention anything about having personal security and you have no plans on bringing it up.

There has been a slow trickle of messages arriving on your phone all morning with people talking about the break in at the hotel. How sorry they are, if you need anything, how much they miss you. For the last bit of breakfast Todd kept his head down, reading things on his tablet, rather than chat with you – a clear signal that he’s still miffed. He’s still doing it in the car so you resist talking to him, but when the tenth friend from the theater back home sends you a text you risk breaking the frosty silence. “Did you happen to call either of my parents to tell them about the break in?”

Todd has your stack of scripts balanced on his lap with his tablet resting atop the pile. He knits his eyebrows together when he look up at you, “No – I thought you would handle that.”

You bite your lip, “I fell asleep.” Glancing down at your phone you frown, “That’s – weird then. How does everyone at the theater already know?”

You hadn’t even finished the question and Todd’s fingers were tapping out a sequence on his tablet. He huffs under his breath and starts to pull out his phone. “Somebody leaked photos of the mess.”

Excellent. Looks of pity and gossip to start your second feature film. Maybe it would have been better to have accepted your award and just gone back home. At least your award hadn’t been among the things destroyed – your father already had it, locked away safe and sound. Todd spends the rest of the ride exchanging heated words with various people on the phone.

It is almost a relief to be out of the car and alone in your apartment. Almost. Being alone in your apartment just amplifies how empty it is, and how little you had left to bring with you. You don’t have long to dwell on any of it. You need to be at work to read through the acts that have been set – as well as plan out any training that needs to take place. The only real battle you can see is the training that might need to be required for the car crash scene – and if they’ll let you do any of the stunts.

You toss your luggage into the one stick of furniture you had in the house – a comfy chair sent by your mother. It only takes a second to dig your ipod out of your now well used shoulder bag. You have enough time that you can walk a few blocks before needing to hail a taxi. It’ll be interesting to see what the neighborhood looks like while it is still early in the morning. You’d seen the apartment later in the day when you were house hunting.

You’ve picked an upbeat playlist to help to boost your confidence. Perhaps not the best choice because of how jumpy you are with the combination of the events of last night plus the ever lovely jet lag, but it helps distract from your nerves a bit. You landed the job, yay. That means Mia is yours to screw up. Today is just a simple read-through with the cast. Maybe you should have stayed holed up in the hotel scouring the material for every nuance so you’d feel better prepared. Oh but the short visit had been completely worth it. Just thinking about Jason has your heart doing flips within your chest.

A hand clamps down on your wrist and spins you around on the sidewalk. Your training for All Your Monsters kicks in and your muscle memory helps you to break the hold the man has on your wrist. The action pulls your headphones from your ears. Should you call for help? Rush back to your place? Try to run from him? Hold your ground? Why was the sidewalk deserted right now? The man immediately takes a few steps back and holds his hands up before him, palms towards you. “Woah woah – Todd said to watch out in how I approached but you were rushing away from me. I take it Todd didn’t tell you to expect me.”

You are careful to keep yourself at a distance. Just because this guy claims Todd sent him doesn’t make it true. “That would be a no.”

“Wait. Just wait. I’ll call him.” He keeps one hand directed at you as though telling you to halt while he digs his phone out of his pocket. He waits for an answer before speaking into the phone, “Todd? It’s Richard. So um, can you talk to your girl here before she tries to break my hand again?” He chortles at the response on the other end before holding the phone out to you.

You cautiously pluck the phone from his fingers and step back beyond the man – Richard’s – reach again. “Todd?”

“Sorry, I was so caught up with the release of those photos that I forgot to tell you about Richard. Meet your new bodyguard.” Todd sounds much calmer than he had in the car with you earlier, probably exhausted after yelling so much in the past half-a-day.

You eye Richard. He is rubbing the tendons in his hand while watching you talk on the phone. You frown and look out at the street. “I thought we were going to discuss this first.”

Todd barks out a laugh, “After yesterday? The only discussion will be if we are content with just one or we need to add another to your detail.”

He has a point, but you are still feeling petulant. “Well, fuck.”

“Language. Now – enjoy the day. Call me if you need to.”

You hand Richard his phone back. “Um well, sorry about your hand?”

He laughs it off while pocketing his phone again. “Don’t worry about it. Tell me that’s not the way you interact with fans.”

That really wouldn’t look good. You’re not exactly being chased down the street right now though, Richard aside. “Nobody has ever grabbed me like that actually.” You spot a taxi and start to flag it down.

“Good to know you know some basic self-defense techniques.” He waves the taxi driver off, “I’ve got a car. Parking was a pain but I’m talking to your landlord about that.” The pair of you don’t talk much in the car on the ride in. It isn’t until you’re in the building that he starts up the conversation again, “We’re going to need to discuss your routine, public appearances…”

“There’s my Mia.” Brett's interruption makes you smile.

You turn to see your costar and take in his appearance. “Hello Brett.” You momentarily tilt your head to your side to indicate your new bodyguard, “Brett, Richard. Richard, Brett.”

After greeting each other Brett settles his attention on you. “Did you enjoy your time in London with Jason?" His eyes sparkle when he questions you which makes you think he already knows the answer. How the hell much do they talk about concerning you?

"Very much. It’s beautiful there." You can feel a flush rising as you reply.

“And then you came back to… Sorry about your things.” He has fallen into step beside you with Richard following close behind.

You nod to acknowledge his statement. “Did Jason tell you or did you see the photos this morning?”

Benedict blinks, “Photos? I heard about it from Jason – oh and I’ve been told to remind you to let him get you something.”

You roll your eyes and laugh as the three of you enter the room buzzing with people. “God that man. I should have hidden his wallet before I left, out of spite.” Your survey the small crowd mingling around the horseshoe of tables. These are the people that you’ll be acting alongside for the duration of the project. Hopefully everyone will get along. You pause the conversation to move away from Brett and say a quick hello around the room. It seems everyone has heard about the break in at the hotel. You’re starting to tire of repeating yourself. How many times can you say no really, I’m fine before people will believe you?

After you sit down Brett takes the seat next to you. “Hide his wallet?”

Richard motions to the row of chairs against the wall. Evidently he’s content to stare a hole in your back from afar. You nod in understanding before replying to Brett’s question. “Of course that isn’t something he would choose to share with you. He wanted to pay for everything all week and…”

“Ok looks like everyone is here. Or they’re late… Anyway, let’s get started with introductions.” You glance around the room – most of the cast is already sitting and waiting patiently. The one or two stragglers would hopefully show before it came time for them to introduce themselves to the group.

It is key that the audience becomes emotionally invested in the couple – if they don’t believe James and Mia are worthwhile then what is the point of the movie? They’ve changed the script from the original that you read for your audition to show how the characters met rather than merely reference it, and now the bit where you and Brett would be in bed together has been expanded. Joy.

You linger behind after the long day of reading is complete to test the waters regarding the stunts. Maybe they are already developing the mechanisms for the car crash scene. You’re no A list actor, surely they’ll at least consider letting you attempt some of the stunt work.

"No. No way. No. Are you out of your mind? There’s no way we’re putting you in that car for the crash sequence.” The director continues to shake his head the entire time he is talking to you.

Brett had started to leave the room but loops back to take part in the conversation. He must be interested in attempting the sequence as well. Brett put his hand on your shoulder, “She’s not saying she wants to be in the car when it flips.”

“Answer’s no guys.”

“Even if it flips slowly?” Brett gives your shoulder a light squeeze in warning. He’s right, continuing to push won’t help, but that doesn’t stop you from wanting to try. “Sorry, I know you’re just trying to protect us.”

This brings out a weary smile from the director. “Yes. Oh don’t look so disappointed. By the time we’re ready to film the car crash you’ll have spent so much time filming in the car you’ll be happy to let someone else be in the seat.”

The four of you leave the room, the director headed to parts of the building unknown while you, Brett, and Richard head for the exit. There’s still enough time in the day that you can at least go shopping to find a bed frame and mattress. The rest of the furniture for the place can wait until you’ve painted the walls.

Brett heads his own separate way leaving you and Richard alone to discuss the plans for the remainder of the day. The conversation has a few odd starts and stops as you walk to the car. Once you’re more familiar with each other that probably won’t happen as much. Right now you are each still trying to measure the reactions of the other. “Richard – is it ok if we take a detour rather than head straight back to the apartment?”

He is hesitant, “Dinner?”

“Well, that too. But I um, I need to go shopping?” Maybe if you sounded a little more confident in the request he wouldn’t be giving you such a skeptical look. “The only furniture I have in the apartment right now is a chair. I’m not saying I want to furnish the whole place tonight, I just need something to sleep on. Don’t worry I won’t ask you to help me put anything together.”

That promise to Richard is how you end up sitting in a pile of parts to a bed frame with Jason watching your progress with a great deal of amusement over a video call. “Sweetheart – why didn’t you just ask him to stay and help you?” He considers his own question and chuckles, “Silly question oh-stubborn-one. Ok, read it to me again?”

You wave the instructions around in the air towards where you have your phone propped up. “I’m tempted to just say fuck it and sleep on the mattress on the floor. I can follow directions. I swear! There must be a piece missing…” You’ve started to recount the parts that you’d pulled from the box, muttering while setting them aside once you’ve checked them off the list at the top of the instruction page.

“A vital piece.” From Jason's tone you can’t tell if he’s making fun of you or not. You look up with a small furrow forming between your eyebrows. He lets out a delighted laugh at your expression, “Me. I'm the vital piece. My flight would have landed hours ago. We would be sprawled out on your bed right now – you flipping through pages trying to concentrate – me doing everything in my power to distract you.”

“I… You never brought pages home while I was there.” You feel slightly stricken. “You should have told me I would have helped you run lines.”

Jason grins at you, “Three points. One: I love that you consider here home. Every time I hear you say that my heart sings. Two: I was fully prepared for the scenes this week, even before your arrival. And three: Ivan and Bruno might have enjoyed us staying in every night but I will never be one for passing up the opportunity to go out dancing with you.”

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