"Sunset Road" - An AU RPS Story - Chapter Three
Continuation of my story, with Heath and Jake as actors on a nighttime soap opera.
Chapter Three
The young cast members of “Sunset Road” - Jake, Anne, Michelle, Linda, and Heath - posed for the cover to TV Guide magazine. It was Heath’s first cover; he sent three copies to his family in Australia.
On the show, the character of Ennis was still an enigma. So far he had befriended Jack and started a relationship with Alma (with Cassie ever-present in the wings), but he was still mysterious in his ways. He seemed to be watching Jack a little too closely, trying to emulate him. Rumors began to circulate on the set that Ennis was stalking Jack. Heath, for his part, just laughed it off. He didn’t really want to play a villain, but if the writers wrote Ennis that way, what choice did he have?
“I told you, playing a bad guy is supposed to be fun,” Jake told him one morning at script reading. “Just enjoy yourself.”
The latest script had Ennis and Alma getting into a lovers’ quarrel, over his increased time spent with Jack. Heath found it hard to imagine getting mad at Michelle, but once he started acting as Ennis, the anger came through. By the end of the scene, Michelle had been reduced to tears. When Mr. Lee, the director, said, “Cut,” Heath gathered her in his arms and calmed her down.
“I’m so sorry,” he said to her.
She wiped her face with her hands and said, “It’s okay. Whew, that was intense!”
Jake, Anne, and Linda, watching from the sidelines, gave the pair a round of applause. Jake and Anne were filming next; they had to play a love scene. Their characters were supposed to be in bed together, naked. They took off the robes they were wearing and stepped in front of the cameras, Jake in boxer shorts and Anne in panties and a strapless bra.
Heath watched as the two of them climbed into the bed on the set of Jack’s bedroom. Mr. Lee said, “Action,” and the scene began. Jake rolled on top of Anne and started kissing her. At that point, Heath could no longer stand to watch, and went back to his dressing room. He sat in his chair and put his head in his hands. What the hell was he going to do about his massive crush on Jake?
There was a soft tapping on the door. Michelle’s voice said, “Heath? Can I come in?”
“Yeah, sure,” Heath said, standing up.
Michelle entered and closed the door behind her. “I just wanted to tell you,” she said softly, “that you’re doing a really good job, and I hope you stay on the show for a long time.”
“Thanks,” Heath replied. “I’m lucky to have such great co-stars, who give me so much support.”
“We’re the lucky ones,” she said.
“That’s sweet of you to say.”
“No, really.” She moved closer to him.
Heath began to get uncomfortable. Michelle was quickly closing the distance between them, and there was nowhere for him to go. “Look, Michelle, you’re a really nice girl, but…”
“But, what?” she asked. She was now right in front of him. He could feel her breath on his face.
“But…well…I’m sorta involved with someone right now.” He hated having to lie to her, but he couldn’t bring himself to tell her the truth.
“Oh,” she said. She put a hand up to her face, which had turned red. “How embarrassing.”
“Don’t worry about it,” Heath told her.
“I don’t usually do this kind of thing. You know, come on to my co-workers.”
“I understand. And I’m flattered.”
“Let’s just forget this happened,” she said. “Are we still friends?”
“You bet,” Heath replied.
After she left, he sank back in his chair and shut his eyes. He heard the door open again and was afraid that Michelle had returned. But when he opened his eyes, he saw Jake standing there, in his robe, looking spectacular as always.
“That was a quick scene,” Heath said to him.
“Yeah,” said Jake. “Jack’s a jackrabbit.”
Heath laughed at that. Jake took off his robe and began to get dressed for his next scene. Heath averted his eyes. Soon, though, he found himself watching Jake’s reflection in the mirror. All that smooth, exposed skin…those muscles…
Jake looked up then and caught Heath staring. He seemed surprised at first…and then, slowly, he smiled. The air in the small dressing room became suddenly thick and loaded with sexual tension.
“Jake,” Heath began, “I--”
A loud rap on the door shattered the mood. “Five minutes, Mr. Gyllenhaal!” called a voice.
“Shoot,” Jake said, grabbing the rest of his clothes and hurriedly putting them on. “What were you going to say, Heath?”
“Umm, nothing, never mind.”
Jake ran his fingers through his hair and spared one last, inscrutable look at Heath before leaving the room.
All right, Jake Gyllenhaal, Heath thought. What kind of game are you playing?
After Heath’s third episode aired, he did a few more interviews. After the fourth aired, the cast posed for the cover of Entertainment Weekly magazine, and had a five-page story. The arrival of Ennis del Mar to the show was the primary focus of the article. Heath wasn’t exactly thrilled to be the center of attention - and things got more uncomfortable for him once the tabloids got involved.
One morning on his way to the studio, he passed a newsstand and noticed a large photo of himself and Michelle on the cover of InTouch magazine. ROMANCE ON THE SET! trumpeted the headline. The photo was a still from one of their “Sunset Road” scenes. Curious, Heath bought the magazine and flipped through it, as he headed into the WBBM building. The accompanying story was filled with all sorts of speculation and outright lies about Heath and Michelle. Angered, he stormed into the dressing room and threw the magazine into the trash.
“Whoa! Someone’s in a bad mood today,” Jake said from the doorway.
“Damn magazine, printing lies,” Heath mumbled.
“What are they saying?”
“Just that Michelle and I are ‘an item’.”
“Is that all?” Jake smiled.
“They’re saying that we’re ‘talking marriage’!”
Jake laughed. “That’s something you’ll have to get used to. They print stuff about me all the time.”
“Like what?”
“Oh, like, that I’m sleeping with this girl or that girl. Or, that I’m gay.”
“And you don’t care when they say that?” Heath asked.
“No, I don’t let it bother me,” Jake said, shrugging.
“Don’t know how they can print lies and get away with it.”
“Don’t worry about it,” Jake told him. “Come on, we gotta go into Make-Up.”
At lunch that day, Michelle teased Heath, “So, when am I getting my engagement ring?”
Heath groaned. “You saw that story, too?”
“Better get used to it,” Jake told him.
Later that evening, Heath went to a market near his apartment to do some grocery shopping. As he stepped out of the place, arms full of bags, a voice said, “Heath! Over here!” He looked around and saw a man nearby with a camera. The man came closer and began to take pictures. “You’re great on ‘Sunset Road’,” he said. “Is it true about you and Michelle?”
“No, we’re just friends,” Heath said. “Now, please leave me alone.” He hurried down the street; the photographer followed, calling Heath’s name every few seconds. Heath tried to ignore him, wanting to get back to his place as quickly as possible. At last he made it. He closed the door and walked to the elevator, his heart pounding with the fear that the guy was going to follow him inside. Thankfully, he didn’t, but Heath had a feeling that it would only be a matter of time before one of them tried. He wondered if he should move to a place with better security, maybe a doorman.
The next day, he related the incident to Jake. “Maybe you should look for a new place,” Jake said. “You live too far away from the studio, anyway.”
“Yeah, you’re right,” Heath said.
“Of course I’m right,” Jake joked. “By the way, have you read next week’s script yet?”
“I glanced at it.”
“Ennis gets into a confrontation with Old Man Twist. It’s a really good scene.”
Jack’s father, known as Old Man Twist to the cast, crew, and viewers of the show, was a true TV bad guy - involved in underhanded business dealings and treating his wife and son like dirt.
“Ennis really tells him off,” Jake continued. “He even threatens him.”
“That ought to be fun to play,” Heath said. He was actually looking forward to it. “More fun than yelling at Michelle, that’s for sure.”
“Maybe Jack and Ennis will get to fight next,” Jake said.
“Why? They’re friends.”
“They’ll fight to cover up all that sexual tension.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Haven’t you noticed?” Jake asked, smiling slyly. “There’s a lot of sexual tension between Jack and Ennis.”
I think you’re getting them confused with you and me, Heath thought. “If you say so,” he said, and shrugged.
Jake laughed. The sound went straight to Heath’s groin. I wonder if he even laughs in bed, he thought. He pictured himself in bed with Jake, the two of them naked, rolling around and laughing.
“What are you smiling about?” Jake asked.
“What? Oh, nothing,” Heath replied.
“Come on; tell me.”
“Private joke.”
“Oh, okay,” Jake said, pouting.
“Don’t do that,” Heath said.
Jake pretended to cry. Impulsively, Heath walked over to him and put an arm around his shoulders. “There, there,” he said. “I’m sorry, Mate.”
They looked at each other. Heath suddenly felt himself drowning in a sea of perfect blue. Beneath his hand, Jake’s skin was warm and solid. His gaze dropped to Jake’s lips; he nearly came undone when Jake’s tongue poked out and wet them.
“Jake,” Heath whispered hoarsely, and then they were kissing.
TBC
Chapter Three
The young cast members of “Sunset Road” - Jake, Anne, Michelle, Linda, and Heath - posed for the cover to TV Guide magazine. It was Heath’s first cover; he sent three copies to his family in Australia.
On the show, the character of Ennis was still an enigma. So far he had befriended Jack and started a relationship with Alma (with Cassie ever-present in the wings), but he was still mysterious in his ways. He seemed to be watching Jack a little too closely, trying to emulate him. Rumors began to circulate on the set that Ennis was stalking Jack. Heath, for his part, just laughed it off. He didn’t really want to play a villain, but if the writers wrote Ennis that way, what choice did he have?
“I told you, playing a bad guy is supposed to be fun,” Jake told him one morning at script reading. “Just enjoy yourself.”
The latest script had Ennis and Alma getting into a lovers’ quarrel, over his increased time spent with Jack. Heath found it hard to imagine getting mad at Michelle, but once he started acting as Ennis, the anger came through. By the end of the scene, Michelle had been reduced to tears. When Mr. Lee, the director, said, “Cut,” Heath gathered her in his arms and calmed her down.
“I’m so sorry,” he said to her.
She wiped her face with her hands and said, “It’s okay. Whew, that was intense!”
Jake, Anne, and Linda, watching from the sidelines, gave the pair a round of applause. Jake and Anne were filming next; they had to play a love scene. Their characters were supposed to be in bed together, naked. They took off the robes they were wearing and stepped in front of the cameras, Jake in boxer shorts and Anne in panties and a strapless bra.
Heath watched as the two of them climbed into the bed on the set of Jack’s bedroom. Mr. Lee said, “Action,” and the scene began. Jake rolled on top of Anne and started kissing her. At that point, Heath could no longer stand to watch, and went back to his dressing room. He sat in his chair and put his head in his hands. What the hell was he going to do about his massive crush on Jake?
There was a soft tapping on the door. Michelle’s voice said, “Heath? Can I come in?”
“Yeah, sure,” Heath said, standing up.
Michelle entered and closed the door behind her. “I just wanted to tell you,” she said softly, “that you’re doing a really good job, and I hope you stay on the show for a long time.”
“Thanks,” Heath replied. “I’m lucky to have such great co-stars, who give me so much support.”
“We’re the lucky ones,” she said.
“That’s sweet of you to say.”
“No, really.” She moved closer to him.
Heath began to get uncomfortable. Michelle was quickly closing the distance between them, and there was nowhere for him to go. “Look, Michelle, you’re a really nice girl, but…”
“But, what?” she asked. She was now right in front of him. He could feel her breath on his face.
“But…well…I’m sorta involved with someone right now.” He hated having to lie to her, but he couldn’t bring himself to tell her the truth.
“Oh,” she said. She put a hand up to her face, which had turned red. “How embarrassing.”
“Don’t worry about it,” Heath told her.
“I don’t usually do this kind of thing. You know, come on to my co-workers.”
“I understand. And I’m flattered.”
“Let’s just forget this happened,” she said. “Are we still friends?”
“You bet,” Heath replied.
After she left, he sank back in his chair and shut his eyes. He heard the door open again and was afraid that Michelle had returned. But when he opened his eyes, he saw Jake standing there, in his robe, looking spectacular as always.
“That was a quick scene,” Heath said to him.
“Yeah,” said Jake. “Jack’s a jackrabbit.”
Heath laughed at that. Jake took off his robe and began to get dressed for his next scene. Heath averted his eyes. Soon, though, he found himself watching Jake’s reflection in the mirror. All that smooth, exposed skin…those muscles…
Jake looked up then and caught Heath staring. He seemed surprised at first…and then, slowly, he smiled. The air in the small dressing room became suddenly thick and loaded with sexual tension.
“Jake,” Heath began, “I--”
A loud rap on the door shattered the mood. “Five minutes, Mr. Gyllenhaal!” called a voice.
“Shoot,” Jake said, grabbing the rest of his clothes and hurriedly putting them on. “What were you going to say, Heath?”
“Umm, nothing, never mind.”
Jake ran his fingers through his hair and spared one last, inscrutable look at Heath before leaving the room.
All right, Jake Gyllenhaal, Heath thought. What kind of game are you playing?
After Heath’s third episode aired, he did a few more interviews. After the fourth aired, the cast posed for the cover of Entertainment Weekly magazine, and had a five-page story. The arrival of Ennis del Mar to the show was the primary focus of the article. Heath wasn’t exactly thrilled to be the center of attention - and things got more uncomfortable for him once the tabloids got involved.
One morning on his way to the studio, he passed a newsstand and noticed a large photo of himself and Michelle on the cover of InTouch magazine. ROMANCE ON THE SET! trumpeted the headline. The photo was a still from one of their “Sunset Road” scenes. Curious, Heath bought the magazine and flipped through it, as he headed into the WBBM building. The accompanying story was filled with all sorts of speculation and outright lies about Heath and Michelle. Angered, he stormed into the dressing room and threw the magazine into the trash.
“Whoa! Someone’s in a bad mood today,” Jake said from the doorway.
“Damn magazine, printing lies,” Heath mumbled.
“What are they saying?”
“Just that Michelle and I are ‘an item’.”
“Is that all?” Jake smiled.
“They’re saying that we’re ‘talking marriage’!”
Jake laughed. “That’s something you’ll have to get used to. They print stuff about me all the time.”
“Like what?”
“Oh, like, that I’m sleeping with this girl or that girl. Or, that I’m gay.”
“And you don’t care when they say that?” Heath asked.
“No, I don’t let it bother me,” Jake said, shrugging.
“Don’t know how they can print lies and get away with it.”
“Don’t worry about it,” Jake told him. “Come on, we gotta go into Make-Up.”
At lunch that day, Michelle teased Heath, “So, when am I getting my engagement ring?”
Heath groaned. “You saw that story, too?”
“Better get used to it,” Jake told him.
Later that evening, Heath went to a market near his apartment to do some grocery shopping. As he stepped out of the place, arms full of bags, a voice said, “Heath! Over here!” He looked around and saw a man nearby with a camera. The man came closer and began to take pictures. “You’re great on ‘Sunset Road’,” he said. “Is it true about you and Michelle?”
“No, we’re just friends,” Heath said. “Now, please leave me alone.” He hurried down the street; the photographer followed, calling Heath’s name every few seconds. Heath tried to ignore him, wanting to get back to his place as quickly as possible. At last he made it. He closed the door and walked to the elevator, his heart pounding with the fear that the guy was going to follow him inside. Thankfully, he didn’t, but Heath had a feeling that it would only be a matter of time before one of them tried. He wondered if he should move to a place with better security, maybe a doorman.
The next day, he related the incident to Jake. “Maybe you should look for a new place,” Jake said. “You live too far away from the studio, anyway.”
“Yeah, you’re right,” Heath said.
“Of course I’m right,” Jake joked. “By the way, have you read next week’s script yet?”
“I glanced at it.”
“Ennis gets into a confrontation with Old Man Twist. It’s a really good scene.”
Jack’s father, known as Old Man Twist to the cast, crew, and viewers of the show, was a true TV bad guy - involved in underhanded business dealings and treating his wife and son like dirt.
“Ennis really tells him off,” Jake continued. “He even threatens him.”
“That ought to be fun to play,” Heath said. He was actually looking forward to it. “More fun than yelling at Michelle, that’s for sure.”
“Maybe Jack and Ennis will get to fight next,” Jake said.
“Why? They’re friends.”
“They’ll fight to cover up all that sexual tension.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Haven’t you noticed?” Jake asked, smiling slyly. “There’s a lot of sexual tension between Jack and Ennis.”
I think you’re getting them confused with you and me, Heath thought. “If you say so,” he said, and shrugged.
Jake laughed. The sound went straight to Heath’s groin. I wonder if he even laughs in bed, he thought. He pictured himself in bed with Jake, the two of them naked, rolling around and laughing.
“What are you smiling about?” Jake asked.
“What? Oh, nothing,” Heath replied.
“Come on; tell me.”
“Private joke.”
“Oh, okay,” Jake said, pouting.
“Don’t do that,” Heath said.
Jake pretended to cry. Impulsively, Heath walked over to him and put an arm around his shoulders. “There, there,” he said. “I’m sorry, Mate.”
They looked at each other. Heath suddenly felt himself drowning in a sea of perfect blue. Beneath his hand, Jake’s skin was warm and solid. His gaze dropped to Jake’s lips; he nearly came undone when Jake’s tongue poked out and wet them.
“Jake,” Heath whispered hoarsely, and then they were kissing.
TBC