Work Text:
Shit. It's all I can think as I skim through the script in my hands. Shit.
The kiss to end all kisses. Falling into bed - clothes coming off. Skin on skin. HOT. PASSIONATE...
I've never been too comfortable with kissing scenes - what actor is? But this I didn't see coming, at least not before season 4. And it's freaking me the hell out.
Not only is it supposed to be this super romantic, sexy scene that the fans have been waiting on for literally years, I'm doing it with Stephen. Stephen! My friend, Stephen, who's sitting next to me immersed in his own script. I feel the heat rush up to my cheeks and try to bury my head further into mine so that nobody notices my blush.
The room is fairly quiet, save for David talking to Brandon in a low voice; maybe because they've all read up to that scene and everyone's feeling sorry for Stephen and I. Or they're having a moments silence for our dead friendship.
Shut up, Emily, I scold myself. Our friendship isn't going to die. We're actors. It's our job. We can keep this professional.
A small voice in my head responds with the notion that perhaps, just perhaps, I don't really want to keep it completely professional. I ignore it, as I have every twinge or flutter I've felt in my chest and stomach when it's come to Stephen over the past few years.
The slight awkwardness in the room is broken by John's laugh.
"Finally! The dry spell is over." He chuckles, throwing the script onto the table and turning to face Stephen, clapping him on the back. Tension relieved, Stephen throws back his head in laughter and soon enough everyone follows suit, me included. All of a sudden I feel my limbs relaxing as I laugh along with the rest of them, and I decide that these scenes are definitely easier when turned into a joke.
——
I leave set after a long day of fairly uneventful filming, looking forward to snuggling up with Ophie and a movie.
"Hey, Emily!" I twist around to see Stephen jogging towards me and offer up a wave. We haven't spoken much all day, save for when in character. "You off?"
"Yeah, I just wrapped up. You?"
"Oh, no I've still got another scene left." He starts, and then ducks his head a little. "Uhh... So Antonio has a plan for the, uh, sex scene - he said we should go over it at some point before filming. D'you think you could come to my trailer early tomorrow at some point?"
I gulp, suddenly nervous. "Sure! Um, yeah, that's fine."
"Cool. Great." He starts to go, but I just can't stand the awkwardness that has ensued between the two of us a moment longer.
"Uh, Stephen?" I ask, and he stops, "We're good right? I mean, it's not going to be too awkward or anything...?"
"Yeah, we're good. We're actors, Emily, it's what we do." He says with a grin before turning to go once again, and I can't help but admire his ass in those green Arrow pants as he walks away from me.
Emily. Focus.
*The next day*
"Ok, so what if I take off her glasses before kissing her, like right after she says the 'I love you'. And then we can just chuck them somewhere." Stephen suggests to Antonio in his trailer the next day. Stephen, Antonio, Beth and I have been in here talking about how Stephen and I are going to fake screw each other for almost half an hour and I'm actually feeling a lot more relaxed about the scene. It's just like any other. Only slightly more intimate. And awkward. And maybe just a little sexy...
"Yeah that works. Nice touch." Antonio says, making a note. "Alright, I think that's everything. Let's go through it one more time - Emily?"
"Feels like I'm studying for a test." I joke, earning a few laughs, "Ok. So I say the 'I love you', Stephen takes the glasses off and kisses me, I take off my coat, he takes off his shirt, he takes off my shirt, uh..."
"I pick you up and take you to the bed." Stephen adds in, helpfully. I laugh nervously. He's clearly having no trouble with this. He almost sounds... well, eager.
"Right, yeah, that, and then we're on the bed and I take off my bra and then Stephen flips us over and we make out for a bit." I say all this in a rush without meeting Stephen's eyes. "How did I do?"
"Perfect score." Beth tells me with a bit of a giggle, and I shoot her a grin.
A few more notes are taken, a few more jokes exchanged, and all of a sudden Antonio's getting up to go.
"Right, so Beth and I are off to set up now - but we're going to need you two soon, so don't go anywhere." He tells us.
"Sure. We'll be here." Stephen says. I try to suppress the odd nervous sensation rising up in my chest at the prospect of being alone with him.
"Feel free to rehearse though!" Beth calls with a laugh as she leaves. Stephen and I both join in as the door closes, but as soon as our eyes meet the our laughter ceases pretty quickly. Why is it still so freaking awkward? I think through things to say but come up completely blank.
"Maybe we should rehearse." Stephen says after a moment, with a perfectly straight face. My eyes widen to about twice their size and I laugh.
"What, now?"
"It could be useful. For the actual scene. No one has to know, we'll just be better when we film it." He shrugs as if it's no big deal. I suppose for him it isn't. He's done plenty of sex scenes in his career. Me? Not so much. Maybe he rehearsed like this for all of them, too.
"Uhh... Okay? How do we-"
"How about we just go through the end of the script. That okay?"
"... Right. Sure." I sit myself down opposite him and stare into his eyes, attempting to get into character. But I can't. For whatever reason, I just can't find Felicity whilst looking into the blue depths of Stephen's irises.
I start anyway. "You've opened up my heart in a way that I didn't even know was possible..." My heart is beating way faster than I'd like. "I love you."
The way he can get into character so fast astounds me. He's looking at me with a look so passionate, so lustful, I almost shy away from it. But I don't. I let him move his hands up to my face, first to remove imaginary glasses and then to cup my cheeks with calloused hands.
As his lips meet mine I feel a slight jolt in my chest. My first thought is of how soft they are, as they gently press against my mouth, surrounded by prickly stubble. My second thought is that I want more. His gentleness isn't enough for me... uh, for Felicity.
I raise my hands up to his neck, deepening the kiss as I tug slightly on the bottom of his hair. He smiles - actually smiles - into the kiss, before wrapping his arms tight around my waist and pulling my body harder against him. I realise with a jolt that I'm straddling him; when the hell did that happen? This can't be normal. This is Stephen! Married Stephen. And we aren't on camera or anything... Does that mean this could classify as cheating?
But just then he presses his tongue against my lower lip, and all logical thought flies out the window.
My mouth opens for him almost automatically, and I revel in the sensation of his tongue swirling hard against mine. My hands are fisting in his hair now, his slowly moving further down towards my lower region; we're both really going for it now.
Stephen starts to remove my jacket, and I break free of his mouth for a moment.
"Stephen, are we-"
"Do you want to?"
I hesitate. I know I'm enjoying this a lot more than I should. But to rehearse everything off camera? Isn't that a bit too far?
Screw it.
I peel off the rest of my jacket and watch as he pulls his shirt off in one swift motion. Phew. He's good at this. His fingers close at the bottom of my top and he raises his eyebrows as if asking: are you sure?
I smile at him, raising my arms slowly as he pulls it up over my breasts, his eyes flickering down at them for a second before returning to my eyes almost guiltily. My heart is hammering in my chest but somehow it's no longer just nerves; there's a current of electric anticipation running through me now.
His lips find mine again and all of a sudden his arms are wrapped around me, even harder than before, our heavy pants filling the silent room. His tongue explores my mouth as his hands explore my bare back; they reach lower and lower until firmly cupping my ass, caressing it in such a way that I actually moan out loud. I immediately cringe, hoping he didn't hear.
"Did you just moan?" He murmurs against my lips, withdrawing his tongue for a moment. I laugh slightly, beginning to pull away but am immediately pulled back in by his hands, still groping my ass like there's no tomorrow.
All of a sudden I feel a slight stiffening in his pants. I freeze.
"Stephen..." I say, letting a giggle out before I can stop it.
"Ignore it." He replies, the corners of his lips tugging up slightly. I look at him for a moment, contemplating.
"You know, it's pretty hard to ignore..." I say slowly, beginning to grind my hips down on him. The smile is immediately wiped off his face, replaced with one of deep concentration. I grind harder, ignoring the wetness starting to pool in my own panties. He continues to stiffen, until I can literally feel his rock hard cock straining against me.
I'm not sure what I'm doing. This was never part of the script. Grinding was definitely not something we agreed on, or even spoke about. Yet here I am, rubbing my crotch against his like we're actually going all the way. Which we are not.
He groans and pulls me against him, pushing my ass even further into him to deepen my movements. His lips find my neck as he starts to kiss and suck at a steady pace, slowly getting lower until he meets the start of my breast. I gasp, fumbling to remove my bra and he moves down to my quickly hardening nipple, which he presses against gently with his tongue before engulfing the entire thing in his mouth and sucking, hard.
My back arches in pleasure and I push his head closer against me with my hand. My other hand is slowly moving towards his bulging crotch when is hits me.
What are we doing?
We've gone so far off the script this hardly counts as a rehearsal anymore.
Stephen raises his head from sucking my boob, and moves back onto my lips, thrusting his tongue in with a desperate force that actually surprises me. His hands on my back find their way under my trousers and panties, until he's caressing my bare ass cheeks. I pull away.
"Stephen, what is your obsession with my ass?"
"You have a nice ass." He grins, panting slightly against my lips. I laugh breathlessly and press my lips against his once again. My hands move down to the buckles of his jeans and I unzip them, releasing his member so that only the thin material of his boxers remains between my hands and it. Our breaths are shallow in anticipation.
Just then the door to the trailer flings wide open.
"Stephen, Emily, apparently you're nee-" Willa breaks off with a squeak as Stephen and I spring apart like freaking guilty lovers. "What the fuck is going on here?"
I can feel my cheeks flaming in embarrassment as I hastily cover my bare chest with my hands. "We were, uh... rehearsing." I get out.
Willa stares incredulously at the pair of us for a moment, taking in Stephen's blatant erection and my naked torso, before snorting. "Rehearsing my ass. Anyway, you're needed for the sex scene. You know, the one actually on camera."