Love in the Limelight

Chapter Eight: Making it official

"You need to burn that couch, like right now. I have a lighter in my trailer if you need help" Joseph laughed, almost chocking on his water.
"I know, I'm surprised I'm keeping this food down while I'm reliving it. The look on Joes face when he saw me in the doorway is ingrained in my memories forever." I laughed into my juice.

"I think I'm kind of jealous that you got to see Keery shirtless before I did but I'm willing to overlook it" he said leaning back in his chair with a smile and looking me in the eye making my heart flutter.
"Oh, so someone has a man crush on Keery?" I said with a quizzical brow accompanying it with a smirk. "It's the hair for sure" I said taking another sip.

"Oh yeah, chest hair is my kryptonite" clutching his chest comically as he sat back up to eat some more of his food.

I could say the same about his hair. How can one man be so attractive in two such different looks. We had decided on just going to the food area on set as Joseph couldn't really go anywhere in his costume anyways. It would take more than an hour to just to get out of it all anyways. There's an imagine I wish I could see.

"So, I feel like I spotted some tattoos on you earlier" he said as he loaded his fork with more pasta and looking up at me as he ate it. oh god. my stomach dropped a little at showing him them for the first time. "um yeah I do.. I do have a couple" I answered rubbing my neck and looking down at my now empty plate.

"Can I see them? You don't have to though, just thought I'd ask" he said hesitantly, me believing he was picking up on my nerves.

"I can show you some but only describe others as they are in places...not visible" I said tucking a piece of hair behind my ear.

I could see a slight pink on his cheeks as if he was blushing at what I just said. He visibly swallowed his drink nervously. God he was cute "ok well I have 8 on my arms, 1 behind my ear and then one.... Um, under my butt" I said clearing my throat, catching his colour go pinker.

He took a sharp breath in. I pulled up my sleeves and showed him the ones on my arms. I noticed his eyes light up as I showed him my arms. They weren't anything major and were all reasonably small with minimal details as I couldn't handle the pain. "These two are the most elaborate and most painful ones" I said pointing to a small mural of the characters in Lord of the Rings going through the mountains trekking to Mordor and another on my other forearm of a cute simple space fight scene from Star Wars.

These ones he seemed to like the most. I think if I blush any harder my head might explode. I'm always worried people wont like them or judge me for them, but I didn't feel that from him.

"Oh, and this one" I exclaimed as remember the one behind my elbow on the Star Wars arm. "It's Ky-" I started to say but was interrupted by him finishing my sentence.

"Kylo Rens light Sabre!" he exclaimed with a huge smile gently touching my arm, running his fingers over the tattoo before going back to look at the other two on my arms again. The feeling of his hands touching my skin made me tingle, a flash back to the first time we shook hands and how it felt. Butterflies were running around my stomach like crazy.

"Billie these are actually so cool" he said beaming, still looking at my tattoos. "Here I was doubting that you weren't actually nerdier than me, but I stand corrected" he said finally releasing my hands. Ugh why did he have to let go.

"Well, it's nice to be able to show them off to a fellow nerd, even if they aren't as nerdy as me" I said with a laugh pulling my sleeves back down. "so what about the um" he cleared his throat "what about the butt one?" he asked with a seemingly flirty smile.

Oh, he for sure did not forget to ask about that one did he. I blushed hard but hoped he didn't think too much of it.

"Oh well um its nothing crazy but it was a dare" I laughed sipping my drink again. He raised his eyebrow at me, looking at me to continue. "Sam dared me to get the word 'Peachy' on my ass because she always says it's my best 'ass'set" I said, emphasizing the word ass in asset. "So, I did but with a twist" I continued.

His pupils slightly dilated at my words, and he was for sure blushing just as much as me. "what's the um, what's the twist?" he asked hesitantly. "Well, I didn't get it on my ass just underneath, but the twist is that I got it written in Elvish" I explained, rubbing my neck in embarrassment.

Why pm earth was I telling him this? Fuck. I was ao unsure what his response would be but I for sure did not expect what he did say.

"wow" he said leaning back in his seat seeming to be kind of taken aback. "it's um, its nerdy as hell but for sure just as sexy" he laughed with a slight lip bite.

Stop.

I can't handle it.

I was for sure a tomato at this point.

Out of all tge possible responses I did not expect that one. The warm tingle radiated through my body. Praying to God he will see it one day.

I managed to change the subject reasonably quickly as the following silence from the tattoo talk felt like eternity. We had been sat there talking for what only felt like only ten minutes in total but as a call came on the speakers for everyone to return to set, we realized it had been an hour and a half. I was shocked as I looked down at my watch and realized this.

I honestly felt sad that I haven't done this with him earlier. Like id missed out on great conversations this this whole time. It was easy talking to him. Yeah he made me feel.. a certain way. But our general conversations felt so natural and that it wasn't forced. I convinced myself id never be able to freely talk to him because I was so attracted to him, but I ended up just enjoyed being around him.

We reluctantly got up from our seats and began the walk back over to set. Walking next to him we continued talking, mainly about my work on The Mandalorian as he seemed super eager to ask me all about it at the table. He also admitted that his other man crush was Pedro Pascal, next to Joe obviously. He nearly died when I said I could maybe introduce them sometime to see if a romance flourished. I nearly died in return when his hand brushed against mine as we walked, I felt the warm tingle down below again as I imagined his hands on me. Everywhere. Anywhere.

"Don't tease me Bils, I mean it, I would die" he laughed shaking his head with a smile. Bils? No one calls me that, not even Sam. A small shiver came over me at the sound of him calling me that. Everyone just calls me Billie. But I kind of liked it, especially coming out of his mouth.

"Bils?" I asked looking over at him. "Is that my new nickname?" biting my lip slightly from the suspense I felt to his potential response. "I mean does anyone else call you that?" he asked smiling back at me. That. Smile.

"no" I responded.

"Then yes" he said looking at my lips then back to me eyes. The smirk on his face as he said it made my stomach flip.

Sweet Jesus.

We stopped as we reached the outside of the set doors again and I let out a small sigh as I didn't want the conversation to end. He hesitated to go in for a second and looked at me like he wanted to say something else.

"So, I feel kind of bad that we haven't done this sooner" he said rubbing his neck, eyes looking down. "I feel like we could have been closer by now and considering our roles in this I feel like we should be" he added looking up at me, seemingly nervous. God he's cute when he's nervous.

"I mean it's only been a month but yeah I've felt like that too." I responded trying my best to smile through the nerves. "So we can make lunch more of a regular thing?" he asked. Oh god yes. "Yeah, of course we can. I mean I already have a nickname, so I feel like we're pretty close already" I laughed playing with a piece of my hair.

"Well, it just means you'll have to think of one for me now to make it official" he added. Official? I wish that were a more than friends official.

Baby steps Billie, baby steps.

I thought about it for a moment. "Does anyone call you J?" I asked looking up at his reaction. His face didn't seem to protest it "um actually no, they don't" he smiled. He licked his lip slightly and looked at my lips. "Well now someone does" making my way to the door "I'll see you in there J" and I went through the door back onto set.