Rocket's Red Glare

Odd Tension

For the next couple of days, Joe was in his head. He thought about his and Holly's relationship? He wasn't sure if that was the right word. He wasn't sure how to even describe their interactions. He enjoyed spending time with her and, sure, he felt extremely protective of her, but. . .

"You okay?"

Joe snapped out of his trance when Joseph walked into the makeup trailer. He had to tap him on his shoulder to get his attention.

"Yeah," Joe said, clearing his throat. "Just thinking."

"About Holly?" Joseph teased. His smirk dropped when he saw the look on Joe's face. "Wait a minute," he said slowly. "It is! You've been thinking about Holly. Awww."

"Shut up," Joe sighed. Joseph's teasing smile dropped.

"What's up?" Joseph asked. "You're acting weird. I thought you liked Holly. She seems pretty cool."

"She is," Joe mumbled. "She's incredible. She's smart, funny, beautiful. . . But. . ."

"But what?" Joseph pushed.

"She'd never go for me," Joe sighed, leaning back in his makeup chair.

"What are you talking about?" He asked as he walked over and sat in the chair next to Joe. "Holly has started opening up to you, right? She's begun leaving her apartment more and started talking to people she doesn't know. She's come out of her shell and all because of you."

He stood up and patted Joe on the shoulder. Before walking away, he said, "Holly is definitely into you, Joe. Don't waste your's and her time wondering. Go get that girl."

Joe thought about that constantly throughout the rest of the day. He knew how he felt about Holly. He knew from basically the first time they really talked. But was he enough for her?

He hasn't had a lot of good relationships in the past, and he knows that Holly has struggled with relationships, romantic and platonic. He wanted to be there for her, to protect her, but he didn't want to hurt her.

What if she didn't feel the same way about him as he did about her? Then she'd lose the one person she was comfortable around. He couldn't do that to her.

They broke for lunch and Joe walked to his trailer. He changed out of his costume and back into his street clothes. He left his trailer but stopped when he saw Holly. His breath got caught in his throat as he saw her talking and laughing with Hank, the security guard.

For a reason that Joe couldn't put his finger on, he panicked. He ran back to his trailer and tried to think about what to do. Before he could think about it, he changed back into his costume. He swore under his breath when a soft knock that could only belong to Holly echoed in his trailer.

"Just a second!" Joe called out. He fixed his costume and his hair. He rolled his eyes at himself.

"Hey," Holly smiled when Joe opened the door. "You ready for lunch?"

"I'm sorry, Holly. I totally forgot we were going to lunch," he sighed. He was sure he was going to regret this but he was worried that if he spent too much time with Holly, he'd risk telling her how he felt. And he wasn't sure what would happen when he finally told her.

"Oh," Holly said, her mood instantly changing. Joe wanted to kick himself when she wrapped her arms around herself.

"We're way behind," Joe continued. "With the recent weather and half of our actors were out last week sick, we've been having to film through lunch. I'm really sorry, Holly."

"I understand," she smiled, trying not to show Joe how hurt she really was. "Work is work."

"I'm sorry," he whispered. His heart plummeted into his stomach when she tightened her arms around herself.