[8:42 PM] [Mr. & Mrs. Smith – Day Two of Filming]
[Exterior Courtyard Set – Night]
Everything was set perfectly.
The cameras rolled as the garden lit up with soft lanterns and crackling bonfires. Strings of lights hung between trees. Junior artists moved in rhythm to the soft groove of the background track. Some were eating, others drinking, and a few dancing.
In the middle of it all, John and Jane sat at a table. They wore matching white clothes.
They raised their glasses.
Jane gave him a smile. "To dodging bullets."
John's lips curled into the faintest grin. He clinked his glass against hers. "Dodging bullets."
They drank.
The camera lingered for a beat, soaking in the scene behind them. Extras danced lazily in pairs or alone, swaying near speakers and fire pits. Laughter drifted on the wind. The warmth of the moment was fragile but real, like a secret trying not to be noticed.
Jane set her glass down, eyes locked on John. She leaned in, a spark in her eyes. "So it speaks," she said as she stood up, "but does it dance?"
She took her glass and walked toward the little open area where some were dancing. She finished her drink in a single gulp and tossed it into the nearby burn barrel. The glass shattered inside with a satisfying crash, sending a ripple of heat and fire into the air.
John watched her silently.
Jane's hips, already starting to sway to the music. Her movements were slow, seductive, almost taunting. She let the rhythm take over, her body swaying, arms raised above her head as she continued to dance.
John sat still for another moment, then let out a slow breath. He stood and walked toward her. He moved without hurry, like a man heading into danger and already knowing the outcome.
Jane turned her head slightly to glance at him. She didn't stop dancing. He stepped in, close enough to feel the warmth of her skin, and placed one hand gently on her hip.
She let him.
Together, they moved.
He matched her tempo, closing the distance, until they were only inches apart.
The dance was intimate, full of tension and heat. His hands found her waist. Her fingers slid behind his neck.
Their bodies pressed together. Jane's dress caught the breeze, fluttering against his legs. He dipped her back slightly, and her hair spilled like silk across his arm. Their eyes never broke contact. Their faces came too close to each other, making it look like they would kiss any moment, but they didn't and continued swaying to the music.
Then, as they moved in closer, the sky gave a sudden growl. A low rumble of thunder rolled across the garden. The sound effects were perfect, followed by the light effects. A flash of purple light lit the sky, just enough to send flickers of color across their faces.
Jane looked up for a split second, eyes wide with wonder. She smiled.
John pulled her in tighter, resting his forehead against hers. The music played on.
They kept dancing, and to the crew it looked perfectly natural. It was as if they weren't acting but living in the moment.
The camera held the moment.
Director's voice: "And… cut!"
Alex and Angelina didn't move right away. They stayed there, breathing together, and they were still in their character.
Jane whispered, not breaking character, "So it does dance."
John just smiled.
...
[Angelina's Dressing Room – 30-Minute Break]
The hallway was quiet as Alex knocked once and stepped inside. Angelina's dressing room was softly lit with the golden glow of vanity bulbs and the scent of jasmine in the air. She was sitting on the couch, her legs curled under her, sipping water.
He closed the door behind him and leaned against it for a second, watching her.
"You killed that dance scene," he said.
Angelina smirked, not looking up. "I told you I had moves."
He walked over and dropped down beside her, their knees bumping.
"You gonna gloat about it now?" he asked.
She tilted her head. "Only if you ask nicely."
Alex leaned in, voice low. "Please gloat."
She laughed, setting her water aside, and met his eyes. "You know, I enjoyed the scene. It felt... really good."
There was a pause. That thick silence full of things unsaid. Then she reached up and touched his right cheek. He caught her hand, holding it for a moment before pressing a soft kiss to her fingers.
"You know we have twenty minutes, right?" she asked with a sly smirk and an eyebrow raised.
"Well," Alex smiled with a slight nod.
He leaned in and kissed her.
It started slow, lips brushing, testing. But quickly deepened. Her fingers tangled in his hair. His hands slid around her waist, pulling her close. Their lips moved in sync, again and again, pausing only to steal short breaths before diving back in.
Her hand tugged at his collar. His fingers skimmed under the hem of her shirt. There was heat, but no rush. This wasn't about lust. It was about connection. About knowing exactly how the other one felt without needing to say it.
At one point, they broke apart just long enough to laugh—quiet and breathless—before going right back in.
"I think I'm getting addicted to you," She said between kisses.
Alex's eyes twinkled as he pulled away, grinning. "That's the spirit, babe. Drugs are bad, but a little addiction to each other? That's a healthy choice." He paused for a moment, as if thinking, then kissed the tip of her nose. "Plus, it'll make our scenes so much better. The audience will eat it up with a spoon."
Angelina rolled her eyes, but couldn't help the giggle that escaped her. "You know, I bet we could make this place an official break room if we just kept... 'practicing' our chemistry."
Alex chuckled, pulling her in again, this time pressing his lips to her neck. "We could. But then, we'll have to share the couch with the crew. And I'm not sure I'll be able to keep this... 'professional' in front of others."
She shivered at his touch, her voice breathy as she responded, "Oh, the horror. Us sharing our love for each other with the world."
Their lips met once more, teasing and tender, as they leaned back into the couch...
...lost in each other.
When the assistant knocked on the door to call five minutes to reset, they were already halfway through fixing their clothes.
"That was supposed to be a break," Angelina whispered, still adjusting her shirt.
Alex gave her a crooked grin. "That was therapy."
...
[Exterior Courtyard Set – Rain Scene]
The courtyard had transformed.
Crew members worked fast under black umbrellas and rain canopies. Giant rigs released a curtain of artificial rain over the scene. Thunder rumbled softly from hidden speakers. The lighting team had nailed the mood: a violet-gray hue that gave the entire set a soft, cinematic gloom. And a slight breeze to make it look realistic.
At the center of the frame was a small round table under a leafless tree. A bottle of liquor sat on top, already prepped with water. Two soaked white chairs surrounded it. Alex has already given instructions to the assistant director and the camera crew about the positioning and timing.
Angelina stepped onto the set. Alex walked to her and was ready for the scene.
The slate snapped.
"Scene 31B – Rain scene – Take One."
Director: "Action."
Rain pounded steadily. John was sitting on the long bench, and Jane was on his lap. Her arms wrapped slowly around his neck. Their eyes were locked with each other.
John raised the bottle, took a sip, and held it in one hand. His other hand reached for her hip.
Jane leaned in slowly. Her lips found his, and they kissed softly.
John kissed her back. Their mouths moved slowly, building heat despite the cold water drenching them from above. The kiss deepened, breath caught between lips. His hand slid along her waist, under the curve of her ribs, brushing the side of her breast. She didn't stop him. Her own hands tugged him closer, one sliding into his soaked hair.
He kept holding the bottle as they kissed. The water drenched them.
Jane tilted her head. Their kiss shifted, went harder. More desperate. She kissed him with hunger now, mouth opening to take more. Her body pressed against him, and he let out a soft, almost involuntary sound.
John set the bottle on the table beside them, never breaking the kiss.
Jane's hands wrapped around his neck. She kissed him harder this time. Lips crashing into his as a thunder crackled. She began to grind on his lap, and her chest moved up and down as she was breathing harder with each passing moment. He kissed her back with equal force, hands gripping her waist.
Then the scene was finally over.
Director: "And... CUT!"
Alex and Angelina didn't speak at first. They sat there, foreheads touching, breathing heavily as the scene dissolved around them.
Angelina smiled without opening her eyes. "I kinda lost control over there."
Alex chuckled. "So did I."
Then they stood up. The rain rig stopped, and a crew member rushed to them with a towel.
...
[Temporary Office room]
Rachel stood over a table with the assistant director and designer, reviewing the notes for the upcoming house shoot. Alex has prepared everything in advance so that they can work on it without him telling them again what to do. The pages were marked, lighting plans were annotated, and neighborhood layouts were pinned to corkboards.
Titan's logistics team was already making calls. The neighborhood Alex had bought was being converted overnight into a controlled environment. There were eight houses in the area, and he owned them all, well, thanks to Rachel as usual. Construction teams would begin retrofitting the interiors in the morning. Painters, set decorators, lighting engineers, and wardrobe teams were already booked and assigned.
Security was tightened. Fencing and blackout drapes were ordered to be installed around the perimeter. Drone flyover clearance was confirmed. Titan wanted zero leaks from the neighborhood shoot.
...
[Alex's Penthouse]
Angelina stood on the balcony barefoot, leaning against the railing, a half-full glass of wine in hand. Her hair was still slightly damp from the rain scene, curling at the ends. The white robe she'd changed into was loose, tied lazily at the waist. The wine glass caught the light, throwing little flickers across her skin.
Inside, Alex sat on the living room sofa, laptop open, headphones on. He was on a video call with Jane, his second assistant. She was sitting in her office.
"We can absolutely pull it off by March," Jane said confidently.
Alex nodded. "Good. I want this to be perfect."
He clicked through a few folders on his screen and mailed four files to her.
Jane's screen lit up as the files came through. "These are the visuals?"
"Yeah," he said. "Spawn, TMNT, and Hellboy. The last one's a black bag. I'll send details later. But it's big."
Jane opened the documents, her eyes scanning the sample frames. The first was a moody splash panel of Spawn rising from hellfire, cape swirling like smoke. The second was a rough layout for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles—gritty and urban, leaning into alley shadows and neon lights. The third featured Hellboy holding his stone fist up against a storm, lightning crashing behind him.
"You're dropping three icons," Jane said. "And one mystery project. You want to do this all at once?"
Alex leaned forward. "I want Comic-Con to melt down. I want people leaving our panel sweating and tweeting at 200 words per second. I want them arguing over which one drops first. I want them begging for leaks."
Jane grinned. "That I can do."
"I'll feed you the full lore file by the end of the week. Start building separate teaser campaigns for each, but don't connect them. Spawn gets the dark horror cut. Turtles get a hand-drawn graffiti look. Hellboy stays pulp and brutal. For the mystery one, I want it under lock until the day of."
Jane's fingers were already moving. "On it. I'll get Elias and Rina on concept trailers. We'll have voiceover drafts in a week."
"Well, see ya. Call me if you run into any problems," Alex said before cutting the call.
....
AN: We will see the cop arc during Comic-Con. Have a little patience. The world is big, and I can only focus on a few at the same time. Oh, and some reminded me of showing negative reviews that Alex gets, so I'll be showing that too. Won't lie, I kinda missed it. My bad.
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