Muse.

Spotlight Stealer

Eren's hand grasps the frost covered brass handle bare. He turns it with a creak and enters the room, kicking off his boots.

Whoever had been talking stops. Mikasa sits in her pile of white fabric. Her hands fidget with themselves. Reiner faces the window, hands on his hips, his head turned to Eren. I slip by their weighty expectations and into the kitchen. I brace my arms around my plate and sip on the grapefruit mimosa, resigned to wait for my appetite to come back.

"Ready?" Armin asks the room, but his china eyes look at Eren.

"All set," announces Floch, patting the camera. Reiner rolls his eyes.

Eren crosses the living room and sits down at the edge of the backdrop, beside Mikasa. "Do you want this part?"

"Yes.." Her brows knit.

"Lie down."

She does, her eyes fixed on him.

"What's your line?"

"Oh thou didst kill me; kill me once again," she recites. It sounds stiff. I can tell she is frustrated.

Eren leans in to her and whispers something. She closes her eyes and takes up a serious pose. He motions to Armin. The fair haired boy approaches the backdrop, lying down opposite her, on his back, setting his head down beside hers.

Eren cues Floch. Mikasa breathes in deeply and flips a switch. When her eyes open wide, they look like black glitter. She speaks the line, words rising like air, charged with yearning. Her talent is undeniable.

"Cut."

She doesn't look up. She watches some spot on the wall.

I thought it was beautiful. But, It wasn't good enough for him. Everyone knows.

"Y/n. Lie down here." He touches the white backdrop.

Mikasa leaves the room. I hesitate.

"Please." His voice is curt. The word is a formality.

I shuffle over in his sweats, and present myself stiffly before him. How can I top that?

He pinches the sweatshirt fabric and tugs me down. I sit before him, legs crisscrossed. His hands reach into my hood and push it back with the backs of them. He reaches under the curtain of my hair and pulls it out of the neck. A chill runs down my spine when his hands graze my neck.

"Anything under there?" He asks.

His gaze holds mine coldly. It takes me a moment to realize what he's asking—that it is not an innuendo. I shake my head.

"Thought so. Just lie down. We won't use the mock-up." Eren pulls the flossy fabric aside.

I turn my head sideways at the camera, my hair splayed over the backdrop, awaiting direction.

"You are desperate for Armin, but he denies your advances. Your ex-lover watches in the background. He is jealous someone new has captured your attention."

I nod.

He stares deep into my eyes, annunciating my line to me. "Oh thou didst kill me; kill me once again." He emphasizes each word with a conductor's precise hand motions.

I repeat it to him. He nods, watching me closely. I am pleased with myself for remembering it easily.

Reiner sits at the back of the blank set. He is already in character. His eyes burn over me. I look away from his abject dislike. I might start to think it's real.

Armin lies down beside me,m. His head settles beside mine. His corn-silk hair tickles my face. I wrinkle my nose and giggle. He laughs too, a hoarse sound coming from the back of his throat. He smells like rosemary soap and fruit wine.