Sail Away With Me (Rory McCann)

Key To My Soul

"Can I not have a minute to get my damn breath back" Rory grumbled as one of the makeup artists came over to touch him up after his scene.

"Give it here, I can sort it out" Tori suddenly announced as Rory budged away from the other woman.

"Clarissa said-"

"I don't care what Clarissa said. Rory's one of mine, if she wants to change that, she can speak with Toby".

The other woman dropped her brush and glared at her for a moment, Tori wasn't about to back down though and eventually, she stomped off.

"Yours am I?" Rory laughed once they were alone.

"Only in your wildest dreams old man" she winked and went on to finish up the touch-up.

Today they were filming at location, which was pretty much a vast Woodlands a couple of hours drive north of Belfast. That meant they were working out of smaller portable cabins and big marquee type tents. It wouldn't have been too bad, but the weather had taken a turn and the wind brought with it a bitter cold.

"I'm liking these scenes with you and Maisie. Who knew you were kinda funny" she continued to tease.

"You enjoy tormenting me woman?" he laughed back, just as she had finished and began to pack her brushes away.

Tori just shrugged as she went to walk away, but was stopped when he quickly called out for her again. "Well has a tormenting make up artist got time for lunch with an old man?"

Instantly a smile crept across her face, but she quickly dropped it before she turned back around to him in order to seen calm and collected. "Don't see why not".

The canteen on the location was in fact just a small burger van type deal, so they both ordered a greasy burger with fried onions and went to find some warmth inside his trailer.

"Check you out Mr. Big shot actor, with your own trailer. Very nice".

"It's warm at least. Hows that makeup porta cabin working for you".

Tori threw a fry at him in response, which he quickly caught and ate before they both fell silent again as they continued to munch down on their food. 

"You seem to be settling in a lot more recently. The girls still giving you shit?" he asked as he finished his burger and threw the paper plate in the bin. 

"I just keep out of their way. Hang out with my favorite grumpy Scot" she winked and turned to notice a guitar in the far corner of the room. "You play?"

"Aye, a little at least".

"Will you play me something?" she almost begged. 

Rory rolled her eyes at her but finally agreed and motioned for her to pass him the guitar. "You know Bob Dylan?" 

"That man as the key to my soul" she laughed and got comfier on her chair which was facing him who was sat on the sofa. 

"Alright then" he breathed in. 

Tori knew the song as soon as he strummed the first chords and felt a chill run down her spine. Slowly he began to sing the lyrics to Girl from the North Country and she closed her eyes to take each word in. Rory couldn't take her eyes off her as she sat there with her eyes shut, taking in each dimple, line, and curve of her face as he continued to play. Eventually, he brought the song to an end and gently placed the guitar down as her eyes opened again. 

"I love that song" she sighed.

Rory only smiled back at her softly, completing forgetting that his face was actually covered in fake mud and scarring. Their moment together was quickly interrupted when a loud but short knock sounded from the door and one of the producers came inside. 

"I'll leave you guys to it" Tori smiled and quickly took her leave. 

She didn't end up seeing Rory again until filming had finished for the day. Before they left to head back to the hotel, she had to remove the prosthetics and clean up the rest of the make-up. Rory by far had the most make-up work on set and they were some of the last people left by the end of the day. On the ride back to the hotel, in the mini-van, there was only them, a couple of producers and cameramen left. They had both chosen to sit next to each other though as they started the drive back to Belfast.  Because of where they were shooting, there were no hotels nearby and they couldn't house everybody on set, most of them wanted to return to the nicer hotel in Belfast each evening anyway, so it was an early start and very late finish each day and today was no different.

"I'm so knackered" Tori yawned as they drove through the night.

"It's producers review tomorrow so least the rest of us get a rest day. You got any plans?"

"Nope. You?"

"Thought I'd go out on the waters for the day, you wanna join me?"

Tori quickly turned in her seat towards him and went wide-eyed. "Fuck yeah". 

Rory smiled back at her as he twisted his body slightly towards her. Slowly, she relaxed back into her seat and leaned in very slightly towards him. Within the next hour, she had leaned in more and more towards him as she nodded off to sleep. Rory was still awake though and gently moved his arm around the back of her shoulders allowing her rest into his side and rest her head on his chest. He could now hear her gentle breathing as she continued to sleep and the sweet coconut smell of her hair was almost intoxicating. 

When the van finally reached the hotel, Rory quickly moved his arm away from her, worriedly slightly what the other people in the van would think if they saw them cuddled up together. Tori had slowly woken up as well and looked nervously at him with a shy smile. 

"See you tomorrow?" she asked quietly.

"Aye. I'll see you then".