Requested by: @mrs_parker3696 — I hope you don't mind that I decided to make it a series!

"Hey, Haz." I call as I enter his apartment for movie night. It's become a tradition since we first became friends after we met during a photoshoot three years ago. Since then, whenever one of us needed some time to unwind and just hang out, we have movie night, and I could really use one right now.

"I was wondering what was taking you so long." He says and quickly grabs the pizza boxes from my arms. His eyes narrow as he looks me over. "Everything okay?"

"Yes, and no." I reply with a shrug, "I got a call from Nate. The role if officially mine if I want it. Not that I have a choice since the offers aren't exactly pouring in."

"Maybe this movie will change things for you." Harrison nudges my shoulder with that stupidly contagious smile. "Can you tell me what it's about?"

"You're talking to your wrong best friend, Haz. I'm not the one who spoils everything." I laugh and take a bite of pizza. "What's one of the roles I've always wanted to play?"

"Let me see, you're already a character in Marvel, you did that fantasy movie you were wanting last year, which only leaves a gender-bent Sherlock?"

"It's Sherlock's daughter, which is close enough." I say with a grin. "I swear, even if things were going great, I'd take this role in a heartbeat. It's one of my dream roles."

"Then let's forget about the crappy stuff, and celebrate by eating all the junk food in the flat. C'mon, I'll even let you pick the movie."

I pretend to think about it for a second. "Fine, but two conditions. One: don't give me that sad look every time my phone buzzes. Two: you don't bring him up."

Harrison lets out a heavy sigh and slings an arm over my shoulder. "Fine, but you know it's better if you talk about it eventually."

"Maybe, but not tonight." I retort, grabbing the pizza boxes and settling on the couch for the movie.

I'd be lying if I said I didn't feel a twinge of panic every time my phone buzzes. It's been months since I turned off notifications for all forms of social media, and even though I know Uncle Nate promised me the role was mine, I'm still terrified the shreds I call my current reputation is going to ruin everything.

So when my phone buzzes, I swear this is it. Especially when I see that it's from Nate. "What up?" Haz asks, leaning forward in concern.

I let out a sigh of relief as I read the message. "Nothing major. It looks like Nate booked me a flight for tomorrow morning. He wants me to join him for some meetings with some of the other key players about the movie, which is code for 'be really nice and show you're not nightmare everyone thinks you are.'"

"Y/N," Harrison whispers, and I know he feels bad about everything that happened. Not that it was his fault.

"Don't worry, Haz. Everything's going to be fine. I just need to avoid any association with you know who until it clears up." I shrug and turn the movie back on like nothing's wrong.

It takes a little while for Haz to ease up and start cracking jokes with me, but once we do, things finally start to feel a little normal, which I'm immensely thankful for. I needed this right about now.

By the time the movies over, we've long forgotten about it, finished the entire pizza, and caught up on each other's lives. I lean back into the arm of the couch with my legs draped over his lap.

Of course, it comes to a screeching halt when a knock on the door. "You expecting someone?" I question and sigh as Haz gets that guilty look on his face. "Please, tell me it's not—"

"I'm sorry. You said not to talk about him," He whispers as he stands up to let them inside. "Hey, dude."

"Hey!" Tom cheers as he steps inside, and I watch the smile slip from his face at the sight of me.

"And that's my cue to leave."

"You really don't have to." Harrison says, and Tom hesitantly nods.

"No, it's cool. I still need to pack for the flight tomorrow." I tell him and grab my stuff. "See you later, Haz."

...

"Y/N!" 'Uncle' Nate shouts as I meet him on the tarmac. "It's nice to see you again. I've missed you, kiddo."

"I missed you too, Nate." I reply and accept his hug. "Sorry it's taken me so long to come back. I just—I needed some time. "

"Don't worry about it. You're here now, and the timing is perfect." He smiles as he takes my bag from me. "Trust me when I say this is the perfect role for you. There's no one else I could trust with this."

"So, what's the bad news?" I question, "You always flatter the heck out of someone when you're about to give them bad news." Nate sighs, taking his dear sweet time putting my bag into the car. "Nate, please, just give me an idea what I'm up against. Is someone refusing to work with me? Are the execs worried I'll bring too much negative attention? What?"

"No, no. It's nothing like that." He sighs and rubs his forehead, which he always does when he's trying to find the right words. "I just have a feeling you and your costar are going to have a little friction, which could potentially work in our favor for the enemies part of the script, but we're gonna need to fix it if we want to make a convincing lovers ending."

"Okay." I drag out the word as long as I reasonably can. "So, let me guess, you called me out here to mentally prep myself to go method with it and try to work through whatever 'friction' may occur for a more convincing movie?"

"How did you know?" Nate's smile pushes his sunglasses up his face a little.

"You're the infamous director and my honorary uncle, Nathan Drake. It's your trademark method." I laugh, "Plus, how many times did you have me go full method by going to LARP or cosplay events as a kid?"

"Well, it was great training for you. I mean just look at the actress you've become. You're phenomenal, and Sully would be so proud of you." He beams with pride. "And for the record, I'm going to let you two meet to see if the tension can be resolved. If not, we move on to my other plan."

"Fine." I sigh, "When this meeting supposed to be?"

"In a few days. He's gonna fly out tomorrow, and I still have to explain the situation to him as well, which is why I set you up at your favorite hotel with their best spa package. All of which is on me."

"Nate," I complain, "you know I can't accept that."

"Nope. I'm not letting you argue with me on this. Elena actually told me I'll be sleeping on the couch if you don't accept. So, please, for the sake of my back, just let us do this for you. Trust me, you deserve it."

"Only because you're guilt tripping me because you know how much I respect Elena." I crack a smile, "Are you at least gonna tell me who my costar is?"

"Nope." He replies and deftly changes the topic by motioning to the backseat. "What I will tell you is that I managed to get your full script for you to read."

I grab it and smile as I press it to my chest. "You may be secretive, but you know me so well."

The content of the pages draw me in, and I spend every waking moment pouring over it between sleeping and time in the spa. It's absolutely beautiful and so much more than I ever could have anticipated. The idea of the daughter or Sherlock Holmes also being named Sherlock, who is witty, well ahead of her time, and independent.

It's all I've ever wanted.

Even as I look in the mirror, I can picture myself as her. It doesn't matter that I don't look how I would like, or all the stuff the media says about me. I'm doing this—no matter what. I have to.

It's what I keep telling myself as I get ready for the big meeting with my costar. There's no reason this won't go well. I need it to go well for a hundred reasons, and for a moment, I allow myself to hope that it will.

That is, right up until I open in the door.

"Y/N, I'm sure you already know your costar."

I grit my teeth and force a smile, "Tom, it's nice to see you again."

It's clear we share the same sentiment judging by the way his shoulders slump and his whole body tenses. "Sure sounds like you're happy to see me."

"Okay." Nate interrupts, "This will only be useful for so long. So you two are going to need to figure this out. Have a seat."

We both hesitantly sit down across from each other, and for the next two hours try to speak to each other. Trouble is, we can barely get a few words out.

"Clearly, this isn't going to work." Nate sighs. "Pack your bags. I'll have the car pick you up in the morning."

"Please, Nate, don't make me do this."

"Sorry, kiddo. I need you two ready to play a couple, and this isn't going to work." He gives me a serious look, "So whatever is going on, you're going to figure it out."

I look at Tom with a raised brow. "This is gonna suck." Somehow, I get the feeling it's gonna be even worse than I think.

That same feeling only worsens as the car pulls up to a small, beachfront house. The whole town is quiet, which isn't surprising considering it's the middle of winter. If I remember correctly from the times Nate's had me come here, this is mostly summer vacation homes.

Neither Tom or I have said anything so far into this trip, but that quickly changes when we survey the house's interior. There's a distinct absence of most normal furniture like a couch, which in its place are a pair of uncomfortable folding chairs.

My bag hits the floor with a loud thud, and I quickly look through every room to find most of the furniture missing in favor of cardboard boxes or cheap replacements. The guest bedroom is missing a bed, and I mentally curse as I move to the master, which only has one small bed in the center of the room. I grit my teeth, "I'm calling the master bed." I shout over my shoulder as Tom approaches. "You can sleep on the floor."

He looks around the nearly empty room and turns to me, eyes wide in disbelief, "You can't be that cruel, Y/NN."

"I'm not," I retort, and he cracks a smile at, "which is why I'll give you half the pillows and find you some blankets. Because under no circumstances are we sharing a bed."

"This isn't gonna work if we both don't try."

"I am trying. This role means everything to me, and I'm not gonna screw it up. So don't misinterpret my dislike for you for me not trying. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to search the house to see if I can find where Nate stashed everything." I snap. The truth is, I know Nate too well. We're never going to find where he put everything, and we're certainly not going to be able to get any accommodations until we're on good terms and accomplish his goal.

Right now, I just need to get away from Tom. There's too many emotions swirling around in my chest. It's hard to focus or even breathe when he's around, and I can't help that all that comes out is anger and disdain. There's just so much that's happened that it's strange to think we used to be so close.

I lock the garage door behind me and lean against it with a heavy sigh. Tears build in my eyes as I once again try to bury all the hurt that always seems to resurface when I'm around Tom. It doesn't help that everywhere I look there's reminders of Sully, which only makes me wonder what he would say about all this.

But he's gone, and the best I can do is try to live up to the example and expectations he had for me. The last thing he'd want is for me to be hiding out and avoiding what I have to do. So, I take a deep breath, and head out.

"Any luck?" Tom asks as he looks over his shoulder as he pulls some blankets out from the closet.

"No, and I have a feeling Nate made it so there's no way we're going to find anything that will make this easier." I sigh and collapse on the edge of the bed. "I'm sorry for snapping earlier. This is just a lot to take in at once."

Tom smiles at me as he sits next to me, "It really is, but I doubt Nate would have us going this if he didn't think it would work." I nod and stare at my hands. "So if you're willing to put in the effort, which I know you are, then I can too."

"Sounds like a plan then." I smile at him, "but we're not sharing the bed."

"Really?! You're gonna make me sleep on the cold, hard floor?" He asks with his brown eyes full of pleading. "C'mon, Y/N, we used to be friends. What happened?"

Everything in me freezes. My vision blurs with red despite my best efforts. "Don't." I tell him through grit teeth.

"What? I'm serious. We used to be close and then all the sudden, you changed and basically hated me."

I stand up, shaking my head. "Tom, seriously, don't even start with me right now."

"No, because we're supposed to work whatever's wrong out, and I can't do that without knowing what happened."

"How about this. If I let you sleep in the bed, will you drop it?" I snap as every other emotion is drowned out by the anger bubbling in my chest.

Tom's face scrunches in the way it only does when he's hurt, but it quickly fades under acceptance of the situation. "Fine, but you'll have to talk about it eventually."

"As long as it's not tonight, I'll be fine." My limbs ache in exhaustion as I grab some clothes and slam the bathroom door shut. It's impossible to ignore the truth. I'm going to have to talk to him about everything that's changed between us.

Somehow it feels like a lifetime ago that Haz wanted to introduce me to his best friend, who I fell head over heels for. I suppose it's because I was a different person then. Even now, while I may have changed, I have a hard time trying to convince myself that my feelings for him have changed.

I take my time showering and mentally preparing myself for the rest of this inescapable nightmare. When I finally gather up the courage, Tom has already set up a makeshift bed on the floor. "What are you doing?" I ask, but he ignores me. "I'm not actually letting you sleep on the floor."

"No, I can't. I don't want to make you any more uncomfortable than you already are." I sigh and grab his pillow and blankets off the floor. "What are you doing?"

"I'm making a wall. The bed is just big enough for us to each have our own space. " I retort and climb under the covers. "Just—don't cross the line, and we'll be fine."

It's pretty clear we're both hesitant about the situation, but there really isn't many options left. The floor is freezing cold and would kill either of our backs if we slept on it. So as much as I currently dislike Tom, I can't be that cruel. After all, the worst is yet to come.