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Little Taps.

a vds one shot. you can find more on my ao3.

( @ apolloswords )

feel free to comment/message me any suggestions for one shot ideas!

Actors Jens Stoffels and Lucas van der Heijden get interviewed for their upcoming movie. The most pressing question? Their relationship.

The bright studio lights blinded Lucas’ eyes, but since this was the fourth or fifth time around, he was able to tolerate them a little more. He hoped he didn’t look so nervous. While he had done a fair share of acting and such, interviews didn’t always come along with the job. But since he was starring in an upcoming film adaption on a popular queer romance story, fans all over the world were dying just to meet the two actors who were about to bring their beloved characters to life.

“Welcome to the show our guest stars, Lucas can see Heijden and Jens Stoffels. These two young men are portraying the leads in the upcoming move, Solar Eclipse of the Heart.” Their interviewer, Ariel announced to the audience. She turned her body towards the two boys. “Would you like the introduce yourselves and your roles?”

Out of habit, Lucas looked at Jens, who already knew what was coming. Smiling at him, he gave Lucas a small smirk, knowing what to do next. Out of the two of them, Jens was more of the outgoing one, often taking the lead and reassuring Lucas. Lucas couldn’t help but think someone like him was just made to be a star, and he had just gotten lucky.

“Well, the story revolves around a coming of age experience between two boys. The movie is set up in three acts, the first one being in my character’s perspective, the next one being in Lucas’ characters perspective and eventually, how the outside audience or ‘world’ supposedly views them.” Jens began to explain confidently. “The whole premise is to feel like you are going on this journey along with them and experiencing what they feel, only to get the external viewpoint at the end as though you are only a passerby.”

“I see,” Ariel nodded off to Lucas. “And how would you describe this sort of story telling?”

“Uhm,” Lucas thought about the question for a second before responding. “I think it dives a bit deeper on how queer people having this whole realization about who they are and who they are to the world. I think it’s able to show all the insights of how one may struggle with finding love and themselves, from internal and external factors.”

“That was what critics highly raved about when the book was first released.” She smiled at them, before prompting another question. “Now, when ur comes to the characters, how do you feel connected to them? Are there any similarities or did you feel like you had to be an entirely different person?”

“Well the beautiful thing with acting, is that you can be an entirely different person.” Jens joked, as Lucas tried to hide the smile on his face by slightly covering it with the microphone in his hand. He knew how the eventual recording of this interview would surface the internet, and even the slightest of reactions coming from either of them would send the fans into a frenzy.

“While I do think there are differences between me and my character, it’s all mostly due to the background. We see my character have more of a struggle with bisexuality because his parents don’t fully understand the other terms under the queer umbrella.” Jens continued to explain. “Eitan, my character, feels like a fraud because he doesn’t know if his sexuality is true or not. But many of his interests, like music and skateboarding are things I still do so it sort of feels like an extension of myself.”

“I think Theo, my character, is probably the most similar character that I’ve played.” Lucas responded honestly. “I looked at the script and pretty much went ‘Hey, isn’t this just my life?”

The audience laughed in response, which made his nerves calm down a bit. He felt Jens’ foot slightly tap on his, reaching over his chair as a little touch of affection. He hoped the camera angle wasn’t that low, or else the action might be read as more than he had intended.

“So was playing the role of Theo hard for you? I mean, Theo wasn’t easily accepted by his family and I understand that can hit close to home. Did it ever make you question why you considered this role?”

“Uhm.” He could feel his chest tighten a bit. It wasn’t that the question was hard to answer, but Lucas just never felt like he ever had the right words to say. Another tap on his foot seemed to send a sense of security over him, and he sat up straighter while clearing his throat.

“It was hard, to be honest. There were some scenes where I felt like I wasn’t even acting anymore because I knew everything Theo felt in that moment.” He tried to avoid the shaking his voice. “But at the same time, it’s unfortunately a story that happens way too often. I’m lucky that myself and Theo have a great support system in the end, which kind of shows hope for those in the same situation.”

Another tap on his foot. He pressed his lips into a thin smile, hoping his cheeks weren’t blushing outrageously. Maybe he could blame it on the lighting.

“Well I think that’s also what makes this film so special.” Ariel said. “Over the years there have been many criticisms over non-queer people taking the lead roles as queer characters and people feel that gives a sense of false representation. But here, we have both of you who identify within the LGBTQ+ community who are also playing the roles of like characters.”

“Same sexualities too.” Jens laughed, and Lucas let that specific noise wash over him, calming himself down a bit.

“Same sexualities too.” Ariel repeated, laughing alongside with him.

“So the both of you clearly have the fans’ stamp of approval after just seeing the teasers and trailers for the film. People truly think you embody these characters to their fullest and think your chemistry is off the charts. How did you hit it off the first time after you had both been casted?” She asked.

They both looked at each other quickly, trying to stifle a smile. But Lucas knew the look on Jens’ face. With the way his tongue was pressing against his cheek as he widened his eyes a bit, this was definitely a dead giveaway that their publicist would probably lecture them later for. But neither of them couldn’t help it. After spending so much time together, filming and on the road doing interviews, there were just some reactions that were pure instincts.

“Well, Luc is an amazing actor.” Jens began to say, looking back at Ariel and repositioning himself in the chair. “And on top of that, he’s a great guy so it wasn’t at hard at all to get that chemistry going.”

“I think we did like three screen tests or something and that was it.” Lucas added shyly.

Jens gave him a small smile, obviously proud that he was adding more to the conversation without being directly coaxed.

“Yeah, it was a very small amount of screen tests between us.” He agreed. “To be honest, it’s kind of weird how our paths didn’t cross sooner. I did start out more in the music industry before playing the acting field and Luc was always casted for music videos around that time.”

“Maybe because I was in the Netherlands and you were in Belgium.” Lucas teased.

Jens let out an airy laugh, tilting his head back a bit. “Oh right, that would be why, wouldn’t it?”

They gave each other a small smile, hoping their microphones covered their mouths at just the right angle. Lucas ducked his head a bit, trying to avoid Jens’ gaze.

“But you guys filmed the move in Amsterdam, which I heard is close to where you grew up Lucas. But Jens, Antwerp isn’t that far away from the Netherlands either, did you have a hard time adjusting?”

“There is a little bit of a culture shock because while it is very close, it’s still a different environment.” Jens explained. “But one day, when we had a day off from shooting, Lucas took me to Baarle-Nassau. It’s like this really small town that has the Belgium and Netherlands border running through it. I think we spent an hour just jumping over the little marks.”

Lucas felt his face grow warm as he recalled the memory. It was a few weeks into shooting and while he and Jens had gotten along fairly well, they hadn’t spent time off set together really building their relationship. But after he decided to invite Jens on a day out, things had changed. Lucas first noticed it in the train ride, where he and Jens talked the entire two and a half hours there. Usually Lucas wasn’t a very social person, which was a bit ironic as an actor. Whenever he could, he liked to keep to himself, listening to his music or doodling, or even just looking out the window and imagining stories in his head. Train rides were good for that. But when he realized how long he was able to talk to Jens for, to feel so in tune and invested in the conversation that he didn’t even realize time go by.

“Yeah, that was a fun time.” He added, though it sounded more like he was saying it to himself rather than the whole audience. “We kept jumping over the marks saying that we were in each other’s country and how we were closer than we thought.”

“Well you guys are obviously very close now.” Ariel said and Lucas swore she saw a glint or even a wink in her left eye. “I do have a pressing question from the fans however, and I think we’re just all dying to know the answer.”

He let out a nervous laugh as Jens raised a brow. There were a lot of pressing questions from fans recently, flooding the comment section on social media posts or direct messages. But there was a singular question that seemed to take the spotlight.

“How do you both feel about everyone conspiring that you’re both in a relationship together? Has it effected your friendship in any way?”

“Uhm.” They both said in unison, trying to stifle the pressing giggles.

He felt Jens’ foot tap against his again, this time in a continuous pattern, like he was finding amusement in the question. Ariel looked at them weirdly, wondering why their reactions were so bashful.

“Well,” Jens began to say, clearing his throat, while still eyeing Lucas. “It’s not something really bothers us. I get why some people might think it’s a little invasive but I’m comfortable with our relationship and showing what they say are affectionate gestures is just something I seem to do without thinking when it comes to Luc.”

“It’s cool with me too.” He replied, sitting up straight and giving a small smile. “I’m not overly bothered by it. I think it’s nice that Jens and I can have a rather affectionate friendship.”

“So none of you are bothered at all about the speculations?” She asked, rather surprised. “It doesn’t affect actual private relationships you may have?”

“Nope.” They said at the same time, and Lucas covered his laugh with his hand.

“And to put on record, it doesn’t affect actual private relationships because we don’t have any.” Jens winked.

Still trying to stifle his giggle, Lucas squirmed a bit and gently kicked the bottom of Jens’ foot. Jens’ shoulders reacted to the action, but he still had that look on his face. The smirk, halfway lifting the right side of his mouth while his eyes looked at Ariel, and the audience, with a sort of charm. Jens had charisma when it came to hiding his reactions while Lucas always felt like he was so awkward.

The interview seemed to go by smoothly, answering more general questions without completely tripping over his words. When Lucas wasn’t fully paying attention to the conversation, he found his focus being on Jens again. Either slightly angling his body to get more of his angle in his peripheral vision or feeling the way Jens’ foot tapped against his. He watched the way Jens’ tongue rolled around the inside of his cheek when he was amused at something or the way his shoulders flinched slightly when another question about their relationship was asked. Lucas wasn’t sure if anyone was paying attention to his actions as closely. If they were, they were probably a dead giveaway to the feelings he had to hide away from outside eyes.

Eventually the interview came to a close and Lucas breathed out a sigh of relief when he heard the camera stop rolling and the studio lights dim down a bit. He let out a few deep breaths, shutting his eyes tight before he felt calm enough to stand up. Before he did, he saw Jens already getting up as he tapped on his leg three times. Lucas gave him a shy smile and slightly nodded, while Ariel and the rest of the crew were finishing up.

This time, nobody’s eyes were on them.

Lucas headed backstage, to the small dressing room he was assigned to. Closing the door gently behind him, he sat on the small couch and continued to take a few deeps breaths. He always found it kind of funny that as an actor, he often felt most nervous when he had to play himself. It wasn’t like he had to do anything for the “role”, but it was harder to showcase who he was to an audience than showcase a character he was playing.

After a few minutes, he heard a knock on his door. Three gentle knocks. Little taps. Bouncing up on his feet, he practically skipped across the room to open it.

“Hey.” Jens said softly, after Lucas opened it.

“Hey.” He replied back, feeling his heart get caught up in his chest.

He opened the door wider, so Jens could come in. As he closed the door behind him, Jens made his way towards the couch, flopping down on it with his arms stretch out. He tilted his head back and closed his eyes, while Lucas made his way over.

“Tired?” He asked gently, as he sat down facing him. He felt Jens’ arm and hand against his body, the slight touch sending flutters through it.

“Mm hmm.” Jens hummed, still keeping his eyes closed.

Reaching out, Lucas gently brushed back a few strands that had fallen down his face. He saw Jens’ lips curl up into a smile as he hummed with relief, like it was only now he was able to relax.

“You’re really good at all of this.” Lucas said softly, still gently brushing the hair back. “It’s like you were made to be a star.”

Opening his eyes, Jens’ brows furrowed as he stood up a bit straighter. He let his fingers still brush around his dark hair, feeling how soft and plush they were against his fingertips.

“You’re just as good.” Jens said with a slight frown. Lucas knew he hated when he felt condescending about himself. “Just because you’re a bit shyer doesn’t mean you don’t have just as important things to say.”

“Yeah, but you’re so natural about it all. I feel like I’m acting when I do these interviews and I’m not. I don’t know, it just takes a bit getting used to.”

“Well, I’m with you through it all right? All our interviews so far have been together and even if they’re not, I’m not that far away.”

Jens snaked his arm around Lucas’ body, slightly pulling it closed. Lucas sighed and let himself fall into it, feeling his hand trail up and down his back in soft caressing strokes. He let his head rest on Jens’ shoulder, allowing himself to calm down after all the energy he had to give out today. He loved his job, acting was his dream. But some days, it was harder to keep up with all its expectations than others.

“I like when they ask us about our relationship.” Jens lightly chuckled, letting the vibrations pass through both of their bodies.

Lucas snorted, burying his face into his shoulder. “I don’t know why they keep asking.”

“It’s because you seriously have the hots for me.” Jens winked.

He shook his head, which only made Jens laugh again and their bodies vibrated even more.

“I don’t have the hots for you.” Lucas groaned, using his shoulder to bury his face even more to try and hide his smile.

“Yes you do.” He teased, pinching his cheek. “You don’t see all those videos or pictures that get tagged and titled on the way you look at me? You’re so obvious Luc.”

“Listen, you have just as much posts about the way you’re smirking at me and shit.” He lifted his head up and raised his brows. “People think you’re just as obvious as I am.”

“Guess we’re both pretty bad at hiding it, huh?”

They laughed, finally letting out the reactions and expressions they had been holding in all day. Lucas felt Jens pull him into his chest, positioning them so he was laying on top of him. Jens reached up to gently stroke Lucas’ cheek while gazing into his eyes.

“You know, you always have this sort of blush in your face.” He whispered quietly, continuing to stroke his cheek. “Even in the brightest of lights, there’s this beautiful pink glow. It’s like a part of you.”

“You just want me to admit your flirting works, don’t you?” Lucas teasingly rolled his eyes.

He pulled him in closer, and tighter, which made Lucas erupt in a giggle.

“Stop being so smart with me. I know those lips are good for something else.”

“Ew.” Lucas wrinkled his nose in disgust.

Jens pouted. “Not like that. Not that I don’t want that but also, not that.”

“I’m just teasing.” He brought his face down a bit, lowering it so his forehead was pressed against his and their noses were brushing against each other.

“Do you think they’ll ever find out?” He whispered. Lucas could feel his lips moving so slightly against his.

“God, I hope.” He snorted again. “It’s so hard having to control myself during interviews.”

“The fans are going to lose it when they find out. They’re going to have to cast us for another movie.”

“Hey.” Now it was Lucas’ turn to pout. “I don’t want to have to act just to kiss you.”

“Me neither.”

He pressed his lips against his, feeling his smile against his own. Jens’ hand snakes up Lucas’ back, playing with the back of his head and letting his fingers mess around with his curls. Lucas used his hand to tilt Jens’ chin up, to deepen the kiss just slightly.

When they pulled apart, the grins on their faces would be impossible to wipe off. Lucas already knew the blush was on his face but this time, there was no need to hide it.

“You know, I think the fans are definitely going to know sooner or later.” He whispered and Jens gave him a confused look.

“What makes you say that?”

“You called me Luc the entire interview.” He gave Jens a smirk, while he covered his eyes and groaned.

“Fuck.”