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Section 1
### Chapter 1: 00: Prologue
Ashton was pissed. Actually, pissed was an understatement. He was beyond livid. The few whiskey sours he had downed weren't helping him either, as he stared holes at the back of the head of the man that was causing him to feel this way. As if knowing that there were eyes on him, Ryker turned around. His gaze landed on Ashton immediately, and he passed him a smile. What was he thinking smiling at Ashton? Was he being snarky? Was he shoving it in Ashton's face that everybody thought Ryker was better than him? Was he aware that Ashton hated his guts more than anything in the entire universe? Ashton glared at him, causing Ryker to raise a questioning brow. Ashton said nothing as he looked away, before bringing his glass back up to his lips and taking another sip of the bitter liquid. It burned in his throat, but he liked it. He liked it because for those few seconds he could forget about Ryker. They were at an award show. At the start of the night, Ashton was ecstatic. Obviously, since he was nominated for Best Actor of the Year. He was confident too, dressed in a designer tuxedo that he and his team picked out weeks ago. Of course, he had to look perfect when he walked up to the stage to receive his award. Ryker Cohen was an old friend of his, someone he could no longer stand. Everything about Ryker pissed him off, which was why the fact that Ryker was nominated for the same award kept eating away at his head. But then again, Ashton knew he had this one in the bag. He was certain. Absolutely certain. The first shock of the night was when Ashton saw Ryker walk down the red carpet with Maria, Ashton's ex-girlfriend. They had dated for a long two years, and had broken up merely two months ago. Ashton was over her, or at least that's what he thought. But that was probably not the case as he felt his blood boil at the sight of Ryker's arm around her waist and her perfectly manicured hand resting on Ryker's chest as they posed for pictures. Ashton had to use all of his will power to look away, to face the photographers once again and put a smile on his face. Albeit a fake one. He could not be caught glaring at Ryker, especially since their feud was already public knowledge and this would only feed that. He wanted articles on him winning Best Actor, not more gossip columns on his rivalry with the other man. The second event was when Ashton was at the bar, he just wanted to get a drink to take off the edge. But he could not have that peaceful moment as he was interrupted by the reason he wanted a drink in the first place. "Ashton," Ryker greeted. Ashton tilted his head to face him, his lips pressed in a thin line as he looked the fellow actor up and down. But instead of saying anything back, he simply faced the bartender again. "Seriously? Ignoring me now? Is that not a bit childish? Even for you?" "Even for me? What is that supposed to mean?" Ashton asked, once again looking at the other man. "You know what I mean," Ryker stated, his tone casual. "This whole rivalry bullshit is childish but you just won't let it die." "Maybe I'll let it go when you stop fucking all of my exes," Ashton retorted, passing Ryker a sarcastic smile. Ryker let out a chuckle, as he motioned for the bartender. "Just a water, please," he said to the bartender before looking at Ashton again. "Is that what this is about now? I'll break up with Maria if that will make you feel better." "Wow," Ashton scoffed. "That's it? You'll dump her just like that?" "I'd do it for you." There was something about the way that Ryker was looking at Ashton, as if he was staring right into his soul. He did not budge, his eyes did not shift even slightly from Ashton's, but other than that his face had zero emotion. "You're an asshole, you know that?" Ashton replied. "Why would you even date her if she means nothing to you? She's a human, not a toy you can just throw away." "That's not what I-" "Save it," Ashton snapped. The corner of Ryker's lips turned downwards in a frown, his gaze softening as Ashton drank his whiskey sour in a single go. He glanced at Ryker once more, for just a split second, before walking away. By then, Ashton was already beyond annoyed, but he maintained his cool. He had to, for it was an important night and he could not let anything ruin it. Even Ryker Cohen. Ashton had always loved award shows, even when he was a kid he would stay up and watch them all. Especially when he got to see both his parents and grandparents on the screen, being felicitated for their hard work and talent. He had been nominated before, but never for Best Actor. This was his first time, and his movie had been a massive hit with both the audience and the critics. His agent and team has assured him that he had a good chance of winning, and being the confident person that he was, Ashton was fully convinced that he would. He dug his nails into his palm, his heartbeat on the rise as he saw the singer on stage walk up to the podium, she was going to be the one announcing his award, and Ashton could not wait. He had his speech ready, he knew the people he was going to thank, the fans he was grateful for, and his family that had been a massive inspiration for him. He was prepared. "And the award for Best Actor goes to..." there was the dramatic pause. She took out the card from the envelope, a wide grin on her face as she read out the name. "Ryker Cohen for Heroes Undead!" Ashton's smile fell. He felt confused. Numb. This wasn't possible. There had to be a mistake. This award was his. He had worked his entire life for this very moment, and once again, Ryker managed to steal it from him. Ashton watched, frozen, as Ryker kissed Maria before walking up to the stage with his signature smile. He gave a speech, short and sweet, as was his style. The audience cheered as he blew them a kiss, before walking back down to his table, hugging and shaking hands with people on the way. Ashton blinked. He did not know how or what he was feeling. Disappointed? Angry? Frustrated? All of them? He could not take this any longer. He stood up from his chair and made his way to the restroom. He knew people were looking at him, he knew photographers would've definitely captured his reaction on camera but for once, he did not care about that. He had to get away. He needed to. Thankfully the restroom was empty, he walked over to the sink as he felt his head spinning. He was dizzy. He blamed it on the alcohol, and on Ryker. Mainly Ryker. He ruined everything once again. Ashton splashed water on his face. Once. Twice. Thrice. He stared at himself in the mirror, hating what he was seeing. He hated the failure that he was. He hated that he was dragging his family's name through the mud. He was not worthy of being an Archer. Failure. Failure. Failure. The word kept echoing in his head. He loosened up his tie, his chest was rising and falling rapidly and he felt trouble breathing. He could hear his own heartbeat, it was drumming so loud in his ears that his head began to ache. He looked down at his hands, they were shaking. He gripped the edge of the counter, needing the support so that he could stand up straight. The sound of the door opening made him flinch as he turned to face whoever entered. His panicked expression turned to anger once again as he looked at Ryker. Ryker seemed concerned, his eyebrows furrowed with a soft frown on his face as he neared Ashton. "Are you okay, Ash?" Ryker asked, keeping a hand on Ashton's shoulder. "Fuck you," Ashton shrugged off Ryker's arm, taking a step back and almost tripping. "Do not call me that." "What hap-" "Fuck off, Ryker. I do not need you or your pity. Just go away," Ashton retorted. "I'm just trying to help," Ryker muttered. "You're not," Ashton said. "You're not. You're not helping." "But I want-" "Will you just leave me alone? I do not want to see you or talk to you or just...I cannot be near you. Go away, please," Ashton repeated. Ryker was the last person he wanted to be around, but it seemed like the fellow actor was not ready to let him be. "Ash-" That was it. That was all the patience that Ashton had. Before Ryker could even say his name, Ashton raised his arm and his fist connected with Ryker's jaw. *** There it is! The first chapter! Let me know your thoughts <3
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### Chapter 2: 01: Comebacks And Compromises
Over Two Years Later Ashton took a deep breath in before diving into the water. He counted the seconds in his head, his eyes closed shut as he tried to clear his mind, focusing on nothing but the numbers. Once he couldn't hold his breath anymore, he rose above the water, gasping for oxygen. Ashton swam to the edge of his pool, where his staff had already placed a few towels. He propped himself up with his elbows, lifting his upper body so that he could get out and sit. His legs were still dangling in the water as he picked up a towel to start drying his hair. He didn't bother to glance back when he heard footsteps, after all his house was always full of people. The person behind him cleared their throat, making Ashton sigh as he realized who it was. "Shouldn't you be getting ready for your interview?" Malcolm, Ashton's agent, asked. "It's on the radio," Ashton said. "Who the fuck even listens to the radio anymore?" "Many people." "Couldn't you have at least gotten me like, I don't know, a podcast or something? Something people actually give a shit about?" Ashton questioned, and he didn't need to look back to guess the frustrated expression that Malcolm was surely wearing. "Well, I do have something that might cheer you up," Malcolm stated, though he looked worried, not excited. "What?" "You got the role," Malcolm answered. "I'm afraid you'll need to be a bit more specific here, Mal," Ashton replied, his tone irritated. " The role, Ash. The Erick Tate role." Ashton's eyes widened as he finally turned around, staring at Malcolm in shock. Erick Tate was one of the biggest directors in the world, a huge name that Ashton had been dying to work with ever since he acted in his first commercial at the age of seven. "Are you fucking serious right now?" Ashton asked, still in disbelief. Malcolm nodded, still looking a bit uneasy but it went unnoticed by the young actor. Ashton stood up, taking a few long strides towards his agent before engulfing him in a tight hug. The middle-aged man cringed slightly, his five thousand dollar suit was now damp, but he patted Ashton's back nonetheless. Ashton pulled back, a wide grin on his face as he stared at Malcolm. Ashton's smile slowly started fading when he noticed that Malcolm didn't look nearly as excited as him. A lead role in an Erick Tate film was massive for both their careers, Malcolm should be crying tears of joy right now. Instead, he looked as if he was about to head to a funeral. "What's wrong?" Ashton asked. "Don't tell me there's a catch." "I suppose you can call it that," Malcolm muttered. "Tell me." Ashton urged, growing more and more worried with each passing second. He could not let this role get away, no matter what the catch was, he would just have to deal with it. "The, uh, the other lead role will be played by Ryker." Ashton blinked. His expression was blank as his hand fell from Malcolm's shoulder to his side. He stared at his agent, not knowing how to respond to the news. Out of everything— this was definitely not something that he was expecting. Not at all. "I thought...didn't he leave to go meditate in Asia or something?" Ashton asked. He had assumed that Ryker had left his acting career behind him for good, and so had everyone else. The industry and his fans included. The man had gone radio silent on social media too, and nobody had heard from him in a long while. "He did but he's here now. And he's making his comeback with this film," Malcolm answered. "Well, it's either him or me," Ashton stated. "I'm not doing the movie if he's in it too." "Ashton." Malcolm sighed tiredly as he looked at his client, someone he's known since the actor was still in diapers. "I'm going to sound rude here but you need this reality check. If you ask Erick to choose then he's not going to choose you." "How can—" "Ryker is a great actor, and the fact that he's doing a film two years after everyone thought he had retired is going to be huge," Malcolm continued, "and everyone around the globe knows about your rivalry with Ryker. Seeing that you'll both be in the same movie in opposing roles is going to be fantastic publicity." "So, you're saying that I only got this role because Ryker and I hate each other's guts?" Ashton scoffed, trying not to look offended but definitely failing. "I know you're not happy to hear this but after your last couple of movies... this might have very well been the deciding factor in hiring you," Malcolm justified. Ashton gulped. Malcolm wasn't wrong, Ashton's last two movies were a flop. A 3.5/10 rating and empty cinema halls kind of a flop. Ever since then he hadn't been getting any new work either, except roles that were equally trashy. Ashton feared his career might be over, that he might only get supporting roles from now on. But if he was a lead in an Erick Tate movie then that could turn his entire life around. That didn't change the fact that he'd have to act alongside the man he despised the most, though. Ryker Cohen and Ashton Archer started their careers together. In fact, they were in the same cereal commercial as kids where they had met for the first time. Ashton had known Ryker for most of his life, and hated him for a good part of it too. This wasn't the first time a director or producer had tried to get them to act together. All of them wanted to capitalize on their very public rivalry, but neither of them ever agreed to sign any such movie. Always maintaining at least some form of civility in public. Until two and a half years ago at that dreadful award show...just thinking about that night made Ashton gulp. "Does Ryker know?" Ashton asked. "Yes." Malcolm nodded. "He's okay with it. He has already signed." "Seriously?" Ashton rose a questioning brow, making Malcolm shrug. "Seems like whatever meditation he spent two years doing worked." "I— I need some time to think this through," the young actor said. Malcolm pressed his lips in a thin line, he knew no amount of convincing would ever change Ashton's mind. He was a stubborn man, he got that from his mother who was once Malcolm's client as well. Malcolm nodded begrudgingly, before turning around and leaving the indoor pool area. Ashton watched as the man left before diving into the water once again. He swam from one end to the other, then again, and then again. Finally, when his skin was way past the state of pruney, he got out of the pool. People worked with people they hate all the time, don't they? No matter how much Ashton tried to think with a clear mind, his hatred for Ryker kept clouding his judgment. But at the end of the day there was only one thing that mattered the most to Ashton, more so than his feelings or his ego— and that was his career. If acting alongside Ryker was the only thing that could save his dying career, then he had no choice but to suck it up and put on his best show. He was an actor, for fuck's sake, this was literally in his job description. After taking a quick shower to wash off the chlorine, Ashton changed into a pair of sweatpants and headed over to his home office. He sat behind the huge desk, picking up the script that he had so eagerly finished reading just a while ago. It was a love triangle. Two guys who were once friends pining over the same girl. Leading to ninety minutes of jealousy, heartbreak, and epiphanies. Ashton scoffed at the irony of it all. He kept the script back on his table, before turning to his desktop. He opened YouTube and quickly typed in the name of the first ever commercial he acted in. He was just a kid but he still remembered how ecstatic he felt on the set. How he loved being in front of the camera. He was made for acting, it was in his blood, and he had never wanted anything more than to continue his family legacy. But the way that things were going, it seemed like he would be the one that would end up tainting his family name. Ashton watched with a smile as the commercial started playing. It was actually quite easy to recognize him, even though he was seven. He had the same fluffy hair, a mixed colour of brown and dirty blond strands. His light blue eyes that always stood out, and the deep dimples on both his cheeks when he smiled. He still had that boyish charm, something that made him perfect for rom-coms. Ryker, however, had changed beyond recognition. It had been two years since Ashton had seen Ryker, but he was no longer the scrawny kid with slightly crooked teeth. He had eventually grown taller than Ashton, who himself stood at a solid 6'1". His dusky skin contrasted Ashton's, along with his dark brown eyes. The roles he did were mainly in action movies, which required a strong built that he had definitely spent hours working at the gym for. This made Ashton wonder why Ryker agreed to the role in the first place. This was not his forte, it was Ashton's. It would make more sense for Ryker to make his comeback with a superhero movie or an action thriller. That was more his style. As far as he could recall, Ryker had only ever done a couple of drama and romance movies at the start of his career. That was it. A lot of questions were brewing in Ashton's head, but he knew he would have to talk to Ryker in order to get answers. Which, again, was something he didn't want to do. But he was going to have to, eventually. As the commercial ended, Ashton picked up his phone, opening his messages with Malcolm. To: Malcolm | From: Ashton Tell Tate that I'm in. ***
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