Thank God for New York
// Requested: no
Director!Joe Mazzello x Director!reader
wc: 3k
warnings: none
//
After the whirlwind of awards season, the amount of downtime Joe had significantly increased. He made a youtube channel for christ sake. Sure he still did auditions and table reads at least once a week, but he was itching for more. Being on such a big production as Bohemian Rhapsody with direction problems sparked his interest in directing another film even more. He had told his agent that a few months ago, but nothing really came up. Until now.
You had been directing a biographical type of film for a couple of months and needed some help. Honestly, you needed a lot of help. It wasn't because you weren't good at your job or lacked the skillset to do it. You were deemed one of the best up and coming directors in the industry. Especially for documentaries. However this film wasn't your original idea, it was a project you picked up because a friend had asked you to take over so that they could deal with personal things. You weren't one to say no, plus you loved a challenge. The only thing was you knew nothing about growing up in New York. You had moved to New York a few years ago in order to pursue filming, and LA wasn't quite your speed. So when there was talk of a native New Yorker wanting to help out you were ecstatic.
A few days later you connected with Joe's agent asking if he was still interested in directing. It wasn't full creative control but the second pair of eyes and hands would be greatly appreciated.
You chewed on your lip as you waited to hear back from his agent. To your luck, Joe was easy to reach and said yes immediately.
Your phone rang in the middle of a scene, letting it go to voicemail was customary but you were desperate and picked up anyways.
Hello?
Hi, is this Y/N L/N
This is her. Who is this?
Hi, I'm Joe Mazzello, you and my agent talked on the phone about the assistant director position on your documentary.
Oh! Hi! I'm so glad you called. The position is yours if you want it, I've gotta say I'm kinda desperate here. You laughed running a hand through your hair.
Well, I'd love to give you a hand! When do you want me?
Honestly now, but that probably isn't possible. Why don't we meet tomorrow on location? I'll text you the address and a time?
Sounds perfect, I'll make sure to bring my directors cap. He teased
Oh, even better. See you tomorrow!
Yup, Bye.
Bye.
One the line went dead you leaned back into your chair with a happy sigh.
"Alright, Cut!! That's a wrap for today. On location tomorrow at 8:00!" You called and the cast and crew dispersed for the night.
Picking up your phone again you created a new contact for Joe and opened a new message.
Hey. Here's the address: Cast and Crew call is at 8 and if you can show up a little earlier that would be perfect. Looking forward to meeting you! - Y/N
Within a few short minutes, your phone buzzed with a response.
Sounds good. I'll bring the coffee :) - Joe
You laughed and went to your trailer, getting ready for the next couple of nights to be spent in a hotel.
Joe arrived back at his apartment from an audition with a smile on his face. The same one that was plastered on his face when his agent called telling him that you, Y/N, wanted his help. He had seen your latest movie, on a date actually, and loved it immensely. The girl he was with didn't and it ended a few days later, but the fact that he was getting to work with you made up for his ended relationship. He packed a suitcase, making sure to pack the cheesy baseball cap with the words Director embroidered in white on the front, just to tease you.
Both of you slept terribly. Anxiety and excitement kept you both tossing and turning. Joe got up earlier than planned but got ready and threw his suitcase in his trunk and set off. Without traffic, the drive was around 2 hours, which wasn't bad at all. He arrived just before 7:30, giving him time to pick up coffee and muffins before meeting you.
You sat on a park table with a notebook on your lap with all of your notes. The pen in your hand tapping the page gently as you read through today's schedule.
"Y/N?" Joe asked hesitantly looking around, only seeing you.
You instantly looked up with a smile.
"Joe!" you said jumping off the table and walking over to him.
The handshake turned into a hug. You both exchanged the usual "I love your work" before sitting down and talking business.
The first few scenes Joe just watched and made small notes about your directing style. The more he watched the more he noticed it was a lot like his. You were very hands-on and instructive, but down to earth about it, you rarely yelled, unless something was going terribly wrong.
After you finished shooting the latest scene, you told Joe that its time to put that director's cap on because it was his turn.
Joe laughed and pulled the cap from his back pocket and donned it with a smirk. You couldn't help but throw your head back with laughter. As Joe directed the next scene you noticed the exact same things he did. You came to the conclusion that you were going to work well together.
And that's exactly what happened over the next couple of weeks. You had become quite close. Spending every spare second together, endless teasing, brainstorming, cracking jokes and just messing around.
Joe had certainly become quite the prankster on set, becoming close with the leading man. A lot of times they messed with you. Filling your trailer with balloons, switching the nameplates, pulling out your chair from under you, or replacing your black pens with sparkly pink ones. You made sure to write all notes and criticism's for them with the pink pen.
As the months dragged on, the weather got colder and wetter. Often times it was raining, which was helpful to get consistent scenes, but the looming thunderstorms created a threat that pushed time limits onto your shooting days. Finally, you had finished the scene perfectly.
"That's a wrap for today!" Joe yelled out in a megaphone he insisted on having even though the cast and crew numbers never exceeded 20 people.
"Is that really necessary Joe?" You laughed
"Of course it is" Joe proclaimed through the megaphone again, aiming it at your face.
Your laugh bubbled past your lips as you pushed the megaphone from your face. A mischevious smirk replaced the smile.
"Can I see that," You innocently asked.
"Why?" He laughed into the megaphone.
"Come on Joe," You pleaded.
"Fine, don't break it,"
"Mhm sure," You laughed pulling it from your co-directors grip.
As soon as it was in your possession you jumped off your chair and ran out into the street, not stopping because of the pouring rain.
"Hey!" He called after you, jumping up to follow, but not leaving the comfort of the dry tent.
"If you want it back you'll have to come and get it," you teased into the megaphone.
"Nah, you can have it," Joe shrugged nonchalantly.
"Okay, well I hope you don't mind that I spill your deepest darkest secrets over a megaphone," You teased quirking a brow at him, inviting him to play along.
"You wouldn't dare," he said matching your facial expression.
"Whatever you say Mr. I tell girls I'm 6ft when I'm actually 5ft 9" you smirked
"Hey! Stop it!" Joe laughed
"Should I tell the world that you have Red Sox boxers--"
"Nooo!" Joe said running out and trying to grab the megaphone from you.
You laughed swinging the megaphone out of reach.
"That's not even true!" Joe argued, trying to maintain a serious face, but failing.
"The world doesn't know it's true," You laughed back.
"This is no laughing matter, I could be hung for such crimes here," Joe quipped.
"I guess I'll have to prepare something nice to say at your hanging," you teased back.
Eventually, you both ended up laughing your asses off in the rain, tossing empty threats back and forth. A loud crack of thunder followed by a flash of lightning shut them both up. Looking up at the sky, the rain pounded on their faces.
"I guess that's our cue to get out of the rain," Y/N laughed.
"I guess so," Joe laughed as they started walking back to their trailers.
Their trailers were conveniently next to each other. Yet, they spent most of their time in Joes trailer together. Of course, Y/N always argued that it was because he had the best snacks. Which was definitely true, but not the only reason she hung out in his trailer, or sometimes even fell asleep on the couch. It was almost like a significant others apartment. She had her own cabinet instead of a drawer where she kept a change of clothes, makeup wipes, and a toothbrush. Though, neither of them thought about it like that. They just thought it was efficient and something friends did.
You were dragged out of your thoughts as the megaphone was ripped from your hands and Joe tried to quickly run up the steps inside his trailer.
"Joe!" You called out after him, barging into his trailer.
He put the megaphone on the top shelf in the kitchen where he could barely reach and you most certainly couldn't reach without moving a chair to stand on.
"I guess I'll just take a quick nap," You fake yawned wandering over to his unmade bed, threatening to lay down in your clothes still dripping wet from the rain.
"Ah, No you won't," Joe said grabbing onto your waist pulling you back and away from his bed.
Your breath hitched, you hoped Joe didn't notice, but if he did, he didn't say anything.
He pulled open a drawer and tossed a knit sweater at you and then grabbed the leggings you had left over and threw them at you too.
"Change, then maybe it can be nap time," He laughed and pulled off his wet long sleeve and put on another sweater. He couldn't help it but his eyes lingered over your shoulders as you faced away pulling on his sweater. The second it was over your head your nose filled with the familiar scent of him. It was oddly comforting.
After you finished changing out of your wet clothing you decided to put on a movie, one that you both hadn't seen yet and make some dinner before calling it a night.
"I can't believe we're almost done with filming," You yawned slumping down further into the couch.
"I know, it's gone by so fast," Joe added looking over at you with a small smile on his face.
"I'm glad you joined, it's been such a huge help, even if you're annoying sometimes," You teased.
Joe just laughed and wrapped his arm around your shoulder pulling you close to his chest.
You inhaled his sent and sighed happily. You both stopped paying attention to the movie, your eyelids falling heavy.
The next morning you woke up wrapped in his arms. Groaning you shifted slightly so you could look at your watch. It was 7:45. Shooting started at 8 today, meaning it was, unfortunately, time to get up.
"Joe, come on, wake up. You don't want to be late for the last day of shooting do you?" You said gently trying to wake him.
He groaned pushing you away slightly.
"What time is it?" He asked, his voice still heavy with sleep.
"7:45," you responded pulling yourself off the couch.
You put a pot of coffee on, knowing the smell would wake him up. As the coffee brewed you did your hair, applied a few layers of mascara, ran some neutral lipstick over your lips and pulled on a pair of jeans. Keeping Joes sweater on.
"Okay, okay. I'm up," Joe groaned sitting up and rubbing the sleep from his eyes.
"Mhmm, here, now you'll really be up," You hummed handing him a cup of coffee.
"God you're the best," He praised with a happy smile after taking a sip.
"I know, now get your ass in some jeans. Filming starts in 10," you laughed taking your own mug of coffee and walking out of his trailer.
5 minutes later, a much more awake Joe joined you.
"Nice sweater," he teased as he joined you behind the camera.
"Agreed," you smiled into the sweater.
Unfortunately, today there weren't many shenanigans on set. Everyone tried their hardest to get the last few scenes done, with as little retakes as possible. Sure filming was fun and all, but after 3 and a half months of filming, everyone was tired and ready to go home. Even you and Joe.
Once the final
"That's a wrap!"
was called by both you and Joe, the actors got out of makeup, the whole cast made their way down to a bar downtown in celebration. There were drinks, toasts, thanks, and even a cake with the movies name written in sparkly pink frosting. Tipsy Joe found that quite funny.
You and Joe stayed throughout the entire party, but by the end of it, you were both quite done.
With a warm embrace, you parted ways for the first time in a while.
However, you both made sure not to lose touch. Texting almost every day, coffee 'dates' at least once a month, movie marathons in person or over face time, and of course late night phone calls with full updates on each other's lives. You had even begun to meet each other's friends and families. Rumors of a relationship sent both of you into fits of laughter, even though secretly you both wished they were true. You guys were practically a couple, minus the fact that you didn't live together and weren't intimate. Though you were quite touchy when you saw each other.
The next time you saw everyone from the cast and crew all in one place again was at the premiere. Your guys' family and friends were there. Gwil, his fiance, Rami, Lucy, and Ben were there too. Yet, you and Joe spent most of the evening together. Especially the red carpet. You were wearing a gorgeous light gray lace dress that Joe coordinated his tie to. Joe couldn't keep his hands to himself, or his compliments. The phrase "You look so stunning" slipped through his lips at least 10 times that night.
Then it came time for the actual screening. You and Joe stood in the front corner holding a microphone after everyone had reached their seats.
"I'd like to thank everyone for coming, this film has been in the making since July of last year and has taken the combined effort of all of the amazing cast and crew to make it work as well as it did. I'm thankful to have had this opportunity to share this story with the world, so I'm letting you guys see it first, because if it sucks then I don't have to release it. Remember, I know each and every one of you by name so don't go talking shit to the press." You teased in your introduction speech.
"I'd also like to extend a thank you to the megaphone holder and resident new yorker for being such a wonderful co-director, even if you drove me crazy. Anyways, enjoy!" You proclaimed as the lights dimmed and the introduction music began rolling.
You and Joe found your way to your seats, his hand intertwined with yours. Both of you watched the movie intently as if you had never seen it before, even though you both have seen the full thing at least twice.
"God, we did so well," Joe murmured into your ear as the last few scenes came on screen.
"Couldn't have done it without you, Joe, seriously. Thank God for New York," You laughed quietly turning to face him.
"Amen," He breathed his gaze catching your lips, just before he leaned in and caught your lips with his.
At first, you were taken aback but after a second you melted into his grip, the end credit music joining in at the perfect time, it was almost as if you were in a movie of your own.
You pulled away as the crowd went wild, standing up and facing you with their applause. Joe bowed comedically and pointed to you. You took after and copied his bow giggling.
The after party was crazy, there was even more booze, celebrities, and deserts. Most importantly there was a dance floor. And of course, you found Joe and his friendy tipsily busting a move. Usually, you would've been too shy to join, but the champagne and adrenaline pushed you to jump in the group.
"Y/N!" Joe smiled grabbing your hands and dancing with you for a while. The music shifted from upbeat to chill a few times as the night progressed. Joe and you had stayed for most of it, currently, you were swaying to The Weeknd, Joe's hands on your hips, and yours on his shoulders.
"Move in with me," Joe stated abruptly.
"What?" You asked incredulously.
"I'm serious, move in with me," He said again.
"We're not even dating Joe,"
"Okay, be my girlfriend, and move in with me," He smiled widely.
"Seriously Joe?" you asked.
"Seriously Y/N,"
Instead of responding you leaned in, kissing him gently, smiling against his lips. This time it wasn't in a dark theater, but in public, your family and friends watching, hell probably the whole world too, but you didn't care. All you could think to say was Thank God for New York.
