La La Land 🎞️
CHAPTER 1 (Remus Lupin x fem!oc)
content warnings: industry pressure, burnout, self-doubt, mental exhaustion, career struggles, substance use (drinking and hella smoking), anxiety, unhealthy habits. The weather was dreadful.
a/n: just a lady with micro bangs
"I don't know, Marlenne," the brown-haired woman sighed, lighting her second cigarette of the day with shaky fingers. She flicked the lighter closed, its metallic click sharp in the silence of the room. "The entire crew is going mad! The production company is breathing down my neck about the new script, and no actor wants to work with me. No wonder, though—I can barely pay ten pounds an hour!"
"Blair, I'm so sorry things are going south..."
Blair exhaled a cloud of smoke, staring at the crumpled coffee cup on her desk. It was still half-full, but she hadn’t touched it since the morning. She appreciated Marlenne's attempts to comfort her, but after so many reassuring words, a part of her wondered if she was truly cut out for this industry.
"Marlenne," she sighed again, her voice quieter now, "I love you, but can we continue this another time? I have class in half an hour, and my car broke down this morning."
"...You're taking the tube?”
Blair didn’t answer immediately. Instead, she set her phone down on the table with an audible thunk, her delicate wrist brushing the edge of the chair. Twisting her hair into a messy bun, she left her bangs to frame her gaunt face, the angles of her cheekbones more pronounced than she remembered.
"Yikes," Marlenne muttered on the other end before the line went silent.
[◉"]
Blair stared blankly at the page in front of her, her textbook open to a discussion on color theory.
"…Directors and cinematographers use color palettes intentionally, employing techniques like color grading to enhance visuals. For example, vibrant hues might represent fantasy or optimism, while desaturated colors evoke realism or bleakness…"
She sighed and ran her hand through her hair, her bracelet sliding loosely down her wrist. The paper felt impossible, and her stomach churned slightly—not with hunger, but from the coffee she’d been sipping since morning. Tossing her pen aside, she stepped onto her small balcony, cigarette already in hand. The chill of the evening air seeped through her thin shirt, brushing against her skin like a reminder of how much the temperature had dropped.
Suddenly, her apartment door slammed open.
"Hey! We're leaving in ten—what the fuck?!"
Blair turned her head lazily to look at Marlenne, who stood wide-eyed in the doorway. "What?" she muttered, blowing out another puff of smoke.
Marlenne waved the air in front of her face dramatically, coughing for effect. "How many of those have you had today, Blair? Jesus. The balcony’s practically a chimney."
Blair rolled her eyes, tapping the ash off her cigarette. "Second one," she said flatly.
Marlenne raised a skeptical brow. "Second one since I got here, maybe."
Blair ignored the comment, blowing another stream of smoke into the cool air.
"What do you mean, 'what'?" Marlenne mocked her tone with exaggerated indignation. "I told you I’d take you to meet some people!"
Blair’s posture stiffened. "What?! No, Marlenne! I can't! I need to finish this assignment, get Minnie’s project done, and get my shit together before the prod company meeting—"
Before Blair could protest further, they were both tearing through her closet, pulling out clothes at a frantic pace. Blair found herself frowning at a pair of jeans Marlenne tossed aside—ones that used to fit better than they did now. Eventually, they settled on a backless top paired with dark-wash jeans. Marlenne handed her favorite Mary Janes with a smirk.
"For luck," Marlenne said with a wink.
Blair muttered something inaudible but allowed herself to be swept into the bathroom. Marlenne expertly fixed her disheveled hair, applying quick but flawless makeup.
"Who even are these people?" Blair asked, watching her friend in the mirror.
Marlenne froze mid-swipe with her mascara wand, giving her a blank stare. "Did you even listen to me earlier?"
Blair blinked and offered a sheepish smile. "No..."
Marlenne rolled her eyes. "You’ll thank me later."
[◉"]
"So... what's this nutter plan of yours again?"
"You know the guy I told you about from my childhood?" Blair glanced sideways at Marlenne, her expression curious.
"Jace?"
Marlenne rolled her eyes dramatically, flicking her hair over her shoulder. "James. It's James, not Jace, okay? Anyway, I saw him recently in a coffee shop, of all places. You know how I am, right? I can’t keep my mouth shut for more than five minutes, and of course, he’s the same way. We started talking, and I couldn’t stop asking about what he's been up to. And it turns out, he’s been working with some people who would actually be really honoured to work with you."
"Yes, honored. They saw your Dreamer thing—"
"The Dreamers? No one saw that!" Blair laughed, incredulous.
"Hey! Four thousand views on YouTube is not ‘no one,’ alright?" Marlenne shot back, half-laughing herself as they rounded a corner and neared the entrance to Seb's place. "You have no idea how many people in this industry would kill for that kind of exposure. Four thousand’s a decent start."
Blair shifted her weight, still unsure, but Marlenne didn’t seem to notice as she pressed on. "Anyway, Lily and Sirius—remember them from the old neighborhood? My other childhood friends—are both desperate to get into the industry. They’d do anything to break in. I’m telling you, they're perfect for this. And listen, I know how much you value your creative freedom, but there’s this other guy, Remus. He’s an amazing writer, seriously.”
Blair rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "And James?"
"Well, James, yeah. He said he can help with... whatever you need, really. He’s got connections, knows a few people. He can open doors for you, if you give him the chance."
Blair stopped for a moment, looking hesitant. She didn’t like the sound of it—something felt off, but Marlenne’s enthusiasm was contagious.
"Look," Marlenne continued, her voice a little softer, trying to reassure her, "he’s just a rich kid who doesn’t want to live off his dad’s money, alright? He wants to prove he can do something on his own. He can help finance some of your stuff. You need someone with a little money to throw around if you’re serious about getting into the industry, and he’s a good guy, Blair. Just... trust me on this."
Blair stared at her for a moment, eyes narrowing, before letting out a sigh. She didn’t like depending on anyone, especially not someone she barely knew anymore. But Marlenne had a way of making things sound so simple, even when they weren’t.
"Alright," Blair muttered, pulling her jacket tighter around her, "I’ll think about it."
"Good!" Marlenne grinned, proud of her persuasive skills. "And trust me, you won’t regret it."
[◉"]
“And all of that is going to be… a musical?”
Remus was stunned, to say the least. His eyebrows furrowed, and he leaned forward slightly, as if trying to understand what had just come out of Blair’s mouth.
Blair didn’t notice his shock at first. She was busy chatting with the bartender, her usual easy smile on her face as he served her another drink.The rest of the group at the table was in full celebration mode, laughing and talking excitedly about their new project. As Blair had explained what she wanted the movie to be about, they had all eagerly jumped at the chance to work on it, their enthusiasm palpable. But Remus seemed a bit... taken aback.
“Yes… a musical," Blair said, finally turning her attention back to Remus. She tilted her head slightly, a playful glint in her eyes, "Marlenne said Sirius has some decent writing skills, and if we cut some expenses, we can get someone else to work with him. Make the project work, you know?"
Remus nodded slowly, still processing the idea. "What are they called, then?"
Blair’s lips curled into a slight, almost secretive smile. "Huh?"
“Your characters… what are they called?”
Blair looked around the dimly lit pub, her gaze lingering for a moment before it found the bartender, who was adjusting bottles behind the counter. She smiled at him, a brief flicker of familiarity in her eyes, then turned back to Remus. "Oh, um… they’re Mia and,” she hesitated, before adding, “Sebastian."
Remus couldn’t help but let out a short, surprised laugh. Blair's grin only widened, clearly enjoying his reaction.
"Really?" he asked, a little amused. "Sebastian? As in..."
Blair shrugged casually, almost nonchalantly. "Yep, as in my favorite bartender. I thought it had a nice ring to it." Her slender fingers wrapped around her drink with ease, a small movement, but one that caught his attention. Her posture, too, leaned just slightly, as if too comfortable in her own skin.
Remus chuckled again, his eyes lingering on her for a moment before he spoke, charmed but still processing. "I see. So, Mia and Sebastian... sounds like a star-crossed love story, huh?"
Blair let the question linger, her lips curving into something playful but unreadable. "Maybe. Or maybe it’s not what you think at all." She gave him a look that made it hard for him to tell whether she was teasing or just keeping him on edge. She leaned back a bit, the edge of her shirt falling loose at the sides, and Remus couldn’t help but notice how it subtly hugged the lines of her frame.
He gave a little smile, though a part of him felt slightly intrigued by her quiet confidence. "You like keeping people guessing, don’t you?"
Blair didn’t immediately respond, and instead, she took a slow sip from her glass, her eyes meeting his with a calm that only deepened his curiosity. "Maybe I just like to keep things interesting."
There was a long pause. Remus opened his mouth to speak again, but before he could get another word out, Blair was already moving away, slipping through the crowd without another glance.
He stared after her, unsure whether he should follow.