! KILLSHOT !
( a nicholas alexander chavez fic )

LUCKY, MARLEY AND LUCY'S SHARED APARTMENT
new york, new york
october 11, 2024
saturday
8am

i groaned and opened my eyes, blinking against the sunlight streaming in through the window. the sound of pacing had disrupted my peaceful slumber, and i was still groggy from sleep.

rubbing my eyes, i sat up in bed and looked around the room. my eyes slowly focused, and i noticed nick pacing the length of my bedroom. he was dressed in a pair of black sweatpants and a t-shirt, looking like he'd already been awake for a while.

i pushed back the covers and sat up, "morning... why are you pacing?"

nick stopped mid-step, his eyes flicking over to me. "oh, you're awake." he said, his voice a bit on edge.

i raised an eyebrow, a little concerned. "yeah, i'm awake. what's going on?"

he ran a hand through his hair, looking agitated. "i've just been up for a while, couldn't sleep." he admitted, resuming his pacing.

"hey, talk to me." i said in a soft voice, which i'm sure sounded terrible given i had just woken up.

nick stopped his pacing for a moment and looked at me, his eyes filled with a mixture of frustration and exhaustion. "last night after we went to bed...there was a post made." he confessed, his shoulders slumping.

i sat up straighter, fully awake now. "what kind of post?" i asked, my voice now more alert.

nick sighed, and grabbed his phone from the desk next to him. he tapped on the screen a few times before holding it out to me. "see for yourself."

curiosity piqued, i took the phone from him and looked at the screen. on it was a picture of nick and i, from the night before at the block party...it was the photo that those girls had taken.

the image was of nick and i dancing together, caught in the crowd. his hand was on my waist, and we were both laughing and carefree. i could see the city backdrop behind us, and the neon lights illuminating us.

i shrugged and handed him his phone back, "so someone took a photo of us last night? it's not the end of the world..." i said as i got up from the bed and walked to the connected bathroom.

nick followed me, still looking agitated. "it's not the photo itself that's the problem. it's the context."

i turned on the bathroom light and looked at him, "context? what context could there possibly be?"

nick took a deep breath, and looked at me, his expression serious. "the picture was all over twitter this morning, paired with a tweet."

my eyebrows furrowed. "a tweet? what did it say?"

he paused before speaking, "i'm using you to get more clout and attention." he finally choked out.

my eyes widened in shock, "that's absurd!" i exclaimed. "who even thought of such a thing?!"

nick leaned against the door frame and ran a hand through his hair again. "apparently a big twitter meme account picked it up and it spread like wildfire."

"like a wildfire?" i repeated, "how bad is it?"

nick's shoulders slumped, and he looked dejected. "bad. it's all anyone is talking about right now. people are looking at our relationship timeline, our pasts, and how i'm using you to get clout and attention."

i was speechless, trying to process what he was saying. it seemed so unbelievable. "why now? i mean there have been paparazzi photos of us together since we first started going out, and now this all comes down? doesn't feel right."

nick nodded in agreement. "i know, i was thinking the same thing. it's like something triggered this whole thing."

i leaned against the bathroom counter, feeling a mixture of anger and disbelief. "who do they think you are? some sleazy, clout chasing, attention seeking actor?"

he nodded. "pretty much."

i couldn't believe what i was hearing. nick, the serious, reserved boy i knew, was being painted as a fame-hungry, clout-obsessed actor.

"this is crazy." i said, shaking my head. "i mean, you're known for being lowkey and private. how'd they come to that conclusion?"

"people can create any narrative they want nowadays." he said bitterly, "and with the right amount of evidence and rumors, it can explode."

i could see he was getting more and more frustrated and stressed. i walked over to him and placed a comforting hand on his arm.

"what do we do now? make a statement? wait for it to die down?" i asked him.

nick shrugged, looking defeated. "i honestly don't know. making a statement might bring more attention to it, or it might blow over in a few days. i'm not sure what's the best move here."

i could see the turmoil in his eyes, and it hurt to see him so distressed. "let's just...see how it plays out, okay? maybe it won't get any worse."

just then i got a phone call. i rubbed his arm before walking back to the bedroom and flopping on the bed where i saw that reagan, my manager was calling.

i quickly answered the call. "hey, reagan."

her voice was cold and monotone in my ear. "lucky, have you seen what's going on on twitter?"

"yeah, unfortunately." i replied.

reagan let out a sigh, "yeah, i figured you had. this isn't good, at all."

i sat up in bed, a sense of dread pooling in my stomach. "what do you mean?"

"the picture has been going around and the narrative is that nick is using you to become famous. some people believe that you're in on it." she said bluntly. "some people also believe that you're in a pr relationship which doesn't exactly make my job easy, lucky."

i felt a mix of anger and disbelief. "what? that's insane. nick and i are not in a pr relationship. we're together."

reagan didn't seem entirely convinced. "well, people don't believe that. we need to do something here, because if you're seen as an accessory, it's going to tarnish your image."

"what about his image?" i pressed.

"who cares about his image." reagan replied icily. "right now my job is to worry about you. the last thing you need is to get labeled as a pr relationship and lose valuable opportunities."

i clenched my jaw, feeling a mix of frustration and anger. "reagan, nick and i are real. this relationship is real. you have to believe that."

reagan had a hint of annoyance in her voice. "lucky, i know you're young and you think you're in love, but sometimes people aren't who they say they are. i'm just trying to protect you here. if you're seen as a pr relationship, your career will be damaged."

"so you think nick is using me for fame?" i asked firmly in a low tone so he wouldn't hear me. i needed to hear her say it.

there was a beat of silence before reagan spoke, "i think there's a possibility."

her words sent a jolt of hurt through me. she was basically saying that she didn't trust nick or our relationship.

i looked back at nick, he was still standing in the doorway, looking dejected. i knew he could sense the tension in my voice and the seriousness of the conversation.

i walked out of the bedroom and into the kitchen, "you're wrong, reagan. nick isn't using me." i said firmly, speaking quietly to keep our conversation private. "he's already getting bigger and bigger without my help. he just came out with two shows and has like...one million followers on instagram! without my help!" i whisper yelled through the phone.

there was another pause on reagan's end. "lucky, calm down. i'm only saying that your image is at stake here."

i let out a frustrated breath. "my image? how about nick's? he's being painted as some selfish, clout-hungry actor when that's not who he is at all!"

reagan let out a tired sigh. "lucky, you're too caught up in your feelings. the reality is that you are the influencer, the nepo, you're the one with a more powerful name. maybe you shouldn't have dated him in the first place."

i was taken aback by her words. was she really telling me to break up with nick?

"what?" i said, my voice rising in disbelief. "are you actually telling me to break up with my boyfriend? because people think he's using me?"

reagan's voice was firm. "i'm only saying that it might be for the best. this rumor is damaging both your images and it's going to continue to cause more issues the longer you two are together."

i could feel anger bubbling up inside me. "so you want me to throw away my relationship for the sake of my image?"

her response was a blunt "yes."

i was speechless for a moment, unable to believe what i was hearing. "you're insane. i'm not ending my relationship just because of what people think."

reagan's voice had a hint of annoyance. "lucky, you're being stupid. this relationship isn't going to last and it's going to affect your career. poorly i might add."

i was now fully pissed off. "how do you know it won't last? how do you know it's just a fling? because last i checked you don't have a damn crystal ball in front of you!"

reagan's tone was condescending. "lucky, you're barely an adult. you're naive and in over your head. relationships like this don't last, you'll realize that soon enough."

i was shaking with anger at this point. "so you think we're going to break up? that i'm going to wake up one day and realize you were right?"

"i'm betting on it." reagan said bluntly. "now do yourself a favor and end things before it gets any messier."

i couldn't believe what i was hearing. "and if i don't end things?" i challenged.

her answer was firm. "then we're going to have to do damage control. and let's be honest, you don't want that...plus, i know that you will end things because i said so." she shot back.

"wanna bet?" i snapped.

i could practically hear reagan roll her eyes at my response. "lucky, enough. you know i have your best interest in mind here. you need to end things with nick before your image suffers...and if you don't do it, i will."

i couldn't believe she would stoop that low. "you're seriously threatening me?"

before she could reply, i hung up the phone, feeling anger and frustration boil inside me.

i stormed back into the bedroom, where nick was waiting. "i can't believe what i just heard." i said, my voice shaking with anger.

he looked up at me, his eyes filled with concern. "what happened?" he asked.

i let out a frustrated sigh. "that was reagan, my manager. she thinks you're using me. that our relationship isn't real and we need to end things for the sake of my image."

nick's expression changed to disbelief, "what? that's ridiculous."

i sat down on the bed, my jaw clenched. "she also said that i'm naive and this relationship isn't going to last. which by the way, is completely false. she is so wrong, nick."

nick came and sat down next to me on the bed, his eyes meeting mine. "i don't give a shit what your manager thinks. you know i'm not using you. this is real for me."

"then we can't give a shit what the media thinks either." i said.

nick was quiet for a moment, thinking of a response. he ran a hand through his hair as he spoke. "lucky, you're an influencer...i'm an actor. both of our careers rely on public perception...we have to address this in some way."

i nodded and grew quiet as i thought of what to do. "i got it!" i finally said.

nick looked up at me, his expression curious. "what? what do you got?"

i stood up and picked up my phone from the bedside table. "we're going to make a post." i said confidently.

nick furrowed his brow. "a post?"

i nodded, "a hard launch."

nick's expression changed to surprise. "a hard launch? what do you mean?"

i smirked, "i mean that we're going to show the world that we're together. real. and not a pr relationship. it'll clear up the rumors and my manager can suck it."

he looked skeptical, "and you think that'll get everyone off our backs?"

i nodded confidently. "i know it will. everyone thought we were just hooking up before. we have to show them that it's more than that."

nick looked uncertain but agreed. "okay, but we need a photo to post."

"okay, but today's saturday. we'll go out." i said.

nick raised an eyebrow. "go out? where?"

i shrugged, "anywhere. doesn't matter. somewhere public and where paps are bound to be. we want to get spotted, trust me."

nick still looked skeptical but he nodded. "alright, fine. but i don't want some crazy night out. let's keep it lowkey."

i let out a small sigh, "that was my exact plan. go out to a club tonight, get a photo snapped...post it. boom, we look careless, hot and unaffected by the rumors."

nick let out a small chuckle, "careless, hot and unaffected, huh? sounds exactly like you."

"that's the point." i said with a sly smirk.

HARBOR NYC ROOFTOP
new york, new york
10pm

"for the name to be rooftop, this doesn't exactly look like a rooftop." nick pointed out as we walked in.

i pointed to the roof above us. "see that?" i pointed out.

the roof was above us, but had a large opening where the stars in the dark night sky were visible. the club was more like a giant room with a roof that was open to the starry night sky. all the furniture was white, and the lights were a deep purple. with a bar on the side, it fit a more lowkey vibe.

"just because it's called rooftop doesn't mean the roof has to be fully attached." i teased.

nick let out a small chuckle in response. "fair enough."

the club was crowded. with people socializing, laughing, and drinking. everyone seemed to be having a great time.

i spotted the bar in the corner and walked over. "c'mon. let's get some drinks!"

nick followed closely behind, "i'm only ordering a water."

i turned around and rolled my eyes. "are you serious?"

"yep. no thanks on the alcohol for me."

i let out an exaggerated sigh, "fine, more for me." i said as i turned to the bartender. i leaned over the bar, catching the bartender's attention. "hi, can i get a scotch on the rocks?"

nick gave me a look. "scotch? that sounds familiar." he said referring to our first date at nobu when he ordered a scotch.

i rolled my eyes and chuckled. "i'm allowed to order scotch, okay? not everything is because of you." i teased him, shoving his shoulder lightly.

"oh but it is definitely because of me." he teased me.

i let out a scoff and shook my head. "you're so full of yourself, you know that?"

the bartender returned with my drink. i took a sip before giving nick a smirk. "and your virgin water, sir." i teased as i handed it to him.

nick rolled his eyes jokingly, "very funny."

he took a few sips of his water as we looked around the club. it was then that i heard "the way you move" by outkast playing through the speakers. i turned to nick with a big smile on my face. "c'mon! this is my song!"

i grabbed his hand, my fingers entwined with his. i held our arms up as i slid through people to get to the dance floor, both of our drinks in our empty hands.

nick chuckled as i pulled him out into the dance floor. i started dancing with the music, i made eye contact with everyone around me, but my eyes mainly locking with nick's.

i was feeling the music, the alcohol, and nick's eyes on me, all at the same time. i slowly started getting closer to him, turning around and facing my back to him, dancing to the music. nick placed his hand on my waist, pulling me closer to him.

i then sang along to the song as i wrapped my arms around his neck. nick chuckled at me as i sang the lyrics to the song. he had a smirk on his face and a twinkle in his eyes as he pulled me closer, his hands on my hips.

"i know you know this song!" i challenged.

"who doesn't know this song?" he replied as he continued to hold me close and pulled me tighter against him.

our bodies were pressed so close, i could practically feel his heart beating in his chest.

he leaned in so his mouth was next to my ear. "you are definitely tipsy." he whispered, his breath making me shiver.

"you should definitely sing with me." i said.

he chuckled at my response, his nose gently nuzzling the side of my neck. "nope. i'm not going to make you suffer through my awful singing. you're stuck with just your voice tonight."

i let out a dramatic sigh in response. "no one else would be able to hear it over the music! c'mon!"

he ignored me and shook his head. "not happening, baby."

i then gave him a subtle look to the cameraman who was walking around, taking photos of people. "now will you sing with me?"

nick glanced over at the man, then back to me. "damn, dirty play."

i nodded and gave him a sarcastic innocent look. "i'm an influencer, you think i'm above that?"

he chuckled lightly and shook his head. "you're trouble." he then started to sing along with me, the camera man snapping photos of the entire club, us included.

we continued singing and dancing together on the dance floor, people around us watching but not really paying attention. i was having the time of my life, feeling the beat of the music and having nick close to me, singing along with me.

i knew the camera guy had gotten our photo by now so i just kept dancing and singing shamelessly. nick was so close to me, i could feel his breath on my neck, and it made me shiver.

~~

a/n

drama drama drama

if you guys have any ideas for this fic (drama wise)- lmk because i'm running out