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moltisantiii · 2 months ago

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I'm your Little Baby Doll, you're My Mr. Rock n' Roll

Cliff Booth x Actress! Reader

Summary : Missing a bus results in unprofessional behaviour between coworkers

A/N : Wow a month without an update, I'm like a real fanfic writer. Anyways, Cliff is coming back in a Fincher OUATIH Netflix series ! I'm not sure how to feel about it but I'm sure the Tumblr gifs will look good. This chapter is probably my favourite one yet, let me know what you think.

Warning : Swearing, Talks of Death (Murder)

Word Count : 3k

Chapter Index : I, II, III, IIII

Click here for Companion Pinterest Board

Click here for Ao3 Ver.

Shooting Coyote's Gambit had proved to be a fun but challenging project for you. Today marked the end of the third day of filming. Well, actually, today marked the beginning of the fourth day of filming. Last night's shoot had spilled into the early hours of the morning. Although you could already feel the eye bags forming on your face, you'd kept going, trying to perfect your scene.

You left the costume department after waving goodbye to Sean, with your purse in hand and a new script to learn. You walked between the different buildings trying to make your way to the parking lot, hoping your bus hadn't driven away. Due to the time, it would be at least an hour before the next one.

After turning around a corner near the props department, the smell of smoke filled your nostrils. In front of you, Cliff leaned back on a brick wall, smoking a cigarette. He turned his head slightly to look at who was walking towards him, and lightly smiled when he saw it was you.

You approached him, holding your bag in front of you. "Headed home ?" He asked.

"Yeah, I have to catch a bus."

"Didn't I see you with a car yesterday ?" He said as he got up from the wall.

"It's at the garage. Something about the exhaust.. I wouldn't know."

"Well, mind if I join you on your walk ?" You shook your head, and the both of you began strolling towards the parking lot.

"Rick's not with you ?" You asked, trying to start a conversation.

"Nah, sometimes he sleeps in the offices when he knows he's gotta be back early in the morning."

He was right. It was four in the morning and you had to be on set ready to shoot for eight. Going home might've been useless, but you were already on your way, so it was too late to change your mind now.

"Smart guy."

As the parking lot came into view, you saw the bus slowly departing. Without thinking, you tried running, but you soon realized it was useless as the conductor was not going to wait for you. You stopped in your tracks as the vehicle drove away. You sighed as you tried to catch your breath.

"Seems like you might have to go join Rick until filming restarts." Cliff said as he looked at you, a look of amusement painted on his face.

"You're terrible, you know that ?"

"Come on." He said as he walked past you and into the parking lot.

You quickly caught up to him and followed along as he walked between lines of expensive cars. He took a set of keys from his pocket and you heard the sound of a car door unlocking. In front of you was the pale yellow Cadillac you'd seen the night you met Cliff.

"Stealing Rick's car ?" You asked as he reached to open the passenger door for you.

"Rick can't drive, it might as well be my car. Minus the taxes." You sat down on the soft leather seat and watched as the stuntman walked to the other side before getting inside the vehicle.

"Where are we going ?" You said as you threw your bag on the backseat.

"I need a drink."

The engine roared to life and you began driving away. Barely out of the parking lot, you turned on the radio and switched through the channels. Nothing stood out to you. At this hour, radio stations mostly played soft 40s songs. After at least five minutes of nothing but static coming from the speaker and a sigh from Cliff, you finally landed on a song that interested you. You immediately recognized the guitar line. Hearing it made you completely forget you were ever tired.

"What's this ?" Cliff asked as he pressed a button on the dash board, making the roof of the car slowly open.

"Layla !" You said as you felt the wind pass through your hair.

The car began gaining more and more speed. You watched as the lights of the buildings around you became blurry. You laughed and laid your head back.

You noticed how Cliff was driving recklessly. Switching lanes quickly to avoid slow drivers on the boulevard and never slowing down. You assumed his training as a stuntman included driving fast cars at dangerous speeds, which could explain his carefree behaviour.

Layla, you've got me on my knees ! Layla, I'm begging, darling, please !

Cliff finally stopped at a red light. "Well, look who it is." The man said as he gestured towards the sky with his head. In front of the two of you stood another billboard for Cottontail Bandit. You got up from your seat and held onto the windshield to get a better look. You smiled, almost amazed by your own picture. You leaned forward, your dress slightly riding up your thighs.

Beside you, Cliff observed. His gaze had begun at your legs and ended on your face, like the first time he'd seen you. You were so happy, unable to control your happiness.

A red sports car full of young men, obviously drunk and headed to a party, stopped beside you. "That you ?" The driver asked you, his voice cheerful due to the alcohol he'd had.

"You see any other pretty actresses around ?" Cliff asked, making his presence known to the boy, with a devious smile. The boy stayed silent. When the light turned green, Cliff revved the engine before driving away. As you felt the wind on your face once more, you began slowly lifting your arms from the windshield and closing your eyes.

You felt a hand making its way to your lower back, holding you. You quickly looked back to see Cliff with one hand lazily on the steering wheel and the other on your back, making sure you wouldn't accidentally fall. You went back to looking at the road, you felt safe, even at the dangerous speed the Cadillac was reaching.

As the song came to an end, so did the car ride. Cliff slowed down and stopped the car in the parking lot of a famous Hollywood bar. You leaned down further on the windshield and watched as Cliff got out of the vehicle.

"You comin' little lady ?" He asked as he waited for you.

You hummed as you sat down on the top of the windowless car door. Cliff huffed as he walked back towards you. He placed both of his hands beside you on the car, caging you.

"We only got..." He looked down at his watch, you leaned your head as if to look too. "Three hours before we need to be back on set. And you're comin' with me" He said as he suddenly grabbed your hips and threw you over his shoulder, holding you only with one arm. You laughed and wiggled trying to get out of his grip. He let you go once you approached the door.

"Now, you act nice, people here know me." He said with a fake condescending tone as he lowered his head to speak to you face-to-face.

"I don't think your reputation can get any worse, stuntman."

You walked inside the brightly lit establishment, it was mostly empty, maybe only a dozen people inside not including the staff. Cliff sat down on one of the stools at the bar and patted the seat next to him, beckoning you to do the same. You quickly joined him. The bartender approached you. "The usual, Cliff ?"

"You know it."

"And for the lady ?" The man said as he turned to look at you. "Vodka Martini, dirty." You answered.

"Dirty ?" Cliff said as the bartender left to make the order.

"Very." You said with an air of over exaggerated innocence.

"Did Rick pass you his flask on set ?" Cliff laughed.

"What do you mean ?" You said, continuing your blameless act.

Before any other words could be exchanged, you felt a hand on your shoulder. You looked behind you.

"Fran, what are you doing here ?"

"You haven't returned my calls in three days." She said, not an ounce of glee in her voice.

"I-I'm sorry, I guess I forgot. How'd you get here ?" The unease in your voice was easy to hear.

"It's difficult not to spot you standing in a car being driven by a maniac." She said as she glared at Cliff.

You heard the sound of the bartender placing your glasses behind you. You pushed Frances' hand off you, but she grabbed your wrist.

"What the fuck did I tell you ? Stay away from him. You're trying to ruin your image this early on in your career ?"

Cliff pulled her hand away from you and placed himself between the two of you. "Enough of that. What the hell do you think you're doing ?" He said, still as careless as ever.

"Saving her from you, you sick fuck." Her face somehow contorted into an even angrier expression. But she stayed relatively calm, not wanting to cause in scene in public.

"Yeah, 'cause I'm gonna kill her ? Like I did Billie ?" He whispered that last part. "You're a shitty excuse of a manager, not mentioning a failed actress."

She quickly slapped him without hesitation. Cliff gasped, in faux-shock as a smile overtook his features. "Wow, I didn't think you had it in you." He held his cheek to mock her further.

"Ma'am, I'm gonna need you to leave the premises, please." The bartender said calmly.

"I'm gone." She said as she angrily but quietly stormed out.

Cliff sat back down and took a gulp of his Bloody Mary. You couldn't help but admire him in that moment.

"You need to cut her out." Cliff chuckled as he put his glass down.

"You alright ?" You said as you lightly touched his cheek with your hand, making sure there was no swelling. You felt bad for what Frances had been saying about him and now what she'd done to him.

"Never better. Don't you worry your pretty little head, this is by-far the least painful slap I've ever gotten."

"Alright." You said with a smile as you took a sip of your drink.

"Dirty enough for you ?"

"Perfect."

"So you're not afraid to stand up in a moving car, but you're afraid of horse riding ?"

After only two other martinis, and meaningless conversation, you felt your head begin to spin. You were flushed and trying to stay seated as you felt your body become weak. You could feel yourself leaning towards Cliff. He held your shoulders to get you back to standing straight.

Cliff laughed a genuine laugh. "You're a lightweight aren't you, princess ?"

"What's that s'posed to mean, Booth ?" You slurred your words.

"C'mon, let's get you out of here." He placed some money on the counter, placed a hand under your knees and behind your shoulders and lifted you up, carrying you bridal style. You unconsciously placed your arms around his neck as he began walking outside. You played with his hair and began trying to talk. "H... Have I told you, you're like really hot ?"

"Oh, yeah ?" He teased, he knew this would be hillarious later.

"You could punch me and I'd thank you." You said as you buried your head in his chest. He held back a laugh.

"I wouldn't do that, your face is too cute."

"You think so ?"

"Absolutely."

He laid you down on the hood of the yellow Cadillac and backed away to get a good look of you. You lazily stretched your arms out with a slight moan. He observed you. He noticed the little things, like how you'd lost your headband at some point during the night, or the fact that your dress fit you perfectly, or the way you batted your eyelashes very slowly.

"We need to get you sobered up, darlin'. Shoot starts in an hour and a half."

"No, I don't want to." You protested as you looked at the sunrise.

Cliff went looking in the car for something to give you. He found one of Rick's Aspirin bottles, twisted the lid and popped one of the pills in his hand.

"I don't think I have any water to help you take this."

"It's fine." You said as you sat up, took the capsule from him and swallowed it without any trouble.

"Get in the car, we're going for a ride."

You would've complained but you didn't have the strength at that point. You sat down on the, now cold, leather seat and fought to keep your eyes opened. You were almost fully woken up by a pair of hands gently grabbing your face. "Now, you gotta promise me somethin', dollface. You're not gonna fall asleep." You leaned into his touch and softly nodded. "Good girl."

He let go of you and started the engine once more before driving away. You sighed and laid down on the front seat, your head ending up in his lap and your feet outside the vehicle. He looked down at you with a smile. "You promised me you wouldn't try to sleep."

"I'm not, I'm observing you." You pouted, as you lifted up your hand to touch his face, but were too tired to do so.

He grabbed your hand. "What's Max gonna say when you show up to set like this ?"

"He's gonna think I'm a real actress now. No one in Hollywood works sober." You said as you watched him place your intertwined hands on your waist.

"Can't argue with that." Cliff laughed as he briefly looked down at you. "But real actresses can handle their alcohol."

You looked at the sky above you. The few clouds in the orange sky passing you by. You could see palm trees from the corner of your eyes from time to time. Although you couldn't feel the breeze on your face anymore, you breathed in the fresh air, calming you down. You heard the faint sound of the radio, it was playing a song. California Dreamin' by The Mamas and The Papas.

Cliff reached for the carton of cigarettes on his dash. He grabbed it and brought one of the cancer sticks to his mouth. He looked for his lighter, and found it in one of the cupholders. After lighting the cig and taking a puff, his gaze shifted to you again. "You smoke ?"

"I'm not allowed to."

"What do you mean you're not allowed to ? Your folks spyin' on you ?"

"Frances says I can't. It's not good for my image, 'women don't smoke'."

"That woman is a chainsmoker." You shrugged. "Well, fuck her."

He handed you the cigarette. You laughed dryly. You took an inhale and coughed lightly.

"Yeah, I don't think it's for me." You said as you placed the cigarette back in his mouth.

You arrived at the studio and felt the hot Californian sun on your skin. "You know I could stay like this all day, but we got a job to do." Your driver said as you stood up and got out of the Cadillac. You rubbed your eyes with a groan. "Come on, cowgirl."

You felt a familiar touch on your hips, leading you towards the gates. After a slow and silent walk, you finally made it to the costume department. Inside, Sean was putting some makeup on Rick, getting him ready for the day. Both heads turned to look at you. Sean approached you with a shocked expression and Rick got out of his chair as Cliff let go of you.

"What did you do ?" Sean asked, scared almost, as he grabbed your shoulder as if to wake you up. You weren't sure if he was talking to you or Cliff. You stayed silent, unable to fully concentrate on what was happening around you.

"She had a few drinks." Cliff explained.

"A few ?" Rick answered back, his voice cracking.

"Why would you do this ? You knew we had a shoot this morning." The costume designer said as he helped you sit down in one of the makeup chairs.

"I didn't know she couldn't handle alcohol."

"She's barely old enough to drink ! Is she even 21 ?!"

Rick sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "C-Cliff, it was real difficult tryin' to get producers to hire you after what happened to Billie. Are you trying to catch a r-reputation for gettin' series leads drunk ? Not extras, leads !"

Before the stuntman could defend himself, Maxwell walked into the room.

"What's all this shouting about ?"

Everyone went silent.

Max looked at everyone single one of you, wondering what was going on. He strolled towards you and placed a hand on your shoulder.

"You okay, Y/N ?" He definitely knew you were out of it. You hummed, not wanting to make your state more obvious by trying to talk.

"Alright." The director said, before whispering to Sean ; "We're gonna start with establishing shots of the desert this morning. Might take a few hours. So no need for Rick and Y/N to be there until maybe 11 or 12." Sean nodded.

As the director left, there was a collective sigh from everyone present.

"Do I still have the job ?" You asked.

"Of course you do ! The show wouldn't be the same without you." Sean reassured.

"No need to worry dear old Franny over this." Cliff joked as he finally placed the shared cigarette he'd been holding onto for ten minutes in a nearby ashtray.

You yawned and laid back on your chair, thinking back to the bright lights you'd seen on the road and the colourful signs that decorated the path. You'd never been in a car driven at such speeds. Somehow this night out felt the same as the day you'd arrived in Los Angeles. Curious and full of excitement. How beautiful California was. The dream of so many, including you.

No matter how intoxicated you were, you couldn't forget the touch you'd felt earlier. It lingered on your mind like a tattoo, permanent and unable to scrub it away. Was he a coworker or a friend ? After all the threats from Frances you'd received, you were conflicted about what to do next. But you wished to stay near him, for now.

#fanfic #fanfiction #ao3 #1960s #brad pitt #cliff booth #cliff booth x reader #once upon a time in hollywood #quentin tarantino #ouatih #x reader #x fem!reader

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moltisantiii · 3 months ago

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I'm your Little Baby Doll, you're My Mr. Rock n' Roll

Cliff Booth x Actress! Reader

Summary : Shooting a new series gets you closer to an famous alleged murderer

A/N : I know it's been two weeks without an update, I've just been crazy busy. Anyways, I'm glad to be back. Fun fact, I named the character you're playing Margaret after Margaret Qualley because I love her. Please give me some feedback if you feel like it !

Warning : Mentions of Death (Murder)

Word Count : 3k

Chapter Index : I, II, III, IIII

Click here for Companion Pinterest Board

Click here for Ao3 Ver.

You remember sitting down in front of your family's small TV, on the fuzzy beige carpet to watch reruns of Bounty Law on Saturdays. It wasn't your favourite program, by far, but you made sure to catch it in the afternoon since it was the only show you and your siblings could all enjoy together. You weren't particularly a fan of Jake Cahill, what really interested you about Bounty Law was the setting. The old far west. A time you'd never know.

You wondered how people back then lived. With no electricity, no laws and no television. You wondered, at the time, if you would've made a good cowgirl. Riding a horse seemed fun enough and you were certain you could do it, just like Cahill, who made it all look easy. But now, almost a decade later, you would soon realize that Jake Cahill, in truth, Rick Dalton, was a terrible rider, or so you'd heard. And that it wasn't him on that horse most of the time, it was Cliff Booth.

You arrived on set early that morning, slightly groggy from spending the previous night rereading scripts. The usually imposing sun could barely be seen in the sky. It took you a while to get used to the Californian weather, and sometimes, like that day, it still felt unusual.

As you'd come to learn, Maxwell was... a unique director. It seemed like he was always in a hurry. You wondered why the studio hadn't fired him yet, considering he was the opposite of what they looked for in directors. He did not let anyone push him over, he wanted control on everything concerning his films and he liked production not to last too long. He was undeniably talented, but executives favoured money over creativity.

You walked towards the outdoor shooting area and you were immediately woken up by what you saw. The whole 'street' looked like it had time travelled to 1866. You stood there for a few seconds. There was movement all around you, from horses, to extras dressed in period-typical clothing and set designers moving around props. You were so enthralled by the scenery surrounding you that you hadn't noticed someone placing a hand on your shoulder.

"Ain't never seen a movie set before, sweetheart ?" You turned around to face the now all-too familiar voice.

"Not of this scale. It's amazing." You said as you took in Cliff's appearance. He was wearing a blue jean jacket with matching pants and a black t-shirt. You made sure not to look at his hand as he removed it from your shoulder.

"Don't get too excited about it. You're gonna see a million like this in your life." He said as he began walking to the costume trailer and you promptly followed. "This' a reused lot from Lancer. Studio didn't have time to build a new one as per Blyhte's request."

You hummed in acknowledgement. As you stepped into the costume department, you were faced with rows and rows of clothing racks holding hundreds if not thousands of costumes, each labeled meticulously by name. There were fabrics, accessories and clothes as far as the eyes could see. The room smelled of aging textiles, something that reminded you of an old woman's sewing room.

A man holding a brown clipboard and a pen approached you. He had shaggy bleached hair and a slight beard. He wore a colourful suit with a lot of mismatched accessories. He had what seemed to be eyeliner on his waterline and eyeshadow on his eyelids. "Names ?" He asked, completely focused on his papers.

"Cliff Booth." Cliff said as he took off his sunglasses and placed them in his jacket's pocket.

The man hummed and quickly checked a box on his list. He stayed silent for a few seconds, indicating it was your turn to answer. "Y/N L/N." He scribbled something down and finally looked up at the both of you.

"I'm Sean Orton, I'm the lead costume designer for the show." He said with a big smile. "And you are..." He looked through his list to find your names again. "Co-star and lead stunt for the series ! Wow, very impressive. It's gonna be a pleasure working with you." He turned around and began walking through the labyrinth behind him.

"We're here for our costume fitting. I think Mr. Blythe wants to start shooting in the next hour." You said, raising your voice slightly, unsure if he could even hear you with all the equipment between you.

"Always in a rush Maxwell. Well... Mr. Booth, I already have your suit, but Miss L/N, I'm gonna need to make some adjustments to your dress... quickly." He said as he handed you a white dress and pointed to a changing room.

You pulled the cabin's curtain, got in and began swapping your modern day attire for a typical 1800s garment. It was quite simple and modest, made of light cotton. You presumed it was historically accurate to a degree as it looked exactly like what you were used to seeing on television. Maybe your dream of being a cowgirl wasn't so ridiculous now.

You heard rustling from behind the fabric separating you from the two men as Sean began speaking. "I worked on your dress for the past two days. I got your measurements from the designers on Cottontail Bandit, but I just need to make sure everything fits and looks right."

After a minute or two, you pulled back the green and blue curtain and walked out. Sean was the only one standing in front of you. He motioned for you to step on a small platform. You extended your arms and he began working on the hem of your dress. He was simply tying off knots that were left loose for fitting and removing any safety pins that had been put in place. "Where's Cliff ?" You asked.

"Right here, darlin'" You heard someone say from another changing room further in the room.

You felt a warmth in your heart, knowing you were not alone. Not that you were in a particularly dangerous situation or that you were nervous, but his presence just put you at ease somehow. You wondered if he had that effect on everyone. You doubted that last thought, thinking back to his infamous reputation as a wife killer.

You were snapped out of your thoughts when you heard the sound of metal spurs hitting the ground. You looked at the stuntman, now in full cowboy getup, hat, boots and everything. You'd be lying if you said you weren't momentarily stunned by his appearance. You wondered why he'd never tried becoming an actor, as far as you knew, he certainly had the face of a leading man.

Sean tied a red skirt around your waist and handed you a matching shawl to hang loosely around your shoulders. He quickly put your hair into a braid and then into an up-do, joking that women back then would've loved hairspray since they were always stuck with the same hairstyle. He put some light blush on your cheeks and applied a pink lip balm on your lips.

Once the costume designer was done, Cliff approached you, giving you his arm and a wink. "Ma'am, I think we're needed elsewhere."

You hopped off the small podium and linked your arm with his as you both began exiting. "Thank you, Sean !" You said, as the man also bid you goodbye, before leaving to make your way towards the set.

You walked towards the fake building surrounded by cameras and other filming equipment, signalling that that was where you were needed.

"Can't let Frances see us like this." You joked as you looked ahead, wondering where your manager was.

"Like what ?" Cliff said with his fake-oblivious attitude.

"You know very well. Poor woman thinks I'm your next victim."

"I don't think psycho managers are allowed on Blythe's productions. That's why she wasn't allowed at the audition. Unnecessary people equals less efficiency."

"Aren't you glad ?" You teased.

"Damn right I am. Get to spend more time with the sweetest actress in Hollywood."

You walked into the fake western bar and saw Rick and Max discussing. The scene you were about to shoot was a conversation between Margaret and Jack which would be interrupted by a bounty hunter. Due to the strange nature of the filming schedule, scenes were not shot in chronological or episodical order.

"Y/N, I think you found the wrong cowboy." Max joked as he and Rick smiled. You let go of Cliff as you were handed your script. As you began reading, two makeup girls powdered your face and added mascara to your lashes.

It was at that exact moment, you had a realization. You'd made it.

Here you were surrounded by staff taking care of you, working with an amazing crew and reading a script given to you by a highly talented director. You'd starred in your own movie, but for some reason practicing your lines while getting you makeup touched up near one of the most famous western actors of all time without a care in the world was what gave you the feeling that it was all worth it. Moving away, working non-stop, signing contracts, it culminated to this life you couldn't believe you were living. This was just the beginning of your career, you couldn't wait for what came next.

You held back a smile as Max asked everyone to get in place to start the first take. You walked behind the fake bar as set designer explained where your props were. You thanked him and turned your attention to a man behind the camera.

Cliff was backing away, towards his designated chair, observing you. You leaned your forearms on the bar as you waited for everyone to finish preparing. You gave him a joking sigh as the crew were finally ready to start.

"Action." Max called. Rick was sitting at a table in front of where you stood. You grabbed a bottle of fake alcohol that had been placed underneath the counter for you along with a glass and walked towards your costar. His head was resting on his hand, as if he was pondering. You placed the cup to his left and filed it up with the auburn liquid.

"Are you sure he was a bounty hunter ?" You, or Margaret, asked.

"I don't know many other men around here who carry that kind of weapon." Rick, or Jack, answered sarcastically as he brought the glass to his lips. "I don't want to skip town, Maggie, but-"

"If you keep running away, it's only a matter of time before they find you." You stood next to him as you watched him drink the prop whiskey. "You know it."

He loudly banged the glass on the wooden table when he was done. He sighed as he leaned back into his chair. "That, I do." Before he could utter another word, the saloon door swung open, announcing the arrival of another patron. The camera quickly moved to showcase the other man.

"Coyote." The actor said as he spat on the ground.

"I think you got the wrong man, pal. That ain't my name no more." Rick suddenly got up and motioned you to step behind him as you placed your arms in front of your chest to show Margaret's slight fear. The cameraman followed your movements as both of the men's hands lingered near their revolvers. "Cut ! Don't move !" Max shouted as he pushed the camera behind Rick and yourself to have a different point of view. Every aspect of this production was unlike anything you'd ever lived or heard about. "Continue." He said as you heard the click of the slate.

"There's a $1,000 bounty on your head, I ain't leaving without it." The 'hunter' said.

Rick quickly reached for his gun first and 'shot' the man. The actor was pulled from behind by a hidden wire and was propelled onto the ground of the fake street as comical smoke came out of Jack's pistol. "We have to get out of here before someone sees us. This may be the first one, but it ain't gonna be the last." Rick recited as he grabbed your wrist and walked out of frame, towards the unexacting back door of the saloon.

"End scene." Max said as he got up from his crouched position. "That was really good, let's try that again, and then we'll go shoot the departure."

After a few more takes, some better and some worse, the whole crew moved outside to film the next scene. There was a white horse waiting there, surrounded by handlers. You approached it and asked the owner's permission to pet it, to which he happily approved. He told you her name was Domino, but for the sake of the show she was called Daisy on screen. You smiled as the animal leaned onto your hand.

"You know how to ride ?" A voice, obviously belonging to your stuntman, now alleged murderer, acquaintance, said.

You turned around to look at him, wondering if you'd misheard him, keeping a hand on the horse. "Pardon ?" You almost choked on the air you were breathing.

"Horses. Do you know how to ride horses ?" He asked more specifically. His face practically lit up when he'd seen your half-concealed shock. "What did you think I meant ?"

"Nothing, I just had trouble hearing you." You said, feeling the blood rushing to your face. You couldn't believe you'd fallen for that. And you couldn't believe your first instinct was to think of... well that. It was so unlike you.

"I don't think so, Miss L/N." He huffed.

"Places everyone !" Max said, now holding a megaphone to ensure everyone could hear him. Cliff walked back to stand behind the camera as you stood next to Rick who was about to mount the horse. You heard someone call for the scene to start and Rick jumped on the saddle as you slowly approached him. He held out his hand for you. You took a moment before grabbing his arm to demonstrate Margaret's hesitation. "Don't tell me a horse scares you, Maggie. You're on of the toughest dames I know and this harmless creature worries you ?" Rick laughed. You sighed with annoyance and crossed your arms. "Come on. Daisy don't bite, I swear." You put your hand in his and Max ended the take.

You were confused, the scene ended with Margaret and Jack riding down the street, it was too early to cut. Rick got off the mare, and Cliff walked towards Domino to take his place. Now you understood. The man got on the saddle so easily, you wondered if he'd previously been a cowboy. The camera changed angles so the stuntman's face wouldn't be visible to the audience. You jokingly rolled your eyes as Cliff looked down at you, seemingly too happy about the situation.

He placed his hand in the same position Rick had and waited for the signal to start the scene. Once 'action' was called, you grabbed his hand as he helped pull you up and you sat behind him on the saddle. He clicked his tongue and hit the side of the horse with his shoe to signal to the animal to begin its walk. The sudden movement caused you to slightly lose balance, so you instinctively wrapped your arms around Cliff's abdomen as to not fall.

You didn't need to see his face, you already knew he was smirking.

After a a few seconds, you heard Max call out from afar with two thumbs up. "That was perfect !"

Domino stopped moving and you let go of the stuntman. Cliff quickly got off the horse, leaving you there alone and worried. A horse might not be as tall as a building, but Domino's height was still important enough to scare you. He began slowly walking away before you called for him.

"Um.. Cliff how do I... ?"

He stopped in his tracks and walked back to face you. "I'm sorry doll, do you not know how to dismount a horse ?" He joked as if that was the easiest thing in the world, his hands on his hips to emphasize his sarcasm.

"Obviously not. Tell me how and I'll do it."

Cliff didn't answer, he just held out his arms, indicating he wanted you to jump.

"Are you crazy ? I could fall and hurt myself. I'm not a stunt double, this could slow production weeks if not months." You said, completely serious.

"Don't you trust me ?" He kept his joyous attitude towards your slight fear of heights.

"I..."

"C'mon, jump, princess."

You took in a slow breath and wearily jumped off the horse and into his arms. He only held you in the air for a fraction of a second, but it was enough to make your mind go completely blank. He delicately placed you on the ground and leaned his head to look down at you, his hands still holding onto your waist.

"That wasn't so bad, was it ?" His voice was soft, as if comforting you, but still had that usual smugness he always had. You just shook your head, your gaze not leaving his, nervous almost. You were certain your face was pink, you could feel the heat rising.

The crew approached the two of you and began prepping for the next location. Cliff slowly backed away from you, his eyes focused solely you.

In that moment, it felt like everything and everyone around you was moving at a thousand miles per hour, and the only person you could clearly see was the old stuntman. His slightly greying disheveled hair, the early wrinkles starting to appear on his face, his strong arms, he was perfect to you. You forgot everything you'd known and been told about him, for now he was just Cliff. The silly stuntman that loved to tease with the most charming grin you'd ever seen. What was he doing to you ?

#fanfic #fanfiction #ao3 #1960s #brad pitt #cliff booth #cliff booth x reader #once upon a time in hollywood #quentin tarantino #ouatih #x fem!reader #x reader

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moltisantiii · 4 months ago

Text

I'm your Little Baby Doll, you're My Mr. Rock n' Roll

Cliff Booth x Actress! Reader

Summary : You meet Cliff Booth again, but someone is determined to keep you apart.

A/N : I'm back again with more Cliff content. I just finished my rewatch of OUATIH for the story and gosh is that a great film. Once again, this chapter was written while listening to unreleased Lana.

Warning : Language, Talks of Death (Murder)

Word Count : 3.1k

Chapter Index : I, II, III, IIII

Click here for Companion Pinterest Board

Click Here for Ao3 Ver.

You were still a teenager when you moved to Hollywood. With not much to your name, you struggled to make end's meet. You had worked as a waitress, and it was there you'd met your talent agent, Frances Adams. You don't remember how your conversation had shifted from what kind of eggs she'd like that morning to your aspirations of becoming an actress. But in the end, she wasted no time making you sign a contract, binding your careers together for the next decade or so. You still didn't know if Frances had any true experience in business or managing.

In your two years of working together, she went from getting you to act in commercials to you starring in your own movies. You didn't have a clue how she'd done it, but you were grateful for what she'd done, as you knew not everyone in your position had these kinds of opportunities.

On your schedule today, an interview and an audition. You'd looked at the limited script you had been given the day before. A short western series, Coyote's Gambit, where you, if casted, would play the part of the main romantic interest. A sarcastic and confident woman with a vulnerable side named Margaret. You were happy to have been considered in something that wasn't a comedy. Not that you hadn't enjoyed making those pictures, simply you wanted to try something different, more challenging for you.

You arrived at the studio a little after nine. It was a hot day beneath the Californian sun. You'd opted to wear a dress considering the heat and the fact you had an interview that morning. You walked to the costume trailer, which was, luckily for you, not too far from the parking lot. The makeup artists had set up their stations outside considering the limited ventilation in the trailers. You greeted them all quickly as one of them motioned for you to sit down on a chair so she could get started.

You took a seat and closed your eyes as she began applying eyeshadow. After only fifteen minutes she was done. She handed you a mirror as she moved on to her next client. You admired her work. Your eyelids were painted a light blue with a sharp line of winged eyeliner and a thick coat of mascara on your lashes. It was a popular look and you thought fitted you well after all the monochrome makeup from Cottontail Bandit you'd been used to these past few months.

You heard the sound of someone walking towards you. You removed the mirror from your eyesight to see who it was. In front of you stood a man in a black shirt and white pants, sunglasses covering his eyes.

"Mr. Booth, what are you doing here today ?" You asked with a slight smirk as you crossed your legs and laid back further in your chair.

"Driving around my boss, it's all I do these days." He huffed as he put a hand on the armrest of your chair. You had to stop yourself from looking down at his bicep. "What do they got you lookin' all pretty for ?"

"An interview and later an audition." He hummed.

"I think this is the first time I've seen you in regular clothes." He joked as he pulled his sunglasses further down his nose, exposing his eyes. "Not that I was complainin'."

You giggled. "Yep, the bunny suit is retired. Should've enjoyed it while it was still here."

"Oh, I sure did, sweetheart." He said as he leaned in closer to you. "Though-"

Whatever he was about to say was interrupted by a screeching voice. "Clifford Booth get the fuck away from my actress !" Frances.

He got off your chair. "Miss Adams, how are you doing on this fine day ?" Cliff said, his tone obviously trying to annoy her.

They knew each other. How ? That you didn't know.

"Better once you fuck off." Your manager answered, her voice full of spite. "What the hell do you think you're doing ?"

"I'm just having a nice chat with Miss L/N about her last film. That playboy one. Am I in trouble ?" He kept his cool, finding amusement in all this almost.

"You leave her alone or I'll have her get a restraining order against you." Frances said, dead serious. You'd never seen her this mad before, you were almost too afraid to say anything.

Cliff gave her a dry laugh as he slowly walked away. "See you around, darlin'." He said looking straight at you, dismissing Frances fully.

"You better fucking not !" She shouted as Cliff disappeared from view.

"Fran, what's the problem ? We were just talki-"

"He was the one you were with outside yesterday." She stated plainly.

"Yes ?" You said, not understanding how this was such a grave offence. "He was waiting for Rick Dalton. It was a coincidence. He's just being nice to-" You were cut off once again.

"You steer away from him. He's no good."

"Why ? What's your problem with him ?"

"That prick killed his wife." She dropped the bomb.

"What ?"

"Everyone knows it. A 'boating accident' they said. Unless you want to be the next one six feet under, you don't even look at him." She ordered you with complete seriousness.

As it turns out, you were one of the few people in Hollywood not aware of who Cliff Booth really was. After asking Frances for some more details, she explained that on that fateful day he'd gone on a boat ride with his wife, Billie, and when they came back she had been stabbed trough the stomach by a harpoon. Gruesome indeed. The thought made you shiver, had you been cozying up to a murderer ? Even if your two interactions had been brief, he'd left his mark on you. He'd partially occupied your mind since your last talk the evening prior.

You sighed as Frances lead you to a designated spot outside for your interview. You shook hands with your interviewer, Dean Farrow and sat down on the actor's chair in front of him. As he introduced you to the camera, you spotted far behind him Rick Dalton walking into a building, followed obviously by his stuntman. The door was opened for them by a security guard. Rick seemed to be talking to himself, rehearsing line probably, and Cliff looked as unbothered as ever.

"So Miss L/N, how does it feel to finally have broken into the world of cinema ?" Farrow asked with that fake news reposter kindness.

You quickly composed yourself and began answering his question. "It's been such a rewarding feeling after all the hard work I put into my career. I mean just a few years ago I was serving tables at a bad restaurant." You laughed.

"Talking about waitressing, how do you feel about the controversial nature of your character's profession ?"

"I think she's trying to live the best life she can with the cards she was dealt. I mean, I don't want to reveal what happens in the movie, but she uses the only tool she feels she has to her advantage. But this is a comedy, I hope people don't take it too seriously."

"Yes, it seems like audiences are divided on their opinions regarding the film. On one hand the younger crowds seem to think this movie will be an empowering tale, on the other, less open viewers believe this could affect the youth into rushing to sign up for jobs at the Playboy mansion."

"All I have to say about the topic is that this is a film, we don't want to encourage anyone to do anything. I think viewers need to keep in mind this is a very romanticized version of that culture, we do not see all the struggles my character probably goes through. At the same time, I do not think we should be mocking anyone's who's chosen that line of work."

After a handful of questions, Farrow ended his segment by telling viewers the release date of the film. The camera turned towards you once last time, you blew a kiss at the audience and waved them goodbye. The cameraman yelled cut and all the tension you hadn't realize you'd built up faded away. You thanked the two men and before they could say anything else, Frances was already back at your side. She excused you as she shoved a script in your hands.

It was the script for Coyote's Gambit. She gave you a look as if saying 'no time to waste'. You knew the interview had lasted longer than planned, but you doubted you needed to be rushing this much. She brought you towards the building your audition would be taking place in. Your eyes were glued to the words you were reading on the pages, not paying much attention to where the older woman was bringing you.

It was only when a man spoke that you looked up. "I'm sorry, only the actors are allowed in." That was the security guard you'd seen at the start of your interview. You looked up at the building in front of you and you realized it was that same building Cliff had walked into following his boss.

As you heard Frances argue with the poor man, you intervened. "It's alright Fran. I can take care of myself."

She scoffed, doubting the last part. The security guard opened the door for you and closed it quickly before your manager could try running after you.

The inside of the studio had been divided into two sections, the waiting room and the audition room. Strangely enough, you were the only person in the waiting room.

A man walked out from the other area to greet you. He had disheveled brown hair, a long bead and big glasses. "Y/N L/N ?" He called.

"That's me." You said as you walked towards him.

He approached you and shook your hand excitedly. "Maxwell Blythe. I'm the director and writer of the show."

"It's great to meet you sir." You said with a smile as he lead you into the next room.

"Please call me Max." As you feared, you were faced with Cliff Booth once more. You saw his face shift from bored to amused. Rick Dalton was sitting next to him, smoking a cigarette while whispering his lines.

Max brought you closer to the two men. "I presume you know Rick Dalton ? He's going to be playing the series lead, Jack 'Coyote' Steele."

"Of course. It's an honour Mr. Dalton." Rick gave you a simple smile.

"And this is his stunt double, Cliff Booth."

"A pleasure ma'am." Cliff said as he shook your hand with both his larger hands, pretending not to know you. He had a huge smirk on his face. You just gave him a polite nod.

After a lot of introductions, you were finally asked to stand in the middle of the room and play out the scene with your possible costar.

"And action." Someone shouted.

"Back again, Mr. Steele ? How long do you plan to stay in town this time ?" You started, your character's tone playful.

Rick paused before saying his line. "Until the authorities come lookin' for me Maggie."

"Well, I sure hope you haven't forgotten all about us while you were out in the big city."

Rick stayed silent. Meanwhile your character's strong shield was slowly being lowered to show her soft side.

"You can't run forever." You said as you got closer to the actor, getting more and more serious as the scene progressed. "They'll know you're here. It's dangerous."

"I can't leave. Not this time."

"Why not ?" You recited as you felt the tears pooling in your eyes on command.

"I've got somethin' to stay for."

"It's not worth it Jack, you're wanted. Dead or alive."

"Then leave with me. We can live from town to town, they'll never find me." Rick grabbed your upper arms to show the desperation of the coyote.

"But what if they do ?"

"I won't let 'em."

"Cut !" The director shouted. "That was great Y/N." You lowered your head as a 'thank you' as you wiped the water from your eyes.

You turned to look at Cliff who was leaning on the wall. His eyes were fixed on you, but he kept quiet.

"You're hired !" Max said suddenly. It was unusual to be hired on audition day, even you knew that.

"Mr. Blythe, you can't just hir-" An intern tried speaking but was stopped by the artist.

"The studio gave me full creative liberties. If I want to hire an actress on the spot, I will. No matter how late she showed up."

As the executives discussed, you decided to approach Cliff, against your better judgement considering the news you'd just gotten about him.

"Anyone tell you you're a pretty good at this ? Maybe you should become an actress."

"Never." You said with fake-shock, but you were unusually neutral.

Cliff could tell something was different. "What's up ?" He asked bluntly.

You hesitated for a moment but decided to be honest. "Listen, after her outburst, Frances told me some pretty nasty stuff about you."

He sighed, knowing exactly what the talent agent had done. "It ain't true." He answered plainly.

"Uh huh ?" You looked up at him, unable to say anything.

"She fell. The coroner said so himself after lookin' at the wound. There's no way I, or anyone else, could've done that to her. Can't argue with the law." His tone was the most serious you'd ever heard it. "You know how fast rumours spread here."

He looked down to make direct eye-contact with you, trying to reassure you.

Something in you was telling you he was being truthful. He was right, rumours spread easily and get disproportionate in Hollywood. But then again, if he was guilty, you'd doubt he'd admit to it. You decided not to think with your brain for now and just hoped you wouldn't be the next one found stabbed.

"Franny's never liked me."

"So you know each other ?" You leaned your shoulder against the wall, facing him.

"Well, I presume you know about your manager's failed acting career ?" His demeanour went back to its usual cheerfulness. "Back in the day, maybe 15 or 20 years ago, when you were just a baby, I accidentally fell on her during a stunt." You dismissed his comment about your age and focused on the story he was telling.

He could tell from your expression that you were holding in a laugh. "Tell me about it."

"We were filming this time-period drama. Fancy suits and what not. Anyways, I was supposed to jump off this two story building, but I somehow missed the safety net at the bottom and landed right on an extra. Just so happened to be your dear Frances. She wasn't hurt or anything, but you know her, she holds grudges."

"God, knowing her she probably blames you for ruining her career." You joked.

"Well, if that's the case, I'm glad I missed the stunt that day. You wouldn't be here otherwise. Could almost say I'm the cause of your success."

"And I'm so forever grateful Cliff." You said as you comically batted your eyelashes.

He noticed the way you'd finally called him by his first name. "It's no problem, darlin'."

Your conversation stopped once Maxwell stood in the middle of the room and announced that you would all start shooting in two days. You could see the executives behind him, disapproving and scrambling to find a way to make this work. You knew this was going to be a crazy experience. The director dismissed everyone and as you made your way towards the exit you could hear him arguing with producers.

Cliff and Rick followed after you. As you reached the entrance, Cliff extended his arm to push the door open, all while staying behind you, getting quite close to your back in the process.

After only a few steps on the pavement, Frances came running back to you. But her attention was on the man accompanying you.

"What the hell do you think you're doing ?" Your manager asked, her tone frustrated.

"Working." Cliff answered, not even bothering to look at her as he placed his sunglasses back on his face.

"I'll be in the car." Dalton muttered to his friend as he placed a cigarette between his lips and quickly left.

Frances looked to you for an explanation. She was practically red.

"Rick Dalton is the lead for Coyote's Gambit, so he and Cliff were at the audition."

"Cliff ? You're on first name basis with that idiot ?"

"Well, we're gonna be working together for a few weeks, so get used to it." Cliff said to the woman.

She slightly calmed down, understanding that you had managed to land the role. "Oh, thank God." She huffed as she looked up at the sky. "My hard work is paying off."

You didn't comment on her last words, she was starting to get on your nerves.

"Listen, Fran, I can surround myself with who I want." You said, bringing up your previous topic of conversation.

"No, Y/N, you can't. You've got to understand that surrounding yourself with certain people is career suicide."

"Thanks." Cliff said sarcastically.

"But-"

"Our contract states I can make these kinds of decisions for you, so I better not see you two chattering again or I will sue." Frances said, dead serious. She didn't let either of you answer back as she tightly grabbed your wrist to bring you far away from the stuntman.

Frances had a way of over exaggerating things. Although it is possible to sue someone for breach of contract, you refused to believe she would take you to court for talking to a man. She didn't have the money and if she ruined your career by sending you to trial, she'd kill her cash cow.

You looked back at Cliff. He gave you a 'eh, what can you do' look, regarding Frances' bad temper. He gave you a wink as he turned around to leave.

You wondered if being around Cliff Booth was as much trouble as your agent made it out to be. Cliff was not blacklisted from Hollywood, he hadn't been sent to prison and people did not seem to act different around him from what you'd personally seen. You didn't want to stay away from him, and if you needed to lie to the woman who'd built your career, you would do so without a problem.

The next two days could not pass fast enough. The old far west was the next place where you'd see Cliff Booth.

#fanfic #fanfiction #cliff booth #once upon a time in hollywood #brad pitt #cliff booth x reader #x reader #quentin tarantino #x fem!reader #1960s #ouatih

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moltisantiii · 4 months ago

Text

I'm your Little Baby Doll, you're My Mr. Rock n' Roll

Cliff Booth x Actress! Reader

Summary : In 1960's Hollywood a rising starlet catches the eye of a professional stuntman. Caught in the world of film, they are each other's escape.

A/N : 99% sure this fandom is dead, but this is my blog I do what I want. Just a heads up the chapter starts off from Cliff's POV before switching to yours. This story was (obviously) written while listening to unreleased Lana. Chapter II coming soon.

Warning : None

Word Count : 3k

Chapter Index : I, II, III, IIII

Click here for Companion Pinterest Board

Click here for Ao3 Ver.

Cliff was not famous, but he wasn't unknown. To the public, he didn't exist. To the people working in Hollywood, he was a talented stuntman turned murderer. So overall, people more or less knew his name, not that he cared all that much. He was never one for the spotlight anyways. It was funny, how LA big shots never paid him much attention before he became a rumoured criminal. But after all, that was how the movie business worked. Brilliant people shunned by talentless crooks.

Cliff leaned on his yellow Cadillac, his boss' car in truth, but he'd been the only one driving it for years so he considered it his. He was slowly smoking a cigarette in the pale moonlight, lost in thoughts, waiting for Rick Dalton to finish his meeting inside so he could drive him home.

Rick had been his boss and now friend since the rise of their careers on Bounty Law. To everyone else it seemed like Cliff was the one following Rick from set to set like a lost puppy, but in truth it was Rick who could never get anything done without his double. Dalton might've been a great actor, but it was all he was talented at. This didn't bother Cliff, he was glad he could spend his days driving and getting paid for it, plus he enjoyed Rick's company. However paranoid the man might've been, he was fun to be around.

Cliff took a long drag of his cigarette as he looked up at the bright billboard in front of him. It was an ad for an upcoming film. Cottontail Banditwas the name of the movie. The image showcased a beautiful young woman lying on her side, dressed in a playboy bunny outfit with curled hair and accessories to match on a pale blue background. Although he noticed her get-up covered her more than the regular bunny suit. The collar was higher on her chest and her hipbones were hidden under the glossy fabric. He'd seen a short article about the film in a magazine. It was a comedy about a waitress at a playboy bar who used her seduction skills to steal from men. He remembered this because he found it strange that the picture had managed to get a PG rating, considering the nature of playboy culture. He read the tagline that was written above the actress' legs ; Bunnies, bucks and mischief. He huffed as he looked at the girl's face once more. She was covered in exaggerated makeup and her expression was, strangely enough, neutral. Though her eyes were wide with surprise almost.

He was interrupted by the sound of a car door opening and closing. When he turned around to look, Rick was back and ready to leave. "What are you looking at ?" Rick said as he leaned down to get a better look at the billboard. Cliff threw the rest of his cigarette on the ground and got in the car. "Oh... That's that new girl... She just got signed with our company. I can't remember her name."

"You know 'er ?" Cliff asked as he started the car.

"Not personally. People been talkin' about her because this is her second or third picture ever." Cliff hummed. "Y-You mind stopping by the studio ? I need to go pick up some scripts for auditions." Cliff knew he didn't really have a choice and started making a detour towards the film lot the studio was on.

After some meaningless conversation, they arrived at their destination. The car stopped in front of the toll booth. Inside, a security guard was sleeping, leaning on his arm. "Larry !" Rick shouted, waking up the man. "What're you still doing here ?" When the duo usually stopped by the studio late at night, it was always empty and they'd even had to lift the barrier keeping their car from passing themselves.

"Some artsy new director is taking his sweet time." The man said annoyed. "They're not even filming, they're taking promotional pictures for the movie."

"Well, you know how beginners are." Cliff laughed. "Now open the gate, won't you ?"

The guard did as he was told and let the car pass. Cliff parked in front of one of the offices. Rick got out and assured he'd be back quickly. Cliff sighed and took his carton of cigarettes from inside the glove box. To his left was the only film lot that was still opened. He could hear people moving and talking from the inside. As he put one of the cigarettes in his mouth, the door of the movie set opened. From it emerged a woman, her back facing him.

He took in her appearance, starting at her shoes and slowly making his way up. She wore black heels that were quite short, adding almost nothing to her height. She wore slightly shiny skin-toned tights which made it seem like her legs were just naturally smooth. As he continued looking, he realized she wasn't wearing pants, but rather a familiar bodysuit with a white pompom attached to the back of it. Her shoulders were bare and it seemed like she'd been decorated in, probably fake, diamonds. Her curls were being blown by the slight breeze, and on top of her head were placed a pair of rabbit ears. She wrapped her arms around herself.

Cliff got out of the car to light his cigarette, the sound of the door closing made her turn around to face him. It was the same actress he'd seen on the billboard. "You alright there ?" He asked as he let out a puff of smoke.

She approached him, her arms still tangled together. "Our camera broke and it's freezing inside, so I needed to step out." She nervously smiled.

"Yeah, the indoor studios get really cold when they turn on the AC, and it's not like you got much to warm up with."

"You're an actor ?"

"Stuntman." He answered with his signature grin.

"What's a stuntman doing here at this hour ?" She laughed.

"Driving around my boss."

"Who's your boss ?" She asked as she leaned back next to him on the car.

"Why are you askin' so many questions ?"

"I'm new here, we might cross each other again." She said as she held out her hand for him to shake. Her wrists were decorated with fake suit cuffs and her nails were perfectly manicured. "Y/N L/N."

"Cliff Booth." He said as he shook her hand. "Rick Dalton's my boss."

"Thee Rick Dalton from Bounty Law ? I used to watch it as a kid."

Cliff gave her a look, not wanting to comment on the fact she was still very much a kid compared to him. "Then you must've seen me too."

"So you're famous ?" She gave him a teasing glance.

"Not as much as you." He said as he looked ahead. He saw from the corner of his eye that her head was still facing him.

"How do you know I'm famous ?"

"I've seen your billboards." He could tell from her demeanour that she was not too proud of that. "Cottontail Bandit. Is it a good film ?"

"It's good if you like comedies. The studio is scared nobody will go see it because they'll assume it's one of those X rated pictures." She huffed.

"It isn't ?" Cliff teased.

She delicately pushed his arm, holding back a laugh. "Mr. Booth, you are terrible."

They heard someone from inside the film set call for her. She got off the Cadillac and started walking away slowly. "Run along, bunny." Cliff said, as if assuring her it was alright to leave. She waved him goodbye quickly and got back to work. Cliff would be lying if he said he hadn't looked at her ass. At that same moment Rick came back, only catching a glimpse of the white pompom attached to her lower back.

They both got inside the car again. "W-Were you talking to someone ?" Rick asked as he put his pile of scripts in the backseat.

"Y/N L/N."

"That was her name !" Rick said, finally remembering the name of the new actress he'd mentioned earlier. "Her director's the one who won't leave ?"

"Seems like it."

"They're still filming that playboy movie ?"

"I doubt she dresses like a playmate by choice." Cliff imagined the bunny ears on her perfectly styled hair again in his mind. "Did you find anything interesting ?" The stuntman said, changing the conversation topic.

"More TV westerns. I feel like I'm getting type casted now. Plus these ones don't have many episodes planned out."

After bringing Rick back home, Cliff drove back to his trailer in his own, less impressive car. It was dark out and it had been a long day at work. As soon as he opened the small door, Brandy, his dog, came running out. He scratched her ear as her tail wagged, happy to see him. After a few seconds he lead her back inside. He turned on his small and old television before walking to the kitchen to make himself something to eat.

As soon as he opened a cabinet, Brandy barked. Cliff laughed at his impatient pet. "We've been practicing patience." But after a dozen barks and noises from the dog, he realized he couldn't say no to her. He sighed as he grabbed one of the many cheap dog food cans he had stored in the cupboards. He ripped the lid off with ease and watched as the slop slid out of the can and into a dog bowl. He waited a minute before letting the dog eat. As soon as he whistled, Brandy ran towards her food and wasted no time chowing down.

Cliff sighed at the sight and began looking for food for himself. After a minute or two of searching, he found a packet of instant mac and cheese. He put the pasta in boiling water, paying no attention to the mess he was making as he poured the bright orange powder in the pot. As he stirred the food, he heard a familiar voice.

"Oh, but haven't I been such a good girl ?" He turned towards the sound almost immediately, it was coming from his TV. When he looked at the screen he saw her. Y/N, in her now signature bunny costume. He kept on watching the commercial featuring her that was now playing. Her demeanour was completely different, more confident and sure of herself than when he'd seen her earlier that evening.

"Brace yourselves for one of this year's most hilarious comedies, starring rising starlet Y/N L/N !" The narrative voice of the advert said, as multiple shots of her from the movie flashed on the television.

Cliff dismissed his supper and sat down on his small couch, his eyes never leaving the monitor. He watched as she looked up at an unnamed costar in the scene, her hands on his chest. The next scene showcased her sitting on a bed, joyously throwing hundreds if not thousands of fake dollar bills in the air with a mischievous grin.

"From director Arlo Duvall ; Cottontail Bandit. Coming to theatres near you next month. Rated PG." The last shot of the commercial was her lying in a gigantic pile of diamonds, blowing a kiss to the audience. "They say money can't buy happiness, but it sure does make my life sparkle." That was her last line in the short TV spot. As the advertisement ended, he laughed. She was a totally different person on screen it seemed. Her character was more serious, self-assured and certain in her role than the actress portraying her. But he couldn't deny, he enjoyed the way she looked. He thought back to her last words to him and how she'd preferred to call him Mr. Booth rather than his first name.

His thoughts were interrupted when he heard the sound of the hot water falling on the stove. He quickly got up to remove the pot from the burner. The show playing on TV resumed after the last ad, but Cliff wasn't paying much attention to it at that point.

The only thing he thought about was the fact he might have to go to the movie's next month.

As you walked back into the studio, all seven pairs of eyes inside were on you. Your manager, Frances, angrily walked towards you. "Y/N, where were you ?"

"I was just outside... It was too cold for me here."

She grabbed your upper arm. Whatever she was about to do was stopped by her giving you a look. "You smell like cigarette smoke." She unhappily whispered in your ear.

You knew one of her many rules for you was no smoking. She had spent the past three years creating your public image and she would not see it destroyed. She wanted your persona to be one of the perfect feminine actress. She believed smoking was a man's pastime and it was not something you should be doing as a woman. Although you'd caught her multiple times with a cigarette between her fingers. So much so, you'd noticed a yellow stain forming on her index and middle finger, the hypocrite.

"Could we get back to shooting before the camera decides to break permanently ?" Arlo, the director of the film, said annoyed from afar.

You ripped your arm from France's grip and walked back to the set. You sat down on the lounge chair that had been set up for the shoot and continued posing as you heard the clicks of the shutter. After ten minutes or so Arlo finally announced "That's a wrap for Cottontail Bandit everybody !"

He approached you with a friendly smile and kneeled to be face-to-face with you, still on the chair. "We're all done with the movie, you're just gonna need to do a few interviews tomorrow since there won't be a real press tour or premiere."

"Thank you so much for this opportunity, Arlo. It's been so fun."

It didn't take long for Frances to intrude, making you unable to continue the conversation. Frances wanted to make sure all business decisions were handled by her. Apparently any talking between you and any one who'd ever worked on a movie was a possible opportunity and if it was handled by you it could be ruined.

"It's getting late." The older woman said, obviously insinuating it was time for you to leave. You quickly said your goodbyes to the crew and walked back to the costume trailer to change.

You took off your costume for the last time. It might've been inconvenient at times, but you'd miss it. You wondered what your next project would be, and if it would be an experience as comfortable as Cottontail Bandit. You still remembered the day you'd approached the women in the wardrobe department and told them about your concerns regarding your outfit and how they had it fixed for you the next morning. You doubted other productions were as worried about their actors as this one.

You put on your sweater, skirt and heels, fixed your hair and walked out of the trailer. To no one's surprise, Frances was waiting for you.

"You weren't smoking were you ?" You stopped yourself from rolling your eyes, you couldn't believe she was still hung up on that.

"No, you know I never have. And where would I have been able to buy a carton in five minutes without leaving ?"

"There was someone else outside." She said, finally reaching the right and most probable conclusion.

You didn't even bother answering and began the walk to your car. "Tomorrow morning, nine o' clock sharp, here for the interviews. And I set up an audition for you." She shouted as you got further and further away.

Once you got in your car, you gripped the steering wheel and took a deep breath.

You'd signed a contract with Frances when you were a struggling actress two years ago. You were eighteen, in an unknown city with no connections and it was truly an accident that you met the woman. With no lawyer to reread the paperwork for you, you'd apparently missed a few key elements, mainly about her managing your social life and schedule. She was quick to become your manager, and you her only client. Although your career had improved since your meeting, she was truly a pain. Very strict and controlling. You found out a few weeks after meeting her that she was a failed actress in the 40s, she'd only managed to land roles as background characters with no lines or significance. You didn't know if that's what had transformed her into a bitter old woman.

You turned on the car engine and began driving away. LA was illuminated by colourful lights and the crowds on the streets. It was nothing like your home state of Oklahoma. Although Tulsa was beautiful and always illuminated, it never had that glamorous charm Hollywood had. You left Oklahoma to start your career as an actress. This wish had been kickstarted by your mother taking you to the movie once as a tween. Little did she know about the obsession with becoming a star that she had accidentally started. Your family had wished you luck when you left, but except for a few letters here and there, you hadn't heard much from them. Not that they disliked you or anything of that sort, simply you fell out of touch.

As you drove, you thought back to the stuntman you'd met earlier, Cliff Booth. You wished you could have spent more time talking to him. He interested you, you weren't sure why, but you hoped you would cross him again soon. As embarrassed as you were to admit it, you couldn't stop thinking about him. Maybe it was the lack of men in your life, no thanks to Frances' strict rules, or maybe it was due to the way he was genuine when talking to you, not 'talking business'. Not to mention, he was quite handsome, you'd had no problem imagining the amount of women that must've thrown themselves at him every day.

Whatever the source of your interest was, Cliff Booth was on your mind that evening.

#fanfic #fanfiction #once upon a time in hollywood #cliff booth #brad pitt #cliff booth x reader #x reader #quentin tarantino #x fem!reader #1960s #ouatih

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