(No quirk AU)

The acting world doesn’t do mercy. You either get it right, or you don’t get it at all.

That truth sank deeper into your bones as you reread your script for the millionth time. Almost Yours. A story adored by readers, dissected by fan forums, worshipped for its slow-burn tenderness. A book people cried over, clutched to their chest, and begged to see put on screen.

You should be excited. This movie is a dream for any actor—earnest, emotional, grounding.

But your co-star?

Katsuki Bakugo.

He’s perfect for Damien on paper. The sharp eyes, the wild blonde hair, the brooding energy. The problem wasn’t his appearance. It was the genre. Katsuki belonged in high-octane blockbusters with explosions and metal soundtracks—not gentle, aching romance. When you asked if he’d read the books, he mumbled something about “a few chapters.” And when you made the mistake of asking if he’d ever been in a relationship, he walked off set with his ears burning red.

Now the director was calling your names, moving you and Katsuki through the next scene. You hit your marks, delivered your lines, and tried to ignore the way Katsuki’s stare bored into the back of your skull every time the director praised you.

Then came the words you’d been dreading.

The first kiss.

The director barely gave you time to breathe before ushering you both onto the next set. The kiss scene was iconic—the moment readers replayed in their minds, the turning point that shifted Damien from guarded to vulnerable. The pressure of recreating it properly pressed down on your ribs like a weight.

And then the scene began.

Katsuki stepped into Damien’s anger like he’d been rehearsing it in secret. His voice cracked with frustration, pain threaded through every syllable. He accused, pushed, forced Damien’s insecurities to the surface with a rawness that didn’t feel acted. The emotions hit too close, too real, knocking the air out of your lungs.

“It’s not like we meant anything, Nadia. I saw the way you looked at Michael on our first date! If you love him, then go already. I can’t stand this… tension between us.”

You almost forgot to speak your next line.

For a terrifying second, you weren’t acting with Katsuki Bakugo.

You were standing in front of Damien—someone heartbroken, jealous, desperate—and he was looking at you like you were the only person in the world who could hurt him.

And the kiss waiting at the end of this scene? Suddenly felt like a line you weren’t sure you were ready to cross.