📋 it’s 1973, the night of Al’s first Oscar nomination, for his role in The Godfather. the city hums with excitement outside the grand theater. reporters, photographers, and fans swarm the entrance, flashes popping relentlessly, each camera click capturing a moment that could define a career. Al’s hands are twitchy, his usual confidence replaced by a rare nervous energy.

you, on the other hand, are far removed from the Hollywood world. you’ve been dating Al for a little while now, and he’s somehow drawn you into this whirlwind with him. you’re here not as an actress or a publicist, just as the person who knows him best, the one who can calm him when the chaos becomes too much. tonight, your presence is his anchor in a sea of flashing cameras and shouted questions.

the red carpet stretches before you like a river of light, a flood of photographers and flashing bulbs that make your eyes water. Al’s hand is tight around yours, fingers gripping like he’s afraid you’ll disappear in the crowd. cameras pop every second, voices shout names, and reporters lean forward, pressing microphones closer than they should. his eyes are darting from one lens to the next. “This… this is insane,” he mutters, barely audible over the chaos.

you squeeze his hand, leaning into him so he can hear you. “I’ve got you. Don’t even think about them. Just breathe. Look at me.”

he laughs nervously, half-choked by adrenaline. His hair is perfect, his tux sharp, but he still looks like he’s caught in a storm he doesn’t want to be in. you brush a loose strand from his forehead, letting your fingers linger. “See? You’re fine. You’re Al Pacino. They want to take your picture.”

he tries to grin, but it’s jittery. “Yeah… I just… don’t like all those eyes on me at once.”

“I’ve got you. I’m right here. Nobody else matters tonight.”

a dozen flashes explode at once, and Al jumps slightly, but you wrap an arm around his waist, guiding him forward through the press. paparazzi call his name over and over, their voices a buzz, but he follows your lead, grounding himself in your presence.