Jon wanted to say something, he really did. After all, he'd just had his ass grabbed by a man, a completely new but unwelcome experience. He felt a mixture of humiliation and anger. And so he wanted to give a piece of his mind to the rude man.
The problem was that the man was Chris Evans.
Jon was star struck. This beefy man was one of Jon's favourite actors. When he'd made the original wish to be a stunt man on this set, he had been hoping that he'd get to be Chris' double. The changes to Jon's body would have been almost as dramatic as they ended up being as Scarlett's partner. Chris' arms were huge, as was his chest, his legs, even his ass. It was hard to believe that a person could look as ripped as Chris, while still having an approachable, kind face. All traits Jon had hoped to gain.
Instead, Jon was stuck looking close enough to being Scarlett Johansson's twin to fool Chris Evans, a man who was starring in his third movie with the starlet. He opened his puffy, painted lips to respond to the big man, but nothing came out. Jon could feel his cheeks grow flush with embarrassment. Why couldn't he just tell Chris off? It was common knowledge on set that Jon was standing in for Scarlett for stunts, and it was a simple mistake that Chris had made, all it would take was one word from Jon and he was sure the movie star would trip all over himself with apologies.
"Cat got your tongue?" Chris laughed, "Or are you disappointed that I'm was that sissy stunt boy you seem to get all excited about?"
Chris' laughter was jovial, but Jon could hear something behind the laughter. It was a hint of something... toxic. It hurt being called a sissy, but even more it hurt to think that this man who had been his hero could be such a jerk. Again he wanted to lash out, but now he was afraid to reveal himself. Pretending to be Scarlett was a shield against ignorance. It felt better, safer, to be thought of a sexy woman than a feminine man.
Still, Jon wasn't powerless against Chris. He did have his magical rock, a talisman that could change the balance of power in their relationship, something that could give Jon anything he wished. He'd brought it in his purse, which was sitting within reach in his purse, laying on the make-up table. He reached one small hand out and pulled the purse to him.
"Whatever," Chris said, still laughing, "Sorry for scaring you. No need for the silent treatment, though. I'll see you on set."
The big man turned and walked away. The trailer felt bigger with Chris gone, so imposing was his presence. Jon hated being made to feel small, weak, victimized. With anger in his heart, he slipped a hand into his purse and grasped the stone.
"Jon," Scarlett's voice surprised him from behind, "Why didn't you just tell him who you were?"
Again, Jon's face flushed as he turned to his friend, his friend who he had gotten a lot closer to in the past twenty-four hours. He could feel tears welling up in his eyes. Why was he having such a difficult time with his emotions?
"Ladies," Scarlett said to the make-up staff, "Can you give us a couple minutes alone?"
Quickly the room was vacated, and Scarlett wrapped her arms around him. Her soft lips brushed against his cheek, and she whispered to him sweetly.
"There is nothing wrong with who you are, with what you are. You're beautiful, Jon."
Jon stepped back from her, resisting her embrace. He couldn't accept what he was hearing.
"I couldn't let him know that I wasn't you. Did you hear what he called me? A sissy? That's all everybody sees me as!" He choked back his tears. He wanted to tell her so much more, that he had wished himself into this body, that he wasn't who she thought he was, but he didn't want to risk losing the new intimacy he'd discovered with her.
"That's not true," answered Scarlett soothingly, "I don't see you like that. Candy doesn't either. I'm pretty sure she considers you a man in every way that counts. So do I," she winked, "and so would anyone who gave you a chance. Chris can be a jerk, but who cares?"
"I care," he said, stopping his tears finally, "I care what people think of me. Does that make me a bad person? I know you think that I've come to terms with who I am, but I guess I haven't yet."
"Look, if you're too embarrassed to confront him, maybe next time you should just pretend to be me," Scarlett said, "You have my permission. Play along. Maybe he'll dig himself a hole that he can't get out of. It can't be that hard; you already look the part. Try doing an impersonation of my voice."
"I wish I could," Jon said without remembering that his hand, still in his purse, was grasping the stone. In his peripheral vision he caught a brief flash of light from the purse.
"I bet you'd do better than you think. Give it a shot!" she said, prodding him.
"Okay, let me try," Jon said. He cleared his throat, then thought of Scarlett's voice, her accent, her intonations, her pitch, then...
"How's this?" he asked his almost-twin in a perfect impersonation of her voice, "Holy crap! I can do it! I sound just like you!"
"I told you!" Scarlett sounded excited, "You can pretty much do anything, Jon. But this doesn't give you the excuse to hide out as me all the time, just when Chris is being a jerk. I don't know what it is I feel for you, Jon, but I know that I feel it for you, not for some me knock-off."
"Okay, Scarlett" he said in her voice again, "Only when I need it, but not all the time," then, in his own voice, "Because there's nothing wrong with me. Right?"
"Right," she replied with finality. Then she grabbed his hand and the two marched onto the set to face the day together.
