INVISIBLE STRING ― pedro pascal

-MESSAGE & REAL LIFE

Willow nodded, eyes shifting to Pedro curiously, her mind working overtime to see where this conversation would lead.

"But, after recent events," CC exaggerated a sympathetic expression, looking around at the group. "You've been incredibly low in everyone's list of 'celebrities you can trust.' Pedro's the opposite.

"Everyone who has seen the Mandalorian, and I mean, every single poll we've sent out, has absolutely loved him. And, yes, granted, you'll be joining the show, but we can't guarantee your ratings will skyrocket. People may hate the character, may hate a strong female lead, etc. There's a lot of variables and nothing can confirm your success. Nothing, except..."

She paused for dramatic effect, glancing around the table again. Willow noticed Pedro's leg move up and down at a quick rate. Was he nervous?

"A relationship with an up and coming older actor, beloved and defended, by many who idolize him. We can play the relationship anyway to increase—"

"—Wait, relationship?" Willow asked, blinking, looking at CC as if she'd grown two heads. Her gaze turned to Pedro, who wasn't looking at her, instead, fixated on the black table in front of him. "You want...us," she gestured between her and Pedro, suddenly feeling light-headed. "To be in a relationship."

Willow phrased it more as a question than a statement, her voice coming out a bit higher than normal, and felt her hands growing clammy from nerves.

"Well, it'll all be for publicity," the woman with auburn hair spoke up, smiling at Willow. "Angie Sharpe, Mr. Pascal's lawyer," she reached a hand over the table and Willow blinked, taking it slowly and shaking it.

"It's Pedro," he corrected, looking up for the first time, clearing his throat. "Using my last name is so formal," he joked, forcing out a small laugh.

No one entertained him.

Angie smiled politely. "Of course, Mr. Pascal."

Pedro shrunk down a bit in his seat.

"Now, back to the basics, there doesn't need to be any physical relationship of any kind, excluding the occasional walk with a coffee in the mornings. You may brush shoulders or hold hands."

"Of course, there will be many 'sources'" the man across from Willow spoke now, from next to Angie, using air quotes to emphasize his point. "I'm Mason, your lawyer. CC hired me."

Willow blinked, looking over at CC in surprise. "Oh, that's—thats—wait, Jason and Mason? Seriously?"

Pedro snorted but no one else seemed to take notice of her joke. She glanced at him but he didn't make a move to look at her.

"From numerous 'friends' of both of yours. You'll have to sign a bit of paperwork to create the whole breakup and—"

"—Well, wait, hold on, hold on. Let's slow your horses," Willow laughed nervously, looking around the room. Her breath started picking up a fraction, nerves picking at her insides.

"I'm not entirely sure I'm comfortable with this, I mean this guy won't even look at me—"

"—Do you think I want this anymore than you do?" Pedro snarked, scowling down. "If my numbers were high enough by myself, I'd be fine. Now I have to be in a fake relationship with a girl nearly twice as young as me."