After days of pure exhaustion, Cassius finally stepped away from work and let himself collapse at home.
His daily routine boiled down to three main locations: the living-room couch, the pool, and the kitchen.
He was still in the middle of recharging when Rob's call came in like a damn alarm clock.
"Bro! Vacation's over!"
Rob's voice was as hyped as ever on the other end of the line. "Lionsgate just sent word—the first rough cut of The Hunger Games is done. Gary and the producers watched it and feel the Katniss-Peeta emotional arc could still be stronger, especially with some extra hints and moments in the early and middle sections."
"They want to pick up a few reshoots—mostly close-ups, reaction shots, and some new paired publicity stills for the marketing push."
Cassius sat up on the couch and rubbed his eyes. "Where are we shooting? Please tell me it's not back in that damn forest."
The mosquitoes and the tiny wooden bunk beds had left permanent scars on his soul.
"Nah, nothing like that. They booked a studio right here in LA. It'll only be a couple of days—mostly you and Jennifer doing scenes together, plus some green-screen stuff."
"Scheduled for the day after tomorrow. Jennifer's already cleared her schedule."
Rob paused, then slipped into full gossip mode. "So… after all those months in the woods, you two seeing each other again gonna be weird?"
"It's just work. Why would it be weird?" Cassius answered smoothly.
Inside, he was already picturing Jennifer's wild energy.
Reuniting after a break?
This was basically a second honeymoon.
He was probably going to need every ounce of stamina he had.
"Cool. I'll email you the shot list and address," Rob said, then hung up in his usual whirlwind style.
Two days later.
Lionsgate's temporary soundstage in Los Angeles.
The second Cassius walked through the door, the polished, high-tech vibe hit him like culture shock after months in the woods.
Tall ceilings, neatly laid cables, dollies, and pro lighting rigs everywhere.
It felt like stepping into another world.
They'd already built a partial set of the Victory Tour parade float.
Crew members moved around adjusting lights and cameras.
Cassius spotted Jennifer immediately.
She was standing next to Gary, pointing at the set and talking animatedly.
Gone was the mud-covered Katniss in dirty training gear with a braid and constant dirt smudges.
Today she wore a simple white T-shirt, light-blue jeans, and a pale-gray knit cardigan. Her hair was smooth and loose over her shoulders, and she had on light, flawless makeup that made her skin glow under the studio lights.
She must have felt his stare, because she turned, saw him standing at the entrance, and her eyes lit up. A huge smile broke across her face. She waved both arms and yelled in that big, unmistakable voice, "Hey! Over here! I was starting to think you got lost in one of those Beverly Hills swimming pools!"
That one shout instantly transported Cassius back to the forest dorms.
Same old Jennifer. Zero change.
He walked over, greeted Gary, then turned to her. "Long time no see. Looks like LA agrees with you more than the woods did."
"Obviously. At least the mosquitoes aren't throwing midnight raves here." Jennifer looked him up and down, raising an eyebrow. "You didn't even get that dark. Must've been living the easy life back home, huh?"
"Got a few solid nights of sleep, yeah," Cassius said lightly. "So what are we shooting today?"
Gary pulled out the shot list. "Mostly some new flashback-style inserts and subtle hint moments."
Cassius and Jennifer sat and listened while Gary walked them through every beat.
They were all intimate, emotional close-ups and reaction shots—exactly the kind of work his freshly upgraded Eyes and Emotion stats were built for.
Makeup, wardrobe, lights.
Cassius slipped back into Peeta's clean light shirt and dark pants, his face softened by the makeup team.
The shots flew by.
After a few days of real rest, their chemistry wasn't rusty at all—it was sharper, more layered.
"Cut! Perfect!" Gary shouted, pumped. "That look you just gave her, Cass? We could drop that straight into the trailer as the hook."
Right as Gary called cut, a purple orb dropped off Cassius:
[Eyes – Infectious Gaze +8]
He absorbed it instantly. His understanding of visual storytelling deepened again.
Jennifer walked over to watch the playback, stroking her chin. "Whoa… that stare is dangerous."
She leaned in close and whispered, "When we do the eye-contact shots later, don't let me outshine you."
Her perfume was sweet and clean—nothing like the sweat-and-dirt smell from the forest.
The next scenes were their shared takes.
They had to pass each other at a distance, exchange one quick glance, then look away.
On action, they walked toward each other from opposite sides of the narrow set corridor.
The moment they crossed, Cassius turned his head just slightly. Jennifer did the same.
Their eyes met for a fraction of a second.
Cassius poured every bit of his Level 5 Eyes into that look—Peeta's restrained longing, the tiny flash of panic at being caught, all of it condensed into one heartbeat.
Jennifer's return glance was just as perfect: Katniss's wariness mixed with a spark of concern, then the quick, almost burned look away.
Less than a second of eye contact, but it felt like an entire conversation.
"Cut! Beautiful! That was incredible!" Gary was rubbing his hands together in excitement. "You two look like an actual couple!"
Cassius and Jennifer locked eyes for a beat. They both saw the same silent understanding in the other's gaze.
Jennifer shot him a lightning-fast wink.
The publicity stills were way easier—just posing, building that CP vibe.
The photographer wanted deep eye contact, leaning on each other, light hand touches, the works.
They were both pros. They nailed every setup and even threw in little improvisations that the photographer loved.
Jennifer elbowed him playfully; Cassius responded with an exasperated but fond head-shake.
The candid shots came out even more natural and alive.
"Perfect! The two of you together just pop on camera!" the photographer kept saying. "Cass, tilt your eyes toward her a little more—that protective vibe—yes! Jennifer, keep the stubborn look but let your body lean toward him just a touch—"
"Gorgeous!"
The whole pickup day went fast and smooth.
Cassius could feel it: after months of intense on-set teamwork in the forest, his and Jennifer's working rhythm had reached a whole new level.
One glance, one tiny gesture, and they instantly knew what the other needed.
By the time they wrapped, the sun was dipping low.
They changed back into their street clothes and walked out of the studio together.
Jennifer had flown in from Kentucky that morning and was crashing at her manager's place for now.
"My manager's house is fine for location stuff," she said, climbing into the passenger seat, "but his cat is a straight-up demon. Middle of the night parkour, face-planting on people—worse than half the tributes in the arena."
Cassius started the car. "You didn't rent your own spot in LA yet?"
"I looked at a few places. Either crazy expensive, way out in the sticks, or the neighbors looked like they throw parties till sunrise."
Jennifer buckled up and slumped dramatically in the seat. "I just had all my stuff shipped from Kentucky—boxes are still piled in my manager's garage. I figured I'd tough it out for a few days, but it's miserable."
Cassius drummed his fingers on the steering wheel.
An idea clicked.
He kept his tone casual, eyes on the road. "I've got a bunch of empty rooms at my place."
Jennifer blinked, then turned to stare at him. "Your place? The Beverly Hills house?"
The media had covered his purchase of Jackie Chan's old mansion pretty heavily.
"Yeah. They're just sitting there empty. Most days it's only me, and half the time even I'm not there. Plus, with all the press tours, premieres, and interviews coming up for The Hunger Games, we're basically glued together for the next six months anyway. Might as well make it easier."
Dakota already stayed over. Kristen was basically a permanent fixture. Adding Jennifer didn't feel like a big deal.
It was Hollywood. Everyone was friends.
Even if Kristen was his official girlfriend, he'd noticed lately that she got just as excited about beautiful women as he did.
Jennifer didn't say no.
So Cassius simply drove them straight to Beverly Hills.
Kristen and Dakota were both away on their own shoots right now, so there were even more empty rooms.
Having someone around to talk to on quiet days sounded nice.
The car rolled through the quiet Beverly Hills streets and stopped in front of the sleek modern house.
Motion-sensor lights flicked on. The pool glowed soft blue. Everything looked exactly as he'd left it.
"Not bad at all," Jennifer said, stepping out with her small duffel bag and looking around.
She still wasn't the massive star she would become; money was tighter for her. She definitely couldn't afford a place like this yet.
"Thanks," Cassius said, unlocking the door and waving her inside.
Jennifer wandered through the living room, curious.
It was bright, modern, and understated—expensive furniture that didn't scream for attention.
"You live here and it still feels kinda… unlived-in?" she asked, picking up a framed photo on the mantel. It was the shot of him, Kristen, and Dakota from their recent dinner—the one Kristen insisted on taking to "commemorate the day Dakota betrayed her."
"Three's company, huh?" Jennifer set the frame back down, voice light, no obvious edge.
"I only moved in right before we started The Hunger Games and then basically lived in the woods for months," Cassius explained as he led her upstairs. "Guest rooms are this way. Pick whichever you want. All of them have private bathrooms, fresh sheets, and housekeeping comes once a week."
Jennifer checked out two rooms and picked the one with the big window overlooking the backyard and pool.
"This one. Nice view. If I can't sleep I can count stars—if LA ever shows any stars."
Cassius brought her fresh towels and a robe.
Jennifer unzipped her bag and started pulling things out: a well-loved stuffed rabbit, a couple of dog-eared scripts, a portable speaker, and some snacks.
"Done! This room officially has Jennifer vibes now."
She looked satisfied, then clapped her hands. "Landlord, got any food? I'm starving."
"Food's not the problem," Cassius said with a wicked grin, closing the bedroom door behind him. "Question is… how are you planning to pay rent?"
"Mr. Landlord, please don't let your wife find out—"
Jennifer instantly slipped into character, giving him big, pitiful doe eyes.
[Jennifer Lawrence Favorability +1. Current: 97]
Your mouth says no, but your body is being very honest.
Cassius pounced.