The shooting for "The Hunger Games" pressed on, and as early June 2011 rolled around, the end was finally in sight. The production team had reached the climactic scene where Katniss and Peeta fought Cato atop the Cornucopia.
The actors rehearsed the choreography one last time, making sure every move was perfect. The stunt doubles executed the more dangerous maneuvers flawlessly, and the tension in the air was palpable.
Finally, it was time for the take. "Action!" yelled the director.
Jennifer and Lucas, as Katniss and Peeta, engaged in a fierce battle with the actor portraying Cato. They dodged, parried, and countered each other's moves, their faces etched with determination. The fight sequence was nothing short of breathtaking.
In the end, Katniss and Peeta emerged victorious, and Cato, played by the talented Alexander Ludwig, plummeted from the top of the Cornucopia. In reality, he was caught by a safety harness, but if it's in the final cut, he would be swarmed by vicious wolf mutts and devoured alive.
After several takes, the director finally called it a wrap, signaling the end of principal photography. The story continued with the Game Master informing Katniss and Peeta that the rules had changed again - only one tribute from the same district could be crowned the victor.
Peeta volunteered to sacrifice himself, but Katniss's feelings for him had grown too deep. She couldn't bear the thought of losing him now. As they both reached for the nightlock berries, intending to die together rather than live without each other, the Game Master, Seneca Crane, stopped them just in time.
"Wait!" he bellowed. "You both win!"
The announcement sent shockwaves through the arena and the control room. The unthinkable had happened – two tributes from the same district were being declared victors.
Katniss and Peeta looked at each other, their eyes brimming with relief and love. The two characters had defied the odds and survived the unthinkable together. Their lips met in a passionate, triumphant kiss, sealing their newfound bond as co-victors and maybe something more.
As the cameras stopped rolling, Jennifer and Lucas shared a tender moment, their foreheads touching, their breaths mingling.
As the days of shooting progressed, the rumors about Lucas and Jennifer's relationship began to spread like wildfire among the cast and crew. It was hard to deny the chemistry between them, especially after the emotional Cornucopia scene and their numerous close encounters on set.
During one particular scene where Jennifer's character, Katniss, had to climb a tree, her natural clumsiness almost got the better of her. The production team's quick thinking in providing better protective gear saved her from any real harm, but it didn't stop Lucas's heart from leaping into his throat each time she stumbled.
After each take, he would rush to her side, his eyes filled with concern, and ask if she was alright. His hand would linger on her cheek, caressing her skin gently, and Jennifer didn't seem to mind at all. In fact, she often leaned into his touch, their gazes locked in a silent understanding.
The rumors about Lucas and Jennifer's relationship reached a fever pitch when they were spotted together off-set, laughing and enjoying each other's company. While neither of them had confirmed anything officially, the pictures of them together on social media before the filming of "The Hunger Games" fueled the speculation even more.
The cast and crew, for the most part, respected their privacy, understanding that although they were actors, they were also human beings who deserved their own space. They would only gossip about it among close friends and family.
However, there was a minority who felt differently. Elena, a member of the production team, couldn't help but feel envious of Jennifer's closeness with Lucas. She had harbored a secret crush on him since day one, and seeing him with Jennifer tore her heart apart.
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After a few days, the filming of "The Hunger Games" finally came to an end. The cast and crew were already bidding each other farewell when Lucas called out, "Guys, can we have one last group shot before we go our separate ways?"
The cast members looked at each other, smiling at his enthusiasm. Woody chuckled and agreed, "Alright, alright." He posed with his arm around Liam's shoulder as Lucas held up his phone, trying to capture everyone in the frame.
However, he soon realized that his arms weren't long enough to fit everyone in the selfie. Thinking on his feet, he spotted a solution. "Wait here, guys!" he said, dashing off to set the camera's timer before running back to Jennifer's side just in time.
The cast and crew laughed at his antics, but they all huddled together, their happiness evident in their eyes.
Lucas had his arm slung around Jennifer's shoulders, grinned widely as the camera clicked, immortalizing the moment.
Lucas laughed and hugged Woody, Elizabeth, and the rest of the cast and crew. A few members didn't join the group shot, but he bid them farewell nonetheless. Afterward, he and Jennifer made their way to the airport together, trying to blend in with their caps and sunglasses.
As they walked, Jennifer leaned closer to him and whispered, "Do you think they already suspect our relationship? We were pretty obvious during filming and just now."
Lucas flashed her a grin. "Well, so what? We can always just reveal it later on. Besides, what's the worst that could happen? We're both single, and we have each other. That's all that matters, right?"
Jennifer blushed, her heart pounding in her chest. She knew that going public with a fellow rising star could be risky for her and Lucas's career, but at that moment, she couldn't care less. "I… I guess you're right," she finally said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Lucas's grin widened, and he pulled her closer, their fingers intertwining as they continued their way to their respective gates.
As they waited for their respective flights, Lucas took out his phone and posted the group shot they had just taken on Twitter with a caption that read: "That's a wrap on The Hunger Games! Can't wait for you all to see this masterpiece. #TheHungerGames."
Jennifer, who was scrolling through her phone nearby, looked up and frowned. "You have Twitter?" she asked, eyebrow raised.
Lucas shrugged. "Why not? It's not so bad to connect with fans, right?"
Jennifer wasn't convinced. "Don't you already have enough of your privacy invaded by paparazzi? And now you're just giving them more ammunition by creating a social media account?"
Lucas chuckled, trying to diffuse her concerns. "Come on, it's not that bad. I'll only post once in a while."
"Yeah, right," Jennifer scoffed, but there was a hint of playfulness in her voice.
Lucas chuckled at Jennifer's reservations about social media as they boarded their respective flights. Their seats were in economy class. Despite their rising fame, they both agreed that splurging on first class wasn't necessary.
As they settled in, Lucas couldn't help but tease her one last time. "You know, you're going to have to join the 21st century sometime, Jen."
Jennifer playfully elbowed him in response, but she couldn't help but smile. "We'll see about that," she said, fastening her seatbelt.
The flight attendant came by, offering them drinks, and they both opted for ginger ale.
Meanwhile, as Lucas and Jennifer's plane took off, Lucas's Twitter post was gaining traction. His follower count, which had previously been in the zero digit, skyrocketed into the hundreds within minutes. Fans couldn't believe their luck – their favorite actor had finally joined social media.
Comments and retweets flooded in:
"OMG! Lucas Knight has an account? @LucasXKnight"
"Oh shit! I thought Lucas was living under a rock. Guess I was wrong. @LucasXKnight"
"No way! He's working with Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Liam Hemsworth and Alexander Ludwig? And Canadian actor Donald Sutherland too? Man, Lucas went from Dylan to rising star in no time. @LucasXKnight"
And then, one eagle-eyed fan noticed something else. "Look at this. Lucas is awfully close to Jennifer in this pic." They attached a cropped version of the group photo, focusing on the moment where Lucas had his arm around Jennifer's shoulder.
The tweet about Lucas and Jennifer's closeness in the photo didn't go unnoticed. Fans and shippers alike took to Twitter to express their excitement, disbelief, and of course, to ship them mercilessly:
"Lucas and Jennifer sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-S-I-N-G!"
"OMG! Look at the way he's looking at her! They're so cute together!"
"Jennifer, you better treat our boy right, or we'll come for you!"
"Lucas, you better not break her heart, or we'll hunt you down!"
"Lucas and Jennifer 4Ever! #Lucifer HAHAHA!"
"I always knew there was something between them! Look at their body language!"
"Oh my god, they're so adorable! I can't handle this!"
"Lucas, you better propose to her already!"
The tweets went on and on, with fans speculating about their relationship status and shipping them hard. Little did they know, their observations weren't far from the truth.
---
The plane finally touched down in Los Angeles after a long flight. Lucas and Jennifer unbuckled their seatbelts and stood up, stretching their stiff limbs. They made their way to the exit, saying their goodbyes at the gate as they both had separate ways to go. Jennifer waved goodbye, her fingers lingering in the air a moment longer than necessary, before she turned and disappeared into the crowd.
Lucas sighed and headed towards baggage claim, his phone buzzed in his pocket. He glanced at the screen, it was Neil, his manager. "Hey, Neil, what's up?"
"I'm here at the casino. Meet me here."
"The fuck? You're gambling?" Lucas muttered under his breath, shaking his head.
"Hey, hey! It's just a bit of fun, alright? And you'd be surprised at the connections I can make in a place like this," Neil responded over the phone, a hint of amusement in his voice. "And guess who I'm playing with right now? None other than Bruno Mars himself!"
Lucas couldn't help but chuckle. "Well, as long as it's just for fun. I don't want to see you on the cover of tabloids for all the wrong reasons."
"Alright, alright, I got it. I'll be careful," Neil said, feigning offense.
Lucas hung up the call and slipped his phone back into his pocket. His mind drifted to his social media accounts, wondering how his latest post was doing.
Unfortunately, without any data, he couldn't check the engagement. Little did he know, fans were already going wild in the comments section, shipping him and Jennifer together, coining them together "Lucifer".