“What a day," said Director Edward Corneas as he stood outside his trailer, pulling out a cigarette and lighter from his pocket. As he lit his cigarette, he looked on set and saw all of the crew members and staff for the Uncharted sequel removing props and items from the set, making what once seemed like a dark, damp cave now show its true colors as a movie set. Director Corneas blew out puffs of smoke into the air, feeling a sense of peace and comfort as each puff of his cigarette got rid of the stress he had been going through. "This movie is going to make the studio lose a lot of money. Sigh. It's going to bomb like Chaos Walking. Gaslighting Tom Holland was a bitch for that flick," he said. Edward got rid of the ash from his cigarette and continued to smoke. "Tom Holland as a gaslit actor has been paying. I just need a way to push him further." He looked to his right and saw a man running towards him, seemingly holding some sort of stack of papers. "Eric, do you have the script?" The man holding the script stopped running and took a minute to catch his breath as he heavily panted. "The studio finished writing the script." The Director dropped his cigarette and stomped out of anger. "Didn't I tell them that I write my scripts? I told them I write the movie, or I don't make it." The man handed the script over to Edward as he snatched it from his hand.

Edward put on his reading glasses, which he pulled out of his back pocket, and began to read the title of the script out loud. "Brain. The story about the smartest man alive? Who comes up with this stuff? No one is going to watch this. It's called Brain, huh? Guess the writer didn't have one." Edward chuckled at his comment, expecting Eric to join in, but to his disappointment, Eric's face remained expressionless. "Anyway, I'm not making this crap. Maybe we'll have Baz Luhrmann produce this piece of shit. I want nothing to do with this flick."

As Edward was about to give the script back, an idea popped into his mind. "Smartest man alive? How about the smartest actor alive? Those were the questions flowing through Director Edward's head. If he could convince Tom Holland that he was the smartest man alive, he might be able to convince him to be anything. The Director shared his idea out loud. "What if we got Tom Holland in this? Think about it. If we can convince and trick Tom Holland into thinking he's the smartest man alive, just think about the possibilities that could open up. For example, we could make him believe he's a war veteran or make him believe that he's a god. The possibilities are endless."

Eric looked at Edward, who appeared to be giggling and jumping in excitement over cracking the code on how he could expand the range of gaslighting he could do to Tom Holland. Edward continued to muse about the idea, lost in thought, while Eric remained quiet, unsure of how to respond to the Director's proposal. The Director's twisted plan had taken on a new dimension, and Eric could see the devious look in his eyes as he plotted how to use Tom Holland's gullibility to his advantage. Eric couldn't help but feel a sense of dread at what Edward might do next.

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After the exhausting filming of the Uncharted sequel, Tom Holland's fragile mental state led him to hail an Uber and head back to his modest three story LA apartment. As he stepped inside, he immediately shed the remnants of his character, removing his vest and knife and carefully hanging them up on the coat hanger including his campus he thought he got from his long lost brother. To his surprise, Zendaya's coat was already there, indicating her presence.

However, as Tom moved further into the apartment, he was struck by a disconcerting sound. Amidst the laughter of Zendaya, there was another girl's voice, teasing and making jokes about her boobs. Tom's heart sank with fear. Could Zendaya be cheating on him? The mere thought sent shivers down his spine, and he whispered to himself in disbelief. "No, this can't be happening. It can't be real," he muttered in his comedic British accent , the words echoing through his anxious mind, intensifying his paranoia about the possibility of Zendaya being Perrywinkled by this mysterious girl.

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Determined to confirm or dispel his worst fears, Tom sprinted across the narrow hallway of his apartment, his footsteps echoing with each urgent stride. The apartment itself, a modest three story space with artistic designed floors and shiny flashy wallpaper walls, reflected Tom's humble lifestyle despite his fame. The walls were adorned with a few framed movie posters and photographs, capturing moments from Tom's career and personal life. A worn-out couch sat against one wall, displaying the signs of frequent use and providing a place for relaxation after long days on set (for Zendaya at least.). The kitchen, though compact, held the essentials for daily living, including a few cooking utensils and a modest pantry stocked with necessities.

The anticipation and dread consumed Tom's thoughts as he approached the source of the voices, his hand trembling as he reached for the doorknob. With a deep breath, he turned it slowly, bracing himself for the truth that awaited him on the other side.

Tom opened the door and quickly covered his eyes, exclaiming, "Gotcha!" With a devious peek, he expected an enticing scene but instead found a grotesque sight …

a VTuber on a screen.

“A V-VTUBER?!" Tom exclaimed, his jaw dropping open like a petrified marionette with its strings pulled. Startled by Tom's outburst, Zendaya turned around in her luxurious pink Hello Kitty themed gaming chair. What Tom had initially mistaken as Zendaya being involved with someone else turned out to be her simply watching the famous VTuber, Iron Mouse, on her pink 50-inch monitor.

"Uh, am I talking to Tom or Nathan Drake right now?" Zendaya quipped, amused by Tom's intense reaction despite knowing that Zendaya wasn't cheating on him. Tom Holland, however, remained uneasy, still not knowing that Zendaya was just engrossed in watching a VTuber. "Timothy, is that you? Why do you look like a girl?" he asked, his mind convinced that Zendaya was somehow involved with Timothee Chalamet, who he imagined as a cute anime vampire VTuber.

"No, Tom, do you really think Tim and I are dating? I'm just watching IronMouse," Zendaya replied, rubbing her head in frustration. This kind of banter was not uncommon between Tom and Zendaya, as Tom seemed to struggle with differentiating Zendaya's on-screen relationships from reality. Despite Zendaya's attempts to explain, Tom remained a stubborn and paranoid wall to her, which she found endearing in its own way.

"IronMouse is just a VTuber I watch for comfort," Zendaya clarified, hoping to ease Tom's concerns. However, she couldn't help but roll her eyes as Tom dismissed the name. "IronMouse might sound silly, but she's someone I enjoy watching," Zendaya added, emphasizing the significance of finding solace and entertainment in the virtual world.

With a sigh, Zendaya accepted that this was just one of the quirks of her relationship with Tom. Despite the occasional misunderstandings, she appreciated his protectiveness and acknowledged that he simply cared deeply for her. Resuming her seat in the pink gaming chair, she returned her attention to the VTuber on the screen, finding comfort in the virtual realm that provided an escape from the pressures of their real-life Hollywood existence.

Tom felt an urge to express his dissatisfaction to Zendaya about her fondness for VTubers, as he found the concept rather bizarre. To him, the idea of hiding one's identity behind cutesy anime avatars with high-pitched voices that could shatter glass seemed peculiar. "Why do they feel the need to conceal their faces? What are they trying to hide?" Tom pondered aloud, his thoughts swirling in his mind.

A sudden realization struck Tom. What if these VTubers hid their identities because they were unattractive or hideous in real life? The thought resonated with him, evoking a sense of sympathy towards this hypothetical explanation. Convinced by his own reasoning, Tom decided to exist out Zendaya's room .

Unbeknownst to Tom, this realization would mark a turning point in his life, steering him toward unforeseen paths and a unthinkable present.