"Great fighting today!"
Chris walked over, naturally clapping his empty hand on Cassius's arm.
"Those dodges of yours, like dancing. Cool as hell."
"You weren't quiet yourself snatching that hammer!"
Cassius replied with a smile.
After a few days of filming, he and Chris had gotten familiar. He knew this guy put on no airs in private and was easy to get along with.
"Come on, let's grab a drink? I know a place nearby. Quiet, paparazzi can't find it."
Chris shook his head. "Gotta have some of this after wrapping, or my muscles feel rusty!"
Cassius wasn't addicted to alcohol, but chatting with Chris sounded nice, so he nodded.
"Sure."
They walked out side by side.
Nearing the parking lot, Chris suddenly offered the Mjolnir in his hand to Cassius.
"Here, wanna play with it? A lot of people want to touch it but don't get the chance."
Cassius paused, then took the hammer.
It was heavier than he imagined, but the weight distribution was even, feeling solid and comfortable to grip.
He subconsciously swung it one-handed like in the movie. It felt quite handy; the balance was excellent.
"How is it? Feels good, right?"
Chris watched his movements, looking a bit smug, as if he had actually forged the hammer himself.
"Don't look down on it just because it's a prop. It's made with care. Feels great to swing."
Cassius handed the hammer back, speaking honestly. "Indeed, handles better than I thought."
Chris took the hammer and casually hooked it onto a special loop on his belt, his movements practiced as if it were an everyday item.
"I'm telling you, sometimes after filming, I want to keep it on my belt and go buy milk at the supermarket. Just imagine that scene. Kickass."
He grinned, revealing white teeth.
They didn't take Cassius's flashy 911 but got into a rather ordinary-looking black SUV driven by Chris.
The car twisted and turned, arriving at the back door of an inconspicuous bar.
Chris was clearly a regular. He greeted the bouncer and led Cassius in through the back.
Inside, the lighting was dim, not many people, with soft jazz playing.
Chris found a corner booth and expertly ordered two beers and some snacks.
"Nice place, right? Quiet!"
Chris took a big swig of beer and sighed with satisfaction.
"Unlike those places where stars flock, where having a drink feels like walking a red carpet."
Cassius took a sip. The cold beer sliding down his throat did relieve a lot of fatigue.
"Does feel like a normal place to drink."
After a few beers, the conversation opened up.
Chris was a talker.
From funny surfing stories on Australian beaches to hitting walls during auditions when he first came to Hollywood, and then roasting some directors' bizarre requests.
His language was humorous, carrying that ruggedness and self-deprecation unique to Australians.
"You know, when I first auditioned for Thor, they thought I was too skinny!"
Chris gestured.
"Said I didn't look like a god who could wield a hammer, but like a model washed up on a surfboard!"
"No choice but to train like crazy. Ate so much protein I wanted to puke at the sight of eggs."
Cassius listened, finding it amusing.
Who would have thought this muscular Thor had such a dark history.
"What about you? Cass, were you really studying at USC before? Then went to play corpses?"
Chris asked curiously.
"Yeah, didn't finish! Ran out of money, gotta eat."
Cassius said it lightly.
"Wow, your rise is like riding a rocket then!"
Chris exclaimed.
They drank and chatted, the atmosphere relaxed.
Cassius found that Chris was indeed an interesting person in private, without so many twists and turns, quite a contrast to the domineering Thor on screen.
As they drank, Chris clearly started getting tipsy.
His cheeks flushed, and his voice got louder.
He unhooked Mjolnir from his waist again, placed it on the table, and stroked the hammerhead like petting a pet.
"Bro, let me tell you the truth!"
He lowered his voice, leaning close to Cassius, smelling of alcohol, his eyes a bit glazed but earnest.
"Sometimes I really want to sneak this thing home!"
Cassius almost choked on his beer. "What? Steal a prop?"
"Shh! Keep it down!"
Chris made a shushing gesture, looking around furtively.
"Don't you think it'd be cool? Think about it, having this thing at home. Show it off when friends come over!"
"Hey, look what this is? Thor's Hammer! How awesome!"
He got more excited as he spoke.
"I even thought of where to put it. On the mantlepiece in the living room! Or as a doorstop? No, too wasteful! Maybe on the toilet as a toilet paper holder!"
He started envisioning various practical household functions for Mjolnir.
Cassius looked at his serious drunkenness, laughing and crying at the same time.
Was this guy really drunk, or just inherently this funny?
"Marvel will hunt you down!"
Cassius reminded him. "This hammer isn't cheap!"
"I know, I know..."
Chris waved his hand, slumping onto the table a bit dejectedly, his finger still picking at the patterns on the hammer.
"Just thinking about it... sigh, being a god is tiring too. Can't even take my own hammer home."
He rambled on about funny things during filming.
Complaining that the Asgardian costume was tight sometimes, jokingly roasting Loki for always stealing his scenes, his voice eventually getting quieter until he almost fell asleep.
Cassius looked at the Australian giant mumbling on the table hugging Mjolnir, then at the empty beer glasses, and smiled helplessly.
He called the waiter to pay the bill, then half-supported, half-dragged the god who wanted to steal his own hammer up and out.
"My hammer... don't forget my hammer..."
Chris didn't forget to remind him.
Cassius had to support him with one hand and carry the heavy Mjolnir with the other, feeling like a mortal cleaning up a mess for a god.
After stuffing Chris into the back seat of the SUV and buckling him up, he carefully placed Mjolnir beside him.
Cassius shook his head looking at the Thor sleeping with zero dignity.
What a drinking session!
He had seen a side of the Prince of Asgard unknown to others.
He took out his phone and messaged Chris's assistant with the location and situation.
Only after watching the assistant drag Chris away did he call a car to go back.
The filming of Thor proceeded methodically.
Cassius's role as Fandral wasn't the heaviest, but it was scattered. Often he would shoot for a day or two, then rest for a few days waiting for the other leads' schedules.
Before, Cassius might have been anxious, worried about not having work or money.
But now he wished for more of these gaps.
Because the Marvel set was simply a treasure trove for him!
When he wasn't filming, he didn't hole up in the break room or run back to Beverly Hills.
He would grab a small stool and find a corner out of the way but with a clear view of the whole set.
His eyes scanned every actor performing.
Today they were shooting a group scene in Odin's throne room.
All-Father Odin sat on the throne, with Thor, Loki, and a host of Asgardian civil and military officials standing below.