The texts went out one by one.
Keira was back in London for some theater rehearsals and sent a classy bottle of whiskey with a handwritten card that read Sorry I can't make it—save me a plate next time. Everyone else said yes.
In the crazy-fast Hollywood machine, getting a full crew like that together on short notice was actually kind of rare. Proof that Cassius was genuinely well-liked in the circle.
The housewarming was set for Saturday afternoon—backyard barbecue that would roll into the evening.
Cassius started prepping the day before. No caterers, no hired chefs. He was doing it himself.
In his last life he'd been a total kitchen god. Follow the right tutorial and the food might not be Michelin-star, but it was more than good enough for a casual party. Back home he used to cook for the whole extended family every holiday.
He figured Americans liked family-style sharing, so he kept the dishes crowd-friendly and easy to pass around. The backyard already had Jackie's built-in grill and all the tools, so that part was perfect.
Saturday afternoon, perfect California sun.
The patio and garden had that cool East-meets-West vibe and were already set up. Long tables were lined with everything Cassius had spent the morning knocking out: glossy red-braised ribs, steamed sea bass sizzling under hot oil, a huge bowl of spicy Sichuan mao xue wang bubbling with chili oil, plus crystal-clear shrimp dumplings and shumai.
"You think Li Suyan's gonna lose her mind and start spinning around the house again?" Kristen asked, handing him a stack of plates with a little smirk.
She knew Suyan was her fan and had sounded ridiculously excited on the phone.
"Pretty much guaranteed," Cassius laughed, remembering Suyan's hyper energy.
Right on cue, the doorbell rang.
Speak of the devil.
Li Suyan bounced in with a stuffed canvas tote covered in some K-pop girl-group logo. The second she saw Cassius her eyes lit up. "Cassius oppa!"
"Congrats on the new place! This house is fire!"
Cassius took the bag—fancy scented candles and a set of movie-themed coffee mugs. He grinned. Suyan was one of the few friends in this town whose vibe didn't come with strings attached.
"Suyan's here!" Kristen called, stepping over to greet her.
"Miss Stewart, hi," Suyan said, trying to sound chill even though she was clearly starstruck. "I'm Li Suyan, Cassius oppa's friend. Need any help?"
"Absolutely," Kristen said, warm smile on. She had a soft spot for her own fans.
Rob rolled up in a little refrigerated van loaded with drinks he'd hand-picked: cases of craft beer from different regions, solid California reds and champagne that weren't stupid-expensive, plus sparkling water and juices for the non-drinkers and designated drivers.
Dakota and Elle were the first to arrive. Dakota kept it casual in a simple sundress, carrying a ribbon-tied gift box with a beautiful bone tea set inside.
"Congrats on the house, Cass." Her smile was bright and easy. She gave him a big hug like no time had passed.
A purple orb floated up from her:
[Girl-Crush Vibes +5]
Cassius caught a whiff of her light, fresh perfume.
"Me too!" Elle yelled, already lining up.
Dakota's cheeks went a little pink, but she just turned and headed over to help Kristen at the grill like nothing happened.
The second Dakota stepped away, Elle launched herself at Cassius in a flying leap. Luckily his body was still jacked from all the Green Lantern training; he caught her clean.
"Wooo~" Elle squealed, wrapping her arms around his neck.
She whispered right in his ear, "My sister talks about you all the time at home."
Then she slid down and scampered off to find Dakota and Kristen.
That kid was way too sharp for her age.
Next, Gina Carano pulled up in a big, loud off-roader. She hopped out and gave Cassius a bear hug that nearly cracked his ribs.
"Hey, buddy! House looks solid—plenty of room to throw punches!"
Her gift was a professional massage gun and a bottle of some herbal liniment that supposedly killed muscle soreness. She heard Jackie had a home gym and immediately disappeared inside to check it out, barely waiting for Cassius to play host.
Kat showed up right after, carrying a big basket of her own (slightly wild-looking but amazing-smelling) brownies. The second she walked in she started roasting him.
"Look at you, Mr. Quiet Money! Buying a Beverly Hills mansion without telling anybody. Don't forget the rest of us next time you throw a party!"
She was still the same bold, zero-filter Kat. She clocked Cassius and Kristen working side-by-side in the yard, gave them both a knowing little wink, and jumped in to help set the table.
Chris Hemsworth rolled up with his wife Elsa and his brother Liam. You could hear Chris yelling from the driveway.
"Where's Cass? Dude didn't even come out to greet us!"
They'd been friendly rivals since the Thor days—total shit-talking buddies.
Chris pulled Cassius into a back-slapping hug. "Congrats on the house, man! This place is sick!"
Liam was a little quieter but still smiled and offered genuine congrats. The two Hemsworth wives quickly fell into easy conversation with Kristen and Dakota.
The backyard filled up fast. Li Suyan looked around at the lineup—Thor himself, his actor brother, two of Hollywood's hottest young actresses, and her idol Kristen Stewart—and felt like she'd accidentally wandered into an A-list VIP lounge. She stuck close to Rob, quietly helping pass drinks and snacks. Rob had always looked out for her since that dinner they all shared.
The party hit its groove. Everyone lounged on the patio under string lights as the early-autumn evening cooled off. Food was set up buffet-style: grilled veggies, mini burgers, Asian appetizers, but the real stars were Cassius's dishes. The bold flavors and layered textures blew everyone's minds compared to the usual lighter Western stuff. Suyan even jumped in and whipped up a killer stir-fried pork with chilies—straight out of Cassius's recipe book—and got nothing but compliments.
Conversation naturally drifted from the house to life updates. Chris mentioned Thor 2 would probably start shooting next year. Dakota said she had a few indie scripts she was reading, looking for something with real bite.
"Speaking of new projects," Chris elbowed his quieter younger brother. "Liam just landed a huge franchise. What's it called again—The Hunger Games?"
Cassius looked up. His eyes met Liam's across the table.
Liam looked a little awkward but recovered fast and nodded.
"Just got the official offer," he said, soft Aussie accent. "I'm playing Gale Hawthorne."
"Gale?" Kristen raised an eyebrow—she obviously knew the books. "Katniss's childhood friend who becomes one of the rebel leaders?"
"Yeah, that's the one." Liam gave a small, slightly rueful smile. "I actually auditioned for Peeta Mellark first."
Cassius's hand paused on his glass.
"Peeta?" Dakota repeated, glancing between Cassius and Liam.
"Yep." Liam shrugged, trying to keep it light. "Prepared for weeks, did a few rounds. Gary and Suzanne were both really cool, gave great notes, but in the end they said my vibe wasn't quite right for Peeta. Suggested I try Gale instead—said it fit my screen presence better."
He looked straight at Cassius, envy showing for the first time. "Heard they're really into you for Peeta, Cass. Congrats, man. That's a killer opportunity."
All eyes turned to Cassius.
"Thanks, Liam. I just got the sides—I'm still digging in. Gale's got real depth too, especially later in the series."
"Maybe," Liam sighed, honest now. "But Peeta's the male lead. More screen time, deeper arc, all those scenes opposite Jennifer…"
He lifted his glass again, forcing a grin. "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't jealous, but that's this business. Right role, right guy. Good luck, Cass—for real."
"Thanks." Cassius clinked his glass in the air toward him.
Elle whispered to Dakota, "Which one's harder to play—Peeta or Gale?"
Dakota just patted her hand and didn't answer.
Rob jumped in smoothly, steering the talk toward how massive the Hunger Games books already were globally. The wine kept flowing and the group loosened up. Liam's little sting faded with another drink. Chris was deep in a story about shooting in the Australian outback and fighting weird bugs. Dakota and Elle were huddled in a corner giggling about something.
Cassius felt the drinks (and soda) catching up. He leaned over to Kristen. "Bathroom break—be right back."
He slipped inside the house. The main-floor guest bathroom was at the end of a short hallway. The lights were dimmed for mood, making the corridor feel like a totally different world from the noisy patio.
He pushed the door open, hand reaching for the light switch—
A sudden shove from behind sent him stumbling inside.
His body reacted on pure Green Lantern-trained instinct—elbow already snapping back—until he caught the mix of wine and a very familiar perfume.
A soft grunt came from behind him.
Then he was pushed fully into the dark bathroom.
Click.
The door locked.
No lights on. Just a thin line of hallway glow under the door.
Cassius spun. In the faint light he saw Kat pinned against the door, inches away, cheeks flushed, eyes glassy with alcohol, breathing warm and fast.
"Kat? What the—"
She didn't let him finish. She rose up on her toes, cupped his face with both hands, and kissed him hard—wine-sweet and hungry.
Cassius's brain short-circuited for a second.
The kiss lasted a few long beats before Kat pulled back just enough to rest her forehead against his, panting.
Cassius finally slipped out a minute later, blinking against the hallway light, heart steady but skin still tingling from the heat.
He took a slow breath, smoothed his expression, and headed back toward the patio.
Just as he stepped through the doorway he almost collided with Kristen carrying a platter of fruit.
She stopped. Her gray-green eyes flicked over his face.
"Your cheeks are really red," she said casually, gaze lingering one extra second.
"House is kinda stuffy," Cassius answered, keeping his voice normal as he took the platter from her. "I'll take this out."
He walked back outside fast.
The party kept rolling like nothing had happened.
Kristen returned to her seat, listening to Dakota, nodding along like everything was fine.
The night wound down. Dakota and Elle headed back to Kristen's place for a "sisters' night." Elle kept looking over her shoulder the whole way to the car.
Kristen shot Cassius one last glare before she left. He just shrugged innocently. He really didn't have any ideas about Elle—he'd only slept with her sister.
With the house finally quiet, Cassius was glad for the peace. Perfect time to lock in on The Hunger Games audition prep.
The days flew by in a blur of script study, character breakdowns, and fine-tuning his look and energy to match Peeta's early-book vibe—quiet, sincere, a little haunted.
Before he knew it, audition day was here.
The session was at a mid-city office building in L.A.—temporary casting suites Lionsgate had rented.
Cassius and Rob got there half an hour early. A few other cars were already in the lot.
Rob unbuckled, voice low. "Stay loose, bro. Gary personally invited you, so you're already ahead of the pack. But we still gotta run the full process—casting director, producers, Suzanne herself might be in there. Nail every single one."
Cassius nodded. He'd dressed simple—dark casual pants and a fitted cotton button-down. Clean, unpretentious, exactly the early-Peeta energy.
He was ready.