Lell: (Bounces in throwing muffins at readers) Thank you so much – reviews are my soul, my blood, my oxygen...
Seto: Your anti-drug?
Lell: (Shifty eyes) Yes...my anti-drug...
Adara: What my idiot of a hikari meant to say was thank you for all the reviews.
Lell: (Pouts) You have been such a bitch ever since you started..ahem...hanging out with Tracee's Yami.
Adara: (Shrugs) Live with it.
Seto: o0 She's stolen my position of evil spectator!!!!
Adara: (Shrugs) Live with it.
Lell: (Sigh) Well, I guess a shout out goes to Tracee aka Wish he was Mine. Thanks to her help on the role playing site in my user lookup, I was able to experiment with different Kaiba personalities. My conclusion...he's a schizo.
Seto: Hey!
Lell: No, not you, the version of you in the story...
Seto: (Growls, but is somewhat placated) Just get on with the story.
Lell: Fine....
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"That's it! That's it! Now a little to the left..."
Ryou walked into the studio and was immediately struck by how much there was going on. It was astronomical. The space, the heat, the noise! The heat originated from the numerous arrays of lights, ranging from flood lamps to diminutive fairy lamps, all suspended from spidery black racks on little wheels. The combination of so many hot bulbs made the spacious room seem like the fiery pits of hell.
"Tilt your head up a bit, a little more...stop, there! Perfect!"
The building was partitioned off into spacious thirds, each having its own separate shoot going on within the moveable walls that formed the areas. Within each section, people were scurrying around busily, small, innocuous, grey clothed people who flocked around the still statues that were the models. The models themselves didn't seem to do much, simply standing there, allowing the nameless people around them to apply makeup, adjust the clothes, tease their hair into the elaborate coiffures. Like the Queens of some insect horde, the one which the others revered, the one for whom everyone else did everything, catering to every whim that they may come up with. A faint shiver ran down Ryou's spine at the sight of the tall, graceful people, a totally new breed to what he had been used to.
It was scary.
"Plant that foot strongly, no, yes, no, yes! Right there! No, don't look my way, focus on the bottle."
The first area that Ryou had to venture past was white, blindingly so. A snowy raised platform was set amidst a sea of what looked like drifting white balloons, the soft pearlescant sheen that they gave off providing a soft under glow, softening the sharp edges of the platform. That faint glow also softened the sharp edges of the person that was sprawled out on the platform.
Ryou recognised that distinctive hair do instantly, those unique peaks of black and red and the delicate locks of gold that framed and angled visage.
Guess those pictures were useful, the white haired teen thought idly, mind flicking back to the unsettling wall coated in pictures of beautiful faces, past and present. I at least know people by face, even if it's not by name.
Out of his normal inquisitiveness and a deeper need to see what the Egyptian could do, Ryou paused in his wanderings, eager to see how the man would work.
He was beautiful. Breathtakingly so.
The man was shorter than he had expected and more slender, yet still possessing more muscle than the ever slim Ryou could ever hope to achieve. Petite, but intoxicating. Ryou couldn't keep his eyes off of that lissom frame.
This may have had something to do with the fact that the man was clothed in nothing more than a virgin white towel, pale against the expanse of tanned skin.
As Ryou came closer, it suddenly became apparent that the man was wet. Dripping wet. Doused from head to toe wet. Droplets fell from the peaks of his hair, the vibrant colours made all the more dramatic by the wetting of his tresses, the rivulets tracing a path down his lean torso to be soaked into the soft folds of the towel.
"Eyes on the bottle Yami, eyes on the bottle." The black clothed photographer was crouched in front of the platform, his camera looking upwards towards the figure sprawled on it. One leg casually cocked, the line of one smooth muscle apparent under the dusky skin as Yami propped himself up on one elbow, crimson eyes half hooded as he obligingly looked towards the convoluted crystal bottle that was set right at the front of the platform.
"Perfect." Seeming to have come to some sort of conclusion in his shoots, the photographer straightened, leaning down to ruffle the wet spikes of Yami's hair. "Good work dude, same as always." Their ensuing conversation sank into inaudible murmurings as Ryou passed on, heading into the next area.
In this one, the shoot was still in preparation, though Ryou noticed a friendly face. Mai waved at him, keeping her face still as the make up artist gave the finishing touches. "Hey Bambi, get your sweet ass over here."
Ryou, predictably, flushed and sidled over as Mai shooed away the hovering make up artist, sliding gracefully out of her chair and looping an arm around the younger teen's shoulders.
"Bambi?" he asked quizzically, looking up into those dancing violet eyes.
The blonde chuckled. "You have those big eyes and I think you'd freeze in a car's headlights." Rewarded by a deepening of that blush and the automatic dipping of his head, Mai removed her arm, straightening her clothes. Dressed as the American Dream, the blonde woman was clothed in dark, low slung jeans that clung to her long legs, the denim worn and faded, the ends tattered where they had been ground into the earth, well, at least where the stylists had recreated the effect anyway. The white strappy top highlighted Mai's breasts, skin creamy against the snow of the vest and the red bandanna that covered the curled masses of blonde hair. It was a real red, white and blue outfit and Mai looked stunning.
She nodded towards the set where the crew were busily winching down a backdrop of what looked like an Arizona highway, working awkwardly around the powder blue Cadillac that was parked on the makeshift road, right in front of a rather large wind machine.
"Tommy Hilfiger today." She said proudly, tossing her hair and resting a hand on one proudly cocked hip, "Moving onto the big names."
Looking at the blonde, Ryou could see why she had been chosen for the typically American advert; she was a vibrant, modern Marilyn Monroe with a timeless quality of her own. He watched idly as Mai hugged him again, somehow managing to ruffle his white hair without misplacing one hair on her own golden head, then strolling off towards where the impatient crew were waiting. The model listened to what the photographer was saying, amiably nodding as she proceeded to hop up onto the car hood, sitting nonchalantly on the bonnet as they started the wind machine up.
With strands of her hair escaping the confines of the scarlet bandanna, falling forward to halo her face, she leaned back on her hands, tilting her head back slightly. Those violet eyes looked towards him and Mai winked slowly, jewel tipped lashes flashing in the light of the camera that caught the action on frame.
"Lovely Mai, a few more like that and we've got this in the boot."
Ryou smiled in spite of his nervousness, shifting his shoulder bag until it was more comfortably set across his chest, turning and walking towards the final sector, the one he had been told to arrive at today. Of course, he had been paranoid and underestimated the time it would take to get here, making him an hour early. No, correction, he was now only half an hour early.
But then again, he didn't seem to be the only early bird.
"Yo, Bambi." A familiar Brooklyn-toned voice rang out from where a sleepy looking Jou was lounging, catlike in a folding chair. His hair was sleep tousled, strands cascading into half hooded amber eyes.
Ryou nearly choked on his own tongue, spluttering for a few moments as he walked over to look down at the owlishly blinking blonde. Finally catching his breath, he managed to splutter between chokes, "Why does everyone call me Bambi?"
A still vacant-looking Jou shrugged, yawning widely as he tilted back in the chair. "I dunno...just sommat that Mai was saying...sommat about big eyes and deer..." His words were interrupted by another wide yawn.
Ryou looked resigned, still wondering at the mentality of the people he had been thrown in with. Maybe what people said about blondes were right, wait, technically he was classed as a blonde...this was making his head hurt. Obediently sitting in the chair that Jou had pulled up for him, he bounced his worn shoulder bag on his knees nervously.
"So how's your first week been?" Jou suddenly asked, seeming to wake up momentarily. His amber eyes were curious, even if they were still sleepy.
The white haired teen tilted his head to one side, effectively curtaining his shy face with his unruly snow white hair.
"Busy actually. My first shoot was hectic to say the least."
Jou looked sympathetic, half asleep, but still sympathetic. "Yeah, I heard 'bout dat. Anzu, huh? Bad luck."
Ryou shuddered at the memory. "Tell me about it...so what's on for today, I only got the times, not the details."
The blonde smiled lazily, a pink tongue running experimentally over his teeth. "Perfume ad, Hugo Boss I think. They wanted three of us, so dere's you, me and, well you'll just have to see." The smile turned into an infuriatingly friendly smirk.
Ryou rolled his chocolate eyes.
"Jou, you can be a real ass sometimes." Over the week, the normally shy teen had blossomed under the blonde's careful probing, his disarmingly charming personality drawing out the real Ryou from under the self conscious exterior. This alone allowed him to be candid and pert around the friendly teen, much like when he was with Yuugi or Malik.
"Yeah, I know, but you still love me."
Repeating his earlier eye roll the whitenette drummed restless fingers on his thigh, impatient to begin as he looked around the area. No clues were visible as to what they were going to be doing, the set was bare and only the cameras were set up.
"Yeah, we're a bit early." Jou said, noting Ryou's eyeline, "Things are always rushed."
Ryou nodded understandingly, propping his smooth chin on one hand as he let out his own yawn, Jou's being contagious. "Tell me about it." His mind wandered back to that disastrous shoot with the hormonal brunette, trying to forget the way the photographer had requested them to look 'loving.' That in itself had been interesting to say the least.
Lost in his musings, the whitenette failed to notice his companion wake up rather suddenly, straightening into a semblance of alertness. Jou ran a nervous hand through his honeyed strands of hair, amber eyes gaining a frantic cast. Ryou only became aware that they had company when he heard voices, raised in dispute.
"Listen Ryuuji," an irate voice said, tone icy cold.
"No, you listen Kaiba-boy, I don't need you hovering over me waiting for me to cock up. I'm just as experienced as you now get the fuck off my set." This voice, instead of being cold, burnt with an indignant rage.
Ryou saw Jou wince and shivered accordingly, disturbed by the two different sorts of anger that he could hear, looking around for their source. He found it all right.
Two men were striding towards their set, faces equally thundercloud like as they looked angrily at each other. They were the two from the centre of that disturbing collage in Pegasus' office, that montage to all who had once passed through these doors. The memory made the whitenette shiver slightly, but he forced himself to concentrate on the approaching pair.
The taller of the two, he was the ice eyed brunette that he had been drawn to a week ago. He was still beautiful, even now, rage adding to his charismatic looks. Immaculately dressed in black trousers and a blindingly white shirt, he cut a crisp figure compared to the more gypsy like style of the man next to him.
The blacknette still wore that recognisable bandanna, his onyx tresses framing the angry face that lurked beneath them. Emerald eyes glittered, narrowed in a feline look that did not bode well for the brunette. The shorter man was dressed in tight black jeans, as well as a similar shirt to the brunette's, but his was red and more closely fitted, buttons undone to reveal a fair amount of well toned chest.
"Trust me, I wouldn't be here if Pegasus thought you could cope on your own," the brunette said, voice becoming colder if anything.
"If that's so, why does he keep asking me to watch over your shoots?" the blacknette sneered, dumping a bag on the chair next to Ryou, making the smaller youth jump. The older man paid no attention to him, though a once again sleepy Jou did snicker something that sounded suspiciously like Bambi.
The brunette looked coldly back at the one called Ryuuji, though for a brief instant blue eyes met his own and Ryou's breath caught in his throat. Not for any instant love or fluttering of heart, but merely because the pure and unadulterated bio thermal coldness in those blue eyes could put a glacier to shame. And that was only from a few, tiny moments of eye contact, not to mention that the ice attack was not directed at him.
Ryou actually cringed for the blacknette, not wanting to imagine what, Kaiba was it, was going to do to him. This meant he was more than a little surprised when-
"Fine then, you set things up and I'll be back to inspect later." Kaiba said crisply, turning on one black shoed heel and striding over to Mai's shoot.
Ryou blinked and turned confused brown eyes on the two veterans, curious as to see how they reacted. Jou just rolled amber eyes and returned to his half awake, half asleep pose. Ryuuji just didn't seem to care, making a full frontal U-turn from anger to business like calm.
"Right, set up crew, now."
As if from no-where, several black clothed people scurried in and began to arrange the shooting area, cameras being wheeled in with clumps of tangled leads trailing behind them. Rou watched, with his customary wide eyes as Ryuuji launched into a conversation with the beret clad man he took to be the head stylist.
"Yah, yah, three people, I see it now." He pronounced with a heavy Dutch accent. I thought they only spoke like that in the movies....next I'll be told his name's Paolo.
"Bakura."
Ryou snapped to attention, quickly stumbling to his feet and trotting over to where the expectant blacknette was waiting, an absent thought given to how he had picked up his name, but....Oh crap why, is Paolo looking at me like that?
"Tenshi, this is Bakura Ryou, the one Pegasus was talking about."
Oh, no luck on the Paolo front....huh? Pegasus? Me? Oh crap.
"Ah, ze little one with ze pretty face?"
Um, this is bordering on creepy, one more step and..."Really? I thought Mr P was in raptures over his cute toosh."
...There we go, entering Creepsville USA.
Ryou flushed when he heard Jou give a lazy chuckle, the blonde having approached silently, looping a long arm around the smaller man's shoulder.
"Ah, quit messing with him Otogi, he's just a newbie."
Ryou was surprised to see that the blacknette didn't explode to this rather informal way of address, instead cuffing the puppyish male over the head lightly.
"I'm not messing, I'm quoting."
"Well quit doing whateva then." Jou loosened his grip around Ryou, resting his hands at the back of his head, grinning lazily at the blacknette.
Or is it just laziness? He didn't smile like that at me?Otogi returned the smile, white teeth flashing in sharp contrast to his dark locks.
"Fine..." he sighed in mock defeat, tilting his head playfully to one side.
Man, this is confusing....
"Yo, Bambi, you asleep dere?" Jou said, nudging the whitenette with his hip.
"Huh? Oh, right, sorry." Ryou automatically dipped his head, hiding a red flush behind a curtain of white hair.
"Now, what was it you had in mind Tenshi?" Otogi had made another dramatic mood swing, becoming brisk once more.
The Dutch man grinned brightly, waving a hand around in what Ryou took to be an artistic manner.
"I 'ave it all sorted out, your clothes are on ze rack."
With bustling sweeps of his arm, he nudged all three over to a rack where several outfits were hung. Ryou was ready to go into raptures at the sight of those clothes, the labels, the gorgeous materials...
God, I'm so gay.
"Go, scoot, get changed." Tenshi ordered, pointing imperiously towards a small area partitioned off. Not having much choice in the matter, Ryou followed the two veterans, hooking the outfit clearly labelled with his name off the cart.
Once inside, Jou twitched the curtain closed and took a good look at his outfit.
"Not bad," he said admiringly, finger twisting the waistband of a pair of jeans to look at the label. "Not bad at all. What about yours Bambi?"
Ryou flushed as Otogi quirked a quizzical brow while simultaneously stripping off his shirt, bandanna fluttering to the floor in the process.
"Bambi?" he questioned, shooting a dry look at the newbie.
"Nickname." Jou explained, pulling his t-shirt over his head as well, mussing his already tousled hair. "Sommat Mai came up with, suits him, ne?" The blonde cast an appreciative look at Otogi's now bare chest, a fact the blacknette noticed and seemed to take great pleasure in.
Ryou looked on, entranced by the pair who seemed to be such seasoned workers.
That's what I want to be. That's how I want to work.
"Hey Bambi, ya gonna get changed or what?"
"Oh, yeah, thanks Jou."
"No prob buddy. Hey Otogi, you need help with that shirt?"
The whitenette suppressed a grin, moving into the corner and undoing his own shirt finally, fingering the label, recognising it as one that Yuugi and Malik had given him.
I will do this. I will succeed. I won't be a photo with an X.
From the set where Mai was just finishing up, Kaiba shot a glance towards the curtained off area, seeing a shadowy figure through the curtain.
He will make it, as long as he toughens up. No way am I going to let that jacked up excuse for a model Ryuuji and his little protégé. I will succeed and the little white haired one is my key to success.
Blue eyes hardened and the beautiful, successful, terrible man set his jaw stubbornly.
I will win. He will not escape.
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Lell: (Cringes and grovels) I am so sorry for the long time it took for me to update. School's a real bitch and I'm going through some hard shit at home. Guy troubles and all that. Maybe I should just give up on them and go for girls. Another source of trouble for me, but we'll skip over that – I assume you're reading this for the crass story line, not to hear me ramble on about my own personal problems. (Sigh) Right, anyway, sorry for lateness again, but I've also been ill and you can't really type when you're on the verge of throwing up.
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You also didn't need to know that. God, I'm crap at this so I'm just going to head right into the reviews.
For Chapter OneRelinquished: Hey, thanks for the cute review, I'm glad you liked it. The modelling idea came randomly to me....I'm weird like that XD
Ralphiere: For now the twisted plots are staying firmly in my head for now. Thanks for being so understanding, although I think there are some people at there screaming at me to continue my other fic...I just can't seem to write anything about love right now. Oh look, there I go rambling again. Hope you enjoyed.
TinyClownBean1: Heehee, glad you like it. Me? Wonderful? I don't know what to say...I'm just glad someone thinks so.
Ragdollsally: Yay! I'm sorry about your Internet, I was worried you didn't like it or something after you hadn't reviewed. This is your story sweetie and I'm ecstatic that you like it. TOODLES!
For Chapter TwoJohnny-Depp-Luv: Um, I'm glad you like this story, but I think I clearly stated that it was going to be a Seto/Ryou fic, not a Seto/Jou one. Sorry, but I'm not gonna change it, I've planned it too much.
TinyClownBean1: I did write more, it just took me ages o0;;; Sorry about that. Awww, well aren't you a sweetie? Thanks for the cute review.
MotherCHOWGoddes: Oh...dear...Lord...(Has fan girly fit about you reviewing) A chapter for Midnight sounds wonderful. I wish someone would draw me some purdy pictures, that would be divine...eep, don't wave that thing at me! As I am commonly told, I'm a description freak....I'm not sure whether that's good or bad.
Ralphiere: Well....I was fast....(Sweatdrops) Anyway, I read it, loved it, reviewed it XD Thanks for your ever kind praise, it's people like you who make writing worthwhile.
Elle-Fate2x1-2: Weren't the hikaris so god damn sweet? It's not hard to write about them when they are so.
SoulDreamer: Hey, short, but sweet review, love it.
Clingy: Um, do I use big words? My English teacher says my vocabulary isn't big enough...oh well.
Wish he was Mine: Hehe, cute hat Tracee. (Pouts) Am I not good enough for a nice, long review....ah well, I gave you credit at the top, so enjoy.
Amichanfan12345: Hehe, glad you liked it love. No internet? Oh, poor baby!
Blank Slate: Shush, don't tell anyone, you never know what I might do with those three....
Relinquished: Hmm, I feel guilty for being slow now. Hope you enjoyed.
Ryu: I don't normally bash Anzu, it just tied in well with this story.
Ragdollsally: Heehee, your reviews are so fun! And yes, I am saying sorry to Jou for all the crap I'm putting him through in my other fic. The hikaris are just cute anyway, the writing flows naturally. Be patient love, Ryou will meet our favourite bastard soon enough.
Eve of Misery: Another short review, the shortest ever in fact, but thanks!
BobGod: Yay! A gold star! (Puts it on proudly)
Lomedraug Daughter of Midnight: Hehe, same thing about Anzu as for Ryu, but thanks all the same.
Lell: Well, sorry for the wait again, and if you all nag me enough, I might actually get around to writing the next chapter of Of Puppies, Dragons and Foxes. (Sigh) I just don't have enough time anymore.
Kai: Awwww, I guess since Adara's turned all evil and Seto-like, I'm the nice, inspiring muse now.
Lell: Yeah, guess you are now...gimme a hug.
Adara: Pah, weakling, you can't even find time to write anymore.
Lell: Geez, I can't believe you're my alter ego!
Adara: The feelings mutual.
Kai: Now now, Adara, you might want to be nicer, unless you want us to get everyone to call you 'Dara.
Adara: (Gasp) You wouldn't???
Lell: (Evil grin) Oh I would....and on that note, I will see you guys next chapter, though right now I'm working on a fun Marik and Malik oneshot. All I'll say for now is that it takes place in hospital and our favourite Egyptian needs a little healing. Everyone go awwww....
(Crickets chirp)
Lell: (Pouts) Fine, be like that. Oh and once again, I'd like to thank Wish he was Mine, simply because she's a darling and she deserves due credit. This one's for you honey.