Author:
evil_queen369 Genre: Crack, Angst, Romance
Fandom: The GazettE
Pairings: Aoi/Uruha
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: None
Chapter: 1/?
Synopsis: Being a model was stressful, and not just because he had to be perfect all the time because Aoi had no trouble with that. Aoi was the most popular model signed to the company and managed to end up on the cover of multiple fashion magazines. He had been modeling for years and had a widespread following of fans. When it came to his line of business, the fans only liked him for his looks and never for who he really was, but that wasn’t completely their fault. There was very little even known about him aside from what he allowed magazines to print, but that didn’t stop his fans from approaching him and asking him random questions that he weaseled his way out of answering. The truth of the matter was Aoi was a completely different person than Yuu, who he really was.
Note: Requested by
jokerock . :)
“Turn a little to your right.” The photographer instructed, holding his camera in one hand and motioning with the other. Aoi nodded, turning slightly and fixing his hair at the same time. Once he was in position, the photographer held his camera up again and began taking pictures. Soft clicks could be heard every time a photo was taken, letting Aoi know when he could shift his pose.
The theme of his photo shoot was ‘summer’, a theme he was much more comfortable with since he didn’t have to hide himself under layers of clothes deemed ‘fashionable’ by some ill-brained designer. Today he wore a white shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, a pair of beige pants, and black dress shoes. His hair was black and shorter in the back and spiked to give him a sort of edge, and his bangs fell in his face, covering his left eye. Personally, he thought he looked like an idiot, but he knew better than to argue with a stylist. Stylists always got what they wanted because they knew everything about ‘fashion’, but, if one were to ask Aoi, he’d mention how stupid the stylists dressed half of the time.
Alongside Aoi was a female model wearing a pair of black waist-high shorts with a white tank top (that dipped a little too low) with a black design across the neckline. Her hair was long and light brown, falling in waves down to her hips with half of it tied up in a ponytail on top of her head, complete with a black bow, and her bangs fell to her eyebrows, straightened to contrast the waves. Of course, Aoi thought, her makeup was done in the typical gyaru style that he found himself disliking, and her nails were decorated beyond belief in fake jewels. She looked tacky and fake, but whether she was a good model or not didn’t matter because there was no way she could measure up to him.
Off to the side of the camera stood his fashionista diva of a manager. Ruki was the type of person who had to make sure everything was perfect, and if it wasn’t he’d throw a fit until it was fixed. Half of the time Aoi wasn’t sure if he even liked Ruki because of his constant demands, but his manager was the reason he looked flawless most of the time, not that Aoi didn’t look that way naturally. He could hear Ruki saying something about Aoi’s hair and how it needed to be fixed and that his clothes weren’t fitting enough to show off Aoi’s figure. Every photo shoot was essentially the same when it came to the manager’s complaints, so Aoi usually just tried his best to ignore him. The last thing he wanted was to stop in the middle of a photo shoot to have stylists all over him.
Being a model was stressful, and not just because he had to be perfect all the time because Aoi had no trouble with that. Aoi was the most popular model signed to the company and managed to end up on the cover of multiple fashion magazines. He had been modeling for years and had a widespread following of fans. When it came to his line of business, the fans only liked him for his looks and never for who he really was, but that wasn’t completely their fault. There was very little even known about him aside from what he allowed magazines to print, but that didn’t stop his fans from approaching him and asking him random questions that he weaseled his way out of answering. The truth of the matter was Aoi was a completely different person than Yuu, who he really was.
When Aoi had first began modeling, he was kind and even considered bubbly in personality. He always wore a smile on his face, but as the years went by his smiles began disappearing and his bubbly personality became forced. It wasn’t like he hated modeling, but he did admit (but only to himself) that he was growing tired of it more and more. He developed an ego that even he knew was a bit of a turn off, but the fans didn’t seem to mind; they simply thought Aoi was growing older and showing everyone that he wasn’t some immature teenager, when in reality he just didn’t care anymore. No one was as good as him in both skill and beauty, something he believed to be one hundred percent true.
“Sakurina,” The photographer called out to the female model who looked up instantly, “stand in front of him with your right arm around his waist and your left hand on his chest and look over your shoulder.”
Sakurina had been modeling since she was sixteen, and Aoi had been modeling since he was seventeen. Even though Sakurina didn’t need any direction when it came to striking a pose, the photographer still yelled out suggestions. As Sakurina posed as she was told, Aoi put a hand on her hip while the other fell by his side. They held their pose until they heard the soft ‘click’ of the camera’s shutter, and shifted; Sakurina moved her hand from Aoi’s chest and cupped his cheek as Aoi turned his head to look at her, moving his arm from his side so it was resting on the small of her back.
The photo shoot dragged on as the photographer continuously threw out pose after pose, taking a picture and demanding more. Aoi was both tired and annoyed but knew better than to let it show when the door on the opposite side of the room opened and two other men walked in. The first one he recognized to be Kai, another manager who ran around the building. He was constantly looking for new models to sign but he never found any that were successful. He went through more models than Aoi could count, and he didn’t just focus on male models like Ruki did. Kai had hired his fair share of gyaru models similar to Sakurina, but none of them gained success. Next to Kai was a tall blonde that Aoi already didn’t like. He had sultry eyes and plump lips that made even Aoi jealous; that was the second reason he already didn’t like him. Who did Kai think he was, bringing someone so beautiful into the room?
It was just like Kai to try to one-up Ruki, and he knew the easiest way to get under the smaller manager’s skin was to find a younger, more beautiful model. Most of the time Kai only succeeded in finding someone younger because no one ever gave his models a second glance if they were paired up with Aoi in a shoot, which they usually were. Aoi didn’t know why he had to always do a spread with Kai’s new models, but it was probably because of his popularity. It also didn’t do anything bad for Aoi’s reputation either, so Ruki always agreed, and Aoi found himself trying to do his job alongside someone who hardly knew how to pose.
He watched from the corner of his eye as the two approached Ruki and stood next to him; Kai and Ruki spoke and the blonde stood and watched as Aoi and Sakurina continued to model. Aoi noticed how this blonde seemed to stand perfectly still, and even though it probably wasn’t intended, he looked as if he were in front of the camera instead. The way he even pushed his hair out of his face or flipped it over his shoulder looked more like a pose than anything else.
To Aoi, though, it felt almost as if this blonde were challenging him. And he didn’t like it. Not one little bit.
Minutes ticked by and the blonde seemed to train his eyes on Aoi, and Aoi wasn’t sure what it was about this blonde that irritated him so much because he hadn’t even said a word or moved an inch other than to play with his hair. For the most part, the blonde only watched in almost awe as Aoi moved around the set. If he were actually a new model, Aoi would be furious because he looked as if he had no experience whatsoever, and being one of the models Kai deemed worthy, he was probably completely worthless. Every time Kai brought in a new model, somehow it became Aoi’s job to show them the ropes. It was exhausting to do his job and train someone else who should already have some sort of experience.
The end of the shoot approached and Sakurina walked off set to her manager while Aoi walked off to his, even though he really disliked an after-shoot-Ruki who would constantly tell him what he did wrong. It didn’t matter if one hair was out of place, if Ruki saw it, Aoi heard about it.
But today Ruki didn’t criticize him as expected, instead he gestured to Kai and the blonde and stated, “This is Uruha, a new model. Show him around while Kai and I set up a spread featuring the two of you.” And although Aoi was greatly annoyed that he had to show this new wannabe model around, he bowed politely with a smile and agreed to do it because he never showed his distaste in front of his manager or the entire staff. But even though he was smiling, he was angry on the inside.
This Uruha guy was beautiful. It wouldn’t be surprising if he ran off with all of Aoi’s fans and got all the attention. Uruha would probably be the end of Aoi, not that Aoi was giving him that much credit or anything, he just always knew there would be a model that would come in and knock him right off his pedestal. Of course, Aoi wouldn't go down without some sort of fight.
Uruha was just as annoying as Aoi thought he looked. As they walked around the building, Aoi pointed out certain rooms and explained who could be found in there, and he pointed out the rooms where the models weren’t allowed. Next he showed Uruha his dressing room stating ‘you’ll probably end up sharing with me since I had to share with Kai’s last model’, and he wasn’t very happy with the thought.
“I don’t mind.” Uruha had shrugged, “At least with you I don’t have to worry about my stuff being tampered with, right? The last time I shared a room with another model, they got in my stuff, claiming since we shared a room, that made my stuff theirs.”
Aoi nodded; he knew how those were models were because he had dealt with a few of them himself. Judging by how much Uruha seemed to dislike them, he knew his stuff was safe as well, but that didn’t mean anything. “Most models are prissy bitches, but to get by them, you have to become them.”
“I’d rather just be myself. If they don’t like me, there’s no sense in trying to be someone I’m not so I can be accepted.”
Inwardly, Aoi was rolling his eyes; that was the same thing all new models said. But then again, he couldn’t be completely sure that Uruha was new; he could have just switched companies.
“You’ll see that that won’t work too well.” Aoi led the blonde down a hallway to the makeup rooms, something he personally found useless since his makeup artist usually just went to him. “You’re going to get eaten alive out there if you just let them walk all over you.” And Uruha already had competition, even if he wasn’t aware that said competition was standing right beside him.
“Then I guess I’ll just have to be eaten alive.” Uruha shrugged.
They continued talking about other models and their careers as Aoi continued his tour around the building. Apparently Uruha wasn’t a new model; he had worked for fashion designer and model, Mana, who was known by virtually everyone for his feminine features, lack of expression, and elegance. If Uruha had worked for him, then that meant he knew exactly what he was doing. Mana didn’t just hire anyone.
“Mana is a great model, don’t get me wrong,” Uruha glanced over at Aoi, but what caught Aoi’s attention the most was when Uruha said “but I’ve always looked up to you, Aoi-san, for years. You’re the model to be, so, in my eyes, Mana is nothing.” The words, however nice they were meant to be, made Aoi laugh to himself in a very stuck up fashion as he stopped dead in his tracks and looked at the blonde.
“Listen, kid,” Aoi crossed one arm over his chest with his other arm resting on his hand as he looked at his nails, “don’t bother trying to be anything like me. No one is as perfect as me, not even Mana. I’ve spent years building up my reputation with this company, and if you think for an instant that you are going to have the sort of success that I do, you’re wrong.” He sighed with disinterest in the other man, “I don’t care how beautiful you are. I am the most popular model in this company, and you will not step on my toes and try to take that title from me.”
Uruha looked taken back at the words. In the magazines and even on television, Aoi always seemed polite. Aoi’s kindness was one of the reasons Uruha found him so interesting; most models were stuck up and rude, and he had always thought Aoi was the exception. It was clear now that Aoi was just pretending to be nice, and if Aoi wasn’t going to be nice to him, Uruha wasn’t going to be nice in return.
The blonde wasn’t even sure what had set off the other model considering he didn’t say anything rude. These model-types weren’t exactly the easiest people to have a conversation with anyways. One of the many flaws with this particular career was that it was nearly impossible to befriend someone. Every model was looked as as either competition or fresh meat, and Uruha a feeling Aoi viewed him as both.
And just because Uruha looked up to Aoi didn't mean he worshiped him like the rest of the world. Sure Aoi was beautiful and had the body of a god, but he honestly didn't care. As a model, he didn't like people for their looks because he knew just how deceiving they were, and Aoi was a perfect example of that: he looked like a nice person, but he was really a prissy bitch who thought a bit to highly of himself.
“I have no intentions of stealing your title.” Uruha snorted at the shorter model who stared at him in return. “I always knew I was meant to be a model; I don’t have these good looks and great body for nothing. Some of us don’t have to pretend to be someone we’re not just to get attention.” He smiled, challenging the other.
Before either one of them could get another word out, Kai and Ruki had walked out of the meeting room and called for them, informing Uruha that he had a photo shoot booked for tomorrow and that Aoi was to go with him to help him if needed.
“The shoot is at eleven, but you both need to be here around nine.” Ruki was looking at his cell phone as he spoke.
Kai nodded, motioning for Uruha to follow him, “Your first shoot with the company is beach-themed. Make sure you do your best. I‘m counting on you to be the model I‘ve been trying to book for years.”
“That shouldn’t be a problem.” Uruha smiled brightly because this would give him the chance to show Aoi what he was really capable of doing. “I’ll be sure to flaunt my best features. Even the most popular of models will be jealous.” He shot a glance over at a fuming Aoi and bowed slightly before turning on his heel and leaving with Kai.
This, Aoi thought, meant war.
A/N:
jokerock, is this okay so far? I'm not sure just how long this will be, but there will definitely be the romance, crack, and angst you asked for. :)
Originally I had another idea for this, but after awhile I found it boring and too similar to what other authors have written. I came up with this idea yesterday while waiting for my younger sister to get out of school, so I really didn't spend too much time thinking up a total plot; it's easy anyways.
I already know people are going to say something about Aoi's character. (laughs) He's a complete asshole who is a bit too into himself; he believes no one is as great as him, so naturally there's going to be conflict between him and Uruha, which has already been established.
BTW, Sakurina is an Ageha model and Jpop singer although, personally, I don't think she can sing, for those of you who aren't aware. When I first described the female character, I wasn't describing the actual Sakurina, but after choosing a name for her, I realized that I sort of did describe her. xD *points below*