Here Is No Why
Author: evil_queen369
Genre: Crack, Angst, Romance
Fandom: The GazettE
Pairings: Aoi/Uruha
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: None
Chapter: 2/?
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 . :)
“Hold that pose.”
“Look up just a bit more.”
Aoi rolled his eyes, watching a half-naked Uruha move around on the beach with multiple props.
The older man sat under a beach umbrella with a glass of lemonade in his hand while stylists stood beside him, waiting for their cue to touch up the blonde’s makeup. Aoi was grumpy and annoyed because Uruha acted as if he didn’t even need his assistance, and not only that, but Uruha was moving around as if he were the greatest model known to man. It was obnoxious how the blonde seemed to look at him from the corner of his eye as he posed. In reality, Uruha wasn’t aware of how bad of a job he was actually doing.
The black shorts the blonde was wearing contrasted against his milky-white skin, and judging by the open-mouthed looks of the stylists, his body was more than just stunning. Of course, if the shoot involved Aoi, his muscular body would put Uruha to shame within seconds; that’s what he kept telling himself while the stylists practically drooled all over the place. Uruha wasn’t that hot. He only had somewhat toned arms connected to delicate shoulders, a thin and fit torso, and the most amazing legs Aoi had ever saw; Uruha’s legs could rival any woman’s. When the blonde said ‘even the most popular of models will be jealous‘ he wasn’t kidding; Aoi was downright jealous.
But he’d never admit to it.
No, if he even let off a hint of jealousy, that tramp would walk all over him. The last thing Aoi wanted, or needed, was to see Uruha’s triumphant smile as he walked all over him. If he could help it, he’d make sure Uruha never had the opportunity to rise to the top. With Uruha’s terrible modeling skills, he wouldn’t have the chance anyways.
Aoi snickered to himself as he took in Uruha’s facial expressions. Any normal model would smile with their eyes, but Uruha looked as if he was thinking of something sexual. His thoughts were clearly reflected every time the camera’s shutter clicked, and Aoi didn’t even have to look at the photos on the computer screen beside him to know the images were laughable.
“Perfect.” The photographer’s deep voice interrupted his thoughts as his eyes trailed over Uruha’s form.
‘Pfft, Aoi thought bitterly to himself, ‘he’s anything but perfect.‘ The way he posed didn’t even look professional; one leg looked as if it had disappeared when he turned his body, he tilted his head and made it seem as if he lacked a neck, and he kept looking at the camera straight on. What bothered Aoi the most, though, was that damn overly sexual look in his eyes. The shoot wasn’t one with the focus completely on him; the focus was the swimsuit he was wearing.
‘Typical mistakes.‘ Aoi shook his head and tsked. If Uruha had worked for Mana he must have been fired; Mana’s models were highly experienced and Uruha just looked like an idiot. His poses were off and sometimes awkward, and he lacked the elegance and poise of a model. These weren’t thoughts meant to tear the blonde down, surprisingly. Uruha was missing key aspects of modeling, and for a brief moment Aoi pondered if he was just trying too hard to make himself look better than the older model.
But wasn’t Aoi there to help? Although he could let Uruha look dumb, he knew it was best if he stepped in. If Uruha looked bad, the whole company looked bad. Aoi took a sip of his lemonade and licked his lips. If the company looked bad, Ruki would grind him for it. Aoi hated when Ruki got mad and his voice continually went up an octave every time he got angrier. By the time Ruki was done he sounded like a damn opera singer.
“Uruha,” He called out and handed his glass to one of the stylists. He stood from his chair and walked on to set despite the photographer’s annoyed glance. “Your poses are awkward.” Aoi motioned to the blonde’s body and shook his head. “If you want to make it out there, you have to sell the swimsuit you’re wearing, but at the same time show everyone that you own it, don’t let it own you. Lets start by moving your chin up just a bit.”
“Like this?” Uruha moved his chin as he was told and gave a questioning look to the other man. He didn’t want to trust Aoi --that overly self-obsessed bastard-- but he had to; Aoi was his mentor and Kai told him to do as he was told. The problem with doing as he was told was that Aoi could purposely make him look stupid if he chose. It wouldn’t be surprising given Aoi’s love for being on the top, but if Aoi did make him look bad, he ran the risk of ruining, not only, a shoot, but an opportunity for the company. Uruha had no choice but to trust Aoi because, after all, he had been modeling for much longer.
Aoi hummed softly, using his hands to tilt the blonde’s head to the left. He pulled back slightly to look the blonde over and nodded, “You don’t want to look straight at the camera, either. It looks horrible most of the time. Tilt your head to the side slightly, but don’t tilt it too much otherwise you’ll look like you don’t have a neck.”
“Aoi-san-” The photographer called out impatiently, and Aoi’s hand shot up in the air as he turned on his heel quickly.
“I’m sorry, are you a model? Do you know how to train someone? I suggest you let me help him if you want to continue working as a photographer for this company.”
Uruha rolled his eyes at Aoi’s turned back, ‘Ever the bitchy one.‘ He mused to himself. One of these days he’d have to bitch slap that attitude right out of Aoi; it was annoying, rude, and unprofessional. Before he had met the other model, he didn’t look like the childish pain in the ass that he actually was; Uruha was a bit disappointed himself for actually looking up to Aoi.
Aoi turned to the blonde again and tapped his lips. Photographers could be so pushy. Over the years he had learned that they thought they owned the place. Sure, it was wise to listen to the photographer, but this time Aoi wasn’t the one modeling therefore he didn’t have to listen. “Uruha, move your left leg just enough so it doesn’t look as if you only have one leg.” As Uruha moved his leg, Aoi moved away with a thumbs up. “And for the love of god, smile with your eyes and wipe that sexual look off your face. You’re trying to sell the swimsuit; you’re not modeling for playgirl.”
Uruha smirked, “One day, maybe.”
“In your dreams, kid.” Aoi shook his head, walking back to his chair under the umbrella.
The rest of the shoot dragged on, and, surprisingly, Uruha made no other mistakes. Occasionally Aoi would motion to him to move his head to the side a little more, but for the most part Uruha did well.
Aoi hated it.
After the shoot was over and done with and Uruha had changed into his street clothes again, they stood side by side as Kai spoke to them. Aoi looked at the blonde from the corner of his sunglass-covered eyes and noted how he seemed to always dress in high fashion all the time while Aoi dressed more casually. He snorted to himself, ‘He’s one of those straight-off-the-runway people.‘ He didn’t notice Uruha’s attire the previous day, but then again he also didn’t spend too much time with him or even care to look him over more than he had.
“Tomorrow,” Kai held a hand up, bending his fingers in a way that let them know to follow, “the two of you will be working on a shoot together. I take it Aoi has helped you today, Uruha?” The manager glanced over his shoulder at the new model and smiled.
Uruha nodded.
“Good!” Kai turned forward again, “Use what you learned today. Since Aoi will be modeling with you, he won’t be able to help you as much. Aoi-san is always very focused on his work, so he won’t pay too much attention to you.”
Aoi rolled his eyes. Oh, he’d pay attention to Uruha just to make sure he wasn’t being outshined. He wasn’t going to let himself be embarrassed if Uruha did a better job than him. He was Aoi; he was the model to be, as Uruha had so nicely put it.
He followed the other men to the car waiting to take them back to the company building. Although photo shoots meant money (and Aoi loved money), he wasn’t looking forward to working with Uruha.
If Uruha didn’t model well, it made the photos looks bad, and Aoi would look bad. If Uruha modeled well, Aoi would have to step his game up and make sure he looked better while making himself not look like he was actually trying. There was only a slim chance that the shoot would go well for both of them.
“Do you know what kind of shoot it is yet?” Uruha sat in the back of the car next to Aoi while Kai sat in front with the driver. Kai shook his head and held a finger up while he told the driver where to take them.
“It hasn’t been set in stone just yet as the photographer has been throwing around a few ideas. All I know is that it’s going to be a fun shoot instead of serious one.”
Uruha smiled brightly, nudging Aoi in the side softly as to not piss him off, although that seemed to be something Uruha did without trying anyways. “Have you done fun shoots before, Aoi-san?”
Inwardly Aoi glared. Had he done fun shoots? Did Uruha not realize just how long he had been modeling? He had done countless shoots deemed ‘fun’ when in reality they were just a pain in the ass. “Plenty.”
“I think we’ll have fun, don’t you?” Uruha clasped his hands together on his lap and smirked. “The old against the new; it’ll be a battle of skill; that’s what you’re thinking, right?”
“The old?” Aoi raised an eyebrow as Kai snorted. “Modeling is not based on ‘old and new’. Modeling is based on skill and exquisiteness.” He snapped, turning his attention to the window instead. Beside him Uruha scoffed. “Besides, you don’t stand a chance against me, blondie.”
“Someone lacks a sense of humor.” Uruha muttered to himself.
“Aoi, has anyone ever told you cockiness isn’t attractive?” Kai turned around with a grin because he knew Aoi just as well as Ruki, and they both knew how Aoi felt toward himself. He was Aoi, the almighty model who was too perfect for anyone. Even though the model tried to make himself seem nice and polite around the managers and staff, everyone knew he was a pain in the ass with a pretty face. Typical model, Kai supposed.
Aoi turned around quickly, “I take my job seriously. If you’re not serious, you get your ass kicked. I can’t let that happ-” He glared as Uruha giggled.
“Oh, I forgot.” The blonde cleared his throat and began mocking the older model, “No one is as beautiful as me. I am the best model out there, and no one is going to steal that title from me.” He scrunched his face up in false anger and pointed dramatically.
“I don’t look or sound like that.” Aoi crossed his arms over his chest and slumped in his seat as Uruha continued to mock him without care. And Aoi didn’t care either. He wasn’t going to get into an argument with someone as immature as Uruha. If he wanted to sit there and act like a child, then so be it.
“You won’t get to him.” Kai smiled in amusement.
Uruha smirked, “I’m already getting to him. He’s not happy that he has competition now that’s younger, hotter, and ten times more beautiful.” He watched as the older man’s eyebrow twitched and snorted. “See? He’s trying not to show just how annoyed he is.”
“Unlike you,” Aoi brushed his hair out of his face, “I like to be professional and respectful.”
Uruha burst out laughing at the words because wasn‘t it just yesterday that Aoi was the opposite of what he just said? Aoi was a spoiled brat, and he was nowhere near respectful or professional. “Says the man who told me not to step on his toes like a child.”
---
Aoi stared at the racks of wardrobe in front of him with a slight twitch. “Lolita?“ He asked in disbelief and looked back at Ruki with a raised eyebrow. There were cute pink dresses with white frills that looked beyond ridiculous, and there were a few black Goth Lolita dresses that didn’t look as bad, but he still wasn’t looking forward to wearing any of them. Usually he didn’t have a limit when it came to his clothes in a shoot, but this wasn’t any ordinary shoot; this was the shoot that proved he was still the best. He couldn’t outshine Uruha in a damn Lolita dress. With his luck, Uruha would look amazing in one of those them.
“Don’t give me that look.” Ruki waved a hand in the air, “I don’t come up with the concepts. If you want to yell at someone, go find the photographer.”
Apparently the theme of the shoot was something about a Lolita slumber party. The set was made up with a large bed with a pink and white comforter and fluffy feather pillows, and the walls were a light shade of pink. There were stuffed animals everywhere, and Aoi vaguely wondered if there would even be room for him or Uruha to sit on the bed.
After going through makeup and getting extensions so his hair was long and curly, he found himself walking out to set with a grumble. He looked ridiculous with a huge pink bow in his hair that looked like something Tsuji Nozomi would wear. He was completely done in Gyaru makeup and he was pissed; now he felt like Sakurina’s cross-dressing brother. His nails were even covered in little pink plastic roses and bows, and there were even fake jewels on his pinky and ring fingers. The dress he wore had long white sleeves with ruffled cuffs and a button-up collar that was extremely uncomfortable. The rest of the dress was a light pink color with gigantic bows and strawberry designs. It didn’t help that he was even wearing white stockings and pink Mary Janes.
As he walked onto set (careful that he didn’t trip in his uncomfortable shoes), he spotted Uruha sitting on the bed with the photographer speaking to him. Uruha’s hair was also curled, but somehow his hair looked better than Aoi’s. He looked more feminine due to the black and red corset he wore. His legs looked flawless beneath the frilly black and red skirt; he had on black thigh-high socks that were held up by garters, and over his feet were knee-high platforms. To top off the look, there was a small black hat settled on top of his head that tied under his chin.
Aoi pouted to himself; why did he have to be the cute one?
The photographer went over the details quickly: ‘smile, giggle, and have fun.‘ After last minute touch ups to Uruha’s thick eyeliner and Aoi’s falling curls, the two plopped themselves down on the bed, side by side.
“Aren’t you just adorable, Aoi-chan.” Uruha giggled into his hand as Aoi tried his best to ignore the blonde’s attempt to annoy him.
“Don’t be too jealous.”
The photographer held up his camera as both men moved on the bed; Uruha crawled behind Aoi to play with his hair, and Aoi covered his mouth with his hand slightly as if Uruha had said something amusing.
“Why would I be jealous?” Uruha leaned forward as the camera continued to click and smiled, “I’m the one who looks sexy, and you just look like a life-sized doll.”
‘Of course you are.’ Aoi wanted to roll his eyes, but instead crawled further up on the bed toward the stuffed animals. The photographer yelled out poses and scenarios, making the two of them feel as if they were actually teenage girls at a sleep over. They were one step away from doing each other’s nails and talking about boys if it weren’t for the fact they were both actually guys who could care less about the typical slumber party activities.
Aside from feeling partly intimidated, the shoot wasn’t as bad as Aoi had initially thought. With a few mistakes from Uruha and Aoi correcting him under his breath, the shoot took less time than they both had assumed.
But just as Aoi started to believe that maybe Uruha was somewhat tolerable, he was proven wrong. Sure Uruha took direction well and seemed to step his game up enough to make himself look good (but still not enough to surpass Aoi), and Aoi had put aside his cockiness and attitude, but the professionalism between the two was slowly dissipating.
Eventually soft giggles and hair playing turned into angry hisses and hair pulling. One would think the photographer would put his camera down and attempt to separate the two divas, but this, this was just gold. The idea of a ‘nice fun slumber party’ quickly became the idea of a ‘trashed slumber party’.
“You’re just mad because you’re old! Admit it!” Uruha pointed an accusing finger at Aoi, who was trying his best to fix his hair that looked absolutely ruined. Uruha’s left index finger was pointed in his face as his right hand was still buried in Aoi’s dark hair and pulling at the strands tightly. “You just can’t accept someone new coming in. You’re so immature.”
Aoi spluttered, tearing Uruha’s hand from his hair with a pained growl. “I’m immature? You’re trying to pull my hair out!”
“You mean your fake hair?”
Uruha had grabbed a stuffed rabbit by the ear, holding it in a death grip as his frustration grew.
“Some of us don’t want long hair that makes us look like a girl.” Aoi glared, “And not a very good one, by the way. You look hideous. How you gained a modeling contract is beyond me; they must be accepting whatever they can get nowadays.”
“Whatever they can get?“ Uruha’s eye twitched. Who was Aoi to think he was more superior? Aoi was nothing but a pain in the ass who would soon be washed-up. With Uruha around, Aoi had no chance. The industry wanted something new, something fresh; a new face of a much younger and beautiful model that was actually grateful for everything he had. Unlike Aoi, Uruha wasn’t modeling for the money or success, he was doing it to inspire those around him. His job was based on building the confidence of people just like him, and all Aoi wanted was money and fame.
Aoi didn’t have a chance to retort before the stuffed rabbit hit in him the face with enough force to knock him over onto the pillows. He shielded his face with his hands as Uruha continuously hit him while muttering about worthless models who are just assholes with pretty faces.
“At least I have a pretty face!” Aoi shot up with his hands gripping one of the pillows. “You wear so much makeup on a daily basis that I bet it’s to hide how ugly you really are.” He stuck his tongue out before whacking the blonde over the head with the pillow.
“You’re the one who’s wearing the most makeup! I bet it’s to hide all your ugly wrinkles. Throw in the towel, Aoi; there’s not enough wrinkle remover in the world to make you look good again.”
In front of the set, Ruki stood with his face in his hands as he listened to the models yell angrily at each other. Every time a new model came in that was looked at as a threat, Aoi would start some stupid argument with them in an attempt to make himself look superior. If Uruha didn’t look so determined to prove Aoi wrong, Ruki would think Kai would have to start looking for a new model.
“I wonder if they realize how dumb they look.” Kai muttered with an amused snort, although his amusement was quickly turning into annoyance.
On the set, Uruha had tossed the stuffed rabbit aside in favor of gripping one of the pillows. If Aoi wanted to start a pillow fight, then he’d be more than happy to join and kick his narcissistic ass. A pillow fight fit the theme of the shoot anyways; girls always had pillow fights, right?
The only issue with this pillow fight was that they weren’t hitting each other lightly; they were hitting each other with the intentions of hurting one another. Despite how much each blow hurt, neither one gave up. When the pillows broke and released feathers all over the place, they simply picked up another and continued to beat each other.
Well, until the photographer put down his camera and demanded they stopped, and the two ceased briefly to glare before resuming and the pillows broke again. With no more pillows to use as weapons, Uruha found himself falling backwards off the bed with Aoi on top of him.
“Okay, stop!” Ruki’s voice boomed in the otherwise silent (save for the angry hisses and insults from the models) room. He strode onto set with loud stomps and glared down at them as they stared with wide eyes. “If you just ruined this shoot with your immaturity, so help both of your asses because I will put you in the ground.”
“What he means to say is,” Kai walked onto the set to grab his model since Uruha was his responsibility, “this shoot was really important. If you two just blew this, the company will lose a client.”
“It’s not my fault Uruha started a fight.” Aoi grimaced as he ran a hand through his hair and his extensions came out easily. Uruha pulled hair like a bitch.
Aoi pulled himself off the floor with the help of Ruki as Uruha flipped his hair over his shoulder with a sneer. “I started the fight?”
“You’re the one who hit me with a damn stuffed animal.”
“You hit me with a fucking pillow!”
“Both of you shut the hell up and get your hair and makeup taken off. We’re going to go talk to the photographer and review the photos, and you better hope some of them are useful,” Ruki turned on his heel as he pointed to the dressing rooms on the other side of the room. “If you argue like that again, I’ll make sure the company fires you both. We don’t have time for children.”
As Ruki walked away, Kai gave the two a pointed look and reminded them that they had an interview for the magazine their photos would appear in. After giving them a few words of advice regarding questions about the shoot and lying, he joined Ruki in front of the computers where the photographer was seated.
Aoi pouted and rubbed his head, feeling a headache forming. “I can’t get fired.” He muttered to himself. If he got fired, he’d never be hired by another company. Modeling agencies didn’t tolerate childishness and catfights, and he was almost sure Uruha would blab about the entire fiasco.
“Better you than me.”
A/N: I apologize for the gap between updates; I've been working on Nameless and my book as well as practicing bass. ^^; I'm not 100% satisfied with this chapter, though. >.>
And of course, you guys know who Tsuji Nozomi is, right? Well, if you don't listen to Jpop, then this is what she looks like with her big bow. :)
Genre: Crack, Angst, Romance
Fandom: The GazettE
Pairings: Aoi/Uruha
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: None
Chapter: 2/?
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 . :)
“Hold that pose.”
“Look up just a bit more.”
Aoi rolled his eyes, watching a half-naked Uruha move around on the beach with multiple props.
The older man sat under a beach umbrella with a glass of lemonade in his hand while stylists stood beside him, waiting for their cue to touch up the blonde’s makeup. Aoi was grumpy and annoyed because Uruha acted as if he didn’t even need his assistance, and not only that, but Uruha was moving around as if he were the greatest model known to man. It was obnoxious how the blonde seemed to look at him from the corner of his eye as he posed. In reality, Uruha wasn’t aware of how bad of a job he was actually doing.
The black shorts the blonde was wearing contrasted against his milky-white skin, and judging by the open-mouthed looks of the stylists, his body was more than just stunning. Of course, if the shoot involved Aoi, his muscular body would put Uruha to shame within seconds; that’s what he kept telling himself while the stylists practically drooled all over the place. Uruha wasn’t that hot. He only had somewhat toned arms connected to delicate shoulders, a thin and fit torso, and the most amazing legs Aoi had ever saw; Uruha’s legs could rival any woman’s. When the blonde said ‘even the most popular of models will be jealous‘ he wasn’t kidding; Aoi was downright jealous.
But he’d never admit to it.
No, if he even let off a hint of jealousy, that tramp would walk all over him. The last thing Aoi wanted, or needed, was to see Uruha’s triumphant smile as he walked all over him. If he could help it, he’d make sure Uruha never had the opportunity to rise to the top. With Uruha’s terrible modeling skills, he wouldn’t have the chance anyways.
Aoi snickered to himself as he took in Uruha’s facial expressions. Any normal model would smile with their eyes, but Uruha looked as if he was thinking of something sexual. His thoughts were clearly reflected every time the camera’s shutter clicked, and Aoi didn’t even have to look at the photos on the computer screen beside him to know the images were laughable.
“Perfect.” The photographer’s deep voice interrupted his thoughts as his eyes trailed over Uruha’s form.
‘Pfft, Aoi thought bitterly to himself, ‘he’s anything but perfect.‘ The way he posed didn’t even look professional; one leg looked as if it had disappeared when he turned his body, he tilted his head and made it seem as if he lacked a neck, and he kept looking at the camera straight on. What bothered Aoi the most, though, was that damn overly sexual look in his eyes. The shoot wasn’t one with the focus completely on him; the focus was the swimsuit he was wearing.
‘Typical mistakes.‘ Aoi shook his head and tsked. If Uruha had worked for Mana he must have been fired; Mana’s models were highly experienced and Uruha just looked like an idiot. His poses were off and sometimes awkward, and he lacked the elegance and poise of a model. These weren’t thoughts meant to tear the blonde down, surprisingly. Uruha was missing key aspects of modeling, and for a brief moment Aoi pondered if he was just trying too hard to make himself look better than the older model.
But wasn’t Aoi there to help? Although he could let Uruha look dumb, he knew it was best if he stepped in. If Uruha looked bad, the whole company looked bad. Aoi took a sip of his lemonade and licked his lips. If the company looked bad, Ruki would grind him for it. Aoi hated when Ruki got mad and his voice continually went up an octave every time he got angrier. By the time Ruki was done he sounded like a damn opera singer.
“Uruha,” He called out and handed his glass to one of the stylists. He stood from his chair and walked on to set despite the photographer’s annoyed glance. “Your poses are awkward.” Aoi motioned to the blonde’s body and shook his head. “If you want to make it out there, you have to sell the swimsuit you’re wearing, but at the same time show everyone that you own it, don’t let it own you. Lets start by moving your chin up just a bit.”
“Like this?” Uruha moved his chin as he was told and gave a questioning look to the other man. He didn’t want to trust Aoi --that overly self-obsessed bastard-- but he had to; Aoi was his mentor and Kai told him to do as he was told. The problem with doing as he was told was that Aoi could purposely make him look stupid if he chose. It wouldn’t be surprising given Aoi’s love for being on the top, but if Aoi did make him look bad, he ran the risk of ruining, not only, a shoot, but an opportunity for the company. Uruha had no choice but to trust Aoi because, after all, he had been modeling for much longer.
Aoi hummed softly, using his hands to tilt the blonde’s head to the left. He pulled back slightly to look the blonde over and nodded, “You don’t want to look straight at the camera, either. It looks horrible most of the time. Tilt your head to the side slightly, but don’t tilt it too much otherwise you’ll look like you don’t have a neck.”
“Aoi-san-” The photographer called out impatiently, and Aoi’s hand shot up in the air as he turned on his heel quickly.
“I’m sorry, are you a model? Do you know how to train someone? I suggest you let me help him if you want to continue working as a photographer for this company.”
Uruha rolled his eyes at Aoi’s turned back, ‘Ever the bitchy one.‘ He mused to himself. One of these days he’d have to bitch slap that attitude right out of Aoi; it was annoying, rude, and unprofessional. Before he had met the other model, he didn’t look like the childish pain in the ass that he actually was; Uruha was a bit disappointed himself for actually looking up to Aoi.
Aoi turned to the blonde again and tapped his lips. Photographers could be so pushy. Over the years he had learned that they thought they owned the place. Sure, it was wise to listen to the photographer, but this time Aoi wasn’t the one modeling therefore he didn’t have to listen. “Uruha, move your left leg just enough so it doesn’t look as if you only have one leg.” As Uruha moved his leg, Aoi moved away with a thumbs up. “And for the love of god, smile with your eyes and wipe that sexual look off your face. You’re trying to sell the swimsuit; you’re not modeling for playgirl.”
Uruha smirked, “One day, maybe.”
“In your dreams, kid.” Aoi shook his head, walking back to his chair under the umbrella.
The rest of the shoot dragged on, and, surprisingly, Uruha made no other mistakes. Occasionally Aoi would motion to him to move his head to the side a little more, but for the most part Uruha did well.
Aoi hated it.
After the shoot was over and done with and Uruha had changed into his street clothes again, they stood side by side as Kai spoke to them. Aoi looked at the blonde from the corner of his sunglass-covered eyes and noted how he seemed to always dress in high fashion all the time while Aoi dressed more casually. He snorted to himself, ‘He’s one of those straight-off-the-runway people.‘ He didn’t notice Uruha’s attire the previous day, but then again he also didn’t spend too much time with him or even care to look him over more than he had.
“Tomorrow,” Kai held a hand up, bending his fingers in a way that let them know to follow, “the two of you will be working on a shoot together. I take it Aoi has helped you today, Uruha?” The manager glanced over his shoulder at the new model and smiled.
Uruha nodded.
“Good!” Kai turned forward again, “Use what you learned today. Since Aoi will be modeling with you, he won’t be able to help you as much. Aoi-san is always very focused on his work, so he won’t pay too much attention to you.”
Aoi rolled his eyes. Oh, he’d pay attention to Uruha just to make sure he wasn’t being outshined. He wasn’t going to let himself be embarrassed if Uruha did a better job than him. He was Aoi; he was the model to be, as Uruha had so nicely put it.
He followed the other men to the car waiting to take them back to the company building. Although photo shoots meant money (and Aoi loved money), he wasn’t looking forward to working with Uruha.
If Uruha didn’t model well, it made the photos looks bad, and Aoi would look bad. If Uruha modeled well, Aoi would have to step his game up and make sure he looked better while making himself not look like he was actually trying. There was only a slim chance that the shoot would go well for both of them.
“Do you know what kind of shoot it is yet?” Uruha sat in the back of the car next to Aoi while Kai sat in front with the driver. Kai shook his head and held a finger up while he told the driver where to take them.
“It hasn’t been set in stone just yet as the photographer has been throwing around a few ideas. All I know is that it’s going to be a fun shoot instead of serious one.”
Uruha smiled brightly, nudging Aoi in the side softly as to not piss him off, although that seemed to be something Uruha did without trying anyways. “Have you done fun shoots before, Aoi-san?”
Inwardly Aoi glared. Had he done fun shoots? Did Uruha not realize just how long he had been modeling? He had done countless shoots deemed ‘fun’ when in reality they were just a pain in the ass. “Plenty.”
“I think we’ll have fun, don’t you?” Uruha clasped his hands together on his lap and smirked. “The old against the new; it’ll be a battle of skill; that’s what you’re thinking, right?”
“The old?” Aoi raised an eyebrow as Kai snorted. “Modeling is not based on ‘old and new’. Modeling is based on skill and exquisiteness.” He snapped, turning his attention to the window instead. Beside him Uruha scoffed. “Besides, you don’t stand a chance against me, blondie.”
“Someone lacks a sense of humor.” Uruha muttered to himself.
“Aoi, has anyone ever told you cockiness isn’t attractive?” Kai turned around with a grin because he knew Aoi just as well as Ruki, and they both knew how Aoi felt toward himself. He was Aoi, the almighty model who was too perfect for anyone. Even though the model tried to make himself seem nice and polite around the managers and staff, everyone knew he was a pain in the ass with a pretty face. Typical model, Kai supposed.
Aoi turned around quickly, “I take my job seriously. If you’re not serious, you get your ass kicked. I can’t let that happ-” He glared as Uruha giggled.
“Oh, I forgot.” The blonde cleared his throat and began mocking the older model, “No one is as beautiful as me. I am the best model out there, and no one is going to steal that title from me.” He scrunched his face up in false anger and pointed dramatically.
“I don’t look or sound like that.” Aoi crossed his arms over his chest and slumped in his seat as Uruha continued to mock him without care. And Aoi didn’t care either. He wasn’t going to get into an argument with someone as immature as Uruha. If he wanted to sit there and act like a child, then so be it.
“You won’t get to him.” Kai smiled in amusement.
Uruha smirked, “I’m already getting to him. He’s not happy that he has competition now that’s younger, hotter, and ten times more beautiful.” He watched as the older man’s eyebrow twitched and snorted. “See? He’s trying not to show just how annoyed he is.”
“Unlike you,” Aoi brushed his hair out of his face, “I like to be professional and respectful.”
Uruha burst out laughing at the words because wasn‘t it just yesterday that Aoi was the opposite of what he just said? Aoi was a spoiled brat, and he was nowhere near respectful or professional. “Says the man who told me not to step on his toes like a child.”
---
Aoi stared at the racks of wardrobe in front of him with a slight twitch. “Lolita?“ He asked in disbelief and looked back at Ruki with a raised eyebrow. There were cute pink dresses with white frills that looked beyond ridiculous, and there were a few black Goth Lolita dresses that didn’t look as bad, but he still wasn’t looking forward to wearing any of them. Usually he didn’t have a limit when it came to his clothes in a shoot, but this wasn’t any ordinary shoot; this was the shoot that proved he was still the best. He couldn’t outshine Uruha in a damn Lolita dress. With his luck, Uruha would look amazing in one of those them.
“Don’t give me that look.” Ruki waved a hand in the air, “I don’t come up with the concepts. If you want to yell at someone, go find the photographer.”
Apparently the theme of the shoot was something about a Lolita slumber party. The set was made up with a large bed with a pink and white comforter and fluffy feather pillows, and the walls were a light shade of pink. There were stuffed animals everywhere, and Aoi vaguely wondered if there would even be room for him or Uruha to sit on the bed.
After going through makeup and getting extensions so his hair was long and curly, he found himself walking out to set with a grumble. He looked ridiculous with a huge pink bow in his hair that looked like something Tsuji Nozomi would wear. He was completely done in Gyaru makeup and he was pissed; now he felt like Sakurina’s cross-dressing brother. His nails were even covered in little pink plastic roses and bows, and there were even fake jewels on his pinky and ring fingers. The dress he wore had long white sleeves with ruffled cuffs and a button-up collar that was extremely uncomfortable. The rest of the dress was a light pink color with gigantic bows and strawberry designs. It didn’t help that he was even wearing white stockings and pink Mary Janes.
As he walked onto set (careful that he didn’t trip in his uncomfortable shoes), he spotted Uruha sitting on the bed with the photographer speaking to him. Uruha’s hair was also curled, but somehow his hair looked better than Aoi’s. He looked more feminine due to the black and red corset he wore. His legs looked flawless beneath the frilly black and red skirt; he had on black thigh-high socks that were held up by garters, and over his feet were knee-high platforms. To top off the look, there was a small black hat settled on top of his head that tied under his chin.
Aoi pouted to himself; why did he have to be the cute one?
The photographer went over the details quickly: ‘smile, giggle, and have fun.‘ After last minute touch ups to Uruha’s thick eyeliner and Aoi’s falling curls, the two plopped themselves down on the bed, side by side.
“Aren’t you just adorable, Aoi-chan.” Uruha giggled into his hand as Aoi tried his best to ignore the blonde’s attempt to annoy him.
“Don’t be too jealous.”
The photographer held up his camera as both men moved on the bed; Uruha crawled behind Aoi to play with his hair, and Aoi covered his mouth with his hand slightly as if Uruha had said something amusing.
“Why would I be jealous?” Uruha leaned forward as the camera continued to click and smiled, “I’m the one who looks sexy, and you just look like a life-sized doll.”
‘Of course you are.’ Aoi wanted to roll his eyes, but instead crawled further up on the bed toward the stuffed animals. The photographer yelled out poses and scenarios, making the two of them feel as if they were actually teenage girls at a sleep over. They were one step away from doing each other’s nails and talking about boys if it weren’t for the fact they were both actually guys who could care less about the typical slumber party activities.
Aside from feeling partly intimidated, the shoot wasn’t as bad as Aoi had initially thought. With a few mistakes from Uruha and Aoi correcting him under his breath, the shoot took less time than they both had assumed.
But just as Aoi started to believe that maybe Uruha was somewhat tolerable, he was proven wrong. Sure Uruha took direction well and seemed to step his game up enough to make himself look good (but still not enough to surpass Aoi), and Aoi had put aside his cockiness and attitude, but the professionalism between the two was slowly dissipating.
Eventually soft giggles and hair playing turned into angry hisses and hair pulling. One would think the photographer would put his camera down and attempt to separate the two divas, but this, this was just gold. The idea of a ‘nice fun slumber party’ quickly became the idea of a ‘trashed slumber party’.
“You’re just mad because you’re old! Admit it!” Uruha pointed an accusing finger at Aoi, who was trying his best to fix his hair that looked absolutely ruined. Uruha’s left index finger was pointed in his face as his right hand was still buried in Aoi’s dark hair and pulling at the strands tightly. “You just can’t accept someone new coming in. You’re so immature.”
Aoi spluttered, tearing Uruha’s hand from his hair with a pained growl. “I’m immature? You’re trying to pull my hair out!”
“You mean your fake hair?”
Uruha had grabbed a stuffed rabbit by the ear, holding it in a death grip as his frustration grew.
“Some of us don’t want long hair that makes us look like a girl.” Aoi glared, “And not a very good one, by the way. You look hideous. How you gained a modeling contract is beyond me; they must be accepting whatever they can get nowadays.”
“Whatever they can get?“ Uruha’s eye twitched. Who was Aoi to think he was more superior? Aoi was nothing but a pain in the ass who would soon be washed-up. With Uruha around, Aoi had no chance. The industry wanted something new, something fresh; a new face of a much younger and beautiful model that was actually grateful for everything he had. Unlike Aoi, Uruha wasn’t modeling for the money or success, he was doing it to inspire those around him. His job was based on building the confidence of people just like him, and all Aoi wanted was money and fame.
Aoi didn’t have a chance to retort before the stuffed rabbit hit in him the face with enough force to knock him over onto the pillows. He shielded his face with his hands as Uruha continuously hit him while muttering about worthless models who are just assholes with pretty faces.
“At least I have a pretty face!” Aoi shot up with his hands gripping one of the pillows. “You wear so much makeup on a daily basis that I bet it’s to hide how ugly you really are.” He stuck his tongue out before whacking the blonde over the head with the pillow.
“You’re the one who’s wearing the most makeup! I bet it’s to hide all your ugly wrinkles. Throw in the towel, Aoi; there’s not enough wrinkle remover in the world to make you look good again.”
In front of the set, Ruki stood with his face in his hands as he listened to the models yell angrily at each other. Every time a new model came in that was looked at as a threat, Aoi would start some stupid argument with them in an attempt to make himself look superior. If Uruha didn’t look so determined to prove Aoi wrong, Ruki would think Kai would have to start looking for a new model.
“I wonder if they realize how dumb they look.” Kai muttered with an amused snort, although his amusement was quickly turning into annoyance.
On the set, Uruha had tossed the stuffed rabbit aside in favor of gripping one of the pillows. If Aoi wanted to start a pillow fight, then he’d be more than happy to join and kick his narcissistic ass. A pillow fight fit the theme of the shoot anyways; girls always had pillow fights, right?
The only issue with this pillow fight was that they weren’t hitting each other lightly; they were hitting each other with the intentions of hurting one another. Despite how much each blow hurt, neither one gave up. When the pillows broke and released feathers all over the place, they simply picked up another and continued to beat each other.
Well, until the photographer put down his camera and demanded they stopped, and the two ceased briefly to glare before resuming and the pillows broke again. With no more pillows to use as weapons, Uruha found himself falling backwards off the bed with Aoi on top of him.
“Okay, stop!” Ruki’s voice boomed in the otherwise silent (save for the angry hisses and insults from the models) room. He strode onto set with loud stomps and glared down at them as they stared with wide eyes. “If you just ruined this shoot with your immaturity, so help both of your asses because I will put you in the ground.”
“What he means to say is,” Kai walked onto the set to grab his model since Uruha was his responsibility, “this shoot was really important. If you two just blew this, the company will lose a client.”
“It’s not my fault Uruha started a fight.” Aoi grimaced as he ran a hand through his hair and his extensions came out easily. Uruha pulled hair like a bitch.
Aoi pulled himself off the floor with the help of Ruki as Uruha flipped his hair over his shoulder with a sneer. “I started the fight?”
“You’re the one who hit me with a damn stuffed animal.”
“You hit me with a fucking pillow!”
“Both of you shut the hell up and get your hair and makeup taken off. We’re going to go talk to the photographer and review the photos, and you better hope some of them are useful,” Ruki turned on his heel as he pointed to the dressing rooms on the other side of the room. “If you argue like that again, I’ll make sure the company fires you both. We don’t have time for children.”
As Ruki walked away, Kai gave the two a pointed look and reminded them that they had an interview for the magazine their photos would appear in. After giving them a few words of advice regarding questions about the shoot and lying, he joined Ruki in front of the computers where the photographer was seated.
Aoi pouted and rubbed his head, feeling a headache forming. “I can’t get fired.” He muttered to himself. If he got fired, he’d never be hired by another company. Modeling agencies didn’t tolerate childishness and catfights, and he was almost sure Uruha would blab about the entire fiasco.
“Better you than me.”
A/N: I apologize for the gap between updates; I've been working on Nameless and my book as well as practicing bass. ^^; I'm not 100% satisfied with this chapter, though. >.>
And of course, you guys know who Tsuji Nozomi is, right? Well, if you don't listen to Jpop, then this is what she looks like with her big bow. :)
