They're Only Photos || Norman x Ray

12

NORMAN

"You may run from death, but death always runs a little bit faster."

~°~
"You expect me to wear this?" Norman choked on his words. Hayato nodded. "It's ehm... sexy, to say the least. This is for a fashion magazine after all. Besides, you've worn stuff like this before."

Norman turned a deep shade of red as he stared in the mirror. His shirt was practically half off - and that was an understatement. The blouse was transparent and had a high collar. Some idiot had broken the button on the plaid dress pants he was wearing and Norman was desperately trying to keep them together. The belt tied around his waist helped slightly, but not by much.

"Not in front of Ray!" Norman whined. Hayato rolled his eyes. Norman could tell he was stifling a smile. "Why not?"

"Because I know him personally and it's embarrassing! He already thinks I have skinny arms - being in the gaze of a camera will just prove his point!"

"Is it because of the snowflakes on your boxers?"

Norman was silent. Thankfully the awkward moment was cut short when Emma, the life of the party, entered the room. "HEY EVERYONE!" She said loudly. If 'said' was even an apropriate term.

She coughed when she saw Norman. "OH! Uhm.. n-nice outfit, Norman. I didn't know you had skinny arms?"

Norman groaned and tried to hide himself behind the dressing room curtain. Hayato sighed loudly. "If you don't want to wear this, Norman, that's fine." Norman nodded his head desperately. He didn't care about the modelling magazine.

"But may I remind you how much this job pays?" Hayato shoved the business form in Norman's face.

His eyes widened. "Three thousand-"

"And with the addition from some of the other jobs scheduled for today, you'll have-" Hayato took out his calculator and started typing. "- five thousand yen, including the payment reducted from your workers."

"Hah?" Norman said dumbly. He wanted to decline - the clothes were too small, wack uncomfortable and definitely the most embarrassing thing he could ever wear on set. "Fine!" He gave in. "But if they stage a sex scene I swear I'll-"

"It's an individual shot," his agent cut in. "No one else will be on set with you."

"Right," Norman sighed. He was going to be embarrassed in front of Ray alone. That was sure to be interesting.

~°~

Ray choked on his own spit when he saw Norman. "What the fuck?!"

Norman felt his face go red from embarrassment and tried to hide behind the green screen. "I don't know, okay?" He said loudly enough for Ray to know he was talking to him. "This is what I'm wearing for the photoshoot, deal with it."

Ray rolled his eyes. It was only then Norman noticed how tired he looked. His face was hollow and gaunt. There were huge bags under his eyes.

"What happened to you?" Norman asked, his embarrassment disappearing under his worry for his friend. Ray yawned.

"I'm just tired, that's all," he chided. Norman wasn't convinced. Ray seemed to notice this, because the next thing he said was, "I stayed up all night packing for my move. I'd completely forgotten about it until you reminded me over the phone. Thanks for that, by the way."

Norman couldn't tell if he was being sarcastic or not, but he smiled and said, "No problem. Anything to help a friend."

Ray looked at him weirdly. "What?" Norman asked. Was Ray angry at him? Was it something he'd said?

"Oh, uh, nothing," Ray mumbled. "I didn't know you considered me a friend, that's all." When he saw Norman's face he quickly added, "I'm glad. I haven't had many friends before."

Norman looked away. Neither had he. He'd spent most of his life getting bullied.

"Well," Ray cut into his train of thought. "We had better get started on the photos before Mr. Ratri comes in and cuts our heads off."

"Hah, yeah." Norman eased himself from behind the green screen. He discussed poses with Ray and they ended up agreeing on a simple 'I'm-sitting-casually-while-ruffling-my-hair' pose.

"Dang, that's a long name," Norman concluded. He let Ray position him.

After a while of staring at the camera with a seductive smile, he said, "Are you done yet?"

"Oh." Ray snorted. "Yeah, I was done twenty minutes ago."

"Twenty- twenty minutes ago?! But I didn't hear the camera make a noise."

"It's a silent camera," Ray explained. "It doesn't make a noise." His eyes were still trained on the camera.

"Well.... okay," Norman said nervously. He slipped down the back to change. When he came out in his next outfit, Ray was waiting for him. He had a bundle of photos in his hands. "What are they for?" Norman asked. Ray shook his head to imply it was none of his business.