Misc RH OC Scraps

[PHOTOSHOOT] Cheerleader

Aiden was wearing a frilly gold nightgown, lounging on a luxurious bed, and having an argument with his boyfriend. 

"You didn't even provide eye drops! And you expect me to fake cry for a silly little photo?"

Dorian, the boyfriend, frowned from behind his camera. "It's not a silly little photo, Aiden, this is an important photoshoot. The prompt was 'money can't buy happiness,' so just hurry up and cry!"

Aiden scoffed. "If you want an acting performance, get an actor. I'M a model." 

"I would think that a top-tier model could make any expression needed." 

Aiden pouted. Dorian was right, of course, but Aiden would rather claim that no model had that skill set than admit that he needed to improve something. He was spared the need to reply by Sage walking by. 

"Dorian, remember there's a football game today. Don't be late," she said offhandedly as she passed. 

Dorian rolled his eyes and mumbled that she didn't need to remind him. It was hard to actually see blush on Dorian's skin tone, but Aiden could always tell when he was blushing by his expression and mannerisms. He was looking down and fumbling a bit with the buttons on his camera. Yep. Definitely blushing. Because he had been reminded of the football game?

Dorian was a photographer and reporter for The Scene Magazine, and he always covered the school football games. He claimed it was just his job and he was always the one to go so why stop now? But Aiden knew that the reason he'd even started covering the games was because he'd had a crush on the quarterback, River Kendall. 

"Oh," Dorian said, looking up, "I knew you could do it. Get in your pose then." 

Aiden put a hand on his cheek and felt tears there. "Of course-- I'm a top-tier model, after all," he bluffed (albiet in a shaky voice), and the photoshoot continued smoothly. Once they'd gotten all the shots they needed, Dorian had to pack his equipment up quickly and rush to the game. He didn't even say goodbye to Aiden. Aiden was left to take down the set by himself. 

"Football. What's so good about it. The game is boring and brutish, and the players are all ugly, anyway," he grumbled to himself as he rolled up the greenscreen and put away the props. But he kept thinking about Dorian's expression. Gosh darn it, that was HIS boyfriend, and he wasn't supposed to look like that for anyone else! Sure. Aiden was scrawny, short, and he could be selfish and stubborn... And Dorian was always telling him off for one thing or another... And they always got in petty arguments... Maybe Dorian was really sick of him this time, he thought. 

Maybe he would go to that football game himself and see what all the fuss was about. 

As Aiden approached the entrance to the football stadium, he noticed a group of cheerleaders congregating to the side. They were huddled close together and looked nervous. Aiden couldn't help but inch closer and eavesdrop on them a bit. 

"How could Stella twist her ankle going down the stairs? We can't do this routine without her! We need another flyer, or we'll have to change our whole plan."

Aiden casually inserted himself into the circle next to Bowie. "You guys need help from someone small, flexible, athletic, and conventionally attractive?" 

The cheerleaders practically pounced on Aiden. He was all too willing to go along. While he was doing his makeup in the bathroom mirror, Candy dropped off a spare uniform for him. 

"Candy," He asked, "The Scene photographers take pictures of the cheerleaders as well as the game, right?"

Candy smiled, probably thinking of her girlfriend, Sage. "Yep! Cheerleading is a sport too. This is as much our exhibition as it is the football players'."