Misc RH OC Scraps

[PHOTOSHOOT] Plus One

Aiden felt awful, and when he trudged up to the photoshoot set, he knew he looked awful. His hair was as shiny and bold as ever, his clothes were impeccable courtesy of the fashion students, and his makeup was well done— but his posture was so crumpled that he could have been mistaken for a piece of paper that had been lost in the bottom of a book bag, and his facial expression was dour.

Dorian, who was assigned to be working with him that day, raised his eyebrows at the image. That annoyed Aiden. Sure, he was having a bad day, but he didn't need any of the snarky comments that he knew were coming.

Dorian pointed the camera at him, and he immediately perked up. As if he would let any pictures of himself in that state exist. Dorian turned the camera away, he slumped, he turned it back, he stood up straight and smiled. Dorian, seemingly satisfied with this, ignored Aiden and continued settling up his equipment.

"... I've had a very bad day, so don't mess anything up, okay?" Aiden said. Come on, ask me what happened.

"Please," Dorian scoffed, "I'm a professional." The tone he used made it obvious that he was saying certain people in the room were not professionals, and Aiden was the only other person there. He wasn't going to let that slide.

"So am I."

Dorian gave a short laugh. "Not if you let outside emotions affect your work."

There was his chance. He launched into complaining. "For your information, I'm upset because of work-related issues. See, a month ago my agency invited me to a modeling conference— well, that's what they call it, but it's more of a dinner and dance where a bunch of industry people come to network and make connections— and I had to RSVP, and they asked if I would bring a plus one and at the time I was with Violet so I said yes I would. Well the conference is tonight, and Violet and I broke up a while ago, and if I don't bring a plus one then I'll have to reimburse my agency for the cost they would have used to send them. And I already asked practically everyone I know who I'm not related to if they were free to come with, and they're all busy! Can you believe it? Every single one of them!" Aiden heaved a giant sigh. "You can see my predicament here."

Dorian looked unamused, and his voice was flat. "Riveting. How EVER will you live."

"Maybe you missed the part where I said I would have to pay my agency back. And dinners and dances just aren't the same without a..." he trailed off as a thought hit him, and he looked Dorian up and down. He was handsome enough that he wouldn't reflect badly on Aiden. Sure, they didn't exactly get along, but he was kind of out of options and if he could make it sound like it was worth his time...

"You know," he changed the subject, suddenly smiling easily, "there will be a lot of people from the industry there. Established models, editors, and photographers. Even magazine journalists, I'm told."

Dorian's posture stiffened, and he stared at Aiden with an unreadable expression. "No."

"Come on! It'll be good for your career. It'll be free for you. It'll give you a chance to get out. I bet you don't do that very often."

"But I would have to be with you all night."

"Look," Aiden resigned, "you don't have to stick by my side all evening. We can network separately. I just need you to show your face to my boss and prove that I brought someone—" He paused— "please."

Dorian frowned and he didn't reply for a while. He must have been thinking. Finally he said, "fine. It'll be a good opportunity for me. Just— don't act like we're a couple, alright?"

"As if I would want to."

With Aiden's mood improved, the boys' work went exceptionally smooth.

[...]