As Sin

celluloid frames

"We've got a few platforms to post on, a photoshoot for Capo magazine, two interviews next week, one of them includes a TV performance, and EEliEE is going to hold a real big party for you on Tuesday. Does that sound good?"

Nate nursed his hangover with a glass of water. Xia sat across the dinner table, scrolling on three different phones to look over his planners. They were dinging like crazy, worsening the thudding in his head. He downed his glass and poured himself another. Xia slid a coaster over for him to put down his drink.

"Couldn't this wait until after I'm done with this hangover?"

"No time. There are too many people asking for you. Your posts have been getting loads of comments. We need to clear things up, so our comeback plans don't get clogged with all this other crap. And besides, you're always hungover."

"Shut up."

Ra burst into the dining room. He only wore a pair of furry pink pants and sparkling white boots, with black tape covering his nipples. Nate and Xia stared at him. His outfit was searing into Nate's eyes worse than the sunlight was.

"Oi, oi," Ra cheered. "G'mornin, wankers."

"It's two pm," Xia corrected, glancing at the phone in his hand as another notification popped up. He cursed under his breath and tapped on the phone in his lap.

"Izzit? Bloody 'ell, where have I been? Need to get me drink on. Got vodka?"

Xia held up a finger. Ra was already making his way to one of their fridges. He put a hand on his hip as he opened the door. His eyes scanned the disorganized shelves. After the party, the fridge had been ransacked of food. All that was left were some stray cans of beer and soda. Someone spilled a bottle of ketchup all over one of the shelves, and it was still sticky. Who cleaned it up, anyway?

"Do. Not. Drink. We have a photoshoot at five."

Ra rolled his eyes.

"Fine. A beer, then?"

"Only half!" Xia yelled. Ra reached for an already opened can of beer. He craned his neck back and chugged it down. No matter how many years it had been, Nate was still in awe of how fast beer would disappear when Ra was around.

Charlie came in as soon as Ra tossed the can into the trash. They were dressed in what Xia would call, "Our image. Casually fashionable. Our confidence speaks for itself." A well-knit sweater hugged their torso, paired with a thrifted pair of black jeans and heavy combat boots. They heaved themselves into a chair next to Nate. He could hear them panting from exhaustion.

"Sorry, I'm late."

"It's alright," Nate said. "You're not that late."

They eyed the way Ra was looking at the other cans of beer in the fridge.

"Ra's drinking. I'm late."

Ra shut the door sheepishly. He sauntered over to Nate and pulled up a chair. He leaned back, folding one leg on top of the other as he sat down. Why was everyone sitting next to him? They had about a dozen chairs around the dining table.

"If you think about it, that means yer early."

"Everyone shut up," Xia interrupted. "Let's rehearse what we'll do once we show up to the photoshoot. After that, I need to film Nate, that'll take a few hours. We barely have time."

"A few hours?" he groaned. He could feel bile making its way up his throat at the thought of it. Ra patted him on the back. He wanted to throw up all over the pink Persian cat Ra seemed to be wearing for pants.

"How long will the photoshoot take?" Charlie asked. They fiddled with the threads on their sweater. Their hands were shaking. Nate noticed how small they looked in their heavy sweater. Xia threw a sympathetic glance in their direction.