The Artists live (a little bit longer)

Chapter 8

   Shade, tired of wandering around the city and looking at every corner and club he passed, was returning to the apartment. He noticed a drunk man walking in the middle of a busy road, swearing at drivers who were honking at him to get out of the way. He comments: "Look at this fool, if he doesn't get run over by some cars tonight, nobody will" - and then he takes a closer look at the man as soon as he gets a little closer, startled when he realizes who it is. "Damn, it's Reydan! Reddy, run away from there, you will die!"

     He carefully reached him and led him to the sidewalk. Shade (in disbelief): "What the hell are you doing, trying to kill yourself?! Admittedly, you'd have to have at least a little sobriety for that, and you're drunk as hell. What happened?" Reydan: "I'm going to be a father." Shade: Olivia is pregnant?! (smile)" Reydan: "No, Janet is pregnant." Shade: "Who's Janet?" Reydan (teary eyes): "Mistake, Shade. Big mistake." Shade (helping him keep his balance): "Come on, let's go to my apartment so you can sleep there, and we'll talk about it tomorrow. I'm not going to call the others now, it's late. (sigh) It's a good thing I was here, it's only a matter of time before you would get run over by a vehicle."

     The evening; Sage is in her earlier room, in front of the mirror, dressed in a thin transparent nightgown and underwear. She looked at herself from different angles, but she was by no means satisfied with her figure and she didn't like the idea of being dressed like this in the video, she thought of rebelling against it. Alton knocked on the door and opened it, all the while looking at her after entering. Sage (looks at him): "That man is crazy, this can't look right. After all, it would be embarrassing for me - just as I wouldn't go outside like this now, I wouldn't be in a music video that will be seen by thousands of people." Alton (approaching her): "I believe you. I agree that he overdid it with that idea, maybe it would have been wise if we had taken a different director, Hale would have been on our side too, although Shade and Reydan weren't too keen on it either. I like you in that, but I know it's a whole other story to share a more intimate moment on camera, both you and I are not like that. I would feel uncomfortable too, even though they only want my torso exposed, and it would be already too stressful for you. (takes the chair and sits laterally from the mirror) When I look myself like this, I can't imagine myself in more explicit scenes, (takes off his blouse and remains topless) I see myself more as a somewhat boring guy, an intellectual, the only time I relax is with you. (Sage comes to him, he puts her on his lap) We don't look bad as a couple, don't you think?" Sage: "Are you seriously considering that video?" Alton: "I just... imagine what it could look like and be decent enough." Sage (looks at the mirror): "I don't want to share our special moment with others, I like that we have something of our own." Alton: "Maybe you're right, I don't know what got them stuck with it, I feel forced to do what I would do with you in private with pleasure." Sage (sits so she's completely facing him and kisses him): "What would you do like this without the camera, and what in front of the camera?" Alton: "Um... In front of the camera, I would cover the parts of your arms where you have scars with my hands as much as possible, they would be covered in blood in the video anyway, so it wouldn't be visible much. I would kiss you passionately, and then I would kiss your neck like this. (demonstrates to her) I'd pull the left strap down and move to the shoulder, placing my left hand on your cleavage. My other hand would be on your legs. (all the while doing what he says). I think that would be quite enough for them, we would not make a adult movie but a music video. Now, what would I do like this, alone with you... (unbuttons her bra and puts it to the side, then pulls the top of the nightgown down to reveal her breasts) To start with that, and then I would use my tongue... (brings his lips closer to her body, she sighed), and during that time the other hand can play a little in another place... (Sage started to breathe even deeper after placing his other hand on her warm skin)" Sage: "Can I... oh... play a little bit too?" Alton (smiling): "Of course. (continues kissing)"