“Don’t get used to it.”
They stood near the far wall with the only thing they could consume, water and air. The studio moved around them. Noah leaned in close to Piper.
“You signed before I did,” Noah said.
“I wasn’t aware of who signed first, and why does it fucking matter?” Piper replied.
“Carmen told me. I just thought you wouldn’t be the type of dude to do a shoot like this. Something this vulnerable is something a guy with sharp edges like you would say no to,” Noah replied, moving closer.
“Well I guess you don’t know me do you?”
Noah looked at him. Something less aggressive than the look across the field.
Joan, this dude is kind of hot, but I still hate him.
Piper's inner voice was wrestling with his outer self.
“Vivienne had to work for it,” Noah said. “I’m guessing.”
“That’s between me and Vivienne,” Piper replied as his hunger pangs increased from lack of food he was forbidden to eat pre-shoot.
“Sure.”
Piper looked at the set. The photographer was arguing with the crew about the lighting angle on the left rig.
Noah went quiet. Outside the studio the bass from the speakers rolled low across the floor.
“Ashley, make these guys fucking glisten!” the photographer yelled.
***
Piper walked back to the set. He stepped under the lights, squared his shoulders, finding his mark. The photographer raised the camera. The music rolled low through the space.
He looked past Noah.
Then their eyes connected. A moment of intensity neither of them knew what to do with.
Flash.
The photographer grinned. “Fucking perfect. You two are like a wet dream together.”
Piper and Noah looked at each other and broke out laughing.
“Fuck this dude,” Piper said under his breath as he stared into Noah’s eyes.
“Would you hate me if I punched the living shit out of this creep?” Noah mumbled under his breath.
Piper tried not to laugh as the photographer's anger started to show.
“Break! These two can’t stop laughing and I don’t have fucking time for this shit. Where is fucking Ashley?!” the photographer yelled.
Noah looked at Piper. “Can I talk to you for a second?” He nodded toward the back of the set.
Redboneby Childish Gambino was playing at a volume Piper could feel in his teeth. He walked past one of the taxidermy lions, mouth frozen open, teeth sharp and the bass landed somewhere deep in his cock. He pulled his robe tighter and hoped Noah didn’t notice.
Noah walked down a hallway at the back of the set as Piper followed. Piper was not thinking, just doing as he was told. Noah grabbed Piper’s hand and pushed open the restroom door.
It was empty as they stepped inside. Piper followed. The door shut. The room felt smaller immediately. Bright white tile. Industrial sink. The hum of the ventilation fan. Music pumping in like smooth thunder.
