As promised ladies and gentlemen, chapter five. And I must say thank you for the wonderful feedback. That was truly amazing.

Paige’s office was much like that of the meeting room. The room was large with high ceilings and large windows. It relied much on natural light. The walls where that distinct perfect, snow white and her desk, while wooden chestnut, had inlays of silver.

The room was formal, which is why Paige was hardly ever in it. She had a cubicle in the artist room, a large room decorated much like the meeting room but had the grey corkboard-like walls between everyone’s desks. Ellie and Paige also worked together in the meeting room and they did just that often enough that Paige wasn’t in the office.

Above her desk on the wall behind it hung the same picture that was in meeting room, it was a sort of logo for the company. On the walls hung pictures that she picked out herself. There were lots of her with Ellie and Dylan, together or separately. There was a picture of her parents and of everyone together as a family. In one corner there were high school pictures that Paige had wanted to hang up, but didn’t want to draw attention to as they annoyed Ellie. There was one of her and Alex when they had dated and one of Spin. Sometimes she’d stare at them all afternoon, for no reason at all.

Today, she sat at her large overbearing chair and sipped her coffee, flipping through the pages of her Vogue. She scrutinized each page, looking for tips or up and coming trends that they, the company, needed to get a jump on. She smiled as she reached one of their layouts. When, she had finished that magazine, she picked up the next and started flipping through that.

There was a loud whooshing noise, which was her door opening, they had gone for the authentic warehouse look and the door was a metal slide like the one from RENT, and Marco walked in. He took in the room, while Paige just stared at him, one confused eyebrow rising, “Darling, why are you here?”

“Uh… Lily told me to report to you.” He ran his hands down his jeans in what Paige could tell was a very nervous way. She still had the eyebrow raised in a confused blank way and he started backing up towards the door.

She shook her head, and smiled, “Don’t leave. Just sorry, I was expecting Ellie to want to take care of you today.” She grabbed the phone and typed in a number code that connected her to Lily’s phone, “Lil, where’s Ellie?”

“OH. Crap. Yeah …yeah.”

“WHAT?!? Are you sure?”

“Get Dylan. Tell him no ifs or but’s. He’s the only one tall enough.”

Marco’s face was in a stuck in an expression of bemused confusion when she turned back to him. She gave him a smile, “It seems that you’re stuck with me today. And everything went wrong on the day that Ellie had a meeting.”

He raised an interested eyebrow and she sighed “Our one model that’s over six foot four got sick. He can’t come in for the shoot and this is our, ‘Come to our Fashion Show during Fashion Week’ shoot. It’s to run in a lot of magazines. So it means I have to see if I can talk Dylan into doing the shoot. He hates modeling. Oh, you have no problems in getting a little personal eh?”

Marco had almost turned off the blonde’s consistent chatter, paying enough attention to understand what she was saying, but not really caring. That last question though, it made his eyes bulge, “Personal?”

“Kissing?” she rolled her eyes, “You do know we are known for pushing the issue with our shoots right? One of the only designers to have gay kissing in a shoot?”

He did know. It had created quite a stir in the media. He remembered reading about it. He had applauded it, though he said nothing to his employers or his co-workers. Times in Italy where a lot different then here in Canada. He really didn’t have a reason to turn down. He had done shoots with kissing before, just not like this, especially in a shoot that he found out that his ex was going to be participating in. “Yeah. I guess…”

Paige nodded, almost understanding the concern, “It won’t be with Dylan.” And she quickly led him out her door and towards the rooms where they did shoots. Marco barely had time to comprehend what she had said, but he internally sighed in relief. Only for a moment though, some of him thought it might be easier to kiss Dylan, even if it was awkward. He at least knew him. But he said nothing about his feelings.

Several flights down Paige pulled him out of the elevator, breezily walking down the familiar brightly lit black and white hallways, opening one of the doors and pushing him inside.

The room was a familiar sight to him, everything beyond the standstill camera complete pristine, stark white and everything behind it was utter chaos as makeup artists, hair stylists, photographers and fashion consultants bustled around in something approaching nervous grace.

Paige grabbed his elbow, pulling him along through the works before throwing him into a chair, motioning for a man nearby with dark hair stylishly flying over his head. “Robbie sweetie, could you take care of Marco for me? We’re running a tad bit behind.”

The man smiled brightly and jumped- no, bounced- behind Marco, running long fingers through his hair with obvious excitement. “Hello beautiful. Marco is it? My, my, they’re getting hotter everyday aren’t they?” he muttered to himself as he continued to fondly access every hair upon his head before turning to Paige looking giddier by the second. “Oh you do love me, Paige. What would you like?”

Marco glanced at Paige with wide eyes, fearing for his life and hoping he was making his feelings very clear. The blonde woman only smiled. “I want something more refined, probably bring in the curls and pull it away from his face alright? How are Dylan and Keith coming along?”

“Dylan walked in swearing like a madman. Nearly had to excuse myself if you know what I mean. Man’s got eyes that can get anyone to stand at attention,” he finished, glancing very obviously down at his crotch before winking at Paige. Marco held in laughter, clapping a hand over his mouth as he glanced at the flamboyant man in the mirror behind him, still talking ninety words a minute on all of his ex-boyfriend’s favorable traits.

“Wouldn’t mind pulling that man into a dark-“

“Robbie, honey? We’re on a tight schedule,” Paige finally cut in with a strained smile, patting him on the shoulder. “Marco, you’re in capable hands, so I’m going to go check up on the other two. Robbie, fifteen minutes. Make him shine.”

Marco gulped, smiling nervously at the stylist, hoping he’d live for the next fifteen minutes.

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Exactly twelve minutes later Marco was led to the brightly lit white expanse of the shooting stage and was left to stand there uncomfortably. His hair had been attacked with all manner of styling gels and sprays, now down, tumbling to the top of his shoulders in its natural curls, still wet to the touch and most of it pulled back into a pony tail. He nervously fiddled with the sleeves of the long white shirt that had been thrown at him minutes earlier, and resisted the urge to rub at his eyes, where the fresh ring of eyeliner caused them to itch terribly.

Hearing the bustling of the room finally come to a pause, Marco looked up from his nervous fingers to see the other two men coming onto set and he swallowed tightly. Dylan’s hair had been left much like his own and his skin had very little makeup, a shirt, much the same as his, only black, rested on his broad shoulders seductively and Marco felt his mouth go distinctly dry.

However, a glance from Keith caused his eyes to avert quickly. Even he could admit the other man was intimidating. The hot pink dress shirt he had been fitted in didn’t even detract from his fear factor as he towered over Marco at one of his sides.

“Alright, lovely. First ten minutes just get relaxed, I don’t even care if you smile,” Paige called out from beside the photographer, grinning widely at her small masterpiece.

Marco felt his own small smile show up just a bit as Paige gave the suggestion, but also at the fact that he doubted he could relax whatsoever. The bright, blinding flashes began as soon as his smile appeared and, as always, he fought against the urge to blink or wince, instead, letting his shoulders relax into a more natural pose, smile melting away as he fought to throw a more serious glance at the camera, ignoring his urges to laugh.

The two men at his sides did the same, not looking at one another, lifting chins and turning here and there when instructed to do so. The shoot went on for ages it felt like, all three of them very slowly being told to move closer in and reveal more skin. Marco very quickly began to feel uncomfortable, but pushed the discomfort away, trying to remain as stoic as he could, even as Paige instructed Keith kiss Dylan behind him.

Dylan loved his sister. He really did. He loved her just as much as Marco loved Ellie. He could and had stood beside her throughout the years and the bickers. He had allowed her as a teenager to help him dress and prepare for dates and such things, though, he’d always changed last minute to her despair. He had stood her ideas of who he should date and the set ups, all the plans; all the knowing looks and smirks.

Modeling for her, though, that was the one thing that drove him crazy. He had done it before. It was hard, being so tall in a company that seemed to never have but one model of the required height. So as always, when that one got sick or had other engagements, and they always seemed too, his sister or Ellie or both would con him into working.

He could understand he had a body that would work for a model, the attributes for one, and so on. Keith had always tried to explain to him when he got pissed and blew up on the way home. But he never did have the patience or the seemingly easy grace that even large men like Keith, who was only a few inches shorter than Dylan himself, had. He always felt awkward and gawky, and utterly inept around them. When Marco had walked onto the set earlier, he had moved with feline grace, even more so than he had in high school.

He also hated the way that the shoots made him feel oddly exposed and somewhat guilty even though in all truth he should have fun kissing Keith. They were dating officially as of the night before, though, he knew that neither Keith nor he had told the girls. But yet again Paige had her all knowing smirk, the one that annoyed him the most, and her sugar-sweet voice that almost seemed to drip honey as he leaned in, drawing the other blonde man into a heated kiss, being sure stall it every few breathy moments so the camera didn’t blur out.

Just as soon as he pulled away from his boyfriend, feeling dizzy and uncomfortably warm, he heard Paige order Marco and Keith to kiss, and he felt his heart stop beating for one endless moment.

Beside him Keith robotically did as he was told, having done this far too many times. He leaned down, pulling the shorter Italian man up to meet his lips in a kiss that Dylan couldn’t ever remember seeing so sexual at a shoot, but considering Paige stayed quiet he assumed it was only his imagination. Marco looked uncomfortable but soon his hands rose to rest on Keith’s shoulder and suddenly the burning heat of jealousy started in his stomach. He was sure this jealousy was for Keith at first, after all, why shouldn’t it be? His ex-boyfriend was being kissed by him after all. But he felt his eyes slowly glide to land on Marco’s face, relaxed and perfectly, fakely ardent for the camera, and felt that same fire burn higher. He internally grimaced and made a promise to himself.

Tomorrow, no matter what Paige or Ellie said, he was posting an ad for a load of models his height.

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A few minutes, Paige clapped her hands and ordered the models for a wardrobe change and a set change. The set designers and assistants went straight to work, moving quickly and methodically.

Robbie and Kathy stood awaiting their commands and their models. Paige’s face twisted slightly for a few seconds giving both Dylan and Marco looks, “Marco, hair straight and unruly; get him into the black pants with the red vest ensemble. Dylan, hair pulled all the way back again, we want it to not be unruly; white vest gray loose pants ensemble. Wipe off excess eyeliner; get it as smooth and straight as possible. I’ll take care of Keith. Go.” She shooed them off and Keith and herself were left watching the set being set up. One of the assistants had brought a mirror and q-tip so Keith could fix his liner.

Silence fell upon the two of them as Paige talked quietly to some of the assistants and Keith concentrated getting the liner fixed. He sighed dramatically when he was done, “So, why couldn’t I be coddled?”

“Because you can do it yourself,” was her cool reply her smirk in place. “So how do you think the shoot is going?”

He rolled his eyes and crossed his arms, “Don’t you think the kissing is going a little far? I don’t know if Dylan appreciates it. Or Marco for that matter.”

She smirked, “You give me too much credit in the interest of my brother’s love life. I’m just doing my job. All our shoots have kissing. It’s not my fault that it happens to that the three of you are the models we’re using.”

He raised an eyebrow as if to say ‘right,’ and opened his mouth to say something, but both Marco and Dylan appeared, and Paige signaled Kathy to take Keith back to change.

He smirked but disappeared behind the divider with a whisper, “This isn’t over”

Paige had a large smile as both, Marco and Dylan, walked over too her dressed and styled almost as she had asked. “Beautiful.”

Marco wore loose cut black pants that fell exactly at his ankles in straight lines. His shirt was a dark red button up shirt and he had a tie of almost the same color, but was made out of shiny satin instead of the matte cotton. Over the shirt and Tie, was a red vest that was made out of silk. The print was of reddish tint and had raised ribs on it.

Dylan wore grayish white pants that were loose in the legs. They still had complete control however, they were far from saggy. The shirt was black, the tie white and they were the same fashion of that of Marco’s. His vest was shiny white satin with little pearl buttons. It was almost girly if you just looked at the clothes, but on the model, or Dylan for that matter, it did not take away masculinity whatsoever.

“Let’s get you set up now,” she led them into the new set, an office space. It wasn’t very elaborate just a desk and a couple of chairs strewn around but the effect was to focus on the men and not the furniture. "Alright Dylan you'll be sitting on the desk please. I'm afraid you're too tall next to Marco without Keith to even you two out," Paige muttered pointed to her brother in full on boss mode at this point. "This of course leaves you standing Marco, but I want a slight lean against the desk- yes just like that. Good."

She stared at her small masterpiece for a moment before realizing she had been completing ignoring the third of her trio. "Keith," she called, without even looking behind her. The man in question walked up beside her, outfitted much the same as the other two but in shades of brown. "Keith, stand near the wall with a file in your hand. Be sure to attempt to keep your face mostly downturned through the whole shoot. You have nice eyebrows so we'll work off of that."

Her players took their positions and she eyed them critically almost like a painter would eye their work. "Marco, I want you to smile quite a bit at first, it suits you best. And Dylan just keep focused on Marco's face please. We need to mimick conversation."

"All right boys," she finally snapped, clapping her hands together. "Let's give the masses a show."

Lights fell into place and so did her actors, frozen in time as they glued themselves into the positions they were instructed to do. Minutes ticked by, measured only by the camera flashes and again the men were forced closer together. Whether Keith noticed he was left near the back and hanging around the desk chair he made no remark. But Paige was making it a point to have Marco walk closer to the seated Dylan with every passing flash and Dylan was swiftly beginning to notice. Catching Marco's face, as he was instructed to keep his eyes locked on the other's, he could vaguely tell, behind the plastered on face, that Marco was just as observant.

"Perfect, now I need the kiss for the last few shots boys. Marco if you wouldn't mind. Probably don't even touch, just bare-"

"Paige!" Dylan shrieked, instantly losing his composure as Marco was already systematically moving closer. As a model he rarely turned down the instructions. To him, a kiss for the camera was just a kiss for the camera, nothing more, even if his heart was eating him alive inside. Modeling was his career after all. But Dylan however, didn't make it a habit to model alongside his employees and thus had no problem objecting loudly.

"You promised you wouldn't do this!" he roared, sliding off of the desk and stalking over to her, leaving Marco and Keith in their same frozen spots, watching wide-eyed. "Why don't you mind your fucking job instead of playing matchmaker! Do you not realize how much this event relies on the money it's going to take in? Well I do Paige! I do the books remember...not model. So get someone without history to makeout with your models!"

Words still ringing in the small room, Dylan stocked off, yanking at the white tie around his neck as he went. Marco only looked at Paige expectantly, wondering exactly what her plans had been all along for this shoot and whether he could trust her now. Despite their tight friendship, Marco hoped Ellie was in charge of his next shoot.

Taking a quick glance at Keith next to him Marco couldn't help but hope it wasn't with him either.

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And just to keep up hope here, we are working on the next chapter already. Quite the plans they are. So stay tuned in and leave us a review so we know where we're going!