"Shit... Courtney, I didn't mean—"

Before he can say anything more, Raphael cuts over him.

"You've said enough. Courtney, I do apologise. How did the shoot go?"

"Such a little starlet," Raphael coos softly, emerging from Ashley's dressing room with his arm around the boy's shoulders. "I swear, you attract talent."

"Talent," Ashley responds wryly. "Yeah, if you call spitting in some disgusting coffee nobody wants anyway a talent. What a joke."

He'd deeply enjoy that.

Revel in it, perhaps.

|| I'm having such a good time, thank you. 🥰

"Right, that should be everything. Don't worry, Raphael won't touch you. It's part of his mind games. Poor Ash is going mad at this point because everyone else thinks their boss is the sweetest man there is, and he keeps proving them right."

Milo sighs lightly.

"I don't believe it."

The mark of a multi-dimensional person. Some people can exist in reality but read as flat as a single piece of parchment. One trait is all they seem to own.

Not Lestat though.

Lestat fascinates him.

"I'll walk you through it. Just... know that he'll lash out. Cornered animals bite. It's not personal."

Milo guides her through each pose, where to look, how to smile, how to hold herself, and his camera clicks over and over as he captures her in its lens.

"Hey."

Milo's voice is soft, guarded. He eyes the dressing room before leaning back against the nearby wall and unfolding his arms.

"You know, don't you?"

"Oh, of course, darling. I'm going to leave you in the hands of our treasured photographer Milo while I check on our star, alright?"

Raphael walks towards the dressing room as the embodiment of concern and worry.

Well, he's defined by a little more than that.

He looks upon Lestat with respect and awe, but also acknowledges that he's not perfect and would be falsified if he pretended to be.

Ash manages to stay composed for about five minutes, then he leaves the set and goes to cool off in his dressing room.

Raphael's eyes narrow as he leaves, but soften again at her words.

"Please, call me Raphie! We're going to be best friends from now on!"

Appears nearby.

When she leaves the dressing room, Ash is stood in the corner, his face hidden behind his hand. He doesn't look at her, if anything, he looks through her instead.

"Well, don't YOU scrub up nicely?" Raphael exclaims, looking pleased. "Head on over to makeup, let's get you camera-ready."

"Then why even try?"

It's unclear if he's saying that to be motivating or it's a snarky comment, but either way, the conversation is over.

He leaves her side and emerges from the dressing room, leaving her alone with the clothes.

He blinks as there's suddenly a naked girl in his arms, then sighs softly and nuzzles into her neck.

"You're going to get out of this town," he murmurs. "Don't give up hope, okay?"

"Lovely," he mumbles weakly, sinking back against the dressing room wall. "Put your clothes back on, I'm worried you'll catch a cold."

His dissuasion failed, all Ash can do is carry on regardless. He buries his face in his hands.

"I'm... glad you're getting a good wage," he says at last.

» He visibly shrinks in dismay as she declares she's planning to take the deal. It feels like a punch to the gut.

"He's gay," he states wearily. "He won't touch you himself. He'll hire you out to whoever's willing to pay. You can't save me, you can only sacrifice yourself."