A Study in Love & Fame || Chapter One || Celebrity AU
Character/s: Lucinda, Vylad, Aaron, Melissa
Summary: Aperture - an opening, hole, or gap - a space through which light passes in an optical or photographic instrument, especially the variable opening by which light enters a camera. The story Begins, Lucinda and Vylad have a common conversation.
Vylad always thought Lucinda made the hallway before her office ridiculously long on purpose. It game people time to stew on what theyâd done wrong as they did a walk of shame, or think about their proposal to her before they made it. It was both merciful and cunning, just like her. But Vylad wasn't performing the walk of shame, nor the nervous walk of small fish to the shark tank. No, he was waking to Lucinda's office so he could pick his friend up for after work drinks.
Lucinda and Vylad had been friends for a while now. Ever since Vylad had started working here, in fact. They had a relationship that just clicked, like a big scarf and the perfect jacket in cold weather. Lucinda called it the optimal example for gay/lesbian solidarity, and, while Vylad was inclined to agree, he thought his description was much better. Vylad was barely in the photography business when they met, although he still remembered that first meeting well.
Divine was the Fifth magazine company he went in for an interview with. The others before had all said the same thing;
âYour photos are good, but they're just not what just not what we're looking for.â
When he walked into Lucindaâs Office for the first time, it was an out of body experience, her desk was huge and made out of purple glass, and the window behind her overlooked the whole city. Her chair was black and plush, but perhaps the strangest thing was an antique bookcase in the corner, with two huge old ugly red armchairs in front of it. It didn't fit in with anything else in the room, and yet, felt so in place. As soon as Lucinda looked up, she spoke in a voice so dramatic it was obviously put on.
âTake a seatâ She gestured to the armchairs.
Vylad sat down and Lucinda stood and joined him. She took his portfolio from him and looked through it, then eyed him over.
âThese are nice,â She said, closing the binder. âDynamic shots, good colour balance, you've got quite the eye. You know with your talent you could probably skip the runt stages and open up a gallery. Why do you want to work at Divineâ?
Vylad took his folder back from her. âWell, If Iâm honest Ms. Belvoir-â
Lucinda held her hand out to stop him. âLucinda.â
âLucinda?â he asked, confused.
âYes. Lucinda. Ms. Belvoir is so⌠Gross? I don't know, Lucinda is just, Better. Okay?â she said, Nodding.
âWell okay, Lucinda,â Vylad Said, âIf Iâm Honest, I want to stay in the business. Photography interests me sure, but fame does as well, and I'm sure my mother would cry if I distanced myself from it completely, no matter how evident I've made it that I want no part in the family side of fame.â
Lucinda gave him a puzzled look. âFamily side of fame? Hell does that mean?â
âThe RoâMeave Thing isn't a coincidence, My father really is the dickwad himself.â Said Vylad, almost wincing.
âOh⌠OH! Wait⌠did you just call Garte RoâMeave a Dickwad? My God,â She burst into giggles, losing her elegance that, up until now had been her most intimidating feature, completely.
Vylad couldn't help but catch her smile, it was infectious. And just like that, they were friends.
âYouâre hired. It's obvious you've got the guts and the style. Welcome to Divineâ Lucinda Reached out to shake his hand.
He reached the end of the long hall and knocked on the office door.
âCome in~â Came Lucindaâs Cheerful voice.
Vylad opened the door and plopped down on one of the armchairs. âHey Luci, howâs your day been?â he said, hint of sarcasm in his voice.
Lucinda smiled as she sat opposite him. âOh you know, this and that, people to see places to go and all.â She beamed at him. âHow about you, my bestest photographer?â
Vylad gave her a glare. âWell, I don't know Ms. Belvoir, but it was somebody's idea to send me all the way out to my father's company to take photos of the famed RoâMeave brothers, and that meant Iâd have to spend four hours in a car, and then an extra three waiting them out. So Iâd say it went Great.â
âWell,â Said Lucinda, annoyingly happy grin still on her face, âDidya get the shots?â
Vylad rolled his eyes. âYes. and a pigeon pooped on me.â
âSplendid! You really are my best.â She stood up. âSo, we still on? Or did you walk all the way to my office to be sour?â
Vylad stood as well. âMhm, Donât you forget it. And yes. trust me, Luci, nobody would bother walking all the way up her just to sass you. It Just isn't worth the effort.â
âGood, that means it achieves its purpose. Let's go!â
Soon enough they arrived at the bar. It was the same dingy old thing they often visited after work, it wasn't falling apart by any means, but Vylad knew that Lucinda had access to every ritzy nightclub there was, so why she chose to frequent âThe Moon's Curseâ was beyond him, but the bar felt homely. Old posters hang from the walls, yellow light streaming from odd places in the roof. The bar itself was cramped, and filled with more liquor than you could imagine, an obvious show of a years-old collection.
Lucinda strolled up to the bar with Vylad like she owned the place. An honestly, it was deserved, given how often they came here.
The Man behind the bar smiled as he saw them come in. âWell well, if it isn't my favourite customers. Whatâll it be today guys?â
âJust the usual Aaron. A Caldron and a Blood Oath.â Said Lucinda, before pausing for a moment, âAnd tell Melissa back there that I said hi.â She added, Winking towards the kitchens out back.
Aaron rolled his eyes. âYou guys aren't even dating anymore! Why can't I be spared from your relentless flirting.â
âJust because we broke it off doesn't mean we hate each other. Besides, we share a common goal in driving you mad.â Lucinda Shrugged.
Aaron chuckled, Shook his head and then got back to making their drinks. It was almost routine at this point, how they would come in, tease him, drink, talk, play darts and then leave. But that isn't to say Vylad found it boring. Quite the opposite actually, it was nice to have a regular thing with his friends.
Yeah. Vylad liked his friends, few as they were. He was always terrible at making friends, his father taught him that he should be better than everybody else, and while that rhetoric was easy enough to shake, the pressure to get perfect grades and do well in his extracurriculars put him in isolation. Vylad was learning piano as soon as he had a basic motor function, and many other instruments followed. So the only real friends he had were his band friends, and nobody else. Come high school, heâd immersed himself in the arts completely, with the exception of acting. Photography, Visual Arts, Music, and Band were where he thrived. And coincidentally, they were all subjects where you hardly talked to people. So maybe that had something to do with it, that, and the constant and stubborn refusal to make powerful connections because of his father.
Huh. Maybe Garte was the reason he never made friends. He was always being told to make powerful allies by his stepfather, and Vylad was the stubborn little kid who refused. He always refused. When his father offered to put him in a movie, Vylads answer was a firm no. He didn't want to take handouts from him, especially when they were made so he could keep up his image of loving Vylad despite his âCircumstanceâ. Honestly, if not being in a stupid movie was what it took for Garte to be outed as an egotistical lunatic who cared for nothing but his finance, then Vylad was more than happy to leave his families fame behind.
âEy Vylad!â Came the familiar voice of Melissa.
âWhat is it, Mel?â He answered, snapping out of it.
âI heard the love of your life is in a new movie~. Luci Sending you to the Red Carpet?â She asked teasingly.
âLove of my life? I have no idea who youâre talking about.â
Aaron chimed in. âBullshit you donât, just yesterday you were fawning over Laurance Zvahl and how excited you were for this movieâ
Lucinda snorted at Aarons comment. âHeâs Right, And yeah. Youâre going, I mean you get the best photos of him, better than anyone else at divine in fact. But I need you back that day as well, we've got Katelyn to shoot at Four and I want you there because we need your lighting skillsâ
âReally?! Thanks, Lucinda!â He Clasped her hands in his excitedly. âOh yeah, and I'll be back by Four, don't worry about it.â
âMhm, And he maintains the idea that he isn't absolutely smittenâ Said Aaron.
Melissa giggled, and then her face fell a bit. âHey, how is Katelyn anyway?â
Lucinda sighed and traced the rim of her glass. âShe's doing fine. Heads above water and all that, there's no way she's plummeting into obscurity or anything⌠but paparazzi won't leave her be, and with Garte controlling all the stories except oursâŚâ
âShe's either a devil or sheâs non-existent.â Vylad finished.
Lucinda nodded. âYeah.â
âBut you guys are doing youâre best to keep her, that so sweet,â Melissa said, smiling at Vylad and Lucinda.
Lucinda shook her head and smiled. âSweet has nothing to do with it, garte may have paid off everybody to fuck her over, but the public still likes her, especially those who hate Zane. Weâre turning a profit from having her give us exclusives, and helping her out as a friend is just a huge bonus.â
âEver the entrepreneur Luciâ Vylad Laughed and Finished his drink. âBut she's right, it really is Garteâs Loss.â
âWell alright, but give her my love ok?â Melissa walked over to the bar and took their glasses.
Lucinda Put a few notes on the table âWill do, thanks for the night, you guys.â
As they left the bar, Vylad thought about the jests at his expense.
As much as Vylad might deny it, he really was enamoured with him. Should it surprise anybody? After all, he was a celebrity. It was normal to like celebrities. Normal to crush on celebrities. Normal to want to date them and- oh god what was he thinking?! He was obsessed! Maybe that's why all of his friends tease him about it, and why Lucinda kept giving him assignments where Laurance was present. He did take the best photos of him, that was no secret. Something about him was just so⌠Inspiring. But it didnât matter how huge his crush on the famous Mr. Zvahl was. Vylad was a realist at heart, and he knew that there was no possible future in which he actually met, let alone loved, Laurance Zvahl.