Max and Caroline stood behind the velvet rope just off the main set, both freshly changed out of their final outfits and sipping from cold cans of sparkling water. Their makeup was still near-perfect, but their heels were off, and Max had swapped into a loose hoodie with "Titan Aevum" stamped across the chest. As usual, she put a claim on it, and no one is allowed to take it away from her.
Scarlett stood between them, arms folded, eyes locked on the scene playing out in front of them.
The studio lights were low, tinted a warm amber. On the center stage, Alex and Angelina were deep into pose three, their bodies pressed together in that almost-kiss tension that had everyone in the room unconsciously holding their breath. Every click of the camera made it worse. Or better, depending on your perspective.
Max leaned slightly toward Scarlett without breaking eye contact from the set. Her voice was low, almost conspiratorial.
"Hey. Just checking… are we still doing a clothing campaign? Or did this quietly turn into a glam magazine shoot disguised as soft-core erotica?"
Scarlett didn't blink. "If this is clothing, then I'm a toaster."
Caroline let out a quiet snort behind her water can. "They're practically breathing through each other's mouths."
On set, Angelina's hand moved slowly along Alex's chest while his hand slid behind her back. The photographer didn't even need to say anything anymore, every frame was gold. Poses had turned into natural moments. Moments into something electric.
Max nudged Scarlett again. "You sure we're not watching foreplay?"
Scarlett finally turned to her, lips curling into a smirk. "No. This is Titan's new 'We Might Bang' collection."
"You just made that up."
"Yup! I did. Am I wrong?"
"Nope."
Caroline raised an eyebrow. "Honestly? If they bottle this energy and slap it on a perfume box, it'll outsell oxygen."
"Or maybe condom boxes," Max took a slow sip. "I thought my chest shots were spicy. But this? This is a fire hazard level."
Scarlett didn't take her eyes off the set. "The heat is definitely there. But their chemistry... Unscripted. Real. You can't fake this kind of pull."
They all went quiet again as Angelina leaned her forehead against Alex's, their bodies practically molded together.
Back to Alex and Angelina...
Angelina's voice was barely above a breath. "You're doing that thing with your eyes again."
Alex smiled. "What thing?"
"The one that makes it hard to remember we're pretending."
His thumb moved just slightly along the curve of her waist.
"I stopped pretending about five minutes ago."
Her fingers curled tighter into his lapel.
"Same."
She leaned in a hair closer, lips hovering near his jaw.
"Tell me what you're thinking. Right now."
Alex's breath touched her cheek.
"I'm thinking if I tilt my head two inches, this becomes something I can't walk back."
Her voice barely escaped her throat.
"And what if I don't want you to?"
He pulled back just enough to look her in the eye.
"Then I hope Rachel doesn't call cut."
Their eyes held for a long moment. The silence thickened.
Angelina swallowed softly, lips parted.
Alex's hand slid up her back, gentle but firm.
"You're dangerous, Jolie," he whispered.
She smirked faintly, pulse quick beneath his fingers.
"Takes one to know one."
"Perfect shot. Time for the final shot. Alex will grab her waist, lift her up, and make a spin. We'll use the wind machines to blow air downwards, making the lower part of her gown twirl like a spinner," The photographer girl instructed. "And Angelina, you'll put your right arm around his neck and left palm on his chest. Head slightly up near his jaws, eyes straight up. Three spins and then slowly put her down."
Alex nodded, stepping back slightly to give her a breath of space. His hands moved to her waist. She didn't flinch. Instead, she leaned into him, letting her arms fall into place just as instructed, right around his neck, left palm resting gently on his chest.
He looked down at her. She tilted her head up, eyes locking onto his with the kind of gaze that could cut through steel. The air between them shimmered with something unspoken, but potent.
"Ready?" he asked, voice low.
Angelina gave the faintest nod, her fingers tightening just a bit. "Do it."
Alex adjusted his stance, finding balance. The studio around them fell silent as the photographer raised her hand.
"Spin... now."
Alex lifted her clean off the floor. Angelina rose effortlessly, her gown catching the wind machine's downward burst. The fabric exploded outward in spirals of purple silk, swirling like a blooming flower caught in a storm.
Click.
He spun once. Her hair flew back, lips slightly parted, eyes unflinching as she stared up at him like he was the only thing anchoring her to the world. For a moment, she forgot that this was a photoshoot.
Click.
Second spin. Her palm pressed harder into his chest, her body held tight to his. Alex's grip never faltered. He was perfect as usual. His eyes were glued to hers. The world for a moment looked like a blur.
Click.
Final spin. He slowed the turn, lowering her gently, her legs grazing the ground like the moment didn't want to end. Her heels clicked softly back onto the stage floor, but she didn't release him. Not yet.
Their eyes were still locked. His breathing was deep, steady. Hers was faster, and she was blushing.
The photographer's voice broke the silence. "Got it. Nailed. That's a wrap on the couple shoot!"
But neither of them moved.
They were still in the pose. Still caught in the heat of it. A second passed. Then another.
Angelina finally spoke, soft and a little breathless.
"You really know how to spin a girl's world."
Alex smirked, one hand still lightly resting on her hip.
"And you really know how to make gravity optional."
She let out a quiet laugh, then slowly stepped back. Her hand brushed down his chest as she did, fingers lingering a moment longer than necessary before finally falling away.
Behind the rope, Max exhaled sharply and muttered, "I need a cold shower. And I wasn't even in the scene."
Caroline fanned herself with her hand. "That was not PG."
Scarlett shook her head. "Forget PG. That was R-rated tension with an Oscar-level close."
Rachel walked in from the side. She glanced at the photographer, who gave a thumbs-up, then turned to Alex and Angelina.
"Flawless. I knew it. You always limit yourself, Alex. And you, Angelina... You were just... Too gorgeous."
"Thanks," Angelina said as she smoothed down her dress, stepping to the side with that familiar calm elegance, but her cheeks were still a little pink. Alex adjusted his sleeves, nodded at the crew, then turned to her.
"Hey," he said under his breath, just for her. "Later, we talk."
She looked at him, a little intrigued.
"I'll hold you to that."
Alex turned away, walking toward the far end of the set where one of the crew members waited with a bottle of water and his jacket. His mind was still spinning a little faster than the camera rig had been.
[30 minutes later] [Alex's office]
The big screen mounted on the far wall flicked through high-res photos from the shoot. Each frame was stunning. Polished. Ready for history.
Alex sat at his desk, focused, one hand on the mouse, the other scrolling through the final shots. Around him, Max, Caroline, and Angelina were gathered in armchairs, all now back in their comfortable clothes.
Max leaned forward, elbows on knees, biting the corner of her thumb.
"Okay, but like, are we sure that one with the side angle doesn't make my nose look like a curious pelican?"
Alex didn't look away from the screen.
"Max, you're on fire in every frame. That one especially? It's going on the cover of Allure. And the one with Caroline? That's front-page energy. Think Vogue and Glamour, plus the Titan exclusive lookbook."
Caroline gave Max a nudge with her foot.
"Told you. You look like fashion walked into a bar and said, 'Make me dangerous.'"
Max groaned and flopped back into the chair, her voice muffled against the hoodie she tugged up over her face.
"Someone stop me before I hyperventilate into fame."
Angelina, sitting across from her, chuckled a little.
"You'll be fine. Once you get through your first airport photo op, the panic fades. Mostly."
Alex clicked through a few more slides, then paused. The screen showed Max mid-hair flip, sequined gown catching the light, eyes sharp.
"This is your cover," he said. "Titan Aevum launch issue. You and Caroline get your own spreads. Solo pages, duo feature, full interview profiles."
Caroline nodded approvingly as her own photo came up next. Her blazer dress and thigh-high boots shot looked effortlessly regal.
Alex clicked again and stopped on a side-by-side of Max and Caroline draped across the rose-drenched bed, eyes locked, petals everywhere.
"This one's going on billboards. LA. Times Square. Tokyo. Maybe Paris."
Max made a faint wheezing noise.
"I am not emotionally stable enough to be a skyscraper."
Alex chuckled and moved on. Angelina's shots filled the screen next. Emerald dress. Mirror backdrop. Fire in every glance.
"You, Angelina, are getting four major print features," he said. "W, Harper's Bazaar, Elle, and the Titan Prestige issue."
Angelina raised an eyebrow. "All four?"
"You nailed every shot. Especially these."
He clicked on the couple set. The almost-kiss. The spin. The intensity.
"These are going to break the internet," Alex added.
He clicked on a short clip. The final twirl. Angelina midair. Her dress is spiraling. Her eyes locked with his.
"This goes on TV. Ten seconds. Just enough to knock the air out of anyone watching."
He selected another two clips, Max and Caroline in synchronized poses, confidence and chaos blended perfectly.
"These three go live Wednesday. We're doing a 24-hour ad blitz across major networks and streaming intros. Then we'll decide from there which direction to take."
Rachel, who had just entered with a tablet and coffee, nodded.
"Just how many cups of coffee did you drink?" Alex asked, turning toward her. "Drink some water or homemade lemonade."
"Caffeine addiction is hard to get rid of, boss. Anyway, editing's already in motion. Audio sync, light flare corrections, and some tagline overlays. We'll deliver everything by Tuesday night."
Max exhaled like she'd been holding her breath since the shoot.
"We are gonna be on television. Like, real television. Then all around the world. And I didn't even fall over. This is a miracle."
Caroline grinned. "You did great. Even your panic looked fashionable."
Max let out a laugh, nervous and giddy. "I'm gonna tell my high school gym teacher. He said I couldn't even coordinate a relay handoff."
Angelina leaned back, looking amused and relaxed.
"Trust me. You'll wake up to a thousand fan edits, meme pages, and a fan club you didn't start. Embrace the chaos."
Alex saved the selections, leaning back in his chair with a satisfied nod.
"We're done here. This was the biggest shoot in Titan's history, and you all crushed it."
He looked around the room, one by one.
"Max, Caroline, you're no longer unknowns. Starting Wednesday, you're fashion icons."
Max blinked rapidly. "I am not ready for this."
Caroline smiled. "Too late. Can't run away now."
Angelina stood up, adjusting her jacket. "Time to get used to people watching your every move."
...
[Meanwhile]
Scarlett, meanwhile, wasn't there. She'd slipped away half an hour earlier, walking the halls of the Titan Comics floor, wandering past glass cases filled with first issues, sketches, early drafts, and custom figures.
'He's going to get even more popular and there will be more girls... They will aim for his attention. Haaa... I hate it.'
She took a deep breath and continued to look around. Then she picked up a comic book, sat on the nearby chair, and began to read.
Scarlett didn't notice the time passing.
She had started with one issue of Green Lantern, then another. Then another. Before she knew it, she had finished the entire saga. Then she heard the soft creak of the door behind her.
She didn't look up right away.
Then she felt him.
Alex's arms slipped gently around her from behind, resting over her shoulders. He leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to her cheek.
Scarlett closed her eyes for a second, letting herself lean back into him.
"You disappeared," he said quietly.
"I needed to breathe."
"You always come here when you do."
She finally turned her head slightly to glance up at him. "You found me fast."
Alex smiled. "I always know where you'll be when you vanish."
She set the comic down slowly on the table next to her.
"Did it go well?" she asked.
"The best it's ever gone."
He leaned in a little closer, his voice softer.
"I missed you in the room."
Scarlett looked at him, really looked. Her guard slipped a little.
"I didn't want to get in the way."
"You wouldn't," he said. "You never do."
There was a short pause. Neither one moved.
Then Alex tilted his head and said, "Come to my place tonight. Just you and me."
Scarlett raised an eyebrow. "What for?"
"I'll cook."
She gave him a faint smile. "Really?"
"Yup!" he said, smiling back. "And you can make dessert."
She looked down, almost shy, then back at him. "What's the occasion?"
"No occasion," Alex said. "I just want to spend time with you."
Scarlett bit her lip, thinking. Then she nodded.
"Okay. But only if I get to pick the music."
"Deal."
Alex moved slightly above her head as she leaned her head back. Both of them simply stayed like that, looking at each other. Then she closed her eyes. Alex leaned forward a bit and kissed her lips.
[As for Caroline and Max, they went straight to the Diner, and by now bragging about the photoshoot.]
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