Chapter Text
You pace back and forth in the dressing room, the water bottle on the vanity untouched. The nerves are eating away at you, anticipation and nervousness, all of it mixing into a churning anxiety that won’t leave no matter how hard you try. Breathing exercises, music – nothing works.
The makeup is already done, so is your hair and clothes. God, you can’t bear to look at yourself in the mirror, even if you do look good.
They’ve dressed you in a ’typical’ school girl outfit – the red, pleated skirt way too short, the white blouse unbuttoned to show off as much cleavage as possible beneath a black cardigan. The black, knee-high socks feel itchy against your skin. But for today’s scene, it’s perfect.
This is your first real gig.
All your previous ones had been the same; homemade amateur videos, unprofessional and wannabe “studios” with budget equipment and questionable morals. For the most part, you hadn’t said no, taking whatever gig you could find that wouldn’t completely stomp your dignity into the ground. The industry is cruel that way.
So when this studio reached out to you, suggesting a scene and – possibly – a contract depending on your performance, you couldn’t say no. Not if you wanted a breakthrough; this brand was one of the huge ones, uploading videos almost daily and their logo covering most of the top 50 online.
And your co-star? None other than the Gabriel Reyes.
You’d seen him online many times before, featured in videos with the biggest studios only. And since the first time you’d seen him, you had admired him.
He was striking – flawless, undeniably handsome, with a body and face that seemed sculpted for perfection. Every performance he gave carried the same effortless brilliance.
Yet it wasn’t just his looks or skill; it was the way he looked at his co-stars, the confidence in his stance and movement, the command he held over each scene as he guided the female co-stars through them.
There was something magnetic in it, something that compelled you to keep watching, and you were certain every one of his viewers felt that same pull.
You cross the room for what’s probably the fortieth time.
All the paperwork is signed, the brief lines you do have now rehearsed to natural perfection. With the set finished, the director had briefed you on angles, positions – anything and everything she expects from you. Thirty minutes left until the cameras start rolling.
You don’t hear the door right away; only when the hinges groan halfway open do you spin around.
Gabriel stops in the doorway, broad shoulders and a muscular body hidden beneath a gray green hoodie and dark sweatpants. Despite the casual attire – apparently they hadn’t dressed him yet – he’s more handsome in real time than you had expected. His eyes, golden brown and dark, meet yours along with an easy smile that makes his eyes soften and your stomach flip.
“So you’re my co-star today,” he greets, his voice gruff but warm. He steps inside, closing the distance between you with ease as he offers his hand. “Gabriel.”
You take it immediately, terrified of coming off as rude even as your pulse hammers in your ears. Although your voice comes out a bit strained, you somehow manage to give him your name.
Now that he’s standing so close to you, your mind wanders to how good he smells – notes of sandalwood and something spicier you can’t fully place. And his size isn’t lost on you, especially compared to yours. Fuck.
“Nervous?” He tilts his head slightly, a smirk playing in the corner of his lips.
You fumble slightly with your words, not actually expecting him to comment on that outright. Warmth blooms across your cheeks, and you avert your gaze, flustered. “I… yeah, a little,” you admit, finding no point in denying something he can see so clearly.
“Don’t worry too much, sweetheart.” Gabriel lets go of your hand but remains close, keeping his gaze trained on your face. “I’ll guide you through it. And the director’s actually a decent one. You’re in good hands.” He leads you to sit down in the chair in front of the vanity, his hand warm and big on the small of your back, though the touch is respectfully light.
Your hands are clenched in your lap as soon as you sit down, subtly pulling on the hem of your skirt to smooth it down further and stop it from riding up too much. Out here, where nothing is fake and you’re not putting on an act, you don’t necessarily enjoy how short it is.
“First time on a set like this?” He picks up the water bottle still standing unopened on the vanity and offers it to you. When he looks at you, his eyes don't waver from your face, doesn’t glance down at the bare skin of your thighs.
He doesn’t openly stare at you like a piece of meat the way you’re used to in this line of work, and you silently thank him for that, your shoulders dropping slightly.
“It is,” you confirm, offering him a smile. “Uh, no thank you.” He only shrugs and opens the cap to drink it himself.
“The first times are always scary. I’m sure you’ll do just fine.” He lifts the bottle to his lips, and for a moment you quietly take him in; his features, the sharp lines of his face, the subtle bob of his throat as he swallows.
A knock at the open door pulls you out of your thoughts and you have to more or less force your eyes away from Gabriel.
“Hey guys,” the director greets. When your eyes meet, she flashes you a smile, the expression lingering as she crosses into the room. Her dark hair is braided loosely over her shoulder, dressed professionally yet relaxed in beige paperbag pants and a dark silk blouse. She holds a tablet to her chest, crossing the floor until she’s in front of you both. “Now that you’ve both met, let’s do one last check before we roll. We’ll go over boundaries, limits, safe words, everything.”
You both turn to face her. Her words instantly have you on edge – not because it’s new to you, but because it means you’re now so, so close to performing the scene with Gabriel.
Gabriel, on the other hand, looks as calm and collected as ever, no indication at all that he’s feeling even a sliver of nervousness as he leans against the vanity, his arm almost brushing against yours.
The director hums a tune as she taps on the tablet before looking up to meet your eyes, removing her glasses and pulling them up to perch atop her head. “First of all, let’s set some boundaries. Are you okay with Reyes doing some light choking, hair pulling or spanking?”
Just the thought of him doing that to you has your cheeks heating up again. You don’t even dare to look at him as you instinctively nod.
If it had been any other man, you would’ve just shrugged. But Gabriel? A wet dream came true. “Sure, I’m fine with that.”
The director nods, tapping her finger on the screen of the tablet again, seemingly crossing something off on it. “Do you want him to use protection?”
“I’m fine without it, if he is.” Gabriel just nods reassuringly, having the decency to not comment on your flushed cheeks. The director taps the screen again.
“Are you comfortable with him finishing inside, or do you prefer him to pull out?”
You’ve heard these questions before, you’ve been asked these same ones more times than not. But the way they make you flustered only now has you embarrassingly close to struggling with your words. “Uhm… he can finish inside. Whatever the scene requires.”
She nods again, offering an encouraging smile. The tension is back in your shoulders, and it isn’t lost on her. “Any hard limits? Something you absolutely don’t want to do?”
“...No backdoor stuff.” Gabriel can’t help but scoff a laugh at your phrasing, putting the cap back on the bottle. The director nods again, a subtle smile on her own lips before she shifts back into all business, checking that box off the screen too. When she looks up again, her gaze is turned to Gabriel.
“Reyes – you already know how this goes. Same questions.” His lips curve into a faint smirk at her words, but his tone remains steady, professional as he glances down at you.
“I’m fine with everything. I’ll follow her lead, whatever she’s comfortable with.” The smile he gives you then is warm, genuine, and it makes your heart flutter in your chest. The director nods, shutting off the screen before meeting your eyes directly.
“If anything feels weird or off out there, if you’re uncomfortable or if anything hurts – anything at all, don’t hesitate to stop, alright? We’ll use the safeword Cupcake.” She pulls her glasses back down over her eyes. “Better safe than sorry.”
You nod, feeling some of the anxiety dissipate. “Thank you.”
“No need to thank me.” She gives you one last smile before she puts the tablet under her arm and clasps her hands together. “Alright, almost showtime. Reyes–” Her expression tightens just a touch, a subtle crease forming between her brows at the sight of his clothes. “Why the hell aren’t you a teacher yet?” He only shrugs, not at all affected by her tone. Clearly they’re used to each other.
The director sighs before shaking her head. “Well, off you go! The wardrobe is waiting for you.” She practically shoves him outside before closing the door after the both of them, leaving you alone once again to mentally prepare yourself for the shoot.