Rin blew out an exasperated sigh as he crossed his arms over the costume he was wearing and leaned against the booth. "Freak out later, right now we need a Mao, and Sabastian is obviously not showing; AND you know every line AND can act them all perfectly... might I add..."
Rory clasped his chest as his panicked eyes moved around the massive crowd that was now gathered around the stage across from their booth. Hundreds of people had gathered once again in anticipation of the new book release event written by and starring the one and only Rin Perish. "I... I..."
Dillon pressed his index finger against Rory's elbow, forcing the hand that held a paper bag up against Rory's lips. "Breathe, little buddy... and once you're finished hyperventilating, remind yourself all these people are here because they love the books, they are super excited for the content within, and they are super supportive of what it involves." When Rory's troubled eyes met Dillon's from around the small brown paper bag, Dillon pulled him between his outstretched legs. "Who was it that stood beside me last show, admiring those two actors on stage so much? Who was it that wished so hard that they could live a love like that openly and be accepted? Now is your chance to experience what living an open love feels like and having it not only accepted but celebrated! Go out there and have fun, enjoy it!"
Rory swallowed past the suffocating lump that had developed in his throat and threatened to cut off his airway only seconds ago as he nodded.
Rin clapped as he pushed away from the counter. "So, that's a yes then?"
Rory shifted his nervous gaze between Dillon and Rin as He nodded again. "Ye-yes..."
"Fuck yes! Let's do this!" The robes swept around Rin's body as he rushed off toward the stage, eager to make the announcement to the growing crowd.
Dillon chuckled as he watched Rin's departing back. He ran one hand through his messy hair before taking the brown bag from Rory's hand and intertwining his fingers with Rory's. "Let's go. Honestly, this is going to be great PR. After all the videos from the last event, having you suddenly show up on stage instead of Sabastian is going to cause a riot."
Rory's eyes widened as he was being dragged along behind Dillon. "You... you don't really mean that, right?"
Dillon choked out a deep laugh as he shoved Rory out onto the stage. "You're about to see!"
"And without further delay, I give you the original, the inspiration to all the new changes and growth of the character! The face from the leaked videos you've all been asking about!" Rin stepped aside with a hand held out toward Rory as he shyly stepped out onto the stage, clasping the ties of the hoodie he now wore. Rin waved a hand to the lighting team as he tugged Rory against his side. Feeling his entire body tremble, Rin whispered against Rory's ear. "It's alright. Just do like we've practiced a hundred times. Remember, for every one time Sabastian rehearsed these bits, you showed them to him at least twenty times over. You know each and every one now, like you wrote them yourself."
Rory nodded as he ran his sweaty palms over his joggers. He struggled to scan the crowd but couldn't see through the darkness that had fallen over the room. Rin guided him to a twin bed that was set up on the stage and handed him the laptop from the desk propped up beside it.
Rory gulped down a wave of nervousness as he climbed onto the bed and opened the computer, his troubled eyes finding Rin's steady gaze in the near darkness.
"You've got this. Remember the character and don't worry if you seem to be uneasy. It's all part of the act." Rin whispered as he climbed onto the tiny bed beside Rory. He positioned himself in a comedic angle across an invisible shelf that had been set up above the bed, draping his body and robes partly over it so that he was watching Rory in bored curiosity. He held a thumb up into the air once he was in position.
The stage lights immediately turned on and trained on them. Rory could feel the heat creep up his neck as Rin began to fiddle with strands of his hair. He tried to move his head away, but there was no use; long fingers tangled in his hair, tickling his scalp and tracing the back of his ears regardless of how he moved. With an irritated huff, Rory smacked the hand away. "Enough already... Don't you have anything better to do... god stuff or something?"
Rin slinked off the shelf and wrapped himself around Rory. "If I did, don't you think I'd be doing it now instead of watching you?" He pulled Rory tighter against his body, positioning him between his legs and wrapping his arms around his waist. "I'm bored..."
"And I'm busy..." Rory shoved at the head that was now resting on his shoulder. He could feel the blush from his face spread down his neck and shoulders. "Come on, let go and get off... I can barely move, let alone type like this."
"But I'm bored... This is your fault, take responsibility." Rin pressed his face against the hand shoving him away as his gaze moved around the stage. He paused as his eyes landed on the desk. "Play me a game, then. I win, you grant me a wish. You win, and we can go some place you'd like right now."
Rory rolled his eyes. "Those are both wins for you, and me not getting my work done. Go play by yourself."
Rin frowned as he tightened his hold on Rory. "Fine, you win, I'll allow you to finish your boring, mundane task in peace... mostly... If I win, you grant me one wish."
Rory shook his head. "I win, I get to finish my work in peace, no 'mostly' to it. You win, I'll take a break, and we can go for a walk. How about that? We can go to the convenience store and get your favorite treat."
A wide, foxy grin spread across Rin's lips. "Deal." His hands moved to frame Rory's face. "Shall we kiss on it?"
Rory shoved against Rin's chest. "No! Now set up the game while I get to a good stopping point, unless you want me to call off this whole thing already!"
Rin held up his hands. "No, no, you win!"
The game played out almost identically to the one Rory and Rin had played in the hotel, with more banter and flirtation as Rin teased Rory under the desk with strokes of his foot along his leg and anything else he could do to disarm his competitor.
Rory huffed out a sigh. "You win..." Rory looked at the fake clock on the desk. "It has to be a quick walk, though. I still have to get this finished tonight."
Rin sprang from the bed, causing the cards to fly everywhere. "Sure, sure!" With a spin, the lights dimmed, and Rin tossed the fox ears and robes behind the bed. As the lights came back up, he was pulling Rory into his arms and sliding a cap on his head. "Your hair's still wet..."
Rory blushed as he turned his face away from the beauty so close to him that his breath tickled his lips. "Yeah, well, you should put one on too... Otherwise you'll stand out..."
A corner of Rin's lips lifted. "What was that, Mao? I didn't catch that?" He tugged Rory's face around to meet his teasing gaze. "You think I'm that attractive?"
Rory blushed, remembering the conversation that had inspired this very scene. "You know well that you are. Isn't that the whole point of the fox god thing?" Rory risked a glance up at him. "Super alluring... or something like that..."
A seductive grin curved Rin's lips as he moved closer, enveloping Rory in his body. "Do you find me alluring, Mao?"
Rory shoved against his chest, feeling his entire body burn with embarrassment and need as he did. "Let's go. I told you I need to hurry back."
The spotlight followed them across the set as a few stagehands moved around the props and extras were set up. Rory was glad that this scene called for heavy blushing and awkward, uncomfortable behavior on his part because he was already feeling every bit of it, and the lights hadn't fully lit up the makeshift elevator they were inside. Rin leaned against the back wall and had Rory pressed against him, but this time, instead of working to calm his nerves, he was doing the opposite. One of Rin's hands had made its way inside of Rory's hoodie and was freely roaming the bare skin underneath. The fingers of his other hand dug into Rory's hip, pressing him against him. A low protest slipped from Rory's lips as he fought against the urge to rub his body against Rin's.
"Umm. Now, Mao... If you don't want the other students to know what's going on back here, don't you think you should be quiet and hold still?"
Rory gulped down a nervous swallow as his eyes moved around the strangers crowded into the prop with them. He squeezed his lips tightly closed.
"Good boy." Rin purred as he brushed the tip of a nail across Rory's nipple. The full mirror behind them magnified every detail of Rin's actions along with Rory's responses for the audience to see.
"Bottom floor." One of the extras called out.
That was Rory's cue. He grabbed Rin's hand and ran through the crowd. By the time he got to the edge of the stage, Rory was huffing air.
Rin cupped his face. "I wasn't sure if you were going to stop running there for a minute." Rin's eyes searched Rory. "Are you alright? Was it really all that bad? It was just a little harmless fun, you know."
Rory shook his head. "You... you can't just do that with all those people around."
Rin tilted his head. "Why not? It's not like they saw anything anyway." He cupped Rory's face and lowered his lips to Rory's. "Who cares if someone did see?"
Rory spread his hands out against Rin's abs, holding him at bay. "You really don't care what others think, do you?"
"Of course not." Rin moved against Rory's weak hold, lowering his lips to his once again. Excited gasps, giggles, and cheers could be heard from the crowd as their lips brushed, causing Rory's heart to pound even harder in his ears.
"Well, I do!" Rory yelled as he pushed against him once again, this time breaking free. He spun, making sure to cause the hat to fall from his head, and began stomping along the edges of the stage. The lights followed him, casting various colors on his flowing blond hair. His steps froze when a hand caught his.
Rin tugged Rory around to face him once again. He ran his free hand through Rory's hair as he tilted his head to admire the way the lights reflected off each strand as it fell back into place. "You realize how beautiful you look at this very moment? Like an enchanting little fairy prince." Hushed murmurs filled the crowd below the stage.
"I'm no prince..." Rory grumbled as he turned his head away.
"But you are... a seductive little prince who has captivated the heart of a god. What shall you do with it? What will you do with this god's heart now that you have it, my little fairy prince?" Rin wrestled to pull him into his arms, but Rory continued to struggle against him.
"Why not kiss me and see if you're not granted a happy ending?" Rin whispered loudly against his lips as he held Rory tightly against him, drawing more excited murmurs from the crowd below. Their enthusiasm now palpable throughout the room.
Rory pushed his palms against Rin's abs again, feeling them flex below his touch. His cheeks heated as his fingers dug into the fabric more as he sent Rin a rebellious glare. "You can try all the cheap tricks you want to possess my body, fox... but that will never win you my heart... Kiss me if you like, but kissing a frog will only win you a prince in fairy tales..."
A devilish grin spread across Rin's lips seconds before they dropped to Rory's. He gripped the back of Rory's head tightly as he drank hungrily from Rory's lips that had parted on a gasp. The corners of his lips lifted higher as excited giggles and applause erupted through the crowd. Rin finally pulled away. His eyes danced with glee as he sent Rory a 'told you so smirk'. He ran the pad of his thumb across Rory's kiss-swollen bottom lip. "Wrong story, little prince. In this story, there are no frogs or princesses waiting with magical saving kisses... only wolves seeking to devour."
Rory panted as he set up to deliver the line he'd rehearsed well over a hundred times now. He didn't need to act at this point. He knew his eyes reflected want and desire. He knew as he tangled his fist into Rin's shirt, there would be no doubt he was pulling him closer rather than pushing him away. Rory knew no single person seeing this would doubt Mao's desire for Inari... the only question was... would they also question Rory's desire for Rin after this? Rory was still nuzzling Rin's palm as loud clapping and cheering erupted throughout the room. This was one of 4 scenes that would be acted out this weekend... and the least steamy, and already Rory's heart was about to burst.
Rin clasped the sides of Rory's face and lowered his forehead to Rory's. "You did great. They loved it." He nodded out to the crowd before taking Rory's hand and turning and bowing. Rin didn't release Rory's hand as he straightened. "You ready to answer questions and sign some pictures?"
Rory's cheeks heated as he nodded.
Rory couldn't believe the number of excited bodies gathered around them. The majority of the crowd had been ecstatic that Rory had been the one performing today.
"Can we get one more of that last embrace? I know there are several prints with your usual model... but it's just not the same!" Several fans continued requesting.
"Can we get a shot of the two of you snuggling on the bed like you did during the opening scene?" A few more shouted out.
"Oh, the elevator one too!!! It has to be with THIS Mao!" Even more people yelled.
Dillon blew out a heavy sigh as he tossed a pile of unsold photos into the bin below the booth to clear some room on the table. He popped up a closed sign, and disappointed grumbling could be heard all around. "Everyone with photo requests with Rory instead of the old model, please come back in a few hours, or, if you'd like, you can hang around the stage and watch as we take some new shots."
Excited cheering echoed through the area as Dillon gathered his things and made his way over to where Rin and Rory were posing for fans. "When you guys are finished here, head back to the stage. I'm going to see if we can use it after the last show tonight for a last-minute photoshoot. None of the old prints are selling."
Rin nodded as he pulled Rory tighter against his side. "They like you. We should have taken some shots with you and me from the start."
Rory's cheeks heated. "I... I don't know..."
Rin tilted Rory's face up to meet him. "What don't you know? You were meant for this role. Mao has become you in so many ways. It could have ever only been you playing the part."
Rory gave in to the emotions. Rin's words were stirring as more cheering echoed around them. The sound of pictures snapping and videos being recorded and posted onto socials was all a dull rumble in Rory's ears. Even if it were only for this day, he was getting what he had always dreamed of. He was getting to experience an open, loving relationship. Something in his eyes must have hinted at his inner emotions because gentle strokes along his jaw and cheek stilled, and the thumb that had been rubbing him hooked under his chin, forcing his face upward.
"I want to kiss you... right here, right now..."
"Silly fox... I told you... I'll still only be a frog and nothing more... I'll never become your prince..." Rory muttered one of the lines from the book as he stared wantonly into passion-glazed violet eyes, daring Rin to kiss him.
"So you say... but I think I shall continue kissing you until either can be proven..." Rin's breath teased Rory's lips as his own hovered scant millimeters away.
Rory snorted out a laugh. "Can it really work that way?"
"Could we truly know unless we try?" With that, Rin's lips fell to Rory's, and the crowd burst out into more cheering, and flashes could be heard all around. There would be plenty of videos of this as well, but Rin couldn't bother to care at that very moment. The way Rory had looked, the way he clung to him, and now the way he was responding to his kiss... It was blissful heaven.