What It Cost

Shoot Day

The morning sunlight spilled across the tiled bathroom as Lilly stepped inside. She rubbed the tired from her eyes and yawned, stretching her limbs as she walked into the shared bathroom. Noah was already there, shirtless, with a towel slung over his shoulder. He was bent over the sink, splashing water onto his face, droplets trailing down his neck and arms.

"Morning," he mumbled as he wiped his face off, his voice rough with sleep.

Lilly hesitated for a fraction of a second, hoping the blush creeping up her neck wasn't obvious. "Oh, I'm sorry... I didn't know you were in here. I should've knocked." She moved to step out of the bathroom but Noah stopped her.

"I don't mind sharing the space." He stepped to the side to give her room at the sink.

Lilly nodded and moved to the open space. She grabbed her toothbrush and squeezed toothpaste onto it, stealing a glance at Noah through the mirror. He caught her looking and grinned, straightening up and shaking his damp hair like a dog.

"Ugh, Noah, stop!" she groaned, shielding her face.

"Sorry, sorry." He laughed, grabbing his towel to pat his hair dry.

The two exchanged a laugh then silently returned to their routine. Lilly finished brushing her teeth. "I think you should keep what you've got going on with your hair for the shoot today. What do you think?" She turned to look at him fully, leaning against the counter. 

Noah stared at her and laughed.

"What!?" She put her hands on her hips. 

"You've got toothpaste." He gestured to her chin, breaking the tension.

She rolled her eyes, wiping at her face. "Better? Now will you answer my question?"

"Almost." Noah reached forward, his thumb brushing the corner of her mouth.

Lilly froze at the unexpected touch, her breath catching as his fingers lingered for a beat too long.

"Perfect," he said softly, his voice almost a murmur.

She quickly turned back to the sink, her cheeks burning. "Thanks," she mumbled, busying herself with her things. "Now... Your hair..."

Noah turned to look at himself in the mirror and toyed with his hair. "You like it this way?"

Lilly gave a nod, happy to change the subject. "With the coat?" She held up an 'ok' with her hands. "That's my vision right there." 

"Okay, boss." He grinned and walked for the door. "Just let us know when you're ready. We'll all get ready to go." With that, he stepped out of the bathroom, closing the door behind him.

Lilly rubbed her face and groaned, taking a deep breath. Shaking her nerves out, she focused on her makeup. Once done in the bathroom, she walked into her bedroom and picked out a simple, all black outfit then walked down to the kitchen to gather the boys to leave for their photoshoot.

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After tirelessly setting up for the shoot, Lilly took a step back to look at everything, grinning. The location she picked, an industrial warehouse, was perfect for the moody, edgy aesthetic she'd envisioned. Sunlight filtered through the high windows, casting dramatic streaks of light and shadow across the concrete floor. Excitement, and nerves, pounded through her veins.

"Okay..." She grabbed her camera and slung it around her neck then used the back of her hand to dab at the sweat beading above her brow. She felt a pang of lightheadedness and hunger gnawed at her stomach. Ignoring it, she motioned to the boys standing off to the side. "Can we do individuals first? Jolly?"