For:  Gladys

09/01/2008 Prompt Words:  Sneakers – Camera – Error – Brick

Hi Gladys.  Thanks for stopping by and I hope you like your ficlet!  J

Photo Shoot – Posted 09/02/2008

(My vision of Eddie)

Eddie kicked out of his sneakers and shed his workout clothes in record time.  He questioned his sanity as he headed for the shower.  Trent was nuts.  He wasn’t a model.  Why did Trent want him to pose for photos at all, let alone artsy nudes?  And what the hell was he thinking agreeing to this crap?

Okay, he’d agreed because Trent was his best friend and needed this for a large class project.  But he’d only agreed on the condition that Trent would give him a month to get into a little better shape.  He’d never spent so much time running or working out at the gym.  Damn, or nursing sore muscles.

The month was up and it was way too soon.  He looked at himself in the mirror and saw nothing that appealed to him.  He wasn’t overweight or anything, but there still wasn’t any muscle definition.  He was just – there.

A guy would have to be pretty desperate to ask him out.  Okay, so maybe it wasn’t that bad, but he was in one hell of a dry spell.  Trent, on the other hand, was on the wrong side of the camera.  He sure didn’t lack for dates.  Didn’t have much luck with boyfriends, though.  Couldn’t seem to find Mr. Right.

In his dreams – well, in his wildest dreams – Trent would look at him and suddenly discover the error of his ways and see how perfect they’d be together.  Okay, so it was beyond his wildest dreams.  But definitely another good reason why it was a big mistake to get naked and pose his scrawny ass for Trent.  Shit.

Even dragging his feet it only took him twenty minutes to shower, get dressed, and find himself standing in front of Trent’s door.  Please don’t be home.  Please, please, just don’t be home.

No such luck.  The door swung open and Trent’s smile beamed at him.  “I knew I could count on you, Eddie.  I can always count on you.”

There went his resolve to try and beg off.  He couldn’t do that to Trent.  Fuck!

Trent led him towards the back of his loft where there was a bare brick wall.  He had a professional looking lighting set up aimed at the wall.  Lights?  Couldn’t they just do this is some kind of semi-dark gloom?

Trent must have sensed his nervousness and kept his tone light.  “It’ll be fine, Eddie.  You look great.”

Bullshit.  He had a mirror.  “I don’t look great, Trent.  I don’t know why you’d want me for this.  I’ll probably trash your grade.”

Trent’s tone turned serious.  “Eddie?”

Shit.  “What?”

“You look great.  You’re exactly what I want for this.  You have a grace that muscle bound oafs only wish they could duplicate.  You’re perfect – just a normal guy that people can look at and relate to, only with a poise that’ll make ‘em green with envy.”

Huh?

I hope this isn’t “the end”.

Maybe I’ll get some more prompt words to continue this little story later.

I liked this little ficlet so much I worked it over a little and expanded on it.  The complete story is now a "Sip", available @ Torquere Books.  J