Something quick I've whipped up based on a certain someone's au lol. I wrote this while dealing with a very bad bug, so sorry if there's some inconsistencies or errors. Fic under the cut. -🖋️
'Stupid. He was so stupid.
Of course King got engaged to someone, why wouldn't he? He was… perfect, in every sense of the word. Of course someone had snagged him up. Seeing that platinum band on his ring finger was like a knife to the chest. How could he not have seen it before? It was so obvious.
There was a rule everyone followed in the business: never fall for your clients. And yet here he was, the fool who believed that rules were meant to be broken now nursing a broken heart.
He looked at himself in the vanity mirror, staring at the discreet pendant with an emerald on it, shining green under the harsh lights. King gifted it to him as a symbol of their connection, some sort of promise. Or so he thought.
Yeah, he was fucking stupid.
He moved from the vanity and threw himself at the pleather couch. He could hear everyone moving, the sound of equipment being set and the staff whispering about his absence. He knew he was late, that the men he was going to be recorded with were important, but honestly? At that moment he really couldn't give a damn, his body feeling like a hollow husk.
"Where the fuck is he?! We're on a fucking schedule!" Leo's furious voice echoed through the corridors of the studio. Great, he was angry now. Fuck his life.
"We haven't seen him sir-" "And that's supposed to be my problem?! you idiots cannot even do your one job!" Leo's footsteps grew closer, the thunder of his anger rolling like a storm. Sophist knew he should steel himself for what was to come, but he just couldn't.
He heard the door of his dressing room bust open, the sound resounding like a gunshot through the room. Leo stormed in, his eyes full of fury that calmed a bit after seeing the state of his star. His anger subduing to mere frustration, and he let out a loud sigh before sitting in one of the armrest of the couch, his weight sinking into the cheap material. He knew about Sophist's mental state, it's what helped him recruiting Sophist into the business after all, but it also made his favorite boy unreliable.
"What is it now? You know you're late, right?" Leo's tone had softened, but the underlying threat remained palpable. Sophist uncurled and sat up, his eyes stared emptily at the door. "I… I know. Sorry, just… Not feeling well."
"You were perfectly well yesterday when you left off with King," Leo said, his eyes narrowing as he scrutinized Sophist, and then noticed something that either his star didn't have before or had been hiding from him. The emerald pendant.
"Is that what this is about?" Leo's voice took on a new tone, one that was less threatening and... hard to describe. "You fell for him?" A lone tear fell from Sophist's green eyes as he looked away. "I didn't mean to," he whispered, feeling a knot form in his throat. "I know the rules."
Leo took Sophist's chin on his hand and used the other to wipe the tears from his face, his expression a mix of pity and exasperation. "Always being a rebel, you… there's a reason why that rule exists," he then grabbed the dangling emerald.
"Oh Eevee, people like you will never be loved by people like him. That's the harsh reality." And with a sharp, hard tug, he broke the fine silver thread tying the jewel to the necklace, snapping it into two. "But me? Your work? That's a different story. You can always count on that, my star." The hand on Sophist's chin brought his face back to meet Leo's lips for a quick peck, declaring ownership on his boy.
"Now get your ass ready. I want you in the set in five, or you're going to regret it," Leo said, his tone a warning as he let go of Sophist's bearded chin and turned away. The door slammed shut behind him, leaving Sophist alone with his buzzing thoughts. He stared at the pendant, now broken and laying haphazardly on the couch and felt his chest constrict and the heartache coming back.
No matter, he had a shoot to do. He shook his head to clear his thoughts and pocketed the broken jewelry on his robe, feeling the emerald burn a hole through his palm.
They wanted a show? Oh boy, they were going to get one.'
(@starry-sophrosyne now I'm the one with au rot lmao.)