The studio was already buzzing before the members of Premise even walked through the doors. Stylists darted between clothing racks labeled for each member, photographers adjusted their cameras and lights, and Paradox's creative director, a sharp-looking woman with a headset, was snapping orders at her panicking assistant.
"Alright, gentleman, welcome back!" She announced as they stepped into the chaos, clapping her hands together. "Let's make some magic today! The changing room is to your right, along with your wardrobe. We'll be starting with some group shots."
Casen blinked, raising his brows as he glanced around the room. "This place smells like money and too much hairspray."
"Try not to touch anything," Enzo murmured, brushing past him toward the clothing racks to check each outfit for the members.
Lucian smirked, tugging his jacket off his shoulders to hang on the end of his labeled rack. "Oh, come on, boys, lighten up," he chuckled, looking toward Luca, who looked like he was ready to walk back out the door. "It's not every day we get to be art."
"Art," Rylan echoes, gaze landing on a sleeveless crop top meant for him. "You mean unpaid models?"
"Well, technically…" The stylist watching them let out a nervous laugh. "You boys are art."
Luca glanced between everyone before taking the first outfit off his designated rack, vanishing into the changing room. Lucian lifted his first outfit, showing it to Enzo, whose brows furrowed as he looked at it.
After all five had finally changed, they stood in front of each of the stylists. Luca's gaze lingered on his reflection while the stylist adjusted his blazer.
"Maybe undo another button?" The stylist, who was adjusting Lucian's sleeves, suggested, peering over at Luca, "It would add a more natural look."
Luca glanced between them, his stylist hesitating to undo the button. He lifted his hand, letting out a sigh as he undid the next button down. He didn't look away from his reflection, even when the whispers started.
"...He's actually here," one of the staff members murmured from a nearby light rig.
"Does this mean he's coming back full-time?"
"Who knows? He looks good enough to sell any headline they want."
"Good?" Another replied, barely suppressing a quiet laugh. "He looks like a god."
Luca shifted his stance, his gaze flicking their way. The whispering died instantly, replaced by their awkward shuffling. He didn't say a word, just tilted his head faintly as if to confirm he'd heard everything before turning his attention to Enzo.
Enzo stood stiffly as his stylist rolled his sleeves up above his elbows. "Why…?"
"The camera loves forearms," the woman chirped.
He exhaled through his nose, glancing between the woman and his sleeves, before muttering, "The camera needs higher standards."
"Don't fight it." Lucian snorted from where he stood nearby. "It's a losing battle."
"Well, some of us have boundaries," Enzo muttered, shoving his sleeves back down and buttoning the cuffs again once the stylist turned away.
Lucian shook his head, sidestepping to step in front of Enzo, who squinted at him, about to take a step backward.
"No-"
Lucian was quicker, unbuttoning both cuffs, pushing his sleeves back up. "Keep them up."
"I don't want to," Enzo muttered, reaching to pull them back down, but Lucian caught his wrists, holding them out in front of him.
They stood in silence, with Luca and about half the staff watching them. Enzo eventually muttered something, and Lucian released his wrists to return to where he had been previously.
Across the room, oblivious to the tension of their counterparts, Rylan tossed his hair, striking exaggerated poses in front of the mirror, grinning. "Behold, the Paradox Prince."
"More like the Paradox problem." Casen threw a balled-up sock at him.
"Hey, I'm the people's favorite," Rylan said, winking at Casen as he turned. Casen gave a mock gag, sticking his tongue out. Rylan grinned, "Isn't that right, boss lady?"
Their manager, Danielle Lynn, didn't even look up from where she was sitting with her clipboard. "Just try not to flirt with the camera more than each other. This is a band shoot, not a dating show."
Lucian's brows lifted as he leaned toward Enzo as they finished with the stylists and made their way to the set. "You hear that? No romantic tension."
"Good," Enzo replied flatly. "You're terrible at hiding yours anyway."
Lucian's grin widened, which didn't go unnoticed by the creative director, who clapped her hands. "Perfect! Let's start with the two of you! There's something about that energy…"
Enzo and Lucian both looked over, and Enzo blinked once, glancing at Lucian. "Is this payback for something?"
"Definitely," Lucian murmured under his breath.
"Step back against the wall and stand shoulder-to-shoulder."
Lucian leaned back, and Enzo propped himself beside him. The flash went off, and the monitor displayed a photo of the two looking deliberately composed.
"Beautiful!" The director gushed. "Now… Lucian, tilt your chin slightly toward him. Enzo, give me a softer gaze, like you're caught off guard."
Lucian obeyed, barely hiding his smirk. "Caught off guard," he murmured, tilting his head to the side, "by what exactly?"
Enzo's jaw tensed. "By how close you are."
Lucian watched him a moment, adjusting his stance just slightly. Enzo let out a small sigh, closing his eyes only to open them again when Lucian tapped his hip with the hand hidden from the eyes of those capturing the photos.
The flash went off, and the photographer stared at the monitor, "Absolutely perfect!" She beamed, snapping another shot. "That's the cover shot."
Rylan whistled from the sidelines, from where he stood with Casen and Luca. "Paradox is gonna have a field day with that one."
"They're gonna break the internet," Casen laughed.
Luca gave a small shake of his head after meeting Enzo's gaze. "This is why interviews exist," he muttered, "To undo whatever the photos imply."
"Exactly," Enzo muttered dryly, stepping back as Lucian winked at the camera. He walked over to Luca, who reached up and patted his shoulder.
"Alright!" The creative director clapped her hands. "Let's start next with your signature setup. Lucian, center. Enzo, to his left. Luca, opposite side. Casen and Rylan, you boys give me movement."
Movement was Casen's native language. He grinned, spinning into position with a dramatic toss of his jacket collar. Rylan followed, while Enzo and Luca both stood on opposite sides of Lucian.
Lucian looked between the four before nodding, "Alright, boys."
Luca leaned his weight onto one leg, stepping back just slightly as he tilted his head back, running his hand through his hair. Enzo mirrored him, while Lucian tilted his chin slightly, meeting the lens with his gaze. Casen leaned on Rylan's shoulder, smiling as the flash nearly blinded him.
"Perfect," the photographer called, snapping a few more shots. "Let's switch it up. More proximity, less symmetry."
The five obeyed, letting the stylists adjust their outfits before the photographer snapped the shots she needed. "Good job, boys!" She beamed, looking at the monitor, "Alright, next outfit sets, I want to start with Lucian and Luca."
"It begins," Lucian chuckled, tapping Luca on the shoulder as they walked to get changed. Luca rolled his eyes.
When they came back out, they walked back onto the set, which was now changed. Textured backdrop and mirrored flooring. "Lucian, angle your shoulders. Luca, glance up at him," the photographer instructed, "Good, just a little closer."
Luca stepped forward, closing the space. Neither of them flinched, simply adjusting to the instructions. "Ready?" Lucian murmured.
Luca took a breath, and Lucian reached a hand around him, not quite touching his back but almost. The flash caught the moment, and the staff seemed captivated by the shot.
"That's beautiful," the photographer whispered.
After a few more flashes, Luca stepped back, Lucian smirking as he followed him off the set. "Still as serious as ever."
"Someone has to be," Luca said, straightening his sleeve.
Casen and Rylan's shot came at the same time as Enzo's solo set. Lucian looked between the two before focusing on Enzo.
"Perfect, Mr. Roth. A little more unbuttoned, though."
He stared at her silently. Lucian shook his head, sighing under his breath as he gestured for Luca to watch over Casen and Rylan while he crossed the room.
Without a word, Lucian leaned down, undoing the first two buttons of Enzo's shirt himself, tugging at the tie just enough to loosen it. The photographer caught them both off guard when she snapped a photo.
"Keep that," she said, her eyes lighting up. "That right there. Hold."
Lucian and Enzo exchanged a look as Lucian rested his hand on the back of the chair Enzo was sitting on. When the flash dimmed, Enzo nearly tripped Lucian, standing up to walk behind Luca.
Across the room, Casen snorted. "And that is what we call expert-level fan service."
Rylan began snickering, nearly knocking himself and Casen off balance. Lucian shook his head, "Focus, boys."
"Yeah, yeah!" Casen slung an arm around Rylan's shoulders.
"Look natural," the photographer called.
"I am natural," Casen grinned, flashing a peace sign.
The camera clicked, capturing the two as they wrestled with each other right after. Even the makeup artists were laughing, trying to steady their composure.
"Luca, are you ready?" Danielle asked, looking up at him as he watched the rest of the group.
Luca gave a curt nod, adjusting the tie on his outfit as he walked onto the set. He let out a soft exhale, glancing towards his group members as he leaned back against the wall, listening as the whispers started up again.
"Paradox lucked out getting all five again."
"I still can't believe Luca agreed."
"Maybe this means…"
"Perfect," the director murmured. "Give me that detached elegance. Like you're thinking about something you've lost."
"I am," Luca murmured.
The assistant blinked from beside the monitor. "Oh?"
"My patience."
Lucian and Enzo both covered Casen and Rylan's mouths before they could burst out laughing at the staff members scrambling away from the glance Luca cast in their direction. Danielle took a long sip of her coffee, "Luca."
"Hm?"
"Show off a bit."
Luca sighed, rolling his eyes to the side as the photographers peered at Danielle, then Luca, whose fingers were intertwined with his tie as he pulled it loose. He reached up, unbuttoning the top three buttons of his shirt, pushing it open, before lifting his hand to drag it back through his hair. The camera flashed immediately, capturing the look he gave the camera before someone audibly squealed.
Luca snorted, dropping his hand as he walked back to the group, shaking his head at Danielle, who looked pleased. "The rest of you, be sure to do the same."
Enzo grumbled a few complaints while Lucian smirked, "Yes, ma'am."
Casen went next, doing as instructed. Rylan, on the other hand, got a bit wild with the photos. Enzo propped one leg up on the wall behind him, with Luca and Lucian adjusting his outfit before they captured his solo photos representing Haven and Sons' newest line of clothes.
After the shoot, while Paradox went through the photos, the band had changed back into their original clothing. Enzo was happy to be back in his hoodie while Casen and Rylan messed with each other.
"Good work, boys," Danielle called, scanning over the preview monitor. "Paradox is going to have a field day editing these."
Lucian stepped behind her, his gaze scanning the screen. Each photo captured them perfectly, from Luca's distance to Enzo's mysterious aura. He nodded, turning to his band with a smile. He tapped Enzo's shoulder before walking ahead. Luca followed in step with Enzo, Casen, and Rylan, trailing behind him.
"Good job," Lucian grinned as they stepped into the sunlight outside, "Let's get back to work."