Bambi Eyed || Katya x Reader fic

Chapter 20: Shooting

Everything hurt. Remembering him hurt. Remembering little moments hurt.

Thank god you had this video to focus on. Violet and Fame made it easier, bouncing off their energy as they got ready. They brought an artist in to do your mug, and you felt genuinely beautiful by the time it was finished. You were truly living up to your Bambi nickname, the makeup giving you a doe-eyed, fawnish look, with soft pink spread over your cheeks, eyelids and around your lips to add to the soft glow being in the snow gave you.

Shimmying into the gown, you absolutely gawked. It was a soft blue chiffon, embellished with silvery embroidery from the train up. You felt like a princess, for once more than happy to join in on the others' selfies. In contrast, Vi and Fame were donned in sharply shouldered black gowns, the cut very up-and-down compared to the volume in your skirt.

Theo roused himself some time in the morning, wandering out to the cabin's lounge, which was serving as the green room. He stopped short, staring at you as your hair was taken care of. "What?" you smirked.

Apparently catching himself, he shook his head. "Nothing. Just cool to see my ideas coming to life. Uh..." His eyes slowly trailed away from you as he turned to the camera crew. "What's our estimate for these first scenes?"

They fell into the usual production talk, but even while you and the other two were driven up the hill to a clear patch of snow, you found him staring at you. Not that you had time to dwell, as the shoot truly began. You fell immediately into this naive character, enjoying the whimsy of traipsing around the snow in such a beautiful garment. There were several close ups, but your favourite shot of the day came when you stood on a small platform and the camera whirled around you in a circle, your role being to look about yourself, scared of the beings after you.

Then came Fame and Violet's scenes together. Watching them work was a thrill, and you had to marvel at how professional they both were. Huddled into the craft tent that had been set up, you were loaded down with several blankets, so as not to freeze, being warmed by the hot tea in your hands. The behind-the-scenes photographer, a younger adult, approached. "Sorry, you just look adorable, can I take some snaps?" Huh, British.

"Of course!" you giggled, throwing up a peace sign and sticking out your tongue. The photographer laughed. "You look young," you remarked. "How'd you get in on this gig?"

Sitting beside you, they smiled. "Theo is my brother. Well, half-brother. I only just moved to the states. We spent our lives apart, but it's cool getting to know him now."

Glancing out to Theo, whose arms were flailing dramatically as he explain his mind's eye to the others, you chuckled. "What's your name?"

"Matt," they offered, extending a hand. "I go by one name. Like Bjork. Or Cher. I'm a star, is what I mean."

Laughing now, you shook. "I guess stardom runs in the family?"

"Theo gets it from me. Even if I'm the youngest." Matt, too, glanced out. "So... What do you think of him?"

A heavily blanketed shrug. "He seems to really know what he's doing."

Eye roll. "No, like, what do you think of him?" They were giving you a Look.

You returned the Look. "I've known him not even a day, if you're insinuating anything." There was a silence before your gaze broke from who you hoped would be a new friend as the pair of you giggled. Offering to show you some pictures, the camera was shoved into your hands. As you flicked through, you realised just how beautiful this shoot would be, even just from these BTS. Orange light filtered through stripped birch trees in heavy slats, painting the otherwise white and blue landscape in an ethereal glow.

"Damn," you breathed. "You're seriously talented. Do you do regular shoots?"

They shrugged. "I'd like to. Hard to get work as fresh blood in town, though."

You lit up. "Shoot me!"

Awkwardly raising a hand, their fingers folded into a gun. "Pew? Pew pew?"

It was your turn to roll your eyes. "I mean, let's do a photoshoot together. I need to flesh out my portfolio anyway, it would be a good way to get some shots in yours, and I know a tonne of thirsty drag queens who love to stroke their narcissism."

"You know more than Violet and Fame?"

"Oh, sure." Deliberately missing a name, you ticked them off on your fingers. "Bianca, Alyssa, Trixie, Adore, Raja, loosely, uh-."

"Alyssa? As in... Edwards?" they interrupted. You nodded. "Oh wow."

Sensing a fan, you grinned. "So... Yes?"

"I would fist fight my mum for the opportunity to meet Alyssa. I'll shoot you dead if it means I might."

"Flattered," you retorted, grinning all the while. "We'll plan some things." Returning your gaze to the camera, you continued to flick through, stopping short on one of Theo perched on the edge of his seat, eyes lit up with a serene smile. "This is a nice shot."

"He was looking at you, you know." Pausing, you looked a little more carefully.

"Proud of his work, I guess."

Silence. Then, "Suuuure."

You'd missed someone looking at you like that. With admiration, rather than pity, or fear, or heartache and sadness. You had no time to think on it now, being called over by makeup to start adjusting into your transitional look.

A/N: HEHEHEHE alyssas_secret