Chapter 15: 15. Time to Become Superstars

Shiro

Keith: Where are you?

Me: Almost there. We got stuck in traffic, and someone *Lance* (cough) took forever to pick an outfit today.

Keith: (eye-roll emoji) he’s gonna strip out of it anyway for a wardrobe fitting

Me: But there’s the off-chance he might run into Allura before that.  

Keith: For Allura’s sake, I hope he runs into her before stripping, yep. 

A little chuckle wriggles past my lips, and Lance shoots me a surprised look from the driver’s seat.

“What’s so funny?” 

“Eyes on the road,” I say, motioning ahead at the rows of brake lights in front of us.

Ever since our little heart-to-heart in my car, we’ve kept messaging with Keith, only this time, he’s the one to reach out nearly as often as I am. I suspect he’s lonely, which seems impossible with his outrageous good looks, money, and fame, but money can’t buy everything. If he’s truly introverted, it might make forming connections difficult, especially in such a superficial business. Either way, I don’t question his willingness to talk. I enjoy our chats too much, often staying up way too late, giving up sleep to gain an insight into Keith’s fascinating mind. 

Keith: I’m asking because Ben and Mike got news from the network and need to talk to us.

Me: ETA 12 minutes.

Keith: Sir, yes, sir! 

Keith: Just saying that was very specific. Waiting for you in the conference room ‘Mordor.’ Someone’s a LOTR fan (eye-roll emoji).

Another laugh escapes me. 

“Seriously, what’s up with the giggling, Shiro? Talk to us.” Katie nudges me gently from the back.

“I don’t giggle. Keith wants to know when we’re going to arrive.” 

“So you’ve stayed in touch, huh?” Lance asks, but this time, he keeps his gaze fixed on the road. The traffic has simmered down, letting us through for our first day of shooting—not even shooting, really, mostly just wardrobe fitting and table reading, but my stomach is still buzzing as though I swallowed a swarm of bees. 

“Well, yeah. He’s…” Snarky. Funny. Observant. Gorgeous. I can’t say any of that because the teasing would never stop. “He’s okay.” 

“Wow. You might be the only person on the planet to describe Keith Kogane as ‘okay.’“

“He’s just a person, Lance.” 

“Mmm yeah, a super hot, super rich, won an Emmy ‘just a person.’ What do you even talk about with a celebrity? I mean, other celebrity than yours truly.” He makes a clicking noise and points his thumbs at his chest. “Or did you sign an NDA and can’t tell us?” 

“I didn’t sign anything, but it’s private, you nosy asshole.” I laugh to soften my words, but the sentiment stays. I haven’t known Keith that long, but I can’t imagine he’d be happy with me blabbing to my friends, even though we mostly discuss what movies we like and the progress on his writing. 

“Damn, don’t bite my head off. No wonder people are shipping you two. I thought it was far-fetched, but maybe not.” 

“People do what to us now? Are they sending us somewhere? Why?”

Lance bursts out laughing and almost swerves off the road. 

“Hey, don’t wreck my car. And what did I say that was so funny?”

“Oh, my sweet summer child.” 

“What the resident idiot should say is that ‘shipping’ means people think you’re in a relationship, or it would be cute if you were. You know. Relation-ship. Shipping!” Katie takes pity on me, explaining, but she also lifts from her seat to spy over my shoulder. I love my friends to death, but they have no sense of personal boundaries.

“Knock it off,” I say, pocketing the phone. We should arrive soon, so there’s no reason to reply to Keith’s last message, no matter how much my fingers itch to do exactly that.

“Papa Grumpy Bear, are we today? Don’t worry, Shiro, we know you’re mourning the death of your relationship with Adam.” 

“I’m not.” The admission wriggles free with no input from my brain, which is stunned by the notion of people thinking about Keith and me. Being together. Absurd. Completely, utterly ridiculous, though I won’t deny it’s also tempting. But I don’t fool around with coworkers, and I should stamp it on the inside of my skull so I wouldn’t forget. 

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“You’re not? That’s great. You were so miserable these past months. Good riddance, I say.” Lance maneuvers us toward the studio parking lot. I let the comment about Adam slide.

“Regardless of my relationship status, Keith is straight,” I say to remind my friends, but mostly myself. “So this ‘shipping’ isn’t realistic.” 

“It’s called a ship,” Katie adds helpfully. “The fictional relationship. Shipping is the act of putting the relationship together. Believe me, real sexual orientation doesn’t play the tiniest role in it. You should see some truly weird ships, like Shrek and SpongeBob, or Neil Armstrong and my Little Ponies. A gay dude and straight dude, that’s like nothing.”

“Plus, I wonder if the thing about Keith is true. There are rumors.” 

For a moment, I’m torn between curiosity and decency. In the end, curiosity wins.

“What rumors?” 

“Oh, you know.” Lance heads for a spot so tiny I doubt I’ll be able to get out without scratching the door. Troubling since we're using my car, as it was the only one large enough to fit all our stuff when we moved to our temporary home. 

“I’m not sure you can squeeze in there, Lance.” 

“Title of my sex tape!”

“Oh my god,” Katie groans. “Dial it down, Lancelot, before you embarrass us on the very first day.” 

“Seconded.”

“You two are no fun,” Lance says but backs out without another word and circles the parking lot in search of a larger spot. Once we’re parked, he cuts the engine and turns to me.

“So, rumor has it that Keith has never had a serious relationship. Occasionally, he’ll bring a girl to a premiere or a party, but rarely the same one, and just as often, he goes alone.” 

“Well, he’s only twenty-four. Pretty young for anything serious. Plus, he’s a private person. It’s quite possible he keeps that part of life on the down low.”

“You had a serious relationship, and you’re only two years older,” Lance points out. We climb out of the car, still chatting, though now I’m starting to feel uncomfortable about the direction our discussion has taken. 

“There you go. We got together too young, and it didn’t work out. Besides, straight, gay, pan, closeted, it doesn’t matter. We’re going to work together, and it could turn into a clusterfuck. Plus, I doubt he’d be interested.” I say, kicking at the gravel under my feet.

“Are you fishing for compliments?” Katie asks, zipping up her coat. It’s the end of November, and the temperatures in Toronto bite much more viciously than back home. 

“Yeah, I mean, I’m pretty sure I saw a guy walk into a wall at the gym the other day because he couldn’t take his eyes off you,” Lance says with a feral grin.

“There’s also the fact a casting lady snapped you up from a hallway for a major Interflix production. Just saying she didn’t do it for your personality. Which is great, no doubt, but it doesn’t show on camera.”

Heat creeps up my neck. 

“I really wasn’t fishing for anything, and I already drove you to Toronto, so you don’t have to butter me up.”

“We’re just saying you’re a total package, Shiro. Anyone would be lucky to have you.” Lance gives me such a thorough perusal I choke. Once I can breathe again, it mists in the freezing air, and I do my best to burrow deeper into the soft scarf wrapped around my neck.

“Stop it with the looks.” 

“Not me. Gross, you’re like my older, slightly less handsome brother.”

“Okay, guys, if you two are all done complimenting your dicks, let’s go inside. It’s freezing, and I don’t want to be late before we’ve even started. It makes a crappy impression.” 

“Agreed. I have to go meet up with Keith.”

“Yes, we can’t forget Shiro’s work-husband is waiting for him,” Lance says, eyes glinting with amusement. The heat strangling my neck continues its assault upward until it settles in my cheeks, raising red flags there. 

“I regret ever telling you two anything.” 

“Nah, you love us. Enough stalling. Time to become superstars.”

Lance’s excitement is contagious, and I loop around his shoulder as we step inside the studio together.

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