by Aidan Wayne
“Hey,” Mr. Avi said, eyeing him. “You’re here. What a surprise.”
“I’m probably more surprised than you are,” Taemin said, coming over to him. “What are you doing here?”
Mr. Avi crossed his arms. “I’m here to talk some sense into you. I know for a fact you’re going to be training yourself into the ground this afternoon. Which means that you should be taking it easy now. And you’re not. Can’t say I’m shocked.”
“Mr. Avi—”
“And I showed up because I knew I had a better chance of talking you out of it in person. Julia is waiting for me to report back.”
“You and Julia worry too much,” Taemin said, exasperated. “I’m doing fine.”
Mr. Avi glared. “If Marcus hadn’t clued me in to your plans yesterday, you would have been on the mat for seven hours. That’s too much!”
“My last black belt test lasted for twelve,” Taemin pointed out.
“Yeah, and you have those how often, exactly?”
That was a point. And Taemin knew he’d been working hard. But still. “I’m already here and warmed up. I should do one hour of cardio at least.” Mr. Avi did not stop glaring. “And then I’ll stop. I promise.”
“Until your meeting at three?”
“It’s only ten,” Taemin said stubbornly. “That’s plenty of time to rest.”
“Well if you’re going to go for another hour, you’re at least eating something,” Mr. Avi said in a voice that brooked no argument. He headed into Taemin’s office. Taemin followed him, at a bit of a loss.
While Mr. Avi rummaged through the boxes of nonperishables that he and Preeti had left—and wow, Taemin hadn’t realized how much he’d acquired, considering he had stopped paying attention after a while—Taemin figured he might as well check his phone. He was pleased to find he had a message from Marcus.
Hey, hope you’re having a good morning so far. It’s my last day before work really starts for me, so I was wondering if you wanted to maybe get coffee or something together? Totally cool if you can’t, I know you’re training today, but just thought I’d ask. Even if we don’t get together today, hopefully we can again this week? If only to maybe spend some time together on the mat. Let me know!
“Good news?” Mr. Avi asked, holding out a package of trail mix.
Taemin realized he was smiling at his phone. He set it down to take the trail mix and tear open the package. “Marcus. He was wondering if we couldn’t meet again today.” That’d be nice. Maybe a break before he went to Detroit was warranted after all.
“You should. Give yourself a break.” When Taemin nodded, mouth full of trail mix, Mr. Avi asked, “When did he come into town anyway?”
“Hm?” He swallowed. “I’m not sure. But he came here Wednesday night, and we talked some before he invited me out for breakfast on Thursday. We got together before that, to spar a little.”
“Okay,” Mr. Avi said slowly. “And then he came to the dojang Thursday after class. And then Saturday for class.”
Taemin ate some more trail mix. “Mm-hm.”
“And you two went out after class on Saturday, right?”
“Right.”
“And he’s inviting you out again now.”
Taemin finished the trail mix and threw the bag in the trash. “I’m really enjoying getting to spend so much time with him. And he’s being very nice, to keep inviting me out.” Especially with how much Marcus seemed to have going on in his life. After all, his last free day before launching into a huge project like being in a movie? And he was making time to spend with Taemin? That was a total pleasure.
“Uh-huh.” Mr. Avi handed him a protein bar, which Taemin took without protest. “Well, okay. That counts as a break in my book, as long as he’s not asking to meet you for, I don’t know, an afternoon of parkour.”
Taemin rolled his eyes while he chewed. “He said coffee,” once he’d swallowed.
Mr. Avi leveled him with an unreadable expression, before he shrugged and slapped Taemin on the shoulder. “Sounds good to me. If you like seeing him, you should take him up on it.”
Taemin smiled back down at his phone. “I think I will.”
MONDAY FOUND Marcus awake bright and early in order to get his workout in before meeting with Billy in a Panera for an in-person get-together to talk over what would be going on for the week. After he’d given Marcus a tentative schedule (and pointed out everything in the Google calendar they shared), they’d head over to the gymnastics place to meet the director, producer, and stunt coordinator, along with some of the other main cast, to start getting run-downs and blocking. The next week would mostly be long days at the gym, interspersed with getting new versions of the script to look over, costume fittings, and makeup tests; his character design called for a pretty intricate back tattoo, which was supposed to be part of a big reveal in the plot later on in the movie.
He finished his workout, jumped in and out of the shower, pulled on a T-shirt and pair of shorts, then checked his phone to let Billy know he was on his way.
Aside from a text from Billy (and an email with the latest version of the script to look over later), he also had one from Taemin. Wishing you good luck on your first day at work!
Warmth bloomed inside Marcus, knowing that Taemin was thinking about him. Thanks, he typed back. I hope you have a great day. He stowed his phone in his pocket, grabbed his wallet and keys, and left the apartment.
“So,” Billy asked after he and Marcus took a seat in a little tucked-away corner booth. “Are you settled in yet?”
“Probably more than you are,” Marcus said. He’d been in Michigan for almost a week now. Billy’d arrived last night. “How was the flight in?”
Billy groaned. “Miserable, considering the time difference, but isn’t it always?”
“Hey, better than when we had to go to Australia.”
He sighed. “True. Now then.” He set a binder and a tablet on the table. “Let’s talk shop, shall we?”
Two hours later and they’d covered Marcus’s tentative schedule for the whole week. When he was going to costuming (tomorrow morning), when he was getting his first sit-down with the other main characters in the cast (Wednesday afternoon, though he’d be seeing a lot of them today and tomorrow anyway, as they all were in and out of wardrobe and the gym), and so on.
“I think that about covers it,” Billy said, after he’d made sure the last appointment he had with Marcus for that week had synced to both their phones’ calendars.
“As always, I’m a grateful man.”
“Oh, don’t worry,” Billy said with a grin, “I’m very aware of how important I am.”
Marcus laughed. “Meet you at the gym?”
Billy nodded. “Please don’t get lost and end up in Canada.”
“Excuse you, I have never crossed state borders getting lost.”
“And let’s keep it that way, shall we?”
Billy’s ribbing aside, Marcus did make judicious use of Google Maps in order to get to the gymnasium where he was supposed to meet everyone else. He made good time, though, pulling up just as Billy was getting out of his own car.
“See?” he called. “Made it!” Even from the distance, he could see Billy roll his eyes.
They walked to the building together, following the signs that pointed them to where they needed to be. It was pretty obvious they were in the right place when he saw a few guys he recognized.
“Leo! Hey man, how you been?”
Leo Gonzales, a mountain of a man and one of the best damn stunt coordinators Marcus had ever had the pleasure of working with, came over to greet them. “Marcus!” He took Marcus’s outstretched hand and pulled him in for a hug, slapping him on the back. “Good to be working with you again.” Beaming, he turned to Billy. “Hey Billy. It’s—it’s nice to see you.”
“Leo,” Billy said, voice bland.
Leo’s smile faltered. “Uh, yeah.” He cleared his throat. “Anyway, let’s have you say hi to everyone else, huh?�
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TAEMIN GOT home Monday after class at around ten o’clock and immediately dropped his things to head straight for the shower. Even though he’d managed to squeeze in a nap that afternoon, getting up at five to lead the early-morning sparring class and then not being done at work until the evening adult class was over at eight thirty…. He had left attendances to go over tomorrow morning, instead heading home as soon as he and Preeti said goodbye.
Once he was clean and dressed to sleep in soft lounge pants and a worn T-shirt, he went into the kitchen to grab something to eat. While he ate, he absentmindedly checked his phone for the first time in hours. A few emails relating to the school, another one from his mother asking how he was doing, the usual text from Preeti to let him know she’d gotten home safe (something he insisted she send him every evening), and a text from Marcus, sent around 8:00 p.m.
Just got done with a long day. Though I shouldn’t complain, since I know for a fact that yours was even longer than mine. Even so, I hope it was a good day for you.
The emails Taemin figured could wait until he was more awake, but he typed out a reply to Marcus. Even if he was asleep now, he could wake up to the message.
It’s true my day was long, but it was a good one. I hope your day was the same.
Surprisingly, he received a reply almost immediately. It was, thanks. Got a lot done. And it was nice to see some of the crew again.
Good to hear, Taemin sent back. Is tomorrow another full day? Today had to have been, if Marcus had only gotten home a few hours ago.
Probably not quite as long as this one, since we had to cram a lot in, what with everyone only just getting here. Tomorrow will be meeting with costumes and makeup. Wednesday is when we start cast reads, and we’re slated to start filming the easier stuff next week.
Already? Wow! That’s pretty soon. Does all movie making go that fast?
Yes and no, Marcus wrote. A lot of it really boils down to hurry up and wait. We all rush to be somewhere and then have to wait ages for setup, or timing is imperative and then a take needs to be redone twenty times. We’ve already got the infinity room set up, so we’ll be filming there for a while, before we head downtown to do the on-set stuff.
That’s really interesting. If you’re ever up for it, I’d love to hear more about the process and how things are going for you. He finished eating and got up to clear everything away. His phone buzzed several times before he grabbed it again, taking it with him as he went into his bedroom.
That’d be great, Marcus had written. I’d love to see you again. What is your week looking like?
Taemin sighed. Pretty busy. But then again, it always is. I have pockets of free time during the day, but I’m sure you’d be busy then. And I can’t ask to see you at night during or after classes, after you’ve had a long day.
There wasn’t a swift reply this time, so Taemin assumed that Marcus had gone to bed. It wasn’t a bad idea for him to do so either. He set his phone down on his nightstand and crawled under his covers. Just as he was about to turn off his bedside lamp, his phone lit up again.
Long day or not, I’d like to see you. Even if it’s just for a little while. I’d really like to come by after class tomorrow. If you didn’t mind.
Of course I don’t mind. But classes end at 8:30. Are you sure you want to be out that late?
If it means seeing you, then yeah.
Taemin blinked down at his phone, the rush of warmth at reading those words startling in its ferocity. He was tired. He was overthinking what Marcus probably meant.
What Taemin had just realized he maybe wanted it to mean, after the time they’d been spending together recently.
No, he was being ridiculous. And possibly overstepping by even thinking Marcus might be interested in anything more than platonic. Marcus had been his student. As a child no less. Taemin was upset at himself for even entertaining the idea. That there might be something more there.
But… what was the best course of action here? Now that he knew he was interested in Marcus—and how couldn’t he be, seeing the kind, strong, attractive man he’d grown up into—would it be… right to keep spending time with him? So much time?
Then again, it wasn’t as if Taemin was the one asking Marcus out. It had been Marcus who had continued to ask if they could meet, in part because Taemin didn’t want to push too hard in trying to reconnect, if Marcus didn’t want to.
But… it seemed that Marcus did want to. At least in some respect.
“Stupid,” Taemin muttered, frowning down at his phone. He was tired and overthinking things, was all. And now he’d kept Marcus waiting while he dithered. I’m always happy to see you, he ended up sending, trying for innocuous but truthful. Talk to you more later? I’m turning in.
Good night, Marcus sent back. Sleep well.
Chapter Six
MARCUS ALWAYS kinda liked costuming. It was cool to see what artists and designers came up with considering guidelines they might or might not have been given. And he was lucky in that he didn’t mind trying on and changing clothes.
His measurements had been taken before he’d left of course, so when he showed up for fittings, it was to dozens and dozens of options, all in varying degrees of interesting and raggedy, to try on and model for the director to see what worked and what didn’t. There wouldn’t be a whole lot of costume changes in the film, what with his character being a space-rat, so it was important to find the right look. It would essentially help sell the film, since he was the main promoter of it.
He didn’t even know how long it’d been when he came out of the dressing room in yet another mix-n-match jumble of pieces and it was decided they’d found what they were looking for: Dark-wash jeans (space always managed to have jeans) with artfully splattered drops of paint, oil, and grease stains, a dark red shirt flecked with gray, and a black bomber jacket. Steel-toed work boots and fingerless gloves completed the look. Not that interesting, to be honest. Way tamer than some of the initial pieces they’d had him try on. “What do you think?” he asked Billy as he was posed for pictures to document the chosen costume.
Billy didn’t even look up from his phone. “You just spent over an hour trying stuff on to get that look. You think I’m going to say anything that isn’t positive?”
Marcus snorted. “Come on.”
Billy glanced at him. “You look fine. Very space-dystopia leading-man material.”
“Thanks.”
“What do you want to do for lunch, by the way? I know we’ve got some time—” Marcus hadn’t even gotten to makeup yet. “—but better if I know sooner over later.”
Marcus gave Billy a funny look. “I’m meeting with Leo and the guys for lunch, remember?” He knew he’d be seeing them a lot soon—probably to the point that they’d all be sick of each other (although always in a friendly way), but he was sort of eager to talk shop.
“Oh.” Billy dropped his gaze right back down to his phone. “Right. Sorry, I forgot.”
“No worries,” Marcus said quickly. Billy prided himself on his professionalism, no matter the close relationship he and Marcus had. He’d be kicking himself for forgetting something even as simple as what Marcus was doing for lunch off the clock. “I think I only mentioned it in, like, passing anyway. Probably didn’t give you a lot of notice to write it down.”
“Will you need me at lunch, then?”
Marcus shook his head. “Nah. You can go do your own thing after we’re done here.” Since everyone was doing wardrobe stuff today, he didn’t need to be at the gym until tomorrow, after he met with London, Roger, and Hailey (and Hailey’s mom) to discuss the script.
Billy nodded, looking relieved. “Okay. Easy enough.”
Once he was given the go-ahead, Marcus went to change back into his street clothes—consisting of shorts again, since it was so nice out. It was going to be murder to film outside in his chosen costume once it started getting really hot. Just something to look forward to. Then he and Billy walked down the hallway to makeup.<
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He immediately had to take off his shirt again, in order for tests to start on his back tattoo. Gone were the days of Marcus not appreciating the work that went into altering a character’s appearance in any way, shape, or form. Makeup artists were gods, possessing knowledge of intricate witchcraft, and they were to be feared. Lest they utilize the same patience and insanity that allowed them to hand-letter tiny script tattoos over an entire person’s body and use it for evil.
It did, however, also leave him with a lot of time just sitting backward in a chair.
“Pink script is out,” Billy told him, handing Marcus his phone. “If you wanted to read through that while you wait.”
“Thanks.” Marcus unlocked his phone but, instead of going to his email, went to his messages instead.
So what are the odds that the movie industry will take me as a martial artist stunt double in the event med school kills me? Preeti had sent, along with a picture of three textbooks and an open laptop.
Not that high, considering you’d be dead, Marcus sent back, amused. But if you’re interested in actually doing stunt work, I can pass along your info to my stunt coordinator.
Oh my GOD no thank you times a billion.
Marcus’s amusement skyrocketed. Not a fan of being in front of the camera?
Nope nope nope.
What about the eventual speeches you’ll be giving when you become the best sports medicine doctor in the world?
Shadow puppets.
Marcus chuckled. Still means you need to survive medical school.
Yeah, yeah. Are you coming by the dojang anytime this week? I can get some of my energy out.
I was going to see if I couldn’t stop by tonight. Make the adult class. Will you be there?
Yeah! I work Tuesday nights.
Cool. I’ll see you tonight then.
Awesome, yeah.
He went from messages to email then, to pull up the pink script and start reading through it, but he only got a few paragraphs in before he got another message. From Taemin this time. Eagerly, he went to read it.
