When Rivalry Goes Viral

The sunlight streaming through the studio windows was warm and inviting, but the atmosphere inside was anything but. The space was bustling with photographers, makeup artists, and stylists, each trying to wrangle the chaos of the day into something resembling order. In the center of it all, Vivien Hart stood with her arms crossed, glaring at the man who had once again managed to ruin her morning.

"Are you seriously wearing that?" Vivien snapped, her eyes narrowing at Ren Ashford's choice of attire—a crisp white shirt, the top two buttons undone, paired with dark jeans and sneakers.

Ren smirked, adjusting the cuffs of his shirt. "What's wrong with it? Casual, cool, authentic. Isn't that what this campaign is all about?"

"It's lazy," Vivien shot back. "We're supposed to be representing LuxLife, not some college frat party."

Ren placed a hand over his chest, feigning offense. "Ouch. You wound me, Hart."

"Good," Vivien muttered, turning her attention to the wardrobe rack. "Maybe next time you'll take this seriously."

The campaign shoot was their first official collaboration for the Unfiltered campaign, and tensions were already running high. The concept was straightforward: a series of photos showcasing their "authentic" selves. But working with Ren was proving to be anything but simple.

---

"Alright, everyone!" called the lead photographer, a no-nonsense woman named Kira. "Let's get started. Vivien, Ren, to the backdrop, please."

Vivien took a deep breath, schooling her features into a polite smile as she stepped into position. Ren followed, his hands casually tucked into his pockets as if he didn't have a care in the world.

Kira directed them to stand shoulder to shoulder, their expressions relaxed and approachable. "Remember, this is about authenticity. Just be yourselves."

Vivien stiffened. The idea of "being herself" next to Ren felt impossible. She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, only to catch him pulling a ridiculous face at her.

"Are you five?" she hissed under her breath.

Ren's grin widened. "Just trying to loosen you up, Hart. You're wound tighter than a spring."

"Maybe if you took this seriously, I wouldn't have to be," Vivien snapped.

Kira sighed audibly. "Can we try to look like you don't hate each other? Just for five minutes?"

Vivien forced a smile, though it felt more like baring her teeth. Ren leaned closer, his voice low enough that only she could hear.

"You know," he murmured, "this would be a lot easier if you'd stop trying to control everything."

Vivien stepped on his foot, her smile never wavering.

Ren winced but didn't retaliate, though his eyes sparkled with amusement. "Touché."

---

As the shoot progressed, the tension only grew. Vivien tried to focus on following Kira's directions, but Ren's constant antics were a relentless distraction. He made faces, cracked jokes, and even managed to knock over a prop table, sending a cascade of fruit rolling across the floor.

"Seriously, Ashford?" Vivien snapped, throwing her hands up in exasperation.

"Relax," Ren said, bending down to pick up a rogue orange. "It's just fruit."

"It's unprofessional," Vivien shot back.

Kira pinched the bridge of her nose. "Alright, let's take five. Everyone, get some water, regroup, and we'll try this again."

Vivien stormed off to the makeup station, where Chloe was waiting with a bottle of water and an unimpressed expression.

"He's impossible," Vivien fumed, taking a sip of water.

Chloe raised an eyebrow. "You're letting him get to you."

"I'm not—" Vivien began, but Chloe cut her off.

"You are," Chloe said firmly. "And the more you react, the more he's going to push your buttons. You need to focus on what you came here to do."

Vivien sighed, closing her eyes for a moment. Chloe was right. As usual.

When the shoot resumed, Kira decided to switch things up, instructing Vivien and Ren to engage in a more dynamic pose.

"Vivien, sit on the edge of the table. Ren, lean in like you're mid-conversation. I want this to feel natural," Kira said.

Ren took his position, leaning one arm on the table beside Vivien as he turned to face her. He was close—too close. Vivien could feel the warmth of his presence, and it made her pulse quicken in a way that infuriated her.

"You're staring," Ren said, his voice teasing.

"I'm trying not to look like I want to strangle you," Vivien shot back.

Ren chuckled softly, the sound annoyingly genuine. "You know, if you stopped fighting me for two seconds, this might actually be fun."

Vivien arched an eyebrow. "Fun? This is a campaign, Ren. Not a comedy sketch."

"And yet, people love our 'comedy sketch,'" Ren said, nodding toward the photographers. "You saw the numbers."

Vivien opened her mouth to argue but stopped when she noticed Kira gesturing enthusiastically.

"That's it!" Kira called out. "That tension—it's perfect! Hold it right there."

Vivien froze. Tension?

She realized too late that the camera loved their dynamic, even if she hated it.

---

The last setup of the day involved props—coffee mugs, notebooks, and other casual items meant to evoke a "day in the life" vibe. Vivien carefully adjusted her mug on the table, trying to ignore Ren's exaggerated attempts to balance a pen on his nose.

"Ren, could you—" Vivien began, but her words were cut off as Ren accidentally knocked over her mug, sending lukewarm coffee spilling across the table and onto her lap.

Vivien shot to her feet with a gasp. "Are you kidding me?"

Ren's eyes widened, his expression caught between guilt and amusement. "Okay, that was an accident. I swear."

Vivien grabbed a napkin, dabbing at her pants while glaring at him. "You're unbelievable."

"Hey, at least it wasn't hot coffee," Ren offered weakly.

Vivien's glare deepened. "If it were, you'd be wearing it."

The crew erupted into laughter, and even Vivien couldn't help but let out a frustrated chuckle.

---

The studio lights were dimmed now, the bustling energy of the day reduced to the quiet hum of packing tape and muted conversation as the crew packed up their equipment. Vivien sat on a worn folding chair in the corner, her elbows resting on her knees and her head in her hands. Her body ached from hours of forced smiles and awkward poses, and her patience was worn thinner than her favorite yoga mat.

It had been, by all accounts, a disaster. The coffee spill, the prop table incident, Ren's relentless antics—every moment had chipped away at her composure. But when Kira had shown her the preliminary photos, Vivien had been forced to admit something she wasn't ready to say out loud: they were stunning. The tension, the chemistry, the unscripted moments—it was all there, captured perfectly in the images.

"Of course, it works," she muttered to herself. "The universe loves to make me suffer."

"Talking to yourself, Hart?"

Vivien looked up to find Ren standing in front of her, a bottle of water in hand and a familiar, infuriating grin on his face.

"Peace offering?" he said, holding out the bottle like a white flag.

Vivien hesitated before accepting it, her fingers brushing against his briefly as she took it. She twisted the cap off and took a long sip, letting the cool water soothe her parched throat.

"Don't think this means I'm forgiving you," she said, her tone sharper than she intended.

Ren laughed softly, sliding into the chair beside her with an easy grace that made her want to roll her eyes. "I wouldn't dream of it. Forgiveness from you would ruin all the fun."

Vivien shot him a sidelong glance, but the corner of her mouth twitched despite herself. "You think this is fun?"

Ren leaned back, stretching his legs out in front of him. "Of course. You yelling at me, trying not to murder me with your eyes—what's not to enjoy?"

Vivien snorted, unable to hold back a laugh. "If by 'fun,' you mean you clowning around while I do all the work, then yeah. A blast."

Ren's grin widened, and for a moment, the usual teasing edge in his eyes softened. "Come on, Hart. Admit it. You had a little fun today."

Vivien rolled her eyes, leaning back in her chair. She hated that he was right. As much as she wanted to deny it, there had been moments—brief, fleeting moments—where she'd forgotten to be annoyed with him. Where the banter had felt less like sparring and more like… something else.

"You're insufferable," she muttered, taking another sip of water.

Ren chuckled, the sound warm and genuine. "I'll take that as a yes."

---

For a few minutes, they sat in silence, the weight of the day settling around them. The crew's movements faded into the background, leaving just the two of them in the quiet corner of the studio.

"Do you ever get tired of it?" Vivien asked suddenly, her voice softer now.

Ren turned his head, his brows furrowing slightly. "Of what?"

"This," Vivien said, gesturing vaguely at the emptying studio. "The cameras, the chaos, the constant pressure to be 'on' all the time."

Ren was quiet for a moment, his gaze thoughtful as he stared at the floor. "Sometimes," he admitted. "But it's not all bad. There's something kind of… addicting about it. Knowing you can make people laugh, or think, or feel something. It's like a high."

Vivien studied him, surprised by the sincerity in his tone. It was rare to see him like this—unguarded, reflective.

"And you?" Ren asked, turning the question back on her.

"All the time," Vivien admitted with a small laugh. "It's exhausting. But I love what I do, and I think it matters. At least, I hope it does."

"It does," Ren said simply, his voice steady.

Vivien blinked, caught off guard by the certainty in his tone.

Ren leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "You've built something real, Hart. People see that. Even if they don't always say it."

For the first time all day, Vivien felt a flicker of warmth in her chest that wasn't annoyance. She looked at him, searching his face for any trace of sarcasm or mockery, but found none.

"Thanks," she said quietly.

Ren shrugged, his smile returning. "Don't get used to it."

---

As the last of the crew filed out, Kira approached them with a clipboard in hand. "You two survived," she said with a dry smile. "Barely."

Vivien groaned, running a hand through her hair. "I don't know how you put up with us all day."

Kira chuckled, glancing at her clipboard. "Well, the photos are incredible, so it was worth it. But let's try to avoid any more coffee spills next time, okay?"

Ren held up his hands in mock surrender. "I'll behave. Scout's honor."

Vivien snorted. "You were never a scout."

"Details," Ren said, flashing her a grin.

As Kira walked away, Vivien stood, stretching her arms above her head. Her muscles protested, and she winced.

"You good?" Ren asked, his tone almost… concerned.

"Fine," Vivien said quickly. "Just tired."

Ren stood as well, tossing his empty water bottle into a nearby bin. "Well, get some rest, Hart. You're going to need it."

"For what?" she asked, narrowing her eyes.

"For our next shoot," Ren said, his grin turning mischievous. "I hear it involves cooking. Hope you're better in the kitchen than you are with props."

Vivien groaned, already regretting agreeing to this campaign. "I'm going to kill you before this is over."

Ren's laughter echoed through the studio as he walked away, leaving Vivien shaking her head. She grabbed her bag, slinging it over her shoulder as she headed for the door.

As much as she hated to admit it, Ren was right about one thing. They did make a good team.