Page 73 of Total Creative Control
“No, it makes no sense at all. What the fuck is a Boston Brahmin?”
Charlie raised an eyebrow. “America’s social, political, and cultural elite—the New England aristocracy.”
“Never heard of them.” Lewis scowled and leaned back in his chair, arms folded across his chest. “Anyway,Brahminsdoesn’t make you think of vampires. You might as well call it ‘Toffs’. The title has to resonate. It has to make a strong, immediate connection with the audience. For a start, they have to know what the fuck it means.”
“I think you’ll find most educated people know what it means,” Charlie said shortly. “But let’s table it for now. Although I’ve got to tell you, the media teamlovedit. They’ve mocked up some fantastic graphics. I think you’re going to adore them.”
Aaron felt Lewis stiffen, heard his sharp intake of breath.
“Great!” Toni jumped in quickly. “We'll look at those later. But let’s not get distracted from the key point we need to resolve this weekend.” Her gaze fixed on Lewis and rested there. “The change of Faolán’s sexuality and the introduction of a romantic storyline between him and Amy.”
Aaron sat up straighter, his attention snagged. This was the point on which Lewis wouldn’t compromise, the rock against which Charlie’s ship would break. Despite everything, Aaron was kind of looking forward to watching the wreck. He just hoped it didn’t sink the deal.
Beside him, Lewis shifted, sharing a long look with Toni. He didn’t speak, and after a moment, she added, “We’ve been giving the idea some thought.”
And we think it’s shit, Aaron finished for her.
“And we have a couple of ideas that we’d like to discuss.”
Aaron frowned. What ideas? Last thing Aaron knew, Lewis was totally opposed to the changes. He glanced at him, but Lewis was scowling down at his notes again, drawing sharp zigzag shapes all over the paper in blood-red ink.
“Cool, cool, cool,” Charlie said. “I’m open. I’m listening. Let me hear where you’re going with this.”
“Faolán is an important character for lots of reasons,” Toni said, her gaze fixed intently on Charlie. “Not least because he’s an openly gay man, happy and proud of his sexuality. And Lewis—that is, all of us at RPP—believe it’s important to keep that positive representation in the show.”
Aaron let out a breath of relief.
“Absolutely,” Charlie said seriously, hands pressed together over the centre of his chest. “Abso-fucking-lutely.”
Toni’s expression hardened. “Good, I’m glad to hear that, Charlie. So our proposal is that we make Faolán bisexual.” She held up one hand when Charlie opened his mouth to speak. “That allows him to have a romantic interest in Amy without just, well, turning him straight.”
Aaron’s heart gave a twist of protest. That wasn’t right. Lewis didn’t want that. They’d talked about the Skylán romance—okay, ‘bromance’—loads of time. Lewis loved it. He wrote it, for Christ’s sake. He knew it was central to the show.
“Secondly, Lewis is keen to protect the friendship between Skye and Faolán,” Toni continued, “which he feels is threatened by the introduction of a romantic triangle that would focus Faolán’s storyline away from Skye. So, we’d like to introduce a new male character to take on the role of Skye’s friend and confidante, while allowing Faolán’s storyline to develop into the romantic triangle with Amy.”
Charlie made some sounds of approval, but Aaron scarcely heard. He couldn't seem to hear anything through the shockwave, as though a concussive blast had left his ears ringing.
This couldn’t be Lewis’s idea. Toni was talking about ripping Faolán apart. Destroying him entirely. Literally carving out the romantic element of Faolán’s relationship with Skye and giving it to Amy, while the vestiges of their intense bond lived on in some nameless new character.
It felt… It felt profoundly personal. It felt like an attack.
And it ignited fury in his belly. Staring at Lewis, Aaron waited for him to object, to tell Toni she’d got it wrong. Waited for him to defend Faolán and Skye’s relationship, to tell the truth about what it meant to the show. To Lewis. But he stayed silent, scribbling furiously on his notes, not looking up.
“So, this new character could be, say, another vamp?” Charlie was saying. “Ooh, maybe he’s like, fully gay? That way we could keep the LGBT-rep without needing to muddy the waters around Faolán’s sexuality. He could still be straight. I’m loving this! What if the gay vamp was a friend from Skye’s distant past, one who he once betrayed—”
“No.”
To Aaron’s surprise, it was his own voice that blurted the word. Perhaps he wouldn’t have spoken up normally, but he felt shaky and precarious this morning, like he had nothing left to lose.
And maybe he didn’t.
MaybeLeechesand Skylán were all he’d ever really had. Maybe they were the only real things in his life. And if that was true, he was going to bloody well fight for them.
“Andy,” Charlie said, staring at him, “did you have something to contribute?”
“Yes,” he said, heart racing. “I’m sorry, but you can’t scrap the Skye and Faolán dynamic. It’s the emotional heart of the show. Their bond, their… Well, let's just call it what it is, shall we? Theirromanceis central toLeeches. It’s what fuels the fandom.”
Charlie looked at Toni with the expression of a man surprised that his toaster had offered an opinion. “Well,” he said, “there are more complex things to consider than the ‘fandom’.” The air quotes around the word dripped with sarcasm.