“Thanks,” Ry said.Brand spoke to Alex, but he couldn’t make out the words.“Thanks for helping, Lon.”
His friend smiled and waved to everyone.“Off to grub out and pass out.”
Ry headed for his room, but before he could do more than open the door, a familiar hand rested on his shoulder.Ry turned around.Brand had snuck off, leaving Ry alone with Alex.
“Thanks, Ry,” he said, his features softened in the low light.“I’m sorry I told you to fuck off a couple weeks ago.And I—get some rest, okay?”
Ry searched Alex’s eyes.“I deserve it sometimes.Get some rest, too.”
Alex lingered for an awkward moment.“Thanks.Bye.”
Ry closed the door to his room, flipping the safety latch on.Only two doors and a hall separated him from his manager, and after the interview, Ry didn’t want any angry outbursts to deal with.
After a noisy day flying and the tense conversation, Ry reveled in the room’s quiet.He flopped onto the bed and closed his eyes for a few moments, letting his muscles turn to mush.His stomach gurgled.It had been several hours since he'd eaten; now that he was back in his suite with nothing else scheduled this evening, room service seemed like the ideal solution.
He turned on the TV to the news station to listen for mention of his name or Ghostfire, but otherwise looked out the window at the river below.The sky blackened, and the lights of the city blinked on.He smiled to himself.He’d taken the first step with himself, with Alex, with the band, with the fans.Relief calmed him, a wave of warmth.
In the solitude of his room, with the news playing quietly, he ate and then fell asleep in the ocean of his bed.
CHAPTER 10: PAST
Bright afternoon sunlight, rare for Portland, splashed across the words and numbers of the sign, making it hard to read.Ry squinted, a smile playing on his lips.
Ghostfire!July 16, 17, 18 10pm
Tonight, he’d see it in neon lights.The Libra Theatre may not have been the biggest or best location in the world, or hell, in Portland, but it was a start.Ghostfire finally had a place to play.A real fucking venue.
Ry spent weeks negotiating a contract with the manager, eventually setting up a door-split with them, which meant more promotion.He’d also been the one to pay the deposit.
Alex came up behind him, resting a hand on his shoulder.Ry relaxed against his boyfriend, soaking in the warmth from the sun.
“What do you think?”Ry said.
“I can barely read it,” Alex said, teasing.“What’s it say?”
“It say’s ‘Alex owes Ry a bj.’See?”
“Oh?Interesting.So all those meetings were only to hire the marquee?We definitely need a manager if that’s your best.”
Ry glared at Alex.
“Okay, okay,” Alex chuckled.“Never seen our name as a headliner.Kinda surreal, no?Always thought it would be cool—didn’t expect to hit like this.”
Ry turned around and softly kissed his boyfriend before pulling him into a firm embrace.He nuzzled into Alex’s chest, a faint scent of leather and orange lingering on his shirt.
“Whatcha thinking about?”Alex murmured to the top of his head.
“How we met.How everything so far has led us here.And I wouldn’t change a damn thing.”
Alex grinned, the scar above his eye twisted, only making him look even more adorable.Ry traced the blemish down to the sharp line of his jaw.
“Stop with your face,” he said to Alex.
“I can’t help that you think it’s cute, babe.”
“Thought I would find you two here.”Brand’s voice brought him back to the moment, the sign there, still real.His hair waved in the breeze, his glasses shining in the light as he pushed them up his nose.“Impressive, isn’t it?”
“Sure is,” Ry said, his tone soft.
