New York (LoW prompt: Bubble)

[killingsoftly]

The first couple of days had been like in a dream of pure joy. He still had to pinch himself to make sure he wasn't actually dreaming, that it all was real. That more than just the fact that Warren was with him, that Warren loved him. That he ... even in his head he stumbled over the word, but he managed it...loved Warren.

There was fear there, too. Always fear, of what he could do. Of what he'd done before. That Warren would wake up one day and realize just who and what he was in bed with. That Warren didn't know the worst of it. The lives he'd taken knowingly. Purposefully.

That the full knowledge of him would burst the bubble of happiness they were floating in.

He pulled on his leather pants and shrugged into his silk shirt. Earring in, just one, shirt half unbuttoned. He added a touch of eyeliner, something to draw eyes to his. Nothing too elaborate. Nothing like what he'd paraded around in the years of Glam. But a touch. He was tousling his hair, adding in gel when his cell rang.

He glanced at the number and sighed. He almost didn't answer, but he finally did. He wondered how she'd known he was in town.

"Brenda."

"Devin, darling," her voice was always so chipper and yet refined. "You naughty boy, you didn't call and tell me you were in town."

He continued to fuss with his hair. "No, I didn't."

"I thought that was our arrangement."

"It's not? I call when I need work, luv, but currently I'm doing just fine." He wasn't, really, but his investments would hold. He'd saved well. He could afford to not have to work for her for a while.

"Devin..." She sounded like she was chiding him. "Kathryn saw your poster. She'd like to see you after the show."

"Not possible." He slapped on the aftershave a little too vehemently.

"And why not?"

"I have plans." He swallowed, closing his eyes as he prepared to cut the ties. "Rather permanent ones."

There was a long pause on the other end. "You're quitting?"

He took a deep breath. "Yeah. I am."

"You can't do that. You're my most successful..."

"Everyone quits at some point, Brenda. You did."

"You're at your peak!"

"I'm done." For now.

"Devin...you've always said..."

"I know." He leaned against the counter.

"You're the best."

He sighed, closing his eyes. "Yeah. I know." It was his particular gift. "I'm still done, at least for now, okay?"

Another long pause and then a sigh. "She must be something."

He smiled a little. "He is."

She chuckled at that. "Kathryn will still be there tonight."

"I'll deal with her."

"She's a very important client."

"I'll deal with her nicely."

"If you ever..."

"Yeah, I know. I'll call."

She sighed one more time and then he heard the click. He set the phone aside, closing his eyes again and rubbing his temples.

He'd need to book more gigs, for the energy and the money. Cut new CDs and push them. Maybe actually put up a website with ordering. Something to bring money in to keep them going. And he'd have to make these phone calls in most major cities in America.

It wasn't going to be easy, but he just...he didn't know what Warren would say. Didn't want to find out, if it disappointed him. Didn't...He wanted them to stay as happy as they were. Whatever it took. He'd just have to pull more from the audience. Take from them what he couldn't get elsewhere. He could make it work. He gave a resolute nod, and reached to work on messing his hair up just a bit more.

Comments

[firebugwarren.livejournal.com]

Warren kissed him back, but snagged a finger in the back of his pants as Devin went by, stopping him as he closed the door behind them.

"Hey." Softly. "You okay?"

[killingsoftly.livejournal.com]

"Yeah.." Devin stopped and looked back at him. "Why?"

[firebugwarren.livejournal.com]

Warren frowned slightly. Maybe it was nothing. Whatever he'd thought he'd seen was gone now.

"You looked..."

He shrugged. "Never mind. You looked more pensive than usual," he smiled.

[killingsoftly.livejournal.com]

He waffled, indecision in his eyes. Trying to decide what to say, he linked his fingers through Warren's and tugged him down the hall. On the way to a gig was not exactly when he wanted to have this conversation, but he didn't want to lie.

And there was still Kathryn to deal with.

"I was a bit, but nothing's wrong." He squeezed Warren's hand. "Got a phone call from a former employer, wanting me to work while I was here. I told her no, that I was here with you."

[firebugwarren.livejournal.com]

Warren blushed a little at that and smiled at him, relaxing.

"Pleasure, not business?" He was ridiculously pleased by that. "Poor woman, out of luck. You're all mine."

His arm slid around Devin's waist, hugging him lightly.

[killingsoftly.livejournal.com]

Devin leaned into the hug, stopping for a moment to kiss him again.

"I am," he murmured quietly, a soft promise.

[firebugwarren.livejournal.com]

Warren smiled softly as he kissed him back.

Then pulled back. "And that's all you get till after the show, or we're never going to make it," he grinned, teasing.

[killingsoftly.livejournal.com]

Devin laughed, his smile lighter, and stepped back.

"A very good point..."

[firebugwarren.livejournal.com]

Warren grinned, smacked him on the ass. "Get going, rock star. Your devoted audience awaits."

[killingsoftly.livejournal.com]

Devin grinned and started back down the hall. "We should swing through a drive thru to get food on our way down town, considering how long it's gonna take us to navigate traffic."

[firebugwarren.livejournal.com]

"In that case, I'll drive, you concentrate on not getting food down your shirt."

[killingsoftly.livejournal.com]

Devin wrinkled his nose at him. "Yessir."

[firebugwarren.livejournal.com]

"Good boy." Warren glanced at him, grinned, another glance raking him up and down and taking in all of his carefully designed sexiness.

"Be a shame to get you all dressed up like that just to have to take it off."

His tone of voice suggested it wouldn't be a shame at all.

[killingsoftly.livejournal.com]

Devin smirked. "It really would be...I'd have to do the show naked."

[firebugwarren.livejournal.com]

"Now that would be a hell of a show. Can I get a private screening?"

[killingsoftly.livejournal.com]

"I think that could be arranged," Devin said with a slow smile.

[firebugwarren.livejournal.com]

Warren smirked. "Good. That kind of show definitely needs a private screening. Very exclusive audience."

[killingsoftly.livejournal.com]

"It does," Devin agreed. "It wouldn't even take that much persuasion on your part."

[firebugwarren.livejournal.com]

"To perform?" Warren glanced at him, still smiling, but something else behind his eyes. "Or to make it an exclusive audience?"

[killingsoftly.livejournal.com]

Devin held his eyes. "Either."

[firebugwarren.livejournal.com]

Warren just looked at him, smiling wryly, for a moment. A long moment.

Then he pulled him into his arms, hugged him tight. "Cool." Softly, husky. "I like being in an exclusive audience."

[killingsoftly.livejournal.com]

Devin hugged him back, just as tight. "I like having you as one..."

[firebugwarren.livejournal.com]

Warren sighed a bit in what might have been relief. Then smiled into his shoulder.

"Still not going anywhere. We're not, that is. And we should be."

[killingsoftly.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, we should..." He pulled back just a bit and wound his fingers through Warren's again, heading on out to the van.

"I think we should get tacos."

[firebugwarren.livejournal.com]

"Tacos are good." It had been a while since he'd had tacos.

"Messy." He grinned. "But good."