Five

Dean hid the bottle of Jack Daniel bottle bubble wrapped behind the sofa. There. He hoped Roman wouldn't open it and figure out what it was. His boyfriend was at work and he didn't want the Samoan man to be on his back about the drinking.

It was just kept there in case Roman searched the secret compartment at the kitchen.

The doorbell to the apartment yelled and Dean found Paul beaming with the rest of Steel Hounds behind him. "Morning, sunshine!"

"Aren't you a morning person," Dean remarked sarcastically. "What's up?"

"Well, let us come in first. Then I'll tell you."

Dean stepped aside. "Okay."

All six men entered including a bouncing Brock. Dean was starting to wonder if he was on Duracell batteries.

Corey grinned once the door closed. "People are raving about us last night."

Okay. That was good news.

"But get this," the rhythm guitarist continued. "He had an idea where we performed three times a week or even more."

"Ummm wasn't the point of this club to allow other bands to have their break?"

Paul rolled his eyes. "The public doesn't know that yet. And stop hiding, Dean. I know that you enjoyed performing last night."

"Well of course I did. Performing is what I do. But how will people react to this though?"

Seth smirked. "Our fans will love it."

"I'm not sure, Seth. I mean… it'll be back to the old days then."

"Yes, Dean. Except this club belongs to us."

The idea had its merit. And he'd get to live it out on stage. "You know what? Hell yeah!"

"Paul's a genius," Jeff declared.

"Oh that I am." Paul adjusted his tie. "I'm going to advertise it in the papers and your website. We're back in business, boys!"

All five members cheered while Brock continued to bounce.

When Roman came back from work, Dean jumped into his arms and planted kisses all over his face. He laughed and gave Dean a long kiss while kicking the door shut with his left leg. "What's got you so excited?" he asked, sitting down on the couch to remove his socks.

"Asylum is Steel Hounds' home ground," Dean announced. "We'll be performing there a certain number of days and people will come out here to see us!"

Roman raised an eyebrow. "Whatever happened to helping people to get their big break?"

"Well, they can play in between the days we aren't playing. We haven't worked out the details but the point is I get to perform!"

He could see how much it meant to Dean so he congratulated him. "I hope it works out."

"Oh it will." He paused. "Did your friends call you?"

"Just Jason," Roman replied. "He said the kit helped with the hangover."

"He's not coming back anytime soon, is he?"

The Samoan man thought back to his conversation with Jason earlier that morning. "Nah. I think they've experienced it once and it was enough."

His boyfriend was beaming as if he was proud of that fact. "It's not for everyone even though it's just a place to have a good time."

"I think how people choose to have a good time is subjective, baby boy."

"No arguments there." He grinned at Roman mischievously. "No prizes for guessing how we have a good time."

Roman decided to tease him. "Scrabble?"

"No," Dean immediately replied.

"Couple charades?"

"Don't ever make me do that again!"

"Ummm dinner parties?"

"Fuck, Roman. I thought sex between us is fun!"

"It is?"

Dean looked upset. "Of course."

Roman scratched his beard. "I'm not sure, babe. I mean sex is just sex."

"What?!" the lead singer screeched. "You need more practise."

"Okay. With whom?"

His boyfriend looked like he wanted to throttle him. "Make a guess."

"Let's see…"

"If you say any other person's name except mine, you'll regret it."

"Oh. Will I?" Seeing Dean like that made him smile.

"What are you smiling about?"

"Nothing." He grabbed Dean's hand. "Come on. Let's go practise."

Dean yanked his hand away. "No thank you. I'll masturbate."

Roman shrugged. "Okay."

"That's it? Okay?"

"What do you want me to say?"

He jumped on Roman sending them both falling on the sofa. "I don't want you to say."

"Okay-"

"I want you to scream my name."

"Your name, huh? Sure it's your name I should-"

"Roman…" he said warningly before he claimed Roman's lips. His boyfriend smiled against his lips and pulled him closer.

"You're right," Roman panted. "We should practise more often."

Dean snuggled against his body and kissed his right pec. "Of course."

"Dean, are you sure about Asylum?"

"Yep. Excess booze, excess drugs, excess sex…"

"You're actually admitting to promoting these in the club?"

"Yeah. Of course. You've seen our tour. You know how it is."

His boyfriend looked uncomfortable. "Dean, I-"

"No, Roman. I'm not pretending to be someone I'm not in my own club."

"Okay but just tone it down. You don't want to hear stories of people overdosing in your club."

He sighed. "You do have a point there. But nothing wrong with a little boinking here and there..."

"As long you are not the one boinking," Roman pointed out. "You're not on tour so those privileges don't apply to you."

Dean laughed. "What? Of course it does. This is an all year round tour."

He felt Roman's body tensed. "Then have fun."

Okay. This was something he did not expect. "Relax, Roman. I don't even know how to have sex with someone that's not you."

"Sure," Roman scoffed.

"It's true," Dean insisted. "I did not lust after anyone on tour. I don't think I've lusted after anyone after meeting you."

His boyfriend kept quiet. Dean was growing worried. Was Roman still upset?

"Roman, are you okay?" he asked.

"Yeah."

"But you're so quiet…"

"I'm humbled. You didn't… lust after anyone?"

"Nope. It was weird. Until I realized I already belonged to you heart, body, mind and soul."

His boyfriend kissed him softly then. Dean lightly traced Roman's cheek with his fingers. "Try not to get in trouble?" his boyfriend whispered.

"No promises," Dean admitted. "Metal is all about excess and fun, Roman. We are out here to make people forget about their problems and indulge in the debauchery."

"You are? I guess I'll never understand the hype."

"Well isn't that the beauty of what we have? We come from different worlds but we found common ground."

"That we did," Roman said as he nudged Dean's thighs apart. "That we did."

After dinner, both Dean and Roman was surprised to find Mrs White at their front door with Jason, Jimmy and Justin. The triple Js, the auburn haired man mused to himself.

"Hello Roman," she greeted the Samoan man. "How are you?"

"I'm good. Would you like to come in?" he welcomed.

Dean wanted to bang his head against the wall.

Once the four have settled down and declined Roman's request to get them some bottled water, Mrs White got straight to the topic. "We would like to ask you if you're interested in joining the neighborhood committee. We think you have a friendly disposition and you're warm and-"

Oh no, Dean thought with a sinking heart. Roman would be a Stepford husband. This was bad and he had to stop it.

"Well I'm flattered but I'll have to discuss it with Dean first," Roman replied.

Dean hid a smile. Take that, Jason and the Argonauts, he thought.

"Oh but Jason suggested you," Mrs White chimed.

Roman smiled at the nurse. "You did?"

"Absolutely," Jason said. "The guys and I think you'll fit right in."

Fit right in? He was dating a soccer mum. A Stepford husband. He could feel the walls closing in on him then. It was funny how he handled changes. He missed his nerdy Roman. The man he met at Javawocky.

When he got those tribal tattoos, it took him a while to adapt but this… this was out of his league.

"That's nice of you all," Roman said again, "but I think it's something Dean and I have to discuss."

Ok. He didn't have to panic. This was still his Roman.

"Can you give us a second?"

When they headed out to their back porch, Roman was still smiling. "Dean.." he started.

Dean knew it was wrong to tell Roman no. He had his club where he could work and play. Roman had nothing except his job and it'd be at least ten months before he could continue doing his internship at Faith and Serenity Centre.

"You have my support," he mumbled. He wasn't happy about it but life was such.

"Really?" Roman looked thrilled.

"Oh yeah."

"Thank you." He kissed Dean on the cheek.

"No need to thank me. You've supported me through my venture in this club. I want to support you too."

Roman thanked him and went out to the living room to inform them. Dean could hear Jason talking excitedly about arranging some event.

He hadn't given much thought about it before but Roman and him were quite different in personalities and interest. While they were in their respective cocoons of the studio and Roman's coffee house, it was fine but out here in the real world, Dean was starting to see a glaring difference.

He sat on the lounge chair and started to strum on his guitar and sing:

I don't know where I'm going

But, I sure know where I've been

Hanging on the promises

In songs of yesterday

An' I've made up my mind,

I ain't wasting no more time

But, here I go again

Here I go again

Tho' I keep searching for an answer,

I never seem to find what I'm looking for

Oh Lord, I pray

You give me strength to carry on,

'Cause I know what it means

To walk along the lonely street of dreams

An' here I go again on my own

Goin' down the only road I've ever known,

Like a hobo I was born to walk alone

An' I've made up my mind

I ain't wasting no more time

I'm just another heart in need of rescue,

Waiting on love's sweet charity

An' I'm gonna hold on

For the rest of my days,

'Cause I know what it means

To walk along the lonely street of dreams

An' here I go again on my own

Goin' down the only road I've ever known,

Like a hobo I was born to walk alone

An' I've made up my mind

I ain't wasting no more time

"Hey!" Seth cheered with a whiskey in one hand and a cigarette in another at the bar in their club. "You made it!"

"Of course I did, Seth," Dean replied. "Just because the club is closed, doesn't mean I won't show up."

"What's wrong with you? Where's your happiness?"

Gone, he thought. Or will be gone once reality settled down and Roman saw him for who he was. He opened the Jack Daniel's bottle on the table. "Fuck this," he said and took a swig.

"Hey man," Corey said walking near the two of them. "Can someone bump me a light?"

Seth tossed Corey a matchbox before he got up and went to flirt with the new waitress, Becky Lynch.

"You okay, Dean?" Corey asked.

"Do you know that I'm only two and a half months away from being with Roman for a year?" he said.

His best friend smiled. "Shouldn't you be happy?"

"Core, he's going to wake up to reality. I mean I can hide behind our studios and tours and performances but he's going to wake up to reality that Dean Ambrose is nothing but a loser."

"Ummm Dean? Losers don't have millions sitting in their banks. Or houses in Bel Air. What happened, man?"

"He joined the neighborhood committee. I should have seen it coming living in a community like this but-"

"It's not you."

"But neither is this club him either."

"You gotta compromise, Dean. Roman saw you through it all: in the studio, on tour… I think he knows what to expect when it comes to you. I also think that it's you who doesn't know what to expect when it comes to him because ordinary isn't really us. But since he's your significant other, you should care."

Dean stared out at the stage. "Yeah I don't know what to expect but that's what scares me. I'm walking on unfamiliar grounds."

"Well, it's not like the guy is asking you to dress up in flannel shirts or dress shirts. Yet. So take it easy. And when you're faced with a situation, you deal with it as it comes. There's no need to wrap your head around the whole thing, Dean."

Suddenly Seth spoke up. "Hey what's Roman doing here with his boyfriend?"

Roman had walked in with Jason and Jimmy not so far behind. "Dean?" he asked meekly. "I uh I wanted to ask you another favor."

Another one? "Hmm… go ahead. I already have the repayment in mind." Well not chocolate. But he'd be down to see Roman and him having sex on the dining table.

"Well, we need you guys to perform a mellow song for a concert to raise awareness on racial harmony. It doesn't have to be a song about it… just that when people know it's Steel Hounds, they may turn up."

Corey threw an arm around Dean before he could answer. "Say no more, Roman. We'll do it."

"Really?" Roman was relieved.

"Oh absolutely."

Dean couldn't say no to Roman. Not when he was looking at him like his life depended on it. "Yeah, we'll do it."

Seth grinned cheekily. "You know what? We should hang out together."

His boyfriend shook his head. "No, Seth. None of us will be taking our clothes off for you."

Corey laughed. "Actually, that sounds great. I mean it would be nice for Dean's friends - that's us - to mingle with your friends - that's them."

"Well, okay."

Jason had apparently overheard the conversation. "How about now?" he said. "We don't have much to do."

"Okay. Let's take that booth," Seth suggested to the far end where there was a bigger space.

They sat down with a couple of soft drinks and liquors. Dean took as sip of his JD and Coke and leaned back.

There was silence amongst the group.

"Dean!" one waiter - Richie Swann - walked by shouted. "Excellent performance last night!"

"Thanks, man!" he replied. Nothing to boost a rock star's ego than praises like that.

Jimmy grinned. "Maybe we should tell a joke? Anyone have a good one?"

"Oh. A rock star was accused of attacking his boyfriend with several guitars." Roman's eyes widened when Dean said that. "The judge asked, "first offender?" The rock star replied, "No. First a Gibson, then a Fender.""

Roman and the rest of Steel Hounds laughed. His boyfriend's friends looked clueless.

"What's a Gibson and a Fender?" Jason quipped.

"They're guitar brands," Dean explained. "Gibson Guitar Corporation and Fender Musical Instruments Corporation."

"So you've been playing the guitar for a long time?"

"We all have."

"Have you ever considered being a solo artist?" Jimmy was curious.

"I've asked him that all the time recently."

Dean stiffened at the sound of his ex boyfriend. "Oh jeez," he snapped at Antonio when he stopped by their table. "You're still on my back about this?"

"Always," came the confident reply.

The auburn haired lead singer stood up. "Can I talk to you in private?"

"You can do anything to me in private."

"Have some respect; my boyfriend is here."

Antonio looked at Roman. "Oh. Sorry." He turned his attention back to Dean. "Let's go."

"Uh uh uh." Paul pulled Dean aside. "He's not going anywhere without proper managerial representation."

"It's no secret. I've been chasing him to be a solo star."

"And I've told you no," Dean cut in.

"But people love your playing. It's exciting and primitive and raw. Also you attract people; the good looking men and women dig you. You know what that means? More money. Have you seen last month's Rolling Stone article on you? Men want to bang you too. I need you to go up on stage and perform as a solo artist."

Dean sighed. He could tell Paul was making mental calculations in his head. He heard Justin whisper, "Men want to bang him too? Damn."

"You know, Dean," Corey said suddenly. "You have our support on this."

"I can't, Antonio," the blue eyed man said, his attention still on the Swiss businessman. "I can't bear to leave Roman again."

His ex boyfriend shrugged carelessly. "So bring him with you."

"It's not his scene."

"Skype him. Facetime him. Whatever. You are gold, Dean. You can sell my label millions."

That made him pause. "Your label? What happened to-"

"My new label, Sharpshooter Records, needs a rock star and you're it, Dean. I hope you will reconsider. And it's not like I'm making you go on tour now. You know how it works. Recording might up to six months and then the promotion within the States and maybe a year from now, you'll be travelling. Hell, Paul can manage you too."

Dean looked at Roman. His boyfriend smiled at him warmly. "You have my support, babe. You know that."

"See? Even the boyfriend is okay. So what do you say, Dean?"

A/N Good opportunity for the auburn haired rock star. But will he take it? Dean's joke was a joke I found on Tumblr. Thank you for the favorites/follows/reviews. I appreciate it :-)