Twenty One
Roman had just finished unpacking the last of his clothing into the wardrobe in Paul's guest room on Friday morning. Beside him, Paul helped to fluff the pillow. "I hope you like it here, Roman."
He muttered a quick thanks.
"Don't worry. Six months will fly by quickly. I wouldn't worry on how Dean behaves on the road. I'm sure he's tired of the rock and roll parties…"
"Umm.. Paul, have you seen Asylum?"
Paul laughed. "I'll go down and check on Brock."
Dean walked in just as Paul exited. "All set?" he asked.
Roman nodded. "Yeah. It's going to be hard."
"I know but hey we've got Skype, Facetime…"
"Take me with you," he pleaded Dean. "I can adapt to the lifestyle."
"Roman-"
"I can and I will."
His boyfriend sighed. "I'll call you every single night."
"And when you wake up."
"Okay."
"And during breaks."
"Absolutely."
"I still wished you'd change your mind."
Dean passed him a thumb drive. "Here. I recorded this for you. Listen to it after I leave, okay?"
He nodded. "Dean?"
"Yeah?"
"You know that…" He took a deep breath, the next few words causing his heart to ache. "You know that the same privileges apply, right? You know… your recreational activities…"
His boyfriend stared at him before it dawned on him what was implied. "Roman-"
"I'm just saying… I mean I know how lonely it can get. You don't have to but should you do it, I'll understand. That's all."
"Right. But there's a problem, isn't there? When you're the most beautiful person I've seen. And if by some strange turn of events I do end up having sex with someone, I'll be thinking of you and how damn weird would it be?" Dean closed his eyes before shaking his head. "I've sent you my itinerary so you'll know where I am and stuff."
"I appreciate it."
"I love you, okay?" He kissed Roman hard on his lips. "Always remember that."
"I know. I love you too."
"I'll try to fly in for our anniversary. Let me see if I can work something out."
Roman crushed him in his arms, hugging him tight before kissing him. "Dean."
"Walk me down?"
The Samoan man reluctantly agreed.
They had a hard time letting go despite the taxi waiting there. "I have to go, babe."
"Don't go."
Dean kissed him. "I'll be back soon. In fact, I'll call you once I touch down in London." He planted one more kiss to Roman's forehead. "Be good. Do good. Have lots of rest."
Roman nodded.
He would have walked Dean to the car but his boyfriend stopped him. "Don't. It'll be even harder for me."
"Have a safe flight."
"I will."
He watched the taxi drive off, disappearing from view as it made a turn around the corner. Now what?
"You know I'm going to hate you for the rest of time," Dean sneered the moment he walked in at Cesaro who didn't look like he cared.
His ex boyfriend put on his shades. "I know. But you bring in big money so I'm at peace with that."
"Is everything about money for you?"
"Kind of. Money talks. You know this."
"Money is also the root of all evil. Just saying."
Cesaro smirked. "You're wasting my time. Let's go. We've got a plane to catch." He started to shove Dean out of the office.
"We?"
"I'll be following you, of course. Until I can get you a new manager. Oh but I've hired you a new bodyguard. Name's Bill Goldberg."
Dean rolled his eyes. "Doesn't ring a bell to me."
"Do you need men after the show to fuck?"
"No."
"I can ask Shane to scout for you."
"You got Shane to come too?"
"He works for me now. So do you or not? I can get you blonds… I remembered you being partial to blonds."
"All I want after the concert is to go to the hotel, have supper, sleep and repeat the next day. That's all."
"You've become boring. I blame Samoan man for this."
"His name is Roman."
"Whatever. Oh by the way, I hope you brought Dixie. You'll be able to write some originals on this tour."
Dean wanted to take his head and bang it against the car door.
Highway run
Into the midnight sun
Wheels go round and round
You're on my mind
Restless hearts
Sleep alone tonight
Sendin' all my love
Along the wire
They say that the road
Ain't no place to start a family
Right down the line
It's been you and me
And lovin' a music man
Ain't always what it's supposed to be
Oh boy you stand by me
I'm forever yours, faithfully
Circus life
Under the big top world
We all need the clowns
To make us smile
Through space and time
Always another show
Wondering where I am
Lost without you
And being apart ain't easy on this love affair
Two strangers learn to fall in love again
I get the joy
Of rediscovering you
Oh boy, you stand by me
I'm forever yours, faithfully
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Faithfully, I'm still yours
I'm forever yours
Ever yours, faithfully
Roman smiled as he exited the media player. Trust Dean to record such a moving song for him.
There was a knock on his room door. "Come in."
Brock had a huge smile on his face. "What are you doing?"
"Listening to a song Dean recorded."
"Hmmm well, I'm bringing you out. All this moping is not good for you."
The grey eyed man cocked his head. "What do you propose?"
"Let's go to the gym. Lift some weights. Just work out and sweat. I mean, come on, man. Sitting here is not going to make six months pass by fast."
Roman knew that Brock was right. "Okay. Let me get changed first."
"That's the spirit!"
The gym Brock was bringing him to - Sonic Gym - had very little people in it. Roman looked at Brock in surprise as they walked up to the registration counter. "Wow I thought the place would be packed but this-"
"This place is a mess!" a black haired Latino man moaned, coming out from the office.
"This is Alberto Del Rio, the owner of this gym," Brock introduced. "Alberto, this is Roman."
Roman found Alberto giving him the lookover. "Hello, baby. Call me Papi."
"He's got a boyfriend, A-hole."
"Oh." Alberto started writing in a book something. "Well, Roman. Don't be too surprised. This place is always like this. Doesn't help that my gym instructor ditched me to open his own gym."
"That sucks," Roman replied.
"Yes, well. A case of bad luck, right?" He looked at Roman from head to toe. "You have an incredible physique. I mean… you're well toned."
"I work out from time to time though I have been neglecting-"
Alberto leaned against the counter. "Do you take steroids?"
"No. Just supplements like BCAA-"
"Of course what you put in your body is none of my business." He grinned. "What you put in your body is your boyfriend, right?"
Roman gave him a reproachful look while Brock glared. "Shut up with that kind of talk!" the blond bodyguard snapped.
Alberto didn't seemed to be intimidated. "Would you be interested in working as a personal trainer here?"
"I don't have the credentials," Roman said. "And I'm actually on break-"
"I'll send you for a course. Free of charge."
Brock snorted. "Are you serious?"
"I am," Alberto affirmed. "Have you seen how he looks?"
"If he has no passion for it, why even bother?"
"What are you working as?" the Latino boss asked him.
"A waiter at Javawocky," he answered simply.
"A waiter?! A gorgeous walking Greek statue like you working as a waiter? The horror! The travesty!"
"Easy there, Antonio Banderas," Brock teased.
"The offer stands for you anytime."
Roman thanked him and followed Brock to place his bag in a locker. He wished he could call Dean now and asked for his opinion but according to his boyfriend's itinerary, he won't be landing in London until another ten hours.
No rush, he decided. He still had six months.
Dean was restless on the flight.
Yes, it was a private jet. Yes, it had a bedroom with a bar with all his favorite beverages. And yes, there was good in flight entertainment.
But there was no Roman.
You have to learn, he reminded himself.
He was determined to. They both had to. A lot can happen in six months though. People could change.
Though he hoped Roman wouldn't so drastically. Dean loved the way he was.
Taking out Dixie, he started plucking at her strings some random chord. He plucked the same thing again.
Hmmm would make a good rock ballad, he thought.
"Dreaming of your little Samoan?" Cesaro asked.
Dean was annoyed. "Two things: he's not little and he's my boyfriend."
"I'll betcha he's tapping some ass back home now that you're gone."
"Fuck off."
"I'm just being realistic." He grinned. "Just like you'll have to be realistic about how lonely you'll be…"
"Shouldn't you be having cyber sex with your Celtic boyfriend?"
"So blonds?"
"There won't be any blonds so stop stirring up things. How many times do you want me to say no?'
"I'm sure I can find you some Polynesian dude…"
Dean was starting to wonder how he could tolerate Cesaro for so long without wanting to strangle him.
"Come on, Dean. You can't tell me you won't be questioning his fidelity back home."
"I'm more worried about his safety than who he bangs, to be honest."
His ex boyfriend laughed. "Sure, you do."
He was about to retort when he received a WhatsApp message from Roman: just received a job offer as a personal trainer. What do you think? Do you think I should go for it?
What did he think? He'll be tapping asses-
Stop it, Dean! he chided himself.
He must have been taking too long to reply because Roman asked if they could Facetime.
Dean decided to tease him: only if you'll be naked.
Roman's reply came almost immediately: Give me five minutes.
Locking himself in the bedroom, he smiled when he saw Roman's face on the screen. As always, he was turned on by the sight of his boyfriend's exposed flesh.
"So what do you think?" Roman asked.
"I think you're hot," Dean replied. "Seeing you naked makes me wish I was back home with my head in between your thighs."
His boyfriend blushed. "I don't mean that. I mean about the personal trainer position."
"Oh. I'm not sure I like the idea of you training people. They're only going to ogle at you."
"But it's a relatively better career than being a waiter."
"Babe, Randy has supported you through everything. You can't just ditch him."
"So I'll work two jobs then."
"Two? Roman, you'll be burnt out!"
"I doubt it," his boyfriend said. "It'll keep me busy, Dean… busy from missing you so badly."
Dean paused. Something about the way he had said it forced him to remember that six months would feel like an eternity to both of them. "If you think it'll help, I'm all for it. Did you hear the song I recorded?"
"I love it. I'm going to transfer it on my mobile so I can hear it everyday till you come home."
He smiled. "Wait till you hear what I composed for you-"
"Dean!" Cesaro yelled out from behind the door. "We're making a pitstop at LA!"
He frowned. "Urgh. Fine!"
Roman grinned. "How's Cesaro?"
"Being an asshole. Always on my back about getting groupies. Jeez, I've barely left for a day."
"Persistent."
"You have no idea."
"So you were talking about a song you wrote…"
"Right. It's inspired by you-"
"Get your ass off the phone!" Cesaro's voice boomed. "Shane's found you a Polynesian man. Buff, tanned and tattooed: just the way you like it."
That motherfucker-
Roman was now averting his gaze. "Ummm if this is a bad time, I'll call you some other-"
"What? No! Roman, I did not actively seek out-"
"Dude's a walking masterpiece," the Swiss businessman continued. "A trade up from the one you left back home. He's a freaking model. We got you-"
That was it. He looked at Roman who was now frowning. "Give me a second." Jumping to his feet after removing one of his socks, he opened the door and shoved it into his ex boyfriend's mouth. "Tell Shane that you can have him. Stop finding me people I don't want!"
He slammed the door in his face at that.
Roman was biting the skin around his thumb. "You're right. He's an asshole."
Dean was pleased. "I know!"
A/N I apologise for the delay in updates. I was admitted back to the hospital again and am on hospitalisation leave at home, recuperating. I hope this chapter was okay. We still have a long way to go...