“Red!” Crow called, his arms outstretched as he grabbed Red for a hug. They were standing next to a wall of tall, well-kept hedges that bordered a Michelin three-star steak house. The valet had already taken Ethan’s rental. Ethan looked around, admiring the interesting, all black exterior, broken by sections of one-way windows, blocking anyone from seeing inside. When Crow had said where they were going, Ethan thought he had misheard. He knew about The Block from a friend of his who was a big foodie. He said it was one of the best steakhouses he had ever been to, and that was coming from a man who ate around the world for a living. He had also said the prices were through the roof but the experience made up for it.

“Red, this is Ethan.” Crow stepped aside and motioned toward Ethan. “My boyfriend.”

“Hi,” Ethan said, sticking his hand out and trying not to overload from hearing Crow call him his boyfriend. He had known that’s what they were, but they hadn’t really said the title out loud. Not until then. “Nice to meet you.”

“So you’re the one that got Crow up higher than three stories.” Red smiled, his face sharp but warm. “You’d think with a name like Crow.”

“Yep,” Ethan said, laughing and forgetting for a moment that he was meeting an international celebrity. Red was genuinely warm and seemed much more grounded than Ethan had unfairly presumed he would be. And then he turned to his fiancé, smiling with a glint in his gaze as he introduced him, “Ethan, this is Caleb, my fiancé.”

“We’ve met,” Caleb said, matching Red’s grin as he shook Ethan’s hand. “We work at the same hospital.”

“Oh, that’s right! Duh.” Red palmed his forehead.

“That’s ok, I don’t think we’ve ever really talked though,” Caleb said.

Ethan nodded. They had chatted once before in a break room, but his rotations never brought him around the same floors as Caleb, or at the same times as him. Even then, everyone at the hospital knew who Caleb was. He was already pretty popular simply because he was such an incredible nurse and a great person. Ever since he and Red had gone public, Caleb climbed up a level and turned into a mini-celebrity in his own right. He had a quarter of a million Instagram followers and was constantly being pictured out with Red, whether they were on a date at some trendy new restaurant or vacationing in Cancun. “Looking forward to talking over the steaks at this place,” Ethan said, genuinely excited to share some good conversation and some good meat.

“Right?” Red said, excitedly.

Crow chuckled as he reached for Ethan’s hand. Their fingers locked together, Crow’s warmth feeling exactly right in Ethan’s. He had been slightly nervous about meeting Red. It wasn’t even so much the movie star aspect, although that part was also a little surreal. It was more about how close Red and Crow were and how important Ethan thought it was that he make a good impression.

“Alright, we’ve got a nurse and a doctor. Now all we need is a priest. Let’s go find one,” Red said with a laugh, slapping a hand on Ethan’s shoulder and leading them toward the heavy black doors that marked the entrance to the steakhouse.

“What does that even mean?” Crow asked, chuckling, the sound resembling Ethan’s favorite song.

* * *

Who knew helping someone overcome their fears struck up such a big appetite? Ethan was more than happy to be sitting down on solid ground, looking over an expansive menu while trying hard to ignore the expensive prices along the side. Red had insisted on treating them, so it was all going on his check.

The place was quaint… in an expensive, world-renowned steakhouse kind of way. The lighting was low, and candles were lit. The tables, about fifteen of them, were all draped in silky soft white cloth, the plating and silverware feeling just as expensive. Their appetizers were brought out on plates decorated with exotic nuts and a palate of different color sauces, one plate even having rose petals adorning each corner. It could have easily gone over the top, and maybe some of it did, but Ethan was so hungry he couldn’t care less. Plates could have been brought out by dancing bears and Ethan wouldn’t have thought about the overkill, he would have only focused in on the food.

And Crow, of course. He was the one person who could distract him from his quest to eat everything in sight. Crow had the ability to distract Ethan from just about anything. Right then, Crow was distracting him by recounting a story from the other night about two drunken fans who had climbed up onto the stage and proceeded to give Crow a lap dance. It was all clearly in good fun, and Crow then turned it around and gave the entire audience a mini-Magic Mike show. The security team was not thrilled that night.

“Everyone was cracking up and cheering,” Crow said, smiling at the memory. “Maybe if singing doesn’t work out, I could go into exotic dancing.”

“That could work,” Caleb said, agreeing with a nod. He drank the rest of his wine, placing it down just as the sommelier brought over another bottle. He showed the all black bottle to Red, who had charmingly said to the sommelier that he wanted the most expensive red they had (and saying that in a charming way was very difficult). The man then uncorked the wine and poured a small amount into a glass, swirling it a little before handing it for Red to taste. Ethan watched, wondering where the whole tradition of appreciating wine started. He had a flash back to his college days, before medical school, when he could afford shooting back shots of vodka and glasses of wine without ever appreciating any of it’s various ‘notes’ and ‘textures’, or whatever words were used to describe the things Ethan could never taste.

They all thanked the sommelier once he was done refilling their glasses. He had left the rest of the wine on the center of the table, next to the bread basket. Ethan grabbed a slice of toasted bread, spreading some of the olive oil and rosemary mix as Crow’s knee rubbed up against his under the table. They weren’t sitting too close together, but just like magnets, they somehow ended up touching one another.

“So, Ethan, how’s it been touring the country with this one? I remember taking him for a world wide press tour once. Never again.” Red laughed, winking at them. “So damn demanding. I thought I had hired Kim Kardashian as my assistant for a second.”

“Stop flattering yourself. You’re no Paris Hilton,” Crow shot back, smirking from across the table. Ethan loved that about him. He was quick with quips that never failed to draw a few laughs, even if the reference may have flown over Ethan’s head.

“It’s been great,” Ethan said. “I was a little apprehensive at first, but it’s honestly been an unforgettable experience. We get to see all these different cities, and they all start feeling like their own little worlds even though they’re only a day-trip away.” Ethan drank some of the wine, finding it incredibly smooth. “And Crow hasn’t had too many weird demands.”

“Too many?” Crow asked, turning on Ethan. “I haven’t had any!”

Ethan gave the face that said “eh… I don’t know about that”.

Crow crossed his arms and faced Ethan in his seat. “Really? What have I asked for?” Red and Caleb were both laughing, while Ethan was trying to hold it in. He loved playing around with Crow. He hadn’t joked around with someone in a while, not like this, with all his walls down. He just never felt happy enough. There was a certain level of happiness you had to be to be able to joke around and genuinely laugh, and he hadn’t felt that for years.

Until Crow came along.

“Well, you do always ask to make sure we have coconut water and sour skittles in every green room.”

“That’s for my health! My physical health, hence the coconut water, and my mental health, hence the skittles.” Crow shook his head. “Jesus, you think you know someone.” Then he started laughing, causing Ethan to crack. They laughed as Ethan leaned in and stole a quick kiss from his boyfriend.

Fuck. I’d never thought I’d feel this again.

They continued to joke around a bit, all of them having a great time. The steaks had arrived by the time the laughs were dying down, which was perfect. Ethan dug into his juicy medium-rare filet mignon, serving Crow a piece when he asked to try some. He even held his hand up to Crow’s chin and everything

Boyfriends.

The title rang through his mind again. This time, it hadn’t struck him with the same stab of sad guilt he would feel in the past whenever that term was brought up. He was proud to be Crow’s boyfriend. And beyond that, he was happy to be Crow’s boyfriend.

When the steaks were done and the desert menus laid out, the conversation started to turn toward a more serious topic. Red was the one to bring it up. “So,” he started, his amber golden eyes examining the sorbet list, “anything else on the whole stalker situation?”

Ethan immediately felt the air in the room get ten degrees cooler. He could sense Crow tense up in his chair. “Not since the last letter back in Denver. It’s crazy and all, but the more time passes, the less freaked out I get.”

Red nodded, his eyes coming up from the menu. “Yeah, it’s always upsetting, man. You saw when I was getting all those weird fan letters and ‘gift boxes’ filled with bras. One or two had jockstraps, but still, my point stands. Creepy.”

“Why don’t I get sent jockstraps?” Crow asked, sounding offended.

“Be careful what you wish for,” Caleb said from across the table. The waiter came and took their desert orders before they got back into the conversation. The classical music played lazily over the speakers, adding to the din of conversation from the other tables.

“Seriously, though, are there any more details about the canceled show? I saw it blowing up on Twitter, except no one seemed to know why it was cancelled.” Red’s brows turned downward. He must have known how much Crow hated having to cancel the show.

“Yeah, we don’t want to freak fans out so we’re keeping the reason kind of hush for right now. No new details on it either. Thank god for Angela, though. She was able to schedule another date a few months from now. So I’ll just fly out from LA and make-up for it.”

Red’s slight frown turned upside down. “That’s great! Text me the date later and I’ll try and make it out. Hopefully my new assistant doesn’t mess up my schedule some how.”

“That bad?” Crow asked.

“I ended up in a petting zoo on the day I was supposed to be meeting with the head of Paramount. Yeah. That bad.”

Crow couldn’t hold back a laugh, which in turn had Ethan laughing. “A petting zoo?” Ethan asked. He was amazed at how many crazy stories these guys had to share. It was clear that Red and Crow had grown close as friends, and they both had the gift of gab.

“A petting zoo,” Red emphasized. “Meanwhile, the exec was over at the restaurant, wondering where my dumbass was. Little did he know, I was trying not to get my kneecaps busted by a crazy goat.” Red sighed. “I’m trying to find a new assistant.”

“They just don’t make them like they used to,” Crow said, smirking that sexy little smirk of his. Ethan could barely contain himself. He wanted to lean over and suck on Crow’s neck. He could see the slight rise and fall of his pulse. A perfect spot. A bull’s-eye for his lips. Not to mention, their knees were still pressed together under the table, anchoring them to each other.

Ethan adjusted himself in his seat, using his elbow to discreetly move his growing cock so that it wasn’t a clear bulge. He felt like he was a kid on his first ever date, popping random boners left and right at the slightest shift in the breeze. He couldn’t help it, and no one could blame him. Crow was one sexy mother fucker, and it didn’t help that Ethan already knew how he looked like naked.

His firm, muscular torso. Those broad, solid pecs. The pebbled nipples, perfect for biting. The toned body and sexy trail of hair that led down to Crow’s meaty cock. Ethan could practically feel the weight in his hands. He grabbed his wine glass, drinking the last of his wine, hoping it would somehow stifle the flickering flame in his gut that was soon to become a forest fire.

Except, the attraction went past the physical. Ethan was also intensely attracted to Caleb’s personality, and that only made his boner even more persistent. Sure, he could see when guys were physically attractive, but he was reacting to way more than that when it came to Crow. They could fuck in the pitch dark for the rest of their lives, Ethan never having to see him, finding bliss from simply being one with him.

“You know,” Caleb said, leaning back as the waiter brought the deserts. A decadent chocolate cheesecake was slid in front of Ethan, two spoons placed on the side of the plate. Crow grabbed one, Ethan grabbed the other. “I watch a lot of those weird ID channel shows, with the unsolved mysteries… that, and a lot of Judge Judy.”

“A lot,” Red cut in.

Caleb cleared his throat. “And, I don’t want to creep you out or anything, but, have you considered looking into the people closest to you first? I know it could seem like a crazy fan, but these things are sometimes closer to home than people realize.”

“What were you saying?” Red asked. “The part about not creeping anyone out.”

“Sorry,” Caleb said, his brows coming up with a chuckle. “It’s the truth, though.”

“He’s right.” Crow said, surprising Ethan. They had never talked about that possibility. “I’ve thought about it.”

Ethan looked to Crow, who was rubbing the bridge of his nose, climbing up to the corners of his eyes. “Who?” Ethan asked.

“Well, I mean Jordan’s had a crush on me for a long time, and he did start acting a little off when you showed up.” Crow let out a breath and shook his head. “But then I feel ridiculous. I’ve known Jordan for six years now. I’ve known everyone on the tour for pretty much the same length. We all know where we stand with each other, and Jordan knows I can’t ever give him what he wants.”

Red tilted his head, chewing on his lip. “Desperation is a thing.”

“Thank you, Dr. Freud,” Crow threw back with a sarcastic smile. “But no, I don’t think he’s desperate. He’s a good-looking guy, he can find anyone he wants. He’s probably just waiting until the tour is over to settle down.”

Caleb cut in then, “A wise lady once said; if it doesn’t make sense, it’s not true.”

The crowd had blank stares until Caleb clarified, “the wise lady is Judge Judy.”

Red couldn’t hold back his laughs as he pulled Caleb in for a kiss. Ethan loved seeing how happy they appeared. It was clear that their stars were meant to collide. Both were perfect for the other. They were constantly smiling and laughing and stealing quick touches from each other. It was beautiful to see.

Ethan squeezed Crow’s hand a little tighter, feeling overwhelmed with love. He was not only surrounded by it, but knee-deep in it. He could barely even focus on the rest of the conversation before they noticed the time and decided they should get going.

“I’m not ready to go to sleep, guys,” Red said, checking his watch. Looked like it was a Rolex from where Ethan stood. “Where’s the after party?”

“Our hotel has an incredible rooftop bar and garden mashup thing. Let’s check it out,” Crow suggested, putting his arm around Ethan as they walked out of the quiet, dim restaurant and into the busy world. The restaurant was in a pretty busy part of Chicago, surrounded by a ton of other restaurants, office buildings, and world-famous improv theatres. It seemed like a show had finished just as they wrapped up their dinner, a flood of people coming out of the doors to the building across the street.

“I really want to see a show there; we’re going to have to come back.” Crow said to Ethan, almost like an afterthought.

Except, for Ethan, it was no afterthought. Come back. Crow was already thinking of the future together, with a vacation already in the works. It filled Ethan’s heart with a sense of blissful certainty. They had really discussed their future after the tour, but Ethan had always felt like it was already understood that this was no fling, and Crow seemed to have just confirmed that.

They were on the street, waiting for the security guy to bring around the car, when Ethan heard Crow’s name being called from across the street. It was getting late into the evening but there was still some light out. Ethan could make out an excited girl, jumping up and down and waving frantically, her group of friends seeming to catch on. One of them spotted Red and the entire group had a complete meltdown. Ethan thought they were about to run into oncoming traffic just to get to them in seconds flat.

Thankfully, they waited until the red light.

“Holy shit, it’s you!” One of the girls exclaimed, staring at Crow with wide green eyes before turning to Red and saying, “it’s you!”

A boy in the group, who was also on the same level of ‘holy shitness’ as the rest, turned to Crow. “Can we get a picture with you guys,” he managed to squeak out.

“Of course,” Crow said with a smile. Ethan could practically feel the tensed body guard, who was standing feet away from them. He started to move toward the group to intervene but Crow waved the man back. “They’re ok. Just fans.”

The fans seemed unfazed as they launched into a mini photo-shoot with the two guys. Caleb had even been asked to be in some. Ethan wasn’t exactly known yet, and he was totally fine with that. He didn’t crave the spotlight, sometimes he didn’t even like it.

He helped take some of the photos, unable to avoid catching the excitement from the kids. It was overwhelming. They almost looked like they were meeting some kind of royalty. He knew Crow was loved, and for good reason, but seeing that affect out in the real world was infectious. He smiled as he took the photos, happy to be helping them capture a memory.

With the photoshoot wrapped, the kids started saying goodbyes. One of the girls seemed a little more reserved than the others. She almost looked a little upset toward the end. It was then that Crow seemed to recognize her.

“Hey, you… you stopped at my tour bus right? At the beginning of the tour?”

The girl nodded, looking down at her feet. “That was me. My name’s Tricia. I’ve loved the tour, been to every show so far except one.”

“That’s awesome, thank you,” Crow said. Ethan watched him, wondering if there were any alarm bells ringing in his head. Ethan wasn’t an overly suspicious person, but those letters had put him on high alert, and this girl was clearly bothered by something.

“Alright, we should start heading back, the driver should be pulling up any second,” Ethan said, nodding his head toward the curb. “Angela’s going to have our heads if we don’t leave for the next stop on time.”

“True,” Crow said, smiling at the group of kids. They started to leave when the one girl who seemed bothered separated from the group and came back to Crow. She looked like she was about to say something but stopped herself. And then their ride pulled up on the side of the street, giving Ethan the opening to grab Crow’s hand and tug him toward it. The girl turned back to her group of friends, who were calling her to run across the street before the light changed.

Ethan and Crow got into the car, followed by Caleb. Red took the front seat.

Crow had rested his head on Ethan’s shoulder as they drove back to the hotel. Ethan had been lying about Angela watching their time. They actually had an entire night in Chicago before they had to leave, and so they had planned to spend it on the hotel’s rooftop bar, popping champagne with Red and Caleb. Ethan was grateful for the champagne, because his nerves were starting to fray at the edges. He was used to high-pressure situations, but this stalker thing was making him more frightened than he could show. He didn’t want to project that fear onto Crow, who was already having a rough time, all while he still had to put on a good show for his fans. He enjoyed being Crow’s solid support, the face he could look to for comfort. Crow was that for him, but in a different way. Crow’s smile brought him a sense of freeing joy. It was like every time those dimples popped up, Ethan was being reminded of happy he was and how far he had come. There was a buoyancy in his life now that kept his head far up above the clouds, when only months ago, he could barely look up far enough to even see the clouds.