Disclaimers: This story is fiction and it is not intended to imply anything about the true sexuality of the celebrities mentioned or any personal knowledge about their private lives. Note: I was overwhelmed by the support that part 1 of this story got, thanks to everyone that read it. This is for you guys. I'm trying to keep this lighter than Want but there is a little angst ahead after all: character + conflict = plot.
Trey watched as Koriya played happily with her new toy and seemed settled back in Chris' home. Her brief stay in the kennels had no negative effects and she had greeted them both happily when they collected her from Justin the day before.
Chris had spent the day sorting out his house and smiling at Trey every time that he had offered to help. The only problem was that Trey was already starting to feel stifled by Chris. It wasn't that he didn't want to be with him, nor was it that he wasn't used to spending time with him but Chris had a fortnight off and then would be heading back into the studio. Two weeks of living together, spending each waking moment together, it just seemed too forced to Trey and he wasn't sure that he was ready for that.
Normal couples met and dated for a while, getting to know each other's likes and dislikes before they even decided if they wanted to continue dating, let alone move in together. Trey was only living with Chris through circumstance and now he wondered if Chris would take it as a rejection if he were to move out. Chris was so fragile that he did not want to do anything to upset him or force him to run away again but he also didn't want to stay and end up resenting his lover because they had forced something that Trey was not ready for.
Over dinner that night Trey decided to broach the subject of getting his own place, finding a job and starting to build a life for himself while he was in Orlando.
"I've been thinking that I might look for my own place." Trey said as he spooned some of sauce onto his pasta. It was a simple meal, Chris didn't have a lot in the way of groceries so they had made do with what he had in the cupboard.
"You can stay here." Chris said, already frowning at Trey's suggestion. "I thought you wanted to stay here."
"I want to stay in Orlando but I need my own space." Trey said. "And, before you ask, it's not anything that you've done I just think that we need to take things slowly."
"We've already slept together." Chris pointed out.
"Yeah." Trey said. "But that doesn't mean that we should rush into moving in together. Besides, it's not as if it is going to be easy for you to explain why I'm living here if anyone asks."
"It's nobody's business."
"Chris, you're in the public eye, that makes everything that you do somebody else's business." Trey said. "I don't like it but I do understand it."
Chris sighed. He hated that Trey was right and that his fame was about to cut into his life yet again. It was his fame that had cost him Jon's love and he didn't want it to cost him Trey's as well so if this was what they had to do to stay together then he knew that he would have to accept it.
"I know someone in real estate." Chris said. "I can give him a call and see what he has on offer."
"I'm not really looking to buy anywhere." Trey said. "Just a rental, a room somewhere or a small apartment."
Trey knew that his finances were better than they had been thanks to his time on tour when he had no rent but they were certainly nowhere near good enough to buy a house.
"What about rent?" Chris asked.
"Well, obviously I'll have to get a job." Trey said. "Probably a bar or restaurant given that it's tourist season and there are plenty of places that need waiting staff."
"But if you're working I'll never see you." Chris protested.
"You'll still see me." Trey responded. "And I'll try to fit my shifts around your recording sessions if I can."
Chris knew that he was being unreasonable, that his life was just as complicated as Trey's and that he was being selfish in wanting to keep Trey to himself but he was scared that if he didn't at least try that he would lose him.
Trey was aware that Chris had issues, that he was insecure about their relationship and that being on tour he had gotten used to them being able to spend a lot of time together, even when Trey was working. Life on tour was a parody of real life though and there was no way that they could expect to recreate what they had there. Now they were back in the real world and Trey wanted to try and retain some level of normality in his life. It wasn't normal to live in someone else's pocket, at least not to Trey and he had his own issues with commitment and settling down.
"I'm being unreasonable, aren't I?" Chris asked, voicing his own concerns and hoping that it would win him some points with Trey for admitting what they both knew.
"It's okay." Trey said. "This is something that is new to both of us. I'm not used to sticking around in one place long enough to have to think about settling down and it's going to take some time for you to trust that I'll stay."
Chris opened his mouth to protest but Trey continued.
"I'm not saying that you don't trust me, I just think that we both need some time. That's partly why I want to find a place of my own."
Chris sighed.
"I hate it when you're right."
"Don't worry." Trey said. "It doesn't happen very often."
"I'll come with you tommorow to look at some apartments." Chris agreed.
Trey was glad that they had worked this out and come out of this argument unscathed. He hoped that it would be plane sailing for the rest of the time.
The first apartment that Trey and Chris viewed the next day was a disaster. It was a dark, dank one room apartment at the top of an oppressive tower block in downtown Miami. It wasn't far from the city centre and would be commutable for work in the city but was miles from Orlando and therefore miles from Chris. What made it worse was that this was the top end of Trey's price range and there was very little in and around Orlando due to the high season and the number of tourists in the area.
They viewed a few apartments in Orlando, but most of them were well out of Trey's budget, required references that he did not have and a deposit that he didn't want to ask Chris to help him out with.
It was a depressing day for Trey who was used to walking into a small apartment and settling in. It didn't usually matter to him if they were dives because he didn't intend to stay for very long. None of the places he had seen that day called out as a home to him and that was what he wanted to build with Chris. He didn't want a room as a place to crash at night he wanted a place he could envisage spending time with his new lover.
"We can take another look tommorow." Chris said as Trey stared out at the ocean. They had stopped on the way home and now Chris was desperate to cheer his lover up.
"I doubt that anything will appear on the market that I can afford." Trey said. "I guess you're stuck with me."
Chris sighed. He had hoped that Trey would change his mind but he didn't want to force his lover to live with him if it was going to put a strain on their relationship. If Trey wasn't ready to live with him then he would not force the issue. Off season there would be plenty of property for Trey to rent, houses that lay empty for weeks at a time.
"I've got an idea." Chris said suddenly, pulling out his phone and dialling the number with a huge grin on his face. "I know how you can live and work here without worrying about sky high rent."
"Chris, I love that you want to help but I can't take your money." Trey said, misunderstanding what he was saying.
"I'm not talking about that." Chris said, holding the phone away from his ear as it rang.
Trey's brow furrowed in a frown.
"Hi, it's Chris." Chris said, talking into his phone. "Yeah, I'm fine. I was wondering how you're doing with that agency."
"What?" Trey mouthed to Chris, but his boyfriend waved him off and continued speaking.
"Really? Not working out so well for you? I have a friend, someone that is looking for a place to stay and I know that you were originally looking for a house sitter." Chris said.
Trey's eyes widened as he realised what Chris was suggesting. He had done it before and knew that while it restricted some of what you could do to the place you were staying it was a great way to get cheap rent and utilities.
"Yeah, he's trustworthy. I can vouch for him and I'm sure that Johnny or Steve would give him a reference from the tour. Yeah, worked with the rigging guys." Chris said, answering a list of questions.
Trey wondered if a list of Chris' friends as references would be good enough. He wasn't sure who else he could use, unless Kira counted.
"No, he's not a dancer." Chris said. "We don't all like pretty boys you know." He added with a laugh. "He'll be fine with Jack, he's used to dogs and he's cared for Koriya."
A small smile crossed Chris' face as he looked up to meet Trey's eyes.
"Yeah, I really trust him that much." Chris said sincerely. "I'll drop by the agency and pick the keys up tommorow. You won't regret it."
"Who was that?" Trey asked after Chris hung up.
"Just a friend." Chris replied.
Trey raised an eyebrow. If he was going to work for this person he would need more than a half truth.
"It was Alex." Chris said, as if that was supposed to mean something. "AJ from the Backstreet Boys." Chris clarified when he realised that Trey didn't know who he meant. "We've been friends for years really, we both went through a tough time recently and it was good to have someone to talk with. We walk the dogs together sometimes, although Jack is a rascal compared to Koriya."
"And he needs a housesitter?" Trey asked.
"Well, he had an agency going in to clean but he mentioned that he wasn't really comfortable with that." Chris said. "It's difficult to get a discreet service when you're in our business and Alex is a lot more secretive than he used to be."
"Because he's gay?"
"No, because he's sober." Chris replied. "AJ is a recovering addict. It's amazing how many people want an exclusive on him, something about him falling off the wagon now that he's doing so well. He worked so hard to hide his addiction but now that he's clean people are looking for a story."
"That's awful." Trey said sincerely. He couldn't believe that anyone would stoop so low as to try and get the dirt on someone that was already caught in the daily struggle of staying clean. It made him hate tabloid journalists even more than he already did.
"Well, I've arranged for us to pick up the keys from the agency tommorow." Chris said. "Alex is going to call you later to sort the details, it's a pretty standard contract though really - 10 hours a week cleaning, some minor Admin stuff like paying the bills and, if you're interested, he also mentioned that you might want to look after Jack. He's kennelled at the moment but..."
"I'll take him." Trey said. He couldn't bear to think of any dog in a kennel for a long stint of time. They were okay for a few weeks away but he didn't think it was right for them to stay there for months on end, not when it was possible for them to stay in their own home.
"Alex is going to love you." Chris said, a smile on his face.
"Well, he might." Trey said. "But I'm kind of a one man guy."
Chris leaned over and kissed him.
"Someone might see." Trey said, pulling out of the kiss and looking over his shoulder to check that the beach was still empty.
"I love you." Chris said without any hesitation. "And right now I don't care who knows it."
Trey hesitated, not sure that he was ready to return Chris' declaration.
"And it doesn't matter if you're not ready to say anything. You don't have to say anything back." Chris continued. "I know that you're apprehensive about this, I know that you want to take time and I respect that. But I love you and I just wanted you to know."
"Thank you." Trey said, loving Chris more as he spoke the words. Deep down Trey had already fallen for Chris and given time he knew that love could grow. He hoped that one day soon he would be able to tell Chris he loved him with the confidence his lover did.
End Part 2