remi smiles as he makes his way into the hotel room, it’d been hard not spending time with him. of course, there’d been moments that they’d been able to steal for facetime and phone calls but it wasn’t the same as spending actual time together . he was nervous , this was different to just hanging out . this was an official coming out , it wasn’t something that remi had ever thought that he’d be comfortable doing . so that was a testiment to how his relationship with nate was going. 

he laughs quietly when the other’s arms wrap around him, hugging him back tightly as he just leans into him. “hi you,” he speaks quietly, slowly running his fingers along his shoulders as he scrunches his nose a little before nodding his head. “i missed you too, more than i can say.” fingers slowly run along nate’s jaw, before following as he’s pulled along into the suite before shrugging his shoulder. “an hour or so, nothing too crazy but i’ll be alright. ”

“Okay, baby. If you need more rest we have a little time. No need to rush.” Nate led his boyfriend further into the room and gave him a moment to greet the team. “We’ll be right back”, he stated, grabbing Remi’s hand again and pulling him into one of the bedrooms. He closed the door behind them and pulled Remi in again, wrapping one hand around his waist and using the other to push Remi’s hair behind his ear. He smiled sweetly and held his chin, leaning in and kissing him again. “You’re so beautiful.”

Nate could sit and stare at his boyfriend’s face all day, but they had obligations. However, that wouldn’t stop him from stealing a moment for them. Those weeks apart had been sheer torture. He needed to feel Remi’s body against his. Just for a few minutes. “I got you something.”

Ezra’s heart skipped a beat as he looked up and saw Oliver standing before him. He had never seen a man so imposing in his life, but there was something undeniably charming about the way that Oliver carried himself. His piercing green eyes seemed to bore straight into Ezra’s soul, and he suddenly felt like prey.

Despite his uneasiness, Ezra tried to stay calm. He resisted the urge to flee as he struggled to keep his voice steady. “Good morning… sir. Thank you, and I’m doing well today. How about you? What can I get you?“ he replied.

His voice was soft and meek, almost submissive as he addressed the larger man in front of him. He seemed to be trying hard to maintain a façade of calm, but there was an underlying note of fear in his voice. He was clearly intimidated by Oliver, but there was also an undeniable attraction to the powerful man.

Ezra unconsciously licked his lips as he stared at Oliver, his heart pounding erratically in his chest. His fingers trembled slightly as he gripped the edge of the counter, knuckles turning white. He felt like a deer caught in the headlights. A bead of sweat trickled down his temple, making its way slowly down his cheek. His mouth was dry, and he had to resist the urge to gulp nervously.

Oliver hadn’t known what to expect when it came to Ezra. He honestly hadn’t given it much thought at all. But he was somewhat shocked to be faced with someone so meek and anxious. It was almost comical. It was clear to Oliver that Ezra wouldn’t be difficult to capture, if it ever came down to that. But he knew he needed to tone himself down even more if he ever had a chance of gaining the boy’s trust. Simply being friendly wouldn’t be enough.

“You alright, darling?”, Oliver questioned, looking down at Ezra’s hands as they gripped the counter. “Little too much coffee this morning?” Oliver offered the boy another friendly smile, hoping a little joke would ease the tension. “I’ll have a red eye, thank you.” Oliver reached into his back pocket and pulled out a wad of cash, finding a ten and laying it down on the counter. “I’m doing well, thank you for asking. Just enjoying my day off.”

IOUs. Something Kyro usually never accepted no matter the circumstances and this situation was a perfect example why. He would find some crumble of niceness within his heart, no matter how small, and decided to hand it to a young male who had fallen on hard times. He offered him some of his best shit within the hopes that Bradley would eventually pay him back within the respected time frame that Kyro had given him. However, once that clock had stuck its finally ring, the money was still nowhere to be found. And neither was Bradley. Oh, no no no. Kyro wasn’t gonna let this fly. He had a reputation to uphold and if he let Bradley get away with it then he would slowly have to start letting his other customers slip through the cracks. Keh. Over his dead fuckin’ body. Despite his need to repay the debt, Kyro decided to wait a little bit. He wanted to spring himself on Bradley to catch him off guard when he least expected it. He would give him about five years. That was more than enough time whilst Kyro attended to other matters. Now, thanks to a spy that Kyro had sent into Bradley’s life to keep a track on him, Kyro was finally at his door. Dressed in dark blue jeans, steel-toed boots, and his ever-famous leather jacket with a black under shirt. Kyro made a firm knock upon the wooden door. Once he was greeted by the familiar face, the drug dealer grinned an awful grin. One that had dangerous ideas written all over it. “Bradley! Long time, no see my friend. I missed you. Mind if I come in?” Without even waiting for a reply, Kyro forced himself passed Bradley and into his home. Shutting the door and locking it behind him.

Bradley’s heart sank, watching as Kyro pushed his way into his home, locking the door behind him. He couldn’t do anything except stand there, frozen in fear. Bradley had done everything in his power to forget his past. Those memories were just too painful. Too dark. He was happy now, living his life in peace. Sure, he was alone. But he preferred it that way. After everything he’d been through.

Bradley let silence linger in the air as he stared over at Kyro, his hands balled up into fists. He felt a sudden rush of anger rise up from his gut. “What do you want, Kyro.” His eyes narrowed into slits as he inched a little closer to the other. “Haven’t you done enough?” Bradley was heated thinking of all the times Kyro had taken advantage of him. What else could he possibly want after five long years?

Tonight was a special night. Nate and his boyfriend Remi would be attending their first public event together and walking the carpet as a couple. There had been plenty of rumors floating around since the pair had been photographed together many times over the months. But this would be their official announcement to the world. Nate couldn’t have been more excited.

Nate had done a little prep work, filling their hotel suite with hundreds of roses and purchasing Remi that Dior necklace he’d been pining after for weeks. He made sure to arrive before Remi, greeting the glam team and stylists with kisses on each cheek. 20 minutes into hair and makeup, Remi finally arrived and Nate jumped from his seat, running over to him wearing nothing but a pair of tight boxer briefs. He threw his hands around his boyfriend’s waist and excitedly began pecking his neck and face. “Hello baby”, he hummed, placing another gentle kiss on his forehead this time. Then another on his lips, index finger under Remi’s chin. “I missed you so fuckin’ much.” He pulled Remi in close to him, squeezing him tight for a moment before leading him into the suite. “How we’re your travels, baby? You get any sleep on the flight?”

Oliver had men all over the city, stationed on nearly every block. His falcons were his eyes and ears and they were quick to report any suspicious activity. Any threat to him was a threat to his entire operation, so it was of the upmost importance to keep things under control. He’d heard of the name Raijin before. A man of great power with the potential to topple his empire. Word on the street was that he was looking to expand his influence oversees. Oliver’s city, to be exact. He couldn’t have that.

Normally, Oliver would order his men to do his dirty work for him. But with a threat so large, so seemingly imminent, he decided he needed to take matters into his own hands. Luckily for Oliver, he was informed that Raijin’s son lived nearby. It seemed like fate.

It took his men mere seconds to find out where Ezra worked and his schedule. Oliver strolled in on a Saturday, dressed discretely and walked up to the counter to order himself a coffee. He gently laid a down on the counter, flashing a friendly and approachable smile at his target as he turned around. “Morning”, he hummed, tapping a finger lightly on counter. “How’re you today uh...” He leaned in a bit, squinting at Ezra’s nametag. “Ezra! Cute name.”

After dinner with his father, Bradley had made his way back to his cabin on the far side of their land. The night was just like any other. He had a hot shower, put on a pair of shorts, made a fire, and cuddled up on the couch to watch some tv. He was barely into his third episode when he heard a knock on his door. He sat up immediately, alarmed by the sound. You see, no one ever made their way over to his cabin, not even his dad. Bradley jumped up and hastily made his way towards the door, assuming it was his pops in need of help. He pulled the door open only to find Kyros, his drug dealer from back in the city. Bradley’s jaw dropped and hung open for a moment as he struggled to find a single word to say. “I-I”, he stammered, frantically patting his waist. Of course he didn’t have his knife. Why would he? “Kyros? How the hell did you find me out here? What do you want?” Bradley hadn’t seen the man in 5 years and he couldn’t think of a single reason for the man to be at his doorstep, out in the middle of nowhere.

Today was monumental. Nate was shooting his cover story for Gay Times. This would officially mark the beginning of a new era in his career and he was nervous, but extremely excited. With his hair and makeup done, Nate headed to wardrobe and put on his first look. A pair of worn leather pants, black leather boots, a thick silver choker, and a pair leather riding gloves. He made his way over to the full length mirror and checked himself out, admiring his reflection as the makeup team worked oil over his chest, arms, and abs. And with those final touches, he was ready. “Nate”, he hummed, offering his hand to the handsome photographer. “I’m so glad you asked for a closed set. My manager is an absolute fuckin’ nightmare on these shoots. And this is such a big deal for me, you know. I don’t need any distractions. So uh, let’s make some mother fuckin’ magic, yeah?” Nate winked playfully at the other, running a hand through his thick, raven hair.