by Max Walker
Caleb took a breath. He wanted to say fuck you, you fucking lump of moldy fucking meat.
“No,” Caleb said, instead. Short and simple. He started walking again, not knowing what to expect.
He made it to Red’s room without being stopped again. Caleb looked down the hall, Jackson nowhere in sight. He swallowed and went to knock. He wasn’t scared. Jackson had no power here. Nothing. There was nothing he could do to get Caleb in trouble.
Right?
...Fuck.
Twenty-Six
Red Miller
Three knocks on the door. Red looked up and saw Caleb’s face through the window, smiling. He got up and crossed the room, opening the door and letting Caleb in. Before he walked past, he bent down and kissed him. It was quick and soft and right. All Red wanted. Caleb, still smiling, walked toward Red’s dad.
“How are you feeling, Michael?”
“Alright,” he said, coughing. “Are you here to perform one of your songs? It might help.”
That got Caleb and Red both laughing. “I think me singing might make it worse.”
“True.” Michael nodded with a smile, drinking some water. “Red spoke to me, Caleb. You two don’t have to hide anymore.”
Red felt a swell of pride in his chest. He was so grateful that his father was handling this so well. He understood that other people weren’t lucky enough to have this kind of experience. He stood next to Caleb, who was standing next to the bed, his hand on the rail. Red reached out and put his arm around Caleb, unafraid anymore. For a moment, it did feel scary. But that moment passed as soon as it came. Michael looked at them both and smiled, nodding as he put his cup of water down on the side table.
“Thank you,” Caleb said. “I was honestly a little nervous. Feels like I’m coming out to my parents all over again.”
Red gave him a squeeze. “How did they take it? Finding out you were a hit screamo singer?”
Caleb laughed, his shoulders moving, his sound filling the room. “They took it way worse than when I told them I was gay.”
Michael laughed along with them, a small coughing fit interrupting them.
“We should let you get some rest,” Caleb said, looking at the screen of numbers that meant nothing to Red. He didn’t know what the normal blood pressure range was or how much sugar someone needed in their blood. Red was an avid reader, but he wasn’t a great studier. He memorized numbers for tests and then quickly forgot them afterward. School wasn’t his thing. That was something else that Red greatly admired about Caleb. He was so smart, in ways that made Red want to learn. He wanted to sit down and have Caleb teach him everything. He pictured Caleb scrawling across a whiteboard, showing him how the circulatory system worked. It didn’t hurt that he was naked in this daydream.
And he looked so damn sexy in his scrubs, too.
“I’m looking forward to that encore, Caleb. I know I’ll be seeing you.”
“That you will. I still have about two-hundred and ten more days before my voice is ready again, but I’ll be around.” Caleb smiled that same smile that made Red want to melt right into the floor. He was literally made weak. His knees shook ever so slightly. Jesus, this man was something else.
They turned to leave the room, Red over the moon with how everything turned out. His father was on the road to leaving the hospital in good health and Caleb was no longer his dirty little secret. How could life get any better?
Two knocks on the door. Selena’s anxious face peered in through the window.
“Oh…” Caleb said. Red looked over his shoulder at his dad. He gave the motion to let her in. Red, not sure where this was going to go, walked over to the door and let Selena in.
“Jesus, Michael, are you ok?” she hurried past Red and Caleb. “I saw the TMZ video and got so scared something happened.”
“Video?” his father asked. Red explained about his paparazzo encounter outside. He looked at Selena, her eyes lacking any touch of makeup. She looked like she had thrown on the nearest black sweatshirt and jeans and rushed out of her house. She looked… vulnerable.
“I’m sorry, Selena.” Red felt a stab of regret. He never should have dragged her into his messy life.
“Red,” she started, her head shaking, her normally long hair was now cut short, angled. A pixie cut. It looked good on her, made her seem even more untouchable. “I’m the one who should be apologizing.”
“Huh?” Red cocked his head.
“Not here,” she said. “Michael, sorry for barging in, I’m so glad you’re doing well, though. Don’t scare us like that again.”
She leaned down and kissed Michael on the forehead. She looked elegant, even under the white hospital lights and the oversized sweater.
“If you need absolutely anything, you have my number.” She was being genuine, Red could tell. He walked out with her and Caleb, closing the door, his father already starting to doze off.
“Wow,” Selena said, sounding shocked. “What a night.”
Caleb was standing to the side, giving them space. Red didn’t want the space. He wanted Caleb by his side.
“I’m so glad he’s ok,” Selena continued. “And I’m glad you’re ok too, Red.”
Red thought he had misheard. That’s when she turned to Caleb and reached out, grabbing his hands in hers. They looked so tiny holding Caleb’s bigger hands. “I’m sorry, Caleb, for being such a raging bitch. I should never have tried to split you guys up.”
Caleb shook his head, a soft smile on his face. “It’s ok. The situation was complicated from the start, I don’t think a ton of people are equipped to deal with it.”
Red’s heart swelled. He couldn’t believe what he was seeing. He never imagined Selena and Caleb being this warm with each other. He was still upset over what she had done, even if Caleb had an easier time forgiving, but he was still glad to know he wasn’t going to have to completely cut Selena out of his life.
Selena started to tear up. “From the moment I walked into that trailer, I knew Caleb was someone special.” She turned to Red now. “And I saw my entire life changing. I get that nothing was real between us, but my life is real. And you’re part of that. I’m someone because I’m dating you, Red. How fucking sad is that? I saw you leaving me, running off with Caleb. We’d be trending for a few weeks, and then what? Everyone forgets about me, I’m not able to get any more jobs, and I have to end up working in shitty Hallmark Channel movies to make a living. I can’t do that.”
“You won’t have to,” Red said. He wiped a tear from Selena’s cheek with a thumb. “We’ve been in this mess for years, but your career would have taken off with or without me. You’re talented, beautiful, and smart. If anything, you might get more jobs now. And forget the jobs. You can find someone who you can grow old with. Find happiness with.”
“It’s scary,” she said, looking down at her pristine white sneakers.
“It is,” Red said, looking over Selena’s shoulder at Caleb. “But it’s going to be ok.”
Red left the hospital that day feeling complete. His father was doing well, Selena was coming around, and the entire world now knew about him and Caleb. He had busted that closet door off its hinges and had nothing left to hide. He was going to live his best life and have Caleb alongside him through it all.
Nothing could tear him down from the high.
Well, he thought nothing could tear him down.
Twenty-Seven
Caleb Forester
One Month Later
Life was crazy good. Insanely good. If Caleb were the exceptionally corny type, he would have pinched himself every morning just to make sure it was all real. (He only pinched himself once… ok, twice). He half expected to have a menagerie of singing animals sitting outside of his window, reminding him that life was great and nothing could topple him from the heights he had achieved.
“Good morning,” Red said, groggy with sleep and sexy as sin, hair tousled and falling down on his face, bright eyes a little cloudy and still sexy.
“Mornin’, sexy.” Caleb pushed in for a kiss, dragon breath be damned.
“Mmm, someone’s excited for the morning,” Caleb practically purred as Red rolled over onto his side, his already rock-hard cock pressing against Caleb’s thigh. This had Caleb’s morning wood standing to attention in seconds.
“How can I not be when I wake up to you?”
Caleb smiled and went for another kiss. This one evolved into something steamier. They were both wide awake now, their cocks rubbing together under the white sheets, delicious warmth spreading through them. Caleb could feel a streak of wetness from where the tip of Red’s cock rubbed against his belly. He pushed his hips forward, pressing his stiffness against Red as their tongues worked magic.
The window was open, the sound of chirping coming from the nearby robin’s nest, a fresh breeze keeping the large room cool. The sun was streaming in, meaning that Caleb was going to wake up whether Red’s erection woke him up or not. He typically wasn’t a morning person, but Red was quickly turning him over to the dark side (or rather, away from the dark side). He just loved waking up now, mostly because that meant waking up next to Red, his naked body warm with sleep next to him. It only took one night of Caleb staying over for it to become a more permanent thing. Caleb had rarely slept in his own bed over the past month, and he didn’t mind that at all.
Before they both knew it, Caleb had rolled over and climbed on top of Red, their kiss growing hotter and hotter.
“I want you inside me,” Caleb whispered into Red’s ear, feeling his hard cock pressing up against his entrance. It was driving him crazy. He had to feel Red stretching him wide. He loved it. Red had the perfect sized cock. He was a little smaller than Caleb, which he loved because that meant he didn’t have to feel like his ass was being torn open every time they had sex. Caleb was larger than average, so anything bigger than him would have been a bit of an issue.
Caleb leaned over and opened the nightstand, pulling out the bottle of lube. It was already slippery in his hands. They had made a date of getting tested so Caleb left the box of condoms untouched. He put the bottle of lube down on the nightstand and squirted some on his palm, spreading it around before grabbing both of their cocks. They gasped in unison, enjoying the silky wetness and the warmth coming off Caleb’s grip. And Caleb loved jerking Red off. He could have sat there all day, stroking Red and making him moan, and he would have been in heaven.
After a few more minutes of jerking off, Caleb moved to straddle Red with his thighs. He sat back, reaching around and grabbing the base of Red’s thick cock. He aimed it upright and started to sit back, grunting with pleasure at the sensation of being opened.
“Oh fuck,” Red groaned, pushing his head back into the pillow. His fingers gripped Caleb’s hips tight, pushing him down harder.
“Right there, that’s it,” Caleb said, putting his hands down on Red’s chest, squeezing as Red started to thrust upward, every rock of his hips rubbing his cock against Caleb’s swollen prostate. It was sending waves of ecstasy crashing over him. Every single thrust. He was squeezing Red’s pebbled nipples now, grunting like he lost the ability to speak, bouncing on Red’s cock like his life depended on it.
“You like that? Fuck, keep going. Bounce on that big dick.”
Caleb could barely handle it. Red’s gravely voice sounded so fucking sexy, and the fact that he was inside his ass while he spoke only made things a thousand times hotter. Caleb was seeing stars.
“Yes, yes, yess,” he managed to say, feeling his balls tighten, his own cock slapping on his abs whenever he pulled up on Red’s dick.
“Come for me, baby, come for me. Come all over my chest. That’s it. I’m going to come, fuck.”
Caleb looked down, seeing a flushed Red about to come. This threw him over the edge. He shot load after sticky load onto Red’s chest, a rope flying up and hitting Red on the lips, causing him to stick his tongue out and lap it up. Red was set off by the sight, coming deep inside of Caleb. He had stopped thrusting, his hips locked with his cock balls-deep in Caleb. He spasmed under Caleb as he continued to fill him up.
“Wow, fuuuck,” Caleb said with an exhale when it was all over. He pulled off of Red and rolled over on his side, quickly realizing that was a mistake. He felt like he was about to drip all over the sheets. Red wasn’t joking when he had said he filled him up.
“Oook, time to shower,” Caleb said, getting up and heading toward the bathroom. Red followed with a chuckle, slapping Caleb’s ass as they walked into Red’s huge bathroom. It felt bigger than Caleb’s bedroom. There was dark marble and gray concrete that was balanced by glossy white vases holding bright blue orchids next to fluffy folded white towels. There was a large tub that was set under an arched window while the walk-in shower could easily fit six and still have room for a few more.
“So what’s on the agenda today?” Caleb asked as they both stepped into the shower. Red had one of those wide showerheads that had way more settings than any human could possibly need. It was on the medium rainfall level, a favorite for both of them. Caleb liked to switch it to the mist when Red wasn’t looking.
Red hated the mist setting.
“I’ve got a surprise date planned for us.”
“A surprise? Oh jeez, now I’m nervous.”
“Don’t worry,” Red said, smiling as he closed his eyes and tilted his head back, letting the water run through his hair. “It’s not like the last surprise. You won’t spend the day scared.”
“Don’t get me wrong, I loved it, I just should have told you I get nervous around horses. Something about how big and smart they are, I feel like I’m always a carrot away from a temper tantrum that’s going to leave me paralyzed.”
Red massaged shampoo onto his head. The smell of coconut and eucalyptus filled the marble shower. Caleb reached around and grabbed the soap. The shower was obviously big, big enough for Caleb to walk around Red and grab the soap. Instead of that, Caleb chose the better option; press his body against Red’s as he reached for the bottle. He could start to feel that need coming back. The one that made him crazy for Red’s cock, the need that made him want to turn around and get pressed up against the shower wall.
“But seriously,” Caleb went on, trying to temporarily ignore the constant desire he had for Red, “I had a great time, minus the constant fearing for my life part.”
They both laughed at that. “I’d never let anything hurt you,” Red said. “Besides, you chose the tamest horse they had. Her name was Edith Gardens. She might as well have knit you a saddle.”
Caleb cracked up at that. “Well, little Miss Edith had an attitude. Don’t let her classic name fool you.”
Red turned around so that he was facing away from Caleb. Soap trailed down the trails of muscles that made up his back, all the way down to that perky ass of his. He looked so damn good, especially wet and soapy, like he was in some butt commercial. It was that photogenic.
This was it. His chance.
Caleb reached up and switched the knob on the showerhead. It went from a nice little rainfall setting to a weird Costa Rican jungle type mist.
“Caleb!”
“Surprise,” Caleb said, putting his hands flat up in the air, a mischievous smirk on his wet face. The shower filled with the sounds of their laughs as they continued to joke around, Red at one point pretending he was an intrepid tour guide lost in the jungle, pointing out the massive anaconda that had snuck into the shower between Caleb’s legs.
“Why can’t Animal Planet have a show with you as the guide? I don’t care about tree houses and fish tanks.”
“I should pitch it to my new agent.”
“Steven? Yeah, I think he’d love it.” Caleb gave a shake of his anaconda for emphasis. “Thank god you found him.”
“Yeah, I thought Peter was good, but this guy is a beast. I feel like he knows everyone, but not in a skeezy way. He’s genuinely friends with everyone in the industry.”
“Peter was such a sleaze, and I barely dealt with
him. I wonder how he got so many people to talk to him.”
“I don’t know, but I’m glad he’s gone.” Red squeezed the tube of apricot face scrub, dropping a quarter sized glob onto his palm. “Letting him go wasn’t easy.”
“I know, I’m sure you were attached to him. Or at least used to him.”
“No, not even that.” Red’s face was foamy with the scrub. The scent of apricot and pear filled the shower. “I wasn’t going to tell you, I didn’t want you getting upset. But he pretty much flipped out when I told him I was dropping him as an agent. He threw every slur in the book, trying to degrade me—us.”
Oh fuck no.
Red was right. Caleb was getting upset. He disliked Peter already for pressuring Red into hiding his sexuality. Something that ultimately didn’t affect his popularity in the slightest—if anything, Red had garnered even more attention after he came out, and a lot of it was positive. Of course, there were the troll comments and random hate mail that reminded them not everyone in the world was on their side yet, but those moments were brief. They had to be. Caleb and Red focused on the positive comments, the emotional emails and the handwritten notes from teenagers being inspired to come out.
Red coming out only ended up hurting Peter in the end.
Oh, the irony.
“He started getting physical.”
“Wait, seriously?” Caleb thought the story had ended with the slurs.
“We were in his office. He was getting pissed. It was after hours, so only his assistant was around, but she was sitting outside of his office. The door was closed, so all she could hear was the thud when the chair hit the wall.”
“He threw a chair? What the fuck?” Caleb’s eyes were wide. His hands came up to his soapy hair, running through the wet strands in disbelief. “Did he think Jerry Springer was watching? Was that all he did?”
“No,” Red shook his head. “I told him to calm down and he really flipped. Said that he knows how to get to you. How to hurt you.”
