Tay marveled that a sitting man could stomp his foot. New could. "We need ground rules. This can't continue, Tay."
"Why not?" Taking deep breaths, he just didn't understand what New was so worried about. "What's the problem?"
New stood up. "I'm going to pull out my hair. That's it... yes, I'm going to go bald because of you!" He faced Tay and snarled. "They notice everything, fans. Makeup can't hide it. Every single tiny mark, they notice it."
"If I don't have a girlfriend for them to go after, you don't have one, what happens? They say we are fucking each other." New whispered softly, rubbing aching temples. Why was Tay being so fucking stubborn?
Tay shrugged. "We ARE fucking each other. I don't see the issue."
New did scream now, "Because I want a fucking private life!"
Laughing, "Did you always use so many swear words or do I just bring out the best in you, Newwie?" He tugged him back to the sofa. "Just relax, for my peace of mind, please?" He snugged him in to the crook of his arm and sighed. "You belong here."
Resting his chin on the top of his head, Tay considered what was upsetting Newwie. It had been a peaceful two days but they hadn't had sex since that first twenty-four hours. They HAD cuddled and talked a lot. Laughed more than he thought he ever could with the uptight man.
Split lips, bruises and bums had began to heal over. They were talking to each other more than Tay ever thought they would. Were they now more than friends?
He wasn't as uptight as he thought, just very, very shy. Reserved, and very good at acting. If anything, Tay suspected that New acted more in his daily life than he did on a set. When did he ever relax and let go?
"So, tell me honestly, babe, what in your ideal world, what would life be like?"
New thought hard about this. It was something he never did, think about possibilities. "Oh, love freely, live freely would be the first. Be totally free of G-TV so I could choose the gigs I want to do. Travel more."
"How would you 'love freely'? Out of everything New said, that was the most doable in Tay's mind. He was in the same boat with G-TV, so until their contracts ran out or they had enough money to live after buying out their contracts, nothing could change there.
"Love freely?" Laughing bitterly, "We can't. We're loved by millions around the world, Tay. They won't even let me have a friend."
"They let you have me." Why can't he see that the fans would accept it, if it was me? Tay held on to his patience. He had to remain calm, find a way to have New see him more than just sex or possibly a one night stand.
"How do you know? Just because they send you those messages on Instagram doesn't mean when our relationship is known, they will still support us."
"They're supporting Gun and Off." Tay retorted.
"They're not a real couple. Gun is just very, very affectionate. I talked with Off a year ago and he was not doing well. He was seriously considering moving to Korea where he had an offer to star in a movie, since he speaks Korean so well."
"Are you fucking kidding me?" Tay shot upright, he did not know that.
"Mmm, unless something has changed. I mean, Off did turn the role down, which surprised the hell out of me. I mean, they offered him $35,000 USD per episode, for 16 of them." New shook his head. "He's spent so much of his money on Gun, I was positive he was going to take the role."
"Maybe Gun was waiting until his contract was up with G-TV. He's out now." Tay offered slowly.
"Maybe." New was silent. "I think of all the BL couples we've acted with or know. Only the proudly out actors who were out already have successful relationships, with people not in the industry that are not interfered with by fans." He snuggled deeper and reached for Tay's hand.
"Even then, look at Cooheart, he was in that long-term relationship and got dumped because the guy didn't like seeing him kissing on screen. Its taken him a long time to find a new boyfriend and he's not another actor. When I talked to him, he said he won't post pictures of his face so no one knows who he is."
"New, why were you asking all these questions?"
Surprised, he pulled back to stared at Tay. "You mean you've never, not once, asked anyone in the industry, how they manage to date?"
Tay felt the tips of his ears flush. "Just once and that was recently. And it wasn't necessarily about me..."
"Speaking about all of this, I really need my phone back, Tay. I need to call home. I have to talk with my mom. I need to see how Day is doing. It's not fair that I fled the whole mess and am hiding out here with you."
Tay had completely forgotten about turning off the phones and putting them in the dresser drawer. "Oh shit. Hang on, I'll go get them so we can check the messages together."
New turned on his phone and looked at the numbers that called before listening to any voice mails. His mom only called three times. There were no texts from her as arranged. Day had called once. All the rest were from his manager and two were from G-TV. What did G-TV want?
There were several that he did not recognize. He also had a few texts from an unknown number, but he recognized it, which turned out to be from his lawyer, asking he call as soon as he received this message.
Tay was already on the phone, pacing and cursing at someone. He was so loud, New got up and went into the bedroom to talk with his mom.
"Hey mom, are you alright?"
"Oh, New, I'm fine. Thank goodness you finally called. I've been worried with all those reporters but they disappeared after the first day." Her voice sounded out of breath.
"So it's finally over? I'm out of the news now?" This was a coded sentence between them, in case his manager was there.
"Yes it's over. There are still news reports though." Her voice firmed. New swore. Someone was with her.
"Okay mom, I love you." He hung up and pondered. Who was with his mom? He still had 4 days of safety with Tay.
He called the lawyer next. "It's New. What's going on out there? Someone is intimidating my mother."
"Yes, we know. Since you dropped off the radar, and haven't responded to the manager, or G-TV, they are considering it a breach of contract."
"That's bullshit. I called in sick for a week." New snapped back. "I'm allowed up to one week of sick time according to the contract."
"That's why I wanted to talk. I found an very interesting clause in the contract. We can get you free of them right now, if you want. Scandals... are a terminating offense."
"Are you fucking kidding me? Are you telling me that I could have been free years ago?"
The lawyer chuckled. "Yes, I have a feeling the reason they didn't fire you, is you make them too much money."
"Use it. Threaten them. I will work out the rest of the contract but get me more freedom. Renegotiate that damn contract in my favor or I leave." New hung up the phone.
The last and most important call was the hardest. "New, are you okay?" Day gasped, he could hear her tears start.
"Doing fine, Day, doing fine. Are you?" He tapped his foot impatiently.
"New, I'm so sorry. I feel like this was all my fault!" She wailed.
"Oh stop that, I like the fact that you've got more common sense that to take on blame that's not yours. I made the mistake, not you." He paused and continued, "Day, I'm really sorry but we can't see each other again, not even casually."
"But New, once this dies down, we can be friends again. Who else will understand my one sided love affair?" Day wailed, tears falling.
"You know it to be true, if you don't stop seeing me, the fans will hunt you down. Good bye, and stay safe." He felt a little cold hearted, and bitter, the same way he did after he broke up with the last female friend. It was necessary to keep them safe but it always hurt.
He turned the phone off as Day tried to call back and tossed it back on the bed. Tay could hide it wherever he had it when he was finished. He went into the room at peace with himself. Tay was still on the phone but smiled back.
"No, you fuck off. I told you, I'm sick and I'm not coming in until Monday. So piss off." He hung up and turned the phone off. "Well, that's that. I guess I can't open the door before checking to see who's at it now that the manager's upset."
"Take care of everything?"
New nodded. "I left the phone on the bed. They sent my manager to my mom but she's coping. The lawyer will handle it." He sunk down on the sofa and curled up in a ball. "Day didn't take it well that I won't be talking to her again."
"It's a friendship, New, you didn't have to go that far." Tay sat beside him. He had no jealousy over this girl. New was in HIS bed at night.
"Yes, I did." He spoke really low, almost to low for Tay to hear. "You don't really understand until you've been the target, Tay. Those keyboard warriors, they're warped. You only see half the comments, not the ones that threaten or describe what they want to do to me or my partner."
He raised his head up and speaking a little louder, "Why do you think it's been years since I go anywhere without bodyguards? That fucking company doesn't pay for them, I do."
.