Los Angeles, 2017
It's been two weeks since that magical night on the plane, and Aiden can still feel Rio wrapped around him. It was truly a night to remember, and one he couldn't wait to share with the singer again.
As for their relationship's progress, well, it had been rather slow, but every private moment the two share he cherished. Being around him constantly, however, was getting much harder considering they couldn't touch, or flirt, when they were in public or around others. But that just made their private moments even sweeter.
Aiden has the day off while Rio spent the day in the studio. He was featuring on a track with another artist, and the studio itself had strict security, so Aiden didn't have to show back up until it was time for Rio to leave.
It was a good thing though, considering what today was. The anniversary of his mother's death.
Aiden walks through the graveyard, a bouquet of tulips, his mother's favorite flower, in his hand. He placed them at the base of her headstone and kneels there, looking at her little picture placed in the stone.
"Hey, mama." Aiden says softly, smiling as he feels the same emotion wash over him that happens every year. Sadness, mostly, but a twinge of regret.
His mother never knew the real him, because he's always been too afraid to admit it, to tell her, and regrets not doing that every day he's spent without her.
"It's been a minute since I been by to see you. Sorry about that." Aiden says, rubbing his nose and then shoving his hands in his pockets. "I think I may have saved someone, someone that...I care about a lot."
A smile spreads across Aiden's lips as he thinks about Rio, the smile he sees on the singer's face when they're together, it makes every day worth living. He's the only thing that gets Aiden out of bed everyday.
"I don't know how much you can see up there, but there's something I need to tell you." Aiden continues, his smile fading slowly as he looks down at the green grass on the ground. "I've known for a long time now, I've just always been too afraid to admit it. The truth is, ma, I'm gay."
Even though his mother isn't there to react in person, he still feels like there's been a heavy weight lifted off of his chest, and the more he talks, the more he smiles.
"I met somebody. His name is Rio, and...he's having a hard time, mama. He really is." Aiden says, licking his lips as he continues. "But I think I'm helping him, saving him, and it makes me happy just to see him happy. I think you'd like him a lot."
"Aiden." He hears a deep familiar voice behind him.
He turns around to see his father approaching him with a two bottles of beer in his hand.
"I knew you'd be here." James says, passing Aiden one of the bottles.
"I always come." Aiden says, accepting the beer and popping the cap off, taking a long swig from it. He was definitely going to need to be a little bit out of it if he planned on even carrying a conversation with his father as his mother's grave.
"I know." James says, stepping up next to him, and then he looks down at the headstone with a soft sigh. "The flower's a pretty. She would've liked them."
"Thanks." Aiden says, eyes trained on the headstone.
They stand there in silence for a long while, the wind blowing around them. The tension was thick, so thick that it could be sliced with a knife, and Aiden wanted to get out of there, to leave the awkward situation behind, but he knew that he didn't have much of an escape route. Besides, he needed to be here for his mother...for himself.
Aiden and his father had always been at odds with each other, but it only gotten worse after his mother's tragic death. However, on this day, Aiden loathed his father's presence.
There may have been a moment before his mother's death when he thought he and his father could finally form a healthy, happy relationship.
Now, his father was the last person he wanted to be with.
•••
Rio sits back in the meeting room, periodically checking his phone to see if Aiden had texted him back yet, and he hadn't. He had noticed that Aiden had been a bit distant for the past few days, but Rio, having never been in a real relationship before, didn't exactly know how to approach him about it, so instead he just pretended like there was nothing wrong. Now, though, he was starting to be really bothered by it, and he was worried about Aiden.
"Rio, are you paying attention?" Daphne asks, pulling Rio back to reality from his thoughts. "Did you hear anything that they just said?"
Once again, they were sitting with the executives of the label. They agreed to release Rio's album on time, after a lot of publicity clean-up from Rio, and now here they were, discussing the BET Awards, which Rio was nominated for an award and where he would be performing.
"No," Rio admits, figuring it would be easier than to lie, since they all knew the truth anyway, "I'm sorry. Can you say it again?"
"Well," Charlie says, seeming a little agitated that he had to repeat himself, but Rio didn't really care, "as you know you'll be performing at the BET Awards this weekend."
"Yes," Rio nods.
"And they want you to perform Masterpiece." Charlie continues. "With Gia."
Rio refrains from rolling his eyes, which takes a lot of self-control. "I thought I would be performing Greatness? Alone."
"They changed their minds." Charlie says with a shrug. "The way I see it, it's their show, and they get to make the big decisions at the end of the day. Now, you're either going to do this or you're not."
"He's going to do it." Daphne says, tossing a look at Rio before smiling back at Charlie. "We promise."
"Good." Charlie says, standing up and the other men in suits following him. "Good day."
With that, they walk out of the room in an almost robotic fashion.
Daphne grabs her purse, standing up. "I know that's not what you wanted to do, but it's just the business. Besides, it'll be a great opportunity for you to confirm your relationship with Gia. Now, you go on down the hall to the studio. I'll be there soon."
Daphne shoulders her purse and walks out of the office.
Great. Just great.
•••
Later that night, way later that night, Rio lays in his large bed, soft, soulful, R&B music trickling through the speakers.
The bathroom door opens, steam billowing out, followed by Aiden, wearing only a pair of boxers and looking absolutely delicious as he walks over to the bed with a smile on his face.
Rio is drawn to him like a magnet as soon as his warm body lies next to his, pulling him even closer to him, pressing against his bare torso as Aiden wraps his arms around his waist.
"I missed you today." Aiden whispers as they lay there with their heads on the same pillow, looking into each other's eyes.
"I think I may have missed you more." Rio whispers back.
Aiden smiles. "Nah, not possible."
Rio smiles back, feeling his entire being warming up, cracking the cold shell that had formed around him from the events of the day.
"How was your day?" Aiden asks.
"Long," Rio says with a soft sigh. "How was yours?"
Aiden shrugs, a sad look crossing his face, and then he gets that distant look in his eyes that he's had for the past few days, the one that's been bothering Rio so badly. "It's was okay."
"Only okay?" Rio questions.
"Yeah, it's a lot better now that I'm here with you, though." Aiden says.
Rio licks his lips. "Babe, what's wrong?"
"What do you mean?" Aiden questions.
"I know that there's something that's been bothering you, and I just wanna know what it is." Rio says. "You've just seemed distant these past few days. Is it something that I did?"
"No, no of course," Aiden says, squeezing his arms around Rio reassuringly. "You're perfect, Rio, in every single way."
"Then what is it?" Rio asks. "What's got you acting this way?"
Aiden sighs. "Today's the anniversary of my mom's death. It's the hardest day of the year for me."
"Oh..." Rio says softly, looking deeply into Aiden's sad eyes and feeling his heart break. "I'm sorry, Aiden."
"It's okay, it's not your fault." Aiden says, his thumb brushing against Rio's cheek. "I'm just happy you're here with me right now. Keep my mind off of it."
Rio assumes he doesn't want to talk much about it, so he decides to leave it alone for now. Instead, he needs to bring something else up, and he only hopes it will go well.
"So, there's something that I need to tell you." Rio says, chewing on his bottom lip, which was something he does when he gets nervous.
"Anything." Aiden says.
"Daphne wants me to go public with my relationship with Gia. To really seal the deal." Rio says with a soft sigh. "I don't want to, but I don't think I have a choice."
Aiden sighs, closing his eyes, and loosening his arms around Rio's waist.
Rio feels his heart drop down into his stomach.
"Aiden," Rio says softly, swallowing the lump that was starting to form in his throat. "Please say something...anything."
There's a long beat of silence, before Aiden eyes finally open and look into his. "Okay,"
"Okay?" Rio asks, raising his eyebrow. "That's it?"
Aiden nods his head. "I knew what I was getting in to from the start, Rio. You and I are the only one's who know it's not real, but we're also the only one's who know how real this is. I'm not going anywhere, baby."
Rio smiles, leaning forward, and then kissing him passionately on the lips. Aiden returns it, pulling him even closer before rolling over on top of him, deepening the kiss.
They make quick work of taking off each other's underwear, and then Aiden is grinding against him, their gasps being smothered by each other's mouths.
Before long, Aiden has a condom rolled on his length, and then he's lining himself up at Rio's entrance. Slowly, while still kissing Rio and stroking his dick with one hand, he guides himself into Rio's tight heat, feeling the other throb around him as he sinks inside slowly inch by inch, until he's pressed against Rio's round backside, moaning softly into Rio's mouth.
Rio swallows the moans, his own whimpers of pleasure slipping from between his lips, his nails digging into Aiden's flesh as he adjusts to his lover's size.
They stay like that for awhile, Aiden buried deep inside of him, their lips moving against each other's in perfect synchronization.
"Aiden," Rio breathes against his lips, reaching down with one hand to grab at his ass, pushing him even deeper inside. "Please, move, babe."
Aiden doesn't have to be told twice, biting down on Rio's bottom lip as he starts to roll his hips at first, just a circular motion that has Rio gasping for air. Then, he starts to slowly pull out and push back in, slowly, passionately making love to Rio.
One of Aiden's hands stay wrapped around Rio's length, stroking him in time with each of his thrusts, and the other slides up into Rio's big, curly hair, tugging at the locs as he kisses him deeply again, swallowing his lover's moans of pleasure.
"You're so beautiful," Aiden whispers into Rio's ear after he's pulled away from the kiss, still slowly thrusting his hips into his lover's body. "So perfect."
Rio's hands rest on the nape of Aiden's neck and on his shoulder as Aiden fucks him. It's slow, sweet, passionate, and it's setting a fire inside of Rio that just keeps spreading. He's never felt pleasure like this before, never felt so connected to a person, before Aiden sex had been about getting off, about a body, but now it was so much more than that. It was raw emotion, it was trust, it was...
"Oh, right there." Rio breathes out as he feels Aiden brush against his prostate. Aiden aims for that same spot within Rio, and it makes Rio moan even louder, clutch on to Aiden even harder, like Aiden is the only thing keeping him from floating off into space. It was so intense, so much, that Rio knew he wasn't going to last long.
He tries to hold back for as long as he can, but he can't, and then he's cumming between their bodies. Feeling Rio tighten around him from his orgasm sends Aiden over the edge, and he ruts against Rio with a moan as he fills the condom.
They kiss for a few moments more, and then Aiden pulls out, takes off the condom, and ties it off before getting out of the bed to toss it into the bathroom trashcan. He gets back into the bed next to Rio, pulling him close.
Rio lays his head on Aiden's chest, and Aiden kisses his head, wrapping an arm around his shoulders.
"You make this life worth living." Rio whispers as he falls asleep.
Aiden stares up at the ceiling sadly. He knows exactly what Rio meant by the statement.
If Aiden weren't in his life, then he wouldn't be living it at all.
He'd be dead.
~
The next morning, Gia walks into the kitchen of Rio's house. Daphne is there, eating a bagel as she answers a few emails on her phone.
"Good morning." Daphne says as Gia walks in. "You're earlier than the bodyguard."
"What?" Gia asks, taking a seat on the barstool.
"That stupid cop that Rio just had to have as his bodyguard. The one that helped him that night on the balcony. He was supposed to be here an hour ago." Daphne shakes her head.
"Where is Rio?" Gia asks.
"Sleeping still, I suppose. Actually, do me a favor and go wake him, we have a few things we have to discuss before you two get ready for the awards tonight." Daphne says, turning her attention back to her phone screen.
Gia slides off the barstool, making her way down a hallway to Rio's bedroom. She slowly opens the door, walking inside.
"Babe, wakey, wakey." She says as she walks in, and then stops when she sees who's lying in the bed.
Rio and the bodyguard. The bodyguard as an arm draped around Rio's waist, and the two of them are spooning as they sleep peacefully. Her eyes then fall to the two pairs of boxers lying near each other on the floor. Hot tears burn the back of her eyes.
"What is taking so long?" Daphne asks as she walks in, and then she stops when she sees the scene that Gia's staring at. "Oh, hell no."
Daphne storms over to them, grabbing the sheet and yanking it off of their bodies.
"Get the hell up!" She exclaims.
They wake up, their eyes adjusting to the light, and then they see who's standing in front of them. Aiden is the first to stand up, covering himself quickly and reaching for his boxers. Daphne kicks them across the room out of his reach. She puts her finger in his face and starts walking him backwards.
"What the hell is your problem?! Is this how you take care of your employers? Huh? You just walk around and stick your dick in them?" Daphne snaps, backing Aiden up into the wall. "Not on my watch you don't."
"Daphne," Rio says, grabbing his underwear and covering himself as he watches his mother with her finger pointed in Aiden's face.
"Get out." Daphne say. "Right now. Don't come back until it's time for us to catch our flight, and then after tonight, your services won't be needed anymore. If you refuse this, I'll make sure that your career is over, and that your boss knows about this. I don't think you'd want that to happen would you? Does your father know you're a fairy faggot? Don't think so."
Rio's heart drops. No.
"But-" Rio tries to say, but his mother turns to him, giving him a look that he's never seen before, one that tells him how mad she truly is, and he's never seen her this angry before. He closes his mouth, eyes falling to Aiden, who looks at him, waiting for him to say something.
Rio's eyes fall to the floor.
Aiden looks at him for a moment more, feeling disappointed, betrayed, even though a part of him had expected this to happen.
With a heavy heart, he grabs his underwear from the floor, pulling them on. He grabs the rest of his clothes, casting one last look in Rio's direction. Rio isn't looking at him, he can't look at him.
"3:00. Don't be late." Daphne tells him.
Aiden nods his head, walking past Gia, and then out of the bedroom.
Rio stands in silence for a moment, feeling his mother's eyes boring into him. Rio looks over at Gia, who has tears falling down her cheeks.
"I actually loved you." Gia says, shaking her head and then storming out of the room.
"It's your job to fix this." Daphne says, walking over to him. "I'm tired of cleaning up your messes."
Daphne walks out of the room, slamming the door behind her.
Rio crumbles to the floor in tears.
Just like that it was back -- just like that he was hollow again.
Just like that...he had lost the best thing in his life.
~
Later that afternoon, his stylist takes one more look at him before deeming he's perfect. He's been frowning all day, just going through the motions, letting his mother control everything -- which she was enjoying. Gia had been pouting around all day, and now she was finally done.
"You two get together for a picture." Daphne says, fanning over the private photographer.
Gia sighs, stepping up next to Rio, who wraps an arm around his waist.
"Look, I'm sorry, okay?" Rio whispers through his fake smile. "I didn't mean for any of this to happen."
"I don't care. Be gay if you want. Just know this." Gia says through her own smile. "We're going to go out there work that carpet, work that stage, and make everyone believe we're madly in love. I've got my own album to drop, and I don't need you dragging me down with you. Got it?"
Rio nods his head with sigh. This was going to be a long night.
~
Aiden gets out of the car, photographers all turning to look at him, knowing that Rio was going to step out of the car soon to hit the carpet. The entire car ride here had been extremely awkward, and it wasn't easy for Aiden, sitting there while Rio was in the backseat. He wasn't sure what this meant for them, but he knew it had to be the end. Who was he to think this would work out anyway? Who was he to think that he could fix someone who was so broken? Who was he to think that he deserved to be loved?
Aiden opens the backdoor, and Rio steps out with a smile, that same fake smile that Aiden had seen so many times before. Rio waves to the screaming crowds behind the barricades, before turning and taking Gia's hand as she steps out of the vehicle too.
Aiden closes the door behind them as they start down the carpet. Aiden follows on the other side, trying to think of anything but how hurt he's feeling in the moment, and how torturous seeing the two of them on the carpet together is.
Rio is just as tortured.
His arm is wrapped around Gia's waist, and her hand is on his chest as they pose for pictures, smiling happily for the camera, but inside he's dying, slowly wilting like a dying rose, his petals floating off and withering away into nothing.
Nothing.
"Are you two dating?"
"I heard there might be a secret engagement?"
"Is it true that you're pregnant, Gia?"
The questions come as an onslaught, they're being pelted by them, and they both do their best to ignore them. It wasn't time to reveal their relationship. Not yet.
They make their way further down, and every now and then Rio will catch a glimpse of Aiden on the other side, Daphne and the rest of the entourage following close behind him, and it makes his heart break even more each time.
Finally, they arrive to the televised interview portion of the carpet, and Rio can feel his nerves seeping in. They step onto their marks and the camera man points to the interviewer to let them know they're live.
"Alright everybody, here are two people I'm sure you've all been at home waiting to see. Rio and Gia, who are nominated for Best Collaboration for their hit song Masterpiece, and for Best New Artist." The interviewer, Giselle, says into the mic as she smiles at them. "How are you two feeling tonight?"
"It's such an honor to even be here tonight, let alone be nominated." Rio says with a smile.
"I think I speak for both Rio and I when I say we're nervous and excited." Gia says, looking at Rio with a smile. "There's so much talent in those categories, it's such a blessing."
"I'm sure it is." Giselle says. "Now, you two know that I can't hold this question in any longer. I see that the two of you have been on social media together, been out together, and even arrived here together. So I and the rest of the world want to know are you dating?"
Rio and Gia exchange a look, just like they rehearsed, and then Rio turns to the camera and the microphone and nods his head. "Yes, we are dating, and we couldn't be happier." Then, he wraps his arm around her waist, pulling her closer, and pressing a kiss to the top of her head.
Aiden watches uncomfortably from the side. Daphne gives him the side-eye, a smirk on her features. Part of her plan was to completely torture him tonight. Seems like it's working.
Gia follows up, just like they rehearsed, "We wanted to keep it a secret for a while, just between us a close friends, you know? But we figured it was time for our fans to know how much we love each other and how we plan to have a long, happy future together."
"That's wonderful. I just love the two of you, and the whole matching thing you got going on tonight. You two are goals." Giselle says.
If only you knew. Rio thinks to himself.
"Okay, Rio, now I have a serious question for you." Giselle says, and Rio already knows where it's going before she even asks it. "A few weeks ago, there were some videos and pictures that surfaced, right after your Billboard win, of you on a balcony. Was it a suicide attempt?"
"No," Rio says, shaking his head and trying to convey as much honesty as possible. "It wasn't a suicide attempt. I was just really drunk, and I slipped and fell. Luckily, Officer Sawyer was there to save me, so I owe my life to him."
Giselle nods, but she still doesn't look convinced, and Rio knows that she's going to press more. "Okay, but on the video, you're sitting on the railing, and then you just sort of...fall. It looks pretty intentional to me and not just a slip."
Rio can feel his heart racing, and his eyes dart over to his mother, who's frantically making her way over. Aiden stands there, staring at him, and they lock eyes for the first time since this morning. Aiden looks hurt, disappointed, and broken. It makes Rio feel nauseous, sick that he's the cause of this.
"I was drunk, I promise that I'm not suicidal." Rio finally answers. "But I do want to take this time to raise suicide awareness, and tell anyone out there, who feels like there's no other way out, that they're not alone. That there's always someone who loves them, even if they haven't found them yet, or even if they haven't realized it."
Giselle nods her head. "Okay, well that's all the questions I have. Thank you two for talking to me, and I wish you guys a long and happy relationship."
"Thank you." Rio and Gia say in unison before they move along.
~
"Yeah, dad." Aiden says into his phone as he stands outside of Rio's dressing room back stage. "I'll be back home later tonight, so don't wait up for me. Good night."
He hangs up the phone with a sigh, seeing a message from Lauren.
From Lauren: You didn't forget about me did you?
With a sigh, Aiden locks his phone, putting it back into his pocket. He was just ready for tonight to be over with, he was ready to never have to look at Rio ever again, and he was ready to finally start his life.
He had hopes and aspirations of his own, and maybe, just maybe, Rio had been an obstacle he needed to cross to reach those dreams. Standing backstage at an awards show was definitely not going to get him to where he was trying to be.
Daphne walks down the hall, giving him one last look before she reaches for the doorknob.
"Can I ask you a question?" Aiden says, and then she stops, turning to look at him.
"I suppose. Make it quick." She says, crossing her arms as she looks at him.
"Why do you do this?" Aiden asks.
Daphne only raises an eyebrow.
"Why do you treat him like shit? Do you hate him?" Aiden questions. "Because that's what it seems like."
"You're not in the position to ask me questions like that. Not after," She looks around and lowers her voice to make sure no one is listening, "not after you filled his head with your gay bullshit. Rio is straight, he's in love with Gia, and they're going to be together. They're going to have a long successful life and and long successful careers."
"You know what you forgot?" Aiden asks.
"What?" Daphne snaps.
"Happy." Aiden says. "You said they'll be together, they'll have a long successful life together and long successful careers, but you never once said that they'd be happy with that."
"Of course they'd be happy." Daphne says. "They'll be rich and famous."
"Do you even know your son?" Aiden asks.
Daphne steps up to him threateningly again. "Yes. The real question is, do you even know my son? Would the person you thought you knew just let me walk all over you and then kick you out of his life forever?"
Aiden stays quiet, his face falling, because it's the truth.
Daphne smiles. "That's what I thought."
Daphne walks into the dressing room, closing the door, and leaving Aiden behind.
Inside, Rio is dressed in his open blazer and chains, and the last of his makeup is being dabbed on his cheeks as Daphne walks in. "When you hit the mark, the dancers will be able to rip these pants off, okay?"
Rio nods his head as the stylist leaves.
She walks over to him, straightening the chains on his neck.
"You know why I had to do that, right?" Daphne says softly, and Rio doesn't reply, doesn't move an inch. "It's in your best interest, everything I do is in your best interest, Rio. I'm only looking out for you, and that man isn't any good for you or your career? Isn't this what you've always wanted? To be a star?"
There's a moment of silence before Rio nods his head.
Daphne smiles. "Good. Remember, first place only. Now, you've got to get out there and give them the best damn show they've ever seen."
Rio nods his head again.
"Okay, let's go." Daphne smile.
Daphne leads him out of the room. He doesn't look at Aiden as he passes, he can't look at him, but he knows that he's following them -- it's his job after all.
They greet Gia side stage. Daphne whispers something in her ear, and she gives Rio a look.
"You guys can go take your places." A man with a headset says.
Gia gives him one look as they take their places, mics in hand. Just like they rehearsed. Just like they rehearsed. Just like they rehearsed.
Rio has to repeat that to himself, just to psych himself up.
The beginning tones of the song come on, and the crowd cheers as the lights come up on Rio, and he starts to sing.
"I got that bomb, I know what them girls want." He sings, turning on his sex appeal, as the light on Gia comes up and she walks over to him, wrapping herself around him. "When I put it on her right we be at it 'til dawn."
Gia drops down, coming back up, as the backup dancers surround them.
"Yeah I put this mouth to work. I love the way she twerk." Gia bends over in front of him, twerking on him as he finishes out the verse.
"He say I'm a masterpiece. Call me Master P." Gia says, just as the backup dancers rip open the trench coat that she was wearing to reveal no more than a bra and panties. There are loud cheers from the crowd as she approaches Rio, reaching up to push his coat off, which falls the floor leaving him shirtless to even louder cheers. "Cause there ain't no limiting,"
Gia and Rio grind together.
"When I make that body say--" Gia sings.
"Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, baby." The background singers harmonize as Gia and Rio make their way over to the bed.
Gia falls back on it, and Rio's getting ready to his his mark for the other's to come rip his pants off of him, but as soon as their hands are on him, he does a spin so that they don't get the chance to. Then, he crawls over onto Gia.
Aiden watches from the side stage as the two of them perform.
"What is he doing?" Daphne says under her breath. "Why are his damn pants still on?"
"You love it when I rock that thing," Gia sings, giving Rio a confused look, even as he leans down and kisses him on his neck. "feel like we in a dream."
Gia reaches for his pants, trying to pull his pants off of him again. Rio rolls them so that she's on top, and so that his pants are completely secure.
"Float above life then fall back into bed again." Gia sings, shooting him an angry look.
As the song ends, Gia leans down towards him, just like they practiced, the kiss that would be heard around the world. Rio catches one glance of Aiden looking at him, and then he turns his head, and Gia plants a kiss on his cheek.
Gia stands up from the bed as the crowd erupts into wild applause. Rio stands next to her.
"What was that?" Gia asks him.
Rio doesn't answer him, smiles out at the crowd.
Gia puts her microphone up to her lips. "Excuse me everyone, I want to clear up something."
Rio looks at her, raising his eyebrows at her. She smirks at him.
"This is all a lie." Gia announces to the crowd. "Rio and I aren't together. Not anymore. You see, this morning, I walked in on Rio cheating on me."
There's a collective boo from the crowd. Rio looks at her, pleading with his eyes, begging for her to stop.
"Oh no." Daphne says, looking around at people. "Cut her mic! Cut that bitch's mic right now!"
"With another man." Gia says, and there's a gasp from the crowd. "My assistant is posting a picture to my Instagram as we speak. Everyone go check it out."
Rio stares blankly at Gia, his mouth and eyes wide, and then his eyes scan the crowd as everyone starts looking at their phones, whispering, laughing, and covering they mouths in shock.
"Someone give me a phone. Give me a fucking phone!" Daphne shouts. Someone passes her a phone, and Aiden catches a glance of the post from over her shoulder. It's a picture of he and Rio lying together in bed, naked.
"Fuck!" Daphne shouts, tossing the phone to the ground. "Somebody turn the cameras off! Get that bitch off tv!"
Rio looks at Gia, who smirks at him. "That's what you get for playing me, nigga."
"You're such a fucking bitch." Rio snaps.
Gia slaps him hard across the face, "Don't you ever part your lips to call me outta my name again!"
Rio steps up to her, he didn't know what he was going to do, but right now he was so angry that all he could see was red. Rio reaches out for her, grabbing the mic and throwing it across the stage, the feedback as it skids across the surface of the stage sends the audience in to even more a frenzy.
Hands grab Rio before he realizes what's happening, yanking him backwards roughly, his feet sliding out from beneath him.
"Why the fuck you raise your hand at a female?" Rio hears a voice growling in his ear, an extremely recognizable voice at that, it's Kid.
Rio shakes him off, turning to look at him. "Get your hands off me."
"I don't wanna touch your faggot ass anyway." Kid snarls, walking over to inspect Gia, who was staring daggers at Rio.
"Don't just stand there," Daphne says, hitting Aiden on his arm. "Go get him off that stage!"
Aiden shoots her one angry look, then walks out onto the stage.
"Oh, look, here comes Hero Cop right back to the rescue again." Kid says, having gone to retrieve Gia's microphone and speaking in it now. "Here to save the day, Superman? Or maybe you're here to kiss it all better?"
Aiden ignores him, taking Rio's arm in his hand, trying to lead him off stage, but Rio remains planted, not moving easily.
"Rio," Aiden says calmly, "Come on let's go."
"That's right. Be a little bitch and follow your master." Kid teases into the microphone with a smirk. "You need a real man, baby girl." He says, wrapping an arm around Gia. "And not some sissy."
"Rio," Aiden says warningly.
Rio finally gives in, letting Aiden start to lead him off stage.
"Yeah, That's right." Kid says. "You should've just done us all a favor and jumped your sissy ass off that balcony."
Aiden stops, Rio's bottom lip quivering slightly. Aiden turns around, walking calmly over to Kid, and then drawing his fist back and punching him right in the mouth.
Gia screams, the crowd gasps, and Kid groans as he stumbles backwards, holding his mouth as it starts to bleed.
Rio stares, dumbfounded as Aiden towers over Kid, who writhes in pain on the floor. Gia, who had a teasing smirk on her face only moments before, now covers her mouth in shock as she looks between Aiden and Rio.
Aiden turns, eyes meeting Rio's, and for a moment there's a sense of peace and serenity that settles over Rio, like everything was really going to be okay. It's exactly how he felt that night on the balcony when Aiden pulled him back up, when Aiden saw him...truly saw him, and for the first time—Rio could truly see Aiden.
It was only a moment of peace, just a moment, before everything went to shit.
✨Beyond the Lights✨