text: Eric hated being left alone at the bar. It didn’t matter that he worked as a live-in mech and tech expert for the most powerful crime boss in the city, automatically giving him the best drinks, women, and security one could pay for; Eric wanted nothing to do with it. Everyone seemed to love this place though, obsessed with the provocative shows that the “mature” club hosted. They knew their favorite dancers, favorite drinks, and openly gossiped about their favorite unspeakable things. All of it was extremely off-putting and confusing to Eric. Unfortunately, on his boss’s direct orders, he wasn’t allowed to leave. Fun. She insisted he’d loosen up once he found the right drink, the right girl, and so every week was an unending, agonizing cycle of dread. So Eric stayed put at the bar with no real friends, waiting the painfully long time for his boss to return from whatever foxy things she was currently enjoying. He closed his eyes and tried to ignore the beating music and show of colorful lights and skin behind him, but the bartender had a message for him. Eric sighed as the bartender relayed the message, saying there was someone waiting for him in room blah blah blah. Eric nodded, feebly sipping his drink and mentally preparing himself to reject whatever scantily-clad pole dancer waited for him behind closed doors. This happened almost every time he set foot in the place, but not because of Eric’s incredible reputation. Eric reluctantly got up and was escorted upstairs, getting more frustrated with each step. Why couldn’t he just stand up to his boss for one night? Why couldn’t he just tell her he couldn’t stand these people trying to-- “Careful hon, I’m expensive.” Eric flinched at the stranger’s reaction to his sweeping entrance. Eric quickly looked away, not wanting to look at whoever the stranger was. The stranger was sitting back on an extravagant couch, sipping something Eric couldn't name and probably wearing something he didn’t understand. “I’m just going to make this quick,” Eric blurted before his burst of anger-fueled confidence left him. “I didn’t ask for you. I’m here to spare your job, before we start anything both of us will regret, before my boss has you beaten up for something I didn’t ask for, before I feel guilty--” “--Slow down sweetie, I wasn’t hired for you,” the stranger said, rolling his eyes and sipping something strong. He had a bit of a dramatic flare to his voice. “W-wait... what?” “Why aren’t you looking at me? Goodness, I’m not naked,” the stranger jabbed. Eric winced and felt himself grow smaller, still avoiding the stranger’s gaze. The stranger looked him up and down. “As I was saying... while your boss is a “lovely” and monetarily-generous woman, she didn’t hire me. So there’s no need to feel--” he shifted and looked at Eric, confused. “Why would you feel guilty? Nothing here is supposed to be your fault.” Eric briefly stopped questioning who sent the stranger and processed this, frowning at his shoes and shoving his hands in his pockets. “W-what?” The stranger sighed and waited a long time. The silence was killing Eric, but he was frozen, not sure what the stranger was going to do, or say, or suggest they “do”. “I think...” Oh no, here it comes, Eric thought. The suggestions, the games, eventually the force and the panic and the trouble. “...We should talk,” the stranger said, his voice suddenly losing its flirty tone. “I want to be genuine with you, Eric.” The dread was lifted and replaced with confusion again. Eric took in a shallow breath. Was this guy actually going to... listen? He slowly peeked at the stranger, taken aback at how beautiful he was. Eric opened his mouth, then closed it. His awe turned into disappointment. What was he supposed to feel? The stranger gave him a warm, inviting smile... but it quickly fell to conern. “I recognize that look, honey.” Pause. “You don’t think it’s normal.” Eric just stared in disbelief. “How... But, I didn’t... I wasn’t...” He huffed, getting frustrated. “She just wanted me to be like her, like all of them,” he vented, gesturing to the door and the scandalous people behind it. “I never liked it, any of it, but how was I supposed to tell her that? Tell them, the ones who kept me locked in here by her orders until I came out ‘a man’? I couldn’t even say anything to stop it...” Eric softened, everything he’d pushed down coming bubbling back up. He became very quiet, feeling exposed as he had countless times before in the same room. “They thought... they could fix me... that I was just nervous, inexperienced... and when I tried to say no, they didn’t back off...” The memories began flooding back. Don’t touch me, he'd say. Can we just talk? No, you don’t know what’s best for me. Stop, I said don’t do that... Eric sighed, breath wavering. “After so many stubborn people, it’s like I just... ran out of the strength to defend myself. And then after a while, I just...I just let it happen." There was a long silence. Eric flinched when he suddenly felt the stranger take his hand and squeeze it. Eric looked up at the stranger, who stared straight back at him with an apologetically serious expression. He spoke slowly and carefully. “I’m telling you now that it is not your fault. No situation where you ever feel uncomfortable is your fault. And what happened to you is not okay.” Eric let those words sink in, thinking back on his boss’s little attempts to get him to “relax”. Every time, a new and stubborn person. Every time, the refusal to his pleas. Eric let the memories come and go. His hear still ached, but somehow he felt safe with this stranger. It was the first time in a long time. The stranger squeezed Eric's hand again. “Now I’m no therapist, but I promise I’m a good listener.” Eric gladly took the invitation, and they sat on the couch. The whole time he spoke, Eric was stumped by the stranger’s calm and collected demeanor, empathy, patience, and willingness to listen to him. And so Eric kept talking. He told the stranger about how he had never wanted what was offered to him. He was never a fan of kissing or romance, and certainly not anything past that, and he’d never felt anything more than a little crush before. He used to think it was just lack of experience that made him uneasy, and even scared, in physical situations. At least, that's what everyone kept telling him. But he knew deep down something wasn’t right when he started to panic whenever he was alone in this room with someone. The cycle seemed to repeat every time, with no one listening to him as they figured his comments were just “nerves”. Of all people, his boss brushed it off the most, which made him angry, but mostly worried. He had always believed there was something wrong with him, that he was ...broken. “Hardly, dear,” the stranger answered. “You’re normal. There’s never just one kind. You’ve encountered so many rude and stubborn people; unfortunately, your boss is quite good at picking those out...but you seem to be an exception to that." He smiled, and Eric smiled back, feeling a little less alone. “You’re far from the only person who feels this way. I guarantee it.” The stranger said. “Th-thanks... but I still don’t know what to do about my boss, well... 'sending' me people...” The stranger smirked. “Easy. Just ask for me every time, then when she asks how I was, lie about the details.” “R-really? You’d do that for me? We don’t have to, like, do anything, do we?” Eric asked, a little scared. “Of course not!” Eric sighed with relief. The stranger laughed. “She doesn’t even have to know it’s me. Just tell her, ‘I’m seeing my usual tonight!’ and when she asks who, just say ‘it’s confidential, darling!’ It’s brilliant, and very cheeky.” Eric was relieved, but a small part of him remained cautious. If his boss ever found out he was lying, both of them would be in serious danger. Eric was so excited for their clever little plan, he almost forgot how this all started. “Hey, I guess I forgot to ask, but... who sent you?” The stranger laughed. “I invited myself. Surprise!” Eric felt like an idiot for thinking he could never simply get a casual visitor, but then again, it had never happened before. I was likely because everyone was afraid of his boss, but this stranger wasn’t, which was just another reason to have him as a friend, Eric figured. “I won’t lie, I was a certainly curious to see why you were so popular with the hires, and I’m embarrassed to admit my intentions,” the stranger confessed, “but when I saw you in person...” He gave Eric a half-smile. “Well, I just good instincts for when someone needs a friend more than they need anything we can sell them.” Eric smiled at the sweet comment. “Oh, I never did ask you your name,” Eric piped up. “I know every performer has a stage name and whatnot, I just thought maybe you could tell me... who you are,” Eric asked shyly. “Anything for my new number one client.” The stranger winked, and Eric blushed. "The name's Adrien." *** It had been months since Eric started seeing the stranger called Adrien. He felt so much happier having a close friend, and while he may have had a little crush, it never developed into anything more, and he was okay with that. Eric felt normal in his own way, loving the deep conversations, dumb jokes, and kind hugs the pair would exchange behind closed doors. It was like their own private scandal, the opposite of the club’s dirty-minded crowds. It was fun, yet dangerous. “Well, someone looks radiant today,” Eric’s boss joked as she stopped by his workshop one day. Eric wheeled himself out from one of her several busted cars. “You didn’t even see my face,” he said, holding back a smile. “Come on, I know you after a long night. These past few weeks you’ve been different. Did that new gal of yours finally get through to you?” Eric beamed, blushing. She still didn’t know about what he was doing -- or rather, what he wasn’t doing -- and it was exhilarating. He felt like he finally had the upper hand on her, finally feeling normal in his own way and not beat up by her or her 'employee's’ expectations. The best part about all this is that his boss would never find out she was being lied to. The only way that would happen is if the three of them were in a room together. She could read faces like an open book, and she’d definitely spot the fear in the boys’ eyes as they saw each other outside of their meeting room. Eric would certainly give them away out of pure fear. But that would never-- “Oh, you’re here! Eric, meet my new recruit. Apparently he’s excellent at reading people too,” the boss said, gesturing to a man that swaggered in the room. Eric’s eyes met with his friend’s. “Eric, meet Adrien.” A million thoughts raced through Eric’s mind. She knew, she had to, she had intel everywhere. He panicked, knowing he was about to blurt out the truth any second-- “Hey Eric, nice to meet you,” Adrien said with a wink. Eric stared up at the two daunting figures, the blood draining from his face. The next few seconds felt like years. He gulped and mustered up the courage to say something. She’s going to kill us, she knows! I’m going to tell her before she corners us and-- “It’s nice to meet you too, Adrien.”