Tess O-Meter -- Green.
You can dip in and out of this unexpected series, but for a richer read and character development they are best when read in the order of writing. Broadway Lust Story, Broadway Love Story, Broadway Luck Story, Broadway Beginnings, Broadway Bust and Broadway to Vegas.
-X
"Cheesy pasta, roasted veg and salmon with extra garlicky bread, as the only person I'm planning to stick my tongue in tonight is you." Ty frowned and turned at the lack of response to his smutty statement. Tony was sat at the counter, staring into space. "That okay?"
"What? Oh sorry yea, whatever."
I don't think so, Ty thought to himself. 'Whatever' was not an appropriate response when he had cooked, or when he was offering potential anal wonder-worship.
Also, it was not like Tony.
Turning the heat down on the salmon a little, he observed Tony for a moment.
Pale, tense and tired. Something was wrong.
The last few months had been a little challenging and very busy. Pale, tense and tired had become Tony's default for a while after they moved back to their apartment.
Half of the cast from Tony's show and half of the club's gals, guys and non-binary peeps (or gender neutrals as one of the bar people always referred to themself), had descended upon their apartment and somehow managed to clean and clear from top to bottom without getting in each other's way, or making Tony and Ty feel anything but loved and supported.
However, over the next few weeks, Tony had become more and more quiet and withdrawn. Retreating into himself and always exhausted.
He would put up a good front, and give it his all on stage, but literally collapse when he got home and want nothing more than cuddles.
Ty liked cuddles as much as the next guy, but he became even more concerned when he realized that Tony was struggling with, well, basically erectile dysfunction.
Ty had always thought of that as an older man's issue. Something to worry about in later life when perhaps they were bored of sex anyway and just liked snuggling in their slippers while watching younger man porn and reminiscing.
He had been shocked as hell to find himself googling it in his late 20's (with a YOUNGER boyfriend) and unable to get Tony hard, even if he worked at it enough to experience wrist and cheek strain.
He had also made the mistake of googling it in the bar and was so distracted that he had not heard Frank sneaking up behind him.
Frank had nipped the phone out of his hand, scanned down the page and placed the phone on the bar, easing Ty gently onto a stool. "Talk to me."
Once Ty had poured out his fears and concerns, Frank had been calm and supportive. Confirming the first step was to see a doctor for advice and to rule out a medical cause for the tiredness and other issues.
He had also cleverly pulled out of Ty, that there seemed to be a pattern in Tony's sleep. Or lack of.
Ty had a tendency to wake early, despite his late nights. He had never needed much sleep. Usually he would use the bathroom and go for a run.
Over the past month or so he had woken on several occasions to find Tony lying awake, staring at the ceiling and seemingly tense. Frank had deduced that this coincided with mornings when they had rolled away from each other during the night.
On the mornings that Ty had woken and found Tony still sleeping peacefully, they had always been tangled together.
Frank's theory was that Tony either didn't feel safe, or didn't feel that Ty was safe, and he suggested that the two of them move back to his and his husband's spare room for a while.
Ty had been surprised to find that Tony jumped straight on this and immediately started sleeping better.
A few days after moving back to Cal and Frank's, Tony had his first appointment with a doctor recommended by Frank. It turned out that as Ty's life partner, Tony was covered by Engagement's staff health policy.
The doctor had pulled Ty in from the waiting room, after subjecting Tony to a thorough fifty-minute examination and discussion, and confirmed that although they were taking bloods to rule out any medical cause for Tony's issues. He was sure that Tony was a fit and healthy young man and the issues were psychological.
His diagnosis was post-traumatic stress disorder. His recommendation was counselling, and he was delighted when Ty confirmed he would be happy to attend with Tony.
Even the appointment was a huge step forward for Tony, who joked as they wandered the streets afterwards that the appointment had been thorough enough to make him feel used (causing Ty to crack up and nearly drop his coffee), and admitted that it was a relief for someone to listen and give him answers.
The PTSD hadn't been triggered, as some might have assumed, by the dangerous situation when Mrs Baginski had held Ty hostage with a knife to his throat. But rather by their move back to the apartment.
Tony just couldn't shake the knowledge that someone had been watching his and Ty's most intimate moments for months.
Ty had commented that he had felt pretty upset and maybe ashamed, by which he annoyed himself, certainly it made him feel dirty. However, he had talked it through with Tony prior to moving back, and also Frank, and had been more focused on the future by the time they returned to the apartment.
"Tony's shyer than me," he said. "And these things effect everyone differently." He had turned to Tony then, speaking gently, "Baby, you could've told me. I would have got you out of there sooner."
"I was embarrassed. You were fine about it," Tony had mumbled.
Their therapist, beaming at Ty had moved forward a bit. "Yes, but as Ty just correctly stated, and thanks for that Ty, these things effect everyone differently. No one is judging you. Why are you judging yourself?"
Tony had let out a shaky sigh and wiped his face, smiling a little when Ty squeezed his hand.
"Anyone who does judge you can fuck off," he said fiercely and made Tony and the therapist laugh.
Two weeks after their first counselling session, Ty had found himself choking on Tony's cock again and fell back on the bed, wiping his mouth, still coughing and letting out a heartfelt, "Thank. Fuck!" which made Tony giggle for about twenty minutes.
Obviously they would continue with counselling until Tony was ready to stop. Although Tony had been too embarrassed to go and see their friend, Sarah, for free therapy.
Which actually, Ty totally understood.
Their therapist had also been to see Mrs Baginski in hospital and it turned out that she had very little memory of the events. Certainly it was too hazy for her to be replaying Tony and Ty's live sex life in her brain.
This had helped Tony move forward even further.
Their busy time had been made even busier when Frank and Cal had taken them to one of the small apartments in the building.
Engagement was in the basement of a building that Cal and Frank owned. They lived in a luxury duplex apartment covering part of the top two floors. There were three other smaller apartments and three offices of varying sizes and companies. Including a non-profit which Ty knew for a fact did not pay rent.
The apartment that they were led to, was let to an older couple who were linked somehow to Cal. It was one level at the top of the building. Smaller than the apartment that Ty and Tony had, but felt more roomy as it didn't have the strange layout that their current place did.
The bathroom was as elegant and luxurious as any five star hotel. The whole space felt cool and calm. Even with piles of boxes and cases everywhere. Cal had stayed inside as Frank (who Ty still couldn't get used to seeing in his non-drag uniform of jeans, T-shirt and wigless when around the apartment), had led them through the large window to the fire escape and up to the roof.
Tucked away was a private area of garden, including a small kitchen garden with fragrant herbs.
"You only have to walk around this screen to reach our garden," Frank confirmed, as Ty's heart started to race with possibility. "But this part is for the apartment below, and Don would like someone to take care of his herbs and stuff."
It turned out that Don and Sam were returning to New Mexico to Don's family, as they were struggling to cope alone.
Ty and Tony jumped at the chance to rent the apartment, at a ridiculously low amount. Mr Baginski, their landlord, had let them out of their tenancy with immediate effect and no penalty. When they moved out, Tony had reassured him awkwardly that everything was okay, but had gone with half their stuff and Frank as soon as he could, as soon as the cab arrived.
Ty had taken longer to chat with him, thanked him for the return of their deposit and wished him and Mrs Baginski all the best. He knew that they were also moving on, although Mr Baginski's wife would have to transfer to a hospital nearer her husband when he moved. It was all very sad. It would be some time before they could properly restart their lives together.
