At first, when
Julyan approached him with his idea, Auden protested vehemently that it wasn't
safe and they were insane if they thought he'd go along with it. Of course in
the process he sort of forgot to mention he'd known about it from the moment it
had been suggested and had already decided it could work. After all, he had to show
them who was in charge.
It didn't take
Julyan long to figure out what he was doing once it occurred to him that, just
as Duane knew what Auden did when he was 'out', so Auden would have known about
the plan even as it was being hatched.
"I should shoot
you for being such an ass," Julyan growled, shaking a finger at Auden.
Auden laughed. "Wouldn't
do any good, I'd just heal and then make you pay."
When Julyan asked
how, Auden demonstrated. They both fell asleep very happily sated, and then in
the morning, Julyan awoke in Duane's arms at which point he was more than
adequately rewarded for convincing Auden to accept the plan.
The next few days
passed in a flurry of activity.
Duane went through
the official process of turning the restaurant over to the new owner and then
started to pack up what he planned on taking with him for the move to New York.
While that was
happening, Julyan was playing his part, which consisted of sulking around
because Duane was leaving and then very overtly announcing it was time to find
a new job, and a new boyfriend who would 'respect' him. He showed up the next
morning with said 'boyfriend' in tow, had a big fight with Duane and then left
to 'Pick up my things and take them to Mitch's place.' Mitch being the 'boyfriend',
an old friend of Julyan's who had agreed to play the role after Julyan told him
he had to get out of a bad relationship. Everyone, including Jack, bought his
story.
He did go back to the condo, leaving again with a suitcase
full of old newspapers to make it look heavy enough to contain his belongings.
Much later, under the cover of darkness, he snuck back, settling in until it
was time for them to head to New York.
Sunday morning was
spent with Duane working to transform Julyan into someone who looked quite
different from the young man he was in love with. Julyan's light blond hair was
now a much darker shade and since it was longer than it'd been when they'd
first met Duane decided to split the difference, trimming and parting it.
Julyan grimaced at how severe it looked but accepted it. Duane had picked up a
pair of dark-rimmed glasses with clear lenses, as well as brown tinted contacts
from an optometrist the agency used on occasion.
"Now I look
like a nerdy college student," Julyan grumbled as he stared at his reflection
in the mirror.
"A very cute
one. I'd do you anytime."
Julyan snorted. "You
already do."
"Complaining?"
"As if."
Julyan turned to kiss him quickly before heading back to the bedroom to finish
the last of his packing.
He had already, at
Duane’s suggestion, let his family know he was leaving the city, giving them almost
the same excuse he’d used to explain to his co-workers why he’d quit working at
the restaurant. “I can’t stay in the same city as him,” he’d told them mournfully,
playing it to the hilt. “When I figure out where I want to live I’ll let you
know, I promise.”
