Chapter 22
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Reno hadn’t intended for everyone at work to look at him a bit sideways when he walked through the hallways after the interview. But he’d expected it.
Actually, he'd expected worse. He’d expected outrage, to be pulled into the public relations conference room again and yelled at, or for one of his peers to retaliate because Reno might have just single-handedly made everyone’s life a lot more difficult.
He’d admit, it was tense in the building when he appeared, but no one said anything to him that was rude or unkind.
When the first person pulled him aside, Reno had nearly run away. But when he saw the look on their face, he was glad he didn’t. By the time he left at the end of the day, he’d talked to at least five people he’d only ever spoken to in passing, and all of them had thanked him.
They were like him.
He wasn’t alone. Not even a little.
They’d told him he inspired them with his bravery on TV the night before with the courage it had taken to finally tell Sterling off for not letting him be himself.
Someone had needed to take a stand against the label’s discrimination for so long, but none of them had the job security or the pull that Reno did.
They were also excited, hoping that more artists would come forward in solidarity now.
Reno hadn’t done what he did for that reason, but he was so grateful his mother had been right. By being open to the world about who he was, he was already bringing a little bit of comfort to others. It made Reno feel like he belonged in the world in a way he’d never known before.
He shared a connection with millions of strangers, knowing they fought the same kind of battles. They could stand together.
Already, the tabloids had shifted away from Joy’s contrived scandal to focus on Reno’s coming-out story. The news online and fandom discussions had forgotten the last few weeks’ drama in favor of either congratulating him for, or showing disappointment in, Reno’s decision.
Now all he had to do was convince Luka to come back.
If he had to beg and grovel to do it, he would. Luka had been right about everything, and he’d tell Luka he was correct every day for the rest of their lives if that was what it took.
It was earlier that week, when Jaewon had burst into Reno’s flat and dragged him out of bed, claiming that he’d been moping long enough and it was time to pull himself together, that Reno started to think for the first time since Luka had left.
After Jaewon basically threw him into the shower, cleaned the flat for him, and forced him to eat, Reno could focus again; his head felt less stuffed full of intrusive thoughts, and he could look his friend in the eyes clearly once more.
Then, Jaewon stared back at Reno and said, “You and Luka are both absolute fucking idiots.”
Jaewon told him about his phone call to Luka, then gave Reno a stern talking-to. Reno saw the sense in what his friend was saying and asked what he should do.
Jaewon already had a plan in motion. They called Kandi, who came over immediately, and within a few hours, they had a list of demands and talking points for Reno to present to Sterling. Reno threw on his most professional-looking outfit and tied his hair back, then asked Kandi for a ride to work.
After a courtesy call to Arnaud to warn him that Reno was about to do the most insane thing he’d done in his entire career, and receiving delighted laughter and a promise to take him out afterward as a response, Reno marched right into the elevator and up to his bosses’ offices.
He demanded an audience with each of them, one by one, and told them to meet him in a specific conference room.
Then, once they were all seated, he laid into them.
He knew he was the only person in the building who could get away with doing something like that, so he shoved his nerves down and did it.
He threatened to quit, to go solo, to take himself and all of his profits away from the label.
He told them no matter what they decided to do to Reno after this meeting, he would tell the world on live TV that he’d faced discrimination from the label, and had been advised to stay single and closeted.
If Sterling didn’t cooperate with him now, it would look far worse than if they changed their ways.
They were furious with Reno, and he thought for sure they’d drop him, and maybe even Voltage too. But, somehow, Reno got his way.
Voltage was staying on the label, and Reno, along with all of their other signed artists, didn’t have to hold themselves to such outdated, rigid standards anymore. Finally, they could just be…people.
They agreed to make a public statement of support, agreeing to catch up with the times and not just to accept their ‘diverse array of musicians’, but to spotlight and feature them if the artist wished.
Of course, the musicians would have to behave like respectable members of society, avoid trouble with the law, and still maintain a degree of separation between themselves and the fans.
But now more than ever, Reno looked forward to connecting with his fans more, showing the people who listened to his music that he was a real, whole person with his own thoughts and opinions, and that he was capable of loving and being loved.
It made Reno’s chest warm for the first time since Luka left.
That night, after a celebratory drink with Arnaud, he packed his spare key into the envelope. Then, first thing in the morning, he paid for the fastest shipping possible so it would reach Luka on time.
It gave him the courage to request the interview, even if he’d almost embarrassed himself at the end by crying on live TV and had to rush off stage.
Arnaud had been waiting in the wing for him, and they silently walked together to the greenroom, where they were able to close and lock the door. Reno cried, then, finally letting it all out while Arnaud held him in his arms, telling him over and over that now, Reno would be okay.
Reno believed him.
Reno was going to be okay. Even if Luka never came back, he would survive. He would make music, and he would hold his friends in his arms, and together, they would celebrate the wins when they could get them.
But that didn’t mean he was giving up on Luka, on asking him to come home. They could be together now. Openly.
People would still try to invade their privacy, but it would be their privacy, together, that they would have to protect. Because Luka had been right to want this, and Reno wanted to believe that Luka could handle this life with him.
They could hold hands in public. They could announce milestones online, go to events together arm in arm, and post photos of each other on their pages.
If there was nothing more to hide, the tabloids would get bored, and fast. What would they say?
‘Oh, there’s Reno and his boyfriend Luka, again. We already knew that. Moving on.’
Reno left work with a smile on his face, still thinking about the people there who had shaken his hand, grateful not to be feeling so alone anymore. He waved bye to Jasmine on his way out, who forced him to come back to the desk to give her a huge hug.
“I’m so proud of you," she said, squeezing him tight. “What’s next?”
“Why is there always a next thing, Jas?” Reno pulled away from her.
“You always have something up your sleeve.”
“You caught me.” Reno flashed a smile. “I’m going to the jewelry store.”
Jasmine’s eyes widened and Reno let out a delighted laugh before turning away and going out the front doors.
When he was finally home, he tucked the matching pink and white rings into a little wooden box. He took a sharpie, scribbled ‘888’ on the top for good luck, then hid it in his safe. He prayed his angel numbers wouldn’t let him down this time, but they never had before.
His lucky life was proof of that.
A few days later, Reno woke up with a start to the sound of the door opening and closing.
He scrambled to the edge of his bed to reach under it and was halfway to pulling out his emergency-in-case-of-robbery bat from its hiding place when the bedroom light clicked on.
“Oh my god, Luka?”
“Is that a pink baseball bat?”
Reno had so much trouble putting two and two together with Luka standing in his bedroom doorway, he blurted out, “It has Hello Kitty on it.”
“I can see that.”
“Arnaud gave it to me. As a joke.”
“Hikaru.”
The bat fell from his grasp and rolled back under the bed as Reno launched himself up and into Luka’s arms.
“Luka.”
He was there.
He was there. It wasn’t a dream after all.
He was a mess. Reno pulled away and ran his hands through Luka’s faded hair, his blond roots, his cheekbones looking too sharp. He looked so tired, worn down, and Reno wondered if he had been eating properly.
“My sweet Luka, what did you do to yourself?”
“Took the first plane to London, that’s what.” Luka’s eyes were so sad, and his voice was so small. Reno pulled him back in closer and held him tight, only to feel Luka choke back a sob.
“I’m so sorry.”
“No, shh.” Reno squeezed him, feeling Luka shake, listening to him cry with his face pressed against Reno’s shoulder.
“I am, though.” Luka’s hands balled into fists, grabbing the back of Reno’s shirt. “I’m sorry.”
Reno swallowed, trying to keep himself together as he slowly moved them to the bed and helped Luka sit. Luka curled in on himself, turning his head away from Reno, and the sight of him like that had Reno reeling.
He ran his fingers through Luka’s hair, detangling the knots he found, and asked, “Why are you sorry?”
“I left you alone, even though I knew you were struggling.”
Reno found another snag and gently worked it apart. “Yes, and I didn’t exactly make you feel like you could stay, either.”