Max was back from his experience with Slade and he felt alone for the first time. He was back to work on Monday. He stayed busy all week but in his downtime, he realized that he was lonely. He actually missed Slade. He took a breath and picked up his phone. It rang.

"Hello." Max knew it was Slade. "I was about to call you." A smile slipped onto his face as he pictured Slade smiling. He knew Slade would smile.

Slade smiled. "Were you?"

"I was. I picked up the phone to find your number and it rang. I'm serious." Max sighed.

"You are always serious." Slade smiled. "So, I just talked to Brooke. She got that job and is staying in Seattle. That leaves me with no place to stay..." He had debated not going back there but.. Max was there. He rationally had no reason to go visit but.. Max was there. He was strictly going to visit max.

"You know where you're staying. Come to my house. I have your room waiting." Max smiled.

"Thanks." Slade was silent. "I look forward to seeing you. I actually miss you and your vanilla self."

"Really!" Max cleared his throat. "Oh." His body got goosebumps from that information. Slade missed him.

Slade smiled. "So..."

"When is your flight?" Max was skipping over the part where he was supposed to say he missed Slade too. Even if he did, they were friends and he was trying to keep that border up. His friend zone.

"Tonight. It's our last concert." Slade smiled. "So, my flight lands at two am. Is that too late?"

Max smiled and wanted to give Slade a hard time. "Yes. Can you sleep at the airport until morning?"

"Bastard." Slade smiled.

Max laughed. "I will pick you up at two. You owe me!"

Slade would be happy to pay.

"I will see you tonight...late?" Max had to ask.

Slade smiled like a fool. Solis was sitting beside him and smiled. He gave a thumbs up. "I will text you the times and then teach you how to use that phone."

Solis smiled and whispered. "And his tongue." He winked.

Slade covered the phone. "Shut up." He was worried.

Solis nodded. He mouthed the words I'm sorry. He didn't want to ruin this for his brother.

Solis knew that Max was hurting and he also knew that Slade was in this relationship already. He was in deep. All Slade talked about was Max. This was the biggest crush Slade ever had and the longest. He never stayed interested in anyone. Solis figured that Slade would already be moving on but this seems more serious.

"Where are you?" Max was curious.

"We're in New York. It's our last show." Slade smiled. "We're waiting to do sound stuff for the show tonight."

"That is so technical, Slade." Solis smiled as he teased his little brother. They were always close growing up and they are closer as adults. They were happy for successes and sad about failures, together. Slade wanted to see his brother happy with his life.

Max laughed. "Tell Solis that I heard that and that was technical enough for me. I know nothing about that stuff."

Slade smiled. "He heard you." He put the phone on speaker. "Okay, you're on speaker for a minute."

Max laughed. "I hope you guys have a great show."

"Thanks. Our fans make it great." Solis smiled. "Max, I hope to see you again. Talk soon. I have to go, someone is waving at me." He walked off. No one was waving.

Slade glared but smiled too. "So, what are you doing?" He checked the time.

Max sighed. "Charting. During my lunch break." There was a knock on his door and flowers were placed on his desk with a note. Alyssa smiled and mouthed the words oh my gosh and walked out and closed the door. "Uh, I just got flowers?" He pulled the card. They were from...

"Do you like them?" Slade smiled. Perfect timing.

Max laughed. "These are incredible. Slade, thanks. But?" They were a mix of red roses, white lilies and some white carnations. It was very pretty. He couldn't help but smell them.

"They are a thank you for coming to see me against your will and for the drum sticks. I forgot to tell you that I used them in that concert. Those were the ones that you bought me. I'm using them tonight too. But I didn't get you Christmas so you got flowers." Slade smiled. "Do you like them or was that stupid?"

Max sighed. "I love them, Slade. Thanks. It was very unexpected. I have never gotten flowers from someone before. Thanks, really!"

Slade smiled. He was ready to date Max. He was calling Brooke as soon as Max hung up. They talked for thirty minutes before Max had to go. He didn't get any charting done but he didn't care.

Max stayed after work and charted for a couple of hours as he enjoyed the flowers. He thought about Slade.

Slade would be on stage right now entertaining thousands but Max smiled. He got flowers from that sexy drummer! He smiled at the flowers and sighed.

Everyone in the office was curious about the flowers but he kept that quiet. No one needed to know. He was keeping Slade to himself for now. He honestly didn't know what he was doing. He worked his whole life to keep away from this situation.

It was a long day because Max was anxious to pick Slade up. Bill went to Max's for dinner after work. It was an every Friday thing.

"So, Slade will be here late tonight." Max took a breath and put the food on the table.

"Good." Bill stared. "I thought Brooke and him broke up."

"They...I think he is still trying. He doesn't like to fail." Max shrugged. "They got back together after the Christmas party."

"I knew that" Bill watched Max. "I like him but I don't think he is right for Brooke." Bill smiled. They ate in silence. Bill was going to say something.
"Dad. Don't say anything. Okay. We are friends." Max sighed. He both loved and hated that sentence.

"Right. Good friends. I know. You know that I love you and nothing can change that....right?" Bill watched his son.

Max nodded. "I know that. I..." He took a breath.

"I don't care why he's coming, I like him." Bill wanted to say that he liked Slade for Max but this was fragile. Max wasn't very accepting. He was hoping to change that but Max wouldn't even talk about anything gay. Bill tried. Maybe Slade could help? "I want to see you happy."

Max glared. "Don't start, Dad."

"I'm done." Bill surrendered. "This is delicious. Thanks for dinner." Bill was silent about the gay topic. That was as far as he ever got. "So, did you buy those flowers?" Bill noticed the pretty bouquet when he walked in the kitchen.

Max blushed and wiped his face with his hand. "Uh, Slade sent them but don't get any ideas, Pops. He was just saying thanks for the Christmas present. It's nothing."

Bill smiled as he nodded. "Oh. Sure. Is he gay?"

Max inhaled. "Dad, he is dating Brooke. He's straight, I believe."

"But he bought you flowers?" Bill was curious.

"As a thank you, nothing more. Don't read anything into it." Max couldn't even hope that Slade liked him. Slade was straight. He had a crush on a straight man. This was torture. He hated himself.

Bill knew Max liked Slade but he was leaving it alone. He felt bad that Slade was straight but he got some mixed vibes during Christmas. Bill was pretty good about finding gay people. He was sure that Slade was gay. Maybe he was confused? Bill was usually right. He couldn't read Slade very well. He was so good at hiding his sexuality. Probably part of the business of being famous.

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