"Made it out of the lion's den, eh?" Tom chuckled, as Tyler sidled up next to him at the side bar of MiniBar. 

"Mason and his friends...they're exhausting," Tyler sighed. "I can't keep up with it. What to wear, who to know. I just..."

"It's the Boystown life, buddy."

"When I first moved here, I wished I would be one of the pretty people, going out every night, being fabulous. I never knew what it'd take. I mean Jesus, how do you do it?"

"The price I pay, I suppose."

"For being with Diego?"

"You got it." 

There was something Tyler had been dying to ask Tom since they met. Maybe it was the two gin and tonics in him, but he just had to find out. "You seem like such a normal guy," Tyler started, then took a step back at Tom's smirk. "I mean...you and Diego are so different."

"Why are we together?"

"Yeah," Tyler said, relieved that he didn't have to finish his own thought.

Tom looked thoughtful for a moment, sipped his scotch, then looked at Tyler. "He's hot."

"That's it?"

"He's a sweetheart. When he wants to be."

"And...?"

"He's young."

"Wow," Tyler said. He could hardly believe that such a stand up and intelligent man like Tom  could be so devoid of depth, even for an instant.  "That can't be it."

"Once upon a time...I was with this guy. Smart. Funny. Cute. Everything I could possibly want. Looked real good on paper."

"What happened?"

"Honestly?" Tom said, motioning to the bartender for another scotch. "I got scared. I wasn't used to that, you know? I'd only been with guys that were simple. And pretty. He...he challenged me, you know? It was...scary."

"What, did he like push you to be someone you weren't?"

"Nah," Tom said, sipping his fresh scotch. "He...made me want to be a better man. And I just didn't think I could live up to it. I didn't want to disappoint him. Or myself, I guess. So in the end...I chose style over substance."

"No offense man, but that's the lamest thing I've ever heard."

"Who're you telling? I lived it."

"Do you still have feelings for that guy?"

Tom downed his scotch, searching the bottom of the tumbler for a way to avoid the inevitable truth. "Yeah," he surrendered.

"As strong as your feelings for Diego?"

"Could we not..."

"You should go to him."

"He'd never have me."

"If you don't at least try, then you'll never know," Tyler said, remembering a piece of advice Charlie had given him when he first moved to Boystown. "Could you live with the not knowing?"

"Omigod, you were supposed to bring our drinks already," Diego said, coming up to the bar with Mason.

"Sorry babe," Tom said, almost wearily. "Tyler and I were just talking."

"Tyler, there's someone you HAVE to meet," Mason said, grabbing Tyler's hand. "He'd probably buy a whole table at our benefit."

Tyler let Mason drag him away, but looked back at Tom, listening glassy eyed as Diego rambled on about something or other. He hoped that that wouldn't ever be him one day.

###