Page 105 of Hi-Voltage
Reno flipped on his flat iron and made sure it wasn’t too high before running the heat protector over the ends of his hair. He knew that he should keep his look toned down for the night.While he trusted that Cane could keep the street safe, Reno didn’t expect the people working under him to be as thorough. Paparazzi could slip through the cracks easily, and they weren’t the only ones—any fan who happened to be on the street at the same time as Reno was the risk of another viral video or blurry photo of Luka. He’d grown used to his own photo being taken without his permission years and years ago, but he found himself worrying nonstop about how Luka would feel to experience the same things.
Applying a lip plumper, he stared himself down in the mirror before moving on to the rest of his skin care, shaving what hair had grown on his chin and plucking a stray brow hair while wondering how much he could get away with before he drew too much attention to himself. He wanted so, so badly to dress up for Luka, and the weight of his reputation and infamy was like a stone in his stomach, reminding him that he wasn’t allowed to. He couldn’t resist wearing a more subtle pair of blue contacts and a smidge of eyeshadow but he put the rest of his things away before he fell into too much of a routine. He’d wear jeans. Flat shoes. A hoodie. Boring clothes that were at least soft so if Luka wanted to touch him he’d be met with something nice.
Reno took one long final look at himself before clicking off the bathroom light and going on a search for the clothes he’d mentally picked out. It wasn’t long before he was doing a final sweep of his home to make sure nothing was out of place or dirty before locking the front door and heading out into the neighborhood.
“Oh, you’re back!”
Reno had only made it halfway down the block before his neighbor, Hattie, stopped him. He gave her a warm smile and a hug before pulling back and tightening her sweater around her thin shoulders. “Just got in a few weeks ago. I’m surprised youhaven’t heard me playing! Hey, you should be wearing more. It’s getting chilly now that the sun is to set.”
She smiled at him, the lines of her face so beautiful where they crossed over each other.
Hattie pushed him teasingly, saying, “Don’t you start, child. When can I come over to pester you for some coffee and biscuits? You still bake, yes?”
“I need to buy some things from the store but I’m happy to make you anything. Do you want help with the back garden? I hope you haven’t let it get too overgrown while I am gone.”
“Oh," she chuckled, sounding timid, “it’s bad out there. My hips aren’t letting me bend over like I used to. The weeds have gotten unruly and you know none of the other boys around here like to help us ladies much anymore now that they’re all grown.” She paused, drawing his attention back to her. “You keep looking over my shoulder.”
Reno felt his cheeks flush. “I’m meeting someone," he admitted, then waved his hand, embarrassed. “Sorry for being rude. I can come help you soon with gardens. We have a few weeks before the hydrangea should come up anyway, so we can get it all cleared away.”
She peered at him from over her rimless frames and Reno felt himself squirm from it. “Meeting someone? I know it’s not one of the boys or you wouldn’t be blushing.”
“Don’t make me," Reno whined, shuffling in place, “I have a…visitor.”
“You’re being awfully tight-lipped for the gossip you are.”
“Hattie,youare the gossip.” Reno took a small step around her and disarmed her with a big smile. “I will tell you all about him later, next week? I can bring you biscuits and we will catch up and garden, okay?”
Hattie stepped back, letting Reno move out of her metaphorical grip. “I’ll get you next time, love. You owe me somany stories; it's been months since you were home. I’ll call the girls together and you can tell us everything. How is next Tuesday? Say eleven?”
“Tell Maryanne to bring her dog. I will be there.” Reno bent down and tucked a graying hair behind her ear and watched as she melted. “Ja ne?16, I have a handsome date to get to!”
She shot him a look before waving goodbye and Reno took the opportunity to dart away, knowing that she would have one million questions for him next week. He probably shouldn’t have let it slip that he was going on a date, but Hattie was right about him—he was a bit of a gossip when they got together.
Reno liked the delight that grew on his neighbor’s faces when he told them of all the wild things he got up to on tour, knowing they would go back to their friends and exaggerate his stories even more. He loved watching them laugh, entertaining them, especially since he guessed they didn’t do a lot when he wasn’t around to amuse.
The lamps on the street flicked on one by one as Reno walked, and it wasn’t until he was across from the pub that he paused, his hands cold in his front hoodie pocket and his feet planted to the sidewalk. The building across from him was painted black with orange light spilling out from its old frosted windows and leaning against the wooden exterior was Luka.
He seemed remarkably small under the hanging sign, bathed in the warm street light and looking at his phone, obvious to Reno’s staring. He frowned at the screen, the blue tint from it painting his hair almost purple, and after a moment, the screen clicked off and he looked up directly at Reno.
They locked eyes and he felt pinned under Luka’s stare. The open shock then affection that wound over Luka’s features was enough to nearly knock him to his knees. It took an immense amount of willpower for Reno to move again and cross the street.
“Wow.” He stepped onto the curb and stood in front of Luka, his voice sounding as breathless as he felt. “I’ll never get used to this.”
Luka put his phone in his pocket, his eyebrow raised as he looked from Reno’s face to his shoes then back up. “What?”
Reno reached out and wound a finger around one of the pieces of hair that had come free from Luka’s beanie and now framed his face. Luka froze, his eyes going slightly wide. They looked gray under the lamplight, like the water on a foggy day. His lashes were just light enough that, when Luka looked down and away from Reno, they shimmered. The studs on Luka’s jacket felt nice under Reno’s fingers when he placed a hand against Luka’s bicep, and Luka’s thick brows pinched in the middle when he narrowed his eyes at Reno.
He asked, “Are you okay?” and Reno had to pull himself together.
“I was gathering my courage," Reno replied, unsure how to cope with just how strongly Luka’s mere presence affected him, “to tell you how handsome you are.”
When Luka blushed, it was beautiful. Pink traveled all the way from the sides of his nose down to his jaw when he looked away, his lip between his teeth. Luka shifted his weight from one booted foot to the other, looking apprehensive as he wiped his palms against his torn, black jeans. “Should we go inside?”
“Yeah.” Reno tried not to think of all the other ways he’d made Luka turn that shade of pink in the past. He stepped away, taking his hands from Luka’s jacket to get the door for them both.
Inside, the barkeep, Conner, waved to them both. “Hey, Reno, nice to see you again. It’s been a while!”
Reno waved back. “Six months, I think? Maybe seven.”
