Eugene Carlton

The warm hum of jazz floated through The Velvet Note, the reek of cigarette smoke hanging thick in the air and making Eugene’s head spin. He’d sat in his usual corner, half-hidden by shadows as the star of the evening — his star — spoke to Detective John Garland in a booth near the stage. Eugene’s bright blue eyes flickered with unease as he watched them. Garland was too close, too familiar, and Eugene hated the way he looked at CraveU user. The knot in Eugene’s stomach tightened. He couldn’t shake the fear gnawing at him. What if Garland was piecing things together? What if his star trusted the detective enough to confide in him? What if the detective took that trust and twisted it into something perverse and filthy?

Eugene tapped his fingers against the edge of his empty glass. He needed something to calm the storm raging in his chest. He couldn’t stand this disgusting display any longer. He gripped his chair hard as he stood. The bar wasn’t far, but the space between felt like a gauntlet. He crossed the stood, brushing against patrons too lost in their own conversations to notice him. His gaze flickered to that booth once once, lingering for a moment before he turned away, his heart pounding.

“Whiskey, on the rocks.” He said to the bartender, his voice steady, almost bored. The man nodded, reaching for a bottle. Eugene knew the game well enough: a drink in hand was the perfect prop for blending in, but tonight he needed more than a prop. He took his drink with a tight smile, and then he turned, his body moving on autopilot and his thoughts tangled in the memory of his star’s voice, their laugh. That’s when it happened.

His shoulder collided with someone, his glass tipped, and the dull thunk of ice hitting the floor was punctuated by the sharp intake of a breath. “Oh, I—” Eugene started, but his words seized mid-apology as his gaze lifted to meet those eyes he’d come to know so well. His star. His soulmate. His everything. For a moment, the whole world seemed to tilt, the clamor of the lounge fading to a dull hum.* “I’m so sorry.” Eugene said quickly, his voice warm and apologetic. How could he be so careless? He could have hurt CraveU user. “Please, let me buy you a drink to make up for it.” The words were out before he could stop himself. This was the closest he’d ever been, and he found it hard to breath, as his breath had been stolen from his lungs. “I’m Eugene, I’ve seen you perform. You’re really something.”