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A movie premiere is always an electrifying event, but this one hasn't even started yet, and it already feels different from any other premiere Griff has ever attended. It’s not so much because he’s the lead role, nor is it because it’s a war movie, a genre in which he has never dabbled before. It’s not even the fact this is his first public appearance since he’s come out as gay, although there's a bit of nerves associated with it. No. The true reason is that, for the very first time, he's going to walk down the red carpet with someone for whom he has genuine, romantic feelings. Gus’ presence by his side is a game changer, and Griff can’t believe his luck.
He throws a look at his watch. It's twenty past seven already. They'll have to leave for the theater pretty soon.
‘’What do you think?’’ Gus asks, stepping out of their hotel room’s bathroom with a slight frown on his face. ‘’Is it better than the suit I borrowed from Louis?’’
The custom-made, three piece suit, fits Gus to perfection. It highlights his broad-shouldered frame, and the fawn-colored fabric goes with his blond hair even better than Griff could have anticipated.
"You'd look good in almost anything, but yes, tonight you look amazing," Griff marvels. There's only one way this suit would look better: discarded on the hotel floor in the throes of passion.
The compliment, coupled with Griff's appreciative grin, manages to wash the frown off Gus' face.
Griff smooths a few creases at the front of Gus’ jacket and picks up a piece of lint from his shoulder. ‘’The only thing missing is the tie," he points out, pulling the item from his pocket, put there earlier for safe-keeping while Gus was trying on the new suit.
At the mere sight of the tie, Gus' frown comes back in full force. ‘’Do I really have to wear one? I don’t like ties.’’ He's eying it like a convict would a torture device destined for him.
‘’No, you don’t have to.’’ It would be unwise of Griff to force him out of his comfort zone more than he already does.
‘’Is everyone else going to wear one, though?", Gus asks, biting the inside of his cheek in hesitation.
‘’Yes, most probably."
‘’Okay, fine,’’ Gus relents, ‘’I’m going to wear it. It’s just that…I’ve no idea how to make the knot.’’
Griff places the tie around his boyfriend’s neck and tucks it under the back of his shirt's collar. ‘’Don’t worry. I’m going to show you.’’ He then proceeds to make a Windsor knot, one of the simplest tie knots out there, walking Gus through every step as he goes.
After the third or fourth step, he lifts his eyes and realizes it’s not his hands or the tie Gus has been staring at, but his face. He stops with a chuckle. ‘’Have you listened to anything I just said?’’
‘’No.”
Gus’ candor elicits another bout of laughter from Griff. This man is incapable of deceit, and it’s one of the many things he likes about him. ‘’Do you want me to start again from the top?’’
‘’Nah, you’re almost done anyways.’’
Griff finishes securing the knot, slips the bottom part of the tie into Gus’ vest and gives him a quick peck on the lips before he grabs his wallet from the nightstand. ‘’We should go downstairs. The car must be there already.’’
Gus straightens his shoulders and sets his jaw in determination before they exit their room, as if he’s on his way to do a bungee jump.
***
As Griff predicted, their driver is already waiting in the pick-up zone, just in front of the hotel. Griff holds the car door open for Gus, who gets inside with surprising ease for someone with such long legs. And once they’re both settled on the leather backseat, with belts on, the Rolls Royce sets out into the night.
It is a perfect evening, weather-wise : not too hot that Griff is going to worry about having a sweaty, glowy forehead on the pictures. Not too cold that he’s going to shiver in front of the cameras and make an awkward little dance between interviews to keep warm.
He peeks at Gus who’s looking outside the window, at the big city streets so unfamiliar to him. It’s his very first time in Sydney, having never traveled outside the South Island, let alone to another country.
With his chiseled features and sharp cheekbones, no doubt his boyfriend is going to turn heads tonight, Griff thinks. He’d be lying if he said he isn’t happy to have such an attractive arm candy to show off. He’s giddy with excitement just to think about it.
The excitement, however, doesn’t seem to be shared. When Griff puts a hand over Gus’s knee, he’s rewarded with a faint, tense attempt at a smile.
‘’Are you ok?’’
The answer he gets is unconvincing at best. ‘’Yes, yes, I'm fine.’’
‘’Are you sure?’’
‘’Of course, why? I'm all good,” Gus insists. He’s trying to convince himself more than anything else, because, once again, he’s not the most adept at hiding his feelings. ‘’Don't I look fine?’’
Griff strokes his knee, in what he hopes is a comforting gesture. ‘’It's okay to be nervous, you know, but they're all going to love you, fans and press alike. I’m sure of it.’’
Gus shakes his head. ‘’It's just that I've - I’ve never been to something like that. What if they ask me questions about actors, or cinema….how the film stock works, the editing process, the lighting? I've nothing to say about any of those!’’
‘’Wh-no! They won't ask about that!" He doesn't have the heart to tell Gus directors don't work with film stocks anymore. "Why would they ask you about that?’’
‘’I don't know!’’ Gus exclaims.
‘’You can leave the talking to me, if that makes you uncomfortable. All you have to do is stand there and smile.’’
‘’What if I forget how?’’
‘’How to stand and smile?’’
‘’My stomach, it's already upset,’’ Gus protests, putting a hand to his midsection and almost doubling over. ‘’I can feel it! I might puke on the red carpet. Will you forgive me if I throw up on your red carpet?’’ To his defense, he does look a little pale.
Griff takes him by the shoulders, gently but firmly, making Gus straighten up again and shift toward him "Baby. Look at me,’’ he demands, and his expression softens when Gus obeys. ‘’Take one deep breath.’’
Gus’ first breath is somewhat shaky, but he does it again, and it’s steadier this time.
‘’That's it,’’ Griff encourages him. ‘’You'll be fine. Everything's going to be fine. I will hold your hand. Just like this.’’ His right hand goes down Gus’ arm and lace fingers with his. ‘’ And if things gets too overwhelming, squeeze three times, okay?’’
Gus swallows and nods, with the darting eyes of a baby rabbit trapped in a cage.
"We've arrived, gentlemen," the driver announces.
Through the tinted glass, Griff notices the impressive crowd gathered each side of Oxford street, in front of the Palace Verona Cinema,.
"Oh my god, there’s so many people," Gus whispers.
‘’Are you ready?,’’ Griff asks with a twinge of worry.
‘’I think so."
They’ve no time to debate any further, because Griff’s assistant has already jogged up to the car and she opens the door for Griff to get out. As soon as he emerges from the black Rolls Royce, the crowd breaks into cheers. He’s the star of the movie after all.
He hurries to go around the vehicle to open the opposite door and free his scared baby rabbit of a man.
Gus is hard to miss, and upon seeing him, the people massed behind the crowd control barriers scream and shout. ‘‘Hot tractor guy! Hot tractor guy!’’ The dreaded phrase fuses from everywhere.
‘’They don’t know my real name,’’ Gus realizes, shifting from one foot to the other. He’s clearly out of his depth.
‘’Not yet, but they soon will,’’ Griff replies. He waves at the crowd, slipping his hand back into Gus’ as he does. The simple gesture amplifies the noise from a few dozen decibels. Gus is as stiff as a wood post, but plays the game nonetheless and waves as well.
‘’You’re the first one from the cast to arrive,’’ Penelope, Griff’s assistant, informs her boss. ‘’You were supposed to be the last one to walk the red carpet, but there was a mix-up in the schedule.’’
‘’It’s fine,’’ Griff frees her of concern. ‘’It gives me more time to interact with the fans.’’ He also takes this opportunity to introduce Penelope to Gus, and she welcomes with a surprised giggle the spontaneous bear hug he decides to give her on the spot.
‘’Griffin!! Here! Griffin! We love you!’’ The chant comes from a group of people assembled behind the nearest barrier, all of them wearing identical t-shirts representing the character Griff played in the period drama series Brothers of the Moon Harvest.
‘’I should go sign a couple autographs; take a few selfies,’’ Griff tells his boyfriend. ‘’Do you mind?’’
‘’No, not at all,’’ Gus replies, but he’s determined not to stray more than a meter away from Griff. That gives him no choice but to follow him as Penelope stays behind to chat with another assistant.
‘’Hey guys! Thank you for coming tonight,” Griff beams, greeting the fans and grabbing a pen at random from the multiple hands outstretched in his direction. He scribbles his name on various items, including a DVD case, a few posters of the movie, a baseball cap, and, oddly enough, a wooden duck and a watermelon.
Gus can only stand by, in an awkward stance. With his strong stature, built from farm labor, he could easily pass off as Griff’s bodyguard, if they hadn’t made a point of holding hands for everyone to see, that is,… and, of course, if Gus’ picture hadn’t gone viral on Instagram three weeks ago.
As they move further along the barrier, a teenage boy with blue strands in his hair hands a pen to Gus. ‘’Could you please sign my poster? That’d be awesome to have the Hot Tractor Guy’s autograph too! ’’
‘’Uh.. ok,” Gus accepts, unsure, but still taking the pen and poster. ‘’Can I sign it with my actual name, though?’’
‘’Sure! What's your real name?’’
‘’I'm Gus.’’ He replies, uncapping the pen with his teeth. ‘’Twe tractor doesn’t hawve a name, though’’ he adds in all seriousness, around the piece of plastic in his mouth.
‘’It’s nice to meet you, Gus,’’ the boy says. ‘’And you should find a name for your tractor too.’’
‘’I’ll think about it,’’ Gus tells him with a smile, handing back the pen and the poster. He took the time to add the word ‘’cordially‘’ before his signature. His grandpa always insisted on the importance of politeness in any kind of hand-written content.
Before they move to the other side of the red carpet, to give a different group of fans the chance to get autographs, Griff throws a look at his man. The corners of Gus’ mouth have relaxed, and his eyes are inquisitive rather than wide and terrified. He might even start to enjoy himself.
The fans on the other side of the street are as enthusiastic to get to meet Griff and his mysterious lover.
Upon a fan's request, Gus is waiting for the pen to add his signature below Griff’s on a movie ticket, when a middle-aged woman catches his attention. ‘’My girlfriend and I think you and Griffin make a very cute couple,’’ she says, and her partner, standing beside her, nods in approval.
Of all the remarks aimed at him so far tonight, this is the one that brings heat and color to Gus' cheeks. ‘’Thank you. That's very nice of you to say. I think you're a great couple too.’’
‘’They were sweet,’’ Gus comments in a whisper, leaning down to be heard by Griff only, when they make their way further up the red carpet.
Griff puts an arm around his waist and tugs playfully at the hem of his jacket. ‘’See? It’s not so bad afterall.’’
‘’I guess.’’ There's a part of Gus that’s still on the fence, and maybe he's right to be. The night's still young.
A man, holding a teenage girl by the shoulders, hails Griff in a rude and loud manner as they pass by. ‘’Oi! I'll have you know I brought my daughter here and waited in line for three hours, only because she likes you as an actor, but I shouldn’t have. It was a bloody waste of time!’’ The man points a finger at Griff. ‘’I thought you were a decent bloke, but I see now you’re one of those homos who feel the need to flaunt their relationships for everybody to see.’’
Gus steps forward, out of reflex, ready to defend his partner, but Griff stops him with a hand to his chest. ‘’No, babe. Please don’t. It’s not worth it.’’
‘’Exposing your lifestyle like that, you set the worst example for children, and I refuse to subject my daughter to this,’’ the man spits, nostrils flaring, before dragging the mortified girl away, elbowing his way through the crowd as he went.
‘’That wasn’t nice at all,’’ Gus states. His flushed face is not a sign of shyness anymore, but shock.
‘’Those people exist too,’’ Griff replies with a sigh. ‘’Not everyone is going to be supportive of us. You better get used to it.’’
‘’Are you? Getting used to it, I mean?’’
‘’No,’’ Griff admits. ‘’But I’m trying.’’
Gus’ demeanor has changed again, for the worse this time. The stiffness and bug-eyed look is back. That poor rabbit is wondering what direction the next gunshot is going to come from. "It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have told you to come out the closet,’’ he's fretting. ‘’Now, you’ll have to deal with that kind of stuff all the time. I shouldn’t have come tonight either. Maybe Daisy could have accompanied you instead.’’
‘’Don’t let yourself spiral down like this, Gus," Griff tries to keep him grounded. "There’s no need for that. What’s done is done. I’m a grown man and I’ve made my choice. Now we have to deal with it the best we can.’’
‘’Can we go inside the theater now?,’’ Gus asks. He's not quite begging, but he's certainly inching toward it.
Much to Griff's regret, he can't give him that relief just yet. ‘’I have to do at least a few interviews. Afterward, we’re going to have our pictures taken together, and then, they’ll ask for photos of me with my co-stars. Only after that, they’ll let us inside.’’
Before they can exchange another word, Penelope ushers them both toward the cameras of AussieStarz Today.
The interviewer is already recording her introduction. ‘’I’m speaking live from the red carpet of the movie premiere for the long awaited war actioner The Hindenburg Line , and right here I have Griffin Galway, who plays the lead role of Lieutenant George Ingram." She swipes her lush, red hair to the side and turns to greet the actor. ‘’Good evening, Griffin!’’
‘’Good evening, Chelsea. It’s a pleasure to be here tonight.’’ It’s not the first time he crosses her path on a red carpet. Australian stardom is a small world.
Chelsea glances at Gus, who looks like a celery stick forgotten in the freezer for too long, and Griff hopes she’s in a benevolent mood tonight.
She pauses, for show, but it is plain to see that she already has her plan of attack. ‘’First of all, I have to ask the question that’s on everybody’s mind,’’ she begins, addressing Griff. ‘’We’ve seen you walk red carpets before, with beautiful women holding your arm. How would you define your sexuality now?’’
‘’I would define it as something that’s part of my private life, and should remain that way,’’ Griff replies, polite enough, but there’s a firmness in his voice that leaves no doubt to the fact he’d rather speak about anything else but this.
It’s too late, though, because Chelsea has sunk her teeth in that subject and has no intention of letting go. ‘"And still, you’re here with your boyfriend, a mere three weeks after the announcement of your relationship, which took a lot of your fans by surprise. Are you trying to make a statement tonight? ’’
Griff grits his teeth and allows himself a few seconds to figure out how to respond without passing off as an aggressive douchebag. ‘’Perhaps my message is that this should not be seen as a statement at all."
Seeing that she offered no reaction and the microphone was still his, he went on. ‘’A minute ago, I spotted my co-star Kayra Henderson, who plays my wife Jane in the movie. She’s here with her husband tonight. They’ve been married for 20 years. They were 16 and 17 years old back then. Did you know that?’’
Chelsea brings the microphone back to her. ‘’Yes, I’ve heard. That’s an inspiring love story.’’
‘’Exactly,’’ Griff affirms. ‘’But I wonder how many interviewers tonight are going to ask her if she’s trying to issue a statement about long-term monogamy and underage marriage by bringing her husband to this event. I doubt anyone will ask. You know, sexual orientation isn’t divided between ‘heterosexual’, on one side , and ‘political statement’ on the other. I’m proud of the work the cast and crew have put out for The Hindenburg Line , and I wanted to bring the person I love with me tonight so he could share in this celebration. It’s as simple as that, so let’s not make it into something it’s not.’’
‘’Well said,’’ Chelsea replies, hypocritical enough to pretend she shared his view all along.
‘’It’s like my character in the movie,’’ Griff continues, trying to stir her attention away from his private life, and toward the thing they should be discussing in the first place : the movie. ‘’I don’t think George Ingram’s intention was to make a statement when he led his platoon into battle at Montbrehain. He was just doing his job, and trying to put an end to a war that already killed too many men.’’
It’s obvious Chelsea has no real interest in historical details when she begins her next question with the words : ‘’Moving on…’’ The toothy smile she flashes at Griff looks like a bad omen. ‘’There’s a rumor that your instagram post, the one that's gone viral before you deleted it, was in fact a marketing campaign to spear-head your partner’s career as a model. Some people even alleged you're trying to build a brand around him. How do you respond to such rumors?
She aims the microphone at Griff, but this time, it’s Gus who leans forward to answer in his place. ‘’I’m not a model. I work at Oakley's. I don’t even like having my picture taken.’’
There’s a slight moment of confusion before Griff takes the reins back. ‘’What Gus is trying to say is that even though everyone can see he’s handsome enough to be a model, he already has a job he likes and he’s not interested in showing off more of himself than I already did on Instagram. In short: those rumors are baseless.’’
‘’Why delete the post, then? Were you worried about people’s reaction to your coming out?’’
Griff never loses his cool in front of interviewers, but tonight might become the exception. ‘’I think anybody who comes out has all sorts of expectations and apprehensions, me included.” It takes all his self control and acting skills not to let his irritation show. As far as he’s concerned, this unpleasant chat is over. He quickly plugs the movie one more time, inviting people to go watch it at their local theater and then excuses himself: ‘’I’m sorry. I’m going to have to move on to another interview.”
Griff can’t help but to heave a sigh of relief when Gus and he finally get to step away from AussieStarz’s camera. He feels Gus’ warm touch to the small of his back, though his jacket, and it relaxes him slightly. However, he has enough experience to know that when the first interview is like this, it doesn't bode well for the next ones. He isn't going to tell Gus that, though ; not when the young man' face reminds him of a statue that's about to crack.
The next interview is from ABC TV, and the interviewer shows enough decency to start with actual, interesting questions about Griff’s work as an actor and about the movie.
Griff doubts it’ll be all, and he’s bracing himself for the inevitable questions related to the hunk standing by his side.
‘’I think a good portion of the public is curious to get to know Gus better, now that we've got a glimpse. Are we going to see more of him on your social medias from now on?’’
‘’I don’t know. Maybe, maybe not. It'll depend on Gus. I can’t force him into the public eye if it’s not something he wants.
‘’I understand,’’ the interviewer sympathizes. He then turns to Gus.‘’Must be a challenge for you to leave behind a peaceful, country life, working in a vineyard, to dive into such a whirlwind that is show business here in Australia.’’
‘’I- I don’t think I’d make a good actor,’’ Gus stutters when the microphone shows up in front of him, ‘’but Griff is a good actor, so, that means I don’t have to do it. He can do it, and I can watch his movies afterward…like tonight…without having to be there on set when they’re shot…’’
The interviewer understands at once she's not going to get much out of him. " Well, thanks to you both, and enjoy the movie."
They’re free again. Griff notices Gus’ shaky hands and takes one of them, hoping to insufflate some calm into him.
"What now?" Gus asks.
"It's time for the pictures," Griff reminds him.
"Oh, that's true." His jaw is so tense veins are popping at his temple.
They’re arriving at the end of the red carpet, where a giant poster of the movie, representing the World War One battlefield at Montbrehain, takes pride of place at the bottom of the stairs leading to the theater’s main entrance. The director and producer are getting their picture taken in front of it, their faces flooded with the lights of what seems like hundreds of camera flashes every second.
Gus’ palm has gotten clammy against Griff's own. "I'm not sure I can-"
Whatever Gus was trying to say is interrupted by Penelope’s sudden appearance. "Griffin, Lauren asked me to give you this to sign, please,’’ she says, handing Griff a book. He recognizes it as the biography of the real-life George Ingram. ‘’It's for the Red Cross charity auction after the screening," she explains.
"Sure, it’ll be my pleasure."
Griff lets go of his boyfriend’s hand to take the fountain pen Penelope provides for him. He writes a short message inside the book cover, to thank whoever will end up buying this, and signs his name at the bottom. He has just finished tracing the ‘’Y’’ of Galway, and is giving the book back to Penelope, when a high-pitched voice screams his name.
"Hey, Kayra!,’’ he greets his co-star when she rushes toward him for a hug, which he happily returns. ‘’Wow, you look wonderful!’’ Her dress is flowy, with shimmering autumn colors. ‘’You look like a fairy," he adds, making her twirl like a ballroom dancer to admire the designer’s impressive work.
"Thank you! My husband said the exact same thing,’’ she replies with a radiant smile. ‘’And so do you, by the way. You look dashing tonight."
"It's a pretty good turn out, uh? I knew the movie would be a hit, but I must admit I wasn't expecting to see so many fans and press tonight," Griff comments with a gesture toward the crowd the barriers and security agents can barely contain.
"Your recent social media antics might have contributed to it," she speculates, giving him a knowing look. "Speaking of which, I thought you were coming tonight with your sexy new man?"
"I am. I just-" Griff turns around, only to find out Gus isn’t standing behind him anymore. In fact, he’s nowhere to be seen. "Wait! He was there a second ago!"
Griff scans the red carpet and the crowd, hoping to spot the familiar head of blond curls, pulled back in a half-bun for the occasion, but he has no luck. It’s like Gus has just evaporated into thin air.
Penelope is still in the vicinity, and he hails her. "Have you seen where Gus went?"
She shakes her head. "No, I'm sorry. Maybe he had to use the bathroom?"
" I don't know," Griff whispers to himself. "That's a shame,’’ he tells Kayra. ‘’I was looking forward to introducing you both. He’s a real sweetheart, you’ll see."
"The photographers are waiting," Penelope informs him. "You're next."
‘’Not right now,’’ he protests, ‘’I have to wait for Gus.’’
‘’I don’t think I can make them wait any longer,’’ she says, not as contrite about it as Griff would like her to be. ‘’We’re on a tight schedule because of the mix-up with the cars.’’
Kayra lays a hand on Griff's arm. "He'll probably be back soon. In the meantime, we can strike a pose together, if you want?"
"Okay, thank you," he accepts. The photographers are going to ask for pictures of him and the leading lady at some point anyway. Might as well do it now.
They step in front of the poster turned background, and, with her consent, Griff takes Kayra by the waist, as more than twenty photographers battle in a torrent of clicking sounds to have the actor and actress look their way at the same time.
‘’I have a confession to make,” Griff whispers in Kayra’s ear at some point. He then explains, with as few words as possible, the incident earlier where he ended up speaking about her marriage to the interviewer. ‘’Was it undelicate of me?’’
‘’Nah. You did the right thing, darling,’’ she sets his mind at rest. ‘’I don’t know what kind of training they give their staff at AussieStarz, but the people they send our way are obnoxious as fuck.’’
Between every change of position or angle, Griff tries to look beyond the wall of blinding flashes, hoping to see his boyfriend reappear, but to no avail. He’s still awol, and by the time the photographers have all the shots they need, there's a Gus-size knot in Griff's stomach.
The second he’s allowed to leave the looming presence of the giant poster, he goes to one of the security guards, whose position on the red carpet makes him susceptible to have noticed Gus leaving. "Have you seen where my partner went?"
"The tall blond guy who looked lost?"
"That's the one," Griff confirms.
"He went through there,’’ the guard tells him, pointing at a door that’s half-hidden behind a sponsor’s ad board.
"What's behind that door?"
‘’It's an underground parking lot. He said he wanted to go somewhere quiet,’’ the guard explains. ‘’I was going to check on him in a minute, but now that you’re here…’’
‘’Thanks a lot, mate.’’ At least Griff now knows where to look.
The other side of the heavy, steel door, there’s only darkness at first. Griff had spotlights and camera flashes aimed at his retina just two minutes ago, so it takes a moment for him to find his bearings in a space only brightened by a few dim neon lights and the red exit sign above his head. Once his eyes get used to the darker environment, he realizes he’s on the landing of a small staircase going down to the parking lot. It’s a good thing he has not rushed forward as soon as he crossed the door.
It’s unsettling how soundproofed that parking garage is. No one would ever guess there’s a movie premiere happening just a few meters away.
Griff gets down the stairs and pricks up an ear to catch any sound. There’s only two dozen cars parked here, and no more than two hundred spots. It’s not that big. Gus can’t be hard to find.
It’s not long before the shuffling of clothes and the scrapping of feet on concrete echo from somewhere to Griff’s right. He follows the general direction of the sound and finally sees Gus sitting on the ground, his back to one of those big, square columns you can find in any underground parking lot, his knees up to his chest.
Griff slows his walking pace when he gets closer, so as not to scare him. ‘’Gus? What are you doing here?"
"Nothing special." His clear blue eyes are dry, although veiled with something Griff can’t quite decipher yet.
"Are you trying to hide?"
"Yis, a little bit,’’ Gus replies, sheepish, his kiwi accent thicker with emotion. "But it seems I'm not good at that either, since you found me so quickly."
Griff squats down in front of his boyfriend, to get at the same eye-level, and he lays his hands on Gus' knees. '‘What's wrong, love? I wanted to introduce you to my co-stars, but you disappeared. I was afraid you were feeling sick all of a sudden, or something worse.’’
‘’I didn’t mean to worry you,’’ Gus regrets, putting his hand over the one that’s resting on his left knee. ‘’It's just- It became too much, I had to take a breather, and since you had let go of my hand, I couldn’t squeeze it to signal you.’’ He closes his fingers around Griff’s for emphasis.
‘’I’m sorry. I’m here now,’’ Griff reassures him. ‘’How are you feeling?’’
‘’I’m better. But you shouldn’t be here. They’ll be waiting for you. They must be looking for you already.’’
‘’I’ll go back in a minute, but only once I’m sure you’re alright.’’
Griff is about to stand up and help Gus do the same, but Gus catches him by the elbows before he can. There’s something that’s still eating him. ‘’Griff? I need to know. Do you like me only because I’m the Hot Tractor Guy?’’
‘’Of course not," Griff protests. "I met you and liked you long before I even came up with that stupid caption.’’
‘’I know. What I really mean is: do you like me only because I’m hot?," Gus insists.
Coming from anyone else, this would sound incredibly conceited, but Gus is not, and has never been, a vain person. The clumsy question comes from a true place of insecurity and Griff knows better than making fun of it.
‘’No, Gus,’’ Griff assures him, ‘’I’m not only with you because of the way you look.’’
‘’I'm aware I’m only a farm hand. I’m not the most fancy person. I have a hard time putting all my thoughts in the right order when I speak in public," Gus says, averting his gaze. "I live in a camper van, I own a total of four t-shirts and three shirts, and I don’t know how to make a proper tie knot.’’
‘’I don’t care about any of that," Griff states, squeezing Gus' forearms, as much to steady himself in this squatting position, than for Gus to understand the seriousness of what he’s about to say . "What I care about is that you’re kind, affectionate, hard-working, gentle, good-hearted and funny.’’ He tucks a stray curl of hair behind Gus’ ear. ‘’And yes, of course, you’re hot, but as far as I’m concerned, that’s just the cherry on top.’’
He presses a kiss to Gus' knuckles, before he stands and pulls him up on his feet.
‘’I’m an actor, you know," Griff goes on, making Gus turn around to reach the back of his jacket and pat concrete dust off of it. "I’m constantly surrounded by hot men. I’ve met plenty in my time, and slept with some of them, but I've never loved anyone enough to make the sacrifice of coming out so I could be with them out in the open.’’
‘’Yeah, you’re right," Gus concedes, once his backside has been dusted enough for Griff's liking. "Forgive me. I shouldn't have run away like that.”
‘’You're already forgiven. I know it's a lot to take in." Griff smiles at him. "As for the tie knot, I can show you again, if you promise me to pay attention this time around.’’
Gus tilts his head to the side with a soft laugh. ‘’It’s hard when you’re standing so close to me.’’
Emboldened, Griff steps even closer until they're chest to chest. ‘’Like this?’’
‘’Yeah, like this,’’ Gus confirms, leaning down to reach his lips.
They exchange a long kiss in the dark and quiet, allowing it to linger for mutual comfort.
‘’Do you want to go inside the theater to watch the movie now?," Griff offers, rubbing Gus' jawline with the side of his thumb while they still have their foreheads together. "If not, I can call a cab to bring you back safely to the hotel so you can rest.’’
‘’No. I’m fine now. I want to see your movie.’’
‘’Good," Griff says, getting a hold of his hand once more. "Come on, then, Hot Tractor Gus,’’ he teases with a wink, pulling him along toward the parking’s exit stairs.
"That's the name I should have signed on the posters," Gus reflects aloud, as they step together again into a world of noises and spotlights.