Welcome to Gaia! ::

Jazz continued strumming along. His eyes remained closed. He could smell the musty, smokey air. He could feel the warmth, sweat on his back and neck. His rough fingers moved along the chords, just as they were now. His slightly raspy voice rang out in the bar. His breathing was shallow.

"Cause sooner or later it's over..I just don't want to miss you tonight."
Jaspers voice grew louder, "And I don't want the world to see me, cause I don't think that they'd understand. When everythings made to be broken, I just want you to know who I am."

That night, for a moment he opened his eyes. He was telling himself, if he saw Ryker looking up at him.. if their eyes met, it meant it was all meant to be.

Jazz's emerald eyes opened just as they had that night, just when Ryker was moving his hand to his thigh. Then there was a kiss to his neck..and his nose was on his skin and... how could he say no, honestly?

Jasper carefully set Airi down, midsong.. which was rare for him. He hated to stop in the midst of a piece, but Ryker was asking for it.

He got on his knees, picked up his hubby, and tossed him onto the bed. He instantly pounced on the man, attacking him with kisses and removing both of their clothes rather quickly.

The two men were like anyone else when they finished professing their love for each other physically, they wanted to cuddle up and be cutesy.

But how much time did they have?

Jazz smiled, their bodies still tangled up, soaked skin on soaked skin, their erratic breathing calming. "I love you too," He whispered, his voice hoarse.

Jasper moved to lay beside his husband, pulling him close for a moment longer. His eyes ran all along his body, and he sighed. "How did I end up with you?" This question could be taken many different ways, but just by his tone and the grin on his face you could tell how happy he was in that very moment.

BAM! More gun shots.. right outside their window.

Jazz shook his head and released Ryker from his grip. "We need to pack.." His voice trailed off.

Thats when he made it official, he'd protect Ryker, no matter what. The man was his entire life.
He began packing like a maniac, after putting on some boxers- Of course.

Jazz was so focused on trying to pack everything up, he didn't want to think about the memories the things they would have to leave behind held.
Jeesh, what was Ryker gonna do? He didn't have any clothing that didn't scream I'M GAY, KILL ME.
s**t.

"You know, if you weren't so damned buffed up... you could just borrow my clothes. But I'm pretty sure you'd just rip them." He chuckled to himself. When he looked up, Ryker was throwing a shirt at him.

It smacked him right in the face and he flashed his husband a faux-dirty glare when he removed it from his face. "I thought you were completely out of your mind when I saw you in this." He held it up, laughing softly.

"Well, obviously I was right. You are pretty out of your mind." He set the shirt down. "Granted, I married your a**. So I can't be much more sane." He winked at Ryker as he grabbed a few more simple clothes and tossed them into his backpack. Thankfully, Jazz always kept things simple when it came to style.

Fedora here and there, but that was about as lavish as he got. Typically, it was a T-Shirt and jeans for him. The occasional rip or two.

"Muffin top?" Jasper went to sit by his Rykie. "How could I forget!?" He shook his head, taking the garment from him. "This thing is ridiculous, you know that?" He laughed. "I remember how proud of yourself you were, thats for damn sure."

He thought back to that Christmas..
"Jazzy! Look!" His husband of barely a year danced into the room. "Isn't it beautiful!" He couldn't resist the little a** shake. The glittery letters caught Jaspers eye... unwrap him? That was one thing he could definietly do.

And since neither of them really had any family, it was their own little Christmas. Jazz cooked up some things and they basically made mad love like rabbits all night long after that. Best. Dessert. Ever.

"I'm gonna miss this s**t." He sniffled, but stood up quickly. "We need to get you new clothes, more subtle things. I seriously don't think you own a single thing that isn't... mesh or rhinestoned.."

Jazz laughed. Fabulous. Sexy. Glamourous.
That pretty much summed up his husband. He turned to see Ryker putting on a T-shirt, which was his... and a bit too tight on him. Okay, maybe 'a bit' was an understatement. He looked like one of those idiots who worked out too much and their clothes stopped fitting them too quickly.

Jasper never worked out, it was completely against his lazy nature. Writing or strumming... that pretty much covered his workout regime.

Did he just hear the words shopping and spree in the same sentence from Ryker? "Oh God." He plopped down on their bed. "Better put a limit on how much you spend... or we'll need six suitcases." He grabbed Ryker and pulled him into his lap.

"I know you're not gonna enjoy a spree of shopping.. for the first time in your life. But its necessary." He pecked him on the cheek. "We could probably stay with my dad for a few days... or so, he's sick..." Jazz inhaled deeply and gently stood up, putting Ryker back on his feet.

"I've been meaning to see him soon...anyways." He bit his bottom lip. "He lives about six or seven hours from here.." Ryker knew that though, they had met a few times. But his dad was so depressed now, it was hard to be around him.

"And my sisters live pretty spread out.. if we need a place to crash along the way." But where would they end up?

"I'll make some calls tomorrow, right now we need to book a hotel somewhere a few hours away. This towns gonna be gone in a few weeks, if not days." At least gay-wise.

Jazz hadn't thought about that.
Not trusting his sisters? Jeesh. They had always had his back, but he was positive his brother would be after him. He knew he was gay and married, that much was certain. Not to mention... Trent hated him now.

"Dads not dumb, he and Trent don't even talk anymore." Yeah, he definietly had to see him now. No more time for denial about him being sick, he needed to see his Pops before something happened... to either one of them.

Would he even be able to attend his funeral?
No time to fret about that now.

"I'll be careful." He promised before dragging the one suitcase into the living room. He looked around, the last few moments in their home. Too sad.

He shook his head, found his cellphone, and started making some phone calls.

After twenty minutes of calling around, he booked them a room with two beds at an okay hotel about four hours away. "We gotta get going soon hon. We should get there as soon as possible." He'd end up driving the whole way, allowing Ryker to get some sleep.

He was the irritable one when he didn't get his full eight hours, or so.

Jazz completely understood the pain that Ryker had to be feeling as he looked at his art room. His heart sank.

He was leaving behind his creation too. His business, he built Jazz Records with his own two hands! Of course, he had help along the way.. That business was all about who you knew. But it was his baby. And for the time being, he had to leave it behind.

He'd have to start over entirely.
Or not at all.
If this Faust thing kept up.. he couldn't be out in the open. And no one would come to him anyways! He'd be an outsider...
His career was gone.
And it all hit him at once.

Jasper leaned against the wall and inhaled deeply, clutching Airi in her case. "God dammit." Not that he believed in Him.
How could someone who loved everyone allow this? Exactly. He wouldn't.

"Okay, let's get out of here."
Right.
Jazz breathed slowly, in and out. "Okay."

He grabbed his suitcase and the keys, and without looking back, he stepped out of their apartment, never to return.

They walked slowly, trudingly, down to Jazz's black 69 camaro. They had recently gotten rid of Rykers car. He went through phases...
He wanted one, he didn't. He wanted a brand new one, but he got tired of it.

Jazz only wanted his husband happy, and usually complied with what he wanted, as long as he could afford it.

He slid into the drivers seat, breathed deeply, then started the engine. "Ready, then?" A new life.
Should be something exciting, but all he felt was dread.