A/N: I mentioned last chapter that the next La Maison story will be coming later this year. And it will. First, however, I'm working on a werewolf story. The above ☝️ isn't the final cover, but it's just one I was messing around with. Drop a follow on me if you want to be notified when it goes live 😊

There was five people, seated at a long table with notebooks and water in front of them, like this was some reality TV singing show and he was going to get buzzed off. He lifted his hand with a weak wave as the assistant – Heather, she'd said – went over to whisper in their ears. Four of them scowled at him, just like the guy in the foyer, who must have left through a different doorway, but one, a neat-looking middle-aged woman, smiled and gave him a little wave back.

"Can you sit on the stage?" Heather asked, gesturing at the metal chair that was placed in the middle of the otherwise empty space.

"Sure." Gabe carried his case over to it, bending to open it and carefully remove his cello.

He didn't rush setting up. His heart was beating heavily and he had to breath deeply to prevent the feeling of nausea from rising. Normally, it would be a mistake. You didn't keep people like this waiting. But the only thing that was keeping him grounded was the knowledge that he had Laurent and Laurent was his and here in New York, and that was what felt guaranteed right now. So, not for the first time, Gabe wasn't too sure he even wanted to do well in this audition.

Eventually, he had the beautiful instrument out, the glossy red-brown of the sides resting between his thighs. He paused, breathing, wishing Laurent was at least allowed in the room. Heather gestured with an encouraging nod that he should begin, and he lifted the bow, horrified when he saw his hand was shaking.

He tried to think of the notes he needed for Bach's Suite No 2. He knew them, but they wouldn't come. He closed his eyes, and a blond-haired specter with an angry snarl rose up in his mind. Telling him he couldn't do this. That he'd never been good enough. It had been a waste of time. He was a waste of time.

He sucked in a shaky breath, opening his eyes, scanning to see Heather's worried face, the nice-looking lady with a supportive, encouraging, smile, and the others scowling, knowing, too, that he was wasting their time.

He should pack up. He glanced down at the case by his side, just waiting to hide his instrument away again, so he could return to plodding along. Happy but largely uninspired. The lump in his throat was back and his eyes felt watery. The cold, he insisted to himself, despite knowing the lie too easily.

He looked back, some faces progressing to anger. Others developing to pity him – he's never liked being pitied; a step too far in humiliation.

But there was something, in the shadows. His heart jumped for the moment when he thought it was the guy from the foyer, waiting to watch and wallow in his failure. And then the figure moved forward, just enough to reach the weak light from where Gabe sat. It was Laurent, giving him a smirking grin, oh so proud of himself for sneaking in when Heather had demanded he stay back, and Gabe almost let out a bright laugh. He held it in, but it sparked something strangely joyful inside him anyway.

He shifted in his seat, adjusting the position of the cello, raising his bow again. But this time, he didn't feel hesitant. He barely felt nervous, not with that pure knowledge that he could do this, the certainty that Laurent's swaggering presence reminded him of.

When his eyes closed again, no nightmares rose up to crush him, instead the clarity of the music flooded him and he swayed into it, allowing it to carry him bright and light, swooping in the emotion the music always brought.

It became even stronger when they asked him to play Faure's Elegie, always one of his favourites; Heather being page turner and the nice older lady on the piano. When he was done, they thanked him – even the grumpiest of the judges having a smile for him.

He found Laurent back in the foyer where he must have slipped away.

"You were amazing, Bambi. Just like I knew you would be. How about I take you home and show you just how impressed I am?"

Gabe opened his mouth to respond when the double doors slammed open and Heather stood there, slightly breathless.

"Sorry," she gasped, face pink with exertion. "Don't leave though. They want to tell you straight away..."

She stopped, still trying to get her breath back, and the judges appeared behind her. The nice one approached, holding her hands out to take Gabe's.

"We're very pleased to be offering you the position – if you want it?"

Gabe glanced to Laurent, who smiled, all teeth and genuine happiness. "Yes. Yes, I would, thank you."

* * * * *

"Are you sure you want to go?" Laurent asked, pulling Gabe towards him.

"Yes. I can do it." Gabe stood on tiptoes, landing a soft kiss on Laurent's lips. "I'm not wearing combat boots, though."

In fact, Gabe wore high tops, and Laurent couldn't stop laughing while he and Kaiya and Ellis took turns jumping on them to try make them look less brand new.

When they entered the club, all of Gabe's friends were waiting, lined up in an honor guard formation, laughing and cheering as he walked through to the VIP area with pink-tinged cheeks.

"We're so proud of you!" Dae yelled, wrapping his arms around Gabe's shoulders and planting a wet kiss on his cheek.

"Like you wouldn't believe," Owen agreed, giving him a side hug.

Gabe sat, Laurent sliding next to him onto the couch.

"Would you prefer I kneeled?" Gabe asked, nodding his head towards the others with a furrow between his brows. Except Dae, who was perched on Dex's lap, all the subs were kneeling, some straight-backed, some with their heads resting on their Doms' thighs.

"Never, if that's your preference, Bambi."

Laurent knew Gabe had aspects of his masochism that still made him uncomfortable, and he wouldn't push him, letting Gabe get past the trauma at a pace that suited him. He also knew there were some aspects that Gabe would likely never get past, and that kneeling was one of them. Those were things that Laurent was happy to let go completely. Regardless of how he might have felt about them in the past, if they didn't work for Gabe, they didn't work for him.

"I do have some plans though, for later."

Gabe leaned in, looking up at him with soft innocence. "You do?"

"I always have plans for you, Bambi. I heard something about ginger earlier, that I'm eager to try." He glanced over to Gray and winked, receiving a knowing chuckle back.

"'Always'?" Gabe questioned.

"Of course. You will have to put up with me for a long time."

Gabe sank against him, and Laurent buried his nose in his silky hair.

"You will come with me then?" Gabe mumbled.

Laurent stopped himself from saying 'of course', or 'I already said'. If his boy needed reassurance, not only would he give it, but he'd keep giving it, as many times as necessary. "Yes, Bambi. I'm yours as long as you'll have me. I love you."

"You do?"

"Yes."

"Good. I- I love you, too."

They were interrupted in their quiet proclamations by Dae, who had slid off Dex's lap and now knee-walked over to them, planting his hands on Gabe's knees.

"I'm so excited for you, going to London," he said with a flourish.

"Yeah," Gabe said, uncertainly.

"You don't seem to be looking forward to it?"

Laurent watched the conversation between the two, worried about Gabe's reaction. He'd been up and down ever since Brubaker had even suggested going for the position, and moments like this highlighted it.

"What is it?" he asked.

Gabe looked back up to him. "I-"

Laurent just knew he was going to claim it was nothing. Gabe was getting very good at saying what he needed when they scened, but he wasn't there yet outside of them. "Bambi, I would like the truth from you."

Dae had shuffled away again, leaving them to their conversation, but Laurent was hoping Gabe would be able to bring himself to be honest without much more pushing. He waited, keeping his face stern and expectant, but gently rubbing his thumb along Gabe's thigh.

"I'm scared," Gabe admitted eventually. "I've just got to the stage where I have friends. Where I have a normal life. I know you'll come with me, but I don't know if I want to leave everything else behind."

"I understand. I do. But I also think you would regret it forever if you didn't take the chance. There'll be opportunities to come back here and visit, and I know your friends have already told you they'll come visit you there. And," he glanced at Loki, who gave him a brief nod, "I happen to know that one of your friend's will be there with you."

"They will? Who?"

Laurent looked up to see Kaiya tentatively making his way over and perching next to Gabe on the long couch.

"Hey," he greeted softly.

"You?" Gabe whispered back, as if he could barely hope.

"If you're happy with it. Sir has been offered a job at University College Hospital. He offered to take me too. My new boss has some contacts to get me a job so I can get a skilled work visa, he says. Would you want us to come?"

"Yes! Yes, that would be amazing. I know I'll have to work hard and I was so worried I'd feel lonely, even with Laurent there. That won't be a worry now."

Gabe turned to Laurent with happiness shining.

"Did you arrange this?"

"I can't take the credit, though I did encourage Aloiki to apply when I was told they were searching for more teaching physicians at the hospital."

"You could take some credit. I'll be sure to thank you for it very well."

Gabe leaned up, capturing Laurent's mouth but letting him take over. He kept it sweet – there'd be time for passion soon – just enjoying the feel of Gabe's soft mouth against his and the contentedness it brought him. Something he wasn't sure he deserved, but that didn't mean he wouldn't keep hold of it. 

A/N: OMG you guys. That's it, except for the epilogue, coming soon