"Because you love him" Chance said quietly.

"What?" Tim asked as he looked up at the man standing in front of him.

"You said 'why is this so damn hard'. It's because you love him, Tim" Chance stated matter of factly as he shut the door. "You love him with every fiber of your being. I would even say that you love him more than you love yourself."

"What?" Tim asked again. He couldn't seem to figure out what his friend was saying.

Chance sat across from Tim, "Listen carefully. Most people think that arguing and fighting is a bad thing for a relationship. And if it happens too much, yes it is. But arguing is better than just blowing things off. Arguing means you care enough about the other person and the relationship to fight for them and it. It shows you want to address the problem and resolve it, not just push it away and wait for it to appear again later."

Tim just stared at Chance trying to take in his words.

"Relationships aren't always rainbows and puppies" Chance chuckled. "I know you know that but until you finally find 'the one' that you will do anything for, you don't realize how much work it really takes. Tim, Adam is the one for you. We can all see it. But that means you get lower lows to go along with the higher highs." Chance kicked Tim's foot to get him to look up. "Are you listening me?"

Tim nodded his head. After a few minutes he finally found his voice, "How did you get so smart?"

"My dad was a pretty smart guy" Chance smiled "He taught me a bit before he died."

^*^*^*^*^*Meanwhile in the theater lobby^*^*^*^*^*

Nate and Frank were trying to concentrate on selling merchandise but they kept picking up on bits and pieces of conversations. They kept glancing at each other with worried looks on their faces. There was a short lull in the line so Nate ran backstage to see if he could fill in the blanks while Frank held down the fort.

The first person he ran into was Chris (sound guy). "Chris, did something happen after VIP?"

Chris immediately grabbed Nate's arm and drug him to a quiet corner. "Tim and Jenika got into an argument just off stage. Not all of the fans were out of the auditorium yet. I don't think they heard most of it but Jenika did yell, rather loudly, at one point. I know they heard that much and it wasn't good."

"What the hell?" Nate was confused. "Why do they all think she was arguing with Adam?"

"Because nobody could hear Tim." Chris stated. "That deep voice doesn't travel as far. The only one they could hear is Jenika, so if she's arguing it's probably with her boyfriend right?"

"Shit!" Nathan exclaimed "The rumors have already started. This isn't going to go well." Nate pulled out his phone and texted Rob before going back out front. He knew the line would be building again as more people arrived. He quickly filled Frank in and asked him to try to remember anything he heard.

Rob spent the next hour texting back and forth with his sister. He asked her to screenshot anything that may show up on the fan pages and send it to him. He had no idea where this might go but he wanted evidence of everything that was being said.

The show went as well as could be expected. Tim made a comment about Adam's arm just a few songs in, hoping to avoid tons of questions in the signing line. Adam took another painkiller as soon as the show was over. He knew they took an hour to kick in and the signing line would be over by then.

Everyone piled on the bus after the show. Tim went straight to the back lounge and pulled out his phone to text Adam. They needed to talk and now seemed better than later. Just as Tim opened his phone he saw a text from Rob telling him to come back up front. Tim sighed as he followed the directions.

"This better be important" Tim mumbled as he sat down next to Rob.

"It's very important" Rob replied. "I hear you and Jenika had a little argument after the VIP session."

Adam's eyes grew wide as he looked between his lovers. Tim's head whipped around to look at Rob "That's not really any of your business" Tim hissed.

"Not usually" Rob replied calmly, "But when the fans hear it and start spreading rumors it becomes my and everyone else's business."

Tim opened his mouth to speak but stopped when he heard Adam talking to Jenika, "What were you arguing about?"

"A misunderstanding on my part" Tim replied with a sigh.

"Anyway" Rob said loudly to get everyone's attention, "Jen has been sending me screenshots of the fan page gossip already" Rob cleared his throat before he started reading: "The first one is quoting Jenika so everyone knows what was heard. Apparently, they only heard what you yelled and not anything else because they think you were arguing with Adam.

"What did she yell?" Adam asked calmly while avoiding eye contact with both Jenika and Tim.

Rob hesitated so Jenika butted in and answered. "I yelled 'We did NOT have sex'." Adam's eyes grew wide again as he tried to think of something to say.

"Continuing on" Rob said as he motioned to his phone. "They think Jenika was talking to Adam so they are assuming that you, Adam, were accusing her of cheating on you."

"What the hell?" Adam yelled "She wouldn't... I wouldn't..."

"Adam, calm down." Rob smacked his knee to get his attention. "They have no context, remember. And the juicier the gossip the more replies and likes they get. Ready for it to get worse?" Rob asked quietly. He didn't wait for a response before continuing. "Someone decided to throw out the idea that cheaters deflect their own guilt by accusing others so maybe you have cheated on her."

The whole bus was silent with shock at this point so Rob kept talking. "Adam, they brought up that selfie you posted, of you and Tim. Some are saying that you are cheating on Jenika with Tim. Others, of course, are denying any possibility of either of you being gay. Thankfully, there are many that are telling everyone to shut up since they don't have the whole story"

Rob looked up from his phone to see Adam with his hand over his mouth. It looked like he was trying to suppress laughter. "Adam, what do you find so funny about this?"

"I'm sorry" he chuckled "but accusing me of cheating on Jenika with Tim is the closest they've ever been to the truth and most of them think it's an insane idea. It just struck me as funny."

Adam's laughter was contagious and soon the whole bus was laughing along with him. Once they all got themselves under control the talk turned serious again.

"So, what do we do?" Austin asked.

"We never directly respond to fan gossip but I have an idea that might calm them down." Tim offered. Everyone looked at him expectantly, waiting for him to continue talking. "Uh, I was thinking that maybe they could have an intimate moment somewhere that fans could see and get pictures of. It would be 'hidden' enough that they could think they were in private so it doesn't look staged."

Jenika looked worried, "What do you mean an intimate moment?"

"Just something sweet" Tim chuckled at her "I had this vision in my head of you maybe leaning against a wall. Adam facing you with one hand on your belly and one hand caressing your face. You two looking at each other lovingly and maybe even a kiss. Nothing overtly sexual but it will show that your relationship is perfectly fine."

"Why don't we all look around the venue tomorrow and see if we can find the perfect place." Rob smirked at everyone, "You may all go back to your previously scheduled activities."

Tim stood and held out his hand to Jenika, "Can I talk to you for a minute?" Tim lead her towards the back lounge and pulled the curtain.

Adam slumped back on the couch and stared out the window. He was beginning to think that Tim would never talk to him again.

To be continued...

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for every chapter that postpones Tim and Adam talking.