Broadway Battle

Tess O-Meter -- Amber.

You can dip in and out of this unexpected series, but for a richer read and character development they are best when read in the order of writing. Broadway Lust Story, Broadway Love Story, Broadway Luck Story, Broadway Beginnings, Broadway Bust, Broadway to Vegas, Broadway Betrayal, and Broadway Battle.

Warning: This story includes a character undergoing cancer treatment. If this could be a trigger for you, then please proceed with caution.

-X

Ty walked in to the apartment quietly. Not wanting to disturb Tony if he was resting.

The TV was on mute. He glanced at the screen and then switched off the game show. Obviously, whatever Tony had been watching when he fell asleep was long finished.

Ty studied the curled up figure under the blanket on the couch.

Tony's face was pale. Dark circles under his eyes. He was hunched up and shivering. Ty gently pulled the thick blanket back over Tony's shoulders and smoothed his hair.

Tony's eyes fluttered open and he smiled weakly at Ty, "Hey. What time is it?"

"Just gone midnight," Ty leaned over and pressed his lips to Tony's forehead. "Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you."

"It's okay. I was waiting up for you."

"Fantastic job," Ty teased gently as Tony huffed and levered himself up.

The first two weeks of chemotherapy had been deceivingly calm. Tony had been tired, yes and a bit off color. Like he was coming down with a cold or something, but not too bad.

Then within twenty-four hours of the third dose, all hell had broken loose and it had really hit him. Nausea, flu-like symptoms, shivering and complete exhaustion.

Ty would have done anything to have been able to do the chemo for him. It was breaking his heart, seeing Tony so weak and low.

"Come on," he said as Tony stumbled to his feet. "Best place for you is bed."

"It used to be sexy when you said that."

"Ah well," Ty said as he slipped an arm around Tony's waist and walked him to the bedroom. "We've been married nearly a month now. It's all so boring and routine."

He grinned, pleased when Tony laughed, but when he sat Tony on the bed and helped him pull off his sweatpants, Tony's face was serious again.

"I'm sorry, Ty."

"What for?"

"This sucks."

Ty shook his head impatiently and hustled Tony into the bed. Stripping quickly and spooning up behind him. "If you think cuddling up to you is a hardship then you are very much mistaken."

"I love you, Ty," Tony was already mostly asleep, but squeezed his hand when Ty replied.

"You too. So much."

-X

Some days later, Ty was reluctantly dragged from sleep by urgent whispers and persistent kisses, followed by a nip on his shoulder.

"Ow! Whazit? Huh?" he mumbled pressing his face into the pillow. The sheet was yanked down exposing his ass and Tony said something about pain.

Ty's head lifted, "Did you say you're in pain?"

"No. Wake up," Tony nuzzled into his neck. His lean body pressed against Ty. "I said I'm not in pain. Or throwing up. Or asleep. Wake up. I'm awake and I'm horny."

Ty let his head drop and smiled into the pillow. Finally clueing in as Tony's erection slid against his leg. "What time is it?"

"Three-twenty."

"Tell me that's not am."

"Sorry." Tony did at least sound genuinely apologetic. "But please. Please. I've been feeling like shit for two weeks. I've got some energy. I wanna fuck you."

Ty finally rolled over, grinning up at Tony. "You didn't have to wake me up for that, Baby. You could've just been gentle." He "Oomphed," as Tony fake slapped his chest.

"Shut up!"

Ty reached up and pulled him down for a kiss, "Go on then. Get the stuff."

Tony crawled from the bed, with approximately 30% of his usual energy and grace, but was soon back with the lube and a condom.

They had been flummoxed when the specialist nurses had told them to buy condoms, having not used them in years. It turned out that traces of chemo drugs could be transferred. Even hand jobs could cause skin irritation, but they had opted in that regard for a thorough clean up post activity.

The weirdest was blow jobs. They were both gagging for it, but even flavoured condoms were yukky, so Tony was in a blow job time out. As if things weren't bad enough.

Ty had kicked the covers all the way off and moved into the centre of the bed. "Do you want me to clean my teeth?" he asked as Tony knee walked back onto the bed.

"No, I can still taste your mouthwash. Am I okay?"

"Always," Ty answered and made him smile.

"Spread 'em," Tony instructed and Ty cracked up while spreading his knees wide. Gasping as cold lube and Tony's finger hit his asshole.

"What. No foreplay?"

Tony pushed his slippery finger deep, enjoying Ty arching from the bed. "I woke you up, that's foreplay enough."

"No change there then." They both giggled again.

"Hmmmm," Ty moaned and shifted as Tony stretched and relaxed him. Pulling him down for another lazy kiss. "You look flushed. Are you sure you're alright."

"I'm just excited," Tony admitted.

"Come on then. I'm ready." Ty reached up as Tony positioned himself and slid deep while smiling into Ty's eyes. He gripped the back of Tony's neck gently, caressing with his fingers. "That's feels so good."

"It does," Tony was slightly breathless.

"Come down here, give it to me." Ty pulled Tony down so their chests and stomachs were flush. Taut, hard, already sweat slicked skin pressed together.

Tony rocked into Ty until his cheeks were red and he was panting, "I'm close."

Ty grabbed his shoulders and reversed their positions. Pressing his hand on Tony's chest and riding him hard as he jacked himself. "Cum when you're ready, I'm almost there."

With a gasped cry, Tony arched under Ty and flooded into him. It was enough to set Ty off and he came all over Tony's stomach. Managing to brace himself and not collapse on top of Tony, who was fading fast after his little energy burst, chuffing as he dragged air into his lungs.

When Tony settled a little and lay looking up with a sleepy smile, Ty lowered his head and kissed him deeply, before grinning. "You're not getting up for a shower are you?"

"Too tired. Can you get a cloth?"

Ty levered himself from Tony's now soft cock, carefully removed the condom, and rolled off the bed, with a flounced, "I have to do everything!" Which sent Tony into peals of exhausted laughter.

-X

Blog 5:

"Well, Hi there blog watchers, welcome to number five and my always exciting kitchen," Tony smiled into the camera gamely, although the dark circles under his eyes and hollows in his cheeks rather gave the game away.

"Today, as a surprise I have a special guest." He reached out and dragged a grinning figure into view. "It's Adam Donnelly, currently wowing the crowds as Tim in Empty Nights." He clapped and cheered like a mini audience as Adam waved at the imaginary crowd and look a quick bow, before slipping onto the stool next to Tony.

"Any crowd wowing is totally temporary I should point out," Adam looked into the lens at the viewers.

Tony leaned in next to him. "Yea, so get down to the theater pronto if you want to see Adam's amazing performance, because I'll be shoving him back to understudy just as soon as I can," he confirmed with exaggerated excitement and a big grin.

Adam gripped his shoulder, his face now serious. "Can't be too soon, Tony. It can't be too soon."

"Aww, thanks Adam. So how are you?"

"I am totally exhausted if I'm honest. Both from doing your job, and from walking over here with four massive bouquets of flowers," he exclaimed on a whine. "Oh my God. They were so heavy."

"Heavier than Polly?" Tony asked with a straight face.

Adam laughed but then pulled a face at the camera. "Of course," he said slowly while shaking his head.

Tony laughed, "Well, we need to do the flower swoop, do you want to do the honors?"

"Sure," Adam hopped off the stool. "What do I do?"

"You take the phone off the cradle and scan around the flowers, but nice and slow so people watching don't get dizzy."

"I can do that," Adam's voice could be heard and then the picture of Tony waving went a little rocky before he disappeared and the first flowers came into view.

"So again to everyone who has sent me flowers, thank you so much," came Tony's voice from off camera. "You may see your flowers here today, or as I've said before, I've had so many I've shared with friends. This entire building is full of flowers, including down at Engagement."

"Has Frank been stealing some for the club?" Adam asked from behind the phone.

"No, I've been giving them to him, because some are so amazing but huge they just don't fit in here."

Scan complete, of the tiny apartment full of beautiful blooms, Adam set the phone back in its cradle. "And we have loads at the theater as well."

He slipped back on the stool next to Tony.

Tony nodded and looked to the camera, his hand on his heart. "I have to share, I can't possibly keep them all but it means the world that people want me to know they are thinking of me and wishing me well." He stopped to clear his throat. "All the cards, and messages and people logging on to the blog to donate and check in. It really means the world, so thank you."

"Yea, thank you," Adam nodded at the camera. "I've got some lovely sunflowers in my dressing room right now. Really bright and cheerful."

"So you're sharing my role, and sharing my flowers?"

"It's good to share."

"Uh huh. Mostly," Tony agreed, nudging Adam's shoulder as he grinned into the camera. "But I'm still not completely over the fact that you used to live with my husband."

Adam's mouth dropped open and he let out a high pitched squeak.

"What?" Tony asked. "It's not a secret."

"Not now!" Adam declared and made Tony laugh. "And we didn't live together. Not really. That was just laziness." He looked back at the camera, "It was like four months, YEARS ago. No big deal."

He frowned at Tony's cheeky grin and pointed at him, "You know the scariest thing about me and Ty dating like a decade ago?"

"No, what?"

"You were still in high school," Adam stated and pulled a horrified expression at the camera, before he and Tony cracked up.

"You're right, that sounds weird," Tony laughed.

"But he's only two years older than you, right?"

Tony tipped his head, "Actually he just turned thirty, so he three years older than me right now."

"Cradle snatcher," Adam said, and made Tony laugh again.

"I do have to confess something to you though, Tony. I hope you won't be mad."

Tony looked intrigued, "I'm sure I won't. Tell me, I won't tell anyone," he winked at the camera.

"Well, it's not just your role, your co-star 'Perky Polly', your flowers and hem-hem, your husband I'm sharing."

"My God, there's more?"

Adam nodded gravely, "I'm also using your dressing room."

Tony looked confused, "Well, yea. Of course."

"Only," Adam threw a look at the camera. "I'm just an understudy, it was weird and spooky being in there on my own, so I took my good friend and cast mate Jose with me."

"Not Jose!" Tony semi screamed.

"And he's a bit of a slob," Adam told the camera.

"Not my dressing room," Tony cried.

"But it looks pretty, with all the clothes."

"No!"

"Towels."

"Ahhhhhhh."

"Thongs."

"Please stop, I can't hear anymore," Tony hid his face in his arms.

"And the smell."

"Oh God," Tony's shoulders shook.

Adam laughed and rubbed Tony's back, "I can't tell if you're laughing or crying."

Tony lifted his head, "Nor can I." They both grinned and sipped some water.

"This is great though," Tony continued. "I've spent the last two days crying and now you come over and I bust a gut laughing."

Adam's face fell and he gripped Tony's arm, "Why have you been crying?"

"Oh well," Tony's expression became serious. "Just everything I guess. Feeling like crap and really low. It's a bit overwhelming at times." He looked thoughtfully at the camera, "Well that went downhill fast."

Adam frowned, "You could edit it out?"

Tony shook his head, "No. I told people I would be honest, and that's honest. Some days all you can do is cry."

Adam smiled, rubbing his arm, "And then you get flowers."

Tony smiled back, "Yea, then I get flowers, and friends coming to visit. And it's better."

"So in the spirit of being honest. I'll say for whoever watches this blog that we appreciate you being honest about how hard it is. How are you apart from that? You look like you've lost some weight. You're what? Four weeks in now?"

Tony blew out a breath, "Yea, next Monday will be week five. So it's Friday today, maybe a little more energy today. But yea, I've lost more weight. I don't really have much appetite."

Adam looked unconvinced, "I happen to know your husband is a really good cook."

Tony grinned, "Yes he is. But I've been really sick with the last two weeks of chemo and can't really keep much down. Ty's mostly kept me going with smoothies."

"That's not enough, Tony."

"Usually by the end of the week I can manage soup as well, as long as it's not too much."

"Can I ask?" Adam seemed hesitant. "What's the hardest thing, so far?"

Tony considered him for a moment. "I'm angry. I'm so *Bleeped out* angry."

"At the situation?"

"No," Tony admitted. "At my body. Honestly, I feel like I've been betrayed. I've always eaten well, kept fit, more than fit." Adam nodded in agreement. "Drink in moderation, don't do drugs, good nutrition. I've always done the best for my body and now it's turned on me." Tony's voice wavered slightly. "And I really don't know what I did to deserve it."

Adam gripped his arm. "You don't deserve it, Tony. No one does. But I think you're looking at this the wrong way."

"How so?" Tony frowned.

"Your body didn't choose this. It's not doing it to you. This has happened to your body. You're in it together and you're going to have to work together to get through it."

"Huh!" Tony managed, blinking rapidly.

Adam slipped off the stool and hugged Tony, "I hate that you're going through this and I think you're so brave."

"Not sure I have much choice," Tony admitted with a half laugh. Then a buzzer went off. "Wow, that's the timer for the segment."

"Well, I for one expect you to have some good news next time, like putting some more weight on, or feeling a bit brighter."

Tony smiled, "I do feel better, for having seen you and having your help with the blog. You're like therapy, Adam. And I'm gonna think about what you said."

"Good, that'll be $665 plus tax," Adam said and made Tony crack up again.

"I'll get the camera," Adam said, moving as the screen filled with Tony laughing before it went black.

-X

Downstairs Ty finished up for the evening and was leaving (early for him) when he paused in the corridor outside the dressing rooms. His eye drawn to a poster advertising a benefit which he and Tony had done before Tony got sick.

They hadn't danced together on this occasion, but the team had persuaded them to pose together for the poster campaign. Tony being a new and exciting New York celebrity, and Ty his boyfriend, they knew it would bring people in.

They were both naked, Ty full frontal, only Tony's hand maintaining his dignity. Tony turned to the side, his important parts nestled behind Ty's thigh.

It was black and white, moody and dramatic. Tango inspired and hard to tell whether the pair were going to dance or fight.

All ass and abs.

Ty was contemplating how ridiculously long Tony's eyelashes were, although they had been enhanced with mascara for the shoot, when a voice came from behind him.

"I love that picture, it's so fucking hot."

He turned with a smirk to Lady Pippa (just Pip when not in drag-on stage, and when not in drag he looked like a hoodlum), who had just emerged from the boys dressing room. Glammed up and ready for the stage, in corset, stockings, 6 inch heels (making him taller than Ty's six-two) and a dark purple wig.

There were four dressing rooms at Engagement. A large boys and a large girls (boy or girl depending on what your soul told you, not what gender you were born into). A small guest room (though most guests preferred going to the boys or girls and mixing with the cast), and the privacy changing room used by a few shyer members of the team which had cubicles.

Ty knew that Pip used to use the privacy room, due to a chest length scar from heart surgery, but more recently he changed in the communal area and was more confident. These days it was mostly used by a couple of trans team members who had experienced incredibly traumatic episodes while at school. (Imagine having to change in in the male communal changing rooms, while experiencing puberty and coming to terms with the fact you were, in fact, female.)

And one dancer who couldn't change in front of other people for religious reasons. Incredible dancer. He stayed in skin tight tops and sexed everyone else off the stage!

"Hey, man," Ty acknowledged. "Hot, you say?"

Pip fanned himself, "It's the way Tony's cupping you, and your hand gripping his wrist, like you're about to throw his hand off and then either rumble or fuck. I love it."

Ty, who regularly covered for team dancers, snorted. "Pip, you've seen more of me than that in the changing room."

Pip grinned. "Hmmm, but it's also the fact that you both look as if you've just put each other down." His eyes widened and he shouted as Ty blushed. "Sweet Jesus, you had!"

Ty laughed. "The photographer took an early lunch and told us to go and deal with...well, you know. She couldn't get the shot. There was just too much," he indicated his crotch area.

"Explains why you both looked pumped up and well fucked," Pip said. He was leaning against the wall, keeping a good six feet between him and Ty. The whole team had been fantastic about giving Ty and Frank space to try and prevent an infection being passed to Tony. "But don't you have the real life version of that cutie pie upstairs?"

Ty sighed tiredly. "He's lost so much weight. This just," he waved his hand at the poster in explanation and stopped in defeat.

"He's doing okay though?" Pip sounded worried.

"Yea, it's just really hard."

"Big virtual hug, right here," Pip said and made Ty laugh. "Go on. Go check on your guy."

Ty nodded. "Good idea. Have a good night."

Ty let himself into the apartment a few minutes later and took a good deep breath. What was that smell?

"Tony? Are you cooking? Oh, Hi," he found Tony and Adam in the kitchen.

"Hey, Ty."

"Adam's making me his grandma's chicken soup," Tony looked surprisingly interested. "It actually smells really good."

Ty knew that Adam had been over to do the blog with Tony today. The absolute sweetie had a rare three days off from the show (he had been working very hard covering Tony and training temporary swings), and had semi-isolated himself so he was safe to come and visit with Tony.

Mostly when people came to visit they just kept their distance. Went outside or stayed by the open window. And obviously didn't come if they didn't feel well.

Not Adam. "I want my Tony-hug," he had cried melodramatically down the phone when Ty had suggested this.

Now Ty got his Adam-hug and gave him a big squeeze, lifting him off his feet. This had always made Adam laugh, even then they had dated.

"Your grandma's recipe?" Ty asked. "I don't remember this."

"It was still her secret then," Adam explained. "She passed it on when she started to get unwell."

He made his voice high pitched and crackly, "You make this soup, you stay healthy, and fit and all the girls chase you." Normal voice, "Grandma, how many times. I'm gay!" High pitched, "Then the boys chase you. What do I care as long as you get caught." Normal voice, "At which point she starts whacking me on the butt with the spoon." He smiled fondly as Ty and Tony laughed, and stirred the soup.