“Here hon” Dina muttered, “give this to your friend. There was a small misunderstanding but we’ll make sure she’s taken care of” 

There was a voucher for Curl up and Dye, Chris’s salon. 

“I know, I know she probably doesn’t want it right now but just give it to her when you can” 

The friend took it but not without a scowl. She was right to feel that way. She was just protecting her friend just as Dina was protecting his. She’d never let anything happen to Oliver. Not in this lifetime or the next. 

Anya didn’t need protection, on a good day she was a warrior. A force to be reckoned with and unflappable. Today though, Oliver as always was a ball of anxiety in a loud floral shirt and he needed her. He needed Chris. 

Dina went up to Dixie and murmured something about risking Oliver home. Dina didn’t even de-drag, she just wrapped his coat around him, enveloping him in as much warmth as she could muster and brought him out of the club. 

As Dina washed her face she could hear Oliver moving around the kitchen as if he was in a daze. Kettle on, tea cups out, taking the oat milk out of the fridge. She could see it in her mind. Normally it was a routine they went through while eagerly recounting their experience. Talking about a step they had missed or a show tune that wouldn’t have gone as well with the outfit if not for the wig. Fun stuff. 

Tonight was different. The clinking of tea cups and Dina’s face products were interspersed with deep shuddering breaths and sniffs. Dina looked at herself in the mirror, looked closely and finally saw Chris peeking through. One more good round of cleanser and he could take Oliver in his arms again without the worry of glitter getting in anyone’s eye. 

Chris walked into their two bedroom apartment, he slung an arm around Oliver’s shoulder and cheerfully launched into a story about Dixie getting into a disagreement with Sue over a stolen pair of lashes only to find them blinking up from her shoe where she had stood on them. Oliver just blinked up at her warily like he wasn’t hearing the words. 

Chris changed tack and instead pulled Oliver in for a hug. Oliver resisted but Chris was like Dina, like Anya, a force to be reckoned with and the hug happened. “Come here love. It’s okay.” 

Oliver buried his nose into Chris’s neck and sniffed deeply. Smelling of roses and witch hazel and all the other fragrances from the cleansers, toners and other products. Chris was his rock, he did everything he could to help all the time. He thought for a moment about what it would be like when Chris got a new boyfriend, something he had been without for a while, and something went through him like a shiver. He knew it was selfish but he didn’t want Chris to leave him. Chris was his best friend and he wanted him to look after him. It was simple. 

“Please don’t get a boyfriend and then forget about me and take couples selfies where I just get to like them and pretend I don’t miss you” 

Chris snorted, “where did that come from!?” 

“I’d just miss you is all” Oliver sniffed. 

Chris’s heart clenched. He loved Oliver, he loved him as a drag partner, he loved him as a best friend, he loved him as a roommate and he loved him as a man. He’d never tell him, losing Oliver would be like losing oxygen and he couldn’t take that. So he forced himself to laugh and instead of the burst of IloveyouIloveyouIloveyou that wanted to come out he said “of course I promise. When I get a boyfriend he’ll be the third wheel. It’s you and me baby” 

Oliver laughed softly. He was pretty sure he loved him. Chris was kind and soft and generous. His beard was soft and always smelled of lemon balm. His lips were pillows just hidden by the ends of his moustache and he had the kindest eyes of anyone he knew. He loved him as a drag partner. He loved him as a roommate and he loved him in every other way. Of course he’d never tell him. It would be ridiculous. Chris wanted a big strong man not little stout Oliver. He wanted someone so hot every little interaction was electric. It hurt deeply but Oliver understood. 

He wouldn’t love him either.