Corey Evans and Ian Coltraine comprise the pop duo 2ICE. Their romance is told in my novella Beautiful Disaster. But before they became lovers, they were simply band mates on tour.
In Render, an accident onstage leaves Corey hurt and vulnerable. This flash story is a slice of life look at the beginnings of something more than mere friendship between Corey and Ian.
Please note: You don't have to read Beautiful Disaster to enjoy this story, but if you want to learn more about the guys, definitely check it out!
It had been a stupid accident, nothing more. How many times had they practiced the routine? Hundreds, millions even. And it was harmless, completely safe, the lights and the lasers and the flames. The fans loved it. It made 2ICE's sexy stage presence so much more than it already was, suspending everyone's belief for the hour or so performance, and it rocked. They had never had a problem before, never.
Until three nights ago when something happened, something went wrong. During their final number one of the lasers slipped half a degree at the exact moment Corey looked up. Suddenly the world had burned out around him like a supernova. It didn't hurt so much at first -- just a blinding and the world blinked away in a flash of white light that made his teeth ache. He still didn't know how he finished the song -- his feet just kept moving, his mouth kept singing, but his band mate Ian Coltraine knew something was wrong and the moment the music stopped, he was at Corey's side.
Ian. If it hadn't been for him, Corey would have never made it off the stage.
