Preston's P.O.V.
Living with someone who was relatively famous, at least famous enough to get recognised most times they left the house, was difficult, and I knew Rob struggled with it. He was shyer, wanting to hide his face all the time and never appeared in my videos, more often that not he was actually the one behind the camera, holding and filming. It made things easier for me but for him it was a struggle.
As far as my audience was concerned, Rob didn't exist. I lived alone and certainly didn't have a boyfriend who slept in my bed and occasionally edited my videos, adding his input when I asked. He was a homebody, content to make the house feel like a home, and his health didn't allow him to work for long so he worked mostly for me, occasionally editing but more often he worked on the home with his projects, painting or renovating.
"Hey babe." I whispered, wrapping my arms around Rob's waist. "How're you feeling?"
"Alright." He mumbled back, turning around in my arms so he could hug me properly, burying his head deep into my shoulder. "I'm tired and sore and sick. Could be worse though."
"Awww babe, come on, let's get you up to bed. I'll make dinner and bring it up to you. You can sleep."
"But-"
"Uh, uh, no buts. Bedtime." He pouted but didn't complain, allowing me to take his hand and pull him up the stairs to tuck him into our bed. I was glad he was letting me too because he really looked exhausted, wobbling on his feet and barely able to make it up the stairs on his own. I tucked him in like a child and he managed to smile up at me before it failed.
"Don't bother making any dinner for me." He whispered. "I'm not really hungry." I nodded, running a hand gently through his thinning hair.
"Alright." I said. "I'll be up here in about an hour, okay? I'm gonna eat and then shut everything down."
"Mhm." He mumbled, giving my hand one last squeeze before turning away from me and burying his head under the pillow.
I gave my poor boyfriend a smile even though he couldn't see me. God, what I wouldn't give to get rid of all of his health issues, allow him to live a normal life without pain and without suffering. It would make our lives, mainly his, so much easier and I wouldn't have to hold his hand as he lay in bed, unable to move because of the pain- but I did. I had to hold his hand, cuddle him close, feed him by hand as he groaned in pain. I hated it but there was nothing any of us could do about it. Not doctors, not me, not him.
"Sleep well Rob." I whispered as I closed the door behind me. "I love you."
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"Yes, there'll be a video out later today." I laughed as I watched the live chat fly by, my audience asking question after question as I took a break between games. "You can stop asking about it now because there is going to be one."
Sitting back in my chair I watched the chat for a little while longer, waiting for my next game to load up. I hadn't been streaming long, an hour maybe, but I had a tendency to switch from game to game when I got bored and they all knew this. I used the time in between to do a Q and A of sorts, answering common questions and laughing about that particular days news or memes. I, accidently as I thought he was asleep, hadn't told Rob that I was streaming.
I had my headphones on and was sitting, watching the chat, when Rob wandered into my office. I didn't notice him at first but when he wandered across the background of my camera view there was an explosion in chat, asking who that was. I frowned, then turned around.
"Oh, hey Rob!" I said, surprised. "I didn't know you were awake! What's up?"
"I'm looking for the USB that has my project on it." He said quietly, only just loud enough to be picked up on the microphone. "I can't find it anywhere and thought you might have picked it up."
"I haven't got it, sorry. Is it plugged it into your laptop?" He paused, then shrugged.
"Dunno, maybe, I haven't checked. It might be."
And with that he disappeared from the room. That was all my audience had of him. A 30 second interaction about where a USB might be, and his name. That was it. And of course they fucking ran with it. Within a few days there was fanart, fanfiction and a whole bunch of speculation about who he was and what he was to me- most people thought he was my boyfriend, which was true, but no one had any evidence for that and Rob simply wasn't ready for his face and name to be out there for millions of people to twist and shatter.
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"I don't like this." He whispered, staring over my shoulder at the string of tweets and posts that contained his name. None of them were particularly rude or questioning but Rob wrinkled his nose at them, burying his head in my side. "They only saw me for a few moments? Why do they immediately go and make these crazy theories?"
"Because they want something to jab at me with. They want to know who you and what you are to me." I sighed. "It's what comes with being a public figure, unfortunately, and I've been used to it until now. I didn't want you involved though."
"Guess we're gonna have to explain now, huh?" He mumbled, closing his eyes.
"What?! No, of course not! If you don't want to explain it then I'm not going to make you. Just leave them guessing." I said. "It's completely up to you."
Rob sighed and rubbed his forehead- he probably had a headache.
"No, I want to tell them. But... only if you're okay with it. You'd have to come out for me to explain who I am."
"I'm fine with it Rob." I whispered. "Coming out is my next big step in my journey and if you want, you can join me."
He nodded.
"Yeah. Let's do this."
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"Huh, I guess they can get even weirder." Rob wrinkled his nose as he scrolled through the tweets and messages. "I thought it was bad when they didn't know who I am."
"Yeah no, they're really weird." I said, watching over his shoulder. God, the amount of fanfiction that video had spawned was insane. "And I told you this, you should have expected it."
Rob only shrugged before leaning back against me, nuzzling his head into my chest. I laughed.
"Love you babe." I mumbled into his head, pressing a kiss there.
"Love you too." He whispered back, yawning. "Love you too."
