One

If you like piña coladas and getting caught in the rain

If you're not into yoga, if you have half a brain

If you like making love at midnight in the dunes of the cape

Then I'm the love that you've looked for, write to me and escape

"If I didn't know any better, I'd think that was you advertising in the local newspaper."

Dean Ambrose stopped singing and put down his paintbrush and held his boyfriend, who had walked in with another tin of bluebell colored paint, in his arms.

"Nah," he replied, squeezing Roman's butt. "And give up this beautiful thick body?"

Roman smiled and leaned over to kiss him but Dean pulled away and faked a smile. He didn't want Roman to know he had taken a swig of Jack Daniel's earlier.

Roman was looking at him questioningly. Dean picked up his brush and dipped it into the paint.

They had moved to Cedar Drive two weeks ago. Dean's mansion had been sold but he still had another one in California. Roman didn't know about that one because Dean hardly stayed in it. He had Paul Heyman, his ex manager, oversee it from time to time.

Aside from the mansion, he had sold off most of his cars except his Mercedes-Benz. The yachts were gone too.

He still had a lot of money stashed away in a few different banks. All these he kept close to his chest to play it safe.

Domestic life had its ups and downs.

When they had first moved in, neighbors came over with all kinds of food: cakes, cookies and pies.

Roman was the charming host and chatted with them. Dean could tell he loved it but the auburn haired former rock star still had trouble settling in. When he used to come home from tours, he'd stay cooped up at home before heading to the clubs at night.

These days, he was at the club; his own club soon to be opened, Asylum. But he had to be home for dinner because Roman had cooked. That sounded nice till Roman started to have neighbors over or when they went over for dinner when they were invited.

Neighbors seemed on edge around Dean probably because he still dressed like a bad boy.

Because damn it, he was, still at his heart, a rocker. The suburbs were not going to change Dean Ambrose.

He continued painting and started singing another song:

One of these nights
One of these crazy old nights
We're gonna find out
Pretty mama
What turns on your lights
The full moon is calling
The fever is high
And the wicked wind whispers
And moans
You got your demons
You got desires
Well, I got a few of my own

"Dean?"

He stopped painting when he felt Roman wrapped his arms from behind him around his waist.

Soft kisses were peppered on the back of his neck. A thrill ran down his spine. "Baby boy, what's wrong? You've been avoiding kissing me lately. Have I done something to offend you?"

Dean turned around. "What? No."

"Then what is it? Are you not attracted to me anymore?"

Not attracted to him anymore? Dean didn't think such a thing was possible. "No, Roman. I'll always want you."

"So why won't you kiss me?"

Dean sighed. "I've been drinking," he admitted.

Roman looked at him wordlessly. "I know," he replied after a while.

"You did?"

"Of course. Did you think I would not notice?"

"To be honest, yes."

His boyfriend shook his head. "We've been together close to a year. Of course I'd pick up on your habits. Dean, why are you drinking more often?"

He shrugged. "A life is only worthwhile if it's lived on the edge."

"You miss life on the road, don't you?"

Roman was damn observant. It was true that he did but yet the auburn haired man shook his head stubbornly. "No."

"Dean, you don't have to hide from me. I understand how difficult this is for you. You can go back and let the label know that-"

"I'm not doing such a thing, Roman so drop the subject."

"Dean…"

"Drop it."

His boyfriend crossed his arms. "No."

"Roman," Dean whined. He dropped the paintbrush and walked towards the kitchen. The Samoan followed after him.

"We're going to talk about it, Dean," he insisted. "You can't hide behind that bottle. Alcohol does things to you."

Dean took out a bottle of Jack Daniel's from a hidden compartment within the kitchen counter. "I've done some things when I'm sober too."

"Like?"

"Had sex in the elevator till the camera made us."

"That's not as bad as you falling in the shower yesterday."

He heard that? Dean could have sworn he had left the room. "I thought you had left for Trader Joe's."

"I was going to Target," Roman corrected him. "To get some toiletries and those Chai teabags from Twinings you love so much."

"Same thing."

Roman looked frustrated. "No, it's not the same thing. Stop skirting about the issue."

"What's the issue? Okay, Roman. Have I embarrassed you in front of your friends?"

His boyfriend frowned. "My friends?"

"Our neighbors… especially Jason Jordan and Jimmy Uso."

"No, you haven't but this isn't about what it's all about, Dean. This is about you trying to escape reality by drinking. You know what? Forget I said anything."

Roman was about to walk away but Dean grabbed his arm. "Come on, Roman. It's not as bad as you think it is."

"You don't get it, do you? When you fall down, I should be worried. When you hide those bottles and drink, I should be worried. Damn it, Dean. I love you. I really do but I'm worried that next time it won't be something so simple as you falling down."

The cordless phone in the kitchen rang and Roman went to answer as Dean took another sip. His boyfriend had looked so disappointed in him. Roman never looked at him that way before. Even when he had done stupid things in the past, he always looked at him concerned. This… this was new.

"It's for you," Roman announced, handing him the phone before leaving the kitchen. Dean looked after him, forlorn. He cradled the phone to his ear as he placed the whiskey bottle back into the compartment. "Hello?" he answered.

"DEAN!" Corey Graves' voice boomed over the phone.

"Core!" he replied excitedly. "How are you, man? Where are you now?"

He laughed. "Don't you read the news? Oh wait. I forgot. It's you. Dean, you'll never believe what we did!"

"Umm.. recorded another album?"

"No. Try harder."

"You got a nomination?"

"No. We retired!"

Dean's jaw dropped. "What?"

"All of us. You should have seen Tom's face."

"Wait. Core. Why did you quit? Weren't you supposed to go to Finland?"

His best friend, now ex rhythm guitarist for Steel Hounds, one of the biggest heavy metal bands, laughed. "Well it started because I said I was done with the band. Eva and I want to try for a baby again. Seth didn't want to be in the band because I had announced to Paul I was leaving and well, Karl and Luke decided they were out too."

Dean ran his hand through his hair. "But what are they going to do?"

"They're in talks with AJ and John to see if they would like to reform The Club again. Seth and I well… Dean, we'd like to join you in this club business if it's okay."

"Okay? I'd be honored!" This was the best news ever.

"Great. We'll be dropping by tonight and hell I'll buy food-"

"No, it's okay," Dean cut him. "Roman is cooking tonight. We have neighbors dropping by for dinner and I'd be happy to have Seth and you over."

"Awesome. What time?"

"Seven."

"Seven it is. See you then."

He hung up the phone, excited. Corey and Seth were back in his lives. Just like old times before Steel Hounds had even formed.

He went back to the living room and started to paint again while continuing his song:

Oo, someone to be kind to in
Between the dark and the light
Oo, coming right behind you
Swear I'm gonna find you
One of these nights

"How's Corey?" Roman asked as he returned to the living room.

"Seth and him are coming over for dinner," Dean said as he swiped the brush up and down. "Steel Hounds have officially retired. They're also planning to join me in Asylum."

"That sounds good. But why retire? And the tour..."

"Corey wants to try for a baby again with his wife. Seth didn't want to be alone now that Corey was leaving and Karl and Luke will be fine. They're probably going to reform the Club."

"Looks like it's dinner for six then." He felt Roman's arms around him again. "Dean…"

He stopped painting and turned around. "Roman."

"You know I mean well. I love you and I care about you and quite frankly, I'm scared of losing you."

"But how can you possibly lose me? You know it'll always be you."

"But I am losing you; I'm losing you to the bottle."

Dean's heart sank. "Babe-"

"Please. Just try harder. You don't have to do it for me. Do it for yourself."

The way Roman was looking at him tore at his heart. "I'll try." He didn't want to promise him anything. He didn't know if he'd be able to fulfil any promises.

Roman Reigns loved cooking. Though he was a waiter at Javawocky, a coffeehouse, during breaks, Finn Balor, the Irish cook taught him some skills and gave him tips.

He loved entertaining neighbors.

When Dean and him moved to Cedar Drive, he was surprised by the warm reception they had received though Roman noticed that Dean seemed to be uneasy about the whole thing. He would put up a wall even when neighbors came over to make small talk or when they had to go over.

Roman could tell that Dean was making an effort for him, that this whole domestic thing wasn't really his scene. He had tried several times to talk to him about it but just like today, he continually brushed it off.

Dean must have thought that Roman didn't pay any attention to him but Roman did. He noticed that Dean was more lively, even rambunctious at night. He noticed when Dean refused to kiss or even have sex with him. Which made him more suspicious because Dean had a huge sexual appetite.

Then the stench became stronger; his headaches…

He felt helpless, even wondering if it was his fault that Dean was now relapsing. Maybe because he could not handle the domestic life, he drank to escape it. Not that Roman wanted Dean to be tied down. If Dean had told him today that he had changed his mind, that he wanted to get back out there, Roman would have supported him.

The way he had when the band went out on their second world tour. He even went so far as to allow Dean to sleep about short of having a side relationship but Dean quitted the band and said he was done with all that.

But Roman knew Dean couldn't really live it all behind. Rock and roll was his life. Plain and simple. The auburn haired man could lie to himself all he wanted but he couldn't lie to Roman. He had hoped that with the club, his rebellion would be quelled.

For dinner tonight, he was going to make cream of mushroom, roasted chicken breasts with rosemary and thyme with potatoes and broccoli and baked pear halves with cinnamon. He was sure their new friends - well his new friends - would love it.

Jason Jordan worked as a nurse at the local hospital while his boyfriend, Jimmy Uso worked as a childcare assistant. They got along very well with Roman and were polite with Dean who never talked much to either of them.

It must have been Dean's bad boy attitude or look that scared people.

Before they knew Jason and Jimmy were dating, Dean used to give Jason an evil eye whenever he dropped by to hang out and help them to unpack. Roman had to assure him that he was worrying over nothing, that Dean would always have his heart.

Then Jason had invited them over for dinner and that's where they met Jimmy. Still, it didn't stop Dean from staying by Roman's side all night.

Roman didn't mind though it certainly was a reminder that Dean was still trying to adapt to regular life.

He was now hoping for the best. With Corey and Seth back home, maybe things would be easier for his boyfriend.

"There were nothing but bottles and tupperwares of cocaine everywhere. Guys and girls everywhere," Seth was relating over dinner that night in the dining room over dessert. "A lot of sexual things that went on."

Dean glanced and found Jason looking a bit taken aback though he was trying to hide it discreetly and Jimmy's eyes widened.

"One time, I ran out of condoms so I walked into Dean's room and he had one guy giving a blow job in the front and another guy fucking him from the back. I went back and had about three chicks in my room while another ten more were waiting outside."

Roman started coughing at that, having his sparkling water went down the wrong way… probably. Dean lightly kicked Seth beneath the table while he rubbed Roman's back. The two toned man laughed sheepishly. "Sorry. Got carried away there."

"So when's your club opening?" Jason asked Dean.

Dean shrugged with indifference. "Probably in a week. I just got the liquor license yesterday."

"What's it going to be like?"

"Every excess you can possibly think of," Seth answered, "we gladly encourage it. Oh and bands can play their music on stage. Covers or originals, we'll accept it."

"We'll have strippers too," Dean added. "Lots of alcohol of course. Some snacks to munch on. The club will be similar to what we used to play in when we were just starting out."

Seth nodded. "Dean loves strippers. As do I."

"Yeah," Dean agreed. "What can I say? That was where I met one of my boyfriends."

He felt Roman nudged him. Clearly Jason and Jimmy weren't used to hearing such things.

Corey smiled politely. "All of us had strippers as our significant others. If you played on the Strip, it was easy to get a boyfriend or a girlfriend."

"So," Seth grinned at Jason. "What do you do for a living?"

Jason leaned back on the chair. "I'm a nurse."

"That's hot."

"Well, I love caring for people and being a nurse, I'm allowed to care for them more than a doctor would."

"If I'm not wrong, Roman's goal is to be a Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker."

Jason smiled at Roman before looking at Seth. "I know. He told me."

"Did he?" Dean remarked. He could feel Roman's eyes on him before he felt his hand being squeezed by the Samoan.

But the nurse didn't seemed to notice. "Yeah. When we first met."

Dean was about to say something when Corey interrupted. "Okay. Roman, can I talk to Dean about our club outside?"

Roman nodded to the heavily tattooed man. "Sure."

Dean got up almost immediately and headed to the kitchen where he sat on one of the white wicker lounge chairs on the porch. Corey and Seth joined him a moment later and closed the sliding door. Seth had a case of Corona with him.

"Here, man," he offered as he handed Dean an opened bottle. "You look like you can use one."

Dean accepted the bottle and sipped it. "I'm still in shock that you guys are here."

"Well, let's be honest," Corey replied. "Steel Hounds haven't been Steel Hounds for quite some time. How are you, Dean? You don't look too happy."

"I'm alright. Domestic life is harder than I thought."

"We guessed as much. What's up with you and that Jason guy though?"

"I don't trust him."

"Relax, Dean. He's not hitting on Roman. Plus he had his boyfriend with him. I think you're just insecure because this isn't your thing."

"What isn't?"

"This regular kind of life."

"Can you blame me though? But I'm trying hard. I really am. He couldn't adapt to our lifestyle and I was missing him like crazy being so far away…"

Seth patted him. "Hey. At least we have this club to look forward to, right?"

"Right. Oh. I called it Asylum, by the way."

"That's a brilliant name, Dean."

"Isn't it?" Dean beamed, pleased. "I thought it was suitable because of the crazy things that will be happening…"

Corey raised his bottle. "And we look forward to it. To Asylum."

Dean joined his friends in their toast. This was going to be one of the best times they ever had. "To Asylum."

A/N Hi guys. I hoped you enjoyed the first chapter. Thank you for taking your time to read. I look forward to sharing Chapter 2. Have a great weekend!