You can't take your eyes off of Elvis.

He's beautiful beneath the stage lights- face glistening, eyes wild. You sit there in the front row, sequined dress clutched tightly in your hands.

It's been two weeks since his first performance, and every single one has been better than the last. You sit beside Candice, whose cheering along with the rest of the crowd as the curtain falls. Elvis manages to make eye contact with you before it covers his face, and you return the grin he gives you.

The house lights come up, and you make your way backstage.

You're greeted with stage managers with clipboards and stage hands carrying bottles of water, but your feet carry you straight towards Elvis. He's sweaty, white leather jumpsuit hot against your skin as he takes you in his arms.

"You were wonderful, beautiful." You tell him, exasperated. You could watch him a million times over and every performance would still be as enticing as the first. He huffs out a laugh in your ear, holding you close.

"You say that to me every time, darlin'."

"I really mean it, Elvis." You tell him, pulling away to look into his eyes. Your heart flutters as his blue eyes bore into you. You want nothing more than to get upstairs and strip him completely of the white jumpsuit, but you're interrupted before you get the chance.

"Fantastic as ever, my boy!"

The Colonel comes up behind you, clapping Elvis on the shoulder. Your mood sours instantly.

Elvis shoots a tight lipped smile the Colonel's way, subtly brushing off the hand on his shoulder. You press yourself more firmly to him.

"Thanks, Colonel."

The old man beams, cane tapping against the stage as he follows the two of you out towards the stage door.

"We have much to discuss, you and I." The Colonel tells Elvis, and he stops as Elvis and you make your way down the stairs and towards Elvis's dressing room.

"We have many important business opportunities coming to us."

Elvis pauses, his hand on your waist tightening.

"Business opportunities?"

You grip the leather of his suit, silently willing him to ignore the old man and take you upstairs.

The tapping of the Colonel's cane echo's in the now empty stairwell.

"How would you like to go on a cross country tour? Just like old times?" The Colonel has that old snake oil grin on his face. You don't trust him for a second. But then, you look to Elvis and see that sparkle in his eye, the grin splitting his lips, and you know there's no way you can talk him out of whatever the Colonel has planned.

With a boyish grin and a tight grip on your waist, Elvis looks to you and then back to the Colonel.

"The snowman strikes again."

The Colonel grins, and that grin leaves and uneasy feeling in your stomach.

*

*

*

You're combing your hair in the suite's adjoining bathroom, Elvis brushing his teeth beside you.

"I know you're excited, baby, and I'm excited for you! It'll be good for you to get out of the hotel for awhile." You tell him. He spits into the sink, coming up with a raised eyebrow.

"But?"

You sigh.

"But you know how I feel about the Colonel." You pop yourself up on the counter, bare thighs meeting cold granite. "And I thought you wanted to go international after all the hotel business was done."

Elvis moves to stand between your legs, big hands planted on your thighs.

"Little one, this is just a quick break in the hotel shows and then we'll be right back to it, makin' money and planning our world tour." He assures you, voice low as his eyes search yours. "I told you I'm gonna take you to Paris, didn't I?"

You nod, still not happy about the situation. He can tell, because he lifts a hand to grip your chin.

"You don't gotta worry, darlin'. I'm a grown man and I can take care of it, okay?" It takes you a moment to respond, mind automatically thinking to everything that could go wrong. Eventually you nod, pressing a quick kiss to the corner of his mouth.

"I trust you, Elvis."

He smiles.

"That's my girl."

Elvis leads you to bed, and you snuggle up under the covers as you watch him grab something from his nightstand. It's a packet of sleeping pills, prescribed to help Elvis relax after shows. Your stomach turns as you watch him take three.

"I wish you'd take the amount the doctor prescribes, Elvis." You say quietly. Elvis just shrugs off your concern.

"Three's just enough to get me to sleep. I get so keyed up after a show it's hard to calm down, you know how it is baby." He crawls into bed beside you, pulling you into him.

You rest your head on his chest.

"Promise me you'll keep it to three?" You ask, and Elvis chuckles.

"I promise, pretty girl. What would I do without you worrying about me all the time?"

You sigh, shrugging a little.

You don't like to think about that, a life without Elvis. Ever since you met him he's all you can think about, your waking moments consumed with the man slowly falling asleep beside you. Elvis's breathing slows, head slumping over a bit as he falls asleep.

You watch him for a bit, taking in the way his hair falls over his closed eyes, how relaxed he looks in sleep. His eye's flutter a bit, blearily taking you in.

"I think I'm fallin' in love with you, Y/N.''

Your heart skips a beat. You brush the hair out of his face, planting a sweet kiss to his cheek.

"Tell me again when you're awake." You whisper, nose tucked close to his cheek. "Tell me again."

It's around three am when the phone rings, Elvis dead asleep beside you as you scramble out of bed. Your hand flails against the nightstand in the darkness, fingers finally closing around the phone.

"'ello?" You yawn into the phone, a little annoyed to be woken up at such an hour.

A sob greets you on the other end.

"Hello?" You straighten up, hand coming to rest at the base of your throat.

"Y/N," It's Candice. She sounds hoarse, like she's been crying for hours.

"Candy, baby, what is it?" You ask, back turned towards the bed.

She takes a deep, watery breath on the other end of the line.

"It's Reggie. He's been drafted." She can barely get the rest of the sentence out. Your heart sinks.

You pull the phone cord with you as you slip on a robe and slippers, grabbing the key to the room up off the dresser.

"Stay right there, Candice. I'm on my way to your room right now."

She sobs once, and then hangs up the phone. You do the same, turning to the bed. Elvis is still fast asleep, and you scribble out a quick note for him on the hotel stationary. You know he hates waking up alone, but your best friend needs you.

You hurriedly make your way down the hall and to Candice's room. You only have to knock once before the door is flung open and she's flinging herself into your arms.

She's crying heavily as you guide her back into the room, sitting on the bed with your arms around each other. You stroke her hair, waiting as she takes deep, calming breaths.

Candice wipes the tears from her eyes.

"I'm sorry, Y/N."

You shake your head.

"Don't ever apologize, not for this." You tell her sternly, hugging her tightly.

She rests her head against your shoulder.

"I'm just so scared for him, Y/N. Reggie's only eighteen." She swallows back a sob. "He just graduated high school, for God's sake."

Reggie is Candice's little brother, a boy you have only seen pictures of but know means the world to Candice.

"He's set to deploy in a week." Candice informs you. You sit in silence for a moment before she shoots up, gripping your shoulders tight.

"I have to see him before he gets sent to some jungle, Y/N. I have to."

"Where's he stationed now?" You ask.

Candice stands, pacing in front of you. You can see the gears turning in her head.

"Texas, he said." She brightens. "I still have time!"

Candice turns to you then, sitting beside you and taking your hands in hers.

"You'll come with me, won't you? Please, Y/N, I don't think I could say goodbye alone. It's just for a week!"

This throws you for a loop.

Go to Texas? Leave Elvis here, alone with the Colonel?

It takes you a moment to think. Candice is looking at you with wide, hopeful eyes and you know you can't abandon your friend in her time of need. Elvis is right, you think. He's a grown man, and he can handle this.

"Okay," You tell her. "I'll go."