Generally speaking, the porch in front of Richard's pool was a relaxing place to spend an afternoon. It had become his and Shawna's favorite place to relax in the mansion; it was secluded enough to be private, and the backyard was well kept and scenic. Except that today, nothing could have relaxed Richard.
"Dude, have a drink and chill out," Ryan said, rolling his eyes. "Everything's set to go. It's all fine. What could go wrong?"
"Well, I left Shawna alone with my mother, so it's possible only one of them will come out alive. Which would probably be Mom. Which leaves me with no, you know, bride. Which makes the wedding kind of a bummer. Oh my god the wedding is in," he checked his watch, "four hours and thirteen minutes, and I'm just sitting here. I should be doing something!"
"Calm down," CJ said, glancing out at the people who were playing around in the pool He smiled and shut his eyes; sleep was a commodity these days. "I took care of everything. Promise."
"You farmed everything out to Nick," Richard said.
"That's what best men do. Anyway, it's all taken care of. Isn't it?"
"Well, I haven't seen the wedding cake with my own eyes yet, but Pierre said he's got it in the oven; the flowers are all taken care of; our tux fittings are done and they're laid out upstairs. All that's left is the ceremony. Which isn't for four hours, so relax, Rich."
"I can't believe I'm getting married," he said.
"Again," CJ added.
"Yeah, yeah."
"Third time's the charm, right, buddy?"
"It's not my third time! It's hers!"
"Which makes five marriages between the two of you." CJ shook his head disapprovingly. "You celebrities and your serial marriages. It can't be good for the kids."
"Shawna's kids love me!" Richard objected.
"Well, that's because they haven't gotten to know you yet."
"Thanks a lot."
"This is what you keep me around for," CJ said. "To keep you humble."
"I thought it was because you were a free-loader, but whatever."
"Hey!" CJ protested. "I have a job! Just because I no longer rake in a billion dollars per record deal doesn't mean I'm not working. Voice acting is perfectly respectable." He paused. "Anyway, Alison's a doctor, so she'll take care of me in my old age."
"Speaking of which..." Nick nodded out towards the pool, and CJ sat up in time to see a very small bundle of energy in a bright pink swimsuit bounding its way towards the gathering on the porch. He held his arms out and she hurled herself into them.
"Daddy! Daddy, Mommy said you have to blow up my floaties 'cause she says
to say you're full of hot air."
"Clearly a marriage functioning at its best," Richard noted.
"Hush, you," CJ said, and accepted the pink and yellow plastic devices from his daughter. He began to blow one up and handed the other to Nick.
"You know, there was a time when you'd have made a few choice comments about asking me to blow on—"
"Nick!" CJ snapped, glaring. "Not in front of the k-i-d."
"Daddy, I can spell kid."
"Because you're a genius," he said.
"I sure am!"
Nick squeaked and grabbed Ryan's arm, and Ryan gave a long-suffering sigh.
"Ryan—"
"No."
"But—"
"No."
CJ finished with the floatie and handed it back to his daughter, and as soon as Nick had finished with the second one she pulled them on. "Mommy said to show you my cannonball! I'm gonna do it! Watch me!"
"No running by the pool!" CJ called ineffectively as she bounded off. But he watched diligently anyway as she jumped into the pool, sending up a good sized splash, and he kicked Richard for not immediately applauding.
"God, you are so that dad," Ryan said.
"What does that mean?"
Ryan coughed. "How many pictures of her do you have in your wallet?"
"Do you want me to show them to you again?"
Ryan groaned and sank down on a lawn chair.
"Ryan, I want one," Nick said.
"Darling, we've been through this. Our schedule wouldn't allow us to take the time that raising a child needs, it wouldn't be fair to the poor baby."
"But I really want one."
"You can borrow Karen for a couple of nights," CJ said. "So long as I get her back in once piece. Alison and I wouldn't mind a full night's sleep… Or at least a night alone, sleep or not."
"See," Ryan said. "Having a small child means no sex. You wouldn't like that at all."
"But they're so cute!"
Ryan pouted. "You'd give up sex with me for one of those?" He gestured towards Karen and Shawna's two children in the pool.
"Karen is not one of those, she's amazing."
"CJ, you're biased."
"So I'm proud," he said. "So what? She's only three and she's already able to spell kid!"
"Because you spell it around her all the time."
"She's still smart!"
Nick sighed dramatically, and Ryan mumbled, "Sure, you want one now, but I'm the one who's going to end up cleaning it and feeding it."
"I don't want a puppy, darling. What if we had a son? He could marry Karen."
"Karen isn't allowed to date until she's thirty."
"CJ, hush." Nick pouted. "Ryaaaaaan."
"No."
"Please?"
"No."
"But think of how good it would be for our cause." Nick batted his eyelashes. "Gay marriage. Gay activists. Gay adoption. See the theme?"
"Except that with a child, we wouldn't have time for any activism. We've been through this."
"You're no fun," Nick said.
"That's not what you said last night."
Richard sighed. "I hope I'm good with Shawna's kids," he said. "She's not sure she wants any more, so they'll be all I get."
CJ yawned and stretched out on one of the chairs. "Trust me, just one is enough to keep a guy busy. You'll already have two. Any more and you'd get put up for sainthood."
"But you do love being a dad," Richard said nervously. "Right?"
"Do you want me to show you the pictures in my wallet again?"
"No, that's okay, I get it." But Richard smiled. "I'm so nervous. I wasn't this nervous last time."
"Well, you'd never done it before," Nick said. "And anyway… You know Shawna."
"Shouldn't that make me less nervous? I wish she'd let me go check on her, but when I tried this morning she shrieked and locked me out of the house. She said it was bad luck."
"Well, given her track record, she probably wants to avoid bad luck as much as possible," CJ said. "I mean… Wayne."
Richard cackled. "I was ready to propose as soon as I heard she'd bankrupted him in the divorce settlement. That'll teach a creep to sleep with a guy's girlfriend."
"…Yeah, eight years after the fact," CJ said.
"Well, whatever. Point is, Wayne is a backup dancer earning minimum and I'm marrying Shawna."
"And raising two of Wayne's children."
"Right, but I can't blame them for their father being a cretin. Besides," he smirked, "I get to be the fun, rich, awesome step-dad."
"Yeah, I'm not sure that's a healthy attitude," Ryan said.
"You'd understand if Nick had ever slept with Wayne."
"Unlike you, I had taste."
"Yeah, you slept with me," CJ said.
"I was referring to Ryan." He coughed. "Swifty. Hey, did you ever explain that to Alison? Oh, wait, I bet she's figured it out."
"I don't think she's had any complaints in that area, so shut up."
They lapsed into silence, all watching the kids playing in the pool while Alison looked on as the lifeguard, enjoying the moment.
"So…" Ryan said finally. "Where's the superstar? You'd think he'd make the trip for his best friend's wedding, tour or no tour."
"He'll be here," Richard said. "I think. I mean, he got to the last one. Of course, he wasn't on tour then, but… still."
"Hey." A new voice joined the conversation, and they all looked around to see a familiar platinum blond standing in the doorway. "Like I wouldn't make it. Sorry I'm late, flight delay. Did Ryan just call me a superstar?"
"Oh, lord," Ryan muttered, as Chris stepped onto the porch, Alejandro and Rosalia close behind him. They were all already dressed for the wedding, despite the relaxed atmosphere of the porch.
"Chris!" Richard sprang to his feet to greet Chris with a quick hug, then Alejandro. "How's the tour going?"
"Ask him, I just perform like a good monkey."
Alejandro smiled. "We aren't selling out this time," he said. "Pop is on the downswing. But we're coming in above expectations, certainly doing enough business to make a living."
"Yeah, 'cause you two really need to be worried about that," Rosalia said, brushing her hair back out of her face.
"Rosalia!" Nick gasped. "Let me see the dress, honey. Oh, that's gorgeous."
"You are so gay," Ryan said.
"Yes, dear, I do hope you're not just figuring that out. However, I still can enjoy beautiful young ladies, can't I?"
"Just not too much," Ryan said.
"I'll stop flirting with Rosalia if you'll agree to adopt."
"Roslia, that dress is hot," Ryan said.
"Wow, I don't want to know what that was about," she answered, but she stepped forward and did a slow turn, showing off the backless purple gown. It fit her well enough that her older brother was uncomfortable, but Rosalia at nineteen looked at least as good as her older brother had at the same age. Richard raised an eyebrow and CJ looked away from his daughter, which was impressive in and of itself.
"Hey," Alejandro barked finally. "That's my sister you're undressing with your eyes, and you're married, and you're about to be married. So knock it off."
"You're no fun," Rosalia said. "And you owe me."
"Actually, technically, Chris owes you."
She looked at Chris, who shrugged. "Well, I paid for the dress," he said. "Does that count?"
"And gee, I get to dance with the superstar and pretend we're together." She batted her eyelashes. "Because it's not at all creepy that you're 'dating' your manager's little sister—who you've known since she was ten."
"You used to bake me cookies," Chris said fondly.
"Yeah, that was before you were gay with my brother."
He batted his eyelashes. "But seeing you in that dress, I wonder if I chose the wrong Cortez sibling."
"Gee, when you say that I almost believe you haven't been sleeping with my brother for eight years."
"Okay, that's enough of that," Alejandro interrupted.
"How's college?" CJ asked.
Rosalia shrugged. "Well, thanks to Chris I got offered to pledge into every sorority on campus. But also thanks to Chris, I can't get a date."
"Good," Alejandro muttered.
"So…" She looked at Richard. "Nervous?"
"Why should I be?" he asked, his voice cracking. "I haven't even thrown up."
"Well. Huh. Okay." She gave him an odd look.
Ryan cleared his throat. "Come on, Rosalia, let's go make sure that Rich's mom hasn't killed Shawna or anything. I kind of think that we might want to give the V-Tones a moment."
"Aw, babe, you don't have to…" Nick said.
Ryan kissed him quickly, and glanced at CJ. "Stop putting thoughts of small children into his head."
"What was that about?" Rosalia asked as they walked back into the house, sliding the glass door shut behind them.
Alejandro and Chris took seats on the porch. Chris pulled off his tux jacket and tossed it over the back of his chair; Alejandro sighed disapprovingly and hung it neatly. "It's going to get wrinkled," he scolded.
"If you say so." Chris rolled his eyes.
"Honestly, you're twenty-five; you should know how to take care of your own clothes."
"Maybe if you didn't do it for him?" Richard suggested. Alejandro blinked, as if that idea had honestly never occurred to him.
"Please," Nick said. "As though Chris can do anything without Alejandro. I swear, he can't even tie his own shoes on tour without his manager's help."
"Hey!" Chris objected, but not too strenuously. It was pretty much true, and since Alejandro had taken over managing his career as soon as he finally finished college, they were inseparable. They still booked two rooms in every hotel for the sake of the press, and Rosalia had kindly agreed to pretend to date Chris whenever someone got suspicious, but the two were no less married than CJ and Alison or Nick and Ryan.
"The kids look like Shawna," Chris eventually mused, watching the pool. "Good thing."
"Yeah," Richard said. "Well, they can't help it if their father is…"
Alejandro rolled his eyes. "You'd think that after all these years, you two would get over hating Wayne."
"Well, maybe if you hadn't slept with him," Chris groused.
"Well, maybe if you hadn't slept with Richard."
"Right, I always forget that I always lose this argument." But Chris reached out for Alejandro's hand and intertwined their fingers.
"You mean to imply that you win arguments sometimes?" CJ asked. "Seriously?"
"Hey, it happens." Chris paused. "Rarely. See, he has this spot on his neck…"
"Chris…"
"And one at the back of his knee. Man, when I discovered that, I won arguments for weeks."
Alejandro glanced at him. "And when I found out about the sweet spot on your lower back, you gave me a four percent pay increase. What's your point?"
"You two have the strangest relationship," CJ said.
"You've never taken advantage of your wife's erogenous zones?" Richard asked, then added, "See, Nick, that's how you can convince Ryan to adopt."
"Ooh!"
"I was kidding."
Nick grinned. "I really want a kid."
Chris laughed and stretched out, loosening his tie—Alejandro would fix it later. He glanced around at his former bandmates, wondering how time had passed so quickly. It seemed like mere weeks ago that they'd been performing together, living together, and spending every day together. And even though the V-Tones hadn't toured or recorded in over six years, he didn't ever feel far removed from them.
Part of it was his image, he realized. Even with three solo albums under his belt, his fans would never forget that he'd started out as one of five. And though he was now the most successful one—or at least, he thought so, but he was never sure exactly how much of his money he was paying Alejandro—he couldn't forget that he was only one of five.
Richard had done fairly well for himself. He'd had one solo album do well, and one tank, but with the second album's failure he rediscovered a love of acting and had appeared in several movies. He was now a bankable name at the box office, and not having to perform live did wonders for keeping his anxiety levels low. And now that he was marrying Shawna Rivers—who, despite the odds against it, kept turning out successful albums—he pretty much had everything he'd ever wanted in life.
Nick had also released post-V-Tones albums, though not quite solo. Only a year after the band finished its final tour, he and Ryan had announced to the public that they were together. It had been a huge scandal and front-page news for weeks, but the public got over it and they were praised from all quarters for their bravery. They'd released an album together, which sold well enough and had a little radio play; mostly, though, they were known for their roles as activists. There was a gay marriage amendment in the works, which was largely credited to their efforts.
CJ, on the other hand, didn't have much interest in staying in the public eye. He'd married Alison after a brief courtship—exactly five months—and Nick had been their best man. Despite the rumors, it wasn't because she was pregnant, it was because CJ had decided that there weren't as many girls out there as people assumed who could speak in complete sentences. She had no interest in celebrity, and so he'd let his own fame fade away; after a couple of years of adjustment, he'd done a guest-voice on an after school cartoon and put his voice to work again. He didn't show up in magazines, but had as much work as he could ask for—and had cut down on how much work he did significantly after Karen was born. He wasn't quite a full time, stay at home dad, but he was close.
Finally, Chris looked over at Alejandro. He'd stayed with the band until the end, and stayed with Chris even after. He'd finally had a chance to attend college (though it had been a long four years with Chris on tour and Alejandro anchored to one city) and put his genius to work. With a degree in business under his belt and, in order to stay with Chris without it looking too conspicuous, had signed on as one of Chris's tour managers. But he'd turned out to be brilliant at it, and as Chris worked on his third solo album, Alejandro signed as his full time manager.
Nick had often pestered them to come out like he had, but neither one really wanted to. Alejandro was too private a person to want the media to go crazy with their relationship, and Chris's career required a little bit of mystique. He'd been linked to numerous Hollywood starlets, and was often seen out with Rosalia, and they had all been good for his career. But, despite its secrecy, their relationship was close to perfect. They balanced each other out and complimented each other almost perfectly. Even Nick had remarked that they were a little sickening.
Across the pool, Karen learned how to float on her back from one of Richard's soon-to-be step-sons. CJ looked on happily, and Richard looked on nervously, tapping his fingers with energy. Nick watched them too, longingly, and Chris was fairly sure that any day now there would be an announcement that Nick and Ryan were looking to adopt. Ryan just didn't have that kind of willpower, and Nick was determined. Alejandro also watched the children, bemused and relaxed; he didn't take time off very often, and he still missed his family sometimes. Chris knew he got a kick out of getting to play the uncle around CJ's daughter, and now Rich's step-sons. It made him feel closer to his band mates, like the family they'd formed was still strong, despite spending so much time apart.
Chris watched the four of them watching the kids, smiling lightly. Her half-laughed to himself as he thought, Slow pan across our heroes as they watch their families together. Our protagonist reaches for his lover's hand and they relax, enjoying a calm moment at the end of their journey. Slowly fade to black. Roll credits.
Fini.
AN: We never really thought we'd finish this fic; we started it on a whim and abandoned it for close to a year. But with graduation looming we figured we should tie up loose ends, including the story, and so you may have noticed that this semester we went into overdrive. The story is approximately 90,000 words, which we suspect is about 140 pages single-spaced. All this from a, "Heeheehee. See, 'cause if they were child actors on Roundhouse like JC and Justin were on the Mickey Mouse Club, we could do this whole N Sync parody and Pultizer could be Pearlman and only we would get it! Ahaha."
Thank you for getting it.
Anyway, we love this story and had more fun writing it together than you could possibly believe. It seemed fitting to post the happily ever after chapter on our last night living together, the day we graduate from college.
Sappy, aren't we?
-signpost and studentnumber24601, who is, technically speaking, no longer a student of any sort