AN: Suki is kind of the reverse of Rosita here. She has/had a very successful career as a theater scout but she doesn't have a family and that's what she wants. She wants the life of a devoted housewife with a loving husband who works 8-10 hours a day at what might be called middle-class labor to come home to a plate of fried chicken and macaroni and cheese.
Part 49
When Eddie asked to be dropped off with Gunter at the theater, Rosita had been pleasantly surprised. Since giving him the ring he found and opening up to the sheep, Eddie was drawn to the boisterous, flamboyant hog.
"Now, Eddie, if you need anything, just call us. Okay?" She asked as she handed him his suitcase.
He nodded. "I know, Mama. I'll be fine." He and Gunter watched them leave. The pig gestured for him to follow. "You know I don't think I know where you live."
Gunter laughed. "Live? Sleep. I live at the theater. I sleep there." He pointed to the metal trailer in the trailer park. "Come on in. I'll show you my photo album."
Gunter had a huge album of photos from the last five years. And every photo had a story behind it that made both of them laugh
"And this one is the after party for This Greatest Showman. Buster actually played the role of PT Barnum," Gunter boasted.
Eddie laughed. "That's Buster all over. He loved drama class in high school. He was older than me. His senior year, he got the role of Raoul in our school's production of Phantom of the Opera. His eyes just lit up." He admired the photographs. "My parents insisted he would amount to nothing but… I knew they were wrong. He was going to be a great theater owner and help bring joy to the world." He blinked back tears or tried to.
Gunter hugged him. "Now we will do zat for him. We will make him proud." He rubbed the sheep's shoulder. He subtly looked the sheep over. "He loved you. And I'm not just saying that. I mean, I'm sure you know but I know. He told me…"
Eddie looked into Gunter's blue eyes. "He did?"
"Ja, he missed you a lot after…. Many nights I'd find him drinking the cheapest liquor he could find. It was heartbreaking, ja?" Gunter told him. "But he'd spend the night telling me how handsome you were. How your fleece reminded him of snow and how your eyes are the color of hot chocolate." The pig touched his hand. "He was right…"
The polled sheep blushed. "Really?" The boar's eyes glittered up at him and he remembered his dream of Buster and his wish for him to "love again." He took a deep breath. "So, um… I was rethinking my script. Everyone knows the story of Cinderella. It's so generic." He handed Gunter his notebook.
Gunter read through it. "Well, almost every fairytale has been done to death. Oooo, what if instead of just one fairytale, what if, like… So the king banished all the villains to the island right and Fairy Godmother seals it with, like, a barrier. Then 20 years later…"
The boys would talk late into the night, planning the next show.
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Returning to 550 Echo Drive, Johnny lovingly carried Ryan up the stairs to their apartment. Ryan kissed his neck and cheek. "We're home, husband. Finally," he said with a contented sigh.
Johnny smiled and kissed him back while fumbling with his keys. He finally got the door open and stumbled inside to the couch. "Home at last." He laughed. "My husband. I wish we'd thought to pick up some…." He turned and looked with surprise at the ice bucket on the countertop with the bottle of champagne chilling next to two champagne flutes in between a basket of roses of varying colors and a basket of high protein snacks and chocolate. Hanging from the ceiling was a banner saying Just Married!
Ryan laughed and went over to the counter, picking up the envelope there. "Congratulations Johnny and Ryan Hunter-Green from the New Moon Dance Studio. Awww, that's sweet. Guess that's why Klaus came home yesterday." Klaus was the one with the master key. "Thank you for asking Rosita to give him his job back. With our quarrel over, I felt bad that he'd lost his livelihood."
Johnny shrugged. "Well I heard about him giving me his blood so… As long as he doesn't treat anyone else that way ever again, he's a good teacher. Nooshy will watch him during classes." He popped the cork and poured them each a glass. "This was very nice of them. Here's to you."
Ryan shook his head. "Here's to us and many long, happy years." They drank. "Hey, do we still have any of our wedding cake left?"
Johnny got into the cooler they brought in with their luggage. "I'm saving the wedding toppers. They're too awesome to eat." He put them in the freezer before cutting them a huge hunk of the leftover tier and taking it back to the couch. The two men took turns feeding each other bites.
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"It's very encouraging that Eddie got off with Gunter," Norman said as they herded their brood inside and got the quints settled in their playpen.
Rosita smiled. "It is. Gunter will be a good influence on him. And unless I miss my guess, I think he might have a crush on Eddie." She giggled. "Oh, wouldn't they be adorable together? If we can help them along."
Norman chuckled. "Now, Rosita, I would be thrilled for both of them. But we mustn't meddle. What will be will be."
She went to the kitchen to start their supper. "I know but surely it's not meddling to, say, invite Gunter to dinner and we already spend so much time together."
Her husband shook his head. "Just don't go getting in the middle, Rosita. If they're right for each other, then they will come together on their own." He kissed her forehead.
She nodded and seemed to change the subject. "I can't believe it's almost the new year. Almost time for the New Year's Eve party."
Norman nodded. "Will we still have it at the theater?" He asked.
She nodded. "I imagine so." She said softly.
Her husband took her hand. "Life moves on."
She squeezed his hand. "Yeah, it does." She hugged him. "You know… I'm looking forward to the party, I think."
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Marcus admired Suki from the living room as she made their dinner. "You know, I'm happy to help." He offered her.
"It's just spaghetti and garlic bread, not a big deal. If you want to set the table, you're welcome to," she replied. Other women might balk at falling into the traditional trap but she wanted the traditional ways for a while at least. She tried the modern ways, being a career woman. And she liked her job, most of the time, but she never felt fulfilled. It was a good job, she just wasn't happy. That's what she had come to realize. She had not been happy. Not really.
He set the table and smiled at her. She was so round. The doctor had told them that cross-breeding meant she would be pregnant longer than dogs normally are. "You're beautiful, you know that?"
She blushed. "You're so sweet. I feel like a fat slob." She laughed at herself.
He crossed the kitchen to hold her. "You are the most beautiful woman to me. And I can't wait to make you my wife tomorrow at the courthouse." He stroked her shoulder-length red hair.
Suki sighed happily. "I had no idea that love could feel like this. No uncertainty, no wondering, no walking on eggshells. Just happiness." She pulled away when she heard the water boiling over. "Ahhh!" She quickly added the pasta to the water. "Girls, ten minutes til dinner!"
"Now, you're sure you don't want a big wedding?" He asked her.
"I'm sure. I've always done what society expects of me. Big career woman, working for the wealthiest guy in town," she cringed. "I will be very happy getting married at the courthouse in the simple white dress I bought. Who all is going to be there?"
Marcus counted out. "Well Johnny and Ryan, Porsha, Nooshy, Rosita and Norman, Gunter, Meena and Alphonso, Ash and Lance, Stan and Barry, Nana, Eddie, and Jerry. Wow, we have a lot of people coming…" He laughed. "Will Linda be able to make it?"
"She's leaving after her 7 o'clock show," Suki confirmed. She drained the pasta and stirred it into the bolognese. She finished the meal by opening a bag of premade salad and putting it in a bowl with a few salad dressings beside it.
Nooshy came running out of the bathroom. "Whoo! Spaghetti! My favorite!"
Porsha laughed. "Everything is your favorite!" They all sat around the table and began to partake of the meal.
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The next morning, Eddie woke up on the left side of Gunter's queen-sized mattress. He and the pig had spent all night hammering out the details for the new show and he was actually excited to go to the theater that day. Well after their other appointment that morning. He looked at the clock and jumped up. "Gunter, it's 9 o'clock! We have to be at the courthouse in an hour!" He grabbed a change of clothes from his suitcase and dashed into the bathroom.
For the first time, he'd slept the whole night without nightmares about Buster. There had been some tears shared while sharing their cherished memories in between their writing but when they were ready to sleep, the sheep found that sleep came easily.
The hog didn't hold back when talking about Buster. In the privacy of the metal camper, Gunter had no reservations, telling Eddie all of the loving words Buster had for him and how attractive he was. He'd been a little jealous when he confessed to being intimate with the koala but after having time to think about it, he was glad Buster at least had Gunter take care of him on his behalf. He knew that the pig would have stepped aside if it came down to it.
If Eddie was being honest with himself, he'd have to admit that he was attracted to the hog. He just wasn't sure if he was ready to admit it to anyone. He was just starting to come out of the lonely mist but was he ready to follow Buster's wish yet?
And what if he was misreading the situation. The hog might just be trying to be a good friend and help him heal. No, even if he was ready, he needed to wait and see before making any kind of decisions. All he knew was he felt better than he had in months.
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Meena smiled with pride as she boxed up the cake she spent all morning baking and decorating with Alphonso's help. "They'll love this!" She said excitedly. "I know they're just doing a small to-do, no frills, but I figure we can at least surprise them with a cake to share at the theater."
Alphonso nodded. "You're so sweet in that way." He kissed her. "We should go though, we're going to be late."
AN: Writer's Block Looms! So obviously Eddie and Gunter are writing Descendants for the Sing universe. So here's some fun, which Sing Character should play which Descendants character. I'm already planning on Meena for Mal and Alphonso for Ben. What do you think? And yes, definitely leaning towards GunterxEddie.