Why Andy had decided to film the movie in a desert, Jake would never know.
Seeing as they were vampires, it seemed rather counter-intuitive to film a movie in the one place they couldn't go without serious risk to themselves. Aware as Jake was of the so-far-effective methods of protecting themselves from the sun's harm, it was still risky to be out here, miles from the nearest town and with only the blood they'd brought with them to keep their appetites whetted. CC was Jake's biggest concern, especially following the near-disaster a few weeks before―he didn't want anything bad to happen, not least for the toll it would take on CC.
Yet Andy had insisted, and so here they were, set up in the middle of the Mojave Desert to film a movie.
Rather than make the two-and-a-half-hour trek back and forth from their filming location to the nearest city, they'd rented a couple of RVs and would simply camp out in the desert until the movie was finished. Pat's camera crew had a trailer for their equipment as well. It all seemed very practical―despite his limited interactions with the human on music video shoots, Jake had to say that Pat was good at his job.
Jake had no idea how long they planned to be out here, nor how they planned to ferry extras, actors, and equipment from one set to the next; regardless, it seemed Andy, Pat, and Richard Villa had everything roughly planned out and under control. Jake was trying not to worry too much; it wouldn't do anyone any good, and he was sure Andy would tell them the details he'd left out fairly soon.
He watched from the windows of their RV as Pat's camera crew and Richard's construction crew scurried around setting up sets. All the exterior shots would be conducted using the desert itself as the backdrop; Jake could see a drum riser being set up a ways away from the RVs. Interior shots, by the look of things, would be a mix of props and greenscreen―or at least that was what he thought. Even his enhanced eyesight couldn't quite make out every set being built, stringing out in a line to the horizon.
It was truly fascinating watching the crewpeople work. They moved as a well-oiled machine, regardless of which person they answered to, working remarkably fast and in constant communication. They seemed oblivious to the desert heat, and even from here Jake could see the camaraderie between them.
"It's interesting to watch, isn't it?" said a voice in Jake's ear, and he turned his attention from the window to find that Andy had crept up soundlessly behind him.
"It is," Jake agreed, smiling at him. "They've got good teams."
Andy smiled. "Pat's a good director and Richard's a driven artist. Of course they do." He stepped forward, into Jake's space, and stole a quick kiss. Jake wrapped his arms around the singer, drawing him back; if he was going to demand attention, Jake was going to give it to him.
Andy grinned lazily at him when Jake pulled away. "Is that so?"
Jake raised an eyebrow. "You obviously wanted something."
Andy laughed. "I wasn't going to leave you lonely by the window, was I?"
Jake kissed him again. "What did you really come over for? Aside from needing attention."
"Pat said we should be able to start shooting once the sun goes down," Andy shrugged. "I was coming over to tell you that."
"So we are filming this at night," Jake said, and Andy nodded.
"Most of it, anyway. Why, were you worried?"
"A little. You brought us to a desert." Jake grinned. "Pointing out the obvious here, but we are vampires. Desert and vampires do not mix."
"I know," Andy laughed. "But we'll be okay. We know how to combat the sun when needed, and I think a good chunk of the movie is okay to be filmed at night."
"Just how long have you been planning this?" Jake asked, raising an eyebrow. It sounded like Andy had known this was coming for months.
Andy shrugged. "We've had the story written from the start. It didn't take much talking with Pat and Richard to figure out how to adapt it into movie format."
Jake pulled the singer back for another kiss; Andy did not object. "Ever going to enlighten the rest of us on this master plan?" he teased.
Andy grinned, tilting his head back to let Jake press kisses down his throat, which Jake was only too happy to do. "We're going to meet with Richard about it tomorrow afternoon, before we shoot," he explained. "Tonight's mostly a test to make sure they've got everything set up correctly―though if the footage turns out well, Pat told me he'll just keep it so we don't have to film the same scene over multiple days."
Jake thought that sounded reasonable. "Putting off the chat until tomorrow is fine. Just don't complain when CC starts pestering you for details."
Andy laughed. "I would say I'd just shut him up with a kiss, but I feel like that would draw too much attention from, you know, everyone."
Jake laughed and kissed him again in response. "When do we need to get in costume?"
Andy shrugged. "Probably a half hour before it starts to get dark. We do have warpaint to put on still."
"Not nearly as much, though," Jake pointed out, and really was quite grateful for it. The constant application and re-application of their warpaint had begun to get tiring―it had lost its allure for all of them, and so their rebel attire would constitute much diminished warpaint. It was quite the relief.
Andy raised an eyebrow. "We still have to put it on. Applying it properly will be a little time-consuming." He paused. "Though most of it will be figuring out the wardrobe situation, I think. Pat's got a whole team on costumes...I'm no actor, but they're professionals, and I think usually there's some sort of protocol about getting into costume."
Jake frowned. "That's only going to be a problem if they need to get near us."
"Ah, but you forget, I'm going to overthink it to death," Andy pointed out lightly.
Jake's eyebrow went up again. "You're joking about this?"
Andy stole another kiss. "Why not? It's not like I have any control over it. It's easier to make light of it than spend extra time overthinking the fact that I overthink everything."
Jake smiled and ran his fingers through Andy's hair, enjoying the purr he got out of the younger vampire at the touch. "That made sense, in a confusing sort of way."
"I thought you'd be used to that by now," Andy teased, and Jake laughed before resuming his kisses.
"I mean," Andy continued, slightly more breathless than before, "you have put up with me for forty years. You'd think you'd get used to my brand of crazy at some point."
Jake hummed in response, too busy pressing kisses to every bit of exposed skin he could reach (quite a bit, since Andy was wearing one of his numerous ripped shirts) to bother with a verbal response. He was slightly amazed Andy was still on his feet―the quiet mix of gasps, purrs, and sighs as Jake's lips traveled across his skin gave him the impression that he was resisting the urge to swoon.
"Gods," Andy gasped as Jake kissed the hollow at the base of his throat. One of his hands buried itself in Jake's hair, a clear sign that he was enjoying every moment of this; Jake smiled into his skin and continued, tucking away the singer's reaction for future reference.
"Ah―don't we have better things to do?" Andy panted about a minute later.
Jake kissed him on the lips again, then pulled back and gave him an incredulous look. "Like what? We've got at least an hour until the sun goes down."
Andy's eyebrow rose. "What are you implying?"
"Not a thing," Jake grinned, and kissed him once more.
―――――――――――――――
"So are you finally going to tell us what the plan is?"
Andy looked at him, a little startled, and CC grinned. "Come on, man," he continued. "You've barely told us a thing about the plan for this movie. We can't work if we don't know what we're doing."
"Impatient much?" Andy said, quirking an eyebrow. CC kissed him.
"Hark who's talking," snarked Jinxx from where he leaned against the counter of the RV's small kitchen area. "You've never been patient a day in your immortal life, Andy."
"It's true," Jake chimed in, grinning at the singer. "Especially as a fledgling. You did not want to be patient and learn how to control everything."
Andy glared at them halfheartedly; CC chuckled, ignoring the slight hollow feeling as they talked about how long they'd been together.
"To answer your question, CC," Andy said, "yes, once Richard and Pat get their asses in here, we'll go over the plan for filming."
CC wrapped his arms around the singer's waist. "That was all you had to say, man."
Andy shook his head with a soft grin and stole a kiss. CC let him, content for the moment just to be with them; he rather thought that this would be the last quiet moment they'd get for a while.
Andy noticed something and stepped out of CC's arms to lean out the window. "Richard! Get your ass in here!"
"Fuck off, I'm coming!" came the good-natured reply.
CC glanced at the guitarists. "Well, this should be fun."
Jake laughed and kissed him. "Isn't it always?"
Richard chose that moment to burst through the RV's door, and CC quickly stepped away from Jake, though he remained standing probably just a little closer than he should have.
"Pat's just behind me," he said by way of greeting. He grinned at Andy. "I relayed your oh-so-friendly message."
Andy grinned back. "Nice to see you too."
True to Richard's word, Pat appeared a few seconds later. "Sorry I'm late," he said, with a pointed smirk at Andy.
Andy adopted a mock-offended look that made CC chuckle. "Don't look at me," the singer protested. "They're the impatient ones."
"Hey," protested Jake. "Ceese was the one complaining."
"Hey!" protested CC in turn, shooting the guitarist a scandalized look. "You can't talk! You're just as curious!"
"Ah, but the point, CC, is that he's less vocal about it," Jinxx said smoothly, and CC gave him a halfhearted glare.
"I'm being triple tag-teamed," he grumbled, and his boyfriends' laughter brought a grin back to his face.
"Since you're all so eager," Pat said dryly, "why don't we sit down so we can explain things?"
CC thought that was a fair point. They all managed to find seats―CC next to Jake on the couch (probably a little too close to avoid suspicion, not that he really cared about that), Jinxx on the counter he'd been leaning against, and Andy, Pat, and Richard in the dining booth.
"This is going to be a lengthy project," Pat said to start off. "It's not an easy task, filming a movie―it's going to take time, and effort, and probably the whole budget your label gave you. Plus you guys have to somehow finish recording the record amidst all of this too."
"We know," CC said. "We're all committed to this, dude."
Pat nodded. "I figured you would be. Let's get started."
~~~~~~~~~
CC leaned against the counter, the cool surface soothing on his skin. It had been a hectic few hours, and night had fallen as they'd been talking. They'd been productive―a lot had gotten resolved, and they'd gotten most of a shooting schedule worked out, though Pat had warned them that it was merely an outline and subject to change.
The human director had suggested they take a break for a few minutes, perhaps sensing the vampires' longing to get outside into the night air; way out here in the desert, it was clear and cool, and CC had been swept up in the same desire to be in it as his boyfriends. Jake, beside him, had been tense; Andy kept glancing towards the windows, and Jinxx had been fidgeting. It was quite the relief when he said they could break―CC had spilled out into the desert night with the rest of them and almost instantly felt a calm peacefulness such as he'd never felt before wash over him.
At least until the sleeping beast that was his fledgling hunger awoke and tore its claws into him.
He'd retreated reluctantly back into the relative safety of the RV; everyone was gathered outside, and he wouldn't be gone long, but he couldn't be seen. He stared out the window even as he drank from the open blood packet in his hands, the pull of the night stronger than he'd ever noticed before―he'd have to ask Jinxx if it was something about being in the desert that was causing it, or if it had always been there and he had just never noticed.
I want to be out there, he thought even as the sweet, metallic liquid hit his lips and he couldn't fight a small groan of satisfaction. With my boyfriends, in the night―just existing, for once.
They were always working―which wasn't a bad thing, necessarily, but downtime seemed few and far between these days. CC suspected it was only going to get more hectic after they finished and released the record―and while CC knew it would be rewarding, and fun, and worth it all in the end, he wasn't looking forward to the prospect of less time to just be.
That was something his sister had drilled into him―that it was important to take that time and just exist. With his boyfriends, CC felt completely comfortable doing so―on his own was still a struggle, but he'd vowed to himself ever since talking to Andy the night he'd gone to see his aunt that he'd work on it. That he'd be better, when he finally worked up the courage to call his sister again.
Invariably, CC closed his eyes as he drank from the packet, the sensation still a little odd with the fangs he wasn't quite used to. There was something freeing in itself about doing this on his own―a sign that he was learning, however slowly.
"Hey, CC, there you are, I―holy shit," said a voice, and CC's eyes flew open.
Richard stood frozen in the doorway, staring at him with a mix of shock, confusion, and a hint of fear in his gaze as he took in the sight. And what a sight CC must make, he thought, calmer than he'd expected himself to be―with his eyes stained crimson and the packet of what was very obviously blood in the lighted RV in his hands and the fangs he was sure were visible, he was sure he looked exactly like the creature of human nightmares.
They stood there for a moment in a silent stalemate. CC wondered how he'd explain this―he barely understood being a vampire himself, much less had any clue how to explain to a human.
Richard saved him the trouble by backing away a step, two; CC stepped forward in tandem, forgetting that he still held the half-finished blood packet in his hands, and Richard disappeared out the door almost faster than CC could track the movement.
"Shit," he said aloud, and quickly drained the last of the blood before following him back out the door.
Alarmingly, he didn't see Richard anywhere; he did, however, see Jake and Jinxx, and made his way to them.
"Hey," Jake greeted, and stole a quick kiss in the darkness. "You good?"
"No," CC replied. "Richard walked in on me feeding."
Jake and Jinxx glanced sharply at each other. "What happened?" Jinxx asked.
"I was just feeding, and he walked in...we kind of stared at each other for a minute, I think I shocked him," CC explained. "Then he ran out. I'm worried he'll freak and tell someone."
Jake cursed. "We have some explaining to do."
"Sorry," CC said, and Jinxx stood on his toes to kiss him lightly.
"It's not your fault, Ceese," he said. "But the fact remains that we have some damage control to do. Come on, let's go find him."
CC followed Jake and Jinxx in the opposite direction of the RV's doors, around it to where the respective crews, leading actors, and William Control (whom CC hadn't even realized was here) had sprawled out around a fire someone had built. The smell of cooking food informed CC that they'd decided to turn the gathering into a cookout―he spared a second to mourn the fact that he could no longer join them before his focus returned to the problem at hand. Where the hell had Richard disappeared to?
Andy hurried over to join them, breaking off his conversation with William. "You guys look worried. What happened?"
"Richard found out," Jake replied.
Andy's eyes widened. "How?"
"He walked in on me feeding," CC told him. "Then ran off. We need to find him."
"Preferably before he tells someone," Jinxx added.
"Too late," Andy observed, staring over CC's shoulder; CC turned and groaned softly as he beheld Pat and Richard aproaching them, Richard still looking incredibly shocked.
"Fuck," CC muttered. Andy rubbed his shoulder comfortingly.
"You boys have some explaining to do," Pat said as he approached. "All of you."
CC glanced among his boyfriends. Jinxx heaved a sigh. "I guess this was inevitable. We would have had to tell them eventually." He raised his voice. "Back to the RV," he said. "Let's not do this here."
Pat nodded, and the six of them turned back to head for the RV. CC felt eyes on him before he left the clearing and looked back over his shoulder. His eyes locked with the strangely burning gaze of William Control for a few intense seconds before the latter looked away.
CC shook his head―that had been strange. He followed after his boyfriends, and within a few minutes they were all arranged in the living area of the RV again―the four vampires sitting together on and around the couch, and the two humans across from them.
"What the fuck," Richard began.
CC winced. "Sorry, dude. I think I scared you."
"No shit," Richard said. "You were drinking blood, for Christ's sake! And your eyes―" He cut himself off, shaking his head. "What the fuck?"
"There's a reason we didn't tell you," Jinxx said placatingly. "The danger we'd have put you in―"
"Wait, hold on," Richard said, his gaze snapping to the eldest vampire. "We?"
Andy nodded. "We're vampires, Richard. All five of us." Not that Ashley was with them, CC noted―in fact, he hadn't seen the bassist at all since last night's shoot.
The look on Pat's face confirmed that he'd known, or at least suspected, and wasn't at all surprised to learn the truth. Richard looked a little more dumbfounded. "Vampires?" the artist repeated faintly.
Jake nodded. "Vampires."
"We would have told you," CC said. "But I'm still a fledgling. I'm dangerous. And it's dangerous for you as humans to be associated with us―the rest of the shadow world seems to have a problem with vampires having human friends." He scowled as he recalled his own experience in that regard.
"Besides that," Jake added, "we didn't want to scare you away. People don't tend to take kindly to the fact that the people they're working with are vampires. I'm honestly surprised you haven't run away screaming yet."
"Particularly after walking in on me feeding," CC said. "That can't have been a pleasant sight."
"I'm just glad," Richard said, a little haltingly, but far calmer than CC had expected given the shock still lingering in his expression, "that you weren't actually...feeding on a human."
Jinxx shook his head. "We don't do that. Not without consent from the human. It's a violation of the human―no offense, but you can't exactly stop us―and it's dangerous for the human as well, depending on the vampire's ability to control his hunger. Besides that, it's just plain rude."
"You're calmer about this than I thought you'd be," Andy remarked. He glanced at Pat. "You knew?"
"I suspected," Pat shrugged. "You're fairly good at hiding it, but I've spent enough time around you to pick up on subtle differences." He frowned. "Didn't realize you were vampires, though―I knew you weren't human, but that's the extent of it."
"You didn't even know vampires existed, did you?" Andy chuckled.
Pat grinned ruefully. "Not in the slightest. I suspected once I figured out you weren't human, but...I had no proof until now." He tilted his head. "How old are you, anyway? CC said he's a fledgling, but the rest of you can't be."
Jinxx shrugged. "Somewhere around two hundred and forty."
Pat's eyes widened. "All of you?"
"Just me," Jinxx clarified. "Jake's closer to a hundred and thirty, and Andy's only sixty-three―practically adolescent by vampire standards."
Richard stared at Andy for a moment before he said, "I knew you were lying about your age!"
A laugh startled out of CC; his boyfriends were in a similar situation, Richard's comment unexpected enough to jar the tense atmosphere. Andy buried his face in his hands with a groan, though CC could see the grin he was hiding.
Beside him, Jake leaned over to murmur something in Jinxx's ear that even CC's enhanced hearing couldn't pick up as the laughter died down. Jinxx nodded, ever so slightly, and CC shot Jake a questioning look as he settled back down. Jake just took his hand, a clear message―you'll find out in a minute.
"Technically," Andy said, lifting his head again and glaring playfully at Richard, "I didn't lie. Like Jinxx said, I'm still a teenager by vampire standards."
"Okay, but you're sixty-three," Richard said emphatically. "And you look like you're twenty-five. Eighteen was a bit of a stretch, don't you think?"
Andy shrugged. "Seemed like the right thing at the time. I have to say I'm surprised you bought it so easily."
Richard shrugged. "It seemed best not to argue."
Jake cleared his throat. "Since we seem to be airing secrets..." he began, and CC exchanged a surprised look with Andy. They had only one other secret...so that was what he'd been whispering to Jinxx about, asking his permission.
Pat raised an eyebrow as Jake hesitated. "Go on," he prompted.
Jake took a breath, then said, "We're...together. The five of us." He squeezed CC's hand as if in emphasis and offered them a soft, radiant smile that made CC want to kiss him and prove his point.
Jake paused to let the two humans piece it together. Pat figured it out first. "You're gay?" he said bluntly.
CC exchanged looks with the others. "Yes," Andy said simply. "Gay, poly, and happy with each other."
To CC's relief, Pat smiled. "Then I'm happy for you."
Richard smiled too. "That's great, guys. You deserve to be happy." He narrowed his eyes, though CC could sense that any ill will about the vampire situation had passed. "Even if you didn't tell me you're vampires."
"We've been over this," Jinxx chuckled wryly.
Pat rolled his eyes. "If you'll all stop bickering, we can finish our conversation from earlier and then maybe start getting this movie filmed?"
CC grinned as Richard protested that he needed to eat first. Andy assured them it wasn't a problem, they could wait; CC buried his nose in Jake's shoulder as the humans once more exited the RV.
"Why'd you tell them?" he mumbled.
He felt Jake tense a little and pressed an absent kiss to his collar. "I'm not upset. Just curious."
Jake half-shrugged, careful not to disturb CC's position. "If we're going to be stuck out here for the next few months, I want to be able to be affectionate without having to hide it. Besides, they're our friends―it was likely they'd find out anyway. I'd rather have been the one to tell them outright than have them potentially walk in on us, or hear it from someone else."
CC felt Andy stand up from his spot on CC's other side and walk around to bestow a kiss upon the guitarist. "I'm kind of glad you did, to be honest," he said, and CC smiled into Jake's skin as he felt the singer brush a hand through his hair. "I'm happy they know."
"I'm just happy they reacted well," Jinxx murmured. "I was a little worried that they wouldn't."
CC felt Jake lean over to kiss him and let out a muffled noise of protest at the movement that made all three of his boyfriends laugh. Jake settled again and pressed a kiss into CC's hair before addressing Jinxx. "I knew they would. But I also know why you asked for us to keep it secret in the first place, which is why I asked your permission first."
CC could hear the smile in Jinxx's soft voice as he replied, "Thank you for doing that."
"Of course, Jinxxy," Jake said, and CC felt him shift slightly―presumably pulling the violinist closer to him.
Andy ran his fingers through CC's hair again, and CC let out a soft purr; it really was a comforting feeling. He raised his head enough to see Andy's smile and returned it; knowing he really hadn't done anything wrong now that Richard had gotten over the shock of it all, he could allow himself to relax.
CC didn't know how long the four of them stayed that way―contented silence, just cuddling, bolstered by the knowledge that they were safe with each other and with their human friends―before the door opened again and Pat and Richard filed back in. Both humans stopped at the sight of the four of them. Pat smiled, but Richard seemed intent on not letting them have any peace.
"Well, you guys certainly wasted no time once we left," he said, too loudly―CC winced and buried his nose in Jake's shoulder again, slightly annoyed. "Ready to get back to work?"
Andy let out a long-suffering sigh that CC thought conveyed the sentiment well enough for all of them, but moved back to his spot beside CC. The drummer raised his head, though he made no move to pull away from Jake otherwise, and with that they got to work once more.
―――――――――――――――
The too-loud ringtone of the phone echoed through the desert, and Andy cursed, both from being startled and from the interruption.
"Cut!" Pat yelled, shooting him a sympathetic look.
"You better take that," Jake told him. "Judging by how loud it is, either you forgot to turn down your ringer or this is important."
"Or both," Andy muttered, annoyed at the interruption. "You'll be okay?" They were filming the performance footage of "Lost It All," and though the sun was getting lower in the sky, it was far from true sunset and would remain dangerous to them for hours yet.
"Go," Jinxx laughed. "We'll be fine."
Andy nodded and pulled his phone out of his back pocket (hidden there so it wouldn't be seen on camera, since the Prophet was not supposed to have a phone), answering the call as he walked away from the set.
"What?" he snarled into it before the person on the other end could say a thing―he hadn't checked the caller ID and had no idea who it was.
"Sorry," came Joe's voice. "Is this a bad time?"
"Joe?" Andy couldn't keep the surprise out of his voice. "Yeah, it's a bad time, we're kind of filming a movie here."
"Oh, yeah, sorry, I didn't realize you'd be shooting during the day," Joe apologized. "But―Andy, I found your dad."
Andy's world seemed to stop. "You did?" he breathed.
He could picture Joe's nod. "I did. He still lives in Cincinnati, and from what I could find he's doing fairly well for himself for all that he's a 90-year-old man." Joe's voice softened. "I was looking through his Twitter. It's mostly sports, and pictures―of a woman that I'm guessing is your mom, and of you."
Andy was sure that if his heart still beat, it would have stopped then out of pure shock and alarm. "Of―me?"
"Not recent photos," Joe said. "Er, not of you as you look now, anyway. Photos of you as a kid―up until around eighteen, if I'm estimating right."
Andy's throat felt constricted. "What does he―say? With the photos?"
"Usually it's just captioned something along the lines of 'my son' and the age you are in the photo, sometimes with a memory, a description of what was happening. He rarely uses your name, and there's never a year attatched to the age." Andy closed his eyes as Joe's voice softened again. "It's pretty obvious he really loves you, even after all this time."
Your father's never given up hope that wherever you were, you were safe. His aunt's words echoed through his head again. Andy had turned those words over in his brain until they had lost any semblance of meaning...and yet...he still hadn't really dared to believe that the phrasing meant his father was still alive.
But now...
"Can you set up a meeting?" The words tumbled out of him in a rush. "DM him, or something, and..."
"Yeah," Joe agreed as Andy trailed off, at a loss for words. "Yeah, I'll try and talk to him. What do you want me to say?"
Andy hesitated, thinking, then said haltingly, "The truth...or part of it. Just say..." He bit his lip, hissing slightly as a fang he hadn't realized had slid out pierced the skin. "Just say his son is alive, and wants to talk to him. Tell him I'll fly out to Cincinnati―I'm not gonna force him to come out here, not at his age."
"Okay." A pause. "I'll text you what he says so I don't interrupt your filming again."
"Thank you." Andy hated the way his voice nearly broke―this was too much. Alive. Alive. He's alive.
He's been alive all this time and you never once sought him out.
"No problem, Andy," Joe said. "I'll let you get back and text you later."
He hung up before Andy could reply, and Andy stared at his phone for a moment, still trying to process what Joe had just told him. It's pretty obvious he really loves you, even after all this time. Andy, I found your dad. Usually captioned with the words 'my son'...
He'salivehe'salivehe'salive
And you never once bothered to find that out for yourself.
Idiot.
Coward.
How the fuck are you going to face him?
Andy turned his phone to silent mode and shoved it back in his pocket, then turned and headed back to the set, trying to shake off the anxiety beginning to press down on him. His boyfriends regarded him with concerned looks, but Andy shook his head at them.
"Later," he murmured. "I can't―we need to focus right now."
"You good?" Pat called.
Andy took a deep, steadying breath, wishing he could still hear CC's heartbeat to calm him. "I'm fine," he said, and all but forced himself to slip back into Prophet mode. "Let's get this thing filmed."
Only once they'd gotten the footage done as perfectly as Pat deemed necessary did Andy pull his phone out again, though he'd felt it vibrate a half hour before they finished shooting. He opened it to Joe's message and stopped where he stood, staring at the two small words he'd typed.
He's in.
Dots appeared, and a moment later so did details. Your old address in Cincinnati, I guess he hasn't moved. Unless you want to meet somewhere else. He's amenable.
Andy's breath hitched; why was he still breathing? That was only going to make this harder on him―his anxiety had gone into a sharp nosedive.
Cincinnati. I have to go back. I said I would, I'm not dragging my elderly father out to California, but―my old house. In Cincinnati. I can't, I can't, I can't, not after everything, not after all this time, I can't, I can't―
You can. Andy startled himself with the ferocious thought, cutting through the static of anxiety. You can face this. You can face him.
How? After all this time, after everything, how can I go back? How can I go back and enter that house and talk to my fucking dad―
Shut the fuck up. You can do this.
Andy wasn't sure where that stronger voice had come from―somewhere deep in his subconscious, probably―but it served, at least, to temporarily silence the anxiety-fueled stream of self-doubt and self-loathing.
"Andy?" Jinxx's voice. Andy looked up from his phone to see the violinist's concerned face peering at him. "Are you okay?"
"No," Andy said truthfully. "Go inside. I'll...I'll come explain in a moment."
Jinxx frowned, but didn't argue, disappearing into the RV. Andy looked down at his phone again, taking another deep breath on reflex.
I'll be there. I need to talk to Pat and my boyfriends about when, but I'll be there as soon as possible.
Another brief pause, then Joe's reply. There's a key under the doormat is all he says. He'll likely be upstairs.
Thank you, Joe. I don't know how I can ever repay you for this.
Don't mention it, Andy.
Andy switched to Pat's contact and sent him a simple message. RV. I need you there.
He turned off his phone before Pat could reply, then strode the last few steps towards the door and walked in.
His boyfriends were already there, arranged in the living area. All of them stopped moving when Andy appeared.
"Andy?" Jake questioned from near the fridge, where he'd evidently been going for a blood bag.
"I'm waiting for Pat," Andy replied. "It'll be just a minute."
Jake nodded and returned to his task, but Jinxx's and CC's eyes both remained trained on him, as if they could see through the turmoil of what all he'd learned this afternoon to the core of it: his dad was alive.
Pat, somewhat out of breath, entered the RV barely thirty seconds later. Jake had just ripped open his blood packet; Pat paid it no mind, his attention going right to Andy.
"What's going on?" the human asked.
Andy wrapped his arms around himself somewhat subconsciously, fighting with himself. You have to tell them. Just say it and get it over with.
"My dad's alive," he said in a rush, and saying the words aloud made it hit just how real this all was. He closed his eyes, trying to keep his thoughts in order. "My dad's alive and I need to get on the first flight back to Cincinnati that I can. I have to see him."
He opened his eyes again to find his boyfriends and Pat all looking at each other.
"We need to film Eve's part of the story anyway," Pat said. "We can take a few days and do that in the city while you go."
"Andy," Jake murmured, the blood forgotten. "Let us come with you."
Andy looked up. "What?"
"Let us come with you," CC repeated, standing from his spot on the couch and walking over to wrap his arms around Andy. Andy accepted the drummer's embrace, fingers finding the fabric of his Destroyer vest and holding on. "You don't have to do this alone."
"You don't have to go back to that city, alone," Jinxx added. "You don't have to introduce us to your dad or anything, but...you shouldn't be alone in this."
Andy looked around at each of them, sure his warpaint was smudged and not caring in the slightest. "You'd do that for me?"
CC kissed him lightly. "Of course we would, Andy."
"Book that flight," Pat said. "I'll pay for it."
Andy glanced at him sharply. "Pat, you don't have to―"
"I have a little extra to spare," Pat said firmly. "And don't even try to argue, Andy―I'm doing this for you."
Andy had no idea what to say, and so he didn't speak, just nodded and buried his face in the crook of CC's neck. Whatever happened next, it could never be said that the people he cherished most in his life didn't love him―and for that, even as his mind ran wild with anxiety, Andy would be forever grateful.
~~~~~~~~~
Andy held tight to Jake's hand as they stepped out of their Uber. Andy had called it straight from the airport, and now here they were, standing outside the door of his childhood home.
"I can't do this," he said, looking up at its peaceful, painfully familiar facade.
"Yes you can," Jake murmured, pressing a kiss to his temple. "And we'll be right downstairs."
"We're here for you, Andy," Jinxx said, already bending to retrieve the key from under the doormat. "No matter what happens in there."
CC kissed him. "You'll be okay."
Andy offered them a weak smile. "Thanks, guys." He steeled himself; Jake squeezed his hand in reassurance, and Andy accepted the key from Jinxx.
Then he unlocked the door and stepped inside.
It was like walking into a memory. It seemed almost nothing had changed since the last time he'd been in here, forty years before―there were a few more pictures of his mother, and a lot more of him than he remembered, but everything else was the same. Updated appliances were the only other change he could see.
And the scent...
That was his father, alright. Despite never having been in the presence of Chris Biersack as a vampire, Andy would have known that scent in a heartbeat―it was familiar, comforting, family.
It was his dad.
Andy swallowed and handed Jinxx the key. The older vampire pulled him into a soft kiss; CC and then Jake repeated the action.
"We'll be right here," Jake murmured softly, and Andy nodded before turning to face the staircase.
He swallowed again, and ascended.
The steps creaked slightly beneath his weight―he was thin, but this house was old and the stairs had always been creaky. They were remarkably sturdy, despite the creak, and Andy knew they would not break.
He knew instantly which door would lead him to his father once he reached the second-floor landing, and yet he hesitated. It was hard enough being back in the city, back here in this house; could he really go through with this?
You can. You can do this.
Andy drew in a shaky breath and pushed open the door to his father's office.
Chris turned in his chair, and Andy stopped there on the threshold, staring at his father's face. More lined, more tired, more aged than he remembered―his hair more silver than brown now―but it was the same face that filled some of Andy's most cherished memories of childhood.
His father's dark eyes were wide as he studied every inch of his son. Andy was well aware he didn't look a day older than twenty-three (or twenty-five, as people kept commenting) and suddenly felt self-conscious about the fact. But then―
"Andy?"
Hearing his dad's voice break on his name sent Andy over the threshold and into the room. "Dad," he said, hating how choked the word sounded.
And then they were hugging―Andy hadn't even registered Chris standing up. He was taller, he realized, though that shouldn't have been a surprise―he was taller than everyone. His father's embrace was as strong and warm as he remembered―Andy realized with a shock that he must be freezing, compared to his father.
They pulled apart, and Chris studied Andy's face again. "How?" he asked weakly.
Andy told him. He left out a lot of details, but he found that in spite of all his anxieties, once he started talking, he couldn't stop. Chris listened, sorrow clouding his face as Andy told him what had happened, how he'd met the guys, and what he was doing now.
"Oh, Andy," Chris said when Andy finally finished, his throat dry. "My poor boy―why didn't you tell us? Why didn't you come back?"
"I was scared," Andy admitted, his voice breaking. "Gods, Dad, I was so scared. And I hated myself―for a long while, I hated everything. I didn't want you to see what I'd become, and by the time I learned to control myself enough for it to be a possibility, we'd moved on―and I didn't want anything to do with this city." He looked down. "I still don't, not really. But I had to see you."
"Andy," Chris sighed. "I understand. But we wouldn't have hated you."
"Well, I know that now," Andy mumbled, and Chris laughed. His smile faded as Andy went on. "I didn't at the time. I was lost for a long while." He smiled slightly. "The others helped. A lot."
"Your bandmates?" Chris queried, and Andy nodded his clarification.
"They're here," he said. "They came with me. I...didn't want to do this alone." He shifted. "We're, ah, filming a movie to go with our upcoming record, so I can't stay more than the day."
Chris's eyes sparked with intrigue. "A movie?"
Andy nodded. "My friend Pat is directing. We've got a whole team. It's been...quite the experience. We're a month in and just about halfway done, but it's still gonna take another month or two before it's finished."
"That sounds really amazing, Andy," Chris said, and Andy ducked his head. Chris wasn't finished. "I should listen to your music. Support you while I can."
Andy looked up again. "Dad, you don't have to―"
"Andy, I just found out you're still alive and living the dream you've had since you were a kid and rock was first emerging as a genre," Chris said seriously. "And I'm your father. I'm going to support you―that's all I ever wanted to do."
Andy smiled. "Thanks, Dad."
Chris studied him. "Your mother would be so proud of you."
"Her sister told me that too," Andy said. "Joe's mom flew her out to L.A., to be put in a nursing home close to where Joe lives. I talked to her." He cast his eyes down. "Joe told me about Mom."
"She never stopped believing you were alive," Chris told him. "Even at the end. She knew you were still out there." He smiled sadly. "I think she may finally have some peace now."
Andy returned the sad smile, and they stood there in silence for a moment, remembering Amy. Then, somewhat abruptly, Andy blurted, "Do you want to meet them?"
Chris looked at him, confused, and Andy elaborated. "The others. Do you want to meet them?"
Chris brightened as he got it. "Sure, if you're willing."
Andy nodded. "Stay here, Dad, I'll be right back―they're just downstairs."
He left the office and all but flew down the steps. His boyfriends looked up in surprise.
"Everything okay?" Jake asked.
Andy nodded. "He's cool with it, with my story―he barely blinked when I told him I'm a vampire. I want to introduce you guys to him." He paused. "And I want to come out. Get it out of the way now so I'm not left wondering." He glanced at Jinxx. "Only if you're comfortable."
Jinxx nodded without hesitation. "He's your dad, Andy," he explained when Andy looked at him in surprise. "It's your call. And I don't mind if it's what you want, for your family."
Andy kissed him. "Then come on."
He took CC's hand as they filed back up the stairs; CC glanced at him and smiled. Andy entered the office again first, his boyfriends filing in behind him.
"Dad," he said, as Chris watched them fill the comparatively small room, "this is Jake, Jinxx, and CC..." He paused and smiled a little shyly at each of them. "...My boyfriends."
"Nice to meet you," Chris said politely, and then the rest of what Andy had said sunk in. Andy braced himself for impact―he had no idea how his father, a man raised in a very homophobic society, would react.
To his surprise, all Chris did was tilt his head. "Boyfriends, you say?"
Andy nodded. "I'm gay. And poly. We all are." Somehow it seemed easier to say the words each time.
Chris studied each of his boyfriends in turn, then turned his gaze back on Andy. "Do they make you happy?"
Andy was so thrown off guard by the lack of any negative reaction that it took him a second to reply. "Yes. They do. They make me more happy than anything else in this world, even music."
Chris held his gaze, then looked at each of his boyfriends again. "You take care of my son," was all he said.
"We will, sir," Jinxx replied quietly.
"For eternity," Jake added.
"And maybe even beyond," CC finished.
Chris nodded. "How long can you stay? I might as well get to know my son's boyfriends while you're here."
The three of them exchanged surprised glances; Andy smiled and squeezed CC's hand.
"A few hours," Jinxx said. "Then we're right back on a plane to California."
Chris considered for a moment, then nodded again. "I can deal with a few hours. Come on, down the stairs―I daresay we'll be more comfortable in the living room than cramped up here."
And with that, Andy's dad led the way out of the room.
His boyfriends all looked at one another, then at him. "Your dad is a very different man than I'd expected," Jake said.
Andy glanced after him. "Me too." He smiled at them. "Well, come on. We don't want to keep him waiting."
And he led his boyfriends down into the living room.
It was only much later that night, curled up in an airplane seat on the flight back to California, that Andy realized Ashley―despite coming to Cincinnati with them―hadn't been there at all.
―――――――――――――――
Another month had gone by, and finally it seemed they were almost finished shooting the movie. Jinxx had to say he was glad―he wanted to be out of the desert, and they still had a couple of songs to finish tracking before they left for a press tour.
That wasn't to say the past month hadn't been eventful. Andy's dad had rapidly become their most vocal supporter, a fact that both seemed to embarrass and please Andy. Pat, Richard, and their teams had worked everyone hard, but it had paid off―one of Pat's friends had shown Jinxx some of the footage they'd already cleaned up and edited together, and it looked amazing. Alicia Vigil, the young actress they'd hired to play Eve Black, turned out to be one of the nicest people on set; Jinxx liked her immediately, and indeed had held a couple of enlightening conversations with her about music and religion.
Yet it was William Control that had been the biggest surprise.
They'd been so caught up in filming the Wild Ones' march to the prison one day that the vampires had forgotten to reapply their protection. It was only once the take finished and they were allowed to take a water break that Jinxx had realized it had been over an hour and nothing had happened. A quick glance around the set had seen William Control, wearing his Voice of F.E.A.R. costume, leaning against one of the tents they'd pitched as part of the Wild Ones' camp with a smug little smirk on his face.
The vampires had gone over to him at Jinxx's insistence, and William's smirk had been absolutely infuriating as he'd explained to them that he was a warlock (letting tendrils of dark purple smoke that he'd conjured out of nowhere swirl through his fingers in emphasis), and had cast a sort of magical sun shield over the five of them to protect them during their daylight filming. Jinxx didn't know the man all that well―he'd had minimal interaction with their Voice of F.E.A.R. in the studio, and less so on the set before that point, but since then the five of them had spent a good deal more time with him. Jinxx found that, despite his somewhat infuriating tendency to conjure things at random just because he could and that damned smirk that seemed almost constantly affixed to his face, he liked the warlock―who was really quite the quiet man, once you got past the smoke and the smirk.
All that said, he wouldn't be upset to get a break from it all.
They were gathered one afternoon in the band's RV once more, waiting until dark to film the funeral scene that would become part of "New Years Day" in the movie. They'd agreed it was easier to simply let William light the fire from behind the camera; technically it was the Mystic's power, but for filming purposes, Jinxx figured they could get away with using an actual warlock. Right now, however, they were simply hanging out.
William was there, perched on the edge of the kitchen counter; he seemed to like his Voice of F.E.A.R. costume, because Jinxx hadn't yet seen him without it here in the desert. Jinxx, Jake, and CC were all on the couch, Jinxx attempting to read his book while CC proved an effective distraction by playing with his hair and Jake making no move to stop it, absorbed in something on his phone. Andy, for no discernible reason, was laying on the floor, talking to William upside down. Pat and Richard sat in the dining room, conversing quietly and observing everything.
"I'm just saying," Andy said emphatically, drawing Jinxx's attention out of his book. "It'd be easier to police the shadow world if we had warlocks putting spells and wards in place to keep attacks on humans to a minimum."
William shook his head, chuckling. "That's not how it works, bloodsucker. It takes a lot of energy to do complex spells, and there aren't enough warlocks in the world to be able to bear the burden of keeping them maintained. Besides, warlocks tend to be selfish bastards―I doubt anyone would be willing to throw that much effort into it anyway."
"Does that statement include yourself, Control?" Jinxx asked, raising his eyebrow at the warlock.
William grinned. "It does."
"At least you're honest about it," Jake laughed.
"I'm nothing if not honest," William smirked, and Andy laughed.
"That's the most bullshit thing I've ever heard," the singer snorted. "And I've heard a lot of bullshit in my life."
William laughed. "You're funny, bloodsucker."
Andy grinned. "Not intentionally."
Jinxx smiled and went back to his book―or tried to, but CC abruptly stopped playing with his hair and pressed a kiss to his jaw. "I'll be right back," he murmured, and got up.
Jinxx glanced back at Jake, who shrugged, no more informed about the abruptness of the drummer's departure than Jinxx was. He shook his head and refocused on his book, trying to find the sentence he'd stopped on...there.
It couldn't have been more than five minutes before CC returned, settling again at Jinxx's side. Jinxx hadn't entirely realized how comforting the drummer's weight was until he sat back down and Jinxx relaxed; he hadn't even noticed that he'd tensed slightly with the lack of contact.
Jinxx looked up and smiled at him, accepting the kiss CC gave him in return. Jinxx didn't know how they'd ever gotten on without him―the fledgling was so much a part of their lives at this point that Jinxx wondered how he'd functioned for two hundred and forty years without his energetic, kindhearted presence.
He did notice as CC settled down again that he was chewing on something, and frowned slightly. "Ceese," he said, though his voice seemed too loud in the relative quiet that had fallen over the RV (except for Pat and Richard, who were still working away). "What's in your mouth? You can't eat human food anymore."
CC looked at him strangely; obviously intrigued, Andy pushed himself to a sitting position. "It's just gum, man," he said. "Pretty strong mint gum, actually, but this is a brand I've never tried before."
Jinxx exchanged a surprised look with the others. I didn't know we could chew gum. Though I guess...it's not technically food, and you spit it out when the flavor's gone...but, wait...
"You can taste it?" Andy asked, sounding incredulous.
CC looked very confused. "Of course I can. Why do you all look so surprised?"
There was silence for a moment before Jake said quietly, "We haven't been able to taste anything except blood in decades. Centuries, for Jinxx and I."
Jinxx saw the moment it clicked in CC's eyes. "Oh, man. That's...I didn't even realize. I mean, I knew being a vampire means we can't eat normal food, but..."
Jinxx smiled, a little sadly. "It's okay, Ceese. You're a fledgling still. You couldn't have known."
"Still, I should have realized," CC said.
Jinxx leaned forward and kissed him. "Shut up. It's not a big deal."
It kind of was, if Jinxx was being honest with himself―at least for him―but he didn't want CC to berate himself over something so inconsequential.
"Do you have more?" Andy inquired.
"Of course," CC said. "I've got a whole pack. You guys want some?"
"Yes," Jake said without hesitation. "I was never a huge fan of gum, but if it means we can taste certain things again..."
Jinxx smiled at him as CC dug into his pocket for the pack. He tossed a stick to each of them, and Jinxx leaned over to kiss him again in response.
"Thank you," he said, and meant it.
~~~~~~~~~
It was much later that night, when the shoot had wrapped up and everyone had dispersed to sleep, that Jinxx found himself walking a ways away from the set, simply enjoying the night.
It was quiet out here, quieter than any city could ever be, and Jinxx liked it. There was a desolate sort of loneliness to it, but it was also calming, peaceful in a way Jinxx hadn't been able to find in decades.
The peace he felt with his boyfriends was different. It was a peace of contentment, a peace of love, a peace born of the knowledge that with them he was safe and cared for and valued for who he was. It was a peace of heart, comfortable in his certainty that what they had was special―that neither time nor trouble would ever break that bond, that love. And it was a peace of familiarity, of how used to the way their energies matched with each other he was, of the feeling seeing their faces or saying their names gave him.
But here, under the night sky where everything was calm and quiet, it was a different kind of peace. A stillness, a moment where reflection and introspection could be heard above the clamor of his own head, a place to relax. A peace of mind in a world that was too fast, too bright, too loud, a world that was constantly moving and changing and hurting those left in its wake. This was the peace of stars in the sky and still water in a natural pool.
Jinxx loved it.
He'd been restless for a long time, never able to settle, unsure what he wanted with his life when he had eternity ahead of him. The only constants had been Kian and his violin, and even then there had been periods where he fell out of touch with his friend. And somehow two hundred years had slipped by with him barely noticing, and not once had he been able to find peace, not of this sort.
Jinxx took a deep breath of the clean, cool night air, knowing it was unnecessary but wanting to feel it, to let it settle into his soul. It all seemed so eternal, he thought―the endless desert, the sprawling expanse of stars above him, the mountains far in the distance. It was hard to fathom that he was eternal too, out here―that things could change and evolve and move on, and yet he would remain, as untouched by time as this place.
He sensed his boyfriends behind him before any of them spoke a word, and made no move to react as one by one, they came to stand around him. An arm slid around his waist, and a moment later Jake murmured in his ear, "We wondered where you'd gone, so we came to find you."
Jinxx looked at him and smiled. "I'm not objecting."
"Why out here?" CC asked.
Jinxx half-shrugged. "It's quiet. Peaceful." He huffed a laugh. "I needed a little peace after working on this movie for two months."
"I think we can all understand that," Andy laughed softly. "It's definitely been a long couple of months."
Jake kissed him softly. "What was on your mind?"
Jinxx shrugged again. "Eternity." And he said nothing more, but his boyfriends seemed to understand. They fell silent for a moment, all of them lost in contemplation as Jinxx had been moments before. He smiled, tucked into Jake's side, marveling at how much he loved them―it seemed like it shouldn't be possible for one heart to contain that much love, and yet Jinxx felt about ready to burst with it. He could scarcely imagine his life without them, not now that he had them, now that he knew what he'd be missing.
Don't forget to live a little, Jinxx. You've got forever ahead of you to figure out what makes you happy, but don't forget to live.
The last words his brother had spoken to him echoed through Jinxx's head again. He had forgotten to live―had spent decade after decade searching for something to give his life purpose, and forgetting to experience it in the meantime. But now, with his boyfriends, with the band, he'd found what he was looking for. He could honor his brother's last wish at last.
"Look at the stars," Andy breathed, breaking the silence, and Jinxx glanced at him before looking up.
The sight was dizzying. Stars―so many stars, spread out overhead like so many diamonds glinting far above them. With the lack of light pollution out here, Jinxx could see so many more than he ever could in the city―hundreds of thousands, the sky painted in breathtaking shades of blue and purple, the outlines of what could have been nebulae forming patterns in the never-ending expanse.
"I've never seen so many," CC breathed. "I've lived in the city my whole life―I didn't even know this was possible."
Jinxx reached out blindly, never taking his eyes off the stars, and took CC's hand; the drummer squeezed it gently in silent acknowledgement.
"It's breathtaking," Jake murmured, and now Jinxx glanced at him, at all of them, the starlight dancing on their pale skin, shining in their eyes. They were beautiful―the most beautiful things he'd ever seen, Jinxx thought. Fallen angels indeed.
Without warning, Jinxx sat down, effectively pulling both Jake and CC with him. Andy followed them to the ground, and Jinxx lay back, staring up at the stars again. Beside him, after what he was sure were smiles exchanged between the three of them, Jinxx felt Jake and CC lay down as well; a moment later Andy had laid across their legs, raising his head enough to grin at them before settling back down.
"We're all made of stardust," Jinxx told them, his eyes searching for constellations he recognized in the endless map above him. "The calcium in our bones, the iron in our blood, the nitrogen in our DNA―all of it came from collapsing stars. Everyone on this planet, human or supernatural, is made of star stuff."
CC glanced at him. "How do you know that?"
Jinxx shrugged. "I read. You should try it sometime."
CC laughed and leaned over to kiss him. Jinxx smiled into it.
They fell silent again, content to simply lay there staring at the stars with each other. Jinxx was happy they'd joined him; it had been nice alone, but having his boyfriends there gave him a sense of completion. This was where he wanted to be―with them, always, forever by their sides.
"You guys mean everything to me," Jinxx murmured. "Words can never accurately express it."
Jake pressed himself closer to Jinxx's side. "Then don't speak," he murmured, and Jinxx turned his head to accept his kiss.
"You're our everything too, Jinxxy," Andy said, reaching up to find Jinxx's hand with one of his own. Jinxx took it, smiling.
CC rested his head on Jinxx's shoulder, his gaze still trained on the sky. "Forever," he said, and the others echoed the sentiment.
Jinxx cast his eyes back up to the stars and smiled.
―――――――――――――
A/N: This one started hard, wrote most of itself in a single day, and finished in the span of an hour...but I'm really proud of it (particularly the last part...I really love the stars ok). Hope you enjoyed as usual. Comments remain appreciated :3