by Megan Derr
"You suck at keeping things quiet,' Cassidy said, exasperated. "Though, I guess I should have known that when I saw the Maserati."
"So does that mean I can steal another kiss?" Malcolm asked sheepishly.
Cassidy sighed, but said with a faint smile, "If you must."
"Oh, I must," Malcolm murmured, and bent to steal it.
"Get a room," said a familiar voice a few moments later.
Malcolm drew back and smirked. "Like you and your lovely wife have any room to talk, King and Queen of the Kissing Contest."
Carlos smirked while his wife rolled her eyes. "Having fun, Cass?" Carlos asked.
"Lots", Cassidy replied.
"Good. I hear you're getting a teddy bear."
"Oh, for—" Malcolm threw up his hands and went to get another beer, while they all laughed.
Cassidy joined him a minute later, still laughing softly as he clung briefly to Malcolm's arm. "I was only teasing about the bear, Mal."
Even if he had been annoyed, hearing Cassidy call him 'Mal' would have banished it. "Oh, no," He replied, nipping the tip of Cassidy's nose. "If I don't win you a teddy bear, I will never hear the end of it. But I will have my revenge, fair warning."
"I'll have to keep you distracted, then," Cassidy murmured.
Malcolm felt his body go hot and tight, and it was only his view of the stage that kept him from dragging Cassidy somewhere secluded. "You are certainly welcome to try, babe. For now, teddy bears await." Especially if it kept Cassidy happy and smiling.
He was on his second round of ring toss, surrounded by tipsy, cackling, smack-talking office women, when an unfamiliar voice cut through the crowd. "Fucking hell—Cassidy?"
Cassidy jerked and went white, but turned around to face the speaker. "Bruce, man, long time no see."
"No shit!" Bruce said, and surged forward to embrace him, gripping his arm and clapping him on the back, laughing and cheering. Then he called out "Oi! Losers! This way! Look-it what I've found."
Malcolm thought he heard Cassidy mutter an 'oh, god' before two other men separated from the general crowd to join them. He looked all three of them over, as they mobbed Cassidy. Bruce was dark-featured and sort of rough-looking, but the way he smiled and spoke said it was all for show.
Jake was fair-haired with pale brown eyes, with a softer edge to him than Bruce. He was dressed more simply than the others, but there was a butterfly tattooed on the back of his hand. He was striking, rather than handsome…and it was damned interesting that the emerald ring he wore on his left ring finger exactly matched the one Eddie wore.
Eddie definitely had an edge the other two didn't; the sort of razor edge that spoke of authority, leadership. He was quite obviously in charge, and Malcolm recalled that Eddie was the drummer.
"Oh, my god!" Lindsay's voice cried out over the crowd, as she appeared abruptly from behind the ring toss. "I remember you!"
They all turned to face her, as she rushed up with Denny in tow. "You were his band buddies! I thought you were all the biggest dorks in the world." She laughed.
Bruce grinned and moved closer. "My, my, the little sister is all grown up, and so lovely."
"Hey, asshole," Cassidy said, yanking Bruce back. "Nine years doesn't mean the rules have changed. Rule number one is still Do Not Touch My Sister. I'll kill you."
Lindsay rolled her eyes, then smiled at Bruce. "Don't worry, I'll get his boyfriend to distract him, and then you can flirt with me."
"Boyfriend?" Eddie demanded, and rounded on Cassidy. "Never say Mr. Flirts With All Men has settled down with one man. What happened to hooking up all over the world with thousands of pretty boys?"
"Yes," Malcolm drawled, "what happened to those plans?"
Cassidy rolled his eyes. "I was eighteen. Anyway, you're pretty enough for a thousand, Mr. Seventeen Modeling Contracts." He turned to Eddie and said, "Shut up, Eddie. I can still kick your ass."
"Yeah, but then I'd have to kick yours," Jake interjected. "Or I'd get no sex for a very long time."
"What—" Cassidy gawked as they displayed their matching rings, both men looking somewhat embarrassed. "Since when—why the hell—goddamn it, you assholes, why didn't you tell me?"
"You sort of drifted away," Eddie said quietly. "We thought about bugging you a thousand times, but…" He shrugged. "Figured you'd moved on, didn't want to cling to what you'd put behind you. We always hoped you'd moved on to bigger and better things, man."
Cassidy shook his head. "I figured you didn't want to cling to the one who fell behind."
There was silence, then Jake laughed. "Guess you never noticed what we renamed the band."
"I didn't," Cassidy said. "Not until a month ago."
"Speaking of our name," Eddie said with obvious annoyance. "Ron's gone missing. He never came back to the hotel last night, and we still haven't fucking found him today. When I do find him, I'm going to tear his balls off and make him eat them."
Bruce grimaced. "On the bright side, this is the second time he's done this to us. Contract definitely broken."
"Yeah, but now we can't do the concert," Eddie said with a sigh. "That's our contract broken, and we really needed this chance."
Malcolm bit his tongue, really hoping someone else would suggest what he wanted.
It could not have been better than when the band mobbed Cassidy themselves. "Yo, Cass. Come sing for us. Bet anything you still can," Bruce said.
"What?" Cassidy stepped back, crashing into Malcolm. "That's crazy. Even if I could still sing that well—"
"Which you can," Malcolm cut in, shaking him hard from behind. "Unless you've never noticed on karaoke night that you leave a room full of hard-ons and wet panties."
Cassidy went bright red, and drove his elbow into Malcolm's stomach, while everyone else snickered.
"That aside," Cassidy hissed, twisting to shoot Malcolm a warning look before focusing on his old friends again, "I don't know any of your songs, or anything. I can't just pick up and go with it."
"Oh, screw that," Jake said, throwing an arm across Cassidy's shoulders. "Every song we've ever gotten from you, we've mastered. Well, as we can without you fucking bitching at us."
"Yeah," Jake said eagerly. "Totally sing with us, man. Just for today, if you want. It can be like old times, except you'll actually be up on a fucking stage like you always wanted."
Cassidy frowned and shook his head. "I don't—"
"Shut up," Eddie cut in. "Singers. Always so full of drama. Since when do you hesitate to steal the spotlight, Cass? Fuck, we couldn't slow you down in your race to get it."
"I see you're still as bossy as ever," Cassidy said with a scowl.
"Still the voice of sense and reason," Eddie retorted. "Come sing with us for the day. Even you sucking it up would be better than no singer at all, and I don't think you're capable of sucking at music. After that, you can go back to your normal life, promise. Whatever you want, man. Just sing with us tonight. We can be Four Butterflies again for a few hours."
Cassidy was silent, but not even a blind man could miss the longing in his eyes.
Malcolm turned him around and kissed him briefly—then shoved him hard into the circle of his band mates. "Sing a song for me, babe."
Before Cassidy could say a word, he was being dragged away toward the stage.
"Interesting," Antoine said from behind Malcolm, making him jump.
Malcolm glared at him—and at Wally, standing beside him. Antoine looked entirely too amused for Malcolm's health.
"We offered them a damned fine contract. One Butterfly Missing would be stupid to miss this chance. Never mind Ronald—had more than a few debts, he was in danger of being kicked out of the band. This performance would have fixed all that. But, I couldn't reach even his voicemail when I tried to call him. And with him oh so conveniently missing…"
Wally nodded in exaggerated agreement. "Curiouser and curiouser."
Malcolm gave a careless shrugged, and studied his beer bottle. "Guess he fo
und something better to do."
"I guess," Antoine said dryly, and rolled his eyes. When Malcolm said nothing, and clearly had no intention of speaking, he gave up with disgust and dragged Wally off into the crowds again.
Pointedly ignoring all the other curious stares he was getting, Malcolm went to find something to eat and another beer, and to hopefully win a teddy bear.
He'd just scored the ugliest electric blue and neon green bear in the world when the first strains of electric guitar stopped everyone short—and the sudden pouring out of Cassidy's smooth, smoky voice caused a long, startled silence.
Then the crowds of people exploded into noise and motion, headed for the stage as quickly as they could possibly manage. Drinks, food, games, and most conversation were all abandoned as everyone fought to get as close to the stage as they possibly could.
Malcolm cheerfully insinuated himself in the section cordoned off for the VIPs, nodding to Lindsay and Denny as they arrived with Antoine. He had a fresh beer in hand, but he was far more interested in drinking in Cassidy.
He looked born for the stage. He'd come to the picnic dressed still mostly as an office boy, if one relaxed enough to let Malcolm steal kisses.
Obviously his friend had scrounged some more fitting clothing and gotten Cassidy into them—or maybe Cassidy had gotten himself into them. That seemed more likely, really. Once Cassidy was in, he was all in.
And goddamn was he in—those too-tight jeans that looked so good, a black tank top, and goddamn if he hadn't managed a flat cap, pulled down low enough to add that indefinable something about him. The tease. Tattoos and rings, and the kind of voice that could make anyone and everyone do whatever Cassidy wanted.
The crowd was screaming and cheering before the song was half done, and were positively deafening after it wrapped up.
Malcolm spotted the Pack in the crowd, clustered close to the stage, and could tell they didn't yet recognize Cassidy.
"Greetings, beauties," Cassidy said to the crowd. "Lords and ladies, I hope you're up for real music. Anyone who prefers their rock watered down, leave now or suffer in silence. Joyce, you aren't screaming loud enough! Gimme a proper holler!"
Joyce's shriek that time probably deafened everyone in a ten-foot radius. "Cassidy? Oh, my fucking god, it's Cassidy!" At that, the rest of the accounting department women erupted into ear-splitting screams. Oh, lord, they would never leave Cassidy alone now. He'd better sign a contract just to escape them and save his life.
"Welcome to the party, one and all," Cassidy said. "Now let's get back to the music."
He began to sing again, only further enthralling the enamored crowd.
Malcolm cheered louder than any of them, and could not wait to show Cassidy personally just how fucking he loved and adored him, and how goddamn incredible he was.
"You totally rigged this," Antoine shouted in his ear.
Malcolm smiled, but said nothing in reply.
Antoine rolled his eyes, but gave up and went back to enjoying the concert and having one of his silent conversations with Wally.
Finally, to everyone's obvious reluctance, the concert wrapped up. He turned to Lindsay and Denny to see what they thought—to find Lindsay in tears, and Denny damned close to them.
"I always thought he was the biggest, most embarrassing dork growing up, before our parents died," Lindsay said, smiling and laughing and crying. "I used to tell him that all the time. I know he gave up singing and I mean, he sings around the house and stuff…but he's never sung like that. He should be a star. He would've been…"
Denny only nodded along with everything she said.
Malcolm draped his arms over their shoulders. "We should go tell him how magnificent he is, then. Come, on."
He led them away from the crowds and into his car, then drove them to the club where rooms were rented for the VIP after party. A few minutes later, Cassidy showed up with his band, Wally, and Antoine.
"Cassidy!" Lindsay and Denny bolted toward him, and threw themselves into their brother's arms. Cassidy laughed and hugged them, laughing all the more at the way they talked and cheered and exclaimed.
Giving them a few minutes, Malcolm turned to the other band members. "Given you haven't seen him in nine years, you guys play together like a dream."
Eddie shrugged. "We all met in third grade, man. We've been playing together ever since. That never stopped, just because were in different places."
"Now we just have to convince him to stick with us," Jake muttered, eying Cassidy. "It'd really suck if he didn't. Unless he really does have something better going?"
Malcolm shook his head. "This is precisely where he wants to be—and I think now he can be here, if he'll just realize that. I brought him this far, the rest is all him."
"Screw that," Bruce said. "The rest is up to how quickly we can duct tape him and throw him in the back of that Maserati I want to lift."
"Touch my car, and I'll kill you," Malcolm said.
Bruce rolled his eyes while the other two laughed at him.
"And no tying up my boyfriend," Malcolm added for good measure. "Or duct taping, or anything else."
"Who's tying who up?" Cassidy demanded.
Malcolm turned around and stole a kiss, fingers sliding through sweat-soaked curls. "Hundreds of people want to take you home tonight, babe. Lucky me, I'm the one who gets to do it."
Cassidy shook his head, but smiled and kissed him again. "Yes, you are. How did I do?"
"Perfect. Magnificent. Splendid. Sexy as fuck."
"You're already getting laid," Cassidy said with a laugh. "No need to flatter."
Malcolm took another lingering kiss, then reluctantly drew back. "So are you quitting the day job, too?"
"Yes," Wally said firmly, joining the circle. "Even if I have to tie him up and make him listen to bad music until he gives in."
"No," Eddie said matter-of-factly. "His boy toy already said no bondage."
Cassidy recoiled. "I—I can't just bail on my family now. It's hard, time-consuming work—"
"Cass!" Lindsay said, wiping away this. "We're fine. We'll be fine. Jeez, I'm in grad school and if Denny gets into trouble at college, cause I know you're fretting about it, you can fly over in your private jet and kick his ass, or whoever's ass."
"I don't have a private jet," Cassidy said in a weak attempt at a joke.
Malcolm scratched his nose and wisely said nothing.
"Yeah, bro," Denny said, voice a bit rough. "Go boss other people around for awhile. I'll walk the straight and narrow, if you're holding back for that. I'll punch them, or not, or whatever."
Cassidy stared at them hard—then he just seemed to let go, or melt. But all he said was a simple, "Okay."
"Okay?" Eddie demanded. "That's it?"
"Yeah, okay," Cassidy replied, grinning though he looked damned close to crying. "Your nine years of screwing around are officially over, bitches."
Malcolm swore the cheering then could be heard on the other side of the world. Then his arms were full of sweaty but happy and eager Cassidy, and Malcolm was more than willing to kiss him until the others finally made them stop.
"Uh—you don't mind me doing this, do you?" Cassidy asked, turning suddenly shy in that odd, endearing way of his.
Laughing, Malcolm tweaked Cassidy's nose and said, "Babe, I'm a jet set millionaire. Following my rockstar boyfriend around the country and world sounds like the life I've been waiting for."
Cassidy beamed, and kissed him again, ignoring the harassment of the others. Malcolm could feel him trembling ever so slightly, but fuck if he'd ever seen Cassidy happier.
Then Cassidy rounded on Wally and Antoine. "Shouldn't this require champagne or something? Especially after all the threats of duct tape and rope."
"Man, they weren't kidding about you being bossy," Antoine said. "It's already on its way. So, I guess the band name needs to change now, given you're found."
"Not change, so much as revert," Eddie said. "Metalmark, Pierrot, Karn
er, and Monarch has returned. The Four Butterflies are back."
Cassidy smiled, and threw himself at his band mates, embracing and laughing and recounting old stories until the champagne arrived and other guests began to trickle in.
Epilogue
It was a beautiful day for a ceremony. Sunny, warm but not hot, a nice breeze, barely any humidity, and everything, everyone, was just as bright as the weather.
