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When Willie first started dating the entirety of Sunset Curve— something he still has trouble believing is real and not just a prank— just the thought of spending time with all four of them at once was intimidating. Moving in with them was a distant, overwhelming thought, and that’s how it stayed for a while, but now that it’s actually happened Willie can’t imagine living anywhere else.
He doesn’t think he’d be able to function in the morning anymore if he didn’t have Bobby making him pancakes, and going to work would be awful if he didn’t know Reggie would be waiting for him with a rambling story about their day when he got home. The air is so constantly filled by Luke’s humming and singing and strumming that Willie couldn’t stand the silence if it ever reappeared, and he feels more at home in Alex’s arms than he’s ever felt in any other place he’s ever lived in. They all have their own separate bedrooms for when they need alone time, but Willie still finds he can’t sleep without one of his boys next to him, and it seems they feel the same about him.
Case in point: last night he went to bed alone, and this morning he wakes up to Bobby mumbling, “Mornin’, Pigeon,” into his chest.
Willie chuckles and runs a hand through Bobby’s hair, making sure to scratch the spot they know Bobby likes best. “Morning, Lovebug. When’d you get here?”
Bobby hums noncommittally, mumbles something intelligible, and wraps his arms tighter around Willie.
“What was that?” Willie asks, an amused smile tugging at their lips.
“Reg’s feet were cold,” Bobby says, turning his head slightly so Willie can hear him better. “And I missed you.”
“I missed you too.” A movement in the corner of his eye catches his attention, and he grins. “I don’t think I’m the only one. Hey, Sparky.”
Reggie emerges from their hiding spot by the door and flops down onto Willie’s bed. “Hey, Cupcake. Dumplin’.” He gives Willie and Bobby respectively a kiss on the cheek and cuddles up against Bobby’s back.
“No,” Bobby whines, kicking at him. “Go put on socks.”
“Socks in bed?” Reggie gasps. “I’m not a heathen.”
Bobby shoves them away. “Then torture Willie instead.”
“Gladly.” Reggie climbs over Bobby and flops down on the other side of Willie. Their cold feet slide up against Willie’s legs.
“That feels nice, actually,” Willie says, pulling Reggie closer. “Refreshing.”
“Sorry we can’t all be human space heaters,” Bobby grumbles.
“Speaking of,” Willie asks. “Where’re Luke and Lex?”
“Ray and Rose’s car broke down so they’re taking them to work,” Reggie says.
“Why both of them?” Willie asks.
“‘Cause Luke was pacing around like a dog that needed to be let out so Lex took him for a ride.”
Willie snorts. “Are we sure he’s not an actual golden retriever?”
“I’m sure he stuck his head out the window on the way there,” Bobby says. “Tongue out and everything.”
Willie giggles at the mental image that conjures. “Well my dears, what should we do while they’re gone?”
“Stay right here,” Reggie says, “and wait for them to get back so they can cuddle with us too.”
“We can’t stay here all day, Butterfly,” Willie says.
“Why not?” Bobby demands. “It’s Saturday. You don’t have work, we don’t have rehearsal or a show. We have nowhere to be.”
“Exactly,” Reggie agrees.
“I suppose so,” Willie concedes, “but I am hungry. We’ll have to eat at some point.”
“Already texted Luke,” Reggie says. “They’re gonna bring us McDonald’s.” Bobby makes a face and Reggie adds, “And Krispy Kreme for Bobbers.”
Bobby settles back down onto Willie’s chest with a contented hum. “See, Pigeon? It’s a cuddle day.”
“Okay,” Willie chuckles. “A cuddle day it is.” It’s not like he’s complaining at the thought of spending all day with his boyfriends on top of him.
It doesn’t take long for Luke and Alex to get home with the promised breakfast. As soon as they get back Luke is rushing into Willie’s bedroom and dropping down on top of them.
“Boys!” he shouts. “Guess what guess what guess what!”
Alex enters closely behind him, carrying several takeout bags. “Luke,” he warns, but he doesn’t get out any more before Luke blurts out—
“Ray and Rose got engaged!”
Reggie gasps as Alex elbows Luke.
“You weren’t supposed to tell,” Alex hisses.
“When did it happen?” Reggie asks. “How did it happen? Who proposed to who? Is there a ring? Do you have pictures? Are we invited to the wedding? Do you think Ray will let me be his best man? Oh! Or maybe the flower girl—”
“Take a breath, Princess,” Bobby chuckles.
Reggie does as they’re told, sucking in a deep breath.
“We don’t know all the details yet,” Alex says, handing out their breakfasts. “They told us right as we were dropping them off. And they wanted to tell you guys in person,” he adds, shooting a side-eyed glare at Luke. Luke pays him no mind, already halfway through his egg mcmuffin.
“Do they have a date yet?” Willie asks.
“Dunno,” Alex shrugs, “but they’re going to have an engagement party next weekend and we’re invited.”
“Of course we are,” Willie says with a cheeky grin, “we’re delights.” They joke, but they really are honored to be invited. It was hard at first, knowing that his four boyfriends had decades of history with each other. He used to worry a lot about whether or not he’d be able to fit into their lives as easily as they fit into his (because he didn’t have much of a life to begin with). The fact that he’s invited to such a significant moment in their closest friends’ lives means a lot.
“It’s gonna be at this real fancy club,” Luke pouts. “They’re making me wear sleeves.”
“Tragic,” Bobby snorts, earning a flick on the back of the head from Luke.
“It’s black tie,” Alex elaborates. “Some place called the Hollywood Ghost Club.”
Willie freezes, every muscle in their body going taut with terror. Bobby is the first to notice, since Willie’s hand tightens in his hair.
“Pigeon?” he asks, gently disentangling himself and sitting up to look at them. “What’s wrong?”
“It’s nothing,” Willie insists as they all turn to look at him. “It’s—it’s nothing. I’m fine.”
“It’s not nothing,” Reggie says, placing a gentle hand on Willie’s cheek. “You can talk to us, Wheels, it’s okay.”
Willie tries to argue but they can’t find the words— can’t breathe , actually now that they think about it. They don’t know what’s happening. A moment ago he was the most comfortable he’s ever been in his life but now it feels like the collective weight and heat of his boyfriends is crushing him down and burning him up from the inside out. And the hand on their cheek isn’t helping, is making it worse, because that’s how Caleb used to touch them and they want to scream but they can’t move, can’t think, can’t—
“Guys, give them some space,” someone says, maybe Alex.
All the weight and heat disappears, and with it goes the hand on his cheek. Willie lets out a relieved sob, curling up into as tight a ball as he can manage.
“Willie, can you hear me?” a different voice asks, definitely Bobby from how deep and soothing it is.
Willie nods.
“Good,” Bobby breathes. “Okay, baby, I need you to breathe with me. Just try your best, okay?”
Willie tries as hard as they can to follow Bobby’s deep, slow breaths. They try to remind themself where they are— in their room, with their boyfriends, safe and loved and nowhere near Caleb.
Except now he might have to see Caleb again, for the first time in sixteen years, and oh god what if he breaks down like this at the party? What if Caleb tries to take him back? What if his boys decide to dump him because of his weird fucked up behavior thanks to his weird fucked up foster dad—
“Wils.” Bobby’s voice cuts through his thoughts. “It’s okay, baby, you’re safe. Everything’s okay. Just breathe.”
Willie drags in a deep breath, trying to focus back on Bobby. He follows Bobby’s breathing as closely as they can, and after a while he slowly regains control.
“‘M sorry,” he mumbles, not looking up.
“You have nothing to be sorry for, Froggy,” Luke assures him. “What happened?”
Willie takes one more deep breath and props his chin on his arms so he can look at his boyfriends. They’re in a semicircle around him, all watching him with concern in their eyes.
“I, uh, I’ve mentioned my old foster dad, right?” Willie asks, and the boys nod.
“The one you didn’t like, right?” Reggie asks.
“Yeah.” Willie’s made a deliberate effort not to tell the boys much about Caleb. He’s had sixteen years to heal those wounds, and he’s a little worried that if they knew how broken he still is, they’d decide to go back to the unbroken whole they were without him. “He, uh… he owns the Hollywood Ghost Club.”
“Shit,” Bobby breathes. “Is that… I mean…” He trails off, his brow furrowing.
Willie can tell what he really wants to ask. Why is that panic attack worthy?
“I haven’t seen him since I was eighteen,” Willie admits. “He was…” They draw in a shuddery breath. “Abusive.”
It’s taken a long time to feel comfortable assigning that word to how Caleb treated him, and even now it still rubs them the wrong way. It’s not like Caleb ever hurt him, physically. Instead, he just took over every aspect of Willie’s life, controlling every little moment and decision and choosing just the right words to make Willie feel powerless against it.
Reggie’s hand twitches like he wants to hold Willie’s, so Willie reaches out and takes it.
“We’ll tell Ray and Rose to find somewhere else,” Reggie says.
“Yeah,” Luke agrees, scooting closer to Willie with wide, earnest eyes. “And if they can’t, then we won’t go.”
A horrible guilt curls in Willie’s gut. “I can’t ask you guys to do that for me.”
“Of course you can,” Alex assures them.
Willie shakes their head. “It’s stupid. I-I mean, I’m thirty-four years old, you guys shouldn’t have to change your plans because of something from when I was a kid.”
Reggie squeezes Willie’s hand. “Don’t say that,” they whisper. “Let us take care of you.”
“You guys shouldn’t have to.”
“I let you all take care of me,” Reggie insists, louder now. “Maybe it hasn’t been as long since I got away from my parents but if I don’t have to be over it then neither do you.”
Willie’s eyes widen in surprise. Reggie never talks about his parents. None of them do, actually, except Luke, and even then Willie had to learn most of that through the interviews he’s done with the band.
“They were abusive too,” Reggie explains. “I get it, okay? We all do. And we’ll do everything we can to make sure you never have to see him again if you don’t want to.”
Willie looks between Reggie and the others, all of whom nod with nothing but love and honesty in their eyes.
“Okay,” Willie breathes. “Thank you.”
“Of course, Froggy.” Luke drops a kiss on Willie’s temple. “Would cuddles be too much right now?”
Willie shakes their head, and his boys grin.
“Good,” Bobby says, flopping back down and pulling Willie close, “‘cause I think we need a cuddle day more than ever.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Their relationship feels deeper after that, like they’ve unlocked a new layer of intimacy. Rose and Ray cancel their reservation at the Club, and Willie starts opening up about what he went through with Caleb and the foster system in general. In turn, the boys share details of their childhoods with him, and he feels like he knows them better than ever before.
Since the engagement party is pushed back while they find a new venue, the band books a gig the weekend it was supposed to be. Willie opts to be in the pit for this one rather than backstage, since if he spends too many gigs backstage people might get suspicious as to why he gets special treatment. He still gets his VIP pass though instead of the standard press one, so he can go backstage at any time if he wants to.
Willie makes sure to get a front row spot. It doesn’t matter how many times they see their boys perform; they’re always stunned by just how insanely talented their boyfriends are. It takes all Willie’s willpower not to swoon when they all make eye contact with him throughout the song they wrote for him when they first started dating. He can’t believe how lucky he got.
He hangs back after the rest of the crowd has dispersed, making small talk with the bartenders and the other lingerers, mostly agents, promoters, and other press members. He’s just ordered a second drink when a voice he hasn’t heard in years sends a jolt of terror through him.
“William, it’s been too long.”
Willie freezes, not daring to turn around. If they don’t turn around, maybe they can convince themself it’s not Caleb Covington behind him. Maybe it’ll all turn out to be a bad dream, or just someone with a similar voice or—
“Are you really going to ignore your father after all these years?”
Not a bad dream then. Just terrible, awful reality. Willie clenches their fists and slowly turns around, pressing back against the bar to put as much distance between themself and Caleb as they can.
“You’re not my father,” Willie grits out.
Caleb looks exactly like Willie remembers him; sophisticated, stoic, and absolutely fucking terrifying.
“Now, now,” Caleb tsks. “Is that any way to greet the man who raised you?”
“What are you doing here?” Willie demands. He’s proud of the way his voice only shakes a little.
“I had a young couple book my club a few weeks ago. They recommended I look into their friends’ band.” Caleb’s eyes sweep down to the VIP pass around Willie’s neck, a sneer curling his lips. “Of course, now I see why that young couple canceled their reservation. Becoming friends with Sunset Curve, are we? I thought you’d been writing more articles about them than usual.”
“That’s none of your business,” Willie says. He knew, intellectually, that Caleb could and probably would still be following his career. He was just stupid enough to hope that wasn’t the case.
Willie tries to leave— to go backstage, to his boyfriends, to safety — but Caleb grabs his wrist and suddenly it’s like Willie is seventeen years old again, small and vulnerable and scared out of his mind.
“Oh, don’t run off so soon,” Caleb says. His tone would be perfectly pleasant to anyone who doesn't know him as well as Willie, but Willie can hear the venom dripping beneath it. “We were just starting to catch up.”
Willie is frozen, unable to fight or argue or pull away. At some point along the way his flight or fight instinct chose freeze , chose to stay quiet and still and pray that it would be over soon, and it seems they haven’t outgrown that.
“Why don’t we sit down to dinner?” Caleb continues. “It’s been so long, after all, and I miss my son.”
Willie is not leaving with this man. He’ll fight if he has to, kick and scream, but he will not leave with Caleb.
As if he can read Willie’s mind, Caleb squeezes their wrist tighter. “ Come, William,” he hisses.
“Willie!”
Reggie’s voice cuts through Willie’s panic like a knife through butter. Caleb seems surprised by it too, and Willie takes advantage of that to yank his wrist away and scurry over to his boyfriends. He aches to tuck himself into Alex or Bobby’s sides, but he can’t blow their cover in public. Instead, he simply hides behind them, using their height as a shield.
“Who’s this?” Luke asks, turning the smile he reserves for agents and promoters onto Caleb.
Caleb gives him a charming smile back. “Caleb Covington, at your service. I own an exclusive venue called the Hollywood Ghost Club. Perhaps you’ve heard of us?”
Luke’s smile immediately falls into a scowl, and Alex and Bobby close ranks around Willie.
“We’ve heard of you,” Luke says. “And we have no interest in doing business with you. Come on, boys.”
He starts to herd his boyfriends towards the door. Reggie slips an arm around Willie’s shoulders and Alex squeezes their arm in a quick show of support.
“Oh,” Caleb chuckles, “I see what’s happening here. You’re all… involved with my dear William.”
The five of them freeze in their tracks.
“We’re his friends,” Bobby says. “And we don’t do business with bastards who’ve hurt our friends.”
“I would hardly call parenting him hurting him,” Caleb scoffs.
Reggie’s arm tightens around Willie.
“Regardless,” Caleb waves a dismissive hand. “I’m more interested to know what the tabloids would think about the world’s most famous punk band being one large gay polycule. With a Rolling Stone reporter who’s written multiple positive reviews of them, no less.”
“No one would believe that,” Alex scoffs.
“I’m Caleb Covington,” Caleb smirks. “The press believes anything I tell them.”
“What do you want?” Luke demands, never one to tolerate anyone’s bullshit.
“To start?” Caleb shrugs. “How about an exclusive contract with Sunset Curve and my dear beloved son back.”
“No,” Reggie says without hesitation.
Willie tenses, shooting Reggie a warning look. He knows Caleb well enough to know his threats aren’t empty. “Reg—”
“As long as we can help it,” Reggie continues, “you’re never going near Willie again.”
“I would think carefully about that choice, Reginald,” Caleb snarls.
Reggie looks between the rest of their boyfriends, having the type of silent conversation that Willie has only just begun to understand. And in this moment, he understands them perfectly.
“Guys—” he starts, but Luke beats him to it.
“Do it,” Luke tells Caleb. “Tell the whole word. We don’t fucking care.”
“Luke,” Willie insists. “You can’t. Your career—”
“Fuck our career,” Luke says, grabbing Willie’s face. “We love you .” He turns and shoots a glare back at Caleb. “And we’re not letting this motherfucker hurt you ever again.”
“Agreed,” Bobby nods, pulling Willie into a tight hug. “Come on, Pigeon, let’s go.”
He starts leading his boys towards the door again. Caleb makes no move to follow them, but he does shout after them—
“Think of the sacrifice you’re making! In what universe is William worth losing everything?”
“All of them,” Alex spits, whirling around to glare at Caleb. “Maybe you were too stupid to see that, but we’re not. You can do whatever the fuck you want. As long as we have him, we’re fine.”
With that, he grabs Willie’s hand and marches him all the way out the door and into Bobby’s van.
It’s only once he’s nestled in between Luke and Reggie in the back seat that Willie breaks, all the terror and shock of the night flooding out in a gush of tears.
“Guys,” he sobs. “You can’t— I didn’t— I’m—”
“The next word out of your mouth better not be sorry,” Luke demands softly, taking Willie’s hand. “It’s like we told you, Froggy, we’ll do anything for you.”
“But you guys— I ruined your career —”
“You didn’t ruin anything ,” Alex says firmly. “Whether Caleb goes through with it or not, what matters is that you’re safe.”
“But—”
“We love you, Willie,” Reggie says, pressing a kiss to Willie’s shoulder. “Who cares if the world has a problem with that? We don’t want those people as our fans anyway.”
“Are you okay, Pigeon?” Bobby asks. “He didn’t hurt you, did he?”
“Not physically,” Willie shakes their head. “I— I don’t know if I’m okay, though.”
“That’s okay, sweetheart,” Reggie says. They rub soothing circles on Willie’s knee. “We’ll be here for you until you are.”
“And every day after that,” Luke adds.
“What can we do to help?” Alex asks.
Willie takes a moment to think about it. “Can we just go home?”
“Of course, baby,” Bobby nods.
Caleb stays true to his word and by Monday morning their faces are all over the tabloids. The boys take some hits in terms of album sales and publicity, but in the end it doesn’t matter. Because even though it’s one of the shittiest days of their adult lives, Bobby still makes pancakes in the morning, and when Willie gets home from a hellish day at work, Reggie is waiting to tell them all about their hellish day. Alex holds him while Luke sings love songs written about all four of them, and they’re happy.
They’re more than happy, actually. They’re home.