Work Text:
Sting always has been a nervous person, but, not at the point of being neurotic or anxious. The thing was he had a facility to be nervous in important situations, and, maybe he seemed calm and relaxed, always knowing what to do or say in the named situations but the truth was that, inside his calm chest and behind that relaxed face, he was at the edge of a panic attack.
That could sum up his feelings right now, but luckily for him, his lovely wife was aside him, smiling at him and telling him everything is going to be fine because they were friends no matter the decision they take.
"Remember that they love you" She said. "And you love them as well, so you need to agree and understand them if they feel negative about your proposal" She warned. Trudie knew his husband would be understanding and of course he would be good to them, but you never know what is going to happen when the three of them get together. She noticed that they change completely, not just Sting, but as well as Stewart and Andy. They seemed to change once they are together, not in a bad way, but not in a good one either.
"I know, my love" He took Trudie's hand for leaving a gentle kiss on top. "I sure know myself at this point, I know where you are coming from" He smiled. He was incredibly happy and Trudie was noticing that, in fact, she noticed that as first thing in the morning when she woke up to find his husband smiling to the ceiling, clearly, with a idea in his mind. She could tell he was more happy to see them than actually communicating his idea. Idea which, Trudie found bold. Trudie also noticed that he had dress up, not too formal but handsome and charming, she daresay, with his fits shirts and everything. This was important to him, no wonder why he was nervous.
After some minutes where Sting was trying his best to be calm but slightly failing, the first in arrive was Stewart and she sensed the change of mood in his husband. He seemed to lit up, she could tell he was not nervous anymore and with a little shine in his eyes, he got up from the couch to welcome Stewart in a hug so sweet, that made Trudie smile with tenderness.
The sweet Stewart, Trudie thought.
Stewart put his two arms around Sting's back, slightly squeezing him hoping, that maybe, he could express how much he had missed him.
As for Sting, one of his arms was around Stewart's back and the other was on his nape, caressing his now white hair. He didn't even though twice before leaving a peck on his cheek making Stewart smile shyly. Living in Italy too many years made him pick up the habit of kissing cheeks.
Trudie was delighted. She loved to see how Sting could change his whole aura with Stewart's presence. She was not minimizing her connection with his husband but she understood and she knew that Sting and Stewart's connection was something different as well as profound and wonderful.
Her friends used to joke about that relationship, saying things like: 'Watch what is yours, Trudie' or 'Uh-oh, here comes a threat' or, her favorite: 'Stewart is going to steal your man someday' with a mocky smile whenever Stewart was close to Sting. Of course, they were just jokes, Trudie didn't think that their friends noticed that tension between them but she always thought that maybe, just maybe, she was the one who stole Stewart's man.
She smiled to herself after that thought and Sting's voice quickly made her come back to the present.
"You didn't change a bit since the last time I saw you." Sting just laughed and they were still hugging each other. "You're squeezing me out." He said with a childish attitude that amazed Trudie.
"Maybe I just missed you so much, Stingo" He said completely honest. He didn't hesitate before saying that.
They were having their moment, completely forgetting that Trudi was there. She didn't mind though, she was admiring the view, she always has, since the first moment she met Stewart and saw him with Sting. They had a unique bond, beyond musicianship, beyond friendship. She used to say it was 'Brotherly Love' but she realized she was mistaken and it was nothing but pure love.
They were married, in sort of a abstract way, as she liked to think. She didn't doubt she was the love of his life, as well as he was for her but Trudie knew that, and she was completely sure, Stewart and Sting were soulmates as well. They were each other's first love.
But, anyway, they were men and there was no use to say all this to them because they were going to minimize it saying something insignificant like 'we're long time friends'. Frustrating, just frustrating.
And, thanks to God, her phone just rang and she quickly went to the other room to get the call.
When she got back they were breaking up the hug but very slowly. She, with a smile but with worry on her mind because of the news she got form the call, approached to them. They both turned to her and quickly standing next to each other as if they were trying to hide or simply erase what just happened in front of her eyes but that was a foolish behavior since they hugged each other for a long time. As she said before, men.
"Ma'am" Stewart said politely and grabbing her hand to leave a peck on top just like Sting did minutes ago.
"How are you dear? You look great and congratulations for the Grammy" She said smiling warmly. "We cheered for you. Sting cheered for you." She said quite knowing what she was doing.
"As I recall, my love, I was screaming that it was robbed" He said mockingly but he was a terrible liar. He was so happy for him.
"And that is what I call 'Jealousy', dear Trudie" Said Stewart raising his eyebrows to her and then both turned to Sting.
"Oh yes, the envy is eating him alive, look at him" Trudi said looking at Sting who was looking at them, playing the offended. She loved to play along with Stewart, she always felt they had the same humor.
"Okay, okay. Not cheering doesn't mean I wasn't happy for you." He said quite defeated but stil conserving his pride, as always and Trudi saw that.
"You did cheer" She said, hoping that Sting's pride fell off and let Stewart know that he was so happy when the drummer held the little phonograph.
"Well, fine, I did." He finally admitted and she saw a spark on Stewart's eyes. "But not too much because I was sure that you were going to win, you're the best around." And then, they smiled at each other.
"Oh, I got a call from Andy and he says he is delayed. He will be here as soon as possible but it looks like is going to take one hour and a half to get here" She said as she walked towards the door. She should give them space and since they have plenty of time now. Besides, she was a busy woman, she didn't have the time to watch men drama. "If you need anything, I will be in my office. Lovely to see you Stewart" She said and Stewart just nodded at her. She smiled to Sting before disappearing by the door.
"He is never late" Said Sting surprised. He knew that Andy always took private flights so there wasn't a reason for him to be delayed. Maybe the weather was being rebellious.
"Can you imagine if he had been late for my meeting with him back in the 70s?" Stewart smiled mischievously as he sat on the couch, inviting Sting to sit aside him.
"I would have killed him" Sting followed the drummer and sit beside him with his arms crossed. "I would have hunted him down all around London and oblige him to meet us"
"No doubt, buddy" Stewart padded Sting's back playfully giving him a full smile.
And for an hour and a half, they felt that they travelled back in time. In a time where there were just the two of them, alone, against the world, waiting for Andy to come to them.
-------------
When Andy finally arrived, as son as he crossed the threshold of the door, Sting and Stewart abruptly interrupted their passionate...
Chess game.
It was their 4th match already. Sting won two and Stewart won one but Sting suspected that his beloved drummer cheated somehow so he, naturally, wanted a re-match, which, he was winning effortlessly at the moment making more than clear that Stewart indeed cheated in the previous match.
"I knew. I knew you were cheating. How did you do it without me noticing it?" Sting protested but he was quite amazed by Stewart's cheating skills.
"Me? Cheating? No way, bud." Stewart moved a piece in a dramatic way. "It's okay losing sometimes y'know, Stingo." Of course Stewart was going to deny it but Sting knew that in the bottom of his heart, Stewart knew he cheated and, he was shamelessly cheating right now, again.
"Oh, you little- there is dear Andy! Finally!" Sting interrupted himself and got up form the couch to hug his most loved friend. When he broke up the hug, he gave Andy a little defiant look "You're late."
"Oh, yeah, about that-..." He was going to explain why he arrived late when his blue eyes caught Stewart sitting on the couch. "Mr. Grammy!" He shouted and Stewart shouted his signature 'Heey' back, raising his long arms.
Yes -Sting thought- we are us again.
"I bet Sting is jealous" Andy said with a cheeky tone looking playfully at Sting.
"He must be. The envy is still eating him, for sure" He repeated Trudie's words with a mocky smile.
"You shouldn't be hanging out with us. We are common peasants compared to you" Andy walked a little bit more into the room. "Now you can do a Grammy-battle with Sting". He waved his hand from side to side, just as if he had a sword.
"I will to that later, but first we want to know what happened to you." Said Stewart after taking a look over his lovely and now, slightly annoyed, bassist. "Trudie said that you were delayed so we were worried that something happened with the flight" Stewart explained.
"You're a retired but an important man" Joked Sting with his features softened again.
Andy just wheezed playfully "No, it wasn't the flight." He shook his head. "Is this a Police rehearsal or something?" He said mockingly, clearly reminding them of the past. Then he looked at his friends who were looking back at him with a curious eyes, expecting an answer. The guitarist just sighed defeated. It was better to tell them without any more delay. If he was honest, Andy was scared of how they will react, he didn't want to tell them but there was no reason to keep kicking it around. He needed to say it at once, quick and firm.
"The thing is guys..." He began softly. Sting didn't like that tone."I made a stop at Euro Disney when I was passing France. I couldn't resist the temptation, sorry." He said all that so quick that Sting and Stewart needed a little time to fully understand what he said.
When they finally understood, the three musicians went silent, exchanging looks and gestures of surprise. Was he joking with his British dry humor? Because if he was, Sting, who always fancied the same humor, was having problems to get the sarcastic joke. As for Stewart, who knew Andy's jokes like the palm of his hand, was also having a hard time understanding this one.
"You did not" Stewart simply said, not being able to taking his eyes off him.
"Well, I did." He said as he shrugged.
"You're messing" Sting softly said but not softly enough for Andy to not hear him.
"No. Why I would be? That's why I was delayed" He stated firmly.
The three of them started to talk in short sentences due to the shock of Andy's words. Like, it wasn't something bad what he did but it was unusual and... unexpected. They went silent again.
"What? A handsome old man like me can't make a stop at Euro Disney for some slushies and fun all by himself?" Andy protested and he seemed very serious about it. He was so serious that Sting gave a quick look at Stewart with his eyebrows raised.
He just couldn't have done it. It was so unreal.
"How old are you?" Stewart asked out of the blue" 93?" The drummer was having a pretty serious debate on his mind about believing if Andy actually went to Euro Disney all by himself or it was some bullshit that he made up.
"79" Replied Andy in a monotone voice and rolling his eyes.
"How come you didn't buy anything?" Sting inquired.
"I simply didn't want to. Besides, I spent more by actually doing that stop" He seemed to have an explanation for everything making it more hard to say if was real or bullshit.
"Aren't you too short for the cool attractions anyway?" Stewart asked squinting his eyes, looking at him from toes to head.
"Stop making fun of the old! Where are your manners, young man?" Andy said acting seriously, pointing his finger at Stewart and then he laughed.
Sting rolled his eyes and with a smile disappeared from the room to do who-knows-what. He will discover it later, Sting was sure that Andy was just fooling around.
Meanwhile, Andy sat aside Stewart, crossing his legs and immediately Stewart mirrored him jokingly making himself and Andy laugh.
"What did you do then?" Stewart asked.
"I went to the spinning tea cups I always wanted to spin faster than everyone else" He said with a smile of pure joy on his face. Stewart just opened his eyes and blink just twice.
When Sting finally came, he came with three glasses full of 'Sting-ish' wine, as Stewart would called it. He, like the gentleman he was, put the glasses in front of his friends to then sit in the opposite couch, where he was previously, to face them.
"Okay Stingo, straight to the point. Why did you call us to come to your palace? Are you going to be father again?" Said Stewart mockingly trying to hide his anxiety and fear that maybe he called to say something bad.
"Don't be ridiculous, Stewart" Sting spit. "I called you because I was thinking that, oh you're going to kill me, but I was thinking that we can make a album, the three of us again." Said Sting looking at the eyes of their mates searching for approval. "With no tour of course, just the record and a little bit of publicity and... voila!"
Everything went silent after that, for several minutes. The first in breaking the silence was Stewart, and he did it yelling.
"An album?! Are you crazy?! That will be the death of us!" Stewart exclaimed with a dramatic tone and throwing his arms everywhere. "Those wines of yours left you continuously half-drunk."
"Are you calling me an alcoholic?" Sting asked trying to not laugh at Stewart's insult. "I just miss recording with you. I know we did the reunion tour but it's not the same and you know it." Sting defended himself and his idea.
"Is not a bad idea, maybe it could work..." Said Andy thoughtfully.
"Look at this hand!" Stewart screamed and then, out of the blue, he grabbed Andy's hand leaving the latter with a confused look. "This hand is too old too punch you again if you say something bossy or out of the line" He showed the hand to Sting and he could see all the little brown spots because of the age.
Sting, after examining the hand, looked up to Stewart and a smirk appeared, "That hand has always been too old, Stewart"
"Would you stop?" Andy said fighting a smile. "Leave my magical hands alone" Andy got himself free from Stewart's grip.
"Sorry, grandpa" Stewart and Sting said at unison with child voices and when they realized what just happened, they exchanged a look and started to laugh.
"You two haven't changed a bit" Spit Andy giving them a death stare.
"Oh, so the old man...-" Said Sting keeping his smirk and and getting up to sit next to Andy.
"...has become a grumpy grandpa?" Stewart finished the sentence for Sting and sat even more closer to Andy raising his eyebrows.
"Argh, Stop it!" Complained Andy getting out of the couch making Stewart and Sting laugh softly but their smiles disappeared when Andy grabbed his chest and started to breathe heavily.
"Andy?" Stewart got up from the couch to touch Andy's shoulder. "Don't tell me-.."
"The-.. chest-... hurts-..." He barely said and breathing rapidly between each word.
"Andy, dear, relax, sit down I'm calling the ambulance" Sting said with a very fragile and scared voice. "Stewart do something!" Screamed Sting with a knot in his throat.
Stewart was going to yell back but a laugh interrupted him. A very contagious laugh and a well known laugh, a familiar laugh to his ears. The next thing he saw was Andy laughing maniacally as he fell on the couch and started to rolling back and forth.
"The old man tricked you, didn't he." Said Andy now sitting straight on the couch, still wheezing while wiping his tears.
"You're a bastard, Andrew" Sting trying to sound annoyed but a little laugh escaped from his lips. "You're really a twat" said the bassist making Stewart laugh.
That was a nasty joke from Andy and Sting didn't know why he was laughing, but the good thing is that he was laughing indeed. Stewart was just screaming at Andy saying that he was the one who could give him a heart attack with that kind of joke and Andy was just laughing at Stewart's face.
He had miss them, a lot, more than he could say. It's has been five years since he could be with both and two years since his little reunion with Stewart. Time flies and Sting hates that.
"So, we're going to do the album or what?" Andy asked expressing his interest on the conversation they had minutes ago.
Oh yes, the proposal, he completely forgot about it. With all the thrill of having them and the jokes, he forgot the reason of why he called them in the first place. Or maybe he just was down hearted about Stewart's quick objection.
"Well, now that I think about it..." Sting began. "Maybe is not a good idea after all, I mean, we, musically, have been apart for many years since we broke up and our styles are so different than then." He explained hoping that his explanation didn't lead to arguments. "But maybe that could-"
"Make it more interesting.." Stewart finished the sentence for Sting making more than clear that he was thinking the same idea.
Sting smiled at Stewart "Yes, exactly."
"Well, we could try" Andy encouraged. It seemed that Andy was curious about the idea as well, he was actually positive about it.
"Let's finish the wine first, otherwise I will be offended" Sting joked walking towards the couch again.
"Oh, yeah, definitely. Go ahead, play the victim saying that you will be offended but then you will get us more and more wine to makes us drunk and then taking, musically, advantage of us" Stewart barked at Sting mockingly.
"You're so dramatic" Complained Andy sipping his glass of wine for then, raising his eyebrows to find it was delicious.
"Oh, look who's talking, Mr. I-will-pretend-to- have-a-heart-attack." Stewart replied annoyed.
"Actually he does have a point, my love" Sting said sipping his wine as well. Already used to the taste, he just sipped as if it were water.
"I am not dramatic, I am just very good at theatre" Andy excused himself making Stewart spit his wine, ready to attack back.
----------------
After the three musicians finished their wines, they followed Sting to his recording studio.
"I am afraid, dear Stewart, that I don't have a full drum set. But I have your signature snare if that suits you" Sting said while grabbing his bass and in that moment he got an odd nostalgic feeling.
"How come you have my signature snare?" Stewart asked surprised as he inspected the snare carefully to realize that indeed it was his signature Tama snare.
"I had a few drum lessons throughout the years and I needed some gear" He said softly almost unintelligible, sounding as if was embarrassed by telling him that.
Ah, the drum lessons with Vinnie, he remember them well. They were never successful, but they were fun.
"You did not!" Stewart screamed, again. Obviously caught off guard, he opened his eyes big and wide. He never imagined- no, wait, he was lying- he could imagine Sting wanting drum lessons, as curious as he was but Sting never asked him.
"Stop saying 'you did not' for everything!" Andy shouted turning to Stewart, imitating his voice, mockingly. Shouting him like if he never heard Stewart say that before, but that was the funny thing that made Sting smile.
"You're just jealous of me and my Grammy" Said Stewart.
"And what does that even have to do with..-"
"Oh, definitely. He is probably jealous of my Grammys too." Sting joined with a smile, interrupting Andy.
"Oh, for fuck's sake" He protested, rolling his eyes. Andy just sat on the stool with Sting's old black Stratocaster and started playing. "I am too old for this shit" He mumbled with the clear intention of making them laugh and they did.
"You still have that shit?" Inquired Sting looking at the black Stratocaster on Andy's lap.
"Excuse me? That 'shit' deserves respect, is more special than any of your expensive guitars" Sting spit. Nobody was going to blackmail his favorite guitar.
"No no no, wait a second, wait a second... you clearly don't know what you're talking about" Stewart snorted sarcastically.
"You two are still insufferable" Andy grunted.
"Andy?" Stewart called softly.
"Yes, Stewart?" Andy looked at the drummer who had a serious face all of sudden.
"You really went to Euro Disney?" He asked again, he really wanted to know.
"I told you that I did" Andy replied.
"But you couldn't!" Stewart screamed.
"Why not?!" Andy shouted back
"Because it's bullshit!" Accused Stewart
"It's not!" Defended Andy
"But why would you do that?!"
"Because I wanted to!"
"But, but but just for the spinning teacups?!"
"Yes!"
"You made that up"
"Actually I am starting to think he is not lying and that is what it worries me." Sting was able to stop the shouting. He now was sure that Andy was saying the truth, he was perfectly capable of doing what he did so there was no more reasons for not believing Andy.
"I have a picture on my phone you know" Andy said taking out his iPhone for quickly finding the picture.
It was actually their beloved Andy in Euro Disney a couple of hours ago with a Mickey Mouse slushie in hand.
"And why you didn't show me that before!" Stewart shouted offended.
"I forgot I had it" He said.
They reunited again, with more age, with more experience but with the same attitude as if they were 28. Time will tell if they are capable of recording with each other again, blend each other's new musical ideas to put them all in one album.
It all depends on how much they can take from each other again but for now, the things were looking good.