Finn's emotions regarding the end of Monster Mash's world tour were overwhelming him.
It had been a long night, an amazing concert broadcasted to the whole world live, and a high bar for the next tour.
The adrenaline had suddenly dropped, but the ringing in his ears still hadn't completely disappeared.
He and Draco had a little cry before the show because it was such a journey they had been on.
That night, in general, was so poignant.
As much as Finn had tried to prepare himself, it was a whole other thing when the concert ended.
While Zeth assured everyone that the much-deserved break would be welcome to make new music and shoot new videos, such was not the case for Finn.
He wanted to get back on stage, because he belonged there. It wasn't the attention that he loved, it was the fun of sharing those moments with the guys.
Perhaps they all lived together in the Solar of Lyonfort, but it was not the same.
The energy, the passion, the fun.
Singing together live among lights and pyrotechnics was very different from doing so in a recording studio.
Even during tough times like tonight when no one cheered for Finn, they always worked as a team, a family, and supported each other, always against the odds.
Nights like these were what kept them together the most.
"But I guess it is all over, for now," Finn told himself as he walked in silence through the backstage, down some metal steps and into the cold night.
This almost felt like a goodbye, like that time Finn walked out the door after telling his fellow lifeguards he was going to try his luck again at being a famous artist. Everyone supported him, saying he had the talent and presence to take over the world. There were hugs, tears, and even a cake. He vowed to return one day to visit them all, but that promise could not be kept until it was too late.
When Finn and the guys filmed the music video for the song 'Frozen Heart' on Oahu in summer, it was impossible not to cry when he found out that many of his old friends no longer worked there, had moved on or died.
Hale'iwa Alii Beach Park was once Finn's happy place, a wide golden sandy beach, clean and with a big parking lot, picnic tables and showers.
Now it was just an old memory of his life as a lifeguard.
With his chest hurting, Finn walked toward one of the two black Suburbans that would take them to Hallow Woods.
This was strange. Maybe the tour bus was still in the mechanic's shop, after all, Zeth was very firm about the improvements, and Everett asked for a rocket launcher to be added to the mix.
Finn had no idea if Zeth would actually approve that.
"Don't be discouraged, it's not the end of the band, just the end of an era." Finn told himself.
It was always hard dealing with the after-show, it was like floating, sweaty, barely breathing, barely alive.
But nothing lasts forever.
"Hey, you must be the new bodyguard," Finn waved hi. There was a tall man wearing sunglasses in the middle of the night standing with his hands in front of himself on the side of the black van, staring at him from above. His skin was a bit grey, and his hands were huge, almost like the claws of a gargoyle. As soon as Finn reached for the door, however, the man put his hand on it, shaking his head. "Excuse me, I'm gonna get into the vehicle."
"And who are you?" the bodyguard asked, "Are you a friend of the band? A close relative?"
Whut?!
"I'm Finn... Finn Seamons?" he tried, but the bodyguard cocked his head, "Oh for Fucks Sake! I'm in the band!" Finn was so exasperated that he threw his hands into the air.
The bodyguard lowered his sunglasses, his grey eyes narrowed at Finn.
"You're... Finn?"
"I mean, yeah," Finn pinched the bridge of his nose and looked away with a grunt, which made the bodyguard narrow his eyes more.
"I am starting to think you look kind of familiar..."
"You're not funny, Rocko," a calm, elegant female voice said from behind Finn.
And there she was...
Shoulder-length midnight-black hair, athletic and dressed in a skin-tight black jumpsuit, a battlesuit as she called it, and mid-thigh stiletto boots. She stood with her arms crossed, glaring at the bodyguard with narrowed eyes. Maybe it was how tall she was, or her imposing presence, or maybe her piercing brown eyes and the leg holsters where she kept her guns (Or all of those things combined) that made her so menacing.
"Hi Evie," Finn said, swallowing hard.
"Hi Finn," she waved quickly, "And you? Make another joke like that and you're fired... Rocko," she said his name through gritted teeth, walking gracefully, one foot in front of the other, her heels clicking on the asphalt as she approached.
"Joke?" the bodyguard swallowed.
"I'm your boss, I know everything." Evie replied. Because yes, at twenty-seven years old, Evie was the Chief Bodyguard of the band, "I heard you would make this joke but I can't believe you actually did it."
"Please forgive me, Mr. Seamons," Rocko said, opening the door of the Suburban.
"N-No problem," Finn bit his lip.
Awkward...
"Go ahead, I'll take the boys to the hotel," Evie told Rocko, who just nodded and walked away, head down. As soon as he left, Evie's eyes changed. They were full of complicity now. "You okay, Seamons?"
"Yeah." He blushed, "So what's the plan for tonight?"
"We'll take you in these vans to the Hallow Inn. Zeth says we'll go back to Lyonfort in the early hours of the day when it's still dark. You know him, he doesn't want us followed home."
"That explains the absence of the tour bus." Finn looked down, rubbing his forearm. "And by the way, thanks for, I don't know, keeping a bad joke from ruining my night?"
"Hey, that's what I'm here for," Evie told Finn with a warm smile. "How was the concert? A little bird told me that this show was televised worldwide."
"Yeah, counting the Mashers who watched the show from their homes, this was our biggest show ever! So I did my best."
"You always do, Finn." She cocked her head, "But you look sad. Everything okay?"
"Yeah, about that," Finn pointed towards the metal stairs leading up to the stage, "During the Meet-And-Freak, I mean, everything was going well and in fact a couple of fans came and treated me very well but... The last girl asked me to leave. She didn't want me in the photo."
"That bitch..." Evie clenched her fists and gritted her teeth, "Don't feel bad, I'm sure Zeth told her..."
"Zeth told her that I had to stay or else he would not take a picture with her." Finn finished her sentence, "All the other guys said the same, especially Everett, but I am sure I ruined the pic with my fake smile."
"You don't ruin anything with your smile, no matter if it's fake or real," Evie put her delicate hands on Finn's shoulders, because yes, she was tall enough to reach them, only an inch shorter than him in those stiletto boots, "You'll see, people will notice how important you are to the band sooner or later," she looked around, "By the way, where are the others?"
"Draco had the brilliant idea to hang upside down from a lighting truss above the stage and... Crash!" Finn sighed heavily.
"When did that happen?"
"A couple minutes ago, while the staff began packing up. It was so loud that Everett had a panic attack. He had just taken out his earplugs so he got a bit overstimulated."
"Poor Everett. And I guess Zeth is dealing with the mess?"
"He is, as always. Everett and Alex helped carry the truss. Frank took Draco to the paramedics to pretend that he needed medical attention. I went with them but the paramedics told me to leave because I wasn't a member of the band or the staff, and even though Frank told them it wasn't true, I preferred to leave. I'm a terrible friend but I guess I'm not good enough for whatever that was, mentally or physically speaking so, here I am."
"Hey, you are the only one who has received first aid training." Evie frowned.
"You and I both know that Draco and Zeth don't need first aid. They're immortal and have miraculous healing powers." Finn looked away, "Everett and Alex also told me that it was better for me not to help them with the truss because I could get hurt. Everett told me that I was a weakling and then smiled, and it was a creepy smile. I think he meant it in a good way but you know he's pretty bad with words."
"I'm sure Everett just didn't know how to express himself well, I highly doubt he would say anything to offend you. Besides, he had a point. But a weakling?" Evie winked at him. "Your muscles say otherwise. I can tell you've been hitting the gym."
"Yeah, about that..." Finn then pointed at Evie's abdomen, "How did you get those abs, Evie? I mean, it's not that I'm a pervert but, your battlesuit is so tight that I can see your abs structure from here and wow! I've been trying for years and they just won't pop out!"
"Oh! I've had this abdomen since I was twelve or thirteen, you know, my childhood was no walk in the park," she cocked her head with a smile, "But I'll tell you. No more fried foods, sugary snacks, refined grains or sugar-sweetened beverages, and a lot of work."
"That explains why Draco doesn't have abs either," Finn laughed, "I don't understand how he has that body if he eats nothing but junk! He doesn't even need to eat!"
"Draco is a vampire, life is unfair for mortals like you and me," Evie and Finn laughed a little, and then he looked at the silver grapple gun in Evie's leg holster. She never left home without that gadget.
"And... How was your night, Evie? Did you catch any bad guy?"
"It was pretty quiet. Just one Monster Hunter trying to ruin the show," She said with a dismissive hand, "It was strange though. This hunter didn't have any bullets with him, just tranquilizer darts. But everything turned out fine."
"Wow. That sounds dangerous. I wish I could be as brave as you," Finn scratched his arm with a shy smile.
Evie smirked at that.
"You are, you just pretend you aren't, Finn. I would never have the courage to sing for thousands of people like you."
"I would never have the courage to face the Monster Hunters so we're even," Finn heard voices approaching, too much noise. Yes, surely the boys were already coming this way, "Oh well! I think we'll be leaving soon."
"Okay, get in the van," Evie pointed back, "You, Draco, Alex and Everett will come with me, SM-13 will take Zeth and Frank to the hotel. You owe me one."
"SM-13 is the bodyguard who looks like a mixture between Penelope Garcia from Criminal Minds and you, right? Miley Smills is her name?" Finn asked and she nodded, "Oh well! Thanks."
"For what?"
"I just don't want to spend an hour in a vehicle listening to Zeth talking on the phone about business."
"You are a terrible liar, Finn Seamons." Evie said as she took her phone out of a pocket in her belt, quickly checking a couple things, "We both know you are just evading him."
"Maybe," Finn flushed and smiled sheepishly. She frowned as she saw something on her phone. "Is everything okay?"
"I guess," Evie replied, "Cadence Christensen just posted on Instagram that she lost her pet. Mozart, tabby cat, three years old. There is a reward of three thousand dollars."
"Wow! That sure is a lot of money!" Finn widened his eyes, "But why do you follow Cadence?"
"Because of her dark past. And Frank always reads her blog so we better make sure nothing weird happens." Evie was unwilling to go into details, "But seriously, are you okay, Finn? You look tense. If it's because of that stupid girl from the Meet-and-Freak, I can hunt her down."
"Not quite," Finn sighed, "Evie, have you ever liked anyone? I mean, I know about your past with Frank but..."
She widened her eyes, lowering her phone. She swallowed hard.
Finn should have known better than to bring up that subject with Evie.
She was still ashamed of her past, and even though she and Frank got along well, she more often than not evaded him.
"Evie?"
"Why are you bringing it up?" she whispered, her face changing drastically. She could be quite intimidating sometimes.
"Because I... I just don't know if I like someone, I mean I know I love someone."
"I know who you're talking about so why are you beating around the bush?" She raised an eyebrow.
"I'm not talking about 'that' someone," Finn brought his hands to his face, hiding his blushing cheeks, "I mean... I like two people."
"Oh. That's interesting." She put her phone into her pocket again, "Are you going to tell me who? Because you know I would never reveal your secrets."
They stared at each other for awhile.
The tension was thick in the air.
"She's a girl, and she's really nice to me," Finn whispered, dropping his hands to his sides, taking a long breath.
"Wait, wait, hold on," Evie shook her head, eyes wide, "A girl?"
"Yes? Why does it surprise you?" He smiled awkwardly, scratching the back of his neck. "I like her a lot. She is confident, beautiful and whenever I'm with her, I feel safe. God! That sounded pathetic!"
"Not in the slightest," Evie took a step closer to him, "You should ask her out," Evie suggested, calmly. Finn looked straight into her brown eyes, which no longer looked as dismayed as they had a moment ago.
"What?" Finn blinked a few times and turned pale.
"Ask her out," she said, putting a finger on her chin, "And if you want any information about this mysterious girl, just ask, I'll give it to you off the record."
Finn knew Evie wasn't stupid. She obviously knew who he was talking about, she was just pretending she didn't, maybe to make this less awkward.
The first time Finn saw her was when Zeth introduced her to all the guys in the newly formed band in the Solar of Lyonfort. Zeth said that she would be their new bodyguard, and didn't look too happy about it but no one dared to say anything.
Finn at that time still knew nothing about her past with Frank, or the irrefutable contempt that Draco and Zeth felt for her, but little by little, Evie gained the trust, respect and even love of the group.
She had done a lot for Finn, from saving his life several times to spending time with him alone talking about his many adventures as a lifeguard in Oahu and his failed attempt to be a star when he auditioned for The X Factor.
Evie knew practically everything about Finn, but did he know anything about her?
No, he didn't, only what she wanted him to know.
But then again, why did he love her?
Maybe he fell in love the day a group of Monster Hunters kidnapped him and Evie fought on the roof of a speeding vehicle to save him?
Maybe it was before that?
"What's on your mind, Finn?" Evie asked softly as Finn looked up to meet her eyes again.
"Evie," Finn shook his head, "I just... Do you really believe it is possible to love more than one person at the same time?"
"You may find this odd," she looked down, "But I have been asking myself that very question for years now."
"Hey, Finn!" Draco shouted, laughing and jumping around with a bandage around his head. As if his healing factor wasn't going to do the job. "Hey! Hey Finn! Look! Look! I'm just like Zeth now!"
Behind him, Alex and Everett walked with tired eyes. Yeah, looking after Draco was quite a challenge.
"Those bandages suit you," Evie told Draco, "I just hope you heal soon."
"Evieeeee!!!" Draco shouted, running to give her a big hug. Evie was much taller than him, so she had to crouch down a bit to return the hug with the same love and warmth as him. "I fell head first, Evie!"
"Oh Draco!" she stepped back, messing his scarlet hair, "You are incorrigible."
"It was so much fun! Alex kept yelling at me to get down but I didn't want to! I mean, the world was upside down and I was swinging like, back, forward, back, forward, and I was so high on life! It was a-ma-zing... Until I fell on my head." He pursed his lips, "I mean, the lighting truss fell... Like this!" He put his hands up and began to slowly lower them with a long whistle, making a little trumpet with his mouth and an exaggerated gesture simulating a huge crash. "You get the idea, right?"
"Totally," Evie chuckled quietly, elegantly, covering her mouth with her hand.
"Draco is danger to himself and everyone around him! Like Baby Yeti!" Everett shouted, crossing his arms.
"Everett, you put your earplugs back in!" Finn shouted, waving at him, "You're shouting!"
"Oops. Sorry," Everett said, removing his earplugs. "Hello, Evie. It's good to see you're still alive. That was compliment."
"Oh! Someone's chatty tonight!" Evie told Everett, who blushed a little and bit his lip.
"It's just that someone's been teaching me how to communicate," Everett put his hands behind his back, smiling at the floor, "And that someone is you."
"You've made a big effort, Big Guy," Evie said and Everett giggled.
"A huge effort!" Draco said, jumping a little in place, "Now he uses words and not growls when I get on his nerves!"
"And to think that, when the band first started, Everett barely said hello," Alex wiggled his eyebrows at Evie, leaning against the black suburban with his hands behind his head. "So, Doctora Milagros. Got a smoke?"
"I do, Señor Lobo Feroz," Evie opened a pouch on her belt and threw a pack of cigarettes and a lighter to Alex, who caught them with a wink, "Now, you four get in the van, I'm driving."
"Maybe we can go out to have dinner somewhere, beautiful?" Alex asked with the cigarette between his lips, lighting it and taking a long drag, "We can call it a date."
"Oh. Oh! OH! I want to go have dinner at a place where they have placemats with word searches and mazes!" Draco jumped around with his tongue sticking out.
"Zeth said we should, under no circumcisions, go anywhere other than hotel," Everett said with a growl, placing his huge hand on Draco's head to make him stop.
"I think you meant circumstances," Finn corrected.
Evie giggled.
"What do you say, Evie? Should we go on a date?" Alex said, raising a seductive eyebrow.
"Alex, you know what my answer is," Evie said with a laugh, "I'm not the dating type."
"Ooohhh. Nunca me la pones fácil, verdad?" Alex wiggled his eyebrows, "Te gusta hacerte la difÃcil."
"You could say so," Evie replied, winking.
"Well, mira, guapa. Todo esto puede ser tuyo," Alex said, putting his arms behind his head, flexing his biceps with the cigarette between his lips.
"It makes me uncomfortable when Alex starts mating." Everett said, growling.
"I don't really care," Draco said, following a fly with his eyes, "What were we talking about again?"
Evie giggled again.
"Alex was mating," Everett told Draco.
"No mames wey! Don't say mating! It makes me feel weird!" Alex shook his head, grimacing. Then he took another drag on his cigarette.
"You shouldn't flirt with Evie," Everett growled, "You know, because of... You know who. Almost as tall as me? Black and white hair? Bionic limbs?" Everett put his hands on his hips and puffed out his chest, "Yeah. I'm low-key Yeti."
"Because of Frank?" Evie looked a bit uncomfortable for a second.
Everett gasped.
"No, not Frank," Everett looked around in anguish, holding his head. Evie looked up at him with a frown, and he gave up, dropping his shoulders, "Fine! How did you know I was talking about Frank?"
"Everett," Evie sighed with her eyes closed, "Frank and I are mature enough to move on and continue working together. Seriously, don't try to cover the sun with a finger." But then she looked around, "Wait, I thought Frank was with you, Draco."
"Oh! No." Draco clarified, "Frank couldn't breathe properly so Alex and Everett offered to bring me here while the paramedic checked on him. I heard something about him smoking too much, nothing serious."
"And I hope it never gets serious." Finn whispered, coughing when Alex's cigarette smoke reached his face, "I really hope Frank gets better. This smoking habit is going to kill all of us someday."
"I don't like smell of cigarettes, or cigarettes," Everett said.
"I'm glad I'm not the only non-smoker in the band," Finn gave a thumbs up to Everett, who smiled slightly at him.
"Hey! HEY! I almost forgot! Are you okay, Finn?" Draco asked. Finn had to look down to meet his cute scarlet gaze, "That girl from the Meet-and-Freak was so rude. Are you feeling better now? Because I can cheer you up if you want me to! I learned how to twerk! Zeth taught me and maybe that will make you feel better!"
"Do you want to traumatize Finn now or what?" Alex laughed.
"Zeth can twerk?" Evie raised an eyebrow with a low laugh, "I must see that with my own eyes!"
"I'm going to twerk, twerk, twerk," Draco said, "For Finn!"
"What? No. Thanks for wanting to cheer me up, Draco, but I'm fine." Finn eyed Evie, who was looking at her phone again, "Just a bit... Confused, that's all."
"So you don't want me to twerk for you?" Draco blinked rapidly.
"No, it's okay." Finn giggled.
"I want to leave already," Everett grumbled, "It stresses me out to be in open space with Draco."
"Hey, nothing's going to happen," Alex said with a laugh, "Draquito here will behave. He promised Zeth he would, didn't you, Draco?" But the cigarette fell from his lips in a second, "Draco? Draco! Where did he go?!"
"He was here a second ago!" Finn looked around, "Everett! Did you see..." Finn looked around, "Where's Everett?!"
"Everett is already in the van," Evie pointed back, still looking at her phone. Everett was already in the backseat, covering himself with a fluffy white blanket.
"Me lleva la pinche chingada! I'll go find Draco!" Alex started pulling at his hair, "What if he gets stuck in a tube again? No! I have to go find him!"
"Relax, Alex. I'll go get Draco," Evie lowered her phone and started walking, calm, collected and elegant as always.
"You sure?" Alex was hyperventilating already.
"Yeah," she nodded and Alex took a long, deep breath, "Get in the van guys. We still have an hour on the road ahead of us to get to Hallow Woods. I'll be back in a second."
Alex bit his lip, watching her walk away with loving golden eyes.
"That's my girl," Alex said.
That's suspicious.
He hardly ever had that look on his face.
It was beyond a flirty look.
It was more emotional.
"Hey Alex!" Finn raised an eyebrow. "Do you, I don't know, like Evie?"
Alex laughed a bit awkwardly.
"Like her? I fucking love her!" He said, his voice slightly husky.
"Please, no more mating!" Everett shouted from inside the van, covering his ears.
"What do you say, Finn?" Alex asked, nudging him with his elbow, "Should I ask her out?"
Finn groaned.
"Evie and Frank still love each other," Finn replied, crossing his arms, "You can't date Evie."
"It's not like you have chance with her anyway!" Everett shouted from inside the vehicle, making Alex sigh.
"Sometimes I prefer it when the Big Guy just grunts and doesn't say anything. But it's true. Even I know my limits," Alex patted Finn on the shoulder, "Come on, Sirenito. Let's wait for Evie and Draco in the van. Let's play Password, you and I, while we wait." Alex then got into the vehicle.
"I want to play Password," Everett said.
"Everett, I don't think you understand the game enough," Alex said once he was sitting next to him.
"I'm smart Yeti," he nodded, way too proudly, "I'm going to win this time."
"Okay, pero no digas pendejadas like last time!" Alex replied, "Please remember that an apple is not a vegetable, it's a fruit!"
"I don't like fruits. And I don't like napkin rings either." Everett replied. "If secret word is napkin ring, I will jump out of van."
"Fine! You start then."
Everett, deep in thought with a finger on his chin, was taking his sweet, sweet time.
Alex was already growing impatient until finally...
"Secret word is Frozen Burrito," Everett said.
"Ay no puede ser. Not again!" Alex grumbled, "Everett, you're not supposed to tell me the word, just hints at the word! I thought you got that the last time!"
"Last time we lost to Draco and Frank because of you," Everett said with a growl.
"No, no, Big Guy. Last time we lost because you said 'vegetable' when I was actually a fruit!"
"Obviously it was to throw opponents off."
"Obviously it wasn't." Alex pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Game is difficult."
"Difficult? What are you talking about?! It's relatively simple!" Alex shouted, throwing his hands up.
"You just envy me because I'm taller than you," Everett crossed his arms and pouted, looking away from Alex.
"Envy you? What are you talking about now?! I'm almost as tall as Frank and you! Y eso qué chingados tiene que ver con el juego?!" Alex took a deep, calming breath, "You know what? Forget it! Just give me a hint and let's keep playing!"
"My head hurts. Not now," Everett said and Alex face-palmed.
"What the... Are we in a dead-end marriage now or what?!"
"I want divorce then, and I want to keep kids and house in Malibu, and I also want to keep dog."
"What kids, what house in Malibu, and what dog are you talking about?!" Alex was already pulling strands of his hair.
Everett suddenly snapped his fingers.
"Ah! I think I get game now, Alex!"
"Finally!" Alex was exasperated, "Alright Big Guy, give me the first clue! Bring it!"
"Fine... First hint: Frozen," Everett began.
"Fine. I don't know. Movie?" Alex guessed.
"Burrito."
"Oh que la chingada! No!"
Finn, who was still leaning against the van, had to laugh at that.
Looking up, he saw Evie and Draco walking closer.
She was just too patient with him, no doubt.
These were the things that reminded Finn why he hadn't given up yet.
This was the family he had chosen, and no matter how chaotic they could all be, he would never trade what he had now for anything in the world.