Chapter Text
It had only been a year since his niece Fae had come to live with him. It had taken time for the them to adjust to not only each other but also the absence of the one who had suddenly gone from their lives. Rosar’s older sister had been distant from him for a long time after he ghosted the family. He had done it for his own mental health’s sake and she hadn’t been that open to his choice back then. He hadn’t planned on losing her too, but she had sort of made the decision for him. Year’s later with her baby in her arms she suddenly knocked on his apartment door. How had she’d even gotten into his building at all?
She apologised for not supporting his decision to cut out their toxic family. Admitted she wasn’t that keen on them being around her child. She understood his side now. Rosar was slow to trust her again, but how could he not adore his little niece. His sister made the habit of brining Fae over and through their doting on her; the two came to be alright again. It had been years since then, Fae was now six. His sister -just as suddenly as she re entered his life- had left the world entirely. One snowy night. A drive home from work. Fae watching movies in his apartment. The ringing of the phone.
He still was unsure if his sister was right to have him be the one to take Fae. He’d been a good uncle; but now he was being called her father on parent teacher nights.
He had struggled enough with grieving over his sister for the second time in his life. Watching a child that used to bounce around the room, turn into a paper doll. That was another thing to grieve. Time passed and they had learned to adjust to each other. Fae still called him uncle but had stopped correcting the adults who mistook him for her dad.
Then she started getting into music. In his attempts to keep an eye on what she was listening to. Rosar often let Fae play her music on his speaker’s. Filling the whole apartment with pop music he couldn’t deny was catchy. It made her smile, sometimes she’d even start to bounce to the music. Rosar hated concert’s but he’d even be willing to take her to one. If it meant getting to see her light up again.
When Fae’s seventh birthday was on the horizon, she shyly asked for her favorite band’s new album. Rosar got her the deluxe edition, the kind that came with extra posters and band swag. She’d barley unravelled the poster before running to find a spot to place it. It was only then that Rosar noticed a familiar face in the band. He was older and caked in makeup but the neighbor he’d played with as a kid was still recognizable.
What a small world, his niece’s favorite band member was a boy that used to crawl over the fence to come play with him. Rosar didn’t anticipate Fae’s reaction to this news. That her own mom had baby sat her idol! Her uncle used to have sleepovers with Gatlin!! She get’s so excited she has to be reminded to eat her cake and open the rest of her gifts. Seeing no harm in it, Rosar promises to take her around the old neighborhood sometime.
Learning the danger of promising a child something. It doesn’t take long for Fae’s constant asking to get them on his old street. He points out the house her mom and he grew up in first. They both stare at it wistfully for a time. Then he points to the house next-door, it’s a bit run down and it’s hard to say if anyone even lives there now. Fae runs into the yard, Rosar -in his panic to keep her of private property- tries to catch up to her.
The unkept rose bushes around the property catch him instead. He ungracefully stumbles into the thorny depths. Thankful for the layers of clothing protecting him, he rends himself free of the branches as bits of his coat fail to follow him. A few scratches on his hands sting, an itching feeling tells him his face isn’t unscathed. He hope’s Fae didn’t see him do such an uncool thing.
“Uncle are you alright!” Fae’s little voice dashes his hopes.
“Just shedding a bit of blood for my darling niece.” He sighs defeated.
He get’s up checking for any straggling thorns before brushing himself off. He apologises to the rose bush as Fae giggles. She seems content with having gotten a good look at her idols childhood home while he made a mess of things. He takes a picture of her in front of the two houses. Rosar hope’s no onlookers think their creeps. They then get on their way bidding farewell to the street.
What Rosar didn’t have a chance to notice was his little niece sneaking a homemade card into the mailbox. Innocently leaving a fan letter for Gatlin there. When the house keeper finds the letter. She is more then a bit surprised. This being the family home of the famous musician isn’t information his fans should know. The battered rose bushes out front is also strange, so she checks the security camera. The man and little girl who had paid the house a visit, are caught clearly on the footage. The old lady of the house only smile’s when she’s asked about it. So the girl sends a copy of the fan letter and footage to the son instead. Asking if she should file a report.
While looking through the camera footage Gatlin is surprised to see a familiar face fall into his mother’s roses. He laughs at his old friend’s embarrassing moment as he reads the letter.
Hello Mr. Gatlin this is Fae!
I’m 7 years old! My Mommy and Uncle use to play with you!
I luv your music!! Come over to play if you want!
Uncle Rose’s number -> XXX-XXX-XXXX
Fae had enjoyed their outing. Rosar made it a habit to take her around some of the places he could recall from his childhood. His sister’s photo album’s she’d inherited from their grandparent’s were opened for the first time. Fae loved looking through them asking about her mom and the other unknown faces in the pictures. His memory of his youth had long faded out but Fae seemed content. The album of the year’s they’d spent as her idol’s neighbor was a favorite.
Months go by. Uncle and niece are walking around the mall enjoying their weekend idly. Suddenly a voice calls out to them. The voice booms travelling to them across the way with ease.
“Rose? That you man!”
When they turn to look, a man wearing a cap and sunglasses waves at them. There is another standing besides the one eagerly waving. Rosar squints unable to recognize who has called out to him. Were they talking to him? Fae looks to him confused. Then as she looks back her head tilts as her eyes begin to widen. She starts pulling him towards the two. The trusting uncle assumes her young eyes have recognized a friend.
While this assumption isn’t incorrect, the friend in question isn’t one he’s seen since he was a kid. Gatlin wearing the most stereotypical celebrity ‘disguise’ beams at them. Hovering between going in for a hug or a handshake. Fae in an act of brashness she hasn’t displayed in awhile happily hugs her idol first. His broad body folds to give the child a hug on her level. The man who’s with him must also be a member, as Fae happily gets a hug from him next. Rosar is still reeling from shock when his old buddy grapples him into a bone cracking hug. Swaying side to side in the annoying way they used to tease each other. Gatlin takes off his sunglasses. Rosar must brace himself as the two handsome men seem to radiate starlight.
It makes sense now, why their band got so popular. This is only two of the five; the power of the whole group together would be a force worth reckoning. He’d thought it was all a trick of lighting and makeup but even bare faced the two are on another level. The stranger looks to Gatlin as he hovers besides his old friend, he stares back at him blankly a moment before he seems to remember the two are strangers.
“Sorry right! This is Rosar, we were neighbors growing up. Rose this is Cynth, he’s our bands star lyricist.”
Gatlin’s then looks to Fae, Rosar fills in the blank. “This is Fae my niece. She’s my sister Penny’s girl.”
Rustling her hair as she play’s shy next. Clinging to waist as she waves at the two. Too busy looking at Fae, Rosar doesn’t see Gatlin wink to her. Holding a finger to his mouth. Cynth watches the secret signal given to the kid, and raises his brow suspiciously. When Gatlin suddenly announced he was going home for a bit. The member’s had been a bit surprised but hadn’t though much of it. Gatlin hated going anywhere alone but almost seemed disappointed when Cynth had offered to go with him. Was this kid some kind of lovechild? The way Gat was acting with this uncle was also weird. The strong cool guy persona had completely been thrown to the wayside. He was acting like a dopey kid.
Rosar and Gatlin began catching up. Fae endured the boring adult talk for awhile since it was her idol doing the talking. But a child can only endure so much small talk before beginning to get antsy. Rosar thought she might want to go home so he began saying goodbye. Gatlin rushed to ask if they wanted to get lunch or a snack. Fae’s eye’s lit up as she requested the mall ice cream parlor. As her uncle and idol were at the counter ordering she and Cynth were left alone.
Cynth was debating if asking a kid for context was too big an ask. When the girl began filling the silence.
“Mr. Gatlin really came!” she said with childish wonder.
Cynth titled his head smiling at her, “Did you want him to?”
“Oh yes! I left him a letter ‘n his mailbox. He must’ve read it and come like I asked.”
“Are you a fan then? You sent him fan mail?”
“The biggest!! And I mailed it all by myself!”
“Does you uncle know you sent the letter?”
“Nope!” Fae proudly puffed up.
Cynth was starting to piece the story together now. That sneaky Gat, he’d co-written enough love songs with him to know who his old crushes were. This Rosar guy was clearly the Rose Gat had written his part of their song First Love about. Going home to help his mom around the house my foot. He’s caught wind of an old spark and was hot on the trail. Had he even stalked the poor guy to the mall? Wait no- he was the one who’d wanted to grab some things. Cynth listened to Fae talk about her favorite songs as he was calculating Gat’s every action since coming home.
When the two -ice creams in hand- returned the group enjoyed the chilly treat. Cynth gave Gat the stink eye anytime their eyes met. He was mostly annoyed he hadn’t been filled in. He could have been a great wingman if properly informed. Rosar was in parent mode cleaning up Fae’s mess as she ate. Cynth became distracted watching in awe as the kid managed to make a spectacular mess with such a small portion. He was so busy trying to help he didn’t notice the cream that had gotten on his own face. When Rosar spotted it, his body had acted faster then his mind. Dabbing the mess off the other’s face for him.
“Ah. Sorry.” Rosar’s and Cynth’s faces both turned red.
Fae happily laughed at the stunned trio of adults. Gatlin pouting while Rosar’s back was turned. Fae in her childish wisdom kindly included her idol in the mess. Reaching what remained of her cone up and pressing it to Gatlin’s face. Rosar turns from one embarrassing moment, to another. He jumps to pull his giggling niece’s sticky cone away from the celebrity’s face. He hesitates to wipe another adult’s face, having already made the mistake once.
Gatlin sticks his face out to him trying not to laugh, “She got me.”
Rosar with a refreshed handful of wipes cleans off the mess. Apologising profusely to both of them. Cynth starts to see this awkward uncles’ charms. If he was like this when Gat was a kid, no wonder he’s acting so spoiled. The kid and him make a great duo. The adults manage to talk a bit longer as Fae all cleaned up. Contently naps on the mall bench, using her uncles lap as a pillow.
Cynth learns Rosar is a few years older than them. Gatlin the eldest child of his family, used to go to the older boy to experience what being the younger sibling was like. Rosar admits as the youngest of his brood he had wanted nothing more then a younger sibling, so it was pretty win-win. Cynth having one question he was itching to ask and eventually sneaks it in.
“Why do you call him rose?” The question was directed at Gat.
Rosar laughed as Gat glared at him. Clearly uncle didn’t know their songs well enough to know how much Gat loved to use roses in their band concepts. The math was slowly making it clear this childhood crush had made a lasting impact in his bandmate’s life. It was Rosar who answered the question.
“He misheard my name. We were both pretty-young, I didn’t care. My sister used to try and correct him. He was stubborn and refused to remedy his mistake. So, it kinda stuck.”
As Fae stirred from her nap the two bandmates learn how a child’s energy renews after a nap. She excitedly begins dragging Gatlin around to all her favorite stores. Cutely hogging his attention. Sometimes remembering to include Cynth in her excited tour. Her uncle cries from the back of the group, long forgotten.
Cynth -knowing he won’t be missed- falls into step with the neglected one. He asks more about their situation; Rosar tells him the story. ‘A family friend’s, friend is family after all.’ Rosar cringes a bit when the voice crosses through his mind. Bumping into Gatlin again after year’s was easier than he expected. Cynth is easy to talk to too; the hardest thing to get around his how beautiful he is. Gatlin has the swagger of a handsome heartthrob. Even if he isn’t acting that way now, Rosar has seen it in their music videos. He’s a bit more used to Gatlin, though his handsome angles were still in their infancy when last they’d met. Cynth no less well built, has a prettier face. He finally understood Cynth’s nickname of princess from the fans. His chin length hair casually pushed back enhanced the visual.
Finally, despite Fae’s best efforts the group must part ways. Uncle and niece get a ride home, the two new band uncles went a bit over board in spoiling the cute kid. Gatlin -with Fae assisting- plans another meetup so they can catch up some more. Fae -thoroughly bribed- supports anything her idol says with a renewed gusto.
Cynth wonder’s if he should just return to work and leave Gat to continue his pursuit of the uncle alone. That raises the risk of Gat being harder to track down when he needs to be dragged back to the studio though. Cynth stealthily got Rosar’s number and socials earlier. So, if all else fails Rosar’s dad energy should be enough to guilt Gat back to work. They drop the duo home and Cynth barley restrains Gat from following them into their apartment.
Of course, he had to help carry their bags for them. That was only polite. Gat argues as they drive off. Cynth huffs at him, posting a picture of the infamous Rose in the band group chat so that the other guys can tease Gat for him.