MY SEVEN BOYFRIENDS ARE IN A BOYBAND - Polyamourous Smutts

CHAPTER 9

"Well, it's impressive that you guys put this together at the last minute without rehearsing," Raphael said, and he looked as happy as everyone in the audience, and as impressed as Cadence O'Pry during last year's The Idol Academy concert, "The producer of the show even feared that everything would go wrong!"

"Well, I want to thank Finn for this show," Zeth said, holding Finn's hand and raising it, making everyone in the audience cheer. Finn blushed, but smiled. Zeth had been acting strange for months now. Since before the world tour, he had shown Finn everything about the business, from public relations to tour planning. Zeth started the first concert by giving Finn a couple of his runs, and a couple of high notes too, and Finn took up the challenge and overcame it. With each concert, Zeth became more and more touchy, from a light brush of their hands to hugging him and making playful praise when he sang notes higher than him, giving Finn space at the centre of the stage and even asking people to shout for him. At first it was awkward, but later on Finn let himself be enveloped by the love of the Mashers, by the attention, and he could understand why Zeth liked the spotlight so much. People loved Finn, and he could feel it again right now as they screamed for him on this TV show. Once Zeth lowered their intertwined hands, and let go, Finn felt that a part of Zeth had stayed with him, it was something energetic, almost astral.

"Cheer for Finn!" Draco shouted with his hands up, and the audience applauded and screamed. Finn let himself be bathed in the warmth of the audience once again. Draco was spinning and jumping with his tongue sticking out, being silly as always, and he actually hung around Finn's neck and almost knocked him off but hey! That was Draco, right?

"Hey, Finn," Raphael said, "I was told you were a lifeguard. My nephew is too. It is a very demanding job!"

"It really was! And it requires a lot of training and studies, not only knowing how to swim well," Finn said. "The course cost me almost three hundred dollars, which I was only able to raise by working two weekday jobs and a Saturday job but it was a worth it. I had an expert professional training covering aquatic supervision, risk management, rescue and emergency response techniques, first aid, advanced resuscitation, public relations, conflict management and incident investigation"

"And boy did that help a lot," Zeth said, nudging Finn slightly, waggling his eyebrows, "Especially the public relations. I honestly don't know what I would do without him. Egor is my personal assistant, the best ever, but Finn is my right-hand man within the band."

"Finn has become a social butterfly," Draco said, spinning around, "And risk management always comes in handy when you have someone like me in the band."

"And those muscles?" Frank bit his lip, and Finn turned to look at him, somewhat bewildered, "I mean... Your training must have been like The Rock and Zack Efron's Baywatch montage, because Wow!"

"Nothing could be further from the truth, Frank," Finn laughed, but when he turned to face Jade at her podium, he noticed that she was also a little taken aback.

"You must have been very lucky with girls," Raphael looked him up and down, "Oh! I apologise. With the boys?"

"No, it's not okay." Finn nodded as Zeth always told him to, kindly and with a smile, "I have come to the conclusion that I fall in love with the inside, no matter man or woman. But I did have luck with men. You'd be surprised how many gay men 'don't know how to swim' you know? When I was a lifeguard in Hawaii, it was usual to rescue about two or three gay guys a day!"

The audience burst out laughing.

"I don't think you got memo," Everett said.

"I think Finn does know, Grandote," Alex replied, "It was a joke."

"And here we have Everett Frostakov! My daughter and wife's favourite, much to my dismay!" Raphael said, looking up. "Wow! You are very tall! Is it true that you are seven feet tall?"

"Seven feet two, and I'm not tall," Everett grumbled, "It's your people that are too small. You are small, with fragile bones."

Raphael swallowed hard and turned pale, but Zeth sighed and patted him on the shoulder.

"Don't worry," Zeth told the host, "Everett may look intimidating, but he's a giant teddy bear. He just doesn't know how to relate to people very well."

"In fact, he has a white fur, full-body suit at home. He used to wear it in the mountains," Draco said, "It's because of that suit that people think Yetis are giant white apes. It even has a hoodie." Draco pretended to walk like a giant ape actually, making everyone laugh.

"I love how much you guys have gotten into the role of monsters," Raphael said, "I mean, the bandages, the fangs, the piranha teeth, the claws, the tusks... You're really into your characters!"

"Which characters?" Everett cocked his head, growling.

"I... I mean..." Raphael took two steps back, lowering his head, "It wasn't an offense or anything, it's just..."

"Don't be afraid," Kevin said, nudging Everett's abs, "He growls all the time, but he really is a great guy, aren't you, Everett?"

"I'm as good as goat milk," Everett said with a slight smile, "Don't fear my imposing frame. I think you're cute, Ramón. Elves are cute."

"My name is Raphael," said the host.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Everett," said the giant, extending a hand, but when Raphael didn't react, Everett growled and frowned, "You're supposed to shake hand now."

"We have already introduced ourselves," the host cocked his head.

"But they told me that when Leprechaun says their name, I should do this," Everett said, raising his bushy eyebrows, looking at Zeth, "I'm confused. Do you want me to give him hug?"

"He's not a Leprechaun, Everett!" Alex yelled, always explosive, then he put his fingers on the bridge of his nose.

"But he's small! And has tiny nose! And red cheeks! You always say that if it acts like duck and walks like duck, it is duck!" Everett exclaimed, with his eyes and arms wide open.

"But I'm not a Leprechaun," Raphael raised an eyebrow.

"My sincere apologies," Everett lowered his head. "I still can't tell difference between elf, goblin, and leprechaun yet."

"What?" Raphael looked really confused.

"Don't mind him," Draco said, laughing a little, giving Everett little 'shut up' pats on the forearm. "It's just that sometimes Everett gets a little confused. That's why he doesn't speak much."

"But I've gotten better." Everett said, and if he weren't so huge and imposing, it would be really adorable to see him so confused, "Now I say lot of nothing with lot of words, like you taught me!"

"Anyway, we were told you have a surprise for us, so can you show us, Raphael?" Frank asked nervously, pushing Everett back by the chest, as if trying to hide an elephant under a rug.

"Of course!" Raphael rubbed his hands together. "Come here, guys."

As the boys walked, Everett put a hand on Alex's shoulder, who looked up at him somewhat strangely.

"You need anything, big guy?" Alex asked.

"Is he goblin or elf?" Everett leaned in to ask Alex in a whisper.

"He's a human!" Alex nudged the tall boy. "And shut up already! Te la pasas diciendo puras pendejadas!"

"Hey, my loves," Zeth said with his arms crossed, and all the other boys and Raphael himself looked at them strangely. "You guys know that you have microphones on the side of your mouths, right?"

"I told you it was a bad idea to encourage Everett to talk more," Finn sighed heavily.

"Please, someone put a stake in my heart," Draco covered his face with his hands.

"This is awkward," Frank looked away, rubbing his nape.

"How about we move on and that's it?" Kevin suggested and Raphael, although a bit annoyed, nodded.