Vic

I stood outside the adoption agency, the required paperwork in my hands. It was thick, and bursting with information. I was surprised that Kellin and I had been confirmed as good parents, only going on the fact that we were a gay couple. Of course, our history of being in a band didn't help that much either, especially since touring is a huge part of being in a band, which includes traveling. I suppose Kellin's stable job has attributed for our cause.

I was here to pick up our new daughter. Her name was Annabelle, and she was the sweetest thing I had ever laid eyes on. From our very first trip here she had taken a liking to us, a feeling that was mutual. She was eight years old, and had long blonde hair that was dead straight, gorgeous baby blue eyes, and a smattering of freckles. Hopefully this would be one of the last times I would come here and leave without her.
Snap. Annabelle blinked, the flash of the camera bugging her eyes. She dropped her bag on the ground and ran over to me, wrapping her thin arms around my body. Kellin ambled over, smiling. He took the camera from my hand and snapped one of Annabelle and I.

'First day of school, hey sweetie?' He asked, pulling her new fringe out of her eyes.

'No, this is my first day at a new school.' She corrected him, turning around and giving him a bone crushing hug.

'Well, off you pop on the bus, yes?' Kellin said, picking up her bag and helping her put it on her shoulders. She shrugged, yelling I love you's and goodbye's at us.




I walked in the front door, sneaking quietly to the lounge room. Kellin had the music playing loudly so Anna wouldn't hear me. They were eating a birthday dinner in the kitchen.

'When's dad getting home?' I heard Anna ask miserably, an eating utensil scraping across the side of a bowl.

'I don't know, sweetie.' Kellin replied, a smile in his voice. 'How about we watch a movie, yeah? Didn't you get a new one for your birthday?' I could envision Anna smiling happily and nodding as she said,
'Yeah, it's Tangled. The girl on the front is really pretty.' Anna jumped down from the table and ran to presumably get the DVD. I positioned myself on the couch as Kellin cleared the dishes.
'Anna! No DVD until you help clear the table!'

'Just wait, I'll get it ready.' Anna scampered into the room, hair in two plaits down either side of her head. She screamed as she entered the room, her face lighting up. 'Dad!' She cried, dropping the DVD and jumping on me. 'I thought you weren't going to be here for my birthday.'

'Of course I would be, darling.' I rubbed her back as her tears of joy ran onto my shoulder. 'Happy tenth birthday.'

'Anna, table - oh, who's this?' Kellin asked slyly.

'It's Dad.'




'Dad.' Annabelle was yet again whining. Kellin was clinging to her, messing up her hair. I'm pretty sure it was safe to say he was the "lame" dad of us. She tried pushing him off her, luckily he was still quite a bit taller so he could keep her in the headlock. 'Dad!'

'Fine, off you go.' Kellin said as she came over and kissed my cheek absentmindedly, trying to desparately fix her hair. 'I can't believe she's a freshman.' Kellin said as we walked back inside, Kellin going to grab his suitcase.

'Oh, leave her. She probably wants a boyfriend.' I said, cleaning up the kitchen and starting the dishes. Kellin clutched his heart.

'Our daughter? Dating!' He exclaimed, widening his eyes. 'And,' he paused, looking sideways before whispering, 'straight.' I laughed and flicked water at him. He came around the other side of the bench, kissing my cheek.

'Have a nice day.'

'You too.'




'Good evening, uh, Mr Fuentes.' I opened the door to a trembling sophomore, dressed in what seemed to be his nicest suit. He smiled shakily and I stuck out a hand, the boy taking it nervously.

'Please, call me Vic.' I turned to Kellin, who was leaning on the bench with a sly smile before letting the guy in. 'Anna!' I called to the spare room.

'Just wait!'

'Lachlan's here!' A pause came from the banging sounds in Anna's room. She scurried out a few seconds later, an arm half in a jacket. I looked over to the bench where Kellin had engaged Lachlan in conversation. 'Hi Locky,' she greeted him with a kiss on the cheek. 'I see you've met my parents.' Lachlan nodded, refusing to meet our eyes.

'Have fun, and be safe.' Kellin said to the pair, Lachlan still shaking.

'We will, don't worry.' Anna shook her head at her father and tugged on Lachlan's arm. 'Ready to go?' A nod later and they were out the door.

'Now that she's finally gone.' I said, walking over to Kellin and sliding my hands down his chest after locking the door. I placed a feverish kiss on his lips and he smiled.

'A drink, first?' He suggested.




I looked around the empty room, my stomach dropping. There were outlines on the walls were posters had hung and dents in the carpet where furniture had been. A few guitars were propped up around the place.

'Anna, is this your guitar?' I asked, picking up the one I had bought her a few months ago. She had longed for it for years, ever since first seeing it. It was an expensive guitar though, and I had bought it two years ago, waiting for her eighteenth to give it to her.

'Yes, Dad. Calm down. It's only university.' Anna sashayed into the room, grabbing her guitar and plucking out a few notes. She continued to play, sinking onto the floor cross-legged. Her hands switched naturally from chord to chord, the songs switching from the basic tune to a more complicated one. 'The first and last songs you and Dad taught me.' She whispered, moments away from crying. I sat on the floor next to her, wrapping her in my arms and rocking her. 'I'm going to miss you.' She added. I kissed her forehead.

'I'm going to miss you too.'




Kellin swung our hands between us as we walked down the seaside. He had finally decided to stop dying his hair, and let the grey grow out. Lines traced his face, but his eyes were still a brilliant blue, as bright as ever. I leaned my head on his shoulder as we stopped, looking out at the sunset. I kissed his shoulder, smiling. 'Here?'

'Here.' He agreed, taking a seat, pulling me down with him. We watched the tide roll out and in as the hours passed, not a word passing our lips. Kellin produced a bottle of red wine, and we slowly sipped the bitter drink, the water lapping at our bare toes every once in a while. Couples walked up and down the beach, talking animatedly, kissing passionately. I smiled at their youth, before seeing another "older" couple like us taking a stroll. The woman walked slowly into the surf, cringing at the icy temperature, her husband yelling playfully at her to walk back to him. She shook her head, seemingly enjoying the cold. He refused to walk in after her, and they continued to walk, her in the water, he on the sand.

I watched them, Kellin still engrossed in the water. 'I love you.' I murmured, breaking the silence between us. 'I love you too.' Kellin replied.




'You're getting married?' I looked doubtfully at my daughter, who was smiling widely at me. Her fiance was standing next to her, an arm around her waist. He smiled convincingly at me, before turning to Anna. She had told Kellin and I for years that she would never get married, with quite a lot of vigor too, and yell at us whenever we teased her about it. Upon questioning, why? she would answer cuz.

'Did I stutter?'

'Hey!' Kellin yelled from the kitchen table. He had decided I was more intimidating than him, and wanted me to speak to the pair. 'Watch your mouth!'

'Sorry, Dad!' She yelled back at him. 'Did I stutter?' She repeated, albeit with a nicer tone.

'That's not any better!' Anna ignored Kellin, turning to me.

'So, do you approve of Jake?' I looked over at the tall male. He couldn't keep his eyes off Anna, and had moved with her changes in stance so that his arm remained around her waist. I smiled.

'Yes.'




'She never comes over anymore.' Kellin sat at the dining table, tracing small circles with his pointer finger. He had quit his job and become very idle. I, on the other hand, continued with my small jobs around the house. I was in the middle of washing the dishes, and was about to ask Kellin to come over and dry them, though I was contemplating just leaving them on the drainer. It was Kellin's sixtieth birthday tomorrow, and I had to get him out of the house so I could prepare.

'She has a four year old.' I reminded him gently.

'Still.' Kellin grumbled.

'Why don't you go over and see her?' Kellin perked up at that idea.

'You know what, I think I will. See you later, honey.' A swift kiss on the cheek later and he was gone. I ended up leaving the dishes in the drainer and grabbing the ingredients to make a cake. We were having a small celebration tomorrow for Kellin, with a few friends coming over, but I wanted to have a special night for him. A small, fancy dinner seemed just the way to do that. Once the cake was mixed and in the oven, I started preparing dinner. I only had an hour or so left, so I decided to go for pasta. Simple, but sweet.

Notes

Title cred: The Unfaithful - MMF
Second last chapter! (It was going to be WAY too long if I added in everything)