Blended

Chapter 27

Part 1

********

Monday afternoon brought Molly to Justin’s studio on her self-appointed extended lunch break. Justin sat next to his sister with his head tilted back and his feet resting on his coffee table. They had a bag of cherries on the leather couch between them. “Why are you even here; you look like shit,” Molly said absently.

“Fuck you. I feel like shit. But I had to come in and finish something. Work, you know. Some people do that.”

Molly frowned. “I work. Anyway, this “family” dinner, wasn’t the pot roast good?” Molly asked. She pulled the stem out of the cherry in her mouth and tossed it back into the bag.

“Yeah,” Justin said, his hands resting across his chest.

“I told you she made good pot roast. Did you see all those little vacuums she keeps everywhere? She’s sweet as hell but such a neat freak. I swear if you squint hard enough it’s like he went and found mom all over again.” Molly moved her legs slowly from side to side, one crossed over the other.

“Hm,” Justin mumbled.

“Are you even listening to me?” Molly asked after a minute had passed. She picked through the bag before settling on a cherry that met her standards. She popped it into her mouth and picked up the bottle of water Justin had given her.

“Barely,” he answered honestly. He lifted his head and looked at his sister. She was wearing a dark purple pencil skirt with a white spaghetti strapped blouse and five inch heels that matched her skirt perfectly. Rapid success had been good for her. She always did love to shop.

“Okay, what’s the matter?” she sighed, propping her arm up on the back of the couch and resting her face on her palm. Justin sat forward and put his feet on the ground, pushing the sleeve of his shirt back up past his elbow. He looked at his sister, debating whether or not he wanted to tell her. “I promise not to tell.”

“Which means you’ll tell everyone you can,” Justin said. He ran his hand over his hair and took a deep breath. “I took a pregnancy test a couple of days ago.”

“Shit. You guys already have a billion kids,” Molly said. She looked down and pulled her feet out of her shoes and turned her head when she felt Justin’s eyes on her. “What?”

“Thank you for that.”

“I’m just saying.” Molly held her hands up and then pushed another cherry into her mouth. She ran her tongue over her teeth and shrugged. They fell silent and listened to the sounds of the elevator moving up and down on its cables. “Well, what’d it say?”

“I don’t know,” Justin said with a frown. “It was inconclusive.”

Molly stood up with her bag of cherries and bottle of water. She walked to the kitchen area, pushing some of Justin’s supplies out of the way to sit her things on the counter. “So go to the doctor then, get a blood test. They’re more accurate anyway,” she said. “Did you tell Brian? God, he’s going to kill you.”

“Yeah, because I possibly fucked myself pregnant,” Justin said sarcastically. He got up from the couch and joined his sister in the kitchen. The angle of the sun told Justin that a good portion of the day was almost gone and he’d done little more than prep one of his canvases and pick which brushes he wanted to work with. “I don’t plan on telling him anything until I have something to tell.”

“Seems to me like you already do,” she sung sweetly and pointed at him with a cherry stem.

“If you tell anyone, I swear I’ll….”

Molly let her mouth fall open, a look of offense painted on her face. “As if I would,” she said. “I don’t have that many friends anyway; and none who’d care about your reproduction issues, so who’d I tell?”

Justin reached into her bag of cherries and popped two into his mouth.

********  

Brian stepped through the door of Pilot and Race’s classroom, removing his sunglasses and hooking them on the pocket of his dress pants. “Dad!” Race yelled, maneuvering around the other kids in the room and running up to Brian, his brother slowly trailing behind.

“Hey,” Brian said, leaning down to get a kiss from his sons. “What’s this?” Brian asked. He pointed at the large gold star stuck to Race’s shirt.

Pilot leaned into Brian’s legs, a very irritated and angry expression on his face and fading tear tracks on his cheeks.

Race looked down at his shirt and smiled, his book bag already strapped on his back and his jacket half zipped up. “I got a star for being good today AND I read all the words, except for one word but it’s okay ‘cause…um, ‘cause Mr. Franklin said…he said that I’m still little and don’t know all the words. Even though I am not so very little; I’m big. So I got a star,” Race explained, taking a huge breath when he was finished.

“Good job,” Brian said. “What’s wrong, Pilot?” Brian asked his usually not so quiet son and getting only a petulant shrug in response. Mr. Franklin walked over and shook Brian’s hand.

“Good afternoon, Mr. Kinney,” the teacher said, smoothing out his tie and placing a warm smile on his face.

“Mr. Franklin,” Brian said in greeting. “Guys, go get your lunch boxes.” Brian watched them both walk away, Pilot dragging his book bag along behind him. “How were they today? I see someone is in a mood. What happened?”

Mr. Franklin smiled and sighed. “Growing up and realizing that they won’t always have everything the same would be my best guess. Pilot decided that he wanted to spend most of the day not listening. He was actually pretty vocal about what he was and was not going to do. Needless to say,” Mr. Franklin said, gesturing towards the blackboard, “he watched his name make a steady crawl from green to red. No green, no sticker. He knows that. He’s been angry ever since.”

Brian nodded. He was no stranger to his son’s stubborn side. All the children had one and Brian knew that he and Justin were both to blame. “This should be fun. We have a new rule; bad report from school means no dessert.”

“I don’t envy you your night,” Mr. Franklin laughed.

Pilot and Race made their way back over with their lunch boxes and their teacher excused himself to talk to some of the other student’s parents.

“Ready?”

“Yup,” Race said, hurrying from the room and starting down the hall towards Junior’s classroom.

Pilot nodded and mumbled a quick, “Yes.” Brian took his hand and followed his son.

********

Junior was concentrating very hard on writing her cursive letters just right. She turned her head to the side thinking that her lowercase “h” looked a little crooked. Alissa’s mom had already picked her up and all her other classmates were packing up their things. “I think it still looks too crooked,” she said to her teacher, frowning and lifting her head.

Ms. Kim shook her head and smiled. “No, I think it looks very good. You’ll be really good at it soon and then it won’t be crooked at all. You can practice.” Junior loved Ms. Kim. She was very patient and always smiled and she always had fun surprises. “Now, you better start cleaning up. I can hear tiny feet making their way down the hallway and I’d give you two guesses of who they belong to.”

Ms. Kim moved away from Junior’s small desk just as Race rushed into her classroom. “No running,” she quickly said and watched as he slowed to a fast walk. “That’s better.”

“J, hey J, look at my sticker that I got. I got this sticker. Me. Look at it, J. Are you looking at it?” Junior turned to her brother and looked at the sticker on his shirt.

“Cool,” she said. “Maybe Daddy will glue it in your book.”

Race’s mouth fell open around a gasp just as Brian and Pilot made it into the classroom, Brian sending a quick wave in Ms. Kim’s direction. “Dad! Do you think Daddy will put my star in my book for me? Do you think he very much will do that?”

“You can ask him,” Brian said, leaning down to kiss his daughter on the head. “Hey, you.”

“Hello,” she answered with a smile. “Hey, Pilot, did you get a sticker?”

“No,” he said sadly with a shake of his head.

“Let’s get this stuff cleaned up so we can go,” Brian said. He helped her pack her writing tablets and reading books up and put them in her desk and waited while she went to get her coat and bags. “Please don’t forget your lunch box this time,” he reminded her.

“I didn’t. Ms. Kim made me put it in my book bag,” she told him, scratching her casted arm against her hip.

“Good. Okay, guys, let’s go.” Brian moved his kids out of the classroom and towards the front of the school.

Pilot had yet to let go of his hand and Race was happily leading the way with his sister filling the space between. Race waited at the front door and surged forward when Junior helped push it open with her good arm. “What are we eating for dinner?” Junior asked as they walked towards the parking lot. Race was hovering at the end of the sidewalk, knowing not to step into the parking lot until someone was holding his hand.

Brian held out his hand for his son when they reached him and they all started towards Brian’s SUV. “I don’t know,” he answered pressing the button for his keyless entry to unlock the doors. Junior reached up and opened the back door, climbing into the large car and shrugging out of her book bag before dropping it to the floor beneath her feet.

Brian helped Pilot and Race into the car, dropping their book bags on the floor and helping them into their booster seats before fastening their seatbelts. “I think Daddy should maybe make some potatoes,” Junior said hopefully, buckling her seatbelt.

“Yes. Potatoes with cheese,” Race added happily.

“We’ll have to see. Daddy wasn’t feeling very good this morning,” Brian said, closing the back door. He got into the driver’s seat and closed his door, starting the car and checking his phone for any messages before placing the car in reverse.

“Oh, then maybe you can make some potatoes. Yours are good too, but they don’t taste like Daddy’s potatoes,” she sighed.

Brian smiled, in no way surprised. All of the kids liked his cooking. They just happened to like Justin’s a lot more.

Brian glanced in the rearview mirror and noticed that Pilot was already asleep. Junior was looking out the window as Race told her all about how his friend Mark’s cat was going to have a baby. “I think that babies must cost a lot, like a hundred dollars,” he told his sister.

She shook her head and Brian reached for his phone as it started to ring. “No, they don’t even. You don’t buy babies from the store. Only milk and food and stuff,” she said.

“Kinney,” Brian answered, adjusting his grip on the wheel.

“Hey, Brian,” Michael said.

“No,” Race said.

Junior nodded. “Yes. That is true. Babies don’t come from stores they come from people’s stomachs.”

“What do you say to a night out like the old times?” Michael asked. “Hunter and Molly have volunteered to babysit. This Friday?”

“Sounds good to me. But I’ll have to check with the little woman,” Brian said with a smirk.

“Better not let Justin hear you say that,” Michael laughed, taking the money from the teenager in front of him and ringing up the sale. Brian took a right and pulled into the parking lot of Blue’s school. They hammered out a few more details as Brian pulled into a space and cut the engine.

“I don’t think you really do know, Junior,” Race said, twirling a toy he found in the car in his hands.

“Whatever,” she replied.

“Later,” Brian said, disconnecting his phone and climbing out of the car. He opened the back door and let Race and Junior climb out before reaching in to lift his still sleeping son into his arms. Brian made his way into the school and down the hallway towards his youngest daughter’s classroom.

Parents and children were still filing out and a huge smile spread across Blue’s face when she saw Brian. Race reached his sister first and hugged her. She hugged him back and contained just the right amount of shock and awe at the fact that her big brother had a huge gold star of his very own to wear. “Blue can get stars too?” she signed quickly.

Race nodded quickly. “Yeah, you can. You just have to be really good,” he told her. Junior hugged and kissed her sister, watching as Blue told them all about her day and how she got to feed Mr. Bunny all by herself and how she didn’t spill anything.”

“You didn’t?” Junior asked her, her hands moving fast.

Blue shook her head. “No. And Mr. Miles said I did a good job,” she signed with a large smile.

Brian finished talking with her teacher and walked over to his daughter. “Don’t I even get a hello?” he signed, bending down to her level with his hand supporting Pilot’s back.

“Hi, Dad,” she signed. She rocked back and forth on her feet and kissed Brian on the lips. “Is it the best?”

Brian nodded enthusiastically. “You always give me the best kisses,” he told her, forming the signs smoothly. Junior helped her sister pack her things and slip her book bag on her back before taking her hand.

“No running,” Junior said as they make their way back out of the room with Race right behind them.

Brian accepted her forgotten hat from her teacher and turned toward the door. Pilot shifted and settled against his shoulder when he passed through the threshold. “I understand you and your husband have decided to pull Blue from the academy,” Mr. Miles said, stopping Brian before he could leave.

“We want her to attend the preschool at Allegheny since she’ll be going there for kindergarten. They’ll be providing an aide if needed and the new teacher is actually fluent in sign language. We’re confident that she’ll do well there. Plus, her brothers and sister and there,” Brian told the teacher. Deciding to move their youngest daughter to public school had been a very tough decision. Justin had been against it at first, arguing that she needed the special attention. Brian argued that she’d have more than enough help. They agreed to send her after meeting with the woman who would be her teacher, the aide, and the principal.

“We’ll be sorry to see her go,” Mr. Miles said with a smile. “She certainly makes the day enjoyable.”

“I bet she does,” Brian replied. He left the classroom and met up with his kids in the lobby of the school. He ushered them all out and into the car. “One more stop,” he said, mostly to himself, as he pulled away from the Academy and into traffic.

********

Emmett was at the house, again, when Justin made it back from his unproductive day in the studio. With a tired smile on his face and his stomach rolling Justin had unlocked the door and let Emmett follow him inside, rambling on about resting and chicken soup. Justin was also positive he’d said something about a good fuck but a dull ache was pressing on his brain and he couldn’t bring himself to care. “I’m just gonna go to the bathroom. I’ll be right back.”

And that was over four hours ago.

Justin rested his forehead on his arm and took a deep breath. “You okay in there sweetie?” Emmett called, his cheek pressed against the bathroom door.

“I’m dying,” Justin moaned softly. He felt his stomach roll and let his eyes slide closed. “I’m fine,” he said loudly. Emmett frowned and offered to go and get a glass of water. He rushed away from the door after Justin managed to convey that he thought that’d be a good idea.

Emmett walked back to the bathroom with the cold glass of water in his hand. “I’m coming in,” he said before pushing the door open and looking down at his friend.

Justin sat with his back against the wall. His hair was plastered to his forehead and his cheeks were flushed. He took the glass of water Emmett offered and slowly took a drink. “Ugh. Oh god,” he said, waiting as the water settled in his stomach before deciding that was the last place it wanted to be. Justin surged forward and lost what little was left in his stomach with Emmett rubbing circles over his back.

Justin felt like his whole body was on fire and he wanted nothing more than to lie down and sleep for hours. He spit one last time into the toilet and flushed before lying down on the tiled bathroom floor. The cold felt good against his skin and he was once again so thankful that their cleaning lady was so thorough.

“Do you want me to call Brian?” Emmett asked.

Justin shook his head sleepily. “No,” he whispered, his eyes closed and his body curled up into a ball. “He’ll be home soon anyway. I’ll be okay, just sick; sleepy.”

“At least let me help you get up off the floor and into bed,” Emmett suggested, moving forward to help his friend up.

“Unnnn,” Justin moaned, shaking his head. “No. Cool.” Justin sighed and Emmett gave up trying to move him. He went into the bedroom and returned with one of the younger twins’ blankets, covering Justin’s upper body and leaving him to sleep on the floor.

********

Brian stood Max on the ground and turned back to the car to lean in and get Sam. Max took three steps and stumbled backwards, landing on his padded bottom. Junior was making her way up the driveway towards the front door of their house. Blue was running around the front yard with Pilot and Race chasing her as she laughed.

Brian closed the backdoor of the SUV and slung the twins’ bag over his shoulder. He stood Sam on the ground and reached down to help Max up. He held both of their small hands in his one and started towards the door. “Can we stay out here and play?” Race asked.

Brian made his way up to the door and unlocked it. “No. You have to do your homework. Come on,” Brian called. Junior pushed the door open wider and went inside. Brian helped the boys into the house and waited for Pilot, Race, and Blue to follow. “Hey,” he said, whistling loudly and waving his hands to get Blue’s attention before continuing to sign, “let’s go.” They stopped running and moved to pick up their bags before slumping into the house and kicking off their shoes.

“Well, well, well, I thought I heard sweet little voices,” Emmett said sweetly as he came down the stairs. Brian looked up and frowned.

“Weren’t you just here?” Brian asked as he walked through the door. “Don’t you have a home of your own?” Brian said with a small smirk on his face.

“Hello to you too, Brian,”

“Uncle Emmett!” all the kids screamed at once, rushing to give him a hug.

“Hey guys.” Emmett greeted them all one by one. They loved whenever Emmett came over. He was fun and had lots of energy. Plus, he could fit on their slide.

“Coats on the hooks, lunch boxes on the counter, shoes in the closet, snack, homework,” Brian rattled off.

Emmett watched them rush to go hang their coats up on the hooks Brian and Justin had installed at the front door. “You might want to go check on Sunshine,” Emmett suggested. He picked Max up and nuzzled kisses into his neck. “You are too cute.” Max giggled and buried his face in Emmett’s shirt.

“What’s wrong with Justin?” Brian knew he’d been sick earlier, answering the phone sleepily when Brian had called to check on him.

“He’s been sick all afternoon. You will find him now, curled up on the bathroom floor. He insisted he was fine and wouldn’t get in the bed.”

Brian listened to Emmett and looked around at his kids. “Can you get them a snack?” he asked.

“Don’t worry about a thing. I happen to be a fabulous cook and an excellent babysitter,” Emmett said with a dramatic flick of his wrist. Emmett turned to the kids and stretched his arms out to the sides. “Auntie Em will be serving the snack today, ladies and gentlemen. What shall it be?”

Brian left them to their antics, their excited voices following him up the stairs and into the master bedroom. He shrugged off his jacket and placed it on the edge of the bed, sitting his attaché on top. “Justin,” he said as he walked into the bathroom. He saw his husband asleep on the bathroom floor and walked over, squatting in front of him and reaching out a hand to push the hair away from his face. He frowned when he felt the heat radiating from him. He put his palm flat on Justin’s forehead and moved to pull the blanket away from his husband’s body. Justin was soaked in sweat and his skin was on fire. “Hey. Justin. Hey, get up,” Brian said.

Justin moaned and weakly tried to move Brian’s hand away from his face. Brian moved his hands and hooked them under Justin’s back and legs, lifting as he rose to his feet. “Stop, Brian,” Justin whined.

“I didn’t know I had seven kids,” Brian teased. He walked towards the bed and laid Justin down on the cool comforter. “Did you eat anything today?” Brian asked.

Justin stayed sleeping. He flinched when he heard Brian repeat his question loudly. “No food,” Justin mumbled. Brian walked out of their bedroom and into the girls’ bathroom to get a thermometer. He walked back into their bedroom and sat down on the bed next to Justin before turning the thermometer on and pressing the tip into Justin’s ear. It beeped quickly, flashing a digital 105.0 on the display screen.

“Shit,” Brian said loudly. “Come on Sunshine. You’re going to the hospital.” Brian moved around the room. He picked up Justin’s shoes and got him a jacket. The pajama pants and v-neck tee shirt he’d changed into would have to do for clothes. Brian maneuvered him into the jacket despite his weakly protesting arms. He put his own jacket back on and picked Justin up again.

“Can walk,” Justin mumbled weakly.

Sure you can,” Brian said. He made it down the stairs and all the kids turned to look at him. They were seated nicely at the table, happily eating their graham crackers and drinking milk. He headed towards the front door and nodded at their friend. “Emmett, would you mind sticking around; watching them for a couple of hours or so?” Brian asked.

“Not at all,” he answered. “I can’t think of any better people to spend my time with.”

“Guys,” Brian said with authority. “Listen to Emmett and be good. I’m gonna take Daddy to the hospital, okay.”

All the kids got up from the table and ran over to Brian and Justin. “Is Daddy really very sick?” Pilot asked, crumbs on his shirt and milk around his mouth.

“Yeah,” Brian said. Emmett walked behind him and opened the front door. “But I’m going to take him to the doctor so he can get all better. Emmett.”

Emmett gave a small wave and smiled. “You’re welcome.” Brian nodded and started towards the car.

********

The emergency room on the afternoon of a weekday was enough to make Brian want to tear his eyes out. Justin sat next to him with his eyes closed and his head resting against the wall. “What the fuck is taking so long?” Brian said out loud. He glanced at his watch and looked around at the people sitting around the waiting room.

“Brian,” Justin said softly, suddenly surging forward. “’M gonna throw up. I’m….” Brian jumped up and grabbed the closest trashcan, thrusting it under Justin just as he started to empty his stomach, nothing coming up but bile.

“Taylor,” a nurse called and Brian looked over, waving an arm to indicate that they’d heard her. She walked over, clipboard in hand, and looked Justin over. “Patty, let’s get a wheelchair over here,” she ordered.

Brian helped guide Justin into the chair and followed when the nurse took control and wheeled him down the hall. “How long’s he been sick?” she asked, passing door after door.

“Uh, a day, maybe two,” Brian answered. “Not sure.” The nurse led them into an empty room and helped Justin onto the exam table.

“Okay,” she said. “The doctor will be right in.”

Justin felt his stomach roll and wrapped his arms tighter around his body. He blinked slowly and let his gaze settle on Brian. On the outside Brian looked calm, composed. But Justin knew the truth. He knew his husband was worried, nervous, thinking. “Stop worrying,” Justin said softly.

Brian moved his stare from the door to his husband and smirked. “You look like shit,” Brian said, pushing Justin’s hair away from his face.

Justin smiled and sighed. “Thanks,” he said, leaning into Brian’s chest. “That made me feel so much better. What color did the boys get today?”

“Race got Green, and a gold star. Pilot never made it off red.”

The door to the hospital room opened before Justin could respond. Brian stepped away to give the doctor the space he needed. “I saw the name and my curiosity peeked,” Dr. James said, moving into the room and closing the door behind him. They hadn’t seen the doctor in months.

“Dr. James,” Brian said. The doctor said his hello’s and took a quick look at what little there was written on Justin’s chart.

“Justin, can you tell me what’s going on?” the doctor asked. He took Justin’s temperature and ordered an IV and something for his fever, listening as Justin told him how he’d felt fine and then all of a sudden felt like shit. “We’re gonna get you some fluids and something for the fever, okay?” he told Justin, a comforting hand resting on Justin’s shoulder.

“Yeah,” Justin said weakly. Brian watched the nurse walk in and administer the meds before starting the IV.

“So?” Brian asked, breaking his silence.

“Looks like a bad case of the flu. We’ll run some tests, just to be sure. But in the meantime we’re going to pump him full of fluids and antibiotics.” He picked up Justin’s chart and jotted down some notes. “Any chance of pregnancy?”

Justin chose that moment to vomit over the side of the exam table. Brian took a step back and the doctor quickly reached for a plastic container, holding it up to Justin and letting him empty his stomach. Brian moved around the table and rubbed Justin’s back, feeling the tremors passing through his body.

“Mostly bile,” Dr. James said, stepping back when Justin eased himself back down onto the table. He emptied the container and tossed it in the biohazard can. “I’m gonna give the meds a chance to do their job and then we’ll see about getting some food in you; even if it’s just crackers.”

Justin moved his free arm to rest against his forehead and groaned. “I took another pregnancy test. It was inconclusive,” Justin said finally, his voice pulsing with exhaustion.

“We’ll run one here; should be a little more accurate,” the doctor said. “Get comfortable, you might be here for awhile.” He gave Brian and Justin a smile and informed them that a nurse would be right in to draw some blood.

“When’d you plan on telling me that little piece of information?” Brian asked as he sat back down and got comfortable.

********

Emmett raced around the living room with Blue in his arms and the rest of the kids at his heels. She giggled as he pretended to be slowed and tackled, rolling across the hardwood floor with the kids climbing all over him. He’d helped them all with their homework and found some chicken thawing and waiting to be cooked.

The oven timer sounded and Emmett threw up his invisible white flag. “I surrender,” he cried. The kids allowed themselves to be shoveled onto each other and the floor. Emmett walked into the kitchen and checked the chicken. He grabbed an oven mitt and moved the baking dish to the stovetop.

“Ouch,” Pilot said and pulled his legs from underneath the pile of his siblings.

Junior pulled away from the pack, her hair sweaty and tangled. She bounced over to Emmett and shoved her hair out of her face, pulling lingering pieces out of her mouth. “Are you gonna make potatoes? Dad said to ask Daddy, but then he got sick,” she said sadly.

“Um, sure, why not,” Emmett replied. He looked around the kitchen for a pot.

“Daddy keeps his pots in there,” Junior said, pointing to one of the cabinet doors. Emmett pulled out a pot and sat it on the counter. He walked around the corner and into the pantry, pulling the box of instant potatoes from the top shelf. Junior was waiting for him in the kitchen, the rest of the kids having made their way into the playroom.

“Alright,” Emmett said. “I think we have everything we need.”

Pilot walked into the kitchen and right up to Emmett. “Can I have some water, please?” he asked. He happily accepted the glass of water and drank it quickly, sharing some with Max when he waddled over.

Emmett got started on the potatoes with Junior watching his every move.

********

Dr. James admitted him, stating that he just wanted to be sure everything was okay. He’d talked about not taking any chances and fevers being potentially dangerous. “Think of it as an unexpected vacation. Get some rest.” He turned to leave the room, smiling at the nurse that was helping get him situated.

“Comfortable?” the nurse asked. Justin nodded and stayed where he was, curled up on his side with his back towards the door. Her name was Sally. She was experienced and firm, but nice. “Just press the button if you need anything,” she said before walking out the door and closing it behind her.

Brian walked back over to the bed from his spot across the room. He’d moved out of the way so that Sally could do her job, using the moment to call the house and make sure that their small team hadn’t killed their friend and buried his body. “Is he still alive?” Justin asked weakly.

“They haven’t managed to take him out yet. He actually sounded like he was having fun.” Brian sat down in the chair next to the bed and leaned back. Justin looked over at his tired husband, still dressed in his dark gray dress pants and white Prada button-down. 

“Give him another hour or so,” Justin said. “You should go home, Brian. I’ll be fine here by myself.”

Brian eyed his husband and thought it over. “Let’s see what the doctor says first,” he said. “The kids are in good hands.” Justin took a deep breath and looked out the window.

“Do you want this test to be positive?” Justin asked. And there was the question they’d both been rolling around inside their heads. Justin waited and let his thoughts flood his head, knowing Brian was doing the same.

Finally Brian smirked and shrugged, leaned back in the chair and crossed his arms over his chest. “If it’ll tell us why you’re suddenly a practicing bulimic,” he said flatly. “Once you go past three it’s all just numbers anyway,” he reasoned.

Justin laughed and winced as it burned his throat and sent an ache through his stomach. “Yeah, you say that, until the hospital bill comes.”

“Yeah, well, we can afford it.”

********

Emmett held onto Sam’s hand, wiping the remnants of mashed potato from between his fingers. His dinner had been happily eaten and Junior had wobbled her hand from side to side when he asked if his potatoes stood up to the ones Justin made.

“You did okay, I guess,” Junior offered, wiping her mouth and tossing her napkin on the table before reaching for her cup of apple juice.

“No cheese,” Race shrugged, chewing the last of his piece of chicken and shifting on his seat. “But just plain potatoes is okay too. Sometimes,” he clarified.

Pilot nodded quickly, reaching over to push Blue’s cup a little closer to her reaching hands. “But only just sometimes,” he added. Blue took a big gulp of her apple juice and swallowed it down before reaching for her spoon and shoving mashed potatoes into her mouth. Sam tried to push Emmett’s hand away from his mouth and frowned when Emmett succeeded in wiping the food from his face.

Emmett let out a laugh and released Sam. He turned his attention to Max “Your dad said you have to take baths, brush your teeth, and go to bed,” Emmett listed. Chair legs moved smoothly across the tiled floor and small hands reached up to drop plates, forks, cups, and spoons into the sink. Blue, always the last to finish eating, stood up on the tips of her toes and dropped her dishes in last.

“Are you gonna read to us?” Pilot asked, moving towards the stairs behind his brother and sisters.

Emmett took Max and Sam’s hands in his and followed the group. “Sure,” he started. “I can….”

“Daddy does the voices,” Race said, making it to the top of the stairs first with Blue right on his heels.

“Dad does ‘em better,” Junior said.

“No,” Pilot said loudly, pulling a lump of mashed potatoes out of his hair and rolling it between his hands. “Daddy does, cause he makes the witches voice go up high just. Like. This,” he said, making his voice shrill and spinning around when he reached the top.

“I’ll do my best,” Emmett assured them, fighting the urge to reach out and catch Pilot before he could plummet down the stairs.

They all made it up the stairs safely and Blue followed her big sister into her room, the boys going into their own room. Emmett stood between the two rooms wondering which one to enter first. Max smiled wide and looked up at his uncle, Sam mirroring his movements.

“Ladies first?” he asked the twins.

Max giggled and ducked his head into the side of Emmett’s leg. “I agree,” Emmett said with a nod. He moved into the girls’ room and into their bathroom to fill the tub. 

********

The afternoon passed into evening and night in a blur of nurses and bad infomercials. Justin blinked sleepily as the door to his room was pushed open. Brian was asleep, on what Justin knew from experience to be a very uncomfortable chair, his long legs stretched across the floor and crossed at the ankle.

“Feeling better?” Dr. James asked softly, moving across the room and rubbing his palm against his stethoscope. Brian yawned, waking up quickly and stretching his arms over his head.

“You guys should really think of investing in some quality furniture, doc,” Brian stated with distaste.

“I’ll be sure and bring that up at the next faculty meeting,” Dr. James said with a smile, turning his attention back to his patient. 

Justin watched the doctor, his face pale. “Not really,” he answered. “But I haven’t thrown up in two hours so I guess that’s an improvement.” Justin shifted his legs under the stiff blankets and flinched when Dr. James pressed the stethoscope against his chest. “Jesus!”

“Cold, sorry,” he told Justin, listening to his heartbeat and breathing. “Sounds good.” The doctor moved away and pulled the buds of the stethoscope out of his ears, wrapping it back around his neck. He checked his temperature next and nodded his head sharply at the reading. “Looks good. I’d like it to be a little lower, but it looks good,” he said.

Justin gave him a smile and wrapped the stiff hospital blankets back around his arms. “Did my lab results come back yet?” he asked.

 “As a matter of fact they did. Let me be the first to tell you congrats.”

He paused and let them both take in the news; smiling at their lack of response. “Um,” Brian started, sitting up and quickly leaning back.

Justin didn’t say anything, just turned his head to the side and threw up over the side of the bed. Brian thought it summed up how he felt perfectly.

“You might as well get comfortable. You’ll be here at least overnight. We want to pump you full of fluids before releasing you.” The doctor turned towards Brian and offered a smile. “I’ll bring you a pillow,” he offered, disappearing from the room.

********

“Touch it and die!” Molly shouted from the kitchen, spreading peanut butter on a slice of bread and licking the knife. Oz stood at her feet with his cup of juice in his hand and his mini replica of Hunter’s BMX bike clutched in his hand, dressed in loose jeans and a plain green tee shirt.

“Hurry up!” Hunter shouted back, pushing the dogs away with his foot and resting it back on the coffee table. “No, go lay down.” He tapped his fingers against the controller and waited for his wife.

The video game on the screen was paused. Boxes of day old pizza were sitting on the oversized coffee table; one of Oz’s shirts balled up and tossed over one of the boxes.

Molly handed her son a piece of sandwich and guided him back to the couch.

“Nice dinner,” Hunter said, happily taking a bite when Oz held the piece of sandwich to his mouth.

 “Eat me. Sit down my baby, and watch me kick daddy’s ass,” she said with a large smile. Oz giggled when Molly gently flopped him on the couch and he moved to get in close to his daddy.

“Nice language,” Hunter laughed. “If only your prestigious colleagues could see the real you.”  

Molly scoffed and sat down next to her son. “They do. Just edited to fit the environment,” she said with a smile. Her hair was pulled up into a ponytail and Hunter’s old pajama pants were tied tightly around her waist, fitting just right. She pulled her feet up to rest her chin on her knees, her controller held tightly in her hands again. “Start it up, come on. Let’s do this!”

Hunter hit the pause button and immediately loaded up on as much weaponry as he could, determined to win.

********

After four bedtime stories Emmett had washed all the dishes and cleaned up the toys in the playroom. There was a place for everything in the large house and Emmett assumed that the extreme organization helped Brian and Justin keep their sanity. He was sitting on the couch, after a too short nap, flipping through one of Justin’s coffee table books. It was filled with abstract photos and sculptures.

He glanced up when the front door to the house opened. Brian guided Justin in, almost a full fourteen hours after they’d left, and closed the door behind them. “Hey,” Emmett greeted. “How are you?”

The sun was just barely breaking across the sky and slivers of sharp orange were streaking across the wooden floors and letting Emmett see that Justin was mobile again, moving under his own control, but still pale and a little unsteady.

“Good,” Justin offered with a small, queasy smile and a weak wave. “Thanks for staying,” he managed to say. “I’m gonna go brush my teeth and lay down.” The words were directed more towards Brian and he nodded at his husband, watching him walk slowly up the stairs.

“Everything alright?” Emmett asked, leaning forward to place the book back on the large table.

“Yeah,” Brian answered, shrugging out of his jacket. “Just a bug. Doctor gave him some meds.”

“I thought for sure they’d keep him until at least later on today,” Emmett said with confusion as he pulled on his shoes and coat. 

Brian shrugged and rested his hands on his hips. “Justin doesn’t care too much for hospitals.” Emmett nodded, accepting the short answer. “How we’re the kids?”

“Very good,” Emmett told him. “We had a lot of fun and I made potatoes, which apparently aren’t as good as Justin’s, but they’re passable. They’re all still sleeping.”

“Good. You can head off if you want. Or stay. Thanks for watching them; staying over. I know they can be a handful,” Brian said. He walked over to the answering machine and checked for any messages. Emmett gathered his things and walked towards the front door.

“Not a problem,” Emmett said cheerily. “I think I’ll shove off. I had fun. Take care of that cute husband of yours. Ta-ta.” Brian watched Emmett walk down the driveway to his car, getting in and pulling away from the house. He closed and locked the door, making his way across the room and into the kitchen to grab a bottle of water.

His stomach clenched with hunger but the water was all he had the energy for. Brian turned off all the lights and made sure all the doors were locked before setting the alarm and climbing the stairs. He checked on his kids, giving them all kisses and pulling Blue’s blankets back up and her finger out of her mouth. Brian figured he could maybe count on a solid three, maybe four, hours of sleep before anyone decided to wake up.

********

Part 2

********

He was wrong.

Brian groaned and rolled his body away from Justin’s. He looked into the eyes of his youngest daughter, his mini-shadow, and smiled sleepily. “Good morning,” he signed.

She grinned, so much like Justin and signed, “Good morning,” before rushing forward to pull herself up onto the bed. She made sure her favorite blanket was secure on the bed next to Brian and leaned into his side. Brian smoothed his hand over her sleep-tussled hair and tugged gently on the ends.”Daddy’s sleeping.” She pulled her lips into her mouth and dropped her hands back down to her lap.

“He is,” Brian signed and Justin moaned out a sigh. He reached out in his sleep and ran his hand over Brian’s bare chest. “We have company,” Brian said with a smirk, knowing that the last thing on Justin’s mind would be sex of any kind.

“I hear,” was the mumbled reply before Justin rolled towards his own side of the bed and struggled to a sitting position. He paused with his feet flat on the ground and his hands pressing into the mattress. Blue scrambled over Brian and latched onto Justin’s back, grinning when he reached back and tickled her inner thigh.

“You okay?” Brian asked with concern. Blue was crawling around the bed, her legs getting tangled in the rumpled sheets.

Justin took a deep breath and moved to get up off the bed. “I’m trying to decide if my body is going to throw up what little nothing it has left.” Justin stood up straight and took cautious steps to the bathroom, with his daughter right on his heels.

Brian lay in the bed, hearing the toilet flush once and then again. Justin held onto Blue’s freshly washed hand as they walked out of the bathroom, his daughter twirling happily. “School or no school?” Brian asked. Justin moved to sit back on the bed and leaned against the headboard. Blue pulled herself up and settled between Justin’s legs, leaning back against his chest.

Justin sighed and closed his eyes against the wave that crashed through his stomach. “School,” Justin said with a nod. It was bordering on selfish but he relished the quiet that came with the kids being in school. More footsteps started to move down the hall and within seconds a glassy-eyed Race appeared with his brother right at his side, their hair falling over their ears.

“Daddy, Daddy,” they both screamed. They made their way into Brian and Justin’s room and up onto their bed.

“Good morning,” Justin said with a smile as they both hugged him.

“Just ignore me,” Brian said softly. “I only bought you a house to live in and food to eat.”

“Morning, Dad,” they both said at the same time.

Race took up residence on Brian’s stomach, shifting around and getting comfortable. “Daddy,” Pilot started, sitting in front of Justin with his legs crossed and one of his toys in his hand, “do you feel all better?”

Justin leaned forward and got his first kiss of the morning from Pilot. “A little bit,” Justin told him. It wasn’t really the truth, but they didn’t need to know that. “We’re you guys really good for Uncle Emmett?” Justin asked, threading his fingers through Pilot’s hair.

“We were,” Pilot said with pride as he played with the cuffs of his pajama pants. “But you know what else, Daddy?” he said softly, ducking his head and resting his elbows on his knees and his face in his hands.

“What?” Justin shifted on the bed and stifled a yawn.

“I think maybe Mr. Franklin give’d me a red on the day that was yesterday. Did you know that? Did you know he did that?” Pilot asked. “I tried to tell him that I needed one of those greens, but he just shook his head and said nope. He said ‘no, no, no, Pilot’, so many times.”

“That’s not true,” Race said firmly.

“IT SO IS TRUE!” Pilot yelled before turning his attention back to Justin.

Blue twisted in Justin’s arms and reached to pull her blanket from Race’s hands. “Hey,” he signed and screamed. “I was just lookin’ at it.”

“It’s her blanket,” Brian said.

“Dad told me. And I don’t think Mr. Franklin gave you a red. I think you were not being very good and you earned a red,” Justin said with knowing. Brian listened to the exchange as he watched his daughter’s hands fly with the reasons why her brothers should never touch her things, especially her blanket. With so many kids in the house they’d gotten use to splitting their attention.

“You’re very…. Justin, what’s the sign for passionate?” Brian looked over and watched his husband make the sign for him before turning his attention back to his daughter and repeating the motion.

“Yes,” she signed back with a smile on her face; not knowing what the word really meant but agreeing anyway.

Race looked down at Brian, his blue pajama top wrinkled from sleep.”Can we have pancakes this morning for breakfast?” Race asked. Brian could hear the sounds of his youngest sons’ waking up and Junior scrambling from her bed and into her bathroom.

“So much for getting more sleep,” Brian said with a sigh, rolling out of bed and walking into the bathroom. He stood in front of the toilet with his hand resting on the wall and his eyes closed.

“Race, don’t pull on your hair like that,” Justin said tiredly. “Brian, I think it’s time for haircuts again.” Justin ran his fingers through his sons’ hair and frowned at the length. 

“I really think you should make us some pancakes. With bananas, because I like them,” Pilot said with a shrug. Race nodded, hard, and leaned back on Brian’s still warm pillow. He crossed his legs at the ankle and rested his hands across his stomach.

“Hi, Daddy,” Junior said sleepily from her position at the door. “Do you feel better?”

“Yeah, a little,” Justin answered. “Come give me kisses.” She shuffled over and leaned over to give Justin a kiss, resting her hands on his shoulders.

Brian listened to the conversations from the bathroom, flushing the toilet and washing his hands before walking back into his bedroom. He scooped Junior up and pressed several kisses to her cheek, still warm from sleep. She giggled as he hefted her over his shoulder and tickled her feet. She was growing up fast, but she’d always be their first; her daddies little girl.

Justin slumped back against his pillows and yawned. He shivered slightly and swallowed down the sudden wave of nausea. Blue crawled out of Justin’s lap and curled up next to him.

“DADDY!” Max and Sam screamed at the same time.

“The warriors are finally fully awake,” Brian muttered and stood his daughter back on her feet. “Wanna go get them out of their cribs?” he asked his oldest.

“Okay!” Junior hurried out of the room and down the hall.

Brian glanced at the clock and frowned. “At this point trying to make it to school would be pointless. It’s almost 11 o’clock,” he said to Justin as he walked around the room, pausing to pick a shirt up off the floor and pull it on.

Justin moved his hand to protect his stomach when Blue started to wriggle and thrash. He closed his eyes and willed his stomach to settle against the movements on his bed. Brian took in the tired look on Justin’s face and frowned. “Ok, Daddy’s sick. I say we leave him here and go have some fun,” Brian told his kids.

“YAY!” they all screamed, scrambling off of the bed. Pilot grabbed onto Blue’s hand and pulled her along behind them, signing to her as they all fled from the bedroom.

“I owe you so many blowjobs,” Justin said, his arm resting over his eyes.

“OUT,” Sam yelled from his crib, a happy yell flying through the air and telling Brian and Justin that Junior was finally lowering the bars.

“I’m getting you out,” she said, wrapping her arms around her brother’s waist and pulling him from his bed.

“OUT!” Max echoed his brother. The sound of the second set of bars being lowered and small, unsteady bare feet walking across the floor echoed down the hall.

“I know,” Brian told Justin with a smirk before walking out of his bedroom and down the hall to meet his sons halfway.

********

“You’re not at work.”

 

“What a wonderful observation, Mikey. Your detective skills amaze me,” Brian said, holding the door of the comic book store open so his kids could pass through.

“Fuck you, asshole. What are you doing here?” Michael asked, coming around the counter. “Hey guys!”

“Hi,” they all said, waiting for their hugs. Blue signed out a very enthusiastic ‘hello’ before running to the corner of the store with the action figures on display.

“Maybe I just wanted to see my best friend,” Brian told him, pulling off his sunglasses and hooking them in the pocket of his jeans. Max and Sam lingered around his feet before teetering along behind Junior.

“Yeah, sure” Michael said with a roll of his eyes, ducking back behind the counter to ring up a customer. “Thanks,” he said to the guy, handing him his change and closing the register.

“We’re on our way to the diner and they wanted to stop and see you,” Brian said, gesturing to his kids. They all huddled around the display shelves, touching only what they were allowed to.

Race wandered over and tapped Brian on the leg. “I gotta pee,” he said, crossing his legs and scrunching up his face to fully communicate the urgency of the situation.

“Okay,” Brian said. He pushed away from the counter and took hold of his son’s hand. “Come on. Anyone else?” Brian asked, signing for his daughter’s benefit.

Blue pushed herself up from the floor and hurried towards them. “Me too,” she signed with a smile plastered on her face. Brian nodded knowingly and led her towards the back of the store and the bathroom. It didn’t take long for the urge to pee to spread and before they left Michael behind the toilet had been flushed four times and two diapers had been changed.

********

Justin lasted two hours before the urge to vomit forced him out of bed. He sighed and flushed the toilet again before turning to brush his teeth. Sweaty and still tired he made his way out of their bedroom and downstairs. The house was quiet, too quiet. Justin moved around the kitchen. He poured himself a large glass of orange juice and grabbed a couple graham crackers.

He took the opportunity to toss a couple loads into the washing machine. The two front loaders stood side by side with the dryers across the room. He closed the door on the second machine and wandered out of the laundry room.

Justin sat on the couch and turned on the TV. He searched for the remote for almost half an hour when he discovered that it was stuck on the menu screen for Finding Nemo. Finding the remote, buried underneath half of the toys in their toy box, he turned off the movie and settled in to find something good to watch. Fifteen minutes later he was fast asleep.

********

“Okay,” Junior signed, sitting down at the top of the slide. “I’m gonna go first and then you can go.” Blue twirled her feet around and adjusted her hat on her head.

“You gonna wait at the bottom, down there?” she signed quickly. Junior nodded and pushed herself down the enclosed slide, screaming with laughter the whole way. Her feet hit the ground with a soft thud and she laughed, turning to face her sister still standing at the top.

“Come on!” Junior signed and yelled with enthusiasm, her body stumbling slightly to the side as Pilot bumped into her right side. “Come on!” She watched as Race appeared behind their sister with a huge grin on his face.

“She’s not gonna go down there; it’s too high,” Pilot stated with authority, his hat pulled down tightly over his ears and his bottom lip being worried between his teeth.

“Yeah-huh,” Junior said with a nod. Pilot frowned and blew out a huge puff of air.

Race stood behind his sister and tapped her on the arm. She turned her big eyes toward him and smiled. “I’ll go with you, okay?” he signed with ease. He sat down at the opening of the slide and pulled his sister into his lap, wrapping his arms around her as he moved them forward. Blue let out broken squeals of happiness as they traveled the length of the tube.

When they reached the bottom she jumped to her feet and signed a quick, “Again,” before running around to the platform and pulling herself up to get to the long ladder.

Brian gave Max and then Sam another push on the toddler swings and glanced over at his older children, making sure that they were all okay. The slight chill in the air left them with the park mostly to themselves.

“Oh!” Max screamed, his arms reaching down. “Down! Daddy, down!” he screamed at the top of his lungs. Their smallest sons seemed to have one volume, loud.

“Okay.” Brian stopped his swing and lifted him out and to the ground. It didn’t take long for Sam to become bored with the swing and want the same. Brian removed him and trailed behind his sons as they walked unsteadily across the woodchips layered over the ground of the playground. “Pilot, don’t climb on the outside of the…. ” Brian lunged forward and caught his son as he started to lose his grip on the smooth surface of the top of the covered slide.

Pilot smiled up at Brian, all of his small teeth showing. “Hi,” he said with hesitation. Brian sighed and stood his son back on his own two feet.

Brian stood, leaning against one of the large play structure’s support beams, and watched his children play. Blue ran over, her hands dusting woodchip debris onto her jeans and a huge smile on her face. She stopped in front of Brian and pulled on the leg of his jeans. She signed for him to follow and he reached down to take her hand as she navigated him around to another large play structure. Brian called out for Junior to watch her little brothers and leaned over to help his youngest daughter climb up on the monkey bars.

********

“Justin, we don’t have time for this. Doug wants an answer today, now. Not in eight hours. Not tomorrow,” Julian said, frustration burning under his skin and making the walls of his office feel too close.

Justin stood at the kitchen counter and bit down on his bottom lip. The chance to commission a piece of art for Douglas Carter, let alone a special request, didn’t come along every day. His fingers danced an uneven pattern down the sides of the glass of orange juice he’d poured. His brain was working overtime, pushing out the fading edges of sleep and making him more alert. The orange juice sat heavily on his stomach and he opened and closed his mouth. “Justin,” Julian called. “Jesus, say something. I’m going to have a heart attack. I swear. You… you’re going to fucking kill me. Douglas Carter, Justin.”

“I….”

“Say yes,” Julian pushed. “Just say yes.”

Justin moved his hand from the glass of orange juice and moved to sit down on one of the bar stools at the counter. “Julian, shut up. Please. Give me a second,” Justin said with the quiet intensity that Julian knew meant he was thinking hard.

“I’d want to meet with him,” Justin said.

Julian sighed and ran a hand over his face and through his hair, standing up from his desk and moving to pace from his large office window to his door and back again. “Justin,” he started slowly, resting his hands on his hips and glancing towards the phone on his desk. The speaker button glowed red as he stopped to lean over the phone. “Douglas Carter doesn’t do meetings. He requests something and that something gets done. Period.”

Justin crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair, a film of exhaustion washing over him. “He wants something from me,” Justin shrugged, “and I want something from him. He can meet with me or he can find someone else.”

Julian dropped his head and rested his chin against his chest. He’d been with Justin for years, knew him. A small smirk of a challenge accepted spread across his face. “I’ll be in touch. And get some sleep ‘cause you sound like shit.” He disconnected the call and prepared to get to work.

Justin yawned and downed the rest of his orange juice. Feeling restless, a little better, and lonely in such a big house all by himself, he dialed a very familiar number on his phone and waited for a connection.

********

“Daddy!” Junior answered happily. She held the phone tightly to her ear and swung her legs back and forth.

The sound of his daughter’s voice brought an instant smile to Justin’s face. “Hey,” he answered. “I think I might have the wrong number. I was trying to call a very cute boy,” he said. Junior laughed and Justin listened as she pushed her brother out of her space.

“Let me just talk to him,” Race said, his half eaten hamburger held tightly in one hand and small traces of ketchup around his mouth.

“I’m already talking to him,” Junior said as she shouldered her brother out of her way.

“Yeah, let me talk too. I have something to say,” Pilot said distractedly, leaning against his brother. He dipped the edge of his hamburger in ketchup and took a big bite.

Blue watched her siblings, her eyes sweeping over their lips as she ate her fries. Brian sat next to her in the booth and took her left hand, wiping off bits of hamburger and pickles, no ketchup for her. Max and Sam sat in their highchairs next to the table, cut up pieces of hamburger in front of them and their cups held tightly in their grasps.

Junior nodded as she listened to Justin and pushed one of her fries through the ketchup on her plate and brought it to her mouth. “Hamburgers and fries,” she said into the phone. Brian sighed, already hearing the silent sound of disapproval coming from his husband.

“Eat,” Max said with a grin, sitting his cup down hard on the tray of his highchair and picking up a fry. He pushed the cooling fry into his mouth and chewed as fast as he could. Sam sat in the chair next to him with his legs crossed at the ankle and a sleepy haze settling over his face as he leaned into the low back of his chair, fingers twirling in his hair as he tried to fight going to sleep.

“Okay, Daddy,” Junior said, thrusting Brian’s phone at him and quickly turning her attention back to her food.

“Hi, honey,” Brian said sweetly, sarcasm dripping from the words. He motioned across the table for Race to sit back down and finish his food.

“Smartass,” Justin replied. “What are you doing?”

“Treating the children to lunch at The Bistro,” Brian said. The Bistro was a very nice, and small, family restaurant that they’d found one day way before Junior was born and it’d been a favorite of theirs ever since.

Justin felt his mouth start to water and he repositioned himself on the stool. “Oh, bring me a cheese steak with lots of cheese,” he ordered.

“I see someone must be feeling better.” Brian motioned for the waiter to return to their table. He ordered Justin’s food and asked for the bill.

Justin leaned his arms on the counter and smiled. “A little,” Justin answered. “I’ve managed not to throw up anything in a couple hours.”

“Your bill, Mr. Kinney,” the waiter said as he returned to the table a few minutes later. He sat Justin’s container of food on the table and held his hands together. “Is there anything else I can get for you?”

“No. Thank you,” Brian answered, paying the bill and adding a sizable tip. “See you when I get there?”

“Yeah,” Justin smiled. “Hurry up, I’m lonely.”

Brian hung up the phone, slipped it in his pocket, and took Max out of his highchair to clean him up and slip his arms into his jacket. “Hey, but I’m not finished,” Pilot said, sitting up on his knees in the booth and putting another fry in his mouth.

“Better hurry,” Brian answered.

“You said you were,” Race said, pulling on his jacket and slipping from between his brother and sister. He scooted from under the table and ran around to stand next to Brian.

“Shut up,” Pilot said quickly.

“Hey,” Brian said, pointedly looking at his son.

“Don’t say shut up,” Junior said. She drank the rest of her juice quickly and sat her cup back on the table. She pulled on her own jacket and slid out of the booth when Brian stood up. He cleaned up Sam and lifted him into his arms, where he quickly fell asleep. Max stood at his feet and Brian held out his hand so Blue could scoot out of the booth.

“J,” Brian said, “get the babies’ bag. And hold Max’s hand. Let’s go.” They all moved toward the front door, with Pilot and Blue leading the group.

“I hope everything was satisfactory, Mr. Kinney.” Brian turned to look at the owner of the restaurant as he made his way over to them. “Hey guys,” Tyler said to the children.

All of the kids waved and Brian shook his hand and adjusted his son on his shoulder. “Everything was great, as usual,” Brian told him. “Of course, it helps that the owner is a former…acquaintance, if you will.”

“Yes,” Tyler said with a knowing smirk. “I guess it does. Tell Justin I said hello.”

********

“It is true, ask Dad,” Junior said as Brian pushed the door open. Blue ran inside, spotting Justin on the couch and making a beeline for him.

“Dad, is it true?” Pilot asked, looking up at Brian as he waited for Max and Pilot to clear the threshold so he could shut the door.

“I’m almost sure your sister wouldn’t lie to you,” Brian said, having no idea what his children had been talking about. “Put your jackets on the hooks, that’s what they’re there for.”

“Hey guys,” Justin said with a laugh as he hugged Blue and helped her out of her jacket. “Did you have fun?”

“Yes!” they all yelled at the same time.

“I went all the way down the slide,” Blue signed quickly.

“You did!” Justin said.  All of the kids talked at the same time, their words crawling over each other and tangling together. Justin was use to it and followed the conversations with ease. Brian walked into the living room and sat down on the couch next to Justin.

“Do you feel better?” Junior asked.

“I do feel better. Thank you for asking,” he said before kissing his oldest daughter.

“Good. I’m going to color,” she said. She gave Justin one last kiss and walked off towards the playroom. All of her brothers and her sister followed quickly behind her, like always.

“Hey,” Justin said, turning towards Brian and leaning in to kiss him long and hard. “Mmm.”

“Hey,” Brian said with a smirk as they separated. “I see someone is feeling better.” Brian moved Sam so that he was sleeping cradled in his arms. He tossed the bag he was holding into Justin’s lap and ran his fingers through his son’s hair. “I feel like I just got their hair cut.”

Justin nodded as he unwrapped his sandwich and took a bite, rolling his eyes closed and sighing. “It’s growing really fast,” he said after swallowing. “This is really good.” Brian watched Justin eat, running his fingers slowly over his mouth.

“What?” Justin asked. He turned to face his husband and propped his feet up on the couch, letting the sandwich sit untouched in his lap.

Brian let his eyes wander over Justin and settle back on his face. Sam let out a deep sigh and curled further into Brian’s chest. Justin smiled and crossed his arms over his chest, waiting for Brian to speak and scratching absently at his arm. “I just –“

“Give me the red one!” Race screamed.

“Guys,” Justin started.

“No. I’m using it. Go get another one from the box,” Junior said calmly as she pushed her brother back down into his seat. Blue happily scribbled over the top of her paper before sitting back to peel off the wrapper. Junior snatched it before she could finish and tossed it back in the box. “Don’t take the paper off,” she signed.

“I don’t want the box one. I want that one,” Race argued. Pilot looked over at his brother and reached around him to grab the blue crayon sitting on the table.

Junior shrugged and continued with her picture. “So, I’m using this one. There are so many red crayons in there. Here,” she said, reaching into the box and handing her brother a red crayon. He smacked it out of her hand and reached over to scribble all over her picture with the green crayon in his hand.

Junior frowned at her brother and raised her hand into the air for her own form of swift justice. Justin was up off the couch before her hand could make contact with his face. “Okay, enough,” he said. “J, you don’t –“

“He scribbled all over my picture and I told him that there were more red crayons. I even gave him one and he smacked me,” she said quickly and with anger as she tried to twist her hand out of Justin’s grip. Race sat looking up at his daddy, stealing glances in Brian’s direction, with guilt written all over his face.

“I know, but you don’t hit your brothers and sisters. We tell all of you that all the time,” Justin said. He turned to his son and pointed down at Junior’s picture. ‘Why did you write on her picture?”

Race shrugged; his eyes wide and looking up at Justin. “What does that mean?” Justin asked, mimicking the shrug. Pilot and Blue sat back, coloring and quietly watching the action. Max sat on the floor under their small table with one hand wrapped around his socked foot and the other gripping an abandoned pink crayon.

“I don’t know,” Race mumbled. “I just…. I just wanted to color with that red crayon,” he said, tears starting to fall. Justin ignored them and pressed on.

“And you didn’t listen when your sister told you that there were more red crayons. You can’t always get what you want. And we buy enough crayons so that there is enough for all of you. So, since you don’t want to listen and you want to destroy other people’s art you know what you get to do?” Justin asked as he let go of Junior’s hand.

“No,” Race said, shaking his head and crying harder. He banged his fist against his leg and stomped. “No, no, no time out. No,” he cried. The long day was destined to catch up with them at some point and Justin watched as his son had a melt down.

“Yes, come on.” He took Race’s hand and started to walk him out of the playroom. Race cried harder and tried to pull away from Justin. “Crying is not going to help you. Come on.” Justin walked his son up the stairs and into his room. He sat him down on the bed and bent down to remove his shoes before sitting down next to him.

He pulled his son into his lap and wiped some of his tears away. “What you did to your sister’s picture wasn’t nice,” Justin explained. “So, you’re going to take some time and think about what you did and why it wasn’t nice. Okay?”

Race sniffed and nodded once. Justin slid him back onto the bed and stood up. “I love you so much,” he said, leaning down to kiss the top of his head before walking out of the room and back down the stairs, Race’s cries trailing along behind him.

Justin sat back down on the couch and ran his hands over his face before turning to look at Brian. “You were saying,” he said with a smile. They had learned years ago how to pick up an abandoned conversation. Six children demanded that they learn the skill and learn it well.

Brian smirked and locked his eyes on Justin’s. “Another one,” Brian said. “We must be out of our minds.”

Justin laughed. “Well, we knew our sex drives would come back to bite us in the ass one day.” He leaned forward and retrieved his sandwich from the coffee table, taking a bite.

“Yeah, but I was thinking more along the lines of an incurable STD.”

Justin laughed. “I told you to get that surgery.”

 

“So it’s my fault,” Brian said with a smirk.

Justin shrugged and folded up the rest of his sandwich. He wiped his mouth with a napkin and tossed it into the crumpled bag. “Of course it is.”

********

“I like to think that it’s all his fault,” Daphne said, pushing her hair behind her ear and leaning against the door of the freezer, her eyes trailing over the frozen vegetables.

Justin laughed and reached into the freezer to grab a couple of bags of frozen broccoli. He tossed them in his basket and turned to walk away. Daphne moved away from the door and pushed the basket behind him. “Why does it have to be anyone’s fault? You guys have been together, off and on, for years.” Daphne sped up and punched her best friend in the arm. “Ouch, are we not counting the times spent apart?”

“Do you and Brian count the ‘non-defined’ time you spent together?” she asked, stopping to toss a couple of boxes of Hot Pockets in the basket.

“I do. He doesn’t,” Justin said. “You eat Hot Pockets?”

“Damien and Cedric love them,” she answered. “Anyway; do you think I’m stupid for being apprehensive?”

Justin shook his head and walked over to get a couple loaves of bread. “No. I mean, you guys have been back together for a while now, but you’ve had your ups and downs. What does Damien say?”

“He wants a little brother,” Daphne said with a roll of her eyes. “No big surprise there.” She paused and looked at Justin. “I want this baby. I really, really want this.”

Justin smiled. “Then it’ll happen. Everything will be fine, you’ll see.”

“God I hope so. I don’t think I can go through another miscarriage.” Justin walked over to the milk and picked up two gallons, putting them in the basket before turning to get two more. “Jesus, Justin, do you think you have enough milk?”

“I have six kids, what do you think?” he asked, letting the freezer door close behind him. “This is actually pretty neat, you being pregnant.”

“I know. I’m excited. Hell, even Cedric is excited. He’s changed a lot. I think that shrink he started seeing was a big help.”

“I thought you guys were seeing someone together,” Justin said as they walked down the aisles.

Daphne shrugged. “Yeah, well. I like to pretend he’s the only one who’s fucked up. Which is probably something I need to talk about in therapy,” she said with a laugh.

“Just probably?” Justin asked with a smile, pausing to grab a couple bags of chips and dodging the hand that Daphne swung at him. “That’s not what I meant. I meant that it’s neat because I’m pregnant too.”

“WHAT?!”

Justin whipped his head back and forth, his eyes wide as he took notice of the people in their aisle. “Jesus, Daphne, lower your voice. Hi,” Justin said to a couple passing by, giving them a small smile. “I said I’m pregnant. I found out a couple days ago when I was sick.”

“Yeah, I heard what you said. How the fuck did that happen? Are you guys looking to start your own soccer team?”

Justin laughed and added another box of Goldfish crackers to the basket. “I don’t think so,” he said casually. “It kinda came as a shock to us too. I mean, it’s not as if we sit around and plan these things. We like to fuck and I’m way too fertile.”

“I don’t think I need the images that are going through my head right now.” She reached around Justin and grabbed a package of chocolate chip cookies.

“For Damien?” Justin asked with a smirk.

“Hell no; for me,” Daphne said, dropping the cookies into the basket. “What’d your mom say?”

“Nothing, because I haven’t told her yet,” he said, moving around Daphne to turn up the other aisle. “I think I’ll make stew for dinner. It’s slightly chilly outside and the kids like it,” Justin said, mostly to himself.

“She’s just got to wonder what was going through your head when she had the safe sex talk with you; because it is obvious that you only listen when the mood suits you.”

“The whole time she was talking I was thinking about how I’d already jerked off Matthew Robinson behind the Quick Stop,” Justin said with a smile. “It got on my shirt,” he added absently, reaching for the spaghetti sauce.

“Matthew Robinson? Ugh. He smelt like cheese.”

Justin laughed and sat the jars in the basket. “He really did.”

********

“It looks good,” Brian said, handing the copies back to Shaun with his signature of approval.

“Thanks,” Shaun said, his tie hanging loosely around his neck.

Brian stood up from his desk and slipped his blazer from the back of his chair. “Have Robin start the final boards so we can have them ready for the meeting on Friday. Tell Roger to lighten up on the edges just a bit, and then get with Joshua for the specifics on the Jacobs account; see if we can get a mock-up done for them before the end of the week.”

“I’m on it,” Shaun said, taking the boards and leaving the office. Brian grabbed his phone and portfolio before following him out of the office for his meeting with Mrs. Frederick Johnson.

Cynthia met up with Brian at the front of the building. “This is going to be so great,” she said happily.

“I wouldn’t get too excited yet,” Brian said with his voice edged in sarcasm and confidence.

“Please, this woman was ours from the moment I picked up the phone. Do you have any idea how much she is worth, Brian?”

“I’m vaguely aware,” he said as he pushed open the front doors and started towards his car, Cynthia following closely behind.

“Billions, Brian. She’s worth fucking billions,” Cynthia said as she climbed into the passenger seat of Brian’s Corvette. Brian pulled his car out of its parking space and headed into traffic.

Gloria Lumin, known and recognized publically as Mrs. Frederick Johnson, was the wife of one of the finest jewelry dealers in the country, specializing in diamonds. Frederick Johnson owned and operated three diamond mines and several hundred jewelry stores. Gloria made it her personal business to handle any and all advertising ventures that involved their company. She had personally called Cynthia after one of her very good friends recommended Kinnetik.

“Mm,” Brian said. He refused to see her as more than a potential client. Although he wouldn’t disagree that having her name added to his list of clients would surely help, especially with Kinnetik International.

“I can just see it now,” Cynthia said as they pulled to a stop at a red light. “Her thanking us and handing over a jewelry box. And inside… there is one single diamond studded tennis bracelet.” She made a happy noise and Brian looked over, smirked, and pressed the gas.

********

Justin took a step back from the large canvas he was working on and tapped the edge of his paintbrush against his chin. He was covered from head to toe in flecks and swipes of paint. His stomach gave a loud rumble, telling him that it was past the time to take a break. He checked his watch and sighed when he saw the time. “Fuck,” he mumbled.

Going to the grocery store with Daphne had been fun and more than necessary, but it had really cut into his schedule. The kids had to be picked up soon and he wasn’t even halfway finished with his prep for the canvas. He turned towards the table and placed his large bristled brush in the jar of murky water, resigned to finishing later. He washed his hands and grabbed a bottle of water.

The knock on the door was swift and unexpected. No one usually came to his studio in the city. People who wanted to view his work currently saw it on display at the Sidney Bloom Gallery, while he was working on getting his exhibition area ready for the public. He crossed the room and pulled the sliding door open. “Dad,” he said, clearly shocked. 

“Hey,” Craig said with a nervous smile. His tie was pulled loose and the sleeves of his dress shirt were rolled up. “Am I interrupting anything?”

“Not at all,” Justin said, stepping back from the door and letting his father in. “Come on in.” Craig stepped into the studio and Justin closed the door, moving around his dad and motioning for him to follow. “This is a… surprise,” Justin said, reaching into the fridge and pulling out another bottle of water. “Did you….”

Craig quickly held up a hand and waved away the offer of a bottle of water for himself before Justin could even finish asking. Justin drank slowly and watched as his father moved around the studio, taking in the art. “Justin, these are just…. You’re really good. I mean, really. What is this? Charcoal?” Craig asked, turning towards Justin and hooking his thumb over his shoulder.

“Yeah,” Justin nodded. “It’s mixed into the paint to add texture.”

Craig made an impressed noise and took a deep breath. “I heard you were sick a few days ago.” Justin laughed softly. He could just guess who his dad had heard that from. “Are you feeling better?”

“Yeah,” Justin answered. “Much better.”

Craig nodded and stuffed a hand into his pocket. “Um, I didn’t just come by to see your art. I mean, I think it’s great and worth a trip but I had other motivations.” Justin took another drink of water and nodded before placing the bottle on the counter and moving towards the sink to start his clean up.

“I figured,” Justin said with a smile. “Whatever it is, you can just ask.”

Craig moved to stand next to the counter where Justin was working, emptying out dirty water and drying his brushes. “I want to have a sleepover.”

Justin laughed and grabbed another abandoned jar of murky water. “No offense dad, but I think I might be a little old for a sleepover.”

“For the kids; a sleepover for the kids,” he clarified.

“Uh -”

 

“I just…. I want to get to know them better. We have fun together and I thought this would be a good thing for us to do. We can go to breakfast and the movies, talk – just, do stuff.”

Justin stared at his father and watched the fear of rejection pass over his face. He’d had years to feel bad about what he’d done, about the things he’d said. “I’ll have to run it pass Brian,” Justin started, and Craig nodded his head in understanding. “But, I think it’s a good idea. You can spend some time alone with them. And I can spend some time alone with my husband. It’s a win-win situation.”

“Lisa will be there,” Craig said.

“Well, semi-alone then,” Justin clarified.

********

“GREEN TODAY!” Pilot yelled, racing towards Justin. Justin dropped to a squatting position and accepted the hug that he got from his son. Race wasn’t too far behind, hugging Justin and getting his afternoon kiss. “Daddy, I got green. I was so good!”

“Wow!” Justin screamed with exaggerated excitement. “You did?” Pilot nodded his head and pulled open the sides of his jacket so Justin could see the large sticker that was slightly crumpled and stuck firmly to his white shirt.

“I got a sticker,” Pilot said proudly.

“I got one too. I got a motorcycle one,” Race said happily.

“I got a dinosaur!” Pilot yelled, both of them twirling and doing a very happy dance.

“Wow. That’s great you guys,” Justin told them. He stood up to his full height and tapped his sons on the top of their heads. “I am very proud of you for being so good. You know what?”

“What?!” they answered together.

“I think I’ll let you pick out what we have for dessert today.” Pilot and Race each let out a happy yelp before gathering their things and rushing out of the classroom in the direction of Junior’s room.

“I think you just made their day,” Mr. Franklin said with a laugh, moving forward to shake Justin’s hand.

“I think so,” Justin agreed. “I better catch up with them before they destroy something. “We’ll see you tomorrow.”

********

Junior stood next to Justin with both of her youngest brothers’ hands in hers. Blue was hopping up and down a small section of the aisle while Pilot and Race stood with their bodies halfway inside the freezer of the local grocery store. “You sure that’s what you guys want?” Justin asked.

Both of the boys nodded and looked up at him with matching grins on their faces. “Yes!”

“Okay.” Justin reached in to grab two boxes of frozen apple pie, grateful that his kids were so very easy to please.

“Can we get one with crumbs on top?” Junior asked.

Pilot and then Race nodded. “Daddy, can we get one with crumbs on the top? J, likes the crumbs so can we get one like that?”

“Yeah,” Justin said. He put back one of the boxes and picked up one with crumbs. He handed one box to Pilot and the other to Race. “Okay, let’s go.”

********

The children were sleep and the house was blissfully quiet.

Brian let Justin pull the fork out of his mouth and chewed slowly on the sweet apples, his hands running steadily up and down Justin’s thighs as he straddled him. Justin leaned down and kissed Brian slowly, tasting the sweetness of the pie as he tangled their tongues together.

“Mm, so good,” Justin moaned into his husband’s mouth. “I want you,” he said, whispering in Brian’s ear and trailing kisses along his jaw, “to fuck me.”

“Is that so?” Brian asked. His voice was low and full of want, his head tilted to the side to give Justin more room.

“Yes,” Justin answered, pressing his hips back and grinding down into Brian’s lap as they sat on the chase in the cozy corner of their living room, hidden just beyond the kitchen. “I want you to fuck me so hard. I want to feel you for days.”

Brian moaned and moved his hands up to grip Justin’s hair, holding him tight and pressing a bruising kiss to his lips.

“I think that can be arranged,” Brian said with a smirk.

********

Justin sat between Brian’s legs, perfectly sated, holding onto his arm and tracing patterns against his skin. “Did you get the Johnson Jewelers account?” Justin shifted against Brian’s chest, feeling his cock resting against his lower back.

“Do you even have to ask? I had her eating out of the palm of my hand before we’d even given our drink orders,” Brian said. He never doubted himself. He jumped in with everything he had and didn’t take no for an answer.

“You are good Mr. Kinney,” Justin said. He tilted his head and looked up at Brian. They sat in the quiet, listening to the faint sounds floating in from outside the large bay window. “My dad came to my studio today. He wants to have a sleepover with the kids.”

“And when did Papa Taylor want to execute this little sleepover of his?” Brian asked. He ran his hand through Justin’s hair, twirling the long strands around his finger. Justin was glad that Brian and his dad were getting along, even if it was tentatively and mostly due to the fact that they never spent too much time together.

“As soon as we give him permission,” Justin answered. “Lisa will be there too. I think he just wants a chance to prove himself. Plus, it gives us a chance to be alone.” Brian ran his hand over Justin’s slight baby bump, pausing to feel the firm skin beneath his fingers.

“I don’t see why not. Call him and see what works for him. We can drop the kids off and then I can bring you back home and try out that new toy I bought a couple of weeks ago,” Brian said with a nip to Justin’s neck.

Justin felt Brian’s dick start to harden and he bit into his bottom lip as a smile spread across his face. He made a mental note to call his dad first thing in the morning.

********

Friday mornings always seemed to be more hectic than any other. Brian stood in front of the girls’ bathroom mirror with a pair of Blue’s jeans slung over his shoulder helping her brush her teeth. Race rushed into the bathroom with his hair still in tangles and his shirt on backwards. “I’m ready,” he announced proudly.

Brian glanced over at his son and shook his head. “I don’t think so. You wore that shirt yesterday. Take it off and put on the shirt that I put on your bed for you to wear and make sure that it’s not on backwards.” Pilot ran into the room and Brian stopped him before he could even make it into the bathroom. “No. Both of you go and put on the clothes that I picked out for you.” He watched his sons’ huff and turn to walk back to their own room.

The sound of Max and Sam fussing in their cribs was floating down the hallway and getting louder the longer they were left unattended. Junior tugged on her jeans and buttoned them up before sliding her long sleeved shirt over her head. Blue spit out the toothpaste and water in her mouth and wiped her mouth with the towel Brian gave her. “Come on,” Brian signed. He led her out of the bathroom and over to her bed to help her get dressed.

Junior pushed her foot into her pink Converse and slipped her short sleeved pink shirt over her head. “I’m ready, dad. I just need my hair done.”

“Okay,” Brian answered. “Daddy is doing hair this morning. He’s downstairs.” Junior gathered the box that held all of the things for their hair and went in search of Justin. She found him downstairs in the kitchen.

“Hey, baby,” Justin greeted. He cut another peanut butter and jelly sandwich in half and put it in a sandwich bag. He was just happy that all of the kids seemed to be on good terms with peanut butter and jelly again, for the time being.

“Good morning,” Junior answered. “I brought all the hair stuff down.” She sat the box on the counter.

Justin turned to the fridge to grab the juice boxes for the lunches. “Okay. I’ll do your hair in a minute. Can you get everybody a bowl for breakfast, please?” Junior nodded and moved to complete her task. She was just sitting the bowls and spoons on the table when her brothers and sister made their way down the stairs.

********

“You’re going to give me a fucking ulcer,” Julian said, moving through the studio and into the back. Justin smiled from his position on top of the stool and ran his paintbrush over the canvas in front of him. “I’m not kidding.”

“Don’t be overdramatic,” Justin said, rolling his shoulders and head to try and relieve some of the stress on his muscles. “What’d he say?”

Julian stood in front of Justin’s drafting table, glancing at all of the sketches and photo negatives. “I still cannot believe that you have the audacity to insist upon a meeting with Douglas Carter.” Justin watched his agent and friend, silently urging him to answer his question. “He agreed. You have your meeting.”

Justin nodded his head quickly and turned his attention back to his painting. “When?” Justin asked. Julian picked up a negative and studied it closely. “Julian.”

“Tonight, 7p.m., at the Devenre downtown.” Justin climbed down from the stool and dropped his brush into the jar of water. He sat his palate on the table and wiped his hands on a paint stained towel. “And don’t tell me that it’s too short a notice. And don’t tell me that you have other plans. You wanted a meeting. I had to practically crawl on my knees to get said meeting. You’re going,” Julian said firmly.

Justin stared at his agent and friend before smiling and giving a small nod. “I’ll be there,” he said. He moved deeper into his studio and picked up a couple tubes of paint.

“Say ‘thank you, Julian’.” Julian waited for Justin to respond accordingly.

“You can go now Julian,” Justin said. He brought the paint over to his table and started to mix the colors.

“You artists, always taking me for granted. One day I’m just going to quit and when you come looking for me I won’t be there. I’ll be on the beaches of Spain sunning myself and drinking margaritas.”

Justin laughed and reached to get a new brush. “You hate the sun and you’ve never even had a margarita.”

“Both of these things are true. I’m going. You’re not my only client, ya know.” Julian grabbed his sunglasses from his pocket and slid them on.

“But I am your favorite,” Justin said and Julian gave a knowing smirk. “Thank you, Julian.” Julian gave a dismissive wave as he slid the loft door closed behind him.

********

With four meetings, a snag with one of the accounts, and his phone ringing off the hook Brian wasn’t surprised that the day had flown past. Michael was picking up the kids and then Jennifer was going to take them out to dinner and a movie. Cynthia walked into the office with a hot cup of coffee and the preliminary sketches for the Johnson Jewelry account in her hands. “God, I could use that right now,” Brian said, reaching for the cup of coffee.

“Um, no,” Cynthia said, pulling it back against her chest. “This is for me. These are for you.” She thrust the sketches at Brian and waited for him to stop glaring at her and take them. Brian took them and sat back in his chair. “Those are the first drafts for the Johnson account. The idea is good but it’s not really transferring to paper very well. The guys are already working on it.”

Brian nodded and sat the sketches on his desk. “Is that all?”

“For now,” Cynthia said. “It’s Friday. I’m leaving. I have a date with the cute guy I met this week.” She smiled happily and took a drink of her coffee.

“The valet from the restaurant we went to?” Brian asked.

“He doesn’t plan to park cars forever. Plus, he’s fucking hot with a very nice ass,” she added. Brian nodded his agreement. The man was model material. “Night.”

Brian didn’t acknowledge her and she didn’t expect an answer. He was focused on the sketches in front of him, writing down some notes and suggestions.

At half past six Brian looked up when his phone rang. “Kinney,” he answered.

Justin pulled on a clean shirt and buttoned it slowly. “Hey. I’m going to be running a little late; I’ve got a meeting with Douglas Carter at seven. But, seeing as how you’re still at work I don’t think it’ll be much of a problem.”

“I don’t know, I was hoping you’d stop by for a quickie,” Brian said with a smirk.

“As tempting as that sounds I think I’ll pass,” Justin said. “I talked to my mom. They’re gorging themselves on pizza and slurpees. All is well.”

Brian thought of his kids all pumped up with sugar and laughed. “How late are you going to be? I was hoping to relieve a little stress before the munchkins get back.”

“I shouldn’t be too late. And they’ll probably end up sleeping at my mom’s house. I think it’s safe to assume we’ve got all night.”

“Then try not to be too late.”

“Careful, Mr. Kinney, you might be caught having actual feelings. I love you,” Justin said.

“Later.”

********

Part 3

********

Douglas Carter was tall, his hair perfectly combed and his clothing expertly tailored. He was just barely forty and no stranger to hard work. It amused him that an artist would have the nerve to not only request a meeting with him, but to withhold his work until said meeting was granted. He walked up to the hostess and flashed a smile that knew the power it possessed. “Carter,” he said, “party of two.”

“Yes, sir,” the hostess said with a smile. “I have you right here. If you like I can show you to your table.”

“That would be fine,” he said and followed her through the restaurant.

Justin showed up five minutes past seven. The hostess greeted him happily and showed him to his table. “Can I get you anything to drink?” She asked happily.

Justin motioned towards the glass of water sitting in front of Douglas and said, “I’ll have what he’s having.” She nodded and turned to fill his drink order. “Mr. Carter,” Justin said, reaching out to shake the man’s hand. Douglas stood and shook Justin’s hand before asking him to sit, please. “I’m sorry I’m late.”

Douglas waved away the apology and took a sip of his drink. “Mr. Taylor. I was quite impressed with your audacity to request a meeting with me. What would you have done if I had declined?”

“Nothing,” Justin answered. “I don’t need your money, or your name. I do well enough on my own. However, I’m not naïve enough to think that having either wouldn’t be a huge boost for me. So I took a chance.”

“I can respect that.”

“Whether or not you do is of no importance to me,” Justin said, gratefully taking his glass of water from the waitress and taking a long drink. The babies rolled as the cold spread through him and he willed them to not act up during dinner.

“I like you,” Douglas said, his gaze pressing into Justin’s. He leaned forward and clasped his hands together above the table. “I want to commission a piece of art. I want it finished in as little time as possible. An eight canvas spread is what I have in mind. I am willing to pay you for your time.”

Justin swallowed and took another drink of water. “An eight canvas spread isn’t cheap, Mr. Carter. Neither is my time.”

Douglas nodded. “I’m aware.” They paused long enough to each order a steak, medium rare, with potatoes and steamed vegetables. After the food was delivered Justin took a bite and willed himself not to moan at the taste. “As I was saying,” Douglas said, picking up where they’d left off. “This is what I am willing to offer for your art and your time.” He slid a paper with numbers written on it across the table.

Justin wiped his mouth and picked the paper up. “I think I can work with these numbers. What’s my deadline?”

“The sooner, the better,” Douglas said, cutting his steak and taking a bite. Justin nodded and placed the paper back on the table. He took his own bite of steak and savored the taste as it melted in his mouth.

********

Brian walked into their bedroom and tossed his jacket on the bed. “I take it dinner went well,” he called out. Justin moaned from his position in the bathroom, his knees pressing into the tile and his head hanging over the toilet. Brian changed his clothes and slipped into a comfortable pair of jeans and a white v-neck tee shirt.

Justin flushed the toilet and stood up, rinsing his mouth out and walking into the bedroom. He smiled at his husband and went to drop himself down onto the bed. “Dinner was amazing; not so much on the second go ‘round. Douglas Carter is an ass. I like him. He reminds me of you,” Justin said.

“Did you accept his offer?” Brian crawled on the bed and lay down next to Justin, his hand rubbing slow circles over his husband’s belly.

“Yeah,” Justin said, relaxing into the touch. “He wants to pay me one hundred and fifty thousand dollars for eight canvases. I told him to make it an even two hundred thousand and we could talk. He agreed.”

“I’ve taught you well.”

Justin nodded, his eyes closed and his body calm. He could feel the babies fluttering around inside his stomach. “I have a doctor’s appointment on Monday afternoon. Do you want to come?”

“Sure,” Brian said.

“You think maybe we should tell the kids?” Justin asked. He opened his eyes and looked over at Brian. He felt the pattern on his stomach change directions as his husband seemed to think about the question.

********

Justin leaned down and gently pushed Max away from his legs so he could turn around. “Pilot, come and get your homework off of the table and put it in your folder, please.” Pilot pushed off of the floor and walked into the kitchen, his jeans hanging over his socked feet and his hair tucked behind his ears.

“But,” Pilot said as he reached up on the table, “you didn’t even look at it yet.” Sam sat next to the dishwasher with his thumb held tightly in his mouth and his eyes drooping, his head lolling to the side.

“Uh,” Justin said distractedly, turning to fill a pot with some water. “Dad checks math, you know that. Put it over there on the table so he can see it, okay.” Pilot moved away from the table and stacked his folder on the side table along with his brother’s and sisters’.

Junior came around the corner and leaned against the wall with a loud huff. “Well, I couldn’t find the crinkly noodles,” she said with an annoyed sigh, her hands resting on her hips.

Justin sat his pot back on the stove and glanced down at Sam, leaning over to pick him up. “J, they’re on the middle shelf, where I always put them.” He pressed kisses to Sam’s cheeks and lightly bounced him up and down. “Wake up, baby boy, not time for sleeping yet.”

Junior frowned and turned quickly to go back into the pantry. Justin maneuvered around Max and followed his daughter. She stood looking at the shelves and Justin walked up behind her, reaching around to grab the bag of egg noodles. “Oh,” she said with a grin, looking up at Justin; her yellow shirt stained with juice from lunch.

Justin laughed at the fake look of shock on his daughter’s face and ushered her out of the pantry. “Yeah, oh,” Justin said, tossing the bag of noodles on the counter and turning on the stove. He shifted Sam in his arms and moved the pot of water over the heat.

“What’re you making?” Junior asked, twisting the end of her hair around her finger, standing up on the tips of her toes to see up on the counter.

“Noodles and chicken, some vegetables, and biscuits,” Justin said. Junior wiggled her hips and did a twirl. “Someone’s happy.”

“Yes! Yum, yum, yum,” Junior said as she danced. Sam let out a small unsettled whimper and tried to bury his face deeper into Justin’s neck.

“I’m glad. Could you do me a favor and take your brother, please? Try not to let him fall asleep.” Justin handed his son to his sister and wiped his hands on a dish towel.

“Ugh. He’s so heavy,” Junior said, maneuvering her way into the living room.

Max wandered off to join the rest of his brothers and sisters and Justin let himself fall into the steady routine that was making dinner.

********

Justin heard the kids start to yell before he heard Brian’s car. “Dad!” they all screamed, racing towards the front door and fumbling with the lock.

Brian unlocked the door and stepped inside, shutting it behind him and holding his portfolio out of the way of tiny reaching hands. “What a welcome!” he said loudly, a smirk painted on his face. Justin gave a small laugh and watched as he greeted all of the kids individually.

“I was good today,” Pilot said with pride, his hair messy and one of his socks missing. Blue stood next to him with a smile on her face and her fingers wrapped around the bottom of Brian’s jacket.

“Me too; so was I,” Race added with a nod, the sleeve of his shirt stained with grape juice and a miscellaneous crumpled party hat on top of his head.

“Good,” Brian said, walking towards the kitchen.

Max and a partially rejuvenated Sam followed, trying hard to keep up with their shorter legs. Brian made it to the kitchen and Justin accepted the very lewd kiss and smack on the ass that his husband offered.

“Ewww,” all the kids yelled.

“Mmm,” Justin said heatedly.

“I aim to please,” Brian said knowingly, sitting his portfolio up on the counter and pulling at the sleeves of his jacket. “What’ve you been so very busy making? Smells good.”

“Thanks,” Justin said. “It’s ready if you want to go change out of your precious Armani. We’ll wait for you.”

“How domestic of you,” Brian said, turning towards the stairs. Justin gave a small laugh and watched all of the kids follow Brian up the stairs, their voices all melting together.

********

“I want to sit over there,” Junior said, moving her chair across the floor so she could sit closer to Brian. Max and Sam were sitting very happily in their highchairs, kicking their feet back and forth and waiting patiently.

“It doesn’t matter where you sit,” Brian said, helping Blue get situated in her chair and pushing it closer to the table. Pilot sat next to his little sister and ran a hand impatiently through his hair. Race sat next to him with his arms folded and his eyes fixed on his very empty juice cup.

“I’m so hungry,” Pilot said with exaggerated agony, dropping his head to the table with a loud thump and a frown. “I’m dying from being so hungry.”

“I’m dying too, but from being thirsty,” Race added, leaning up in his chair and looking around to make sure he wasn’t the only one without juice.

“No you’re not,” Junior said, reaching over to pull Blue’s fingers out of her mouth. “Gross,” she signed as she shook her head. 

Max, followed quickly by his twin brother, started tapping out a very soothing rhythm on his plate with his cup.

Brian moved closer to Justin and took the dish of chicken he was handed. “And you want to have two more,” he whispered.

Justin looked over, handing Brian the bowl of noodles and picking up the vegetables and the basket of biscuits. “I don’t exactly lie down and make these babies by myself, Mr. Kinney,” Justin said, moving out of the kitchen and over to the table. “No more banging on plates, thank you.” Justin sat the food down and took the cups from his sons’ hands.

They served the kids quickly, moving around the table together. Brian went to retrieve the juice and poured everyone a cup. “Thank you!” they all said, one after the other.

Justin made sure that the twins wouldn’t have a problem before taking his own bite of chicken. “It’s good, daddy,” Junior said, licking jelly off of her finger and taking another bite of her biscuit.

“Thanks, baby,” Justin said with a smile. Brian reached over and pulled some of the chicken off of the bone for Max. Justin exchanged a look with Brian and watched as his husband slightly shook his head. “Brian,” he started.

“It’s too soon,” Brian told him, picking at his own chicken and taking a bite. Junior looked from Brian to Justin and chewed on her piece of broccoli.

“What’re you talkin’ about?” Junior asked, holding on to the stem of broccoli and reaching for her cup with her other hand.

“How your daddy can’t keep anything to himself,” Brian said. 

“You’re pathetic,” Justin said with a sarcastic smile. “So, guys, what would you think if we were to have another baby?” he asked, signing for Blue.

“Or two,” Brian muttered.

Justin stared across the table at his husband and waited for the kids to process the question. Blue took a sip of her juice, pushed a piece of carrot into her mouth and frowned at the question. She shook her head firmly from side to side. “Nope,” Pilot answered with a shake of his head, drumstick held tightly in his fist. “No, no, no.”

“Why do we even need some more babies?” Race asked with a huff, his eyes darting from Brian to Justin. “They don’t even do anything, just sleep.”

“Just sleep and poop,” Pilot added. Race nodded his agreement and took a sip of his drink. “Oh and cry too.”

“And then you know what,” Race said. “We have to share all the cookies and go to bed too early. No, no, we don’t think we need any more babies, thank you.”

“We don’t go to bed early because of the babies,” Junior said with a roll of her eyes.

“Wow,” Justin said. “Um, well, I guess we know how you two feel about the subject. Thanks. I think.” Brian let out a muffled laugh and took a drink of his water.

“What about you big sister; do you have anything you want to add?” Brian asked Junior and signed, Blue’s eyes trailing his movements.

Junior slurped her noodle into her mouth and looked at her dad. “Hm. Do I have to share my room again?” Justin laughed and Brian smirked. They could remember all too well how happy she’d been to share a room with her baby sister. And also, how happy she’d been when they’d moved and she’d been given her own place to sleep.

“No. We have enough space in this house. You wouldn’t have to share your room with anyone,” Brian assured her.

“Oh. Well, okay then,” she said with a shrug. “I guess it’s alright.”

Justin gave his oldest a smile and settled back into his chair. He reached over and caught Max’s spoon before it could be flipped from the tray of his highchair. “Don’t even think about it,” he told his younger son. “Munchkin, what about you?” he signed.

Blue sat up on her knees, juice dribbling on her shirt and chin. She glanced at her brother’s and sister and then over to Justin and then Brian. “I’m the baby,” she signed. “And then I’m not the baby.” She shook her head and seemed to think about what she wanted to say and the best way to make sure she was understood. “Max and Sam are the babies. I’m a big, big girl.”

“You’re a very big girl,” Brian signed and said. “You get to be a big sister again. Would you like that?”

Blue thought about her brothers and how much she liked to spend time with them. She loved being someone’s little sister, but she loved being the big sister too. “More boys?” she asked.

Justin laughed and helped scoop a spoonful of noodles into Sam’s mouth. “We don’t know yet,” Brian signed and told the rest of the kids.

“Ugh, no more boys,” Junior said, taking a bite of her chicken.

“Babies are good,” Blue signed. “But, maybe no more boys okay.”

Brian laughed and gave Justin a long look. “We’ll see what we can do,” he signed for his daughter.

The rest of dinner went off without a hitch. Junior gave a ten minute speech about why they needed to conserve water. Pilot and Race readily agreed, immediately volunteering to forego all baths and brushing their teeth. Blue bounced from subject to subject, focusing first on her coloring and how it was getting so much better before trailing into one of her favorite subjects of her new, and very invisible, best friend Pete. Max and Sam babbled along with whoever happened to be talking.

********

Justin signed his name to the patient log and went to take a seat. “I talked to my dad this morning,” he said softly, glancing around the waiting room. Brian sat down next to him and let his arm rest on the back of Justin’s chair. “I’m going to drop the kids off at his place on Friday and he’ll keep them until Sunday.”

Brian nodded in agreement and scrolled through his phone, checking his appointments and memorizing his schedule. The nurse was quick to call Justin’s name and they both got up to follow her into the back. “You can go ahead and sit up here,” she said, patting the exam table. She made short work of checking his vitals. He frowned at the numbers on the scale and stepped off when she indicated that he was done. “Okay. The doctor will be in shortly.” She left the room and closed the door behind her.

Dr. Patrick Marring walked into the room no more than ten minutes later and sat Justin’s chart down behind him on the exam table. “Hi Justin, Brian,” he greeted. “I get the honor and privilege of delivering two more of your children. Maybe I should up my rates. How’ve you been feeling?”

“Surprisingly good,” Justin answered. “The morning sickness seems to be slowing down.” Brian sat listening to the conversation, taking everything in.

“Have you been taking your prenatal vitamins?”

Justin turned his head to the side and gave a tentative smile. “By taking, what exactly do you mean?”

Dr. Marring made a note in Justin’s file and glanced at Brian. “By taking I mean taking. You need to take your prenatal vitamins Justin. Your iron levels are lower than I’d like, which could be helped if you’d take your vitamins. Brian, please do your best to make sure that he takes the vitamins and doesn’t just let them decorate the medicine cabinet.”

“I’ll do my best. But you know Justin here is very, very stubborn.” Justin shot an annoyed glance at Brian and turned his eyes back to his doctor.

“I’ll take the vitamins, alright.”

“Thank you. I’ll be checking at your next appointment to make sure you aren’t just blowing smoke up my ass. Okay, let’s get down to business. We’re going to do an internal and external exam and then see if we can get a clear picture of the babies, or at least hear the heartbeats.”

“Okay.” Justin got up to undress when the doctor stepped out of the room and ignored Brian’s inquiry into why he wasn’t taking the annoyingly large pills. Dr. Marring walked back in and directed Justin to lie down on the table and place his legs in the stirrups. Brian got up to stand next to him. 

“We’re going to do the internal exam first,” he said, pulling on a pair of gloves and applying a small amount of lube to his fingers and the speculum in his hand.

“Not one word,” Justin said to Brian. Brian gave a knowing smirk and remained silent. Dr. Marring took his position between Justin’s spread legs and moved them a little further apart and back.

“You ready?” Patrick gave Brian and Justin a smile before ducking his head back down. He slowly pressed a couple of fingers into Justin before adding the lubed up speculum and adjusting it to hold him open.

“Jesus,” Justin breathed, reaching for Brian’s hand and holding tight. “I hate this.” The feeling of an exam was very different from the feeling that washed over him when Brian had his fingers in the exact same place.

“He happens to like it when I do it, doc. Maybe I can teach you a thing or two,” Brian said nonchalantly.

Justin clenched his teeth as he was probed and prodded. “God, shut up, Brian,” he said with a pinched pained moan. Dr. Marring finished up his exam and gently pulled the speculum out of Justin, standing to place it in the biohazard trash along with the gloves. He washed his hands in the small sink and dried them quickly.

“Everything looks to be fine with the internal exam,” he said. Brian took a deep breath as Justin slowly released the grip on his hand. Dr. Marring moved back to the table and ran his hands over the outside of Justin’s abdomen. He took measurements and when he was done he moved back and motioned for Justin to sit up. “You can go ahead and get dressed and then we’ll get you to the ultrasound room; see if we can get a look at your baby.”

Brian nodded and helped Justin sit up as they were left alone again. It didn’t take long for Justin to get dressed and for them to meet Patrick in the ultrasound room. The technician was already ready and the machine was warmed up. Justin took his position on the table and pulled his shirt up. “My name’s Mary. Let’s see if we can get a clear picture,” she said. She applied the gel and pressed the wand to Justin’s skin. The image on the screen swirled to life and the sound of two faint heartbeats could be heard bouncing around the walls of the room.

“Okay. We can see baby number one and baby number two; they’re small, but there they are,” she said.

“More twins?” Justin asked. Just the thought of whipping his body back into shape again made him tired.

Mary nodded with a sweet smile. “Yes. And if we match the information that Dr. Marring has in your chart with what I see on the screen then I’d say you’re about sixteen weeks pregnant.”

“Four months,” Brian said softly. Justin nodded and kept his eyes on the screen. He watched Mary print out the pictures and turn off the machine. She handed him some paper towels so he could clean himself up.

“Everything looks good,” she said. Justin wiped off his stomach and pulled his shirt down. He swung his legs around and moved to get up. “Make sure you stop at the front desk to make your next appointment.”

“Thank you,” Justin said. Brian took the pictures and followed Justin out of the room. They stopped at the front desk and made their next appointment. And Justin begrudgingly accepted the brand new bottle of prenatal vitamins that the nurse handed from behind the counter.

********

Brian sat on the floor playing with his kids. All of their toys were spread over the floor and they were heavily involved in their game. Justin sat on the floor with his back against the couch and matchbox cars in the space between his legs. All of the kids had flocked away from him when he stopped to change Max and Sam’s diapers. “I think it might be time for potty training,” Justin said. He got up from the floor and tossed the dirty diapers in the trash before washing his hands.

Brian rolled onto his side and grabbed Blue around the waste, tickling her and making her squirm. “You’ve been saying that since they were six months old,” Brian answered.

The doorbell rang and Justin moved to answer it. He looked through the peephole before sighing loudly and pulling the door open. Molly came in, followed by Hunter and Oz. “I heard you sigh, you asshole,” she said swiftly. “Is that any way to greet your sister who came all this way to visit you?”

“Unannounced. Who came all this way to visit me unannounced,” Justin said. Hunter shut the door behind him and Oz ran on unsteady legs towards his uncle Brian. All of the kids yelled their hellos to their aunt and uncle, hugging their cousin and pulling him into their fun.

“We brought Chinese. Does that count for anything?” Molly asked and Hunter held up the bags of food.

“It helps,” Justin said with a smile. He took the bags from Hunter and Molly followed him into the kitchen while Hunter went to go see the kids. “What are you doing out here, seriously,” Justin asked. He started pulling the food from the bags and sitting it on the counter.

“We were just driving around. We realized we weren’t too far away so we figured what the hell. So, what’d the doctor say? Don’t bother trying to lie because I already know you had an appointment.”

“I know you already know, because dad called me and he mentioned it. You know that you really do have the biggest mouth, right?” Molly shrugged and popped a fortune cookie into her mouth.

“I’ve been told,” she said. “Anyway, are you planning to officially tell me that you’re pregnant or not? I know it was weighing oh so very heavy on your little heart.” She moved out of the way so that Justin could grab plates out of the cabinet.

“You are such a bitch.”

“And you, my brother, are a slut. They make condoms for a reason,” she whispered with a wink. “You know, they do make a thing called paper plates.” She played with the fortune from her cookie, crinkling it between her fingers. “Well?”

“I’m not confirming anything. Plus, you’ve already told everyone we know.” Justin opened up one of the containers and started to dish it out for the kids.

“He’s four months pregnant with twins,” Brian said, walking into the kitchen and pulling open the fridge. Molly gave Justin a knowing smile and Justin stared hard at his husband. “What? She already knows and this saves us the added trouble of telling everyone that you’re knocked up, again.”

“Well when you put it that way,” Justin said sarcastically.

“Brian, this is why I love you.” Molly rummaged through the bag, removing extra packets of sauces. “You guys don’t do anything half-ass, do you.”

Brian gave Molly a swift kiss to her cheek before leaving the kitchen, water bottle in hand.  “Great. I’m glad you love him so much. You can tell mom,” Justin said with a smile. He picked up the plates to walk over to the table, tossing a smile at his sister.

Molly shrugged and grabbed another fortune cookie.

********

“Were you even listening to me when I talked to you about sex?” Jennifer asked. She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at her son and his husband. Molly had wasted no time in spilling the beans. Jennifer had tracked them both down at Brian’s office and launched into a rant that neither of them were quite paying attention to. 

Brian smiled sweetly at his mother-in-law and hit the button on his intercom. “Cynthia, have Ted get me the numbers for the new quarter along with all projected earnings from the Johnson additions.”

Justin sat on the sofa in Brian’s office with his legs tucked underneath his body and a can of Coke in his hand. He sipped slowly as his mother talked, his eyes trained on the large proofs for one of Brian’s accounts. “It’s a little boring,” he said offhandedly.

Brian let his gaze follow Justin’s. “It’s an ad for adult diapers.”

“So,” Justin shrugged, “doesn’t mean it has to be boring.”

Jennifer rolled her eyes and tossed her hands into the air. Her hair was neatly brushed and her blouse pressed. She wore dark grey pants and a single diamond bracelet that Tucker had bought for her on her left wrist. “Are you listening to me? You’re not,” she huffed. “Eight kids. Jesus. I love my grandkids, but, eight. I’m buying you a pack of condoms, because the ones you have are obviously defective and don’t tell me that you don’t even bother to use them.”

“Mom,” Justin started with a roll of his eyes and a small burp.

Jennifer snatched her jacket off of the back of the sofa and picked up her purse off of the table. “Maybe I’ll buy you two packs. I’m not old enough to be the grandmother of so many kids. I don’t even think my car will hold so many, between you and your sister.” She shook her head in a daze and walked over to kiss Justin gently on the cheek before snatching the Coke out of his hand.

“Hey!”

“Too much caffeine is bad for the babies,” she said. Brian gave a laugh and accepted the paperwork he’d requested from Ted before the older man gave a small wave and quickly ushered himself out of the room. She took her own sip of the soda and made her way across the office. She stopped in front of Brian. He was leaning against his desk and glanced up when she got closer. “I’m blaming you.” She gave him a quick smack to the face and frowned before muttering about her poor baby’s young body being abused and leaving the office.

“How is it that I always end up getting slapped?” Brian asked. They both knew that Jennifer was more than happy for them. They also knew that she overreacted every time a new addition to their family was announced.

“Hey, she almost gave me a concussion when we told her you were pregnant with J,” Justin reminded him, giving his stomach a small rub and leaning against the arm of the sofa. He could very easily remember the smacks that his mother had laid on him that day.

“She obviously loves me more,” Brian said. He moved away from his desk and sat down next to Justin.

“It’s probably true. Are you taking me to lunch or what?”

Brian leaned into Justin and kissed him slow and hard. “What’d you have in mind?”

The obvious sexual undertones were quickly banished when Justin smiled and said, very happily, “Mm, Red Lobster.”

“Red Lobster, seriously?”

Justin gave Brian another kiss and moved to get up. He grabbed his jacket and pulled it on. “Yeah,” he said. “I can get a steak and some crab legs.”

“I can get you a steak and crab legs from a place that doesn’t make me think of a two for one special,” Brian said with annoyance.

“Come on. I want endless shrimp and lobster tails with butter.” Justin walked out of the office and Brian stood to follow, tossing his papers on his desk and snatching his coat.

********

The disadvantage of having so many kids was that they each came with their own separate personality. It didn’t help that they were blessed with equally strong willed fathers that had passed the stubbornness, quick temper and attitude along through the genes. Brian was irritated and all the kids knew it.

Justin stood quietly after making them all a bowl of cereal, not wanting to interfere. Max and Sam were crying as loudly as they possibly could and Justin was doing his best to get them to quiet down. And the rest of the kids had gotten into a fight that would have rivaled any cartoons greatest rolling cloud of limbs and dust.

Brian had raised his voice at them. Something he very rarely did or had to do. And there had been muffled cries in four different corners.

They all sat quietly, eating their Cheerios and sniffling. Junior wiped at the tears trailing down her face and let out a harsh breath. Pilot shifted in his chair and ate another spoonful of his cereal. His shirt was slightly twisted from the altercation and his shoelace was undone. Race drank some of his orange juice and hiccupped a sob into the plastic cup. Blue sat up on her knees, pushing her spoonful of cereal into her mouth and resting her cheek on the palm of her hand. It was very rare that she got in trouble along with everyone else, but it did happen.

Brian walked around the kitchen preparing a cup of coffee. “Brian,” Justin started softly.

Brian took a long drink and swallowed before looking at his husband. “No, Justin. I don’t like them fighting. They know that. I’ve told them that, we’ve told them that.” Justin had nothing to say to that. He knew the fight had been pointless. Someone wanted something someone else had and everyone had been sucked in. He also knew how Brian felt about them never treating each other the way him and Claire treated each other. “Everyone up, dishes in the sink, shoes on, and no talking,” Brian told his kids. 

They moved quickly to follow directions, Junior signing the instructions for her little sister. Max and Sam had quieted to mere sniffles. Justin moved to get them dressed in their coats and ready to go, pausing to throw up his meager breakfast of toast and apple juice in the kitchen sink. So far it was shaping up to be another successful Friday morning.

********

The rest of the day hadn’t gotten any better. After dropping the kids off at their schools Brian had gone to work as usual and Justin had headed in to his studio. He was there for fifteen minutes before throwing up again and spending the better part of the morning curled up on his leather couch under a thick blanket. He’d given up on getting any work done and just barely managed to pull himself together when it was time for the kids to be let out of school. He picked them up and stopped at the store on the way home. He bought some crackers and ginger ale, content to let his stomach call the shots for the rest of the night.

His dad called as he pulled into the driveway and offered to come and pick the kids up for another sleepover instead of Justin having to drop them off. He readily agreed and ushered the kids into the house.

“Daddy, what’s wrong? Are you sick again?” Pilot asked, looking up at Justin.

“Yeah, I’m just a little sick today. It’s okay. I’ll be alright,” Justin assured his son with a smile. He busied himself with getting them a snack and changing Max and Sam’s diapers. Brian walked in shortly after six thirty and took over getting the kids and their things ready to go.

Justin cleared the remnants of their snack away from the table and went to sit down on the sofa where he’d amassed his collection of nausea fighting weapons. He settled into the softness of the cushions and closed his eyes. Blue wandered down the stairs a few minutes later and climbed up on the sofa to snuggle into her daddy’s side. Justin moved his arm on instinct and pulled his daughter closer. Blue sat next to Justin, content to play with the edges of his shirt and rub her finger over the design on his belt buckle, her finger stuck in her mouth.

Less than an hour later the doorbell jarred their silence and Justin very reluctantly pushed himself to his feet. He walked over and pulled the door open before the person on the other side could ring the bell again. “Dad,” he said with a weak smile and a gesture for him to enter, “come on in.”

Craig gave a quick hello and waved to Blue who had trailed her daddy’s movements to the door. She looked up at Craig quietly with eyes that reminded him so much of Brian.        

Justin stepped away from the front door and let his father follow him into the house. “Are you okay? You don’t look so good,” Craig said. Justin sat down on the couch and sighed.

“Just having a rough day today; one of the joys of pregnancy,” Justin said with a tired smile, already knowing that his sister had wasted no time in spreading the word. Craig took in the package of crackers, cans of caffeine free ginger ale, and bottles of water littered across the coffee table. “Thanks for coming to pick them up.” Craig waved him off and settled onto the couch diagonal to his son.

“When you would get sick we’d always try to get you to eat soup and crackers. You hated them both. All you wanted was orange juice and your favorite movie.” Justin smiled at the memory and leaned forward to pick up his package of crackers. “You’d lean against me or follow me around with your blanket trailing behind you,” Craig said. He smiled and looked over at his son. “I miss that.”

Justin was saved the pain of trying to think of what to say when he heard his children descending the stairs. “Grandpa!” they all screamed, launching themselves off of the stairs and over to Craig. He hugged them all and repositioned himself so that they all had space to crowd around him.

“Hey guys,” he greeted. They all began to talk, filling him in on their long day and all of the things that they had done in school.

“Did you know that our daddy is sick?” Pilot asked with a very serious nod. “He is.”

“He is sick and he threw up so many times. I think maybe he ate too much ice cream,” Race supplied, signing his words and laughing.

Junior rolled her eyes and twirled her hair around her finger before flipping it out of her face. “No, he didn’t. He just threw up because he is having a baby.” Race and Pilot looked very skeptical at this explanation but accepted it. Blue tossed her hands up at her grandpa and begin to sign quickly.

‘I don’t, umm….”

“She says that she likes ice cream, but she doesn’t want to have any more brothers,” Junior translated for him. “Seriously grandpa, I think you’re going to have to learn this sign language pretty soon.”  Craig and Justin both laughed.

Brian made his way down the stairs with one large duffel bag in his hand. “Everything you need to take care of these little monsters is in here,” he announced, dropping the bag next to the door.

“I’m not a monster,” Race yelled.

“I beg to differ,” Brian said. He walked into the kitchen and grabbed himself a bottle of water. He made his way over to Justin’s side and sat down. “How’re you feeling?” he asked quietly.

Justin looked over and gave a lazy half-smile. “Daddy, can I have some?” Blue signed, pointing at the package of crackers and grinning up at him as she pressed her small belly against his leg. Dressed in gunmetal grey cargo pants and a purple shirt with her hair pulled neatly into two ponytails she held out her hands expectantly. Justin placed two crackers in her hand and watched her take a very satisfied bite.

Justin tapped her on her shoulder before she could fully turn away. “What do you say?” he signed. The rest of the kids rushed over when they realized that their sister was getting something.

“Thank you,” she quickly signed. All of the kids held out their hands and Justin was soon left with nothing more than crumbs and an empty bag.

“Your sister used to be the same way,” Craig said with a laugh. “You’d get something and she’d have to have it too. It drove you crazy. You’d be so angry if we even dared to give her any.”

“Not much has changed,” Brian said. Justin hit him in the arm and settled back into the couch.

They talked for a while before Craig said that it was getting late and since he was also picking up Oz from Molly and Hunter’s apartment he’d better go. “Be good,” Justin said to all of them before giving them all hugs and kisses. Brian did the same and Craig lifted the bag to walk it to the car while they helped the kids get dressed to leave.

“Are you sure you want me to take your truck?” Craig asked. There was no way that all of the kids would fit inside Craig’s BMW.

He was clearly nervous about driving Brian’s car and Justin was about to offer the use of his own SUV when Brian spoke up. “It’s just a car. It’s not as if I’ll personally kill you if anything happens to it or its cargo,” he said. Craig nodded, fully understanding that Brian was very serious and he had no intention of testing the validity of the words.

“I’ll guard it with my life,” Craig said, taking the keys and walking around to the driver’s side. He’d offered his own keys just in case they needed to use his car but was reminded that they had other cars they could drive.  

“See that you do.”

Justin finished strapping in his youngest sons and closed the back door. “Call us if you need anything. You have my number and Brian’s and if you need us to come pick them up we will. You can call mom if you can’t reach us.”

Brian pulled his husband back and tapped lightly on the open passenger window. “I’m sure father Taylor is more than capable of watching his grandkids for two days. Just call us before you drop them back off, we might be playing big boy games.”

Craig gave a tight smile and Justin groaned, dropping his face into his hands. They stood outside in the cold until all they could see were the faint glow of the taillights. “Did you have to mention sex to my dad?”

“I think he knows by now that we have sex,” Brian said, rubbing his hand over the slight curve of Justin’s stomach.

“Just because he knows it doesn’t mean he needs you to confirm it; especially after you’d basically threatened to kill him.” Justin turned to walk back into the house and Brian stayed outside for a few minutes longer. It would be a cold day in hell before he admitted he was already missing the noise.

********

Lisa and Craig had made it a point when they bought the house to finish off the basement. They wanted to use it as a place to sit and relax without having to be in the main part of the house. It was their comfort zone where they’d curl up to talk and laugh, watch a movie, or just drift off together. But that was all before it had been reclaimed and transformed into their very own Grandkid Containment Zone.

The fort that they had currently under construction, made with pilfered materials, old stored blankets and pillows, was in its final stages. “It’s looking good,” Junior said from inside, reaching for a pillow to reinforce one of the sides. Pilot and Race were in charge of making sure the outside was also standing and Blue was the premiere hunter and gather. Max, Sam, and Oz were the enemy, content with taking pieces off of the fort and spreading them around the room. They laughed every time they were caught and waited until the piece was added back before striking again.

“Put that side over there,” Pilot said, pointing to the other side of the fort and handing Race a side of the sheet he was holding.

“Wait. Because I have to….” Race trailed off, dropping some of the items in his hand before reaching for the edge of the sheet that his brother held. “Okay, give it to me. Over there?” he pointed.

“Yeah,” Pilot nodded. “And make it really very tight.”

Blue dropped another pillow by Race’s feet and turned to crawl inside of the fort with her sister. Oz stood next to Pilot, just waiting for the opportunity to tear down the floral sheet that was making up one of the windows.

Craig, for his part, was the reaching man. He could touch things that they couldn’t and he was starting to suspect that without this particular trait he’d be banished from the fort all together. “Grandpa, can you make it straight?” he heard Junior ask. He looked down and saw her small hand poking out from inside the structure. He grabbed the end of the sheet she was holding and smoothed it out.

“Done,” he said triumphantly. They’d been playing non-stop since they’d walked in the door. There were games and more games and a pillow fight that resulted in one poor pillow being disemboweled. Lisa had hung in for the fun, only leaving when the time to prepare dinner for so many hungry people beckoned. He was tired, a little hot, and thirsty. “Guys, I’ll be right back okay? Continue with construction,” he said with all the air of a foreman instructing his crew.

He staggered up the stairs and took one long deep breath before walking towards the kitchen. Lisa looked up when she saw him and gave a sympathetic smile. “Poor baby,” she said. “Sit, let me get you something.”

Craig sat down at the kitchen counter with a huff and reached for the glass of lemonade that Lisa very lovingly slid towards him. “I don’t know what I was thinking,” he panted after swallowing. “I’m old, and outnumbered.”

Lisa laughed and finished putting the finishing touches on her meatloaf. “Oh sweetie, you’re not old. You’re just… experienced.”

“That’s a nice way of saying old.” Craig finished off his glass of lemonade and got up to pour himself another. He drank the second glass quickly and sat the empty glass in the sink. “Also, I’m pretty sure that the boys are all out to get me.”

“I’m sure that’s not true,” Lisa laughed. She washed her hands and dried them quickly. “What are you guys doing there now anyway?”

Craig leaned against the refrigerator with a look of pure happiness and mischief spread over his face. “We’re building a fort,” he said with a whisper.

“Nice.”

“GRANDPA!” Pilot yelled, running into the kitchen. He had his socks on his hands and one of Max and Sam’s blankets knotted loosely around his neck and fluttering behind him. “Oh grandpa, you have to come. The fort is so big and high. It’s ready so all the sharks can’t get in. Come on, come on,” he said quickly, all adrenaline and excitement before taking off back downstairs.

Lisa laughed and started to clean up the juice boxes that were littered on top of the counter. “They have a lot of energy.” She tossed the boxes in the trash and stepped up to her husband. “Don’t worry grandpa, I’ll give you a back rub later and maybe, when they leave, some very sweet kisses.”

“Grandpa!” someone called from the basement. Craig couldn’t tell if it was Pilot or Race. They sounded so much alike, voices sweet and steady.

Craig placed a soft kiss on Lisa’s lips and started to back out of the kitchen. “I better go. I’m being summoned.” He turned to leave and Lisa laughed when she heard his voice booming with excitement. She was so very happy to have them all as a family. She made quick work of cleaning the rest of the kitchen, an action that always relaxed her, before turning to set the table and get dinner served up.

********

 

Oz reached for the spoon that Craig was using to scoop up his mashed potatoes and let out an impatient, “Some.” Craig pushed a spoonful into his mouth and he sat back in his chair. They didn’t have the luxury of three highchairs to keep the smallest kids contained.

“I like meatbread,” Race said happily. He ate the large piece off of his fork and reached for his glass of Juicy Juice. Pilot nodded his agreement, as was usual, his mouth too stuffed to talk.

“Meatloaf,” Junior corrected. “It’s good grandma Lisa.”

Lisa was stunned for a moment but pushed back the earth shattering grin that would most likely scare the children. She smiled very happily and said, “Well, thank you so much. I’m glad you like it.” She exchanged a smile with Craig and ate some of her own potatoes before spooning some meatloaf into Max’s mouth and then Sam’s.

Blue signed something as quick as lightening and Pilot laughed. “Me too, but I like ketchup,” he said and signed.

Junior shrugged and seemed to think before signing, “I don’t know. You have to ask her.” Race picked at his vegetables, seeming to think it over before plunging in and trying to eat them as fast as possible.

Craig and Lisa looked back and forth between the grandkids and then at each other before silently deciding to see when and where they could take a sign language course. “What’d she say, sweetie?” Lisa asked Junior, slightly embarrassed for not understanding the young girl. Blue for her part didn’t seem fazed.

Junior cut at her piece of meatloaf and looked up. “Oh, she said that she liked the meatloaf but not ketchup. And she wanted to know what’s going to be for dessert.” Junior ate her piece of food and chewed slowly before scooping up some potatoes and eating them.

All of the kids waited with rapt attention. They remembered the apple pies that she’d “made” before and didn’t suspect that she’d disappoint this time. “Oh, well, I didn’t know about the dislike of ketchup; noted. Well, I actually made chocolate chip cookies.” Blue watched Lisa’s mouth, trying to pick up some of the words. She recognized cookies easily enough and a huge smile spread across her face.

She clapped and wiggled a little in her chair before eating the rest of her food. The knowledge that warm, freshly made chocolate chip were waiting for them made all of the children concentrate on eating their food as quickly as possible.

********

Thai food, ice cream, a stack of movies, and nothing but uninterrupted time, had Justin ready and willing to test the limits of his quesy stomach. He’d slept for hours after his dad left with the kids, until Brian nudged him awake with promises of twizzlers and a blowjob. “All I’m saying is that I don’t understand why it always has to be you,” Justin said with a shrug.

Brian walked over and sat down next to Justin, handing him a pair of chopsticks. “It comes with the territory,” Brian said. He grabbed a box off of the coffee table and popped it open. Justin had his own box of noodles held tightly in his hand and resting on his stomach. “I’m running two offices; I travel a lot.” Justin sighed and ate some of his food. Brian turned the movie on and they watched as the previews played.

“You also have a family, Brian,” Justin said. “And, you also have other people working for you that can travel and pull in accounts. At least I hope they can, otherwise you’re just wasting your money.”

“One thing I don’t do, sunshine, is waste my money. I like to be the one to set up the new accounts. I like the client to know that I am personally involved and that I’m not just the name behind the company,” Brian explained.

Justin scoffed and lifted a piece of chicken into his mouth. “Bullshit. You like to be the one who gets all the praise. You want to do everything yourself. I’m actually surprised you have a staff at all.”

Brian gave Justin a conceding look and opened his mouth for the piece of chicken that Justin held out for him. It was spicy and Justin leaned in to kiss the sting away. Brian deepened the kiss before pulling away.

The movie started and the conversation flowed between the crucial scenes. Justin ate his food and Brian’s before drinking a whole bottle of water and then throwing up in the downstairs bathroom. He took a deep breath and pushed away from the toilet, standing to rinse his mouth out. “Jesus,” Justin said tiredly as he walked back into the living room. He sat back down in his space on the couch and pulled his blanket around him. “Fuck you; you couldn’t even press pause?”

“You didn’t miss anything.” Brian propped his bare feet up on the coffee table and let his head rest on the back of the couch. He missed the noise but he loved being able to do nothing and still remain guilt free. He liked to debate the level of work that he didn’t delegate and the paintings that Justin was sure weren’t working and would never see the light of day, without having to talk over tiny voices, temper tantrums, and tears.

Justin frowned and nodded toward the screen. “Who’s that guy?”

Brian sat, completely relaxed, his jeans slung low and his tee shirt well worn and comfortable. “He’s with the bad guys. He showed up while your dinner was showing back up.”

Justin pursed his lips and rubbed his hands slowly around his stomach. “I thought you said I didn’t miss anything.”

The night pressed on lazily. Michael called and they both refused an offer to join him and the gang. They made plans to meet them on Saturday. Contingent on how Justin was feeling. They did, after all, have reputations to protect.

********

The basement floor was a tangle of limbs, discarded blankets and pillows. The kids were all curled around each other and headlong into sugar induced comas. Lisa stepped over the wreckage and eased down onto the sofa next to her boyfriend, kissing him on the lips and leaning into his side. Max was curled up on his right shoulder, sleeping soundly with his hand bunched in Craig’s shirt. “Hey,” she said softly.

“Shh,” Craig whispered. “Don’t wake the bears. Especially this one,” he said, smoothing his hand down Max’s back. “He has some powerful lungs.”

“I heard,” she said.

The kids had eaten way too many cookies, taken a bath, and watched a movie that Craig had rented. The boys watched from the safety of the fort and Blue curled around Junior on the floor. All in all Craig was counting the night a success. He had a whole day planned for them tomorrow and the thought of sleep was sounding better and better. “You think I can move him without waking him up?”

Lisa looked over and turned her head slightly to the side, seeming to think it over. “Maybe if you move very slowly,” she said teasingly. He leaned forward, his hand resting on his grandson’s back, and lowered him to the soft blanket spread out on the floor. He laid him right next to Sam and they instinctively rolled a little closer together. “I think I’ll stay down here tonight. I don’t want to go too far away; in case they need me.”

“I figured,” Lisa said. “Come on. We’ll get changed and then grab some blankets and pillows so we can camp out down here.” She stood up and offered her hand to help him up.

“Sounds like a plan,” Craig said with a tired nod and groan as he grabbed her hand and let her help him to his feet.

********

Justin gripped the sheets, twisted them around his hands, and arched his back. Brian’s mouth was hot and wet, perfection across his skin. Brian bit down on the inside of Justin’s thigh, tracing the pain with his tongue to take away the sting. His left hand moved up the length of Justin’s cock, twisting at the tip and rubbing at the slit, spreading warm beads of pre-come along the head.

Brian kissed a trail up Justin’s torso, paying ample attention to his hardened nipples, and latched onto Justin’s neck. He sucked a bruise into the skin and hissed when Justin scratched lines of want across his back. “Fuck me, Brian,” Justin panted.

Brian smirked and pressed a hard kiss to Justin’s lips. “All in good time,” he said. “Relax.” Justin felt his skin tingling, a fine layer of perspiration settling over him. He turned his head to the side, feeling Brian’s fingers push into him, slow and steady. His legs opened wider and Brian reached down to hook Justin’s leg over his arm. He wasted no time before lining up and pushing into the waiting heat in one long thrust.

Brian’s eyes slowly rolled closed and Justin let out a loud moan, angling his hips and taking Brian in deeper. Justin tilted his head to the side and felt his sweat soaked hair fall over his face. He felt the babies roll, pressing down against his bladder and increasing the sensations pulsing through his cock. Brian smiled knowingly, smoothed his hand over the steadily stretching skin of his stomach, and picked up the pace.

They went to sleep hours later; reputations, at least in the bedroom, firmly intact.

********

Part 4

********

Craig forgot how early young children liked to get up in the morning. He woke up to happy, sleep glazed eyes and hungry stomachs. “Grandpa, you liked to sleep for way too long, I think,” Race said with a knowing nod. Pilot stood next to him, staring down at Craig.

“Is the sun even up?” Craig croaked, clearing his throat and running a hand over his face. Pilot and Race both turned at the same time to look out of the basement window. They both shrugged and moved away. He turned his head just in time to see them disappear under the sheet covered doorway of their very large fort.

Craig heard a toilet flush and blinked when a very fast moving Junior jumped over him. Her hands were still damp and she wiped them on the front of her shirt. Blue, Max, Sam, and Oz were already gathered around the toys that Craig had bought after the first successful sleepover and kept in the basement.

Junior crawled into the fort and then back out with a couple of toys held in her hands. She moved over to the smaller kids, quickly signing something to her sister before dumping the toys down in front of her.

Lisa yawned and adjusted her head on her pillow. “What time is it?” She shifted her legs and Craig looked over at the clock sitting on the computer desk.

“Six o’clock,” he said with another yawn before moving to push himself up. He rubbed his eyes and Oz walked over, dropping a ball into Craig’s lap before leaning into his side and resting his hand on his shoulder. “Thank you.”

“’s ball,” he said happily. He grabbed the ball back when Craig held it up and dropped it into his lap again. He was content to play the game as long as Craig was up to it.

Thirty minutes passed before Junior declared that she was hungry, prompting everyone to agree. Craig was deep into a very detailed Lego Separatist Armored Assault Tank, complete with a Lego Yoda and Imperial Stormtroopers. “Just one more minute,” he said. He’d insisted that he was buying it for the boys. Lisa wasn’t very convinced. He glanced at Junior, who was leaning heavily on his knee and watching the colorful pieces be put together.

“But grandpa, my stomach is hungry now,” she said.

Craig smiled and put down his semi-completed tank. “What do you say to blueberry pancakes with syrup and sausages? Hmmm?”

Blue signed quickly to Blue and her sister started to nod, signing back and sticking her finger in her mouth. Junior removed it and shook her head. “Blue says she likes pancakes. We all like pancakes.”

“Sounds like a plan to me,” Lisa said. She returned from freshening up and smiled at them. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail and her robe was tied neatly around her waist, her pajama pants soft and silk. “Come on. I can use lots and lots of helpers.” She motioned for them all to follow and seven pairs of feet stormed their way up the basement stairs and into the kitchen.

********

“Large coffee, black, lots of sugar,” Brian ordered. The young boy behind the counter nodded quickly and turned to fill the order. The coffee shop was small, blending into the background and invisible to anyone that wasn’t a local. Brian was dressed in nothing more than his best, the picture of relaxation. His jeans were comfortable and well-worn; his shirt a plain white v-neck tee shirt; and a black leather racing jacket and sunglasses. The young, newly-minted barista was clearly smitten. He fumbled the cups and spilt scolding hot coffee over his fingers before taking a deep breath, apologizing, and starting over. Brian looked over at Justin and gave him a very pleased smile.

Justin gave a small laugh, his dark blue zip-front sweater giving a subdued look to the subtle bump of his stomach. The girl behind the counter, short and peppy; her hair pushed back out of her face, walked over to take Justin’s order while her co-worker tried to get his hormones under control and focus on the very simple coffee request. “What can I get for you today, sir?” she asked with a bright caffeine-assisted smile.

“Just an orange juice, large,” Justin ordered. “And a banana nut muffin. Thanks.” The boy finally brought the coffee to the counter and Brian flirted shamelessly before paying and walking away. Justin took his orange juice and muffin and followed Brian. They settled into a booth and Justin picked off pieces of his muffin. “I don’t know why you’re so worried about it,” Justin said, picking up the conversation they’d been having before walking into the coffee shop.

“Why wouldn’t I be? Do you think I’ve done so well that others will not waiver in the opinion of me?” Brian asked.

“Please. You could care less what people think of you. All you care is that they know they can trust you. They can and you know it.” Justin leaned back against the cheap, cracked vinyl. He ate a couple more bites of his muffin and took a large drink of juice.

“No one wants to do business with something they think is going to fuck them over. That’s not the kind of fucking that interests me.” Brian drank his coffee and tapped out a loose rhythm on the table with his finger.

“It all comes back to sex,” Justin said. Brian raised his eyebrow in agreement as he raised his cup of coffee and smiled. His business was built on sex, on knowing what turned the person on. And he was very good at his job.

********

The pancakes were a hit. They wasted no time in eating and getting dressed, ready to conquer the day. They had so many activities planned and they were all looking forward to getting to do them all. Craig silently counted the kids as they filed out of the house. Lisa came out last with a bag full of snacks and the diaper bag for the babies. “We ready?” Craig asked her.

She gave the bag slung over her shoulder one more glance and nodded. “I think we have everything we need.” Craig closed and locked the door, following his girlfriend out to the car to help with the arduous task of strapping everyone in.

Pilot was doing his best to help push Max into the car, hugging him hard around the waist and lifting him up. Race grabbed at his hands and tugged until only his legs were dangling and his feet found purchase and he climbed in. “Don’t pull on him like that,” Junior said from her position in the back of the car. “Daddy said not to.”

“I’m not pulling on him,” Pilot said with annoyance.

“Yes you are. I saw you doing it,” she countered back. Lisa placed the diaper bag in the front of the car and went around the back to put the snack bag in the trunk.

“I’M NOT,” Pilot yelled.

Junior rolled her eyes and shifted a bit when Blue bumped into her. “Then how’d he even get in the car then. His legs are too short to do it completely by himself.”

Craig reached the car and shushed the argument. He lifted Sam into the car, followed by Oz, and buckled them all into their seats. “Pilot, don’t yell at your big sister like that.” Junior buckled her sister in and made sure he own seatbelt was fastened. “Okay. We’re ready to go,” Craig said. He closed the back doors and climbed into the car. Lisa got in and he slowly backed out of the driveway.

“I have no idea how they keep up with so many kids all at once,” Lisa said. She looked over at her husband and then glanced behind her. Max and Sam were happily chewing on their teething rings and Oz was busily trying to remove his shoe. The conversation was flowing between Blue and Junior, and Pilot and Race were asking every question they could think of.

“Me either. I only had two and I was exhausted,” Craig said in a near whisper. They drove on, with Craig and Lisa doing their best to answer all of the questions that the boys could toss at them.

********

Being childless on a Saturday made the time fly by and Justin stood next to Brian with his arms crossed and his head tilted slightly to the side. “I don’t like it,” Justin said with finality. Brian moved away from the car seat he was looking at.

“Doesn’t appeal to the artist in you?”

“It doesn’t appeal to the practical side in me. That thing weighs a ton and we’re going to have two of them,” Justin said, gesturing at the car seat.

Brian moved on to the next brand, reading the features out loud and waiting for Justin’s approval. “If you’d stop giving things to those bloodsucking egotistical parasites we wouldn’t even have to be here right now.” Justin stepped over to inspect the car seat and Brian moved on to the clothes. “I can think of so many things I could be doing to you while we have all of this free time.”

“The Center helps a lot of people, Brian. It’s for a good cause,” Justin said. “I like this one. It’s strong, light, and safe. We need to get four because I’m not switching car seats every time we want to take a different car. I hate switching the seats.”

Brian tossed the small outfits he found into the basket and helped Justin load two seats before leaving to get another basket so that they could get the other two. Justin walked around the aisle filled with baby supplies, picking up different items and putting them back. He kept some, tossing them in the basket. He was staring at a rocking chair when Brian made it back with a flat cart. “I like this.”

“You already have one. We can just take the one from Blue’s room and put it in the nursery,” Brian said while placing the other two seats onto the cart.

Justin shook his head. “No. I want her to keep hers. Let’s just get another one. Please,” Justin said sweetly with a long look in Brian’s direction. Brian stepped into Justin’s space. He slid his arms around his waist and pulled him close before pressing their lips together hard. Justin moaned into the kiss and moved his hands between them. He gently pushed Brian back, his own lips puffy and moist.

“What do you say we leave these things here,” Brian suggested coyly and moved to whisper in Justin’s ear, “go home, and you let me suck your cock.”

“And they say romance is dying. You’re going to have to do better than that,” Justin said with a smile. Brian grabbed Justin’s hand before he could fully turn back to the rocking chairs. He pressed a deep kiss to his lips, licking across the roof of his mouth and sucking on his tongue.

Twenty minutes later they walked out of the bathroom. Justin’s shirt was slightly rumpled and their basket was still parked next to the rocking chairs and playpens.

Brian straightened his jacket and moved past Justin to pick up the box containing the rocking chair. Justin smiled while he waited for Brian to finish, happily trailing his hand over his stomach. Public sex was always good. Pregnant public sex was even better.

********

Three activities in and the benches at the Allegheny Children’s Adventure Museum were a welcomed sight. The smallest twins were freshly diapered and settled into their stroller. They were in the middle of a meltdown, and the rest of the kids weren’t too far behind. They’d been moving non-stop and accomplished a lot. But they’d also blown through lunch and the snacks that were fueling the kids were starting to wear off. “I’m hungry,” Junior said, raising her voice so it could be heard over Sam and Max’s cries.

Pilot and Race were slumped next to each other, their free balloons floating above them. “Me too,” Race mumbled.

Blue blinked at Craig and signed a quick, “Me too.”

Craig checked his watched and thought of all the places to eat that he knew were nearby. “Hun,” Lisa said, picking up Sam and trying to calm him. “I say we take a much deserved break and get some food. We can just go to that little restaurant up the street. It’s in the plaza and we can walk there in about five minutes.”

“Yeah, that sounds good.” Craig took the handle of the stroller and turned it around. “Come on guys. Let’s go get something to eat.” All of the kids stood and Craig led the way out of the Museum and towards the strip of restaurants. Lisa made sure that all the girls went to the bathroom and waited at the table while Craig took Pilot and Race.

“I think I should get ice cream with a banana. Don’t you think so?” Pilot asked, wiggling around in his seat to get comfortable.

Lisa helped Blue move closer to the table and tucked a napkin into the collar of her shirt. “Um,” Craig started as the waiter walked over, “What do you say we eat first and then talk about dessert?”

Pilot thought that answer over before turning to talk softly with his brother. He looked back at Craig and gave a deciding nod. “We say okay."

“Okay.” Craig order and twenty minutes later all of the kids were happily eating; with great anticipation for junior banana splits that the waiter happily promised with a knowing wink at the pleasantly tired grandparents.

********

Michael leaned in and raised his voice over the pulsing music. “I just don’t understand his fucking problem,” Michael yelled. Brian drank down his shot and sat the glass back on the bar. He leaned against the bar and felt the wood pressing into his back.

“You fucked him lately?” Brian asked crudely. They watched their significant others dancing on the packed dance floor. Justin was laughing and Ben’s arms were resting over his shoulders.

“Jesus Christ, Brian,” Michael said with a roll of his eyes. He gripped his beer bottle by its rapidly cooling neck and took a quick drink.

“I’d take that as a no,” Emmett said, leaning in and giving a supportive smile.

“When one party is sexually frustrated it can often manifest itself in feelings of resentment and anger,” Ted added, leaning around Emmett.

“Says someone with more than enough experience,” Brian said with annoyance. “Look. He’s a professor-slash-writer with a thankless job and low book sales. It’s only natural that the mundane lifestyle that can accompany parenthood is wearing on him. Get the kids out of the house, buy a bag of weed, and fuck his goddamn brains out. Problem solved.”

Emmett raised an eyebrow and shrugged. Ted scoffed and Michael thought it over. “Will you pick the kids up for me on Monday?”

Brian laughed and downed another shot before slinging his arm over Michael’s shoulder. “Nice. Fucking on a school night; you rebel,” Brian said. Michael took that as his confirmation and laughed. “Now, no more talk of bottles and babies. If I wanted to feel like I had a vagina I’d hang out with the merry munchers. Let’s dance.”

********

Craig dropped his right arm and let the souvenirs he was holding fall to the floor. Max was curled into his neck and Blue was leaning heavily against his leg. Pilot and Race were sleeping on the couch where Craig had placed them, their jacket and shoes still on. Junior was sitting on the carpet, sleepily removing her shoes and pulling her jacket off. “Junior, could you help your sister get into her pajamas?” Craig asked.

Junior nodded and got up. She took her sister’s hand and headed for the basement door. Lisa was already headed down the stairs with Oz and Sam sleeping in her arms.

They’d had a long day. They’d completed all the things on his list, plus a couple more. Dinner at the restaurant had been followed by a very exciting run through a holiday inspired maze. When the clock started to inch closer to eleven they started to make their way back to the car and home.

Craig made his way into the basement with a sleepy and whiney Pilot and Race stumbling along behind him. Lisa slipped Sam’s pants on and made sure he was situated under his blanket before moving on to Oz and then Max. She changed his diaper quickly, put on his pajamas, and tucked him in next to his brother. Junior helped Blue to the bathroom, signing for her to, “Try anyway,” when she protested.

Blue gave a small whine and pushed her panties down before wiggling herself onto the toilet. She peed quickly, fixed her clothes and washed her hands. Junior did the same and they both ran to fluff up the spaces they’d slept in the night before. Junior’s pillow was crumpled underneath her arms and she buried her face into the material.

Craig ushered Pilot and Race to the bathroom. He got them dressed for bed and hugged them both before they disappeared into the fort. He kissed all the rest of the kids and sat up on the couch. Lisa plopped down next to him and rested her head on his shoulder. She’d popped Max and Sam’s pacifiers into their mouths and they were happily sucking, large eyes glued on their grandparents as they waited for sleep to claim them.

“I don’t think I’ve been this tired in a very, very long time,” Lisa whispered.

Craig nodded at her words and yawned. “I second that. I could also use a shower and a cold beer.” They sat next to each other, unwinding and talking about the relaxing day they had planned for Sunday. Max fell asleep first and Sam followed shortly after. Craig never got his beer, but the shower felt amazing.

********

Brian stopped moving and let Justin take control. The pulsing club music was still throbbing in their veins and he felt the roll of his husband’s hips and bit back a moan when Justin rose up again and let himself slowly slide back down. He leaned forward to capture Brian’s lips in a bruising kiss and felt the twitch of Brian’s cock before heat flooded his insides.

“Mm,” Justin moaned against his lips and sat up. Brian stayed impaled inside of Justin and ran his hands up Justin’s legs, trailing his fingertips across the sweat-covered skin of his hips. Brian pulled out and Justin hissed before letting his body relax. He moved languidly to rest against Brian’s side. The babies inside of him rolled with the excitement. “Do you think you’re up for one more round?”

“You’re insatiable,” Brian said with a laughing smile, moving so that he was face to face with Justin. “I taught you well.”

Justin leaned in to kiss him hard. “Very well,” he said. Justin moved to kneel between Brian’s legs and sucked his cock all the way down to the base.

********

The kids were running around in the crisp morning air with Lisa and Craig chasing them, catching them, and twirling them around. Oz stopped running, let out a ragged cough, and flopped himself down into the soft grass. Craig walked over and quickly scooped him up, earning himself a very loud giggle as he tried to curl in and protect his overly ticklish stomach.

“Oh my god, I’m so jealous,” Molly said with a smile, walking through the back sliding glass door. Hunter closed it behind them and followed his wife across the lawn.

“Mama,” Oz screamed, wiggling out of Craig’s hands and stumbling to get to his mommy. She scooped him up and nuzzled kisses into his neck.

Blue made a beeline for Hunter when she spotted him and he grabbed her when she jumped into his arms. Junior halted and panted to catch her breath. “Know what?” Pilot said with a gasp of cold air. “We made a fort.”

“In the basement,” Race added with a rushed breath as he ran by, following his brother. The boys had no time to stop and properly greet their uncle. They had energy to burn off and not a moment to waste.

“Cool,” Hunter said, tickling Blue and dangling her upside down.

“Very cool,” Junior said with a nod. She readjusted her hat and bent down to tie her shoe.

“I’m actually surprised to see you this early,” Craig said with a laugh. Molly turned her attention to her father and kissed Oz on his cheek before letting him down to toddle over to Hunter.

“I have been known, on occasion, to get up early on the weekends.” Hunter let out a loud laugh and Craig rolled his eyes. “Fuck both of you. Good morning, Lisa.”

“Good morning,” Lisa said. She gave Molly a quick hug and waved quickly to Hunter when Blue ran over and grabbed her hand, pulling her back out into the yard.

Craig moved closer to his daughter and wrapped an arm around her shoulders before kissing her softly on the temple, smelling the shampoo on her hair and letting memories of a little girl long gone pass over him. “How was he?” she asked.

“Great. We had a blast. He’ll probably take one hell of a nap,” he answered. They moved to sit down at the table, very decidedly placed on the cobblestone patio, and Craig asked her how it was going at work.

“I love my job, every minute of it. We’re a couple of days behind on that new strip mall downtown. So I’ll probably have to do some field days out there.” She pushed her hair behind her ear and burrowed into her scarf. “I have no idea how you guys stay out here. It’s cold as all fuck.”

“Never could get that mouth of yours under control,” Craig said with a regretful shake of his head. They both watched as Hunter caught his son around the waist and rolled with him to the ground. Pilot and Race immediately jumped on the pile. Max and Sam were hovering around the edge of the yard, pulling at the strands of grass and digging clumps of dirt out of the ground. Sam seemed to be concentrating a little too hard and Craig figured he’d be in need of a diaper change in a few minutes.

“You gave it a good try though,” Molly said. She checked her watch and called Hunter over. The kids followed, hugging their aunt and getting kisses. “Ready?” she asked Hunter, looking up at him and squinting against the bright sky.

“Oh. You guys are leaving already?” Lisa asked. “You could stay, have some lunch.”

Hunter moaned and rubbed his stomach. “Don’t temp me,” he said. “We’ve actually got to get across town. We’ve got a couple of things we have to do, errands we need to run.”

“Our daddies run errands,” Race said.

“I bet they do,” Molly said, leaning to grab his cheeks between her palms and placing a loud kiss to his lips.

“Ew,” he giggled, running his hand over his mouth.

“Come on guys; why don’t we go in before we all turn into popsicles,” Lisa suggested. They ushered all the kids inside and Molly and Hunter said their goodbyes. Oz cried and Hunter carried him out to the car with Molly following with the bags. 

“Thanks for letting him stay,” Craig said. He held the door open for Molly while Hunter got Oz strapped in. “He had a lot of fun with his cousins.”

“Dad, you know you can see him whenever you want. All you have to do is ask.” Hunter walked around and got in the car, turning the engine over. “Love you.”

“You too,” Craig said with a wave at Hunter. He watched them drive away before turning back towards the house and going back inside. The kids were all wiggling out of their jackets and trailing into the bathroom to wash their hands so they could eat lunch.

Junior grabbed the back of her sister’s shirt and tugged gently. Blue turned and waited while Junior signed something to her before signing back. Craig watched the exchange, baffled and more determined to learn this unknown language. Junior noticed him watching and shrugged. “She always tries to wash her hands with no soap at all. You have to tell her to use the soap,” she explained with an exasperated sigh and shake of her head. She finished taking off her shoes and moved to follow her sister into the bathroom.

********

Brian spent his free time picking up toys, cleaning, and washing and drying clothes. Justin slept. Brian knew, as he stood sorting whites and darks, that not many people would believe he’d even seen a washing machine. He knew they’d never believe the things that relaxed him and let him take the time to think. He knew that they probably thought Justin did the so-called ‘motherly’ things. Fuck them.

Let them think what they want. He closed the lid on the washing machine and left the laundry room; the smell of detergent and fabric sheets already starting to fill the air.

He walked into the kitchen and poured himself some coffee, adding just slightly less sugar than usual and stirring it quickly before taking a long drink. He grabbed a bottle of water and a package of crackers before making his way back upstairs. He reached their room and wasn’t surprised that the bed was empty. He could hear the sound of Justin being sick and sat the bottle of water and package of saltines down on the nightstand before situating himself against the headboard.

He heard the toilet flush and the water run before Justin appeared in the doorway. “The virgin daiquiri didn’t taste that good coming back up,” he said with a weak smile. He crawled over Brian and settled in next to him. “Thanks,” he said, noticing the crackers and water.

“I aim to please,” Brian said. “When’s Daddy Taylor bringing the kids back?”

Justin crunched on his crackers and shrugged. “This afternoon.” Brian drank his coffee and Justin frowned. “That stinks.”

“It tastes delicious,” Brian countered. He turned, leaning into Justin and pressing kisses to his neck. “We have just enough time…”

“To get cleaned up and transform ourselves back into wholesome, responsible parents,” Justin finished with a smile, resting his hands on Brian’s hips; his chest bare and his pants sitting low and loose. “I was just throwing up.”

Brian kissed him hard and Justin fought to ignore the bitter taste of his coffee. “You brushed your teeth. And I was going to say ‘for one more fuck’.”

“Oh, well. I suppose that is always another option.” Justin let himself be maneuvered onto his back while Brian pressed kisses along his jaw and down his torso. Brian removed his own pants and pulled Justin’s off, tossing them to the floor.

They’d never been quite wholesome. And their level of responsibility varied greatly. But, they figured that they could pull off reasonably respectable sometime in the next ninety minutes.

********

“Did you miss me?” Blue signed enthusiastically.

“Of course we did. So much,” Justin answered back before gathering her in his arms and giving her a big hug and a kiss. She moved on to Brian and Pilot and Max were next. “Oh wow. I think you guys got too big so fast.”

“I think so too,” Pilot said, trying to show Justin the brand new toy that Craig had bought him. Junior hugged them both and quickly made her way to the bathroom.

Craig made his way into the house with their bags and closed the door. Lisa stayed back at the house, presumably to do some work and straighten up. Craig suspected she was sleeping, heavily. “You survived,” Brian said jokingly.

“Only just,” Craig said with a laugh, passing the bags to Brian and moving towards the couch. “I have to give it to you guys; having them all at the same time is definitely no walk in the park.” Brian sat the bags next to the stairs, with Blue and Sam hanging onto his legs.

The kids talked non-stop and Justin and Brian did their best to follow all of the conversations and give the appropriate feedback. Eventually their talking died down and they started to slip away, one by one, into the playroom. “They have so much energy,” Craig said tiredly.

“And you only had them for two days,” Brian said. Sam ran back over and pulled at Brian’s jeans until he was lifted up. Brian sat him on his lap and let him twist the platinum wedding band around on his finger.

The afternoon wore on and the kids ran back and forth while the adults talked. Craig told them about his business; how he’d expanded and opened two more stores in the years that they had been out of touch. Brian offered some helpful tips to promote the business and Craig nodded as he took it all in. Justin lazily let his hand rub over his stomach and smiled when Pilot ran over, handed him a Thomas train, kissed his stomach, and ran back into the playroom.

“If only he was that nice all the time,” Justin said.

“He reminds me of you,” Craig said. “You were always getting into something. You drove your mother and me crazy.” Brian laughed and Sam got bored with the ring, crawling across the couch to rest against Justin’s side, curling his legs up and sticking his thumb in his mouth. “Are you nervous? About having two more?”

Justin thought about it and ran his fingers through his son’s hair. “Yeah,” he said with a laugh. “Well, yes and no. I mean, we’re used to having a lot of kids around, but still.”

Brian seemed to think before saying, “We’ve had this many without any planning and we’ve managed. We’ll manage with two more. Anyone in their right mind would be nervous as hell. Eight kids is a lot.”

Craig nodded and looked at his watch. “I better get going. Lisa’s going to look for me soon.” He stood up and they walked him to the door. After saying his goodbyes to the kids and Brian and Justin he left.

“What do you say we order a pizza?” Justin suggested, leaning against the counter.

Brian kissed him heatedly and gave a small smile. “Pepperoni. And get me a salad.” Justin picked up the phone and dialed while the kids rushed over and pulled Brian with them to their play area. Justin waited for the very busy worker to come and take him off of hold, his eyes watching his husband and kids.

The house was full of noise again. There were screams and squeals and laughter bouncing off of the walls. The line picked up and Justin had to hold his hand to one ear just to place the order.

They wouldn’t change anything about their rambunctious family. 

Justin smiled and placed the phone on the counter. “Thirty minutes,” he said, walking towards the fun.

Brian gasped with fake shock and quickly lunged for Blue, lifting her into the air and tickling her sides, making her legs kick and her body wiggle. “I might just have to eat her up then,” Brian said. Blue let out little squeaking sounds, feeling him tickle her and the soft vibrations of his voice.

The boys charged to rescue their little sister and Brian lowered her to his chest, letting them tackle him and knock him backwards. Junior tried in vain to help free her sister. Justin lowered himself to the floor across from the massive pile and Max and Sam crawled over. They piled toys into the V of his legs, big smiles on their faces with every overexcited noise he made.

It took nearly an hour for the pizza to arrive. They were having too much fun to notice.

********

Justin sat on the floor of Max and Sam’s room, discarded clothes and rolled up dirty diapers littered around him. Brian was lowering Sam into his crib and covering him with a light blue blanket, hand sewn by Debbie with his name in one corner. Max had a matching one, dark blue instead of light. Justin got up from the floor and gathered the diapers and clothes, tossing them into the trash and hamper respectively.

“Daddy,” Max said. He wiggled until his blanket was pushed off of his legs. His hair was fanned out over his mattress and he reached a hand out for Justin. He was zipped into a green, white, and grey sleeper with his covered feet pressed against the bars and a yellow pacifier in his mouth. Sam was similarly dressed with a red stripe instead of green and a white pacifier.

Justin smiled and approached the crib, leaning on the rail. “Yes?”

“Daddy,” he said again, the word slightly muffled around the pacifier. He reached with both hands and wiggled his fingers.

“No. It’s time for you to go to sleep,” Justin said. He fixed his son’s blanket, smoothed his hand over his hair and turned away from the crib. Sam watched him from around Brian, his eyes already starting to get heavy.

Brian finished putting some of their things away and turned to follow Justin out of the room. He paused long enough to flip on the switch of their nightlight.

The rest of the kids were already sleep, baths having gone off without a hitch. They had school in the morning and after their action packed weekend they were more than ready to call it a night.

“Maybe we should let Father Taylor take them more often,” Brian said, moving across their room and pulling his shirt over his head. He met up with Justin in the bathroom. The shower was already running and the water was heating up.

“Yeah, I’m sure he’d love that. Until he got tired of them and politely requested that we keep them home for a while,” Justin said. He reached into the shower and let the water wash over his arm. It was just hot enough and he reached down to unbutton his jeans. Brian walked up behind him and pressed a kiss to the back of his neck. Justin tilted his head to give him more room and pushed back gently with his shoulder.

Brian backed off with a playful nip to his shoulder and went to the sink. He picked up his toothbrush and watched Justin in the mirror. He admired the smooth skin and the small bulge of his stomach. He brushed his teeth quickly and joined Justin in the shower. “What’d you think of that piece I showed you?” Justin asked, letting the water run over his hair before shaking his head and wiping a hand over his face.

Brian shrugged and grabbed the soap, lathering up and smoothing the foam over his own chest. “I thought it was extremely reminiscent of your earlier days; Sunshine’s blue period.”

“Fuck you,” Justin said with a laugh. “It’s supposed to be sad.” Brian smirked and turned Justin around to face the tiles, running soaped up hands along his back. He pressed closer to him and Justin braced himself against the wall, feeling Brian’s fingers slip between his cheeks and continue down to his waiting hole.

Justin let his eyes roll closed and when Brian dropped to his knees he pressed his forehead against the cool tiles and thought of a whole other form of art.

********

Monday morning, as always, seemed to drag and speed by all at the same time. Justin was already dressed with Max and Sam walking along behind him, still in their pajamas, rubbing the sleep out of their eyes and sucking on their pacifiers. Justin woke Pilot and Race up before moving on to Blue and then Junior. He leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. “Get up, brush your teeth,” Justin emphasized to his oldest, “wash your face, and get dressed.” Her clothes were already sitting out; a pair of dark blue jeans, white undershirt, and pink jersey shirt.

Junior got out of bed and jumped off the platform, headed into the bathroom. “Any shoes I want?”

Justin nodded as he was leaving the room, bracing his hand on Sam’s head to gently maneuver him out of the way. “Any shoes you want,” he agreed. “Hurry, because daddy has a very busy morning.” Justin had a meeting scheduled with Julian before noon and a conference call with the gallery in L.A.

“Okay, okay,” Junior said.

“Okay.” Justin left her room and ran into Blue. She looked up at him with big eyes and her finger stuck between her teeth. “Where are you going?” he signed.

Blue signed quickly. “I’m hungry,” she simply said. Max and Sam moved past them both and into their big brothers’ room.

“Get dressed and then we can get some breakfast,” he signed before turning her around and guiding her towards Junior’s room. “J!” Justin called. “Help your sister get ready, please.”

“But I always have to help her. All the time,” Junior pouted. Blue ran past her sister and into the bathroom. Justin rolled his eyes and sighed before walking into Pilot and Race’s room.

“Good morning, Daddy,” Race greeted happily. He was standing on his bed with a plastic fireman’s hat on his head.

“Good morning,” Justin said, glaring at his son until he jumped from the bed, looking fully reprimanded. Pilot was still buried under his blankets, his feet where his head should be. “Go use the bathroom. And wash your hands,” Justin said. Race huffed and made his way to the bathroom. “Pi, come on, wake up.” He shook his son and waited while he stretched.

“I’m sleepy,” Pilot said. Justin pulled the covers off and Pilot blinked up at him. “I don’t want to go to school.”

“I know you don’t,” Justin said with sympathy. “But you have to. You’ll get to see all of your friends and have fun, so come on.” Pilot got up grudgingly and disappeared into the bathroom with his brother. “Use the bathroom, wash your hands and brush your teeth. I’ll be right back.” Pilot looked up from where he was pushing down his pajama pants and Race looked over with his hands under a steady current of freezing cold water.

“Okay,” they said at the same time.

“Use warm water. And soap.” Justin walked away, taking Max and Sam’s hands and leading them out of the room.

“Daddy!” Max said, looking up at Justin and pointing towards the master bedroom.

Justin nodded. They weren’t having any success with getting the boys to call Brian dad and the will to continue to try was pretty much dead. “Yeah, we’re gonna see Daddy.”

Brian was up, moving with purpose towards the bathroom. The closet light was on and his suit was already picked out. “Hey,” Justin greeted loudly. Max and Sam took off for the bathroom and Justin heard Brian greet them.

“Do you have the prints for the Baker’s account?” Brian asked, walking out of the bathroom with his sons in his arms. He plopped them down on the bed.

Justin nodded and pushed up his sleeves. “Yeah, at my studio,” Justin said. “I can try and bring them to you.”

Brian shook his head. “I’ll send someone to pick them up.” Brian turned his attention back to his sons. “I’m assuming that I get the pleasure of getting these little monsters dressed.”

“Yeah. I’ve got to help Pilot and Race and then make lunches.” Justin left Brian with their smallest twins and hurried back to get his older sons dressed. He made quick work of it, wrestling lotion onto Pilot’s face and pinning him between his knees to comb and brush his hair. Race was easier, only swallowing his toothpaste twice instead of his normal three times. He dressed them in khaki cargo pants and navy blue shirts with white thermal sleeves. “Okay. We’re all done. Put your shoes on. The blue Converse,” Justin said.

“These?” Race asked, holding up his shoe. Pilot was already sitting on the floor, wrestling his foot into his shoe.

“Yes, those,” Justin said, making his way to their door. He paused and pointed at the shoes. “Make sure you wear the right ones.” They’d marked the bottoms of all of their shoes with ‘Ps’ and ‘Rs’ so that the twins could tell the difference. He left them to get their shoes on, passing Max and Sam’s room where Brian was changing diapers and blowing raspberries onto bare stomachs.

Six peanut butter sandwiches, chocolate and vanilla swirl pudding cups, grapes, carrot sticks, and boxes of fruit punch Juicy Juice later Justin had all of their lunch bags packed and ready to go. They all filed down the stairs and he made them all packages of oatmeal and one apple toaster strudel. He made Blue’s without the icing, just the way she liked it.

“Thank you,” she signed.

“You’re welcome,” Justin signed back, leaning down to give her a kiss.

Brian emerged ten minutes later, fully dressed, with Max and Sam in his arms. He sat them down in their highchairs and Justin quickly made them some breakfast and started to feed it to them. He couldn’t afford the time it would take for them to feed themselves.

Twenty minutes later Brian closed the front door and locked it. The kids were already piling into the SUV and Justin was breaking up a fight between Blue and Pilot. It wasn’t everyday that they took one car to their offices downtown, but it did happen. “Ouch,” Junior said, rubbing her shoulder where she’d knocked it into the side of the car.

“Are you okay?” Justin asked. She nodded and sat down to strap herself in. “Pilot, stop it. Sit down, right now.” Pilot sat with a huff and crossed his arms over his chest. Justin reached over him and buckled him in. Race gladly raised his arms when Justin pulled his belt around his seat and buckled him in. All of the kids were ready to go and Justin closed the doors and got into the passenger seat.

“Have them on my desk. Yes,” Brian said into his phone, getting into the driver’s seat and closing his door. “Make it fast.” He flipped the phone shut and started the car.

“Working already?” Justin asked with amusement.

“I never stop,” Brian answered with a quick smile.

Justin was mentally going through his schedule, checking off the things he needed to do versus the things he could move to another day. “Oh, don’t forget we have to pick up Michael’s kids this afternoon,” Justin said.

“Fuck. I forgot. Just what we need,” Brian sighed, “more kids.”

“You promised.” Brian shifted in his seat and repositioned his hand on the wheel.

“Yet another example of how reaching out to help save someone’s relationship from destruction comes back to bite you in the ass,” Brian said, merging into the left lane.  

The drive back into the heart of Pittsburgh seemed to take forever. Justin rubbed a hand over his stomach and thought about how hungry he was. “I’m starving,” he said.

“Little Sunshine has to remember to eat in the morning,” Brian said, turning into the parking lot of Allegheny Elementary. With a roll of his eyes Justin got out of the car and opened the back doors. Pilot, Race, and Junior jumped out. He made sure they all had their book bags and lunchboxes, getting hugs from them all, before watching them go to join the lines that would lead them into their respective classrooms. He closed the door and got back in the car.

“Bye bye,” Max said loudly, his foot propped up on his car seat and his laces undone.

“Tree,” Sam said in his baby soft voice, pointing out of the window. “Cat. Meow.”

Justin smiled and Brian laughed. “That’s not a cat, baby boy, that’s a squirrel,” Justin told him, turning slightly to look at him. “Squirrel.”

“Cat,” Sam said again, clapping his hands together and giggling.

Blue’s school was next. Brian walked her in, signing for her to behave and that he loved her before giving her a big kiss. Her teacher assured him, again, that the attitude she sported every morning when dropped off was almost always gone immediately. It was no secret that Blue didn’t like going to school “by herself” but she’d just have to tough it out for the rest of the year.

“Angry as usual?” Justin asked when Brian got back into the car, putting it in drive and leaving the parking lot.

“Of course,” he said. He pulled into the next McDonalds he saw and ordered Justin two sausage Mcmuffins and two orange juices. He handed them over without a word and left the drive-thru.

“I love that you know me so well,” Justin said, reaching into the bag and tearing the wrapper off. Brian made a disgusted face before making the turn onto Debbie’s street.

********

The phone hadn’t stopped ringing. Two deadlines had to be pushed back due to a mix up at the New York office. Cynthia had argued on the phone with the printers for almost an hour before Brian picked up the line and personally ripped the poor customer service technician a new asshole. He was promptly transferred to a supervisor.

On hold, he tossed a folder at his faithful assistant. “I want figures on those accounts in two hours. Get Doug on the phone. And tell the art department that if the preliminary sketches for the Brown athletics’ spring line aren’t ready and on my desk by 3 o’clock they can all kiss their jobs goodbye.”     

Cynthia didn’t say a word. She gave a quick nod of her head and left his office.

Brian settled into his work day. He smoothed over the reps for the two delayed accounts and talked to Doug from the New York office. Ted had the figures done in an hour and twenty minutes; and by two o’clock in the afternoon the sketches for Brown were sitting on the display stands in his office, ready and waiting for his approval. Brian checked his emails, followed up on some phone calls and by the time he was ready for his conference call with a potential new client the office was once again running without any hiccups.

There was a reason he was the boss. He was very, very good at his job.

He hit the button to connect the conference call when the secretary notified him and leaned back into his nine hundred dollar leather chair, designed and handcrafted by Corbin Rios, an artist friend of Justin. “Mr. Perine,” Brian said into his Bluetooth.

“The infamous Brian Kinney,” Mr. Perine said. His voice dripped with arrogance and entitlement. “Are you prepared to tell me why I should pay more money to advertise with you when I can stay with my current firm?”

“Absolutely,” Brian said, with his own smugness and determination. “I don’t have time for bullshit. My prices are higher because the quality of my work is higher. And, I like to make money. We’re in this business to benefit each other. You want to sell your product. I can make people buy it.”

John Perine leaned against the marble wall in his office, overlooking downtown Dallas, Texas. He glanced down at his diamond encrusted Rolex and quickly squeezed the black stress ball in his hand. “I’m listening.”

********

“I can’t,” Justin said. He sat in front of a large canvas, covered with a crude half finished drawing and a broken off piece of charcoal in his hand, black smudged over his fingers.

Julian thrust his arms into the air. “Why the fuck not?” he asked. “Justin, this is the third showing that you’ve turned down. It’s going to be hard to sell the work of an artist that no one knows exists.”

Justin looked over at Julian, lying down on his leather couch with his legs crossed at the ankle. He was the picture of relaxation in dark designer jeans and a black button-down. “I think the work will prove that I am very much alive. And Brian has an event at the same time. He’s nominated for four ad awards this year. I have to be there.”

“Ugh. Fine,” Julian conceded. “Well, will you at least consider making an appearance at the benefit for emerging artists this weekend? A couple of hours and then you can leave. I promise.”

Justin rubbed at a spot on the canvas, refining the edges. “Okay. But just for a couple of hours.”

“Thank you,” Julian said with a whoop, swinging up from the couch and walking towards the kitchen. He rummaged through the bottles of water and pulled out a beer. “Is that piece going to be for sale?” he asked, coming to rest his arms on the counter.

Justin looked at the canvas and then glanced at his agent. “Yeah,” he said with a laugh. “If I can ever get it done,” he added.

Julian seemed pleased. He walked around to get a closer look and took another pull from his bottle of beer before holding it out to Justin. “No, thanks,” Justin said.

“Little early, I know,” Julian said.

“That, and the fact that I’m going on six months pregnant,” Justin said calmly.

Julian stood staring at him, the beer still in his hand. He let his eyes trail over his favorite client, suddenly noticing the curve of his stomach. He looked at the unfinished drawing and then back at Justin. “Say something,” Justin prompted.

“Are you fucking kidding me? Now I’m never going to get you to come to one of your showings. Christ.” Julian took a deep breath and sighed out a rough, “Congratulations.”

“Thanks. I think.”

********

Blue twirled the leaf in her hand around and around before deciding that it was worthy to be in her collection. She tossed it into her brown paper bag next to what she knew to be the perfect stick and the world’s largest pinecone. Things were looking up for her. Her day was going good. She’d gotten a smiley face sticker on her hand for asking very smart questions and raising her hand just so times. Mr. Miles had even made a happy face on her homework and put it on the homework wall.

And now she had the perfect leaves. She looked around at her classmates and pushed the flyaway strands of hair out of her face. Zoe was off collecting leaves with Jake. Zoe was almost her best friend, maybe. But Jake was mean and liked to pinch everyone. So Blue was glad that no one was picking out leaves with her. It meant she didn’t have to deal with pinchers, and she got all the best leaves.

Blue felt someone walking behind her and turned. Ms. Monica was standing there, a smile on her face and a pretty pink hat on her head. “What are you doing over here all by yourself?” she signed.

Blue held up her paper bag and smiled. “I have a pinecone,” she signed, as if it was the world’s biggest secret. Ms. Monica stayed with her and helped her get lots of special leaves and treasures. She thought that maybe having someone pick leaves with her wasn’t so bad.

********

“You’re dangerously close to being moved to yellow,” Mr. Franklin said. He pointed at Pilot and waited for him to stop moving around. “Thank you.”

Pilot sat back and crossed his arms over his chest. Race sat diagonal to him at the four person table. He himself had already been reprimanded for pushing Sally into the wall. He’d tried to explain that Sally smelled like the bathroom and she sometimes liked to step on his shoe or kick him when she stood next to him in the line. He’d only really pushed her just a little. He thinks.

Pilot, never one to just accept things, shot his hand into the air. Not being able to wait for Mr. Franklin to call on him, he started talking. “I don’t know why I have to sit over here in this chair. I always sit over there, over there in that chair. The chair by the window is mine. Not Billy’s. Billy is too round like a pumpkin and doesn’t sit in the window chair. I do. Me, Pilot Taylor-Kinney,” he said with finality.

“Pilot, that is not nice. You don’t talk about other people and you don’t talk without being called on. And I told you not to get out of your chair.” Pilot didn’t even realize that he was standing.

“I raised my hand,” Pilot said, his voice tinged with nervousness as he watched Mr. Franklin start to walk towards the stoplight. “NO!”

Mr. Franklin moved the clothespin with Pilot’s name on it from green to yellow. “You’re gonna be in so much trouble,” Race whispered to his brother.

“I DON’T WANT TO BE ON YELLOW!” Pilot screamed. Mr. Franklin walked over and gently guided him out of his chair and out into the hallway. “NO.” He opened the door and stood Pilot against the wall right outside the classroom.

“You stay right here,” he said before closing the door and walking back into his classroom. He smiled and continued with his class. He’d been teaching for years and Pilot was far from his worst student. He was just grateful that Jeremy didn’t feel the need to join his friend. They could usually be counted on to bring out the worse in each other; which is why Pilot had been moved across the room and away from Jeremy. He broke the class into reading groups and left them with his student teacher.

Pilot sat on the floor with his back against the wall and his legs pulled up. He looked up when Mr. Franklin walked out of the room and knelt down next to him. “I can appreciate the fact that you’re so passionate about the seating arrangements.”

“I did so raise my hand,” Pilot said in his own defense.

Mr. Franklin nodded. “Yes, you did. And then you went on to talk before I could call on you. You said not so nice things about someone. How do you think that made Billy feel?”

Pilot shrugged and picked at his jeans. “Maybe…maybe not so nice,” he said.

“I think you’re right. I know you can be a very good boy when you want to be. So, what do you say we give the new seating arrangements a week, and if you still don’t like it we can think about moving you. Sound like a plan?”

“Yes.”

“Okay.” Mr. Franklin stood to his full height and held his hand out for Pilot. “Let’s go and apologize to Billy and then see if we can get a little reading done today.” Pilot stood and followed his teacher back into the classroom. He was going to have to work pretty hard to get back on green before either of his daddies saw.

********

Junior bit down on her bottom lip and concentrated on the elaborate project in front of her. Popsicle sticks, construction paper, colored pencils, and bottles of glitter and glue were scattered around her. Her hands were sticky, her sleeves rolled up to protect her clothes.

The art room was bustling, tiny voices laughing and moving around. Alissa was sitting next to her with her own supplies. Junior snapped a Popsicle stick in half and spread glue over it. Art class was one of her favorite classes. She got to spend time with Alissa because their classes shared art time; and she got to get messy. “Charleston’s eating the glue again, Mrs. Nelson!” Cherri shouted.

Cherri told on everyone.

Everyone turned to watch Charleston eat a large glob of glue with a huge smile on his face. A collective ‘ewwwwwwwwwww’ sounded through the room and Mrs. Nelson rushed over to separate him from his thankfully non-toxic snack. “Charleston, how many times have I told you not to eat the glue? Come on.”

“What do you think?” Alissa asked. She stood back from her creation with a proud smile on her face. Her shirt was light blue, and her jeans a dark denim. Her hair was braided into two thick pigtails and her shoes were black.

“I think maybe that it’s leaning,” Junior said.

Alissa looked at the house and tilted her head. “Maybe just a little,” she agreed.

“Yeah, maybe just a little. I still think it’s pretty though. Maybe all the earth started to shake and then the house shook and got crooked, but the people kept it because they liked it crooked and not so very straight,” Junior said with a large smile.

“Cause there was an earthquake,” Alissa added happily.

“Yeah. Earthquakes make leaning houses all the time. I think.”

Junior turned her attention back to her own work. She lost herself in what she was doing, as she was prone to do in art class.

Thirty five minutes later she wasn’t having quite as much fun. Math wasn’t her favorite subject. She hated stupid numbers and stupid cross signs and lines with dots. Junior stuck her eraser in her mouth and bit down. She focused on the paper and did her best, looking over the problems and moving the pencil carefully over the paper. Eraser marks littered her paper but she thought maybe she was doing really well. Or at least a little bit okay.

“Time’s almost up. Just do your best,” Mrs. Nelson said, walking around the class.

There were only ten problems on the paper but it felt like almost a million. Junior settled her head down onto her desk and concentrated on the last two problems. Her dad told her she was doing really well when they practiced and he doesn’t tell her lies. Not even sometimes.

Mrs. Nelson called time and started to collect the papers. Junior made sure her name was written on the top in big block letters, the –ney squished into a tiny space on the edge of the paper.

********

Max crawled over his brother, his bright green plastic teething ring in his mouth, and stood up next to the television. They’d had a long day of playing. They’d gone outside with Debbie and ran around the backyard. They’d touched a bug, ripped almost a whole box of tissues to shreds, taken the laces out of Carl’s shoes, and tossed two of Debbie’s figurines into the unguarded toilet.

And all before lunch.

Sam, for his part, thought that their nap was too brief. Max had woken up irritated for no real reason and felt that Sam should wake up to keep him company.

Debbie stood at the stove and Sam leaned on the gate she’d finally put up to keep them contained. “Ma,” Sam called, gripping the gate. In one hand he held his pacifier tightly, pausing to occasionally pop it into his mouth and suck a little.

“Yes, sweet baby?” Debbie answered. She was making fresh ravioli for her and Carl. The homemade sauce was already started.

“Ma,” he repeated, reaching out of the gate. He wanted nothing more than for her to let him out of the makeshift “cage”.

Debbie walked over and leaned down to places kisses on Sam’s head and cheeks. Max hurried over with drool falling from his chin and over his teething ring. Debbie kissed him too and he giggled, clutching tightly to her shirt before she pulled away. “I’m making ravioli for grandpa Carl,” she told them. “He just loves it. When your daddy lived here he loved it too.”

“Daddy,” Max said happily, looking around and then pointing towards the front door. “Daddy.”

“Daddy!” Sam said, reaching over to snatch the teething ring out of his brother’s mouth and pop it into his own. He dropped his pacifier to the floor on the opposite side of the gate and sat down hard. Their toys were scattered around the floor, along with their abandoned sippy cups.

“They’ll be here sooner than you know,” Debbie said, turning her attention back to the dinner she was preparing.

********

Brian picked up Justin first. He strolled into the large building and took the elevator up to Justin’s studio, letting himself in. “You’re early,” Justin said in lieu of a greeting. He was bent over his computer, smoothing out the fine lines on one of his pieces.

“I’m on time,” Brian said. “There is a difference.” He walked over, pressing a kiss to the back of Justin’s neck. Justin leaned into it and smiled when Brian pulled away. “Are you ready?”

Justin nodded. “Yeah,” he said. “I just need to finish up this one thing.” Brian nodded and walked around the studio. He looked at all of the unfinished pieces, stopping to stare at one in particular.

He smirked. “What were you thinking when you drew this?”

Justin didn’t need to look at the painting Brian was focused on. He curled his shoulders in and leaned a little closer to the computer screen. “How much I wanted you to fuck me,” Justin answered. “You didn’t disappoint.”

“I rarely do.” Brian watched Justin sit up straight and shake the kinks out of his hand, a frown on his face. His hand was giving him trouble. It still acted up sometimes and some days were worse than others. “What do you say I take you home, get you in the shower, and fuck you? Nice and slow,” Brian said.

“Tempting,” Justin said, moving to put his things away. “Is that your way of trying to get me to take it easy?”

“Hmm,” Brian said.

He sat while Justin cleaned up, flipping through Aperture, an art magazine that Justin loved. It didn’t take too long for Justin to finish. He grabbed his jacket and sketch pad before following Brian to the door. He shut off the lights and set the alarm before locking the door and getting on the elevator.

********

Eight kids in the car made the drive home seem like it was taking forever. And stopping did nothing to shorten the trip. Justin sat in the car with the kids while Brian went into the restaurant to pick them up some dinner. They were both too tired to cook and the already cooked rotisserie chicken at Boston Market sounded more than promising.

Justin rested his head against the headrest and let out a deep breath. It didn’t take long for Brian to make it back to the car with the food. “Can I have some now, please?” Race asked sweetly.

Brian started the car and pulled out of his parking space. “No. You can have some when we get home,” Brian answered.

After sitting briefly in afternoon traffic it didn’t take long to make it to the house. Justin gathered his things, the food, and the twins’ diaper bag while Brian helped them all undo their straps. He walked ahead of Brian, opening the front door and holding it while his tribe made its way through.

Blue made it through the door first, the little ball on the top of her hat bobbing as she moved. “Thank you,” she signed with a wide smile.

“You’re very welcome,” Justin signed back.

Junior stepped up onto the porch and whipped around to face her brother. “I said stop it!” she yelled, pushing Pilot away from her.

“Hey,” Justin said.

“Ow.” Pilot rubbed at his chest and frowned.

“He keeps hitting me and hitting me with his lunchbox,” Junior rushed to explain. “I told him to stop.”

Justin sighed as they walked through. “Pilot, knock it off. Put your lunchbox on the counter,” he said, hearing the car door close and the alarm engage. Brian flipped Max and Sam over his shoulders and made his way to the porch and into the house.

Brian sat his two boys on their feet and rolled his shoulders. Small shoes, jackets, and hats were strewn all over the floor. “Hey,” Brian called, whistling loudly to get their attention. “Do these things go on the floor like this?”

“I hung mine up,” Junior said with confidence. Justin sat the food on the counter and moved to get out of his own jacket. Emily and Tyler hung their coats on the extra hooks and stuck their shoes on the shelf.

Brian chose to ignore his daughter, pointing at his other children. “You three; jackets go up on the hooks and shoes go on the shelf. Put the lunchboxes on the counter or we might just have to let you starve tomorrow.”

“Really?” Race asked with shock.

“Really,” Brian said. “We’ll be right back.”

Brian followed Justin up the stairs and into their bedroom. “He’s going to tell his teachers that we don’t feed him and then we’ll be hauled off to jail,” Justin said.

“His word against ours,” Brian told him. He changed out of his suit and threw a Hanes tee shirt over his head. Sliding his arms in and buttoning his jeans he walked over and kissed Justin.

“Are you still planning to distract me from my aching hand?” Justin asked, sliding his arms around Brian and letting his hands rest on his back. Brian rolled his lips into his mouth and locked his fingers together behind Justin’s back. He nodded and leaned in to kiss his husband. “Is it bedtime yet?”

“We should probably feed them first,” Brian said. “Or he really will get us arrested.”

Justin laughed and they turned to leave the room. Max was crying before they could get to the bottom of the stairs. He made his way over and sidestepped Justin to hold his arms out for Brian. “What’s wrong?” Brian asked.

“Sam pushed him down,” Pilot supplied.

“Not on purpose,” Junior chimed in.

“Okay. You’ll be alright,” Brian said. He rubbed his hand over Max’s back. “Let’s eat. Come on.” After making sure that all hands had been washed, properly, they all sat down and Justin cut up the chicken, making sure that all of the kids had some. Brian dished out the macaroni and cheese and juice.

Brian looked over at Justin and raised an eyebrow before taking a drink of his water. Justin smiled and spooned some macaroni and cheese into Max’s mouth. Sam was closer to Brian and happily picking up shredded pieces of chicken.

With any luck bedtime would come very, very quickly.

To Be continued

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