Michael saw Brian and Justin go upstairs and rolled his eyes. He couldn’t believe they were sneaking upstairs to fuck at Gus’ birthday party.

"I think we might have some upstairs," Michael heard Melanie tell a guest. "I’ll check."

Oh shit. Luckily, Melanie stopped in the kitchen to unload the bundle of dishes she’d carried in from the yard. Zephyr was to the rescue as he dashed up the stairs to warn his friend before he was caught.

"Ooh, daddy! What a big bear you are!"

"Shut up, twat."

Confused, Michael followed the voices and found the two men in the nursery. They didn’t notice him as he appeared in the doorway.

"Hey!" Justin protested as Brian pushed him out of the way.

"Shh…don’t wake my baby," Brian admonished as he arranged the stuffed animals around the sleeping toddler.

The blond pouted. "I thought I was your baby."

"Right. You’re the big baby," Brian smirked.

Michael couldn’t help snickering quietly.

"That’s why you love me," the artist replied, undaunted.

Michael rolled his eyes. Would the twink ever learn?

Brian straightened and wrapped his arms around the younger man. "I do."

Justin’s sunshine smile brightened the dim room. He leaned his head back on Brian’s shoulder and turned his face up. Brian peppered the side of his face from temple to jaw with little licks and nuzzles before he captured the artist’s lips in a heated kiss.

Michael blanched and closed his eyes. This was worse than them just fucking. He was so engrossed in his own misery, he didn’t hear Melanie come up behind him. "Michael?"

The man jumped and whirled to face her---and Lindsay—as Brian and Justin did as well.

If Brian was startled by being caught, he didn’t let on. "Let’s go, Sunshine." His tone brooked no argument.

Justin sighed. Did Brian really think anyone believed his ‘I don’t give a fuck’ façade anymore?

"What’s this?" Lindsay asked as she went to cover her son and saw the two new teddy bears next to him.

Brian didn’t bother to turn around, but Justin did. "Brian wanted to surprise Gus."

Brian then shoved the boy out of the room before he could say anything else. The blond lunged into the hall and collided with Michael.

Brian righted both men, examining his friend more closely. You don’t look so good," he observed.

"I don’t feel so good," the other man admitted. How could he? His heart was breaking all over again. It did every time he saw how much Justin meant to Brian.

Brian snorted. "I told you not to eat all that fucking cake."

"Justin ate more than I did," Michael whined. "How come he’s not sick?"

"He’s not you."

Brian’s simple words hung heavily in the air for a moment before Melanie came to Michael’s rescue. "I think we have something in the bathroom that should help," she told him as she led the man down the hall.

"So are you leaving now?" Lindsay asked the couple.

Brian wrapped his arm around Justin’s waist and asked what he wanted to do with a look. The younger man’s eyes twinkled back. "Yeah, I think we should go home."

Lindsay gave them a knowing smile but neither man saw it as they raced down the stairs. She was about to follow them down when she heard Gus stirring.

Melanie came back to the nursery a few minutes later. "Poor Michael."

"Hmm," Lindsay agreed distractedly. She and Gus were playing with the new bears. "Come here. Feel this," she gushed.

"He has enough stuffed animals," the brunette grumbled. She told them no more toys!

"Not like this," Lindsay told her, still running her hands over the plush fur. It felt like the rabbit stole her mother had. Both bears were dark gray, so dark they almost looked blue in the soft glow of the waning afternoon light. The dark hue made the toys look even plusher and they just begged to be touched.

"Why two?" Melanie huffed. She wouldn’t admit the damn bears were cute as hell.

"Huh?" The blonde was still too enamored with the soft fur.

"I was wondering why two," Melanie repeated, "although I think I know why," she suddenly added. "The asshole not only won’t listen to me, he has to fucking rub my nose in it." How many times did she say no more toys!

"Oh, hon," Lindsay tried to soothe. "That’s not what he was doing. Look." She held up the bear’s paws so her wife could see they were velcroed together. "They’re a pair. I think they’re supposed to be a daddy and a baby."

Melanie grudgingly admitted she was probably right. One was slightly smaller than the other. "Why isn’t it a mommy and baby?" she snarked.

Lindsay frowned and Melanie rolled her eyes. "Christ, I was just kidding."

Lindsay looked up at her, tears in her eyes. "No, I think I was wrong." She remembered Brian and Justin standing over the sleeping boy and looked back at the bears.

"They’re two daddies."