Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Sunday, 8:39pm

“Baby…hand me a towel?” Kevin asked, stepping out of the shower. He stood there naked for a moment, steam spilling into the bathroom, watching his husband of eighteen years wipe the counter.

“Here you go,” Chiron reached into the cabinet next to him. “Remember we got a new hamper. Use it, please.”

“Thank you…I know we got a new hamper, Chiron. I helped you pick it out.” Kevin said.

“Yeah, but that don’t mean you gon’ use it.” Chiron replied.

Kevin shook his head and rolled his eyes upward in response. “What?” Chiron stood there, cloth in his hand.

“And Junior thinks we don’t argue…. He ain’t never heard you carry on ‘bout towels on the floor.”

“We don’t argue. We have intense discussions. ‘Specially ‘bout towels on the floor. Nothing worse than picking up cold, wet towels off a dirty floor. Junior thinks you neat and tidy. Hmph.” Chiron scoffed. “He ain’t never had to share a bathroom with you. Remember when we only had one sink?”

“Man, you trying to traumatize me?” Kevin said.

“…Rest my case.” Chiron turned back to the counter.

It was true. While he insisted that Lil’ Kev keep his room clean growing up, Kevin Junior really didn’t know that the daddy he loved for his obsessive neatness in the kitchen could be an absolute slob in the bathroom. Chiron, on the other hand, hated a messy bathroom and had exacting standards about what the word “clean” meant.

Tenants in the properties he owned learned early that Mr. Harris meant business about the clause in their contracts that required “pristine & habitable condition.”The ones who lasted kept on their toes. Folks on the wrong side of the argument usually found themselves on the front side of an eviction notice. He hadn’t grown the business that helped pay their bills and keep Kevin in designer linen shirts by being soft about the upkeep of his buildings—he replaced them quickly with ones who wouldn’t give him a hassle.

At home, living together in the early days of one sink had been the source of several argumenn…intense discussions…about messy bathrooms. One or two of these had included raised voices. When they bought the dream house and started renovations, having two sinks wasn’t even a question if they wanted to stay married. They actually spent a month discussing the right layout and choosing materials for the master suite.

Once they got settled, damned if they didn’t go through four cleaning services before they found a housekeeper who could maintain a bathroom well enough to meet Chiron’s standards and a kitchen well enough to meet Kevin’s. To say they were both a little obsessive was an understatement.

One thing they had learned to agree on over the years was that, since their obsessions complimented each other and benefited them both, they’d let each other stay in their lane and live with the results. For eighteen years, this had worked out just fine most days. As long as Kevin remembered to use the hamper.

“This was a weekend, huh?” Kevin said. “Next time he call like that, I’mma tell him we in Atlanta.”

“No, you ain’t…don’t front.”  Chiron said.

“Naw. I ain’t…. But I am gon’ point him toward his mama.” Kevin laughed and wrapped the towel around his waist. “The whole weekend…”

“It was good for us.” Chiron said. “We ain’t been like that since he went to college. I miss when it was just the three of us.”

“Shiiit, you miss them grocery bills?” Kevin laughed. “Look like everytime we turned ‘roun, we was outta somethin’.”

“I didn’t say all that…don’t know how we woulda made it, you hadn’t been able to get wholesale prices. Still, good to have him around a few days. Kinda nice to know he need us a little.”

They were getting ready for bed after a not-so-quiet Sunday, at the end of a weekend spent with Kevin Jr., who’d surprised them, driving down in a panic because he and his wife, Alison didn’t know how to sit down and tell each other they felt overwhelmed trying to run the world and a set of twins. The twins, Kelsi and Kevin III (Tre’), were winning and their parents took it out on each other in a series of arguments that finally led to them needing a couple of nights apart.

Alison called 'bullshit' on Lil Kev about some things, and KJ had called Thursday night, asking if he could drop in at their house and maybe spend the night. The three of them had a good, but tough, weekend together that ended with a come-to-Jesus-conversation about Junior's marriage, and some surprising sharing with him about their own growth as a couple.

Tears, hugs, and one chicken stew later, they sent Junior home with leftovers and a new perspective. Now, they finally had the house back to themselves. 

“It was good.” Kevin agreed. “Just didn’t expect us to be taking a trip down memory lane. Y’all had a good talk?”

“Umhmm.” Chiron was brushing his hair. “…kinda hard for him to get a read on how different we was then. He said he kept wantin’ to ask me if I needed a hug while you was talkin’. Had to tell him I ain’t been sixteen in a minute. Plus…” he smiled. “…you got the hug department pretty much covered.”

It had been an emotional 72 hours. A reminder of just how much went into becoming a father when he married Kevin. He was okay with Kevin Junior knowing what he learned about their history. Junior appreciated the man Chiron was more for hearing about the boy he'd been. And, although he didn't think it was possible, Chiron felt more bonded to the young man he met in a hospital waiting room all those years ago. The three days made them friends in a different way. Before he got in his car, Junior hugged him tight and said, ‘Love you so much, Pop…love you, man. Thanks for everything.’ 

‘Love you, Lil' Man,” he’d replied, with a fist bump, and Junior had teared up a little at the use of the pet name from his childhood. 

Chiron stood there now in the bathroom, replaying the scene in his mind, and Kevin could see the emotions on his face. “…You okay?” he asked.

“Yeah. Yeah…just thinkin’.” Chiron waved him off.

“You took on lot, with both of us.” Kevin said, watching him carefully.

“I knew what I was doin’.” Chiron kissed him lightly. “And look what I got for it.” He paused. “Matter-of-fact, I was thinkin’, might be good for us to take the twins, time to time, or go up and keep ‘em. Give their parents a weekend off.”

“Oh, you really thinkin’… thinkin too hard.” Kevin reached for another towel to dry his hair.

“Naw…we don’t spend enough time with them, Kev.” Chiron said. “They growin’ up fast.”

“They down here at least once a month, Sundays, all day. We talk to 'em 2-3 times a week.” 

“...Ain’t the same as havin’ ‘em by ourselves. Facetime not the same. Just like with us."

“Chiron…now you know I love you.” Kevin looked pained. “and I love them, but baby, real shit, what we gon’ do with two three-year olds…two?  

“Take ‘em to the beach….get some ice cream…I don’t know. We’ll think of somethin’.” Chiron said. “We did pretty good when they was babies.”

“When they was babies, we could carry ‘em around, put ‘em where we wanted ‘em. They was in a stroller.” Kevin shook his head. “Now, we’d be chasing ‘em everywhere…and you ain’t never seen how fast they little asses can move. Shit, when Lil’ Kev’ was that age, you couldn’t turn your head a minute, he be into somethin’—somethin’ you had just told him not to touch. That’s part of what’s drivin’ they mama and daddy crazy…trying to keep up with ‘em.”

“…we plan it out the right way, once a month won’t hurt us. Could go up there on a Friday, come home Sunday night. You can cook in their kitchen same as you do here, or bring ‘em here. Let ‘em loose in the back yard. Got enough room out there for them to run around. They can play much as they want to…” Chiron wasn’t prepared to give up.

Kevin knew a lost cause when he heard one—and this was a lost cause. Chiron was in love with the twins from the day they were born. They had him wrapped around their little fingers and any chance to spend more time with them wasn’t even a question. His husband was jonesing to be an in-person grandaddy.

Visions of running toddlers, sticky hands, and Chiron laughing the way he only did when he played with them, filled Kevin's mind.  He sighed, smiled, and passed a hand across his forehead. Happy spouse, happy house. “You got it in your head," he said, "I may as well pack a bag. When we startin’?”

“Just saying we could think about it.” Since he’d won (pretty much), Chiron was prepared to be generous. He shrugged. “…need to look at our calendars, anyway…talk about it with Junior and Alison. Ain’t nothin’ written in stone.”

Kevin looked at him, amused. “You funny. Ain’t nothin’ written in stone? Like you ain’t gon’ get your way. Baby, how long we been together...? You wanna be a hands-on grandaddy, we’ll figure it out. And they are growin’ up fast. But, the first time they break somethin’, I don’t wanna hear 'bout it.”

“They ain’t gon’ break nothing we can’t replace. We need to see ‘em more often, is all I’m sayin’. Think about it.”

“Don't have to think about it...we’ll figure it out. Maybe I can teach ‘em a cooking game or something. I gotta better shot coming up with something for them than having an "intense discussion" with you.” He shook his head. “And I know you ain’t gon’ let this go. But I like it…”

“And I love you. See, told you we don’t argue. ” Chiron laughed, ducked the wet towel Kevin threw at him, and caught it in midair.

Chapter Text

Thursday, 8:37pm (Three days earlier)

When his phone rang, Kevin picked it up and greeted their son. "Yeah, we here…" he answered. "…What's goin' on?" He listened for a few seconds, then stood up, phone still at his ear, walked over to the bar and made himself a drink.

"Okay now," he said. "Slow down…"

Glass in his hand, he sat back down, listened a while longer, punctuating whatever Lil Kev' was saying with the occasional "Uh-huh…." Chiron heard the deep breath he took before he finally spoke, “Okay. Sure, man—come on through. Me and Black ain’t going nowhere. He just got home today.”

He hung up and looked over at Chiron, laid out and relaxed in the green leather chair that had been part of the set they purchased last year as a surprise anniversary gift. The “surprise” being that they’d both picked out the same chair independently of each other and ordered a pair, only to be startled when the store called to confirm that Mr. Jones-Harris really wanted four of the same chair delivered to his address.

“Company…” he sighed.

“Junior?” Chiron looked up from his book, The Tradition, by somebody named Jericho Brown, Kevin noted. Must be new, he thought.

He nodded. “Yeah.”

“Him and Alison again?” He decided not to mention that Kevin hadn't put him on speaker, like they usually did. It was a bad sign.

“He just left the house.”

Chiron exhaled. “What this time?”

“He didn’t wanna say…could be anything these days.”

Their son and daughter-in-law had been in a strange space for a few months now. The last time they were at the house for dinner, both Kevin and Chiron noted that they were frosty with each other, but they didn't (and don't) take sides. Still, it wasn't really a surprise to hear that they were fighting. What was surprising was that Kevin Jr. was coming there. There couldn't be nothing good about leaving his house at almost nine at night to "drop in" on his fathers.

“Bad—?” he asked the obvious.

“He driving here this time’a night, it’s bad. Probably told him get out or he got mad and left. ”

Chiron shook his head. “She told him…he too stubborn to leave on his own. Boy like a pitbull.” He turned his attention back to his book.

“Yep. That’s what I figure. Either way, he's wound up. Said they need a break. Said he wanna stay here for the weekend.” Kevin said and picked up his glass. Dinner had been light, but good. A new recipe he'd been working on, and a couple of Chiron’s favorites, chosen especially because he’d been gone for ten days and food is still Kevin’s love language. His first question that morning, after making sure that his husband's flight from North Carolina was still on schedule, had been, 'So what you want for dinner?'

They’d done the dishes, relaxed into some reading, and planned to head for bed. When they were apart, they talked on the phone two or three times a day at least. Always to say good morning and check in with each other at night, and as needed to handle any business, but neither of them enjoyed being away too long.

This time, two projects required Chiron's attention and it didn’t make sense to fly in and out, so he pushed the schedule together for one of the longest trips he’d made alone. By the time Kevin picked him up from the airport, all he wanted was a quiet, lazy weekend on the beach and, honestly, in bed. Junior’s phone call had just put an end to that. No way Kevin could turn him down, but it put a definite cramp in their weekend plans.

Damn…Kevin thought. No sign yet from Chiron that this twist was a problem, which was also a bit of a problem. He'd been quieter than usual, which Kevin put down to too much travel, not enough home cooking, and not enough of them together. Maybe he should have checked with Black before saying yes, but the boy was already on his way. Parenting...He was already beginning to regret his quick answer. 

“New book?” he asked, hoping to spark some conversation.

“Uh-huh.” Chiron answered absently. Jericho Brown’s poems took a little concentration, but they were good stuff. He'd started with The New Testament, because the title caught his attention. These new poems were deep. Listening to one side of the call, he heard enough to know that it looked like his first night back was about to be "family night" instead of "couple’s time." No sense in getting bent out of shape. Family was family.

He decided to finish the poem he was reading, then turn his attention to Kevin Junior. That is, if Kevin Senior didn't pop off first. He knew his husband well enough to know that Kevin’s 'yes' didn’t mean he wouldn't get worked up about Junior dropping in on his first night home. After all, when they talked this morning, the last thing he'd said before they hung up was, ‘Just get home safe, baby. Damn, I miss you.’

“Jericho Brown?” Kevin twisted his lips.

“Uh-huh.” Chiron replied. “First Black, gay poet to win a Pulitzer. Atlanta brother. Teach at Emory. Deep. Good poems.” He looked over at Kevin. “You got a plan?” he asked.

“Yeah. Send him back home quick as possible. I work on one marriage at a time and his is not it. Shoot...you just got back. ‘Sides, you know my rules…”

“I do.” Kevin didn't read poetry, but he liked listening to it. Chiron made a mental note to read some of these to him.

“…fish and houseguests. Three days.” Kevin frowned.

“Everybody except Teresa.” A reminder that the woman they called their fairy godmother had no rules and could do no wrong. Teresa was in a category by herself.

“Teresa different ‘cause she understand how to be civilized.”

“Also ‘cause when she here, you get a break from cooking.” Chiron pointed out. He kept reading—and waiting. He knew from experience how this would go. Kevin was predictable, at least to him. 

“That too.” Kevin took a sip of his drink. Having given his permission for Junior to stay, he realized he’d just blocked himself from the rest of his welcome home plans. Dinner, downtime, and getting’ down in bed. “Damn…wasn’t lookin’ for no visitors. After the last month, all these projects…our crazy schedules? I was plannin’ to relax, get my freak on this weekend.” he grumbled.

Right on schedule... Chiron thought. The man he loved was nothing if not consistent. He smirked. “Oh yeah? Anybody I know?”

“Man…don’t play.” Kevin glanced at him still reading, and felt a moment’s annoyance. Chiron looked calm. But then, he always did. Kevin had long since learned that he lived with an interior-directed person. If this interruption bothered him, there were no outward indications, and he definitely wouldn’t show it in front of their son.

“You been gone almost two weeks,” he said, not quite annoyed, but not teasing, either.

“…Missed you too.” Chiron replied, his voice neutral. 

A few minutes later, he marked his place and put the book on the table, nodding. Jericho Brown had a way with language that gave space and voice to things he’d thought about but could never say. He’d order the rest of his books tomorrow.

For now, though, time to deal with an annoyed husband, their upset son, and an unexpected delay in reconnecting with the man he'd missed like crazy. Catching up on work was one thing, but he really had been looking forward to a weekend of quiet conversations (and good sex). Ten days was a long time for them. He took off his glasses and laid them on the book, then stood up and walked past Kevin, headed out of the room.

“Where you goin’?” Kevin asked.

Chiron looked at him. “Check the guest room. Junior need a bed,” he said.

“Junior got a bed…in his own house, where he need to be sleepin’. He ain’t gettin’ none, now look like I won’t neither…I done cock-blocked my own self. Damn.” he said again. This was not the evening he planned and he was peeved.

Chiron shook his head. He paused at the door and raised his eyebrows at his husband working his way into being pissed off. “You know…take maybe fifteen minutes to make up a bed. Usually take Junior at least a hour to drive. That leaves about 45 minutes. You wanna help me or you rather keep bitchin’ and writin’ checks with your mouth?”

Kevin looked at him, and a slow smile spread across his face. So he was paying attention. “Well…you put it that way, shit, don’t have to ask me twice. Need something to tide me over…specially if he gon’ be here all weekend.” He followed his husband down the hall.

“That’s what I love about you…always rational.” Chiron headed for the linen closet.

“Make up a bed for this boy, I’ll show you what I love about you and what I can do with my mouth.” Kevin laughed, unbuttoning the top button on his shirt.

“Umph… Rational…efficient…and sexy? Got a lot going for yourself…you might get some after all.” Chiron said over his shoulder, smiling.

Chapter Text

Thursday, 9:49pm

If you make your living in the business of hospitality, mastering the minute is the one skill you can't afford to let slide. That is, if you plan to stay in business and turn a profit. Minutes equal money. Lose track of time and bad things can happen in a kitchen. Souffles can fall, steaks go from perfect to shoe leather, a good meal becomes a hot mess—literally. Lose track of time and five minutes could mean a canceled meeting, an unhappy client, a lost contract. Or worse, a missed flight and not getting home when you're aching for your husband and you can't wait to be in his arms again. Everything comes back to time.

Blue Moon was profitable because Chiron and Kevin had mastered the minute. And because Blue Moon was profitable, they never had to run their personal lives according to anybody's schedule but their own: ownership had its privileges. Thinking about Junior's arrival meant a little consideration had to be used, though, and a quick text from father to son yielded an unexpected payoff:

Kevin Junior did, indeed, hope to spend the weekend if allowed. However, he needed to make a couple of stops before he got to their house, and that meant they had almost two hours for themselves. Chiron set an alarm on the phone to give them enough cushion so they wouldn’t get caught by surprise, and they made the bed for Junior, then took advantage of the extra time. The occasional overnight was one thing, but ten days of being apart was a lot of stored up love and need. Everything comes back to time and he wanted every minute of theirs.

Once, when Chiron went to Georgia to see Paula, they experimented with phone sex. When he got home, he told Kevin in no uncertain terms, “…that phone stuff…waste of time, Kev. I ain’t doing that shit no more. Rather just think about gettin’ home, ‘stead of talking ‘bout it. And what I want pictures of my dick on the internet for? …count me out.” To which Kevin promptly replied, ‘Good. ‘Cause I didn’t know how I was gon’ tell you I ain’t interested one bit in jerking off with you on Facebook or whatever like we some damn fourth graders after school. I’m a grown-ass man.’

And that was that.

Tonight, just being together was enough to bring out the best in both of them. After being away from each other so long, they didn’t need bells and whistles, just each other. Kevin made good on his promise to use his mouth for something other than complaining and this first night home got a little better for both of them.

“You is kinda freaky.” Chiron said, laying back against the pillows grinning, breathing hard, after they had finished.

“Me—?” Kevin kissed his chest and joined him, arm draped over his waist. “You ain’t half-steppin’…glad I got that pedicure yesterday.”

“Just trying to keep up, babe…tryin’ to keep up.” Chiron looked down at him. “You need a haircut.” 

“I know…" Kevin said. "…get one this week…missed my appointment, TK couldn't work me in time enough to pick you up.” He yawned and cracked his neck. “Ummhh. And you was up, a’ight. No doubt about that.” He smiled contentedly. Black was home. The world was right again.

"For the Love of You," the Isley Brothers' old school joint, played softly, filling the room. Kevin had been into classic R&B for the last six or seven years after finding a box of LP's in his uncle's house when they cleaned it out. They reminded him of his childhood. Gradually, he converted Chiron, which wasn't too hard at all since he loved poetry. So they added a Marantz turntable to the mix, started working their way through the vintage vinyl, and a new date night diversion was born. Listening to classic cuts, dancing and laughing together while they read the lyrics, always meant a good time. When they got to the Isleys, they'd both laughed at Ron's age, but couldn't deny that his voice and sensual style was one of their favorites. 'Hell, he must know something,' Kevin had said. 'Ron been mackin' almost twice as long as both of us been alive. Ain't his wife thirty?"

Chiron let the music flow over him now, feeling the moment. The song always made him think of being underwater. “Missed me, huh?” he asked, his fingers in Kevin’s hair, massaging his scalp. He placed a soft kiss on his temple. 

“Shit, you couldn’t tell? Why you think I’m so irritable? I always miss you.” Kevin yawned widely, talking through it. “And I hate sleeping by myself.”

“You ain’t the only one…" Chiron pulled him closer, loving how good it felt to be home, next to him. He brushed his lips across his shoulder, lingering a moment. "I hate hotels. Even in the good ones, air conditioning fuck with my sinuses…pillows feel funny. Hate a king-size bed without you in it. Hate any size bed without you in it, come to that. ” He ran his hand lightly down Kevin's spine, and let it rest on the small of his back, caressing the ridge of muscle there. "Hate jacking off for two weeks.” he spoke into Kevin's neck with a soft laugh.

"You ain't never lied.” Kevin said. He relaxed into Chiron's touch and turned over to face him. "Got you back where you belong," he murmured, then brought his fingers to Chiron's lips, traces of their shared pleasure still on them, and kissed him softly. Chiron closed his eyes.

Whatever was going on with Junior, he thought, it didn't mean that the rest of the night was fucked up. In fact, he decided, it was going fine. Just fine. He hooked one leg over Kevin's and moved against him slowly, feeling the gentle slide of their bodies, then smiled at the delicious, familiar ache, inside and out, of good sex. A few lines from the poem he'd read earlier floated at the edge of his mind.

What’s my name, whose is it, while we
Make love.

...I don’t want the world. I only want
African sense of American sound. Him. Touching.
This body. Aware of its pains... I am here to love you uncomfortable. ▶ 

It always felt a little selfish, just how much he loved to get lost in the act of giving himself completely to Kevin, the satisfaction he got from letting his husband drive him out of his mind. They'd always been greedy for each other, and that hadn't changed. He'd known what he wanted the minute he got in the car, saw that lazy smile, and heard Kevin say, "Hey, baby…" The low, sweet drawl went straight to his heart—and everywhere else below his waist.

He stretched and shivered now, at the recollection of Kevin's lips on him, the sheer desire in Kevin's eyes when he spread himself open for him, inviting his tongue into the dark, sweet space that he loved…the look on Kevin's face just before he growled softly into Chiron's ear, 'Ask me…'  making him beg just a little. 'Pretty please…' he had replied with a smile and a heated look of his own, before he angled his hips to get as much as he could of his husband's thickness in the first stroke.

Even now, the first stroke was always a revelation. A reminder that they take only what they give, that love is being open on purpose. Already at home in each other's hearts, it was the beautiful power of that moment, when he gave them permission to come home to each other's body, that pulled them into the tide. Eyes half-closed, lips parted, hands on Kevin's ass, Chiron had held him still when they were totally joined.

"Not yet—stay right there…" he had whispered into Kevin's ear, one leg wrapped around his waist. He rocked his pelvis and squeezed against the warm, blunt pressure filling him, pressing against all the right places, the unmistakable luscious friction of Kevin stretching him open as they rocked gently. "...right there…"

“If I can…you feel so damn good.” Kevin raised his head and looked down at him, “Like you was made for me.”

'…I was. Custom fit…' Chiron breathed the words out, and Kevin had groaned into his mouth, then hit him with a stroke that left him speechless. Love, desire, and two weeks of hunger took them the rest of the way until he moaned into Kevin's chest while Kevin throbbed deep inside him, each hot spurt punctuating the words they whispered, 'Need you, baby…Love you, sweetheart…Missed you so much…Love you so much.'  The intensity of it all sent Chiron spinning until he let himself go, submerged in the deep joy that was loving, and being loved by, Kevin.

Ron Isley was crooning now about ridin' the waves of his lover's touch, testifying that the love was real. The background singers kicked in their light harmonies and oohed softly underneath the falsetto, sounding like soulful mermaids calling sailors on an erotic journey. Chiron let his fingers keep time against Kevin's thigh and thought about slow dancing with him. Untroubled and oh-so-satisfied, he let all of work and family drift away for the moment. There would be time to focus on Kevin Junior. Right now was for them. 

By mutual agreement, theirs was a pretty calm household. When they got back together and decided to be partners in life and work, they made their first priority taking care of each other. After that, being together was the simplest, easiest thing in the world.  Between the two of them, they'd seen and forgotten more shit than most, and after all the turmoil of their early lives and the day-to-day ups and downs of running the company, they decided years ago not to create crazy. They didn't go looking for drama and foolishness didn't stand a chance around them. There was nothing they couldn't talk about and nothing they didn't talk about. Not that they always agreed, but they hadn't found anything yet worth risking the happiness they'd fought to have.

Kevin's voice cut through the haze of boneless pleasure surrounding him, and Chiron turned his head on the pillow to hear him. “Man, listen to us…we hate a lot, don’t we? Bed cold…my nose hurt…I hate pillows…” He broke out his best child's whine, sounding like one of Kevin Junior's twins.

“Naww. Just one thing—being apart," Chiron replied, gently bringing his arms around him. "Hate being apart."

“…hate that for real," Kevin agreed. "Two weeks is too long." He shifted even closer. His husband was a man of few words, but never short on actions, and although he didn't say it, the way Chiron held him told Kevin he was grateful  they had this time for themselves before Kevin Jr. arrived with whatever crisis he was bringing. "We do sound like some spoiled motherfuckers, though…sound like we three years old." He chuckled and licked a bead of sweat from Chiron's throat before he lay back next to him. 

“We are spoiled.” Chiron said. “Won’t deny that. Work hard for it. Work hard at it. Plan to continue it—after we check in with this boy.” His voice turned serious. “You know I love him as much as you do, and ain’t never gonna turn him down if he needs us. So, he can have this weekend, but not too many more. 'Specially not my first night back, after I been away from his daddy two weeks.”

He opened his eyes and raised up on an elbow. “I mighta had some plans that didn’t include nothing but changing the sheets, putting a smile on your face, and keeping up my strength. Not necessarily in that order.”

“Mmmmkay…I like the way you think…" Kevin nodded. “We get some parenting done, put that plan into action.” He turned to reach for his watch. “What time is it?”

Chiron put a hand on his arm. “…Alarm set. We got time…. I just got back.” he said.

Something in his voice held Kevin still and when he looked at him, Chiron’s eyes were bottomless, his face serious, shy, hungry, and vulnerable, all at once. Kevin still didn't understand how he managed to combine all those emotions in one expression, but the force and weight of it was so sexy that whenever it showed up, the look still made his heart skip a beat. So, it didn't matter that they'd just made love, or that Kevin Junior would rock up anytime now. What he saw on Chiron's face was enough to send him right back into his arms. Holding his gaze, Kevin brushed his thumb across his husband’s bottom lip, pressing gently. “So you did miss me…” he said.

“Thought I spent the last hour proving that…?" Chiron raised an eyebrow. “Miss you like breath, Kev…” He repeated it quietly, almost to himself. “…like breath.” As if, only now, when they were together, could he admit the magnitude of how alone he felt when they were apart. Hand caressing Kevin's cheek, he kissed him, mouth open.

All the words they could say would never add up to everything they could put into a kiss. As long as they’d been together, they had loved the complex chemistry that developed in nibbles, nuzzling, nudging, tasting, sighing, and finally sinking into one another, lost in the sensation. It was never the same and it never changed. If the last hour in bed had been about satisfying the raw hunger for each other, letting loose the lust and energy that crackled between them, the kiss had a life of its own.

More than just the afterburner of good sex—it was a testament to the intimacy that surrounded everything they were and everything they did. It wasn't their first kiss of the day by any means. Chiron kissed Kevin when he got in the car at the airport. He kissed him, laughing, as Kev was cooking, when he snuck a shrimp from the pan and Kevin slapped his hand. They kissed each other everywhere while making love, but this kiss was the one that made him feel shy and strong and shivery, all over again. Even after eighteen years, kisses like this one were what he dreamed about when he was alone at night.

Kevin cradled his head, kissed him back, and a tiny sound escaped from Chiron's lips. His mouth was warm, soft, and full and Chiron could taste the layers of their life. He touched his lips to Kevin's and found the buttery garlic sauce of the shrimp scampi he asked for on his first night back. There, on Kevin’s tongue when it tangled with his, were the flavors of dark chocolate and pistachio from the tart he made because it reminded him of his husband, and although Chiron didn't have a sweet tooth, he could never resist it. Deeper below, in the breath they shared, was a hint of vanilla and spice from the bourbon Kevin drank after dinner, smooth and caramel-colored, like him. And underneath it all was them.

Eyes closed, Chiron breathed in and savored the taste of them in his mouth. The clean sweat of their skin, damp from lovemaking, touched with the slightly bitter tang of each other’s most intimate places, mixed with the aromatics from the Tom Ford colognes they both preferred. Peppermint and almond, soap and sex, fruit and funk, grounded in the sweetness of love that had matured from teenage hopes into grown-folks goodness. It was all there in the kiss, a musky, mingled reminder that every moment of passion rested on a bedrock foundation of trust, care, and confidence as delicate as silk and strong as steel. Settled in the arms of the man who still made him bashful and bold, the man who gave him his first kiss, in their bed, he felt the world stop for a moment, then reset on its axis with them in the middle of it.

The kiss lingered on their lips, and when it ended, Kevin kept his hands in place. "Welcome home." he murmured slowly against Chiron's mouth, and smiled gently.

“Good to be home." Chiron replied softly, brushing their noses together.

They both knew they weren’t talking about the house they lived in—as comfortable and stylish as it was, the house was just the container.

Home was eighteen years of time and energy spent creating a space where they could lay down everything except the love that gave them both permission and reason to be and become who they were. Home was a laugh…a look…a life…somebody who knew you needed a haircut and cared enough to cook you your favorite meal. Home was the smile on each other's face and the warm familiarity of their bodies pressed together.

No need to rush away from that, even for the son they both loved. So they didn’t. Chiron tucked his head just below Kevin's ear and sighed peacefully. Kevin felt the warmth of his husband's breath on his neck and held him close.

Nobody was sleeping alone tonight. 

Chapter Text

Thursday, 10:52pm

When the alarm chimed, Chiron reached for his phone. He looked at the clock, swung his legs out of bed and stretched, left arm overhead, leaning to his right. “I’mma get a shower…” he announced. “He’ll be here in a little while. You decided how you wanna handle this?”

Watching him stand there, his body outlined against the pale taupe curtains, Kevin couldn’t help but appreciate the picture he made. He'd always been thankful that the universe sent him a man who was beautiful from any angle. Goddam…got it coming and going, anyway you look at it, he thought, as he admired him. Chiron was still the most beautiful man he’d ever known, and even now, at 50, Black was fine. Chocolate skin, chiseled back, sensual shoulders, and a torso that tapered down to strong, lean, muscular thighs. But it was his ass that held Kevin's attention. Chiron still had the best ass: taut and smooth, with just the right amount of muscle and curve, and Kevin could never get enough of it.

He felt the warmth as his body responded to the image in his mind of his husband an hour ago, face down, legs wide, belly flat to the bed, giving him free rein to show his appreciation, letting him have his way with his lips and tongue. He had worshiped at the altar of Chiron's ass until he begged for mercy, every moan he made music to Kevin’s ears, then taken him into his mouth and drained him, slowly teasing him into an orgasm that left him shuddering with pleasure, calling Kevin's name.

He was still trembling and open when Kevin lifted his legs, slipped into him, and took them both to another stratosphere with deep, full strokes, holding off as long as he could before his own climax washed over him. When it did, Chiron clung to him, not wanting him to pull out, and Kevin could feel every spasm as he came, looking into his husband's eyes, with his beautiful ass clenched around him, milking him dry. It was so good they were both gasping at the end.

Kevin decided whatever Junior needed, he'd better make it quick. They weren't nearly finished with the welcome home reunion, and he couldn't wait to be on the receiving end of whatever Chiron had been planning. He shook his head at the sight of him, stretching his neck, working out the kinks in his shoulders, and bit his lip in anticipation. Maybe it ain’t too late to send Junior to stay in a hotel…we can have a midnight swim.

"K…you listening to me?" Chiron was looking at him, eyebrows raised. "I said, how you wanna play this?"

Kevin snapped his attention back. “Oh. Play it by ear. Yeah…listening. I ain’t taking sides.”

“You talk to Sam?” Chiron asked.

“He asked me not to. You know Samantha—she’ll go up there, she think something going on. But just cause I didn’t, don’t mean she won’t know. Can’t control what Alison doing.”

“S’true…. A’ight. So we listening…neutral corners. Might not be bad as he thinks.” Chiron said. He looked at Kevin stretched out in the bed, duvet on the floor, sheets rumpled around him. They go through some sheets. “Be good to see him anyhow—" he smiled and bent down to pick up the duvet. “—might need to talk to him ‘bout his freaky daddy.”

“Hah!” Kevin snorted. “Which one?”

“The one not listening, looking at my ass.” Chiron grinned and shook his head, hand on his chin.

“What makes you think I’m looking at your ass?” Kevin asked. Which had to be the worst question ever, seeing that he'd just declared his unwavering love and allegiance to the behind in question an hour ago, and he was still savoring the taste on his tongue.

“Better question—tell me when you ain't…?” Chiron teased him.

“I’m ‘sposed to be ‘shamed—?” Kevin was unapologetic. “It’s a good-looking ass. Best one in Miami, in my opinion. Besides, you work on your ass ‘cause you know I like to look at it.”

“That could be true.” Chiron conceded with a crooked smile, since it was. “But like I said—freaky.”

“Hey—at least I own it.”  Kevin got out of bed and started to straighten the sheets. “Matter-of-fact, I might get me a t-shirt, say ‘Freaky Daddy’ on the front. What you think…? Get you one say ‘Freaky Daddy 2.’”

“I think you crazy…” Chiron laughed. This was what he missed when they were apart, more than almost anything else. After all this time, the best thing about being together was the way they riffed off each other and laughed over nothing. Well…the second-best thing.

“Naw, naw—I’m serious. Bright green, orange letters. Won’t see that on the beach every day." Kevin snapped his fingers, slipped into his version of the Dougie and started rapping. “Freaky Daddy, rock you all night long…Freaky Daddy, rollin’ long and strong…Freaky Daddy, got it going on. Freaky Daddy…” He added a beat box rhythm, arms up now, both hands swaying.

Chiron collapsed on the bed with laughter. “I ain't never staying gone this long again. What you—what you doin—?” he got out between breaths. “You done lost your mind!”

“—that's what happens when you go off and let me get dick-deprived. Just a lil' bit done got me dancin!" Kevin gyrated suggestively and blew his husband a kiss.

“On second thought, tho'—” He stopped, whirled, and pointed a finger. “—yours gon’ say ‘I’m with Freaky Daddy.’ Let other niggas know you taken, even if they are lookin’ at your ass. Let ‘em know it’s mine! How you like that…???" He laid a not-so-gentle love tap on Chiron’s butt and two-stepped into the bathroom, still bopping his head, laughing at his own joke. “Freaky Daddy! Heh-heh-heh-Heyyy! Freaky Daddy...!” 

“I’m married to a crazy man!” Chiron called out, laughing so hard his stomach hurt. He realized too late that somehow, Kev had beaten him into the shower and left him to finish the bed.

“Nope—” Kevin answered over the sound of running water, “—you married to Freaky Daddy, baby! Welcome home!”

Chapter Text

Thursday 11:45pm

It was almost midnight when Kevin Jr. rang the bell. He had a key, but usually didn’t use it unless they weren’t home. Chiron went to open the door and Junior walked in, carrying his briefcase, bag over his shoulder, just as Kevin was filling a kettle with water. He put them both down and hugged Chiron. Always a sharp dresser, his black linen button-down was appropriately wrinkled, jeans crisp, tan shoes, no socks. Except for the exhaustion on his face, he looked like the young Black man on the comeup that he was.

“Hey, Pop…Hi, Dad. Sorry it took me so long to get here. Thanks for staying up."

“What’s up, man. Good to see you.”

Just looking at him, Kevin could see that whatever happened had shaken him. Junior was a confident kid, who’d grown into a confident man, not too arrogant, and clearheaded, most of the time. He and Samantha had worked to keep him grounded, and when he and Chiron got together, the three of them had become a pretty tight unit, parenting him together. He didn’t rattle easy.

‘He a lot like you was, not just looks…’ Chiron had remarked once, when Lil’ Kev was about sixteen. He was killing it at debate, swimming, and playing a decent game of basketball. And even Kev had to admit his grades were good. He was top of his class in a school where that meant more than throwaway classes.

‘He’s smarter than I was, and more solid.’ Kevin had replied. “His shit is real. Mine was a show. I ain’t dumb, but the book smarts is Sam. The mouth is me. He shook his head. “Damned if I know where the swag is from, but I think you mighta had something to do with that. I heard him tell some of his friends they needed to learn to handle their business ‘with a quickness.’ That’s you….’ 

When he graduated high school valedictorian two years later, his speech included thanks to his parents, and he talked about how family is what you allow yourself to have and create. At his party, KJ thanked all three of them and told them his plans to be a lawyer. And he followed through. When he met Alison his first year of law school, he went after her with the same intensity he did everything. She was pretty, smart, and level-headed. But, they’d taken on a lot, real fast. Marriage, jobs, and then the twins, who had been a surprise. Nobody from either family had twins, so they were cherished. A matched pair with enough personality for four, Kelsi and Tre' ruled the house whenever they showed up.

Now, in the kitchen light, their father looked tired. Not just from driving or being up late, but from the inside out. He didn’t have his usual bounce. “Thanks for letting me drop in. ‘preciate it. I didn’t plan on this, but…” he lifted his shoulders and let them drop.

“No problem, man. Like I said, we didn’t have a lot going on. Black just got back today, so we weren’t going out." Kevin hugged him. “You hungry?”

“Oh, shit. I’m sorry…”Kevin Junior stopped talking.

“’Bout what?” Chiron asked.

“I forgot…you been gone a week.”

“Two…” Kevin inserted, head cocked.

“Shit…” Junior said again. He looked at the two of them and had the grace to look embarrassed when his father’s hint sank in. He rubbed his hand over his mouth, shook his head. “My timing is off everywhere today.”

“Naw…you good. We had a chance to catch up.” Chiron said. “But what’s going on, man? What is all of this? And, how my babies?”

“I don’t wanna get into all of it tonight. Just need some sleep. Kids are fine. Drivin’ me crazy. It’s their world, I just live in it. Dad, you got anything to drink?”

“You know where the bar is. Want somethin’ to eat?"

“No, thanks. Ate something on the way. Just tired…” he said again.

“Well, don’t let us keep you up, man. It’s after midnight.”

“Come on…” Chiron said. “Get yourself something to drink. I’ll put these in your room.”

“I ain’t in the “nekkid yoga” room, am I?” Junior gave him a smirk.

“I’mma ignore that, cause you tired,” Chiron said. “You in the guest room. Not the meditation room. I don’t be doing no yoga.”

“Just sayin…."Junior's voice had mischief in it. “Nothin’ y’all do would surprise me at this point. What was it? Tai-chi? Tae-bo?”

“Now you know it was taekwondo..." Chiron laughed at the teasing. "Keep it up…You know Kev' wanted to make you stay in a hotel. Keep runnin’ your mouth, I’mma let that happen.”

“So y’all do be naked in the yoga room.” Junior laughed.

“Boy, this our damn house. We be naked wherever the hell we wanna be, whenever we wanna be.” Kevin came up behind them.

“Child alert.” Kevin Junior laughed harder.

“Child...? Shit—you got two of your own.” Kevin looked at him sideways. “And I know we talked you through the ins and outs of sex a long time ago.”

“Dad—did you just say the ins and outs….” They stopped and looked at each other, then all three burst out laughing. For a quick second, it was almost like he had come home from school and this was normal.

“Time to go to bed…” Chiron said. “Extra towels in the bathroom, Junior. Workout at six.”

“You sure you gon’ be awake—won’t be too wore out from the ins and outs?” He couldn’t resist just one more poke.

“Yep…sendin’ yo’ ass to a hotel in the morning…” Kevin said.

“Might not try to talk him out of it this time.” Chiron echoed and pulled the door.

“G’night, Dad, Night, Pop!” They could hear his laughter behind them.

***

"Tell me about the Jericho Brown…" Kevin said as they got back in bed.

“It's good. Remind me to read some to you…” 

“Okay. You like him better than Hanif?" Chiron's taste these days is hiphop writers and poets. Hanif Abdurraqib. Kiese Laymon…young black men with a lot to say about life in the 'hood, living in and out of the streets, and loving yourself. 

"Not better. Like 'em both, but it's different…something about his stuff gets to me."

“Then I wanna hear it.” They are both in boxers. Next to each other, where they’ve been for more than twenty years. It's almost one in the morning, but there's always more to talk about. Their life is a conversation that started on a playground and continues every day--they don't ever have to look for something to talk about. Now that Kevin Junior is here, though, he's occupying their minds.

Kevin turned out the lamp on his side, slid closer to Chiron. He stretched and exhaled.

“What you think...?” Chiron reads people better than anybody he's ever met except Teresa, and he knows Junior as well as Kevin does. They have their own dynamic, their own relationship, and he’s been there for the milestones. Other than his mother, there’s nobody Kevin trusts more with his only child. If he's really in trouble, Chiron can tell.

“He runnin’ his mouth, but he looks wore out….” Chiron said thoughtfully. "Crackin' jokes, but his eyes ain't smilin'. Know more after we spend some time together in the mornin'."

“Yeah. Somethin’s wearin’ him out. I know we can’t solve it for him, though. He’s grown.”

Changing the subject and wanting to go to sleep on a positive note, Chiron turned to him. “Hey…thanks again for dinner…’specially the chocolate thing.”

Kevin chuckled. “I love how you still call it 'the chocolate thing…' It’s called ‘Chocolate High.’ You know I named it for you.”

“I thought you named it after the song.”

“I did, but I liked the song because it reminds me of you." Chiron knew all this, but talking about it gets Kevin’s mind off why Junior’s sleeping in their guest room instead of his own home.

"Remember first time I made it?” Kevin brushed his hand over Chiron’s collarbone.

“Yep…we had some fun that night. Wasn’t even Valentine’s Day.”

“Ummhmm.” Kevin let his fingers drift over Chiron’s chest. “Still the only dessert you can’t resist.”

“Not the only one…” Chiron looked at him and raised his eyebrows.

“Only one I can put on a plate.” Kevin smiled, head tilted.

“Now that’s true,” Chiron said. “Can’t be servin' up no booty on a plate.”

“Nope—that's against the health code for real.” Kevin's smile widened. "Plus, nobody get all-you-can-eat...but you."

“So, does this mean I can have dessert?” Chiron asked, letting his own hands wander a little, pleased that his distraction was working. 

“I thought you had dessert,” Kevin teased.

“You had dessert. I had pie.”

“Greedy ain't ya? What you tryin to say…you wantin’ a lil’ taste?”

“Always…” Chiron caressed his thigh.

“Y'know I can’t deny you what you want…” Kevin's mouth curled in a half-smile.

“'Specially not on my first night back.” Chiron switched out the lamp on his side and reached for him. "Stop talkin'…. C'mere…"

“Yes, sir…” Kevin turned into his arms. Chiron wrapped him up, tracing his lips, coaxing his mouth open, his tongue sliding hot and sweet over Kevin's, setting off an arc of pleasure that rippled down his spine. Chiron skimmed a hand down his thigh to his ass and pulled Kevin's leg up around his own hip. Kevin ran his fingertips across the back of Chiron’s neck, up into his hair and then the kiss was breath and heat and feeling and Chiron murmuring something, Kevin didn’t really care what.

The pure satisfaction of having him home, back in his arms, instead of another ‘Night, baby…’ on the phone, flooded him again. Junior who…?  Nothing and nobody else mattered right now except his mouth devouring Kevin's neck and shoulders then moving back up to lay claim to his lips. The energy flowed between them in deep waves.

“See—you kissin' like that at one o'clock in the mornin', ain't nobody gon' get no sleep." he said when Chiron finally pulled back and let him go.

“Be worth it…” Chiron's laugh was quiet. They haven’t quite decided whether to make love again, but the promise is there. He was lying on his stomach, and Kevin watched his face relax into the soft, sleepy look of a contented child. 

"Always is…." His smile was affectionate. Chiron snuggled closer, nuzzled into the side of Kevin's neck, and wound an arm across him.

"Forgot to tell you—" He found Kevin’s hand and linked their fingers. Connected.

“Mmm… what?” Kevin made lazy circles across his shoulders with his free hand and felt the world shrinking down to just them again. Connected.

"Missed you. Love you." The soft words vibrated against his Adam's apple, but Kevin felt them deeper, reverberating in his heart.

“Love you, baby.” He dropped a light kiss on Chiron's head.

 “Glad it ain’t just the ins and outs….” Chiron yawned and closed his eyes. A morning of meetings, hustling to make a crowded flight, and now this unexpected visit from Junior all added up to a full day. He realized suddenly that he really was tired.

“Love that too, but it ain’t everything,” Kevin smiled to himself. "Hmmph…still can’t believe I said that—and smartass gon’ put it in our face.” Chiron didn’t answer. Kevin looked down. “…Black…Baby? …You ‘sleep?”

His only response was a light snore.

“Now who writin’ checks with their mouth?” Kevin asked into the moonlit room. He laughed softly and closed his eyes. Minutes later, two sets of quiet snores filled the silence.

Chapter Text

Friday, 5:30am

Miami in winter meant late sunrises. When Chiron woke up, it was still dark. The clock on the nightstand glowed softly, 5:32am. The sun wouldn't be up for another hour. He lay there for a moment listening to Kevin breathing. Soft, measured. Home. For the first time in two weeks. He’d get up in a few minutes, but he was in no hurry to rush away from the comfort of his own mattress and Kevin beside him. Going to sleep feeling the warmth of his body next to him had been so good, even Junior’s late arrival last night couldn't put a damper on the satisfaction.

5:45. The alarm sounded softly and Kevin turned over and moved away slightly, but didn’t wake up. The weight of his arm across Chiron’s chest was better than any blanket.  He was tempted to wake him up, but he’d promised Junior a workout and he could use one himself, so instead he lifted Kevin’s arm, slid out of bed and quietly made his way into the bathroom, closing the door before he turned on the light. Ten minutes later, teeth brushed, dressed, he crossed the floor in socks and shorts. He glanced at the bed and smiled. Kev was knocked out. No surprise there—wasn’t much that came between him and sleep. Chiron sat in the chair looking at him for a few minutes.  Unless he was snoring, watching Kevin sleep was his private joy. He still slept like a child, loose limbs, face quiet. Sometimes he talked. Chiron decided not to wake him up. He’d know where they were. Just then, Kevin opened his eyes and smiled.

“Hey…” he said softly.

“Hey…Good morning." Chiron's voice was just as soft. "Tried not to wake you up.”

“You didn’t…”

“Sure?”

“No." Kevin yawned. “You and Junior running?”

“Yeah…won’t even ask if you wanna come with us.”

“You know better.”

“Didn’t think so.” Chiron stood up, ready to go.

“You know, you kinda cute in your little shorts.” Kevin teased.

“Don’t start…”  Chiron shook his head and sat down next to him. “I promised Junior a workout.”

“He can wait for 15 minutes, you’ll be warmed up. Besides, you went to sleep on me last night.”

“Unh-unh…” Chiron smiled. “I’ll make it up to you…” He tapped a knuckle on Kevin's cheek and kissed him. “…workout with you later on. Be back in about an hour. Go back to sleep. I love you.”

“Love you, too...” Kevin said and snuggled back into the mattress. “Sexxx-saaay… Hey…”

Chiron turned. “Yeah?”

“Make sure you work on that ass.” Kevin pointed. Chiron laughed and shook his head. Yep…he was home.

The house had its own kind of quiet. Without turning on the lights, he picked up his running shoes, made his way through the kitchen over to the guest room and knocked lightly.

“Jay…you up?”

“Yeah. Come on in.” Chiron opened the door. Kevin Jr was sitting in the chair, tying his shoelaces. He knew six meant six.

“Mornin’…”

“Hey, Pop…” he yawned. “Good mornin’.”

“Feel like running? Thought we’d get in a couple miles. Do some other stuff…”

“Fine by me. I could use it.” He scratched his head and yawned again. “Dad still ‘sleep?”

“Yep…You know Kev. Still keep diner hours…”

Junior laughed. “All this time. In at 2, up at 8.” He shook his head. “Never knew how he made it when he had to drop me off at school. Coffee, I guess.”

“Yeah. You get any sleep?”

“Not much…you know..”

“Come on, then…two miles better than coffee. Let’s go, young’un…”

They left the house and got moving, slowly at first, not pushing the pace, just working out their legs. The trail around the park and back was closer to three miles, but they picked up a steady speed and fell in beside each other. From the way they matched each other stride for stride, an onlooker could tell that they’ve done this before. They might even wonder about the two handsome men with the matching smiles, almost equal in height. They kept going, the sound of their shoes on the pavement keeping time for them. Chiron spoke first.

“Gotta work today?”

“Yeah. Got a bunch of files on my desk now…I got lead on two cases…part of the reason I don’t have time for all of this shit with Lis right now. You would think she understood that, she working too, but we keep going on this merry-go-round.”

“Hmmph…” Chiron was non-commital. “Finishing up, let’s get in some reps. Race you home."

“Oh, don’t start nothin now…I ain’t scared of a little competition, don’t make me leave you eatin’ my dust.”  Junior took up the challenge.

“See…you and your daddy love to talk smack. Don’t make me show yo’ ass up—you be eatin' them words.” They had been trash-talking and racing each other since Junior's first year of college, and Chiron won so much, that Junior celebrated hard whenever he pulled off a win.

"Ten says I got you…first touch on the mailbox.” Junior put out his hand.

"I was gon' let you win—build up your confidence." Chiron laughed. "But you talkin' bout money. Oh well—" He slapped Junior's hand. "—hope you got some cash."

"You on—."

They left the park even, but when they turned the corner toward the house, Chiron picked up his speed. He made it to the mailbox an easy couple of feet ahead of his son, laughing and shaking his head. They headed for the garage and went to the home gym. Junior started some situps and Chiron slipped into pushups, moving easily, chest and shoulders rippling. He doesn’t lift heavy weight these days, but the number of reps he can put in with simple calisthenics have embarrassed a few men half his age. Kevin Junior watched, admiring.

“Damn…man, you put me to shame. You still workout every day?” he asked.

“Pretty much…” Chiron moved fluidly, muscles flexing, his breathing easy, even after the burst of running.

“I'm embarrassed. Look, I’m sorry about spoiling your first night back. I really did forget you had been gone that long.”

“You didn’t spoil nothin’. Don’t let Kev make you think you did. We got plenty of time to catch up. I ain’t got another trip planned until sometime in March. Christmas is always busy. We taking a break after New Year's, same as always—goin' to Brazil for a few days. Just that we wasn't expectin' you. Not like this." A hint that Junior needed to give him some details. 

“How’s business?” Junior ignored the hint.

“Good. Better than we thought middle of the year. Actually had to turn down a couple of new gigs. Calendar full, restaurants are poppin’. Kev’ pushin’ too hard, working on that new training program. Shit, we probably both pushin’ a little hard, but can’t argue with the money…and we havin’ a good time. We hired a new manager for Charlotte. Part of the reason I stayed a little longer. Wanna make sure he got his feet on the ground. Keep him from worrying about whether we got his back. Beginning of the year, before we leave, we need to sit down and talk about some stuff with you. We got some ideas…”

“Is it nineteen next year?” Junior asked, listening to the itinerary. His fathers believed in "work hard, play hard." Their passports were always current.

“What?”

“You and Dad. April, nineteen years, right?”

“Ummph…” Chiron nodded. “Yeah. Nineteen married. Twenty-three together, officially. Unofficial…we stopped counting…known each other most of our life.”

“See. That. Right there. How do y’all do that?”

“Do what?" Chiron kept moving while he listened to Kevin Junior avoid the question of what was so crazy at home that he needed to rock up at their house at midnight. He decided to be patient for the moment. 

“Just now, when you thought about it, you smiled.”

“I don’t know what you talkin’ ‘bout.”

“Thinking about it made you smile.”

“Yeah? Didn’t know that.” Obviously, Junior was not interested in talking about why he needs a weekend away from his wife.

“But that’s what I mean. You doin’ it right now. I talk about him, and…your whole face changes.”

“Junior…”

“I mean, Dad does it too, when he looks at you,  when he talks about you. I’m trying to say y’all still feelin’ each other after all this time. It’s not just going through the motions.” He stopped. “Can I ask you something? You tell me the truth? Straight up?”

“You ever known me to lie to you?” Chiron turned his head and looked at him.

“No. Not that I know of. But I ain’t never asked you nothin’ like this either.”

“Jay, it’s too damn early in the morning to be playing courtroom.” Patience had its limits. 

“If you don’t want to answer me, then it’s okay.” 

“I can’t answer what you ain’t asked.”

“Okay.” Kevin Junior stopped moving and sat up. “You ever think of leaving? Like just, enough of this shit…I’m out.”

“Nope.” Chiron said, shifting from two arms to one-arm pushups. 

“Never?” 

“No.” Chiron shook his head. “Ever since we decided to be together, we been together.” So far he'd learned that their son was a slower runner who had been skipping the gym, and he knew their wedding anniversary. But a question about him and Kev splitting up, now that was something else.

“You know I ain’t never seen y’all fight?” Junior said.

“We don’t, really.” Chiron replied. 

“Everybody fights, Pop.”

Chiron shrugged. “We don’t…” Except for that one time, he thought. Once was enough for both of us. 

“So y’all always agree?”

"You know better than that…Naw. But we don’t fight. Haven’t come across nothin’ important enough to fight about. We on the same side of the table, not sittin’ cross from each other. Most times seem like we want the same thing, might not always agree on how to get it. But, you grow up like we did, you make some choices. We decided talkin’ was better than fightin’.” 

“So what do you do? Who gives in? When was the last time you were mad with him? Or he was mad with you?”

“Probably when I told him a month ago that I was gon’ be gone two full weeks.” Chiron laughed. “We don’t usually like spending that much time apart.”

He got serious a moment, “Look—we try not to do shit that gets on each other’s nerves, Jay—and when you known each other long as we have, you know what that shit is, and you don’t do it.  We had to learn some things, everybody does, but again…we ain’t run into nothin’ important enough to fight about. Closest we come, a few years ago, I thought he was drinking too much…told him he needed to cut back. He had a tight jaw for a little while ‘bout that.”

“I remember. When I asked him about it, he just said that he wanted to make some changes…”

“Yeah, we had a couple of serious conversations about it. I grew up with somebody who was strung out—I wasn’t about to watch it happen to him. But he was stressed, so we had to fix the stress." He shrugged, then shook his head. "Leave, though? Naw…not happenin’. We way past that."

Chiron decided it was time to push a little. "Now lemme ask you—you tryin to tell me something?”  He looked at their son. Junior's hands were on his knees. It had been minutes since he had moved. "This more than a weekend break?”

“No…No." His voice was uncertain. "I’m just tired, though…look like I can’t do nothin’ right, can’t get out from under anything. Like I can’t breathe sometimes.” 

“We all been there. You stressed out. But, you love Alison and them babies.”

“Yeah, I just didn’t know it was gon’ be like this.” 

“Unh-huh…. What, being grown?”

“You feel like this when I was growing up?”

“It was different." Chiron shook his head. "When I met you, you was almost a teenager. I don’t know what it’s like for you to need me 24-7. Know you a good daddy, though. You and Alison on point from day one." He switched gears. “You talk to your moms?”

“No." Junior's reply was quick. "Mom will take over everything. I’m not three. She can’t fix this. Did y’all call her?”

“Nope. But you know, that don’t mean Alison won’t talk to her. You know Sam, she don’t like secrets.”

“Not a secret, just need to think before I talk to her.”

“Well, we here for you. But you got to tell us what you need. We ain’t good at reading minds.”

“Thanks, Pop. I ‘preciate it.” Junior nodded. 

Chiron stood up and grabbed a towel. “Come on. Let’s see what we can find for breakfast. Wake your daddy up…” He gave Junior a side-eye. “…and you can pay me my money.”

“Wait, you serious?” Junior followed him inside.

“When you ever known me to play 'bout money?" Chiron's laugh said 'Never.' "Specially money you put on the table…you bump your head when I wasn't lookin?" He put a hand to Junior's forehead with mock concern.

"Shit..." Junior said, sounding like his father. "Me and my mouth…" He hoped he had a ten in his wallet. Years of family wagers had taught him that neither of his fathers would make change. Life lesson: Don't bet what you ain't got in your pocket, and never bet everything you got 'cause ain't nobody gon' feel sorry for you if you lose.

Chapter Text

Friday, 7:40am

They went into the kitchen. Chiron washed his hands and got a glass of water. The house was still quiet, but it wasn't eight o'clock yet. “You want some coffee?” he asked.

“Sure. Want me to make it?” Junior replied.

“Nope.” Chiron answered. He opened the cabinet, studied the shelf for a moment, then chose a bag of beans from the assortment in front of him.

“When you start drinking coffee?” Junior asked, not believing what he was seeing.

"Sometimes Kev like a cup when he sleeps in." Chiron answered. He shrugged one shoulder and nodded toward the rose-gold Moccamaster that had its own home on the counter, next to the grinder Kevin insisted made the difference. "This fancy-ass coffeemaker means I can’t mess it up.” He moved to another cabinet and took out protein powder and two glasses.

“Alrighty then…” Junior watched.

To see his bonus dad making coffee was a wonder, considering that his father was particular about food in general and obsessive about coffee. Kevin Junior had seen him pour out gallons and make staff start over. Nobody moved on in Blue Moon kitchens until they could make coffee to his satisfaction. 

"Why? " he made the mistake of asking once. "It's just coffee…"  His father's answer had been a life lesson in doing the simple things right. Five pots later, he understood. Mastering the details mattered. So he watched, fascinated, as Chiron measured beans and water, then started the coffee brewing. He found a mug and a tray and set them out before starting on his own drink. There had to be a story, Junior thought. He wondered if he would ever hear it.

Then his stomach growled and he remembered it had been ten hours since the diner burger he ate on the highway. He rummaged in the refrigerator and found eggs, bacon, spinach, avocados, and tomatoes, then looked for bread. He’d been cooking his own breakfast since seventh grade, one of the benefits of having a father who cooked for a living. Life lesson: If you hungry and it ain’t in the kitchen, Junior, make it. That’s what recipes are for. Use that phone for somethin’ other than video games. He picked up the phone to charge it just as it rang. He looked at it and frowned.

“Hey…” Chiron heard him say. “Yeah, I’m at Dad’s, like I said. No…I didn’t call. I worked, then came here…. Well, what do you want, Lis…? I can’t read your mind… Where did you think I was going…?  Look—kids up? Let me speak to them—I don’t have time for this.” He listened long enough to hear they were still not on good terms, then Chiron flipped the switch on the Vitamix. Kevin Junior moved away from the noise.

By the time the coffee was done, his drink was done. Chiron poured up two glasses, left one on the island, rinsed out the pitcher and put it in the sink. He turned off the coffeemaker, put his glass on the tray with Kevin’s mug and headed for the bedroom. One marriage at a time, he thought. Kevin was still under the covers. He set the tray down on the table, sat down on the bed and leaned over.

“Freaky Daddy rock you all night long…” he spoke softly into Kevin’s ear. “Freaky Daddy got it going on…”

“See…I knew my rap game was strong. Gotchu feelin’ my flow….” Kevin said. His voice was thick with sleep and laughter. He rolled over and sat up.

Chiron smiled and kissed him. "It ain't your flow I'm tryin' to feel..." 

"A"ight now…" Kevin pointed a finger, eyebrows raised. "don't start nothin' you ain't fixin to finish."  He leaned in for another kiss, a little longer this time.

“Ummm…" Chiron hummed, thumb just under Kevin’s jaw, "Good morning. Again.”

“Welcome home. Again.” Kevin looked at the tray. “Is that coffee?” 

“Uh-huh.” Chiron answered. He poured a cup and handed it to him.

“You know…if I didn’t already love you…” Kevin said. He breathed in the aroma and took a sip. “Umph …you put cinnamon in it. Nice…. Thank you.” He made space for Chiron on the bed. “Good workout?”

“Yep. Did three miles. Junior gettin’ slow. Can’t keep up with his 50-year-old Pop.”

“Not too many who can."

"I took ten off him." Chiron's face was roguish.

"He still ain't learned…. That's why I don't run with y'all." Kevin laughed and shook his head. "Breakfast?”

“He got it.”

“How is he?” Kevin asked.

“Shook...like we thought.” Chiron replied. “Wanted to make sure that we hadn’t talked to Samantha. Asked what did we do when we fight. Asked if I ever thought about leavin’.”

“Shit—” Kevin frowned. "What you think that’s about?”

“Don’t know…. But I think you right ’bout not tryin’ to fix it. They on the phone now. She called.”

“He ain’t been gone a day. She told him get out last night, then she call first thing in the morning?”

“Yep.” Chiron answered. He drank a little smoothie, and tested the flavor, head to one side.

“What you got this morning?” Kevin asked.

“Mango, blueberries, spinach, a little mint. Taste?”

“Sure.” Kevin took a sip and nodded his approval. “Gourmet…”

“The mint…” Chiron said.

“Always…kinda like mojito without the rum. I like it.”

“I’ll write it down.” He picked up his glass and shifted to the chair, mindful of his sweaty clothes on the bed.

“So they talkin’...?” Kevin said.

“Yeah." Chiron said. "Might be fightin’, but they talkin’." He paused. “I think this might be the first time they run into somethin’ they can’t think themselves out of. ”

“Hmph…” Kevin sipped his coffee. “Could be…you know sometimes he too smart for his own good."

“Ummhmm. And the WonderTwins ain't goin' nowhere.” 

"You right about that—they a handful." Kevin nodded. "Well, at least they on the phone," he said. "It’s when you stop talkin’ that shit gets ugly.”

“Yep.” Chiron said and they were quiet for a few minutes.

Mornings were usually peaceful times, especially if one of them didn’t have to rush out. One of the best things about setting your own schedule was deciding when you didn’t want to rush out and they took full advantage of it. A run-through of the day, a workout, breakfast together, a thousand quiet moments that knit their life together in a hundred different ways.

For all the passion, what really held them together was the peace they brought each other and it deepened the longer they were together. Chiron felt the serenity again of being exactly where he wanted to be. He glanced at Kevin, completely relaxed against the headboard, one leg propped up, chest bare, his hair lower on one side from being pressed into the pillow. His husband in the morning, before he got all put together, was one of his favorite sights. Looking at him inspired lots of thoughts, none of them parental.

I could climb back in there with him—get our day started right. Chiron thought. There was some adrenalin still from the run. “Maybe you should get it locced…” he said instead.

“What—my hair?” Kevin asked.

“Yeah…you could pull it off.”

“Ummph…hadn’t thought about it. Always think low-maintenance for the kitchen. Never liked hairnets. But I don’t know…maybe.”

They fell back into an easy silence, both of them relishing the first morning back in their routine, well, except for their son in the kitchen. Chiron let his mind drift a little, imagining his husband in locs. Kevin's hair was soft and usually smelled like coconut oil. Chiron could see them pulled back, if he let them grow long enough, He wondered what it would be like to run his hands though them, to give them a gentle tug while they kiss or a not-so-gentle tug when they do more than kiss. Then he felt the smile. His lips curved and when he looked up, Kevin was smiling at him.

“What…?” Chiron asked.

“Nothin’—just enjoying the view. You look relaxed.” 

Chiron laughed quietly. “I was just thinkin’ the same thing ‘bout you.”

“Good coffee…you home,” Kevin shrugged. “It’s Bob Marley over here. No worries…” he grinned.

“None at all.” Chiron said.

“We doing anything tonight?” Kevin reached for his phone, ready to think now that he had some caffeine in him.

“We got tickets for Roots and Bilal if we want ‘em. It’s MacKey’s show."

“You feel like goin?”

“Yeah…” Chiron considered. “We need some fun. I like the Roots.”

“Sounds good to me.” Kevin nodded. “Might dress up a little. Where is it?”

“Fillmore, I think. Let me tell Mack we coming thru.”

“What time?”

“Eight.”

Kevin nodded again. “Okay—that’s good. I can finish up last prep for tomorrow and get home about 6:30. We can take our time.” He made a note.

“I’ll text Mack.”

“Think Junior want to go?” Kevin wondered out loud.

“We can ask him,” Chiron said. “The Three Amigos in the house. Might be fun…”  

“I ain't thought about the Amigos in a minute…” Kevin smiled at the nickname bestowed on them by his oldest brother, Alvin, after Kevin told him in graphic terms to stop calling them "Two Men and a Boy." Kevin Junior loved it, and Al stretched it out, calling them Daddy Amigo, Cool Amigo, and Lil' Amigo. Kevin Senior didn't like it, but because Kevin Junior did, it became their family mantra, that the Three Amigos could do anything. A well-timed knock on their door announced the 'Lil' Amigo'.

“Yeah—” Kevin called out. He pulled a t-shirt over his head.

“Y’all decent?”  Junior cracked the door open and peeped in.

“Hell, we always decent. We even dressed,” his father responded. “Come on in. Heard you lost some money…”

Kevin Junior handed Chiron a twenty-dollar bill. "I don't have any change," he said before Chiron could say anything, "and I know how you are. Thanks for reminding me I need to get back in the gym."

"Give you a rematch before you leave, Jay. Double." Chiron said. He folded the twenty and laid it on the tray.

"Hustler…" Junior said. They grinned at each other.  

Kevin shook his head at their game. "Cop a squat—" he invited. "We got some time if you wanna talk. How’d you sleep?"

Junior sat on the foot of the bed. “Just for a minute." He shook his head. "Not now. Slept okay, I guess. Gon’ get a shower and head out. Need to get to work. Left y’all some breakfast ready to go. Taking the rest of the smoothie with me—that mango mint is what’s up.” He glanced at Chiron, who nodded. “Juice in the refrigerator,” he went on, then smirked at his father. “You got your own personal barista, so you covered for coffee…” he said. "Gotta tell me how you pulled that one off…"

"Hang on…" Kevin said to him. "Baby. We good…?" he asked.

Chiron looked up from his phone. "Yeah, we straight…two or three." he responded.

Junior looked at them, phones in their hands, his father wearing his glasses. He smiled and shook his head. “Y’all look like a Cosby rerun. Like Clare and Cliff…if Clare and Cliff was two brothas from Florida."

“That would be Clarence and Cliff…Lil' Amigo.” Chiron laughed. “And they wish they had it this good. You want another cup—?” He lifted a finger toward Kevin, who shook his head.

“I’ll get it,” Kevin said. “Thanks.” He turned his attention back to his son.  “You here for dinner or home?”

“Lil' Amigo—now that takes me back. Neither one." Junior answered. "—think I might hit up ‘Cardo and Bizzy, see what they doing tonight.  I ain't hung out with them in a minute. If you got plans, don’t change them. Y’all don’t need to babysit me."

“Wasn’t plannin’ on changing ‘em," his father shot back. "We goin’ to see the Roots. You welcome to hang…don’t know if your cousins be interested. Just want to make sure you got what you need is all.”

“Y’all do get around…” Junior shook his head again. “Thanks, I ain’t intruding on what sound like a date. After last night, I can take a hint. Sound like a good time, though. I’m okay…‘Preciate you lettin’ me crash here while we work on this.”

“You’re welcome.” Kevin said. “What exactly is ‘this'?”

“Hell if I know. She the one with all the, ‘I don’t know you…Better get your shit straight’ bull. Like she so perfect.” Behind his back, Chiron lifted an eyebrow. Kevin met Chiron’s eyes then looked at Junior. It wasn't like him to be defensive.

“Sounds like y’all need to talk.” he said.

“Yeah. Well, we just hung up, so enough talk for today. Feel like that’s all we do, but she ain’t sayin’ nothin' that make sense to me. I’m going to work. Still got bills to pay. Like you always say, don’t let bullshit get between you and your paper."

“I may have said that, but I wasn’t talkin’ bout your wife, man…” Kevin got out of bed and looked at him. “Junior, what’s really goin’ on? Y’all been messy for a while. Almost got into it at the birthday party the other week. Act like y'all can't say more than three words without tellin' each other where to go…" He topped off his coffee and sat on the arm of the chair. Almost like a reflex, Chiron put an arm around him and rested a hand on his thigh.

“Well, maybe if she wasn't crawlin' up my ass about every little thing, we could. Look, I don’t wanna get into it now, Dad.” Junior shrugged. “We’ll talk. And please do not talk to Mom. I don’t need both of them in my ear." He huffed and shook his head. "Anyway—what y’all doing today besides looking boo’d up and gettin’ ready for—do y’all even call it ‘date night’ at your age?

“Hmph…jealous much?” Kevin snorted. “Better watch your mouth…. I know you ain’t throwin’ no shade this way,” he said. “Shit—you might need to take notes. I ain’t bragging, but ain’t but one of us slept next to their ‘boo’ last night in their own bed and woke up happy.” He held up his mug, “With, as you noticed, a fresh cup of coffee.”

“That was actually good,” Junior said. “Pop, I didn’t even know you knew how to make coffee.” He looked at Chiron.

“Yeah…well, it’s a lotta stuff you don’t know…” Chiron said, refusing to change the subject. “I know this—it ain’t like you to be a smartass, Jay. Not yo’ best look. ‘Less you need all that attitude for whatever it is you doin’, might wanna get a little meditation in ’fore you go to work.”

Junior took a breath and shrugged again. “My bad…I’m sorry.” He usually had enough sense to know when he was close to the edge, but whether he was tired or just worn down, that wasn’t the case this morning. “Hell, Dad, I might be jealous…eighteen years in and you got Pop bringing you coffee in bed.” He circled his hand and held it out like a waiter, then rolled his eyes. Chiron sighed—this was going from bad to worse. And if he knew his husband, their son was about thirty seconds away from getting cussed out. How the hell did a quick 'Good morning' get to "Smartass 101 in five minutes?

“Junior….” he started to speak, but Kevin stopped him.

“Unh-unh…" He frowned. “Man, why you actin’ like we doing something extra? Like you ain’t seen us treat each other right the whole time we been together? I ain’t ‘got’ him doin’ nothing. He don’t work for me, we’re married. Quit being an asshole.” There goes the peaceful morning, Chiron thought.

“So what, he brought me coffee? He sleep in, I might bring him breakfast or his smoothie or something else he like. That’s called taking care of each other.” Kevin said, annoyance rising.  “Somethin’ I thought you understood how to do. But maybe not.”

Junior pushed back. “Look like to me, whatever you want you get. Maybe I ain't good as you at talking people into doing what you want. All this loved-up life. Pop might not know you talking him into stuff. You know, I ain’t never seen y’all fight, so…”

“We don’t fight." Kevin cut him off. "Ain’t shit between us worth fightin’ about. This ain't no Real Housewives. You need some queens fightin’ and readin’ each other, watch RuPaul, don’t come here. We don’t do drama. You know better than that."

“Dad, I’m just sayin’…I read this book, said if two people agree all the time, one of ‘em is lying.”

“Junior, what the hell you talking ‘bout? We don’t agree all the time. We two different people. But we don’t fight. We work our shit out. Like it sounds like you need to do instead of worryin’ ‘bout what it means if Chiron brings me a cup of coffee in the morning. You think we that weak-minded we gotta manipulate each other to be nice? You seen us be the same way, day in, day out. And don’t act like you ain’t.”

“I ain’t tryin’ to figure it out.” Junior knew he had stepped into some shit, but he didn’t know how to let it alone. “I love it. It’s cute. Y’all are too cute.”

“Cute….” Kevin looked at Chiron. “This negro called us cute.”

“We been called worse.” Chiron said. His tone was light, but he felt the dig too. Under the words, there was something off, like milk that had gone a little sour. Kevin inhaled and his muscles twitched slightly. Chiron could feel the tension in him. Time to put a stop to this, he decided.

He shifted so he could see their son and put up his hand, one finger extended. “But, that’s enough, Jay.” he said. “Like I told you, we love you, but whatever this is with Alison ain’t got nothing to do with whether Kev and me fight or give in to the other one or none of that shit. We both know you way too smart to think that." Kevin Junior looked away. "Look at me," Chiron said, and Junior did, lifting his chin a little. "Check yourself—" Chiron told him.

His voice was quiet, but the warning was there. "—apologize and go on and go to work. This ain’t the way I wanna start the weekend, specially if you plan on staying around here 'til Sunday. Trust me, whatever you pushin' for right now, son, you don't really want. Step off…" 

Junior shrugged his shoulders a third time and pushed a little air though his lips. “Y'all so sensitive…I meant it in a good way.” It was full teenager mode and the last straw for his father.

“Boy, you musta forgot who the hell I am.” Kevin said. “Like I ain’t been listening to you since before you could talk. I know when you being shitty and shady. But you ain’t pushin’ whatever insecurity you got ‘bout your relationship onto mine and Black’s. Please. You got us over here tryin’ to figure out what’s wrong and you ain’t told us nothin’ concrete. Just, ‘I don’t wanna talk about it. Please don’t tell Mama,’ like you thirteen and we caught you playin' with your dick, or some shit. Hell, you didn’t act this ‘damn simple when you was thirteen.

Now if somethin’ is really going on, you need to say so. And if it’s somethin’ we can help you with, we will. If you just on some childish shit, then you need to stop running, go home and talk to your wife and quit actin’ like you didn’t grow up knowing that the first priority is take care of home.” He pointed toward the door.

“But, while you makin’ up your mind ‘bout what you gon’ do, get your shady ass the hell up outta here, so me and my husband can talk about the rest of our day in peace in our bedroom. And, since you told us we don’t need to babysit yo’ ass, enjoy your Friday.”  He stood up and Kevin Junior did too.  “Is that enough 'cute' for you? You feel read or you need another chapter?” 

“I’m sorry, Dad." Junior got himself under control. Three inches taller, he felt short in the face of his father's words. They liked each other, got along well, and their relationship was so calm, it was rare for him to push his buttons. It was ever rarer for Kevin to be really angry with him. 

“Yeah—" Kevin said, unmoved. "I gotta…” He turned away and moved toward the bathroom.

“Pop.” Junior looked at Chiron, who raised his eyebrows and tilted his head. “I’m sorry." His brown eyes, so expressive like his father's, had regret in them. "I am.  I didn't mean it the way it sounded…. Didn’t mean to mess up your morning." Chiron brought a finger to his lips and shook his head twice. The signal to be quiet said it all. Junior went to the door, his cockiness deflated at the clear expression of Chiron's disappointment. "Have fun at the concert," he said and put his hand on the doorknob. "At least I can't spoil that. See y’all tonight.” 

“Not if you go home, you won’t.” Kevin couldn’t help but get in the last word. He was the parent, after all. And because he was, he knew that part of his reaction was concern. He picked up his coffee and turned toward Chiron, who was looking at the closed door, chin in hand, tapping his mouth with his index finger. "What the hell…?" he started.

“C'mere," Chiron said. He curved his hand toward Kevin, who sat down on the arm of the chair again, shaking his head. Chiron put his arm around him again. "Daddy Amigo ain't nobody's friend this morning. Harsh—appropriate, tho’.”

“Yeah…well,” Kevin said, “don’t start nothin’, won’t be nothin’. Bringin’ that shit up in here. 'Y’all cute.'” He put his mug back on the tray. “Like we some damn puppies.”

“Well, I think you kinda cute…specially in the morning.” Chiron kissed his shoulder.

“That ain’t the same thing as his ass tryin’ to deflect some shit. And what is this about us not disagreeing? We disagree all the time. We just don’t act a fool about it.”

“Yeah, but look at what we had been through by the time we was his age.  We made choices cause we thought we could live different." And we have…he thought, starting to work on the puzzle of why Junior chose to walk into their bedroom and start a fight with his father over not fighting. And why they were both so defensive.

He stood and put his hands on Kevin’s shoulders, massaging lightly. Maybe this didn't have to ruin their day. "You know he asked me what was the last thing you was mad with me about.”

“What you tell him?” Kevin asked, almost certain he knew the answer. He could only think of two and he knew what his answer would have been.

“When I told you ‘bout your drinkin’.”

“Yeah…" Kevin nodded. "Yeah. 'Cause I didn’t wanna see what you was seein’. You was looking at the strain I was under. I thought I could push through it."

“Well, he a lot like you—he just don’t know how much it can cost to live hard. If Alison tryin' to get him to stop and take a look at some shit instead of pushing through….” Chiron looked him in the eye and let the rest of his thought hang there.

Kevin sighed, and shook his head, letting it sink in. “Then no wonder he actin' a fool…Was I that bad?”

“Jaws was tight ‘for bout a month." Chiron said. He smiled. "Remember when you said you wasn’t gon’ be sleeping in the bed with nobody who thought he was your daddy?”

“Yeah." Kevin looked embarrassed. "And you said good thing you wasn’t having no identity crisis, then turned over and went to sleep.”

“That wasn't exactly what I said, but thank you for puttin' it so nice." Chiron said. “Point is, I knew I wasn’t leavin’. And, I knew you wasn’t going nowhere. We flew to San Francisco the next morning, remember? Had a good time, too. Need to plan another trip back out there." He tapped Kevin's chest. "They got to learn how to tough it out…how not to run. So…no, I don’t think you were wrong.” Kevin raised his eyebrows. “That was gon’ be your next question?” Chiron looked at him.

“Yeah.” Kevin nodded and remembered again who negotiated most of their contracts.

“Naw."  Chiron was dismissive. "He was being shady and needy—ain’t none of that like him. Means he really scared about something. But he gon’ have to speak for himself. We taught him anything, we taught him that. Besides, I already told him we ain't good at mindreading. And he ain’t no baby. Sho' ain't no teenager.”

“Naw, he ain’t.” Kevin agreed. "That 'cute' shit, though…condescending. Like he looking at us from the outside, trying to figure us out. Like he ain't lived with us… don't know who we are. Tryin' to start a fight with us—well, with me."

"I saw. I'm thinkin' about it—and you shut it down. He heard you. Nothing to apologize for about that." he reassured Kevin. "But, you know—" he bent to kiss him then ran his fingers down his side, curling them lightly against his skin. "—you did say I was cute in my shorts.”

Kevin laughed, feeling the bad mood lift a little. “Don’t tickle me, Black. That's me talkin' to you…. And you are cute in your shorts. Cuter out of 'em." He stood up. "Wanna shower, Papa Amigo?”

“Cool Amigo. In my shorts?" Chiron teased him deliberately.

“Niggas got jokes this morning…” Kevin said. 

“Ohhhh. You mean like, together…with you? Always. I'm just messin' with you." Chiron said, looking roguish again. "I never did get my dessert.”  He squeezed Kevin's butt. “You really like the coffee?"

“It was good." Kevin nodded. "You done got waaayy better.”

“Yeah. That’s called growth…” Chiron replied.  “Somethin’ I believe somebody else is learnin’ about again." He turned toward the bathroom. "He gon' be alright. Let's get a move on, I'm sticky." He slipped off his shirt, ready to wash off the sweat.

"Yeah…. He gon' be okay, long as he don't piss me off no more. But you…" Kevin winked at him, then brushed his hand down Chiron's chest and smiled. "You still wantin' dessert, how 'bout you give me some cream for that coffee, we call it even?"

"Never gon' turn down that deal…" Chiron gave him a light kiss on the lips. "C'mon. I’ll let you wash my back, Freaky Daddy Amigo…"

"Naw—doin' too much." Kevin shook his head, frowning.

"You right…" Chiron nodded. "…didn't even sound good when I said it." They laughed and headed into the bathroom to get their day started. Again.

(Thanks for reading! New chapters coming soon...)