Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

NEW HUMAN, David’s POV

It’s so boring being home alone; sure Aunty June and Godmother Nora are fun, but they don’t take me on long walks like Dad or give belly rubs like Papa. Papa gives the best belly rubs! Aunty June and Godmother Nora are out of the house now, not sure where they went but they must be coming back soon since they didn’t put me in my room (yes I have a room, I do not belong in a cage). So here I am, waiting patiently, sitting in the living room and not on the couch but on my fluffy bed Dad got me when I was just a pup. 

I miss Dad and Papa. They’ve been gone for days, and I’m really worried about Papa. He was crying when they left, and Dad was no better. I tried to comfort them even though I was panicked myself. I had never seen Dad so stressed before, or Papa that quiet. The only time he spoke is when I sat with him on the couch, rubbing my nose against his stomach trying my best to give my version of belly rubs. He had one hand on his belly that for some reason had grown quite unproportionately to the rest of his body. I know Papa likes to eat, but I didn’t think he ain’t that much. Maybe he was having a tummy ache? Anyways, I curled next to him to provide some comfort. He had silent tears streaming down his face while he grasped the arm of the couch with his other hand. I whimpered, feeling his pain. 

“Hey boy, it’s ok,” Papa grunted through a rough breath. I resumed my belly rubs and Papa chuckled. “Thanks Buddy. Your little brother is ready to meet you. You ready to meet him?”

I barked, loving when my fathers talked to me, which made my human happy. I want my happy humans back. I want Papa to be ok because if Papa’s not ok then Dad’s not ok, and that makes me sad.

I hear footsteps, perhaps Aunty June and Godmother Nora returning. But as I listen closer, the footsteps sound heavier than theirs. I catch a whiff of a scent: Santal 33! Could it be Dad and Papa? 

“Careful, darling, careful,” a voice in the hall soothed. I know that posh voice anywhere, Dad!

“I’m ok, Hen, really. Just excited to sit down and it not be in something that moves.” 

Papa! He sounds weak but alright. I stand, tail wagging with excitement. I go to greet my humans at the door. 

Dad speaks as they come right outside the door of our cozy, warm brownstone. “I’m elated to see how David reacts to him.”

“Me too. I think Bowie will finally understand why I was so big!” I love Papa’s nickname for me, says I should be called that anyways. It’s always a fun argument for him and Dad. 

“You were not, my love.” The key inserts in the lock. 

“Was to; did you forget how much he weighed? New Parent Brain getting to you already.” The key turns!

“Not at all, just telling you the truth in that you were beautiful then and beautiful now.”

Come in already!

My wish is granted as the door opens and Dad leads the way. I happily jump at his legs and lick him. Papa stands in the doorway, laughing, not able to fully come in because I start running in circles around them to greet them. I lick every inch of their feet and snuggle against their warm tall legs and bark in elation. 

“Hi, boy,” says Dad, “we’ve missed you!”

“Looks like we were missed too!”

“Shhh David. You have to be quiet,” Dad says gently. It’s only then that I notice Dad is carrying something. I look to Papa for an explanation but he carefully steps over me and walks over to the couch. I follow him concerned. Once he sits I jump on the couch and cuddle him. 

Papa grabbed me and wrapped me in his arms, giving my head rubs and kisses. “I missed you too.” I could feel tears coat  my fur so I kissed him back. Papa was pale and not talkative like he usually was, not quiet, but not quite himself either. My eyebrows frown. “I’m alright, Bowie. We actually have someone for you to meet.” I look around and see Dad has sat the weird mysterious object on the ground and has pulled something out of it. I jumped off the couch and went to gaze at what Dad was holding. I didn’t really get a good look cause Dad’s arm covered the view, so I looked back to Papa. He had his hand on his stomach like the day they left but this time it’s smaller. 

“David.” I turn my attention back to Dad. “We’d like for you to meet your little brother, Fox,” Dad said softly and with love, like how he talks to Papa and I. He angles his arms down so I can see. I look curiously. It smells like Dad and Papa but I’ve never seen it before. It has another scent on it that I’ve smelled before but I couldn’t quite place it. I look back at Dad. “Go grab your new toy, buddy.”I do as I’m told and run to my room to grab the blanket Dad and Papa had gotten me a while ago. When it was in my mouth, it smelled the same as the thing that Dad was holding. OH! The baby! This is the baby! I ran as quickly as my legs could take me. Papa and Dad laughed at me running. I dropped the blanket at Dad’s knees and started to lick the baby’s - Fox’s face. He’s so cute! I love him. “Careful, David. He’s asleep.” Dad gently pushes me away from Fox, to which I whimper, but he immediately puts Fox near me again and lets me look at him. I lay my head on Dad’s arm so I can lay next to Fox. Best day ever!

“Nuestros chicos!”

“Our boys!”

A new human! 

Chapter Text

HIDE AND SEEK, 3rd Person

Having a dog was fun. Having a toddler was fun. Having both was chaos. Happy chaos, but chaos nonetheless. This is how Alex ended up in his current predicament: a 28 year old man, a lawyer he might add, outsmarted by his Beagal and 20 month old. 

Bowie and Fox loved playing together; it didn’t matter what it was, but their new favorite hands down was Hide and Seek. Fox, still didn’t quite grasp the concept of the game, thinking if he hid behind his hands or covered his face with a pillow or blanket then he was hidden. It does make sense though. Whenever playing Hide and Seek with an infant you only hide your face and not your whole body, so what was a little dude to do? Unfortunately, this is where the chaos came in: Bowie. The sneaky Beagle had made a habit of hiding treats in their brownstone throughout the years, so of course the trickery master hid his little human as well. 

“Fox? Bowie! C’mon out boys.” Alex toed into the living having already torn his and Henry’s bedroom a part and Fox’s room three times. “I know you can both hear me! Bowie! You actually understand me, so get out here!” Alex was starting to panick. How could he lose his son and dog in their house? Henry was going to kill him. “Boys!”

“Papa,” Fox said around his paci. It was quiet and despite Bowie’s best efforts to hush him,  Alex heard it. His neck snapped to the kitchen. 

“Foxy! Where are you my little man?” Alex slowly walked around the kitchen, keeping a keen ear for his son’s voice.” Are you in here?” Alex opened the cabinets beneath their island. “No,” he closed the doors. Moving to another set of cabinets that lined the window he asked, “What about here?” Still no. “Ok you two better not be in the pots and pans or else you’re both going into time out!” The Latino checked the cabinet housing the pots and pans. Nothing. 

HONK HONK 

Shit, Henry, Alex thought. He’d just come in from grocery shopping. “Ok how about this, if Foxy says ‘Papa’ again or Bowie barks, you guys both get a treat!” Alex can’t believe he’s bargaining with his toddler and dog, even other lawyers are easier to negotiate with. 

“Papa!”

“Ah ha!” Alex’s ear caught the sound that lead them to their nook area where they are. The seats actually had storage in them but we’re mostly empty, so David and Fox could easily fit into one. The one thing Alex did not want to think about is how they got in there because while  Fox is able to walk and climb, he’s highly uncoordinated, and David’s little so he couldn’t have lifted Fox into there. “There you are!” Alex lifted Fox with relief and David barked happily, knowing they won the game. “You two are in so much trouble!”

“Hello, darling. Could you help me with the groceries? I’m afraid I may have gone overboard,” Henry professed walking into the house weighted down by stuffed to the brim reusable bags. He looks at Alex holding Fox, the open seating storage and David still inside. At least Alex looks guilty. “You lost them again?”

“In my defense, Hide and Seek is a very difficult game to play when your other players are nonverbal.”

“Christ.”

Chapter Text

Baby Fox

Teen Fox

Chapter Text

TURKEY!… OH, DON'T FORGET THE CORNBREAD, 3rd Person 

It was official; Alex wanted time to stop forever. When did he have a ten month old with two bottom teeth peeking out screaming at the top of his lungs demanding for his portion of Turkey?  Alex was a mess, and if he were being honest with himself, had been since he found out his little Foxy was coming. 

Fox was in the apex of his biting-and-putting-everything-into-my-mouth stage. Henry found it horrid as he professed “those little chicklets hurt! It’s as if Bruce bit me himself!” To which Alex quickly chuckled at his husband “you did not just compare our baby to Jaws!”

So yeah, Alex was emotional seeing Fox crawl after Bowie after recognizing MawMaw wouldn’t give him turkey. 

“You know,” Ellen drawled, finally being able to be heard over her grandson’s banshee shrills, “I didn’t think a child could ever be as stubborn as you. But I stand corrected.”

“He’s an angel, Ma.”

“Mhmmm… The Angel of Menace,” Ellen professed with a wide grin. 

Arms quickly wrapped around Alex’s waist while kisses trailed from his neck up to his ear. He leaned into his husband, thankful for touch as he looked at their present while also reminiscing about their past. “You know, I seem to remember us being in this very same position last year, darling. Don’t you?” another peck given to his cheek.

“Of course, how could I forget!? I was a billion years pregnant, weighed more than a dinosaur, and had the worst heartburn in the history of heartburns that I couldn’t even stomach corn. I don’t care if I hurt myself, I’m making up for last year this Thanksgiving.”

“You were not big, my love.”

“Do we need to bring up the evidence here?”

“I don’t seem to remember being on trial.”

“You always will be when it comes to that time.” Alex turned and kissed Henry’s cheek, and while the Brit knew Alex was trying to play it off as a joke, he could hear the hurt and insecurity behind it. Henry honestly thought he’d never wish for anything after having Fox, but if he could be ever so selfish once again, he’d wish Alex could heal from his trauma of the pregnancy. That is something he’d be truly thankful for. 

BANG

“Uh! Alex Jr.!” Ellen screamed, hands on her hips and pursing her lips despite the laugh coming through. 

June snorted into her wine while Nora full on cackle-choked, leaving many mini red wine stains on the very white couch, but that was a problem for later. Pez smirked from ear to ear in his corner, while Oscar took a good natured lap, swearing in Spanish about how his prized-turkey was now ruined. 

Henry and Alex came out of their bubble without releasing each other to realize the mess their brood had made: in the middle of the Lake House kitchen was an innocent-looking Fox would was sitting in his just his knickers, as Henry would called them (aka a diaper), since Fox refused to be put into pants that day, suspenders, and a shirt that says “My First Thanksgiving.” He has his big blue eyes looking at the adults of the room like “what happened?” as he shoved cornbread into his slobbery mouth. Next to him, not looking innocent but also not bothered to care, was of course Fox’s right hand man, or rather dog, Bowie. Bowie had half of the dinner table cloth in his mouth while the other half was aggressively eating Oscar’s prize Turkey. David even ripped off a piece and set it in front of Fox who promptly put it into his mouth, slobber and all, despite not really having the teeth to do so. 

Both Henry and Alex grimaced as the unsanitary exchange, and the blond let go to get the hunk of meat out of his son’s throat before he asphyxiated, leaving Alex to turn to his mom and declare: “see, I told you he was an Angel.” 

Chapter Text

BROTHERS, 3rd Person

It’s been three days. Three days of blissful heaven in their humble home, and the Claremont-Diazes, now party of 4, couldn’t be happier. And more exhausted. Alex thought birth was bad, he was quickly discovering using the bathroom postpartum was a nightmare all on its own. But still, he doesn’t mind whenever he thinks of his beautiful son’s face. 

Henry laid on his back with the bed sheet halfway covering his body. The boys had set up a system for getting up with Fox during the night, but seeing as Alex had only given birth a little shy of a week ago, Henry tried getting up with baby every time. He’d feel it when he properly woke up, but he had one foot dangling on the ground, no weight on it, but prepped to bounce up as soon as he heard a cry through the baby monitor. 

Alex and Henry wanted Fox in their room until he was about 6 months old, but they quickly realized within their first two nights that neither one of them would sleep as they woke up every 10 minutes to check if he was breathing or not or had turned his face into the bedding of his bassinet. Ellen suggested putting him in his crib and having the baby monitor on, still able to be alert, but also allow your body to rest just enough. They tried it for the first time last night. Call it a miracle or exhaustion, but this was the first bit of sleep the boys had in weeks. 

Henry had his ear pitched towards the monitor, and Alex’s had fallen onto the floor at some point in the night. He had been sleeping on his stomach, which was a painful Heaven. He was still very much so tender, but the pressure of being on his stomach helped the achiness. Alex also just really fucking missed sleeping on his stomach. 

So all was quiet, the house in slumber. Well, all except for one. David arose and stretched in his bed, shutting his eyes and shaking his head at the glare of the sun in his eyes. It was weird because David was so used to sleeping in his parents’ room but since the newest addition came, he had been “banished” to his room. He didn’t really mind though, it was just something different. He had always been in the same room as Henry for bedtime. The only time he’d ever sleep alone is when Henry was out for his nap or David just huddled in a corner somewhere in Kensington. And then came along the American who David would cuddle up against and coax into a nap, sometimes on the floor, sometimes on the couch, and sometimes just straight up in Alex’s study chair, whenever he saw his beloved Papa not taking care of himself. 

After a great stretch the Beagle decided he was awake, so he tottered out of his room in search of anyone else who might be up. He and Dad were always early risers so he’d probably be up. 

As David walked to the bedroom, he was stopped by a little sniffle. He paused, afraid he had woken up the little human, but when the sniffle followed by a short grunt-cry came, David decided it wasn’t him but rather Fox had woken up. 

David wondered into the newborn’s room and came to his side. The rails of the crib made it hard for David to see or reach Fox, but he did his best to soothe the beginning of cries. Fox grunted and shifted, unhappy, but had yet to produce a full out cry that would alert his parents he needed attendance. Fox squirmed in his sleep bag that was decorated with foxes, how ironic. 

Hearing that the baby would not be settled, David decided to take a leap of faith. A literal leap. He jumped on the foot stool that was for the rocking chair so Fox could be fed and read stories. From the rocking chair, the tiny but mighty Beagle leaped into the crib. 

If Fox could talk, he would have definitely said “WTF!” but his face said it, after all, he is Alex’s kid. The expression rendered the newborn silent as he studied David, curious as to why the dog was suddenly in his space. But once the curiosity passed, grunts started up once again. Quickly, David walked around the newborn to make him feel safe before snuggling up to him; in the process, the four-legged friend noticed Fox’s soother fell out of his mouth. Gently, he picked up the object by the edge and after a few attempts got it into Fox’s mouth. Fox calmed at once, and flapped his arms up and down in excitement. David figured he’d try to get him back to sleep since it was still early and his dads hadn’t stirred once during the little scuffle, which said how exhausted they were cause David heard them get up every single time Fox even moved. 

David cuddled into Fox’s left side and used his tail to gently pat the little human’s tummy. Within seconds, the soother fell out of his mouth again, but this time it was from his lips going slack from sleep. To ensure Fox was truly asleep, David continued to pat his tummy a few moments longer. 

That’s how Alex and Henry found their boys two hours later, David’s tail across Fox, and Fox’s left arm splayed over David’s eyes as they both were in a deep sleep. Henry wrapped his arms around his husband’s waist, mindful that Alex was still sore. Alex sighed and leaned in weight on his strong husband. The Latino practically purred as he felt Henry massage his scalp, curls becoming even more unruly. 

“We have the best boys, don’t we darling?”

“The best!”

“Shall we go back to bed?”

“Fuck yes! I need about a decade worth of sleep before Fox’s next feeding.”

Chapter Text

THE GET READY ADVENTURES, Multiple POVs

Alex’s POV

“Fox Arturo Claremont-Diaz! Nudity is not allowed at school!”  

He thinks this is a game, but it’s so not. Curse his nimble limbs! Foxy was shooting in and out of my legs anytime I corner him in a room or doorway, which by the way, was not giving me the best flashbacks. 

“Fox.” My son looks at me with his big eyes and Henry’s woodchuck teeth, daring me to charge at him again. “Kid, I’m enjoying the body confidence here, but can we at least keep you from Public Indecency until kindergarten?” I say holding my son’s clothes and shoes in my hands.

“No!” My three year old giggled and took off.

“Great,” I roll my eyes in defeat as he passes me by yet again, “your favorite word.”

“No!”

Henry’s POV

I roll my eyes hearing my husband run after our rambunctious toddler. Continuing to scramble the eggs, I wondered if I should help my husband wrangle a wild Fox but thought the better of it when I figured it was payback from last night when Alex crashed during bathtime. Serves him right .

“Fox! Get back here! No cookies for you tonight, Mister!”

“No!”

God, I love my boy.

David comes up and presses up against my leg. “Good morning, you hear your buddy giving Papa a hard time?” My first son looks up at me with an expression saying “What do you expect? Look who you procreated with?”

The eggs are finally done, and I begin plating them when I hear Alex screech!

“FOX, DO NOT GO DOWN THOSE STAIRS!” I quickly dropped the pan of eggs, leaving a mindless mess with a clank and ran to the stairs. Fox isn’t coordinated yet, still tripping over his feet, and if he’s too excited his balance is lost, so him falling down the 17 steps was not a far reach idea. Just as I come around the corner, out leaps David!

David’s POV

“FOX, DO NOT GO DOWN THOSE STAIRS!”

Oh no, my little human cannot fall! I abandon the mess Dad left behind and sprint to the staircase.

“Fox Arturo!” overlaps with Dad’s “Orion!” 

Just as Fox makes it to the second step, his balance already weavering, I jump the obstacle three at a time. I catch my little human as he begins to tumble on the third stair. I might be small, but I’m strong, so I was able to catch Fox’s upper half on my back while his lower half balanced on the stair he was falling off of. Of course Fox was laughing, not understanding the immediate danger I just saved him from while Dad gaps at the bottom of the stairs, and Papi looks like he wants to pass out from fear and relief.

Dad, trembling, comes up the stairs while Papa just sits down and starts sobbing. First Dad picks up Fox then me, “good boy, David!” Dad pulls me close to his chest while Fox does his best to pet me.

“Good bob Bobie!” Fox imitates. “Yay!” He claps joyfully to which Dad and Papa also clap, but not as enthusiastically.  

“Oh darling,” Dad says soothingly sitting down next to Papa, “it’s not your fault.”

“Yes it is, Hen! I’m a terrible father.” Oh boy, Papa’s daily spiral is about to start and I really wish I could relieve him of it. I know Dad does too. I lay my head in Papa’s lap to get him any sort of comfort that I can. “I was so tired last night that I forgot to put the gate back up after fixing it. I am literally endangering our child for being selfish and falling asleep!”

“Alex-”

“And then I forced you to do bath time by yourself because I can’t do anything right, except for being useless. I can’t catch our toddler because I’m that slow and then I let him fall down the stairs?! Seriously Henry, I should never be allowed around Fox again!” Papa sobs into his hands, Foxy’s clothes and shoes discarded on the stairs. 

It hurts me to see Papa so distraught, and even after 2 years, he still blames himself for everything that happens to my brother. Fox teething? Papa’s angry cause he can’t take the pain away and it’s his fault. Fox can’t sleep at night? It’s his fault because he couldn’t let Fox sleep anywhere else except with him the first seven months of his life! Fox takes a tumble? It’s Papa’s fault he can’t control gravity. Fox has an allergy? It’s Papa’s fault for introducing the allergy in the first place. Honestly, Papa has not been himself since brother arrived, and while he’s better, it is still scary. 

Fox, noticing the mood shift, carefully wiggles half of his body into Papa’s arms. “Love you,” the little pup declares, wrapping his small chubby-rolled arm around Papa’s neck as best he could. 

Papa looks up and brokenly smiles, “Gracias, Foxy. Yo también te amo, mijo.”

“It’s also my fault he fell down the stairs, Alex,” Dad speaks up. 

“What?”

“Yes. I just as easily could have fixed the gate so you didn’t have to after coming in from work, but I didn’t. I could have also put it back after you fixed it, but I didn’t. See it’s my fault too. I am also a piss poor parent.”

“No!” Papa says so quickly and loudly it makes brother jump back into Dad’s arms completely and me lift my head. “Don’t you ever say that about yourself, H! Ever! I’ll divorce you so quick if you as much even let that thought cross your mind for a millisecond!”

“Then why is it any different for you?”

“Because it is!”

“No, it’s not.”

“It is.”

“Explain to me why then?”

“Because you do so much.”

“Not more than you.”

“You do.”

“I don’t.”

“Alex-“”

“No, listen to me, Hen. You go work at the shelter with kids all day, pick Fox up, take him to the park and library weekly, and read him bedtime stories every night!”

“And you, darling, wake him up in the morning and get him ready, drop him off at school, teach him Spanish, make him feel so safe that he’s fearless, have conversations with him like he can actually give you full responses, make dinner every night, build legos with him, and take him on your runs, and always always help him get out his extra energy with a game of airplane anytime I shut down and need a break. You do just as much, my love.”

Papa completely falls apart and lays his head on Dad’s shoulder. Fox and I snuggle with them again. “I just… I carried him, you know? I’m not supposed to let anything happen to you. I’m not saying you’re a bad parent, but it’s different when you’ve felt them kick you from the inside and have to change your wardrobe so much cause you don’t fit into anything or have to give up your favorite foods because they give you heartburn.” For a brief moment, Papa smiles, “and I’m still cross with this little gremlin for making me nauseous with coffee!” He tickles brother which entices a laugh from him. “And I’m cross with you for making ‘cross’ a part of my vocabulary!”

“I, for one, am glad that my husband is speaking proper English.” Dad leans in to give Papa a kiss, so I do the same only for Fox to follow as well, not wanting to be left out. They lean their foreheads together. “I think we should explore going back into therapy, dear. This spiral of yours has been getting worse for months. And I don’t want those false negative intrusive thoughts flooding your head again. Orion and I would be absolutely lost with you. You are our True North, and we love, you marvelous Papa and husband.”

“I think you’re right, baby,” Papa agrees hesitantly. 

“You know what else I’m right about?”

“Mhm?”

“Who needs clothes on when you can stay and have cuddles with the best Papa in the world?”

Papa smiles. Fox gets excited and throws all of his body weight to Papa. “I guess you’re right, too, about that!”

“I always am, darling. I always am.”

Chapter Text

MONSTERS UNDER THE BED, 3rd Person

“But Papa, they’re monsters underneath my bed. I don’t want them to get me! I want to stay with you!” 

Alex’s heart breaks at the gator tears in his 4 year old’s eyes. If he had it his way, Fox would never leave his sight but Dr. Erika and Henry had been right in setting healthy boundaries for both his and Fox’s separation anxiety. The thought to put Fox back in exposure therapy did come up, but Alex was adamant that was too much for him and Fox, so he started therapy again first and once he felt better, they’d discuss Fox going back too. Alex turned to his husband for strength who was taking a more hands off approach for the nighttime routine now so that the Latino could get comfortable with enforcing the boundary of Fox sleeping alone. Alex pleaded with his eyes for help, and Henry happily did so. 

“How about I check your closet and underneath your bed, Orion?” Henry suggested walking forward to his son’s bed and grabbing his little hand. “I’ll even have Connie help me. Would that be alright?” He asked, mentioning the Teddy Bear June had gifted him when he was born. Alex and Henry just called it “Beary” or “Teddy Bear” until Fox was old enough to name it, and then the toddler suggested “Connie” since he couldn’t quite pronounce “Constellation.” 

Fox clutched Connie Bear close but then released them. “Don’t let the monsters get Connie, daddy!”

“I won’t, my love, I promise.” 

Henry gently took Connie into his arms and began surveying and commanding away the monsters while Alex held onto Foxy’s hand. Alex studied his son for a moment, he was slowly losing his baby fat which made Alex mourn, but he was so excited to watch him grow. And Alex knew Fox would always be his baby no matter how old he got. 

“Monsters, I command you to leave this room right now!”

“Yeah, monsters!” Fox exclaimed with a little pride in his chest, “go away. You have to listen to my daddy because he’s the King! An actual one! Papa says so, so you have to listen to him!”

The adults both chuckle. They have started explaining that Henry was a former Prince, but the confusion comes in when Alex mentions he’s the King of their house. 

“You know you’re a Prince, my little love,” Henry said, coming back to the bed with Connie. He gently passes the bear to his young one and sees immediate relief flood Fox’s body which makes him smile. “You can tell the monsters to go away too!”

Fox gasped, eyes big. “I can!?”

“You can,” Alex agrees. “And Dad and I are your humble servants who are here to protect you.” The tickles Alex give Fox entice a laugh. 

“Just like in the stories?”

“Just like in the stories, my Orion.”

“Does that make Bowie a dragon? The one who protects the castle?” 

Both Henry and Alex smile. “Of course it does, mijo. Do you think you can go to sleep now?”

“Yes, Papa.” The toddler sinks into his outer space covers but is immediately interrupted as Bowie trots into his room. The small Beagle lets out a bark as deep and loud as a Canine. David then jumps onto Fox’s bed and snuggles with him. Fox lays down with Bowie and gently wraps his arm that isn’t holding Connie around his best buddy. 

“See, your fearless dragon will always be there to protect you,” Henry soothes tucking in the sheets nice and snug. 

“We’ll leave your door open, baby,” Alex says standing up, “so you can call us if you need anything. And we’ve got your star light on. I promise, we’ll always protect you my love.” This was a good medium ground for Alex’s, and by extension, Fox’s nerves to have the door left open which looked directly into Henry and Alex’s room. It gave them a sense of open communication while having the distance to be independent from one another. 

David snuggles closer and licks Fox’s face. The little boy laughs. “He’s giving me kisses, Daddy and Papa.”

“Indeed he is, Orion.” Henry runs his hands through his son’s blond curls and looks into the eyes his father had given Fox. He was in love. Alex followed suit, lingering a little longer to rub a soothing hand over his chest. Alex knew Fox was nervous, he was too, but he had to be strong for his baby. He used the fast heartbeat of Fox’s to steady his own. 

“Deep breath, baby. Remember, it’s ok to be scared. It means we’re trying something new and facing our fear.” Alex kisses him all over his face again before turning on the star light. 

“Goodnight Daddy. Goodnight Papa. I love you.”

In unison the lovers spoke, “we love you too.” They parted their son’s room leaving the bedroom door open. 

As the couple readied for bed, they heard a small bark and a whisper. “Thank you for protecting me, Bowie. I love you too. Goodnight.”

“They’re best mates!”

“They really are.” Alex snuggles closer to Henry. 

“I’m proud of you. Both you and Fox. I know that it’s been hard, but-”

“Hen, I appreciate it, but not tonight. I’m feeling scrubbed raw.”

It’s only then does Henry notice how violently Alex is trembling. “Oh my love,” he says, wrapping his arms tighter around the younger man, “you are so brave. And I love you deeply. Goodnight.”

“Goodnight, baby. I love you too.”