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Cole shook his hands dry before answering the knock on the door. He opened up to Kai holding the hands of two children, a boy and a girl, the third, another girl, free of his grasp. His hair was disheveled and his forehead shiny from sweat. He chuckled.
"I'm sorry, dude," he apologized, trying to move his backpack onto his shoulder again. He struggled to hold onto the little boy, who kept trying to pull out of his hold.
"It's okay. Really. I told you it was alright with me," Cole reassured, holding the door open for the four of them to enter. "Sorry if everything's a bit out of place. I was tidying up."
"It's fine. Okay, so these are the twins, Ellie and Maxwell," Kai said, holding up the hands of the kids.
"Hi mister!" the girl, Ellie, shouted.
"Do you have any food?" Maxwell asked, already trying to make his way to the kitchen, but Kai tightened his grip.
"You just had breakfast, how are you still hungry?" Kai asked the boy.
"He didn't eat the eggs," Ellie snitched.
"I did! They're in my belly! Listen!" Maxwell shook his whole body. "I can hear them!" Kai rolled his eyes.
"Alright, listen up. I'm going to let go but you have to remember that we are guests in someone else's home. Be on your best behavior," Kai warned before he let go. The twins began to chase each other. Kai rubbed his eyes and smiled at Cole. "This is Leah. She's the calm of the storm."
Leah waved at Cole before pointing at her ears. Confused, he looked at Kai.
"She's deaf but it's okay if you don't know sign language. I can translate," Kai said. "By the way, they're not siblings. It was just the twins until Leah's mom needed to go on a business trip and couldn't bring her with. So she's stuck with me for a few days," Kai said, signing the last sentence so Leah understood. She laughed and signed back.
"Okay. Well, I know enough to have a conversation with someone. I'll try and get by," Cole mentioned. "I don't have much leftover for food. Should I just order a pizza later?"
"Yeah!" Maxwell screamed.
"Max, no!" Kai said back. The boy crossed his arms and pouted. "Cole, I'll see what I can do with what you have left but no pizza. Maxwell has already been spoiled enough." Kai stuck his tongue out as the boy did the same to him. He looked down at Leah again. "Have everything in your bag?"
The young girl nodded, sliding her bag off her back. She opened it to check the contents until she frowned and pulled on Kai's sleeve. She moved her right hand back and forth before putting her hands close to her ears.
"You left your headphones?" Leah nodded. "Cole, I'm sorry but can Leah borrow one of your headphones?"
"Sure, I don't mind." Cole held out a hand for Leah to take. He smiled at Kai. "I know you're probably worried, but maybe you should focus more on finishing your work." Kai chuckled, his cheeks reddening.
"Yeah, yeah. Okay." He went into the kitchen and sat at the counter. Kai took a deep breath and took out his binder stuffed with unfinished papers.
Cole led the girl to his room and grabbed a few headphones from his dresser. "Which one do you like?" he asked, holding them out. Leah rubbed her chin before pointing at his orange ones. "Good choice, good choice." He gave her the headphones and put the others away. He took her hand again and they came back to the living room.
"Look! I found a roly-poly!" Ellie said. "Max was gonna kill it but I couldn't let him do that!"
"Bugs are gross!" Maxwell screamed. Leah smiled and went to the kitchen, promptly returning with a phone that Cole recognized as Kai's.
"How about you give the little guy to me and stop yelling? Kai is doing very important work and has to focus. Got it?" Cole said. The twins nodded. Cole gently took the roly-poly from Ellie and opened the balcony door, leaving it outside. Cole looked up and saw Kai watching from the kitchen window. "Everything's fine, Kai. Just chill." The man pressed his lips together and nodded, returning to his work.
"Can you draw a goat?" Maxwell asked, leaning on Cole's shoulder. The man chuckled and turned to a fresh sheet of paper. Once the kids found out he could draw, they've been requesting ideas for almost two hours now. He started the goat when Leah clapped. She signed Draw us .
"After the goat," Cole said, doing his best to move his lips as much as he can. Leah nodded to show she understood.
"Aw, cute goat!" Ellie said. Cole smiled; these kids can be so easily impressed, it was adorable.
"I'm hungry," Maxwell whined. Cole heard the scrape of Kai's stool moving. He was probably gonna cook now. He started drawing the five of them, starting with Kai. He put off smaller details for now so he could quickly move on to himself and the kids. The children watched patiently until Maxwell screamed again. "I want muscles! Make them big, too!"
"What muscles? You look like a fat cat!" Ellie shouted.
"I do not! I'm a very strong cat," Maxwell said and crossed his arms. Cole laughed.
"Maybe someday you'll be a very strong cat," he said. Maxwell nodded and returned to watching Cole draw.
Eventually, the big picture was done and Cole told the kids he was going to rest his hand for a bit.
"Why?" Ellie asked.
"Sometimes you can hurt yourself while drawing," Cole said.
"Like stabbing yourself," Maxwell said, nodding and rubbing his chin. "Ooh, Leah! Let's play something else!" The little girl watched the boy's lips and nodded. Leaving the kids to play among themselves, Cole went to the kitchen.
Kai was already at the stove, cooking pasta and stirring rice and vegetables together.
"How did you do all that so quickly?" Cole asked in wonder. Kai chuckled but didn't give an answer. Cole resigned to watch him. Immediately, he forgot to keep his defenses up and his heart began to ache.
He wanted to stand directly behind Kai and hold him close. Just to wrap his hands around Kai's slim waist and rest his chin on his head. Maybe actually kiss him for once.
Cole sighed. Of all of the times they got together, not once have they actually kissed. Well, obviously they wouldn't. Why would Kai want to do something so intimate in the middle of fucking like animals in the brush?
"You good?" Kai said to him, watching from the corner of his eye. Cole mustered up a soft smile.
"I'm fine, just hungry."
“Maxwell, stop kicking and be patient,” Kai ordered calmly, serving himself and Leah the food before moving on to make sure the twins had reasonable servings. “Do any of you want cheese?” Kai asked and signed.
“Me me me,” Maxwell repeated and Ellie raised her hand. Leah shook her head and stabbed a piece of broccoli.
Kai melted some cheese and returned to pour some over the twins’ pasta. He took his seat and watched everyone take a bite before eating himself. He felt a large hand on his shoulder. He looked up to see Cole’s smile directed at him.
“It’s great, like always. Don’t worry,” Cole reassured him. Kai nodded, feeling his face grow warmer. Kai used to cook for his family all the time and for himself once he left for university. It wasn’t anything fancy, just good enough to get by. It was only when he met Cole that Kai decided to learn more recipes and improve on his cooking.
You sound like a fucking housewife, the voice in Kai’s head teased. He stuffed his mouth with rice and pasta in hopes of shutting it up.
“Kai, can we play later?” Ellie asked, pushing her bottom lip out and clasping her hands together. Kai smiled and shook his head.
“Can’t. I still have to finish some reading, but after I’m done we can play,” Kai promised. “In the meantime, try practicing sign with Leah, okay?” The twins nodded. They all ate quietly, which would have been nice had Kai’s thoughts didn’t keep drifting off to Cole.
Kai insisted on washing the dishes himself but Cole refused to listen and helped him anyway. They worked together in silence. Kai felt small standing next to Cole and his legs shook.
“Are you okay?” Cole asked, gently bumping his hip against Kai’s. Kai stared into hazel eyes. He loved those eyes; sometimes they changed color depending on the lighting and what Cole was feeling. Right now they were brown with concern.
“I’m fine, just… anxious, I guess.” He fumbled with drying the plate in his hands, almost dropping it. He wished for Cole to just let it go and leave him alone again.
In what way? Kai slapped himself mentally and tried not to think.
Finally, they finished washing and drying the dishes, but they only stood there, not meeting each other’s gaze.
“Is something wrong, Kai?” Cole spoke first. “Did… Did I do something wrong?”
“No! N-No,” Kai answered too quickly. “You didn’t do anything wrong, it’s just… Don’t worry, it’s nothing.”
“Doesn’t seem like it,” Cole said, his thick eyebrows furrowed.
“Cole, just-! Cole, could you please just drop it? I’m fine,” Kai said, biting his lip until it hurt. He turned and started to walk away when Cole grabbed his wrist.
“Actually, I’d rather keep talking. You’ve been acting weird. I care about you,” Cole said, tightening his hold just like all those times before, except it wasn’t sexy now. In fact, it was painful.
“That’s the point. Do you actually care or do you just wanna feel good when we fuck again?” Kai tried to control his voice so the kids wouldn’t hear him yelling and swearing.
“What the hell does that mean? I don’t care about that, just you!” Cole’s voice cracked. “Kai, please. Just talk to me. I know you’re hurting and I don’t want to watch you suffer.”
“Then let go of me and don’t touch me right now.” Immediately, Cole pulled away and held his hands up to show he would listen. “Thank you.”
“So?” Cole asked, leaning against the counter. Kai rested against the wall.
“I don’t know how to start. I guess… I do love our times together. It’s just… I hate your rule,” Kai admitted, squeezing his arms around his body. “I really, really like you but you always have to bring up the rule at the worst times and it hurts, y’know? I don’t blame you but I wish we could take it farther.” Kai braced himself, ready for whatever Cole throws at him, figuratively and literally.
Nothing came though, at least not what he expected.
“Well, I guess I screwed up big time.” Cole chuckled, running his fingers through tangled curls. “The rule was mostly for me because… I don’t know, I guess I was scared to admit that I like you. It’s hard to say it right now, but it’s true. It’s just that I somehow convinced myself that you were so out of my league and didn’t want to be more intimate, I guess.”
“Out of your league?” Kai snorted. “In case you’ve forgotten, I am a slut. You’ve seen what I wear on a daily basis. You’re out of my league. You are a ray of sunshine.” Cole laughed and blushed.
“At least you look cute in your clothes. I look like I dressed a minute before leaving the house and I say that because it’s true.” Kai couldn’t help but laugh as well. “So.”
“So?” Kai repeated.
“You wanna take this a step further?” Cole asked, reaching for Kai’s face but still didn’t touch him. Kai smiled and leaned into his touch, sighing in relief.
“I wanna take a fucking leap,” Kai said, holding Cole’s hand in place. Cole watched his lips, shiny from licking them but still pink from lip gloss that he most likely wore earlier in the day. He cupped his face with both hands and leaned down, finally kissing him after so long of wanting to. It was amazing, their lips molding together like they were made for each other. Cole nipped at Kai’s bottom lip and tried to stay serious, but he still broke down in a fit of giggles. Kai jumped slightly at the tease and laughed. They stared into each other’s eyes, hypnotized.
“No!” they heard a voice yell from behind them. They turned to see Leah staring at them, two of her fingers and thumb opening and closing as she shook her head at them. “No gith, no. ‘Ug on’y.” Leah crossed her arms and swayed gently from side to side. Kai laughed again.
“Wait, did she just say no kissing, only hugs?” Cole tried to figure out the signing. Kai nodded, covering his mouth to stifle his laughter. He crouched down to Leah’s level and signed with her. She stuck out her tongue and grinned. She tapped her cheek and hit her fists together, then flipped her hands so her palms went from facing her to Kai.
“Almost,” Kai said as he signed. Leah smiled and ran to Cole, patting his leg before running off. “I have to finish what I have left. Also, Leah thinks you’re cool.”
“I appreciate it,” Cole chuckled. “I can’t believe we just got ordered around by a tiny child.”
“You’d be surprised how many people Leah has wrapped around her finger,” Kai chuckled. He looked out of the window, watching the kids play with the drawings Cole left out. “Hey, help me out?” Kai stuck his tongue out and Cole chuckled.
“Sure, idiot,” he said, kissing Kai’s cheek and tried to avoid being elbowed in his side.
“Ew!” Maxwell screamed. “Kissing’s nasty! You’re giving each other your germs!” Ellie shoved her brother.
“ You’re nasty, you ate your cereal off the ground!” she shouted. Leah laughed and clapped, jumping around.
“Wait, Max? When did you do that?” Kai asked, getting out his seat in surprise.
“Last week,” Maxwell said from the floor.
“Why?!”
“‘Cause I dropped it.”
Kai groaned and his head fell into his hands. Cole rubbed his back soothingly. By now, he wasn’t surprised by the little boy’s antics.
“Yeah, kissing’s gross. Are hugs okay?” he asked the children. Maxwell made a face as he thought before nodding.
“Yep,” Ellie chirped.
“Thank you,” Cole said, dramatically bowing them before tackling Kai with a bear hug. The smaller man yelped but squeezed back as hard as he could. “I love you,” he whispered into Kai’s ear. Kai smiled, his golden eyes shiny and practically glowing with joy.
“I love you, too.”
“Why are you whispering?!” Maxwell screamed.