Chapter 2
Nikolai has to physically restrain himself from following them into Milo's room.
He fears that witnessing any more of Weston's paternal side will make him want to do something drastic, like asking Weston to marry him again.
Then a third wedding would have to take place.
So he heads back to the living room instead, and begins tidying up out of habit more than necessity.
He scoops up the carefully sorted Brixtos, feeling sorry as he pours them back into a box where they'll inevitably mix again.
Plastic food gets nudged back into a picnic basket, and he retrieves a soft rattle from under the couch.
A set of three cardboard picture books about animals are scattered across the room, and Nikolai looks around for a place to put them.
There's a stack of books on the lower shelf of the coffee table, and he decides it's a good enough spot to leave them.
As he slides the small books into their set box, Nikolai's eyes scan the bigger ones.
They are thick, with colored book tabs peeking out from between the pages, likely marking important or interesting parts.
They are most definitely Sloane's (Nikolai's not sure Garrett Brooks has ever cracked open a book in his life, at least not out of his own free will).
The titles seem complicated, with words Nikolai isn't entirely sure he knows the meaning of.
Crap, maybe he should read more, too.
He places the children's books on the shelf, considering flipping through the pages of Sloane's dull volumes, when Weston comes back from putting Milo to bed.
"He's finally asleep," Weston announces, dropping onto the couch with a soft sigh, sounding tired.
Nikolai abandons all thoughts of books and reading in favor of his husband.
He sinks down beside Weston and kisses him slow and warm and unapologetic.
Weston startles, then melts, fingers curling into Nikolai's shirt.
"Everything okay?" Nikolai asks, brushing another kiss over Weston's mouth.
Weston sighs again, but nods.
"Yeah.
He wanted us to read this book about space, but we couldn't find it and he started to cry.
I had to convince him to read the one about snakes."
Nikolai nods, picturing the situation.
He wonders if he would've been able to handle it as quickly as Weston probably did.
"You're very good with kids," Nikolai tells him, because he thinks Weston should hear it more often.
The tips of Weston's ears turn that adorable red shade Nikolai loves so much.
"You're better."
"At being captain?
Yes, I am better," Nikolai shrugs, smiling when Weston rolls his eyes.
"But with kids is different.
Milo is always looking for you.
You are special to him."
"I'm sure you are, too," Weston answers, because he can't ever take a compliment.
Nikolai both loves and feels infuriated by this.
"To all of them.
The twins love you, and so does Hazel." He nudges Nikolai's shoulder.
"If we ever have kids, you'll probably be the favorite dad."
Nikolai can't help but smile at the idea.
"The fun dad," he corrects, then reaches for Weston's chin to guide him into another kiss.
"We should find out soon.
If you want, I can put a baby in you right now."
"Shut up!" Weston gasps, mortified, blush traveling from his ears to his entire face.
He laughs despite himself, trying and failing to push Nikolai away as he steals another kiss.
"That's not how biology works."
"I can try," Nikolai moves down to press his lips to Weston's neck.
"Challenge biology."
Weston hums.
It's hard to concentrate when Nikolai's tongue draws a line down his throat, but he manages to shake his head no."Even if you did, I don't think the Griffins would like that.
Not mid season, anyway."
"Ah, but you're not saying no."
Nikolai bites down on Weston's neck.
Weston has to cover his mouth to stop himself from laughing–or moaning, for that matter.
No
, Nikolai.
Now stop!
The kids could wake up."
"You're right.
You are too loud.
Your screams could wake up whole street."
"Fuck you."
"When we go back home,
lyubímyy
," Nikolai winks, pulling Weston's hand toward his lips to kiss his knuckles.
"Now stop teasing me and let me choose a movie."
The front door clicks open just after the movie credits start rolling.
"We're back!" Garrett announces at full volume, like he's entering a locker room instead of his own home with sleeping children.
Sloane walks right behind him, shushing him with a smile as she shrugs off her coat and hangs it by the door.
Garrett's definitely more than a little drunk, and Weston startles a little, shoulders tensing on instinct, before he catches himself and sits up.
"Hey," he mumbles, hoping Garrett can match the tone of his voice.
"How was...
Dude
," Garrett practically yells before Weston can finish the sentence.
He rushes into the living room, squeezing himself between Nikolai and Weston, definitely on purpose.
"You won't believe who we saw at the restaurant."
"Who did you–?"
"You will never guess!"
"I'm–"
"Okay, okay, I'll tell you!
It was–"
Annoyed, Nikolai stands up to walk away before he gets caught up in a boring conversation about a boring left wing player Garrett used to look up to when he and Weston were kids.
He thinks of hiding in the bathroom, in Hazel's bedroom, or even standing in the cold outside.
Anywhere far away from Garrett's boombox voice will do.