Chapter Text
Them dating is not really different to the hanging out they did before, except now Jean calls Kevin and Andrew by their names, and there is more kissing.
Now, Jean permanently has a bedroom in Kevin’s guest room, and they went bed shopping for one that could fit the three of them comfortably. Now Neil knows which brand of toothpaste Kevin prefers and even though it tastes weird, he has developed a fondness for it because it means mornings spent with Andrew and Kevin, or just Kevin. Andrew keeps multiple tubes of toothpastes in his flat because he has to use a dentist prescribed one for himself. And each time, Neil is awed by how considerate his boyfriends are, Andrew gets him fresh fruit often. And when Neil goes on his vegetables are a social construct rant, Kevin tells Jean, “I love your dad but please don’t learn this from him.”
They learn to love each other.
When Jean goes to his first day of primary, Andrew and Kevin are there to see him off, and hug Neil as he has his moment of shock at how old his child is getting. There is so much love between them, bubbling and churning.
They figure out how to have sex a few months into their relationship, and Neil lies there on the freshly changed sheets in the bed between his partners, sated, as Kevin talks in a low volume as to not disturb Andrew who has fallen asleep.
Now, they have a group-chat because that is just more convenient. Kevin sends history articles and Andrew has an ever elaborate wishlist of cars he wants to buy, Neil hates texting but he sends ‘hi’ once a day and they have an ever-evolving playlist of child safe music for their car.
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Jean likes his new bedroom in Kevin’s house, he has nightmares still, from before when he didn’t have his dad, but now he can go and snuggle up to three people. He likes seeing his dad smile so much.
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They have their own off days.
Kevin is writing his new book and he finds time to read to Jean from it, but he is also holed up more often than not, and snappish sometimes. Andrew and him still disagree enough about things that they raise their voices, but never when Jean is around. Andrew is snappish too, when he has events in his store, or just on days when there are too many customers. Neil has his own days where he is exhausted and exasperated. His job is difficult and even with two people to help him care for Jean, parenting is difficult. There is a night when Andrew breaks down, curling up into himself because he is scared that he will be as bad as his foster families when it comes to Jean, and Neil hears through his gasps what he is scared of. And Neil and Kevin hold Andrew through it all.
But it is fine, they are fine. They talk through everything.
Almost a year and a half since they first met, they talk about moving in together. Kevin’s place is the obvious choice, and Neil and Andrew land there with their boxes and their teas. It is an adventure to kid-proof the house.
It is at the end of the year, a few weeks after their anniversary that Kevin finishes his book. Andrew takes Neil and Jean suit shopping so that they can surprise Kevin at the launch. Kevin had kept quiet about the dedication, but it is somehow not a surprise when his family finally see it.
To the people who became family, to love old and new, and to my partners, who saw this book through.