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Trying to get alone time was the hardest thing Lance and Keith had to deal with, what with two guppies keeping them busy all day. And, sure, it was probably a very selfish desire, but who could blame them? Kass was a spitfire, always speeding in and out and generally causing a little bit of havoc, whereas Orion was clingy and never wanted to leave their side. Each needed two full-grown mers to keep an eye on them at all times, stretching the parents thin.
Which is why Keith had decided that it was time to visit Shiro.
Neither Kass nor Orion had met their uncle, seeing as he lived a day’s swim away. But Keith had sent a message via the sea turtles passing through that he wanted Shiro to meet them halfway.
Keith didn’t typically get nervous around his brother, but it had been nearly a year now since they’d last interacted. Shiro had decided not to settle down and mate in the traditional way, but his partners and he had moved in together just after Lance and Keith moved away. Last he had heard the three of them had not been interested in having any guppies of their own but Shiro had assured him that none of them minded watching their niblings for a long weekend.
<Shiro!> Lance called out as soon as he saw that tell-tale purple fin.
Orion was clinging to Lance’s arm so when Lance shot forward to greet his friend the little guppy held on for dear life. Keith saw his comically wide eyes as he was then squashed into a hug between the two mers. Shiro laughed and plucked Orion off of Lance’s arm gently.
<Hey there, little man> Shiro said.
Kass, not wanting to be left out of anything, practically rammed herself into Shiro’s midsection. He laughed, grabbing her with his right arm and shifting Orion completely to his left.
<And you must be Kassandra> he said.
<You’re dad’s brother> she said. And then, formally, she stuck out her hand to shake.
Shiro shook her hand. Orion turned his head, a bit frightened by this friendly stranger, and he sought out Lance with his eyes. He started to make a whining noise before Shiro shushed him gently.
<None of that, Orion. You’re going to have a great weekend with me while your parents get some sleep.>
<It’s okay, bud> Lance said, stroking Orion’s hair out of his face. <Shiro’s the best.>
<And I’m here!> Kass proclaimed.
Shiro looked up to where Keith had drifted close by.
<My own brother won’t greet me> Shiro said, voice laced with fake tears.
<Hey, Shiro> Keith drifted closer.
And then Shiro dropped Kass and Orion, who gently floated down a tad and weren’t hurt in the least. Keith didn’t see what happened next because Shiro was grabbing him in a tight bear hug. Keith hugged him back, putting his all into it.
<I missed you> Shiro said against his ear. It did sound like there were some real tears in his voice this time.
<I missed you, too> Keith said, fighting back his own emotion.
Pulling away Shiro scooped up the guppies again.
<Alright, alright, you two go and have your fun. I’ll watch these rascals and we’ll have a blast. And when you come to pick them up you’ll stay for dinner, right? See you in three days!”
The swim back to their den was mostly quiet. Keith was nervous about a lot of things. About half an hour away from their cave Lance spoke.
<They’re going to be okay.>
<I know> Keith said, smiling. <I trust Shiro completely. It’s just… it’s going to be so quiet.>
<Quiet’s good> Lance reminded him. <Quiet’s what we wanted.>
<Privacy is what we wanted…>
Lance stopped Keith with a firm hold on his wrist. Keith met his mate’s eyes and after a moment Lance pulled him close and gave him a kiss. It was hot and a little messy; it was good.
<Haven’t been able to do that in while. Haven’t been able to do a lot in a while> Lance reminded Keith.
<The quiet might not be so bad…>
And it was very good. It was like their first times together all over again. Being a parent had not made him love Lance any less, but it had certainly made him forget how passionate they had been when they first mated.
After a day of doing a lot of things but not doing a particularly large amount of talking Keith decided to broach a topic he’d been thinking about a lot.
<Lance…. Would you ever want another?>
<Hmmm?> Lance lazily kissed his shoulder. They were curled up on the floor.
<Another guppy?> Keith asked.
<I mean, we seem to be guppy magnets, lately.>
<One of our own?>
That gave Lance pause and Keith furiously backpedaled in the conversation.
<Not that Kass and Orion aren’t ours. I just mean, you know, one we tried for on purpose? Not that finding Kass and Orion weren’t amazing moments in my life, possibly the happiest moments in my life—>
<You want to try for a guppy?>
Keith couldn’t read Lance’s expression so he just nodded.
<Oh.>
<Is that a good oh? Or a bad oh?>
<It’s a good oh> Lance said before kissing Keith on the mouth again. When he pulled away he said, <It’s a very good oh. It’s a I-never-thought-we-would-be-having-this-conversation-because-we-already-have-two-guppies-but-I’ve-always-wanted-a-big-family oh.>
And Lance was grinning wide.