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“Ken, it’s time to get up.”
The blanketed lump in the middle of the bed wriggled at his words, and Josh watched as his husband hummed, stretched, yawned, and then rolled over onto his stomach. The blankets shifted and pulled as he moved, exposing the expanse of Ken’s broad and tanned back as he burrowed deeper into the pillows and sheets.
Josh sighed and approached the bed. He was in jeans and a shirt that might have been originally owned by Ken. His blazer was already draped across the couch downstairs, ready to be worn before he headed off to the university where he taught classes. Time was already ticking and nothing was going to get done if his husband didn’t get up and help get all of their kids ready.
“Love, get up.”
Ken groaned, but didn’t move.
Josh felt a little sorry for him. Ken’s job as an architect could be demanding, moreso when there were just as demanding clients like the one he had been dealing with over the past few weeks. Josh had also been spending the past few weeks bogged down by paperwork and exams for his students. But they were adults with responsibilities, not to mention four children all under the age of ten who relied on them for guidance and structure. They—meaning Ken—were not setting a very good example like this.
“Love, wake up. Now,” Josh said, reaching for him.
Ken let off heat like a furnace, which was why he always slept without a shirt on. It also helped for more intimate moments, and Josh tried to ignore the warmth in his belly at the sight of him and the memory of said passionate moments. Desire for his husband was as natural as breathing and something that had never disappeared over the years of their marriage, but Josh tamped it down firmly. He couldn’t get distracted now. He had a mission. He had to get Ken into the bathroom and then get the kids ready.
Though even as he sternly lectured himself, his hand found its way to the middle of Ken’s broad back as he sat down on the bed.
Josh shook him lightly. “Come on, love. Time to get up.”
Ken shifted, turning on his back so he was facing Josh. His eyes fluttered open and it was patently unfair how absolutely gorgeous Josh’s husband was even this early in the morning.
“Good morning, ga .”
Even more unfair was the sound of his voice in the morning. Josh had to suppress the urge to blush, but he couldn’t resist the impulse to lean down and kiss Ken’s cheek. He shivered at Ken’s warmth and his musky, natural scent.
“Love, get up. You and I have work, the kids have to get to school, and we have to bring JJ to Ate Yuna’s house,” Josh said. He tugged off the blankets, fingers brushing across Ken’s side and down to the waistband of his sleeping pants.
Josh tried to pretend it wasn’t on purpose.
Josh kept his eyes on his husband’s face and not an inch below. That didn’t seem like a good idea though, because Ken was smiling up at him with his messy hair and those dark and sleepy eyes.
God, Josh loved him and hated him at that moment.
“Up. Now, Santos-Suson.”
Usually that was enough to get Ken moving, but right now his husband just stretched across the bed, groaning deeply. Josh knew his own face was starting to redden at the sound and the sight of all of that naked skin and the tattoos on his husband’s arm and side and the—
“We could just stay in.”
That snapped Josh out of his thoughts.
“No,” he immediately said. “We have work and the kids have school.”
“Come on, ga .” Ken pouted up at him. “We’ve been working so hard. We deserve a day off and the kids need a break from school, even just one day.”
“No.” Josh shook his head.
“Please?”
“...no.”
“But it’s warm, and we can sleep some more, and then spend all day with the kids. Won’t that be great?”
“……no,” Josh said, holding onto his self control. “That is absolutely irresponsible, Ken.”
Ken shrugged and turned, curling up against Josh’s side. Josh unconsciously placed a hand on his side over some of his tattoos. Ken felt warm and smooth beneath his fingers.
“A day off to recharge and bond isn’t irresponsible,” his husband pointed out.
Josh agreed, but not today. He had students to think about, and Ken had a client, and the kids… and this should have been planned, they should have called the schools… and… and…
“Ken, we can’t.”
Ken looked up at him through warm and pretty eyes.
“Suit yourself, ga . But I’m staying right here.”
Josh raised an eyebrow at him. “Oh?”
“I’ve accepted the fact that you are almost always going to win all of our arguments, but in this case, you’re not going to win.” Ken smiled, warm and fond. “Especially because I know you don’t want to.”
Josh crossed his arms over his chest.
A challenge, eh?
“Okay, then. May the best man win.”
In Josh’s head, this was relatively easy. He just needed to give Ken the right incentive to get out of bed—an incentive that wasn’t sex, to be clear.
So first on the agenda was coffee, made just the right way that Ken wasn’t going to be able to resist.
Josh entered the dining room and smiled upon seeing two of their children already there, only to frown when he noticed that Isaac was face down on the table. He ran his fingers through the boy’s dark hair as he passed. Isaac was eight and took after Ken in personality despite being a mini-Josh in looks.
“Good morning, Isa. What’s wrong, bud?” he asked. When Isaac only mumbled against the table, he asked, “Come again?”
Liya raised her hand, looking up from her cereal. “He doesn’t want to go to school.”
Haliya was the only girl in a house of five boys and Josh was always worried about her. But she was seven now and was more independent and headstrong than even her older brother. She took after Josh that way despite being a mini Ken from her hair to her eyes to her beautiful tanned skin.
“Is anything the matter, Isa?” Josh asked.
Isaac shrugged.
“Isa’s tired,” Liya spoke for him.
“Like you’re not, Liya,” Isaac muttered.
Josh sighed at them both.
“You two wouldn’t be tired if you both went to bed early like Papa and I tell you to instead of playing games…” he kissed the back of his son’s head, “Or reading…” he leaned down to kiss Liya’s cheek.
Josh moved to the counter. “Isa, get up and go tell Papa his coffee is here. Liya, baby, do you want some toasted bread? And when you’re done, Papa can braid your hair for you.”
“I don’t want bread, Dad. I’m okay,” Liya said softly.
Isaac just sighed deeply and slid off his seat. “Fiiine.”
Isaac stomped up the stairs, while Liya ate quietly. Josh mentally congratulated himself. This was a great idea: get the kids involved so that Ken would be forced to get up and move. Josh checked his watch. It was almost time to get their youngest pair, four-year-old Akira and two-year-old Jared. Ken wouldn’t be able to resist their rambunctious and energetic babies.
Josh set the coffee maker for Ken, made sure everyone’s lunches were packed and ready, and then gave Liya one last kiss on the forehead before heading back up the stairs.
He was adjusting the family’s schedule in his head as he went up. Josh was a little more flexible, so he could take the older kids to school and drop JJ at his sister’s place. Aki’s preschool was on the way to Ken’s office, so he could take him. He had to remind his sister to pick up Aki later, even though she never forgot, and then she could maybe pick up some bread on the way and—
Josh stopped when he passed by the open door to his and Ken’s bedroom.
“What the—Ken!”
He stomped inside and frowned disapprovingly at his boys.
Spread out on the bed were Ken, Isaac, and Akira. Isaac was on Josh’s spot on the bed, head under the pillow as was his habit. Ken was in the middle, one hand rubbing Isa’s stomach which was probably why their son was already halfway asleep. Curled up against Ken’s other side was Akira, his head on Ken’s shoulder and one hand rubbing the tattoo on his father's flank. He was their fairest boy, with pale skin, brown eyes, and curly, light brown hair. He was also a Papa’s boy. Akira was blinking sleepily up at his father as Ken murmured softly to him and ran his fingers through his hair.
“Oh, for god’s sake!” Josh hissed, voice low. He knew the exact effect that had on their son, because Ken often lulled Josh to sleep the very same way.
“Suson!”
Ken turned to him, a smile on his face. Akira was blinking heavily, his thumb inching towards his mouth, while Isaac was already snoring under Josh’s pillow.
“Last I remember we hyphenated our names, ga . And keep quiet, the boys are asleep.”
“How did Aki get here?” Josh asked softly. He couldn’t resist reaching down and rubbing Aki’s cheek. Their beautiful boy blinked up at him, smiling around the thumb in his mouth.
“Isa noticed him coming out of his bedroom and brought him here,” Ken said.
Aki blinked once more and then his eyes remained shut, his breath turning even. Josh sighed deeply.
“Half the crowd is down for the count,” Ken said, smiling.
“I still have more ammo,” Josh said, even as he pressed a kiss to Aki's brown and curly hair.
Ken’s warm and deep chuckle followed Josh as he walked out of the room.
Josh stomped towards the nursery and was delighted when he saw their youngest, JJ, looking adorable and awake and rolling around in his low bed. He smiled up at Josh, looking adorable with his dark skin and dark hair and big, gummy smile.
“Dada!”
Josh softened and reached down. “Good morning, my darling.”
He spent a few moments playing with his youngest, before lifting him up in his arms and taking him out of the room.
“It’s your turn, baby. Go tell Papa to get up and play with you, okay?” Josh murmured a few pep words into his baby’s ears. It was ruined when Jay just kept grabbing his nose and laughing. Josh laughed.
“Papa!”
“Yes, Papa. Wake him up, okay? And…” Josh paused. He noticed Liya at the top of the stairs. “Liya, what are you doing up here, baby?”
“I’m done eating and you said Papa will braid my hair,” Liya said, moving closer. She made a goofy face at Jay, making her brother laugh. “And Isa didn’t come back down.”
“Isa is taking after your lazy father and they roped Aki into things,” Josh said. “So JJ and I are going to wake them up. Aren’t we, baby?”
Josh walked into the master bedroom. He heard Liya’s footsteps as she followed after him. In the few moments he was gone, Aki had been moved beside Isaac and the two were already tucked warmly under the blankets. Ken had an arm stretched out over their heads, eyes closed, but obviously still awake. His eyes opened when he heard Josh walk in and chuckled.
“Hey, Jay,” he called out gently, holding out his arms.
Jay perked up at the sound of his Papa’s voice.
“Papa!” he called out.
Josh immediately placed Jay on Ken’s chest without another word. Jay squealed happily and patted Ken’s face.
“Let’s play, Papa. Play.”
Jay looked adorable and excited and wanted to play, and Josh knew he was going to win.
“Not yet, JJ. Look, Kuya Isa and Kuya Aki are sleeping. Shh. Shh.” Ken placed a finger on his lips and then pursed his lips to make shushing sounds. “Can you do shh shh like Papa?”
Jay giggled. He tried pursing his lips. “Ooh. Ooh.”
Ken chuckled, and Josh knew he was smiling too, but he couldn’t stop it.
“That’s great, baby,” Ken said, pressing kisses to the toddler’s face. “Now come on. Lie down with Papa and Kuya Isa and Kuya Aki, okay?”
“No sleep, Papa,” Jay murmured, pouting.
“No sleep, just lie down. Here’s Papa’s pillow.” Ken navigated his son to the pillow beside him. “Can you do shh shh again?”
Jay giggled. “Ooh. Ooh. Papa.”
Josh watched as Ken slowly lulled their son into calming down by patting his back. Jay had his hands on Ken’s chest and Josh knew the warmth, the calm breathing, and Ken’s soothing would soon lull Jay to sleep.
Josh was annoyed at losing, but he was more elated than anything as he watched Ken and their children on the bed. He could distinctly remember his panic when their eldest Isaac was born, and the way that panic only leveled but never really went away even as more children came into the picture. Ken was different. Since the start, he had always been calm amidst Josh’s storm.
“Oh, he’s good,” Josh murmured. He reached out for Liya. “Your Papa is always the one who could get you kids to sleep.”
“That’s because he’s so—” Liya yawned. “Warm and comfy.”
“Are you saying I’m not, Liya, baby?” Josh asked teasingly.
Liya yawned again. “Papa’s calmer. You’re always the stressed one, Daddy.”
That was true.
Ken reached out a hand. “Come on, baby girl. There’s space here beside Papa and JJ.”
Liya glanced up at Josh, then Ken and her brothers on the bed, and then back at Josh.
“Come on, Li,” Isaac suddenly piped up, despite being buried under pillows and blankets. They all thought he was asleep. “Take a nap.”
“Nap, nap, nap,” Aki muttered in his sleep.
“Ooh. Ooh. Liya,” Jay said as Ken moved him atop his chest..
Liya shrugged at Josh. Only then did he notice that her hair looked a bit dull and her shoulders looked a bit curled in. It seemed like even Josh’s tough girl was looking a little under the weather.
“Sorry, Daddy. I don’t really want to go to school today, too,” she murmured, before kicking off her slippers and scrambling under the blanket and into Ken’s waiting arms.
Josh watched, warmth blooming in his chest as he watched Ken cuddle their baby girl, fingers brushing through those locks and pressing a kiss to her cheek. He murmured softly to her as she snuggled against his chest and touched Jay’s cheek.
Josh’s last card had failed.
“Come on, ga . Come to bed,” Ken called out. “Please.”
The sight of his husband in bed, warm and welcoming, surrounded by their children, all of them calm and safe and loved, made Josh’s heart clench sweetly.
“Is this laziness thing contagious?” he said even as laughter spilled out.
He grabbed his phone and jotted off a quick text to the kids' teachers, his teaching assistant, Ken’s coworker and best friend Maverick, and his sister, Yuna. He then kicked off his shoes and crawled onto the bed with a contented sigh, settling in beside Liya on the bed. He smiled when Liya turned around and snuggled against his chest. He kissed her forehead.
“You don’t have to be sorry for wanting to take a day off, baby,” he told her. “And you all win. Today we’re going to sleep, stay in, and bond like a family, or something like that.”
Liya giggled, while Akira murmured something and Isaac cheered beneath the pillow. Jay had already fallen asleep on top of Ken’s chest.
“This is just for today. Tomorrow, we’re all going to work and school.” He lifted his head, glaring at his husband. “Right, Ken?”
“Yes, ga . We’ll be good,” Ken promised. He moved his arm up so he could cup Josh’s face. They kissed atop a giggly Liya’s head.
“You need to take a break. I’ll be the one to get breakfast, or rather brunch, later,” Ken murmured against his lips. “Sleep, love.”
Honestly, Josh didn’t want to go to work anyway. He’d rather be here, with his husband and his children and feel loved and safe and warm.
“Love you, Ken,” Josh mumbled. “Love you, kids.”
Murmurs went around, before people started dozing off.
Josh yawned. He felt Ken watching him as he settled down.
Today, he could have this, with his lovely husband and his adorable kids.
Tomorrow could wait.