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TK was really good about keeping Lou's terrarium closed properly. After five escapes and one trip to Carlos's precinct, he had to be. He couldn't risk Lou not coming back next time. Or Carlos getting fired, that would be bad too.
So he was positive that he'd made sure Lou was put away before game night.
Absolutely, completely positive.
*
They were playing Catan, as usual, when Mateo suddenly flinched. "What the hell?"
"Look, I just said I need to think before I trade ..."
"Not talking about that," Mateo said, cutting TK off and lifting up his pants to look at his leg. "Felt like something bit me."
"What, like a mosquito?"
"No, like a ... I don't know, but something bigger than a bug."
"He's trying to distract us so he can win," Marjan said, rolling her eyes. "Let's just - hey!"
"What?"
"Something bit me, too." She reached down and felt at her ankle. "I think I'm bleeding."
"Told you!"
"Ow!" Nancy pulled her legs up on the couch and hugged them. "How fast is this thing?"
"I got it!" Paul pulled something from under his chair - something orange and scaly. "I think the game night hosts have some explaining to do."
"Come here, Lou," TK said, taking the lizard from his friend and cradling him against his chest. "I'm so sorry, guys, I don't know how he got out. I was so careful."
"But this isn't the first time he's gotten out, right?" Nancy pointed out, still hugging her legs to her chest.
"No, but I got a better terrarium, and I've been really good about making sure the lid's on, I swear ..."
"Oh, don't worry TK," Paul said with a hint of smugness. "I know it wasn't you."
"Well then, who ..." TK slowly turned to Carlos next to him on the couch, who looked wide-eyed and caught out. "Babe!"
"I'm sorry, TK," Carlos relented, "but I only had him out for a minute!"
"But why?"
"Because ..."
"Because he wanted to bond with him," Paul said, pointing to Lou's box of treats behind him. "Those are on the counter, while all the other lizard stuff is on the shelf under the terrarium."
Carlos scowled. "You've gotta stop doing that."
"Aw, babe," TK said, putting the arm that wasn't holding Lou around his husband's neck, "you want to be friends with our lizard son."
"It's weird when you put it that way, but yes, I wanted to try and bond a little. If we're going to have a lizard, I might as well try to get along with it."
"It worked, too."
His eyebrows pinched together. "How do you know?"
"Lou attacked everyone except us."
"Your lizard son loves you! That's so cute," Nancy cooed.
Mateo snorted. "Uh, all I know is, I'm not coming back here unless that thing is put all the way away next time. Like, in another room. With the door locked. In another building."
"Agreed," Marjan said, wiping blood off her ankle.
Unfortunately, neither bearded dragon parent was listening. "I love you," TK said, smiling up at his husband who had the softest heart in the whole world.
"I love you, too," Carlos said, kissing him briefly but sweetly.
"Say you love our lizard son, too."
"I'm not saying that, TK."