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Pete woke up to the sound of quiet giggling and his Sense picking up the bright feeling of excitement and warm happiness. He looked over towards the source and through the dim early morning light he could see Martin coming into the master bedroom. The pup was smiling wide, headed straight towards the bed. Or, more accurately, towards the bed’s other occupant. Way was still sound asleep, but soon wouldn’t be if Pete didn’t interfere.
He quickly but carefully slipped out of bed to intercept Martin before he could climb up and launch himself on top of Way. Martin laughed as he was scooped up. “Papa!”
“You’re up very early, little one. Mama is still sleeping,” Pete whispered to his son. He brought a finger to his lips to encourage the boy to stay quiet. Martin mimicked him, but squirmed to be let down, still intent on reaching Way. It was very cute that he wanted to wake up Way, but Pete wished the pup had waited another hour or so. “Mama will be fussy if you wake him up this early.”
“Mama gets fussy when Papa calls Mama fussy.”
“Then Papa and Martin won’t tell Mama.” Pete really hoped they wouldn’t start the day with Way pouting about something he’d said. Though he loved working hard to cheer up his lover whenever he was sulking or in a mood, he was hoping to keep Way from even getting into one of his moods at all that day.
He wanted to spoil Way that day without it being for the purpose of cheering him up.
Martin, a child excited for the day they had been planning all week, did not understand that. He kept trying to wriggle out of his father’s arms, giggling and reaching towards Way.
“Let’s let Mama sleep some more, okay?”
For a moment, Martin considered it. Then he got excited and Pete couldn’t cover his mouth in time before he shouted, “Mama!”
“Ah. Naughty,” Pete scolded, but Martin just giggled even more.
He looked at Way and could see the younger Enigma was waking up. Way grumbled, shifting and rubbing at his eyes. He turned over towards them and his eyes were half closed, his lips set in a pout. “Wha…?” It was adorable how resistant Way was to waking up in the morning. His grumpy look was so cute, like a grouchy cat. Pete couldn’t help but smile.
Now that Way was awake, there was no need to hold back Martin. Pete placed the squirming child gently onto the bed. Martin practically threw himself onto Way, making the man wince, loudly saying, “Happy Mama’s Day!”
“Mother’s Day,” Pete gently corrected.
“But he’s Mama,” Martin insisted, also starting to pout. “So it’s Mama’s Day.”
Seeing his mate and pup’s matching pouts was almost overwhelming in its cuteness. Pete wished he could take a photo, but his phone was on his nightstand out of reach. He doubted Way and Martin would appreciate him taking their picture anyway. “I see. You’re right.”
“Oh. I didn’t know that was today. Ugh, it’s so early…” Way patted Martin’s head with one hand and covered his eyes with his other arm. “Why are you two awake?”
“Wanted to tell Mama I love you!”
“I love you too,” Way replied sleepily, then yawned. Martin hugged him, purring.
“Martin is very excited about today, so he woke up early.”
Way lowered his arm. “If you’re doing Mother’s Day, can my present be that I get more sleep with our pup?” he asked, wrapping his arms around Martin and turning onto his side so he could get comfortable curled around the child.
“We got Mama presents!”
“Can this be my first present?” Way mumbled, closing his eyes.
“I’ll go get things ready and make breakfast while you two get more sleep.”
Way made a sound of agreement, already starting to doze off. Martin nodded and snuggled against Way.
By the time Pete finished getting dressed and letting Banzai go outside, Way and Martin were both sound asleep. He tucked them in and knew he’d have time to go out and pick up the flowers he’d ordered early.
After getting Banzai fed and putting his tiny service dog vest on, Pete lifted up the shih tzu and headed out.
-
The two were still sound asleep when he got back, so Pete set the flowers, which he and Martin had chosen together online a few days earlier, on the counter. Martin had made a card and some drawings, so Pete put those around the bouquet.
He also retrieved the gift Martin had picked out and put that in a drawer on the kitchen island, knowing the pup would be upset if he wasn’t the one to hand it to his mother. Martin had been very careful in picking out a perfect present for Way after telling his father what kind of gift he wanted to get after seeing it in a show he was watching, so Pete wanted the hand off to go well. He’d wait for Martin to ask where it was before bringing it out, but if the pup didn’t remember, he would remind him after they were done eating, before they went out for the day.
Pete started making breakfast once it reached a reasonable time in the morning, and midway through he crouched down to be closer to Banzai’s level and told the dog, “Banzai, go get Martin.” He repeated it a few times, and the dog obediently ran off to find Martin. While the dog did as instructed, Pete continued cooking Way’s favorite. When the dog made it to the bedroom, Pete could hear him start barking. He got a treat ready for when Banzai returned. It was a newer command they’d taught the dog to do in case they needed Banzai to find one of them and bring them back, and the shih tzu was doing very well with it.
Soon, Martin arrived, following Banzai back to the kitchen. Pete gave Banzai a treat and praise for completing the task, and then gave Martin a slice of fruit as a reward for remembering Banzai’s new command and correctly going along with it. “Is Mama up?” he asked, lifting Martin to place him onto a chair.
“Yeah! Mama said he’s gonna get ready.”
By the time Way finished his morning routine and had gotten dressed, Pete was done cooking and had given Martin his portion. Way’s whole face lit up when he spotted the flowers, and he went straight towards the bouquet of white roses and lilies.
The happiness radiating from Way was so much that Pete couldn’t help but immediately step around to kiss him. At first Way turned away, as he always did when he was overwhelmed, and Pete kissed his cheek instead. But then he wrapped his arms around his neck and let him kiss him properly. They only pulled apart when Martin started to feel left out and tugged on the back of Way’s shirt, asking for a hug and kiss too. The pup purred again when he got the big hug and cheek kisses that he wanted, and Way sat down on the chair next to their son.
“The flowers are so beautiful. I love them.”
“Me and Papa picked them! And I drew all these!”
“They’re really nice. Thank you, pup.” He kissed the top of Martin’s head and Martin beamed.
While Way went through the drawings with Martin, letting the pup proudly explain each one, Pete got he and Way’s breakfast served. He set down Way’s plate in front of him and Way, absolutely delighted, went, “That’s my favorite!”
It was just too cute, seeing Way and Martin with their big matching smiles. Their faces got all bright and round, and it was hard not to go over and squeeze them. Though Martin always enjoyed having his cheeks squished, Way would just see it as teasing. It was fun to do that, but he’d rather just bask in their happiness.
Banzai immediately barked and rushed over to paw at Pete, mistaking him being overcome with love for his mate and pup for him being overwhelmed by his Sense. He lifted up the dog anyway.
“Why is Banzai barking, Papa? Does your head hurt?” Martin asked, concerned when he noticed the dog trying to do his job.
“I’m just very happy that Mama likes what we’ve done for him this morning. Banzai thinks he needs to help calm Papa down. He doesn’t know it’s fine.”
“Ohh. Okay!” Martin cheered back up.
Way gave him a cheeky grin. “I make you so happy the dog thinks you’re having sensory overload?”
“Of course. I just can’t help loving you so much.”
The bold look quickly turned into a flustered one, Way’s cheeks going pink at his earnest response. He focused on eating.
Having been given his food earlier, Martin finished first. Way wiped his face clean, and Martin made a loud sound, making both of his parents look at him. “Papa! Where’s the present? I wanna give it to Mama.”
Pete didn’t bother asking Martin to wait until Way was finished eating. He simply opened up the drawer and reached around Way to hand it to the pup. “Here you go, little one.” Martin bounced on his chair.
As soon as he had it, he held it out to Way. “I got you this!”
Way glanced at Pete, so he set Banzai down on the floor so he could pick up on his thoughts more easily. Way wanted a hint as to what it was, curious if it was something from both of them. Pete just told him, “It was all Martin’s idea. I only brought him to the store.” Martin nodded, swinging his legs.
The little present had been wrapped in dark blue paper by the store, which Way ripped to reveal the jewelry gift box inside. He opened it and pulled out the silver necklace.
The complicated feelings that immediately surged through Way nearly gave Pete mental whiplash. Martin, not having his ability, blissfully reached for the necklace to excitedly show Way that it was a locket, telling him, “There’s a picture inside, Mama! Look!”
Pete put a hand on Way’s back to comfort him, but now that they were bonded it was too difficult to block out Way’s intense thoughts when they made contact. He saw memories of a different necklace, one he’d seen Way wear sometimes when he was part of the X-Hunter team. One he’d apparently gotten from Babe in the early days of their friendship, which he’d thrown out the window of his car near the end of it. The wheel rim necklace had been what Way thought now was a meaningless gift, as Way had been the one to ask for it.
Way opened up the locket. Inside was a picture of the three of them that Martin had picked from Pete’s phone to be printed. Pete had managed to take the picture a few weeks ago when both Way and Martin had climbed onto his lap while he was on the couch.
He was quiet as he stared at it. Martin waited for his reaction, then tilted his head when there was none. “Does Mama not like it?” he asked worriedly.
“I love it a lot. I’m going to wear it as much as I can.” Way pulled Martin onto his lap for a hug, holding onto him tightly. His thoughts calmed down and he settled on feeling grateful for the necklace, grateful that Martin liked him enough to get him such a sweet gift, that he even had a family now after everything that had happened. “Thank you.”
Way probably could have spent quite a while just hugging the pup, nuzzling him, but Martin didn’t have the patience for that. He wriggled around to look at Way’s plate. “Mama’s gotta finish eating so we can go to the karts!”
Lifting his head from where he’d had his face buried against Martin, Way gave Pete a curious look. “Karts?” he echoed.
“Martin wants Mama to teach him and Papa how to ride go-karts. We can go to the track whenever you’re done eating.”
“Eat fast, Mama!” Martin insisted after his father’s explanation, grabbing a piece to try to feed Way.
“It’s been a while since I’ve driven anything but normal cars… You’re not going to be scared of riding the kart, pup?”
“Nuh-uh! It won’t be scary ‘cuz Mama will ride with me.”
“You have a co-driver. Once you’re all raced out, we’ll go get lunch at that restaurant you like.”
Way lit up. “At Auntie’s?”
“Yes.”
“Eat, Mama.” Martin managed to get the piece into Way’s mouth.
“I will.” Way stopped him from grabbing any other food. “Pete, help me put my necklace on,” he said to his mate, and handed him the necklace.