Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Spring is a much-loved season for lovers. The fields are decked out in the colours of wild flowers, and the birds are singing again. Nature is reborn. However, on this beautiful day in April, in a house on Quesadilla Island, the mood is not romantic. The mood is rather serious. Some might even say studious.
The five friends are gathered around the table, Cellbit at the head, dozens of papers scattered across the table. Diagrams, lists, envelopes, a whole assortment of different colours.

"We're late, aren't we ?" Bagi asks, raising an eyebrow.

Her brother's eloquent silence gives her the answer.

"Of course we're late ! I've been telling him for weeks that we've got to get a move on, but he's too busy being all in love and stuff !” Mike screams.

Cellbit buries his face in his hands, stifling a frustrated sigh as best he can.

"Hey, nothing's lost. We've still got... Two months ?" Pac tries to reassure him.

"One month and twenty-seven days, to be precise," Felps assures.

"That's almost a full two months, Felps. Don't quibble.”

"I'm getting married in a month and twenty-seven days and nothing's ready. I should never have told Roier I was taking care of everything." Cellbit sights.

Bagi, who has reached her limit in terms of patience, slams her hands against the table and rises from her chair, startling the boys around her.

"OK ! We've got two mon- One month and twenty-seven days to plan a wedding ! Let's not waste any more time complaining and let’s get to work. We'll stay up all night if we have to, but we need to have a perfect plan in the morning ! We need to divide up the tasks ! Who does what ?"

Bagi's committed tone has woken everyone up and the boys are showing a little more motivation and aplomb to get going. She's right. If they divide up the tasks, they'll get there quicker. Cellbit wants a wedding worthy of his fiancé, Roier, and that's exactly what he's going to get.

A list of tasks had already been written when the groom-to-be had met a wedding planner. Things hadn't really clicked between them, so Cellbit had decided to prepare his wedding without the help of a professional. And let’s say that the task was far more complicated than he had imagined. The small team needs one night to divide up the tasks. Mike is in charge of the venue, Felps is in charge of the catering, Bagi is in charge of the guest list and sending out the invitations, Pac is in charge of the decorations and flowers, and Cellbit has to find an outfit and the wedding rings.

"We need more people to help us," Pac says.

"I'm going to ask Jaiden for help. We need someone for the cake and the person to take the photos," replies the groom-to-be.

"The flowers will be fine. Tina is a florist, you can go to her shop. I know her manager, he's lovely. He'll help us !" Bagi assures.

"Oh yes, Bagi, tell us more about your perfect girlfriend, how much you love her and how proud you are that she chose you." Mike teases.

"Mike, shhh."

While the other two bicker, Pac takes careful note of what the young woman has just told him. Rereading the notes he's made in his notebook, he looks up at his long-time friend.

"You have to come with me at least for the first discussion. Just so you can have your say."

"Yes, of course. I'll come with each of you for the first few visits. You're in charge, but it's still my wedding."

"If anyone hasn't figured out it's your wedding, they're probably deaf," Pac teases, rolling his eyes.

"You'll understand when it's your turn."

Ah yes, marriage. Almost everyone's big dream. Of course the idea appeals to Pac, but the absence of a partner makes the dream less accessible. But Pac doesn't want to complain. He already has everything he wants : a loving family, friends he can count on, a son he'd give his life for.

Thinking of him, the mechanic gets up to discreetly check if his little boy is asleep. He is. It's not often that Richarlyson falls asleep so quickly, his school day having probably been rich enough to exhaust all the energy reserves in his hyperactive eight-year-old body.

"Boa noite Neném" Pac murmurs with all his love for his son as he closes the bedroom door.

Richarlyson - Richas - is not just Pac's son. He was adopted as a baby by the whole small Brazilian team. On paper, he was only Cellbit's son, but soon the other four friends were registered as parents. Pac is 'Parent Number 3' after Cellbit and Mike. Fortunately, there is no hierarchy in the family. Cellbit doesn't have any more rights than the others and Richas is far too happy to have a huge, out-of-the-ordinary family ! He gets more presents on his birthday and at Christmas, he has three different rooms to decorate as he pleases. Yes, three, because Pac and Mike, childhood friends, live in a shared flat. Cellbit lives with his fiancé and Roier's son Pepito. Bagi lives in a house shared with friends and her girlfriend, Tina, and their daughter Empanada. When Felps is in town, he usually sleeps in someone's house. At the moment, he's staying with Cellbit and Roier.

Returning to the kitchen, Pac meets Cellbit's gaze, who seems concerned for their son's well-being.

"He's asleep. He's got his mushroom cow hat on," Pac says.

"The best of all worlds," Cellbit comments with a tender, amused smile. The detective rises from his chair and stretches. "We've done some good work. We'll be in touch for the first meetings. Felps, vamos lá ! Bagi, should I give you a lift home ?"

"Yes, please. I want to see my little darling as soon as possible," Bagi replies.

"Are you talking about Tina or Empanada ?" Mike asks jokingly.

"Both !"

Pac smiles as he watches his friends and family laughing together. Seeing them happy fills him with joy. He'd give anything for that happiness to last forever. But he's not naive. Life is full of unforeseen events, often unfortunate, and experience has proved him right on several occasions.

Once separated from the rest of their family, Pac and Mike take the time to tidy up the kitchen, which has been left in a state of mess by the small team. In any case, the tornado that is their son will render their evening's efforts useless by the next morning.

At the Sinfonia flower shop, the staff are busy taking orders for deliveries and serving the few customers who drop in during the day. The weather is pleasant and spring is encouraging the most romantic people to buy flowers for their partners, which makes this the busiest season for florists. This doesn't bother the shop's two employees, Tina and Fit, who both love their jobs, but it's true that the absence of their boss, Missa, who is in charge of meeting suppliers around the world, is felt more keenly when the fine weather sets in.
As Fit prepares a new bouquet of roses for delivery later that day, he hears Tina's phone ring. As the person in charge of the shop in Missa's absence, he should be making a comment about using the phone at work, but as a parent, he knows how important it is to be contactable at all times. The young woman appears in his field of vision after a few minutes, phone to her ear.

"Fit ! Are you available at the end of the day ? It's Cellbit. He'd like to meet us today if that's possible."

"And he's only giving notice now ? He's exaggerating."

"That's what I told him but he's talking about an emergency."

"If this is about his wedding planning, I assure you that- Oh, you know what. Just forget about it. Okay. Let me make sure Phil can handle Ramón and I'll be available. Be sure to tell Cellbit he's lucky I like him so much !"

"The message will be passed, don't worry."

With a sigh, Fit wipes his damp hands with a dishcloth and grabs his own phone to send a message to his old friend.

- Hey Phil. Can you look after Ramón after school, please ? I've got an unplanned appointment at the end of the day that could go on forever.

It's not long before Philza responds positively to the florist's message. Fit is happy that he can always count on the old man, and has done so for so many years before the children were even in their lives. The shop manager has no time to lose himself in nostalgia and gratitude when the delivery man arrives to pick up the bouquet he has been preparing. In the twinkling of an eye, Fit packages the flowers and hands them over to the delivery man, who leaves as quickly as he has entered.

"Will Ramón be alright ?" Tina asks.

"Phil's looking after him. He'll be happy to spend time with Chayanne and Tallulah. I'll pick him up after the meeting."

"We need to organise another playdate with Empanada and Ramón. I'm sure it would do them good. She'll definitely want to show you how well she can read now."

Fit smiled as he heard the last sentence. "They grow up fast."

Tina nods. Between parents, they understand each other without needing to elaborate any further. Especially as there are innuendoes that neither of them wants to raise. Empanada is six years old. Some kids don't get the chance to reach that age.

Fit stretches a little before going back to his activities. With the unexpected appointment, he won't have time to go to the gym that day. Too bad. After all, he can do it for Cellbit and Roier. They've been through enough in the past. If he can help them organise their special day, then he'll do his best to make it work for them. He just wants to make sure he gets his son back as soon as possible.

Fortunately for him, the day passes relatively quickly and the sound of a motorbike pulling up in front of the shop catches Fit's attention. He doesn't remember Cellbit knowing how to ride a motorbike, so the noise makes him curious.
The shop manager watches the two people get off the bike and take off their helmets. He easily recognises the one in the back as it was his meeting for the day, but he has a little difficulty recognising the driver who has his back facing the shop. It isn’t long before the two men enter the shop, both with smiles on their faces. That's when Fit's neurons kick in. He's seen the driver before. Pac. If his memory is still intact. He'd have found it hard to forget such a pretty smile, anyway.

It's Pac's first time in the flower shop. It's as well-appointed as Bagi could have told him. But if Tina works there, it doesn't surprise him. He knows her to have a real artistic flair. The biker follows closely behind his friend, who took the lead, more familiar with the place than he is. After a quick inspection of the shop, Pac's eyes land on the man who greets them. Tall, bald, wearing a dark green apron over a simple brown T-shirt. Pac is struck by the fact that the florist's left arm has been replaced by a prosthesis. His hand moves towards his left leg. They are the same.

"Hi Fit ! Hi Tina !" Cellbit's loud voice pulls Pac from his thoughts. He quickly blushes at the thought of having stared so hard at Fit and hopes he hasn't been caught out. However, as he looks up to meet Tina's eyes, he realises that he hasn't been very discreet, judging by the small smile that appears at the corner of her lips. She makes no comment, however.

"Hi Cellbit. Tina told me you wanted to see us. I suppose it has something to do with the good news I heard recently," Fit replies with a big smile.

"That's quite possible. Sorry again for the short notice. We had an emergency family meeting to divide up the tasks." Cellbit puts his hand on Pac's shoulder. "Tina, you already know him but Fit, I don't know if I've ever introduced you to each other but this is Pac. One of Richas' dads. One of my oldest friends. My brother at heart. One of my best men. Anyway, you get the idea."

Cellbit's introduction genuinely moves Pac. The younger of the two is never very eloquent about how he feels about those closest to him, although it's easy to guess when Cellbit likes someone. To hear him speak so highly of Pac and express how much he means to him means a lot to the biker.

"We've met before. Nice to officially meet you Pac," Fit says.

"Same here, Fit," Pac replies just as quickly.

"For the record, Fit is Ramón's father," Cellbit explains.

Pac nods. Indeed, he remembers. He's been more familiar with the boy who's good friends with his son more than the father, so he's delighted to finally get to know the man.

Fit invites the two men to join him and Tina at the table in the corner of the shop. It's a space they've set aside specifically for meetings like this, so they can keep an eye on the shop in case a customer comes in during the meeting.
The florists invite the groom to explain his wedding plans, and Cellbit pulls some papers folded in half from his jacket pocket and spreads them out on the table. A lot of Portuguese writing and scribbles make it difficult for the florists to understand, but they wait patiently for the man's explanations.

"The wedding is scheduled for June 16th. We've already booked the person who's going to marry us and he's got quite a busy schedule, and we've already told our friends and family, so it's hard to move the date. Everyone has started to get organised. Except for us. Ironic. So, anyway. Here's what the family and I came up with : we'd go for a red, white and blue theme. Roier's colours. Do you think it's possible to have floral decorations for the ceremony venue and centrepieces that would match these colours ?"

Tina just as quickly pulls out a large notebook on which she begins to write things down while Fit looks around the shop. He stands up and, with an expert hand, chooses some flowers under the curious gazes of the two Brazilians. He grabs a catalogue from the counter and returns to the table. He opens the booklet and turns the pages quickly.

"So. Mid-June, you say ? That's a good time. Will the ceremony be outside ?" he gets a nod from Cellbit. "Perfect. I suggest blue hydrangeas. You can arrange them in large pots or create finer decorations by mixing them with other flowers. Red roses, white roses. You can keep it classic.” The florist presents the roses to the boys, who look at them as if they are seeing them for the first time. Actually it isn't, but it is the first time the flowers have been presented to them like this.

"Hydrangeas bloom from June onwards.” Tina explains. “I don't know about you, Fit, but for the centrepieces, we could go for wild flowers."

The man nods, seeming to follow what his colleague is getting at. It's Tina's turn to get up and choose some flowers to present to the guests.

"Forget-me-nots, daisies, poppies, carnations... We can play with your three colours to make something very cottagecore but very elegant."

"I like that very much," Cellbit announces, his eyes shining. "I trust you guys completely. This is your business and you know more about it than I do. Just by listening to you, I know you're taking the subject to heart and I'm really grateful for that."

"Of course Cellbit ! It's your wedding day ! I'm not going to let my brother-in-law down, am I ?" Tina jokes, who has a bit of truth behind her humorous tone.

"We're going to contact Missa to talk about your project and he's going to find us some real gems, believe me. I'm sure he'll be back to help us plan the wedding," Fit assures him.

"Thank you. Really, thank you both. By the way, I'm taking advantage of this but you can imagine I've got a lot to get ready so I've asked Pac to be in charge of the flowers. He'll be your main contact."

Fit and Tina seem perfectly fine with this announcement. As for Pac, he's a bit confused by all the explanations. He's not sure he's followed everything but the florists are sure of their work so he just has to go with the flow.

"Can I add something ?" he asks. Receiving nods, he resumes. "What can be done about the bouquet ? You said you wanted a bouquet, Cellbo. We need you to tell us what you'd like."

"I'd completely forgotten. Obrigado Pac. I imagine you have catalogues for that, don't you ? It's not my priority but I'll have to look into it to give you some time."

Fit hands him a new catalogue specialising in wedding bouquets, which Cellbit looks at quickly before closing it. There are so many elements to take into account that he's getting dizzy.
The group continues to discuss and debate various ideas for a good hour, before the two Brazilians finally leave the flower shop. This allows Fit and Tina to tidy up and close the shop for the day.

The presence of Cellbit and Pac was so pleasant that the florists could have forgotten it was a business meeting. Fit doesn't have time to dwell on the friendliness of the meeting, however, as he has to rush to his old friend's house to pick up his son, leaving Tina to close the shop.

It takes him around twenty minutes to reach the Minecraft-Sinfonia house, which is a bit out of the way from the town centre. Fortunately, the days are getting longer, so it's more pleasant to be driving as the sun is just starting to set over Quesadilla Island.

"Ramón ! I think your father's arrived !" Phil's voice can be heard from the front door.

Indeed, Fit doesn't even have time to knock on the door before it opens and a little brown-haired tornado pounces on him.

"Fit !" the boy screams, offering his father a big smile.

"Hey Ramón ! Did you have a good day my boy ?"

"Yes ! We learned how volcanoes work today ! It was really interesting ! I had lunch with Dapper. We came up with some new ideas to annoy Teach’ Quackity, hihi."

"I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that, Ramón," Phil says with a smirk.

Talking about future jokes against his teacher in front of one of the school staff isn't a great idea, but Ramón knows that his father's best friend is on his side. Fit, meanwhile, can't stop smiling. His son's excitement makes him forget how tired he's been all day.

Invited in, the florist greets his friend and his friend's two children, Chayanne and Tallulah, who wave back.

"Thanks for looking after Ramón this afternoon, Phil. I owe you one."

"Don't you worry about that. You look after mine on Monday so we're even."

"That's right ! Fit ! Can we go to the park with Chay and Lullah ?" asked Ramón, even more excited at the idea of spending more time with his friends.

Fit quickly knocks against the wall to get Tallulah's attention and, with a few gestures that are still a little clumsy despite the years of learning, he signs "Park, Monday ?" to question the little girl, who answers "Yes" in the same way as he does.

"Chayanne ? Are you up for it too ?"

"Of course, Tio Fit !" replies the blond boy, a little calmer than Ramón.

"Then it's decided ! You can go and see your physio with peace of mind, we'll be at the park and you can pick them up from my place. Is that alright with you ?"

"What do you want me to say to that ? You manage !" laughs Phil, who can't get enough of his best friend being an uncle to his kids. "How was your day, by the way ? What was that appointment that kept you ?"

"Well, Cellbit and his friend Pac came to give us the job of wedding florist."

"No mames."

"I assure you. They're not ahead of schedule but, on our side, it should be fine. Cellbit gave us the colours he wanted but he's giving us carte blanche on the flowers. He seemed very excited by our suggestions. Tina had some great ideas for the centrepieces. Apparently he's got so much on his plate that Pac will be the one giving his opinion on everything."

"If Pac likes it, Cellbit will like it. He's got good taste."

"He wasn't very talkative during the meeting but he seemed to be a very good listener."

"Yeah, classic Pac. The first few times he'll mostly be gathering information and it's only once he feels more comfortable that he'll start to open up a bit more. You'll see, he's very nice. You'll like him. He runs the garage in the town centre with his flatmate Mike. Do you remember him ? I had to go there for my car when it had a leak."

"Oh, I see ! I remember ! They did a good job on it, didn't they ?"

"You could say that. Pac discovered another glitch that could have cost me, but he fixed it in no time."

Fit nods, noting in his head that the next time he hears a strange noise coming from his car, he should go to them and not whoever led him on last time. He still regrets it, by the way.

"Oh and he drives a motorbike ? I was surprised to see a motorbike parked right outside the shop," Fit continues. "It's not often you see the two-wheeler car park being used by anything other than bikes."

Phil notes in his head that this conversation about Pac is going on longer than it should, but he doesn't comment and just nods. It's not often that Fit takes an interest in anyone so knowing that his friend's horizons seem to be opening up makes Phil happy. Not that Fit needs it, but at least it's one more person who can help him with Ramón just in case.

Meanwhile, at Pac and Mike's house, the youngest of the duo is curious to know how the meeting at the florist went, as he has been on the phone all day booking visits to wedding venues. His notebook is full of notes and erasures.

"They were very impressive. Tina as usual is very creative and Fit knows his stuff. Did you know that Fit has a prosthesis on his left arm ? Now I understand why Cellbit insisted that I should be the one to manage the flowers. He wanted me to find a friend who is an amputee. Anyway, it seems like Fit has had that metal arm forever. I don't know how it was built but it looks like Fit was born with it. I wish I was as comfortable with my prosthesis as he is."

Mike raises his eyebrows quickly at Pac's tirade but doesn't interrupt.

"Cellbit left with a catalogue and I left with a nose full of pollen. Good thing I'm not allergic."

This last remark makes Mike laugh and he finally shows his screen to Pac. He sees a mansion built with dark stones and red wood for details. The oldest interrogates his flatmate.

“It caught our eye with Cellbit this afternoon. I sent him the photos I found on the website and he definitely wants to visit it. And guess who is accredited as the architect.”

“Hmm… Let me guess. We know him. We know his daughter and his partner who is too busy being an airline pilot.” Pac replies with a mischievous smile.

"Bingo. It's Foolish. I called him, he can help us with the visit and reservation if Cellbit really likes the place.”

“Maybe Fit and Tina will have to take a look at the place to find out the dimensions and how they should arrange the place with the floral decorations.”

"You’re right. As soon as it's confirmed, I'll give you the address and you can give it to Fit. Right ?"

Pac frowns, not sure if he understands Mike's insinuations. "What do you mean ?"

“Oh I don’t know. You’ve been talking about him a lot since you came back, right ?”

“This is the first time I’ve really met him. It's normal that I talk about him. Don’t start imagining things Mikey, hm ?”

"Of course…"

Mike's little smirk doesn't escape Pac’s eyes but he knows that if his best friend starts to have a little too creative imagination, then there's nothing he can do about it otherwise he would only prove him right. Pac just wants to show Cellbit that he was right to trust him by entrusting him with the management of the floral decoration. The professionalism of Fit and Tina only gives him more confidence in the success of this mission and nothing more. Nothing more, right ?

Chapter Text

Ramón has been looking forward to the end of school from the moment he entered the classroom, so imagine how happy he is when he hears the school bell ring for the end of day. He exchanges a huge smile with Chayanne, who is sitting a little further back in the room, and hurries to pack his things and run to Tallulah's classroom with the blond boy. The little girl is busy saying goodbye to her teacher, polite as usual, before joining the two boys.
Together, they make their way to the school gate, where all the parents have gathered to collect their children. The first ones they notice are Cellbit and Roier, who have come to collect Richarlyson and Pepito. Baghera is there to collect Pomme and Dapper, while she chats happily with Foolish, here for Leonarda, and Tina, here for Empanada. The children have to look a little further to see Fit talking to Tubbo, who already has Sunny in his arms.
The excitement overtakes the three children, sending them running to the florist.

"Fit !" they shout.

Ramón's dad quickly crouches down and scoops the three of them up in his arms. No doubt about it, they haven't used up all their energy yet, and that's what Fit intends to sort out this afternoon.

"Hello, you three. Have you had a good day ? Are you ready to go to the park ?"

He doesn't need them to answer anything to know they are. Chayanne finally gives some attention to Tubbo, who almost felt left out for a few seconds.

"Hello Godfather ! Do you want to go to the park with us today ?"

"Hi Chayanne. Sorry, not today. I've already promised my Princess I'll take her shopping for a new dress. Right, Poppet ?"

"Yes ! I want to expand my collection !" Sunny replies.

"Soon it's the flat we'll have to extend. We're getting cramped. Especially with the arrival of Regulus."

"We're moving ?! Can we live in a mansion, Pa ? Please !!!"

Tubbo exchanges a look with Fit, who adds fuel to the fire.

"Of course Sunny ! Your father will find you the most beautiful mansion."

Although the joke isn't to the young engineer's taste, Sunny's bright smile is worth all the gold in the world. If the idea of living in a mansion makes her so happy, then who is he to take that happiness away from her.

"Let's start by buying you that new dress, Miss Sunny. See you later, kids. Bye Fit ! It was cool talking with you !"

"Have a nice evening, both of you." replies Fit as he picks up the backpacks of the three children in his care. "Shall we go ?"

That's all it takes for Ramón and Chayanne to set off as Tallulah holds out her hand to Fit. Fit is used to it so he carries two school bags in his left hand and takes Tallulah's hand in the other. He knows she needs a little reassurance without having to talk about it. He knows that. It's one of the similarities that makes Fit so protective and fatherly towards his niece.

Arriving at the park, Fit noticed that Cellbit and Roier are already there, while their sons are playing a few metres away. Ramón and Chayanne run to join them. Fit shakes Tallulah's hand lightly to have her attention and releases her hand to sign if she wants to play with the boys. Receiving a positive response, he lets her go as he heads towards the engaged couple who waves to him from the bench where they are seated.

The three adults exchange small talk, catching up on each other's news, although the subject soon turns to the lovers' wedding, and they make no secret of their excitement at celebrating their love with their loved ones. Roier boasts about having found a magnificent suit, while teasing his partner about not being able to see it before the big day. However, apart from Jaiden who helped Roier choose his outfit, no one has been able to see the groom-to-be in his suit. Cellbit avoids the subject of his own suit, which makes Fit realise that the man hasn't figured it out yet. Has he even started looking yet?

"We looked at your catalogue for wedding bouquets. There are some very beautiful designs" Cellbit announces, perhaps to change the subject.

"Aren't they ? Missa composed them. He and Tina are the artists in the shop. They create the models and I just redo them when I'm asked to. We spoke to him on the phone on Saturday about the wedding and you can be sure he's already on board."

"That's reassuring. We're lucky to have such good people around us. Oh. Richas ! Watch out for your- Caralho ! I'll be right back," Cellbit says, standing up quickly.

Nothing serious, fortunately. Roier and Fit don't need to help, so they sit quietly on the bench.

The Mexican man takes the opportunity to turn to his friend.

"Thank you Fit. For agreeing to help us with the wedding. Cellbit's under a lot of stress at the moment because of all the preparations. I shouldn't have agreed to let him manage everything without me. I'm grateful that so many people are getting involved. He's right when he says we're lucky to be surrounded by so many good people."

"No need to thank me, Roier. We're friends. It's only natural that we should help each other. I'm sure it's the same for the others. Tina, Missa... They think like I do."

Roier nods, although Fit says it's not necessary, he still wants to show his appreciation. The conversation goes no further as Cellbit returns to sit with them, putting his arm around his fiancé's shoulders.

"By the way, Fit, I was thinking about this the other night but I'm still surprised that you and Pac met for the first time at our meeting." Cellbit resumes.

"The island's big. It's hard to get to know everyone. But I'd run into Pac before. I think we were just too busy on our own to take the time to get to know each other."

Cellbit feels Roier squeeze his thigh a little tighter, conveying a quiet message that the Brazilian man doesn't miss.

"This is the perfect opportunity, then ! Pac is really ingenious and has a great sense of style. It shows in the way he dresses. You can be sure that if Pac likes your floral decorations, we'll like them too. He's the man for the job !"

"Phil told me something similar."

"And we didn't even consult each other."

Fit smiles at Cellbit's remark but his smile quickly fades when his gaze is drawn to some agitation on the children's side. The adults watch as the boys surround Tallulah, who looks on the verge of tears. The three of them stand up at almost the same time and walk quickly towards the small group.

The little girl's hands are to her ears and Fit frowns as he realises what is happening, but he wants to ask for confirmation. He crouches down in front of Tallulah, catches her attention and signs "What's going on ?" She simply shakes her head and unhooks her hearing aids to give them to her uncle. Chayanne takes the initiative to explain the situation.

"Tallulah's devices have run out of batteries."

"Oh no. I'm sorry, Lullah." Cellbit sympathises. "Do you have any spare batteries in your bag ?"

Although Cellbit and Roier can't sign, Tallulah has learned to read lips and is able to perceive some sounds if they are distinct enough. So if they articulate well enough and speak a little loudly, she can understand what they are saying. She shakes her head in response.

"I didn't think to take them either..." Chayanne murmurs.

"Okay. Well, that's fine. We'll figure something out." Roier assures.

"Lullah, are you alright ?" Pepito asks in a small voice. The little hand of Roier's son is clutching Tallulah's purple dress, as if to assure her that she's not alone.

Fit stands up and packs his niece's equipment into her backpack. He looks around reflectively.

"Phil's house is quite far from the centre and I've left my car with Tina to drive to a supplier in the morning."

"We didn't take our car either. We wanted to enjoy the good weather," Roier continues.

"Pai ! Pai Pac and Pai Mike have loads of stuff in their garage ! Maybe they've got some batteries for Tallulah ?" Richas suggests, proud of his idea.

Cellbit ruffles his little boy's hair. "Good idea, Richas. He's right, there's a small chance we'll find something to help Tallulah at Pac and Mike's."

Everyone seems up for going to the garage apart from Chayanne who rolls his eyes as he joins Fit to collect his backpack.

"We'll never find what we're looking for. The batteries in my sister's devices are too specific. You can't even find them in a pharmacy." the boy grumbles.

"It costs nothing to try. We're stuck until your father comes to get you. Might as well go to the garage just in case," Fit replies

The floridian man is about to join the group when he notices the tears forming at the corner of Chayanne's eyes. He motions to Cellbit and Roier to go before him, assuring Ramón that he is on his way. Cellbit takes Tallulah and Ramón by the hand while Roier carries Pepito by one arm, holding Richarlyson's hand in the other.
Fit takes a moment with his nephew, who rubs his eyes.

"I should have thought about taking spare batteries. Dad always has some with him. I'm the big brother. I'm the one who has to protect Tallulah."

"Oh Chay. It's not your fault. Accidents like this happen and look, it's nothing serious. Tallulah isn't hurt. Neither are you. We're all here to help you and your sister. It's not your responsibility to foresee every incident. It's us adults who should have been better prepared. You're a very good big brother, Chayanne. Your father is very proud of you and he'll be even prouder when he sees how well we've all managed this crisis together."

The little boy sniffs, wipes his nose with his sleeve and nods. Chayanne doesn't need to say anything if he's too overwhelmed by frustration. Fit won't hold it against him anyway. The man stands up, puts Ramón's bag back on his back and holds out his hand to Chayanne, who takes it without hesitation.

The group arrives at the garage of the Tazer-Craft duo, supported by Felps when he's in town. It's the garage's temporary secretary who notices them first.

"Oi Cellbit. Tudo bem ?"

Hearing their friend's name catches the attention of the two mechanics, who stop what they're doing to join the group. Pac waves his hand accompanied by a small smile at Fit, who returns it.

"Pai ! Pai ! Pai ! We've got a mission !" Richas shouts to his fathers.

The men quickly look falsely shocked and play along with Richarlyson, playing pretend they are secret agents. The three of them crouch down around him to listen to the mission. Fit finds it hard to understand what they're talking about, since they're speaking in Portuguese, but the more he hears the language, the more beautiful he finds it. He wishes he had an easier time learning new languages. His attempt to learn Spanish has shown him that he is a mere mortal, not a language genius.

Once the situation has been explained, Pac gets up and walks over to Tallulah, who is still holding Cellbit's hand. The mechanic notices he has the girl's attention and signs "we'll try to help you". Although the signs are clumsy, the heart is in it and even Fit is able to understand what Pac is trying to say. It was the first time that, apart from a few rare people, Fit had seen anyone make the effort to use sign language to communicate with Tallulah.
Apart from the Sinfonia-Minecraft family and Ramón, Fit only knows BadBoyHalo, Tubbo, Quackity, Pomme and Dapper to use sign language with Tallulah. No one else has ever really tried. He can't blame the others. It's not easy to learn and Tallulah isn't entirely deaf but knowing that Pac knows sign language and has probably learned it to talk to Tallulah, that means something to Fit.

It's while watching the mechanic that Fit notices something he hadn't seen from the start : Pac's work trousers are rolled up to his calves, revealing his legs but more importantly the metal prosthesis that replaces his left leg. The florist unconsciously places his right hand on his left arm. They are the same.
Fit understands better. That's why Richarlyson is so comfortable with his own prosthetic leg. It's because his father is like him. Fit has no idea whether Pac's prosthesis predates Richas', but he has no doubt that father and son must have helped each other.

Fit's attention is drawn to his son's hand tugging at his sweatshirt.

"Fit. Did you see that ?"

The florist wonders if Ramón will bring up Pac's prosthesis.

"Did you see all the incredible mechanisms they have ?! They've got gears of all sizes and lots of tools ! Can I go and see them, please ?"

Fit sometimes forgets that children are full of innocence and don't notice the differences between individuals. How he wishes his little boy would never grow up. With a tender smile, he ruffles Ramón's hair.

"Ask Pac or Mike if one of them can show you. You know these tools can be dangerous and need to be handled with care."

"Are you curious to see what spare parts we have Ramón ?" Pac asks, who has heard the boy's question. "If your father agrees, you can come with me to get some batteries for Tallulah's equipment and I can show you some tools."

A huge smile lights up Ramón's face as he turns to his father again for approval. How could Fit refuse him anything at the sight of that smile ? Fit would give his life for Ramón to keep that beautiful smile on his face.

"Of course Ramón. Be good to Pac."

"I will ! Thanks Dad !"

It's rare that Ramón calls him Dad. And every time it lightens Fit's heart.

"Thanks, Fit. I'll be careful not to take him to any of the more dangerous machines. Do you have Tallulah's equipment so I can see what batteries they need ?" Pac asks.

"Y- Yes, of course. They're in her bag. Just give me a sec."

Pac's sweetness almost makes him lose his words but he manages to find the hearing aids and passes them to the mechanic to look at. From the look on his face, it doesn't look good, but none of the garage staff back down and the three of them spend a good hour searching every nook and cranny of the place, even the back room. Fortunately, there weren't many customers passing through that day.

During that same hour, Fit can hear Pac's voice explaining to Ramón the use of every machine and tool they come across, creating nothing but excitement in the boy who has already developed a real passion for crafting of all kinds. Fit still remembers when he found Ramón, then aged seven, sitting on the floor of his bedroom with the toaster dismantled into a thousand pieces to figure out how it worked. This little boy has always amazed Fit and continues to do so every day.

Finally, the members of the garage are forced to admit defeat. They couldn't find any batteries similar to the ones Tallulah needs.

"We're sorry, Tallulah. We'd really like to have helped you," Mike says.

Fortunately, the girl doesn't look as frustrated as she did when she arrived at the garage and puts the smile on her face that everyone knows her for.

"Thanks for trying Tio Mike" she replies.

The adults exchange glances with each other, slightly moved. It's not often that Tallulah expresses herself with her voice. Most of the time, she signs and waits for her brother or someone who speaks sign language to translate for her, or she writes in a notebook and shows it to the other person.
Perhaps seeing everyone try so hard to help her, she thought she could express her gratitude in a way that would be easier for them to understand.

As there is nothing they can do, the little groups split up and go their separate ways, still happy to have spent a little time together. Fit takes his son and his friends to the flower shop just below his flat. The flat actually belongs to Missa, who owns the building containing the shop. But as Fit is his husband's best friend, the rent is lower than it should be.

"Tio Fit ? Do you know if Papa Missa is coming home soon ?" Chayanne asks as he walks through the door of the flat.

Obviously, for Chayanne and Tallulah, this place is mostly linked to their papa, who is very often abroad for his work, and they know that the people who hear from him most are his colleagues, Fit and Tina.

"He should be back before Cellbit and Roier's wedding. He said he'd help us so... Yes. Soon," Fit replies.

The blond boy has a small smile on his face. Fit knows how much they miss Missa and that the feeling is mutual. Missa loves his job, but he loves his family even more, and he is always trying to make up for his absence.

Phil arrives barely thirty minutes later. Fit tells him about their day's adventure and the family man feels guilty for having forgotten to put spare batteries in Tallulah's bag in case something like this happens. Fortunately, seeing Tallulah smile makes Phil realise that she's not angry. Maybe a little frustrated, but nothing he can't handle. He knows his little queen by heart, after all. With quick signs, showing the little girl's excitement, Phil is able to catch up on the day.

"It was nice of them to try and help you," Phil says aloud, as he signs for his daughter.

"Pac is super cool, Uncle Phil ! He knows all about mechanics !" Ramón continues in the same cheerful tone.

"And Felps has lots of stories to tell !" Chayanne adds.

"And Tio Mike and Richar have told me some funny jokes to cheer me up ! Tio Cellbit was very kind to me too. Tio Roier looked after Pepito because he was tired !" Tallulah continues.

"We're really well looked after," Phil remarks. The blond man knows how willing all their friends are to help them with the children. Cellbit has shown him several times in the past how attached he is to Chayanne and Tallulah, but it always makes Phil happy to see how much his children are loved by everyone. Especially their Uncle Fit, who is being humble about the whole affair, even though he has managed the crisis like a boss.

"Thanks for looking after them, Fit." Phil says finally.

"As you might have understood, I had a lot of help. Next time you're over, leave me a couple of spare batteries. You never know when you might need them."

"Great idea, I'll make a note of it and bring it to you. Okay, kids. Are you ready to go home ? Ramón, you behave yourself with your father, understand ?"

"Yes sir !"

In the end, this incident will have produced nothing but happy memories, Fit thinks to himself as he sits in the shop doing the accounts. Ramón is allowed an hour of television to watch his favourite cartoon, so Fit takes the opportunity to do a little work. But he can't stop thinking about the conversation he had with Chayanne. Maybe he should talk to Phil about the pressure his son puts on himself as a big brother. Are these emotions something Ramón might have felt, too ? Ramón doesn't have any siblings, but he does have non-blood related cousins who are younger than him and whom he cares about very much. Fit is thinking in particular of Sunny, Tubbo's daughter, who has won everyone's hearts with her diva-in-the-making personality. Perhaps this is a discussion he should consider having with his little boy.

He is startled by a noise at the door. As the metal shutters are down to prevent potential thieves, only the window in the door gives a glimpse of life outside. Fit is surprised to recognize Pac waving at him so he hurries to open the door for him.

"Pac ? I wasn't expecting you. Everything is alright ?"

"Yeah, I'm just passing by on my way home and I saw that the light was still on so I thought I'd take the opportunity to check on Tallulah."

"That's nice of you to worry about her. Tallulah's fine. Phil came to pick them up earlier and she was excited to tell him all about her day."

"Oh, that's good to hear. I was worried."

There's a small, awkward silence between the two men, who don't know if they should restart the conversation, or even how to do it.

"Um... Do you want to come in ? I was just finishing the accounts."

"Oh I wouldn't want to disturb you."

"Nah, be my guest. It's not warm outside."

Pac lets himself be invited inside. Indeed, the atmosphere is much warmer in the shop than outside. Fit tries to resume the conversation.

"Phil told me he was going to leave me some spare batteries so we wouldn't end up in the same situation we were in today."

"That's a good idea. Do you know how to change them?"

"I'd ask him to show me, you're right."

Another silence passes. This time it's Pac who starts a new topic.

"Erm, I also wanted to see you to see if you wanted us to organise another meeting soon ? I don't have my schedule in front of me but this week might be good ?"

"Yes, this week might be good. Hang on a sec." The florist quickly grabs a piece of paper on which he writes something down before handing it to Pac. "My number. When you get your schedule, text me so we can get organised. It'll be easier to plan everything if you have my number."

"Oh yeah, thanks. I'll text you right away so you've got mine, in that case."

The mechanic complies immediately, and Fit hears his phone ring to tell him that a new message has arrived.

"Thanks Pac. I'll send you a message later tonight. And... er... I'm sorry, Pac. I don't want to kick you out but I'm going to have to go back upstairs and look after Ramón. It's his bedtime and... And thanks for showing him your tools, he's really happy. He loves all this stuff."

"Of course, of course ! No problem at all. And I understand, Fit ! Sorry, I didn't realise what time it was. As I'm not looking after Richas today, I have less sense of time. Mike's probably waiting for me anyway, haha."

Both of them feel a little ridiculous but thankfully the other doesn't notice. Fit doesn't understand why he feels so clumsy around Pac. He'll have to pull himself together next time.
Finally, the biker leaves the shop and Fit locks the door before going back upstairs to look after his little boy, who is too busy watching another episode of Miraculous to notice anything.

Chapter Text

Later that evening, Pac is sitting in his bedroom with a new episode of his favourite reality show on his laptop. He exchanges messages with Bagi, with whom he shares this secret passion for reality shows.

"I can't believe Vanessa did this..." he says, eating a chocolate.

He receives another notification on his phone, which he unlocks without looking, thinking it's Bagi reacting to what he's just seen. Pac nearly chokes and swallows hard when he sees that it's not Bagi but Fit who's sent him a message.

- Hey Pac, have you had a chance to look at your agenda so we can plan our meeting ?

A second later he receives the message he was expecting from Bagi, but he ignores it completely and gives his full attention to the florist's message. The mechanic thinks for a second and types on his screen.

- Oi Fit :) Are you available on Wednesday? I finish early that day.

He shouldn't be so hesitant, but he is. Pac still doesn't think he's qualified enough to manage the floral arrangements but Cellbit trusts him so he can't let him down. Fit's reply is not long in coming and Pac nearly chokes again as he reads the words on his screen.

- That's fine by me :) However, if you're OK with it, it'll just be the two of us. Tina finishes early on Wednesdays to look after her daughter.

Pac stares at an imaginary camera. A meeting. Just him and Fit. Oh, Mike must never find out or he'll never let him off the hook for this.

Although the thought makes him a little nervous, he eventually replies that he's fine with it. He doesn't know why he's nervous. Of the two times they've spoken for real, Fit has been very nice, so there's no reason to stress. Fit has this comforting aura, like a big teddy bear, especially when you see how he behaves with his son. The florist would never hurt a fly. Yet Pac is nervous whenever he approaches Fit, and he'd like to be more at ease with him. Perhaps this reunion between the two of them could be the opportunity to make these tensions go away ?

A new ringtone startles him and that's how he remembers that he forgot to answer Bagi's text and completely stopped watching his episode. He'll have to read all his friend's messages to understand what he's missed. And how could Vanessa have done this in the first place ?

Wednesday arrives quickly and Pac leaves the garage, making sure Felps has the keys to lock up. He gets on his motorbike to go to his appointment. The shop is on the opposite side of his home from the garage, contrary to what he told Fit the other night when he went to see him. Fortunately, the journey wasn't long and he noticed that the shop seemed empty of customers. Through the bay window he spots Fit reading a book. The biker is too far away to see what the florist is reading, but he almost feels guilty for interrupting his reading, which looks captivating from Fit's concentrated but appeased face. Pac shouldn't stare at the florist through the bay window. He may look like a creep from the outside, but there's nothing but admiration in Pac's eyes. Fit is the kind of man who isn't necessarily everyone's type, but whom everyone agrees is charismatic and quite pleasing to watch. And his voice... damn. You don't want someone to get Pac started on that.

So the biker takes his time, but eventually enters the store with his motorcycle helmet under his arm. Pac is greeted by a mixture of flower and coffee smells as Fit stands up to greet him.

"I hope I'm not disturbing you. I'm a bit early," Pac says.

"Not at all, I was expecting you. As you can see, there aren't many people here. We should be able to talk in peace. Please, make yourself comfortable. I'll be right with the coffee. Did you have a good day ?"

"Yes, thank you. And you ?"

"It was a quiet day. It doesn't hurt once in a while."

After a long day at work, the idea of having a hot cup of coffee fills Pac with happiness. He sits down at the same table they used for their first meeting and waits for the florist to return, looking around. The shop is well kept, tidy even at the end of the day. It almost makes him jealous. He'd like his garage to be as well-maintained and smell as good as the Sinfonia shop, but there's a big olfactory difference between mufflers and flower petals.

Fit arrives, as promised, with two cups of coffee, which he places on the table before retrieving a notebook from the counter. Using catalogues and sketches drawn by Tina, Fit shows Pac what they've started to think about.

"Knowing a bit about Cellbit and Roier's tastes, we were thinking about a slightly modern style. We were thinking of using metal brackets to give an industrial look." Fit explains.

Pac nods, seeming to see the idea. "I've got some metal hoops in the garage that are useless. If I clean them up, they might come in handy, do you think ?"

"Excellent idea. We can braid the flowers to mix the industrial with the natural. A bit post-apocalyptic if you think about it."

"Cellbit will love it," Pac points out. "We've also got some old light bulbs that don't work any more. I've already seen on social media that they can be used as hanging lights but we can also use them as vases."

"And it can save us extra costs in buying vases and other materials. It's recycling, it's a great idea, Pac."

The mechanic watches the florist take many notes in his notebook.

"The flower sector, especially cut flowers, is quite a polluter. We're aware of that. So if we can lower the bill and our greenhouse gas emissions, it won't hurt." Fit resumes.

"Really ? Is that something close to your heart ?" Pac asks, curious.

"Of course. It's important for me, for Tina and for Missa. We're parents and we want to leave a decent world for our children. That's why Missa insists that our producers don't use pesticides and chemical fertilisers. We may be a little more expensive than the competition, but we try our best."

"I understand. I can't really speak because as a mechanic, the more cars we have, the better our business is, but we also try to be careful about our emissions. We don't run the engines when we don't have to, we use recycled parts when possible, all that sort of thing. Even at home, we're trying to be better... We're not perfect, but we're trying."

"Exactly. So ? Are you living with anyone ?"

Pac raises an eyebrow as he looks in Fit's direction but the florist pretends to be focused on his notebook.

"Apart from my best friend Mike, no. And Richas when he's home, of course."

"Richas must be happy to have multiple homes."

"He likes to move around. He finds it hard to stay put so it gives him a change of scenery. Now that he's got a little sister on Bagi's side and a step-brother on Cellbit's, I sometimes think he doesn't know where to put his thoughts."

Fit nods. He understands that for an eight-year-old, having such a big family must be as exciting as it is confusing.

"At least when he's at your place, he knows he'll have your full attention."

"Oh that's for sure ! And we'd better not let him out of our sight. He's a real tornado, our son." Pac waits a few seconds before resuming. "What about you, Fit ? Do you only live with Ramón ?"

"That's right. It's just the two of us. And that's fine with us. Ramón is the most important thing I have. I'm aware that sometimes he needs to see something else, that's why Phil helps me a bit."

"They’re a bit like an extended family to you."

"You could put it that way." Fit doesn't dare continue the subject but Pac seems chattier than he looks.

"And he's not here today ? I expected to see him."

"Dapper and Ramón are preparing a presentation together so they're working at BadBoyHalo’s this afternoon. Ramón wouldn't even tell me what topic they've chosen but knowing them, Quackity won't be bored during this presentation."

Pac laughs at this last remark.

After a few minutes' distraction talking about their children, the two men go back into their meeting. As they mix the salvaged materials that Pac will be cleaning and the flowers chosen by the florists, they begin to see their ideas turn into reality. It's all very encouraging and Pac can't wait to tell Cellbit all about it.
Their meeting is interrupted when the door to the shop opens and a boy with brown curls appears.

"Heeeey ! My boy !" Fit greets his son with arms wide open and Ramón gladly throws himself in. The scene immediately makes Pac smile, and he notices that BadBoyHalo is there too. Fit notices him too. "Hey Bad ! Thanks for bringing him back. Everything go okay ?"

"They were studious. At least when they got down to it. It wasn't easy, you know them. As soon as Dapper and Ramón get together, you have to chase after them. But they finished their presentation."

"Good work, Ramón. Did you say hello to Pac ?"

"Oh ! Hi Pac ! I recognised your bike outside the shop ! What are you guys doing ?"

"Hi Ramón, your dad and I are on a secret mission !"

Ramón's surprised expression made the three adults chuckle, although Pac tries to look serious to convince him. Ramón finally understands and giggles, rubbing his face against his father's T-shirt. He likes this kind of joke and doesn't want to offend Pac, so he doesn't say anything more.

"Hey Ramón, guess who came home this morning?"

The boy gasps and a huge smile spreads across his face.

"Madagascar !!!"

"Right ! I found it on the balcony when I came back from the gym. It doesn't have a scratch on it so I think it was just moping around."

"Can I go and see him ?" Ramón paces impatiently. Pac can almost see him trembling with excitement at the thought of seeing the so-called "Madagascar".

"Go on, son. Say goodbye to Uncle Bad and Pac and you can go upstairs."

"Bye Uncle Bad ! Bye Pac ! Thanks for spending time with Fit !"

And the boy runs out the door that leads to the stairs of their flat. Fit looks up with a smile.

"The cat hadn't been home since Monday night so he was a bit worried," he finally explains. "Thanks again Bad for taking him in this afternoon."

"No worries, Fit. It was nice to have him home. I'll let you get back to work. Good luck organising Cellbit and Roier's wedding. Work hard !"

"Bye Bad !"

The man left the shop as quietly as he had arrived, leaving Fit and Pac to return to their meeting. With all the commotion, though, it's hard to concentrate again.

"Ramón is adorable." Pac comments.

The phrase makes Fit chuckle. "He is. I'm lucky to be his dad."

Fit's comment makes Pac smile fondly. The mechanic can see the love Fit has for his son and is almost envious of how obvious it is. He hopes to leave that same impression on others when he talks about Richarlyson.

The two men agree to end their day on that note and take the opportunity to set a date for the next time. As Pac gets up, he notices the flowers Fit had shown them last time : red roses that will look wonderful as wedding decorations.

"You can have one." Fit's voice is heard.

Pac turns around to make sure he's understood correctly. Fit is gathering the papers that were on the table and doesn't meet Pac's gaze.

"Excuse me ?"

"A rose. You can have one. Gift for being so productive during our meeting."

"Fit, I can't accept. I know roses are the best selling flowers and-"

"Believe me Pac, if it would put the shop in a complicated situation I wouldn't give it to you but I assure you there will be no financial consequences if I give you this gift. But if you don't like roses, that's completely fine. I can choose another one."

"No, that's perfect ! I love roses ! Obrigado Fit !" Pac chuckles before resuming. “I still find it hard to believe you're single. A gentleman like you. People don't know what they're missing.”

The florist, taken aback, laughs softly, trying to hide his embarrassment, and takes care to take out a red rose and wrap it with paper before handing it to Pac, who takes it before finding himself a little silly.

"Something wrong ?" Fit asks.

"Um it's just... I don't know where to put it. I came by motorbike."

"Oh no. Sorry Pac, I should have thought of that."

Seeing that Fit is starting to get agitated too, Pac takes the initiative and puts the rose in his helmet box.

"Wait, look ! Tadah ! It won't be damaged by the journey. Thanks for the present, Fit."

"You're welcome, Pac. My pleasure."

There's a silence between them but, unlike the other night, it's not awkward. It's present without being oppressive. A comfortable silence that doesn't need to be filled by awkward exchanges.

"Get home safe, Pac. We'll be in touch."

"Sure thing, Fit. See you soon."

And so ends the second meeting on the floral decorations for Cellbit and Roier's wedding.

Returning to his flat, Fit is pleased to see Ramón playing with their cat, Madagascar, who doesn't seem traumatised by its adventure.

"Are you happy to have your best buddy back ?" Fit asks.

Ramón giggles at the question and nods. Fit was opposed to the idea of having a pet, especially a cat, but Ramón had asked for one for his ninth birthday. The boy's psychologist had encouraged them in this adoption process, as a cat is independent but requires responsibilities that will allow Ramón to put his priorities in order. Of course, listening to the arguments of a health professional who has been following her son since he was five finally convinced Fit to adopt a cat. They had found this little guy in a shelter and Ramón had quickly become attached to it. It was the obvious thing to do. It had now been over a year since Madagascar had joined their little family.
Fit had been surprised to see the effect this animal had on his child. Ramón's nights were less restless and he seemed calmer. Whenever the boy had panic attacks or cried at home, the cat was never far away to rub its head against his.
In the end, Fit has no regrets about adopting the cat. Even if it does drive him crazy sometimes.

"Fit ?"

"Hm ? What is it, my boy ?"

"Is Pac coming back soon ?"

It is definitely a question Fit hasn't expected.

"Yes, we still need to see each other to continue our secret mission. Why do you ask, Ramón ?"

"You were smiling when I arrived."

Fit stops moving when he hears this sentence. Indeed, he is aware that this early evening with Pac was pleasant, but only because the mechanic's presence is friendly. It would have been the same if Phil had been there, wouldn't it ? But no doubt Ramón noticed because Pac isn't Phil. And Fit is rarely so comfortable with people he hardly knows.

His thoughts are cut short by an announcement from Ramón.

"Richas came to see me today. He gave me something."

Fit doesn't have time to ask him what it is before the hazel-eyed boy has risen from his seat to rummage in his bag. He pulls out a small blue envelope which he hands to his father before climbing onto the kitchen table to sit down. Fit opens the envelope and finds an invitation card.

"Richas is having a party for his birthday. I'm invited."

Behind Ramón's nonchalant tone lies a certain excitement that only Fit can discern. The boy's father smiles as he sees the clumsy handwriting of the young Brazilian about to celebrate his eighth birthday.

"The party's at Cellbit, if I've got it right. They're doing it on the Sunday after April 30 because they know some parents work on Saturdays."

"It's very kind of them to have thought of it. We'll have to get him a present."

Ramón shrugs, which makes Fit realise that he'll have to be the one to think of and find a present.
But the florist is surprised he hadn't heard about it before. He thought that Pac would tell him about it during their meeting, but perhaps the mechanic himself doesn't know about this little party.

He doesn't dwell on it too much and turns his attention back to Ramón, who's dangling his feet in the air, his eyes following Madagascar as it walks around.

"You got something on your mind, my boy ?" Fit asks.

"Hm. I just thought there was going to be a lot of people at Richas's party..."

Ramón's social battery isn't as strong as other kids his age, but that's never been a problem for Fit, who's quite an introvert himself. If it becomes an anxiety for his son, he has to find a way to reassure him.

"Do you know who else is invited ?"

"Hm ? Chay, Dapper, Leo... Probably Pomme. If there's Chay, Lullah will be there. Richas's little sister Empanada will probably be there too. As it's happening at Cellbit and Roier, Pepito will be there."

"Sunny ?"

"I don't know."

"They're friends you like, aren't they ? Are you comfortable with them ?"

Ramón nods.

"Then I'm sure you'll have fun. It's in a different setting from school and there'll be more people all at once, but you'll only be surrounded by caring people who'll make sure you're comfortable. Cellbit will take care of that, I'm sure."

"If you say so."

"You'll want to talk about it a bit with Melissa, next week ?"

Again, Ramón nods. If there's anyone who'll be able to advise him on this social phobia, it's his psychologist, Melissa. Perhaps Fit will also need to discuss with her what approach to take to help Ramón through this anxiety. Fit takes out his phone and sets a reminder for when he's going to accompany Ramón to his therapist.

The boys' evening passes calmly. The purring of Madagascar, sitting on Ramón's lap, lulled the boy to sleep on the sofa, leaning against his father who put him to bed before quickly imitating him. Fit rarely stays in the living room once Ramón has gone to bed. He goes into his bedroom and reads until he falls asleep. Deep in his reading, he is startled by a noisy notification on his phone. Clearly, he has forgotten to put it on silent mode. He is even more surprised when he sees Pac's name on the screen.

- Oi Fit ! Sorry for the late message. I've just heard from Cellbit that Richas has invited Ramón to his birthday party. The parents are also invited, which is why Cellbit chose to do it on a Sunday. I'll be there, of course, and I hope to see you there :) Boa noite

Fit is about to type a reply when he receives a new message with a photo attached.

- I've put your rose in a soliflore. That's what it's called, isn't it ?

Fit smiles. Indeed, the rose is resting in a blue soliflore that seems to have been bought especially for the occasion. If he'd known, he'd have given one to Pac so he wouldn't have needed to buy one. As Fit had noticed from their first meeting, Pac is an attentive man who always has a kind word or gesture for the people he cares about. He could have avoided sending Fit a photo of the rose, but he did, showing that he was pleased with the gift. Fit is grateful. So he types a reply on his phone.

- Oi Pac :) I’ll see you there, then. Ramón and I will be happy to come to Richas' birthday party. Thanks for the invitation. Do you have any idea what we could get him as a present ?

Fit doesn't expect an immediate answer and puts his phone and book down on his bedside table before settling more comfortably into bed. He stares at the ceiling. Ramón never wanted to organise big birthday parties, even for his tenth birthday. They simply celebrated with Phil and his family and that was enough. At least, that's what Ramón had said. Perhaps Fit should insist a little more on finding out what his son really wants. He is perfectly aware that Ramón, his beautiful baby boy, often makes decisions based on what will suit Fit, leaving his own desires to one side. No matter how hard Fit fights this behaviour, and no matter how hard Melissa works on this particular point, Ramón doesn't want to change. Perhaps one day Ramón will allow himself to be the little boy he is.

According to Pac, the best present for Richarlyson's birthday is art supplies. So that's exactly what Fit bought him. He nearly choked when he saw the price of good quality brushes so he thought a set of brushes would make a great present. He'd already had a chance to see Richas' paintings and drawings, and the boy has a lot of talent at such a young age.

On the morning of the party, Fit is busy preparing a bouquet of flowers for Cellbit and Roier to thank them for welcoming them. They're due for lunch and Phil is driving to pick them up, so they mustn't dawdle.
Fit approaches the stairs to his flat. He prefers not to ask Ramón if he is ready, leaving his boy to prepare at his own pace. It had been a complicated night. Ramón had violent nightmares and Fit took him to his own bed so that they could end their night a little calmer. When they got up, Ramón's anxiety was still high. Fit even hesitated to cancel their coming to the party, but the boy insists on going.
Fit sighs. He knows he's doing everything right with his son, but he wishes he could do more. He just doesn't know how or what to do. Fit would give anything to take Ramón's nightmares and fears and give them to himself.

A noise at the shop door startles him. He sees Phil through the window and hurries to open the door to the little family.

"Hello Tio Fit !" Chayanne and Tallulah say together.

"Hello kids, come on in. I've almost finished the bouquet." Fit announces.

"Oh what a great idea. I should have bought one yesterday." Phil remarks.

"Come on Phil. You're my old friend. I can make you a bouquet in minutes to get you out of an embarrassing situation."

"You're too good to me, Fit."

"And he dares steal my lines."

The trio watch Fit set about the task and Tallulah draws her father's attention to ask where Ramón is. Chayanne is about to run for the door leading to the stairs but Fit gently stops him.

"Give him a minute, Chayanne. I'll come up and get him as soon as I've finished."

Phil doesn't need to ask any questions. He only has to look at his best friend's tired, sad eyes to guess that both boys have had a bad night.

"Is he going to be alright today ?" Phil asks cautiously.

"I hope so. He insists on going so I respect his choice."

Although he says this, Fit is very keen to call the whole thing off and have a quiet day with his baby boy. Yet he can't deprive Ramón of a beautiful day that could calm his fears and leave him with nothing but good memories. He'll keep an eye on him, that's for sure, but Fit knows he won't always be able to protect Ramón from his demons. He doesn't have the powers, although he'd like to.
Fit feels Phil's hand on his shoulder.

"Are you going to be alright, Fit ?"

Caught a little off guard, Fit flashes a small smile.

"A beer with my friends in the sunshine and the laughter of our children in the background. Of course I'll be fine."

He knows Phil isn't fooled but he can at least play pretend.
The British man nods. He will still keep an eye on Fit and Ramón.

The florist holds out the bouquet towards his friend.

"Thanks, mate. How much do I owe you ?"

"Nothing at all. Consider it a gift from your husband's shop."

"Wow. That's the closest thing I've got to a gift from Missa in several months."

Fit holds back a laugh. He knows that behind Phil's humorous tone, there's a spark of truth. They both have subjects they don't want to talk about. Missa's absence is one of them. But Fit knows that Missa will make it up to him. He knows how much his boss loves Phil, so he'll move mountains to make it up to him.

A noise at the door leading to the flat startles them. The small group sees Ramón pass through the door, which he closes behind him. Backpack on his back, the boy smiles at the Sinfonia-Minecraft family.

"Hello." Ramón says as he signs for Tallulah.

The two children hurry to join him and the trio soon find themselves caught up in a group hug that endears the parents. Phil and Fit exchange a look. They're lucky to have such adorable children.

"Hi Ramón. Have you forgotten anything at home ? Has the cat got enough to eat and drink for the day ?" Phil checks.

"Yes, sir ! Everything's ready !”

"Great. Fit ? Ready to go ?"

"Waiting for your signal."

"Then we're off, lads. All aboard !"

The children show their enthusiasm and Fit comes to ruffle his son's hair, offering him a little wink. Ramón just smiles. They don't need to exchange words, they understand each other perfectly.

The door is locked, the sun is shining in this early May and the little group climbs into Phil's family car, setting off for Cellbit and Roier's house to spend a day that will live long in their memories... For good reasons, they hope.

Chapter Text

In the LATAM neighbourhood, Cellbit and Roier's house is already full of life, even though lunchtime hasn't quite arrived yet. Richarlyson's excitement at the prospect of celebrating his birthday has contaminated Pepito, and the two boys are running around the house, almost making their parents dizzy.

The first guests soon arrive, and the house quickly descends into a cacophony of laughters and colours. Cellbit is happy to welcome friends he can't see as often as he'd like, like Etoiles and Baghera, who accompany their daughter, Pomme, who is also Richas' best friend. The Brazilian man is always happy to welcome the little Franco-Swiss girl, who is always polite and manages to calm Richas' foolishness by sharing art workshops, even though she easily follows her best friend's shenanigans. Especially if her big brother, Dapper, gets involved.
Cellbit glances at the boy, who always seems to be plotting something. No doubt he takes after his father, BadBoyHalo. Cellbit is sure it's not Baghera's influence... unless ?

“Gatinho ! There are people at the door !” Roier's intervention jolts Cellbit out of his thoughts.

He hurries to the door, behind which he discovers Phil, Fit and their children. A huge smile spreads across his face at the sight of them.

“Hey ! Welcome ! I'm glad to see you. Come on in !”

The two parents hand their bouquets of flowers to the host, who finds himself with his arms full of flowers.

“Fit made them.” Phil announces.

“Of course he did. Thanks Fit, they're beautiful. Guapito ! Look !”

“¡ Ey, gracias Felipe y Fit ! I'll get some vases. Kids, you can go play in the garden. The others are already there. Pac and Mike are watching.”

Phil chuckles at his Hispanic nickname. He's been called Felipe by the Spanish-speakers ever since he showed the results of his Spanish learning. Roier never misses an opportunity to use this nickname.

Another person likes to call him that, and that person quickly makes himself heard.

“Isn't that Felipe Minecraft ? Phil ! Fit ! My broooos !”

“Hahaha ! Hey Etoiles.” Phil replies, already hilarious at his friend's enthusiasm.

The Frenchman is just as quick to get into a conversation about his favourite video game as he is forcing his friends to play. While Phil is determined to get into the game and the conversation, Fit is a little more withdrawn, but listens all the same. He barely notices another person joining them.

“Is he talking about Smash Bros again ?”

“Hi Baghera.” Fit greets the young woman.

“Hi Fit ! Nice to see you today. Pierre and Antoine will be disappointed they didn't come.”

“I'll drop by the bakery one of these days. It's been a long time since I've seen you all.”

It's been five years since Pomme and all her parents lived above the bakery run by Baghera, Antoine and Niki. A friendly place with a small café area for people who want to take a break. Before everyone moved into this building, Baghera lived with her half-sister Jaiden and Pierre lived with his partner. Since the latter's death five years ago, the French-speakers have come together in the building where only Antoine and Etoiles used to live.

“Hm. We'd love for you to come by. We've improved our apple pie recipe again. We'll make one without cinnamon especially for Ramón.”

“That's really sweet, Baghera. Thank you. Ramón will be delighted. We'll try to stop by soon. I'll send you a message beforehand.”

“Of course ! I'll make sure Pomme is okay. See you later, Fit !”

Fit waves to the Swiss woman as she walks away to the garden.

Through the same glass door from which Baghera has just passed, Pac passes by and looks around the house a little before meeting Fit's gaze. The two men exchange a smile and Fit can feel his heart miss a beat. Pac's smile is truly charming. Anyone in their right mind can see it.

Roier returns to the main room carrying the two vases containing the bouquets. Pac's gaze is drawn to the assortment of colours. Fit joins them where Roier places the two bouquets.

“These flowers are beautiful.” Pac remarks.

“Claro. Fit, what are these flowers called ? The pink ones.” Roier asks.

“These are peonies. Here you have azaleas. There are camellias. I've added daisies, ranunculus and a few tulips. I wanted to give you colourful bouquets, which is what suits you best.”

“I'm even more excited to see what you're going to do for the wedding !”

“Oh, you won't be disappointed, Roier. Pac and I have come up with some great ideas. Tina and Missa are very excited too.”

Roier finds it hard to hide his excitement. The big day is approaching and the grooms-to-be are more radiant than ever. Fit is happy to see it. He was a little afraid that stress would get the better of them, but even Cellbit has a particular twinkle in his blue eyes.

Roier is called away so he leaves Fit and Pac alone with the flowers. Pac seems to be focusing all his attention on the bouquets and Fit can almost see the gears turning in his brain. The mechanic has an idea in mind from the small smile he's trying to suppress.

“Come on, tell me what you've got in mind.” Fit tells him.

“I was thinking we should definitely do pink and red boutonnieres. It'll stay a little in their colour theme, but it'll add a little pink touch that we won't get anywhere else in the ceremony.”

“I thought boutonnieres in Brazil were most likely yellow or white ?”

“Sim, sim, but I'm not sure Cellbit will really be paying attention. He'll be more focused on his future husband than the flowers he's wearing on his jacket.”

“Touché.”

Pac is so focused on the flowers that Fit takes advantage of the moment to observe him a little more than usual. He's already noticed the little pink scar Pac wears under his left eye, but Fit never asked about it. The blue streaks mixed with Pac's brown, almost black hair stand out a little more thanks to the brightness of the Cellbit house, and nobody wears this royal blue colour better than Pac.

Fit's observation is interrupted by the front door opening quite violently to let in the troublemakers from Quesadilla Island.

“Fobo's in the house !” Tubbo shouts as he enters.

“Girls, go and play with your friends, your dads are going to enjoy the party !” Foolish follows in the same tone.

The housemates Tubbo and Foolish are accustomed to making noisy entrances to amuse their daughters, Sunny and Leonarda respectively, and today is no exception.

“Shut up, Toby.” Etoiles and Phil make themselves heard.

“Wow. So we're into bullying as soon as I get there. That’s crazy.” Tubbo grumbles.

Pac and Fit exchange a look. No doubt about it, Fobo has arrived. Tubbo quickly notices the duo while Foolish has entered into an enthusiastic discussion with Etoiles and Phil.

“Hey Pookie,” Tubbo says. “I didn't know you two were friends.”

“Well yes, Tubbo, that's what happens when you don't check up on your friends” Fit replies in a sarcastic tone that makes Pac chuckle.

“Oooh, don't start with that, will you. You know I've been busy lately. Hey Pac, how are you ? Do you owe Fit money ? Is that why he's forcing you to hang out with him ?”

“Hey Tubbo. Don't you know that Fit and I are planning Cellbit and Roier's wedding together ? I'm in charge of the floral arrangements.”

“Oh, that's so exciting. I had no idea. I really need to catch up now that I've finished my rush period. I absolutely had to finish the plans for a new machine for some customers. Pierre assigned me this responsibility so I couldn't fail, you understand.”

Tubbo goes on about all the ups and downs he has had to go through to achieve his aims, listened to attentively by his two friends who are used to acting as a vent for the young engineer.

“I see you've been busy. It would be a shame if a certain someone felt let down.” Fit comments, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

“Huh ? Wait, who ?” Pac asks, confused before he understands. “Ooooh, so you know too, Fit.”

“Of course ! You know how Tubbo loves to talk about that person.”

“Hey man, I warned him I was going to be busy and he didn't reply so what do you want me to do, eh ? If I send him another message, he'll think I'm stalking him or worse, that I'm desperate. Which I'm not!”

Fit raises an eyebrow, not really convinced by the last sentence. Tubbo has had a crush on a member of the Quesadilla school campus administration named Fred for a while and, whenever he gets the chance, he talks about him constantly.

“Did you know he stopped by the shop the other day ?” Fit declares.

“What ? And you didn't tell me ? I thought you were my friend, Fit !”

“Not desperate, eh...” Pac comments.

“He came by on Tuesday, I think. He bought a little bouquet. He said something about wanting to bring a little life to his office at work.”

“Aaaawwwww... He's so endearing.” Tubbo sighs.

Fit rolls his eyes as Pac chuckles. Not desperate at all.

“Pa ! Pa ! Pa !”

Sunny's little voice is heard throughout the living room until she reaches the trio's level.

“What's the matter, Poppet ?”

“Everyone complimented my dress !” Sunny announces proudly.

“As they should. Fit, Pac, compliment my daughter.”

“Your dress is very pretty, Sunny. I hope it costs your father a lot of money.” Fit declares, ignoring Tubbo's “that's crazy” upon hearing what he's just said.

“You look very elegant, Sunny.” Pac continues.

“Thank you Uncle Fit and Pac. The dress cost... hmmm... Two diamonds !”

The two adults pretend to be impressed by what Sunny has just said, who, satisfied with these compliments, goes back to play in the garden.

“Tubbo, I didn't know you were so rich as to pay in diamonds.” Pac comments.

“I have a little money saved up, indeed. Hm. Nah. No, I don't. It's a bit of a struggle at the moment, but Foolish and I are doing okay. Luckily, our jobs pay pretty well and it's cheaper to share than to live on our own. Foolish should really think about claiming child support from his man.”

Fit wants to signal to Tubbo to keep his voice down, as he knows the subject is sensitive, but fortunately everyone's attention is drawn to Roier, who calls them into the garden for the barbecue.

Fit is about to follow them, but takes a moment to arrange the bouquets, his florist's instinct taking over. His hand comes up against an object hidden behind the vases. Wanting to make sure he hasn't broken anything, Fit moves the vases to reveal a photo frame, and his heart immediately sinks as he recognizes the photo's subject : a little boy with messy brown hair held in place by a blue headband, wearing overalls of the same blue and a mischievous grin on his face.

“Bobby...” Fit murmured. “I hope you're still making mischief where you are.”

Feeling the emotion catch him by the throat, Fit puts all the objects back in exactly the same place. No matter how many years have passed, the pain is still raw and Fit often wonders how Roier manages to keep such a smile and his optimism after what he's been through. He'd rather not imagine what life would be like if Ramón had been in Bobby's place.

On the way back to the garden, Fit notices Cellbit looking at the time on his phone. He checks to see who's there and who's not, and indeed Bagi is missing, which surprises the florist. Fit just hopes the young woman hasn't run into any problems, and hesitates to send Tina a message to see if everything's all right with them. Phone in hand, he barely notices when someone approaches him.

“Look at that. Isn't that the man who gave my brother a rose ?”

Fit lifts his head and sees Mike standing before him, arms crossed and grinning.

“Hey Mike ! Did Pac show you the rose ?”

“You think ! He tried so hard to hide it and denied everything when I questioned him, but I managed to get it out of him. He can't lie to me anyway.”

Fit smiles. It's obvious that Mike cares for Pac as if he were his blood brother, and he knows the feeling is mutual.

“So what's up, man ? What's going on with you and Pac, Fit ?” Mike picks up.

“What, a man can't give another man a flower without having ulterior motives ?”

“A flower, yes. But a red rose ! I'm not a flower specialist like you, Fit, but I have someone in my life and I know what I'm doing when I offer red roses as a gift.”

“There was no dishonest intent behind my gesture, Mike. I promise. Pac seemed very interested in the red roses and I wanted to express my gratitude to him for being so involved in the wedding floral project.”

“Hm. Is that all ?”

“What else do you want there to be ?”

Mike nods, not fully convinced but drops it for now. After continuing the conversation on something else, he eventually leaves Fit, who is quickly joined by Ramón, who seemed to be waiting for his father to be alone.

“Everything all right, Ramón?”

“Hm. Everyone's being nice. I'm glad Sunny's here.”

Fit ruffles the boy's hair as he stands beside him for a few moments. Fit doesn't mind. He knows Ramón needs to recharge his batteries.

Pac approaches the two boys and crouches in front of Ramón.

“Heeey Ramón. Look what I've got. It's a Brazilian specialty, it’s called pão de queijo. You can translate it as cheese bread. Would you like to try ?”

The boy nods and the mechanic cuts a dumpling in half and hands half to Ramón before eating the other half. Ramón tastes the piece and after a few seconds, Fit can see something light up in Ramón's eyes. From the look on Pac's face, he's noticed the same thing.

“So ?” Pac asks.

“It's delicious ! Fit ! Can I have some more, please ?”

“Go ahead Ramón. Ask Cellbit, he'll be happy to know you like it.”

Without further notice, Ramón runs in the direction of the party host before stopping abruptly and returning to Fit and Pac.

“Thanks Pac !”

Then he runs back to Cellbit's position, whose face lights up with a smile when he hears the boy's request. Pac stands up, his eyes shining a little.

“He likes you,” Fit comments.

“That's awesome. I really like Ramón too. He's amazing, that kid.”

“You're preaching to the choir, Pac. Thanks for showing him this specialty.”

“No problem. My pleasure. I saw Ramón was a little behind, so I wanted to make sure everything was okay.”

Fit takes a moment to integrate that last sentence. Few people pay real attention to children other than their own, so knowing that Pac is concerned about Ramón's well-being is important to Fit. Pac is so caring.

“He sometimes gets anxious in large groups. Especially when he's surrounded by people he doesn't really know. He was so happy to be invited by Richas. I think he takes it upon himself to appear comfortable.”

“I see. If there's anything I can do, let me know.”

“Thanks Pac. Really.”

“It's the least I can do, Fit.”

The duo doesn't notice that, a little further on, they're being watched discreetly by a certain man in a green and white hat. Tubbo, next to him, continues to tell how he managed to get a machine working that Pierre couldn't fix. Phil hasn't been listening to him for a while.

“You know, I could keep pretending to talk into the void, but I'm more curious about what you're thinking.” Tubbo finally says.

“Nothing Toby, don't worry. I was just wondering how to encourage a friend to get out of his comfort zone.”

“Easy, you push him.”

“Everything seems so easy with you, Toby.”

“Of course ! Life's too short to make it complex ! That's why I went for the simple stuff to figure out how to fix the machine. Keep it simple !”

“Ah yes, the same way you handle your relationship with your crush... Keep it simple.”

“Hey man ! I've got my whole life ahead of me, I can make it harder for myself. For you... well, that's different. Keep it simple. Now that I've solved your problem, you listen to me.”

Phil rolls his eyes with a smirk. Although his attention is now on the young engineer, he's keeping in mind that he'll have to have a little chat with Fit. He knows that look he can see in Fit and Pac's eyes. He's seen it enough to recognize that special spark of affection. But Phil knows that Fit is far too withdrawn to see it.

All the guests feast on the barbecue prepared by the day's hosts, and then it's time for the cake. The birthday cake was made by the bakery's owners, Antoine, Baghera and Niki. It's a layered cake that they've decorated in the colours of Brazil and written “Richarlyson” all around it. Everyone can see the little stars shining in the eyes of the king of the party, who hurries off to give his tia Baghera a hug to thank her for going to so much trouble for him. Then a hug to his tio BadBoyHalo for no apparent reason, but why not. Fit catches Baghera discreetly wiping away a small tear of emotion. He knows her to be sensitive, so he just smiles without comment. His attention quickly returns to Richas, who seems a little hesitant before blowing out his candles.

“What is it, Richas, mon petit frérot ?” Etoiles asks.

“Pai, shouldn't we wait for Mãe ? I don't want to blow out my candles without her.” the little boy says to his father.

With a badly hidden pout of frustration, Cellbit hurriedly grabs his phone and taps on it before putting it to his ear while Roier and Etoiles take care of extinguishing the lit candles. The Brazilian walks away, but his voice can still be heard. And if Fit doesn't understand Portuguese, it's easy to see that Cellbit is angry with his sister. He returns a few minutes later, a false smile serving to reassure his little boy.

“Bagi's coming, Richas, if you want to wait for her.”

Richas lets out a squeal of delight and runs into the garden to show his excitement, much to the amusement of the adults. He's quickly followed by Pepito, then Leonarda and Sunny before all the kids get into it. At least they'll sleep well that night.

“I might have to carry them both home,” Phil remarks with a laugh.

“Watch your back, old man.” Fit replies.

Despite the obvious joke, there's some truth to the florist's request. Phil has been suffering from a back injury for some fifteen years. He needs to be careful not to injure himself further. The blond man just gives his long-time friend a gentle nudge on the shoulder. He understands the implication. He always gets it, anyway.

“I saw you chatting with Pac. Looks like the ice has been broken after all.” Phil resumes.

“We're getting along fine. He really likes Ramón. He also had some great ideas for the wedding decorations. I can't wait to get started.”

“Hm. So many qualities.”

“For now.”

Phil rolls his eyes. “Oh for God's sake, Fit. Don't be so defensive. Be a little more optimistic as your circle of friends expands. You just said you can't wait to get the flower arrangements ready, that means you're enjoying his company.”

“When I say ‘we’, I'm mostly talking about Tina and me. But yes, I imagine Pac will help us too. And I'm not going to lie. Yes, I do enjoy his company.”

“There you go ! A little positivity !”

Their conversation is interrupted by voices from inside the house. Cellbit also walks quickly to greet Bagi and Tina with a glare. Fortunately, he's quickly stopped by Roier's friendlier presence.

“We're sorry we're late. Empanada had a little problem this morning. We had to take care of her before coming.” Bagi explains as she strokes her daughter's hair while she’s resting in her arms.

Indeed, the little girl doesn't look at her best, but she still offers Roier a small smile.

“Oh no. Are you sick, Empanada ?” He asks, addressing mostly the moms.

“Nothing contagious. Just indigestion.” Tina explains.

“You poor thing. Do you have the strength to go and play with your big brother and the others ?”

Getting a nod, Roier takes Empanada from Bagi's arms and heads out into the garden, announcing the little girl's arrival to everyone, followed closely by Tina, who reluctantly leaves Bagi to face Cellbit.

“Richas has been waiting for you.” Cellbit says coldly.

“I know. I'm sorry. You know we can never predict these little incidents.”

“And what did it cost you to warn us ? We could have made other arrangements. But no, you were too busy taking care of Empanada that you forgot about Richas. Be careful, it's beginning to show who's your favourite.”

“Cellbit !”

Bagi's voice betrays how hurt she is by her brother's remark. She can't help but look around to see if Richarlyson can hear them. Fortunately, his innocent little ears seem far away.

“How can you say that ? I love Richas as much as I love Empanada. They're both my children ! You know they are ! I understand you're angry because I didn't warn you sooner, but there's no need to be so cruel.”

“I rather think that-”

Cellbit is interrupted by Richas's voice echoing through the living room as he runs to join his mother.

“Mãe ! We're going to blow out the candles ! Pai ! We've got to relight the candles !”

Bagi carries Richas in her arms and kisses his cheek.

“É claro, Richas. After the candles, it's time for...?”

“Presentes !!!”

Bagi laughs as she leads her son into the garden, not giving another glance to her brother, who continues to give her angry glares.

He takes a moment to breathe and runs his hand over his face before taking a step towards the bay window. He's stopped by the sight of Pac, Mike and Felps, who seem to be waiting for him before the opening.

“Oi.”

“Cellbo, don't be unfair to Bagi. Okay ?” Mike begins.

“We heard what you said to her. Good thing Richas was too busy saying hello to his little sister.” Pac continues.

“Do you realise the consequences this could have on Richinhas if he heard you ? Even you don't mean what you just said. But him ?” Felps finishes.

Cellbit sighs and remains silent for a moment. Yes, he spoke out of frustration, but he just wants everyone to give Richarlyson as much attention as he does. The little guy deserves it.

“Cellbit, we've known you since you were a teenager. But Bagi has known you forever. She's been fighting to find you. Stop trying to push her away. She's family. Our family.” Pac insists.

“Pac is right. This family you'll soon be enlarging with your wedding ! Don't ruin it ! Richas is so happy!” Mike resumes.

Felps simply nods.

“Okay. I get it. I'll apologise to her. Now let's enjoy our son's birthday. I don't want to argue with you”

Felps tries to put his hand on Cellbit's shoulder, but Cellbit dodges the gesture and goes out into the garden, looking neutral so as not to worry anyone. Especially Roier and Richarlyson.
Inside the house, the three men sigh.

“Caraca... The next wedding preparation meetings are going to be so much fun” Pac announces, a defeatist look on his face.

“Yeah, it's about time this ends. He's on edge.” Felps points out.

“Of course, it's us he's taking out his nerves on. Roier must only have the ‘pacing around the house’ version of Cellbit.” Mike says.

Taking it upon themselves, Pac, Mike and Felps return outside the house to celebrate with the rest of the guests the birthday of their son, who is just waiting for them to blow out his candles.

Fortunately for the three friends, the rest of the party goes off without a hitch. Richas's enthusiasm for his presents never ceases to make the adults laugh.

As the day progresses into early evening, one by one the children begin to fall asleep. Leonarda and Pepito are comfortably asleep in the arms of Foolish, who must be fed cakes by who’s willing to.

“I'm going to have numb arms,” he comments jokingly.

“Enjoy. One day they'll be too big for you to carry.” Fit replies.

Foolish takes on a falsely shocked look and rests his head against his daughter's. Clearly, this isn't a conversation he wants to have, and Fit understands perfectly.

On Fit's lap, Ramón quietly eats a piece of cake. The florist runs his hand over his little boy's forehead to brush a few strands of hair out of his face. He'll have to consider making an appointment with the hairdresser for his son. Fortunately, the boy seems to have had a good day, but it's a discussion Fit looks forward to having at home.

“Well, I guess it's time to go home.” Phil announces as Chayanne settles on his lap. “Are you ready, Chay ?”

“Do you want me to carry Lullah to your car ?” Bad offers since it's on his lap that the little girl has decided to settle down and fall asleep.

“I don't mind, Bad. Thank you. Fit ? Is it good for you ?”

Fit questions Ramón, who nods. Cellbit takes the opportunity to get up and go inside the house. He returns a few minutes later with a small tupperware.

“Here, Ramón. I put what's left of the pão de queijo in there.”

“Oh ! Um...” Ramón hesitates for a moment. “Obrigado, Tio !”

Cellbit's eyes light up at Ramón's thanks. “Aww, de nada, sobrinho.”

“Richas taught me,” the boy explains, cheeks a little flushed.

“That makes me really happy, Ramón !” Cellbit replies, sincerely touched.

“You're doing really well, Ramón !” Pac congratulates him.

The five Brazilians congratulate Ramón on his learning. It's on this positive note that the Sinfonia-Minecraft family, plus two extras, leave Richarlyson's birthday party, too busy being asleep in Bagi's arms to say goodbye to his guests.

In the car, Fit is surprised to feel his phone vibrate in his pocket. Afraid he's forgotten something at Cellbit and Roier, he quickly unlocks his phone and sees a message from Pac.

- It was great to see you and Ramón today. Will I see you soon ?

A small smile appears on Fit's face as he tries to hide it behind his hand. He thinks for a moment before answering.

- It was a pleasure for me too. I’ll see you very soon, Pac :)

He hurriedly locks his phone and puts it back in his pocket, although the smile doesn't disappear from his face. Next to Fit, in the driver's seat, Phil takes a quick look at his friend and notices that little smile on his lips. Phil smiles a satisfied smile but says nothing. It's not time for that conversation.

Chapter Text

Just as promised to Baghera during Richarlyson's birthday party, Fit and Ramón planned a father-son outing to the "La Lune" bakery run by Antoine, Baghera and Niki. The mix of French, Swiss and German cultures makes this place unique and very popular on Quesadilla Island.
As Fit imagined, the place is very lively. This is to be expected, as when school lets out, some parents take the opportunity to buy a snack for their child or bread for the house.

It's not often that Fit and Ramón get a moment alone outside the house. When they do go out, they're usually in the company of Phil, Chayanne and Tallulah or Tubbo and Sunny. Both boys like to spend quiet evenings at home, either watching cartoons or playing games together.

Ramón recently began to discover chess, after being introduced to it at school. Not many children were interested, but that was the case for Ramón, who continues to learn more about the subject. Undoubtedly, he has taken his father with him because he needs an opponent to train with.
Fit has already suggested that Ramón join a chess club, but the boy doesn't feel ready yet, preferring to take his time. Fit doesn't want to rush him, even though he knows that a bit more interaction with the outside world would be good for his little boy, who likes to stay in the comfort of his own home and small family circle.

However, since Richarlyson's birthday party, Ramón seems to be showing more interest in doing things outside the home. In fact, it was Ramón who insisted on going out to the bakery that day. If that's what Ramón wants, Fit will do it.

When they finally arrive at the counter, the boys are immediately greeted by Niki's kind smile.

"Fit ! Ramón ! Welcome ! We've prepared a table for you. What can I get you ?" the young woman asks.

"Hi Niki. Well... Baghera told us about your new apple pie recipe. What do you think, Ramón ?"

The boy nods.

"Yes, we've changed the recipe ! Baghera has made one without cinnamon for you. You can settle in and I'll bring it to you. Your table is the one in the recess. You'll be a little away from the other customers."

After an exchange of knowing glances, Fit thanks Niki sincerely. The young woman knows about Ramón's anxiety and she always makes sure that the boy is comfortable at La Lune. Fit never knows how to show his gratitude to Niki for the attention she gives Ramón. Perhaps a bouquet of flowers ? He'll have to think about it.

The two boys sit down at the table provided after Fit has paid for the pie. The atmosphere in the bakery is as pleasant as ever. The walls are painted dark red and white, decorated with a few paintings and photo frames. The walls match the red wood chosen for the floor. The background music is neither too loud nor too low, and makes you want to bob your head to the beat.

Ramón looks around, his hazel eyes seeming to scan the bakery with the same curiosity as if he were discovering it for the first time. A tender smile spreads across Fit's face. He's always loved Ramón's curiosity.

"What is it ?" Ramón asks, noticing the look on his father's face.

"Do you remember, when you were little, I took you to the beach for the first time. You were so amazed by the shells that you spent the whole day collecting them, you didn't even go swimming in the ocean."

"Hmm... No. I don't remember that. When are we going back to the beach ?"

"We can go when the weather's better, if you like."

"I'd like that. I probably haven't finished collecting all the shells on the beach yet." he finished his sentence with a mischievous little smile that made his father laugh.

It would be another opportunity for Ramón to discover new horizons. Maybe they could take advantage of a weekend to go away. Whether it's just the two of them or in the company of the Sinfonia-Minecraft family. In any case, this trip to the seaside will have to take place after Cellbit and Roier's wedding, because as the days go by, the date gets closer and closer, and something in the air makes Fit think that the next few weeks are going to be exhausting for him and his team.

Their conversation is interrupted by the arrival of Niki, who serves them apple pie. It's not long before Ramón starts devouring it. Fit ends up wondering if he's preparing a big enough meal for his little boy at lunchtime. Maybe he'll increase the portions a bit.

Ramón's eyes light up and he begins to fidget in his chair. It's a little habit he has when he really likes the food. Fit takes his turn and, indeed, this new recipe deserves its success. Not too sweet, but the caramel adds the necessary sweetness to limit the acidity of the apples that melt in the mouth.

"I've got the feeling we were right to buy a whole one to take home. Right, Ramón?"

With his mouth full, Ramón nods briskly and a loud laugh draws their attention. They see Antoine walking in their direction.

"That's quite a compliment. It's rare to see you so enthusiastic, Ramón," says the bakery's co-owner, ruffling the boy's hair.

"Hi Antoine" Fit greets.

"It's delicious, Antoine !” Ramón replies with great enthusiasm.

"I'm happy you say so. It's good to see you both."

Antoine pulls up a chair and takes a seat at the boys' table, going straight on to the elements of the recipe that he has modified, without going into detail to keep things a little secret. As Etoiles is diabetic, they keep a very close eye on the sugar levels in their pastries and viennoiseries. This inclusiveness sets them apart from the competition.

Speaking of the devil, Etoiles enters the bakery with Pomme’s little hand in his. The little girl rushes over to Antoine who grabs her in his arms before making her sit on his lap.

"Heeeeey Baby ! Bonjour !"

"Wow. You weren't so enthusiastic when you saw me picking you up at school, Pomme. What's with the favouritism ?" Etoiles says, pretending to be offended. Fortunately, Pomme is used to her father's dramatic manner and just laughs.

"Did you see we had guests, Pomme ?" Antoine asks.

"Yes. Hello Fit and Ramón."

"Bonjour, Pomme. Did you have a nice day ?" Fit asks.

The little blonde girl nods and shyly hides her face against her father, much to the amusement of the adults.

"I didn't see you at the gym today, Fit." Etoiles comments.

"Well no, today I took care of the opening to finish earlier so I could spend some time with Ramón. I'll go climbing tomorrow morning."

"Cool ! And you can come and stick-fight me !"

Fit can't even negotiate when Etoiles announces this sort of thing. As owner of the gym and dojo, the French man has full powers and likes to play with it with his friends who use the gym. Fit is lucky enough to be one of them. Although he sometimes jokes about whether it's really luck, he knows that Etoiles is someone he can count on and who takes all types of disability into account.

"By the way, Pac came by this morning before opening the garage. I didn't know you'd never met before you teamed up for the wedding flowers. It's crazy though. You go to the same gym, you have friends in common but you've always missed each other !" Etoiles continues.

"It's just that it wasn't the right time for them to meet."

Baghera arrives in their direction and Pomme immediately jumps from Antoine's lap into her mother's arms, who kisses her on the cheek.

"Coucou Pomminette !" the Swiss woman says to her daughter before turning her attention to Ramón. "Coucou Ramón ! I understand you like the pie I made you. What I hear is that I may have to make a few more without cinnamon."

"Thank you Baghera, it's really delicious. You've outdone yourself with this recipe." Fit compliments.

The baker thanks him and suggests that Pomme go and play in her room with Ramón while the adults chat. With his father's approval, Ramón follows the little Franco-Swiss girl to spend some time with her, both guided by Etoiles, while Antoine quickly returns to the counter to make sure everything is going well with Niki.

That leaves Baghera, who settles in where Ramón was sitting before and crosses her arms in front of her, a little smirk on her face. She has this strange sparkle in her eye and Fit has a feeling he's not going to like the rest of the conversation.

"You know, I've been watching you and Pac a bit during Richas's birthday party. You seem to be getting along really well."

"Yeah, we do." Fit nods.

The young woman rolls her eyes. "You know what I mean."

Although not her oldest friend, Baghera has always proved to be a loyal friend and a true confidante to Fit. Especially five years ago when they were in the darkest times of their lives. That's why Fit wants to be honest with Baghera.

"I don't know what to tell you. I get on well with Pac and I think I can say we're friends but I'm not sure there's anything more to it."

"But would you like it ? That there was more between you ?"

"Baghs..." Fit puts his face in his hands.

"What ? Of course I'm asking. How long has it been since you've been on a date ? You haven't allowed yourself anything since your ex left. And even less since the accident." She moves a little closer to Fit to look him in the eye. "Fit. You have a right to be happy."

"I have to look after Ramón. He's the one who makes me happy. He's my only priority."

Fit's categorical tone left little room for conversation but the young woman was undaunted.

"Ramón is happy. And he'll be even happier if you allow yourself to be happy too. I know how much you love your son, but you can give yourself the opportunity to love someone else. Not all men are like your ex. Pac is a good man. You know that."

"You sound as if I've admitted to you that I have feelings for him."

"Just look at the way you look at him. I've seen several of my friends look at other people the same way. Foolish, Cellbit, Bagi, Pierre... I can go on. But above all you have to ask yourself the right questions and be honest with yourself. I just hope you know you have friends you can count on. And I'm one of them !"

Fit takes a moment to think about what his friend has just said. Perhaps, indeed, he will have to take a moment to think about it. Some time. Not today.

"Thank you Baghera. I know I can count on you."

"You're welcome. Now I'm going to change the subject because I know you don't want to talk about it anymore ! Did anyone tell you that Cellbit and Roier asked us to take care of their wedding cake ? We absolutely have to talk about it ! I'm sure we can come up with some ideas that will intersect !"

The professional in Fit is suddenly curious to learn more. Baghera leaves to find her colleague and long-time friend and they both return to sit at Fit's table, notebook in Antoine's hand. When he opens it, Fit can see sketches of wedding cakes and pièces montées with annotations in French that he finds hard to understand.

"I suppose you have to follow the blue white and red theme too?" Antoine asks.

Fit nods. "I’m starting to think he was inspired by his international friendships."

The French speakers laugh at the florist's joke. They had thought the same thing when Cellbit had told them about his plans for his wedding. Although these are Roier's favourite colours, the theme has a very patriotic vibe.

"We were thinking of a very classic white vanilla icing but with a poaching of coloured cream flowers that would remind us of the flowers you've chosen for the decoration. Blue, white and red flowers of course." Baghera explains.

"It's a great idea. Pac and I were talking about it the other day and Tina and Missa agreed. We'd like to use a mixture of recycled materials to support the flowers. Old metal hoops, old light bulbs, tin cans... it mixes two worlds and gives it an industrial feel that the bride and groom might like. We're still waiting for the go-ahead to get started.” Fit replies.

The idea also seems to appeal to pastry chefs. They can create industrial chocolate decorations that they will cover with metallic edible colouring to create trompe-l'oeil effects on the cake. The positive opinion of colleagues is always good to take and it reassures Fit a little. The florist makes a short list of the main flowers chosen for the decoration. The most important being the red roses.

"Jaiden and Bobby's favourite flowers." Baghera comments.

Both men nod. "I think it will please Roier that we are paying tribute to his eldest son." Antoine continues.

"Is Jaiden your contact for the cake ?" Fit asks. The other two nod. "Have you spoken to her about it ?"

"Not yet. I don't want to tell her outside of a proper meeting. She'll be popping in to see us at the end of the week." Baghera replies.

"How is she ? I haven't seen her for a while."

"You know her, she's very involved in the planning of Roier's wedding. And her job takes up a lot of her time, obviously. You'll see her at the wedding, that's for sure."

"I'd love to. It's been a long time."

Etoiles comes back into the room at this point and notices the atmosphere has grown heavier.

"Ramón is helping Pomme with her homework. They've refused my help. What am I good for now ? Anyway, you were talking about the wedding cake ? The cake you made for Richas's birthday was really good ! We loved it ! By the way, did you hear about the fight between Cellbit and Bagi ?"

The atmosphere changes completely on hearing the dojo owner’s last sentence. Neither Fit nor Baghera seem to know, so Etoiles continues.

"They tried to be discreet but I could see from the look on Tina's face that something was wrong, so I went over and heard them arguing. I'm not bilingual in Portuguese but there are words similar to French so I was able to pick up a few things. Mostly I think Cellbit is stressed out and has unfairly put a bit of pressure on Bagi. Pac, Mike and Felps stepped in so I let them get on with it.”

"I had no idea." Fit admits.

"Well, they weren't going to brag about it." Antoine replies.

Baghera smirks and meets Fit's eyes. He can almost read her thoughts, so he rolls his eyes. No, Pac hasn't told him and Fit doesn't expect him to anyway.

Etoiles' intervention had the benefit of improving the atmosphere between the adults, who continued to chat a little more cheerfully, one subject after another, almost forgetting about the customers around them.
One of the subjects discussed was Pomme’s forthcoming birthday. Like Tallulah, she's about to turn nine but doesn't want to have a birthday party. Apparently, the little girl only wants to celebrate with her family, something she has in common with Ramón, although Pomme's family is significantly bigger than Ramón's.

It's precisely when the customers start flocking to the bakery that Fit decides to pick up Ramón and leave Baghera and Antoine to work. The boy seems to have had a great time with Pomme and even leaves with a new drawing to put up in his room. Apparently, the two children drew and gave each other their creation. Ramón has received a nicer present than Pomme, but neither of them is really paying attention. The most important thing was the time they shared together.

The days are ticking by and there's just over a month to go until the wedding. The warmer weather has arrived, and with all the festivities going on, the florists at the Sinfonia shop have their hands full.
In order to be more efficient, Tina and Fit have divided up their roles so that they can work faster and don’t work themselves to death. Tina deals more with the usual orders for their customers and Fit deals more with the wedding-related orders, as he was the one who attended all the meetings.

In fact, Tina's idea of dividing up the work like this isn't entirely innocent. Having the fofoca queen as a girlfriend allows Tina to realise a few things, especially the way Pac looks at Fit. Oh how she knows that look. That admiration and nervousness are typical of a big crush. She's sure of it. Although she has no idea why Pac would be attracted to Fit, if it means that it will make Bagi happy to know her best friend is happy, then Tina is ready to play matchmaker. So, indeed, maybe letting Fit do most of the wedding flower arranging so he can get closer to Pac is just one more step in making Bagi happy. But can you blame Tina for that ?

At least that's what she thinks as she watches Fit on the phone with their suppliers about a new order. With her chin resting in her hand, she watches him pacing back and forth, scratching the back of his head. Clearly they're going to have to work overtime again if the suppliers can't meet their demands.
With a sigh, Fit hangs up and puts his phone back in his pocket before noticing his colleague's gaze on him.

"What's the matter ?"

"You're getting very involved in this project, that's rare." she notices.

"Of course I am. Cellbit and Roier are our friends. Your future brothers-in-law, even." Tina scrunches her nose at these words but Fit continues. "They trust us, we can't let them down. This is the finish line."

"Hmmm... And it would please Pac if everything went to plan."

"Yes, it would cause him less stress and he wouldn't have to worry about it much- Wait a second. Why are we talking about Pac all of a sudden ?"

Tina has to fight with all her might not to laugh. Fit's flushed face is hilarious. There's no doubt in Tina's mind that Pac's crush on Fit is mutual.

However, Tina doesn't have time to say anything else when the shop door opens, ringing the little bell. This attracts the attention of the two florists, who gasp out of surprise when they see who has just entered the shop.

"Hola friends, I'm home ! I heard you needed help."

"Missa !" Tina exclaims as she comes running from behind the counter to greet the newcomer.

"Hey ! Hi boss ! We weren't expecting to see you !" Fit continues in the same cheerful tone.

"I'm back earlier than expected. Aaah, I missed you guys !"

Missa grabs his two colleagues for a group hug which amuses Tina and Fit until they notice the bags and suitcases sitting behind their boss.

"Hang on a second, Missa. Did you just get back ?" Fit asks.

"Well yes, I got off the plane and took a taxi straight here. We've got a lot of work ahead of us."

The other two exchange a look, dumbfounded. And without exchanging a single word, they both grab their boss's things before heading for the stairs that lead to Fit and Ramón's flat.

"Eh-" the shop owner begins.

"You're going to get some rest." Tina announces firmly.

"Huh ? But no, we've got work to do and I-"

"Yes. Tina and I have work to do. You're going to take a nap. What will Phil think if he sees you so tired, eh ?"

The mere mention of Phil makes Missa shy and silent. Indeed, after not seeing him for several months, he's hoping to make a good impression on his husband.

"He doesn't know I'm back today."

Fit nearly misses a step on hearing this. The two florists quickly turn to their boss. Seeing the dejected look on Missa's face as he realises all by himself that he may have made a mistake by not announcing his return, they prefer not to add anything and simply pat him on the back to support and reassure him. Tina and Fit put Missa's bags in the hallway of Fit and Ramón's flat.

"You can take a shower if you like, and you can sleep in my room. Make yourself at home. Don't mind the mess, we haven't had time to tidy up." Fit explains.

"That's perfect, thanks Fit. Thanks Tina. I'm really glad to see you both."

"Come on, stop the dramatics for a bit and get some rest." Tina says before leaving the flat. "We'll come and get you to pick the kids up from school ! It's time for you to go home !"

Fit laughs softly at Tina's temperament and Missa's emotional expression. After all, she's right. It's time Missa is reunited with his family.

The florists are a little late picking up their children from school, dragging Missa's luggage with them. Fortunately, school has just finished, but there's already a horde of parents outside the gates. They won't be able to stand at the entrance.

Being tall enough, Fit manages to notice the people present, in particular the person in charge of the students' exit and a teasing smile spread across his face before turning to Missa.

"What do we have ? What a happy coincidence. Look who's at the gate, Missa."

The shop owner gesticulates to try and catch a glimpse of the person and his heart sinks as he recognises Phil. His green and white hat on his head and his kind smile on his lips as he wishes every student who passes through the gate a good evening. Phil is exactly the same man Missa left behind. A small, emotional sound comes from Missa's mouth and it takes a lot for Fit and Tina not to giggle loudly.
Tina gives her boss a little nudge on the shoulder.

"Go and see him. Go find your husband and your children."

Missa nods slightly and as the parents start to leave with their offspring, leaving more visibility for those behind, Missa spots Chayanne and Tallulah next to Phil. The children seem to be telling their father all about their day as he turns his back to Missa. Oh, how he's missed them.

It's Chayanne who turns his head to Missa first. The blonde boy opens his mouth in shock and his blue eyes quickly fill with tears before he shakes Tallulah's arm to get her attention. Yet he doesn’t wait until he is sure his sister understands and runs screaming.

"Papá !"

Missa crouches down and opens his arms to welcome his son, who jumps in, very quickly followed by Tallulah. Phil takes a good second before turning round but when he sees his children in Missa's arms, a mixture of emotions builds up inside him and he hurries off to join his family.

Everyone's attention is focused on the Sinfonia-Minecraft family reunion and while some, like Roier and Quackity, are keen to reunite with one of their best friends, everyone respects this intimate moment.
It's impossible to be insensitive to the happiness that emanates from this scene. Even Etoiles and Tubbo are incapable of being falsely bitter, and everyone seems to be aware of savouring the moment.

Joined in the meantime by Ramón, whom he is carrying in his arms, Fit can't help but be a little moved by the scene. He is genuinely happy for them. He knows how important it is for Chayanne and Tallulah to have their papá back. But somewhere deep down inside, Fit is a little envious.

Tina nudges him, which catches his attention.

"You can have that too."

She nods in a direction that Fit follows with his eyes before coming across Pac, who is watching the Sinfonia-Minecraft family with great emotion in his eyes as he carries Richarlyson in his arms in the same way that Fit carries Ramón.
The mechanic finally meets Fit's gaze and a small laugh escapes from his mouth, quickly imitated by the florist. They understood each other without exchanging words. And a little voice in Fit's head whispers words he never thought he'd hear again. I can have that too.

Chapter Text

There are only ten days left until the wedding. Temperatures have risen rapidly in the capital of Quesadilla Island and, as it’s Festa Junina season, the LATAM neighbourhood is even busier than usual. The small Brazilian team takes advantage of this festive time to go out every weekend, taking their children and partners with them. It's always one of their favourite times of the year, and they plan to enjoy every moment of it, even though they're still under the pressure of wedding planning, which they try to forget during their evenings out.

One thing that Pac, Mike and Felps haven't forgotten is that Cellbit still hasn't apologised to Bagi for his harsh words at Richarlyson's birthday party. Although Bagi is pretending nothing has happened, the boys are genuinely worried about the twins' relationship. They're hoping that tensions won't flare up as the big day approaches.

On that day, the Brazilian team is invited to join Cellbit for the final fittings of his wedding suit after the last touches. It is the first time they will see him in his suit, as he has insisted on choosing it on his own. He wanted it to be his own choice without being influenced by anyone else, and his family respects this choice. After all, it's HIS wedding. Not theirs.

They take advantage of the fact that Richarlyson is having a pyjama party at BadBoyHalo with Pomme and Dapper to spend some grown-up time together, since it's been a while since they've spent time just with each other. Just like when they were teenagers.

In his room, Pac checks his hair again and hurries off to meet Mike, who's waiting for him in the entrance to their home to go to the tailor's. Dressed in a simple black T-shirt and dark blue jeans, the mechanic jogs but nearly trips over one of the cardboard boxes on the floor. Their place is getting cluttered but he makes no comment.

"Vamos ?" Mike asks.

Pac just nods before closing the door behind them. He needs to concentrate only on their task for the day, which is to support Cellbit. Not the rest.

Not the rest.

"Do you think we should have dressed better ?" Pac asks, looking down at his outfit of the day as they join his car.

Mike shrugs. "Don't worry about it. We'll just sit in a corner, compliment Cellbit and go. No one will pay any attention to us. And then look at us, fi. We're handsome without having to make an effort !"

Mike's remark makes Pac laugh. Whatever happens, Mike will always be his hypeman if Pac ever lacks a little self-confidence.

"You might turn hearts upside down, dressed like that, moço. Maybe we should pop down to the flower shop and say hello to someone, eh ?" Mike teases.

"Ah, cara ! Stop talking nonsense and get in the car !"

Mike starts laughing loudly as Pac's cheeks redden. Ever since he found out about the rose Fit gave his brother, Mike has found his new favourite subject to annoy his best friend about. The worst thing is, it works every time !

Bagi, Felps, Mike and Pac are now gathered in the fitting room while Cellbit is changing behind the curtain. One of the shop's staff is standing next to them to make sure that the tailor-made suit matches the groom's expectations.

They've taken bets on the colour of the suit and are waiting for their friend to emerge from behind the curtain.

"Everything doing well, Cellbo ?" Felps asks.

"I'm scared I'll ruin the suit !"

The others giggle at the hint of distress in Cellbit's voice. Fortunately, the tailor assures him that he's in no danger, as the material is very solid. Even the buttons are sewn on well enough to hold in place.

"Okay. Okay, I'm ready." Cellbit announces.

"We'll give you a count !" Mike replies.

The four friends create a little suspense by counting down. At zero, Cellbit pulls back the curtain, revealing himself for the first time in his wedding suit : a dark brown three-piece suit over a white shirt, complete with red tie.

An unanimous "aww" is heard. There's something very moving about seeing the detective in this outfit. Mike hurriedly pulls out his phone to take a photo of the groom-to-be, who plays along and strikes various poses with Felps’ applause.

Pac and Bagi's eyes sparkle with badly controlled tears. Exchanging glances, they laugh softly together as they see that they are in the same state. Bagi takes two tissues out of her bag, handing one to Pac. He takes the time to wipe his eyes and nose before feeling Bagi's head rest on his shoulder. He rests his head against hers.

"If we cry like this today, what are we going to do on the wedding day ?" Bagi asks.

"Oh no... We're going to be a mess." Pac jokingly complains.

"By the way, I won the bet." the young woman announces.

Her sentence is directly followed by the complaints of the three boys. After all, she was the only one to bet on the colour brown and now all three of them owe her money. At least she managed to lift the mood, which was becoming a little too emotional.

Still, Pac can't help but observe his family a little more as they all stand around Cellbit, examining the suit from every angle. A small smile appears on the biker's face. It seems a long time ago that he, Felps and Mike grew up in an orphanage. It seems a long time ago that, at 15, Pac found a 13-year-old boy wandering the streets, lost and angry at the world. A kid who turned out to be called Cellbit and who had obviously run away from home. It seems a long time ago that the trio secretly housed Cellbit in their room at the orphanage for two years, making sure he never lacked for anything. The elders gave him lessons to keep him in the school system while his parents and twin sister searched for him in vain.
Two years that ended with Felps turning adult and deciding to take official charge of Pac and Mike and not officially Cellbit. However, it was Pac who, at the age of 17, gave up his studies to take care of the younger ones. Pac didn't want Felps to stop his studies, so he took on the responsibility of finding a job to support the family, which was never a problem for him anyway. Pac had never paid much attention at school and was very resourceful. That's how he got his first job in a garage. His boss, a generous man, had never asked why a 17-year-old boy wanted to work in a garage and taught him all about the job. It was this man who turned Pac into the outstanding mechanic he is today. It was this same man who passed on to Pac his passion for motorbikes.

Yes, those years of hardship seem a long time ago, but when he sees how they're doing in life, Pac tells himself that they've done a good job.

Pac is brought out of his thoughts by Felps' voice.

"So ? Which one of us is getting married next ?"

Mike and Bagi point their fingers at each other just as quickly before laughing together.

"My money's on Mike. Bagi and Tina are too shy to propose." Cellbit jokes.

Bagi shrugs with a smile. She's not even offended since she knows it's true.

"Nah guys, we've got it all wrong. The next one to get married is obviously Pac." Mike announces.

Bagi laughs loudly at this, followed by Felps as Cellbit's confused gaze alternates between Mike and Pac. The latter immediately blushes and grumbles at his brother-in-heart before Cellbit's voice is heard.

"What do you mean ? Pac has someone ? Why didn't you tell me ?"

"I don't have anyone in my life, don't worry !" Pac replies, still as red as ever.

"Don't lie, moço. Let me explain, Cellbo." Mike approaches Cellbit as if he's about to tell him an important secret. "Pac met a charming man with a smile to die for. Since they met, they see each other frequently but talk even more often by message. Not a day goes by without me hearing about him at home. Our Pac has a crush, Cellbit. A big crush."

"Mikey !" Pac grumbles.

Cellbit listens carefully to Mike's words and tries to pick up the pieces.

"Who are we talking about, actually ?"

"Fit, obviously."

Cellbit nearly falls off the platform when he hears this. To say he's surprised is an understatement. It's at this moment that he realises he's been so focused on his wedding that he's forgotten about his friends and family. How could he have missed such information ?

"I had no idea." Cellbit confesses.

"And you had no idea to have, Cellbit. You don't have to worry. Fit and I are just friends. Yes, we see each other but that's to prepare for the wedding and yes, we talk to each other by message but because we've become good friends precisely."

"Yes, he gave you a red rose. Yes, you've already stayed for dinner at his house after your meetings. But you're just good friends obviously." Mike says in a sarcastic tone.

Pac tries to hide his embarrassment behind his hands but nothing can disguise the truth because, as a matter of fact, on two occasions he has stayed at Fit's for dinner because they had lost track of time during their meeting. Obviously, there was something very intimate, very domestic about spending the evening eating with Fit and Ramón and Pac had really enjoyed it but he would never admit it to his friends.

"Hm ? And where are you going tomorrow, Pac ?" Felps asks, smirking, adding fuel to the fire.

Pac suddenly becomes shy and tucks his head into his shoulders a little, which surprises Cellbit even more. Pac's body language tells a different story to his words. There's clearly something going on between Fit and Pac. Even Cellbit can see it now.

"We're going to the wedding venue." Pac admits half-heartedly.

Teasing laughter from Bagi and Mike follows as the biker raises his hands in front of him in a defensive way.

"It's purely professional. We're going there to take measurements and we'll be accompanied by Foolish, Tina and Missa. It's nothing like a date."

"I see." Cellbit notes, smirking. "And how long has this been going on ?"

"Oh, ever since you took him to the Sinfonia shop for the first time."

Cellbit turns his head violently towards Mike, who shrugs with a poorly suppressed laugh. Since day one ? It's about time Cellbit paid a bit more attention to his friends.

Seeing how embarrassed Pac is about this conversation, Cellbit starts to change the subject but wants to say a few words to his long-time friend first.

"I'm happy for you, Pac. Fit's a great guy. I hope things work out between you two."

"But since I'm telling you that- Oh, you know what. Never mind. Obrigado Cellbit."

Thankfully, Pac doesn't take it the wrong way and everyone's attention quickly rests on the groom-to-be and his brand new suit. No doubt Roier will love Cellbit in this outfit and they can't wait to see the look on Cellbit's fiancé's face when he sees it for the first time.

As planned, the next day the florists from the Sinfonia shop travel together to the venue that has been chosen to host Cellbit and Roier's wedding. Fit is driving, Missa in the passenger seat and Tina in the back. But she's not alone in the back, as Foolish has joined them at the shop to guide them to the venue he's going to show the team of florists.

As it's been a while since they've seen each other, Foolish feels obliged to tell his friends everything they've missed. Especially Missa. He really needs to catch up on the town gossip, even though Phil and the kids have already told him a lot. So it's Foolish who monopolises the talking throughout the drive, punctuated occasionally by annoyed sighs from Tina that make Fit smile as he meets her disgruntled gaze through the car mirror.

"That's why it makes me laugh that Tubbo is constantly talking about his crush but still hasn't managed to take a step towards him. Poor guy, he's going to have to do all the work himself." Foolish says.

Fit stopped listening to the conversation a while ago and only picks up a few sentences, too focused and too capable of cutting himself off from anything that isn't important. Fortunately for the architect, Missa is kind enough to listen and reply.

"Ok but only on condition that Tubbo's feelings are reciprocated. He’s gonna be a mess if they're not." Missa replies.

"Oh but I'm sure they are ! I can see the way Fred looks at Tubbo when he comes over for coffee. I like him too. He's a bit peculiar but he's nice. He knows a thing or two about the language of flowers ! That's unusual !"

What a romantic..., Fit thinks with a smirk as he parks the car in the parking lot of the manor house that will host the wedding in a few days' time.

Stepping out of the vehicle, Fit looks around and notices the absence of a motorbike he's getting to know well.

"Pac hasn't arrived yet," he remarks.

"Obviously, that's the first thing you notice." Tina tells him teasingly.

"It's just an observation ! I just hope all is well on his end."

Tina quickly raises her eyebrows with the same teasing smile on her lips. She's definitely not going to drop it anytime soon.

Fortunately for Fit, the sound of a motorbike is soon heard and a familiar vehicle appears in their field of vision, parking not far from their car. The biker gets off with great ease, removes his gloves and takes off his motorbike helmet before shaking his head to put his hair back in place. Tucking his helmet under one arm, Pac uses his other hand to run it through his hair, which he quickly ruffles before tucking it back. His face shines slightly from the sweat that has beaded his forehead from the heat on the island. He pulls the zipper of his protective jacket and removes it to reveal a simple white T-shirt underneath.

Finally, he gives a charming smile to the group, who have not taken their eyes off him since he arrived. Wow. And they all take advantage of the fact that the biker has turned his back on them to stow his belongings in the boot of the motorbike to exchange glances with each other.
Tina stifles a laugh behind her hand when she sees Fit's dumbfounded face. Clearly he's forgotten how to breathe.

"Wow. That was hot. And I say that as an almost married man." Foolish says.

"I'm attracted to women and even I found it hot." Tina approves.

"You okay, Fit ? Your face is red." Missa asks sincerely.

Yes, it's possible that Fit forgot to breathe during the whole scene. Every cell in his body was too focused on Pac to function properly. Shit.
In what universe did he dare to deny that he wasn't attracted to Pac ?
This man has no apparent flaws, no apparent red flags. Everything about Pac is attractive. Anyone in their right mind is attracted to Pac (if they are attracted to men, of course) ! SHIT.

Having finished putting his things away, the biker walks towards the group, still with his charming smile on his face.

"Oi ! Sorry I'm late, guys ! Hope you didn't wait too long for me."

"I assure you the show we just had is worth the wait, Pac !" Foolish replies.

The mechanic laughs at the architect's statement but doesn't take it too seriously however. Pac finally notices Fit's attention on him.

"Hey Fit !" he says.

"Um. Uh. Yeah. Hey Pac." shit....

Tina has to use all her strength not to laugh loudly at her colleague's response. Clearly Pac's little show has had its effect on Fit. She'll absolutely have to talk to Bagi about it, she's going to love all this gossip.

Foolish claps his hands, which gets everyone's attention.

"Now that we're all here and have recovered from our emotions, thanks again for the view Pac, it was great. Now I'll be able to give you a tour of the venue Cellbit and Roier have chosen for their wedding. And what a good choice it was, since I'm the one who designed this architectural masterpiece. Follow me on this tour ! Let me tell you a bit about the history of the place !"

While Missa is paying close attention to what Foolish is saying and Tina is pretending to listen to him, Pac approaches Fit to talk to him in the privacy of the others.

"Pss.. Fit. What did Foolish mean ? I didn't get that."

Fit's ears immediately redden but he tries to keep a straight face.

"Um. No. Don't worry about it, Pac. You know Foolish, he's a bit... foolish."

Pac nods, muttering a quiet "ah, I see" that only Fit can hear, but the biker's voice was so low that the florist may feel as if he's imagined the phrase.

While the architect guides them through the gardens where the ceremony will take place, the florists take photos, make notes and exchange ideas to find out the best configuration for the floral decoration. Of course, they can't really tell until the aisle and chairs are in place. But seeing the place already gives them a good idea.
The most important thing for them is to see the reception room, on which they have worked so hard to prepare specific decorations. Some of the tables are already set up and Tina takes out a set of measurements to make sure the centrepieces are the right size. Fit is more interested in how they're going to hang the hanging decorations, but the venue seems to have been thought through for all eventualities. He nods contentedly.

"So I've made arrangements with the venue's managers that we'll come the evening before to install everything. We'll do the final touches in the morning and Cellbit has hired service providers to clear everything away and store it in a room so that we can enjoy the party as guests." Missa announces.

Because, yes, as well as being the wedding florists, Fit, Missa and Tina are also guests and Cellbit has made sure that everyone has a good time without having an extra mental burden linked to their work.

Missa pauses in his reflections, as if suddenly touched by a divine illumination. As he stops, the others stop as well, already moving on to the next part of the tour.

"Tudo bem, Missa ?" Pac asks.

Missa's face depicts all forms of emotion, as if the flower shop owner were going through the various stages of grief before finally answering the question.

"Do you think it's OK if I ask Phil to be my date for the wedding ?"

Pac is genuinely confused by the question and Foolish frowns as he looks at Missa's colleagues with a "Is he serious ?" look to which Tina only responds with a shrug as Fit tries to answer seriously despite wanting to laugh.

"Yes Missa. I think it's OK if you ask your husband to be your date to your mutual friends' wedding. I don't think anyone will be shocked to see you two together. And I don't think he'll turn you down either."

The other three chuckle quietly as Missa nods a few times as if he's actually considering his colleague's answer. Fit comes to wonder how an overthinker like Missa managed to walk down the aisle without fainting. He'd rather not imagine what was going through Missa's mind on his wedding day to Phil. It was probably catastrophic, but the most important thing is that they pulled it off and have been legally married for almost ten years.

"You're still asking yourself questions like that after almost ten years of marriage ? Man, that's adorable but I think you're good now." Foolish points out.

"I never take my marriage to Phil for granted !" Missa replies, almost outraged by the architect's remark.

"Good thing I don't ask myself so many questions... I would have ended up building a statue of my man. Or a titan. Why not a titan..." the other continues in a lower tone as he resumes his walk for the rest of the visit.

"Does it always go like this when you go out with your colleagues ?" Pac asks.

"Yes."

"No."

Tina and Fit respectively respond with two opposite answers that make Pac laugh. No doubt about it, they mustn't get bored at the shop when they're together. Maybe he should hang out there a little more often to enjoy the good mood... And maybe for other reasons that are up to him.

And yet, spending this afternoon with the florists, seeing them in their element, inevitably reminds Pac of the first time he entered the Sinfonia shop. What he felt when he saw Fit in his green apron, he feels again when he watches him study the spaces offered by the manor. And knowing that this is probably their last meeting to prepare for the wedding, knowing that they are no longer going to work together... It inevitably makes his heart ache. He wishes it could have lasted longer. Lasted forever.

It really is time for Bagi and Tina to get married so that he can be put in charge of their wedding floral arrangements again !

He laughs softly at the thought. He never thought he'd try to find excuses to go back to the Sinfonia shop to spend time with Fit.
There's no point lying to himself now.

It's Fit he wants to go back to the shop for.

It's Fit that Pac wants to spend more time with.

It's with Fit that Pac wants to share moments of life as simple as the ones they shared during their meetings that turned into dinner at Fit and Ramón's.

"Everything all right, Pac ?" Fit asks, putting his hand on the biker's shoulder, drawing him out of his thoughts.

Pac offers him a small smile, trying to ignore the shivers created by this simple contact "I really like this place. It's going to be a great party. I'm looking forward to it."

Fit notes that he didn't answer the question but prefers to get into his game.

"Of course ! It totally suits Cellbit and Roier. We're finally going to see the results of our two months' work."

"Hm. I'll come and help you with the installations."

"Not a chance, Pac." Fit says, shaking his head.

"Huh ?"

"Fit's right, Pac. You've got other responsibilities. You need to be perfectly rested and handle the stress of the groom-to-be." Tina continues. "You know as well as I do that this is a mission in itself."

"You've already helped us enormously, Pac. You know, this isn't the first time we've been asked to do the floral decorations for a wedding, but it's the first time we've had so much help from someone close to the future married couple." Missa seconds.

Pac doesn't know where to stand in the face of all these compliments. Foolish nudges him in the arm with a teasing smile.

"Thank you, guys. You're the best at what you do. I didn't have much to do."

"Okay Fantastic Four, we get it. You are the best team in the world and this wedding would be nothing without you. Now, let me show you the rest of the mansion ! You're going to love it !" Foolish steps in.

It's a good thing Foolish is here to liven things up because it was getting a little too emotional even if the wedding hasn't even started yet. Pac laughs softly at the enthusiasm of the architect, who is quickly followed by Tina and Missa.

Pac looks up and sees Fit waiting for him. The mechanic gives him a small smile and they walk together to catch up with the others.

Eventually, maybe Pac is worrying for nothing. Maybe he doesn't need an excuse to see Fit again. Maybe he can just go see him because he wants to. And maybe Fit wants it too ?

Chapter Text

The sun is just beginning to rise over Quesadilla Island when Fit's van parks in the manor car park. He has nobly volunteered to take care of the final floral arrangements on his own. There's hardly anything to do. All he has to do is place the bouquets in their vases and arrange the few decorations that may have been disturbed during the night by birds or small animals.

The florist smiles when he sees the vehicles of the members of the Brazilian team who have spent the night at the manor for Cellbit's bachelor party. He's sure they had a great time and just hopes they don't have to suffer from a nasty hangover on the wedding day. That would be a shame. He'll have to be careful not to make too much noise so as not to wake them up.

Fit stops for a moment in front of Pac's motorbike. The vehicle reflects the first rays of sunshine on this June day. It's obvious that Pac takes care of his bike like he takes care of the people he loves. Fit sighs to pull himself out of his thoughts. He can't wait to see him, but he has to concentrate on his task.

Fit takes out the trolleys in which he places the bouquets that are to be displayed in the wedding aisle. His titanium prosthesis and his strength training enable him to lift heavier loads, which is why he has volunteered. His task will be completed more quickly than if it were someone else. And the sooner he finishes, the sooner he can get back to the flat for a nap and then get ready before joining Phil, Missa and the children directly at home, since it was at the Sinfonia-Minecraft family home that Ramón spent the night so he would not to be disturbed by his father in the early hours.

The sunrise accompanies Fit in his task and the temperatures begin to rise, mainly because of the effort. So the florist takes off the sweatshirt he was wearing and changes into a grey T-shirt to continue his arrangement. The mix of blue, white and red looks good in the vases they've chosen and adds a splash of colour to the white arch and benches.

As he trims the end of a stem to the perfect size, Fit hears footsteps approaching. He turns around, surprised that people are still working on the wedding decorations, but is even more surprised when he comes face to face with Pac.

Pac's smile widens a little when he notices the surprised look on the florist's face. His little surprise has worked.

Pac has been woken by Mike's snoring and has seen Fit working through the window. He could have kept watching him for hours. The way the man seemed so focused on the task and moved the bouquets with ease and smoothness. For the first time, Pac lets himself daydream and imagines Fit carrying him with the same strength and gentleness. What is it like to be in the arms of the florist ? What is it like to be so close to him and to be lulled by his sweet voice ? Pac may have been jealous of the bouquets of flowers, but he has been overcome with a certain confidence and has decided to dress quickly before joining him.

"Bom dia, Fit." Pac says softly.

The Sun's rays reflect in Pac's eyes, creating golden glitter that shines brighter as his smile widens. His tanned complexion is even more flattered by the golden glow of the dawn. Pac, you're breathtaking..., are the words that cross Fit's mind, but he simply replies :

"Bom dia, Pac."

Fit can watch Pac for hours if he doesn't have a task to finish. He cleares his throat before resuming the conversation.

"I wasn't expecting to see you so soon. I hope I didn't make too much noise."

Pac laughs softly, shaking his head. Why does Pac's laugh sound particularly good today ?

"No, don't worry. No matter how loud the noise you make is, it'll never cover Mike's snoring."

Fit has to restrain himself from laughing loudly. No need to wake the others. "Oh shit. I feel sorry for you, Pac. You must be exhausted."

The mechanic shrugs. "I'll go back to bed later, it's no big deal. Do you need a hand ?"

"You should take every minute you can to rest, Pac. You know as well as I do that from the moment Cellbit wakes up, you won't have a minute to yourself."

He takes a moment to consider what the florist has just said before shrugging again and moving a little closer to Fit, who he walks around without taking his eyes off him, before lying down on one of the benches in the wedding aisle. He places his arms behind his head and sighs.

"There ! I'm resting. You can get on with your work. Don't mind me."

Impossible, Fit thinks with a slight smile. Yet he doesn't insist and continues to put the bouquets in place, glancing at Pac from time to time. With his eyes closed, you'd think he was asleep, but Fit knows this isn't the case from the way he fidgets on the bench to make himself more comfortable and the way he hums to keep his mind occupied.

Fit can do this all day : work with Pac's company to make the task less unpleasant.

"How are you feeling about today ?" Fit asks as he arranges a bouquet at the podium where the wedding will be held.

Pac sits, leaving his arm resting on the back of the bench as his gaze wanders into the void.

"I don't know, to tell you the truth. On one hand I'm so happy for Cellbit and Roier. This is their day and they deserve it. On the other, I'm worried that things won't go to plan or that stress will take over and ruin the day."

"Is there anything I can do to help ?"

"You being here is enough."

Oh..? He wasn't supposed to say that out loud. Pac realises a second too late that he's expressed his thoughts in an intelligible voice and immediately blushes before flailing on the bench.

"Ah uh ! Sorry Fit ! I didn't mean for that to sound weird !"

The biker stops himself in his apology when he notices the small smile that has formed on Fit's face as his ears have taken on a pinker shade.

"If my presence is enough to make you feel better then that makes me happy, Pac." Fit confesses softly. "I just want to make sure you have a nice day. You've put so much work into making this wedding a success, it would be a shame if you didn't savour the fruits of your efforts."

Pac is ready to melt at Fit's words but keeps what little composure he has left and clears his throat.

"Thanks, Fit. I appreciate it."

Pac sincerely appreciates Fit's concern for him but he knows as well that he can't get rid of his mental load that easily. He's always been like that, after all. Always looking out for other people at the risk of his own well-being. Mike may scold him for it, but it doesn't change who Pac is. His self-sacrifice is no secret.

The florist rubs his hands together and quickly wipes them on his jeans before taking a few steps back to look at the alley. He nods, satisfied with his work, and turns to Pac.

"What do you think ?"

Pac's opinion matters to him. If the person who helped them so much with the floral decoration doesn't like the result, then Fit has to start all over again. Well... Maybe he's just as interested in this opinion because it's Pac and nobody else.
Fortunately, he's quickly reassured when he sees the mechanic's bright smile.

"It's beautiful, Fit. I'm sure Cellbit and Roier will love it."

"I hope so. I don't want them to be disappointed."

Pac shakes his head. As far as he's concerned, the grooms will definitely not be disappointed.

He looks up at Fit again after taking one last look down the aisle and notices that the florist's eyes are already on him. He feels his cheeks heat up but maintains eye contact. Pac has no idea what's coming next, but he's simply absorbed in Fit's hazel eyes.

If he had enough courage, Pac would invite Fit to be his plus one at the wedding, but they haven't reached that stage in their relationship yet. They're in a blurry zone between a sincere friendship, a great mutual respect and an unspoken but nonetheless guessed desire to go further. A silent but shared desire to get to know each other better and explore other possible areas of their relationship.

Fit is the first to break eye contact. He shakes his head slightly and whispers with the tip of his lips.

"I'm going to go home now. You should go back and get some rest. It's going to be an exhausting day."

Pac lets his gaze fall to the floor, a slight twinge in his heart, but he nods gently. "I'll do that. Get some rest too." He pauses for a moment and draws on his strengths to stand and look him in the eye again. "See you later ?"

Fit nods with a smile, unaware that this simple gesture manages to mend Pac's damaged heart as he smiles back.

He can't wait.

They can't wait.

In the master bedroom of the manor house and in the adjoining rooms, everyone is busy getting ready in time.

Looking out of the window, Cellbit can see his wedding aisle fully set up and decorated. All the suppliers had been working hard since the day before to put everything together, and he has learned that Fit has come in the early hours of the morning to bring the flowers. Everything looks absolutely magnificent and he wants to look at every detail of the decor.

The groom-to-be can also see the guests gathering in the garden, chatting to each other.

After all, there are only thirty minutes or so left before the ceremony begins.

Cellbit smiles when he sees Richarlyson in Etoiles' arms. The boy has spent the night with the French-speakers and hasn't been able to see his parents since the day before. Seeing him in his little suit with his green and yellow bow tie fills Cellbit's heart with happiness. He can't wait to see his little boy again.

"Cellbit, we'll be off shortly. Are you ready ?" Felps asks behind Cellbit's back while tying his tie.

The man remains silent for a few seconds. Felps watches him as he finishes getting ready, preferring not to rush him. He knows him well, after all. He knows how hard Cellbit's mind has to work at a time like this. Out of the corner of his eye, he sees the other three approaching the door but he quickly turns to them to let them know that this is not the time. They understand and discreetly turn back.

"Do you think Roier will be happy ?" Cellbit finally asks.

"Today ? Or in this marriage ?" Felps asks to confirm.

Cellbit takes a moment to think. "Both."

"Yes. I think Roier will be happy. Today as well as tomorrow and the days that follow. What about you, Cellbit ? Will you be happy ?"

The man turns back to his long-time friend. For a split second, Felps sees again the thirteen-year-old boy they took in their room at the orphanage. The boy has become a man since then.

"I'll be happy." Cellbit announces in a solemn tone.

"Then go get ready and walk towards your happiness."

Jaiden makes sure that all the guests are seated on the benches so that the ceremony can begin. Ramón, in his little dark blue suit and white tie with brown moustaches print, is seated next to his father, with whom he matches, although Fit's tie is entirely brown. The smile on the boy's face gives an idea of his mood for the day, and Fit is pleased to see that the people around them don't seem to be affecting Ramón. He's far too happy to be at a wedding with all his friends.

"Are you comfortable Ramón ?" a female voice asks.

He nods and gives the person next to him a big smile. Fit and Ramón have just met them : Mine, Mike's partner. The kindness she exudes immediately won Ramón's heart and he never lets her out of his sight, which amuses Fit a lot. It's not often that the boy gets attached to someone so quickly, the latest being Pac. There must be something special about Brazilian people.

"I can't wait to see Pac." Ramón announces.

Phil, who is sitting on the bench just in front of them with his family, turns back to Ramón with a smirk.

"Oh yeah ? Can't wait to see Pac, Ramón ?"

His insistent stare at Fit makes him roll his eyes. He'd have been better off keeping his mouth shut instead of talking about his morning with Pac when he went to Phil and Missa's to leave together for the wedding. Of course Phil jumped to conclusions. Even Missa laughed at his husband's innuendos earlier.

"Fuck off Phil." Fit says in a half humorous tone.

"Gosh Fit ! Language." BadBoyHalo warns as he sits behind Fit.

For the second time in a few minutes, Fit rolls his eyes.

Everyone is settled. That's the conclusion Roier draws as he looks down the wedding aisle. He himself is ready and has been given the green light by Cellbit's bestmen. They can begin.

He gives a little sign to Jaiden, who gives a sign for the music to start.

Jaiden marches at the head of the procession with a photo frame that includes a photo of Bobby. All the guests are moved when they notice it. Of course they were going to pay tribute to him on this very special day. The boy has to be present in their minds as he was already present in their hearts.
Quackity, Missa and Vegetta, who has returned especially for the wedding, follow Jaiden and stand beside her as the groom enters the aisle.

Roier, dressed in a cream three-piece suit with a red tie, walks quietly down the aisle, holding Pepito's little hand in his. The little boy looks so proud in his little red and white suit. It's a bit original, but it looks so much like him that everyone is moved by the scene. It's important for the grooms to involve their children in their wedding.
Roier offers a smile to everyone he meets with a glance before standing up in front of the lectern where the wedding officer is standing.

All that's left to do is wait for the second groom.

The guests exchange glances as the minutes tick by, but Bagi, Mike and Felps show no concern.

Pac isn't there either, Fit observes.

Their attention is soon drawn to the sound of an engine, which becomes louder and louder, and the guests are surprised to see a motorbike driving along the narrow road leading to the ceremony venue. The vehicle stops just ahead and the two people on it get out before taking off their helmets. Pac and Cellbit reveal themselves before being quickly taken care of by the other three.

Felps takes care of Cellbit's hair, Mike dusts off the groom's suit and Bagi hands the bouquet to her twin brother who hugs her for a second. Pac, Mike and Felps smile fondly at this scene between the twins. Bagi separates from his brother, who nods gently, their gazes seeming to tell a silent story that only the two of them can understand.

Walking in order down the aisle are Bagi, then Felps, Mike and Pac.
When Pac passes into the aisle, he winks at Ramón, who gives him a dazzling smile. Pac needs to not forget to tell the boy how elegant he is. But his gaze lingers mainly on Ramón's father, who doesn't seem to take his eyes off him either. Meu deus... Pac suspected that Fit would look good in a suit, but he could never have said that he would find him so handsome. And vice versa. Are you fucking kidding me ? Seeing Pac in his black suit and red tie alters the neuronal reactions in Fit's brain, but he'll never do anything to change that. His crush on the biker is ruining him, but so be it.

Finally, Richarlyson joins his father and, together, they make their way to the end of the aisle, while Cellbit and Roier keep their eyes on each other. The love between the two men is unquestionable, and there's no need to put it into words. Their eyes have already said it all.

The wedding and its various formalities go off without a hitch. No one dares to oppose the union when they see the threatening looks on the faces of the grooms’ bestmen. But it is during the grooms’ speeches that the first tears are shed.

Cellbit begins.

"Roier. I still remember the first day we met. I could only see you in the midst of all the people around us. You were all I ever saw. You were there for me when no one else was, and I'll spend every breath of my life giving you back what you gave me. Our relationship has been turned upside down many times, but each time we've proved that we're stronger than people think. And we're going to keep proving it. Even after death do us apart. Eu te amo, meu Guapito."

Roier replies.

"Five years ago, I was going through what will probably forever be the worst period of my life. When I thought I was going to disappear with my elder son, you never let go of my hand, Cellbit. No matter what you were going through at the same time." Guests like Slime, Mariana, Quackity, Jaiden and Pierre bow their heads without a word. Fit grabs Ramón's hand. "You were the light that guided me out of those dark times and you still are today. You're the person I trust most because you've lifted me up enough times to know that I can fall without fear. Whatever happens, you and I will never be alone again. Te amo, mi Gatinho."

Pac and Bagi discreetly wipe away the tears that have formed in the corners of their eyes. The same goes for some of the guests, like Baghera and BadBoyHalo.

"By taking you as my husband, Roier, I also choose to take Pepito as my son." Cellbit announces.

"By taking you as my husband, Cellbit, I also choose to take Richarlyson as my son." Roier replies.

Decidedly, they've decided to make their friends cry and it's succeeded.

"By the powers vested in me, I now pronounce you married. You may seal your union with a kiss."

And that's all it takes for the couple to kiss passionately. Their kiss may have lasted longer if they were not aware of the people around them. They are cheered and applauded.

Cellbit and Roier are married.

The grooms’ reactions as they entered the reception hall are as good as the florists' efforts. Tina holds out her fist to Fit, who bumps his against her colleague's. They've done a great job. They deserve to enjoy the party. Fit smiles a little wider when he hears Roier's voice.

"Mira, Gatinho ! No mames, everything looks so pretty." he says, pointing to the bouquets adorning the centres of each table.

The grooms and their guests seem delighted to be spending the rest of the day in this beautifully decorated place. Fit can see Cellbit hugging Pac to thank him for his investment in the floral arrangements.
Fit considers his mission a success.

"Fit, did you decorate ?" Ramón asks.

"With Tina and Missa, yes. What do you think, Ramón ?"

"It's beautiful !"

The sincerity in his little boy's voice fills Fit's heart a little more with happiness. No compliments can match Ramón's.

The children have a table reserved for them, so the American man wants to take a quick second with his son to evaluate the level of his social battery, but he barely has time to start the conversation when Ramón turns to him again.

"I'm going to sit down with Dapper and the others ! See you later, Fit !"

And he leaves without looking back. Fit sights with a small smile on his lips, he's worried for nothing apparently. So he leaves to sit at the round table where he's assigned, between Phil and Foolish since their respective partners are at the grooms' table with the other bestmen. Pac too, of course.

"As soon as my partner returns, I'm separated from him again." Foolish sighs dramatically.

His complaint makes the other people sitting at his table smile. Everyone is already surprised to see Vegetta there but they know how important it is for him to be at Roier's wedding as it is for Foolish and Leonarda that he is there.

"Wow, this really is the table of the lovers who have been separated from their partners. It's heartbreaking, man." Tubbo points out.

"Do you include yourself in that, Toby ?" Etoiles asks as he is completely unconcerned by the comment

"Hey, just because your family forms an entire rugby sevens team doesn't mean you have to bully me for not having the guts to have a plus one, okay !"

"You'll do better next time, Toby." Phil encourages him as the young man continues to complain.

It seems that this table will be a contest to see which one of them complains the most but it'll serve as entertainment for Fit. He really needs to have his attention occupied so he's not entirely distracted by Pac.

Felps did an excellent job finding the caterer and choosing the menu. It's all excellent. Fit's conscientiousness kicks in and he feels compelled to have a look around to make sure that everything is going well on the lovers' side and that they are having the best day of their lives. After hearing Roier's speech, it reminded Fit just how much the pair deserve their wedding to be a complete success. The florist is pulled from his thoughts by Phil's hand on his shoulder.

"Hey, mate. You did a great job with the flowers. You can enjoy the evening now. Everything's going for the best."

Of course the old man can guess what he is thinking. Fit raises his champagne flute to his lips and nods. Phil is right, he has to enjoy the party.

"The kids seem to be having a great time." Phil remarks.

All the dads at the table turn their heads towards the children's table where the ten kids are eating and chatting gently. The members of staff are taking good care of them, allowing the parents to feel less stressed.

But the waiters aren't the only ones looking after the children, as the group of dads can see that Pac is helping Sunny to cut up her meal so that she can eat more easily. The mechanic makes sure everyone is all right and takes a little time with each child to check on their condition. Ramón and Lullah in particular are more easily overwhelmed by the ambient noise, but both seem to be doing well.

"You look very elegant in your suit, Ramón." Pac tells him.

"Thanks ! Fit has the same as me, only bigger. We wanted to match."

"You both look very handsome."

"Do you think Fit is handsome ?" Ramón asks, tilting his head slightly to the side.

Ah. Maybe he should have thought before he spoke. Pac doesn't want to look weird in front of Ramón. His approval means a lot to him because he cares about the little guy and he wants to make sure he has a good relationship with Ramón.
Fortunately, the boy resumes the discussion with a big smile.

"You should tell him, Pac ! I'm sure he'd love to ! He thinks you're handsome too. He's told me. And he's right."

"Oh, yes. Thank you Ramón, that's very kind of you."

Pac's face must have turned three shades redder. He mustn't interpret it one way or the other. Children have no filter when they speak, he has to remember that. He ruffles Ramón's hair and straightens up, trying to regain some composure but, unluckily for him, just as Pac gets to his feet, he meets Fit's gaze, which was on him.
He thinks you're handsome too..., Ramón's little voice echoes in Pac's head and he has to take it upon himself not to let his emotions overwhelm him. Yet he finds it hard to break eye contact, especially when Fit smiles at him and the words "thank you" form on his lips, thanking him for looking after Ramón. Pac smiles back and nods as if to say "you're welcome".

The dance is opened by the grooms, who move their guests even more with a very gentle dance. They finish by inviting their children to join them, then Cellbit invites her twin sister to dance. That's all it takes for Tina to shed a few tears, closely followed by Pac and Mike, while Felps just smiles fondly at the scene.

The couples join the dance floor, including Foolish and Vegetta who enjoy a moment to themselves before including their daughter on this special day. Mike of course invites Mine and Cellbit frees Bagi so she can dance with Tina and Empanada.

Fit has to nudge Missa a little to get him to invite his husband, but it is finally Phil who takes Missa's hand and leads him onto the dance floor in front of their children.

"And you, Tio Fit ? Who are you dancing with ?" Lullah asks.

"Oh I don't dance, Tallulah. But go ahead, kids. No need to stay with your old uncle." Fit replies with a laugh.

His answer makes his niece and nephew laugh, and they each take one of Ramón's hands to take him dancing with them. The boy glances at his father, who nods to encourage him to enjoy himself. He gives in, eventually. A little further on, BadBoyHalo is dancing with Dapper, Pomme and Baghera, while Tubbo is dancing with Sunny. Fit is delighted to see his friends having so much fun. This party couldn't have gone any better and, after so much effort, it's rewarding to see so many smiles on everyone's faces.

Fit notices that Pac is a little isolated from the rest of the group. He imagined him being one of the first to hit the dance floor but no doubt he too needs to recharge his social batteries so Fit decides to walk in his direction after checking that Ramón is enjoying himself.

"Oi." Fit announces himself once he's close enough to the biker.

Pac offers him a smile. "Oi, Fit. Did you enjoy the ceremony ?"

"It was beautiful. Very moving. And you and Cellbit's entrance was particularly good."

The biker laughs at the remark. "It was a last minute idea. We were just hoping not to ruin our costumes, we wouldn't have looked smart."

The florist laughs in return. He can imagine the scene, indeed. Fit notices, however, that Pac looks a little absent-minded. He can put it down to tiredness from all the preparations, but he's getting to know him well and he's pretty sure there's something bothering the mechanic.

"Shall we go outside ?" Fit offers.

"Good idea."

So the two men walk towards the garden and Fit briefly meets Cellbit's gaze with whom he exchanges a nod. The message has been passed on. He's going to make sure Pac is all right. That was his intention anyway.

On the terrace, the cool early night air hits Fit's cheeks as he follows Pac closely. The mechanic decides to lean against the railing and lets his gaze wander into the void. Fit says nothing. If he has something on his mind, he doesn't want to rush him. So the florist just stands beside him, leaning against the railing.

Fit lets his head fall back and watches the stars begin to appear in the gradually darkening sky. The sun has set, but its last rays are still visible on the horizon. The dusk of his day looks strangely like the dawn of his day : outside of the manor with Pac.

The biker sighs heavily and lowers his head to the point where it tucks slightly into his arms. Fit waits patiently. He has all the time in the world for Pac.

Finally, Pac releases what's in his heart.

"Mike is moving out of our home. He's moving in with Mine. He's leaving in a few days. The packing's almost done."

The biker's revelation surprises Fit, who hadn't expected it. In fact, it makes sense. Mike moving in with his partner is the natural order of things, but it's hard to imagine Mike without Pac and vice versa. It's like imagining the night without the stars or the ocean without the waves. You can't separate them. They go together.

"I'm genuinely happy for them both and I shouldn't feel so bad but we've lived together for as long as I can remember. It's stupid but I never really thought it would ever change. And yet it's normal. Like Cellbit, like Bagi, he wants to go further in his relationship but..." He pauses in his sentence.

"But you feel like you're being left behind." Fit guesses.

"Hm. It's so selfish of me, I know."

"Trust me I know how that feels." Pac looks up at Fit as if to see if he really means what he's saying. Fit forces himself to elaborate. "When Phil moved in with Missa, it happened quite hastily and I felt a bit like being abandoned. After all, Phil was the only one who understood me. We'd been through the same things in the army. We were comrades and we lost our military careers for the same reasons. He was my trauma buddy. And for him to move on without me was complicated for me. I never had the courage to talk to him about it, thinking I was an absolute asshole for thinking like that. I made up my mind all by myself when I saw him happy with Missa. He deserved it more than I did, I told myself."

"Fit-" Pac begins.

Fit doesn't stop "That's the same time I got involved with a man who didn't love me the way it was supposed to be. It wasn't even love. He just gave me the perfect amount of attention when I needed it the most. That was enough for me at the time. Then I had Ramón in my life. My ray of sunshine. At that moment, I was sure that everything would work out for me. Then my ex left me overnight. Once again I was abandoned, but this time with a baby. I almost gave up. I nearly handed Ramón over to social services, but every time, this little guy did something that made me laugh, or just smile. Without realising it, Ramón repaired every one of my wounds, even though I was the one who was supposed to look after him. Selfishly, I kept this baby who healed my heart when he might have been happier somewhere else."

Pac is moved to hear the sincere emotion in Fit's voice. That he confides in him so easily shows the trust Fit places in Pac and he must never break it. The florist finally turns his eyes to the mechanic.

"What I mean is that you'll never be alone. You'll always find help where you least expect it. Mike will never go far away. It must be weird for him too, living without you. Don't be like me and lock yourself away in solitude. Plus, Richarlyson will always be your little roommate and if on the days when you're not looking after him you feel lonely, you'll always be welcome at our place. You already know the way."

Fit concludes with a sincere smile that encourages Pac a little more in his next move. Without Fit expecting it, he finds himself in a hug with Pac, who rests his forehead against Fit's broad shoulder.

Pac thought that, apart from Mike, no-one could understand him as well as he did. No one could find the exact words he needed and wanted to hear. Oh how wrong he was. And how perfectly Fit fulfils that role. All the sadness Pac has previously felt flies away and is replaced by gratitude.

"Thank you, Fit. For everything."

Once the surprise has passed, the florist puts his arms around Pac. Fit doesn't really know why he told Pac part of his story. It just happened because it seemed the right thing to do, the most natural. He and Pac are alike in many ways, the same fear of abandonment, the same fear of being useless, the same love they have for their children.

"Thank you, Pac."

Fit and Pac understand and complement each other.

They both have the right to be selfish by enjoying this hug a little longer. Maybe they shouldn't, but they do it anyway. This mutual trust grows a little stronger and Pac can feel deep down that his crush is slowly metamorphosing. How dare he call it a crush when he realises that what he feels for Fit is actually love ? If all his friends find happiness in the arms of someone else, why shouldn't he ?

The two men part and exchange a smile before laughing softly at their situation. Clearly, they're both aware that there's something going on between them. But that's not a conversation for today. For now, they want to enjoy their sincere friendship under the starry sky on their friends' wedding day.

Without them knowing it, the two men are being watched by a small group of curious people who were a little worried about them. Bagi exchanges a smile with Phil, who beckons her, Cellbit and Tubbo to move back a little.

"You knew about it ?" Tubbo asks the older man, wrinkling his nose a little, not sure if he approves of a new relationship among his friends.

"I suspected it, you might say. But I don't think they both know, though. Let's not get involved, for now."

"I can't promise you anything." Bagi replies with a mischievous grin.

"I don't know what they were talking about but at least Pac seems to be feeling better. Fit is a good influence on Pac." Cellbit concludes.

"And the other way round." Phil replies. "Come on, let's get back to partying before they see us. It's your wedding, Cellbit. You're supposed to be having fun."

"Hey, I can't have fun if I know one of my brothers is sad, I had to be sure everything was okay."

With that, the groom returns to the arms of his new husband, who greets him with a huge smile. The scene moves Phil, who glances behind him again. There's no doubt about it, it's been a great day. And it ends even more beautifully when he sees the smiles that light up the faces of everyone he loves.

Chapter Text

On this Saturday, there are very few customers in the flower shop. But that doesn't stop Ramón spending time with his father and the others, as he usually does on Saturdays.

The adults don't like making him work in the shop, but they assign him small, simple tasks to distract him and help him take responsibility. This also allows Fit to work without feeling guilty about leaving his son alone in the flat.

Today he's helping Missa to price-label new plants. Missa reads the price out loud and Ramón writes it on the little sign that he plants in the ground with the potted plants.

The doorbell rings, attracting the attention of the florists.

“Good morning ! Welcome !” Ramón greets each new customer with the same enthusiastic tone.

This customer is no stranger to them.

“Hello, Fred. What can we do for you today ?” Fit asks as he signs and speaks audibly, as amused as ever to see Tubbo's crush in his shop.

The white-haired young man approaches the counter where Fit is seated. He signs a sentence in response to the question, “Hello, I'd like to buy a bouquet, please.”

The florist continues to sign. “Sure. Do you want one already prepared or would you like a personalised arrangement ?”

Fred takes a moment to look around before turning his attention back to Fit. "An arrangement, if possible. Something colourful."

Fit easily understands the request. With the customer's approval, the florist chooses several flowers which, together, become a very cheerful, very colourful bouquet. Fit's curiosity makes him wonder if this is a gift from Fred to himself or if it's for someone in particular. And by someone, Fit obviously thinks of Tubbo.

"The yellow roses are beautiful" the young man signs.

"Yellow roses are symbols of friendship. That's usually what you give friends to congratulate them ! I read it in my book !" Ramón announces as he signs for the customer.

"Oooh, Ramón ! I didn't know you were learning the language of flowers, that's great !" Missa replies, very enthusiastic.

While the other two talk about the language of flowers and continue with their labelling, Fit turns his attention back to his customer, who seems to be hesitating. "After thinking about it… No yellow roses.” Fred signs.

Fit can't help but smile slightly before reaching for the pink roses. He suspects that the reds are a little too intense to describe Fred's intentions.

"Is it to give as a present ?" the florist finally asks.

"You've already guessed the answer, haven't you ? I can see your smirk."

Fit just nods and wraps the bouquet in pretty light blue paper before tying it with a royal blue ribbon. The florist tries not to let his thoughts wander to the person he associates the colour royal blue with. Now is not the time.

He ends up handing the bouquet to the person who is completing the bank transaction.
Fred looks at the bouquet, then at Fit.

"Do you think he'll like it ? I'm not getting the wrong idea, am I ?"

"It's not for me to answer the second question, but I can answer the first. Yes, I'm sure he'll love the bouquet, Fred. Don't worry too much."

The young man nods. He finishes by thanking Fit before waving to the shop staff, which he leaves as quietly as he entered.

"Bagi's going to love this story" Tina comments as she works in the back of the shop preparing the day's deliveries. "It'll be a nice reward for her for looking after two little ones on her own today."

"You guys take care of Richarlyon today ?" Fit asks.

"Yes. The boys are finishing Mike and Mine's move today. They didn't want Richas to be bothered with all the back and forth, it might tire him out so they agreed that the five of them would finish the move while Richas spends time with his mum and sister."

"I didn't know today was the day Mike moved out for good." Fit mutters to himself.

He knows how much this move is affecting Pac and he'd like to do something for him, especially if he ends the day on his own.
His gaze settles on his son for a few moments and an idea pops into his head.

Mike's gone. They've taken the last of the boxes to Mike and Mine's new house and, for the first time, Pac finds himself alone in a half-empty house. Alone with his thoughts and pictures on the walls to remind him that this place wasn't always empty.

You feel like you've been left behind... Yes, that’s right. It may be selfish, but that's exactly what it is. Despite the advice he's received, Pac hasn't managed to talk to Mike about how he feels about the move. He probably never will, in fact. But if he has to put his emotions into words, he can say sad, lonely, and maybe as empty as this house that used to be theirs.

He shouldn't be alone tonight, but he doesn't want to disturb anyone. It's not worth it. Who would want to spend the evening with him anyway ?

Pac would have loved to have his little boy with him. Richas is so creative that it would have given his father something to take his mind off things. But Pac knows that his son has more fun with his little sister than if it had just been the two of them.

His son. And to think that at first Pac was the most reluctant of the group to adopt a child.

In a burst of nostalgia, Pac pulls out the photo album he's created, showing Richarlyson's first years with them. He looks at the first photos with a smile on his face. Richas was so small. He's still small compared to children his own age, but he was even smaller when they first took him in.

He remembers how the baby wriggled in Cellbit's arms, a red hat with white polka dots much too big for him on his head, as they passed the threshold of the house they all shared together. But Pac didn't feel ready at the time. He didn't feel capable of raising a child when he hadn't managed to be one himself. And above all... Richarlyson's adoption had come just after he'd had a motorbike accident and lost his left leg. How can a parent fully take care of their child if they're missing a limb ? These were the doubts he had on top of all the negative thoughts he had during that period. He wasn't enough. He couldn't meet a baby's expectations. He couldn't be up to the job.

But all it took was one eye contact for Pac to fall under the spell of this little guy who was smiling at the world.

He remembers the moment when Cellbit offered him to hold Richarlyson. Pac sat down on the sofa and his friend put the child on his lap. He was immediately greeted by a huge smile and Richas laid his head against Pac's chest and, despite the excitement and stress of arriving in a new environment, he relaxed and finally fell asleep. Richas had chosen Pac's arms for his first nap with them.

Pac gazes lovingly at the photo of that moment. It was Mike who had taken it. The look on Pac's face from seven years ago was unmistakable : he has become Richas's parent from the very first minute.

The following photos show the evolution of the little boy during his first weeks with his five new parents. They were all so young, but life has forced them to become adults very early on. The six of them were a family.
A family that had grown over the years with new additions. Richarlyson now has three more parents, a little sister and a step-brother. He could have had two step-brothers, but fate, or whatever you want to call it, decided otherwise.

There's a time jump in this photo album. A big chunk of Richas's third year is missing. And rightly so. That year was the worst time of their lives, as Roier so eloquently put it in his wedding speech.

Pac sighs and lets his head fall back, staring at the white ceiling of his home. The images flash through his mind like a slideshow. He shouldn't be reminiscing about the day that changed all their lives, but his bad mood sends him into a hellish loop of bad memories. He can almost still hear the sounds and smell the odours of that day.

It was five years ago. The children were all in kindergarten. It was a small local school and there weren't many pupils, so the parents got to know each other well. That's where they met most of their current friends. It's even how Cellbit met the man who became his husband, because Richarlyson and Bobby went to the same kindergarten. And despite being two years apart, the two boys quickly became the best of friends.

That day, the children from the kindergarten were on a school bus trip. Quackity and Maximus, their teachers, had found a small educational farm to visit and the parents were all very enthusiastic about the idea.

Everyone was very disappointed when Etoiles showed up on the morning of the visit to announce that Pomme couldn't join them because the little girl had a fever. But the parents were grateful that the French-speakers didn’t bring their sick daughter with them because she risked infecting the other children.

That morning, the weather was fine and the children were excited to go to the farm despite the early hour. Who would have thought that they would never reach their destination ?

"The kids have been caught in an accident on the road ! We have to go to the hospital !"

Pac can't even remember who took the call. He just knows it wasn't him. He vaguely remembers the panicked voices of his family as they ran to get to the car to find their son. They knew there had been fatalities in the accident but they didn't know how their boy was.

Pac remembers the smell of the hospital, the sirens, the voices, the crying. The details aren't clear in his head, but he still has the image of Roier and Jaiden sitting on the floor, in each other's arms, both shaking while sobbing. The reason had been obvious to Pac but he needed confirmation of his fears. Which had been given by a member of the health staff when Cellbit had introduced himself as Roier's partner : Bobby had not survived the car accident.

And he wasn't the only one. Maximus and his child Trumpet. JuanaFlippa, Slime and Mariana's daughter. Tilin, Quackity's child.

Pac thought he was going to faint when the doctor asked to speak to Richarlyson's parents in private. No. Not Richas. Please, not my son. It doesn't matter who but not my son. Oh how he hated himself for thinking like that but coming from a panicked family man, it was human to think like that. No one can blame him for thinking such thoughts.
But there was a mixture of relief and fear when the doctor told them that Richarlyson had survived the accident but had been trapped under debris and that they had had to amputate his leg to save his life. Oh how ironic. The man who had been the most reluctant to adopt Richarlyson was to become the boy's moral pillar.

Pac learned a few days later that the accident had been caused by a lorry driver who had been drinking and had fallen asleep while driving before hitting the school bus. Maximus, who was at the wheel that day, could do nothing. Both drivers died instantly.

The survivors are still suffering from the after-effects of that day. Richarlyson lost a leg, Tallulah almost lost her hearing, and the others were left with lifelong trauma. In a way, the survivors of this accident lost one of their lives that day.

It was during this period of convalescence that Pac formed a close bond with Richas. He fully assumed his role as a dad and accompanied his son through every stage of his recovery, showing him above all how to learn to live with a prosthetic leg.
Pac stopped hiding his prosthesis under his trousers to show his son that it was possible to accept it and look cool.

But in the months following the accident, Richas managed his negative emotions, which he couldn't define at such a young age, so badly that he wouldn't let anyone near him except Pac. Richarlyson rejected his parents, except for the one person who looked like him. The one who could understand him.
For several weeks, Pac took on the role of single father and nobody ever blamed him for it. Bagi, Felps and Mike were saddened, of course, but they knew it was the best solution for their child's recovery and they were all counting on Pac.
And Cellbit was too affected by Bobby's death and was too busy taking care of Roier to be upset by the situation.

Fortunately, Richarlyson had managed to open his heart again. A little heart that had been weakened but is pampered by his parents. He would heal at his own pace.

*ding dong*

Pac is startled out of his negative thoughts by the ringing of the doorbell. But he isn’t expecting any visitors. He regains his composure and wipes his damp eyes.

The person behind the door seems to be insisting, as the biker hears a knock on the door. But that's not what surprises him most, as he can hear small laughs behind the door.

Are those kids playing a joke on me ? he thinks.

A little wary, Pac opens the door and his heart misses a beat when he discovers who's behind it.

"Hi Pac !" Ramón screams, looking very proud of himself.

"Hey Pac !" Fit says in the same tone as his son.

The mechanic is speechless and even more so when he notices that the florist is carrying a large sports bag over his shoulder.

"Ah... oh, hey ? What are you guys doing here ?" Pac finally asks, confused but happy to see familiar faces. Faces he likes.

"We wanted to surprise you, Pac ! Fit said you might be sad today so we're going to have a pyjama party to cheer you up!" Ramón replies.

"Only if you agree, Pac, of course." Fit corrects.

"Are you okay with that, Pac ? Can the three of us have a pyjama party ?"

How do you expect Pac to say no to anything with that angelic face ? It's already lost in advance, but Pac doesn't even need to think about the proposal. It's obvious to him.

The biker crouches down and stretches out his arms towards Ramón, who throws himself into them willingly, all accompanied by his little laugh that fixes every one of Pac's sorrows.

"Thank you Ramón, that's a great idea. I really appreciate it."

The Brazilian man closes his eyes for a second and enjoys the cuddle with his boy.
Oh ? His boy ? No. Ramón is not his boy. Ramón is Fit's son... But... maybe Pac wouldn't mind being Ramón's second dad.
Briefly, Pac meets Fit's gaze. He wouldn't mind being Ramón's second dad at all, especially if it meant spending the rest of his life with this man who had spontaneously decided to come and keep him company because he knew he'd be sad tonight.

Fit watches the scene with great tenderness. Pac's red eyes don't escape his gaze and he's glad he had the idea to visit Pac. Ramón was the one who suggested turning it into a pyjama party. Fit suspects that the boy has found an excuse to spend more time with Pac. Fit isn't blind ; he can see how attached his son is to the biker.

And that makes him happy.

It's important to Fit that Ramón likes Pac.

Pac and Ramón separate and the owner lets the two newcomers in.

"Ramón, you can sleep in Richas's room if you want. I'll change the sheets so you'll be more comfortable. Fit, I can take the sofa if you like. You can sleep in my room."

"I'll take the couch. We're the ones arriving unannounced Pac, it's up to us to adapt, don't worry." Fit insists.

Pac and Fit glare at each other, but the mechanic finally gives up. He can’t do much in the face of those hazel eyes that make him lose his mind. Pac is unable to hold eye contact for more than a few seconds and seeing the red tint in the biker's cheeks makes Fit smile.

"Um I'm going to... I'm going to take care of Ramón's room. I'll be right back." Pac announces.

Fit watches him go, still with a small smile at the corner of his lips but eventually he meets his son's gaze, who has a frown on his face.

"What is it, boy ?"

"I can see what's going on between you two, you know."

Oh, does that bother Ramón ? Fit doesn't have time to add anything as the boy continues to speak in a slightly nonchalant tone.

"You're grown-ups, so I'm not going to interfere. But if you take too long to confess, I'll take care of it for you. You've already been awkward with each other for two months, I think that's enough."

Fit nearly chokes on his son's statement.

"Everything okay ?" Pac asks from Richas's room.

"Uh yes, yes Pac. Everything's fine." The florist turns to his son, who smirks, looking very proud of himself. "Ramón... This is... What- What are you talking about ?"

"Tell me I'm wrong."

"You- You're not right about everything."

"I'm not ?"

"Hey. Don't you sass me, young man. I am your father. If you start misbehaving, we're going home. Do you understand ?"

"Yes... Sorry. I just wanted to make you react. I know I'm right. But you know, I really like Pac and I can see that he makes you happy so... Don't waste any more time if you like him. Especially as I'm convinced the feeling's mutual."

Fit raises his eyes to the sky and ruffles his son's hair with a tender smile.

"Everything in its own time, my boy. Baby steps. I promise I'll work on myself."

"Hm. I trust you. And you deserve to have someone make you happy like that, Fit."

Genuinely moved, Fit placed a kiss on his son's head. "Thank you Ramón. You're the best son anyone could ever dream of having."

"You're not too bad yourself."

And here we go again with that cheeky little tone. But after a statement like that, Fit can let it slide this time.

Pac returns with a satisfied look on his face.

"Ramón, your room is ready. Do you want to set up your things ?" He offers.

The boy just nods with a smile and walks quickly towards the room. He looks back at his father just before he disappears from his field of vision and offers him a small smile that hints at a lot of innuendo. Fit raises his eyebrows and shakes his head.

The florist turns his attention back to Pac, who looks a little tense, perhaps even agitated, despite his smile.

"Pac, I just want you to know that it's completely okay if you don't want us to stay for the night. I don't want us to impose if you don't agree. It's your place, after all."

"It's my place... Yes. But don't worry, Fit. It makes me genuinely happy that you're both here."

"Ok. And how did the end of the move go ? Are Mine and Mike all settled in ?"

"Yes. Yes, their house is looking really nice. They've almost finished painting the rooms the way they wanted. It's lovely, it really looks like them. They'll probably have a house-warming party to celebrate their move in. I'll make sure you and Ramón are invited, of course".

"That's nice. What about you ? How are you feeling ?"

"Oh, much better !"

The lie is obvious. Fit can see it easily but if Pac isn't ready to talk about it then he doesn't want to force it. He can only support him as best he can and be ready to listen when he feels like it.

Pac quickly changes the conversation in case Fit wants to explore the subject further.

"What do you boys want to eat tonight ? I haven't had time to shop so we may have to order in."

"Pizza !" Ramón shouts from the bedroom.

Pac and Fit laugh at the boy's excited tone. Indeed, pizza sounds like a good idea tonight.

The three boys quickly receive their order and are seated at the dining table. Ramón is very excited to tell Pac all about his week, and Pac knows how to react to every sentence the boy utters.

“Fred came to the shop today !” Ramon announces.

“Oh really ?” Pac asks, looking up at Fit.

“Yes. He bought a bouquet. I even gave him a few details on the significance of the flowers he chose.”

“You'd make an excellent shopkeeper, Ramon. I'm sure that helped him in his choice.”

“You can't even imagine…” Fit comments before elaborating further. “It was a bouquet to give to someone. When Ramon told Fred that the yellow roses he wanted meant friendship, he immediately changed his mind.”

Pac gasps, shocked by Fit's comment. “Are we thinking of the same person ?”

“Damn right. He even asked me if I thought Tubbo would like the bouquet !”

Pac chuckles at this news. It's imperative that he finds out if Tubbo actually received the flowers and if there was any discussion between the two young men. Perhaps Tubbo's crush is indeed mutual.

“Tubbo is going to have a lover…”. Ramon sings.

“Tubbo's going to have a lover…” Pac replies in the same tone, joking with the boy about the subject.

Fit admires this domestic scene. He has the impression that the three of them are a little family and that's something he'd like to make real. And even though he's almost certain that his feelings are shared by Pac, he can't be sure unless he decides to confess... And he hasn't found the courage for that yet. Unless Pac confesses first. That would be Fit's ideal scenario, but he's learnt the hard way that plans don't often work out as he'd hoped. How he wishes everything was as easy as the plans he makes in his head.

"Fit ?"

Ramón's small voice brings him back to reality.

"Yes, Ramón ?"

"Are you okay with us watching Cars ? Pac agrees if you agree. But since you told me he's the boss, we'll still watch if you say no."

The florist exchanges a look with the man actually in charge, who just smiles at him. And what a smile. Fit wants to see him every day. Fit wants it to be the first thing he sees when he wakes up and the last thing he sees when he goes to sleep. That fucking smile !
Fit struggles to turn his attention back to Ramón.

"Of course we can watch Cars, my boy. Do you want to do that right now ?"

The boy nods and follows close behind as Pac gets up to go to the sofa. With an eight-year-old to look after, of course every parent has a subscription to watch movies like Cars, The Incredibles and Peter Pan. So it's not difficult for Pac to find the film.

With popcorn on their laps, the three boys are captivated by the film, which is often interrupted by their comments.

Pac is as talkative as Fit and Ramón during a film. A detail that amuses the florist greatly.

"Pac..."

Fit's whispered voice pulls Pac out of the film when it had been a while since anyone had been talking and was entirely focused on the film.

The mechanic looks in the direction Fit is pointing him and his heart melts a little when he sees Ramón asleep against his father's arm. He exchanges an affectionate glance with the florist, who tries not to laugh so as not to wake the boy.

"I'll get his room ready." Pac announces.

"I'll wake him so he can brush his teeth. Do you mind taking care of the room by yourself ?"

"Not at all. I'll make him a cosy little nest."

Pac admires Fit gently waking up his son, who doesn't seem very motivated to walk to the bathroom. It reminds him of identical moments with Richarlyson. It seems that all parents go through similar moments.

Ramón is a lovely boy. It's easy to see that he's being raised with a lot of love and that Fit is allowing him to fulfil his potential, despite what he may think. Pac thinks back to what the florist confessed to him during the wedding and still finds it hard to believe that anyone could abandon a child like Ramón and a man like Fit.
Given the chance, he would never make that mistake.
But seeing the two of them so happy together makes him think that he'll never be able to find his place in their family. They've been together so long that they have their own language. He would never dare impose himself in their little bubble.

"Pac ?"

Ramón's little voice snaps him out of his thoughts and the boy looks half-asleep, ready to head off to Dreamland.

"Your bed is ready, Ramón. You can come."

Pac makes sure the boy is settled in the bed and then stands up, a tender smile on his face.

"I'll leave you two alone." Pac announces.

But Ramón's tiny hand clutching the bottom of Pac's T-shirt changes the biker's plans and he leans towards Ramón in surprise, fearing he's missing something. Ramón doesn't say anything, just holds him by the shirt, preventing him from leaving.
Pac looks up at Fit, who is leaning against the wall beside the bed, a simple, amused but tender smile drawn across his face.

"I think he wants you to stay a little longer." Fit says. "If you don't mind."

Of course he doesn't mind !

Impose yourself in our bubble... it's what Pac understands.

Taken aback, the mechanic sits down on the bed as Ramón finally lets go of him, satisfied that Pac is living up to his expectations.
Fit crouches down beside the bed and strokes his son's hair, singing him a lullaby in Spanish.

The two men spend a few minutes with the boy, who falls completely asleep, a peaceful look on his face.

Pac feels his heart clench. Ramón and Fit had made a place for him in their lives without him asking for anything. Without him daring to impose. They've built a castle whose walls surround the three of them, protecting them from all outside attacks. It's the first time Pac has felt this way since Richarlyson came into his life. This feeling of having a family of his own.
With the tip of his lips, Pac speaks new words to Ramón :

"Boa noite Nenê."