Work Text:
Q had a dreadful day at work.
His days were always busy, as he was the sole CEO of his architecture firm. But these past few weeks had been even worse than usual. He recently had to fire his assistant, which meant he’d taken on even more responsibilities that weren’t technically in his job description.
Because without his assistant, who would keep track of all the projects he needed to approve on a daily basis? Who would set up meetings with private investors to kickstart large projects? And who would conduct the productivity checks he needed to determine which employee to promote? All of these things fell onto his shoulders, along with his usual workload.
Regarding the last point, one of his project managers had retired, and he needed to fill the spot in just a few months. It would be easier to bring in someone from outside of the company who he knew was qualified. But he’d rather give one of his loyal employees a chance to shine. Some of them had been working tirelessly for years, hoping to make their way up in the company. It reminded him of his past self, who struggled to make a name for himself in the industry.
Thus, he had to single-handedly go through each of his employees’ files and conduct interviews to find the right fit. It couldn’t be helped. His old assistant had been pocketing money that was meant to be put back into the company. If he’d only admitted that he was having financial struggles, then Q would’ve helped him out. But stealing from his business assured that he could never be trusted again, so he had to be let go. He could’ve gotten Q into some serious legal trouble, if the blame had been placed on him.
He had yet to find a suitable replacement. That was another thing added onto the laundry list of things he had to do. Thanks to the money laundering, he now had even less trust in possible assistant candidates. He had to be very thorough with background checks and interviews, to ensure he wouldn’t hire another backstabber.
Sometimes, he got mixed up on whether he was meeting an investor, an employee who wanted the promotion, or an assistant who wanted the job. Everything was jumbled up in his mind. He simply had too much on his plate. Every day felt twice, or perhaps even thrice, as tiring as usual.
Q liked his job. Being his own boss came with a lot of responsibilities, but it was rewarding. Still, he couldn’t stop himself from glancing at the clock in his office every few minutes. Waiting for the seconds to tick by, so he could rush home. Despite being the CEO, he tried not to work too long after hours. Instead, he worked extra hard during the day to get everything done. He didn’t like keeping Toey waiting.
But it was inevitable that he got home late, no matter how much rushing he did. Even if he packed up as soon as his work was done and sprinted out the door, he was bound to make it home after dinner was cold and their twin sons, Sound and Sean, were already put to bed.
Toey waited up for him every night. He wouldn’t fall asleep without making sure Q came home safe.
He never wanted to give Toey cause for concern. His bubbly, cute husband should never have to worry about anything. That was why he made sure Toey was set up for life. They had a massive house with a lake view. A huge backyard with a garden, filled with lush plants and flowers that Toey tended to. They had a large room that was set up to be Toey’s painting studio. They both had expensive cars, and their house was filled with all the furniture they could ever need.
They avoided adding unnecessary stress into their shared lives. They didn’t argue, as they were always on the same page. They’d been together for too long to misunderstand each other’s intentions. They were respectful and thoughtful of each other’s feelings.
Toey knew him better than anyone. Maybe even better than he knew himself.
Thinking about Toey made him even more homesick. His mundane workplace was nothing compared to Toey’s delightful, cheery personality. He wanted nothing more than to sink into the warm embrace of his loving husband and forget all about the work-related stress that was raising his blood pressure by the minute.
His darling Toey was the perfect medicine, the only cure to his fatigue. They were childhood friends, since they grew up in the same neighborhood. Nobody was surprised when they got together in high school. They’d been inseparable for years. And now, they were coming up on their ten-year wedding anniversary. Toey had stood by his side as he spent years climbing the corporate ladder, until finally landing himself a spot at the top.
Unfortunately, this meant more of his time was spent at work than he would’ve liked. But the money he made allowed Toey to stay home and take care of the twins. He would do anything to provide for his family.
Not to say that Toey didn’t contribute to their bank account. He was a skilled painter who’d garnered a name for himself in the art scene. He created masterpieces in his spare time that sold for a pretty penny, while also looking after the house, the twins, and their dog, Tiny. Even with all of that, he never seemed to run out of energy.
This was the arrangement they’d agreed on ages ago. Way back when they were teenagers with big dreams of owning a large house with a warm family. People may have thought they were being unrealistic at the time, and that their dreams were larger than life. But now, they’d accomplished all of their goals. He couldn’t be happier with the way their lives had turned out.
He trudged through the front door, using all of his remaining strength to not collapse into a heap as soon as he was standing on carpet instead of concrete. He kicked his shoes off, then lined them up neatly beside Toey’s.
“Honey, I’m home!,” he called out as he hung his keys on the key holder. There were two hooks, and of course, Toey’s keys were safely resting on one. Whenever a hook was occupied, a little cat popped out of the top. Thus, his cat came out to greet Toey’s.
“Pumpkin!,” Toey returned his call. Rushed footsteps soon followed. He emerged from the kitchen, still wearing his floral print apron from when he’d made dinner. As usual, Toey greeted him by wrapping him in a bone-crushing hug and letting out a little squeal of delight. “Welcome home!”
It was impossible to remain grumpy when sunshine personified was so happy to see him. His blinding smile was more than enough to brighten Q’s day with only one glance. How could he possibly feel down when he had a personal mood booster to keep him in high spirits? All he had to do was step foot into their home, and everything was so much brighter. Toey kept the house well-lit, just like how his presence lit up Q’s life.
Everything would feel so empty if he didn’t have Toey clinging to him as soon as he got home. “Toey missed P’Q so much!”
Toey’s excitement was contagious. Q relaxed into his arms, allowing the burdens of the day to fall off him as he buried his face against Toey’s warm neck, inhaling his sweet honey scent. “I missed you, too, angel.”
Toey held him for a few blissful moments, rubbing circles over his back with those soft hands. The comfortable, companionable silence was welcome after the hustle and bustle of his workplace. The quiet washed over him like a calm wave lapping at the shore, Toey’s gentle touch grounding him in the way only he could. He always knew exactly what Q needed.
Toey’s voice broke the silence, his tone just as delicate as his touch. “How was work, dear?”
He let out a deep sigh, raising his tired arms to wrap them around Toey’s waist. He gripped him tightly, ensuring he stayed close. “It was so tiring, my love. I’m just glad to be home. And to see your face.”
Toey pulled back just enough to look at him with those bright, caring eyes. His pretty, pink lips pouted slightly, drawing Q’s attention to them. “Does pumpkin need Toey to help him relax?”
Toey’s presence was enough to empty all of the nagging thoughts from his head, making room for only Toey to fill his brain. It was like there was a tiny Toey living in his head going, “Pay attention to Toey! Only think about Toey!” He’d never turn down the opportunity to be spoiled in Toey’s affection. “Please, darling. I need you.”
Toey offered a cheeky smile, batting his eyelashes as he trailed his fingers down Q’s tie. He could feel the touch against his chest, even through his clothes. “How badly does P’Q need Toey?”
These were moves Toey had used on him countless times, and they never lost effectiveness. Toey’s round, sparkly eyes and teasing touches lit a fire inside his chest like no other. “I need you more than I need air.”
Toey wound the end of the tie around his hand, his eyes going half-lidded as his gaze dropped to Q’s mouth. “What would P’Q do if Toey wasn’t here?”
He softened, rubbing his hands up and down Toey’s sides. He had moves of his own, too. “P’Q would be so miserable without his Toey.”
That was enough to have Toey yanking on his tie, pulling him closer until their lips crashed together. That was another gesture that never lost its novelty.
He remembered their first kiss, all those years ago. Toey was filled with excitement, practically bouncing in place as he gazed at Q with hundreds of galaxies shining in his glimmering eyes. And he’d been so eager, holding onto Q’s neck with his delicate hands to keep him in place as he leaned closer, until their noses were almost touching.
Toey was looking into his eyes, and he swore he was getting lost in those twinkling irises. He couldn’t remember anything except for Toey’s name, and he couldn’t feel anything other than the intense heat forming between them.
“Toey needs to kiss P’Q so bad. Is that okay, Phi?”
Toey’s voice was so sweet, the perfect mixture of innocently asking for permission with a certain confidence around the edges, like he knew his offer wouldn’t be refused. Because they were meant to be together, and they both knew it. And while Q had been trying to work up the courage to make a move for ages, Toey stole the chance right out from under him.
Q was so shy back then, when he still kept all of his feelings locked away. He never expected someone as cute and loving as Toey to acquire the key to his heart, easily freeing those emotions that had been bubbling up for so long. As such, he was struck stupid by the question, his throat swallowing around nothing in lieu of forming intelligible words.
It was impossible to think when the man of his dreams was so close to him. In that moment, his knees were weak. He felt his whole world being shaken up, like he was living inside a snowglobe. How could the man he’d been pining over for years make the first move so easily? He’d been wanting to kiss Toey for so long. And by the looks of it, Toey had been waiting even longer.
Toey was always so patient with him. He understood that Q needed a gentle nudge, something to encourage him to release his inhibitions and let his tall walls down.
A warm, elegant hand found one of his cheeks, the other still resting on his neck. He was sure that Toey could feel the pounding of his heart beneath his skin, the thrumming of his blood rushing to his face. But Toey simply gave him that soft smile that he’d grown accustomed to, dimples decorating his cheeks as his thumb rubbed soothing circles over his skin.
“Toey has wanted to kiss P’Q for so long. Will P’Q let himself be loved? Toey will take care of his Phi.”
Toey already took care of him. In more ways than one. He’d found Q as a lonely, hurt child and took his time gluing his heart back together, cushioning the jagged edges with soft clouds so they wouldn’t stick out far enough to jab into Q’s chest with every breath.
He succumbed so easily. He’d let Toey kiss him, even if it spelled out his impending doom. Toey looked so sweet, gentle yet expectant, his gaze flicking down to Q’s lips like he didn’t want to wait anymore. But he would, if Q still needed time.
And that was what really did it. He’d surrender his heart and soul to Toey, who was so patient and so brave. Who loved without fear. While Q was too busy wrestling with his feelings and wading in hesitation, Toey was biding his time.
Q was someone who tried to hold his emotions in. He didn’t want to show his weaknesses to others. Keeping his woes to himself allowed his facade of strength to remain. But Toey had seen through that. He knew that Q was an emotional being, who loved with his entire heart. Once he realized showing his emotions didn’t have to be seen as a weakness, there was no need to play pretend anymore.
If they both knew they were meant to be, then why would Toey not make the first move? Toey knew what he wanted, and he wouldn’t hesitate to take it.
All he could do was nod. Then suddenly, warm lips were caressing his. Toey’s excited energy was clear in the way he kissed; curiously exploring Q’s mouth, but maintaining the usual delicacy and gentleness that he carried everywhere he went. Q drank the confidence directly from his lips, using it to find his own strength to kiss back.
Toey wasn’t one to restrain himself. And Q wasn’t one to question him. He let Toey do whatever he wanted, whether it meant leading the kiss, pulling him closer by his neck, pressing against Q’s chest until it was impossible to tell where one body ended and the other began. If anything, it was all things he wanted to do himself, but never found the courage to.
Toey was no less eager now, all this time later, sliding his lips against Q’s in a way that felt more like coming home than walking through the door did. He’d never tire of the comforting warmth of Toey’s lips moving against his. Toey squeezed lightly at his shoulder as he tilted his head to change the angle of the kiss. Time always froze when they were wrapped in each other like this.
Toey’s warm breath puffed against his lips when they broke apart for a second to catch their breath. But it really was only for a second, because Toey surged forward to close the distance between them again.
Time couldn’t erode the passion they held for each other. Nothing could. Toey was the best thing to happen to him. And he wouldn’t let anyone forget that.
Ever since he opened his heart to Toey, he made sure everyone knew how much he loved his pocket of sunshine. He was openly clingy, hanging off Toey and giving him cheek kisses in front of their friends. Loving someone who was a free spirit and wore his heart on his sleeve allowed him to be the same way.
When Toey pulled away, his cheeks were beautifully rouged and his lips were spread into a delighted smile. Darling dimples poked into his cheeks, making him even cuter. He always looked so elated after kissing Q, like he couldn’t possibly be any happier. Like Q’s lips were the sweetest candy, the drop of water that quenched his thirst when he was about to faint from exhaustion.
When their relationship was still new, Q had to get used to being pulled aside to get kissed silly, until all of his breath had left him and he couldn’t think about anything but Toey’s lips. He couldn’t blame Toey for being kiss-deprived and touch-starved. That was a side-effect of pining after a clueless guy for so long.
Now, he’d had years of practice, so he was used to Toey’s kiss-crazed nature. That did nothing to stomp out the love pouring from him every time, though. It was so sweet how his little sunshine only needed a kiss from his P’Q to be happy. Their kisses weren’t scarce, and yet, the novelty never wore off. He could kiss Toey for hours and never get tired of it.
With Toey around, he would never have a dull day.
Toey had matured over the years. His features sharpened slightly as he lost some of his baby fat. But he never lost an ounce of his cuteness. His cheeks were still soft and round, perfect for Q to squeeze and press kisses to. Which he did now, kissing every inch of Toey’s sweet face like it was his personal canvas. He spoke between his kisses, singing Toey’s praises, “My pretty Toey. My lovely husband. My other half.”
Toey giggled, but he didn’t shy away. He relished in the attention. It wasn’t until Q’s stomach growled, that Toey held out a hand to halt the kiss attack. “P’Q must be so hungry. Come have dinner.”
They ended up in a familiar position: with Q sitting at the dining table as Toey stood behind him, doting on him. Since the food had long since grown cold, Toey had warmed up his plate for him. He really was the perfect partner. He didn’t know how he’d ever be able to live if he didn’t have Toey in his life.
As he leisurely ate his meal, Toey was rubbing his shoulders. He felt a little bad sometimes, about having Toey spoil him so much. But Toey insisted that he loved it. And Q would never stop him from doing something he loved.
“Toey thinks Sound has a crush on a boy in school.”
That interjection had him almost choking on his food. Toey had to pat him on the back until his wheezing subsided. He held up a glass of water to Q’s lips while rubbing his back in concern. “Be careful, P’Q.”
Once he’d recovered from the sudden attack, he turned to Toey with a frown. “What do you mean, Sound has a crush on someone? He’s too young.”
Toey offered a giggle while rubbing his fingers through Q’s hair. “Really? How old was P’Q when he first got feelings for Toey?”
He got him there. Although they started dating in high school, Q had a crush on him long before that. But Toey was the picture of perfection, so it was only natural. Who wouldn’t fall for an angel? Meanwhile, the twins were barely eight years old. He didn’t think he’d have to worry about them having crushes until they hit their teens.
Just because he’d always been enamored by Toey and that worked out perfectly for him, that didn’t mean it would be the same for them. He wasn’t ready for their possible heartbreaks, especially since he’d never had to deal with one himself. That was an entirely new parenting experience that he’d have to adapt to.
He pouted, a habit he’d picked up from Toey over time. “It’s different. Nobody is good enough for my kids.”
Toey gave a full-blown laugh this time, as he leaned down to nuzzle his cheek against the top of Q’s head. “Don’t be silly, baby. It’s just an innocent crush between children.”
It wasn’t fair, how Toey was pulling out pet names to melt his defenses. And it worked every time, because he couldn’t help but smile, even though his cheeks were heating up.
He never grew stronger against Toey’s affection. If anything, he only became weaker and weaker with each day that passed. Still, he didn’t want to give up so easily when it came to their kids. He was fiercely protective of them.
“But honey, I need to meet this kid’s parents first.”
Toey went back to rubbing his shoulders. “Toey knows his parents. They’re very nice.”
“How do you know his parents?”
“Toey met them at the parent-teacher conference at the beginning of the year.”
Ah, the meeting that Q couldn’t go to, since it was during work hours. There were countless meetings like that, all fulfilled by Toey alone, and it made him feel guilty every time. He hoped the other parents didn’t think Toey was single. If some single dad tried to swoop in on his husband, he wouldn’t be happy.
He also wasn’t thrilled that he was only now hearing about this. Sure, it was a normal thing for young children to have innocent crushes. But he should’ve known without Toey having to tell him. He hated being out of the loop thanks to his work.
“At least tell me our Seanie doesn’t have a crush yet.”
Toey’s hands paused their rubbing. “Well… Toey thinks both of them are following in our footsteps of having crushes in elementary school.”
“It can’t be! Our kids are growing up too fast!,” he pretended to cry, wiping away fake tears. “What will I do when they don’t need me anymore?”
Toey wrapped his arms around him, giving him another tight hug. “Don’t say that, P’Q. Toey and the twins will always need P’Q.”
Tiny jumped into his lap, as if reminding him that he also still needed him. Q gave him the pets he wanted while leaning back into Toey’s hold. He was glad that Toey noticed every little thing about their kids. Since he couldn’t be there all the time, he relied on Toey’s keen ability to pick out important details and relay them to him. “You take such good care of our family, Toey.”
Toey pressed a kiss to the side of his head. “P’Q does, too. He works so hard for us. Now, P’Q has to finish dinner.”
Once he was done eating, Toey took his dirty dishes to the sink. He started washing them while humming a little tune. Q listened contently for a few moments as he gave Tiny some cuddles and kisses. But he couldn’t hold himself back for long. It was like there was a magnetic pull between them that demanded him to stand.
He walked over to Toey, hugging him from behind. He rested his hands on Toey’s stomach and started swaying their bodies side to side, in tune with Toey’s humming. Toey dried his hands off on the washrag, then rested his hands on top of Q’s.
“P’Q is so clingy,” he pointed out, rather smugly, even as he leaned back against Q’s chest and allowed himself to be squeezed. His fingers played with Q’s, which still rested on Toey’s stomach. He traced random, flirty lines over the back of Q’s hands.
He buried his face in Toey’s hair, inhaling his scent. He always smelled so good, like honey and hibiscus, and Q was conditioned to relax whenever the scent hit him. He kept a vial of Toey’s perfume in his office, so he could spray it whenever he missed him too much. He was addicted to his scent.
He also had family photos on his desk to give him the motivation to continue working. There was a photo of him and Toey when they were in high school, a few months after they became official. Toey had his arms around him and wore a big smile. They looked so young. It made him emotional to think about how long they’d been together. The younger version of him would be ecstatic if he knew that one day, his life would be like this.
Beside it, there was a photo of Sound and Sean from a few years ago. Sean’s smile was wide like Toey’s, showing off his baby teeth. While Sound’s was more subtle, just a slight upturn of closed lips. They were so tiny when they were adopted, little crying bundles of joy. Now, they’d developed their own personalities.
Q had researched how to take care of twins before the adoption went through. He learned that forcing them into matching outfits and trying to make them look the same could give them an identity crisis. It was important to allow them to grow into their own people, so they had more going for them than just being twins.
Sean was a polite boy who was the clingier one between the two. He never shied away from receiving hugs and forehead kisses from his papas.
But he was a bit mischievous. He’d steal one of Toey’s intricately-decorated cookies, then deny that he’d taken it, even as the evidence remained in the form of crumbs around his mouth. He was a master of playing innocent, putting on a sweet expression and hugging them to distract them from whatever mischief he’d caused. He’d definitely picked up some habits from Toey and wielded his pout like a weapon.
If he couldn’t resist Toey’s pout, how was he supposed to resist his own son’s?
Sound was stubborn, but he felt things deeply. He sometimes got into bad moods where he didn’t want to talk to anyone or do anything. The one thing that always got him to calm down was music. It got through to him in a special way that made Q think they might have a future musician on their hands. By the end of whatever song they’d played to soothe him, he’d be tugging on their shirts with tiny tears in his eyes, asking for forgiveness for acting out.
“I’m sorry, papas. Don’t un-adopt me,” he’d pleaded once, looking up at them with pitiful, wet eyes. Q felt his heart break in his chest, and they both leaned down to give him a hug and reassure him that he wasn’t going anywhere. They’d raised these twins as their own.
His favorite photo had all of them in it. Sound sat in Toey’s lap while Sean sat in Q’s. They both looked suspiciously like Toey, to the point that strangers often mistook them as his biological children.
Tiny sat between them. There was some motion blur on his tail, because he wouldn’t stop wagging it. That only made Q adore the photo even more. Every time he was tired of working and felt like resting his head on his desk, he’d pick up the photo and stare longingly. He’d run his fingers over the smiling faces of his family and muster up the strength to continue on.
Tiny had been the first addition to their family. Toey always wanted to raise a puppy. Q promised that they could adopt one once they saved enough money to purchase a house of their own. And Toey didn’t let him forget it. As soon as the paperwork for the house had been finalized, he turned to Q with wide, pleading eyes. “P’Q didn’t forget his promise, right?”
They went out to adopt a puppy the very next day. Hardly any of their stuff was even unpacked, just two boxes of essentials that they’d handled before they got carried away, distracted by kissing each other every chance they got. But they made sure to buy tons of puppy supplies before bringing the little guy home. Toey had decided on the name, “because he’s so cute and tiny!”
Luckily, Tiny was great with children. They brought him around Mick and Matt’s daughter plenty of times. So they had high hopes that he’d react well when they brought the twins home, years later. And they were right.
It was pretty ironic how people mistook Sound and Sean for Toey’s biological sons. Because when they looked to the side, expecting a wife to accompany Toey, what they saw instead was a larger man with a stonier face. Some people grew confused, others tried to hide their shock with slightly awkward smiles. It was amusing to see their reactions.
Adopting the twins had been a lot of work. They had the income requirements down. But once they started meeting with their adoption agent, it quickly became clear how much baby-proofing was needed to make their big house safe for tiny hands. There was a lot of rooms for their future child to wander into.
Every outlet had to be covered. Every drawer had to be child-locked, as well as the fridge. They had to put a baby gate at the top of the stairs to prevent an accident. They put corner protectors on the edges of all their tables, so soft heads wouldn’t bump into them.
They went to great lengths to baby-proof the house. But it still took nearly two years of interviews and check-ups for the agency to finally approve them, so they could complete their family.
One day, their adoption agent showed up with the profiles of two babies to show them. Twins. They had to be adopted together. He remembered one of the questions in one of their many interviews: How would you feel about adopting twins, if the opportunity arises?
Q was more than happy to bring two babies into their family, and so was Toey. It had been an easy approval from them. But still, they didn’t know that would actually happen, so it was surreal when they held those profiles in their hands.
The twins had been given up by their parents. Q didn’t know the details, or even who they were. The information was all kept in sealed records, with their names redacted for privacy reasons. Whatever the case may be, Q and Toey had a wealth of money and love to give the twins the lives they deserved.
It was a long, arduous process, but he wouldn’t change a thing. There was nothing quite like holding his babies in his arms for the first time. These warm, cute little things that depended on them. Sean had looked up at him in wonder, his eyes wide as he tried to process what he was seeing. Sound had a grumpy frown as he stared up at him, confused. But a simple light poke to his cheek was enough to ease that frown off his face, replacing it with a goofy baby smile.
He knew right then, from that moment, that he’d never let any harm come to them. He took their facial similarities to Toey as a sign from the universe that they were always meant to be their kids.
“How could I not be clingy, when my husband is this cute?,” he muttered against Toey’s hair, then trailed kisses down his neck. Toey tilted his head a little to the side, giving him more room to work with. He pressed his lips over every inch of skin he could reach, greedily soaking up his warmth.
Toey wasn’t the only one who could be a little kiss-crazy. He couldn’t help but be extra affectionate when he thought about how Toey had always been a perfect partner for him. A perfect father, a perfect dog dad, and a perfect husband.
He pressed a tiny kiss behind Toey’s ear. “What did you do today, pumpkin?”
He wanted to know every detail of how Toey spent his day. Toey’s creativity was one of the things he loved about him. He was such a carefree soul, always ready to express himself through different means. He would never stop Toey from exploring his artistry.
Toey made every story interesting. Nothing that came out of his mouth could ever sound boring. One day, Toey might find a group of ladybugs while gardening. The next, he might paint a sleeping cat surrounded by clouds. Or he might discover an old knick-knack that had been long forgotten while he was dusting their shelves. Or possibly, he saw an advertisement for a new appliance he wanted.
Whether he started a new painting, planted a new flower in the garden, or learned a new recipe, Q loved listening to every part of it. Some stories could be so similar, and yet, they were always fun for him to listen to. They were like a book of happy short stories that never ended, the fruits of their labor being enjoyed to the fullest.
He’d been closely following Toey’s experimental baking journey. Toey had started putting his painting skills to use by baking sweet treats and giving them grand decorations in icing. They always came out looking like something a professional had made. His husband was a man of many talents.
“Toey started the day by making breakfast for everyone. How did P’Q like the food Toey packed for him?”
He nuzzled his nose against the skin just behind Toey’s ear. “It was perfect. Your cooking always is.”
Toey let out a little giggle before continuing. “While the twins were at school, Toey started a new painting while sitting in the garden, but it isn’t finished yet.”
Toey’s breathing was even, his chest rising and falling with deep breaths as he recounted the events. He loved how excitable Toey was, but he also loved serene moments like this. Just the two of them, wrapped up in domestic bliss, as they spoke about day-to-day life.
“What did you start painting? Can I see?”
“P’Q can’t see it yet. Toey is making P’Q a gift for our ten-year wedding anniversary.”
He smiled against the back of Toey’s neck. “Pumpkin, I love it.”
“P’Q didn’t even see it!,” Toey scolded, but it ended in a laugh. “How could P’Q love it already?”
He rubbed over Toey’s stomach, just to feel him. To claim Toey’s warmth for himself. “That’s easy. I love everything you make.”
“P’Q is such a charmer.” Toey turned his head to reward him with a kiss, before facing forwards and continuing on. “Then, Toey took Tiny to the dog park. Tiny made a new friend! They were so cute, running around with each other. It made Toey wonder if we could get a puppy…,” Toey trained off with a hopeful tilt to his voice.
Q made a questioning noise against the side of Toey’s neck, which he’d started pressing kisses to again. He couldn’t help that his husband was irresistible. “You won’t be too tired if there’s a puppy running around on top of everyone else?”
Toey shook his head. “Toey knows he can do it. Tiny wants a friend! Toey doesn’t want him to be lonely.” He could hear the pout in Toey’s voice, and he knew he was a goner. He relented easily. He’d do anything for Toey.
“Okay, pumpkin. We can get a puppy.”
Toey cheered, then launched back into his story. “Toey picked the kids up from school and helped them with their homework, then made dinner and tucked them in bed. Then, Toey waited for his P’Q to come home.”
He turned Toey around in his arms, so he could take a look at those pretty eyes he adored. Toey made their house a home. He never could’ve found anyone who completed him better than Toey did.
Without warning, he leaned in to press his lips against Toey’s. He was consumed by how much he loved his husband. Toey melted into the kiss easily, sliding his lips against Q’s in practiced motions that came with years of experience. He knew exactly at what angles to tilt his head to steal Q’s breath away. He knew to focus his attention on Q’s bottom lip, so Q could kiss his top lip. There was nothing awkward in their kisses anymore, only pure love and understanding.
When the kiss ended, Q leaned his forehead against Toey’s. He wanted to see Toey’s twinkling irises from as close as possible. Those lively eyes had never dulled, never lost their shine, and never changed the way they looked at Q like he was important. Something to be cherished. Toey’s eyes held tiny stars in them that he longed to reach out and touch. “Let me help you wash the dishes.”
Toey wrapped his arms around his neck, clinging to him with a flirty smile. “Isn’t P’Q tired?”
He rested his hands on Toey’s waist, keeping him close while nuzzling their noses together. “You must be tired too, from running through my mind all day.”
Toey laughed, soft and tinkly, and gave him another kiss. “Come help Toey, then.”
Spending alone time with Toey made him feel young again. He allowed himself to be playful, splashing water on Toey’s arms as they cleaned. Toey pretended to scold him, only to splash him back with a grin.
Once the dishes were clean, he wanted to check on the twins. He opened the door to their bedroom slowly, making no sudden movements. The twins weren’t the heaviest sleepers, nor the lightest. But any loud noises would surely wake them up.
And Q couldn’t bear to do that. They looked so peaceful, deeply asleep, their faces entirely relaxed. Two sleeping angels, tucked carefully into their separate beds by Toey’s loving hands. He knew it could be difficult to get the twins to sleep. He wouldn’t undo Toey’s hard work by waking them up.
Instead, he knelt beside Sound’s bed. He placed his hand on top of Sound’s head, just the lightest touch. “Don’t grow up too fast, okay?,” he whispered, before placing a small kiss on his forehead.
He moved to Sean’s bed and kissed his forehead next. “Don’t stop needing dada Q, okay?”
Toey watched from the doorway with a fond smile on his face.
He loved being a dad. He was strict about taking his weekends off, so he could spend time with his kids. He refused to be a hands-off parent. He didn’t want to miss any milestones in their lives. The weekends were for family. They’d all pile up in his car and go watch a kids’ movie in the theatre, or take a trip to the water park, or simply go for a swim in the lake that was just outside their house.
He liked taking them to the park the most. That way, he and Toey could each push one of them on the swings. They’d compete for who could swing the highest. Nothing made him happier than watching his children play with his husband by his side. They could also bring Tiny along to the park, while he reasonably wasn’t allowed to go to the theatre or the water park. However, he suspected Tiny’s favorite way to spend time was playing in the shallow end of the lake.
Once he hired a new assistant and promoted someone to project manager, he’d take some time off. He had vacation days saved up and it was almost time for the twins’ summer break. He’d take Toey, Sound, Sean, and Tiny on a trip. Sean would cry if they left Tiny at home, so hiring a dog sitter wasn’t an option.
That was okay. He’d find a nice hotel that allowed pets. He’d take them all out of the country for a few weeks, to wherever they wanted. He had more than enough money to help them live out their wildest dreams.
The exhaustion was creeping into his senses now that he was home, and he knew his family was safe. He patted Sean’s head softly then quietly made his way out of the room. Once the door was closed, he turned to Toey with a pout. “I’m too tired to shower.”
Toey smiled and grabbed his hand, leading him to the bathroom. “Don’t worry. Toey will help.”
Toey’s version of helping was to take a shower with him, even though he’d already showered by himself earlier in the night. Not that Q was complaining. He may have played up how tired his limbs were so that Toey would wash his hair for him. He just loved the feeling of Toey’s gentle fingers running through his hair as he lathered the shampoo. Toey probably didn’t buy his excuses, but he indulged Q anyways.
“It feels nice,” he hummed, leaning into the touch. Too bad Toey was behind him, so he didn’t get to look at his face.
“P’Q is so cute.” He pressed a kiss to Q’s cheek before continuing his lathering.
If he wasn’t standing, he might’ve dozed off from the soothing, repetitive gestures of Toey’s fingers rubbing against his scalp. Toey even washed his body for him. He didn’t have to lift a finger. He was so spoiled.
Toey turned him around when it was time to wash his front side. He took his time spreading the soap over Q’s chest, even pausing to trace every line of his tattoos. He started by outlining the diamond that sat just underneath his right pec. He dragged his soapy fingers down Q’s left side next, tracing the looping letters that spelled out “manifest,” then the praying hands wrapped in a rosary with a bird flying above it.
“What are you doing?”
Toey’s smile was devious as his delicate fingertips touched the dice on the left side of his waist, his last tattoo. “Making sure P’Q’s tattoos are extra clean.”
“Since when do they need extra soap to be clean?”
“Since Toey said so!,” he huffed and continued soaping him up.
Q stifled a laugh. “I think you just want to touch them. Were you thinking about them all day?”
Toey dragged his fingers over both sides of Q’s waist. “It’s nothing to tease Toey about. Toey is just happy to be the only one who gets to see P’Q’s tattoos.”
“And also the only one who gets to touch me at all,” he added.
Toey grinned. “Exactly. That’s husband privileges.”
As much as he enjoyed having Toey’s hands all over him, he didn’t want to be the only one getting pampered. His husband deserved the same treatment.
Once he was all rinsed off, he had a convenient burst of energy that allowed him to switch places with Toey. He wanted to wash Toey’s hair in return. Since their shower was so big, they had room to stand face-to-face as he rubbed the shampoo into Toey’s hair, while also being out of the way of the water.
He washed Toey’s hair diligently, rubbing his scalp just as Toey did for him. He listened to the sound of the water spraying onto the shower tiles behind Toey. The noise would be mildly annoying if he was alone, but around Toey, it was almost melodic. Maybe even hypnotizing.
But that probably had more to do with the way Toey was looking at him then, with his eyes half-lidded and his cheeks dusted pink from the steam the shower caused. His lips were wet, too, glistening from the water that had gotten onto his face when he was more worried about getting Q clean than keeping himself dry.
“P’Q,” Toey called his name in a honey-sweet voice, his gaze enchanting and his hair full of shampoo bubbles. He knew that look. He’d seen it enough times to decode it in one second flat. “Kiss me,” Toey’s eyes were whispering to him. The demand was basically hanging from his soft lips.
And so, he did. But when their lips met, Toey pulled him under the spray of the water. It was like they were kissing in the rain, a dramatic reunion scene from the Rom-Coms Toey watched. Every movement of their lips was punctuated with a flow of water down their faces.
The water surrounded them, gently running over their bodies and enveloping them in warmth. Toey liked his showers warmer than Q did, but he never complained. He wanted Toey to be comfortable.
He ran his fingers through Toey’s hair as they kissed, partly to work the shampoo out of it and partly because he just wanted to touch him. The shampoo rinsed down the drain, taking all the stressors of the day with it. Except, a small amount from the front of Toey’s hair didn’t get the memo and ran down Toey’s face instead. An ill-timed parting of lips caused shampoo to get in their mouths. He pulled away with a sour face and spit it out, off to the side. “It doesn’t taste as good as it smells.”
Toey spit it out, too, and he pouted as he wiped the suds away from his eyes. “The shampoo just had to ruin Toey’s moment.”
Q wiped some stray suds away from Toey’s cheek. “Every second with you is a special moment.”
Once their shower was finished, Toey gently dried Q’s hair with a towel. The towel was still warm and smelled of lavender detergent. Toey must’ve washed it not long ago. He dried Toey’s hair off next, but he stopped every now and then to kiss his damp hair.
Soon enough, they were comfortable and dry in their pajamas. Toey climbed into bed first. “Come here, baby.” Toey opened his arms in invitation.
Q wasted no time crawling into bed and resting his head on Toey’s chest. He rubbed his cheek against Toey’s chest, relishing in his warmth. If anyone from work were to see him right then, they’d surely be shocked that their strict, no-nonsense boss was reduced to a mere housecat as soon as he was in Toey’s arms.
“P’Q worked so hard, right pumpkin? When will Phi take some days off? Toey is worried.”
He pressed his hand over Toey’s heart, just to feel the steady beating beneath his palm. That heart had belonged to him since before he could remember. “I want to take you and the kids on a vacation soon.”
Toey was the one to bury his nose in Q’s hair now, sniffing the shampoo. “Toey would love that. Sound and Sean would, too.”
He grabbed Toey’s left hand, tracing his fingers along his wedding ring. He looked up at Toey while pressing a kiss to the diamond at the center of the ring. When he spoke, his lips brushed lightly against Toey’s fingers, like they were sharing a delicate secret. “I promise to take you on a trip. I won’t let you down.”
Toey pulled Q’s left hand up to his face. His lips were warm when he brushed them against Q’s ring in return. “P’Q has never let Toey down.”
He felt a wave of emotion rush over him. He placed Toey’s hand against his cheek, allowing the coolness of his ring to seep into his skin. Toey had been with him through thick and thin. He had to be the most loyal man in the universe.
Toey had been his lifeline for so long. He was the one person who could cheer him up, when nothing else could. When he was just starting out at his firm, before Tiny and the twins had come into his life, he was treated like a lackey at work. He’d be grumpy and moody the whole drive home, because his bosses took advantage of him.
But the moment he opened the door, the scent of a home-cooked meal filled his senses. There would be light music playing that Toey had been listening to as he cooked. And underneath it came the melodious sound of Toey’s voice, singing along to the lyrics. It was everything he wanted to come home to.
If that wasn’t enough, Toey would come running the second he realized Q had made it home. He could never ask for anything more when he was wrapped in Toey’s warm embrace. Some days, he’d come home so tired that all he could do was cling to Toey and bury his face in his neck. And Toey would pamper him, stroking his hair and kissing his head, helping him get to the kitchen. He wouldn’t let his P’Q go hungry, even if it meant he had to feed him by hand. He’d give Q a kiss between every bite, whispering soft reassurances that he wanted to help. He wanted to take care of Q.
Even now, Toey gave him the same treatment after work. Back then, he’d cook late dinners so the food would be warm when Q got home. Now, he cooked earlier to feed the twins. Which just meant he heated Q’s food up when he got home. It was more work for Toey, but he never complained.
Toey was the only person he could be so vulnerable around, because he was the glue that held Q together. He’d successfully whittled down Q’s defenses so long ago. He saw every side of Q as they grew up together, and he never ran for the hills. Toey truly loved every part of him.
So, he could never be grumpy around Toey. He never wanted Toey to think that his care wasn’t healing enough. Toey was the sunshine that broke over the clouds after a bad storm. No matter what heavy rains might’ve doused him, Toey would dry everything with ease. Even a cloudy day could feel warm and inviting when Toey was beside him.
The comfort they shared was a two-way street. Toey would do anything for him, too. He made Q feel safe, unwrapping his every lawyer with a careful dedication, slowly proving that he would always be there to support Q. Toey never judged his weaknesses. Even if the whole world turned against him, Toey would always be there for him.
He nuzzled his cheek against Toey’s palm, looking up at him from his cozy spot on Toey’s chest. “We really did it. Our family is perfect.”
“Aww, P’Q.” Toey cupped his cheeks, holding him like he was a delicate treasure. Toey looked at him like he held all the answers to the universe. Like all he had to do to understand where he belonged in this world was to look into Q’s eyes. He hoped Toey never stopped looking at him like that, no matter how many years passed. When he turned fifty, sixty, seventy, and onwards, he wanted nothing more than for Toey to remain by his side.
“Toey loves P’Q so much.”
He lifted himself up to land a small kiss on Toey’s lips, short and sweet. It was more of a pressing of their smiles together than anything else. Their joy combined, warming their chests along with their hearts. “P’Q loves Toey even more.”