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Grace was nervous. He'd been pacing back and forth in front of the door for the past twenty minutes, wringing his hands together and occasionally looking out the window. He glanced at his watch- his face somehow managing to look even more anxious- and took a deep breath. He dropped his arm and turned back to look out the window again.
Suddenly, something light hit the back of his head, bouncing off his hair and falling onto the carpeted floor with a soft thud, rolling past his socked feet. Grace looked down and saw that it was a blue ping pong ball. He whirled around to glare at the only person who would have the audacity to throw it at him.
"Relax Ry, you weren't even this nervous on your wedding day." said the culprit. Colt was leaning against the wall, legs crossed at the ankles, looking at him with an amused expression on his face. He was holding another ping pong ball, a purple one this time, casually throwing it up in the air and catching it.
"I can't just relax Colt! Bryan's going to be here any minute now. I need to make a good first impression!"
"I don't think you're the one who needs to make a good first impression Ry-Bear." The ball hit him square on the forehead this time. Grace caught it before it hit the ground, winding back his arm like he was a pitcher in a baseball game, and throwing it back at Colt- aiming for his face.
Colt yelped in alarm and tried to dodge it- his reflexes too slow, and got hit on the top of his head instead. He let out a dramatically pained sound, rubbing at the sore spot and looking back at the living room to the person sitting on the sofa, calmly watching the scene unfold.
"Simon! Help me out here man. Your husband just tried to give me brain damage!"
"You don't even have a brain to damage Seavers, quit bothering him." Simon smiled softly at Grace, then his expression turned playful- smile turning into a smirk. "You know there's no stopping him when he gets like this."
Grace groaned in annoyance. He pointed first at Colt, then at Simon.
"I should kick the both of you out right now. In fact, neither of you even need to be here. I told you I can handle this myself!"
"He's my kid too Angel." Simon's reply was automatic, like he'd already had this conversation ten times before.
"You're just going to try and intimidate our guest Si! and don't pretend like that's not why you're wearing your work clothes instead of my sweaters. It's so you don't look soft to him!"
"I'm not soft. And I'm not trying to intimidate the guy, I told you I just wanna talk to him. Find out what Bry even sees in him." Simon crossed his arms, looking affronted.
"Famous last words." Colt whispered, forgotten and ignored, despite being right between the two of them. He was sitting cross-legged on the floor now, rolling the ping pong ball around on the carpet with his finger, eyes flicking from Simon to Grace, then vice versa, like a mildly interesting tennis match.
"It's not our business what Bryan sees in him Simon! We talked about this! He really likes this boy and you can't ruin it for him by scaring the guy off."
"Is he even worth dating if it's so easy to scare him off? Imagine if your dad had actually succeeded in scaring me off when we first started dating."
"You've never met my dad Simon."
"Well I've met Court, it's close enough."
Grace looked deeply unimpressed at that answer. He was just about to open his mouth to argue some more when the doorbell rang.
"Fudge. Okay everyone, this is it, act natura- Colt! get off the floor right now! and grab the ping pong balls before our guest trips on them and cracks his skull open. Bryan will never talk to us again if we accidentally kill his boyfriend!" Grace ran his fingers through his hair haphazardly and straightened his glasses, smoothing down the front of his sweater and taking a quick deep breath. Then opened the door.
Bryan stood there, dressed in a deep yellow plaid shirt over a cozy looking grey sweater, a jacket and black trousers with a scarf wrapped snuggly around his neck. He was wearing the beanie Grace had knit for him, with the little sheep.
"Hey Dad! It's good to see you!" He was smiling brightly, bringing up his hand to give him a little wave, the other one wrapped around the hand of a tall and blond man with sharp features and bright blue eyes. Bryan's boyfriend.
"Hi Mr Grace. I'm Leon Scott Kennedy. Your son's boyfriend." said the man, reaching his free hand out to Grace.
Grace just stared at the hand for a second, before realizing he was supposed to shake it, hurriedly doing just that. It was a solid handshake. Quick and firm. This guy was good at handshakes.
"Hi! It's really nice to meet you Leon. Bryan's talked a lot about you." He opened the door wider, standing to the side to let them come in- discreetly scanning the carpet to make sure Colt had listened and grabbed the ping pong balls. No one was dying on his watch.
"Has he? That's good to know." Leon grinned at Bryan- who groaned in annoyance.
"Dad, you weren't supposed to tell him that!" He complained while taking off his sneakers.
"Well I'm glad he did." Leon teased, gently nudging Bryan's side with his elbow before crouching down to unlace his boots. "Because now I really wanna know what you said abou- Oh! Hello Mr..Uh- Bryan's other dad."
"Hi." They all turned towards the living room doorway, where Simon was standing with his arms crossed, his face stern and serious.
"Appa!" Bryan ran to hug Simon, whose expression lightened- a wide smile breaking out on his face, and he opened his arms and wrapped them tight around Bryan, almost lifting him off the ground.
"Bry! How's my baby boy doing?" Simon let go and pulled Bryan's beanie off so he could ruffle his hair. Bryan cringed and tried to slap Simon's hand away.
"Oh My God Appa, don't call me that in front of Leon." He whined, trying to fix his hair that was now sticking up all over the place.
"I mean, I don't mind." The smile slid off Leon's face when Simon snapped his head towards him with a glare. "Uhm..." Leon looked away, eyes falling on Grace who winced and gave him an apologetic look. Don't mind him, Grace mouthed to him. Leon nodded hesitantly.
"Bry-Bear! How's my favourite nephew doing?" Colt stuck his head out of the bedroom, copying Simon's words.
"Stop with the embarrassing nicknames! And I'm your only nephew uncle Colt."
"Wow, you look just like Mr Grace. I mean, I saw the pictures but you guys are really identical." Leon had come up to stand next to Bryan as he spoke, hand reaching for Bryan's- aborting the move when Simon's eyes went straight to it. Leon cleared his throat, pretending to be oblivious and casually dropping his arm back to his side.
"You're right kid. Ry and I look so alike we could almost be twins!" Colt laughed at his own lame joke- now out of the bedroom and heading towards them. "I'm Colt. Colt Seavers. Bry-Bear's awesome uncle. He better have told you a lot about me." He shook Leon's hand, pulling him into a side hug and patting his back.
"He did! You used to be a stuntman right? He even told me about the Tom Ryder thing. Uh- I hope that's okay." Leon started shrugging off his black leather jacket, folding it over his arm leaving him in just a blue t-shirt.
"That's more than okay man, are you kidding me? It makes me sound cool as fuck! Did he tell you about the helicopter? Please tell me he did." Colt looked giddy at the mention of it, eager to know what Leon thought of the story.
"He did! that was so cool, I can't believe you really faked your own death before that too, that's crazy!"
"Guys! Let's take this to the living room alright? We can't just have Leon stand here the entire time." Grace interrupted them, closing the door and ushering them into the living room.
"Your house is really nice Mr Grace." Leon said politely, taking a seat on the sofa and looking around the place. His eyes went over to the mantelpiece above the fireplace, looking at the family pictures and Bryan's awards from elementary school.
"That's cute." He whispered to Bryan- studiously ignoring Simon's murderous stare, who was still standing near the doorway and still hadn't spoken a word to Leon after the initial 'Hi'.
"I'm so glad you approve of our house." Well. Still hadn't spoken until right now.
Grace winced again at the sarcastic remark, rushing to rectify the situation before it got tense. "Thank you! Bryan grew up in this house! We even have a backyard where he used to help Simon with gardening when he was little. He had his own tomato plant that he'd water everyday before school. The poor boy cried when it dried up." Ryland reached over to pinch Bryan's cheek, who tried to bat his hand away.
"Dad! He didn't know about that!"
"I didn't know about that." Leon laughed and bravely put his hand on Bryan's thigh, squeezing it lightly. Simon glowered even harder.
"Man, I remember that. Bry-Bear called me on Simon's phone still crying about how his little plant died and inviting me to attend the funeral. He even had a eulogy and everything." Colt spoke up from where he was sitting cross-legged on the floor again, holding a cushion from the sofa on his lap. He winked at Bryan and grinned.
"We gather here today to say goodbye to Mr Tomato plant,
He gave us many good tomatoes, they were really juicy and nic-"
"No shut up!" Bryan threw the other sofa cushion at Colt, blushing furiously when both Leon and Colt started cackling.
"Really? No way!" Leon turned to look at Bryan with soft eyes and a teasing smile on his lips. "You've been holding out on me baby."
The sound of a throat clearing cut off their laughter, and in unison they all slowly turned their heads toward Simon, who stalked forward and grabbed a chair that was off to the side- placing it in front of Leon, and took a seat.
Leon gulped. He sat up straighter and quickly pulled his hand from Bryan's thigh, folding them in his lap instead.
"So." Simon spoke. "I think there are more important things we need to be talking about, isn't that right Luis?"
"Uh It's Leon Mr- Sir. Leon Scott Kennedy." Leon looked nervous, and so did Grace- who was fidgeting with his fingers, ready to swoop in and drag Simon away kicking and screaming if he had to. Colt just looked amused, leaning forward to catch every word of the incoming conversation. Bryan on the other hand, was oblivious to the tension in the room, his face curious at what kind of talk Simon wanted to have with Leon.
"So. Leon Scott Kennedy. Bryan told us you work as a cop."
"Yes sir. At the Raccoon City Police Department, started last year fresh out of graduation."
"Hmm right. Remind me, how did you meet Bryan exactly?"
"Well.. he came to the station for a delivery.. and-"
"And you started following him around after, right? Like a stalker."
"Simon!"
"Damn! really?"
"Appa! It wasn't like that!"
"I... may have been a little... persistent." Leon admitted sheepishly. "But I swear I wasn't following him home or anything creepy."
Simon raised an eyebrow at that.
"Anything too creepy..." Leon mumbled, wilting a bit.
"Don't worry about it kid, I get it." Colt spoke up, shrugging casually. "I used to follow Jody- my wife- around all the time too, she went to get a coffee- I was there, she went to get lunch- I was there, she went to her trailer- Boom! I was there knocking at the door."
"That was creepy too Colt." Ryland muttered, eyeing Colt like he was an idiot.
"Hey! I bet Rocky did that shit too. Have you seen how he is with Adrian? Just because he says it like they just casually bumped into each other at a cafe doesn't mean I have to believe him. I told you he was probably plotting the entire time."
"Rocky and Adrian? like that movie with the boxer right? Bryan told me about them." Leon looked intrigued at the conversation, momentarily forgetting that he was being interrogated.
"They're basically soulmates man, meant to be. Like me and Jody." Colt sighed dreamily. "And maybe you and Bry-Bear too." He winked at Leon. Bryan- who was quietly watching the back and forth after his initial outrage, blushed deeply.
"Ahem." Simon looked fed up with Colt for hijacking his interrogation. He turned back to Leon, who looked nervous again. Bryan reached for Leon's hand and grasped it tightly in his own, glaring at Simon and daring him to do anything about it.
Simon sighed.
"How old are you again?" He questioned Leon, trying one last time.
"Um.. 22 years old sir."
"Isn't Bryan a little too old for you?"
"Appa! Are you trying to break us up?!"
"Well, Bryan said that too when we first met."
"Damn, way to go calling Bryan a cradle snatcher Si."
"Shut up Colt."
"Simon, honey..." Grace adjusted his glasses, putting a hand on Simon's shoulder and squeezing gently. "Bryan's an adult now, and so is Leon." He nodded at Leon meaningfully. "We really don't have a say in their relationship, and if they're happy together.. then can't you be happy for them too? Be happy for Bryan?"
"Yeah Appa." Bryan let go of Leon's hand, reaching to grab Simon's instead- the real one - holding onto it tightly. "I know you've always been really protective over me.. but I'm 29 years old now, I can take care of myself.. And I know you don't actually hate Leon. I know you. I know you're just acting like this because you're worried I'll get hurt. But.. just trust me okay? I can put on my own band-aids now Appa." His hand felt warm in Simon's.
A memory flashed in Simon's mind at the words.
Bryan, who was smaller and tinier, only 6 years old, sitting and crying on the pavement holding his knee. He'd tripped on a pebble while out on an evening stroll with Simon and Grace, falling and scraping his knee on the coarse cement. Simon had knelt down then, grabbing Bryan's small hand in his own while Grace gently stroked his back, putting a cartoon band-aid on the bruise that Grace always carried around without fail because "Bryan would trip over air Simon. It's not his fault he's a little clumsy!"
"It's okay baby boy, it's okay, Appa's here... see I'll just put on this band-aid and you'll be all better, okay?" watching as Bryan slowly, but surely, stopped sniffling, inspecting the little black sheep on the band-aid instead, then smiling up at Simon, who kissed his forehead with a loud smack, laughing with Grace as Bryan yelled out in disgust with an "Appa! ew!" and trying to wipe it off with his hand- forgetting all about the bruise.
"Okay Bryan, I trust you." Simon said softly, but honestly, smiling at Bryan who grinned back, face full of joy.
Then Simon turned to Leon with a deadpan expression on his face.
"I'll forgive the stalking." He said, giving Leon a Look when he opened his mouth to defend himself. "But if you hurt Bryan- I will hunt you down." Simon had Court's special burner number on speed dial for that, but he wasn't going to tell Leon- literally a cop- about Court.
Leon hastily nodded, his blond hair flying all over the place due to the sheer speed at which he was nodding- It looked a bit ridiculous. Simon cracked a smile at the sight. Then brought his hand up for Leon to shake- who looked confused for a second at what he was supposed to do, before quickly catching on when Bryan shoved an elbow in his side- giving it a firm and solid shake. Good handshake, Simon thought.
"Welcome to the family kid."
Later on, after dinner and a very intense game of Monopoly which included arguing, gambling, theft, death threats, and Leon demonstrating a backflip for Colt- who immediately tried to convince him into doing stunts for Jody's movies- Bryan and Leon finally retired for the night, the long drive from Raccoon City having tired them out beforehand. They yawned sleepily and shuffled over into Bryan's childhood bedroom with a pat on the back from Simon and a joking "Use condoms kids!" from Colt- who got smacked on the back of his head by Grace for the comment.
"Kids grow up so fast Si." Grace sighed, sitting on the sofa with Simon and playing with the ping pong balls that Colt had hid in the fruit bowl. "It feels like just yesterday that we adopted a 2-year-old Bryan... and now he's got a job and a boyfriend and has a place in a city far away from us." He put his head on Simon's shoulder, expression sad and wistful.
"Sometimes he still feels like that 2-year-old to me Angel." Simon spoke, his hand stroking Grace's hair. "But he doesn't need us anymore like he used to. And I think I'm okay with that. Bryan's gonna be just fine, and if he isn't? Then he's still got us right here for him." He pressed a kiss to Grace's head.
"This is all sweet and touching and everything, but can we talk about the fact that Holland is gonna love Leon." Colt was standing in the doorway to the living room, hair wet and dripping from the shower.
"Or he's gonna hate him, Uncle Holland's not the most model, law abiding citizen you know, and Leon's literally a cop." Grace deadpanned, lifting his head off Simon's shoulder to look at Colt.
"Can't wait to find out then." Colt replied breezily. "Man, what a day, I for sure thought it was gonna end in tears and bloodshed, not including the Monopoly war." He pointed out. "You really went all in on the 'I just wanna talk to him' Dad role Si."
Simon rolled his eyes at that, grabbing the blue ping pong ball from Grace and rolling it around in his hand. "Yeah well. Bryan was right, I was just worried about him." He closed his eyes and let out a sigh.
"But man- you really kinda suck at interrogation, are you sure you were raised in a cult?" Both ping pong balls came flying at Colt, aimed at his face and dick.
"OW HEY!"