Chapter 20 #2
“Food of champions.” He gave Ian a wink, digging into his eggs and chowing down.
They ate and the kids needed more milk and napkins and then they wanted to watch TV and play outside, and JP watched Ian deal with both of them.
The man made it all look easy, but at the same time, he barely sat for more than a couple moments.
“Are you excited about having the dining room back? Have you thought about what we’re doing to do about a home gym?” Ian asked.
“Nope, I hadn’t thought of any of that. A home gym makes sense, though. I’d hate to have to travel every day just to work out. Where would you want to put it?” JP had no idea where would be best.
“Well, the basement is the smartest idea, but…we can put it in the office instead.”
“What are you using the office for now?” Ian didn’t have to move his entire life around to accommodate him.
Ian shrugged. “I play video games and pay bills in there, you know?”
“Is it big enough to make it have dual purpose?” He could work out while Ian paid bills. He wouldn’t mind showing off for his man.
“We can try. I mean, I just need a little spot and a laptop, right?”
“We could put a couch in to sit together while I’m cooling down.”
“I’d like that. It can be a man cave. I’ll move the big desk to the basement or maybe see if Allison needs it.”
“Whatever you want, Chou.” He wanted to give Ian everything Ian wanted.
“I sort of have what I want, love. You.”
That warmed him all through and he got up to lean in and kiss Ian a soft kiss. “Thank you, Chou.”
“Look at you, moving so easy.” Ian cupped his jaw.
Peter blinked at them owlishly. “You kissing each other.”
“We are.” It might be something that the kids hadn’t seen before, but they were married, and they did still love each other, so it was going to happen. No doubt a lot in the twins’s lifetime. He wasn’t hiding.
“You love him so much?” Peter was staring right at him.
“I do, Peter. That’s why we got married.”
“You gotted married?” His eyes went wide. “Yesserday?”
JP chuckled. “No, Petey, we got married before you were born.”
“Daddy? You too.”
Ian chuckled and nodded. “See my ring? That’s the ring Dad gave me when we got married.”
“Where’s your ring, Dad?”
“I didn’t wear it when I was playing so it’s on a chain I can wear around my neck.” Which he hadn’t been wearing because he didn’t want to presume, but it seemed Ian was willing to make it work between them, and he was too, so he probably needed to dig it out.
“You hafta wear it if you is married.” Tori stared at him. “It’s a rule.”
“Oh, it is, is it? I guess I’ll have to go get it next time I’m upstairs then.” Because that was where his stuff was now.
“Uh-huh.” Peter frowned, and Tori patted his arm.
“No worry. Daddy, please go get it for Dad?”
“Oh, now, we don’t need to give Daddy more work to do. It’ll be fine until I can get up there again.” He hadn’t been wearing it all this time, it wasn’t like the ring police were going to show up now and take him to jail.
“No. You kissed him. You did marrying. You need yous ring. I said please.”
He met Ian’s gaze. “I’ll get it.” Ian had been sitting for all of two minutes. He’d had a chance to have his entire breakfast, so it made sense if he was the one to go.
“Nonsense. I’ll just run up. I’d like to see it on too. Where is it?”
He could have insisted, but this was turning into a huge thing, and he didn’t want to make it bad.
“My backpack. There’s a little zipped pocket on the inside that has my wedding ring on the chain.
” Along with his Stanley Cup ring, and the gold chain his uncle had given him when he’d left home at fifteen because his folks didn’t want a queer boy.
“I’ll bring it.” Ian kissed his cheek, whispering, “Thank you, love. It means a lot.”
He gave Ian a warm smile and touched his butt as he went by.
Tori clapped for him. “Good job, Dad! You have a ringy-ring.”
“I do. We’ll have to see if it still fits, or if I need to wear it around my neck still.” He had no clue. He’d only seen it to make sure he had it when he came home.
“It’s okay. Now you can kiss Daddy again.” Peter beamed at him.
He bit back his smile. “Thank you, son. I’ll have to do so as soon Daddy comes back.” After all, he had the kids’s blessing.
Peter stood up and shook his butt, and Tori threw her arms up in the air, waving madly.
“Daddy and Dad! Daddy and Dad!”
He laughed – what else could he do? Besides, they were adorable.
Ian was back down with his chain in a minute, the rings dangling from the gold. “Here you go, love. Guys, go get dressed. Uncle Mike will be here soon, and we’ll run to the library while Dad’s working out. Then lunch and the skating rink. Okay?”
“Put it on me, Chou?” He lowered his head so Ian could place the chain around his neck. It probably made sense to not have it on his finger while trying to do his PT.
“Of course.” Ian’s touch was gentle, feather light on his neck as he put the chain on.
“Now say, “I do,” Peter said.
Oh lord. He raised his head to look meet Ian’s gaze again. “I do.”
“I do too.”
“Now kiss the bwide.”
Ian was chuckling as he brought their lips together.
He kissed Ian gently before murmuring against his lips, “Which one of us is the bride?”
“It’s totally you. You’d look better in a dress.”
He snorted, nearly choking as he made the noise. That set him off coughing and laughing at the same time.
“Good job! Come on, Peter. Let’s go play.”
“Clothes. Put. Your. Clothes. On.” Ian rolled his eyes. “It’s also library day.”
JP chuckled some more. It was a total circus. His circus.