3. Grown-up Candy

~ Leo

"Ash, stop playing with your food," I scolded my daughter. She was building a mountain out of her mashed potatoes and pouring way too much gravy over top to make a volcano. And not paying me any attention. "Josh..."

He was the one sitting next to her. He should have noticed what she was doing, at least with the gravy, but he was too far into his own head to notice today.

Josh snapped his head towards me when I said his name, and, when I nodded over at Ashley, he quickly took away the gravy boat. "You're eating all that gravy, Ashley," Josh said to her. "And I don't want to hear you complain about it."

She pouted at him. "But I don't like gravy, Daddy."

Jackson put his fork down and spoke up before the rest of us could. "Listen to your father. You put it on your plate, so you're eating it."

This time she hung her head and piled a fork-full of mashed potatoes covered in gravy into her mouth. She was going to be angry for the rest of dinner, but no matter how much I loved her, I had no sympathies for her right now. She brought this on herself.

Just then, Kyle walked into the room, following behind Logan, who was looking a bit better than he did this morning. Logan immediately climbed into the chair next to me as Kyle went to grab him some food.

"Kyle," I said, standing up, not listening to Jackson and Josh asking how our son was feeling. "I got it. Eat, will you, love?" I had finished already, while he had barely started.

He nodded his head slowly before taking his seat at the table. I kissed his temple on my way out of the room, heading into the kitchen to get Logan the only real meal he's had today.

A few minutes later, I was placing a plate of food in front of my son. The air around the table was tense, even more so than when I had left it. I wasn't certain, but I had a feeling it had something to do with why Josh was no longer here.

"Where'd he go?" I asked Jay and Kyle, pointing at his half-eaten plate of food.

Jackson answered. "Took a phone call."

"You know, I'm not too sure he's alright," Kyle said softly. "This whole thing about his birth parents really threw him for a loop."

I nodded. I've been thinking the same thing. Sighing, I said, "I'm going to check on him."

Walking out of the room, I checked the living room, but when he wasn't there, I headed for the stairs. If this wasn't a good phone call, with the mood he's in, he probably went to hide in our bedroom.

"Josh?" I asked, pushing open the bedroom door to see a Josh-shaped lump under the blankets. "Hey, love. You okay?"

He threw back the blanket to look at me. "No. Leo, what am I going to do?"

I approached the bed slowly, before climbing on top of it, trying to find the right words to say. When I was directly over him, I leaned down and kissed him. "Who called, love?"

"Suzanne. She couldn't talk for long, just wanted to say that she's fine with me being gay. What matters to her is that she found me." He sighed. "Didn't tell her about all of you, though. I feel like that's not a phone call conversation topic."

"Probably not. But why are you hiding under the covers like a kid hiding from his problems?" I kissed his forehead, chuckling at his pout.

He shook his head. "Maybe because I feel like a kid. I'm thirty years old, Leo, and I just met my mother for the first time. I don't even know what I'm supposed to be feeling right now."

"I know how to take your mind off it for a bit." I didn't wait for him to answer before my lips were on his neck, kissing him in the spot that makes him squirm. Tossing the blanket over my back, I inched down my pants and then his.

"Leo," he moaned. "Really?"

I nodded, kissing his lips. "Unless you really don't want to." I lined myself up at his entrance, and I could feel him shudder with anticipation. It hasn't been just the two of us for so long.

Josh smiled. "Please."

He had barely gotten the whole word out when I was inside him. We both moaned together, as I moved slowly, passionately. It wasn't just sex this time, but it wasn't our normal love-making either. This was just me and Josh, forgetting the world for a little bit.

~ Kyle

Neither Leo or Josh had come back downstairs by the time we finished dinner and did the dishes. I had a feeling I knew what they were doing up there, and so did Jackson, judging by the wink he gave me when Ashley asked where they were, after telling her they were taking care of something in our bedroom and not to bother them.

We were currently watching The Lion King in the living room, to make it up to Logan. Both kids were sitting on the floor while Jackson and I were cuddled up next to each other on the couch, me laying with my back against his chest.

"You think we should check on them?" I asked him quietly.

Jackson put his lips next to my ear and whispered, "I think Josh is quite okay with Leo's di-"

I quickly covered his mouth, stifling a laugh. "Not with them right here," I whispered back.

He moved my hand away from his mouth. "Yeah? They're not paying attention."

"Seriously, though. I'm worried about him. Josh. I don't think he's okay with this whole Suzanne business."

Just then, Josh and Leo walked into the living room, both of them had wet hair, like they had just gotten out of the shower. They probably had.

Josh sat down in the chair while Leo came over and plopped himself right down on my and Jay's feet. I shifted so that he fell right in between ours to a more comfortable position for all of us.

I looked over at Josh, who was wearing that little grin he gets after he's had sex. He was in a good mood now, so I wasn't going to ask about how he's doing. Apparently Jackson didn't have the same thought.

"How you doing, babe?" he asked Josh. "You disappeared after that phone call."

I nudged Jackson, but it was too late. Josh's little grin fell. "Fine. Leo helped." The grin came back, but I could tell it was slightly forced.

"I'm sure he did," Jackson said moving his foot up so that his toe poked Leo in the side. "Getting freaky up there?"

I glanced over at the kids, but they were too engrossed in the movie to even pay attention to what was going on between us. They definitely did not need to understand this conversation.

Leo smirked. "I think we both needed it." Then he pointed at Jackson and me. "So you do you two. When was the last time either of you got some?"

"Got some what, Daddy?" Ashley said, turning around to look at Leo. So much for them not listening. "And can I has some too?"

Jackson stifled a laugh, sticking his face into the back of my neck. I just rolled my eyes as I watched Leo try to come up with an appropriate answer.

"A, um, a candy. A candy for grown-ups. You can have some when you're all grown up and married, okay sweetheart?"

She pouted. "Oh, okay." Then she, thankfully, dropped the subject and turned back to the movie.

None of us said anything for the rest of the movie, which ended about half an hour later. Once we finally got the kids into bed for the night, and watched another movie without them, we resumed our earlier conversation.

"Neither of you answered my question before," Leo said, walking into the bathroom while I was brushing my teeth. Jackson was in here as well, but he was currently taking a shower. I looked at him as he asked it again. "When was the last time you guys got some of that grown-up only candy?"

I tried not laughing before I could spit out the toothpaste in my mouth. Jackson didn't hold back his laugh as he turned off the water and grabbed a towel.

"Last week," he said. "With you, Lee. Did you forget about that?"

Leo scoffed. "Of course not. Just checking. Kyle?"

I shook my head. It's been practically a month since I've sex, just because we've been busy or too tired. Something always ended up getting in the way. "Longer than that. Your birthday."

"Damn," Jackson said from behind me. "Someone get that boy some candy."

I turned to face him, smiling. "Is this you offering?"

He thought about it for a moment. "Yes."

As soon as I pressed my lips to his, Josh's voice cut through any thoughts I might have been thinking at that moment. "Hey guys, would it be okay if I invited Suzanne and Martin to dinner tomorrow night? I think I should talk to them, and have you meet them."

I would have pulled back from Jackson to agree, but he kept me pressed against him. Leo answered Josh instead. "Sounds good to me, love. Jay and Kyle are a bit distracted right now."

Breaking the kiss, I turned to see Josh had appeared in the doorway. Both him and Leo were watching us with looks of amusement on their faces. "What?" I asked. It's not like they've never seen Jackson and I kiss before.

"I was just thinking about wanting some more candy tonight," Leo said with a laugh.

"And I was wondering what you guys were thinking about dinner tomorrow."

"Lee, you're greedy," Jackson said, grabbing hold of my waist and pulling me closer to him. "Josh, I like the idea."

Josh crossed his arms over his chest, but was still smiling. "Did you actually hear me or are you just saying that?"

"Inviting Suzanne and Martin over," I answered. "I heard you, although I can't speak for him. And I agree. I think you should. Whatever happens will happen, but we'll always be by your side, no matter what."

Suddenly, Jackson spun me around and crashed his lips against mine again. I melted into it, quite ready to be given some candy tonight.