Darkest Shadows

23) Almost As Much As Bacon

"Sire!"--Sia

♡

One year later...

2986

He opens his eyes to a lovely sight, a sight he has gotten used to over the past year, one of his favorite sights. Jax is up on his elbows next to Ambrose with a smile and tilted head, he reminds him of a little gecko as he says, "Good morning handsome."

"Good morning. What's got you in such a good mood?"

Jax slaps his chest lightly and feigns hurt. "You better remember!"

"Hmm..." Ambrose takes Jax in his arms and hugs him tight, peppering little kisses around his face and throat while massaging his back as he likes. "Oh! I know! Today is Serial Killer Night!"

"Meanie," Jax pouts.

"Kidding. I know it's our anniversary. Happy one year Rei," Ambrose smiles, earning a smile ten times bigger in return.

"You know we've known each other for ten years, a whole decade. Can you believe that? I'm almost thirty and when I met you I was only a foolish nineteen-year-old. I'm not so foolish anymore, huh?"

"Or small and scrawny. Or annoying."

Jax hits him again, this time harder making Ambrose yelp. "Take that back!"

"Nope."

Jax grabs his pillow and proceeds to beat Ambrose with it, who returns the fight until it becomes a massive pillow and shouting fight, spontaneous kisses were thrown in as well. A pounding sound comes from the other side of their door, and it makes them freeze. "Keep it down! My wife is trying to sleep! Damn bloody idiots."

Gemini isn't the most...people-friendly when he wakes up, he especially isn't fond of being woken up before ten in the morning, a task only Rhea can manage. "Baby! Come back to bed!" he hears Rhea call.

"Voy en camino mi amor."

Ambrose hears their door shut and then giggling, a high-pitched squeal and a string of Spanish follows it. "That means it's time to get up, I don't want to hear them making baby Rosende number three," Jax shudders.

Ambrose holds Jax still and turns the TelaScreen on to play music loud enough to drown out the sound of his best friend and his wife. "Now we can't hear them...and they can't hear us."

Jax's look of horror turns to one of lust as Ambrose pushes Jax back and hovers atop him and kisses his throat, so it took him by surprise when he finds himself on his back with a grinning Jax above him. "Did you really think you'd get away with that twice? No, no, love. It's my turn."

~~~~

When they finally find their way from their room they walk downstairs hand-in-hand with smiles on their faces, a smile that nothing has been able to wipe out. A year ago it took forever to convince Jaxin to stab him to get Reina's ring and heal himself, but they managed and healed he is, he's finally free of that plague and those bad feelings, free to be like he always wanted: happy.

"You okay darling?"

"Perfect," Ambrose responds with a smile and leans over to kiss his cheek. Ambrose has been more lovey-dovey in the past year, he's learned to appreciate what he has more and knows that it can be taken away at any point. He's finally felt free and happy, the weight of the world is finally off his shoulders. "Hey, do you want to go on a date tonight?"

Jax smiles down at the floor before looking up at his husband with a smile. "I'd love to Amby."

As they come down the stairs they are bombarded by their daughter. "Sire! Dad!"

"Hey sweet cheeks," Jax grins as he scoops Ambrosia up in his arms and kisses her face. "When did you get up?"

"I got up with Tarv!"

"Sia was up and talking, AJ, Lio, and Jaci weren't ready to get up yet, so I let her come out with me. I made bacon, grits, and eggs for breakfast," Tarver states and walks away. It's sometimes scary how smart and advanced the kid is for only being eight years old, but if anyone were equipped to manage it then it's his best friend and his wife. Speaking of...

"Who made breakfast?" Gemini asks, perking up while yawning. Rhea has her arm wrapped around his waist and tucked in the waistband of his sweats; she looks towards the kitchen with a smile.

"Your son did."

It was always sweet to watch Gemini and Rhea talk about their son, the smiles they wear and the loving look in their eyes make Ambrose feel so happy for them. For twenty-one years Gemini and Rhea had been alone and after everything, all odds against them, they came out on the other side stronger.

"Auntie Flame!"

"Yes, Sia?"

"Tarv made breakfast!" Sia beams.

"Did he now?" Rhea grins and separates herself from her husband to hug her son who latches tightly to her. "Thank you."

"Sybella was still asleep when I woke up, but I'm sure she'll be getting up soon."

On cue, Sybella starts crying and Gemini leaves to get his daughter while Rhea stays with Tarver who is still hugging her. "Thanks."

"Mommy?" he asks.

"Yeah?"

"Where did Ascelin go?"

Rhea sighs, it pained her to think of her brother who up and vanished after he killed his true sister Ashaura. "He is taking a vacation for himself. Anyway, let us worry about finishing this breakfast."

"MOMMY!"

Rhea turns in time to catch Sybella who dives from her dad's arms into her mom's, hugging her tightly as Rhea kisses her all over her face. "Hey, Mija."

"I want breakfast!" Sybella shouts.

"You will get breakfast; you have to be patient. Your brother is making it."

"Thank you Tarv!"

They all sat down to eat breakfast, the kids all sitting next to each other, Sybella in her highchair next to her mom with Tarver on her other side since she is the youngest. Breakfast is probably the calmest of all meals because everyone is still waking up, so the fighting is minimum, except for the kids who argue over who gets the most bacon and the last biscuit. Ambrose feels a hand on his right hand, the side he doesn't use to eat, and is his non-dominant hand. Jax leans over to whisper in his ear as he squeezes his hand. "I love you."

The spontaneous I love yous Jax gives never fails to make his heart flutter, in light, he squeezes his husband's hand back and kisses his cheek. "I love you too. Almost as much as bacon."