Growing Together

Chapter 34

It had taken them a whole few couple of weeks to get In on a schedule that worked for everyone. At first Kao was trying his best not to wake up Pete because he still had school. For a while, Pete assumed that In was a good sleeper at night, until his mom-in-law had come to visit them to help teach them how to bathe In. She had asked if they were having any trouble during the night and Pete had inevitably learned the truth and it had upset him, causing a slight argument between them.

"I don't care if I have school or other things going on, Kao. In's my son, too, and I want to be involved. Besides, you just gave birth and you should be resting, too." Pete had told him.

"I'm sorry, I just didn't want you to be tired for school," Kao had in return which had Pete's anger dissipating and just apologizing for yelling at him.

"I'm happy to hear you were thinking of me, but I hope you will also let me take care of you and In," Pete had said.

After that, Pete had insisted that he would take the night shift with In so that Kao could rest enough during the night—that being said it wasn't like Pete didn't help with In during the day. For the most part Pete was an amazing father and In was so in love with him. Now, that In was nearing his 3rd month, he was already starting to recognize Pete the moment he walked into the room and just hearing his voice always had him squirming with excitement and readily reaching out to him.

"Hey buddy," Pete had immediately cooed as he dropped his bags by the door and made his way over to them in the living room to take In from Kao's arms earing him an excited gurgle from In. "What were you and mommy doing without me?" He cooed kissing In's little cheeks.

"You're home early," Kao had said getting up to greet him with a peck to his lips.

"We had a meeting and things just happened to end early, so I headed straight home," Pete said with a smile as he wrapped his arm around Kao's waist. "Actually, there was something that I wanted to tell you. I ran into Forth today, and I asked him to come over for dinner," He said slowly letting Kao go.

"Oh?" Kao had said sounding a little surprised by that. After all, Pete hardly ever invited anyone over for dinner. It always seemed that Pete was annoyed to have people hogging In and his time away from him. Pete was rather selfish when it came to sharing those who were close to him, but that was something Kao had always known. "What's the occasion?" Kao had asked a little curious to know.

"He wants to make us partners in a new business he's starting. He said P'Deer recommended he ask you to join as well," Pete said rather grumbling out Deer's name in annoyance. He was suddenly remembering a conversation they had once had a long time ago. P'Deer seemed to have known more about their love life to be normal acquaintance of Kao's and it even pissed him off just remembering Leo was interested in Kao, too. "Since when were you two so close?" he asked following Kao upstairs.

"We weren't that close, P'Deer just happened to tutor me for a little while," Kao said honestly. In Kao's eyes, P'Deer, was a smart guy always on top of his subjects. So, when the man had offered to tutor him of course Kao had welcomed the extra help. There was no use telling Pete that he had spilled his heart out so embarrassingly to Deer after finding out he was pregnant.

"How come I didn't know about this?" Pete had said with a frown, because otherwise he didn't think he would have given them a chance to be alone. "I don't even remember having classes with him."

"How would you have known? You were too busy chasing Mint to look my way," Kao had let out with a small smile, which only hurt him to remember that there even was a time that Pete wanted to so desperately to forget what they had done. They were in a much better place now, but those memories weren't any less painful. Even now, at times Kao felt like Pete couldn't fully accept that he was in love with another man. He didn't doubt his love for him, or the love Pete had for their son, but Pete sometimes hesitated.

Even the look on Pete's face showed regret at just being reminded of that time because that was the first time he had ever hurt Kao so deeply and he was so painfully aware of it now. He was so desperate to pretend that he hadn't slept with another man, so desperate to fight his feelings for Kao, scared and embarrassed for the things he had said and done at the time. "Kao..." Pete had tried to say something, but Kao had only shaken his head to stop him from trying to apologize.

"It's in the past, Pete," Kao insisted before he was sitting on the bed and motioning for Pete to sit down as well. "There is something I wanted to tell you too."

"What is it?" Pete said deciding it was best just to end that conversation there and take Kao's initiative to deviate from the subject. He had sat down beside him and adjusted their son to sit on his lap against his stomach. He made sure In was comfortable before he turned back to Kao.

"I was talking to my mom about wanting to work out again, and she booked In and I in a 'Baby & Me' yoga class in the mornings. So, starting tomorrow we will be going to those classes in the morning," Kao said sounding a little excited.

"Do you want me to go with you?" Pete asked not really looking forward to yoga but he would be more than willing to go if Kao wanted him to.

"No, I want to do this alone with In," Kao said with a sheepish smile, "I just wanted you to tell you because I didn't want you to freak out when you didn't find us in the morning."

"How early are these classes?" Pete had said with a small frown now.

"They are at 6 in the morning," Kao said with a small smile knowing well that Pete would be waking up at this time and it only meant Kao would be long gone before then.

"6?! Why so early? Was there nothing later in the day?" Pete had asked with a frown as he moved to get up so that he could bounce In in his arms when he heard his son whine—which only told Pete he was not happy being still for so long.

"I don't mind, mom said the earlier class is mostly for moms new moms so maybe In can make friends," Kao said. He was looking forward to finally being able to work out a little more now that In was getting a little bigger. Especially now that he was no longer binding his belly. He had felt weird in his own body afterwards, which is why he had initially complained to his mother about it and why he was shying away from Pete's touch. That was something he hadn't really mentioned to Pete.

"Okay, then I suppose I can manage to wake up early enough to drop you and In off before heading to work," Pete said.

"I won't say no to that, at least for the first day," Kao said standing up to give Pete a peck on the lips, "We can finish talking about it later. I want to shower before our guest arrives, and In needs a diaper change," Kao said with a smile before he was heading towards the bathroom.

Pete had only looked down at his son and moved him away from him as he said, "In you stinky pants, you do this on purpose so I can't be with your mom." Pete said scrunching his nose playfully before he was saying, "Alright lets get you changed."


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A/N: Please don't be mad at Pete, this is just how Kao feels and what really is going through Pete's mind to make him hesitate is completely different. These two are still learning to understand one another as a couple.