Shades Of Red

Epilogue

“Ace? Need any help?” Adrian asked, holding a box of Christmas decorations. Ace just smiled at his husband, “no babe, i think i got it.” Ace said, hanging garland around the arch to the dining room. Adrian just looked at him. “What? I do!”  Adrian rolled his eyes and sat down near his kids, Izzy playing with a plastic bulb with a reindeer, Kai was trying to chew on the fake candy cane that was displayed on the floor.

“Bobba!” Izzy cried, holding her half filled pink bottle. It was absolutely adorable on how she tried to say bottle.  Adrian smiled so warmly at her. Kai placed his bottle into his mouth and drank his milk, watching Ace stapling the garland to the wall.

“Are you sure you don’t need help?” Adrian asked once more, his eyes danced at his husband with worry as the ladder wasn’t very sturdy.

“Adrian, i am fine. Stop wor-”  his sentence fell short as the ladder’s leg snapped.  Adrian bolted up and landed on his back, catching Ace right before he smashed his head on the end table’s sharp edge.  Holding Ace close to him, Adrian sighed as he relaxed. Ace had a tight grip on his shirt, eyes wide and terrified.

“.. i might not be fine.” Ace smiled it off as if he didn’t almost just crack his skull open.. Again.  “Well you’re safe and fine now. Let me do the garland, Kitten and Geven should be over soon and they’ll help you and Jacob with the tree.”   “what about those little crazies?” Ace asked, feeling both Kai and Izzy climb on them, Kai still having the plastic candy cane in his mouth.  Adrian chuckled. “We’ll have them help, they’re our kids.” Ace held his daughter as Adrian held both Ace and Kai. Ace smiled and rested his head on Adrian’s chest.   “You good now babe?” Adrian asked, pressing his lips to Ace’s forehead. “I should be.” Adrian nodded. “How about this, i do the garland and baking, you do the tree and lights?”  Ace groaned but agreed. “Fine, but you are so watching the kids when i’m doing those things.” “yes, yes, i promise.”

--

Holding Kai, Ace helped his son put up the last candy cane he was chewing on, on the tree. Adrian was just finishing the Christmas dinner as the a loud knock was heard.

“Baby, can you get the door? My hands are full.” Adrian called, Ace smiled and rolled his eyes. “Yes Honey.” Ace teased.  Adrian poked his head from the kitchen and pursed. “Don’t give me that Aceial Kalt.” Ace stuck his tongue at his husband and walked to the door with Kai at his leg.  Opening the door, there stood Jacob and Ellie, their daughter Heather clutching a gift. Jacob pulled Ace into a hug, making the two smile so big seeing each other after a while.

“Hows my baby brother doing? Everything well?”

“Everything’s great actually, we’re about to put up the tree, but we’re waiting on Kitten and Geven now. Maybe Pete and Katherine if they feel like it.”  inviting his family in, Little Izzy instantly run up to Jacob and hugged his leg. Her cute elf outfit and green binki that she aggressively sucked on, she whined as she wanted to be held too.  Jacob picked her up and held her close. Ellie joined Adrian in the Kitchen as she knew Ace and Jacob were going to play catch up from those lone months they were apart.

“So Ace, how are you? It’s been so long.”

“Well, i’ve been great actually. No danger has happened since me and Adrian married. I was shocked that we got a chance to even spend my birthday without having a Kamala ruin everything. But.. man, so many days of not worrying about Nathan, Leingo, Delgado, anyone really. For almost a full year. But i can’t wait to catch up with everyone again. Especially Kitten, i haven’t seen him since the wedding actually. We’ve chat on the phone allot. He says he has a surprise for me.”

“I bet him and Geven are finally getting married.”

“Nah, knowing Geven he actually takes time to propose unlike someone.” pointing his thumb to Adrian who scoffed in shock.