Doctor Johnbetter pulled the rest of them aside when they all came in the next day to check on the boys. "Neither are pressing charges, but Jacob is aggressive and hostile to any male doctors, we had to switch him over to psychiatric female nurses."

Jasmin started to cry and Alex pulled her into his side protectively. He'd just taken Jacob's role, like literally. He let her cling to him and even kissed her cheek when she was upset. "He has a fear of men. As long as you stick with what you're doing, we can handle that."

Johnbetter smiled tensely and wrote that down. "We've prescribed him medication for his concussion, a side effect is paranoia so watch out for that." He flipped through a clipboard and frowned. "And Artez is having psychiatric issues of his own, but more intensely. Does he have any history of suicidal thoughts or suicidal behavior?"

Adam switched Jack to his other side and shook his head hesitantly. "Not that we know of."

He nodded seriously. "Well, I'm going to be honest with you and say I think it's criminally stupid to let Artez go without sending him to a psychiatric unit first, but I can't hold him unless one of you gives full consent because he hasn't tried to hurt himself with how often he sleeps." When they went silent, the doctor waved at Jack. "They talked about how much they loved you the entire time we did their procedures. Even through the anesthesia!" Jack smiled with his two teeth and Johnbetter laughed. "I can see why! Well, when you guys decide, we can go from there. Both rooms are open to visiting, but we ask that you don't distress Hazel if you can help it. He's been having crying spells that turn into panic/guilt attacks. These aggravate his injury. If he has another one, call for help and a nurse will sedate him so he doesn't re-puncture his lung."

Adam started to sob under his breath and Anna rubbed his back. "God, this is such a mess."

They congregated in the lobby all crying and upset, and Steven wiped at his face. "One at a time? Balls to the walls full send? We need a plan."

Jasmin laughed bitterly. "I don't think it matters. Does anyone not want to visit one or the other?"

Adam raised his hand. "I won't until they apologize to each other and our son." Anna cleared her throat and he huffed. "I mean, yeah I'll go see both first. I'd love to." His face twitched with irritation when they all stared at him with various degrees of stranger danger. "Stop looking at me like that."

They averted their eyes and Connie pouted at the floor. This could've been a non existent issue and now they'd had to send their kids to grandparents for the afternoon. How stupid.

Adam had to pick which one he was less mad at and it took a while. Eventually he decided that since he hadn't landed the first hit and only worked in self defense, he'd see Jacob first.

But then he panicked. Didn't that look like he was choosing one over the other, and the one that was not his husband that he'd accidentally sort of cheated with? Was it even cheating? He was so tired of asking himself that question knowing how the others felt about it.

He paused and turned back, then stopped again. If he went to see the main aggressor he was just as responsible for hurting Jacob at that point. It looked like encouraging him. Hazel was one of the loves of his life, his sun and blue skies, but good god the man hadn't needed to beat his Jacob until his arm was broken in three places and he was majorly concussed.

Connie found him leaned against the wall between rooms and reached out her arms. "Here, I'll take the baby. The rest of us want to play with Jack while you decide."

Adam felt it within his heart of hearts when he murmured, "Be careful. He's made of a polycule's love."

Jack stretched out his legs and swatted at Connie's breasts in search of milk, so she walked off with a weak smile. "There's no right answer."

That gave Adam enough courage to go see Hazel first.

He was breathing uneven with his eyes closed. His skin was waxy, Hazel looked like he was dying and Adam watched the monitors tell him things he didn't like: Hazels blood pressure was too low, his heart rate was too high as it worked extra hard, his lungs were bringing in 75% oxygen and he was wearing an oxygen tube through his nose.

"He whooped my ass and I deserved it," Hazel rasped suddenly. His slowly head turned to Adam with his eyes closed but he didn't open them. "I understand if you're done with me. I've accepted I'm just..." He dragged in a strained breath and groaned in pain. "Just a big ass problem."

Adam clasped his hand carefully. "I can't lie to you and say I'm not extremely upset with you." He looked down at their wedding rings, engraved with their silly little achievement, 'enemies to lovers'. "I'll have to think a little harder about it, but for now I am not leaving you."

Hazel squeezed his hand fraily and a monitor started to beep. "I wish he would have killed me," He confessed quietly.

"Don't say that," Adam choked back. "Please, don't say that."

He laid there silently for a few minutes. "I get you now. I'm sorry it took this for that to happen."

Adam kissed his hand. He didn't wanna talk about Hazel being suicidal, not when he could practically taste it. "What all are we looking at for injuries?"

"Two broken ribs, one fractured rib, a punctured lung and a lot of wanting to die," He chuckled blankly then winced hard in pain and whimpered. "I'll... never forgive myself for laying a hand on him." He choked up and Adam's eyes widened as he started to cough hard through his crying; sick, ugly hacks that were clearly pure agony. "Oh, God, I didn't even kn-know it happened until it was done! If I die, tell him I died hating myself!" He screamed the end and started gurgling incoherently, eyes rolling back.

Adam blinked tears out of his eyes and cried out for a nurse, but three were already coming in. "Artez? Artez! Can you hear my voice?!"

Another nurse slammed a button in the room and the intercom system went off. "Code blue, ICU. Code blue, ICU." It was then joined by the scariest sound Adam had ever heard, a two tone alert dinging that was familiar to him. He'd heard it right before he passed out in the ER. Minutes later he died.

"He prefers Hazel, call him Hazel!" Adam pleaded through tears. "What are you doing to him?"

A not so busy nurse walked him out with a gentle but pushing hand. "His lung fills with fluid when he gets upset, all the tears and snot get trapped in the lung if he can't cough it out. We'll have him intubated through his throat if we can get him back but we need you to leave. Worst case scenario, we'll get Steven."

He nodded, thankful to no end they'd obeyed their request. They knew Jacob couldn't die from this but Hazel hadn't had an incident like this yet, so Steven was always hovering and on call at any hour of the day.

Lip trembling, Adam forced himself to be okay enough to see Jacob and pushed in to find him staring out the window with his arm in a sling and a crutch balancing him. The lights were off and a special blind was pulled over the window so he could see out of it, but it was darkened considerably.

He nearly sagged in relief, Jacob looked okay and it encouraged him to see him standing.

"Jacob?" Adam called gently. "It's Adam."

He moved his head to the side but didn't really see him. It was immediately apparent his eyes couldn't see much at all distance wise unless it was extremely large like the sky and clouds. His movement was slow and disjointed, he returned to staring out the window shortly after.

Adam felt invisible to Jacob, it almost made him throw up immediately.

"What?" He finally asked with a small slur. "It's a dashing day outside, innit? I just wish it would have a wee drizzle is all."

Adam's chest ached like he had been stabbed through the heart, he was practically bleeding out onto the floor as he leaned against the doorframe and tried not to start scream crying. This day kept getting more horrific, he couldn't keep taking these blows. His hand went over his mouth as he muffled some he couldn't hold in.

This was the one scenario he was unprepared for. It was like Jacob had become a dementia patient.

The only other thing that came of this was that Adam found his absolute limit with Hazel: if Jacob got amnesia from how hard he'd hit him that he forgot everything, including Adam, a divorce was unavoidable. He just had to pray that wasn't the case because he loved his husband to death. "Jacob, did you hear what I said? I'm here to visit," He tried again. "It's... Adam. You know me, right?"

This time a lightbulb went off after a few seconds and he stood taller to turn and lean against the windowseat. "Ah, right. Your husband damaged my noggin. Often I don't even recall anything happened with the pain meds and all that silly business." His face went downcast. "I was enjoying the peace."

"We don't have to talk about it." He crossed over to stand in front of him and cupped his cheek. At least his pupils were similar sizes though they were still noticeably different. "You remember me though, right?" He whispered shakily. "Do you remember us?"

Jacob smiled at him ruefully, eyes welling with tears. "Tell me, how could I forget the father of my son?"

Adam smiled through his tears too and moved his eyes to his cast. "Injuries?"

"A moderate concussion—," Jacob cut himself off and started to sway so hard Adam had to catch him. "Broken arm in three places like predicted. Minor sprain in the wrist. V-Vertigo. I keep falling."

He wasn't as gravely injured as he'd initially seemed (in fact Hazel's were way more life threatening logically) and that's how Adam made the decision that Hazel hadn't ever been trying to really hurt Jacob. It made clear sense suddenly: Jacob's face wasn't even bruised where he'd hit him, Hazel was holding back even then when he was a man who normally knuckle fought and did it well. He knew where to hit Jacob to take him out and how hard and could achieve it easily. Jacob had been fighting to incapacitate by whatever means he had available, but who could blame him when Hazel had five inches and easily 60 pounds on him?

Adam kissed his forehead. He couldn't blame Jacob at all for anything, probably.

As much as he tried to move on right then, there was just no excuse that could be made to make this go away. Hazel still nearly caused irreparable damage to the intelligent man, but his stability made him feel better as he carried Jacob bridal style to the bathroom to rub his head while he was violently ill. He kept apologizing but he didn't need to, not yet. Adam was just there to take care of him without drama.

After he was empty Adam fed him water and sat through the doctor telling Jacob he'd make a mostly full recovery. "You might sometimes get frustrated looking for lost words to describe things, or you'll become dizzy and faint. Sometimes you might lack coordination as your brain heals but if you can't hold out both arms to your side without one dipping, have someone check you for stroke symptoms and come to the ER immediately."

Jacob blinked at her and nodded. "Alright. S'not so bad."

Adam sucked in a breath and gently kissed the top of his head. "Is there any way he can make a full recovery?"

She smiled kindly but it was melancholy. "He got hit right in the temple decently hard, then hit the back of his head. His brain hit his skull hard enough we had been worried he wouldn't wake up again."

Adam took a very deep breath before he started to think things that were dark and very unlike him. "C-can we have a s-second? I know you have other patients and you don't need to leave or anything—,"

The doctor nodded. "Absolutely, I'll get Jacob here some water."

Adam paced, trying to imagine a world where after Hazel hit Jacob, he didn't wake up again. How close really was it? How many mere pounds of force was Hazel to killing Jacob by putting him in a coma? Steven probably didn't know how to fix that. Sure she said initially they were worried he'd go into a coma but...

He stared down at his ring. He needed to talk to Hazel, and get his side of the story because he could not divorce his husband, he'd lied. He needed Hazel too, and Hazel needed to know that he almost killed Jacob and think about that. Just not now, not when it would kill him too because he was so distressed about a concussion. Knowing he'd almost killed him right now would push Hazel over the edge so far they might not be able to get him back.

Adam's moral compass felt all kinds of fucked, but what else could he do for the good of their son? Men had fights sometimes and with five of the eight being men he was surprised it hadn't happened sooner.

"Adam?" He turned to Jacob and didn't even hide the tears streaming down his face. Jacob raised an eyebrow and murmured, "You're crying over an impossibility. I cannot be killed and any effort would be futile and silly at best." He spread his arms and Adam let himself cry in them, he'd needed another and he supposed he was due.

The nurse came back in and sat down again. "Better?" Adam nodded gratefully and kissed Jacob's neck territorially. He'd be like this for a while with Jasmin and Alex. "Chances are he'll suffer with symptoms for the next few months at least once the initial injury heals and gradually get better. It's important to be patient. But we have high hopes, he's been quite pleasant to the new doctors and cooperative to the fullest extent."

Adam pushed away more sadness and made eye contact with Jacob. "I'll still love him the same either way."

When the doctor left Jacob snuggled onto his lap a bit more with a soft cockney, "Daddy, tell me a story please? On the sill?"

He carefully helped him up and gave him the utmost patience when he had to wait for his dizziness to pass. He was thankful neither his husband or soulmate was permanently crippled in any way, even if both were downtrodden and miserable.

Once he sat, Jacob insisted passionately, "St-stay here, with me. I need you to stay and never, ever leave me like that again." Then he winced like his head ached and gripped Adam's arm aggressively, eyes welling with tears. "I missed you so fucking much, why couldn't we just talk about it? Why did this happen?!" Adam swallowed his building sobs and Jacob started bawling like a baby. He cried so hard he nearly went unconscious, then they ramped up into the cries of a brokenhearted child, "I'll kill myself if you ever do that to me again! I swear to god I'll find a way! I need you close, please! Please, Daddy don't leave me again." Adam broke down and held him delicately, loving the way he croaked his joy weakly and nuzzled in over and over again as if to make up for every time he'd missed it over the one entire year that they'd barely spoken and stayed away from each other.

He didn't say it, but internally Adam felt the same way. If a rift formed between them again, he'd just end it. It was a fucking miracle he hadn't, especially with feeling like he lost one of his Littles. Losing Jack sometimes ached through him when he'd found Jacob staring off into the distance sadly with his blanket and a small aura to him, like he was stuck in Little Space and lonely. It wasn't that Hazel and Anna weren't enough because they were, but Jacob had too many pieces of him for him to exist as his normal self instead of a haunting memory if he ever walked away. So he wouldn't let it get to that, he was more serious about spending time with their family, with his love and the baby they'd made together.

Adam told him the story of the first time they'd ever said I Love You. "It was a Thursday night and I remember it being a Thursday because something in me thought it was a weird day to confess love. I was sitting at the dinner table on my phone and you poked your head into the commons. I saw you out the corner of my eye looking to see if anyone else was around and then you walked up to me and pulled me out of my seat." He dragged in a nostalgic breath. "And you took my hand to press against your heart and you didn't even have to say it but you looked at me all pink in the face with those pretty hazel eyes and said, "Adam, I just fell in love with you. Isn't that wonderful?" with so much sweetness. You've always been such a sweet boy." He cried a little more, this time with joy. "And when I told you I loved you too it was the strongest I'd ever felt in my entire life."

Jacob hummed in his half sleeping and snuggled into him more. "I love you, Daddy."

The rest came through too to find an unsurprising but almost perfect welcome:

Jacob was passed out in Adam's arms in the window seat while Adam stared down at the tree below them with bright yellow leaves and rubbed his head. When he noticed them he didn't smile, but his eyes had regained the sparkle that only Jacob could put there. It was clear he'd wanted more time alone, his wary gaze glanced between Alex and Jasmin for a split second before his cheeks went pinkish with shame. "Bring me our son and I'll wake him up for you. He's a little clingy."

Steven smiled and brought him Jack. Babies were little energy beacons, he'd gotten quieter even as they tried to keep him happy and distracted. "Here. Freshly changed."

Adam grinned at Jack and leaned down to sit the baby on his lap next to Jacob's chest. Curiously he tugged at the gown and Jacob stretched out his neck. "Blimey, the whole rooms spinning."

A small hand grabbed at the gown more and pulled. Jack babbled but the 'Dada' that was always present in his babbling to Jacob was there and easy to hear.

Jacob slowly sat up and dropped his eyes to their little boy with his freckles. At first another strike of fear went through all of them when Jacob looked genuinely confused. "What a dwit, you're just precious." Then softly, "Who's are you?"

Connie started to sniffle, burying her head into Steven's chest while Jasmin could barely keep it together. "Oh my god, I can't—,"

Adam mouthed, "Just give him a second!"

The Brit's eyebrows rose and he looked at Adam, then the baby a bit more carefully. When he moved his eyes to look over the polycule and didn't find freckles or green eyes, he lifted his arm to stare at his own freckles. Piece by piece he put it together and extended a finger for Jack to hold onto. Jack grabbed it and teethed on the fist wrapped tightly around it.

Tears started overflowing and running down Jacob's cheeks, even when it was apparent it was hurting his head so badly. He raised his arms and Jack went to him easily. "You don't know how happy I am to officially call you ours, Jack," He told the infant. "You're a perfect Polycule Baby."

The exhale of relief that filled the room was near deafening. For now, the main situation was defused. A family was reunited, and others that had raised the child closely too got to have him as their Polycule Baby. It was the best thank you they could've gotten.

Steven cleared his throat and nodded Adam to the hallway while Jasmin got reacquainted with her husband.

Adam brushed his hair out of his eyes and blanched. He'd never seen Steven so professional before, in that moment he really exuded the cold hard Diamond in his stomach.

They walked in silence until they got outside and to the outdoor seating area, but neither sat.

Adam could only bring himself to glance over at him when Steven's breathing started to grow strained, like he was trying not to cry. "Steven..."

He sat in the chair and started to weep in agony. All he could do was watch Steven drag in traumatized breaths and hate himself for this; if he had just come clean immediately no one would have to be dealing with this amount of pain.

But it was clear Steven's pain lie elsewhere at the moment.

He stood suddenly enough to make Adam back away a bit but then Steven shoved his hand in his pocket and presented the glass bottle now nearly a quarter empty with this eyes shut tightly. "I'm sorry." It took him a moment to collect himself. Adam was paralyzed with a growing sense of absolute despair. "He... he didn't make it. He died like..." Steven's voice cracked violently but he pushed on. "He died when the Code Blue stopped. I was paged after they tried the defibrillator cause they couldn't do CPR without ruining their chances more. I b-brought him back."

Adam's legs gave out and he collapsed to scream. He hadn't reached a depth of volume or strength behind a cry since Code Mistake, the ground underneath him cracked violently and he nearly fell into it if it hadn't been for Stevens quick reflexes.

He knew this level of depression would take years to go away, and he understood why Hazel woke up in the night clutching him desperately. It had never crossed his mind because he didn't like to think about it, but Hazel had seen him die.

Steven wrapped him in a perfect hug. "I'm sorry for his immortality."

Adam murmured, "Please, fuse with me. I can't go on alone."

Pluto went to get Anna and found her staring into the distance in between the two rooms. She looked up at him and laughed weakly. "I guess there's no right answer. Jacob is too ashamed to talk to me, Hazel hates himself so much for hurting Jacob that he won't talk to me..."

Pluto sat with her and pulled her into him. "Steven will apologize for hurting them further."

"He saved my boyfriends," She rebutted blankly. "I'm forever in his debt."

Pluto huffed, a part of Steven growing jaded. "He hates when people say that."

Anna wiped away a single tear. "Who cares?"

*

Hazel was still released a day after Jacob as he adjusted to things like not having a heartbeat or needing to eat or breathe as often, and almost instantly he was struck with horrible night terrors. They weren't demons or shadows that went bump in the night, nor more images of his sister struggling for air, no this was a million times worse.

It was the split second before Jacob had hit him back with the force that nearly rivaled Steven's: when Jacob had looked at him like his feelings were hurt and he was afraid, and Hazel had imagined it was the look he gave Oliver.

He'd sit by himself in the dark living room as the kids slept reliving the moment over and over and over again. There was no point in trying to sleep, every time he did he saw the same fear Oliver must have seen in Jacob's eyes. It made him throw up all the time, he was rapidly losing weight from the guilt eating him alive and it was obvious there were others still parentally mad at him. Disappointed, even.

It wasn't even jealousy that had made him do it, he was just so betrayed and hurt. If Jacob had just asked, even nervously, Hazel would've been all for it. He'd already had names picked out: Jack, or possibly Liam. He would've been their number one cheering section. It hurt that he'd never gotten to experience the joy of knowing but neither had they. Hazel was just a voyeur to the deepest part of him and there was no one he was more honored to share his husband with than his twin flame.

That and... as uncomfortable as it was to admit, Hazel had been feeling guilty since the day they got married. They were in love, he didn't doubt that Adam was in love with him anymore and he was so in love with Adam. But looking at it realistically...

Sometimes, Hazel felt like a total asshole for marrying Adam when he was so clearly meant for Jacob. Even just watching the way Jacob could pull him out of any kind of meltdown was incredible. Before all of this started Jacob had come up with something to get Adam's inflection and tone back when he went numb. He'd walked up to Adam and asked him to read the text aloud. As it turned out, Adam's autistic voice monotony simply melted away reading The Fitness Gram Pacer Test because the more he sounded like a computer reading that, the more Jacob cracked up like a 14 year old and Adam started to laugh too. By the end his actual voice was back, and he was a blushing mess. They just worked, some of the things Hazel couldn't figure out about Adam Jacob just seemed to know.

He and Jasmin kind of had a private system going on about it, sometimes they just found themselves spending more time together than others when the two needed contact. Adam was the go-to for Jacob's breakdowns because they had finally forged a full agreement over Jacob's Little. When he couldn't handle anything and just cried, when he went silent, when he started going into a brutal flashback that resulted in him breaking things and injuring himself, he'd only let Adam touch him. He didn't want his wife and trophy husband Alex to see him weak, but Adam was allowed. He was too afraid he'd hurt them but he knew Adam could tank a hit. It was nice, yet something deep inside of Hazel was jealous when push came to shove.

He was so jealous how incredible of a partner Jacob was. The Brit became the hot topic a year into the polycule flat, he was almost as popular as Steven. Jacob just empathized so well that he was magnetic and effortlessly charming and Hazel sometimes felt that between those two and Adam, there was just no comparison. Then he felt childish.

Steven had declined healing either of them any further than the hospital and Essence did with an uptick of a stern, parental eyebrow. "I am not your father. I don't need to clean up your mistakes every time they happen and I've got enough on my plate with my twin problem child Azalea, let alone my other children and you." He did give both of them non-healing kisses and sigh wistfully. "I really wish I could. This was hell for everybody and you guys broke our hearts way worse than the initial situation. Thanks a lot for making me have to hurt you so I didn't have to watch you kill each other."

Connie crossed her arms, leaning against their house door. "Steven," She warned.

He sighed but Anna piped up, "He's right."

"Just because it's right doesn't mean it has to be said," Connie countered aggressively. "Haven't we all been through enough?"

Hazel sighed heavily. "There's no amount of hell I could go through that would begin to be enough of a punishment. You should've just left the hospital and pissed on my grave." He walked off to sit at the table and try to get his breathing under control and hated the sympathetic stares as hard as he could, he didn't deserve them. "You guys—sh-should just kick me out since I'm immortal." He had to lean forward a bit to get the oxygen in, and he watched his tears hit the table brokenly. "I'm tired of me too, I can't imagine dealing with me for eternity. I don't even have to be healed."

Jacob hummed and grabbed his crutches to go into his house. When he came back out he dropped his medical bills in front of Hazel and didn't speak a word as he hooked his good arm around his wife and they departed into their house with her scolding him for moving around so much.

Having broken ribs sucked, but not as much as the flinching. Jacob already had insurmountable trauma and personally Hazel thought the EMDR therapy had only served to instill the fear all over again with crystal clear clarity. Hazel could sense Jacob tensing every time he walked by. The man who was smaller, lankier, and less prone to fighting had nearly snapped two of his ribs clean off with well placed and powerful punches. Hazel was really impressed.

But Jacob... Jacob was afraid of him and it was eating him alive. He may have stood his ground, but that didn't change that Hazel had hit him first. It was self defense turned into a full on cage fight with no rules but to survive. And that meant Jacob was in fight or flight constantly around him.

After the fight he just flew.

Meals consistently went something like:

Anna would serve him a plate and kiss his forehead. "Eat up, okay? You're still healing since your healing power is out."

Hazel wouldn't even bother trying to catch her eye anymore, sometimes she couldn't even meet it. He stared at the food but he was numb to anything and everything. "I don't need to eat. Thank you for the effort but I don't deserve it."

And Adam would sit up a little, a slight pink tinge to his nearly constantly purple eyes. It was horrifying, Adam's eyes looked like they'd shattered between his glowing purple and pink intermixed eyes. He was heartbroken Hazel had died, and that's where he kept it. He had seen that same look in Steven's eyes when Original Cosmo died in his arms. "Hazel, you should still try to eat. Our bodies a-aren't... you don't need to eat but it still helps with injuries, we have to eat for that reason."

"I said I don't deserve to eat," He'd counter blankly. "And I can't eat after what I did. I'll just throw it back up again."

Anna and Adam would have one of their silent conversations and Hazel would wish he could watch like he used to with fascination as their eyes glowed.

Anna would murmur, "Everyone deserves to eat, and you need to be healthy so you boys can reconcile and we can hopefully move on." She'd dip to catch his eye but he'd stare through her. "We still love you, Daddy."

Hazel would grow so incredibly spiteful. Why were these incredible people giving him the time of day? He hated them for being so kind, what the hell was wrong with them? "There's plenty of things I love that I'd be better off without. Thank you for the meal, but I do not deserve it."

Thank their lucky stars their kids were staying with Adam's parents in town.

Speaking of that, Adam's parents were acting ridiculous too.

Daun had given him a sympathetic, long and gentle hug and murmured with a feminine grace, "Don't tell anyone I said this, but I understand where the communication dropped enough for anger to rise. It wasn't right, but it wasn't wrong. I'm disappointed in Adam, he knows better than to let things sit."

Don had helped him with his drains with careful, fatherly hands he wasn't accustomed to from anyone but occasionally Greg. "My son and I, Adam, we've talked about if this happened."

Hazel broke out of his numbness to stare but couldn't speak.

Don sighed. "He's like me, he gets bad feelings. He starts to get paranoid until he has to drop it or drive himself crazy." He shook his head sadly. "Usually he doesn't until it happens but this time he did, and he paid a massive price. He called me a year before Jack was born, so about three months before he got pregnant, and begged me to tell him everything was going to be okay and that he was just losing his mind with paranoia."

Hazel grabbed his bucket and started to throw up, numb all over again. Don rubbed his head the whole time and sang him to sleep.

He reminded him of Adam so much it almost soothed him.

*

Adam walked up to Hazel sitting in the living room not asleep on the couch at 3:47 am three weeks later and kicked him out. "Anna and I have talked. You two need to apologize and fix this. Now. I did my part, I apologized and it sucked but that's part of being a mature adult. I'm sick of seeing my husband and boyfriend avoiding each other. Our kids are asking why you guys don't talk anymore. I won't apologize again."

So Hazel trudged out pathetically only to find Jacob sitting in the commons living room staring at a turned off TV. His memory was getting better finally, but he'd muttered to Connie that he was seeing static everywhere he looked. Sometimes the ringing in his ears got deafening and he'd be sick but it hadn't happened for a few days now.

Upon realizing he'd entered, Jacob stood and limped off. His walk was a little unsteady as he healed. It wasn't angry or petty, he could see it was instinctive self preservation, and they were alone in there. Jacob had every right not to trust him even if it hurt Hazels feelings to no end.

As soon as he opened the door, Jasmin, Abel and Alex appeared on the other side. His wife tipped her head. "I don't think we need to have this conversation a seventh time, honey."

He sighed, turned, and slid down the wall. "I deserved it and it's done!" He complained loudly. "Please, just leave me be! I'm still co— cun— ugh!" He slammed a fist against the wall beside him. "Concussed."

Hazel avoided Abel at all costs, his eyes were murderous even when he watched over him while he attempted to fall asleep. Abel had a kind soul but he was stiffly on Jacob's side, even if he acknowledged this could've been done better.  He did however, slave away for Hazel out of nowhere it seemed. Whatever he needed, Abel provided at the drop of a hat with no hesitation. For a while Hazel prepared to be fed bleach or rat poison. But everything Abel did was loving toward him, even if he was too angry to speak.

They all sat in a gut wrenching, heavy silence only magnified when Steven and Connie came out looking exhausted and searching for alcohol.

"You didn't deserve it," Hazel mumbled shyly. "We all did the math. I hate that you're afraid of me now." He hated that Jacob struggled to speak when he was upset now, too.

Jacob finally turned to look at him with steely, wet eyes. "Well, y-yeah. A man much bigger and stronger than me as-ssaulted me just because he—," He clenched his fists and they waited for his brain to recover his ability to think and speak at the same time. "Another man couldn't control himself from hu-hu-hurting me? That's..." His hand went up to hold up two fingers. "T-t-t-twice now."

He hated the stutter even if doctors said it would get better within a short amount of time. Hazel hated it so much he glanced at the knives lying out in the kitchen with minor lust. They couldn't be invincible, he felt even within his lack of living that he could still die.

Hazel burst into tears and bowed his head. What could he say? Jacob was correct. "I'm sorry... I'm just... lost. I didn't think I'd actually do it."

"But you d-d-did," He countered. "And I did the same to you." His head banged against the wall and he sighed wantonly. The anger went away with a few minutes of deep breathing, and his speech was even again. "I can't believe I compared you to my father. That was really fucking petty of me, wow."

Connie coughed out a half laugh. "A little."

Jacob blinked and stood abruptly, glancing at the arm and cast in a sling. He crossed in front of Hazel and watched him try to cry silently with curiosity. It was probably obvious that it was hurting his injury, it was burning and aching and he was drugged up 90% of the time. Still he couldn't stop. Of all of the terrible things he'd done in his life, this was the worst, especially when he claimed to love Jacob as much as he did.

He wasn't sure the audience had disappeared until he found they had. Then his eyes locked on Jacob's. Haphazardly the freckled godsend got on his knees and spread his arms and Hazel all but collapsed into them as a dam of guilt burst. "I'm sorry! I'm so so sorry! I haven't hardly slept, I haven't eaten a full meal in so long because I feel so bad! I'm sorry! I promise I'm so so sorry! How do I fix this?! I don't want you to be afraid of me! I miss your hugs, I miss being around you and I miss being able to kiss you whenever I want to. You're one of the best things that ever happened to me!" He screamed as quietly as he could, then again when his ribcage provided horrible pain. "I need you... but—,"

Jacob shook his head quickly. "But n-nothing. You're forgiven. Completely." He lifted Hazels head to rest his forehead against his. "Do you remember Christmas break at Nova?"

His voice was raw with emotion but soothing. Hazel nodded. "Of course."

"Those things that wanted to hurt each other weren't us," He whispered achingly. "I know that wasn't you who hurt me. I felt it when it happened that that wasn't you. It's just our monsters."

Hazel sighed deeply as he calmed, not believing him but trying to. "How do I fix this? How do we move on? I don't... I don't want to break up over this."

"We aren't going to." The hug tightened and his voice grew heavy with tears. "P-Please don't-t say that-t-t. You're going to break my heart, Artez."

Jacob had never used his birth name. Not a day in his life had he even uttered it even in curiosity, and it hit Hazel even harder. "Jacob. I missed you so much."

He pulled away finally to look at him head on. "I still love you. That didn't change when we put our hands on each other. I could see it in your face when you realized my arm was broken that it hurt you to hurt me. Come lay with me. Please."

They'd crashed on the couch and woke up healed. Jacob moved his fingers and there was no pain. Hazel sat up fast too, he took a deep breath and nothing ached. He coughed; no bile. Jacob shook his head like an idiot expecting to pass out or throw up and nothing. His mind was clear, maybe even sharper than before which gave him mixed feelings.

They turned only to find Steven in the kitchen smirking to himself largely as he sang.
"So maybe I'll talk to you
The only way I know how to
Mmm, you've said your speech
Mmm, through sharpened teeth
You break the walls and spikes grow from your skin
I think it might be worth a try
Or are we ready to let this die
Mmm, a monsters here
Mmm, you plug your ears
But hey, you might just listen to it sing:
Please let the devil in."

As a parent, he'd become more sure of himself as their kids turned out to be loving, accepting and loyal people. He loved having a family, and he was more confident as he discovered he was an excellent father.

His family had perfect diversity, and his "problem child" Azalea was just his clone and he was a little harder on her antics because when push came to shove she was his favorite, though he rarely chose to show it.

All the parents knew, though.

They approached him from behind and he turned immediately as if expecting them. "Good evening," He greeted with a smooth, deep tone. "Glad to see my boyfriends are getting along again." He was still Steven, he was just older and wiser and with that came along the shit eating grin that he gave them when he was right and they were wrong.

Because like his wife, Steven loved to be right.

Hazel frowned. "What's so funny?"

Steven looked between them deliberately and went back to filling water bottles and sippy cups for breakfast. "I lied to you guys, I love cleaning up messes. Throughout my entire childhood it was all I did and I drove myself crazy in my teens because I didn't know what to do without it. Then I said I'd never do it again. Hand me the lid for this in the sink, please." Jacob clumsily handed it to him as he continued on. "But I love this shit. I love being able to heal you guys after finding you snuggled up on the couch together."

"Cause it makes you feel good?" Jacob asked cynically. He didn't know why he was annoyed when Steven wasn't necessarily being condescending, maybe he needed to catch up on more sleep. "To see us make up?"

Steven paused and leaned against the counter to cross his arms. "No shit, Sherlock. Your fight made everyone miserable. Why would that make me more upset than having to watch you guys try to avoid each other?" Both broke the eye contact and stared anywhere but at him. He may have said he wasn't their father but the tone he was using was one that only a father of many children could achieve. "This is the end of the conversation," He told them, turning back to the sink. "Leo likes orange, Daisy likes yellow, Phoebe and Milo both like red, Lucky likes green, Asher and Cosmo like blue, Azalea likes purple, the rest are cute little babies~," He muttered to himself as he filled cups. As far as he was concerned the conversation was literally not able to continue even if they tried.