"What did you just say?" Leon had to repeat it because he didn't want to believe.

"Y-your phone. They fucking sent a text, you asshole. Now your bird is flying out there free and we are stuck here for another one week." Leon could sense the irritation emitting off Stuart.

     However, that didn't stop him from finally going mad. He gripped on his hair in frustration as he stared wide eyed at the floor. "No. No. No. I cannot stay another week with you. Lord no. Please no."

"Wha- What's that supposed to mean?" He squinted his eyes at him, his arms folding and unfolding over his chest.

"It means I cannot handle your bullshit dude." Leon blurted but didn't bother to stop. "This daddy thing is not a one man job. They said daddies not dad. And what is with the whole coming back late? Are you seeing someone? Not that I'm bothered but it affects me because I'm supposed to be your husband. If you are cheating, you might be contributing to this one week we just gained. And crossing the line, do not blame me. All you had to do was let me kiss you for one goddamn minute and that was all but no, you just had to keep saying no and making me get unnecessarily frustrated."

"Leon-"

"Oh shut the hell up, you goddamn Aussie." He grunted as he slid to floor, leaning back on the car. "They should have given me someone else. Andres is cool and god, Vlad's amazing. He actually cares about the kids."

"Leon-"

"What? Want to yell back at me? Fine. Go ahead but I'm taking the bed this night."

"Leon let me speak." Leon was surprised when it came out quite calmly that he was too speechless to interrupt. Stuart massaged his temples then opened his eyes to look at Leon. "I'm sorry."

"Save it. I don't want to hear it. I just want to see you act like a dad and do the dumb tasks we are given."

He released an exasperated sigh and shook his head. "I stayed back late yesterday because I was researching something. It was a late decision but I had to make it. I was looking for a way out, Leon."

"What?"

"And what I found out, you wouldn't like it."

"What is it?"

"We are in San Fran but not in California. This might sound crazy, but we are on some little island close Hawaii on the world map but isn't owned by it. And to answer that question that might be bugging you, the owner of the island is McCall San Francisco. Hence the name."

     Leon felt utterly hopeless then. They were on an island? That meant no escape. No way to get away from all of this. There was really no point being here when the other dad was being neglectful. Raising kids had always been a two man job. However, to the people or parents who did it on their own, Leon had a new found respect for them.

"But hey, don't give up yet. There is a way out of the island."

Leon perked up. "What is it?"

"There's an airport right out of this town. We could just run away now but it all still comes down to the money. We need money to leave."

"And you would rather stay here than leave." Leon shook his head. He was beyond disappointed at Stuart but then he knew. Deep down he always knew this wasn't going to work out.

"I could have sex with you right now if it would give us enough money to get off the island." He said slowly as if he wanted Leon to hear his every word. "I really don't want to be here, Leon."

"Really?"

     Stuart got down on his knees in front of Leon and said, "And I'm sorry I haven't been the good dad you want me to be. I normally hate kids and I have daddy issues so it is going to take me a while to get comfortable. But I want to help you. I want to get us out and me acting like I was wasn't going to do anything. So please, help me to be a good dad."

Leon's eyes widened in shock. Did Stuart just open up to him? Was Vlad advice already kicking in?

     Nevertheless, Leon was happy about that and smiled at him. Leon might not know the 101 on being a dad but he sure as hell knew how to try. And that was what he was going to teach Stuart.

"Sure but you've got to drop the whole grumbling act and do it. It's tiresome watching you stall." He rolled his eyes at him.

     Stuart surprisingly smiled back and Leon felt like a huge weight was off his shoulder. Yet, to his surprise, Leon took in a deep breath as he watched Stuart crawl up to him only to kiss him lightly on his lips. Leon's heart raced and he gasped, giving Stuart the opportunity to slide his tongue into his mouth.

     This was unlike the first time they kissed. Leon had just wanted to do it and get it over with but now, it was like time slowed down.

Stuart slowly pulled away then said against his lips, "I'm not gonna hold back anymore, okay?"

His hot breath on his face made Leon think of the dirtiest things in seconds then ended up being embarrassed about it.

     Taking a deep breath to calm his libido down, he cupped his face and answered, "You better not." Then he leaned up and kissed as if that was the only thing he needed to survive.

~::~

"Do you think this tree will fit perfectly?" Stuart asked.

"I'm more for the white one." Leon smiled at the white Christmas tree before him.

     Stuart was glad they had put their differences behind them and as much as he hated it, he was ready to do whatever to get out of the island. No matter what it took.

     Glancing beside him, Leon was talking to Mariam, who was decked in her cute pink winter coat, black boot and a nice pink head warmer, and was trying to persuade her to pick his white tree.

     Smiling, he looked at Faun who was beside him but wasn't paying attention to the tree in front of him. Rubbing the nape of his neck, Stuart bumped his shoulders into Faun's then cocked his head at the tree when he finally looked up from the DS he was playing with. "What do you think? The normal green one or the white one?"

Faun stared between the two trees and shrugged. "The white one's cooler."

"That's three votes, Stuart. You lose."

Stuart crossed his arms over his chest and gaped at Leon then at Faun who heaved as he made a face at him. "You lost–Hey!"

Stuart took his DS from him and shook it high up in the air where he knew Faun couldn't get it. "Take my side or you wont get your DS back."

Laughing, Faun crossed his arms over his chest. "You've got to try better than that. I've got like three more since that's the only thing you give me on my birthday since I turned ten." He rolled his eyes but seemed to perk up at something he thought off. "I'd take your side if and only if you remove the curfew."

He scoffed. "You are kidding. I'm not going to remove the curfew so you can be coming home whenever you like. I can only push it back to ten."

"I don't get to watch TV by ten o' clock?"

"What are you watching TV for by ten? If you aren't studying then I don't want to see you in the sitting room."

"Dad!" He grunted then quickly added, "At least can I bring my friends over?"

"Will you be on my side?" Stuart couldn't remember when he ever told Faun to never bring his friend but he shrugged it off. It was an easy win then.

"Yes."

Immediately turning to Leon, he smirked. "That's two against two. Beat that."

Leon mumbled something incoherent as he frowned at Stuart whose smile widened further when Mariam asked him, "If you go to the park with me, I'll be on your side."

"Yes." Stuart quickly agreed because he thought no harm could come from going to the park with her once.

She jumped happily in response then went to stand beside Stuart who then smirked smugly at Leon. "Beat that."

"Okay." He rolled his eyes. "We'll get the normal one."

"Yay." Mariam squealed

     Taking his game from Stuart, Faun said, "I'm going to look around. Call me when we've got to go or something."

"Sure kid. Take your sister too." He smiled at the girl and added, "Pick what you want okay?"

"Okay daddy." She giggled then quickly followed her brother away.

When they were out of sight, Stuart turned back at Leon and approached him with his chin held high. "I'm going to be a great dad, won't I?"

     Chuckling when he didn't answer him, Stuart continued to tease. "Besides, thanks to what just happened, I might just wind up 'daddy on the month'."

Leon's eyes fell into a slit. "There was no such award."

"I know. But if there was, I was gonna win."

Leon smirked as he started walking down the aisle with Stuart. "It's like you have forgotten the other couple. Andres and Vlad. Vlad said he actually likes his kid."

"What are you trying to say?"

"I'm saying, you don't like them. You're just doing it to get out."

Stuart huffed, knowing that was true. It wasn't his fault kids were a pain to him. It was his dad and little brother's fault. If his dad hadn't neglected him and his brother hadn't caused unnecessary trouble for him, maybe, just maybe, he would have found this whole thing fun.

"They are people, right? I can get to know them and like them. I just don't know them that's why I've been a little resistive."

"A little?" Leon rose a brow at him.

"Okay completely." He quietly added. "But don't think I can't. I mean, we are getting somewhere. You and I."

Leon stopped abruptly and Stuart was blindly bumped into him. Frowning at the taller man, Stuart moved away from him to stand in front of him. Staring at him, Stuart asked, "Why did you stop?"

"This song." He said as if in a trance then suddenly smiled making Stuart's heart throb in his chest. "I love this song."

     Trying to hide the blush that would soon be apparent on his face, he looked away at the snow globe on one of the shelves then listened to the song that played from the mall's speakers.

     I Wont Say (I'm In Love) sang from the speaker and Stuart remembered it as one of the songs he had listened to when he was a kid. A Disney song to be precise.

Stuart heard Leon hum the tune as he stared at the same snow globe. "It's pretty. We should get it."

"Just the tree cost half the amount in our accounts. Let's think if something cheaper."

"Oh come on." He huffed, throwing his arm over Stuart's shoulder and pulling him against him. "I like it."

     The snow globe, unlike the others which had animals, had a regular house inside. It was exceptionally ordinary that Stuart didn't see what he liked in but that wasn't what he was worried about at that minute. It was the big arm around his shoulder that squeezed his every so often that bothered him.

Stuart knew if he stayed like that for another second, Leon would be able to feel the way his heart was beating vigorously.

     Clearing his throat, he nodded at him then slowly pulled away from him. "You can add it to the cart."

"Yes." Leon made a sound that almost came out like a squeak as he picked it up. He smiled at it then at Staurt. "I'm going to get a cart."

     Stuart was finally able to breathe again the second Leon's clear gray eyes left his and he turned to leave. Sighing in relief, he looked back at the lame globe Leon had pressured him on and tried to reason why he had preferred that to the rest. Honestly, there was nothing special about it and even when he shook it, nothing special popped out from the door.

Stuart had just pushed it aside as something personal to him and turned only to find Leon entering the asle without the cart he had gone to find.

"Where's the trolley?"

"See me, where are my manners? I forgot to say thank you." He walked up to Stuart and without any hesitation of some sort, he placed his lips on his.

     Stuart froze but couldn't help but be lightheaded. This was the second time they had kissed today and yet the feel of Leon's lips on his was making his knees weak. Luckily, Leon pulled away in time before they could buckle and said against his cheeks, "Thanks."

     Stuart could only whimper and Leon kissed his cheek before walking out again. Staring wide eyed at where he had disappeared from, Stuart gripped the shelf beside him to keep himself balanced because he couldn't quite shake off what just happened.

     Was that kiss really necessary or did Leon just want to kiss him? Was that Leon's own idea of not holding back?

___________________________
Just in case you don't know, the song Leon was humming is the song at the top. From Hercules.