Babies cry at birth because it is the first time they experience separation from love.

-Kamand Kojouri

Things have been surprisingly...calmer.

Though I still have to help Violet most mornings and during early afternoons, most days I have most afternoons and sometimes nights to do what I want unless I also have work.

When it comes to Teddy, I usually go to the café whenever he has a shift just to relieve him from his usual annoying customers.

We've gone on three dates and we talk every night on the phone, Malory says that's really good.

She 'ships' us.

That is, apparently, a good thing.

Chip and Mikayla are really cool people and good friends to Teddy, as well as Luke Bishop who is Teddy's other best friend, and we all get along surprisingly well.

Teddy describes Kayla as the mom of the group, Chip and Luke as dumb and dumber older twin boys and Teddy himself is usually the kid of the group, protected by Kayla but dragged into stupid shit with the two guys. 

Apparently I fit right into the group as the tired dad. 

I guess it works, seeing as I actually am going to be a dad soon.

When Teddy's ringtone for me first went off, I was doing researched and didn't notice it until the last ring was half-way through making me scramble to answer.

 "Y-yeah?"

"Hey," I can hear Teddy's smile in his voice. "So..."

Smiling, I push myself away from the couch to stand, "So?"

"So, I may have let it slip that you happen to have a really cool looking house and a pool. Chip and Luke are threatening to break in but I think it's like, really rude to invite myself or my friends over," That's new. "But you did say you wanted to have me over to swim at some point and I wanted to ask, as politely as I can, if I and they can come over to do that before I am killed?"

"Well if it's a life or death scenario, then of course." I say teasingly, starting to randomly flick my pencil around. "When do you want to come over?"

"An hour -if that's fine?"

I tell him he is and decide to actually get up and take my medicine and eat like I'm supposed to, knowing Mikayla will scold me and Teddy will pout if I don't.

Something I noticed with my friends who are on the queer spectrum of any kind is that we fly through the levels of friendship with ease, whereas with any straight friend I have it takes a very long time before I'm truly comfortable sharing things with them.

Maybe that's another reason I fit into Teddy's group so well.

Unlike last time I had people over to swim, they made it feel so familiar. They didn't gawk at my house or snark at me, just acted like they've already been here. Maybe it's weird they're treating my house like they belong in it, but I prefer it this way.

But still, Chip being himself, didn't stop himself from openly gawking at me instead when I stripped down to just my swimsuit.

"Damn son! You're a snack." Chip exclaims.

"How horribly cannibalistic of you." I mutter, having taken a surprised step back. He wasn't interested in me but I've never been told things like that so directly.

"In most countries it's considered rude to stare." Luke says, elbowing his best friend.

"Fuck," Chip laughs, dodging his other elbow. "Good thing this is America."

Out of the corner of my eye I see Theodore, who's in a swim-shirt and was getting lectured by Kayla for wearing crocs, pout at me. "It's not fair," He whines. "You're like, perfect and I'm a chubby little potato. I don't deserve to be around you."

"That's not true," I tell him gently, closing the distance between us. "I'm not perfect. I'm pretty much just a walking trash can, that's on a good day. And you're not a chubby potato, you're a teddy bear. There's a difference. Besides, I like how soft you are."

Though he continues to pout, the barista is now flushing a bright red, cyan eyes wide and pointed up at me. "How can you just say things like that? It makes no sense!"

"I really like you, Teddy," Murmuring this, I rub the back of my neck. "So I guess...I just don't want you to forget that."

Cyan eyes meet mine and Teddy lets out a small, adorable laugh. "I really like you too."

"Can I, um," Flushing a bit, I glance to the ground then back up at him. "Can I kiss you again?"

"Please."

Standing on his toes, Theodore locks his hands behind my neck as I place mine on his sides, squeezing his love handles as the barista slots his lips against mine.

I can feel it as Teddy blushes, warm enough to let me know he's probably a bright red.

Dropping down from his toes, Teddy's mouth leaves mine and lets us both take in a gasp of air before he's pulling me back down for another kiss.

"Can we.. privacy," I manage to get out, pecking him between words as he pulls a breath away from me. "Please."

"Nodding cutely and almost eagerly, Teddy follows me into the house, taking the lead by opening my bedroom door.

It's like no time had passed as soon  as the door is closed.

Rather suddenly, like I lost control of myself, Teddy is pressed under me against the door and my arm is pinned his head.

His thumbs run over my abdomen, tracing patterns on my skin and it makes me shiver.

HIs tongue swiping across my bottom lip begging for more instantly is enough to make me groan and deepen the kiss.

Pressing a tactful thigh between both of his, causing our bodies to slide together, I get the response I wanted -a breathy, surprised gasp and fingers digging pleasurably into my back.

Walking backwards, I lead Teddy towards the bed, having to pull away as the back of my knees hit the sides of the bed and I'm forced to sit down.

Teddy wastes no time in picking up where we left off, standing between my legs and kissing me just as hard.

Wrapping my arms around him, I sit up straight so I can feel our bodies pressed together, even if it is just our waists brushing with every breath.

Apparently, this isn't enough for the barista and I feel his knee brush my hip as he climbs onto the bed.

I know he just wanted to be closer to me, and probably sit or kneel next to me but I don't care and grab onto his hips.

Teddy squeaks as I pull him onto my lap.

And I find that really fucking cute.

"How far?" I ask, lips dropping from his as I kiss down his jaw, placing a soft kiss to his neck.

Still lost in the moment, Teddy opens his mouth before quickly closing it, humming in reply.

"How far do you want to go?"

Blinking the daze away, I don't know how Teddy manages to blush harder than he already is, but he does.

"I'd like to um... I'd like to have all of you, but our friends-"

"Our friends have already made themselves at home." Not to mention Makayla will keep them in line, and they're distracted by the pool. "And I want you too."

There's no way in my lifetime that that could ever be a lie.

"You do?" Teddy asks, fingers tightening on my shoulders, sounding a bit insecure about that fact.

"Yes." I say, almost defiantly, as I place another open mouth kiss to the side of his neck. "I do."

Teddy gasps softly, "Say it again."

"I want you."

His thighs squeeze me on either side, mouth coming back down on mine but instead of a rush of heat it comes with slow passion.

Rubbing my thumbs over his hips, I slowly trail my hands up his sides until I'm pressing him close with a hand on his lower back.

My hand that rests on his hip is suddenly gripped tight, and it's enough to signal to me to pull away for a moment. Enough to see the bright red flush on his face.

"T-Teddy?" 

"Are you sure?" He asks, panting slightly through kiss-bruised lips. "My body... I'm not-"

"You're perfect." I correct him, pressing a kiss to his shoulder. "Absolutely perfect."

Grinning, Teddy kisses me any, and just because I can I grip his hips tighter and roll over, pinning him under me in bed.

He let's out a short laugh but ends up gasping as I drop my mouth back down to his neck, kissing him down to his collarbone where I suck on the skin.

I'm going to mark him as mine, there's no way I'm not.

But in case he doesn't want anyone to know he was with someone in a way that ended with hickies, since we're not actually dating yet, they're going to be hideable.

Pressing into him more, I continue to mark him until he tugs on my hair, hands on either side of my face lifting me back up for a real kiss.

This was a good day.

And I know they won't always be like this, I know that, I know eventually we're going to have our first fight and I know our nights won't end as sweet as this.

Even with that knowledge, tonight being sweet is enough.

He's enough.

I couldn't ask for anything more.