Jamia was frowning as she looked down at me. I blinked, staring at her.

"Yeah?" I asked.

"Listen, I know we're not married but we still need to be co-parents together," she said. "I need to know that you're fully committed to these babies."

I sat up. "Yeah, yeah of course I am. I'm nervous, of course. I don't know a lot about babies so you'll have to help me."

"Yeah, I know that," she said.

"Where is all of this coming from?" I asked as I sat up.

"Well, you've just been sleeping over at Gerard's a lot recently and you have to know that you won't be able to do that once the twins are here," she said.

"Yeah, yeah, of course," I said.

I got up, giving her a hug.

"I promise," I said. "I know I'm scared but I am going to be there for my kids."

She smiled, nodding her head. We pulled away and I sighed, getting dressed into some sweatpants and a hoodie.

"There's breakfast in the kitchen," she said.

Jamia left and I sighed as I facetimed Gerard. He smiled, waving his hand.

"So, I was thinking that since it's saturday so you don't have classes and you also don't work tonight then maybe you could come over and stay the night at my place this time," I said. "I'm always going over to your apartment."

"I don't know," Gerard mumbled. "Last time I went there I was beaten."

"I'll get you cleared with security," I said.

"I don't know," he said.

"Please, we can just get high and have sex," I said.

"Bunny, I don't know if I really want to be near your house and your family," Gerard said.

"Please?" I asked. "Come on, I have an eighty inch smart tv in my room and a fifteen hundred king size mattress. It's cold out, we can cuddle on the fur rug in front of my fireplace."

Gerard sighed, running a hand down his face.

"I don't want to be beaten, hurt, or harassed," he said.

"Promise," I said.

"Okay, I'll be there in fifteen minutes," he said.

I smiled and hung up. I waited at the bottom of the stairs in the foyer until I heard someone request access through the gate. The guard went to ask my dad for permission when I intercepted him.

"Is it Gerard?" I asked.

"A young Gerard Way," he said.

"That's my friend, you can let him in," I said.

"New guests must be authorized by your father," he said.

"Oh, I'm sorry," I said. "I mean, last I heard this was the Iero family. And last I checked, I am the man of the family and will take over as soon as my twins are born. And who are you?"

"I-I am not an Iero, sir," he said.

"That's right," I said. "So, you take orders from me, got that? Otherwise you'll be the scum under six feet of soil that people will walk over, not even knowing where you are."

"Yes, sir, I'll let him in right away," he said.

I smiled, waiting out on the front porch. The gate squeaked open and Gerard pulled up the round driveway in front of the front stairs. I hurried over, smiling as he rolled his window down.

"Uh, where do I park?" He asked.

I called someone over and Gerard shook his head.

"No, no, it's okay, I can park myself," he said.

"Come on, let me treat you like royalty," I said. "You're my king."

The man got over just as Gerard got out. He was patted down by security before they cleared him. I smiled, leading Gerard up the stone steps and all the way to my bedroom.

"I haven't seen your house in the daylight and holy fucking shit," he said. "This place is...it's a palace."

I smiled, pushing him into the arm chair before sitting on his lap.

"You like it?" I asked.

"I never got a good look of your bedroom last time," he said. "Wow, this single room is bigger than my apartment."

I smiled, kissing his cheek. The door opened and Gerard stood up in fright, making me fall on the ground. I stood up as my dad strolled over, making Gerard shrink back.

"Paco, did you tell my guard to let him through the gate and then threaten to kill him?" My dad asked.

"No," I lied.

"So am I just imagining him standing there?" He asked, gesturing to Gerard.

"You can't kick him out, I invited him," I said.

"Just...don't do that again," he said. "Until you're in charge, all gate access goes through me first. And you can...be together."

He seemed to cringe when he said that.

"Just not outside this room," he said. "Do not let people know about this affair. To the workers and the world, you are happily married to Jamia."

"Gerard gets to come and go as he pleases, a friend of the house," I said. "No pat downs or authentication at the gate."

"You need to come to meetings at least every other day," he said.

"Deal," I said, shaking his hand.

My dad left and I locked the door behind him.

"Don't be so scared of him," I said.

"Last time I was here he beat me," Gerard said. "Maybe this was a mistake, I should just go home."

"If you really want to go to your place then that's okay," I said. "But just know that I would really appreciate it if we could stay here at least one night."

Gerard nodded, sitting down a little uneasily as he eyed the door.

"Relax, Baby, it's okay," I said.

I took his coat off, folding it and putting it on the dresser before turning on the fireplace. It was getting cold out as winter came. Gerard eyed something on the coffee table and picked up the ultrasound that was sitting there. I couldn't quite read his face.

"I know this whole situation is weird, I'm sorry," I said. "I know I'm married and having children but...I want to be with you, Gerard, if you'll let me."

"I want to be with you too," he said. "I just...feel a little weird knowing that you're having a child with someone else. Two children. We're both nineteen, I can't imagine having a child right now."

I sighed. "I know, I'm terrified but this is just our custom. We just tend to get married and have kids earlier."

Gerard nodded and set the picture down.

"And don't think you need to be, like, step-parent to my kids," I said. "I'm not pressuring you into that."

Gerard sighed. "I want to be part of your life, I want to love what you love and be with you through everything. Just not your business, not your family. But these are babies, they haven't done anything. They're the only family of yours I'll really accept."

I smiled, sitting on his lap as I kissed his cheek.

"My whole family isn't so bad, by the way," I said. "My mom is the sweetest ever. Jamia is so nice. And my dad...yeah, okay, my dad is kind of a dick but he's not the worst."

Gerard didn't say anything as he looked down. I know he still didn't really want to be part of the family or get to know them. Maybe that's because he thought getting to know my family meant accepting our ways of living.

I smiled, holding his hand. Gerard still looked a little nervous, however. I turned on some music softly, closing the curtains and putting the lights on dim. I went behind him, rubbing his shoulders.

"Relax," I said. "You want me to get you something? Some coffee? Maybe a bowl of fruit?"

"I'm okay, Bunny," he said, smiling as he looked up at me. "I'm just anxious is all."

"Maybe we can smoke that anxiety away," I said.

I went into the drawer of the table next to the couch, pulling out a lighter, my grinder and my pipe. We both smoked a bowl, curling up on the couch. When it kicked in I smiled. I always got a little bit light-headed when I smoked, making me feel like I was floating. We laid on the rug together side by side on our backs in front of the fire.

"You know, when I was a kid I used to think that the mafia was old men with scars and cigars and they kissed each other on the cheek a lot," he said.

"Well, that's not completely wrong," I said. "It kinda is."

"I didn't think that there could be such a sweet boy in the mafia in line for the throne," he said. "Never thought I would be dating him either."

I smiled, looking over at him before going to stare back at the ceiling.

"How did you know you were into BDSM?" I asked.

"I don't know," he said. "I was of course a horny teenager in high school so I would watch a lot of porn. Eventually I ended up working my way up. I watched spanking videos and then light bondage videos and then soon some pretty kinky shit. I didn't actually start practicing BDSM until I was seventeen. It's funny, actually, I started off as a sub. It was kind of hard finding a man willing to be dominated by a seventeen year old boy, I hadn't really known where to look. So, I submitted to a man and he taught me what I know."

"Did you feel uncomfortable subbing?" I asked.

"A little," he admitted. "I was kind of a brat. Going against his rules a lot and stuff."

I smiled, holding his hand.

"I don't think I would ever be able to be a dom," I said. "I don't like taking control."

"That's okay, I'll take control for you," Gerard said.

"I'm scared to take over the business," I said. "I hate the business, I don't want to become the leader, but this is my job and there's really no way out. But I like when you control me, it feels like an outlet. It's one of the only times I really get to relax."

"I'm glad I can do that for you," he said. "And trust me, I absolutely love controlling you, Bunny."

I smiled, leaning over to give him a kiss. I snuggled up close, laying in his arms before the drugs eventually helped put me to sleep.