Going out to lunch on Valentine's Day with a five year old hadn't been… one of Jerome's best ideas. But, hey, what were they supposed to do? Betty was a part of their lives, and they'd had to compromise with their intimate relationship a lot since she had been adoupted, because she always came first. Plus, a quiet, family dinner - in concept - had seemed like a nice idea.
"I don't think I've ever been kicked out of a restaurant before,"
Mitch reflected as they stepped out of the elevator and into the communal living area.
"Really? I have," Jerome grinned, patting Betty on the back, before letting him down to go play. "Get on my level, Mitch."
"No, thank you," Mitch shook his head, smiling as he reeled Jerome in for a kiss. "There are other parts of you I'd like to get on, though."
"Oh my God," Jerome laughed, smashing his face against Mitch's chest to hide his giggles. "I can't believe you just said that."
"What can I say? You've corrupted me," Mitch shrugged, hugging him close, before calling through the open kitchen door - where Sky could be seen - "Hey, uncle Sky? Can you watch Betty for a little while so Daddy and Papa can have some grown up time?"
"You're disgusting," Sky called back without even turning in their direction, but he waved them away with his hand, so he obviously didn't mind. "Me and Betty can and eat ice cream and watch Disney movies whilst wallowing in the fact we're single."
"Ty's back from his mission in two days," Jerome rolled his eyes, "and I wouldn't let him catch you saying you're single."
"And don't feed Betty too much ice cream!" his boyfriend added, before tugging him back into the elevator. "Be good! Both of you."
—-
"All I'm saying is that I could have totally called Betty throwing up those carrots. No matter how many times you try to force them on her, Mitch, she's not going to like them any better," Jerome mumbled against Mitch's mouth as he was backed into their bedroom. "And we totally shouldn't have been kicked out for that, either. I've done more damage to restaurants before and didn't get kicked out -"
"Fluffy," Mitch sighed, pushing him backwards onto the bed. "Is this really bedroom conversation?"
"I don't know - do you have a thing for vomit -"
Mitch cut him off by covering his body with his own, and kissing him silent.
"I really, really don't want to be thinking about my son's vomit when I'm about to make love to you," he grumbled, and Jerome had to hold back a snort of amusement.
"Make love?" he asked instead. "You're still calling it that?"
"That's what we do," Mitch replied, sticking his tongue out petulantly. "I will not, nor have I ever, just fucked you, Jay-rome."
"Yeah, but I like it when you use the dirty words," he grinned, and got a roll of Mitch's hips against his own for his trouble. "I - ah - think it's about time you -"
But, before he could finish his sentence, his phone vibrated in his pocket, startling him. Mitch gave him an unimpressed look when he pulled it out, and he shot a sheepish look back, before - reading the message - he felt his face drop.
"What?" Mitch asked, frowning. Instead of telling him, Jerome just showed him the message, which he read aloud. "Betty feels bad for ruining lunch, so she's decided to make you guys a romantic meal instead. Stop playing… hide the sausage and come thank him before she pouts the lips right off her face."
"Can we not just… ignore it?" Jerome asked hopefully, but Mitch's expression was already resigned.
"And chance Betty coming in here by accident? No way," he replied, shaking his head as he rolled off Jerome. "Besides, we can do this later tonight, when she's in bed."
"But I was going to sing Afternoon Delight to you," Jerome pouted, then grinned when Mitch swatted his arm.
"You're weird."
"You love it."
"God help me, I do."
They left their bedroom hand in hand.
—-
"Hey, bud, what'cha cooking?"Jerome asked as they entered the kitchen a few moments later. "Smells good."
Sky had, apparently, managed to rope Quentin and Ashley into babysitting duty, too, because the amphibian was currently stood behind Betty where she perched on a stool by the stove, stirring something very red in a pot. Sky and Ashley were playing cards at the table.
"Pasketti," the little girl repiled, grinning as Mitch walked over to kiss the crown of her head. "'N meatballs 'n sauce."
"Spaghetti, huh?" Mitch replied, subtly correcting her, because spaghetti was a word she still had trouble with. "Thank you, baby."
"You know we're not mad at you about lunch, though, right?"Jeome added, because he thought it might be an important thing for the kid to know.
"I didn't mean t'throw up," Betty mumbled, and Quentin patted her head consolingly as Mitch moved over to sit next to Jerome at the table. "I don' like carrots, Papa."
"I know, buddy," Jerome nodded, throwing a smirk in Mitch's direction.
"I'm not going to make you eat them anymore, okay, sweetheart?" Mitch rolled his eyes at Jerome, before turning to their daugter. "But we've got to find you some vegetables that you do like, okay, so that you get big and strong."
"Like your Daddy," Sky chipped in - very helpfully, as it turned out.
"I could get as big 'n strong as you, Daddy?" the little girl cried, dropping her wooden spoon into the sauce as he turned on her stool. Taking pity on her, Seto lifted her down so she could go running over to Mitch, and he took up the role of chef.
"When I was little, we used to grow our own vegetables. Would you like to do that?" Mitch asked her, lifting the little girl up onto his lap, but - with her spindly little legs, Betty accidentally caught him in the junk as she settled, and Mitch winced.
"Wow, Betty, be careful of Daddy's privates, okay?" Jerome also winced in sympathy for his poor husband.
"Yeah, he's going to need them later -"
Mitch swiftly knocked Sky off his chair before he could even finish his sentence. "I'm okay," he sighed, taking a deep breath. "No harm done."
"M'sorry, Daddy," Betty replied, turning carefully to wrap his arms around Mitch's neck. "Could we grow vegis"
"I'm sure we can think of something"Mitch said
Betty grinned happily, before gasping. "Da pasketti!" she cried, jumping off Mitch's lap - and managing to catch him in the balls again, which Jerome couldn't help but snort at - to go running back over to Quentin
"It's almost done, Betty. Why don't you check to see if you're happy with it?"Quentin asked, helping the girl back onto her stool, before reaching into the freezer without a word and throwing a bag of peas over to Mitch, who placed them on his lap gratefully.
"There's no way you're getting sex tonight," Ashley murmured, leaning over to whisper in Tony's ear. "Betty's taken Mitch out of commission."
"I'm offended that you assume I bottom," Jerome tutted, and Mitch shot him a mortified look.
"Right, okay, I need to go bleach my brain," Sky announced loudly, getting to his feet. "Happy Valentine's Day, everyone; I hope you all get eaten by flesh eating bees, or something."
Everyone was laughing as he made his dramatic exit, and even more so when Betty called, "We're not allowed to say mean things, Uncle Sky! You gotta go sit in time out!"