They felt lonely.
They felt lonely and there was no denying it, because they missed Ellie, who had left their home last summer to go to college. Neither of them could believe how fast the time had passed because is felt as if it was only yesterday that she was running and giggling in the living-room every time Wade carried her on his shoulders, watching her favourite Disney movies again and again, describing them in great detail to Matt or asking Peter to help her with all of her science projects. And, somewhere along the way, their little girl had grown into a beautiful young woman and was leaving the strange nest she had grown up in, with her dad and his two husbands. Although she promised to visit them as many times as she could and called and text them every day, it still felt as if she had taken a piece of them with her. They felt lonely because, even six months after, their apartment felt much bigger. Most of Ellie's things were gone; only her bed and a few old t-shirts remained. They felt lonely and remembered that day at the bus station, where each of them hugged her a little too long, a little too tight, trying and failing to hold their tears back.
They felt lonely and that was the reason Matt suggested visiting the new pet store that had opened a few blocks down.
It had been a particularly rough week for the three of them; Matt's current case was a difficult one and consumed most of his time; Peter was about to start with finals and was starting to stress over which topics he should leave out of the exam and which ones would stay; and Wade was up to his neck with paperwork from his consultant job. Though he would never admit it but everybody could see it, he was the one suffering Ellie's absence the most.
Matt said that watching puppies and kittens –even petting them, if they were allowed– would help them relax a little and to relieve some stress. The other two agreed and, after changing into more winter-friendly clothes, they walked leisurely towards the new store. Snow was falling softly on the side walk and clinging to their coats and they could see their breathing in the form of white puffs that disappeared into the cold air. Wade was holding Matt's free hand as they walked and joked about the advantages of having a blind husband, which Matt feigned being offended and used his cane to 'accidentally' hit Wade's shin. Peter chuckled beside them and held the door open for them once they arrived.
Matt was a bit taken aback by the lack of the strong smell of cleaning products, food and animals. Even with his heightened senses, the smell was faint. The store put a lot of effort in their cleaning. Matt smiled and let go of Wade's hand, who darted towards the puppies and kittens section, leaving Peter and Matt behind to talk with the store clerk. They were the only clients at the moment, so the clerk left them to wander around, telling them to call her if they needed anything. They nodded and went in search of the older man, who was looking at the cages where the kittens were playing, a dumb smile on his lips as he stretched his hands to pet them. The kittens purred against his rough and scarred hands, playing with his fingers when he started wiggling and moving them in circles over the animals' head.
"They are so soft." Wade murmured before hissing. "And they have sharp teeth." He tickled one of the kitten's tummy. It was small with long, shiny black fur and the brightest eyes he had ever seen Wade found himself mesmerized by them. The right one was blue as the ocean but the left one was green as musk.
"That's our little troublemaker," the store clerk chuckled. "I would advise you to be careful with her claws, though. She likes to–" Wade yelped when the kitten dug her needle-like claws into his bare hand before starting climbing up his arm. "– do that to people. I'm so sorry!" she apologised and tried to take the kitten but Wade asked her not to worry stating that it was no problem at all. The kitten quickly made her way to the side of Wade's face and started nuzzling against his nose, purring loudly.
Matt only smiled while Peter cooed at the sight of his husband.
"She doesn't usually like people," the store clerk commented, raising her eyebrows in surprise. The sound of the door being open and a freezing breeze made her jump and turn, leaving the three men in order to greet the swarm if customers that had arrived. The store slowly filled with voices and soon they were forgotten in the corner, the kitten still purring in Wade's ear.
They stayed there for a few more minutes, just feeling the warmth of the small animals, "This was a great idea, Matty." Peter smiled and locked his arm in his husband's. His phone buzzed in his coat pocket and he took it out and unlocked it so he could read the text he had received. A wide smile growing on his face, "We should get going, though. Ellie's just texted me and said that she wanted to do a video-call."
Wade's eyes widened in horror and betrayal as he placed his hand on his chest over his heart. "Since when does Ellie text you instead of me?!"
"Since I'm the only parent who does not threat to maim or sue her professors when she fails a test." Peter deadpanned looking at the two men. Matt shrugged his shoulders and smiled unapologetically and Wade feigned crying and hiding his face in the kitten that was still on his shoulder.
"I'm hurt baby boy. No, I'm more than hurt. I watch over the wellbeing of my only daughter and that's how I'm repaid? With betrayal?" Wade mocked hurt. "My husband and daughter, my own flesh and blood, conspiring against lil' ol' me."
"I told you we would grow to regret that free drama class," Matt sighed. "Leave the kitten and let's go, Wade." He turned and started walking towards the door with Peter still holding his arm, ignoring the grumbles and protests behind his back.
"Hi, Pops! Hi, Papá!" Ellie's smile shone bright across the screen before frowning a little. "Where's dad?"
"He said he needed, and I quote, a few minutes to recover from the utmost betrayal he has been victim of. And to take out the trash" Peter rolled his eyes. "He'll be back in a moment, sweetheart."
"That's alright, Pops. I miss you, guys. You don't know how much I've missed your faces…"
"We miss you too, Ellie. Movie nights are just not the same. I have no one to describe the movies for me anymore." Matt pouted his lips a little before grinning.
Ellie laughed and retorted, "I haven't done that in years, Papá." Both men relished in the sound of her laughter. "So, how's that case you and Uncle Foggy took going? He just keeps sending me baby animals pictures at weird hours and voice messages of you snoring so it must be really taking a toll on you guys…"
The three of them kept chatting for a while, about their works at the firm and at the midterms and about her classes and how hard it was to keep up because 'seriously? You two graduated with honours and all that shit and there's no way I can compete with that. Why did you have to do so well? It's not fair' until the front door opened with a slam and Wade stomped into the room with the biggest shit eating grin he could muster. "Ellie! Flesh of my flesh! Fruit of my loins! My one and only heir!"
"You really took your time in taking the trash out, Wade," Peter commented with a raised eyebrow. He then took notice of the small lump on Wade's hoodie. "What's that in your pocket?"
"Lump? What lump? I don't know what you are talking about." Wade shrugged his shoulders and tried to play dumb but his hand never left the pocket and his gaze never met Peter's.
"Dad, I have a really shitty webcam here and even I can see that thing and– wait… It's moving?!" Ellie exclaimed. "Dad, what the hell?!"
Peter got up and was beside the older man in mere seconds. "Wade." The sfromentioned pursued his lips and looked knew better than to shove his hand inside the pocket and reveal the lump himself but the fact that it had moved only made his curiosity grow. He was not going to let it slide. "What do you have in there?" A muffled meow came from the inside just before a tiny black head popped out if the hoodie, green and blue eyes looked right back at the brunet. "You went back to the store and stole the cat?!" Peter scorned him with his hands on his hips and glaring up to his husband.
"I left money on the counter so, technically, I didn't stole her." Wade mumbled. The kitten quickly climbed up his shoulder and sat right next to his neck, nuzzling against it and purring contentedly.
"Wade!"
"What?! It wasn't stealing. I just adopted her in a very unconventional way." He stuck his tongue out childishly. "I named her Sedusa, because I was smitten as soon as our eyes met and she just pleaded to be taken so the stays and we are not taking her back. Ever. I'll buy her a nice bed and a litter and she will be the most spoiled cat ever."
"Matt, help me out here!" Peter turned to his husband but the lawyer simply shrugged his shoulders.
"You know there's nothing we can do, Peter," Matt sighed defeated. "If we took her back he would just do it again."
Peter run his fingers through his hair and looked incredulously at both of his husbands.
He sometimes just couldn't believe Wade Winston Wilson.