The sound of small feet slapping against the tile alerted Craig to his son's presence. He turned around, a soapy glass in one hand and a dishrag in the other, and prepared to scold Neil as he had inevitably left a trail of muddy footprints in his wake.

"Dad! Dad, look what I found!" Neil skidded to a stop, his hands behind his back.

Craig raised an eyebrow, the corners of his lips twitching into a little smile. "What did you find?"

"I found him on an adventure," Neil grinned and held out his hands. In them, was a small, chubby, bumpy gray toad. It trilled.

Craig's shriek could be heard from upstairs. Rick came rushing down the stairs, nearly sliding into the kitchen with a, "What's the situation?"

The blond was perched atop the counter, his hands still dripping with soap and bubbles, and he pointed accusingly to the little toad in Neil's hands. "Th-th-there's a-" he stuttered.

Neil turned to his father and gently stroked the toad's back, muttering some comforting words to it.

Rick huffed. "Aw, so this's what you were screamin' 'bout?"

Craig swallowed and shook lightly. "I did not scream."

"Squealed, then," Rick said with a chuckle as he sunk to his knees in front of Neil. "So, where'd ya' find this lil' guy?" He reached up and scratched its back with one finger, and the toad chirped again.

"I found him on an adventure," Neil beamed proudly. "Out behind the bushes next to the fence."

"Well lookit that," Rick ruffled his son's golden blond hair. "My boy's an adventurer too. Y'hear that, Peaches? Isn't that just th' best thing ya' ever heard?"

Craig was too busy scootching back on the counter, trying to keep as much distance between him and that- that thing.

"Neil, go put it back outside and then you are taking a long, long bath," Craig hissed.

"Aww, but, I already named him," Neil held the trilling toad close to his chest. "His name's Space!"

Rick shrugged. "Yeah, just let 'im play with the frog s'more."

The blond made a 'hmph' noise. "Fact: that is a toad. Not a frog."

"Same difference," Rick waved it off. "I used to catch 'em all th' time when I was his age, they're not harmful."

"I'm aware, but- but they're disgusting!"

Rick began to respond when the toad leaped out of Neil's hands, and landed on the kitchen tile with a plop. Another squeal left Craig and it took a few more hops towards and out the back door. It disappeared into the grass.

"Hey, Space, come back here!" Neil whined.

Rick stood back up again, making a small groan at the stiffness in his knees. "Bet ya' can't catch 'im again," his father ruffled his hair again with a grin, which his son returned as he ran out the door, tripping on the way but quickly picking himself back up with a giggle.

Rick turned to his husband, who glared at him from the counter.

"Oh, what're ya' mad 'bout?"

"Toads are disgusting," Craig's face softened slightly. "But that little display of father-son affection was quite moving."

Rick offered Craig his hand, which he took, steadying himself as he climbed down slowly from the counter.

"And since you insisted he keep the toad, you'll be the one giving him a bath later, Rick."

"...wait, but-"

"Too late," Craig said with a saccharine smile as he returned to the dishes, flicking a little dab of bubbles at his husband.