Doing the math, Kyle had discovered that he worked only about 160 days a year. Taking out paid holidays, his vacation, weekends, and accounting a rough estimate of all the days Kenny was dead and he was given his grieving periods, it nearly made him feel lazy. Most of his time spent at home was filled with cleaning and cooking to keep himself preoccupied before settling down at his computer and working from home. Time and again he'd gotten a call from his boss, voicing concerns for his working in such a tumultuous time. He'd sit there rolling his eyes, forcing his voice to quiet down into a meek tone and insisting that "staying busy was the only way he could keep himself from falling apart". Which, of course, was met with a sympathetic hum and having to promise not to overdo himself, that work could come later. He'd give a little sniffle and thank the woman for her kindness before hanging up and chomping down on one of his peanut butter cookies.

He had to wonder if he was eventually going to start gaining weight from Kenny's trips, finding himself scarfing down sugary treats for days that he made from his boredom. As soon as Kenny got back, he'd have them both dressed in workout clothes going for a run to keep his metabolism from shutting down, Kenny trailing behind him the entire time whining that he'd just been dead, that he wanted cookies, too. His coming back was almost as routine as his being gone, Kyle always turning back and shrugging, telling him fine, he'd make him cookies, but that'd be the only thing his mouth got to touch if he didn't keep up with his set pace. Miraculously, the living dead would always find his speed with such a threat, running alongside him and pinching his ass, laughing as Kyle swatted at his wandering hands. Kyle loved their runs, taking it as his definitive proof that his husband was back again, that he could sweat and pant and be his typical jovial self once more.

Plus, getting to come home with both of them already sweating as they dove into their next activity had certainly never deterred them.

But, for now, he could only dream of what was waiting for him, his time now dedicated to the figures in front of him as he scrolled through, eyes sharply scanning for hints of patterns in the company numbers. After all, it's what Kenny had showed him best: He was fantastic at analyzing trends and buckling them down into a predictable fashion, could guide his company in the direction it was best suited for. It was tiresome and boring, but it paid the bills and he only had to work it roughly 40% of the year. He supposed he couldn't complain about it too much.

A knock on the front door stole his attention, the dog napping beside him stumbling onto his feet and barking loudly at it, Kyle rolling his eyes. "Val. Shut the fuck up," he flicked his nose, the dog huffing and quieting his barks, following Kyle to the door as he pried it open to the mailman looking at him with drooping eyes. He practically thrust a large clasp envelope in his face with his and Kenny's names printed on the line, Kyle taking it with a stack of other deliveries, looking down at the electronic scanner in front of him.

The man impatiently waved a stylus and cleared his throat. "Sign?"

Kyle scoffed, setting the mail aside and taking the device to do so. "You know, half of this mail is sympathy cards."

"Oh?" he asked, bored and impatient as Kyle took forever with his lengthy last name.

"Yeah. I just lost my husband. So, thanks for your gleaming customer service. I'll be sure to let the post office know what a shining star you are in my hour of grief," he drawled.

He shrugged, "Sorry, Man. But it's a government job, I really don't care."

Kyle handed him back the device, staring at him with an air of skepticism. "You don't happen to be related to anyone named Craig… right?"

"Uh… not to my knowledge?"

"Oh thank god, he's not breeding," Kyle muttered, slamming the door shut in his face and turning his attention to the stack on his side table. He rolled his eyes at the dog running to the window and hopping on the chair in front of it, watching the retreating man with a low growl and the vicious glare that only a Rottweiler could pull off. Kenny had insisted on getting him from the shelter two years beforehand, a break-in while they were sleeping putting him into a perpetual panic. Kyle had protested that getting themselves unneeded protection was ridiculous, Kenny just reminding him time and again that he'd died from them, that Kyle could've so easily been their next target. Kyle had to help him recall that he'd died because they'd shoved him so they could make a break for it and he'd crashed into the coffee table, his temple taking the brunt of the fall. Not from actual malicious intent. Nonetheless, after an ensuing five-hour debate and Kenny putting on a show over his heightened fear for Kyle's safety, they'd applied for ownership of Valefor and taken him home the next week.

Somehow, while Kyle's back was turned with vaccination paperwork, Kenny had snuck off and gotten a kitten, popping him under Kyle's nose and booping them together with a grin. He was all alone, Kenny had whined, rubbing the kitten along Kyle's cheek. He needed fathers and a big, strong doggie to protect him. And after all, he was only twenty dollars since they'd paid full price for Valefor. Kyle still didn't know how, but their family had doubled in size that day, Kenny driving with the kitten he'd promptly dubbed Doodle on his lap while Valefor clambered from the backseat of the truck into Kyle's.

He couldn't say he minded, both of them finding their way into Kyle's good graces in a matter of hours after Valefor snuffed in Kenny's face after a horrific pun and Doodle made himself a nice, cozy nest by clawing the shit out of his husband's thigh. Besides, they filled the void that Kenny tended to leave him with, both of them able to see how lonely Kyle felt and sandwiching him on the bed when the still night rolled around. Kyle often wondered if the sixth sense people mentioned animals having could involve their situation as well. They never tried to get onto the bed if Kenny was alive, even if one of them went off early. No, they saved it just for when Kyle needed some form of warmth, Val always nestled back-to-back with him and Doodle curled up atop his right arm, purring away until Kyle eventually drifted off to sleep. He'd told Kenny about it one day upon his return, Kenny just grinning cheekily and telling him that he had told the both of them to take good care of him whenever he was gone, that he must have the power to communicate with man or beast. Kyle had just rolled his eyes, but a part of him couldn't help but wonder if there was some truth to that, if Kenny's anomalous soul somehow extended into other realms of 'power' as well.

He supposed it didn't truly matter. Either way, he always had someone there for him, human or not.

Kyle snagged the pile of envelopes, tossing hand-addressed sympathy cards off into a basket on the coffee table as he sat on the couch and continued to sort. He clicked his tongue as he passed bill after card after ad after bill, finally hitting the bottom large envelope with 'IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS ENCLOSED' stamped in bright red across the front. He glanced at the return address, cocking his head at Denver location printed and carefully unfolding the brass tab to slip open the package. He looked over at Doodle hopping onto the arm of the couch, long grey fur spattered with seemingly directionless black stripes. Kenny had been beyond ecstatic at Kyle agreeing with the impromptu name, pointing out the markings and proclaiming he looked like someone took a calligraphy brush and scribbled all over him. Kyle loved that, how Kenny managed to relate anything he found to something simple with the enthusiasm of a child.

He sighed, nestling back into the cushions as Val hopped up next to him and shifted and rolled to get comfortable, Doodle mindlessly yowling at Kyle for attention. He glared at him, "Dude. Shut up, I'm busy. Gimme a few minutes." Doodle meowed again before clambering over his lap, promptly hopping onto Val's side and plopping down, the dog falling still at once with the visitor.

Kyle pulled out a stack of papers secured with a binder clip, putting the folder aside and glancing over the top, eyes widening at the front page reading 'Colorado Foster Care and Adoption'. He quickly flipped to the next page, turning the stack to read the landscaped certificate and breaking into a wide smile at the text waiting for him.

'This document certifies Mr. Kenneth Broflovski-McCormick and Mr. Kyle Broflovski-McCormick to be licensed to board but not to exceed [two] full-time children under the legal custody of the State of Colorado.'

He let out a sound of joy, both pets looking up at him and blinking at the strange, high-pitched squeal. He bit down on his knuckle, smile bright enough to blind a passerby. It'd taken so goddamn long. So long for them to get through this goddamn licensing process. Thirty hours of classes, god knew how many meetings upstate with the board. Six months of home visits that had Kyle in a blind panic whenever Kenny wasn't there, having to bluff his way through a pathetic story time and again of Karen being sick so Kenny went to take care of her. Because he was so loving and attentive. Because he'd take care of any unfortunate soul that he happened to be close to.

They'd sat through meeting after meeting of scrutiny, Kenny's parents' alcoholic tendencies and criminal record following him all the way, bearing down on them as a potential no-go for their plan. Kyle's own health reared its head as a potential deal breaker as well. After all, older foster kids could have the probability of bad habits, and his diabetic needs required needles to be in their house and his anxiety medication had a high rate of addiction. Kenny's lack of a college education, Kyle's biweekly trips to a therapist, Valefor's breed. Every single thing they never thought twice about suddenly seemed so daunting. It'd nearly put them both through a depressive spell, wondering as they were picked apart with a fine-toothed comb if they were awful people, if being parents of any sort would be a disaster waiting to happen.

But they wanted this. They'd wanted it since they were twenty-two and the topic of marriage was making its shy entrance into their conversations as Kyle was wrapping up his Bachelor's. But they'd wait, they'd told themselves, even after they had engagement rings on their fingers and were moving into their first apartment together. They'd wait until they were in a house, until they were financially stable. They were going to be adults about it.

For five agonizing years they waded through it all, finally putting down their first payment on a small three-bedroom house and going straight to the foster care site to see what they had to do. It'd taken over a year at this point as they carefully meandered about the system, having to learn how to calm the other down from the occasional phone call that didn't seem very promising. But through it all, they staved through, Kenny absolutely determined to keep kids out of the shitty foster homes he himself had occasionally suffered through in his youth. Kyle just wanted Kenny to be happy, and with his own brother coming into his life via adoption, he had more than a favorable bias in that direction. It was perfect, despite the absolute migraine it was to make it through it all.

And all the proof was in his fingers. A lovely new license with both their names, full legal permission granted to begin the search for their perfect fit. Kyle grinned at the wonderful indication for two kids to be able to come into their home. They'd been told not to get their hopes awfully high for more than one if they were granted any permissions when they'd applied for up to two, that it all boiled down to their income and their performance within the home study. Apparently they'd passed it all with flying colors, a shaking breath of relief rattling through Kyle's elated chest.

He couldn't stop staring at their names so neatly printed, heart pounding and lip grating in excitement between his teeth. It was all so wonderful. And the only thing he could possibly think to make it more wonderful…

He paused, head whipping around at the sound of their bedroom door opening. He glanced at the clock and smiled. 4:19. Not too awful. He hopped up off the couch with the dog and cat, Val running around the sofa and jumping at the blonde stepping into the room. Kenny snorted, listlessly batting off his excited panting and patting his head. Kyle put the stack down onto the coffee table, taking the license from the top and hiding it behind his back, unable to conceal his grin.

Kenny smirked, cocking his brow at the far-too-excited expression on his face. "Well, well. Usually you're not this happy to see me."

Kyle shrugged, "So I should be miserable, then?"

"Oh no, please," he held up his hand, lightly shoving Valefor aside and making way towards his husband, leaning down and giving him a long, searing kiss that still managed to make Kyle's lashes flutter from the intensity. "I love when you miss me," he purred.

Kyle chuckled, giving him another quick peck, still grinning giddily and rocking back and forth from his heels to the balls of his feet. "Sooooo."

"So?" Kenny tilted his head, the air of suspicion starting to take hold.

"So I have something very special," he shrugged. "If you're interested."

Kenny looked up in thought, breaking into a lecherous smile. "New dildo you wanna test out?"

Kyle rolled his eyes. "You know, that's no way for a father to talk," he teased, watching with a snort as Kenny's face fell into complete bewilderment. "No. I'm not pregnant," he answered before the question he could see building breeched. "But… I do have this," he revealed the paper from behind his back and held it up towards his face.

Kenny scanned over it, blinking and lips moving as he mumbled and read to himself before his jaw slowly dropped, reaching down and gripping the paper, staring at it closer. "We got it?" he whispered, looking up at Kyle for confirmation, who nodded in excitement. "HOLY SHIT WE GOT IT!" he shouted, moving forward and snatching him into a hug, shaking him back and forth and the both of them humming happily. "So what happens now?" he asked, kissing his cheek time and again, Kyle meeting every few with his lips.

"I think we make another meeting with the state to talk to the county. Then we go from there and get screened for whatever kid is best for us," he shrugged, smiling warmly at a hot, wet kiss pressing firmly against his neck.

Kenny made a small, squealing noise, nestling down into thick, red curls. "I can't believe we got it," he whispered.

"I know," he nodded in agreement, wrapping his arms tighter around his waist and sighing contentedly. He drummed his fingers along the small of Kenny's back, eyes creaking open to see Doodle and Valefor watching them, impatiently waiting for their own attention. "Ken?"

"Yeah?"

"We… we kind of forgot an important detail about all of this," he winced. That was a lie. They hadn't forgotten, they'd just danced around it, wanted to pretend that they were a normal couple, unwilling to admit there might be a snag in their plans. A major snag.

Kenny was silent for a moment, knowing from his tone just where this was going and he sighed. He began leading Kyle backwards, sitting them both down on the couch and moving them for Kyle to nestle into the crook of his arm. "Yeah," he said plainly, looking down at his shoes. "We should probably figure something out."

"Do we really want to put a kid through this?" he asked softly. "If they don't remember, then that's just time and again they have to work their way through it, ya know? Even if it's a kid we can't adopt I still think there'd be some kind of emotional thing," he looked up at his thinking husband, who nodded a bit.

Ken bit his lip, "They'd forget when I came back."

"Yeah but… Ken, you're not here when it happens," he scratched through his hair, staring down at their coffee table. "I've told you, it's a mess."

He laughed humorlessly, "Well. Death ain't a pretty thing."

"Everyone's emotions are everywhere and I've never had to handle a kid's grief."

"Every parent has to at some point… right?"

"Time and again, though?" he looked up at him, gnawing on his tongue. "I'm not saying that it should be our main deciding factor, I'm honestly not. I'm just saying that since we actually have the ability to move forward, there's other things we need to figure out."

He waved him off, "Yeah, no. I get it, absolutely." He looked down at him and shrugged. "Ky, that decision has to come down to you. You're the one affected by it, Babe."

"I'd like your opinion, though," he said quietly, head tilting as Kenny kissed his ear.

"I think the benefits outweigh the bullshit," he murmured against him with another kiss. "A few rough days here and there before everything goes back to normal, ya know?" He backed up and cringed, "To be fair, you've been living this shit a long time. You know what needs done when and whatnot."

"Throwing in a kid would kind of throw off my routine," he shrugged. "That's someone always in close proximity that I need to be careful around. And potentially someone who I'd have to pick up time and again and I can't send them to their own house away from me," he smirked sadly.

He nodded, scratching through his hair. "Well… then it comes down to how you think you can handle it," he winced. "Four, five day stints of working through that so shit can go back to normal or… no kids."

Kyle leaned his head back against the couch, staring up at the ceiling and taking a deep breath. It was a question he'd revisited time and again, one that he still wasn't entirely sure on. The first few months maybe wouldn't be so bad, any kid they brought into their home wouldn't be that attached to Kenny. But what if things went further? Then he'd have to figure out how to pick up a child who'd not only lost their biological parents, but one of their new ones as well. Even if things reset, it'd be beyond hard to watch someone else suffering through it. He had enough problems watching Karen and Kevin breaking apart, he didn't know how well he could handle someone they were raising. "I'm sure I could figure something out," he murmured. "But… that's not the only thing we need to figure out."

Kenny cocked his head, "What else?"

He gulped, twiddling with his fingers a bit. "Ken, if we're gonna do this… we need to get life insurance."

Kenny blinked, "Ky. I won't be gone long enough for any money-" he stopped as Kyle held up his hand and winced.

"Not… for my benefit."

His face fell and he cleared his throat. "Can we not think about that?"

"We have to," he insisted, turning on the couch and sitting cross-legged staring at him. "Ken, I make most of our income," he reminded him. "If something happens to me, you can't afford the house and kids. They'd be put back in the system and you'd be looking for a roommate in some apartment complex. And not many are gonna take Valefor," he gestured to the dog lying on the carpet, who wagged his tail at the mention. "Look, we said we were gonna be adults about this. Well, adults prepare for the worst." He watched Kenny sinking at the notion and gripped his hand. "Ken, it's just a precaution. Chances are I'll be fucking fine, but just in case, we have to make sure you're taken care of."

He looked at him with a pout. "Can I just put you on lockdown instead?"

Kyle snorted, "You know how clumsy I am. I'd find a way to fuck up your plans with a rogue ice cube or some shit."

"I'll make you a bubble-wrap suit."

He smirked, "But you'd have to take it off me, too. You really willing to fight with that every time you want me naked?"

Ken pouted deeper, "Stop poking holes in my plans." He sighed, turning and grabbing around him, shoving his leg between Kyle's hip and the couch and pulling him into his chest, leaning his chin down in his hair. "I just really don't wanna think about that," he muttered.

"Believe it or not, I'm not comfortable with the idea either," he drawled, placing his ear over Kenny's heart and taking a deep breath at the comforting reassurance of the life coursing through him. "But… it's gonna happen. Maybe not until I'm goddamn ninety, but it will happen. For now, I think we need to get a plan for you to benefit, then if all goes well, when we're older we can change it for our kids to benefit instead. I'll get my dad to recommend someone to work with."

Kenny's face scrunched, "God, do we need a will, too? This adulting thing is fucking complicated."

He snorted, "We don't really have any assets, so I don't think we need to do that unless we adopt a kid or two. Then we'll need one for whoever would get guardianship over them just in case you finally hit your last number."

"Uggghhhh," he groaned, sliding down a bit and staring at the ceiling. "I just wanted to come home and have dinner. Not goddamn think about death more."

Kyle smiled sadly, sliding up on him and hovering over his upset expression. "I know," he whispered, kissing him briskly. "And I'm sorry," he raked his fingers slowly through thick, blonde hair. "But we've been avoiding this shit for four years. We need to buckle down and finally get everything going. Especially if we really want to pursue getting kids in here."

Kenny sighed, giving him a small nod and a tiny kiss back. "That's not how it's supposed to work, though." Kyle cocked his head and he shrugged, lazily lobbing his arms around Kyle's waist and pulling him down on top of himself. "I die. Not you."

He huffed out a small laugh, "Well, like I said: It's just precautionary. If I go, you finally have to grow up, sorry to tell ya."

He shook his head, "No. If you die, I'll just keep offing myself so I get to see you."

Kyle rolled his eyes, "I'll beat the shit out of you if you pull that crap. God can watch and run a betting pool or some shit, but you aren't doin' that." Kenny grinned, blue eyes tinted with sorrow and hiding his face down in Kyle's collarbone, taking a deep breath. Kyle watched him, stroking his fingers up through his hair, feeling the hypothetical worry rushing through him. He sighed, kissing his temple and laying his head atop his husband's. "Know what I think would make you feel better?"

"You in a bubble," he muttered against his skin.

"How about, instead of that, we forego the run and just go right onto the next item on the itinerary?" He felt Kenny perk in the slightest and smirked. "After all, I think today is a good day to celebrate, hm? You can help jumpstart my metabolism that way." Kenny peeked up from his neck and grinned, Kyle leaning down and taking his lips, a soft hand cupping through the patchy stubble on Kenny's chin. "How's that?" he murmured. Kenny nodded with that lively enthusiasm that so drew him in, Kyle laughing to himself as he didn't waste a beat of time, trying to rip Kyle's shirt off over his head.

Kyle glanced over towards the license set so preciously on the table, sporting a wistful smile as lips and teeth dug into his chest and neck, letting Kenny show him just how much he wanted him forever here to come home to. He tilted back down, swearing to him in a bone-melting kiss that yes, he would always wait. Just so long as Kenny would never fail to come back to him.