Alex was already out running errands when I woke up, I stretched and took a final deep breath of the smell on his pillow and got up, throwing on a soft, worn t-shirt. As I passed in the hall on my way to the bathroom, I looked in on Phillip, sprawled out in his bed asleep, likely enjoying that it was parent teacher conference day and he was out of school. I was just glad it was a Monday. I twisted my still damp hair into a bun and poured myself a cup of coffee, surprised at the strong affinity I'd gotten for it in the last few months. Alex always had it around, it just became habit. I saw the light on the dishwasher signalling that the dishes were clean and opened it, starting to put away the cups and plates from last night's dinner.

Philip was still asleep so I wiped the counters down, blowing a stray, damp curl out of my face, and tried to bring some method to the madness of Alex's stack of bills and junk mail. I turned on music and danced my way through the kitchen as I cleaned it. I enjoyed how methodical cleaning was, how it gave your body something to do while your mind wandered, and I enjoyed knowing that it would take a load off of Alex, giving my busy boyfriend one less thing he had to do. I stood on a chair to clean the vents on the wall which were dusty enough to make it believable that Alex had never dusted them out before as long as they'd lived here. I swept the floor and wiped down the cabinet faces, dancing like a fool the whole time, stopping only to check a text from Alex.

Fuck the post office, I've been here for almost an hour… All good on the home front?

I texted him back.

God N.W.A.'s gotten soft. All good. Please don't kill anyone at the post office.

I hoped that the lack of response was because it was his turn and not because he'd exploded the entire United States Postal Service.

Once I was satisfied with the state of the kitchen I moved to the living room. I straightened the pile of shoes by the door, excited to find my pair of Chucks that had eluded me for the past month. Philip got up and came into the living room and frowned at me.

"What's the problem, dude?" I asked him.

"Our apartment's too shiny, the cleanness makes my eyes kind of hurt." He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes.

I laughed at him, "are you hungry? Make you some breakfast?"

He shook his head, "can I help you?"

I nudged him with my hip, "of course, you wanna be a big helper and take all of your toys and stuff and put them in your room?"

He picked up a handful of his trucks and carried them off to his room, I noted his little booty wiggling to the music, Alex was right, Philip and I together were a force to be reckoned with. I pulled the cushions off the couch and found at least a dozen pens and hair ties and action figures. I smirked noticing the foil corner of a condom in its package in a spot in the lining of the couch frame that was torn as well as the travel sized bottle of lube, both just obscured enough to be hidden.

"What's next?" Philip was back and wiggling more to the music, his hair bouncing around him.

"Dance party, obviously." I told him and took his hand, spinning him in a circle.

Philip giggled wildly and pumped his fists in the air, booty swishing side to side. I showed him the only dance move ever needed, the swim. He practiced holding his nose and swaying to the floor, gasping each time. I couldn't help but giggle at how cute he was. Still dancing, I handed him the action figures from the couch and he ran to put them in his room. He came back to the living room still dancing, his curls sticking to his sweaty face and neck.

"Hey, let's put your hair up." I suggested and grabbed one of the hair ties from out of the couch and tossed his hair up into a bun that matched mine.

"Thanks, John!" He wiggled away and picked up dinosaurs off the floor by the doorway.

I put the pens on Alex's desk in his room and the hair ties in the basket in the bathroom before replacing the couch cushions. Philip held the dust pan for me while I swept. He carefully carried it to the kitchen and dumped it in the trash, bounding back to me proudly.

"Fabulous! Do you think that you can go and grab the clothes hamper from your daddy's room for me?"

He nodded exuberantly and ran to Alex's room and then almost immediately back.

"I tried, but my muscles are too little."

"No problem, I got it." I patted his shoulder and went to get the basket, doing a once over in Alex's room for the extra clothing scattered around the room.

I carried the basket on my hip and sat it in front of the washer checking his pockets, finding mostly singles, receipts for the coffee shop by the theatre, and so many pens. I giggled to myself and handed the pens to Philip.

"Can you set these on your daddy's desk?"

He nodded and took the collection of pens to the bedroom. I found Alex's pocket knife that had been missing as well as one of his missing flashlights and set them both on the kitchen counter. I got a laugh out of how many missing articles of my clothing had made it into Alex's hamper, mostly socks and underwear. I set the washer and Philip and I resumed our cleaning dance party in the living room dusting picture frames and organizing the little bits of clutter that remained. The door flung open and Alex tossed his backpack on its hook, hung up his scarf and jacket and stepped out of his shoes, he was damp with a fine mist of rain I hadn't realized was falling outside.

"What's all this?" Alex asked.

Philip flung himself into his father's arms, "we're cleaning and dancing!"

I moved to tidy up the dining area.

"I can see that, wow. You guys did a great job! Thank you." He kissed Philip's cheek.

"You're welcome, daddy!"

I wiped down the dining table, scratching at a hardened on foreign object at Philip's place setting, Alex was behind me, hands on my hips, pressing his body close against mine.

He whispered in my ear, stretching to reach, "this is so fucking hot."

I set the sponge on the table and turned to face him, wrapping my arms around his neck, I kissed him, denying him the passion that he sought, know how close Philip was. Alex held me against him, the tiniest moan in his throat.

"Hey, Pip!" Alex called.

Philip appeared and saw us holding each other and wrapped us in a group hug. I dropped a hand to squeeze his shoulder.

"What is it, daddy?" Philip smiled up at Alex.

"Do you wanna have a sleepover at the Solario's tonight?" Alex asked him.

"On a school night?" Philip looked puzzled.

"Remember, no school tomorrow either?"

"Oh, yeah. I can?"

"I can ask, but Mrs. Solario is taking care of you tomorrow anyway."

"Okay."

"Bet if you're good you can talk to the taxis." Alex quirked a brow at Philip.

"You think so?" Philip gasped and covered his mouth with his hands in excitement.

"Pretty good bet." Alex nodded and pulled out his phone to call their neighbors.

It was decided that Philip would stay the night with the family. He ecstatically packed his overnight bag, making up a song about talking to the taxis from the Solario dispatch in his bedroom. Alex danced with me in the kitchen, arms around my neck, letting my hands rest low on his hips, keeping our bodies close together.

He smirked at the lyrics, "this is Chance the Rapper, right?"

I nodded, "yup."

"Had to buy a crib before I bought my first house, had my first kid, I love how she turned out, I love how she turned up, even if I'm burned out." He chuckled repeating the words of the song.

"Kind of your life, isn't it?" I tucked loose hair behind his ear.

"Little bit, yeah."

Philip had a backpack on his back and reappeared in the dining area.

"I'm ready to go!" He hopped in a circle.

"Love you, kid, see you later." I kissed the top of his head.

"Love you, too, John! Daddy, come on, I wanna talk to the taxis!"

I hung back at the apartment while Alex took Philip down the block and finished cleaning the dining table.

Once Alex returned, he ran his fingers down my back to draw my attention, I turned around from sweeping and leaned the broom against the wall, taking him in my arms.

"You know how sexy you are?" He asked, looking up at me.

"What do you mean?"

"I come home from running all of these errands, doing everything by myself like I always do, always have done, but, now, it's like, I know my kid's safe and happy. I come home to a clean house, to my man and my boy giggling together - he loves you almost as much as I do - your body... bent over, God it's enough to undo me. Everything about you is so sexy."

"I just wanna help you, darlin', you've had to do it all alone too long. I like helping you."

I pushed him up onto the dining table and kissed him, he was whimpering into my mouth, hands needy and searching.

"John, will you have me?" He nearly begged.

"That would be my pleasure." I lifted him by his hips and carried him to his bedroom.

I set him on the bed and lie over him, licking at his jaw.

"John," he moaned.

"Yeah, sugar?"

"I love you."

"I love you, too."

He closed his eyes and let me open his dark wash jeans and slide them over his slim hips. He lifted himself off the bed to make it easier for me. I bit my lip seeing that he was already hard. The rest of our clothing was quickly in a heap on the floor. I shimmied down his body and took him into my mouth. He was somehow so sweet, the musk of his body mingling with his delicate taste. As I slid my mouth over the head and took more and more of the shaft he moaned, gripping my shoulders.

I popped off temporarily to request the bottle of lube and covered my fingers before returned my mouth to his hard dick. He cried out when my finger slid home into his entrance.

"Yes, John!"

I hollowed my cheeks even more, his perfect dick hitting the back of my throat as a second finger joined the first. I scissored them and he bucked gently into my mouth. He prayed a benediction of my name and a string of curses. With my free hand I squeezed his balls and tugged at them, a third finger now inside him. I sucked him off faster, feeling his thighs clench around my shoulders. His walls trembled around my fingers and I felt his balls tighten in my hand. I looked up at him through my lashes and watched him bite the back of his hand as his eyes squeezed shut, he came in a rush of spurts down my throat.

"Damn, babe, you are so sexy." I popped off his dick and wiped my mouth. I wiped my fingers on a tissue and cleaned him up, coming to hold him.

He was staring at my cock, pressing at my sweatpants, "will you still fuck me?"

"You want me to?" I asked.

He nodded primly, "please, I'm so open, so ready, please, John?"

"Yes, of course, absolutely, please. God, I'm the luckiest man, get to have all of this." I moaned, drinking in his perfect body.

I rolled a condom on, we'd gotten lax with them, both tested in the last few months, but it undeniably made cleanup easier. I slicked the condom and pushed into him. Alex cried out as I slid into the base, his mouth a perfect circle, brows reaching for each other, putting such pretty lines on his forehead.

I started to move slowly, delighting in the sensation of him, wanting to make it last. I kissed his jaw, whispering adorations in his ear. He was still so tight, even opened by my hand and relaxed by his own orgasm, his muscles were tight around my dick.

"Alex, you're so perfect." I promised him, cupping his cheek.

"No…" He looked away, trying to hide from my praise.

"Alexander," I hummed, guiding his face to look at me, I rolled my hips slowly and watched him fall apart, "you are the most beautiful man in the world. I'm in love with you. I'm in love with this life. I'm in love with your gorgeous body, your beautiful mind. You are perfect."

I watched his eyes go glossy and he craned his neck to kiss me. I took his kiss and let him open it. His kiss was so sensual, the softness of it made my hips stutter and I held him tightly to ground myself through my orgasm. I moaned his name.

When I pulled out, I tied off the condom and tossed it in the trash and came back to hold him. He tucked himself in my arms.

"You believe me?" I asked him.

He shrugged.

"You should."

He kissed me again and rolled to straddle me.

"Oh, God, yes," I moaned at his assertiveness, body still alight from coming, "Alex, do you wanna fuck me?"

He bit his lip and nodded.

"Yeah? I'd like that. Like feeling you in control, so sexy."

Alex looked nervous, "you really do think so?"

"I do, and I'll tell you so for as long as it takes, darlin'."

He nodded and dipped down between my legs, his kitten licks at my entrance were as good of practice for me in relaxing and submitting. I rested my hands on my knees and closed my eyes. Alex's tongue was swirling the sensitive skin, hot breath ghosting it, his fingers joining his lapping tongue and my mouth fell open at the sensation. He continued to work me open and I focused on becoming pliant under his ministrations.

"You ready, sweetheart?" Alex asked me.

I nodded and he reached for the lube, his dick grew shiny as he lathered it. The first press burned and I dug my nails into his sides, crying out shamelessly, knowing we were alone. Alex blushed and bit his lip nervously.

"Psst," I winked at him, cried out at a deep thrust and managed to compose myself, "none of that. Not from my gorgeous man. You fuck me like this and deserve every single sound you make me make."

Alex cracked his neck and his eyes took on a darker glint, he thrusted harder and dropped his lips to my throat, he teeth grazing as his thrusts got faster, just like I liked it. I cried out again, not caring which neighbours in the entire building learned Alex's name.

"Yes!" I screamed and bit down on his shoulder.

His breath was shaky and me coming between us was enough to send him over, I felt him hot and wet inside me and a throaty groan spilled out of my mouth. His kissed me softly.

"I love you." He whispered.

"Love you, too. Love you so much, thank you."

"Stay here." He whispered.

I closed my eyes, both back to back orgasms making me feel sleepy. I listened to the tap in the bathroom run and Alex came back with a warm washcloth and dabbed it over my skin to clean me up. He pressed a kiss to my hip bone and I smiled, eagerly welcoming him into my arms.

"Do you believe me yet, beauty?"

"More every day."

"That's my plan. I've got as many days as it takes."

He nuzzled into my chest, rolling over to face me, his chin on my sternum, "you have a birthday next week, sir. What are we doing?"

I shrugged, "I dunno."

"What do you like to do on your birthday?"

"Um… get blackout drunk and go home with a stranger and his boyfriend… get really drunk and cry in a Waffle House… eat pizza and watch Nightmare Before Christmas… pretend it's not happening?"

"Do you want to go out?"

"Honestly, I'd rather just hang out with you and P, I already know who I want to go home with. My birthday's not really a big deal."

"Not even as a kid?"

I shook my head, "as like a little kid, yeah, but, I, uh, I became the black sheep pretty early, my dad kind of ruined my birthday for me." I twitched my stinging nose, feeling the welling pressure of tears in my sinuses.

Alex nodded and tucked the curl that never seemed to leave my forehead behind my ear, "you don't have to talk about it anymore if you don't want to, sweetheart. I know you don't like talking about your past."

I shrugged, "can't talk about it with you then who can I talk about it with?"

"I'm always here to listen, God knows I put enough of my shit on you."

"I don't see it like that."

"Neither do I."

"I don't know… shit was just… bad." I nodded and wrinkled my nose.

"Tell you what, how about on the way home from the theatre on Sunday we grab pizza, come home, have Sunday family dinner in our pajamas, lay a blanket out on the floor in the living room, watch Nightmare Before Christmas, just the three of us, and then I give you best blow job and ass eating of your whole life after Pip inevitably falls asleep watching the movie. Then, since your birthday's on Sunday, I leave you sleeping in the morning and bring you home breakfast and we enjoy waffles and sex on our day off. Sound good?"

I grinned, fighting even harder to not let tears fall, "sounds like the best birthday I've ever had."

"That's the goal… and I'm already trying to figure out how to make the next one even better. I love you so much, sweetheart."

"I love you, Alexander."

"Nap?"

"Hell yeah." I wrapped him up in my arms.