Guys, guys, guys! I've been gone for so long! I'm so sorry! I do have excuses!
First of all, I moved. From my house in my little teeny tiny town, to a student dorm in a much larger city. It took me almost a week to get proper internet going. And I've been beyond busy with school. College is challenging. Also I've had the worst writers block.
Enough excuses. Here's an update, and I'm gonna start working on the next part, right now. Maker know's when that'll be up.
I really, really hop that y'all can forgive me for disappearing. And I really, really, really hope that you enjoy the story. I did not proofread it so Andraste help me. I love you guys for sticking with me, even when I'm impossible. Thank you so much!
"And this has happened a lot lately?"
"Not for long, but we're worried." Kendall said with a frown. "It's like he's... slipping away. Sometimes he doesn't hear what you tell him, or he forgets. Some days he can't do simple things he usually do, like dress, or wash up." He explained.
James gave an agreeing nod. "You must understand our concern, doctor." He said. "Milo's always been special, but this..."
The doctor gave a slow nod and glanced at the teen that was in the middle of looking through a magazine. "I completely understand." He said. "If it's okay with the two of you, I'll arrange a few tests for him, and spread them out." He turned to his desk and browsed through a calender. "How about... Friday, Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday?"
"That will be fine." James nodded. "What tests is he going through?"
"Oh, it's a standard when it comes to... people with his condition." The doctor smiled. "We'll have him write a little, read a little, and check his ability to react and connect. It's a very common thing to do."
Kendall gave his son a hesitant look. "All right." He mumbled and looked up at James. "I think you should take him here, M-Molly's gonna need me anyway." He chuckled awkwardly. The brunet gave his husband's hand a squeeze.
"Okay, Kendall. If that's what you want." He said and Kendall nodded. He loved Milo more than most things but he knew that James and Milo had a special bond, ever since the day they first met. It would be better if James brought Milo to the hospital.
They went home with Milo, and the boy couldn't be happier to be out of school. He sat in the kitchen drawing while Kendall cleaned the counters and the oven. Milo was an exceptional artist and drew like no one Kendall had ever seen.
The teen hummed while frantically letting the pencil run over the paper. James had gone to work and Molly was in school so there was just Kendall and Milo, home alone. After a few minutes of frantic drawing Milo looked up. "Done!" He announced proudly and grinned down at his drawing. "Look, dad!"
Kendall glanced over his shoulder at the drawing. "That's amazing, Milo." he said, putting the towel he held down to have a closer look. "That's actually... really amazing." He shook his head and smiled at his son, happy that not all of him had started to fade. "How about some snacks?"
"Peanut butter?" Milo asked.
"Sure." Kendall walked over to the fridge and got out a jar of peanut butter and got some bread from the cupboard above the microwave and handed them to Milo, who successfully made himself a snack, much to Kendall's relief.
The teen ate silently, looking out through the window with a distant look on his face. Kendall didn't like how confused and childish Milo looked. He looked truly lost, as if he didn't know what he was doing, or what was going on in the world around him.
"Milo." He couldn't help but call, getting no reaction. "Milo." He tried again, a little louder.
The boy's head snapped to look at him. A childish grin spread over the teen's face and he swallowed what he was chewing on. "Yeah, daddy?" he asked and Kendall sighed, but smiled.
"No, nothing. I was just making sure you heard me." He said and Milo chuckled.
"Yeah, I'm like a bat." He said and pinched his right ear. "Cool, right?"
"Very cool." Kendall gave Milo's hair a ruffle and went back to cleaning.
-page break-
James birthday was a hit. The family settled with a small celebration for just the four of them, out in the open. They all had a good time and were all tired when they got back home. "I love the zoo!" Milo cheered when Kendall unlocked the door. "It's the best place in the entire world!"
"Yeah!" Molly agreed.
"I'm glad you had fun, kids." James smiled. "Milo, go and wash up. Molly, put these in the kitchen, will you?" He continued, handing a small bag of groceries to his daughter. She took the brown paper bag into her arms and disappeared into the kitchen. "Milo, wash up." James repeated.
The teen nodded and ran up the stairs and darted into the bathroom. "He's distant today." Kendall mumbled. "I'll go upstairs and check on him." He added and walked up the stairs only to find his son struggling with his plaid shirt.
"Dad..." He practically whined. "I can't." Milo gave a frustrated sigh and yanked at the shirt. "Stupid buttons." He muttered and crossed his arms over his chest.
"Here." Kendall gently pried the teen's arms away from his chest and unbuttoned the shirt. "Here you go, Milo." He said lowly and his son yanked the shirt off.
"Thanks, dad. You're the best." He chirped and threw the shirt into the laundry basket and washed his hands in the sink. "Did you see the giraffe, dad? At the zoo? Wasn't it really big? I liked the baby ones." He babbled while drying off on a towel.
Kendall smiled at him and picked out a clean shirt for Milo. "That's nice, Milo. I'm glad you had a good time." He said and Milo took the shirt and pulled it over his head.
He chuckled and nodded happily. "I read that they can grow up and twenty feet tall! That's like our house!" he said and grinned childishly. "And a girl one can weigh almost two thousand pounds!" He added.
The blond was relieved to see some of his son still knowing a thing or two, and happy that Milo wasn't a top student for nothing. "That's right." He smiled. "You know I love you, right, Milo?" He asked and the teen grinned at him.
"Of course I do." he said. "I love you too, daddy." He said, wrapping his arms around Kendall's middle and hugging him. "I love you." He said and snuggled close to the blond. Kendall wrapped his arms around his son.
"I'm glad, Milo." He said. "Let's go downstairs." Milo took his hand and skipped after him down to the kitchen. Molly sat in James' lap, eating some snacks by the kitchen table. James looked up and smiled when his husband and son entered.
Milo plopped down on the chair next to him and grinned. "Can we watch movies, dad?" He asked and James smiled at him, nodding.
"In a minute, Milo. Let's just sit for a minute." He said.
"Why can't I sit?" Molly asked, putting the carton of milk she had down. "Milo doesn't have to put away groceries." She pointed out. "He never does! I always do!" She said and pouted.
James looked to Kendall for help and the blond sighed. "That's because you're so good at it, Molly. Milo does other things." He said, even though that was a complete lie. Milo didn't do much at all that required any particular skills or anything similar. Sometimes he was allowed to help with the dishes, but that quickly ended when he broke more plates than he washed.
Milo looked between his parents and his younger sister, looking confused. "I'm good at it too." He said. "I can do it." He got up and grabbed the carton of milk and shoved it into the fridge. "See." he said.
"O-Of course, honey." Kendall smiled nervously. "You can do it too, but it's Molly's job." He tried to explain. "But you can go upstairs and make your bed if you want." He said and the teen nodded eagerly and hurried back upstairs.
As soon as he was gone James turned to his daughter. "Molly, please. We've been through this before." He said. "You know Milo can't do that." He mumbled and the little girl sighed. "Be a good girl and take on that responsibility." He said.
Molly crossed her arms over her chest. "And what do I get in return?"
"You're just like Katie..." Kendall chuckled and shook his head. "If you behave and do your chores, we might get you that camera you've been asking for." He said and Molly broke into a big smile.
"Really?" She asked. "Thank you!" She cheered and slung her thin arms around both her parents. "You're the best!" She squealed before hurriedly resuming her task of putting everything where it belonged.
Kendall chuckled and sat down in James' lap. The brunet wrapped his arms around him and kissed his cheek. "You're so good at this." He said. The younger man smiled softly. "And I was meaning to ask you..." He continued lowly. "If you wanted to have dinner me, tonight, at the Golden Plate?"
"I'll call Melissa." Kendall smiled.
"Not Melissa." Molly frowned. "Why can't you call Yoshua?" She asked.
"Because you know Melissa get along better with Milo." James pointed out. "Why don't you sit, and watch some TV while we're gone? I'm sure Milo and Melissa will play video games." He continued. "We got a bunch of snacks for you to eat, too."
The young girl sighed. "Fine." She said. "But next time I want Yoshua to come."
James shook his head when his daughter left the kitchen. "We're not calling Yoshua."
"Come on, James. It's just a crush. It's sweet." Kendall chuckled.
"He's eighteen, Kendall. You can't trust young boys." James pouted. Kendall rolled his eyes, leaning to kiss his husband.
"You worry too much." He said and got up. "Now, I'm going to go and take a shower. Why don't you come with me, and loosen up a little. You've been stiff all day." Kendall pointed out.
"Only when you're around." James grinned, giving his husband's behind a tap. The blond chuckled, sauntering towards the stairs. "A shower, then?" James followed, grabbing Kendall's hand when he offered it to him. "Gosh, it'd better be a long one." He smiled.