Hey, hey, my Lovelies!
Thank you for all the reviews, guys!
Beta: None at the moment.
Also, please take note of the dates over the next few chapters. There will be significant time skips as I traverse over Seth's three/four years at Law School.
Disclaimer: I don't own. I only play!
Without further ado … Enjoy!
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Chapter Twenty-Eight
Phase One
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The past year had been most eventful for the Black family.
They rang the New Year in at Bella and Paul's house. Sarah and William agreed to take the boys for the night so Jacob and Seth could let loose a little. The newly engaged pair decided to host a joint new year and engagement party, inviting all their friends and family. Seth and Jacob didn't get back home until two the next morning and even then, decided to have their own fireworks celebration, just to the two of them, that lasted into daylight hours.
One disappointment for Seth though ... no proposal.
He played with the idea of being the one to propose, but somehow, he doubted Jacob would see it the same way. Sure, Seth was slightly more in touch with his feminine side, but they were both far off from distinguishable twinks, not like Eric was. Still, there was an unspoken agreement within their relationship that Jacob would take the lead. Seth supposed it came from his life experience and age, and the fact that the older man was simply the more dominant figure, not only in their relationship but other aspects of his life as well.
The boys went back to school, both having grown increasingly restless due to their absence. Benny was especially bored whenever he wasn't with Rona; the boy lived for academics.
Demetri simply missed his friends and his freedom for boisterousness in the playground. He'd formed quite the circle of friends in his Pre-K class. The best part about that was they'd all stay in the same school building when they progressed onto Kindergarten so would stay friends.
Jacob and Seth had jetted off to Galway, Ireland for their week-long one-year anniversary vacation, courtesy of Jacob's parents. It was pure bliss to just sit back and unwind. Both had taken time off work, a luxury within itself, and they were kid free to boot. They missed them terribly, of course, but the break was nice as well.
They stayed at The Twelve Hotel, one of the most romantic hotels in Galway. There was rose petals on the bed and complimentary champagne. The bed was luxurious and bouncy. They'd tested that quality out many, many times.
Though they spent most of their time in their hotel suite, they did manage to pry themselves off each other and actually see the sights and sample the cultural atmosphere. The first thing they did was drive around the whole of Galway and Connemara. Such a beautiful town.
They'd indulged in their childish sides and tried to best each other at Galway Bay Karting racetracks and their golf resort. Seth took no end of pictures, enough to fill at least two thick photo albums.
The architecture of the town was flawlessly beautiful. They visited the Collegiate Church of St. Nicholas and the Franciscan Monastery that had been around since 1570, approximately. They sampled the Galway pubs and their nightlife, as well as their bustling markets and commercial businesses.
They'd gotten in everything they could have possibly manage out of their time away and returned to New York exhausted, but spiritually relaxed and refreshed.
Still though ... no proposal.
The time for law school applications came to pass and Seth filled out many, but there was two schools he was most interested and hopeful for getting into. His first choice was NYU, of course. His second choice was Columbia. More and more, he was growing more concrete in his ambition for NYU.
He'd had endless support from all fronts - Jacob, Marcus, Emmett, William and Kate on a professional front while his mother, sister, sons, friends and Sarah supported him on an emotional and mental front. They'd been his rock. Sometimes, Seth even forgot that Jacob had been through this exactly process and was living Seth's very dream, so the youth knew that it was achievable.
His first correspondence came from Chicago Law School. Despite the prestigious school not even making his top three, he was devastated to find they hadn't accepted him. It was a huge blow to his confidence and it took Jacob and William ages to get his mind refocused and his confidence built back up. The youth had applied for eight schools, both locally and not-so-locally.
Seth's esteem skyrocketed once more however when Cornell replied with their admission and acceptance. Not only that, they'd offered a partial scholarship to boot.
Over the next two weeks, letters started to come through, be they the bearer of good or bad news. University of Chicago, Northwestern in Chicago and Harvard all rejected him, but Cornell, Columbia, University of Penn and Ann Arbor had all accepted with either partial or full scholarship; Columbia the only one having offered a full ride.
Everyone held their breath for the youth over a course of four days, the duration of his wait between the arrival of the correspondence with Ann Arbor and the letter from NYU. The latter was the school Jacob, William and Emmett had all studied at and was Seth's first choice. He'd done everything that he needed, gained the marks of all tests that were needed, and now all he could do was wait until they made their decision.
It was fucking nerve wracking. This was one decision that was going to either make or break him, despite his acceptance from other schools. This was part of his dream, the dream he'd had since middle school. He needed to get in.
Winter thawed into Spring. The boys drowned themselves in chocolate over Easter, their spring break spent playing outside in the yard on the massive treehouse with their friends.
Finally, in late April, the letter came.
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17:05/05:05 pm
April 27th
2023
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"Did any mail come this morning?"
He asked it every morning. He couldn't help it. He was on tremulous tender hooks. Only one last school to hear back from and it was the one he wanted the most.
Claire smiled at Seth and shrugged before casually handing over a stack of envelopes. "I haven't looked through them. I never do. It's not like any would be addressed to me anyway, right?" she asked rhetorically.
Seth's shaky hand reached out and took them. Tentatively, he leafed through them. There it was, so abundantly clear from the insignia on the front. It was the very last letter in the pile. He took a deep breath, his wide eyes meeting Claire's.
She smiled again, both encouragingly and nervously. She wanted this for Seth as much as everyone else. He'd become like an older brother to her. In fact, she was more than often invited to their family functions now, since she'd hit it off with both Sue and Sarah as well. She walked towards him, placing a comforting hand on Seth's shoulder.
"I'll go wrangle the others, shall I? They'll want to be here with you when you open it," she stated knowingly before leaving the kitchen.
Seth scoffed. As if he'd have the balls to open it! He was scared shitless! He took a trembling breath and sat at the island counter. Seconds after Claire's disappearance, Jacob appeared, a huge grin on his face as he rushed towards his Love.
"It finally came!" he crowed, smoothing a comforting hand across the youth's back as he moved to stand behind him. He kissed the top of his head. "This is it."
"Yeah ... yeah, this is it," Seth imitated anxiously.
"You got in, Seth. I just know it. They'd be stupid not to accept an Alumni. You graduated from their university not ten months ago," Jacob needlessly reminded the youth.
"Papa, it came? The letter?" Monkey asked as he ran into the kitchen, eyes bright with excitement. "Did you open it? Did you get in?"
"Slow down, Son," Jacob ordered softly. "No running, remember? And no, he hasn't opened it yet. He's waiting on everyone. Where's your brother?"
"Here," Benny called out moments before he entered the kitchen with Claire behind him.
Jacob grinned and gripped Seth's shoulders with unyielding support. "Everyone's here, Love. Open it," he ordered.
"I ... um ... o-okay," Seth stuttered, shakily turning the envelope open. His fingers trembled so much that he couldn't even hook one under the flap to start it off. He took a deep breath and tried a few more times before Jacob's hand covered his.
"You need to calm down, Love. I know how important this is for you, we all do and we're all here with you. Just do it like a bandaid. I still feel in my gut that it's good news. Open it."
"I don't ... I don't think I can," Seth mumbled hoarsely. He dropped the envelope onto the counter.
"Papa, do you want me to do it?" Benny asked softly as he took the stool next to Seth. "I can do it for you if you need me to."
Jacob winked down at his son above Seth's head, to which Benny simply smiled and waited patiently for his Papa's decision. Slowly, he nodded his head, sliding the envelope tentatively towards the little boy.
Benny picked it up and without delay, carefully tore the flap before tugging his finger inside to rip the rest open. Seth held his breath, leaning into the man behind him as his son pulled out the letter that encased the next pass towards his dream.
Benny looked down at the letter, his little brother peering over his shoulder. Neither really knew what they were reading. Well, benny did to some extent. It was one word though that Benny did know that had him hopping off his stool with a shout and start to jump up and down.
"PAPA, YOU GOT IN! IT SAYS 'ACCEPTED'!" Benny shrieked.
Seth's eyes widened as he froze in shock. He felt more than heard Jacob laugh joyfully before reaching over to take the letter from their son. All Seth could do was gape at the bearer of good news, completely and utterly overcome by emotion he had no chance in categorizing yet.
"Congratulations! It is my pleasure to inform you that you have been accepted for admission to New York School of Law for the year beginning September 2023. Due to your exemplary test scores, references, recommendations and overall good standing, we are also willing and delighted to offer a full scholarship. All tuition over your three year programme will be paid on your behalf by the school.'" Jacob read aloud. His eyes widened. "Oh my God, Seth, you got a full scholarship too! I'm so proud of you!"
The boys pounced on their Papa, laughing and hollering as they wished him well, saying they were proud too and that they knew he could do it. Seth remained still, though tears began to fill his eyes as the news slowly sank into his conscious mind.
He got in ...
He got in!
"Oh my GOD!" Seth screamed, finally thawing as he jumped up and swung around and bounced the boys around in his arms in utter joy. "I GOT IN!"
Claire and Jacob laughed along, eventually taking their turns to hug the youth tightly. Rona and Rex, who had been laying around everyone's feet wondering what all the fuss was about, began to bark and whimper at Seth's exclamation, their tails from zero to sixty into two seconds and taking their asses along for the ride as well.
In the arms of his lover, Seth began to cry in relief and happiness. The stress and anxiety had finally come to a pinnacle and weighed him down drastically. Jacob wrapped his arms around his Love, murmuring comforting and encouraging whispers into his ear as he continued to sob. The boys started to cry as well because Seth was but understood that it was all from happiness.
"I can't believe I got in," Seth cried, his voice hoarse and quiet.
Jacob chuckled. "I can. I can believe it, Love. You've worked so hard and you have so much ambition and determination. I'm not surprised they've scooped you up for their school. You're going to thrive there and you're going to come out of there a top lawyer. You watch this space," he stated confidently. "I'm so damn proud of you."
"Th-Thanks," Seth laughed finally. "I'm so happy."
"I can see that," Jacob teased with another chuckle. "You've gotta call your mom straight away. She's been as anxious as you, it seems."
"She's watched me want this since I was eleven years old. It's been a long time coming ... and it's finally here!"
"Yes it is."
"There's so many people to call! It's gonna take all morning. I better get started," Seth laughed again, pulling away from his lover to grab his phone. He turned back suddenly though and planted a searing, passionate kiss on Jacob's lips. "Thank you for believing in me. I love you."
Jacob beamed. "You're welcome," he murmured, kissing his Love again. "You believed in yourself as well, deep down beneath all that anxiety. You knew you could do it just as much as we did."
"Thank you," Seth breathed one last time before making his way out the kitchen, an excited Rona on his heels.
"Oh! Seth?" Jacob called after him.
"Hmm?" the youth hummed poking his head back in.
"I love you too."
Seth giggled and bit his lip, throwing the older man a cheeky wink before disappearing again.
In that moment, it was like the entire house itself heaved a sigh of relief. That was one anxiety that they were never to endure again. Seth got his dream. That's all that mattered.
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Spring heated into Summer and Seth's excited jitters returned. Every day, he got closer to starting his first year at law school. It still seemed surreal to him. Once that letter had come, it was pretty easy to make his decision. He'd confirmed that he was to attend NYU Law in September and courteously notified the other schools that he would not. Supplies were bought way before they were needed, but Seth felt slightly better knowing it was all done. He was scared shitless and felt like shopping for the occasion would let him have some semblance of control.
He started getting back into 'school' mode again. He'd spent the last eleven or so months in 'work' mode with Black Law so it was going to take a while for him to switch back over. Or perhaps find a happy medium. Benny was helping due to his own academic attitude and Seth still had until August for his internship. He was hoping to squeeze as much experience out of it as possible and was set to leave around the 25th.
They hosted a party for the Fourth of July. Jacob acquired a whole bunch of fireworks and the grill was fired up all night. Chicken, burgers, hotdogs sausages, even a salmon or two. There was a little alcohol. The kids had a couple of their friends round for a sleepover. Benny had Tia while Demetri had a little boy called Stephan. For Seth, it was like a glimpse into the future; he certainly wouldn't mind another two little persons running about.
The boys broke up for summer vacation around June 14th. In the beginning of July, Jacob and Seth decided to traipse them both and the not-so-small-now dogs over to La Push for a week so they could spend some quality time with their newer family. Benny and Callum were more than happy to be reunited and everyone went gaga over Rona and Rex, so they were sated in the attention department.
Leah announced that she was pregnant again. She'd discovered it about six days before their arrival, but knew they were coming and so decided to wait to tell them in person. Besides, the long wait allowed the happy couple to have their first ultrasound and their announcement was sweetened even more by the fact there were two babies, not just one.
Seth was, of course, over the moon, as were the boys. They were excited to have even more cousins.
The boys were treated to their first ever bonfire that night. Of course, the whole tribe turned up to help celebrate Leah and Embry's news, and the boys were quite in awe with everyone and everything. Monkey had already heard their local legends, but Benny seemed all the more mystified by them.
Embry, Quil and a couple of the other Rez guys hosted a hike through the woods and up the mountain some. They explored a cave they knew was safe and showed the boys the tidal pools. It took them all day but the boys absolutely loved it. Benny couldn't stop asking questions about the fauna and flora (his terminology) around them and was mystified when, while being extremely quiet, they got to watch and take a couple of pictures of a doe and her filly grazing in a meadow.
Seth was pretty sure that made Benny's day.
As promised, Seth took Demetri back to Woodland Park Zoo along with Benny and Jacob. Again, Benny couldn't get enough. They didn't spend all day there this time however, choosing instead to check out other attractions like the Space Needle, the Pike Place Market, Kerry and the Olympic Structures parks and had lunch at Twirl Cafe where the boys could play while waiting for their dads to finish eating.
Around two in the afternoon, they split up. Jacob and Monkey took off to Seattle Aquarium while Seth went with Benny to the Museum of Flight and Seattle Art Museum. Benny had been more excited than Seth. The kid really was an enigma in the older man's eyes.
Unfortunately, all good things come to an end at some point. The Black family found themselves back in New York after their week was up. Work started again for both men whilst the boys went back to playing with their friends and spending quality time with their grandparents and such.
Evenings were always spent as a family however; Jacob and Seth made it a point to be home before six so they could all sit down and eat the fine food Claire always cooked for them. There was no compromise with that.
July progressed into August and Seth's time at Black Law was coming to an end. Even from several floors below the one he worked on, he received well-wishes and heartfelt goodbyes. Several of his closer colleagues, mostly the women he'd come to know, cried a little on his last day and he'd received countless 'man hugs' from his male co-workers.
None of them meant as much to seth however as Emmett and Marcus'. He owed everything to them, and Katie, for showing him the ropes and helping him hone his skills. They were genuinely rooting for his success and it meant so much.
"Just think ... When you're here next, we'll be colleagues, equals, not mentor and apprentice. Even now, I'm looking forward to working with you. I can't imagine how it'll be once you've actually learned this shit properly," Emmett had said, filling the youth with warmth and pride. He couldn't wait to work with Emmett on an equal footing either.
So his internship with Black Law LLP was over ... then the real hard work started.
Nothing would have prepared him for Law School. College was child's play compared to the workload at NYU Law. Within his first month, he'd hardly had the time to eat enough and sleep a solid eight hours due to his work, let alone spend time with Jacob and their boys. They understood though; Jacob had, after all, done it all himself.
It was hard. It was fucking brutal, though Seth knew it would only get worse as he progressed, but it was worth it all. The end game was worth it; it was his dream. He just couldn't believe he was well on his way to living it.
Things for Jacob was much the same as it ever was - work and his family. Nothing else mattered. Yes, it sucked not seeing or spending as much time with his boyfriend, but he'd never been so proud of the youth. He knew how hard it all was for himself and knew it wouldn't be any different for Seth.
People at work still asked after Seth, inquiring as to how he was getting on. All this continued to keep the youth afloat with his confidence and he was excelling, even in the early stages. He would be on winter break soon, giving him a well deserved break from all his hard work. And of course, it was his favourite season ...
Jacob's main concern wasn't Christmas though. Thanksgiving had passed them by, much to his relief, so his new concern was ... Seth's birthday. His Love turned 23 today, and the older man fully intended to lavish Seth with attention, love and time. He'd taken the boys shopping for presents to give their papa a few days ago, under the guise of buying new school stuff for Benny's new school semester.
He thought Seth saw through them, but chose not to comment thankfully.
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08:28 am
December 12th
2023
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Jacob had snuck out of bed at the asscrack of dawn this morning with every intention of cooking his Love some breakfast in bed, only to find his boys had the same idea. He stood stock still in the kitchen doorway, his mouth hanging open as he surveyed the sheer chaos his sons had made in his once-spotless kitchen.
Benjamin and Demetri froze in place as soon as they saw their daddy in the doorway, the former halfway through buttering a slice of toast whilst the latter had his mouth comically gaping open with his jam smudged hand paused halfway to his mouth, the jar anchored in his other on the counter.
Cereal and milk were spilt all across the kitchen counter and floor. It seemed Demetri had been entrusted with the task of spreading the jam on the toast as it was passed to him, but did a better job at conveniently getting it in his mouth and all over the counter top as well than he did on the toasty goodness.
One of them must have had the idea for scrambled eggs as there were broken egg shells on the floor and a bowl of half whisked eggs on the counter, but Jacob gave a sigh of relief when he saw neither of them had touched the stove.
He couldn't be angry with them. Had this happened a year ago, he probably would have shouted and dished out harsh discipline, but now, Jacob was able to see more of the funnier side of things, as well as the touching side. Obviously, Seth had been the one to bring that side out of him over the last year.
Slowly, the two boys thawed.
Demetri quickly licked the jam off his fingers (as he was never one to willingly give up a treat no matter the circumstances) before setting his hands in his lap, his head bowed. Benjamin looked almost looked defiant, as if he knew he could be in trouble but wouldn't regret trying to make his Papa breakfast on his birthday. He finished buttering the slice of toast, setting it on the hefty pile beside him, before looking up at his daddy.
"Please don't be mad, Daddy. Or, at least not at Demmy. It was my idea. I woke him up and everything!" Benny explained, holding a hand up to Demetri as he opened his mouth to protest. "I just wanted to do something nice for Papa for his birthday because he does so much for us and we wanted to show him how much we love him and how much we appreciate everything he does."
"Yeah, what he said," Demmy added.
What could Jacob possibly say to that?
The older man took a deep breath and it seemed the little boys held theirs as they prepared for their tongue lashings.
Instead, Jacob said, "You boys actually read my mind. Or, maybe I read yours ... You could have woken me though. I'd have helped."
And then he approached the stove, pulled out a pan and finished whisking the eggs before pouring them into the pan. All the while, his sons watched him as if he was from an alien planet. Jacob cocked an eyebrow at them.
"Come on, chop chop, you have toast to butter and jam," he ordered with a wink that made them both giggle with happiness and relief. "Oh, and Benny?"
"Yeah, Daddy?" the boy asked sheepishly, as if he knew what was coming.
"You're cleaning all this up."
Benny blushed. "Okay, Daddy."
They worked like a well-oiled machine as they prepared breakfast. Benny finished the toast and cut up some banana and other soft fruits with a blunt knife he could never cut himself with whilst Demetri carefully pouring milk and orange juice into glasses. Jacob made eggs, bacon and sausage for him and Seth, and pancakes for the boys like always.
They then set everything up on a tray. Jacob wasn't sure how Seth would take the rose in the thin vase both boys had insisted upon though. He carried the tray whilst the boys ran ahead of him.
Seth was sat up in bed as they entered, tiredly rubbing his eyes. They lit up, as did his smile, as his boys ran in and launched themselves onto the bed before smothering Seth's face and chest with kisses, shouting 'Happy Birthday!' over and over again. Jacob smiled and laughed from the doorway before approaching the bed. Benny and Demetri moved to sit either side of their Papa as the tray was set in Seth's lap.
"Aww, you guys! You made me breakfast in bed?" the youth crooned, pulling both boys into his side before kissing the top of their heads. "Thank you! I love the rose."
"They actually started without me," Jacob chuckled, sitting by Seth's feet.
The youth's eyes widened. "They didn't use the stove, did they?!" he shrieked.
Jacob smiled and shook his head. "No, they didn't, though Benny had whisked some eggs up."
"I wasnt' going to cook them, Daddy. I was going to clean up and then get you up so you could do it. I was just getting it all ready for you," Benny explained, earning a chuckle from his dads.
"Well, I love it. Very thoughtful, and all this looks delicious," he said and his stomach growled in emphasis.
"We got you presents, Papa! Can we go get them, Daddy?" Demetri asked enthusiastically, climbing up onto his knees.
"Not just yet. Let Papa eat his breakfast first and then you can," Jacob told the boy, who nodded.
"Wait, is all this for me?" Seth asked doubtfully. "I'm not going to eat all this. Jacob, don't know two very cute, growing young men that can help me out, do you?"
Jacob hummed as his sons giggled and started shouting 'Me, me, me!' whilst waving their hands in the air.
"Well, I dunno ... There's the Wilson brothers down the road ..."
"But Daddy! We're here!" Benjamin laughed loudly.
"What? You?" Seth gasped in shock.
"YES!" Monkey shouted with glee.
"Well, you best get stuck in then, huh?" Seth prompted, chuckling as both boys lunged for a piece of jam toast.
Breakfast was perfect. Jacob and Seth teased the boys some more before they all discussed what they wanted to do for the day. As a one off, he and Jacob agreed to let the boys have the day off from school whilst Jacob took the day off work.
"Can we go shopping? I still need to buy presents for your and Daddy for Christmas," Benny asked hopefully. Then he blushed softly. "I want to get Tia something too. We promised each other."
"That's one promise I'll make sure you keep, Benny, don't worry. We can go if you want. Jacob?" Seth checked, smiling as the older man nodded. "We could split up. I'll take Monkey to get his presents for you and Benny whilst you do the same for us. Then we'll switch."
"Sounds like a plan. I was thinking maybe going to Central Park Zoo after. I'm sure the boys would love to see some animals."
Both little boys cheered.
"I'll call Eric to see if Andrew's at work today," Seth said. "Thank you, guys. The breakfast was perfect."
He leaned either side of him to kiss the boys' foreheads before pulling Jacob towards him gently by the collar of his shirt. They shared a loving kiss that had their sons giggling into their hands, causing the two older men to smile into each other. Their reaction never gets old.
Jacob pulled back first, turning to the boys. "Alright! Go wash your faces and brush your teeth! I'll be in in a minute to get out your clothes, Demmy."
"But what about presents?!" Monkey protested with a pout.
"Oh! Of course. How could I forget about those!" Jacob teased, shooting Seth a wink before adding, "Well, go and get them then!"
The little boys scrambled off the bed and giggled all the way to their bedrooms. Monkey arrived back first, since he was just next door, with Rex on his heels, moving to sit between Seth's legs as he said, "I picked them out all by myself!"
Seth grinned down at the little boy and stroked Rex's head as the pooch settled himself against the side of the bed, looking up, before unwrapping one of the three neon yellow parcels. Benjamin returned as he did so, groaning that he wanted to be first. Jacob told him quietly to be patient, that Papa will open everything before they all left for the day. The little boy returned to his vacated seat beside the Birthday Papa, leaving Rona to take her vigil place beside him on the floor.
Seth giggled as he peered down at the tee shirt in his hands, loving it instantly. It was plain black with the slogan: 'Keep Calm and Love Monkeys' on the front. He knew instantly that it would be what he would wear for their outing.
"I love it, though there's only one Monkey I truly love," Seth murmured, kissing Demetri's cheek as it blushed deep red and a giggle escaped the little boy's throat. "What's this one?"
"Open it, Silly!" Monkey giggled, pushing the present at Seth insistently.
It felt awfully soft in his grip and he had a sneaky feeling what it was. He grinned even wider when a new bright yellow t-rex soft toy fell out the wrappings and into Monkey's lap. He turned around on his knees, holding it up.
"This is Stompie. He's not striped like his big brothers, but they love him still! You gave me a t-rex as a gift so I got you one too!" he said enthusiastically. "Rexie and Chompie have already met him."
Seth and Jacob shared an indulgent smile above the child's head as Seth replied, "I love him, Monkey. I really do. Thank you. How about Stompie stays with Rexie and Chompie for now, just until he gets used to his new home?"
"Can he? You won't miss him?" Demetri asked worriedly but excitedly all the same.
Seth grinned. "I don't mind. I think he should stay with his big brothers."
"Okay!"
"Demmy, you're supposed to get something for Papa, not for yourself," Benny sighed, rolling his eyes.
Monkey pouted. "It is for papa! He liked it!"
"Boys ..." Jacob murmured calmly. "Benny, I said you boys could get anything for Papa so long as I knew he'd like it. Papa's already said he loves Stompie. What you just said was a little rude."
"Yeah, I guess it was ... Sorry, Demmy," Benny muttered with a soft blush.
His little brother leaned over and hugged him in forgiveness. "S'okay, Benny!"
"Okay, last one!" Seth interjected, picking up a thin present. It was clearly a book.
"I think you'll like this one the best! It's for school!"
"For school, huh?" Seth asked speculatively before he tore off the paper.
He had to laughed as he read the title of the book. 'Lawyers for Dummies; How to be a Good One.' It was kinda perfect. He gave Monkey a big hug, thanking him profusely. All the little boy could reply with was that Seth no longer had to go to school; he had all he needed to know in that little book. The older man giggled and kissed the little boy's adorable face. He was just too cute sometimes!
"Open mine now, Papa!" Benny urged.
Seth nodded and took the first present. It was another book of some kind. He smiled softly when he opened the photo album a minute later, his finger caressing the four faces grinning widely up at him.
"Do you remember that, Papa? At Demmy's birthday party?" Benny asked.
"I do," Seth murmured.
"Best family photo yet," Jacob whispered opposite him, drawing his gaze upward to catch Seth's. The intensity of love in that one stare was enough to make their stomachs flutter.
God, Seth loved this man!
"Look at the rest, papa!" Benny urged. "It's not full yet, but Grammy Sarah takes lots of pictures. I'll ask for some more from her later."
"Benny, this is so thoughtful. Our first family photo album," Seth murmured.
"Remind me later to ask my mother for the ones of the boys. She has one for each year they've been with me," Jacob piped up.
"I'll definitely do that."
Benny had gotten Seth three presents just like his little brother. The second one he opened was clearly handmade. he grinned widely as he opened the little booklet, peering down at what seemed to be little coupons.
"For you to use at any time, papa, "Benny told him. "See this one?"
He pointed.
"This one says I have to clean up the toy room without complaint, and the same with this one, only for my bedroom. This one ... You get a free kiss and cuddle at any time. Oh! This one too! Look, it says I have to load the dishwasher after dinner. Or this one, it says I have to sort out my colours and whites for laundry," Benny explained. "The hug and kiss one is redeemable once a day. No exceptions."
"No exceptions, huh?" Seth checked, smirking.
Benny nodded seriously. "Yep!"
"Well, I have no intention of redeeming this coupon before I do this ..."
"Do wha- PAPA!"
Benny screamed as Seth pounced, pinning the little boy to the bed gently as he began to plaster kisses across his face and blow raspberries in the crook of his neck and on his stomach. Monkey crawled into Jacob's lap and they sat laughing and giggling at the pair while the two dogs barked and skipped around the bed excitedly, licking at them whenever they saw an opening.
"Papa, no! That's cheating!" Benny protested through breathless laughter. "Papa!"
"I don't need coupons to kiss and cuddle my little boy, Mister, but the thought is awesome. I'mma put this little booklet of coupons to very good use," he told the little boy as he finally allowed him to catch his breath.
Still giggling, it was Benny's turn to launch himself at Seth for a tight hug, the little boy burying his face into the youth's neck. Seth sighed and held him tighter, kissing the side of his head.
"I really love them, Baby Boy. No one's ever given me handmade coupons before. Very, very thoughtful."
"Thanks."
His third and final present from Benny was a set of brand new silk ties. Three in total with beautiful designs that the youth just loved. He kissed and cuddled his boys in thanks once again for good measure.
After opening presents, the boys scrambled to their bedrooms to get washed and dressed. Jacob and Seth shared a shower, in which Jacob gave the youth his first birthday present - a blowjob, naturally. Afterwards, the older man took his time to wash and massage every square inch of his Love's body. Seth basked in the love and care given to him. He loved when his boyfriend became attentive and caring. It was so different to his gruff front, more refreshing.
Afterwards, they got dressed. For once, Jacob went casual in a black knitted jumper and black jeans. He sat on the edge of the bed to slip on his military boots, watching Seth as he ambled in and out of the walk-in closet with his own clothes.
The older man had been watching him for months. More than usual, anyway. Every since the incident with E!, it was like Jacob was waiting for the other shoe to drop. Seth had taken the whole situation hard and still had bouts of paranoia whenever they were out as a family.
Jacob was waiting for the day it all started again. Even with their strict policy for privacy, stories were still bound to be leaked and spun against them. it was the nature of the Black family as a whole. It hadn't happened thus far, but it probably would at some point. He wasn't taking any chances and letting his guard down.
"You're doing it again," Seth murmured as he took a seat beside his boyfriend on the bed, jerking Jacob from his reverie.
"What? Doing what?" he asked in confusion.
"Thinking too much," Seth answered knowingly. "I know you're waiting for another story to be published and for me to lose my shit again, but it's not going to happened. Or the last part at least. I'm strong now. I know what to expect."
"I know, but ..."
"We've been fortunate since it happened, but that doesn't mean it'll never happen again. People love gossip, and what hotter family to gossip about than the Black family?" the youth asked rhetorically. "My reaction to everything the first time was because I was caught so off guard. I'll know how to handle it next time."
"I know. I'm being overly concerned, I suppose."
"I know ... but he was caught, Jacob. Alec won't bother us again."
Those words lingered in the air, both men knowing how true they were.
"What would I do without you, huh?" the older man whispered, gently pulling the youth in for a tender but passionate kiss.
Seth smiled against his mouth. "Isn't that my line?"
"I love you."
"Love you too," Seth sighed, deepening the kiss for a minute or two before pulling back. "We should finish getting ready. The boys will be in here if we take too long."
"Yep."
They both finished getting ready. Seth called up Eric, who promptly wished him 'Happy Birthday,' before asking if Andrew was at work today. Knowing exactly where the conversation was going, Eric promised to call his boyfriend to get their visit to the zoo set up. Full access, all areas. Seth tried to protest, but Eric insisted that once Andrew found out, he'd offer it all as a birthday gift anyway.
Knowing better than to argue with his best friend, Seth agreed and thanked him profusely before they both hung up. As expected, the boys were excited about this new development and both raced towards the car with a 'Hurry up already!' thrown over Benjamin's shoulder. Jacob rolled his eyes at his Love before grabbing all their coats and winter wear.
It wasn't even a ten minute drive to the zoo so they were there in no time. The boys were bouncing in their seats the entire way and whined when Seth and Jacob took their time in opening their child-locked doors once they were parked up.
"Daddy!" Benny whinged, his face scrunching up in displeasure as he hopped out the car.
Jacob suppressed a chuckle and grin. "What?"
"You did that on purpose!" the boy accused with a stern glare and his hands on his hips.
"Did I? Prove it," his father challenged with a mischievous grin that his son imitated perfectly. It was a terrifying sight.
Benny suddenly rounded on Seth, his eyes wide and innocent as he exclaimed, "Papa! Daddy's picking on me!"
"Traitor," Jacob grumbled as he begrudgingly lifted his gaze to Seth's amused one.
"You guys are gonna give me premature grey hairs," Seth sighed dramatically as he swooped down and scooped Monkey up into his arms, making sure to keep hold of Rona and Rex's leashes. "I think, Monkey, we should leave your Dad and brother here to squabble whilst we go watch some Snow Leopards."
"Yeah!"
"What?! No!" Benny squealed, hanging onto Seth's leg as he began to walk away. Jacob laughed behind the the three. "I wanna come too!"
"Well come on then!" Seth laughed, lifting Benny into his other arm before making his way towards the entrance. He was pleasantly surprised to see a familiar face greet them as they got there.
"Hey, Seth! Happy birthday," Andrew called as he approached, shaking Seth's hand once he placed the boys onto their feet.
"Thanks, Andy, and for doing this too. These guys are so excited," he replied with an affectionate stroke on both boys' head. They beamed up at him.
"It's my pleasure. Besides, Eric wouldn't let it lie if I denied him or you so ... today's completely on me! Or rather, Eric and me," he announced, lifting his hands out to his sides in a big gesture. "We'll get the boys up close and personal in the Children's Zoo and they can pick out something each from the gift shop."
"Sounds awesome! Thanks, Uncle Andrew!" Benjamin shouted excitedly.
"Yeah, thank you!" Monkey seconded.
"How's about we get this show on the road?"
Once they'd received their passes, Andrew disappeared somewhere with the promise of being around if they needed anything at all. Benny and Monkey wanted to see the Snow Leopards most of all, so the little family made their way towards the Temperate Territory area that also housed the Red Pandas and Snow Monkeys just to name a couple.
The boys were hooked as soon as they set eyes on the majestic big cats. Jacob and Seth had to admit they were too. The dogs, not so much. They had no interest in cats of any kind and sort of spent their time looking around at kids with ice creams and licking their lips. Seth got out his camera and snapped shot after shot, making a mental note to print copies for his mother.
"Daddy, look! There's baby ones!" Monkey shouted as he pointed to the two Snow Leopard cubs that were frolicking and wrestling beside their mother on the heated rocks.
"Oh, they're so cute!" Benny cooed, watching intently with a huge grin on his face.
Seth shook his head as he peered down at the little boy, a pad of paper and a pen in his hands as he took notes of all things. Seth probably shouldn't have expected anything different, to be fair, since the boy was gaga about knowledge and learning.
"Whatcha got so far, Bud?" he asked, looking closer at the paper.
"No looking, Papa! I'mma write all about them when we get home and then you can read it to see if I did okay," Benny stated/asked with hope in his eyes.
"Of course," the youth chuckled, wondering whether Benny really was one of a kind.
What eight year old voluntarily writes anything, let alone a short essay on Snow Leopards. In fact, Seth suspected the little boy would be taking notes all day and would be writing about everything, not just the big cats. Yeah, he was truly one of a kind.
"I can't wait," Seth added, leaning down to kiss the top of Benny's head.
"Daddy, can I touch one?" Monkey pleaded, turning his devilish eyes towards jacob.
"Uh, I don't think so, Son. They don't let people too close, just to the mesh just there," he replied. "And that's if they get close enough for you to touch through that."
"Save the cuddling for Children's Zoo, Baby Boy," Seth murmured. "You'll be able to feed all the animals too."
"Okay."
"Well, look what the cat dragged in. What are you guys doing here?" a familiar feminine voice called out.
Seth grinned before he even turned around, spotting Bella, Paul, Alice and Jasper heading their way. Alice flounced over, throwing her arms around Seth. He chuckled and hugged her back, smiling over her shoulder at the others.
"Aunt Bella! Benny, look! It's Aunt Bella and Aunt Alice!" Monkey screamed as he made a beeline towards their ex-nanny.
"Hope you don't mind us gate-crashing this family outing," Paul chuckled as he shook Jacob's hand.
"Not at all. You're all practically family anyway."
"Eric and Andrew told us where we could find you so we thought we'd come help you celebrate your birthday," Jasper explained as he pulled Seth into a bro hug.
"Thanks, the more the merrier. We were just going to head to the Children's Zoo if you don't mind chilling with the animals," Seth replied, smiling down at Benny as he cheered. "This one here's been badgering us to go there all morning."
"After that, I wanna go see the Polar Bears," Benny stated decisively.
"Ah, ah, it'll be Monkey's turn after to choose where we go, Benny," Seth reminded the little boy, causing his shoulders to nodded however.
"Don't worry. We've still got a couple more hours here if you want. We could even eat here too," Jacob suggested.
"And we gotta go to the gift shop too!" Benny reminded his father.
"He's right, but first, the Children's Zoo! Let's go feed some animals," Seth exclaimed enthusiastically, grasping Benny's hand before leading the way.
Benjamin and Demetri were in pure heaven around all the animals, for two different reasons. Benny from a knowledgeable standpoint, and Demetri from pure curiosity. The whole zoo was pretty much a barnyard filled with the appropriate animals - sheep, goats, pigs and the like at all stages of life.
Benjamin actually spent as much time with the zoo attendant as he did feeding and petting the animals, and of course the notepad wasn't too far away either. Seth wouldn't have been surprised if at the end of the day the notebook was full. He could tell that the attendant was impressed and pleasantly surprised by Benny's enthusiasm and answered all questions sent his way.
"We have leaflets and informations packs about all the animals here, Sport. How's about I wrangle them up for your Dad to take home with you guys?" the attendant suggested, to which Benny's eyes lit up like a Christmas tree.
Despite the promise of documentations however, he continued to take notes as they traversed around the park.
Monkey was in his element with the babies of the barnyard. He was such a happy, playful little boy and the babies all seemed to flock around him to share. Monkey's giggles and excitement echoed throughout the whole yard, causing other patrons to smile and chuckle too.
"Aw, Daddy, look, that goat is so cute! Can we take him home?!" Monkey pleaded when they came to their enclosure.
Jacob rolled his eyes. "What, two dogs aren't enough for you? And just where do you propose we keep this goat at home?" he asked.
"In my bedroom. He can sleep on my bed with Rex."
"Put it this way, Monkey, Baby. If the goat stays in your bedroom, you'll have to clean it up. There's no way I'm getting involved with that," Seth warned, causing the young boy's face to drop. Seth chuckled and kissed his head. "He's just too messy, Baby. Besides, you have Rex. Has he gotten boring?"
The dog in question whined as if he knew exactly what the humans were saying. Monkey interpreted the noise as sadness and rushed to reassure his best friend that he was still very much loved and exciting.
"What if we got another dog?" Benny suggested, his eyes twinkling.
Seth and Jacob shared a look before looking down at their oldest son, replying in tandem, "No."
Benny just shrugged and murmured, "It was worth a try."
After spending a good half an hour in the bird enclosure, feeding and petting them with as much enthusiasms as they had in the yard, they ventured off towards Polar Circle, where Polar Bear and Penguins were waiting to be explored. The boys fed some ducks and watched the seabirds before oohing and aahing over the penguin exhibits.
Both Seth and Bella took as many photographs as they could so that they could document every second of their day.
Around one-thirty in the afternoon, they decided to eat. They made their way to the restaurant on site and received a free meal, courtesy of Andrew. He and Eric joined them, along with Bella and the others, but Jacob's parents seemed to show up as well, bringing a birthday cake along with them, and transforming their little dinner into an impromptu birthday party.
Seth laughed and covered his face as his friends and family sang happy birthday to him in the middle of the crowded restaurant. Even a few other patrons joining in on the little sing-a-long. He blew out their candles, but honestly, he didn't know what to wish for as it seemed he already had everything he ever wanted right there in that restaurant.
It seemed like a unanimous decision to present Seth with the rest of his presents from his friends right after they ate, so whilst Seth tore through wrapping paper, he had to remind himself just how lucky he was to have such an awesome family and awesome friends to call his own.
From Bella and Paul, he received a pre-paid trip to Miami for a week in January so that they could celebrate their year anniversary in style once again. Seth was completely blown away, what with Jacob's parents treating them last year and Bella and Paul this year
Once again, Jacob knew nothing about it and was just as pleased and excited for another romantic week away. Furthermore, the couple had offered to care for the boys whilst they were away as well.
From Alice and Jasper, he received clothes as always. This was Alice after all. What made these clothes all the more special however was the fact that alice had made every single one of them. They were all professional and high quality, just like anything she could have purchased from a store.
Eric and Andrew's present had been, of course, the complete access to the zoo. If Eric tried to give Seth anything more, he was going to flat out refuse. Not that Eric knew that yet.
If Seth had been surprised about the trip, that was nothing compared to how he felt about Sarah and William's gift to him. A brand new freaking car! Not a cheap one either! William's reasoning was that he needed to look the part in all aspects of his life, which meant having the right car. Sarah just said it was a present to celebrate his first successful six months at Law school.
God knows what they'd get him for the end of the year, or hell, his graduation. Seth didn't know what to say so he just hugged both of them, thanking them profusely.
When he sat back down, he poked Jacob in the side.
"Hey! What was that for?" the older man grumbled, though a smirk danced at the corner of his mouth.
"You know what that was for. You totally knew they were gonna do that, didn't you? You've been badgering me for the last six weeks to get a newer, sleeker car," Seth accused.
Jacob's grin finally won out. "Don't be mad, Love. There's nothing wrong with the car you have now, but I didn't want you to run it into the ground while using it for every aspect of your life. This way, both cars will last longer," he explained. "Besides, I knew if my parents were the ones to give you it, you wouldn't have been able to refuse."
"Oh, you think I couldn't have refused them? I would have if I'd wanted to!"
"Sure, sure," Jacob scoffed. "Admit it, my mother terrifies you."
Seth thought about defending himself, but really ... "Can you blame me though? That woman is scary. I had the displeasure of watching her chew out William one time and it scarred me for life, let me tell you," he grumbled.
Jacob laughed loudly, head thrown back and all, and Seth couldn't even focus on the fact that he was laughing at him. All he could think about was how majestic and beautiful his boyfriend was in that moment. He honestly didn't know how much better his life could get in that moment.
They ventured back out into the zoo at three, but that only after Jacob and the boys returned from wherever the older man had taken them off to. Seth had been instantly suspicious, even more so when neither little boy would tell him what their father needed to talk to them about so urgently. All they'd say was that he'd find out soon enough, and Seth suspected Jacob had told them to say that. The fucker.
Their next stop was the Tropic Zone, otherwise known as the Rainforest. In there, they watched bats, listened to the lemurs communicate with their loud calls and then were swept away after watching the Birds of Paradise courting dance, otherwise known as the Butterfly Dance. It was so beautiful and Bella even got the whole thing on video.
For a good twenty minutes, Benny and Monkey were preoccupied trying to find the Malayan Mouse Deers and Amazon Tree Boa in the thick trees. Their fathers were sure that people across the park in the Children's Zoo could hear their holler of triumph once they'd succeeded.
Their second to last stop was the Central Garden and the Sea Lion Pool. Once again, Benny was in his element as he listened to the keepers go on about how they maintained and cared for the Lions, from their teeth to their vision and other routine care they did daily.
Monkey spent the whole time with his nose pressed up against the walls of glass, watching them as they swam around underwater, frolicked and played or ate their lunch. God bless the cleaner who had to wipe away the smudges he'd left behind on the glass. Pretty sure he licked the glass too once or twice ... Strange child, that one.
Their very last stop for the day, which was around four-thirty, was the zootique. Otherwise known as the gift shop. Benny and Monkey ran amuck, trying to find their perfect gift that they had been promised. Andrew was also there with Benny's folder of information leaflets on all the animals, which Seth put in his bag.
After they'd spent a fortune in the gift shop, it was finally time to go home. The boys were tired and the men weren't much better either. Seth hugged his friends at the car, thanking them all for coming out with them and making the day that much more special. He couldn't help noticing that they shared these secretive and knowing glances between themselves, and he felt very much out of whatever loop they were in.
He spent the entire ride home wondering what everyone had been so secretive about, and why it had something to do with him.
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Note: Seth has only had one semester at Law School. I'll do this at the end of every chapter so that you guys don't lose track :)
Thanks for reading! Please leave me some love and motivation before you go!
Love MrsWolfPack x
