It had been a great month. Mostly.

While they didn't get to have a romantic date quite yet, Ezra and Anthony had been finding ways to simply be. They continued the routine established since the beginning, but had been adding a weekday dinner or two as a family at one residence or the other. They were together during the day each weekend, and most of them involved sleep overs. Though so far those sleep overs didn't involve much more than sleep.

"I am… worried." Ezra said to Marjorie, confiding in her as he felt perhaps Anathema was a bit too much Anthony's friend in this instance.

"Why, dear?" Marjorie asked, sipping her tea as they sat out in the park.

It had been another day where Ezra happily took both boys home from nursery. He didn't have a full day at the school during exam time, and Anthony had been in London anyway. So with much more time to kill before his arrival than usual Ezra had suggested that maybe the boys would want to be outside instead of in the flat. Marjorie had seen them as they passed, and was clearly in need of a good gossip, much like Ezra was in need of a good vent.

He sighed, keeping an eye on Adam and Warlock as he spoke.

"We have been together for six weeks. In that time, we have slept in the same bed easily a dozen times. He's never pushed, never tried to get any further than a very passionate snog." He sighed again, rubbing his forehead before dropping his hand in his lap. "I'm not sure what he ever saw in me, and I can tell you I certainly don't have the same physique I had ten years ago when the attraction might have made sense. I do want think he's giving me time-"

"Well what in the world do you think would be his reason for holding back?" She asked him.

He took a drink of his tea, watching the boys another moment before turning to Marjorie. "The first night after we became a couple, the one before I met with Lucas, there was… a moment. On his sofa. I asked him to slow down because things were… well, I was…."

"You didn't want another Gabriel incident." Marjorie nodded. "That's understandable, love. AJ is your friend, and has been for much longer than Mr Haven was."

"I really didn't." He said simply, then chuckled mirthlessly. "Because somehow, after all these years, I still love Anthony Crowley and I am utterly petrified that he's going to leave again. Only this time it will be because he's come to realize that the memory of me was somehow better than the actual me."

"Ezra, dear, that man looks at you like you hung the bloody stars. He's not going to be put off by a little extra cushion." Marjorie snorted.

"I'm not so sure it's only a 'little'. I have more stretch marks on my abdomen than my sister had, and she bore a child. What's my excuse? A love of food and an unwillingness to do anything more vigorous than a brisk walk?"

"That hasn't stopped you from catching a man's eye before." Marjorie said gently.

"No? When has that happened among the long bouts of celibacy?"

"Those were more self imposed than anything." She chided.

"Has it been? Have I missed the line of suitors over the last five years? Oh, lord… the last six, years, really." Ezra frowned a moment, checking quickly on the boys. "I hadn't seen any gentleman in any more intimate a way than a mediocre dinner since before Adam was born. Gabriel was… a very thorough, drawn out mistake."

"You said it happened once?" Marjorie accused.

"It did happen once. It's just that that once lasted," he pursed his lips, "nearly twenty-four hours. Then he started talking about future times, dates, and I sort of came back to myself and realized what an awful, selfish thing I'd just done." And then, after a sip of tea, added, "It would be nice to have nearly twenty-four uninterrupted hours of that with Anthony." He mused, getting a chuckle out of Marjorie before he became weary again. "I just thought that he would make another attempt by now."

"You know you can lead the way, don't you?" Marjorie asked.

"I have led the way with every partner I've had my whole life."

"Well, don't stop now, dear. Especially after you've already told him once to slow down."

"Hmm, fair point." Ezra reluctantly agreed, smiling as there was a squeal of joy followed by peals of laughter from Adam and Warlock. "How long do you think I should wait before asking him to marry me?"

Marjorie threw her head back and laughed. "A while yet, my dear."

"My first boyfriend waited four years to tell me he loved me, and did it the day he proposed to me."

"Did you say yes?" She asked curiously.

"Oh, no, I said no." Ezra replied emphatically. "I think I knew deep down he wasn't the one. Just someone I was comfortable with."

"I have turned down every man who asked me to marry them, and I can honestly say I have never once regretted it." She said simply. "Comfortable is never something anyone should settle for."

"Well said, madam." Ezra said, lifting his take away cup toward her and sharing a toast with her. "Which, I must say, is precisely why I never settled for Gabriel."

"I had figured as much." Marjorie said. "I will admit, I thought he was your young man when you first moved in with your sister, but I could see pretty quickly it was one sided."

"I think he's trying to quietly sabotage things," Ezra mused. "He's been showing up much more randomly than before, and has been coming by on weekend mornings, though never the same day twice."

"I have seen him pull up outside every weekend for the last little while."

"He's been trying to catch Adam and I alone, but he hasn't had any luck."

His phone chimed then, and he pulled it out of his pocket, seeing it was Anthony saying he was on his way.

"AJ?" Marjorie said knowingly.

"Yes, he's on his way home. We have the boys' primary orientation tomorrow. They meet their teacher, see the school, hear what it's going to be like, that sort of thing."

Marjorie hummed and nodded, watching the boys for a few minutes with him, seeing them scamper about.

"In regards to AJ, though," Marjorie began. "I'm sure I've got a few props I could loan you, if you need to add some spice to get things going."

"Marjorie." Ezra replied, almost sounding scandalized.

She laughed, and he couldn't help but laugh too.

They relocated to the Crowleys' after dinner, what with the bed in Warlock's room being better for a restful sleep for the boys.

Anthony was tidying up in the kitchen, something he absolutely insisted he do alone for some reason, and before Ezra could protest, Gabriel rang.

So that's where he was, on Anthony's couch, watching him do the dishes that wouldn't go in the dishwasher, while talking to Gabriel on his mobile.

"Do you think Adam'll do okay tomorrow? Will you?" Gabriel asked, sounding genuinely concerned. "I can be there, with you, if you want me to-"

"Gabriel, that's very kind of you, but we'll be fine. Lock is going to the same school."

"How fortunate." Gabriel said, and Ezra could just see the fake grin as if his friend was right beside him.

"It was arranged long before we ever reunited." He said gently. "Adam and Lock will be pleased to be together, even if they don't end up in the same class. And I'll have Anthony. Although," He glanced away when he realized Anthony had stood still at the sink, staring at the cupboard above it. "I think this will actually be a case where he'll need me. "

"Ah," Was all Gabriel said, and the dishes began to resume in the kitchen.

"So, how are things?" Ezra asked as he turned away from watching Anthony. "Did you hear anymore on that promotion?"

"Yes! It's looking more like it's going to happen…." That started Gabriel off on a tangent about something Ezra barely understood on a good day. Instead, he made the appropriate noises at the appropriate spots while returning his attention to Anthony, watching him finish up. He had wiped the island down three times before he seemed to snap out of whatever trance he was in, shaking himself before moving on to the counters. He had nearly finished his task.

"Gabriel, dear," Ezra said when there was a lull. "I'm afraid I'm going to have to let you go for now."

"Crowley need you?"

"Marking," he lied, not that Gabriel kept track of those sorts of things. "Must get it done, what with the end of the year being next week."

"Alright, sunshine." Gabriel said with way more affection than one would give a friend. "I'll talk to you tomorrow, you can tell me how it went."

"Of course. Until then." Ezra said as he rang off, tossing his phone on the coffee table and watching as Anthony stood still in the kitchen, wringing the dish towel in his hands repeatedly. "Darling?" he called, seeing Anthony snap his head in his direction. His serpentine eyes were wide, sad and scared.

"My little boy's going to orientation tomorrow." He said, tossing the dish towel on the island and coming to sit next to Ezra. "I… where did the time go?"

"By in a blink, I'm afraid." Ezra said, placing a hand on Anthony's thigh and running his hand soothingly over it. "Is there any way I can help?"

Anthony laughed mirthlessly. "Got a time machine? Can you take me back to when he was, I dunno, three? When this seemed so far away?"

"I'm sorry," Ezra said.

"It hit me tonight," Anthony explained. "We were tucking them into bed, and they were talking about how exciting it was going to be, and it just hit me that this was… this was it. There's no picking them up from nursery, it's an after school program until one of us can get them, or both of us. Or, my leaving early to get them, and then getting you . It's… it's going to be them in uniforms, and little desks, and I just…." He looked plaintively at Ezra. "I'm so proud of Lock, and so happy he gets to do this with a friend. But he's going to grow up so much quicker now, I can feel it. And I know, I know Adam hasn't always been yours, but I feel like I've just started to know him and now he's going to be all grown up, too."

Ezra couldn't help but smile. "Anthony, love, it was bound to happen." He frowned when he realized Anthony's eyes went somehow wider. And that he'd stopped breathing. Then it clicked. "Oh. Oh dear, did I say that out loud?"

Anthony just nodded.

"Oh." Ezra cleared his throat. "Well. Suppose the cat's out of the bag, then. Though I must confess, I had always thought myself terribly obvious."

Anthony continued to just stare at him.

Ezra began to wring his hands. "Well, it's just… well, it's just that I've, um, well… I think it's been for as long as I've known you. But, obviously we were quite young, then, and it's just, well, h-how can anyone really be sure a-at fourteen, or sixteen, even, how they feel about someone? I can say for sure it's been since we were at least eighteen, even… even with Oscar in the picture. It certainly never went away, despite everything." He gave a self deprecating smile, but Anthony didn't crack a grin. He didn't do anything. "Oh… fuck." Ezra said, palming his face with both hands.

There was an uncomfortably long stretch of silence, which was probably only a few seconds. Ezra rubbed his face roughly a couple times before lifting his head and facing Anthony dead on.

"I love you." Ezra said plainly. "I Figure if I managed to ruin this with my errant mouth yet again, I might as well just come out and say it this time. Let it all out in the open, as it were."

"What?" Anthony finally croaked out.

"I didn't want to walk away without telling you, not again." Ezra lamented. "I'll… go upstairs. Move my things to the guest room."

"Why?" Anthony said in a clipped tone that Ezra actually couldn't get a read on.

"Well, it's a bit late to return to my flat. I don't want to wake Adam. Though… I suppose if I woke up early enough, bus back, he may not have even realized-"

"Don't," Anthony interrupted. "Don't. I just… I think my brain completely shut down for a moment. Just… give me a sec."

"Alright." Ezra frowned, shifting to move a bit away.

Anthony's hand struck out and caught his waist, preventing the movement.

He didn't say anything, but his eyes darted around Ezra's face.

"I thought… I was going to be the one to slip up first. I thought I was going to say it in a really stupid moment, like when you made an awful joke, or when you got excited over a pastry at the cafe. I-I dreamed of maybe, I dunno, doing a big, grand gesture thing where I did flowers, or a perfect, romantic date -which we've yet to go on- and…. And you just call me 'love' like it's the simplest thing in the world." He smiled then, a big, bright, beautiful smile that made Ezra damn near swoon. "Had to make sure I hadn't snapped. You rambling, well, I've had daydreams involving that ramble. Have it down pat after twenty years."

"You daydream about my rambling?" Ezra asked incredulously.

"It's an Ezra thing, so yeah, I've day dreamed of it."

"What could you possibly be daydreaming about that has me rambling?"

"So many things." Anthony said, leaning in and kissing the corner of Ezra's mouth. "So many things I think I always thought would make you nervous."

"You're making me nervous now," Ezra said with a light curl of the lips.

"Am I?" Anthony said with a dark tone before he kissed the other corner.

"I told you I love you, and all you've managed to say in turn is that you've daydreamed of my rambling."

"I love you, you idiot." Anthony said as he moved to Ezra's neck, lips brushing on his pulse point. "I have forever. You saying it first? Caught me off guard."

Ezra hummed, pleased.

Anthony pulled away, and without saying a word, offered Ezra his hand as he stood up.

Ezra took his hand, and followed.

Upstairs in Anthony's bedroom, the door closed and locked, the two of them shared a slow kiss before nervous fingers found the hem of a henley and pulled it up.

Anthony broke away and allowed the top to come up and off, pulling it off his arm and tossing it to the clothes bin.

"Oh my," Ezra breathed, fingers hovering but not knowing where to touch first: the familiar ivy and snake, or the new additions inked into Anthony's skin.

He started with the apple tree just below Anthony's ribs on his right side.

"Covers the scars to my surgery, the transplant for Terry." Anthony explained, his hand covering Ezra's as he touched.

"An apple tree?" he asked, glancing up at Anthony.

He gave a cheeky smirk. "Family roots. And, last name being Adams… Adam's apple. I thought I was being clever."

Ezra's hands trailed down, touching the galaxy. "This was where your appendectomy scar was." He said.

"Yeah, covered that one up first," He said.

Anthony dropped his hand from Ezra's and went for his button and fly, easily removing his skinny jeans in a practiced movement that required him to bend both knees.

Ezra watched him, appreciating the action. When Anthony stood straight again, there was something running almost perfectly along the band of his boxer briefs.

Ezra barked a laugh. "Really?" He asked, fingers trailing over Anthony's hip bone where a tiny, simple line-art bicycle -a purple frame with a blue and pink wheel, was inked. A bit brighter was a little flag attached to the back with a pink, yellow, and blue stripe.

"What?" Anthony asked, glancing down at it with a shrug. "Thought it was sort've cute. Bit cheeky." He added. "Or are you laughing at the fact I had to correct it in a way a bit later?"

"No. You'll… see." Ezra smirked wickedly, running his fingers over Anthony's hip bones before leaning in to kiss him.

It didn't last long.

"Oi, turn about, here, angel." Anthony said as he began to work on the many layers Ezra wore, patiently removing each one until Ezra was bare from the waist up.

Which, he suddenly realized, put him in very sharp contrast to the lithe figure in front of him.

The lithe figure who looked him over without much lust.

"Oh," Ezra said as he glanced down at his soft, rounded belly. "You must be terribly disappointed."

Anthony searched him over. "I am," he said, then twisted Ezra around to look at his back. "I was told there would be more artwork hidden." He said as his thumb brushed against the books and wings.

"Ah," Ezra said, feeling quite relieved, a touch put out, and a sprinkle of wickedness as he turned back to Anthony. "Afraid you're going to have to search further down."

Ezra had been present at every Christmas since Adam was born, and had distinctly remembered how he looked each one of those mornings when presented with the pile of presents that appeared beneath the tree. At Ezra's hint, Anthony looked like he just was told he could open every single present beneath the tree because they were all for him.

Anthony got down on his knees, which made Ezra have to look away a moment to catch his breath. Anthony placed a quick peck to Ezra's belly just below his belly button (which tickled), as he managed to get Ezra's trousers off.

"Wow," He said, which might have been terribly flattering and maybe a bit ego boosting had it not been for the fact that Anthony was looking at his left thigh. "Oh, why do you have this covered up?"

He ran his hand over the image of a book opened flat, light glowing from it as silhouettes of some of Ezra's favorite characters or objects from his favorite books came up from the pages. He'd had more added to it over the years, which was his intent when he came up with the original idea.

"Probably because the only other real estate on my body large enough to handle it was either my back or my abdomen. On my back, I'd never see it. And, well, I don't need to draw anymore attention to this, now, do I?" Ezra replied as he ran hand over the small swell.

"What, this? Adorable." Anthony said as he kissed it again.

"There's another." Ezra smirked.

"Oh?" Anthony asked, searching Ezra's other leg.

Ezra cleared his throat, and lowered his boxers just a hair, dragging the waistband down to reveal a set of numbers inked in rainbow. At Anthony's frown, he explained, "It's the ISBN number of Oscar Wilde's Poems in Prose ."

Anthony blinked, then began to giggle, kissing the number a couple of times before getting to his feet, then kissing Ezra's lips a couple times as well. "That's why you laughed at my little bicycle."

Ezra nodded. "It would seem, even without one another around, we seemed to have corresponding tattoos once more. Though I admit, I'm a little surprised you didn't know that tidbit from the start." He said, placing his thumb over the flag.

Anthony shrugged, snaking his arms around Ezra's shoulders.

"Didn't know there was something that said that when I had the bicycle done." He replied before kissing Ezra more thoroughly as Ezra took hold of his waist. "But now that the art show is over, there's something else I would much rather be doing. If you want to." He said against Ezra's lips.

"Oh, I very much want to." Ezra nodded, kissing Anthony again and steering him toward the bed.

~C~

"Well," Crowley panted, laying flat on his back on top of the sheets, hands flopped one above his head and one on Ezra's chest. "That was a thing."

"Indeed it was." Ezra agreed, sharing the same wide eyed, dazed look Crowley knew he was wearing as well. He, too, was on his back, though hands folded on his stomach.

He turned his head toward Crowley, and their eyes met.

Then they laughed.

They laughed until it hurt, then laughed some more. When one started to calm down, the other would start them back up, until it finally hurt too much and there were tears leaking from their eyes.

"I don't think I've ever laughed that much during sex," Crowley confessed. "I mean, don't get me wrong, it was good. Great, really, that was… that was…."

"It was ," Ezra agreed, turning back to the ceiling thoughtfully. "Mind, it's been a very long time for me."

"Oi, what's that supposed to mean?" Crowley asked, knowing Ezra was trying to egg him on.

"Nothing, darling." He replied with a smirk. "And I have to agree. I don't think it's ever been that fun."

"Like play," Crowley agreed with a smirk.

"Quite." Ezra added, looking back at Crowley. "I haven't had as many lovers as you have, but I can say that it's never been that wonderful. Which sounds so, terribly, awfully cliche."

"Is what it is angel." Crowley said, rolling on to his side. "Never had anything close to it."

"I have had close." Ezra admitted. "Oscar, near the end. But it wasn't… it wasn't this easy. Maybe more passionate, more intense."

"Oi," Crowley said again, more pointedly.

"That doesn't mean I enjoyed it more." Ezra soothed. "And I'm absolutely certain you've had lovers who-"

"Yeah, yeah." Crowley cut him off.

He wasn't wrong. He wasn't high on an orgasm that scrambled his brain, he wasn't so utterly sated that he wasn't sure he could move. He'd had those, in the past, but this? This was actually satisfying in a way that none of the others had been. Probably because it left him feeling cherished, cared for, taken care of in a way that wasn't just about his pleasure.

I left him feeling loved.

It left him wanting more in the very best way.

"You aren't disappointed, are you?" Ezra asked quietly.

Crowley met his eye and saw the worry in them.

"No." He shook his head. "No, not disappointed. Not in the least."

"Alright," Ezra said as if he wasn't sure he believed him.

"Hey, I mean it." Crowley said, pulling one of Ezra's hands off his abdomen and kissing the knuckles.

Ezra gave a fleeting grin that didn't reach his eyes. "I'm just sure you expected more. I'm sure you're used to more, and I'm…."

"I could show you just how not disappointed I am. Maybe in the shower?" Crowley suggested with a twitch of his eyebrows. Ezra looked at him, then at the clock on the nightstand.

"I suppose it isn't too late."

Crowley spluttered.

Ezra got up. "Don't give me that, love, we have to be up early in the morning. If you think those two aren't going to come pounding on that door any later than seven o'clock.

Crowley might have said that Ezra had a point. Might have, he wasn't sure. For, despite a good long time getting acquainted with it, Ezra's body moved around the bed and past him, completely naked, and Crowley's brain stopped working.

A piece of the puzzle that hadn't been slotted into place before finally dropped, and it hit him that this was real . This wasn't some crazy dream, and the last month wasn't just something he was imagining. Ezra was actually his, to look at and touch, and know in a way he had always wanted to know but never thought he would.

"Anthony," Ezra called as the shower turned on. "You're going to be quite uncomfortable soon if you don't hurry up."

Crowley didn't have to be told twice, and he jumped out of bed to follow Ezra in the master ensuite.

He didn't make him laugh a second time, but that wasn't a bad thing, either.

Crowley stifled a yawn, though by Ezra's quiet chuckle, it didn't go unnoticed.

"I told you." Ezra said quietly as they waited with the other parents, Warlock and Adam already huddled with the rest of their friends from nursery.

"So why are you still so… you?" Crowley grumbled, glancing at Ezra up and down, noting he was dressed almost exactly like he would have any other weekday. Well, without the waistcoat, or the bow tie, which was a bit like seeing him naked.

Ezra gave him a side-eye, "Darling, there is at least a day or two a week I don't sleep more than an hour, if I'm lucky. I'm very used to being able to get by on little sleep."

"I just can't believe they actually got up before seven." He sighed, scrubbing at his face.

"It's new, and exciting, and nerve wrecking." Ezra said casually. "And they get to do it together. You must remember what it was like leaving for Oxford together."

"I do, but I did not get up before seven in the morning."

"No, but you have always loved sleep." Ezra pointed out.

"Yeah, that's true." Crowley agreed, dropping his hand to his side and interlacing his fingers with Ezra's.

Ezra leaned into him a bit, and Crowley hummed happily.

They turned their attention toward the principal as they began to speak to the parents and future students. There were the introductions of the staff, of the school structure and what parents could expect. The principal announced the classes, and Crowley felt Ezra relax against him when it turned out the boys were going to be together next year. Then, they were following the boys and their new class around the school to where their class would be.

Crowley was grateful Ezra didn't let go as they followed the kids, as Crowley's heart ached as he watched Warlock and Adam moving in the line with the others. And it ached just a bit more when they slide into those little desks, their little feet kicking about as they listened to the lovely young woman who would be their primary teacher come September.

He was also grinning like an idiot, that same, sappy, dopey smile that all the other parents seemed to have while looking at their kids. And no, he wasn't a bit misty-eyed, his contacts were irritating his eyes.

As the teacher continued to talk to them, Adam turned and looked over his shoulder, finding them at the back. He grinned, at them, and Crowley gave him a tiny wave with his free hand. Adam grinned a little brighter, then settled back around.

The teacher called the students to the carpeted area, where they would read a story, something Warlock seemed overly excited.

But when Crowley went to move forward, like the other parents, he found Ezra backing away.

He glanced over his shoulder as Ezra's hand slipped from his.

"I just need a moment." He said quietly, his eyes a watery as he stepped away and left the classroom.

Crowley watched, torn between running after him and staying for the boys.

Someone touched his arm, and he turned to see Pepper's mum giving him a friendly grin. "Go with him," Amma said. "If the boys look for you two, I'll just gesture or something."

"Thanks," he said before darting out in the hall.

Ezra was standing in the middle of the hallway, hand fluttering near his face like he was going to touch it but couldn't bring himself to do it.

"Angel?" Crowley asked, getting Ezra's attention.

His lips twitched up a moment, very fleetingly. "I'm… I was fine. Really, I'm proud. I think I'm as proud as any parent in there. But… I shouldn't have been the one here today. I should have been hearing about it later on, when it was all done. In the best of worlds, I should have had to hear Eliza tell me how you cried when only got a bit teary eyed."

"This is the first big thing, isn't it? With Adam, since Liza." Crowley asked.

"Yes." Ezra said solemnly, "It's the first thing I've done as a parent."

Crowley didn't know what to say, so he merely pulled Ezra to him a moment, hugged him, kissed his head, and said, "take as long as you need. I'll go back in."

"No, it's fine." Ezra assured. "I only needed that moment."

Ezra stepped back, taking Crowley's hand and headed back inside the classroom.

~A~

Following their tour of the school, the boys proclaimed that they should get fish and chips. Which, Ezra realized, Anthony was nearly helpless to deny. He had rules when it came to Warlock, of course. The boy didn't always get what he asked for, and he was reprimanded for his bad behavior. But little requests like a special treat for dinner?

Ezra had only ever noticed the same sort of hopelessness with him, and now it was spreading to Adam.

They found a spot a bit away from their neighborhood, a cart that was near a park where the boys could run about after if they wanted. It was not five star dining, not like Ezra had been having much of that lately, but it was delicious in that way food you shouldn't eat often was.

"What took you so long in the office this afternoon?" Anthony asked between bites. "Thought it was just a quick refresh of the paperwork."

"Oh, it was." Ezra replied. "Because I faxed over the custody papers a few days ago, they had most of it corrected, I just needed to sign a few things. But there was a woman in there, and we got to chatting while I was updating everything." He tried not to laugh. "I think she was flirting with me, or attempting to. I can't remember the last time a woman attempted to flirt with me."

"That was yesterday for me," Anthony said in an off-hand manner. "Everything went alright with the paperwork, though, yeah?"

"Oh, yes." Ezra assured, glancing over at the boys a moment. They didn't seem to be paying attention, but he could never tell for sure. Lowering his voice, he added, "though I should tell you that I have you down as Adam's second. I probably should have said something earlier seeing as how I put you down at the nursery the day we… well, Warlock's first day."

"You're Lock's second," Anthony said in a casual way Ezra could see through. "I changed things about more recently. It used to be Anathema, but."

"You didn't have to do that, darling." Ezra said, smiling in spite of himself.

"No, but I wanted to." Anthony added.

"What does that mean?" Warlock asked.

"What does what mean?" Anthony asked his son.

"Second."

"The thing or person that comes in after one, or the first." Anthony replied. "So, in this case it means if you get hurt or sick at school, and the school can't get a hold of me, they're going to call Ezra."

"And Anthony would get me if you couldn't?" Adam asked.

"Precisely." Ezra replied with a grin.

"Alright then," Adam shrugged.

After a minute or so and a few more bites, Ezra said, "You know, if you'd like, I'm more than happy to have Warlock over during the summer while you're working, dear. Or, if you would rather, or if it's easier, I could bring Adam over to yours."

There was a quiet couple of gasps from the little men, and Ezra found him having to press his lips together to keep from out right laughing at their ridged excitement.

As they braced themselves, Anthony shot Ezra a tiny wink before saying, "I dunno. One little demon is a handful, but two?"

"We'd be really good all the time." Adam said immediately.

Anthony moved his head from side to side, "I dunno," He said again, milking the fake uncertainty. "It might get to the point where you two would be sick of each other, all that time together."

"We wouldn't." Warlock shook his head vigorously. "We're very best friends, we wouldn't get sick of each other."

"Don't torture the poor boys," Ezra chided gently.

"Well," Anthony sighed, "If it's okay with Ezra, I suppose, Lock, we can have the Fells over during the summer when school's done."

They boys were almost too excited to finish their lunches

~C~

"Is it too early to ask him to move in with me?" Crowley asked Anathema, Newt, and apparently Eric as they gathered after Warlock's bedtime for card game night. They were gathering at the table when Anathema had asked about orientation, and Crowley told her the offer Ezra made.

"Didn't we just move him into the flat a month ago?" Newt asked as he shuffled the cards for the night's game.

"Yeah, but… you know we got together that night. And we've been over to one another's places a lot since then, had lots of sleepovers." At this, Anathema gave him a sly grin and a wiggle of her eyebrows. "Not like that," Crowley scowled. "That-that's all… not the point. The point is, we're always over at one another's place, right? And now he's offering to take on Warlock while I'm at work during the summer. I mean, we're all but-"

"AJ," Anathema said firmly. "You and Ezra have been dating for only a little while longer than Eric and me. Eric, are you ready for us to shack up?"

At this, Eric laughed nervously. "No, not at all."

Anathema gestured to Crowley like she'd proved her point.

"Yeah, but you two literally only met a little over a month ago." Crowley retorted as Newt began to deal the card. "Ezra and I, we've known each other for two decades."

"Does it count as two when you didn't talk for one?" Newt wondered out loud.

"Yes." Crowley said without hesitation. "We know each other, and we love each other. Our boys love each other, and… well, I can't speak for Ezra, but I love Adam and I'm pretty sure Ezra loves Lock. We have something fantastic here, so why not keep building on it?"

"Why did you two stop talking for ten years?" Eric asked, frowning as he was the one the least in the know about everything. Crowley was, after all, his boss. And it wasn't like Bea was one to gossip.

Crowley sighed, rubbing at his face. "He said something, and I… didn't like it. And I was … not in a good space at the time. So, I fucked up. And Ezra? You tell him something, he takes it at face value if he thinks you really mean it. And… I think for just a second, I really, really did."

"And what if he moves in, and you two fight?" Anathema asked gently. "Maybe it's about something about Gabriel, or Tony, or anyone. Maybe he does something parenting wise you don't agree with. Ezra is new to being a dad. And while he was extremely active in Adam's life, he wasn't the parent. Now he is, and he's still going to be figuring things out for himself. Maybe… hold off on the moving in. Keep going with the sleep overs, and maybe, in a few months, come back to the idea."

Crowley didn't like it, but he thought maybe Anathema was right. He was still riding the highs of the night before, of I love yous and love making. He needed to slow down before he did something stupid and ruined everything again.