Chapter 9: The Adults
Over the next six weeks the kids had had more chances to play and had steadily grown closer. During that time Bandit and Brett had also had more time to talk. Their conversations oscillated between the mundane and intensely personal. The talks ranged from rugby team standings to their children's first steps, from upcoming movies to how they'd met their wives, from their work to their grieving. It was likely one of the most intense friendships Bandit had ever made, certainly the most open and personal, bordering only on his relationship with Chilli shortly before they'd started dating. Which, of course, hadn't gone unnoticed to their children.
"So, are you and Bentley's dad friends?" Bingo asked.
"Well, yeah, of course we're friends." Bandit replied, stirring some vegetables into the frying pan.
"Good friends?" Bluey added.
"I guess. He's definitely number two behind Dr. Beagle with my healing right now." Bandit admitted with a shrug.
"So, are you like, extra special friends?" Bluey asked.
"Or maybe extra extra special friends?" Bingo added.
"Girls, come on." Bandit huffed. "I have plenty of other friends. Brett's just another friend, like Pat or Fido."
The two giggled slightly. "Yeah, but you never blush when you talk about Mr. Lucky's dad!" Bingo said.
Bandit tried to hide his slight irritation and resulting blush by turning to focus on the stir fry. "So?"
"So, Bentley and Baxter say that their dad is the same way when they ask him about you!" Bluey laughed.
At this Bandit turned beet red and wished he had darker fur.
"Yeah! Like you are right now!" Bingo giggled.
***BCH***
It was another play-date. Bentley and Baxter had convinced the girls to play super ninjas-Because apparently regular ninjas weren't interesting for the boys-which meant all four of the ambulatory kids were running around the play equipment and shouting out their various super-powered ninja moves.
"Flying ninja super jump!" Bentley yelled as he jumped off the top of a small ledge on the side of the play structure.
"Extra super butterfly soar!" Bluey cheered as she waved her arms and ran across the rubberized play surface.
"Mega dino-splosion roar!" Baxter shouted.
"Dino-splosion?" Bingo asked.
"Yeah, I'm a dinosaur ninja with super powers." Baxter explained.
"Oh, alright then." Bingo nodded, as if the previous sentence had made perfect sense.
The four had decided to go on a quest to find a villain, which would likely turn out to be one, if not both, of their fathers. But for the moment they were content with just running around and shouting-as most children tend to be.
Bandit glanced over at Brett, who had just gotten a fussy Bradley to settle down in his stroller. The pup had curled up in a ball and tucked his tail so it was up by his nose, his tiny paws gently grasping the tufts of light red fur.
"He's a real cute one." Bandit commented, smiling at the sight of the tyke's chest gently rising and falling.
"Yeah, when he's sleeping." Brett joked.
"Oh, come on. We both know there's no sleeping when you've got active kids." Bandit scoffed.
Brett cracked a grin, looking out at the four playing. "Y'know, it's nice to see them like this."
"Being kids again?"
"Yeah. I was afraid, well, that it wouldn't happen." Brett admitted.
"Well, they're healing. We all are." Bandit remarked.
"It'll never be the same as before, but that doesn't mean we still can't be happy." Brett said, placing his paw on the bench between them.
Bandit glanced at the paw, extraordinarily tempted to gently rub his thumb along it, Okay Bandit. You can do this. Just, just do it. "Brett, mate, I have to confess something."
Brett looked over, "Yeah Bandit, what is it?"
"These last few months, they've been rough, but you've been there for me. I mean, hell, not only are you rebuilding my fucking house, you've really helped me through some shitty days when I didn't feel like I deserved to be helped."
Brett blushed slightly, adjusting his glasses, "Ay, 'ts nothing."
"No, it's not. It's really something." Bandit pushed. "You're an amazing guy Brett, and being around you, and seeing our kids together, you, your whole family is really incredible."
Brett looked down, the flushing in his cheeks getting redder, "Well Ban, it isn't like you haven't done the same for me. And your girls have done just as much for my boys."
Bandit took a deep breath before he continued, "Brett I really like you."
"I like you too Bandit."
Bandit paused, What if I ruin it by saying something? No, I've got to. If I don't I'm going to regret it for the rest of my life. "I mean, like, I really like you."
Brett's brow raised slightly. "Oh." He was silent a moment, "Like, you fancy me?"
Bandit was nearly scarlet, "Um, yeah…"
Brett looked at his paw on the bench, "Um, well I sort of fancy you, too…"
"You do?" Bandit grinned and he felt his tail wagging.
"Yeah, I do." Brett smiled, his tail also wagging.
"I'm kind of new to this whole 'liking men' thing, but would you wanna, I dunno, be my boyfriend?" Bandit quickly stammered, closing his eyes as he spouted out the last part.
"Yeah, I think I'd like that." Brett smiled wider. "And I think part of being my boyfriend means you can hold my hand when we're sitting together."
"Oh, you noticed that." Bandit rubbed the back of his neck.
"You're not exactly hard to read." Brett offered Bandit his hand, which he readily accepted. A few moments later the kids came over, striking ninja poses as they arrived-well, except for Baxter, who had his arms like a T-Rex.
Bentley was the first to notice. "Hey dad, you and Mr. Heeler are holding hands."
Brett glanced over at Bandit. "Yes, son, we are."
Bluey glanced at her dad, a grin spreading across her face as her tail started wagging. "I knew it! You do like-like Baxter and Bentley's dad!"
Bandit sighed, From the mouths of babes… "Yes Bluey, Brett and I do like-like each other."
Three other grins quickly appeared and enough wagging tails to start a small tsunami. Both men exchanged a panicked look, knowing an onslaught of questions was approaching at the glints in their children's eyes.
"So does this mean you're boyfriends?" Bentley began.
"Yes." Both men confirmed.
"But wait, you liked mum and she was a girl?" Baxter said, tilting his head.
"Yes, I did love your mum, but I also like Bandit." Brett replied.
"So, wait, boys can like-like boys and girls?" Bluey asked. "Does that mean I could like-like boys and girls too?"
"If you wanted, sure." Bandit shrugged. But hopefully none of that for quite some time.
"Does this mean you two are getting married?" Bingo asked before inhaling excitedly, "Are we getting new brothers?!"
The kids eagerly looked at each other, the prospects of having additional siblings to play with clearly something they all were excited about.
Bandit's eyes nearly bulged out of his head, Brett stifled a cough. "Um, well, we really only just decided to start going together…" Brett began.
"And it takes a long time to decide if you want to marry someone." Bandit added.
"But if you two do get married, that means we'll all be brothers and sisters!" Bingo cheered.
"Technically you'd be step-brothers and step-sisters to each other." Brett said, gesturing between the two sets of siblings.
"But we'd still get to live together and play together all the time, right?" Bentley asked, "Because Jamie only sees his step-sister on weekends."
"Jamie's step-sister lives in a different city with his mom and step-dad, but if-and it's a big if-we did end up together then I guess we'd live together." Brett clarified.
"Yay!" The kids cheered.
"But what about if you and Mr. Brett decide to have more pups together, what would they be?" Bentley continued. "Would they be our siblings or step-siblings?"
Bandit frowned a moment, trying to figure out how he wanted to respond. I can't exactly explain all the birds and bees stuff right here and now. "Well, I don't think either of us really is planning on having any more kids, so that isn't really a concern…"
"Yeah, but neither were Aunt Trixie and Uncle Stripe." Bluey stated.
"Wait, your Aunt Trixie's pregnant?" Bandit asked, surprised.
"Bluey! Muffin told us not to tell anyone!" Bingo admonished her sister.
"Oops." Bluey grinned sheepishly.
"Wait, can two boys have a baby?" Baxter asked, "Who gets to be the mom?"
"Alright, and we're gonna stop this conversation there." Brett said.
"Aw!" The four complained.
"Look, we're happy you four are excited, but for right now it's not your concern." Brett said, a warning in his voice.
"We will let you know if anything happens, but for now, why don't you four just enjoy being kids?" Bandit smiled.
"That's what he says when it's something he doesn't want to explain 'until we're older'." Bluey said, rolling her eyes.
Bandit huffed, "Alright, I think that means that these ninjas need to be taught a lesson." He glanced over at Brett.
The red heeler grinned, "Go get 'em. I'll be here getting all your super ninja magic ready for you."
***BCH***
Back at home that evening the girls seemed a bit off.
"Bluey, Bingo, everything alright?" Bandit asked, as both girls half-heartedly made a tower of blocks.
"Mr. Brett, because you two are boyfriends, that means you love him, right?" Bingo asked.
"Well, yes." Bandit nodded, still not entirely used to admitting it. "I do love him."
"But you used to love mum." Bluey said, tears starting to form in her eyes.
"Of course I loved her. I still love her. Your mother was the only woman I ever loved. To this day I still love her, even if she isn't with us in person, she'll always be in my heart." He admitted. Bluey still looked down at the carpet. "Wait, are you worried that I'm going to replace mum with Brett?"
Bluey and Bingo nodded quietly.
"Girls, that isn't how love works. Throughout life you get more chances to love people. I love my mum and dad and your uncles, and your mum. Over time you get to share your love with more and more people. Besides, well, Brett's different than your mother…"
"He's a boy." Bingo observed.
Bandit huffed, "Yes, he's a boy."
"So that means you can do different boy things with him than with mum?" Bluey asked, still a bit unsure of how exactly it worked when two grownups that were the same gender dated.
Bandit immediately flushed, "Um, yes…" He coughed, trying to regain his composure, "But it means he won't ever replace your mum, or any of you for that matter. He and I, it's like you and Bentley and Baxter."
"I don't want to kissy-smooch Baxter!" Bingo loudly declared as she stuck out her tongue and made a gagging noise, having seen her father peck Brett on the muzzle before he picked them up at Uncle Stripe's house after they'd gone on a date. "He's a boy! Gross!"
Bandit frowned, "No! I mean, he and I, we've gone through similar situations. Like how you two and Bentley and Baxter have all lost your mums and go to Dr. Beagle." Bandit paused, "We understand each other, and even though that might not seem like a lot, it means a lot to me right now. But we're still working on building a relationship-not to replace what we had, but to add something more on top of the love we already have for each other."
"Okay." Bingo nodded. "But promise that when you get married I get to be the flower girl."
"Bingo…" Bandit sighed.
"Hey! I want to be the flower girl!"
It was at that moment that Bandit's phone rang. It was a call from his museum.
"Girls, I have to take this. Because I'm starting working full time again next week my boss wants to catch me up on their latest specimens so I'm ready. Can you play quietly while I'm on the phone?"
They both nodded. He silently thanked them and picked up as he headed into the office.
After a moment Bingo looked up from her blocks. "So wait, what do two boys do that's different from when it's a boy and a girl?"
Bluey shrugged, "I dunno, but I bet kissing must be way worse."
"Why?"
"Because dad and Brett both have tickly whiskers."
"Yeah, that does sound worse." Bingo agreed as the two started a game of contractor, pretending she was Brett and Bingo was their father-only without the smoochy kissing.
