"And then Cameron was all, 'Batman is not as cool as Superman,' but I told him he was so wrong because Batman does what he does without any super powers..." Lance explained excitedly from the backseat. When Cruz had offered to pick up Lance from Lucky, he had obviously underestimated the amount of sugar his old college roommate had fed the little boy in the short hours he had had him.
"Uh-huh." Cruz answered noncommittally, barely able to keep from turning on the radio and blasting the child out. He had nothing against little boys, not even this hyper one, but he still wanted his and Bobbie's baby to be a girl. She kept insisting otherwise, but he was starting to think that she did it just to spite him.
"I don't think I'll be able to sleep. I've never stayed up all night before, have you Cruz? I heard that when you do that, it could kill you. Is that true?" Lance asked in the same breath.
"No. You won't die." Cruz assured him.
"Everybody dies, Cruz. We don't all go to Heaven, but we all die. Do you believe in Heaven?" Lance inquired.
"Yes I do." Cruz mumbled, tightening his seatbelt.
"There were some really mean kids at school. They were saying that my daddies are going to Hell." Lance sighed, combing his hair back with his hand. "Do you think that's true?"
"Kids suck." Cruz clarified. "As for Hell, only God gets to make those decisions, and I'm pretty sure that he likes your daddies."
"But how will I know? What happens if I get to Heaven and they aren't there? I'll be all alone." Lance sobbed loudly.
"You're never alone in Heaven." Cruz mumbled.
"Daddy Lucas said that Grandpa Tony went to Heaven. I never met him though. Was he nice?" Lance inquired hesitantly.
"Your Grandpa Tony was the best man I ever met." Cruz told him. "And he loved you so much."
"I'm really glad we're friends, Cruz. We are friends, aren't we?" Lucas questioned cautiously.
"We are friends. Hey, next time you go over to Lucky's, remind me to pick up some silly string, will you?"
"I'm home!" Lance announced, throwing open the door and finding his parents curled up on the couch together under a blanket Dillon had crocheted the winter before Lance was born.
"So we see!" Lucas slid his legs off Dillon's lap and met Lance and Cruz at the door.
Dillon looked at his son carefully. "Did you actually have anything that wasn't covered in sugar?" he questioned as he took in Lance's inability to stay still.
"Yeah. Bubble gum. Elizabeth promised it was sugarless." Lance nodded his head.
"Sorry we're so late. Traffic was a nightmare." Cruz explained.
"Sure it was." Dillon chuckled. He was sure it had nothing to do with the waves of discomfort coming off Lucas at this point. "Hey pal, why don't you go to the kitchen and get some water ok?"
"But I want a Coke." Lance argued, stomping his foot.
"Oh no. I think you had one too many of those at Uncle Lucky's. It's water or nothing." Dillon insisted, mentally reminding himself to find out what exactly he and Lucas had done to Lucky to deserve this.
"But I want--" Lance tried again.
"Water or nothing Lance." Lucas interjected stubbornly.
"Fine!" Lance stormed into the kitchen and slammed the door behind him.
"He gets that from you, you know." Lucas accused, wagging his finger at Dillon.
"Please. That is totally your move." Dillon waved him off.
"I'm just gonna go..." Cruz stepped toward the door, but Lucas' voice stopped him in his tracks.
"Cruz, can I talk to you a second?"
"Oh this will be interesting," Dillon murmured under his breath as he sat down on the couch.
"Yeah. Sure. Alright." Cruz gave in, sinking down into a chair.
"I've kept my mouth shut so far, because I didn't want to upset my mother. That's one of the main reasons I haven't brought this up before." Lucas stated.
"Okay." Cruz replied to show that he was paying attention.
"My mother has had a lot of heartache in her life--" Lucas began.
"I know that." Cruz assured him.
"Then you also know that I don't want her to have to go through any more. I've made my peace with this pregnancy, but I couldn't live with myself if I didn't at least ask you what you're planning to do." Lucas paused for effect.
"Damn baby. You have a shotgun lined up for the wedding?" Dillon joked.
Cruz couldn't keep from wiggling uncomfortably in his chair. "What do you want me to say, Lucas? I love your mother."
"So she tells me. Congratulations. I'm not convinced that you're going to stick around." Lucas told him directly.
Dillon whistled low in his throat. Lucas picked one hell of a time to become direct. Normally he would hem and haw around an issue until it was too late to do anything about it. Now all of the sudden he could just straight out say something? He learned something new about his husband every day.
"We're taking this one day at a time." Cruz informed them.
"Are you going to do that up until the day my little brother or sister is born?" Lucas challenged.
"I think I'd rather discuss this with your mother before I tell you anything." Cruz retorted hotly.
"And I'd rather be a size six. We don't always get what we want."
"I have to go home." Cruz countered, getting to his feet.
"You mean my mother's home." Lucas corrected.
"Lucas. Remember that conversation we had about why you don't ever meet anyone your mother dates? This would be why." Dillon pointed out. "You like him remember?"
"That was before he was sleeping with my mother and way before he got her pregnant." Lucas shot back defensively.
"It wasn't a spur of the moment thing. We've cared about each other for a long time. I want you to know that." Cruz insisted.
"That's good." Dillon said seriously. "He doesn't care right now, but eventually he will."
"I'm still here, you know."
"Hush you're being irrational right now. I'm trying to be the sensible one here."
"Ha, like you'd know where to start!"
Dillon raised his eyebrow. "Sure I do. Just do the opposite of whatever it is you are doing right now."
"I'm going to marry your mother!" Cruz interrupted.
"Excuse me?" Lucas sputtered.
"You heard me. How I'm going to convince such a brilliant woman to spend her life with an idiot like me, I don't know." Cruz admitted.
"Oh that was unexpected." Dillon blinked rapidly. Even in his wildest screenplays on this subject, not that he was writing any, he couldn't have written such a dramatic subject change.
"Can you do me a favor and not tell Bobbie? I kind of want to be the one to do it." Cruz begged with a tremulous smile.
"Oh yeah like I would be the one to ruin the big romantic moment?" Dillon snorted. "Cruz, I am already crafting the perfect moment for you if you need any help."
"Um, excuse me. I'm still kind of in shock. Are you seriously offering to help him?" Lucas looked at his husband the way he would a stranger.
"I could use all the help I can get." Cruz answered, ignoring Lucas' outburst.
"Oh come on it's a total movie moment here." Dillon defended himself. "And you wanted to know if he was sticking around. Well he obviously wants to. Why shouldn't I help him?"
"I guess it's okay if you help him." Turning to Cruz, Lucas went on, "You have to understand: no man is never going to be good enough for my mother."
"I don't claim to be the perfect man, but we are two halves of a beautiful whole." Cruz assured him.
"Oh you had to steal that line from a movie." Dillon accused. "Which one was it?"
Cruz lifted an eyebrow. "I have no idea." He realized.
"When are you planning on asking her?" Lucas asked.
"I haven't figured that out yet."
"When you know, we'll help." Lucas told him.
"We will?" Dillon lifted his eyebrow. "We?"
"That's what I said. Haven't you been paying attention?"
"Your blessing means a lot." Cruz stated, making his way to the door.
"You would have gone through with it either way." Lucas said.
"Pay no attention to him. I'll have him tickled pink by the time the wedding comes around." Dillon draped his arm over Lucas's shoulder. "He just loves drama. Don't let him fool you."
"It's nice to know that someone is on my side." Cruz chuckled, stepping out.