Heaven Help Us

Possible

"Nnngh!" I groaned/wheezed out as something heavy, warm, and kid-sized jumped on me.

"Wake up Daddy! It's Christmas! You're here for Christmas, Daddy!" Jepha said happily, bouncing on my stomach.

It took a moment, but I finally registered where I was: Rain and Dante's guest room. I could faintly hear the sounds of the Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge album being played somewhere in the house.

I smiled as I remembered the past couple of days and tackled Jeph down onto the bed next to me.

He giggled and clutched his Batman toy closer to his chest and grinned up at me. "Good morning, Daddy."

My words caught in my throat. I missed out on five years of this...Shaking my head, I smiled back at him. "Merry Christmas, Jeph."

"Let's go wake up Mommy and Dante!"

"We're already awake!" I heard Dante yell from Rain's room.

...I decided to think nothing of it. I had no right to get jealous, anyway.

"Is Mommy already cooking?" Jeph yelled back to him.

"Yeah, she is-" Dante began, but was cut off by Rain yelling up to all of us.

"Dante, Jeph, come on, boys! You're like a hallway away from each other, go talk. And Jepharee Andrew Moore, you go get dressed! Dante, you too! The family will be over soon. Your Uncles Gerard and Frank are already on their way over. Andy, if you want, I can have Dante or Raven drive you home so you can get some different clothes, or you can wear the ones you had on yesterday; I washed them earlier. They'll be in the basement on the drier." She called up to us.

Jeph gave me a slightly sheepish look. "Sorry, Daddy. I gotta go get dressed. Are you staying or is Uncle Raven gonna drive you to where you live so you can get dressed, too and come back?"

"I think I'll stay."

"Will you come  help me pick an outfit? Usually Uncle Frankie helps on Christmas, but he's not here this morning."

"Yeah, sure. If you'll help me find the basement and my clothes after?" I bargained.

He nodded. "I will!"

"Then let's go put together an outfit for you."

As I put what looked like an already set out outfit on Jeph, he asked questions.

"Will I ever be able to see where you live, Daddy?"

"If it's okay with Mommy."

"Do you have a girlfriend or boyfriend that's not Mommy?"

"Uh, no."

"Why haven't you been around?"

I stopped what I was doing, which was helping him put his socks on. "I...um. I didn't...I." I was at a total loss for words.

Thankfully, he switched questions quickly.

"Do you love Mommy? Because, Mommy loves you."

Dante stood at the doorway, wearing nice black jeans and a button up black collared shirt. "Come on, Jeph. Mommy needs to see you real quick, buddy."

"But I need to show Daddy where his clothes are, D!"

"I'll do it, okay?" He smiled at Jeph. "Your mom wants to talk to you. And I think Frank and Gerard are almost here."

Jeph grabbed Batman, ran out the door, and then returned a few seconds later, tackling me with a hug and then ran back out to go see Rain.

Dante and I watched him go and then Dante turned to me.

"Don't hurt them. I swear to god, Andy. I will kill you if you break either of their hearts."

"I won't."

Dante's expression softened. "Come on, man. I'll show you where Rain put your clothes."

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For a while, I really really wanted Dante and Rain to fall in love..