Crazy Love (mxm)

Chapter Thirteen

Carter's POV

James sent me a picture of himself in a button-down and tie that made him look like a model.

James: is this too much?

Holy shit. My whole brain short-circuited.

In truth, dinner with my parents happened nearly once a week. It was in no way a formal event. James could show up in a ratty t-shirt and would probably look exactly like me. But for a second, just one second, I wanted to tell him to wear it.

Just because he looked so hot.

Me: you look so good...but yeah thats too much, t shirt and jeans is fine

James: perfect, im wearing my outfit then. gotta dress to impress the future in-laws

He was ridiculous.

Thanks to that sexy asshole, I was not going to be a functioning human tonight. I'd be too busy looking at his shoulder muscles to socialize.

Me: ur ridiculous

James: ridiculously into u ;) *eggplant emoji*

I tried my best to pretend I wasn't smiling. I wasn't smiling. I was tough, and independent, and did not have any sort of irrational feelings for deadbeat cocaine-using cigarette-smoking alcoholics.

...Who were fucking precious. And hot as hell.

"Daddy?" Ronan chirped, slurping on his fruit punch juicebox. "Wear dis?" He held up his dinosaur pajamas and scowled at the cute little shirt I'd put him in.

"No, peanut. You look handsome in the outfit you have on right now."

Ronan looked at his shirt with pure hatred. "No, Daddy."

"Yes. Give me one more minute to get ready and we'll head over to Gramma and Grampa's." I went back to shaving, totally unaware of the mischievous brat behind me.

Until I turned around to a bright red stain all over Ronan's shirt. He gave me his most adorable eyes. "Oops Daddy."

I crossed my arms. "Did you seriously spill juice on yourself?"

Ronan shook his head adamantly. "No."

I tossed my head back and groaned. We were definitely going to be late. I washed my face off and picked him up, dragging him into his bedroom. "Time to get you into a new shirt then."

"Dino?" Ronan waved his dinosaur onesie, just in case I had forgotten about its existence.

Almost-three year olds weren't supposed to be this devious and sadistic. I was almost sure of it.

James showed up a few minutes later, when I was mid-screaming match with my three year old. He strolled in without even bothering to knock, and then halted at the scene before him.

Ronan had tears running down his face and waved his dinosaur pajamas around. He was yelling at me, but even I couldn't understand his speech. Except for a few choice words, like 'Daddy', mean', and 'hafto'.

I held up the normal shirt. "Ronan, we need to look nice for Gramma and Grampa. This is the shirt you have to wear. Hi, James. Ronan, you can cry all you want, but you can't go to dinner in your pajamas."

James wrinkled his nose. "Why? Let the little man rock the threads he wants."

Ronan held out his dinosaur pajamas out to James. "Dino?" he begged. He gave James his most convincing puppy-dog look.

James gave him a thumbs up. "That's right, own your aesthetic."

Ronan stared blankly at James, and James stared blankly at Ronan. It was adorable how they liked each other despite the language barrier.