Happy Friday everyone! 

Eli comes home to a silent apartment. It’s only nine PM, so he knows nobody is asleep, but he’s just had a ten hour work day and sleep is the only thing on his mind. He enters his bedroom, throwing his sweater on the ground, dimly registering Kevin sprawled across the bed. Eli pays him no attention and collapses into bed with a grunt. Kevin lets out an offended shout.

“Get off my legs! Eli! You’re crushing me!”

“You’re on my side of the bed,” Eli mumbles.

Kevin flails and pushes but Eli is Not Moving, he’s too tired, Kevin can free himself if he wants to, he’s just being a pain in the . What is it with him lately? He’s been awfully whiny and clingy. Kevin finally pulls his legs out from under Eli’s stomach. He pushes Eli onto his back and Eli peers up at him tiredly, but he wakes up very quickly when Kevin suddenly straddles his waist.

“Did you even look at me when you came in?” Kevin asks with a pout.

Eli’s ashamed to admit that he didn’t. Kevin is wearing Eli’s favorite black button-down shirt, left slightly open, and underneath it Eli can just barely see the temporary tattoo that Kevin has applied to his chest.

“Oh,” Eli says.

Kevin grins wickedly at him. “I ought to just get in the shower right now, lock you out. Scrub this thing off and go to sleep. You’re obviously so tired.”

“Not that tired,” Eli says, his hands on Kevin’s hips, sneaking under his shirt.

Kevin leans down and latches his mouth on to Eli’s neck. Eli tips his head back with a groan, and he lets go of Kevin to fumble with his belt. Kevin pushes his hands away and takes over, looking up at Eli from under his bangs, his expression one that can only be described as “hungry”.

“I’m so glad that it’s Friday night,” Kevin purrs. “I swear, you’re not going to be in a state to do anything for the next two days.”

Before Eli can even tell Kevin about what a great idea that sounds like, there’s a shriek from their door.

“JESUS CHRIST, ! LOCK YOUR DOOR!” Jun hollers as he slams the door shut. “I’M ORDERING TAKE OUT ON ELI’S CREDIT CARD!”

“DON’T CURSE!” Kevin screams back. Jun doesn’t answer, but they can hear him running back down the hall to his room.

Eli whines and covers his face with his hands. “Damnit, the timing that kid has…”

Kevin swirls his finger around Eli’s abs. “So…do you want me to stop?”

Eli considers it only for a second. “No, not even that could kill my mood.”

“Good,” Kevin says happily, “Same here.”

Kevin and Eli had lived together for only a few months before Jun, the nephew of Eli’s mom’s friend, came to live with them. He had been kicked out of his house and in need of a new place to stay, and he’d been able to get a student visa to the US. Eli had met Jun before and Kevin was always a er for stories like Jun’s, so the two of them essentially adopted him. Jun had managed to get his hands on all the money in his bank accounts before his parents cut him off, he was tutoring in Korean language at a local college to make extra money, and he helped around the house by doing all the dusting—a chore Eli and Kevin both loathed. All in all, it was quite nice to have Jun around. The only downside was that he had the most rotten timing in the entire world.

Eli drags himself out of bed at 11 AM and goes to the kitchen. Jun is at the table, wrapped up in a blanket and playing candy crush on his phone. He makes at face at Eli.

“Look,” Eli begins, “I’m sorry that we—”

“Ruined,” Jun says dramatically. “I will never be able to get that image out of my head. What little innocence I had left, gone! I will never be whole again, and it all your fault! You owe me for this.”

Eli rolls his eyes. “Oh now, don’t be dramatic.”

Jun stuck his tongue out at Eli. “My eyes were violated.”

Kevin suddenly shuffles into the kitchen, his arm outstretched. “Aigooooo,” he sighs, throwing his arms around Jun’s shoulders. “My poor, poor Junnie-bear.” He lays his cheek on top of Jun’s head and leans into him. Jun lets out a muffled squeak of surprise and Kevin sighs again. “Poor baby Jun. How will we ever make it up to you? Dear, sweet, Jun.” He starts kissing Jun’s cheeks and forehead, and Jun whines.

“Did you even brush your teeth?! Gross, hyung! This is not cute!”

Kevin shuffles to the side, takes Jun’s face between his hands, and plants one last kiss in the middle of Jun’s forehead. “But you are cute,” Kevin says. “You’re so cute, I just want to keep you in my pocket.”

“More like keep you in my pocket,” Jun grumbles, “Since you’re so short.”

Kevin glares at Eli. “Haven’t you started making breakfast yet?”

“I had cereal,” Jun protests.

Eli ignores him. “How does bacon and French toast sound?”

“I am starving!!” Jun yells, throwing his arms around Kevin’s waist (an amazing feat, considering how wrapped up he is in that blanket). “Hyung, he didn’t even ask if I ate yet!”

“Eli!”

“I’ll make extra!” Eli promises, hurrying to get some frying pans on the stove.

Jun pouts up at Kevin. “Can I have coffee today?”

Kevin grins and taps Jun gently on the nose. “No way.”

Jun gets home late on Wednesdays because of tutoring. Kevin and Eli are already snuggled up on the couch, a drama playing on TV while they feed each other bits of popcorn, when Jun gets home. He starts making choked gagging noises as he rushes past them, but Kevin reaches out to stop him.

“Did you go to school in those jeans?”

Jun looks down at himself. “Yeah, why?”

“THEY ARE TOO SHORT!” Kevin yells, and both Jun and Eli jump. “Child, are you growing again?!”

Jun blushes. “It’s not a big deal, it’s not like it’s cold outside or anything.”

Eli and Kevin shake their heads. Eli turns to Kevin, “We can go shopping on Saturday, or you two can go Friday evening if you want.”

“It’s really okay,” Jun says again.

“You need new pants,” Kevin says firmly, yet kindly. “You can’t go around in ill-fitting clothes, it’s not like it’s a big expense to go to Target and get some new ones. We’ll go on Saturday, I promise Eli and I will behave on Friday night.”

Jun’s blush deepens and he mutters something under his breath, but it sounds like a surrender. He makes to slink off to his room, but Kevin stops him again. “Will you sit with us if we promise not to be too lovey-dovey?”

Jun hesitates, then sits on the sofa with them. “Share the popcorn,” he says quietly.

Eli and Kevin let him have it, and though they don’t kiss on the lips with Jun next to them, they do hold hands and frequently kiss each other’s cheeks. They don’t notice that Jun keeps stealing glances at them.

Jun trails behind Kevin and Eli as the two of them look over the clothes. Kevin insisted upon bringing a cart, and they have five pairs of jeans already, three that fit Jun now, with extra room, and two more with even more room for him to grow. Now they’re looking at sweats, and pajamas, and Kevin just found a t-shirt that Jun has to have, and finally Jun puts a hand on both of their shoulders and quietly tells them that it’s okay, he doesn’t need anything else.

Eli puts his arm around Jun and shakes him gently. “It’s not like this is out of our budget, kid. You haven’t gotten new things since you moved in with us.”

“And winter is coming,” Kevin says. “Do your winter things from last year still fit you?”

Jun shrugs. “I haven’t actually checked.”

“Well, we can come back,” Kevin says briskly. “For now let’s get you a sweater and some new shoes, now that I look at them they have to be getting too small or too small already. Are you walking with your toes curled?”

Jun blushes and looks away, and that’s answer enough.

By the time they leave the store a few hours later, they all have to help carry the shopping bags to the car. Kevin has a look on his face that Eli knows all too well means he’s worried, and Eli has that same feeling resting in the pit of his stomach. Once at home Jun makes to go to his room, but Kevin and Eli both stop him and ask him to come sit on the sofa with them. Jun does so, with the air of one who is about to be scolded.

“We’re not mad at you,” Eli says, keeping his tone light, “You can pick your head up, kiddo.”

Jun lifts his eyes from the floor.

“I have to say,” Kevin begins, “I’m a little worried about you, I think we both are. Jun, walking around with your toes curled because your shoes are too small is…well, it kind of hurts that you wouldn’t tell us you need new shoes.”

“Is there something you’re not telling us?” Eli asks.

Jun fidgets. “It’s just…I don’t know much about money and I’m…I’m going to be eighteen soon. I know I can’t stay here forever, so—”

“Okay,” Eli interrupts. “We need to stop you right there. You can stay here for as long as you need to, and it’s my thought that you should stay here, in an environment where you have people looking out for you, until at least after you’ve finished college. Kevin and I didn’t leave home until after we had graduated and gotten full time employment.”

“Yeah, really,” Kevin says. “Nobody expects you to move out with only the money in your savings. And the stuff that we bought you, that’s all stuff your aunt send us money for.”

Jun flinches. “She shouldn’t have to pay for that, either.”

Kevin rubs Jun’s back. “Lee Junyoung, you are seventeen years old. You should not be forced to be financially independent at your age. You should have somebody looking out for you, paying for your things. We’re not…” He pauses and takes a deep breath. “Junnie, Eli and I are not going to make you leave.”

It’s like the floodgates burst. Jun leans forward and just starts bawling, and it’s a while before he stops. None of them have brought up the subject of Jun being kicked out, but now Eli is starting to wonder if they should have.

“Jun, do you want to talk about it?” He asks.

Jun shakes his head frantically.

“Okay, okay,” Eli tells him, “You don’t have to. But you don’t have to keep everything to yourself. That’s why Kevin and I are here.”

Jun wipes his eyes and manages a smile. “Thanks. It means a lot to me. And I’ll try to…talk more to both of you.”

Kevin gives Jun a tight hug. “That’s all we want.”

Eli rests his elbows on the kitchen table, staring thoughtfully at Kevin as he washes the dishes.

“Do you think we should try to…I don’t know,” Eli sighs, “Get Jun into therapy, or something?”

Kevin shrugs. “I think forcing him into it might be worse than not. I think we should wait and see how he does over the next few weeks.”

Eli looks at Kevin suspiciously. “That sounds like something your mom would say.”

“I might have called her,” Kevin admits. “She might have told me that Jun is probably worried that he’s a burden on us, that he should be ready to take care of himself. She might have told me that we probably eased his fears about that last night.”

“Good,” Eli says. “The last thing I want is Jun thinking that we won’t take care of him.”

Kevin grins and dries his hands, and he skips around the table to plop himself in Eli’s lap. “I love how kind you are,” Kevin says, “You are possibly the sweetest man I know.”

“Did you include yourself in that?” Eli asks, wrapping his arms around Kevin’s waist. “Because nobody is sweeter than my Kevin.”

Kevin leans forward and brushes his lips against Eli’s. “I love when you call me that.”

“My Kevin,” Eli says again, before he presses his lips to Kevin’s.

Kevin leans back and grins at him, and then suddenly turns to the side. “Oh! Jun!”

Eli quickly looks to the doorway. Jun is standing there, his eyes wide, and he quickly covers them. “DEFILED!” He wails at the top of his lungs, and he runs off, fake-crying.

Eli leans forward and buries his face in Kevin’s chest. “The timing that kid has…”

Kevin Eli’s hair. “I find it almost flattering. Like when a kid runs away from their parents kissing…”

“Please don’t make references to Jun being like our son,” Eli begs, “I’m already worried that we’re raising him incorrectly.”

Kevin coos at him and calls him cute, and a few seconds later Jun calls down the hall, “I NEED TO EAT, IS IT SAFE?!”

Kevin gets off Eli’s lap. “Should I make you something?”

“A NEW SET OF EYES WOULD BE NICE!”

“How about pancakes?”

Jun flies in and sits at the table. “Pancakes are good.”

One night the three of them are watching a movie when suddenly Jun grabs the remote and pauses the TV. “There’s something I’ve been wanting to ask you two.”

Kevin and Eli sit up, torn between curiosity and anxiety. “Ask away,” they say together.

Jun pulls his legs up on the couch and sits on them. He face the pair of them, looking serious. “Do you two ever want kids?”

Kevin and Eli look at each other for a few seconds before looking back at Jun. They both start to talk, then stop and laugh.

“You go ahead,” Kevin says, leaning against Eli’s shoulder.

“We haven’t seriously discussed it,” Eli explains, “And we’re not looking to become parents at this stage in our lives, it would be a few years at least. But yes, I think someday we’d like kids.”

“Would you adopt?” Jun asks. “Can you? Is it possible for…for two guys?”

Kevin nods. “Gay couple can adopt, I believe they can even if they’re not married, in certain circumstances. There are some foreign countries that would not allow a US couple to adopt if they are gay, but there are other countries that do. And I believe the US foster system allows gay couples to foster and adopt children.”

“And that’s probably what we would do,” Eli says. “Foster first, then adopt if we feel like we’re a good fit for the child.”

“What about, like…surrogacy?” Jun asks.

Eli and Kevin look at each other.

“It’s very expensive, from what I understand,” Kevin says slowly. “Especially if it’s a stranger. Maybe if…if we knew the person? But even then…”

“We’d have to choose an egg donor,” Eli says. “That’s an option for some couples, but I’m not sure how I’d feel about it. We’d have to think about it.”

“You’ve never talked about that?” Jun asks.

“No,” Kevin says.

Jun hesitates. “What about…getting married? Is that something you’ve talked about?”

“Yes,” Eli says. “We’ve agreed that we’re basically married already. Maybe someday in the future, we’ll be in a position where we want to make it official, but we probably won’t make a big deal of it.”

“Wedding celebrations are expensive,” Kevin says. “We’d just go to the court house and get a license, maybe our parents would come with us and we’d go out to dinner after.”

Jun nods. “Your parents both…support you?”

“Yeah,” Eli and Kevin say together. “We’re lucky, not everyone has support of their family.”

Jun looks down at his hands. “I don’t.”

Eli feels like he’s swallowed ice. “Oh god, Junyoung…”

Kevin scoots forward and holds out his arms. Jun leans forward and Kevin hugs him close. “Do you want to tell us what happened?”

Jun sighs. “I don’t know if I’m gay. But there was a boy I kind of liked. We kissed, to see what it was like. We did it a few times, but that was it. I guess someone saw us, because somehow my parents found out. I told them I didn’t know what I wanted, I hoped it would make them calm down, but it just made them more upset.” He sat back. “I knew my aunt would help me, she’s always been open minded.”

“Honey,” Kevin begins, “Was it your idea to come to America? Or did she pressure you?”

“It was my idea,” Jun says. “I wanted to see what it would be like. It was my aunt’s idea to ask Mrs. Kim, Eli’s mom, if I could come stay with you guys. Maybe she wanted me to know that it was okay to like another man. But sometimes I think I’m more confused than before.”

“That’s okay,” Eli says. “Jun, you’re only seventeen. You don’t have to know exactly what you want right now. And it’s good that you’re now in an environment where you can find out. Kevin and I aren’t going to tell you what to do, as long as you’re not hurting yourself or anyone else. You can go out with a boy, or you can go out with a girl. We’re to going to stop letting you stay here if you decide you like girls.”

“Heck, you can like boys and girls!” Kevin says. “There’s such a thing as being attracted to both genders. You can like someone whose is female but identifies as male, and vice versa!”

“Pretty sure that’s going into panuality, love,” Eli whispers.

“But it’s still possible,” Kevin says, elbowing Eli in the ribs. “And Jun, you may decide that you don’t want to put a label on your uality, and that’s fine too.”

Jun smiles slightly. “Really?”

“Absolutely,” Kevin says, taking Jun’s hands. “It’s all about what you think is going to make you happy.”

Jun hugs Kevin again, and then he hugs Eli too. “Thanks. I really…I’m glad I have both of you.”

Eli puts his hand on Jun’s shoulder. “And we’re glad to have you. We’re here for you.”

“And we love you,” Kevin says.

“Yes, we love you,” Eli agrees.

Jun smiles. “I love you, too.”

“I’m home,” Eli calls, toeing his shoes off.

Kevin slams into him and kisses him soundly. Eli tangles his fingers in Kevin’s hair and leans into him.

“Wow,” Eli breathes against Kevin’s lips. “What did I do to deserve this?”

“I missed you today,” Kevin says. “Couldn’t stop thinking about you…”

“FOR PETE’S SAKE!!!”

Kevin and Eli both groan. “His favorite phrase…” Eli mutters.

“I MEAN REALLY!” Jun yells, “You announced your arrival to the world, I just wanted to say hi, not watch my parents tonguing each other!”

“Oh please never refer to me as your parent again,” Eli begs, but Kevin eats it right up.

“Who am I?” Kevin asks, “Mom or dad?”

“You’re appa,” Jun says with a smirk, “And Eli is dad.”

Kevin squeals loudly. “That is ADORABLE!!! I love it! It’s perfect! Oh don’t be a spoil sport Eli,” Kevin says, smacking Eli’s arm, “Jun only means it in a fun way, don’t you my son?”

Jun skips over and burrows into Kevin’s side. “I’m about as serious as Kevin is when he calls me his son.”

“I’m too young to be a father to a teenager,” Eli whines, “Kevin, how will we explain the birds and the bees to him?”

Jun scoffs, “As if I need an explanation, after all I’ve seen living with the pair of you.”

“It hasn’t been that bad, has it?” Kevin asks with a pout.

“I HAVE BEEN DEFILED!” Jun screams, “You two are the horniest—”

“I brought Five Guys,” Eli says, holding up a bag with burgers and fries. “I’m amazed you didn’t smell it!”

Jun takes the bag with a sweet smile. “I love living here, you two are absolute saints and I love you both.”

“We love you too, Junnie bear,” Eli sings, kissing Jun’s cheek.

At the table, Kevin and Eli reenact the most classic scene from “Lady and the Tramp” using a French fry, and Jun lets them get away without protest, though he begs them to lock their door if they do anything involving the loss of clothing.

“I think we can manage,” they promise.

sooooooooooo what do you think?