Greg sighed. “I can’t get out of not explaining, can I?”
“Probably not.”
Greg leaned in, kissing him on the cheek. “He was talking about you. A couple of his classmates said rude shit about your age. He didn’t like that.”
Dale froze. He’d worried about this, on and off. Worried about the times he’d gone to pick Phil up from school, meeting Phil’s classmates along the way. He hadn’t tried dyeing his hair yet, and at fifty-three, there was far more gray than he’d have liked to admit. He couldn’t hide the crow’s feet at his eyes, either. With a sinking heart, he asked, “They said I’m old? Is Phil getting bullied for it?”
“It was just comments. I think Phil can hold his own,” Greg said, kissing Dale on the lips. “That’s what he was upset about.”
“Does Phil—does he think I’m old?” Dale’s stomach squeezed.
“You’re his dad. Your age doesn’t matter to him.”
“But his classmates...”
“He wanted to punch them,” Greg said, the corner of his lip twitching. “I think he might present as alpha.”
Dale laughed weakly. He didn’t doubt that. But he did doubt himself, turning his hands over to look at them. Greg covered Dale’s fingers with his own, slipping his other arm around Dale’s waist.
“C’mon. Think about something else,” Greg said, pressing a light kiss to his temple. “Phil’s fine. He’ll always love you as his dad.”
Dale could believe that. Their son often smiled at him, coming to him for help with puzzles. Sometimes, instead of asking Greg to read the Super Alpha comics, Phil would pull out one of Greg’s Mad Scientist comics instead, and hand them to Dale.
“I try my best,” Dale mumbled.
“I know.” Greg pulled him close, his chest warm and solid. Dale never tired of having his alpha so close. Through the years, Greg had stayed by his side, listening to Dale’s worries. In return, Dale encouraged him through his job at the Meadowfall Environmental Regulations Center, and both Dale and Phil attended Greg’s games with the Meadowfall basketball team.
He pressed kisses to Greg’s throat, kissing along his stubbled jaw. Then he kissed Greg’s lips, and Greg tangled their tongues together, damp and soft. Dale purred into his mouth.
“The suit looks good on you,” he whispered.
“You made it for me,” Greg whispered back.
“It fits you perfectly. This is exactly how ‘skin tight’ should look,” Dale said. “I’ve always wondered what superheroes look like with erections.”
Greg nipped his earlobe. “Why don’t you find out?”
Dale slid his hand down silky spandex, following the curve of Greg’s pectorals, then the grooves of his abs. He traced his fingers down the V of Greg’s hip, slipping down around the warm bulge between his legs. Greg growled.
The door squeaked open. “Dad?”
They froze, Dale discreetly setting his palm on Greg’s thigh. “Yes, dear?”
Phil stood in the doorway, his eyes bleary, his lips pulled down in a pout. His dinosaur PJs were wrinkled. “I had a nightmare. The school field turned into a green dinosaur and I couldn’t—couldn’t stop it. It was going to eat both of you.”
His face crumpled. Dale’s chest squeezed; he loved their little boy so much. Phil had been a miracle when he was conceived, and he was still a miracle to this day.
“I told you he loves you,” Greg murmured in Dale’s ear. More loudly, he asked, “Want a hug?”
“You’re too nice to me,” Dale whispered. He squirmed a little ways off from Greg, patting the mattress between them. “Just for tonight, you’re allowed to sleep over,” he told Phil. “We’ll help you fight those monsters. You know, in a past life, your dad and I were Roman gladiators.”
Phil cracked a smile, padding over to their bed. Then he crawled onto the mattress, tucking himself between Greg and Dale. “Did you fight a lot of people in the Colosseum?”
“Your dad fought a bunch,” Dale said, grinning when Greg raised his eyebrows. “Mostly I came up with jokes and made your dad laugh. So he married me, with his sword and shield and all.”
“I like your jokes,” Phil murmured, pulling the sheets up around himself.
“All right there? Are the pillows soft enough?” Dale asked, moving his pillow closer so Phil’s head rested comfortably on it.
“Mhm,” Phil said, wriggling. “It feels safer here.”
“We’ll fight all the monsters,” Dale said. “That dinosaur will be no match for Super Alpha. In fact, Super Alpha will be here anytime you want him.”
“Until my birthday?” Phil’s eyelids began to droop. “I want to see Super Alpha on my birthday, too.”
“Sure, he’ll have some presents for you,” Dale said.
Greg rolled his eyes, but he was smiling, smoothing his palm over Phil’s hair.
It was only when Phil’s breathing evened out and he’d fallen asleep, that Greg whispered, “Did you just sign me up for more cosplay?”
“I believe I did.” Dale wriggled his eyebrows, raking his gaze down Greg’s chest. “Perhaps we’ll do the bodily inspection another day.”
“I had no idea you were into spandex,” Greg said, smirking.
“It’s a delicious tease.”
Dale leaned over his son, tipping his face up to his bondmate’s. Greg closed the remaining distance, kissing him softly. Then he caught Dale’s hand, kissing his wrist, where he’d left his bonding mark so many years ago. Dale shivered.
Greg smiled down at Phil. “Do you need any more proof that he loves you?”
Dale followed his gaze. Asleep, Phil looked angelic, his cheeks rosy, his hair a mess on his head, just like Greg’s. Dale could believe Phil would want to hit someone for offending his dad. “He’s just like you.”
“And like me, he loves you,” Greg said. He kissed Dale’s bonding mark again, tracing his own wrist over Dale’s scent gland, up his forearm to his shoulder. Then he touched his wrist to Phil’s cheeks, too, to mark him. Mine.
“I believe you,” Dale said, smiling. He was with his family, and both Greg and Phil wanted him around.
