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"Uh-huh." Bay wriggled against him as Ken started shouting. Which no one was taking seriously, given the way the kid's ass pushed up for each swat. "Kenny's feeling a little cooped up, I think."

"Maybe this'll help. Are there really cookies?"

"There are!" Bay laughed again as Ken's shrieks rose in volume.

Bay bounced and goosed him before half-running toward the kitchen, clearly expecting to be chased.

He took off, feet pounding on the floor, giving chase. "Gonna get you!"

Laughing, Bay zigged, and then zagged, and then his feet flew out from under him and he went down hard, hitting his cheek on the coffee table.

"Fuck! Rick!" He bent, scooped Bay up and cradled him close. "You okay, honey?"

Bay's eyes went glassy and then they started to roll back in his head.

"Rick! Rick, get your ass over here!"

Bay started to seize, shaking like crazy. "Where the
fuck
are you!"

Rick came running. "Shit. Shit, okay."

"No, leave him be." Ken was right behind Rick, pushing past them both. He sat next to Bay's head. "We have to make sure he doesn't choke."

"Okay. Is the wooden spoon thing a myth or real?"

"It's crap." Ken stroked Bay's head. "Come on, Bay. Come on. Come back. He must have forgotten to take his pills."

"I'll go get them. Water, too, right? He was thirsty afterward." Rick stood as he spoke, already heading out.

"Water. Yeah." Ken was focused on his twin, rubbing Bay’s head, his chest.

It felt like forever, but Rick hadn't come back yet when Bay finally stilled, eyelids fluttering.

"What do I do, man?"

"We need to take care of him. Tell him he's okay. Hold him." Ken looked up at him. "After my mom died it was only ever him and me when this happened."

"Well, honey, you're good at taking care of him." "You're probably the first person to ever think so."

"At least the second." Bay was relaxing already, easing in Ken's arms.

Ken looked down into Bay's face, stroking his cheek. "It's okay, Bay. Rick's bringing your pills and some water. Can you understand me?"

Bay blinked up at Ken. "Wha...?"

Rick came in, pills and a plastic cup in hand. "Here you go, Ken."

Ken got the pills into Bay, followed by the water. "It's okay, Bay. You had a little seizure. You haven't been taking your pills, have you?"

Bay shrugged. "I might have forgotten a time or two."

"No forgetting, Bay. We're too far out to get you medical care." Rick stared down, lips tight.

"I'm sorry," Bay whispered, looking pale and sad. Sorry.

"Yeah, well, I'm going to set the alarm every day and make sure you take them." Ken looked almost fierce for a moment. "It's important.
You
're important, Bay."

A smile pulled the corners of Bay's mouth up, and he reached for his brother.

Rick met Simon's eyes, a warmth there that eased the oily, dull panic that he'd felt since Bay started seizing.

Better.

Ken wrapped Bay up in his arms and the twins hugged each other tight.

"Can I get off the floor?" Bay asked plaintively a few moments later.

"Why don't we move you both to the couch?" Simon held his hand out to help.

"Yeah, that would be good." Ken grabbed his hand and the two of them helped Bay up, got him moved to the couch where Bay sat with a sigh.

"Better?" Bay nodded, looking pale, but there, and he headed to the kitchen to wash his hands, breathe a second.

Ken followed, grabbed juice from the fridge and drank out of the bottle. "You okay, Simon? This didn't freak you out, did it?" He could hear the 'you're not going to leave' that was right beneath the question.

"Scared me a little. I was afraid he'd really hurt himself." He smiled at Ken, tapped the end of the bottle. "That gross, you know that, right?"

"What? How can this be more gross than licking my ass or sucking my cock?" Ken gave him a wink, all that bluster coming back, covering up the worry.

Simon chuckled, and then opened up his arms, offering Ken a hug. Ken practically flew into his arms, holding on tight.

"I'm here. I have you." He rocked Ken gently, holding on.

"And you're not leaving." Ken sounded kind of amazed. "After everything I've done, after Bay seized out on you."

"No. No, baby. Not leaving. We're right here." He nuzzled Ken's jaw. "You're my friend, Ken. I like you."

Ken stopped and looked at him at that, a slow smile spreading across his face. "I like you, too. I even like Rick."

"Yeah, well, I might kick Rick's ass every so often." He grinned at his lover, who was wandering into the kitchen, and winked.

"Bay's asking for you, Kenny."

Ken didn't even hesitate. "Okay." Simon found himself on the receiving end of a quick, heartfelt kiss, and then Ken hightailed it into the living room.

"Hey, babe. He okay?" He put the juice back into the fridge, not quite sure how he'd ended up with it.

"Yeah, he's fine. He 'forgot' his pills over the last few days. I explained the importance of not forgetting." Rick's hand slid across his ass.

"You're good at that."

Rick smiled at him. "What this?" He was given another ass pat.

"I meant explaining things, but that, too."

"Kenny looked pretty upset, I'm guessing he'll make sure that Bay takes them regularly." Rick muscled up into his personal space.

"Uh-huh." He was having a fucking hard time focusing.

And didn't Rick know that? He sure did. One big hand landed on his ass and tugged him close.

"Fuck, babe. Kiss me." Hard. Deep. Now would be good.

Rick did. Their lips pressed together and Rick's tongue slid through his mouth. He moaned, opened up, licked at Rick's mouth. Rick backed him up against the fridge, pressing him against it. Oh, damn. He loved that hunger, that raw need.

The kiss nearly bent him backward now as Rick ground against him. He spread, balancing for Rick, taking everything he was being given. One of Rick's hands pushed between them, sliding into his pants.

"Rick. Babe." He fucking wanted, so badly. Suddenly. Rick's hand jacked him good and hard. "Come on, gimme."

"Rick. Rick, fuck." His head fell back and whacked the fridge.

That didn't slow Rick down any, he kept stroking Simon like there was no tomorrow. Like Simon coming was all he wanted.

"Love you, babe." Simon moaned the words and shot.

Rick smiled, the look smug as hell. Then he started licking Simon's come from his fingers.

"Don't make me beat you." Beautiful asshole.

"Like you could." Rick took a quick kiss. "We should go see if the boys are okay."

"We should. Thanks, babe." He felt good, loose in his bones. Like he could take on the world.

Rick put an arm around his shoulders and they wandered back into the living room.

Bay and Ken were cuddled together, holding hands and kissing.

"Better boys?" He smiled over. Bay looked less terrifying now.

Bay nodded. "Yeah. Almost human."

Ken cuddled Bay close. "We were going to watch
Speed
. Come sit with us?"

"That sounds like one hell of a plan." He checked the front door while Rick grabbed some blankets.

The four of them settled together to watch the movie, close and warm and quiet while the wind picked up outside, howling around the cabin.

***

Bay bounced through the snow, laughing and happy despite the fact that it had to be a bazillion degrees below zero. He felt a hundred percent better now and life was so good.

At the moment, they were going to chop down a tree for Christmas. Simon had the ax, Rick had rope and Ken was making snarky comments.

It was awesome.

Their own tree that they picked by themselves. It really didn’t get much better than that. Rick had bought decorations and lights on the last trek into town, Simon promised hot buttered rum and movies and popcorn.

"Man, this is designed to freeze all our balls off, isn't it?" complained Kenny.

Bay laughed and bumped into Kenny, sending his twin into the snow.

"You did that on purpose!" "I did!"

Kenny's eyes narrowed and Bay ran.

"The puppies are playing in the snow, Rick." Simon's voice rang out.

"I noticed. It's adorable."

Bay ran for Rick, hiding behind him as Kenny tried to get to him. Rick chuckled, booting him right back into play.

He shouted as Kenny tackled him. "Simon! Help me!" "I have an axe, kiddo. Tickle him."

Oh, good idea!

Bay went for Kenny's ribs, knowing exactly which ones to attack. Of course that was a two way street and they were soon both tickled out, covered in snow and panting hard and freezing half to death.

"Come on, you two. Up. Let's pick our tree and get it chopped." Rick helped them up, brushing them both off.

Bay made sure to lean into Rick's hand. He couldn't help but notice Kenny doing the same. He looked at Kenny and Kenny looked at him and they nodded together.

They launched themselves at Rick, bringing him down.

Simon's laugh rang out, and Rick kissed him silly, the man's mouth pure heat in a world of cold. Bay went with it, breathless when their lips finally parted. He smiled down at Rick and wriggled a little, but they were wearing far too many layers.

"Save
that
for when we're back home, murdered tree triumphantly displayed," Kenny teased.

"Here's a nice looking one, guys." Simon was standing near a mid-sized tree; it was dark and full.

They all turned to look and Bay jumped up to walk around it and make sure it looked good from all angles.

Kenny wandered over to Simon, looking for mischief, but Simon grabbed him, kissed him hard and long and deep. Bay stopped where he was so he could watch. Simon was good for Kenny, and good to him.

"This one is good," he finally said when their mouths parted.

Rick nodded. "Looks great."

Simon grinned. "Move back, boys."

Bay laughed and he and Kenny joined hands and watched as Simon got to work.

Kenny nudged his shoulder. "He's hot, isn't he?" Bay giggled and nodded.

Rick smiled over. "Incredibly."

"You are, too." Bay smiled at Rick. Man, he and Kenny were lucky.

Rick reached out one hand. "Happy, man?"

He nodded, leaning against Rick, holding both Rick and Kenny's hands as Simon cut down their own Christmas tree.

"Yeah, I am."

"Good."

"Okay, guys. It's coming down." Simon stepped away after a particularly loud crack.

Bay laughed and stepped out of the way along with Kenny and Rick. The tree fell, making the snow poof up in a big cloud.

"Ta da!" Simon stood, arms open wide.

Bay ran over to him and wrapped his arms around Simon's middle. "Thank you."

Kenny was there a second later, adding his own hugs. "You deserve something special for that -- I could fuck you!"

He heard the smack of Rick's hand on Kenny's ass. "That doesn't belong to you."