#oc: codiak

In the present day, their wielders are the Tulper twins.

However, before them, it was their mother - Connie (otherwise known as Arachnida) - who gave them up shortly before she found out she was pregnant. This happened during the naughties, so... it was a lil bit ago.

Now, the arachnid brothers don't really get along. They had a falling out a few centuries beforehand over something, and haven't really looked at each other the same since.

Araven has cared for all of his champions - even those who died tragically young - and grieves every last one.

Silbara... he moves on quickly.

The amulets kind of adapt with their champions deaths. Basically, adding powers when the wielder dies. So, like... the strength and speed increases; the webs and venom; it adapts to survive.

It was a fairly quiet morning in the Tulper household. Not much was happening. 

There was a breeze in the air.

The twin boys were playing together in the living room.

And in her own room, their mother - one Doctor Constance Tulper - wanted to rip her own hair out.

"No-no, I get it. I get it," she said, her face contorted into a grimace. "You can't control these things, Van. You just can't."

Connie sighed, running a hand through her hair.

She nodded. "I, yeah… I just… hope you get well soon."

She hung up the phone, clicking the button with a sad sigh.

"Great…" Connie groaned. "Just… great."

On her bed sat one Professor Steven Grant - one third of her boyfriend, and the only thing seemingly stopping her from going on a rampage. 

Steven looked at her, concerned.

"What's wrong, love?" He asked, rubbing her back gently.

Connie groaned.

"Apparently, my go-to sitter for the boys has come down with a nasty little case of the flu," she explained, exasperated. 

She pinched the bridge of her nose, shaking her head in frustration. 

Doctor Tulper had been called in for work at a new dig site for the day - on a day where she had planned on spending it with her kids and her lovely three boyfriends. 

"Now what am I gonna do?"

Steven was usually a man that liked to think before he acted, looking before he leapt. An incredibly curious individual at the best of times (and a deer in headlights at the absolute worst).

It should be stressed that the word used there was usually. 

This time, however, his mouth acted before his brain had the chance to catch up - as he caught how stressed out his lover was. 

"We could watch them," he blurted out almost immediately.

Connie turned to him.

"What?" She asked, tilting her head. 

Her "what" was echoed by both of Steven's headmates as well.

Steven forced a calm smile onto his face.

"I mean, think about it, love... we can watch the twins," Steven explained. He wrapped an arm around her shoulder supportively. "...maybe the three of us could even still take them to the museum."

Connie bit her lip, thinking the idea over for a moment. 

...it would be a good chance for her boys to bond...

...and, the twins had been looking forward to this for weeks. It wasn't fair to just...

...not let them have this.

"And... are you sure?" She asked. "Are you... all sure?"

"No," Marc said in the back of their head.

"Absolutely not," Chimed in Jake.

"Yes," Steven nodded, taking Connie's hand in his. "One hundred percent."

Connie nodded, smiling at him.

"Good, thank you," she said. She pressed a soft kiss to his lips. "...I love you."

She squeezed his hand.

"...all of you."

Steven pecked her forehead back affectionately.

"And we all love you too," Steven promised. 

Connie smiled gently.

"Right. You guys start… getting stuff sorted, I'll loop in the twins on what's going on."

Steven nodded, watching Connie let go of his hand.

"Alright, love," He chuckled. 

With that, Connie left his line of vision - leaving him alone with Jake and Marc glaring at him from the reflections of a picture frame and a mirror in the hallway respectively.

Steven frowned.

"Don't look at me like that," he whispered, pleading with them - seeing the disappointment from Jake and Marc. 

Both of them simply folded their arms, their discontent obvious.

Steven gave them a nervous chuckle.

Connie walked into the living room, taking in her two boys that sat on the sofa together. The twins were talking excitedly about their expectations and hopes for the museum. 

 "Right, boys!" Connie clapped her hands. "Slight change of plans for today!"

The twins looked up at her, watching her every move.

"So… some bad news first, little bugs…" she explained, her face showing her disappointment at the situation. "I've just had a phone call - I can't go to the museum with you today, I need to go in for work."

The  boys both frowned, with Tobias making a noise of disapproval.

Connie winced. This wasn't gonna go down well…

"-and aunt Vanya can't watch you boys either," she added. "She's feeling… under the weather."

"What?" Cody asked, suddenly worried.

"No-!" Toby squealed, frustrated. "What about the museum?"

Connie took a deep breath.

"Well, that's the good news," she explained. "Steven, Jake, and Marc are gonna take you instead, okay?"

The twins shared a look with each other - an uncertain gaze that showed solidarity between them.

"Hey, c'mon…" Connie took a step closer. "You're still gonna go to the museum - and it's still gonna be fun!"

Cody pouted slightly.

"...it just won't be Mom fun…" he whispered, shaking his head.

Connie sighed.

"I know, baby," she said, assuring him. "I know… and I'm sad that I can't go too - but, listen: you're still going to Grandma and Grandpa's tomorrow night as well. Okay? That's still what's happening."

Cody nodded. Tobias sighed in relief.

"Thank cheeses for that."

Connie chuckled.

"Cheeses?" She asked.

Toby nodded.

"Yeah! On the TV, when people are, like..., really happy about something, they'll say something like "Thank Cheeses!""

Connie thought for a moment.

"Toby… do you mean… "Thank Jesus"?" She asked, holding back a laugh. 

Toby tilted his head.

"Why would people thank Jesus?" He asked. "Have they never had cheese?"

Connie chuckled.

"No, it's just…"

She paused.

Well, there was really no reason for her to correct this adorable mistake…

"Never mind, sweetheart. Now, both of you, start getting ready, okay?"

"Okay, Mom-!" 

Toby practically lept from the couch, while his brother followed close behind. The two of them grabbed whatever they needed. Jackets, hats, gloves… 

(Damn the cold of her home state…). 

"Right, c'mon… let's make sure you're all wrapped up, okay?"

Toby sighed, nodding.

The twins quickly got themselves all wrapped up, warmly.

Connie helped zip up Tobias' jacket. She knelt down to his level, making sure to give him a smile.

"Hey," she said calmly. "Remember: stay with your brother, okay?"

Toby nodded glumly. Connie took note of his sour mood. She sighed.

"Baby, I know it sucks that I can't be there… I wanted to go with you, I promise. But… work called, and well, they… they need me," she explained calmly.

"Work is stupid," Toby muttered.

Connie hummed. She sighed.

"Yeah… Yeah, it is," she nodded. "...but… it's what gives me money. It lets me look after you two… and, whether I like it or not, my responsibilities come before my fun…"

"Why?" Cody asked quietly.

Connie chuckled, shifting to look at both of her boys. She took a hand from each of them in each of her own, giving them a gentle and reassuring squeeze.

"Because you're my kids, and whether the two of you like it or not, you're my responsibility…" She explained. "...and that's a pretty cool thing, because being responsible for something is its own strength. It gives you something to protect. It's a power."

Toby nodded.

"And like with any power, comes more responsibility," she added, finishing up their zips. "...there."

Toby smiled.

"Thanks, Mom," he chuckled. 

He and Cody both wrapped their arms around her. Connie chuckled, letting out a soft "oof" as her boys lept into her arms.

"Okay, okay," she laughed. "Alright. Now, both of you, remember: stay with your brother, and stay with Marc, Jake, and Steven. Okay?"

"Yes, Mom," the twins said in unison.

She made sure they had their gloves on, and gave the boys their hats.

"There…" She murmured, moving a few stray strands of hair from their faces.

"You don't have to do that for me, Mom," Toby said. "I'm basically a grown up already."

Connie chuckled.

"Oh, is that right, Tulper?" She asked, a hand on her hip.

Toby nodded.

"Yep!" He grinned cheekily.

"Well, if you're so grown up, then how can I just-?"

Connie blew a raspberry on his cheek. Toby squealed, giggling excitedly in her arms.

"Maaa-! Stop-! Stop!" He laughed, wiggling and struggling playfully. 

"Stop what?" She asked, pulling away with a chuckle, only to keep messing with him. 

"Sto-ho-ho-hooo-p!" Toby squealed. "I'm just a little boy-!"

"Oh," Connie gasped, stopping her raspberries and pulling away from him. "I thought you were a grownup, I am so sorry, Toby."

Toby giggled.

"It's okay, Mom!" He smiled.

Connie chuckled.

"You'll always be my little boy," she promised. Then, she pressed a kiss to Cody's cheek too. "Both of you."

She stood up, dusting herself off. Connie settled her hands on her hips, doing one last check-over with the twins.

"Alright… now, did you boys bring your allowances with you?" Connie asked.

The twins nodded, panting a point of showing her where they'd put their money.

"Good job!" She nodded, clapping her hands. "There should be, what, twenty bucks saved up?"

The twins shook their heads, giggling.

"I've got twenty-seven dollars saved up," Cody said proudly. "...and sixty three cents."

"-and I've got twenty-two bucks!" Toby added excitedly. 

Saving money had always been difficult for Tobias; the boy didn't seem to have an off-switch at times…

…but, he was trying.

And she couldn't fault him for that.

"Good job, kids," Connie said, smiling at her boys proudly.

Jake was fronting by the time the twins were ready. He stood by his taxi, leaning against it casually. 

The three alters had gotten into quite the argument (or, well… they had simply yelled at Steven), and Jake was the one that gruffly decided to take the lead.

(...besides, he didn’t allow Marc to drive his taxi, either). 

While he may have been slightly pissed at first…

…the more he thought about it, the more he kinda… needed this.

All three of them did.

It would honestly be a nice change of pace, hanging out with the twins.

…it'd beat criminals and monsters, that was for sure.

Connie chuckled, dusting her hands off.

"Alright. You got everything?" She asked, standing from the door.

Jake checked his pockets quickly.

"Uh… wallet, keys… yep."

"How about kids?" Connie offered, with a hand on each of her boys shoulders.

Jake chuckled. The twins let out their own little squeals of laughter.

"Ah, just what I was missing!"

Connie snorted. She shook her head.

"Alright… you two, go with Jake now, yeah?"

The twins nodded, trudging over to him. 

"He'll take good care of you," she promised.

She looked up at Jake, raising a brow.

"Right?"

Jake gulped. He nodded, smiling slightly nervously.

"Right. You boys'll be fine with us."

Connie chuckled. "Alright, alright. Now, go… have fun."

She made sure to point in their general direction.

"And remember!" Connie called out. "Be good!" 

"We will!" Toby called back, smiling wide.

Connie chuckled. "Oh, I wasn't talking about you two, honey."

She glanced at Jake, who chuckled nervously. Jake swallowed hard.

"Ah, we'll be fine. Isn't that right, boys?"

Toby and Cody both shrugged. They nodded. Connie chuckled.

"Alright. I'll see you boys later," 

She kissed her sons on their cheeks again. Then, she gave Jake a soft peck on the lips.

"I'll text you three when I get back, okay?"

Jake nodded.

"Si. Comprendo, mi reina," he promised, his forehead on hers. "The twins will be fine."

Connie smiled.

"Thanks, Jakey…" She whispered.

Toby and Cody both grimaced, making dramatic noises at their mother's display of affection.

"Gross…" Toby grimaced.

"Ew-!" Cody squirmed, making fake vomiting noises. 

Connie chuckled.

"Alright. Alright, I've gotta get ready for work. You boys have fun."

"Will do, Mom!" Toby nodded.

"Bye-!" Cody waved.

-

They quickly started driving to the museum, with the twins buckled into their seats, and Jake focused intently behind the wheel.

Toby sighed, boredom taking over the eight year old.

He could only swing his little legs for so long…

Tobias looked about the back of the cab curiously, trying to find something to entertain himself with. 

"Hey, Jake?" Tobias asked.

Jake hummed.

"...Why is there wool back here?" The boy inquired.

"Yeah, do you have a cat or something?" Cody asked.

"Ah, no…" Jake shook his head. "It's… well, I use it."

Toby tilted his head.

"How?"

"Well, I… crochet," Jake explained. "It's… kind of like knitting? You… hook wool together to make something."

Toby nodded.

"Neat," he said with with smile on his face.

His eye was caught by a Mustard yellow blanket. A woollen one that looked... really comfy, honestly.

"Did you make this?" Toby asked, curiously.

Jake hummed. He looked in his mirror, spotting the blanket that Tobias held. It was made from a chunky yellow wool, and was one he was... really proud of. Jake nodded.

"Yep. Made it myself," he said proudly, showing off a little bit (as Steven and Marc were never that good when it came to crochet... and they felt oddly jealous of their headmate's talent).

"Ooh," the twins said in sync. 

Toby spread the blanket between himself and Cody. It covered their laps. Cody smiled, sneaking his hands under it to keep warm.

"Thanks," he whispered to his brother, giggling a little.

"No problem," Toby whisper-giggled back, cuddling up with his brother.

Jake chuckled.

Kids...

...what were they like?

Cody glanced at Toby quickly. Wordlessly, something seemed to be communicated between the two. 

"Hey, Jake?" Tobias asked, fidgeting with his seat belt. 

Jake hummed, glancing back in the mirror.

Cody squeezed his brother's hand supportively. Toby took a deep breath.

"Can we put on some music?" He asked nervously.

Jake chuckled. "Yeah… the radio doesn't work that great, but… I've got some CD's in the back… Cody, under the seat in front of you."

Cody glanced at the seat in front of him. He reached a hand out and pulled out a black…

Well, it looked like a folder.

"What is this?" He asked.

Jake smiled. "That, kids, is a CD wallet. It keeps all your music for travel in one neat place."

"Ooh…" Toby and Cody both went at once.

He heard Marc and Steven chuckle.

The twins were so easily amused.

They started looking through the CD's, with some being outright refused by Jake ("Connie would kill me if I played that one, Marc!"), while others were grimaced at by the twins.

Until…

"Hey, what's this one?" Toby asked, picking up one of the CD's.

Jake chuckled. He gripped the wheel tighter.

"I don't know, kid. What's it say?"

Toby furrowed his brow, reading the scrawl on the disk.

"It says… Bug Music…" Tobias said. 

He looked up.

"Does that mean music for bugs, or music about bugs?" The boy asked, tilting his head in curiosity.

Cody shrugged.

"I don't know," Jake mused, loving how their minds worked. "Maybe it's music that makes you think of Bugs."

Cody hummed.

"Maybe," he shrugged.

"Marc," Jake thought. "Is that one okay for the kids?"

Marc nodded from the rear view mirror.

"Yeah, it should be… mostly just music I used when we were getting over Bug, you know?"

"What, the sad stuff?" Steven asked, from the driver's side window. "The music you cried yourself to sleep to?"

Marc scoffed, rolling his eyes. Jake chuckled.

"Alright… c'mon, kid. Hand me the CD," he reached back.

Toby placed the case in his hand. Jake slowly, carefully slid it into the CD player and pressed play.

The first song started to play, and Jake instantly remembered the days where that disc in particular got played.

And all the memories flooded back as Jake drove to the museum.

-

There was an exhibit on animals and dinosaurs, the twins said, that the three of them just "had to see."

"Hey, c'mon, Steven!" Toby said, dragging the man with one hand.

"Yeah-! Everyone's gonna want to see the dinosaurs!" Cody agreed. "We gotta be fast!"

Steven chuckled, allowing the boys to lead the way.

"Alright, alright, I'm coming," he relented.

The twins dragged him to a large stegosaurus skeleton.

"Ooh…" Toby mused, looking up at the fossil. "...he's big."

Steven nodded. He chuckled a little at the boy's obvious statement.

"Definitely. Isn't he?" He asked. "And just think, he must've eaten all of his veggies."

The twins both laughed a little.

"Now, do you know what kind of dinosaur this is?" Steven asked, crouching down to roughly their height. 

"It's… it's a stegosaurus," Cody said excitedly. "A-a quadrupedal herbivorous dinosaur."

Toby nodded excitedly.

"-that means it eats plants and stuff!"

Steven chuckled again, watching the two boys bounce off of each other with facts.

"-and they lived in… herds and had very little brains," Cody explained.

He looked back to Toby, hoping for his brother to add onto the pile of information.

"Yeah! And-and it has massive tail spikes!" Toby added, stretching his arms out wide. Then he paused, thinking for a moment. "...or, well… had…"

Steven chuckled.

"Indeed…"

Cody tugged on his sleeve. He turned to face the boy.

"Yeah, Cody?" Steven asked, smiling softly.

"Um…" Cody fidgeted with his hands. "It's… the-the tail spikes? They've got a name…"

Steven hummed, intrigued.

"Oh, do they?" He asked curiously. "What are they called?"

Cody curled a finger, beckoning him closer. Steven leaned in, his ear getting closer to the boy's mouth.

"...thagomizer," Cody whispered, as though the word was a secret.

Steven gasped.

"No-! Really?" He asked, hand on his chest in a playful faux-surprise.

Cody giggled, nodding.

"Yes-!" He laughed. "I-I read it in this big book-! And-and… it stuck out to me!"

Steven hummed.

"Well, that certainly is interesting," he noted. 

The twins tugged on his hands, ready to drag him around the exhibit.

"Look!" Cody said excitedly. "A hippo!"

"Hippo!" Toby squealed, just as excited as his brother at the plastic replica of the animal. 

Steven chuckled, shaking his head. The two of them were so excited over it…

It was heartwarming.

"They're, like… so big!" Toby explained, stretching his arms out. 

Cody nodded in agreement. "We saw some, when-when we went to the zoo last summer. And-and they were giant!"

Toby giggled, going along with his brother.

"Yeah! And know what?"

Steven shook his head.

"What?"

"Mom said that they're, like… super dangerous!" Toby explained.

"Oh, are they?" Steven asked.

The twins both nodded.

"Mh-hmm." Cody confirmed. "They're… one of the most dangerous animals on the planet!"

Steven gasped playfully.

"Oh, my goodness-!" He said, in faux exaggeration.

Cody nodded.

"But this one isn't real."

"Yeah!" Toby agreed. "Just like that bear!"

The boy pointed to a nearby display…

…of a taxidermied black bear.

"...don't tell them-!" Both Jake and Marc screamed in the back of his head.

-

Up next was the Hall of Oddities and Mythologies. And Steven was excited.

"Oh my giddy aunt," Steven said excitedly.

He practically ran to the Egyptian section, with the twins giggling and squealing as they chased after him.

"Steven-!" Cody giggled. "Wait up!"

"Yeah!" Toby added, laughing just as hard as his brother.

Steven froze, pausing to catch the twins as they bumped into him.

"Oh, sorry, lads," he chuckled, shifting from foot to foot. "Just got a little excited there. They've got this amazing exhibit on ancient Egypt, and..."

...the twins looked up at him, all wide eyes and smiles. They were just as excited as him. 

"C'mon," he said. "I wanna show you something."

He led the boys through the exhibit, like their own personal tour guide. The twins listened intently to his every word, chiming in with questions when the moment arose.

"-and now, look at this." Steven gestured to a part of the exhibit.

The twins both studied the artifact intently. Their heads tilted in curiosity. Steven chuckled, watching them gaze into the display case.

"Wow..." Toby whispered. "What's this?"

"This, boys, is a mummified cat," Steven said.

The twins both looked horrified. 

"Oh no, poor kitty," Cody whimpered.

"Who would do something like this?" Toby asked.

Steven's smile fell.

"Hey, hey, hey... boys, please don't be sad!" Steven pleaded.

"But... someone dissenboweled the poor cat!" Cody protested. "Someone was mean to him!"

Steven gasped, realising that the boys needed more information than he had given them. 

"No, no. Nobody was mwan to the kitty-!" He protested.

"But... then why did they make him a mummy?" Toby asked.

"The ancient Egyptians really liked cats!" Steven explained. "And-and mummification was a difficult process that required a lot of hard work! It was saved for those that were very special... like cats."

The twins looked up at him.

"They'd never harm a poor cat," he explained. "They liked them too much. Besides, mummification meant that the cat would last a really long time, yeah?"

The twins both nodded.

"Yeah," Cody said sadly.

"It was a way for them to remember their dead loved ones," Steven promised. 

Toby gasped.

"Like Mom with Rover!" He squealed.

"Rover?"

Toby nodded. Cody smiled, nodding alongside his brother.

"Rover!"

"Yeah! The dog mom had as a kid," Toby explained. "Mom kept his collar, and she sometimes wears it when she's sad."

Steven hummed.

"...so, they weren't just being mean to the cats?" Cody asked.

Steven chuckled, he shook his head.

"Cody, cats were sacred to the ancient Egyptians. They'd never hurt them," he promised. 

Cody let out a sigh in relief.

"Oh, that's good," he chuckled. 

"In fact... they actually used to grieve their cats, and shaved off their eyebrows as a sign of respect!" Steven added. 

The three of them carried on, travelling around the exhibit together. 

There was a taxidermied... something... in a glass case. It looked like a rabbit, with a couple more things sewn onto it (...even if he couldn't see the seams). Cody looked at it intently. Steven crouched down beside him.

"So... what's this then?" Steven asked, curiously.

Cody turned to face him. "Jackalope."

His voice made it sound like the most obvious thing on the planet. Steven nodded, intrigued.

"They're... like rabbits," Cody explained. "They're really timid and only come out at night during warm months."

"Oh, do they?" Steven asked, smiling.

Cody nodded.

"I've even seen some before."

"You have?" He asked.

Cody nodded again. The boy actually smiled a little.

"Once. When I was at Grandma and Grandpa's. I couldn't sleep, and neither could Grandma. So, we sat in the back yard for a bit," the boy told him. "And a mama one came with her kaunlits."

He looked at Cody. A look of confusion spread across his face.

"Kaunlits?" Steven asked.

Cody nodded.

"Her babies," he explained.

"Oh... continue," Steven said with a chuckle.

Cody smiled. He carried on with his account.

"And... and they nearly came up to us!" He added, excited. "They were so cute. It was amazing! ...but then, a neighbour's dog barked, and they ran off..."

His smile fell. He had really wanted to see them up close...

"Right..." Steven nodded.

Cody had described the event like if he had seen a fox or something, and not a chance meeting with a magical creature.

...it was oddly sweet, in a way.

"I'm going to go see where your brother is," he explained. "Stay where I can see you, yeah?" 

Toby stopped in his tracks. He looked up at the wall, taking note of the picture framed above him. 

It was... an old ink sketch of a creature, scaled up to a much larger size on the wall. And beside it were several pictures of the tracks left in its wake. 

"The slide-rock bolter..." He mused, looking between it and the description. 

"The slide-rock bolter was a monster commonly reported to have been seen by lumberjacks spanning between the early nineteenth and twentieth centuries," the plaque read. "Sliding down the mountains of Colorado like a toboggan -" (he had a bit of difficulty sounding that one out - why couldn't they have just said sled?) "- and destroying trees, boulders, and anything else in its path."

The creature looked like a whale, on land.

"It leaves behind a terrifying track in its wake and snaps up tourists and hikers who dare tred on its territory."

Steven came to stand beside him again.

"Oh, Slide-Rock bolter..." He noted.

Toby nodded.

"They think he's mean," Toby said. "...but I don't."

Steven hummed.

"You don't?" He asked.

Toby shook his head. He kept his eyes focused on the picture. Steven nodded.

"And why do you think that?" He asked, encouraging the boy to speak his mind.

Toby smiled.

"Snakes," he said simply.

...that confused Steven.

"Snakes?"

Toby nodded again.

"Snakes."

The boy offered no further explanation. Steven hummed.

"Now, I don't know much about Snakes," he said. "Would you... be able to say why Snakes remind you of him?"

Toby nodded.

"Oh, yeah. When Grandpa takes us camping in the summer with our cousins, he tells us - "stay clear of the snakes, it's their home first!" - and it is! We need to watch out for them and walk away!" Toby explained. "When we see a snake, we don't go up and get in their way! We stay clear and let them pass!"

Steven nodded, slowly understanding the boy. Toby kept going, he was on a roll.

"See, because snakes can't see all too well, and-and we can see a lot better," he added. "So, we have to be kind to them! Because they get scared of us if we get too close. And these guys, if they're anything like that!"

Toby pointed to the drawing.

"Then, no wonder they can't see all too well! Maybe we just need to-to keep clear!" Toby concluded, a wide grin on his face.

Steven thought for a moment.

"You know what, Toby?"

Toby looked at Steven, tilting his head. Steven smiled.

"...I think you're absolutely right."

-

One of the temporary exhibits at the museum caught the boys' attention. The two of them were obsessed with their city's former hero, Arachnida.

"Her goggles were, like... so cool-!" Toby explained as he walked backwards to the exhibit.

Marc looked up, making sure to carefully swing Toby out of the way at any chance danger or collisions.

"Yeah?" He asked, smiling at the boy.

Toby nodded. Cody glanced around the room, looking at the photographs of the former hero, of remnants from her fights, and - most importantly, - some art of the two Bug monsters that were often seen with her. 

"Look!" Toby said excitedly. "That-that big one! He's so cool!"

Marc chuckled, looking at the painting of the all-too familiar monster.

Araven…

He remembered the monster well. 

"Stuck up as fuck…" Jake muttered. "I don't know how she dealt with him for so long."

"Well, Connie has always been understanding," Steven offered. 

Cody looked at a picture of one of the two creatures. A blindingly white beast with a long tail and a stinger...

...like a scorpion.

Marc grimaced.

"...he wasn't much better," he added in his head.

His eyes settled on the only footage caught of the two creatures.

"Two brave, never before seen, creatures fought bravely alongside Arachnida", the description read. "Protecting innocent civilians from North American cannibalistic creatures. The scorpion fended them off with Arachnida, while the Spider helped evacuate the injured from the scene."

Jake scoffed.

"Okay, that fight was taken entirely out of context!" He growled. "Mierda… The sick bastard wasn't even trying to get those creepy fucks out of the way-!"

"Yeah, Silbara was just trying to get more people hurt!" Steven added, equally as pissed off.

Marc simply swallowed his frustration.

...the kids didn't need to know how he felt.

"...he looks scary," Cody whispered, grabbing Marc's hand.

Marc looked down at the boy. He felt his heart melt.

"...he was," Marc confirmed, guiding them away from Silbara's picture.

Out of the two arachnid deities, the scorpion was always the much more ruthless. 

There was one part of the exhibit that tugged on Marc, Steven, and Jake's heart:

The only interview their dear Bug gave.

Some kid had written a polite letter to the hero, about having to write something for class, and needing an interview. And Connie had been more than willing to oblige.

"Well, obviously," her edited voice said. "I do what I do, because… it's what I love, right? And… it's the right thing to do."

She chuckled, and Marc could imagine her doing the headshake she always did.

"I mean, as long as it makes the city safer for kids like you, right?" Arachnida asked. "I mean, I have all these powers, and… I gotta do something with them. I mean, I think my grandma said it best…"

The hero sighed.

"With great power, comes great responsibility…"

Tobias turned to watch the recording, seeing the footage of her acts of heroism play out before him. Her voice continued.

"Now, anyone can do good, obviously," she added, with a chuckle. "And, I mean, it doesn't have to be something big. Just a quick… like, helping your neighbour take their groceries in. That will do more good for the world than just doing nothing."

The video ended, and it settled on a photo of Arachnida, perched on a roof - her curly hair bouncing in the wind.

Tobias stared at the photo of her, taken aback. She… looked so confident, so flawless. Like, her heroism was something anyone could do.

Marc had a sad smile on his face. Toby gave a quick glance to Cody, who nodded.

"Hey… Marc?" Toby asked cautiously.

Marc hummed, turning to look at the boy.

"...do you wanna go to the machines?" Cody asked. "They've got a cool robot thing there."

Marc chuckled. He nodded.

"Sure, kids. Lead the way."

-

The hall of technology was where Cody's eyes lit up fully. The little boy loved technology, loved science with a passion.

And amongst the old devices on display, Cody really felt himself. He looked excitedly, dashing towards a display case.

"Look!" Cody said excitedly. "An RCA 630-TS!"

Marc blinked, the boy's technological babble going over his head.

"These were some of the first tvs ever sold!" He squealed. "Manufactured between 1946 and 1947! It was originally sold at a price of $350, along with the seven inch model 621TS."

Marc blinked.

"Did... we get a word of that?" Steven asked innocently.

"Absolutely not!" Jake chuckled.

"That's... wow, Cody." 

It was all Marc was really able to say. 

"Hey, look at this!" Toby said, pointing to another display case. 

Marc hummed, walking over to where Toby stood. Tobias stared at an old telephone set, sat on the case's shelf.

"This thing looks ancient," Toby giggled. "It's like the one Grandma pulled out of the closet-!"

Cody gasped.

"You're right!"

Marc chuckled. The old rotary phone was a bit before his time...

His eyes glanced over the display case, settling on something that brought back memories.

"Oh, that-!" He tapped on the glass, pointing to an old, familiar item. "That was the first kind of phone I ever had!"

Cody and Toby both followed his finger, their eyes settling on it. They exchanged a quick glance.

"Marc..." Toby said kindly. "Did you go to school with dinosaurs?"

Cody giggled. Marc gasped, mock offended. He knew the kid was just playing.

"Hey-! I'm not that old, kid!" He protested. "Besides, if I'm old, then what does that make your mom? She's a year older than me!"

"That's different!" Cody giggled, shaking his head. 

"How?" Marc asked, smiling.

"Because she's our mom-!" The twins said, almost in sync.

Before Marc could come up with a rebuttal to their point, the twins scampered off excitedly, with Marc hot on their trail.

The two of them gasped, looking through the movie posters.

"Look!" Toby said, pointing to one of the posters. "It's that movie mom likes, the one she said we couldn't watch!"

The poster for Chicago stared back at them.

Toby loved how it looked, the black and the white and the orange... 

Marc had caught up to them, and crouched down to their level.

"Hey... you know, I'm from there," He noted, pointing to the poster the boys had found themselves infatuated with.

Toby giggled. "Don't be silly, Marc! You can't be from a poster!"

The three of them started walking through the exhibit, taking in everything together.

"Toby, I am telling you, Chicago is very much a real place."

Toby hummed, his face screwing up.

"I don't buy it..." He said, shaking his head.

Cody giggled at his brother's comment.

Marc chuckled, shaking his head.

But then, he froze, his eyes casted towards an all too familiar framed picture.

"Tomb Buster..." He muttered, feeling a whirlwind of memories well up inside of him.

The good...

...and the bad.

"Marc, we're fine," Steven promised. "Take a look around. We're okay."

"She's back in Chicago," Jake reminded. "That's, like, a fourteen hour drive. She's not finding us again any time soon."

Marc nodded, taking a deep breath.

"Besides, we're not that little kid anymore," his protective alter added. "We're an adult now. We can handle ourselves."

"Thanks, Jake..." Marc muttered, looking up at the poster again.

He felt something tug at his sleeve. Marc leapt back, instantly on guard. He looked left, right, up...

...and down...

..and saw Toby and Cody, right in front of him.

He was fine, he was safe...

...he was okay.

"Hey, Marc?" Cody asked. "Are... you okay?"

Marc hummed.

"Are you okay?" Toby repeated.

Both boys looked up at him with concern. Marc nodded.

"Yeah, yeah, no... I'm fine," he promised. "It's just... this movie means a lot to me."

"It does?" Toby asked.

Cody continued, "How come?"

"Well," Marc chuckled. "When I was about your age... actually, maybe a little younger... my little brother and I loved watching this movie. It was our favourite. And we... we used to play games of it all the time."

Toby gasped, sharing a quick, excited look with Cody.

"You have a brother too?" Cody asked.

Marc chuckled.

"Yep," he nodded. 

"Can we meet him?" Asked Toby.

Oh, god...

"I, uh..." Marc stammered. He couldn't quite explain it to them. "Uh, no... you-you can't."

Cody and Toby both felt their smiles fall.

"Why not?" Asked Cody, genuinely. 

Marc took a deep breath.

"Because... because my brother, Randall, is… very far away from me," he explained. "And... I can't... visit him, or... or talk to him, either."

He blinked back tears.

"...but, I... still think about him, and... he will always be in my heart."

Cody and Toby both nodded, satisfied with the answer.

"Okay," Toby smiled.

Cody smiled too.

"Can we go do the robots now?"

-

Among the technologies was the hall’s main attraction, a build your own robot station. 

The twins had settled themselves at one of the workbenches around the room. There were tools spread out between them, and little pieces of metal and scraps scattered about.

Cody had taken the lead, his mind flourishing as the two of them worked together.

Tobias hummed, turning to his brother.

"Hey, Cody?" He asked.

Cody hummed, looking up from their project.

"What about this?" Tobias asked, holding up a small piece of metal.

Codiak nodded, holding his hand out. Toby happily handed it to his twin.

"What does it do?" He asked, watching Cody work.

Cody hummed.

"It… it's part of the speaker… it'll play noise, like…"

"Like the radio!" Toby squealed excitedly.

Cody smiled, nodding. 

"Exactly like the radio!"

He got back to focusing, screwing things together. His tongue poked out of his mouth.

-

"They're so… Sweet with each other…" Steven noted.

Jake hummed. He felt his heart warm as he watched the boys work together.

"Yeah…" Marc said, sighing. "It's so…"

He couldn't think of the word to use.

"It's just… Nice, yeah?" Marc offered. "Kinda… relaxing, refreshing."

Steven chuckled.

"Bit of a palate cleanser after tired college students and things that go bump in the night, yeah?"

Marc snorted, Jake chuckled.

"Yeah…" Marc sighed. "Yeah, I guess…"

Jake simply kept his eyes focused on the twins. 

"...hey, guys?" Marc asked.

"Yeah?" Jake thought.

"Hm?" Steven hummed.

Marc took a breath, preparing himself.

"...okay, this is gonna sound crazy, but…" 

"...but what?" Steven asked, curious.

"...don't you see some… resemblance between us and the twins?"

"...oh, thank god. Someone finally said it-!" Jake groaned internally.

"I was waiting for someone to say something! Like-like… the-the way Cody… like, he just…"

Steven groaned.

"-he's just like when Marc was a kid-!" Jake chuckled.

"Hey!" Marc protested. 

"In a good way, in a good way!" Steven promised.

Jake chuckled.

"...yeah, I see it…" He mused. "Especially with how he's… he's more cautious about talking. Though, that could also be a Steven thing."

"...usually," Marc added, jokingly.

"Hey-!" Steven whined, playfully protesting his headmates' teasing. 

-

Cody's hand travelled over the tools. He scanned them intently, looking for one in particular.

"Okay... so, now I need the torque wrench," he said, trying to verbalise his thoughts. "...where are you, little torque wrench?"

He hummed, glancing over every available tool. Then, when he spotted the one he needed, he gasped.

"Here I am!" Cody said in a high pitched voice as he picked the tool up.

Cody smiled excitedly, grabbing the tool.

"Oh, there you are-!" He squealed excitedly, only to trail off when he saw the tool's condition. "...oof, you don't look too good, buddy... so rusty."

Then, his eyes widened, and he looked at the wrench apologetically.

"No offence-!" He added. 

Cody switched back to the high pitched voice. 

"None taken," he made the wrench say, moving it as if the tool were talking. A smile was on the boy's face the entire time.

-

"...oh, good lord... Jake, that's definitely a you thing!" Steven yelped. "Marc, Cody's doing the tool thing!"

"The tool thing!" Marc chuckled. "Oh, god. I love the tool thing."

Jake groaned. He folded his arms, frustrated by Steven and Marc's playful teasing.

"Hey, cabrónes, I'll have you know that plenty of people talk to their tools."

"Yeah," Steven snorted. "...but how many make their tools talk back?"

Marc was laughing too. 

"Jacob Elijah Lockley..." He said through chuckles. "Dude, you make full blown soaps and telenovelas out of your tools."

"-and they're good, too-!" Steven added.

Jake huffed, folding his arms. His cheeks heated up slightly from embarrassment.

"'S not my fault I get bored while running maintenance on the cab..." He mumbled.

"...sure it's not," Marc chuckled.

-

Toby smiled, watching his brother for a bit.

…and then he grew bored.

"Hey!" Someone yelled, catching Toby's interest. "Give it back-!"

Tobias turned his head, looking for where the noise was coming from.

He saw three kids, with two older ones picking on the smaller - keeping something away from him.

"Please-!" One kid begged.

He was wearing sunglasses (which Toby thought was weird, but hey, who was he to judge?), and tried reaching for something the other two were hiding from him.

Toby frowned.

…well, that didn't seem quite right…

…somebody needed to help.

-

Jake furrowed his brow.

"Uh, guys?" Jake asked.

Both Steven and Marc made noises to show they were listening.

"...Toby's not with Cody anymore."

"What?!" Both Steven and Marc cried at once, making Jake wince.

"Where the bloody hell could he have gone?" Steven asked, panicking. 

Jake shook his head.

He didn't know. 

He needed to know.

Jake started rushing over to the kids workbench, trying to keep calm. He made sure his voice was level, and crouched down to Cody's level.

"Hey, Cody?" Jake asked. He tried his hardest to stay calm, but his nerves were already frazzled from the situation.

Cody hummed, not looking up from his project.

"Do you happen to know where your brother is?" Jake asked, clasping his hands together.

Cody nodded.

"Yep," he confirmed, popping the p as he spoke.

Jake sighed in relief.

"Well, where is he?"

"Over there," he pointed with his screwdriver.

Jake followed the line of Cody's wrench and felt his face visibly fall.

"...oh, god…"

…what was that boy up to?

-

"Hey-!" Toby called out, his fist clenched in mild frustration. "Why dontcha watch your manners, you buttheads?!" 

The two bullies turned to Tobias, ceasing their game of keep-away.

"Why don't you stop standing up for the freak?" The taller boy asked, leaning over Toby intimidatingly.

Toby frowned, hands on his hips. 

"The only freak I see is you-!" He argued, poking the lanky kid square in the chest.

…arguably a bit too hard…

…as he fell over.

…and into the other mean kid…

Well, that was easy… the little boy thought, chuckling to himself.

The cane landed on the floor with a thump. Toby immediately swept it up, out of their reach.

"You're nuts-!" The tall, lanky kid barked out, scampering back.

"Nuts? I'm not nuts!" Toby pointed to himself. "I'm a Tulper."

He smiled goofily, watching the meaner kids scramble away. Then, he turned his attention back to the other kid.

"Here," Toby held the cane out for him. 

The other kid hummed, tilting his head. Toby realised.

"Oh, crud-! Wait, you probably can't-! I…"

The other boy snorted, laughing to himself.

"It's okay," he said, smiling at Toby. "I get it all the time! People being awkward around the blind kid."

He held a hand out.

"I'm Jack!"

Toby smiled. He shook Jack's hand, and then gave him the can back.

"Toby."

"Kid-!" Marc called out, dashing between museum activities. "Kid, what the crap was that?"

Tobias froze.

…words like crap meant trouble…

"I, uh… well, there were…"

Toby sighed, bowing his head.

"I… I pushed one kid over - and then that knocked down the other," the boy muttered sadly. He raised his head, adding to defend himself. "But-but, it was only because they tried stealing Jack's… cane-thing! And he can’t see without it! And-and they were being mean! Calling him a freak, and-!"

"Kid, kid, kid-!" Marc held his hands up calmly. "We're not mad."

"-and Jack here saw, or well-! No, he didn't, but he can confirm that-!" Toby paused. "...what?"

Marc looked at Toby calmly.

"Toby, I'm not mad at you, relax."

Toby tilted his head, curiously.

"You're… you're not?"

Marc shook his head, chuckling.

"Nope.

"But… but I pushed someone-!"

"You did. But was it for a bad reason?"

Toby shook his head.

"No…"

Marc hummed.

"Did you take the… cane because you wanted it?" He asked.

Toby shook his head again.

"No. I wanted to give it back to Jack."

Marc smiled.

"Well, there you go then," he held his arms out, a sign of that's it. "You weren't bad."

"I wasn't?" Toby asked genuinely curious.

Marc shook his head, clapping the boy on the back.

"Nope. Now, I will admit, that was… a little bit nuts," he chuckled. 

Toby looked down, slightly at that. Marc quickly realised what he had said, shifting his attitude slightly. 

"But, hey, you still did good."

"Yeah?" Toby asked.

Marc nodded.

"Yeah," he confirmed, smiling. Then, his face turned serious. "Juuust… don't tell your mom about this. Okay?"

Toby snorted.

"Okay, Marc! I won't."

Marc chuckled. He ruffled the boy's curls slightly, making Toby laugh.

…a laugh that he heard a bit of himself in.

"Make way-! Make way!" An unfamiliar voice yelled, frazzled and frustrated. "Oh, for heaven's sake-! Make way!"

Someone cut through the crowd, as the two of them heard footsteps along the wooden museum floor.

"Oh, Jack-!" A tall, well-dressed gentleman cooed, sweeping into the scene.

"Dad!" Jack called out excitedly, reaching his arms out for the tall man.

His father lifted him into his arms, looking the boy over.

"Are you okay, little J?" He asked, concern written all over his face.

He was a few years older than Marc - in his later thirties, it seemed. And he wasn't really dressed for a family day out (most people didn't wear a three-piece suit to the museum).

"Daad!" Jack squealed, giggling in his father's arms. 

"Jack, I am so sorry-! Had I noticed sooner, oh…"

The man shook his head, sighing. He nuzzled his face against his son's apologetically.

"I am sorry, my sweet…" 

"It's okay, Dad," Jack said. "Toby helped!"

Jack's dad hummed.

"Toby?"

Toby nodded.

"I helped… helped him get his stick back, sir."

"He helped steal back my cane!" Jack corrected respectfully. 

"Oh, I see," Jack's father nodded. He chuckled, setting Jack back safely on the floor. His eyes were focused on Marc. "And is this…?"

"Oh, I'm… I'm Marc," Marc held a hand out. "We're… Toby's… well, I'm the one responsible for him here."

The other man hummed. He took Marc's hand, giving it a quick shake.

"Zephyr Windroe. Pleasure."

He glanced at the boys, trying to direct the children together.

"Well, Toby… how about you and Jack go play? I'll go have a nice little chat with your… adult."

"Uh, okay… we can-can go back to hanging with my brother," Toby shrugged. He took Jack's hand in his and led him back to where Cody was. "See ya, Marc!"

Marc chuckled. "Yeah, just… stay where we can see you, kids."

He turned back to Zephyr, who folded his arms.

"Sit," the taller man said.

Marc didn't know why, but he felt himself being compelled to sit down. 

"My husband should be here soon," he explained. "He's going to grab some coffees for us."

"Oh, you don't have to-!"

"No, I insist."

-

The two men sat on one of the museum benches, a cheap to-go coffee cup in their hands.

Marc shook his head as he vented to the older man. Zephyr had listened to his ramblings and concerns and had offered him gentle advice - all the while, his husband stayed with the three kids, making sure someone was keeping watch over them.

"I just… feel out of my depth," Marc sighed. He squeezed his coffee cup tightly.

Zephyr chuckled.

"Oh, I was the same for my husband, Jack, and I when our little Jack came into our lives," he explained. "He was so small… and, I felt like I was going to mess up, no matter what I did."

Marc took a sip of his coffee.

"You're telling me," he muttered.

He took a breath.

"It's just… I don't know, I mean, our… my own childhood was so… messed up. I don't wanna risk them going through that… you know?"

Zephyr nodded.

"I do, actually. My own father… Well, he was a bit of a dickhead, really. Hated his own kids," he explained. "Hated my mother, too…"

He shook his head.

"Hated us all, actually."

Zephyr chuckled slightly. 

"...messed us all up - even in death."

"Sounds about right…" Jake muttered in the back of their skull. 

Marc hummed, taking another sip.

"...but, having these thoughts in the first place means that you know what happened to you as a child was bad, yeah?"

Marc nodded.

"I… yeah," he said, realisation washing over him. "Yeah…"

Zephyr gasped slightly.

"Oh, I just realised. Called my father a dickhead," he chuckled. "...his name was Richard, in case that wasn't obvious."

Marc nodded, mouthing an "oh" to himself.

He heard Jake snort and Steven chuckle in the back of his head.

"Well, at least I've got the whole… knowing what not to do going for me… right?" Marc asked, smiling nervously.

"Indeed…" Zephyr mused.

Marc's phone beeped in his pocket. It was a text from Connie, probably to say that she was back from work.

"Is that someone-?"

"Ah, it's their mom… I should probably be getting them home soon," Marc explained.

Zephyr nodded.

"We should probably be doing the same with our boy," he chuckled, glancing over to where his husband was with the kids, keeping an eye on them. 

Zephyr turned. He was about to go over, before he stopped, and turned back.

"Oh, one last thing, before I go," Zephyr added.

Marc hummed, looking up. Zephyr pressed a finger to his lips in thought, rubbing his chin. "DID… right?" He asked, quietly.

Marc's eyes widened.

"What the fu-?" Jake started, only to be cut off.

"Oh, bollocks…" Steven muttered.

"How did you-?"

"My little sister works with abused children," Zephyr explained. "She spent a solid three months studying DID and its symptoms."

He squeezed his coffee cup.

"...as well as what causes it," he added. "Now, I'm not going to press - and I know I'm no expert, but… that boy - those two happy little boys over there? They're so… relaxed with you. It's like… it's just natural, the bond you share with them."

Natural…

…that was another thing adding to the mounting conspiracy pile in their head.

"...also, you've called yourself "we" and corrected yourself about it several times during this conversation," Zephyr added, smiling sheepishly. "But look… I'm not one to judge. Okay? I'm not going to scream and make you out to be some kind of… monster, because you're not."

Oh, if only he knew… all that the three of them had done in Khonshu's name…

"...you're just… a man, at the museum with two kids he cares about. Just like how my husband and I are two men at the museum with our son."

Marc nodded.

"Yeah…"

Zephyr chuckled.

"Right, well… Ciao."

Marc felt… somewhat dazed as Zephyr left, his husband and son joining him. 

The twins came up to him again, and he smiled.

"Right… uh, your mom… she said she's back from work, so…"

"Gift shop!" The twins said excitedly.

-

"Ooh… a coyote…" Toby smiled, picking up the stuffed toy. "These guys are super cute!"

"Yeah?" Marc asked, watching Toby fiddle with the animal.

Toby nodded.

"Uh-huh. And-and mom and Grandma told me stories about the spirit Coyote, even one where he hurt a giant that was eating everyone!"

Marc hummed, nodding.

"Yeah-! And he said it because he lied about being able to fix his leg with spit!"

Marc grimaced slightly.

"Spit-?" He asked.

Toby nodded.

"Yep! And-and he licked the giant, but-! That didn't fix him!"

Marc chuckled, simply watching the boy explain the story on their way to the till. 

Once the toy was paid for, he kept adding to the myth, explaining why it was his favourite.

"So, anyway, the giant - like - swallowed him up!" The kid exclaimed excitedly, tossing the toy into the air and catching it with ease. "-and, and then, Coyote met other people inside who were waiting to die but Coyote was like Nu-uh!"

He made the toy shake its head. Marc chuckled, watching the boy play the dramatic scene out.

"He got them food, and then afterwards he found the giant’s heart, stabbed it, and he managed to get himself and the people out of there!” Tobias explained excitedly.

"...definitely a bit of Steven in there," Jake teased.

Steven huffed.

"Hey, I don't ramble that much!" He protested. "...do I?"

Codiak chimed in, looking up from the display case he was looking at. 

"Hey! You forgot to mention the part where the tick was flattened."

Toby laughed slightly.

"Oops…"

Marc hummed.

"Well, that's… quite the story, kids…" he mused. 

Tobias nodded.

"Yeah-! It's, like… my favourite story that Grandma tells."

Cody shifted a little.

"...I like the one with the lizards, too…" he added.

Toby nodded again. "That is a good one…"

Marc chuckled, watching the two of them. He glanced at Toby quickly. 

"So, what are you gonna call it?" Marc asked.

Toby hummed, looking the toy over.

"...Scruffy."

"Scruffy?" Marc asked, chuckling.

Toby nodded. "Yeah, Scruffy! I saw one near Grandma and Grandpa's once. It was really scruffy!" 

He squeezed the toy tightly.

"-and, and I'm gonna love him even when he gets scruffy too!" Toby added, smiling wide.

Marc chuckled.

"Alright, Kid…"

Cody looked at a resin covered Scorpion on one of the shelves. It was… trapped in the amber coloured block, safe away from him.  He picked it up, admiring it.

"...this looks cool," he whispered, turning it over in his hand.

"Yeah?" Marc asked.

Cody nodded.

"It… it's an arachnid - like a spider…" 

Marc hummed, watching the boy look over the invertebrate curiously. He felt a small smile creep onto his face.

"Hey, Cody?"

"Yeah?" The kid asked, looking at him with a tilted head.

"You know… I've seen one before," Marc said. He tapped the Scorpion softly, making a little scraping sound with his nail.

"Really?" Cody asked. "A live one?"

Marc nodded, chuckling.

"Yep. A real, real live one. And it even tried to sting me," he explained.

Cody gasped, looking slightly scared at the amber-bound animal.

"-but, it didn't!" He added, assuring the boy. "My boots were too thick."

…and he had the ceremonial armour of Khonshu on for good measure against that overgrown bug…

Cody sighed in relief, sweeping imaginary sweat from his brow.

"Oh, thank… thank Cheeses for that," Cody giggled.

He laughed like it was a part of a joke that Marc wasn't in on.

Marc furrowed his brow.

"Cheeses?"

Cody nodded, smiling.

"Yeah-! Toby said it earlier," he explained. "And when mom asked why he said Cheeses, when most people say Jesus, Toby said, "Have they never had cheese?"."

Marc snorted.

"I… see. So, are you going to buy the scorpion?" He asked.

Cody paused, thinking it over in his head. The scorpion did look cool… 

He pursed his lips in thought. Slowly, he nodded.

"Yeah. I… I'm buying it."

-

The drive back home was relatively quiet, with the only sound being the cd playing and the purr of the engine. 

Cody and Toby had decided to relax and admire their souvenirs from the day out.

-

Connie chuckled. She waved as the taxi pulled into the driveway.

"Mom!" Toby squealed.

He practically lept out of Jake's cab in excitement, tearing across the lawn to reach Connie quickly. Connie held her arms out, awaiting her excited son.

"Hey, kiddo-!" Connie chuckled, catching him with a slight step back. She spun him around slightly, holding him tight.

Finally, she let him down, while Cody plodded across to them.

"Oh, you're getting big, Tobes... might not be able to do that forever," she said. Then, she looked at Cody, stretching her arms for a hug. "Hey, Cody."

Cody hummed, wrapping around Connie. He hugged her, wordlessly saying how happy he was to be back home. 

"So sorry I couldn't go with you boys," she said, folding her arms. "Work was so boring. And, I missed my boys."

Toby shrugged. He and Cody both giggled as Connie kissed their cheeks.

"It's okay, Mom," he said through his giggles. "We had fun with Jake and Marc and Steven."

"Did you?" She asked, glancing at the cab in the driveway.

The twins nodded, practically shaking with excitement. She chuckled, expecting them to explode if they didn't get to tell her about their day.

"So! How was the museum, guys?"

"Good-!" Toby squealed. "We saw a hippo!"

Cody nodded, looking between his brother and his mother.

"Mh-mh, and-and we made a robot-! Jake's got it now."

Jake held the little robot up, showing it off from the window.

"He can keep it," Cody explained. "Toby and I both agreed."

Jake chuckled.

"Oh, you did, did you?" He asked. "How thoughtful..."

Connie smiled, ruffling her sons' hair. 

"That's my boys," she said jokingly.

Jake hummed. He got out from his cab, closing the door behind him with a thump. Connie strolled over, with the twins following her like a pair of little shadows.

"Hey, Jakey," Connie chuckled.

Jake nodded. "Hi, Doll."

His arms slowly wrapped around her, settling on her waist. He gave her a tender, soft kiss that left the two of them giggling, foreheads pressed against each other.

"Still gross," Toby grimaced.

Cody nodded, agreeing with his brother. "Makes me feel... bad gooey inside."

"Oh, yeah, yeah," Connie chuckled, rolling her eyes. "Look, how about you two go inside, yeah? I'll be right in."

Toby and Cody both smiled, laughing a little.

"Okay, Mom," Toby nodded.

The two boys darted inside, leaving Connie and Jake out in the cold.

"So... did the three of you have fun, playing dad?" She playfully teased.

"What-? Playing da-? Doll!" Jake chuckled, shaking his head.

"What? C'mon... you can't deny that that's what you did," she explained. Then she chuckled. "...besides, a guy - or three - that's good with kids? Quite the catch for a woman like me."

"Oh, yeah?" Jake asked, chuckling.

Connie nodded. A smirk spread across her face. "Oh, most definitely."

The two of them shared a quick chuckle before joining together for another soft kiss, with her hands resting on his shoulders, Connie pulling herself onto her tiptoes to meet him a little better.

They softly moaned into the kiss, holding each other and squeezing gently.

Finally, they pulled away. Connie panted, looking up at him with her flushed cheeks. 

"So… I'll see the three of you tomorrow night?" Connie asked, smiling.

Jake nodded.

"Yeah," he said, jaw wide as he smiled.

Connie chuckled, kissing his cheek.

"Good. Until then, boys."

She closed the door behind her, leaving Jake with his keys in his hands.

He slowly, silently walked back to his taxi, closing the door behind him. 

Jake sighed, leaning back in his seat. He started the engine and began to drive.

Marc cleared his throat, glancing at him from the driver's side mirror. Jake rolled his eyes.

"Yes?" He asked.

"Well, I think there is an elephant here that needs addressing," Steven mused from the rearview mirror.

"So we're all in agreement here?" Marc asked. "We… We all agree that those kids are probably ours?"

"Yep," Steven said.

Jake nodded.

"One hundred percent."

But that left the three of them with the question.