the weight of the small metal ring weighed in marco's palm, the box it belonged in sitting on the bathroom counter as he mulled over whether he should put it back in or not. he'd already finished getting ready, hair diffused and styled, rings of his own changed out what felt like a hundred different times, and shirt ironed exactly three times ( because he couldn't quite get the wrinkles out with the first two ). yet, here he was, deciding if leaving the ring he'd bought his husband would be too much. it wasn't like him to overthink this much, but the night ahead had him racked with nerves. with a small huff he transitioned the ring from his palm, back into its box, and into his pants pocket.

just in time the doorbell chimed, sending marco's head toward the sound. he gave himself a once over in the mirror, rearranging a stray curl and straightening his shirt before making his way to the front door. edgar had been to his apartment before, to pick up or drop off the kids, but this time felt different. heart racing in his chest, marco reached out and took in a deep breath before opening the door, soft smile warming his features as he took in the sight. if it were more appropriate, he might've whistled. "you clean up nicely," he joked, patting his pockets to be sure he had his keys and wallet, as well. "are you ready to go? i'm absolutely starved, i've been saving my appetite."

there was nothing femi found more relaxing than a night in with her girls, no matter how difficult it was to get her to actually take the time off for one. as much as she liked to say her grip on a work life balance was steady, her lack of normal human interaction lately was proof of otherwise. with a hefty sigh she turned over to face leila, careful of the fresh glass of wine sat next to her. "i've really gotta do this more often. face masks and wine nights are a must from here on out. two a month, no fuss! i'm not trying to look like some of the weird old men that come to the lounge in twenty years."

the month had passed in a sort of serendipity, the two men falling into what would soon be a strong routine. the days at work seemed like they would never end, which was a welcome change to the days he’d spent over the last year wishing for them to last longer. now, however, marco had his home working it’s way back together and was determined to let nothing get in the way. ( even if that meant missing the lunch rush on BOGO bag days at cloud 9 ). glancing down at his watch, a tired huff blew through his nose as he saw it was just around one, the beginning of peak rush. still, he pulled both glass windows shut and double checked the grills, just to be sure. after picking up a few stray items, a hand weaved it’s way through curly locks, his steps heavy as he closed and locked the door behind him.

the drive home was nearly on autopilot, fingers tapping away at the steering wheel as he made his way into the driveway. the missed lunch rush was long forgotten as he walked into the house, taking a moment to appreciate the smell of home and the sounds of his kids playing in the distance. after kicking his shoes off, he placed his keys on the hook and made his way up to the study. leaning against the frame, he knocked on the slightly open door and gave his husband a goofy smile. “good afternoon, handsome,” he cooed, arms crossing over his chest. “i decided it was absolutely criminal for you to have a day off without me, therefore the truck is closed. what do you say we let the kids run around the yard and spend some time together outside?”

"Give it your all." Arlo raised his boxing gloves, holding them in front of his face before executing a punch on the heavy bag. While not an expert, he had been attending boxing classes for almost six months, confident enough to share some of his acquired moves with Elias. "Now it's your turn. I'll hold the bag for you." Positioned on the opposite side of the bag, Arlo steadied it as best he could, ready for Elias to take his shot.