EIGHT YEARS LATER

Matt's POV:

I have never been more happy than I am right now, with Leo sitting with me, in an apartment of our own, cuddling together on our couch, watching TV.

That's not what's making me more happy than ever. We used to this all the time back at our old apartment, when we were in college. An apartment his dad helped paying and that we're both grateful for.

But at this moment, there were no worries, just Leo and I, cuddled up, watching TV, with our three kids sitting together in the little couch next to ours, also all cuddled up together in a blanket.

Yup, our three kids. I can't believe I had kids with Leo, who is also now my husband. I couldn't be happier.

Leo ended up proposing to me on my last year of college and we got married a few months after I finished it ,and we went on our honeymoon to Greece and Italy. It was great and super romantic. Not to mention the fact that Leo had also been working non-stop during that year and also needed a break.

After he finished his last year in college, he immediately started looking for a job and at first it was hard, but he got a small job at a museum and he made his way up and he's now a gallery/museum curator. The pay is good, too, so that's a plus, which also contributed to his dad's approval of said job career, even though he had alreay accepted and realised he was not being very supportive.

Other than what we call the "dark year", where Leo and I broke up for about a year and a half, back in college, and where we dated other people, but ended up going back to each other, everything's been perfect.

I, on the other hand, work as an analyst/data scientist. We had internships while in college and they offered me a job once I got out, so that's good, too.

Anyway, back to the kids. About a year into our marriage, Leo and I fostered an 8 year old boy, named Julian. After looking after him for a few months, we knew we couldn't bring ourselves to give him back, so we adopted him. And yes, it was hard, but Julian is wonderful, even if he was a bit difficult at first. He came around eventually.

A little after adopting Julian, we found out that he had two younger siblings. Twins, and that they had been in a not so good home, and even though Leo and I were still getting used to having one kid, we knew we couldn't leave them there. We felt even worse everytime Julian talked about them and how much he missed them.

So Leo and I decided to track them down and we adopted them. The twins were 6 years old, a boy named Sean and a girl named Maya. Both were a bit easier than Julian because they were younger and didn't quite understand what was going on, but at the moment we were all happy.

Both our parents were super supportive of everything. Leo's parents were great, always supportive and my mom is now also better than ever. I was afraid that after she got out of rehab she would relapse, but she never did, thankfully.

Chris is also a 14 year old now. A teenager. He's still the kid that came to me when he was sad or had a nightmare, only a bit more proud and...teenage-y...now that he hit puberty. He sometimes spends the weekends at our place. He has his own room here, too. He gets along great with the kids, so that's a plus.

"Hey," I'm snapped out of my thoughts by Leo whispering, not to disturb the kids. "You good?"

"Yeah," I whisper back. "I'm perfect, just thinking of how great our life is."

He hums in agreement, a soft smile on his face, while we both look at the kids.

"Yup, we're pretty great. And it's getting late, so we should probably hit the hay, huh? It's someone's special day tomorrow."

He was talking about my birthday tomorrow. I was gonna turn 27. It gets to a point where my birthday doesn't really excite me anymore, it's just a normal day. The difference is that this year, I'm throwing the birthday party at our place. Leo insisted. He also insisted on planning everything, so we'll see how that goes.

-----------------

"Hey, if you were a vegetable you'd be a cutecumber."

That's what I woke up to. That, and about a million kisses on my face, but still.

"Really? We're still on that?" I ask Leo, who is hovering over me. A smile on my face, nonetheless. He's not a teenager anymore, obviously. His features have matured considerably, a more defined bone structure, great jaw, beautiful cheekbones and a stuble that, honestly, is hot as fuck.

"Of course, forever!" he says and leans down to kiss me.

"You're an idiot," I whisper against his lips.

"I'm your idiot, it's too late, you're stuck with me," he whispers back. "Happy Birthday, love."

What started as a little kiss, soon turned into something more when his hand started moving south and he started trailing his kisses down to my neck.

Just as it was starting to get good and we were both getting into it, the door bursts open and in come our kids, making Leo and I spring apart quickly. Well, it's our own fault. We've learnt that when we want to do something above PG, we have to lock the door.

"Happy birthday, dad!" Julian screams and jumps on the bed along with Sean and Maya, who's holding a squared shape present.

"We got you a present!" Maya exclaims and hands me the present.

"Thank you!" I say.

They all look at me expectantly, waiting for me to open the box.

When I do, my breath leaves my lungs. Inside the little box is a mug with the words "World's Best Dad" written on it.

"Papa said you used to do that with your dad, so we do the same!" Julian says, excited and waiting for my reaction.

"I love it, thank you," I say, a few tears in my eyes and pull all of them in for a group hug.

-------------------------

"Happy birthday, Matt," Cat says and hugs me, once they come into the house. Hugging her has been slightly harder now that her belly is bigger, now expecting her second baby, while the first, Nick, their 9 year old, runs inside, probably looking for Julian.

"Thanks." I answer. "So, when are you due? It's been a while now, hasn't it?"

"Ugh, don't remind me, I'm ready to pop it out, that's for sure," she complains, while Liam rubs her back soothingly.

"So you don't know the gender yet?" Leo asks, coming to join us in the living room.

"I do," Cat answers. "But Liam here, wants a surprise."

"Yeah," Liam confirms. "And I bet you guys want to know, too, so I'm gonna cover my ears and close my eyes while she tells you."

Liam does as he says and Cat turns to us with an excited smile and mouths the word "girl".

We're interrupted when my mom and Chris show up at the living room and come to me immediately to greet me. Olivia must've let them in.

"Happy birthday, honey," my mom kisses my cheek and then whispers in my ear so that only I hear. "Your dad would be so proud of you."

I smile up at her.

Now that everyone was here, we moved to the dining room where the cake was in the midle of the table and everyone around it. They all came for my birthday and that seriously warms my heart.

Carter and Harry, who are still going strong. They've been traveling for a while, but they're thinking of settling down and adopt a child or maybe get a surrogate. They're still kind of like they were in high school, Carter serious and a permanent frown on his face and Harry is still the same straightforward, energetic kid he was back then.

John started dating a new girl a few months ago named Lacey that he met at work. It's still new, but he seems happy so that's always good.

Macy and Ethan didn't make it either. Somewhere in between their second and third year of college, they broke up and Ethan just kind of lost contact with the group, so none of us really knows what he's been up to. Hopefully he's happy.

Now, however, Macy is dating Jackson, who is also here. They think we don't know, but they're not exactly good at hiding it. It's a little weird, but as long as they're ok, we're ok.

Even the Pemberton's are here. Mrs. and Mr. Pemberton and Oliver, who is still one of Chris' best friend. And Mike is here, too, with a fiancée, nonetheless. They're going to be married next Christmas and he seems to be happy, so I guess that's good. Even after I went to college, Mrs. Pemberton kept an eye on Chris and my mom, to see if she wouldn't relapse or if she was doing good at home. All-in-all, she was a great help.

The party goes on for a few more hours, just everyone chatting and catching up, until they start to leave, except for Carter and Harry, who are gonna spend the nigh at our place.

"Ok, guys," Leo starts explaining to Carter and Harry. "We're gonna go to bed, the kids are already sleeping so please don't make too much noise. Feel free to eat anything you want from the kitchen."

And then we guide them to the guest room where they'll be staying, wish them a goodnight and make our way to our bedroom.

I was feeling tired by the time I got to the bedroom and was ready for a 34 hour sleep. Leo, however, seems to have other ideas, because he jumps in the bed next to me and starts kissing my jaw and my neck and starts slipping a hand under my shirts and rests it on my stomach.

"Ok..." I whisper a little breathless, my previous exhaustion long forgotton. "Someone's in a mood."

"Well, when you have someone as hot as you here 24/7, it gets a little hard keeping my hands to myself."

---------------(R-Rated book for the rest of the scene)

After we settle in, I cuddle up to Leo's side and he hugs me closer to him.

"I love you, you know that right?" Leo asks, sounding weirdly vulnurable.

"I love you, too, Leo, you know that," I answer and peck his lips.

"Are you happy?"

"I'm more than happy, Leo, I couldn't ask for a better life, I never even imagined it would be this good," I answer honestly.

"Ok, that's good," he answers and turns off the lights and turns back down. "Goodnight, Matthew."

"Goodnight, Leo," and I cuddle up closer to him.

That is until he speaks up once again.

"Is your face McDonalds? 'Cause I'm lovin it."

"Goodnight, Leo!"

--------------