Third person POV.
4 years later.
"Daddy I'm scared." The now eight year old Delilah said as she held the important papers in her hands. Messiah smiled down at the girl who was too tall for her age.
"There's no reason to be scared D,"
"But what if dad says no?" She was on the verge of tears scared of what her dad might say. Messiah stopped her from walking into the house that Him and Justus now shared. "You want to do it another day? You don't have to do it at all Delilah."
Delilah wiped her forming tears. She wanted to do it.
"I want to." She said as she smiled up at her father, showing her two (newly grown in) front teeth.
They walked in the door immediately hearing Justus voice. He sounded frustrated.
"Jaylen, I'm not your dad, I'm your brother." Justus explained to the five year old. He's been explaining this ever since he could talk.
Jaylen looked confused but saw Messiah and Delilah walk in and immediately ran up to them. "Daddy!" He hugged Messiah legs as he greeted him. Messiah swiftly picked him up and hugged him back. Justus huffed at his little brothers bad habit.
Jaylen have been calling Justus and Messiah his dads since he could talk.
Justus's mom was killed by her husband a couple months after she gave birth. Even though Justus didn't want to he took in his little brother and killed his dad. He didn't like his mother but he couldn't have her killer run free. Justus had a choice to either let his brother go into foster care or to take him in. He was able to due to Messiah's and his stable jobs.
Messiah was still working at the tattoo shop and a night job while Justus is now fully working at the tattoo shop. He was finally out of the streets. It took him some time because the money was fast but He did what was best for his Boyfriend and the kids.
Justus was going to let Jaylen go into foster care but Messiah talked to him for a bit. Justus finally decided to take him in and cared for him ever since.
Jaylen is a shy little boy. He's in kindergarten. A while ago Messiah was starting to think Jaylen had separation anxiety due to his crying every time one of them left the house or left him at school, so he took him to the doctors and it was confirmed. He did have separation anxiety. They are now trying to home school him while showing him the outside world little by little making sure not to overwhelm the little boy.
"Hi buddy, how was your day?" Messiah put him down crouching to Jaylen's height instead. "Dad and me played with Honey and Cloud today!" He said excitedly. Messiah smiled at him and looked over at Justus.
"You did? Was it fun?"
Jaylen rapidly shook his head yes.
"What's wrong Delilah? Why do you have your hands behind your back? Did y'all bring another animal home?" Justus sighed.
They now had two dogs and a cat. Last year Delilah found a kitten in the backyard and cried until Messiah said he would help it. They were going to bring it to the pound but the kids kept begging to keep it and Messiah couldn't bring himself to say 'no' to the two. They ended up keeping the Calico cat naming her Winter.
Delilah giggled a bit shaking her head no.
Justus raised an eyebrow as he looked at the little girl skeptically. He wondered what she had up her sleeve. Delilah looked at Messiah for support and he nodded his head giving her the green light.
She revealed the papers and handed them to Justus who took them from her hands. Jaylen sat on Messiah's lap as they watched the whole thing unfold in front of them. Jaylen was confused though.
Justus read the paper a bit before he quickly looked back up at Delilah, before looking over at the smiling Messiah, Justus then looked back at Delilah.
"Dad, may you adopt me please?"
Justus felt the tears in his eyes as he looked away from Delilah.
He shook his head yes as the little girl hugged him, relieved that he didn't say no.
Jaylen clapped his hands at the sight of his dad and sister hugging. Messiah looked down at Jaylen clapping silently laughed at the oblivious little boy.
————
Justus immediately sat up as he heard the bedroom
door open. He looked at a the door seeing a crying Jaylen.
"Dad I want to sleep in here with you and daddy." Jaylen cried wiping his flowing tears. Justus ran his hands down his face as he looked at his younger brother.
"C'mon, Jaylen." He sighed. Jaylen immediately made his way to the tall bed as Justus leaned over, picking the small boy up. "What happened. Why don't you want to be in your room."
This was the first time they and ever put Jaylen to sleep in his room alone.
Jaylen shrugged his shoulders. Justus rubbed his back lightly trying to get him to calm down before Messiah woke up. He had just gotten off of his night shift.
Jaylen started to calm down as he tightly held on to Justus. Looking over at the clock Justus sighed at the time. 4:00AM. "You okay? Can you lay right there and go to sleep?" Jaylen shook his head not wanting to go to sleep.
"Jaylen I'm not going anywhere, I'll stay in here until you wake up. Deal?" Jaylen thought for a while he nodded his head allowing himself to sleep.
————
"I telling!" The freshly four year old Umir yelled as he ran away from his father to Messiah. All the kids loved Messiah. They acted like he was in charge of everything. Devonte huffed at his mini twin.
"Uncle Siah, daddy said I can't have a cookie."
"Did you have one already?" Messiah asked. Umir quickly shook his head. Devonte let out a loud gasp. "Stop lying. You had two."
"I didn't." He defended himself.
"How about you get half of one? are you okay with that?" Messiah suggested. Umir immediately nodded his head yes as he grabbed Messiah's hand walking to the kitchen.
"He get that from you." Tanya said she laid down on the couch rubbing her pregnant belly. She was pregnant with a girl this time.
Devonte looked over at his wife. "No he gets that from you." They started arguing about who Umir takes after the most.
Umir came back running into the living room as he stuck his tongue out at his father.
"He definitely takes after you. I need a smoke these kids stressing me out." Devonte mumbled as he crossed his arms. He didn't even smoke anymore.
Justus laughed at Devonte as he pouted like a child.
"Dad-,"
"I'm on a break, go ask Messiah." Justus jokingly said as he laid back on the floor. Messiah sucked his teeth knowing Jaylen barely knew what a joke was. Messiah looked over at the four year old.
"Daddy, I have to potty."
Messiah got up grabbing the little boys hand taking him to the bathroom. Jaylen knew how to use the bathroom on his own and he never had accidents he just didn't like to go alone if nobody wasn't in that same hall.
————
Justus and Devonte mugged Keem as he walked into the shop but he wasn't alone.
"I'm snitching on you," Devonte pulled out his phone to call his mom. His dad laughed as he pushed the girl in front of him. "This is my niece, Devonte. Your cousin."
Devonte raised a eyebrow. His dad didn't have any nieces. He only had a nephew that Justus and Devonte hadn't seen since they were around the ages ten and nine. Justus being the younger one. Justus looked over to Devonte who looked over at Justus.
"Y'all don't remember me?" The girl sucked her teeth as she looked at the two.
"Are we supposed to? I'm not gonna play the guessing game." Justus rudely said.
"Good to know you're still mean. It's Deven, though I prefer to be called Dalia now," the girl said.
Both boys mouth dropped as they immediately welcomed Dalia. "Damn I didn't even notice!" Devonte yelled as he looked at his older cousin.
"Understandable," she said.
"Baby and Devonte come get the kids!" Messiah yelled from the back of the shop. Justus acted like he couldn't hear him. As Devonte almost starting making his way to the back before he remembered that Messiah yelled at him earlier and wouldn't give him any candy because it was apparently for the kids.
Messiah walked from the back room with Delilah, Umir and Jaylen following him. Jaylen clung onto his shirt when he noticed the new face.
"Daddy, Uncle Siah gave me a tattoo look." Umir held up his arm as he showed the fake tattoo that Messiah had gave him. "That's really nice, Umir. I like it."
"I got one too dad!" Delilah ran up to Justus showing off hers as well.
"Do you have one Jaylen?" Justus asked as he knelt down next to Jaylen, who shyly nodded his head yes. "Can I see?" Jaylen held out his arm showing it to his dad.
"I like it. Do you like it?" Jaylen smiled at Justus shaking his head yes.
"Umm...?" Dalia looked at her cousins confused.
"This one is mine." Devonte said as he placed his hand on Umir head who was too busy looking at his tattoo.
"Those two are mines and Messiah's." Justus said as he gestured to Messiah before pointing to Jaylen and Delilah smiling.