Togetherness (Part 3)

Tommy and Parker went to their room to add layers to their clothes.  Parker shut the door firmly behind them, which was the only warning Tommy got before he was caught and rendered completely immobile as Parker embraced him in a backwards bear hug and drew him to the bed.  He felt the older man’s warm breath against his ear as he was sat in his lap.

“Condoms, Tommy-baby?”

Tommy squirmed, loving the erotic sensation that the tight embrace and soft voice was sending through him, but at the same time not entirely sure that he wasn’t in some bit of trouble.

“I just want Tony to be safe,” he said breathlessly.

His ear was nipped.  “You just wanted to get a reaction.”

Tommy didn’t deny it.  “Well, Max’s face was great.”

“Well, next time I’m doing the wrapping.  You’re lucky he seems like a good sport,” Parker scolded mildly, “and that Tony is one as well.”

Tommy was glad too.  He didn’t particular like having a sore bottom, and knew that there were times his jokes went too far and that was the end result.  Thankfully…hopefully…that wasn’t the direction of things that day.

“Max liked the starfish,” he commented, deliberately changing the subject.

Parker let him.  “It was a very nice choice, baby.  You did well.”

Tommy relaxed, and the two of them took a few minutes to share some loving kisses before going about the task of preparing for the sledding trip.

*****

Max gripped Tony’s hand and held him back a minute as the rest of the family got the sled and inner tube out of the trunk of the car.

“Tony, are you sure this is a good idea for your parents?” he asked, now appearing uncertain.  “I mean, they’re great, but there aren’t a lot of people their…age,” he flinched as he said it, “that like this kind of thing.”

Tony’s smile was wide.  “Mom and Dad are young at heart and are more active than you might realize, sweetheart.  I do come from a surfing family, remember?  I think my parents will hold their own.”

His statement was confident, and it was hard not to believe he was right at the way Toby and Tori were smiling as widely with excitement as the rest were.

And Tony was right.  He and Max took a few minutes to give a quick lesson on how to steer the sled and the best way to grip both the sled and the tube before it was time to speed down the hill.

Toby and Tori went first, and since Tony’s mom didn’t trust the sled-driving skills for either of them, the both sat together on the big snow tube and Tony pushed them off. 

The four men left at the top of the hill ended up doubling over in laughter as Tori squealed from the moment the slide started to the moment it ended at the bottom of the hill.

“Are you all right, Mom?!” Tommy shouted down to them.

“No!  Your father is sitting on my leg!”

The men laughed louder and watched as the older couple extricated themselves from the tube and each other.

Parker and Tommy went down on the sled together as Toby and Tori made their way up the hill again. 

Max and Tony went last, and then the couples started mixing it up.  Tony and Tommy bounced down the hill on the inner tube.  Parker and Toby managed halfway down the hill before wiping out and rolling the rest of the way.  And Tori and Max shared the sled, with Max directing it from years of snow experience. 

Everyone was wet and laughing a while later, but Tony noticed that his mother had started shivering.  She was covered in snow and Tony was fairly sure he could ring water from her scarf. 

“Hey, Mom.”  He put an arm around her in mild concern.  “Your teeth are chattering.  Want me to get Max to take you to his place?”

“Oh, I…don’t want…to take…him…from the…fun,” she said as she shivered.

“He won’t mind, Mom, and he did volunteer.  Let me get him.  The rest of us can meet you over there when we’re done.”

He motioned to Max before his mother could try to out-reason him.  Reaching for the smaller man’s gloved hand, he pulled him a bit closer. 

“Hey, Handsome.  Mom’s turned into a human popsicle.  Would you mind letting her warm up at your place?”

“Sure,” Max agreed readily.  “It’s not far, Tori.  I can get some coffee on for you when we get there.”

The woman smiled.  “Thank you, dear.  I’m having a blast, but I think my toes are gone.  I can’t feel them anymore!”

Max grinned.  “Come on then.  Is anyone else coming, Tony?”

The tall man shook his head.  “No, we’ll sled a little more.  I’ll bring them back to your place then, ok?”

“All right.  I’ll set on enough coffee for everyone.”

“Thanks.”  Tony kissed him briefly, dropped a peck on his mother’s cheek as well, and let them go.”

*****

“Don’t worry about the clothes being wet, Tori.  Just drape everything over the radiator there.  They’ll dry out.”

Tony’s mother slipped out of her outerwear, left it where Max directed, and sat on the couch as the young man went to start a pot of coffee.  She stood right back up, wrapping a throw blanket around her, as she spotted the Christmas tree in the corner of the room and moved to get a better look.  She thought it was beautiful with the blue and silver ornaments and tinsel hanging from its branches.  She smiled as she noted a few more personal decorations: a little graduation cap that was dated 2002; a popsicle stick Christmas tree obviously made by a child’s hand and looking several years old; another older ornament so covered in glitter that she couldn’t tell if it was meant to be anything specific.

She noticed a pretty silver heart as well and her heart squeezed as she read the engraving. To Max, My Christmas Wish Come True. Love, Tony. It really did seem that her oldest boy had finally found a man to love with his whole heart.

She turned away from the tree as Max rejoined her in the living room, choosing not to mention her notice of the ornament.

“It will be about ten minutes before the coffee is ready,” Max told her. “Are you warming up?”

“I am,” she answered with a smile.  “I don’t know how you live in the cold all the time.”

Max had a sweet smile.  “It’s not all the time, Tori.  Summer can get pretty hot, and spring and fall are beautiful seasons.”

“I’m sure they are,” Tori acknowledged, “but give me my year-round sun.”

“I can understand the appeal,” Max acknowledged.  He waved a hand to her.  “Want a tour of the place?  It’s not much, but it’s comfortable.”

“Sure!”  Toni took the offer willingly.  Max showed her around the living room and kitchen, pointed out the corner where his computer was set up with several piles of notes around it, and the bedroom and adjacent bathroom.  Afterward they sat on the couch and chatted until the others joined them.

*****

Tommy put one foot on the wooden sled, testing its stability.  It had been a blast going down on the inner tube; the thing bounced all over the place and made everyone laugh.  The sled was fun too.  It was a challenge learning how to steer the thing and it moved faster and smoother through the snow. 

Tommy was considering a new challenge though.  His surfer’s instincts were kicking in and he imagined himself standing atop the sled and riding down the white hill of snow.  He moved the sled back and forth a little, his wave-experienced eye taking in the terrain and considering how best to attempt the feat. 

He was just shifting his weight to step on the sled when strong fingers wrapped around his upper arm and firmly pulled him back.

“No,” the soft but determined voice said to him.

Tommy looked back at Parker.  The man’s eyes were serious.  He knew exactly what Tommy had been considering.  “Come on,” Tommy said lowly.  “It can’t be that different from surfing.”

“Yes, it can,” Parker determined.  “It’s dangerous and I’m saying no.  Disobey me and you’ll find out what a belt on a cold behind feels like.”

Parker was never afraid to give warning to the use of his belt, although it had only been a handful of times that Tommy had experienced it.  Usually the warning was more than enough, so it was a rare occasion that Parker needed more than his hand or one of their paddles.  Still, the look on his face right then let Tommy know with certainty that the belt would be used if he defied him.

He accepted that, but it didn’t mean he was happy about it.  Somewhat ungraciously, he pulled his arm out of Parker’s grip.  “Fine, Sir.  Maybe I’ll just go make snow angels with the little kiddies over there.”

For a professor, Parker moved fast.  He swatted Tommy subtly, but hard.  Through the double layers Tommy had on, it wasn’t felt as keenly as it could have been, but the message was there.

“Don’t start, Thomas.  You are not a “kiddie”.  I do not treat you like one, and you do not need to act like one when you’re denied something.  You’re a man capable and independent to do a lot, but you’re also a man who’s agreed to be held responsible for his choices.  You’re a man I love, and I will stop you from something dangerous if I see fit.”

The quickly flared anger was almost as rapidly dissipated.  Tommy dropped his head and leaned just enough toward Parker to let on to the older man that a hug was needed.  Parker didn’t hesitate to give it.

“I know.  I’m sorry,” Tommy said quietly.  “I just thought it would be a neat challenge.”

“And you’ve met and surpassed almost every challenge you’ve attempted, but I draw the line on some things, baby.”

The younger man nodded.  “I know.  Want to ride on the sled with me?”

“Absolutely, but I’m driving.”

That brought a smile to both men and they situated themselves on the wood and pushed off.

*****

It was a noisy, snow-covered group that came in, and the first few minutes of their entrance was spent getting out of wet clothes and several voices begging for coffee.  Max quickly got a cup into each hand, after which Tommy called out that he was starving.

“Oh, I meant to get something together for lunch, but I forgot,” Max admitted.

“Well, no offense, Maximus,” Tommy said lightly.  “But if you cook anything like Tony, then I say we order a pizza.  Anyone with me?”

There was a moment where Max felt mildly offended, but Tony’s arm around his waist squeezed lightly and one green eye winked at him.  He whispered something briefly in Max’s ear, making the smaller man smile at the shared secret.

“I’m up for pizza,” Tony put in as the others were saying pizza sounded good too.  “After that we’ll need to get out of Max’s hair.  He has some work to do I’m afraid.”

“That’s too bad,” Parker said with honest disappointment.  “I think we’re forgetting that you still have to work since the rest of us are on vacation.”

“It’s all right,” Max said lightly.  “I’ll enjoy my afternoon.  Maybe I can see about dinner plans later if I get everything done.”

“Sounds good!” Tony stated.  He subtly patted Max’s bottom.  “Go grab a delivery menu, Handsome.  We’ll see what deal we can get.”

*****

Max cheerfully bustled around his small kitchen.  He hadn’t made a meal for a larger group for quite a while, and he was enjoying the work.  He didn’t know what excuse Tony would give for getting everyone back up to the apartment, but he knew his man would do it.  Tony always saw his secrets and surprises to completion. 

In the meantime, Max’s apartment had delicious smells wafting through.  He’d asked Tony when they had spent Christmas day together what his family usually did for their holiday dinner.  Tony admitted that unless Tonya or Parker took charge, it had become fairly common for them to order a pre-made meal through a restaurant.  All the fixings were provided that way: turkey, stuffing, potatoes, veggies, dessert. 

Keeping that in mind, Max prepared a Christmas meal of his own: ham glazed in pineapple juice, cheesy scalloped potatoes, homemade rolls, and carrots cooked in vegetable broth because Max always thought that brought out a better flavor than just using water.  He almost forgot about doing a dessert until an hour before Tony said he’d bring everyone by.

“Nuts,” he said aloud, trying to think about something fast but good that he could throw together.  A search through his cabinets showed that he had the ingredients for a chocolate cake.  At first he thought it wouldn’t be ready in time, but then realized that if he timed it correctly, he could get the cake baked and still have it warm by the time everyone would be ready for dessert.  The decision made, he set about the task as the rest of the food simmered.

*****

“Why don’t you all come up with me?” Tony suggested as he pulled up to Max’s apartment.  “Max can get caught up in things when he’s writing.  It might be more convincing for him to leave it for awhile if everyone asks him to join us.”

No one questioned that and all were very willing to help persuade Max to put aside his work for a time.

Tony held back a smile as his family followed him to the apartment.  He didn’t doubt that Max would have the meal ready and waiting, and he was just as excited to show off Max’s talents and abilities as he was for his family to get to know his partner better.

It was automatic to take a deep breath as Max opened the door to them, and Tony saw everyone breathe in the aroma of cooking food.

“It smells wonderful in here!” Tori said as soon as they stepped inside.

Tony came to stand next to Max as a co-host and nodded at his family.  His smile was as mischievous as Tommy’s could be.  “Since my man’s cooking abilities were called into question earlier,” He winked subtly at Tommy, “I thought Max deserved the chance to prove himself.  Dinner is here tonight everyone, and you’d better be hungry.”

“Starving,” Parker spoke up, “and if it tastes as good as it smells, I think Tommy will literally be eating his words.”

The smaller man rolled his eyes.  “Well aren’t you the king of bad puns?

“Do I smell ham?” Toby asked as his youngest son and Parker continued to quietly harass each other.

Max nodded.  “I hope that’s all right.”

“Love it,” Tobias answered with a look that said he was ready to taste the meat immediately. 

“Great!  Everyone can help themselves then while I set up a couple more folding chairs at the table,” Max offered.

It was a tight squeeze getting everyone around the table, but room was made and plates were filled to overflowing.  After the main meal, there were good-natured groans when Max brought out the chocolate cake.  Despite complaints that they were stuffed, everyone managed a piece; with Parker and Tommy each taking an extra slice.

At the end of the meal, Tommy raised his glass of soda.  “I propose every meal from here on out is prepared by the talented Mr. Max.”

A round of “Here, Here’s!” followed his proposal and no one missed the pleased smile that shown on Max’s features. 

Tony, his arm across the back of Max’s chair, motioned for the noise of the group to quiet.  “Max has told me that he’s more than willing to share his talents with us, but I do request that my man is not forced permanently into the kitchen.  I’m sure he’ll delight us with other culinary feats before you leave us, but I’m going to nix the suggestion of every meal.”

“Spoilsport,” Tommy accused with a false glare.  “You tease us with homemade food and then take it away.  You’re holding out on us.  I bet you’ve forced Max here into kitchen slavery every night since you’ve met.”

“Oh, I’m sure that’s not true,” Tori replied, momentarily thinking her youngest was serious.

Tommy gave in with a thoughtful nod but an impish smile playing about his lips.  “You’re right, Mom.  I’m sure there are other activities Tony and B.T. Max enjoy doing at night.”

While he earned a pair of rolled eyes from his parents, Parker and Tony simultaneously scolded the young man with a word.  “Tommy!”

Max lit up like a rose at the obvious implication.  Tony rubbed a soothing motion on his partner’s neck as he glared at his little brother.  Parker took the initiative to stand the young man up.  “I’m going to volunteer the pest and I for clean-up before he adds his foot anymore to the dessert menu.

Not looking that shocked over anything, Tobias and Tori stood as well.  “We’ll help too,” Toby offered.  “Tony, you and Max relax for awhile.  We’ll get everything done in no time.”

Tony took up the offer and he and Max settled comfortably close on the living room couch.  “I feel like I should have prepared you a bit more for Tommy’s sense of humor,” he said in that smooth voice that Max loved. 

“It’s ok.   My sister Debra’s husband jokes around a lot, although his joking can be kind of mean sometimes.”

“Doesn’t sound like a joke if it’s mean,” Tony commented.  “Is that Kurt?”

“No, Kurt’s my brother.  Debra’s husband is Alec.”

Tony thought he remembered the man.  He agreed that Alec’s humor tended to verge more on the inconsiderate than the funny.

“Can you go through the order of you and your siblings again?” Tony requested.  “I know I met them all on Christmas Eve, but I don’t quite have it all figured out.”

“There are a lot to remember,” Max acknowledged.  “Janice is the oldest and she’s married to Ethan.  She’s the one who made me try on the clothes at the store.”

“I remember her,” Tony stated.

“She and Ethan have three kids, but I won’t get into the children’s names unless you want me to.”

Tony shook his head.  “That’s all right.  Let’s stick with your siblings and in-laws right now.”

“Ok, well, Kurt is after Janice.  He’s married to Amanda and they have the twin boys and then a girl after the twins.  I’m next in line—with you,” he added with a soft voice and private smile.  Tony shared the feeling of the statement.  “After me is Debra and her husband, Alec, who have Isaac and Ben, and after Deb is my youngest brother, Billy.”

“Is Billy the one who kept talking about video games?”

“Yeah, he’s a little obsessed with them.  They’re a good topic of conversation to get into with him if he’s alone, but we stay away from it when his wife is there.  Jenna gets upset with how much time he spends on the games, so she doesn’t appreciate having to hear people talk about it too.”

Tony nodded in understanding.  “Do they have any kids?”

“Yeah, they have Trini.”

“Ah,” Tony commented, remembering the little girl.  “She was that little pig-tailed sweetie who kept wanting to sit with you.”

Max smiled.  “Yeah.  Trini is three and I love my brother, but I think I pay more attention to Trini than he does.  Mom and Dad call her my little buddy.”

“I believe that.  So, I suppose Kami is left as the youngest of your siblings?”

“Uh-huh.  She’s married to Keith and they have baby Eliza.”

“It’s going to take me years to figure out your crew,” Tony chuckled.

“Well, it’s nice for me to think of having you around for years to figure it out.”

Max got kissed soundly for that statement, but they had to keep it brief since their privacy could be interrupted at any time.

“You know, I bet my parents would like to meet your folks while they’re here,” Max said thoughtfully.

“I hadn’t thought of that, but you’re right.  Think we could work it out?”

Max nodded.  “I think so.  I’ll call Mom tomorrow.”  He leaned against Tony and let his head drop to the comfortable shoulder.  The two of them were quiet for a minute, listening to the sounds of clean-up in the kitchen.  “Hey, Tony?” Max questioned with an unexpected note of confusion.

“Hm?”

“What did Tommy mean when he said ‘B.T. Max’?”

A groan sounded from Tony’s chest.  “Something I’m going to discuss with him later.”

Max turned his head up a little.  “Was it bad?” he asked.

“It was meant in teasing, but it referenced a term I don’t care for.”

“Which is?” Max persisted.

Tony sighed.  “B.T. I’m pretty sure meant ‘Boy Toy’.”

“Boy Toy?  Why would he call me that?”

He sounded so innocent in his question that Tony had to kiss him.  “Because you’re so gorgeous, Love.”

Max’s cheeks flushed slightly.  “But you don’t like it?”

“I’ve mostly heard that term used disrespectfully.  I think much higher of you than those words express, and I want my family to have the same esteem for you that I do.”

“Oh.”  Max let his head relax on Tony’s shoulder again, a smile on his lips that came deep from his heart.  “Thank you,” he murmured softly.

*****

“Tommy.  A word?” Tony requested later that evening.  He stood in the doorway of the spare room, catching Parker and Tommy before they changed for bed.  Both men looked over to him.  Parker, after sharing a look with his brother-in-law, made the excuse of getting a drink and headed to the kitchen.

Tommy looked a bit uneasy at Tony’s steady gaze on him.  “What?  What I do?”

“Could we discuss the B.T. reference, please?”

Tommy rolled his eyes, but it was an obvious attempt to make Tony try to think lighter of things.  “It’s just a joke, Tony.”

“A ‘joke’ that I have told you twice not to use.”

“Max didn’t know what it meant,” Tommy excused.

“Which in a sense makes it worse because then he realizes he’s being left out of something.  In any case, he knows what it means now.”

“You told him?!”

“He asked what B.T. meant and I’m not going to lie to my partner,” Tony said resolutely.  “In any case, you know I do not like that term.  It’s disrespectful and connotes someone who is little more than a fling.  That is not Max and I don’t want him referred to that way.”

“You know I don’t mean it like that.”

“Whether you do or not isn’t the point.  I thought you and I had talked out some misconceptions, but I feel the need to ask, do you see Max as someone not serious about me or our relationship?”

Tommy frowned.  “No!”

“Do you believe I’m not serious about my relationship with him?”

“Of course not.”

“Then it’s simply a matter of you disregarding my feelings about how you address him,” Tony concluded.

As simple as that statement was, it was the truth.  Tommy didn’t mean it cruelly, but Max had such a lovely combination of soft yet incredibly attractive features that Tommy couldn’t help but think ‘Boy Toy’ simply because of how he looked.

“I wasn’t meaning to disregard you,” Tommy mumbled, not exactly liking to admit to his fault, but knowing it was what Tony and Parker would expect from him.  “Sorry.”

“Thank you, but just so you have a reminder to carry with you into the future…”  Tony crooked a finger at his brother and Tommy flinched. 

“Man…” he complained quietly even as he crossed the few steps to Tony.  There was the feeling of the familiar placement of his older brother’s fingers around his bicep and the cringe of what was to come as his body was angled sideways.  The next moment had him arching his back instinctively as three hard swats stung through his slacks.  He held his breath a moment and rubbed at his seat as Tony released him.

“I don’t want to hear it again, Tommy.”

The younger man nodded.  “I know.  I won’t.”

Tony smiled slightly and put a caring arm around his little brother’s shoulders.  “No hard feelings?”

Tommy looked up, grateful to see that small smile.  He tried to offer one of his own.  “No, just a hard hand.”

“I know, Runt, but I’m over things if you are.”

“Yeah,” Tommy agreed.

Tony gave him a full-on hug then.  “Just so you know, I did appreciate you letting Max know you enjoyed his meal.  That made him feel good.”

“The guy can cook!  I’ll give him that,” Tommy acknowledged.

“He’s talented and smart,” Tony told him.  “I hope you two can get to be pretty good friends eventually.”

Tommy nodded.  “Me too.”

The two of them said their good nights after that and it wasn’t much more than a minute later that Parker returned to the room.

“You and Tony ok?” he asked quietly, knowing everyone was pretty much heading to bed for the night.

Tommy gave him a rueful look.  “Yeah.  Tony caught on to my ‘Boy Toy’ reference tonight.”

“I thought that might be the case.  How’s the seat?”

“Stinging,” Tommy admitted honestly.  “But it wasn’t bad; just a warning.”

“Take it to heart then, Tommy-baby.  Ready for bed?”

“Definitely.”

*****

Tony retreated to his room as the rest of his family examined his DVD collection.  It had been a good day.  He’d taken them to see the exotic cats, they’d gone out to dinner, and now were ready to have an enjoyable night inside watching a movie. 

The lack though was that Max hadn’t been able to be a participant that day.  With apologies, he’d insisted that he had to spend most of the day working.  Changes had to be made to one article and another needed several phone calls made during business hours.  Evening time would be spent writing. 

Tony understood.  Max didn’t have a typical nine to five job.  Actually, neither did Tony.  He’d worked his way up to a position within the store that, except for the holiday season, he worked the same days and times every week.  But that schedule meant ten hour shifts, or the occasional six hour day; and his days off were never together.  Sundays and Wednesdays were his free time, which he knew he’d have to go over with Max before too long.

Right now, however, he closed the bedroom door with phone in hand to spend some time at least verbally connecting with his love if he couldn’t do it physically.  He pressed speed dial and waited, smiling when Max’s happy voice greeted him.

“Hi, Tony.”

“Hi, Handsome.  Am I catching you at a good time?”

“I was just thinking about getting some coffee.  You’ve got perfect timing.  How was today?”

“Good,” Tony acknowledged as he stretched out on his bed.  “I took everyone to that cats of the world place.  I thought Mom and Tommy would love it and Dad and Parker would be a little bored, but it went the other way.”

“Really?”

Tony chuckled quietly.  “Yeah.  Dad couldn’t get over how big the tigers were, and Parker took pictures of everything and kept commenting how he’d never seen anything like the cats before.”

“And your mom and Tommy?”

“Well, Tommy was a little put out because it’s too wet out for the lions to be able to do their typical show with the trainer.  That, and there’s a petting zoo area with the usual goats and llamas and sheep.  Tommy was pesting one of the goats a little and I guess the goat’s buddy didn’t take too kindly to it.  Tommy got butted right onto his back.”

Max couldn’t help laughing, although he quickly tried to rein it in.  “Was he ok,” he asked around chuckles.

Tony was sniggering too.  “Yeah, save for a couple black and blues and a bruised ego.”  He gave a few more details to how it had happened and both men were laughing pretty hard for a few minutes.

“What about your mom?” Max asked when he got some breath back.  “You said you didn’t think she liked it?”

“It was more that I didn’t realize how intimidated she’d be of the animals.  All it took was one roar from one of the lions and the showing of his teeth for her to want to keep her distance.  She didn’t complain about anything, but she made sure she and the rest of us stayed completely behind any line or rope there was.”

“Not that you all would cross those,” Max offered.

Tony shook his head, despite Max not being able to see the gesture.  “Tommy would.  The kid’s a daredevil and always has been.”

“But he’d go up to a wild cat?”

“Not in the wild, but where we were…yeah.  He would have gone right up to the bars of the cages if he could have.”

“Seems a bit reckless,” Max tried to say tactfully.

“Tommy can be at times, but I think it’s more the excitement of something than willingly being reckless.  Tommy is a glass half full kind of guy and tends to believe nothing bad will happen until it does.  Parker and I have spent years trying to get him to use a little more caution, and he is better than he used to be.”

They continued chatting about the day and family until Tony realized that forty-five minutes had passed.  His family was probably wondering what was taking so long.

“I should go, Love,” he said reluctantly.  “You’re still coming over tomorrow, right?”

“After lunch,” Max acknowledged.  “I need to go to the newspaper office in the morning.   You still going to let me handle dinner tomorrow?”

“If you’re sure you want to.  You don’t have to cook for us, you know.”

“I know, but I’d like to.  It’s fun to cook for a group instead of just me.  I’ll pick up some things for the meal and bring them when I come.  About 2 o’clock?”

“Sounds good.  In the meantime I have to think of something to entertain everyone with tomorrow.”

“You will,” Max encouraged. 

“Thanks, Handsome.  Love you.”

“Love you too.”

Tony pushed the off button, wishing their conversation could have been longer, but knowing he needed to balance his time right now.  No one said anything when he rejoined his family, but he got four faces turned to him with knowing looks as he sat to join them in watching the Star Trek movie.