On the day that Linder's restaurant was opened, everyone was proud, happy and excited. They all mouthed their congratulations as they stood outside the furnished building that was now known as 'The Lily Pad'.

Alexander had helped him find the best location. He'd called it strategic and explained precisely why it would be the best. Tadashi and Eden handled marketing and advertising. Alexander also handled licensing while Linder worked on everything else.

          He knew enough about coffee and how to run the place. Mason helped with the decor while Linder figured out whom to hire.

          The opening was huge, and it meant so much to him that almost everyone he knew was there.

          Ever since he cut the ribbon, he'd gotten busy because the place was already so full. There was loud chatter everywhere, and several laughs as Linder served coffee and treats.

          "Hey," Linder immediately looked up at the familiar voice, and soon after, he was met with Sandy's smiling face.

          "Sandy!" Linder said and smiled. "And miss... sorry, I didn't get your name." He'd almost called her what they used to refer to her secretly.

"It's Blaire," Miss Attitude said with her british accent full on. Her pixie cut looked just a little bit longer and the dark red streaks in it still looked as cute as ever.

It was odd that they were both together, looking giddy. "Sorry but, how come the two of you are here together?"

"Well," Sandy started. "When this..." she gave her a once over. "...Miss Attitude here backed me up against the wall and kissed me, everything you said then made sense."

Linder's eyes widened then he nodded. "Oh, I see."

"Yeah," replied Sandy.

Blaire smiled like she was pleased with herself. "You were taking too long to get the hint," she told Sandy.

"And him?" Linder asked.

"My boyfriend?" Said Sandy. "Broke up with him."

"Was a bloody dick about it too," Blaire chipped in. "I'd have punched him in the face if Sandy didn't stop me, homophobic prick."

"Relax babe, he wasn't worth the trouble," said Sandy to her aggravated girlfriend.

"You, are worth the trouble!" Blaire answered.

Sandy looked at Linder. "How did I never see this?"

Linder shook his head then shrugged. He wasn't about to get over how cute they were together.

"We were wondering if you were hiring," said Sandy.

"You both want to work with me?" Asked Linder.

"Since we saw that you opened up shop," said Blaire. "Sandy also missed you."

"Yeah, I guess," said Sandy.

Linder didn't think their relationship in his previous job went anywhere ahead of workmate but it seemed that wasn't the case. Maybe it was okay now, to let a few people in. Maybe it wouldn't hurt.

"Okay," replied Linder. "You both start tomorrow. But no slacking off because you're together."

"You don't have to worry about that, we work really well together," said Sandy.

"That is true, we really do," said Blaire, reaching up to arrange sandy's hair.

Linder almost squealed inside. They were like the cutest thing he'd ever seen.

"Fine. You're both hired then. Royce here will take you through everything," he then turned to the muscly man with a black bandana tied around his head. "Show them how everything is supposed to work, the menus and the schedules. This is Sandy, and this is Blaire. They start tomorrow."

"Well, come on then, Blaire and Sandy," he said in a rugged voice.

The number of customers halved in the next three hours, but Linder still had high hopes. Until that number came down to three customers. He tried not to show it but he was getting a little worried. What if his coffee shop wasn't a success? It's just the first day, relax. Okay but what if...

He tried to hide it when Eden and Tadashi got in and walked towards him.

"Babe!" Eden said cheerfully. He leaned in and teased Linder before finally kissing the other man. "Nice place you got here."

Linder couldn't help the blush that spread across his cheeks. "Uh, thank you."

"Okay what's wrong?" Asked Eden.

Tadashi rubbed his cheek with his thumb. "What is it?"

Linder pursed his lips then released them. "What if this doesn't work out, what if I can't actually do it, what if–"

"Hey hey, stop. It's too early to be thinking like that" said Tadashi. "I wasn't joking when I said you'd made one heck of a plan. It's already proving to be."

Linder nodded and ruffled his own hair.

"You know what," Eden said as he grabbed a handful of flyers. He looked to Tadashi and asked him to do the same. He took his jacket off and rolled up his sleeves.

Linder couldn't reel his smile in. "You  guys are really going to—"

"Anything to put a smile on your face," said Eden.

"Wait, it'll be flooded soon." Tadashi took flyers in his hand and together they walked out. wait here, more customers are coming.

It didn't take two minutes and Linder was already getting busy again. He noticed as Riley held Mason's hand as they walked towards him.

"We just saw Eden and Tadashi outside,"said Riley. "We'd like some flyers too." Mason nodded.

"Me too," said Lily.

"Me too," Mikhail looked up expectantly at his brother.

He was so touched.

•••

"I'd like...just a cold drink," one of the new customers coming in said, she looked like a high school student. "Those are some really hot men out there handing out the flyers. Where'd you find them? Seriously... I could use some spice in my life."

More customers filed in, and one even passed him a note. "Give him my number," a brown haired lady with freckles smiled at him. "The one with the green eyes."

Linder realized that she was talking about Eden. "Just give him this," she wiggled her eyebrows and pushed the note further towards Linder.

Immediately she turned around with her drink, Linder crushed the piece of paper slowly and let it drop to the floor, a hard expression on his face.

Sandy suddenly whistled. "That totally wasn't dark."

"He is taken," replied Linder.

"I think anyone who just saw that wouldn't doubt you," she replied.

Linder immediately switched to a genuine smile when the next customer came up for an order. Five customers later and someone else asked Linder to give their number to Riley.

"Aren't you going to crush that one too?" Sandy asked.

"I'll let Mason do the honors," replied Linder.

Linder served so much coffee that they'd almost run out of treats on the first day. He fantasized about throwing everyone out and asking them to come back the next day.

          The whole shop was abuzz with gossip about the men serving out the flyers, and how cute the children were. As far as the men were concerned, he tried not to listen in and be spiteful about it.

          "See you tomorrow boss," said Sandy.

          He thought he wasn't ever going to get used to that as he waved them goodbye.

          Linder finally turned the sign to closed before ushering his handymen and woman inside. He set a table for them and served them last after everyone else had left.

          "You should seriously get Zel to bake stuff for this place," said Riley after finishing his coffee.

          "He'll die of excitement if you ask him," Mason smiled. "You could be partners in a way."

          Linder looked thoughtful. "That's not a bad idea at all. I'll think it through."

          Riley and Mason got up to leave after a short while.

          "No, stay for a light dinner," Linder asked.

          "We'd have loved to," said Riley. "But my darling's making dinner tonight. And he just got back from his trip, so I need to go sit him on my lap."

          Mason chuckled and shook his head. "He's talking about Alexander. But thanks for the offer. We should all have dinner together like next week, don't you think?"

          Eden saw them out as they talked and agreed over a date.

•••

          Linder walked out of the kitchen with a few dishes and set them down on the table. "Now, to feed my family," said Linder as he put the food on the table. "You've all worked so hard! I couldn't be prouder."

          He'd asked Royce to prepare a little something for the five of them before he left, if it wasn't too much trouble. Turns out he could actually cook.

          "And Mikky! You get an extra of anything you want. That was very brave of you," said Linder.

         "I think I can do it again. Eden held my hand...then Tadashi put me on his shoulder!" Mikhail said. Linder couldn't remember the last time he'd sounded so excited.

          "Wow! His shoulder?" Linder said.

          "Yes, it was so high up!" He replied.

          Linder pulled his cheek playfully and his brother actually smiled at him.

          After serving the food, Linder sat down too.

"You've worked hard," Tadashi rubbed his shoulder. "I'm so proud of you."

          Linder fastened his hand on his and smiled before giving him a quick kiss.

          "Me too," said Eden. Linder turned to him and kissed him.

          "I don't want a kiss, no thank you. But I'm proud of you too," said Lily.

          "Me too," said Mikhail.

Linder smiled and blew kisses at them anyway. "Let's eat before it gets cold."

          Eden was the first to dig in. And then they all fell into light conversation as they ate. "Did I ever tell you guys about just how much Eden can eat?" Tadashi asked.

          Eden shoved him and Tadashi chuckled. "What? You did eat like a zillion things in one go and you weren't even full."

          "Spill the beans," said Lily, smirking at Eden.

          Tadashi spilled every single bean and exaggerated at some parts as he told them the story of the pink cat, until he sent them into fits of laughter. Eden too, laughed along as he tried to defend himself.

          It was already dark outside and the entire coffee shop was empty, save for the small family that huddled together over a table and fed.

          Sometimes they were loud and sometimes they spoke in hushed tones but it was the best dinner they'd each had yet.

          "Let's take a picture," Eden suddenly said.

          They ended up taking a dozen pictures and laughing till their jaws hurt. Until all the food was finished and Linder started to clear the table with everyone else's help.

           "You never did tell me about this picture," Linder pulled out the picture of himself from his pocket, and showed it to Tadashi.

          "Oh that," Tadashi laughed a little shyly and ruffled his hair. "Can I have it back now? I'm still trying to sneakily take a picture of Eden too, and always carry it with me."

          "You creepy man," said Linder.

          "Every man in love is creepy. It's like a right of passage," said Tadashi. "You're saying you don't want a picture of me or Eden?"

         God, he so wanted that. Linder put the picture back in his pocket.

          "Hey!" Tadashi complained.

           "Not until you tell me," said Linder.

          "Okay. So I might've somehow gotten my hands on the picture and kept it," said Tadashi.

          "All that time? I didn't think you even liked me, you know. And you didn't tell me anything," said Linder.

          "It was more complicated than a mere 'like'," said Tadashi. "That was the day I fell in love with you."

           Linder wasn't expecting the words to shake him up inside so much, but they did. So he hadn't imagined it; after that day, even as Alexander touched him sometimes, his mind would always drift to Tadashi.

          "I didn't tell you even long after that, because I was afraid you'd push me away," said Tadashi.

          It was a fair enough answer that made sense. Linder was hell bent on pushing everyone and everything away at one point.

          "You are perfect, you know that right?" Linder meant it, but he was also trying to figure out what Alexander said.

          Tadashi's eyes widened and he looked everywhere else but at Linder. It seemed that he really didn't see it that way. That had to change.

          "My babies and I tidied up everything while you lazy asses slacked off," Eden pretended to pout then smiled against his own will. "I'm joking, let's go home."

          Tadashi wrapped his hands around Eden from the back and put his chin on his shoulder, looking at Linder. "Can I have my picture back now?"

          Linder looked like he was contemplating. He got closer to the two. "I'm getting horny just looking at you two," he whispered so only Eden and Tadashi heard him. "I guess we'll see after you both take care of me tonight." Linder walked away.

          "Ah, the tiger and his kittens, at it again," Tadashi smiled and lifted Eden—who yelped in the cutest way—up in his arms and walked out of their boyfriend's new coffee shop.