They had enjoyed a pretty lazy week, making sure to include little Jonathan as much as they could. They went on long walks in parks with him. Watched disney movies with him. Had a lazy day in bed with Jonathan between them, gushing over him. Maximilien had forced Noah to learn how to change diapers, since he always found stupid excuses, sometimes lying about that he needed to do some sketches. Every time Maximilien had gone to see what creation Noah had come up with, he would find him lazying in the bed, reading a book, or napping. One day Maximilien had got enough, he practically dragged Noah into Jonathan's bedroom, glaring at him until he had changed the diaper. Noah had glared right back, complaining about how disgusting it was, and how such a little person could make such a big mess. But he was too preoccupied glaring at Max, that he accidentally had reached out for the dirty diaper again, thinking it was a new one, grabbing it right in the middle. That day he had insisted on taking two baths, and four showers, which had made Maximilien amused the whole day, teasing him about it countless of times. Noah had cursed both Jonathan and Maximilien to hell. But slowly they settled into this routines, and everything always turned out alright.

Noah had sometimes been scared about how his life was turning to this point. Everything seemed oddly idyllic. They were a happy little family. Of course something was bound to happen. The calm before the storm.

''I'll go take a shower, before my meeting in two hours, alright?'' He stood up, and leaned down to kiss Max's forehead, ruffling his messy hair a bit. ''I would ask you to join me but I'm a bit busy and then there's the little fact that...'' He trailed off as his phone vibrated. ''Fuck! Hvorfor lige nu!'' He threw his phone into Max's lap. ''Tell whoever it is that I'm busy right now, and I'll call back later, or let them leave a message.'' He placed one last kiss on Max's lips, before strolling into the bathroom, turning on the water, stepping inside, almost imedietly conjuring up thought of Max. You don't have time for this! He scolded himself.

''Well, we certainly won't stand out here all day, now will we?'' Lucas raised an eyebrow and looked disdainfully at Maximilien, before walking inside, his wife trailing after him nervously. ''Where is Noah?'' She asked quietly, wringing her hands as a nervous gesture. Noah chose that moment to hurry out to the hallway looking all flustered. Oh shit. He hadn't seen his parents for years. ''Mor... Fader.'' And suddenly he felt like his old 17-year old, bowing his head humbly, feeling incredibly stupid. What the fuck were they even doing here? ''Åh, min kære.'' Annie's eyes teared up, and she enveloped Noah in a motherly hug, refusing to let go. ''Noah, vi har savnet dig. Var det for meget at forlange et opkald om måneden!'' She drew back and looked at him sadly, until Lucas slowly said. ''It is very impolite to speak danish now, Annie. This man here, can't understand a thing.'' Annie looked snootily at her husband, before switching over to english. ''How have you been?'' Noah laughed bitterly. ''How I've been? You want me to sum up how I've been for the last couple of years?'' She looked stricken at this, while Lucas raised his voice. ''Enough of that! We will not have any fights now.'' Noah looked apologetic at Max, feeling very embarrassed. Lucas looked at Max, ''I suppose you're out of the door, right?'' Noah walked to Max's side, placing an arm around his waist. ''No, he's not. This is his home too. Where are your manners, father. Asking a man to leave his own home?'' Lucas was just about to say something, until Annie placed a hand on his arm. ''Can we go sit somewhere?'' She asked politely, like she wasn't talking to her own son. Noah just nodded, walking into the living room with Maximilien, and Jonathan. ''What do you want?'' He asked tiredly. ''You threw me out. You never contacted me. You disowned me. What do you want?'' He wanted to get straight to business. But they just ignored his question for now, instead asking. ''Who is that man?'' Annie asked, indicating towards Max. ''My lover. Boyfriend. Partner. Other half. Significant other. Other half to my disease.'' He said sarcastically, referring to all the times they had called his homosexuality for a disease. ''Whatever you want to call it.'' Annie pursed her lips, and Lucas just looked coldly at his son. ''And the child?'' Noah turned his head towards Jonathan, placing him in his own lap. ''This little fellow, is our godchild.'' They both stared at him in confusion. ''Excuse me?'' Annie said. ''It's Johannes and Jacinthe's child. They... Died. Car accident.''
''You mean the fool who took you in after you got dumped?'' Noah clenched his jaw. ''That fool who took me in when you threw me out, and I had no place to go!'' A long silence settled around them, the air tense. ''You're raising that child alone?'' Annie ignored their previous subject, looking slightly horrified at the notion. ''Without a mother? Noah, dear!'' Oh god, this was getting tiredly. ''A child needs love. We have plenty to give.'' He said quietly, and Lucas snorted. ''Love? Foolish child. You don't know what love is. This is not love. This is a illusion. You've always lived in your own world'' Noah was silently fuming, getting more and more uncomfortable. ''What do you want.'' He asked one more time. This time his father answered. ''We have a proposition.''

''Will you both just please shut the fuck up! You're making Jonathan cry, and giving me a headache.'' He stood up with the now crying baby, pacing back and forth, trying to get him to calm down. ''Noah!'' Annie said sounding horrified at how her own son had talked to his father. ''No, mother!. Neither of you will come into my house and insult me and the man I love.'' He hadn't even realized what he had said, and that he had actually said that word. That he had finally admitted that he loved Maximilien. He loved him dearly. It was probably a good think he didn't realize, otherwise, he would have outright panicked. ''You're the one who doesn't know what love is, father. I pity you. Don't pity me. I have all I need. I have a family. I don't have a pathetic excuse of a family, like you had. Now do I?'' Jonathan had finally calmed down, so he walked back to the couch, scooting closer to Max, looking apologetic at him. ''I'm sorry I yelled.'' He gave him a soft kiss, right there, in front of his parents. Annie gasped and Lucas was fuming, seeing red, but Annie placed a calming hand on his arm, willing him to calm down. ''As your father suggested. The marriage will be for purely appearance. This is a very important deal for the company. Imagine all the opportunities! You will be asked to attend various dinner's and public conventions with your supposed wife, make sure your pictures are in the papers. But other than that, you're free to... Carry on this lifestyle. Just keep it discreet.'' Noah laughed hollowly. ''So basically, what you're saying is, that I will keep Noah on the side, while I'm married to another woman. Acting out this silly picture perfect family with her. You really want me to let my own family down? Not be here when they need me, because I'm attending a boring, formal dinner or meeting? You really think I'll do it?'' Lucas seemed to get impatient. ''The bethrotal it already sighed. We just need you to go through it. I can offer you a nice sum of money you won't be able to say no to. If you say no, you know very well that I have other means to get you to sign that contract. I can ruin your life, son. Before you can count to five you can lose everything around you. So please consider this. It will be the easiest solution. And it will give you the time and space to carry on... This lifestyle of yours.'' Noah clenched his fists, but looked nervously at his father. He knew he had contacts like no other man. He could easily ruin Noah's life if he wished to do so. Everything was in his power, and that man, he had the power to do almost everything. He could easily ruin your life. He clutched Max's hand tightly, trying to ground himself, since he was getting nervous,and starting to feel sick. What the fuck was he going to do?

Noah looked at Max in admiration, wanting to jump up and down like a child. Maximilien was a genius! There was no way his father could go against that! Well, that was, until he heard his father's cruel laugh. He snapped his eyes back to him, narrowing them. ''Why do you find your own fall this amusing? This will take you down from any position you behold.'' Lucas just tsk'ed and shook his head, looking far too amused, which only upset Noah more and more. ''What!'' He snapped again, his nervousness coming back full force again. ''Stupid children.'' Lucas mocked. ''You think your recording is any proof? Let me tell you. It's very easy to manipulate a recording. It's your word against mine, and tell me again, kind sir.'' He bit out. ''Who will they believe. Me... Or you? A foolish 24-year old, who's after an older man's money, hm? You see. I can ruin you. Both of you. With the snap of my finger.'' Noah was getting tired of this. ''Then ruin us for fucks sake! But you can't. Since all the money I have, is mine.'' Lucas looked mockingly at him again. ''Dear child. I can get that money back easily. It was after all, my dear old father who gave them to you in his testament. But... You're just a jealous son, who wants my company and money, are you not? Well, you can easily become that.'' Annie seemed to get more and more uncomfortable, looking pleadingly at her husband, as she begged him to leave this alone, and go, but Lucas refused. ''This is the downfall of our company! Our money! Everything! I will not back off!'' He turned to Noah. ''The wedding is in six weeks. You better be there. Oh. And we're giving you a honey moon to Bahamas. Aren't you just excited? You can pick out whatever suit you want. You can even invite...'' He looked at Max disdainfully. ''him to your wedding. I'm sure we have enough space.'' He smirked cruelly at Maximilien. ''If you don't show up, Noah. I will make sure that child isn't in your care anymore.'' Noah tightened his hold around Jonathan, staring dumbly at his father, trying to say something., but nothing came out. Nothing but ''I hate you.'' And he meant it. Every fiber in his body hated this man in front of him with a passion. If people just knew what his childhood had been like with this man. ''I fucking hate you.'' He whispered, trying to hide the running emotions that were going through him.

''You are very stupid, young man. Just like my failure of a son there.'' Noah cringed at this, almost feeling like his 10 year old self. He dropped his gaze down to his own lap, losing his confident posture. He hated being told that he was a failure. He had been told he was a failure his whole life. ''I do know that he will go to his blood relatives. I'm not saying that I want that child in my care, oh no. But I will turn his relatives against you. Ever heard of child abuse, hm? It's quite easy to prove even. Or how you let a babysitter take care of him, instead of doing it yourself?'' Noah's heart had sped up at that, and he was trying to breath calmly. ''You... You can't do that. You can't.'' Annie placed a calm hand on her husbands arm, trying to look pleadingly at him. ''Let's go honey.'' He just shook his head off. ''I can do a lot of things, Noah. Mark my words. I will not let my company be taken down because I got stuck with this failure of a son. You have an opportunity. Grab it. You want to keep that child and man beside you safe? And still be able to see them? Well, then I suggest you do what I told you. There's no drama. Just act the marriage out in public. I don't care what you do in the private of your home.'' Noah just looked dumbly at him, trying to come up with a retort, but nothing came forth. He knew his father was right. No one knew what that man was capable off. Why did people think he had such a successful company? ''You can't do that!'' Noah said stubbornly, starting to sound small and child-like. ''Oh yes I can. I can even show them papers of how mentally unstable you have been from the age of 10 to 18. Those papers will deem that a child should not be in your care. I can even show them papers of all the institutions you have stayed at.'' Noah gaped at him, trying to control his demeanor. What papers? What institutions? What the fuck was his father talking about? He had never had a residence in any of those places. Oh. Well shit. ''You.. I..'' He began. This fumbling for words seemed to amuse Lucas greatly. ''I never had any mental or health problems!'' He finally said through gritted teeth. Lucas stood up, tugging his wife up alongside. ''Oh yes you have. I can easily get those papers. Well now. We shall leave. Have a great evening. Hopefully I shall see you soon, yes?'' And with that he left. Noah turned to Max, looking at him desperately, hands shaking as he was starting to panic. He clutched Jonathan closer to his chest, and closed his eyes, before opening them again. ''I.. It's.. It's a lie, Max! It's a lie! I'm not.. I'm not crazy! I've never been in any institutions! I don't have any mental problems! It's a lie! He.. It's a lie!'' God, what if Maximilien didn't believe him? He had to! ''He will show papers who is a falsification. Please.. Don't... Don't believe them! Johannes wouldn't have left Jonathan with us if that had been true! He wouldn't! And he has known me my whole life! He.. He would know..''

Noah just nodded dumbly, shaking slightly from the sheer restrain from holding back his tears. He would not break down. He would not show weakness. He didn't need to cry. He hated crying. He hadn't cried much the last couple of years. He had cried when Johannes had made him let go and broke down in his friends arms. He had cried when Maximilien had been in the Hospital. He would not cry again. He would not let his father bring him down like this. ''I-I know..'' He whispered, horrified by his own weak voice. Abruptly he drew back from Max's embrace, sitting up straight, face completely straight and voice avoid from any emotion as he said. ''I'm going to take a shower.'' Without looking at Max he got to his feet and slowly walked towards the bathroom, closing the door behind him. He would not break down. He would not. He would not let Maximilien see him weak, or let him see how intimidated he was by his own arrogant father. He turned for the water, letting it get scolding hot before stepping under the stream, closing his eyes, sliding down to the tiles, staring out in the air. He didn't cry. He didn't really do anything, besides let the hot water cascade down his body, turning it all red. The steam started to appear and he found it hard to breathe, his hands fumbling to turn the cold water on, refusing to get out before he was shivering. At least he had calmed down now. He dried himself off, before slipping into his sweatpants, and then walked to stand in front of the mirror, suddenly hating the sight in front of him. Failure. He was such a failure. What had he achieved in life? Besides living of his inheritance from his Grandfather. And now because of his bastard of a father he would ruin Jonathan and Maximilien's life. He couldn't let that happen. He just felt so helpless now. He knew that his father had power. He could do whatever he wished. It would probably be best to just accept that stupid marriage contract. Then nothing would happen to Maximilien and Jonathan. But now that he finally had the man, and that brat, he had a hard time just letting them go. He couldn't be a coward and do that. He needed to fight for them. He could picture Max's devastated face if he entered that marriage. It would lead to a break up. It would tear them apart. No. He couldn't do that. He wouldn't He... He.. He loved them. He needed them. They were the only people who mattered. He had no one but them. He couldn't let that go.

Numbly he walked back to the bedroom, lying down on the bed, curling in on himself. He had no idea what to do. He didn't know. God. What could he do? He yanked his hair in frustration, trying to get calm again. He would not cry. He would not.

Noah smiled weakly at Jonathan. ''No, just tired.'' He sighed a bit in content, feeling warmth flood his previously cold body. This was what he wanted. This peacefulness of being surrounded by people he loved dearly. How did it take him so long to admit it? So admit that this was what he wanted. He didn't want strangers in his bed anymore. He had finally opened himself up, bit by bit, for possible getting hurt. But he trusted Maximilien. The man would never hurt him on purpose. At least they were giving their relationship a shot. He just hoped he wouldn't screw up. He hoped his father wouldn't screw all this up, and ruin it. He couldn't lose them. Maximilien's reassurance didn't really help. He didn't know what his father was capable of. If he knew, then Noah would bet that Max would be more upset. How could he tell him? That in six weeks, their life could be ruined if he didn't enter that marriage contract. ''I don't want to marry her. I don't want to ruin this. And I most certainly will not let you and Jonathan go through hell just because of me. We will never have a normal life if we enter that. I will never be able to be seen with you in public. I... I can't go with Jonathan when he starts his first day in school. I can't marry y-... I mean...'' Shit. What was wrong with him?! Why was his stupid mouth letting out his thoughts that were buried deep inside his conscious. ''I mean.. I just can't be seen with you. Do you really want that? I don't. I just want... I want a normal life for once!'' He sighed again, smiling a little when Jonathan snuggled closer to his chest, almost pressing his little tiny face flatly against Noah, clutching his shirt with those little fists. He turned his head slightly, so he could press a soft kiss to Maximilien's lips, hoping that Max understood how thankful Noah was for the support. He suddenly swore loudly, and Maximilien pinched him, scolding him about how he shouldn't swear in front of Jonathan. ''But the meeting! Shit! I forgot the meeting! My boss will kill me.'' He groaned, but then damned it all to hell. It wasn't really important now. What was important was this. His little family. He scooted backwards, closer to Max, and dragged Jonathan with him. ''Well, isn't this just cozy.'' He snorted, but secretly, he absolutely loved it. He never had something like this as a child. He had craved it! And now, he was getting all the love he had craved, from these two people.