The Ticklish Brotherhood - 10. Gathering Family

"I'll be right back," Aiden said. He got up and walked into the kitchen, where he called his husband.

"Hey, Sexy."

"You're the sexy one, Mattie," Aiden said, grinning.

"So, what's up, babe?"

"Way too much to tell you over the phone, and you'd only tickle me into oblivion if I even attempted."

"This sounds intriguing."

"It is, Mattie. Do you think you and Pappy can get here this evening?"

"Wow! This must be something big. I'll let Pappy know we're going on a road trip. Do I get any more info?"

Aiden giggled and said, "Nope, that way, Pappy can't tickle it outta you. Just tell him that it's part of the surprise Ant planned."

"Does Ant know you've planned this?"

"Nope. I gotta go, my love. Be careful getting here."

"Love ya too, Aiden. Oh, just so you know, you'll be getting tickled for leaving me in the dark about the details," Mattie said, chuckling.

Aiden giggled and said, "Aiden The Mighty's not ticklish anymore, so do your worst, Mattie The Masterful."

"Oh, it's sooo on, babe. I love you."

"Love you more."

Aiden turned and ran into Dakota's muscular chest. He looked at his brother-in-law's grinning face and asked, "So, how much did you hear?"

"Not much, only that you've asked your husband and Pappy to get here and that you want to keep this a surprise for the ticklish heroic duo in the other room."

"If it's possible," Aiden said. He smiled and squeaked when Dakota pulled him into a bear hug that lifted him off the floor. "Hey, ya big lug, you're gonna give me a complex if ya keep picking me up," he joked.

Dakota's eyes sparkled as he scooped Aiden into his arms, held him bridal style, and spun around a couple times while the slightly older, giggly blonde yelped and kicked his legs with his arms wrapped around his neck. When he put his brother back on his sock-clad feet, the raven-haired half-Cherokee smiled and said, "Not my fault, Aiden, you're just too cute and playful, like your kid brothers."

Aiden grinned and said, "You included. I'm dying to see our Mikey's and Ant's faces when Mattie Pappy shows up unexpectedly."

"Me too, bro. Mikey puts so much effort into giving everyone he loves fun surprises that it's amazing to see him when he's not expecting something."

Mikey and Anthony were cuddled together on the sofa. The pair innocently smiled when they looked up at Dakota and Aiden, standing in the doorway, taking pictures of them with their phones.

"What are you two plotting," Mikey asked.

Aiden and Dakota looked at each other, then smirked, and in unison responded, "Nothing."

"Yeah, right," Anthony said before giggling and squirming when Mikey's fingertips tickled his neck. His eyes sparkled as he made his brunette, platonic soulmate squeal and rub his stomach like the dough boy after tickling his belly button rim. He looked at Dakota and asked, "Kota, can Mikey and I have a sleepover."

"Sure, just don't feed him after midnight, and tickle his feet at least every half hour or so."

"Sleep with one eye open, Indian boy," Mikey playfully threatened. He curled into himself and boyishly giggled when Anthony tickled his sides. "You're sooo dead, Antboy," he squealed.

Suddenly, a very giggly and excited blonde-haired boy burst into the room, jumped onto Mikey, and tickled him wherever he could reach. Mikey howled with high-pitched laughter as he wrestled with his young, playful attacker.

"I heard your giggling, Daddy," Mickey said after the playfulness subsided and he was snuggled against his dad's chest. "What mischief are you causing?"

The boy's question had the other adults shaking their heads and laughing. Mikey tried to look hurt but couldn't stop giggling long enough as he said, "What? I've caused no mischief. I'm a totally innocent Mikey."

"Yeah, right, that'll be the day. You always cause mischief, Daddy."
Mickey stood up, and giggling, he jumped into Dakota's arms. "Love you, Daddy," he said.

"Love ya more, my brave warrior boy."

Everyone was doubled over or leaning on something from laughing so much when Mikey giggled and blew a raspberry at his equally giggly son.

Finally, Mickey noticed two other people in the room and asked. "Are you my Uncles?"

"Baby boy," Dakota said, "this is your Uncle Anthony, and that's your Uncle Aiden," pointing to the giggling blonde men.

"We're so happy to finally meet you, Mickey," Anthony said as he and Aiden each gave the little boy a loving bear hug and kissed his cheek.

"No fair," Mickey squealed between his adorable giggles as his uncles tickled him.

"Gee, he sounds just like Amazing Antboy and Super Mikey did at his age," Aiden teased.

"You, Jordan, and Jason were just as adorable," Florence said.

Everyone turned to see the smiling older pair in the doorway, with a giggling Airen in Walter's arms.

"Mama Flo, Papa Walt," Aiden and Anthony excitedly exclaimed as they walked over to give the husband and wife a hug and kiss.

Mickey stood behind Airen with his hands on the dark-haired boy's shoulders and proudly said, "Daddies, Uncles, this is Airen Playful Otter Blackhawk. He's my new brother,"

Tears glistened in Dakota's eyes as he smiled, got on one knee, and opened his arms. Airen looked up at Mickey, and after the older boy nodded, he ran into his cousin's loving embrace. Anthony, Aiden, Mikey, and even Mickey were amazed at how alike the pair looked.

"Legally, we still need the test results," Dakota said as he stood with Airen in his arms, "but I know and can feel he's my biological family."

Mikey walked over and smiled. "I'm Mikey," he said, "You are one adorable boy, Airen. Can I get a hug?"

Airen giggled and reached for the older brunette. His and Mikey's bodies softly glowed during the love-filled embrace. "You hug like Mickey," he said.

Anthony and Airen locked eyes, and they felt an instant father/son bond beginning to grow between them.

"Airen, I'm Anthony Giovanni," Anthony said after swallowing the lump in his throat, "and this is my older brother, Aiden. We're Mikey and Dakota's brothers."

Mickey's boyish squealing laughter filled the room when Aiden wrapped his arms around his waist. He squirmed and giggled as he got pulled onto the blonde's lap and tickled. "You cheated, Uncle Aiden."

"It's not cheating if you're the son of Super Mikey," Aiden teased. He chuckled and kissed his nephew's cheek. "I love you, Mickey."

Mickey snuggled into the warm body and sighed. "I love you, too, Uncle Aiden."

"Unkie's Kotie and Mikey," Aiden asked.

"Unkies? When did we become your Uncles," Dakota countered while grinning.

"Because Silly, my future Daddy's your brother."

"You want me to be your Daddy," Anthony asked as tears dripped down his cheeks.

Airen excitedly nodded and laid his head on the older man's chest.

Florence and Walter silently watched the blossoming connection and felt the love flowing between everyone in the room.

"Mickey, would you please take your new brother upstairs and do your homework," Mikey asked.

"While you boys are up there, we'll make snacks," Florence said.

"If you'd like, Uncle Mikey and I can check your work when you're finished," Anthony said.

"C'mon, Airey," Mickey said.

The adults giggled as the boys ran off.

Mikey and Florence went to the kitchen to fix the beverages. The conversation resumed when the drinks were served.

"Anthony, are you serious about becoming Airen's father," Florence asked.

"I am, Mama Flo. I know how crazy this will sound, but after I heard his name, Gamma Cat spoke to me, and she said Airen was to be my future son. When we locked eyes, I knew it to be true. A parental bond is already forming between us."

Florence and Walter looked at one another and smiled as they nodded.

"Then first, we get Dakota established as Airen's biological family and into his and Mikey's care so that we can get him out of the foster care system," Florence stated.

"Once that's done, we can work on starting the adoption process," Mikey offered.

"I agree, Mama Flo," Anthony said. "Aiden and I are gonna move into the house next door."

"I thought John and Raven were with you guys," Dakota said.

"They were, but they needed to get back to check on Chance," Walter responded.

While they did their homework, Walter and Florence went to Mickey's room and said they went home to get the family journal for him. The older couple smiled when they got a hug and kiss from both boys after Airen said he'd be fine.

"I'm done," Airen said with a big smile.

"Me too," Mickey said. He giggled and playfully ruffled the younger boy's hair.

Airen's brown eyes sparkled as he pounced on his newly acquired brother's ankles and tickled the blonde's sock-clad soles.

"Airen," Mickey squealed. His toes scrunched, and he wriggled on the bed sheets while giggling uncontrollably.

"You've got the cutest giggles, big bro," Airen said.

Mickey wrapped his arms around the younger boy, tickling his sides and stomach. Airen's high-pitched squeals and laughter bounced off the walls.

"Does the laughter mean your homework's done, boys," Mikey and Anthony asked as they stood in the doorway, grinning.

"Yes, Daddies," the brotherly pair responded.

Each boy handed his work to his dad to check over. They smiled and beamed with pride when the homework was handed back with no mistakes found.

"Good work, you two, now there's no reason we can't do this..." Anthony stopped speaking just before he and Mikey jumped onto the bed and wrestled with the boys until they pinned the giggling youths.

"We're not ticklish," Mickey said, giggling.

Mikey grinned, "Really," he asked as Anthony tickled his future son.

"No, fair, Daddy," Airen shrieked as he laughed and squirmed.

Mickey's laughter blended with his half-Cherokee brother's laughs as his dad tickled him. "Ok... We're ticklish," he squealed.

Mikey giggled and asked, "You boys hungry?"

"Yes!" the boys hollered.

Mickey and Airen climbed onto their uncles for a piggyback ride downstairs. At the bottom of the stairs, the boys slid down to the floor, and they grinned and nodded after Anthony and Mikey whispered to them. Silently, they crept into the living room, where Aiden was stretched out on the couch. The mischievous duo shared a look before they ran and jumped on their unsuspecting uncle, tickling him wherever they could reach.

"You Imps are soooo dead," Aiden declared as he squirmed and howled with boisterous laughter. Finally, he got the upper hand, pinning the giggly, playful boys and tickling them until they cried uncle. He giggled and kissed his nephews while cuddling them, then looked up at his chuckling younger brothers and said, "Amazing Antboy and Super Mikey are gonna get it for unleashing you Junior Imps on the invincible Aiden The Mighty."

Anthony and Mikey yelped when each one was grabbed from behind and trapped in a bear hug that lifted them off the floor.

"I missed my Super Mikey," Mikey's unseen hugger said as he put the squirming and giggling brunette back on the floor.

"Pappy, Mattie," Mikey squealed before he fell to his knees in hysterical laughter.

"You're cheating, Pappy," Anthony cried out as he joined his slightly younger brother on the floor, squirming and wildly laughing.

Aiden grinned and said, "Mikey, Airen, that's your Pappy Tony and Uncle Mattie tickling your Daddies. Mattie's my husband."

The ticklish brothers were pulled to their feet, then hugged and kissed.

"How'd you guys get into the house without the security system going off," Mikey asked.

Tony giggled as he and Mattie wrapped his arms around their new grandsons, kissing their cheeks, and said, "Aiden had Dakota disarm the system just before we pulled into the drive, and after we were inside, he armed it again."

"Speaking of my husband. Where'd he run off to?"

"He got a call from the Police Chief. There was a break in a few streets over," Aiden said.

"Oh, ok," Mikey said before walking to the kitchen to get the snacks together.

Aiden, Anthony, Tony, and Mattie stood open-mouthed as they watched their boy walk away.

"Ok, who are you, and where's the real Super Mikey," Aiden, Anthony, and Mattie asked as they barreled into the kitchen.

Mikey grinned and asked, "Whatever do you mean."

The brothers chuckled when they heard the boys squealing and giggling, knowing their Pappy Tony was having fun getting to know his ticklish grandsons.

"Since when does Super Mikey opt to stay home when his mate's in possible danger," Anthony asked.

"Since Super Mikey became a Super Daddy," Mikey replied. "Besides, Dakota's dealing with police business and will call if he needs me. One of us has to be here to watch our boy."

"Wow! Super Mikey's matured," Mattie said as he hugged his husband and Anthony.

The four brothers returned to the living room with plates of finger sandwiches and snacks that weren't junk food for the kids. They couldn't stop giggling when Tony stared at them and asked, "Yes, Pappy."

Tony shook his head at his adorable grown boys and said, "Let's start with when Anthony was gonna mention he's adopting this adorable dark-haired boy."