HE LOVED THE kids. They gave his life DIRECTION and purpose. But there was something to be said for a few hours’ respite with an already-sugared-up Buzz. He rubbed a bit of the batter off of Buzz’s nose with the pad of his thumb as his grin grew wider. “You’re tellin’ me that we have an empty nest?” he asked, reciprocating Buzz’s idea of wrapping his arms around the waist of the other. “Where we can be as gross as we want without any kids yellin’ at us to stop being ICKY?” He took a step back, intending to grab one of the few brownies left on the plate by the oven, but his heel hit a slick bit of batter in JUST the right way, and he skated, making a surprised, inhuman noise. “Chrissake,” he muttered, almost gaining his balance when his knee went to jelly and he fell, arms still around Buzz. “OW.”