Aim for the Throat

Unlike these previous encounters most days in Brendon, Ryan, Cohen, and Sam's lives were the same, only breaking monotony on occasions and, of course, in the little details. This was not to say that they didn't find some sort of fulfillment in their routines, it was just a comfortable sort of life style.

This being said, none of them expected today to be any different.

Brendon straightened his tie as his beloved boyfriend crept behind him and ruffled his hair, still damp from his shower. Brendon smirked and flattened the messy locks down on his head. Brendon met his own eyes in the mirror and gave himself a confident smile as he looked over his teaching attire one last time.

"About ready to head out?" He asked Ryan, turning on his heel to face the other man in the room. Ryan was tucking his crisp, white button up shirt into the waistband of his freshly ironed black slacks.

"Give me a few more minutes." Brendon smiled.

Like any other morning, he was ready first, while Ryan scrambled to finish pulling together his garb to be suitable for work. Just like any other morning, Brendon left the room and let his shoes sink into the thick carpet with every step he took down the hallway to his son's room. Brendon lightly pounded his knuckles against the closed wooden door and waited for a reply.

"Almost ready!"

Ryan, as per usual, would spend the morning half awake. He'd sleep while Brendon took a shower, only getting up early enough to join his loved one before the hot water was turned off. He'd kiss Brendon passionately, always wishing they had more time before work, though they never did. Ryan would sigh softly as Brendon got out of the shower, but then continue to clean himself.

Ryan took his time getting ready, knowing he was always a few steps behind Brendon anyway. That was the way everything was and that's the how Ryan knew the way around his life.

When Brendon left the room Ryan walked over to the full-length mirror, bent over slightly to make his face the focus of the image before him, and would desperately try to fix his hair. Ryan left the room and met with Brendon in the kitchen. He got a pop tart, even if he knew his once sugar addicted loved one would give him a hard time about and gratefully took a mug of coffee from Brendon's hands. Brendon always had his drink ready in the morning. Today was no different.

"Almost ready!" Cohen yelled at his father through the door when, as usual, he'd just be rolling out of bed. He was never sleeping in, no, he'd be on the phone with Sam, simply laying in bed and welcoming the morning with her voice.

"You need to get ready baby." Sam laughed and Cohen smiled as he tugged off his pajama pants and kicked the mess on his floor to the side, while he looked for a pair of jeans to wear.

"Ughh but I hate hanging up with you." He whined and Sam giggled. Cohen knew on the other line she'd be blushing.

"You'll see me in less than twenty minutes Cohen." She reasoned and he sighed dramatically.

"Fine, fine." He gave in with a grin, "I'll see you in a few. I love you sweetie." He gently said the last part with a slight sing song in his voice.

"I love you too." They hung up. Cohen rushed to tug on a clean shirt and comb out his tangled hair. He shoved his phone, iPod, and a few dollars into his pockets before rushing out the door.

He met with his father and Ryan in the kitchen, smiling as he saw the two as they are on every other morning.

"Come on oldies, lets roll out!" Ryan and Brendon rolled their eyes, but laughed.

"Coh, you have a doctor's appointment today. Dad will be stopping by to get you around 11:00. What class do you have again?" Ryan asked glancing back to the back seat with the rear view mirror as they all start to buckle in.

"Algebra." He grumbled out, Brendon made a mental note of it.

The three of them make their way to the school.

"I love you too." Sam repeats back before biting her lip bashfully and hanging up. Even after they've been together for almost a year, she was still as head over heels for that boy as she was the second he asked her out.

She put her phone down and now with her hands unoccupied she finished her make up. She played with her hair; teasing it, brushing it out again, teasing it, spaying it. Her eyes ran over her body in the mirror and she cocked her head to the side. As always, she was unsatisfied with her image, but as always, Cohen's jaw would drop the second he saw her.

They all go to school, just like any other day.

Cohen and Sam go to their classes.

Ryan and Brendon get ready for a full day of teaching.

It's all the way it's supposed to be.

Until.

"Attention teachers proceed action for shelter in place. This is not a drill."