Chapter Text
“I’ll see you in a few hours Mr Dingle.”
“I’ll see you in a few hours....Mr future Dingle.”
Aaron blows out a deep breath as he stands infront of the mirror in his bedroom, tugging onto his waist coat and fiddling with his cufflinks on his wrists before he looks at the clock on the wall.
It’s just over an hour,
Just over an hour....and then he’ll be getting married to Robert.
A man with hair so golden, who has a smile that lights up a million lights in the sky, who’s freckles map out like constellations, who eyes are always glazed with care, a heart that is made of kindness and warmth.
That’s a man Aaron’s going to be marrying in over an hours time, the months of planning, moments of frustration, and the excited moments has led to this.....final.....moment.
Their wedding.
Aaron feeling nervous and excited all at the same time, feels like he wants to jump like a little excited kid all over the bed because he’s so ready for all of this...however feels like throwing up with his heart beating hard against his chest because he’s so nervous about it all.
Even though he knows there’s nothing to be nervous about...he knows Robert gonna be there, knows that Robert is over at The Mill with Sarah and Vic and the ladies of the village getting ready, he knows everyone there is gonna be happy for them..smiling with confetti in their hands to throw as they becomes husbands.
It’s just pre-wedding nerves, which Aaron believes everyone almost has.
“Well look at you eh? Look quite dapper in that suit.”
Aaron chuckles, looking over at Sue who was standing by the door in her dark green tailored pantsuit, taking in the man dressed up in his wedding suit with a smile on her face. He looks back in the mirror. “Belle ask you to come up and check on me?”
“Well she said she likes to be on time for things. And she knows what you are like getting yourself ready aswell...you take a whole day just to put a shirt on if you could.”
Aaron laughs with a smile, shaking his head humorously at Belle and her constant panic if things don’t happen or move forward on the time suggested. He gets it at work, so it doesn’t bother him that much
“Well I’m almost done.” He tugs his shirt as he says. “Feels like I should’ve indulge in a looser shirt though, feel like I’m gonna sweat through it even before the ceremony.”
“Nervous?” Sue questions with a raised eyebrow, moving more into the room.
Aaron, with a deep, shaky breath, nods his head. “It’s actually happening.” He breathes out, a smile growing onto his face. “I’m marrying Robert.”
“You are!” Sue beams, standing behind Aaron as they both stare into the mirror, she squeezes his arms, resting her head on the upper part of it. “And it’s going to be the most wonderful day ever.” Her eyes start to become teary. “and I get to see my boy be extremely happy.”
It makes Aaron get emotional aswell, he lets out a short wet chuckle. “Sue don’t start crying already!”
“I can’t help it..I’m just so happy..so so happy.” Sue lets out, smiling when Aaron tilts his head so he’s resting it against hers. “It’s going to be best day ever, and everyone there is there for the two of you...because you and Robert deserve this day to be special.”
Aaron smile falters around the edge “yeah..well at least you think we deserve it.” He mumbles, moving his head, his mind reversing back the evening before when he cried in his fiancés arms because of the...vicious voicemail he received from his mum.
“You two don’t deserves this! Because of your relationship...people’s lives have been ruined, our family has been torn apart because of you! You are the poison...and when your relationship with that prat falls apart then.....”
“Are you thinking about that voicemail again?”
Aaron sighs, turning to Sue. “How can I not? What she said-”
“Was absolutely vile...no one tells their son that they’re poison alright? Nobody ever sends something like that the day before your wedding day.” Sue tells him sternly. “You and Robert are not the blame for any lives being ruined or relationships being torn.....I think Chas needs to look in the mirror and tell herself that she is the one to blame.”
Aaron nods his head, he knows this. It’s just all so very upsetting. “She just tried one last time to throw a spanner into the works.”
“Exactly.” Sue smiles, before nudging his arm a few times. “And what I don’t think she’s gotten through her pea sized brain is that you two are stronger than anything.”
That brings a smile back onto Aaron’s face, the drop in his stomach from thinking about the voicemail slowly disappearing. He doesn’t want to think about that now, he’s got more things to think about than bitter and mean people. “Yeah...yeah we are.”
“This hasn’t made you think differently or something-”
“No of course not.” Aaron shakes his head. Yes, he’s upset because his mum decided to leave one more harsh imprint into his chest...but that doesn’t mean it’s stop his eagerness to marry Robert. “I want this more than anything..I love Robert more than anything.”
“Good...because you deserve everything you have around you.” Sue squeezes his arm, before she takes a moment to continue on. “You know when Matthew died...” she trembles in her breath. “You lost a lot..and there was only a few people that were helping you pick up the pieces. And at times.. at times I would just cry to Martin because I thought I was going to lose you too.”
Aaron is struck from the small statement from the older woman. “Sue-”
“And there were times where I just wanted to shake your mum and Paddy because they weren’t noticing how you were truly feeling...and it was just so frustrating to see from the outside in..it was hard to watch you holding yourself together every single day because they wanted you to do that. No matter how much I tried to help, you were in a bubble I couldn’t pop.” Sue wipes her tears that were slowly falling on her face. “But you know what...you took control in the end, you realised how bad you were...and you decided to pick yourself back up...you let yourself grieve, and look at you now eh?”
Aaron lets out a teary smile.
“You’ve let yourself be happy again, you have become stronger and stronger as each day passes, and you’ve become the person you want to be. You smile more, you laugh, your eyes light up like a thousand stars in the sky. You tell jokes, you cry when you want to.” She slowly brings a bright smile to her face. “You met Robert, and you learnt to love again...and your getting married!” She cups his cheek, swiping a thumb across Aaron’s skin in a motherly way. “But you didn’t learn to just love him, you learned to love yourself again...and seeing you grow again, seeing the person you are now....it’s just makes me proud of you, so proud Aaron.”
A tiny sob escapes the engaged man’s lips, the impact of her words making him more emotional than ever, and he pulls the older woman into a tight and meaningful embrace.
Hearing her words, is a comfort to Aaron. He feels like it’s exactly what he needed to hear. Knowing that someone was proud of him, knowing that someone saw his growth not just as a person, but as a father and a lover and has told him that the journey to be who he is today was worth it. It means a lot, it really does.
Because it what you want to hear from your family, that their proud. And not hearing it from his parents crushed him...but he feels now just hearing it from Sue was a hundred times better.
Because Sue’s always been there, and she always will be.
“Embrace your life now.” Sue whispers to him, rubbing his back as her chin nestles into the man’s shoulder. “Embrace your happiness, this special day....embrace everything and hold onto everything you have and don’t let go.”
Aaron nods with a sniffle. “I promise you, I’ll be holding on to what I got. This family I built, my kids, Robert...I won’t ever let him go.”
“Good, because I wouldn’t let him go either. Because my god he’s quite lovely and-”
“Sue, please don’t finish that sentence.”
The two share a laugh, and they both move away from the hug with big smiles on their faces, joy radiating from the both of them.
“Love you Sue.”
“I love you too my boy.” Sue says back, pinching Aaron’s cheeks like a little boy that it makes him recoil back with laughter. “Right then..” she pats her hips as she moves towards the bed to pick up Aaron’s suit jacket. “Now I’ve done the whole speech of mine...it’s time for you to finish getting ready and head downstairs for pictures.”
Aaron groans “do we have to?”
“Yes..yes we do. Need a new picture for my mantelpiece now don’t I?”
He comes down the stairs a few moments later, Sue leaving him so he could freshen himself up and put his suit jacket on making the whole outfit complete. When he reaches the bottom step, he’s met with Belle, Cain, Moira, Sue...and most importantly the kids were there too, all smiling at him as he comes to them in his wedding suit.
“Daddy you look a-ma-zing!”
“I do? Well what about you?” Aaron grins, crouching down to pick up Amy who’s lilac dressed puffed around the edges, glitter around the hem of the dress making it all sparkly for the little girl. “You look like a proper princess!”
He turns to his son aswell, who was grinning up at him with his suit fitting him nicely. “And you look handsome as well.”
“Thank you daddy!” Oliver exclaims, jumping on the spot. “Is it time yet?! I wanna see dad too!”
“Well we got to do some pictures first before we see everyone else.” Aaron tells his son, before nodding to Belle. “Otherwise Miss Belle over her will have a tantrum.”
“Hey! There’s nothing wrong with making a few memories that you can hold on to.”
“I’m only teasing.” Aaron scrunches his face towards Belle playfully who sticks her tongue out at him as a reply. Aaron turns back to kids. “Right you two go and follow Belle outside and then we can start yeah?”
He kisses both of their heads as he lets them go and follow Belle out to the garden for pictures, Sue following them to grab another drink in the kitchen. So it just leaves him with Cain and Moira in the room.
He holds his arms out. “Do I look okay?”
Cain tilts his head with a smirk. “Well it’s not the typical Dingle charm but-”
“Oh don’t listen to him.” Moira scoffs, rolling her eyes at her husband while swatting his chest. “He would’ve got married in overalls if he could.”
“Well they’re very comfy...nothing wrong with wanting to be comfortable.”
Moira rolls her eyes a more exaggeratedly this time, which makes Aaron chuckle at the pair. The woman smiles at Aaron then. “I think you look handsome.”
Aaron smiles. “thank you Moira.”
Cain adds in “I think you look like your ready to get married.”
Aaron stares at Cain, his face more somber..a small smile on his face as he looks back at Aaron with rounded eyes, and he nods his head to his Uncle’s statement with a deep breath. “Yeah, I really am ready.”
It’s all he can think about now, just seeing Robert, seeing him in his suit, smiling together, crying happy tears together as they embrace, kissing eachother as husbands.
It’s all he’s thinking about, and it’s creating more bubbles of excitement inside of him.
“And your present, is that sorted to?”
Aaron eyes widens “how did you two-“
Moira lets out a tiny smirk, nodding to the door where the kids have just gone through. “Oliver might have said something to us..”
Aaron rolls his eyes with a small laugh under his breath, trust his son to not keep this secret for another couple of hours. He could tell though, he could tell that his kids are massively excited and happy about today..for many different reasons. But now Moira and Cain have found out, it makes Aaron a bit nervous. “Do you think...” he shuffles on his feet, nibbling the corner of his lip anxiously. “Do you think it’s too much?”
“Too much?” Moira raises her eyebrows, before shaking her head with a grin. “Of course not, I think this will pretty much be the icing on the cake for Robert.”
“The kids seem well excited about it aswell.” Cain tells him. “And you can see how much they love Robert, and how much of a dad he is to them...so why wouldn’t you want things to be more official.”
Aaron lets out a breath of almost relief, nodding his head to himself as he becomes more positive and happy about the present, the nerves he had slowly evaporating bit by bit.
“Oh come here.” Moira pulls Aaron into a hug, and Aaron squeezes back with happiness radiating his face and presence. Moira pulls back, and with a squeeze of his shoulders she says “let’s get these pictures done and get you married yeah?”
Cain agrees with a nod. “Yeah, let’s get you married...and then we can celebrate.”
Aaron glances at the clock again,
It’s just under an hour now.
Aaron can’t bloody wait.
~~~
Aaron wishes time would have frozen for a second longer when he saw Robert, that it would have just froze so he could take Robert in. Every little detail, every inch of his body..Aaron just wanted a moment to just stare.
Because Robert looked like a piece of a art wearing his wedding suit.
He was walking up to where the gazebo was with Sue, guest already filling the seats, chatting away with eachother. When on his journey towards his destination he spotted Robert with Sarah, who was just making sure her son’s jacket and tie were straight on him, brushing up the final details of his suit.
Aaron remained starstruck for a few seconds on first glance...because Robert looked incredible.
The colours complimented his skin, the jacket fitted him in all the right places, enhancing his muscular arms which Aaron is delighted with very much. His hair was styled but messy, a small flick to the front of his hair which Aaron loved on him. Everything fitted perfectly on him, like the suit was made for Robert to wear.
The man infront of him took Aaron’s breath away, and this man was going to become his husbands in a matter of minutes.
He’s so lucky, he realises that every day.
It was Sarah who notices them first, a small smile coming onto her face as she looks Aaron over. “Well look at you...” she teases, “quite handsome if I say so myself.”
Aaron comes flushed across the cheeks with a tight lipped smile, before he glances over to Robert...who was staring at him with the most awe and love in his eyes, it’s becomes so powerful for Aaron..he almost can’t look away.
He can’t help but compliment the blonde man. “You...you look incredible.”
Robert’s lips twitch upwards on his face, eyes dreamingly looking Aaron over. “so do you.”
And the boys continue to stare at eachother, embracing and breathing eachother in, embracing this moment that was happening right now. Like it was too precious to pull away from it.
“Alright boys, stop drooling over eachother, you got a wedding to go through first.”
The comment from Sue breaks the atmosphere for the two men, and the four of them break out into small chuckles, Aaron shaking his head at the older woman with a small smile on his face.
“Right let’s leave them alone for two minutes.” Sarah says with a laugh while holding out an arm for Sue to take. “I got to show you the bunting me and Vic created....”
The two women walk away, arms linked together as they make their way closer to the ceremony, leaving the two men smiling at eachother and letting out nervous chuckles when the silence becomes too much for them.
“You okay?” Aaron asks softly. “Feeling nervous?”
“Just a little bit.” Robert admits sheepishly as he tugs on his jacket to ground himself a little more. “Aren’t you?”
And Aaron would admit that a few hours back he was. But right now, staring at the man he loved, the man he was about to marry, surrounded by people who were there to celebrate....he doesn’t feel nervous at all.
Because this is all he’s been waiting for, it’s what he’s wanted.
So he shakes his head, and tells him with one breath. “Not for one second.”
The boys share a look that contained so much love and awe before looking at the ceremony infront of them, at their wedding ceremony. Seeing everyone sitting there and waiting, with their fancy dresses, suits and hats, seeing further up to see the registrar waiting at the steps of the gazebo...the wooden structure being decorated with vines of flowers twirling around it. Looking at it from the distance you can see all the decorations, all the effort that was put in. The guests chairs perfectly aligned with eachother down each side of the aisle, with silk cream bows on the back of each one of them. The archway made of twisted twigs at the front of the ceremony which would lead them into walking down the aisle...and the bunting, the mixed of coloured triangles that securely and magically tied it all together.
It was beautiful..and it was calm setting, nothing to over the top, and it was something that was perfect for the two of them.
Aaron doesn’t want to wait any longer to be infront of that gazebo.
“You ready?” Aaron asks, looking back and holding out his hand for Robert to take.
And the blonde man does a few moments later, sliding his hand into Aaron’s, intertwining their fingers as he breathes out “yeah..yeah I’m ready.”
And shortly after that, the wedding of Robert Jacob Sugden and Aaron Dingle began.
It started with the melody of The Love We Stole playing at a gentle pitch from the outdoor speakers, signalling the guests to stand up as the wedding was about to commence. The first people to walk down the aisle were Oliver and Amy, their flower girl and page boy. Both walking, almost joyfully skipping down the aisle while holding eachother hands, bright smiles radiating from their faces. They get a lot of coos from the guests and a big thumbs up from Cain as they walk past him.
Then it was Belle and Vic, Robert and Aaron’s best women.
And then, it was the two grooms.
It was Robert and Sarah who walked down the aisle first, and then it was Aaron and Sue.
And Aaron couldn’t help but glance at all the people that were here, people that were here for them, to celebrate today.
There was people from his work, old and new people, some he barely had a full conversation and some he could have a good laugh with. Martin was there aswell, a huge smile on his face as he nods to Aaron and mouths something he doesn’t recognise to Sue. Most of his family was here aswell, apart from the obvious. Cain and Moira at the end of one of the rows with huge and proud smiles on their faces, and just infront of them was little Eve, who was waving madly at her big brother.
Aaron waves back with his grin growing wider, before he looks over to the other side.
The ladies of the Village were taking up most of the rows, the friends he’s created a bond with over the time of meeting and being with Robert.....and a lot of the villagers had joined in for the day aswell. Jimmy, Doug, Diane...even Bob was here with his mad smile on his face.
And then seeing his kids again, standing in the front row with their smiles on their little faces, makes Aaron heart swell. Because this is how he always wants to see them, beaming with so much happiness that even the sun couldn’t compete with it.
Seeing everybody here, it makes Aaron breathing become slighter heavier and stronger, like he didn’t expect this many people to be here today. It slightly shocks Aaron just a little bit.
“Oi.”
Aaron blinks from his thoughts to realise that he’s now infront of the registrar, and he turns to Sue to see her smiling up at him with teary eyes.
“Embrace and enjoy this moment.”
Aaron nods his head, telling himself that sentence over and over again as Sue unlinks his arm from hers...and with a small smile to eachother, and a kiss to his cheek from the older woman, she moves to her seat while Aaron moves to stand infront of Robert.
And when he stares into them green eyes that he deeply admires every day...he feels he can breathe easy again.
“Please everyone take your seats.” The registrar states, waiting for everyone to sit back down before she continues. “Today we are here to celebrate the day of Robert Jacob Sugden and Aaron Dingle, as the come forth together to be united as one, as husband.” She pauses. “Marriage is a journey, not just the destination, it’s two souls walking united, hand hand in along every path. It’s a sacred bond full of love and hope. Now, before we begin...does anyone have any objections towards the two men getting married today?”
Aaron glances towards the guests with wide eyes, and sees them in complete silence. Some with just smiles on their faces while others looked around to see if anyone was going to say anything.
But nothing was said, no words were spoke.
“Silence, that’s what we like to hear.”
The guests let out light chuckles in their seats, as Aaron sends a wink over to Robert who has taken the biggest sigh of relief as the registrar carries on.
Then...it all becomes a bit if blur...a good kind of a blur, but it all happened so quickly.
The vows were made;
“I, Aaron Dingle, take you, Robert Jacob Sugden...”
“I, Robert Jacob Sugden, take you, Aaron Dingle...”
“To be my lawfully wedded husband.
“To by my lawfully...wedded husband.”
Then the rings, which were slowly and gently, placed onto eachother finger with lingering soft touches.
“I promise to love and respect you, and to put energy into keeping our love alive.”
“I will be there for you in good times and bad. I will be there for you when you need it, and make space for you to be yourself.”
“I promise to be faithful to you and only you as long as we both live.”
“And I will love you always, until our days end.”
And when Robert breathes out that last sentence, Aaron couldn’t help but let out the most joyful grin, happy tears strolling down his face as Robert shows the same expression.
“Robert and Aaron, you have spoken the vows that makes you united as one....and it is with great honour, to pronounce you...husband and husband!”
An eruption of cheers and claps fill the Emmerdale village, but Aaron wasn’t focused on that, he was focused on his husband, who had the most brightest smile on his face as Aaron pulls him in by the lapels for a charming kiss. Lips placed together messily but just so perfectly, Aaron hands digging into the material of Robert’s jacket while the blonde man hands reach for Aaron’s neck.
Aaron’s heart is pounding against his chest, he feels all kinds of excitement inside of him.....because he’s married....he’s married to Robert.
“I love you.” Aaron breathes out into their own little world as they rest their forehead against eachothers, Aaron moving a hand so he can wipe some of the tears on Roberts cheeks. “I love you so much.”
“I love you too.” Robert quietly sobs out, tugging his husband closer, feeling all kind of emotions as he’s in Aaron’s arms, the cheering around him becoming white noise as he focuses on his husband. “You make the happiest bloke alive you know that?”
Aaron smiles gets bigger around the edges, and his lips fall back onto Roberts with a content sigh escaping both of their lips. They can hear exclaims of good words and congrats, they can feel the confetti hovering over their skin as it falls over them, but they just focus on eachother, because this moment was for them.
Soon after the kids crash into their legs, and the four of them come together for a big family hug, Oliver squeezing Roberts side while Amy jumps on the spot gripping Aaron’s hand tightly.
The sun was now out in the sky, the leaves from the trees were slightly swaying from the light wind, and if you could listen closely above the music, you could hear the birds chirping, as if they were all involved in the celebrations with the others below them.
The ceremony was over, and now..... the celebrating can begin.
~~~
“To Mr and Mr Dingle!”
The Woolpack was full of vibrant noise as the rest of the guest lift up their glasses and repeat the phrase that had just been said by Sarah, who had just finished her speech, which was filled with so many heartwarming words and stories about Robert which sent people into laughter and for the man himself to become red in the cheeks from embarrassment.
Aaron just had his share of embarrassment aswell from Sue’s speech, so he thinks their now even on that point.
After Sarah, it was now Aaron’s turn to deliver his speech, the words he written down privately ready to be spoken out to people across the pub, to his family..old and new, to his kids, and to Robert..his husband.
His words are mostly directed towards him, and Aaron’s going to make sure he knows that.
Robert was first to deliver his speech, and his speech was spoken like a dream. Words of appreciation, kindness and love...and it wasn’t just promises for Aaron, it was for the kids aswell. He promised protection, to always make them smile, to always bake cookies when asked to and to always dance silly around the living room when they pulled him up from the sofa... he promised to always care for them in every way and to always be the best person he can be for them.
Aaron didn’t think he could love Robert even more, but he feels like his heart has expanded a little so he can.
He received a grateful and loving kiss from Aaron when he was done, because his words touched his heart and made him feel special...because that what Robert does, makes him feel like the luckiest bloke in the world..and he poured it into that kiss there and then.
And with his speech he hopes to show that same appreciation, love and more towards Robert, because this man changed Aaron’s life....and he wants his husband to know that.
So after hugging Sarah for her speech, he remains standing, eyes looking around at the guests, one hand digging into one of his pockets where the piece of paper with everything written down was, he carefully takes it out, holding it limp in his hands as he starts to speak.
“So...guess it’s my turn.” Aaron starts off, tapping his sides as he raises his eyebrows. “How am I gonna compete with Sarah’s story of Robert painting his face purple eh?” He jokes lightly, causing everyone to laugh in the room as Aaron smiles looking down at the paper, thumb hovering over the words he wrote, the words he wants to say.
But he feels like he doesn’t need the paper, because he’s read this over so much, added and taken things away, he feels like he’s memorised it all.
“We all have ways to deliver speeches, we talk about the funny stuff, the romantic stuff, the soppy stuff..but sometimes we talk about the personal stuff, and the journey we’ve had.” Aaron huffs lightly. “I guess that’s what I want to share with you all today.”
He looks down at the piece of paper again,
Sees the words that shows the journey from the start to now,
Sees the words that describe how much Robert means to him,
Sees the words that describe how happy he is now,
And he folds the piece of paper and places it back in his pocket.....because he knows the words, he knows what he wants to say.
Aaron takes a deep breath to himself, looks back towards Robert who sends him an encouraging smile, a gesture which comes so calming to Aaron.....and that helps him to start speaking.
“Life...it took a turn for me in one of the worst ways possible.” Aaron says, looking back towards the guests, seeing some people’s eyes show sadness in them, having an idea on what he was talking about. “A few years back, this whole life that took years to create was shattered. And I was broken, lost, confused....because how do you turn back from that, how do you bring light back into your life after the world swallowed it, and took it away from you?”
He pauses, shuffles on his feet before he carries on.
“I guess the years after that I was just....lost. Of course I was happy at times, I was happy with my kids...with certain family members, with friends. But I was still lost on the inside, still felt this weight buried against my chest....things didn’t make a lot of sense anymore.” He slowly turns to Robert with a small smile on his face. “Well until I met Robert, and then things started to look bright at the end of the tunnel, things started to make sense again.”
He hears guests cooing at that last sentence, hears sniffles from certain members as if they were getting teary in the eyes. Heck, it was making Aaron emotional himself, turning back to the guests with eyes glazed with wetness.
“I was so scared of giving someone my heart again, trusting someone, believing that I could be happy again. But...” he sniffles, eyes flickering up to the ceiling before looking forward again. “Thank god that I decided to pursue my feelings, that I decided to take that jump and be with Robert...because the life I have now is a life I would never take for granted, I would never take Robert for granted...because he’s everything.”
He smiles. “Robert is the most sweetest, kindest person I know. His smile can light up a thousand rooms, and his laughter can make my day a whole lot better if it was a stressful one. He’s someone I can talk to, communicate with if I feel stressed or have moments of sadness...and that’s something I love about him...is that he understands me, he listens, he comforts and he knows how to make everything better.” He lets out a soft chuckle. “He‘s wise, he’s so strong minded, he’s got a warm heart...he always makes the kids laugh and squeal with joy, and I always know that I can rely on him, and trust him.”
“I....I couldn’t imagine a life without Robert, I couldn’t image me and the kids not having Robert in our life....because we love him so much..” he turns to his kids who were sitting by the side of him. “Don’t we?”
“We love him lots and lots!”
“Yes we do.” Aaron chuckles with wide eyes at Amy’s exclaims, making the guest laugh with him, seeing out of the corner of his eye Robert warmly smiling at her with tears streaming down his face. “You know....Oliver said on his sixth birthday party that Robert was the missing piece we needed in the puzzle which we could call our life...and he’s right. Because Robert makes us complete...” he half turns so he’s facing Robert from an angle. “You make me complete.”
He watches as Robert smiles at him brightly through his tears, which makes him smile as his tears begin to fall also. “So I promise you, for the rest of our lives that I will love you, care and cherish you. I will make you feel happy and special like you make me, and I will appreciate every moment...and every second with you for the rest of my life.” He wipes underneath his eyes. “But I also wanna thank you, I wanna thank you for loving me, and being an amazing dad to Amy and Oliver. I wanna thank you for being with me through everything these past couple of years...good or bad. But I just wanna thank you, for making me believe in love again, for making me believe that I can be happy...because meeting you has taken me on a experience I will never forget, and I can not wait for what’s to come... in the future.”
He ends it there, signalling to everyone that he was finished which sends the guest into a huge cheer with whooping and clapping. He smiles brightly at his husband, who smiles with the exact same emotion as he stands up to heavily place his lips onto Aaron’s, pouring everything into it before he pulls Aaron into a tight hug, face hidden into the brunettes neck.
“I love you.” Aaron hears Robert murmur.
“I love you.” He whispers, pressing some kisses to Roberts head. “Told you I would make you cry with my speech didn’t I?” He teases with a small sway to their bodies.
“Shut up you idiot.”
Aaron barks out a laugh, pulling back so they were brightly smiling at eachother, eyes glistening and their bodies tightly pressed together.
They were happy, they were so so happy.
“Right then.” Aaron says loudly, keeping an arm around Roberts waist as he turns to the guests. “With the soppiness out of the way I think it’s time we celebrate with some music and beers don’t you think?” Aaron nods to his Uncle when everyone lets out a cheer with raised glasses. “Oi Cain, get the drinks in will ya?”
And celebrating is what they did.
Drinking, dancing, singing and talking...all happening under the roof of the Emmerdale village pub. Aaron and Robert getting dragged to the middle of the dance floor for their first dance, everyone eating the small buffet that Vic made, nibbling on the fantastic food which lined their stomachs for the alcohol, everyone singing to the classics when they were heard from the speaker, everyone coming together for pictures. But most of all, people were enjoying themselves, people were happy...and that’s what a wedding is about, creating the best memories.
And the two men think they’ll remember this day for a very long time.
“Robert, one more dance!”
Robert lets out a groan under the sound of the ladies cheers as he gets pulled back to the dance floor by Bernice to dance to some cheesy pop song. “What even is this song?” He exclaims with a laugh.
“Oh come on..” Bernice gasps, exaggeratedly twirling Robert around which makes him laugh harder. “You have to know this song! It’s brilliant!”
“Well I have to go and find my husband a-”
“Oooh look at that.” Nicola teases, from where she’s dancing next to him. “Only been married for a few hours and I think this is the fifth time today he’s called Aaron his husband.”
With Ooooh’s coming from the dancing circle, Robert shakes his head as Nicola pinches his side. “Hey!” He recoils back with a mocking scowl. “Don’t tell me you weren’t like this when you got married to Jimmy!?”
“No I wasn’t....” Nicola jokingly rolls her eyes. “you two sometimes make me want a bucket.”
“Oh leave them alone.” Bernice exclaims with a small slur in her voice, wrapping her arms around Robert shoulders tightly as she keeps her balance on her hers. “They’re in looove Nicola.”
“Yeah..” Vanessa adds in raising a glass to Robert. “And they both deserve eachother, more happier times to come my friend!”
The blonde man softly smiles, feeling so much joy spreading through him, feeling like nothing can top today, feeling on cloud nine. “Thank you Vanessa.”
“You know if you ever need some marriage counselling...you know a few years down the line I have dived in to the form of marriage counselling sessions-”
“Bernice, they’ve been married for five minutes and your already offering counselling!” Nicola cuts her off, shaking her head. “How much drink have you had?”
“Not many.” Bernice squeals in a high pitched tone, which clearly means she’s lying.
Robert looks over at Nicola “you taking care of her tonight.”
Nicola nods with a grumble of the words ‘save me’ under her breath, making Robert chuckle with humour in his eyes. He continues to dance with his friends for a bit, shimmying his shoulders and side stepping across the Woolpack floor until his daughter calls out for him.
“Dad!”
Robert turns with wide eyes to see his daughter rushing up to him with a large grin on her face. “Hey sweetheart what’s the matter-”
“We need to speak to you in the back room!”
The little girl points to behind the bar where the back room is, shifting the weight of her feet as she stands there patiently for Robert to respond, who was now slightly confused about why they need to go back there.
“In the back room?” He questions with a frown, waiting for Amy to nod to his question before he continues. “Is daddy back there with you?”
“Yes he is!” Amy nods again, this time more vibrantly. She grabs his hand hoping to tug his along. “Come on dad, you gotta come!”
“O-okay.” Robert says with a light chuckle at his daughter’s enthusiastic state as he turns to the others. “Sorry ladies, my husband and kids call for me.”
“Be back for the Cha Cha slide!” He hears Nicola call to him as his daughter pulls him around the bar and to the back room, suspicion rising in him as of why they we’re back here....it certainly grows when he catches on to what it seems his husband is saying.
“And he might freak out at first, but I promise you he’ll be happy.”
Robert frown deepens, well if he didn’t seem confused before he definitely is now.
“Daddy I got dad!”
The two people in the room, Oliver and Aaron, turn to the door to see Amy and Robert standing there, the blonde man staring with a confused look on his face.
“What’s going on here then?” Robert asks in a funny voice as he places his hands on his hips, entering the conversation in a light and funny way which makes the kids giggle and for Aaron to roll his eyes. “What you hiding?”
Oliver jumps in. “We got a present for you dad!”
“A-a present?” Robert face slacks into surprise as he turns to Aaron with widened eyes. “I..I thought we weren’t doing presents?”
“I know..” Aaron smiles softly as he pats the seat next to him for Robert to sit down. “But I think you might like this one.”
With a small, nervous smile to Roberts face, he makes his way to sit down next to Aaron. Slapping his thighs as he sits back into the cushions. “Okay...what you got for me?” He raises his eyebrows. “It ain’t another comic book is it, cause I think I’ve got the whole collection from Christmas-”
“No it’s not another comic.” Aaron says with a small chuckle under his breath, rolling his eyes before he continues to say. “Look....this present, it’s super special. And I just want you to know that we’ve all talked about it and we came to this desicion together....and I know your might be a bit scared but I promise it’s what we all want.”
“I’ll be scared?” Robert questions, flickering between Aaron the kids with weary eyes. “Okay, what’s going on?”
Aaron takes a deep breath, before he nods to the kids who, with delicate hands, hand over a big brown envelope to Robert.
He takes it slowly from the children’s hands, jokingly saying “your not giving me divorce papers already are you?”
Aaron shakes his head with a laugh. “Hell no, I ain’t letting you go for a really long time.” He tells Robert, who softly smiles towards him as his fingers pick at the corners of the envelope. Aaron gestures to him. “Go on, open it up.”
And Robert does, slowly tears the opening of the envelope with his thumb before pulling some papers halfway out of the envelope. He stares at it for a second, reading it with burrowed brows, before his face drops and his eyes widen as he captures onto the word that stands out the most.
Adoption.
“A-adoption?” Robert asks shakily, turning his head sharply to Aaron who was sending him a small smile with teary eyes. It all suddenly clicks in Roberts head. “A-are...are these adoption papers...Aaron are you asking me-”
His rush of words come to a halt as he sees Aaron nod his head at him, and the blonde man lets out a small gasp as he glances back at the papers in his hands, his eyes becoming wetter by the minute as he roams over what it says. “Are you serious?”
“Deadly serious, It’s what I want.” Aaron chokes out, finding a way to grab onto Roberts hand that was closest to him and linking their fingers in his lap. He smooths his thumb over the back of Robert’s hand in slow soothing circles, feeling the silver ring against his skin. “It’s just not me who wants this.”
Robert glances up at Aaron, who nods to the kids sitting opposite them. And Robert follows Aaron’s vision to see Amy and Oliver smiling brightly with all teeth at him, a hopeful look in both of their eyes.
Robert is just overcome in shock, he can’t form loads of sentences, he keeps asking the same questions over again, speaking them and asking them in his mind.
“Y-you want me to adopt you?” He asks them in a serious tone, because this was serious, it was life- changing even.
Oliver is first to speak, nodding his head to Roberts question. “Yeah, your our dad.”
“And we love you lots.” Amy chimes in with a small giggle, her legs kicking out against her chair.
Robert lets out a laugh in disbelief, that he can’t believe this is happening. He thought this day was perfect enough, but now there’s adoption papers in his hands, and three other people staring at him with love and happiness as they wait for an answer from him. It’s very overwhelming right now, and his emotions are bouncing through this whole room. “I-”
“We made something for you!”
Robert, and also Aaron heads turn towards the kids as Oliver gets a piece of paper out of his jacket pocket, unfolding it twice before shoving it in Roberts direction.
He takes it off the young boy, and lets out a short gasp as the folded piece of paper has the title...10 reasons on why we love dad..
“You made this?” Robert asks him, keeping his lips tight together so he doesn’t burst out into sobs because of how warm and loving these kids are.
“Mhmm.” Amy nods with wide eyes. “I..I chose the colours while Oliver did the writing!”
“When did you do this?” Aaron asks hoarsely, and Robert turns to him and realises that his husband had no idea about this part of the present...that he was unaware of it.
“This morning, Uncle Cain and Auntie Moira helped us!”
The two adults softly chuckle at their families help, but Robert heart is just leaping with joy because of something his kids made and gave to him. Something they created, putting so much effort into it so they could give it to Robert on this special day.
He can feel Aaron shuffle closer to him, to have a peak at this list himself. So with a deep breath, Robert unfolds the last fold of the piece of paper to read what the kids have to say.
10 reasons why we love dad!
- He gives the best hugs and cuddles!
- He always make us giggle!
- Dad makes the best food in the world, it’s yummy!
- He always helps us with our homework
- He always reads the best books!
- He always cares for us!
- He has good dance moves!
- He always dances and sings with us to Disney songs!
- He loves us like we all love him!
- And daddy’s not sad anymore, dad makes him happy
Fresh tears were streaming down Roberts face now, happy ones as he reads the list over and over again. Smiling at some of the reasons while laughing gently at the others....his heart growing fonder as he realises how much he means to the kids.
It still gets to him at times when Oliver told him that he was the missing piece they needed, so this just gets to him even more.
And he realises, there’s nothing more in the world he would want than to adopt Amy and Oliver, because like Aaron...these kids are his world too, and he loves them deeply.
“I think number seven is truly false.”
“Oh shut it you.” Robert says with a wet laugh towards Aaron, pulling at the sleeves of his shirt so he could wipe the tears away. “Let me have a moment where people think my dancing is somewhat good.”
The two men laugh with smiles on their faces as Aaron leans his head against Roberts, both looking at the kids with soft rounded eyes.
“Come here.” Robert places the papers down by the side of him, opening up his arms for the kids to jump into. “Give me and your daddy a cuddle.”
The kids were quick to rush over to their two dad’s, Amy jumping in between the two men while Oliver comes to cuddle into Roberts side.
Robert wraps his arms around them tightly, squeezing them close. “You don’t know how much this means to me.”
“So are you saying yes dad?” Oliver asks looking up at him, hope glazing over his eyes again. “Will you adopt us? So we can be a family forever?”
And Robert doesn’t want to leave them without an answer any longer, so with a bright smile, he nods his head. “Yeah...yeah I will.”
The kids let out the biggest grin, so does Aaron, the three of their faces lighting up as the all come together to squeeze the life out of Robert. A man who entered their life and made everything better, a man that made them see light at the end of the tunnel.
He was now Aaron’s official husband, and he was going to be an official dad fo Amy and Oliver.
Robert never thought life would turn out his way, but he’s gonna thank the stars every night for giving him this life.
“We love you dad.”
“I love you all too.” Robert says with a light sob, kissing the kids heads before letting out. “This is the best present anyone’s ever given me.”
“Yeah well...” Aaron sniffles, a hand coming to the back of Roberts head so he could move the blonde’s vision towards him. “You deserve the best in everything, and your our family now...nothings ever changing that.”
Robert purses his lips for Aaron to come forward to place the softest kiss against them, and when they do, they smile...and snuggle down to cuddle the kids for a few more minutes before heading back out to the reception.
People are probably looking for them, wondering where they are.
But right now, Robert just wants to savour this moment with his family.
Being with his family, is where he wants to be right now.
~~~
Before you know it, Aaron and Roberts wedding had come to a close.
Everyone went to their homes after a good afternoon and evening of celebrating the happy couple, the mild sunny day turning to a much colder night. Everyone hugged and kissed goodbye before they went separate directions...The Woolpack closing for the night.
The day might be coming to an end, but this day is something the two men are going to remember for a really long time.
The kids were now fast asleep in their beds, while Aaron and Robert were getting ready for their first night together.....as husbands.
“I can’t believe my mum got us a cottage for a few days away.”
Aaron smiles from where he’s standing, removing his shirt from his body as Robert was resting against the headboard of their bed..a sort of glee covering his face and a red sheen from the alcohol he’d drunk today.
“Well we said we didn’t want to go too far for a honeymoon...actually we said we didn’t want one at all.” Aaron corrects himself, throwing his shirt over the chair. “It’s nice for her to get something for us, for her present to take us to a place where we relax.” He smirks, shrugging his shoulders. “Don’t know about you, but I think spending a few days with just you in the hills of Wales, at a small cottage can be very romantic.”
Robert playfully hums back. “Yeah you could say that.” He smiles softly to himself, shuffling more upright against the headboard as his hands play with the string of his pyjama bottoms. “You know...I didn’t know what to expect from today.”
“You didn’t?”
“No..” Robert shakes his head. “I never really thought about marriage, never thought about the big day before because I thought it wasn’t something I would ever get. I thought about all these scenarios that would happen..bad and good ones, man I had a small nightmare that your parents and Liv would crash the wedding.”
Aaron drastically gulps. “Oh god how scary would that have been?”
“Really scary..”
Aaron lets out a laugh, now fully dressed in a t-shirt and boxer shorts. He crawls to the middle of the bed, sitting crossed leg opposite his husband, twirling his wedding band around his finger. “So...was it everything you hoped for?”
“Yes...it was everything and more.” Robert answers gently, looking fondly into the other ones eyes. “Today was the best day, it’s a day that I will never forget.”
“Yeah..” Aaron says with a caring smile. “Yeah I won’t forget it either.” He scrunched his face a few minutes later. “Might want to forget Bernice doing the dirty dancing jump with Jimmy though.”
“Oh god.” Robert laughs, throwing his head back. “I thought Jimmy was gonna break something when they nearly toppled over.”
“I think Belle recorded it, I might ask her to send it for the shits and giggles.”
“Please do.” Robert head tilts to the side. “Also I want to forget seeing my mum and Michael snogging outside the toilets.”
Aaron face scrunches in some sort of disgust, laughing out. “Oh no you didn’t.”
“Fully going at it Aaron...I am....traumatised.” Robert holds out his hands as he trembles in disgust.
“Well I’m sure in a few weeks that memory will dissolve from your brain.”
“Hope so.” Robert mutters, a small tremble showing on his body again before he returns to a smile on his face. “But there’s plenty of thing I like to remember...I like to remember them for the rest of my life.”
Aaron raises his eyebrows. “Yeah....and what are those things?”
“Every moment with you. The ceremony, your vows, dancing along with you and the kids, everyone singing together. The kids and yours present...now that’s something I never want to forget.”
Aaron face becomes soft, crawling up to Robert and kisses his lips a few times. “Yeah..I don’t want to forget them too.”
“Are you sure though?”
“Sure about what?” Aaron asks as he turns his body so he’s sitting next to Robert against the headboard.
“About me....” Robert looks down at his hands nervously. “About me adopting the kids.”
There’s a small silence.
Aaron stares at Robert for a few seconds, before he softly laughs to himself. Because no matter how many times he will tell Robert that he is absolutely sure about every desicion he makes, Robert just has to check one more time.
And he’ll have this worried Robert if he can keep reminding him every time, and pull that smile he loves back on his husbands face.
“Robert, I am absolutely sure.” Aaron tells him, using to fingers to lift up Roberts chin so he’s looking at him. “I love you...and I want us to have it all. We’re married...and I want you to adopt the kids...they certainly want it too, remember that list they made you?”
“I still can’t believe they made that.” Robert sighs, feeling like it wasn’t real.
“I can’t believe the did it under my nose and I didn’t notice.” Aaron says, causing the two men to chuckle as Aaron wraps his arms around Robert, tugging him closer. “They love you..and it shows how much they want this family to grow, to have that care and security around them. And your their dad, a great one I might add.”
“Yeah?”
“Uh yes...your amazing.” Aaron says like it’s so obvious. But after that... he hesitates for a second, mouth opening and closing as he tries to think of phrases for what he wants to say next. “But you know, it’s made me think a little about something else.”
Robert frowns “what is it?”
Aaron breathes out, that tiny little thought he had in the back of his mind coming into the atmosphere. “You ever thought, about us having kids, you know...bringing more kids into this family?”
Robert eyes widen, turning his body. “You want that?”
“Yeah...maybe.” Aaron shrugs, looking up at the blonde through his eyelashes. “I mean I want it all with you, and I remember telling Sarah that I would like to have more kids with you in the future. So I would like it to be a possibility.” He holds his hand out. “Obviously that comes with the point of it you want them to-”
“Yes.”
Aaron stops, leaning back as a smile wavers on his face. “Y-yeah?”
“Yeah of course I do, of course I would want more kids with you.” Robert tells him gently. “But...” he links one of Aaron’s hands with his as he continues on. “We have loads of years to come, so we don’t have to think about it all now, we don't have to think about that until we’re ready to.” Roberts lips twitch upwards. “However, it is nice to know we’re on the same page.”
“Yeah. Yeah it’s great.”
“And you know, if we decide that having more kids is not what we want in the end. Well that’s okay.” Robert smiles kindly. “Because Oliver and Amy, they’re perfect...and I can’t wait to see them grow and see the people they will become.”
Aaron shakes his head to himself, staring into the eyes that he loves and just thinks about how this is his life now. Thinks about how happy he is, and how lucky he is to be sitting next to an gorgeous, caring man that he gets to call his husband.
The future was gonna be amazing, with so many great memories and opportunities to come.
But like Robert said, they have time.
And Aaron’s going to hold on to every little good and amazing moments they have on the years to come.
“I love you.”
“Yeah?” Roberts says, raising his eyebrows in a flirtatious way, tying it together with a charming smirk that starts to get Aaron going. The blonde tugs on Aaron’s t-shirt, pulling him closer, pulling their faces... much closer. “Show me how much, Mr Dingle.”
“Oh.” Aaron deeply chuckles as he crawls to straddle his husbands hips, bringing their lips together for a passionate kiss, lips moving heavily and messily together. “I’ll show you how much...Mr Dingle.”
The boys continue there night, making love between and outside the sheets..and the conversation of the future ends there.
Months roll by, seasons change, new friendships come and go, and job opportunities arise....but their love becomes stronger...and stronger.
The conversation of kids doesn’t come up again.
Until two years later, when the conversation eases back into their lives, and they talked to eachother about it, they talked to other people close around them about it, they researched, they listened to others.
And then...
“Ba!”
“That’s it, sheep go Baaa don’t they?”
The family of four turned to five.
As Ella Dingle became a big part of their life.
She was the spit of Robert, to the golden light hair to the chubby cheeks Robert used to have as a child, to the witty baby laugh and to the sparkling green eyes.
Ella was the cutest little thing, and the family fell in love with her as soon as she was being held in Roberts arms after the surrogate gave birth to her all those months ago.
She was six months old now, she was still discovering the world around her, eyes wandering around the rooms she was in, interacting with her family everyday.
She was still growing, and the whole family loved to experience the moments with her.
“Ba!”
Aaron smiles from where he was sitting on the floor, opposite Ella who was sat up, protected by pillows surrounding her...clapping her hands madly at the teddy Aaron holds out infront of her.
“You want Mr Sheep?” Aaron gasps lightly as he wiggles the sheep teddy infront of her. “Or...” he holds up a bright red bear that was laying on the other side of him. “Or do you want Mrs bear?”
“Ba!”
“Mr sheep it is then.” Aaron nods, placing the teddy infront of her, watching as she grips onto the teddy tightly with a light giggle.
“Was I like Ella as a baby?”
Aaron turns his head to Amy who was resting on the sofa, the now seven year old laying across the soft cushions as she’s been down with the stomach bug for the past few days. She’s getting better now, but Aaron and Robert just wanted to keep her home for one more day to make sure she won’t be sick again.
“You want to know what you were like as a baby?” Aaron asks with raised eyebrows, smiling when Amy nods her head.
“Yeah I wanna know, like did I cry a few times throughout the night like Ella does?”
“On you were worse than just a few cries.” Aaron snorts, glancing back at Elle who has now decides she wants to crawl towards her daddy and up onto his lap. “You didn’t just cry, they were temper tantrums you had, screamed a place down half the time.....and you peed and pooped up the walls-”
“Ewwww.”
“What?!” Aaron laughs as he places Ella comfortably in his lap. “You asked!”
“Well I didn’t want to know about that.” Amy giggles, shaking her head with a disgusted frown on her face. She asks another question a few moments later. “Was I bubbly and happy like her?”
“You still are bubbly and happy.” Aaron tells her, glancing between his two daughters as he bounces his legs to make Ella laugh. “And yeah, personalities are definitely the same between you two. You could make anyone smile just with a laugh..and your presence lit up any room.” He presses multiples kisses into his baby’s fluff of golden hair. “Think she’s got dad’s charm though.”
“Maybe she’ll become a teacher like dad in the future.”
“Or maybe she’ll become an pilot, or an astronaut...we’ll never know.” Aaron smiles, “but....we’ll savour all the moments until she’s grown up...and when my hair starts turning grey.”
“It’s already looking grey.”
“Hey!”
The older ones in the room laugh, and they smile towards the baby when she joins in with her clapping.
“Are you joining in Ella, are you laughing with us?” Amy asks in a giddy voice as she slides from the sofa to sit infront of her little sister...grabbing her hands so they could play a little. “Or are you laughing because your daddy’s hair is changing colour and getting old.”
Aaron gives her a small glare. “I will ground you for your cheek you know.”
Amy pokes a tongue out at him as a response, and Aaron shakes his head at her humour as they both concentrate on playing with Ella, giggling along with her and playing with Mr sheep...one of her favourite teddies the parents have started to notice.
“When’s dad home?”
Aaron looks at the clock. “In a few minutes time, he waited in school for Oliver to finish football practice so they could come home together.”
It wasn’t just Ella that came into the families life, there was also a brand new teaching job at the kids school that called for Roberts name. He’s been working there for nearly eight months now, teaching the year three and fours classes with charm and enthusiasm, and good games and puzzles which keep the classes intrigued...it’s no wonder kids sometimes find him their favourite teacher.
Aaron likes to see Robert shine and is in a place of work where he works great in, he’s dead proud of his husband and what he’s achieved at the school.
Of course when Ella came along their work time had to shifted, which the boys knew about and evenly planned it out. Aaron would stay and work from home Monday to Wednesday, while Robert stayed home Thursday to Friday..letting Aaron go into the office for two days to see how everyone’s getting on.
He’s still the branch manager, and maybe he’s gotten a bit stricter over the years past. But hey, business is still going stronger, and it’s getting better as the months past.
It’s a new routine they’ve had to formulate into their life, but it’s a routine they not mad about.
It gives them more chances to be with everyone as a family...and family is definitely important for everyone living in this household.
The couple of minutes comes around quick, because the front door opens as two pairs a feet can be heard walking into the house.
“Look who’s here!” He says to baby Ella who has come intrigued by the sound of the door. “Dad and big brother are home”
“Daddy!” It was Oliver who rushes in first, nearly out of breath like he’s just run a marathon to get in here. He stand behind the sofa, hair and face all sweaty from football training. “Dad said they I can have Bill and Alex over for tea sometime next week but I have to ask you first!” He bounces on his feet. “Please daddy...I’ll do the washing up for the next week!”
Aaron chuckles, this is fourth time he’s asked this for weeks now, and he gives his son a pointed look and asks him the question he’s always asks “Have you done your homework yet?”
“No.”
Aaron sighs, rolling his eyes. “Are you gonna do your homework?”
“Mhmm.” The nine year old nods his head wildly. “I promise, dad said he’s gonna help me.” He says, pointing to the blonde man who was walking into the living room with his clutch bag over his shoulder.
“Umm I didn’t say that.”
“Dad!”
Robert exaggeratedly sighs, rolling his eyes at his son. “Okay yes then...I said yes to helping Oliver with his homework.” He sends a pleading look to his husband. “Please say yes Aaron, I can’t take the constant nagging about it in the car anymore.”
Aaron smiles, shaking his head at his son’s persistent stance as he stares at him with big doe-eyes. He points to Oliver. “If you do your homework...and ace it..” he shrugs “then I can’t see why no-”
“Yes!” Oliver cheers, jumping up with a clenched fists which makes the other laughs around him, Ella waving her arms at the loud cheer. “Your the best!”
“Yeah yeah I know.” Aaron grumbles under his breath, rolling his eyes as he gestures Oliver to go upstairs. “Now go and shower before you sweat the place out.”
“Hurry up though, we’re ordering food and watching that film we bought in a minute!” Amy loudly says as Oliver stomps up the stairs to the shower.
“We’re finally watching it then?”
Aaron nods to his husband, “got nothing else to do have we?” He purses his lips for Robert to greet him with a kiss, smiling fondly up at him when Robert presses another two kisses against his lips. “How was your day?”
“Year fours screaming about the Easter bunny, and a boy in one of my class that wants to know all about space.” Robert tells him with raised eyebrows, “typical day at the school I would say.”
“Ra ra!”
Ra ra, was a new nickname that the young baby had given Robert a few weeks back..now she was in her babbling stage when she says a lot of noises that don’t make any sense. The new nickname for the blonde man has stuck now...even the others tease him with it at times which makes him scowl and pout.
They all know he secretly likes it.
“Hello my darling.” Robert says in a kid-like tone as he picks up the baby from Aaron’s lap, lifting her up to the sky before sitting down on the sofa with her in his lap. “And how have you been today hmm?”
“Well we certainly know that Mr Sheep is her favourite toy.” Amy giggles “haven’t stopped picking it up all day.”
“And I think she’s starting to like bananas again, ate it all today for lunch.” Aaron adds in, making a wide face towards Ella as he tickles her stomach with a finger which makes her cackle. “You did didn’t you? You ate all that banana.”
“Well at least she’s enjoying new things.” Robert states, “can’t be serving that mushy carrot stuff for the rest of our life.”
“Thank god for that, it stinks the room out sometimes.”
The two men let out a chuckle as they think about the disgusting smells some baby food have as you open the jar of it. They’ve learnt now what’s the best food for Ella, what she likes and doesn’t like.
And she has to like some of the stuff that smells badly but somehow to her, taste absolutely divine.
“Is it time for her to eat?”
“Yeah...do you mind doing it?”
“Of course not, there’s no need to ask.” Robert turns back to their six month old, bouncing her on his lap. “You hungry eh?”
“Ra ra!”
“I‘ll take that as a yes.” Robert laughs, standing up to place the baby on his hip. “Come on then lets have din dins.”
“Can I help?” Amy asks.
“Sure.” Robert nods, signalling Amy to go infront of him to walk into the kitchen. “I can tell you about how Miss Parks is excited to have you back in her class tomorrow because you have so much work to catch up on.”
“Ugh...she’s so annoying.”
“I know, but don’t tell her I said that.”
Aaron chuckles to himself about the conversation coming from Amy and Robert as he stands up from his place on the floor, picking up the remainder of teddies Ella left about across the floor today. Stopping himself when he picks up Amy’s pink teddy her papa gave her all those years ago.
She passed it down to Ella, she said it was passing it down the generations, that she wanted Ella to cuddle it at night like she use to as a small child. Aaron finds it sweet..and Ella has days when she loves it too, sometimes chewing on the ear which she is not aloud to do.
Aaron smiles, smoothing his thumb over the soft material as he places it in the box and closes the lid.
He wonders at times what Matthew would think of the life he has now, would he be looking down at them happily, thinking that they’re happy in their life they are in now.
Aaron thinks he would be, because he himself is so happy, and he has a pretty wonderful life which he would never take for granted.
His family mean the whole world to him, and spending hours together is something that he enjoys the most.
Savour the moments is a motto the family uses now a lot...because really you don’t know what’s around the corner.
And Aaron makes sure that every moment counts...even if it’s sitting infront of the tv watching a movie.
And that’s exactly what they do a couple hours later, the family spread across the new sofa they bought a year ago...Chinese spread out on the coffee table half eaten. Oliver laid back with his feet in Aaron’s lap, Robert sitting next to him with Ella sleeping peacefully in his arms....
It’s her favourite place to sleep really, which is something she has in common with her daddy
...and Amy was snuggled into Robert sides, tenderly holding one of Ella’s hands in hers.
They were all waiting for Aaron to press play for the movie to start.
But before that, Aaron reaches across to grab a spring roll that he deliciously wants to eat....taking a bite into it before he holds out the other half for Robert to eat. “Spring roll?”
Robert opens his mouth as Aaron plops it in there, the blonde man humming in delight at the taste of the warm duck spring roll in his mouth.
“Do you two always share food?”
Aaron turns to his son and nods bluntly to his question. “Um yep, because were husbands and we share stuff with eachother.”
Oliver makes a face. “Relationships are weird.”
Robert laughs “just you wait until your older and you find someone, you’ll just be as domesticated as us two.”
“Nope, I’m staying by myself forever and ever. I don’t like anyone.”
“Oh really?” Aaron raises his eyebrows slowly. “What about this.....Miss Ruby in your class then.”
Oliver lets out a small sweet smile against his face.
“Ooooo...Ruby and Oliver kissing in a tree...” Robert and Amy start to tease before they fall into a pit of giggles, Aaron rolling his eyes at them as Oliver becomes flushed across his cheeks.
“Hey..” Aaron taps his sons feet that was in his lap, making Oliver turn to him. “Bud, your nine. You still got your whole life ahead of you...but my advice for when your a bit older though, if you like someone go for it...because you don’t know, something great might happen.” He glances to Robert “I mean I took that leap with your dad and look what we have now, it’s a pretty great life ain’t it?”
Oliver nods his head. “Yeah it’s great.”
“Life will give you twist and turns, but you’ll find happiness one day in your life, and you’ll embrace it.” Aaron turns to Robert this time. “I found my happiness.”
Robert rolls his eyes at the soppy remark towards him, but he does really like how still two years on from their marriage Aaron still makes him swoon. “Soft.” He murmurs to him, pressing a gently kiss to Aaron’s cheek.
“Can we watch the film now?”
Aaron holds his hands up, “yeah yeah sorry.” He quickly reaches to grab the remote across from him. “We all ready?”
He looks over at Oliver who nods in excitement.
Amy nods with wide eyes “yeah daddy, press play already please!”
And he looks at Robert, gentle eyes glancing down to a soft gurgling Ella in Roberts arms before looking back at his husband. “You ready?”
Robert nods with a wide grin “ready for anything.”
And with that, Aaron eyes wander around his family one more time with a warm smile, before he shuffles down on the cushions and rests his head on his husbands shoulder...
and he presses play.
The End