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It's been four months since Seb turned 17 and asked for proper driving lessons for his birthday because apparently using an old banger around the back of Dad's scrapyard wasn't going to cut it for long. Robert caved two months in and found Seb a little round around, a blue Vauxhall Corsa that's been sat in their driveway ever since, waiting for the day Penny, his middle-aged, lovely driving instructor, breaks the news that he's passed his test.
He's learning in her car, but he's also twisted Aaron's arm into letting him practice in his. It's all above board, decked out in L plates, and Aaron fusses with the position of the driver's seat because he's secretly a bit stressed about this. Robert's got enough on his plate this afternoon with a planned haulage conference call with Home James' second base in Leeds and Maxwell to look after at home whilst he gets over his latest cold, so it's fallen to Aaron to be Seb's passenger, suggesting that they pick Lilah up from school because they both know the route like the back of their hands and he's trying to minimise either of them causing an accident along the way.
“Are you scared, Dad?” Seb teases cheekily, gripping the wheel tight as Aaron tugs harder than necessary to get his seatbelt to unwind. “I promise I'll be good,”
“Yeah, when have I heard that before,” Aaron mutters, taking in a deep breath and turning to him. “I'm fine. Just remember to check your mirrors and all that.”
“Great advice,” Seb snorts, but does as he's told. Soon, Robert and Max have disappeared indoors from waving them off and Aaron and Seb are on their way. About two minutes into a tense silence because he's hoping it'll make Seb concentrate on being solely in control, Aaron grunts when Seb leans over to switch on the radio and sighs heavily when he sees his dad's expression. “Alright, so no music. Talk to me then.”
It's not what Aaron was expecting. Seb is a teenager after all. Whilst he's got a devious streak, Aaron knows his son is a happy young man. Even now, his blue eyes shine with excitement at being let loose on Aaron's slightly beaten up, but still precious silver Mitsubishi Lancer.
“What?”
Seb shrugs. “I dunno, tell me – tell me about you and Dad.” He glances to his side when Aaron is quiet, to see him look worried. “I'm not worrying about your problems, if that's what you're thinking,”
“Problems? We're not having problems!”
But Aaron's gruff protest seems to play right into Seb's hands and he grins. “See, that's why I wanna know more – because you defend him like that straight away and no, not the kid friendly version. I'm too old for that now.”
“I dunno, Seb - “ Aaron says, reluctant to open this can of worms. He looks ahead. “Turn left here,” he adds before he can stop himself. “And remember to turn on - “ The interrupting ticking of the indicator makes him finally accept that Seb is comfortable and self-assured and Aaron feels his shoulders sag as he looks out of the window at greenery morphing into the nearby houses of the next village. He tries to think hard how to frame his words into something teenage appropriate, but Seb has his other dad's impatience and he talks instead.
“I know about Mum and that you helped her, took her to the hospital when she was having me, but all I know is you and Dad fell in love and that you love me. When did you meet? How old were you?”
Aaron smiles, figuring that kind of question is harmless enough. “The very first time or when we properly met?” Seb's eyebrow twitches, curious. “Your dad thinks I don't remember, but I met him once, sort of, when I was a kid. I was more interested in my Gameboy back then, obviously. Nana Chas spoke to him though.”
“Really?”
“Hmm.” He remembers one dog-eared photo in a box somewhere at the pub and chuckles. “His hair was ridiculous, like a mullet. We were at your Uncle Andy's first wedding and his suit wasn't much better,”
“I thought you didn't care about fashion?” Seb asks slyly, giggling.
It's always been wonderful to hear him laugh, even when he was a baby. Aaron still remembers the first time he caused that giggle like it was yesterday. A lot has changed since then. “I don't!” he says, mock-outraged and too late. “It's just – suits are our thing, y'know. Anyway, I was still young when I met him as a grown up. He was pushing thirty.”
He winks at Seb who rolls his eyes, used to Aaron teasing Robert about the age gap any chance he gets. It's grown smaller, insignificant, over the years, but that won't stop him making an easy joke out of it. He gets lost in the memory of Dingle & Dingle garage, finding the Austin for Robert's birthday, and everything that came after it until Seb's eager tone breaks through.
“And? What else? So you were both not as ancient as you are now - ”
“Oi! Enough of that, thank you very much, Sebastian!” With his own hidden amusement at finally reaching 'ancient' status, Aaron taps the dashboard in fake admonishment, stopping himself from lightly hitting Seb's shoulder because he's still driving. “But fine, we met and I didn't like him at the start.”
“Why not?”
“Have you met your dad?” Aaron snorts. “Well, he was worse back then. Arrogant to the point of obliviousness until I came along and cut him down or peg or two. Lucky for me, he liked it. Liked me, couldn't get enough of me, in fact - “
Seb roughly pulls to a stop outside Lilah's primary school to wait for the gates to open. Aaron planned them to be early just in case Seb got into any scrapes, but he's been a model student. Robert's going to be so proud and probably as relieved as his husband is. “Ugh Dad, no! TMI for god's sake!” he exclaims, handbrake on and his hands over his ears. He might be growing up, but he's still typically immature sometimes and he's prone to using those three letters when either of his dads try to get a little bit PG-sexy or romantic with each other. After that, they fall quiet and Aaron's goes to switch on the radio now that they're parked up but Seb's hand lands on his, surprising him. “Well? Gimme the rest.”
“We met, we fell in love then you came along and then later, we had Lil and Max. Done.” Aaron says, glib and quick.
“Dad!” he groans.
“You know the score, Seb.” Aaron moves his hand to squeeze his son's, taking advantage of him initiating the contact in the first place. It's not like it used to be when he'd sit on Aaron's lap for hours, highly entertained by his beard and the funny faces he made. “You have a Mum and two Dads and we all love you so much. Your brother and sister do too, as well as Auntie Liv and Auntie Vic, all the Dingles and Sugdens really. Isn't that enough for now?”
He suspects there's more going on underneath the surface of Seb wanting to know his and Robert's origin story, but they'll tackle that some other time when they're not practising driving in Aaron's car and his daughter's not about to gatecrash any minute. Maybe he and Robert can have a day out somewhere for lunch with Seb only and explain. Robert always was better with words, on the whole.
“Yeah, I guess.” Seb says eventually.
Right on cue, one of the doors in the back opens and Lilah clambers in, her small rucksack thrown into the footwell behind Aaron. At eight years old, she's going through a phase of not wanting Aaron or Robert to wait directly outside the gates for her. Robert refuses to entertain the idea, despite it being a village school, but what he doesn't know can't hurt him today. Little white lies are okay. Besides, Aaron made sure Seb parked somewhere they could directly see what's going on and Aaron grins at his daughter as she wiggles into her booster seat. It won't be long and she'll want to get rid of that too.
“Hiya sweetheart, good day at school?”
“It was alright, Daddy,” she shrugs. Aaron reaches behind to help her with her seatbelt, but she frowns darkly and he backs off. Once clicked in, she leans forward and blows a raspberry at Seb. “Poopface!”
“Lilah Ruth!” Aaron interjects firmly using his Dad™ Voice. “I'll come sit in the back with you like you're a little baby again...”
“No!” she cries, “No, don't, Daddy! Please!”
“Oh, so you do have some manners then?” Seb laughs, starting the car and craning his neck to check the flow of traffic.
“Seb, don't wind your sister up,” Aaron warns tiredly, before it can turn into a full blown argument. The last thing Robert needs is Aaron to bring home two fighting children to add to the mix of work and an ill 18 month-old.
“Me? She called me a poopface!”
“Poopface,” Lilah repeats, but she's giggling now.
Seb's never been able to resist joining in when she's like that and Aaron rolls his eyes as he endures being driven away from the school with his son and daughter constantly proclaiming “poopface” until they reach familiar greenery and Aaron reminds Seb to take care on the smaller, windier roads.
To his credit, it doesn't take long for Seb to safely get them home. Aaron opens his mouth to suggest they pick up their earlier conversation when it's just him, Robert and their oldest son alone, but Lilah and Seb are already scrambling out of the car, so he gives up until later and gets out a lot slower than them. Something rainbow coloured and plastic hits him in the stomach as he stands, Lilah shoving her rucksack at him as her and Seb race each other to the door of the Mill. He trails after them to see Seb 'win' and Lilah pouting.
“Seb cheated, Daddy!” she whines.
“No, I didn't,” he grins, flicking one of her brown pigtails, “I'm taller than ya so that makes me faster,”
“Wolfie, no!” Robert chastises, distracting the other two from the technicalities of sprinting as Wolfie, their blue merle border collie, knocks over her – luckily dry – bowl of food in her excitement at hearing the door open. She's getting on a bit and can't control her legs like she used to, but her enthusiasm to bound towards the kids is unchanged.
Aaron grabs her collar and pats her black, white and grey head. “Easy, girl, easy – hello, you're just happy to see us aren't ya? Yes, you are,”
Bundled up on Robert's shoulder, Maxwell sneezes and starts miserably wailing. “Not again,” Robert grimaces, “Max, you're gonna sneeze. I know it's rough – come on,”
“What's wrong with Maxxie Moo?” Lilah asks, looking up at Aaron.
Aaron gets up from his crouch at giving Wolfie some love to squeeze Lilah's shoulder. “He's just got a cold, Lil, and he's probably tired and picking up on Daddy's stress,”
He directs the second bit at Robert, but still goes over to kiss his harried husband. He hears Seb mutter about them being “gross”, like Liv used to, and tell Lilah to wash her hands because it smells like tea is nearly ready. They thunder up the stairs and Max's crying dies down enough that he can talk to Robert.
“Hi,” he smiles.
“Just - “ Robert shakes his head, rubbing a whimpering, snotty Max's back in soothing circles. “Just kiss me again,”
Aaron wraps one arm around Robert's waist and grants his husband's request, making it chaste but slower and longer since they only have a disinterested baby as an audience. “Rough time?” he asks softly when Robert stops chasing his lips for more, obviously needing the comfort. “How did the call go?”
“I postponed it,” he sighs, kissing Max's warm forehead. “This little one wouldn't nap and every time I sit down, he cries, so I've been in the kitchen trying to cook food instead because someone forgot to start it before they left.”
Aaron tuts. He's a dad who tuts now and Robert's not being entirely fair. “You're the one who's warned me off using that fancy new halogen oven whatsit!”
They hear two sets of footsteps on the stairs, coming down too fast, but Aaron guesses they're used to the deathtrap spiral after so many years. “Uh-oh, Dad's in trouble, Lilz!” Seb smiles at his younger sister so she knows he's joking and Aaron thinks he's being thoughtful when he passes them to get cutlery from the drawers. “At least he won't get all mardy and destroy your wing mirrors again, eh, Dad?” he adds to Robert, a glint in his eye and ruining the image of an almost perfect son.
Okay, so maybe Aaron had told him a little more juicy stuff on the journey home.
Robert's mouth drops open, jerking when Max thinks it's an invitation to push his spit-slick fist past his slack lips. “Since when do you know about that?”
“Be glad he doesn't know the reason why,” Aaron mumbles. He dares to pinch his bum, but Robert seems nervous and barely reacts. “Relax, it was teenage appropriate. We used to piss each other off a lot, yeah?”
“What's a wing mirror, Daddy?” Lilah pipes up as she barges into her favourite armchair and hunts for the TV remote that always falls down the side.
“And then you stopped denying your true feelings and fell in lurrrrrrrve,” Seb continues in a high voice, fluttering his eyelashes as he rounds the kitchen table.
“It's a part of a car, sweetheart,” Aaron answers his daughter then looks at Seb, arm still around his husband and Max reduced to sniffles. “But yeah, we got married, had you lot and our mad dog and I wouldn't change any of it.” He can feel Robert watching him explain the life they've built, obviously mollified about wing mirrors, tea and everything else that's irritated him any time Aaron opens up his romantic side.
“We did it,” he whispers, awed.
Aaron rests their foreheads together and rubs Max's back too. “We're doing it.”
“Ugh - “
“Don't say it!” he tells Seb.
“TMI!” his son, daughter and Robert gleefully remind him.
It's lucky he loves his silly, brilliant family. One day soon they'll tell Seb as much as he wants to know (within reason), but tonight they've got a late tea to sit down for. Life's always been complicated enough, but as long as they all have each other, they'll be more than alright.