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The feeling of warmth from the sun that shown through the window calmed his nerves. He felt any stress from before leaving his body as he allowed himself to fully envelope the light hitting his skin.
A glance at the clock finally snapped him out of his trance, it was time to pick up Norton. Really, he didn't have to, the man was grown enough to find his own way home. But of course, he wanted to. It was a pleasure to walk home together after a long day.
Naib quickly wrapped a large brown sweater around his body, even thought it was sunny outside, the air had become cooler since they were reaching the fall season. He slipped on his plaid slippers, realizing that he was still in pajamas. Oh well, might as well bum it on the way.
He grabbed his small plastic cup of coffee before heading out to walk to Norton's job site. He worked in the construction field, currently they were working to connect new roadways and merge them with the already existing ones. Norton had been coming home late more often because of it, but today he was finally able to come back a bit earlier.
He reached the area they were currently working on, respecting the bright orange cones that warned him to stand back in case of danger. He sipped his coffee as his eyes scanned for Norton, suddenly feeling a strong hand grip onto his shoulder. He turned with a slightly surprised expression, sighing in relief to find Norton with a gentle smile on his face.
"Hey babe, did you sleep in?” Norton leaned down to meet his lips with a quick peck. The two weren’t worried about who saw, Norton’s coworkers knew Naib was his fiancé. Naib scoffed, taking another sip of his coffee as he let Norton wrap his arms around his waist and bring him into a hug.
“Obviously. I barely woke up in time to remember to come get you.”
“Aww~ I’m flattered.”
“Perverted old man.” Naib rolled his eyes, pushing Norton back lightly as he noticed one of his coworkers go up to them.
“We’ll be good for the rest of the day. Here’s the upgraded map for the road, I’ll let you know when we get started on the second part.” He handed Norton a few papers, nodding to Naib in acknowledgement.
“Good to see you again, sir.”
“Working hard? It’s looking good.” Naib returned the nod, smiling as he made small conversation as Norton got his things together. The two made sure to hand out water bottles to those that were still on the job, walking back to their nearby home.
Norton wiped his face with the wet rag he had in hand, cringing at how dirty he was beginning to feel. Naib stole a quick glance to him, catching his eyes and smirking as he looked back ahead of him.
“What? Something on my face?”
“No, you just look hot.” Norton was taken aback for a second, before letting out a laugh.
“I’m glad that seeing me in my dirty clothes with sweaty hair turns you on.” Was all he said, and it was Naib’s turn to laugh.
“Oh yeah, it’s a sight. I’m dieing over here, can you cut me some slack?” He grinned as his fiancé wrapped an arm around his shoulders, responding with a light shove.
“Oh no, get off Mr, your B.O. is contagious.”
“Come on, I thought you said I was hot” Norton gave him a wink, the two continued their little taunts all the way home. Naib closed the door behind them, removing his sweater as Norton hurried down the hall.
“Take a shower now so I can do the dishes after!” Naib shouted down the hallway. Norton peeked back around from the hall, a small smirk on his face.
“Shower with me?” He raised his eyebrows dramatically, making Naib roll his eyes again, but his smile growing on his face as he caught Norton’s chin with his fingers.
“Making dinner. You can live through a shower without me.” With that, Naib pecked his pouty lips and pushed him to the direction of the bathroom. He could hear Norton laughing and the door shut as he reached it.
Naib looked down at the written recipe he received from his Ma a while back. It was a recipe for her homemade ravioli. His Ma was a great cook, he knew a few things, but she definitely came out on top.
“Ooook, lets try not to burn the house down with this one....” Naib spoke to himself as he got out the ingredients. Of course, they had to be out of tomato sauce. Naib dragged his feet down the hall, lightly tapping the restroom door.
“Grocery store in 20, I’m gonna go get changed.” Norton replied so that Naib knew he heard, and off he went to finally change out of his sleepwear. When Norton was finally finished, the two wasted no time to head to the closest store. They might as well do their weekly shopping for groceries today.
Naib looked through the isles slowly, taking his time while Norton over here threw in all their favorite junk foods for the week. A few boxes of donuts and other treats.
“Do you never get tired of those?” Naib raised an eyebrow to his oh so handsome lover who has been drooling at the snack section.
“Never, I love them almost as much as I love you.”
“Great, I’m competing with donuts now huh.” Naib laughed to himself as he continued down. The shopping was going smoothly, until the cries of a child could be heard at the end of the isle. There weren’t many people in the store at the moment, so Naib might have been the only one to notice it for the moment. Norton as well.
He watched as his fiancé hurried to the little kids side, crouching down and quickly patting his head.
“Haha, don’t cry don’t dry, where’s your mom?” Naib pushed the cart and stood beside Norton. The little kid tried to calm down his crying to answer.
“I-I don’t know!” Norton smiled and pat the little kid’s back.
“Come on buddy, let’s find her ok? She might get sad if she doesn’t find you.” Naib smiled as he watched Norton cheer up the little boy. He stood back up, guiding the kid at their side by holding onto his hand.
“She might go to the front registers, we should let them know.” Naib noted, Norton nodded at his words, smiling once again at the little boy who was wiping his nose.
Thankfully, his assumptions were correct. The little boy ran back to his mother who sighed in relief.
“Stay beside me next time, ok? Something back could have happened!” She scolded, earning a small pout and nod from her child. She pecked his forehead and looked toward Norton and Naib.
“Thank you both so much for helping him, he looks like he’s been crying!” Norton waved off her thanks, giving the kid a small hug when he felt a pair of arms around his waist.
“He’s a tough boy, aren’t you kid?” Norton grinned and ruffled the brown locks of the little boy who mirrored his expression.
“Yeah, I’m tough. I won’t cry anymore, thank you mister!” The woman laughed as she waved goodbye to the two. The little kid waved to Naib as well, he answered with a smile.
Norton was much better with kids, it was something Naib had always admired. Having not grown up with a father of his own, he wasn’t exactly sure how to act as such a figure. It was a conversation he and Norton had from time to time.
Naib noticed the smile stay on his lover’s face. He clearly had fun helping the boy find his mother. Naib lightly gripped onto the handle of the shopping cart, before letting his mind relax.
“Let’s hurry and get these things checked out. Move your butt.” Norton chuckled as he scooted over to help Naib place their groceries on the conveyor belt.
The ride home was a peaceful silence, and the two had a calm evening. The ravioli turned out as a success. It’s was delicious, but his Ma most definitely could do better.
Naib relaxed as his head hit the large fluffy pillow that sat on his bed. It wasn’t that long of a day, but the two felt burned out.
“I’ll have tomorrow off, we can do whatever you want.” Norton spoke up as he shut the bedside lamp off. He moved closer to Naib, bringing him in a warm embrace as Naib pulled the covers above them.
“Sounds fun.” Naib smiled, earning a deep and soft kiss from Norton. He hummed in satisfaction as he got more comfortable against Norton’s clothed chest. He briefly remembered the day, a question rising in his mind that was itching to be said out loud.
“....Norton”
“What is it, my love?” He breathed out, already beginning to sound sleepy. Naib could feel his fingers curl into the loose strands of his hair as they always did when they slept together.
“Do you.... or would you... ever want a kid. With me?” Naib sounded hesitant, unsure of how Norton would answer. He felt him shift back, forcing him to look into those dark colored orbs that he loved so much.
“You know I would love to have a kid with you. I want nothing more than to have a family with you, Naib Campbell.” Norton grinned as he noticed the light blush spread across the smaller’s cheeks.
“It sounds nice, right?” Naib grinned back, lightly hitting his chest as he cuddled back close.
“Yeah, it sounds amazing.” Naib sighed against his chest, beginning to imagine more of a future with the man he loved.
“I want.....”
“Hm?”
“I want to have a kid with you, too.” Naib spoke under his breath, Norton’s eyes went wide. Yes, they have had this talk from time to time, but Naib was always hesitant on the idea. To hear him agree, Norton felt those same butterflies in his stomach as when they first met.
Naib felt Norton hug him closer, as if there was any room left to begin with. He could feel a soft rub to his scalp, and he was almost sure Norton himself had gone red in the face.
“Yeah, I’d love it...” Norton said as he buried his face in his lover’s hair. The two shared a blissful night of sleep, the idea of becoming a family finally setting in their hearts.
The idea soon became a reality. Adoption was their first thought, getting into contact with the closest adoption centers to their home. They had waited a few weeks beforehand, wanting Norton to finish the busiest of his days on the new road.
They had heard about many of the children at one of the centers, but one particular boy caught their attention.
“He doesn’t speak to the others often, playing alone during free time. We were hoping to find parents for him soon, we haven’t had the best of luck.” Naib heard the woman on the other line sigh.
“Right, what is his name?”
“Robbie White, we helped him a while ago after finding that he was in an abusive household. Poor child must have terrible memories that hold him back from any relationships even now.” Naib nodded as he listened, his heart strings being pulled as he felt for the kid.
“We’d like to meet him, my fiancé and I.”
“Oh, I’ll set up an appointment right away! Thank you so much!” Once the call was over, Naib let out a breathe he had been holding in. Could he be a good enough father to a kid with such a bad experience? When he himself had no one to look up to for answers?
Norton noticed his mental quarrel, wrapping an arm around Naib’s waist and pulling him closer. He lightly rubbed at his arm with a smile, pecking that big nose of his that he thought was cute.
“You’ll be a great dad. Don’t start worrying about it.” Naib let his head fall on Norton’s shoulder. He let his lips turn up just a bit at his words, wanting to believe that they were true.
Well, he would figure that out soon. They greeted the lady at the front desk who went over a few things before their appointment started. There was hall filled with doors that led to the children’s room. They were escorted to where Robbie’s room was.
When the door opened, they noticed the little boy playing with a few toy trucks on his bed, alone, of course. Norton almost frowned upon the sight, but quickly smiled over it as he made his way into the room. Naib stayed behind him, hesitant and questioning how to start a conversation.
Norton easily sat himself beside the boy, who just looked up at him questioningly. Norton picked up one of the left over toy trucks, sliding it across the bed to Robbie.
“Hello, my name is Norton. But you can call me Papa.” He smiled at the little kid, who’s eyes grew wide. Robbie pushed his own toy card near Norton’s puffing his cheeks as he made a noise.
“Hi...papa.” One of the caretakers smiled as she walked past the room, noticing Robbie easily get comfortable to Norton.
“Hi, can I ask what your name is?” The little boy thought for a moment, swirling his toy car around until he stopped it again.
“My name is Robbie.”
Norton was grinning now, bringing his truck closer and driving it around the bed.
“Can I ask you a question, Robbie?”
The little boy nodded with his toy car. Norton looked up to Naib, who nodded to him to continue. He turned back to the little boy who took a quick glance at Norton before turning back to the toys.
“Would you like to have two new daddy’s? Does that sound cool?” There was pause of silence. Norton almost became nervous before Robbie nodded with his toy car again.
“Yeah, it sounds cool...” Norton had a large grin on display for the little boy, patting his head as he finally pushed himself back up in his feet. He motioned for Naib to come closer, holding out one of the toy cars.
Naib gave him a look, he was terrible at playing with little kids. It was almost embarrassing, he thought the only way Norton got away with playing with the toys was because it just suited him better.
A small nudge to the shoulder and that silly smile made Naib give in. He accepted the toy and switched places with Norton. Now he sat beside Robbie, placing his toy on the bed as he watched the kid continue to swerve his own car.
“.....Hi, Robbie.” Naib started, hoping that the awkwardness would fade out soon. The little boy stopped his car, pointing it in the direction of his own toy.
“Hi.” Naib’s mind was racing all over the place, but a pat to the back from Norton calmed his nerves. He took a breathe before continuing.
“My name is Naib, it’s nice to meet you.” Robbie took a minute. He let go of his toy, looking up to meet Naib’s deep blue eyes that looked down at him with surprise.
“Are you my other daddy?” He asked, fiddling with his tiny fingers as he waited for Naib’s answer. Such words, he could feel them tug at his heart. Is this what every parent felt like? Naib finally smiled for the first time during their visit, nodding to the little kid.
“Yeah, I’m your other daddy.” And just like that, the little boy mirrored the smile on his face, reaching towards Naib until he was able to wrap his tiny arms around his larger figure.
“Nice to meet you, daddy” Naib reciprocated the hug, feeling his chest warm up from all the emotions he was feeling. Norton caught the water works beginning to work up, resting his hands on Naib’s shoulders as he placed a kiss onto his forehead.
Naib covered his face with a hand, the tears streaming down his face hidden as the caretaker offered Norton a tissue. Naib gratefully accepted it, cleaning himself up as he let go of Robbie who had his own fresh set of tears on display.
“Ha, don’t cry too, or papa will make fun of both of us.” Naib held the tissue at Robbie’s nose so he could blow. Norton chuckled at his two little crybabies, although he wasn’t holding it all together himself. The sight of Naib gaining courage to communicate to Robbie had his chest tight and tears threatening to make him the third crybaby in the room.
“Next time we come, we will take you home. Okay? Would you like to go home with us?” Naib asked, hope filled in his voice as he couldn’t hold back the smile growing on his face. The little boy nodded, wiping his eyes of the tears that just kept falling. Norton laughed with a small answer of “good!”
He ruffled little Robbie’s hair before lightly pulling at his cheek.
“No more crying, we have to be tough boys.” Robbie laughed a bit before nodding to Norton, Naib choking out a laugh as well. Norton was a dork, but he had such charm.
“We’ll see you soon, Robbie.” The little boy nodded as the two left the building. He quickly packed his things that night, and what felt like forever, he finally spoke up to the other kids in the play room. He announced that he would finally have a new family, and when he did, all the kids cheered for him. The caretaker smiled, calling for a small celebration for dinner.
Extra! (Seven year old Robbie, three years later.)
Robbie squatted as low as he could go, letting himself spring off the bed continuously.
“COME ON DAD, PAPA’S OFF WORK NOW! WE HAVE TO PICK HIM UP!” Oh for the love of- Naib forced himself to sit up, pushing the covers aside as he tried to stop Robbie from breaking the poor bed in two.
“Enough, I heard you the last three times. You don’t even have your shoes on-” Robbie slapped both hands on Naib’s cheeks, going closer to place a rough kiss to his nose. Naib scrunched up his nose, beginning to tickle the kid and feeling a hard kick to his side due to Robbie being extremely ticklish.
“Ok ok! I’m sorry dad!”
“Next time don’t jump on my bed little brat” Naib grinned as he watched Robbie fall off the bed while laughing his lungs out.
A sudden ring of the phone led them to be on video call with Norton. Robbie jumped to his feet and went back beside Naib as he looked down at the phone.
“Papa! Are you almost done with work?”
“Yes I’m almost done, you’re not giving dad a hard time are you?”
“Nooo” Robbie grinned to Naib, who rolled his eyes and looked to the phone.
“It’s because you bought that ice cream earlier now he’s running all over the place.” Norton laughed as they heard his coworker call him over in the background.
“We will pick you up soon babe.”
“Got it, I’ll see you soon love. You too Robbie, I love you.” Norton smiled as Robbie grinned at the phone.
“I love you papa!”
“Tell dad you love him too!”
Robbie looked over to Naib, blinking once before Naib attacked him once again with a bunch of tickles.
“Ok! Ok! I love dad too!” Norton could hear his piercing laughter, making him have to pull away from the phone. Robbie was a wild kid.