Work Text:
»Daddy?«
Ace crouched down next to his little boy, Celio, zipping up his red jacket and fixing the helmet on his head.
»Daddy, did you, did you see my brumbrum?«
Ace smiled at his son. He was dressed up as a firefigther, the job he insisted on taking on. Ace didn't subject it, calming Marco by reassuring him they could always destroy their childrens dreams later - when they were teenager that hated them regardless.
The “brumbrum” was a red toy car, a firefighter truck his son took everywhere, just like other kids carried stuffed animals with them. Those were definietly cozier to fall on, even his son had realized that by now. Never stopped him tho.
He shook his head, pulling the shoe laces to widen the tiny shoes for Celios feet. »No, sweetie. Did you see your other daddys bumbum these days?«
His son shook his head, clearly not knowing what Ace was referring to by “bumbum”.
He sighed. »Yeah, me neither,« he said. Looking around the room for the red toy, knowing sure well how his chances were nearing a high score if he wanted to get his son in the car without that. A highscore in the negative field. Nothing and nowhere without that red piece of plastic. And they were already running late.
»Daddy, we’re going to be late!« His daughter, Raudona stood next to the door, her tiny arms crossed and he laced up the shoes faster under her stern look.
Even this six-year-old knew he was fucked without the “other daddy” around. Just not in these words - hopefully. Not that Ace cared, but Marco did and he’d blame it on him.
Ace eyes scanned the room desperatly looking for something red. Marcos absencse was visible in the sense that chaos had setteled in again. Ace combed through his hair, that curled extra wild and undone. He had no time fixing that either now.
Raudona held up something for him to see. Red. »Let’s go!«
It was the red firetruck. Of course she would think of it.
Their daughter was very eager and ambitious, wanting to become a doctor, just like daddy. Although she, unlike Marco, who couldn’t take blood well (he was a smart man but sometimes Ace second guessed this judgement), wanted to be a surgeon.
She was wearing her fathers white scrubs, that was like a floor-length dress on her. And despite having her own, that actually fitted, she insisted on Marcos and Ace had overslept and he figured Marco would never have to know.
That little fucker had left him alone to go on a business trip for a professional development course. That he was giving.
Ace couldn’t stay mad, too proud.
He hurried their children out of the door for a little race to the car.
»Daddy?« Raudona spoke up as they waited at a traffic light.
The sun peaked over the building tops, like a shy kid and it blinded his sight. In his rear-view mirror Ace could see the two of them holding hands in the backseat. And his heart grew warm and soft.
»Yes sweetie?« he answered feeling absolutly at peace.
Sure Marco was not here to complete this moment, but it was a peaceful and perfect morning. Seeing their daughter taking care of her brother so sweetly always sparked a feeling in Ace heart, he found no other name for than 'pride' although it was more than that. Swollen hearted, he gifted them a bright smile.
They fought lots, but only because they did spent so much time in the beginning and he was sure that wasn’t too common.
»Daddy, what did you and Daddy dress up as for Halloween?«
He smiled, not even entertaining the thought of answering truthfully for a split second. Ace couldn’t remember wearing anything child apporpriate after he had met Marco in his mid-twenties.
Good man equaled terrible costume preferences - in Marcos case.
He took a sip of his coffee, still contemplating which lie he liked the best, as he saw her pulling something out of her pocket, holding it up for him to see. Ace eyes met the photo. And he nearly chocked on his drink.
It was a picture of him and Marco and it was definetly not child-appropriate. »Where did you get that from?«
»Your drawer,« she answered, no hesitation. »We were asked to bring a picture of our parents for today.«
Ace looked at his watch. It was by far too late to go back now. Fuck.
»What are you and daddy wearing here?«
He risked another glance, to see for himself. It was from the year he and Marco had dressed up as pirates.
Sexy Pirates. Sexy Pirates that didn’t need the pirate outfitary. Just the scarf thingy around the waists - what was it called? Marco found it very sexy… sash? - with the swords and some underwear and laughably enough the costume came with stick-on beards made of plastic. And plastic eyepatches. Resulting in a costume that was almost exclusivly worn on the face.
»Um, we went as sexy pirates,« he answered truthfully.
»What is that?«
»Hm, a sexy pirate is a special breed of pirate. But only the grown-ups like them because they are boring. Like we are. You know sexy pirates will not travel the seas.«
»Not?« His son looked crushed.
Fantastic!
He shook his head. »No. They mostly stay inside and the only thing they enter is a bed.«
He started to really get immersed in his own storyline. »They are also very poor and can’t afford clothes, so they hide and just stay in their sheets all day. They never go on adventures - well not outside the bed. So they are kinda designed to stay inside. Pirate from home, if you like.«
His children huffed, clearly “pirate from home” was not to their likes. Goooood.
»That sounds so boring.«
He nodded excitdely. »Extremly boring,« he affirmed enthusiastically.
Fuck yes. This was what good parenting looked like!
»But daddy, what is Uncle Thatch wearing? He looks like a homeless santa. Why does he not wear pants? Santa always wears pants?«
Ace face turned hot. Fuck me, he thought. It was that Halloween.
Thatch had dresses as Santa and Izou as a gift, meaning he wore a a piece of fabric that he tied to a bow - and that was it.
»Give me that photo.« He took it and threw it in the glove box. »Uncle Thatch wasn’t homeless, he just forgot his pants and - Daddy Marco will explain another time, okay? But I swear it’s really boring. Just like Uncle Thatch. Should we listen to some CD?«
Happy cheering. Good.
They really needed a lock on their drawers. He didn’t want to live the day they’d find their lube and would go around the house and - They really needed that lock.
After dropping the kids at the kindergarden - without the photo of course - Ace took out his phone to text his husband, who he would make explain any further costume discoveries from this day on.
On your way back sweetheart: Buy a lock. Don’t even ask. Actually buy all locks they got if you love me - from one sexy pirate to another.