Archive of Our Own ^beta

Aaron hurries back inside and out of the thundering rain, shaking off his raincoat and hanging it up by the front door. 

“She’s not at Mums either,” Aaron huffs, kicking off his wellies and rounding the corner to find Robert sitting at the table with his phone tucked between his shoulder and ear. He’s packing up the food from the meal that they’d never even gotten a chance to dig into. He’d spent hours on it too, making sure every little thing was perfect for their first night alone in months. 

“Right, Mack,” Robert says, clicking on the lids and stacking them on the open shelf in the fridge. “Thanks again. Yep. Alright. Cheers.”

He shuts the door with more force than Aaron thinks is necessary but he can’t really blame him either. 

“I take it Mack and Charity haven’t seen her either then?”

Robert sighs and drops down into one of the chairs while dragging a hand down his face. He shakes his head and when he looks up at Aaron, he can see the tell tail signs of waterworks on his face.

“No. Emma left early cause she had a funny stomach and Livvy was still dancing with Kaia when she left.”

“Hey, hey.” Aaron moves quickly to wrap his arms around his husband from behind, resting his chin on the top of Robert’s head. “It’s alright. No need for tears yet, ya hear? Her mobile probably died and she just hasn’t been able to ring yet. Let’s not panic until we know we have to.”

He feels Robert nod and tilts his head to press a kiss to Robert’s hair.

“Besides, Kaia’s with her,” Aaron tries for optimism this time. “And she’s never let anything bad happen to our little girl before, has she? She’ll be alright. 

Another hour goes by before they hear the sound of a key in the lock and the front door is swinging open. They’re both standing from the sofa just as Livvy’s tear stained face appears in the doorway. The dress that she’d picked out with Vic and Emma is soaking and the bottom trim is caked in mud. Her heels have been forgotten and replaced with a tattered old pair of trainers that Aaron was sure she didn’t have with her when she left. 

Her curls are now flat and dripping down the front of the too big jacket thrown over her, her hands barely peaking out from beneath the sleeves. 

“Hi, Dad.” She sniffs. “Hi, Poppa.”

They don’t even get a chance to say a word before Livvy is rushing forward and crashing into them at full force. Robert's arms wrap around the sobbing girl as she smashes her face against his chest and Aaron wraps his arms around the pair of them. 

“I know we should’ve rang.”

Aaron looks up as Seb steps through the front door, pushing it closed as he kicks off his boots and shrugs off his jacket to hang it up on the hooks by the door.

“Seb?” Aaron looks between their son and daughter, brows furrowing. “What’re ya--she was with you?”

“I’m sorry,” Livvy whimpers as she tilts her head out so they can better hear her. “I just--I just wanted to see him and I didn’t--my phone died and I just--”

Robert kisses the top of her head. “It’s alright, darling. We’re not mad. Your Poppa and I were just worried about ya.”

“Livvy, why don’t you go up and change, yeah?” Seb nods his head towards the stairs. “I’ll fill them in. Go on.”

Aaron wants to protest, wants to know what's going on, but he knows from experience that Livvy is only able to talk things out when she’s calmed down. Once she’s in a fit state, there’s no getting through to her. No matter how much she may want to talk.

Sure to form, Livvy nods her head, sniffles, and turns back to give her big brother a tight hug before climbing the stairs. They wait until they hear her door click shut before Seb is walking towards them to be pulled into their arms. Aaron doesn’t care how old he gets, he’ll always be their baby. Even if is trying to squirm away from the kisses they’re leaving on his cheeks.

“Alright, alright,” Seb chuckles, wiping at his cheeks and taking a step back. “Enough with all the mushy stuff.”

“You wanna tell us what happened tonight then?” Robert says, folding his arms across his chest and leaning back against the kitchen table. “Why neither of you thought to ring us? Do you have any idea how worried we were?”

Aaron rests a hand on his husband's upper arm and squeezes gently. “Let him talk, Rob, before you start your interrogation, yeah?”

At the drop of Robert's shoulders, Aaron nods for Seb to continue.

“Apparently, she was humiliated at the dance,” he explains. “By Kaia and one of her mates. Livvy made a move when they were dancing, tried to kiss her, and Kaia pulled away. Said she was disgusted and that she’d only asked Livvy to be her date…to make her ex jealous.”

“She what?” Robert stands up straight, his jaw tightening and his arms dropping to her sides. “Why the--what is wrong with her? I thought her and Livvy were best mates. I thought--”

“I know, Dad,” Seb interrupts with a heavy sigh. “I know. Turns out she’d just been using Livvy and all of her mates knew about it. They were all laughing as she ran out the hall. She showed up on my doorstep and she was hysterical. Took a while to calm her down but eventually she told me what happened.”

“Hang on a second.” Aaron holds a hand up. “How’d she even get to your flat in the first place?”

“A cabbie dropped her off.”

Robert drags a hand down his face. “Yeah? And how’d she even have enough cab faire, huh? It’s not like she’s exactly got a job.”

Seb waves a hand about. “Thea paid while I took Livvy inside. It’s fine.”

Both of their heads snap to the sides to give each other the same shocked look before turning back to their son. Aaron can feel the grin threatening to stretch across his face and knows that Robert’s not even trying to hide his.

“Thea, huh?” Robert asks innocently enough even though his smile gives him away.

“Thought you two had a fallin’ out?” Aaron adds on when he sees the way Seb’s ears go pink and his eyes widen slightly. “You uh…you back together now?”

Seb clears his throat and looks anywhere but at his dads. “Well, ya know, we uh…I mean…it’s just…it’s only been a few weeks. We’re trying to make it work again.”

“Mate, that’s fantastic!” Robert exclaims animatedly, throwing his arms out wide and laughing loudly. “Ah, man, she’s a wonderful girl, Seb.”

Aaron laughs at the smile spread across his husband's face.

“Seb.” The young man turns to his father with a smile of his own. “We really are very happy for ya. You and Thea are…well, you two are perfect.”

“I hope you’re right,” Seb laughs. “I mean, I hope so too. We’re definitely gonna have to get our act together before the baby’s born an’ all…”

He trails off with a hesitant smile and Aaron feels like his heart is gonna burst. 

“You’re serious?” Robert whispers and Aaron doesn’t remember the last time he’s heard his voice so gentle. Almost like he’s afraid that if he speaks any louder, it’ll burst the little bubble they’re in.

Seb nods. “Yeah. We’re uh…we’re havin’ a baby.”

A smile breaks out across Robert’s face and he’s rushing forward to pull Seb into a hug. They laugh together and when Aaron joins them, he kisses the top of Seb’s head and squeezes his arms tight around two of his favorite people.

“You told them about the baby?”

They break apart as Livvy comes barreling down the stairs in one of Aaron’s old hoodies and the pair of sweats that Robert’s been whinging about losing for the last two weeks. She’s smiling wide and her hair is twisted into two plaits on either side of her head. 

Aaron chuckles. “Yeah, he did. Told us about everything mind you.”

He holds his hand out towards her and Livvy takes it without hesitation.

“How’re ya doing love?” Robert asks from the other side of Aaron.

Livvy shrugs, her smile fading a bit, and Aaron can see the way her jaw clenches. Just like her father in that regard.

“Just feeling stupid and a bit silly--”

“Olivia Mae,” Aaron cuts her off quickly, “you are not stupid. You are the smartest, most maddening, wonderful, and perfect girl that we know.”

She laughs despite the tears she’s wiping off her cheeks with the sleeve of Aaron’s hoodie. “You have to say that. You’re my dad.”

“Oi, we don’t have to say anything, missy,” Robert adds with a smirk. “But we are saying it because it’s true. And if Kaia can’t see that, then she doesn’t deserve you.”

“Now get in here you.” 

Seb nods his head in their direction and Aaron tugs on Livvy’s hand. She smiles at the three of them and lets herself be pulled into their group hug.