Work Text:
She was going to be there any second.
Brown eyes and blonde ringlets peeked around the corner of the door, the case worker behind her.
Johnny bent carefully to his knees ignoring the aching twinge.
“Hi, little lass.”
The last time Simon had heard his voice so soft was two years ago, in the safety of darkness thanks to the blackout curtains in their bedroom. With the quiet hum of a noise machine in the background Johnny had asked if he thought it possible for them to be parents one day.
And to his utmost surprise, Simon didn’t find himself hesitating in his response. They had been retired for over a year at that point. Physically therapy for Johnnys knee and Simons shoulder had been going well. They both even started regular therapy, finding a therapist that saw through all their bullshit and nonchalance about the nightmares and outbursts that were happening weeks after they had retired.
The therapist ended up providing a recommendation letter for them to give to the adoption agency, along with Laswell, Price, and Johnnys’ parents. They had so much money combined from their years in the SAS it wasn’t hard to find a quiet cottage and have it fully upgraded with security and proper plumbing.
Quiet was what they thought they both needed but as time went on the peace became painful, and it felt like something was missing. So when Johnny had asked under the cover of darkness about the possibility of them becoming parents Simon found himself saying yes, like it was the simplest thing in the world.
Simon loved Johnny, he didn’t know it would be possible to feel like he had even more love to give. They had talked through the options of surrogacy or egg donation but settled on adoption. It was an easy decision as just from the work they had done they knew there were children in this world who needed someplace safe and someone to love them.
And the moment that little one and a half-year-old peeked her head around that corner Simon knew he had made the right choice.
His heart was pounding like he was in the middle of a gunfight, but the only sound was the tip tap of little shoes against the floor as she waddled her way to his husband, who was waiting with open arms.
“Little love.” Strong arms wrapped around her as she held on to Johnny, showing off her few teeth with a smile. “I’m your Da!”
She babbled then, as if she understood, and immediately laid her head on the man's shoulder, eyes flicking up to Simon.
He held his breath as a little hand reached out to him, now fascinated with the ink on his arm, his short sleeves baring most of it.
Johnny turned feeling her movement, and smiled lifting her as an offering to him. He found himself hesitating, feeling almost unworthy to hold such a gift, but as his love smiled encouragingly and the baby babbled with her arms outstretched, he gathered her in his arms.
She was barely larger than his thigh, and as light as a feather. He found himself smiling down at her round cheeks and big eyes as she pressed a hand against his face, unfearful of the scars.
“‘M yer dad,” Simon whispered to her, pressing her small forehead against hers as he felt Johnny wrap an arm around his back embracing them both in a hug.
“Have you decided to change her name?” The caseworker asked, having stayed silent allowing the new parents a moment.
Johnny smiled up at him as Simon nodded, wrapping an arm around his husband and holding their daughter close.
“Haven.”
Her name was Haven.