It was three months before Aaron was allowed to go home with his new family. It was a lot of paper work and transferring medical documents and anything else. Nick took care of the paper work while Danny visited Aaron when he wasn't working. Keeping him company and watching movies as he recovered.
And when they managed to have time alone they started to get the spare room ready for their son.
Nick felt a flutter in his chest at the thought.
Their son.
Danny saw this from his spot on the floor, having the building duty of putting the bed together. "Nick, everything ok?" Nick looked at Danny. "Just...it's really happening. He's our son." Danny smiled. "It is a bit overwhelming. In a good way." Nick nodded as he went back to painting. "Yes. It is."
They chose a unisex color, a yellowish cream. Nick sighed as he looked at two packages of wall decals. One had happy blue whales and the other happy ducks. He turned to Danny who was putting the sheet on the twin bed. "Ok, which one?" Danny turned. "Which one we should use?" "No, which one do you think he would like?" Danny looked at both before making a face. Nick gave his own look. "Danny, this is important." "I know, I know, it's just..." "just what?" Danny sighed, knowing Nick is already nervous as hell. "I don't know if he'd like either." Nick practically threw them to the ground as he huffed. "What do you mean he won't like either? We need something on these walls, they can't just be bare."
Danny walked over. "Right, right, I agree. I do, just...not ducks or whales?" "Why not?" Danny shrugged. "He's eleven. In two years he'll be a teenager, don't you think they're a bit-" "girly?" "Young." Nick looked at them before frowning. "I suppose you're right but what do we put on the walls? They need something." Danny shrugged. "I could ask him." "But it won't be a surprise." Danny smiled. "Well I could ask what a few of his favorites are and we could make a choice from that? That way we know what he likes and it's a surprise." Nick shook his head. "How are you so much better at this?"
Danny frowned, reaching out and holding his hand. "Hey, it's not about who's better or cooler. It's teamwork, isn't that what you've told me? Com'on, let's take a break and have a cup of tea."
Danny made Nicks favorite tea and decided to order out for dinner since the house was in a bit of disorganization from getting everything ready for Aaron which likely added to Nicks anxiety. He was always meticulously tidy.
While washing the dishes the water suddenly stopped running and was nothing but a trickle until nothing. Danny felt dread in the pit of his stomach. That wasn't good at all. It was the middle of August so there was no way the pipes were frozen. Nick was upstairs sorting out something or other so Danny decided to have a look.
The pipes under the sink seemed fine. He decided to investigate further, like a good policeman officer.
He went to the basement that was used mostly for storage and saw a pipe on the high, far wall leaking water like a sieve. He cursed. He wasn't sure if Nick could handle this right now, although the blonde refused to admit it, his anxiety was already pretty high.
He put on his metaphoric big boy pants and walked up stairs to the bedrooms and saw Nick repainting a corner in Aaron's room. "Ah Love, you have a minute?" Nick turned, looking tired. "What is it?" Danny fidgeted with his fingers. "Ahh well, there's a small problem with the water. I went and looked and a pipe in the basement seems to have burst." It took a moment for it to sink into Nicks head. "How?!" He places the paint brush down before rushing out of the room, going into robocop mode as Danny followed worriedly.
"I'm not sure, I think maybe it was faulty, a screw loose, anything really." He said but he could tell nick didn't hear a word as he stomped to the basement where he stopped, seeing the broken pipe.
It took a few moments of Nick staring at it, willing it to fix itself and work and then inspecting it, seeing it was rusted through. They would need new puppies. "It's rusted through. How is it rusted through, don't we check these?" Danny was going to say something like "we're never down here" but Nick was already ranting. "Honestly, I don't ask much But would it kill you to check the pipes every so often when you're down here. How old is this place anyway? Must be ancient but it'd be better if you had taken care of it instead putting your money away on the DVD collection!" Danny didn't let it get to him, he let Nick vent a bit, watching carefully if he went into an anxiety attack.
Nick huffed his way upstairs, trying to keep himself together, getting his phone and looking up a well priced but effective plumber.
Danny didn't avoid him but gave him room. He wanted to be near if Nick pushed himself into an anxiety attack but also didn't want to smother him, so he made tea as nick talked to someone on the phone.
" 400 pounds?! Are you out of your mind?!" Danny winced as he poured the tea into two mugs. Nick stomped and Danny followed the noise, seeing Nick walking out the front door, likely for some air. Danny sighed and debated getting duct tape for the pipe but Nick would probably scream about how it's only temporary, if it even holds.
Danny waited and listened for the door, worrying with every second that goes by. Forty minutes had gone by and Danny was ready to go check on him when the door opens and an exhausting looking Nick walked through. Danny took the mugs of now cold tea and went to Nick. Nick spoke up, Danny noticed his eyes were red as was his nose but didn't say anything. "Found someone to replace the pipes for a much better price. They'll be here Thursday. One of us will have to stay home." Danny nodded. "I can do that, even visit Aaron too." Nick nodded as he took his tea and sipped before making a face. "It's stone cold." Danny smiled weakly. "Well I did make it before you walked outside. I can warm it up." Nick shook his head. "No but thank you. Tea from the microwave just isn't the same. I'll suffer." Danny sipped his own tea. "Movie to calm your nerves until dinner arrives?" "That would be lovely."