Anybody actually still care about this fic? Or am I posting to the void?

52 Tom's POV

"Wheee!" Dougie was laughing, spinning Buzz round in a circle, "Super Buzz to the rescue!" my son was laughing hysterically at him, his whole face lit up in happiness. Could I step in and take over that? Could I really step in and try and get involved, potentially ruin the game? My wife, she always told me I didn't know how to play with our son properly, that I ruined every game and attempt of happiness our son had.

Could I really step in now, try and join in?

"Hey Tom, do you need something?" Danny asked, when he noticed me.

"I, er..." what did I say? What did I possibly say right now?! Should I say that I wanted to join in? Ask if I could? What was the etiquette when it came to joining in with games with your own child?!

"Tom wants to play." Harry came up behind me, speaking like it was a perfectly normal occurrence, and like it would be perfectly fine.

"Why didn't you say so? We're having a lovely game of... hang Buzz upside down!" Dougie suddenly flipped Buzz in his arms, holding him by his legs. Buzz let out a scream of laughter, giggling madly in the way only a child could.

But why could I do? What could I do to join in? It was such a... it could only be played by an adult and a child! What could I do?!

Dougie walked Buzz to me handing him over to me, I righted him in my arms, but stopped. Really, what did I do now? I didn't have a clue, I didn't... I hadn't played like this in so long, and until recently, I had only stood on the sidelines. What did the others do in situations like this? What did Carrie do when she was with Buzz? God, what did anybody do when they were playing with my baby? I couldn't remember what they did! And nothing was coming to me either!

"Dada, ball, ball!" Buzz pushed himself forward, reaching out for his football, which had been left on the edge of the grass. He did love that football actually, almost as much as he loved his guitar. He really liked those two, more than anything else.

"A game of football? That's a great idea Buzz!" Danny ran to grab it, pulling the goal into place. I put Buzz down, watching him run over, he stood about a foot away from the goal, lined up his shot, kicked the ball haphazardly in, screamed 'goal' and run around the garden.

I couldn't help but smile at the sight, it was so cute, especially when he started the cycle again. Lining up the shot, kicking it in, shouting and running in celebration, over and over, all by himself and not caring in the slightest. He looked like such a happy child at that moment, and a perfectly normal one too. Not one who had lost his mother, and was left with a father who struggled with the simplest of tasks. It was... good, I guess. To know that he was well adjusted, or at least not completely screwed up by his parents. In fact, it was reassuring, to know that so far I wasn't affecting his happiness too much.

"I wonder where he gets that from." Harry laughed in Danny's direction.

"It wasn't me! All I did was kick the ball around a bit!" Danny defended himself, cheering when Buzz did.

"Sure you did, of course you did." Harry shook his head, everyone laughing softly together.

"Dada!" Buzz ran up to me, pulling on my trousers, and making me follow him. He kicked the ball into the goal again, "Look! Goal!" he grinned up at me, looking incredibly proud of himself.

"Well done Buzz." I bent down to his level, reaching out to ruffle his hair. That counted as interacting and being playful, didn't it? I mean, he laughed, so it had to count, right? Was this the right way to play? It didn't feel comfortable, or at all natural.

My instincts were telling me to hug him, possibly even pick him up and spin him around in victory, to make a massive fuss over his goal. Was that right though? It didn't sound right in my mind, especially considering what my wife used to say. She used to say that that type of behaviour was ridiculous, and was going to ruin him. She used to praise him though, and make a fuss of his achievements... she did it the right way though, I didn't think I was.