Hardzello One Shots❤

Thank God it's Christmas

"Ava, please stay still for a moment so I can wash your hair." Joe asks his six-year-old daughter with a sigh.
The past fifteen minutes he tried to get her to the shower so she would be clean for bed. But Ava has been so excited for Christmas, that all she's been doing the past few days is jumping around. Joe has finally got her into the shower, but now all Ava does is dancing around while singing Christmas songs. 
"But dad, it's Christmas eve! You're supposed to dance and sing!" Ava squeals before continuing to sing Jingle Bells.
Joe tries to keep his 'strict-dad face', but with his daughter dancing around butt naked while screaming Christmas tunes that's hard to pursue. A smile creeps on his face. "Darling, once I've washed your hair and dried you, you can dance and sing around all you want, okay?" He says to her.
A mischievous smile appears on Ava's face. "Naked?"
Joe rolls his eyes as he lets out a loud laugh. "If that's what you want." He giggles. He's hoping that if the girl dances around long enough, it will tire her out. "But not before we've washed your hair." He says with a strict face.
That finally convinces the girl to stay still so her father can wash her hair.
"Alright, close your eyes." Joe says as he pours some of Ava's princess shampoo on his hand.

While later that evening Ava is upstairs putting on her pyjamas (Yes, Joe convinced her to put on some clothes after all), Joe walks into the living room. A big smile appears on his face when he sees Ben sitting on the couch with little Aidan curled up against his chest.
The two year old boy is looking at the Christmas tree with big eyes while enjoying the water in his sippy cup. The colourful lights reflect in his light brown eyes.
For a moment, Joe decides to stay where he is in the hope Ben and Aidan won't notice him just yet.
Ben smiles down at his son, seeing that the boy's eyes are starting to droop. "Are you excited for Christmas Aidy?" He whispers.
With a sleepy smile, Aidan hands his sippy cup to his papa. "Santa?" He mumbles.
Ben nods while placing the sippy cup onto the table. "Yes, Santa is coming." He whispers before running his hand through Aidan's ginger hair. When he sees that it'll only be a few more minutes until the boy will be fast asleep, he starts gently swaying the boy in his arms. "Sleep tight my boy." He whispers.
Aidan yawns and closes his eyes. "Night night papa." He whispers back to his father.

"You are the best father in the world." Joe says after a while of just watching his husband and son interact and cuddle. He walks over to the couch, and sits down next to the two. "We better put him to bed before little Miss Christmas songs comes down and wakes him." He whispers before kissing Ben's cheek.
Ben lets out a soft chuckle. "I think it's a bloody Christmas miracle that you got her into the shower." He says, earning a giggle from his husband. "Now the next obstacle is getting her to go to sleep."
A grin appears on Joe's face. "Yes, but the positive thing about is that I showered her, so it's your turn to put her to bed." He quickly kisses Ben on the lips so the male can't argue.   
Ben rolls his eyes. "Fine." He smiles. He carefully hands Aidan over to Joe, trying not to wake the boy. "There you go buddy, you cuddle with daddy." He whispers.
With a smile, Joe watches his son snuggle into his chest. "Good luck. Give Aves a goodnight kiss from me." He says softly.
Ben blows his husband a kiss before getting up. "I will."
When Joe sees that Aidan starts sucking his thumb, he reaches out to grab one of the boy's paci's. After carefully pulling the boy's thumb out of his mouth, he replaces it with the pacifier. "I know I said this to your sister as well, and it didn't work. But please always stay my little baby?" He whispers to the sleeping toddler. He kisses the boy on the head. "Sweet dreams."

******

"Dad! Papa! Wake up, wake up, wake up! It's Christmas!"
Both Ben and Joe groan loudly, not wanting to wake up yet. "Your daughter needs you." Joe yawns before burying his face into Ben's chest.
Ben buries his face under the duvet. "Before sunrise she's your daughter." He mumbles.
Ava crawls onto her fathers' bed, and starts shaking the two men. "Come on, wake up! It's snowing outside!" She exclaims.
Joe cracks one eye open, seeing it's only six in the morning. "Ava darling, I know you're excited but it's way too early." He groans.
The girl starts pouting. "But I wanna build a snowman."
When Aidan starts to cry in his nursery, Ben maneuvers out from room Joe and sits up.
Joe groans, trying to pull Ben back down. "Baby...-" He whines, wanting to keep cuddling with his husband.
"Oh you know we're not gonna get any more sleep. So you might as well get your arse out of bed." Ben says before he kisses the ginger and pulls away the duvet. 
Joe whines again before getting up. "Fine. I'll go and try to calm down Aidan." He mumbles. After putting on a sweater, Joe walks towards his son's bedroom.
Ben opens his arms for Ava. "Come here you little devil." He says, his eyes still not fully open.
Ava crawls into her father's embrace. "Can we go outside papa? To play in the snow?" She pleads with big eyes.
Ben shakes his head. "Darling, it's six Am. It's still dark outside. Later we'll go outside, okay?" He says softly. He gently pushes the girl into his chest, and runs his hand through her blonde hair.
"But later when?" Ava asks impatiently.
Ben sighs with a smile. He points at his alarm clock. "See the first 6 on the clock?"
Ava nods.
"When that six has turned into an eleven, we are going outside to make a snowman together, okay?" Ben says. When the girl nods again, Ben lets himself fall backwards onto the bed, his daughter still in his arms.
A bunch of giggles escape Ava's mouth. Once she's calmed down a little, she looks up at her father. "So... what do we do until the eleven is here?"
Ben smiles. "We cuddle, we watch some tv, have breakfast and then cuddle some more." He says with a grin.
"Sounds great." Ava smiles.