Summary: Roman is a famous actor and father of three rambunctious kids. His husband, Patton, often helps with keeping them at bay but sometimes that falls through and Roman has to improvise.
This was based purely on the BBC interview where the kids crashed the posh interview on finance or something. Also Twelfth Night is one of the gayest Shakespeare plays and it's what got me into Shakespeare - I recommend reading it.
Words: 1189
Roman Royal is a relatively famous actor when it comes to theatre. He graduated from one of the best drama schools in the country and starred in many musicals and plays. A good degree wasn't the only thing he got from college though - he got his husband. Patton was a joyful but quiet individual, became more extroverted around his lover, and their romance was strong. So strong that they decided they wanted a family pretty soon after their marriage even though Roman's job meant the pair were travelling a lot. First they had twins Rose and Melody (Roman's genes were more susceptible for making twins), they were cute identical almost-4 year olds with Patton's hyperness. Then recently the surrogate gave them Eric, and this was his first time travelling with the family after Roman's paternity leave.
For this performance they were in New York City, and Patton was backstage with the kids just before Roman was due on stage. Roman's family was often allowed backstage so his kids could watch their Daddy work and watch whatever play or musical close up. This particular performance was part of the Shakespeare Company Roman was employed by, they travelled across states performing a different Shakespeare play each year. This year was Twelfth Night.
"How do I look Puffball? Prepared?" Roman said to his husband just as he was giving his daughters a final hug. Patton was rocking Eric slightly in his baby sling to stop him from fussing, quickly giving his husband a kiss and a nod before he was instructed to go on stage.
"Can we join Daddy on stage Paps?" Melody said, waving her action figure around and staying close to her father. Patton watched his husband on stage with a fond smile - he was so happy to be a stay at home dad while watching his lover perform his passion.
"Maybe you can join him when you're older kiddo. You just have to be a good girl at Drama club." Melody looked confused but nodded, she and her sister had been in Drama clubs since they were very small toddlers and unfortunately had no filter when it came to good behaviour. Patton watched the twins giggle and chase each other with their Marvel action figures just as Eric began crying again indicating he was hungry. He sang a lullaby to his son and prepared the bottle just as he heard frantic whispering around him backstage.
Roman was stood centre stage wearing bright yellow stockings, his favourite scene in his favourite Shakespeare play. "Not black in my mind, though yellow in my legs. It did come to his hands, and commands shall be execu..." He saw the actress playing Olivia break character slightly, going into a small smile as two happy blond little girls came bounding towards their father. Looking at their little innocent faces made Roman smile, he couldn't break character and act angry around them. He had to let them play along.
"Ah! the daught'rs of the maid - cometh h're!" Roman exclaimed, calling over his daughters. It was then they realised the invested audience and stood straight by their father's side. Their smiles were still wide. "May thee giveth these flowers to mine own beloved? These art quite quaint like mine own lover's visage." Roman retrieved a plastic rose from his pocket that he was meant to give to Olivia himself, but now he gave it to his girls. The girls ran to Olivia and placed the flower in her hamper, before Rose glanced at the flower confused.
"Sire! This flower is fake!" Rose screamed with a wide smile, projecting her voice just as she'd learnt to do at Drama club. Roman acted a severe embarrassment which made the audience, and his daughters, giggle.
"Oh nay, it's a flower from the Garden of Eden. I wouldst nev'r buy a vile petal from a fraud!" The audience seemed to be enjoying this slight improv, which was good as usually the upper-class target audience would stage a walk out at a slight deviance from the thousand year old words. "Now children, cometh hither - may thee telleth the servants to leave Olivia and I alone?" The girls ran up to their father quickly and nodded, Roman gave each girl a ruffle of the hair as they ran backstage again. He took a deep breath and smirked at Olivia, before continuing his performance.
Rose and Melody ran back to their panicked father excitedly with extremely wide smiles on their faces. Patton held both of them in a hug and sighed, about to discipline them before hearing Rose's joy. "Did you see us actoring Paps? I projected my voice!"
"You did, you did..." Patton giggled, twirling her golden plaits with a soft smile on his face. He could never be angry at his family, that was sure, and he loved all his kids from the bottom of his heart. Melody watched Eric in the sling and giggled at him, pulling funny faces. "But don't go on stage again, OK kiddos?" Rose and Melody nodded happily, receiving a kiss on the forehead from their father.
*****
Roman yawned, his arm wrapping around his husband's shoulder as he smiled. It was 1am, the pair had just sent all their kids to bed in the hotel. They were going home tomorrow night after Roman's last performance - but this performance was something special. He had never had his kids join him in his performances but he secretly loved it.
He looked over at his husband, his face glowing from the phone he was watching. "What are you looking at cutie?" Roman whispered, kissing Patton's cheek and giving him the fondest look. "Can I see?"
Patton turned his phone so Roman could see what he was looking at: reviews of Roman's latest performance. "The Malvolio (Roman Royal) was great!" Patton read, a smile on his face. "So were the 'maid's daughters' - I wouldn't have guessed they weren't an original part of the play." Patton giggled, giving his husband a soft kiss and tracing his finger on his jawline. Life might be difficult sometimes with the constant travelling with three young kids, which meant Patton never worked, but he loved it. He wouldn't trade his life for anything.
"I hope to see the maid's daughters in other plays soon. They're adorable!" Roman read another review with a smile, seeing his daughters excited faces on the stage in his mind's eye. He held Patton even closer. "Good thing they're in Drama club hey? We just need to calm their activeness."
"We don't..." Patton laughed before hearing Eric cry again. Roman watched his husband cradle the baby again, going into Dad mode immediately. The couple always mentioned they wanted a big family - three kids minimum - and even though Eric was less than a year old the pair were preparing to adopt again and bring a fourth child into their world. They were both excited, they loved their family.
And they loved their little girls, even if they were chaotic. "Yeah... We don't." Roman chuckled, walking to his husband again and kissing his son's head.