After rehearsals on Wednesday of musicals week, Di and Emelia had been invited over to Amy's for a cup of tea, seeing as Emelia hadn't seen her auntie Amy in absolutely ages. This also gave Joe a chance to spend time with the boys, who he hadn't seen in absolutely ages.
"Have fun my girlies, and say hi to Amy for me." Dianne kissed his lips as the two stood by the door, Emelia amusing herself just outside the apartment in the hall.
"I will. We'll be back around eight, weather she's asleep or not I'm not sure, she seems hyper today."
"She does, doesn't she." The two watched her for a brief moment. "Alright." He clapped his hands together. "I'll see you in a few hours then, love you."
"Love you too." She kissed him goodbye, walking away with Emelia hand in hand before he shut the door, sighing as he walked to sit on the sofa, sipping his tea and thinking about how his life had changed. The last time he and the boys had all met up, he and Di were in the early stages of Strictly, and now they were in a serious relationship and he had become a father figure to Emelia.
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"Caspar, hows it going mate?"
Even though Joe hadn't spoken to quite a few of the boys, he had still spoken to Caspar quite a lot. Since having Emelia in his life, Caspar and Ambar had been helping out with babysitting and things like that, much to Joe and Dianne's delight. Some could say that having Emelia in his life had brought them closer together.
They bro - hugged. "Great, first one here I see." Joe passed him a drink after pulling away. "Yeah, the others should be here soon. How's Ambar?"
Caspar blushed. "Good, we're in a really good place and I feel like we're getting serious. How's Di?"
It was Joe's turn to blush, feeling the blood rush to his cheeks. "Good. She's with Emelia at Amy's tonight."
"Oh right." Caspar put his drink down. "And How is Emelia, you mentioned that she went to the children's BAFTAs with you guys." Joe nodded, Caspar and himself walking to sit on the sofas, the TV showing a programme in the background, low volume.
"Yeah, she came. She loved it, it was hard having to distance myself from either of them but it went alright, thankfully the press haven't really said anything." Caspar nodded, thinking.
"Oh that's really good. I'm really happy for you bud, took you long enough." Joe punched his arm gently, hearing him laugh out loud. The door bell rang, Joe getting up.
"Shut up, but they were worth the wait." Joe opened the door, Jack, Mikey and Conor stood in the doorway, both grinning and bringing him into bro hugs in turn. Jack and Conor hadn't seen Joe more or less since late August, so it was a long time coming.
After Conor, Jack and Mikey all had greeted Joe and Caspar and got their drinks, they all sat down on the sofa, all in light spirits. Jack stole Conor's drink, taking a nonchalant sip.
"Hey, you have your own!" Jack shrugged, feeling Conor hit him lightly.
"I know, I just felt like it." Caspar, Joe and Mikey all fave amused laughs, both brothers rolling their eyes.
"You're so bloody annoying."
"Love you too darling brother."
"Siblings." Mikey sighed. "So Joseph, hows the wife and kids?" All the boys laughed at the phrasing, although exaggerated but along truthful lines. Joe nodded, laughing a little too.
He sat forward. "Good, at Amy's this evening, or auntie Amy's as Emelia likes to say." All the boys cooed.
"That's cute. By the way, Emelia is six? I'm not sure." Conor asked. Joe shook his head.
"Five, year one. Sometimes she thinks she's fifteen honestly." All the boys chuckled, while smiling at Joe, particularly Caspar. In that moment, he really sounded like a parent, reminding them of how they always heard mums and dads talk, gushing over their own. It was sweet.
"What are you all looking at?" Joe was slightly anxious at all their grins, trying to read into their expressions. Jack shrugged.
"You. You sound like a parent, it's sweet." Joe smiled, nodding. Thinking back on it, he couldn't help but realise that he did.
"I guess I do." He slowly nodded, feeling himself come out of his thoughts. "I kind of feel like a parent too, it's new. But it's good." All the boys nodded, it was new, he was right. It was very new, none of them had even seen him with a girl before, let alone one with a miniature human.
"Yeah, really good. None of us have really seen you like this, all domesticated. What's it like, with them?" Joe grinned, sitting back.
Life with Dianne and Emelia was a life filled with lots of love, more than thinkable. Life was filled with laughter, laughter that could last a lifetime and could infect any cold soul. And occasionally, there were lullabies. Lullabies that could send you into a blissful sleep, dreaming of your hearts deepest desires.
Love, laughter and lullabies, and a little bit of dance, of course, weather it was on the Strictly dancefloor or in the kitchen on a Sunday, and all the times in between.
"It's amazing, it's different but it's a good different. We've established a sort of routine, mornings and nights. It's really nice, I feel like I'm headed in the right direction, you know?"
All the boys nodded in unison, for Joe seemed to be heading in the right direction indeed, an unexpected one at that, but the right one.
"Yeah. Is Emelia well behaved, what's she like, none of us apart from Caspar have really met her."
Caspar chuckled, going to speak. Joe turned to him, wanting his thoughts. "She's actually really well behaved for a five year old, you'd think she would be naughty but she's really good, and loves hit the road too."
All the boys chuckled, Joe too. "Oh she does, her favourite film, apart from Cinderella, I swear I've seen that a hundred times."
"Oh nice, must know it inside out. What's that song, something about dreams?" Jack asked, Conor standing up on the sofa and giving an operatic rendition of 'a dream is a wish your heart makes,' using his arms.
"A dream is a wish your heart makes, when you're fast asleep, in dreams you will lose your heartaches, whatever you wish for you keep..."
All the boys burst into laughter, waving their arms above their heads and singing along.
"Have faith in your dreams and someday, your rainbow will come smiling through..." Conor did an overly dramatic riff at the end, all the boys rolling their eyes, composing themselves.
"Yeah, that one. Banger that is, what other movie songs does she like?" Jack asked, Joe just having regained his composure.
"Oh she likes nativity, there's one song called sparkle and shine, she honestly sings it all the time." All the boys gave Joe expectant looks, wanting a little rendition. Joe scowled before sighing, then coughing.
"Okay everybody, clap your hands." All the boys laughed, clapping their hands. "I'm a superstar and I'm coming out tonight! I've had a little makeover and I'm all dressed up tonight."
All the boys swayed, amused and loving how Joe was so much happier, and how he was singing a song from nativity, not what they would have expected before. "A cheeky drink a naughty wink will loosen up Alright."
Caspar winked, Joe stopping. All the boys groaned, Conor pretending to be livid. "Hey! I was enjoying that." Joe rolled his eyes, caving in and singing a bit more.
"Stand back and put your shades on, cos I'm about to shine. My blinding light will throw you, cos there's no Starlight like mi-ine!" He stopped, all the boys laughing and clapping.
"That's actually brilliant. I never had expected to be here, listening to Joe singing a song from nativity, oh how times change." Mikey said lightheartedly, all the boys including Joe nodding in agreement.
A couple of hours later all the boys were still chatting away, having been talking the entire night about anything and everything from coachella and all the times they got drunk to YouTube and Strictly, and everything else in between. They had even talked about Joe starting a singing career, to which he refused although he wouldn't mind it, it just simply wasn't the time or place.
Joe was pinning Caspar down after he had teased Joe about his height, or lack there of, and that was when the doorbell rang. The amount of light that had filled Joe's eyes, or the undeniable smile that he had broken out in that very moment was adorable, and didn't go unnoticed by any of his mates, not by a long way.
While walking over to open the door, a few thoughts raced through his mind. One being that he would be reunited with his two girlies, another being that Em could be asleep and he would have to remind the boys to use their indoor voices, and a third being that they'd all rip him to pieces at it all.
He opened the door, the first thing he could comprehend being the small child that had launched herself at his legs, shouting "Joe!" excitedly, all the boys giving each other little pouts at how cute she was, her enthusiasm and child like innocence, special and often lost within many souls.
He chuckled, exchanging a warm smile with the red head, who gave a little pout before she let go, Joe embracing Dianne in his arms and feeling her hold him too. He pecked her cheek, feeling her sigh contently into his arms. They took in each other's scents and presence, letting the hold last a little longer as they had been apart for a while, having missed each other.
"How'd it go?" Joe asked, seeing Emelia out of the corner of his eye wander over to the boys, probably wondering who some of them were. They pulled apart, Dianne grinning.
"Great. Amy is so good with her, they're really close, it's adorable. She placed her things on the side, next to where Emelia's colouring stuff had seemed to take a permanent residence. "How was it with the boys?"
He nodded, looking over at them all fondly, particularly Conor who was pulling funny faces at Emelia who was giggling her little head off.
"Great. It's so lovely, seeing them take to her so well, you know. I've never seen them like this, it's cute." She nodded, wrapping an arm around his waist, also watching Emelia with a warm smile.
"It is, they are all goodens, especially Caspar, he's a legend." He chuckled, putting an arm around her shoulders.
"A real legend, wouldn't change him for the world." The two stayed in a comfortable silence.
"Come on, I don't think you've met Conor, Jack or Mikey yet, have you?" The thought had crossed his mind, causing him to chuckle as he spoke.
"Nope. Lead the way."
"Oh you look beautiful, magnificent." Mikey said while putting on a posh voice, twenty minutes after the introductions. Emelia had thought of the idea to do Joe's hair, and Joe having been witness to her puppy dog eyes just couldn't say no, who could.
Joe scowled at all his friends, feeling her finish off his man bun with a pretty pink bow. "You all are in line, trust me." She pretended to dust off her hands, a satisfied look on her face. "Do I look pretty?"
"Very pretty. Maybe next time, I could do your makeup?"
Joe's eyes went wide, a worried chuckle but not minding that much. Yeah, Maybe." All the boys laughed at his reaction, it was playful fear in his eyes.
"Oh that'd be cool, you could do glitter makeup as well." Jack suggested, tapping Emelia on the shoulder. Joe gave him a death glare. "Or not."
Dianne grinned at Joe. "Oh I think you should, what a great idea Jack." Joe hit her playfully, rolling his eyes. "Or not." They all laughed, seeing Emelia crawl onto the sofa, plonking herself right between them.
Ten minutes later Emelia had fallen asleep, leant into Joe's side. "I wish I could fall asleep that quickly." Joe sighed, seeing Dianne nod. All the boys were about to get ready to leave at this point, the evening winding down.
"Me too, should I take her in?" Joe shook his head, starting to pick her up.
"It's fine, I'll take her in. Should be a quick one tonight, seeing as she's already asleep." She chuckled, watching him get up and walk across the living room, the sleeping Emelia in his arms. She watched all the boys watch him, fond smiles all round.
Caspar took his drink into his hand before speaking. "Wow." He took a sip, all the boys nodding. "To think six months ago he couldn't even find his car keys."
All the boys laughed loudly, Joe turning around on his heels, giving all the boys stern looks while stroking Emelia's hair.
"Shh. She's asleep. You'll wake her if you're not careful."