Archive of Our Own ^beta

Six months ago Joel and Ray decided to adopt a kid. They talked about if since they started living together which was over a year ago; Joel was a bit weary about having to look after another human being but he warmed up to the idea, plus he can talk to the child about stocks and gold and he or she will sit there and listen.
They adopted a little baby girl who they named Emily Heyman-Narvaez, A small little girl with rosy cheeks and a dark mess of hair that counter her blue eyes. She was mostly quiet but could be fussy when her daddies aren’t around.
When Joel first held her he was afraid of crushing her small body.
The two of them did take some time off work but they didn’t say because they adopted little Emily but rather they said that Ray was having a family emergency and Joel needed to be there too. Technically they were not lying, Emily was part of Ray’s family and Ray saw being around her as a state of emergency because she’s a little baby and could die at any given moment.
After a few weeks they returned to work and left Emily with a baby sitter. After first Emily was fussy with the baby sitter but after sometime she knew that her daddies would come home.
One day they weren’t so lucky, when they first got up Ray received a phone call, it was from the babysitter; she had fallen ill and couldn’t come over today.
Ray turns to Joel and says “We have to take Emmy with us to work.”
“Why?” Joel asks, looking at ray oddly.

No one else in the office knew about Emily and Joel was wondering if this is how everyone should find out.

“The sitter is out sick and we have no where to put her, plus she won’t be that much of a hassle.” Ray explains.
Emily drools on Joel as all babies do.
“What do we say to everyone?” Joel asks.
“I don’t know, we’re going to be later, c’mon.” Ray replies.
Joel attempts to dress her which consisted of pants and a baby blue hoodie.
“A hoodie?” Ray chuckles.
“Hey this kid has to be like me in some way.” Joel jokingly defends.
Ray grabs Emily’s baby bag and the pair head off with their daughter. They get to the car and strap Emily in then head off to the office
Emily stays quiet as Joel and Ray discuss on a story.
“How about your niece?” Ray suggests
“I don’t have a sibling.” Joel responds as he looks out to the road.
“Cousin?” Ray asks.
“Why don’t we just tell everyone that we adopted her?” Joel suggests as he stops at a red light and looks over at Ray.
“I don’t want the guys to laugh at me.” Ray replies, looking back at Emily then adds “I love her but I don’t want the guys to tease me.”
“Who cares about them, she looks up to you.” Joel smiles.
Ray nods and says as he looks back to Joel “Yeah, I guess you’re right.”
Joel pulls up the office and cuts the engine off then unbuckles himself. Before he gets out of the car he turns to Ray, noticing that he’s still in the car and staring straight forward, through the windshield.
“C’mon Ray, don’t worry.” Joel comforts as he leans over to kiss the younger man on the forehead.
Ray nods and unbuckles himself and gets out of the car the same time as Joel. Joel gets Emily out of the car and carries her in her little seat. Ray grabs the bag and locks the doors before tossing the keys to Joel who catches them with ease.
When they get to the doors Ray stops at looks over at Joel.
“Ready?” Joel asks with a trace of a smile.
Ray shrugs and replies “You’re keeping her most of the day.”
Joel puts the seat now and picks up the small baby and holds her out to Ray.
“But daddy don’t you love me?” Joel asks imitating a baby’s voice and moving his little hand.
“Joel put her down or I swear to god I’ll punch you.” Ray chuckles, trying to seem upset but the scene was too funny.
Joel puts her back in the seat and picks it up.
“Lets go, or how you say it; let’s play.” Joel chuckles.
They enter the building and get about ten feet in till someone asks “Who does that belong too?”
It was Gavin who is in the lobby drinking some coffee, he instantly takes notice of the little baby.
“Who’s that?” Gavin asks.
“Well it’s-” Joel starts but Ray butts in “Its my daughter, Emily.”
Gavin goes wide eyed and asks “You have a kid, since when?”
“For a while now.” Ray shrugs.
“I knew you weren’t having a family emergency, I bloody knew it!” Gavin exclaims.
Emily stirs and Ray instantly picks her up.
“Jesus Gavin.” Ray grumbles.
“Sorry.” Gavin replies in a quieter tone, well as quiet as Gavin can get.
Once she calms down he puts her back and when Ray looks back to Gavin he’s gone from sight.
“Where do you think he went?” Ray asks looking up at Joel.
“Probably to tell the rest of the office.” Joel replies looking down at him.
Ray swallows painfully, his chest clenches up.
Joel lays a comforting hand on the younger man’s shoulder and leans in and kisses Ray’s nose.

“Don’t worry about it.” Joel smiles.
Ray grabs Emily and brings her to the kitchen while Joel goes to his office. When he gets the kitchen he sees Lindsey there with Michael.
“Nice kid ass wipe.” Michael chuckles.
“Thanks, ass wipe.” Ray responds.
“She’s so cute.” Lindsey squeals.
“Want to hold her?” Ray asks.

“I’d like to.” Michael replies.
Ray looks at Michael oddly.
“What, it’s your fucking kid Ray; it’s family.” Michael defends.
Ray without another word picks up Emily and slowly hands her to Michael, he takes her gingerly in his arms and Lindsey looks over as well.
“You two look like you’ve been doing that for ages.” Ray chuckles before adding “Maybe you could take her home.”
“Fuck off Ray, I’ll drop your kid.” Michael threatens.
Lindsey looks over to him and gives him the deaths stare before looking back at Emily.
They holds her for a few more minutes before returning her to Ray.
“So which one of you fuckers gave birth to her.” Michael chuckles.
“Shut up.” Ray replies.
“Was it you because you did gain some weight over the past few months.” Michael jokes.
“Look in the mirror.” Ray responds, his voice laced in jokingness.
Ray leaves with little Emily in tow and into the Achievement Hunter Office.
When he walks in, all eyes are on him.
“Nice baby.” Ryan says.
“Thanks.” Ray responds trying not to look him in the eyes.
Geoff gets up and wraps his arms around Ray and says “Congrats.”
Ray looks up at the older man and asks “You’re not going to make fun of me?”
“Jesus Ray you think we’d make fun of you because you got a kid?” Geoff chuckles “I’ll make fun of you for that.”

Geoff puts the seat down and picks up Emily and holds her close to his chest.
“What’s her name?” Jack asks looking over.
“Check her collar.” Gavin responds for Ray.
“Shut up Gavin.” Ray chuckles before adding “Emily, Emily Heyman- Narvaez. Her last name is what happens when Joel and I argue for five hours.”
All fear he has melts off of him like ice cream in the summer.
“Well congrats.” Geoff grins.
Ray puts on her little blue hood of her sweatshirt.
“Picking up habits early.”
“Yeah, I don’t think this kid will ever not have hoodies.” Ray chuckles.
After Joel finishes recording he goes down and picks up Emily and takes him to his office so Ray and the rest could do their lets play and not be disturbed if Emily crys.
While they’re playing minecraft Michael asks “So why did you bring Emily in?”
“The babysitter got sick and we had no where to put her.” Ray responds.
“You should bring her in more often, she’s really, really quiet.” Ryan remarks.
“Unlike you two.” Gavin chuckles.
“What does that mean?” Ray questions looking away from the screen and to the Brit.
“We’ve heard how you and Joel are in the office, alone.” Michael explains.
A blush spreads across Ray’s cheek and he responds “Can we edit that out because one day Emily will find this and I don’t want her to have that mental image.”
The guys chuckle and Ray can only find himself chuckling too.