The Babysitter

ASH

With his hands on his hips, Ash surveyed the mess he still had to clean up. While he was partially responsible, it amazed him how much damage they'd done in two hours. He'd tried to keep the arts and crafts restricted to Luca's worktable, but the two-year-old was quick. It seemed like every time Ash blinked, Luca had splattered some more paint on the floor or shredded another piece of paper into infinitesimal bits. At least they'd kept the mess contained to the playroom.

Gathering what cleaning supplies he could from the kitchen closet, Ash popped his headphones in and began to work.

He was a few songs in when lights swept across the room. He looked up to see a car pull into the driveway.

In the dark, he couldn't quite see the make and model, so he waited to see whether or not it was just someone turning around. The car stopped; the headlights shut off, and the door opened.

Ash glanced down at his watch; it was only 10:47PM. Stefan said he wouldn't be home until midnight at the earliest. He looked around at everything he still had to do and cursed. "Shit."

This wouldn't be the first time Stefan had come home to find Ash cleaning up, but in all the time he'd been babysitting for his brother's friend, he didn't think Luca's playroom had ever looked like it did now--as if a paint-spewing tornado had crashed through it.

The front door opened and closed. He heard Stefan drop his keys in the glass bowl by the door. Steady footsteps crossed the wooden floor, and then Stefan's tall, handsome frame filled the doorway. His white-collared shirt was rolled up to his elbows and unbuttoned just enough for Ash to see a smattering of chest hair. His hazel eyes took in the room and trailed up Ash's body before meeting his own. To his surprise, he smiled and said, "At least one of us had fun tonight."

To say Ash had a crush on him would be an understatement. When his voice wavered, it was from more than just Stefan's unexpected reaction.

"S-sorry. I, uh, wasn't expecting you home so soon."

Stefan threw his hand. "Don't worry about it. I'm gonna go change, and then I'll help."

Ash shook his head. "You don't have to--"

"I know." He smiled. "Be right back."

If Stefan were to turn around right now, he would absolutely see Ash watching his ass in his tight khaki pants.

As soon as he disappeared upstairs, Ash dropped his head against the cool window and exhaled; the heat from his breath fogging up the glass.

At twenty-two, Ash was no expert in romance. He'd only had one "serious" relationship and that was with his high school boyfriend. They fizzled out when they decided to go to different colleges, and that was fine by him. He was young; he was hot, and he had never seen himself having a future with Charlie anyway.

His years of being single had made him an expect in attraction, though, and he was about 95% sure that Stefan was attracted to him. The way his eyes had glided over Ash's body. He wasn't even sure if the older man had been aware he'd been doing it, but the gesture was absolutely unnecessary.

It wasn't the first time either. Sometimes, Ash caught Stefan's eyes lingering on him, especially the few times over the summer when he'd come over to swim. When Ash looked back, Stefan would avert his gaze, color delectably rising in his cheeks.

Stefan had also been inviting Ash to more outings with him and Luca, like he wanted to spend time with him. While he was doing the single parent thing and would take help any time he could get it, their time together didn't end when Luca went to sleep.

Despite the time they'd known each other, if Stefan, who was twelve years his senior, hadn't been long-time friends with Ash's brother, Adrian, their age difference likely wouldn't have made them friends in any other situation.

He wouldn't that Stefan made any additional attempts to do so, but in the event that they touched, Stefan wouldn't freak out, pull away quickly, or apologize like most straight guys he knew. The rational part of his brain tried to attribute it to maturity and familiarity, but the irrational part thought maybe he liked the contact.

If he was right and Stefan did feel

something

for him, Ash thought he owed it to both of them to find out, right? Or at least help Stefan figure out what he might be feeling. (And if doing so happened to lead to him getting dicked down--or vice versa--Ash wouldn't complain. He'd been feeling a little sexually frustrated since his last hookup decided to call it quits. Even just the possibility of a quick roll in hay would warm his blue balls right up.)

However, first, he had to figure out how to approach the situation. He couldn't come on too strong in case he'd completely misread the signals (which he was mostly sure he hadn't). Stefan had never said anything about being into men, so if Ash were to be the one to initiate his "queer awakening", he had to be delicate.

He could hear the older man moving around upstairs and knew he only had a minute or two to come up with an idea.

"Think, think, think!" he whispered to himself.

He pulled his head away from the glass. Surveying the space in the playroom, a plan popped into his mind just as the stairs creaked under Stefan's weight.

Ash quickly started sweeping again, hoping his scheming wasn't written all over his face, looking up when Stefan entered. He was wearing a fitted white t-shirt, the material hugging his strong chest in an obscene way, and a pair of navy basketball shorts. (Ash had to work hard not to dwell on what Stefan may--or may not have--been wearing under them.) He'd run his fingers through his hair to dislodge whatever product had been holding it in place.

He looked relaxed and was smiling much wider than he had before.

He was gorgeous--his own personal wet dream come to life--and Ash

REALLY

hoped he was right.

Planting his hands on his hips, Stefan said, "I'm assuming otherwise from this mess, but for my sanity, please tell me Luca wasn't a total menace tonight."

Ash chuckled. "Menace is a strong word. I would say he was... chaotically innovative."

"That I can work with." Dragging the trashcan in from the kitchen and grabbing the Swiffer, they got work.

They traded stories about their nights while moving around each other. Stefan's date had ended early because his date's personality was comparable to that of stale bread. Ash told Stefan how Luca had been great all throughout dinner, but afterward, it was like a switch had been flipped on to 'action', starting with the two-year-old dropping his shorts with a mischievous giggle as soon as he was out of his booster seat and quickly followed by a crash from his playroom.

Stefan started detailing some of the differences he'd noticed in Luca's behavior since he'd started his new daycare as they continued to clean. Him taking the lead in the conversation allowed Ash to focus on his plan.

The playroom was big enough, that under normal circumstances, they could sit across the room from each other with their legs out in front of them and still not touch, but with the way some of the toys were arranged, if he "wasn't paying attention", he could slide slowly past Stefan in a small space, grind his ass against him in a seductive way. But he had to time it perfectly.

They continued to move around the room, cleaning and rearranging. Ash kept his eyes on his task while staying aware of his physical proximity to Stefan.

As they were finishing up, he bent down to pick up a few stray Legos from under Luca's table. Stefan was gathering the last of Lucas's building blocks that usually set stacked on the shelf right behind his table. Anticipating his movements, Ash waited until he felt Stefan move in behind him. Standing up, Ash pushed his ass out just a little to make sure it "accidentally" rubbed against Stefan's groin.

(It may have just been his wanton imagination, but he pretty sure Stefan wasn't wearing anything under his shorts.)

A sharp intake of breath delighted Ash's ears. He had to turn his face into his shoulder to hide his pleased smile.

"I'm so sorry, Stefan! I didn't realize you were behind me!"

"It's, uh, it's okay." His cheeks were starting to pink. To say the sight excited him would be an understatement.

"Are you sure?" Ash's eyes ran the length of his body.

Stefan's hands fell awkwardly in front of him. ""Yeah-yes. All good."

"Good," Ash said, pretending not to see the tent pitching in his shorts. "I guess I'll get out of your hair then."

Clearly faking a yawn, Stefan said, "I am pretty tired."

"Boring dates will do that to you."

"Oh, ha ha, yeah."

Ash resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

"And, you know, I want you to go enjoy the rest of your night."

"Uh huh." Ash nodded, low-key loving how flustered Stefan was at the moment. It was adorable, and as much as he would have liked to stick around for what he was almost certain was going to happen next, he wasn't going to push further.

He started moving toward the door. Out of the corner of his eye he caught Stefan's hand shifting the material of his shorts at his crotch.

Grabbing his bag, Ash asked, "Any upcoming nights I need to block out on my calendar?" making sure he had his phone, wallet and keys.

Ash couldn't help but notice that Stefan's eyes flicked up from his mouth before he answered.

With a shake of his head, he said, "No. Not at the moment."

He pulled his over shirt from the coat rack. "Okay. Well"--Ash gently squeezed Stefan's bicep, softly rubbing a thumb across his sinewy skin--"you know you can call me anytime. For

anything

," his tone dripping with suggestion.

The sight of Stefan's throat swallowing gave him a perverse sense of pleasure.

"Yeah," he said quietly, his voice barely a whisper. Clearing his throat, he said with more clarity, "Yes."

"Good." Ash opened the door to let himself out. "Goodnight, Stefan."

"Night, Ash."

With his back to the door, Ash couldn't contain the grin that spread across his face as he walked to his car. The ball was in Stefan's court now.