May-December | Chapter Thirteen

The next morning had been surreal. Kyle and woken up with Otis squashed between him and Chaska. It had taken him a while to remember why they were in the man's apartment in the first place, but when he did remember a sweet feeling of joy overcame him. He started at the dark-haired man sleeping across from him before looking down at his son's head of dirty blond hair. He grinned, running a hand through his son's hair as he hummed.

His humming got a rise out of Chaska, the tan-skinned man farrowed his brows before opening them and blinking a few times. "You're awake?" he said, but it was framed more like a question. Kyle's smile widened as he nodded and reached out to touch the man's face.

"You're awake now as well," he said, and Chaska rolled his eyes before looking down at Otis who was still fast asleep.

"He sleeps like a rock," Kyle explained and Chaska chuckled, rolling until he was lying on his back and looking up at the bedroom ceiling. "His mum put him on a strict schedule he gets up at eight on the dot."

"What time is it? What's the day even?" Chaska asked, making Kyle frown a bit as he tried to remember.

"It looks like it's still really early, and it's Sunday... I think?" Kyle muttered; his memory equally as hazed.

"I think so too..." Chaska trailed, and the room went silent for a bit before the two men burst out laughing.

"Yesterday was a bit draining, wasn't it?" Kyle asked, and Chaska hummed, rolling on his side to touch Otis' hair.

"I love him, but being with him all day is exhausting," the man chuckled, and Kyle smiled. He was referring to dealing with the energetic toddler. The words were mundane, but Chaska mentioning that he loved his son made Kyle's heart skipped a bit. It probably wasn't something too special. He loved all his other students after all. At least that's what Kyle assumed.

"Well, you're a lot better with kids than me," Kyle muttered feeling his heartbeat quicken when he realized this was ample time to bring up what he'd been meaning to suggest.

"Chaska," he said in a low tone, changing the mood of the banter. "I've been wanting to ask if you'd like to help me with Otis." Kyle's face was growing hot, and he was finding a hard time mustering the breath he needed to say the next sentence.

"I know you're busy, and that whatever we have right now makes things a little touchy—" Kyle pushed himself to talk, moving to sit up on the bed so that he could look down at Chaska. The dark-haired man wasn't showing any clear signals or emotions, and it was worrying to Kyle. "But I need help. I'm not the best of dads, and I'd like it if someone with actual experience with these things could help me," he finished before letting out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. His hands had been drawn into fists at his side and he kept looking over at Chaska for a reaction—anything at all.

Chaska stared at him before turning his gaze to the little boy still fast asleep at the center of the queen-sized bed. He let out a sigh as he tucked him in and moved to sit up on the bed himself.

"What kind of help?" he asked, staring at Kyle in the eyes again.

The man shrugged. "Everything?"

Kyle rose a brow at him before chuckling. "Everything?"

"I'm being honest," Kyle said as Chaska continued laughing. "I have a very hard time trying to discipline him without being overly cruel. And I'm never sure how to talk with him without feeling like it's too weird and plastic. I-I just need help," he admitted as his shoulder's slouched. Unlike Chaska who was bare-chested, he was in a tank top.

"You know, until my ex-wife left me, I didn't know how bad at this I was," he went on, feeling his face warm up from coming clean with that. "I see you interact with Otis and I think, I want a relationship like that with him. It's hard to explain. Just realizing how shit I am at parenting over the past few months has overwhelming, but the last two and a half that I've been here haven't been as bad, and I know it's because of you. I see you every day and I copy and learn from you..." Kyle trailed, swallowing the spit that had formed at the back of his mouth.

"So, I'd love it if you'd help me. You're more or less a better dad to him than me already," he added, watching Chaska's face for a reaction.

Chaska let out a small sigh as he gazed at Kyle with a blank look. He suddenly frowned a bit before looking away and running a hand through his hair.

"If what I said made you uncomfortable, you should ignore me," Kyle coughed up, feeling his chest clog up at what he assumed was a rejection.

Chaska shook his head before scooting as far in as he could without hurting Otis. "It's not that," he muttered, his voice just high enough for Kyle to pick up. The dark-haired man reached out to touch Kyle's cheek, smiling at him before letting his hand drop to the mattress.

"I'm just a bit worried, that's all," he said, only confusing Kyle more.

"Worried about what?" the words jumped out from Kyle's out. They slurred and jumbled, and Chaska was amused enough to chuckle a bit.

"It's a bit worrying to give a child the impression of a relationship when you're not sure if things will work out, isn't it?" Chaska said. An uncomfortable silence followed Chaska's words. Kyle didn't know what to say, and he tried his best to keep himself calm by squeezing his hand into a fist from time to time.

"Yesterday, you said it was okay for us to share a bed even after I said it was a bit like doing mom and dad things in front of Otis," Kyle said, looking over at Chaska. His blue eyes held the younger man's deep brown ones. "Did you change your mind over the course of the night?" Kyle let out a low breath before turning away, deciding that looking at him was too emotionally tasking.

"No, I don't think you still understand." Kyle heard Chaska say. "I'm worried about what will happen if we ever jump-started a relationship, but it didn't work out in the end. What happens with Otis? Wouldn't he hate me if he thought I just decided not to be friends with him again?"

Chaska's explanation made Kyle pause for a bit. It made sense. He was worried about Otis losing a friend. Even now Chaska was worrying about his son.

"Then we should never break up." Kyle knew his declaration was childish and wishful, and Chaska confirmed that by letting out a laugh. The blond looked over at the man for the first time in a while. His blank expression had been switched with one of mild amusement.

"That's a very bold declaration," Chaska got through a toothy smile that transfixed Kyle for a bit. The man had nice teeth. His plum bow lips did things to Kyles insides that he just had to look away before he had anything inappropriate. Chaska was sitting with his legs on the be now. Otis' head was pressed against his tight, and the little boy's hand was clinging hard to a cat toy he had picked up from the living room the other night.

"I'll be honest and say that another big part of my hesitance is that you haven't been with men before," Chaska mumbled.

"I really like you," Kyle said, cutting Chaska off before the man could finish. Chaska rose a brow at Kyle as a faint smile played on his lips. "I like you so much you don't know the half of it." Chaska's face grew a bit red at Kyle's words. He didn't know what to say so he didn't say anything, and the bedroom stayed quiet until Chaska spoke up.

"Okay," Chaska muttered, making to move Otis' so the toddler was partially on his lap.

Kyle waited for Chaska to add something to that, but he didn't. "Okay?" Kyle muttered, moving closer to the center and taking up the space Otis was no longer occupying. "What do you mean by okay?" he pressed, shuffling until he was sitting right beside Chaska. Their thighs were touching now, and they were bumping shoulders. Kyle looked down at his son who was still deep in sleep.

"I mean, okay. I'll help you with Otis," Chaska explained, looking at Kyle from the side of his eyes. "And let's try that—dating I mean," he added in a voice just high enough for Kyle to hear. It took a few seconds for Kyle to process what the man had said, but when he did his eyes went wide and his heart began to flutter.

"Do you mean it?" the blond asked, observing Chaska's red face and fluttering eyes.

"Of course, or do you want me to take it back?" Kyle shook his head, letting out an excited laugh as he pushed some hair out of his son's face.

"No. I was just making sure," he whispered. The silence in the room didn't last long, because at eight sharp Otis' started moving and when he was fully awake, he started blabbering on about how much fun he had last night.

"What do you want for breakfast?" Chaska asked the little boy as he made to fluff the pillows.

"Noodles."

"Ah, do you eat noodles in the morning?" Chaska asked, a scowl forming on his face when the little one nodded. He turned to face Kyle, sighing a bit before laughing.

"It's easy to make," Kyle said in defense.

Chaska looked away from Kyle. "How about pancakes?" he asked the toddler who then nodded in a way that made his blond curls bop.

In the midst of making the bed and trying to figure out what they would do for the rest of the day, Otis asked to help feed the cat, and just like that Chaska was dragged along to the kitchen.

Alone, Kyle couldn't help the big grin that had taken form on his face. Even though about an hour had passed since he and Chaska had talked, his hands were still shaking, and he was having a hard time calming his beating heart. He was anxious but equally exhilarated.

"We'll make things work," Kyle muttered under his breath as he changed into a shirt. A brief memory of Chaska voicing out his worries took form in his mind, but he pushed it aside. He had already made up his mind that he would make sure Chaska never regretted agreeing to put up with him and his son. He treasured his new feelings and Chaska, and he would do his best to keep them both.