Daddy and the Nanny

“What do you want to be when you grow up?” Shane suddenly asked his friend as they laid out on their backs in the backyard, just staring up at the clouds.

“Not sure. It’d be kinda cool if I could start a band like Green Day and be that famous one day,” Tyler giggled excitedly, shifting a bit closer to Shane who pretended like he didn’t notice.

“What if we make a band when we’re older?” Shane suggested as he turned his head to look at Tyler who sat up and turned his body to better look at Shane with an excited expression.

“Oh my gosh, yes! That’d be so cool, dude!”

Shane laughed and then continued looking at the sky as he kept his smile. Suddenly Tyler sat on Shane’s stomach and grinned down at his friend who looked at the younger boy worriedly.

“You scare me sometimes, spill,” Shane sighed as he sat up slightly, using his elbows to support his weight as he leaned back.

“Why must you assume I want something?” Ty smiled innocently.

Shane simply rolled his eyes as he smiled at the boy and shoved him away playfully. Tyler giggled as he rolled around on the grass. Suddenly Dylan ran out and threw himself on top of Shane who let out an ‘oof’ at the sudden impact.

“Must be attack Shane day,” Shane grumbled and Dylan simply giggled as he poked Shane’s cheeks.

“Daddy said he’s setting the pool up,” Dylan informed the two boys who smiled wide.

“About time,” Tyler sighed as he sat up.

Alex walked out a few minutes later followed by Jack who was laughing at something while Alex simply frowned and rolled his eyes.

“You’re so rude,” Alex told Jack.

“Aww, babe, I’m sorry. You know I wasn’t really laughing at you,” Jack spoke, still chuckling as he followed the younger male.

“Whatever, Jack,” was all Alex said before he walked over to Dylan who was playing in the dirt, probably searching for worms.

“Why is he mad this time?” Shane asked Jack once he had approached the children.

“He’s mad at me because he was drinking water a few minutes ago and he ended up spilling it down his front and I made a joke asking if he’d peed himself. Your brother is just too sensitive to some things,” Jack explained and Shane laughed.

“My brother has his days,” Shane chuckled and Jack shook his head as he ruffled the boy’s hair.

“Now come on boys! Let’s get the pool ready to go.”

“Ali?” Dylan spoke up from where he was sitting on the grass in front of Grace’s rose garden.

“Hmm?” Alex made a noise of acknowledgement.

“WIll you and daddy ever get married?”

It was an innocent question, but Alex choked on his breath as he looked at the child and then over at Jack who was laughing along the other two kids as Taylor walked out of the house to join them.

“Not sure, baby. Why do you ask?”

“Just cause. I want you to be my mommy,” Dylan giggled and Alex rolled his eyes at the on going joke Jack had started since Mother’s Day when he and the kids woke up Alex in the morning to wish him a happy Mother’s day.

“You’re not funny,” Alex warned the child who shrugged and giggled as he picked out a red rose and made his way over to Alex.

“This for you.”

“Thanks, baby, but I don’t think Grace will be happy to see one of her precious babies are missing.”

Dylan simply giggled as Alex laughed and held the rose delicately and carefully so he wouldn’t prick his fingers with the thorns. Dylan gasped when he saw a worm poke its way out of the dirt and went to go grab it when Alex held him back.

“Gross, Dylan. Come on, let’s go help daddy and your siblings with the pool,” Alex told the child as he stood up and kept a tight hold on his hand.

“Okay,” Dylan shrugged and skipped alongside his ex-nanny.

Jack looked over at the two and smiled at them, really just praying that Alex still wasn’t mad at him.

“Babe,” Jack called and Alex looked up with a smile. “Love you.

“Love you too, a-hole.”

Jack shook his head with a laugh and Alex simply smiled back.

~~~

“Kids, be careful!” Alex yelled as he watched all four of them splash around happily.

“Why aren’t you getting in?” Jack asked his boyfriend, sitting next to him on the bench located under an oak tree.

“I’m not in the mood. How about you? Usually you take the chance to act like your true self.”

“And according to you, what is my true self?”

“A child,” Alex laughed as Jack tackled him into a hug and tickled his sides. “Stop!”

“No! Not until you apologize and say that Jack Barakat is not a child!” Jack laughed as he kept his assault going.

“I-I’m sorry! Y-You’re not a child!” Alex laughed as he tried shoving the older male away.

“Thank you,” Jack laughed as he pressed a kiss to Alex’s temple and holding him close.

Alex sighed as he curled into Jack’s side and moved his head a bit to press a kiss to said man’s neck. Jack rested his cheek on Alex’s hair as they slipped into a conversation while watching the kids have fun.

“I’m working all day tomorrow and I’m not sure how late I’ll come back. We have an important meeting in two days,” Jack spoke.

“It’s fine, Jack. You haven’t stayed at work late since before summer started. At least call at some point tomorrow so I don’t worry about you,” Alex told him.

“I know and I will, but I don’t want to be away from you guys.”

“Separation anxiety getting to you already, Jack?” A voice teased from behind them and the couple jumped at the unexpected voice, turning around to see Zack standing there with a grin on his face.

“Asshole,” Alex mumbled as he took a seat beside them, making the couple squish together.

“Why did we give you a key to the house?” Jack groaned in annoyance as he buried his head in Alex’s neck.

“Because you love me and that way I can come and eat Grace’s delicious food whenever I want,” Zack replied with a smirk.

“Hi uncle Zack!” The kids yelled from the pool.

“Hey kiddies!” Zack waved at them and headed over.

“Your cousin is weird,” Alex sighed.

“True, but he’s your best friend as well so don’t complain.”

Alex simply smiled as he played with Jack’s hair as they went back to having small talk. Dylan got out of the pool with Zack’s help and the child ran up to his dads carefully.

“Need something, child of mine?” Jack asked as he sat up.

“Potty,” Dylan grinned, jumping up and down.

“Your turn,” Alex told Jack who made a face at Dylan who giggled as they ran inside the house.

~~~

“So you’re birthday is in a few weeks. Are you excited to finally be nine years old?!” Shane teased his younger friend that night after both were locked away in Ty’s room ready for bed.

“Rude, but you’ll be eleven two months after my birthday. You’re old,” Ty joked back as he shoved Shane’s shoulder playfully.

“Now who’s being rude.”

Ty stuck his tongue out at his friend as the TV played in the background to fill in as noise for when they became silent.

“Are you still in the age where girls have cooties?” Shane suddenly asked as he laid back on the bed.

“I’m not five,” Tyler shot defensively, “why do you want to know though?”

“Just wondering if you had a girlfriend already. I had one when I was your age,”

“I don’t have one, but I do like someone,” Ty mumbled quietly as he looked down at his lap as he tried to hide his blush.

“You do?!” Shane asked in surprise as he sat up quickly.

Before Shane could say anything else, Alex walked in with Dylan resting in his arms.

“Shay, mom called, said you have a dentist appointment tomorrow so she’s picking you up at ten. I suggest you monkeys go to bed now,” Alex told them as he readjusted Dylan on his lap.

“Do I have to go?” Shane whined and Dylan giggled tiredly from where he was resting his head on Alex’s shoulder.

“Yes. Now bedtime, my little monsters. Say night night, Dylan.”

“Night night, Dylan,” Dylan mumbled sleepily and the others laughed.

“Lights out, and I mean it,” Alex threatened them before he walked off.

Both boys obeyed and turned the lights off, quickly settling under the covers.

“Night, Shay,” Tyler mumbled.

“Night, Ty.”