章節 42: May-December | Chapter Twelve

"Don't leave me!" Otis whined, refusing to let go of Chaska who was trying to leave him on the pony alone. The man laughed, holding the little boy's hands before showing him how to hold on to the reins. Otis was wearing faded jeans and a nice plaid top. The adults were in similar attire, both in jeans and loose t-shirts.

"I'm not going anywhere, I'm just going to ask Kiwi here to move," Chaska said, trying to reassure the three-year-old that seemed to be on the brink of tears. Otis nodded, and Chaska let go of the shaking boy, moving to hold on the reins too. He clicked his tongue, walking forward, and the brown pony followed him. Otis, who had been on the edge of waterworks a few seconds ago was now laughing and letting out high pitched squeals.

Kyle watched all this from his position behind the fence. It was Sunday noon, and he had Chaska had brought Otis over to a farm to ride a pony as they had promised. They were going to his place later for dinner, and it was there Kyle planned to put his plan into action. He had ruminated over it all night, yesterday, and he was yet to find a reason why he shouldn't go through with it. Yes, they had agreed to take things slow, but if they went on with Chaska's pace, they would never leave this odd middle ground between friends and lovers.

"Daddy look! I'm riding a horse!" Otis squealed. He had somewhere along the line lost hold of the reins and was now gripping hand fists full of the poor pony's main.

"Yes, you're doing amazing!" Kyle said, bending over the fence a bit and forming a little mic over his mouth. It was lovely to see his son have so much fun. Back in the suburbs, it had been lots of crying and screaming. It was nice to see Otis' face turn red from the sun and not from uncontrollable sobbing.

"Should we go a bit faster?" Chaska asked, and Otis nodded, making the man walk the pony around with increased speed.

When Otis had his fill of riding the horse Chaska let him feed the pony treats. They joined Kyle by the gates soon after, and the adults talked while Otis hopped around and chased chickens.

"Thanks for bringing him here," Kyle muttered, making Chaska shrug.

"It's my pleasure. You're the one who drove us here. I just told you where it was and who to ask for permission," Chaska muttered, smiling in a way that made the side of his eyes wrinkle up. He leaned in, shocking Kyle by pressing a quick kiss to his lips. "It was fun for me too," he added, looking away from Kyle and out into the enclosed farm space that Otis was still playing in.

The change of pace dazed Kyle a bit, but he did everything in his will not to make it obvious. He didn't want to make Chaska panic. This was good. This was progress.

He looked over at the man's hand that was holding on the wooden fence, and after giving it a little thought he reached out to hold the man's hand, giving it a squeeze. Chaska didn't react, but Kyle could feel that the and was just as nervous as he was. His hand was shaking a bit, and his jaw was set a little too tight.

"I hope this is fine?" Kyle asked, and Chaska nodded, swallowing down the spit that had built up at the back of his mouth.

"I know we're alone, and it should be okay, but I'm still nervous..." Chaska admitted, and Kyle raised a brow at him.

"What if people were here? Would it change this being okay?" Kyle asked, squeezing the man's hand again, and Chaska frowned a little like he was thinking of something. He chuckled, shaking his head.

"No, I guess not. I think I keep forgetting you're not trying to hide anything," Chaska explained, giving Kyle a little smile before turning away again. "It'll take a while for me to get used to this. Being public that is. I'm not used to it, you know," Chaska said, raising their joined hands. Kyle could understand that. If he had to date a lot in secret, public displays of affection were off the table for the men he was seeing.

"Should we head off to my place now? I think it's getting a bit dim," Chaska said, looking out into the farmland that was lit up in the now dimming sunlight. It was about four in the evening now. Kyle sighed at the man's words. It was typical Chaska behavior—dogging discussion and changing topics.

"Alright," Kyle said as Chaska let go of his hand.

"I'll go get Otis," the man said, jumping over the fence to pick up the boy who was currently squatting next to a chicken that was pecking at a piece of bread on the floor.

Kyle gave them both a smile when Chaska approached him with Otis now riding on the side of his hip. They approached Kyle's packed car together, talking all the way through.

"We're going to Chaska's house!" Otis would squeal at the top of his voice every five minutes or so in the car. It made Chaska laugh. There was nothing funny about it to Kyle, but he couldn't help smiling at the fact that his son seemed so excited.

"We're going to see my cats," Chaska mused. "They're waiting to play with you," he continued, turning his head so that he could look at the smiling toddler on the child seat. Otis swung his feet, balling his hands into fists and he did a little excited wiggle on his seat. Occasionally, Kyle would look at the two from the driver's mirror. He kept it brief despite how cute it was to observe. He had to remind himself to keep his focus on the road.

They pulled up at Chaska's apartment by the next hour. Kyle remembered to park across the street, remembering Chaska's offhand comment about it the first time he had slept over. They got down from the car, and Chaska made it to Otis before Kyle could.

The young boy hadn't lost his excitement over the hour. He did little jumps on the spot, holding on to Chaska's hand as he yelled. "Cats!"

"Cats!" the man repeated back to the boy, and Kyle wondered why he did that—entertain his excitement. He put it at the back of his mind as the trio made their way up the apartment complex stairs, but Kyle promised himself to ask Chaska about it some other time. Or maybe even when they got time alone together today.

Kyle licked his lips and adjusted strap of the rucksack he was carrying with him when the fact that he and Otis were spending the night at Chaska's place settled down.

Also, his plan.

He hadn't forgotten about his plan.

"Why are you just standing there? Come in." Kyle blinked at the sound of Chaska's voice. looking past him and into the apartment. A chuckle left his lips when he spotted his son crouched by the living room table and petting the fur of a very confused black cat as he told it how pretty it was.

"Do you like the cats?" Kyle asked as he finally walked in. Otis nodded as the sound of Chaska closing the door echoed through the room.

"His name is Oscar," Chaska muttered, walking up to the child who was still poking at the cat under the table. He squatted beside Otis, pulling Oscar from under the table before placing him in the little boy's lap. "That's Beau," he went on, pointing to the white Persian cat that had crawled out from behind the sofa. "And there's Sofia, but I don't know where she is," Chaska muttered, looking around the living room until he spotted the Siamese cat curled up by the curtains.

Kyle went over to take a seat on the Sofa, dropping his bag with his things and Otis. He let himself stew over his plan as he watched Chaska and Otis. He was going to ask Chaska if he could take Otis home with him a few times a week. With Otis right there Kyle didn't think Chaska would say no. He wasn't sure, but probably. Also, Chaska loved Otis. Kyle saw it in the way he engaged with the child and took him under his wing. If anyone was going to secure more free time with Chaska it was him, and he could use that excuse to visit almost every day.

When Chaska got up and took the bag Kyle had dropped at the foot of the sofa, Otis got up too, following the man about the small apartment. Sometimes Chaska would stop in his steps and Otis would bump into him. That was how closely he was tailing the man. It made Kyle chuckle. He wondered if the little nudge would work, or if he would overstep his boundaries and cause a tussle in the arrangement they had now.

The trio ate pizza they ordered, and Chaska spent about an hour trying to figure out how to get his T.V. to work to play one of the CDs Otis brought along with him. When the toddler was settled at the front of the tele with the cats, Chaska and Kyle got some alone at the small kitchenette area.

"I didn't think of it, but where will he sleep?" Kyle asked as he watched Chaska pour out foods for his cats. The taller man turned to him, raising a thick brow in confusion.

"Sorry, I didn't quite hear that," the man said, pushing his hair away from his working ear.

"Where will Otis sleep. You have one bed," Kyle explained and Chaska nodded letting out a small 'oh.'

"We'll all share," he said, shrugging his shoulders before squatting to drop the bowl. He got up, clicking his tongue for his cats before turning back to look at a red-faced Kyle. "What?" he asked, confused at the man's flustered reaction.

"Isn't that kind of weird? Like a mummy daddy thing?" Kyle asked, finding his voice. He ran a hand through his hair, licking his lips as he watched for Chaska's reaction. The tanned skinned man seemed unfazed.

"He's three years old, what does he know about mummy daddy relationships?" he said, turning his attention to the cat that was now pawing at his feet. "We're just sharing a bed with him. It's not like he's going to figure anything out that he probably has already."

The conversation ended there, but Kyle's heart didn't stop beating at the thought. It was either Chaska had misunderstood was he was implying, or it was one of the many strange situations where the man didn't seem to care.

Kyle was hoping it was the latter reason.

Maybe Chaska wouldn't freak out about his suggestion as he had worried.