Ethan's Two Dazzling Daddies

Prologue

Ethan read over the email in his inbox once more, hoping that maybe he had misunderstood. But there it was in big bold letters. His vacation request was denied. His boss said that he was needed in the office, that Ethan had to come in.

The thought of not getting a break anymore sent Ethan spiraling. He’d put in the request with zero intention of actually taking a vacation. He merely wanted to get away from the office, to take some time for himself, like his friends had been urging him to do for months.

Being the assistant to the CEO was hard work. The numerous emails and phone calls, making sure the boss had everything he needed, keeping things in line whenever different department managers and other people within the company wanted to reach out to him.

Ethan had done a fantastic job navigating it all since he first arrived at the company. He'd had previous clerical experience that helped.

He could also admit that his boss was a bit of eye candy. Ethan had noticed how handsome the older man looked on his first day.

The good feelings didn't last long.

Ash Lucas was gorgeous, but a bit of an asshole. Ethan didn't like to think badly of people. It was the general rule he kept, but Mr. Lucas was different because he brought out the worst in Ethan.

He'd cried numerous times after a rough day in the office. He'd avoided his friends for fear that he would have to spill his guts to them yet again. His body was exhausted. He had bags under his eyes, and it took everything in him to stay awake during the day.

If it weren't for Club Delight, his best friend Koa, and Sunday Snuggle Time, he would have already given up. Those three things were the backbone of his persistence.

Koa, who was another Little just like Ethan, had sat with him each time he was exhausted from work and needed to vent.

He'd encouraged Ethan to apply and eventually helped him secure the job at Club Delight.

It wasn't too hard, considering Koa was part owner.

They still went through the formalities to give Ethan peace of mind.

The club itself was a haven. It gave Ethan a place where he could drop the professional mask he wore and be a Little who didn't have a care in the world.

Sunday Snuggle was his baby. After getting hired on, Koa had told Ethan his proposal for a day full of snuggling was approved, replacing the previous Sunday activity.

And each week, Ethan got to sit in a room with a bunch of other Littles and their Daddies, all cuddled up in soft blankets as they played games, talked, or watched movies.

The activity didn't matter so much as the closeness. Everyone's proximity created something almost like a giant dogpile. There were some who kept to themselves, coupling up only with people they knew, but in general it was a free-for-all, which made Ethan immensely happy.

But all of that was in jeopardy because his boss was testing him beyond his limits. He'd left the club multiple times in the last month to come back into work for something, or he'd skipped going altogether because he needed to stay late for a project.

Koa called him out on it each time, explaining to Ethan that work shouldn't be that way. Of course, Ethan understood this, but actually stepping down from his job was impossible.

The money was great. The benefits, supreme. And he had to have the health insurance. Born with a heart condition, he required yearly monitoring in case anything ever changed. Not having insurance would be a death sentence. Whether it was a year out or ten years, he would face uncertainty.

Of course, he didn't plan to spend the next ten years working for Ash Lucas either.

He would have to find another job that provided the same coverage at some point.

He was just holding out as much as he could.

It never seemed like the right time. Plus, convincing his boss to give him a recommendation letter would be hard.

He'd have to catch him on a good day, and those were becoming fewer and fewer.

“Is it almost time?”

The bubbly voice drew Ethan from the message on his phone and his wayward thoughts. He looked up to see one of the Littles bouncing on her toes in front of him. She was always delighted by Sunday Snuggles. Probably as much as Ethan was, though it wasn't a competition.

He grinned at her, loosening his tight muscles and shifting closer to the Little he wanted and needed to be for the day.

“It is,” he said, voice soft. “Are you ready?”

The Little girl clapped her hands excitedly, nodding just as rapidly as her hands moved. Ethan had no clue how she didn't get dizzy from it all.

He tucked his phone in his pocket, hoping that would be the last contact from his boss. He didn't need to deal with any more of his demands.

“You want to help me get all the blankets?” Ethan asked the Little.

Her eyes widened and she placed her hands in a prayer pose under her chin. “Yes, please, Mr. Ethan.”

He shook his head, laughing softly. “Just Ethan, sweet girl. I've told you there’s no 'Mr.' stuff here. I'm just like you.” He rocked side to side, embracing even more of his Little self.

The girl smiled, her cheeks blushing slightly, then she followed him as he pivoted towards the closet in the corner of the room.

Koa had ensured there would be plenty of space in the cuddle room. He told Ethan it would likely be very popular.

Turns out he was right, a fact Koa made him aware of often.

The closet was a massive walk-in area that held piles and piles of blankets. Everything from fabric so soft you felt like you were on a cloud, to heftier blankets that would add weight.

Koa had been with Ethan when they first started to stock the area. They'd had a budget, which they stuck to, but then Ethan developed a habit of grabbing new blankets anytime he was out and about.

His supply grew out of control quickly. He was thankful to have a place to store it all, because keeping it at his house would not work.

He could come up to the club at any point to use them if he needed to.

With as much as they had, it also made it easy for everyone to have their own if they didn't feel like sharing.

“Why don't you pick out your favorites, and I'll pick out some of mine. We'll take them out there and then come back for another round.”

The girl nodded, biting her lip as she turned to face the shelves filled with fabrics. She murmured softly to herself as Ethan did the same, and they moved out into the main room where others had started to gather.

After they retrieved their second round and let everyone start to pick and choose, Ethan stepped away, leaving the girl in the care of her Mommy, to focus on setting up the movie for the night.

It would be something animated, per the usual. It would also be as low-angst as possible. He didn't want to send any Little home with tears in their eyes, or have any Daddies consoling them in the space.

This room was meant for happiness and cuddles. It was a wholesome space dedicated to relaxation. It was Ethan's only reprieve in life.

As the movie played, Ethan burritoed himself in one of the fluffiest blankets they had. It had come to be considered just his, since no one else dared to touch it. He would have shared if someone asked, of course, but it was nice to have something of his own.

He was deep in the movie when he felt a body land beside him. He jolted, turning to see Jacob sitting there. He wasn't so close as to be touching Ethan, but close enough to show that he was beside him.

“Jacob,” Ethan whispered. “What are you doing?”

Jacob shook his head, putting a finger to his lips. He extended a bowl in front of Ethan, and that was when the buttery scent of popcorn hit his nostrils.

Ethan leaned forward, nearly burying his face in it. He grabbed a few pieces with his mouth, then sat up, embarrassed at the act. Jacob merely smiled at him, then shook the bowl, asking if he wanted more. The second time, Ethan had the presence of mind to use his hands.

They sat side by side as the movie played, eating and laughing whenever things were amusing. It was one of the best cuddle times Ethan could remember, even though he wasn't technically cuddling anyone.

Koa would have been there to wrap around him had it not been for the fact that he needed to do some paperwork. Still, when Jacob leaned over after the second movie came on and asked if Ethan would like a cuddle, Ethan couldn't help but nod. Jacob raised his arm, and Ethan snuggled into his side.

It was the closest they'd ever been, and while new, it made Ethan so very happy. His heart raced and his body felt warm and sated. He didn't want to move ever again.

The crush he had on Jacob went past the man's kindness and ability to cook amazing food for the club. There was this energy about Jacob. He radiated warmth in a way Ethan didn't experience often.

He definitely didn't get it from his boss. Just the thought of the other man had him stiffening. Jacob ran a hand up and down Ethan's arm, soothing him back into a languid state.

Neither of them spoke, and by the time the second movie ended and several people had cleared out, Ethan knew it was time to break the spell.

Sunday Snuggle Time was over. He had to shut everything down, get the blankets washed, and put them back in the storage closet.

It would be a busy night, but it was always worth it.

He thanked everyone for coming and told them he'd see them again next week. They all left, making sure to put their blankets in the hampers as instructed.

When everyone was gone, Ethan began the task of loading the laundry baskets onto the rolling carts Koa had bought for him.

Once they realized how many people would show up wanting to use the blankets, they knew they needed a better method to move things around.

Ethan startled when Jacob appeared beside him, his hands reaching for the cart.

“Let me help.”

Ethan tilted his head. “Don't you have cooking to do? I don't want to take up your time.”

Jacob's cheeks turned a slight pink and Ethan was surprised by it.

“I promise, Little E, that I have it under control.

The food is currently in a few different crockpots, so it's cooking without me.

The rest of what I'm going to prepare is quick.

Let me help you with this. It's the least I could do for you letting me cuddle. I really needed that.”

Ethan giggled, covering his mouth with one hand. It amused him that Jacob, a man who screamed Daddy energy, would need someone to cuddle with. He abruptly stopped laughing because he realized how judgmental that was.

“I'm sorry. You deserve cuddles too.”

Jacob smiled, shaking his head. “Thank you for the apology, sweetheart. There was no need. I knew what I said was a touch silly. Why don't we get this going so you can actually get home and get some sleep?”

Ethan nearly swooned at the idea of it. Though he had not been interrupted during Sunday Snuggle Time, he knew the likelihood of him getting a full night's sleep was very low.

Mr. Lucas considered Ethan to be his assistant in and out of the office.

If something came up that he needed help with, he would immediately ring Ethan whether that meant Ethan had to come in early in the morning, in the middle of the night, or simply had to sit up on the phone with him as they navigated whatever was wrong.

Time was merely a suggestion to the man. Meanwhile, Ethan was sleep deprived, losing weight, and fighting to keep his emotions in order.

Jacob didn't say anything to him about it, but Ethan could tell from the way the other man frowned at his lack of response that he might have been suspicious. Jacob could probably see how exhausted Ethan was, which is why he was jumping in to help.

Ethan should have been embarrassed about it, should have begged off, but he didn't want to. He liked Jacob a lot, and if it got him some help and gave him the bonus of spending time with the other man, then why would he ever let that go?

They cleaned everything up and got it put away.

Sure, it took a while, but in that time, Jacob told Ethan stories about cooking for the club and how he'd learned all of the recipes.

Apparently, he'd been very close with his grandmother, and she had shared all of the family secrets with him by providing recipes Jacob now brought to the club.

He also shared a bit more about his life outside of the club in general. He was full-time staff, so he didn't have another job, but he did have hobbies and other pursuits. Ethan enjoyed every minute of it.

When it was time to go, Ethan almost followed Jacob into the kitchen just to keep spending time with him, but he knew sleep was the better option. At least as much of it as he would get. He didn't want to be even more exhausted, even if that meant less time with Jacob.

As if he could sense Ethan's turmoil, Jacob shook his head and urged Ethan towards the door. “I'll see you again soon, and you are always welcome to come to the kitchen whenever you're here. I would never turn you away.”

Ethan waved goodbye, heading home with a heart that was both full and aching. He wished he had the courage to say more to Jacob, to maybe confess his feelings and see if the other man felt the same. The fact that Jacob had chosen to sit by Ethan and cuddle him tonight was a good sign.

It wasn't enough, though. He needed more concrete evidence.

A fact that would come just a few days later, when Ash Lucas pushed Ethan's last button.