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High school or college AUs are hard because of the significant age difference, so let's say Claude is in college and Danny is older and working in the financial industry in some way that I'm going to handwave down to: something where he has an office and wears a suit. To make this fit, we're going to have to move Danny's divorce up a little. Also, let's say they're in Gatineau, so pretend all the dialogue is in French.
Claude's been working at a coffee shop for the last two years, but he's not really excited about it (and the early morning shifts are brutal), so his junior year he decides he's going to find a better part-time job. Enter the classified ad looking for someone who can babysit three boys five afternoons a week every other week. Claude doesn't really expect to get a call back, but it sounds like a reasonable gig, so he applies.
Much to his surprise, he ends up in an interview with a guy in a well-fitting suit who introduces himself as Danny and explains that he's divorced and shares custody, and that his previous babysitter quit so now he needs a new one. Danny keeps saying he's frazzled by trying to do it himself while he's between sitters, but he seems perfectly calm to Claude.
Claude likes Danny, and Danny seems to like the fact that Claude played hockey growing up (it's Canada, so of course his boys all play hockey), but Claude's still a little surprised that he ends up with a second interview, this one at Danny's (giant) house where he meets the kids. Caelan, the oldest, is a little cautious, and it takes a while before he smiles at Claude. Carson, the middle one, talks (and talks and talks and talks) and seems to be the instigator of trouble. Cameron, the youngest, is sweet and a little shy.
Claude's even more surprised when Danny offers him the job, but he says yes, and then every other week he spends his afternoons picking the kids up at school, taking them home or to hockey practice or wherever it is they need to be, and basically keeping an eye on them until Danny gets home from work.
He thinks it's going to be a lot easier than it actually is, and he gives in and asks Danny for advice a couple of times.
"You're the adult," Danny tells him. "You get to be more of their friend than I do, but you're still the adult."
Claude starts bringing his homework with him, because the kids get a kick out of him doing homework too while they do their spelling and math worksheets, or have quiet reading time.
Danny invites him to stick around and watch a hockey game with them a couple of times. They always order in for dinner; Danny sort of ruefully confesses that he doesn't know how to cook. It's always a big treat for the kids, because they have to change into their pajamas early, but then they get to watch the game until bedtime. Danny always takes them up and tucks them in, and then comes back downstairs and he and Claude finish their beers in front of the game.
They talk a little, over those hockey games, and Claude finds that he likes Danny, even beyond the part where he's a pretty good boss.
*
The kids are allowed to go over to friends' houses, and one afternoon, Caelan and Carson go to hang out with their friend down the street who has a rink in the yard. It's not the first time, and it's not the first time they've gone without Cameron, but this time Cameron throws a temper tantrum about it that eventually settles down into exhausted crying.
Claude rubs his back and says, "Come on, buddy, I think it's time for a nap," which sets off another round of tantrum that Claude ignores as he carries Cameron upstairs and gets him to lie down. He doesn't really know what he's doing, but Cam feels pretty warm when Claude puts the back of his hand to his forehead.
Claude sits with him until he falls asleep, and then he goes downstairs and googles fevers. It's probably nothing - kids get sick all the time - but he's not sure if he needs to call someone. In the end, he decides better safe than sorry and calls Danny at work.
"Yeah," Danny says, "all the neighborhood kids have been sick. There's a thermometer in my bathroom. If he wakes up, take his temp and call me back. Otherwise, just let him sleep."
Cameron's still asleep when Caelan and Carson get home. Danny goes upstairs to check on him when he gets home, and comes back downstairs carrying Cameron, who's just young enough to be okay with that sometimes.
Cameron raises his head from Danny's shoulder to say, "I don't feel good," to Claude.
"I know, buddy." Claude holds out his hand for a sleepy fist bump from Cameron. "Feel better, okay?"
Danny says, "Thanks, Claude," before Claude leaves.
Danny calls him the next day and says, "Cameron's still sick. I stayed home with him and I don't need you to stay this afternoon, but could you pick Caelan and Carson up?"
"Yeah, of course."
Cameron's on the couch when Claude brings Caelan and Carson home, and he says, "I don't like being sick."
Claude says, "No one likes being sick, buddy," and he leans down to hug Cameron.
"You're going to get sick," Carson says.
"I never get sick," Claude says.
He gets sick. It's over the weekend and the boys are with their mom next week, so at least it doesn't impact his job. He has to confess to it, because Danny asks him about it, and he gets Danny shaking his head and saying, "I told you so."
*
Every once in a while, Danny calls to say he's going to be home late, and there's always cash on top of the fridge, just in case, so Claude can order them dinner. Sometimes, Claude makes them grilled cheese instead, which the kids love.
Claude's friends and roommates pretty much just get used to Claude being gone afternoons every other week, and it's not a big deal until it's time to register for classes for spring semester. Claude makes sure he doesn't have any afternoon classes and, thinking about those nights he gets dinner for the boys, signs up for a half-credit cooking class.
Then he gets a lot of shit from his friends about trying to impress the kids' dad. Claude just laughs it off.
*
There's some sort of open house kind of thing at the kids' school one night, and Danny calls Claude to say he can meet them there, but he needs Claude to take them. Claude gets them fed and drives them over to the school and goes in with them. Caelan is the one to spot their mom, but it's Cameron who grabs Claude's hand and drags him over there.
"Mama, this is Claude!"
The kids' mom looks him over, and there's a sort of amused smile on her face when she says, "Hello, Claude."
Claude says, "Uh, hi," because he's not sure what to call her.
That only makes her look even more amused, and she says, "Call me Sylvie. I'm sure we'll be seeing a lot of each other."
They talk for a minute about the kids, because Claude knows almost as much about their lives as Sylvie does, and then Danny shows up and Sylvie turns her amusement and a pair of raised eyebrows on him. Danny's mouth tightens for a moment, and then he says, "Thank you for bringing the boys over."
"Sure," Claude says. "No problem. I guess I'll-"
"No," Cameron says, pulling on his hand again. "You have to stay!"
Neither Danny nor Sylvie look like they're going to object to it, so Claude stays for the whole thing and gets introduced to a lot of parents and kids whose names he's probably not going to remember and the boys' teachers who he probably will.
*
As glad as Claude is to go see his family over Christmas break, he's going to miss the boys, and he and Danny work it out so he's not gone too long and there isn't too much extra coverage Danny has to arrange for.
The boys all get new skates and sticks for Christmas so they spend a lot more time playing hockey or horsing around on the ice in January. Claude started keeping his skates in the trunk of his car so he can go with them as soon as it got cold.
Claude's cooking class goes well, and he starts cooking for the boys on nights when Danny's going to be home late, and sometimes they're still at the table when Danny comes home and he joins them with a smile that makes the corners of his eyes crinkle up.
One night, Danny comes home a little late, but the boys and Claude are so involved in their game that they don't even notice. Danny slips by them and comes back downstairs in a jeans and a long-sleeve t-shirt and asks the boys about dinner and Claude if he wants to stay.
"You have to stay," Carson says. "I want grilled cheese, and you're the best."
Danny shakes his head. "I didn't mean we should make Claude keep working."
Claude shrugs. "I don't mind making grilled cheese."
Danny smiles at him and says, "Okay, but maybe you can teach me how."
The boys hang around the kitchen and watch Claude walk Danny through the exact way he makes grilled cheese.
Danny cuts the first sandwich into fourths and gives one piece to each of the boys and the fourth piece to Claude.
"You cooked it," Claude says. "You should get to try it."
"You're the expert," Danny says, so Claude takes a bite and gives the rest of it back to Danny.
"It's good," Claude says.
The boys make muffled agreements through their pieces of sandwich, and Danny smiles at Claude and takes a bite out of the piece Claude shared with him.
Later, Claude will look back and remember this as the moment he fell in love with Danny, but right now all he knows is that Danny's smile takes his breath away, and it takes an act of sheer willpower not to lean over and find out what it tastes like.
He manages to say, "Let's see if you can do it again," and cuts up carrot sticks while he supervises Danny's sandwich making.
When he leaves Danny says, "Thanks," and, "We should do this again sometime."
Claude goes home and throws himself onto the couch and tells whichever of his roommates are around, "I'm totally into Danny."
His roommates are very unsympathetic and say things like, "Yeah, we already know that," and "You want to be his kids' stay at home mom."
*
Claude goes to the boys' hockey games sometimes, and there's one that Carson tells him is "really important for our standings," so Claude gets up early on a Saturday and heads over to the rink.
Caelan and Cameron are already there with Sylvie, and Cameron spots Claude and yells at him to come sit with them. Danny gets there a few minutes after Claude does, and he ends up on Claude's other side. They cheer for Carson's team, and Cameron spends half the game moving around so he can sit with Sylvie, Claude, and Danny in turn. It's Sylvie's weekend with the boys, so they go home with her and Danny invites Claude out to lunch.
It's great. Aside from a few stolen moments here and there and the occasional hockey game that runs past the boys' bedtime, Claude doesn't get to spend that much time just with Danny, and he loves it. Danny's easy to talk to, he seems to like Claude, and Claude definitely likes him.
Danny walks Claude out to his car. "This was fun," he says. "We should do it again sometime."
"Yes," Claude says, "we should."
Danny looks at him for a moment and then says, "If you ever need a quiet place to study, you're welcome to come over, even if the boys are at Sylvie's."
Claude feels his breath catch at the extent of what Danny's offering. "Okay," he says. "Thanks."
Danny squeezes his arm, and Claude forces himself to get into his car instead of standing around grinning.
*
Claude does start taking his homework over to Danny's sometimes. It's silent in the afternoons when the kids are at Sylvie's, and Claude tries to stay out of Danny's way because even though Danny said he could be there, he doesn't want to intrude too much, but every time he loses track of time and is still there when Danny gets home, Danny invites him to stay for dinner.
"You just like my cooking," Claude says one evening as they're putting the dishes away, because his class is going well and they cook most of the time now.
"Not just your cooking," Danny says with a smile, and Claude looks up because that tone isn't just warm, it's flirtatious.
Claude does his best to return both the smile and the interest. "Oh yeah?"
"Yeah." Danny moves a few inches closer. "I like you."
Claude smiles a little more. "I like you too." He puts his hand on the back of Danny's head. "Can I?"
Danny tilts into his touch. "Yes."
They make out for a while in the middle of the kitchen, until Danny pulls away.
"You can stay," he says. "Come upstairs with me."
Claude takes in a breath. "Just like that?"
Danny looks at him, so fond that Claude just wants to do whatever it is he's just done to make Danny look at him like that all the time. "I've been trying to date you for months."
"Oh," Claude says, "but you never said."
"I'm your boss. I didn't want you to think-"
Claude surges forward and kisses him again. "I don't. Let's go upstairs. That's a great idea."
The sex isn't perfect, or even great, but it's good, and afterwards Claude lies there looking at Danny and blurts out, "I love you." He puts his hand over his face after he does. "That makes me sound like the dumbest kid, and it's not because we just hooked up. I really do."
Danny pulls his hand away and kisses him. "I don't think you're a dumb kid." He doesn't say he loves Claude, but it's okay because he does kiss him some more. He also says, "I really didn't hire you just because I wanted you."
Claude looks at him for a moment. "Is that why Sylvie's always laughing at me?"
Danny groans. "She knows my taste."
*
Claude starts spending nights at Danny's sometimes, when Sylvie has the boys, and he still hangs out with his friends sometimes, but he stays for dinner most nights when Danny has the boys.
They also have an awkward conversation about money that results in Danny still paying Claude what he's been paying him, but with Claude's assurances that he'll quit or break up with Danny anyway if he really wants to, which Danny insists on even though Claude can't imagine wanting to do either of those things.
It's one of the nights that Claude stays for dinner when they tell the boys they're dating. The boys take it as just another thing that's happening in their lives, and Cameron asks, "Are you going to live with us?"
Claude exchanges a look with Danny before he says, "Not right away, but maybe sometime."
Things don't change much after that, although the kids sometimes treat him like more of a dad than a babysitter, which always gives Claude a quick glow of satisfaction.
*
The boys have a lot of things going on in the summer, camps and playdates and birthday parties. Claude goes home and gets spoiled by his mom for the two weeks they're at Sylvie's and then away at hockey camp, and comes back to spend the rest of the summer alternately driving the boys around and hanging out by the pool during the day and seeing Danny at night.
Danny takes the boys on a yearly vacation to a rented cottage in the Laurentians for a week, and invites Claude along with them. They spend most of the time hanging out by the lake, with the boys running around and hanging out with the kids from another family they see there every summer. They switch off with the other family, so they have all of the kids one night and the other family takes them all another.
As much as he loves the boys, it's nice to have a night to themselves as part of their vacation, when Claude can be as loud as he wants, make Danny be even louder. It's afterward - or between, really - that Danny runs his hand through Claude's hair and says, "I love you."
Claude wasn't sure he could get any happier, but that does it. "Yeah?"
"Mmhmm." Danny's fingers keep playing through Claude's hair. "Do you want to move in with us?"
Oh, and there Danny goes again, making him happier. "Yes."
*
Claude breaks the news to his roommates when he gets home, and he moves in while Sylvie has the boys. As much as he would like to have the boys around on his first night officially living there, it's a lot easier to do the moving part of things without the three of them underfoot.
Danny stops paying him, and they combine their finances instead. Claude worries about not contributing, but Danny just kisses him and says, "You're taking care of the boys, and you're in school."
The boys are delighted to have Claude around all the time, even if being a full-time caregiver means he ends up putting his foot down in a parental way more often. For his part, Claude is perfectly happy to be part of their family.
*
One of the required classes for his major turns out to be something that only has an afternoon section, which Claude frets about until Danny puts an arm around him and says, "We'll work it out. Register for your class."
They do work it out, Claude negotiating with the neighbors so the boys go home with them on Tuesdays and Thursdays while Claude picks up all of the kids on Mondays and Wednesdays. Danny slings an arm around his shoulders when Claude tells him what they've worked out, and leans up to kiss his jaw. "Welcome to being a parent."
Claude laughs. "I've practically been their stepdad for a year and a half by now."
Danny laughs with him for a moment, then kisses him and asks, "Do you want to be their stepdad for real?"
Claude's heart squeezes, and he holds Danny close. "Yes."
The boys, when they tell them they're getting married, are almost as excited about it as Claude.
*
When Claude graduates, no one is more proud of him than Danny and the boys. Two months later, at the wedding, the boys crowd around them during their first dance. Claude just laughs, happy to be with his family, and Danny shakes his head but laughs with him and doesn't make the boys leave.
Claude takes the summer off so he can be there for the boys during the day, but in the fall he finds his way into a part-time job he likes, which means he feels like he's contributing to the household (and isn't bored). Not much changes, though. He still picks up the boys after school when it's their week, he's still the one to make dinner most nights, and he still loves the evenings when he and Danny talk and watch the end of a hockey game after the boys have gone to bed.