Emergency babysitting [for Essie]

[bachjones]

Things were running into one big mess. Bach thought he had it all in order for tonight. Sundays were for sleeping with Emily, which meant that Isaac would spend the night at Mrs. Gordon's. Bach could do his thing, show up silently in the early hours and pick up Isaac before he was awake. They did it twice a month and it worked.

Mrs. Gordon had the flu, and now Bach had seventy minutes to find someone to watch Isaac and be on time with his customer. He considered family, neighbors, Hana.
It was Isaac playing with his toy guitar that gave Bach another idea. Essie. "Let's go see Essie, don't you think, Isaac? Come on, bag, guitar, blanket, go go go!"

Fifteen minutes later they were in front of Essie's enormous house. It took Bach a moment to locate the bell, before ringing it, long.

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[wakingwakewood]

Essie didn't really have plans. She'd thought about going out to a bar or a club, but instead she decided to just cuddle up with some of Grandy's old magic books. See if she could pick apart this place, the things that happened her. She wondered if it were more than just the number of witches and sirens in the area. If there were something endemic to Siren Cove that made everything go batshit crazy every couple of months or so.

So the last thing she expected was a ring at the door. Even Old Dan seemed surprised, letting out a surprised yelp before scenting the air and then running excitedly towards the door. Apparently he knew whoever it was and wasn't worried. She wished she could decide who was there so easily.

Especially when she couldn't hide her confusion and surprise when she looked at the security monitor. Opening the door, she was almost speechless, "Bach, Isaac, hey. What- what are you doing here?"

[bachjones]

Isaac threw his hands up. 'Essie! Essie?"

"Yes, that's still Essie, Isaac." Bach took a deep breath before looking at her. "I need a baby sitter." Isaac protested that he wasn't a baby. "A kid sitter. For the night. Half the night. I can pick him up at like ..one in the morning. Two, tops. Or tomorrow morning really early, before kindie. You wouldn't even have to give him breakfast."
Another protest from Isaac.
"Although he'd probably love that. So eh. Can you help out?"

[wakingwakewood]

"I...." Dan came bounding up to Isaac, sniffing happily at his feet before moving to lick his face. He was almost as tall as the boy, now and Essie had to lunge to grab his collar to pull him back.

It was instinct, because her mind was a million miles away. She didn't want to. She was scared to because while Bach seemed to have sorted out his feelings about everything without any problems, she was still feeling the effects. Maybe she was more like Isaac in that. Unable to let go. But she'd say she'd help if he needed it.

"Are you sure? Because this is... a little sudden. Not sure this place is kid-proof."

[bachjones]

"If I wouldn't be sure, I wouldn't be asking you." Shit, Bach had expected this to be easier. "You don't have the one room where you can just stick him in? He's not going to play with knives and sockets or something."

"Won't", Isaac piped up, already getting a bit less sure about things. "I'll be good."

"You would really, really help us out, Essie. I wouldn't ask if I could think of anyone us. It's just that it really isn't work I can bring him along with." He met her eyes. "Honestly, one time thing. Promise."

[wakingwakewood]

"Alright, fine, come on in, you guys." Fully opening the door, Essie let the pair in, already trying to figure out what she was going to do with Isaac for the evening. At least it was late enough that she was pretty sure bedtime was soon.

Wasn't it?

"Any ground rules I need to know? No feeding after midnight lest he turn into a Gremlin?"

[bachjones]

"Gremlin?"

Isaac shrugged as well, so Bach was going to write it off as something from Essie's childhood. "It's late, so brushing his teeth and tucking him in will do. I brought a few books, so if you could read him a story ..?"

"Voices! With voices?"

"I sing through a lot of them because I can't do voices", Bach wasn't sure why that sounded like he was apologizing. "He's always demanding voices from other people, but if you don't want to ..he can sleep without a story anyway. Really."

[wakingwakewood]

"Man, I thought I was sheltered." Essie muttered under her breath, deciding that at some point she'd send a copy of Gremlins to Bach. It was a favorite of hers, even if she couldn't exactly say why. Probably had something to do with Billy being something of an outsider, wanting a little friend or pet. As a child she could relate.

Kneeling down, Essie looked Isaac in the eye. "I promise to try and do voices, but I'm not sure they'll be any good, okay? Why don't you take Dan into the living room, " she pointed, "and I'll be with you in a few minutes. deal?"

[bachjones]

"I'm really sorry. I mean it." Bach said it as soon as Isaac was out of earshot. "I don't have the money for a sitter and the few aunts that know about him don't really cafe about him. That's how it feels like, anyway. And you have to agree that he's too young to be left home alone."

Fuck, this was a mistake. Bach felt like a fool because he wasn't holding her, kissing her like he was coming home after a long day of work. It had felt so natural, so fitting, and now he was dumping his kid with the woman he occasionally had sex with. Wasn't life full of surprises.

[wakingwakewood]

"No, it's... it's okay. I can handle, I was just... surprised is all. I'm glad to help, honestly. It's no big deal." Surprised, maybe even a little pleased at the situation because there were nights when the house was just too empty. When Dan paced around like he was looking for someone. When her bed felt too large without someone else in it.

But it didn't matter. It had all been a lie and now they just needed to deal with it.

"Just call next time before showing up, I could have been out." Or worse, in with someone else. She wasn't celibate, was pretty sure Bach knew and didn't care, but knowing and having her answer the door in a robe and bed-hair were two completely different things. "Do what you need to do, I've got this. We'll be fine. Just a little sleepover."

[bachjones]

"Out. Call." Of course, Essie wasn't waiting around for him. Way too naive for Bach to think that. "Yes, yes, I think I have your phone number somewhere, I'll start to use it for things outside child's stuff. My phone, not your number."

"Thanks." He exhaled. "That's a relief, I didn't want to miss the money. You're completely right, just a little sleep over. His nightmares are like ..we already had two this week, so it probably won't happen. And even if ..eh - some warm milk and just holding him will help. But I'm sure that won't happen."

[wakingwakewood]

"I'll take care of it Bach. I may not have any real-world child care experience, but I've still got plenty of memories." Memories she didn't particularly want or need, but they were there and they'd be useful tonight at least. She just hoped she didn't have dreams of her own to contend with. She was tired waking up with tears in her eyes.

"Just call me before you come and pick him up." She didn't know what else to say. They'd be here when he got back from whatever, or whoever he was doing tonight and then he and Isaac would be gone again.

[bachjones]

"Okay, okay." Was she really going to act like she knew all there had to be known right now? He crossed his arms. "I'm just trying to be as thorough as possible, to make it as easy as possible for the both of you."

"What do you like? Sleep the night away or pick him up in a few hours? You can stay awake til midnight, right?"

[wakingwakewood]

"I'll be up. Come over when you're done." She'd still have her books to go over, music to listen to, maybe a movie to watch. Maybe she'd let Isaac start one with her before bedtime.

Or not, he seemed happy enough with Dan if the sounds coming from the living room were any indication.

[If you want to fast-forward to pick-up I'm okay with that.]

[bachjones]

Emily had suddenly become clingy after the sex, demanding them to fall asleep together, to have breakfast together. When Bach had told her that he could do that if she'd get him another hundred dollar, he had been called heartless and told to leave.

Her voice was still ringing in his ears when he was in front of Essie's door again, this time at two in the morning. He knew the doorbell wouldn't wake his son, but he hoped Essie didn't have a mood when rudely awakened. A part of him knew she didn't, but that was the not-real part.

"Sorry, Es", he murmured in advance. "Sorry, sorry."

[wakingwakewood]

The great thing about fancy alarm systems was that the doorbell rang to her phone and her phone could access the door camera. It also let her know that Bach was hours later than he'd said he'd be. Not that it bothered her, but it did make her blink a few times as she tried to orient herself before heading downstairs. What wasn't helping was the realiation that she was covered by a small boy and a slightly larger dog that she swore she'd left in the other room when she laid down.

Cursing under her breath, she reached down to brush a stray hair out of Isaac's face, feeling a painful ache when he respnded by snuggling cloer to her. God, she shouldn't love the kid, but she couldn't help it.

Finally extricating herself from the tangle of human and canine limbs, she gave the now awake Dan a look that clearly indicated she was aware this was all his idea and she didn't approve. He thumped his tail on the bed as if this was completely normal before laying his head back on Isaac's hip. "Traitor," she whispered.

Tiptoeing downstairs, she ran her fingers through her hair before opening the door. "Come on in. He's upstairs."

[bachjones]

She had been sleeping. Her entire being and sound was still half abed and fuck, it felt like an invitation. It wasn't an invitation, he should be glad that she wasn't cussing him out for being la-

She was inviting him in. Of course, yes, because of his sleeping kid. "Yeah. Okay, of course. Everything went fine here? " Bach sniffed himself, double checking if Emily didn't leave any disgusting perfume on his clothes or body. She was always so heavily perfumed.

[wakingwakewood]

Essie noticed the sniffing and was somewhat perplexed. Was he worried that he smelled? Was he trying to impress her? If so... why? She was not awake enough to figure it out now.

"Yeah, fine, no problems. Story time and right to bed. He's sleeping now. Did you... want a drink or something before you go?" She wasn't even sure why she was asking, except that it was manners. And an attempt to let Isaac sleep more before being moved. "Or did you need to crash in the spare room for awhile before taking him home?"

[bachjones]

"A drink? Yes, I could kill for a drink. There's usually never ti- A drink would be nice." Bach was bumbling around like a forty year old virgin while he was pretty sure there still was Emily on his face.

"Of course you have a spare room. Wouldn't I be taking some of the dog's space?" He knew the dog's name, but it was too much of a detail right now. "I don't know, I'll have to have a look at Isaac first. If he's off deep, I can move him around no matter what."

[wakingwakewood]

"Come on, then." Heading towards the kitchen, she spared a glance up the stairs as she passed. She couldn't see into her bedroom from there, but hoped the kid was still asleep. Part of her didn't want him to wake up alone in a strange bed. Had to be hard.

Grabbing a bottle and a pair of glasses, Essie poured them each a finger of whiskey. "He and Dan crawled into bed with me at some point, they're both pretty sacked out in my room, so you're welcome to join them there if you need the rest." She took a drink and choked a little when she realized how that sounded. "I mean, you could take the bed with Isaac and I can sleep in the spare. I don't need to - I mean...." She wanted to bury her head. Maybe she should be drinking coffee instead, she wouldn't come off like such an idiot.

[bachjones]

Bach had been here before, but that didn't mean that he was less impressed this time around. Especially with the question of how it would be to live here, with her, so firmly on the front of his mind.

He watched her choke and sputter, his own drink untouched. Essie was probably still half asleep, and he really didn't like how happy that comment had made him. He took a sip before opening his mouth. "Isaac is sleeping with the dog? In your bed?" There was no need to ask if that was dangerous: Dan took care of Isaac.

[wakingwakewood]

"Yeah, sometime after I went to bed and you got here, they both just crawled in with me. Dan woke up when you buzzed, but he's probably back asleep by now. Isaac didn't even move." She probably didn't need to mention that she hadn't woken up when they joined her. Part of her still thought it was the most natural thing in the world for Isaac to sneak into bed with her. Part of her still thought Bach would have eventually joined them.

She kind of really hated that part, to be honest. She was tired of feeling so lonely.

[bachjones]

"All three of you in one bed." Bach wanted to make some kind of stupid joke about it, to take whatever it was out of the air between them.
"Isaac didn't wake you? He's always got cold toes. Only his toes, it's so weird. I don't think it's a siren thing, all of my parts are always warm enough."

He took another sip. "This is really good stuff."

[wakingwakewood]

"Your parts are hot." The words again came before she could stop them and she quickly downed the rest of her drink in one gulp, wondering if half a whickey was enough to blame her addled comments on. She really wasn't doing this well.

But at the same time, it was the truth. Even before everything she'd found him extremely attractive, now it just felt... different. Not necessarily bad, kind of embarassing, but just different.

"You're welcome to more whenever you like. I mean, we're still friends, right? NO reason you can't come over for a drink on occasion." She shifted on her feet a little, briefly wishing she was wearing more than jogging shorts and a tank top, while she meant every word she was saying, she felt like she was saying it all wrong. Backwards. Putting too much emphasis on the wrong things.

[bachjones]

There was so much Bach could take.

His hand found hers, thumb stroking her knuckles. "Just tell me you're really, really sleepy right now, because you're all over the place and it's confusing me. A lot." Not in a way that he minded, but you should never show your cards.

"Drinking buddies." He stretched, let go of her hand. "Sure, especially with liquor like this. Let's go find mister sleepy first before making plans, okay?"

[wakingwakewood]

In all honesty, she couldn't blame it on anything but herself. Not the sleep, not the alcohol. "I'm confused, too." Especially by the way her heart jumped when he touched her, at the sound of his voice and the way she could barely meet his gaze.

It was a relief when he let her go and she set her glass in the sink before leading the way up the stairs. In her room, there were two breathing mounds, one canine, one human, and one dent in the bed where it was obvious she'd been curled up with them. Part of her very badly wanted to snuggle back in, maybe invite Bach to join them. But that wasn't them, it never was.

Was it?