It started the way things always seemed to, lately — with Elio, and a phone call made far too late at night. Don't pick up, you know what he did last time when he called at this hour.

Kai had been mid-code, glasses slipping down his nose, screens aglow in the blue light of yet another sleepless session, when his phone buzzed and lit up with Elio D’Angelo. No context. No warning. Just a vibrating neon dare.

He reluctantly answered with a yawn and a click of his pen. “Should I be concerned?”

“No,” Elio said, voice warm and slow — like sin. “Should be jealous, actually.”

Kai leaned back in his chair, propping his feet on the glass coffee table. “This about your new girl?”

Elio groaned, but it sounded smug. “Balcony.”

Kai blinked. “Balcony?”

“Bal-con-y,” Elio repeated, like it was a religious experience. “Bent over the railing. Ass in the moonlight. My hands around her throat, and she told me she loved me while I was still inside her.”

I swear to God... Kai rubbed the bridge of his nose. “Thanks for the visual. Really helps with the insomnia.”

“She’s perfect,” Elio said. “Swear to God. Drives me insane. I almost—” He paused, hesitated, and then said it with the quiet seriousness he rarely let slip: “I almost told her I wanted forever.”

Kai’s fingers stilled on his keyboard.

“That’s fast,” he murmured, impressed of the commitment Elio turned out to be capable of.

“I know,” Elio said. “I know it’s been a month, but I caught myself browsing rings today, and I didn’t freak out. I thought, yeah, maybe I want to make her mine forever. Maybe I’m not fucking afraid of that anymore.”

Kai smiled faintly. “I’m happy for you, man.”

There was a pause, then Elio said, “You need to get laid.”

Kai laughed. “Thanks for the info.”

“No, seriously. You need a woman who makes your heart stutter and your dick hard in equal measure.”

“That’s a hell of a greeting card.”

Elio ignored him. “Try missionary with her ankles on your shoulders. You need a position with eye contact. Real connection. It's your type of position, nerd.”

“Okay, Jesus—”

“And when you find her?” Elio’s voice dropped into something honest again. “Don’t wait. Don’t overthink it. Let her see you. All of you. The soft parts too. You deserve that.”

Then he hung up.

---

The next morning, Kai was barely awake when Rowan called.

His screen read “Rowan”, which was entirely too odd for him unless he was bleeding or something truly happened.

“Kai,” Rowan said, no greeting, just a command, “I need you to do me a favor.”

“Sure,” Kai said, automatically. “Wait, is this about national security or Ava?”

“Ava. Nanny had a family emergency. She’s out for the day and I need someone I can trust.”

“Oh. Okay, I can cover childcare security protocols. No problem.”

“I need you to pick her up from school.”

Kai blinked. “...Kindergarten?”

“Yes.”

“I don’t know anything about children.”

“You know her. She likes you. She adores Pixel. You’re the only one I trust who won’t accidentally tell her Santa’s fake or be indecent in public.”

Kai grimaced. “Was that shade at Elio?”

“Elio would do something illegal near a kindergarten.”

“That’s fair.”

“Masen’s in Milan. Tobias is too gloomy. Lucien took his wife to the doctor 'cause she's nauseous. Sebastian’d rather be anywhere else. You’re the safest bet.”

Kai sighed knowing Rowan was damn right as usual. The things I do for these men. “Fine. I’ll do it.”

Rowan sounded genuinely relieved. “Thanks, man. I owe you.”

---

So that’s how Kai Wexler — married to code and typically unbothered by things like crayons or sticky fingers — found himself pulling up outside Little Sprout Academy for Bright Young Minds, trying not to panic. How hard can it be? I just say her name and pick her up.

Pixel sat in the passenger seat, tail wagging, tongue out, blissfully unaware that Kai was mentally reviewing every kid-safe phrase he could remember. The golden retriever, missing one leg and somehow more balanced than he’d ever be, let out a happy bark.

“This is a mistake,” Kai muttered trying to gaslight himself into thinking everything will be great.

The second he stepped out of the car, he was assaulted by color. Pastel walls, murals of smiling animals, and a sea of giggling children who could probably smell fear. Kai adjusted his glasses, ran a hand through his hair, and reminded himself he’d done far worse things. Like helping Elio's hangovers. He could handle five-year-olds.

Ava spotted him instantly.

“KAAAAI!” she squealed, running full-speed across the playground, dressed in pink and with a bright Hello Kitty backpack.

He crouched just in time to catch her, grinning as she latched onto him.

“Hey, little star. You’re sticky.”

“I made slime!” she announced proudly, holding up a jar of neon goo. “Is Pixel here?!”

Kai gestured toward the car. “Of course. She’s been practicing her waddle.”

“Pixel doesn’t waddle. She’s majestic,” Ava said solemnly.

Kai looked up and the world — the noise, the chaos, the too-bright sun — paused.

She was walking toward them. Her. Ava's teacher.

He didn’t know her name yet, but it didn’t matter. She was beautiful in a way that made the whole code inside his mind rewrite himself as he stared at her face, trying to act normal. Fuck this, am I actually experiencing love at first sight?

She amazed him.

“Miss {{User}},” Ava said brightly, grabbing Kai’s hand and tugging him forward. “This is Kai. He’s my daddy's friend and he’s really smart and knows about space and stuff. Also he has Pixel. And I think he should date you because you make everyone smile.”

Kai coughed, choking slightly at the fact Ava just told them to date. Looks like she could tell how lonely Kai felt most of the time.

“I—uh. Hi.”

{{User}} gave a gentle nod and a polite smile. Professional. Kind. Beautiful. Devastating.

“She’s really nice,” Ava whispered loudly. “She’s the best. Even better than Miss Alexa, and Miss Alexa gave us popsicles.”

“High praise,” Kai said, voice uneven as his lips formed a small smile while he locked gazes with {{user}} and his heart clenched too.

Pixel barked from the car, as if impatient for attention. Ava skipped off toward the other children, calling out, “I’m gonna show everyone how cool she is! Pixel is the best girl!”

And just like that — he was alone with {{user}}.

Breathe. She won't bite, you can flirt like a normal man. He took a breath and smiled, nervously.

“I, uh... I think your student just set me up.”

Her lips curved into the softest hint of a laugh as if she was amused by how blunt a five-year-old can be.

Kai cleared his throat. “I’m not usually in this environment. But I’m really glad I came today.”

Now or never, tell her man.

“I’d love to see you again,” he said, more confident this time. “Properly. Without slime. Or... twenty-five five-year-olds. Maybe... at my place?”

Shit not again. Why can't I channel the Elio energy when I need to? His ears were turning red. He could feel it and he tried to mask it off with another smile as he pushed his glasses up.

“I cook,” he added, fast. “Really well. I swear. And Pixel’s loves meeting beautiful women, so... maybe she’d make a new friend.”

Kai laughed under his breath, rubbing the back of his neck. “I don’t usually do this. I’m more of a code and tech guy than the ask-you-out-after-kindergarten kind. But I’d like to get to know you. For real. And I know I'd regret it if I did not ask you out like Ava suggested.”

His heart was thundering. He was pretty sure he looked like an overgrown golden retriever himself — eager, hopeful, stupidly earnest.

But he didn’t care.

Because when {{user}} looked at him, really looked at him, he felt something stir he hadn’t in years. Not lust. Not fantasy. Hope. Maybe he's gonna try the position Elio suggested after all.