Connected To Him (ManxMan)

Part 1: Chapter 3

Ethan prayed that he gets fired.

Ethan took a while to clean the first bathroom, figuring out how and when to do what and which methods worked best. But by his third bathroom, he was moving swiftly and efficiently. Although this wasn’t a skill Ethan planned to use much in the future, he felt proud of how good he was getting at mopping floors and wiping pee stains off of ceramic.

Ethan made quick work of the third bathroom and went to do his fourth. While Ethan watched the last man leave the bathroom, a grin grew on his face. He was nearly done, he just had to finish this and one more bathroom and he would be able to call it a day on his punishment. 

Acknowledging his momentary pride, Ethan felt the need to remind himself that he wasn’t happy with having to do this punishment in the slightest. It was lunch and instead of chilling with Aiden and hearing how his revised plans have been going, he had to quickly scarf down his food in the Assistant Principal’s office before getting to work. 

But, if Ethan worked fast, he may be able to get a couple of minutes of break to talk to Aiden. With that new plan in mind, Ethan began to rush through his work. Of course, his pride didn’t let him not be thorough about it, but he was sure that he was moving through the tasks faster than before. Ethan finished washing his hands since he had just dealt with this bathroom's pee stains when he heard someone walking in.

His first instinct was to tell them that the bathroom was off-limits but he turned around first and his brain short-circuited. There stood Chris, in all of his tall dark and very handsome glory. His head was bent down, focused on the phone in his hand, but he looked up when he nearly hit the cleaning cart.

The look of surprise on his face when he saw Ethan had the shorter man turning red. Chris beamed and Ethan struggled not to implode.

“Oh, hey Ethan.” He smiled widely, his pearly white’s catching the gleam from the bathroom’s fluorescent bulbs. Ethan’s eyes went wide, but he managed to lift his hand in a very awkward and tense wave. 

“Hey, Chris.” While Ethan’s voice was only just slightly wobbly, he was internally freaking out.

Oh my God, I look like a mess. My hair is probably messed up, my skin probably looks disgusting, and I’m still wearing this stupid cleaning apron! Why do I have to talk to him like this?

Chris laughed, his head falling backwards and the thick column of his throat lying exposed for Ethan’s greedy eyes. Once Ethan was able to zone back into what was happening, his head dropped, embarrassed. Was Chris laughing at him? Making fun of him?

“Sorry, your outfit just threw me off.” Chris told him, still laughing through his words. Ethan deflated further and tried to count the stitches on his shoes. “I don’t think I ever imagined a guy like you cleaning but here you are. It looks so . . . domestic.”

Ethan perked up at those words, looking at Chris curiously. He grinned, thinking about testing the waters between the two of them.

“Do I not seem domestic to you?” Ethan asked, his hands resting over his hips and his head tilting to the side. Chris’s eyes widened a bit at the teasing response before grinning.

“I don’t know, maybe more of a get into trouble kind of boy.” Chris replied cheekily, his arms crossing over his chest and his thick biceps flexing a bit with the motion. Ethan’s nose shot up and he responded based on Chris’ words and not the wonderful sight Chris made before him.

“For your information, I am a man, not a boy. At least a man-boy if I must be demoted.” Chris burst out laughing but Ethan acted as if he didn’t hear it and continued. “Secondly, you are not wrong about the ‘trouble’ thing, but I can totally be domestic.”