My Babysitter's A B!tch (Michael Afton x Reader)

The Changing Tide

Thankfully, the kids didn't think anything of your absence. When the two of you sat down, they started talking about what they were going to do when they got home.

"We could play board games," Sammy offered. "Our dad loves board games!"

"Or we could watch a movie!" Charlie said.

Elizabeth tapped her chin. "We could play with our dolls too!"

"We could color..." Evan said quietly.

Watching the four of them interact with one another was adorable. It made you wonder... would you ever have kids? If you did, would they act just like this? You let the domestic thoughts run wild, resting your head in your hand.

You lived in your little fantasy for a while. A white picket fence, a few children, a dog... the idea was so calming. You'd live in a town like Hurricane, with your street filled with families similar to yours. And suddenly, Michael was there with you, arm around your waist.

You blushed at the thought and pushed it away, snapping back to reality. Sure, Michael was attractive, but it's not like the two of you would ever start dating... you were his babysitter after all.

A few minutes later you were given your food. The kids ate as though they hadn't eaten in weeks, causing you to giggle. Half an hour later and you were all back in your car, heading back to the Afton household.

As soon as you parked your car the kids made a beeline for the door. Michael let them in as you followed behind, making sure your car locked properly. You decided that you enjoyed it when Henry's kids came over. Even though it was two more kids to watch over, they made your job easier. Not that you didn't enjoy playing with Elizabeth and Evan, of course, you just enjoyed being able to relax.

You checked the time, surprised to see that it was nearing 4:00 pm already. Only four more hours... With a sigh, you set your bag down and plopped onto the couch.

"Rough day?" Michael teased as he approached you.

"Mhmm," You hummed in response. "Luckily I have a little guard dog watching over my shoulder all the time."

He rolled his eyes. "A guard dog? Really?" He sat down next to you, running a hand through his hair. "Do you really think so little of me?" He asked, feigning hurt.

"You're lucky I even think that highly of you." You teased, reaching over and ruffling his hair. "At least dogs are cute."

He leaned his head into your hand ever so slightly and huffed. "I am cute."

"You know," You shifted a little so it was easier for you to lightly run your hand through his hair. "It's nice to see you smiling and laughing for a change. Your grumpy attitude wasn't nearly as charming."

Michael's face went pink, and he fought the urge to look away from you. "Ahh... yeah. About that." Without really thinking, he scooted closer to you, giving you more access to his hair. "I'm really sorry if I hurt your feelings the past few days."

The apology shocked you, and your hand froze for a moment. "Wait, really? You're apologizing?"

"I am." He sighed. "I was mad, sure, but I know I shouldn't have taken that out on you. My anger was misplaced."

You scanned his face for a minute. You couldn't believe the sincerity in his voice, but his expression said it all. He really was sorry. Huh.

"An apology from the Michael Afton?" You teased. "I never thought the day would come."

He lightly shoved your shoulder, a playful smile on his lips. "Oh shut it, I'm trying to apologize properly here."

"Please, continue." You laughed.

He hummed, resting his head on your shoulder. "I was just mad at my father, I guess. And myself. After all, it's not your fault I need to be supervised. It's my own."

"What did you do?" You asked, and began threading your fingers through his hair once more. It was really soft.

"I messed up big time, Y/N... I almost got Evan killed, and on his birthday too." Michael's gaze was on the floor, making it hard for you to see his expressions. "It was just supposed to be a prank but..."

His voice cracked. Your heart ached at the sound. Your mental image of Michael shifted. Before he was some tough bully who hated your guts. Now you realized there was so much more about him that you didn't know, so much more that you wanted to uncover.

"Shhh..." You continued to pet his hair, hoping this would calm him down enough to keep him from crying. "It's okay, Evan's safe and sound now, that's what's important."

"Is it, though?" His voice was small. "I'm supposed to look out for him. And Elizabeth, too. I-"

"Michael, please." Taking a deep breath, you continued. "You don't have to take care of them all by yourself. Everyone makes mistakes and that's what makes us human. But if we focus on the past for too long, it takes over our future."

He went quiet. You were worried that he might be crying, but you were too scared to check. Gently, you wrapped an arm around his shoulder and rested your head on top of his.

After a minute or so of comfortable silence, you heard Michael speak up. "You're too damn nice, Y/N. You know that?"

"Because I'm trying to make you feel better?"

"Well, that's part of it." He admitted. "But I was thinking more along the lines of how you've put up with all of my bullshit."

You lightly rubbed his shoulder. "That's what friends do, Michael."

Friends. You couldn't tell why, but you hated the way the word felt on your tongue. It didn't make sense, you've said it a million times before, so why was it different now?