Thread by @rkem00

Connor as a L///ush employee and Hank stumbling in one day after the recommendation from his friends, therapist AND teenage son that he should practice more self care. He thinks the gym, the cooking and the sleeping is enough. Connor sets him up for the best bath of his life.

Hank walks in and immediately is hit with all the mingling scents. It's not bad, just overwhelming and not entirely expected. There's so much for him to look at, he doesn't know where to start. He doesn't want to turn tail and run, he promised Cole he'd get something.

Lavender. Vanilla. Lemongrass. Bergamot. Sea salt. Tangerine. He rubs the back of his neck, knowing he looks out of place all awkward. The only other customer leaves the store after getting ringed up and that puts him slightly at ease. He can look like a bumbling old man in peace

That is, until the employee comes around the register and smiles at him.

"Hello, my name is Connor. Is there anything I can help you find today?"

Hank fumbles with a bottle of body wash, hastily setting it back down, "Uh. I've never been in here before."

Connor has such a kind smile. The warmest brown eyes and soft, freckled skin. He even smells incredible, but that shouldn't surprise him. Connor works here, with all the smells. Maybe getting his help wouldn't be such a bad idea. Hank really doesn't want to mess this up now.

Connor sounds excited, "That's not a problem, we love new customers. Where did you hear about us? If you don't mind me asking."

"My son. He told me I'm not allowed to come home unless I bring something back." That gets a light chuckle out of Connor.

"For him?"

"For me."

Connor nods, looking him over like he can sense what Hank could want. Hank sure hopes he knows because he's got no fuckin clue. "Let me help you today. Um...?"

"Hank."

"Hank." Connor's voice makes him name sound warm. God, he can't think that. This guy's cute he can't

embarrass himself. Connor hums, "Okay, Hank. Tell me what you'd be interested in. Any scents specifically? Are you looking for something from a bath or shower standpoint?"

"I'm really not sure. I have a big bathtub I never use." Hank watches Connor's eyes light up, then follows

him around to another display. Connor seems to enjoy his job.

"I suggest a bath bomb, then. It reacts with water to fizz, releasing oils, cleansers. Even color." Connor picks one up for Hank to smell. Too floral. He finds another.

It smells spicy in a warm way. He likes it.

"And all those are good?" Hank asks, nodding to the one in Connor's hands.

"It will condition and soothe your skin. I wonder, is there anything specific you'd need in skincare?" Connor puts the bomb in a little bag.

Hank looks down to the dry skin on his hands, "Maybe."

Connor leads him around the store, being conscious of Hank's questions and concerns. He gives Hank tips on products to use and Hank asks him to write it down, saying he'll need it to show everyone up.

"Cole's 16. He told me I've never smelled any different in his entire life,"

Hank grouses as he explains, "I buy my soap, I know my soap. I get by, I got more important things to think about than /soap/... No offense."

Connor smiles brightly, "None taken."

Hank shrugs bashfully and rubs the back of his neck.

"I guess everyone thinks I need some more, y'know, self care..." He feels embarrassed admitting it. "Or just that I look shitty, whatever."

"I think," Connor starts, finding his gaze with a soft look, "Even just coming in here to try is a good step. I know it can be difficult."

It comforts him, the way Connor says it so genuinely. He smiles, "Uh, thanks. That's real nice of you."

"I do think they're being a bit hard on you, though."

Hank groans in relief, finally someone sees that, "Thank you!"

"You're very attractive to begin with, Hank."

"Oh."

Hank knows he's as red as the organic lipstick on display the entire rest of his shopping trip. Connor looks pleased by the fact, eyes always lingering. They find him a few more things for his bath and some moisturizer. Connor writes him the instructions after ringing him up.

"I hope it goes well for you, Hank. If you like it, maybe you'll come back in."

"Is that a ploy to get me to spend an ungodly amount of money here?" Hank jokes, chuckling as he takes his bag.

"I'd like you to tell me how it made you feel." Connor says, maybe bashful himself.

Hank shuffles his feet, trying to think up a response. "Maybe I will. You never know... Thanks, for helping me out. And y'know, listening to an old man ramble on."

"It was my pleasure, Hank." Connor tells him, sincere.

Hank feels his face heat again as he leaves.

Hank shows off his bag of goods, lining them up on the coffee table while Cole's stretched out on the couch with a video game, "I got this and this, and this pear thing, and this for bubbles, this for my face and-- hey! You listenin'? I can't rub it in if you're not."

Cole snorts, giving him a look "I'm listening, Pop."

"Good! Now look, I self-care'd! You can even tell Jeff. I did it, I did the stuff." Hank tells him.

"You also have to *use* the stuff, y'know."

"I was planning on it. Get myself a beer and my book, and have a grand time!"

Cole grins, "Does that mean I can order pizza? You're gonna be so busy!"

Hank huffs, knowing full well Cole had pizza yesterday for lunch "I can still cook."

"I wouldn't dream of making you do that! You work on you, I'll call it in. Self care. Pop, you enjoy."

Hank grunts but fishes his card from his wallet, "You little shit. Get me pizza, too."

"Yes!" Cole kicks his legs in victory, snatching up the card.

Hank gets his things back in the bag and heads towards the hallway, thinking he'll put it off if he doesn't do it now.

Cole pipes up just before he reaches the bathroom. "Hey dad? All jokes aside, I'm proud of you. For trying."

And if that doesn't hit him at home. Knowing his son is proud makes all the stress worth it, makes getting himself together worth it.

"Thanks, kid. Proud of you too."

[Any preference for what species Connor should be in this sweet little AU? 💕]

Hank's true to his word. He gets his beer, book and bath bag, and takes over the bathroom.

And he swears he's in a different world.

He never realized his bathtub was this deep, or this luxurious. The water is a deep blue, swirled with teal, purple, magenta.

It's a strong but inviting scent, the glitter is a surprise. The mint makes his everything tingle. The fizzy foam is nice. He breaks up some dessert-looking thing and it makes a ton of bubbles, maybe too many when they go up past his head. It smells like roses.

His skin has never, in his damn life, been this soft. He feels like a seal, he decides. This must be what seals feel like, no wonder they have that look on their faces. He feels a tinge of regret for acting out so badly during his intervention, everyone was right...

He should've been doing things like this for himself a long time ago.

Hank spends a long time sipping his beer, reading his book, and rubbing his soft belly under the water. He tries to remember a time he was this self soothed, but he's coming up blank.

The water is a little hotter than it needed to be, he knows he's pink all across his body. It's made a wonderful heat to soften the skin on his face, per Connor's instructions.

He knows he'll follow all those instructions, he'll just do them a bit later. When he's ready.

He easily abandons his book to stare at the beautiful water, taking it as far as to shift around and admire his body. It's made his skin look great, the glitter and bubbles cling to him and he finds he likes the way he shimmers.

It's like he's been dunked in honey. His movements are slow, his mind is thankfully free of running thoughts. It's like time has slowed and he's floating with less aches in every sense. Are baths this good all the time?

He's submerged his neck without trying to get his hair wet and he’s rubbing at his tender knees when there's a knock at the door, “Pop?”

Cole's voice brings him back center, “Yeah?”

“You okay? You've been in there almost two hours.”

Holy shit.

Hank didn't think it'd been that long. He slowly sits himself up, feeling heavy in a really nice way “M’good! Be out soon. Save my ass a seat on the couch.”

“You have an ASSigned seat.” Cole snickers, and Hank barks out a laugh deep from his belly, completely from surprise.

Washing up with new things is an experience. Especially like this, with the packaging and nature of the products, it requires him to be present. The smell is all around him, warm and deep, cleansing. It feels good when he rinses it out.

And washing his face… he almost doesn't believe he's doing it right. But Connor's instructions wouldn't lie, he follows them to the perfectly printed letter.

He doesn't scrub hard once and when he gets out, gently mourning the loss off all the nice water down the drain, his skin looks bright.

He feels good.

Connor's instructions don't end there. Taking his things into his room, he pats himself ‘mostly dry’ - Connor's words. This is important. He's supposed to apply his moisturizer while he's still warm and damp. So that's what he does.

It's also got a nice scent, much softer than anything else so far, and he sits on his bed, in front of his mirror to make sure he doesn't miss anything. He gets a little in his eye and curbs his bitching, radically accepts for a good bath, lotion eye can get him.

He feels a little like a full day spent at the beach. Over-warm and water heavy and something like sunscreen on his skin. It's not a bad feeling. It's a feeling he knows will carry him into sleep.

He tugs himself into clothes, old shorts & his robe. Past the hallway, he can now smell the pizza Cole got delivered. His stomach growls hard. He grabs Cole’s ankles & moves him so he can sit on the couch too, settling his son's feet in his lap. He whines dramatically “Huuungry.”

Cole snorts at him, leaning over to grab a pizza box and give it to Hank, “Eat fooood!”

Hank flips it open and sighs, food still warm. He pulls off a slice and folds it, shoving in a big bite. It's so good as it coats his tongue, spicy-savory warmth just boosting his mood.

The smell of pizza and products soaking into his skin is an odd but incredibly indulgent combination. Damn. He likes this, does he?

Cole chuckles at him, leaning over the couch to bring back a can of his favorite soda. He hands it over with a smile.

“Hey, Pop… you know you're covered in glitter, right?”

Hank looks down and - yeah. It looks like his tattoo is made out of glitter pens. He pops his can open thankfully “Is what it is.”

“You look like a sleepy gay cupid.”

“I'm a voluptuous bisexual cupid, what can I say?”

Cole laughs and curls onto his side, reaching for his game controller again. Hank feels himself sink back into the couch, content and happy.

It takes Hank almost a week to go back into the store. Work and home took up his time, he only managed one more bath last night.

Connor looks the same as last time, with the addition of some some blue around his eyes and a very sharply ironed shirt of the same color.

He looks so nice and put together, smiling at customers and ringing up items. Hank gets in line seeing as he's the last one, waiting as anticipation builds in the pit of his stomach.

Stepping up to the counter, he watches Connor lean to recycle a receipt before looking up at him. His face brightens, recognition sparking, “Hank!”

Connor even remembered his name. It makes Hank feel some kinda way.

He rests his hands on the marble counter, feeling an easy smile pull at his lips, “Connor. You wanted me to come back.”

“I did. I…” Connor comes around the edge of the counter, leaning close to Hank. His eyes rove over Hank's face and hair, his body...

The flash of chest hair thanks to undone shirt buttons, Connor's eyes catch there. “If I can, you look wonderful.”

That feeling grips Hank tighter, making his shoulders shiver. “Aw. Thanks to you. You gave me the best bath of my life!”

Connor blushes, his smile getting bigger.

“I mean! Uh—like, you didn't… god, I realize anything I say…”

Connor's expression doesn't change.

Hank goes red. Why does this happen? “…It's just gonna sound dirty. Shit, I should've thought this through.”

“I asked you to come back.” Connor says, gently touching his arm. He looks inviting but also teasingly pleased, like the last time Hank got flustered around him. “I asked to know how it made you feel.”

As if Hank could forget.

Connor chuckles softly, “That could have been taken… oddly, at best.”

Hank finds himself grinning, “I think ‘at best’ was a little better than that.” He’s here, after all. He lowers his voice a little conspiratorially, “It was amazing, Connor...

...I didn't think stuff like that could be so enjoyable. I was in there two hours and barely noticed…”

He keeps rambling excitedly “I like stuff that makes the water soft. And the rosey bubbles were nice. I was like a /seal/ at the beach, Connor.”

The amused pinch in Connor's brow gives him pause and he sputters trying to explain himself. Connor visibly looks to be holding back a laugh and Hank is dying.

Connor shrugs and pats over his apron, a little bit of fragrant powder escaping up out of his pocket. “Well, I always thought it was like a mermaid.”

Hank snorts, “Of course you’d think mermaid, you could be one.”

“Only on the weekends." Connor preens, pushing the little flyaway back off his temple only for it to slip back down.

The thought comes to him. If Connor's hair is as soft as his own felt, after he washed it with all his new stuff. Probably better, even.

He realizes he's been staring when Connor gives him that pleased look again. “Did you like everything you bought?”

Hank nods dumbly, pulling himself together.

“Yeah! It was all really nice…” he meets Connor's eyes, earnest. “And I followed all your instructions, and read them over again when I needed them. It was thanks to you.”

Connor blushes deep.

He bites down a smile and ducks his head, laughing softly. He even stims lightly with his hands mostly hidden at his sides. “Hank, I'm… I'm glad!”

Hank feels so happy to be making this guy smile. Connor brightens up so adorably and it spreads like a warm light.

He forces out words before he comments on it, or stares again. “There were a few too many bubbles for my style, because I kept wanting to look at the water, but it was the best.”

“How much of it did you crumble in?”

“…The whole thing?”

To his surprise, Connor snorts loudly. “Hank! You should've used /maybe/ half!”

Hank laughs, leaning forward on the counter, “I didn't know!”

“You used a whole bath bomb and crumbled three baths worth of bubbles in. No wonder you were a seal.” Connor turns away, wiping a tear from his eye. “I'm so sorry, I should have written it down for you.”

Hank runs his hands through his hair and smiles brightly, feeling so light. “I had fun… That also means… I need a few more things.”

Connor takes a few deep breaths and smiles, looking increasingly excited at the prospect of giving Hank a new experience. “Really?"

He feels his smile widen, even turn giddy while he nods and follows an almost bouncing Connor to the cozy smelling rows of bath products.

Cole is just biting into a sandwich when his father comes back home. He meets him there in the kitchen, seeing the starry-eyed look on his face. “Have a good day?”

Hank hands him the receipt from his bath store and Cole hums at the price. After getting a hand flapped at him, he turns it over.

There's a series of numbers on the other side; ‘Msg me!'

“Oh Pops, fuck yeah!”

Hank stares at the perfectly printed numbers on the back of that lavender smelling receipt again, 313 248 317 51… he's so nervous. Connor had been sweet, voice bright as he spoke about instructions.

Connor had rang him up, a special new bath melt the star among items. Hank picked out a hair styling product all by himself, and Connor had swiped his personal discount, loaded him with little samples. Hank must have been gawking into his bag when Connor wrote down his number.

He sighs, running his fingers through his hair. He should just say hello, not be all awkward about it. He's talked to Connor before. He's flirted with Connor. And now he can't text?

“Are you /yearning/ like a sad old bi, Pops?” Cole drops down onto the couch next to him,

pulling his homework out of his backpack.

Hank grunts at the back of his son's too hard head slamming onto his thigh. “Ugh. Maybe, don't gotta call me out.”

“Just text him! He'll get it, that's his serial number.” Cole pokes at his tablet “You know what that means.”

“What does that mean?” He's about to get gruff if Cole learned something shitty from someone at school.

“It means he doesn't have a phone. Or,” Cole looks up at him, grinning, “He gave you the number to his head because he likes you.”

Hank melts, throwing an arm over his face as his head falls to the back of the couch. “Shit. Come on!”

“You come on! He obviously likes you!”

“I know! I'm nervous!”

Cole scoffs, taking the phone & receipt from Hank's hand. Connor's number in, he starts off the conversation

>>H: Hey it's Hank, thanks for thinking I'm attractive. I think you're hot, too

“Connor's hot, right?” Cole asks as he tosses it back.

“What? I—yeah, I mean.” Hank glances at his screen and almost has a heart attack, “Cole Ambrose Anderson!”

Cole rolls away dramatically, over the coffee table & scattering magazines. Sumo barks.

“You gotta believe in yourself!”

“I believe I'm gonna kick your ass!”

Hank does indeed kick Cole's ass, but at that point there's no strength in it bc they're both wheezing with laughter.

He's chased Cole around the kitchen and living room, both of them swatting at each other. Cole brandishes a dish towel and launches an assault. Hank lifts him bodily off his feet and spins him, deposits him upside down on the living room chair.

Hank drops himself onto the couch and Sumo clambers to lay on top of him, having loved all the excitement. He hugs his dog close, cooing “Oof. Big lump.”

When he checks his phone, there is a reply from Connor.

>>C: Hello, Hank! You're very welcome, I do find you attractive. And thank you, I'm quite glad about that. I'm also glad you contacted me!

>>H: God fuck, I'm sorry. Cole sent that first message. I'm happy to hear from you tho. I really am.

>>C: Oh! I apologize then on the misunderstanding. Clarification; you don't feel that way?

Hank sweats, hastily replying. >>No! Wait. I just. Didn't want to make you uncomfortable.

>>C: Oh!

>>H: I mean I do!
>>H: Feel that way!

>>C: You're very kind, Hank. I'm glad your son contacted me. With accurate and... wonderful information.

Hank blows out a deep breath, heart pounding. He can almost smell the interior of the store by associating it with Connor in his mind.

He thinks about that teasing amusement Connor can wear, his soft smile, his bright eyes.

>>H: I can see that smug face from here, I swear

>>C: If you could, then I'd see your redness.

Damn if he's not 100% right.

He hasn't known Connor long but every interaction and thought of Connor has been good. And it's made better by the fact Cole's supportive. He's encouraging Hank to go after someone romantically and Hank feels supported and safe in that,

Knowing he's chill with someone that isn't his mom is good, and that they can talk about shit like that.

Brighter and brighter days. Shooing Sumo off him, he pulls himself up from the couch and tries to push his luck even more, “Hey kid, you wanna help me cook dinner?”

“Is it pizza?”

“You're a pizza gremlin.” Hank snorts, but smiles as Cole hauls himself up with a dramatic sigh.

>>H: You know some about me. Tell me about you, Connor. How bout it?

>>C: I have so much to say.

Brighter and brighter.

~ fin ~

i wrote more for this but i realize i'm writing slowburn fluff 12 tweets at a time 😂 maybe more one day!!

thanks to everyone who enjoyed this and interacted with me during this, made me feel welcome 💓