Page 24 of Saving Little Clark

I hurried after Alex. As much as I adored seeing my best friend like this, so free and uninhibited, I couldn't help but worry about what had brought on this sudden, drastic shift.

As soon as I closed the door behind us, Alex spat out his binky and fixed me with a look of pure glee.

"Clarkie!" he whispered, bouncing on his knees like a human pogo stick. "Guess what?”

"What?" I asked, playing along with an amused grin. "Did you finally master the art of tying your shoes without ending up in a tangled heap on the floor?"

Alex stuck his tongue out at me. "No, silly! I told Will about being a Little last night. Remember when we were crawling around in the playroom, giggling and being all adorable and stuff? Apparently, he and some of his friends were there. But the point is, he saw me in my natural habitat and didn't run away."

I felt a sudden rush of warmth and gratitude towards Will.

"That's amazing," I said softly, reaching out to squeeze his shoulder. "I'm so happy for you.”

I knew how much he’d wanted this, how long he’d been searching for someone who would accept and embrace every part of him.

Alex beamed, his face lighting up. "The best part is, he wants to be my Daddy someday." He giggled, a blush staining his cheeks a shade of pink, hugging his stuffed bunny close to his chest. "He’s so great. It was terrifying at first, not knowing how he’d react. But once I got over the initial panic, the truth felt amazing.”

Looking at the joy radiating from him, I felt a flicker of hope ignite in my chest. Maybe happiness wasn't a distant dream after all.

He smiled softly. "I want you to know that I'm here for you, always. No matter what happens with me and Will, you'll always be my best friend.”

"I know," I said hoarsely. "And I'm here for you too. Even if you do have a tendency to leap before you look, to jump into things with both feet and damn the consequences."

Alex laughed. "You think I told Will about my Little side prematurely, don’t you? Sometimes you just gotta go for it, you know?"

"Oh, I know," I said dryly, shaking my head with a rueful grin. "Need I remind you of the Great Glitter Incident of freshman year? Or the time you decided toborrowa golf cart from the country club and take it for a joyride down Main Street?"

Alex let out a guilty little giggle. "Okay, so maybe I can be a bit impulsive at times. But I wasn't always like this. BeforeI met you, I was a shy, anxious little thing, always hiding in the back of the classroom and praying no one would notice me."

My mind couldn't quite conjure the image.

"What changed?"

"You did," he said simply. "From the moment we met, you saw something in me that no one else did. Something special, something worthy of love and attention. You saved me, Clarkie. When I saw you be in your Little headspace, you showed me that it was okay to be myself, to let my freak flag fly high and proud. You gave me the courage to chase my dreams, even when it involved jumping out of a perfectly good airplane or dyeing my hair electric blue on a dare."

I laughed, remembering the look on our RA's face when Alex had strutted into the dorm with a head full of neon spikes. "Yeah, that was definitely a highlight of sophomore year," I said, grinning at the memory.

Alex giggled, his eyes sparkling with mischief.

"I love you, you know," I said softly. "Not in a sexy way, obviously. But in aI would do anything for you, including but not limited to hiding a bodykind of way."

Alex laughed. "I love you too, Clarkie. In a purely platonic,I would let you help me hide that body and then treat you to ice cream afterwardskind of way."

I led Alex back into the living room, his hand clutched tightly in mine. Will looked up as we entered, his expression softening into a warm, indulgent smile at the sight of Alex crawling towards him with eager, grabby hands. "There's my little munchkin," he cooed, scooping Alex up into his lap and pressing a kiss to his lips. "Did you have a good talk with Clark?"

Alex nodded, snuggling into Will's chest with a contented sigh. "Uh-huh. We talked about lots of things, like feelings and friendship and how much we love each other. But not in a sexy way, 'cause that would be gross."

Will chuckled, ruffling Alex's hair affectionately. "I should hope not. I don't think my poor heart could take the competition."

I watched the exchange, marveling at the instant connection that seemed to have sprung up between them.

"So, what's up?" I asked, plopping down on the couch beside them. "You had something you wanted to discuss with us?"

Will nodded, his expression turning serious even as he continued to rub soothing circles on Alex's back. "Yeah, it's about setting some ground rules. For when Alex is in his Little headspace, I mean."

Alex's head popped up, his eyes wide and wary. "Rules? What kind of rules? I don't like rules, they're boring and dumb and no fun at all."

Will smiled, tapping Alex gently on the nose. "I know, sweetheart. But rules are important, especially for little ones like you. They help keep you safe and happy.”

---