Page 26 of Saving Little Clark

"I guess we'll just have to tire you out beforehand, won't we? With lots of tickles and silly games that’ll have you giggling and squirming until you're all tuckered out."

Alex considered this for a moment, his brow furrowed in thought. "But I have a condition of my own. I want a bedtimestory," Alex said, wiggling in Will's lap with excitement. "And I want you to do all the sound effects and character voices too."

Will laughed. "I think I can manage that.”

Chapter 11: Clark

Alex and I were in the midst of an epic battle between his army of stuffed animals and my legion of plastic dinosaurs. The doorbell rang, startling us both. I froze, my heart leaping into my throat as I realized who it must be.

Here I was, sprawled out on the floor in my jammies, surrounded by a sea of toys and stuffed animals, with my best friend happily babbling away in his Little headspace beside me.

Oh god. This was not how I wanted Brody to see me. But as I scrambled to my feet, hastily smoothing down my rumpled hair and straightening my shirt, it was too late. Brody was already stepping into the apartment, his eyes widening in surprise as he took in the scene before him.

"Clark?" he said, his voice laced with confusion. "What's going on here? And is that Alex? On the floor?"

I swallowed hard, my mouth going dry as I tried to think of a plausible explanation. But before I could even open my mouth, Alex was crawling over to Brody with a wide, guileless grin, his stuffed bunny clutched tightly in his hand.

"Hi, Uncle Brody!" he chirped, plopping down at Brody's feet and gazing up at him with big, adoring eyes. "Wanna play with me and Clarkie? We're having a big 'venture, with lots of animals and dinos and stuff!"

Brody blinked, looking momentarily taken aback by Alex's childlike demeanor. But to my surprise, his expression quickly softened.

"Well, hello there, little one," he said, crouching down to Alex's level and ruffling his hair. "That sounds like quite theadventure. But I'm a bit confused. Are you rehearsing for a play or something?”

Alex giggled, shaking his head. "Nope. I'm just being me, silly."

Brody raised an eyebrow, glancing over at me with a questioning look.

"I'm a Little!" Alex announced proudly, puffing out his chest like a miniature superhero. "That means sometimes I like to be small, with toys, games and lots of cuddles and stuff."

I held my breath as I watched Brody's face for any sign of discomfort or disgust. But his expression remained open and curious.

"A Little, huh?" he said, tapping his chin thoughtfully. "I think I've heard of that before. Something about age regression and caregiver dynamics, right?"

My jaw dropped. "You know about Littles?" I stammered, hardly daring to believe my ears.

Brody chuckled, shaking his head ruefully. "Ah, that would be Will's doing," he said, nodding towards the man in question, who was watching the exchange with a fond, knowing smile. "He's been my unofficial guide to the wonderful world of various lifestyles."

"Well, that's amazing," I said, my voice rough with emotion. "Seriously, Brody, you have no idea how much it means to Alex that you're so cool with this.”

"Hey," Brody interrupted gently, reaching out to take my hand and giving it a reassuring squeeze. "There's nothing wrong with being unconventional.”

Alex chose that moment to pipe up, his voice high and sweet with excitement.

"Does this mean I can call you Uncle Brody now?" he asked, bouncing on his heels with barely-contained glee. "Cause if you're gonna be Clarkie's boyfriend, that makes you part of the family, right?"

"Alex!" I hissed, shooting him a warning look.

But Brody just laughed. "I would be honored," he said, scooping Alex up into his arms and spinning him around in a dizzying circle. "In fact, I think it might just be the best job title I've ever had."

Alex giggled, clinging to Brody's neck. "Yay! Uncle Brody!"

I watched them twirl and play, feeling a rush of warmth and affection.

As Brody set Alex back down on his feet, Will cleared his throat, a hint of nervousness flickering across his handsome face. "Actually, Brody. There's something I wanted to talk to you about, too.”

Brody raised an eyebrow. "Of course, man. What's on your mind?"

Will took a deep breath, his hand finding Alex's and twining their fingers together. "Last night, Alex and I had a long talk about our relationship. And I realized I want to be his Daddy.”

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