Chapter 7 Brody
I woke up with a smile tugging at the corners of my mouth, the memories of yesterday's adventure with Clark still fresh and vivid in my mind. I rolled out of bed, padding over to the window to let in the bright morning sunlight.
I was just about to hop in the shower, still grinning dopily to myself, when there was a loud, insistent knocking. I groaned, glancing at the clock on my bedside table.
A familiar voice bellowed from the intercom. "Rise and shine, sleeping beauty. Time to face the day."
I rolled my eyes, stomping over to yank the door open with a scowl. "Will, what have I told you about barging over here unannounced? This better be a life or death emergency, or I swear to god-"
"Oh please, like you have anything better to do than lounge around in your pajamas and pine over your new boy toy," Will scoffed, shouldering his way into my apartment like he owned the place. "Speaking of, how is Prince Charming this morning? Sore in all the right places, I hope?"
I felt my face flush hot at the implication. "Not that it's any of your business, but Clark and I are taking things slow," I said primly, crossing my arms over my chest. "Some of us prefer a little romancing before we go full cave man, thank you very much."
Will just smirked, flopping down on my couch and propping his feet up on the coffee table. "Ah yes, the noble art of wooing. All longing looks and chaste pecks on the cheek, how very Jane Austen of you."
"Better than your approach of clubbing your intended over the head and dragging them back to your lair," I shot back, swatting at his ankles until he grudgingly removed his shoes from my furniture. "Seriously though, what brings you here? Shouldn't you be off harassing the barista at your favorite coffee shop by now?"
Will's expression turned uncharacteristically serious, a hint of nervousness flickering in his eyes. "Actually, I'm here because I have something important to tell you. I just think I figured out why Clark and Alex seemed so familiar when I met them yesterday."
I frowned. "What do you mean? Have you met them before?"
"Not exactly," Will hedged, chewing on his lower lip. "But I've seen them around at the club for Littles and Daddies."
I blinked, sure I must have misheard. "A club for what now?"
Will took a deep breath, his hands twisting together in his lap. "Okay, so I guess it’s time for the talk. Some people are really into something called age play…"
He explained what the various terms meant. I nodded slowly, still confused. "But what does that have to do with Clark and Alex?"
"I think they're Littles," Will blurted out, his words coming out in a rushed jumble. "I mean, I'm pretty sure they are. I saw them at this club I've been to a few times, all dressed up in onesies and playing with toys and stuff. I started looking through Alex's social media yesterday, and there were all these cute photos of them coloring and having tea parties and just generally being adorable."
He trailed off, his face flushing pink as he registered my surprised expression. "I know, it sounds crazy. But I swear I'm not making this up. Your boy Clark is probably a Little too."
I shook my head, trying to process this. Clark, sweet, shy, bookish Clark was a Little? Wanting a Daddy to coddle him? It seemed so at odds with the man I had gotten to know yesterday.
And yet, memories flashed through my mind. The way Clark's eyes had gone wide and shiny when I called him my prince. How he had clutched my hand during the scary parts of the movie, his body instinctively curling towards mine for comfort and protection. The soft, breathy little noises he made when I kissed him, all needy whimpers and pliant surrender.
Surprisingly, I felt a sudden rush of fierce protectiveness, a bone-deep need to wrap Clark up in my arms and keep him safe from the world.
"Holy shit," I breathed, running a hand through my hair as I struggled to collect my spiraling thoughts. "It strangely makes sense.”
Will nodded eagerly, relief evident on his face. "Right? And the more I thought about it, the more I realized that I might be into it too. The whole Daddy thing, I mean."
My eyebrows shot up at that, a surprised laugh escaping me. "Really? You, Mr. Commitment-Phobe Extraordinaire?”
Will huffed, crossing his arms defensively. "I'll have you know I can be very nurturing when I want to be. I just like the idea of taking care of someone, you know? Of being needed and appreciated for more than just my abs and my bank account."
His voice softened, a wistful note creeping in. "When I was at that club last week, I met this Little who was all alone and scared. Her Daddy had ditched her to go hook up with someone else, and she was just curled up in the corner crying. It broke my heart, man. I just wanted to scoop her up and make everything better."
I swallowed hard, my chest aching at the thought of any Little being neglected like that. At the thought of Clark, vulnerable and hurting, needing me to dry his tears and chase away the monsters under the bed.
My sweet boy, a treacherous voice whispered in my mind. Mine to hold, mine to cherish, mine to protect and adore. The thought sent a shudder through me, equal parts thrilling and terrifying. Was I really ready for this?
Soon, we arrived at the bustling offices of InnovaTech Solutions, the software development firm I started with Will a few years ago. The sleek, modern building was already humming with activity, employees milling about with coffee cups in hand and laptops tucked under their arms. I nodded and smiled at a few familiar faces as I made my way to my office space.
As I settled in and booted up my computer, my mind drifted to the project I had been pouring my heart and soul into for the past few weeks. It was an educational app designed to make learning fun and engaging for kids. The app, which we had dubbed "Adventure Academy", used colorful characters and interactive games to teach basic math, reading, and science skills. It was the kind of project that made me excited to come to work every day.
Today, however, my excitement was tinged with a hint of nervousness. We were set to meet with the freelance graphic designers who had been hired to create the whimsical, child-friendly illustrations that would bring the app to life.
Glancing at my watch, I saw that it was nearly time for the meeting. I gathered up my notepad and pen, double-checking that I had all the necessary files and mock-ups loaded onto my tablet. Then, I headed out to the cafe where the meeting was arranged.
As I pushed open the door to the cozy, artsy space, the rich aroma of coffee and freshly baked pastries enveloped me like a warm hug. I scanned the room, looking for any sign of the designers. I promptly felt my jaw drop open in shock.
There, seated at a table by the window, were none other than Clark and Alex.
For a moment, I simply stared, sure that my eyes must be playing tricks on me. But no, there was no mistaking that bright grin. It was definitely Clark, looking just as adorably rumpled and endearing as he had the day before.
As if sensing my gaze, Clark glanced up, his eyes widening. A slow, sweet smile spread across his face, making my heart do a funny little flip in my chest. He raised a hand in a shy wave, the brightly colored beads on his bracelet clacking together. Clutched in his other hand was a notebook covered in cartoon characters, the pages edged with what looked like glittery stickers.
Of course Clark would march to the beat of his own drum, even in a corporate setting. It was one of the things I liked so much about him, that refreshing lack of pretension. He was unapologetically himself, quirks and all.
I made my way over to the table, my own smile stretching wide across my face. "Well, this is a surprise," I said, pulling out a chair and plopping down. "I had no idea you two were the designers we had hired. Talk about a small world, huh?"
Alex smirked, leaning back in his seat with a mischievous glint in his eye. "Well, if it isn't Mr. Tall, Dark, and Corporate. Fancy meeting you here, pirate."
I snorted. "Good to see you too, Alex. I see you've brought your usual charm and wit to the table."
Clark spoke up then. "Don't mind him, Brody. He's just excited to be working on such a big project. We both are, really.”
"The honor is all ours," I said smoothly, reaching out to give Clark's hand a quick, reassuring squeeze. "Your portfolio blew us away. The characters you created for that children's book series were so expressive, so full of life and personality.”
"Okay, enough with the mutual admiration society," Alex cut in, waving his hand impatiently. "Can we talk about the fact that we're basically living in a romcom film right now? I mean, what are the odds that the hot guy Clark was drooling over yesterday just happens to be our new boss?"
"Alex!" Clark yelped, looking mortified. "Ignore him, please.”
But I just grinned, leaning forward to prop my chin on my hand. "I think Alex might be onto something here. It does feel a bit like fate, doesn't it? The dashing pirate and his trusty parrot, reunited once more with their love interests."
Alex groaned. "I thought we agreed to retire the pirate schtick. It's time to find a new fantasy."
"Says the man who spent all morning practicing his squawk in the mirror," Clark muttered under his breath, earning a scandalized gasp from Alex.
"Alright, settle down, kids," I said, clapping my hands together in mock-sternness. "As much as I'm enjoying this little reunion, we do have an app to design. What say we get down to business?"