Chapter 10 Clark
I was just settling in for a cozy night of Netflix and chill when the doorbell rang, startling me out of my snuggly cocoon of blankets.
With a grumble, I padded over to the front door. As I swung the door open, my jaw dropped in shock at the sight before me.
There, cradled in Will's arms like a sleepy toddler, was Alex. But not the Alex I was used to seeing - not the sassy, mischievous, larger-than-life bestie who was always ready with a quip or a prank. No, this Alex was softer, more vulnerable, his eyes wide and trusting as he sucked contentedly on a bright blue binky.
He was dressed in a onesie, a fluffy white one dotted with cheerful yellow duckies. And clutched tightly in his arms was a stuffed animal, a floppy-eared bunny with a lopsided grin.
For a moment, I could only stare, struggling to process the unexpected sight.
Alex was in full-on Little mode in front of Will?
But then, from the tender, adoring look on Will's face as he gazed down at the precious bundle in his arms, it was clear that things were moving way too fast, but in a good way.
"Hey, Clark," Will said softly, his voice low and soothing so as not to disturb the drowsy boy in his embrace. "Sorry to drop in on you like this, but someone was feeling a little clingy tonight and wanted to see his best friend."
"No worries," I said, stepping back to let them into the apartment.
As Will carried Alex over to the couch and settled him gently onto the cushions, I felt a flicker of nervousness. But then Alex lifted his head and gave me a sleepy, pacifier-muffled smile, his eyes crinkling with familiar mischief.
"Hey, buddy," I said. "Why don't we go hang out in my room for a bit, give Will a chance to rest his arms for a minute?"
Alex nodded agreeably, reaching up to take my hand as I helped him off the couch. And then, to my utter astonishment, he dropped to his hands and knees and began to crawl towards my bedroom, his stuffed bunny dragging along behind him like a floppy third leg.
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 to borrow a 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. Before I 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 a I would do anything for you, including but not limited to hiding a body kind 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 afterwards kind 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.”
I nodded. "He's right, Lex. Having some structure can be really good for you. Especially considering how prone to mischief you can be at times."
Alex gasped, clutching at his chest in mock-outrage. "Mischief? Moi? I'll have you know I am a perfect angel, thank you very much. A paragon of virtue and good behavior."
Will snorted, shaking his head fondly. "Sure you are, kiddo. And I'm the Queen of England."
Alex giggled, booping Will on the nose with a cheeky grin. "Well, Your Majesty, I hate to break it to you, but you're looking a little scruffy for a lady.”
Will laughed, tickling Alex's sides until he squealed and squirmed away. "Alright, you little sass-monster. Enough stalling. It's time to talk about these rules.”
Alex pouted, looking like a grumpy toddler being told it was naptime. "Fine," he grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest. "But I reserve the right to negotiate. And by negotiate, I mean whine and complain until I get my way."
I bit back a grin, shaking my head at his antics. "Of course you do," I said dryly. "Because heaven forbid you make things easy for once in your life."
Alex stuck his tongue out at me. "Easy is for losers," he declared, tossing his head like a defiant prince. "I prefer to live life on the edge, thank you very much."
Will just smiled, pulling Alex back into his lap with gentle, insistent hands. "Alright, my little daredevil. Negotiations are welcome, but the final say rests with me and Clark. Deal?"
Alex sighed dramatically, but I could see the excitement in his eyes, the way he leaned into Will's touch like a flower seeking the sun. "Deal," he said, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "But I'm warning you now, I drive a hard bargain. You might want to break out the big guns, like extra cookies or late bedtimes."
"Duly noted," Will said. "Now, rule number one. No swearing. Little boys should use kind, polite words at all times."
Alex's jaw dropped, his eyes widening in horror. "But how will I express my innermost thoughts and feelings? How will I convey the depth of my existential angst and tortured soul?"
I rolled my eyes. "There are plenty of other ways to express yourself."
Alex glared at me, sticking out his lower lip in an exaggerated pout. "You're dead to me, Clark.”
Will just laughed, giving Alex a gentle squeeze. "Alright, then no swearing, unless it's for a really good reason. Like if you see a spider or something."
Alex tilted his head thoughtfully. "Okay, but I also want to add if someone tries to make me eat broccoli to the list of acceptable swearing situations. Because that stuff is straight-up nasty, and I reserve the right to express my disgust in the most colorful language possible."
Will nodded. "Rule number two. No lying or keeping secrets from me.”
Alex's face fell, his lower lip trembling slightly. "But what if I do something bad and I'm scared you'll be mad at me?”
Will's expression softened. "Oh, sweetheart. I promise I’ll never be mad at you for telling the truth. I might be disappointed if you do something wrong, but I’ll always be proud of you for being honest with me. That's what being a good boy is all about, yeah?"
Alex buried his face in Will's chest. "Yeah," he mumbled, his voice muffled by the fabric of Will's shirt. "I'll try my best. I promise."
Will smiled. "Remember, you don't have to deal with anything alone, okay?"
Alex nodded, peeking up at Will with big eyes.
"Now," Will said. "We've still got a few more rules to go over, and I have a feeling they're going to be doozies."
Alex groaned, flopping back against Will's chest with a dramatic sigh. "Ugh, fine. Lay 'em on me, boss man. But I reserve the right to protest and throw a tantrum if I don't like what I hear."
"Duly noted. Now, rule number three. No staying up past bedtime. Boys need their rest.”
Alex gasped, clutching at his chest like he'd been shot. "But that's when the fairies come out to play, and the monsters have their tea parties, and the unicorns do their synchronized swimming routines."
I bit back a laugh. "And how would you know, considering you're usually snoring away by 9pm sharp?"
Alex sniffed, turning up his nose haughtily. "I have my sources," he said, waving a hand dismissively. "Reliable, trustworthy sources who definitely aren't imaginary or anything."
"Uh-huh," Will said, his voice dry. "Well, I'm afraid your sources are going to have to find a new informant, because there will be no more late-night shenanigans on my watch. Bedtime is bedtime, end of story."
Alex pouted, his lower lip jutting out. "But what if I have too much energy to sleep?"
"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 bedtime story," 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.”