Saving Little Clark (Brave Daddies #4)

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 the adventure. 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.”

Brody's eyes widened, a slow grin spreading across his face. "Will, that's incredible. I'm so happy for you, for both of you.”

Alex beamed, nuzzling into Will's side like a contented kitten.

"You know, Clark," Brody said, turning to me with a playful grin. "I'm starting to think you might be a bit of a trouble magnet. Every time I turn around, you're in the middle of some kind of mischief or mayhem."

I laughed, feeling a flush of pleasure at his teasing tone. "I prefer to think of it as a talent for attracting excitement and adventure," I said, batting my lashes at him. "But I can see how a boring old fuddy-duddy like you might mistake it for trouble."

Brody gasped, clutching at his chest in mock-offense. "Oh, please. I am the epitome of cool and hip. I even know how to use emojis and everything."

I snorted, shaking my head in amusement. "Ooh, emojis. Be still my beating heart."

He grinned. "Oh, I'll still your beating heart, alright. With my devastatingly handsome good looks and wit."

"More like with your cheesy pickup lines and delusions of grandeur," I retorted, but I could feel my cheeks heating up, my pulse quickening at the heat in his gaze.

He took a step closer, his voice dropping to a low, intimate rumble. "Admit it. You find me irresistible. You can't get enough of my dashing charm and good looks."

I bit my lip, feeling a thrill of excitement and arousal zipping through me like an electric current. "In your dreams," I murmured, but the words lacked heat.

Alex's voice broke the spell, his high-pitched giggle cutting through the charged silence like a knife.

"Uncle Brody, come play with me!" he called, waving a stuffed dinosaur in the air enticingly. "You can be the T-Rex, and I'll be the baby raptor, and we can have a big dino adventure together."

Brody blinked, shaking his head as if to clear it of the haze of desire that had settled over us. "Duty calls," he said ruefully, shooting me an apologetic grin. "To be continued?"

Then he was moving away, dropping to his knees beside Alex and immediately launching into a goofy, growling impression of a T-Rex on the hunt.

I watched them play, feeling a rush of fondness and longing. This was what I wanted, what I had always yearned for.

As if sensing my thoughts, Will sidled up to me, bumping his shoulder against mine with a knowing grin. "I don't think I've ever seen Brody so gone on someone before. He lights up like a Christmas tree every time you walk into the room. And from the looks of it, the feeling is entirely mutual. So what are you waiting for?”

I took a deep breath, steeling my nerves and squaring my shoulders. He was right.

I turned back to where Alex and Brody were happily playing on the floor, their laughter and silly sound effects filling the room with warmth and joy.

"Hey, you two," I called, putting on my best stern voice. "What's this I hear about a dino adventure? You know the rules. No adventures allowed without proper adult supervision."

Alex pouted, his lower lip jutting out in an exaggerated sulk. "But Clarkie," he whined, drawing out the last syllable. "Uncle Brody is a proper grownup. He's super old and responsible and stuff."

Brody gasped, clutching at his chest in mock-outrage. "Old? I'll have you know I am in the prime of my life, the very picture of youthful vigor and vitality."

"More like the picture of delusion and denial," Will muttered, earning a glare from Brody and a giggle from Alex.

I shook my head, fighting back a grin. "Be that as it may," I said, putting my hands on my hips in my best superhero pose, "I have to insist on joining this little expedition. Just to make sure you two troublemakers stay out of mischief, of course."

"Of course," Brody said. "So, how shall we brave the wilds of Clark's living room and emerge victorious?"

I tapped my chin thoughtfully. "Well, first things first. We'll need provisions. Snacks and juice boxes, to keep our strength up for the long journey ahead."

"I want goldfish crackers!" Alex piped up, bouncing on his heels excitedly.

"And I'll take a juice box," Brody added, grinning at me rakishly. "Fruit punch flavor, please and thank you. We'll need to stay hydrated if we're to fight off hungry dinos."

Will snorted. "Dinos drink water, idiot. Not fruit punch."

"Maybe boring old dinos like you do," Brody retorted. "But cool dinos like me and Clark? We run on pure sugar and artificial coloring."

"Yeah, and it shows," Will muttered, rolling his eyes. "Alright, fine. Goldfish crackers and juice boxes it is. But I'm making a veggie platter too, just to balance out all that junk food."

"Ugh, vegetables," Alex whined, wrinkling his nose in disgust. "Those are yucky, Daddy. Dinos don't eat yucky veggies."

"Actually, some dinosaurs were herbivores," I pointed out, unable to resist the urge to educate. "Like the brachiosaurus and the stegosaurus.”

"Nerd," Brody coughed into his fist, earning a glare from me and a giggle from Alex.

"Oh, like you're one to talk, Mr. I-Have-A-Signed-Copy-Of-Jurassic-Park-On-My-Bookshelf," I retorted.

"Ooh, Uncle Brody's in trouble!" Alex sing-songed, clapping his hands together gleefully. "Clark's gonna make him sleep on the couch tonight."

"Hey now," Brody said hastily, shooting me a pleading look. "No need to bring out the big guns like couch exile, right?"

"I don't know," I mused, drawing out the words teasingly. "It might take more than just a simple apology to earn my forgiveness."

"More, you say?" Brody purred, his eyes darkening with heat as he took a step closer to me. "A foot rub, perhaps? A serenade beneath your window? Or maybe a kiss, to prove the depths of my devotion and regret?"

I bit my lip, fighting back a shiver of anticipation at the promise in his words. "I look forward to it," I murmured, holding his gaze for a long, heated moment.

And with that, I clapped my hands together. "Alright, dino crew!" I announced, putting on my best rallying voice. "Will, you're on snack duty. Raid the kitchen and gather whatever supplies you think we'll need for the journey ahead."

Will saluted me, a glint of amusement in his eye. "Sir, yes sir," he barked, marching off towards the fridge with exaggerated solemnity.

"What about me?" Alex asked, bouncing on his toes eagerly. "What's my job?"

"We'll need someone to be our lookout, to keep an eye out for any approaching predators or rival dino gangs. Think you can handle that, little raptor?"

Alex puffed out his chest, nodding. "I can handle anything," he declared, striking a heroic pose. "No dino is gonna get past these eagle eyes, no sir."

I chuckled. "Now, why don't you go get your binoculars and your explorer hat? We'll need to be properly equipped if we're going to survive the wilds of the living room."

Alex let out a whoop of excitement and scampered off towards my bedroom.

"What about you?" I asked, turning to Brody with a playful grin.

Brody smirked, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning back against the wall. "Isn't it obvious?" he drawled. "I'm the dashing rogue, the charming scoundrel who keeps things interesting and adds a little spice to the mix."

I snorted. "More like the cocky bastard who's gonna get us all killed with his reckless stunts and bad puns. Just try not to get eaten by any T-Rexes, yeah? I'd hate to have to break in a new scoundrel after I've just gotten used to your particular brand of nonsense."

Brody clutched at his heart, a look of exaggerated offense on his face. "Break in a new scoundrel? You wound me! I thought what we had was special, a once-in-a-lifetime kind of thing. I can't believe you'd even consider replacing me with some newer, flashier model."

"Don't worry," I murmured, reaching out to loop my arms around his neck and draw him close. "You're one of a kind. I could search the whole wide world and never find another scoundrel quite like you."

Brody's eyes softened. "That so?" he whispered, his breath ghosting over my lips in a way that made me shiver and sigh.

I leaned in until our foreheads touched, until I could feel the heat of him seeping into my skin like sunlight. "You're stuck with me, I'm afraid. For better or worse, in dino attacks and juice box famines."

"I wouldn't have it any other way," Brody murmured, and then he was kissing me, soft and sweet and achingly perfect, his hands coming up to cup my face.

I melted into him, into the warm, solid strength of his body against mine, the gentle pressure of his lips moving over my own.

Soon, as our grand dino adventure drew to a close, I couldn't help but marvel at the sheer joy and chaos of it all. We battled fierce T-Rexes and wily velociraptors, braved treacherous pillow pits and Lego landmines, and emerged victorious with our snacks and sanity mostly intact.

When Will announced that he had to run out for a quick errand and asked if we could keep an eye on Alex for an hour or so, I didn't hesitate to agree. And neither, to my surprise and delight, did Brody.

"Of course, man," he said easily, waving off Will's thanks with a grin. "We'll be fine, won't we, champ?"

He ruffled Alex's hair affectionately, earning a giggle and a playful swat from the happy boy sprawled out on the carpet.

"Yeah, Daddy!" Alex chirped, beaming up at Will with adoring eyes. "Uncle Brody and Clark will take good care of me.”

Will smiled, soft and fond, and leaned down to press a kiss to Alex's lips. "Just remember to be good, okay? No monkey business or mischief-making while I'm gone."

As Will headed out the door with a final wave and a promise to be back soon, I couldn't help but feel a pang of envy mingled with joy. As I watched Brody scoop Alex up and swing him around in a dizzying, giggling circle, I wondered if such happiness was in the cards for me too.

The next hour passed in a blur of laughter and mischief. Brody was a natural with Alex. He knew just how to hold the sippy cup to avoid spills, the perfect angle to tilt it so Alex could drink without dribbling. He cut the crusts off the sandwiches without being asked, arranging the bite-sized pieces into smiley faces and goofy shapes that made Alex clap his hands in delight.

And when the inevitable crash of disaster struck, when Alex toppled a towering stack of my old college textbooks and sent them sprawling across the bedroom floor, Brody was right there to soothe and comfort, to chase away the fears with gentle words and warm hugs.

"Hey, it's okay, buddy," he murmured, rubbing Alex's back in slow, calming circles. "Accidents happen, yeah?”

"But I made a mess," Alex said, his lower lip trembling pitifully. "I was bad, Uncle Brody. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to..."

"Shh, none of that now," Brody said firmly, tipping Alex's chin up to meet his gaze. "You're a good boy, and nothing is ever going to change that. Not even a little spilled milk, or a lotta spilled books, in this case."

Alex giggled, swiping at his cheek with the back of his hand. "Silly Uncle Brody. Books can't spill. They're not liquid."

"Oh yeah?" Brody challenged, a playful glint in his eye. "Then how do you explain all these words and letters, huh? Look at 'em, just spilled out all over the floor like a big ol' alphabet soup."

Together, the three of us made quick work of the fallen books, stacking them back up into neat piles and tucking them away on the shelves. Alex insisted on helping, on being a "big, strong boy" who could carry the heavy hardcovers all by himself.

And Brody, bless him, played along with a solemn nod and a flex of his biceps. "You sure are, champ," he said, a proud grin on his face. "With muscles like those, I bet you could lift a whole library if you wanted to."

Alex beamed, throwing his arms around Brody's neck and squeezing with all his might. "I love you, Uncle Brody," he mumbled into the soft fabric of Brody's shirt. "You're the best uncle ever."

"I love you too, buddy," Brody whispered.

I met Brody's gaze over Alex's shoulder, saw the tenderness and devotion and quiet understanding shining in those ocean-blue eyes.

Just then, the front door swung open with a bang, and Will's booming voice filled the apartment.

"Honey, I'm home!" he called out, a teasing lilt to his words. "Where's my favorite little monster at? I've got a surprise for him."

"Daddy!" Alex squealed, wriggling out of Brody's arms and racing towards the sound of Will's voice like a puppy chasing a favorite toy. "You're back!"

I heard Will's answering laugh. And then they were rounding the corner into the bedroom, Alex perched proudly on Will's shoulders like a pint-sized king surveying his kingdom.

"There's my boys," Will grinned, his eyes crinkling at the corners as he took in the sight of us - Brody kneeling on the floor, me leaning against the bookshelf with a sappy smile on my face. "Looks like you had quite the adventure while I was gone, huh?"

"We did, Daddy, we did!" Alex babbled excitedly, bouncing in place and nearly toppling off his lofty perch. "We played dinos, and had sammiches, and built a big tower of books, and then I accidentally knocked it over and made a big mess, but it's okay because Uncle Brody said accidents happen and I'm still a good boy and-"

"Whoa, slow down there, champ," Will laughed, reaching up to steady Alex with a gentle hand. "Take a breath before you pass out on me, yeah? You can tell me all about your day, but maybe at a slightly less supersonic speed, hmm?"

Alex giggled with a sheepish grin. "Sorry, Daddy. I just got really excited."

"I know you did, baby boy," Will said fondly, pressing a kiss to Alex's lips.

"So," Brody said, pushing himself to his feet with a groan. "I should probably get going. I don't want to overstay my welcome."

I frowned, my heart sinking at the thought of him leaving. "You could never do that," I said softly, taking a step towards him. "You're always welcome here."

"I know," he murmured, reaching out to tuck a stray curl behind my ear with gentle fingers. "But Will and Alex need this time together. Need to reconnect and recharge after being apart."

He was right, of course. This was about giving Alex and Will the space they needed to nurture the bond that was still so new and precious between them.

"Okay," I said slowly.

His eyes softened, his hand coming up to cup my cheek with tenderness. And then he was turning away, crossing the room to where Will and Alex were watching us.

"Alright, little man," he said, holding out his arms for a hug. "I gotta head out now. But I had the best time with you today, you hear? The absolute best."

Alex launched himself at Brody with a happy squeal, wrapping his arms and legs around him like a koala clinging to a tree. "Me too, Uncle Brody," he said, his voice muffled against Brody's chest. "Thank you for playing with me, and taking care of me, and being my friend."

"Always, kiddo," he rasped.

And then he was setting Alex down, ruffling his hair one last time before turning to Will with a grin. "You've got yourself a hell of a boy there," he said, clapping Will on the shoulder with a proud nod. "Don't ever forget how lucky you are."

Will pulled Brody into a rough, back-slapping hug. "Believe me, I won't," he said hoarsely.

Brody stepped back and turned to look at me.

"Clark," he said softly. "I know this might seem out of the blue, but would you like to go on a date with me sometime? A real date, I mean. Not just hanging out as friends or coworkers."

"Yes, I’d love to," I whispered, the word slipping out before I could overthink it.

His face lit up like the sun breaking through the clouds, his eyes sparkling with joy, relief and adoration. And then he was striding towards me, crossing the distance between us in three quick strides and pulling me into his arms.

"Can’t wait," he breathed, his lips brushing against mine in a soft kiss.