Chapter 5 Leo
I didn’t really expect my day to happen like this. I’d gone from working and thinking about wanting Henry, to actually being in his bakery kitchen, making out with him, trying so many delicious pies, and then inviting him back to my place to play.
To say I moved quickly would be an understatement, but in my defense, after all these years yearning for a Daddy to play with, Henry practically threw himself at me. I was far too curious to let him go without at least seeing if he could offer all the Daddy goodness.
We delivered the pies together, and in some ways we were soft launching ourselves. Oliver clocked it first with a brow wiggle and then a nod, followed up with several quick-fire text messages that told me he wanted all the details.
The walk we took led us right to my apartment building. It was somewhat nerve-racking trying to recall whether I’d cleaned or not. I kept everything organized, but in that, I was definitely on the side of organized chaos rather than order.
“I always wondered about all the houses off the main street,” he said as we walked four flights of stairs to my apartment.
“Some people won’t even rent or buy this far out,” I told him. “I think it’s easily one of the most walkable places I’ve ever been.”
“Yeah, I do see a lot of people out and on their bikes.”
“I’ve got a bike. It’s downstairs, though, in the little shed annex.”
We made it, and I stood at my door for a moment, nerves tickling in my chest, and my stomach threatening to bring up the pies I’d sampled.
This was the first time I’d brought a guy back here, ever.
In my previous apartments, I hadn’t been so picky, since I hadn’t had my full little on show.
But here, this was a direct view into my mind, body, and soul.
“Everything okay?” he asked.
“Yeah, just—” I sucked in air and nodded. “Before we go in, I’ve got a lot of stuff, and it’s kinda cramped, but—”
“It’s okay,” he said in his sweet tone. I could’ve melted right there on the floor like warm whipped cream.
My hands were still a little sticky from where I’d wiped them and not cleaned well.
“I’m hoping it’s a play den or something.
I can imagine that’s something a little without roommates and their own place would have. ”
I giggled and quickly quietened when I remembered we were still out in the hallway and I didn’t want to disturb my neighbors. “It is, and there isn’t enough room for roommates,” I told him. “Just prepare yourself, okay?”
“Close my eyes?”
“Yes.”
That was perfect. Or maybe I needed to let him stay out here while I investigated the place and checked to make sure there wasn’t anything out that he shouldn’t see, or that I didn’t think he should see just yet.
Henry closed his eyes, tucking the box to his chest with the one remaining pie container inside. “You tell me when to open them again, okay?”
I opened the door, and as soon as I stepped inside, I was hit with relief. I’d put the bed away; I’d set the teddies out neatly like I did most mornings. There were dishes in the sink and I had a pile of laundry spilling out of the basket, but besides that, it wasn’t bad.
Henry walked in after me, and when he opened his eyes there was a moment of quiet. I was trying to figure out if he was shocked or concerned in that moment of quiet. I stood by the sink, trying my best to allow my body to obscure the mess behind me.
“Just as I imagined,” he said with a big smile. “In fact, better. I shouldn’t have been too surprised that you’re a collector. I just—” He stepped closer, looking for somewhere to place the box.
“You can—”
“I’ve already seen it,” he said. “I’ve still got breakfast dishes in the sink at my place.” His head turned again. “Either you don’t have a bathroom, or you don’t have a bedroom,” he said, nodding to the one closed door. “Or the—”
“It’s a studio,” I said. “I have a Murphy bed; I’ve got pull it down each night.” I nodded to the wall directly across from me. There was a rainbow tie-dye tapestry obscuring the bottom of the bed, the wall art making it look less like furniture.
“Ah, well, that’s a nice way to save some space,” he said, planting the box on the counter. “And it’s well decorated.”
“I’ll take all the credit for that.” I said. “I also don’t always leave my laundry and stuff around. I’ve been busy with work, and taking my laundry down to the basement to do it is hell since I’ve got to walk all the way down and then back up.”
“Why don’t you take it down when you go out, and pick it up when you get back?” he suggested.
I gave his arm a pat. “Some people here will leave passive aggressive notes about that, so I always try and get it done on a weekend. But in summer, I sweat more, I change more, and I make more laundry.”
“Well then, let’s not worry about all of that,” he said. “So, what do you usually do when you’re home and you’re getting ready to play?”
“First, I’ll usually take off my clothes and get into something comfy, like a onesie, or because of how warm it is, some booty shorts and a crop top,” I said.
“And then, I’ll usually make up a place on the floor with a blanket, and then make sandwiches and sit my teddies around the blanket as a tea party. ”
“Then would you like me to make sandwiches while you get changed?”
“Okay, but I don’t really have all that many options in the fridge. Mostly some sliced ham,” I told him. “No veggies, though. When I’m in little space, the last thing I want is to feel like a rabbit chowing down on lettuce leaves.”
He nodded. “Understood. Although you’ve got to get your veggies in somewhere.”
I stared at him, my eyes narrowing slightly. “In soup,” I said, my chest forward with confidence. “I eat my veggies in soup. Very blended and all that good stuff.”
“Well then, go get dressed into something you like to wear, and I’ll make sandwiches,” he said. “I think this is the best way for us to get to know each other.”
He was right. This was the best way to get to know me on that level.
I was slightly anxious as soon as I took a onesie and went into the bathroom to change.
I had a guilt in my chest that told me I shouldn’t have taken him from the bakery; he was working hard there, and he probably didn’t need me coming in occupying his time.
While in the bathroom, I washed off the sticky residue still on my face and gave my mouth a quick rinse with mouthwash, which I quickly regretted since I was about to eat whatever it was Henry—or Daddy—had made for me.
I took a moment to text Oliver back, informing him of the situation I’d gotten myself into, and how I was beginning to spiral, which he responded to with a series of gifs telling me to treat myself and enjoy the moment.
In a colorful bear onesie, a bit of a knock-off Sublime teddy, I slowly walked out and to my surprise Henry—Daddy wasn’t standing in the kitchenette area. In fact, the washing I’d left in the sink was now up on the drying rack.
“I think I prepared it right,” he said. “You were . . . taking a while, so I figured I’d make a start.”
Daddy was sitting in the middle of the room; he’d found my patchwork picnic blanket and set it out with a hoard of teddies he’d picked from around the room to sit in a circle.
In the center of the circle, there was the plate of sandwiches, cut into small rectangles. They were right beside the tray of pie.
“I was telling Oli about . . . about this,” I admitted. It was better than a lie. I knew that.
He nodded. “Good, and what did he say?”
“He told me to have fun.”
Daddy Henry smirked. “Perfect,” he said. “Let’s have fun. I found a whole bunch of books, but I didn’t want to touch them in case you had them organized. I know how you library folk get when someone messes with your pile.”
I sat on my knees in the circle, opposite him in the space he’d seemed to already predetermine was for me. “Thank you,” I said. “So, what do you think about my outfit?”
He pinched his fingers together and pressed them to his mouth.
“Chef’s kiss, gorgeous,” he said. “I’m not at all surprised you look good.
But I thought you were going to put on something cooler.
I bet it’s warm in there.” He reached over, touching the fabric and slipping a thumb up my sleeve to rub.
“Well, you have to let me get to it,” I said with a giggle, pulling the zipper down the front.
“It’s a reveal. Ta-da!” I had wanted to show off the onesie more than anything, and my brain was all haywire.
This was the first time I was properly getting to show off without some guy wincing and wondering when he was going to be getting some action.
“This one doesn’t have a slogan on it.” The reveal wasn’t that interesting since it was a quick change and all my fun ones needed to be washed.
“I like it either way,” he said. “So, little one, do you listen to music? Or watch TV? I—” He turned his head, looking around.
“I don’t have a TV,” I said. “I watch everything on my laptop. And with a tea party, I usually give out tea. Which is never tea, because I’m not a fan. I think it’s one of those things you like when you’re older, or you start liking.” I giggle-snorted, hoping I wasn’t about to offend him.
“So, what do you drink instead?”
Hiding beneath a pile of plush small teddies was a large plastic-wrapped bulk buy of juice boxes.
“These,” I said, pulling one of them from the plastic.
“This one is . . .” I turned it around in my hands to see the fruit.
“Strawberry. It’s either strawberry or apple. Either way, that’s a win. I love both.”
“Lucky,” he said.
“Not really, it’s the only one I buy.” I snorted again.