Chapter 3
Since Manny was new, Koa understood he wouldn't have any idea of where to go to play.
He laced his fingers with Manny's much longer ones and tugged, pointing with his free hand towards where his favorite part of the play area was.
It had been his specific request to have an area like this, because as varied as being a Little could be, Koa had a preference, and that was to play comfortably on the floor for as long as possible.
Whether it was blocks or coloring or the dreaded Play-Doh, he wanted to be as low to the ground as he could be.
It helped him regress. It was also sometimes easier just to crawl around between places than to have to stand all the way up and be big.
So when he reached the padded area and dropped down to all fours, he felt a sense of rightness move over him.
He looked back up at Manny, who was smiling down at him. It made all of him feel fuzzy.
Tilting his head to the side, he sat up on his heels and said, "Daddy, play."
He wasn't sure if Manny would come down to the floor with him or simply grab toys.
They only had half an hour, after all. They couldn't make a huge mess.
While Jacob wouldn't really care about the soup not getting there fresh, Koa didn't want to be a reason to delay things being delivered. He wanted it all to go perfectly.
Everything, including his time with his new Daddy. A Daddy who said he wanted to belong to Koa even if it was only temporary. Koa found the idea very silly. Manny was gorgeous, and if he was a good Daddy, then he was going to have a hard time getting rid of Koa.
As Koa stared at him, Manny crouched down into a squat. He eased his hands forward, then crawled slowly towards where Koa had perched.
Koa could feel his body heating up even more. There was a mixture of excitement at wanting to play with someone, but also a need for closeness. He wanted to be touched, to be petted, wanted to sink into the regression to the point that nothing else mattered.
When Manny reached him, he rose to match Koa's position. With his hands on his thighs, he looked around at the various boxes of toys. "What shall we play with first, sweetheart?" Daddy asked. Daddy, because that's who he was, and Koa would be right to think of him that way.
Koa tapped his finger to his bottom lip as he looked around. What was something they could play that didn't take long? He decided the best thing to do would be to see how Manny would handle him, even when he was at his smallest.
Koa pointed a finger to his chest and said, "I is baby."
Manny smiled softly, not bothered at all by both the baby talk and the fact that Koa was making himself the game.
"Oh, my baby," Daddy said. "Is my baby tired?" Koa shook his head. Manny then asked, "Is my baby hungry?" Koa thought about it for a moment and decided that no, he wasn't. So he shook his head again.
His eyes cut over to a blanket that was folded up next to the toys. His Daddy caught the movement and smiled even wider. "I see my boy wants a cuddle."
Koa clapped his hands and bounced on his heels.
He kept doing the motion even as Daddy crawled over to grab the blanket and came back.
It was one of the large, oversized ones that Koa loved.
He'd had to hunt them down because they weren't sold in regular stores.
It was meant to be wrapped around a person no matter their size.
You could bundle yourself and not have to do anything.
As Koa watched his Daddy, he realized that the other man had picked up on so much more than he thought.
Because instead of just draping the blanket around Koa's shoulders like others might, he rose up and shook the blanket out, laying it over the floor.
Then he folded one corner down and motioned for Koa to climb on.
Koa was curious to see what was going to happen. No one had done this, and it didn't look familiar. So instead of questioning, he dropped down belly first on the fold.
His Daddy chuckled at the move, then tapped his hip. "Flip over, baby. On your back. I want the fold at the base of your neck, right at your shoulders."
Koa frowned for a moment, not quite sure he understood, but did it anyway. He was a good boy. He could follow instructions, and if it meant he got to play with his Daddy while they waited on the food, then it was a win. He turned and wiggled down until he was just how his Daddy wanted.
"Good boy." The praise washed over him. It was bliss, pure bliss. To have done something so right, to be called a good boy for listening and following instructions.
"So what we're going to do," Daddy said as he worked, reaching towards one of the corners out to Koa's sides, "is tuck you in with this. It's called swaddling. Are you familiar with the technique?" Koa shook his head slowly side to side as he watched his Daddy bring the corner up and over.
His Daddy draped the fabric across his chest, then tucked it tightly into Koa's side, making sure to go all the way down his legs.
His Daddy then moved towards his feet where the pointy end was.
"Swaddling is a technique used on babies, and since you are my baby, I would like to bundle you up.
It's meant to be comforting. You can tell me if you don't like it and we will stop immediately. Understand?"
"Yes, Daddy," Koa murmured, watching as the tail end of the blanket was folded up.
It made his feet feel like they were in a burrito, closed off.
The fabric came up and was tucked in on the side similar to the other corner before.
Then Koa broke into a fit of giggles, because his Daddy grabbed his sides and rolled him three times until the blanket was no longer spread out but cocooned around him.
Koa giggled and giggled, so happy he could barely stand it.
He looked at his Daddy through teary eyes. He couldn't wipe them away because his hands were stuck.
"You are so precious, sweetheart." His Daddy's voice was soft and full of care. His fingers came up to gently wipe away the tears from Koa's laughter. "I am so happy that I came here tonight. I would have hated to have not met you, to have not had this time with you."
Koa's bottom lip trembled as emotions swarmed him.
His mind had shifted into baby mode, but he could still understand the depth of the words his Daddy spoke.
He understood how unique and intense this was.
He could see that their connection, while instant, was rooted in a compatibility he didn't have anywhere else.
Rather than say anything else, his Daddy dropped to the floor and sat with his legs crossed.
His arms went underneath Koa, lifting him from the ground and making him feel weightless for a moment, before settling Koa across his body.
With his legs draped over one thigh and his back supported by a strong arm, Koa felt safe.
He felt loved and cared for. He closed his eyes and leaned his head on his Daddy's shoulder.
Manny hummed some tunes softly. Koa couldn't pick out what it was, but it was soothing enough that he could feel himself drifting to sleep, despite not being all that tired when he was first wrapped up. That's just how easy it was with Manny. How perfect.
Time passed in a haze, and before he knew it, Jacob's voice cut through the fog of his half-sleep. "Sorry to bother you," he whispered, "but the soup is ready. I've got it right here."
Manny spoke softly, thanking Jacob.
Koa took a chance and opened his eyes, leaning his head away so he could get a good look at his Daddy. Manny's eyes were already on him, drinking in his rumpled expression.
"Daddy," Koa said, voice scratchy from not using it. Manny kissed his forehead, then eased him to the floor. "It's time to unwrap, baby. You don't have to be big, but we do need to get the soup to your friend, and I need your help getting it there. I don't know where I'm going."
Koa nodded, understanding what needed to happen.
While he hated the thought of leaving, he wanted to be a good friend as well.
There would be time later for more regressing.
If Manny was being honest, then he would want more time with Koa.
That alone gave him the strength to accept that playtime was over.
He could handle it if he knew more was coming, if he knew this wasn't the end.