Page 30

"Tyler? Are you ready?" I call from his bedroom. We're getting ready to host our first playdate here with his friends.

I've left Tyler in charge of the snacks tonight, which I might regret but I trust him.

Mostly. I've been so proud of him the last two weeks.

After having to take his emergency medicine, he's started carrying a backpack with him.

He keeps water, electrolytes packets, the emergency kit, as well as different snacks.

It was completely his idea as well, which makes me even more proud.

He hasn't had another scare, but he did get in with his doctor the next day to check all his levels once more and they were stable enough to not cause concern.

He was directed to double his doses for twenty-four hours but that was it.

I'm fairly certain I sent fifty messages thanking Remington and Garrett for being there.

"Almost, Daddy. I be right there."

I sit on his bed, waiting. He spent so much time unpacking and arranging his room.

His bed is in the corner, with the headboard against the wall opposite of the door.

The dresser is along the same wall. It's simple colors, a typical room, until you turn to the right and see his play area.

It's colorful and a bit messy today. He's been playing for most of the day already.

I'm letting him get as much time as he wants in because tomorrow not only do we both work, but he officially starts his online classes.

He has his notebooks and the required textbook lined up neatly on his dresser.

I really want to get him a desk, something I was surprised he didn't already own.

He has a chest of toys that is almost overflowing at this point and a doctor set that hangs off a shelf.

There's a little table that he has his otter stuffie sitting on top of with a band aid over one eye.

I make sure he has his own stash of fun band aids he can use.

We're meeting my brother and his family for an end-of-summer picnic this week so I had to make sure I bought an extra box for when my niece inevitably needs a band aid for one ailment or another.

"I'm done," Tyler says as he rounds the corner into his bedroom. He has a gummy circle in one hand. "I snuck just one, I promise."

"Mhmm." I'm sure he's taken more, but he knows his limits with sugar. We're still working on learning how to balance his intake of potassium and other things. "Come lay down so Daddy can dress you."

"Yes, sir!" He says it with a tiny salute and I roll my eyes. He's in a good mood today. A bit sassy, but good. I love it.

"I don't think sir is the word you're looking for, baby.

" I take his shorts and underwear off in one swoop.

We've gotten into such a routine that he knows what I'm going to ask.

I know he isn't one for diapers, but I still make sure to use a couple puffs of powder to keep him dry.

The training pants he wears have extra padding that traps the heat.

We learned the trick of powder after he started complaining of being itchy when he was wearing the underwear for extended periods of time.

"Do you want dinosaurs or pandas today?"

"Dinosaurs, please!" He pushes the gummy onto his finger, sliding it down so he's wearing it like a ring.

"You're going to break that if you push it too fast," I warn him. He looks at me and cocks his head. "I'll show you in a minute. Let's finish getting you ready. Now, do you want to keep with the dinosaur theme and wear your shirt and shorts?"

"Please!"

I turn to the closet. Half of it is his daily clothes and the other half is his Little stuff.

I'm not sure how we've doubled the amount he has since we got together.

My late night shopping should probably stop, but an outfit or toy here and there seems like nothing in the moment.

I grab the outfit he wants and turn back around.

The candy is now gone and I see him swallow.

I get his shorts on him first before having him sit up and get his shirt on.

It's a perfect fit and he looks adorable in it.

"Are you ready for your friends to see the new place all set up?" I ask when he stands up. He nods excitedly.

"We're going to have so much fun. Come see the snacks I made."

I follow him into the kitchen. It's not a bad spread, but there are more candies snuck in than I would have added.

He also has a bowl of pretzels, potato chips, cut up fruit, and a bowl of dip.

The candies range from the gummy circles to hard candies.

"Oh, these are Daddy's favorites." I hold up one of the blue hard candies. "I love Blue Raspberry."

He holds out one of the circles and smiles. "Show me how to make a ring?"

I smile, taking the ring from him. I might have learned this trick by accident when I was road trip snacking and turned myself on. I wonder if it'll work on Ty, too. "I'll show you something even better."

He doesn't take his eyes off of me as I lick my finger and then slowly slide the gummy down.

I roll it up and down my finger until it's stretched out.

Then I pull it off, licking both my pointer and middle finger now.

"If you move slow and make sure to keep your fingers wet enough, the gummy will do whatever you want it to.

" I'm careful to slide it down both fingers now.

I've done this more than once, getting up to three before it would break.

I glance up at Tyler and almost burst out laughing.

Tyler's eyes are like saucers and fixed on my fingers.

His lips are slightly parted. He doesn't even register me looking at him.

I slide the gummy down to the middle of my fingers and part them just slightly.

"If you get really good at it, you can spread it out further.

" I change the direction that I'm spreading my fingers, making sure it's plenty stretched out. "Then, you can add a third finger."

"Daddy." The single word is followed by a whimper. His tone is needy, pleading. "I want to be a gummy. I want to be your gummy."

"You do?" I look at him. He fully has his hand down his shorts and is stroking himself. "Baby, not in the kitchen around the food that others are going to eat."

He doesn't even bother removing his hand before using his other to drag me from the kitchen to the bedroom.

The same hand that still has the gummy around my fingers.

He lifts that hand and bites the gummy off, chewing quickly and swallowing.

I did not think this is how that little party trick was going to go.

"Baby, we don't have that long before your friends will be here." I glance at the clock. "You have thirty minutes before they start showing up. That's if they aren't early."

"Please?" He's fully begging now. I'm into it, him being needy. He's not going to like my answer though.

I make him pull his hand out of his shorts and direct him to sit on the bed. "Baby, I would love nothing but to have sex with you right now, believe me. Daddy is sorry for teasing you like that."

"Why can't we?" he asks. He sounds sad about it.

"We can, later. I pinky promise." I take his hand, the one that wasn't in his shorts, and squeeze it.

I kiss each of his knuckles. "We've taken things slow because I needed to see how your body reacts to your medicine and also with what you told me happened the last time you had sex.

When we do that, you'll need to rest afterward.

Lots of water, electrolytes, all of that.

Because Daddy doesn't plan on going easy on you, baby.

Now, how about you go wash your hands really, really well and we will finish getting your toys into the living room and I'll order the pizzas. "

He sends me a sassy glare, but does as I ask.

He knows not to fight me when it comes to his health.

He's definitely taken that conversation we had about him throwing tantrums and getting punishments to heart.

It hasn't been anything big so far. Pushing back on movie choices, not wanting to clean up his toys, disagreeing with dinner options.

He almost pushed it to the big punishment when he locked his bedroom door while in his Little headspace and wouldn't come out for close to an hour.

I made him sit at the table and write 'I won't lock the door again' sixty times— once for every minute he was in there— and explain to me why that could be dangerous.

He had tears in his eyes by the end of that conversation and I didn't feel right turning it sexual.

Instead, we cuddled on the couch and watched a movie until he fell asleep.

Austin and Remington show up five minutes early. I laugh, but Tyler rolls his eyes when I look at him. He's sitting on the floor, busy playing with his train set and action figures, so I let them inside.

"Come on in." I step aside and let them through.

The hallway isn't that narrow so we can all fit easily.

Remington has a diaper bag and duffel bag in hand.

He gave me that trick for the diaper bag as well.

Apparently it's his go-to trick for all new Daddies and Mommies.

"You guys can change in the bedroom here.

Tyler doesn't have a use for a changing table, but feel free to use the bed if needed.

Bathroom is across the hall and Tyler is already playing in the living room.

We have snacks out now and pizza will be here in about ten more minutes. "

"Sounds great," Remington says. "Aussie, baby, do you want to potty before we get you dressed?"

"Um, am I okay to use my diaper here?" Austin looks from his Daddy to me.

"That's perfectly fine, Aussie. You can do whatever is most comfortable for you here."