AN: This is set a two-ish years before The Way Things Are. Just a fluffy little thing filled with bubbles and laughter.
Matthew had been back and forth about the issue for the last few days. He didn't want to make his Daddy sad so he hadn't said anything... but it was really bothering him. The blonde boy was on the couch staring at Kumabear. Both the boy and bear were on their stomachs with heir noses touching.
"What should I do?" Matthew whispered.
The bear didn't say anything. He'd told Matthew what he should to a million times. Mattie was just to much of a chicken to do it. He didn't want to hurt his Daddy's feelings. Kuma told him to just say it fast, like ripping off a band aid, but Mattie knew how much that hurt! Freddie Gregson did it at pre-school last year and he'd cried.
"It's not so easy," he grunted at the white bear.
Kuma looked at him quietly. Maybe it could be that easy? Daddy did say he'd love him forever and for always.
"Bath time!" Daddy called.
Matthew peeled himself off the couch. Bath time was one of his favorite times of the day because he and Daddy got to play in the water. Sometimes they even got to put bubbles in the bath. But today his tummy was all twisted into knots and he wasn't excited at all. Daddy met him at the stairs.
"Why the long face?" he asked.
Matthew just shrugged and reached for him. The Brit smiled softly and picked him up. Mattie buried his face against his Daddy's neck. He smelled like Papa's perfume. A hand rubbed circles down his spine. They walked towards the bathroom.
"Daddy?" He whispered.
The bathroom was steamy and warm. Daddy plopped him down on the toilet seat. Matthew giggled.
"Yes, little love?" Daddy asked as he turned on the water.
The good feeling disappeared and Matthew winced. He should be happy that Daddy had a special nickname for him, but he wasn't little anymore. Matthew cuddled into Kuma. He couldn't do this. Daddy crouched down in front of him his face full of wrinkles.
"Have I ever told you the story of the brave mouse?"
Matthew shook his head as he pulled off his clothes and climbed into the water. Bath crayons sat on the side and Squirt the turtle was floating in the water.
"Really?" Daddy said, "It's one of my favorite stories."
Matthew laughed, "You say that about every story!"
The older man hummed as he soaped up a washcloth. Matthew scribbled on the wall with blue, making the Big Blue so Squirt could visit home.
"Well today this is my favorite. It's about a tiny mouse named Eloise. She was smaller than your hand."
The boy looked down at his hand and his eyes widened. Daddy gently scrubbed his back. Mattie paused drawing to listen to the story.
"Yes, she was a tiny little thing," Daddy said as he washed Matthew arm, "but she wasn't going to let that stop her. She wanted to leave her parents' hole to explore the world."
Daddy paused the story and stared at him. His green eyes were serious, "Her mother said," Daddy's voice got really squeaky and Mattie giggled, "You can't go! There are foxes and badgers and eagles up there! You'll be eaten!"
Matthew's eyes went wide. Daddy wiped his cheeks and ears. Next to the Big Blue Matthew drew a little Eloise. In his picture she had a pink bow.
"And even though her mother was scared, Eloise wasn't," Daddy explained, "Because even though she was small, she was curious."
"So what'd she do?" Matthew asked breathless.
"What do you think she did?" Daddy asked and handed him the washcloth.
Matthew scrubbed at his arms and legs while he thought. As he handed back the rag he answered.
"I think she stayed home. Cause her momma was scared for her. And if Eloise left then her momma'd be sad."
Daddy nodded, "but what about Eloise? Wouldn't she be sad?"
Matthew thought about that too. If he was Eloise he'd be stuck. The boy sighed and swished his hands through the water.
"I don't know. What'd she do?"
Daddy smiled, "Eloise went to her wise father. She said to him," Daddy's voice changed again and it sounded like a little girl, "Papa I want to go see the world, but Momma's scared. What ever shall do I do?"
Matthew laughed and laughed at his voice. Daddy grumbled in his Papa voice, "Hmm, you need to tell your mother why you are so curious about the world and I will teach you a safe way to travel through the tall grasses so you aren't spotted by foxes and badgers and eagles."
Matthew imagined little Eloise and a Papa mouse with long blonde hair sneaking around in a cozy burrow under the ground. The Papa mouse would laugh as they hid from the Momma mouse.
"Eloise told her mother about her dream to see the great blue of the sky and feel the tickle of the wind on her whiskers. Eloise told her that her Papa taught her a way to run safely through the tall grass."
Daddy got a towel and the blond boy stood. The soft towel wrapped around him.
"Hearing this Momma told Eloise she could go. Thrilled Eloise ran happily beneath the warm sun every day and came home every night to tell her mother her adventures."
"The end?" Matthew asked.
"The end," Daddy smiled.
Daddy lifted him up from the ground and carried him like a burrito to his room. Matthew flailed trying to get his arms back but his father just laughed at him. Daddy plopped him on the bed and nom-ed on his toes. Matthew shrieked so loudly that Papa peeked into the room.
"You're so tasty!" Daddy growled, "I'm going to eat you all up!"
Matthew flailed and laughed. Daddy munched on Matthew's foot and the boy tried to get free.
"What's going on in here?" Papa asked.
"Papa!" Matthew called reaching for his other father, "help! Daddy's gonna eeaatt me!"
Papa gasped and sprang over, "not my son, you monster!"
Papa pushed Daddy onto the bed and freed Matthew. Daddy growled.
"There are invisible pajamas in your dresser," Papa exclaimed, "hurry put them on!"
Matthew scrambled off the bed and ran for his pj drawer.
"You dastardly fiend!" Daddy shouted.
Matthew pulled out a blue set of pajamas. They looked normal to him, but if Papa said they were invisible... Daddy roared and almost pushed Papa off. Matthew squeaked and tugged the clothes on just as his Daddy freed himself. Matthew fled to the other side of the bed, but Daddy was just looking around the room.
"Where did Matthew go?" he growled.
Matthew dove for Papa's arms. The tall blond caught him. The two watched as Daddy searched the room. He looked under the bed, in the closet and in the laundry basket before he gave up.
"I promise I won't eat you!" Daddy pouted in the middle of the room.
"Cross your heart?" Matthew asked.
Daddy made an x over his heart and repeated, "Cross my heart."
Papa pressed Mattie's tummy and whispered, "belly button stealth mode is off."
Matthew cheered, "I'm here!"
Papa giggled behind him.
Daddy gasped, "were you on the bed the whole time?"
Matthew nodded from Papa's arms.
"Can I cuddle with you guys?" Daddy asked looking lonely.
Matthew looked to Papa. Very seriously the other man nodded. Matthew thought about it for a moment before nodding also. Daddy came and cuddled up to him and Papa.
The next day Matthew was back to worrying about asking Daddy to stop calling him little love. He wasn't little anymore. He didn't know if he was brave like Eloise, but he did have a very wise Papa he could go to. The other man was reading the paper on the porch. A glass of lemonade sat next to him. Matthew pulled himself up onto the swing.
Papa looked over his paper, "Salut cher," he greeted.
"Salut Papa," Matthew replied in French. He sat up on his knees, "I have an important question for you."
Papa folded his paper and set it down, "What is it?"
Matthew took a deep breath and steeled his nerves, "I don't want Daddy to call me little love anymore."
The swing creaked under them. Papa blinked.
"Why not?" he asked slowly.
"Cause I'm not little anymore! I'm in the four year old class at school."
Papa hummed, "that does make sense. Have you told him that?"
Mattie squirmed, "I don't want to make him sad."
Papa half-smiled like Matthew had said something funny. The swung on the chair while Papa thought. Cars drove by and the breeze ruffled his hair. Papa scratched his chin and Matthew mimicked the motion hoping it'd help him come up with a great idea.
"I think..." Papa dragged the word out and Matthew scooted closer, "you should draw Daddy a picture. That way when you tell him you'll have something to make him happy again."
Matthew gasped, "that's an ex'llent idea!" and pressed a kiss to Papa's scratchy cheek, "Thanks Papa!" he exclaimed as he slid off the swing.
That night Arthur got a beautiful picture of their family and a nervous request to drop the little from Matthew's nickname. The Brit stuck the picture on the fridge and from that day on Matthew was just love.