AN: I introduced a new twist to the story. Hope you guys don't hate it.
Chapter Ten – Too Little
I can't help but smile as he argues with me. I mean, I've seen him act selfish and spoiled before but seeing him do it as a baby is really funny and adorable to me. I just wish that instead of Kuon being the baby that I'm looking at, that he was standing by my side and we were watching our son. I really want for that to be the scenario we find ourselves in, the two of us laughing because of the stubbornness that he has gained through his genetics.
I smile before tilting my head to the side. "You know how this is going to go," I tell him as he manages to position himself so that he's sitting opposite me and I see him grab his foot and hold it. He's a lot more flexible than me but should I really be surprised, despite his height as an adult he's more agile than me under normal circumstances. "We're going to go out. We're going to talk to Lory about how to get you back to being a man instead of a little boy. We're going to get you into that jacket."
"I do," Kuon answers me back and I have to turn to the side as I laugh. Wow. This is really…I freeze as I look back at him. Before he would just babble and cry but he's actually making sense as a baby. This isn't going to turn into one of those creepy movies is it where you have those talking babies and the CGI doesn't really work.
"You're going to put your jacket on yourself?" I ask him and he nods stubbornly. "I don't think so," I tell him with a shake of my head and he grabs to my arm before he starts weirding me out again.
"I twy," he says and he starts to make actual steps towards me. It's as if I've suddenly been struck by something even more magical than what I was already experiencing. I look at him and see him start to fall asleep.
"You know," I whisper as I see him struggle with his coat. "If you keep speaking proper English, I can't really help you pretend that you don't know what is going on," I tell him but I see him wobble and my stomach is twisting. Something's wrong with him.
"Corn," I whisper before picking him up and he immediately goes to sleep. What on earth just happened? This isn't normal and anything normal isn't good. I pick him up and walk over to the bed but soon the baby clothes are too small on him and I see him growing. I hold him close, praying to any superior being that's out there that he not be hurt.
Soon the chubby infant has become a two-year-old toddler. I see the blond hair spread out over his head and he lets his head be supported by my lap. I gently let my fingers go through his back. I'm going to miss his baby form and I hate that I admitted that to myself. I stare at the toddler who is sleeping so peacefully. At least he still needs my help and he is adorable.
I let him sleep, picking up a blanket to cover him with and reach for my phone. I call Father and wait, the little Kuon still on my lap. How can one little boy be so heartbreakingly adorable?
"Father, something's happened," I speak nervously once I knew that Kuu has picked up. "Something happened to Kuon,"
"What?" Father asks me nervously and I take a slow breath.
"He's a toddler, he just grew in a matter of minutes really. I would say that he's about two years old. I need some clothes and some other things that toddlers might need. I don't know how to take care of a toddler," I panic and I know that Father's taken care of Kuon before. I'm definitely not as qualified as him or Julie but I want to be able to take care of my husband.
"I'll be right over," Father tells me but then pauses, "Can you send me a picture of how he looks so I can pick the right age for the clothes?" he asks and I know that he wants to save this picture to is photo album as well. Toddlers can sometimes be a lot more fun than infants.
"Kyoko," he says in an adorable high-pitched voice as he grabs the bed sheet underneath with his little tiny hand.
…..
…
As I wake up, I feel very different and I don't mean the type of way that I have been feeling since this terrible transformation, this is something different, something new and anything this new is scary to me. I feel that my body is a little bigger but not an adult size, just more of a human shape than that of a puffy baby and as I sit up I see Kyoko watching me. She's still a lot bigger than me but I feel twice as big as I was.
"Kyoko," I smile as I sit opposite her. I open my mouth to speak but my head starts spinning and instead of babbling, it's as if I'm trying to push through a fog when I speak. 'What happened? I don't really remember going to sleep' I try to tell her but most of it doesn't come out my mouth as if an email that didn't really get sent. "I go sleep."
"Yes," she says as she looks at me curiously, "You did fall asleep?" she gently smooths my hair and is awkward in her interactions with me. "Do you feel okay? There were some changes whilst you were asleep you know?" she asks. She laughs and pulls me into her lap, lifting me up and I feel as if I'm a child now. I look to the side and see that I'm more of a kid than a baby. I giggle accidentally at that.
"Yeah," I grin back at her and somehow I find all this new energy through me. Maybe if I'm getting older that means that this curse is being lifted or maybe it just takes time. Now I'm not looking forward to those awkward teenager years.
"Good," she kisses my cheek. "We'll go out in a little bit but first your dad is going to come with some new clothes. Why don't we watch some TV?" she asks me and one word slips out without me even thinking about it.
"Dor-mon" I tell her and she looks at me before nodding slowly and finds Doremon on the channel. Maybe it's because I'm asking for these things but she never had a problem when I was unable to talk. My teeth hurt. Is that something that all toddlers feel? I look at the screen where Doremon is having an adventure.
"You like this show don't you?" she asks me as she wraps me up in her arms. "Kuon, do you still remember who I am?"
"Kyoko," I tell her before pushing myself away from her and sit opposite her so that I can look at her. You're my wife. My gorgeous beautiful wife and the woman that I love more than any other person in this or any other world. You are the person whom I want to share the rest of my life with and who I want to be with when I've gotten rid of this curse. "Kyoko my wife," I tell her and put my hand to my heart, "I wuv Kyoko. I wan' Kyoko."
…..
…..
My eyes widen as I see the small Kuon talk to me in a very serious manner about how I'm his wife and how he loves me and wants to be with me. I don't know whether to scream or laugh. Nobody can remain sane with these circumstances. I take slowly breaths before gently cupping the side of his head.
"I love you too," I tell him and he smiles at me. It feels so weird to be telling this to a toddler. "I can't tell you outside of this room because then I'll look like a pedophile but I do love you Kuon despite you being trapped inside of there."
"No wan' go scho-ool" he tells me and I laugh.
"Uh," I whisper as I look to the side. If he's trapped like this maybe that would be better to send him to some kind of preschool or daycare. It would certainly cause less questions if we give him an identity. Still, it's not mandatory to do it at two years old and I'll feel safer if he's with me all day. "Well, let's see if you can ace out of it," I tell him since I know I can't make any promises.
I hear a noise at the door and watch Kuon. He looks over to the door and kicks his feet in excitement as he giggles loudly. I ruffle his hair. He's excited. I don't want to admit it out loud but I'm glad to see that Kuon is able to experience what being a kid again is like. Kuon had to mature pretty fast especially after he was fifteen. His parents worked a lot so this might be his chance to play like a regular kid would. If this only lasts a little longer, I'll be happy that he got to experience this.
"Why don't you come with me to answer it?" I ask him and he jumps to the ground and rushes to the door. I love watching him. His little feet, his happy smile, his pure childlike excitement. I see him excitedly jumping up and down as I open the door. I don't know if he's doing this on purpose or accident but he's adorable.
I check the door and see that it's Father on the other side. "Stand back and don't let the door hit you, okay?" I ask Kuon and he nods, scooting back. I see Father with some bags and then I hear a loud giggle as Kuon grabs his leg.
"Daddy!" he says excitedly and I haven't seen Kuu looking this over the moon for a while. Kuon stretches his arms up and I quickly take the bags from Kuu so that Kuu can hoist Kuon up in his arms. They both look so happy to be together.
"Daddy! Love Daddy!" Kuon says as he snuggles closer to Kuu and some tears appear in Father's eyes.
Father is holding Kuon so lovingly with one arm whilst the other smooths his hair again and he kisses him on the top of his head. "Daddy loves you too, Kuon," he says and I feel proud to have been accepted by this family. I see Kuon let his head rest on Father's shoulder and he closes his eyes with a soft yawn as Father manages to hold back the tears.
"Daddy," Kuon says as Kuu finds a seat and sits down, keeping Kuon close to him and as safe and snug as possible. "I know," he tells him and Kuu grins upon Kuon.
"Yeah?" he asks and I'm starting to see those cartoons that try to show the perfect father and son moments but I'm experiencing one for myself right now. I can see that these two are what a family should be. "What is it that you know?"
"I actor," Kuon says and Kuu smiles down at him.
"Yeah, I am an actor," he says with nothing but pride in his face. He hugs Kuon tighter and I know that he's just trying to act as if he doesn't know that Kuon knows but I just want to tell him to not pretend anymore.
"No. I Tsu-Tsu-Smoothie Ren" he says and I can't help but burst out laughing as Father looks at him guiltily. Smoothie Ren!? How did Tsuruga Ren suddenly turn into Smoothie Ren?"
"I know," Father says and Kuon blinks up at him.
I'm still trying to keep myself from laughing.
End of Chapter Ten
Thank you for reading, reviews are appreciated
Thank you to the reviewers of Chapter Nine
Erza Tsuruga, H-Nala, PaulaGaTo