Their Marked Baby Boy

11

I woke up feeling cold and wet all alone. I sat up confused, then I realised.

I'd went the bed.

Large sobs filled my body as I began to panic. I hadn't had an accident in years, and the last time, well, let's say my dad had done his best to give me a lesson I wouldn't forget and he wasn't one for words.

I continued to sob as I noticed the dark shadows in my room shifting. Then, from the darkness, Dan emerged.

"Hey, it's alright. I'm here." He rushed over. "What's wrong, Lucas?"

"I'm sorry." I bawled."I didn't mean to, I promise."

He lifted me from the bed, immediately noticing the damp sheets.

"Oh buddy, it's alright. I know it was an accident."

He took me to the bathroom and began cleaning me off with a flannel.

"Y-your not mad?" I asked, confused.

"Of course not. This is completely normal. All the changes and settling into a headspace is a lot to take on."

He walked us into the main room, laying me on the sofa.

"I know that it was just an accident, but can I put some protection on you to be safe?" He asked, walking to the drawers.

"Protection?" I questioned as my cries settled down.

He held up a pull-up for me to see.

"O-ok." I answered, covering my face with my hands.

I felt pathetic, I'd never been much of a crier. I learned early on that there wasn't much point, but just over a day here, and I was sobbing over everything, and now I was having a pull-up put on me.

Dan sat me up and wrapped a blanket around my shoulders before pushing a pacifier in my mouth.

"It's OK, buddy." He assured as he patted my head.

"Do you want your sketchbook?" I nodded, accepting the book and pencil he offered.

I opened a blank page as he began changing the bed sheets. I let my hand take control as it started to glide over the page. Like a lot of the drawings I made when I was feeling down, it started with heavy shading, creating the illusion of darkness. As I continued to draw, a figure began to emerge in the centre. This, too, was quite common. Usually, it would be something scary (often my dad), but sometimes a more caring figure would present. I had a few sketches where I didn't know who I'd drawn, just that they looked loving and kind. But this time, I knew who it was. Coming forth from the shadows, as if they were a part of him, I'd drawn Dan with a concerned smile on his face.

"Wow, that's amazing, Lucas."

I jumped from my seat at Dan's voice. He had a way of moving that made him almost impossible to notice if you weren't paying attention.

"Sorry, bud, I didn't mean to scare you." He apologised whilst checking his watch. "It's too late to go back to bed, so why don't we get you ready and head for an early breakfast?"

He was more telling me than asking me, but I appreciated him letting me know what was happening and allowed him to carry me to the wardrobe.

"Your daddies got here last night. They're gonna meet with each other for breakfast, then come meet you. Why don't you pick a nice outfit to meet them in?" He asked as he opened the doors.

My eyes were instantly drawn to a white dress with small green clovers printed on it. It looked so pretty...

I shook the thought from my head, I was a boy and boys didn't wear dresses. Right?

Ever observant, Dan noticed my game and my hesitation.

"You can were whatever you want, even if it's a dress." He told me.

"What if they think I'm weird? What if they don't want me?" I ask, voicing my fears.

"I promise they'll love you no matter what you wear. That's the thing about mates, you were made for each other, whatever makes you happy will make them happy."

"Pinky promise?"

"Pinky promise." He assured, wrapping his pinky around mine.

"OK... then that, please." I pointed to the dress.

"Excellent choice."

He dressed me in it and paired it with white frily socks and green slip-on shoes. I spun around laughing as the skirt flowed around me.

"Aren't you pretty." Dan grinned as he ran a brush through my hair, securing it out of my face with a green clip. He also added a clip to attach my pacifier to the dress.

I took his hand as we left for the canteen.