“Good job, teapot.”
Cosima beamed at her daddy and then turned back to Tamsyn with a smile. “You can have it if you want, you don’t have a butterfly yet. Or maybe Uncle Jethro has another one…”
“You can have it,” Tamsyn told her, handing over the decoration. “I’m not sure if I’m going to put a butterfly in mine yet. I kind of like the puppies.”
“I like everything!”
Tamsyn had to laugh at Cosima’s exclamation as the little girl stuck the butterfly into her wide, shallow pot. It did seem to be true.
It looked like Cosima had put at least one of everything in her garden, and sometimes multiples. It was a happy riot of color, kind of like the little herself. Even though Tamsyn had noticed a whole bunch of faded scars and discolorations on Cosima’s skin. They looked old, but if she had to guess, Tamsyn would say her friend had been through some seriously ugly shit at some point.
Mr. Jethro had seated her next to Cosima since they’d met before, and across from his own little girl, Sable, who was meticulously building a rock and moss masterpiece. Sable and her daddy hadn’t been to Hive much lately because they had four daughters under four, which seemed completely bonkers to her.
It was different to be here as a little instead of a middle like she had been when she’d first met Cosima, but the bouncy little didn’t seem to care at all. Just added that piece of information to her mental file and had acted accordingly.
It seemed so easy, and she had a brief spark of hope that when she finally worked up the nerve to tell Maddie that it would be so effortless. But she and Cosima hadn’t been friends long and were still more like acquaintances. It didn’t change anything between them for Tamsyn to be a little. With Maddie though, it would shake the foundation of their relationship, and she got queasy thinking about it.
Suddenly, there was a hand on her shoulder and when she turned, she looked up into Hux’s handsome face.
“Thought I’d check in. How’s it going over here, kitten? You having fun?”
“Uh-huh,” she told him, nodding. She considered asking him if he wanted to see her fairy garden, but…he was standing right there, obviously he could see it.
“Can you tell me about your garden? It looks beautiful, you’re doing such a good job.”
A sweet warmth flooded her belly. Not in a sexy way but in a way that was so deeply pleasurable she didn’t quite know what to call it.
“You really want to know?”
“Sure do,” he told her, squatting down alongside the end of the bench.
She looked at him out of the corner of her eye, searching for any hint that he was bullshitting her, but all she could find was encouragement and interest overtop the omnipresent attention he always devoted to her.
“Um, okay. I liked the little puppies, so I guess it’s more of a puppy garden than a fairy garden. Is that okay?”
“Whatever makes you happy, babygirl. I don’t think you can make a fairy garden wrong. Look how different everyone’s is.”
That was true. Some of them had mostly plants, some of them were mostly accessories, some had themes, some didn’t. They were all really fun and pretty in their own ways, just like the littles themselves. How nice was that?
She gave her daddy a tour of the garden, pointing out the pond she’d put in where the puppies could drink and swim, the plants that were tall enough for the little dogs to curl up under for their naps, she even pointed out the big “tree” the puppies could go behind to do their business.
“You thought of everything, kitten, I love it.”
“Thank you, Daddy. And thank you for bringing me here, it’s been really fun.”
Hux cupped her jaw and leaned in to plant a kiss on her cheek. Immediately afterward, Tamsyn had to bury a yawn in her elbow.
“Looks like the puppies aren’t the only ones who need a nap,” Daddy teased with a twinkle in his eye. “I think it’s about time we get you home for a rest, sleepyhead. And I bet you’re about ready for a diaper change.”
Oof, just the mention of her diaper made her squirmy. She hadn’t used it yet, but she had noticed that sensation of needing to pee creeping up on her. It was still really embarrassing to not use a toilet—mmm, her daddies always called it the potty when she was little—but she was maybe starting to like it too?
“Yes, Daddy,” she whispered, cheeks feeling as though they were on fire.
“No need to be embarrassed,” he told her, holding her face in his hands and tipping up her chin so she couldn’t avoid his gaze. “Lots of the littles here are wearing diapers right this very second. And even if they weren’t, putting you in diapers makes me and Lolo really happy. You want to be a good girl and please your daddies, right?”
That was a no brainer. “Yes, Daddy, of course.”
“Okay then. So anytime you feel self-conscious, you just remember how much your daddies like putting you on the changing table, pushing up your skirt, spreading your legs—”
“Daddy!”
Hux grinned as he stroked her cheeks with his thumbs. “Ah, see, that’s what I thought. It might be embarrassing, but I think it turns you on, too. So let’s get this little padded butt home so we can get you changed and put down for your nap. Let’s say our thank yous and goodbyes first, though. Manners are very important.”