1 After Christmas

Briana had never seen her family’s living room so full and so quiet at the same time. The space was a good one for being noisy, running as it did from the front door to the kitchen – easily half the length of the house. Though there was technically a foyer by the door, and a dining room outside the kitchen; there were no walls separating the space at the heart of the Rasmussen home. It dominated the house vertically as well, with the native-stone fireplace on the outer wall, and the open stairway to the second floor opposite.

Moments ago the room had been noisy, full of the echoing, conversational rumble that was Briana’s favorite sound; the noise of her family. The temporary quiet had come from sounds outside – the rumble of tires on the gravel drive, followed by a car door slamming.

Mom is nervous. Briana looked up at Veronica from her position at the slender woman’s feet. Mom had dressed up for her sister’s arrival like she was going to the mayor’s office, replacing her simple black dress with a complicated gown that boasted a corseted bust and layers of lace for a skirt. Every inch of the dress was black, of course. There were a few unusual hints of color on Veronica, from the dark red lipstick she’d chosen instead of her usual black, to the rubies adorning her ears.

The sound of steps on the front porch dragged Briana’s attention to the front door. Her dad, Jane, stepped forward and opened the door like a butler. From her spot on the floor, Briana had a window of view through a gap between her Tia Rosa and her Grandmother Michelle. Briana’s diaper crinkled as she rose to her knees to catch her first glimpse of her aunt Kiara.

Kiara stepped through the door with a cellphone at her ear. She was tall, a magnificent black woman with toned arms and shoulders shown off by her sleeveless crimson dress. The tight curls of her hair were pulled back by a hairpiece that evoked a golden crown of laurels.

“Thank you so much, Madame secretary. I have just arrived home, so I will not be reachable for forty eight hours, unless it is a genuine emergency. Ciao.” Kiara handed her phone to a stiff-looking blonde woman in a pinstriped suit-dress and immediately turned to Jane.

“Jane! Soon to be my sister, I hear.” Kiara pulled Jane into a tremendous hug and kissed her on both cheeks.

“It’s good to have you back.” Jane smiled with her usual reserve – the twinkle in her eyes revealing her genuine excitement to Briana. Between Kiara’s demonstrative greeting and Dad’s excitement, Briana was feeling better about meeting her aunt. Her only hesitation came from her mom, who was still nervous.

“You must be Rosa!” Kiara took Rosa’s hand as she stood, and pulled her in for another big hug. “It’s been so long since I had a new sister, and now I have two. Welcome, Rosa, to the Rasmussen family.” Like Jane, Rosa got a kiss on both cheeks.

“I’ve heard a lot about you.” Rosa looked Kiara over appraisingly.

“We will spend time together, I promise. I want to know the woman that my mother decided our family needed.” Kiara squeezed Rosa’s arm firmly and turned toward Grandma. “Speaking of my mother – Mom, I missed you.”

“I missed you too, Kiki.” Grandma got up, managing to conceal the amount of caution she had to put into the motion. Michelle was much better, now that she was using her oxygen regularly, but still got dizzy when she stood. Briana tensed, just in case Grandma started wobbling.

Kiara took Grandma in her arms, far more gently than she had Jane and Rosa. Michelle got her cheek kisses before Kiara looked at her and said, “You scared me, Mom.”

“I’m sorry dear, I didn’t mean to scare anyone.” Michelle reached and cupped Kiara’s cheek while they took a moment to gaze into each other’s eyes.

“Vonnie.” Kiara turned to Veronica, who’d gotten out of her chair and was standing in the most anxious way Briana had seen her mom behave. Kiara wrapped her arms around Veronica with a deep sigh of happiness. Mom sank into Kiara’s arms and laid her head on her sister’s shoulder in what looked like relief.

“I’m so glad you’re back,” Veronica said softly. “I missed you terribly, especially when mom…”

“You did everything right.” Kiara kissed Veronica’s cheeks and held her sister’s chin. “I’m so proud of you, Vonnie. I didn’t worry about Mom from the instant you told me you’d gotten to the hospital.”

Veronica’s eyes sparkled with tears – a smile fluttered at her lips as she gazed in adoration at her sister. After a moment, she composed herself, dabbing at her eyes with a black handkerchief. “Thank you, Ki. I’d like to introduce my children. Briana and Melody, this is your Aunt Kiara.”

Briana had argued with her mom long and hard about her outfit for meeting her aunt. Though she’d accepted being Little more than she’d ever imagined she’d be able to, everything she’d heard about Kiara’s success made her want to meet her aunt in adult clothes. All her attempts to convince her mom that first impressions were important had been turned back on her by Veronica. Mom agreed with Briana on the importance of first impressions, but wanted a very different look than Briana argued for.

It was impossible to win against Mom when she was determined enough. When Briana stood to meet Kiara, she was dressed in a pink onesie and white tights, with a white half-sweater that had golden threads woven through it. She was also diapered, and the padding was thick enough that there was no hope of her onesie or tights concealing it.

Kiara’s intense gaze met Briana’s eyes and the Little girl’s heart pounded. Meeting Kiara was like meeting a movie star, with all the stories she’d already heard about her formidable aunt. That Kiara looked flawless and elegant after a plane ride from Europe only added to her mystique. Briana’s perception of her aunt was forcibly re-oriented when Kiara hugged her. The embrace was a crushing and passionate, with no reservation whatsoever. It was in every way a Briana-hug. She threw her arms around Kiara and hugged back with abandon, pressing her cheek against her tall aunt’s chest in delight.

“You are so much more darling than Veronica prepared me for.” Kiara leaned down from her six feet to Briana’s five, and kissed the Little girl on both cheeks. “And she talks about how adorable you are quite a lot.”

“I thought you were going to be scary, from all the stories and stuff.” Briana favored Kiara with a giddy smile. “But you’re not! We’re going to be really good friends.”

Seeing a smile the combined joy and pride spread across Kiara’s face was amazing. Kiara kissed Briana on the forehead. “I believe it. I think I can already see why Vonnie chose you.”

Briana was left with a glow in her chest and so strong that she couldn’t pay attention to what Kiara said when she hugged Melody. While the introductions had been going on, the blonde lady had brought in two large suitcases and a pair of smaller bags. Jane took both the suitcases – despite the blonde woman’s protest – and carried them back to Melody’s room. It’d had already been decided by Veronica that Kiara would be staying there, presumably the other woman would be as well. It was a double-bonus to have more family over and for Briana to get to bunk with her sibling.

“Everyone, this is Emeline Blanchet.” Kiara indicated the blonde woman, pronouncing her name with what sounded to Briana like a flawless French accent. “Emma, this is my family. You’ve met my mother Michelle and my sister Veronica, of course. My sister in law Jane is the one who made off with our bags, this is Rosa, my newest sister, and my nieces…”

Hand to her chin, Kiara looked contemplatively at Melody. “I’m sorry Melody, I know that your pronouns are They/Them, but there isn’t a neutral word for child of my sister.”

“I’ve been using the neutral é when I refer to Melody.” Rosa said. “It’s not proper Spanish yet, but I say niñé when I refer to them.”

“Perfect!” Kiara grinned. “Then it would be nieté for me. Emma, this is my niece Briana and my nieté Melody.”

“Bonjour, c’est un plaisir.” Emeline bowed primly. Her French speech was richly toned – she retained most of that accent when she switched to English. “I’ve been eager to meet all of you – for Michelle and Veronica, to see you again.”

Bowing simply would not do. There was no chance of becoming friends with Emeline if she was always standing on ceremony. Briana stepped up to the French woman, emboldened by Kiara’s easy manner enough that she paid no attention to the crinkling of her diaper. Flashing her most welcoming smile, Briana said, “In this house, we greet people by hugging them.” Emeline was surprised – and a little stiff – but she returned Briana’s gentle hug.

Proudly, Briana turned back to her family. Grandma was beaming at her. Melody, Rosa, and Dad seemed quite amused. Mom had the quirk in her mouth that meant she had a lot to say – but wasn’t going to until later. Kiara, however, looked intrigued or even challenged. Her face was serious but her eyes were excitedly boring into Briana. Joy pulsed through Briana’s limbs, coming out as a happy hop. Not only was everyone happy with her, but Emeline’s posture was already more relaxed.

“Emma, please sit with us.” Kiara grabbed a chair from the dining room table and planted herself between Mom and Grandma, turning to her sister. “Well, little sister, tell me everything that’s happened since I’ve been gone.”

“That might take a while. Melody, Briana, can you get tea and coffee for everyone?” The firmness of Veronica’s smile indicated it wasn’t a request. It was unfair of Mom to assume that Briana would resist being sent out of the room just because she’d been taking a seat at Kiara’s feet. Eager to show her aunt how good a girl she was, Briana hopped to her feet and dragged Melody by the hand to the kitchen.

“Isn’t aunt Kiara great, sib?” Briana scooted a stool to the cupboards so she could reach the nice tea cups. All the everyday dishes were down on Briana’s level, but there was a limit to how much crockery and china could be kept at a five-foot girl’s reach.

“She’s intense for sure.” Melody’s voice was quiet as they lit the stove under the kettle.

“Oh no, do you not like her?” Briana turned to her sibling in anguish, only to be gently chopped on the head by Melody.

“I didn’t say that. You know I don’t jump in as fast as you do.” Melody fidgeted with their overalls. With a sigh, Briana set the cups down. Her sib had no call to be upset about their outfit; unlike Briana, Melody had gotten to choose their clothes.

“Well something is the matter.”

“I liked the dynamic we had at Christmas.” Melody shrugged, kicking at the stove corner idly. “What if you and her get really close but I don’t?”

“She made a special effort with your pronouns, I don’t think she’ll ignore you.”

“Yeah, that was cool.” Melody smiled a little, but hadn’t lost their melancholy. There was only one foolproof remedy for a sad sib. Briana squeezed between Melody and the stove, worming her way into her sibling’s arms.

“If you’re sad you’re going to get snuggled.” Briana laid her head on Melody’s shoulder, grunting when her sib grabbed her uncharacteristically tightly. “Are you worried about me? Sib, you know I love you to bits.”

“I feel like stuff is changing. We just got to where everybody is happy.”

“Hey, look at me.” Briana gazed up at Melody earnestly. “I will always love you. Did you see how Mom looked at Kiara? That’s how I feel about you. You’re my hero, Big Sib.”

Melody’s rib-squeezing hug drove the air out of Briana in a squeak. “Bri, you’re always such a jerk. I can’t believe you made me cry on Kiara’s first hour here.”

Air rushed back into Briana with a gasp when Melody finally let go. She didn’t mind being sort-of-asphyxiated by her sibling. It was an acceptable price, for the deep love that a super-hug represented. A washcloth from the counter worked to wipe Melody’s cheeks clean.

“I’ll do tea, and you do coffee, okay?” Briana nuzzled Melody’s cheek. “I want to get back fast so we can hear what Mom is saying about us.”

“We need to hear about what Kiara’s been up to, too.” Melody nodded as they grabbed a half-dozen mugs. “Do you mind bringing it up? You’re better at – you know…”

“Gotcha, Big Sib!” As she squatted down to retrieve the tea tray from a lower cabinet, Briana discovered significant squish in her diaper. As great as Kiara had been, Briana didn’t want to make a fuss about her diapers so soon, especially with Emeline in the room. “Um, can you…”

“Let one of the caregivers know that you need a change?” Melody kissed Briana atop her head. “I got you, Baby Sister.”

Kiara’s arrival day wiped Briana out enough to send her to her crib before her already early bedtime. Getting a brand new aunt would have been enough for one day – she was exhausted from the additions of being Melody’s emotional support, and feeling like she had to be wary of her Littleness around Emeline. Unfortunately, early bedtimes combined poorly with Briana’s bedwetting. She’d woken in the wee hours of the morning to the sound of Melody’s gentle snores. Peeking out of her crib bars, Briana smiled down at her sleeping sibling. Rosa had offered to stay at her apartment while Kiara was visiting, since the Rasmussen roommates had already ousted Suzie from her bedroom to make space for Grandma Michelle. As much as Briana had jumped at the chance to have a sleepover with her sibling, Melody had been just as eager to not sleep alone.

We need more house, so that everyone can live together, Briana thought, wistfully. I wonder if Grandma ever made a decision about moving in next door. She and Melody had worked really hard to convince Grandma – but she was as tough a lady as anyone in the family. All Briana could do was hope that all her cute convincing hadn’t gone to waste.

In the dim amber light of Briana’s baby monitor, she and Melody were ensconced in a private island of light. Outside the windows, Ardenthill was especially quiet, hushed by snow and a town emptied out in the week between Christmas and New Years. The house should have followed suit and been quiet as a tomb. Or would “Quiet as a Catacomb” be better? Briana wondered. Both analogies were too macabre for Briana’s usual monologue, but a desire to emulate her mom had her playing with various flavors of Goth aesthetic. Though nothing she’d tried had felt quite right, Briana was sure she’d find the right way to compliment her mom eventually.

As it happened that morning, the house was not quiet. The sounds of someone working in the kitchen were unmistakable, if muted by the thoughtfulness of whoever was up. Few of the people in the house would be up so early, and even less of them would feel the need to clean or prepare food. The odds were that it was either Mom or Dad. Briana snuck out of her crib and past her sleeping sibling. She was in need of some more parental bonding time almost as much as she needed a diaper change. The ancient wooden stairs from the upstairs balcony-hall to the living room creaked as always, though quietly enough under Briana’s slight weight.

She hadn’t decided if she was going to jump out at whichever parent was up, or go for a sneaky hug – when her attempt at a surprise was turned back on her. Instead of her parents, grandmother, or any of her roommates, the source of the kitchen noise was Kiara. Gone was her fancy dress and elegant jewelry. Kiara’s mass of tight curls was pulled back and covered with a white headwrap. She wore a simple green smock dress, her back turned to Briana as she put the house’s biggest mixing bowl into the stand mixer. The counters were covered in cut fruit, bags of flower and sugar, and enough other ingredients to make food for an army.

“Come on in, Briana,” Kiara said, without a backwards glance.

“How!” Briana winced at the way her squeak of surprise bounced off the kitchen walls and lowered her tone. “How did you know it was me?”

“I heard someone on the stairs but not on the living room floor.” Kiara turned around to smile at Briana. “You’re the only one small and mischievous enough to try and sneak up on me.”

“No fair.” Briana giggled and scurried over to her aunt for a hug. Kiara passed the test, squeezing Briana just as enthusiastically as she had when they’d met. “What’s all this?”

“Breakfast!” Kiara smiled. “We have a house full of people, plus I’m sure that Rosa at least will be over early, I’m not sure what other folks might stop by.”

“But, it’s too early for breakfast.”

“It was going to take a while doing it by myself, but now that I’ve caught myself a helper, it should go faster.”

“Okay, I can help!” Briana bounced on her toes. As full as it was, her diaper was on a bounce-delay, the crotch of it sloshing to a stop low enough that she was sure its tapes weren’t long for the world. “Um, I kinda really need a diaper change, though. I can see if Mom’s up. Sometimes she wakes up but doesn’t get out of bed.”

“There’s no way that Vonnie woke up, heard me in the kitchen, and stayed in bed – we both know that.” Kiara took Briana’s hand with her flour dusted one and set off for the drawing room. “I’ll get you changed.”

“Are you sure? Do you know what to do?” Briana was thrown into a scrambling waddle in an attempt to keep up with her tall aunt’s strides.

“It seems like it should work the same for a baby girl of any size. Is that right?” Kiara patted the changing table top, giving Briana a squishy boost to help her climb up.

“Yeah, pretty much.” Briana lay back and gathered her nightgown around her waist. It was a relief feel Kiara’s confidant, businesslike tugs at the tapes on her diaper – both to get the soggy padding off her and for the hopeful lack of fumbling it implied. For a first time adult baby-girl diaper changer, Kiara ranked above Melody and Tamira, but below Veronica. The hug Kiara gave Briana after taping her diaper up, revised Briana’s impression of the experience, to just below the first change she’d gotten from her mom.

“Ready to be my good kitchen helper?” Kiara asked.

“I’m not a super good cook, or a baker at all, but I’ll try!” Briana sat up on the changing table and saluted.

“Don’t worry, I’m great at giving instructions.” Kiara grinned.

Like most things about Kiara, her purported skill at instruction was no boast. Though the directions she gave Briana were direct to the point of being blunt, they never felt dismissive or condescending. The thing that made Kiara’s style work was the way she blended patient tutoring with direct communication. That revelation came together for Briana as she was folding the egg-whites she’d beaten to soft-peaks into the waffle batter. At every step, her aunt had been there to show Briana exactly how to do what she was asking of the Little girl, and she actively encouraged questions. After Kiara guided Briana’s hand twice to pour the perfect amount of batter into Veronica’s waffle makers, she could do it on her own every time.

At first, the process was a delight. Briana would pour exactly the right amount of batter into one of the venerable cast-iron waffle makers and set it on the stove. She’d pour the second, wipe away splatters, and flip the first waffle iron before setting the second on the stove. Then it was a simple matter of putting the freshly cooked waffle in the warming area, flipping the second maker, and wiping down the first one. The process ran perfectly under Briana, she didn’t mind that Kiara checked in periodically to make sure the Little girl was being careful around the hot irons.  By the time she reached the bottom of the enormous bowl of batter, however, Briana wasn’t sure if she was a Little girl or a waffle making robot.

When her Sisyphean pile of waffles was done and delivered to the table, they joined a queenly breakfast table with sausages, scones, eggs, and fruit, all beautifully presented on Veronica’s nice plates. As Briana was tucking jams, syrups, and pitchers of cream among the plates, the smells pulled the rest of the house’s occupants in.

“How did I know you were going to do this, Ki?” Veronica laughed as she set plates on the table.

“The last time I was here, you teased me about only making a German apple pancake.” Kiara set down a pitcher of juice, hugged her mother, and swept back to the stove to wipe it down in a single continuous motion. “This is what you get.”

“This is beautiful, but I don’t see an Apfel Pfannkuchen. Were you not able to make one of those as well?” Jane had a mischievous twinkle in her eye as she poured out coffee and set a second pot brewing.

“Are you trying to provoke me?” Kiara laughed.

“If this feast is the result of provoking you, then please consider yourself provoked.”

“I see you had a kitchen helper.” Grandma was on hand with a wet cloth to wipe Briana’s hands, the front of her nightgown – and had she somehow gotten waffle batter on her face? “You’ve worked hard, scoot to a chair now, Little Rose.”

“Yes Gramma.” Briana plopped down in her usual seat and piled whipped cream on a waffle until the pastry was completely obscured. Suzie, Casey, Erin, and Emeline joined the table, making Melody the only one still in bed. No one, least of all Briana, was surprised at that. With Rosa not back from her apartment yet, there was no need to wake them. They’d appreciate a chance to eat breakfast with their Mamá and – Briana wasn’t quite clear if Rosa was a girlfriend or a fiancé for Melody after the ring Melody had been gifted at Christmas.

Conversation between housemates fell apart as they attacked the mountainous breakfast, words supplanted by satisfied noises and exclamations of foodie delight. Briana’s reward for eating a quarter of her plate-sized waffle, was Dad putting a trio of sausages in the cleared space. A protesting pout was met with a steady gaze and the eyebrow lift that meant Jane was Super Serious ^TM. By the time Briana was through her sausages, Mom had put some fruit on her plate. As a consequence, she was forced to leave half her waffle uneaten. As parental transgressions went, it was mild enough – especially as Mom and Dad had sat bracketing her, and let Briana lean against them sleepily when her stomach reached uncomfortable fullness.

“These waffles are amazing.” Suzie said, preparing another huge forkful of waffle and jam. “Did you really make them, Bri?”

“Aunt Kiara made the batter, but I folded the eggs into it, and poured them all, and cooked them!”

“Well done, kiddo.” Casey grinned at Briana from across the table. “I think you might be on waffle duty from now on.”

Briana’s excited grin faded as she was reminded of Emeline’s presence by the French woman asking Erin to pass her the butter. Kiara’s personal assistant hadn’t had any comments about Briana being treated like a child – or wearing diapers for that matter – and her expression was as carefully neutral as it had been the night before. That didn’t mean she didn’t have opinions about Briana’s – lifestyle – and the Little girl desperately wished she could get some alone time with Emeline to try to find out what they were.

Aunt Kiara must have told her about me – she didn’t look surprised at all last night when she met me, and I was all babied up. Briana chewed on her lip, studying Emeline out of the corner of her eye until she heard her name and retroactively processed what Kiara had said.

“I’m going to collect your dogs after we clean up, Mom,” Kiara said, polishing off her second helping of eggs. “I’ll show Briana around the place while I’m out there.”

“Lovely.” Grandma sipped demurely at her tea. “Don’t let her in the armory.”

“Ki, that’s not something we’ve talked about.” Veronica had an anxious note in her voice.

“You don’t have to worry, Vonnie, I’ll take care of her.” Kiara chuckled. “If I can manage a class of elementary school age kids in the Louvre, I can manage one Little girl.”

“Kiara.” Veronica set her fork down, carefully enunciating her sister’s full name. “You’re not listening to me. I’m Briana’s mother, and she’s not an independent adult. You need to ask my permission before you take her somewhere.”

The table’s side conversations came to an abrupt halt. Grandma looked from Kiara to Veronica with surprise – and what seemed to be pride. Kiara’s expression was surprised as well for a quiet conversational beat, before it became an accepting smile.

“I apologize, you’re a hundred percent right.” Kiara’s smile grew to a full bodied, beaming grin. “That’s the most confidently you’ve ever stood up to me. Motherhood really did change you.”

“You have no idea.” Veronica sighed fondly, putting an arm around Briana to draw her close. “Thank you for understanding.”

“I won’t do that to you again.” Kiara nodded. “May I take Briana to Mom’s house when I collect the dogs?”

“Please do, as long as you heed Mom’s warning about the armory.”

“No worries there.” Kiara turned to Grandma. “Mom, what’s the name of the girl you have housesitting for you?”

“Ava Singh,” Michelle said. “Lovely girl from the ABDU Biomedical Engineering program.”

“Everything’s been going well for her?” Kiara leaned back in her chair with her coffee. “She’s handling the pups fine?”

“Oh yes. I check in with her every other day. She’s doing a great job,” Michelle said. “Please let her know that she’ll be paid the full amount, even if we send her home early.”

“Ms. Rasmussen, would you like me to accompany you?” Emeline’s mode of address was met by three heads turning: Kiara’s, Veronica’s, and Michelle’s. More than ever, Briana was glad she’d decided to be Miss Rasmussen. “If not, I can assist your mother.”

“You’re at liberty for the next few days, Emma. You are owed a holiday – and a lot more than that.” Though Kiara’s expression remained friendly, her tone was shockingly firm for the breakfast table.

Emeline was unphased by a tone that would have had Briana shaking in her fluffy pink slippers. She merely nodded and replied, “Understood. Maybe I’ll go to the cinema, if anyone else is interested. Perhaps Ms. Rasmussen Senior?”

“I have no idea what’s playing, but I’m sure there’s something good at the Neptune,” Grandma said. “The folks running it always find interesting films.”

“They’re showing 8 Femmes!” Suzie interjected with an excited bounce in her chair. “I’ve seen it twice already, and I’m up to go again if anyone else is interested.”

“Isn’t that a murder mystery?” Erin asked, raising her brows skeptically.

“It’s a Lesbian, Christmas, murder mystery.” Suzie countered.

“I love whodunits and gay ladies,” Casey said. “Count me and my girlfriend in.” Erin laughed, shrugged, and nodded her agreement.

“That sounds amusing, I’d love to come,” Grandma said.

“I’ll ask Rosa and Melody if they’ll join us.” Veronica added.

“I’ve got the showtimes pulled up.” Jane said, as she fiddled with her phone.

“It’s good to see I can still start a trend. I’m looking forward to it.” Emeline said with a smug smile, before turning to Michelle. “I’ve been especially wanting an excuse to catch up with you and some of your recent business.” Kiara narrowed her eyes at Emeline’s last statement, but declined to comment, which only increased the smugness of her assistant’s expression. With an exaggerated roll of her eyes, Kiara got up for a fresh cup of coffee.

Emeline was already asking Michelle about some real estate deal. It didn’t seem to Briana that Emeline was planning to behave herself at all. She almost regretted her aunt commandeering her for a trip to Grandma’s house, for missing the chance to see what Emeline really did after Kiara left. However, nothing happening at the house was likely to top a whole new historic Rasmussen house to explore, nor the chance to meet her grandmother’s fabled dogs.

~~~*~~~

Briana and Kiara were pushed out of the kitchen early in the clean-up process, which Kiara protested and for which Briana was relieved. While her aunt prepared an overnight bag – the diaper portion thereof under Veronica’s supervision – Briana forced her heavy-bellied self up to her room. She discovered Melody in the perfect stage of waking up – too wakeful to complain about being disturbed, but sleepy enough to make a delightfully warm snuggle buddy. She wasted no time burrowing under Melody’s blankets and joining them on their air mattress.

“Morning sis.” Melody more yawned than spoke the words.

“Morning sib!”

“You smell like bacon.”

“Sausages. And waffles and oh-my-gosh there’s so much good food downstairs.”

“Good, that means there’s plenty for when Rosa gets here.” Melody threw an arm and a leg over Briana, tucking their head into her shoulder. “You can have second breakfast with us.”

“I can’t, Aunt Kiara is taking me on a trip to Grandma’s house.”

“Huh, for how long?”

“I don’t know, actually. It sounds like just overnight.”

“This is why I didn’t want any new family stuff until after New Years.” Melody grumped.

“Oh hush, you literally gave your mamá a weekend away for a Christmas present.”

“No fair remembering stuff.” Melody yawned. “When do you have to leave?”

“I dunno, but I’m sure there’s time for a nap.”

“I bet there isn’t.” Melody smirked. “Isn’t Grandma’s house hella far away? I bet auntie is going to want to get on the road right away.”

“You called her auntie!” Briana nuzzled Melody’s cheek until they grumpily pushed her away. “I knew you’d be at least a little excited to get a new aunt.”

“I still don’t know her well – but fine, I’ll try hard and stuff. For you.”

“You should do it for yourself, so you won’t have to be uncomfortable around her.”

“Take the W, sis, don’t argue your way down to an L.”

“Fine, you grumpus.” Briana tangled herself as much into Melody’s warmth as she could, only to be surprised at the dry crinkle when their legs entwined. “Your diaper is dry?”

“It’s not even a diaper, it’s a pullup.”

“At night!?” Briana’s brow furrowed, she pulled back to catch Melody’s gaze. “Are you all potty trained? Are you not going to – to wear anymore?”

“Look who’s worried about change now.” Melody kissed Briana on the forehead and squeezed her tightly. “You can stop worrying. I don’t think Mamá is going to let me out of pullups any time soon. Even if she did, I’ll always be a Little in some ways.”

“In some ways?” Briana clung to Melody, grabbing as much of her sibling’s pajamas as her petite fists could hold.

“I’m the big sibling, remember? And I always will be. Which means I’m bigger than you – but still a kid.”

“You’d better be.” Briana kept her tone petulant, but let herself relax, cuddling the full length of her body against Melody’s warmth.

There had been time for a nap, but not with Melody. Briana hardly had time to say goodbye to her disgruntled sibling – let alone her parents or grandmother – before Kiara had her bundled into her car seat in the back of an elegant black Chrysler. When she woke to a dry mouth and a soggy diaper, it was midday, and they were zipping down a deserted New England highway at a pace that was unlikely to be within the legal limit. Kiara was on point with a cool bottle of water, and an offer of a change once they got to their destination.

“Are we close to Grandma’s house? I don’t even know how far away it is.”

“Pretty close now.” Kiara glanced down at the GPS display on the car’s built-in tablet and nodded. “The estate is about two hours drive from Ardenthill – with a heavy foot anyway.”

“We’re just picking up Grandma’s dogs?” Briana kicked her feet, as much to work out the kinks in her legs as to resettle some of her diaper’s bunched-up padding. She must have been dressed by Mom or Dad on the way to the car – she’d been too sleepy to remember the sweater and overalls she was wearing, along with what felt like a onesie underneath. Kiara had exchanged her smock dress for leggings and an oversized knit sweater, but kept her headwrap.

“Picking up your Grandma’s dogs is a whole adventure on it’s own, you’ll see when you meet them. We’re also there to make sure the house is buttoned up for the winter, and to let the house sitter go home. Ashley’s Mansion can sit for a few weeks on its own, if the dogs are elsewhere.”

“And then Grandma goes back with her dogs?” Briana sighed sadly.

“That was the plan, originally.” Kiara caught Briana’s gaze in the rear view mirror and smirked. “Then a couple of meddling kids convinced my mom to throw money at a property management company until they sold her the house next to Tess Rasmussen House – and let her rent it before closing besides.”

“She really did it?!” Briana bounced gleefully in her cars seat. “Grandma’s going to live next door?”

“She really did. That was a nicely executed plan – even when she’s sick, my mom’s not easily swayed. Who’s idea was it, yours or Melody’s?”

“Melody’s.” Briana nodded. “They came up with the idea when they went to pick up Grandma’s medical stuff with Mom.”

“Nice. I’ll have to take them for a trip when you and I get back. I need to get to know my niece and nieté better.” Briana squirmed happily.

Her warm, fuzzy feelings lasted her the twenty minutes until they left the highway and rumbled through a town Briana didn’t recognize, at which point curiosity took over.  At the first rotary, a sign welcomed them to Gloucester – which Briana had heard of but wouldn’t have been able to place on a map. It’s seaside, obviously, and I think it’s near Boston? They passed lovely turn of the century houses, made their way down the main street, and came out the other side by the water.

The houses had become much more fancy – more than twice the size of Mom’s house – though most of them had a modern look. Briana bounced in her car seat, trying to guess which of the older houses would be Grandma’s house. Each time she was sure she’d picked the right place, Kiara drove by without a sideways glance. With the road just a dozen feet from the beach, they turned onto a private road, where the houses were fully opulent. Every one of them was a sprawling mansion, and their grounds stretched out for an acre or more. My family doesn’t really have a house in a place like this – do we?

Trees bracketed the driveway that Kiara finally chose. In short order, the trees opened up to reveal an honest-to-goddess stone-walled mansion. It was shorter than many of the modern mansions at only two stories, but it had character they lacked in spades. Kiara parked between a garage that had clearly been added on to the house – and a two story tower with a conical roof. Leading up to the front door was a courtyard of flat stones, ringed by flower bushes.

No sooner had they stopped, then Briana heard deep throated barking from inside the house. The barks died out after only a few seconds, but they’d been voiced by the basso-profundos of the canine world. She cast a nervous look at Kiara, who was unbuckling her car seat.

“Your diaper doesn’t show at all, don’t worry. I won’t say anything about it to Ava, and I’ll find somewhere discreet to change you once we’re settled, okay?”

“Oh uh – that’s good, thanks. I was just wondering though, is there anything special I should do with the dogs? Like, a special sign or uh…”

Kiara chuckled as she helped Briana out of the car. “They’re incredibly well trained. You’ll see. Come on sweetie, let’s introduce you to the seat of our family’s power in the Americas.”

The door was opened for them by a woman Briana’s age, in a sweater so fuzzy pink she looked like a cotton-candy cloud. The color enhanced the healthy glow of the woman’s brown skin and drew attention to her lively, happy face. She had a pair of trendy skinny-jeans on, and was backed by more dog than Briana had ever seen in one place. Three shaggy grey and white furred faces peered out at the Indian woman’s shoulder height. Other heads and tails popping up in the background reminded Briana that Grandma’s dogs numbered half a dozen, all of them Irish wolfhounds.

“Hi I’m Ava, you must be Kiara…” Ava began, only to be drowned out by excited barking and whining from the dogs. They weren’t being loud, individually, but with six of them – at what looked like two hundred pounds apiece – the effect was like being in a kennel.

Kiara put her fingers to her lips and whistled a piercing tone that rose, held for a bar, and fell. The effect on the dogs was electric. All six dogs went completely silent and shuffled away from the door. When Briana and Kiara stepped inside, the Little girl was amazed to see the dogs lined up like soldiers, in two rows of three.

“Thanks!” Ava laughed. “They don’t do that for me, but I can’t make that whistle either.”

“You’re welcome. Have they been well behaved for you otherwise?”

“Oh yeah, I have the hand signs down. They’re great dogs, so sweet!”

“Good! As you guessed, I’m Kiara, and this is my niece, Briana.”

“It’s great to meet you.” Ava shook Kiara’s hand, and took a step forward to shake Briana’s. As she did, her left hand – which had been tucked behind her back, swung forward to reveal a brace-crutch. With practiced care, Ava rested her weight on it, pivoting around the crutch to offer her right hand to Briana.

“Good to meet you too!” Briana shook Ava’s hand warmly, hoping she hadn’t stared at the other girl’s crutch too much – but curious nonetheless. It didn’t look like the kind of mobility appliance someone got for a temporary injury, it was clearly well-worn, though just as clearly of quality construction.

“Ms. Rasmussen said you were coming to take over?” Ava asked Kiara.

“That’s right, but she wanted me to stress that you’ll still get the full pay you two agreed on.”

“She told me that herself, but thanks for the confirmation.” Ava shuffled her feet, shifting her weight from one side of her hips to the other. “Is it okay if I leave tomorrow, or do you need me to clear out tonight…”

“Oh goodness no!” Kiara favored Ava with a kindly smile. “You can stay the entire house-sitting term if you want. Michelle only wanted to let you get back to your friends and family early. Take as much time as you need.”

“Great, thanks.” Ava sighed in relief. “I think I’ll take off some time tomorrow, I wouldn’t mind getting home. I’m just not packed yet.”

“I can help you pack.” Briana offered, eagerly.

“I can manage.” Ava said, with odd firmness to her tone. Too late, Briana realized her offer and checking the girl’s crutch out could be construed as connected. As she was searching for a way to undo her inadvertent faux pas, Kiara stepped between Ava and Briana to the center herself in front of the dogs.

“Stand still for a second, Briana, I need to introduce you to the dogs.” Kiara waved her hands at the hulking wolfhounds; they watched in rapt attention. To Briana’s fascination, Kiara was communicating with the dogs in sign language, though it didn’t seem like the bits of ASL that Briana remembered from an undergraduate elective.

As soon as Kiara was done, the dogs were off their haunches and advancing on Briana to collectively sniff her. Whenever a dog rotated behind her, they invariably sniffed her damp diapered rear, bringing a blush to Briana’s cheeks. She stood stock still, her nervousness building until one of the dogs sat in front of her and whined. Reaching out for the dog’s ears got Briana’s hand headbutted with enough force to stagger her. In the space of a moment she went from being suspiciously sniffed by the pack of wolfhounds, to being nuzzled by six friendly giants at once. Giggling euphorically, Briana tried to hug as many dogs as she could manage, and got her arms on three of them. The rest pressed against her affectionately until Kiara snapped her fingers and pointed at a patch of floor. The whole pack took seats where she’d indicated as if they’d rehearsed the maneuver.

“What was that sign you used for Briana?” Ava tilted her head curiously. “Ms. Rasmussen didn’t teach me that one.”

“I was telling the dogs that she’s a member of the family,” Kiara said. “They won’t let you come to harm while they’re around, Bri.” Briana could only respond with a giggle, as overwhelmed as she was by the dog snuggling. Plus, she was trying to think of a good way to ask if she could ride one of them. Surely it was possible, the dogs were big enough to look her in the eye!

Kiara kept things moving by declaring that she was going to get their luggage out of the car and find rooms for herself and Briana. Ava offered to help, but Kiara insisted on handling everything herself, rejecting Briana’s belated offer of help as well. The way to Briana’s accommodations was around the corner from the foyer, through an art studio and a breathtaking living room, and up some stairs to a cluster of three bedrooms that shared a bath. There was a sign at the top of the stairs that simply said “Daghjem”.

“Do you want your mom’s old room?” Kiara asked, motioning to the left with Briana’s suitcase. “It’s next to the book tower.”

“Book tower?” Briana’s jaw hadn’t been properly closed since they’d first come on the house, it threated to fall right off her face at the latest revelation. “Yes please!”

The bedroom walls sloped to a peak from just a few feet off the floor, but there was a cut-out in the roof for a beautiful multipaned window that bathed the room in light. Not only was there a book tower next door – two floors of books with a balcony, but there was a sitting area that looked out another large window and down into the fancy living room. Briana turned Kiara to confirm her guess that the sitting area had been a musician’s gallery, when she realized that her aunt had vanished – to get her own luggage, of course.

Since Briana was more damp than wet, she didn’t feel like waiting around for Kiara to get settled and make good on her promise of a diaper change. The book tower was her first stop, where she admired curved, built-in shelves full of beautiful old books. A stairway took her down to a lovely study and more books on the first floor of the tower. Doors and hallways beckoned in every direction – but Briana wanted to be sure she knew how to get back the way she’d come.

Back in the foyer, following the sounds of people took Briana to a central hall with a stairway. Neither Kiara nor Ava were visible, but one of the dogs was padding idly down a tight passage. Following that fluffy butt revealed a much older looking section of the house, with a large room that must have been a central living area at some point. The floor had been cleared of furniture – in favor of massive dog beds – but there was  bricked-lined kitchen area with room to build a real log fire under hanging cauldrons.

Three members of the dog pack were present, perking up their heads as Briana entered, tracking her every step. It was a little too intimidating for the Little girl’s original goal of snuggling some pups, so she explored the room instead. The colonial kitchen was fascinating, but even more so was a door painted bright red, bound with thick iron bands. It had a wrought iron handle and a keyhole big enough to peek through.

The moment Briana put her hand on the knob, she felt something fuzzy and wet at the back of her neck. To her utter shock, Briana felt her sweater gripped in the dog’s mouth and pulled taut until she was on her tiptoes. Sputtering protests did nothing to a dog weighing in at two Brianas. The beast marched the Little girl back to the central hallway, shoved her with its nose so she stumbled up against Kiara, and woofed at Briana’s aunt.

“Making friends already?”

“You said they’re well trained! That one grabbed me an dragged me here.”

“Dasher wouldn’t do that without a good reason.” Kiara looked down the hall Briana had come from and raised a brow. “Did you try to get into the armory already?”

“Is that the red door? It’s not labeled.”

Kiara chuckled. “I told the dogs that you’re a kid, they won’t let you near anything dangerous.”

“They don’t like people going near that door anyway.” Ava said, from behind Briana.

“I didn’t know!” Briana wrinkled her nose in an effort to retain her annoyance – but with Dasher nibbling at her ear it was hard to be mad at the big lug. Choosing snuggles – as was her nature – Briana threw her arms around the dog’s neck.

“How was Ashley’s room?” Kiara asked. “I know it’s a bit rustic, but it’s the only bedroom on this floor.”

“It’s fine, I like being near the dogs anyway.” Ava stepped forward, she had a brace crutch in her right hand as well, and was leaning heavily on both mobility aids.

“I’m going to check the boathouse.” Kiara said. “Do you mind giving Briana a quick tour, Ava?”

“Sure!” Ava nodded brightly, turning to Briana. “It’s your first time here? I love this house, it’s like something out of a book.”

“That’d be great, but you don’t have to show me the whole thing if it’s too much.” Despite her best efforts, Briana’s eyes were drawn to Ava’s crutches. The other girl’s mouth set in a hard line.

Ignoring Briana’s statement, Ava swung herself forward – moving fast enough that Briana had to trot to catch up. “The kitchen is through here, and right past that is my favorite room, the Green Dining Room.”

Way to be a jerk in the first half hour of meeting someone, Briana. The Little girl kept up with Ava without further commentary, despite the pace making her diaper rustle.

Ava’s wrists ached from the pressure she was putting on them – she ignored the discomfort and kept up her quick strides. Her irritation at Briana was ridiculous, she knew. Slightly nosy curiosity and an offer to help Ava pack had to be the mildest way someone had pointed out her disability. She could easily recall an endless stream of less polite examples. Briana had the good grace to look embarrassed about calling attention to Ava’s crutches, too – so why am I annoyed? Something about the pixie-esque girl bothered her, probably Briana’s obvious wealth. As she passed through the house’s large kitchen and laundry – both of which were rooms that demanded servants to properly utilize – she sighed at herself.

The other two Rasmussens that Ava had met had been nice enough, and Briana was the perkiest of them all so far.That didn’t mean that Briana’s attitude could dilute the awkwardness Ava felt, as a woman of color showcasing a stunning dining room for the rich white girl who owned it – but had never eaten an meal there. Ava was still having trouble believing Briana had never been to the mansion before – did the Rasmussens have so many houses, that one of them could be in her early twenties and never have visited such an iconic place? Look at me, all focused on privilege and class. Maybe Leah rubbed off on me more than I thought.

“Here we are.” Ava took a deep breath in an effort to keep her breath from sounding labored. Deliberately, she set aside her pique and her ex-girlfriend’s worldview – to let herself enjoy sharing something she loved. “My favorite room in the house.”

The stars in Briana’s eyes were adorable. She looked around the dining room with the same mixture of awe and childish delight that Ava had felt upon first seeing the room. The dining table for ten wasn’t a remarkable piece of furniture on its own, but it was adorned with beautiful green glass vases and globes. Painted the same mint-white color as the walls, the table looked at home in the center of the room, with generous space around it. Both short-walls of the rectangular room bore whimsical oak carvings of cherubs and ships in an art nouveau style. The trim was all in a sea green that was a perfect midpoint between the light walls and dark green glass. Shelves and china cabinets held many more pieces of green glass china, each of them hand-crafted pieces. The floor was simple herringboned brick with jute rugs, but its simplicity was a much needed counterpoint to the rest of the décor.

All that would have been impressive enough, but the stove and windows took the room to a level of fantasy. The ancient cast iron parlor stove was lovingly carved and still had its exhaust piped into the wall – not that Ava had been brave enough to try to light it, despite the engraved brass kettle that sat on it. A whole long wall of the room was made up of diamond-paned windows that looked out on the bay without obstruction. The water came so close to the house that all one saw of the shore were a few bushes peeking up and a bit of the dock – the rest was water. Ava had made a point of taking every breakfast in the Green Dining Room, where the view and the sound of waves let her pretend she was out at sea.

“Oh my gosh, this is spectacular!” Briana hopped on her toes in delight, scurrying around the room with an odd waddling gait. “I had no idea Grandma’s house had a room like this – that her house was so beautiful.”

“I have to ask – how did you not know?” Ava asked, taking a seat on a helpful dining chair that sat against the wall.

“I was just recently adopted. Last month, actually.” Briana smiled shyly at Ava, revealing heart-rending dimples. “All Rasmussens are adopted – except for my dad I guess. She’s the first one to marry in for ages.”

That explains the black aunt and redheaded niece, Ava thought. It was her turn to look guilty, a look which she quickly converted to an apologetic smile. “I want to apologize – I misjudged you.”

“Oh, me too! I mean, I didn’t misjudge you, but I think I made you uncomfortable – and I didn’t mean to.” Briana’s hopeful smile pushed her another level up the pyramid of cute. “I would have offered to help you pack even if you um – even if…”

“If I wasn’t disabled?” Ava shrugged at Briana’s wince. “I didn’t mean to be prickly about it. The thing is – I get tired of people meeting my disability before they meet me.”

“That way of thinking about it – makes a lot of sense. Thanks for taking time to educate me.” Briana looked thoughtful, which was an encouraging sign. Without warning, she switched back to her bubbly mode. “Does that mean you’ll let me help you pack? I’m a good helper, you’ll see!”

Ava had to laugh. If she didn’t know better, she’d have said Briana was in Littlespace. The girl’s clothes were on the young side, but as tiny as she was – she might not have a lot of options in the women’s section. Just because she’s bubbly and wearing overalls doesn’t mean she’s into ABDL. “I appreciate the offer, but I’ll pack up on my own. You can meet Mango, though.”

“Mango?” Briana focused on Ava with startling intensity. “Who’s Mango?”

“My parrot.”

“Oh my gosh YES! Puppies and a bird?” Briana was back to bouncing on her toes. “Coming along with aunt Kiara was the best decision ever.”

Sense of duty made Ava route them through the Asai room and the Study – she’d been asked to give a tour by her boss, after all. Walking through the octagonal Asai room didn’t do it justice – it took time to appreciate the half-dozen paintings, all of them Asai Chu originals. Time wasn’t something they had, not with Briana on a mission to see a parrot. Ava briefly pointed out the cabinet of hand-painted porcelain teapots in the study before completing the loop and guiding Briana back to her room.

It was tiny, even by the old house’s more closely-built standards, and full of odd touches – like a platform in front of the window two feet deep and built too high to be a window seat. From what Ava had heard, the room had been part of the old house where the first Rasmussen owner had stayed while the rest of the house had been built around it. Along with the kitchen and great room turned-kennel, the whole section had been left in an odd half-finished or perhaps half-rustic state.

Mango chirped happily as soon as she entered the room, singing his name to her as he hopped from foot to foot on his perch. “Mango, Mango!”

“Hello, pretty bird.” Ava grinned as Mango started preening. He was a vain little thing, but with his vibrant green and yellow plumage, he deserved to be. Shuffling to the bed to make room for Briana, Ava motioned to her bird. “Briana, this is Mango. Mango, this is Briana.”

“Briana, Briana!” Mango chirped, hopping to the perch on the edge of his cage to peer at the newcomer.

“Oh he’s gorgeous!” Briana clapped her hands softly. “You’re beautiful, Mango.”

“Pretty bird, pretty bird!” Mango agreed.

“Do you want to pet him?” Ava pried the cage door open, giving Mango a moment to adjust to the situation before extending her hand. He fluttered out and landed on her wrist, immediately nuzzling her arm with his beak.

“Gosh, yes! I’ll be careful.” Briana reached out with ridiculous caution – which was certainly better than erring in the other direction. Mango bobbed his head away for a moment before extending his neck toward Briana. She took the hint, petting his raised neck feathers while Mango trilled happily.

“Here, I’ll make him your friend forever.” Ava fished a date chunk out of Mango’s treat bag and put it in Briana’s hand. “Dates are his favorite.”

“Treat, treat, treat!” Mango whistled at Ava.

“Briana has the treat.” Ava motioned at the petite girl. It took a few tries – what with Mango smelling the date on Ava’s fingers – but once he got the idea he turned to Briana with just as much intensity.

“Treat! Pretty bird! Treat, treat! Pretty bird! Treat! Mango!” He chirped, hopping on Ava’s wrist.

Briana giggled gleefully, reaching out carefully with the chunk of date. Mango snatched it out of her fingers so fast she didn’t startle until he’d already caught his balance and was scoffing the treat down.

“That’s how I am with ice cream,” Briana said with a grin.

“I wish I could eat ice cream.” Ava coaxed Mango back into his cage and nudged the door closed. At Briana’s curious head tilt, she added, “Lactose intolerant.”

“Oh, that’s sad. At least you still have chocolate.” Briana took a good look around the room. Either being a little nosy was part of her personality, or she was still in tour mode. Either way, Ava was glad she had stowed away anything overly private in anticipation of Kiara’s visit. Her gaze lighted on Ava’s stack of printed out journals – she picked one up to read the abstract.

Nosey for sure then. I’m not sure how much she’s going to get out of that if she’s still an undergrad. “That’s for my graduate class.” Ava offered.

“Yeah, Grandma told me you were in Biomechanical.” Briana flipped to the paper’s introduction, reading with apparent comprehension. “Ooh! You get to play with nanobots. We don’t use them much as an end-product in Microbio, just as something to construct a batch of bacteria.”

“You’re in the ABDU Microbiology grad program?”

“Can’t you tell?” Briana laughed, tossing the paper onto the stack. “I know I look young – especially lately. I’m pretty far into my PHD program actually. I’ll even be done with it soon, someday, eventually.”

“That’s a mood.” Ava grinned and took a seat on the bed. “What’s your thesis?”

“Plastic eating bacteria – with waste products that are easy to capture so that all the carbon doesn’t get cycled back into the atmosphere. Yours?”

“Microfluidic drug delivery. Basically, sending cancer drugs directly into cancer cells instead of soaking the patient’s whole body in toxic stuff.”

“Cool! That means you probably deal with a lot of the same cell permeability issues that I do, what’s your take on…”

“Briana!” Kiara’s voice was accompanied by one of the big dogs – Cupid – poking his muzzle through the doorway. “Come upstairs please!”

“She set the dogs on you – scary!” Ava laughed.

“I better go!” Briana nodded, already backing toward the doorway. “Let’s talk later though, okay?”

“Sure.” Ava waited until Briana was away down the hall before closing the door and throwing the lock. It was a relief to not be responsible for the enormous pups anymore, as much as they’d all been sweethearts. Assured that she wouldn’t have to open her bedroom door for any canine emergencies, she let Mango out for a bit of flying around. He fluttered around the room twice – briefly touching down on the grandfather clock – before landing in front of the window to preen himself in the sun.

Following her bird’s example, Ava stretched out on the bed in a sunbeam. The warmth was nice on her aching legs. Despite being sore, her legs weren’t trembling – that was something to be proud of. Michelle’s job offer had sounded like a good chance to keep herself from backsliding on fitness over winter break, what with chasing the dogs around. Still, staying off her legs before she packed her bags was still a good idea. Nothing was more annoying than having to pull over because her legs gave out while she was driving.

While Mango chirped at the bobbing flowers outside the window, Ava pulled out her tablet and loaded her “home” chatroom. Sending an animated wave emoji was returned with tons of excited replies from her Little friends. Littles are the friendliest people on earth. Grinning happily, Ava put away her responsibilities in favor of indulging in a serious discussion of Adult Baby matters – like who was the biggest potty-pants. By the time her legs stopped hurting, chat consensus was that Ava was the potty champion. She posted a picture of herself sucking her thumb in good natured “defeat” and logged off to start packing.

Her tablet and homework went on the bottom of the suitcase – to force her to unpack the whole thing when she got home. A pack of diapers stood out in its bright pink behind the pile of sweaters she pulled out of the antique wardrobe. Smiling, Ava ran her fingers over the package. All her ABDL stuff was supposed to be put away until she got home – but Kiara clearly didn’t need her for anything and had a helper besides. Why not? Ava slipped her jeans off her hips – wishing they didn’t fall off quite so easily – and shook one of the diapers out to fluff it up.

Having a huge house to herself, had made for prime padded time. Ava was in practice enough to tape up her diaper without having to lie down and still get a good fit. To her delight, the skinny jeans didn’t fit over the white and pink bulk. Going bottomless was too risky with people in the house, so Ava threw a flowing skirt on and busied herself with the rest of her packing. As she worked, the little crinkles from her behind kept a bubby smile on her face to rival the pixie girl she’d met.

Hours later, sucking on a juice box and watching cartoons on her phone, Ava had forgotten Kiara’s offer of dinner until Briana knocked on her door. “Hi Ava! Dinner’s ready in about fifteen minutes if you want to join us!”

Unfortunately, Ava had just achieved peak coziness, curled up in a blanket with Mango on her shoulder. Her teddy bear, Brownie, was wedged at the perfect angle under her arm to help prop her up – and she’d been giving serious consideration to using her diaper. As antisocial as turning down the offer of dinner would be, it felt weird to have a sit down dinner with her employer, too.

A twinge in Ava’s overworked left leg gave her the final justification to bow out. “I’m not feeling great, I think I’ll pass on dinner, but thank you.” Belatedly, she added, “Sorry for yelling at you through the door, Mango’s out of his cage right now.”

“No problem!” Briana’s voice didn’t sound like there was no problem – she sounded profoundly bummed for someone who’d barely met Ava. For a moment Ava considered changing her mind, but she was simply too snuggly. Briana’s footsteps – and that of another of the wolfhounds – faded away. With a shrug, Ava turned back to her cartoons. We went this long at ABDU without meeting, it’s not like I’ll ever see her again, she thought. Too bad – she is cute.

Out of long habit, Ava waited until the hallway outside her room was completely silent – despite knowing that neither Briana nor Kiara were the kind of people that would barge in on her. It took a bit of concentration with her lower lip caught between her teeth before Ava was rewarded with a delightful squishy warmth between her legs.

“Stinky, stinky!” Mango chirped.

“You can’t smell it yet, dum-dum, you just heard it.” Ava rolled over to better distribute the spreading wet in her diaper, sending Mango flapping upward with an indignant squawk. He landed just as quickly, eager to see the flashing colors on her phone again. He gave Ava a love-nip on the ear – she giggled and clutched Brownie close to her chest. With a protein bar and a bag of chips tucked next to her on the bed, there was nothing between Ava and watching cartoons until bedtime.

~~~*~~~

Ava’s guess about seeing Briana was prophetic in the short term. Kiara was up early enough to see Ava off, but Briana was still in bed, when she hauled her suitcase into her Impreza and said her goodbyes to the wonderful house. To her surprise, Donner, Cupid, and Dasher all insisted on saying goodbye to her as well, their floor-mop-like tails wagging away a storm. All three of the dogs got a big hug in turn – as did Ava, unexpectedly – when Kiara gave her the final sendoff.

It was too early in the morning for Mango to be good company, he had a wing over his head – occasionally peeking out to glare at Ava for moving his cage before his usual eight am breakfast. With a lot of highway between her and Ardenthill, Ava put a favorite podcaster on her phone.

“What does a conservative think tank have in common with a first timer at a furry convention?” Hannah Skye asked her audience. “They both just found out that wearing diapers is something adults actually do.”

Frowning, Ava turned the podcast up. Her heart sank as Hannah went on to describe sudden media outrage about ABDL – not that the media ever portrayed her subculture fairly. Hannah’s podcast made it sound like it was more than a single hit piece though. Not only had the story been picked up by multiple news channels, but journalists were actually interviewing politicians about the matter. It was no surprise when the politicians categorically denounced ABDL as sick and wrong – but that didn’t make Ava’s hurt or annoyance any less.

By the third ranting representative who’s interview Hannah played for context, Ava had to switch to music. She was padded for her road trip – those were almost as good an opportunity for wearing as house sitting was – and she found herself regretting the decision. Though none of the politicians on the podcast had been from New Hampshire or Massachusetts – Ava flinched a little when a state patrol car passed her. House sitting for the Rasmussens had started out as so much fun – the dogs were great, she could wear diapers any time she wanted – but on the way out, emotional downbeats were piling up fast enough that Ava felt like she was experiencing a post convention mood drop. Now her secret, silly joy of being padded under her pants in the privacy of her own car was gone.

“Leah would tell me to get involved, fight back against people pulling out a prejudice to distract their voters.” Ava said to Mango with a sigh.

“Pretty Leah, pretty Leah!” Mango replied.

“Yeah, she is.” Ava smiled sadly. “Leah’s gone Mango, sorry.”

“Miss her, miss her.”

“Me too, buddy.”

“See Leah, see Leah, treat!”

“Sorry, she’s moved away.” Ava wiped her eyes. “You can get a treat though.”

“Treat! Pretty bird, treat!” Mango hopped up to the edge of his cage eagerly.

To her bird’s annoyance, Ava waited for a long straight section to fish around in the treat bag and give him a dried date chunk. He rewarded her by singing along with the car stereo, accompanying Lizzo with melodic chirps a perfect octave above the melody.

Laughing, Ava joined in, albeit with queer-bent lyrics. “If she don’t love you anymore – then walk your fine ass out the door…” The sun had reluctantly burned away the cold winter fog, and though Ava was driving away from the coast, miles of glittering ocean behind her lit the sky ahead of her for a beautiful winter day.

“Don’t worry, Mango, they’ll forget all about us ABDL folks in a week, they always do.” In Mango’s opinion, that kind of good news justified another treat. To his consternation, Ava made him wait for it until the next big straight section.

As it turned out, Grandma had to go back to her house anyway. Not forever, not even for more than a week at a time, but for Briana,  any loss of Grandma time was awful. She loved her Mom and Dad with every iota of her Little heart, and was no question in Briana’s mind they were a real family. As a former foster kid, however, “Grandma” was a dream she’d never let herself believe in, until she had one.

Grandma was especially needed with Kiara back in Geneva doing – whatever it was she did there. Briana felt guilty sometimes for not asking her aunt more about herself. Most of their bonding time had been very Briana-focused – though Kiara treating Briana fully like a child had a lot to do with that. Being Little full-time was something that Briana knew she needed, but the practicalities of which she was still figuring out.

There’d been a lot of figuring out in Briana’s return to school – Melody called it finding out, with an emphasis that Briana knew meant she was being memed. It was hard to miss Grandma and Kiara when every day was spent figuring out what it meant for a Little girl to go to graduate school. Maintaining a single class and a lab had pushed Briana to her breaking point in January, become bearably strained in February, and finally felt stable in the first week of March. Things were going so well that Mom was talking about Briana returning to a full-time school schedule – which she found more exciting than scary for the first time since she’d become Little.

Spring had refreshed the world, just in time for Briana’s world to follow suit. Grandma had finally moved into the house next door on the previous weekend. Kiara was back in town too, helping Grandma move and staying at Michelle’s new house, since all the rooms in Tess Rasmussen house were occupied. Briana loved that her family houses had names – official ones even.

Ashley’s Mansion was known in the region’s history as Vakhaven, or The Rasmussen-Stolk house, a tidbit which had made Briana hungry to sit down with Grandma and find out why a second last name had gotten attached to the house Ashley built. Her suggestion of “the Michelle Rasmussen House” for Grandma’s new house had gotten her admonished by Michelle, to the point of Briana getting a swat on her butt. Apparently no one but Manga Grandma was allowed to have their first name in a house’s official name – which Briana thought was dumb – however, Grandma hadn’t had the house built herself, which Briana was more willing to accept as a reason.

The bus rolled up to the South campus stop, snapping Briana out of her private thoughts. A good sized crowd of students had gathered while she was sitting. She waved goodbye to the cozy brick buildings that marked the border of ABDU’s campus and bounced lightly on her toes as she waited in line to board the bus. Kiara and Grandma were both coming to dinner at Briana’s house, to celebrate Michelle’s move being officially complete – though she hoped Grandma would be coming over for almost every dinner. Her excited anticipation was cut short by a word that – while familiar – she hadn’t expected to hear at the school bus stop.

“Yeah, I found diapers.” The speaker was a dark haired white girl in a cream colored coat. “Adult sized, but not like – medical ones. They looked like the ones for babies, with bears and whatever on them.”

“Ew, gross.” The first girl’s friend was a redhead, wearing one of ABDU’s first sundresses of the season. “What did you do?”

“Broke up with him, obviously.” The dark haired girl said, to which her friend nodded like her friend’s nasty statement was the most natural thing in the world. Not that the first girl was done, adding, “I threw him out of the apartment too. You’ve seen what they say on the news about those people.”

“Good for you!” The redhead nodded fervently. “I wouldn’t feel safe.”

“Exactly.” The dark haired girl showed her ABDU ID to the driver and took a seat, quickly followed by her friend.

Briana nervously adjusted her shortall skirt, glad that she’d gone with one that fell below her knees, despite the weather being on the warm side that day. For the first time since she’d had her meltdowns at school, she was nervous to be padded in public. I wish Mom was with me – or any of my caregivers, Briana thought, as she walked past the bus driver with her student ID held out. A seat as far as possible from the nasty, anti-diaper girls would have been preferable, but the bus was too full for Briana to get a choice. That she got a seat at all was likely due to her being small and female, the two o’ clock bus was always standing room only as it left campus.

“Wasn’t there a girl at school that wore diapers – and pooped in them at a test or something?” The redhead giggled at the scandal. Briana, who had been about to put her earbuds in to block the girls out, froze with her hands on either side of her face.

“Yeah, and she had the same gross fetishy kind of diapers on.” The dark haired girl ran her hands through her head, draping it over the back of her seat and into Briana’s space. “I heard there are a lot of ABDL people in the area.”

“That’s messed up. I wish somebody would do something.”

“Me too.”

The girls’ conversation finally, mercifully, moved away from the topic of diapers – but Briana could only stare at them, open mouthed. It wasn’t the first time someone had mentioned her unfortunate messy accident at the end of the previous year’s finals, but no one gossiping about it had ever said the acronym ABDL before. Nor had she ever heard those four letters said with such venomous scorn. A fear Briana hadn’t felt since her Mom had rescued her made her stomach rumble.

I shouldn’t be afraid – I’m a Rasmussen. My family has multiple houses, we’re a big deal! The Rasmussen name was cold comfort sitting behind two women who had expressed a desire that someone “do something” about people like Briana and her sibling. In a way, it was worse, since she had to worry about her family’s reputation instead of only her own. She had a sudden, wild desire to retreat to Ashley’s Mansion and live there, tucked away in the trees against the water – where no one would ever bother her, or know about her.

Her desire to hide was multiplied by the way that no one else had suggested that the two girls had been wrong to say what they’d said. They’d been talking loudly, Briana couldn’t have been the only one who’d overheard them – and yet no one had spoken up. Including me, Briana thought guiltily. What was I supposed to do though? I’m tiny, what if they’d decided to – do something? As smart and self-preserving as that thought was, it didn’t sit right with Briana. Worst of all, stewing on her sudden moral dilemma kept Briana from dropping the thin façade of Big Briana and returning to her properly Little self, which she normally accomplished on the bus ride home. It was a grumpy girl who got off the bus and trudged through the blustery wind on her way home.

~~~*~~~

Crawling on her hands and knees to Melody and Rosa’s bedroom, Briana felt like she might be Little enough to forget her nasty afternoon. Unfortunately, Mom and Dad were out getting last minute items for dinner, so there was nobody to really baby her into a onesie and an oversized diaper. At least with her stuffed lion, Alanna, tucked under her arm, she had a connection to the wonderful imagination realm of Cloudland. Getting Melody to play something Cloudland related was going to be tough – Briana’s sibling was hard at work on their computer when she crawled in.

“Hey Melody, wanna take a break?” Briana gave her sibling her cutest look – and had to hold it, since Melody didn’t look away from their code for a good thirty seconds.

“Hi Bri. Sorry, I gotta cook.”

“Mom and Dad aren’t back with the groceries yet though, there’s nothing left to make for dinner until they do.”

“I meant, I’ve got to work on my project while I’m on roll, I promised my friend’s I’d finish the netcode this week.” Melody rolled their shoulders and swiveled their chair to face Briana. “We can play after dinner though, I’ve got some ideas for how everybody in Cloudland is reacting to the dogs next door.”

“I wanna play NOW!” Briana slammed her firsts on her thighs – her dramatic gesture was spoiled almost immediately by someone pulling her onto her back from behind. A flash of a grinning Latine face was Briana caught before Rosa started tickling her.

“Somebaby is in a mood today, isn’t she?” Rosa’s fingers were relentless, Briana’s response was limited to wild giggles, and wetting her diaper. “I thought we were going to have a bad, crabby baby, but she looks like she might be a happy one instead.

“Rosa, stahp!” Briana managed to gasp out. Rosa pulled Briana – still panting and twitching – into her lap for a hug. Despite being very upset with Rosa, Briana was wise enough to recognize when someone was going to give her the attention she craved, snuggling up to her caregiver.

“That’s better. Don’t shout at people to play with you, that’s not nice.”

“Will you play with me?” Once again, Briana busted out her best puppy dog eyes.

“I’ll snuggle with you. Isn’t Gary coming over? We don’t have time to get playing on something.”

“That’s not for hours.” Briana whimpered, resting her head on Rosa’s shoulder. Her sibling’s Mamá was technically Briana’s aunt, Tia in Spanish. Little relationships could get complicated, you could end up stacking on family like building blocks – which Briana was more than happy to do. Rosa was also warm, and had learned just the right way to hold Briana in the few months she’d been living in the house.

“It’s more like twenty five minutes.” Rosa laughed. “Tell me what you were going to play, I can help you get excited for after dinner.”

“Alanna is worried about Littles having bad dreams after someone is mean to them during the day.” Briana held Alanna up for emphasis, scrunching the plush lioness’s face down into a regal frown. “But Melody mentioned the dogs and that’s a whole thing too, so I’m not sure if we can do Alanna’s agenda.”

Ever perceptive, Rosa frowned and tilted Briana’s face up look into her eyes. “Did someone say something mean to you today?”

“No, not to me. There were some girls on the bus saying mean stuff about – people they don’t like.”

“Ah. I’m sorry you got that bad energy at the end of your day. You want some hot cocoa?”

“Mom never lets me this close to dinner.” Briana pouted.

“Your Mom isn’t here, but your Tia is.” Rosa dumped Briana off her lap and rose. “I’m going to get a cup of tea, and if there’s a baby in the kitchen, I’d probably make her some chocolate…”

Even crawling, with a handicap from carrying Alanna, Briana beat Rosa to the kitchen. The cup of cocoa was done just before her parents got home, meaning that not only could Mom not bock her from getting it, but Briana was delightfully underfoot as Veronica, Jane, and Rosa put the finishing touches on dinner. Though they were obviously busy, Briana got hugs from both of her parents and at least a pat on the head each time they had to nudge her out of their path. Appointed to her favorite kitchen helper position of taste tester by her Dad, Briana gladly took delicious bites of the chowder, roast vegetables, and other dinner bits Jane brought to her.

As dinner prep entered the table-setting stage, Jane corralled Briana in a corner with a heel of bread to munch on. The hustle and bustle of dinner preparation was too much fun to watch for Briana to ask anyone for a diaper change – and anyway slight potty-pants discomfort was worth how Little it made her feel to sit on squishy padding. Gary’s arrival in the kitchen set of a chorus of hellos, which he registered without slowing his progress to his baby girl. He hefted her into his arms easily, getting a squeal, a hug, and a bready-kiss out of Briana. Clean shaven, muscly, dark haired – just overall gorgeous, Briana loved having her hands on her boyfriend and caregiver. That he loved her just as much made him a perfect boy.

“Gawy, I missed you.”

“You saw me two hours ago. I’m flattered, but are you okay?”

“I wanna be Little!” For the third time since coming home, Briana trained the full power of her soulful gaze on someone. Reliably, Gary crumbled immediately, giving Briana a squeeze that made her squeak.

“I think there’s enough time to get your clothes changed and baby you a bit.” Bouncing Briana on his arm made him chuckle. “You need a change anyway, squishy-pants.” Briana nodded gratefully, wrapping her arms around Gary’s neck with desperate strength.

Though she was bummed to give up her grip on Gary when he put her on her changing table, it did free her up to get back to her bread. Fresh baked by Rosa, the bread had a lovely network of holes in its sponge, surrounded by a crackly crust. Who knew Tia Rosa made perfect chowder bread? Letting go of Alanna and her bread at the same time wasn’t negotiable, but she could do one at a time to let Gary strip her out of her big girl clothes – or more accurately Middle girl clothes.

It was Gary getting her diaper off and both literally and figuratively pampering her that finally soothed Briana’s nerves. Getting out of a wet diaper was always a bit of a physical relief, but that was nothing compared to being tenderly wiped by her burly boyfriend. Dinner’s imminence meant there wasn’t time for a sexy change, but Gary managed to get handsy enough to make Briana feel desired anyway. By the time he had her powdered and in a nighttime diaper, she was itching to have her arms around him again. Clothes had to wait and her bread hit the floor, as she hopped up and clung tightly to Gary, drinking in his comforting scent.

“Seriously, baby girl, did something bad happen today?” Gary held her easily on one arm, stroking Briana’s back with his free hand.

“Icky people at the end of my day. Not at me, just in general.” Sort of at me.

“You’re with your people now, we’ve got you.” Gary kissed Briana gently, catching her lower lip until butterflies exploded in her belly and wiped away the last of the icky feelings. “However, I’m going to be in trouble with your parents if I don’t get you dressed right now.”

“Little clothes, you promised!”

“I didn’t – but I don’t have a problem with that.” Gary laughed, setting Briana on a beanbag and opening her onesie-drawer.

“And you’ll sit by me, and help me with dinner, right?”

“I was hoping you’d ask.” Gary grinned. “Just one thing – you know if you go full-baby that no one is going to let you stay up late, right?”

“If I go to bed early I get a story and a lullaby.” Briana demanded.

Gary laughed his favorite laugh of Briana’s, a big, goofy sound from deep in his tummy. “Deal. Full baby it is.”

~~~*~~~

Things were finally going exactly the way Briana wanted them to, with Gary on one side, Grandma on the other, and her aunts across the table from her. Everyone took the seats Briana insisted on with the gentle, loving amusement that let her know how important she was to them. It was one thing to have someone tell you they cared – another thing entirely to have them smile at your most ridiculous antics. As icing on the cake, Briana’s Little outbursts got Dad to put her in her high chair. She made Gary cut her vegetables up and ate her chowder almost entirely through the medium of soaking it in bread. Baby life was good!

“How’s the house feel now that you’re settled in, Mom?” Veronica asked, when people were full enough that the food released it’s delicious grip on the conversation.

“Settled? Who said anything about settled?” Grandma grinned. “Kiki can tell you about the project whiteboard she helped me put up.”

“It’s going to be a completely different house by fall.” Kiara laughed. “Some lucky general contractor is about to go up a tax bracket.”

“You hafta make a new room for the dogs, right Grandma?” Briana asked.

“That’s right, Little Rose.” Grandma’s nicknames were – as Melody would say – built different. Hearing Briana Rose or Little Rose always warmed her down to her tiptoes. “The two bedrooms they’re using now are fine, but they’ll get anxious if they can’t all sleep together for too long. We’re going to turn the smaller of the two bedrooms into a kennel – after putting an addition on that side of the house.”

“You’re doing an addition?” Veronica’s perfectly manicured eyebrows went all the way up, exposing the full dark sparkle of her eyeshadow. “That will keep you busy. You won’t have much time to visit your main home at that rate. Ki, are you going to be keeping an eye on Ashley’s Mansion?”

Kiara nodded, but whatever she was about to say was forestalled by Grandma raising her hand. “Actually – I hired another round of movers. I’m moving all my personal things out of Vakhaven.”

The sudden clink of Veronica and Kiara’s spoons hitting their bowls in shock silenced the rest of the table. Everyone looked at the two of them, following their concerned gazes to Michelle.

“Mom, what are you talking about? Vakhaven is your home – we grew up there.” Veronica asked in distress.

“This isn’t what we talked about,” Kiara said, frowning.

“You may be Magna Grandma incarnate, Kiki, but I’m still your mother. Don’t take that tone.” Grandma’s serious voice was a whole level above Veronica’s Mom tone – being addressed so sharply would have wrecked Briana. Kiara took it in stride though, not even relaxing her frown.

“You can’t give up Ashley’s Mansion, you’re our Matriarch.” Kiara insisted.

“My wise daughters – and to some extent my lovely grandchildren – have made some excellent points in the wake of my illness.” Grandma apparently still had some mom powers over Kiara, because she silenced her older daughter’s attempt to speak with a stern look. “I’m not an invalid – but I think it’s best for me to live somewhere that’s not a forty five minute drive from a major hospital. I’m taking up permanent residence in the house next door.”

“Then what happens to Vakhaven?” Kiara insisted.

“It’s yours, Kiara.”

“I have a house in Geneva!”

“Kiki – you’re the heir. You knew this was coming.”

“Not so soon.” Kiara frowned. “Mother – you’re not incapable. I know you had a scare, but…”

“Kiki, you are twice the woman I was in my prime, and I’m no longer in my prime. You are the Rasmussen Matriarch now.” The silence that Grandma’s statement laid on the table was so complete that Briana was afraid to breathe. She nearly gasped in relief when Kiara nodded.

“Very well,” Kiara said. “But if you think I’m going to let you retire completely…”

“Oh no.” Grandma laughed. “I’m not retiring, I’m just restricting my political activities to Ardenthill.”

“Congratulations, Ki.” Veronica raised a wineglass.

“Zum Whol!” Jane added, raising her glass as well. The rest of the table followed suit, though Melody and Briana raised sippy cups instead of wineglasses.

“This means you’re going to be here all the time, instead of in Europe, right?!” Briana bounced excitedly in her high chair.

“That’s not all it means.” Kiara smirked at Briana. “I’m taking over your education, Miss Rasmussen. With your permission, Vonnie.”

“This ought to be interesting.” Veronica had a tiny smile at the corner of her mouth. “Be my guest.”

“Um, Mom already has all my class stuff figured out though. There’s spreadsheets and everything.” Briana glanced between Mom and her aunt nervously.

“Not that education – Vonnie’s got that. I’m going to teach you what it means to be a Rasmussen woman.”

But I’m a baby – except at school – not a big girl or a woman. Briana smiled at Kiara, hoping her fear wasn’t making her smile too much of a grimace. “Um, sounds fun.”

“Some of it will be, I promise.” Kiara winked at Briana.

Dinner conversation turned back to Grandma’s remodeling plans, but Briana had lost interest in discussing interior decorating. Her eyes were fixed on Kiara, who seemed to be sitting taller in her seat. A worried glance at Gary got her a squeeze on the arm – he looked happy for her, which was supportive, but not the sort of support Briana was looking for.

How’s a Little girl supposed to be political? I can’t wear diapers at a press conference. It took talking about Grandma’s puppies, combined with fresh strawberry pie, for Briana’s worries to clear. She had plenty of time, after all. Kiara would have to go back to Geneva to pack up her house, and then she’d be over at Vakhaven a lot getting set up. It wasn’t like she’d be taking Briana’s life over immediately – baby time was secure.

6 Bubble Bri

Ava paused to collect herself outside the nanotech labs, shifting her backpack and reseating her hands on her crutch handles. The sky was full of glorious sunshine and floral fragrance, perfect for taking her afternoon walk in The Grove. After a long winter, she was sick of the ABDU athletic center, no matter how nice the facilities were. No amount of high end equipment could make up for the trademark goaty smell of Freshmen working out.

The outside had other advantages too, like the campus coffee shop’s walk-up window, where Ava picked up a lychee bubble tea. Swapping her right crutch for the drink, she slowed her pace to properly enjoy her drink as well as the sunshine. The rest of the student body had the same idea, the babble of conversation surrounding Ava sounded carefree and happy. A few sweaty types were trying to entice students to booths for clubs and other causes, only to be mostly ignored by chilled out students.

Not one to ignore the good sense of people around her, Ava took a seat on the steps of the squat brick Theatre building and leaned back to catch her breath. Automatically, she began deep breathing exercises, enjoying the satisfying stretch of her chest muscles. Halfway through a breath that was as much yawn as it was a proper deep breath, she caught sight of a familiar mop of messy brown hair.

“Ollie!” Ava waved, grinning as her friend changed direction and loped over to her. He was stylish as always, in grey chinos and a casual navy blazer. As always, Oliver insisted on adding a “pop” of color to his outfits, today it was the light green button up under his blazer. Along with the pair of badminton rackets in his hand, he could easily have been on the cover of East Coast White Boy Monthly.

“Ava! It’s gorgeous today. I see you’re loving the sun.”

“And I see that prep school just got out.”

Oliver laughed, dusting off the stair next to Ava before taking a seat. “Gotta live my truth – and my truth is that I grew up in New England, the same as you did.”

“Hey, I’m dressed casually.”

“You’re wearing a flannel button up over a t-shirt. Swap your skirt for a pair of jeans and you’d be in uniform.”

Fine, so we’re both terrible gay stereotypes.” Ava laughed, leaning in to Oliver at the same time he did, bumping shoulders and heads.

“If I’m going to be a stereotype anyway, any chance your brother has broken up with his boyfriend?”

“Sorry Ollie, if anything, Rohan is probably getting ready to propose. They’re going to India together this summer.” Ava flicked Oliver’s nose to clear his sour expression. “Don’t hate, they’re super cute together.”

“Rohan is super cute in general! He’s like a combination of Chris Hemsworth and Ayushmann Khurrana.” Oliver sighed, putting his chin in his hands. “He could be cute with me.”

“You could go with them to India. I have a million second and third cousins, I’m sure one of them is gay.”

“With me as the third wheel to Rohan and Neil? I have a celeb-crush on Ayushmann, I don’t want to live his movie plots.” Oliver chuckled. “What about you? Anybody cute in your life, or are you still spending weekends at home – pampering yourself.”

“Keep that talk on the DL.” Ava dug her elbow into Oliver’s ribs. “People are really aggro about it these days.”

“Don’t think I didn’t notice that you dodged the question.” Oliver smirked.

“Ugh, fine, it’s just me and Mango, okay?” Ava blew her bangs out of her face. “I’m even nervous about going to the Green Fairy lately.”

“It doesn’t matter if you do or not, if you don’t flirt with people anyway.”

“Eh, I haven’t met anyone I sparked with. I’m not going to force it.”

“That’s fair. As long as you’re not waiting for some girl to run up to you and…”

“Ava!”

Oliver and Ava looked up to see a tiny redheaded girl break free from a gridlocked walking path and scurry over to them. It took Ava a moment – but only a moment – to remember the ditzy Rasmussen girl she’d met on her last day of housesitting. Not that she hadn’t been a memorable girl, but Briana had swapped her near-Little outfit of overalls for a black skirt and corseted top with a dark blue half-jacket. Her dark makeup managed to look perfectly applied, while out of place on her face at the same time.

“Oh gosh, I finally ran into you on campus! We should have exchanged numbers or something. You look like you’re having a good afternoon.” Breathlessly, but in no danger of stopping, Briana turned to Oliver and waved. “Hi, we haven’t met, I’m Briana.”

Ava puffed up her cheeks and blew out a big breath, trying to ignore the massive amount of side-eye that Oliver was giving her, or the subtle-but-savage smirk on his face. He looked up at Briana and gave her his meet and greet smile.

“Hi, I’m Oliver. Are you a friend of Ava’s?”

“I hope so!” Briana bounced lightly on her toes. “She was housesitting for my family over winter break and we only met the one time.”

“I’ll let you two pick up where you left off, I have a meeting with one of my professors anyway.” Oliver stood, dusted off his pants, and shook Briana’s hand. “It’s good to meet you.”

“Likewise!” Briana shook Oliver’s hand vigorously.

Though she managed to catch Oliver’s eye, Ava’s best stare didn’t do anything to keep her best friend from abandoning her like a cad. He was grinning like an idiot, in fact, something Ava resolved to make him pay for later. I should invite him and Rohan over for dinner on the same night, that’d show him.

“Ava, do you want a Slush?”

“Huh?” Ava tore her gaze away from Oliver’s traitorous retreat and was confronted with a pair of plastic packets that Briana had pulled out of an insulated sleeve.

“I have raspberry and fruit punch. One of them was going to be for Suzie, but I’m not even sure if she’s in the Theatre building right now – and I’m not sure she likes them that much anyway.”

“Uh… sure. Fruit punch?” Ava took the half-frozen pouch, a naughty thrill running up her fingers. There wasn’t anything wrong with eating a grade-school snack out in public – that alone didn’t say anything about her.

“That’s the best flavor.” Briana grinned and twisted open the top of her raspberry pouch. The way she closed her eyes at the first sip was so pure in its enjoyment that Ava couldn’t help but open her pouch and follow suit. Immediately, the nearly pure sugar of the slush lit up her brain. Combined with the unapologetically artificial flavoring, it was an instant transport back to childhood – or Littlehood.

“I’ve never had one of these before, I wish they’d had them when I was a kid.”

“Back then I’d never have been able to have one.” Briana took another big slurp from her pouch. “I’m glad I can get them now. Oh, do you know what time it is?”

“Uh,” Ava pulled her phone out of her backpack enough to peek at it. “Just after three, why?”

“Perfect, we gotta go!”

“What?”

“Technically I’m here in The Quad at three, but we’ve got to go before Emeline finds me.” Briana grabbed Ava’s hand and tugged with surprising tenacity despite her lack of leverage.

“Who’s Emeline? What’s going on?” Unsure of why she was humoring Briana, other than that she’d sat for longer than she intended anyway, Ava struggled to rise, sling on her small backpack, and collect her crutches all at the same time.

“She’s Kiara’s personal assistant. If she finds me I have to go on another Lady Lesson.” Briana put a hand on the small of Ava’s back, hurrying her toward the small gap between the Theatre building and the crumbling white walls of the campus museum.

“If you don’t want to meet with her, you can just tell her that.”

“No way, I’d get a spanking!”

“You’d what?”

Briana squeezed past Ava, pressing against her without regard for personal space and peeked out at the shaded parking lot behind the two buildings. “It’s clear, quick, get out of sight.”

“Hey, be careful with me.” Ava said, stumbling along with another pull from Briana. She found herself leaning against the museum for support, panting. “I am so confused as to what’s going on.”

“If I blow the meeting with Emeline off, I get a spanking.” Briana was completely sincere and serious, as if what she was saying was in any way normal. More than that, she looked exasperated – somehow expecting Ava to be up to speed with whatever madness Briana got up to in her life. “But if I met a friend – or even better, a new friend and got distracted, that’s not my fault.”

“I don’t understand how – oh shit.” One of Ava’s crutches slipped on a patch of mud. With her hands full of bag and slush pouch, she couldn’t adjust her grip in time. There was nothing to do but close her eyes and brace for impact with the parking lot asphalt.

Ava had hardly tipped when she felt Briana step in to brace with her petite body, turning the potential fall into a hug. Gingerly, Ava opened her eyes, only to be transfixed by Briana’s wide grey eyes, her lightly freckled skin, the scent of baby powder… wait a minute! She’d instinctively grabbed the other girl when Briana caught her, dropping her backpack and putting her hand on a suspiciously squishy rear.

“I’m so sorry! I got carried away and I was pulling you all over the place…”

“Briana, it’s fine, I should have been in charge of myself but – okay, you were a little rough.” Regaining her balance, Ava noted that Briana didn’t seem to have any concept of personal space, the smaller girl hadn’t backed off more than an inch or so. Though she knew she shouldn’t ask – it was invasive and none of her business – Briana’s cavalier attitude and bubbly enthusiasm had broken down Ava’s barriers.

“Question – Briana, are you wearing a diaper?”

“Uh….” Briana blushed – and giggled. Ava felt her jaw drop. The obviously-Little girl looked around conspiratorially and nodded. “Don’t tell other people, but it’s okay if you know. I wear them for medical reasons – but it’s a whole other thing too.”

“A whole ABDL thing?”

“You know about it?!” Briana bounced into the air excitedly, grabbing Ava, before quickly disengaging and apologizing. “I did it again, sorry!”

“It’s fine, I think I’m getting used to your uh – energy.” Ava laughed. “Are you really being Little on campus though? Isn’t that crazy?”

“That’s my secret Ava, I’m always Little.” Briana squealed in delight and clapped her hands. “Oh-my-gosh, you have to tell my big Sib I said that, they’re going to be so proud of my memes.”

“Your what?” Ava giggled and shook her head. “Never mind.”

“Are you Little too?”

“Not at school!” Ava blushed. “Sometimes though. I uh – why am I telling her this? – I brought some diapers with me when I was housesitting.”

“Cool!” Briana’s face lit up like a kid on Christmas. “I wish you’d told me then, we could have played.”

“It would have been kind of awkward to talk about, especially since your family was paying me.”

“I guess so. But that means we can play now!”

“That’s um – kinda fast. I have stuff I have to do this afternoon, and it’s literally the second time we’ve met.”

“Oh – but I thought we were friends now. We shared a secret, and I gave you a slush.” On anyone else, Briana’s sad eyes would have been viciously manipulative – but the Little girl’s sadness seemed completely genuine.

She’s that sad that we’re not friends? Oh – what the hell. “We – can be friends. It’s just really sudden, and I do have responsibilities. I can’t duck out on my whole afternoon like you’re doing with yours.”

Briana ducked her head guiltily. “I know I’m being a pain for Emeline, but her lessons are so BORING. We have to go to City Hall meetings and stuff, it’s horrible.”

“That does sound – yuck.” Ava wrinkled her nose. “Even when I was into activism, I didn’t like going to meetings like those.”

“You won’t tell my Mom or Aunt that I skipped on purpose, will you?” Briana’s mood shot back up when Ava shook her head. “What stuff are you doing this afternoon?”

“Well – I have to finish exercising. I was going to walk around The Grove. Then, you know, homework, processing data, all that fun stuff.”

“We could walk together – uh, only if you want though!” Briana nodded. “I’m not trying to be pushy, but I get excited with new friends.”

“I noticed.” Ava laughed.

“You should have seen me with Melody – before they were my sib – actually I got a spanking then too, when I got too excited.”

“Who spanks you?”

“My Mom – or Dad, or any of my babysitters, um, Grandma, Gary spanked me once. I don’t think Kiara has spanked me yet. I bet she spanks hard.” Briana winced.

“You’re really like – lifestyle with it?” Ava bit her lip. “Kiara’s not that much older than you, right? Is your Mom her sister?”

“She is, but she’s my actual Mom, I’m officially adopted and everything.” The weight behind Briana’s words went beyond Little seriousness, there was adult loss and anxiety in Briana’s face as well.

“Why don’t you tell me all about it while we walk?” Ava took a moment to get her backpack properly seated, took a firm stance on her crutches, and motioned toward The Grove. “I need to get moving or my legs will lock up.”

“Okay!” Briana took a big gulp of her slush and tossed the empty pouch in a nearby trash can. “I grew up as a foster kid, until I was out on my own. College went okay, and grad school was great until I – started having potty issues. Mom was my roommate and landlord at the time, but she really helped me out and eventually – she was Mom.”

Briana kicked a loose rock across the parking lot as they walked. “Now she’s Mom forever, and getting married to Dad, I have a Grandma, a Sibling, an Aunt – a whole family.”

“I love that for you – not being sarcastic. Your family sounds wonderful.”

“They’re so good.” Briana grinned at Ava. “You’ll see when you meet them!”

“Isn’t it a little soon to meet the family?” Ava smirked, bumping against Briana’s shoulder.

“Huh? Why?”

“Um, we haven’t even been on a – oh god, I totally misread the situation, didn’t I?” Ava felt her cheeks burn to the tips of her ears. Oliver is going to make fun of me for this forever and I’ll deserve it.

“Misread what?” Briana stopped abruptly, her jaw dropping. “Oh gosh, was I being flirty? I didn’t realize that’s what I was doing, but it makes sense because I’m excited about you being Little and you’re really pretty.”

“You – think I’m pretty?” Okay, now I have no idea what’s happening.

“Yeah! Really pretty!” Briana grinned. “If you were flirting with me, then does that mean you think I’m pretty too?”

“Y-yeah.” Ava took several quick strides out of the parking lot and down a gravel path, forcing Briana to scamper to catch up.

“I should say – I have a boyfriend.” Briana panted. “Honestly, I don’t know if Gary and I are exclusive. We didn’t start out that way, and we’ve only kinda talked about it.”

Ugh, of course there’s a boyfriend. “That’s okay. We seriously don’t have to date. I haven’t had a good Little friend – at least one that I can see in person – in a while anyway.”

“You know other Littles, though?”

“Yeah, there’s a nightclub in town that has an ABDL scene, I go there sometimes. Plus there’s a ton of people online that I talk to.”

“Can you show me the online place? I’ll have to ask my Mom if it’s okay to go to the club, but I know she’d let me meet people online.”

“Hah, sure. Do you not know any other Littles? You’re really excited about this.”

“I get excited about lots of stuff, you’ll see.” Briana grinned. “My Sib is Little – or Middle I guess? I’m not sure. I have another Little friend too, but he’s not full time like me and Melody.”

“Most people aren’t full time Little.” Ava put as much warning in her tone as she could manage without sounding harsh. “Keep that in mind when you talk to the online people, okay?”

“I’ll try, but it’s always so cool to meet another Little.” Briana skipped around Ava in a circle before returning to walk alongside. “I’m really sorry I was pushy with you, by the way.”

“I thought we were past that.”

“Mom tells me I get too excited and I’m not careful with people,” Briana said with a sigh. “It’s true, and I know I do it, but I can’t always stop myself. I want to be your friend, though. Is it okay if you remind me sometimes? Just say something like, Briana, be careful, and I’ll do my best to remember.”

“Don’t treat me like I’m made of glass.” Ava said automatically, then sighed. “I mean, not that you did. We’ll both try to learn, okay? I don’t want our friendship to be about my legs, or your potty issues.”

“I like that. We can both be friends ‘cause we’re Little, and we’re interested in microbiology, and because we’re attracted to each other.” Briana grinned, scampering to the edge of the mighty oaks that ringed the Grove and turning around with a cheeky twirl of her skirt.

“I thought we said we weren’t going to date.” Ava couldn’t help but smirk – and admire the view.

“Friends can be flirty. Honestly Ava, I’m probably going to be flirty no matter what. It’s part of the Briana package!”

“It seems like there’s a lot that comes in that Briana package, I’m surprised it all fits in that small a space.”

“Nobody expects as much Briana as they get!” Briana giggled, flouncing alongside Ava as they stepped into the great grassy clearing, already dotted with a dozen or more groups of students. “It doesn’t seem like it’s too much for you thought, and that’s why we’re going to be super good friends!”

“Super good friends now, not just friends?” Ava shook her head, grinning and fast-walking along with the irrepressible Little next to her. Oh – this is going to get complicated.

The air park was shockingly loud. Though the noise felt like an assault on Briana’s ears at first, it soon faded to the back of her awareness as a dull roar. Or rather, an exciting roar – one that was hyping up her emotions even more than they already had been. The school quarter was wrapping up nicely. Briana still had finals to finish, but the really important part of her PHD program – her research work – was a big success. Melody was doing well too, though their academic progress had never been in doubt the way Briana’s was.

In celebration, Veronica had planned a trip to the Flying Squirrel Air Park. Mom’s initial description of the place had been bland, simply mentioning that they had a lot of trampolines. Upon seeing the place, Briana wondered if Veronica might describe New York as having a lot of streets. There were trampolines bigger than Briana’s entire bedroom all over the place! Not only that, but some of the trampolines were set up at angles on the wall, usually near a pit of foam chunks. While trampolines were the main attraction, there were swings, a bridge over a huge foam pit, and a huge number of arcade machines. To crown the experience, the built-in restaurant specialized in pizza and other foods that were reserved for treat meals.

Watching the scary video on trampoline safety had been mandatory. Briana would have preferred to skip the bad animations of people breaking their bones, personally. Once it was done, Mom had given her a pat on her padded butt and sent her out into the madness. Melody had lingered behind while Briana charged the first trampoline and gleefully leapt for its middle. She was rewarded with a huge bounce, and another, before managing a wobbly bounce off to the side to land on solid ground. She met Melody’s eyes, laughing manically. That sort of thing normally gave her sibling pause – Briana was delighted to see Melody’s eyes light up instead.

In moments they were bouncing together on a bigger trampoline, hanging on to each other’s shortall straps and giggling wildly. With its boldly painted colors and unashamed pursuit of fun, the air park was the kind of place Briana had ached to visit growing up.  Now she had a padded bum and her Mom watching in her trademark black dress, while she bounced like a Tigger. Briana’s fantasies had come true – better than she’d imagined them.

“Let’s try the ones over there.” Melody pointed at an angled trampoline where kids and adults were launching themselves into a foam pit. Briana nodded, too out of breath to project her voice over the general din. Jumping into foam looked fun – but scary too. She reached for Melody’s hand and was glad to get a reassuring squeeze from her big sibling.

Melody went first too, squealing in delight as they crashed into the foam and bounce-rolled to a stop. It was a relief to see her sibling stay above the foam – some of the bigger adults would half-disappear into the foam bits. With a nervous lick of her lips, Briana bounced off a flat trampoline and onto the angled one. The tumbling path she took through the air caught her completely off guard. Even Briana wasn’t sure if her shriek was of terror or excitement. She hit the foam and was back to pure fun, rolling to a stop on the bumpy softness.

From there, the two of them roamed around the air park with abandon. Foam pits were very much on the menu, though Briana shied away from the rope swings. Melody’s teasing about being a fraidy-cat was fine – part and parcel of being the Little sister. It was with great reluctance that she followed Veronica off the trampoline floor when her Mom beckoned. Like bounding off a trampoline, Briana’s reluctance turned to anticipation when she realized they were headed for the restaurant. Suddenly, she was both famished and parched.

Mom ordered a large pepperoni and olive pizza for Briana and Melody – but choose a salad for herself. That Veronica managed to find the one semi-healthy option on the air park menu was such a mom thing that Briana had to impulsively hug her.

“Goddess, you’re sweaty.” Veronica squeezed Briana back tightly. “You have a saggy butt too. I think you need a change after we eat.” Not only had Briana not noticed having an accident, but she discovered she didn’t care if she had. Her only response to Mom’s comment about a change, was to interrupt her dancing to the kiddified pop music to nod.

“Mommy, we don’t have to leave after we eat though, do we?” Pizza was all well and good, but if it meant she was done bouncing, Briana was going to rush back out on the floor while the pizza cooked.

“Not at all. Though I don’t think you should do too much trampolining right after eating. Let’s eat, get you changed, and spend a bit of time on the arcade before we go back to the trampolines, alright?”

“Yes Momma!” Being a good girl was easy with such amenable instructions. Briana plopped down on the bench seat next to Melody, noting a surprising amount of squish underneath her.

“You having fun?” Melody asked, grinning goofily.

“So much! I had an accident without noticing at all. Did you have one?”

“No, hush!” Melody blushed and glanced around. Briana rolled her eyes. Not only was it far too loud for anyone to have heard a close conversation, but everyone present was either having the time of their lives or busy taking care of the kids and Littles who were.

“Just asking, sheesh.” Briana giggled. “I bet you feel super Little though. Any regrets about wearing a pullup instead of a diaper?”

“Dude!” Melody grabbed for Briana, who shrieked and playfully fought her sibling off. As usual, she came out the worse in the engagement, getting a noogie from Melody before her big sib released her.

“Fine, I’ll stop talking about it.” Briana batted at her hair in a vain attempt to smooth it down. “I wish more people were here. Gary and Rosa and Dad and stuff.”

“It’s a busy time for everybody.” Melody’s tone was reasonable, but the crinkle above her nose showed how much they agreed with Briana. “I wish Rosa was here for sure.”

“She can take us another time.” Briana was ready to plan a new adventure at the air park, only to be derailed by Mom’s return with a huge pizza. She had a slice in her hand before the pizza hit the table, hooting around the burning sauce and cheese that assaulted her mouth.

“Briana Rasmussen, be careful!” Veronica shook her head. “Don’t expect any sympathy from me about that burn, you know better than to grab food before it’s even set down.”

“But Melody’s eating it!” Briana accused around her half-cooled bite.

“Your sibling eats five star spicy Korean chicken once a week – and still should have waited.” Veronica put on a mock frown, before grinning at the Littles. “Dig in, but go slowly. You won’t taste it if you burn your tongue.”

The second bite was manageable, what with all the waving around Briana had done of her slice. Subsequence slices were cooled off enough by the time she finished the first one that she managed to pack away a full three of them before her petite frame was fully stuffed. Getting her raspberry slushie down was a genuine challenge that resulted in a huge burp. Luckily, the burp got a laugh from Melody and no admonishment from Veronica. It really was a no-holds-barred Little day, for which Briana was over the moon with love for her mom.

“Mom, when’s the wedding again?” Briana sat back in her chair, having defeated her pizza and slushie at the cost of having lost her ability to move.

“Saturday, June twenty third of next year, same as the last ten times you asked. It’s the only solid detail so far.” Veronica was only a quarter of the way through her salad, and unlikely to finish it at her dainty pace.

“I’m the flower girl, right? Isn’t that solid?!” As always, an anxious note crept into Briana’s voice when she asked the question.

“Dude, you’ve asked that a million times too.” Melody rolled their eyes. “At this point, even if you tragically get paralyzed, I’ll upload your brain into a robot so you can still be flower girl.”

“Why would I get paralyzed?!” Brianna stared at Melody in horror. “Am I going to get hit by a bus or something?”

“I hope not, that’s too anime. You’d end up in a fantasy world or something if a bus took you out.”

“Stop wishing bad luck stuff. The only fantasy world I need is Cloudland, and I can always get back from there.”

“Nothing bad is going to happen. Mom and Dad are going to get married and you’re going to throw flower petals everywhere and everyone’s going to have a great time.”

“There better not be any bad things!” Briana looked anxiously up at Mom. “Isn’t this a super big deal? You’re the first Rasmussen to get married in how long?”

“I’m surprised that’s something you’re interested in, considering how much you’ve been ducking Kiara’s attempts to show you that side of the family.” Mom’s tone sounded disappointed – which stung way more than her actual angry tones.

“Oooh, Mom’s got you there.” Melody smirked. “What happened to being all excited about Magna Grandma and big houses and all the fancy lady stuff the family does?”

“But it’s so boooring,” Briana whined. “I thought Kiara was going to be a super cool aunt at first but she’s a boring lady who’s all about dumb stuff.”

“Briana.” The warning in Veronica’s voice made Briana’s ears twitch. “That’s not a nice way to talk about your aunt.”

“You didn’t answer my question though. Nobody will say how big the wedding is going to be!”

“That’s because it hasn’t been completely decided yet.” Veronica closed the plastic clamshell on her half eaten salad and set it aside. “We’re going to meet with Kiara, your father, and Rosa after we’re done here to decide on the size of the guest list and a few other things.”

“What about Grandma?” Melody picked up an impressive fifth slice of pizza and munched on it. “I’m surprised she doesn’t have an opinion.”

“Your grandmother has a great many opinions, which she has conveyed to Jane, Kiara, and I. She’s visiting friends in Boston this week, but I’m sure she’ll be in on plenty of these meetings.”

“Ugh, meetings.” Briana picked up another slice of pizza and gnawed on it, though she couldn’t manage to get more than a couple of bites down. “Don’t Kiara-up the wedding with meetings, Mom.”

“Briana, that is enough. Come on now, lets get you changed.”

To Briana’s surprise, Veronica took a big bite out of her abandoned slice of pizza before taking the Little girl’s hand and leading her to the family restroom. She was still trying to decide what Mom’s sudden abandonment of her usual prim attitude meant while she dropped her shortalls and climbed onto the changing table. An interruption in the well-worn process made Briana look over at her mom curiously. Veronica had Briana’s ankles in one hand, but wasn’t wiping her rear.

“I see I have your attention. You’re getting a couple of swats for being so rude about your aunt.”

“Mom!” Briana protested. “That’s not fair, it was just a couple of comments.”

“It’s been a string of comments increasing in frequency over time,” Veronica said calmly. “If you don’t want to learn how to be an influential person from Kiara, you need to tell her that. The comments are one thing, but it’s not nice of you to agree to things and then blow people off – especially family.”

“It sounded fun until I saw what I had to do.” Briana grumped, tensing her rear. “Please don’t spank me, I’ll be good.”

“How many times have you said that, and how many times have you been good afterward without a spanking?” Veronica arched a single eyebrow. Briana’s only response was a big pouty lip. Not that she had any hope of her pout working on Mom, but she had no defense against that question either.

The first smack burned on Briana’s damp cheek, she bit her lip to stifle a yelp. The second was the same as the first, on her other cheek. Despite Veronica’s words about “a couple of swats”, Mom’s hand came down more than twice. Even so, Briana’s rear was only warm at the end of the half-dozen spanks she got – proof that Mom was going easy on her. Guilt made a lump of the pizza in Briana’s stomach for making Mom spank her on a celebratory event.

Though it was hard, Briana made herself a vow to apologize to Kiara for her bad behavior. She didn’t have her stuffed lioness to witness the promise, but as the Princess of Cloudland, she knew better than to break an oath. In the meantime, she concentrated on being a good girl for Veronica, holding her feet in the air and giggling when her Mom spread the lotion across her rear.

“I think that’s the fastest you’ve gone from pouty to giggling after a spanking.” Veronica said as she sprinkled powder on Briana’s crotch.

“I’m going to apologize to auntie Kiara. I’m sorry Mommy, I didn’t mean to be a bad girl on our fun day out.”

Veronica’s warm smile melted Briana’s heart – the hug she got from her Mom after her diaper tapes were secured filled her from head to toe with the resulting warm fuzzies. “You’re a very good girl, Briana. I love you dearly, do you know that?”

“I love you too, mama.” Briana sighed happily and nuzzled her mom’s velvet corset. “Thanks for taking me and my sib out to play.”

“We’re not done yet.” Veronica smiled as she worked Briana’s shortalls back up her legs. “You’ve got a half hour to kill with an unlimited card in the arcade and then it’s back to trampolines until we need to leave.”

Briana won so many badly stitched, hilariously derpy stuffed animals from the crane machines that Mom had to buy a big mesh bag to hold them all. Despite her love for all things plush, even Briana had to agree that it was too many stuffies to bring home. She selected the two that were most interested in joining the Round Table of Cloudland – a mouse with askew eyes and a nondescript puffball with a big grin – and designated the rest to go to kids in need.

Of course, Melody had to butt in and tease Briana about her generosity being a philanthropy thing. While she was fending off accusations of wanting to be a New England aristocrat, the grain of an idea turned round in her head until it became a pearl. She’d always assumed that Littles didn’t need help getting stuffies and other things – but until Veronica had adopted her, she hadn’t been able to pay her own rent. Luxury spending on toys and other Little things wouldn’t have been on her radar even if she’d known she was Little. For the first time, it seemed like there might be a reason to sit in meetings about finances and grants and other horrible Big things.

8 Birthday Baby

Ava wasn’t sure what she was expecting when her apartment manager told her that he’d signed for a non-standard envelope, but it wasn’t a handmade envelope crafted out of pink textured paper. The slightly wobbly calligraphy – penned in purple glitter gel – left little doubt as to from whom the letter had come. A silly giggle snuck out from between Ava’s lips as she took the elevator up to her apartment. In a show of great restraint, she left the envelope on her mail table next to the front door while she greeted Mango and put away her bag.

“Welcome home! Home! Home!” Mango flitted around Ava excitedly. She fed him a chunk of mango which he greedily gobbled up.

The distraction earned Ava enough time to curl up on her couch and catch her breath. Though her apartment was tiny by any standard, coming home was always a relief. Shabby with age, the historic brick building nevertheless had a lot of charm. More importantly, it was a space Ava didn’t have to share with a roommate or anyone else. Simultaneously set up to be easy on her physically, and a space she could be herself, it was her ultimate refuge. Oliver would say that it was too comfortable – that it discouraged Ava from going out.

“Well nuts to him.” Ava said, turning the letter over in her hands. “I have a fancy invitation and a comfortable place to live.”

“Macadamia! Macadamia!” Mango rushed to a perch on the back of the couch, cocking his head hopefully at Ava.

“You just had a treat.” Ava admonished, spoiling the discipline by rubbing Mango’s neck at the same time. “Be a good bird.”

“Good bird! Best bird!” Mango made his stuttering laugh and soared away to his favorite window perch.

“Most spoiled bird for sure.” Ava smiled and finally opened the envelope, pulling out a letter on fancy rough-edged paper. The writing was done in simple block lettering, with pink glitter-gel ink that was hard to read on the cream colored page. Squinting, Ava was delighted to discover that she was cordially invited. It would have been such a disappointment to get so fancy a letter and not have the invitation be cordial.

It was not a particularly big surprise to discover that she’d been invited to Briana’s birthday party. No one but her new, frenetic friend would have sent a letter like the one Ava was holding. Not to mention that there weren’t many reasons for a fancy invitation at the end of March. The surprise that set Ava’s heart thumping was the postscript after Briana’s rainbow colored signature.

P.S. Please come as a Little. If you have any Little friends, please bring them. So far the party is almost all Bigs! It’s my first Birthday as a Little and even more than Presents I want to have Littles to celebrate with. Call me if you’re not sure about this request! 603-274-2627

Ava licked her lips nervously. Meeting new people – lots of them by the sounds of it – in her Little getup was a tall order even if the party was set somewhere private. But the invitation had specified the local mini-golf place, which made what Briana was asking absurd. Hesitantly, she dialed Briana’s number, unsure if she was planning to ask for more information or simply turn the invitation down.

“Hi Ava! This is a nice surprise. Oh my gosh, did you get my invitation, is that why you’re calling?” Briana’s conversational rush was every bit as powerful on the phone as her tackles were in person. Ava chuckled, waiting a beat to see if Briana was actually done talking.

“I did, it’s really pretty, though the pink lettering was kind of hard to read.”

“That’s what Mom said too, but it’s my birthday and I should get to use whatever kind of glitter pen I want.”

“That’s fair. It’s the fanciest and prettiest birthday invitation I’ve ever gotten.”

“You’ll come, right? Please say you’ll come. You don’t have to bring a present or anything.”

“I don’t mind getting you a present but – I’m nervous about your request at the end of the letter.”

“Don’t worry, Mom rented out the minigolf place, so there won’t be anyone there who’s not part of the party – besides a couple of employees I guess but you won’t have be Little in front of them.”

“Even if it was at your house I’d be nervous, I’m not going to know anyone there. Is it okay if I come in regular clothes?”

“If – if you don’t feel comfortable being Little, I understand.” Briana didn’t sound like she understood at all, she sounded on the verge of tears. “You wouldn’t be the only Little though, my Sib will be there, and my friend Arthur, and a new friend that Monserrat introduced me to. So there’ll be at least five people in diapers.”

“Uh – you want me to wear diapers – not just dress in Little clothes?”

“Please Ava? Arthur is nervous too, it’s okay to be nervous, Mom and Dad and Grandma and I have been working super hard on making sure that everything will be okay and nobody will have to be embarrassed. Everyone there is my friend and either wears diapers or has changed one of mine.”

Ava’s poor heart was beating fast enough to make her dizzy. Briana’s party sounded like a terrifying embarrassment-fest – or a magical time to rival any of the Green Fairy’s ABDL events. Her brain was already busy shredding her excuses – she’d worn a diaper around non-ABDL staff people before at the fetish nightclub’s events, she’d met strangers while dressed Little when she’d been dating Leah, and it’d been ages since she’d played with other Littles.

She had no defense against Briana’s begging with her own brain refusing to back her up. With a quaver in her voice, Ava managed to say, “Okay, I’ll wear a diaper and dress Little – but not like a onesie or anything.”

“OHMYGOSHYES!” Briana’s sudden shout made Ava flinch away from her phone. “You’re the best Ava! It’s super awesome and brave of you to say yes. You coming to my party Little is the best present ever, really.”

The Little girl’s tearful gratitude melted the last of the cold fear in Ava’s heart. She squirmed down into a lying position on her couch, snagging a shark stuffie from under the coffee table. “Well I have to get you a real present anyway. I didn’t know it was your birthday so soon, what do you want?”

Briana was adorably bashful about asking for a present, constantly assuring Ava that she didn’t need to bring one. It took accusing the Little girl of being annoying and bad at birthdays to get her to make a few tepid suggestions. While the conversation wandered to all the exciting things that the mini golf place had to do – a lot more than golf, apparently – Ava planned a trip to the Ardenthill Medical Supply. The store’s back room was a hidden ABDL treasure trove that would be sure to have something that even a baby girl who had everything would love.

~~~*~~~

As she entered the Wonderland Family Funplex, Ava had a sudden desire to turn and run. She might have too, if Briana hadn’t convinced her to bring along a Little friend on top of all her other requests. It was the most bossed-around Ava had ever been regarding a birthday party – at least since she was Little in age as well as at heart. Briana was lucky she was so earnest, so cute, that she could get away with insisting on having her party just her way. It didn’t hurt that she was rich enough to rent the entire building out either.

“You okay?” The Little girl at Ava’s side asked. Inka was a White woman, dark of hair and solid of body, being more athletic than most of the ABDLs Ava had met. She hadn’t shared Ava’s hesitancy about the birthday at all – in fact she’d squealed in delight when she heard there was a birthday party for Littles. Consequently, she was dressed a lot less conservatively than Ava, wearing a tutu, tights, and a baby blue sweater in contrast to Ava’s shorts and T-shirt.

“Nervous.” Ava chuckled and adjusted her grip on the present she and Inka were carrying between them. Though light, it was big enough to be awkward. Wrapping the three foot by three foot by one foot box had been an adventure and a half.

Inka rolled her eyes at Ava. “You’re the one that invited me, remember? Come on, I know you’ll have fun once we get started. It’s the same every time you go to the Green Fairy.”

Ava had to nod in rueful agreement. The building seemed to be populated almost exclusively by party guests. The one employee Ava had seen so far had taken her name and Inka’s at the door to let them in – and otherwise had been profoundly disinterested in them. I’m excited, really. Maybe that’s part of the problem. It’s not just being outed that I’m worried about, I’m worried about the party not living up to the hype too.

With Ava’s anxieties temporarily tabled, they found the Little of Honor easily enough. Briana was decked out in ten shades of pink, with glitter liberally painted on her face. As if that wasn’t enough, she had faerie wings on – the wings glittered too, of course. She and Inka were wearing the same tutu, which both of them immediately burst out laughing about. In comically stark contrast, a White woman in all black was standing behind Briana. She had a matronly hand on the Little girl’s shoulder and enough black makeup on to play the lead in a vampire movie.

“Ava, thanks for coming to my birthday party! Who’s this sharp-dressing person with you?”

“Happy Birthday Briana!” Ava grinned as the irresistible pull of Briana’s good cheer yanked her mood upwards. “This is Inka, a Little friend of mine.”

“Nice to meet you, Inka! Ava, Inka, this is my mom, Veronica. Neither of you know many people here, so I’ll make sure to introduce you to everybody.”

“Hello, good to meet you both.” Veronica couldn’t have been much older than Briana – though in the current context she was easily believable as a mom. Certainly, she had an air of maturity that instantly made Ava conscious of the diaper under her shorts. She found herself wanting make a curtsey, or some other sign of deference.

“Nice to meet you, ma’am.” Ava blushed, getting an indulgent smile from Veronica in return.

With introductions out of the way, Briana wasted no time in hugging Ava and Inka both. The look Veronica gave them as she put the latest present in a pile of wrapped gifts was every bit as loving and indulgent as Ava could have gotten from her own mother. Whatever the age difference, Veronica seemed to have the mom thing down. Meanwhile, Briana went breathlessly from hugging Ava and Inka, to thanking the pair for her present, to grabbing them by the hand.  Tsunami Briana lead them inexorably into the Funplex, barely giving Ava time to look around.

What glimpses she managed to take in while she navigated her crutch reinforced the Little feeling that had started with meeting Veronica. Three kinds of minigolf were available, indoor, outdoor, and blacklight. They were threading their way through a big arcade that was saturated with the smell of popcorn and pizza. Most exciting of all, at least for Ava, was the Laser Tag arena. She stopped short to gawk at it before Briana pulled her away to meet a tall, broad-shouldered Black man. He was in shortalls with a telltale bulge on his rear.

“Ava, Inka, this is Arthur. Arthur, this is Ava and Inka. Arthur is Little too.” Briana smiled proudly.

“Uh, hi.” Arthur’s adorably bashful blush seemed to demand more than a monosyllable response. Before she knew what she was doing, she leaned in to hug Arthur. To her delight, he enveloped her in his huge arms and hugged right back.

Briana’s eyes were sparkling with delight of her own – or happy tears, it was hard to tell. She promised Arthur that they’d return before dragging Inka and Ava off again. In the course of their whirlwind tour of the Funplex, Ava was introduced to a taciturn White woman that Briana called Dad, a group of women that were apparently Briana’s roommates, an older White lady Briana called Grandma, and more. The faces and names blurred alarmingly, Ava hoped she could stick with Inka, Briana, and the first few people she’d met for the rest of the party. Inka looked as overwhelmed as Ava felt – and by the worried expression on Briana’s face, she must have been showing her introduction fatigue too.

“I know it’s a lot of people but there’s only two more, and one of them is my big sib.” Briana said anxiously. “Then we can go have fun.”

“I just uh – need to take some medication really quick.” Inka gave a strained smile and slipped away toward a bathroom before Briana could stop her. Seeing Briana’s face cloud, Ava quickly squeezed the Little girl’s hand.

“Melody is your sib, right? What do you mean they’re your big sib?”

“They have a job and a fiancé and stuff. Plus, they wear pullups, not diapers like us – I mean like me.”

“You were right the first time, see?” Ava gently butt-checked Briana, gigging at her friend’s surprised expression.

“I wasn’t sure if you were going to wear them.” Briana sighed happily and hugged Ava. “Thank you.”

“I wasn’t either, but I’m glad I did.”

“If you need a change, there’s stations set up in the bathrooms. I know my mom would be happy to help you.”

“Oh uh – maybe, we’ll see. I don’t know if I’ll even need to go.” And if I do, it’s not like I can’t sneak off to the bathroom. I’m not going to have an accident, that’s for sure.

“Silly, of course you will, the party is going to go for hours!” Briana seemed to have her full equilibrium back, tugging Ava away toward the dance arcade machines.

“Melody!” Briana scurried over to a blue-haired White person who stood a bit taller than her, but looked almost as Little in their shortalls and bright blue sneakers. “This is Ava! She just needs to meet you and Fabi, and then she can finally go play.”

“Hi Ava, it’s good to meet you, Briana has been talking about you a bunch.” Melody had totally different manner than their little sister, calmer and more mature. After being immersed in Briana’s frantic energy, Melody seemed older than Briana – and Ava as well.

“Oh, really? What’d she say?”

“It was hard to translate, it was half-baby, half-uwu-speak.” Melody smirked teasingly, doubling down on their amusement when Briana stamped her foot.

“Anyway this is Fabi – Fabiola.” Briana pounced on a White woman as she came down from the dance machine’s dais. Fabi had her dark hair in pigtails and was obviously diapered under her purple dress. “She wears diapers all the time, just like me!”

“Briana!” Fabi whined, though her expression was barely embarrassed. “Just for that you have to help me convince my Daddy to open the ice cream.”

“The Birthday Girl is on it! I’ll be right back, Ava!”

Melody chuckled as Briana trundled away with Fabi. “Don’t worry, she wouldn’t really ditch you this fast, she’ll be back.”

“That’s good, my other friend is already gone somewhere.” Ava shifted nervously against her crutch. “This looks fun, but it’s really overwhelming.”

“I’ll look out for you.” Melody offered out of nowhere. Before Ava could reply that she didn’t need looking after, Melody had put an arm around her shoulders and Ava found herself leaning in. “I’m more of a Middle than a Little and I watch out for my Little sis all the time. Worst comes to worse, we’ll get my Mamá involved.”

“Your Mamá?”

Melody pointed to a Hispanic woman with stunning shoulders in an orange and gray athleisure outfit. “Rosa. She’s the best.”

“Are you engaged to your caregiver? Uh, sorry if it’s none of my business but Briana said…”

“That’s fine.” Melody chuckled. “Yeah, we’re engaged. I can see why Briana likes you so much, you have the same filter that she does.”

“But – Briana doesn’t have a filter – Melody!” Ava’s mouth dropped open in shock.

“Hey, no being mean to my guests, sib!” Briana pulled Ava away from Melody, glaring up at her sibling pugnaciously.

“Just teasing her about being like you, Bri.” Melody ruffled Briana’s hair, ignoring her indignant squawk.

“Be nice or I’ll tell Mom.” Briana stuck her tongue out at Melody, before swiftly turning to Ava. “All the introductions and stuff are finally done, do you want to be my partner for the first mini-golf game?”

She has all these friends here – and she wants to play with me first? Ava grinned and squeezed Briana. “Yeah, let’s do it.”

Briana squealed with glee. In moments, Ava found herself at the heart of another storm as Briana barked demands at her caregivers to get the blacklight golf set up. While the Little girl’s bossy energy did get her and Ava situated at the start of the dark golf course quickly, it also got her a swat from her dad. In the echoes of the sound of a hand swinging under Briana’s tutu to land precisely on her padding, Ava was glad there were some constraints on her new friend.

Someone put a slushie that in Ava’s hand, it glowed radiant red in the blacklight. She sipped it and shivered, not at the ice but at the sheer intensity of the sugary syrup. Either the Funplex had the best slushies ever, or someone had cranked up the sugar for Briana’s birthday. It was fruit punch too, which she figured was Briana’s doing. Ava felt a little wild cackle escape her lips.

“Are we playing for points, or are you too much of a baby to keep score?”

“Oh that’s how it’s going to be?” Briana grinned, her teeth flashing like a special effect in the blacklight. “How about a drinking game? Every stroke that one of us loses a hole by, she has to drink a quarter of her drink.”

“But this isn’t alcohol, it doesn’t matter except for – oh, you think you’re going to make me have an accident?” Considering the size of the slushie Ava had been handed, she should have been cautious. She ignored such trivialities, there was an arrogant baby to show up!

“You’re on, Briana. I hope that diaper of yours is as thick as it sounded from the spanking you got.”

“How dare you?!” Briana giggled in mock outrage. “That was one swat. Fine, you go first, let’s see what you’ve got.”

“What I have is a very particular set of skills. Skills I have acquired over my undergrad job at a minigolf park. Skills that make me a nightmare for a potty pants like you.” To the sound of Briana’s bell-like laughter, Ava expertly chipped her luminescent golf ball up the track and along the thrumming white neon lines. It walked a perfect circle around the depression that marked the first hole and dropped in. Briana’s laughter abruptly stopped.

“Hole in one.” Ava winked at Briana. “Most people probably get this one in three. Ready to drink half your slush?”

“You misunderestimate my powers!” Briana gave her ball a mighty whack, sending it careening past the hole.

Ava snorted, enjoying the sight of a true mini-golf amateur. The first hole was always designed to humble people like Briana, to teach them that you didn’t hit the ball as hard as you could. A strike like the one she’d just made would send it bouncing around the hole’s backstop and into the air. Folding her arms smugly, Ava watched the ball fall, shrugging as it luckily stayed in the hole’s boundaries. Her shrug turned to a frown as the ball bounced back toward the hole, rebounded off an ankle-high wall, and slipped neatly in.

“Was that luck or do you think you’re sharking me?” Ava asked in surprised admiration.

“Hmm? I’m just a birthday baby, it must have been luck.” Briana’s eyes twinkled mischievously.

“Oh, it’s ON now. From now on we have to call trick shots or the stroke doesn’t count.”

“Prepare to be destroyed!” Briana raised her club, Ava clashed hers against Briana’s as if they were about to duel with blades.

“Okay girls, that’s quite enough.” Veronica put her hands on the back of both girls’ necks, prompting them to look up at her with quite similar expressions of contrition. “It’s fine for you to get excited and have fun, but no swinging those clubs around for anything other than their intended use, understand?”

“Yes Mom, sorry.” Briana hung her head.

“Yes Ms. Rasmussen.” Ava bit her lip and felt herself sink into Littlespace more deeply than she had in ages. Veronica could have spanked her in that moment, and she wouldn’t have protested. Luckily, Briana’s mom had nothing more than that mild admonishment for them. She released both girls and sent them to the next hole with a pat on their padded butts.

Ava surveyed the next course as best she could in the increasing darkness. The first hole still had a bit of light from the entrance helping golfers out, but by the second the course was pitch dark anywhere it wasn’t lit by neon or reflective tape. Lines of yellow and pink tape wound to the right, but the hole – lit up by white neon, was at a funny angle to the tapes. It’s on a different level than the start of the course, maybe – a foot higher?

Setting her elbow in the brace of her crutch, Ava lined up a shot. Briana was waiting patiently behind her, without any quips or teasing. Ava raised her club – and set it down immediately as she realized her error. “Uh, this one will be a bank shot, it’s going to hit the blue wall and the orange one.”

Briana giggled. “Oh, you remembered.”

“You were going to just let me hit it without calling my shot, were you?”

“Hey, it’s your rule. If you can’t remember it, maybe you’re a baby.”

Ava giggled, taking a big sip of her slush. She should be saving those for any potential losses, she knew. The super saccharine fruit punch was just too good to let melt, however. Besides, it wasn’t like she was actually going to lose any holes to the over-arrogant birthday girl.

“There’s only one big baby here, and I’m not letting her win just because it’s her birthday.” Ava tapped her ball expertly, watching it roll down the guide tapes – bounce off the blue wall, then the orange, and drop straight into the hole. A cleaner and more serious shot than the first one she’d taken. She was pleased to hear Briana grunt in frustration at Ava’s second hole in one.

“Birthday girls don’t have to have people let them win. They have birthday luck! Plus, as  Princess of Cloudland, I have my honor to uphold.” She squinted at the course, lining up her shot. “Four bounces, orange, blue, orange, pink, and in.”

Ava held her breath as Briana gave the ball a swift smack. It hit the orange wall first, then the blue, careened to the corner of the orange wall – with enough margin that Ava couldn’t call a foul – hit the pink wall, and went on a curving path toward the hole. All the air rushed out of Ava in a huge “HAH!” as Briana’s ball went into the hole’s depression and came right back out, rolling to a stop two feet away.

“I hope that slushie tastes good, Princess. You’re going to be drinking a lot of it.”

Defiantly, Briana stomped up to her ball and tapped it into the hole. She took a huge drink of her slushie, locking eyes with Ava as she did. “It’s raspberry and it’s delicious!”

Both girls collapsed into giggles. Briana retrieved their balls and helped Ava up – the two of them walked with their arms around each other’s waists to the next hole. Despite the small entourage of caregivers with them, and the next set of golfing party guests behind them, Ava felt like she and Briana had fallen into their own little world. She set her lambent blue ball next to Briana’s neon pink one, and grinned.

“Simultaneous this time?”

“You’re on!”

By the ninth hole, both girls’ slushies were dangerously low. Briana wasn’t sure why she was doing her best to hold back an accident – she’d expected to spend her birthday pleasantly damp. Instead she was fidgeting uncomfortably as Ava lined up a shot through a mass of confusing neon loops. Wetting might be a betrayal of the bet she and Ava had made, or a loss, it wasn’t clear. Either way, Briana was determined to hold on for dear life.

An argument between Melody and Rosa had stalled the golfers behind Briana and Ava, and had pulled Mom away from the birthday girl to mediate. They were alone in the dark, had just become better friends, and were at the end of the golf course. All the excitement had Briana bouncing on her tiptoes – which only made the pain in her bladder worse.

“Come ON Ava, just hit the ball.”

“I’m not letting you break my concentration. Nice try.” Ava’s gaze was really focused, but her hips were wiggling a lot more than they had been on previous holes.

“Oh, I get it.” Briana folded her arms and smirked. “You can’t afford another sip from your slushie.”

“Hush you.” Ava’s squirms got worse, making Briana giggle as her guess was confirmed.

The Indian girl gave her ball a whack, sending it bouncing through the tangled lights of the final hole. Briana squinted, unsure if the ball had gone in or not. She hoped not. The only reason she’d done well on the first few holes is that she’d gotten to practice them when she and Mom had scoped the place out for her party. A lucky shot in the middle of the course had made Ava take a big drink of her slushie – but all the bet-enforced sips after that had been Briana’s.

“You wouldn’t have to pee so bad if you didn’t keep drinking when you don’t have to.”

“It’s tasty, okay? I – just like it.” Ava grabbed her crutches and scurried off after her ball in a huff.

I hope she’s not really mad at me – that’s just competitiveness, right? Briana’s teeth worried at her lip as she tried to line up a shot. It was no use. Between her need to potty and worrying about hurting Ava’s feelings, she couldn’t concentrate at all. Hoping for birthday luck was the only strategy she had left as she gave her ball a mighty whack.

“Hey!” Ava’s indignant cry came out of the darkness. “You almost hit me!”

“Sorry! Did you see where it went?” Waddling forward with inward turned knees, Briana could barely see Ava moving toward a corner of the room.

“Out of bounds. Might as well finish your slushie now, I’ll get the ball.”

“You don’t have to do that….” Briana winced, her knees buckling. The battle with her bladder was over. Bladder 1, Briana 0 – which was the normal score, but this time it bothered her a bit. As her diaper grew warm and saggy, Briana finished off her slushie with a loud slurp.

“Okay, you win. See? I drank it all.” Briana looked around, but there was no response, nor movement from her friend. “Ava? Where’d you go?”

When she reached the end of the course, Briana found Ava’s ball sitting in a depression near the final hole. With the glaring neon of the hole mostly behind her, she spotted her own pink ball gleaming in the corner, with Ava’s shadowy figure leaning against the wall next to it. Sudden worry for her friend had Briana scrambling off the course and up to Ava, heedless of the discomfort of jogging in a wet diaper.

“Ava, are you okay? Did you hurt yourself? I would have gotten the ball, honest!”

“It’s not my disability, okay?” Ava’s tone was somewhere between anger and crying, there were tears shining in her eyes. “Stop trying to manage it for me.”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to!” Briana wrung her hands, shifting her weight from leg to leg with a squish in her pants each time. “I wasn’t trying to – I was just worried about you.”

“Sorry – I’m not trying to yell – it’s just – I’m too Little to handle what just happened.”

“What happened?” Briana looked up at Ava with her most compassionate, soulful look. When she got no response, she snuck closer, until they were nearly touching. “Ava, what…”

“I had an accident.” Ava’s voice was hushed and tearful. A tear blazed in the blacklight as it spilled down Ava’s cheek.

“Oh! I didn’t know you had those for real.”

“I don’t! But I drank all that slush and I had to take a big step to get over the course baffles and – and – I couldn’t hold it.”

Briana went with her instincts and enveloped Ava in a hug. The other girl was rigid at first, but quickly relaxed and joined the hug in earnest. Ava was warm and smelled good – like berries and vanilla. Looking up to see if Ava was okay revealed that the other Little girl had a surprising expression on her face. It wasn’t one Briana had expected to see, though she hadn’t ruled it out either. For certain, she knew what that expression meant. Briana let her eyes flutter closed and parted her lips.

The softness of Ava’s lips sent a thrill down Briana’s spine. Her heartbeat was pounding to match Melody’s club music at the delicate touch of Ava’s tongue tip on hers. She walked her lips in a trail of kisses down Ava’s jawline and was rewarded by a soft moan that made her tummy flip flop.

“What, what are we doing?” Ava squirmed away, but only few inches – she was apparently unwilling to relinquish her hold on Briana. “You have a boyfriend.”

“Gary is okay with this much for sure.” Briana smiled mischievously, batting her eyelashes at Ava. “I’d have to negotiate with him to do much more.”

“M-more?” Ava swallowed hard, leaning in for a kiss on Briana’s ear before she pulled away again. “Wait, please, I need a minute.”

“Of course!” Briana let Ava go with a lingering caress. “You smell good.”

“I smell like baby powder.” Ava grumped.

“That’s a good smell!” Briana grinned.

“I’m going to smell like pee in a minute anyway.”

“I’m sure Mom would change you. Or Dad. It might be weird for you with Gary, but Rosa is good with diaper changes too, and so’s Tamira. Oh, and Grama is super good!”

“Are you crazy? I’m not – not going to get my diaper changed.”

“Well you don’t have to.” Briana shrugged. “There’s plenty of bathrooms, you can do it yourself if you want.”

Ava wrapped her arms tightly around herself, staring at the floor. The silence stretched out until Briana had to reach out to touch her friend’s arm. Ava flinched – then leaned into the touch.

“Ava? What’s wrong? I’m sorry if the party is turning out weird.”

“I didn’t bring a spare.” Ava whispered, sorrowfully.

“Oh.” Briana snuggled up to Ava, feeling the other girl relax gratefully against her. “Um, I could change you. Or you could borrow a spare I guess but you seem um – kinda Little to be changing your own diaper.”

“I don’t know what to do.” Ava sighed. “I don’t want you to see me naked yet.”

Briana giggled. “Yet?”

“Shut up!” Ava giggled grabbing for Briana’s sides. As a veteran of many tickle attacks from her older sibling, Briana batted Ava’s arms away and wrestled with the other girl until they were both panting and laughing.

“What are you two up to, in the corner?” Mom loomed out of the shadows, her pale skin luminous in the black light, her dress invisible. She looked cool and gothy – though it would have been nice for her to wear something a little more festive for the party.

“We were just trying to figure out who won the bet, Mom!” Briana disengaged from Ava and tucked her hands behind her back. “Turns out Ava did.”

“Mmm hmm.” Veronica put her fingertips to Briana’s cheek. “It looks like that discussion involved a lot of kissing.”

“What?!” Briana looked at Ava guiltily, and realized she could see lip marks glowing faintly on the other girl’s cheeks. “Um – Mom, the thing is…”

“It’s fine for you to – get involved with someone – as long as you’re being honest with Gary,” Veronica said. “However, you shouldn’t hide in a corner and make out with someone when you have a bunch of guests at a party.”

“We weren’t making out – it just – happened.” Ava shifted her stance awkwardly.

Briana realized that Ava looked more than awkward, she looked uncomfortable. If she hadn’t been planning to use her diaper at the party, she might have worn one that couldn’t hold much.

“Ava, do you want – help?” Briana nudged the other Little gently.

“I – I – don’t know…”

Mom’s voice was as soft and gentle as it had been the first time she’d taken care of Briana. “Ava, if it’s the help I’m guessing it is, we can be quick and discreet. No one will notice if I help you while Briana goes back to the party.”

A soft whimper escaped Ava’s throat. She hovered nervously, glancing between Briana and Veronica. Though it was hard to the point of being painful, Briana resisted her impulse to give Ava one more push. Just like Mom, she let Ava figure it out on her own.

Finally, Ava nodded. “Yes – please Ms. Rasmussen…”

“I’ve got you, Ava-bean.” Veronica put an arm around Ava, ignoring the Little girl’s soft sound of confusion at the nickname. For her part, Briana was beaming from ear to ear as she watched Mom guide Ava along the dark wall and out of the course.

“Briana, when do we get cake?” Fabiola’s voice came out of the darkness at Briana’s elbow, making her jump.

“Ack! Uh, whenever I want I guess, I’m the birthday girl!”

“You should want cake now, then.” Fabiola bit her lip and gazed at Briana with eyes so wide open that they were easily visible in the dark.

“Um, Fabi, I do that to my parents all the time. It’s not gonna work on me.” Briana smirked.

“Then do it for yourself! You don’t have any cake right now. It’s like it’s not even your birthday.”

“Oh! I can’t believe you’d go there.” Briana grabbed Fabiola’s arm and marched her out of the golf course exit. “I have so much cake!”

“I’ve seen it.” Fabiola hurried her steps, pulling Briana to the dining room. “Let’s do something about it.”

Two sheet cakes and a glorious triple-decker cake dominated Briana’s vision as they dominated the round table they’d been placed on. No one would miss a corner piece off one of the sheet cakes… Walking side by side with a girl who’s diaper was crinkling more loudly than her own had Briana in a blissful baby state. With a trembling hand, she picked up a cake knife and let it hover over the white chocolate sheet cake with blueberry filling.

“No, not that one, the big one!” Fabiola pointed at the triple decker cake.

It wasn’t just the fanciest of the cakes, but the most chocolate rich. You could see it from the outside plainly, in the chocolate shards that were stuck into the chocolate ganache that dripped over chocolate icing. Inside was a rich chocolate sponge with separate filling layers of raspberry, cream, and caramel. There was just one problem with cutting into the best birthday cake ever.

“I don’t know how to cut into a triple decker cake.” Briana huffed. “If it falls over, I’d cry.”

Fabiola considered Briana’s words reluctantly, finally nodding her acceptance of Briana’s flawless logic. “Okay, then cut that one fast before the Bigs show up.”

There was already more chatter outside than Briana was comfortable with – even though it was totally okay and justified for her to cut a piece off her own birthday cake. She hacked a messy corner off the cake and onto a plate, then a generous chunk for Fabiola. The creamy sweetness and berry flavor had Briana up on her tiptoes with excitement. Briana and Fabiola raced to finish their slices – they were ten bites in when they were caught.

Kiara loomed over the Little girls, raising her brows. Briana’s aunt was as intimidating as ever in a one-shouldered blue dress with a tulip skirt. The next closest big was Dad – who would be at least as stern about early cake pilfering, if not more so. Briana hastily dropped her plate on the table and grinned up at Kiara with cake-covered lips.

“Hi Auntie! I know it looks like I’m being a bad girl, but I was just sharing with a friend – even on my birthday!”

“Mmm hmm.” Kiara smirked, and reached for Briana’s rear, giving it a squish. “Your butt’s a little soggy.”

“Haha!” Fabiola’s braying laugh bounced off the walls of the dining room. Her laughter quickly became a shocked gasp as Kiara pulled open the front of her waistband and peeked in.

“You too, potty-pants.” Kiara had a hand from each of the Little girls firmly gripped before they could protest. Well, before Briana could protest. A litany of excuses and reasons why she didn’t need a diaper change spilled from Fabiola’s mouth as Kiara marched them to the bathroom. An adult-sized changing table in the family restroom was already deployed, with changing supplies pre-set out by Veronica.

“I want my daddy to do it!” Fabiola cried out, stamping her feet.

Briana hardly had time to register that Kiara had let her hand go when her aunt bent Fabi over one of her forearms and yanked the Little girl’s diaper down. Fabiola got a resounding smack on each cheek. The bathroom was very quiet in the echo of those smacks.

“Y-you spanked me?!” Fabiola whimpered.

“I don’t want to have to spank you more. You already agreed to be changed by whoever was available at the party, and Briana’s birthday isn’t the place for a temper tantrum.” Kiara physically lifted Fabi onto the table with a grunt. “Can you be a good girl for me?”

As Fabiola nodded, Briana piped up with, “I’m a good girl too!”

“We’re going to talk about the cake in a moment when I’m changing you.” Kiara hoisted Briana up onto the bathroom counter and fished a pacifier out of her purse to pop into the Little girl’s mouth. Briana sat nervously, kicking her feet while Kiara changed Fabiola.

It doesn’t sound like she believes I’m a good girl – but she wouldn’t spank me on my birthday, would she? Fabiola got her face and butt wiped while she lay passively on the changing table. Kiara took a moment to clean off her hands and popped a red lozenge in Fabi’s mouth.

“Not that you need more sugar, but you are being a good girl.”

Briana sucked her pacifier aggressively as she dared at her aunt’s back. It was annoying that Fabi got a candy to suck on while she only had a dumb old pacifier. It was also a bad sign for Kiara’s assessment of her being a good girl. Her fears were confirmed when Kiara finished with Fabi and set Briana on the changing table – face down with her butt in the air. Normally, Briana wasn’t allowed to spit out her pacifier if a Big had put it there to keep her quiet, but this was an emergency!

“Auntie, you’re not going to spank me on my birthday, right?”

“Why do you think I’m going to spank you? Is there something you did?”

“I’m sorry I cut the cake early! I know mom told me not to but – but…”

Whop! Kiara gave Briana a whack on her diapered rear. Instinctively, Briana looked toward Fabiola. The two Littles locked gazes as Kiara rained loud smacks on Briana’s wet diaper. As spankings went, it wasn’t really painful – but it was embarrassing as heck.

“Twenty seven,” Kiara said, patting Briana’s back after the last swat. “Now you’ve gotten your birthday spankings.”

“Huh? But you said…”

“It still wasn’t a good girl thing to cut the cake early. I let you think you were getting a real spanking because you need boundaries, don’t you?”

“What do you mean?” Briana wiggled herself into place once Kiara rolled her over to her back.

“No one in the family is going to let you be a bad girl.”

Kiara kissed Briana’s forehead before getting down to changing her diaper. The Little girl kept her toes curled the whole time from the warm fuzzy feeling she had in her heart. Even better, she got a candy afterwards! Hand in hand with Fabiola, Briana returned to her party.

“I thought your aunt was going to whop you.”

“I thought she was going to do the same to you.” Briana bumped shoulders with Fabiola. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah – it was a lot like how Daddy spanks – just shorter. I’m glad she didn’t make me cry.” Fabiola squeezed Briana’s hand. “I didn’t want to cry at your party. This is the most fun I’ve had in – a long time. I don’t have a lot of Little friends.”

“Me either! But we both have one more now.” Briana giggled. “Maybe I can get in trouble at your house sometime.”

“I’ll ask Daddy!” Fabiola nodded vigorously.

With everyone done playing mini-golf, Briana was swept away into the party. To her delight, she ended up in Gary’s arms. He was in a mood to carry her that she hoped would last for the rest of the party. Certainly, she wasn’t going to let him go while they ate pizza. Princess Briana of Cloudland had her Royal Gary feed her slices of pizza while she sat on his lap  – nearly drifting off to Cloudland out of sheer happiness.

“Gary – I have a thing to tell you about dating stuff.” Briana blocked the next bite of pizza with her hand. Gary wiped her hand and mouth with a napkin before nodding for her to continue.

“I kissed Ava. She kissed me – whatever, we kissed.”

“Oh? Is that something you want to pursue more?”

“If it doesn’t hurt you.”

“I don’t think it does, but I’ll have to think about it – we’ll have to talk a lot if you want to keep something going with another person.”

 “I understand. I don’t want to hurt you, or lose you.” Briana snuggled up against Gary’s broad chest. “She could never replace what we have – but it was really fun to kiss another Little.”

“Does she know about me?” Gary asked.

“Yes.” Briana sat up and looked at Gary seriously. “I don’t know if she’s interested in boys, or would ever be interested in you, but would you want to hang out as the three of us some time?”

“I’ll have to think about that. You’ll need to ask her too.”

Briana nodded. “I will! Maybe we could start slow, with you babysitting us.”

Gary laughed. “So now I’d have to take care of two little troublemakers?”

“Ava doesn’t make trouble, you’re thinking of when you have to babysit Fabi and me.” Briana giggled.

~~~*~~~

Pizza was followed by presents, which were themselves followed by cake. Despite pilfering some cake early, and eating as much pizza as Gary insisted she should, Briana managed an entire big slice of the super chocolate cake. The struggle to avoid a nap after that silky chocolate bomb was real. However, simply passing out would be a criminal waste of party time. More importantly, she’d seen Ava watching her warily while she was seated on Gary’s lap. Briana retrieved her stuffed Lion, Alanna, from her mom and wove her way through the crowd to find Ava. The Indian girl had a conflicted expression on her face – scary! – but Briana was a brave princess and had her Knight Captain tucked under her arm.

“Ava, I really like the present you got me, do you want to help me try it out?”

“Oh – um, if it’s okay with your mom and stuff.” Ava looked like she was falling out of Littlespace, which was an emergency if Briana had ever seen one.

“It’s my birthday, of course I can play with my presents!” Briana’s attempts to tear open the tape on the large cardboard box were less successful than her resolve would have liked. Luckily, Dad was there to wield a knife and pop the box open.

Pop was exactly the right word for opening Ava’s present. A compressed spring tube wrapped in brightly colored fabric lead to a pop-up mini fort big enough for a few kids – or a pair of ABDL girls. Briana squealed with excitement – putting on a bit of a show for Ava’s benefit. It worked, getting the other Little hyped enough to crawl down the tube and join Briana in the fort at the end. Plastic windows in primary colors gave the interior surreal lighting that relaxed Briana and hopefully helped Ava feel Little again.

“I talked to Gary about kissing you.” Briana settled into a cross-legged sit.

“Oh uh – how did it go? I mean, I’m not sure if we should do that again but um, I don’t want anyone to be mad or – or …”

“It went fine.” Briana smiled encouragingly at her friend. “He wasn’t upset. He does want to think about things, but he even considered babysitting the two of us.”

“Uh – babysitting? Like, do you want me to hook up with him too?” Ava’s face took on a look of panic, she scooted toward the tube.

“I don’t want you to do anything you don’t want to do.” Briana leaned over to squeeze Ava’s leg. “Even if that means I don’t get to kiss you again. When I said babysitting – I really meant babysitting. Just so you can get to know him. But you don’t have to!”

“I’ll think about it.” Ava bit her lip. “But I can’t – I’m not attracted to men.”

That’s kinda sad to hear – but not for me to be sad about! Briana smiled and nodded. “That’s fine. It might make things easier anyway – if you and I keep kissing.”

Ava curled up around her knees and grabbed her feet. “I want to – but I wish it was less complicated.”

“I can wait. I want to keep hanging out with you, kisses or no kisses.” Briana scooted over until she was shoulder to shoulder and hip to hip with Ava. “Do you want to be the first one to snuggle with me in here?”

“Briana, we can’t have sex here, there’s people all around!”

“I didn’t mean that! I’d get in so much trouble – and I’d never do that anyway…” Briana’s jaw dropped to see Ava peek out from behind her knees with a sneaky smile. “Oooh, you’re terrible! Just for that, you get Alanna-bonked.”

Briana gave Ava a solid thump on the head with her stuffed lion, sending both Littles into a giggle-spasm that ended with them cuddled together. They gazed up through the distorted green plastic of the fort’s skylight and said nothing. It was enough to relax in each other’s warmth. In a minute, it’d be time to go back to the party and try out the arcade machines or another one of the golf courses. Having Ava’s fingers laced through hers, listening to the other Little softly breathe, knowing that her friend had been brave enough to let Mom change her – all these things were as good as any birthday present.

First birthday with my family – and already the best birthday ever. I can’t wait for next year!

Up to her waist in hot water and soap bubbles, Briana sat back to admire the forest of suction-cup jungle animals she’d managed to stick to the tile wall. Her tongue protruded from between her teeth as she lifted Alanna – her stuffed Lioness and Knight Captain of the Kingdom of Cloudland, of which Briana was a princess – and carefully suspended her in the tangle. She let go and gasped as the suction cups held.

“See Grandma? See? If they can hold Alanna they could totally hold crayons!”

“Alanna looks nervous to me.” Grandma expertly scrubbed the inside of Briana’s ears with a soapy washcloth, totally unhindered by the Little girl’s squirms.

“She’s not nervous, Alanna is a knight and they’re brave!” Briana’s attempt to slide down to the waterline to escape the washcloth seemed quite clever until Grandma caught her foot and pulled. Before she knew what was happening, Briana was dunked under the water, had her hair rinsed out, and was back up and sputtering.

“Bravery isn’t about not being scared.” Grandma deftly wiped soap off Briana’s face. “It’s about facing fears – especially realistic ones like being put in a food dehydrator.”

“That was only one time!” Briana looked up at Alanna, who’s stitched-on expression seemed less than impressed. “Anyway, it worked.”

“Worked so well you cried for a whole evening about locking your friend up.” Grandma held up three fingers. “There are three reasons why you can’t play with the crayons that Gary got you for your birthday while you bathe.” Briana folded her arms across her soapy chest and stared skeptically at Grandma.

Michelle cleared her throat and said, “First off, they are very nice crayons, made from beeswax, which you’d be sad if you ruined. The second is that we don’t have any surfaces that can be colored on with crayon and survive bath water.”

“Yes we do! You can color on parchment paper.”

“Finally,” Grandma said relentlessly, “Your bath is over anyway.”

Briana had her mouth open to retort when Grandma turned on the shower, raining terribly cold water down on the Little girl. She shrieked at the top of her lungs, launching herself upward with a mighty splash. Suction cup animals were strewn everywhere in the confusion. Like she’d choreographed it, Grandma rose to her feet, caught Alanna, and held up a fluffy towel.

Lip trembling, Briana stared aghast at her grandma. As the shock wore off, she realized she wasn’t standing under freezing water, but merely warm water that had been a sharp contrast to the near-scalding tub. All was forgiven when she stepped out of the tub into a freshly warmed towel. Grandma wrapped Briana up and dried the Little girl from head to toe, before wrapping her in a second warm towel. There really is no getting spoiled like getting spoiled by Grandma.

“Good girl, getting out of the tub so fast,” Grandma said, as if she’d given Briana any choice. “Let’s get you on the potty now.”

“Huh? How come?” Briana sat anyway – accepting the casual authority Michelle wielded as she always ended up doing when her Grandma babysat her.

“You should try to use the potty tonight, even if Kiara is prepared to change you.” Grandma brushed most of the wet out of Briana’s hair while they waited to see if she needed to go. “This is to get you in the mindset.”

“Oh right, the charity thing.” Briana managed a small tinkle in the toilet, beaming when Grandma rewarded her with a pat on the cheek.

“I know you didn’t forget – and that you didn’t forget any of the times you dodged Emeline on campus.”

“I’m sorry!” Briana didn’t sound convincingly sorry, even to herself. To cover, she rushed into her next statement. “It’s just hard to connect with this stuff when I don’t know much about it.”

“It’s work dear, just like you do at school.” Grandma stood Briana up, wiped her, and lead her down the hall to her bedroom changing table. “Community and political work will often be tedious or uncomfortable, but it’s of great benefit to the people you’re helping.”

Unsure of how she should reply to what was starting to sound like a lecture, Briana was saved the trouble by the pacifier Grandma pressed to her lips. She closed her eyes and relaxed onto the fluffy diaper Michelle scooted under her hips, letting Grandma’s soothing voice and gentle hands take away the last of the end of bath shock.

“I’m proud of you for picking a research project designed to clean up the planet – you could have chosen any number of things other than plastic-eating bacteria. By the same token, I’m sure you’ll stop making Emeline’s job awkward and enthusiastically help your aunt.”

Briana winced when Grandma lifted her legs – only to receive baby powder on her rear instead of a swat. She popped her pacifier out in surprise and stared up at Grandma. “I thought you were going to spank me. That sounded like a pre-spanking lecture.”

“There’s no need to spank you because I know you won’t disappoint me on something this important.” Grandma patted the powder onto Briana’s skin matter-of-factly, her expression never wavering from it’s caring calm.

On the whole, Briana would have preferred a spanking. When Grandma had volunteered to give Briana her bath, the Little girl hadn’t expected to be speared by guilt. Pinned to her changing table like a butterfly in a display case by possible disappointment, Briana had to admire her Grandma’s experience in handling kids.

To her delight, she got a color-matched diaper for the dress her Grandma put her in. The diaper was a pretty pastel yellow, a nice compliment to the dress’s yellow top – even if no one at the event was supposed to know she was diapered. The boldly colored rainbow embroidered on the dress’s top, along with the tulle rainbow skirt was proof that Grandma paid attention to her. It’d been one of many fancy dresses Briana had gotten from Michelle for her birthday, and she loved them all.

Love overflowed from Briana’s heart – she threw herself into a big hug with her Grandma which was returned with the same bottomless affection Michelle always hugged with. “Thanks for the bath, and the dress – and even the talk.”

Grandma laughed. “You’re a good girl Briana. Go play with your sibling. You’ve a while yet before Emeline arrives.”

~~~*~~~

Melody, to Briana’s great exasperation, didn’t want to play. They were “busy” with “a personal project” and no amount of sarcastic air quotes from their Little sister could get them to put down their laptop. At least they were in the living room, instead of at their desk in their room. Along with Melody’s Middle-ish outfit of a dinosaur t-shirt and bright blue shorts, Briana felt the situation ought to be negotiable. Appeals to the local authority were Briana’s next tactic, but they weren’t working out the way she wanted either.

“But Daddy, Grandma told me to play with Melody.” Briana smiled endearingly at Jane, hoping that her dad’s outfit of a button up blouse and nice slacks wasn’t indicative of an uptight mood – but rather just her father’s anti-casual personality.

“I’m sure that was more of a suggestion than a command, and non-binding on Melody in any case.” Jane scooped Briana up into her lap, which Briana tolerated because it let her burrow into her Dad’s warm arms.

“I’m just debugging,” Melody said, without taking their eyes off the screen. “We can hang out, I just can’t play until later.”

“But later I’m going to be out with Kiara!”

“Oh yeah, you two are raising money to stall the orphan crushing machine, right?”

“The what?!”

“It’s an internet meme about how Americans throw money at systemic injustices that should get fixed.”

“Well – I’m literally an orphan, or I was, so can you not do that meme, please sib? It icked me.”

Briana’s plaintive tone was successful in getting Melody to look up sheepishly. “Sorry sis. I wasn’t thinking.”

“It’s okay.” Briana nuzzled Jane’s cheek. “Daddy, will you play with me?”

“Of course. We can engage in a good German game, such as Würstchenschnappen.”

“Daddy, you’re gross. I don’t think you ever ate sausages off a clothesline as a little girl.”

Jane laughed. “You’ll have to ask my parents to be sure.”

“When are they coming?” Briana bounced on Jane’s lap. “I want to meet all my grandparents.”

“Unlike the Rasmussens, the Müllers cannot fly to another continent on a whim. However, they should be here after the high traveling season ends, in September.”

“Really? They picked a date?” Briana’s bounces hit a high point – whereupon she shifted to clinging to her dad. “Are they – are they going to be okay with me?”

“They are going to love you as much as anyone else in the family does.” Jane gave Briana a squeeze. “The visit is some months away, don’t spin yourself up with anxiety.”

“That’s a Mom phrase, you’re staring to sound like your fiancé.” Briana hopped restlessly off Jane’s lap and skipped around the room.

“I suppose so.” Jane smiled fondly – she had the best dreamy happy expressions whenever Briana mentioned the wedding. Naturally, that meant she talked about it as much as the rest of the family would put up with.

“Mom said you and Grandma and Kiara were talking about the guest list, did you decide how many people are going to be…”

“OH – EM – GEE.” Melody beaned Briana with an expertly tossed stuffie. “You need to get off the wedding topic, sis, that was our whole afternoon.”

Briana caught the stuffed giraffe on the bounce. “How dare you treat Chuck so cavalierly?”

“Isn’t he a knight of Cloudland? He should be used to it.” Melody had a terribly smug smirk on their face.

“What does being a knight have to do with…”

“I think your sibling is referring to the French chevalier,” Dad said, rolling her eyes.

“OH – EM – GEE, sib!” Briana held her stern expression until Melody burst into giggles and she couldn’t help laughing herself.

The doorbell rang, prompting Briana to cast a surprised look at the clock. “It’s time to go already? But we didn’t even play!”

“Then why did we have such a good time?” Jane patted Briana fondly on her rear. “Go answer the door, mein Tochter.”

Briana skipped over to the door and flung it open, reveling in the surprised look on Emeline’s face – though it lasted only a moment before she was back to her trademark professionalism. She had on one of her innumerable pinstriped suit-dresses, the model of the day being a slightly lighter blue than the last one Briana had seen Emeline in. Sure, Mom wore variations on the same dress, but at least her style was goth instead of corporate.

Remembering Grandma’s epic guilt attack, Briana put on a bright smile that was only a tiny bit false. “Hi Emeline. Come in!”

“If you’re ready, we should head out right away, but thank you for the invitation.” Emeline waved from the door. “Hello Ms. Müller, Melody.”

“Emeline.” Dad reverted to German stoicism in the face of Emeline’s formality, spoiling any good that would come from dragging the French woman inside in an effort to make her unwind.

“Yup, I’m ready, take me to Airforce One!”

“Oh non, we’re meeting with the President next week, remember?” Emeline’s deadpan delivery got a smile out of Jane and a giggling-snort out of Melody. Anyone who could manage that couldn’t be all bad.

Briana felt her spirits rise enough for her to bounce a circle around Emeline. “Then let’s go. I haven’t seen Aunt Kiara in ages.”

“It would be unwise to say that to Ms. Rasmussen, considering the reason you haven’t.” Emeline chuckled, taking Briana’s hand firmly. She looked up at Jane and said, “Kiara will be bringing her home after the country club event is over.”

“Thank you Emeline,” Jane said. “You’re welcome to join us then as well – but please don’t feel pressure to attend if you’d rather not.”

Emeline nodded before leading Briana to her car. At Veronica’s insistence, both Kiara and Emeline had outfitted their vehicles with a Briana-sized car seat. While Emeline strapped her in, Briana kicked her feet and wondered what the country club people would say if they saw her in a car seat. Such concerns hadn’t been part of Briana’s life for a while, but they were creeping back in with disturbing regularity. I wonder how much of my nervousness about Kiara’s events is about being Little in public?

As Emeline pulled out of the driveway, Briana was struck with the guilty realization that she’d put a lot of pressure on Ava to come to her birthday as a Little. It was a bit of a struggle to reach her sequined purse, strapped in as she was, but Briana managed to snag her phone and send an apology text anyway.

“Emeline, what’s the event about tonight?”

“Changing the city ordinances to require businesses and public buildings to provide better access to people with physical disabilities.”

“Isn’t that already a law?”

“It is, but Kiara’s proposal would set a higher standard than the law currently requires, because it’s not always enough.”

Briana chewed on her lip, remembering that Ava had been basically shut out of the cool upper floor of Vakhaven because of the steep stairways. Is that why Kiara’s doing this – and is she doing anything to make our house better for people like Ava? If people really were having trouble despite the law in place, it seemed like a common sense thing to fix – hardly worth a meeting. Melody’s horrible orphan machine comment floated to Briana’s mind in counterpoint.

“But the business people don’t want to do it because it’ll cost them money, right?”

“Oui.” Emeline nodded. “Also the politicians don’t want to have to raise taxes during an election season.”

Briana frowned, searching her memory. “But – the city council is elected every two years, right? They’re always doing election stuff.”

“Exactement.”

“Right, so what do I do?” Briana sat up seriously – or as seriously as she could with her car seat straps holding her shoulders.

“I’m glad to see enthusiasm.” Emeline smiled. “You could offer to track the issue for those who’s political campaigns your family contributes to. They know that Kiara is too busy to closely follow such a minor issue. It’s much more likely that they will keep their promises if they know there is an interested Rasmussen who doesn’t have any other causes.”

“That means a lot more meetings – some of them on my own, doesn’t it?”

“It would, yes.”

With a sigh, Briana considered her options. It was true that while family restroom access was very good across town – Ardenthill as a whole didn’t have good disability access. The campus buildings were top notch, but the downtown core was downright inaccessible. Briana had heard from more than one person that the town’s landlords like to declare a building “historic” to get out of making improvements. With Ava’s expression of forcibly patient frustration in her mind’s eye, Briana bravely lifted her chin.

“Okay, I’ll do it! You’ll have to help me with the words.”

“Naturalment.” Emeline smiled. “Let us keep this a secret from Ms. Rasmussen. It will be more fun if she is surprised by your enthusiasm in the moment.”

“I didn’t realize she liked surprises so much.”

“She doesn’t hate them – but I meant it would be more fun for us, not Kiara.”

Briana giggled. “Emeline, you’re naughty!”

“Ms. Rasmussen encourages self-expression among her staff.” Emeline pulled the car into the country club parking lot, choosing a spot near the back of the lot.

“That’s true of all of them. It’s confusing when you call Aunt Kiara Ms. Rasmussen.”

“They are very similar women when it comes to their business affairs, true.” Emeline helped Briana out of the car. “As are you, Miss Rasmussen.”

“You think so?” Briana clasped her hands nervously in front of her, wishing she had Alanna along to buoy her confidence.

“Oui.” Emeline gently untangled Briana’s hands and clasped one of them. “Now, let us go surprise your aunt.”

If Briana gripped Emeline’s hand extra hard on the way into the club, the French woman didn’t say anything about it. She was torn between regretting her Little dress and being glad that she’d worn it. As long as no one laughed at her, debuting in Little attire would keep her from having to dress up at all the rest of the meetings.

They wouldn’t laugh at a Rasmussen – would they?

11 Baby Debut

Briana’s heart freshly quailed, when she saw a forest of women and men’s suits – at least until she spotted her aunt. Kiara stood out among the crowd in every possible way, from her height, to her black skin, to the startling white dress she was wearing off the shoulder. She favored clothes that showed off her powerful shoulders. If it was for intimidation or pride, either way she was projecting a confident air that had the room captivated.

Though all eyes were on Kiara, Briana’s aunt wasn’t merely basking in the attention. She caught the Little girl’s arrival as soon as she stepped into the country club’s conference room and turned to her with a big smile.

“Briana!” Long strides put Kiara in hugging range within moments. Briana found herself hugged with as much enthusiasm as her aunt showed at home. “I see Emeline didn’t have to coach you on your dress, I like your choice of outfit.”

“Grandma picked it for me, actually – but how did you know Emeline didn’t?”

“Because your aunt knows that even if I can appreciate your skirt, I would never have chosen it,” Emeline said.

“It’s perfect. I’m sure you would have had words with your grandmother if she’d picked something you hated.” Kiara grinned. “Now, come meet the politicians.”

Briana had only enough time to plant a somewhat genuine smile on her face before she found herself in the thick of faked enthusiasm. Being barely five feet tall had often made people mistake Briana for a younger woman than she was, but she felt downright childish among so many officious strangers. Briana found herself dumbstruck, but luckily her aunt was already barreling ahead with an introduction.

“I’d like to introduce a new addition to the Rasmussen family. This is my niece, Miss Briana Tess Rasmussen.” Kiara put as much real gravitas on Briana’s name as Briana put on pretend airs when she referred to herself as a Cloudland Princess.

Maybe that’s the best way to deal with this, Princess Briana doesn’t get nervous talking in front of crowds. That the crowds in question were made up of stuffies was a factor she could ignore for a minute of pretend. Briana straightened her spine and managed a clear tone of voice.

“Pleased to meet you all.”

“That would make you Veronica’s daughter?” A blonde White woman with gray streaks in her hair held her hand out to Briana. “Carissa Sharatt, City Manager.”

Briana shook the offered hand, which set off a wave of handshakes and individual introductions that quickly became a blur. The only other politician to stand out was the one who didn’t offer a handshake, merely holding her hand up in a tepid wave.

“Lorraine Bolinger, Planning Board Chair.” She was a White woman in the most severe suit of the bunch. Her black and charcoal color scheme matched the steely expression on her face. The only flash of color on her at all was the gold cross pendant resting prominently on her gray blouse.

“Now that my niece and assistant are here, shall we talk business?” Kiara motioned and the mass of people moved.

Politicians clustered around the oak conference table that gleamed in dark contrast to the cream colored carpet. The room was open and airy, with a fifteen foot ceiling that boasted exposed beams of polished birch. There were several expensive looking chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, and the exterior wall was all window. Though the sun was setting, the room still offered a spectacular view of the club’s attached golf course. Briana stuck close to Kiara and sat at her aunt’s right hand as directed. The room’s opulence would have been intimidating – had she not spent a few nights at Vakhaven. It’s nice, but it’s nothing compared to the Green Dining Room at Grandma’s – at Kiara’s house. And that’s not even the fanciest room.

“This is a meeting for the Planning Board, so I’m sure no one minds if I take the head of the table.” Lorraine’s aggressively pointed comment seemed out of place – no one was stopping her from taking that seat even as she spoke. A moment later, Briana realized that Lorraine had been speaking directly to Kiara. She felt a frowny wrinkle between her eyes.

“Of course, Chairwoman.” Emeline set a plastic bound report in front of Lorraine before making the rounds to hand a copy to each member of the city council. “You all received Ms. Rasmussen’s proposal by email, these copies are for reference. I think we’re ready to begin unless anyone would like to question the data upon which the proposal is based.”

Was that a power-move? Briana asked herself, as she hastily flipped through the report. Having Emeline respond to Lorraine instead of Kiara replying directly? The report was surprisingly short and low on actual data – at least to the eyes of someone who regularly read experiment reports and scientific journals. It seemed like a summary of a summary, only a few pages long with surprisingly large font.

Unsurprisingly, Lorraine did want to contest the data. She wanted to contest everything in the meeting it seemed, twice if it came from Kiara. Though the room was filled with a babble of conversation, little substance reached Briana’s ears. In an hour of discussion, nothing had been said that elided her own summary of the issue to Emeline – that accessibility was going to cost money, and therefore people were opposed to it.

“I hardly see what the proposed benefit is, Ms. Rasmussen,” Lorraine was saying. “Nothing in the report suggests an increase in commerce or beneficial taxation as a result of your proposed ordinance changes – it’s a pure spending proposal.”

“The benefit is to human beings who are not being treated as hospitably by our city as they ought to be.” Kiara had a stern expression on her face. Of the councilors, only Lorraine and one of the men seemed able to confront her Aunt’s confidence directly, the rest looked down and flipped through their reports when Kiara turned her gaze on them.

“Our city spends quite a bit of money on hospitality that doesn’t provide a net benefit. It’s all very well to propose that we go out of our way to accommodate people, but there’s a real cost to business owners that you’re not acknowledging.”

“Community investment is a moral duty for the business community.” Kiara countered smoothly. “The Rasmussen family has always invested in Ardenthill, and we’ll continue to lead in that regard.”

“She’s saying it’s a hard sell to business owners if they only lose money and don’t see an upside.” The confident male counselor spoke up. He was a White man with slicked black hair and a suit that reminded Briana of something.

A billboard! I see him on a billboard every day on the way home from school. He’s a lawyer – Eric Patterson. Proud of herself for not only following the discussion – especially one deadly dull to Littles – but also recognizing someone, Briana piped up in the space left by Kiara’s frustrated silence.

“As someone who has friends with physical disabilities – as well as being the shortest person in every room myself – I think this is important enough for the City to make the effort. I’m sure we can find a way to help any business that has trouble adapting to the new standards.”

Heat prickled in Briana’s cheeks as the whole table turned toward her. She didn’t dare look at her Aunt to see if Kiara approved of her little speech. Admitting for a moment that she wasn’t as sure as she sounded would have her crumbling in front of all the authoritative Bigs in front of her.

Since no immediate response seemed forthcoming, Briana plunged in again, though her heart was pounding anxiously enough that she felt it might drown out her words. “My interest in disability issues is why Kiara invited me to this meeting, I’d like to see this project through personally.”

A surprised murmur went around the table, setting Briana’s knees knocking together. To her great relief, Kiara reached over to squeeze Briana’s arm. The contact sent a stabilizing shot of warmth through the Little girl, just in time to keep tears out of her eyes.

“I see. Well, we certainly can’t disdain your enthusiasm.” Lorraine said, while her tone made it clear that she certainly could and did disdain Briana’s involvement. “At least your offer of help for business owners is a step in the right direction. As it happens, I have a candidate for a needless restriction we can remove in order to make economic room for the Rasmussen proposal.”

“Interesting, please, do share.” Kiara’s voice carried an aggressive edge that had Briana’s muscles tense all over again.

“For over a decade, Ardenthill has required businesses to build family restrooms that are as expensive as they are absurd.” Lorraine pulled a stack of reports out of her briefcase, handing them off to be passed down the table. “Changing tables that can hold up to three hundred pounds is the worst of these requirements, but there are plenty more. Who are we catering to, elephant mothers?”

Briana took her copy of Lorraine’s report with fumbling fingers. Without extra-sturdy changing tables, her friend Arthur wouldn’t be able to be Little in public. Lorraine’s report went well beyond that, though, cutting the required bearing weight for a changing table down to a mere fifty pounds. Pixie-like though she was, Briana wouldn’t be able to use a changing table with that rating. She couldn’t imagine there were many – if any – ABDL Littles that could manage it.

“This is a huge change – it basically gets rid of the special family restrooms in town completely!” Briana could feel her tone getting hysterical, and she could see the frowns developing on the council members as it did. Unfortunately, that only increased the tightness in her chest.

“You’re a fast reader.” Lorraine’s condescension kept it from being a compliment. “That’s a good analysis. Not only is that kind of extravagance on bathrooms unnecessary, but it attracts the wrong sort of person.”

“Lorraine.” Kiara’s voice was flat and stern in a way that made many of the council members blanch. “I’ve asked you before in meetings not to imply – or openly say – that there are wrong sorts of people. That kind of language is only a step away from hate speech.”

“Oh please, you yourself helped write laws that keep people you don’t like out of the public sphere.” Lorraine scoffed. “The only people who could possibly need to put three hundred pounds on a changing table are those freakish diaper-wearing adults. Is that the kind of person you’re hoping to attract to Ardenthill, Kiara?”

The tight band around Briana’s chest pulled taut, leaving the Little girl unable to draw breath. She felt dizzy and sick  – her fingers hurt from gripping the conference table too tightly. Inside, she was screaming at Lorraine. Who are ABDL people hurting? They aren’t freaks! Stop being hateful to my friends! Nothing made it past the paralysis that had gripped her on the bus. No one in the room was denouncing Lorraine, Eric was even nodding along with her. She’d just called an entire class of harmless people undesirable freaks, and no one was standing up to…

“I want everyone to feel welcome in Ardenthill – I don’t ask newcomers or visitors about their hobbies, culture, or secrets.” Kiara shook her head. “I didn’t realize you’d come to this meeting with such an axe to grind, Lorraine. Is this going to be a problem going forward?”

“You mean, am I going to advocate for decency and wholesome values in my home city?” Lorraine shot back triumphantly.

“If this is the sort of discussion we’re going to have, perhaps it’s best if we table the issue for now.” Kiara shrugged. Briana stared at her aunt aghast, unable to believe that the indomitable Kiara had given up so easily.

“That might be a little bit hasty – though I have to say, Lorraine, you did get a bit heated there.” Carissa, the city manager, spoke up for the first time other than murmuring agreement along with others. Briana furrowed her brow at the woman’s sudden change of heart.

“It’s more than a little heat. I’m no stranger to being told I don’t belong, and I don’t like seeing that sentiment here in Ardenthill.” Kiara leaned back in her chair, stony faced. “The Rasmussen family has enjoyed working with many city councils over the town’s history, but we know when a particular council is too difficult to work with.”

Suddenly wide-eyed, Eric leaned forward and said, “I hope this doesn’t affect your view of the downtown restoration project.”

Kiara made a dismissive wave. “Oh, we’re committed to that project, but we aren’t tied to a particular timeline. It may be better to avoid animosity and postpone the restoration work for a year or two.”

A year or two – so after the next city council elections. From the consternation on the faces of the councilors – even Lorraine, Briana could see that Kiara had scored a big point. As glad as she was to see Kiara sticking up for ABDL people and the meeting’s original purpose, she found herself wishing it had been a point scored on principles instead of money.

“I don’t know if that kind of decision needs to be made on the restoration project tonight,” Carissa’s smile was so strained it seemed liable to shatter. “Or on tonight’s issue either. Can we agree to a general resolution supporting a more hospitable Ardenthill – for visitors and businesses alike – and revisit this another time?”

No one was happy with Carissa’s suggestion – Briana herself was outraged – but the council went along with a vote anyway. With the meaningless resolution voted in, the evening turned to political gossip and drinks. Briana clutched a champagne flute filled with cranberry juice and stuck like glue to Kiara’s side.

~~~*~~~

It was by virtue of her Princess of Cloudland persona that Briana managed to hold herself together until the event ended. That the tears didn’t start flowing until she was in the parking lot was something she counted as a victory. She gave herself a gold star for crying quietly too – though that was mostly due to not wanting Lorraine to see her upset.

“Little one.” Kiara’s gentle voice shattered the last of Briana’s composure. She was up in her Aunt’s arms and sobbing into Kiara’s shoulder in a moment. Luckily, the parking lot was dark and Kiara had parked as far in the back as Emeline had.

“That was awful.” Briana had her arms around Kiara’s neck so tightly it was almost a chokehold.

“I’m so sorry, Briana. I didn’t expect your first council meeting to be one where your identity got attacked.” Kiara patted Briana’s back gently. Briana’s sobs came out in the same rhythmic pattern, making her feel even more ridiculous and Little.

By the time she’d cried out the worst of her sobs and Kiara was putting her in her car seat, Briana’s diaper was soaked. She didn’t care – even welcomed the feeling as a further retreat from adulthood and the ickiness of the evening. Kiara’s best aunt status was narrowly saved by her wrapping Briana in a blanket before setting off for home. The fuzziness of the blanket was a poor substitute for Alanna, but it managed to bridge the gap until Briana could race from the car to her bedroom.

Surprisingly, it was Kiara who stepped through Briana’s door moments after the Little girl threw herself on her crib and grabbed her stuffed Lioness. She’d have expected immediate comfort either of her parents, her sibling, or Tia Rosa, not her aunt. Not that Kiara wasn’t unwelcome. Now that Briana was home, however, all bets were off on where her snotty nose landed. She shamelessly pressed her face into Kiara’s white dress as the post-crying shudders ran through her.

“Do you want to talk, or do you just want me to pet your hair?” Kiara asked softly. Wisely, she was already stroking Briana’s hair.

“Both.” Briana sniffled. “I feel dumb for being so upset. What you said at the meeting – about being excluded – I’m sure it’s been way worse for you.”

“I’m glad you’re not comparing being ABDL to my being Black – because they aren’t the same at all.” Kiara scooted a chair up to Briana’s crib and took a seat before returning to her gentle stroking. “That doesn’t mean what Lorraine said didn’t hurt, or that you shouldn’t be upset, or that excluding ABDL people isn’t wrong.”

“More people have been saying stuff like that – but this time it was right at me.” Briana whimpered. “I didn’t know what to do, I just froze, again.”

“I didn’t realize that sentiment had reached Ardenthill, I thought this would be the last place it’d show up.” Kiara sighed. “It’s fine to take a break from politics. I pushed you into this, thinking it’d be perfectly safe.”

“I don’t want to take a break.” Briana sniffled loudly. “I can do this.”

“Briana, you don’t need to put yourself in another situation like the one tonight.”

Indignantly, Briana squirmed out of Kiara’s grasp and hauled herself to her full sitting height in her crib. “I’m a Princess AND a knight of Cloudland, PLUS I’m a Rasmussen. I got frostbite to save my sibling. I’m not giving up!”

A joyous, loving smile blossomed on Kiara’s face. She picked Briana up and cuddle-crushed the Little girl in a hug on her lap. “It seems everyone has a nickname for you, and I think I just found mine.”

“What is it?” Briana squinted up at Kiara pugnaciously. “It better be a pretty one.”

“It is, but it’s strong too.” Kiara grabbed a wipe from the nearby changing table and scrubbed the snot off Briana’s nose. “Tessa – because Briana is too small a name for the big-hearted Little girl on my lap.”

“Like – like Magna Grandma?”

“Just like her.” Kiara kissed Briana’s forehead. “It’s a big name, you’ll have to do more than you already have to earn it.”

“Do all your presents come with self improvement plans?” Briana accused.

Kiara laughed, bouncing Briana on her lap. “You’ll get used to it. We both have Tess’s spirit, after all.”

“I need a diaper change.” Briana pouted.

“I noticed. Let’s take care of that now.” Kiara scooped Briana up onto her changing table and shimmied the Little girl’s dress off.

“Won’t Mom and Grandma and people think my new nickname is – weird or something?”

“I don’t think so.” Kiara popped the tapes on Briana’s diaper, wiping her down with more enthusiasm than skill, though she was getting better at changes at an impressive rate. Plus, she was as good at manhandling Briana as anyone other than Gary. Briana reveled in the Little feeling that came with helplessness and snuggled Alanna.

“You’ve made quite a splash – I didn’t expect Vonnie to adopt anyone so soon, let alone somebody like you. On top of that, you broke Mom’s stubbornness down in the space of a week.” Kiara chuckled as she put a fresh diaper under Briana’s hips. “People have gone their whole careers without making Michele budge.”

“It’s because I told her I loved her.” Briana squirmed with happy abandon during the application of her lotion – making sure it got everywhere it needed to go.

“That was brave, and so was holding things together tonight.” Kiara sprinkled powder on Briana’s crotch, then playfully blew a puff of it at the Little girl’s face.

“Ack!” Briana coughed and laughed in equal measure, wiggling away from Kiara. She got only a few inches before her aunt pulled her back and tapped her securely into her diaper.

“Most of all, it was genuinely impressive to see your resolve after you’d been crying.” Kiara dropped a nightgown on Briana and helped her find the armholes. “I’m proud to have you as a niece.”

“You’re proud of me?” As fun as she was for diaper changes, Kiara had a lot to learn about pep talks. Briana was right back down the emotional roller coaster, with tears blurring her vision.

“You bet I am, and I know I’ll be even more proud in the future.” Kiara swept Briana and Alanna both into a hug that sent Briana’s roller coaster upward again – and forced the Little girl to admit her aunt might know what she was doing with the encouragement.

“I’ll work on the disability thing – but I think someone needs to stand up for Littles. I don’t mind being brave – but – I’m Little, and I need help.”

“That’s what your auntie is here for, Tessa.” Kiara bounced Briana in her arms, grinning triumphantly. “I’ve got your back.”

“Even if you have to support ABDLs in public?”

“Especially then.”

“Okay.” Briana shuddered as a nervous, hollow space opened up in her chest. It was surrounded by fierce warmth though, unlike the iciness that had gripped her at the meeting. She leaned into the love Kiara was giving off, doing her best to multiply it back in with a super snuggly Briana hug.

What did one wear to a playdate with a new Little friend and maybe-girlfriend, who’s family had once hired Ava as a house sitter for far too much money? If there was a right answer to that question, Ava hadn’t figured it out. With input from Oliver, she’d gone with a shirt who’s sleeves and trim were bright pink, with a flamingo printed on the white front. There was no padding under her jeans – something Ava considered a bit of a test. Intrigued, Oliver had asked her who the test was for. Ava hadn’t had an answer for that either, much to her friend’s amusement.

To no one’s surprise, Ava’s knock on Briana’s door was met by the fiery Little squealing in delight as she threw the door open. Briana was in her trademark Rainbow Brite meets Punky Brewster fusion style. Though there was no tutu involved in the outfit, surprisingly, Briana was wearing hotpants, tights, and socks, all in different colors. Her white shirt embroidered with the word Princess in pink was a little on the nose – but then again, Briana seemed to live on the nose.

The house itself was much more Briana’s Mom’s style, a creaky old faux-Victorian that Ava was instantly amused by. I get it, Rasmussens, you like old stuff. While it certainly looked cozy and well cared for, it also looked like a place in which Ava would need to maneuver carefully.

“Hi Briana.”

“Ava! Come in, ohmygosh come in!” Briana bounced in frustrated hyperactivity. Her desire to bodily yank Ava through the doorway was graven on every inch of her being.

It was super sweet that Briana kept her hands to herself, letting Ava navigate her crutches over the unfamiliar threshold. Equally sweet was the way that Briana threw herself on Ava for a hug as soon as the Indian girl was inside and stable. She’s figuring it out fast. Ava thought happily. Putting her trust in Briana, Ava leaned into the hug until the snuggly girl was her support. The front room of the house looked like it took up most of the building, with a vaulted ceiling at second story height and furniture used to outline separate living and dining areas. Though welcoming, the house’s décor had a definite vibe of big people stuff that kids shouldn’t touch.

Over Briana’s shoulder – or her head, really – Ava blushed to see that they had an audience. The Little girl’s mom and her aunt Rosa were sitting in the living room with fond expressions on their faces. She felt an extra burn in her cheek when Veronica met her gaze. This is so awkward – I can’t believe I let her change my diaper. Ava’s eyes slid off Veronica’s usual black outfit to the orange, black, and pink athleticwear Rosa was wearing.

It’d been a while since Ava had seen anyone so aggressively gay, outside of a Pride parade. Her usual instinct to toss a bit of snark Rosa’s way was thwarted by the mood that had been building since she’d donned a Little outfit. With a soft cough, Ava nodded to the two women. “Hi Ms. Rasmussen and um – Ms. um – uh…”

“You can just call me Rosa.” Rosa laughed. “And you should probably call this one Veronica.”

“Sorry, I wasn’t thinking, it’s just that this is supposed to be a playdate and um…” Ava’s spiral into an embarrassment singularity was cut short by a reassuring squeeze from Briana.

“She can call Mom whatever she wants, right Mom? Ava’s feeling Little right now, you have to be nice to her.” Briana turned around and stamped her foot, while keeping a firm grip on Ava’s waist.

“Ms. Rasmussen is fine, or even ‘Briana’s Mom’ if you’re feeling especially Little.” Veronica smiled softly.

“You can call me Tia Rosa then if you want to be formal.” Rosa shrugged. “I’m not up for being Ms. Anybody.”

“Okay – Tia Rosa.” Ava squirmed awkwardly. Far from pushing her out of the Little mood she’d built up on the drive over, the discomfort felt like it put her perfectly in her place. Her introduction to the household was every bit as clumsy as meeting friend’s families had been as a kid.

“Who’s this friend?” Briana interrupted, grabbing the paw of the stuffed bear Ava was carrying under her arm to shake.

“This is Brownie.” Ava’s smile was wobbly, her eyes sought Veronica and Rosa’s faces for any sign that they would make fun of her. “He’s been my friend since – forever.”

To Ava’s relief, there was no hint of teasing in Rosa or Veronica’s expressions, not even good-naturedly. Veronica’s voice was quiet serious when she said, “In that case, you have more introductions to do, Briana. Brownie needs to meet Alanna right away.”

“I’m on it!” Briana stepped away from Ava – hesitated a moment with her hand still on the other girl – and was gone, blitzing across the house like a cartoon character.

“Please treat this house like your own,” Veronica said. “At the same time, if you feel you need to ask for something, please do. We’ve got plenty of snacks and drinks set up for your playdate with Briana.”

“Thanks.” Ava didn’t have time to say more before Briana stumbled to a stop in front of her.

“This is Alanna!” Briana held the stuffed lioness up to Brownie, Ava helped her bear shake hands with Alanna.

“Brownie is very pleased to meet her.”

“Alanna is honored to have Brownie as a guest.” Bouncing on her tiptoes, Briana asked, “Can I show you the house?”

“Sure, I’d love a tour.” Ava tucked Brownie back under her arm, bracing herself on her crutches properly.

“We have everything set up in the drawing room – you don’t have to see my room if you don’t want to, really.” Briana nodded toward a set of stairs that shot steeply up a wall to a hallway balcony. “It’s upstairs.”

In addition to being steep, the stairs were narrow, and their steps were worn with decades of use. The whole thing made Ava’s stomach flop. She nodded quickly to Briana. “I’d like to stay on one level if that’s okay.”

“Of course it is, there’s plenty to see down here!” Briana gave a running commentary as she ran her little legs from room to room. “This is the kitchen, we have so many snacks! Here’s the bathroom – you can ask if you need help. This is Melody’s room, we’re not supposed to disturb them because they’re working.”

That last observation was accompanied by Briana turning to face Ava and rolling her eyes so far back that she went into a backbend. Ava giggled, “But it’s the weekend.”

“I know! My dumb sib gets permission to be a Mid and now they think they have to do grown-up stuff all the time.” Briana winked. “I bet we can lure them out with cookies later.”

“I’ll help.” Ava followed Briana into the last room on the tour, unsurprised to be greeted by the juxtaposition of expensive leather furniture, and colorful blankets on the floor. What was a surprise, was the dark wood changing table in a corner. It clearly belonged in the room as much as the rest of the furniture.

“You have your changing table out all the time?”

“Mom and Dad got tired of taking me upstairs every time, or changing me on the floor.” Briana tilted her head in a curious expression. “Is it okay if I ask why you’re not wearing now – was it because you had an accident at my party?”

Ava took a seat on the well worn arm of a leather couch. Briana might have learned to be more careful with her physically – but she’d asked if it was okay to ask something embarrassing and named that thing in the same breath. This is what I get for putting on an outfit that makes it obvious I’m not wearing – and setting up a test that I don’t even know what it’s for.

“I know it’s lame to answer a question with a question but – is it okay if I don’t wear diapers around you?”

“Oh, totally!” Briana’s smile was unexpectedly unclouded, especially after the fuss Briana had kicked up about diapers at her party. “If you just didn’t feel like it, that’s fine! Come on, we have so many stuffies to introduce Brownie to.”

Lowering herself onto the soft blankets, Ava was left feeling a little foolish. She wasn’t sure what level of pushback she’d expected from Briana, but it certainly wasn’t zero. Regret wormed it’s way into her belly as she introduced Brownie to each of Briana’s stuffies in turn. There seemed to be A-List and B-List stuffies, with Briana focusing the most on the introductions of a teddy bear, giraffe and a bat. The Little girl’s face took on a serious, almost resigned expression as she picked up a pangolin stuffie.

“This is Arnold the Pangolin.” Briana helped the stuffie bow. “Arnold the Pangolin says that Arnold the Pangolin is very pleased to meet Brownie.”

Amusement teased at the corners of Ava’s mouth. “Does Arnold the Pangolin not want Arnold the Pangolin’s name shortened? Shall we refer to Arnold the Pangolin as Arnold the Pangolin – in full – every time?”

“You get it!” Briana giggled. “Arnold the Pangolin is grateful that you understood Arnold the Pangolin right away.”

Giggles bubbled out of Ava, she nodded her head to Arnold the Pangolin. “I’m always happy to refer to people the way they want.”

“Alanna would like to know if Brownie is interested in joining the Roundtable.” Briana set the formal pangolin aside, bringing her lioness back to center stage.

“Like Camelot?”

“Kind of – it’s the Round Table of Cloudland.”

“I think you mentioned that once before – is it from a book?”

“No, it’s my special Little place, where all my stuffies live. I’m a knight – and the Princess – but Alanna is the Knight Captain of the Round Table.”

“Doesn’t that make things complicated? Presumably the Princess can tell the Knight Captain what to do, but shouldn’t Alanna have authority over her knights?”

“Yep!” Briana grinned. “Complicated makes for good stories.”

“What do the knights do, anyway? Brownie deserves to know what he’s getting into.”

“Cloudland is a place of dreams. The knights fight off nightmares and keep Littles safe.”

“That sounds amazing, I’m in. I mean – Brownie is in.”

Briana bounced on her rear with an audible crinkle. “You can be a knight too if you want!”

“I’m not really the knightly type.” Ava self-consciously pushed her crutches a bit out of the way.

“And I am?” Briana smirked up at Ava, significantly shorter even when they were sitting. “That kind of stuff doesn’t matter in Cloudland.”

Warmth blossomed in Ava’s chest, putting a huge smile on her face. “Okay! Well – I’m not from Cloudland, I’m visiting. So maybe I’m already a knight in my realm.”

“Oh yeah? What’s your realm?” Briana leaned forward in rapt attention.

“It’s – a kingdom under the earth. The cave ceilings are so high you can’t see them, except for the shining jewels set into the rock like stars. There are lots of trees and beautiful lakes, and the air always smells like flowers.”

“I love it!” Briana helped Alanna through a formal bow. “Cloudland is super excited to receive foreign dignitaries. Ohmygosh, are you a princess?”

“I’m not saying.” Ava smiled mischievously. “But I have many shining jewels. We don’t have knights in my realm, but we have Kshatriya, which are kind of the same thing.”

“So you and Brownie are Kshatriya? Perfect!”

“Brownie is British, so he’s a knight.”

“Got it!” Briana nodded firmly. “What kind of things do the Kshatriya fight?”

“Actually…” Ava leaned down to whisper conspiratorially to Briana. “We’re in Cloudland looking for allies. A vicious, shapeshifting Rakshasi has impersonated my mother.”

“Oh no!” Briana’s eyes went wide with horror. “The Round Table will do everything they can to help!”

They had barely assembled the Round Table when Veronica came by with snacks – and to check Briana’s diaper. Regret twinged more strongly in Ava’s chest, but she pushed the feeling aside. In any case, she was sure Veronica was on her way out after pronouncing Briana “dry enough” – only to be caught off guard by the matronly goth woman crouching down next to her.

“How are you doing, Ava-bean?” Veronica gently stroked Ava’s hair. “Do you need anything?”

That nickname is corny – so why does it feel good? Ava shook her head bashfully at Veronica. “No, Ms. Rasmussen. Thanks for the cookies and tea.”

“You’re very welcome. Not just for the snacks either.” Veronica smiled. “Such a polite Little girl is welcome to come over any time.”

“Mommy, Ava is a visiting dignitary to Cloudland. We’re mobilizing the Round Table to save her from a rakshasi that’s trying to replace her mother.” Briana looked up at her mom with an expectant gaze.

“Oh dear, that sounds serious. I think I know what a rakshasa is, what’s a rakshasi?” Veronica swept out her dress and settled down on her heels, to Briana’s obvious delight.

“Same thing as a rakshasa, but female.” Ava took a bite of a cookie, excited to discover it was homemade. Veronica listened patiently to the story as Ava fleshed it out on the fly, and even served the Little girls their tea.

For all that she’d hidden her face when Veronica had changed her diaper, there had been unmistakable warmth in the way the goth woman had handled Ava. It would have been impossible for the situation not to be awkward – at least for Ava – but that discomfort had evaporated as soon as Veronica discreetly returned the Little girl to the party. With Briana’s mom tending so carefully to the two of them, Ava found herself longing to snuggle with Veronica – if not outright crawl into her lap.

Before Ava could even approximate the courage to shift closer to Veronica, Briana’s mom ruffled each Little’s hair and got back to her feet. “I need to do a few things around the house before my meeting at school. I’ll be back to check on you two before I go, though.”

“She means check my diaper.” Briana stuck her tongue out at her mom.

“I mean check up on both of you and see if there’s anything you need.” Veronica corrected with a smirk. “I doubt I’ll actually need to check your diaper by then, potty pants.”

“Mooom!” Briana mock-whined as Veronica left, leaning into Ava with a happy sigh when the other girl scooted close.

“Your mom is pretty great.” Ava’s voice came out more softly than she’d expected. Briana turned her face to listen – putting the two of them in a suddenly intimate position.

“She’s the best.” Briana said quietly, “Do you want to keep playing – or play something else?”

Ava closed her eyes and leaned in. Her lips met the softness of Briana’s mouth, even as she felt the slight squish of the Little girl’s rear on her lap. The kiss was long, setting Ava’s cheeks tingling and her heart thudding. When they finally broke the embrace, Briana’s cheeks were just as pink. She had a lovely, caring yet vulnerable look in her eyes.

“I really like you – and I love playing like this with you.” The little tremble in Briana’s lip as she spoke made Ava’s heart leap.

“We can’t make out here – it’s a public room in your house.” Ava nuzzled Briana’s cheek, pressing their chests together with a shiver of desire. “I like playing like this with you too.”

“That’s okay.” Briana licked her lips and reluctantly slid off Ava’s lap. “It’s too soon in the story for the two princesses to hop in bed together anyway.”

Ava giggled. “Your Little stories are dirty. I never admitted to being a princess anyway.”

“Being Little doesn’t mean I can’t have sex – or love.” Briana touched Ava’s cheek briefly before scooting to her side of the stuffie gathering.

Nobody’s in love with anybody yet. Ava admonished her traitorous heart. We barely know each other, it’s just infatuation. Her heart wasn’t having any of it, having leapt for joy to hear Briana say love. It took reminding herself that Briana had a boyfriend to throw cold water on that party.

“Not everyone plays Little that way,” Ava said cautiously.

“It seems like you do – that’s the second time you’ve kissed me while wearing – while Little.”

Ava grabbed the change of subject like a lifeline – for all that it was something she would have been horrified to discuss an hour ago. “Actually I’m kind of regretting that I didn’t wear at least a pullup.”

“I have tons of them here, and so does Melody. Mom keeps spares for my friends now too. I’m sure we have something that would fit you, if you want one!” Briana was so eager, Ava had an immediate contrary reflex to shoot her down.

That would be mean and pointless. She’s being really nice – not even pushing me about the question she really wanted answered. Ava combed her fingers nervously through her hair before saying, “I’d like that – as long as it was your mom putting it on me. I don’t think I could – well, you said that everyone here changes you, right?”

“Yup!” Briana nodded. “Mom, Dad, both my aunts, Grandma, even the roommates do. It’s okay if you’re not comfortable with the rest of them yet. You were really brave to let Mom help you at my party.”

“Thanks.” Ava squirmed. “I don’t feel brave now though. Could you ask your mom when she comes back?”

“She might not have time for two diapers when she’s getting ready to leave. I could ask her now, if it’s okay with you.” Briana blushed. “Besides, I’m kinda…”

“A potty pants?” Ava laughed.

“So are you!”

“Nuh uh! I can use the potty even if I’m wearing a diaper.”

“Oh yeah? I haven’t seen it yet.” Briana giggled infectiously, Ava joined her friend in laughter and collapsed on the blankets with her. Stuffies were sent flying, including a very indignant Arnold the Pangolin.

“G-go ahead and ask your mom, before I get even less brave than I’m feeling right now.” Ava whispered.

Briana kissed Ava’s cheek and sat up. “Mama! Can you come here for a sec?”

Moments later, Veronica poked a half-made up face into the drawing room. Caught between guilt at interrupting Veronica’s makeup, and not wanting the interruption to be for nothing, Ava winced and fell silent.

“Sweetie, if this is a request for more cookies…”

“I don’t want more cookies.” Briana pouted, putting her hands on her hips when Veronica smirked doubtfully. “This is serious, Mom. Ava wants something but is shy to ask. She wants to know if you’d put a diaper on her. Also – I kind of need a change.”

“Ah, I see.” Veronica knelt next to Ava, squeezing her arm gently. “Feeling left out, Ava-bean?”

“Kind of.” Ava squirmed. “I’m sorry to interrupt you, I should have put one on at home…”

“It’s fine, dear. I’ll be happy to diaper you or change you any time you need it.” She leaned down to kiss Ava’s forehead. “Would you like me to diaper you here on the blanket, or up on the changing table?”

Veronica’s face looked soft and undefined without it’s usual stark black outlines around her eyes and mouth. That softness was all that kept Ava from panicking as she realized what her request was going to entail.

“R-right here? In this room?” Ava bit her lip. “Can’t we um, do it in a bathroom or something?”

“The downstairs bathroom isn’t big enough to lay someone on the floor with the door closed.” Veronica patted Ava’s cheek and rose. “This room does have inset doors that close, however.”

While Veronica closed the doors, Ava tried to still her heartbeat. There was still the question of where she was going to get diapered. On the floor seemed more private and had the advantage of her not having to move – but she’d always wanted to try out a full sized changing table. Sure, they had one at the Green Fairy – and the staff swore that it was always well cleaned – but the idea of using a club changing table was even more ick than a club toilet.

“I’d like to use the changing table, if it’s okay.” Ava climbed carefully to her feet, taking a few unaided steps to the changing table.

“Do you need a boost?” Veronica put her hands on Ava’s hips. “Briana usually does.”

“Yes please.” The table was just above hip height, making it easy to roll onto with Veronica’s help. She glanced over at Briana and rolled her eyes at the Little girl’s excited stare. It seemed too much to ask her friend to leave the room, on top of all the other impositions she was making. The best she could hope for is that Briana would stay on the floor, giving her a bare minimum of privacy.

“Briana, I believe it is very improper for a Cloudland Princess to watch her foreign guest get changed.” Veronica made a turning motion with her index finger. “Turn around and confer with Alanna until we’re done.”

“But there’s nothing to be embarrassed about!” Briana protested, though Ava noticed she was already grabbing her lioness.

“That’s not for you to decide. Turn around now, or you’ll get a spanking and a diaper change. Both of them in front of Ava.”

“Thank you.” Ava whispered, as Briana turned around.

Veronica nodded and put her hands on the waistband of Ava’s jeans. “Would you like me to undress you, or would you rather do it?”

“Can you – take care of me.” Ava crushed Brownie to her chest, blushing furiously. “I mean – take care of it for me.”

“Yes to both, Little bean.” Veronica’s gentle touch had Ava’s jeans undone and off in less time than it took for the Little girl to overcome her bashfulness and nod her thanks.

Everything Veronica did soothed the nervous stiffness that had gripped Ava. From the approving nod she gave to Ava’s alphabet panties, to the way Veronica’s touch was full of platonic care – Ava felt herself relax. Unlike the first change she’d gotten, Ava nodded a yes to the offer of lotion. She was still nervous enough to be ticklish, gigging as Veronica spread the protective layer over her private skin.

Those giggles got her tickled by Veronica. From then on, the diapering was full of caring touches that had Ava yearning to hug the motherly Big. She waited impatiently though a light application of powder and having her diaper tapes set before sitting up and grabbing for Veronica. Though surprised, Veronica hugged back right away with warm strength.

“It looks like Briana’s nighttime diapers fit you well for a daytime option,” Veronica said, laying Ava back on the table. “But your jeans aren’t going back over this. I’m going to put you in one of Briana’s bigger skirts.”

Expertly padded and swathed in rainbow cotton, Ava was delighted to be helped back onto the blankets and into Briana’s excited embrace. Unfortunately, they were immediately separated by Briana being summoned for her own diaper change.

“I’m going to have to finish getting ready quickly,” Veronica said to Briana. “But I promise I’ll say goodbye before I go. Your father and I will be back by dinnertime, and your babysitter should be here any minute.”

“I thought Rosa was going to babysit.” Briana was totally relaxed for her change and playing with Alanna – not that Ava was watching.

“I thought so too, but I should have talked to Rosa about it. She has an extra practice today for the derby game next week.”

Ava frowned as the word babysitter sank in. It seemed like a good idea, she was way to Little to be in charge in her current state, though it would be tricky if she needed a change before Veronica got home. She tried to think of who might be babysitting – family members seemed to be out, she doubted that Veronica would refer to them as a babysitter. Maybe it would be the cool theatre girl Ava had briefly met at the birthday party. She seemed fun, and was one of Briana’s roommates, if Ava was remembering correctly.

A deep male voice sounded clearly from the living room in the quiet house. “Hi everyone!”

“Good to see you, Gary.” Rosa’s voice was more muted, but was nevertheless easily recognizable.

Ava’s heart and belly plunged into freefall. Gary’s the babysitter? BOYFRIEND Gary? She clutched Brownie in a desperate attempt to keep her discomfort from becoming a panic. Surely, as empathetic as she was, Vernoica would notice how upset she was and…

“There you go, BabyBee.” Veronica sat Briana on the floor in her fresh diaper and turned distractedly to the door. “Let me say hi to Gary, and then please ask him if you need something, I’ve got to finish getting ready.”

Abandoned by Veronica, Ava turned to Briana, but her friend only had eyes for the door, already calling out, “Gary!” in an excited tone. Ava couldn’t remember the exact conversation she’d had with Briana about Gary babysitting, but she didn’t think she’d said yes to it. After so much playing – and the super loving diaper change she’d gotten – hopping out of Littlespace wasn’t an option. It wasn’t even something she considered and rejected, she was a Little girl stuck in a classic nightmare. A babysitter had suddenly appeared, and they were scary!

No, no no no! This can’t be happening. I don’t want a babysitter! Why does Veronica have to go to her stupid meeting? Where’s Briana’s Grandma? Why won’t anybody notice how scared I am?

No, no no no! This can’t be happening. I don’t want a babysitter! Why does Veronica have to go to her stupid meeting? Where’s Briana’s Grandma? Why won’t anybody notice how scared I am?

There were no answers. Instead, a big hairy man swooped the girl Ava had been kissing into his arms, and kissed her with a resounding smack. Too frozen even to cry, Ava could only stare up at the two of them and cling to Brownie.

“Hi Ava, is that one of Briana’s skirts? It looks great on you. Has my Little girl been playing nicely with you?” Gary’s jovial face demanded an answer.

“We’re playing – Cloudland.” Ava’s voice felt tiny in the sudden scariness of the room. Gary seemed to take it for a Little voice – which was fine. As much as Ava wanted out of the situation, Gary was the last person she wanted to open up to.

Briana squirmed out of Gary’s arms and plopped down next to Ava. “Mom was going to get us more cookies but she got busy, can you get us another plate please, Gary?”

Gary laughed. “Nice try. Veronica gave me instructions ahead of time. Why don’t you show me what’s going on in Cloudland?”

“Ava’s a visiting dignitary, she can fill you in on the situation with the rakshasi.” Briana gestured magnanimously to Ava, leaving her in the high beam headlights of Gary’s attention.

Making a terrible scene seemed like the only way out. Had she been fully big, Ava could have made some excuses and slipped away – but such subtleties were beyond her Little self. Her ribs felt like they were crushing inward on her lungs and heart. A trembling cry built up in Ava’s throat, and was stalled by Briana’s happy grin.

“I can tell if you don’t want to!” Briana’s face was full of innocent joy. She wasn’t trying to do anything scary to Ava, she was Little, and having fun. The purity of Briana’s Littleness offered Ava another way out of her panic. She could follow the cherubic girl down the rabbit hole and pretend everything was okay. After all – what was Littlespace for, if not pretending?

More than she’d ever dared, Ava let go of her adult worries. Gone were silly things like school, work, and bills. With her nethers expertly diapered, she could cast aside even very basic concerns. Gary was still scary – but instead of relationship complexities, it was his status as an unknown authority figure that made Ava wary of him. The most important thing in the moment was the game they were playing. Within that game, it was paramount that Ava keep Briana from stealing her thunder.

“I can tell it! I was just – getting my words together.” Ava fussed loudly at her friend. There was a moment of shock on Briana’s face, giving way quickly to a brilliant grin.

“Well excuse me, Princess.” Briana giggled. “Please, inform my manservant of the current situation.”

“Manservant?” Gary furrowed his brows, and promptly spoiled the effect by smirking.

“Hush Manservant, there are two Princesses here.” Briana bowed to Ava, making an absurdly elaborate flippy motion with her hand.

“Thank you, Princess Briana.” Ava raised her nose imperiously. The effect lost something since she still had to look up at Gary, but it was the pretend that counted. “The vile rakshasi Shurpanakha has impersonated my mother. Princess Briana has mobilized the Round Table, and we’re going to march on the palace.”

“Wow, is there anything your humble manservant can do to assist?” Gary asked, with a grin.

“Obviously we can’t be expected to travel and fight without provisions,” Ava said.

“OMG cook…” Briana was cut short by a gentle bonk on the head from Gary.

“Veronica was adamant about the cookies.” Gary’s tone was stern – but seemed reluctant too.

“I wasn’t going to ask for cookies.” Ava put on her most earnest expression, finding it effortless in her current Littleness. “We need crackers.”

Gary stared dubiously at the Little girls, arms folded across his chest. At last, he shook his head and laughed. “You’re lucky you two are so cute together. You can have a few crackers. If you don’t eat dinner, Princess Briana is getting a spanking.”

“Gary! Not in front of my Princess friend!” Briana whined in outrage.

“Of course we’ll eat dinner. We’ll be exhausted from battle, right Briana?” Ava hip-checked her Little friend, turning Briana’s whine to a happy giggle.

“Yeah, that’s right! Okay Manservant, get us some crackers. Mush!”

“I’m a sled dog now?” Gary ruffled Briana’s hair and left in search of crackers.

“That was brilliant! You’re so good to play Cloudland with – maybe even better than Melody.” Briana tackle-hugged Ava, who was happy enough to fall over in a snuggly pile with such a cute Little.

~~~*~~~

With the aid of crackers and plastic swords, the princesses managed to send Shurpanakha back to her demon realm – though the battle fierce. Arnold the Pangolin proved a brave stuffie on the battlefield, which mostly absolved Arnold the Pangolin of Arnold the Pangolin’s insistence on always using his full name – mostly. With the unrestrained way that Briana threw herself into make-believe, Ava felt every swish of the sword or swipe of the rakshasi’s claws. Their heroism was real and important in a way that nothing really could be for someone who was Big.

The perpetual aches in Ava’s legs had faded far into the background. With just a bit of help from leaning against Briana’s bed, she stood confidently without her crutches to bestow medals upon the brave Cloudland knights.

“Arnold the Pangolin earns the MVS award, and the sparkliest ring in my collection.” Ava wiggled a costume jewelry ring onto the stuffie’s paw. It sparked like a diamond that had captured a star in her imagination – and Briana’s too, by the happy sparkles in her friend’s eyes.

“What’s the MVS award?” Briana was yanking a sheet off her bed – a breach of protocol that Ava choose to ignore.

“Most Valorous Stuffie.” Ava clapped her hands in delight to see Briana put the sheet around her waist and spin down into a super swirly curtsey.

“That’s a really good award! I might have to add that to the Cloudland awards.” With a grin, Briana swept her hands outward. “But if that’s what Sir Arnold the Pangolin gets, what does the Princess of Cloudland get?”

“She gets the girl…” Ava flipped her hair nervously over one shoulder. “If… she – if you want.”

Briana rose to her feet with a an intense expression that set off a butterfly explosion in Ava’s belly. She stepped forward without tripping on the sheet – an impressive display of Littleness – and put her arms around Ava’s waist.

“Careful what you promise,” Briana said softly. “This princess reads naughty novels where that kind of reward gets – a detailed description.”

“I’m yours.” Ava whispered. She gasped in response to Briana tightening her grip and lowered her head to meet Briana’s lips.

The taste of Briana on her tongue sent a flush through Ava’s body. Despite being pressed against each other, she felt unbearably separated from the other girl. Desperately, she clutched Briana’s back. At Briana’s moan, Ava wrapped a leg around Briana, shivering to hear their diapers crinkled as they squished against each other.

“Um – girls?” Gary’s embarrassed cough shot ice down Ava’s spine. “I’m sitting right here.”

“Oh my gosh, I’m sorry!” Briana wrenched free from Ava to turn to Gary. “I got caught up in the moment. I know we haven’t talked enough about everything, and you and Ava haven’t talked, are you upset?”

You and Gary haven’t talked. A pit opened up in Ava’s stomach. Liquid nitrogen shot through the marrow of her bones. The thought of having a relationship dynamics discussion with her babysitter – with her girlfriend’s boyfriend – it was too Big for Little Ava to contain. The Big world was breaking in, and this time there was no sexy, adorable Briana to stop it. She’d turned away, struggled out of Ava’s embrace – was hugging Gary.

Ava hit the floor before she realized her legs were spasming. All the muscles below her waist were thoroughly done. There wasn’t enough sensation of her bladder to even attempt to hold in the accident she could feel spreading hot and wet across her crotch. It was honestly a miracle that her legs weren’t cramping. Worse, her crutches were across the room – assuming she had the strength to stand with their aid.

Bitter tears burst out of Ava. The world of light and magic had been torn into by the stupid, complicated adult world. Unlike the rakshasi’s claws, there was no stuffie to bravely block with a make believe shield. Though Ava clutched Brownie to her chest, she was painfully aware that he was cloth and stuffing – not the noble Kshatriya he’d been moments before.

Gary said something to her – he sounded concerned. Ava didn’t care, she couldn’t deal with him, or Briana for that matter. She was drowning in the firehose intensity of Little sorrow, but with the feeling expanded into the full complexity of Big heartbreak. All Ava could do was cry – and say No to anything she was asked. It was stupid, childish, and absolutely certain to destroy any chance she had of being Briana’s girlfriend, but she couldn’t make herself stop.

Eventually, for lack of other options, Gary and Briana left Ava to cry on the drawing room floor. Briana turned out the lights on her way out – Ava was grateful for the discretion that dim light afforded, even if there was nobody but stuffies to see. This is insane. She’s never going to invite me back, even as a friend. I need to get up, get to my car, go home. The al-dente noodle consistency of Ava’s leg muscles reminded her that she wasn’t going anywhere without more rest. There was no escape from supreme awkwardness.

“I could call Ollie,” Ava said to Brownie. “That’d be awkward too – he doesn’t get involved in ABDL stuff usually, but he’d come. He’s that good a friend.” Brownie didn’t seem sold on the idea. Ava wasn’t either. Being comforted by Oliver would be great – but only once she was back in her apartment. She didn’t want him seeing her a sobbing, diapered mess on a stranger’s floor.

The door opened slowly, shocking Ava out of her tears. Silhouetted in the doorway was someone too female to be Gary, too big to be Briana. For a moment, Ava imagined it was Veronica – but when the woman stepped inside, she was too broad to fit the Edward Gorey figure of Briana’s mom.

“Ava?” The woman’s voice was gentle without being hesitant. “It’s Rosa. May I help you?”

It was a big ask to turn her pain and soiled diaper over to someone she’d briefly met once – even if Ava knew she was being a terrible guest. On the other hand, Rosa was not-Gary, which was worth gold in Ava’s current mental state.

“I – yes please but – I don’t think there’s much you can do.” Ava sniffled.

“I was going to start with a hug, if you’re in the mood for one.” Rosa took a seat on the floor, keeping her movements slow and non-threatening.

This is ridiculous, I’ll just tell her to help me to my car and then I can try to drive home… Ava opened her mouth, surprising herself when she said, “Yes please, I need a hug.”

Strong arms pulled Ava into Rosa’s lap, wrapped her up, and held her with warm strength. Ava cried again, ashamed and venting sadness. Rosa didn’t say anything right away, just patting Ava’s back until the Little girl’s sobs subsided.

“I’m so sorry.” Ava whimpered. “This has to be so awkward – I made a big mess of everything. I think I can drive in a few minutes if you – if you can just get me to my car.”

“As a concerned person, I’ll do that if that’s what you want.” Rosa’s voice was a warm whisper. “As a caregiver, I think you might need more taking care of than that.”

“You don’t have to.” Ava shivered against Rosa, pressing against the woman’s athletic body despite her embarrassment.

“I want to.”

“I’m a mess.”

Ava hadn’t expected Rosa to laugh at that. She flinched away from a hurt that didn’t come. Rosa’s laugh was too genuinely jolly to sting.

“This is nothing compared to the tears I’ve wiped off my Niñe.” Rosa pulled a handkerchief out of her pocket and scrubbed Ava’s cheeks dry. “It doesn’t even make the top ten of Melody’s meltdowns.”

“I’m so embarrassed,” Ava said, though her throat nearly choked the words back. “I ruined my playdate with Briana, I’m sure Gary thinks I’m a lunatic…”

Rosa wiped the snot from under Ava’s nose, giving said nose a tweak. “Hush now, drama baby. Nobody’s mad at you. We’re concerned, because we care about you.”

“You don’t even know me!”

“First off…” Rosa shifted Ava into a proper sitting position on her lap. “I care about lots of people I don’t know personally. Second, you’re important to Briana, and that’d be enough on its own.”

“Briana’s never going to want to see me again.”

“You can’t know her very well if that’s what you think.” Rosa rested her cheek atop Ava’s head. “How about a diaper change and a meal?”

“You’d – offer to change me? Just like that?”

“I live with Briana, and I’m Melody’s primary caregiver.” Rosa chuckled. “I’ve changed a lot of diapers. It’d be a nice mood boost, don’t you think?”

Ava sniffled, looking down at her legs for a while before she nodded. “Yes please.”

It took a grunt and an obvious effort, but Rosa lifted Ava into a princess carry and set her on the changing table. The Little girl flinched when Rosa put her hands on her diaper tapes. Though it was nice, and respectful of Rosa to pull away as soon as Ava flinched, she wished she’d controlled her reaction. Now that she’d been promised a change, she was desperate to be out of her soggy diaper.

“I don’t have to change you if you’d rather I didn’t.”

“No – I want it I’m just… it’s hard with a new person.”

“I understand.” Rosa rubbed Ava’s tummy soothingly. “How about we talk to keep your mind off the change?”

“Talk about what?”

“Whatever it was that made you so sad.”

“That’s even worse!” Ava said plaintively.

“Yeah?” Rosa gently tugged Ava’s diaper tapes open. “How come?”

“It’s embarrassing. I melted down like… like…”

“Like a kid?” Rosa chuckled as she rolled Ava’s diaper up and tossed it in the pail.

“That’s not fair, it was more than that. There was – big stuff too.”

“Oh? What happened?” Rosa asked, while gently wiping Ava down with a soothing wet wipe.

“Briana and I were kissing – Gary was there but we forgot – it was really awkward. Briana – she went to him and I fell down – everything crashed.” Ava shuddered mightily, feeling the hurt anew even as her words released some of it.

“That does sound rough. Briana was really excited about having someone new to date – it sounds like you’re less okay with sharing than she is.” Rosa put an arm under Ava’s knees and lifted the Indian girl’s rear. As her most intimate spots were fearlessly wiped, Ava threw herself back into the conversation.

“I’m not bi, like Briana is. I don’t ever want to be – romantic with Gary. I don’t know him, except that I’m competing for Briana with him and then suddenly – he was babysitting.”

“Oh sweetie.” Rosa leaned in for a hug on Ava. “Quick aside – do you do lotion, powder, or both?”

Ava’s lip quivered as she was brought out of her relationship awkwardness to face the equally uncomfortable topic of a stranger changing her diaper. I should just ask for my panties back. I don’t need another diaper… “Um – I could uh – b-both please.”

“Of course.” Rosa kissed Ava’s forehead briefly and squirted some lotion on her palm. “The way I heard things from Briana – and I assume this is the version that Veronica heard too – you were okay with Gary babysitting. It’s not unusual for Briana to get over-eager, but it’s not okay for her to do that if it hurts somebody.”

“I could have said something – I don’t know why I didn’t.” Ava clutched Brownie close to her chest. Everything had happened so fast, there hadn’t been time to snap out of Littlespace and think.

“Probably because you were Little. You’re still there a bit.” Rosa’s hands were strong and soothing as she applied the lotion. As she patted baby powder into place on Ava’s skin, the Little girl realized she’d stopped feeling awkward about being changed. Eagerly, she lifted her hips for the fresh diaper Rosa offered.

“I am, it’s hard to be Big around Briana. Plus we – we had such a good time.”

“Would you like to have dinner with Briana? No Gary.”

“Isn’t that mean? This isn’t Gary’s fault.”

“Gary had a serious discussion with Briana and went home.” Rosa set the tapes on Ava’s diaper and wiggled it to ensure a perfect fit. “He’s rightfully upset with her. While I don’t want to let her off the hook for being thoughtless, you could both use a friend and some non-cookie calories right now.”

“They weren’t cookies, they were crackers!” Ava protested as Rosa sat her up. “At least – the second round of snacks was.”

“Uh huh.” Rosa grinned. “I can see why you two are so drawn to each other. Can I carry you to the kitchen?”

“I don’t know, can you?” Ava stuck her tongue out at Rosa. “I’m not as tiny as Briana.”

“Maybe not physically.” Rosa hefted Ava into her arms and made for the door. Ava closed her eyes, clinging to Rosa and hoping that nobody would be around – or if they were, that they wouldn’t say anything. Her hopes were answered when she was deposited on a kitchen chair next to Briana without another soul in sight.

“Ava, I’m really sorry!” Briana’s cheeks were almost as tear-streaked as Ava’s. “I wasn’t thinking and I hurt two people that I love.”

Ava sighed. “Thanks for the apology but – Briana – you throwing around the L word is the same kind of thing as what you just did.”

“It is not!” Briana’s clenched jaw trembled, there were tears sparkling in her defiant eyes. “This isn’t a joke, or hyperbole – I love you, okay? It’s not like forever super intense love – yet – but I love easy and strong. Deal with it!”

“Briana – you’re an idiot.” Ava threw herself tearfully into the Little girl’s arms. There was no kiss or sexy energy at all, but the undeniable warmth of Briana’s love was there. They laughed, sniffled, and sighed together to the sound of Rosa filling plates.

With plates of piping hot arroz con pollo in front of them, things were looking up for both Little girls. Rosa took turns feeding them, which nicely shut down conversation and gave Ava space to simply be. Partway through dinner, Veronica returned. She took over feeding Briana, despite the Little girl’s protests that she could do it herself.

Ava wasn’t sure why, but she felt perfectly content to let Rosa keep feeding her. Dinner and hugs restored her energy enough to be helped out to her car. She drove away with Briana waving with every ounce of her being. I can’t believe that crazy girl said she loves me. Pondering her own feelings for Briana got Ava home to her apartment and Mango, but no answers.

Briana tugged on a pullup before working tights up her legs and over her slim padding. Though it was big girl time, Alanna sat staring at her on the bed. Little Briana would have put her stuffed lioness there for advice – Big Briana was aware that she mainly used Alanna as a metaphor for her conscience. Big or Little, conscience or lioness, Briana knew she was in trouble. There was no begging or being cute to escape the situation either, because she was in trouble with herself.

With a sigh, Briana went over her disastrous playdate in her mind. The afternoon had started completely magically. It could have stayed that way, too, if she’d only remembered to talk to her boyfriend and girl-that-hopefully-was-becoming-a-girlfriend. Littleness was no excuse for forgetting something so important. She hadn’t forgotten about Christmas for an instant after Thanksgiving, nor had she ever forgotten to worry about Melody when her sib had been in trouble with Beatrix.

If Briana had been Little, her lioness would have said some very stern things to her as she put on a black sweater with sparkly batwings sewn on. Being Big, she told them to herself. I hurt my new friend Ava by putting her in a scary situation without asking her. I hurt Gary’s heart by treating him like he would be OK with anything I decided.

Looking in her mirror, Briana carefully applied black eyeliner and smoky eye-shadow. She painted on black lipstick – then liberally patted glitter into her eye shadow and across her lips. Though she packed her bags with microbiology notes and a laptop, she was still Little enough to salute Alanna with a fist over her heart.

I’m going to do better. I will be more like Mom and make everybody proud—especially the Alanna part of me.

Briana skipped downstairs to the kitchen and presented herself to her mom for inspection. Veronica’s eyebrows twitched upwards to see her Little girl clad in black from head to toe. Before she said anything, Mom straightened Briana’s pleated skirt’s waistline and ensured her pullup was adequately tucked away.

“You’ve been wearing darker colors, but this is the first time I’ve seen you in black lipstick since we dressed you up at The Black Veil. What’s the occasion, sweetie?”

 “I want to be more like you, Mom.” As always, Briana got a burst of warm fuzzes in her heart from calling Veronica – Mom. The best part was that it worked for both Big and Little Briana. Veronica was Mom in the Big and Little peoples’ worlds.

“Briana, that’s very sweet, but you prefer bright colors. You can be like me without dressing like me.”

“I know! I want to be like you in the not-dressing way. My outfit and makeup are reminders to be a better girl. To be like my Mom and always do the right thing.”

“Baby bee.” Veronica sighed, dabbing at her eyes with a black silk handkerchief. “I’m proud of you. So proud of my strong, loving daughter.”

Briana also had to dab her eyes, remembering to grab a napkin off the kitchen table at the last minute rather than disastrously rubbing her made-up eyes. Veronica pulled Briana in for a cuddly hug and a kiss atop her head as soon as they were both composed enough not to have to redo their makeup.

“I like your outfit too. I’m glad you still have some sparkly touches to it.”

“Don’t worry, Mom. I won’t lose my sparkles.” Briana planted a careful kiss on her Mom’s cheek. “I’ve got to catch the bus. I love you, Mommy!”

“I love you too, Baby Bee.” Veronica followed Briana as far as the kitchen door, fondly watching the Little girl until she was out the front door.

~~~*~~~

Knocking on Gary’s office door was scary. The hustle and bustle of undergraduates around Briana wasn’t the source of her nervousness – she blended in perfectly, looking like just another undergraduate knocking on the door of a TA’s office. Briana’s fears were validated when Gary opened his door. Upon seeing Briana, Gary got a little sadder. It was devastating for a girl who was used to seeing delight on her boyfriend’s face when she arrived.

“Hi, Gary.” Briana focused on keeping her feet rooted to the floor. The urge to hurl herself into Gary’s arms, crying apologetically, was overwhelming. That move would get Little Briana what she wanted, but Big Briana knew that what she’d done was too big to be covered up by a scolding or spanking. Gary deserved an apology, and not to be pushed into being a caregiver.

“Hey, Briana. Come on in.”

Briana followed Gary into his literally closet-sized office, eschewing the chair to stand contritely in front of Gary’s desk with her hands folded over her skirt. “I came to apologize if that’s okay.”

“Bri, I’m not mad at you. I was a little confused and hurt – and still a bit hurt, if I’m being honest.” Gary sat down in his creaky office chair with a sigh. The sad little window behind him was half-covered by the only shelf Gary could fit in the room. One of the shelves was left bare for a slice of natural light that settled on Gary’s shoulders.

“I know, and I’m sorry. This is a Big girl apology. I’m not being Little right now. I was thoughtless and selfish. I didn’t set out to hurt you, but I didn’t think about your feelings either.”

Saying those words hurt. Each one had come out with a twist of Briana’s gut. Once they were all out, though, she felt better. Not that she felt good yet, but she felt cleansed. If Gary didn’t want to accept her apology, that’d be terrible, but she would still have done the right thing. Despite her bravery, Briana had to admit she’d do anything at the moment for Gary or her Dad to hug her and tell her she was a good girl.

“Thanks, Briana.” Gary didn’t smile, but his expression eased. He motioned to the chair in front of him. “Do you want to sit? I can make you some tea; I’ve got a working electric kettle here now.”

“You plugged a kettle in?” Briana took a seat, setting her hot-pink backpack down on the floor. It was the only thing she hadn’t yet found a gothy replacement for. “Is that a fire hazard in here?”

“Wow, you really are Big right now.” Gary finally smiled, flicking the switch on his kettle. “It’s fine. I had maintenance check the outlet for me. They said my shelf is a fire hazard, but the kettle is fine.”

Briana squirmed in her seat. “I wish the University would put you in a better space.”

“It’s this or nothing.” Gary shrugged. “The shelf has to stay, too, or how would I keep my Briana plants?”

“Your what?”

Gary motioned to a shelf full of tiny succulents, each one with a different color of plump leaves. “They’re tiny and colorful, just like you. Well, like you usually are. Though they’re way lower maintenance than you.”

Briana giggled. “Gary, I love you.”

“I love you too, Bri.”

“That’s why I was so upset when I realized I hurt you.” Briana sighed. “You’ve shown me so much love and acceptance. I feel like I’ve mostly been taking instead of giving back.”

“Hon, no.” Gary took a moment to pour the tea, setting a mug in front of Briana. “You’re a lot of work when you’re Little, but you give back. The way you snuggle with me, the way you laugh – the way you look at me like I can see straight into your heart. It’s incredible. I wouldn’t trade Little Briana for anything.”

“That’s good!” Briana bounced in her chair. “I have to be big sometimes, though, and when I am, I want to be a good girlfriend for you too.”

“I’m not going to complain about that. Or your outfit. It’s not hurting my feelings at all.” Gary took a sip of his scalding tea, apparently unbothered by the heat or that it’d barely steeped. Mom would have been scandalized right out of her chair. Briana chose to overlook Gary’s transgression out of the goodness of her heart.

“I tell you I want to take care of you, and you tell me I’m sexy in a goth look?” Briana rolled her eyes and giggled. “Gaaaaary, you’re such a boy.”

“Come on, you’re not Big very often. I’ve got to take advantage of the chance to get some dirty talk in while I can.”

Oh? He’s been missing that kind of thing, has he? Briana bit her lip mischievously.

“Gary, I’d do anything for you. All you’d have to do is ask, and I’d crawl under your desk and go down on you right here in your office.” It felt so fun and naughty to say that Big Briana felt warm in her pullup.

Briana’s comment did what boiling water had failed to do, flushing Gary’s face red from his hairline to his neck. He took another mouthful of tea, gulped half down, and coughed the other half into his elbow.

“See?” Briana’s smile sparkled to match her makeup. “There are some advantages to a Big girlfriend.”

“Yeah, I’m seeing that.” Gary coughed and laughed. “I love Little Briana best, though. Not saying I won’t take you up on your offer – someday when I get my courage up to do that in my office – but Little Briana has something that no other girl has.”

“I love you,” Briana said. “Are we okay?”

“Yeah, Bri, we are.” Gary nodded. “Can I check your padding, or will that mess up your being Big?”

Big and Little Briana both got warm under their pullup at that suggestion. “I don’t think it will, and anyway, I need to be stronger about being Big if it does.”

To her surprise, Big Briana was squirmy at the idea instead of hopping up to be checked when her caregiver asked. Little Briana was a bit nervous at the delay; she knew she wasn’t supposed to refuse a diaper check! When Gary motioned for her to come around the desk, Big Briana blushed and tiptoed over.

“You haven’t been embarrassed like this in a while. It’s cute. Is this another Big Briana advantage?” Gary asked as he lifted her skirt.

Gary’s strong hands patting her padded crotch and rear made Briana tremble. She was glad he didn’t check inside her pullup – there was a definite wet patch, but it wasn’t related to a potty accident. Part of Big Briana wanted to find out where things would go if Gary found that kind of wet patch.

“An advantage for you, maybe.” Briana wrung her hands behind her back, holding on to her Big frame of mind for dear life. “Am I a good girl?”

“You are my best girl.” Gary pulled Briana into his lap and kissed her. “We have to talk about Ava, but you have a lab in ten minutes, and I have office hours starting.”

Briana nodded. “I know. I have to be big this afternoon with Aunt Kiara, too. I can call you tonight, but I might be Little. Big Briana could talk to you tomorrow.”

“Either is fine with me.” Gary leaned Briana against him, a thoughtful expression on his angular face. “It might even be a good idea to talk to both Brianas.”

“Oh! Actually – that’s super smart.”

Gary laughed. “You don’t have to sound so surprised. I know I lift weights, but I’m still a scientist.”

“I don’t think of you as a scientist or a weightlifter.” Briana tucked her head against Gary’s neck. “I think of you as Gary. The man I love that takes care of me.”

“Baby girl, why do you make it so hard for me to say goodbye to you right before we both have to go do stuff?” Gary gave Briana a big squeeze.

“As your Big Girl or your Little Girl, that’s my job, right?”

“It is, and you’re great at it.” Gary tilted Briana’s head up for a long, slow kiss.

Though there was always a bit of a tingle in Briana’s kitty when she kissed her Gary, the kiss was so much more about love. It filled up one of the sadness holes in her heart. Only Ava could fill the other one.

Gary patted Briana on the rear, sending her to pick up her backpack and head for the door. “Make sure you go potty before your lab so you can stay Big.”

“I will, thanks, Gary. Oh, and Gary?” Briana winked, “Don’t forget to call or text if you need ‘stress relief’. I have a little time between labs today.” Delighted by the flustered boy they’d left in their wake, Big and Little Briana skipped to their Lab – by way of the potty.

~~~*~~~

By the time lab was wrapping up, Briana had been good-naturedly accused of sneaking the sunshine into the building three times by her lab mates. Her experiments could not have gone more flawlessly. Look out, ocean microplastics! A Knight of Cloudland has forged a special sword of teeny tiny critters that will eat you up. She finished her data page with a pen flourish and a kitty face. Little touches like that were key for keeping Little Briana happy enough that she didn’t need to come out. Big Briana suspected that her advising professor tolerated childish pictures in her data sets largely because her last name was Rasmussen. As accommodations went, she wasn’t exactly asking for the moon, so Big Briana refused to feel guilt over the possibility.

As she was sterilizing her equipment, a familiar figure entered the lab. Moving more slowly on her crutches than usual, Ava was dressed in a sweatshirt and sweatpants. She paused at the door, apparently to catch her breath, and smiled when she caught sight of Briana.

“Ava!” Briana bounced happily over to her friend-but-hopefully-more-than-a-friend and gave her a careful hug. It wasn’t the right mood to start an apology, but Briana was feeling too good to be properly downcast. In any case, Ava likely did not want an apology about their playdate in a public space.

“Hey Bri-ana.” Ava drew a deep breath and gave Briana a wobbly smile. “Banana. Briana Banana.”

“I get a nickname already? I’m way behind; I don’t have one for you yet.” Briana grinned. “What brings you down to Dr. Vaughn’s lab?”

“Dr. Kumari.” Ava took another labored breath. “Sent me to get.” Again, Ava paused, rearranging her hands on her crutches. “The portable incubator.”

“Ava, are you okay?” Briana put her hand on Ava’s shoulder, only to withdraw it at the girl’s annoyed nod.

“I’m fine; I just went too fast.” Ava forced herself upright, taking a couple of deep breaths. “But if you’re wrapping up…”

“I’d love to carry it for you.” Briana nodded. “I’ve never been in Dr. Kumari’s lab, but I hear you have all kinds of fancy equipment.”

“Yeah, the gray-goo machines.” Ava chuckled. “You don’t get nervous around nanobots?”

“Look at me,” Briana said, packing the mini-incubator into its case. She signed it out carefully, putting down her name, Ava’s name, and Dr. Kumari’s as the responsible parties. To do otherwise was to risk a snarly voicemail from Dr. Vaughn. “I’m almost nano-bot sized. They’d elect me as their president.”

“Shows what you know. They don’t have a president. Nanobots operate under an anarcho-syndicalist commune.”

Briana giggled, packing up her backpack and hefting the incubator in her arms. “Ready when you are.”

Kumari’s lab was at the other end of the building. As they walked, Briana kept an eye on Ava’s wobbly legs, hoping she wasn’t being too obvious about it. The one time she was sure Ava caught her looking, Briana fluttered her eyelashes up at her hopefully-girlfriend-but-it’s-really-okay-if-not-friend with a flirty smile. Ava didn’t seem to have the breath to talk and walk simultaneously, so Briana hummed nonsense instead of continuing their conversation.

When they arrived at the lab, Ava immediately dashed for a chair and slumped into it. Pretending she wasn’t worried but getting more anxious all the time, Briana put on her sunniest smile and traipsed up to Dr. Kumari. The professor was a famously active Indian woman with a taut, athletic body that didn’t show an ounce of fat. Briana couldn’t remember what kind of contest it was, but she knew Dr. Kumari participated in some remarkably grueling athletic event every year. At least twice, she’d returned from that event with a trophy for her office.

“Hi, Dr. Kumari, I have your incubator. I made sure to sign it out properly so Dr. Vaughn will know it’s here.”

“Thank you.” Dr. Kumari took the equipment that was weighing Briana’s arms down like it was a featherweight. “It’s Briana, isn’t it?”

“That’s me, Briana Rasmussen.”

“Oh, I didn’t realize.” Dr. Kumari’s manner underwent an immediate change. Instead of putting the incubator away, she returned to Briana, giving the diminutive girl her full attention. “Thank you so much for helping Ava get it here, Ms. Rasmussen.”

“Briana is fine, or Miss Rasmussen if you want to be formal. Ms. Rasmussen is Veronica.” Or Michelle or Kiara. But not the Littlest Rasmussen!

Labeling herself “miss” triggered an immediate downgrade in Dr. Kumari’s formality. She was likely nicer to Briana than she would have been to a random graduate student, but the stiff decorum was gone from her expression and tone.

“I want to get some bacteria started in this incubator right away. You’re welcome to look around the lab, but don’t let me keep you if you have somewhere to be.” Dr. Kumari nodded at Briana, hustling the precious incubator to a lab counter. Briana understood her haste. Dr. Kumari had about forty-eight hours before Dr. Vaughn would demand his equipment back.

“Ava, do you mind waiting a bit while I take a peek at the lab?” Briana’s heart went out to her oh-please-let-her-be-my-girlfriend’s relieved expression at the prospect of more time for Ava to sit.

The grey-goo machines were very cool in any case. Briana was careful to touch nothing but read every label on the devices that created and housed infinitesimally tiny machines that could go inside a living cell without disrupting it. By the time Briana had finished nerding out, Ava looked well-rested.

“I like the sparkle-goth outfit you have going, but isn’t the backpack a little clashy?” Ava asked.

“Yeah.” Briana shrugged and giggled. “Do you have any more labs or classes today? We could go shopping together. I know just the place to get a new backpack.”

“It sounds fun, but uh…”

“There’s a bus stop right in front of the store I’m thinking of if you’re worried.”

“I wasn’t worried.” Ava sighed, looking down at her lap. “But – I might not be able to make it to the campus bus stop in one go today.”

“The campus bookstore is halfway between here and the bus stop.” Briana’s tone sparkled as brightly as her sweater’s bats, enough to get Ava to lift her head curiously. “There’s an ice cream shop attached to it.”

“With fresh-made waffle cones.” Ava rose enthusiastically to her feet. “Let’s do it.”

The spring air was delightful, energizing Ava almost as much as the prospect of ice cream had. Briana got a double cone of bubblegum and blueberry, and Ava stuck with a single scoop of caramel pecan, even after Briana offered to pay. As they sat on a bench and sugared themselves up, Briana momentarily forced herself to pull away from her ice cream bliss and put on a serious expression.

“Ava, I need to apologize to you. I’m really sorry for how I treated you when you were over at my house.”

“Oh – uh, that’s um – thanks.” Ava looked around, seeming relieved that no one was nearby. “I appreciate the apology, but I could have done a lot to explain my feelings or ask questions.”

“But you didn’t because you were Little, right?” Briana nodded in response to Ava’s blush. “I was being selfish and thoughtless, and I’m sorry for that. I didn’t mean to hurt you, but I did, and I want to make it up to you if I can.”

“Wow.” Ava took a big bite of her ice cream and cone, sitting for a moment as she savored it. “That’s probably the nicest apology I’ve gotten, especially from a uh – friend like you.”

“I don’t know if you were going to say girlfriend, but it’d be okay if you did.” Briana scooted across the bench, putting herself hip to hip with Ava. “I’ve been hoping we’re girlfriends, but I won’t be upset if we’re not.”

“You have a boyfriend,” Ava said sourly.

“I do.” Briana took a deep breath. “I love Gary, and I’m not going to stop loving him. I won’t apologize for it either. My heart has more than one spot for loving people. I love you too, and I don’t love you less because I love Gary. I don’t love you less because I love Mom, Dad, or Melody, either.”

“You’re polyamorous.”

“I guess. I know what polyamory is, but I don’t know a lot about it. I know that I have an Ava-shaped hole in my heart that was very sad when I hurt you. I know that I don’t love you the way I love Melody or even the way that I loved Melody before they became my sibling.”

Briana shrugged and smiled at Ava. “I love you the same way I love Gary, but with differences because you’re a different person.”

“What if I can’t be with someone who loves someone else the same way they love me?” Ava kept her eyes on her cone.

“I’ll be sad. But that’ll be for me to deal with. I hope you’ll still be in my life somehow because nobody but Ava can fit in that spot in my heart.”

“I’ll be sad too – if I can’t be with you because you love Gary,” Ava said softly. “But I’m still not sure if I can do it.”

“I can wait for you to figure it out.”

“Briana, I’m not even sure if I love you yet.”

“I can wait for you to figure that out too.”

“It’s weird to talk to you when you’re like this.” Ava leaned against Briana, resting her head atop the smaller girl’s head.

“You mean when I’m not Little?”

“Yeah.”

It seemed like Ava wanted to say something more, but she fell silent instead. Briana took the opportunity to attack her ice cream cone. Little Briana had been nervous about its meltiness for a while. They finished their cones in what was – for Briana at least – a comfortable silence. When Briana returned from throwing the napkins away, Ava reached out and threaded her fingers through Briana’s.

“I want to try to be your girlfriend.”

Happy fireworks exploded in Briana’s heart! Her maybe-girlfriend-but-maybe-not-and-that’s-okay-but-only-kind-of-okay friend was officially her girlfriend. Rather than squeal right in Ava’s face – it was going to be one of the deafening squeals – Briana leaned in to kiss her new girlfriend. The kiss was soft, sweet, and oh! Ava had a hand on the back of Briana’s thigh, just under her skirt, and her other hand on Briana’s side. Those were good places to put hands, but Briana could think of better ones. As the kiss deepened, she thought of several better places for Ava’s hands.

Both girls were pink-cheeked as they pulled apart. Ava licked her lips, which was the most fascinating thing Briana had ever seen. She had feelings about seeing Ava’s tongue, feelings in her pullup. Despite those feelings, ravishing Ava on a bench outside the campus bookstore wouldn’t do. At the very least, it seemed like it would be an immediate failure for Emeline’s lady lessons.

Briana cleared her throat. “So – um – shopping?”

“Huh?” Ava stared at Briana in confusion for a moment, then giggled. “Right. Shopping. Where are we going?”

“The Black Veil. We’ll have to switch busses downtown, but we can get there without any more walking besides getting to the campus bus station.”

“That’s the super-goth store, isn’t it?” Ava hoisted herself on her crutches, setting a steady pace toward the bus station. “Is that the only store in town your mom shops at?”

Briana laughed. “I don’t think it’s the only one, but she might own stock in it.”

“Maybe I should pick something up there.” Ava glanced down at Briana. “Or would that be weird since your mom dresses that way?”

“I wouldn’t mind having a goth girlfriend. They’re super fashionable.”

Ava chuckled, though it ended in a wheeze. “You’re hot in that fit for sure.”

“I’ll remember that. The visiting princess never did get her reward. To compensate for it being delayed, I could let her pick the outfit I reward her in.”

“Are you going to flirt with me the entire time we’re shopping?”

“Unless you tell me to stop.” Briana winked. “I have to do something, or I’ll be all over you.”

“This is going to be a hell of a trip.”

Later, Briana would remember their flirty banter on the way to the bus station as the beginning of something new and wonderful in her life. Though she didn’t usually remember people’s exact words, Ava’s assessment of their shopping trip stuck with her. She had had no way to know how prophetic they would be – not that Ava could have known either.

The bus wound through Ardenthill, past brick buildings gripped by ivy bursting with vibrant green life. Trees framed a park that gave the citizens a lovely refuge of flowers among the neat gray streets. If the buildings weren’t brick, they were picturesque white with dark shutters. Downtown Ardenthill was the image of a lovely New England town. Ordinarily, Ava loved a bus ride. She’d spend it making up stories for the people, pets, and stuffies that lived in each charming house.

On this particular bus ride, her legs wouldn’t stop trembling. Snuggled up against her as Briana was, there was no way she was missing Ava’s tremors. The time she should have spent enjoying a cuddle with her girlfriend* was spent deliberately breathing each breath. Without conscious intervention, Ava knew she’d be reduced to gasping. The sensible thing to do in her current state would be to go home, lie on her couch, and put her hated emergency pendant on.

* May not be a girlfriend on a permanent basis or in all jurisdictions. License and terms may vary. Not guaranteed to be compatible with all girlfriend activities. U-Hauling not recommended.

More than she hated the emergency pendant her parents had purchased when she moved to Ardenthill for school, Ava hated the idea that she couldn’t go on a simple shopping trip with her girlfriend*. Somewhere between those two hatreds was her disdain for the concern she could see growing on Briana’s face. She didn’t want her girlfriend to be concerned about her. Ava wanted her girlfriend to be cuddly, horny, and handsy to the limit appropriate for a bus trip.

The problem is – I might need her to be concerned if this gets any worse.

Ava had fought against using crutches until her last year of high school. No one had called her a poor little disabled girl in her undergraduate studies – at least not to her face. She was prepared to fight tooth and nail against using a wheelchair until her fifties, at least. The Microbiology department knew her as a bright and rising researcher, not as a cripple.

Her fight today was the same. Ava was allowed a damn date. Of that, she was certain. She would take things slowly, focus on her breathing, and have a good time watching her girlfriend* prance around one of Ardenthill’s most notorious stores. I am not a Lifetime Movie Special, I am not a statistic, and I am not a pity case. Today goes the way I want. My disease doesn’t get a say.

Though she never got her legs to sit still, Ava’s diaphragm decided to continue contributing and let her breathe normally. The victory was a bloom of pride in Ava that had her excitedly pointing out her favorite houses to Briana. Seeing concern drop off Briana’s face to be replaced by the girl’s trademark innocent joy was another victory, almost as important as the first.

The bus blew by a crowd of people holding signs. Ava didn’t get to read them but wasn’t surprised to see protestors. There was plenty to protest in the world, and people in a college town were more likely to be riled up than most. The fact that the protest was on a random street corner, not in front of Planned Parenthood, indicated that Ava would agree with the cause du jour.

Holding Briana’s hand as she exited the bus, Ava felt an excited tingle in her palm. Her legs might still be buzzy, but nobody could tell that while wearing sweats. The important thing was that they were holding. Mission control was calling in: the board was all green, and the date launch was a go.

Almost all the bus stops in Ardenthill had benches and rain covers; the stop they needed to transfer at was no exception. Ava knew better than to push her luck. She sat on the bench as soon as they were off the bus. Besides, it meant more snuggling time with her girlfriend*. Down the street, she could hear the protestors chanting something. Their voices were getting closer – which meant it was a march. That was unusual enough for Ava to crane her neck out of the bus shelter and look down the street. The sight of the protest signs chilled her blood.

ABDL appeared in large block letters on most of the signs, always crossed out or surrounded by a red circle and crossed. Some signs showed restroom-style silhouettes wearing diapers with big red Xs on them. Other signs were more wordy, with hateful text that Ava didn’t allow herself to read. As the protestors approached, their chants came through loud and clear.

“No freaks in Ardenthill! No adults in diapers!”

Ava looked back at Briana. Her girlfriend* looked terrified. There was nothing on her that was overtly ABDL, with the possible exception of her backpack. If she was wearing a diaper, it had to be a subtle one. Ava hadn’t heard so much as a crinkle since she’d run into Briana in the lab. It didn’t matter. The uneasiness Ava was feeling was obviously multiplied many times over in Briana. Ava liked to be Little – loved it on occasion – but her girlfriend* was Little.

And now a mob of people is coming to attack her identity directly.

The smart, safe thing would have been to hold on to Briana and let the protestors pass on their hateful way. Ava had already demonstrated she wasn’t interested in safety or smartness that day. She could handle anger and hateful directed at her – with maybe a good cry later. The same hate directed at her girlfriend* was not acceptable. As the mob streamed around the bus shelter, Ava surged to her feet.

“No Freaks in Ardenthill! Get the Perverts out!” The shelter rang with the slogan.

“Why don’t you mind your own business?” Ava snarled at the protestors. “ABDLs aren’t hurting anyone!”

Few in the crowd had even heard her. Those that did frowned and sneered at her. She was ready for that and had been expecting it. What Ava hadn’t expected was a middle-aged man stepping out of the crowd to get in her face.

“You’re a friend to those freaks? Or are you one of them?” His face was beet red. Ava’s mind was screaming alarm bells, but she was too upset to back down. There had been too many disappointments and hardships in the day.

“It doesn’t matter either way. It’s none of your business what somebody wears!”

The man’s hands came up, looming toward Ava. They were bigger than he was. His palms hit her in the shoulders and pushed hard. Instinctively, Ava resisted. All she wanted was not to fall. What she got was the full brunt of her weight and the man’s push on her already shaking legs. They collapsed under her like rubber bands. A shocked gasp went up from the crowd as Ava’s crutches went flying and clattered to the ground. She hit like a wad of wet toilet paper. It hurt.

Before Ava could assess the damage, Briana was on her feet. The power of her angry screams seemed impossible for a being so small. The mere force of her yell pushed a space back into the crowd.

“You pushed over a disabled girl!?” Briana bellowed. “I’m calling the police! Someone arrest that man! Citizen’s arrest!”

The middle-aged man bolted into the crowd. The rest of the protestors didn’t seem keen on stopping him, but they all had guilty looks. As Briana began dialing on her cell phone, the protestors scattered. A few that had been on the other side of the bus shelter lingered for a bit, then dispersed with the rest.

“Hello, dispatcher?” Fury was still evident on Briana’s face as she kept her eyes on the man who’d pushed Ava. “This is Briana Tess Rasmussen. I need a police officer at the corner of Court and Summer Street. My friend was assaulted by a white male, six foot tall, middle-aged, with salt and pepper hair. He’s wearing a white t-shirt and blue jeans.”

It was charming and too much fuss. Ava tried to take a deep breath to ask Briana to calm down – and didn’t get any air. Her chest was numb, her diaphragm unresponsive. In a panic, she beat her fist on the bus shelter.

“Briana!” Ava croaked her girlfriend’s* name out when the girl turned to look at her. “Help!”

“I need an ambulance too, NOW! Same address. She’s not breathing!” Briana dropped to her knees and let her phone hit the ground.

The world was getting blurry – not a good sign. Ava pushed feebly on her stomach, forcing her lungs to expel air. With a terrible gasping sound, she managed to get fresh air down her throat. She pawed at Briana, mimed pressing on her belly and up towards her ribs. The next few minutes were a nightmare of shallow gasps that kept Ava alive in a slowly darkening world.

When the paramedics arrived, Ava showed them the medical tag on her bracelet. They put an oxygen mask on her face. One of them gave her something that might have been adrenaline. She pressed the old, familiar plastic to her face and inhaled sweet energy that brightened the world around her. In mere minutes, she was sitting propped up against one of the paramedics, taking deep breaths alone.

“We’d really like to transport you to the emergency department for monitoring, ma’am.” As always, the paramedic was being helpful and earnest. Just as predictably, their offer was useless.

“I refuse transport,” Ava said as clearly as possible. She pulled her mouth into the best smile she could manage to take away the sting of her flat statement. “I appreciate your help, but there’s nothing more they can do for me there.”

“I think there’s a lot they could do.” The earnest, sandy-haired paramedic insisted. “Starting with keeping an eye on you.”

Ava shook her head. “I have muscular dystrophy. Today’s just a bad day. You got me the oxygen I needed – thank you. My chest muscles should cooperate for the rest of the day.”

“Your friend looks pretty worried. Are you sure?” It was – hopefully – the nice paramedic’s last attempt.

Ava looked at Briana, whose black makeup had streaked down her cheeks with tears. She could add that to the day’s problems; she’d made her girlfriend* cry on the very day they’d become girlfriends. Again, Ava shook her head.

“I do not consent to be transported.”

“I hear you,” The paramedic said unhappily. “Please take it easy for the rest of the day.”

“I think I have to.” Ava felt a portion of her heart break as she gave up on her date with Briana.

Assured that she wouldn’t try to run sprints down the street, the paramedics packed up their gear and hopped in their ambulance. They left with flashing lights, which made Ava feel better about refusing to be transported. Someone who needs it more than me will get that ride.

There was a police cruiser nearby, but no sign of the policeman. Presumably, Briana had talked to him while Ava was getting medical attention. In preparation for getting to her feet, Ava looked down at herself to take an inventory of her bruises. When she saw the wet spot on her sweatpants, the awareness of her wet crotch and legs came back. Though she was wearing dark gray, the wet blotch was obvious – she’d dumped her entire bladder while she was fighting for air.

It was. One. Too. Many. Straws.

Ava sobbed. She balled up on the pavement and cried her eyes out. Briana’s gentle touch did nothing to stop the sobs but did get Ava to flip over and cling to her girlfriend*.

“Ava, are you okay? What’s going on?”

“I had an accident!” Slipping into the Little word for wetting herself was easier than facing the issue as an adult. Besides, though Briana had been Big all day, in Ava’s mind, she was still the girl who had played mini-golf with her in a big diaper.

“Yeah, you did.  I think my mom and dad are in a meeting right now. I could call Gary…”

“No!” Ava let her total frustration with all things Gary vent into the word. It felt good, like the empowering start of a tantrum.

“Okay, right, um – I guess I could…” Briana stroked Ava’s back. “Oh! I know. I can call a professional.”

“Don’t waste emergency services time with this.” Ava snapped.

“Not that kind of professional. A potty professional.” Briana picked up her phone; it had still been lying where she’d dropped it.

“What the fuck are you talking about?” Ava’s grumpiness and incredulity had stopped her crying, at least. She squinted suspiciously at Briana.

“Language, Little Girl.” Briana stuck her tongue out at Ava as she dialed. “The babysitter I’m calling doesn’t let us swear.”

“I don’t want some random…”

“Her name is Monserrat; she’s a professional babysitter. She helps Little girls like you and me. She’s babysat me once already. Do you remember Flora from my birthday? She babysits Flora a lot.”

Ava sniffled. It seemed possible that Monserrat, as a babysitter, might not be the worst thing in the world. The only problem was cost. A professional adult babysitter sounded like a lot of fun – and really expensive.

“Briana, I’m not sure I can afford…”

“It doesn’t matter if you can or not.” Briana sighed at her phone and pressed a couple of buttons. “I’m booking Monserrat for both of us and covering your half as a treat. We’re on a date, aren’t we?”

“Are you going to let me finish even one…”

Briana kissed her fingers and pressed them to Ava’s lips. “No. Now be a good girl, and our babysitter will give us candy.”

Candy sounded amazing. Sugar seemed equal in comfort to Ava getting out of her wet sweats. That strong of a reaction meant she was feeling Little for sure. It was weird to be Little in public – but she had her Little girlfriend* with her, and there was a babysitter on the way, so weird was apparently on the menu.

“Monserrat? It’s Briana Rasmussen. Thank you so much for picking up.” Briana squeezed Ava’s hand. “Yes, it’s an emergency. My girlfriend got hurt and had an accident. The EMTs just left, but we need a babysitter for the second part.”

Ava snuggled up to Briana, wishing she had Brownie to cuddle too. Briana’s voice was trending toward her Little inflection. From her current angle, Ava couldn’t see the police car, and the protesters were long gone. Other than some minor bruises, she felt fine. Her muscles were back to their only slightly-useless selves. It was easy to pretend that nothing terrible had happened except for having an accident when she was out with Briana.

So that’s what happened. Until Monserrat – she better be as cool as Briana says – is done babysitting me, all that happened is that I had an accident. Just like my girlfriend** does.

** Girlfriends that demonstrate the ability to scatter a hostile mob and handle a medical emergency are likely to be of the permanent type. While life has no guarantees, it is safe to assume that the Briana model is, in fact, a good girlfriend.

Monserrat came to the rescue, just like Briana knew she would. She was brave, strong, and super kind to Ava. Their utter disaster of an afternoon became a chance to see Ava’s apartment and snuggle with her. Plus, there were cookies! It wasn’t the date Briana and Ava had planned, but it felt good. When Mom and Dad arrived, they had hugs for Ava as well as Briana. It was good to see her girlfriend getting comfortable with her parents. It’d also be nice if she could get comfortable faster. The tiny peck Briana got for a goodbye kiss showed Ava had a long way to go to be really comfortable.

On the ride home from Ava’s house, Briana was struck by how horrible the encounter at the bus stop had been and how wonderful her afternoon with Ava was. There was no reason for those people to be mean about ABDL. It was super wrong for that man to push Ava over. Even if she hadn’t been disabled, it would have been wrong.

The unfair feeling of having to feel afraid of people – because of something harmless about herself – grew until Briana was gripping her car-seat in righteous anger. If she was scared in public, how much worse was it for Arthur, who was black too? Or Ava, who Briana had thoughtlessly pushed to be Little in public at her birthday party. There was Fabi, who had been so excited to go to that birthday party – because she never left her house after becoming a full-time Little.

“Briana, is something wrong?” Dad looked back at Briana from the passenger seat. Jane was as calm as ever, but Briana knew her well enough to see the concern in her dad’s eyes.

“Yes, Daddy! There’s a big injustice, and I have to fix it!”

“The police are working on it, Baby Bee,” Mom said from the driver’s seat. “I’m quite impressed with how well you handled that police officer. It will take them time to find the man who hurt Ava, even if they take the case seriously.”

“No, not that part. I mean, yes, that part, but that’s not enough! I have to do something about all the ABDL hate that’s happening.”

Mom and Dad looked at each other with that look they shared when they wanted to be supportive – but were going to say no. Veronica took a deep breath and began with, “Baby Bee…”

“No. Mom.”

“Excuse me, young lady?” There was danger in Veronica’s tone.

Briana forged stubbornly ahead into the danger. “You said Aunt Kiara could give me lessons. She said I had to pick something to work on. I’m texting her right now to tell her I found my thing.”

“Ah, then that should be fine.” Jane sat back in her seat as if the matter was settled. To Briana’s surprise, Veronica nodded in agreement.

“You’re not going to try and talk me out of it?”

“First off, Briana, you’re incapable of steamrolling my sister. I don’t think anyone could do that to her. If she agrees to help you, it’ll be because she believes it’s a good thing to do and is prepared to support you.” Veronica caught Briana’s eye in the rear-view mirror and smiled at her.

“I think I can speak for your mother when I say we weren’t trying to stop you from helping people.” Jane reached back and patted Briana’s leg. “Though I have some worries about you taking on a cause that so many people are angry about, I’m glad to see you asking for help – this time.”

“Daddy, you said you’d stop bringing up the time I got frostbite!”

“Indeed.” Jane chuckled. “It was you that brought it up.”

“Nuh-uh! Daddy! You’re not being fair.”

“Briana, don’t get yourself into a fussy state. You’ll have much more success asking for Kiara’s help if you ask her like a big girl,” Veronica said.

“I’ll check her diaper when we get home,” Dad said.

“Daddy! That’s not why I’m upset.”

~~~*~~~

Despite her protests, Briana got a diaper change and put in her crib for some “quiet time” before dinner. Quiet time was code for Mom wanting Briana to take a nap but not wanting to argue about it. That meant no phone, books, or toys other than her stuffies. It was the perfect example of why Big thinking was flawed sometimes. Mom didn’t appreciate what Briana could do as a Princess of Cloudland, especially with her most loyal knights in attendance.

While Alanna assembled and inspected the knights – the Lioness was always much bigger on inspections than Briana was – Briana squeezed a shoulder through her crib bars to grab her tiara. It was sitting on top of her toybox within reach – unlike the rest of her princess costume, which was hanging in her closet. Technically, Briana had not left her crib. Also, though the tiara had been in her toybox, it was part of a dress-up costume, not a toy. Satisfied that she was well within the letter of Quiet Time law, Briana put on her Tiara. Now, with a fancy accessory for her basic cream-colored onesie, the Princess addressed her knights.

“Loyal Knights of the Round Table, I speak to you now as your Princess, not as a fellow knight.” Briana was proud of that speech – she’d practiced it on the car ride. Unfortunately, her wet diaper had been a distraction, meaning she was at the end of her prepared statements.

Luckily, Knight Captain Alanna stepped in to assure Princess Briana that she and the other stuffie knights were awaiting her orders. Quietly thanking her bosom stuffie, Briana felt her thoughts fall into place.

“I do not come to give orders but with a higher purpose. You should all know that the visiting princess – and my new girlfriend – Ava, was attacked today in town!”

The stuffies gasped! Sir Mimsey, the bat, squeaked so loudly that she went into ultrasonic. Arnold the Pangolin was scribbling something about Briana having a new girlfriend for his gossip column – but at least Arnold the Pangolin was shocked, if not precisely for the right reason.

“Yes, it’s true. And no, Sir Arnold the Pangolin, I will not do a tell-all interview. Sir Arnold the Pangolin is supposed to be a knight right now, not a reporter.” Briana took a deep breath. “Anyway, this wasn’t an isolated incident, and it wasn’t a creature from the Cloudland world like a rakshasi. The attack was part of a movement of people being mean to Littles.”

Briana got up on her knees, wishing she had her sword for the dramatic moment – but the sword was clearly a toy and therefore not allowed during Quiet Time. Besides, she had told her stuffies she wasn’t acting as a knight. “I call the Round Table to a quest! This quest is the most important one since rescuing Melody at Thanksgiving. We cannot fail.”

Alanna looked uncomfortable, though she was too disciplined to say anything in front of the other knights. Briana figured she would get an earful from her lioness about that Thanksgiving quest – but things were different this time. No one was going to get frostbite in the spring, for one thing. Briana’s bedroom door opened, revealing the crucial reason the Quest to Save All Littles differed from the Quest to Save Melody.

“This is an interesting nap technique.” Kiara stepped up to the crib and kissed Briana’s forehead. “Am I interrupting a meeting?”

“Not at all! You came at a perfect time, Auntie.” Briana hopped up, leaning over her crib bars to give Kiara a big hug. Her aunt was wearing a dress of rumpled blue silk, subtly printed with pale purple flowers. It was a great look for an opera or something high-society-ish, though, to Briana’s knowledge, that kind of thing was usually in the evenings.

“I’m glad to see you too, sweetie.” Kiara hugged Briana tightly. “Are you going to introduce me to your meeting, or is it adjourned?”

“As Princess of Cloudland, I’d be happy to introduce you. This is most of my Round Table. You already know Knight Captain Alanna, but this is Sir Arnold the Pangolin, Sir Chuck, Sir Mimsey, and Sir Alanna’s squire, Beartholomew.” Briana touched each stuffie in turn, taking advantage of the introduction to end with another hug for Kiara. “And this is Kiara, my aunt, and the Rasmussen Matriarch.”

“Very regal.” Kiara scooped Briana out of her crib by her padded rear, setting her down with only a small grunt of effort. “What’s on the meeting agenda?”

“The Quest to Save All the Littles in Ardenthill.” Briana looked proudly up at her aunt, undaunted by the foot of difference in their heights.

“I thought that’s what you were talking about in your text message.” Kiara took a seat in the story-reading chair next to Briana’s crib. “I think you might be too Little to have that discussion now, though.”

“No, that’s Big thinking. I can be Little and save all my friends.”

“I wish you could, sweetie, but clothes and attitudes are important when changing people’s minds.” Kiara pulled Briana into her lap. “Vonnie told me about another quest you went on. You had the wrong clothes on, and you got frostbite.”

“Everyone’s bringing that one up today. I apologized and learned from it already; it’s not fair.”

“Then you still need to apply the lesson to your new goal.” Kiara stroked Briana’s hair. “Confronting people who aren’t ready to see a grown woman in diapers is going to make them angrier than they already are. They’ll say awful things to you. Things that will get frostbite on your heart.”

“I wear diapers all the time. If I can’t do this in diapers, I can’t do it at all.” Briana hit Kiara with her biggest pouty-lip.

“Your diapers aren’t always obvious, and your behavior isn’t always Little. I’m happy to help you with this, sweetie, but it will be hard enough with you tackling it as a Big girl. I don’t see a chance for success if you’re trying to convince people when you’re Little.”

“Aunt Kiara, that doesn’t feel right. I’m not ashamed of who I am.”

“I’m not either – but there was a time when I didn’t get to wear my hair naturally like I do now. Even with our family connections, this country was a different place ten years ago. I had to straighten my hair to be taken seriously.” Kiara sighed grimly. “I didn’t like it and still don’t like that I had to do it. But I did what I had to do to get in a position where I could make a change.”

“Grandma couldn’t fix it for you?”

“She might have been able to if she’d come to every one of my events. Even then, I’m not sure. It doesn’t matter because I had things I wanted to accomplish as my own woman, as Kiara Rasmussen, not as Michelle Rasmussen’s daughter.”

Briana sighed. “I still don’t like it. I’m not saying that this is like the way you were treated, or the way black people were treated in general – but it still feels wrong.”

“You don’t have to like it, baby girl.” Kiara bounced one leg gently under Briana. “But what’s more important to you – showing the world you’re not ashamed of being Little or making Ardenthill safe for all the Littles that live here?”

“The second one.” Briana rolled her eyes. “Okay, so how do I do it?”

“Do you think you can be Big right now to discuss it?”

“Um – I’ll try.” Briana flopped against Kiara, tucking her head under her aunt’s chin. “I was Big all day at school and had to be super big to help Ava.”

“This isn’t something we can fix in a day, or even a month, probably. Let’s work on it tomorrow afternoon when you have more energy.”

“What are we going to do until dinner if we can’t plan?”

Kiara grinned. “Well, Rosa’s at her derby practice, but before she left, she asked Vonnie and me to make sure Melody takes a break. Can you get Little enough to help your sibling relax?”

“Ohmygoshyesfinally!” Briana bounced excitedly on Kiara’s lap.

“That’s my darling niece.” Kiara smiled. “Go find your sibling, but be careful on the stairs. You won’t get to play if you fall down the stairs.”

Briana was out of her bedroom like a shot! She slid to the top of the stairs on the hardwood balcony, took the stairs excruciatingly carefully, and barreled into Melody’s bedroom.

“Sib! Sib! It’s time to play!”

Melody looked up from their computer with tired annoyance. There were bags under their eyes, like an exhausted Big! No wonder Tia Rosa had mandated a break. As far as Briana was concerned, it should have come much earlier.

“Bri, come on, Mom and Mamá both said you can’t bust in here when I’m working and interrupt me.”

“Well, your Mamá said you have to take a break today.” Briana folded her arms smugly.

“Nuh-uh.” Melody’s protest lacked confidence. The guilty look they gave when Kiara came into the room meant they knew their doom was sealed. “She said I should probably take one.”

“Well, she told me to make sure you take a break.” Kiara stepped over to Melody and pulled open the back of their sweatpants waistband. “And to check your pullup.”

“Hey!” Melody blushed, cringing away from Kiara.

Melody’s scarlet face could mean only one thing – not only would they play, but Briana’s sib was a potty-pants! It was such a welcome return to the blissful days before Christmas that Briana almost cried. Her diaper got damp instead of her cheeks, which was fine. It was more than acceptable because it gave Briana something in common with her sib.

“That’s a soaked pullup. You know the rules, Little One. If you’re that wet, you get a diaper until bedtime.” Kiara took Melody’s hand. Wisely, Melody didn’t resist being led to the drawing room changing table. Briana crawled along, speedrunning – as Melody would say – a trip into Littlespace.

“I was hyper-focusing. I’m almost done with the reporting system for my app.” Melody sighed, confining their protests to the verbal sphere as they climbed onto the changing table. “I didn’t have time for the potty.”

“Well, now you have to make time for a diaper change and play with your sister.” Kiara wasted no time stripping off Melody’s sweats and sopping pullup. It was good that Tia Rosa hadn’t seen the way Melody was leaking onto their sweats – her sib might have gotten spanked!

“Okay, but then I have to…”

“After that is dinner; when that’s done, your mamá will be home from practice. She’s going to be in charge of your evening from there.”

“Well – okay.” Melody’s sagging into defeated obedience made total sense to Briana. It was tough to argue with someone with authority while they were wiping pee off your butt. The diaper that came on after didn’t instill authoritative feelings either.

What the diaper did do was rekindle a gleam in Melody’s eye that Briana had sorely missed. The sibling that came down from the changing table was much sillier than the one that’d gone up. Briana got tackled – and tickled – and didn’t breathe a word of protest through her helpless giggles.

They didn’t play anything elaborate like Cloudland. Despite that, it was the most fun Briana had had since her birthday. As Kiara sat on the drawing room couch with an amused look on her face, Briana and Melody chased each other around, playing silly games like Doggie (Melody was the doggie, as always), Super Space Dolls (Briana’s new Barbies had been transported to an alien planet the first time Melody played with them), and Chase the Bouncy Ball. Their last game left them both sweat-soaked and laughing, lying across each other on the floor.

“What’s this project you’re always working on, Sib?” Briana nuzzled Melody’s sweaty cheek.

“Ugh, it’s some dumb thing that I stupidly made open source, and now it has a whole community and whatever I can’t let down.”

“Why don’t you let them take it over if you don’t like it?”

“Because they’d make it wrong.”

“That doesn’t make any sense. If you don’t like working on it, then…”

“Hey, Auntie, Briana’s diaper is more than just sweaty.”

“That sounded like tattling, Melody,” Kiara smirked.

“I’m just taking care of my little sister.” Melody’s faux-innocent expression made Briana roll her eyes.

“Don’t think I didn’t see what you did there!” Briana’s fine, strident statement ended in a squeak as Kiara heaved her onto the changing table.

“What, you mean make it so you don’t have to sit in a wet diaper for all of dinner? You know Grandma’s coming over; it’s going to be a long one.”

“Fine, don’t tell me about your dumb project.” Briana crossed her arms as Kiara tore the tapes on her diaper. “I don’t care.”

“Good.”

“Good!”

“Good!”

“GOOD!”

“Okay, kids, that’s enough.” Kiara popped a pacifier in Briana’s mouth. She didn’t have one handy for Melody, but the look she gave Mel was enough to shut them down just as effectively.

Tuckered out from chasing a bouncy ball and with bigger issues to worry about than Melody’s coding project, Briana closed her eyes and relaxed into Kiara’s gentle diaper change. She’d have to ration her big-ness tomorrow to keep enough to have a proper strategy session with her aunt. Then Ava, Arthur, Fabi, and the rest of the Littles would never have to be scared again!

The doctor’s office was a Type-III. It had the fancy but informal decoration style of a specialist’s private practice but was well worn from age. It had a well-sanitized exam table that Ava was perched on. For days with fewer tests, she preferred to curl up in one of the small armchairs that sat kitty-corner between the exam table and the doctor’s small desk. There was a window too high to look out of or into and a spider plant trailing down a cast iron coat rack.

As offices went, Ava found it better for comfort than a Type-IV, which was the same thing as a Type-II but new. Both were preferable to a Type-II, which was a regular clinical office with its almost-white walls and blue-speckled linoleum. The higher-numbered types, like community health clinics (Type-VI) and dedicated procedure centers (Type VII), were much further down the comfort scale. Type I’s – hospitals – were just a no in all ways, but at the top of the chart because they were inevitable.

For Ava to pick out details of the exam room she was in and map it to her classification system meant she’d been in the room alone for a while. The doctor was busy, but she couldn’t complain. It was at least partially her fault. After her adventures in not breathing, the doctor had kindly fitted her into an already packed schedule.

A knock on the door was followed by Dr. Adams making her entrance. She was an older lady but showed no signs of slowing down. Ava was glad for that. She didn’t know what she’d do if she couldn’t ask her grandmotherly, white-haired, broad-bodied tank of a doctor for help.

“Hi, Dr. Adams.”

“Sorry to keep you waiting, Ava. You know you can call me Leda if you want.” Leda plopped her laptop on the desk and tapped away on the keys.

“I know. I’m feeling – not confident today, I guess.” The breezy exam gown Ava was wearing contributed to that feeling, but the real culprit was the medical pullup she was wearing. After all the ABDL stuff she’d been doing with Briana, the pullup’s lack of cute print was no barrier to feeling Little.

“That’s understandable after your incident.” Leda put a hand on Ava’s arm, gently squeezing her. “Do you feel like your body betrayed you?”

“All my body does is betray me, bit by bit.” Ava sighed.

“There’s some good news.” Leda turned the computer so that Ava could see her EKG readout. “Your heart function is strong. Cognitive tests came back as sharp as ever. I know that’s important to you.”

Ava breathed a sigh of relief. “It is. But what about – my bladder?”

Leda smiled sympathetically. “You’ve lost some function there. It’s not enough to list incontinence as a diagnosis, but there’s been negative progression on your partial continence.”

My girlfriend doesn’t care if I wear diapers. She’s rich, pretty, and – has a boyfriend. Blinking away tears, Ava plucked at the waistband of her pullup. “You’re saying it’s a good idea for me to wear these more.”

“I’d suggest it any time you’re going out of the house for a significant period, mostly to avoid embarrassment.”

Dr. Adams’ face was so kind and sympathetic that Ava couldn’t be mad at her. She wanted to be angry. Nothing would feel better than screaming and imagining throwing rocks at Lord Hanuman’s temple – for five minutes anyway. Past that, the bitterness would only make Ava feel worse. She’d fallen into that trap many times before growing out of it.

“Are you suggesting that to the point of being willing to prescribe them?”

Leda nodded. “I’ve been willing to do that to help you with the cost for a while.”

“I guess – go ahead and write the prescription.” A trio of tears dripped onto Ava’s exam gown. It was a slight loss, but she was in a battle where you didn’t get victories. All you could do was delay the losses as much as possible.

“Done.” Leda stood up and gave Ava a hug that she gratefully leaned into.

“Do you have someone to pick you up? I’d hate to see you go home alone, as you’re feeling today.”

“Rohan is supposed to pick me up, and I have Ollie waiting in the lobby.”

“Good.” Leda gave Ava another squeeze before packing up her laptop. “I know today was bad news, but overall, your progression is excellent. You’ve got many good years ahead of you, Ava; you’re lucky in that regard.”

Not as lucky as people who get the full set of years – but she’s right. “I know, thanks, Dr. Adams.”

“Can I help you get down from the examining table or help you get dressed?”

“Just hand me my crutches, please. I want to do the rest myself.”

“I’m proud of you,” Leda said, handing Ava her crutches. “It’s not easy to put in the work every day, but that’s a big part of why you’re doing so well.”

~~~*~~~

To no one’s surprise, Ollie offered to accompany Rohan and Ava back to Ava’s apartment. Ollie’s concern was less about Ava’s bad news and more that Rohan’s shoulders would go un-oggled, but she appreciated the company anyway. Her brother’s height, shoulders, and classic Indian good looks had captivated many of her friends. Ava was used to it. Having friends crush on her big brother was a fair trade for Rohan being such a good big brother.

Case in point, when they arrived at Ava’s apartment, Rohan helped her out of the car but didn’t offer to carry or help her in the door. He stuck close enough that he’d be able to catch her at the slightest tumble but didn’t make it obvious. Instead, he teased Ollie in their ongoing game of “let’s wind Ollie up about his crush on Rohan.”

“Servant boy.” Rohan tossed Ava’s keys to Ollie. “Open the door for us; that’s a good lad.”

Ollie caught the keys, rolling his eyes. “Why do I let you treat me like that?”

“Because you’re such a good person,” Rohan smirked. “You’re personally making up for decades of British imperialism.”

“Yeah, that’s the reason.”

Ava giggled, nodding to Ollie imperiously when he held the door for her. While Rohan let Mango out of his cage, Ava went to the kitchen.

“Are you two hungry? I’ll fix some lunch.”

Ollie bit his lip in concern. “It’s okay, you don’t have to…”

“Tangi, great idea,” Rohan said, using the Kannada word for sister as he always did. He flopped onto Ava’s couch. “What are we having?”

Opening the fridge on crutches was always awkward – Ava didn’t bother with the crisper drawers at the bottom. Two plastic containers, one full of delicious brown-sauced pork, the other a thin white batter, were within easy reach.

“I have some coorgi pandi left over. There’s batter ready for neer dosa. The dosa will be ready by the time the pandi heats up.” Ignoring Ollie’s hovering, Ava put a pot and pan on the stove, grabbing an onion and vegetable oil.

“Delicious!” Rohan declared.

“Dosa? Don’t you have to stand for a while to fry those?” Ollie’s voice was full of concern – annoying concern.

“If you’re going to complain, you can help instead.” Rohan had Mango on his forearm and was feeding him bits of dried fruit. “Heat the pandi – but no snacking until lunch is ready.”

“No promises.” Ollie dumped the spicy, curried pork into the pot and turned on the burner. “Is this your mom’s pandi?”

“It’s her recipe, but I made it.” Ava set up a station for cooking her dosa. Next to her pan was the batter, with the oil and sliced onion on the other side. On the counter but still within reach was the cooling plate. After ensuring she was well-braced on her crutches, she waited for the pan to heat.

“Oh, Ollie won’t like it then.” Rohan chuckled.

“That’s slander.” Ollie stirred the curry slowly. He didn’t need to, but it kept him in the kitchen in case Ava needed anything. He might be more annoying than Rohan with how he watched over her, but Ava appreciated it all the same. Not that she’d admit that to Ollie. He’d go way overboard if he thought she liked having someone on standby.

“Amma’s pandi,” Ava said, slipping into the Kannada word for mom in her brother’s presence. “Is really good. I’m not offended – much.”

“Yours is better.” Rohan grinned at Ava. “As long as you never tell Amma that. Ollie doesn’t have the experience to tell the difference.”

“Are you sure about that? How many dinners have you eaten at my parents’ house, Ollie?” Ava grinned up at her friend.

“It’s not my fault I was born into a British food family,” Ollie laughed.

He’d always been a fan of her amma’s cooking. Though the number of dinner invitations he’d contrived to get went up significantly after Rohan had his high school growth spurt. The banter and the meal were a slice of home that greatly warmed the sad spots in Ava’s heart. She dropped oil into the pan, rubbed it across the non-stick surface with the onion, and poured her batter. As always, lacy gaps formed in the rice batter, which she quickly filled before putting a lid on the pan.

Thin as a crepe, the dosa almost drifted onto the cooling plate. Ava oiled the pan again, poured more batter, and folded her freshly cooled dosa. Around the third dosa, Rohan came into the kitchen to give Ava a hug and Ollie a noogie. He left with plates and cups to set the table with. The three of them were seated in front of a stack of delicate dosa and a pot of glorious-smelling pandi long before Ava’s legs could tremble.

Without Ollie present, Ava would have asked her brother about his boyfriend, Neil. Given how enthusiastically Ollie was praising her pandi, Ava took mercy on her friend and asked, “So what’s new with you two? I feel like we haven’t hung out in forever.”

“That’s because all your time is going to your new friend,” Ollie said through a mouthful of pandi-topped dosa. Rohan good-naturedly tossed a napkin at Ollie’s mouth.

“New friend? This is the first I’m hearing,” Rohan said.

“Her name is Briana, she’s uh – a girlfriend, I think.” Ava kept her eyes on her plate to avoid the boys’ reactions.

“You think she’s a girlfriend?” Ollie had the good manners to ask with his mouth empty.

“Tangi, I’m curious too.”

“I figured you would be, Anna.” Using the Kannada word for older brother with Rohan felt natural- and Little. Still padded and proudly dry, Ava was halfway into that headspace anyway. “It’s complicated because she’s poly – and has a boyfriend.”

“Is that okay? I don’t think you’ve dated anyone poly before.” Rohan put his big arm across Ava’s shoulders.

“I don’t know; I’m still figuring it out.” Ava sighed. “You dated a poly guy once, Ollie, but we didn’t discuss it much. Any advice?”

“Uh, I don’t have a lot of super useful advice. We were gay dating, not lesbian dating. There weren’t so many long walks in the park. It’s more like getting texted, “You up?” at eleven at night.”

“That’s not how lesbian dating is.” Ava stuck her tongue out at Ollie. “You didn’t even mention flannels.”

“You’ll need to communicate a lot,” Rohan said. “And you can still get hurt. What about this girl makes her so special?”

“She’s…” Ava munched on her lunch while she tried to find a way to describe Briana’s effusive Little personality without bringing up ABDL. “Briana is the most open, enthusiastic person I’ve ever met. She’s all or nothing – once she decided we were friends, she was in my life.”

“In a good way, though?” Rohan asked.

“Yeah, I don’t mean she was pushy – well, she was a bit pushy – but I couldn’t resist hanging out with her. She’s a lot of fun.” Ava leaned against her brother, taking refuge from bad memories in his strength. “Also, she’s tiny, but she shouted down the mob that knocked me over.”

“That’s brave. Crazy, but brave. I’m glad she didn’t get hurt too.” Ollie saluted Briana with his water glass.

“You sound like you’re falling for her.” Rohan squeezed Ava and returned to his lunch. “Does she know that?”

“I don’t know. She’s already said she loves me – and said I didn’t have to say it back, but it feels weird not to.”

“I’ll get your apartment packed up.” Ollie chuckled. “There, was that the right stereotype?”

“Yes, very good.” Ava chuckled. “I don’t know what to do with her. I like her, but she’s such a pain in the ass. The first time I met her, I thought she was this ditzy rich girl who’d never been to the crazy mansion I was looking after.”

“She’s a Rasmussen?” Rohan raised his brows.

“Don’t start with your poly-sci stuff, Anna. Yes, she is, she’s adopted. Like, within the year. So she’d never been to the mansion for a good reason, but she still belongs to a mansion-owning family.”

“I don’t think Appa and Amma would hate that about her.” Rohan chuckled. “So she’s Michelle’s daughter?”

“No – Veronica’s.” Ava rolled her eyes. “I can’t believe you know more about my girlfriend’s family than I do.”

“Veronica? Michelle’s daughter is her mom? How old is Briana?”

“My age. She’s in Microbio.” Ava threw up her hands at Rohan. “Don’t ask. It’s a whole thing, I don’t get how their family works.”

Ollie was watching Ava suspiciously. She was sure he didn’t believe her and had an idea of how it worked for Briana to be Veronica’s daughter. Thankfully, he wasn’t the sort that would out her as ABDL to her brother.

“I guess old money can do however they like.” Rohan shrugged. “It works the same way in India. Rules are for us peasants.”

“If you’re a peasant, how do you get away with calling me servant boy?” Ollie grinned triumphantly.

“That’s how low your station is.” Rohan laughed. Ava joined in, glad for the topic-switching save.

“Nobody answered my question; what’s going on with you two?”

“I’m thinking of hopping companies again,” Rohan said.

“Where are you going next? Google? Amazon?” Ollie asked.

“Neil and I are considering getting into a startup with our friends.”

“Isn’t that risky?” Ava frowned.

“It could be, but we have a lot of money saved up.” Rohan shrugged. “If it pans out, I wouldn’t have to work for a few years.”

“Yeah, but a startup in Boston?” Ollie shook his head in mock disapproval. “Shouldn’t you move to San Francisco for that? You could make a thing of it, get an apartment in The Castro.”

“Living vicariously through me again?” Rohan winked. “The Castro is way more your neighborhood.”

“I have to live my truth – so I’m either moving there or to Hell’s Kitchen when my doctorate is done.”

“Because those places have a lot of work for Psychology post-docs?” Ava giggled.

“They’re big cities, and gays are notoriously in need of therapy. I’ll become a counselor or something.”

“Or something?” Ava poked Ollie in his side.

“I have at least two years before my dissertation is done. Plenty of time to figure things out.”

“Speaking of time…” Rohan got up from the table with his plate in hand.

“You have to go back already?” Ava sighed.

“Sorry, Tangi, I do.” Rohan leaned down to nuzzle Ava’s head. “Ollie, do you need a ride anywhere?”

“I’d just take you in the wrong direction, and I have some errands to run downtown. Thanks, though, Rohan.”

“I’m glad you’re okay, Ava.” Rohan returned from rinsing his plate off to hug Ava. “The police had better find the guy who pushed you over.”

“Briana used the power of her family name when talking to the cops, so I think they will.”

“Good.” Rohan ruffled Ollie’s hair. “I’ve got to go, or I’ll be late. Take care, Ava, and call us if anything else happens.”

Ava and Ollie waved goodbye as Rohan left, both sighing the same wistful sigh when the door closed – though for entirely different reasons.

“Okay, Ava, I’ve gotta ask – that Veronica that’s Briana’s mom – is she the same Veronica Rasmussen that’s a post-doc in psych? The one working on ABDL therapy?”

“I guess?” Ava blushed and sat back in her chair. “I didn’t ask her mom what she did for work when she uh – was uh…”

“Babying you?” Ollie chuckled as he gathered up the rest of the plates.

“Changing me.” Ava looked down at her shoes. Thankfully, Ollie didn’t scoff, even as a joke.

“Huh, so Briana is like her test subject or…?”

“Veronica loves Briana. I don’t know how they met or how Briana got into ABDL, but – it’s obvious how much Veronica loves her.”

“I’m just saying, is she going to experiment on you?”

“Ollie, don’t. I got bad news related to that from the doctor. She said – I should have protection on all the time now.”

“Oh, hell. I’m sorry, Ava.” Ollie was by her side in a flash, holding her tightly.

“Thanks. I didn’t want to – to…”

“I know.” Ollie bonked his head gently against Ava’s. “Brightside, though, it’s not a problem for your girlfriend or her mom.”

“Yeah. I guess – she has incontinence issues, too. We have that in common, I guess. Woo.”

“You want someone to hang out with for the rest of the day? I can do my errands some other day.” Ollie picked up the rest of the dishes, rinsing them in the sink.

“No, it’s okay. Thank you. I need to relax. Maybe I’ll call Briana.”

“The offer’s open any time.”

“Thanks, Ollie. You know, you’re a good friend for a horrible, bitchy queen.”

“You’re a good friend too. For a baby.” Ollie laughed at the same time Ava did.

“Honestly, though, Ollie – Hell’s Kitchen?”

“I wanna be in the center of it all!” Ollie did his best flaming voice, complete with an equally flamboyant pose. Once he’d gotten a laugh from Ava, he dropped the pose and switched back to his regular voice. “What about you? Any plans after your dissertation?”

“I don’t know. Maybe I’ll stay here. It’s friendly to ABDLs – or used to be. Ardenthill has good resources, and I could try for a postdoc position in the department.”

“I thought you wanted to move to Boston to be closer to Rohan.” Ollie peeked out from the kitchen with a big grin. “Maybe there’s someone else you want to be close to? Someone whose name begins with a B?”

“Maybe. Plus, if I have to always wear protection, I might as well have fun with it.” Ava looked over at Ollie nervously. “Right?”

“Yeah, dummy. Of course, that’s right. Whatever makes you happy, go for it!”

“I don’t know if it does, but it’s worth a shot.” With her legs giving her a warning tremble, Ava made her way to the couch and took a seat with her feet up on the cushions. “Thanks for cleaning up lunch.”

“It’s the least I could do, you cooked.” Ollie came over for a hug before grabbing his backpack. “If you need anything, text or call. The Ollie Express isn’t far away.”

“If I need to, I will, but I should be fine. Thanks, Ollie.”

“See you, Ava.”

The door closed, leaving Mango and Ava on their own. Not that Mango was good company at the moment. Rohan had overfed him snacks – he was sleeping on his perch with a chonky belly. Though she was enjoying the silence, talking about Briana so much had Ava missing her girlfriend. She snuggled under a lap blanket and sent her girlfriend a text. The reply came back near-instantly, full of rainbow and cat emojis. Ava giggled and settled down for a chat with her silly girl.

18 Sleepover

It was a gorgeous spring Saturday in the Rasmussen house. The windows were open to let in fresh air and birdsong. The wood floor of the house’s great room glowed in the late morning light, freshly polished. From top to bottom, the house was immaculate, far more so than during a regular Saturday cleaning. This was mainly due to Briana’s and her Round Table’s efforts. Briana paced in front of the stuffies lined up on the living room couch. One by one, she inspected the chore each stuffie had been assigned.

• Knight Captain Alanna: Responsible for beating the dust out of the rug – done.
• Squire Beartholomew: Asked to put out a bowl of chips and a bowl of cut strawberries – done.
• Sir Chuck the Giraffe: Charged with dusting the furniture – done.
• Sir Mimsey the Bat: Tasked with putting away toys and arranging throw pillows and blankets – done.
• Sir Arnold the Pangolin: Trusted to put plastic glasses and a juice pitcher on the coffee table – not done!

“Sir Arnold the Pangolin, I’m very disappointed you’re not finished with your job.” Briana shook her head at Arnold the Pangolin. “Luckily for Sir Arnold the Pangolin, your Princess is in a good mood. Plus, there’s still time before our guests arrive.”

Briana snatched Arnold the Pangolin up and sprinted to the kitchen. Mindful of her pretty pouf dress with its lace overlay, she and Arnold the Pangolin took the glasses on the first trip and the pitcher on the second. The dress and lace were black, so the grape juice probably wouldn’t stain her if spilled, but it wasn’t worth the risk. She hadn’t spent her morning getting dolled up like a Little version of her gothy mom only to ruin it at the last minute.

All chores were finished, and the snacks were ready. There was only one problem – no guests! Frustrated, Briana trotted across the hardwood floors in her brand new black and white Mary Jane’s. The clicky-clack noise her shoes made was enough fun that she didn’t feel like throwing a tantrum when she found Veronica – Briana was merely impatient.

“Momma!” Briana hopped on the drawing room’s plush rug, which didn’t make a fun noise but had a delightful squish.

Veronica was sitting primly in a black leather armchair with her laptop on her lap. She took an interminably long moment to finish whatever she typed before looking up. “Yes, Baby Bee?”

“When’s Grandma going to get back? She’s been gone for ages.”

“Michelle had three Littles to pick up, all living in different parts of town. I’m sure she’ll be back any minute.” Veronica smiled. “I’m glad you’re so excited, though. Did you finish all your chores?”

“Barely! Arnold the Pangolin was sandbagging again.” Briana did a twirl for the joy of seeing her skirt flare out.

Twirling was almost as fun as being at eye level with her mom. It only happened when Veronica was sitting or crouching down, which made it easy for Briana to stay in Littlespace around her mother. Two friends on their way were petite as well, though not as tiny as Briana. Nobody in the whole Graduate school was as tiny as her. Arthur was the opposite of Tiny, which made the ease with which he slipped into Littlespace impressive. Briana wondered if she should have Alanna commend him for it or if he’d be upset to have his size brought up.

“Briana, are you listening to me?” Veronica had set her laptop aside and took Briana’s hands, pulling the Little girl into her lap.

“Sorry, Mom, I was thinking about my friends. I can’t wait until they get here.” With a happy sigh, Briana leaned against her mom and tucked her head under Veronica’s chin.

“I asked if you needed a change before they get here, but I can see you’re too distracted to notice.” Veronica flipped Briana’s skirt up and squeezed the Little girl’s diaper. “You’re dry, good girl.” It was funny how something that had used to bring Briana to tears – being diaper checked – had become such a comfort and reminder of Mom’s love.

“Melody is going to play with us, too, right?” Briana squirmed until she had her arms around her mom and gave her a tight squeeze. “They said they would, so it’s a promise, and they have to play with us.”

“I’m sure your sibling will happily play with you.” Veronica kissed Briana atop her head. “They said they were looking forward to it. But they won’t be here immediately, so don’t be disappointed. You’ll have plenty to do when Michelle returns with your friends anyway.”

“Oh my gosh – I mean Goddess – it’s going to be so fun! Thanks for letting me have a sleepover, Mom.”

Veronica got a funny look on her face when Briana invoked the Goddess. She always had a weird look when Briana brought up the one thing in her life that Briana hadn’t yet gotten to experience. This time, it was just a look instead of a swat or a frown. Mom even gave Briana a little squeeze. There could be no better time to ask Mom, especially after Briana had been such a good girl with her chores.

“Momma, can I go with you to the next esbat?”

“Not the next one.” Veronica put a finger on Briana’s lips to silence her whine. “April’s esbat is scheduled for the end of the month, during the dark of the moon. It’ll be one of our more serious ceremonies, and it won’t be a good introduction to the coven for anyone, especially a Little girl.”

“But Momma!”

“Let me finish. Beltane will be at the beginning of next month and the perfect time to introduce my bouncy, sparkly daughter.”

“Really?!” Briana’s enthusiastic hug squeezed a grunt out of Veronica. “Mom, that’s super exciting! Can Melody come if I convince them?”

“Only if they really want to come, and not if they agreed because you were badgering them.”

“Melody loves me and you too; they’ll come.” Briana hopped off Veronica’s lap and did three spins in a row, giggling. “Thanks, Mom! I’m going back to the living room, so I’ll be ready when Grandma gets here.”

“Don’t forget that your grandmother is in charge of your sleepover. Jane and I will be here, but you’d better not come to ask us for something she’s already said no to.”

“Mom!” Briana’s exclamation of shock had little effect on Veronica’s knowing look. Reluctantly, Briana nodded. “That was only one time. But I promise I won’t. Okay, love you, momma. I’m going to watch the door now!”

~~~*~~~

Twenty eons later, or twenty minutes later – who’s to say – Briana heard a car pull up outside the house. An excited squeal burst out of her when the door opened, revealing Grandma and a train of bashful Littles. Grandma Michelle was dressed in a sturdy blue shift dress and looked downright vigorous; her health scare from Christmas seemed well behind her. Briana hugged Grandma, Arthur, Fabi, and Ava, adding a quick kiss to her girlfriend’s hug.

They were all dressed Little, too. Arthur was in shortalls that looked like regular overalls that had been cut off and hemmed. He had a backpack over one shoulder and a stuffed tyrannosaurus under his arm. Fabi was in a purple, short-sleeved dress with a crazy amount of lace under her skirt. Her bag was an adorable teddy bear backpack – she had an elephant stuffie clutched in one hand. Ava wore a rainbow tie-dye t-shirt and lime green shorts that didn’t do much to hide her diaper. Her bag was a laundry bag – she looked like she was having trouble managing it, her crutches and her teddy bear Brownie all simultaneously.

Briana took Ava’s bag, then Fabi’s and Arthur’s, to not to single her girlfriend out. With an oof from the weight, Briana set the bags by the stairs. “Hi everybody, thanks for coming to my sleepover! We have snacks and juice and anything you want; just ask.”

“You’re all welcome to have some snacks, but don’t fill up.” Grandma guided the Littles into sitting positions on the living room rug. “I’ll have lunch for you in a few minutes.”

“What’s for lunch?” Fabi asked.

“Lefse! You’re going to love it. It’s potato flatbread with butter and sugar.” Briana bounced happily on her padded rear at the chorus of aahs from her friends.

“I know you all kinda met at my birthday, but did you get re-introduced in the car if you needed to?” Briana asked. “I can do introductions! Or we can introduce our stuffies.”

“We had a chance to talk in the car.” Arthur chuckled.

“Your grandma squished us all into the back seat of her car,” Ava said with a giggle. “Also, Brownie has already met your stuffies, but he’d love to meet Athur’s and Fabi’s.”

“This is Elle!” Fabi scooted up to Ava, shoving her elephant urgently toward Brownie.

“Hi, Ellie,” Ava said for Brownie, waving his paw.

“I’m Tommy,” Arthur said in the squeaky falsetto he used for his stuffed tyrannosaurus.

Briana giggled and grabbed her stuffed Lioness. “Alanna knows Tommy and Brownie but is very pleased to meet Elle.”

“Brownie is a kshatriya, which is kind of like a knight.” Ava declared. “Are Tommy and Elle knights like Alanna is?”

“Of course, I’m a knight!” Arthur squeaked for Tommy before switching to his usual bass rumble. “Sorry, Tommy, but you know you can’t pass the qualifications.” With Athur’s help, Tommy had a stomping fit on the Little boy’s leg.

“I think Elle can’t pass the tests or whatever either.” Fabi cuddled her elephant close. “She’s not into scary stuff like fighting.”

“Then Brownie and Alanna will protect Tommy and Elle if needed.” Briana declared. In response, Ava grinned, scooting over to Briana to bump her hip against Bri’s.

The sweet smell of potato pancakes followed Grandma out of the kitchen. Though she had food on the stove, Michelle managed to pour each Little a glass of juice and check their diapers. There were lots of blushy giggles in Grandma’s wake, especially from Ava. When the pancakes arrived, they were as delicious as they’d been the first time Grandma had made them. Savory, sweet, and buttery tastes filled Briana’s mouth with delight and her tummy with warmth. Besides the clinking of plates, the room was quiet as the Littles devoured their lunch.

Briana cleared the lunch plates without being asked – because she was the best Little girl ever. While she was doing that, Grandma whisked Ava away for a diaper change, redoubling Ava’s blush. Briana plopped down on the floor between Arthur and Fabi, pulling them both into a hug.

“I have to tell you two about something a bit scary that happened to Ava.” Briana was glad to see her friends responding with curiosity rather than nervousness. She had the mellowing power of Lefse to thank for that. “Ava and I were out together the other day and ran into some anti-ABDL protestors. One of them pushed Ava over and hurt her pretty badly.”

“What?” Arthur’s jaw dropped, his expression struggling between Big rage and Little Concern.

“Is she okay? I mean, she looks okay, but…” Fabi trailed off nervously.

“She’s okay now, but it was terrifying; we had to call an ambulance.” Briana sighed. “Don’t make a big deal when she comes out, because she doesn’t like talking about it, but I wanted you to know that mean people are getting aggressive with Littles.”

Arthur sighed. “Great, one more thing to deal with in town.”

Fabi nodded. “So much for ever going out, now that I’m full-time Little.”

“No! We can’t let them win. I have a plan to fix it; we’ll talk about it when Ava gets back.”

“Talk about what?” Ava asked, maneuvering deftly on her crutches ahead of Grandma.

Briana squirmed out from between her friends in time to pull Ava into a snuggle as she sat. “Fixing what happened to you the other day.”

“That reminds me,” Michelle said. “Have you ever heard back from the police, Ava? I know Briana hasn’t.”

Ava shook her head. “Not yet, but it’s only been a few days.”

“Oh, that won’t do at all.” Michelle pulled her phone out of her purse. “You kids, go ahead with what you were doing. I’m going to give the police chief a call.”

Arthur and Fabi looked at Briana in surprise. Before Briana could answer, Ava shrugged at them. “Her family just does stuff like this.”

“My family and I have a lot of privilege in this town – and I’m going to put it to good use.” Briana squeezed Ava. “What happened to Ava is not okay. I don’t like seeing protestors or people talking badly about Littles. We’re not hurting anyone. They’re the ones harassing and hurting people.”

“What are we supposed to do about it?” Arthur frowned. “It’s not like you can take away people’s right to protest. Even if they’re protesting for something mean.”

“Of course not, but we can keep them from hurting people when they do it.” Briana thumped a fist on the rug. “And if we convince people that it’s okay to be Little, they’ll stop protesting alone.”

“You’re talking about an activism campaign?” Ava scooted away from Briana, frowning.

“Briana, I can’t even see my old friends; I can’t go on TV or whatever!” Fabi whimpered. Arthur kept quiet, but he looked as uncomfortable as Fabi did.

“I’m not asking anybody in this room to do public stuff.” Briana looked up at Grandma with a smile. “Well, maybe Grandma. But mostly, it’ll be me and my aunt Kiara – she already said she’d help.”

“Then you’re just – warning us that you’re going public about this?” The look on Ava’s face said that they would have to have a big conversation about Briana’s plan. That was okay. Briana knew that she could trust her girlfriend to understand once she explained things properly.

“That’s part of it, but I could also really use your help! There’s tons of stuff to do that doesn’t involve showing your names or faces. I’ll need help writing letters, calling people, making lists of people to call, making flyers, keeping track of donations, and all kinda stuff.”

“You’ve really thought about this.” Ava looked more thoughtful than uncomfortable – a good sign!

“Wow, Bri, that’s a lot. You seem kind of like that day you, um – ran into me downtown and bought me cocoa.” Arthur smiled bashfully.

“You mean when I was Big and you were Little? Well, I’m still Little, but I can do this! We don’t forget stuff when we’re Little, right? If anything, I think we understand stuff better.”

“I just sit around most of the day when I don’t have a babysitter.” Fabi squirmed, her diaper crinkling. “It’d be fun to have something to do, but I’m not a good organizer.”

“You could put letters in envelopes!” Briana grinned to see an eager smile on Fabi’s face.

“Yeah, I could! Um, could I put cute stickers on them, or would that mess up the plan?”

“That would be perfect!” Briana grinned, reaching out to grab Ava and Arthur’s hands. To her delight, Fabi took Arthur and Ava’s other hands. “We can do this Little-style! So, will you help me, please?”

“Of course, we’re friends, right?” Arthur squeezed Briana’s hand.

“I’m in for decorating and mailing stuff!” Fabi grinned.

“It’s scary that you’re going to be publicly ABDL,” Ava sighed. “If you could be careful when you’re out with me, I’d really appreciate that. Even if it is scary – I’m in.”

“Yay! Thank you, everybody! Especially you, Ava, for being super brave. I’ll be as careful as I can, I promise.”

Ava rolled her eyes, though she was smiling from ear to ear. “You’re lucky I love you, Loony Tunes.”

Briana’s giggle at what she hoped was a new nickname was short-circuited by the phrase immediately preceding the name. “You love me?”

Ava ducked her head bashfully. “That just slipped out, but – I guess I do.”

“I love you so much!” Briana tackled her girlfriend, giggling madly and kissing her all over her face. Ava laughed back, clinging to Briana until they settled into a loving hug.

“I hope I’m not interrupting.” Michelle peeked into the back of Arthur and Fabi’s diapers, getting a squeak out of them. “Ava, I told the police chief that his inaction was disappointing. He knows at least some of the names of people that were protesting, but he didn’t want to bother them.”

Grandma tutted disapprovingly at the police chief as she untangled Briana and Ava, checking their diapers in the process. “He’s motivated to bother them now. We should have a name and some charges for the person who pushed you soon, as well as a restraining order.”

Ava sighed gratefully, leaning against Michelle’s leg. “Thank you, uh… Ms. Rasmussen?”

“You can call me Grandma if you want, dear. All you darling kids can if you want. You’re Briana’s friends, after all.” She clapped her hands dramatically. “Now! You’ve got full bellies and dry diapers. Briana gave me a list of activities for the day, including a movie, a blanket fort, and playing Cloudland. Which would you like to do first?”

“We can’t play Cloudland until Melody gets back.” Briana protested.

“Then it’ll be one of the other two. We’ll let your friends pick. Ava, Arthur, Fabi, what’ll it be, couch fort or a movie?”

“Blanket fort?” Arthur asked excitedly.

“Yeah!” Ava and Fabi said together.

“Then we need to get the coffee table moved to the side. Some rolled-up mattresses can go in its place. You kids get busy doing that while I get the sheets to drape between the couches.”

“Got it, Grandma!” Briana grinned, tugging mightily – and uselessly – on the coffee table. With Arthur’s help, they got it moving smoothly enough that they didn’t spill any snacks.

Fabi pulled mattresses into place while Ava rolled them out. The Littles were in a snuggle-pile on those mattresses with their stuffies only a few minutes later. Grandma stretched sheets from couch to couch, pinning them in place. She even put a pillowcase across the entrance between Mom’s armchair and a sofa, making a cute door flap. The inside of the fort took on a dreamy blue and green hue from the sun filtering through the sheets.

“Fabi, get the snacks!” Briana fished an arm through the sheet-walls to pull the rest of her round-table into the fort.

“This is so fun.” Arthur giggled.

“I wish we could sleep under here tonight.” Ava nodded eagerly.

“That is the best idea!” Briana kissed her girlfriend soundly on the cheek before looking up to shout at the sheet-ceiling. “Grandma, can we sleep in the fort instead of Melody’s room like we planned?”

“You don’t need to shout, Little Rose. I heard you and Ava both just fine.” Grandma chuckled. “Ava’s idea is a great one. We’ll get your sleeping bags in there when it’s bedtime.”

Resuming their cuddle pile, the Littles munched on chips and gave their stuffies a dance party. Briana was feeling extra snuggly regarding Ava after her girlfriend’s declaration of love. Happily, Ava was the same. They stayed spooned together every minute that they played in the fort. The sleepover was already the bestest fun since Briana’s birthday and promised to get even better when Melody arrived.

Through all the snuggles and laughs they were sharing, Briana’s heart overflowed with love for all three of her friends. Protecting them and their magical time together was more important than ever. Briana couldn’t imagine the kind of person who could object to the fun they were having as Littles – but she knew they were out there. That’s okay! I’ll change their minds as quickly as Grandma changes my diapers!

The spell the blanket fort put on the Littles was as pleasant as a weekday nap. Within the cozy enclosure, Ava found closeness with Briana’s friends more quickly than she’d thought possible. She was draped across Arthur’s lap in just twenty minutes. While Fabi pretended to paint her toenails, Briana explained the intricacies of collecting every candy in the farming simulator she and Melody played together. Ava had her teddy bear, Brownie, tucked against her side. Tommy, Arthur’s tyrannosaurus, was giving his own presentation to the rest of the stuffies atop the neatly stacked sleeping bags the Littles would be using when bedtime came. Fluffy pillows were strewn everywhere, making happy lumps of softness atop the delightful foam mattresses that made up the fort’s floor.

The experience’s comfort was enough to make a Little girl forget about nasty protestors and disappointing doctor visits. The front door opening shattered the brief peace. Briana cut herself off mid-sentence with a gasp and bolted out of the fort, leaving the other three Littles staring at the spot she’d been. Ava shook her head and laughed.

“There goes Looney Tunes.”

Arthur giggled, his legs shaking gently under Ava. “She’s a total cartoon character when she’s Little.”

Ava held her reply while Briana’s greeting to Melody echoed off the living room walls. With a smile, she said, “Yeah – I guess that’s something I love about her.”

“She has a boyfriend. You shouldn’t fall in love with people who’re already with someone else.” Fabi looked up at Ava with a pout.

“She’s poly – or something. Look, she started it, and I mentioned her boyfriend when she started flirting with me.”

“New rule. No grumping in the fort,” Arthur declared. “Fabi, you’re not supposed to fish for a spanking when there’s no bigs around to hear you.”

“I wasn’t fishing for a spanking – I don’t do that!” Fabi drew herself up indignantly. “I didn’t know it was okay for Ava to be in love with Briana.”

“You totally fish for spankings,” Arthur smirked.

“Do not! How would you know?”

“Because I do it too.” Arthur giggled.

Briana poked her head into the fort. “Hey, get out here, everybody; Melody’s here!”

“Aren’t they coming in the fort?” Ava asked.

“No, we have to go play video games now. They have a whole thing set up in their room. Come on, come on!” Briana vanished as quickly as she’d poked her head in, leaving the pillowcase door to the fort swinging.

“We’d better follow her, or she’ll be back – louder.” Arthur set Ava aside and squeezed through the fort’s door. His already big butt was huge when padded, crinkling when he bumped the armchair that formed part of the fort’s wall.

Fabi was right behind Arthur, her white diaper looking like a hydrangea puff nestled in the pale purple lace under her skirt. Ava scooted out as best she could, unsurprised to see Briana, Melody, and Arthur already gone from the living room. That Fabi had waited was a surprise, even more so when she held out a hand to help Ava rise to her feet.

“Thanks,” Ava said as she steadied herself on her crutches.

“It should have been Arthur helping you,” Fabi said disapprovingly. “He’s way stronger. But I guess he doesn’t think about stuff when he’s Little.”

“You did great, thanks again.” Ava smiled at Fabi, getting a bashful grin in return.

“I wasn’t trying to be mean. I didn’t understand, really.” Fabi squirmed. “Daddy and my main babysitter say I’m not always nice to people when I’m Little.”

“It can be hard to watch what you say, huh?” Ava leaned against Fabi, and the other girl bonked her head gently against Ava’s. “Come on, they’re going to make fun of us if we’re too slow.”

Melody’s room was decked out in fairy lights – presumably because it’d been intended to be the sleeping spot. Hopefully, one of the bigs would help them move those to the fort. The room had a lot of furniture, as if two bedrooms had been smushed together without much coordination. There was just one bed, but there were two desks, one an enormous wrap-around thing, the other a simple table. Both had bulky computers, but the bigger desk was covered in electronic stuff and figurines. There wasn’t much space on the floor with two clothes dressers in the room, especially after a big screen TV had been set up against the closet door. Every inch of wall space that wasn’t a window had shelving that held hundreds of figurines, manga volumes, and video game cases.

Ava couldn’t imagine living in such a packed room. She would have felt claustrophobic merely standing there if she hadn’t been snuggling with the other Littles a moment ago. As it was, she was happy to tuck herself against Athur’s warm side.

Briana proved Ava a prophet when she and Fabi entered the room. “Finally, you two get here!”

“Sorry, I was kissing your girlfriend.” Fabi’s tone was ungentle. Had she been speaking to Ava, it would have been sharp enough to hurt.

“Nuh-uh!” Briana’s face was unclouded. “I saw you with your Daddy; you’re super in love with him. I bet you smooch him all the time.”

“You’ve never seen me smooch him!” Fabi protested.

“The way you were looking at him on my birthday, I can imagine it. Smoochy, smoochy, smoochy!” Briana mimed terrible wet kisses each time she said smoochy.

“Settle down, noobs.” Melody was in shortalls and a shirt with an anime character on it. If they were wearing a diaper, it was slim; there was no bulge to be seen on their rear. “The first game is Super Bonk Siblings. Ava and Arthur will be a team and get the first character pick.”

“What? How come?” Fabi frowned. Briana looked ready to join Fabi’s protest, but Melody dragged her down to the floor before she could get a word out.

“Because they were chill when they came in instead of arguing.” Melody handed controllers to Arthur and Ava. “Pick your favorite characters, or if you’ve never played, pick one of the sword people or the dragon turtle; they’re easy to use.”

Arthur picked a fox in a space suit within seconds of taking the controller. Ava looked up at him and back at the incomprehensible grid of character portraits on the screen.

“Sorry you got stuck with me on your team; I’ve never played this before,” Ava said.

“We’ll be fine; I’m good at it.” Arthur grinned. “Melody was right about the easy-to-use characters. Try the sword lady.”

Ava found the character with some prompting and was surprised to discover that she also had to pick the character’s outfit. Upon a second look, they were all the same outfit in different color schemes. She chose the red one as Briana and Fabi were getting their controllers.

“Aren’t you going to play, Melody?” Ava asked.

“Yeah, but I’m on a team by myself.” Melody grinned. “Otherwise, my pro-gamer moves would be too powerful.”

Briana picked a puppy character, and Fabi chose a pink marshmallow thing. Of the two of them, Briana looked more confident. Melody picked a character that was somehow two girls, to which Briana responded with a groan.

“Sib, no fair! You’re not allowed to play the twins anymore, remember?”

“Hey, I don’t know how good Arthur is, but he picked an S-rank character, so I have to match him in the first game at least.”

“I’m really sorry, Arthur.” Ava settled on the floor next to her big teammate.

“We’ll be fine. Here, let me show you how the controls work.” Arthur looked up at Melody. “We can give Ava a few minutes to figure out the moves, right?”

“Of course.” Melody tucked themself atop their bed. “Sis, you want to get everybody a soda?”

“Okay!” Briana flounced out of the room while Melody started the game.

Everyone’s characters were placed on a floating island with a few platforms above it. Ava and Fabi played with the controls while Briana was out. Though she still felt lost, Ava was grateful that her character couldn’t damage Arthur’s and that he was good at gently explaining the basic moves. Once Briana returned – and as soon everyone had a sip of delightfully sugary soda – the game devolved into total chaos.

Characters were jumping everywhere, lights flashed as weird powers activated, and Ava had no idea what was happening. She contented herself with trying to stay on the floating island and slashing with her sword at any character that came near her. Fabi had only a little more experience, making for a few satisfying fights when her pink blob clashed with Ava’s sword lady.

Meanwhile, Briana clearly knew what she was doing. Her dog-girl character moved with purpose, activating special moves in ways that made sense. While Arthur outclassed her, he couldn’t dominate her the way he did when he caught Fabi. Briana even knew how to recover from falling off the floating island.

Arthur and Melody were on a different level from the rest of them, but the skill disparity between them was just as apparent as between Fabi and Briana. Melody didn’t seem to care if their character was falling, and it didn’t seem to matter as they could make their character dance in mid-air. They switched fluidly between their two characters, bashing anyone who came close with a sword of fire or a sword of light. Arthur made valiant attempts but was repeatedly hurled off the island for his troubles.

Using the one special move she’d reliably pulled off; Ava made her character raise her sword and shine with a brilliant light. “Everyone, we have to gang up on Melody! It’s our only hope!”

“Yeah! Everyone dogpile on my sib!” Briana cackled wildly.

For the next few minutes, things were almost even. Or so they appeared until the characters stopped returning after Melody knocked them off the island. Good-natured laughter erupted from the group as Melody’s characters stood triumphant on the victory screen.

“Okay, new teams, everyone vs Melody.” Ava declared.

Time flew by, especially after Briana successfully shamed Melody into choosing a less powerful character. Even playing as a Venus fly trap, Melody remained dominant, but there were enough silly game modes and ridiculous random items to keep things from feeling unfair. By dinnertime, everyone’s interest in the game was waning. Grandma – Briana’s Grandma – arrived to collect soda cans and check diapers. To Ava’s surprise, she checked Melody, too. Briana’s sibling was in a pullup and had kept themselves dry. That made Melody the potty champion as well as the Bonk Siblings champion. All the other Littles were wet.

With so many Littles to change, caregivers came out of the wings to help. Briana’s mom and dad took Briana and Fabi upstairs to change while Rosa kicked everyone out of Melody’s room so she could change Arthur. Grandma Michelle helped Ava to the drawing room changing table and had her out of her diaper in a flash.

With the whole household involved in changing the Littles, Ava didn’t realize an entirely new person was changing her until Grandma Michelle was taping her into a clean diaper. Being changed felt as natural as toddling behind Michelle to the dining room. The table was set up just for the kids, with the adults having dinner in the kitchen. Heaping bowls of spaghetti, red sauce, and white sauce greeted Ava with a savory smell that made her belly rumble. The garlic bread was a welcome addition, but Ava felt Little enough to eye the salad bowl suspiciously.

As she’d suspected, Grandma Michelle insisted on everyone having some salad before they were allowed to tuck into the pasta. Briana was surprisingly docile about the intrusion of vegetables into what would have otherwise been a perfect Little meal. When Fabi complained about her salad, Ava discovered why her girlfriend was going with the flow.

“Fabiola Felix, you eat your salad, or there will be no dessert for you – and no snacks later.” Grandma Michelle’s mommy tone was so powerful that the rest of the Littles caught a stray sense of guilt. It was heads down and quiet eating until everyone’s salad plate was clean.

Without skipping a beat, Grandma Michelle was back to being jolly, loading up Littles plates with noodles, smothering those noodles with sauce, and planting a generous chunk of garlic bread on top. Savory carbs warmed Ava to the very tips of her fingers and toes.

“This is really good, Grandma Michelle,” Ava said, remembering to swallow her mouthful of pasta before she did so. “Did you make the sauce?”

“Vonnie – Veronica, I mean – made the red sauce, Jane made the white. All I did was the garlic bread – I had my hands full with you Muppets.” Michelle beamed. “I’ll pass my compliments on to the chefs.”

Neither the Littles’ faces nor their shirts survived the pasta sauce unscathed. Grandma Michelle was on hand with washcloths and spare shirts – Ava was proud to be the least fussy of the Littles during her scrub-down. Her excellent behavior at dinner was rewarded with being let out of dishwashing duty. In reality, Ava’s legs had gotten too unsteady to let her carry anything or stand at a sink. Grandma Michelle had praised Ava as she escorted the Little girl to the blanket fort, which was enough for Ava to reclassify it as a good girl benefit. She had plenty of time to situate herself comfortably among the pillows and stuffies before Briana burst into the fort. No sooner had the red-haired girl arrived than she was straddling Ava’s lap. The scent of baby powder and the plump diaper between Briana’s legs clashed enticingly with her dramatic makeup and clothes.

“Hi, Looney Tunes.” Ava settled her hands on Briana’s waist.

“I love that you have a nickname for me already. Now I hafta think of one for you.”

“Yeah? Any ideas?”

“Not about nicknames.” Briana dipped her head downward.

Ava shivered, closing her eyes as their lips met. Warmth prickled across Ava’s skin, especially under her diaper. Their lips parted – Briana’s playful tongue had Ava gripping her girlfriend’s waist. Briana broke the kiss with devastating suddenness and slipped off Ava’s lap. While she was trying to process the kiss – and its sudden ending – Fabi crawled through the fort’s door.

“What were you two doing in here, smooching?” She scooted out of the way to allow Arthur to squeeze in.

“What’s wrong with that?” Arthur asked. “If I had my mommy in here, I’d smooch her.”

“That’s gross, you’re gross.” Fabi giggled.

“So you don’t smooch your daddy?” Ava smirked at Fabi. “Maybe I should ask him about that when he picks you up tomorrow.”

“Don’t you dare!” Fabi blushed profusely, eliciting a big giggle from Briana.

“Is that Briana I hear giggling?” An unfamiliar woman’s voice from outside the fort startled Ava.

“Auntie Kiara!” Briana trampled Arthur and Fabi in a mad dash out of the fort. The three Littles left behind shared a helpless look and a laugh.

“Everyone here loves her so much,” Fabi said wistfully.

“She’s a lot of fun.” Arthur nodded. “I’m glad she crashed in on me and my mommy playing last year.”

“Is that how you two met?” Ava asked Arthur, who nodded in return. She turned to Fabi and asked, “How did you meet Briana?”

“We have the same babysitter, Monserrat.”

“Oh, I know her. Well, she babysat me once anyway.” Ava felt a smile bubble up in her from the memory.

“I really like her.” Fabi nodded. “I’ve been trying to be nicer to her ever since she got mad at me when I was a brat.”

“Isn’t being a brat your whole thing?” Arthur asked.

“Yeah, but I was being mean about it.” Fabi rubbed the back of her neck.

“What’s that? We’re being mean to Briana? I’m in.” Melody crawled into the fort and winked at the other Littles.

“We’re talking about Monserrat,” Ava said. “You better not be mean to my girlfriend.”

“Briana and Ava were smooching in here,” Fabi said.

“You’re always a little out of pocket, aren’t you, Fabi?” Melody grabbed Fabi and rubbed their knuckles into the Little girl’s head until she shrieked and squirmed out of Melody’s grasp.

“How come you’re acting like you’re in charge?” Arthur reached out and casually tipped Melody over.

“Hey! Because you Littles are in diapers, and I’m in a pullup.” Melody stuck out their tongue. “Somebody has to be the big kid.”

“You’re saying you’re a Middle? Does that mean you admit that you’re – Mid?” Ava asked, giggling at Fabi and Arthur’s surprised laughs.

“Kitty has claws!” Melody grinned. “Good one. Fine, you have my permission to date my sister.”

“Where is your sister? Did she get lost in the living room after hugging you?” Ava asked.

“Aunt Kiara yeeted her into a discussion about politics stuff. She’ll be back.” Melody shrugged.

Fabi was looking neglected and out of sorts. Surprising herself, Ava had a, What Would Briana Do, moment and pulled the Little girl in for a snuggle. Her reward was immediate, in the form of a warm hug and a happy noise from Fabi.

“Are you going to help Briana with her new plan?” Arthur likewise pulled Melody in for a hug. They sputtered and squirmed in his grasp, but he paid no mind to their protests or supposed big-kid status.

“You mean her whole Little Liberation thing?” Melody settled in against Arthur while humming a few bars of the Soviet anthem. “I can’t say I’m a huge fan, but I’ll obviously help Bri with anything she’s doing.”

“Are you worried about being outed as ABDL if Briana goes public?” Naming the issue made Ava’s stomach flop.

“Eh, it’s not like I have friends IRL,” Melody said. “You’re right that she’ll probably upset more Littles than she expects. Mostly, I worry about her getting hurt. She has a bad track record with getting excited and going all Deus Vult.”

“She’s kinda unstoppable when she gets going, though,” Arthur said.

“That’s what I’m worried about.” Ava was caught off guard by a supportive hug from Fabi and squeezed the other Little in return.

It’s going to be Leah outing me at school all over again.

“No more sad stuff; we’re at a sleepover!” Fabi booted Arnold the Pangolin at Melody.

“Fine, you kids want to hear a ghost story?” Melody asked, grinning at the chorus of nods they got in reply.

“Sib! You were going to tell ghost stories without me?” Briana crawled into the fort, kneeling indignantly with her hands on her hips.

“Apparently not, ‘cause you made it back in time.” Melody ducked out of Arthur’s grasp and grabbed a flashlight. “All you babies, go join a snuggle pile.”

~~~*~~~

Melody’s ghost stories were lame. Ava was not a scaredy baby – but one of the other Littles would inevitably flinch and jump-scare her. The group had devolved into nervous giggles when Veronica entered the fort and began fishing Littles out for their nighttime diapers. Middle or not, Melody was not spared; they were sent out of the fort into Rosa’s waiting arms with as little ceremony as Briana, Fabi, or Arthur were sent packing.

In a more stubborn mood, Ava would have complained about getting special treatment and being changed in the fort itself. As Little as she was feeling that evening, it was nice to be babied by Veronica. She was good at it, too, making the diaper change fun and comforting. When the Littles reassembled, they were all in ridiculously poofy diapers that no onesie could contain. It was booster pads all around – though Melody was an exception again. Briana claimed that going from a pullup to a diaper was way more embarrassing than getting a booster added to a diaper. Ava, Arthur, and Fabi agreed, piling on Melody for a good round of teasing.

Ava was delighted to see the fairy lights strung atop the sheets that made up the fort’s ceiling as the lights went down outside the fort. Having them shine through the fabric was even more magical than seeing them up close would have been.

Bashfully, Ava suggested zipping her sleeping back together with Briana’s. Nobody said anything about it – though the look in Melody’s eyes promised some quality teasing later. Fabi was the first asleep, crashing out mere minutes after her head hit her pillow.

Fabi’s snores and a wall of Roundtable stuffies were great covers for sneaking in some smooches on her girlfriend. Cocooned in sleeping bags, Ava and Briana explored each other’s lips and the soft skin under their pajama tops. The combined bags overheated in no time, leaving them pink-cheeked and squirmy. Ava was ready for a lot more and excited to discover that Briana was just as eager. Unfortunately, there was too much of an audience, even if Melody and Arthur had fallen asleep as fast as Fabi. As she drifted off in frustrated delight, Ava slipped into some of the sexiest and snuggliest dreams she’d ever had – all the while cuddling her girlfriend close.

21 Fairy Girls

“How should I know what you should wear to a Green Fairy date? You’re the one who’s been to that club, not me.” Ava could hear Ollie’s exasperation over the phone, but frustration was no excuse for being an unhelpful friend.

“It’s not a regular date. Her freaking mom is chaperoning us. It’s weird!” Ava sighed. “What if I pick an outfit that seems okay, but it turns out to be embarrassing when Veronica sees me in it?”

“Well, what’s your baseline? What’s Briana wearing?” Ollie asked.

“I don’t know. Not because I didn’t ask, before you say anything. Briana doesn’t know what she’s wearing. She said she’s letting Veronica pick her clothes as part of the deal allowing her to go to the club.”

“Then there’s your answer.”

“Ollie, what the heck are you talking about?”

“Tell them you need to be picked up a bit earlier and have Veronica dress you, too.”

“Are you crazy? That’s embarrassing!”

“More embarrassing than Veronica changing your diapers like ten times?”

“She’s only done it twice! Once at Briana’s birthday and once at the sleepover.”

“Oh, sorry, it must have been one of the many other mommies running around that house that did it the other times.”

“You’re so mean to me.”

“I am your best friend and gave you a perfect solution. It’s not my fault if you’re too much of a scaredy baby to use it.”

“Bleh, fine. But if she tarts me up in some weird kink outfit with my boobs out, it’s your fault.”

“Yeah, that seems super likely from the woman who won’t let her adult daughter go to a nightclub without a chaperone.”

“Are you sure you won’t come?”

“Ava, I love you, but ABDL isn’t my thing. I don’t ask you to come to my nightclub either.”

Ava wrinkled her nose at the memory of her last experience at Head Hunters, the tacky tiki-themed club that Ollie loved despite his decent fashion sense. From what she remembered, the dominant experience of Head Hunters was the smell of male sweat and a mélange of colognes that blended into a super-musk. She couldn’t bring herself to offer to go to Head Hunters in exchange for Ollie coming along to the Green Fairy.

“I get it. Will you be my escape-call if it goes horribly?”

“Um, duh, of course, I will. It’s not going to go horribly, though. You’re a dummy if that’s what you’re worried about.”

“Like you’d be any different if you had to go on a date with your boyfriend’s dad.”

“Depends. How hot is the dad?”

“You’re gross. I’m hanging up.”

“Love you, Ava.”

“Love you, Ollie.”

~~~*~~~

On the drive to the Green Fairy, Ava reflected on the conversation that had gotten her into her current predicament. Ollie’s advice seemed less sagacious from an adult-sized baby seat in the back of Veronica’s car. Ava had been nervous about asking Veronica to put extra effort into her chaperoning, but Briana’s gothy mom had been delighted by Ava’s request. Veronica had arrived at Ava’s apartment already referring to herself as Ava’s babysitter. The extra time Ava had allotted for Veronica to dress her had been a gross overestimation. Briana had been on her best behavior, setting the tone for Ava right away. There was no opportunity for Ava to delay – Veronica had Ava diapered and dressed in ten minutes.

The outfit Veronica had chosen for Ava was a shirt of light and dark sand-colored threads woven together in jacquard fabric over a sea-green skirt. The flare of extra fabric from the gharara-style skirt made the outfit seem Little, especially since Ava had “accidentally” ordered both pieces a size too large. The flowing, overlapping fabric of Ava’s outfit would have been sufficient to hide any small or mid-sized diaper – but Veronica had put Ava in one of Briana’s bulkiest nighttime diapers.

To be fair, her girlfriend was in the same size diaper, and it was much more visible. Briana was wearing what Ava assumed was her quintessential outfit – a rainbow dress with a sequined top and a tulle tutu skirt. The plastic tiara that capped off Briana’s outfit was obligatory instead of ostentatious. Ava had checked the tiara to make sure it was plastic when she’d kissed Briana hello. She wouldn’t have put it past the Rasmussens to put a genuine diamond tiara on an ABDL girl. For costume jewelry, it was a convincing fake.

The car came to a stop just outside the club. Veronica hopped out of the passenger seat, reminding Ava that she and Briana had two chaperones for the driving portion of the date. As Veronica helped the Little girls out of the car, Ava thanked Jane for driving them.

If Briana’s parents were putting on a show to make Ava feel like a kid, it was working.

Veronica was dressed to kill at any gothic nightclub – which meant she would stand out like a sore thumb in the teddy bear section of The Green Fairy. On the street, she looked fine, even next to Ava’s more colorful Indian clothing. Briana was the standout in public, though people were likely to forgive and forget anything they saw on the steps of a nightclub.

They took their places in line on the steps leading down to the club, surrounded by leather daddies, girls with suspiciously high ponytails, and other LGBTQ folks whose outfits either had nothing to do with kink or were more subtle than a hairy man in motorcycle leathers. Veronica took a moment to ensure Ava was steady on her crutches and straighten Briana’s tiara.

“Now, girls, what are the rules for tonight?”

“No drinking alcohol,” Ava said sourly. She couldn’t believe she was going on a diapered-date with her polyamorous baby-girl girlfriend, with said girlfriend’s mom, after finding out she needed to be in diapers full time – and do it all sober.

“That’s right, what else? Briana?”

“Kisses are okay, but no making out.”

“Good. There was one more rule. Do either of you remember it?”

Ava’s desire to prove she could remember simple rules overcame her annoyance at Veronica’s presence. “We have to tell you if we’re moving to a different room by walking up to you and making sure you’re listening.”

“My exact words. You’re a good, smart girl, Ava.” Veronica kissed Ava’s forehead, which pleased Ava far more than it should have. She was at once relieved to finally be slipping into Littlespace while nervous about the headspace making her vulnerable in public.

“I’m also a smart and good girl, Mommy!” Briana insisted.

“You’re my smart baby girl, but whether you’re a good girl or not depends on your behavior, especially when we’re in public.” The speed at which Veronica’s mild statement shut Briana down suggested that Veronica had given Briana additional rules or at least a long talk before taking her out.

That Briana would even need such a talk – genuinely need one, not want to be scolded for play – was fascinating to Ava. Despite giving the matter a fair amount of thought, she couldn’t decide if she was envious of the fact that her girlfriend lived in Littlespace basically full-time. Even if Ava wanted that, it wouldn’t be possible without the constant support Briana’s family gave her.

I wonder if it’s their acceptance I’m envious of, Ava wondered. My parents are supportive, but they don’t know I’m ABDL.

The bouncer that let the three of them in recognized Ava enough to call her by name, which impressed Briana and was a nice boost to Ava’s ego. The club front room was a deliberately generic space with a few tables and a circular bar which regulars affectionally referred to as “The Switch”, since it was the only way to get from one of the club’s zones to another. As always, The Switch was sparsely populated. People only lingered there to talk with friends who didn’t share their kink or on their way in or out of the club.

A woman in a frighteningly tight corset and a masquerade mask greeted Veronica by name, which was the most exciting news Ava had heard about Veronica yet. The event caught Briana by surprise, too, though that was likely another effect of Briana’s perma-Littlespace. Ava certainly didn’t know what kinks her mother got up to and was glad of it.

Veronica said hello to the corset lady, calling her “Jackie”, but was otherwise undeterred in her quest to get the Little girls into the Teddy Bear door as directly as possible. They passed through the fateful door, and Briana had the classic newbie reaction of disappointment that they were in a grey-painted hallway. Ava had been the same, but the club layout was complicated by its different zones. As much as she wished it could, the Teddy Bear door couldn’t teleport her directly into a Little world.

They turned the corner to the dance floor. Briana squealed in delight. Multicolored lights swirled in dizzying patterns over a padded floor soft and clean enough to dance on in bare feet. The only seating was in pairs of leather caregiver chairs and colorful Little chairs along the walls. At the back, a DJ spun the hottest club remixes of children’s songs.

“Do you want to see the whole club first or get right to dancing?” Ava half-shouted over a techno R&B remix of Baby Beluga.

“Ohmygoddess!” Briana broke free of her mom’s grasp and bounced excitedly on the padded floor. “Dancing first!”

Ava handed one of her crutches off to Veronica – that was a big point in favor of having a chaperone – and quickly stepped out on the dance floor. She’d stretched and rested all day in anticipation of her date and was ready to dance! Briana was the most enthusiastic, terrible dancer Ava had ever seen. They spent more time giggling at the rainbow girl’s antics than dancing, though Ava taught Briana a few ABDL moves that the Green Fairy crowd had popularized. Perhaps because of how ridiculously she danced, Briana was a natural at crinkling her diaper like a maraca during a Diaper Drop, and her rendition of the Cry Baby was, if anything, too authentic.

They were sweaty, bubbly girls when Veronica called them off the dance floor and told Ava to use both her crutches. Veronica hadn’t pretended her instruction was a suggestion, and Ava discovered she didn’t mind. She’d stay on her feet a lot longer using both crutches – but more importantly, obeying a babysitter’s order didn’t feel like giving in to her lazy legs.

“I’ll show you the rest of the club; come on, Bri!” Ava shuffled forward, leaving her girlfriend in the dust until the Little girl managed to rev her diaper-waddle enough to catch up.

“What’s in there?” Briana pointed at the beaded curtain that led to the changing area.

“That’s where Littles get changed.” Ava pushed past the room quickly. Club etiquette was that you didn’t peek into the changing area unless you were there to change or be changed. “It’s not very exciting; it’s just a floor with some small tents so that people have privacy.”

“Tents?!” Briana whined in frustration but abandoned the beaded door to follow Ava.

“They’re little triangle tents with wipes and stuff inside them. It’s not that interesting.” Ava smirked. “Besides, I’m sure you’ll see it soon enough.”

“Nuh uh, Mom says my diaper is big enough that I probably won’t need changed.”

“With you, that’s a bold prediction.” Ava giggled as Briana blew a raspberry in response. “Anyway, this is the dining room. People mostly use it as a smaller lounge; I don’t think I’ve ever seen people have a meal here.”

Briana’s initial eagerness over a room she was allowed to peek into became the same nonplussed reaction Ava had on her first time in the club. The space was small and cozy, with five tables and more of the Caregiver/Little pairs of chairs.

“It’s not much to look at, but it’s a fun spot to hang out with friends.” Ava pushed onward into the lounge.

Widely regarded as the heart of the Teddy Bear zone, it was also the biggest room given over to the ABDL crowd. The staff had the lounge in its standard configuration, with overstuffed red leather couches against the walls and adult-size playpens in the middle. A bar in the back was decorated in primary-colored plastic with a theatre-sized popcorn machine built into it.

“This is where people hang out when they’re not dancing. The bar serves Big and Little drinks, but they don’t police which ones we get.”

“That’s up to your caregivers to police.” Veronica had been behind them the whole time, but her sudden interjection startled both Littles.

“I remember the rule.” Ava found herself responding like an exasperated kid rather than with her earlier annoyance.

“Do we just walk up to people, or is there some way to introduce ourselves?” Briana’s oddly quiet tone caught Ava’s attention immediately.

“Bri – are you nervous?”

“No – maybe – okay, I am! Stop interrogating me!”

Ava giggled. “What’s going on? You’re the original social butterfly.”

“They’re all grouped up with friends and whatever.” Briana shuffled her feet. “Usually, when I introduce myself, it’s to one person at a time.”

“In that case, do you want to meet my friends?” Ava leaned in and kissed Briana.

“Yeah! I totally forgot you’d have friends here. Let’s go meet them.”

Leaving aside her girlfriend’s negative vote of confidence on her ability to make friends, Ava approached a playpen whose mix of Littles would be friendliest toward her. None of the Green Fairy regulars were friends in the sense that Ava knew Briana meant by the word. She’d never allowed her ABDL life to spill into her regular existence. Despite how often she’d been to the club, Ava’s unwillingness to meet people outside it had kept her from being considered a regular by the core of the Green Fairy’s ABDLs.

“Hey Inka, Oriana, Nieves, I’ve got a Green Fairy newbie for you to meet.” Ava dropped her crutches at the edge of the playpen and climbed in, crawling over to a trio of Littles.

Inka was dressed almost identically to her appearance at Briana’s birthday party, thickly diapered under a blue leotard and a sparkly white tutu. Her dark hair was pulled back in pigtails and looked freshly curled. Oriana and Nieves were both Latine women and had matching bob haircuts. The resemblance ended there. Nieves was diapered and dressed in a purple onesie plus thigh-high fuzzy socks. Oriana was rocking a skater-girl aesthetic with short denim shorts. A grey hoodie with cutoff sleeves covered her red plaid button-up. Her shorts left no room for a diaper, which was more conspicuous in the playpen than a padded rear was.

“I’ve met Briana; I was at her birthday party!” Inka laughed.

“Are you sure?” Ava grabbed an oversized squishmallow and flopped on it. “You were supposed to go with me, but I never saw you there.”

“Oh, whatever, you were hanging out with the birthday girl the whole time.” Inka laughed. “Hi again, Briana. This is Nieves and her mommy, Oriana.”

“Hi, I’m Briana!” Whatever spell of nervousness had come over Briana was clearly gone; she tackle-hugged Inka, Nieves, and Oriana one after the other before coming to rest cuddled against Ava.

“Inka told us about the party; it sounded like a lot of fun.” Nieves said wistfully.

“You can come to my next party for sure.” Briana grinned. “We’ll do the laser tag next time.”

“Sounds awesome, I’m in,” Oriana said. “So – are you two together?”

“Yeah!” Briana exclaimed, grabbing Ava to plant a big kiss on her.

“You met at the university, right?” Inka asked.

Ava giggled, faux-reluctantly pushing her girlfriend away. “The first time we met was when I was house-sitting for Briana’s grandma. But we’re both in Microbio at ABDU.”

“Small world, huh?” Briana said. “Where did you three meet?”

“There’s an ABDL kink group in town that meets pretty regularly,” Oriana said. “My Snowbaby and I help run it.”

“I just go to the meetings,” Inka said.

“That’s true,” Nieves tickled Inka. “Don’t try getting any work out of Inka.”

“Oh, but you two are the responsible type?” Briana sat up with a resolute look on her face.

“Here she goes.” Ava chuckled. “Take my advice; either give her a hard no upfront or accept that you’ll get roped into her scheme.”

“Hey! No fair prepping them.” Briana giggled. “Seriously though, I could use your help.”

“Are you organizing an event?” Oriana sat up with obvious interest. Ava shook her head. The poor girl was doomed, giving Briana an opening like that.

“More than that! I’m sure you’ve noticed that a lot of people are saying nasty stuff about ABDL people lately. Well, I’m going to work on fixing that!”

“Fixing what – hateful people?” Inka shook her head. “Good luck.”

“If you’re looking for, like, PR campaign people, Briana, that’s not us.” Nieves smiled apologetically. “I don’t want to be out as ABDL.”

“I’ll do that part!” Briana nodded enthusiastically. “But activist efforts need all kinds of different jobs. I have a few Little friends, but we need more to make an actual organization.”

“Like what, calling people? Data entry? What are you looking for?” Oriana was seriously entertaining the idea, to Ava’s surprise. In contrast, Nieves was much more skeptical, and Inka was so far opted out that she looked like she was about to find another group to play with.

“Both of those things and a lot more, yes. It’d be like a political campaign, but it’s important – super important – that as many of the people working as possible are Littles, or at least in the ABDL community.”

“Why?” Nieves asked bluntly.

“Because I want to show the world that Littles aren’t gross, dumb, or useless. We’re people that matter, and we can do anything other people can do without needing to be Big!”

“Bri…” Ava sighed.

“Yo, Briana, I get Little to escape from work, not to do more of it,” Nieves said.

“Hear her out, Snowbaby. Briana clearly hasn’t lost her Little spark.” Oriana pulled Nieves into her lap, snuggling her until the Little girl’s frown smoothed out.

“Yeah! That’s the whole point. We can be Little and still do what we need to do. Once people understand that, they’ll stop being mean.”

Ava watched Inka crawl away from the conversation and wished she could follow. Instead, she laid down and curled herself around Briana. “Bri, that’s not how prejudice works – at all.”

“It is, though! I mean, the words people use are usually different than what I said, but basically, it’s about people accepting that we’re more like them than we’re different.”

“A lot of people don’t want people to know that we do ABDL stuff at all,” Nieves said.

“It’d be nice not to have to worry about hateful people, wouldn’t it?” Oriana stroked Nieves’s hair. “The other day, we talked about going to the park and playing on the swings – but there had just been that protest, and you decided not to.”

Ava flinched at the memory of the protest. Instantly, Briana reached behind her and put a hand on Ava. She pushed away the grim memory and said, “It’d be good if there were less of those for sure. I’m helping Briana with this thing – I kinda have to as her girlfriend.”

“What does that mean?” Briana turned to Ava with a furrowed brow. “Is this something you don’t want? Is it scary?”

Ava opened her mouth to answer, but her tongue was crowded with responses. Before she could pick one, the room went pitch dark. The babbling Littles in the room went quiet in shock; for a moment, the silence was as total as the dark. Then someone screamed, scattered Littles across the room, began crying, and others began shouting. The cacophony made the darkness worse, shredding any hope of an orderly attempt to restore the lights. All Ava could do was cling to Briana. She was amazed at how calmly her girlfriend held on to her.

“Briana, Ava, I’m here!” Veronica’s mommy-tone projected at shouting volume was enough to lift Ava’s spirits and silence several wailing Littles. The tall, slender figure of Briana’s mom stepped out of the gloom with a trio of cellphones in flashlight mode.

Briana took her phone and was on her feet immediately. Nieves and Oriana had a phone too, but a Little boy in shortalls near them was sobbing and hugging his knees. Briana stepped up to the Little boy without shining her phone light in his eyes and offered him her hand.

“Everything’s going to be okay. I’m Briana, I’m a Knight. My Mommy is here too. Do you want a hug?”

The offer snapped the Little boy out of his tears. He took Briana’s hand and nearly toppled her – he was a good foot taller than Briana when standing. Even so, the boy hugged Briana tightly, getting a trademark Briana Hug in return.

Ava took her crutches from Veronica. They were unsteady on the playpen floor, but better than not having them at all. Nieves and Oriana were on their feet and had been rejoined by Inka.

“I’m guessing a fuse blew out?” Ava said, more to have something to say than because she thought what she said was useful. “The staff should have it back up any…”

“Attention, Green Fairy Patrons!” A man had climbed up on the bar, shouting with his hands cupped around his mouth. It looked like he might be wearing a staff uniform in the half-light of a few dozen cellphone flashlights.

“We’re very sorry to inform you that someone has sabotaged the club’s power. That’s why we’re making this announcement room by room instead of on the intercom. Staff members will come by with flashlights to escort you to the nearest exit. Please stay calm and wait for them to arrive.”

“Someone did this on purpose?” Nieves sounded angry and afraid at once.

“Mom, I thought the police said they locked that guy up.” Briana returned with the Little boy she’d helped in tow.

“We don’t know that this was anti-ABDL people, Baby Bee,” Veronica said, though there was no conviction in her tone. “Unfortunately, there are many people who use this club that get targeted by hate groups.”

“It’s never happened before that I know of,” Oriana said sadly. “Briana, can I get your phone number? If even the Green Fairy isn’t safe, we’ll need someone to stop this.”

“I’m texting Jane,” Veronica said while Briana exchanged numbers with Oriana. “She’ll pick us up in a few minutes.”

Though the room was calm, Ava was in a spiral of dread. Her brain kept asking terrifying questions to which there was no answer. Would there be people outside taking pictures of everyone leaving the club? Did someone get hurt, and would there be another attack? If she kept dating Briana, and Bri went public as ABDL, how long would it be until her parents found out? Until Rohan found out?

Ava’s terrified trembling was enough to make her crutches rattle. Like magic, Briana stepped in and put an arm around Ava’s waist. She looked up at Ava with a classic happy Briana smile, utterly calm.

“How are you so calm right now? This is bad – this is…”

“I’m a Knight,” Briana answered.

“And that means you don’t get scared?”

“Knights get scared like anyone else.” Briana’s smile was unwavering. “But they don’t show it until the danger is over.”

With a shuddering sob, Ava laid her head on her tiny, ridiculous, wonderful girlfriend’s head and cried. When she was done crying, a line had formed to the room’s fire exit. The Green Fairy staff were kind and apologetic as they guided people out of the club. There were no picture-takers outside, only cars coming to pick people up and clusters of clubgoers waiting for a ride. Blessedly, Jane was already waiting. Though Ava hopped eagerly into the car, she refused Veronica’s offer to buckle her into the child seat. It was a quiet, sad drive back to Ava’s apartment. Though she looked disappointed, even Briana wasn’t surprised Ava wanted to end the evening.

Ava said a short goodbye in the car and slipped into her apartment as quickly as possible. Before letting Mango out of his cage, she turned every light in her apartment on and made sure the doors were locked. Her next objective was her couch, with a cup of hot cocoa, a snuggly bird, and the TV on. With Rainbow Space Princess on for some familiar noise, Ava pulled out her phone and texted her mom.

[Ava] Mom, could I come home for the weekend, and could you pick me up?

Her mom’s reply was quick and as excited as Ava had expected. She also had texts from Briana to answer but no desire to talk about the evening. Guilt overcame her enough that Ava decided to send Briana one text, but she wanted to make it short.

[Ava] The thing tonight wasn’t your fault, Bri. We’ll talk later.

A lot of replies came in after that text. Ava muted the conversation without reading them and focused on texting her mom. Working out the mundane details of getting home for the weekend was as much a comfort as the cocoa.

Wedged between Melody and Gary in her car seat, Briana was far too restrained by her harness for how bouncy she was feeling. They were finally getting to see Mom in action as a witch! Not only that, but they were on a road trip, too. The journey had taken them out of town but away from the highways, onto smaller roads that passed fancy houses with big yards. From there, they took a gravel road up a hill, with trees packed so closely that they went slap, slap, slap against the car’s mirrors.

Briana couldn’t decide what was more exciting, the box of ritual stuff her mom had packed into the trunk, the box of donuts from Klemm’s – which Dad had driven two hours to pick up, or the fact that she’d convinced both Melody and Gary to come to the event. Melody had immediately said no when they were first asked. Like a good girl, Briana hadn’t asked again but hadn’t stopped talking about it either. Her sib’s progression from rolling their eyes to asking questions to grudgingly agreeing to go had been some of the most fun Briana had had with Melody in a while.

In contrast, Gary had been an easy one. Ava was out of town visiting her parents after the disaster at the Green Fairy, so there was no choice to be made between boyfriend and girlfriend. As usual, Briana’s bestest boy was up for anything, though he checked with Veronica to make sure it was okay for him to come along.

“Mom, you said there was going to be dancing, right?” Briana bounced as mightily as her car seat straps would allow. Gary tickled Briana out of her bouncing and into an equally energetic squirm.

“There will be a maypole dance that’s part of the ritual itself, yes.” Veronica looked back from the front passenger’s seat, smiling. “After the ritual, people are free to dance as much as they’d like, and we often do, at Beltane.”

“Mommy, I’m so excited. When do we get there?!”

“Technically, you didn’t say, “Are we there yet?”, but you know that was the same thing,” Veronica smirked. “Gary, Melody, you know what to do.”

“Nooo!” Briana giggled wildly as she was tickled from both sides by her boyfriend and sibling. By the time they relented, she was a contrite Little girl with slightly soggy pants.

Dad rounded a final curve on the road and pulled their car onto a gravel parking strip at the edge of a beautiful meadow. At the center of a circle of clipped grass, brilliant streamers flapped in the wind from the crown of a carved wooden pole. Beyond the cut grass area, the meadow was wild with tall grasses and sprawling patches of wildflowers. The lawn itself didn’t look like it had been mowed with a machine; the grass was ankle-deep, long enough for clover to thrive uncut.

There were people in quirky, colorful outfits on the lawn, setting up what looked like four metal firepits, though only one had wood stacked in it. The tree branches bordering the meadow were decorated with flowers and what looked like packages of baked goods wrapped in colorful cellophane. Someone was singing along to another person’s harp playing. Universally, the people in the meadow were smiling and laughing in obvious good spirits.

It took an eternity for Gary to get out of the car and release Briana from her car seat straps. When her sparkly pink shoes touched gravel, she scampered away to greet a woman in a green dress with yellow leaves printed on it. The woman had long black hair with wavy streaks of gray throughout. Age-wise, Briana placed her somewhere between Mom and Grandma, with mid-forties as a solid guess.

Briana had chosen her most spring-like outfit for the occasion: a creamy yellow blouse under a baby blue overall dress and sparkly white tights. Her red hair was coiled up by a glitter-encrusted wire with plastic flowers Briana had glued on herself. She grinned at the woman, hoping her blush was properly sparkling in the sunlight, and offered her hand.

“Hello! I’m Briana!”

“Welcome, Briana! I’m Madison, but I’m known as Ashen Wolf in the coven. I’ll happily answer to either.” She shook Briana’s hand and pulled the Little girl forward for a kiss on both cheeks. “Thank you for brightening our Beltane with your very sparkly presence. Blessed be.”

“Thank you for inviting me!” Briana performed a quick turn to show off the spinniness of her skirt and crashed into her Mom’s arms.

“Ashen Wolf, Blessed Beltane.” Veronica firmly but warmly contained Briana with a hug. “I see my daughter precedes me.”

“Blessed Beltane, Moonshadow.” Ashen Wolf kissed Veronica on her right cheek. “She’s every bit as darling as you told us she would be.”

“Is that your coven name, Mom? Moonshadow?” Briana squirmed out of her mom’s grasp, only to be lifted into Gary’s arms with a squeal of delight.

“The witch’s name I chose is The Witch of Moonlight Shadows, but that’s a lot to say in casual conversation, so my coven often calls me Moonshadow.” Veronica motioned to a man in a green and white ballet outfit with a skirt like daisy petals. “Dancer in the Autumn Mist is another one who went for a phrase name, but we usually call him Dancer.”

“I want to meet everybody!” Briana threw her arms out expansively.

“So mote it be.” Ashen Wolf winked mischievously. “Do you mind if I introduce our newcomers while you set up, Moonshadow?”

“Not at all. I’ll introduce them to you since they’re a touch more restrained than Briana. This is Gary, Briana’s boyfriend, and this is Melody, my child. Briana’s pronouns are She/Her, Gary’s are He/Him, and Melody’s are They/Them.”

“Wonderful to meet you both. You may have heard, but I’m Ashen Wolf or Madison. She/Her.” Ashen Wolf motioned to the clearing. “Now that you’re here, we have all our participants, so it’s a perfect time to introduce you.”

While they traveled around the circle, Mom and Dad produced the donuts they’d brought to oohs and ahhs from the coven. Regally elevated on Gary’s hip, Briana met the coven members in twos and threes. There was Dancer, Sapphire Sky, and Sage of the Rushing Rivers, who went by Sage. It’d been Sapphire Sky playing the harp and Sage singing. Sapphire Sky’s dress style was non-binary, to go with their They/Them pronouns. Briana was excited to see Melody perk up at Sapphire Sky’s short hair and masculine clothes that nicely complimented their earrings and makeup. Briana and Melody shared a grin when Sapphire excused themselves to check out the donuts.

They met Lapis River and Frost Willow, who were blessing a bowl of water on the West side of the lawn. Briana was excited to see them casting salt into a candle flame during their incantation but noticed that Melody looked uncomfortable. She wished she could give her sib a quick hug, but there was no getting out of Gary’s arms, and anyway, Briana was having a lot of fun being carried.

Birch Bark and Kukui Pueo were lighting a pile of incense in the firepit on the East side of the clearing. By far the youngest of the Coven, Birch Bark was younger than Briana’s Big self, probably in her first year of college, if she was in school. In contrast, Kukui Pueo had an ageless face that could have belonged to a twenty-year-old woman or a fifty-year-old in excellent health.

“Is it okay if I ask what your name means, Kukui Pueo?” Briana was glad she’d managed to get the accent close to the pronunciation she’d heard from the woman.

“It’s Hawaiian. The Kukui is what you’d call a Candlenut tree, and Pueo is our owl. Both the tree and the bird are associated with wisdom and the spiritual realm in Hawaii.” Kukui Pueo pronounced Hawaii as Ha-Vai-Ee, which Briana resolved to work on doing herself, but not without some practice.

“You must be a very wise witch then!” Briana said excitedly.

“She is.” Birch Bark said, looking reverently at Kukui.

“Maybe.” Kukui Pueo shrugged and laughed. “All I can claim is that I’ve asked the Kukui and Pueo to bless me with some of their wisdom.”

“What’s the incense for? Are you going to do a blessing on it like they were doing on the other side for the water?” Melody’s blurted-out question was a mild surprise to the witches but a big one for Briana. They didn’t look more at ease than at the water ritual; if anything, Melody was more agitated.

Be cool, Sib! These people aren’t like the mean religious people your mom used to hang out with.

“We have representations of four classic elements at each cardinal direction.” Birch Bark said. “It’s not as easy to contain air as fire, water, or earth, so we put incense here to mark the East.”

“The incantation is a simple cleansing spell with fire, water, salt, and breath from our bodies,” Kukui Pueo added. “It’s a short and easy chant to learn; you’re welcome to participate.”

“No, that’s okay,” Melody said quickly.

Gary nodded. “I’d like to watch if that’s alright.” Briana nodded along with Gary, not wanting to be the only one joining in.

“Of course,” Kukui Pueo said. “Birch Bark, would you like to speak the incantation?”

Birch Bark was eager, kneeling before the incense brazier with a candle in a small water dish. “Salt and Water, Visible and Invisible, Self and World, be cleansed!”

Kukui Pueo dashed salt across the candle flame, causing a tiny spark before the crystals fell into the water. She took a deep breath, closing her eyes and breathing across the candle as Birch Bark continued the incantation.

“By the Living Goddess, the Goddess who is the Merciful Huntress, and the Goddess who is born anew, I cast out everything harmful in this offering. By the Fertile Goddess of the Field, with the Horned God intertwined, let our offering take in the healing essence of life.”

Birch Bark took a deep breath. Joyous concentration was written on her face as she loudly proclaimed, “So mote it be!”

“Beautifully done, Birch Bark.” Kukui Pueo kissed Birch Bark on the cheek. “Is that the new incantation you’ve been working on?”

“Yes.” Birch Bark blew out the candle and stood. “It took me a while to find the words that express cleansing to me.”

“You’ll have to share it in detail at the next esbat; I think it’s a good candidate to update our cleansing incantation,” Kukui Pueo said, to which Birch Bark beamed proudly.

“So you just make up whatever you want?” Melody asked, frowning.

“I suppose that depends on where you think creativity comes from.” Kukui Pueo seemed unbothered by Melody’s abrupt question, but Birch Bark was frowning back at Melody. “If you think it comes from inside us, then yes, we create incantations that match the feelings we experience in our rituals. If inspiration from the outside is something you believe in, then the Goddess gives us those words.”

“But which one is it?” Melody bit their lip, looking as upset as they did during an argument. “Which way is the right way?”

“Both and neither,” Kukui Pueo said gently. “Wicca isn’t about right answers or dogma. It’s about each witch finding her own way to truth and love. The right answer for any witch is the answer that’s right for her. There are wrong ways for witches to treat and interact with others, but no wrong way for us to have a relationship with the Goddess, as long as we’re being honest about that connection.”

Melody did not look satisfied with that explanation, but the petulance had left their tone when they asked, “What’s today’s big ritual about? What are we supposed to be feeling?”

“Beltane is about new beginnings, nature’s renewal, and physical love,” Ashen Wolf said. “Did your mother explain what will happen during the ritual?”

“She said we’ll listen to an incantation, pick a ribbon while saying something about what the color means to us, and then dance.” Melody crossed their arms uncomfortably.

“Knowing Moonshadow, she told you more than once that you don’t have to participate, but I’ll reiterate that now,” Ashen Wolf said. “It’s alright to be uncomfortable if you’re willing to challenge that discomfort. If you’re opposed to participating, please don’t join in, as you’ll sour the energy of the ritual.”

“I want to – but I don’t understand all this moon logic. I – I’m worried I’ll be a fail-witch.” Melody’s face was beet red. Briana sat in Gary’s arms with her mouth hanging open. Of all the things she’d expected from her sibling, an intense desire to ensure they correctly participated wasn’t one of them.

“You’re worried about making a mistake?” Birch Bark asked, her frown cleared by an understanding smile. “No problem, we have a protocol for that. If you make a mistake, laugh and keep going. You’re not responsible for a critical part of the ritual, so any mistakes you make are just an opportunity for humor, which is important today anyway.”

“That’s right.” Kukui Pueo said. “We believe every person has three selves; the most important for Beltane is the Younger Self. That’s the self of intuition, emotion, laughter, and impulsivity.”

“So the younger self is basically my sister?” Melody smirked. “See, Bri? Even Witches think you’re a baby.”

Briana giggled. “Then I am a very special guest today!”

Ashen Wolf laughed along with Briana. “You are indeed. It looks like we’re starting soon. Melody, do you have anything else to ask before the ritual begins?”

“No – I think I’ve got it. Can I stand next to Briana when we do the thing?” Melody took Briana’s hand tightly, giving their sister a relieved squeeze when the witches assured them they could stand next to anyone they wanted.

~~~*~~~

The final preparations consisted mainly of arranging everyone in a circle. Briana had Ashen Wolf on her right side and Melody to her left. Gary had been shuffled a few places away as the circle came together, which was fine because she could see his face that way. Importantly, Melody had Mom on their other side. Despite their earlier joke about Briana being the Younger Self incarnate, Melody looked nervous again.

Dancer lead the group through a simple breathing exercise, encouraging them to breathe with their bellies. Briana took in air deeply through her nose and exhaled hard through her mouth until she was lightheaded. Mom looked perfectly serene and in her element. Kukui Pueo might have said there were three selves, but Mom seemed to have a lot more than that. There was Mom, the most important of her selves as far as Briana was concerned, and the one the Little girl knew best. But there was Veronica, the competent academic woman as well. There was her mom’s political face and the soft younger sister’s face she showed to Aunt Kiara and Grandma. At the start of the Beltane ritual, Briana saw a new Veronica in her mom’s intense gaze and calm face. That had to be Moonshadow, the woman that all the interesting people Briana had met today obviously respected and loved.

Suddenly, Kukui Pueo spoke up, her voice carrying across the clearing like a trained orator. “The Wheel of the Year has brought us to the time when the earth bursts with flowers, when the green shoots rise unhindered, and the sun’s warmth reaches to the core of ourselves. Euphoria and Desire will meet in you as the Maiden of Spring meets with the Lord of the Waxing Year. As nature is renewed, we are rejuvenated and reunited with the feckless and earnest youth of our self. Dance with your heart. Sing with your life force. Listen to the world. The Goddess is coming!”

Mom – Moonshadow – drew a shining knife with a silver handle from her dress’s belt and cut it across the air over the incense brazier. “Hail, Heralds of the East, singers upon the wind! We invoke you by name: Arianrhod, Nihil, Anu, Senuna. Come and dance with us! By fire and air, salt and water, your place is prepared.”

A quarter turn across the circle, Sapphire Sky pulled a dull iron knife from their belt and sliced it across the fire pit. “Hail, Artisans of the South, powers of transformation! We invoke you by name: Brigid, Hestia, Nusku, Gibil. Come and dazzle us with your gifts! By fire and air, salt and water, your place is prepared.”

 Birch Bark had a chef’s knife in her hand; she waved it across the water bowl. “Hail, Lifegivers of the West, bearers of the eternal womb! We invoke you by name: Boann, Rán, Amphitrite, Nanshe. Come and renew the world with us! By fire and air, salt and water, your place is prepared.”

Sage gestured with an old pocket knife over the bowl Briana remembered had dirt or sand in it. “Hail, Guardians of the North, welcoming hosts of the natural world! We invoke you by name: Danu, Jord, Ninmah, Ki. Come and feel the rhythm our bodies make upon the earth! By fire and air, salt and water, your place is prepared.”

Kukui Pueo spoke again; the intensity of her incantation raised hairs on Briana’s arms. “The circle is cast. We are between the worlds where clay meets dreams. The Goddess is in us, we are her. In perfect love, and perfect trust, we begin our ritual.” Veronica turned to Sapphire and kissed them on the lips. Sapphire passed the kiss to Jane, who passed it sunward – the witchy word for clockwise – around the circle until Ashen Wolf kissed Briana, and she passed the kiss to her sibling. Melody closed the circle by kissing their mom’s cheek.

“Take a ribbon and say what the color means to you. Dance with us. Let our bodies and the ribbons bring our power together until it is wrapped as a gift for all assembled.” Veronica reached for a pale yellow ribbon and said, “I choose a soft yellow for the new dawn in my life.”

Other people stepped forward from their places in the circle without any apparent order. Some of them were as poetic as Veronica was in her Moonshadow self. Others, like Ashen Wolf, gave invocations as simple as “I choose blood red for my health.”

Briana looked at Melody, who seemed as nervous to step forward as she felt. More than half the circle had chosen ribbons already. With an encouraging smile at her sib, Briana dashed forward and grabbed a bright blue ribbon that matched Melody’s hair. “I choose blue, for the sibling I didn’t know I needed, until they were already part of my heart.”

Melody smiled and blushed, like the cutie Briana knew they always were, no matter how gruff or gamery they pretended to be sometimes. More people took up ribbons until only Dad and Melody were left. Dad gave Melody an encouraging nod, and Melody stumbled forward. Their hand hesitated over the last two red and green ribbons. They took the green one and, in a shaky voice, said, “I choose green for growth.”

Briana could tell there was a lot behind Melody’s simple sentence, which made her want to listen to everyone repeat their choices so she could re-evaluate the simple ones. That wasn’t how the ritual worked, though. Dad already had the red ribbon in her hand, and she spoke as simply as Melody. “I choose red for love.”

Sage began singing, joined by Lapis and Dancer. Participants raised bells, tambourines, and other noisemakers all over the circle. On the heels of the music, the dance began. Despite Mom’s explanation of the dance, Briana had been worried that she wouldn’t know what to do. In practice, it was easy. She spun arm in arm with Melody, laughing, then stomped her way in and out of the people dancing in the other direction. On the next round of spinning, she had Gary as a partner, and it was on to weaving their ribbons once again. In far too short a time, the ribbons were tight against the maypole.

Briana spun away from the pole, not ready to stop dancing yet. To her delight, no one else was either! She grabbed Gary and pranced joyfully with him, squealing when he lifted her and spun her around. The music continued, and the dancing did, too. Even Melody was still dancing, though they looked embarrassed.

“Melody!” Briana grabbed her sib’s hands and danced with them and Gary in a circle until they were both laughing like idiots. Everyone was laughing, spinning, and generally letting themselves be silly. Mom and Dad were switching between traditional folk dancing and twerking their butts at each other, which sent the entire circle into helpless laughter.

Laughter replaced the song they’d danced to, but the bells lasted as long as people’s bellies were quivering. When quiet settled on the group, Veronica put out her hands. One by one, people linked up with smaller groups, joining together until the circle was reformed, with everyone standing in different places.

“We renew ourselves with laughter, with youth, and with play,” Veronica said. “Let us take a quiet moment in this power to feel the roots of our past that have led us to this place. For persons loved by the members of this circle who are not here or who are absent, we bring your memory into our circle. Friends far away and family who have gone on to the worlds invisible, we breathe the world’s new life into your names. In the Goddess and in our hearts, you are present, and you live forever.”

The circle fell silent. Melody closed their eyes. Hastily, Briana did as well. Almost everyone important to her was present, except for Ava. It felt weird to focus on her girlfriend when she was holding Gary’s hand, so she added the friends and temporary siblings she’d known in her chaotic days as a foster kid. Those days had been hard, but there had been good people around who helped her get to the family she had now. With a happy sigh and misty eyes, Briana embraced each of them in her mind. She couldn’t help but steal a kiss from her memory of Ava, but she knew Gary wouldn’t mind.

“Come back to us. Come back to the circle. Wonderful friends and beloved companions, we have raised the Goddess in our midst. We release the circle now, but the Goddess is here, always. Together, we rejoice and live, and most of all, we feast!” Veronica ended her incantation with a laugh.

Briana opened her eyes to see Veronica ritually cutting the air with her dagger – which she’d said was called an athame – at the south point of the circle. Kukui, Frost, and Birch cut the other cardinal directions at the same time. A change rippled through the participants; Briana could feel the built-up energy of the ritual released.

“Grab a donut or anything else you want.” Sapphire shamelessly jogged to a tree to grab the jelly donut they’d been eyeing since Veronica opened the boxes.

The rest of the celebration was a delightfully casual time of eating, dancing, and chatting. Though no one in the coven seemed like a serious or grim person in their regular life, they were obviously having a good time being more silly and playful than usual. Several coven members leapt over the fire pit, shouting things they wanted to leave behind them, like they were making new year’s resolutions. Briana’s begging to jump over the fire herself got her a swat on the butt from Mom, but a playful one. The mood was too good to ruin with a tantrum, so Briana accepted her Little status and let the fire thing go.

The vibe – as Melody would say – was so playful that Briana felt comfortable enough to crawl around in the grass. No one seemed to mind; in fact, Dancer joined Briana in crawling and helped her start an impromptu game of crawling tag. The game ended with the participants and those watching laughing as they lay about in the grass.

Briana was unsurprised to need a diaper change toward the end of the celebration. What was a surprise was that Melody was popped into the car alongside her, getting a change from Mom while Dad changed Briana. In response to Briana’s questioning look, Melody blushed and threaded their fingers through Briana’s.

“It’s like – today’s about the Younger Self, or whatever. You were having fun being Little, so I, um – I wanted to be more Little, too.”

“I’m glad you had such a good time, sib.” Briana kissed Melody on the cheek, making her sib more bashful and their smile bigger.

Despite the bulge it put in their shortalls, Melody didn’t object to having their pullup swapped for a diaper. Hand in hand with Briana, they rejoined the coven for another bout of silly dancing. When the coven began cleaning up, Briana still wanted more, but not too much more. It’d been a fantastic afternoon from start to finish. She watched as their braided ribbons were cut off the pole and discovered that the wrapped ribbons would be hung in the coven’s main ritual space for the coming year.

While Ashen Wolf and Melody put the fire out properly, Briana danced around the maypole, scattering the Earth offering around the grass. As per Mom’s instructions, she left a handful to combine with a like amount of fire ash, incense, and water. The mixture went into a cool pink bottle that Frost Willow sealed with cork and wax. Cool things were happening all over the lawn, and wonderful people were gathered – especially Birch Bark, who snuck Briana the last donut.

Briana generously shared her donut with Melody and Gary on the ride back. The car was buzzing with conversation about the Beltane celebration, which should have amped up Briana’s already intense excitement. Instead, the gentle rocking of the car on gravel and her impending sugar crash had Briana napping before the car reached a paved road.

She woke at home, snuggled up to Gary on the living room couch. With a happy sigh, Briana stretched and kissed her boyfriend. “Hi, sexy boy. Did you have fun today?”

“I did, though I know for sure now that joining a coven won’t be my kind of thing. I’d be up for going to another seasonal festival.”

“I dunno if I want to be a witch or not.” Briana squirmed into a straddling position on Gary’s lap, discovering a substantial squish in her diaper. “Do you think Melody had fun? I think they did.”

“I think they did, but I’m not sure if they’ll go to another one.” Gary patted Briana’s rear. “What do you say we get you changed and ready for dinner?”

“Okay! Are you babysitting me today? Can I sleep over at your place?”

“Yes, and yes, baby girl.” Gary gave Briana a long, slow kiss that left her as blushy as Melody had been during their diaper change. “If you hadn’t asked, I was going to.”

“Then carry me upstairs, babysitter boy!” Briana grinned. “Oh, I want to wear a new outfit at dinner.”

“I’m surprised your Mom and Dad can keep up with your laundry, you little clothes horse.” Gary chuckled as he hefted Briana up.

“I have to do my OWN laundry.” Briana declared proudly.

“I guess you can change outfits as much as you want.”

Clinging to her boyfriend’s warm chest, Briana made a soft, happy noise. She’d wanted to see her Mom’s religion in action since she’d heard that Mom was a witch, and the result had been more fun than Briana could have imagined. To have it followed up by a sleepover at Gary’s sealed the day as a super awesome one. I can’t wait for the next witch thing! I hope Mom lets me go next month, too!

The convenience store’s automatic doors slid open, triggering a soft chime behind the counter. Ava looked up from the stack of lab data sheets she’d neatly stacked behind the counter and spotted an elderly woman with a slight blue tint to her curly hair. “Hi, Mrs. Besaw.”

“Ava, I didn’t expect to see you when I walked in here.” Mrs. Besaw walked up to the counter with a slight wobble. “Does Raj have you working back here when you’re home visiting?”

“Mom got called into work, so it’s either this or I sit at home by myself.” Ava smiled. “I don’t mind, and it gives Dad time to stock the store, so he doesn’t have to do it after hours.”

“You’re such a good girl.” Mrs. Besaw peered at the shelves behind Ava. “Could you be a dear and sell me a pack of Menthols?”

“Mrs. Besaw! I thought you quit last year.”

“I know, sweetie. I thought so, too, but it’s been a stressful month. I won’t smoke the whole pack; my cribbage group will go through them for me, you know that.”

“I think you might be the only lady who puts out cigarettes and tea for her guests.” Ava fetched a pack from the shelf and rang it up on the register. “Is there anything else you need?”

“Oh, I shouldn’t, but my grocery store doesn’t stock this brand of lemon drops.” Mrs. Besaw slyly placed a small bag of candy on the counter.

“I won’t tell anyone if you don’t.” Ava winked at Mrs. Besaw. “That’ll be nine dollars and twenty-six cents.”

While Mrs. Besaw painstakingly counted out dollar bills and coins, Ava waved to the store’s newest arrival. “Hi, Jeffery!” Jeffery returned the wave as he made his usual beeline for the beer cooler. His fashion uniform of denim on denim on denim was still going strong, but he’d added a pair of cowboy boots and a western hat since Ava had seen him. She hoped that fashion choice hadn’t come with a confederate flag on his truck; Jeffery had always been a chill guy.

“That should be right, dear; count it to make sure, won’t you?” Mrs. Besaw pushed her pile of cash over to Ava, who counted it as she put it in the register and printed out the receipt. The grandmotherly lady squeezed Ava’s hand warmly before collecting her purchases and wobbling out of the store.

Rather than returning to her data review immediately, Ava rested her chin in her hands and let her eyes wander over the convenience store. Growing up, she’d been embarrassed by the name Singh’s Sundries, but as an adult, she could appreciate how much it had helped her dad fit into Littleton’s New England village vibe while still putting his name on the business. The streets around the shop had become a second neighborhood while Ava grew up, with regulars like Mrs. Besaw becoming honorary family members.

The shop’s earth-toned walls were faded in places and the floor worn, but they were always clean and swept. Her Dad was humming to himself as he put bags of chips and hooks in the junk food aisle, which was perpetually in need of restocking. To her surprise, Ava recognized the song.

“Appa, I didn’t know you listened to Brooke Rapid.”

“She’s the only person they play on the radio these days, and Amrita watches her concerts on TV.” Raj shrugged. “I think she likes Brooke’s sparkly outfits better than the music, though.”

“But you’re not a fan, even though you’re on a first-name basis with her?” Ava laughed. “She’s not my first choice for music, but I like her too.”

“Then we can listen to her in the car when Bonnie arrives for her shift.” Raj walked around the counter and hugged Ava. “We’re worried about you, kanda. Your amma said you sounded stressed when you called her about coming up.”

Jeffery came to the counter with a triple stack of cheap beer cases. While she scanned the beer, Ava switched to Kannada to remind her father that Rohan must have told him about her bad medical news.

“Appa, Rohan nanna doctorinda kettavannu nimge helirabahudu.”

Rohan frowned and said, “Ninna anna yavude vivaragalannu tiliyade iddane. Idella gambhira na? Shalege break beku na?”

“That’ll be sixty-five eighteen.” Ava punched the button to send the total to the card reader and shook her head at her dad. It was sweet that Rohan hadn’t passed along details without asking her, but her privacy had come at the cost of Raj being worried enough to ask if she needed to take a break from school.

While Jeffery fiddled with the card reader, Ava squeezed her dad’s arm and reassured him that she’d simply needed her parents after some bad news. “Adenu alla. Kashtavada suddi kelalu bekaddu nanna amma mattu appane.”

“Nimma amma mattu naavu yavagalu nimmagagi iruve, kanda.” Sweet as ever, Raj let Ava know that he and Mom would always be there for her. He patted her back while he said goodbye to Jeffery. “Thank you for coming in, Jeff; please come again! Tell your father we have the spicy corn nuts he likes. It was just a little ordering error; we won’t run out of them again.”

“I will do, Mr. Singh, but he might buy you out of them anyway after his dry spell.” Jeffery hoisted his beer and nodded to Ava on his way out. “Good to see you, Ava.”

Brooke nearly collided with Jeffery on her way into the store, blurting out a quick apology and scurrying behind the counter. “I’m here! The register clock says I’m not late.” Brooke put her neon-pink purse under the counter and checked her blonde-highlighted hair on the security monitor. She was Ava’s age, with a housekeeper’s stout body and a clothes closet that must have had a portal to Barbieland.

“It’s fine, Brooke,” Raj said, handing Ava her crutches. “It’s an extra shift anyway; thank you for coming in.”

“You know I’ll always take extra hours.” Brooke leaned over to peek at Ava’s lab reports nosily. “That’s a lot of numbers. You still doing the big brain thing in the big city?”

“Ardenthill is hardly a big city.” Ava chuckled as she stuffed her papers in a binder. “It’s bigger than Littleton, but that doesn’t make a city big.”

“Ardenthill’s five times our size last I checked – seems big to me.” Brooke smiled. “Good to see you again. Are you staying long?”

“I wish. I have to be home tomorrow, so no time to visit with anybody but family.”

“I figured that if you were working the counter for extra time with your pops.” Brooke checked the register drawer and logged herself into the computer. “I’m all set here, Mr. Singh. You can get out of here and enjoy your afternoon.”

“Thank you again, Brooke.” Raj helped Ava to his car a bit heavy-handedly for her taste, but as her dad, he got a pass on taking care of her.

To Ava’s amusement, her dad had a Brooke Rapid song queued up that was precisely the length of his two-and-a-half-minute commute home. Mom pulled up behind them in the driveway. Between her mother’s profuse apologies about being called into work on her day off and her parents insisting on getting food into her, Ava was showered with the parental attention she’d been craving.

A less welcome example of mothering was waiting for Ava in her bedroom. Her mom had unpacked her suitcase, including the towel-wrapped bundle of diapers Ava had brought. When she turned to the door to ask her Mom why her stuff was unpacked, she found Amrita in the doorway.

“We should talk about what I found in your suitcase, kanda,” Amrita said.

“Amma, you didn’t have to unpack for me. I mean, you really did not need to unpack for me.”

“I’m a nurse and your amma; I wanted to make sure you had the medical supplies you needed.”

“Then what is there to talk about? You obviously talked to Dr. Adams’ office. I’m not excited about the news, but I’m being realistic about needing to wear protection.” Ava sighed.

“But the ones you have aren’t medical grade. They’re…” Amrita wrung her hands, lowering her voice to say, “Ava, kanda, they’re like children’s diapers. The kind that everyone on the news is upset about.”

Anxious goosebumps prickled across Ava’s arms. Luckily, she’d had a ready excuse for ABDL diapers ever since discovering the scene in Ardenthill. With her muscular issues elevated from “potential” to “intermittent” incontinence, her reason was even more ironclad than before.

“Amma, it’s not whatever weird thing you saw on TV. The medical ones are so ugly; they make me feel like an old lady. At least these have colors.”

Amrita took a seat on Ava’s bed. The worried furrow in her brows suggested that Ava’s excuse wasn’t doing the bang-up job she’d hoped it would. “Ava, you know you can tell me anything, and I’ll love you no matter what, right?”

“Of course, Amma.” Ava sighed and leaned against her mom, closing her eyes so that Mom couldn’t read her expression as easily. “I’m allowed to wear pretty things even if I’m disabled, aren’t I?”

“What a thing to say! Of course, you are.” Amrita pulled Ava close and kissed the top of her head. “I worry about you. Especially after someone has already assaulted you. Who knows what people would do if they thought you were part of that ABDL kink.”

“I’ll be fine. They already arrested the guy. My girlfriend’s family is ridiculously connected in Ardenthill; they’ve been pressuring the cops and making them run around.”

“I’m going to send you home with a basket of kaju katli to thank them for that. But that’s not enough for me to stop worrying.”

Ava smiled; her mom’s cashew fudge would earn her some excellent points with Briana’s family. She was sure she could also get in on Briana’s share of it. “They’ll love that, thanks amma. I’ll be more careful, okay?”

Amrita didn’t look convinced about Ava’s safety – or her diapers – luckily, the need to make an early dinner freed Ava from the uncomfortable conversation. The rest of her home time flew by. Ava had tears in her eyes to match her parents when she hugged them goodbye.

~~~*~~~

At home in her apartment, Ava went through her physical therapy routine restlessly. A two-hour drive each way hadn’t left room for as much of a family weekend as she’d wanted. That was especially true since she’d returned to Ardenthill early enough that she wouldn’t be anxious about getting ready for the week. Well, she was prepared for the week as soon as she finished her leg lifts, and there was still an entire evening to account for. As she stretched her legs, the yoga mat under her butt seemed especially squishy. Another accident. Ava sighed.

She had a lot of reservations about living the way Briana did, but at that moment, Ava would have given anything to have a half-dozen caregivers to pick from. At least one of Briana’s roommates had to be strong enough to scoop Ava off the floor and carry her to a proper changing table instead of the sad little blanket Ava had laid out in a corner of her bedroom.

Ava’s phone beeped to let her know that physical therapy was done. Without thinking, she shut off the alarm and dialed Briana.

“Hi, Ava!” Despite the way they’d last parted, Briana was as bubbly as ever.

“Hey, girlfriend.” Ava laid back on her mat, surrendering her clothes to the sweat she’d worked up. “I wish you were here.”

“Me too!” Briana sounded as wistful as Ava was. “I’d invite you over, but Mom and Dad don’t usually let me bring friends over on a school night.”

“Is that a hard rule?” Ava knew she should be embarrassed at the whine in her voice, but the way she was feeling, she couldn’t be bothered with such niceties. “Maybe the rules are different if you come over here.”

“I could ask Mom.” Briana sounded eager but not hopeful. “I don’t think she’ll say yes, though.”

“Please, Briana? Tell her I really need to see you. It’s the truth!”

“I’ll do my best, but I have to bring out the big guns. Arnold the Pangolin is going to help me convince them. Also, stay on the phone in case they need extra convincing from you.”

Ava giggled. “Please tell Arnold the Pangolin that I appreciate Arnold the Pangolin’s assistance in this matter.”

The only reply from Briana was a big giggle and the sound of feet loudly marching on a hardwood floor. Faintly, Ava heard Veronica admonishing Briana for stomping in the hall. That was followed by a surprisingly amusing back and forth between Veronica, Jane, Briana, and Briana’s over-the-top orator voice for Arnold the Pangolin. Despite how pompous Arnold the Pangolin sounded, Arnold the Pangolin was making some excellent points. By the end, Ava wasn’t sure if Briana’s parents had been convinced or worn down by how many times they’d had to say Arnold the Pangolin’s full name.

“Ava, they said yes! We can have a sleepover! A big girl sleepover with no adults, even!”

Ava squealed in delight. “Yeah! Well, a mostly big-girl sleepover; we’ll both be in diapers.”

“Dad is going to bring me. She’ll stay long enough to get both of us ready for bed.”

“That’s perfect. She can bring back the fudge my mom made for her and the rest of your family.”

“But not all of it, right? I’m in the family, too; I get some of my own, don’t I?”

“Of course you do, dummy.” Ava rolled over and kicked her feet idly on the yoga mat. “It’s separated into pretty bags for each person. More importantly, will you share yours with your pretty girlfriend?”

“Share? I um – I can share, but didn’t you get some at home?” Briana was whining to match Ava earlier. It was a sure sign of love that Ava found her whines cute.

“No way, Amma never lets us have some of the stuff she makes for thank you baskets.”

“Oh, she’s strict, huh? I can’t wait to meet her!”

“Yeah – you can do that sometime, sure. Anyway, when are you going to be here?”

“Soon! I’m packing stuffies now.”

Ava giggled. “Don’t you need more than stuffies for a sleepover on a school night?”

“Yeah, Dad is packing the rest. She doesn’t trust me to bring all my stuff or something. I’ll be there soon; I love you, Ava!”

“I love you, Bri.” Ava sighed happily and closed the call.

After her physical therapy, Ava didn’t have the energy to clean herself up. She could have forced herself, but there was always the chance that Jane would be willing to help when she brought Briana over. It wasn’t clear what getting ready for bed entailed, but it had to involve some caregiving and, therefore, sounded lovely.

~~~*~~~

As Jane set Ava down on her changing blanket and handed her a baby bottle, Ava reflected that she had not been prepared for the Briana Bedtime Experience. She was so busy being embarrassed about the bottle that she paid no attention to Jane changing her. Ava’s inattention robbed her of her chance to protest the massive amount of padding that was apparently normal for Briana at night. Her legs wouldn’t close around the bulky nighttime diaper with what felt like at least one booster pad inside it.

Whatever was in the bottle was not straight milk, thankfully. It was creamy and tasted like an oat milk drink or a protein shake. Either way, there was more than Ava planned on drinking before bed. Though she hated making Jane undo her work on the huge diaper, Ava felt she couldn’t let the absurd padding go without saying something.

“Uh, Briana’s dad?” Ava’s actual protest died on her lips when she realized how much her Littleness had taken over her speech. Before she could gather her wits, Jane fetched a pillow and propped Ava up on her changing blanket.

“It’s hard to drink a bottle lying down, isn’t it?” Jane patted Ava on the head. “You should be able to finish now without needing me to burp you.”

Burp me?! Embarrassed to her core, Ava hid behind her bottle. Worse, she felt obligated by her silence to start working on the bottle again. It was a good thing the stuff inside was tasty. Jane left Ava’s bedroom and gave Briana a very giggly change into her nighttime diaper out of Ava’s sight. Sucking away at her bottle on autopilot, Ava decided that she had one more out from the situation she’d let herself slide into passively. If Briana’s diaper was one centimeter smaller than Ava’s, she could protest on the grounds of fairness.

Ava’s last hope – other than actually asserting herself – was dashed when Briana crawled into the bedroom with her legs splayed by a ridiculously puffy diaper. “Ava! You look ready for snuggles!”

“How many diapers did your dad put on you, Looney Tunes?” Before Ava could grumble about Jane’s overzealous diapering directly, Briana’s dad returned from the living room. Ava had never known Jane to be anything but mild-mannered, but she couldn’t bring herself to do or say anything that might get her even slightly in trouble.

“She’s going all out tonight because of our special sleepover. Right, Daddy?” Briana grinned at the kiss Jane planted on her head by way of affirmation.

“Did you finish your bottle, Ava?” Jane asked.

“Uh – almost.” Ava held out the bottle to show the little bit left in the bottom. Surely, Jane would agree that she’d drunk enough.

Instead, Jane sat beside Ava and held the bottle to her lips. Briana scooted in to snuggle against Ava, and the Little girl found herself leaning against Jane’s chest, dutifully finishing her drink. No sooner was the bottle done than Jane brought a toothbrush to Ava’s lips. She wasn’t surprised that the toothbrush went in when she opened her mouth. What surprised Ava was that she had run out of annoyance. Begging Briana to come over with a caregiver had come from a place of emotional and physical exhaustion. It was easy to accept Jane’s help passively – more importantly, surrendering to Jane felt safe. When it was Briana’s turn to have her teeth brushed, Ava cuddled quietly against Jane’s side.

The next step was being put to bed at a frighteningly early hour. Jane sat on the edge of the bed with an honest-to-goodness storybook, and Ava had to blink away tears. She spooned close to her wiggly girlfriend, listening to the exploits of a brave little girl who journeyed to a land of monsters and taught them to bake cakes together instead of fighting.

At the story’s end, Briana trained an adorable puppy dog look on Jane. “Daddy, it’s still early. You could read us another story or sing us a song or something.”

“I’m putting you two to bed early because I expect you won’t sleep until some time after I leave.” Jane smiled indulgently and kissed both girls on the head. “Future sleepovers like this will hinge on how I find you tomorrow morning. Happy, well-rested girls will get to do this again. Tired, grumpy girls will have their next sleepover supervised.”

“We’ll be good.” Ava nodded sincerely. For more than another sleepover, it seemed important for them to be good girls for Jane. “I had a long day; I won’t be able to stay up all night.”

“Do you hear that, Briana? Ava needs sleep tonight.”

“Yes, Daddy!” Briana sounded as sincere as Ava, but she was wiggling far too much for a Little girl who was planning to sleep.

“You’ve both had a bottle and a change. Mango is already in his bed.” Jane tucked the covers up to the Little girls’ chins. “Do you need anything else before I go?”

“You said you’re coming back early tomorrow?” Ava asked.

“That’s right. More than early enough to get you both changed, fed, dressed, and off to school.” Jane stroked Ava’s hair gently.

“Then I’m good; thank you for taking care of me.”

“You’re a wonderful Little girl; it was my pleasure.” Jane planted a kiss on Ava’s cheek.

“I’m good too, Daddy! See you in the morning, and thanks for letting me sleep over!” Briana sighed happily when Jane kissed her cheek.

“Remember that you can call Veronica or myself any time tonight if necessary.” Jane packed the diaper supplies in their bag and set it on Ava’s changing blanket.

“I’m surprised you didn’t get some kind of long-distance baby monitor.” Briana giggled.

“Hmm, that’s not a bad idea, and it wouldn’t be too difficult to rig up with a hobby computer…”

“Daddy, no!” Briana laughed. “We’re having a big girl sleepover.”

Ava giggled. After everything Jane had done for her that evening, she’d never felt less like a big girl. Jane seemed just as amused, though, in her typical reserved manner, that meant a simple smile. When Jane departed, it seemed to happen as suddenly as every other phase of the evening. Ava couldn’t figure out what had her so off-guard about Jane; it could have been the German efficiency everyone teased Briana’s dad about. More likely, she was feeling too Little to anticipate the next thing coming.

The theory that Ava was overly distracted gained a lot of weight when she realized she was kissing Briana. It wasn’t a peck like Jane had given them or the exploratory kisses she and Briana had shared. Ava gasped and clung close to her girlfriend in response to the passion behind that kiss. The padding around their hips crinkled loudly as their legs entwined. Ava shivered with delight. Though everything felt good, there was something odd about the situation. Ava couldn’t identify a worry or complication, but she couldn’t bring herself to do more than passively kiss either.

“I want to touch you.” Briana squirmed restlessly against Ava. Her voice was still Little despite the activity they were heading toward.

“In naughty ways?” Ava’s brain buzzed with the realization that Briana had no intention of dropping out of Littlespace and might not be able to. That meant that Ava didn’t need to get Big, either. She’d played with people at the Green Fairy but never done more than flirted there. Leah had been accepting of Ava wearing diapers and even mommied her a couple of times, but she hadn’t wanted to have sex with a Little Ava.

“Is it okay? I don’t wanna upset you.” Briana was trembling with desire. Obviously, she was aching to put her hands all over Ava, but she was managing to be a very good girl about it.

“What kind of naughty touching do you want to do?” Ava nuzzled Briana’s neck. “Under my PJ top? Under my diaper?”

“Yes, and I want to kiss you all over.” Briana’s restless hand hesitated just under Ava’s breast. The Little girl moaned when Ava shifted to put Briana’s hand on the object of her desire.

“We promised we wouldn’t stay up too late, but we’re kinda small, especially you. I bet there’s time for kissing all over. And touching.” An electric thrill ran through Ava’s fingertips when she slipped a hand under Briana’s PJ top. She’d touched that much on Briana before, especially at the sleepover, but there was no audience or chaperone anymore.

“We can be good girls. We can be very good girls.” Briana panted, kissing Ava’s collarbone. “How much is too much for you?”

“Your dad did such a nice job with our diapers; we shouldn’t take them off.” Ava teased her fingers along the waistband of Briana’s diaper. “But they’re sturdy enough for us to reach inside if we’re careful.”

“That sounds good. For me, other than taking diapers off, you can do whatever you want.”

“Me too.” Ava kiss-bit Briana’s lip before squirming out of her PJ top. Briana caught on fast, flailing her way out of her top by the time Ava was out of hers. Skin to skin, everything was warm and tingly. Ava tangled tongues with Briana, groaning softly into the kiss. It wouldn’t be easy to be good girls and go to sleep at a reasonable hour – unless they wore each other out. Pleased at her brilliant idea, Ava pulled her girlfriend tightly against her.