by M. A. Innes
Fantasies were one thing, but reality was harder than I’d expected it to be.
Why couldn’t things be as easy as they were in porn?
When he brought our plates to the table, I felt my eyes getting bigger. He’d cut up my pancakes and there was even a little pool of syrup to dip them in.
“I think they’re sweet enough without the syrup, but I put a little on your plate for you. Not much, though.” As he gave me a fork, he kissed my head. “You don’t need that much sugar.”
Having him take control over such simple things was better than I’d ever dreamed.
Not that most of my fantasies had revolved around pancakes and sippy cups.
He seemed to be waiting for something as I looked at my plate and cup, so I smiled. “Thank you, Daddy.”
That made him smile in return, but he didn’t rush me. Sitting down next to me at the small square table, he started eating. I knew he was trying to give me a chance to get adjusted, but I didn’t want to overthink it.
This was easy.
It was just pancakes.
Picking up my fork, I started working my way through the little squares that were lined up on my plate. There was just something fun about eating that way. No thought required. I could just enjoy what Daddy had made me.
But that didn’t make the cup any easier.
At some point he must have realized I was avoiding it because as I stabbed another tiny stack of squares, he picked up the cup and held it up for me.
I might not have had fantasies about sippy cups…but bottles, now that was a different story. And this hit very close to home for that particular fantasy. I did my best to keep my breathing even as I swallowed and looked at the cup.
He was a Dom and a Daddy…even if he realized just how much I liked him helping me with the cup, he wouldn’t be shocked. He might not think of me that way, but he had to realize some things would turn me on or make me react physically.
When it got to the point where he was either going to start asking questions or I had to drink, I decided the cup was the lesser of the two embarrassments. “Thank you, Daddy.”
Wrapping my lips around the plastic opening, I took several long drinks. I had to really think about sucking the milk out because it was spill-proof and somehow that made it even better…or worse, depending on how I thought about it.
Ignoring how the whole thing made me feel, I concentrated on finishing my drink. When I was done, I pulled back and Daddy set the cup down so I could finish my pancakes. It was weird how normal he treated it. Nothing in the way he looked at me changed and he even went back to finishing his breakfast like it was no big deal.
Maybe it wasn’t—at least, not the way I’d been expecting it to be.
As I finished my pancakes, Daddy picked up the cup again and held it to my lips. I wasn’t sure if he thought I wouldn’t do it on my own or if he just assumed I wanted help, but either way, it was sweet of him. Finishing my milk, I sat back and played with my fork, dragging it through the leftover syrup as Daddy ate the last of his pancakes.
“You are making a mess.” Daddy’s teasing voice made me realize he might be right.
Not that I was going to admit it.
Sticking my finger in the syrup, I brought it up to my lips and sucked it off, grinning as he groaned and shook his head. “That’s it. When you start playing with your food, you’re done.”
I might have been a little curious to see if he’d punish me for getting the syrup everywhere, but he just made a big production out of wiping me down with a wet paper towel…which was kind of interesting too. He took it so seriously, making sure I was clean and inspecting me like it really mattered. Like I really mattered.
It was…it made me feel important in a strange kind of way.
Did every little feel like that…like they were the most important thing in the world to their Daddy?
I knew that it was just for a little while and that reality would burst in sooner or later, but each time he looked at me it got more difficult to remember that.
Daddy took a moment to check my hands and study my face, diligently trying to clean off any remaining stickiness. When I passed his inspection, he kissed my head and started putting away everything from breakfast.
I tried to take the plates to the sink, but he shook his head. “Just wait right there. It won’t take me long.”
Maybe it was because I was bored, but as I shifted in my seat and watched Daddy clean up the kitchen, I couldn’t help but think of the toys in the living room. I might not be able to help pick up the kitchen, but playing should be okay, right?
“Can I go get the toys, Daddy?”
Just to have something to do, of course.
He glanced toward the living room before nodding. “Yes, but pick out one or two and come right back.”
Nothing in his voice said he thought the instructions were silly, or that I was being ridiculous. All I could see was a bit of genuine concern, like he didn’t really want to let me out of his sight. “Yes, Daddy.”
If his reactions would’ve been different maybe calling him Daddy would’ve been harder, but there was just something about the look on his face and the way he reacted that made second-guessing the word impossible.
He was Daddy…that was it.
Would he always be Daddy to me after this?
Could we go back to being friends?
Thinking about later made my stomach tighten, so I pushed the thoughts away as I stood up and headed into the living room. The box was still where we’d left it, along with the pile I’d already picked out. Grabbing a few robots, I hurried back to the table.
It just felt…right…fun.
Daddy’s smile as I sat back down made it even better. He was proud of me. It could have been for any number of things, but I just soaked up the way it felt. Those feelings probably made it easier to start playing as he finished cleaning up. I loved seeing his smile and that beaming happiness from him.
He probably didn’t take very long, but by the time he was finished I was moving my men around the table and the invaders were coming around the salt shaker moon. When Daddy’s hand came down on my shoulder, I jumped which made him chuckle. “What are your men doing?”
“Protecting Earth.” I pointed to the moon. “It’s being invaded.”
I answered before I’d thought about how ridiculous it might sound, but it got me a kiss on the temple. “I’m glad you’re keeping us safe.”
I’d have probably been content to play for longer, especially under his smiling, thoughtful watch, but when his hand ran over my head, I knew that wasn’t the plan. “How about we take a break and go talk for a while?”
I didn’t want to talk.
That sounded…stressful and possibly embarrassing.
But being his boy who got to play and drink out of a sippy cup was a much better plan. “Milk first?”
I could play the “just five more minutes” game for ages.
“Sure.” He stood and went over to the fridge while I went back to playing. Invaders were more interesting than conversations too, so it was easy to slip back into that world and just relax. When the sippy cup appeared at the table as the bad guys were veering around the moon, I just opened my mouth without thinking.
Drinking down the milk, I went back to defending the world, but we were outgunned and outmanned. As we battled, I felt Daddy’s hand stroking down my back and occasionally the cup would reappear with more milk in it. I wasn’t sure how long it lasted, but as the last bad guy fell, I finally realized how much milk I’d consumed.
Glancing over at Daddy who was sitting at the table beside me, I shifted in my seat. “I’ll be right back.”
If I was hoping he’d let me leave politely without question, I was delusional. He just gave me that serious, I’m-going-to-take-care-of-you expression and jumped right in. “Do you have to go potty?”
For some ridiculous reason, that question made me want to hide under the table. Maybe it was the word choice
or just the unsaid possibilities with him being Daddy, but it made my squirming even worse. “Yes.”
He nodded and thankfully didn’t seem to feel the need to push my limits. “Okay, I’ll clean up your toys. Let me know when you’re done and I’ll help you wash your hands.”
No question.
No hesitation.
Just a simple, this is what Daddy will do. My fantasy Daddies had always been that confident, but I’d always thought no one would exist like that in real life. It made me curious to know what other things my fantasies had gotten right.
But not now.
No, Daddy Forest was wonderful, but he didn’t see me that way.
I should’ve just been grateful we clicked as Daddy and boy, but as I headed to the bathroom, I pushed away the nagging longing for more that I knew would never happen. Between using the bathroom and the more grown-up thoughts that had invaded my mind, I was back to being completely me by the time I opened the door.
“Ready, Daddy.” It’d felt nice when he’d gotten me ready for bed last night, so I saw no reason to fight against it today. There was something comforting and tender about the way he’d wrapped his arms around me to take care of me.
That smile was still on his face as he came in and steered me over to the sink. The hall bath was roomy enough that there was plenty of space for Daddy. As he stepped behind me, I leaned back and snuggled in so he could wash my hands.
Unfortunately, we were done too soon. I knew as soon as I met his gaze in the mirror that I wouldn’t be able to avoid the conversation any longer. As he dried my hands, he smiled and kissed my temple. “I think it’s time for our discussion.”
Maybe I could ask for more milk?
A nap might work too.
Oh, maybe we could clean off the driveway?
I finally settled on something simple. “You were going to pick out my clothes.”
That wasn’t a lie, either. The plan had been breakfast then clothes.
Daddy snorted. “I want to know your limits before we take that step.”
Shit.
Pouting didn’t look like it would get me out of it, so I just nodded, accepting the inevitable. As I followed him out to the couch, the logical side of me understood why we needed to talk. I’d read enough articles on BDSM that I knew how important limits were, but part of me just wanted to lie down on the floor and pitch a fit.
I was little…that could work.
Right?
Daddy was probably psychic because he wrapped his arms around me as we got to the couch and he pulled me down to sit with him. He stretched out on the couch so I was lying between his legs with my back on his chest. Not being able to see his face was a good and bad thing.
I liked knowing what made him happy, but I wasn’t sure I wanted to see his reactions if I said something odd or confessed something too personal. I trusted Forest or we wouldn’t have gone as far as we had…but I didn’t want to change the way he saw me.
Closing my eyes as I cuddled against him, I resisted the urge to sigh dramatically.
Barely.
“I’m not going to point out how dramatic you're being because I don’t want to embarrass you. But I am going to point out how proud of you I am because I know talking about this kind of stuff isn’t always easy.”
I gave in to the urge to sigh and didn’t feel bad about it anymore. “You’re mean.”
Daddy laughed, hugging me tight. “And you’re a drama queen. But I find it utterly endearing, so keep going as long as you talk between pouts and sighs.”
Huffing, I turned my head so I could lay my cheek on his chest. He had my head tucked under his chin and it felt almost like I was completely enclosed by his body. “Thank you for making pancakes.”
That seemed like an innocent way to start things off. I was a little bit worried about where he’d jump in, so keeping it simple seemed easiest.
Daddy chuckled, kissing the top of my head. “I’m glad you liked them. I liked cooking for you. In fact, I think that’s something we can put on our list of rules if that’s okay with you. While I’m Daddy, I would like to make your meals for you. How do you feel about that?”
“Sure.” Nodding, I found myself smiling. “That was fun.”
“How do you feel about the sippy cup?” The next question wasn’t a surprise, but it still made me want to squirm. “I thought that would be simple, but you had a strong reaction to it.”
Strong reaction because of the way I’d avoided it or did he mean something else?
Had he guessed how many of my fantasies all started off with my Daddy giving me a bottle?
Chapter 11
Forest
One day I was going to figure out why the sippy cup made him squirm more than anything else we’d done, but I wasn’t sure it would be today. “Let me ask it another way. Is the sippy cup something you want to put boundaries on? You can use your safeword for anything that makes you uncomfortable.”
He shook his head without so much as a pause. So he liked it, or at the very least he didn’t have an issue with it…but there was something more. “What about other things like that? Are you okay with binkies and bottles? I know we don’t have much here, but just on principle, I want to make sure I know your limits.”
The snow had slowed to the occasional flurry, but the road that led up to the cabin still hadn’t gotten plowed yet. I wasn’t about to drive out in that mess for a binkie or bottle…not yet, anyway.
Maybe after the roads had been plowed.
I got another nod, but he was so still I knew he wasn’t telling me everything.
“Okay. Was there anything about breakfast you didn’t like?” Other than the cup, everything else had seemed fine, so I wasn’t surprised when he spoke up this time.
“No, I liked breakfast. I like it when you cook for me.” He started stroking his fingers over my hand. “It was hard to watch you clean up while I sat there, but once I got my toys, I forgot everything else.”
He’d been thoroughly engaged in his game. From what I’d been able to tell, he’d been saving the world from robots that were attacking from the moon. He’d sat there exploring his world for more than half an hour before the bathroom break had him surfacing.
I was pretty sure he hadn’t realized how much time had passed or how little he’d sunk during his playtime. “Cleaning up seems like part of taking care of you to me. So I don’t want you to worry about that.”
But making sure he had something to do while he waited at the table was top on my to-do list going forward. He was a cute little, not a patient one.
“Are there any foods you don’t like?” Keeping the questions simple for the time being seemed like the best way to ease him into the conversation.
Joseph laughed, but as he started to speak I could feel him relax against me. Over the next few minutes, we teased about vegetables he wasn’t fond of and I dodged questions about my own preferences, which had him giggling.
When he was smiling and at ease, snuggling against me and stroking my arm, I turned back to questions I knew would get more of a reaction. “Well, no brussels sprouts, but what about if I wanted to change your clothes? Does that fall into the same category as a yucky vegetable?”
He stiffened for a moment before chuckling quietly and shrugging. “I guess it’s not at the same level as brussels sprouts…more like broccoli.”
That had me fighting back a laugh. “I’m not sure how cheese sauce would make it better, but I’m willing to listen to your argument.”
Joseph groaned, a blush spreading over his cheeks as he rubbed his face. “You’re deliberately misunderstanding. I meant it’s okay, but I’m just not sure…”
Chuckling, I gave him another hug. “So what kinds of questions or concerns do you have?”
When we’d talked about vegetables, he’d mentioned that he didn’t always like broccoli, so it would depend on how it was cooked and what it was served with. The serious way he took the questions was cute.
I kne
w I was going to have to come at it from a different angle when all I got was a vague shrug. “I was worried that you might be uncomfortable with me seeing you undressed. I’m guessing that the only people who’ve seen you undressed in personal situations like this were people you’ve dated. Does that make this difficult for you?”
He squirmed and let out a slow, long breath. “Maybe a little, but I trust you. You don’t make me uncomfortable.”
That wasn’t a rousing endorsement, but I took it at face value. I might not make him uncomfortable, but being naked in front of me did make him nervous. “My seeing you unclothed doesn’t have to be sexual. It can be simply changing your clothes or giving you a bath. I think you’d actually find a bath to be very relaxing.”
“I guess you’re right…I like the idea of it.” His statement seemed to include a very loud, though silent, but…
“But…” Sometimes he needed a little push, so I thought I’d help.
“But what if I…react?” The blush was back, but his steady caresses to my arm never changed, so I knew he wasn’t that embarrassed.
“That’s where your limits come into play. There are lots of different ways we can handle it depending on what we’re doing at the moment and what you’re comfortable with. At the very least, we ignore it and just keep going with getting you dressed or making you clean.” I wasn’t sure how completely I should answer that question.
If he was a stranger it would have been easier.
But this was Joseph…sometimes it felt like we’d always had this kind of relationship, but then we’d have moments where it was clear how far apart we’d grown.
“What are your limits?” It was such a good way to deflect, I had to grin.
“My limits don’t have to be yours. I want to make that clear.” I paused to give him a chance to respond, but all I got was a nod, so I just kept going. “I have no problem changing your clothes, bathing you, or even touching you intimately.”
I realized that sounded like I was ready to take one for the team, so I tried to explain it better. “I like taking care of you. That means everything from making you breakfast to giving you a bath. I like knowing that I’m helping you to explore this role, and even if it takes a more intimate turn than you initially thought, that won’t bother me.”