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"Anti, you need to clean up your toys before bed. I almost broke my neck last night when you left your blocks out." Jack murmured, standing up from the couch and turning off the television. Anti looked up from his coloring book, toys and crayons scattered all over the living room floor. It had been a stressful day, filled with big problems and anxiety inducing decisions. Needless to say, Anti needed to spend some time being little. The boy had a green pacifier bobbing between his full lips, busying his mind with the task of coloring Hello Kitty's outfit just right. It was therapeutic for him, letting the adult type stress fall off of his shoulders for a bit while Jack took care of him. He often regressed around bedtime, sleeping with footie pajamas and a stuffed duck his boyfriend bought him after he asked Jack to become his caregiver.
So far their bedtime routine was going smoothly for once. Usually Anti would fuss and fight, whining about how he wasn't tired and that he didn't wanna go to sleep. But tonight he was beyond tired and just needed the warm comfort of his bed and his daddy.
"Ohtay daddy, I made this for you." Anti tore the page out, smiling with his binky in between his teeth as he showed the finished picture to Jack. The Irishman smiled warmly, walking forward to take the picture from Anti's hands.
"Wow! I love her outfit, baby. Purple and blue? Very lovely." Jack kissed the top of Anti's head, placing the picture on the fridge with a heart shaped magnet to hold it in it's place of honor. The boy giggled, happily putting away his toys and coloring supplies as Jack picked up the living room.
Anti yawned, sleepily rubbing his eyes as he waited for his daddy to take him to bed. Pale arms reached out, making grabby hands at Jack as he picked his baby up.
"Ready for bed, love?" Jack cooed, wrapping his strong arms around his baby's slim waist.
Anti nodded, mewling quietly as his daddy carried him into the bathroom and turned on the faucet.
"Can I have bubbles, daddy?"
Jack chuckled and nodded, sitting down on the edge of the tub as he reached for the cotton candy scented bubble bath. Anti grinned, sliding off of his caregiver's lap and trying to remove his clothing. He still had some trouble with buttons and zippers, requiring Jack's help to get him completely undressed. His cheeks lit up in a rosy blush, using his hands to cover himself so Jack wouldn't see.
Even though they had made love a thousand times and Jack had done things to Anti that would make a porn star blush, when he was in little space there was nothing sexual about his boyfriend. Little space is not a kink so Jack didn't treat it that way. In Anti's mind he was only three, so things like that would easily scare him or make him uncomfortable. But Jack was always mindful of his needs, maintaining a very parental approach when it came to caring for his lover. Jack helped him into the bath, adding the pink liquid to the warm water and swirling it around until the bubbles were nice and fluffy. Anti splashed around happily, almost soaking Jack as his caregiver gently washed him. Most of the time the bathroom floor would be flooded and bath toys would be everywhere by the time Jack was done.
"Come on, munchkin. It's getting late and I'm already drenched in soapy water. Time to get out."
Anti giggled, standing up as Jack drained the water and wrapped his body in a fluffy towel.
"Sowwy, daddy. You still wuv me?"
Jack smiled, his heart skipping a beat at how sweet his baby was. This boy had his heart in a death grip and wasn't going to let it go anytime soon. Jack was head over heels for him.
"Of course I do, pumpkin. You're the light of my life, my whole word. I couldn't possibly stop loving you." Jack kissed Anti's button nose, laying him down against the mattress as he dried him off. Anti hid his face in his hands as Jack dressed him for bed, sliding on his lavender onesie with Hello Kitty all over it.
They were Anti's favorite pair of pajamas. He would often talk about how pretty the kitty was and how he wanted to be pretty too. It was the most adorable thing Jack's ever heard. Once his baby was dressed and his teeth were brushed, Jack pulled back the comforter and helped him into bed. Anti was already struggling to stay awake, eyelids rising and falling as his daddy tucked him in and handed him his stuffie and his binky. He was almost ready to pass out, but he was still missing something. Anti whined as he gazed up at Jack, reaching out for his daddy with the most pitiful look he's ever seen.
"Daddy, wan' cuddles!"
Jack chuckled, quickly changing into his sleep pants and climbing in next to his little boy. Anti immediately clung to his slender frame, burying himself into Jack's bare chest as he slipped into peaceful dreams.
Jack could hear Anti sucking on his binky, lightly snoring as the brunette played with his hair.
"I love you, munchkin." Jack whispered, kissing his boy's forehead as he closed his eyes.