Diaper References

Chapter 20: Morning light slipped softly into the nursery, warmer than usual—like even the day itself knew it was special.   Jill and Marcus stood by the crib for a quiet second before Jill leaned in, brushing her hand gently over Jack’s hair.   “Good morning, birthday boy,” she whispered.   Jack stirred, eyes fluttering open slowly. He blinked up at them, still heavy with sleep, then gave a soft little smile.   “Mornin’…” he mumbled.   His arms lifted automatically—silent, instinctive—asking to be picked up.   Jill didn’t hesitate. She scooped him up, holding him close as he tucked into her shoulder, still half-asleep.   He’s still so little in moments like this, she thought, her heart swelling. Even today…   Marcus leaned in, pressing a gentle kiss to Jack’s head. “Happy birthday, champ.”   Jack made a small, sleepy sound in response, not fully awake yet—but feeling it.   ⸻   Jill carried him over to the changing table, checking him gently. “Looks like you made it through the night just fine,” she said softly.   Jack shifted slightly, still waking up, his eyes barely open.   “All good,” Jill added, satisfied, before lifting him again.   Instead of moving right into the day, she paused—then turned toward the rocking chair.   We’ve got time, she thought. Everything else can wait a few minutes.   She settled into the chair with him, the soft creak filling the quiet room. Jack curled into her immediately, his body relaxing like it always did in that space.   Jill gently removed his pacifier, setting it aside.   Jack barely noticed—he was already settling, already seeking that familiar comfort.   The room felt still.   Calm.   Marcus stayed nearby, leaning lightly against the wall, watching them.   This is it, he thought. This is what matters.   Jill rocked slowly, her hand resting against Jack as he relaxed fully against her. His breathing evened out again, like he was caught between sleep and wakefulness.   “Happy birthday, sweetheart,” she whispered, pressing a soft kiss to his head.   Jack didn’t say anything—he didn’t need to.   He just stayed there, safe, warm, held.   Marcus smiled softly, his voice quiet so he wouldn’t break the moment. “Big day today.”   Jill nodded slightly, her eyes still on Jack.   “Yeah,” she said. “But right now… this is perfect.”   And it was.   Because before the decorations, the cake, the guests—   there was this.   A quiet morning.   A sleepy hug.   And a little boy, loved completely, on the day that was all his.   Marcus moved around the kitchen with purpose, the kind of quiet excitement that made even simple things feel special. The stove crackled softly as he flipped bacon, the smell filling the house. Eggs sat warm on a plate, and a few slices of last night’s pizza were heating in the oven.   Birthday breakfast, he thought, smiling to himself. He’s gonna love this.   No jars. No routine baby food.   Just all his favorites.   ⸻   He glanced up just as Jill walked in with Jack resting against her hip. The two of them, still wrapped in that soft morning calm, looked almost picture-perfect.   Marcus paused for half a second.   Yeah… this is everything, he thought.   “Morning, birthday boy,” he said warmly.   Jack perked up a little more now, eyes drifting toward the counter.   Food.   Real food.   Jill helped him into the high chair, securing him gently while Marcus stepped over with a bib.   “Can’t have you ruining that outfit already,” Marcus teased, tying it in place.   Jack leaned forward slightly, taking it all in—eggs, bacon, pizza.   His eyes lit up.   “No baby food…” he whispered, almost in disbelief.   Marcus chuckled. “Not today.”   Jack didn’t need to be told twice.   He reached for the eggs first, grabbing a small handful and bringing it to his mouth. Then bacon—carefully at first, then with more enthusiasm. A bite of pizza followed, cheese stretching slightly as he pulled it away.   He was messy almost instantly.   Sauce on his fingers, a bit on his cheek, crumbs on the tray.   But he didn’t care.   He was happy.   Really happy.   Jill sat beside him, smiling as she watched. Look at him… she thought. Just enjoying it.   Marcus leaned back slightly in his chair, taking it in. “Not bad, huh?”   Jack shook his head quickly, still chewing. “S’good!”   They ate together like that—no rush, no pressure—just enjoying the moment.   ⸻   After breakfast, Jill reached for a wipe, gently cleaning Jack’s hands and face.   “Alright,” she said softly. “Let’s get you freshened up.”   Jack shifted a little in his seat, already aware of the now-familiar feeling.   Marcus noticed too, standing as Jill lifted Jack from the chair.   “One birthday change coming up,” he said lightly.   Jack made a small face but didn’t protest. It was quick, gentle, routine—over before it could turn into anything more.   Soon, he was clean again and dressed in a fresh outfit, ready for the day ahead.   Jill smoothed out his clothes, stepping back to look at him.   “There we go,” she said.   Jack looked between them, a small smile forming.   It’s my day, he thought.   And with the house already buzzing with quiet excitement—he was ready for whatever came next.

Yea, I do use booster to help me last all day without needing to worry about leaking. I also wear plastic pants as insurance against leaks onto my clothes. 

Hey everyone! Gosh, it’s been a sec, huh? Well, apologies for that. Between my job, my poison ivy, some personal crud, two visits to urgent care, and one sickness later… I just kind of lost steam with this story and even when I tried another I’ve been working on that usually ‘fires up my engines’ so to speak, I got nothing. Lots of potential reasons for that, but… I found another way to spark my interest in all this and even in writing itself once more… something I don’t think I’ll ever be more grateful for. As such, I’ve been tearing through a few other stories getting back to where I needed to be after. So now, after all that… here I am! Yay! So, looking ahead, including this chapter there are seven more to go until the end of this section. In about two weeks now, I will be heading on a vacation, and I don’t want to cut this story mid thought again… so I’m pushing full steam ahead! Some things have changed since that last chapter I posted and good news… I should be able to finish this section before that vacation. I mean sure, there could be sudden war or plague or a bloody meteor at this point, but I’m going to hit this hard and give it my all to give you all a conclusion to this section if nothing else. So, apologies for all the delays in this thing. I hate delays in other stories, and I know this hasn’t exactly been my most popular story, but I still like it and if even one of you do out there, it’s worth it for me to drive ahead and continue forward. I’m not exactly sure of the plan after I get back, but whatever it is, you can be sure I’ll announce it in full in the chapters I post before then. And before we finally move on to the chapter that’s taken forever to put out here… just a reminder, another poll is out for my next stories. The three options can be found back in chapter 14, and the link can be found back in chapter 14 as well as listed below. And just in case you forgot my method or are new here (hello there), this poll will remain open until I post my final chapter. When that will be exactly will be posted at the latest during the second to last chapter. https://strawpoll.com/wAg3Qk2xOy8  Now… last but not least and as usual, and thank you all and welcome back again, I hope everyone enjoys this next chapter of my story! Chapter 20: I’ve Been Noticing A Few Things Lately “Another new design by Diamond Tech,” Claire, Addy’s roommate, noted as she flipped open her magazine to check out the latest and greatest being advertised there. “Yep,” Addy agreed but with a heavy dose of sarcasm. “Another toy the Bigs can use to abuse their Littles. Oh, joy.” She rolled her eyes and then flopped on her bed, her long day of class weighing her down after her mom left to go back home. “Addy…” her roommate stared at her with her now practiced instance of amusement and confusion, “you’re a Big too. You know that, right?” Addy groaned and flipped over to face Claire with a frown. “Of course I know that. I just… I wish we didn’t use our technology so much to hurt all the Littles. We should be helping them with it instead.” “But we are helping them out. You heard Dr. Spencer today in class,” both were in the same class and the ‘good’ of Bigs was always widely circulated. “Every new solution we come up with helps them out as well.” Now, Addy’s frown became more fixed as she sat up in her bed. “Clarie… we were learning about the basics of laxatives today. Food use and general medications… all designed to get Littles to mess their pants uncontrollably. How is that helping them out exactly?” Claire had to pause and think for a second about that one. “Well… it just reminds them of their place is all. That’s a purpose too,” she said completely nonchalantly. Addy liked her roommate since they first moved in together and the two had bonded relatively well… at least until it came to the subject of Littles. They loved the science of Big technology and all equally, but where Claire saw it as a way to advance society by fulfilling the needs of Bigs by supplying them with more dependent Littles to care for, Addy saw science as a way to help Littles get out from under their darkened past. Here and on Earth, post-War Littles seemed to struggle daily. As a Big, she felt she could help. Just as she was about to retort to Claire though, the Big was already once again reading her magazine with zeal and glee at the next latest product being advertised, apparently already having moved on from their conversation. On the back cover, Addy quickly saw an ad for RealET… “Something So Real, You Can Bring All Your Stories and Experiences to Life in Your New Virtual Environment… Perfect to See That Moment You Wish You Could Remember from Back at The Store or What Truly Happened at Daycare with Your Little.” Addy rolled her eyes once more and dropped back into her pillows in a huff. ‘What will they ever think of next at that company?’ She huffed and went back to reading her own book. *              *              * What did Dr. Halgen do? It was a question Addy was always asked in the old days here. It had fallen off in the number of times she heard it after Patrick and Erin and the rest of that batch went through, but now, it was popping up again… especially since the zoo trip. That day, Xander had acted up… as usual. That wasn’t breaking news to anyone by now, but trying to start a fight, once Cassie called her up to intervene where they couldn’t be Psyche’s bylaws, Xander had been frozen… or more specifically, his nerves had been blocked, and he had been locked into a sort of non-movable state of sorts. As soon as wind got back to the facility, it was decreed an outrage… a perversion of science and all they did here. For Addy, she felt that it was just plain old horrible caregiving and that surprisingly, Dr. Halgen should be ashamed of herself. And yet, even now, none of it seemed to matter. When confronted about it directly by the staff, Dr. Halgen shrugged it off as simply science in the palm of her hand to now deal with extra troublesome Littles and then went about her day. And like it or not, after that and reviewing Xander’s file more in-depth, everyone went along with it… because it was Xander, and here, Xander was bad, and Bigs punish bad Littles. It was the perverse and yet seen as natural order in this world in most places… even if this case in particular was an unnatural way to get there. So, after that, the questions then slowed down once more. Except for now, Addy was the one to question things. She wanted to know what Dr. Halgen had used. She wanted to know if it was a one-time shot or a new protocol or if Dr. Halgen didn’t even care about anything anymore around here because she was soon leaving. Was Xander the exception for this new stopping device… or could Oliver be affected. Addy wanted to know more, and above all, who was the company who designed the device? But experienced as she was, Addy also knew when and when not to ask questions. It had come from a lifetime under the umbrella of her parents, both of whom were active on the Juventas board for as long as she could remember. While her mom’s role waned over the years, hers and her dad’s lessons to her still made her keenly aware that what Dr. Halgen had done wasn’t exactly playing by the rules and seeing Xander lately… she could almost put money on that. But critically, she knew when it came to something like that, for her own sake, she had to remain quiet. For now, at least… and just sit back and watch. “Xander, honey,” Cassie called out to him two days ago. “Can you come here so I can get you ready with your shoes to go see your potential caregiver?” Xander didn’t move but Cassie remained patient. “Come on… I heard they might be taking you to the arcade today. Doesn’t that sound like fun?” Xander gave an adorable but hateful grumpy face. “I’m not going.” He even cutely crossed his arms. “Xander…” Cassie sighed and Addy briefly made a move to offer help, but Cassie only shook her head. One of the reasons nurses cared for their own was the respect and authority they naturally had over their Littles. It was a friendly face helping them through it and studies showed, even in the worst of circumstances, Littles were typically about 40% more likely to listen to their own nurse instead of another one… some studies even suggested Littles at Psyche would listen to a stranger before another nurse. So, Addy stayed silent and observant. “Xander… come over here now,” Cassie tried again, with a little more umph in her voice now. Xander took it for the escalation that it was. “No!” This time, his lips curled, his forehead pinched, and his arms crossed again in emphasis. His defiance was on full display once again… just different this time. Looking over though, Addy could see that Cassie was losing her patience and fast. “Xander… I’m not going to ask again.” She took a breath to give him a second to reconsider… but he didn’t. “That’s one,” she noted, holding a single finger up in front of him. Nothing. Xander didn’t even budge an inch. “That’s two…” Cassie strained and tried to keep as serious a face as she could, but Addy could see she hated doing this even as she raised a second finger up. Seeing that though, this time at least, Xander quivered for a moment… but still didn’t move his feet forward. Cassie let out a breath of air, her hopes of reeling him in now without incident or punishment seemingly dashed for good. It was typical but each time was a bad sign for his future in this program. Defiance was not a desirable quality in a Little. “That’s thr…” “Wait!” To the visible shock of everyone nearby, Xander had cracked and basically flew over towards Cassie, his panic now evident as he practically whimpered in the face of punishment. Old Xander wouldn’t have cracked. This new version of him though, while he still brooded, there was something more sensitive about him now. Something more vulnerable like his once hard shell was now softer… or at least full of cracks. Still, he wasn’t a broken Little. Addy could see that plainly as she looked at him being helped into his shoes by Cassie and a flash of anger streaked across his face, showing there was just enough of the old Xander to be upset about how all this ended up. Unfortunately, it marked him as an angry Little… and from their studies, that meant he was still a danger potentially. It was a concern that gnawed at Addy deeply in the days that followed, but she did see more changes in the former criminal. Like his preference for French fries over scalloped potatoes. Or his propensity to sideways glance at Adventure Sam now, whereas before he would just scoff and thunder off to throw rocks outside. If she saw that change in another Little, Addy would smile. But for Xander, his change was noticeable but always accompanied by a flash of his old self, and Littles falling with still a hint of violence in them were almost always a problem. So, fearing for his future, and frankly most of the other Littles in the facility alongside him, Addy was now questioning everything about him. And namely, she started to question the same thing she had been hearing as a whisper since the zoo… ‘What did Dr. Halgen do?’ “Come on, Addy!” Oliver shouted, snapping Addy out of her thoughts as he tugged on her arm to head out toward her car. “Come on! We’re gonna be late!” Addy sighed. For now, Xander would have to wait. Looking back at Oliver, she smirked and after only taking a step or two, she caught up to meet the Little’s pace ahead of her. Due to Oliver’s few remaining caregivers, there were times when Katrina had caregiver potential days and he didn’t. Normally, Addy would stay with him and the two would make a thing of it. Last time, they had a picnic near the cliff and watched the seagulls fly in before feeding the ones that landed nearby. She loved those days for them, but today, she had a prior commitment. Needless to say, once Oliver found out she wouldn’t be there, panicking at being without her, he begged her to come. Seeing his little pleas at the edge of her dress that day, Addy had caved almost immediately. Now, it did take some convincing of both Dr. Halgen and Dr. Tracey, a recent initiative by the board in policy making in Psyche at the Crescentia location, but both had eventually relented. And so now, with a chance to leave the facility and look elsewhere in this whole wide world, even if that meant he would be treated as a Little likely the whole time and be exposed to unknown amounts of potential danger, Oliver was, suffice to say… excited. “Okay, honey,” Addy began as she pivoted her car into the parking lot in front of the large mall about 20 minutes later. “We’re almost there, but… we need to set a few ground rules first before we go in.” “Ground rules?” Oliver’s voice faltered at the end slightly, clearly thinking that today would be more of a free-for-all event. Addy smirked at his reaction and nodded in her rearview mirror right before she looked for a place to park. “Yes, ground rules. Nothing major… mostly all the same ones back at Psyche, but here… I need you to stick by my side when we’re out in crowds. Keep ahold of my hand at all times…” She paused and considered a second option she only just thought of now. “Unless you would prefer a stroller that is?” Now, despite the last-minute thought on Addy’s part, it wasn’t such a bold or unusual question to the Little anymore. Ultimately, Oliver still shook his head, but instead of outright dismissing it, he had paused to think for a moment. That might not have been the case a week ago for him, but after some heavily biased and smooth words coming from Addy, he had noted that he had come to think of it as a luxury and a rest from the long tiring walks out and about nowadays. It was a throne for him to nap in or to view the world and not fear getting trampled to death. But it was still a ‘no’ for today. “Very well, but one last thing…” Oliver leaned in and Addy bent down after parking the car and getting out to his side before opening the door. “Just be yourself. The others, my friends, are bringing their Littles and before you write them off as simply regressed Littles or even babies, please just listen to them. Hear them out… their stories… their likes… life outside of Psyche as a Little. They aren’t dangerous and they’ve all been through what you have, okay? Might even be a good perspective for you to hear on what your next few years here could be like.” Oliver didn’t seem so comfortable with that notion still, but his mind seemed distant, like he was contemplating something else entirely. Just when Addy was about to ask, he looked back up at her. “So… no judgment from them?” he asked, his fingers rubbing each other in nervousness for the first time today. Almost surprised, Addy smirked at his self-conscious Little self still. He was embracing being a Little more every day, knowingly or not, but the lack of care most Littles had elsewhere… that lack of modesty or whatever was still very much lacking in him. “Absolutely none,” she reassured him. “Now, that goes for you as well, and no judging them, even if they smell different or what not… but from them? I promise. You’ve got nothing to worry about.” With Oliver’s clearly relieved smile from her answer, satisfied they might just be okay today, Addy then pulled him out of the car and walked hand-in-hand with him to the front entrance. Looking ahead, she could see the others already waiting for them. Three Bigs and four Littles. Addy viewed what was essentially going to be Sam’s bridal party in a year’s time now. Events were unfolding and motions were already in full swing. Of the Bigs, she was most familiar with Sam and Emily. The third, René, was an old friend of Sam’s and while they had never met for more than a few minutes at a time at this point, her tattoos, shorter hair, and piercings stood her out from most others in the area, and Addy remembered liking her more free nature before. “Addy!” Sam called out to her and Oliver as soon as they were in earshot. Addy smiled and hurried over to the trio already standing there, a Little or two playing and conversing around their legs at any given time. “Sorry I’m late. You know how Psyche can be some days… Thought I would never get that spill cleaned up from breakfast!” Everyone smiled and nodded, including René. “Don’t I know it,” she said with an almost relieved sigh. “I don’t think I told you yet Addy… but I got Colin here from a Psyche location in Illinimas.” The Little hurrying about with Patrick, René soon stopped him cold in front of her. “Oh?” Addy was very familiar with that location, it being her third choice after Crescentia when she had to decide where to go. “They have some of the most beautiful views. Only about 15 minutes from the city, it’s perched so close to the lake up there.” René smiled. “Oh yes. When I was working in the city at the time, I just couldn’t get over what the Littles there woke up to every morning. Probably a draw though from their world, right?” Addy smirked and nodded. “Oh, definitely. You wouldn’t believe how much that helps with the brochures and what not,” she half joked. Beyond the one in Ohiyo for whatever reason, the rest were situated in thriving communities or posed near beautiful vistas. Most of the time, Addy knew that Littles chose with their eyes first. Show a dingy and crime-ridden part of a city or dead trees and a spooky mine and they’d run as fast as they could back to Earth, signed and legal contract or no. Show them mountains or the oceans or even the beautiful wind-swept plains or a stunning futuristic city teaming with culture and life however, and they were far more likely to feel safe coming over here, and critically, staying as well. “And this… must be Oliver!” Emily and Sam nearly shouted in unison, seeing the Little finally peak out from where he had quickly hidden behind Addy’s legs, both now converging over to him. Needless to say, seeing these massive, strange women suddenly standing over him, in that moment, it was a good idea that Oliver had been diapered. “What a cutie!” Sam said, ruffling Oliver’s hair, eliciting an immediate blush behind his cheeks. “Oh! You’re just so precious!” Sam shouted, grabbing his shoulders and beaming widely down at him. “I always wanted a boy as well! You’d be so cute with my Matilda!” “Hey, hey…” Addy rapidly inserted herself between Oliver and the two Bigs, fully seeing his shyness fully take hold of him under their gaze. Adorably, seeing his chance, Oliver rushed behind her once more and gripped her for safety. It was only for a second, but Addy glanced back and smiled, seeing the clear sign of their growing bond together. ‘He’s relying on me now for safety and comfort on instinct. That’s a good sign…’ Still, with Oliver being an unclaimed Little in theory, she needed to lay her claim right there and then. So, still determined that he would choose her on choosing day and not needing anymore competition, she snapped back to her friends. “Now, just hold on a tic. I helped you both out with your Littles and…” “You did?” Matilda, Cara, and Patrick all asked in unison just behind their two caregivers. Realizing she had just overplayed her hand and gave away more information than was commonly known, Addy simply went along with it and nodded. “I did. I knew Emily from a function we attended together and really hit it off, and Sam and I are old friends. Knowing that they were looking for Littles of their own, once I heard about you three coming, I made the recommendations to Dr. Halgen and the board. I was already with another batch of Littles when Matilda came in, so I snatched two of you up while I could in the next batch that I was free…” “Oh yeah!” Matilda said, almost bouncing up. “I remembuh’ that! But… what was their name? Bert? Belinda… Becky! That’s it!” She then tapped on her chin, and her face grew cloudy for a moment. “I wonder whatever happened to her?” “Maybe we could look together later, honey…” Sam shot up after a second of silence amongst the group, likely feeling that loss and not wanting to deal with a sad Little wondering what happened to another potentially lost Little. Unfortunately, not all Psyche former batches had happy endings… “And Addy, we can’t thank you enough for that, but…” Emily, likely sensing that Addy had been laying her claim over Oliver, now looked back at the mall, an almost itchy feeling seemingly coming over her as the cuteness of the seemingly unattainable Oliver faded and the mall beckoned. “We’ve got a whole girl’s day planned, don’t we?” “Yes, yes, a thousand times yes!” Sam nearly squealed, likely now remembering their original purpose for being here. “Between being a mommy twice over and my job, I never seem to find the time to do any shopping lately. My spring wardrobe is abysmal!” “Same here,” Addy admitted with a sigh, not even remembering when she had a full night to herself since Oliver came into her life between his nightmares, her duties as a nurse, and trying to reconnect with her dad. “How about you, René?” “Oh, I get out and about as often as I can,” she confessed a little sheepishly as she quickly performed a diaper check on Colin before readjusting his elastic shorts and standing back up. “I go to the mall a lot to people watch. Gives me inspiration for my art pieces and all.” “Oh, how lucky!” Sam exclaimed before turning to Addy and Emily. “René here is a professional artist. You all would just lover her stuff!” René nodded. “You’re always too kind, Sam, but yep, that’s me. Sculpture, pottery, paintings… you name it, I’ve probably done it all for a client or two in some way the past few years now.” “Hey, girls,” Emily piped back up. “Let’s gossip about it inside. I just know there’s a piece of hers you all might enjoy especially considering our… new additions, but… let’s get shopping!” Everyone nodded their heads, and they all soon walked in together, Each Big holding the hand of their Little, or in the case of Sam, the hands of two Littles. Inside, they quickly made a plan of their wants and needs. It was eventually decided that first up, had to be the clothing. Sam and Emily never seemed to be able to shop anymore, René needed more clothes for Colin, and Addy could use another few pieces for the warmer weather she knew was around the corner. Unfortunately, this meant that Oliver was more or less by himself in the different section of the store they were in. “Stop fidgeting, Oliver,” Addy said, looking over to her Little as she saw him rocking back and forth or outright pacing around the racks of women’s clothing. “This store will just be a minute and then we can go find the others. I didn’t know we had so different needs today. Guess that’s what happens when a nurse, an artist, and two mommies hardly focused on much else get together.” Oliver rocked a little more but then stopped and looked back at Addy. “Is René not a mommy?” Addy chastised herself for that slip and she shook her head as she examined a pair of shorts that would work well with more than a few of her tops. “No, no. She’s just… more of a new type of mommy is all.” “New mommy?” Oliver questioned, his head cocking to one side even. Addy sighed. She hated getting into these sorts of details, but she also knew she couldn’t hold off forever from this sort of discussion. Setting the shorts down, she went over to Oliver and then turned him around to face the rest of the store. “I want you to look around, Oliver. Look at the Littles… more specifically, to the ones with a mommy.” It took a second for Addy to even find them herself, and when Oliver seemed to struggle for a moment, she simply scooped him up in her arms to give him a better view. Since he started his daily feedings with her, an action like that was never truly met with any sort of fuss anymore. “Now look over there,” she casually directed Oliver to a pair of women talking. One was dressed in a business suit and pushing her Little around in a stroller and the other was practically cooing over every inch of Little, each dress she picked out looking even more adorable than the last. “Okay… I see them, but… aren’t they both mommies?” he asked plainly. Addy shifted Oliver so he was looking back at her. “Yes, they are, honey. But… one has many aspects to her life, while the other focuses more on her Little almost exclusively afterward. The business mommy, as I like to say, her Little may not get all her attention, but she still loves him. And the other, the Little almost might get too much attention. If it was a plain baby, there might be a difference, but here… a lot of Littles prefer the business mommy… or the hobby mommy. Does that make sense?” Oliver seemed a little confused still, but he still nodded his head. Addy wasn’t sure if he actually got it or not, but it wasn’t a topic she wanted to focus too heavily on. For a Little, a mommy was a mommy, and the rest of the stuff didn’t matter as much unless you were that type of Little that got fussed over every second of every day. While she wasn’t a mommy, Addy suspected she was more of a business or hobby mommy. Her Little was a Little… but not a baby. The doting mommy tended to treat her Littles as babies, and that was fine… but Addy felt it was something she didn’t fully want for herself. Just as she sat Oliver back on the ground, Sam, Emily, René returned with their Littles in tow and several pieces of clothing under their arms. “You ready, Addy?” Addy nodded as she looked down at her pair of shorts, a few shirts, and one extra item she had snagged when Oliver wasn’t looking. ‘Gotta wait on that one. No sense in rocking the bird now. He might just flee at this point if he saw what I picked out for him…’ Addy wanted him unregressed… but that didn’t mean she didn’t want to never dip her toe in those waters either. Smiling to herself, she picked up the clothing and led Oliver over to her friends as they all went to the checkout. While there though, it became increasingly clear that their Littles were antsy and were having trouble staying still for even a minute. It was to be suspected, though Oliver was a little bit of a surprise to Addy. ‘Hmmm… maybe more of a Little than I thought…’ So, seeing their Littles like that, Sam, Emily, René all nodded their heads in agreement as they exited the store. As Emily and René slowly took off in one direction, Sam stopped Addy in her tracks. “Hold on a sec there, Ads.” Addy felt a moment of tension and panic rise in her chest. “Are we… are we not going with them?” Sam winced for a second. “Well… that depends on you and Oliver.” It wasn’t the best thing to hear out loud ever and Addy felt her stomach sink a little. “Okay… what is it?” Sam smiled. “It’s okay, I promise. Just… we know this mall and others like them, and importantly, we know our own Littles and they go to daycare. Oliver though…” Her voice drifted off for a moment as she looked down at him and curiously, he wasn’t even paying attention to them… seemingly far more focused on some candy being sold nearby. Smiling, Sam looked back at Addy. “Now, I don’t know the limits for you two but our Littles love daycare… but not so much with the shopping. Do you think Oliver is like that as well?” Addy could sense the hesitation in Sam’s voice, and she couldn’t blame her. A week ago, Addy would have told her friend that Oliver would be fine shopping with them… but after a few incidents of what felt like a short attention span at the facility and what she just witnessed after only about 20 minutes in the store, she wasn’t so sure anymore. “Go on…” Sam seemed to let out a little sigh of relief. “Okay, just hear me out. This mall has a place… Tommy Tot’s Fun Zone.” It wasn’t entirely unfamiliar to Addy. “It’s mostly a northern chain, but they employ zero hypnotics or drugs or any of that other nasty stuff. It’s basically like the daycare I send Patrick and Cara to, and they’ve been to this location here before and they love it. Slides and tubes and snack time and treats and all sorts of ways to entertain themselves. Plus, they give you a little personal beeper tied directly to your Little. Tracks them and alerts you if they freak out of if the place needs to get a hold of you. It’s also customizable so if Oliver needs a change and you want to be the one to do it… you can make that selection.” It was a lot coming at her at once… but Addy looked back at the still distracted Oliver… seemingly not even having a single clue as to their conversation. He could just be ignoring them or utterly fascinated with this world he’s barely gotten to explore… but Addy saw a part of him that she had only just started to see. His Little side was coming out and while she was hesitant to drop him off at such an unknown place… it was hard to deny that seeing Oliver interact with other Littles and get more of a taste of Little life outside the facility was anything but a good thing. Addy sighed and looked back at her friend. “Okay. Just… I might need a minute with him. I need to check with a lot of things even if this is what you say it is. No guarantees. I just… I don’t want him to…” Sam placed her hand on her friend’s shoulder. “It’s okay, Ads. No need to explain. You were there for both Patrick and Cara and you helped both of them and then me later when you helped me understand Psyche. You don’t need to explain. I understand. We’ll just do this one step at a time.” Addy, not even registering that she had been doing it, let out a large breath of tension. “Okay. Thank you, Sam.” Smiling and having her friend approve, Addy turned around to Oliver to pop him out of his seeming trance. “Oliver? Sweetie? Come here please.” She then held out her hand for him to take so she could pull him along and keep him safe. “We need to talk for a minute.” Oliver, not even hesitating for a second, quickly grabbed her hand and they all walked off toward Tommy Tot’s Fun Zone, soon catching up to both Emily and René. On their way, Addy nearly found her mouth open the whole time… first as she explained Tommy Tot’s Fun Zone, and then right after when she began to grill Oliver with what he was okay with. Not because she was horrified… but because she was surprised with how much he was okay with… even including a diaper change by someone else. So, when they finally got to the location at the far end of the mall, already full of other Littles at various states of regression, Addy was more questioning if ‘Tommy’ was the costumed person dressed up as the dinosaur, the tiger, or the elephant. Regardless, Addy then crouched down as Patrick, Cara, Matilda, and Colin all toddled off and into the place, only halting for a second to wait for Oliver. “Sweetie… you don’t have to do this. I won’t be mad.” Oliver though, only looked back at the other Littles and then back at Addy before shaking his head. “No. I wanna do this. I wanna see. And… you said you can come back anytime… right?” It seemed to be the key to this whole thing, like Addy was his personal parachute in all this now. Addy smirked at that and nodded quickly as she showed him the watch paired with his own wristband that he had been given a minute before. “See this? They can get ahold of me anytime and anywhere. You have a problem; you tell them and I’ll come running.” Oliver seemed more assured… except for one last to nudge of hesitation on the floor. “As fast as you can?” Addy smiled and took the opportunity to snuggle him close and give him a playful tickle… only for a second. “As fast as I can!” Oliver giggled and all his tension was completely gone. “Okay. I, uh…” He turned to see the others waving him on. “I gotta go then!” “Okay.” Addy stood back up after letting him run off, a slight gait in his waddle showing he might need a change soon. “But Oliver? Be careful… please?” Oliver turned only briefly and waved. “I promise!” And in a second, he was gone and laughter could be heard behind   Standing there, Addy felt the sudden brush of emptiness as her side was empty and her hand was unfilled by a small need palm of another. A second later, she felt a reassuring tap on her shoulder. Looking back, Addy saw it was Emily. “He didn’t even say goodbye…” Emily smiled along with Sam and René. “It’s okay. He’s just finding his footing out there with the others. And besides… you’ll see him in a few hours.” Her smirk then turned more devious and she then pivoted Addy toward the others. “Besides… you’ll be plenty distracted once we’re through!” Giving her a slight shake, everyone soon laughed, grabbed each other’s shoulders, and walked off into the mall. Alone as just a bunch of mommy Bigs now, the group soon leaned on each other to keep the fun rolling. Whenever one of them got a beep from their device, they would freak out for a second, none more than Addy… but another in the group would always assure them and keep the levity of the group up. Checking the readings each time, they all just had a laugh afterward for being so silly about worrying about their very safe Littles now. And to confirm, each time they looked a little closer, the device merely just informed them they were running or eating, or as with Oliver when his heart rate spiked, just getting a diaper change. But there were no alerts… no emergencies. So, even with a few bumps, the ladies just had their fun. First up was the spa. Tucked into a quiet corner of the mall, they were apparently the best for miles around and as each sank into first a mud bath and then a hot mud massage, no one had any doubts about that. “Isn’t this the life?” Sam questioned as another cucumber slice was placed over her eyes. “Oh yeah…” René quickly agreed, stretching out her toes, each of which had also been painted a vibrant red and were now drying. “Could use one of these at the facility,” Addy noted, her muscles already deflating from the tension. “So… what’s it like to work in that place, huh?” René questioned. “I got Colin from there and it made me really curious about the staff. Never met one of you for more than an hour honestly.” A month ago, Addy might have been enthusiastic and even defensive of anything negative about Psyche or even Juventas. Now, with all the changes and her deeper knowledge of the board… Addy was less sure. “It’s, uh… it’s been interesting lately…” There was a brief pause of silence before Sam sat up a little and turned to her friend. “Addy? Is everything okay there? You’re usually… well, so much happier about it. Did something happen?” Addy sighed. She knew she couldn’t keep her discontent quiet for long, but she still wasn’t sure how she truly felt about everything yet… or even where to go next with these feelings. “Yeah… picked up on that, huh?” The rest of the group nodded… though Emily seemed a little shakier with hers. “It’s just that… there’s been a lot of shake-ups lately. This new doctor has come in and made some serious changes, and our director should be a point of stability but she’s leaving soon and… I think she’s, well, I think she doesn’t care anymore about the rules. So… it’s been tough.” “Oh my god,” Sam said, clearly shocked. “I had no idea.” “Hmmm… I was wondering if things had changed,” René noted after. “I got this commission from someone who just got a new Little from you all… was a little surprised that they of all people got a Little. More traditional… didn’t even care that their Little couldn’t talk or walk… just how round and cute their cheeks were.” Her body shuddered a little afterward. The conversation continued like that for a moment, and everyone expressed their sympathies or thoughts or concerns or even opinions on the subject… except for Emily. The occasional nod or agreement… but nothing more, something Addy picked up on. After, they then attended a pottery and sip workshop. Small and simple and their designs remained small, but between the four women René easily outclassed them all… and to no one’s surprise. Addy did manage to make a pretty decent vase, and she wanted to come back here with Oliver one day if she could and make someone with him with their Little’s classes… but she was continually distracted by Emily. Silent and withdrawn, she clearly wasn’t her usual self. And Addy almost cornered her about it, but by then, everyone was starving and more than ready for lunch. Finding a bistro, they all sat down and quickly ordered. Sandwiches and salads and iced teas were pretty standard amongst the group, and they all cheered their glasses on a successful day. They knew they would soon have to pick up their Littles from Tommy Tot’s Fun Zone, but for now, they were content with the relative peace and quiet they were sharing together. They all agreed, Littles were wonderful, but sometimes, even the best of mommies and caregivers could use a break. Soon after Addy had finished the first of her sub, she excused herself to the restroom. Finishing up, she also checked on Oliver. Still safe… though seemingly starting to slow down based on his heartrate. She knew he would need a nap today for sure, but she only smiled at it and turned the corner. ‘Need to make sure he’s freshly changed for that. Little guy just can’t seem to keep anything in anymo…’ “Addy…” Emily suddenly stopped Addy right as she turned the corner. Looking around, as if they were being watched, the police sergeant soon pushed her back into the shadows. “Shhh… we need to talk.” Frowning, Addy nodded but was more than a little frustrated. “Okay, stop. What the hell is going on with you? Ever since I talked about Psyche and Juventas… you’ve been silent as the grave. What’s going on? Did I do something wrong? Say something wrong or…?” “No, no!” Emily said, shaking her head. “You’re fine. It’s… it’s me.” Addy felt confused. “You? What do you mean by that? What’s you?” “You didn’t do something wrong. I did,” she clarified with heavy words. “The investigation… the one that could have stopped all this and Dr. Tracey and the removal of Dr. Halgen… and all the regressions and funny drugs… it could have been stopped by now.” Addy’s frown returned. “The investigation… the one you pulled me in on with Dr. Halgen last year? That one you mean?” Emily showed a streak of shame and nodded. “Yes, that one. The investigation stopped… went quiet. I got assigned to a shipment of FOY coming up from Tanassum state. It cooled everything else according to my commander and I had to follow orders. Then… when I was done with all that… I got wind of Halgen’s position instability so I mobilized as fast as I could, but it was too late. Dr. Tracey was already there and presented the task force with a whole new set of problems.” “It did?” Addy figured, but hearing all this fresh now was intriguing her to say the least. “Yes. Halgen and I wanted you because you could work the strings originally from your position alone. Now… with her in the mix…” She paused and winced. “Well, we might need more…” She paused again. “So, tell me… Oliver… how is he really? I saw him today and with the diapers and how he acted…” She slightly winced. “Is he still… all there?” Addy questioned what she was asking until it hit her hard what she was trying to imply. “He’s not regressed or braindead, Emily. He’s just… he’s turning into a Little. I’m keeping him away from any of the other more dangerous stuff the others are using… but he just might like soft things now and cartoons and naps and he needs his diapers and all… but he’s still Oliver.” Emily let out a sigh of relief. “Good. Very good. If you’re willing… our operation might still be a go. We’ve found some new… unexpected allies, and if you’re okay with it, we could use you and Oliver.” “Both of us?” Remembering when she got his file, she knew he was selected for her by Dr. Halgen personally because of his previous undercover experience… but to involve them both in this Emily nodded. “I’m afraid so. Both you would be required for either of our plans involving you all. But… that’s all I can say for now. I just… I feel so guilty with everything that’s happening.” She sniffed. “Maybe if I had… maybe if I had only pushed harder, none of this would be happening like it is…” She paused and her eyes became a little misty. “I mean, how many Littles are gone forever because I didn’t push harder?” It was a tough question and while Addy knew there were some truths to her words, she knew she couldn’t take all the blame. That was on Dr. Tracey and the board. “It’s okay,” she said, reaching out and rubbing her friend’s shoulder. “You couldn’t have known, and… sure, the investigation might have stopped some things… but it was bound to happen with you or not.” It felt strange saying that out loud, but seeing it all from a new perspective lately, Addy could see that the fall of the Juventas board was only inevitable. The incident in Losantiville should have changed it all, but it didn’t and only postponed the judgement of the company. Addy just didn’t know anymore where that left her in all this mess. But regardless, with that conversation now done, both ladies returned to their meals and began to joke once more. Both seemed distracted occasionally and both knew why the other was, but neither said a thing about it. If either was right in their information and this task force, they knew dark days were ahead for both of them. The least they could do now was enjoy today. Which is why, an hour later, having picked up their Littles together, everyone was all smiles and departed as good friends, wishing and hoping to do this again sometime soon. Buckling Oliver in his car seat once more, Addy beamed down at her Little yet also felt a ping of sadness and worry over his potential role in all this. She didn’t know what it was, but listening to him go on about what happened at Tommy Tot’s Fun Zone, she found it hard to fathom that he should be taken on any dangerous task anytime soon. But she also had seen an ad for Psyche New Beginnings in the mall as well. It was plain and there were simple words, but the clearly regressed and yet still distressed Little with the tagline, “Any Little, Any Way, Any Mind, Any Condition… We Serve All,” had sent a chill up her spine. She was half tempted to tear it down, but she instead just moved on and cursed where Psyche was heading now. ‘Stupid company. If my mom was alive, it would have never gotten this ba…’ “Addy? Addy?” she heard her name called out and then felt her sleeve being pulled. Addy shook her head and realized that Oliver was trying to get her attention about something. “Oh! Sorry, honey. Got distracted by something… disturbing is all.” He pouted for a second but then continued right along. “I was just sayin’ that I really, really loved that place, and Patrick and Cara and Matilda and Colin. They’re so cool!” Addy was pleasantly surprised but being the nurse that she still was at Psyche, she was curious about something in particular. “So… you don’t mind hanging out with all those babies today?” Oliver thought about it but only for a second before shaking his head. “No. They’re like me. We’re not babies. We’re Littles.” “Oh?” Addy knew she shouldn’t have sounded so shocked and had just moved on with a praise and a cuddle before returning to the facility, but Oliver had never fully admitted that he was a Little out loud before. “Yeah! I’m a Little. They’re a Little… we’re all Littles!” There was a simplistic logic about his words and as Addy ruffled his hair and soon drove off, she knew what he was probably seeing. He was getting deeper into the program himself and, maybe besides Cara who was still affected by her time being kidnapped, Patrick and Colin weren’t the most regressed Littles ever and Matilda usually was more of a mimic than anything else, becoming more babylike when she was with more regressed Littles and more mature on days like today. So, from his perspective, they were all just Littles about on his level now… no matter even if that meant old Oliver would have only seen that the same as calling himself a baby. Looking back in her rearview mirror seeing Oliver already passed out, she silently cursed herself… yet found something not so bad either. ‘Drats! Didn’t change him, but… I guess if he does leak, he’s just a Little, and sometimes, Littles leak. For him, I think now, it will just mean another diaper change and nothing more. It’s not an accident to him… it’s just his new life.’ It’s a hard revelation to reckon with as a progressive Big caring for a Little, but Addy only smiled as she drove back to the facility with that in mind. Getting back though, fortunately, Oliver had not leaked. Addy still checked him and found him soaked… but not leak. Taking a more thorough look, Addy realized that Tommy Tot’s Fun Zone had changed him into a thicker diaper while he was there, this one even complete with cartoon animals on the strip. ‘Hmmm… if you didn’t fight getting diapered by these, buddy, then I’m definitely going to need to keep you in these puppies more now…’ Another change in his life, but instead, this one was only marked by Oliver wrapping his sleepy arms around Addy as they walked inside. Instead of peace though… both walked into find a mess… chaos erupting everywhere around them. “Ginny! Put that knife down this instance!” Cassie yelled at another Little. “Sharp objects are not toys! And… oh!” She wheeled to another Little currently running around with a pair of pans… regressed far more than he should and nearly smacking into Jacob who was just trying to quietly play with his stuffy on the rug. “Slow down! Slow down and hand those to me!” Addy stepped inside with Oliver on one arm and her shopping bags in the other. Both looked bewildered at the scene around them… Dr. Tracey and Dr. Halgen nowhere to be seen. Concerned, Addy quickly spotted a Little very nearly about to burn the curtains down. “Hey!” Addy stopped them in time and lectured them, but after… the chaos still raging, she spotted a peculiar sight. There, sitting all alone was Xander. This time, he wasn’t the cause of the chaos. He wasn’t the fury or the anger or the violence of any kind erupting around them. But stepping closer, Addy’s concerns still grew. “And you T, you will stay here in the gatehouse… in case we’re being watched or followed. There’s a breach there… a blind spot… and D… you need to stick with me. I need more help these days…” It sounded like an invasion plan… except this one was with toys and stuffies and wooden blocks, and as Addy neared the former criminal, there was most definitely a smell of ammonia emanating from the Little’s puffy rear. Still, there was something about the whole thing that Addy was transfixed on. “Oh! Addy! Thank goodness you’re back,” Erin said, breaking Addy’s concentration on Xander, running over and giving her a quick hug and then playing with Oliver’s cute little leg for a moment. “The middle batch was getting settled in after coming back from their potential caregiving day and they just went crazy. There’s paint in the kitchen and tears in the wallpaper in the hallway, and… I don’t even want to mention the bathroom down here. Something telling me that we’re going to need another shipment of diapers pretty soon here…” Addy smiled and nodded. “Okay. Let me make sure that Oliver here is all set upstairs and let me store these in his room… but then I’ll be back down in a jiffy and get us out of this mess.” Erin, nearly on the verge of tears of happiness, patted her shoulder. “Bless you, Addy… thank you. I… I have no idea where Halgen or Tracey are. And a few of the other nurses are on holiday or out with their Littles. Cassie and I have been trying with a few of the others but…” Addy patted her friend’s hand. “It’s okay, Erin. I’m here now and we’ll deal with this together. If you get a sec… maybe consider preparing a few… happy meals for some of the harder cases.” “I…” Erin seemed confused and then nodded after looking Oliver. ‘Happy Meals’ was code for medicated food to relax a Little’s mind. Psyche didn’t like that route, but tough times called for tough, most importantly, temporary measures. “Right. Got it.” Addy nodded. “Now go. I’ll be back soon. I promise.” Nodding herself, Erin soon rushed off and Addy soon departed as well. Just as she was about to go back up the stairs though, she caught one last glimpse of Xander. Sitting there, talking to himself and the blocks and the toys around him… he looked every inch the Little he was meant to be coming here. It should be a success story in the making and one of relief. But to Addy, beyond his padded undergarments now and talking to inanimate objects and even the occasional giggle, she felt something weird in the base of her gut. The same thing she had been questioning now came to the absolute front of her mind: ‘what did Dr. Halgen do?’ It seemed so simple and straightforward but something about Xander made him seem stuck between two worlds. For a Little, that rarely ended well. Addy just hoped she was wrong. Unfortunately, though, before she could unpack that notion whether she was or not, with chaos reigning supreme around her, Addy could only sigh and focus on the problems of this place today as she reshuffled Oliver and climbed the stairs.

shaky

hi new to dd, but was looking for a story i may have found here a while back. The premise was that there were two girls in college with one who wore diapers due to childhood tramua i think and the other non-wearing friend was trying to help her no longer needing to use them. The girl who wore was I believe asian and the climax of the story or at least some part of it had them in some shared bathroom dealing with her messing. Thanks in advance if anything can be found off of this. Its been so long since I've seen this story i have no idea if it could even still be up.