All The Small Things

125

[Jacob POV]

When we left, Mason said he wanted to try and learn more about age regression, so I said he could come over on a day off and see what it's like. He was really excited about the idea. He said a girl in his class called him close-minded, so he's trying to change. Which, actually, is kinda cute.
"Mason wants to try and understand what little space is, so would it be okay if one of my days off, he came over and watched you with me? Dady's still gonna be there. Okay?" I suggested. He nodded a lot and stimmed at the idea, which is a much better reaction than he could've had. I would've been comoeltley fine with a no, but I was more worried about crying. So I set up the date with Mason about when to do it, and we settled on my next day off. Thursday. None of us had anything going on, and we'd get Luca's medicine refilled a few days before. So, hopefully, he'd be in a good mood.

Day off, the morning started off a little rough. Mason showed up and sat around with me in the kitchen, talking about the girl in his class until Luca started loudly crying in the bedroom. I quickly set my phone down and hurried to go get him, turning the light on.
"Dady..." He cried, hiccuping. I scooped him up and let him rest his head on my shoulder as I tried to soothe him. Mason reached over and rubbed his back while I rocked him.
"Oliver..." He whispered, lifting up his head and making Mason look confused.
"His stuffed animal," I briefly explained, picking it up off the bed and handing it over. He roughly wiped his tears away and cautiously looked at my brother.
"You're okay, Baby. Do you remember how he was gonna come over?" I asked, getting a little nod as he took a shakey breath.

"You need breakfast though," I mumbled, mostly to myself, as I walked back to the kitchen.
"What do you want?" I asked after I set him down.
"Cer-al..." He slurred, making Mason grin a little.
"I can do cereal," I said, getting down a bowl. While I poured it and the milk, Luca sat next to Mason. My brother was on the arm of the couch, even though our mom constantly tells him not to, and Luca was next to him.
"Is he your friend?" I heard Mason softly ask.
"Mhm... You hold?" Luca offered.
"I'm okay," Mason declined.
"Do you want a metal spoon or plastic?" I asked as I set his breakfast on the table. He hummed for a minute before deciding plastic.
"Sit here and eat it," I told him as he got up and sat in front of his food. If I turn anything on, he'll get distracted. So, I opted not to.
"Does he not like metal spoons?" Mason asked as I stood next to him.
"Not really. He only likes little spoons, and plastic doesn't have a big spoon option," I explained.

"Don't bite the spoon, actually eat," I redirected Luca in the middle of me and Mason's conversation.
"How do you realize he's doing something he shouldn't when you're in a conversation?" He asked.
"He gets quiet. He normally babbles to himself, and when he isn't, he's probably doing something he shouldn't.
" 'm done..." Luca told me, kicking his legs.
"Are you done or just bored?" I asked. He thought about it again for a minute before deciding he was actually done.
"Okay," I sighed, picking up his bowl and dumping it down the sink.
"Don't bite on the spoon. It'll break in your mouth and hurt," I warned him as he got up from the table, holding my hand out for him to give me it. He pouted but complied before running into our bedroom for something to do.
"What's he getting?" Mason asked.
"Something to play with," I answered as I washed the bowl he just used.

Luca came back with the markers that Spade gave him and stood at the kitchen counter, waiting for me.
"Do you need something?" I asked as I rinsed the dish.
"Color," Luca mumbled, standing on his tip toes.
"Then go color, babe. You got paper," I said. He shook his head a little but didn't elaborate any further. I set the bowl in the strainer and let Luca drag me over to the couch with him.
He demanded my arm, the one with the snake tattoo, stay face up while he colored and drew.
"Can you turn something on? It's quiet," I asked Mason. He picked up the remote and started scrolling. He didn't scroll too far when he looked over at me for some sort of guidance.
"Any kids' show should be fine," I mumbled. When my arm was thoroughly covered in ink, I could tell Luca wanted to draw on Mason.
"Go draw on him," I encouraged Luca after Mason had turned on Bluey.
"Draw a... kitty," Luca decided, quickly focusing on his piece of artwork.

He drew more than one kitty. He drew many and more things than just a cat. He didn't plan on stopping until his phone rang. I looked at the coffee table and saw the ID was just a number, so I picked it up for him.
"Hello?" I asked, putting it on speaker.
"Can you put my child on the phone?" They asked. It took everything in me not to throw his phone down when I heard who's voice it was. It was, lo and behold, his mother.
"Sure," I mumbled, setting it in front of Luca but not taking it off speaker.
"Just say hi to her, I'm right here," I reassured him, scratching his head.
"Hi, Momma..." He barely whispered.
"You love embarrassing me, don't you? You just love for me and your dad to drive all the way out to see you, then you thank us by driving me to the point I have to hit you!" She raged. I looked over at Mason, doing my best to bite my tongue and just silently comfort my boyfriend.
"No... I-I'm sorry. Momma, don't get mad," He tried to apologize.
"Mad? Oh, I'm not mad. I'm shocked how I give you everything for 19 years of your life, and you can't seem to be thankful," She ranted.
"Okay, he's gonna have to call you back. The phone's about to die on you," I lied, picking up Luca's cell from the table.
"Call me after it's charged," She demanded before hanging up. I rolled my eyes, but Luca wanted to sit in my lap.

"How old is he when he's little?" Mason asked. Luca was playing pretend by himself on the floor, next to the TV.
"It changes. Right now, I'd say probably 2 or 3," I guessed. "But, sometimes he's a lot younger. That's normally only if he feels sick or after his naps,"
"No! Don't bite me!" Luca exclaimed, getting louder as he played. It caught Mason a little off-gaurd, though. I shook my head to show him it wasn't anything serious.
"He's just playing. You should see him play house. It's fucking wild," I commented. However, I didn't realize Luca was listening to me until I looked over and saw him fighting the urge to repeat it.
"Fucking..." He barley whispered.
"Luca," I firmly said, making him look at me.
"I didn't even say it that loud!" He whined, pouting at me. I didn't make him sit in time out on the condition that he didn't say any other bad words. He managed.

"Dady! Hold you," He whined before his nap.
"Baby, I'm making lunch," I told him. He pouted and turned to Mason instead.
"Hold you...?" He very softly asked, reaching up for him. I felt the smallest twang of jealousy as he scooped my boyfriend up, but didn't let it get to me. I finished cooking and turned off the stove before taking my baby from Mason. Nothing personal, I just wanna hold him.
"Dady, 'm sleepy..." He whined, teething on my shoulder.
"Then take your nap," I suggested, scratching his head. It didn't take long for him to pass out. Mostly rocking and sensory videos. If you've seen it, you know what I mean. I think big or little he'd still be immersed when watching it. As of right now, stimboard compilations are his best friend.
"To be honest, it's a lot better for him to lay next to me and fall asleep that way so I don't move him anytime I get up, but I don't think he would've done it that way today," I explained, rubbing his back even after he was sleeping.

"Oh. Why not?" Mason asked.
"You remember how he woke up sobbing basically?" I asked, getting a nod. "I can guarantee he had a really bad nightmare, so he's not gonna wanna take his nap regardless. The only way really is to get Luca to take his nap after a bad sleep is to hold and cuddle him,"

I paused the stimboard video while I went to go show Mason Luca's little space stuff. His teether and paci and stickers. All that stuff. I had gone on to show him his sippy cup I left on the nightstand since Luca fell asleep with it when my boyfriend cautiously toddled over to me.
"Is your nap all done?" I asked as he sat in my lap. He looked like he wanted to go back to sleep, but he fought it.
"Bite..." He whined, reaching for his teether. It was a half-assed reach, but I let it slide since he was just waking up.
"Hold you..." He whined when I shifted. So now, I was just stuck on the bedroom floor until Luca wanted to do something else.
"I like your hair," Mason mentioned, making him smile.
"Spade do it for my birthday," He lisped, still chewing on his toy. There was a notification that came from Mason's phone, and he checked it before telling us Mom wanted him home.
"Can you tell him bye-bye?" I asked. Luca stood up and hugged him before saying goodbye, while I stood up. I guess now I gotta get him to listen on my own again.