(ahaha...i wrote "hush" but this isn't a continuation of that bc i had some other things i wanted to write about. i swear eventually i'll actually write a scene between these three.)

"So how little would you want to be, ideally?"

Taliesin looks at Marisha, coffee mug halfway to his mouth. "Uh-"

"Matt and I have been reading more," she continues. "And we were talking about how people seem to play at different ages, and how old you are when we're playing. And I'd say you're maybe around four?"

Taliesin feels his ears go red, but he nods. "Probably, that sounds right."

"Well..." Marisha clicks her nails against the tabletop, looking thoughtful. "We were just wondering- you get so nervous talking about this stuff, it took you years to even ask for it at all. So Matt and I were wondering if you've wanted to play younger."

Shit. Taliesin has been dreading broaching this subject. He'd hoped they'd have a while longer of figuring out this whole- thing- before he tentatively brought up some of the other things he's wanted to try.

The good news is that if Matt and Marisha have been reading up even more, that means they're more okay with the situation than Taliesin had hoped. He takes a deep breath.

"Yeah," he says. "I've definitely wanted some, uh, other things."

Marisha gives him such a sweet, tender look that he can feel that little headspace waking up. "You could've told us."

"I was going to. Promise," he says at Marisha's doubtful frown. "I just thought we might need more time, but- if you guys are willing to jump right in then I guess I am too."

"So what have you wanted to try?"

Taliesin stares at the table. Marisha squeezes his hand, but doesn't make him look up. "I've wanted to be really little," he admits. "Like...maybe a year old little. If that, sometimes."

He doesn't expect the warm "awww" Marisha makes, so he looks up at her. She gives him a gentle smile and rubs her thumb in circles across the back of his hand.

"We could totally do that," she says. "So when you say 'stuff', do you mean bottles, pacifiers-?"

His face is definitely on fire now. He just nods weakly.

Marisha leans across the table and kisses his forehead. "I'm cool with that. Matt and I were actually talking about it, wondering if there were things you hadn't brought up."

"Yeah?"

"Mmhm. He was saying he thought you'd be really cute with a binky."

Taliesin lets out a relieved, slightly breathless laugh.

---

They don't have the time to really get into it for another couple weeks, but eventually they're able to block off a weekend. Taliesin arrives Friday evening; they've started to keep most of his things at Matt and Marisha's, but he does ferry a couple things back and forth, pajamas, a few books.

Matt and Marisha greet him with quick kisses, then usher him into the spare bedroom that's been staked out as his. Sitting on his bed next to his stuffed animals is a gift bag, and he grins.

"We ordered some things," Matt says. "Go on, baby, open up."

Taliesin takes a seat on the bed, pulling a stuffed penguin into his lap as he slowly settles into his headspace, and peeks into the bag. First he pulls out, to his shy delight, a pacifier, his exact favorite shade of purple.

"We already cleaned it," Marisha says. "Here, open wide."

Taliesin only hesitates briefly, then parts his lips so Marisha can guide the pacifier into his mouth. It's an unfamiliar sensation, but comforting. He can feel himself sliding further down, and it feels so good.

Two sippy cups and a bottle come next, and Marisha scurries off to the kitchen to fill the latter with warm milk. There's new footie pajamas and a very soft blanket at the bottom of the bag, and Taliesin wraps his arms around Matt's middle in a loving hug.

Matt chuckles and musses his hair. "We got you one more thing," he says. "We...weren't totally sure if you wanted this, so if you don't like it, it's out, no problem. Okay?"

Taliesin nods, eyes wide and curious. Matt pulls something out from under the bed and holds it out so Taliesin can get a good look.

It's a plastic package of diapers. Taliesin stares, uncertain that this, in fact, happening.

"Is this okay?" Matt asks. He sounds hesitant. "If you don't like it we can forget all about it, baby."

"'S okay," Taliesin says around the pacifier still in his mouth.

Matt gives him a small smile. "Yeah?"

Taliesin's not sure he's ever been this embarrassed in his life- not that he gets embarrassed easily -but he still nods and slowly returns Matt's smile.

"All right, baby. Let me help you get your jammies on."

Taliesin lets Matt undress him and lays back on the bed as directed. He freezes up when Matt pulls out a diaper, but- he loves and trusts both Matt and Marisha so much. He still blushes, but he just hides his face with his plush penguin, which makes Matt laugh softly and gently pat his thigh.

Marisha comes back into the room while Matt is taping up the diaper. "Look at my sweet baby," she says. "Isn't he the cutest? Here, baby, I got you a bottle."

Marisha sits down on the bed, placing Taliesin's head in her lap and softly tugging the pacifier out of his mouth, replacing it with the rubber nipple of the bottle. She strokes Taliesin's hair while she feeds him, and he feels so...safe. A little ridiculous still, but good, comfortable.

They both help him into the new pajamas, dark blue with little dinosaurs patterned across it. Matt and Marisha stand back and admire their handiwork. The genuine looks of adoration on their faces is soothing, though he still ducks his head down shyly, still a little overwhelmed.

"What a cute baby," Matt says. "Are you nice and cozy?"

Taliesin nods. He does, actually- it feels strange, the thick diaper wrapped around him, the bottle of milk in his mouth -but he's warm and soft and loved.

Marisha takes his hand. "Let's watch a movie before bedtime," she says. "Mama and Daddy are gonna give their baby a great weekend."