Chapter one
Ellery
My heart hammered in my chest as I paced around my room. My whole body was thrumming with excitement and a touch of nerves. My bestie and roommate, Tristan, recently met his Daddy, and I was happy for him, I truly was, but new changes always put me out of sorts.
Tristan and I had been best friends for over five years. We met in an online group for littles and were both looking for a roommate. I was excited to move in with a fellow little, but I never expected us to become best friends. At this point, we were basically siblings.
When we first moved in together, we both had crappy day jobs that were sucking the life out of us. Then, one fateful night, we were onthe couch eating pizza, complaining about how much we hated our jobs, and that’s when our small business was born.
Tristan crocheted, and his work was amazing. He made the most adorable stuffed animals and blankets that felt like being surrounded by clouds.
I’d learned to sew in a home economics class in high school, and when my teacher noticed how much I loved it, they’d kept the class open after hours so I could use the school’s sewing machines. Those rare quiet moments when it was just me, some fabric, and the low hum of my sewing machine brought me the peace I needed to get through to the next day.
Ever since I was little, I’d dreamed of learning how to make my own dresses, but let’s just say my parents weren’t the most supportive of what they considered such a “feminine” hobby.
As soon as I was old enough, I got a job and started saving, and the day after Tristan and I moved in together, I went and bought my first sewing machine. It was beautiful. In the first few weeks, I barely left my room except to go to work and eat.
Tristan had gotten worried that I was avoiding him, but when I showed him my machine and the dress I was making, he squealed with excitement and hugged me so hard I nearly died.
Looking down at my bag, I sighed. I was supposed to be leaving soon to spend the night with Tristan and his Daddy. I was excited, but it had just been Tristan and me for years, and I was worried that this would change our friendship. I mean, obviously it was going to change things, but what if he realized he didn’t need me anymore?
My parents and I hadn’t spoken since the day I moved out. Tristan was my best friend, but he was also the only family I had left. I loved him like a brother and hoped we’d always be close.
We both dreamed of the day we could regress together with our future daddies. This was just a step in that direction. Everything was going to go perfectly. It had to.
Once I had everything I needed stuffed in my duffel bag, I zipped it up and got dressed. I decided on some leggings and a flowy satin blouse. I loved the way the material felt against my skin. It was soft and felt like a warm hug.
Not even an hour later, I was standing in front of Daniel’s door waiting for him to answer. It was only a few seconds before the door was opened and Tristan was pulling me inside. I couldn’t help but laugh as he practically dragged me along.
Daniel scooped Tristan up and popped him on his hip to give me a moment to catch my breath. “I know you’re excited, little one, but Ellery just got here. Let’s give them a second to get settled, then we can show them around.”
Daniel’s voice was calm and full of affection as he helped Tristan calm down. I couldn’t blame him for his excitement, it was infectious, and I felt all my earlier worries melt away.
Tristan looked at me, his expression full of guilt. “Sowwie.” Oh no, I was not going to let my bestie apologize for being excited.
“Don’t be sorry, buddy. I’m super excited too. I just need a moment to get changed and my stuff put away.”
Tristan beamed at me and pointed over his Daddy’s shoulder down the hall. Before I could even ask what the gesture meant, Daniel spoke. “In case you need it, the bathroom is the first door on the left, and the one next to it is a guest room where you can change and set your bags.”
“Thank you.” I waved to Tristan before heading down the hall to the guest room. Setting my bag on the bed, I pulled out my favorite dress. It was a sparkling purple princess dress with a fluffy tulle skirt and gold embroidery. It was gorgeous and never failed to help me slip into little space.
Once I was fully dressed, I grabbed my tiara and placed it on my head, making sure it didn’t get tangled in my curls. Opening the door to the guest room, I made my way down the hall, loving the way my dress swished and swayed as I moved.
Daniel and Tristan weren’t in the living room. Soft giggling filtered in from the kitchen, and I followed the adorable sound. “Ewwie, Ewwie, Dada made us choccy milk. I helped.”
I couldn’t help but smile. My bestie knew me so well. “Chocolate milk is the best!”
Daniel grabbed our cups and hoisted Tristan into his arms before leading us into the living room. Daniel handed me my chocolate milk, then sat on the couch and motioned for me to join them.
My tulle skirt was puffy, so I smoothed it down carefully as I sat down to make sure I didn’t get tangled up in the fabric.
Taking a small sip of my chocolate milk, I nearly moaned at the yummy goodness. I had no doubt Tristan helped pour in the chocolate syrup because it was extra chocolatey, just how we liked it. Tristan was taking big gulps of his milk, but I was perfectly fine taking small sips, savoring the flavor.
Daniel took advantage of the silence and spoke with a cool, controlled calm. The rumbling sound seeped into me, making me even moreexcited to play with my friend. “Before we get to the fun parts, I just wanted you to know that while this isn’t really a scene, both of you can use the stoplight system at any time if needed, so we can stop and talk about what happened. My goal is for both of you to have some much-needed fun together and to help in any way you need. For that to work, I need both of you to promise to communicate if you need anything or are uncomfortable.”
Any lingering anxiety I might have had disappeared with his kind and thoughtful words. “Thank you for saying that. It takes me a while to warm up to new people, especially in little space. In the short time I’ve known you, you’ve made my best friend incredibly happy and have gone above and beyond to assure me I’m welcome and safe with you. I promise I’ll let you know. You’re a really good Daddy, and I’m so happy Tristan has you.”
Daniel’s eyes sparkled with appreciation. “Thank you, Ellery, that means a lot. I want you little ones to relax and have fun.”
