The Baby Game: A Dose of Reality

“Alex, are you ready? Mark will be here soon.”

“I know!” Alex called from the hall.

“Oh, there you are.”

“Yeah, I was coming al-”

“Mark'll be here soon.”

“I know.” He sighed. “Are you sure we can't cancel?”

“Absolutely not!” Mom said. “We're going out dancing.” Her eyes seemed to sparkle at the very thought. “And you and Mark will have fun here.”

“But why?” He had not had the heart to tell her half of what Mark had done to him. She didn't even seem to care all that much about what she had seen Mark do, saying again and again how nice it was that they were getting along.

“It's only a few hours. We'll be back before nine. And, more importantly, it'll be good for you to spend time with a boy your age.”

“I have friends, mom!” Alex protested. “You said I couldn't go over to Sam's house or Devin's or anyone's.”

“Because Mark is nearly here.” She said. “His sweater is on the coffee table. I hope you thank him for bailing you out.”

“That's not what happened.” Alex muttered, but Mom had already moved on.

“And don't forget to empty the dishwasher.”

“Already did.” He felt the corners of his mouth twitch as he realized he had surprised her for once, following her to the kitchen to confirm that he had, in fact, done it.

“Thank you.” She said, leaving unspoken the implicit ‘without being told?'. “This isn't where the stool goes though.” She returned it to the corner as Alex heard the sound of a car pulling up. The world seemed sharper as Mom herded him back toward the living room. This was it.

Mark arrived and Alex wished he had hidden. He realized it was ridiculous, but he half-expected Mark to sweep him into his arms the moment he and his dad arrived. Even though he was cheerfully chatting with Alex's mom, Alex watched him warily.

“It's no big deal.” Mark said. “I'm not even the only one in my grade that got it.”

“Humble.” His dad said, patting his arm. “Alright, we'd better hit the dusty trail.” He chuckled, but Alex didn't hear what he said next because Mark looked over at him. He squirmed and Mark turned his attention back to the parents.

“We're good to order pizza, right?”

“Sure. There's coupons on the fridge that might not be expired.” Mom said. “Alex, how about you go check?”

“Ok.” He left the room, glad of something to do. It's only a few hours. He reminded himself. We'll play games, eat pizza, then it'll be done. He grabbed the coupons and took a calming breath. He's your age, just talk to him like he's Sam or Devin or anyone.

“Did you bring any cool games?” He called as he began to head back for the living room.

“No need to yell.” Mark said, immediately scooping him up and cradling him in his arms as he walked toward the living room.

“Hey! Let me-”

“No yelling.” Mark repeated. “Or are you just that excited to see me?’

"No!”

“But I've been looking forward to seeing you!” He said with a laugh, rocking Alex a bit. “I know what this is. You're back to pretending to be big.” He tossed Alex onto the couch. “Well, guess I gotta remind you what you are.”

“No, stop!”

“Then you tell me what you are.”

“A… I'm a silly little boy.”

“What was that?”

“Ugh.”

“I didn't hear you.”

“I'm a silly little boy.”

“You sure are. I saw you wiggle when I just thought the word tickle at you.”

“Did no- Eeee, eeee, ee!” Mark tickled his sides.

“Chipmunk cheeks, marshmallow tum, cutie patootie tootsies.” Alex bucked as Mark cupped one of his feet in his hand. “Looks like you're the silliest itty bittiest little boy!” Alex thought that suddenly lunging would catch Mark by surprise, but instead, he caught Alex in his arms. “And silly little boys are oh so ticklish!”

Alex had no idea how long the tickling lasted. Mark would pause just long enough to let him catch his breath before sending him back into a world of soprano squeals, helpless giggling, and so, so much tickling. He could barely see Mark through his tear-filled eyes, though even while laughing uproariously, he still could hear his near-constant stream of comments about what a little boy he was and how he just couldn't believe how ticklish Alex was, often punctuated by just saying 'tickle, tickle, tickle’ in goofy voices.

By the time Mark finally relented, Alex realized he had lost his shirt and shorts. He had vague memories of them coming off, but it was still startling to realize he was in front of Mark in nothing but his underwear once again.

“Where are my” he spied his clothes out of reach.

“What are you looking for?”

“My clothes. I can't-” Mark's hand covered his mouth.

“Shh.” Mark said. “We need to talk about these first.” He snapped Alex's waistband.

“What about them?”

“You're so cute.” Mark said. “I suppose silly little boys don't know these things, even silly little boys who need to pretend to be big because it's just you and momma, huh?”

“I-”

“Shh.” Mark repeated. He sat down on the couch and put Alex on his lap. “Here's what we're gonna do. No more talking for now. If you need to say something, you'll nod-nod for yes.” He demonstrated. “Or shake-shake for no.” Again, he demonstrated. “Understand?” Alex nodded. “Very good.” Mark smiled. “Now, you're an itty bitty little boy, right?” Alex groaned. He knew this was a trick! He shook his head. “Oops, it's nod-nod for yes, Alex.” He gently took Alex’s chin and nodded his head for him. “And very little boys, especially silly little boys like you, love being in their undies, don't they?” He chuckled as if Alex had nodded himself instead of Mark making him nod. “Yep! But silly little boys don't wear boxer briefs, do they?”

“I'm not a silly little boy!”

“You are. You admitted it. Plus, only a silly little boy would bunny hop through a restaurant with food all over his face.” He tickled Alex's sides to make a smile burst across his face. “And you're proud of it! But back to no talking, little boy. Now, be honest. Do you have any undies in your room” his room! Mark had to see his room! But no getting distracted, not when they were so close to a breakthrough. “That aren't boxer briefs?” He let Alex answer himself, disappointed when he shook his head. “No briefs?” Headshake. “No pull-ups?” An outraged headshake. “No diapers?” That was too far for Alex.

“I'm the same age as you!”

“But remember, I'm a young man and you're a” he paused, hoping Alex would fill in the blank. “A silly little boy! You gotta start saying it or we'll have to go back to tickles and then we won't even get to order pizza!” He leaned down close. “What are you, Alex?”

“A silly little boy.”

“Silly little boys don't wear boxers!” Mark's tone made it sound like that was the goofiest thing he had ever seen. Granted, the white boxer briefs were brightly colored stripes in every color of the rainbow seemed more childish than the boxers Alex had had on last time, but still not appropriate for a little boy barely out of toddlerhood. There was only one reasonable solution. “Guess you'll just have to be a naked little boy!” Even in his exhausted state, Alex tried to stop Mark from pulling down his underwear, but it was too late.

“Give those back!” Mark resorted to old tricks, once again tickling Alex into submission.

“Nope, you're a naked little boy until I say otherwise.”

“Why?’

“Why not?” Mark shrugged. “It's your house.”

“But I still don't walk around naked! Especially with someone else here!”

“Well,” Mark kept his voice calm and matter-of-fact. “You're going to stay naked until you learn that you are a little boy and you need to listen.”

“I listen.” Alex said a bit sullenly.

“You hear, but do you obey?”

“What's that even mean?”

“Probably means no then.” Mark said. He lifted Alex off his lap and put him on the floor. “Sit criss-cross apple sauce for me.” Alex complied, hands all but welded over his crotch. “That was a better job at listening, though I don't think your weiner's gonna fall off.”

“I-”

“Shh, you're listening right now, Alex. In fact, we're gonna go back to nods and head shakes for now so you can really, really focus," He scrunched his face up. “On listening. Understand?”

“Fine.” Alex muttered softly.

“Now, I'm going to keep you naked for a little while, but we'll still have fun, okay?” It was better not to let him dwell on his new situation. “I've got just the show for you to watch. I mentioned it at the restaurant. Do you remember? Just nod or shake.” Alex shook his head. “It's a Spider-Man show. Do you want to watch it?” Alex shook his head.

“No.” He said.

“I'll let you in on a big boy secret.” Mark leaned forward and whispered conspiratorially. “You should always try things before you decide you don't like them.” Just like that, he queued up an episode of Spidey and His Amazing Friends. “Do you want to sit in my lap while you watch?”

“No.” Alex said, shaking his head. It was an acceptable compromise for Mark, he decided.

“Okay, you can stand up and watch it then.” Mark reached down to help Alex to his feet so that the smaller boy stood between him and the impressively sized TV. I'll have to ask about watching the game here sometime. An afternoon of sports and a silly little boy to play with sounded perfect. “And here we go. But make sure you watch the whole thing!”

The episode was eleven minutes long, but for Alex, it seemed to stretch on and on. It was clearly designed for preschoolers. Mark sat behind him though and the slightest attempt to turn away was met by him cheerfully asking if he wanted to sit in his lap.

“All done!” Mark said as the episode ended. “Wasn't that great?”

“No.”

“Ok.” Just as quickly as Alex had said no, Mark started another episode. “We'll give it one more try before we order food.” He grinned at Alex. “Wanna watch it there or in my lap?” He reached for him and the naked teen quickly turned away. “Silly little boy.”

As soon as the episode ended, Mark lunged and pulled Alex into his lap, heart melting at the high pitched noises of protest he made. He squirmed at first, but a few tickles of warning got him to sit still on Mark's lap, his back resting up against Mark's chest.

“Did you like the show?” He asked.

“Yeah.” Alex had a feeling he would have to keep watching the show if he didn't say he liked it. And it wasn't even that bad, for a show for babies.

“Good. I think it'll be your favorite before long.” Mark smiled down at him. “Why are you so grouchy? Was the show scary?”

“What? No. You're just being weird and, y'know, I'm naked!”

“So? You think I care about you being naked?” Mark laughed and he knew Alex could feel his chest vibrate. “When I was a little boy, I boycotted pants for like a whole summer!”

“I'm older than you.”

“You're so focused on numbers.”

“What? That's not the point.”

“Do we really need to do this again?” Mark asked. “I wanted to order food, but you're still not listening, Alex.” With surprising skill, he lifted Alex off of his lap, spun him around, and stood him on the floor between his legs. “You are a little boy. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. You are a little boy and that's that.”

“I'm not that much-” Mark covered Alex's mouth with his hand.

“It's not about age or physical size or anything like that. It's just how things are. When you first saw me at the restaurant, I know you thought I was bigger than you. You thought 'that's a young man and I'm still a little boy'.”

“I did not.” Alex protested through Mark's hand, but he could hear his voice waver.

“How about this? You go grab us something to drink, little boy.” Alex stared up at him. The way he was talking, there should have been some sign of cruelty, but he was entirely matter-of-fact as if discussing the weather or telling him what time it was.

“Can I get dressed first?” Alex realized he didn't need to ask permission, so he bent over to grab his shirt, the closest article of clothing to him. Mark grabbed his wrist and then grabbed him by the hips.

“You're staying just as you are.” He said. “Go on, get us some drinks.”

“Mark, no.”

"Alex!” Mark's voice was only a little bit louder, but it still made Alex stop in his tracks. “You can walk if you go right now. Otherwise, you'll be hopping like a bunny.” He smirked. “Or maybe crawling like a baby.”

“This is so dumb.” Alex muttered as he stamped toward the kitchen. Mark smiled. Grumpiness was okay by him, as long as the little boy was obeying. He jumped to his feet, however, when Alex suddenly swerved toward the stairs.

“Oh, no you don't.” Mark said, quickly closing the distance between them. Alex panicked and tried to run up the stairs, but slipped and landed on the stairs. Before he could recover, Mark was upon him, lifting him up to his shoulder. “That was very naughty.” He said, smacking Alex's bottom with each word. “We're playing down here, Al- little guy.”

“Let me go!” Alex yelled.

“Do you promise to be a good little boy?”

“Yes.” Alex said after a moment's hesitation.

“Good.” Mark gave his bottom another spank. “Where were you trying to go?”

“My room.”

“Is it your bedtime already?” Mark asked in fake surprise, wondering just what Alex's bedroom looked like. It couldn't be the way he pictured it, he knew.

“No.”

“Were you going to get your favoritest toy?”

“No.”

“Were you going to try to hide from me?” Alex stayed quiet and Mark chuckled, rubbing his back. “Guess I'll just have to keep a very close eye on you, won't I, bunny?” Alex grunted. “Oh, don't pout. Let's get something to drink.”

Mark set Alex down in front of the well stocked fridge, debating making him drink a glass of milk rather than the soft drinks he reached for. He smiled as Alex turned away from the fridge only to realize he was trapped by Mark.

“Remember what sort of cheeks you have?” Mark asked, admiring his chubby face. “From the restaurant?” Alex tried to push past him. “Can't get out until you say. It's the secret password.”

“Chipmunk cheeks.”

“What about them?”

“ “You said that's-” Alex sighed. “I have them?” He had studied his face in the mirror after they had gotten home from the restaurant and still had no idea what Mark was talking about.

“So grumpy.” Mark mused, but let Alex through. “We're going back to the couch, little boy.”

“I know.”

“And I'm gonna tickle you once we're there!” Sure enough, Alex was once again reduced to a giggling, squirming little boy.

“I need clothes.” Alex said once Mark finally relented. “That's the real reason I was going to my room.”

“I have clothes for you.” Mark said, though Alex couldn't tell if he was nodding toward his clothes strewn on the floor or his backpack. “Don't you want to order food first? I'm starving and I'm not even the one who's been a giggly little wiggle worm all day.” Just like that, Mark returned to tickling Alex, cooing ‘giggly little wiggle worm’ down to him over and over again.

“Food!” Alex yelled, face red and tear-stained from laughing uncontrollably.

“Alright, alright.” Mark shifted Alex into a sitting position on his lap. “What are we gonna eat?”

“Mom said pizza.”

“That's right.”

“But I need to get dressed.” Alex tried to slide off of Mark's lap, but he grabbed him.

“What do you want to wear?”

“Clothes?” Alex pushed on Mark's chest to try to get free.

“Well, I noticed you're kinda lacking in the appropriate clothes for a silly little boy department.” Mark turned Alex's face toward him.”And we know you're a silly little boy.” He set Alex on the couch, keeping an eye on him while he grabbed his backpack. “So you get to choose.”

“I have clothes right there.”

“Boxer briefs are not for silly little boys.” Mark said firmly. “But like I said, you can pick undies.” He pulled out a package of briefs with Spidey and his Amazing Friends logo on the plastic. Alex's face told him everything he thought about that. “Or a diaper.” He pulled out the white rectangle, grinning at how startled Alex looked. “Undies or diaper, little guy?” Alex smirked as inspiration struck. He'd call his bluff.

“Diaper.” The delight on Mark's face told him he had messed up, especially once a packet of wipes and baby powder emerged from the bag. Had the underwear just been a decoy? He knew there was no chance of escape, but he needed to try. He lunged off the couch, hoping a sudden burst of speed would save him. Mark was ready and bigger, catching Alex and pulling him in.

“No, no, no!” Alex protested, kicking and swinging his fists.

“Ow! That hurts!” Mark said.

“Let me go! Stop!”

“Hold still!” Mark grunted. This was not going the way he had expected.

“No! You are not- No!” Catching one of Alex's feet, he immediately began to tickle it. It was like flipping a reset switch.

It took longer than Mark had expected, but his strategy of alternating between tickling and preparing Alex for his diaper got things moving. He wished he could have taken photos of a squirming, helplessly laughing Alex wearing nothing but powder, the single most adorable thing he had seen, at least until he had the diaper taped around the slim waist of a panting Alex.

“There we go.” Mark said softly. “Baby's all snug in his diaper.”

“I am not a baby.” Alex hissed with the little energy he still had.

“Oh, I know.” Mark said. “But you chose this.” Alex sputtered. “We're just playing pretend, aren't we?” He lifted Alex up to his feet, kissing his cheeks. “You're a silly little boy playing the baby game, okay?” Alex glared at him. “It's comfy, isn't it?”

“I don't need diapers.”

“That's not what I asked. I asked you if it's comfy?” Alex only shrugged. Mark smiled and hugged him. “We're just playing a game. I know you aren't a baby, okay?” He took a deep breath, inhaling Alex's scent and the smells of baby powder and a diaper, as well as his own deodorant. He'd worked up a sweat getting little Alex into a diaper, but that was okay. It was perfect.

“I want to take it off.”

“But then you'll be naked when the pizza gets here.” Mark brought a hand to his head in feigned surprise. “We still need to order! It'll be midnight before we even eat at this rate.”

He got to his feet and gathered up the powder and wipes. Alex was frozen in place, so Mark grabbed his boxer briefs too, stuffing them deep into his backpack to throw away later. He had gotten Alex in a diaper and even if he didn't get him to keep it on, he was determined to keep him out of big boy undies from now on. As if to remind himself, he set the package of Spidey briefs on the table, wheels and gears turning in his head. Everything was going so well.

“So is there an app? A website?”

“No, you call.” Alex mumbled, still afraid to move. Mark's face changed, panic flashing across it.

“Uh, that's the only way?”

“Yeah.” Mark chuckled in nervous disbelief.

“Can you call then?”

“What?” Alex turned, wincing as if he only just now realized the diaper moved with him.

“I don't like talking on phones. Can you call?” Alex couldn't believe what he was hearing.

“You put me in a diaper, call me a baby, and now you want me to call for you?”

“You can either call or I'll put you to bed right now.”

“You think I want the delivery guy to see me in a diaper?” Mark didn't like the way Alex spat out the word diaper, but he would deal with that later.

“Course not. And if you call, I promise you he won't see you.” Mark smiled sheepishly, revealing slight dimples that made him look younger. He really does normally look a lot older than me, Alex realized. “Can you just do it for me?” He held the phone out.

“Fine.” Alex stood up and grabbed the phone as Mark admired how his nose looked even more babyish wrinkled in annoyance. “What kinda pizza do you even like?”

The sight of Alex in nothing but a diaper, talking to the pizza place, was almost breathtaking. I need those glasses that take photos, Mark thought.

“There.” Alex slammed the phone down on the endtable and Mark tried to look innocent. “Now.”

“Taking charge, little boy?”

“Stop it. I” he seemed to suddenly remember what he was wearing and stammered. “I… I'm getting dressed.”

“Oh, no, you don't!” Alex hissed and squealed as Mark grabbed him, the smaller boy's diaper pressing up against the both of them. Focus, Mark reminded himself as he tamed Alex. “If you don't want the pizza guy to see you just like this, you can't get dressed. You have to play the baby game.”

“What does that- but you promised already!” Mark made a soothing sound.

“I know, it's hard being a little boy when bigger people do things that don't seem fair, even when they're really what's best for you.”

“Quit talking like that!”

“If you play the baby game until the pizza gets here, I promise the delivery guy won't see you. And I'll even let you eat your pizza without me interfering like at the restaurant.” He gave Alex a squeeze, wishing he had come up with an excuse to give him a bath and get his hair smelling like Baby Fresh shampoo. “Do you want to know how to play or are we gonna let you answer the door in your diaper?” He kissed the top of Alex's head as he grunted. “It is your house, after all.”

“I'll play.”

“Don't sound so miserable. It's a game, not a big plate of broccoli!”

“I like broccoli.” Alex said. Mark only smiled as he lifted Alex off of his lap and set him down on the floor.

“Now, we're playing pretend that you're a baby. Obviously we both know you're too big to be a baby, isn't that right?” Alex nodded. “But this is pretend.”

For the next half hour, Alex didn't feel like it was pretend. Mark would go to various places around the house and then call for him to crawl to him. Once Alex reached him, he would pull him into his arms and smother his tummy with kisses and raspberries until he was a 'squealy little baby boo'. Thankfully, he let Alex stop once he complained enough about his knees hurting.

When the car arrived with the pizza logo lit up on top, Alex was doing his best to clap along with some video for babies that Mark had found on the TV. His panicked gasp made Mark's heart skip a beat, it was so cute.

“Don't worry. I promised you and you've been a very good little boy.” He scooped Alex up, giving his bottom a pat.

“No!” Alex knew Mark was about to go back on their deal.

“You're too heavy to juggle you and the pizza.” Mark reassured him. “But I also don't want you to go scampering off and getting into trouble.” He set Alex down right by the front door. “There! Now I'll be able to see you, but the pizza guy won't.”

“Mark.”

“It'll be fine. Unless you want to stand right here in front of me. You seem to have gotten used to your diaper, after all.” Alex glared at him. “Alright, you stand right there then.”

Alex shivered as the cool evening air hit his bare skin the entire time the door was open, but he was too scared that the sounds of his diaper would be audible over Mark and the delivery guy's small talk to move even a step away.

“That took forever.”

“Someone must be hungry.” Mark said with a smile. “Smells good, doesn't it?”

True to his word, he did not touch Alex, much as he wanted to. He contented himself with watching him eat in nothing but a diaper. He had dreamed of swaddling him up in a blanket, but the more he looked at Alex, the more he realized he had been imagining him as smaller than he was. The boy, cute as he was in his diaper with his cheeks, was lanky! Not thin enough to be properly lanky,he supposed, but still long, too long. He half-remembered something his teacher had said about reality and fiction with disappointment, though he knew he could still have plenty of fun with Alex.

“Quit staring.” Alex mumbled.

“Done eating?” Mark asked, wondering if wiping Alex's face was allowed if he had finished eating. “Al- I asked you a question, little guy.”

“We're not still playing.” Alex said. “I'm getting dressed.” Mark liked that he had gone this long before demanding it, but that did not mean he was going to let him. Now that they were full, it was time to address what had really been bothering him: Alex.

“Come here, buddy.”

“No tickling!” Alex protested as Mark once again pulled him into his lap.

“Not even a little one?”

“No.”

“Not even an itty-”

“No!”

“Ok, then you need to hold still. Fighting or grouching will be met with the fullest extent of tickle law.” Alex rolled his eyes, but remained still as Mark moved him into a cradling position. “I've been thinking.”

“Prolly pretty rare for a dummy like you.” Mark couldn't help but laugh. That felt like the sort of thing a brother would say and, well, he liked thinking of them as brothers.

“Did you know I have a cousin named Alex?”

“I have two other Alexes in my class.”

“Good to know.” Mark said. All the more reason, he thought. “My cousin Alex, he's a few years younger than me.”

“Ok?”

“But he's almost as tall as me and lanky and good at basketball.”

“So?”

“So, I don't want to get confused. Especially since our parents are getting pretty serious.”

“They are?”

"Shh, that's enough interrupting. Remember, little boys listen. They hear, that's the part we're on now, and they obey."

"Well, get to the point."

"If you can't listen quietly, I might have to get you a nookie to suck on like a baby. You're not a baby, are you?" He hoped Alex would say no just so he could call him a baby for not listening quietly, but the boy wisely shook his head. "Alright. So, there's cousin Alex. Al sounds like an old man name and you're not an old man. Well, not yet. Lex and Xander? Those are like comic book names." He felt his heart start to pick up as he realized this was it. He had known Alex's new nickname -- was it a nickname when you never wanted him called anything else? -- for a few days now, rolling it around on his tongue every time he thought about Alex. It had taken a lot of willpower not to blurt it out until the exact right moment. This was the exact right moment. "So, I hereby dub you." He leaned down and kissed the perplexed boy's forehead, right below his adorable slight curls. "Baby Lexie." Whatever Alex had been expecting, that was not it. His eyes widened, but he found himself lost for words. "See? You're already responding to it."

"What? But... that's" Alex sputtered. "A girl name!"

"It is not. Lexie is the cute form of Alex." He rocked Alex slightly. "Alex is a big boy name. Lexie is a name for a silly little boy who's the cutest little baby!”

“No. My name is Alex.”

“You'll get used to it the more I say it. Besides, it's Baby Lexie."

"But I'm not a baby."

"I know. You're a little boy who happens to be named Baby Lexie."

"That doesn't make any sense!" He rolled out of Mark's arms.

"Like I said, you'll get used to it the more I say it."

"Well," Alex ripped at the sides of the diaper, grinning triumphantly as it fell off, even if it meant being completely nude. "There!"

"Changing your clothes doesn't change your name, goofball." Mark said. "I'm Mark in jeans or shorts, you're Baby Lexie in undies or diapers or even nakee!" He smiled as he noticed that the newly named little boy still had baby powder on his thigh. "But let's get you decent again, Baby Lexie."

"That is not my name!" Alex protested as he tried to get away from Mark. He was only barely out of the living room before Mark was on him and dragging him back to the discarded diaper.

"Come on, Baby Lexie." Mark said. "I know you don't want more tickles, so let's behave." He pushed Alex down to his back. "Oho!" He said as he felt Alex's foot hit his upper thigh. "That was close!" He grabbed both of his feet and lifted them high enough that Alex's bottom left the carpet. "Kick me there and it'll be a spanking for sure, Baby Lexie."

Alex glared up at him, but he remembered Mom's advice once: ignore a bully and he'll go away. Mark definitely counted as a bully, even if a tickling one. He made fun of Alex, called him names, typical bully things, but something felt off. Mark didn't sound like a bully. Even now, as he taped the diaper around Alex's waist again, he spoke to him with a warm, kind tone. It made his newest game even more annoying though.

"There we go, Baby Lexie."

"I thought we were only playing until dinner."

"What? The baby game? Do you want to play it some more?"

"No. But"

"You're the one who picked a diaper." Mark said matter-of-factly. "So that's what your undies are for the night." He patted Alex's thigh as if to signal that it was settled as far as he was concerned. "Alright then, Baby Lexie. What do you want to do?"

"Call me my name."

"I told you," Mark said with a sigh. "Maybe it is confusing to do the baby game tonight, huh?"

"Huh?"

"You'll get used to it, little guy. Baby Lexie is your name."

"It isn't!" I guess ignoring him is all I've got. You just can't reason with a bully.

Alex was a bit surprised that Mark let him get to his feet and walk over to the other side of the living room. He had a feeling Mark would intervene if he tried to leave the room, so he busied himself with something as far away as he could be, rolling his eyes as Mark pulled a tablet out of his bag and began to busy himself with something. Alex wondered what it was as he noticed Mark quietly chuckling to himself. Did that thing have a camera? He grabbed a throw blanket and pulled it over himself, gazing covetously at his shorts and shirt near Mark.

"Oh! Look at the time!" Mark's voice was so loud, Alex jumped. "Baby Lexie." Alex furrowed his brow and clenched his jaw and stayed put. Mark shook his head. "Make all the faces you want, but that only proves you heard your name." He lifted Alex out of the chair he had been sprawled in. "It's bedtime."

"It is not!" Alex exclaimed, but Mark held him tight against his chest.

"We need to go up the stairs, Baby Lexie." He said. "So hold still or we might both fall."

"I can do it myself."

"But will you?" Mark asked. Alex grunted. "That's what I thought."

Alex was relieved when Mark took the diaper off him, but soon learned it was only a small victory as Mark supervised him closely as he peed, brushed his teeth, and then led the way to his bedroom, completely naked and called Baby Lexie what felt like a hundred times.

"It's your name." Alex muttered mockingly.

"No, it's yours, Baby Lexie." Mark said, looking around Alex's room critically. This wasn't right at all. It looked like any one of his friend's rooms and hardly reflected the cute little boy who stood naked in the middle of it. "You don't even have any plushies?"

"I'm thirteen."

"And clearly an overtired little boy." He picked Alex up and tossed him onto his bed. "Let's get that diaper on before you fall asleep, Baby Lexie!"

"No. No!"

"Yes. You picked a diaper, so a diaper it is." He smiled and kissed Alex's tummy. "And you made the cutest choice."

Once Alex had his diaper on, Mark tucked him snugly into bed, squeezing in to sit next to him as he held up his tablet.

"I think you'll like tonight's bedtime story, Baby Lexie. It stars a silly little boy you might know."

"It's not bedtime."

"Sure it is. Baby Lexie's got clean teeth and he's tucked into bed, aren't you?" Alex grunted as he tried to get free, but the added weight of Mark on the covers made it impossible. "So, bedtime story or straight to beddy byes?"

"Neither."

"Alright, Baby Lexie. I'll pick for you." Mark said, unlocking his tablet. "Tonight's bedtime story is called Baby Lexie On the Farm."

Trapped as he was, all Alex could do was lie there and groan as Mark flipped through page after page of barnyard animals, each and every one accompanied by a cartoon farmer with Alex's most recent school photo for a face. It seemed to stretch on and on and on, but Mark's enthusiasm for which animal Baby Lexie saw next never flagged.

“The end.” Mark said at last, locking the tablet again. “Wasn't that nice, Baby Lexie?” Alex had heard that name so many times, it hardly even registered that Mark was talking to him. Mark wasn't looking for an answer though, getting up and turning off the light before coming back to Alex's side. “Alright, off to sleep, little boy.” He whispered, kissing Alex's forehead. “Sweet dreams.” Alex suddenly realized this was his chance! Mark would leave him to sleep and he could- “I'll stay right here until you're off to dreamland.” Mark whispered, sitting down on the bed again. “Close your eyes, Baby Lexie.”

“Go away.”

“Not until you’re asleep.” Mark said. It took some effort, but Alex managed to roll onto his side so that Mark was out of his sight, but Mark began to rub his back. It was soothing and Alex realized he was going to fall asleep. He tried to fight it, but the stress of the last few hours seemed to win out and he drifted off to sleep.

The next thing Alex knew, it was morning. For a second, he wondered if last night had been a horrible nightmare, but he knew it had been all too real, especially once he saw the diaper.

“This is a nightmare.” He whispered in stunned disbelief when he opened his underwear drawer and saw the Spidey and His Amazing Friends underwear had replaced every pair of his old underwear.

Their parents went on date after date, which meant Alex saw a lot of Mark. Mark noticed that Alex no longer fought being cuddled, picked up or whatever Mark had in mind, though he still muttered and grumbled when Mark would pull on his waistband to see Spidey on his butt. He took it as a sign that, like it or not, baby Lexie was starting to accept his lot in life. Little did he know, Alex was trying to figure out some way to make it stop.

The problem was, Mark treated him the same in front of their parents as he did when they were alone and neither Mark's dad or Alex's mom objected. Sometimes Mark would diaper him. Sometimes he would almost act as if they were equals, though he never failed to call Alex baby Lexie. Worse, both Mark's dad and his own mom had started calling him Lexie. He still remembered the grin on Mark's face when Mom couldn't find her purse and had said ‘Have either of you seen it? Mark? Lexie?”

“Mom! My name's Alex.”

“Oh, don't be like that. I've seen the way you respond when Mark calls you Lexie. I know you don't mind it.”

“It's better for everyone to call you it.” Mark reasoned, holding Alex in his lap as he half-heartedly played a counting game on Mark's tablet. “No more pretending to be big boy Alex. You're a silly little boy named Baby Lexie and always will be.”

Alex pouted to such a melodramatic extent that Mark blew a dozen raspberries into his tummy and then set him to work drawing a picture. Mark had to tickle him into signing it, but by the time their parents returned, right there on the fridge was a piece of art with the name Baby Lexie written at the bottom.

“Lexie's in bed?”

“Yeah, he got all tuckered out.” Mark said, figuring that was easier than explaining his insistence on bedtime for Baby Lexie.

“We have news.” Dad said. Mark noticed the sparkling diamond on Alex's mom's hand, but didn't say anything.

“Guess it'll have to wait until morning.”

“You're still making your famous waffles, right, Dad? I was raving about them to baby Lexie.”

“Sure am! That's right, it'll be Lexie's first time with them.” Dad chuckled. “But you should get to bed, bud.” Mark went upstairs and brushed his teeth before sneaking into the guest room where Alex slept. Mark tiptoed over and brushed a curl out of the sleeping boy's face. He smiled as he wondered if the little boy had any idea how much his life was about to change in the morning.

“Looks like we'll be a family soon. Mommy, Daddy, brother, and baby Lexie.” He snuck to his own room, where he looked at photo after photo of little boy wedding outfits. As he pictured Baby Lexie in each of them, he couldn't resist the urge even a moment longer, so he snuck back to the guest room, returning to his own room a moment later with the still sleeping Baby Lexie in his arms. He had been so angry about the red footies he wore, but now he seemed so peaceful in them, mumbling softly as Mark put him down in his bed. Turning out his bedside lamp, he realized he was already looking forward to Baby Lexie – his new brother – being the first thing he would see in the morning.