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Dean sits in the window seat very patiently, hands squeezing his stuffed ninja turtle tight, face pressed up against the glass. He spent all morning making sure he was perfect for Uncle Bubby. It's been fooreevverr since he got to see him, and he's just so excited! He picked out his bestest outfit - his pink fuzzy sweater, his blue overalls, and his knee high light pink socks with the pretty white frillies on the edges - and even let his daddy brush his hair. As a reward, Dean got to pick out TWO pretty bow clips to put in his hair too, one pink and one blue. Uncle Bubby is going to think he's super beautiful. Daddy said so. And Daddy knows everything.
Speaking of Dean's daddy, the big tall man comes to sit beside Dean on the window seat, giving Dean a smile. "You're so excited, aren't you little one?"
"Yes!" Dean bounces on his knees, the excitement impossible to contain. "I missed-ed him soooo much, daddy."
"Are you going to be a good boy for him tonight?"
Dean nods enthusiastically. "Yes, daddy. I pwomise." He means it too. Sometimes Dean is a little naughty for babysitters - only if his daddy is gone too long, which he thinks is understandable because he can't help that he misses his daddy so much! - but Uncle Bubby is different. They're gonna have so much fun, Dean will barely even remember to miss his daddy!
Oh, Dean just can't wait to see Uncle Bubby. They're bestest friends, and Dean loves him so so much!
When a car pulls into the driveway, Dean gasps and presses his face to the window again. He holds his breath in anticipation before bursting in a cheer when he sees his Uncle Bubby climb out of the car.
And then Dean… stops.
Because… oh.
Oh, Uncle Bubby looks… different. He's all grown up. And - and handsome. He has big muscles like Dean's daddy, and his goofy messy hair is brushed and long, resting on his shoulders when he pushes it back with a big, strong hand.
Oh no.
Dean scrambles off the window seat and ducks around the corner, ignoring his daddy when he asks Dean what's wrong. He holds his stuffie close to his chest and peeks very carefully around the corner until he can see the front door. His daddy opens the door with a smile, putting his arms out to hug Uncle Bubby. Uncle Bubby hugs him back, then says hello in a deep deep voice. When Dean's daddy says something back, Uncle Bubby laughs. It's a very handsome big man sound…
Oh goodness, Dean might love him… not like daddy, never like daddy, but… still lots. He wonders how strong he is. Can he lift Dean up high and carry him around like a flying superhero? He wonders how soft his hair is. Is it like the silky sheets on daddy's bed? He wonders if his deep voice ever gets deeper. Does it get husky and low when he sings lullabies?
When Dean realizes he's inched out of his hiding spot, he gasps and sinks back into safety. Except Uncle Bubby sees him anyway. Apparently his eyes are very strong too…
"Dean-o!" Uncle Bubby says in his big loud handsome voice. He gives Dean a handsome smile and puts out his big handsome arms for a hug. Dean brings his stuffed up to hide his face, blushing furiously. His tummy has butterflies in it. He squirms, trying to get them to settle, but they don't. "Hey, little man. What's wrong? Come here!"
Little heart pounding, Dean tiptoes closer and peeks at Uncle Bubby through his lashes. He's taller than Dean now. Taller than daddy. And just… so… handsome.
"Dean, sweetie, say hello!"
At the reminder that his daddy is here, Dean scurries over to him and hides behind his shoulder, peeking out again at Uncle Bubby from the safety of his daddy's body.
Daddy chuckles. "I'm not sure what's gotten into him. He's been so excited all morning. Spent the last hour sitting there watching for you through the window."
"That's alright," Uncle Bubby says with that big handsome smile. "I used to get shy when I was little, too. Especially when meeting someone new or seeing someone after a long time."
That makes Dean feel a bit better. Uncle Bubby used to get shy too? That means he wasn't always so big and tough…
"I'm sorry it's been so long, little man," Uncle Bubby says. He takes a step closer and ducks his head to be on eye level with Dean. His smile softens, but it's not any less handsome. "I've been real busy with silly law school. But guess what?"
Dean weighs the pros and cons of answering before whispering, "What?"
"I'm all yours all night. I'm even having a sleepover!"
Dean's heart and tummy bounce like crazy. "Really?"
"Really!"
"You can sleeps in my room if you wanna!" Dean suggests, forgetting all about his mission to hide behind his daddy as he starts to gravitate towards Uncle Bubby. "I has pretty princess blankies and - and a princess castle on da floor where we cans play and - and color and we - we coulds has a tea party and - and -"
"Dean, sweetie," his daddy coos, his hand resting on Dean's back to steady him. "Take a big breath and slow down."
Dean blushes, feeling silly. "Sorry…"
----
Dean peeks around the corner to see Uncle Bubby sitting in the rocking chair with a book and a baba in his lap. He tightens his grip on his blankie and squeezes his stuffie, then shuffles forward on his footie pj covered feet. His blankie drags behind him as he slowly makes his way to his super handsome Uncle Bubby.
When Uncle Bubby notices him, he grins. "Hey, little man. You found your blankie, then?"
Dean nods, sucking hard on his paci as he lifts his fist that's holding the corner of his blankie to show it. Uncle Bubby makes a "oooo" sound and smiles again. Dean blushes, dropping his hand and swaying his body back and forth in a bashful motion.
"Is there something else you need, little one?"
Dean squirms and sucks harder on his paci. Then he takes a deep, big big big breath and grabs his paci from his mouth. He can't look at his Uncle Bubby when he mumbles, "Bubby... snuggles?"
"You want to snuggle with me?"
"Mhm." Dean peeks through his lashes, eyes catching the way all that pretty hair falls forward when Uncle Bubby moves. "I… sits on your lap?"
"Of course." Uncle Bubby puts the book and milk on the footrest in front of him and then scoops Dean forward. Dean blushes furiously, tucking his hot face in Uncle Bubby's neck to hide there. His Uncle Bubby laughs and kisses his head. This gets Dean's attention.
With all the confidence he ever ever has, Dean masters the big brave courage to sit back and ask his Uncle Bubby, without looking at him of course, "Cans Dean has… kissies?"
“Dean wants kissies?”
Face super hot, Dean ducks his head again. He sticks his paci back in to comfort himself before admitting, “Mhm…”
Uncle Bubby makes a ‘not sure’ sound that has Dean’s heart going sad, but then he laughs like he was being silly and starts giving Dean lots of kissies. Like… SO. MANY. KISSIES. He puts them all over Dean’s cheeks and neck and forehead and even his little nose! Then Uncle Bubby is super silly and gives him a kissie on his paci. ON it. Dean giggles, pulling his paci out and shaking his head. “Not on my paci!”
“What?” Uncle Bubby gasps. “Why not?”
“Dat’s so silly!”
“It’s silly?”
“Yeah!”
“Oooh. Okay.” Uncle Bubby makes a thinking face. Then he smiles big. Before Dean can ask why he’s smiling like that, he’s giving Dean more silly kissies. The funniest ones are on Dean’s belly. Even through his pjs, the big kissies tickle him. Dean gets the crazy giggles - that’s what his daddy calls the giggles where he can’t catch his breath and his voice goes all high and sometimes he accidentally has a little tinkle in his pull-up.
When Uncle Bubby finally stops torturing Dean with his kissies, Dean relaxes against him to catch his breath. Uncle Bubby sighs happily and begins to rock the chair for them. The rocking chair is Dean’s second favorite thing in the house - the first is his big princess castle - because his daddy had it made extra special so him and Daddy can be on it together without it breaking. It makes Dean feel extra little, which is always the bestest.
“Should we read a book together?” Uncle Bubby asks. “I found this one. It used to be my favorite when I was little like you.”
Dean looks at the book with wide eyes. The Little Prince. He loves that one. Sometimes Daddy calls him his little prince and that always makes Dean’s belly happy. But… “Daddy says sometimes dis one is too long for bedtimes…”
Uncle Bubby wiggles his eyebrows. “But your daddy isn’t here. It’s our special sleepover, and Uncle Bubby makes the rules. And Uncle Bubby says we can totally stay up just a little bit late for books. Okay?”
“Okaaay.” Dean sighs, shrugging. “Buts if daddy gets mad, I tellin’ him you said so.”
This makes Uncle Bubby laugh loud, but he doesn’t argue, so Dean’s happy. Though, he could be happier…
“Uncle Bubby?”
“Yes?”
“Cans I drink my baba while you read to me?”
Uncle Bubby smiles. “Of course. Go ahead, kiddo.”
Dean grabs his baba, humming happily when he feels that it’s still nice and warm. He kicks his legs up on the footrest and leans back against Uncle Bubby, taking his paci out and replacing it with the nubbie of his bottle. He makes sure to tilt his head so he can see as Uncle Bubby opens the book, not wanting to miss any of the pretty pictures - it’s a pop-up book, so there’s no way at all he’s missing those!
As Dean gets sleepier, and his belly gets fuller, Dean finds one of his hands up on Uncle Bubby’s shoulder. He gasps when he feels Uncle Bubby’s silky hair against his fingertips. Dean immediately pulls his hands back, knowing that the pretty pretty hair probably is too special to be played with. He gets a little sad though. It sure is pretty hair…
Maybe he could ask? Daddy says to always ask for stuff he wants. When he asked for kissies, Uncle Bubby gave him them…
Dean thinks and thinks and thinks about it while he finishes his baba. Once his mouth is free, and Uncle Bubby takes the empty bottle so his hands are free too, Dean snuggles in closer to Uncle Bubby and gets big and brave to ask, “Cans I… plays with your pretty pretty hair?”
Uncle Bubby laughs softly. He helps Dean shift in his lap and grips his hair, tickling Dean’s cheek with some of it. Dean giggles. Then he gasps, because Uncle Bubby is lifting Dean’s hand so he can touch. Dean stares with wide eyes at the pretty strands. “Soooo soft.”
“It’s nice, hey kiddo?”
“Soooo nice.” Dean nibbles on his bottom lip, blushing. “Don’ts tell my daddy, but yous hair is prettier.”
Uncle Bubby laughs. “It’ll be our secret.”
“Mmm.” Dean sighs happily, his fingers working the silky strands of hair. He grunts when he realizes the book has been closed. “We not finished! Keeps readin!”
“Okay, okay. My bad. I’ll keep going.”
With everything once again right in the world, Dean pops his paci in his mouth and suckles on the nubbie, one hand playing with his Uncle Bubby’s pretty hair, the other hand holding stuffie close, and listens to the rest of his favorite story.
He falls asleep before Uncle Bubby can even finish the page.