A Little Bath Time
"Khonshu,"
"I can fix it,"
"Then do it now,"
Mama glares at Khonshu while 3 men hide behind her, refusing to look at the scary bird.
"It will take some time,"
"Then hurry up, now."
Khonshu nods, and quickly disappears.
"Mommy?"
She takes a deep breath, and turns around, smiling at her anxious boys.
"Yes, prince? What is it?"
"Are you okay?"
"'Cause I can beat him up for you!"
Jake interrupts, Marc just shifting side to side, sucking on the back of his fingers. Mama chuckles, and tickles Jake's neck teasingly.
"I'm okay, babies. Just a little frustrated with the big bird. Nothing to do with you guys."
Jake and Steven nodded.
"How about you two get your pajamas and get ready to take a bath."
"Okie/Okay!"
The two run off, leaving her and Marc alone.
"Baby?"
Marc looks up, his eyes slightly watery.
"Are you okay? Do you need Mama to do anything?"
Marc sniffles gently, and takes his fingers out of his mouth.
"I don't like it,"
He whispered, shuffling closer to Mama, getting caught in a hug.
"Don't like what honey?"
"I feel weird, Mama. 's only me now."
Mama kisses his head, rocking him gently.
"I know. The big bird messed stuff up, huh?"
Marc nods, whimpering just thinking about the situation.
"I know, baby. It's unfair. But you know what?"
Marc looks up at her, staring at her intently.
"Nobody is going to treat you any differently. I'm still gonna love you, and so do Jake and Steven. Okay? No one's gonna mistreat you because your in a smaller place than them, okay?"
Marc puts the back of his fingers in his mouth, hiding his smile as he nods.
"Is my baby hiding?"
He shakes his head, but hides his head in her neck as he giggles. She chuckles, but let's it happen.
"Okay, baby boy. Let's go take a bath, okay?"
He hums happily as she picks him up, taking him to the bedroom where Steven and Jake busy themselves.
"Boys?"
They turn to Mama, smiling.
"Marc is a little smaller than you two, so I want you to be a little gentle with him, okay?"
"Okay, Mami!"
"Is he gonna take a baf wit' us?"
"Yes, I just have to get his pajamas."
She turns to Marc, gently brushing his curls out of his face.
"Do you need a diaper, baby? Or are you a big boy today?"
"'M big, Mama."
"Okay. Boys, go to the bathroom and each pick one toy. If he needs help, help Marc out of his clothes please."
"Okay, Mommy!"
She puts Marc down, rocking him as he whines as his feet hit the ground.
"Go with Jake and Steven, okay? I'll be right there."
He released her with a nod, turning to the other boys. Steven smiles, extending his hand to the smaller boy. He takes it, sniffling as they guide him away.
"C'mon, Marc! I'm gonna show you my favorite baf toy!"
"I can protect you from the bath monsters if you're scared!"
"Jake! There's no baf monsters!"
That was the last thing she heard before they were out of her earshot. She quickly gets Marc's pajamas, walking into the bathroom to see a warming sight.
Marc sits in Jake's lap, fiddling with his toy as Steven talks excitedly. Jake set's his head on Marc, smiling gently at the moment, his toy on the sink.
"I never get to talk to you guys when I'm little, so I'm excited!"
Steven pauses, his smile slowly going away.
"Go," Marc urged, wanting to hear the rest of the story, stimming and kicking his feet as he does so. Jake nodded in agreement, "Keep goin', buddy!"
Steven's smile returns and happy stims as he continues his story.
"You all being good?"
She finally walks in, setting Marc's pajamas onto of the others.
"Uh-huh! I'm telling them a story!"
Steven giggles as Mama blows air into his neck.
"Keep on going then, prince."
He does so without hesitation. She fills the tub, checking the temperature before she nods to herself.
"Toys, boys!"
Steven, now finished with his story, hands her a hippo toy that squirts water out of it's mouth. Jake leans over, his other arm catching Marc as he started to fall forward. He hands her a simple toy boat.
When it was Marc's turn, he whines, hugging the toy to his chest. "Baby, can I have your toy?" He shakes his head, hiding his face in Jake's neck.
"Baby, I'm not taking it forever. Just until you get in the bath, okay? Mama will give it back."
He looks up, loosening his grip on the toy.
"P'omise?"
"I promise."
He sniffles, but hands her the toy. It was a goldfish, but it had one of it's fins stitched. She grabs the toy and went to put it in the water.
"Careful,"
He muttered.
"I'll be careful, honey. Roro's okay, see? His little fin is still here."
She shows him the toy one last time, before putting it in the water finally.
"Come on, baby. You first."
Marc gets in with a little help from Mama, happy stimming when he sees his toy, picking it up like he hasn't seen it in years.
"You next, prince."
"Okay!" He slides in next to Marc, and begins showing him how his toy squirts water. Mama turns to Jake, smiling playfully.
"You gonna be good and not splash?"
Jake nods seriously.
"Marc's too little to splash, silly Mami!"
"Okay! Well, get in!"
He does so, and begins to giggle, slipping a little further as he gently pats the water. He must resist the urge to splash. He had to! He happy stims, wiggling in place as he continues to giggle. Seeing this, Mama smiles. He always tended to slip a little during bath time.
"Jake, bubba. You can stim, baby, just be careful of how hard you hit the water."
When he hears this, he hits the water a tiny bit harder, smiling so hard that his cheeks start to hurt. He always had a habit of masking, pushing down his stims. So everytime he's reminded that he can, he tends to get a little crazy.
"You boys good and warm?"
They all give affirmatives as she grabs their rightful loofahs and rags, putting them in the water. They had to soak in the water before she washed them or else they'd get uncomfortable with the texture.
"Thank you boys for being good for me and for each other."
"You're welcome, Mama/Mommy/Mami!"
Now the next obstacle that she knows she'll have trouble with: bedtime.