Viridia

Chapter 14
Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Description: Will slips further and further into a younger mindset as Liam struggles with his new role as the older brother.

“...but, um, you can't use your hands when you're playing soccer 'cause then it's a penalty? An', an', that means the other team gets to try an' kick the ball in without anybody trying to stop him an' stuff, except for the goalie. He can still stop the goal from scoring even though it's really hard to do it by himself but that's why it's my favorite position, 'cause the goalie can save the whole team all on his own if he's really really good. Hi Liam!”

Will had babbled nonstop on the way home and kept going once they got there, the boy's first pause from his breathless rambling coming when he spotted his stunned brother standing in the doorway to the living room. The mud-speckled second-grader stared in wide-eyed horror at the oblivious five-year-old, so much so that the excited grin Will wore upon seeing Liam quickly soured into a befuddled frown. When he looked up at mommy for guidance – the pair cuddling on the couch as they enjoyed a gripping episode of Paw Patrol – Will saw the woman shoot Liam a strange look that didn't seem to make the bigger boy feel any better. 

“Hey sweetie! Did you have fun at soccer practice?” Though Liam offered only a stiff nod in response, that seemed to be more than enough for Abby – who bounced a giggling Will on her knee until the confusion that twisted the boy's adorable features dissipated like mist in the mid-morning sun. “Dinner will be ready in just a bit, could you please go get cleaned up and changed while I put everything together?”

“...sure mom, no problem.” Liam said after a moment. Though his brother's tight smile unsettled Will for some reason, he couldn't figure out why before being distracted by mommy lifting him out of her lap and depositing him on the couch. While he whined at being suddenly deprived of snuggles, the pouting boy was placated by a boop on the nose and a promise from mommy that she'd be right back. After watching her disappear into the hall leading towards the kitchen, Will's attention was immediately drawn back to the gentle, colorful adventure playing out on the television screen – or it would've been had Liam not suddenly appeared in front of him, squeaking in surprise when the panicked boy took hold of the Kindergartener's slight shoulders.

“Will!” Liam hissed, looking over his shoulder to ensure they were alone before pressing on. “What happened?!”

“Whatcha mean?” Will asked in all innocence, a pang of fear resonating deep and cold within him when Liam was only further terrified by his response. It was only then that the boy was unpleasantly reminded of the trouble he'd gotten into earlier in the day, not that he could recall what he'd done to make mommy so mad. Ashamed that Liam somehow knew Will had done something very naughty at the top of the hill, the castigated five-year-old squirmed beneath his brother's searching gazed and planted his guilty eyes on the carpet. “I...I did something very bad and mommy got really really angry...”

The sniffling five-year-old seemingly on the verge of a fresh wave of tears, Liam was thrust unwillingly into the burdensome role of comforting big brother. 

“It’s alright.” He hushed urgently, putting a silencing finger to his lips – all too aware that a noisy tantrum would be sure to summon Abby in from the next room. “Don’t worry, I’m not angry with you. We’re going to sort this all out.” 

Will’s breathing steadied at the reassurance, only a few more self-soothing sniffles escaping from his lips as Liam helped him to his feet and guided him steadily across the room. “Okay...” he agreed uncertainly, very glad for the opportunity to spell out all the digressive details of his vague concerns to his infinitely wiser and understanding older brother. “I was bein’ naughty…and mommy said…mommy said I was mean, but then we had a cuddle, and I got this cool new soccer shirt.” He paused his story, pointing proudly down at his shirt and making sure that Liam got a good look of his soccer ball applique before he blathered on. “And then we walked down the mountain and mommy helped me over a log, and I was like a rocket ship! And…” 

Liam nodded along, but it was clear he wasn’t listening. His amber eyes were furrowed in concentration, staring down at the little leather notepad that Abby kept by the landline to record phone numbers. He prodded his digits carefully across the number pad in slow succession, waving authoritatively for Will to quiet down as soon as he took hold of the receiver. The little boy obeyed, looking up in fascination as he heard the faint hum of the dial tone buzzing out from the speaker. 

“Hello?” Liam began in a hushed and terrified tone, breaking into a rushed, desperate rant as soon as he confirmed the identity of the person on the other end of the line.  “Jane! We need you over here right away. It’s Will, he got littler and…” 

Jane? Will tuned out the rest of his brother’s words, feeling a sudden overwhelming rush of excitement to hear his big sister’s name. The little boy still felt rather disjointed, but one thing he knew for certain was that Jane was one of his favorite people in the whole wide world – and his brother was speaking to her right now! His little mind was awash with thoughts of all the fun things the three of them could do together. They could play Nerf guns, or go to McDonald’s, or play hidden pictures! He pulled emphatically at Liam’s shirt, stretching out with greedy impatient hands in an effort to grab the receiver. 

“I wanna talk to Jane!” He loudly announced. His brother, however, frantically shooed him away, turning to the side and talking even more desperately down the line. “No fair!” Will complained, pushing and pulling impotently at Will’s side, much to the older boy’s annoyance. 

“Stop it, Will!” He scolded, the harsh words making the tiny tyke cringe back in fright and filling him up once again with perturbed consternation. He was just on the verge of a full emotional break down, when the door swung open – the comforting shape of his mother striding through the door. “What’s all this racket?” Abby demanded, cocking a head curiously at Liam talking on the phone. “Liam? Who are you talking to?” 

The older boy gulped but managed to compose himself before Abby could take account of his guilty demeanor. “Err…no one special.” He claimed, trying to sound casual. “Jane just called.” 

“That’s funny.” Abby observed. “I didn’t hear the phone ring.” 

“It rang.” Liam asserted, infinitely relieved when his mother didn’t push the issue.

“Come on then.” She commanded, gesturing for the phone. “Let me have a word.” Although it obviously pained him, Liam had no choice to obey, relinquishing his grasp as Abby took up the receiver. 

“Hi there, honey!” She greeted Jane as soon as it was against her ear. “How are you doing? Hmmm…uh-huh…uh-huh. Oh, there’s no need to bother yourself. Me and the boys were just going to have a quiet evening in tonight. Oh…uh-huh. Tomorrow? Well, I don’t see why not!” 

After handing off the phone, Liam had drifted over to rest a calming hand on his little brother’s shoulder – but the boy was nevertheless still brimming with excitement at the idea of speaking to Jane. He toddled away from his brother’s touch, pawing pleadingly at Abby’s legs. “Can I talk to Jane?” He asked sweetly, putting on his best puppy dog eyes in an effort to win his mommy’s precious favor.

“What's the magic word?”

“Pleaaaaaaaaaaaaaase?”

“Yes you may. Don't take too long, though, Jane's very busy and I need your help in the kitchen.” Abby handed a giddy Will the handset before looking at Liam with mock disapproval. “You got your turn to talk with your sister, sweetie, now go change out of your muddy clothes and wash those grimy little hands of yours.”

Will barely noticed the hard look on Liam's face when he lingered before doing as he was told, the younger boy by that point too excited to talk to his big sister to care about anything else.

“Hi Jane!” Will chirped as he clumsily brought the handset to his dimpled chin and adorably oversized ear. “Where are you?” 

“...I'm at home, silly.” Jane chuckled, only after pausing like Liam had when he first saw Will. “Is mommy still there with you?”

“Uh-huh!” The-five-year-old beamed up at Abby, who adoringly stroked his soft golden curls. “We went on a hike an' there was a deer an' a lotta pretty trees an' when we got to the top we saw the whole town with a huuuuuuuuge rainbow over it!”

“Wow! That sounds so cool, I bet the two of you had a lot of fun.” Though Jane returned to sounding like her usual self in cheerily meeting the boy's excitement, that cheer seemed much more muted the next time she spoke. “Do you know why Liam seemed upset when I was talking to him?”

“...uh-huh...” Will peeped before falling into a guilty silence, ashamed that his favorite grown-up knew how naughty he'd been and furious at Liam for telling on him. The boy hadn't been listening when his big brother first called Jane – too distracted with trying to get his turn to talk – so the only conclusion Will could reach was that Liam had gotten their big sister on the phone just to tattle. 

“Don't worry, sweetheart, I'm not mad at you. We can talk about it when I come over tomorrow, okay? I'll be there in the morning to take you and Liam out to breakfast, so start thinking about what you'd like to get at the diner.”

“Bacon and eggs!” Will immediately responded before thoughtfully digging a pair of baby teeth into his lower lip. “No, French toast! No, wait, waffles! With chocolate chips an' whipped cream! Please? Pleaaaaaaaaaaase?”

“I'll see what I can do.” Jane said, warmly but softly. “Could you please give the phone back to mommy now?”

“Okay! Bye Jane, see you tomorrow!”

“Bye, kiddo.”

“All done? Then there's a job in the kitchen waiting for a master soup-stirrer.” Abby declared as she took the receiver from her giddy son. “Don't touch anything but the wooden spoon, you hear me?” 

“Okay!” Will piped before dashing off to the kitchen, delighted to be given such a massive responsibility. It was because he took said responsibility seriously that he slowed down upon approaching the steaming pot, pretending to be a master chef checking on the evening's special as he stepped onto the stool set up in front of the stove. The boy pursed his lips and murmured in mock examination as he peered deep into the bubbling broth, his vast culinary knowledge telling him that what it needed to be perfect was a good hearty stir. Will grabbed the nearby spoon with a flourish and dipped it delicately into the evening's dinner, beside himself with delight at how helpful he was being as he created a slow vortex within the rich, ruby-red tomato soup. 

“What a good job you're doing!” Will squeaked in surprise when his mommy embraced him from behind, so focused on doing a good job with the soup that he didn't hear her come into the kitchen. He beamed up at her and was rewarded with a kiss to the forehead, the boy murmuring happily as her big hand closed over his to gently guide his stirring, as she wrapped her free arm around Will's skinny waist and held him close. “I knew you'd be great at this, sweetie, you've always loved stirring the pot.”

“I’m the bestest at it!” Will happily agreed, entirely oblivious to the double entendre. 

“You certainly are.” Abby praised, a firm pat on his bottom directing him to hop off the stepping stool so she could take over. “Go ahead and take a seat, sweetie. It’ll be ready in a minute.” 

Although the boy was loath to give up his special grown-up task, the promise of food enticed him to obey. He skipped merrily over to the table and hopped up onto his perch on one of the high dining room chairs, practically slathering with anticipation by the time his meal arrived. It was his very favorite, a big steaming bowl of thick creamy tomato soup accompanied by a deliciously crunchy grilled cheese sandwich; a triangular cut across the middle revealing the ooey-gooey yellow cheese spilling forth tantalizingly from within. 

“Liam!” Abby called up the stairs. “Food’s ready, sweetheart!” 

Will didn’t have close to the level of self-control required to wait for his brother. He dug in straight away with his hands, ripping off a greasy chunk from the sandwich and dunking it enthusiastically into the soup – drenching his fingers in delicious orange liquid all the way down to the knuckles. The mess didn’t bother the boy. Having fully polished off the entire hunk of delicious fried bread with just a few chomps of his wide-open mouth, he got to sucking up the precious tomato soup greedily from his sticky, orange-stained fingers; paying little mind to his surroundings as he devoted himself entirely to the animalistic ritual.

Eventually, the sound of his brother stomping down the stairs drew Will’s attention out of his ravenous feast. Liam was dressed in the same space ship themed pajamas he had worn two nights ago, sliding gracefully into his own place at the dinner table. Seeing one of the few things he loved more than eating, Will broke into a broad excitable smile – exposing a set of tiny white baby teeth teeth bejeweled with unappetizing chunks of half-chewed food. 

“Liam!” He sang enthusiastically through another bite of toasted bread and hot melted cheese. “Look, we’re havin’ my favorite!”

“Eh, yeah Will…it looks good.” Liam greeted, his voice portraying equal parts embarrassment and concern at the sight of the sticky-fingered little tyke going to town on his dinner. 

“Yeah! We should have it every night, ‘cause it’s yummy, and it’s tasty, and it’s healthy ‘cause it’s got tomatoes in it, and…”

The older boy winced in disgust as Will continued to blather on aimlessly about the virtues of having grilled cheese and tomato soup for dinner, revolted by the juvenile sight of pumpkin orange sauce smeared around the boy’s face and masticated bits of bread stuck in his gums. He tried to focus on his own meal, but Will’s obnoxious display made that practically impossible. Eventually, despite a superhuman degree of tolerance, he was unable to contain his frustration. 

“Stop talking with your mouth full!” Liam snapped, shooting the younger boy a fierce, censuring frown. Will stopped talking at once, swallowing awkwardly before his lips began to quiver with betrayed anguish – looking genuinely devastated to be so ferociously admonished by the older brother who he admired so much. 

The second-grader's fury faded the instant he saw Will shut down, the only anger he still felt directed at himself for lashing out at the babbling boy. In truth, Liam wasn't so much irritated with his now little brother as he was mournful over how far Will had fallen and confused over why it'd happened at all. Bad as it had been when his erstwhile rescuer was reduced from eleven to eight, that time there'd at least been a reason for it; that time, Abby had at least acknowledged that the boy used to be bigger. Now the woman was acting as though Will had never been a day over five, which continued when she strode frowning into the room before Liam could swallow his pride and apologize.

“Will?” Abby hurried to the Kindergartener's side, clearly concerned by her chatterbox of a son going silent. “What's wrong, darling?”

“...I...I was just eating, and, and saying how good the food was and stuff and then...and then..."  As much as Will hated to tattle on Liam, he figured the second-grader deserved it for telling Jane how he'd been bad during the hike. What's more, Will was so in need of comfort after his beloved big brother snapped at him that he forgot for a moment his concern over being treated like a baby – worried that he wouldn't get the cuddles he so desperately craved if he swallowed his sadness and acted like a big boy. “...Liam yelled at me for no reason at all!”

“It wasn't for no reason!” Liam reflexively defended himself. “I...I was just getting really annoyed by him eating with his mouth full, so – ”

“So you thought that yelling at your little brother would help him learn better table manners?” An unamused Abby asked as she knelt by Will's side to kiss his flushed cheeks, wipe his brimming eyes, and lovingly clean his sticky stubby fingers. “That's no way to set an example, you know he looks up to you and – "

“I'M NOT HIS BIG BROTHER!” 

Liam was no less startled than Abby or Will by how loud he'd shouted, the cry bursting out of the boy when he could no longer bear this new reality his mom was so determined to set into stone. It tortured Liam to see Will so infantile and oblivious, to shiver as he realized that he might be the last person on the planet who could help the man that had lost everything trying to help him. He'd stood by passively while Will kept fighting even after joining him in childhood, too much of a coward to do anything but mock the proud, stubborn boy's attempts at escape. Though he wondered sadly whether things would've turned out differently if he'd helped Will from the outset, Liam's immediate concern became quelling Abby's anger when her youngest boy burst into tears at the awful declaration of the older.

“Oh, sweetheart – shh shh shh, it's okay. Everything's okay. Come here, baby.” Abby let the bawling boy bury his ruined face in her bosom, stroking Will's back and rocking the tiny child in her arms as every bit of sadness poured out of him. As horrible as Liam felt for making Will cry, that horrible gnawing guilt was nothing compared to the jolt of icy fear that ran down his spine when Abby's hardened eyes met his. “That was an absolutely terrible thing to say, Liam. The next words out of your mouth better be an apology to your little brother, or else you can just go to bed without dinner if his manners bother you that much.” 

Scared as he was by Abby's expression of pure fury, Liam still found himself clenching his fists at the thought of apologizing when she was the one making everything so confusing and upsetting for him and Will. It wasn't until Liam met Will's eyes again that he could let his indignation go, the five-year-old peeking out apologetically at his big brother even though he was the only one sitting at the table who had nothing to be sorry for. That heartbreaking look reminded Liam that he might very well be Will's last lifeline, the older boy able to muster an apology out of fear over what might happen should he leave the Kindergartener alone with Abby for the evening.

“I’m sorry, Will.” Liam crooned, managing to summon a genuine frown of contrition as he took in the heart-breaking sight of the sorrowful little boy. He pushed past his nausea at the sight of the messy eater’s yucky soup-stained face, getting up from his seat and leaning down to wrap his arms lovingly around Will’s shoulders. “I didn’t mean it like that. You’re my brother. Now and always.” 

Abby still looked furious, but she was mollified somewhat by the look of pure ecstasy on the face of her youngest boy as he was enveloped in Liam’s embrace – the little tyke absolutely delighted to find himself sandwiched in a loving cuddle between two of his favorite people in the whole wide world. As quickly as it had darkened, the tot’s mood did another 180 degree turn, peels of elated giggles accompanying the return of his silly sunny disposition. Chortling with glee, he leaned towards his brother and planted a big sloppy kiss on the tip of the boy’s nose– leaving a conspicuous orange smear on his freshly scrubbed face. 

Though Liam’s first instinct was to reel back in revulsion, the innocent sound of the little boy’s contagious laughter was simply irresistible. Instead, he joined in the game, tickling lightly on Will’s nape and leaning further into the hug. “Yuck!” He exclaimed with a dramatic wrinkle of his nose. “You’re a real mucky cub!” 

“Now you’re mucky too!” Will hiccupped, barely able to force out the sentence between ecstatic fits of hysterics. 

“Silly boys!” Abby commented, releasing her grasp and leaving the brothers to it. “You love each other really, don’t you?”

“Yep!” Will agreed. “Liam was just bein’ a grumpy gus!”

The older boy gave a sheepish confessional frown. “Yeah, sorry mom. I was being stupid.” 

“That’s alright. Just play nice, okay?” 

Liam nodded obediently, relieved to see his mother’s anger quenched. Off the hook, he refocused his efforts on comforting his brother. “Check this out.” He bragged, extending a long dexterous tongue to lick the soup stain off of his nose. 

“Cool!” Will exclaimed jealously, completely enamored by the unusual display of agility. He immediately tried to imitate his brother, but he simply lacked the necessary skill, putting on an adorable display as he licked futilely at his philtrum between cackles of laughter. “Ho’ ya’ do i’?” He babbled; tongue still contorted atop his upper lip. 

Liam shrugged mischievously, refusing to reveal his secret strategy. “Guess it’s just a wolf pup thing.” 

Will yipped, suddenly remembering the funny pretend game they had played the previous night. “Bear cubs are still better ‘cause they grow up to be really big and strong, and they can even weigh more than a thousand pounds!” 

The older boy couldn’t help but give a doting smile as Will launched into yet another excitable rant. As concerned as he was about his brother’s unexplained regression, and his gargantuan mental nose dive to boot, it was impossible to be dour in the face of the five-year-old’s relentless enthusiasm. “Is that right?” He asked, humoring the boy with an avuncular raised eyebrow of pretended fascination. 

“Yep!” Will agreed. “And they make a really scary sound, like this!”

The tot bared his teeth, letting out a throaty snarling growl that stood in stark juxtaposition to the sweet angelic face of the little boy that was producing it.  Liam joined in at once, letting out a series of realistic howls and barks, the savage wild sounds of the deepest darkest forest soon filling the humble little kitchen. 

“Boys!” Abby scolded from across the room, but the brothers were having far too much fun to pay her any mind. “BOYS!” She reiterated, much more firmly. That time it was enough, but the brothers were still wearing jubilant playful grins as they quieted down and turned to listen to their mother. “I know you’re having fun, but you can play wolf pups and bear cubs after you finish up your meals.” 

The pair nodded obediently but snickered as they did so, their mother rolling her eyes in mock exasperation as Liam and Will returned to their food and she sat down to her own dinner. For a moment, it looked as though the younger boy were set to attack what remained of his soup and sandwich in just as much of a sloppy frenzy as before. Will paused just before dunking his hunk of grilled cheese, carefully watching how Liam was handling his like an apprentice studying his master. Noticing this, the second-grader demonstrated how to grip and dip without getting one's fingers in the soup, Will carefully mirroring his big brother and puffing with pride when his grilled cheese made it all the way from the bowl to his mouth without a single drop spilled. Though the little boy wasn't quite as accurate on successive attempts – too excited by his success to keep from squirming about in delight – he was still doing worlds better than before, even remembering (most of the time) to chew and swallow before looking excitedly to Liam for approval. 

“Great job, bud!” The older boy's heart swelled from the way Will beamed at Liam's encouragement, making the eight-year-old feel like he was the most important person in the world. Liam needed only glance across the table, however, to be reminded that he wasn't even the most important person in the room. Pleased as Abby seemed at how well her sons were getting along, Liam couldn't shake from his mind the way her eyes had shone with rage when he dared to question the new family arrangement. The woman looked his way but Liam turned before those eyes could meet his, able to pretend that it was just him and Will there so long as he wasn't looking at her. Just the same, he ate as quickly as manners would allow in order to get away from the table as fast as he could, erasing the head start Will had on him and finishing his meal just about when his little brother was slurping at the last of his soup.

“Thanks for dinner, mom!” Liam dutifully piped as he stood beside his seat. “May Will and I please be excused?”

“Yes you may, but please help your little brother into his jammies before doing anything else. I've got a set laid out for him on your bed.” Abby instructed between bites. “He didn't get too dirty coming down the hill so I'll give him a bath tomorrow.”

“Um, okay.” Liam agreed despite not at all wanting to take on the task, despite being chilled at how Abby talked about Will as though he weren't even there. His little brother didn't seem to mind, however, chirping in excitement as he hopped off his seat and held out his hand for Liam to take. The older boy hesitated for just an instant before doing so, the frown darkening Liam's expression turning upside down when he felt Will's tiny hand in his, when he saw how adoringly the tot looked up at his big brother. Bolstered by the show of trust and love, Liam led Will away from the table, down the hall and into his room – where the younger boy broke away and began bouncing about like a madman, too excited by the sight of all the super-cool big-kid stuff to stand still.

“Wowwwwww this spaceship is so cool, I bet it took you a hundred years and a million Legos to make it! Oh, can we play with your action figures? Please? Pleaaaaaaaaaaaaaase? I've never seen these kind before, I wanna be the guy with the sword and the spiky hair and you can be one of the robots, or, um, I can be allllllllll the humans and you can be allllllllll  the robots and we'll do a whole big war...”

Liam half-listened as Will ricocheted around the room, watching the overexcited tyke with equal parts amusement and dismay. As funny as it was to compare the silly little guy before him with the serious-minded fifth-grader he'd been just two days prior – to say nothing of the adult he'd been before that – Will's behavior all but confirmed for Liam that there was no longer any point in plotting with the boy. If Jane got here in time, maybe the three of them could do something if they all worked together. Until then, however, Liam felt the best he could do for Will was to be the most awesome big brother in the whole wide world. 

“Sure thing.” Liam agreed as Will continued to bombard him with suggestions. The little boy practically swooned at the acknowledgment from his older brother, falling into an overjoyed daze with his mouth gaping dumbly open as he ran through his mental bucket list of all the things the two of them could do together. They could mix up a potion in the bathroom, or run around the house, or go out into the garden and get all muddy! His fantasies were interrupted however as Liam waved a sobering hand in front of face. “Earth to Will?” He teased, prodding lightly at his tummy. 

“Huh?” 

“Mom said you have to put your pajamas on first.” 

The simple caveat made Will deflate into a sulky husk like a day-old birthday balloon. “I don’t wanna put my pajamas on. I wanna wear my soccer shirt.” He whined, wrapping his arms around his chest to protect his top as if Liam might pull it forcefully over his head at any moment. 

Liam sighed in frustration, feeling much less equipped to deal with the more confrontational aspects of having a fussy little brother. “It’s not a big deal.” He reassured. “I’ve got my pajamas on, haven’t I?”  Will shrugged, puffing out his cheeks and staring off into space – looking entirely unconvinced. The older boy tried a different tactic, giving a broad smile and putting on a goofy voice. “Anyway, your soccer shirts all covered in sticky icky soup stains, isn’t it?”

The little boy refused to be so easily pulled out of his sour mood however, continuing to cling possessively on to his shirt. “Don’t care.” 

Reaching the limits of his powers of persuasion, Liam decided instead to march over towards the bed in search of the pajamas, hoping that with any luck they’d also be soccer themed. Finding nothing laid out on the comforter however, he flipped over the pillow  – immediately wishing that he hadn’t been quite so insistent. The article that he found was so babyish that it sent a shiver down his spine. Made of the softest fluffy apricot flannel and fitted out with two fleecy round ears atop the hood, the onesie was clearly meant to make the wearer appear as an adorable little bear cub – just like the hooded towel that Will had worn yesterday. However, in Liam’s mind at least, several features tipped the get-up over the line from funny childish dress-up to humiliating infantile torture device. There was a long zip running all the way down to the leg, complete with a hefty forbidding tab over the top to ensure the wearer couldn’t free himself. A cartoonish image of a teddy bear’s face featured on the chest, with matching silly paw print embroidery marking the knees. Finally, the pièce de resistance, a poofy bobtail was sewed directly onto the butt – an addition so adorable that it was almost sickening.

“Wow, a bear costume!” Will remarked, bouncing energetically to Liam’s side.

“You don’t have to wear it if you don’t want to...” Liam backtracked, immediately changing his tune. As helpless as he was to break Will out of his childish haze, he could at least try not to encourage any further decline. The idea of subjecting the boy to such infantile regalia made him shudder with second hand embarrassment. 

Unfortunately, however, Will also seemed to have had a change of attitude. He had already stripped off his shirt and was in the process of kicking off his cargo shorts, enamored with the idea of impersonating a soft snuggly bear cub. “Now we can play pretend properly!” He enthused, wiggling across the bed and attempting to thread his pudgy little legs into the onesie. Of course, however, the little boy immediately messed up the maneuver, leaving Liam to watch with wincing sympathy as he somehow managed to ensnare himself further in the fabric – achieving a kind of unorthodox yoga pose. Will continued to turn, tumble, grunt and giggle for a few more seconds, struggling to compute the exact machination of the clothing before he eventually looked up at his older brother with big needy eyes. “Can you help me?”

“...clumsy cub.” A smiling Liam sighed as he approached the bed, Will yelping in delight when his big brother tickled his chubby tummy before disentangling him. The younger boy was too tied up to do anything but wiggle in resistance, and the older seemed all too aware of that – running his hands up and down Will's skinny sides before grabbing the bare foot the five-year-old had managed to thread through an opening meant for one of his tiny pudgy arms. Liam grinned deviously as Will howled and thrashed to no avail, the bigger boy steadfastly maintaining his grip on the dainty appendage as he torturously teased its impossibly small, impossibly smooth sole.

“Liiiiiiiiiaaaaaaammm!” Will's free leg pinwheeled as his small form shook from uncontrollable laughter, the walls of the bathroom ringing with the squeals and giggles of a well-tickled tyke. “Lemme gooooooo!”

“Do you give?”

“Never!”

“...all right then.” Liam's grin was a touch wistful as he realized that their wrestling match in the woods – which felt as though it'd been years ago – had in fact unfolded just the evening before last. “You asked for it.”

Will was given just enough time to catch his breath, scrawny chest heaving and puffy cheeks flushed as Liam wrapped both hands around the tiny foot in his grasp – needing to keep it extra still as the bigger boy switched to chewing playfully on Will's wee wiggling toes. 

“NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!” The five-year-old cackled even as his protests reached new volumes. Though Liam, of course, wasn't biting hard enough to hurt his little brother, you wouldn't know it from the way Will screamed between fits of laughter. “Don't eat meeeeeee!”

“Awwoooooo, but you're such a yummy widdle bear cub.” Liam snickered as he took on the growling affectation of a vicious canine, gnawing thoughtfully on Will's big toe before continuing. “Mmmm, tastes just like honey! I'm gonna gobble you all up!”

“Stop! Stoooooooooop! I give, I give!”

“Say uncle.”

“UNCLE!”

Liam got in one last little nibble before relinquishing Will's foot, the boy temporarily tuckered out by how hard he'd been laughing – so much so that he was perfectly docile while his big brother began untangling him. In truth, the older boy was more than a little unsettled by just how cooperative the younger was being, by how thoroughly Will resembled a toddler once he was out of the onesie and laying back upon in nothing but his undies. Modesty was clearly the furthest thing from the five-year-old's mind – if anything, Will seemed proud of his tiny soccer ball briefs and hoped Liam noticed that they matched the soup-stained shirt he'd been wearing. 

“I'm gonna do your legs and then you can do your arms, okay?” Liam offered, Will happily agreeing to any opportunity to show he could be a big boy – so long as it didn't mean missing out on cuddles, of course. He watched patiently as his big brother guided one foot and then the other into the proper openings, making sure both were snug and secure in the pawed feet of the jammies. Will worked from there on getting his arms into position, carefully guiding (with just a little help from Liam) his mouse-sized fists through the sleeves. Up came the zipper and on went the hood, Will hopping off the bed to pad with breathless excitement to the mirror across the room, absolutely beaming as he took in every ferocious detail of the noble beast he'd become. 

“Look Liam, I'm really a bear! I gotsa tail and everything!” Will demonstrated this by waggling said puff of fuzz at his big brother, who bit his tongue to keep from laughing at how adorable the tyke was in shamelessly shaking his skinny little butt. “Can we go show mommy?”

“...she'll see soon enough, buddy, let's just play as much as we can before you have to go to bed, okay?” Liam offered, all too glad to deal with the rambunctious five-year-old on his own if it meant keeping him away from Abby for that much longer. “Let's have that war with my action figures – I'll even let you pick first.”

Will nodded excitedly and toddled over to the collection of toys arranged on Liam’s desk, grabbing greedily at the plastic totems with his still slightly sticky mitts. 

“I wanna be a dinosaur….no! A robot…no! A samurai-ninja-viking-cowboy!” He enthused, snatching up as many toys as he could carry and bundling them up in his arms, pressing them possessively against the fuzzy peach-colored tummy of his bear cub costume. He collapsed down heavily onto the carpet, letting out a high-pitched grunt of effort as he dumped out the toys on the floor and making himself giggle with delight as his fuzzy bobtail popped out in between his crossed legs. He immediately set about arranging the mismatched playthings into lines and columns – eventually forming a whole ragtag army of incongruous superheroes, soldier figurines, and even a few stray stuffed animals. 

“That’s a lot of toys.” Liam observed in amusement. “You left any for me?” 

Will bit his lip mischievously as he looked back up at the empty desk. In his enthusiasm, he’d hogged Liam’s entire collection. “Nuh-uh!” He confessed with a snicker, infinitely amused by the silly look of faux-disapproval on Liam’s face.

“Well, it’s not much of a war with only one side.” The older boy coaxed. “Maybe if I take the cowboy…”

“No!” Will protested, parrying away Liam’s hand with a protective jealous paw. 

“Will.” Liam chided, furrowing his eyebrows with proper big-brother authority. “That’s not very nice. You have to share.” 

“We can share.” Will asserted. “But the cowboy’s a good guy! He can’t fight the other toys…”

Liam chuckled. “They can’t all be good guys. If they were, then why would they be having a war?” He lowered his voice into a deep dramatic drone, picking up the cowboy doll again and shaking it enticingly in an effort to allure the younger boy’s imagination. “Maybe he’s a nasty secret evil cowboy, and he’s turned on all his friends!” 

Will chewed on this suggestion for a moment before he shook his head in indignant protest. “No…” he whined, reaching covetously for the cowboy once again. Liam relented at once, letting his brother take the toy and hug it protectively against his chest. “Maybe…they’re not havin’ a war?” The younger boy suggested. “Maybe they all teamed up to fight the bad people, and we’re the two generals who gotta command ‘em!” 

Liam seemed intrigued by the suggestion, falling to his knees to sit by his brother’s side. “Alright.” He prompted. “Who are we fighting then?” 

“Um…” Will considered, reaching to the back of his mind to try and think of a suitable nemesis. “Mean people.” He suggested vaguely, picking absentmindedly at the fabric of the cowboy’s miniature plaid shirt. “Like bullies…” 

The boy suddenly felt a comforting hand wrap around his shoulder, Liam gradually guiding his brother’s hooded head towards his shoulder with a soft reassuring touch. “What kind of bullies?” He prompted in a soothing gentle tone. Will looked up, seeing a look of mild concern evident on his brother’s face “You mean like at school?”

The mention of school prompted a flash of sudden clarity to jolt through Will’s cloudy memories, like piercing white moonlight shooting through his bedroom blinds. He had a vague recollection of three mean older boys who wanted to hurt him and his brother, and another littler boy who had called them nasty names – but a strange feeling in the pit of his tummy made him hesitate. That hadn’t been who he had meant. There were bigger bullies, much nastier bullies who had done terrible things to those boys, and to Jane, and to Liam and Will as well. He just couldn’t quite put his finger on their identity. He shook his head, the pouty frown on his face portraying an ocean of baffled anxious malaise. “Someone else…”

Nodding gravely in understanding, Liam dropped his voice to a low, conspiratorial whisper – leaning down so that his mouth was just millimeters away from Will’s tiny fluff-covered ears. “You mean like the council?” 

“Council?” Though the five-year-old may not have understood the meaning of the word, Will shivered just the same when it left Liam's lips. “What's that?”

“Will.” Liam squeezed his little brother's shoulder as his stony gaze met Will's wide, worried eyes. “I need you to think really hard for me, okay? Do you remember how we spent last night at Jane's house?”

“Uh-huh!” Will peeped, glad for the break from terrifying uncertainty. “I was a bear and you were a wolf, and we roared and growled for Jane, and we had ice cream 'cept you hadta wait for yours 'cause you were being naughty – ”  

“That's right!” Liam chimed in, halting the little boy's train of thought before it could go too far off the rails. “But do you remember where we were before we went to Jane's?”

Will's face – having lit up as he breathlessly described the fun of the evening prior – scrunched back up in confusion as he glowered at the floor. 

“It was...a grown-up place...” he began, looking up to Liam for reassurance and pressing on only when the second-grader smiled in encouragement. “…and it was kinda scary not 'cause it was dark 'cause I'm not scared of the dark but 'cause I wasn't supposta be there. I told Jane, um, that I hadta go to the bathroom even though I didn't 'cause there was something really really important I was supposta find out.”

“Wow, you were so brave going in there all by yourself!” Will grinned bashfully at Liam's praise, the older boy lowering his voice again to remind the younger that this was super-secret stuff they were talking about. “So – what did you find out?”

“I...” Liam's encouragement gave Will the last bit of strength he needed to look directly into the darkness, to give his memories voice – fragmented and strange as they were. “...I remember that mommy was there and that she was talking with a buncha other grown-ups about those three big boys who were being mean to us. All of them were, um, deciding what kinda punishment the boys should get? And one of the grown-ups were mad 'cause he was the daddy of one of the boys and he thought the punishment they wanted to do was too much.”

“I see!” Liam nodded sagely, fascinated by the details he could discern from Will's rambling tale. He'd never before heard of any sort of disagreement amongst the councilmembers – it was almost hard to imagine the members besides Abby as human given that the council's decisions had always came down like sacred word from above and executed without question. “Was that the only thing they were talking about?”

“Umm, umm...” Will fidgeted as he sifted excitedly through a fog of misty mental images, eager to maintain the momentum he'd harnessed. “Mommy and the other grown-ups were trying to tell him that it actually wasn't that bad, and then Julio's mommy and daddy said – ”  

The five-year-old gasped and went rigid. Of all things, how could he have forgotten his super nice big-kid best friend – to say nothing of how gleefully Julio's parents described what they'd done to their boy? 

“Will?” Liam cuddled the boy a little closer, concerned by how suddenly he'd fallen silent and how completely the color had drained from his chubby cheeks. “Are you okay?”

“I...I don't know how, but...” Will finally pushed forward as he processed an impossibly complicated situation through his five-year-old lens. “I think...I think Julio's been little more than once...”

This time it was Liam's turn to fall silent, stunned by what Will had revealed. It was only a moment ago that the second-grader learned there was dissension amongst the councilmembers – now he had to grapple with the knowledge that two of them had used their powers to reclaim their own son multiple times. Never even in the whispers regarding the program he'd been privy to as an adult had he heard anything that even hinted at such a possibility. 

“Are you absolutely sure about that, Will?” Liam pressed, part of him hoping that the boy had mixed things up in his imagination – a hope that was dashed when the five-year-old nodded gravely.

The door creaked open, prompting Liam to practically jump out of his skin. Abby was looming ominously in the doorway, but to the older boy’s great relief, the beaming smile on her face didn’t seem to portray that she had any inkling of what the two brothers were whispering about. 

“Having fun?” She cooed adoringly, elated by the sight of her two boys snuggling up so nicely together amongst Liam’s army of toys. 

Despite his momentary flash of clarity, Will still wasn’t cognizant enough to associate all the bad thoughts jumbling up his mind with his doting comforting cuddly mommy. His face lit up as her gaze fell upon him, all the nasty feelings washed away by the precious prospect of receiving his mother’s approval. “Mommy!” He blabbed, his natural unconditional trust for his mommy instantly overriding any notion he might have had of the clandestine nature of their conversation, “We were just talking and – ” 

“ – playing Cowboys and Indians.” Liam interrupted, looking down to give his brother a confidential wink accompanied by a reassuring squeeze on his shoulders. “You were being the cowboy, weren’t you buddy?” 

The meaning of the wink entirely passed Will by, but the mention of his new favorite toy was enough to secure the focus of his fickle attention span. “Yeah!” He exclaimed, cradling the cowboy action figure adoringly against his chest as if it were a precious baby doll. “Cowboys are the best ‘cause they’re tough, and brave, and they’ve got big guns that go pow, pow, pow!” 

“That’s nice, sweetie.” Abbie chuckled. “But I’m afraid it’s beddy-bye time for baby bears, now.”

The little boy’s face fell, crestfallen green eyes shooting forth between his mother and brother in search of a reprieve. “Can’t I stay up just a bit longer? Pleeeeeease?” 

All his fussing and whining was to no avail this time however, Abby striding across the room and reaching down to help him to his feet. “Not today, honey-bear.” She insisted. “There’ll be plenty of time to play in the morning. Now give your brother back his toy…”

“It’s alright.” Liam assured with a wave, also rising to his feet. “He can keep it.” 

Will could barely contain his excitement, jumping up and down on the spot and jiggling the toy excitedly in his arms. “Just for tonight?” He inquired. “Or forever and ever?” 

“As long as you want.” Liam confirmed with a smile, giving a final pat on his brother’s shoulder. 

“That’s very nice of you, Liam.” Abby praised. “What do we say, honey?” 

“Thank you!” Will sang, so overwhelmed with energy that he was all but tap dancing. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!” 

“Alright, Will.” Abby instructed, placing a calming hand on his head “Try not to get so worked up. Say goodnight to your brother.” 

Will did as his mommy told him, and he was just about able to stop jumping, but he was still rambling restlessly as Abby led him out of Liam’s bedroom and down the hall towards the bathroom. 

“…but I dunno really what to call him, ‘cause he’s a cowboy and I don’t really know any cowboy names…” 

“Hmmm.” Abbie pondered, leading the boy over to the sink and setting the hot water running. “What about….Lucy?” 

Will couldn’t help but giggle at his mother’s silliness, his laughing fit only interrupted as Abbie started to run a moist towel across his lips – finally wiping away the bright orange soup stains from his face. “That’s a girl’s name!” He protested, still hysterical with amusement.

“So?” Abby teased. “Why can’t a cowboy be a girl? Hold out your hand, sweetie.” 

The boy did as she asked, even as he continued to cling to his toy with the other. “He could be.” He conceded. “But he’s not. He’s a boy cowboy!” 

“I see.” Abby commented, finishing up one hand before allowing him to swap his grasp on the action figure so that she could get at the other. “So, it’s got be something really manly, huh?” She asked, putting on a ridiculous deep voice. “Like Hank, or Bruce.” 

“Uh-huh!” Will agreed, thinking that both of the suggestions sounded suitably macho. 

“So what’s it gonna be?”

“Uh…Hank!” 

Abbie chuckled. It was simply too adorable for words how the boy snuggled up even tighter with the doll, cuddling his new best friend with a too-cute mixture of pride, care and admiration. “Well, why don’t you put Hank down on the medicine cabinet so you can brush your teeth. Do you need mommy’s help?” 

“Nuh-uh!” 

Eager to show off his best big boy skills, Will carefully balanced Hank on a shelf in the cabinet across the room, seizing up a nearby Paw-Patrol themed toothbrush and spreading on a thick layer of sweet bubble-gum flavor toothpaste. He made sure to brush into every nook and cranny of his tiny baby teeth, spitting into the sink and looking up for Abbie’s approval with a still slightly sudsy smile. 

“Wow! What a super big boy!” His mother enthused. “I bet Hank was impressed.” 

The boy nodded in agreement, skipping back across the room to retrieve his toy. To his frustration however, Abbie intercepted him by the toilet, placing a forbidding hand over his fluffy pajama-clad tummy “Hang on, baby. Do you need to go potty before bed?” Will shook his head, eager to be reunited with his cowboy pal. “Are you sure, sweetie? I don’t want you to have an accident…”

The implication made Will blush. He gave a short harumph, looking up at his mother with pouty pique. “I’m not a baby!” 

“I know you're not, darling, that's why I let you tell me like a big boy that you don't have to go.” Abby gently reminded her young son as she ushered him into the attached master bedroom. “Promise to wake mommy up if you change your mind, okay? I don't want you stumbling around in an unfamiliar room without me.”

“Whatcha mean?” Will frowned as he looked around at his grown-up surroundings, feeling on edge just for being in mommy's bedroom even if she was right there with him. “Aren't I going to my bed?”

“Not tonight, sweetie, tonight you're sleeping in mommy's bed so she can cuddle you close all night long.” The woman cooed as she swept the peeping boy off his feet and sat him on the mattress, Will marveling at just how little room on the queen-sized expanse his small body claimed. He was given only a moment to wonder at this, however, prompted in the next second to duck beneath the covers mommy was holding open for him. Will was happy to do just that and even happier to snuggle up to her when she climbed into bed beside him, soothed instantly by her radiating warmth and the lingering aroma of tomato soup. 

“Could you please tell me a story, mommy?” Will plaintively asked through a yawn, careful to stay awake at least long enough to enjoy one tale.

“Of course, honey. What kind would you like to hear?”

“Umm, umm...” A cheeky grin crept across Will's lips. “I wanna story about a wolf pup and a bear cub playing together in the woods.”

“Oh?” Abby leaned back to look down with bemused surprise at her son. “Is that a story you've heard before?”

“Uh-huh! Jane told it last night and it was really good but also really short, do you know if there's any more?”

“Well, I could tell that tale...” Abby mused as she played with her son's golden curls. “...because it's all well and good for pups and cubs to play together, but do you know where good little bears go when playtime is over?” 

A wide-eyed Will shook his head in wonder, hardly believing that his mommy would share such sacred information with him.

“They go back to their cave to huddle up all warm and safe with their mama bear.” Abby declared as she gave Will a great big hug, the boy giggling effervescently at the show of how strong her massive arms were. “After all, it's a long winter and mama bear needs her baby there to help her get through hibernation.”

“What's hibernation?” Will asked, alight at the opportunity to learn.

“It's when some animals – like bears – sleep allllllllllll winter long.” Abby relayed in a storyteller's hush. “Don't you think the mama bear and the baby bear would be sad being apart for that whole time?”

Will nodded eagerly at this, even if he knew that he was the baby bear in this scenario – somehow the infantile distinction didn't bother him so long as he had the fierce spirit of the wild to cling to. 

“Why do they hafta sleep so long?”

“Because winters can be very long and very hard where bears live, sweetie.” Abby continued as a bit of sobriety snuck into her smile. “The only way to get through it is to sleep in a warm, safe, cozy place.”

The woman pulled the blankets more tightly around them as she said this, making it all too easy for Will to imagine that he was an itty bitty bear cub being held securely by his mommy as a snowstorm raged outside. Another yawn forced its way out of him, longer this time and accompanied by a few sleepy blinks. Much as the boy wished to stay awake – to savor how wonderful it felt snug under the blankets and cuddled up in mommy's arms – he didn't fight sleep as he knew that good little cubs were proper hibernators. 

“Such an angel.” Abby gushed as Will's eyelids drooped. “Sweet dreams, my beautiful boy. Mommy will be right here when you wake up.”

The certainty of that was more soothing than the most reassuring of whispers, Will happy to let his eyes fall shut if he knew that mommy would be there when he opened them again.

“...g'night, mommy...”

“Good night, Will.”