Page 17 of First Class Feelings

I blush because I haven't said a word about him being my Daddy, and yet they figured it out. Then again, they all know me.

I just wish DD wasn't here to hear it.

“May I?” He points to the phone.

Without answering, I hand the device over. He waves, then starts up a conversation with my friends.

“It's nice to meet all y’all. I’m Duval. Like he said, I met Foster on the plane. Since then, he has allowed me to accompany him. It's nice to see y’all checking in on him.”

Zion replies, “Of course we're going to check on him. He never let us know he made it there safe! If it wasn't for the app showing he was in the hotel, we would have been on a flight there already.”

“Yeah, it's nothing for us to charter a private plane,” Lief boasts.

DD only smiles at their arrogance. “Good to know.I’m happy to report that things are fine here. Foster has been in a bit of a Little mindset freeze for a while. Apologies if he's not extremely talkative. Does he always go nonverbal?”

I pout at the way he asks them the questions. I don't want them to tell him how I am. I don't want them to scare him away.

But it's Richie who surprises me by answering.

“Foss is only nonverbal when he's nervous or really, really happy. He must like you.”

DD gives him a soft smile in return. “That's good to know since I like him too.”

The conversation drifts to discussing my favorite foods and colors. They basically give him a full rundown of information on me.

I eat my food in silence because waffles are amazing and deserve my attention.

But also, I don't want to hear what else they have to say. I don't want to ruin my mood with my silly friends and their meddling.

Besides, I think DD understands what we are enough to know that their words aren't everything.

By the time he finishes, he has a smug look on his face. I ignore it as I lick the syrup off my plate. He pulls it from me, and I whine.

“You've had enough sugar today, little one. I don't want you to have an upset stomach for everything we have planned. We have a party we need to get to soon too.”

A touch of fear and anxiety move through me as I think of the party. How many people are going to be there and how chaotic is it going to be? Will I get to be Little there, or will I have to put on a face and be big? Can I just opt out of everything?

Is that possible at this point?

DD grabs my hand, pulling me out of the swirl of panic. “I’ll be with you the entire time. There's no need to worry. If you don't enjoy it, we'll just leave.”

He says this like it's the easiest thing in the world.

No matter what, he'll have my back.

Even if I break down in a public place, it's a comfort to know that he's not upset with me. He's a really good Daddy that way.

Which makes me wonder why I don't just call him that. I love saying DD. I think it's fun and unique. It could totally be a subtle nod to his Daddy-ness when others are around. But when it's just us or we're in a space where being Little is okay, I think I really want to call him Daddy.

“What's wrong, little one?” he asks me.

“Daddy.” I try out the word for size.

He shivers and the move jolts my hand. His eyes close tight. I can see him take a deep breath in, like he’s struggling with something.

Oh no.

Did I mess up already?

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