Wes sighed as he slipped out of the bedroom and headed back down the hall. Though he put on a brave face for Nick's sake, the newly-minted nine-year-old couldn't help but feel small and vulnerable in his state of prepubescent near-undress. He need only look up to be reminded of the foot and a half of height he'd lost - he need only look down to see how small and smooth and scrawny he'd become. Wes pushed these thoughts from his mind as he returned to the living room, determined if nothing else to not let Clark see his uncertainties. That proved easy at first, as Wes found Clark burrowed in the far corner of the couch, pudgy legs crossed and cherubic face turned away from the older boy.
"Clark? You okay?"
The sulking toddler looked over his shoulder at the sound of the soft soprano, eyes turning to saucers upon seeing that Wes had been brought back to briefs-clad boyhood.
"Wha' happen'?" Clark squeaked. "Did somefing go wong wif da gun?"
"No, Nick just needed to grow up a bit so he can focus on fixing it, and unfortunately I was the only one with years to spare. He says he's making progress, should be done by Monday morning at the latest."
"Oh. Okay."
A stilted silence settled over the room as Clark turned back away from Wes.
"Hey...is there something wrong, buddy?" Wes asked, concerned. The two-year-old remained silent as the older boy approached him from behind, eventually coming close enough to look over Clark's shoulder and see the sagging, yellowed front of his sodden diaper. "Ohhh...oh, Clark..."
"I...I did'n mean to..." Clark whimpered, breath hitching. "The video made me waff weawwy hawd, an' den...an' den..."
Clark started to sob. Wes was at his side in an instant, gently turning the toddler around to pull him into the biggest hug his skinny arms could muster. Clark buried his face in Wes' slight shoulder, tears soaking the bigger boy's undershirt as he stroked Clark's back and whispered gentle reassurances to the distraught two-year-old. Eventually Clark's sobs turned to soft sniffles, the boy growing calm enough for Wes to pull back and smile at the toddler, to wipe a pair of tears from his bright brimming eyes.
"Feeling better?" A tiny nod. "You wanna get ready for bed?" Another. "Walk or carry?"
Clark, dubious, frowned at Wes.
"What?" Wes huffed, making a show of being offended. "You think I'm too little now to carry you?"
"Maaaaybeee..." Clark egged the older boy on, the corners of his lips curling ever so slightly.
"Oh yeah? What do you say to this?" Wes challenged as he stepped onto the carpet and hefted Clark into his arms. The two-year-old squealed in surprise before returning his chin to Wes' shoulder, the bigger boy needing nearly every ounce of his severely diminished strength to carry Clark down the hall and into his bedroom. Though Clark had taken comfort from being carried and from the gentle teasing between the two, his calm was once more threatened by powerful infantile emotions when Wes laid him out onto his bed for the second time that day. As humiliating as his initial diapering was, the shame he felt now was all the worse as he'd proven that his Pampers were necessary. Seeing his charge once more on the verge of tears, Wes fetched the bag of stuff from his earlier shopping trip and fished inside.
"I got something special for you while I was at the store, but I've been waiting for the right moment..." Wes offered Clark a comforting smile as he pulled a small stuffed bear from the bag. "I won't be upset if you don't want him, but - "
Clark snatched the teddy bear from Wes' grasp before he could even finish, cherubic cheeks burning as he clutched the cuddly cotton creature against his tiny frame. Though he was embarrassed at having so quickly and instinctively embraced the childish comfort object, the comfort he felt from cuddling it close chased every other worry from his mind. Eager to capitalize on Clark's calm, Wes moved quickly to strip the toddler of his squishy diaper and slide a new, crisp, crinkly Cruiser beneath his chubby tush. He quickly wiped Clark clean - eliciting a few squirms and whimpers on the part of the two-year-old - and had started sprinkling baby powder on his private parts when Nick suddenly entered the room.
"Hey Wes, do you want to sleep in here orrrrrr..." Nick froze, caught off guard at having walked in on his roommate being diapered. The toddler whined and clutched the stuffed animal closer, feeling smaller than ever with his grown friend looming over him. Though he'd been naked at this age in front of Nick, somehow he seemed even more exposed now caught cuddling a teddy bear while awaiting a fresh diaper. "Uh, sorry, I didn't mean to...I'll, um, sleep in my room. You guys can share this one."
Nick offered the pair an awkward smile as he slipped back into the hall. Clark seemed a bit less distressed with Nick gone, at least enough to not put up too much of a fuss as the bigger boy efficiently powdered the toddler and taped him into a new pair of Pampers. The job done, Wes climbed onto the bed, sat cross-legged and pulled Clark into his lap.
"Wes?" Clark peeped after the two had snuggled for a moment. "Does Nick not wike me anymore?"
"What?" Nick frowned at the young boy. "Of course he likes you, what makes you think he doesn't?"
"He did'n pway wif me at aw today..." Clark pouted. "...an' now he does'n even wanna share a bed anymore."
Wes' eyebrows rose but he pulled them down just as quickly, filing away that little bit of info regarding Nick and Clark's relationship for later use.
"It's just because he has to focus on fixing the gun. By Monday we'll all be back to normal and you guys will be best friends again."
Clark seemed dubious but nodded glumly just the same, offering no resistance when Wes helped himself and the toddler under the covers.
"But I'll be right here, okay?" Wes reassured and hugged his young friend. "And I'm not going anywhere. Promise."
"Mmmhmmm..." Clark murmured contentedly as he hugged Wes back, the teddy bear mashed between them. "Fanks Wes...good night..."
"Good night, slugger." Wes whispered, he and Clark closing their eyes and drifting off to sleep in each other's arms.