Chapter Nine

Vale

"Stop fidgeting." Darcy was not at all happy with me. Lost in fuzzy daydreams of my Daddy, I wasn't paying attention and nicked my finger on the razor blade while we stocked the supply room. "You're lucky it didn't go any deeper and require stitches. Showing up in the infirmary would be bad for both of us."

True, plus the amount of paperwork Darcy would have to fill out was ridiculous.

"Sorry, Darcy." Ugh, generally mistakes were made when my body moved faster than my brain. This time I wasn't moving at all.

"Can't have you wrecking the towels and toilet paper with your blood, now can we?"

"Ha-ha. You're so funny." But she was right, one of the boxes was a bit…caked in it. Thought I'd nicked an artery there for a minute.

"I'll open the boxes and you stock the shelves. Deal?"

"Ugh, deal." Relegated to stock boy.

"Okay, brat. Spill it. You're never this quiet unless something's wrong. Do I need to kick your new Daddy's ass? Has he hurt you?"

"God no, he's…perfect. Like, literally." The end of the cruise was nearing. The passengers visited the last island today and then we'd embarked upon the journey home.

"Then what's the issue?"

"No man has ever been this nice, this caring and so wonderful to me. I'm just afraid once he steps ashore the dream ends."

"Let's recap, shall we?" When I didn't respond, she continued. "This is your longest relationship to date, is it not?"

"It is and thank you for pointing out what a loser I am."

"Not what I'm doing. Jack has showered you with gifts with no expectation for sex. Correct?"

"Well, there's been a little."

"Nothing more than what you do to yourself. In our shared shower, I might add."

Fucking thin walls.

"Yeah, I've heard you and no amount of bleach can cleanse that from my brain." She shuddered.

"Is this speech going somewhere or is your goal to embarrass me?" I mean, really. "Make your point and move on, woman."

"My point is that the man is on vacation, yet he spends every second he can with you. My god, he didn't get off the ship but one time and we stopped at four islands. He dines you, gives you gifts, plays Daddy to your monkey and yet he's asked for nothing in return. I think he's the real deal, Vale. You've got a chance at your forever while the rest of us are destined to spend our lives alone."

Maybe she had a point.

"Now buck up, little man, and pull your head out of your ass before you lose the best thing that's ever happened to you." Darcy tossed a roll of toilet paper at me, narrowly missing my head.

"Darcy, your Mommy is out there somewhere waiting for you. I know she is." How selfish had I been? Focused on me and my insecurities while forgetting my best friend was hurting. She'd tucked herself away on a cruise ship to avoid the pain. But what if her special someone waited to be found back in Seattle and Darcy hid too long and missed her?

When we got done with the room, I texted Daddy.

Me: Daddy, I think I hurt Darcy's feelings.

Daddy: What did you do, Monkey?

Me: Typical pity party for one starring Vale…Ugh.

Daddy: Need more intel than that to figure this out.

Me: Sorry. Just whining and Darcy got really sad, and I know it's because she is lonely and wants a Mommy.

Daddy: Oh. Well, I can't help with that from here, but I might be able to once we're all back in Seattle.

Me: Really?

Daddy: No promises so don't tell her but I've got a few ideas. Maybe she can go to Blush with us some time.

Me: Thank you, Daddy. I'll see you tonight.

Daddy: I can't wait, Little Monkey.

Each day, Daddy gave me a gift during our lunch date. I had so many new, wonderful things yet I'd never given him anything. Deciding to make him something special so every time he saw it he'd think of me had been a challenge, but when an idea finally presented itself I knew Daddy would love it.

"What are you doing with those scraps?" Darcy asked one night when I had them sprawled across our shared desk. I'd just returned from pet play with Daddy.

"Making a present for Jack. I want him to have something to remember me by. Can you take my picture, please?" I posed while Darcy snapped away then we went through them together to find the perfect one and I printed it out.

"This is really cute, Vale. I like crafts and glitter. Lots of glitter." Darcy's little side slipped out. "Can I help?"

"Sure." I pushed some scraps over to her and she got to work on her own project. Her tongue poked out as she concentrated hard. Adorable was the best way to describe it as she hummed along to the tune inside her head.

I hoped this gift would be as special to Daddy as it was to me. It was kinda wonky, I was no artist for sure, but it was the part of me he understood. Maybe he would use it, maybe not, but either way I tried my best and that's all I could do.

"Can you help me with the glitter? I'm not allowed to do it by myself." Darcy's big eyes peered up at me, pleading for a yes. I wasn't quite sure why she wasn't allowed to use glitter, but I hadn't done enough research on littles to fully understand or comprehend their mindset.

"Sure. Show me where you want it and I'll sprinkle it on there for you." With every dot of glue she placed we played a game of chase as I sprinkled the glitter on it for her. She clapped and sang her silly little tune as we hopped along her canvas. Finally, I got it. Having a little was like a babysitting job, though I wasn't getting paid for it. But it didn't matter—we had fun and that was the best part. It was nice for the two of us to spend this time together when we weren't working our day job. The only work we were doing was having fun.

"Here, Vale," she said when she was done, "I made this for you to put on your fridge at home and ‘member me when I'm far away on the big boat."

"Darcy, you're my best friend and I'll never forget you. I love you."

"I love you, too, Vale. I seepy. I'm gonna put on my jammies." She hopped up, grabbed her PJs off the foot of her bed and skipped into the bathroom to change. I kind of looked forward to being around some littles when Daddy took us to the club. I hadn't shared that with Darcy yet, I'd probably wait till it was time to go, or at least until we got off the ship. She'd be excited. I wondered if a monkey was allowed in the littles' room.

The next day for lunch nerves hit as I headed to Daddy's cabin for the last time. Well, the last time he'd be in there. I still had to do a thorough clean once the passengers were gone. The gifts were wrapped in some paper I found and tucked away on my cart where nobody would see. I knocked and called out, "Cabin steward," like always and Daddy let me in. Once I pushed my cart to the side, I ran right into his open arms.

"There's my sweet boy. How's your day been?" Daddy cradled me and pressed his lips to the top of my head.

Safe.

That's how I always felt with him.

"Same as every day. Boring, but busy. Does that make any sense? Can you use those two words in the same sentence? Kinda like an oxymoron." My own brain confused me, so it likely had the same effect on him.

Daddy laughed. "It makes sense to me, Silly Monkey. Come and sit. Let's have lunch."

"Oh, wait. I have a present for you." I dug it out of the cart and took a deep breath to calm myself. The only people in my life I'd ever given gifts to were Mom and Darcy.

"Here, Daddy. Sorry. I'm not very good at wrapping."

"You didn't have to get me anything, Sweet Boy. But thank you." He unwrapped it and as soon as he saw what was inside, he smiled wide. "Oh, Little Monkey. This is perfect and such a cute picture of you. Did you get Darcy to take it?"

"Yes, she said it's cute, so I hope it's okay. I got to play with her little last night, it was fun."

"I bet it was. This picture frame, it's made from a piece of your costume, isn't it?"

"Yup. So is the notebook." I'd made Daddy a journal with paper inside and the outside was covered in the fur from my costume with two silly googly eyes glued on the front. A silly monkey from his silly monkey. The picture frame matched, and I'd put the picture Darcy took inside it. That way every time he looked at it he'd remember me.

"I washed those pieces of fur really good before I used them. I didn't want you to get sick from all the dust."

"So thoughtful is my Little Monkey. Thank you, Vale." Daddy tugged me onto his lap and kissed me, then nibbled my neck and tickled me until I giggled. "I think my Little Monkey needs to eat now."

"Yes, Daddy." I was comfy, and safe, and didn't want to get up. But I didn't want to upset Daddy.

"Tomorrow is our last day together, Little Monkey. I want to do something special."

"I'm honestly to the point where I don't care if I get in trouble. This is ridiculous having to steal time away like we're doing something illegal. Granted, where my job is concerned I kind of am. But it's not fair, Daddy." I sounded like a petulant child and had I been standing I likely would've stomped my foot in protest.

"I agree, Sweet Boy, but rules are rules and I suppose they have them in place for a reason. I wish you could sleep over, but I almost prefer the idea of us waiting to take that step until we're both on solid ground. It's kind of humorous, two grown out of the closet men hiding. Both of which have been out of for quite a long time. At least I have been."

"I knew at a young age I was gay, and my mom knew, too. I never had to say the words to her, it was just expected I'd bring home a boyfriend. You'll like her, my mom. She's a wonderful woman, so amazing and patient."

"She sounds like a dream, and I can't wait to meet her."

"Unfortunately, I have to get back to work. Tonight will be our last pet play scene. I guess they're not gonna have it tomorrow night since they need to tear everything down." What would I have as an outlet for the next fourteen weeks? I thought we were allowed to use the gym and that climbing wall would stay. I'd have to check with Darcy and see if that was open to crew members.

"I'm sorry, Little Monkey, but I promise to make all of that up to you once we can be together the right way. Then we can monkey around all the time."

"You're funny, Daddy, and I've come to accept that the monkey is my spirit animal."

"Glad to hear it." Daddy stood and held his hand out to me to help me up. "Until tonight, my sweet boy." He pressed his lips to mine. Every time was like the first and my Daddy really knew how to kiss.

"See you tonight, Daddy."

As soon as the door shut behind me it was like someone kicked me in the stomach. This really sucked, there was no other way to put it and no way I wouldn't slip into a deep depression for the next three and a half months.

With the cruise coming to an end, the cabin calls slowed down which allowed Darcy and I to break away earlier today than we had been. We decided to take dinner back to our cabin and watch a movie until I had to go meet Daddy.

"I'm really sorry you have to say goodbye to your Daddy tomorrow, Vale. I don't like it when you're sad."

"I don't like it either, but I don't want you to think I don't appreciate what you've done for me, because I do. How much longer do you think you're gonna be able to sell your life to the sea goddess for?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. I mean, it pays well. Beats the hell out of the job market in Seattle right now and going home to an empty house. I guess we'll see how it goes while we're on break. I'm not gonna say I'm not open to finding another local job, because I'm not. The issue is the fact I don't know what I really want to do."

That I understood more than she knew having just had the same conversation with Daddy.

Darcy and I snuggled underneath her favorite blanket, like we had so many times throughout our childhood and when my alarm clock went off, she helped me get ready to meet Daddy for our last pet play session.

What I didn't expect to find was Daddy standing there waiting for me with a big gift bag in hand.

"Hello, Little Monkey. Are you ready to play?" I bounced up and down, my head bobbing with me and pointed at the bag. "Oh, this? This is for my special monkey and his little friend, Darcy."

My Daddy was so sweet, he even thought of Darcy. That's what a true Daddy was, a man who not only cared about his boy, but his boy's friends and family. He wanted to meet my mom and have me meet his parents, too. That had to mean something, right? Not gonna lie, it was a lot and a bit scary, but it was also amazing to know that somebody liked me enough to show me off like that.

At the end of the night, all the pets gathered around. I wasn't sure what was going on until they started hugging each other. Next thing I knew, they hugged me, too, and told me how much fun they had watching me. That filled my heart beyond words. I had been afraid I looked like a fool while playing, though during which I hadn't cared. Flying, free floating as I hovered above my body, watching as I let go and had the time of my life. Knowing Daddy was there watching me was like wrapping the entire event in a pretty bow.

When I got back to the room, Darcy was still awake but hopped right up when she saw I had a gift bag. "What's in the bag? What did your Daddy get you?"

"Us."

"Huh?" She cocked her head to the side.

"Daddy said the stuff in the bag was for both of us." When I looked inside there were two bags, one marked for me and one for Darcy.

She dug into hers with all the vigor of a kid on Christmas Day. "Look, Vale, crayons and coloring books, and an axolotl squishmallow. I love her so much," she squeezed the rainbow and teal stuffie to her chest. "What did you get?"

"I got a new stuffy giraffe and a coloring book with animals and coloring pencils."

"Your Daddy is silly. He did all of this for us. Tell him I said, thank you, please." She began flipping through the pages of her new coloring book while I fired off a text to Daddy.

Me: Thank you so much for all our goodies. Darcy is already coloring in her new book and is glued to her stuffie.

I took a picture of her and sent it to him.

Daddy: She's adorable. I'm glad you both like your gifts.

Me: We love them and thank you so much for including Darcy. She's been sad and you made her smile.

Daddy: Glad to help but did my boy smile too?

Me: I can't stop.

I flipped the phone around and took a picture of my face and sent it to Daddy.

Me: See

Daddy: Yes I do. There's my Sweet Monkey.

Me: Send me a picture of you please and make sure I take one of us together tomorrow for my screen saver.

A couple seconds later a picture of Daddy in bed without a shirt on came through. I couldn't wait until I could fall asleep with my head on his fuzzy chest.

Me: My Daddy's so handsome.

Daddy: And my boy is so beautiful but it's past his bedtime.

Me: Night, Daddy.

Daddy: Night, Sweet Boy.