Chapter 77: matchies

The house was quiet as the night settled in, the soft hum of the baby monitor in Mrs. Faulkner’s room being the only sound. She sat on the edge of her bed, rubbing her temples. Miss Harper sat across from her in the armchair, arms crossed.

“Well,” Miss Harper said with a sigh, “that was certainly an eventful day.”

Mrs. Faulkner nodded, glancing at the baby monitor. The boys were sound asleep, Tyler still curled around his pillow, the pacifier gently moving as he sucked in his sleep. “I know this is part of his punishment,” she said, “but Tyler’s slipping into this role a little too easily.”

Miss Harper smirked. “You noticed too, huh? The baby voice, the way he clung to Jordan…” She leaned forward. “Think he’s actually enjoying this?”

Mrs. Faulkner exhaled through her nose. “That’s what worries me.”

Downstairs, Jordan was sprawled on the couch, flipping through channels absentmindedly. He’d never admit it out loud, but part of him found all this kind of… amusing. Tyler, the tough kid who never wanted help, had practically melted into a bashful little baby by the end of the night. And now, he was happily sucking on a pacifier? If Jordan didn’t know any better, he’d say Tyler liked it.

He shook his head and chuckled. “Man, what a weirdo,” he muttered to himself.

Just then, the baby monitor on the coffee table crackled to life. A faint rustling sound came through, followed by a soft whimper. Jordan sat up, frowning. Was one of the boys awake?

Then, a small voice, muffled and hesitant, whispered through the speaker.

“…Jordy?”

Jordan raised an eyebrow. That was Tyler. He reached for the monitor and pressed the talk button. “Yeah, squirt? What’s up?”

There was a pause, then another whimper. “…Had a bad dream…”

Jordan sighed. He glanced toward the stairs, debating whether to wake Mrs. Faulkner. But something in Tyler’s voice—so small, so unlike his usual self—made Jordan push himself up from the couch.

“Alright, hold on. I’m coming.”

He made his way upstairs, careful not to wake the others as he cracked open the door. In the dim glow of the nightlight, he could see Tyler sitting up in his crib, clutching his blanket. His eyes were wide, his face slightly flushed.

Jordan walked over and leaned against the railing. “What’s wrong?” he asked, keeping his voice low.

Tyler hesitated before mumbling, “…Just a dream… but it felt real.”

Jordan sighed and reached over, ruffling Tyler’s hair. “You’re fine, dude. Just go back to sleep.”

Tyler looked up at him, his lip trembling slightly. He shifted, hugging his blanket tighter. “Can you… stay for a bit?”

Jordan blinked. That was unexpected. Tyler never asked for comfort. Never.

For a moment, Jordan considered teasing him, but something in the way Tyler looked at him—small, uncertain, and genuinely afraid—made him pause.

He exhaled and shrugged. “Yeah, alright. Scoot over.”

Tyler moved aside slightly, and Jordan climbed into the crib, sitting against the railing. Tyler hesitated for a moment, then slowly leaned against Jordan’s side, still gripping his blanket.

“…Thanks,” he mumbled sleepily.

Jordan rolled his eyes but rested a hand on Tyler’s head. “Yeah, yeah. Just go to sleep, squirt.”

As the room fell quiet again, Jordan sat there, staring at the ceiling. Maybe Mrs. Faulkner was right—Tyler was slipping into this role a little too easily.

And for some reason… Jordan didn’t really mind.

as Jordan sat with Tyler cuddled up against him in the crib they both feel asleep.

Sunlight streamed in through the curtains as morning arrived at the Faulkner house. The soft chirping of birds filled the quiet room, and the occasional creak of the house settling could be heard.

Tyler stirred, shifting slightly under the weight of something warm and firm around him. His eyes fluttered open, still groggy from sleep. As his vision cleared, he realized there was an arm draped over him. Confused, he turned his head and blinked up at the sight of Jordan, still fast asleep beside him.

Tyler’s heart skipped a beat. What the…?

His mind raced as he tried to remember how this happened. The last thing he recalled was Jordan putting him to bed after feeding him. But… that was it. He had no memory of Jordan climbing into the crib, let alone falling asleep with him.

Tyler’s face turned red as he stared at the older boy. Jordan’s arm was heavy over his side, pinning him in place. Tyler squirmed a little, but Jordan just grumbled in his sleep and pulled him closer.

Tyler’s eyes widened. Oh no, no, no…

Carefully, he tried to wiggle out from under Jordan’s arm, but every small movement made Jordan tighten his hold. Tyler huffed in frustration. He wasn’t sure what was worse—the fact that he woke up cuddled against Jordan like some little kid or the fact that he had apparently been okay with it all night.

Just then, the door creaked open.

“Rise and shine, boys—”

Mrs. Faulkner’s voice trailed off as she took in the sight before her.

Tyler froze. Jordan, still asleep, let out a small snore. Mrs. Faulkner raised an eyebrow, her lips pressing together in an amused smirk.

“Well,” she said, crossing her arms, “I wasn’t expecting this.”

Tyler’s face burned. “I-I don’t know what happened!” he stammered, trying desperately to push Jordan away.

Mrs. Faulkner chuckled. “Uh-huh. Well, looks like someone had a rough night.” She leaned against the doorframe. “I take it you don’t remember?”

Tyler shook his head quickly. “No! I swear, I don’t! I just woke up like this!”

Mrs. Faulkner hummed. “Interesting.”

Jordan groaned beside him, finally stirring. He blinked blearily and stretched before noticing the small form still trapped against him. Slowly, realization dawned in his sleepy expression.

“…Huh?”

Tyler took the chance to finally push himself free and scrambled to the other side of the crib. “You—you fell asleep in here!”

Jordan blinked, rubbing his face. “Oh. Right.” He yawned. “Yeah, you had a nightmare or something. I stayed with you.”

Tyler’s mouth opened, then closed. He didn’t know what to say.

Mrs. Faulkner, watching the scene unfold, finally sighed and walked over. “Alright, boys, let’s get moving. Breakfast is almost ready, and we’ve got a full day ahead.”

She reached down and lifted Tyler out of the crib with ease, setting him on the floor. Jordan stretched one last time before swinging his legs over the side and hopping out.

As they left the room, Tyler stole a glance at Jordan.

“…Thanks,” he muttered under his breath.

Jordan smirked. “No problem, squirt.”

Tyler scowled. “Don’t call me that.”

Jordan just ruffled his hair.

Mrs. Faulkner watched them with an amused expression as she led them downstairs. She had a feeling this was only the beginning of something much bigger.

As Tyler followed Jordan downstairs, still feeling flustered from waking up cuddled against him, something suddenly felt… off. With each step, there was an unmistakable heaviness between his legs.

He stopped mid-step, his face paling as realization hit him.

Oh no…

He subtly shifted his weight, pressing his thighs together. Sure enough, his diaper was sagging, swollen with wetness. His cheeks burned with embarrassment. How did I not notice until now?!

Jordan, already at the bottom of the stairs, turned back when he noticed Tyler lagging behind. “You okay, squirt?”

Tyler snapped out of his panic and quickly forced himself to move forward. “I—yeah! I’m fine!”

Mrs. Faulkner, already ahead, glanced back as well, immediately recognizing the telltale hesitation in his movements. Her eyes softened with understanding.

“Come here, sweetheart,” she said gently.

Tyler hesitated but obeyed, shuffling toward her. She placed a hand on his back, guiding him toward the living room. “Let’s get you changed before breakfast, alright?”

Tyler’s face turned red as he nodded. He knew there was no avoiding it.

Jordan, meanwhile, just smirked. “Guess you really slept well, huh?”

Tyler shot him a glare. “Shut up, Jordy.”

Jordan just chuckled and headed toward the kitchen, while Mrs. Faulkner led Tyler upstairs to get him cleaned up.

As they reached the changing mat, Tyler sighed, flopping down in resignation. Mrs. Faulkner smiled as she grabbed the supplies. “You know, it’s okay,” she said, unfastening his diaper. “You were sound asleep, and that’s what matters.”

Tyler pouted. “Still embarrassing…”

Mrs. Faulkner chuckled softly. “Maybe a little. But it’s nothing I haven’t seen before.”

Tyler sighed again, staring up at the ceiling as she finished up. As much as he hated moments like this, there was always a strange comfort in knowing Mrs. Faulkner never judged him for it.

“All done,” she announced, taping up a fresh diaper and helping him sit up. “Now, let’s get downstairs before your breakfast gets cold.”

Tyler nodded, feeling much better as he followed her back to the kitchen.

As he sat down at the table, Jordan smirked at him. “All better now?”

Tyler rolled his eyes. “Eat your food, Jordy.”

Miss Harper chuckled, and the morning continued as if nothing had happened.

Little did Tyler know, this was only the start of another interesting day.

Miss Harper guided Jake and Alex to their seats at the table, ruffling their hair as they climbed into their chairs. Jordan took a sip of his orange juice, stretching his arms over his head.

"Man, I slept great," he said, flashing a grin at Tyler, who just shot him a half-hearted glare before stuffing a bite of toast in his mouth.

Miss Harper smirked. "Guess that crib of yours was extra cozy, huh, Tyler?"

Tyler nearly choked on his toast, his face heating up as he avoided everyone’s amused looks. "I don’t wanna talk about it," he mumbled, chewing aggressively.

Mrs. Faulkner chuckled as she set down a plate of eggs in front of Jake and Alex. "Eat up, boys. We’ve got a busy day ahead."

Jake perked up. "Ooo, what are we doing today?"

Alex nodded eagerly. "Yeah! Something fun?"

Mrs. Faulkner smiled as she poured herself some coffee. "I was thinking we’d go to the park later, maybe have a little picnic."

"Yes!" Jake and Alex cheered together.

Jordan leaned back in his chair, smirking. "Sounds like a perfect excuse to school you guys in tag."

Tyler, finally over his embarrassment, narrowed his eyes. "Oh yeah? We’ll see about that, Jordy."

Jordan raised an eyebrow, grinning. "Oh, you’re on, squirt."

The breakfast table filled with laughter and chatter as they enjoyed their meal, excitement for the day ahead growing.

As Miss Harper carefully cut up Jake and Alex’s sausage and eggs, she smiled at their eager little faces. “Alright, here you go, boys,” she said, handing them their plates.

“Thanks, Miss Harper!” they said in unison before digging in.

Meanwhile, Jordan did the same for Tyler, slicing the sausage and eggs into small, bite-sized pieces. He nudged the plate in front of him but let Tyler handle his own toast.

“There you go, squirt. You can handle the toast, right?” Jordan teased with a smirk.

Tyler rolled his eyes but, for once, didn’t argue. “Yeah, yeah,” he muttered as he picked up a piece of toast and took a bite.

Mrs. Faulkner watched the scene unfold, a warm smile on her face as she sipped her coffee. It was peaceful moments like this that reminded her how much of a family they had all become.

After a few minutes, Miss Harper wiped Jake’s mouth with a napkin while he grinned up at her. “All done, kiddo?” she asked.

Jake nodded. “Yup! That was yummy!”

Alex, still chewing, gave a thumbs-up.

Jordan glanced at Tyler, who had nearly finished his food. “You good, Ty?”

Tyler swallowed the last bite of his eggs and nodded. “Mhm.”

“Alright then,” Jordan said, taking his napkin and wiping a stray crumb off Tyler’s cheek. “Let’s get you guys cleaned up and ready for the day.”

Mrs. Faulkner clapped her hands together. “Once everyone is dressed, we’ll head out to the park. So finish up, and let’s get moving!”

The boys cheered, eager for the fun ahead.

With breakfast finished, Jordan and Miss Harper each took a hand, leading the boys upstairs to get them dressed for the day.

"Alright, squirt, let’s get you in something comfy," Jordan said as he guided Tyler toward the changing area.

Miss Harper did the same with Jake and Alex, opening the dresser to pick out their onesies. "You boys want dinosaurs or the striped ones?" she asked.

"DINOSAURS!" Jake and Alex shouted in unison.

Miss Harper chuckled. "Alright, dinosaurs it is."

Jordan smirked as he held up a light blue onesie for Tyler. "What about you, bud? You want this one?"

Tyler, still feeling a little embarrassed from last night, huffed but nodded. "Yeah, whatever."

Jordan ruffled his hair. "Cheer up, grumpy. You’re gonna have fun today."

Once all three boys were dressed in their onesies, Miss Harper stepped back and smiled. "You three look absolutely adorable."

Jake and Alex beamed, but Tyler crossed his arms, his cheeks turning pink. "Can we just go now?"

Jordan laughed. "Alright, alright. Let’s head downstairs. Time for the park!"

The boys cheered as they hurried toward the door, their excitement outweighing any embarrassment.

Miss harper than turns to Jordan and Tyler she says I got you boys something while Jordan was giving security the slip at Walmart and hands them a bag.

Jordan smirked as he looked down at his shirt that said baby daddy across the front before puuting it on, then at Tyler’s matching one. “Well, Miss Harper, you really went all out with these, huh?”

Miss Harper grinned. “Figured you two needed something to match, especially since Tyler here is practically glued to your hip these days.”

Tyler’s face turned red, but he couldn’t help the small chuckle that slipped out. “Nice shirt, Jordy.”

Jordan chuckled back. “You too, squirt.”

Tyler looked down at his own chest, realizing what Jordan meant. His eyes widened when he read the words: Baby Boy.

Miss Harper laughed at his reaction. “I figured you’d need something to go with your new wardrobe, sweetheart.”

Tyler huffed, crossing his arms, but the corners of his lips twitched in amusement. “You’re all having way too much fun with this.”

Jordan patted his shoulder. “Hey, at least you got some real shoes out of it.”

Tyler looked down at the Velcro shoes Miss Harper had picked out for him. He wiggled his toes inside them, and as much as he wanted to complain, they were pretty comfortable.

Miss Harper clapped her hands together. “Alright, boys, let’s get going before you change your mind.”

With that, they headed down stairs.

As they reached the bottom of the stairs, Mrs. Faulkner turned to see them and immediately covered her mouth to stifle a laugh. “Oh, now this is too good.”

Before either of them could react, she pulled out her phone and snapped a picture. Tyler’s face went beet red. “Mrs. Faulkner!”

Jordan just smirked and struck a playful pose, draping an arm around Tyler’s shoulders. “Might as well own it, squirt.”

Miss Harper chuckled as she looked at the picture. “That one’s going in the memory book.”

Tyler groaned, tugging at the hem of his Baby Boy shirt, but despite himself, a small smile tugged at the corner of his lips. Mrs. Faulkner grinned and patted his head.

Still blushing, Tyler followed the others out the door, shaking his head as he heard the occasional chuckle behind him.

As they all piled into the minivan, Tyler let out a small huff as Mrs. Faulkner buckled him into the car seat. "Do I really have to sit in this thing?" he mumbled.

Mrs. Faulkner gave him a knowing look. "For at least the next 3 days yes"

Jake and Alex giggled as they buckled themselves into their seats, and Jordan climbed in next to them. Miss Harper slid into the front passenger seat while Mrs. Faulkner got behind the wheel.

Before starting the van, she turned and handed Jordan a small bag. "Here. Just in case."

Jordan raised an eyebrow and opened it, pulling out a baseball cap and a fake mustache. He groaned. "Really?"

Miss Harper smirked. "Well, you did make quite the scene at Walmart the other day. Just a little extra insurance."I also told you i want you to lie low so these sounds help with that as well, Tyler let out a giggle from his car seat. "You should totally wear it, Jordy."

Jordan shot him a playful glare but sighed in defeat, putting on the hat and carefully sticking the mustache in place. "I swear, if anyone recognizes me with this on, I give up."

Jake and Alex burst into laughter, and Mrs. Faulkner just smiled as she started the van. "Alright, off to the park!"

With that, they pulled out of the driveway, ready for whatever the day had in store.