Daily Free-Write December 24, 2020 (Patreon)

"You can open one present on Christmas eve but only one!" 

"Yes Aunt Ruthie." said all of the kids, and of course Allen, who was by far the oldest of all of them, but still lumped in with the kids somehow. 

Allen, being the oldest, should get to pick first. He looked around at the boxes under the tree. 

"Um... which ones are mine?" he asked. 

The older woman looked down at Allen imperiously. Auntie Ruth was always so strict. Knowing his luck, all he'd get to open was a box of switches and coal.

"For you? Well, let's see... Those are for Mary, Ellen and Stevie. Those are for your uncle. These are of course for me. Hmm... I have a very special box for you, you'll know it when you see it. I guess you'll just have to wait your turn, little boy." 

He blushed and looked down at his feet. Why did she treat him like he was two? How was this fair? Allen was legally an adult but her own two kids - one of them barely in high school now - were already allowed to sit with the grown-ups, and be exempted from these childish rituals. 

He looked over to Ellen and Gregory (age 16 and 14), who were sitting off to the side with the adults. They grinned back at him, young Gregory even stuck his tongue out. 

Allen was forced to watch each of the younger family members open one present from their pile in order of age. First Adam, age 13, Jamie, age 12, then Mary, 9. Each time someone finished showing off their present, Auntie Ruth made sure to emphasize the fact that  the next oldest person would get to open their gift. Was she implying that Allen was officially under all of them? 

"Oh come on!" he said, stamping his foot when even little Stevie, age 3, got to open his gift first. 

"Allen! You behave yourself right now or you'll regret it. Honestly, child." Aunt Ruth shook her head, as Stevie toddled back to his parents with his new toy dump truck, but her frown turned to a smile as her eyes alighted on a glittering pile of gifts that finally made their presence known. 

"Those are yours, little Allen. And yes, it's finally your turn," she gave him a smile sweet enough to cause cavities, which should have instantly gotten him suspicious. 

"Are you sure... those?" 

Two things struck him strange about his pile of gifts. One, that is was an actual pile. Him being the only one in the family without parents, he usually settled for something small from his aunt and uncle, while everyone else got gifts lavished upon them by parents, and family members who wanted to please said parents. He was what they might consider a poor investment. And yet there it was. A whole pile of gifts.

The second and even more dramatic feature he noticed was the wrapping. It was bright pearlescent pink wrapping paper, more fit for a Barbie house then a boy's Christmas gift pile. He looked back at his Aunt who just smiled an nodded. Then around at all of the family members who also encouraged him forward.

"Aww, little Allen's shy. How cute! Go on kiddo. Pick a gift!" Uncle Steve scooted him forward, pushing his tush toward the gift pile. Allen stepped forward to the pile, and looked back. 

"Do you want uncle to get it for you?" Steve asked. 

Allen shook his head. He looked over the pile. It really was girlish wrapping paper but he wasn't going to complain. He decided on the largest box in case this was a dream and they weren't here tomorrow. 

"Oh, good choice, little Allen," said Aunt Ruth. "I thought you might pick that one."

Everyone clapped politely as he picked it up and tugged at the elaborate red bow to untie it. Excited, he tore open the paper and lifted the lid off the wide and flat box inside. His eyes lit up as he opened the box to see... to see... 

"Pink fleece? ...What is this?" He was mystified, but as he picked it up it unfolded itself to reveal a large pink pair of bunny pajamas. He nearly jumped as the room went wild with excitement.

"Oh my gosh, little Allen! It's so cute!"

 "You have to try it on!" 

"It's so you!"

"This is too cute, I have to get a picture." 

Allen hated it. 

"I can't wear this..." he said, which his uncle took to mean he needed help.

"No worries, kiddo! I'll help you. Now off with your t-shirt and jammie bottoms!" 

Suddenly Allen's shirt was pulled off and his pajama bottoms pulled down before he could do anything about it. 

Giggles from his cousins and cooing from his older relatives could be heard as he was left standing there in nothing but a diaper. Blushing as pink as his new bunny pajamas, he tried to bend down and grab his pajama bottoms but his uncle just picked him up and kicked the pajama bottoms out of the way, setting him back on his feet. 

"No, I don't... it's not... these aren't...  I mean..." Allen tried to frantically come up with an explanation for why he was wearing the diapers, but he couldn't. 

"Oh, hush, Allen. Everyone knows you wear them. We can hear you crinkling around under your pants, you know." 

"Y-you all knew?" he asked, shocked. 

Everyone nodded. 

"Sure did!"

"Yup."

"Of course, crinkle butt!" 

"Come on, kiddo, step into your jammies," said his Uncle before Allen had a chance to fully process what this meant. He had been sneaking diapers for years - or at least he thought he had. How had they known? He didn't put up any resistance as the sleeves were pulled over his arms and the zipper zipped up. It wasn't until he heard an audible click that brought him back to the present moment. 

"W-what was that?" he asked, realizing what he was wearing. He looked at his hands - which looked more like paws in the attached pink mittens. "Hey, what's this? W-wait, take it off. I look like a baby in these!" 

He twisted and turned but saw no sign of a zipper, only a fluffy white tale on his bum. He was now painfully aware as well of just how loud he was crinkling with every movement. He looked back at his uncle, pouting. It was the perfect photo opp, and the phones were already out clicking away. 

"H-hey! Don't share that!" 

He knew his cries were falling on deaf ears. Everyone was too caught up in the moment fawning over how cute the baby bunny was. 

"Does dat mean I have a baby cousin?" asked little Stevie. 

"That's right, Stevie," said Aunt Ruth. "He's your baby cousin and from now on he's going to listen to you and everyone else in the family because he's the littlest!" 

"Like hell I am!" said Allen, crossing his arms and huffing. If he was intending to make an impact, the only one he made was to look even more adorable. 

"Uh oh, I think little Allen is getting a little cranky pants. Can he borrow your pacifier Stevie?"

"Yeah," said the boy, looking at his mom and back to his aunt. "Pacifiers are for babies, and I'm a big boy!" 

"Oh, yes you are," said Aunt Ruth, "Such a big boy. Why don't you give it to him." 

"Oh no, no way!" said Allen as the boy approached him. 

"You bend down and open your mouth right now, Allen, or you'll go to bed with a sore bottom and all your friends will get a picture of you in your new pajamas." 

"B-b-b... but Auntie...." 

"Allen, listen to your Auntie, now." said Uncle Steve, making a stern face. He would be the one giving the spanking and his rough hands knew how to be harsh as easily as he could be gentle. 

Allen forced himself to get down on his paws, low enough to let his little cousin put the paci in his mouth. 

"Yay Allen! You're such a good helper!" 

The family politely applauded the little boy, and Allen's aunt gave him a hug an a kiss on the head. She looked down at him now very lovingly and he saw that the sentiment was completely genuine. Gone was any disdain or accusation of him being too childish.  She really saw him as a little boy now. 

"Okay, everyone, show's over, I think Allen's had enough excitement for one night. We'll help him with the rest of the baby's presents tomorrow. It's time to take him to bed." 

"It'th only ape o cwock!" cried Allen, forgetting there was a pacifier in his mouth. 

"Yes, kiddo, and that' slate for someone your age! Let's get you upstairs, little one and into the crib." 

"Cwib?!" cried Allen as he was led away, crinkling with each step. "Unca, I haffta go to da baffwoom!" 

"That's okay kiddo," his Uncle said, while they were still in earshot of everyone. "That's what your diapers are there for. Go ahead and use em now and I can change you when we get upstairs." 

"Mow?!" 

"Now or later, it's up to you, but those jammies aren't coming off unless an adult takes them off!" 

Allen may have been a diaper sneak, but he never actually used them for their intended purpose. He was totally unprepared for this eventuality. Allen had to wait until they at least got to the stairs and out of eyesight of the rest of the family and even then it was really hard to go with his uncle watching. He squatted and strained til his face was red, and finally with great effort he was able to fill his diaper. 

"That's a good boy," said his uncle, patting his fuzzy tush. Allen winced as he felt the mushy contents in back of his diaper spread itself further over his butt. His uncle led him the rest of the way, Allen toddling gingerly as if he might prevent the mess from touching him if he walked carefully enough. 

"I'm sorry things have been so hard for you this year, bud. You lost your parents and... well, nobody understood why you weren't working and taking care of yourself like a man. But I always knew you were special, Allen," said his Uncle, as they walked down the hall. They stopped at a door and his uncle flipped on the light. It was the nursery, usually reserved for the youngest members of the family - which apparently included him now. 

"Now everyone else just sees it too!" His uncle gave him a reassuring pat on the shoulders before  nudging him inside.

Everything was clicking into place for Allen. Why his uncle always treated him as he did, why his aunt both babied and scorned him until now. He toddled into the nursery and looked around in wonder. All the things which he never wanted to admit he wanted were open to him now. 

"Up we go, kiddo!" said his Uncle as he helped Alan onto the changing table. "We got plenty more diapers where those came from. Another change you'll just have to get used to!" 

Alllen whimpered as he laid back and sucked his pacifier. His hands were in mittens and he felt helpless to prevent what was going to happen next. But his uncle handed him a teddy bear to hug. "Don't be nervous, lil' guy. Just hug your teddy and close your eyes. We'll have you in a new diaper in no time flat." 

Allen did just that. Squeezing the teddy helped, and he began to relax smiling as he enjoyed the change. His uncle fiddled with the bunny suit and he heard another click before hearing the zipper came down and felt the cool air touch his skin as the pajamas came off. Uncle Steve only took off the bottom half of the pajamas, folding them up to leave his diaper exposed and clear of obstructions. 

"Uh oh, someone might be enjoying this change a little too much! Where's the ice? Ah, I know..." Alan's eyes shot open as his uncle pointed out his embarrassing involuntary reaction to the change, and he sat bolt upright when the cold wipe came into contact with his willy. 

"There we go, that did it. Now lay back down kid, we're not out of the woods yet!" 

His uncle grabbed the teddy he had dropped and pressed it into his chest, sending him back down on his back before finishing the job. Soon his legs were once again covered in fuzzy pink fleece, the zipper zipped up and clicked into place, an obvious diaper bulge from his new very thick nighttime diapers covering his butt. 

"Okay kiddo, time to get into your new bed. Now you keep that pacifier in tonight. If you do, you'll get a special reward in the morning. If not, you might just get a spanking!" 

Alan just nodded, wide eyed as he saw the crib rails come up and lock him in. His uncle handed him a big baby bottle of water and kissed his forehead and tucked him in. 

"Sleep tight, little Allen. Don't let the bedbugs bite!" 

Alan hadn't felt so cozy in a long time. As incredible as tonight was, he couldn't keep his eyes open long to contemplate it. His uncle turned on the mobile above the crib. Soft music began to play and Allen was out like a light. 

He had just enough time to think one last thought before he drifted off to la-la land.

"Best Christmas ever."