Daddy's Precious Little Girl

Caregiver?

A new Little. I can handle this. Walking into the nurses office I see that she is still asleep. I really hope I got this. I always knew that I wouldn't pick my next Little. I was going to let them pick or Mr. Delas. I thought I would have more time. Mr. Delas won't be pairing anyone else up until next week. Some of the kids have already paired up but only during class. Next week we were going to have our trail runs with the Little of our choice or more like of their choice. I really hope I got this. After reading her file I know I can't mess this up. I would be cautious with any Little I get but this one is so fragile. I go to talk to the nurse but I notice that she is waking up. Here goes nothing. "Hello Little One."

***

Ashlynn's POV

My head hurts, and I feel so groggy. I struggle for a moment to open my eyes, but when I finally do, I realize I'm no longer in the classroom. I'm startled when someone speaks to me.

"Hello, Little One."

It's a voice I don't recognize. I glance around and notice two very tall guys looking down at me. The younger one, who I assume spoke, crouches down in front of me.

"Hi, precious girl," he says, and somehow, his voice makes me feel safe, like Mr. Alex's, but softer. I don't say anything back. What am I supposed to say?

He reaches out his hand slowly and lowers the bar on the bed that's separating us. "How are you feeling, Little One?" he asks. I just shrug, unsure of what to say.

He sighs softly before standing up and walking over to a mini fridge in the corner of the room. When he comes back, he pulls a chair over with him. The other man in the room stays quiet, watching us. When he sees the younger guy bring the chair over, he heads to the other side of the room and sits behind a desk, focusing on a computer.

Okay, I guess it's just me and the younger guy now.

When I look back at the younger man, I jump, not expecting him to be sitting right in front of me already.

"Easy, I won't hurt you," he says gently, scooting his chair back a little. Once my heart settles, he reaches out, handing me the bottle of water he got from the mini fridge.

"Why don't you drink that while I explain a few things, okay?" he asks. I nod and take a slow sip of the water while he starts talking.

"Okay, so first off, my name is Ethan. I'm in the same morning classes as you. Do you remember what happened this morning?"

I think back, trying to remember. I was in littlespace, playing with Markie. Then everything gets foggy, so I just shrug at his question.

"Right, well," he continues, "you were playing with another Little when two others started fighting over a teddy bear. They weren't paying attention and ended up trampling over you and the Little you were with. It startled you, and you had a panic attack. One of the Bigs picked you up, trying to help, but you got really overwhelmed and passed out. Mr. Delas brought you here so Mr. Anthony could keep an eye on you."

Well, that's embarrassing. I bring my knees up to my chest and bury my face behind them. What a way to start off at this school. Noticing my reaction, Ethan keeps talking, his voice gentle.

"Hey, now, nothing to be embarrassed about. I need to tell you something, though. You don't have to agree with this, but Mr. Delas thinks that you and I might make a good fit for a Caregiver/Little dynamic."

My eyes widen at his words. Head Mistress Edington had told me it would be my choice. Before I can even register my panic, I'm already trying to back myself further into the bed, my breathing growing quick and erratic. Ethan stands up, but he doesn't try to reach out or touch me.

"Easy, Ashlynn," he says softly. "You're okay. Sshhh. You're okay. No one is going to force you to do anything you don't want to. Just breathe for me. In, hold... Good. Now out. That's it—breathe in, out, in, out. There you are, precious girl."

His voice is so calm, so soothing, I can't help but listen. Slowly, my breathing steadies, and I start to feel calmer. Once I'm completely settled again, he continues.

"Okay, look," Ethan starts, rubbing his hands down his face. "I have my concerns too. Honestly, I'm a bit nervous to have another Little. After Duncan, I didn't think I could do this again. It took two years before I could even come back here. Now, after being back for all of an hour, I'm being told to take on a new Little."

He pauses, his eyes meeting mine as if he's waiting for something. "How about before we head back to class, we take a moment to get to know each other? I'll go first if you like?" He looks at me expectantly, and I nod, curious about what he'll share.

Ethan starts telling me about himself. He talks about his family—his parents and his younger brother. Apparently, his family is some super important wolf shifter family. His younger brother has already started working for the family company, but Ethan had different plans. Both of his parents are caregivers, and together they have three Littles.

He shares that he was planning to work for the family company too, before he lost Duncan. The way he speaks about Duncan makes it clear how much he loved him. His whole family took Duncan's loss hard, and it's part of the reason why his younger brother refuses to get tested. I didn't even know someone could refuse testing, but maybe the rules are different for shifters than they are for humans.

I feel a strange mixture of curiosity and empathy as he talks. He's opening up about something really painful, and I can tell it's not easy for him.

When he finishes talking, I realize he's waiting for me to share something about myself. The only problem? I have absolutely nothing to tell him. My mind races for something, anything, but nothing feels right.

"If you read my file, then you know just about everything there is to know about me," I mumble, trying not to sound too awkward. "Um, I don't know my father. I never met him. I also don't have any other family. My mother never had any family. I've lived more in the last month than I have in my entire life. The only thing I know for sure is that I love art and the colors purple and blue." I finish, unsure if I've said the right thing.

Ethan just smiles. "Alright then, that means it's my job to show you more things so we can figure out who you are. Just know that if at any time you feel uncomfortable about something, we can stop and try something else, okay?" He pauses, and then his voice softens. "Do you think I could be your caregiver, at least for the rest of today?"

He seems really nice, and I don't get any bad feelings from him. It would definitely be easier to go back to class with someone instead of alone. I hesitate for only a second before nodding. "Umm, yes, we could try that."