"Gus, honey," Tyler said as he walked in to see his three year old son squeezing his 18 month old sister tightly to the point where she looked uncomfortable as they sat on the couch watching a movie. "We have to use gentle hands around sissy, remember?"
"Sissy love me," Gus replied.
Ruby just looked up at Tyler as a defeated 'get him off of me'.
"Yes, sweetheart, she loves you so much, but she doesn't love being hugged that tight," Tyler said.
"She love me."
"Yes, she loves you. Everyone loves you. But you've gotta not hold her so tight."
"Gus Gus protect sissy."
"I know, you're so protective. And that's great. But she's not in any danger right now so it's okay if she just sits with you. You don't have to hug her."
Gus just continued to hug his sister tightly as they watched their movie.
Tyler sighed and picked Ruby up, sitting next to Gus with her in his lap so she wasn't being squeezed so tightly but Gus still got to sit with her.
"Gus Gus love sissy," Gus said.
"She loves you too," Tyler said.
Ruby grinned goofily, leaning over and kissing her brother's cheek.
"AHHHHHH! SISSY!" Gus yelled excitedly, immediately kissing her cheek back.
Ruby giggled and blushed, snuggling into her TyTy as she watched her goofy brother grin happily.
Tyler laughed and kissed both their heads. "I love you two."
A minute later, the front door opened. "Look!" Tyler smiled. "There's daddy!"
The kids weren't all the interested.
"Hey, guys!" Josh grinned, his arms wide like they were going to come hug him."
"Hi," Gus said politely before turning back so he was facing the TV.
Josh laughed and shook his head. "I guess I've worn off on them. They don't seem all that into me anymore."
"Eh," Tyler shrugged. "They aren't all that into me either."
Ruby was now asleep in Tyler's lap, snoring loudly.
"How does something so loud come out of something that small?" Josh asked, pointing to the baby.
"I have no idea," Tyler replied.
He carried her to her room, setting her in her crib gently and kissing her forehead before returning to the living room to see Josh trying to have a conversation with Gus.
"How was your day, sweet boy?" Josh asked.
"Hellooo," Gus said.
"Hi," Josh smiled. "Did you have a good day?"
"Hellooo," Gus said again.
"What'd you do today?"
"Hellooo."
"I give up," Josh said, getting up from the couch and going to the kitchen.
Tyler laughed and followed him. "Gus is just tired, that's all. Give him a while and he'll at least say something else."
The boys stayed in the kitchen for a while. They hadn't really had much time to themselves recently, so they took advantage of it.
Except, when Tyler went to the living room, Gus was gone.
He searched the house, eventually finding him literally in Ruby's crib with her, placing her blanket over her.
"Gus!" He whisper-exclaimed.
"Hellooo."
Tyler picked him up and carried him out to the kitchen. "What we're you doing with sissy?"
"Sissy got cold and Gus Gus love sissy so Gus Gus made sissy not cold."
"What a sweet boy," Tyler smiled, kissing his forehead. "Such a good big brother."
