Their Little Beauty (MxMxM+)

Chapter Ten- Introductions, Trains and A New Friend

The young man that toddled out of the bedroom, hair mussed up and eyes nearly swollen shut from what the older man could only guess were tears, was not what Quinn had been expecting. And yet, within mere moments of observing him and the way Jesse's lips twitched softly, he began to understand the connection that had been growing between the two. He also wondered if, perhaps, they were more alike than expected. 

They were both very adorable, for a start.  

"Hello Briar. My name is Quinn, I'm friends with Jesse. Do you mind if I stay here for a while?".

Briar stepped back warily, a fist clenched in the large shirt he wore and slinked his way around the back of a sofa and to a corner of the room to get away from the stranger. Quinn understood his wariness, finding no offense in the action and instead offered a small smile in reassurance.

"Well, it seems Briar is feeling a bit overwhelmed right now so let's give him some space. Stephen, you were telling me about your trip?".

The exhausted looking man blinked with a frown as though to say, "No I wasn't".

"Take a hint, idiot", Quinn retorted with narrowed eyes and a false smile.

"Ah, yes. My work. Well, my last show was in New York but...".

And so for the next hour he and Jesse spoke with the fashion designer who easily fell into relaxed conversation. But Quinn was always keeping an eye on the boy from the corner of his eye, reminding his little fox to stop staring whenever Briar started moving as it made the boy freeze then scurry back to the corner. 

Eventually, Briar ended up perched on the end of the sofa, looking around the very modern and eccentric living room with confused eyes. Quinn was happy to leave him like that while Jesse pestered Stephen in the kitchen for an early lunch, but when the Little started to get upset the Caregiver in him could no longer just observe.

"Hey, it's alright sweetheart. Can you tell me why you're so upset?".

The boy blinked, tears escaping down the sides of his cheeks along with small, panicked sounds from his chest, and Quinn's heart arrested within his chest.

"L-lost" he cried, clutching a pillow to his chest and rocking back and forth.

"You're lost?" The Caregiver asked and the Little nodded, eyes flickering around frantically, physically large but looking so very, very small.

"Oh, it's alright sweetheart. Do you remember Stephen?".

"... the o-old man?".

I'll keep that a secret.

"Yes, the old man. That's Stephen. This is his house and since he is your friend, that means that you aren't lost, little one. Just somewhere different than home".

Briar sniffed, wiped his nose on the back of his arm sleeve then looked down with a frown.

"Friend?".

"When you are Big Briar, yes, he is your friend".

"But I not big, I'm little!" He giggled, flapping his arms as though to emphasise his little-ness through his over-sized shirt.

"Exactly. Do you think you could tell me how little you are right now?".

Briar stood up and looked around, far less anxious than before, then suddenly bolted across the room, picking up something before darting towards Quinn. Then he stopped a few steps away, seemingly back to defensive and too wary to come closer.

"Ooh, what did you find? Is it something fun?".

"Hmhm" the boy hummed, absentmindedly fidgeting with the object while watching the older man.