Small surprises.

[shimmerandsing]

Alison didn't like it when her husband wasn't home. There were a variety of reasons for it, but the main reason was because he wasn't with her when he was gone. She had spent most of the day in a funk, waiting for Longshot and Asuka to return home from a clan mission. She couldn't complain too much when he was sent away. The jonin knew Alison was pregnant and somewhat clingy where her husband was concerned. So, if he had been called away, it was probably very important.

She still missed him, though.

So, she spent most of the day in her music room. Her single had done remarkably well since its release and now she was looking to find more good material to record. She had almost an album's worth already.

She was taking a break from working, having a sandwich for lunch in the kitchen, when she saw the glowy orange light from John's arrival. She hoped Lisa was with him. The girl had not been in her room this morning and that had worried Alison, too.

"Hi, guys!" She called. "Come have some lunch with me."

Comments

[sonofarize.livejournal.com]

"Oh, wow!" Longshot said as they came out of the glowing door. That was all shiny and ORANGE! He looked around. This could be home, but everything seemed a lot bigger than he remembered.

Except he heard something unmistakable. "Yay! Ali!"

He clapped his hands in excitement, smooshing what he had left of his two cookies unintentionally. He made an exaggerated grimace and stuck the mess in his mouth. His cheeks puffed out as he chewed.

[clericpreston.livejournal.com]

John gave the little blond boy a half-amused and half-exasperated look. Yuck. Well, the kid would need cleaning. He wondered if he'd get a chance to do that before Alison killed him?

"C'mon, Daddy! I'm hungry!" Lisa tugged on John's hand and pulled him toward the kitchen.

John followed her in and managed a smile for the woman sitting at the kitchen table. "Hello, Alison. Uhm. We're home..."

[sonofarize.livejournal.com]

Longshot was still chewing cookie but waved excited to Alison. So much so, he almost waved himself right off John's arm. He bobbed his head impatiently as he waited to finish chewing.

"Hiya, Ali! I'm hoooooooome!"

[light-in-sound.livejournal.com]

Alison laughed delightedly at the cute blond child John was carrying. She had to give it to the man... he attracted children like no one else.

"Welcome home!" She smiled and looked at John. "Who's your little friend?"

[sonofarize.livejournal.com]

Longshot smiled, his eyes crinkling. Despite not being given a welcome home hug. He wiggled on John's arm for a minute before grabbing it to swing down to the floor. The little Mojoworlder's bare feet padded across the floor as he peeked onto the tabletop.

"Whatcha eatin'?"

[clericpreston.livejournal.com]

Decision time. How best to tell a pregnant woman that her husband had been turned into a four year old. He hesitated and then decided to distract her first.

He scooped Longshot up and dropped him gently into Alison's lap. "Here, hold this for me." He grinned and quickly made his way to the sink. Well out of range of her arms. He'd just have to dodge the lasers.

As he wet a washcloth under the faucet, he took a deep breath and finally said, "That's... um... Longshot."

"Yep!" Lisa smiled and climbed up into a chair opposite Alison. "He got magicked. Want a cookie?" She held out the bowl.

[sonofarize.livejournal.com]

Longshot wiggled in Alison's lap and bobbed his head side to side until he was comfy. Then he tilted his head back and grinned at her.

"Hi..."

[light-in-sound.livejournal.com]

Once the rescue team was away, Lisa went to check on her horse so Alison was left alone with her miniature husband. She smiled at the cookie monster on her lap and shook her head.

"Well, what should we do while we wait? Do you want a story? Or we could go outside and play. Sadie always wants someone to chase her."

[sonofarize.livejournal.com]

"Mmm," Longshot hummed as he thought. He tilted his head one way and then the other. "Wanna play with you. We haven't played in forever!"

With that pronouncement, he bounced up on his knees, turned around, and threw his arms around Ali. He gave her the biggest hug he could manage.

[light-in-sound.livejournal.com]

Awwwwwwwww. Alison laughed and wrapped her arms around him. She squeezed him gently and kissed one chubby cheek.

"Okay, then. We'll play. Hmmm... let's think of what to play." She stood up, still holding him to her, and spun around in circles as she considered what to do. Dakota's boys had dozens of sports toys.

[sonofarize.livejournal.com]

Longshot leaned back in her arms as she spun around, grinning as he was twirled. He straightened up before he bonked his head though. He looked around. No fun stuffs in the kitchen.

"Test the babies' toys?" He pointed up.

[light-in-sound.livejournal.com]

"Hmmm. Good idea. Then we'll know if the babies will enjoy them or not, huh?" She smiled and didn't bother putting him down as she headed for the stairs. Since she'd discovered she was pregnant, she hadn't liked to lift or carry very much. But, her tiny husband with his hollow bones didn't weigh much at all.

She carried him up the stairs and into the play room before setting him gently down on his own feet. "What do you want to try first?"

[sonofarize.livejournal.com]

"Yep!" He nodded once in a most decisive way. As Ali carried him up to the play room, he wrapped his arms around her neck and rested his head on her shoulder. He was feeling a rumbling of energy in his belly...

When he was set down, Longshot curled his tiny toes into the rug. "Hmm."

He looked around. So much fun everywhere! "Hmm."

He stared at the toy box. "Hmm."

And he pounced! He started digging in, tossing things over his shoulder until he found something good.

[light-in-sound.livejournal.com]

"Yep. You got your horsie and a suit of armor. And got to meet King Arthur." She was glad there were things he wasn't remembering for right now. Little ones didn't need those memories. When he was back to his adult self, then they could talk about that.

"We should go back some time and visit. It was a lot of fun." She smiled and kissed his forehead.

[sonofarize.livejournal.com]

"He had a nice beard," Longshot commented. "I was bigger and could fit into a saddle better."

He looked up at her. "I'll try not to be small forever, okay? I gotta be a big Daddy."

[light-in-sound.livejournal.com]

"Okay, sweetheart." She stroked his hair back and smiled down at him. "It's not your fault you're small. I'll know you'll be big again as soon as you can."

"And you'll be the very best Daddy ever. You remember that, okay? I believe in you."

[sonofarize.livejournal.com]

"Yep! Because you need lots of me to snuggle to pieces!" He smiled his cutest smile as he set Maponos down on the blanket beside him. Not that the tiny Mojoworlder was angling for a snuggle right now. Perish the thought. Even if he found some way to inch even closer to Ali.

Maponos looked up at being setting down. Then it put its head down and waited for the right moment...

"I'll 'member."

[light-in-sound.livejournal.com]

How was it that Longshot was still as big a flirt at the age of four as he was as an adult? Alison chuckled and wrapped her arms around him, pulling him close for lots of snuggles and smooches.

"Yep! To snuggle all to pieces. There will be little Longshot pieces all over the place."

[sonofarize.livejournal.com]

It was because even at the age of four, he still loved and adored Ali. He snuggled back happily making little 'eee!' sounds.

Maponos took the moment... and pounced! Then he scurried around on the snugglers! Ha ha! Free reign on the humans!

Longshot giggled and wiggled. Then tried to bury himself in Alison as his little simian ran up his back along his spine.

[light-in-sound.livejournal.com]

"You never stop being cute. If you're four, or forty, or four-hundred. You'll always be absolutely adorable to me." She grinned and hugged him. It got her shirt wet, but she didn't mind.

"And I think your toes are the cutest toes ever. I'll tell you a secret... I was hoping our little babies would get toes like yours. And they did." She smiled. "So, they'll be cute as little buttons, too."

[sonofarize.livejournal.com]

He snuggled into Ali, which made her shirt even more wet. "Well, okay! If you say so, it has to be real."

He raised his leg up and looked at his toes. He tilted his head a bit before lowering his leg. He turned a little and his little finger unerringly found her belly button. "Cute like that little button?"

[light-in-sound.livejournal.com]

She couldn't help a laugh. He was fixated on her belly button even at four. "Yep. Like that button. They'll have those, too. Teeny tiny belly buttons."

She tickled his button-less tummy and then his toes. Her arm stayed safely around him so he wouldn't fall.

"You about ready to get out and get dry?"

[sonofarize.livejournal.com]

"Oooh! Lucky babies!" He wiggled a little in excitement. He peered at her belly to see if belly buttoned babies would just come popping right out to play. Longshot was quickly distracted by something else, however.

He giggled and wiggled at the tickling. When Ali stopped, he draped himself over her arm like a limp noodle. "An' get into the big bed?"

[light-in-sound.livejournal.com]

"Yep. Into the big bed for sleeping." She reached behind her and grabbed a big, fluffy towel to wrap around him. She stepped out of the tub and held him against her as she walked into the bedroom. She was only wet from the knees down, so she didn't worry about drying herself.

"Hmmm. We'll have to see what we can find you to wear." She set him down on the bed and wrapped the towel snugly around him to keep him warm. "I'll be right back. I'm going to look in the kids rooms for something that might fit you, ok?"

She kissed his forehead and smiled as she turned to go downstairs.

[sonofarize.livejournal.com]

It was a little Longshot burrito! Because they owned some pretty big towels. He blinked at her as she set him down. It was akin to light blue eyes appearing in the middle of a dark blue night sky.

"Okay," he said. He was uncertain as to why she was leaving him alone. He would ge good and watch her go though.