A Nappy in Time

 

T_T_T

Bow Kid joins you in making costumes when you get home. She hasn’t done sewing before, but jumps into it headfirst, keen to be able to make her own costumes for their adventures. It takes a bit of explaining and you have to show her the various tricks, but in no time Bow Kid is trying to make a cat face out of different coloured bits of fabric. She’s going a bit slower than you, but she also wants to get it right. You’re sure she’ll be as speedy as you in no time.

It’s about an hour into making stuff that you realise Bow Kid is missing her most important accessory: her bow .

It takes you no time at all find it in your costume box. Bow Kid sits there patiently as you carefully tug up her hair so the bow acts like a headband. Once you are done, you sit back to admire your handiwork.

“How is it?” she asks.

“You look super cute,” you gush.

Bow Kid blushes slightly at your compliment before your envelope her in a hug. It’s nice and comfortable to cuddle, but soon you’re back to work.

“How does this look?” Bow Kid asks, holding her cat up.

You know there’s a word for a flat sewn image thing, but can’t immediately recall it. It’s not like a teddy bear (or teddy-cat?) as they’re not flat. Oh well.

“That’s really good,” you say honestly.

You know your first attempts at sewing were… bad. It took time for you to get it right, but Bow Kid seems to have done loads better. Mum did tell you not to rush it.

“Really? You think?” she asks uncertainly. Perhaps she is wondering if you are just saying that because she’s your friend?

“It really is.”

Bow Kid still looks really uncertain. You try to think of something to convince her.

“I know!” you say aloud, jumping to your feet. Boy Kid looks at you in confusion, but it will be easier to show.

You go to your wardrobe and start digging through the stuff in the bottom, below the dresses and jackets and things you made hung on coat hangers. Throwing some things out of the wardrobe, you find a dress you had forgotten about from another adventure. You set that aside and then keep digging. Soon you find it .

“Take a look at this,” you say, holding the jumpsuit up for Bow Kid to see.

It was probably too small for you now, but it showed off the flowers you had sewed onto it. The sewing was really bad, but it was also one of the first big things you had made.

“Did you make this?” Bow Kid asked as she inspected it.

“Yep. It was the first thing I did.”

“It’s — um — good.”

You laugh.

“It’s not,” you say good naturedly. “It’s really bad.”

Bow Kid looked conflicted.

“Maybe…” she admits.

“You cat is way better even though it’s the first thing you’ve made with sewing.”

Bow Kid looks down at the cat in her hands a small smile on her lips. You put away the clown costume you’d made for the clown wars adventure you and Moustache Girl had played ages ago.

The pair of you end up in a comfortable rhythm, with Bow Kid making another, different coloured cat.

“Can we make clothes?” Bow Kid asks.

“Yeah,” your reply with a nod. “But we need a sewing pattern.”

“Oh — what’s that?”

You pause as you think about how to explain it.

“It’s like paper with all the bits of fabric you need printed on it. You then cut it out and pin it to the fabric so you know where to cut.”

“Ohhh.” Bow Kid paused. “Do you have any?”

“No,” you reply, shaking your head. “But mum found some online and printed them off for me. Lets go ask.”

You and Bow Kid go looking for your mum. You find her enjoying a book on the couch.

“Having fun?” she asks Bow Kid.

“Uh huh,” Bow Kid replies. “I’ve been making kitties.”

Mum inspects the cat Bow Kid holds up. She smiles widely.

“Wow, that’s very good.”

You look at Bow Kid, quietly saying, “ See?”

“Mum, can we pretty please use the computer to find some patterns. I want to teach Bow Kid how to make things with them.”

Mum silently laughs when you say Bow Kid .

“That bow looks very cute on you.” Bow Kid looks pleasantly embarrassed at the praise. “Alright then, you can use it. Let me go get it.”

Mum closes her book with a bookmark between the pages and goes to her office to get her laptop. She’s soon back, setting it up on the dining table in sight of her.

“Call if you have any trouble, and don’t waste the paper.”

You nod in understanding. Mum taught you all about how you shouldn’t waste things, so if you weren’t sure you were printing it right, get some help.

“What do we do now?” Bow Kid asked.

“Easy, we just search.”

You type in clothes patterns , bringing up loads of sites that had them. Then you remembered that some cost money, so you added free to the search. In no time at all, Bow Kid was scrolling through the pictures of different things.

“I don’t know what ones to pick,” she eventually says.

“Want some help?”

Bow Kid nods.

“Maybe…” you ponder out loud. “Maybe we can do something you can sew the cats to?”

Bow Kid brightened at the idea.

“Like a t-shirt?”

You shrug.

“You could do other things too, like jumpers or jackets… or hats?” you suggest.

Bow Kid keeps scrolling.

“Stop!” you say. You reach out, pointing at a cardigan. “How about that?”

Bow Kid clicks on it, bringing up a bigger picture. She shares a happy glance with you.

T_T_T

You had a roll of lime green felt that you had thought about making a cape or a cloak with, but now seemed perfect for Bow Kid’s cardigan. It the same shade as Bow Kid’s super cute PJs.

Printing the pattern out, you then had to tape it together because mum didn’t have a big enough printer, then you and Bow Kid went to work cutting out the various parts.

“So, you pin it like this,” you say, showing Bow Kid how to pin the paper to the fabric. She watches carefully and then mimics the process. “Yeah, like that.”

You end up moving into the lounge where there’s more space. Mum makes some suggestions rearranging each of the pieces.

“There, now you won’t waste any fabric,” she declares.

You could see how they fic together better, sort of like —

“Like a jigsaw puzzle!” Bow Kid says, thinking along the same lines.

Mum laughs.

“Exactly.”

It’s getting dark outside as mum puts some dinner together. You’re explaining how you make clothes inside-out when mum says dinner is ready.

“Thank you, Hat Kid’s mummy!” says Bow Kid as she eats the spaghetti bolognese.

“No problem, sweetie. I’m glad you’re enjoying it.”

You’re about done when Bow Kid loudly yawns.

“It’s been a really long day, hasn’t it?” mum asks her. Bow Kid nods. “I think you two should have an early bed tonight.”

You grumble a bit, but tone it down when you realise Bow Kid is looking apologetically at you. You don’t want her to think you were angry at her.

“Do we have to?” you say instead.

Mum pretends to think on it. You know she’s way faster than that though.

“Hmm, how about you two get ready for bed, and then you can stay up a little bit longer, working on your amazing crafts things?”

You look brightly at Bow Kid who seems happy at the idea. You nod at mum and get up from the table. You hold Bow Kid’s hand as you go to your room with her. As you do, it suddenly hits you that you’ll probably be in a nappy soon. It suddenly seems real, and embarrassing. But at the same time, it sounds nice and will also make Bow Kid happy.

Maybe your unease is really obvious, because Bow Kid looks at you comfortingly.

“You okay?” she asks.

You shrug.

“Just wondering,” you say. But Bow Kid is clearly waiting for more. “It’s just about… nappies.”

“Oh —” Bow Kid frowns slightly. “You don’t want to… anymore?” she asks timidly.

You shake your head.

“No, I… do, it’s just… I dunno what happens.”

“Oh — well you just lie there and mummy — your mummy — does it.”

Suddenly there’s a knock at the door. Mum soon pokes in you head.

“Did my darling daughter ask you?” mum asks lightly.

It takes a moment for Bow Kid to realise what she means.

“Yep.”

“Well, just bring your PJs through to the lounge, you two, and I’ll get you ready.”

She disappears while you go red in the face, remembering again what was about to happen. You grab your PJs as Bow Kid pulls out her cat-eared PJs. You stare for a moment, wondering if you could make some PJs like that. Bow Kid notices you staring, however. She looks ponderous for a moment.

“Do you want to trade PJs?” she asks.

“Your PJs for mine?”

“Yeah.”

It sounds like a really cool idea, but your PJs are really plain in comparison.

“Mine aren’t very interesting though.”

Bow Kid smiles and shrugs.

“ I think you’ll look cute in them,” she declares. “So, I want to see you in them.”

You blush at the praise. There’s no way you’d say no to your friend.

“Okay.”

When the pair of you march into the living room, mum is reading her book again, waiting.

“So, who will be first?”

You glance at Bow Kid and you see her make a decision.

“I’ll go,” she offers.

As she stands up, mum grabs the big packets of nappies that was sitting on the floor next to the couch, ripping open the packaging as she did.

“Lie down on the carpet, honey.”

Mum unfolds the nappy as Bow Kid puts her PJs on the coffee table and lies down. She catches your eyes as she waits, a slightly embarrassed smile on her face as she does. Meanwhile, the nappy now unfolded, mum sets it aside before pulling up Bow Kid’s blue dress. You can see Bow Kid lift her bum slightly as your mum pulls off her undies and then slips the nappy under her.

You probably shouldn’t, but you were immensely curious, watching us mum folded the nappy up over your friend, and then with one hand on the front of the nappy, pulled each side up over, sticking it them into place.

“How’s that feel?” mum asked.

“All good,” Bow Kid replied.

“Want help with your PJs?”

“Um — okay,” Bow Kid replied with slight uncertainty.

Mum smiles at her, reaching for the bundle of clothes. Picking up the trackies, mum shares a knowing look with you before threading Bow Kid’s feet through the holes. Bow Kid lifts her nappied bottom as mum pulls the trackies up over her, before doing the cord up for her in a bow. She then helped Bow Kid upright and helped pull the dress up over Bow Kid’s head before helping her with the t-shirt.

You could remember back to a time when mum still helped you dress like that, and while maybe you wouldn’t want to do it all the time, it did seem nice to do at least occasionally.

“So, you’re the cute kitty cat tonight?” mum asked you.

You blush faintly.

“Yep.”

Mum smiled at you.

“Well, come on then, lets get you ready.”

You suddenly realise your heart is pounding. It’s a mixture of crazy embarrassing and at the same time it seems really nice to be looked after. Having to think about it, you put a foot forward and walk over. Lying down in front of mum, you wonder if there’s anything you need to do. You’re in shorts and not a dress, so does that complicate things.

Looking up, mum unfolds the nappy and lays it next to you. You try not to think too much about it as mum unbuttons your shorts, so you look to your side at the nappy. Reaching out, you lift it up slightly, letting you see the pastel pink and blue design of Minnie Mouse. Realising how cute it is, your heart seems to swell slightly, enough that you barely think about mum tugging off your undies.

When you look up, you notice that Bow Kid is sitting next to you, looking at you with a reassuring smile. At the sound of tape, you look down to see mum finishing up. The nappy around your is tight but secure.

“Can you pass me the PJs?” Mum asks Bow Kid before looking down at you with a soft smile. “It’s been a few years, but I still remember how I used to do up your nappy.”

You blush at the mention, averting your eyes to follow the PJs being passed over you. Mum holds them up for a second to get them around the right way and then pulls the zipper down. Flipping them around again, you remember the zipper goes at the back on Bow Kid’s jammies. Then, mum threads your feet through the holes.

Pulling them up to your thighs, mum pulls you upright and then gets to her feet, pulling you so you’re standing. She tugs the PJs up over your nappy before lifting your t-shirt up over your head. Your try to get your arms through the arm holes, but the back-opening clothes are a bit unusual to you and you struggle slightly to Bow Kid’s giggle. Soon, mum helps you with them, and then turning around, mum pulls the zipper up over your nappy and up to your collar.

“All done. How does that feel?” mum asks.

You squirm slightly in your nappy and onesie. You can feel the slightly bulk of the nappy between your lets and you’re sure the PJs are holding the nappy securely against you. It feels nice though — nice and secure.

Not sure how to voice it however, you nod. Glancing at Bow Kid, she gives you a thankful smile, stepping closer to you. She pulls you into a hug which you easily return affectionately.

T_T_T

Mum’s doing something on her computer while you sit cross-legged on your padded bottom. The nappy securely around you is nice. Looking over at Bow Kid (her bow needed readjusting after changing into her PJs), you can see the top of her nappy peeking out of her waistband. She yawns and catches your eyes, smiling at you before turning back to her careful fabric cutting.

“Does your mum do it the same?” you ask.

Bow Kid thinks for a moment.

“Sometimes,” she replies. “But sometimes I get my own undies off first.”

Knowing mum will send you both to bed soon, you decide to find out if there’s a movie on TV, because then you might get to stay up later. Bow Kid perks up as you fiddle with the remote and start browsing through the channels. It doesn’t take long to find Finding Nemo.

“Have you seen this?” you ask Bow Kid.

“I think so,” she replies uncertainly.

Her eyes on the TV, she puts down her scissors. It doesn’t take long for Bow Kid to find herself enjoying the movie. It’s cut short by an ad break. Bow Kid frowns.

“I hate ads,” she grumbles.

It’s the strongest denouncement you’ve ever heard her made. You think for a moment.

“I think we’ve got the DVD of this,” you say, getting to your feet.

Going over to the shelf, you scan the titles until you find.

“Here!” you say, pulling it out. You quickly load up the DVD and have the movie going before the annoying adverts are even over. “Wanna sit on the couch?” you ask.

Looking up from where she was laying on the floor, Bow Kid nods and gets up to join you. You cuddle next to her to enjoy the film.

By the time Marlin and Dory are trying to carry the mask with the address on it, mum comes into the lounge room to tell you it’s time for bed.

“But mum, we’re watching a movie,” you say.

Mum sighs.

“Okay, but you have to go straight to bed afterwards,” she says. As you nod, she picks up the remote, pausing the film. “But I want you two to brush your teeth now.”

You and Bow Kid agree, and get up to brush your teeth. As you do so, you watch Bow Kid yawn again. She looks a bit tired, but is still smiling. Soon you’re back on the couch cuddling.

T_T_T

As you watch Nemo tell the school of fish to swim down to escape the net, you glance at Bow Kid only to realise she’s fast asleep on your shoulder. She’s always cute, but again you’re reminded how cute she is sleeping. You barely notice the credits rolling as you watch her, cuddle against her side. It’s comfy.

“Now, it’s time for bed,” mum says, making you jump slightly.

She’s smiling, but you can tell she won’t be up for any more arguments about staying up — and to be fair, Bow Kid is asleep, or was as she blinks the tiredness out of her eyes.

“Time for bed?” she asks tiredly.

“Yep.”

As you stand up, she follows slightly more unsteadily. Mum is waiting, obviously intent on making sure you do go to bed.

“Do you need a change, sweetie?” Mum asks as you get to your room.

Looking over your shoulder in confusion, you’re pretty certain you hadn’t used your nappy.

“I’m okay,” say Bow Kid quietly.

Mum gives her a kind smile.

“If you’re wet, you will need a change.”

Bow Kid shuffles slightly at your side.

“Well…”

“Let me get you a fresh nappy.”

Mum urns back towards the lounge room and after a moment wondering where you should go, decide to guide Bow Kid to your room. Turning your light on, you think you can see Bow Kid’s nappy bugling slightly. She’s blushing embarrassedly, so you pull her into a hug.

“Lay down on the bed and I’ll get you into a dry nappy.”

Looking at mum, you can see two nappies, however.

“Do you need a change too, sweetie?”

“Oh, um — I’m dry,” you say, blushing.

At those words, it occurs to you that you do need to go to the loo, but isn’t that’s what your nappy is for?

Mum accepts your words as Bow Kid lays down. Rather than pull the trackies off, mum only pulls them down to her knees, exposing the visibly wet nappy. There’s enough room then for mum to untape it and put a fresh nappy underneath her. Soon, Bow Kid is securely taped up in a dry nappy.

There’s a round of goodnights as mum turns off the light.

T_T_T

“You okay?” Bow Kid asks, you’re not sure how long later.

You hadn’t gotten to sleep yet, the discomfort in your bladder having risen to the point where you just couldn’t. You knew you just had to go in your nappy, but for some reason you just couldn’t. You had initially thought it was the fact you were on your side, cuddling with Bow Kid, your legs mostly together, so you fidgeted and squirmed, lifting your legs so there was space to go. But you still couldn’t.

You feel guilty knowing your movement kept Bow Kid up.

“I need to pee,” you admit after a moment.

“Oh,” Bow Kid replies. You can see you eyes shine even in the low light. “Like, you want to get up and go to the loo?”

You were supposed to say yes, but you know Bow Kid sometimes goes because it’s easier. She admitted that last sleepover, and for the same reasons don’t want to.

“No.” You try to think. “I just can’t go,” you admit quietly.

You can see Bow Kid chew her lip, clearly thinking.

“The — the first time I tried to go, it was hard,” she admitted. “It was like I knew I wasn’t supposed to go there.”

“Oh,” you say in understanding. That made sense.

“It’s… easier on your back,” suggest Bow Kid.

Untangling yourself from her, you roll on to your back, your bladder ending warning signals as you do even though you can’t go. You try to relax and go again, but it’s still hard. You are aware of Bow Kid next to you, awake, and wonder if that makes it harder. After a few moments however, she shuffles closer to you.

“Try to imagine you’re on the toilet,” she says sleepily.

You close your eyes and try to tell yourself that, slowly relaxing. After a few seconds, you suddenly feel a spurt escape you. You freeze and the flow halts in its tracks. You can feel the little bit of encouraging wetness and try again. You can imagine your toes brushing to cool tiled floor and the slight chill of the room, and slowly the flow begins.

It’s a relief on your aching bladder, and you add some encouraging pressure. You can feel the liquid hit your nappy, some of it splashing back. It runs down between your legs and down your bum, pooling on top of the padding slightly. It’s warm and your can feel the nappy swell between your legs, the flow seeming to go on forever.

You sigh, your bladder happy, as the flow drops to a trickle. You lay there happily for several minutes before reaching for your nappy and giving it an experimental squish with your fingers. It’s warm hugs you nicely. Rolling and cuddling back up to Bow Kid, the warm nappy squishing between your thighs, before drifting off to sleep.

T_T_T

The next morning you wake to Bow Kid watching you, a smile on her face. It’s a nice sight to wake to.

“Sleep well?” she asks.

“Yeah,” you happily reply, your arms tightening around her.

“You’re wet?”

Though you doubt Bow Kid can see it wish your face in her t-shirt, you blush at her words.

“Yeah,” you say again.

Bow Kid lightly giggles.

“Thanks,” she says honestly. “Thanks for… being my friend.”

You hum positively at her words, your face still in her shirt, when something warm and wet touches your forehead. You blink up at a slightly blushing Bow Kid and realise she kissed you on the forehead. You smile back reassuringly.

“It was —” You want to say it’s nice being in a nappy, but instead settle on, “— nice to not have to get out of bed to… you know.”

Bow Kid nods, chewing her lips.

“I’m — I’m actually dry.”

“Is that common?” you ask.

Bow Kid shakes her head.

“Not really. I need to go, though.”

You wonder for a moment if she’ll just go there, but a thought occurs to you.

“I’ve got a weird question,” you start with.

“I trust you; you can ask me anything, Hat Kid.”

It makes you feel warm to know she trusts you that much. You try to muster up your courage. It is weird though.

“Can I… watch?” you ask timidly, your face going red. “I — I’m curious… what it looks like.”

Bow Kid goes red in the face too, chewing her lip nervously. As you begin to cringe, wondering why you even asked that , Bow Kid nods.

“If it’s too embarrassing…” you suggest.

Bok Kid shakes her head.

“No, it’s… okay,” she replies, looking deep in thought. “Do you need to go, again?”

You squirm. You probably could.

“Yeah.”

“Can I… watch?” she asks.

It seems fair. You nod.

“Do we get up?” you ask.

You’re not sure what to do, but you guess Bow Kid needs to take her trackies off, and you… need to get the onesie off. As you watch Bow Kid get out of bed, you can see her nappy peeking out of her waist band again. You do the same, standing upright with a wet nappy bulging between your legs.

Clenching your thighs together, you can squeeze the wet mass between your legs. It’s still comfortably warm.

“Um — can you help me?” you ask to Bow Kid’s confusion. “With the zipper?”

You meet Bow Kid halfway, at the foot of your bed. Turning around, you let her unzip you. You can feel the tightness of the fabric over your nappy go away as the zipper moves, suddenly making the nappy feel heavier on your hips.

Turning around with the onesie mostly still on, you find Bow Kid kicking off her trackies. She’s blushing and fidgeting nervously. Deciding to get it over with, you shrug off the sleeves and push the onesie down, steeping out of it. You feel as nervous as Bow Kid looks, standing there in just a wet nappy.

“What do we do?” you ask.

Bow Kid is still chewing her lip.

“Maybe… squat down?”

You slowly do so, the Nappy beginning to feel like it’s hanging below you as Bow Kid does the same. Her nappy is obviously dry.

Suddenly, you feel like you might loose you balance and fall onto your padded bum, but Bow Kid’s hand reaches out to grab you. You hold her hand and meet her eyes.

“Can we —” Bow Kid draws in a deep breath. “I don’t think I can hold it for much longer,” she admits, a touch to of desperation in her voice.

You nod.

This position is way easier than last night, and with the already wet nappy, it feels much easier to just let it out.

Watching Bow Kid’s nappy, she pulls up her t-shirt, giving you a better view. It’s almost weird to see, but the wrinkled nappy starts to expand, the outer plastic going taught. From your own nappy is the audible tinkle of the liquid splashing inside.

Bow kid is red in the face, her breathing deep, and so is your own you realise.

She suddenly lets out a relieved sigh, closing her eyes, her nappy looking heaving and hanging on her waist. She does this little wiggle, causing the bulk to swing slightly. She has an embarrassed but pleased smile on her face when she meets your eyes.

“All done?” she asks.

You nod and you both carefully get to your feet, the nappy feeling even heavier.

Suddenly, you’re both laughing.

T_T_T

Bow Kid puts her dress back on, still wearing her wet nappy underneath. You think about putting your shorts from last night on, wondering if they’d even fit over your nappy when Bow Kid holds up her PJs.

“It’s cute,” she insists.

You take her word for it as she zips you up, the onesie making your nappy feel more secure as you both head out into the lounge room.

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4

 

littlenappygirl
Dec 11, 2021
A Nappy in Time

Chapter 3

Mum isn’t up yet, so you and Bow Kid settle in to watch some TV. You turn the volume down to not wake mum and take a spot on the carpet in front on the TV, lying on your stomachs, your feet swinging in the air. You watch half of the cartoon that was going when you turned the TV on, then watched the whole next one.

Mum still wasn’t up, but it was her day off, so she was probably sleeping in.

“Hungry?” you ask Bow Kid.

“A bit.”

Before the next show can come on, you wonder if there’s any breakfast stuff that you can make. There’s probably cereal and bread in the cupboard or some yogurt in the fridge.

“Lets get some food,” you say, climbing to your feet.

Standing up, you can see Bow Kid’s dress has ridden up while her legs swung in the air, exposing her nappy. Giggling, you take her hand as she wonders what’s funny.

“I can see your nappy!” you sing song.

Bow Kid gives you an embarrassed smile, then something bolder crosses her face.

“Boop, boop!” she goes, suddenly swatting you lightly on your nappied bum, each hand in time to the sound.

The surprise makes you jump slightly before you both break out into giggles.

In the kitchen, you ask Bow Kid what she wants to eat.

“Ooh! Mango jam!” she says, spotting it among the jars you pulled out of the cupboard. “Lets try that.”

You have to stand on your tippy toes to reach the toaster, but soon you’ve got toast going and plates out. While you’re waiting, you poke around in the fridge to find some apple juice there and pour you and Bow Kid a glass each. Once it’s done, you spread butter and jam on your toast before taking both back to the lounge room for more cartoons. You’ve only missed the first few minutes of the next cartoon as you reclaim your position on the carpet.

“Mmm — I’ve never had mango jam before,” says Bow Kid as she bites into her next slice.

“Yeah, it’s good.”

Once you’ve finished you push your plate away. It knocks over your glass.

Your freeze for just a moment, realising how close you just got to making a huge mess on the carpet. Thankfully, you already finished the apple juice and nothing spills.

Looking at Bow Kid, she’s looking between your toppled glass and her half-full one with worry.

“Are we… allowed to eat here?” she carefully asks.

You have an uncomfortable look on your face. The dry food was probably okay if you didn’t make a mess, but mum would normally insist that glasses go on the coffee table and not the carpet where they can get knocked over. She would make an exception for just water, but not sticky things and definitely not milk.

“Sort of,” you tell her. “Toast is okay… but I’m not supposed to have sticky drinks on the carpet.”

Bow Kid gives you a guilty look, but that’s not fair to her because you didn’t tell her, which makes you feel guilty.

“Should we take this back to the kitchen?” she asks.

You probably should. You nod.

You both get up and Bow Kid takes the opportunity to drain her apple juice. As you walk to the kitchen however, you realise you really need to go potty, and not the wet kind of potty. You’re not sure what to do though; you need someone to unzipper you and then you need to get the nappy off. But laying down seemed to have hidden the need, and even this very short walk back to the kitchen is enough movement to get your bowels moving. B the time you’re putting your plates in the sink, you really need to go.

You can barely think as you quickly say, “I’ve got to go to the loo,” before power walking to the bathroom.

Closing the door behind you, you remember you need help to get your onesie off and turn to open the door, but suddenly you feel it. You can feel that you are really close to pooping yourself. You panic, clenching your muscles to stop what your body is trying to do as you fumble with the door handle. When you get it open, you’re about to cry out for help when you remember mum is still asleep.

There are several agonising seconds as you consider walking back to the kitchen to ask for help, but another contraction and another attempt to clench tells you that’s a really bad idea. You’re certain that walking will make this worse.

“Can — can I get some help?” you desperately cry out, your hands grasping the edge of the door in a white-knuckled grip.

There’s a second or two before you hear a response of, “Yeah?”

“I need some help — help with the zipper.”

You want Bow Kid to come running, but when she doesn’t appear a few seconds later you realise she hasn’t noticed your urgency.

“Please, come quickly!” you cry.

You can feel your eyes tearing up in humiliation, in knowledge that you’re on the verge of messing yourself. Hoping that Bow Kid is coming quickly, you try to walk back towards the toilet. It’s difficult; you can feel the mess trying to escape as you do.

You vaguely register the sound of the door opening and glance over your shoulder. Feeling utterly terrified that you were about to humiliate yourself in front of your friend, you can see her own face is laced with worry. A few agonising seconds and Bow Kid unzips the PJs. With the zipper undone, your tug at the sleeves to get the garment off and shuffle some more, closer to the toilet.

Your arms now free, you push the onesie down over your nappy, squatting slightly as you do so. This was a mistake, you suddenly realise, feeling the mess begin to peek out of your behind. You pull in a shocked, ragged breath, your eyes swimming with tears as you stand straight up.

Bow Kid is looking at you in worry, clearly unsure what to do.

Your insides clench again, more painfully this time as you halt the progression of the mass. You take one, then two, deep breaths, before carefully pushing your PJs down, trying to not bend over as you do so. Now you need to get your nappy off.

It’s obviously wet, the decorative designs on it faded, but you can barely think about that as you are reminded that you need to go, so you tug at the tapes and the nappy drops fee, lading on your PJs around your ankles.

As your bum finds the toilet seat, you can feel the mess already escaping you. You give a pained sigh of relief as you lookup to see Bow Kid leaving you alone to your business. In a mixture of relief and shame, you start to cry.

T_T_T

You sit on the loo far long that you really need to, unable to face Bow Kid after your almost accident.

Crazy replays of the situation run through your mind. Some see you be a big girl that doesn’t need help, the visit to the toilet being like any other. Others see you mess your nappy as Bow Kid struggles to get your zipper down, before she turns her nose up at you in disgust. For a fleeting moment, another sees you go in your nappy in the lounge, neither of you having any care in the world.

As you wonder what Bow Kid would think of you for having a messy accident, there’s a knock at the door and it opens slightly. Nobody peeks in.

“Um — do you need some help?” Bow Kid asks unsurely.

You realise she’s talking about the zipper.

“J-just a second,” you reply.

You’ve got to wipe your bottom, you realise, standing up. As you do so, you realise you also need to put the wet nappy somewhere other than on top of your PJs. Gingerly, your grab the font and back of the nappy by the plastic and place it next to the loo, unsure what to do with it, and then wipe your bottom.

After pulling the PJs up and threading your arms through the holes, you realise that maybe you should have wiped your other bits down before putting the PJs back on, but it’s too late now. With fear of a thousand different ways Bow Kid could hate you for being like this going through your mind, you walk to the bathroom door with trepidation.

What greets you is a worried face; Bow Kid’s eyes clearly wet. She nervously takes your upper arms and direct you to turn for her, before she pulls the zipper up for you. Then there’s a nervous moment before she turns you back around and pulls you into a hug. A hiccupy-sob escapes you as you hug her back.

“Are you — are you okay?” she asks worriedly, her face streaked with tears.

You nod your own tear-streaked face, the hug having evaporated your worries about Bow Kid hating you for this, but still feeling embarrassed by it.

“You shouldn’t be embarrassed,” she tells you quietly. “After everything you’ve done for me, I couldn’t…” she trails off.

But you get her meaning, giving her a wet, thankful smile, sniffling slightly as you do so. Bow Kid hugs you again.

T_T_T

Sensing your need, you’d returned to the lounge and cuddled on the couch together, using the cartoons to distract yourself from what had happened.

“Have you ever… done that in your nappy?” you ask, your voice strained.

Bow Kid nods, nervously swallowing as she did, clearly embarrassed by the admission.

“Before I outgrew my old jammies,” she said. “It was like my cat-ear jammies —” the ones you wore now “— and after I got some normal jammies.” You were curious how she ended up with this type again, though. Sensing your question, Bow Kid continued. “I got the cat-ears for the sleepover.” Bow Kid seems to fidget against you. “I was more worried about it being seen than having a messy accident.”

That made sense.

“Was it bad?” you cautiously ask. “The accident, I mean.”

Bow Kid chews her lip as she thinks.

“It was embarrassing.”

That you understood. You wished it weren’t embarrassing, that your friend never worried, but you knew that she had probably been as terrified as you had been. You cuddled into your friend some more, hoping to convey the reassurance you wanted to give her.

You found yourself wondering if the rest was bad though. It was no-doubt embarrassing, but was being messy otherwise bad? Smelly, probably, but… You’re not sure where you are going with that. Maybe if it weren’t embarrassing, you’d try it and see what it was like. But it seems a bit silly, something no one should want to try, right?

But still, you’re curious. Slowly, you muster up the courage to ask.

“Was the rest of it bad?” you ask, unable to look her in the eyes as you did.

When you finally look up, Bow Kid seems nervous. She fidgets slightly.

“N-not really. It was smelly and I didn’t want to wake mummy, so I went back to bed.” Bow Kid seemed to be in deep thought. She looked sad, renewed worry on her face. You gave her a worried smile back.

“Promise me, if I-I have a messy accident… that it will be okay?” she asks, her voice tinged with quiet desperation.

Of course. How could that ever be in doubt?

But you worried the same thing, didn’t you? That Bow Kid would think of you as a little baby who pooped a nappy like a baby, that she wouldn’t want to be friends with a baby. You can feel your eyes wet again as you give her a small smile.

“I promise,” you tell her.

A silly thought occurs to you, causing you to give something that sounds like a sob and a giggle mixed together.

“I promise, you could mess your nappy on purpose and I’d still be your friend.”

Bow Kid blinks at your response for a moment before blushing. Suddenly, she yawns. The giggles return.

“I promise as well.”

T_T_T

“Were we too loud?” Bow Kid asks with a hint of worry.

“Hmm?” asks mum. “No, I had earplugs in. I figured you two might be a bit noisy this morning,” she continues with a knowing look.

That explains why you didn’t wake mum this morning.

She stares at you for a moment.

“Is that your nappy in that bathroom?” mum asks, directing the question at you.

You blush and nod.

“I think I’ll have to get a nappy bin, then.” Now she directs herself at Bow Kid. “Are you still in your nappy, sweetie?”

Bow Kid nods as well.

“I wasn’t sure where to put it.”

Mum hums in agreement.

“I’ll get a bin to put in the bathroom this afternoon. I think the bin by the loo is a bit small for it.”

T_T_T

After a shower each and some food for mum, she decides that today you’d be going to the beach. It was supposed to be hot today, so the idea was to play at the beach until lunch, and then spend the hottest part of the day at the shops before going home.

Bow Kid only brought normal clothes and PJs, so she borrows some bathers from you. Like the bathers you are wearing, Bow Kid’s are in purple (the coolest colour), but hers are a bit ruffly around the waist. You didn’t like wearing them so much, but —

“It’s cute,” you tell Bow Kid.

She brightens at your compliment. It always feels good putting a smile on your friend’s face.

You’re wearing you bathers in the car because you’re going straight to the beach, but mum has packed a dress and some undies for both of you to wear afterwards (neither of you thought of that). You had thought Bow Kid should always wear a bow, but mum pointed out that it might fade in the salt-water, so that’s with the dresses.

Remembering yesterday, you don’t do up your buckle, happily talking with Bow Kid about how you were going to build the biggest sandcastle ever, before mum does it for you. She gives you a smile and pats you on the cheek before doing Bow Kid’s up as well. It felt nice for mum to look after you.

T_T_T

“Look at this!” exclaimed Bow Kid.

It was a huge shell, the biggest you’d ever just seen on a beach before. There were bigger in shops and stuff, but despite hoping too, you’d never found one, and now Bow Kid has found one.

“Cool!” you exclaim back, looking at the big spiral shell in her hands.

It’s got dark stripes on the outside, but on the inside it’s purple, which is really cool. Bow Kid lets you hold it and you try to see if there’s anything inside it. You can’t see anything though.

“Do you want it?” she asks.

Well, it would be cool to have, but…

“It should be yours, you found it.”

Bow Kid takes the shell up to where you had started building a sandcastle. It’s near water, so you’d put rocks at the front so the waves don’t get it. There’s a pool with some seaweed in it, along with a moat and some towers. Bow Kid puts the seashell in the middle of the castle you are building up and starts helping.

Shortly after, mum appears with a bottle of sunscreen in hand.

“Better safe than sorry,” she says lightly, squirting some onto her hands.

She starts with Bow Kid who patiently sits there as mum applies sunscreen onto her neck and shoulders.

Spotting a bit where mum hasn’t rubbed it in properly, you reach out and wipe it up with a finger. Bow Kid stares at you finger with confusion for just a moment, before you place the dollop of her nose.

“Bloop.”

She giggles as mum moves onto her arms. You’re sure she’s looking for an opportunity to enact her revenge, which she does when mum moves to the next arm, scooping some up just as she squirts it out of the bottle. She smears it on your forehead.

“Simba.”

As Bow Kid beams widely at you, it takes a second to realise what she meant, her façade cracking as realisation crosses your face.

“Rub it in properly, sweetie,” says mum as she squirts some more in Bow Kid’s hands so she can do her face.

T_T_T

Bow Kid jumped.

“Ahhhh!” she screamed.

You jump to your feet to find her standing away from the sandcastle. As you wisely move away as well, Bow Kid steps cautiously forward, eyes wide, peering down at something. That something being a pair of claws extending from the opening of the shell.

“Wow, a hermit crab!” Bow Kid exclaims.

You lean in closer. It certainly looks like it with the claws and all.

“Should we put it back in the water?” you wonder.

“I think so. I think they need water.”

Bow Kid reaches down, picking the hermit crab up from the clawless end of the shell.

“What about the pool?” you suggest.

Stepping over the castle wall, she carefully lowers the hermit crab into the water, resting it on the sandy bottom. But she watches a moment, frowning.

“No, I think it’s too warm for it.”

“Oh,” you say, stepping your feet into the pool.

It does feel warmer than the ocean, but you have no idea if that’s too warm. Still, you don’t want to hurt it, so as Bow Kid picks it up, you follow her back into the ocean.

“There you go!” she says, putting the hermit crab near a large underwater rock.

It’s hard to make out, but you think you see the hermit crab scurry under the rock.

Bow Kid’s smile is wonderfully radiant.

T_T_T

You and Bow Kid are ready for lunch by the time mum tells you to finish up. It’s getting really hot and you can see people either leaving or going into the water to cool off. Packing up your things, you follow mum up to the carpark where there’s a public shower.

The water is cold as you rinse the salt out, but the cold water is okay on a day like today and mum will probably tell you to have a proper bath tonight because there’s probably still sand in your hair. When everyone is rinsed off, you trek back to the car, letting you dry off. Getting changed is easy as all you have to do is push your bathers off your shoulders, throw on your dress, get your bathers off your lower half and slip on some undies. Mum then puts the wet bathers in a bag. Lastly, you help Bow Kid adjust her ever important bow.

“How does fish and chips sound for lunch?” mum asks as she checks your seatbelt.

“That sounds nice,” says Bow Kid.

“Yeah,” you agree.

Mum skips the first two fish and chip places because there are like a thousand people at each one, all trying to get lunch after the beach. Instead, mum drives in the direction of the shops, stopping at a busy but not packed place.

“I wonder if they have a hermit crab?” Bow Kid asks as you both gaze into the fish tank in the fish and chip shop.

There are several colourful fish swimming about and even some snails. One of the snails is cutting a path through the light film of algae on the glass.

“Hmm,” you hum in concern. “I hope they don’t eat these fish,” you say.

Bow Kid joins you in a disapproving hum.

“That would be weird,” she comments.

“What have they got in there?” Mum asks, leaning down to your level.

“Just some fish,” Bow Kid replies.

“And some snails,” you add, pointing at the one on the glass.

“No hermit crabs.”

“Hermit crabs?” mum asks questioningly.

“Yeah, we found one at the beach!” says Bow Kid enthusiastically.

There’s a small flash of surprise on mum’s face.

“Really? I’ve never seen one at the beach — well, not around here anyway. I have seen one in the tropics.”

“Yeah, it had claws and everything,” you explain.

“We put it back,” says Bow Kid happily.

As your order is called, mum goes to pick it up. You catch Bow Kid yawning.

“Tired?”

She shakes her head.

“Nope, all good.”

Mum leads you to a nearby park where the three of you can eat at a picnic table.

T_T_T

Mum lets you buys some buttons that you think will look really cool on Bow Kid’s cardigan as she shops for a nappy bin.

Once you move onto the supermarket, she lets the pair of you stand on the front of the trolley, mum wheeling you about as she grabs things off the shelves. Mum doesn’t stop as she goes past the nappies on the shelf and you figure mum knows there’s enough to last for now. You do wonder what other types are like though.

As mum browses the fresh fruit, picking which ones she thinks is best, you and Bow Kid get off and go looking around. There are some vegetables you don’t think you’ve ever tried before and you wonder if Bow Kid has tried them.

“Weird,” you say, looking at the bell-shaped vegetable. It even had a flat bottom.

“They’re squash,” Bow Kid explained.

“Weird,” you say again. “You had them?”

Bow Kid nods.

“Yeah, mum sometimes cooks them.” When you ask what they are like, Bow Kid replies, “sort of like pumpkin —” she shrugs “— but not really.”

Bow Kid yawns again, more loudly than last time. You give her a quizzical look, but she shakes her head, smiling all the way.

“There you are,” says mum, spotting the two of you. “Try not to wander off so far, okay?”

The rest of the shopping is uneventful and soon you and Bow Kid are being buckled up into your seats again. You’re only a few minutes out of the car park when you look over at Bow Kid to find she’s fast asleep in her seat. She’d yawned all day and clearly tired after last night, so you leave her be.

That may have been a mistake, when only a few minutes from home, you hear a sharp intake of breath.

“Oh no,” she says in a fearful whisper.

Bow Kid looks horrified as her hands go to her crotch to try stymie the flow. Mum doesn’t miss the spectacle and quickly pulls over. You can see tears in Bow Kid’s eyes so you undo your restraints and get out of your seat, slipping into the centre seat to be nearer to her. Bow Kid has closed her eyes, her face blotchy in embarrassment. You probably can’t take her hand right now, so you instead loop your arm through hers. Sniffling, she blinks back at you.

“Do you still need to go, sweetheart?” mum asks.

Bow Kid sobs, shaking her head as mum nods sadly in understanding.

“Lets get you home, then.”

Mum stares at you for a moment.

“Come on, you have to get back in your seat. We’ll be home in a minute or two.”

With visible reluctance you slip your arm out and take your seat. When mum pulls the car into the driveway, she helps Bow Kid out of the car. She’s shaking as you try to hug her.

“N-no, I’m — I’m all wet,” she protests, stepping away.

You shrug before hugging her anyway. Bow Kid initially freezes, but after a few moments’ melts into your hug, sniffling over your shoulder. You can feel her wet clothes wetting your dress, but it doesn’t matter right now. It hurts to see Bow Kid hurt, you realise, your own eyes watering. She has fast become one of your best friends.

Over her shoulder, you can see mum removing her car seat. Mum sets it next to the car before giving you a small sad smile.

“I guess you two can have a bath now.”

Mum gets the hot water going before leaving you to help Bow Kid out of her wet clothes. You put her still dry bow safely on the edge of the bathroom sink, before helping her keep her wet dress off her face as she pulls it off over her head.

“Remember,” you whisper, “I promised I’d never care about this. You’re still my friend.”

Sniffling, Bow Kid nods her tear-streaked face as she gives you a sad, thankful smile.

T_T_T

Bow Kid’s eyes were still red, but you finally got her giggling as your tried to replicate her head of curls with some bubbles. She follows it by trying to make a bubble moustache.

“Aww,” she says as the bubbles seem to run down to her chin. “Plegh!” she then cries, sticking out her tongue. “They don’t taste very good.”

You giggle back before an idea comes to mind. You scoop up some bubbles and then try to attach then to Bow Kid’s chin.

“A beard?” she asks.

“Yep,” you reply. But it seems the movement is a problem, because about half the beard falls off.

“Kids?” comes mum’s voice as she knocks on the door.

She looks in, a soft smile on her face.

“Are you alright, sweetheart?” mum ask.

She gives mum a small smile as a nod.

“All because Hat Kid was there to save me!” she insists.

You beam and Mum laughs, catching your eyes. Stepping closer, she crouches down to your level next to the bath.

“Now, I hope you don’t think badly about this, but I was thinking — just for today — that we get you in a nappy,” mum suggests.

Something crosses Bow Kid’s face at the suggestion, before she sideways looks at you. You try to look back reassuringly. She looks slightly nervous.

“Just for today?” she asks uncertainly.

Mum nods.

“Yep. Just in case you fall asleep again. I know you were terribly embarrassed about your accident in the car and I know that you’re probably still very tired, so I thought it would be a good idea just in case you fall asleep again before bed.”

Bow Kid glances at you again. You try to smile, giving her the smallest nod.

“O-okay,” she mumbles, blushing slightly.

You slip up next to her, your shoulder touching hers.

“You don’t need to worry,” you tell her, nodding with certainty.

It sounds nice to not have to worry about that sort of stuff. Bow Kid gives you a thankful smile.

“Yep,” mum adds. “No one is going to think badly about it.”

“Thank you,” she says quietly.

“Now, before that, do you have to go to the toilet?”

Bow Kid fidgets slightly in embarrassment.

“Maybe.”

“Alright, so once you’re out of the bath and gone to the loo, we’ll get you in a nappy.” Mum looks at you. “What about you?”

You shake your head.

“I’m okay.”

T_T_T

Once you dry off and have a huge towel around each of you, Bow Kid goes off to the loo. Wondering if mum will put you in a nappy while she waits for Bow Kid, you go in search of her. You bump into mum just outside the bathroom door. She’s got the plastic bag of nappies in one hand and leads you to your room with the other, the hand on your back.

“Are you okay with this, sweetie?” she kindly asks.

You’re first instinct is to say yes . It’s been nice so far being looked after, other than the near miss this morning. But Bow Kid had been there for you, just like you had been there for her. But you weren’t sure mum would like it if you wanted that; you were supposed to be a big girl, and want to be a big girl.

“It’s… important,” you say, thinking it over. “I want Bow Kid to be happy.”

Mum gives you a small smile.

“You’re my very brave little girl, aren’t you?” she says with a touch of pride. “I know this can be a bit embarrassing — for both of you — but I’m very proud of you for caring about your friend so much.”

You blush, fidgeting in embarrassment at mum’s praise.

“Thanks,” you say quietly.

“I really mean it. Not many girls your age would do this, or not mind that their friend has a little problem.”

You nod slightly, wondering why that was the case. It seemed so cruel, so horrible, that someone might like them anymore because they wore a nappy to bed. Friends were important. Just the thought of someone doing that to a friend was painful.

“Anyway, hop up on your bed and I’ll get you ready.”

Your towel still around you, you shuffle up your bed and lay down. You watch as mum pulls a nappy out of the packet and unfolds it before setting the packet on the bed. Your curiosity overcoming your embarrassment and partly to hide your face, you reach out for the bag and take a look at it.

There’s a cute girl a bit younger than you on the front. In the corner, it says Size 6 (16+ kg) 24 Nappies . They smell kind of nice, but you’re not really sure what they smell of, besides that these might just be what nappies smell like.

“I would get you two pullups for during the day so you can go to the loo in them, but a packet would be a bit of a waste just for one day.”

Blushing, you keep the packet between your face and mum.

“So… what should I do then?” you carefully ask.

Mum chuckles.

“I’m not sure how well these will retape,” she replies. “If you want, I can try get them back on or get you a new nappy, but you might as well just go in them.” She laughs. “I’m going to be changing nappies anyway; being wet doesn’t change that.”

That makes sense… and lets you use the nappy, like you wanted. You can feel mum is now taping you up, her nappying slowing as she talked.

“So, what will it be, kiddo?”

You’re nervous to say the words, and instead try not to sound too keen.

“I’ll use it? — if that’s okay?”

Mum quietly laughs

“It’s okay, sweetheart,” she reassures you. “I did say it’s okay.”

Suddenly, mum tugs the packet of nappies out of your hand, smiling down at you reassuringly. You’re pretty sure mum knows why you were hiding your face behind it.

“I think you’ll use less nappies that way, too,” she continued, raising an eyebrow at you.

Mum did teach you not to waste things, and using your nappy a few times instead of getting a new one each time you went to the loo was less wasteful. You didn’t doubt that mum meant it that she hoped you wouldn’t be wasteful.

“O-okay,” you timidly agree.

There was a knock at the door before Bow Kid peeked in. You give her a wave as you sit up. The towel is still over your shoulders, but it’s plainly visible you’re nappied.

“Ready?” mum asks her as you get to your feet.

Bow Kid nods and steps into the room as you wonder what to wear.

You didn’t have loads of dresses and normally saved them for hot days like today. Looking through your drawers, you find a pair of shorts. Your nappy is a bit poofy so you’re not completely sure it will fit you right now, but you try anyway.

Surprisingly, it’s not that difficult to get your shorts up over your nappy. These shorts have a cord waist instead of a button, so you do that up in a bow. Fidgeting slightly, you realise it feels a bit different from just wearing a nappy and nothing like normally wearing shorts. It feels secure though and you don’t think it’s too obvious… except for the top of the nappy peeking out the top of your shorts. But that’s okay as you quickly find a t-shirt that covers it up.

Looking over, mum is getting the clothes Bow Kid has packed in her bag out. One is a skirt and a t-shirt and the other is another dress. Bow Kid would look cute in both, you think.

“The dress might be easier — for changes, I mean,” she offers, her voice strangely timid.

As you encouragingly sit on your bed next to her, you wonder why that’s the case. Bow Kid probably knows better than you, though.

“I don’t mind changing you in either, sweetie,” mum says kindly.

Bow Kid chews her lip before picking the skirt and mum leaves you two alone.

T_T_T

It’s sad.

Bow Kid is still strangely timid as you both sit in the airconditioned lounge, sewing together her cardigan. The weather makes you realise that the cardigan is probably not summer clothing, but maybe she can wear it at night soon. You thought she was feeling happier during the bath, but her sullenness returns shortly afterwards. Still, you want to Bow Kid out of her funk, so you try asking her things.

“Why the skirt?” you ask.

She looks back uncertainly.

“What about it?”

You shrug.

“Like… for nappies.”

“Well — um,” she says, clearly trying to think.

After a moment she tugs her t-shirt up, exposing her nappy peeking over the waist of her skirt.

“So, I have to loosen it and pull it up because its tall .”

“Oh — okay,” you say, her words making a lot of sense.

You’d obviously have to take your shorts off for a change. Still, it didn’t spark any conversation. Instead, your worry grew. Eventually you, just had to ask.

“Are you okay?” you ask quietly, an obvious edge of worry in your voice.

Bow Kid frowns at the question, her eyes down at the sleeve she was sewing together.

“Yeah,” she replies.

The words hurt, because you know she isn’t. You can feel your eyes wetting, unable to respond when Bow Kid looks up at you. You can see her lips quiver as you try to swallow the lump forming in your throat. She sags, looking dejectedly at you.

“I’m sorry you got — got caught up in… all this,” she whispers, her voice sad.

You blink numbly back. That… wasn’t at all what was bothering you. You were sad because Bow Kid was sad. You liked the nappies and were happy to be caught up in it. You just didn’t want Bow Kid hurting; it was too painful to watch. You wanted her happy, with that infectious bright smile on her face, that smile that made you want to engulf her in a huge hug. You loved her, and watching someone you loved hurt so much, hurt you too.

“T-that’s fine,” you stammer out, suddenly feeling the tears coming. “I just want you to be happy. I’m sad because I —”

You come to a halt having decided what you’ll tell Bow Kid. Chewing your lip nervously, you look around, spotting mum on her computer. But not here — you won’t say it here where mum might hear it.

Getting to your feet, you hold your hand out for Bow Kid, a sad, slightly teary smile on your face. Taking your hand, you pull her to her feet and lead her to your room. Your arms are wrapped around her in your best impression of a bone-crushing hug the moment the door snaps shut. You try to strangle the sob forming.

“I don’t mind any of this — I like this,” you tell her adamantly. “You’re so important to me, and I want to see your happy — happy and smiling,” you add, a wet smile on your face.

Bow Kid sniffles, brushing away a tear with the back of her hand.

“Really?” she asks, her voice strangled.

“Really.” You nod.

“Even having to wear nappies?”

“I didn’t have to, but I wanted to.”

Bow Kid slowly nods, clearly thinking about your words.

You want to confess all, and tell yourself you will, but in the meantime, you procrastinate, leading Bow Kid to your bed where you both sit. Backs against the headboard, you cuddle up to her, suddenly feeling clarity. Clarity in that Bow Kid won’t think badly of you, and that she might even understand.

“I like this,” you tell her. “I — I like being in a nappy,” you quietly confess. “It’s nice. It’s really nice, and I get to be in one with you.” You place your head on her shoulder, your cheeks heating in embarrassment.

Bow Kid is silent for several seconds.

“You… want to be in a nappy?” she quietly asks, surprise tinging her voice.

“Yeah,” you breath. “It’s nice being looked after.”

“You’re not supposed to.” There’s no heat in Bow Kid’s words.

You shrug, lifting up your heat and giving her a small smile.

“So?”

She gives you a small, almost shameful smile.

“It has always sounded nice,” she confesses, her face flushing.

The words make your heart race, knowing Bow Kid thinks so too.

“I was glad when mum suggested it,” you add before frowning. “I wish you didn’t get hurt before it, but I do like it.” Your smile returning, you try to give her a reassuring look. “Besides, then you don’t have to worry about accidents anymore. I wish we’d been in nappies earlier, so that didn’t happen to you.”

Her smile got wider, more thankful.

“Yeah.” You pull Bow Kid back into a hug. “I just wish it could be forever.”

Her words ring true to your ears.

T_T_T

You and Bow Kid have her cardigan all sewed up by dinner time. You still need to add buttons and the kitty cats, but otherwise it’s ready for wearing.

Bow Kid’s eyes go wide as she puts on her home-made cardigan for the first time.

“Wow,” she whispers in awe. “This is so cool!”

You’re bouncing enthusiastically on your feet, enjoying the sight of Bow Kid trying it on for the first time. You make an affirmative hum as Bow Kid spins slightly, letting the cardigan and her skirt fly. The sight makes you giggle.

“Wow, that’s very good,” mum compliments as she comes into the lounge.

“You really think so?” Bow Kid asks, suddenly self-conscious about her work.

Mum glances at you, giving you a knowing look.

“Have you seen my daughter’s first attempts?” she asks humorously.

Bow Kid giggles.

“Yep!” she replies. “It’s bad.”

You try not to laugh as mum smiles knowingly.

“Now, do you two need a change?” she asks.

You squirm slightly, feeling the wet mass between your legs. You could feel how your wet nappy had swelled against your shorts, but it wasn’t tight or uncomfortable.

“Maybe?” you reply, not sure about it. Maybe your nappy was close to leaking, or maybe not. You didn’t really know yet.

“I’m okay for a bit,” says Bow Kid.

“Good until after dinner?” mum asks. “I think you two could do with an early bed tonight, so I can change you then.”

Bow Kid nods. “I’m okay,” she says more surely.

“What about you?” mum asks of you.

“I… don’t know.”

Having not gone to the loo beforehand, you’d only kept for nappy dry for a bit. So, maybe you’d gone more than Bow Kid.

“I’ll check then,” says mum.

You’re not sure what to do, so you just stand there blushing as mum pats your bum.

“It’s been a while, but I think you’ll be okay until after dinner.”

T_T_T

Even with the air conditioning going, it feels warm in your room. Bow Kid is readjusting her skirt over her fresh nappy, and you’re debating putting your shorts back on. Mum says that you’re off to bed as soon as you have both brushed your teeth.

“I’ll be back in five minutes, okay?” she tells you as she puts the wet nappies in some plastic bags.

Deciding it’s too warm, you forego the shorts and go brush your teeth dressed in just a nappy and t-shirt.

“I can see your nappy!” Bow Kid singsongs as she follows you into the bathroom.

You wiggle your bum, trying not to giggle behind a mouth of toothpaste.

You go back to brushing and after spitting it out, you look back to find Bow Kid undoing her skirt. She lets it drop to the floor before stepping up onto the bathroom step stool next to you.

“Now we’re the same,” she declares.

“Yep,” you reply, before wiping away the toothpaste.

You’re both just in a nappy and t-shirt as you cuddle up to each other in your bed. It feels right and comforting, and you’re certain you drift into a comfortable sleep before mum can come by and turn off the lights.

I also post on AO3

4

 

Donald Franks
Dec 12, 2021
Another wonderful loving story about the beauty of understanding, caring and loving friends. Thank you for sharing this part of YOUR soul with us you have made my night better I truly needed this uplifting story today. You have done a great job as the story teller and also as the editor too.
The love you have for this story is shining bright as the sun at high noon on the beach you wrote about.

2

4 MONTHS LATER

littlenappygirl
1h
A Nappy in Time

Chapter 5

“Wakey, wakey.”

You dimly register the words before snuggling more deeply into your bedcovers. You can feel some hair tickling your nose, so without any thought brush it behind your ear and try to go back to sleep. But, even after rushing it away, it’s still tickling your nose. You can hear a light laugh as you groggily open your eyes to find your vision obscured by Bow Kid’s hair, and the source of whose hair was ticking your nose.

“Sorry, but you’re going to have to get up.”

You register the voice as mum’s.

“Mum — mummy ,” you say tiredly, shuffling up your pillow to look over Bow Kid.

As Bow Kid Stirs, you spot mum sitting at the edge of your bed in her PJs.

“Sorry, sweetie, but we’ve got to get up early today,” she says apologetically. “We’ve got to get to the shops to get some supplies before your friend gets here.”

Bow Kid pushes herself up, rubbing the tiredness out of her eyes.

“Oooh,” says Bow Kid in comprehension. “We’ve seeing Moustache Girl today!”

Mum laughs at the name.

“Come on, lets get you two some brekkie.”

Following mum to the kitchen, you both waddle behind her in your wet nappies. Mum gets some cereal from the cupboard and milk from the fridge, before setting out some bowls, letting you and Bow Kid pick your favourites.

“What do you think we could do today?” Bow Kid asks over breakfast as mum has a quick shower.

“There’s lots of stuff,” you reply. You don’t know exactly what you will do, but there are lots of things to do. “We could keep playing the spaceship game with the chef gangsters. We could also go an adventure. We could make costumes for an adventure too. There’s loads of stuff.”

Bow Kid seems to light up with each suggestion. She seems excited but also clearly thinking of other things you can do.

Soon, mum is back and changed into her clothes for the day. She’s still drying her hair with a towel when she smiles at the two of you.

“Lets get you two changed and dressed,” she says.

Going to your room, your mum gets Bow Kid in a clean nappy before moving onto you. She helps you get your PJ bottoms off and then makes quick work of your wet nappy.

“Have you got enough clean clothes, sweetie?” mum asks of Bow Kid.

“Umm —” she replies, before looking in her bag and pulling out a dress. “I’ve only got this,” she says, holding it up.

“Alright — when we get back, I’ll wash all your clothes.”

Mum then goes to your wardrobe and pulls some things out. After selecting a white t-shirt and a dark-purple romper, she helps you get into it.

“Got enough socks?” she asks Bow Kid again.

Bow Kid looks thoughtful before looking through her bag again. She eventually turns it upside down and shakes her head, looking slightly worried.

“It’s okay, there are plenty of clean socks around here,” your mum reassures her, patting the spot on the bed next to you.

As Bow Kid sits, mum goes to your drawers and grabs two pairs of socks. She helps Bow Kid get her shoes on, then helps you as well.

T_T_T

“So, I was thinking that you two might like to pick a nappy design.”

You’re waiting at the traffic lights, not far from the shops when mum asks you.

The question makes you give mum a surprised look before glancing at Bow Kid. She squirms slightly in a happy but slightly embarrassed way.

“What kind of designs?” you ask.

“All sorts,” Bow Kid explains. “But it’s been ages since I looked.”

Mum smiles at you from the rear-view mirror.

“I’m sure that you two will want to pick something cute out, right?”

It sounded nice, but at the same time, it was slightly embarrassing to think someone might see you with a big box of nappies. It seems to show on your face.

“Don’t worry, sweetheart. No one is going to care about the nappies.”

The words reassure you slightly, and you are further assured when you find Bow Kid smiling at you. You suddenly remember that Bow Kid’s mummy had bought her nappies loads of times.

“Okay, mummy,” you quietly agree, to Bow Kid’s wider smile.

Parking and then grabbing a trolley, you and Bow Kid ride on the front again as mum pushes you into the store. As she goes past, she grabs some things like bread and milk, before detouring past the snacks aisle. There she grabs some sweet things and some chips.

“For later,” she tells you.

Soon, she wheels you past the toothbrushes and shampoo, and into the nappy section. Getting off the trolley, you nervously look around, before Bow Kid surprises you and takes your hand.

You mum immediately grabs baby powder before looking over the other items. You’re not sure what the other packet of things she grabs is before she puts both in the trolley. After several seconds of scanning the shelves, mum crouches down to your level.

“I know you guys said you didn’t want pullups, but how about I get a small packet just for today? Then you won’t have to worry so much about getting changed while your friend is here.”

You glance at Bow Kid who is chewing her lip.

“They leak,” she says.

You mum gives her a kind smile.

“When you sleep on them?” mum asks her. “I think they’ll be okay if you’re standing up. This way you can slip into the bedroom and put on a dry nappy when you need to.”

It does sound like a good idea to you. This way you won’t need to go find mum to change you and then have to explain it to Moustache Girl.

“I’ll still get you tape-ups, so if it doesn’t work out, I’ll get you changed into them. Okay?”

“Okay,” Bow Kid agrees and you nod too.

Standing up, mum grabs a small packet of pull up nappies and puts them in the trolley.

“So, what nappies do you want?” Mum grabs some packs from the shelves and lets you get a look. “We’ve got Minnie Mouse, Disney Princess, and Sesame Street.”

Mum sets the packets down in front of you to take a look before turning back to the shelves.

“Ooh, I want this one,” says Bow Kid, holding up the princesses.

You smile alongside Bow Kid as she looks at the artwork.

“Now that’s cute,” says you mum, reaching for another packet.

She crouches down in front of you again and holds it up. The designs are of animals.

“These ones have got animal faces on your bum,” she explains humorously.

You giggle at that, quickly followed by Bow Kid. Bow Kid reaches out for the packet and mum hands it to her. Looking over Bow Kid’s shoulder, you can see what mum means.

“Can we get these?” Bow Kid asks.

You nod as well. They seem really cool.

“Sure can.”

Mum then picks up the other packets and sets them back on the shelve, as Bow Kid puts the packet in the trolley. Mum laughs lightly.

“I think we’ll need a bigger packet.”

You and Bow Kid look up at mum curiously.

“Twenty four is a lot, isn’t it?” you ask.

Mum smiles knowingly.

“You two easily need four nappies each per day,” she explains, holing up a hand. “That’s eight total per day. Eight plus eight is sixteen, and sixteen plus eight is twenty-four.” As she counts each lot of eight, she raises a finger for each day. She pauses a moment as you think about the maths. “So, that’s only three days.” She wiggles three fingers for emphasis.

Mum then pulls the packet out of the trolley and places it on the shelve, before grabbing a bigger box and putting it in the trolley.

“This box has got one-hundred and eight nappies in it.” That sounds like a really big number to you. “That’s enough nappies to keep you two dry for two weeks.”

T_T_T

At the checkout, you discover mum was right. The nice lady there gave you and Bow Kid a kind smile as she scans everything, and then mum wheels everything out to the car. Mum soon buckles you into your car seat, the straps squishing against your wet nappy and soon you are back off home.

Getting inside, mum sets the nappies down on the couch, then you and Bow Kid help her clean up the kitchens from breakfast.

“How long until Moustache Girl is here?” Bow Kid asks.

Mum hums, pulling out her phone.

“About twenty minutes,” mum tells you. “How about the two of you watch TV until she gets here?”

You both agree and head to the lounge. Not long afterwards, mum comes by with the nappies. Spotting your worry, she says, “I’ll put these in my room for the day, okay?” on the way past.

Not long afterwards, mum comes back with several nappies in hand.

“Lets get you two changed before you friend gets here.”

Following mum to your room, you realise she has the pullup nappies with her.

“Now, I’ll put two in your undies drawer, so you two can discreetly grab a change later.”

Nodding, you otherwise don’t know what you are supposed to do next.

“First, you’ve got to get your tape up nappies off, then you just have to step into the pullup. They’re just like putting on unties,” mum explains.

Glancing at Bow Kid, you realise that will be easy for her in a dress, but you have to get your rompers off all the way. It’s strangely frustrating to think how hard it is. Sensing your feelings, Bow Kid takes your hand as you sit on your bed and shimmy your romper off. Thankfully, it’s loose enough to slip over your shoes without taking them off.

Next, mum untapes your nappy before pulling you up.

“Grab onto my shoulders and step into it,” mum tells you.

It’s not hard to do, and soon mum pulls your nappy up between your legs. Fidgeting slightly, it’s not as secure around the waist, but it doesn’t feel like it will slip down, either. As you inspect your nappy, your mum turns your rompers right-side-out again and repeated the process.

Next, mum changes Bow Kid. After getting her wet nappy off, she far more easily steps into the dry pullup. It makes you wonder if you should change into a dress, but at the same time your romper feels more secure knowing your nappy won’t slip down your legs.

“Are you worried about it slipping off?” you ask Bow Kid when mum leaves you alone.

Bow Kid shrugs unsurely.

“I dunno,” she replies with an uncertain shrug. “It’s been ages since I wore one.”

You head back to the lounge to watch TV, waiting for Moustache Girl to get here. Eventually, you can hear mum’s phone ring. It feels like it has been way more than twenty minutes by this point.

“Their car won’t start,” says mum, coming into the lounge. For a moment, you worry Moustache Girl won’t visit today. “So, we’re going to pick your friend up,” mum continues to your relief.

You and Bow Kid follow your mum to the car and hop in. She quickly buckles the two of you up and your drive the short distance to Moustache Girl’s house. As mum brings the car to a stop, you can see a car with it’s bonnet up and a pair of legs sticking out from under the car. Nearby, Moustache Girl is sitting at the doorstep.

As soon as the car stops, you undo your buckles and open the door. Moustache Girl seems to brighten when she realises you are here. Glancing back, Bow Kid gets out of the car more slowly and your mum gives Moustache Girl a wave before heating over to the broken-down car.

“Take a look at this!” Moustache Girl says loudly, jumping to her feet.

Before you can close the distance and give your friend a hug, she picks up… a sword and shield. You do a double take, before realising they seem to be made from tape and cardboard.

“Oh — wow!” you exclaim.

Bow Kid is wide-eyed, staring at Moustache Girl as she slips her arm through the loops on her shield, before posing like a knight, sword drawn. Well, sort off. The polka-dot white-on-red dress she is wearing makes it slightly funny.

You feel giddy. It’s so cool.

“Where did you get that?” Bow Kid asks.

“ I made it,” Moustache states proudly.

“Wow,” Bow Kid says in awe.

Looking back, you can see Moustache Girl’s dad had gotten out from under his car and was chatting to mum.

“How’d you make it?” you ask.

“Ah — well, I took lots of cardboard and cut it all up, then I layered it in different directions.” She tucked her sword under her shoulder and held her hands out on top of each other, her fingers on each hand at right angles. “The I used lots of tape.” Moustache Girl paused in thought. “Oh — and for the sword dad got me a bit of wood to go in the middle so it didn’t bend, then I put cardboard on the outside and taped that too.”

For emphasis she tried bending her sword a bit before shrugging awkwardly.

“I used a lot of tape.”

You giggle at that. It did seem to have loads of tape on it.

It got you thinking too.

“Could you make — like — a helmet and stuff?”

Moustache Girl blinked, before looking at you, wide eyed.

“ Yeah! That’s a really good idea.”

Mum seemed to be finished talking to Moustache Girl’s dad when she called out to you.

“Kids? Are you ready to go?” she asked.

“Coming!” you reply.

As you head over to mum she turns back to Moustache Girl’s dad.

“Car seat,” she remembers.

Moustache Girl’s dad seemed like he wanted to move the seat from his car to your mums, so as he did, you took the opportunity to show Moustache Girl’s sword and shield to her.

“Wow, that’s really good,” she said to Moustache Girl turning the word over.

“ Mummy , do you know where we can get lots of cardboard?” you ask her.

Mum chuckles.

“Let me guess, you want to make one too?”

You smile expectantly, bouncing on your toes.

“Yep!” Bow Kid says off to your side.

“ Well ,” mum says, clearly thinking. “The fruit store has lots of boxes that people can take. It’s certainly better than throwing them in the bin.” Mum glances at Moustache Girl’s shield. “Don’t you need tape as well?”

“Ah huh,” Moustache Girl confirms.

“Packing tape seems to work well for wrapping everything,” Moustache Girl’s dad says, walking up to them. “I’ve got a roll of gaffer tape that seems to have worked for the arm loops.” He considers it a moment. “Let me go get that.”

When he comes back a minute later, his daughter gives him a hug and after a round of goodbyes, everyone gets in mum’s car.

“If we go to the discount store, we can get you girls lots of rolls of packing tape,” explains mum as she drives.

You like the discount store; there’s lots of arts and crafts stuff there, and it’s really cheap. They didn’t have everything , but it was still cool. You sometimes found really weird stuff there too. But the trip to the discount store is really short. You’d liked to have looked around, but you also really wanted to get home and make sword and shield, and a helmet, or maybe even armour .

It’s only another really short drive to the fruit store.

“Seems we’re in luck,” says mum as she brings the car to a stop by the side of the fruit store.

From your seat, you can see the big metal tubs filled with cardboard boxes. They were more like trays for holding fruit than boxes for send stuff in the mail in. There are probably hundreds of boxes there. Apparently, the tubs with the boxes in them are called bins , but it seems odd to you, as they didn’t have rubbish in them.

“How much do we need, sweetie?” mum asks of Moustache Girl as the four of you get out of the car. Being in the middle, Moustache Girl has to climb over your car seat to get out.

“Oh — um —” Moustache Girl stops and thinks. “I used five or six bits for my shield?”

Mum laughs.

“So, lots then.”

The description seemed to satisfy Moustache Girl who gave a big nod.

Mum opened the boot as you started piling boxes in. They weren’t heavy, but they were a bit bulky. Eventually they were stacked up so high in the back that you needed mum’s help to put more in.

Waiting for mum to finish, you barely think about it before going in your nappy. It’s not until you’re almost done when you remember that the nappy might leak, but clenching your thighs together slightly, you don’t feel anything like that. It doesn’t even feel all that different from your tape up nappy.

T_T_T

Moustache Girl lets you look at the shield again as the three of you sit in the loungeroom surrounded by boxes. There were still more in the car, but mum has said it was best to leave them there until you needed them, just in case you didn’t need them so they could be returned more easily.

Looking at the edge, you can make out all the layers through the clear packing tape. It’s easily as thick as your thumb, but that’s clearly a good idea as the shield doesn’t flap about at all — and you would know, because this wasn’t your first-time making things from cardboard for an adventure.

“Don’t some shields sort of —” Bow Kid motioned with her hands, her arms wide going down before curving and meeting in the middle. “Like pointy at the bottom?”

You nod.

“Yeah,” you agree, thinking about it.

Maybe you could look it up on mum’s computer?

“They’ve got round ones too,” Moustache Girl adds.

Bow Kid nodded at that.

“What about a sword?” you ask.

“Ah huh,” Moustache Girl replied, picking up her sword from the carpet. “This is my second one. My first sort’a worked, but then it got bent and it started to flop after that. So, dad gave me a stick to use — like one of those round sticks like you get at the hardware store.”

“Dowel,” interjected Bow Kid. “It’s called a dowel.”

Both you and Moustache Girl turn to Bow Kid in surprise. You didn’t know that.

“I think dad called it that?” Moustache Girl said uncertainly. “Or maybe he said towel? ”

You giggle. It sounded a bit silly.

“So, it goes in the middle?” Bow Kid asked.

“Yep, then you put two bits of cardboard on each side, and then I taped the edges together.”

“Then used loads of tape.” Bow Kid adds.

“Yep, so it doesn’t unstick.”

T_T_T

After asking mum, the three of you were allowed to go on her computer and look up shields.

“So, it’s not a kite shield?” asked Bow Kid, after finding the image.

“Maybe?” you reply uncertainly. There were loads of images and some said different things. “I think the really tall one is a kite shield?”

“That one there says a kite shield,” said Moustache Girl, pointing at the image on the screen.

It was of a really short shield that was sort of like Moustache Girl’s, but pointed at the bottom.

Still, you printed a couple of images out and the three of you went back to the lounge room. The boxes mostly had short sides and holes in the sides for carrying handles, but the bottoms were whole bits of cardboard. You could tell they used to have fruit in them because the one you had in front of you had a little sticky patch on it that smelt like oranges.

Cutting the sides off, you tried to draw the shape of your shield. It took a few goes to get the lines right and it looked a bit messy, but Moustache Girl pointed out that it won’t matter because you can put the pencil marks on the inside.

Looking up, you can see Bow Kid looking quite proud of only needing one try to get it right, but she was also a way better artist than you.

Unfortunately, the three of you learnt pretty quickly that bottom bit of cardboard was really thick and your scissors didn’t really work.

“This is way thicker than the boxes from home,” said Moustache Girl, examining the really rough cut. “It’s two layers.”

The sides were one layer and easy to cut, but the bottom is two layers.

“Maybe your mummy has bigger scissors?” Bow Kid suggested to you.

It seemed like a good idea, so the three of you got up to go look for her. Soon you found her in her study.

“Mummy — um —” you can see she looks a bit busy. “Can you help us with something? Please?”

Mum turns from her work computer and gives the three of you a smile.

“I can for a bit. What do you need?”

“We’re trying to cut some cardboard, but it’s way too thick,” Moustache Girl explained to yours and Bow Kid’s nods.

“Yeah, my scissors aren’t really working.”

“Sure thing,” mum replies, before opening her desk drawer and looking for something.

Soon, she pulls out a fluorescent green object that can fit in her hand and gets up. Not sure what it’s for, you none-the-less lead mum to the lounge room.

“Huh, that is pretty thick,” mum comments, looking at the sheet you tried to cut. “I think the box the refrigerator came in was like this.” Mum catches your curious expression and laughs lightly. You didn’t remember that ever happening. “That was probably before the three of you were born, and I threw that box out ages ago.”

“You could have made a really tall shield with that,” commented Moustache Girl.

You rise that she is correct, and that you could have made one of those really tall shields with it, like the three of you had seen on the internet. Mum smiles at her before turning back to the thing you need cut out.

“On the lines?” she asks you.

“The thicker ones.” You had gone over the right line a few times so mum wouldn’t mistake it. “Not the other lines.”

Grabbing a nearby box and turning it upside down, mum put your sheet on top. Then she held up the device she had grabbed from her drawer. With a ratchetting sound, you realised it was a knife, a blade extending from the end. Mum then began to easily cut the shape out for you.

“Anything else?”

“We need a couple of layers,” Moustache Girl says.

So, mum used the shape she cut out as a guide and cute several more shapes like it, before Bow Kid handed her shield over to be cut too.

“Come and knock on my door if you need some more cute,” mum said as she finished, standing up.

“Oh — um — so we can’t do it?” you ask.

Mum lightly laughs.

“Nope, sorry,” she replies. “Utility knives are really sharp and it’s really easy to cut yourself with one. And , if that happens, we’ll all have to go to the hospital, because you’ll need loads of stiches because of how easy it is to cut yourself deeply with one.”

T_T_T

Sitting on your slightly wet nappy, you start taping all the layers together. Moustache Girl has coated every bit of hers in packing tape and it seems really strong, so you do that too. Bow Kid meanwhile seems to be taking a lot more care than you to make it all crease free.

“For the arm loops, you gotta use the special tape,” explains Moustache Girl, holding the roll of grey coloured tape up.

It has little bits of thread hanging off and looks like it’s got fabric inside it, but the outside is plastic.

“You take a strip of cardboard and bend it a bit so it’s soft, then cover it in the tape, and then tape it down.”

After asking mum, she finds you an old ruler. It’s really long, way longer than the one you use at school, but as mum explains, the pain and the numbers all flaked off.

“So, you can cut this in half. One for each of you,” she explains to you and Bow Kid. “But there’s got to be lots of cardboard around it, and I want to make sure it’s safe before you guys use them. Okay? These swords could hurt you if you’re not careful.”

So, as you and Bow Kid made yours, Moustache Girl started making something else.

It started off as a sort of cylinder shape. Soon, Moustache Girl added a flat bit to the top and taped that down, before drawing something on one side. You weren’t sure what.

“Ooh — is that a helmet?” Bow Kid asked, figuring it out.

“Yep!” Moustache Girl said, holding it up. “Just gotta cut the hole.”

As you finished your sword, you start wondering if you could make armour. You could use a sheet of cardboard for the front and another for the back, then put straps that go over your shoulders on it. While Bow Kid is finishing her sword (which is taking longer but looks better than yours), you quickly sketch out the panels. Again, you need mum’s help to cut them out, and at the same time she cleans up Moustache Girl’s helmet.

Soon, the three of you are looking ready for your adventure, so after a brief break for lunch, you began!

T_T_T

“We fight for the princess’ hand!” Moustache Knight Girl declared with a flourish of her sword.

“I will defeat you!” you call back, with what is surely just as impressive a flourish.

“What does that even mean?” asked Princess Bow Knight.

You falter, lowering your sword. That is a good question.

“It’s a thing… they do in the movies,” Moustache Knight explains. She seems to move her helmet a bit, like she is trying to scratch her head. “It’s like what knights do when they meet a princess.”

“But what if there’s only one knight?”

You can see Moustache Knight’s thoughtful look behind her helmet.

“Maybe they fight the princess?” Princess Bow Knight replied. “There’s supposed to be a fight, isn’t there?”

Though that was probably fair here, because Princess Bow Knight was a knight, you knew in a lot of stories that princesses didn’t fight for some reason.

“Ah! You are trying to trick me with your riddles, dastardly foe!” Moustache Knight suddenly cried out, before charging at you with her sword.

What ensued was an incredible battle. Of clashing cardboard and virtuous, knightly fighting. For one moment, it seemed like Moustache Knight had the upper hand as she backed you up against the castle walls, you almost walking backwards into a plant pot. But at the last moment you went sideways, and with a jump, climbed up the retaining wall into the royal garden!

Rather than make the knightly jump like you had, the dastardly fiend Moustache Knight ran along the paved path that ran along the castle wall and past your bedroom window, and then up the stairs to the level of the garden. Soon, with the sounds of a war cry, you resumed your fight!

Blades clashed and armour rattled. And after much further battle, it seemed that you had the upper hand. But, for a moment, Moustache Knight got the upper hand. You step back, a strategic retreat, when you walk into something again: a small, grassy shrub.

You suddenly lose your footing and fall backwards, landing on your wet nappy. You can feel your eyes wet as you blink up at Moustache Girl, clearly victorious. Only, after a few moments you realise it doesn’t hurt, it just surprised you. There’s lots of leaf litter and your nappy to cushion the fall.

Looking to your side, you can see Bow Kid standing there. She’s chewing her lip and looking thoughtful.

“I win!” says Moustache Knight, pointing at Bow Kid.

Bow Kid shakes her head.

“Nuh ah,” she replies, sounding slightly satisfied with herself. A wide smile crosses her face, letting you see her teeth. “If you want my hand, you have to beat me as well!”

Moustache Knight jumps to the ready, and then Princess Bow Knight paused.

“But… I need to go to the loo first,” she said slightly sheepishly.

You wonder for a moment why she needed to do that, slowly getting to your feet. Brushing your bum off, you share a glance with Moustache Girl.

“This is soo cool!” she suddenly exclaims, seeming to bounce on her feet in excitement.

Feeling giddy, you nod.

“It sure is!”

It gets you wondering if you could do a really big adventure like this at your next sleepover.

Taking a moment, you inspect your sword, spotting several dings along its length from where you had hit Moustache Girl’s own sword. You wonder if it needs more tape.

“Has yours got dents in it?” you ask her.

She looks up and down her sword.

“A bit.”

Stepping closer, you compare yours and hers. It seems yours is more dinged. Maybe you did need more tape?

Your thoughts are cut short, however.

“You face the Witch Knight!” came Bow Kid’s exclamation. “Princess Bow Witch-Knight!”

Turning, you spot her standing in the back doorway of the royal castle. Atop her head is your mostly finished witches’ hat, and instead of her sword, she holds a wizard staff in her hand, her blue bow tied around the end. It’s very cool.

Suddenly, Princess Bow Witch-Knight waves her staff to cast a deadly spell of magic.

“I call upon the power of lightning!” she cries, and the battle resumes.

T_T_T

Moustache Girl is very reluctant to end it as her mum comes to pick her up. The three of your delay as long as possible, and your mum and hers even spend fifteen minutes having coffee and tea, but eventually it’s time for Moustache Girl to go.

“Come on, we’ve got to get your ready for dinner at your grandparents,” say Moustache Girl’s mum sympathetically.

Still in her helmet, you and Bow Kid give her a hug at the door.

“It’s no fair,” Moustache Girl complains. “You two get to spend all the time together.”

It didn’t seem fair to you. It would be cool if the three of you could play together all the time.

“Bye, girls,” says Moustache Girl’s mum as the door closes.

You and Bow Kid take a moment to relax on the couch before mum comes by.

“Now, we’ve got to tidy everything up,” she tells you, looking around the lounge.

There’s cardboard everywhere, along with bits of tape, and a few pencils, so that makes sense.

“If you two get the big bits, I can vacuum up all the little bits when you are done.”

It takes you about fifteen minutes to get everything, with mum providing a bag for all of the scraps. Soon mum is uncoiling the power cord for the vacuum cleaner.

“Now, you don’t want to leave anything outside. It looks like it might rain tomorrow and I’m sure you would hate for anything to get wrecked.”

“Oh — yeah,” you say, remembering that there were lots of things outside.

You and Bow Kid proceed out the back door. Your witches’ hat was atop a small shrub, like the shrub was wearing it, and your shield was up against a tree after you replaced it with Bow Kid’s sword, seeing as she did not need it, now she had reclaimed her magical powers.

Giggling, Bow Kid puts the witches’ hat on your head.

“That’s really good,” she tells you, an amazed smile on her face.

Blushing slightly at the compliment, you smile back. Bow Kid was a really important friend to you. So important to you, she was your best friend alongside Moustache Girl. Your squirm happily in your nappy as you watch her look around for any items. You’re wondering if both you and her being in nappies together make your best friendship with her different, when she squats down.

She is slightly red faced, and you’re sure she is messing her nappy. You’re not sure if you should go over to her and give her a hug, or if you should keep looking for things. As she stands up, she spots you looking at her. She gives you a shy smile and you smile back at her.

Slowly, she wanders over.

“Thank you for being my friend,” she says, hugging you.

All you can do is hug her back.

T_T_T

Feeling exhausted, you and Bow Kid cuddle on the couch watching TV. You are about to fall asleep when mum calls out.

“Oh — someone needs a change.”

Looking over your shoulder, mum frowns at you.

“Oh, honey. Why didn’t you get a fresh pullup on?”

You blink at her, not sure when she means. Coming over, she pats you on the bottom.

“Your nappy is soaked, sweetie. It’s gone all over your rompers.”

She pulls you to your feel and turns you around. Bow Kid yawns, before sitting upright on her messy nappy.

“It seems you’re not in the messy nappy, however.”

Mum’s knowing smile turns to Bow Kid who blushes faintly.

“Yep,” Bw Kid confirms quietly.

“How come you didn’t get into a new pullup?” mum asks you.

“I — um — forgot,” you say. “Sorry, mummy.”

You meant to, but just never got around to it. You were way too busy.

“What about you?” mum asked Bow Kid.

“Yep, I changed!”

Quietly, mum laughs.

“Well, at least I can trust one of you to know when you need a change.”

T_T_T

With Bow Kid in a messy nappy and you having soaked your clothes, mum decides that the two of you might as well have a bath now. When Bow Kid pulls off her dress, you can see a little bit of mess has squeezed out where her nappy goes around her legs. Your own nappy isn’t any better, having swelled up so much that the edges were lifting up.

“It seems you got some on your dress,” Mum comments, holding it up.

Bow Kid blushes, squirming in her messy nappy. The sight is a bit funny and you can’t help but giggle. But slightly worried it might seem mean, you give her a wide smile and Bow Kid smiles shyly back at you.

After letting your nappy slip down your legs, you got in the bath, while mum helped Bow Kid with her nappy.

“Hmm,” mum hummed, after helping Bow Kid clean up. “I think we should get you in the shower first. It’s a bit hard to clean you up while you’re standing.”

“O-okay,” Bow Kid agreed.

As she rinsed off, mum left the two of you alone and soon Bow Kid joined you in the bath.

“How did you forget about your wet nappy?” Bow Kid asked, giggling.

You squirm slightly.

“I just forgot,” you say. “We were doing lots of stuff.”

Bow Kid chewed her lip.

“I only remembered because I was getting the hat.” You giggle at the admission. “Then I remembered I needed a new nappy.”

In the warm water, you could feel tiredness trying to overtake you. Leaning against you, Bow Kid seems to be in the same boat.

“It’s nicer when your mummy looks out for us.”

You could only agree.

Soon your mum came by and got you out of the bath tub and dried off…

“I bet you two had lots of fun today,” she comments as she gets you and Bow Kid in your nappies. “It was really amazing what you three made.”

“It was super cool,” says Bow Kid.

You mum glances up from taping up for nappy to smile at Bow Kid.

“I’m glad you three had lots of fun.” Finishing, mum looks thoughtful for a second before looking at Bow Kid. “All your clothes are in the was, sweetheart, so you will have to borrow some.” Bow Kid seemed to perk up, clearly curious. “Lets see what fits you.”

Bow Kid was slightly smaller than you, but you had heaps of clothes, some of which you hadn’t worn in ages.

“Wow, you look very cute in that,” mum compliments Bow Kid, helping her with the buttons. She turns to you. “Don’t you think?”

It was a white sundress you hadn’t worn in ages, but Bow Kid did look really pretty in it, you thought. Well… she was always really cute, but the dress was really cute too.

“Yeah,” you tell Bow Kid with a smile.

She seems to light up at the word.

“Is it really okay to have this?” she asks.

Mum quietly laughs.

“My daughter hasn’t worn it in quite a while,” mum explained, before dropping into a false whisper. “Unfortunately, she couldn’t seem to go more than an hour without getting some mud or dirt on it.”

Mum gave Bow Kid a knowing look, causing Bow Kid to start laughing. She wasn’t exactly wrong, but there was always so many things to do. Mum eventually started buying you clothes in dark colours, unless there were clothes it was okay to get dirty in. But you liked purple, so that was okay.

With Bow Kid doing twirls that gave you the occasional glimpse of her nappy, mum found something for you to wear. Bow Kid stopped to watch your mum pull the dress over your head, lighting up as your mum stepped behind you to pull your hair out of the collar.

“Wow — that’s really pretty!” she exclaimed.

“Really?” you asked.

All the adventure and playing was fun, but fact you kept ripping dresses or getting them dirty seemed to ruin any feelings of being pretty.

But, at the clear doubt in your voice, Bow Kid frowned in concern. You felt ashamed for making her sad like that and tried to come up with something to say when she hugged you.

“Really pretty.”

T_T_T

Mum had prepared dinner while you and Bow Kid had been in the bath, and after all that activity you were really hungry. But after eating, the tiredness intensified. So not long after cuddling together on the couch, you fell asleep.

At some point in the night, you vaguely remember mummy carrying you to your room, changing you into a dry nappy, and putting you to bed. Not long after, she repeated the same with Bow Kid, and the two of you drifted off to sleep.