"Is dis-dis..abbled a bad word?" Theo's voice cut through the table at Buck's house, stopping everyone in their tracks.
"Where did you hear that word buddy?" Buck asked, on the edge and alert. He didn't want to cause problems but if someone's made Theo feel bad about himself, then all bets were off.
"Mrs Reese was talking to the new Ms in class. She's going awayyy so new Ms Storm is with us now." Theo stuttered, his focus still on smushing the fruits around on his plate.
Eddie gently placed a hand on Buck's arm, stopping him from jumping out of his skin with worry. "And.. did Ms Storm say anything bad to you? When did you hear that word Spider-man?" Eddie asked.
Theo didn't look up at anyone but his movements become slower, more hesitant. "We won't be mad bud, just talk to us." Eddie voiced out again.
Theo looked up at Eddie and held out his pinkie for him to promise. Once Eddie sealed the deal, Theo said, "I uh could hear them talk outside the door. I know I'm not supposed to listen to adults talk if they don't know I'm there but they were LOUD!"
Theo continued without stopping, "Mrs Reese told Ms Storm that uh some of us, were uh disabl-thisabled, whatever that meant and then she said my name. and then a bunch of letters like ABCD."
Buck instantly breathed a sigh of relief that his kid, Theo wasn't being bullied. But immediately after, the stress set in of having to now explain to a four-year old what ADHD & disabilities meant. God how does he do that?
Buck looked to Eddie, pleading look on his face for his best friend to step in. But before Eddie could, Christopher spoke up.
"It's not a bad thing Theo. If someone is diasbled, it just means that they have a disability."
"What's that? Is that like what mommy & daddy had and then they left?" Theo asked, suddenly cautious.
"No!" Buck interjected immediately. "No, buddy it just means that uhm people with disabilities, well, they're born a bit different and need a bit more help to do things."
"I have one too Theo." Chris added on, picking up his previous conversation.
"I have a physical disability, which means my body isn't really working how other people's body works. That's why I have crutches and my chair to help me. But you, well you have a disability that's about your brain. it just works faster and in a more fun way than most people. That's why it's hard for you to sit still during bath time but when it's game time you're reallly good at being focused."
Chris didn't know if any of what he was saying was helping Theo, but he knew his lil brother needed to know that there was nothing wrong with him. He also knew that his dads would probably try to be nice but talk around the issue rather than say it like it is and Chris really didn't want to do that to Theo.
If Chris had looked up at his dads, he would have seen that both Eddie and Buck were looking at him with so much pride in their eyes.
"So... your body doesn't work right, and my brain doesn't work right?" Theo asked, his face looking curious albeit a bit sad.
"Different. There's nothing right or wrong about our brains and body. They just work different to other people." Christopher clarified, insistant.
Eddie noticed Buck's eyes tearing up and Eddie couldn't say he didn't feel the swell of tears himself.
"Your brain is awesome because it's your brain. It's just different from most people's. But that doesn't mean it's bad. I love it." Chris reaffirmed again.
"It just means we're special?" Theo asked, now wide with awe in his eyes.
"Yea, Theo. It just means we're special. And sometimes we need more help than other people but it NEVER means that we're bad. I love helping you remember things, and you love helping me walk up stairs right?" Chris questioned, knowing how much Theo loved to help Chris, especially with his physio exercises.
"YEA!" Theo shouted.
"And you don't think it's weird I talk funny?"
"NO! You talk like CHRIS and I love CHRIS." Theo shouted more enthusiastically this time.
By that point, Buck had given into his tears as he sat there trying to hide them just streaming down his face as he grips tight to Eddie's hand under the table.
"Well that's good because I think the way you talk Theo is very BUCK-like and I LOVE you and Buck! Even if you two talk very fast." Chris stated matter-of-fact, finally glancing up at his dads, but not acknowledging their sappy tears.
There was a beat of silence before it was broken by Theo's peal of giggles as he yells, "I talk faster than BUCK! I'm the FASTEST"
And with that, everyone at the table broke into laugher (and tears in Buck's case) and went back to their dinner.
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