“i’m sleeping in my own bed tonight.” your 4 year old son announces at dinner. you glance at shotaro over the top of your water glass. shotaro nods seriously, “you sure kiddo?. bear nods, “i’m a big kid and big kids sleep in their own bed.”
bedtime comes and shotaro tucks him in. his nightlight is on and everything is perfect. shotaro sits on the edge of the bed. “you okay?”
bear nods.
“you need anything?”
“nope.”
shotaro smiles proudly, “look at you. so brave". bear tries not to smile, “because i’m a big kid.” shotaro nods, “because you’re a big kid.” he gives him a kiss on the forehead then stands and makes his way to the door. “…appa?” he pauses. “yeah?”
“just stay one minute.” shotaro walks back to the edge of the bed, sitting down. “okay.” you hear it all from your bedroom down the hall.
one minute turn into 5 which turns into 10. you look up from your book as shotaro walks into the room. “how’d the big kid bedtime go?”
“great.”
“how long were you in there?”
“…ten minutes.”
you snort as shotaro climbs into bed beside you. your baby bump is just starting to show now enough that he keeps absentmindedly resting a hand there whenever you’re lying together.
“he’ll be asleep in a few minutes.”
“mhm.”
you both know better. it only takes three minutes for tiny footsteps to be heard. you start laughing before the door even opens. “hi.” a tiny voice calls out. shotaro props himself up, “bear.”
“yeah?”
“what happened to sleeping in your own bed?”bear thinks for a second before shrugging, “i tried.” “for three minutes?” you question. “that’s a long time. bear climbs onto the mattress. he wedges himself directly between you and your husband.“i’m just staying one minute.”
you both start laughing. five minutes later he’s still there. curled against your side and already half asleep. shotaro reaches over and brushes his hair back, “i thought you were a big kid.”
bear yawns. “i am.”
“i thought big kids sleep in their own beds.” you remind him.
“mhm.”
“so…”
bear’s eyes are completely closed now, “maybe tomorrow.” shotaro laughs quietly, “tomorrow “tomorrow i’ll do it.” bear shifts in his sleep and presses even closer. shotaro looks down at him for a moment, then at your stomach, and then at you. the tiniest smile appears on his face. “you know,” he whispers, “i don’t think we’re ever getting this bed back.”
you glance at the sleeping four year old sprawled across both of you. “probably not. we're probably not ever getting any sleep again.” shotaro sighs dramatically. then pulls both of you closer anyway.
