Maturity Failure (Private for TheJozza)

[theJozza]

Valerie giggles at his first question, still not sure if he's serious or playing with her.

"Well I suppose it is babyish, which seems to fit," She coos, reaching under his shirt to briefly tickle his belly. As she hears the second question she pauses and with a bit of a smirk shows him her arm, which he realizes is quite muscular. "Well mommy and daddy met in the army. It worked us out quite a bit. Also," she pauses a bit, unsure how best to say this, but at the same time remembers that she isn't bound by the same rules as Denise and the nurses. "some of the medicine that nice Ms Denise gave you made you a little lighter so it would be easier for mommy and daddy to hold you." She smiles again , hoping to downplay the procedure, and goes back to gathering supplies. However, the last question her smile fades a bit as she realizes he was serious before. She quickly recovers, setting the new diaper aside, working up another smile and walking around to the side of the table.

"Oh Sydney," She coos, pulling him into a sitting position and hugging him. "I know this is all a lot for you to take in, but you know mommy can't let you do that anymore." She strokes his back to keep him calm, then briefly leans out of the hug so they can face each other. "Also I want you to know, I do understand. You didn't ask for this and if I was in your position, I'd probably be less than thrilled about it myself. But I promise you we aren't one of those families, we didn't adopt you to be our living doll to play with or so we could flaunt you around like some status symbol..." her face darkens as she says that. The fact was that ever since the failed system had been put into place there had been a growing culture and industry around treating them in those ways. Designer clothing, accessories, even diapers that were meant to be less function and more appearance. Some even went so far as to get their failed additional medical treatments to make them look or act even more babyish. Doctors, like Denise, railed against this, but since most officials felt that it was in line with th purpose of the law such practices were largely allowed with minor oversight. In any case, both Valerie and Kyle were strongly opposed to it.

"All we want from you, Sydney," Valerie says, stroking his cheek, "is to love and care for you as our precious baby boy and make you as happy as we can. Will you trust mommy and daddy to do that?" She coos, leaning in to hug him again.

[Purestarfall]

Listening to Valerie explain things was refreshing to Sydney, given how much he was given the run around while he was at the adoption center. Even if he didn't really like some of what he was hearing. "...I was made lighter?" He just lightly asked himself as he didn't feel like he was any lighter then he was before, but it would explain why no one else had any trouble picking him up and carrying him around. Though it also brought to mind to him that the level of technology that must have been developed so that they could affect Failures with it must have been a bit frightening.

However it wasn't until she told him about why they had adopted him that Sydney felt like he should say something to them. While it was true that he didn't like this and wanted to try to claw back his ability to show he could be mature if he could, at least it looked and sounded like Valerie was also aware that Sydney didn't want this as well. So once she ended telling him all of that, he replied back to her as he would let her hug him "Well...I guess it wouldn't hurt. You seem like you'd be good to me. But...why can't you let me be a big boy at least sometime?" Sydney was aware of his 'issues' though, the pants-wetting thing being a rather major one...but he felt like it wouldn't hurt to at least try stating his desires as he thought there might be a way for him to do that, since Valerie seemed so accepting of things. Well at the very least, he wouldn't mind if he was going to have to be her baby boy in-between the times he got to be a big boy, not like he couuld do anything else...

[theJozza]

Valerie listens to Sydney as she hugs him, finding his questions and requests fairly predictable. When he's done, she moves back again to face him with another smile.

"Well we would be willing to let you grow up a little, pumpkin," she coos. "After all that's what being a good parent is all about. However that would require that you first keep on being the very good boy you've been. Also, I want you to understand that there will be some things you just can't and won't be able to do anymore," she says, while continuing to stroke his back to help keep him calm. She was being completely honest. The fact was that some of the guidelines for qualifying to adopt "failures" were very strict about not letting them have back their maturity. Having jobs, driver's licenses, buying things without their guardians, even going back to any level of school were all banned. However, both she and Kyle didn't see any harm in eventually letting Sydney have a few more mature freedoms around the house, even though it was quite impossible, barring some more operations/medical treatments, for him to ever not need diapers again. "Also you need to understand that it will take a little while before we will be able to let you have more privileges like that. After all," She pauses to boop his nose. "You can't blame mommy for wanting to have her cute baby boy just be a cute baby boy for a while can you?" She coos and then gently pushes him back onto the mat. "Speaking of, how about we give you that fresh diapy now. Do you want your paci while mommy changes you?" She asks, demonstrating that she is willing to give him some choices even at this stage.

As she's doing this, Kyle is downstairs on the phone with his own mother, or "grandma" as she now called herself.

"Yeah mom he's been really good," Kyle says, smirking to himself as she's peppering him with questions. "Yes we'll be sending you plenty of pictures before your visit next month. No i'm not going to make Val handle all the diaper changes..." He laughs more and rolls his eyes. Though he had to admit this was helping him relax a bit more about the big shift that had just happened in his marriage. He wasn't opposed to the adoption by any means, but he did had questions about himself and how well he'd be able to be a good "daddy" to Sydney given the circumstances.

[Purestarfall]

Really? They'd do that for him? That was honestly the first bit of good news he had for a few days, even if it was only a small bit. Though hearing her then talk about how even then he wasn't going to be able to get all of them back did deflate his spirits a bit. Like it was intended for Failure, to keep poking at their hope over and over before they eventually gave up completely. Either way, the nose boop brought him back into focus on Valerie as he blushed over it. Why did she feel a need to keep doing that to him?

"Well...I guess it wouldn't hurt if it only for a little bit..." He let out to her, as at the very least it'd give him some time to think up how he should next respond to all of this happening to him. Though when the pacifier got brought up, he just shook his head no as her told her "N-No mommy. I don't wanna have my paci. I'd have to keep sucking on it no matter what if I do..."

[theJozza]

"Oh, well then we'll just hold off on it for now," Valerie says setting the paci back on another side table. She bites her lip a little at that. She didn't really mind the overall concept of modifying the behavior or even bodies of people like Sydney, but that one about his pacifier didn't sit quite right with her. After all, a paci was supposed to be something that calmed a baby down she didn't want it to stress him out. Well she'd have to figure that out, but for now she could focus on cleaning him up. Humming, she untapes his diaper and starts to wipe him. Her motions seem just as gentle and practiced as Denise's and she soon has his bottom completely clean, balling up the used diaper and wipes and throwing them away. She then unfolds the fresh padding, showing just how much thicker, softer, and more colorful it looks that his previous diaper and slides it under him. Next she gives him a good dusting of baby powder, gently massaging some into his skin, and finally tapes the new diaper up at a perfect snugness around his waist. "There, my little pumpkin is all clean," she coos, giving the front a few pats. "Does that feel good, sweetie?" she asks.

Downstairs, Kyle is continuing the discussion with his mother, the latter having picked up on his doubts a bit.

"No of course I'm happy about this. It's made Val so happy and you know I always wanted to have kids to. It's just....I'm nervous mom, there I said it," He sighs and lets her listen. "I mean, Sydney seems really well behaved and all but...we both know he's essentially here as a punishment. Is he ever really going to like us...much less love us? Can I really be a good dad to someone in his position...?" He says, glancing up as he hopes that Valerie doesn't walk in just yet.

[Purestarfall]

Still having not gotten used to even getting a diaper change, even with the process being made to be pleasant going through it, so he just awkwardly looked around the room as he waited for the diaper change to be done. Once the diaper was taped up onto him, Sydney blushed as Valerie patted the front of his new diaper. With it, he could feel the softness of it and that it felt much better to wear then the old ones he had on...even if it meant that it was fluffier than the other one. "I...I think so. It's kinda like wearing a cloud..." He replied back to her as he slowly sat up on the changing table, his diaper rather loud crinkling with every moment he took doing so.

[theJozza]

Valerie can't help but chuckle at the crinkles and scoops him up immediately. Peppering his face with kisses and nuzzling him lovingly.

"Oh you're just the cutest thing, Sydney," She coos, nuzzling him some more. "Mommy's so happy she got such a perfect baby boy and I'm going to love taking care of you. Now come on, let's go meet daddy so we can show you around. She walks for the door.

Downstairs, Kyle is nodding as he listens to his mother.

"Okay Mom I guess you're right," he says, working up a small smile. "However, whyever, and for whatever reason he's here. He's here and he's my son. So I guess I'm just gonna have to be his dad. Thanks mom. Love you too, and don't worry we'll have him ready to meet grandma next month." He smiles and hangs up, Valerie coming in with Sydney a moment later. Kyle turns to them with a smile. "Hey honey, and a welcome home to you, champ." He says reaching over to pat Sydney's head.

"Well now that he's awake, changed, and we're all togther," Valerie says smiling as she takes Kyle's hand with her free one. "Let's give our little boy a proper tour of his new home."

[Purestarfall]

At this point, all Sydney could do in response to being carried around and doted on was just to blush to himself. What else could he do, whine in the hopes that'd get him back his maturity. Even if his book smarts had taken a hit, he still had an ability to reason like any normal adult could and he knew that it just wouldn't come back to him no matter how much he complained about it. So for now, he would give this a chance and see where it went before making his mind up on what to do.

When he got downstairs, he once more lightly blushed at being patted on the head so infantilely but he would let him do that. For now, he would remain quiet as he would let the two of them give him that tour of the house.

[theJozza]

"All right then, well this is the kitchen," Valerie starts as they walk around the space and table. The kitchen is fairly spacious and looks fully equipped. "Naturally this will be a place you'll have to have mommy or daddy with you since there's some dangerous stuff in here," she slows down a bit as they pass the table which has two normal chairs and the high chair. "Of course we also have your special seat." She coos, nuzzling him a bit as the pass into the next room.

"Here's the living room," Kyle speaks up now. There's a large couch facing a TV and entertainment set up, including a few game systems. The floor is carpeted and there's a coffee table. "This is a place you can have fun, especially once we finish your playpen," he gestures to the open box and partially assembled structure in the corner. "Daddy even has a few appropriate games for you on his systems." He says, patting Sydney's head again. They then pass by a close door.

"Now this is the basement, and I'm afraid that's a place you aren't allowed because it isn't safe," Valerie says not even slowing as they passed it.

"Nothing much down there anyway, champ," Kyle adds. "Just laundary and storage." Finally, they start to approach the backdoor.

[Purestarfall]

Sydney would let the two take the lead, not that he really had much of a choice in the matter. He did blush a bit to himself as they made reference to how dangerous it was in here, as it reminded him of what he had lost. He had used the kitchen at his old place just days ago before he got demoted to being a Failure. The high-chair...his high chair...being shown to him didn't help that feeling any either.

Once he got shown the living room and then shown, or more like passed by, the basement, Sydney just couldn't keep to himself for any longer. "Wow...I have so many places I'm not allowed into anymore huh? I...don't know how I should be taking it." He let out to them as he himself was just stuck thinking about how if he was restricted like that...how could he even try to claim to be a proper grown up when he had to deal with stuff like what a child might instead have to deal with?