Twisted Reality

A couple weeks later, Amy and Chris had flown back to Ohio after getting to see their son for at least a week due to the cramped quarters of the apartment. While they were all sad to see them go, which meant less hands to help with the infant frontman, they were also glad since that meant less cramped sleeping quarters. They were just glad that, whether his parents were around to view his behavior or not, Andy was a dream of a baby and gave them very few issues.

Still, Jinxx was no closer to using his mystical powers to figure out what’d happened to him and Ash than he had been after the meditative trance the pint-sized bassist’d interrupted him from. He was pretty sure a spell had been cast on them that caused them to become children again, but why was still a mystery. Was it just because someone had powers they hadn’t known about and it’d been an accident? Had it been intentional, something a fan or ex of theirs had done to spite them for their relationship, which they’d come out with during the last concert of the last tour?

The questions whirling around in his brain while the baby was asleep and his lover was out running errands were starting to cause him constant migraines. There were a couple times that he had to fight through the crippling pain in his skull just to take care of Andy, who was virtually helpless and defenseless right now, because he got them so often that it wasn’t even funny.

At the present moment, Jake was gone grocery shopping, both for themselves and for the baby in their care, and the baby in question was in his crib in their room asleep. Jinxx sat at the table with an herbal tea he’d brewed for himself in the hopes of dulling yet another migraine. He couldn’t think straight enough to do anything but go through the motions of living because his head hurt too badly, and thankfully, Andy seemed to understand that. He usually tried to get his attention with his thoughts if he woke up and needed something, but there’d been a few times that he had to cry loud enough to wake the dead to get his attention. Considering that he wasn’t lost in thought at the moment, he quickly heard the baby’s thoughts when he woke up.

“I’m coming, Andy!” he called softly, pushing his chair back from the table.

My diaper’s dirty again, Andy thought, and he could just imagine the scowl on his face as he wriggled slightly, uncomfortable in the dirty diaper.

“Well, at least I know what I’m walking into,” Jinxx sighed as he entered his room. “Jeez, boy. What the Hell have we been feeding you?”

I dunno. Unless it’s a green vegetable, I don’t pay attention. He gave the best shrug he could manage.

“I think I’m gonna have to take a second look at your diet,” he told him, trying not to grimace as he carried him into the guest room.

Can you get your hand off my ass? It’s pressing the shit against me in ways that are beyond uncomfortable, the infant frontman thought.

“Oops. Sorry, little fella,” the multi-instrumentalist said.

It’s okay, Jinxx. I know you didn’t mean to. Andy wrapped his little arms around his neck in a hug as he cupped his hand under his knees instead of his ass.

“All right. Let’s get this diaper changed so you’re comfortable again,” he said, unsure if he was talking to the baby he was laying on the changing table, or himself.

Thankfully, the infant frontman laid still and didn’t try to fight him in any way as he removed the dirty diaper, both of them grimacing from the smell. Jinxx laid it aside, waiting until he’d finished wiping him clean to close it up with the dirty wipes wrapped up inside it. Once it was thrown into the specialized trash can, he quickly unfolded the fresh diaper and got it spread beneath the baby, sprinkling a bit of baby powder on him before closing it up and getting the tabs secured so that he didn’t wind up with diaper rash.

With that task done, the multi-instrumentalist buttoned his onesie once again and pulled his little pants back up, Andy leaning over on him since he couldn’t stand on his own while he got them positioned correctly. He then picked him up and headed to the kitchen with him so he could take a look at the remaining baby food they had to choose something for his lunch. Hopefully whatever they had left wouldn’t make him smell like something had crawled up his little ass and died again, and hopefully whatever Jake came home with wouldn’t, either. He didn’t know how many more diapers that raunchy his nose could handle before the hairs were fried out…or the scent killed him, whichever came first.

Jinxx decided on a jar of carrots, knowing that he was almost as crazy about them as Ash was, as well as a jar of green beans. Whether he liked them or not, the infant frontman had to have something besides carrots and bananas so that he had a fairly balanced diet, and that wasn’t counting all the formula he went through, too. He started to turn his nose up till he was told they were green beans, not peas or spinach, but he still ate with a bit of reluctance. Once he’d finished half the jar, which was the minimum required to get what he actually wanted, the jar of carrots was cracked open and finished entirely.

Grinning, Andy sat still and let his friend clean him up since he’d managed to get a bit on his face, trying to keep his volume down since he knew his head was still killing him. Now that he was cleaned up, Jinxx left him in the living room long enough to grab some painkillers for himself since the tea hadn’t done any good. However, he didn’t expect what he returned to see the little rascal doing.

“Andy!” he gasped, having to make a conscious decision not to open the fist his Excedrin was in.

Yes, Jinxxy? the baby asked, trying his best to sound like the innocent infant everybody would’ve thought him to be.

“How’d you manage to get over there?” Jinxx countered, amazed. The infant frontman had somehow gotten to his little feet and toddled across the room, where he stood next to the recliner.

Isn’t it obvious? he asked sarcastically. I walked.

“I figured that, physically, you weren’t able to just yet,” he said, sounding amazed.

I got tired of being carried. Figured there was no better time than the present to try. Andy shrugged, barely catching himself before he lost his balance.

“Whoa there, tiger,” the multi-instrumentalist chuckled, gently scooping him up. “Still, shocked as I am that you managed that, I’m proud of you. It just shows you really are the tough little cookie everyone knows you are.”

Thanks, Jinxxy, he said, blushing furiously. Too bad I’m not my normal height, though.

“Don’t worry; we’ll figure out how to get you back to ‘normal’,” he promised him, kissing his temple. “Just don’t clock your little noggin on anything while I get myself some water.”

No promises since my balance ain’t what it’s supposed to be, but I’ll try, the infant frontman promised him.

Chuckling once again, Jinxx put him back in the floor, telling him that he didn’t mind if he tried walking again, but begged him to stay clear of the walls and anything with sharp corners. The baby nodded jerkily, his silent promise to do his best not to get hurt while his back was turned. Sighing as he crossed his fingers, the multi-instrumentalist headed into the kitchen for his glass of water to take his pills with.

Before he could even get them down his throat, the front door opened and his lover called out softly to let him know it was him. CC followed behind him, a few bags in each hand while Ash carried a couple of the lighter bags, the pint-sized bassist’s diaper bag strapped around the drummer’s shoulders. Once he put the bags he was carrying down, the little boy immediately headed to the living room to greet his infant lover, crying out softly with pride and joy when he saw him up and taking a few tentative steps. Jake and CC worked together to get their groceries put away while Jinxx laid down on the couch to relax.

He chuckled softly as he watched Ash squat down and curl his fingers repeatedly in a “come hither” motion, beckoning Andy to attempt walking to him. It was a precious sight that only Amy and Chris, possibly his grandparents, had seen when he really was a baby, and he counted it as a blessing to be able to witness it now. A couple times, the infant frontman stumbled and lost his balance, falling into his sweetheart’s waiting hands, but he never put him down over it; in fact, he did nothing but encourage him to try again when he was ready.

“Andy’s really walking?” Jake asked, surprised when he came into the living room.

“Mmm hmm,” he answered, not daring to nod since his head was still pounding like a hooker on payday. “He took his first steps—again—when I went to grab some Excedrin.”

“Really now?” CC chimed in, sounding just as surprised as his lover.

“Yeah. I put him down in the floor next to the couch. When I came back, he was standing next to the recliner and hanging onto it for dear life,” Jinxx chuckled.

“Why don’t you go lay down in our room?” the guitarist suggested. “It’s obvious your head’s still killing you, and you could use the rest.”

“Can you and Ceece handle these wild children?” he asked, accepting his hand up.

“I’m pretty sure we can,” he answered, nodding. “We’ll just have to remind them to keep it down.”

“Works for me,” the multi-instrumentalist agreed, accepting the kiss he bent down slightly to give him. “I really need to get rid of this migraine. I’ve had it for days.”

“Then go lay down,” Jake insisted, pushing him toward the hall.

“I’m going, I’m going,” he chuckled, holding his head gently. “You nuts just keep it down, or I’ll really be like Voldemort on crack later.”

The two remaining adults nodded quickly, then turned their attention back to the children in their care. Ash was still encouraging the infant frontman to walk to him, though he looked up long enough to tell the multi-instrumentalist that he hoped he felt better. Jinxx thanked him quietly, smiling at Andy when he heard his thoughts of some restful sleep, good dreams, and hoping his head didn’t hurt when he got up later.

Once he got to his and the guitarist’s bedroom, he stripped down to his boxers and crawled into their bed, leaving the comforter bunched up at his feet and pulling the sheet over him. He was known for going to sleep with nothing but a sheet over him, but getting cold in his sleep if Jake wasn’t with him and pulling a blanket over himself. This afternoon was no exception, especially when fighting with heavy bedding whenever he rolled over before falling asleep only made his head throb worse than it already was. He doubted that facet of his personality would ever change as long as he lived.

After getting settled in their bed, Jinxx was able to push any thoughts of figuring out the mystery surrounding Andy and Ash far from his mind. Even though he didn’t really feel sleepy and had just managed to get his mind cleared, he hadn’t been sleeping right ever since they woke up to that realization. Despite not feeling sleepy and, in all honesty, wanting to stay up and socialize with his lover and brothers, it didn’t take long for sleep to overcome Jinxx and pull him into the depths of Dreamland.

Notes