Published: December 9th 2022, 7:18:03 am
"There's our sweet boy Benny," cooed a soft voice, gently waking Ben just in time for him to see a big plush bear face smiling down at him and two big arms reaching down to unstrap him from his car seat. Ben whined into his Paci as he was lifted up by the two big furry arms.
"Aww, shhh shhh, there, there. I'm sorry I woke you. You must still be tired n cranky after your big day out. You just lay in your pal Sunshine's arms, and let me take care of you..."
"Mnnhhh," Ben fussed, halfheartedly as he was carried forth by the much larger yellow bear. "Nodda baybee...."
It was a halfhearted protest at best, and as he struggled to wake up and form a coherent sentence, he managed to tell Sunshine that he needed something very important. It just didn't come out in coherent adult words.
"Aww, I think I know what the problem is, baby boy," said Sunshine, as he carried Ben into the foggy realm beyond the garage, down a cloud corridor, to a door that looked vaguely familiar.
The door opened, and Ben's eyes went wide. He couldn't believe it. His pacifier fell out of his mouth and dagled by its ribbon as he looked around, amazed.
"It's.. it's... my old nursery!"
Sure enough, everything was there, albeit somewhat scaled up. The crib, the rocking horse, the cubbies and bins of toys, everything right down to the foam interlocking playmats.
"But how did you...?"
We had it shipped, buddy! Took a while to get here, but it's all here."
Ben began to tear up a bit. "W-why did you do this for me?" Sunshine gave him a ciss on the head and set him down on the floor, gently, crouching to get down on his level.
"We know you've been feeling a little out of your element living in Love-a-Bunch full time, kiddo. It's been a big adjustment going back to being the baby you should be... it's all very new for you. But we also saw how happy you were when you came to see us that first time, so we decided to save it... just for you."
"It's just like I remember it. Everything's here, and it's.... He picked up his old blankie and smelled it, before hugging it to his chest.
"I'm so glad you like it, sweetheart," said Softheart, strolling into the room, along with the other bears. It wasn't hard to know they were coming with all the crinkling coming from their waists, but Ben still managed to be surprised. "We thought it would be the perfect time to set it all up while you were out. We all helped to make it just like you remembered..."
"It is just like I remembered," said Ben, "only better."
The bears looked at each other quizzically.
"Because you're here," finished Ben. This comment made all the bears very happy and the big bears all rushed to hug the boy they loved. "ACK!" he cried, as he was dogpiled by soft fuzzy crinklers, but it was no use. He was in the middle of a cuddle puddle now, and he was just going to have to accept it.
"You're the best, Ben!"
"We love you!"
"Thank you for coming back!"
Ben's bears knew just what he needed, and they were sure that Smart Bear was right. Ben needed to go back to something familiar and comfortable before he could go forward with his new life, and what better way than to go back to when he was at his happiest and most babyish? Back to the nursery.
"Ben, you've suffered long enough through loneliness, exhaustion, and all the stresses of adulthood. Now you deserve a rest. Don't you think?"
Ben nodded. A rest did sound good right now. It seemed like it had been years of tension, fear, and loneliness since he last called this nursery his home. It had been. But did he deserve it?
"Of course you deserve it, Ben! You're our super special bestest boy! We love you... and so does everyone else!"
"They do?" he asked, gulping back bitter tears. He couldn't believe that. Before he found his furry friends again, he didn't think anyone could love him.
"Sure they do," chimed in Cheer Bear. "Didn't you see how everyone reacted when you went outside? You're a celebrity!"
"That doesn't mean it's a good thing," said Ben, thinking of all the tabloid coverage celebrities got.
"No one's laughing at you, sweetheart," said Sunshine. "If anything, people want to be more like you! You're a role model!"
"I- I am?" The bears smiled at each other, and they decided to show him something very special. With a snap of a fuzzy finger, a movie screen lowered down in the nursery and Ben got to see firsthand just what the bear were talking about.
A group of adults in adorable overalls were huddled around a big screen TV, all watching the Love-a-Bunch adventures. There was Ben, waddling along as the bears encouraged him forward through his many thrilling - though completely safe and protected - adventures. The episode ended and everyone giggled and clapped.
"Wook at me! I'm Ben!" shouted one man, running around the room with his arms out.
"I'm Ben too!" said a woman, giggling and following behind him. "I'm gonna be the best helper!"
"I'm Ben three!" said a third man, laughing. "I love you!"
Ben was flabbergasted. "But... I'm... I'm... you know..."
"A gay baby?" asked Smart bear, walking in with a digital notepad in his hand and a smirk on his face. "Survey says being a gay baby is in right now! Wonder who started that trend?"
Ben blushed. He never imagined that he would live in a world that accepted him. He didn't even think he could find a single person that accepted him, yet here he was, and he wasn't alone.
"You're never alone, sweetie," said Sunshine, hugging ben from behind.
"How do you bears always know what I'm thinking?"
"We can see everything that goes on in that little noggin of yours, Benji," said Smartbear, holding up his smart pad, which he cycled to show Ben's readouts.
"But how?"
"Science."
Ben was not sure he understood what the silly bear was talking about, but when he yawned and covered his mouth, any further attempt at explanation was cut short.
"But time for sleepy babies!" exclaimed Baby Bear. Everyone joined in, carrying Ben to his sized up crip and climbing in after him. He was now in a sea of lovable fluff, and he couldn't be happier. And that's how he slept from then on. Happy and content with his Love-A-Bunch pals.