"Daddy, you like?"

Wren asked sounding a bit worried. I continued to stare in shock, at my sweet innocent baby boy with his new makeover.

His once pearly white hair was now coloured with a rainbow of streaks and caked with a mix of chunky and fine glitter.

Wren face looked like it had been scribbled on with doodle hearts and stars adorning his cheeks and forehead. Not to mention what looked like lip gloss maybe covering above his eyes and all around his mouth.

I looked to Sarah, with her hands over her mouth trying not to laugh. I didn't blame her, I was barely keeping it together myself.

I got down on my hunkers in front of wren.

"Baby bear, you look very pretty"

Wrens smile grew even wider, chunks of glitter falling to the floor as his face moved. I stuttered as my attempts not to snicker failed me.

"Huhhuh-ho, messers the lotof yas"

Wrens smile faltered a little as I realised just how much glitter there was. David was gonna have an aneurism.

"Oh god you're like a little star aren't you"

Wrens beautiful smile returned and I chuckled.

"Ya ima popstar, a popstar pwincess!"

Wren exclaimed happily, Alex and Tara proudly nodding in the background.

"Ok my little popstar, let's get you outside for a second so we don't taint aunty sarahs house anymore"

Sarah snorted, and I shakily laughed as I lead wren out to the garden. Sarah couldn't hold back and as she got another good look at Wrens makeover she broke into laughter again.

Wren was of course oblivious as he tried to get up into my arms.

"Dada uppies"

I was fearful of picking up wren in his current state, what with everything he touched becoming bedazzled.

"Just a second baby bear, daddy just needs to do a little damaged control"

Keeping wren at arms length, I lead him outside, leaving his blankie inside, which would probably need to be washed too. Starting by brushing mass amounts of glitter off his dress. Wren was not too receptive.

"Daddy why chu doin dat, i's pwetty"

"Your right little bat, glitters very pretty. But you can't get into the car like this"

Wren pouted as I inspected the stains on his dress, hopefully the, what looked like chalk marks, would wash out.

"Why daddy?"

"Cause glitter'd get everywhere and I'd have to burn the car"

I said under my breath, not thinking wren could hear me. Sadly I'm not a very quiet person and wren slumped a little.

"Oh dada I'm sowwy"

I quickly rectified what I said by trying to bring Wren back to his happy spirits.

"Nonono baby, it's not your fault. Daddy was just being silly"

I stuck my tongue out at my little boy and he giggled, chewing on 3 fingers.

"Dada silly billy"

"Your so right little one, Daddy is a silly billy"

Wren giggled more, removing the hands from his mouths to clap, making glitter fly off, when I got an idea.

"Wren do you wanna try something really fun?"

Wren smiled and nodded excitedly.

"Why don't we do some silly shakes, like your little kitty shakes but silly cause as we know, Daddy's very silly"

I said making my voice very serious for the last bit, which only made Wren's giggles increase.

"Ok baby, follow me, do what daddy does"

"Oki!"

I turned my head down and shook back and forth, making all sorts of silly sounds. Wren squealed

"Me now daddy, I do!"

Wren did the same, but this time with the desired affect of glitter flying off Wren, making wren stop in awe of the glitter rain.

"Daddy wook, pwetty!"

He jumped up and down, only making more glitter fall off.

"Yes baby, I see I see"

I couldn't help myself from chuckling at my amazed baby.

After a bit more jumping and shaking, we had rid as much glitter as we possibly could, wren still sporting an impossible to shift layer of sparkle.

"Oh god baby, what am I gonna do with you huh? My little disco ball"

I laughed, wren giggling as well. When he caught me off guard, suddenly running at me and hugging my neck. He threw his legs around my waist and forced me to hold him while squealing.

"Dada!"

I accepted my fate, there was no recovering, I had been glittered.

I could hear Sarah laughing from the door. She approached me with a wet tea towel.

"Here, this might help"

I removed Wrens face from my neck, revealing an inprint all over me, and gently rubbed at his 'makeup'. Wren whined and tried to stop me.

"Noh! I wan Papa ta see"

"He probably will by the looks of things cause this isn't coming off"

"What?"

Sarah looked at me in disbelief. True to my words, the doodles weren't shifting, only running under the wet rag. This did not bode well.

"Well there's no doubt my mucky little baby's getting a bath as soon as were home... wait sweetie I think your getting a rash"

I inspected wrens skin and indeed he was going a bit red under everything. Poor sensitive baby skin.

Wren whined and I cooed over him as I stood, picking him up with me. Fully accepting that my clothes would be ruined no matter what, might as well lean into it.

I put Wrens pacifier back in his mouth when he started gently knawing on my shoulder.

I carried him back inside, intent on getting home asap. In the kitchen the two stylists sat at the table, pouting furiously. Sarah, now more composed and ready to give out a bit.

"Girls, do you have anything to say to Ricky?"

Together they spoke

"Sorry!"

Alex attempted to defend their actions.

"Buh- wren wiked the makeover, we not bad"

Tara nodded on with her friend. Sarah pushed Alex's hair out of her face and sighed.

"Sweetie wren's not as big as you girls, so you'd need ask me or uncle Ricky before doing something like that. And you know I said no more makeovers after last time"

Alex crossed her arms. Sarah went on.

"And I put that 'kit' away, at the top of your wardrobe. What were you thinking getting that down, you could've been hurt-"

"Buh we didn' get it down, wren did!"

Tara interuppted. I gazed down at Wren with an inquisitive look. But he aparently wasn't paying attention as he babbled at me and reached out to grab my nose. I dodged him and he exploded into giggles. I turned back to the girls.

"I know yous were just playing but thank you for apologising. I'm sure with a bit more practise you'll be top makeup artists in no time, but maybe get some permission next time"

They nodded.

"Anyway, thanks for the dish bro, sorry these two defaced your little princess. Girls, say bye to wren and uncle Ricky"

The two yelled after us as we left.

Wren was not all to pleased to be back in the carseat. I remembered what he said about being bored last time.

"Just hold on tight baby, Daddy's gonna make this a whole lot more fun, ok?"

Wren whined and kicked his legs. I covered him with his blankie, doing nothing as he just fussed more. I jumped into the front seat.

"Come on baby shshshsh, you're ok, look what Daddy's gonna do"

I plugged my phone into the car and switched on a certain beloved show soundtrack. As music began playing, wren forgot all about how terrible the car was.

"Ponies!!"

I chuckled as wren struggled to sing, really just babbling. While I texted David, telling him to start running wren a bath, I provided no extra information which David greatly appreciated.

The car ride home felt a whole lot quicker with wren happily bopping in the back. He even got a bit upset when we had to get out.

"Buh ponies dada, wan ponies!"

Wren squirmed around as I unbuckled him.

"But I thought you wanted to show papa your makeover"

Wren suddenly remembered and nodded excitedly. I took him up into my arms. I gave him blankie, shutting and locking the doors behind me.

Wren hid in my neck, giggling to himself. I walked up and reached the front door, only for it to be opened by David. He blocked me from entering and I smirked as he looked me and wren up and down. Most of the makeover was concealed.

"Before you take a single step... what's the damage?"

I held up Wrens arms and threw him up, turning him around and holding him out. His makeover and my collateral on full show. Wren smiled and babbled, as David just stared. He bent down to wren and started sniggering before

"Oh dear god, what happened bubba? Rougue unicorns, back ally fairies?"

"Awex an ha fwiend dids me a makeober! Ima popstar pwincess!"

"Oh I'm sure you are bubba-"

David attempted to reciprocate Wrens excitement but couldn't get through a sentence without laughing, only making me laugh as well.

"-Cause hat certainly is- a makeover"

Wren didn't sense his sarcasm and squealed, reaching out for his papa.

"Hold your horses little boy, first you're getting a good wash"

Wren immediately whined and squirmed, so I brought him back to my chest. He whimpered and held onto me with a tight fist, the other clutching the now filthy blankie.

"Shshsh now honey, it'll be quick"

David motioned for me to come inside but not before instructing me.

"Touch as few surfaces as you can, straight into the bathroom"

I heeded his warning and went straight for the bathroom. On the way I got David to pry the dirty blanket from wren. It wasn't easy and only seemed to anger wren, but at least I can get it into the wash maybe in time for bedtime.

As I asked a bath was drawn, complete with bubbles atop. Wren whined that he didn't want a bath as I sat him on the toilet and took off his tiara, shoes and socks.

"S'gonna ruin my makeober, nooo!"

David had followed in behind us. He knelt beside me, he rolled up his shirt sleeves.

"Bubba there's no need to yell-"

He gently caressed the side of wrens head, flakes of pigment and glitter falling from his hair.

"But there is a need for you to have a bath"

Wren rubbed at his eyes and I slightly feared him getting glitter in them.

"Why papa"

"Well bubba I don't think your gonna wanna hear this but-"

David leaned in and whispered in his ear. Wren burst into giggles and pushed away David.

"Papa no! I don stink!"

I laughed along with David as he rebuttled.

"I beg to differ princess, you stinky little baby"

"Stawp papa!"

The two playfully argued while I took my opportunity to take the dress off Wren, those stains are gonna be a pain to get out. I double checked the water temperature and signalled for David to make the move.

"Well bubba I think there's only one way to settle this"

He speedily undid the tabs on wrens diaper, letting it fall off as lifted wren into the bath before he could protest.

David tickled wren a little during the lift so wren was a giggly mess, not even bothered by the idea of a bath anymore. He immediately began splashing in the water. Soaking me, yet leaving David untouched.

"Dada baff!"

Some of the glitter was already washing off him, making the water shimmery and wren squeal.

"Shi-ni-ni"

David beat me to the bathing so I got to watch as he massaged shampoo into wrens hair. Wren rocked as David rubbed the shampoo thoroughly in.

"Head back baby"

David washed away the shampoo leaving the colour faded but not completely gone.

David frowned running his hands through wrens stubbornly coloured hair, when attention suddenly turned to me. He noticed I was also in a bit of a state from carrying paitent zero around and receiving my own complimentary wren bath.

"Take that jumper off, we gotta get the goop off of you too"

I removed my jumper and sat next to david. He leant back and grabbed a froggy face cloth from under the sink. He handed it to me and told me to start scrubbing.

I informed him of my previous attempts to get rid of the scribbles and wrens slight reaction to the makeup.

"Try your cleanser, it's the sensitive stuff right? Mine probably wouldn't do him much good"

I hummed as i stood and rummaged through the cabinet, finding my facial cleanser. I squirted some onto the face cloth and rubbed it against the imprints on my neck.

"Thank god, it's coming off!"

David chuckled.

"Phew, did't think I could live with a little doodle baby forever"

Wren stuck his tongue out at David and he shot back with his own.

I knelt back down.

"Ok baby bear, gonna need you to close your eyes for me"

Wren leaned the side of tub in front of me and shut his eyes, David supporting his back.

I got more of the magic cream onto a clean bit of froggy cloth and began gently wiping wrens cheeks.

The makeover started shifting, running much more under the cream and soon lifting away entirely.

Wren was surprisingly cooperative until of course he opened his mouth and a microscopic bit of cream hit his tongue. He spluttered and spat as we tried to calm him down. Thankfully he calmed down enough for me to finish clean up. The only markings left were really in difficult to reach eye areas, they'd fade anyway.

We gave Wren one final wash down with water and considered our mission successful.

Sure his hair streaks would have to choose to come out themselves, but that's beyond our control.

_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_

I wrapped up wren in a fluffy towel, deciding to skip lotion. There's already been enough cream. The marker may be gone but the redness wasn't. Wrens face was glowing and blotchy but he didn't seem to care, smiling none the less.

Ricky also took a towel to himself, I may have been spared by wrens splashing, only getting a bit wet, but Ricky was drenched.

"This counts as shower right?"

I chuckled at him, while drying off the squirmy worm.

"My squeaky clean little bubba, not so stinky anymore, look at you, look at you"

Wren giggled as I booped his nose over and over. He grabbed at my hand and tried putting it in his mouth.

"Ah ah ah baby, I guarantee my hand isn't as good as a paci"

Wren whined

"Wan tee-ta"

Ricky bent down and kissed wrens damp head.

"We'll get you a teether baby but first we gotta get a diaper on your bare butt"

Ricky took wren up in his arms and I followed them to the nursery. I grabbed a teether and distracted wren while Ricky affixed a diaper.

He then sat wren up. I let him hold onto his teether, both hands. They both looked at me.

"Now David"

"Yes Ricky"

"I promised this little one a hell of couch castle, ain't that right honey bun?-"

Wren nodded

"-So can you grab all the pillows and blankets... and maybe a few support beams, it's gonna be big"

Ricky tickled wrens side and he squealed around the teether. I chuckled and scratched my chin.

"We don't have any spare support beams, but we do have a broom"

"We can work with that, now chop chop"

I went off to gather castle supplies while Ricky dressed the princess. I grabbed our biggest blanket, plenty of cushions and the broom.

I layed the building materials out, switched on the tv and put on Netflix (forts usually ment family movie time). Whilst pondering snack options, Ricky appeared behind me.

"This is perfect, hold the baby"

I was passed the now dressed wren, who absentmindedly chewed on his teether. He was dressed in his bear onesie, the one we had him in the first night we found him. Of course accompanied by what I had to accept as a permanent glitter shine on wrens skin. I loved seeing wren in that onesie though, it had such happy memories attached to it. Plus he looked damn cute in it.

"Bubba you wanna watch daddy at work? He's incredible"

"I knows papa"

Wren mumbled, eyes locked on Ricky as he sculpted the castle.

Keeping the broom up standing with cushions on either side, and draping the large blanket over top, Ricky built the basic castle structure.

"Now for the embellishments, David grab some snacks. Unhealthy preferably"

"Ok my love"

I carried wren off to the kitchen, setting him in the highchair. He watched me pull down some snack puffs and a special bag of jellies, just for special occasions. A fort was a special enough occasion.

Wren bounced in place at the sight of the jellies, very excited at the rare snack.

"You've been such a good boy, you deserve a treat.... and so do I!"

I threw a jelly up and caught it in my mouth and wren squealed, banging his teether on the table.

I picked wren back up and carried him and the snacks into the sitting room. We were graced by a beautiful Fort that Ricky poked his head out from

"Tada!"

(Something like this ^^)

Curtains were drawn, to make it all the more ambient. I walked around to find Ricky lying on his stomach, propped up on his elbows, surrounded by wrens stuffie friends. Pillows lining the walls.

"Wow... Nice work"

"Thank you darling, but a castle is not complete without its little princess, come 'ere baby bear"

I set down wren and he crawled into the fort, settling whilst hugging all his stuffies and leaning on his daddies head.

"Well... join us if you don't mind"

I did as I was told and sat in the fort, sandwiching wren in the middle. I passed Ricky the puffs and kept the jellies to myself. He frowned deeply at me and I laughed, defiantly eating another jelly.

"So princess Wren, now that we're in the magic castle and papa is completely free for the rest of the day, what're we going to do. You said earlier you wanted to play"

Wren gasped.

"Papa pway?"

"Yes Papa's gonna play, what do you want to do"

"Um-"

Wren faltered, Ricky rubbed his arm.

"What's up baby bear?"

"Am sowwy Papa, I dons wanna pway, am sowwy!"

Ricky gently shushed him. And I pushed hair from his face.

"Nonono bubba, there will be no upset in the magic princess castle. I really don't mind if you don't wanna play wren, any particular reason, or is it just cuddle time on your inner cloc

"Am jusuh tie-ed now papa. Baff make wrenny all tired"

Ricky awed and nuzzled wren's head

"Oh my poor little bubba, will cuddles make it all ok? I'm very good at cuddles"

"He is baby bear"

Wren smiled and crawled into my open arms, curling up in my lap like a tiny kitten. I stroked the back of his hair and praised him for being such a good boy.

"Would you like to watch something baby, or maybe listen to a story-"

"Ponies?"

"Perfect choice princess"

Ricky was already switching on an episode when I looked up, a more mellow one to match wrens chilled out mood.

"Dada?"

"Yes baby bear?"

Wren pointed to the snack puffs then to his open mouth. I chuckled as Ricky began slowly feeding wren puffs one by one.

Wren may have us hand feeding himself, but really it was us eating out of his hand. Cheeky little thing.

My brief moment separated from chaos that grounded me was ended by Ricky whispering in my, wren far too sleepy and zoned in on the ponies that he wouldn't get a lick of what we said.

"We need to talk about wren's... climbing"