Philip Lester was in the kitchen sipping coffee on a warm spring morning. He was flipping pancakes and brewing more coffee. Suddenly he heard footsteps and faint giggles. His husband, Daniel Howell walked in with their two-year-old son, Dylan scampering behind him.
"Good morning cutie," Phil said as he picked up Dylan and kissed Dan on the cheek.
"Hi Papa," Dylan chirped.
"How'd my boys sleep?" Phil asked Dan. Today was Phil's turn to wake up early and make breakfast for the family and Dan's turn to sleep in and get Dylan ready for the day.
"I slept well and Dylan just woke up a few minutes ago."
Dylan hopped out of Phil's arms and scuttled into the living room to go play with some toys.
"Are you ready for some amazing pancakes?"
"I'm so hungry and it smells so good," Dan said as he licked his lips.
"Well you can't have any until I get a good morning kiss from you," Phil joked.
"You don't get a kiss until I get my pancakes," Dan retorted.
They both laughed and then went into the living room to get Dylan for breakfast. He came to the table with a Barbie doll in his hands. Phil put him in his high chair and gave him a pancake that was cut up into small pieces.
"Here you go sweetie," Phil said as he scruffed Dylan's curly brown locks.
"Thank you, Papa," Dylan cheered.
"You're welcome honey," Phil said as he placed pancakes at Dan's place as well as his own.
"So what's on the agenda today?" Dan mumbled through a mouth full of pancakes.
"Well, we all have dentist appointments and Dylan also has a play date," Phil explained.
Dan went pale.
"D-d-d do we have to?" Dan stuttered.
"Daniel love, you know you do. It won't be too bad, I promise," Phil explained gently.
"Will Dylan be okay? I mean it's his first time and-"
"Let's just hope he takes after me instead of you," Phil chuckled.
"It's not funny," Dan pouted. "I don't want him to be scared."
"Then you have to put on a brave face and show him that it isn't scary," Phil said as he placed a loving hand on Dan's shoulder. "Now finishing eating so we can get ready to go. I don't want to be late."
"Okay, I'll get Dylan dressed and brush his teeth," Dan offered.
"Sounds like a plan, now give me my good morning kiss please," Phil said as he puckered up.
Their soft lips connected and then pulled apart after hearing the giggles of their young son.
"Finish up your pancakes, love, we're going somewhere fun soon," Dan said.
"Really?!" Dylan squealed. "Where?!"
"You'll see when you're done eating," Dan kindly explained.
"I can't wait!" Dylan yelled as he shoved pancake pieces in his mouth.
"Like father, like son," Phil chuckled.
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Dan, Phil, and Dylan were now in the family's minivan, heading to the dentist. Dan's leg was bouncing up and down as Phil drove and Dylan was happily in the back seat, watching Winnie the Pooh on his tablet.
"Are we there yet, Dada?" Dylan whined.
"Almost, love. Just a little while longer," Phil said sweetly.
Dan gulped.
Be brave for Dylan. Be brave for Dylan. You can do this, it's just a check up. You'll be fine. You'll be fine. Dan thought.
"Relax sweetheart, I won't let them hurt you or Dylan," Phil said as he placed one hand on Dan's back and began to rub it.
"I just don't want anything to be wrong with his teeth. What if he has a cavity? He'll be scared of the dentist forever."
"They're professionals Dan. If he somehow has a cavity, which I doubt, they'll make sure he isn't scared. Trust me, Dan, he'll be absolutely fine, please stop worrying," Phil said gently.
Dan nodded and took some deep breaths, he knew Phil was right.
"Hey Dylan, we're here sweetie," Phil said as he pulled into the parking lot.
"Where are we?" Dylan asked.
"We're at the dentist, honey," Dan explained softly.
"What's that?" Dylan asked frightfully.
"Don't worry love, you'll get to play with some fun toys and then the dentist is going clean your teeth, just like you do every day at home," Dan said.
"Dada and I are both going to get our teeth cleaned too," Phil chimed in.
"Okay," Dylan said shyly.
"Let's get you out of your car seat love, we don't want to be late," Phil said as he opened the car door and unbuckled Dylan's car seat.
Phil picked up his young child and placed him on Dan's shoulders.
"Ready for blast off?" Dan asked his young and giggly son.
"Yeah, Dada!" Dylan laughed, a big smile on his face.
Dan took off running towards the entrance of the dentist office with a smile on his face, something Phil thought he'd never see.
When they approached the entrance of the office Dan set Dylan down and grabbed his little hand as they walked in.
"Go play Dylan," Phil encouraged.
Dan looked over at his son as he scampered over to the toy chest, picked up a race car and sat down in the corner.
"You ready Dan?" Phil asked Dan as they walked over to the reception desk.
"Y-y-y yeah," Dan stuttered.
"You'll be fine, sweetheart and so will Dylan and I."
"Okay, I believe you."
"That's my boy, Danny. I'll sign us in, you take a seat and try to calm yourself down a bit more."
Dan walked over a set of chairs and pulled out his phone in an attempt to calm his nerves. Meanwhile, Phil talked to the receptionist and came back to sit by Dan with a clipboard and pen in hand.
"They need us to fill out a few forms for Dylan," Phil explained after being met by two concerned brown eyes. "Don't worry love, I'll fill them out, you keep doing what you're doing."
"Thank you, sweetheart."
"Anything for you, my love."
Dan blushed and then Phil started to fill out the forms, only stopping every so often to double check something with Dan.
"I'm all done sweetie, I'm going to hand these in, I'll be right back," Phil said as he planted a kiss on his head.
"Okay, don't be gone too long please," Dan whispered.
"I promise I won't," Phil said as he made his way to the front desk. "All done," Phil told the receptionist.
"Thank you, dear, your name should be called shortly," she said kindly.
"Thank you, have a nice day."
The receptionist blushed and went back to typing away at her computer as Phil returned to his seat next to Dan.
"How are you doing buddy?" Phil calmly asked.
"Better, I think I'm ready," Dan admitted.
"Howell-Lester family," a nurse called.
Perfect timing. Phil thought
"Dylan, come here love, it's time to see to the dentist," Phil yelled.
"Coming Papa," Dylan shouted as he placed the race car he was playing with back in the toy chest.
He waddled up to his Dada and Papa and grabbed their hands as they walked towards the offices. The nurse showed them to a room and they took seats on the plastic chairs in the corner of the room, Dylan on Phil's lap.
"The dentist should be here soon Dilly," Phil said calmly.
"Okay," Dylan said quietly as he bit his lip.
"Are you nervous honey?" Phil asked.
Dylan only nodded and buried his head in Phil's t-shirt.
"You'll be fine love," Dan chimed in.
"Prwamise?" Dylan asked.
"Promise," Dan and Phil said in unison.
At that moment Dr. Brown, the dentist, came into the room.
"Good afternoon gentlemen," He said. "Who's this cute little boy?" he asked, referring to Dylan who had buried his head back in Phil's shirt.
"Dylan dear, can you say hello to the dentist?" Phil whispered.
Dylan looked up shyly and waved slowly.
"Hello sweetie," Dr. Brown said softly.
Dylan ignored the dentist and snuggled up to Phil again.
"Will he be getting his teeth cleaned today too?" Dr. Brown asked Dan.
"Yeah," Dan said. "Poor thing was so excited this morning, I'm not sure what happened."
"He's probably just nervous now that he sees all these new things. Do one of you want to go first? Maybe that'll help him realize it isn't scary." Said Dr. Brown.
Dan looked at Phil helplessly, his eyes almost begged Phil to volunteer.
"I'll go first," Phil proposed.
"Alright, can you take a seat in the chair please?" Dr. Brown asked.
Phil nodded as he picked up Dylan and placed him on Dan's lap then he sat down in the dentist chair.
"See Dylan, it isn't scary," Phil said as Dr. Brown leaned the dental chair backward. It's like a fun roller coaster."
"Can you open up your mouth nice and big for me?" Dr. Brown asked.
Phil quickly opened his mouth and Dr. Brown began to scrape his teeth with the explorer.
"What's he doing to Papa?" Dylan asked with tears in his eyes.
"He's scraping off all the sugar bugs that Papa missed when he brushed his teeth," Dan explained gently.
"Oh, okay. Does it hurt?"
"No, Dilly, it doesn't hurt a bit."
"Okay, Dada." Dylan replied as he snuggled up to Dan.
"After Papa is done I'm going to go and then it's going to be your turn, okay?"
Dylan gulped and looked up at Dan with tears in his eyes. "Do I have to?" He squeaked.
"Yeah, buddy. It won't be bad though, sweetie. Look how well Papa is doing. See, it's not scary."
Dylan nodded. "I guess it won't be that bad," he admitted. "I'm ready."
"Do you wanna go before me then?" Dan asked praying that he would say yes.
Dylan nodded slowly and sat up properly on Dan's lap.
"Alright little buddy, you can go once Papa is finished, okay?"
Dylan nodded again and watched carefully as Dr. Brown polished Phil's teeth and sat up the chair.
Dan picked Dylan up and placed him on Phil's lap.
"You okay, bud?" Phil asked.
"Yeah, Papa, I'm ready." Dylan chirped.
"Okay honey, can you open up for Dr. Brown?"
Dylan opened his mouth immediately and Dr. Brown began to examine his teeth. He tapped each of Dylan's teeth with the explorer and used the mirror to look around.
"I don't see any problems here," Dr. Brown proclaimed. "I'm just going to give his teeth a quick clean and it'll be Dan's turn."
With that, he cleaned Dylan's teeth and sent him out of the room with Phil to go pick out a toothbrush and two prizes from the prize chest.
"Alrighty Dan, let's get you into the chair. I know the dentist isn't your favorite place, but it's just something you gotta do, okay?"
Dan nervously nodded and slowly walked over to the chair and sat down.
"You'll be okay. You just saw me take care of Dylan and Phil. If they can do it, so can you."
Dan sighed and tried to relax. He took a deep breath and opened his mouth as the chair leaned back.
"Good job, Dan. Just keep it open like that and I'll be done before you know it. Dan squirmed a bit in the chair when he heard Phil and Dylan walk into the room.
"Is Dada okay?" Dylan asked panic filling his voice.
"He's fine Dilly, he just gets a little nervous is all," Phil whispered.
"But why? The dentist isn't scary," he asked.
"Well, when Dada was your age, his dentist was very mean to him. It made Dada very scared around dentists since his first time was so scary. But Dr. Brown is very nice, right? You don't need to be scared, okay?"
Dylan nodded. "I don't want Dada to be scared though," he pouted.
"It's okay love. Dada is getting a lot better at going to the dentist, and you being so good is helping him see that it isn't so scary. I'm proud of you," Phil beamed.
Dylan smiled from ear to ear, beaming with pride and began to play with the small ball he had received as a prize. He watched carefully as Dr. Brown completed Dan's exam. As he began to polish Dan's teeth Dylan heard soft sobs coming from the dentist chair. He looked up curiously to see Dan crying softly. Phil was about to stand up and comfort his husband, but Dylan piped up first.
"It's okay Dada, don't cry," he said as he walked over to Dan and held his hand.
"Thanks, Dilly," Dan said as he wiped away his tears. I love you, buddy."
Dylan just smiled as he returned to his seat. Dr. Brown finished Dan's exam and the Howell-Lester family continued on their day. From then on Dan had a lot easier time at the dentist knowing that Dylan was there to help him get over his fear.
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Word count: 2155
I'm sorry it took me so long to update, I have two more updates coming soon. Thank you to everyone who made requests and are being so patient.