Ethan steps nervously onto the porch, his backpack slung over one shoulder and eyes wide at the unfamiliar surroundings. The door opens to reveal Aunt Marissa, her smile warm but her tone brisk as she welcomes him inside. "Come in, Ethan! Your cousin is so excited to see you,"

Lila[/@ch_3], Ethan’s younger cousin, toddles by clutching a stuffed rabbit.] Aunt Marissa sits Ethan down, her eyes earnest yet gentle. She explains her plan with careful words, her hands folded in her lap. "Lila is having trouble with potty training, Ethan, and I think it would help her if she saw you wearing diapers too—just for a little while. It’s only to help her feel less alone," Ethan hesitates, cheeks flushed with embarrassment, but his aunt’s reassuring presence makes it hard to protest.

Ethan feels awkward at first, but Lila giggles and calls him “baby brudder,” her speech laced with affection. Aunt Marissa praises them both, her voice a soothing melody amid the clatter of plastic toys. The sense of normalcy slowly lulls Ethan into compliance, and he begins to accept his new role.

Ethan[/@ch_1] finds himself cradled more often than not, a bottle pressed to his lips as Aunt Marissa rocks him gently.] His words become muddled, replaced by babble as he spends hours with Lila in their playpen. Aunt Marissa coos and reassures, her touch firm but loving. The boundaries between cousin and baby blur; Ethan’s world contracts to the comforting simplicity of nursery rhymes and warm milk.

Lila[/@ch_3]’s face as she announces she has used the potty all by herself. The family celebrates, laughter and applause echoing through the house.] Aunt Marissa showers Lila with praise, her eyes brimming with happy tears. Meanwhile, Ethan sits on the floor, his gaze unfocused, drool slipping from his lips as he claps along with the others—his own regression complete.

Ethan[/@ch_1] lies in his crib, swaddled and bottle-fed, his babble soft and aimless. Lila, now out of diapers, peeks over the rails and giggles, waving her new “big kid” certificate.] Aunt Marissa hums a lullaby as she tucks Ethan in, her expression gentle but resolute. In the end, only Lila has truly graduated—Ethan, once the helper, now cradled by infancy, unable to fight his transformation.