"Once upon a time, there was a very pretty boy," Jack began.
"Boys aren't pretty," Avery said sleepily.
"My story is different," Jack said, stubborn. "Now are you going to listen or not?"
"I'll listen."
"Okay. Well, once upon a time there was a very pretty boy. He was the prettiest boy, and his name was Avery. Now, Avery was--"
"Hey!" Avery was awake now. That's not how it goes."
"No?"
"No. In stories that start with once upon a time, there are boys who are princes and they rescue someone and they both have adventures and they live happily ever and always after. And dragons."
"Dragons?" Jack sweeps the hair off of Avery's cheek and watches his face relax into a sleep-pout."
"Yes, dragons. It's part of the adventures, you see. They fight the dragons and save each other and then I think...I think they get medals." Avery is obviously falling asleep again, and it makes Jack smile. He reaches up, feels the tag hung around his neck.
"That's right, pup," he says, and tucks Avery's hair back. "That's how my story is too."
"Oh." Avery yawns and burrows into the blankets. "All right."
"Once upon a time," Jack begins again. Avery's asleep five minutes in, which is good, because Jack's story--and Avery's, too, is far from over.