Chapter Text
"Daddy, when I grow up I want to marry you!"
It started off as innocent little things like that. Things that she'd say when she was younger, that any little girl who didn't know any better might say.
But now Marie was 12 years old.
"Daddy... I like you..." she said.
"Like... more than just as my dad."
My own daughter had confessed to me.
"What do you mean?" I asked in response.
I knew exactly what she meant, of course. But I had to make sure, it was so unprecedented.
"I have a crush on you. Actually, I've had a crush on you since as far back as I can remember..." she blushed. Then tears started forming in her eyes.
"I didn't think I'd ever tell you, but I just can't take it anymore, Daddy! I had to confess..." The tears were now freely cascading down her cheeks.
"I'm sorry, Daddy... I know it's wrong..." she sobbed, before hiding her face in her palms.
Immediately my fatherly instincts took over and I embraced her in my arms.
"Come here, it's okay..." I comforted her, gently hugging her. She looked up at me.
"Y-you're not angry...?"
"Oh, sweetheart... Of course I'm not, you haven't done anything wrong," I reassured her.
"This is a lot to take in... But you're my daughter, you can always come to me when anything is on your mind, okay?"
She looked away, still blushing, and nodded.
My mind was racing. I didn't know how to feel about this. So many different emotions were congregating in my head, but I had to stay calm somehow. I had to focus on my daughter.
I took a deep breath, before I spoke again.
"I only wish you had told me sooner... You've had to deal with these feelings alone for so long, that must've been difficult."
Marie wiped her tears on her sleeve.
"I was scared..." she said.
Suddenly she hugged me tight.
"Dad, what should I do...?"
I gently pet her hair.
"I'm sure you'll grow out this, baby. You'll find a boy your own age someday, and you'll forget all about your old man."
I was trying to convince myself just as much as I was trying to convince her. Maybe more...
She stayed quiet for a while.
"Boys my age are dumb..." she finally mumbled into my chest.
I let out a slight chuckle. She released me from her little arms.
"I'm gonna go to my room now. I...love you, Daddy."
And with that, she was off. As soon as I heard her door close, I let out a deep sigh and collapsed onto the couch, my head in my hands.
The next day it was as if nothing had changed. Marie ate the breakfast I cooked for her and we chatted like usual, before she took off for school. I was relieved. Maybe this wasn't as big of a deal as I thought it would be.
Then, the next morning she kissed me on the cheek before leaving. She had never done that before. I got a bad feeling in my stomach about it, but I didn't want to say anything. My mind kept replaying the image of her crying. I didn't want to upset her.
The following day was Saturday. Marie joined me on the couch to watch some TV with me, still in her nightie. She was awfully close, but I didn't complain.
Then she leaned against my shoulder, and I got that same bad feeling again.
"What's up, sweetie?" I asked, chuckling a bit to hide my unease.
"Nothing, I just wanted to watch TV with you", she responded, as if nothing was wrong.
Was I the one overthinking things...?
My girl had always been a little more childish than was typical of her age. She was still sleeping with stuffed animals and watching cartoons, maybe it wasn't so weird for her to want cuddles even when most kids her age would've grown past that by now.
I took another deep breath, and convinced myself this was fine. I was just still on the edge because of my daughter's confession.
Little did I know, not setting clear boundaries would quickly prove to have been a mistake.
After some days of cuddling on the couch, Marie was full on snuggling me. She was practically sitting in my lap. The straps of her nightie were slipping off her shoulders, exposing just a little too much skin.
I was not attracted to my daughter. Until now, I hadn't even considered her body in any sexual way. But knowing she had a crush on me, knowing she was growing up... I felt a bit uncomfortable with her showing so much skin around me. I tried to focus on the TV.
"Daddy?" Marie asked, head still resting against my chest.
"Mm-hm?" I answered.
"You remember when I was little and we used to hug in bed together?"
My eyes widened. Luckily my daughter couldn't see.
"I miss that sometimes..." she said.
"Can we do that again? I mean, we're pretty much doing that already, just on the couch, right?" she asked.
I should've said no, I should've drawn a line. But I couldn't, I couldn't risk upsetting my precious baby girl.
Suddenly I found myself in my bed with Marie, my arm around her and her clinging to me like a baby koala. She looked so content.
The cuddles became a weekly occurrence. Then daily. Sometimes we would even just be in our underwear. I felt less and less uncomfortable. I was with my baby girl after all, and she was still so young and innocent. There was nothing sexual about this, nothing sexual about her.
Time passed. She turned 13. Her body started developing. All of a sudden I was uncomfortable once more. But this time it was different.
We were cuddling in my bed once again, and I felt Marie's chest pressed against me. What had been flat a year ago was no longer flat. Her little breasts were still developing but they were undeniably soft under her bra, squishing against my side. My heart was suddenly beating faster.
Looking down, I saw her nipples poking through the bra slightly, the tiniest bit of cleavage already forming with her body tilted and squeezed against me.
Oh god. I was starting to feel something, looking at my 13 year old daughter's developing chest.
This was a very bad sign.
I slowly sat up. Marie looked at me, puzzled.
"Don't you think you're getting a bit old to be doing this?" I said.
"What do you mean?" she asked.
"Cuddling with your dad. I mean, you're 13 now", I replied.
She looked hurt. I immediately regretted what I said.
"But... We're not doing anything bad... It's just cuddling. Please Daddy, I don't want to stop..."
She hugged me tighter. I couldn't say no to my baby girl...
I hugged her back, and felt her relax back into me. I somehow knew this would only be the beginning...