Chapter Text
Perhaps Valentine's Day hadn't ended like Tomas wanted. But the day itself was amazing, spectacular even!
And the conversation they had the next was, uh, more than needed.
And the conversations Tomas had with his other friends were also . . . needed.
That didn't mean he liked it. He didn't like having to go to his friends and apologizing for distance himself.
He also didn't like how his friends had expreced concern. How his brothers admitted to not knowing how to come to him about his actions. Or how his other friends had been meaning to ask sooner rather than later because they were too getting worried.
But now, everything was fine. Everythign was better, and everything was happy.
. . . Or it would be if Tomas had told them the full, full truth.
"You okay right there?" Kenshi asked as Tomas snuggled between him and Johnny.
They had pulled out the couch so they could all lay and cuddle on there, per a small Tomas's request. They had planned a few days to hang out, making sure one of those were a little day for each of them, whether they actually regressed that day or not.
"Mhm," Tomas giggled.
"Your such a cuddle bug, Tommy," Johnny joked, poking Tomas's head, causing him to whine. "Well you are."
Tomas pouted, "Not a bug."
"No, but your a cuddle bug," Johnny teased. "Right, Kenshi?"
". . . Well he's a wiggle worm," Kenshi said quietly.
"I- I'm not a worm!" Tomas whined, hiding in the couch pillow.
"Are too-" Johnny cut himself off, his phone puzzling loudly.
Johnny groaned and moved away from their cuddles. Tomas sat up slightly, making Kenshi sit up. Johnny rolled his eyes at the contact, giving Tomas a small smile.
"Daddy's gotta take this, baby. Give him a few minutes, okay?" Johnny sighed as he stood up. "You're speaking with the famous Mr. Cage, what can I do for you?"
Tomas fully sat up as Johnny began to walk away. He didn't want him to go! No, no, they had talked about this! Hadn't they?
Well, sure, Tomas never told them about regressing alone, or regressing with out them. But they spoke about how busy he was! About how busy they were. About how work got in between the three of them and today, just today, it wasn't supposed to.
He knew Johnny wouldn't be on the phone longer than thirty minutes. But what if he stayed longer?
What if he was on call for an hour? Two hours? What if he got distracted and forgot all about Kenshi and him?
He knew he was being silly, Johnny clearly didn't look happy about the phone call either. And he'd probably only take five minutes to get everything situated.
But something broke in Tomas.
He had been regressing without them for so long. And now he was willing- Was needing them to regress. He wanted his Dada. He wanted his Daddy.
"No go!" Tomas began to cry, making grabby hands for Johnny. "No go daddy, pease! Pease don't go!"
". . . I'll have to call you back," Johnny said before hanging up the call. He rushed back to Tomas's side. "Hello my sweet angel! Hi, oh my goodness what's wrong?"
"Want Daddy!" Tomas said, clutching onto Johnny's shirt tightly. "No phone call! No work!"
"Oh, Daddy just had to take a quick work call," Johnny tried to explain, looking at kenshi for help. "He has to call the nice man back and just write some things down on the calender, okay?"
"No!" Tomas shook his head. "Pease don't go! Pease?"
Tomas didn't sob and cling to them often. He didn't beg for them to stay. A bit fussy here or there, but never the reaction he was giving them now.
Johnny sat on the couch, moving Tomas to his lap. Kenshi sat beside them, gently rubbing Tomas's back.
Tomas didn't like the fact he was crying either. He didn't mean to start crying! Or desperately grip to Johnny and Kenshi!
He didn't wanna be alone again, he couldn't be alone again! He had been small alone for too long, he wanted his Daddy and Dada back.
And they were here and he was being silly! They weren't leaving him but- But he didn't want them to go bye bye!!
Luckily, however, Tomas's cries eventually softened. Leaving him grumpily sitting on Johnny's lap, tightly holding onto his and Kenshi's shirt.
"What happened back there, sweetheart?" Kenshi asked softly, receiving a head shake in reply. "Tommy, it's okay, you can tell us."
"Don't wanna . . ."
"Oh but baby, what did we talk about talking about our feelings when we're having icky thoughts?" Johnny asked. "It'll make everyone feel better. Do you want some time think about your feelings?"
"No thank you," Tomas sniffed, rubbing his eyes. "I just . . . don't wanna be alone again!"
Kenshi frowned, "Again?"
"Don't get mad!" Tomas practically pleaded. "Pease don't get mad, don't get mad Dada!"
"Hey, hey, hey," Kenshi gently shushed him, pulling Tomas onto his lap. "Why would Dada get mad at you for telling the truth? Has he ever gotten mad before? No. Not even when you broke the toaster that one time. Not even when you drew on the walls after we told you not to. And we definitely won't get mad for you telling the truth."
Tomas nodded, coughing as he rubbed his eyes. Johnny took his own shirt and wiped his baby's face, he'll wash it later. His fancy shirt didn't really matter to him right now.
"When, um, when I thought you were too busy for me, I didn't wanna bother you, I still felt small sometimes," Tomas said, grabbing at his thighs tightly. "And your always gone, I thought that it'd be otay if I felt small . . . alone. But I didn't wanna bother you back then by regressing and-!"
"Have- Have you been little alone, sweetheart?" Johnny realized, looking at Tomas horrified.
"Not anymore!" Tomas said quickly. "I- Please don't cry, Daddy!"
Johnny rubbed his own eyes. Crap, when had he started crying? He wasn't suppose to cry. He was suppose to be comforting Tomas while Tomas cried. Kenshi gently placed a hand on Johnny's head, scratching his hair.
What had he mean? Had Tomas been regressing alone? Why was he regressing alone? He didn't think that johnny and Kenshi didn't want to see him, right?
He didn't think that they were seriously that busy, right? . . . Right?!
Johnny stayed silent, although his mind kinda raced. He had regressed alone for a while, even when he was with Cris. She didn't want anything to do with his regression. She wasn't mean to him when she was small, but she wasn't exactly supportive either.
She'd just watch as he struggled to do things. She never had to help him, but that didn't mean she just had to watch as he struggled to fill his cup of juice. Or when he dropped the glass and it shatttered and she just sighed and handed him the dustpan, telling him to clean up his mess.
It ruined regressing for him for a small time. Until he slipped at the Wushu academy. And kenshi helped him when he was small, and he didn't even like him them.
Now adays he couldn't imagine being small without someone there for him.
He didn't want to imagine.
"Daddy's just feeling a little bit of emotions right now, 'Hun," Kenshi explained as Tomas looked, and felt, guilty for making Johnny start to cry. "He'll be okay."
"Sweetheart, I need you to understand right now that no matter how busy we are, or far away we are, or packed our schedules are, we will always have time for you," Johnny grabbed Tomas's hands. "Always, Sweetheart! I just-" Johnny cleared his throat, smiling softly. "It's really scary feeling small all alone, isn't it?"
Tomas nodded, "Mhm."
"And we never, ever, want you to feel that way again, okay?" Johnny sat up, kissing Tomas's forehead. "I know how it feels feeling all tiny with no one around to help you. It's not a very good feeling, is it?"
"Nuh-uh," Tomas shook his head. "Daddy doesn't look okay."
"Daddy just feels a little bad that he didn't notice this sooner, 'Hun," Johnny laughed slightly, rubbing his thumbs against Tomas's hands. "But the important part is that both Daddy and Dada now know, okay? And we're going to make all the big and little time you deserve."
". . . Your not mad?" Tomas asked, sounding unsure. He wasn't especting Johnny to panic this badly.
"Never, sweetheart!" Johnny gasped, cupping Tomas's cheeks and kissing his forehead. "i could never be mad at you about this!!"
"And neither is Dada," Kenshi finally chimed in. He didn't want o interrupt Johnny's small rant. "We're sorry you felt that you needed to be little alone. But we need you to understand that we love it when you regress around us. And you could never, ever, bother us with it, okay?"
"I understand," Tomas smiled, nodding. He looked at Johnny with a guilty expression, holding his arms apart, "Daddy want a hug?"
Johnny didn't wanna take it. he wanted to hold Tomas, cradle him. He wanted to cradle Kenshi, protect him too.
But instead, he laid his head on Tomas's lap, and let him pet his hair. Kenshi wiped Kenshi's tears away softly.
"I'm fine guys," Johnny smiled, holding Kenshi's hand. "Seriously. Just got a little emotional."
"Lier," Tomas huffed, earning a nod from Kenshi.
"You feeling okay?" Kenshi asked quietly. "And don't you dare lie, it'll send a bad example for Tomas over here."
That earned a laugh from Johnny, and a pout from Tomas.
"Yeah, yeah," Johnny sighed. "I'm feeling fine. A bit weird, but okay."
"You feeling small too?" Kenshi caressed Johnny's cheek.
Johnny shook his head, "No, not really."
". . . How about we get dressed and get some yummy ice cream?" Kenshi suggested, wanting to ccheer up both boys. "We can go to the ice cream shop down the street, get something yummy, what do we say?"
"Daddy wants ice cream?" Tomas asked, looking at Johnny.
"Only is Superstar over here wants ice cream," Johnny smiled, reaching up and patting Tomas's cheek. "Do I get to buckle my baby into the car?"
"And help him tie his shoes?" Kenshi asked, making Tomas huff.
"You both are being big meanies," Tomas pouted, but he did feel happier.
He loved his Dada and Daddy.
And they loved him.