Chapter Text
Jake was hiding something, and Charles was suspicious.
First of all, Jake had been leaving his desk for quite a long time about every other day. Charles, at first, assumed Jake was leaving to masturbate, or maybe he was just constipated, and brushed it off.
However, another damning piece of evidence was Jake himself. He was more quiet then ever, and seemed to be deep in thought. He was easily startled and acted flustered when questioned about his behavior.
Third piece of evidence; Jake carried a bag with him when he left his desk. Charles's first thought was that Jake was doing drugs, but he doubted even Jake would be stupid enough to do that in a police precinct.
Fourth piece of evidence. When Charles went over to Jake's desk, Jake took hold of his bag and pushed it further under his desk.
Charles came to a conclusion. Whatever Jake was hiding from him was in that bag.
So, the next time Jake took his bag with him and walked away from his desk, Charles quietly trailed him.
~
Jake wandered into the evidence locker, and Charles gave him a second to think he was alone, and then opened the door.
Jake jumped, startled, dropping his bag on the ground.
"Uh- Charles- what are you- I'm- it's- I'm just, uh... looking at evidence, that's all."
"Jakey, what's in the bag?" Charles asked, more calmly than he expected. His hands were shaking, although it seemed that Jake was far more nervous than he was.
"...porn." Jake said after a moment.
"Nobody carries porn around in a bag, Jake, we have the internet,"
"Charles, back off," Jake warned.
"No! I'm your best friend, you shouldn't keep secrets from me!" Charles yelled, yanking the bag from Jake.
"Charles- wait, no, let me explain-" Jake fumbled for his bag, but Charles was already opening it, expecting to see cocaine or something.
Instead, he saw something far more surprising; what appeared to be kid stuff; a couple of coloring books, a stuffed animal, even a yellow pacifier.
Charles deflated.
"...Jakey?" he asked, glancing up from the bag to see his best friend looking like a cornered animal, his shoulders tense and his face flushed. Charles could see tears welling up in Jake's eyes.
"Shut up," Jake huffed, pulling the bag away from Charles' now loosened grip.
"Wait! Jake!" Charles grabbed Jake's sleeve. "What's going on? What's that stuff for?"
Jake rubbed his eyes. "Sorta awkward, huh? You probably don't want to know, so that's okay. I'll just leave now."
"No, I do want to know," Charles said firmly.
"Fine," Jake sighed. "Just... don't tell anyone. Or... make fun of me."
Charles frowned. "Okay."
"I'm... uh... I... sort of... sometimes..." Jake was biting his lip. He laughed uncomfortably. "Man! You look serious!"
Charles raised an eyebrow. "Jakey, you can tell me anything, okay?"
Jake rubbed the back of his neck, clearly flustered. "Sheesh- okay- okay- well- I sortaregressalittlebitsometimes- great! I told you! Peralta out."
"Jake wait!" Charles called, pulling Jake back. "I'm sorry I invaded your privacy, but I was worried about you. I want you to be honest with me, but you can't just yell it out all at once and then run away."
Jake laughed nervously. "W-well- I mean, jeez- alright- okay- maybe I sometimes- occasionally- y'know... uh... regress to- the, um, mindset of like, a, y'know, like, a little kid? And I'm probably just like, y'know, a freak with daddy issues, isn't that kind of funny, Boyle? Anyway I've got a case to solve-"
"For God's sake..." Charles huffed, pulling Jake back by the sleeve. "Alright. So you're saying this stuff-" he motioned to Jake's bag- "is yours?"
Jake's face went red.
"I- well- y'know, that reminds me-"
"Is it yours?"
Jake laughed again. "Uh- yeah- it- uh- it might very well be!"
"Jakey, do you regress?"
"Uh- uh- sort of? Maybe? I- uh- who knows? I don't know- anyway- good talk, please don't tell anyone-"
"I won't," Charles said softly. "Jake, I want to help you."
"H-help me?" Jake's voice broke. "With... um... with the case?"
"Jakey," Charles said sternly. "I'm good with kids. And, I'm good with you."
"What are you saying?"
"I can take care of you, if you would want that."
Jake was too stunned to muster an uncomfortable laugh or even a joke.
"Uh... yeah. Yeah. I would like that," he said quietly.
"Great," Charles smiled. "Let's just go over to my place after work, okay, Jakey? We can talk this all over there."
Jake nodded limply.
"We've got to get back to work," Charles said, then grinned. "But first- ten minute hug?"
~
Jake was flooded with emotions. Fear. Embarrassment. Shame. He had expected to take this secret to his grave. He was too terrified of the repercussions; terrified of the jokes about his daddy issues and his childishness; terrified of the loss of respect from his coworkers; terrified of being hated; and terrified of being loved.
Jake would have never gotten the words out if Charles hadn't been so stern. He hated to admit how Charles' use of "Jakey" sent butterflies through his stomach. He felt like an idiot.
When the end of the work day finally came, Charles met Jake at his desk.
"God, it's been a long day. I'm tired. Are you tired? You're probably tired. We should probably cancel. Let's do it some other time."
"Jakey."
There the butterflies were again. Shit.
"Alright, alright, fine," Jake said, grabbing his bag and leading Charles out of the precinct.
~
Jake was at Charles's apartment.
He sat nervously as he let Charles look through the bag.
"Do you actually want to do this?" Jake asked.
"Of course I do!" Charles sounded offended that Jake would think otherwise. "It will be fun, I promise. I'm a great babysitter."
Jake felt butterflies again. He was being babysat. He didn't know whether he wanted to cry or bury himself alive.
"So... this." Charles said, lifting up the pacifier.
"God- I knew this was stupid- I should just go home," Jake said, flustered.
"No, Jakey," Charles said. "I was just going to say it's cute. Do you want to use it?"
Jake hesitated. Of course he did. But in front of Charles? That would be mortifying.
"You don't think it's... weird?"
Charles shook his head.
Jake ran a hand through his hair. "Whatever. Yeah. I want it." he reached out for Charles to hand it to him.
Charles stood up and popped it in Jake's mouth.
Jake was too stunned to say anything, which was fine, because there was a pacifier in his mouth.
"So? What do you want to do, Jakey?" Charles asked cheerfully.
Jake removed the pacifier. "Shit... I don't know."
"Alright, first rule," Charles said. "No swearing."
"What?!"
"You're not an adult today, Jakey, you don't get to use adult language," Charles said.
Jake ignored the butterflies in his stomach and the fuzzy, warm feeling trying to pull him into his headspace.
"Boyle," he said pleadingly.
"Second rule, don't call me Boyle. That's a work name, and it's too impersonal. You can call me Charles."
Jake shrugged. That wasn't too bad.
"Third rule, don't try and act like an adult just because you're embarrassed to be little in front of me."
"What happens if I break a rule?" Jake frowned.
"You'll get a time-out," Charles said. Jake rolled his eyes.
"Yeah, okay, whatever."
"Don't backsass me. That's the fourth rule."
"How many fucking rules are there?"
Charles folded his arms.
"Freaking. Sorry."
"There are as many rules as we need to have," Charles said. "But I'm sure you'll be a good boy for me, Jakey."
A good boy. Jake wanted so desperately to be a good boy.
"Okay. Okay," Jake said. Charles hugged him tightly.
"This is going to be fun!"
Jake laughed, trying to shove Charles off of him.
"Boyle- uh- Charles- get off of me, man, I can't breathe."
"Okay, okay," Charles shrugged, releasing him.
Jake glanced down at the pacifier that was still in his hand, hesitating. Charles smiled brightly.
Jake put it in his mouth, his face reddening. Then, he sat down on the carpet.
He wondered if he was going to regret this.