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The room was quiet.
It always was when his manager would make his way out (as keeping up with three boys even on the 5th floor was stressful) and he was left alone in the silent room. It was during those moments Doyoung would drop the strong front he put on in front of everyone and let himself think about his problems.
Perhaps, Taeyong would argue and say it wasn’t a goof practice, but Doyoung didn’t enjoy leaving the problems lurking. Even when the voices taunted his dancing, pointing out the soreness of his throat and the way the others used him as a punching back (which he accepted willingly) during their shows.
He needed the motivation, but it still hurt him. And it hurt more when he reminded himself that the others didn’t need him loading his burdens onto his shoulders. He probably had it lightest among the members.
Mindlessly, he reached out to grab small bag under his bed and pulled out the contents. In his hands was a small blanket, one that wouldn’t even make it past his knees, and had bunny-like patterns on it.
Gripped gently in his hands, the softness of it made his breathing more relaxed, calming his nerves. Something in his head seemed to switch off as his ability to think numbed down to a cloudy bliss which he relished in. A small sense of longing made itself into his heart and he brought his legs close to his chest and set the blanket on them, burying the lower part of his face within his fabric so his eyes could still be seen peeking over his knees.
It felt soft. So…so soft…
-
Taeyong stood at the door, his eyes training on the male who was too lost in his head to realize his presence. The scene was familiar, as it had happened more than once over the course of a few weeks. He had not had the heart to interrupt the small mercy Doyoung gave to himself, to well up in his emotions.
But Taeyong could see how Doyoung was breaking at the seams.
More than once, he caught Doyoung practicing quietly while others were taking breaks. He had found the many empty bottles in the trash can in Doyoung’s room, and had seen the light go off too late for his liking. It wasn’t only him that realized.
The littles were also getting worried, even when Johnny was there to calm their nerves.
Mark had come out as a little a few years back ever since SM placed him in the three units that took away his time. The stress had made him turn to Dream’s onesies and plushies, uncovering that he had a liking to childish items. Later on, Jungwoo had fallen into headspace after debuting which made Lucas find comfort in it too.
Needless to say, NCT was half littles and half caregivers, including WayV who were all the happier to deal with their littles Lucas, Yang Yang and Ten. Taeyong and Johnny had fallen into the roles a little too easily and Donghyuck placed it upon himself to get the Dreamies littles under control.
He was a Little favourite anyway.
Doyoung was clearly so close to falling into headspace, though Taeyong suspected he had slipped more times than he thought. Even watching him, it was clear that a childlike innocence had taken over from the way his eyes widened and his posture curled into himself.
“Doie’s having a rough day?” Johnny questioned once Taeyong settled himself at the kitchen counter. “You saw him?”
Taeyong nodded, sighing heavily into his palms. “I’m sure, so sure he’s a Little.”
“Motherly instincts?” Johnny smirked, wincing when Taeyong punched his arm. “Hey, you know we’re both extra protective of him.”
“Over who?” Jaehyun called, walking in from the front door and skipping over towards them. “Sorry, the Littles are having a tea party and I needed some time.”
“Hyuck’s there?” Taeyong asked, his voice hardening, relaxing when Jaehyun nodded. “We were talking about Doyoung. He’s been stressing out and I’ve been catching him slipping.”
Jaehyun’s eyes widened. “He’s a little?”
Johnny grabbed his collar and forced him onto seat, pushing his head down. “Be a little quieter, could you?”
Their antics made Taeyong scoff, his heart lightening. “Anyway, I was thinking of approaching him about it, you know since it’s important for him to embrace it. He needs a caregiver and the freedom to slip comfortably when he does.”
“The only ways we were able to even identify the Littles were through their triggers. It was bad enough when Jungwoo slipped because a someone decided to put his aegyo compilation in the comments during his menpa and I had to cover for him before he keyboard smashed the whole account.” Jaehyun said, rubbing the bridge of his nose. “I can’t even think of what could bring him into headspace.”
Taeyong looked over at the shut door, a frown evident on his delicate features. “The blanket. He’s slipped every single time he had the blanket.”
They shared a look of understanding.
-
Apparently, it had happened a little too fast that he had thought.
For one, he hadn’t expected for Donghyuck to find the blanket when he was searching for his lost pair of bear slippers. At that time, both Taeyong and Johnny were out shopping for groceries. They had thought to approach Doyoung once they came back, bringing along the needed items to care for a Little.
But his phone hand rung and a panicked voice had talked to him from the speakers.
“Hyung,” Donghyuck’s voice was panicked and Taeyong could hear the sound of Mark’s endless questions and Jisung’s muffled sobs behind the phone. “I don’t know what happened but Doyoung-hyung…”
Taeyong grabbed Johnny’s arm and dragged him to the parking lot in hurry, the elder boy looking down at him worriedly. The look was unnoticed as Taeyong continued to talk to Hyuck through the phone, trying to keep a steady voice. Johnny placed it upon himself to place the groceries in the back seat and to drive. When the doors were closed, Taeyong turned on the loudspeaker for Johnny to hear.
“I…I think he’s in headspace.”
-
Jaehyun had had his fair share of Littles. For one, having Mark run up to him in the morning with no an oversized hoodie falling to his knees had become a norm, and he had been in charge of the Dreamies when Hyuck had other things to do.
None of them were like Doyoung. They didn’t even come remotely close.
When Doyoung had come back from his schedule and seen the mess the other littles had made, that being his blanket being stained with milk and left soaking on the floor as the Mark looked up at him with shining eyes, he had almost collapsed there and then.
Jisung had tried to call out to him, but was too small to let out more than a gurgling cry. Unlike Jaehyun, who had frozen in his spot with a milk bottle in his hand, Donghyuck had realized almost immediately and jumped to his feet to hold onto his hyung.
Which didn’t turn out as expected and thus, explained why Jaehyun was in the current situation.
“Hey…Doie?” He called in hush tone at his hyung who had curled up against the wall between two sofas. Jaehyun was on all fours, trying to look as small as possible in hopes to coax the little out. Doyoung had his arms wrapped around his legs and securely pulled them to his chest. His eyes peeked out from over the knees to look at Jaehyun with frightened eyes.
Jaehyun could see the tears welling up in them, the way they fixated on him as if waiting for him to lash out like some sort of beast. Doyoung sniffled, pressing himself as far as he could into the wall as Jaehyun inched closer. This was going to be complicated.
The door creaked open and Jaehyun sighed with relief.
He pulled himself back onto his knees and looked back to watch Taeyong jog inside and place the bags on the table. His eyes, however, were fixated on Doyoung who was beginning to tremble, small whimpers of fear slipping from his lips.
“Hey, sweetheart. It’s okay.” Taeyong’s voice was barely over a whisper and he quickly took Jaehyun’s place, leaning onto all fours. “You’re safe here, love.”
Something soft brushed against Jaehyun’s arm, the ‘something’ being a stuffed bunny Taeyong and Johnny had no doubt bought from the mall. Jaehyun watched, mystified, as Taeyong held the bunny in front of him, shaking it slightly as he brought it closer to Doyoung.
For a second, those eyes seemed to become all the more terrified, but the longer they looked at the stuffed animal, the more fixated they became. Realizing this, Taeyong scooted forward and shook the bunny again.
Doyoung’s head rose from his legs and his arms stretched forward, like a timid child, reaching for the bunny. Once his hands fixed upon the soft plushie, Taeyong let it go and watched as Doyoung uncurled from his ball, crossing his legs and placing the plushie on them. For the first few seconds, he did nothing but stare at it, pressing his fingers into its body, before he lifted it up and pressed it to his chest.
Jaehyun could feel himself melt at the sight, the sheer innocence that shone through Doyoung’s eyes as he pressed his chin on the bunny’s head. Taeyong looked back at Johnny who now had Mark in lifted in his arms. They looked just as love-struck as he felt.
Taeyong let Doyoung sink comfortably into his headspace before reaching out suggestively. Shyly, Doyoung crawled forward and let himself be embraced by the elder boy. Jaehyun let out a sigh of relief, gently brushing Doyoung’s hair as Taeyong stood up, lifting the little with him. The caregivers shared a look of weariness before they made their way to Doyoung’s room.
-
“He’s a quiet one, isn’t he?” Donghyuck whispered from the doorway once Taeyong managed to get the Doyoung on the bed, the little staring blankly at the sheets as he hugged the bunny close. “How small is he?”
Taeyong shook his head, taking the white bunny patterned cotton pyjamas from Donghyuck’s arms. Johnny had sat himself in front of the little, a penguin plushie in hand as he attempted to play with the timid little.
“Papa bear wants to play with little bunny. Does bunny want to play?” Johnny asked, his voice soothing. It took a hesitant flicker of his eyes and a bitten lip before Doyoung nodded. “What’s the bunny’s name? My name is Papa!”
“D…Doie…” Doyoung mumbled under his breath, his words slurring in a lisp.
They couldn’t help but coo at the soft little in front of them, and Johnny smiled warmly. “How old is little bunny Doie?”
“Thwee”
“Three? He’s such a cute bunny.”
Soft laughter erupted from those thin lips, a smile stretching itself onto his face and Taeyong couldn’t help but smile too. Donghyuck smacked his arm lightly, gesturing that he had other littles to care for (Mark was particularly clingy as a little) before moving away from the door. Taeyong set his eyes on Doyoung once again, grinning fondly.
He was such a precious addition to their littles, and Taeyong found himself not caring that he’s have another little to care for. Little Doyoung was simply too adorable to deny.
-
“Doie is a wittle too?” Jungwoo squealed, eyes bright. He waved towards the Doyoung who was shyly playing with some blocks in his bunny onesie (“Did you have to hut me like this, Kun?” “Shush he looks adorable!”) while sucking his pacifier, once in a while flicking the droopy ears to the side with a pout.
Donghyuck and Jaemin could only smirk as their hyungs cooed at his antics, snapping pictures. Mark tugged at Donghyuck’s sleeve with a high pitched shriek, his eyes carefree as Lucas attempted to hug his lower torso AGAIN. “MARKIE ISH MY FISHIE!”
“Hey, little ones,” Jaemin hushed, gently separating them. “Don’t play too roughly, kay? We don’t want anyone to get an ouchie, right?”
“RIGHT!” They chorused before grabbing Donghyuck’s arms and pulling him off the floor to play with them in the plushie room (also known as Jaemin’s room). Taeyong laughed as Donghyuck cast him a weary look, stumbling along with the two larger bodied littles.
“Doie wants milk?” Johnny called from the kitchen, making the little look up like a startled animal.
“Hmmmmm” Doyoung hummed, his eyes now focused on a toy train that had stopped in front of him. He looked up at Jisung and Yang Yang who were waiting for him to return the train. Exhaling a breath through his teeth in a whooooshhhh sound, he sent the train back.
Kun leaned forwards to clip back Doyoung’s fringe, before he fell back and cooed at his work. Jaehyun smirked and nudged him, waggling his eyebrows. “You still have your own little, hyung.”
“Let me baby Doyoung while Ten isn’t here,” he chastised light heartedly. “Yangie? You want some hair clips?”
“YEAH!” came the excited yell and the younger boy launched himself upon his leader, giggling as Kun clipped his hair back. “Pwetty!”
“Yeah, and now you’re twinsies like Doie.” Kun smiled, watching Yang Yang approach Doyoung and show off his clips, pointing at Doyoung’s own. The elder little (although smaller than the other) blinked at his rapid babbles, his eyes flickering from Yang Yang to Taeyong unsurely. Taeyong nodded, ushering him to play along.
Once again, the gummy smile appeared on his face behind the pacifier and Taeyong snapped another picture. He couldn’t help himself.
“It sorted itself out, didn’t it?” Donghyuck sighed as he collapsed onto the ground, grunting when Jeno pounced himself across his stomach with a loud round of laughter. “Hyungie :(“
“Nono wants to play with Hyuckie, doesn’t he?” Taeyong chuckled as Jeno pulled a groaning Donghyuck up and dragged him towards the puzzle pieces scattered on a table. When he looked at his newly found little, Doyoung was looking straight at him, his bunny clutched tightly to his chest.
Taeyong didn’t have to say anything, simply opening his arms to signify that it was okay. Doyoung crawled over and planted himself between Taeyong’s legs, fiddling with the elder fingers. It was Jaehyun’s turn to coo at him, booping Doyoung’s nose and making him giggle.
“Boop!” Jaehyun smiled and Doyoung giggled again, his eyes on Jaehyun’s finger, waiting for him to do it again “Aaandd...boop!”
“You’re gonna make him choke!” Taeyong scolded teasingly as Doyoung erupted into another burst of laughter. “You okay, Bun Bun?”
Doyoung nodded excitedly, a permanent smile on his face as Jaehyun booped his nose again.
“Well, that turned out well” Johnny muttered, walking over with half a dozen bottles of milk. “Feeding time!”
There was a chorus of squeals and a very tired yell as three Littles dragged Donghyuck over to the living room. Doyoung waited for Jaehyun to get his bottle before allowing his pacifier to be removed and replaced with the bottle. His eyes gazed timidly at the hyung line who were looking at him fondly.
“Better, love?” Taeyong whispered when Doyoung gave out a small hiccup.
“Mmmmhmmmm”