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If there was one thing Felix was, it would be cute. There were numerous adjectives to describe the freckled, blond, sunshine boy by; radiant, affectionate, and perhaps exquisite but Hyunjin would argue that adorable, squishy, soft, sweet and lovable were more accurate terms for Felix. Sure, on camera he was an innocent shining boy under the spotlight and yes, off-camera he was still that but more. When the eyes of the public weren't peering down on him, he was a pure, perfect, giggly kid.
Throughout these months, Hyunjin had learnt that when Felix was little he could be either cute or too cute to the point he felt like dying from the overwhelming adorableness all around him. There had been many instances when Hyunjin had been perfectly fine then seconds later Felix would have him a cooing mess while the little is literally sitting there in Hyunjin's oversized hoodie, pretty clips in his hair that he'd begged the older to buy him a few weeks prior all while Felix is hugging the fluffy pink plushie he'd had for a good year. To say the least, Felix is just far too cute for his own good.
"Hyung!" Felix chirps, "Are you busy later?" He asks and Hyunjin instantly knows what's he's asking, Felix was considerate when he wanted to regress and would always check that he wouldn't be interfering with Hyunjin's plans.
Hyunjin shakes his head, he'd planned to hang back after dance practice to continue working on that one move he felt he could improve but spending time with his little sounded a lot more fun and beneficial in his mind. Felix smiles skipping out of the room after rounding up his belongings and making his way down to the van, today he had plans to regress but before he did that, he was going to take a trip to the shop.
He finds himself browsing the aisle of a children's play store, he's not looking for anything in particular but his basket seems to be quite full already. Felix liked to treat himself, Hyunjin also had the same mindset which meant the little's toybox was getting a bit too small for all the things he had in there. Hyunjin's closet used to be full of unorganised shoes, clothing he once bought which laid on the floor, tags still on and laying in the bags. Now, however, it was full of Felix's necessities such as bottles, various bath bombs, a small tub of pacifiers and a box full of clothing that the boy liked to wear from time to time ranging from onesies to dungarees and occasionally skirts if he was feeling smaller.
"This is cute," Felix looks to the side seeing Seungmin holding up a blue rabbit plushie by its ears, the older boy gasps rushing over to the plushie to save it from Seungmin's grasp and the impending fingers which were bound to poke the poor bunnies eyes sooner or later. Seungmin stares at him in shock not expecting the boy to have slipped just from that, Felix pouts hugging the plushie close to his chest softly glaring at the other.
He lightly laughs ruffling the boy's hair, "Would you like me to buy it for you sunshine?" Felix considers his options on the shelf before nodding and gently placing the plushie into the basket, unknown to him, Hyunjin was watching with an adoring grin as he approaches the two.
"Oh my gosh," Seungmin jumps when a hand meets his shoulder, "What're you doing here?" He asks in confusion highly under the impression that he would be practising for a few more hours.
When Felix turns around from the shelf seeing Hyunjin standing there, he squeals rushing forwards to hug him, he stays attached to his side for a good while.
Hyunjin holds the little close, a hand softly rubbing up and down his back whilst his other hand brushed the hair out of Felix's eyes. He continues to look back up at Seungmin remembering the question, "Well, he said he'd be coming here and it was obvious he'd end up regressing," Hyunjin laughs at Seungmin's baffled expression, "What? As his main caregiver, I should know these things," He teases with no bite.
"Mhm," Seungmin deadpans, "Anyways, as his main caregiver, would you like to pay for this?" He smirks handing the basket over to Hyunjin who looks mortified at all the items piling up in there, though, he owes it to Seungmin for making sure to tag along with Felix. Everyone in Stray Kids knew Felix was a little, everyone also knew that Felix favoured Hyunjin.
Reluctantly, the man pulls his wallet out leading them over to the till which was a little difficult given the human leach attached to his hip, he wouldn't have it any other way. It wasn't as expensive as he'd once thought and Seungmin ended up chipping in making the bill a fair bit lighter for Hyunjin, either way, he was just happy he'd get to see Felix playing with some new toys.
"How about we go back and have some lunch, how does that sound lovely?" Felix nods showing his open-mouthed smile that everyone had fallen in love with, one thing Hyunjin loves about caring for Felix was how much he smiles. Call him whipped but one smile from Felix could cure anything, once Hyunjin had been through a particularly rough day and the second he walked through the door seeing the little giggling and grinning, he felt like his world had been flipped for the better.
He was truly an angel.
When they made it back to the dorms, Felix was a bit dazed from having fallen asleep in the car on the way back but he appeared to be quite content being carried by Hyunjin inside. A few members were back, most of them had gone out for lunch save for Minho and Changbin who decided just to order in.
Hyunjin sets Felix down on the couch where he immediately snuggles up to his caregiver's side again, "What're you having?" He asks Minho who had been playing that racing game on his phone yet again, he seemed to be almost addicted to it these days.
He mutters something which sounds something similar to, "The usual," which meant some overpriced lunchbox filled with a variety of food, Hyunjin knows he could get away with snatching one of them and, if not, he'd just have to steal the food from Changbin without him noticing. He'd done it before to Minho but never again.
While scheming this, he doesn't expect Minho to put his phone down and watch Felix with a subtle smile, "Do you want some? I ordered a few too many..." He says, also looking at Seungmin who nods, happy to get a free lunch.
"Thanks, Hyung," He beams all while continuing to cuddle Felix, it was something he'd grown accustomed to. Felix was a lover of hugs, big and little, it was no surprise to Hyunjin that the little couldn't go twenty minutes without being connected to someone's side.
They sit like that for a bit longer until Felix grows fidgety, "Can Lixie show Jinnie new toys?" His eyes held such softness that Hyunjin had encountered many times before, mostly when Felix is trying to get something out of him.
Nevertheless, he nods, "Of course baby," He hands the bag over to Felix knowing full well what was inside since he was the one who'd paid for it alongside Seungmin. Listening to Felix talk about his plushies and toys were one of Hyunjin's favourite things besides the little himself, he had a way of explaining through mixed words that just melted the older's heart.
Felix pulls out the bunny plushie Seungmin had tortured in the store hugging it close, "Bunny! Minnie was gon' give it pokies," He pouts recalling the events and makes sure to glare at Seungmin again despite his eyes being the softest, purest most unthreatening things in the entire universe.
Seungmin laughs moving forwards, "I'm so very sorry," He bows down moving his arms as if he were talking to someone of the royal family, "Does Lixie forgive Minnie for his unfair behaviour earlier?" Felix tilts his head upwards striking a thinking pose before looking down at Seungmin and holding the arm of the bunny out to which Seungmin shakes.
"Bunny an' Lixie forgives Minnie," Seungmin makes an exaggerated relieved sound as he stands up to answer the door, moments later he comes back holding a few bags of the food Minho and Changbin had ordered.
"Lunch is here!" He shouts alerting Changbin who comes shuffling out of his room straight away, he sees Felix sat on the couch still giving Hyunjin a presentation of his new belongings.
The rapper sits down on the chair across from them, "What's going on here, hm?" Felix claps his hands at the added audience, a habit he'd gotten after watching Chan's room one too many times while regressed.
"Binnie, look!" He shows him a box of small plastic farm animals he'd seen on the shelf earlier, "Piggies, Moo's an' sheepies," He continues listing the farm animals but Hyunjin and Changbin are far too invested in the way Felix had called cows 'Moos'.
Eventually, after Hyunjin had finished cooing, he picks up their lunch heading back over to the couch where Felix sat waiting cross-legged. Felix could be a picky eater at times, but thankfully, he seemed happy being fed whatever.
"Ahh~" Hyunjin sings holding the spoon close to Felix's mouth while moving it around as if it were a plane towards the little's mouth, "Good boy," He sweetly praises as Felix swallows yet another spoonful, watching them perhaps might make you become overwhelmed with the feels.
The little had this thing where he wouldn't eat unless someone fed him and you'd only get progress if the spoon acted as a plane or train. Hyunjin didn't mind doing it, it added a little humour to his days. On the rare occasion that Hyunjin wasn't around to feed Felix himself, another member would and every time he'd walked into seeing such a scene he'd always lose it laughing in the doorway.
For the next hour, Felix sits on the floor leaning against Hyunjin whilst playing with the animals he'd gotten earlier in the day. Even if Hyunjin's legs went dead, he'd sit there forever if it meant Felix would be happy.
"Jinnie," Felix yawns, "Nap time?" He asks blinking his eyes slowly, it was a miracle how he hadn't fallen asleep halfway through playing, Hyunjin picks the little up cradling him like a baby as he walks to his bedroom.
The little often had certain preferences when it came to bedtime, first of all, he liked to wear pyjama sets. Today, he decided to go with a pink set with strawberries printed all over them, he'd seen them online and had begged Hyunjin to buy them. Next, he would demand...Ask Hyunjin to snuggle with him until he falls asleep and a bonus would be Hyunjin falling asleep too.
"Love you Jinnie," Felix slurs as he begins to fall asleep clutching the back of the other's shirt.
Hyunjin smiles as he continues to stroke back Felix's hair, "Love you more angel,"
Unexpectedly, Hyunjin also manages to fall asleep which was surprising given he didn’t usually feel this tired halfway through the day. Though, he wakes up before Felix does.
Felix is still cuddled up against him, a leg trapping his limbs to the bed. Hyunjin chuckles as he carefully slips out of the bed making sure to tuck him back in. There’s a risk of Felix waking up in the five minutes he leaves to go to the bathroom but it seems quite unlikely in his mind.
Unlikely but not impossible.
The cries of Felix echo through the dorm as he wakes up to an empty bed, no Hyunjin to be seen. The caregiver abandons washing his hands to jog back into the bedroom, he quickly slots himself into the bed next to Felix again holding him close.
”Shh, I’m here, no need to worry buttercup,” Felix calms down at the voice of his caregiver, his head finds a home in the crook of Hyunjin’s neck. He had always wondered why Felix does that, maybe it’s something to do with his smell bringing comfort or perhaps it is just to be close. He’d once asked Felix when he was big but he didn’t have a clue.
“I’ll always be here,” He continues giving reassuring words to calm Felix down, it wasn’t often he cried but when he did it always broke Hyunjin’s heart.
The last time Felix had cried it was due to an accident involving a rug and a running little. Hyunjin saw his life flash before his eyes as the little’s foot got caught under the rug while playing tag in the dorm with Jisung.
He fell to the floor with a loud thud and an even louder cry. Jisung had immediately picked him up bringing the distraught boy over to his main caregiver, Hyunjin had proceeded to shower the little in love and attention while Jisung sorted out the ice packs in the kitchen.
If anything, the experience made Hyunjin realise just how attentive he has to be. Being a caregiver came with many lessons, paying attention would be a top one.
The most important rule to being a caregiver, Hyunjin thinks, would be being affectionate. The main thing he wants to do as Felix’s main caregiver is making sure the boy knew he was loved and cherished.
And that, he was.