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It's a relatively warm day in the Crystal Cliffs that finds Sausage sat at the edge of the lake, watching over Gem and Fwhip, the pair of them regressed.
Through fumbling hands, Gem is trying to teach Fwhip how to make a flower crown. Hers looks very pretty, if a little clumsy. Fwhip on the other hand has a pile of pretty flowers, and a dandelion in his mouth.
Sausage had given up chastising him for chewing things long ago. He has his teether on a string around his neck. If he wanted to use it, he would. Sausage has warned him enough times about the dangers of chewing on random objects, so now it's just a waiting game of him poisoning himself. Of course, Sausage will be there to look after him, to soothe him and make him feel better. But it's the only way he'll learn.
The sound of rockets overhead catches his attention, and he looks up to see a figure flying overhead. He waves, and as the figure starts swooping downwards, he recognises them as Pixl.
"Well hi there!" He greets as Pix lands, and Fwhip and Gem both look up. The dandelion in Fwhip's mouth drops to the floor as he springs to his feet.
"Pix!" Fwhip beams, tackling Pix in a hug. Pix stumbles, patting his back a little awkwardly.
"Hi buddy," He responds, "What are you up to?"
And Sausage watches with intrigue as Pixl sits on the grass beside Fwhip and Gem, listening intently as Fwhip explains the process of making flower crowns, and Gem complains about him lying, about how she's the one who made the crown. Pix soothes the tension between them with ease, so Sausage is content to leave them be for a moment, sorting out some snacks.
He returns with three bowls of fruit slices, and sits down beside the small group.
"Snack time!"
Fwhip cheers, grabbing Pix's hand and dragging him closer. It's endearing, seeing how attached Fwhip is to the other, but Pix's reaction is making Sausage curious. His expression is carefully even, but there's something in his eyes, something like longing.
He passes out the fruit, chatting idly as everyone eats. The suns dipping low in the sky, lighting everything slightly orange. It'll be time to usher them to bed soon, but that'll be the perfect time to talk to Pix, once Fwhip and Gem are asleep. Gem seems to be nodding off already, but Fwhip has gone back to excitedly explaining something to Pix.
Pix, who also looks a little sleepy.
"Alrighty, I think we've got some sleepy lil munchkins on our hands!" Sausage claps his hands, murmuring an apology as Gem startles. "Let's go get ready for bed."
"But I'm not sleepy!" Fwhip complains, pouting.
"I know sweetheart, but Gem is. And I think Pix might be, too, huh?"
Pix nods, almost on auto-pilot.
Fwhip is still pouty, but he lets himself be led to his feet, still holding Pix's hand. Sausage picks Gem up, setting her on his hip, because she seems to have regressed smaller, and is clearly too tired to coordinate herself.
The four of them head to Gem's house, and Sausage sets about laying out two extra beds. For symmetry, of course. Nothing to do with Pix.
He sets Gem down on the bed and she grabs her stuffed deer immediately, sticking her thumb in her mouth. He tuts softly, grabbing a paci from her bedside drawer to give to her. She accepts it with a quiet, " 'ank 'u," before snuggling up in her bed. Gandalf jumps up, purring, and curls up against her chest.
Pix guides Fwhip to sit on one of the other beds, which he does with only mild pouting. Sausage heads over to Gem's enderchest, eventually finding one of Fwhip's pacifiers. He sets it on the bedside table, just in case Fwhip wants it later.
" 'm still not sleepy!" Fwhip complains, crossing his arms.
"What about a story?" Pix suggests carefully.
Fwhip perks up. "Story?"
And Sausage perches on the edge of Gem's bed, listening as Pix spins a tale of ancient cities hidden deep underground, guarded by a creature called the Warden. He talks of darkness and soul flame, and magic unknown portals, and Sausage feels as enthralled as Fwhip clearly is.
By the end of the story, Fwhip is sound asleep too, chewing on the corner of the blanket. Sausage carefully pulls it out from his teeth and replaces it with his teether.
He then turns to Pix, who looks ready to doze off himself.
"Hey love, can you tell me how old you are?"
"What? Sausage I'm not- I don't-"
Sausage just raises his eyebrow at Pix's stammering, and Pix's teeth click at the speed he shuts his mouth.
"You told a very good story earlier, did a very good job at getting Fwhip to sleep. I'm proud of you."
Pix ducks his head, digging his fingers into the blankets.
"You're very good at looking after others," Sausage continues. "I think you deserve someone looking after you for a bit, huh?"
"I need to help you look after Fwhip and Gem." Pix argues, voice carefully stern. "Or if someone else regresses- Jimmy and Joel are together today, that usually ends in-"
Sausage interrupts him. "Everyone really appreciates you being there all the time, but you don't have to be. It's not your job, bubs. You don't have to be available 24/7 in case someone regresses. Lizzie can be there for Joel and Jimmy, or Scott. Even Katherine, if they really need her. You're allowed to take a break. You're allowed to be small for a bit."
Pix shakes his head, frowning. "I can't- I gotta be big. I can't be small."
"Oh love..." Sausage stands for a moment, turning to grab a stuffed bear from his enderchest. It's an emergency stuffie, he always tries to have an emergency stuffie on him, just in case. "Here, why don't you take this. He's a very good friend, and I think he needs someone to look after him instead of sitting alone in my enderchest."
Nervously, Pix laughs. "Sausage I mean it, I didn't come here to be looked after, I came here to help you."
"Sure, sure, whatever you say," Sausage hands over the stuffed bear anyway, and Pix accepts it, setting it in his lap. It feels like a little victory watching Pix's fingers gently trail over the bear's soft fur.
They sit in silence for a long moment, and Sausage begins to wonder if Pix has fallen asleep, but then he speaks.
"I'm sorry..." He mumbles, keeping his eyes down.
"Sorry for what, sweetheart?"
Pix shrugs. His knuckles are white, gripping the blanket.
Fwhip stirs, rolling over in his sleep and reaching out for Gem, who shuffles closer. It's adorable to watch, especially as the twins simultaneously reach out, holding each other's hand. Maybe there's some magic flowing between them. Pix is watching the pair of them intently.
"I don't wanna be in the way..."
"Oh bubba..." Sausage shuffles closer, gently uncurling Pix's fingers from the sheets. "You'd never be in the way. I don't wanna force you to regress if you really don't want to, but I think it would help you a lot. And I'm always happy to look after you, and I'm sure Lizzie and Joel and Katherine and Scott wouldn't mind either."
Pix's shoulders shake slightly, and Sausage realises belatedly that he's crying as he sniffles, scrubbing at his face.
"Can I touch you bubba?"
Pix shakes his head.
"That's alright. Do you want a heavier blanket?"
This time Pix nods, and Sausage returns to his enderchest, this time pulling out a tightly folded weighted blanket. He drapes it over Pix's shoulders, resisting the urge to coo as Pix curls up a little, drawing his knees to his chest and tucking the teddy bear under his chin.
"There we go, doesn't that feel better?"
Pix nods again, and it seems he's fallen hard into his headspace. Sausage can't help but feel a bit worried about that. He's never cared for a regressed Pix before, barely knew he regressed at all, but with the way he's acting and the guilt he's already admitted, it seems like he's been denying himself this for a very long time.
"Do you want a paci or a teether bubba?" He asks gently. Pix sways a little, before shrugging, but he's chewing his lower lip absentmindedly, so Sausage grabs a pacifier for him anyway.
Pix accepts the pacifier from him easily, and lets himself be coaxed into laying down. Sausage helps lift the weighted blanket as Pix adjusts himself, laying the blanket back over him once he's comfortable. He curls up, leaving a small amount of space between himself and Fwhip. Sausage doesn't say anything. They'll work things out in their own time.
###
Pix wakes up feeling warm and safe and oh so tiny . It's not often that he lets himself slip this small, but he has vague memories of Sausage convincing him to slip. Surprisingly, he's not mad. Even more surprisingly, he doesn't feel guilty. Not when he's so floaty and calm.
There's a teddy bear tucked under his elbow, and his hands are clutching at the weighted blanket that lays over him. It takes him far too long to process the fact that there's a pacifier in his mouth, and that realisation makes him feel like he's physically sinking into his headspace even further.
When he eventually opens his eyes, he's met with the sight of Fwhip, so close their noses are almost touching. Fwhip doesn't blink. He has his own teether in his mouth, sharp fangs digging into the soft plastic, and it's surprising to see him with it, since he usually spits it out the moment Sausage isn't looking, in search of something else to chew on.
"Is Pixie awake?" Comes a sleepy voice. It's Gem, and he can just see the top of her head from where she's leaning against Fwhip's shoulder.
Fwhip nods, making a soft noise that probably means yes in whatever baby twin speak the two seem to share. At least Fwhip seems to be younger than he was the day before, so Pix doesn't feel out of place as a baby.
Fwhip leans forwards then, bumping their foreheads together gently, before settling down leaning on Pix's pillow. It's closer than he's used to anyone being, but he finds himself not minding. It feels safe having Fwhip so close, especially as he snakes an arm under the blanket and, when Pix doesn't say otherwise, wraps it around his waist in a comfortable hug.
It makes him feel tired again, and he finds himself snuggling closer, tucking himself against Fwhip's chest.
He falls asleep again feeling nothing but love.