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Dom was walking to school, hands shoved angrily in his pockets. His dad had been yelling at him again. A fun way to start the morning, being yelled at over his grades.
He wiped unshed tears, sniffing quietly. He slowed to a stop when something caught his eye.
Walking over to it, he picked it up, turning it around in his hands. It was a stuffed rabbit. One ear was torn off and it was quite dirty.
Normally he would toss it back into the bush he found it in, but something told him to keep it. Looking around, he made sure nobody was looking before he hurriedly stuffed it into his backpack.
Gripping his backpack straps tightly, he continued his walk to school.
-
He forgot about the toy until he got home. He was looking for his homework when he saw it, staring at him from the bottom of his backpack. It looked sad, almost. Forgotten.
He felt bad for it. At least, that's what he told himself. That's why he hand washed it in the bathroom sink and sewed up its holes.
Definitely not because he wanted to keep it. He was 17, he didn't need some stuffed toy to make him feel better.
That's what he told himself.
After he sewed it up he shoved it under his bed. He forgot about it, for a little while.
Then, after a particularly rough day, he found himself digging it out and holding it close, crying into its soft fur.
After that night he started keeping the plush hidden in his pillowcase, sleeping with it every night.
-
He saw it when he was buying an after school snack at the Crab store.
It wasn't anything fancy, just a plain pacifier, purple in color. No pictures or words on it. Nothing special.
So why was he so drawn to it?
Maybe it was because he'd started chewing on his shirt collar at night.
Or how he'd wake up in the morning with his thumb all wet and wrinkly, as if he'd been sucking on it in his sleep.
He bought it.
After staring at it for 5 minutes he ended up buying it, his face red with embarrassment as he handed it to Carl to scan.
Carl didn't seem to care, or even notice what he was buying, but it didn't stop Dom from shaking as he carried it out of the store, or from shoving it in his pocket.
He didn't take it out of his pocket until he was in his room with the door locked.
He took it out of the packaging, holding it in his hand and turning it around.
He should probably wash it first, he heard somewhere that you're supposed to do that. He didn't care, though. He wasn't going to risk taking it out of his room.
After staring at it for a few more minutes, he put it in his mouth.
It took him a moment to get used to the feeling of something in his mouth, and he could tell the pacifier was definitely too small for him, but he didn't care.
Sucking on it calmed him, it felt nice.
At the sound of a knock on his door he jumped, spitting it out of his mouth and shoving it into his pillowcase.
His dad would kill him if he found out.
Dom wasn't too sure why he was so attached to the bunny, or why the pacifier soothed him so well. All he knew was that they calmed him down and made his head fuzzy. For now he was content with not knowing why it happened.
-
His dad kicked him out.
He found out Dom kissed Sam. He called him horrible names, and spoke about how he didn't have a son.
Dom didn't have a house anymore.
He was sobbing as he packed his bags, shoving everything he was allowed to take with him into a duffle bag.
He was still crying as he walked into school. Silent tears dripped down his cheeks as he sat at his desk.
His bunny was in his bag, he wanted it more than ever, but he couldn't risk taking it out now.
The duffel bag containing everything he owned sat by his feet. If anyone noticed, they didn't care.
Except Sam and Taurtis, for some reason.
Sam was staring at him, blank faced, deep in thought. Taurtis looked concerned.
He heard them whispering to each other, but didn't care.
He was confronted by Taurtis during lunch.
He had gone to the bathroom to wash the tear tracks off his face when Taurtis approached him at the sink.
"Are you okay?"
Taurtis sounded genuinely concerned, but Dom didn't answer.
If he answered he would start crying again.
"I saw that you um… brought a duffle bag with you. Are you going to a sleepover after school..?" Taurtis sounded hopeful, like he knew that wasn't the case, but wanted it to be anyways.
He shook his head.
Taurtis sighed. "Yeah… I thought so. Do you… uh… need a place to st- wait, no… We don't have room."
Dom looked over at Taurtis, who had a defeated look on his face.
"Dad kicked me out." His voice was quiet.
He'd never spoken when his head was this cloudy. His voice sounded different than usual. It felt weird hearing himself speak so softly.
Taurtis cringed. "Was it because of… uh…"
Dom nodded.
Taurtis ran his hand through his hair. He felt bad, Dom getting kicked out was at least partially his fault. Him and Sam had shouted to Mr.Dorito, boasting about how they "kissed his son."
He didn't think it would end like that.
He was at a loss for what to do, so he did what he thought would help.
He hugged Dom.
He didn't expect for Dom to start crying.
He went to pull away, but was stopped by Dom crying harder, clinging to him like an upset toddler and shouting "don't leave!"
So they stood there for a while, with Taurtis rubbing Dom's back until he calmed down. He sniffed quietly, but didn't move from his spot, his chin resting on Taurtis's shoulder.
"Dom? Feeling better?" Dom whined softly, shaking his head.
"Lunch is almost over, we gotta go."
Dom stepped back, looking at Taurtis with watery eyes. He wrapped his arms around himself, sniffing.
Taurtis shifted awkwardly, looking at the clearly regressed teen crying in front of him.
"Hey, Dom?"
Dom looked down at the floor.
"How about I tell Rowan you're not feeling good, and you come hang out at mine and Sam's place after school?"
Dom fiddled with his shirt for a moment before nodding.
"Alright. Let's go to class, okay?"
Dom wiped his face with his sleeve, following Taurtis out of the bathroom silently.
Taurtis explained to Rowan that Dom had a stomachache. Rowan seemed to not believe it at first, but after seeing the teen's tear stained face, he allowed him to sit on the sidelines for the duration of class.
Dom laid his head on his dufflebag and watched the other kids run around. He refused to let himself fall asleep, though. He didn't want to end up sucking his thumb in his sleep, not where people could see.
Dom jumped when the bell rang.
Taurtis walked up to him, holding out his hand to help Dom up.
Dom took it, standing up slowly.
Sam walked up to them and Dom froze.
Seeing this, Sam sighed. "Hey, Dom."
Dom looked away, putting on his backpack and picking up his duffel bag.
Sam made him nervous. Him being there made his palms sweaty and his head swim.
He didn't know why, but he was scared to be around Sam when his head was this cloudy. He had made fun of Sam a lot, and now he was scared Sam was going to return the favor.
"Taurtis told you're gonna come hang out for a bit." Sam's voice didn't seem upset, or angry. Neutral, maybe.
Dom nodded silently.
The three of them walked to the train station. Sam and Taurtis spoke back and forth, joking around and laughing. Dom stayed quiet, staying close to Taurtis as they walked.
He didn't speak on the train, nothing more than shaking or nodding his head.
Once they were inside Sam and Taurtis's apartment Dom stood, waiting for some direction. He didn't want to invade their space or mess up their things. He didn't want to give another person a reason to kick him out.
Taurtis hummed softly, thinking.
"Can you give me a moment, Dom? I wanna tell Sam something." Dom nodded, watching as Sam and Taurtis walked off to their bedroom.
He wrung his hands nervously. What had he done? Had he made them mad somehow? Why did they have to talk without him.
Dom was in tears by the time Sam and Taurtis got back.
Taurtis immediately rushed to him upon seeing his tears. Dom sobbed into his chest.
"What's wrong? Why are you crying?" Taurtis was rubbing Dom's back again, just like in the bathroom at school.
"Mad at me." He managed to choke out a few words. They were quiet, but Taurtis heard them nonetheless.
"Why do you think I'm mad?"
Dom sniffed and looked over at Sam, who had a mildly concerned look on his face.
"Talkin' without me…"
Taurtis sighed. "I was telling Sam how you're regressed."
Dom looked confused.
"Do you… not know?"
Dom shook his head. All he knew was that he really wanted his bunny.
Taurtis walked Dom over to the couch, sitting him down. He explained everything. Regression, how it might happen during stress, and how Dom seemed to be regressed right now.
Dom was visibly more relaxed by the end of the explanation. He was leaning on Sam, but didn't seem to notice or care.
Sam didn't seem upset about it, so he didn't move.
Dom whined softly, pointing at his duffle bag and hiding his face in Sam's arm. Taurtis stood up almost immediately, walking over to it and bringing it back to Dom.
Dom leaned down, digging through the bag. He seemed excited when he found what he was looking for.
Pulling out a small bunny and a pacifier, he grinned. He turned to show Sam his prize, practically shoving the bunny in his face as he put the pacifier in his mouth.
Taurtis didn't know what caused the sudden switch in Dom's behavior, but he presumed it was because Dom knew they weren't going to kick him out.
Dom had handed Sam his toy, looking expectantly as the other turned it around in his hands.
"What's his name?" Sam handed the toy back to Dom, who hugged it tightly.
Dom shook his head, his face red.
"Does he not have a name?"
"Has a name…" Dom hid his face in Sam's arm again.
"Well? What is it?" Sam's eyebrows were furrowed in confusion.
"Do you want to tell me instead?" Taurtis offered.
Dom nodded, leaning in to whisper to Taurtis.
Taurtis smiled, seemingly finding the name amusing.
"Well, what is it!?"
"He's not going to tell you."
Sam groaned, pouting at Dom, who giggled at the look.
He'd find out eventually.