Work Text:
It was clear to your caregiver, Soap Mactavish, that you weren't the most calm at the moment. Whether trying to express excitement or distress, his eyes never left you during the meeting, a hand resting on your bouncing thigh. Your eyes and ears were on Price, outlining a near future mission, and while you weren't little at the moment, Soap had ideas and ways to help you after you both were able to leave the dreadful, dragging meeting.
The very second Price gave dismissal, standing up and turning to the left never felt like it took so long, only managing to shoot him a quick smile before Soap was dragging you outside, taking you by surprise. The hallways were filled with the giggles you two shared, his mohawk caressed by the wind as he made quick work of guiding you outside and to your shared spot. Soap had been very particular about picking it out for you; spacious but hidden, shaded but golden.
"Someone cannae keep still, can they?" Soap teases, helping you to slip your jacket off as you two stood in the sun. He never let up the chance of caring for you like this. "Got a ball in my pocket, wanna play fetch, lovey?"
Either pet regressed or age regressed, that was a game you loved, and cherished that Soap never forgot. It was such a good stress reliever, and the proud smiles from your caregiver as you bounded back across the grass toward him filled your heart with such pride and joy.
Getting into position, Soap played with you as he got ready to throw the ball, feigning tossing it and watching your head snap around to accommodate finding it. Though he wasn't that cruel, shouting "Go!" as it soared through the air, almost tripping over your own feet as you began to bound after it, legs propelling yourself forward and arms moving to help streamline and make your sprinting even smoother.
This was the first time you'd ever caught the ball mid air, still holding it up in shock as you turned toward Soap, who had his jaw open in the same shock you showed. His gasps quickly switched to shouts of pride, cheering and clapping as you bounced up and down in place, stimming without shame.
"Daddy! I did it! I did it!" You screamed in excitement, running back to him as your body began to feel like electric. Soap quickly picked you up and spun you around in his arms, finding you nothing less than adorable and himself nothing less than utterly proud. His arms clung around you tight, and yours held onto his shoulders to keep yourself steady; hair blowing with the wind.
Your body had an awful reputation of not being able to process excitement, especially with Soap, he let you be who you truly were and didn't bat an eye. Your mind never even processed that you were sobbing even when Soap had settled you down on the grass, sitting opposite you with your hands in his, caressing the backs gently with his thumbs. He was beginning to understand more about you, being autistic himself he just got you, but there were some things he didn't know exactly how to handle, trying his best to keep you regulated.
Making sure you had the ball in your hands to regulate your sensory needs, Soap clasped his hands tightly but gently over your ears, blocking out each and every sound as he shuffled closer to accommodate the repetitive rocking of your body. You were so grateful for him, he never questioned any of your actions, and never pushed for questions; he didn't even complain when you didn't look at him or reciprocate touch, only watching you with a close eye as he gave you time, his time, daddy's time all for his little one.
You'd sat there, not even getting scared once about Soap being annoyed at you, for a good fifteen minutes in silence, letting only the vibrations of your hums enter your mind and soothe the rampant energy. Soap's hands had slowly made their way off of your ears and down your shoulders, easing you back into the world around you, your senses kicking back into gear one by one; finishing with opening your eyes and being greeted by your caregiver sat in the exact same place as before, he hadn't even shuffled an inch.
"There's my baby, back again?"
You nodded in reply, your hands coming to clasp his own again. Non Verbal, he figured, and went along with it just how you had discussed in the past, murmuring his own thoughts as you let his Scottish accent float through your mind. It was odd, but it was one thing that never failed to make you smile, and it always made Soap smile too when you didn't feel the need to hide your echolalia. He always teased you on how you were close to perfecting a Scottish accent, you'd be one of his own, his little one.
There was still lots to discuss about your age regression, and still lots for you to figure out about it yourself, but you and Soap took it one step at a time. When the idea was first brought up, there wasn't even a single negative look or quiver from Soap, no matter how absurd it seemed to someone who had never heard or understood of the coping mechanism.
But for the time being, before you had another briefing, Soap let you lay in his lap, him babbling on about Scottish legends as he ran his fingers through your hair; soft words of "Daddy has you, lay back for me sweet thing.." and "I'm so proud of you, I've got you." Until you felt right as rain again, both of your eyes squinting at each other as Soap made a reach for the ball once more.
"Bet you can catch it twice, lad/lass?"