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When Sapnap walked in the door he didn’t expect to see Dreamie nuzzled into Punz’s side, watching the TV, content, with a pacifier in his mouth, in his minecraft pajamas, holding onto both of his stuffed animals. Punz glanced over when he heard the door open.
Georgie was sleeping, and Sapnap was currently carrying him on his back to make sure he could safely bring him into the house.
“Hey, precious, Mama’s home,” Punz whispered, causing Dreamie to snap his gaze up and immediately try and get off the couch to hug Sapnap, getting tangled in the blanket wrapped around him.
Sapnap carefully set Georgie down on the other side of the couch, placing a throw blanket on him just in time to catch Dreamie as he basically launched himself into Sapnap’s arms. “Mama!” He cried softly in relief.
“Hi baby, Mama’s home, Mama’s home,” Sapnap whispered, pressing a kiss to Dreamie’s head as they slowly fell to the floor, Punz smiling from the couch.
Georgie slowly started to wake up from the commotion, and his eyes blinked open slowly. His face book out into a smile upon seeing Sapnap and Dream holding one another, and his hand reached out to touch Dream’s hair gently. Dreamie jumped, moving to look at who touched him.
“Gogy!” Dreamie whispered, carefully letting go of Sapnap to wrap around Georgie instead.
“Bubba!” Georgie giggled, wrapping his arms around Dream as well, the two cuddling on the couch now.
Sapnap smiled, standing up again and exhaling softly. He glanced at Punz, motioning for him to follow him into the kitchen so the littles could cuddle and giggle together.
“Thank you, again, I,” Sapnap exhaled, rubbing his temples. “George was regressed more often than not, I know I threw you in basically blind and I’m, again, so sorry-.”
“Once I got the chance to look at some resources and understand more, I got the hang of it,” Punz reassured. “And Dreamie’s really cute,” he admitted.
“Isn’t he? Georgie is a completely different person, literally the cuddliest person,” Sapnap said and Punz laughed gently. “Was he good for you, though? He struggled with me at first, like coming to me when he needed...”
“After we got past the awkward meeting stage he was… really good,” Punz nodded. “He stayed in the high ranges for a while. He didn’t really need the pacifier for most of his regression, only at nighttime when he fell further into the ones and twos.”
“Good, good,” Sapnap said, watching the two intensely.
“So, single Dad, huh?” Punz teased.
“Wasn’t the way I saw myself being a Dad, but… gotta be the best way,” Sapnap chuckled.
“Even if he’s technically misgendering you?” Punz asked.
“Dream worried about that too. I like it, Mama has an emotional connection behind it. I always went to my mom when I needed someone to listen or connect with me emotionally. Not my Dad. Gender aside, I much prefer Mama over Papa or something like that.”
“I understand that,” Punz nodded. “Well, now you know if you ever need a helping hand, someone’s in town.”
“I appreciate that, and I venmoed you a little something before I walked in,” Sapnap said with a little shy smile.
“No you didn’t- Nick,” Punz scoffed, moving to grab his phone off the side table. “I didn’t need money,” he mumbled, looking at Sapnap after checking the transaction.
“I know that,” Sapnap said, walking back out into the living room. “But you took care of the most important thing to me, and words don’t feel like enough, neither does money, but… it’s a little closer,” he said, smiling down at his boys who were both looking up at him with wide, giggly smiles.
Punz smiled softly, watching Sapnap interact with his boys. “Just… don’t be surprised if I start coming over more. You better keep me updated,” Punz said softly as the two finally started sitting up.
“You’s weavin’?” Dreamie whispered as the paci fell out of his mouth, Georgie picking it up and looking at it.
“Yeah, Mama’s home,” Punz said with a small smile. “I’ll come back soon.”
“Don weave,” Dreamie pouted, looking up at Sapnap. “One mo’e ni’te?”
“You want him to stay another night?” Sapnap asked, running a hand through Dream’s hair gently. Dream nodded, looking back ag Punz.
“Pwease?”
Punz visibly melted, looking at Sapnap with a very soft gaze. Asking permission.
“You heard him, he wants you here,” Sapnap said softly with a smile. “You don’t have to ask to spend a night, Luke.”
“One more night can’t hurt,” Punz evidently agreed, and Dream giggled, opening his arms from a hug, of which Punz couldn’t ever turn down.
(8-_-8)
The next morning, honestly shockingly, both littles were still regressed. Punz and Sapnap were making breakfast in the kitchen while the two played in the living room. Punz ended up sleeping in Sapnap’s room, Dreamie, Georgie and Sapnap slept in Dream’s room. Dreamie tried to get Punz to fit, but had to settle with him being in the same house when it wouldn’t work. The bed wasn’t big enough.
“Have they ever been little this long?” Punz asked, watching the two play.
“No,” Sapnap said. “I’m hoping it’s because they’re comfortable, and not because big them are stressed. Which is a possibility, George has been regressed since you called me, and he regressed the night I arrived.”
“Dream regressed because he was happy. According to some of the things I’ve read, comfortability and happiness can trigger a regression.”
“Bet that made you feel really good,” Sapnap teased, and Punz laughed softly. “They deserve it, they both do. But Dream… he’s been through a lot of shit with his regression. If he’s comfortable being small this long, then I’m gonna let them stay small.”
“No harm in it,” Punz shrugged, snagging a piece of toast.
“So how’d you do it? Win him over in a night?” Sapnap asked.
“I don’t know,” Punz chuckled, shrugging. “After I’d called you, I got him some juice, his bear, and jammie’s, I put on Bluey. I made sure he was a good distance for a while so he felt comfortable, but eventually he just… curled up next to me. Wasn’t much different the next morning.”
“You do have a way with kids,” Sapnap chuckled.
“Didn’t you also talk to him before this?” Punz asked.
“Yeah, I reassured him that you were a good guy, you’d take care of him no matter what,” Sapnap mumbled.
“That probably helped,” Punz mumbled, sounding far off.
“What’s up?” Sapnap asked, noticing the distance in his voice and gaze.
“Is it weird that I felt… fulfilled? When he curled up next to me, when I basically had to parent- I mean… shit he’s a grown man, taller than I am, but he just… he makes himself so small so easily. So childlike. I honestly forgot for a while he’s… technically an adult. But, he relied on me, and I could deliver.”
“You could be a parent,” Sapnap whispered, and Punz nodded.
“Is that weird?” Punz asked.
“No, I feel the same,” Sapnap whispered, like an admittance. “I always wanted to be a parent, it’s why I never went through with any of the surgeries and put off going on testosterone for so long. I love streaming. I love being a content creator. But I’d be happy quitting tomorrow and just taking care of them for the rest of my life, honestly.”
“Like it’s our own form of a coping mechanism,” Punz whispered, watching them.
“At least it’s a healthy one?” Sapnap offered and Punz nodded. The shorter watched his face for a while before he laid the kids plates out for breakfast. “If I asked… you to be a second caregiver instead of a babysitter or occasional helper, would you think about it?”
“What’s there to think about?” Punz asked a little too quickly, turning to look at Sapnap. “Of course, if you guys want me—“
“I know Dream does, and I know George will love you once he gets settled. He’s still so new…” Sapnap whispered. “But being a caregiver is full-time, you’d be here more often than not.”
“I’d never leave, given the option,” Punz laughed, and Sapnap smiled.
“When Dream is big again we can talk more about it,” Sapnap promised. “Help me get them breakfast?”
“Course,” Punz nodded, moving to get the kids settled at the table while Sapnap worked on their plates of food.