Work Text:
MePad is in his room doing grown-up things when he looks at the time and sees that it's nearly dinner time. He stops what he's doing and leaves his room to knock on Abigail's room to remind them that it's time to eat food. Abigail and MePad have been living together for a while, both of them having separate rooms for privacy. Most of the time, Abigail forgets to eat food at proper times so MePad would be there to remind Abigail when it's time for meals.
MePad walks up to Abigail's room and knocks on their door. No feedback from the other side of the door, to MePad's surprise. He knocks on the door again. "Mxs. Abigail, it's almost time for dinner." No response again. MePad decides to open the door to observe why Abigail isn't responding.
To MePad's surprise, he notices Abigail in a diaper with a pacifier in their mouth, lying down, drawing and coloring in their tablet, and cuddling their plushie. Abigail hears the door open and looks up to see MePad at the door. MePad stares back at Abigail, trying to figure out what would have happened for Abigail to be in such a position of behaving like a baby.
After Abigail realizes that MePad is at the door, they start whining and wailing, their pacifier falling out of their mouth. Abigail hasn't yet come out as a regressor to MePad so they wouldn't know how to explain to MePad that they regress for comfort, much less so when they're currently little. MePad assesses the situation and tentatively approaches Abigail, getting on their bed and cooing at them, trying to calm them down, "Shh, shh, It's okay, Abigail. Do not cry; I am not here to judge what you are doing." MePad would want to question why Abigail is behaving like a baby, but he doesn't think they're in such a position to be able to answer the question.
With MePad treating the situation gently, Abigail eventually calms down and looks up to MePad with puppy eyes. MePad asks, "Do you need assistance with anything?" Abigail simply shook their head. They carry their blanket and slowly approach MePad, their plushie in their arm, and lie down next to MePad, his glowing display providing a gentle and calming warmth. MePad gently hugs Abigail and pats their head, both snuggling under a blanket. MePad sees Abigail's pacifier on the bed, grabs it with his leg, and gestures it near Abigail's vision. MePad asks, "Had this fallen out of your mouth, little one?" Abigail nods and accepts the pacifier as MePad slowly puts it back in their mouth.
MePad jolts up, remembering that it was dinner time. "Abby, it's dinner time. Would you like to wait in your bed for me to make food, or would you want me to carry you with me?" asks MePad. Abigail whines and hugs MePad closely, suggesting that they want to stay near him. "Oh. Very well then. I'll carry you around while I make food. Does that sound good?" asks MePad. Abigail nods in response. "Would you like me to feed you as well, or can you feed yourself?" Abigail opens their mouth and points into it. "I guess I will take good care of you today, then." MePad picks Abigail up and gets out of Abigail's bed to make food. Abigail contently sucks on their pacifier and carries their plushie with them as MePad carries Abigail out of their room.
The next day, Abigail woke up in their bed, realizing that they had regressed in front of MePad and got madly embarrassed. They felt they had to explain why they were behaving like a baby in front of MePad. Abigail got out of their room and slowly approached MePad's room, nervous to describe what had happened. Abigail stood in front of MePad's room and tentatively knocked on the door.
No response. They think maybe MePad is in the living room since it's the afternoon. Abigail walks down the stairs to see MePad on the couch scrolling through the news using his screen. Abigail slowly walks up to MePad, their heart thumping as they are nervous to explain the age regression that happened yesterday. Abigail taps on MePad's back, "H- Hey, MePad," they mutter. "Oh, good afternoon, Mxs. Abigail," MePad responds.
"I- I would like to apologize for what happened yesterday. I was acting like a baby, and I couldn't explain to you what happened because I was in a different headspace-"
"That's okay. I understood what had happened," MePad cuts off Abigail to respond.
Abigail's face appeared shocked. They were surprised and perplexed by how calm and understanding MePad was acting. Abigail sits near MePad on the couch as he explains. "After you went to sleep, I searched up on what would have resulted in you behaving like a baby. My sources have cited that you may have participated in age regression and that you may regress and behave like a baby because your brain finds comfort in doing so."
Abigail's face becomes bright red as their face turns away from MePad. "I will not judge your actions. You may wish to do whatever you find comfort in," MePad adds.
"...With that being said, would you like for me to be your caregiver?" MePad asks. Abigail's face lights up and they turn their face back to MePad. They lay their head next to MePad.
"Yeah. That would be nice," they respond.