Work Text:
Maybe if he stared at the wall hard enough, Randy would appear. He knows it's not going to happen, but he sure is going to try. He's back in North Carolina for some family thing, the exact reason escapes him though. Randy hadn't come with, and it tore them both up that they'd have to be without each other, as the older man was already booked for the week. Cody was fine until today though, he'd been calling Randy every night before bed, just to hear his voice, and it's the only thing that soothes him enough for him to fall asleep. The older man was currently busy though, unable to get to his phone no matter how hard he tried, and Cody was lying curled up on his bed, wishing he could be wrapped in his daddy's arms right now. The digital clock on the bedside table is staring at him tauntingly, blinking the time, the red light cast softly over his face. It's two in the morning, and even though Cody's eyelids feel like they've been attached to weights, he just can't fall asleep. He's twisting and turning, shoving the blankets off of himself in frustration. He's getting tempted to dig his pacifier out of his bag to try to get some peace, and just take the risks that come with doing that.
He sighs and sits up with a huff, popping his knees, and starts to look for his bag. He finds it shoved under the bed -he forgot he kicked it under there earlier- and he ruffles through his clothes until he finds it tucked into a shirt on the bottom. He's just about to pop it in his mouth when there's a knock on the door, and he flings it on the bed in a panic, moving the edge of the blanket to cover it. He lays down on top of the covers and closes his eyes when the door creaks open, and his older brother's face peeks in through the doorway.
“Cody? You're thinking too loud.” Dustin's voice whispered, trying not to wake anyone else up.
“Sorry, I couldn't sleep.”
“Yeah I could tell.” Dustin sighs, and Cody hears the door shut, and he exhales thinking that his brother has left the room. The bed dips next to him, and he feels his brother start to run his fingers through his blonde hair. “It's cold in here, what happened to your blankets?”
Cody is trying not to panic. He is keeping his breathing even, and forcefully stopping his muscles from completely tensing up. Dustin is right next to where the pacifier is hidden, and it's going to be rather hard to try to explain that to him. He sighs, and turns around, laying on his side to face his brother. He has to stop himself from whining when the action makes Dustin pull his hand out of his hair.
“Just couldn't get comfortable.”
His brother smirks at him, face barely visible in the dark room. “Missing Randy?”
Cody doesn't know whether it's a blessing or a curse that his family knows about his boyfriend now, because he's gotten quite a lot of teasing from them, Dustin finding it especially funny. He'll never pass up an opportunity to tease his baby brother, even though he really is happy for him. The younger brother rolls his eyes but the corner of his lips curls up into a soft smile.
“Yeah, just missing him extra tonight. I'll be fine though, you can go get your beauty sleep, you old man.”
Dustin scoffs and flicks the middle of Cody's forehead, smiling while he does so. “Sorry for being worried about you, jeez.”
They smile at each other, and Cody's about to open his mouth to respond, when the worst thing that could possibly happen, happens. Dustin shifts, putting his hand down on the bed so he can lean, and he places his hand on top of the covered pacifier. Cody's eyes widen slightly and he tenses, watching as Dustin's eyebrows furrow together in confusion. Cody can't do anything but stare in complete horror as his brother pulls the edge of the sheets back to see whatever it was he placed his hand on.
“What-” Dustin grabs the plastic off the bed, moving so he can see it better in the moonlight, and cuts himself off. There's no mistaking what it is, it's obviously a pacifier, and it's obviously bigger than one an actual baby would use. There's tense silence for a few moments as they just stare at the lump in Dustin's hand, before the older clears his throat and starts speaking.
“So uh, this yours I assume-” He doesn't even finish his sentence before Cody is snatching it out of his hand, shoving it back under the blanket, next to Cody this time. Dustin clicks his tongue, and frowns. “I wasn't judging you.”
“We don't need to talk about it.”
“But we do. Does Randy take care of you?”
Cody blinks, his face scrunching up in confusion. “What?”
“When you're small. Does Randy take care of you?” Dustin is looking at him softly, and Cody doesn't know what to say. He's feeling a bit fuzzy now, probably from the horror that was filling his body less than thirty seconds ago. He has no idea how his brother even knows about what regressing is, and he just blinks a few times, before he nods. “Good. Is that why you're extra missing him?”
He's put his fingers back in Cody's hair, scratching at the younger man's scalp softly. Cody nods again, not really trusting his words, and his older brother fully lays down next to him. Cody's eyes flicker to where the pacifier is hidden, and his face flushes with shame when Dustin hums at seeing the action. His brother doesn't say anything though, just grabs under the blanket and holds it out to the younger man until he takes it.
“You feeling small right now?”
Cody doesn't answer, just wiggles forward to lay his head down on the other's shoulder, nuzzling his face against it. He's still clutching onto the plastic in his hand, but he closes his eyes, melting against Dustin's side. Cody whines when the older man suddenly stops the action. “Mama why's you stop?”
Cody doesn't realize what he's said at first, because Dustin doesn't respond in any way but smiling softly and bringing his hand back up. Cody tenses when he does realize, and his brother just coos at him. “It's ok Cody, mama's here, ok?”
The younger brother hesitates before he relaxes fully, bringing his pacifier up to his mouth before he can think himself out of it. His eyes are heavy again, and all the exhaustion is creeping into his body suddenly, but this time, his head is calm, and he actually feels like he can sleep now. He hums, nuzzling against Dustin again. “Nigh nigh mama.”
Dustin tilts his head down to press a kiss on the top of Cody's head, smiling at the peaceful look on Cody's face. “Sleep well Codes.”