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Ranboo was having a terrible day. They were late to their own stream, they were yet to eat, they kept bumping into things, their camera kept malfunctioning, and to really put the ice cream on the cake they even almost accidentally revealed their face. Their head was already fuzzy when they first woke up, but by now it wasn’t just fuzzy and foggy. They hadn’t regressed in months. It felt like static and they had a headache. Their motor skills were gone and their legs felt like jelly. At that moment they wanted nothing more than to cuddle up in their bed with their stuffies and watch cartoons. But they promised their chat a stream, and they didn’t wanna disappoint anyone.
Hours had passed and finally they ended the stream, immediately sinking into their chair with a sigh. The clouding in their brain was strong at this point, too thick to ignore. The fuzzier their brain felt, the more overwhelmed they felt. They slowly stood up on shaky knees before going to collapse onto their bed. They felt so incredibly small, they didn't know what to do. Therefore they did what any small child does when overwhelmed, they cried.
They cried and sobbed and writhed in their bed, clutching at bedsheets as they burrowed their face into their pillow. They eventually cried themselves to sleep, their thumb finding its way into their mouth subconsciously. This is the state Tubbo found them in when he came home from running errands. Tear stains, slightly red face, and thumb in mouth.
“Oh boo…” he cooed softly as he went into the closet to grab a pacifier, replacing the littles thumb with it quickly so as to not stir them. He then tucked them in and wiped the dried tears from their cheeks, making sure the blanket was above their shoulders. He flicked off the light and headed downstairs to put away the groceries he had bought. While he was down there he decided to get started on dinner, since he assumed that Ranboo would be regressed when they woke up so he began to make mac and cheese and mashed potatoes with cut up chicken nuggets. It was something easily chewed and easy to make.
When he was just about to finish cooking, he heard small footsteps slowly shuffling down the stairs. A smile found his face when he saw Ranboo in their onesie and sucking on their pacifier, holding onto the railing as they slowly came down the stairs. “Hi bud, did you have a nice nap?”, Tubbo asked, which received a silent nod from the little who was currently rubbing their eyes. Tubbo then walked over and gently lifted them into his arm, resting them on his hip. Ranboo instinctively slouched in his arms, wanting to appear as small as they felt and also rest their head on Tubbo's shoulder.
“How old are you feeling bug?” he asked softly as he looked down at Ranboo, something that didn't often happen unless the taller was regressed. Ranboo then shyly held up three fingers before hiding their face into Tubbo’s shoulder. “Aw, so small. Baby boo, little baby man,” Tubbo teased lightheartedly, earning a whine from Ranboo. “Alright, alright. I’ll stop bossman.” He reassured as he kissed their forehead.
Tubbo walked back into the cooking area and began to place the food with one hand. He put Ranboo’s food on a plastic plate and gave him a plastic spork. He then walked over and placed them in the chair, placing the food directly in front of them. He gently took the pacifier out of their mouth, setting it aside. He then walked over to the refrigerator and grabbed the carton of apple juice, pouring it into a sippy cup and placing it in front of the little. “There you go boo, eat up.” He mumbled softly as he ruffled their hair, eliciting a giggle of amusement. He then made his plate and a glass of juice and sat next to them, beginning to eat.
After dinner, Tubbo cleaned the dishes while Ranboo played with toy cars at his feet, occasionally running over his foot to which it was Tubbo’s job to be dramatic and feign being injured, which always made the little laugh and do it again. With the little being fed and the dishes washed, it was time to relax. He gently picked them up and took them into the living room. Once he got them settled in a nest of blankets on the couch, he went back into the kitchen to make them some angel milk.
Once the warmed milk, vanilla, and sugar were combined into the bottle, he went back to the living room and slipped into the blanket nest, cuddling Ranboo to his chest, who happily grasped onto his shirt and nuzzled closer. Tubbo offered them the bottle and they accepted it after yawning, drinking it slowly as their eyes began to close. They were surrounded by warm blankets, a warm hand rubbing their back, warm milk, and the warmth that being loved and cared for provided.