Work Text:
henry stepped into the quiet brownstone, shaking snow off his boots carefully before placing them on the rack by the door.
"Alex?" he called out, already doubting that his boyfriend was even in the house,the lack of woofs and scampering paws a tell-tale sign of trouble.
a very sleepy Alex was abandoned this morning,much to both of their dismay,so Henry could get to work on the charity that he was so desperate to start but not so desperate to work on.In the morning, Henry had noticed Alex seemed a little.... off.He was clinging to Henry more than normal,and it even looked as if there were tears in his eyes while he watched his boyfriend dress for the day.
A low, choking sob came from the master bedroom.
Henry began to speak,then faltered.Normally, Alex would push him away till Henry would force him to talk about it,and to do something Alex hated,but he needed to do to cope.that thing was age regression.Henry knew Alex thought it was embarrassing and that's why he never did it,but the tension in Alex would build up until he would break and regress again,sometimes for a day or two.
Slowly,Henry opened the bedroom door,eyes tearing up at what he saw.
There was Alex,curled up in a ball on the floor, rocking himself back and forth while David licked his knees timidly.Tears were streaming out from his eyes rapidly,and he looked up at Henry with an expression that can only be described as helpless desperation.
"hen...?" Alex wipes his eyes and face with the back of his wrist, sniffing and hiding his face in his hands.
"hi baby.." Henry says, dropping to his knees beside him and scooping him up into his arms,cradling him gently."it's okay baby,I'm here. you're safe,okay?Are you- are you a little right now honey?" His voice was sweet and syrupy,his hands rubbing Alex's back and kissing his hair.
Alex nods.
"okay, okay.do you want to come sit on the bed? I'll get your paci and some juice,hm? That sounds good, huh?"
Alex nods again, unable to form words as he comes down from his anxiety attack.He clings onto Henry,hands forming fists around his shirt and wrinkling the fabric.Legs wrapping around his waist,Alex burrows into his boyfriend's neck as he feels himself being lifted up and gently placed on the bed.
The draw beside the bed opens,and Henry takes out a blue pacifier with white stars on it, holding it infront of Alex's mouth.
"open up, little one,I'm just gonna pop this in your mouth!"
mouth now closed,Alex instinctively starts to suckle on the pacifier, calming down and feeling himself being soothed by the repetitive action.His eyes start to droop closed,hands grabbing out for his Henry.
"papa..."
"I'm here baby." Henry's hands close around his waist,pushing them both next to eachother on the bed with a grunt.he strokes Alex's hair lovingly, watching as his baby drifts into sleep, knowing he'll be embarrassed by this by the next day.
But what matters now is that Alex is safe.
"I love you papa."
"I love you more Alex."