Teddy bears and pacifiers (age regression)

The sound of your trust

Mini A/N: Surprise!!! Double update <3

Chapter 11

"Ah-" The sound brought Rowan's attention down to the boy sitting by his feet. Putting in a book mark and closing his book, Rowan turned his full attention to Theodore.

"Pah-" Theodore's eyebrows were furrowed, his face set in concentrated determination. The look piqued Rowan's interest. Theodore only ever made such noises when he wanted something, but this was different.

In breathless anticipation he waited, giving Theodore the time he needed to gather himself. Rowan knew it was hard for Theodore to figure out how best convey his needs sometimes, but he was determined to give Theodore the opportunity to develop that ability without pushing or interfering.

"Pah...pa." Theodore's voice was scratchy and weak from disuse, a quiet croak. But that didn't matter one bit to Rowan. All he could do for a few long moments was stare at the boy at his feet in astonishment, thunderstruck, his heart going a mile a minute and his brain coming to a screeching halt. Inhaling a shaky breath, he bent down and pulled Theodore up in his lap. Through his blurry vision he could see Theodore's worried face, only then did he notice the wetness in his eyes.

"Say that again?" he asked in a whisper, barely managing to make his tongue work.

"Pa- pa" His voice cracked in his attempt and Theodore fidgeted, glancing down at his lap, suddenly very shy.

"Papa, yeah." All the emotion was overwhelming and Rowan found himself breathless and crying and not caring one bit as he bent down to touch his forehead to Theodore's. He felt elated, a sense of rightness burrowing in his soul.

A little hand came up to brush away his tears as they slid down his cheeks. Rowan could feel himself grinning, his heart leaping in his chest. A warmth filled him deep. A strange mix of a hiccup and a sigh escaped him as he wound his arms around his darling and hugged the boy close.

They sat there for a long time, Rowan just relishing in the moment, the enormity of what had just happened. Eventually he dried his tears, kissed Theodore's head and whispered. "I love you, my baby boy. My smart boy, my precious pup. I'm so proud of you."

The boy flushed, cheeks pink, but Rowan could also see the happiness in his eyes, the hesitant lift in his lips. It meant so much to him to see the trust behind those eyes, what had been built and was still growing. He wondered distantly if Theodore knew how much it truly meant to Rowan to hear that one word, how much it filled his soul, if he truly knew what that word meant. But in that moment Rowan didn't care, because Theodore had trusted him enough to try. This was a big step, and they both knew it.

After Rowan had put Theodore down to sleep, followed by probably an hour of just watching the boy sleep peacefully in his crib, he went to share the news. He needed an outlet. This event had left him feeling so full of emotion, he felt he might burst.

He closed the door to his study softly and made his way to his desk in the dark. The room did have a ceiling light, but Rowan never used it. He much preferred using the desk light coupled with the small lamps hiding on the top on his bookshelves. They created a calm, dimmed atmosphere, especially in colder weather when he could light the fireplace.

It only took a couple of rings before he heard the click as his call was accepted. Normally he wasn't one to spring right into the meat of the conversations, that was more Ian's style. Rowan usually preferred to start the actual conversation first. But he couldn't maintain calm long enough for that this time, his joy too strong.