Teddy bears and pacifiers (age regression)

Waking in dreams

Death was warm.

It was warm and soft. He'd never have been afraid of death had he known it would be so... comfortable. His body felt as though he was floating on clouds. He had thought death would be dark and cold. And yet his half conscious mind registered brightness beyond his lids. So bright.

Opening his eyes slowly he greeted the afterlife. He never really thought that he might end up somewhere for the dead, never thought that something truly came after.

Slowly his mind cleared. And with it, the calmness. As details of the room sunk in and the feel of his body returned, Theodore realized he could not be dead. For he felt all too alive underneath the thick comforter. The sun shining in through the curtains was bright, illuminating the curtains' design. His sleep muddled mind grappled for reason, an explanation as to how he'd ended up in a room more beautiful than he'd ever seen.

He'd been sleeping. Not dead. Sleeping. And yet there was no gravel underneath him, no fence surrounding him. There was no cold wind, biting at his skin. He was not in the hut anymore and he didn't understand why.

Trailing the room with his eyes as he tried to wake fully, a prickling sensation poked the back of his mind.

Then his eyes fell on a stranger. Sitting right there beside him, looking at him. In an instant his mind emptied, heart slamming in his throat. The man over him was big. Very big. Never before had he felt so physically small as he did in that moment. If Murick could beat him to a pulp, then the man who sat over him could crush him in an instant.

The man smiled at him, a crinkle appearing by his eye. "Hello there little one. Time to wake up." The words jarred Theodore, he lay in shock staring at the stranger. Never before had someones words held such a calm, such a tender tone towards him. Who was this stranger? Why did he look at Theodore in such a way? Where were they? Questions buzzed around the boys head as he failed to make heads or tails of his situation.

Theodore moved. Where to he did not know, though he immediately found his body trapped under the covers. The realization startled a sound out of him. A squeak, or a whine, the sound was unrecognizable in his ears.

Panic filled him. Rising from his chest and filling his head until he heard nothing but the thrumming of his heart. His vision blurred and his body twitched with need. Need for what?. He didn't know. Theodore's little energy was running on instinct. Muddled, broken instinct. The big man moved, backing away slightly. For a moment, half a breath, Theodore's panic slowed as the far reaches of his mind understood the gesture. He forced himself to still his body as he felt the comforter move. With small tugs the big man loosened the covers around Theodore and more questions filled the boy's head. Why was he..... helping Theodore?

Eyes again finding the other's Theodore did not know what to do. What to think. Then the man's hand raised and immediately Theodore shut his eyes, hunching back, his boy becoming rigid. He'd found out long ago it was better to wait out the punishment. Not make it worse by looking. To simply protect what he could and hope for the best.

But the blow never came. Instead the man spoke again. "It's alright Theodore. I'm not going to hurt you." The words were so soft, Theodore so desperately wanted to believe him. Wanted to believe the torture was over, that he no longer had to live in fear. But he couldn't, because surely it had to be a trick. No one cared about little Theodore enough to see him safe. The person who was supposed to protect him hadn't, nor had the kids with whom he shared house with all his life. So why would a complete stranger care? It was only a ploy to lower his guard, let the blow do that more damage once it finally arrived. He couldn't let that happen. Theodore did not think he could survive it.