Alex woke up, yawning and rubbing his eyes.
He had fallen asleep in his day clothes.
He wiped his sleeve against his cheek and realized he had drooled in his sleep. He sat up, realizing he had also fallen asleep in a diaper. Like a baby.
At least it wasn't- No. Of course it wasn't wet. Of course it wasn't..
He sighed, getting up and beginning to find something to eat
He took his sweet time, that time being half an hour.
He eventually found the energy to change his clothes.
He slid off his overalls with some (a lot of) trouble, and stood there for a bit.
He didn't need "protection"..
right?
Well-
It wouldn't hurt to keep it on.
right?
He put on sweatpants over his "protection"
He checked his phone, a phone that was now almost dead.
He was late for class.
very late.
"Oh well," he thought, "Guess I'll just not go."
He laid back down in his bed and drifted off to sleep.
He was woken up a while later when a knock came to his door.
"Alex? Are you in there?" A voice said
Alex chose to ignore it.
"Alex? Are you alright?" The voice continued
"Leave me alone." Alex yelled, attempting to return to sleep.
"Alex, are you sick? Why aren't you in class?"
"Leave. Me. Alone." He shouted this time, anger very audible.
A sigh.
"Alright. I'll check in later."
He didn't.
Alex was asleep or crying for the majority of that day. He didn't eat, just laid in his bed either sleeping or watching cartoons.
He didn't go to sleep at night, he laid in his bed staring at the ceiling.
He fell asleep at 2 in the morning.
He woke up the next morning the same way he had the day before, but this time, he was very hungry.
He sighed, getting up. He rummaged around his room until he found a granola bar.
He began to unwrap it, when he heard a knock at his door.
He rolled his eyes and groaned, deciding to open it.
"Sam-" He began before immediately pausing.
The person in front of him was not his caregiver.
"Sorry, I'm not Samuel. He's sick actually." The man said sympathetically
That man, was Lucas.
Alex immediately looked down, granola bar now forgotten and on the floor.
"Can I come in, sweetie?" The man asked softly, taking note of the boy's shy demeanor.
Alex nodded slightly, shrinking in on himself.
Lucas entered and closed the door.
Alex may not love his caregiver so much, but he did wonder why he had been warned to not talk to Lucas.
"Come here, let's sit down." Lucas said, moving to sit on the floor, next to the little's bed.
Alex hesitantly made his way to where the man had been sat and sat in front of him.
"Alright so we've exchanged a few waves, but haven't exactly been formally introduced. I'm Lucas Adams, I'm 19, and I fill in for caregivers from time to time." He said with a gentle smile.
Alex appreciated this mostly-stanger sitting next to him, like an equal.
"I'm Alex." He whispered.
"Alright well Alex, I know you were absent yesterday. Want to tell me why?"
"You know? How would you-"
"I work in the lobby? And you didn't wave to me before going to class." He said, crossing his arms and offering a gentle smile
The little sighed, picking at the skin on his fingers.
"I didn't wanna see Samuel."
The man's expression softened at that confession.
"Do you want to tell me why?" Lucas offered.
Alex shook his head.
"That's okay. I'm not going to make you if you don't feel comfortable." He said, standing up.
"We do need to have a talk though"
Alex looked up at Lucas. He hated talks. He should have known Lucas was really as Samuel had warned. Lucas could not be trusted.
"I'm not supposed to talk to you." Alex whispered.
"No? And who told you that?" Lucas asked, looking slightly confused.
"Sammy." Alex mumbled, getting up as well.
Lucas scoffed, "Oh did he now?"
"mhm." The little said, shrinking in on himself. He shouldn't have mentioned anything, he ruined everything. He just always had to go and ruin things-
"Hey, it's okay. I'm sorry, I-." Lucas offered before checking his watch quickly. They were going to be late.
"Alex, remember what today is?" He asked
Alex shook his head slightly.
Lucas sighed, running a hand through his hair.
"Today is the second test? To find out your age range?" He said, trying to jog the boy's memory
Alex immediately stumbled backwards, falling onto his behind.
"Oh my, are you alright?" Lucas asked, picking up the little and setting him back on his feet.
Alex nodded slightly, breath speeding up.
"Woah, woah, buddy. What's goin' on?" Lucas asked, voice soft as he reached out to touch the boy.
Alex shook his head frantically, squeezing his hands into fists and bringing them up to his head.
"Okay hold on-" Lucas started, realizing what the little was doing.
Quickly, he scooped Alex up, holding him tightly.
Alex quickly grasped the man's shirt tightly, gasping for air.
The pair ended up on the floor, Alex panicking as Lucas did his best to reassure him.
It was almost a half hour later that Alex calmed down enough to think straight.
"Feeling better, kiddo?" Lucas asked softly, rubbing circles on the boy's back.
Alex whined softly, rubbing his eyes.
"Alright, we have to get going. You're already late. The wait is going to be really long." Lucas said, standing up with the boy.
Alex continued his whining, tears falling now.
"Come on, let's get you ready and out of pajamas, okay?"
Lucas sat the boy down on his bed.
"Can you dress yourself or do you need help?"
Alex laid down backwards on his bed, ignoring the question he just received.
He didn't need help.
He could do it himself.
"Alex, we need to go." Lucas said, putting an outfit together for the boy.
If they were going to be this late, Alex was going to at least have a nice outfit.
Alex whined louder, grabbing his bunny and putting it over his face.
Maybe he couldn't do it himself.
Lucas sighed, placing the clothes on the bed beside the boy.
"Hey, kiddo? Can I help you change?"
Alex whined, blushing, but nodded against his better judgement.
Lucas took that as the go ahead and began to take the boy's pants off.
It was then that he realized what the boy had been wearing.
Lucas let out a small "oh" as he paused, planning a next course of action
"Darling, can I change you?" He asked calmly
Alex gave a confused little look in response. Isn't that what he was already doing? why was he asking such a silly question?
"Sweetheart, You're wet." The man clarified, realizing his mistake as the boy began crying again.
Lucas looked around, eventually finding supplies in the closet.
He sighed, coming back to the little and slipping a pacifier in his mouth, which he quickly took to.
Lucas made quick work of changing the boy into a pull-up. He had no idea how long the boy had been wet and he didn't want to embarrass him, but it was obvious he needed something.
He then slipped a pair of denim shorts on him before sitting him up.
Alex sucked on his soother pathetically, tired from all the panicking and crying he had done in the past few days.
"Okay, let's put on your shirt, can you let go of your bunny?" Lucas asked, showing the little a green shirt he was going to be put in.
Alex hesitantly let go of the only shield he had and allowed his shirt to be changed. He went to grab his bunny, but was stopped.
"Wait wait, you need a sweater too" The man said, quickly putting a black sweater with stars over the boy's shirt.
Alex began whining softly, kicking his feet gently against the bed.
"Almost done, I promise." Lucas said, switching the boy's socks with a white crew length pair.
"Where are your shoes, darling?" He asked, standing up.
Alex pointed to an area near the door before hiding his face in his bunny plush.
Lucas retrieved the shoes and put them on Alex before pausing.
"Do you know how to tie your shoes?" He asked
Alex nodded defensively and attempted to tie the laces.
His laces ended up being a loose and sloppy version of what laces are supposed to look like.
Lucas let out a fond sigh before helping the little off of the bed.
"Let's go, you're already late." He said, leading the boy to the door.
They made their way to the care center, but it wasn't long before Alex began to grow uneasy.
"I'm scared." He mumbled out, stopping his
walk.
Lucas looked at him sympathetically before picking him up.
"It'll all be super quick, I promise." Lucas whispered
"I don't even know what they're gonna do" Alex pointed out
Lucas sighed, sitting Alex on a bench outside the care center.
"I'm going to tell you a secret, okay? And you have to promise to not tell anyone. Do you promise?" Lucas asked, holding out his pinky
Alex wrapped his pinky around Lucas' and looked up at him.
"Alright, well I know how the test goes." He admitted
The little leaned in closer to hear. He loved being told secrets, they made him feel special.
"You go in, they'll ask you your name and birthday and then the name of your assigned caregiver. Got that so far?"
Alex nodded
"They'll give you a little cup of some sweet juice and you'll sleep for a little bit. You'll have what's known as a "little dream" and that's where they'll see what age you are. Cool, huh?" Lucas said, standing the boy up.
Alex looked to the floor, still feeling nervous.
"And that's it?" He asked, flapping his bunny's arms.
"They may ask you about potty status or favorite meal and cups, but that should be it." Lucas said, patting the boy on the head.
"Potty status?" Alex asked, squeezing his bunny.
If they asked him that then-
"Well, your caregiver should have labeled you or documented your ability to go to the bathroom on time." Lucas said, picking up Alex again.
Alex looked down, now filled with a new fear. They walked into the care center and to the front desk.
"Hello! Name of the patient and reason for visit?" The lady asked, hands ready to type on her keyboard.
"Alexander Blanchet, Regressor Identification Test Two"
"Alright, it'll be a little while. Please have a seat."
The pair made their way to the only empty chair in the waiting room. Lucas sat the boy in the chair and stood nearby, against a wall.
It took almost another hour, an hour in which Lucas had began dozing off, now sleeping against the wall.
Alex has also began his nap, sleeping with his face smushed into his bunny.
"Alexander Paisley? Blanchet?"
Lucas jolted awake, looking towards where the voice came from.
"Alexander Paisley Blanchet?"
"He's here!" Lucas called, switching to a gentle voice to wake the little
"Come on, Alex. It's your turn, kiddo." Lucas said shaking the boy gently.
Alex woke up, standing up while mostly asleep.
He rubbed his eyes as he was led to the door that lead to other separate rooms.
"Alright, your babysitter will be right out here for you when you finish" A lady said, which caught Alex's attention
"Come inside?" He asked, trying his best to focus his vision.
"No, caregivers cannot be in the room while the tests go on, much less babysitters," The lady said with a scoff at the last part.
"How did you know he's not my-" The little began, looking at the lady with a confused look before he was ushered into the room.
He was led to a room where he was instructed to lay down and wait for the doctor.
He laid there, kicking his feet and flopping his bunny around before a tall man walked into the room.
"Hi there, little guy." He said, putting gloves on and sitting on a rolling stool, rolling near the boy.
Alex sat up, sitting his bunny next to him.
"Can you tell me your name and birthday?" The doctor asked, looking at his chart.
"Alexander Blanchet, March 8th" Alex said, taking the pacifier out of his mouth and placing it in his bunny's lap.
"Alright we'll I'm Dr. Wallace Donell. This is all going to be reeeally quick, okay?" He said, rolling to the counter and retrieving a cup of a
purple-ish liquid and returning to Alex's side.
"Can you drink this for me, sugar?" The doctor asked, handing the cup to the boy.
Alex looked at it hesitantly but drank it anyway. Everything had gone so far as Lucas had said.
Soon, Alex was asleep.
At first, he didn't realize it.
He was in a caregiver's dorm.
He could tell because of all the babyish things laying around.
"Come on, little one" A person said
And that's how he knew it was fake.
The nickname made him feel so- icky. Nothing against the nickname, it just didn't feel right for him. Anyone who would have known him long enough would know.
The person picked him up and laid him in a crib. He felt so angry and uncomfortable.
And suddenly he was in a play pen area.
He crawled around a bit, looking for a familiar face, but had no luck.
Then he was at a playground.
He stood, running around the grass until he fell. Immediately, he called out for someone to come help him.
He was then at an amusement park, and all he wanted to do was hide in the comfort of his caregivers. He didn't even bother looking around.
He woke up, sitting up immediately and looking for his bunny.
"How do you feel?" The doctor asked, getting ready to write down notes.
"It was weird." The little admitted.
"Yeah? Well I'm just going to ask you a few questions and show you a few pictures, alright?"
Alex nodded slowly.
"Alright well can you tell me about your potty status?" The doctor asked, not looking up.
Here it was, the dreaded question.
"Well I-" he began, picking at the skin on his fingers.
"It says here that you've been having accidents recently, tell me about that."
"It's only when my head goes all fuzzy!" Alex said defensively
"Alright." The doctor said, writing something down.
Alex continued picking at his skin. He was uncomfortable in this room, with this doctor person. He didn't want to be here. He wanted to be anywhere that was not where he was currently forced to be.
"I want Luca." He mumbled.
"You want Lucas? Someone who's only fit to be a stand-in or babysitter?" The doctor scoffed, looking up.
"Are we done?" Alex asked, looking down at the floor.
"Almost. Which one of these do you prefer?"
The doctor set out three pictures,
1. A cup of what looked like purée, fruit slices, puff cereal and a bottle
2. A plate of nuggets, fries, mac n cheese, and a sippy cup
3. Spaghetti and meatballs, bread, and a glass of something
Alex knew this was a trap. He felt like this was a trap. He was choosing his fate, right? But they looked so good-
"I wanna go." Alex said, holding his bunny and pacifier in his lap. He really wanted his paci right now.
"Just choose one. After that, you can go."
Alex felt his eyes welling up with tears. He just wanted to be held. He didn't want to be here. He wanted to be anywhere but here.
"Hey, no crying." The doctor said
Alex pointed to the picture in the middle and got up.
"Alright, you're good to go. You can come back tomorrow with your caregiver and after that, a copy of your results will be sent to you and your caregiver."
Alex nodded, shoving the pacifier in his pocket as he grabbed his bunny and left. He made his way back to the waiting room, trying his best to hold back tears.
He walked straight past Lucas and into the hallway where he broke down.
"What's wrong, buddy? What happened?" Lucas asked, wrapping the boy in a hug.
Alex cried into the man's shoulder and clung on as he was carried in the direction of the dorms.
They however, made a stop at the lobby. Lucas sat Alex down in the main chair and began to spin him slowly.
Alex wiped his face, letting out a small giggle.
"What? What's so funny?" Lucas asked with a fake confused tone.
"Why're you spinning that way? Why aren't you spinning this way?"
Lucas spun the boy clockwise and then counterclockwise, slowly and then quickly.
Alex squealed and giggled the entire time.
"Okay okay, I don't need you throwing up or anything." Lucas said, laughing softly.
Alex hummed sitting his bunny on his lap.
"So what's up? How'd it go?" Lucas asked, kneeling down in front of the boy.
"He was mean and scary, I didn't like him." Alex said softly.
"Is that what made you upset?" Lucas asked
Alex hummed, kicking his feet slightly.
"He was talking about you." He mumbled, fidgeting with his hands.
Lucas felt his heart pick up speed.
He cleared his throat, standing up.
"Do you want to go back to your dorm? Or we could go to mine? I could make something for you if you're hungry?" He said, trying to be subtle about changing the subject.
Alex hummed, nodding and reaching a hand out to be picked up.
"My dorm?"
Alex nodded again.
And so off they went, to the caregiver's dorm.
They had a nice peaceful afternoon, Lucas got started on a snack or a brunch by the looks of it. He assumed the granola bar the little had been holding when they met that morning must have been his breakfast.
Alex was on the couch watching paw patrol on the older male's iPad.
"Alex, come over here please." Lucas said, arranging the small table.
Alex was heard sliding off the couch and dropping the iPad as he did so.
Lucas cringed at the sound but continued what he was doing. When he turned around, he saw the little holding the closed iPad while he himself held a scared look.
"Luca.." Alex began, voice shaky.
"Yes?"
"It drop an' I'm sorry." He finished, holding up the iPad to the man
Lucas took it slowly, gently opening it to find the screen completely fine. No damage had been done from the looks of it.
"Hey now, it's alright. Nothing happened, see?" He said, showing the iPad.
Alex looked up, unsure.
"Come on, it's time to eat. Do you like strawberries?"
The boy perked up at that.
After the completed meal of waffles and strawberries (in which Alex ate all the strawberries), Alex had begun to feel sleepy.
"Hey bud, you wanna take a quick nap?" Lucas asked, squatting down next to the boy's chair.
Alex shook his head slightly, sliding off the chair and moving to sit on the floor against a wall.
"Are you sure? It's alright if you need to nap." Lucas said, getting up and following the little.
The boy only whined in response, standing up and rubbing his eyes, beginning to stomp his feet in frustration.
"Alex, come on. There's no need to get all upset." Lucas said, cupping the little's face with his hands.
Alex immediately settled down, looking into the man's eyes.
Lucas smiled softly at him, to which Alex turned away quickly.
This school must have baby chemicals in their water because Alex felt so small and helpless around everyone all the time.
He just wanted to be caried and caressed, and- and loved- no. No one could love a person like him. A sniveling cry baby who left a puddle under him when he had a bad dream. No one could ever love someone like that. No one.
(A/N: This chapter is 3314 words. This story has a mind of its own. Anyhow, thank you for reading! I appreciate every view, vote, and comment as it truly makes my day. I hope you all have a wonderful day/night/anytime of the day.)