head in the clouds

vanilla baby

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After a warm shower, Dream goes to George for bedtime cuddles and calls him by a new name:)

—

The day has been a long one when Dream finally logs off his computer and stands up to stretch. Draining meetings have left him tense and tired, and his headspace has been lingering in the back of his mind for so long that he's starting to get a headache from having to suppress it.

In all honestly, he just wants to collapse in a bed and go to sleep as soon as possible.

But alas, he knows a shower would do him well before he calls it a night. So, he collects the last remains of his energy and takes himself to the bathroom, letting himself slowly regress on the way.

...

The water is hot and soothing and exactly what he needed, drenching his hair and relaxing the day's tension out of his muscles. He uses his vanilla-scented soaps for every step in his routine; a body wash, a shampoo, and a conditioner that all came in a set he got for his birthday.

Vanilla is definitely one of his all-time favorite smells. And flavors too, especially in ice cream and yogurt. Just like in those desserts, there are little specks of vanilla bean in the soaps he uses as well.

...

Once he is out of the shower, he steps into some soft gray sweatpants and a thin white t-shirt. He tugs his warm towel around his shoulders to bring with him, not wanting to leave it just yet. Then he steps out of the steamy bathroom and into the chilly hallway, hurrying his way down it to get to George's room as quickly as possible.

He is a little out of breath when he reaches his friend's door, opening it without even thinking to knock, and peering in through the gap. In there, he can see George sitting in bed on his phone.

He swings the door open fully, grinning when George's eyes snap up to his. "I finish my shower," he announces, gaining a soft smile over from the bed.

He doesn't really need to say it in order for anyone to guess that that is where he has just been. His cheeks are all dewy and pink and his hair is still dripping wet as the only form of drying he gave it was a quick towel rub.

"I can tell," George chuckles.

Dream shuffles over to the mattress and crawls onto it, giggles bubbling out of him as he snakes his way under the covers. He shimmies all the way down until only his eyes show over the top of the duvet, squinting happily up at George.

"You're getting my pillow wet, aren't you," George teases, tickling a pointer finger under his chin and making him squirm away. Dream shakes his head with a grin as George nods in retaliation, "Oh yes you are."

Dream frowns jokingly. "No, you gettin' my pillow wet," he quips, earning himself a bombarding of tickles.

"I'm joking, I'm joking!" He gets out between fits of laughter, holding up his hands in surrender. George laughs and stops moving his hands, letting Dream hold one of them instead.

"Alright, I want no more silly ideas from you from now on," he warns the blond playfully, his whole expression smiling.

"I p'omise," Dream assures, bringing George's hand up to his face to rest his cheek in it. He sighs, "Wan' cuddle now p'ease."

George gives his forehead a little kiss. "Me too," he says, then starts to make his way under the covers too.

Dream lets out a quiet laugh. "You also wanna cuddle?" His disbelief is tangible. It has never occurred to him that his caregivers also might like to cuddle, not just him.

With George even closer, Dream latches onto him instantly, cheek on his chest and arms around his torso. He feels a hand snake under his shirt and start to rub his back.

"I always want to cuddle," George confirms quietly. "Especially with you, but don't tell Sapnap that or he'll get very jealous."

Warm lips curve into a smile; he's George's favorite. "Otay, I won' tell."

...

"Whewe papa?" Dream pipes up a couple of minutes of backrubs later.

"Papa's at Punz's house for a few days, baby."

Dream hums, he remembers now. "Bu' dada is hewe," he says, the untried name slipping past his lips without a hitch.

Brown eyes widen. "What was that, lovely?" George sets his phone aside slowly.

"Dada," Dream pokes George's cheek to make him understand, leaning up to look him in the eyes. "You hewe wiv' me," he repeats.

Cogs turn in the older's brain for a few moments before finally clicking into place. "Oh– yes, I'm here darling." He is smiling as he says it.

Satisfied with being understood, Dream hums and eases down onto George's chest once more.

"Is that what you want to call me?" George asks carefully, adjusting his arms around the boy so he's as comfy as possible.

Dream nods his head as best he can against the knitted sweater covering the chest he is resting on. "Dada an' papa," he mumbles "...'cause you guys tay' cawe of me."

"That's right, love. We take care of you whenever you need us."

A small yawn slips from Dream's mouth and he lets his eyes fall shut. "Thas' supew nice," he says with a sigh.

George chuckles quietly at that, countering softly with, "No you're super nice."

Dream gets bashful at that, rubbing his face in soft yarn to hide the blush that has bloomed on his cheeks. He can't help it, compliments have always had a tendency to make him a little shy. Even more so when he's regressed, often making him slip even younger.

And this time is no exception to that, Dream's mental age drifting down, down until he's teetering on the edge of baby space, thoughts all fuzzy and languid.

"My little vanilla baby," George continues, knowing full and well what effect his words have.

Dream hums, eyes closed and heavy. "'nilla baby," he echoes, his drowsy little smile evident in the words as he says them. Making them stick together all honey-like.

Gently, George slips his hand from Dream's and uses it to tuck him in more properly. He adjusts the towel so it's nice and snug around the back of the boy's neck, and pulls the duvet up so it covers them both completely.

It feels nice to be swaddled like this, making Dream feel even more like a baby, all cozied up in familiar arms, ear pressed against a familiar heartbeat.

Of all the things that feel like home, he thinks George feels like it the most.

"I'm so sleepy, dada," he mumbles.

"I know you are, baby."

"An' so... wawm."

"Mhm. Just let yourself relax, darling," George guides in a hushed tone, and not a minute later, Dream is out like a light.

—

1146 words

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