After a few days, things started to get a bit more complex for the group. Planning a comeback would mean have more individual schedules, and for little Joongie it was a tragedy. The leader was so used to have at least one of his friends by his side, so having to do everything by himself when regressed caused the boy to shut down overwhelmed, refusing to do anything. This was extremely inconvenient for the other members, who couldn't leave their schedules to comfort the leader like they would've liked to do. Often Hongjoong had to work with EDEN or Maddox, which he was extremely grateful for. Even if the two didn't know about the boy's headspace, they weren't complete strangers and the leader could ask for a break more often and less anxiously. The two producers could see how low on energy the younger was and often granted him small breaks every hour. However they didn't allow him to have more than one break per hour, to stay as focused and productive as possible. That made Hongjoong want to protest and whine, tired and drained but unable to do anything about it. However the boy never complained, until one day.
"Hongjoong, listen. I'm not gonna waste my time if you're not going to at least follow along" scolded, quite harshly, EDEN. For the last few days he had been doing all by himself, with the younger boy just listening and looking at the computer screen. Today, seeing that Hongjoong didn't even bother to pay attention, EDEN had enough. What he didn't predict though, was Hongjoong starting to cry, loud sobs making his body shake.
"Whoa buddy, what did I say?" asked concerned the producer. However Hongjoong didn't even register the words, too busy bawling his eyes out. Everything was too much. He was tired, he didn't have any of his caregivers with him and they couldn't leave what they were doing to go get him, and he felt too small to follow what the older boy next to him was explaining. He didn't mean to make him angry.
"J- J- Joongie sowwy" apologised the little between sobs.
"It's okay, I'm sorry for being harsh" reassured quietly the producer. When Hongjoong had calmed down, the older tried to approach him again.
"What's going on Joongie?" asked EDEN, noticing how Hongjoong called himself that earlier.
"Joongie smaww" admitted Hongjoong leaving the older speechless.
"You're a little Joong-ah?" questioned carefully EDEN. Hongjoong nodded, feeling too small for words.
"How old do you feel Joong?" asked quietly the producer. The little answered lifting up one finger.
"Aw, such a little baby" cooed EDEN with a smile, making Joongie giggle.
"Ok so. What should we do now? Does your group know you're small?" Hongjoong whined remembering his mama, dada and papa that couldn't play with him at the dorm. Giving a a sad nod to the older the little buried his face in his hands, almost starting to cry again, when he felt hesitant hands wrap around him. Looking up he saw EDEN looking in his teary eyes reassuringly.
"It's alright. I know you want your hyungies. Why don't you stay with EDEN hyungie until your caregivers can come pick you up?" offered the older. Hongjoong thought about it for a bit before nodding. The older was nice.
"Good boy. What would you like to do? Hm... we can watch a movie or play together. Or you could eat something, I bet you didn't eat much before coming here" EDEN listed out the options slowly to make sure the little understood.
"Dada" whimpered the boy, not understanding what the older was saying.
"Aww your dada isn't here now, but you have me for now. We can eat something together, hm?" suggested the producer, having heard a small rumble come from the little's tummy. Hongjoong only whined. What was the older even saying? He just wanted his dada!
"You're too small to understand are you?" sighed EDEN. How was he supposed to make the little do anything if he couldn't even acknowledge what he was saying?
"Okay, I can do this" EDEN picked up Hongjoong and placed it on his hip before walking to the vending machine on their floor. Quickly the older bought a juice box and a pack of dried apple chips before hurrying back to the little's studio.
"Here you go Joong" hummed the producer. However Hongjoong didn't seem to understand the food was for him and he just stared at it, wondering what it was.
"I can't do this alone" mumbled EDEN, sighing softly before retrieving his phone from his pocket.
"Who's your dada Joongie?" asked the older, unsure on who to call. At the mention of his dada Hongjoong franctically started to look around the room, pouting when his caregiver was nowhere to be seen.
"Let's call Seonghwa" EDEN called the oldest ATEEZ member, hoping he would pick up. Luckily he did, making the producer sigh in relief.
"Hello? Hyung?" Seonghwa answered the phone in a worried voice.
"Hi Hwa! Uhm... I have a little problem with Hongjoong here" started EDEN uncertainly.
"What? Is he okay? Where are you?" Seonghwa immediately stood up from his bed, where he was sitting, and started walking around the room to calm himself down.
"Yeah he is totally fine. But he regressed to a few months old, he can't even understand what I'm saying and the only word he can say is 'dada'. Who's that by the way?" Seonghwa sighed.
"I know, it can be a bit difficult to understand what he wants, but he's never been this young before. Hang on, I'll come get him. I have a free afternoon anyways. His dada is Yeosang" Seonghwa rushed to get his coat andstarted to walk quickly to the studio.
"Thanks" breathed out EDEN before cutting the call.
"Seonghwa's coming baby, hang on for another moment" murmured the producer. Hongjoong just cuddled to the older and babbled something before promptly falling asleep, making EDEN smile fondly.
AUTHOR'S NOTE
Lowkey wanted to have Maddox instead of EDEN in this chapter but idrk the dynamics between Hongjoong and the two producers so i thought the older the better lol
Lil question time! (or question of the day, you can call it however you want hehe)
Who's your ATEEZ bias?
Mine is Hongjoong, with bias wreckers Woo and Hwa :3
Okay, have you eaten today? Like real food, I mean. Not chewing gum or ice. Nuh uh. Real stuff guys. If you didn't, go eat. If you can't right now, eat later. Remember guys, food is important. Don't be like me (yesterday I forgot to eat dinner lmao)
See you in the next one!
Love you all
~ Nabi
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Tiny captain
FanfictionHongjoong has been slipping unvoluntarily since that day. It's not a thing that he can control and it's not a thing that he plans on telling his members. Absolutely not. But telling them is not the only way they'll discover this part of him. Warning...
