Little Monster
Pairing: CG!Magnus/Little!Alex
Warnings: Sensory overload; Impure regression; blood; anxious SH
Summary: Alex gets sensory overload at a Halloween party and regresses. Magnus takes care of him and they just have some fluffy fall fun
~~~
Alex was sitting on the couch in Magnus' suite feeling little. Not completely regressed, but definitely slipping, which was pretty inconvenient considering it was Halloween, and he was going to a party in half an hour.
"Hey Alex!" Magnus called from the bathroom of his suite. "Check it out!" He emerged from the bathroom wearing a Hotel Valhalla T-Shirt, jeans, and a tie.
"What are you?" Alex asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Well, I was hoping you'd help me do my zombie makeup. Then, I'll be tie-die! Get it? Because of the tie? And because I'm dead?”
Alex giggled, something he only did when he regressed. Realizing his mistake, pressed his hand over his mouth. Magnus paused, a small grin playing on his lips.
"Was that a giggle?"
"No." Alex deadpanned.
"It sounded like a giggle." Magnus said, a hint of amusement in his voice.
"Magnus, drop it."
"Well, you only giggle when-"
"Drop. It."
Magnus put his hands up in surrender. "Okay, okay, I'm dropping it. But Alex, if you-"
"Your costume is stupid. I like it. Now come here so I can do your makeup." Alex cut him off. Magnus looked unconvinced, but let it go and joined Alex on the couch.
The party was on floor 17. It was only one of many in Hotel Valhalla that night, but it was the one closest to floor 19. TJ walked there with Alex and Magnus, and Mallory and Halfborn said they'd catch up later. The more they walked, the more anxious Alex became trying to suppress his littlespace.
"Is Sam not coming?" TJ asked as they made their way down the stairs.
"She doesn’t celebrate Halloween, and I think she also has some family thing. What was it Alex? Like a dinner or something?" Magnus nudged Alex, who was staring vacantly forward and scratching nervously at his arm.
"Hm? Oh yeah, she's got a family thing I think. A dinner or something." Alex replied absentmindedly.
Magnus frowned. "Are you okay?"
"What? Yeah I'm fine. Why?"
"You seem kind of... off."
Alex snorted. "What’s that supposed to mean?" He tried to walk faster, but Magnus grabbed his wrist.
"TJ, give us a moment?"
TJ nodded. "Yeah, I'll meet you guys there." He walked away and Alex glared at Magnus.
"That wasn't necessary."
"Alex, we don't have to go to the party if you're not feeling up to it."
"I told you, I'm fine."
Magnus didn't let go of his wrist. "You were scratching your arm."
"I have a spider bite." He yanked his arm away from Magnus. "Come on, let's just go."
Magnus could tell Alex was holding something back, but he didn't pressure him. They kept walking in silence until they got to the door of the suite where the party was, and Magnus made a final attempt to get through to Alex.
"Baby, are you sure?" He asked softly.
Alex almost slipped right then, but bit hard on his inner cheek and forced a smile. "Yep." He managed. Before Magnus could add anything else, Alex opened the door and dragged them both into the suite.
The party was loud, and there were people everywhere. Neon lights flashed on and off and cheesy pop reverberated off the walls. Magnus said something, but Alex couldn't hear it. There was too much happening, too many people, too many sounds. He scratched harder at his arm and turned to Magnus, who was... gone. That was the final straw for Alex. He slipped. Tears pooled in his eyes as he looked around frantically for Magnus. He didn't realize he had been walking backwards until his back hit a wall and he slid down it, rocking back and forth on the ground. His arm burned, but he kept scratching it in a desperate but fruitless attempt to distract himself from the overwhelming anxiety that seized him.
"Alex? Are you- are you crying?" Mallory's voice sounded miles away. "Oh gods, your arm. Hang on, just stay put." Alex hardly noticed her. He couldn't breathe. A tiny voice in the back of his mind told him to do something, to shape shift and get out of there, but the thought was drowned out by his panic.
"Oh my gods, Alex!" Magnus pushed through the crowd of people, led by an uncharacteristically concerned Mallory. He knelt in front of Alex, who immediately latched onto him. “Come on buddy, let’s get you out of here.” He stood, Alex in his arms, and made his way to the door, ignoring the stares they were getting from the few nearby einherji who weren’t too drunk to care.
Magnus whispered little reassurances to Alex as he walked, but it did little to console him, and his breathing remained shallow and panicked. When they got back to the suite, Magnus sat down with the panicked little on the couch and tried to calm him down.
“Honey, do you want to make some lists?” Magnus found out early on that the basic five senses and color breathing techniques didn’t help to ground Alex. Instead, the two discovered alternative strategies, including making lists, that were much more effective. Alex didn’t respond, but he gave a little nod, reaching to scratch his arm again. Magnus caught his wrist.
“No more of that little one.” He said gently. “Can you tell me who lives on this floor?
Alex seemed even more distressed by the loss of stimulation, so Magnus gave him his hand to squeeze. “TJ-” he gasped out. “An Mal-ree.”
“That’s right buddy! Who else?”
“Half-born.” Alex’s breathing became a little less labored. “Maggie.”
Magnus stroked Alex’s hair with his free hand. “There’s one more…”
“Me?”
Magnus laughed. “Yeah, you!”
Alex gave Magnus a little nod and let out another sob. Not out of panic anymore, just frustration and pain.
“Still not feeling too good, huh bud?” Magnus asked. Alex shook his head again. “Hmm… how about we do a butterfly hug?”
Alex’s eyes widened and he quickly wiped away the tears on his cheeks.
Magnus chuckled. “Do you remember how buddy?”
Alex nodded quickly and crossed his arms over his chest, hooking his thumbs and letting his fingers rest over his collar bones. He began to swiftly tap them, only he couldn’t hold the hug for long because the sensation made him stim, so he had to let go and flap his arms every five seconds, giggling wildly. It made Magnus smile to see Alex happy, but he couldn’t help but notice the little’s forearm, which was not looking too hot.
“Alex, honey, can I take a look at your arm?”
Alex absentmindedly gave Magnus his arm, still stimming with his free hand and suddenly very interested in a moth that was chilling on the wall. Magnus’ eyes widened. Alex’s whole forearm was covered in dark red streaks, and in some places he was bleeding out.
“Oh buddy…”
Alex, confused, looked down at his arm. “Oh.” he mumbled, as if just noticing it.
“Come on Alex,” Magnus forced a smile. “Let's get that cleaned up, yeah?” Magnus walked Alex to the bathroom and sat him down on the closed toilet. Alex, being Alex, promptly stood up and plopped himself on the rug instead. Magnus took out the first aid kid he kept in the bathroom closet. He knew Alex would be healed by morning, but his arm looked painful, and since Magnus pointed it out the little kept staring at it with shame and frustration.
“Alright buddy,” Magnus sat down in front of Alex, holding the first aid kit and a wet washcloth. “Can I see?” Magnus gently cleaned the blood off Alex’s forearm. There was one spot, down near his wrist, where the scratch was a little worrisome. It was about two inches long and a clean line, as if Alex had scratched it parallel to his arm. However, it was not squirting blood the way ruptured arteries did, and did not gape open, so Magnus was not terribly concerned about it. Alex’s nails may have been sharp, but they were not that sharp. It was, however, too big for a band aid, so he put neosporin on it and wrapped it in gauze. The rest of Alex’s arm wasn’t too bad, just reddened flesh and a few nicks, but it made Magnus worry nonetheless.
“Alex… why didn’t you tell me you were feeling little? We didn’t have to go to that party.”
Alex, who had been silent the whole time Magnus was patching him up, made a sound half way between a whine and a groan. “Didn’t want to ruin it. You had a cos’ume. An everyone else went.”
Magnus smiled ruefully. “That’s kind of you bud. But next time, please tell me. I was really worried about you, I need to keep my kiddo safe.”
“M sorry.” Alex said, looking down guilty.
“It’s alright buddy. And hey, we can still have tons of spooky fun here! You want to bake something and watch a show?”
Alex’s face lit up. “Garden wall?”
“Sure! You just reminded me though, I should probably wash off this face paint. Wait up for me?”
Alex pouted. “Bu’ you look so cool!”
“Okay,” Magnus chuckled. “I’ll just take off the tie.” He left it on the bathroom counter. “What are we making?”
Alex didn’t answer. He was already running away into the kitchen. Magnus ran after him and scooped him up from behind, tickling his ribs.
“Maggie!” Alex squealed with laughter. Magnus placed him on the kitchen counter, and planted a kiss on his forehead.
“Hmm… I’ve got some pumpkin puree. You want to make a pumpkin loaf?”
Alex kicked his legs excitedly. “Mhm!”
“Chocolate chips or cream cheese frosting?”
“Umm… cho’late.”
“Alrighty!” Magnus preheated the oven and began pulling out ingredients. He let Alex mix in the chocolate chips, but did the rest himself, while Alex kicked his legs and told “scary” stories.
“...An the shark jumped outta the closet an he ate all the people! The end.”
Magnus gasped and stumbled back dramatically. “That’s terrifying! You’ll give me a heart attack with these twist endings.”
Alex giggled. Magnus pushed the loaf pan into the oven and picked Alex up, carrying him to the living room. The two sat together on the couch and Magnus played the first episode of Over The Garden Wall. Halfway through the fourth episode, there was a knock at the door. Magnus got up to get it.
“Hi Magnus,” Sam said, leaning on the doorframe. “Something smells good in here.”
Magnus didn’t even have time to respond before Alex charged past him.
“Sammy!!” He squealed, jumping into her arms.
“Hi Pumpkin!” She cooed. “I heard you had a rough night, so-” She froze, having just noticed the bandages on Alex’s arm. “What’s this?”
Alex followed her gaze. “Oh.”
“Alex got a little overwhelmed earlier. He’s alright now though, huh buddy?”
“Mhm. We made pumpkin bread! An watching garden wall!”
“Speaking of which,” Magnus said, “That loaf should be out any minute now. Want to come in?”
“Yay, bread!” Alex squirmed in Sam's arms and ran off into the kitchen.
“Don’t open the oven yet!” Magnus called after. Sam looked at him worriedly.
“He hurt himself.” It was a statement, not a question. Magnus nodded.
“Not on purpose. You know how he scratches when he’s nervous?”
Sam gave a nod of understanding. “Yeah, I figured that.”
“What about you? Didn’t you have, like, a family dinner or something tonight?” Magnus asked, closing the door.
“Yeah, like thirty minutes ago. I wanted to ask if you guys wanted leftovers because we have a ton, but when I went to the party you said you were going too, I couldn’t find you. I asked Mallory, and she said you guys left and Alex was crying, and I just put two and two together.”
They walked into the kitchen, where Alex was sitting criss-cross in front of the oven, staring intently at the bread. Magnus pulled it out and tested it with a skewer. Deeming it safe, he plopped it out of the pan and cut three slices off.
“I know you don’t really do Halloween, but if you want to stay and eat pumpkin bread with us, Over The Garden Wall is more of a general fall show than it is specifically Halloween, save episode nine.” Magnus said.
“Stay!” Alex yelped. “Stay! Stay!”
Magnus sighed. “Alex-”
“Couldn’t hurt.” Sam shrugged, smiling.
“Yay!” Alex made grabby hands until she picked him up again. Magnus handed them each a slice of pumpkin bread and kissed Alex on the forehead.
They all settled on the couch, Alex cuddled between Magnus and Sam. He felt safe.
~~~
Magnus' Pumpkin Bread
Ingredients:
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
2 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup of water
1 cup of white sugar
1 cup of brown sugar
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
As many chocolate chips as you deem sufficient (optional)
Instructions:
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and grease your pan. You can half or double the recipe depending on your pan size, but this recipe is for a 9x5 inch pan.
Mix pumpkin, oil, water, and eggs together in a large bowl. Mix your dry ingredients into a separate bowl. Combine the two mixtures and mix well. Add chocolate chips if desired.
Pour into pan and bake for 50 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Enjoy while watching Halloween shows and movies with your caregiver or little one, or just by yourself :)
12 notes
·
View notes