Jacob stumbled in at around ten in the morning with the worst hangover, having the worst withdrawals and the most exhausted he'd ever been in his life even if he combined all the last times into one.

And worse than that he was so guilty he was worried he might explode.

The first thing he did was chug as much water as he could physically drink in one sitting and turn to see Adam glaring at
him.

It tumbled out before he could stop it, "Shit."

His eyes narrowed as he gave him a once over. "Where have you been?"

Jacob blanched as he realized how absolutely suspicious and cruel the situation looked: his clothes were tousled, he was stumbling around after not coming home last night, and he was visibly sweaty.

Adam didn't yell, he'd never raised his voice outside of the bedroom to a level that could even be considered a yell. Louder, maybe. But not a yell, not even through arguing. He had a feeling they were about to do a lot of arguing.

Adam's voice was ice over a lake: still, cold, quiet. "Did you hear me, Jacob? I asked you where you have been," He stressed again.

"I-I don't—,"

Adam stood so quickly he flinched slightly, which brought color to his cheeks signaling his rage. "If I find out you've been cheating on me, I swear to god this is over."

Jacob grabbed him, then yelped and raised his hands in surrender when a sure hand grabbed his balls. "Ow! I wasn't cheating!"

"What were you doing then?" He asked humorously. "For what reason could you leave at 9pm and come back at ten the next morning smelling like alcohol and walking funny? Explain it to me."

"I was— ow! A-Adam, please let go!" The hand was removed and Jacob stared at the ground. "I was relapsing, okay?"

His jaw set suddenly, eyes going a bit wider to take him in. Adam circled him and observed every inch before stopping at the front. Carefully, silently, he raised a hand to dig into Jacob's right pocket because he clearly was hurt he'd previously thought he was going to hit him. He was indeed right handed and his pockets were often where he put both important things and non important things.

Adam froze and pulled a tiny baggie out of there, flicking it to settle the dust to the bottom. He set it on the counter and nodded as if he were having an internal conversation with himself. "So let me get this straight: you come to me on the day after I've gotten my T-shot, which I might remind you can make me aggressive and hostile, hungover, but also still obviously wasted which means you were also drunk driving, but also dealing with cocaine withdrawals after doing drugs instead of..," His voice cracked violently. "Instead of being home with me." He tipped his head up and started shaking. "You took a hit recently. Your pupils are dilated."

What could Jacob do but nod? "I've not been well in the head lately. I cracked under very little pressure. And I'm sorry."

Adam took a deep breath and smoothed his hands through the air. He could not even begin to speak because he knew his tone would be frosty, so he nodded to his life partner to follow after him.

He undressed Jacob in the bathroom and checked for bruises, cuts, scratches. Tapping one on his thigh, he traced it to his stomach and raised his eyes.

Jacob was rigid, standing like a soldier and staring straight ahead. He was pale and slightly green. He looked guilty. "I had a bit of an overdose. It made me anxious and I clawed myself. I'm fine now."

Sighing, Adam undressed too and turned on the shower. When the water was an appropriate temperature he pulled Jacob inside and washed him from head to toe gently. After their morning routine Adam sent him straight to bed and held up his keys to alert the man he was leaving.

Jacob panicked, grabbing at his hand and falling out of bed into his knees before Adam. It seemed to disorient him but that didn't stop him from crying, "I didn't cheat! What do you mean you're leaving?! Adam, please listen to me: I wasn't—!"

Adam patted him and kissed across his forehead, unable to speak. With both thumbs rubbing under his ears Jacob calmed a bit and crawled back into bed. The sentiment was understood, "I'm leaving, but I'll be back."

His lip trembled at him but he nodded. "Okay. Do what you need to do."

He was supposed to head for the store first, there were groceries and hangover remedies he needed to pick up. Halfway down the highway, his grip tightened on the wheel. Breathing steadily was becoming harder. He didn't know if he wanted to scream or cry, but the decision was made for him rather easily.

Adam pulled over with his hazards and broke down, unsure of the reason honestly, but he let himself cry with his head down. Sometimes if he didn't get his crying out it turned into a blind rage. He just needed a good cry about all of this.

Jacob had never had an addiction to the drug per se, just that he was around it a lot as a kid and used to go on random benders to help alleviate his trauma. He'd get withdrawals but more often than not he was able to ride the waves and stop when he needed to. He could go months between uses, but once he started he'd keep using for days and days until he crashed hard. Once Adam found him banging his head against the wall and crying under his breath, "I hate this fucking drug," as he went through withdrawals. But they had just been creeping up on his one year of sobriety.

When he felt he was ready to face the world again, he picked up breakfast materials, medicine, drug tests and alcohol for himself. He wouldn't drink it anytime before Jacob was taken care of, but it was imperative he have it for that moment when he could not possibly stand to be sober anymore.

Why? What could have possibly been tearing his impulsive but responsible husband apart so deeply that he was straight up doing drugs again out of what felt like nowhere? Who had given it to him? Where had he gone? He spiraled and spiraled until he felt sick and angry and then sad all over again.

But then he felt a little peaceful.

He knew without a doubt Jacob had not cheated on him. As a man who relied heavily on a sharp sixth sense, and a man knew his husband deep and wide, he could at least confirm Jacob hadn't cheated on him. Jacob sucked at lying, especially to him, and it would eat him alive so badly he wouldn't be able to function until he told the truth. Especially if it was that bad.

Sighing, he stopped by another store and was ushered into the back to grab a few other things. Important things. Fun things. He liked to call what had happened a self taught life lesson, another rock bottom of sorts, and it seemed Jacob was needing something only Adam could provide him.

No matter what he did to discourage this behavior or punish it, Jacob was already reaping steep consequences. It seemed like he'd done a lot if there was only a tiny corner of the baggie left assuming he'd taken the full gram himself. Adam was already acquainted with the drug and its effects. Coke made him unbelievably horny but it didn't work like that for everyone. For Jacob it made him extremely talkative, more so than usual, and philosophical with his high brilliance coming to shine in a whirlwind of words. But where had he gotten it and could he access it again? He'd have to find out one way or another, he could be crafty when he needed to be.

His British husband was definitely dealing with an alcohol hangover too, Adam recognized the look on his face like it was his own name. That was punishment enough combined with the screaming withdrawals and sloping cocaine drop he was probably experiencing in high volumes. He wasn't Jacob's mother (though Tiffany was barely one to begin with) and he wasn't going to pretend he was.

It suddenly occurred to him that he had left the baggie on the kitchen island like an idiot. "Oh, shit."

He finished his business and sped home as fast as he could only to find it in the same spot and Jacob sitting by the back door where he normally entered.

Jacob turned to look at him, surrounded by his special blanket with bloodshot eyes full of tears. "You came back."

"I always come back," Adam sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Ready?" He nodded. "I'm disappointed, livid, concerned, shocked, horrified, annoyed, probably a bit betrayed and... happy."

Jacob's thumbs brushed across his blanket idly as he sulked at the floor. "Come on, be serious."

"I'm happy that even after whatever happened last night, you came home to me." Adam dropped the groceries and went to nuzzle into Jacob's hair, the familiar feeling of Jacob wrapping his arms around him serving to soothe him further. "I'm only going to ask you this once."

Jacob pulled away to look up at him and Adam didn't even want to ask anymore. It was quite apparent what the answer would be. "You are the only person I've ever loved and there is no amount of high, drunk or intoxicated I could get that would get me to lie with anyone else ever."

His green eyes were fierce, almost as if he were daring him to doubt him for even a second longer.

Adam blinked the tears out of his eyes, unable to hold back his emotions today. "Okay. Daddy is going to make you breakfast, and then you're going to spend the next two days exactly how I'd like you to."

The fierceness dissolved. "But I'm already being punished. I'm hot-showered as all hell, mate, don't do this to your darling Jack." He whined, grabbing onto his jeans and trying to pull him to sit on the floor next to him. "Just yell at me."

"I don't wanna yell at you," Adam countered with a little chuckle and a sniffle.

"B-but..." Jacob cut himself off as his cheeks went very pale and grabbed at his head to presumably keep the room from spinning. "Ugh, I'm real Deidre trousered, a real twazzocked wee knob, I am. Fuckall."

Adam cracked a smile. He hadn't the foggiest idea what he just said but it was so British it set his heart a-flutter. He could assume it was something about being fucked up, but he struggled to place exactly what words he'd mumbled when his accent got so thick. He was sure half of it was gibberish. "That's the most British thing I've ever heard in my life." He dug into one of the bags and tossed him a Pedialyte. "Drink it all, I am not afraid to spank you."

Jacob blushed down at the bottle. "I'm so drunk and hungover. Just yell at me for being reckless because of my Daddy Issues."

After unpacking the rest of the groceries silently, Adam sauntered back over to get down on one knee while Jacob was chugging. "You're about to have a whole lot more Daddy Issues by the time I'm done with you."

Jacob choked and Adam burst out laughing at him as he hacked and slammed a hand over his chest. "Ah, bloody hell! Don't look at me like that!"

"Like what?" He asked with mock innocence.

Jacob averted his eyes and wiped at his face. "Dunno. It was so sexy my lungs panicked. I felt it. You took my breath away like you punched me dead in my stomach."

He really did seem winded, and Adam's ego practically burst from his body to encompass the planet. "Oh, really? A simple look? It was that easy, baby?" He smirked full force at him and moved closer to skim his lips over the shell of Jacob's ear, pleased when he shivered. "When you're better, I'm going to fuck you harder than your hangover did."

Jacob seemed to struggle between wanting to beg for more and wanting to strangle him. "Are you really going to punish me?"

Adam nodded as if he were even the slightest bit apologetic and brushed a hand over his cheek. "Yeah, sorry, baby boy. I'm not punishing you for relapsing though, we can talk more seriously about that after I'm done with you. Think of it like a gift to me for making me stay up for nearly 29 hours straight."

"Why so long? You need rest!" Jacob cried but Adam's fingers snapped in front of his face.

"You watch your volume in our home, Little Boy," He warned lowly. "I'm not going to remind you again." When Jacob's eyes hazed over and he pouted, Adam couldn't help his little smile. What a cute man. "I was up at 9 yesterday morning, stayed up waiting for you to come home, and now it's two in the afternoon. Daddy's going to make you breakfast, you need something to eat." Adam walked off and turned on the stove to start cooking, feeling the half baked glare against the back of his head and ignoring it.

Jacob always, always, always struggled against his headspace with all his might, but Adam knew exactly which buttons to press and how little give he needed to have to end up with a clingy but happy Little. "I can make it myself," He seethed, his voice shaky with nausea. The dummy was so sick he couldn't even sound convincing.

"If you touch the stove, I'm going to put you in a diaper immediately, Jack," Adam told him casually as he cooked the sausage patties. "I'm going to put you in a diaper, and then I'm going to make you use it while I supervise."

"Fuck you, Adam. I-I won't eat or drink at all then," Jacob countered weakly. "You're— ugh, my head aches– I could pin you and have my way."

"Ah, but you won't!" Adam exclaimed jovially. "You wanna know why?" He caught his gaze over his shoulder and hummed at his glower. "Because I know that under all that independence and your hangover irritability, you must have known this was a very large possibility and you took the risk anyways. You know every time you're overly reckless I do this to you to reset you, and I think that sometimes you're hoping I might even catch you in the act. Like for example, coming home rather loudly and coming clean so quick. I love an honest man, but I didn't necessarily catch wind of it being just you getting it off your chest. You are asking me to yell at you for punishment knowing damn well I've never yelled at you a day in my life, and I probably won't ever because it messes with my sensory issues really badly. I don't even yell when you raise your voice at me." He paused, catching his breath as he analyzed Jacob's bullshit further and turned up the stove again. "I think you want to be punished like this, and while I do not consider this to be a punishment, I can admit that it brings me more satisfaction to see you trying to fight it knowing that as soon as Daddy comes over there to tell you to watch your fucking mouth when you speak to me, you'll already be turning back into my sweet little Jack."

"Chatty today," Jacob commented gruffly as he tugged his blanket onto his lap and slumped against the wall. "I really fucking doubt any of that."

He was surprised, Jacob was hardly ever a bratty little boy.

So Adam turned off the stove and started for him like he just might take a swing. Jacob tried to scramble away but he was already within Adam's grasp by the time he could get good footing being so miserable. Bright, delighted, dangerous eyes looked into his with a manic and playfully threatening aura that had Jacob frozen looking into them. "Watch your fucking mouth when you speak to me or so help me God I will spank your ass until my handprints are all over it and tie you up sitting down, hangover or not." Jacob tried to break his gaze but Adam glowered and leaned back into it, catching his chin. "You think I don't know people who can get me a high chair you'll fit in? You think I won't make you crawl and ignore you until you use baby talk? Do you know how many adult baby websites exist out there? We can take this to a completely different level you've never so much as pondered. I have completely taken away your ability to tell the difference between reality and whatever I want you to believe before, it's not hard. I really could, if I so chose, convince you that you need me for everything. You'll be pissing yourself and fussing for what you want just like a real baby."

Jacob shuffled shyly and dropped his head onto his blanket covered hands. "M'sorry, Daddy."

"There's my boy." Adam ruffled his hair gently, noting the dazed little blushing grin Jacob grew. He just loved when Adam described what he could do to him, he liked being reprimanded a little. "Get off the floor, baby. Lay down on the couch and nap off more of your hangover."

He gathered his blanket and fell asleep the second he hit the pillow. It was so cute Adam flexed his hands to battle the undying need to cuddle him instead of cook. That was his Little over there, not 20 feet away with his freckled cheek squished up against the pillow. He was so ashen, his tummy probably hurt. He needed cuddles and kisses and attention.

Adam was overwhelmed with adoration for the man all over again.

He sped up the cooking and made breakfast sandwiches; Jacob loved American breakfast food and he loved an old fashioned sausage, egg and cheese on a biscuit. Maybe Adam was trying too hard but he made it picturesque, it needed to be perfect before he could present it.

The oatmeal was ready too, and he poured some into a bowl with a joyful flush coming to his face. This was a very, very rare occasion that he got to Daddy his Jack this Little. He was stubborn, he was difficult to baby when he wanted to provide and clung to the masculine belief that he didn't need to be taken care of.

Which was bullshit.

Adam nearly dropped both the plate and the bowl when he found Jacob sucking on his bottom lip a bit, looking up at him with pure innocence. "That was a quick nap. Foods ready, then we go potty and take a real nap."

Jacob sat up clumsily and winced at the sun starting to shine through the window as it got closer to setting. "I don't want to take another kip. I want to cuddle."

Another massive, beautiful upside was that when Jacob was properly Little, he was full cockney Brit and it was so precious Adam had to set down the food and kiss all over his face. "Look at my boy," He cooed, a throb to his voice. "You're so cute. You can have whatever you want, baby. We can cuddle after food but in bed, okay?"

He nodded and reached for the sandwich. "I like these," He mumbled, taking a small bite and resting against Adam's chest while he ate.

Ugh, Adam was sure he'd spontaneously combust. He loved Little Jacob. For as long as he could remember after he'd discovered being trans and he'd hit adulthood, he'd wanted a Little of his own. Not for anything perverse, he just yearned to take care of someone with that deep personal connection and trust. Jacob hadn't gotten to be taken care of as a child, but in this regressed state as an adult, Adam got to help heal something inside of him that was still festering. "Is it yummy? Daddy was a tiny bit distracted because you're so cute."

The man giggled and pointed at the spoon in the oatmeal. Adam caught his gaze and then dropped it to look for the sandwich. "Did— Did you just eat that whole thing all by yourself?"

Jacob nodded and flashed his puppy dog eyes that practically made Adam his slave. "I'm still hungry."

Adam had to chuckle. When he himself got hungover he was nauseous the whole time, but Jacob would get spells of being absolutely starving.

He grabbed the bowl and tested the oatmeal's heat, then raised the spoon. "Let Daddy feed you, baby. I love taking care of you."

He blinked slowly and his cheeks filled with color as he smiled. "I love you too, Daddy."

Adam had to put the spoon down to put a hand over his heart he was sure was going to burst. "Ugh, sorry. Daddy is just so so so happy to have you home. I missed my baby." He held up the spoon again and Jacob placed both hands on his lap politely while he ate, staring at Adam with not a thought going through his head it seemed. He just appeared to be happy with being fed, happy to see Adam and be near him and that was it.

That was it. The fact that he could see it openly on his face that he loved him as a Daddy too would sometimes lead him to choke up and hide his tears so he wouldn't upset him.

Everything he did was bathed in purity, only occasionally needing a bit of minor redirection when he got into something he wasn't supposed to. Cuddling was always on the table especially with him being often sleepy and clingy, and Jack just got this sweet look on his face that Adam couldn't say no to. He observed the world through a child's eyes again but this time had safety. He rarely had an attitude, he was rarely a bratty or mouthy Little. Jack just wanted to be loved, he wanted to feel it and Adam could not begin to describe how much he did. Jacob being his Jack was the only time when he couldn't control the depth of emotion he felt.

When he was done Adam wiped at his face a bit and wiggled his fingers. "Can I carry you?" Jacob pulled his blanket up to his face, shy and resistant. "Please? Daddy just wants to carry you to bed and that's it. Up?"

He cocked his head and brushed his blanket over his cheek before raising his arms. "Up."

Carrying Jacob had literally never been an issue for Adam. Hell, he carried him over the threshold. Testosterone gave him drive, he worked out probably more than he should and was able to bench 195 on a good day, Jacob was only 160 from being malnourished as a kid and then building muscle once he wasn't. Jacob wrapped his legs around him and nuzzled into his neck as he walked them to the bedroom and sat him on the bed.

Adam got down on his knees to grab his hand and kiss it. "Baby."

Jacob turned a humiliated shade of red, shaking his head. "But Daddy!"

Adam just chuckled. "Jack..."

"You're going to embarrass me more," He giggled weakly. "You'll be smiling at me forever and I'll be roses all the time."

'Being roses' just meant he'd be as red as he was now, forever. That sounded awesome. So awesome that Adam leaned him back. "I promise not to ever tell anyone, I will not tease you about it even silently." He was kind of lying about the last part, and Jacob knew that past the headspace but he sighed with a rueful smile and let Adam diaper him up.

Adam only teased him about it because he liked to pretend he hadn't an idea what he was talking about. No matter how many times Adam expressed that it was okay to need one as a Little, Jacob would put his hands over his ears and be a textbook definition brat about it. As an adult.

He diapered him because Jacob sometimes would have an accident or two. He'd struggled to hold his bladder as a child as a result of the constant assault he dealt with, so it made perfect and reasonable sense that sometimes he might have a nightmare (which he tended to be more prone to like this) or not make it in time to the bathroom.

Adam pulled him up to his chest, pondering the very first time it had happened.

*

Jacob had been touring for nearly five months straight internationally with Adam tagging along and the second they got home, he locked the door and fell to his knees at Adam's feet. "Please, I need to be small."

Adam was startled but thrilled. "Whoa, usually it takes a lot more than that to get you to admit you wanna be Little. What's the matter?"

"I'm tired," He complained softly into Adam's shirt. "I missed home, I missed sleeping in our bed together. I don't want to think anymore. I'm socially drained and tired and—,"

The poor baby. He was so done he was just repeating himself and spiraling. Adam dropped to wipe the tears off of Jacob's face and used his softest tone to comfort him. "Oh, baby. Say no more. I have no plans and Daddy loves taking care of you, okay?" Jacob nodded miserably as more tears came and Adam kissed them away. "You never have to beg, you can be Little whenever you want, wherever you want, Jack. I'll always take care of you."

Jacob sniffled and buried his face in Adam's chest. "I'm sleepy, Daddy."

Adam scooped him up and brought him to their bedroom to redress him. "You're always sleepy, Jack," He teased to a little giggle. "Daddy's gonna put you in some pajamas cause we're not going anywhere anyways."

"They're called jimjams in my dialect," Jacob corrected emphatically.

Adam laughed and tugged off his shirt to replace it with a green one belonging to a set. It had colorful little dinosaurs on them that he often caught Jacob looking at and naming under his breath. It was absolutely ridiculous how smart he was, Adam knew one for sure and that was it. "Yeah? That's actually pretty cute, especially when you say it."

Jacob practically glowed at the praise and watched him tie up his bottoms. His smile dropped. "Wait."

They stared at each other for a second and Adam wondered what could possibly
go through his mind to make him look that anxious. "You okay?"

He brushed his blanket against his cheek and sighed. "Never mind, Daddy."

Later, Adam was grabbing a couple of pudding cups because he limited himself to having one only when Jacob was his little Jack since it was so seldom. Everyone said he was weird for the longest time because his favorite flavor of everything is vanilla. Then he'd met Jacob, who also happened to fancy the most basic flavor, so that was their bonding: vanilla pudding cups.

A heavy, horrified gasp made Adam drop everything and race to find his Little. The bathroom door was shut and he burst it open to find Jacob with his thumbs tucked in his pants like he had been about to pull them down with a puddle growing under him slowly stopping.

Jacob's face was blotchy with terror and embarrassment as he stared wide eyed at the toilet he had missed by a mere inch. Neither his adult self nor his Little self knew what to do. He seemed frozen, so Adam sighed his relief. "Thank the stars you're okay, you gave Daddy a heart attack. Alright—,"

Jacob blinked and turned to look at him, tears springing to his eyes. "It was an accident, I swear! Please, don't—"

"Whoa, whoa, baby, calm down!" Adam reassured, pulling him away from the toilet to start the shower and tug off his clothes. "I'm not mad or upset with you, nor am I easy to gross out. Part of being a Daddy is that stuff like this happens sometimes. I'm just happy that you're okay. Daddy's never ran so fast in his life." His heart was still racing a bit even as he explained to him.

Jacob sniffled and shivered at the water when he put him in and joined him so he turned it up. Only then did he realize he was actually trembling, and pale. When he moved to adjust the knob again, his eyes were locked on his hands hard.

Did...

Did Jack think Adam would hit him for that? Had it happened before?

Adam raised his hands toward him slowly and he cowered away. It broke his heart, but he couldn't let his Little be afraid of him. "Baby, please let Daddy hold you. I'm never, ever going to hurt you."

Jacob's lip quivered but he bravely let him hold his face as the water drenched them both and Adam stared at him with absolute devotion. He kissed his cheek over and over. "I love you."

"You promise?" He whimpered so quietly the rushing water almost drowned him out. "You don't think I'm stupid?"

Adam had to choke back his own tears. Never had he ever met a Little so afraid. He wanted to find Oliver and put him in the ground several times over. "Of course not." He sighed, hearing the ache in his voice. "You're perfect." Grabbing the bottle of body wash he washed him as cautiously as possible, hyper aware Jack might be regressing to a more traumatized form of Little Space. "I'm just going to diaper you when you get out, no big deal. Daddy always has some just in case."

Jacob sniffled harder and broke down. "I-I'm sorry, I know I'm supposed to be happy but I can't help it sometimes."

Adam paused and bit the inside of his cheek so he wouldn't break down too. He hugged him as warmly as he could, running his hands through the wet and stringy hair that had turned chestnut with the moisture. "You're not supposed to be anything but Little. I love taking care of you. I love to be able to take care of you completely. You're thinking Big thoughts and you don't need to."

He turned off the shower and plugged the faucet. Sure Jacob was clean but why not make him a bath he can relax and play in?

Jack lifted a foot like a scorned puppy, frowning in confusion. "Daddy, what are you doing?"

"Toddlers take baths," He explained, coaxing him to sit with gentle hands. "You're too little to take a shower." Adam pulled every trick out of the book and made Jack hold the eye contact as he knelt in front of him. "Do you hear me, Jack? You're too little to do anything but cling to Daddy and let him take care of you."

He let the tub fill to keep a steady white noise and continued to tell him that with an even and soothing tone.

Jacob was simply too small to do anything, Adam could do it.

If he wanted his blanket, Adam would grab it.

If he needed to go to the bathroom, why get up when he had a diaper? He was too little to use a toilet anyways, Daddy would be so nervous.

Why walk when Adam could just carry him where he wanted to go? And why go anywhere? There was nothing that he could need more than him after all, because he could do everything Jack couldn't and Adam needed him too.

He couldn't use cups, that's ridiculous. He needed sippy cups and bottles, and Adam would provide.

And heaven forbid he touch anything that could hurt him. He didn't know how to use any of it! No hands up on the counters where he could reach something not good for him. Little boys got into all kinds of trouble when they found things made for grown ups. No digging through drawers or disappearing from his sight, he might accidentally hurt himself and it would break Daddy's heart so badly.

Adam had to stop himself. Jack sighed a deep sigh of release, eyes growing unfocused as the water soothed him along with Adam's steady voice. "What's the matter baby?"

He just huffed a quiet sound and nuzzled into his hands. It was as if he hadn't asked a question at all despite him looking up at him with purely green eyes.

He smiled largely. "Poor baby doesn't understand a word I'm saying, huh? That's good, toddlers that are as little as you are don't need to understand. In fact, you're barely even considered a toddler. Daddy still has to do everything." He did have to make sure he understood some things though, so he ceased rubbing under his ear and tapped his lips. Jacob giggled at him and Adam chuckled at his obvious need to suckle on something. "Do you want some milk?"

He nodded and Adam grinned at the little masterpiece in front of him as he whispered, "I have an exceptional life."

*

When Jacob woke up, he seemed to be trying to break out of Little Space. "Ugh..."

Adam wasn't ready! He needed more time to indulge and only the day had passed. It was late in the evening so he checked his diaper and tsked like he was cross with him. "Shame on you for holding it. Let me help."

He knew where to press and Jacob tried to squirm away but he had no conviction, he was still hungover and needy. Thankfully the withdrawals seemed to have passed, he didn't seem as antsy. One hand went over his diaper and one lightly traveled over his lower stomach to confirm what he already knew. "Poor baby." Adam kept the eye contact just because he could, Jack could probably feel his adoration against his skin from the way he didn't break it either. "You have to go potty so bad. Just relax." Pressing firmly, he felt a trickle turn into a stream and Jacob went limp. He was far too tired to fight it when it's what he wanted. "Good job, I'm so proud!"

Jack's eyes slipped back shut with a smile, not quite asleep but dozing. They snuggled a while with Adam stroking over Jacob's head and singing soft lullabies about rain and the ocean.

"Daddy?"

Adam paused. "Yeah?"

He wiggled up to kiss his cheek, an achingly soft voice murmuring, "I quite fancy when you sing to me."

It was kind of strange how quickly Adam got flustered. His job as a ghost singer was to perfectly emulate others, sometimes he forgot what his own voice even sounded like. He picked up the song again, unable to even say thank you because of how hard he was blushing. What a wonderful way to fall in love again.

After the next few songs, Jacob started shifting, eyes fluttering back open as a look of upset crossed his face. Waking up could make him weepy, but it seemed that wasn't the problem.

Adam hopped up to change him and when he still seemed upset, he stood back to watch him carefully. He sat up, momentarily distracted by the crinkling of his pamper and lifting a hand over it to fiddle with a strap curiously. "Leave it alone, baby boy."

His hand dropped and he looked past him toward the kitchen. "Up."

Adam lifted him onto his hip and readjusted, making sure he had a firm hold. For his size he certainly wasn't heavy, so he spent a few seconds giving him kisses. It was actually really funny; Jacob got annoyed after a bit and started to fuss louder, like a real toddler that's in need of something would do.

He wandered into the kitchen and made a full lap, watching his face. His eyes stayed locked on the fridge so he opened it. Jacob tried to lean and Adam caught his drift. "No. You're too little to be in the fridge like that, you'll make a mess. Do you want milk?"

He didn't respond, but rested his head and Adam got a rewarding rush. His Little was just thirsty. It made plenty of sense. "I'm gonna sit you on the floor, I think you'd slip off the counter."

He grabbed a bottle for himself mostly, he just loved to bottle feed. It was intimate and safe, and Jacob needed that safety. It matched his pajamas and when he pointed that out, Jacob grinned a little as he rubbed his eyes.

Adam's heart ached. He'd warm it up, put a bit of honey and cinnamon in it, put some Benadryl in applesauce and the second it was drained (or possibly halfway through) Jacob would be out like a light. It had not failed even when he was fussing for reasons Adam couldn't know when it was often paired with being non-verbal.

Once again he felt his brain dumping the dopamine he'd been lacking that morning. His Jack would be okay, his husband just needed TLC and no responsibility.

Adam was more than happy to provide.