Start song: sugarcane by PUBLIC.

Tyler was nervous, he was feeling small and he really wanted something sweet. He was also feeling slightly awkward being that he was surrounded by twenty other sweaty guys who he'd definitely just beaten in the practice round they'd played.

His basketball was on his lap, frozen there by how tightly he'd wrapped his arms around it and he was thinking about how badly he wanted to color or get ice cream or suck on his thumb.

Gosh, he really wanted to suck his thumb or even better his pacifier, but his paci was at the bottom of his backpack hiding along with one of his smallest stuffed animals that Brendon had snuck in there just in case. Tyler was mad at first but he couldn't stay that way for long because he knew he'd be whining for a stuffie if he regressed.

His headspace was getting smaller as his coach talked about the future of the varsity and junior basketball teams. Tyler had been super nervous about it all week and the only thing that was calming him down was his tight grip on his lucky basketball.

It was after school. All the students who'd tried out for the team were forced to go down to the gym so they could find out if they got in, What position they'd be playing and get their assigned jerseys.

Tyler wasn't really paying attention and as much as he felt insecure regressing around twenty other dudes he couldn't help himself as he slipped into little space. He knew he could easily be big right now if he tried hard enough but he'd be out the doors soon enough and jumping into Dallon's truck and then he'd get to be as little as he wanted.

So he kept it together and pushed how anxious he really was to the side and focused on basketball and big kid things.

He loosely slumped himself over against the basketball sitting in his lap and pouted at his coach who was now reading off names for the junior team. They always came first. The junior team had always been quite good, he'd played on it a few times in his freshman year.

He rested his chin against his knuckles and cautiously brought his thumb to his mouth. He opted for chewing on his nail instead of sucking on skin because logistically he's got two other seniors he'd never seen in his life beside him and chewing his nails is a lot less weird than full on sucking his thumb.

He was sandwiched between them and he also had all of his old teammates just feet away and considering he wasn't being himself. Considering he wasn't outgoing and confident like usual, he was already drawing attention to himself.

He started paying attention again when his coach, coach Remy blew a bright red whistle causing a high pitched noise to ring in his ears. It caught Tyler's attention immediately and he practically jumped off the bench, earning gentle laughter from a few of the guys beside him. He joined in with nervous laughter but really he wanted to shush them. he quickly backtracked when realized that wasn't very big kid like.

He jumped in his seat again when his coach started shouting, but really he was just talking loudly. "Now you're all very skilled players but a team only holds twelve. I'd like to remind you that if you don't make it, you can come talk to me afterward and I'll see about getting you a spot on the junior team since we are still missing a few players." His voice echoed throughout the large gym annoyingly and Tyler was intimidated.

He felt like he was being yelled at so he pulled his hoodie closer.

"This is going to be a much more diverse team this year, meaning almost half of the old team has been replaced." Groans and murmurs filled the gym and Tyler stayed silent even when the boy beside him whispered a quiet "hell yes." To him.

He nervously picked at the logo on his basketball, staring down at his hands in focus.

"I'm sorry, but I chose the best players and although some of you were on the team last year it doesn't mean you get some type of advantage. If someone is better, they're better."

That Tyler could agree on, but that also scared him. He was still terrified he wouldn't make it. That doubt always settled in. Basketball was his whole life, his whole childhood and being on the team felt like a part of his identity.

He was really going to need his friends after this. They'd help him regress and calm down and he really needed that, he needed their reassuring words and hugs.

"Now, I don't want this to sound like favoritism but like every other year there's one kid that always impresses me." He looked down at this list in thought before pointing a finger at Tyler with a proud smile.

Tyler quickly glanced side to side before coming to the conclusion that yes, his coach was pointing at him and it was comfirmed when coach Remy spoke up.

"Tyler Joseph will be playing point guard and will once again be team captain" There was clapping as he spoke and Tyler was completely shocked, maybe due to the fact that he was regressing to the mental age of a five-year-old.

He mouthed the words "Oh my gosh really?" more to himself than anyone else.

His coach furrowed his eyebrows in confusion when Tyler made no effort to get up so he waved the brunet over, his white and red jersey in his hands.

Tyler got up quickly, waving at everyone on the benches with a goofy grin. He awkwardly held his basketball and shuffled over to grab his jersey seeing that his peers were looking at him weirdly. He needed to leave. His coach stopped him before he could though.

"You get better every year, I expect great things from you, Joseph." His coach whispered, patted his back and with a playful shove sent him off. Tyler stumbled forward just a bit but he got his balance back as he begun walking towards the main exit of the gym.

He left just as his coach begun listing off his future team mates.

*

The moment he was out of school, backpack on his back and all homework forgotten he was running to find Dallon's truck. It was hard to miss, as it was a bright red color.

Tyler had helped pick it out, Brendon had wanted blue but Tyler had kept insisting red and as it turns out Dallon agreed.

The plan for the day was to go over to Brendon's because his parents wouldn't be home. So naturally Brendon and Ashley would be in the truck too and although Tyler had seen them all throughout day, having classes with all three of them he felt needy and he missed them all.

Good thing it was Friday and after a stressful week he'd finally be able to fall into the comfort of little space, his friends all more then willing to care for him over the weekend.

Telling them about his regression had taken him months but when he did they all had a long chat about how he could come to them whenever he needed to be aged down and they'd take care of him. To say that was the best thing he'd ever heard would be an understatement. They all promised they'd take care of him and reassure him.

Tyler was incredibly insecure about his little space and knowing his friends wouldn't judge him and even told him they loved caring for him when he was little made him feel more comfortable and more at ease. He had the best friends he could ever ask for and he made sure to tell them that all the time.

He still longed for an actual caregiver but he'd take what he could.

The parking lot was mostly empty so it didn't take long for Tyler to spot his friend's truck. He could practically hear the music airing from the vehicle. He ran across the street quickly, happily waving at them with his jersey. Brendon saw him first, instantly smiling and raising his hand to call him over.

Tyler's eyes were blown wide and he was already a happy mess. He wasn't for sure little yet but he was getting there.

"Hey Brennie." He shouted as he got closer.

"Hi tiny. Oh my god you made it!" He exclaimed proudly glancing at the jersey in Tyler's hand. Tiny was a nickname that had always stuck, Tyler hated it when he wasn't in little space. He said it was stupid but everyone knew he secretly loved it, he'd just never admit it.

"Yep!" He giggled bashfully waving his jersey at Brendon once more to prove it, his other hand around the strap of his blue backpack. He moved closer to the passenger door, leaning a bit so he could see Dallon who had now taken interest as Brendon repetitively tapped his shoulder.

"Dallon he made it." Whined Brendon to his boyfriend. Dallon glanced over at Tyler, leaning over Brendon slightly to see him better and he instantly smiled, taking in Tyler's goofy grin. He looked so incredibly proud and happy and Dallon could easily see he was in little space.

"Good job Ty, I'm so proud. I had no doubt in my mind that you wouldn't be on the team."

"Thank you dal." He grinned and man he wanted to give his friends a hug. He glanced over through the window to the back seats to see Ashley who was on her phone. He quickly glanced back at Dallon.

"Hop on in." Dallon said, unlocking the doors.

Tyler nodded shyly and begun pulling on the handle to open the door to the back seats. He pouted when it didn't budge so he knocked on the glass, pulling Ashley away from her phone. She perked up, crawling over the seats.

She opened the door for him and automatically engulfed him a hug with a huge smile. He tumbled back a bit but she pulled him in closer. It was an awkward angle and she was nearly falling out of the car but she didn't care. "Knew you'd make it." She said by his ear. He giggled lightly as she kissed his cheek and he could feel himself getting smaller.

Out of everyone Ashley was a pro at ageing him down, she was a natural and sometimes she sent him into little space on accident. Dallon was the best at ageing him back up though, which Tyler was glad for because school was a dangerous place to be little in.

"No yadidnt." he giggled, lifting his leg into the car and pushing up with one of his hands in Ashley's for balance. He got into the truck fully, shutting the car door beside him and instantly  Ashley buckled his seat belt for him and placed his bag on the floor, along with his basketball.

"Oh I definitely knew." She smiled once more, settling into the seat beside Tyler and rebuckling her own seat belt. He giggled a bit as she struggled with it while Dallon started the engine and begun pulling out of his parking spot.

"Alright, we're getting ice cream to celebrate." Dallon shouted enthusiastically.

"Really!?" Tyler grinned, brown eyes gleaming of joy. He jumped in his seat a bit, his seat belt pulling at his chest. He smiled at Dallon through the rear-view mirror and Brendon smiled too as he reached to Hold Dallon's hand over the console.

Dallon was the oldest out of all of them and he was really the dad of the friend group.

"Definitely, You deserve it Ty. You worked super hard." Dallon glanced back from his seat, smiling at Tyler.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you." Giggled Tyler happily, Ashley looked up from her phone endearingly smiling at Tyler.

"You getting little Ty?" She mumbled in question, placing a gentle hand on his back. Gasping in shock when the truck hit a bump in the road.

"Maybe." He replied quietly, threading his fingers through his hair nervously. Was she gonna tell him not to? Was she gonna laugh at him? He was just waiting for one of his friends to tell him off for his little space on day.

"Don't hold back, we've got you. We'll watch Disney movies all night if you want to." She said easily, wrapping and arm around his shoulders reassuringly and Tyler sighed in relief before bursting into a new smile.

"Lion king?" He suggested and Ashley nodded.

"Finding nemo?"

"Wait, can we, can we watch inspector gadget!" He grinned and Ashley shook her head in laughter.

"Tiny, we're watching whatever you choose. We can watch all of those if you want." Brendon said from the passenger seat, looking back at Ashley and Tyler.

"Kay but ice cream first?"

"Yes. Ice cream first."

Tyler was happy.

*

Author's note:

Sorry this is sucky, I always find first chapters to be hard to write and I feel a bit pressured for this fic in particular from all of the attention it's already gotten in two days.

Hope this wasn't a disappointment .

Also Josh will come in
eventually, really soon.