~đŒđCaregiver Steve Harrington headcanons/shorts (Agere reader)đŒđ~
Authors note: Reader and Steve are not dating (yet, though it is a topic that comes up a few times) If you don't know what age regression is, feel free to google it. It's completely SFW and often a healthy way to deal with stress and trauma. Please keep comments and remarks appropriate. This post is strictly SFW!! I think this is gender neutral too! And now I feel like writing more about how this relationship could progress and in what way owo I was so soft for him writing this, he is an endless source of Caregiver ideas.
!! Credits for this alphabet goes to @vocalsynthagere !!
-You regress anywhere between 1-12. You switch up sometimes. I feel like Steve would be a good Caregiver no matter what age you regress to though. Maybe he's a bit better with ages 5 and up, since he has more experience with actual kids than babies, but honestly. He's just a dream dad.
-Steve 100% calls you a million cute things. Sweetheart, babygirl/boy, little one, lovey. Whatever comes to mind and he's in the mood for really. I think eventually 'Lovey' would stick as the most frequent one though. Also cute and abbreviated versions of your name. Steve refers to himself mostly as daddy and it makes him feel way too proud, cocky grin plastered onto his face. 'Dada' is how you usually call out to him and it gives him cuteness aggression. He'll shower you with continuous firm kisses to your forehead, all while squishing your cheeks before he even listens to what you need from him.
-Age regression is initially something you parttake in alone. You are very knowledgeable on it and do it consciously, but you've never really had the guts to look for a caregiver or get much gear. You're also quite unsure how to approach the subject with anyone, so you sort of just accept that you're always gonna be more or less responsible for yourself. But when you meet Steve, and you see him with the kids in the mall, you can't deny it makes you feel a certain way on the inside. He's just so natural, also not afraid to be stern when it's necessary and on more than one occasion when he raises his voice it makes your little heart jump. You try your best to keep a clear head though, shaking it off. But from that day onward you secretly start to mull on the possibility of Steve as your Caregiver. He becomes your caregiver in your mind way before he's ever introduced to it for real. A little secret you swear to take to your grave.
-When you regress, you become all cute and shy. You're definitely an introverted baby and need Steve to be your guiding hand sometimes. You're also kind of a scaredy cat which is probably funny since you deal with actual monsters and scary stuff on the daily in real life. I headcanon you get roped in with the party around s3, meeting Steve during his Scoops era, so you'd have been around for the whole Flesh monster arc. Maybe being scared when you're little is just your way of expressing these feelings. In a space that is more controlled and safe and doesn't impact any of the others. 'It's okay, Sweetheart. The scary monsters can't get to us now.' He loathes to admit that hearing himself say those words in this context brings him as much comfort as it does you.
-You're quite a sleepy baby and are most likely to regress when you're tired either way. You get all quiet and sluggish, and start to lean into Steve's arm. He catches the signs immediately, he'll pull you in his lap and give you your pacifier. 'Alright lovey? Need some naptime with daddy Steve?' You're passed out in under 5 minutes to the sound of his soft humming and the gentle way he sways your body. He knows that little time is usually nap time for you first and foremost, and that eventually when you wake up, you'll have the energy to play a little.
-After you have fantasised about Steve as your Caregiver for a solid while, the moment he actually walks into that part of your life comes completely unexpected. You, Jonathan, Nancy, Steve and Robin had been hanging out at your place. Once they all left, all the conversations and mumbling about the Upside down left you feeling exhausted and restless, so you got your favourite teddy bear from your bedroom, put on something cute and comfy and plopped down in front of the TV with your favourite Disney movie. You had begrudgingly prepared your own juice, thinking once again how much easier and liberating it would be if only you had a caregiver to do these things for you. Immediately Steve came back to mind. You put your pacifier gently in between your teeth, sat back up with a sigh and... found yourself face to face with the man himself. You could tell he'd come in through the backdoor and vaguely heard yourself saying; 'You can honestly just come in through the backdoor if you ever need to. It's not like I have anything to hide.' in a distant past. You didn't know how to respond, Steve also at a slight loss for words as he eventually went; 'S... sorry, we were talking a while out front and I realised I forgot my car keys...' He pointed over his shoulder, roughly at where his car would be parked, but his eyes curiously scanned everything you had set up for yourself in the mean time. You dropped the pacifier in your lap and just hid behind your hands dying from embarrassment. You didn't know you could feel that flustered and vulnerable in front of anybody, until that day. Steve was reassuring, and he listened to what you had to say about it, sitting down on the coffee table in front of the TV and nodding along as you talked. He resonated alot with your needing a way to vent all the stress from past events and current things happening around you. He felt that quite a bit for himself too, not having had the best home situation and being roped in with the Upside down business even way longer than you had been by then. Eventually the room went quiet and you sadly looked down into your lap. That was when Steve surprised you. 'Well... Don't worry your pretty little head about it.' He picked up the pacifier and put it in between your lips, that simple motion instantly making you feel all small and safe. 'Just let it go for tonight. I'll keep an eye out.' And from then on he always did.
-You don't have much on hand originally. Just some cute Pj's, some plushies and an old and overused pacifier. But once Steve becomes your 'Dada' it doesn't take long for your room to be gradually filled with stuff. He brings you back something new every session. You meet about twice a week, both craving the escape of respectively being small and carefree, and temporarily taking on a parental role and forgetting about any other expectations.
-Usually you regress in your living room or bedroom alone. But once Steve gets on board with it your literal little space expands. It happens once on accident while you're over at his place and he just whisks you into his arms bridal style, bringing you up into his bedroom. Little you seems a bit wary of the new surroundings at first but he puts you in one of his oversized (at least on you) sweaters and wraps his bedsheets all around you. You quickly adapt in your cocoon, though Steve's room may not be the most fun or stimulating place to be for a little you. He takes note of that as well that day. It's just that Steve never really had anything that made his room... his before. But that starts to change. His personality-less bed gets accentuated by a tiny blanky of yours, and you're adamant the bedsheets need to be green! His desk slowly gets adorned by stickers, hairclips, one of your two pacifiers and other toys... Steve, who had always been a bit lost and more reserved about his passion and goals in life, slowly lets it bleed into his surroundings because of you. He wants to be a dad. It's not that you made him realise this, more so that you made him self aware and finally dare to let some of it out.
-Usually your age regression is planned. You meet up with Steve and take it from there. But sometimes it can hit you at an unexpected moment. Like when Hopper raises his voice too loud. Or when it gets stressful and it's unsure if one of the party members is safe or not. When you get like that in public you'll slink your hand around his wrist, eventually moving to just hold onto his thumb. Steve is so tuned into it, he notices it immediately and turns to you, his body easily and subtly blocking you from sight. 'Alright, lovey? This isn't the time or place for you to go all cute on me, but I got you, 'kay? Be good and stay with us a little bit longer and then once we're home you can have your bottle and nappies.' You let out a soft whine but a firm kiss against your forehead (his hand on the back of your head safely holding you to him) seals the promise, and you do your best. Needless to say people think you two are dating way before or regardless of whether this ever becomes a fact.
-Steve notices on one or two occassions that you tend to slip into your Little space faster when he's driving you home in his car. At first he assumes it's because of the low hum and movement. It seems to make you absent minded and sleepy and by the time he gets you home you're usually all cute and cosy. He asks you about it once though and to his surprise you fervently shake your head with a slight blush on your cheeks. 'Nu-uh, smusic!' You cheer from behind your pacifier. It makes him cock his head to the side, but little you sets out on adventure to your room, where you toss him a little casette tape that has 'Daddy's mix' written on the side. He gives you a questioning look but then something clicks in his mind. 'Oh, it's my music?!' You clap your hands and happily nod your head, hopping up and down in excitement. It makes him feel all warm and fuzzy inside. 'Okay, but... You know, if you wanted my casette's, I could've always just given one to you...' You grab the casette from his hand with a panicked look in your eyes and firmly press it against you chest. You made it yourself after all and it's a selection of your favourite songs out of all of his favourite songs. It makes him chuckle, and he lets you keep it, thinking it was adorable that it was so dear to you. Later that day you sit on the couch, head burried in your hands, cheeks flushed bright red as Steve runs a comforting hand over your back. 'I think it's cute, really.' He tries to reassure you, but you just groan in misery. Little you really was a snitch sometimes. 'The songs you play in your car remind me of you is all... It helps me-' 'Become all cute and baby?' You groan again, burying your face against his leg instead. Sometimes he really was unfair. Steve just revels in the fact that he's important enough to you that you'd make your own cassette's for this purpose.
-Little you is more of an indoors baby since outside everything is so loud and pretty scary. You don't like arcades, you don't like playgrounds, you don't even like the mall when you're little, so for a while Steve is at a bit of a loss about how to get you out of the house in a way that you can actually enjoy. Picnics is eventually what you end up compromising on. He'll prepare some nice snacks and takes you to either the park, or some random more quiet place out in nature. You do struggle a bit getting your mind into it outside of the safe confines of his or your room. But with Steve by your side, tucking you hair behind your ear, pinching your nose and tickling your sides, you don't really stand a chance. At first you do worry about running into people you know, and how you would handle those situations if they occured, but once again dad Steve comes to the rescue. He'll pull you in all close and tuck your head under his chin. 'We're just enjoying the sun, miss Byers.' He does it so naturally, a big hand on your lower back, and you don't even have to lift a finger or get out of your little space. He always makes you feel so normal despite blowing off steam in a bit of an 'abnormal' way.
-You generally fear just about everything when you're small. Cowering behind Steve is basically your MO. Be it on TV or in real life, anything loud has you jumping and diving behind your 'Dada'. Steve finds this adorable and can totally see where it's coming from, but he still works hard to make sure you learn and grow even while regressing. He whispers reassurances. 'I know, lovey, I know. You don't like loud, but look... it's just a tense scene, and look how bravely the fox is handling it? Don't you wanna stay with him to support him?' He coaxes you out from behind his back and warily you agree to sitting in his lap again. Steve's heart break a little when he sees you like this because he knows it's 90% Upside down trauma. At least you're not alone in it though. One day you open up a bit more and tell him about it when you're small. Or well... at least try to, since you had limited vocabulary at the time. 'Monsters scawy. They huwt wou 'n me. N auntie Robby, 'n Dusty, 'n Hops.' He shushes you and gently bounces you on his leg. 'Sh, no they won't hurt us cuz Dada will protect us. And Robin, Dustin and Hopper as well.' Steve has long since turning 18 been brave and protective of those around him. Always doing the most with little to no recognition, or no one asking him if he's okay or how he's handling it. But you allowing him to voice this and seeing how you rely on it makes him feel oddly seen. Being your Caregiver really is as much a safespace for him as it is yours. 'Wou keep safe. Aways?' 'Yes, baby, I keep us all safe and... you keep me safe.' It wasn't a question but a statement. He blushes, feeling a new sense of closeness as you press a gentle kiss to his forehead. 'I protecc Dada too.' It warms his heart to see you try and be just a little bit braver from that day onward.
-You have alot of your old baby stuff still in a box on the attic somewhere, but that has long since been forgotten. The only thing you still carry around from your early childhood is a worn down dragon plushie. You recall your parents told you some 'aunt and uncle' gave it to you when you were born, but you were too young to realise who these people were back then, and too old now to remember the names your parents told you. It doesn't matter, Mr. Dragon has been your companion since day 1, even if he does look a bit worse for wear, and he's never far off when you regress with Steve either. You introduce Steve to him anxiously, more so because you don't want Mr. dragon to get hurt, and he definitely needs a gentle hand at his age, which worries you. Despite being big and sometimes stronger than he can remember, Steve handles anything Little you gives him with great care though. And you didn't think you could love Mr. Dragon any more, but that was until Steve keeps it in his bed and it starts to smell like him too. You come into his room and there it is, all curled up nicely on top of Steve's pillow. 'He protects the house while we're out.' He says, with a silly smile, like it's self explanatory. And you, not even in a regressed state of mind yet, shake your head in disbelief, turning to give him a grateful kiss to his cheek. 'You are unbelievable, Harrington.' This is when you start spending basically every night at his house. Age regression times increase from twice a weak to a nearly daily occurance.
-Steve is quite physical with you when you regress. He loves to pinch you, play with your hair, and push you down on the couch or bed and become a mean mean tickle monster. When he gets to play with you Steve is reminded of and comforted by a million things. The fact that he always wanted a younger sibling, and the fact that he was put on this wretched earth to become a dad. He laughs in a way you've never seen him laugh before, all his guards down, cuz no one is there to see him or judge him but you. And he comes to trust you a great deal over the course of that year. He gets really silly and honestly completely forgets you're actually a grown functioning adult too. He plays peek-a-boo with you (having way too much fun), picks you up and puts you in his neck (with so much ease even), or tucks you under his arm and carries you like a pillow while you fight tooth and nail to avoid being made to take a bath. Steve never gets embarassed or self conscious about anything in front of you and it even makes you marvel a little bit. For a guy who was so showy, and handled everything so privately for the majority of his life, seeing him let loose like this resonates with you. Even if you are a bit shy or apprehensive at first, it's Steve who gets you to come out of your shell, by giving this Caregiver thing his 200% so naturally.
-Steve is quite the worrywart and a busybody. He is often doing a million things at the same time and he has a habit of putting your pacifier in between his teeth when he needs to free up his hands. This never fails to make you laugh cuz it just looks so silly on him. Likewise, when he's cleaning and running around the house, he puts stuff on his person temporarily and later forgets to remove it. He slips your bottle into his back pocket, he shoves your hairclips into his fringe in a hurry, your cute handmade bracelets go around his wrist. Then, when he goes out into town later, he gets a ton of weird looks. Only realising he has pink and blue stars in his hair when he catches his reflection in a shop window. The bottle would raises some questions as well, but honestly at this point you two are in so deep, you have been perceived as dating for over a year now. It's natural for you to start thinking about kids (at least from other people's pov's), and Steve just mumbles politely when he is addressed about it. He's aware that at some point, you two are going to have to talk more about the nature of your relationship and how you wanna present it or explain to the world outside, but something inside of him is just putting this off eternally. He sees you respond similarly to their questions and statements, so he reckons all is good. He's just afraid that something will have to change when either of you voices it, so he doesn't. You seem to be of a similar mindset.
-Other than Steve, no one in your family or friends circle really knows you like age regressing. You usually just come off as someone who likes cute and childish things instead. Maybe Robin has a hunch, but she isn't a stranger to being part of a taboo (at this point) community either, so she would never confront you two about it. She would talk about it naturally to Steve though, sort of catching his vibe, unsure what the nature of your relationship is, but coming to understand and realise that it's 'different' and that it's a high priority in his life. 'You can't join us tonight, can you? You looking after Y/n?' The way she puts it gives Steve the sentiment that she sorta sees through the whole 'we're dating' facade. 'Yeah, Thursdays are movie nights, I still need to think on which one to take home though.' He finds himself responding to her quite openly in turn. Robin smirks and pulls a candybar out, before slinging her bag over her shoulder. 'Here, send them my regards. And don't pick Bambi! It'll make them cry!' The door to Family video shuts as the bell jingles and Steve remains standing in a bit of a stupor. In the end, he feels he doesn't need to explain anything to Robin, ever. She just gets him.
-You love to munch on ice cream when you're small because it reminds you of Steve, your safespace at this point in life. You'll be nagging him for ice cream even in the middle of winter and it makes him shake his head with a smile. Other than that you really are simple to read. Boppers, Kfc... When you are little Steve's favourites become your favourites. Just like his favourite music has long since been a sure fire way for you to regress. Steve just equals baby mindset and baby mindset equals all things Steve. He never thinks you're too much for it either. It just makes him really happy that he holds the highest priority in your baby mindset. You're very unapologetic about it too, that is until you go back to normal day to day life and you become super self conscious about. 'I swear I'm not usually this obsessed with you.' And it's true, you hadn't been. 'No worries, lovey, I think you're adorable when all you can think about is Dada Steve.' He pinches your cheek and you whine. 'Don't start that...'
-You don't usually like to play with toys alot. Plasticky shiny stuff doesn't really bring you much joy to begin with. You much more prefer physical activities. Such as playing hairdresser on Steve (his hair is a dream), making stuff with your own hands (little artworks that end up on display on his desk) or even finger painting and baking under supervision (read, Steve bakes and you make a mess.) The house wouldn't be littered with toys, but instead coloring books and Play-doh figures would be spread out on nearly every surface after you had a particularly long regression.
-When you regress, be it on purpose or on accident, you 100% need Steve to take over for you in all aspects. This is 100% his own fault too cuz he is the one who really came for it once he was introduced to your unique past time. Sometimes you get a bit insecure about being around him 24/7. Like maybe he rather head out more with his friends, or maybe it's annoying he always has to think for the two of you, but he just shrugs and rustles your hair. 'As far as I'm considered you're my child, and having a child is a 24/7 job. I know what I'm doin', don't worry about it.' To Steve everything feels perfectly balanced, and he wants to safekeep what you two have.
-Sometimes when you feel low and you regress, you'll go to hide under Steve's bed. The first time you do this it gives him half a panic attack and he runs around the house saying your name and getting himself all worried. Until he finds you, and he kneels down to get on your level. His fringe flopping cutely to the other side. 'What got you all sads, lovely? Wanna come out and tell Dada Steve?' You have a hard time remaining sad at all when you see the playful way his hair tries to defy gravity. '5?' You squeak, a little smile already forming behind your pacifier and plushie. Steve sighs, but he respects your boundary. 'Alright, 5 minutes, and then I want you in my lap and it's time to cheer you up.' You honor the agreement. 'Under Steve's bed' becomes sort of a safe space within a safe space. It's where you can go if you just need a little time away from literally everything. I don't see this happening often, but maybe a bit more later down the line. When big you and little you start to get confused about what it is you actually feel for your Steve.
-Your love and appreciation for Steve is plastered all over the house. Drawings on the fridge, little illegible notes he finds when you've already headed off to work, little artworks on the living room coffee table. He doesn't bother hiding those away either when people come over. It's mostly just Robin anyway and she hasn't questioned it for a long time now. Steve has always been pretty lonely, and someone who goes out to others rather than inviting others in. It really is just your and his personal bubble in there and it suits him just fine.
-You don't use a diaper but you have ways of letting Steve know when you need to go. You never really get embarrassed about it, you just get all wiggly and whiny. He'll pick you up toddler style (so easily it makes you squeak a bit in excitement every time) and drops you off at the bathroom door. He always leaves the door immediately after until he hears your shouting down the stairs when you're done. Like he left you on some random corner of the street and booked a flight to Japan or something. He thinks this dramatic side of yours is quite cute and runs up to pick you up and playfully lift you above his head (cuteness aggression). On more than one occassion you end up hitting your head on the doorframe and it results in a very regretful Steve, sitting you down in his lap while you screech his ears off, tears rolling down your cheeks. 'Daddy's sorry, okay? He doesn't always think straight when you're acting all adorable?' He yammers, probably also quite close to crying, or something like it at least. He lets you tug on his hair a bit to vent some of your frustrations. His cuteness aggression definitely has a tendency to get the better of him, but he always kisses your ouchies and never stops apologizing until he sees somewhat of a smile returning to your face.
-You're not really a pet regressor, but when you do play animal you play dragon. Quite comical in Steve's opinion since you're usually so afraid of anything loud and big. He reckons it's probably due to Mr. Dragon being such a reliable companion to you though. He struggles a bit more to look after you when you're particularly persistent to only communicate in roars. Putting his hands on his hips (iconic pose) and sighing. 'Honey, I don't know what you want if all you do is roar at me...' You run up the stairs and haul up in his room. 'I fwy!' You sit on his bed as if it's your nest and you'll hoard little trinkets behind his back when you think he isn't looking. He finds it adorable how obvious you are and swears he'll tame this wild little dragon if it's the last thing he does.
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