Requested by: @pinkloverdream
A few low animalistic sounds come from Eberwolf as he faced Darius, he asked Darius if he was ready to go to bed. Darius had a long day, playing around with his small, orange, and furry caregiver. From abomination goo to fur clumps, regressing with Eberwolf was great fun. Normally Darius would’ve answered no, that he wasn’t tired. That he’d stay up all night and watch cartoons and sneak snacks if he could, but he was well tuckered and tired.
It was a long day of Darius staying with Eberwolf and toddling behind him, the little gooey kid could hardly keep up with the excitement of his caregiver who seemed to have puppy energy. From games to snack time, to just babbling together, the two were inseparable. Though, Darius had to admit he felt slightly closer to his stuffed rabbit, Bunny. He knew Bunny couldn’t talk and that it couldn’t do the many things he was grateful to Eberwolf and Raine, plus the various other stand in caregivers of his doing. However, Bunny was special to Darius. It offered quiet and simple comfort, which was sometimes just what he needed.
“Mhm, ‘m tired Eber. You know a lot about the beasts of isles though..,” replied Darius, sitting in bed.
Darius had his other regression items out, his comfortable abomination pajamas, his pacifier, his blanket, the crystal ball set up playing quiet witch cartoons. Only, something was missing.
Low animal sounds followed, ‘We did a lot today. Are you comfy?’
“Yeah, but uh..where’s Bunny?”
Growl, ‘don’t you have him?’
Darius glanced around, not panicked but slightly concerned.
“No, he was right here. Eber! Did you take him? Give him back, he’s not a chew toy!”
Murmur, mumble, ‘calm down, I know how much Bunny means to you. I wouldn’t do that’
“Then where is he?” Darius hopped out of bed, moving pillows and his blankets.
Growl, ‘Darius, look at me. Take your paci. We’ll find him’
Darius took a breath and nodded, taking his pacifier. Now, Darius wouldn’t describe himself as clingy or attached to people or items, but he had an affliction with Bunny. Y’see, Darius had been in the covens for a while and got to understand how somethings Belos did worked. He saw all the guards and grim walkers. Not all of them came out ‘right’ or as children, like Hunter did. Darius was raised to believe the covens were great and that it was the end all, be all. But his mentor, convinced him otherwise. Darius’s mentor, a man that looked much like Hunter was a grim walker. The man was uptight, scholarly, and a fighter—the man who took Darius under his wing in the covens.
The man grew rather fond of Darius and they would talk, about their home life, the feature, the system of the covens, and what could be. While Darius was figuring out himself and his experiences with age regression, the man gifted him the rabbit. It was a quiet and thoughtless act, but it stuck with Darius. It was important to him. Though the two never discussed Darius’s more child-like moments, there became a silent and caring understanding and atmosphere between the two. That was, until the man vanished and Darius was crushed.
Though Darius couldn’t remember the man’s name, how he used to speak, or how he looked—he thought that he saw a lot of him in Hunter. It sometimes made him want to be the mentor Hunter never had. But the impact of the small gift left the warmth and care of what could have been with Darius, and he treasured it. So Darius always knew where Bunny was even if he couldn’t see him. It was his choice and sometimes he regretted it.
Now Eberwolf, the wild, toothy, sweet caregiver didn’t have any of this knowledge. All he knew was that Bunny was important to Darius, although that’s not how Darius would describe it. If Darius was regressed, Bunny was always with him. Sure there were moments were Darius would put the stuffed animal aside, like during baths or going to the bathroom, or even accidentally kicking the toy off the bed, but he always grabbed him after and made sure he knew he was loved. Eberwolf thought it was real sweet for a guy who was usually up tight and petty.
Murmur, murmur, ‘you did have a bath after we played with some of your goo, did you check the bathroom?’
Eberwolf scampered to check the ensuite. Glancing around the tub, in the cabinets, and over the sink..nothing.
Darius fiddled with his pacifier, he couldn’t bring himself to use it. His regression felt slightly weird to him without Bunny.
“Was he there?” Darius asked
“We hafta find him Eber..”
Growl, ‘I know, where else did we go today?’
Murmur, mumble, ‘it’s kinda dark out there, are you sure you wanna check there?’
“Eber, Bunny could be out there. We gotsa bring him back..”
Murmur, ‘but it’s dark. Can’t we look for him in the morning?’
“Please Eber..I want Bunny”
Eberwolf had never seen Darius so earnest and so well meaning, he thought of the little purple rabbit as a toy but could tell it meant more to Darius and he didn’t want him sad. He obliged.
Going down the steps, careful not to disturb the guards, they search the courtyard. The bushes, training area and long grass turned up nothing. Even the mini abomination soldiers and Eberwolf’s scent tracking didn’t bring Bunny.
Eberwolf shook his head and murmured, ‘no good, he’s not here’
Darius slumped, slightly upset snd disappointed. This was different from his tantrums and involuntary regression, Darius truly wanted nothing more than to find Bunny or for Eberwolf to tell him that it was okay and that they would find him.
“Search a lil’ more? I gotsa have Bunny for bed..” Darius begged
Murmur, mumble, murmur, ‘We searched Dee. We can try tomorrow. But you’re regressed and it’s getting late, we need to get you to bed’
Darius let himself be led back to his room and tucked into bed by his canine companion.
Murmur, ‘I’m sorry Dee, we’ll look again. First thing, I promise’
“Okay..Eber? What’s that?”
Darius sat up and pointed. “That purple thing under the bean bag”
Eberwolf followed Darius’s sight and saw something fuzzy. He pulled it up and it was..
“Bunny!” squeaked Darius, almost bum rushing out of bed.
Eberwolf gladly handed over the fuzzy, worn, purple rabbit. Darius hugged and cuddled the stuffed animal as close to himself as he could. He felt so much better. Everything was okay and right for him now.
Eberwolf curled beside Darius and murmured, ‘guess he must’ve slipped when we sat on the bean bags when we were reading together’
“I’m jus’ so glad we found him Eber. He’s so special to me..”
Murmur, ‘I see, Bunny’s a good little rabbit. Always exploring under the bed and under the bean bags’
“I was so afraid he was lost..”
“Night Eber..night Bunny..” the witch relented, yawning as he held his Bunny, that held not only his regression but his comfort and history with him.
The light in the witch’s room was dimmed and they all settled in for a cuddly night.
