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Charlotte kicked up her recliner, settling in as she flicked through TV channels, looking for something simple to entertain her until Cordelia got home. She didn’t quite know when Cordelia would be done working that day since she was catering for a rather hectic event, but Charlotte was happy to wait as long as she needed to. She was just starting a long weekend off of work where she was guaranteed to not be called into the hospital, and she was enjoying any stress-free time that she could get.
Charlotte eventually landed on some reality show she’d seen a couple episodes of before and was just letting it play when she heard the door to the apartment open.
“Hey, honey,” she called out, still half invested in her show. But when there was no response, just the sound of Cordelia’s heels being kicked onto the floor and her bag being set down, Charlotte rose from her recliner and turned to look into the hall. Cordelia’s eyes were facing the floor, and she tottered towards the living room, sniffling and rubbing her face.
Charlotte ran up to Cordelia and embraced her, letting her rest her head on Charlotte’s shoulder. “Oh darling, what’s wrong?” Charlotte asked, starting to gently rub Cordelia’s back.
Cordelia sniffled loudly. “I really thought that this event was going to go better than the last one, I mean I asked Trina to give me some of her recipes and everything, but maybe making Jewish food just isn’t my calling. Trina always cooks up these wonderful meals every time we’re at her house, but I can barely make a latke without burning it!” she exclaimed, her voice high and broken from crying.
Charlotte gently pulled back and held Cordelia’s face in her hands, lightly smoothing her hair away from her teary eyes. “You’re a brilliant cook, sweetie, and with a bit of practice you’ll be a brilliant kosher cook too, serving everyone matzah at Passover like it’s the easiest thing in the world, I just know it!”
Cordelia gave her a small smile and nodded, going to wipe her eyes. Charlotte always knew exactly what to say when Cordelia’s emotions got the best of her, using her level-headedness to encourage her girlfriend out of her most difficult moments. Cordelia tried not to get so stuck in her own head when things got too overwhelming, but sometimes she needed Charlotte to help her look at her issues from a different perspective.
Charlotte took Cordelia’s hands and led her to the couch, plopping down on it and offering her arms out to Cordelia for her to cuddle into. Cordelia settled into Charlotte’s side with a small ‘mmph’ and pulled her legs to her chest to feel as snuggly as possible.
“Do you want me to turn this off?” Charlotte asked, gesturing to the TV with the remote in hand. Cordelia nodded softly in response, going to grab Charlotte’s other hand and grasp it tightly. After shutting off the TV and putting the remote back down, Charlotte turned back to Cordelia to see that she had her thumb in her mouth and was now gently swinging Charlotte’s hand in her free one.
“Are you feeling little?” Charlotte continued to swing Cordelia’s hand with her own, trying to encourage a response out of her. Once again, Cordelia just nodded, her nonverbal state letting onto how small she was truly feeling.
Charlotte smiled at Cordelia and pulled her in closer, rubbing her back and peppering her hair with kisses. “How old are you right now, my sweet girl?” she asked, lightly squeezing Cordelia’s waist. Cordelia wiggled slightly and let out a small giggle, both at the pet name and the squeeze. She then thought for a second, pulling her hand away from her mouth to put up two fingers. Then she put up one finger. Then back to two. After a second, she put her thumb back to her mouth and just shook her head.
“You don’t know?”
Cordelia nodded in agreement and rocked back and forth a little, embarrassed that she couldn't answer.
Charlotte just squeezed her again and told her, “That’s alright, darling. Would a bottle make you feel any better right now?”
Cordelia perked up at that, nodding so much that she bounced. Charlotte chuckled and gently peeled Cordelia off of her to stand up, but Cordelia tugged at the hem of Charlotte’s shirt before she could leave. When Charlotte turned back to see what she needed, Cordelia lifted up her arms and flexed her hands.
“You want to come with me?” Charlotte asked, though she already knew the answer. Cordelia enthusiastically nodded again.
Charlotte chuckled and overdramatically responded, “Well, I guess I could take you with me. And I’ll pick you up since a little baby like you can’t go by herself.” There’s no malice in her tone, she just knew how much Cordelia appreciated being told she’s too little to do things on her own when she’s regressed.
Cordelia giggled and made ‘uppie’ arms again, and Charlotte picked her up and sat her on one of her hips, holding her with both arms. Charlotte is a bit shorter than Cordelia, but years of being a doctor and occasionally babying her girlfriend in this way has made it so Charlotte now has the strength to pick up Cordelia without too much struggle. It makes Cordelia beyond happy to be carried by Charlotte, feeling so little and pampered.
Charlotte walked them towards the kitchen but passed through it, going to their bedroom instead. Cordelia lightly patted Charlotte’s chest to get her attention and made a pouty noise.
“Let’s get you out of your big girl clothes and into some jammies before your bottle, alright?” Charlotte offered, though it was more of a command since she was already setting Cordelia on their bed and grabbing a onesie for her from her little supplies. Cordelia nodded but impatiently swung her legs back and forth while she waited for Charlotte.
After getting a couple of things from Cordelia’s designated box of baby stuff that lives in their closet, Charlotte approached Cordelia and set down the onesie she picked out next to her. It’s light pink with little rainbows all over it, something Charlotte had bought for Cordelia when she had first opened up about her age regression.
Charlotte also placed Cordelia’s favorite stuffed bunny, Miss Doodle, down to her other side and held up a pacifier. “Do you want this while you wait for your bottle?”
Cordelia nodded and stuck her hand out to take the pacifier, retrieving it and starting to suck happily. Once she was situated with her pacifier, she lightly smacked the onesie with a loose fist, looking up at Charlotte.
“Alright my impatient girl, let’s get you changed.”
Cordelia made a pleased noise and started trying to fiddle with the zipper on the back of her dress, but couldn't quite get it.
“Let me help you with that, sweetie. A baby like you can’t do all of this by herself,” Charlotte offered, having Cordelia stand up so she can pull down the zipper. She aided Cordelia in getting out of her dress and then zipping her into her onesie, kissing her cheek and telling her what a sweet baby girl she was along the way.
Once Cordelia was in her comfy jammies with her pacifier and clutching Miss Doodle, Charlotte picked her up again and carried her into the kitchen, letting her sit on the counter as she fixed a bottle.
“I can’t hold you while I make your bottle, but I’ll be right in the kitchen with you, alright?” Charlotte told Cordelia, planting a kiss on her forehead after she set her down. Cordelia made a noise behind her pacifier that Charlotte assumed was of agreement because she thankfully didn’t pout or try to get off the counter.
Charlotte got started on Cordelia’s bottle, warming up some milk for a short amount of time in the microwave, then mixing in some honey and nutmeg to make it extra tasty for her baby. She made sure to briefly stop what she was doing every minute or so to squeeze Cordelia’s hand or pet her hair or something in that vein, knowing how much attention and affection she craves when she’s little.
Cordelia’s bottle was eventually finished when Charlotte deemed the milk still warm but cooled down enough to be transferred into an actual bottle. She once again picked up Cordelia, barely able to carry her at this point but successfully transporting her to the couch before (gently) dumping her on it. Charlotte took a deep breath and small stretch break before settling down to help Cordelia with her bottle, her muscles tired from carrying the little one around the house.
Charlotte sat on the couch and beckoned Cordelia over to snuggle up. Cordelia sat in her lap, head cradled against her chest, and Charlotte took her pacifier out and set it on a side table.
“Let me do it, honey,” Charlotte offered when Cordelia made grabby hands for her bottle, eager to start drinking it. Charlotte held the bottle in one hand and let Cordelia hold her other hand with both of her own. Cordelia kept her head leaning onto Charlotte’s chest as she drank, closing her eyes and softly grinning. Charlotte gently rubbed Cordelia’s hands with her thumb while she continued to hold the bottle up.
After about a minute and with a little over half of the bottle gone, Cordelia opened her eyes and pulled her head away slightly, and Charlotte took the cue to put the bottle down.
She set it on the table next to the pacifier she’d put there earlier and gestured to it. “Do you want your paci again?”
Cordelia shook her head no and burrowed her face into Charlotte’s shirt, closing her eyes again.
“Do you want to go to sleep?”
Cordelia nodded drowsily in response, clutching part of Charlotte’s shirt in her fists to try and pull her even closer. Charlotte just chuckled in response and started to stroke Cordelia’s hair. “Then let’s head to bed, sweetie.”
Cordelia made a small noise and wrapped her arms around Charlotte’s neck, expecting to be carried again.
“I can’t carry you again, angel, you’ll have to walk,” Charlotte reluctantly said, her body already protesting against just the thought of picking her up again. Cordelia made a grumbly noise but got up and out of Charlotte’s arms anyway, knowing in the back of her mind that carrying her wasn’t as easy as carrying an actual baby.
“Thank you,” Charlotte told her with a grateful smile, reaching out for Cordelia’s hand and leading her to their bedroom. Cordelia made sure to grab Miss Doodle off the couch and then shuffled after Charlotte, just wanting to cozy up and sleep. When they reached their bed, Cordelia immediately got under the covers. Charlotte changed into her pajamas first and then climbed in with Cordelia, pulling her close.
Charlotte laid on her back with her arm around Cordelia, who was wrapped around her side with her head on her shoulder. Quite exhausted from taking care of Cordelia, Charlotte closed her eyes and felt ready for sleep. However, she heard a small voice say something.
“What did you say?”
Cordelia sniffled softly and replied, “just... tank you,” in her little voice.
Charlotte smiled an uncontrollable grin and felt tears ever so slightly prick at her eyes. However tiring it may be, she loved to take care of her baby like this. Charlotte knew how important little space was for Cordelia, and she would do everything she could to be the perfect caretaker for her. The fact that the only words that Cordelia had spoken while in little space that night were a thank you for taking care of her made Charlotte’s heart swell.
“Anything for you, angel, anything for you.”