Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Lucas wasn't sure what he he should expect when he walked into work the next day, on one hand he knew that Henry was going to be embarrassed, but on the other, he knew that he was a very confident person. So he went in thinking that either Henry would ignore what had happened or that he might avoid him because of it.

Lucas steeled himself for Henry's reaction. He knew that he shouldn't take it personally, whatever the reaction may be, but the thing was, he wanted it to happen again. He wanted to be the one that Henry came to when he needed to be that way, and it would hurt if that wasn't to happen.

When he walked in, Detective Martinez was there, and while he usually enjoyed the interplay between his boss, and the spunky detective, he really wished that she wasn't. There was no way that they could talk about last night in front of her.

Lucas tried not to look disappointed, as he sat his things down, it seemed like the conversation was just going to have to wait.

Jo watched Henry, as Henry watched Lucas enter the room. Any person would have noticed the man's confused expression, and she wouldn't have her job if she didn't notice things. Something had changed in the relationship between the ME and his assistant. She had no clue what it was, but she was certain that it would be a distraction until the two were able to talk it over. More importantly, Henry was her friend, and to a lesser extent, since she didn't know him as well, so was Lucas.

“Come get me when you finish this up?” she asked Henry.

Henry nodded, while her words could mean the work that she had brought down, and if asked she would probably say that was what she was referring to, she really meant his talk with Lucas, and he was really thankful for her tactful way of giving he and Lucas the privacy to talk.

When Henry had arrived at work, he was apprehensive. He didn't know how to respond after a night of being cared for, but what he did know was that he wanted it to happen again, and it couldn't unless he and Lucas talked about what it was, and why he did it, otherwise it wouldn't be fair to him.

The worst that could happen was that he would say no. The fact that his behavior wasn't common knowledge already showed that he could trust Lucas with this, even if the other man refused to play the part of caregiver again, but there was also a little piece of him, that lived in the fantasy that Lucas might agree to help him again. So when his assistant had walk through the door, he was happy that Jo had been observant, and courteous enough to let them be alone so that they could talk.

Henry walked over to his office, and shut the door after Lucas had entered.

Silence reigned for a moment, until Henry broke it. “I'm sorry for last night.”

Lucas jumped. He hadn't expected those to be the first words out of Henry's mouth. “It's fine, Doc. Better than fine, it was fun. I'm fine with it.”

Henry frowned. “It's not that I don't believe you-”

“I mean it, honest. I won't say that I wasn't surprised, but I wasn't put off by it at all. I actually wanted to let you know that if you ever needed my help like that again I would be happy to help.”

“Really!?” Henry uttered in surprise before he could stop himself.

Lucas smiled, and nodded enthusiastically. “Do you have things for when you are like that?”

“No, I'm too...ashamed of that aspect of myself to acquire anything.”

Lucas nodded again. He didn't let it show, but he was thinking of all the things that he could buy. He didn't know why he was so invested in this new side to his boss, but he was. He was going to have to do some research too, since he doubted Henry would tell him all the relevant information.

Henry wanted to explain about Littlespace, and what it did for him, but his office phone rang before he could even think of how to approach it.

Chapter Text

It was a week after that conversation, and Henry showed no signs of that vulnerable side. Lucas had done the research, learning about Littlespace, and the age groups Littles tended to fall into. He had a feeling that with a caregiver, Henry would be a little younger than he was when he had slipped that day. He was actually really looking forward to it.

By the end of the second week, Lucas had gotten the feeling that he was being avoided. He couldn't understand it though. Henry wanted this, that was clear, and Lucas began to think that maybe it was him. Really. Henry could get someone to take care of him that would be thousand times better than his awkward assistant.

He felt that he was right when a month passed, and Henry hadn't utter so much as a word about it or given any covert glances.

“I'm going home,” he called to his boss. Henry was bent over a table putting up his tools, this was a common scene, but today something in his rhythm was off. Concerned, Lucas walked over. “Doc, you okay?”

Henry didn't move, and Lucas quickened his stride. Up close he could see that Henry was shivering. He reached out, placing his hand on Henry's shoulders, and suddenly he wasn't dealing with his boss anymore.

“I's hurt,” Henry cried, holding up his hand, and giving Lucas a good look at the large cut on his palm that was bleeding sluggishly.

Just like that, the month of avoiding the topic fell by the wayside. “Come on lets clean that up,” he said.

Henry yanked back his hand. “It hurt to clean.”

“It will, but we can't let anything icky get in it. Can you be a big boy, and let me clean it for you?”

Henry nodded slowly. He wanted to be a big boy for his Luc.

Lucas cleaned it as quickly as he could. Once had a finished he wrapped it with some gauze since it was too large a cut for a band-aid. Reaching into his bag. He pulled out a coloring book that he had bought, and a 48 pack of crayons. He had taken to carrying them just in case.

“Here's your present for you being brave. Can you sit here quietly, and color, while I put everything away?”

Henry nodded. The coloring book, was dinosaur themed, and Henry picked a family of pterodactyls to color. He pulled out a green crayon and started to color the baby one.

By the time Lucas had finished sterilizing the tool and putting them up, Henry had finished the picture.

“Look, Luc, I colored the dino!” he said.

The family of winged dinosaurs were a rainbow of colors. It was actually really pretty. “Good job. I see you stayed in the lines. What's that?” he asked seeing some figures drawn in crayon in the empty space at the bottom of the page. “Dats me, and you. We waving at the dinos,” Henry said proudly.

Once again, Lucas had to admit, this side of Henry was adorable.

“Do you want to stay over again?” Lucas asked.

Henry nodded.

“Okay go get your coat.”

Henry hopped up, and started to run to get it.

“Walk,” Lucas advised.

“Kay,” Henry called back, slowing down.

Once Henry was clad in his coat, Lucas held out his hand. “We're going on the subway this time. So there are some rules. One you have to hold my hand, and two, you have to stay as quiet as you can.” Lucas knew they would get some odd looks from holding hands, but the worse anyone would think was that they were dating or just really close. To tell the truth, he wouldn't be upset if Henry kept acting the way he was in public, but he knew that Henry would be upset about it, and thus the rules.

“I understands,” Henry said, slipping his hand into Lucas's.

The trip was thankfully uneventful, especially since Henry dozed most of the way.

When they got off, it was a short walk to Lucas's apartment. “I got a surprise for you.” Lucas said, once they had removed their coats.

“Suprise?” Henry said.

“Yup.” Lucas actually had a bunch of surprises, he had been preparing for a month after all. “I thought you might like something cuddle with tonight so I got you this,” with a flourish, he presented Henry with a red and white fox plush .

Henry stood there frozen.

Lucas feared that he had overstepped some boundary, but just as he went to apologize, Henry burst into tears. “Hey if you don't like it-” Lucas started.

“L-lo-love it.” Henry managed through his tears. “Rweally for me?”

“Yeah it's yours. I promise.”

Henry held the plushie to his chest like it was the most precious thing in the world.

After a light meal of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, Lucas asked, “Do you want a bath tonight?” It was Henry's choice as he really didn't need one.

Hugging his fox plush, Henry mumbled, “I don't has any clothes here.”

“You don't need to worry about that, I got you something to sleep in. So do you want a bath?”

Henry nodded, as though he was afraid once he said yes, Lucas would deny him.

“Do you want me to help?”

Henry's eyes widened. “Yes,” he said in a whisper.

“Alright, lets leave the fox-”

“Her name is Vix,” Henry corrected.

“I'm sorry, lets leave Vix, on the couch, so she doesn't get wet.”

“She be lonely though,” Henry said.

Lucas mentally put more plushies on his list of things to buy, but for now, “Okay she can come with us, but she has to stay on the sink, we don't want her to get all wet, okay.”

Henry nodded happily.

Lucas took Henry into the bathroom. “Do you have to go to the potty?” he asked.

Henry nodded. “I's can dos it myself.”

Lucas undid Henry's belt, and sat him on the toilet.

While Henry did that, Lucas went to the tub, activated the stopper, and began to run the water. He made sure it was warm, but not too hot, and then he added the bubbles.

“Alls done,” Henry called.

“Good job,” Lucas praised when he noted the lack of a mess. He was treated to a blush from Henry. A few minutes later, the tub was filled a good amount.

Henry had kicked off his pants, and underwear, but he seemed to be having trouble with the buttons on his shirt.

“Help?” he asked.

Lucas came to his rescue, and quickly undid the buttons.

Completely disrobed, other than the wrapping on his hand, that had been waterproofed with the help of some cling wrap, Henry was put in the bath. While he played with the bubbles Lucas got him clean. After he finished washing Henry's hair, he helped him out of the bath, and wrapped him in a large towel.

Lucas unstopped the tub, and then proceed to help Henry towel dry himself. “Can you brush your teeth, while I get your pajamas?” Henry nodded, and Lucas hurried off.

By the time he got back, Henry had finished.

“Let me see,” Lucas said.

Henry smiled big, so that Lucas could see his teeth. “You did a good job,” Lucas said. “Now lets get you dressed for bed. Henry's eyes widened at the onsie in Lucas's hand. “Like Vix,” he said happily.

“Yup, lets just get this on you first,” Lucas hesitantly held up a disposable adult diaper. Lucas didn't know Henry's size in underwear, so he had chosen a different route. He figured there would be no harm wasting the ten dollars, if Henry hated them, and if he liked them, well then there was a lot he could do, namely purchasing some cloth ones, as they tended to be cuter, and would be more cost effective, overall.

“I isn't a baby,” Henry said with a frown.

“Not saying you are, but sometimes even big boys need these, and no one will see it, since you have pajamas.”

Henry seemed to consider that, and then nodded.

Lucas held the diaper, and guided Henry's legs into the openings. Then he helped him put on the onsie.

“Look Vix,” Henry said.

Lucas had to resist the urge to take a picture.

It wasn't long before Henry was yawning. “Bedtime,” Lucas decreed, and Henry didn't fight it.

Lucas had just finished tucking him in on the couch when he heard, “Thanks you Luc, nigh nigh.”

“You're welcome, and goodnight.”

Lucas woke up the next morning, and was disappointed to find that Henry was gone, just like last time, and that Vix, and the fox onsie were left on the sofa.