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Novo
I shook hands withBolt and we both watched for a moment until Daisy shooed us both away, then I made coffee and took him out to the backyard where I had a small deck. I set two mugs of coffee on the table and took a seat across from Bolt. He was a big man, almost as tall as me, with tattoos covering his forearms. His eyes, though, were kind and observant as they flickered between me and the window where we could see Matty and Annabel coloring.
"Thanks for coming," I said, my voice low. "I'm... out of my depth here."
Bolt nodded, taking a sip of his coffee. "Jono filled me in on the basics. Sounds like you've had a hell of a week."
"That's putting it mildly," I replied, running a hand through my hair. "I wasn't expecting... this." I gestured vaguely toward the window.
"The regression?" Bolt asked directly. "Or the fact that you feel something for him?"
I nearly choked on my coffee. "I didn't say—"
"You didn't have to," Bolt said with a knowing smile. "I've been where you are. When I first met Annabel, I thought I was just going to be her Dom. The Little stuff caught me completely off guard."
I studied him carefully. Bolt had been with the club for years, respected by everyone. I'd seen him with Annabel at club gatherings but had never paid much attention to their dynamic.
"How does it work?" I asked bluntly. "One minute he's an adult, the next he's... not."
Bolt leaned back in his chair. "Age regression isn't the same for everyone. For some, it's strictly role play—they're always aware they're adults pretending. For others, like Annabel and I'm guessing Matty, it's a headspace they slip into. They're not pretending to be childlike; in that moment, they are experiencing the world as a child would."
"But why?" I asked, glancing through the window where Matty was showing Annabel how to color a triceratops. "Why would an adult want to be a child again?"
"Lots of reasons," Bolt replied thoughtfully. "For some, it's about reclaiming a childhood they never got to have. For others, it's about escaping adult responsibilities for a while. And for many, especially those who've experienced trauma, it's about feeling safe and cared for in a way they might not have been as actual children."
That struck a chord. From what I knew of Matty's childhood, there hadn't been much warmth or security.
"The trust fund stipulations mentioned the Daddy thing," I admitted. "But I thought it would just be... I don't know, me being protective, making decisions. Not this."
"Being a Daddy Dom isn't just about dominance and protection," Bolt explained. "It's about nurturing, guidance, consistency. For someone in a Little headspace, you're their safe harbor in a scary world."
I thought about how helpless Matty had looked when I'd found him at the café, how terrified he'd been during both attacks, how he'd clung to me afterward. Had he retreated to this Little headspace because it was the only place he felt safe?
"How do I know what he needs?" I asked, feeling overwhelmed by the responsibility. "I don't want to screw this up."
Bolt smiled sympathetically. "You follow his lead. Watch for cues. When he's in his Little space, he'll tell you what he needs—sometimes directly, sometimes through behavior. The key is consistency and boundaries."
"Boundaries?" I echoed.
"Little or not, they still need structure," Bolt explained. "Rules help them feel secure. Annabel thrives on knowing exactly what's expected of her—regular mealtimes, a consistent bedtime, clear rules about behavior." He chuckled. “And she tests me. She can be a brat, but that’s usually when for some reason she feels insecure, and wants to know I’ll always be her safe space.”
I thought about how naturally I'd fallen into some of those patterns already—helping Matty wash his hands, making sure he ate proper meals, watching over his safety.
"Does he... stay like this?" I asked hesitantly. "Or does he switch back?"
"Most Littles fluctuate," Bolt said. "Annabel can be completely adult when she needs to be—she has a job, pays bills, functions in the world. But when she's home with me, or when she's stressed or overwhelmed, she slips into her Little space. It's my job to recognize which headspace she's in and respond accordingly."
I nodded, processing this. "And when they're... Little... is it sexual?"
Bolt shrugged. "Sorry, but that differs with every person. It isn’t with us. When we have sex, she's firmly in her adult headspace, but a few Littles at the club we go to enjoy 'Daddy’s special touches.'”
I groaned. Why did it have to be so complicated?
Bolt grinned, unashamedly enjoying my discomfort. “Are you worried the club won’t accept Matty when he’s in his Little space?”
I thought about that. I hadn’t really considered it. They accepted Annabel, but we didn’t have any same-sex couples at the moment who were members. “I think Daisy would chop their nuts off if they looked at him funny.” Bolt took a healthy swallow of his coffee. "What about when they first come out of it?" I asked. "Matty’s retreated after a serious trauma. What happens when he starts to come back? Do I need to get him therapy?"
Bolt's expression turned serious. "That can be complicated. Sometimes there's embarrassment or shame. They might not remember everything they did or said while in their Little space, or they might remember but feel uncomfortable about it." He leaned forward. “I one hundred percent agree that Matty might need to talk through his trauma, just don’t make the mistake of treating his Little space as something he needs to be cured of. It's just another aspect of the lifestyle people enjoy. It doesn't have to be associated with trauma. There doesn't have to be anyother reason than it's their thing. I’ll text you a couple of names of therapists familiar with the lifestyle.” I relaxed a little.