wee dino🦕🦖

Being the youngest at the BAU already earns you the nickname kid and kiddo without them getting to know know you. Oh how they truly don’t know how close to home the nickname is for you.

When you’re an agent at the BAU you get a lot of perks. But the disadvantage? You have to live with what you’ve seen. It’s either unhealthy coping mechanisms or healthy ones. Luckily for Y/N, they choose one of the healthiest one there’s is, Regression.

Your regression is TOP SECRET. The team already think of you as a kid so they don’t need your regression to prove it even more. But what Y/N doesn’t know is someone is already onto them.

Hotch has been and always will be coined as the token Dad of the BAU family. Not only is he their boss but he takes care of them and makes sure they’re all doing okay. So when he starts to notice a particular case getting to Y/N. He steps in to make sure they’re okay.

He doesn’t embarrass them infront of the team. But he begins to notice small things about them that peaks his worries. He can’t turn off being a profiler, after all it’s his job, so when he starts to really take notice of Y/N, he thinks he’s stumbled upon a Regressor.

Hotch, being an educated man, knows about age regression. He’s seen some victims regress and even fellow colleagues from years ago regress. But he hasn’t been around a Regressor as young or as close to him as Y/N.

So one day when it’s just him and Y/N in the office. He brings the subject up. He put Y/N’s worried right away at bay, letting them know from the start that their regression is okay and that it would change nothing about their status on the team and would be between the two of them.

Maybe hiding it for so long wasn’t the best choice because after Hotch explains it to Y/N, they begin to break down and regress.

Hotch immediately swoops in and takes over, wrapping Y/N in a tight but gentle hug, shushing and reassuring them that’s it’s okay, and that their regression is valid.

After that night though, Y/N regression seemed pulled to Hotch, feeling comfortable and safe around him.

So one night, when everyone’s left again, Y/N walks into Y/N’s office and ask if he would be their Caregiver.

Hotch smile, something only Y/N seems to pull from him, and happily accepts. He then becomes their Caregiver both on and off cases.

Hotch as Y/N’s Caregiver is both similar and different to how he is on the team.

For one, he stern but a softie as well. He big on rules but he also is a softie when Y/N gets upset after breaking one or really really wants something.

He’s a terrible cook. He tries, he really does to be a good cook and make nice meals for the two of them but it usually ends up burnt and the kitchen full of smoke.

*The smoke detectors go off while Y/N sits in the living room. They run into the kitchen with a fire extinguisher and spray Hotch more than the burnt chicken*

When they’re on cases together, Hotch can know just by one glance whether you’re feeling Little or not. He’s developed a knack for the little things you do when you start to regress.

No one is allowed to touch Hotch’s brief case. For one he has classified files in there. But two, he also has your little gear inside incase you regress while they’re on a case. Inside he has a pacifier, some fidget toys, a small palm size plushie, and even some snacks.

Back at the BAU office, he has a whole drawer dedicated to you. Some blankets, coloring books and crayons, sippy cups, pacifiers, small animal figures. You name it, he has it. He likes to be prepared whenever you need to regress.

Sometimes you start to regress at work, right before the two of you leave. That’s fine with Hotch! He closes the door to his office, wraps you in a blanket and gets everything set up so you can feel safe to regress while he works.

He’s definitely the type of CG that would buckle you up in the car and go: “There we go. All buckled up and safe.”

He’s the king of forehead kisses. On and off cases, in and out of regression. It’s his way of reassuring or comforting you.

He’s also huge on holding your hand when you’re regressed. He likes to have you safe and next to him when you’re both out of the house. It’s not just security for you, but also reassurance for him. As you walks he’ll tend to rub his thumb against your knuckles as small gesture to himself that your next to him and okay.

Being in the FBI for all these years his biggest fear is someone trying to hurt you to get to him. It happened to him once, taking out his entire family, but he will NEVER let it happen again with you. You come to realize you something’s have to be patient with him, knowing his trauma.

Love to read to you before bed. It’s not only a nice way to send Y/N off to sleep, but also to help relax the two of you away from your thoughts of work.

He’s the type to wake up to any little noise. If you cry out in your sleep, wake up to grab some water, whatever it is he’s up in two seconds. He’s not a deep sleeper.

He’s also the type that can see through it all. Any kind of lie or act you try to play, he sees through you like a window. “Where’s your vegetables?” “Oh I ate them…” “You ate them?” “Yeah…” “Really? So if I checked the garbage disposal it wouldn’t-…” “Waitwaitwait!”

Always make sure you have your comfort items close at all times incase you could need them, including fidget toys.

Very outdoorsy! Whether it’s taking you to the park, riding your bikes or simply just playing in his backyard together. Hotch loves to be outdoors with his little one.

When you cry or get upset, Hotch swoops in. He gently hold you in his arms, slightly rocking the two of you as he reassures and shushes your worries away. “You okay. Just let it all out. I’m here, I’ve got you.”

Working from home with him becomes an impossible task with a regressed Y/N coming up to him every minute. “Look at my toy lion!” “Can I have a snack?” “What’s this paper say?” “Can I draw on your papers?” “Come watch Bluey with me! I wanna cuddle.” He doesn’t really end up doing much work, not that he minds at all.

At the end of the day, Hotch may seem like a stern and yet protective boss to everyone at the BAU, but to you, he’s a gentle, caring and loving Caregiver who finds your regression an escape for you and him to enjoy.