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If there’s anything that makes Tensei happy, it’s the fact that his baby brother will jump at the opportunity to spend time with him, because Tensei is just as eager to spend time with him as well. Ever since Tenya came into the world, Tensei’s world has been that little bit brighter, and he’s thankful. Tenya is just a bundle of joy who Tensei loves cuddling and doing fun brotherly stuff with. Being an only child, Tensei felt pretty lonely, but now he has someone to look after and share the world with. It makes him very happy.
So when he finally gets some time off, and mom suggests he take his five year old brother to the mall to get some school wares, they secretly decide to make a day of it. Well, of course they’ll buy the stuff that mom asked them to get, but he has his own money too and it’d be a crime not to treat Tenya, especially with how long he’s been gone. So after suggesting the idea to Tenya, Tenya quickly agrees, and it’s a done deal.
Things, unfortunately, do not go to plan. Entirely.
It’s not an awful day, to begin with. The first thing they do is go to get the school wares, like they said they would, which is simple enough, since they arrived early and there aren’t many people here yet. Tenya clings to Tensei, though, just snuggling up to him. After they’ve finished getting the school equipment, Tensei gently takes Tenya’s hand in his and smiles.
“We’ll go get food now, alright?” Tenya beams and hops happily.
“Food!” He repeats, mimicking Tensei. “Food.” Tensei leads the little echolalic child towards the food court as he skips along with him, clutching Tensei’s hand. Tensei knows where Tenya wants them to go, there’s a place that sells beef stew, Tenya’s samefood. They get there and order, Tensei helping Tenya up onto the stool.
“You okay, buddy?” Tensei checks in with him.
“Food.” Tenya continues repeating, flapping gently, and Tensei ruffles his hair. Looks like that’s the word of the day. Tenya eats his food happily when it arrives, and so does Tensei. He’s so glad Tenya’s enjoying himself. By the time they’ve both finished their food, it’s gotten a little louder in the mall, but they decide to continue going through a few shops. Tenya is super stimmy after eating his food, hopping and skipping while holding onto Tensei’s hand. He’s so happy, and it makes Tensei smile. Seeing his baby brother so happy warms his heart.
And then it happens.
The mall has slowly but surely been building up, but it’s still sudden when Tenya knocks into a girl completely on accident while skipping and she yelps, almost falling to the floor. Tensei stops as she turns, still holding onto her mother’s arm as the older woman also turns her head. “I’m so so-”
“Watch your child.” The woman growls, not letting the girl speak.
"Sorry-"
"What if she had gotten hurt?"
"Mom-"
She looks upset as her mother drags her away, and Tenya looks to the floor. A few people are looking at them now, her loudness having attracted attention. Tensei resists the urge to snap back at the woman, simply continuing to walk with Tenya.
And that’s where it goes wrong, because people continue to stare. People continue to gather in the mall. And it becomes too much.
“Sorry.” Tenya says, a calm before the storm that’s about to come.
“Huh? It was an accident, it wasn’t your fault.”
“Sorry.” Tenya repeats, bringing his hands to his head. “Sorry. Sorry, sorry, sorry.” Tensei is about to pull him closer when he sees people staring and murmuring to themselves, and he can tell Tenya sees them too. The mall is getting more and more crowded, and Tenya starts bringing his hands down onto his head, pulling at his hair. “Sorry, sorry, sorry. Sorry. Sorry.” Tensei panics, knowing he needs to get him somewhere quiet, so he takes Tenya’s hand while trying to lead him elsewhere, unfortunately passing through loud kids in the process, and slowly Tenya’s echolalia switches to just pained screams as he tries to drain out the environment around him, causing more people to stare in the process and just make things worse and worse. Tensei feels so helpless as he approaches the door to the mall garden as quick as possible. He hates seeing his baby brother in so much pain.
“Tenya.” He tries to calm him down. “Tenya, please don’t hurt yourself. I’m here, Tenya.” He gently runs a hand over Tenya’s until they lower. “It’s okay, Tenya, it wasn’t your fault. Do you want hug?” It’s always best to ask first, because sometimes Tenya prefers not to have hugs.
“Mhn.” Tenya bats away at tears on his face and begins to rock himself softly, and Tensei holds him gently. “Home. Loud. Sorry.” Tensei nods in understanding. It’s too loud here for him right now, and he’ll probably have another meltdown if he stays any longer. “Sorry.”
“It’s okay, Tenya. It wasn’t your fault.” He’s about to pick him up and take him home when the garden doors open, and a girl stands with a box. She’s looking to her shoes, clearly upset or embarrassed. She’s the girl from earlier, which confirms what Tensei thought: Her mother was acting out in anger despite her daughter not actually being angry about the situation. Which makes Tensei more frustrated, but not at the girl.
“I… saw what happened. I didn’t look where I was going, but mom didn’t see it like that. It’s my fault.” She approaches him and holds out the box. “I saw how upset he was, and I couldn’t go without apologizing. I’m sorry. I don’t know if this’ll make him feel better, but…”
“No sorry.” Tenya barely looks up from Tensei’s arms. “No sorry.”
“It wasn’t your fault. She got annoyed on your behalf. You didn’t have to-” But the girl is insistent, and Tensei ends up taking the box. “...Thank you.” She smiles and heads away. Tensei mentally notes that it’s nice to know there’s people like her around. He elects not to open the box until they’re out of the mall and Tenya is a bit calmer, and when he does, he finds it full of chocolates.
“Tenya.”
Tenya does not care at the moment. He will later. He’s just curled up gently yawning against Tensei’s arm. And perhaps that’s better.
Today wasn’t an awful day. There was just a little blip. And Tensei was there to look after his baby brother during it. Tenya can rest assured that whatever bad things come his way, meltdowns, bad days, Tensei will always be there for him.
-
“Hello?”
“Uh...oh, hi! I… um...is this Tensei Iida?” A boy’s voice. Tensei gently pulls himself up a little in his wheelchair, wondering who’s calling him from an unknown number. He knows it might be a marketer, but he wants to make sure first.
“Yes it is.”
“I’m...My name is Izuku Midoriya," He already knows who Izuku is, Tenya's talked about him enough. "I’m your brother’s boyfriend and… I… he really needs to talk to you but his phone is dead.” Tensei’s eyes widen. Did something happen?
“Is he alright?”
“Sensory meltdown. He kept asking for you.” Ah. “I’ll...hand you over.” And so he does.
“Sei.”
“Tenya, hey, are you okay?”
“Nooo.” Tenya whimpers. “No.” God, Tensei wishes he could be there. That’s one of the hardest things about Tenya being in a dorm. “It hurts.”
“Tenya, focus on my voice, okay?” Tensei wheels himself away from the living room, trying not to wake up Masaki, who’s fast asleep on the sofa. Mochi just follows him, which is pretty unusual. She can probably sense Tenya’s on the other side of the line. “You’re going to be okay, alright? It’s okay. I’m here.” Tensei just continues talking, letting Tenya listen to his voice and encouragement as his breathing slows back to normal.
“Needed to hear you.” Tenya replies. Tensei’s about to reply when Mochi screeches, so all hope of Masaki staying asleep goes out the window, and Tensei gets an idea, putting himself on speaker.
“Guess who’s with me. Furball, do your stuff.” And Mochi leaps onto his lap, not repeating her screech from a second ago but instead meowing gently.
“Don’t call her a furball. It’s mean.” Tensei can hear the smile in Tenya’s voice. Mochi continues meowing and purring, as if she’s also telling him he’s going to be okay. “I’m...I really wish I could see you. “
“Stain talk?” If there’s anything that intensifies Tenya and Masaki’s meltdowns, it’s Stain talk. People discuss him as if he didn’t hurt the most important person in their lives. Just the thought of the situation is so overwhelming.
“Yeah.” Tenya is slowly becoming calmer. “Thank you for not hanging up.”
“I’m your big brother, you’re not getting rid of me. I’m always gonna be here.” Tensei replies. “You’re visiting soon, so just look forward to that.” Tensei can hear footsteps in the other room. “I am blaming the furball.”
“You told her to meow.” Tenya laughs. “I...I need to go.”
“See you soon, Tenya.” Tensei replies, smiling. He wheels himself back into the living room, where Masaki has turned the tv off, giving up on his nap. “I’m sorry-”
“Is he alright?” Masaki asks, obviously having had heard what had happened.
“Hopefully.” Tensei replies. Masaki smiles. “You can head back to sleep if you want-”
“Nah.” Masaki curls up as Tensei wheels back to where he was. “You’re a really good older brother, you know that?” He tells Tensei, gently kissing his cheek.
“I try my best.” Tensei smiles. “It’s kinda hard being away from him and not being able to...make sure he’s alright, y’know? I’m so used to being there to comfort him.” He explains, and Masaki runs a hand through his hair.
“I know. And he’s so lucky to have you as a brother.” Masaki replies. “I know it’s hard, only being able to call eachother right now. But you’ll see him soon, so that’ll probably help you feel better.” Tensei takes Masaki’s hand in his, gently entwining their fingers. “You’ll both be okay. We’ll all be okay. We’re strong, especially you.” Tensei feels his heart swell up at the praise. For a few minutes, he gently leans into his husband, kissing him gently. Masaki whispers, gently, against Tensei’s neck:
“You’re doing the washing up tonight.”
“What?!”
“I love you and appreciate you but being a good older brother and amazing human does not nullify punishment for bullying Mochi.”
“SHE’S the bully. And since when was this a thing?!”
Masaki laughs and lifts his phone
[INTERN:DEKIRU] Phones still dead, but Tensei bullied Mochi again, just to let you know. - Tenya
“Traitor.” Tensei can’t even pretend to be mad as he laughs.
Tensei feels like Tenya’s going to be okay. And when he isn’t, Tensei will be there.