Chapter Text
Johnny woke up groggy, his head felt like it was splitting open.
He groaned, digging his face into something that didn't quite feel like his pillow.
He opened his eyes, seeing his Kenshi Teddy being used as his pillow.
. . . Wait a minute.
Where was Kenshi?
He wasn't sleeping in his usual spot. His side felt a bit warm, so he wasn't gone for super long. He didn't keep Kenshi up last night, did he? Especially with the whole 'using the tablet at 1 AM' thing. Sound was Kenshi's best friend and worst enemy when he didn't have Sento, hyper senses and all.
Johnny did kinda despise how he felt kinda fuzzy. He was a bit surprised he woke up big. He knew he was going to feel a bit tiny, but he didn't need that problem right now.
"Kenshi?" Johnny shouted. "Kenshi!"
There was a shout downstairs, indicating Kenshi was in the kitchen. Curse his almost superhearing.
Johnny slipped out of bed, noticing his tablet was on the charger. Had Kenshi put it there when he woke up? Or when Johnny passed out? When did Johnny pass out? He couldn't exactly remember.
He looked at all the stuffies on the bed, man there were a lot of them. He made Kenshi find all of these? And without Sento? Oh man did he feel bad. If he was just a bit more tideier, and little him listened to Kenshi when it was time to clean his toys up, he wouldn't have had Kenshi scrambling to find them all.
He looked at his Kenshi bear. Poor thing looked so smushed, he did made a great pillow though.
He went to grab it . . . But . . .
No, he wasn't some baby right now. Right now he had to man up and face Kenshi. He always wanted to 'talk' about these silly nightmares of his.
Johnny saw Kenshi finishing up breakfast. Sento was with him, sitting on the counter so Kenshi could see the ingredients. He was getting decent at cooking without Sentos help, but he was still cacious at times, especially while using an open flame.
Johnny did notice that Kenshi was making Johnny's favorite, pancakes. They were his mother's recepie. Johnny might not have the best relationship with her, but he would admit that her pancakes were the best he ever had.
Although Johnny knew Kenshi's trick. These pancakes were reserved for little days, or lazy days. And after last night, he knew the reason why Kenshi was making them. He was probably counting on Johnny still being tiny when he woke up.
"Smells good," Johnny said, walking over and hugging him from behind. "You pulled out the cookbook?"
"Thought pancakes would be good after a bad night," Kenshi shrugged as Johnny kissed his cheek. "Where's Kenshi Bear?"
"Why have a bear when I have the real thing?" Johnny teased, poking Kenshi's side, causing him to flinch.
"Don't do that!" Kenshi hissed. Johnny loved trying to tickle him. And tickling would distract what they'd need to talk about. "You think your distracting me from our conversation, Cage?"
Johnny frowned, almost looking guilty, "Hopefully?"
". . . There's coffee in the pot, I wasn't sure if you'd be big enough for it," Kenshi said, motioning towards the pot.
Ah, so he was going to wait until after breakfast to have the conversation.
"Your no fun," Johnny whined, but got himself his favorite mug.
Kenshi did what looked like an eyeroll, and Sento glowed a bit, probably also trying to eye roll. Even a sword was giving him sass.
Kenshi began to cut some fruit, "You sleep okay?"
"Mhm," Johnny nodded. "You?"
Kenshi noticed how Johnny's hands shook as he tried to sip from the mug. Kenshi frowned, grabbing the mug gently and tilting it for him, keeping another hand under it.
Johnny pushed the cup away from him, and Kenshi placed it on the counter.
"I could drink that by myself," Johnny glared at him. "I'm not some baby."
"Your hands were shaking, and I didn't want you to drop your favorite mug," Kenshi reasoned, ignoring Johnny's tone. Snapping back with the same energy wouldn't help the situation. "I slept well. Even with your thousands of friends."
". . . Thanks for charging my tablet," Johnny mumbled. He knew Kenshi was just teasing about all his teddys. "Sorry about them being all scattered around the house."
Sento glowed brightly, and Kenshi shook his head.
"And good morning Sento," Johnny pooked the sword.
The sword glowed blue for a second, as if saying good morning back.
"They're lecturing you," Kenshi said, grabbing two plates. "Now, let's go eat."
Eating was . . . okay.
It was quiet, too quiet. Kenshi noticed how Johnny didn't speak much, unusual for him. He also noticed how Johnny struggled with his utensils. Eventually trying to opt-out for eating barehanded.
But when Kenshi offered to cut his food, Johnny became irritated.
"No!" Johnny huffed. "I can do it!"
"Johnny, just let me cut it. I know you can feed yourself," Kenshi said.
Johnny shook his head, leaning back in his hair with an angry pout and . . . tears?
"Hey, what's going on?" Kenshi asked, receiving an ashamed look. "Talk to me, Cage."
"I don't know what caused it," Johnny frowned. "Haven't had a nightmare in so long and then suddenly- It was stupid! Stupid, stupid, stupid!"
Johnny hide his hands in his face, seeming more frustrated with himself than anything. The few hours of sleep he got didn't help either. And the fuzziness he still felt wasn't any better.
He also felt terrible. Waking Kenshi up at god awful in the morning with tears and screaming. Regressing and practically forcing him to take care of him. Getting him his bear and tablet time?!
Kenshi set his fork down, walking over and hugging Johnny from behind. Johnny wanted to pull away, but didn't. Couldn't even.
Kenshi held him in a tight hug, and all Johnny could do was turn towards him and cry into his chest.
"Do you wanna talk about it?" Kenshi asked softly as Johnny pulled away.
". . . Feel so upset with myself," Johnny angirly frowned, rubbing his eyes. Kenshi grabbed a nearby napkin and gently wiped his face. Johnny didn't stop him. "No nightmares and one send me spiraling. It's so stupid."
"Well it's one of your worst memories," Kenshi squeezed Johnny's hand. "How are you feeling?"
Johnny kept silent.
"Johnny?" Kenshi asked. "Please, don't bottle this kind of stuff up."
"Bit fuzzy still," Johnny admitted.
Kenshi frowned, "Why didn't you tell me?"
"I woke you up so early! And forced you to take care of me! And-"
"Hold on, you didn't force me to do anything," Kenshi gently grabbed Johnny's chin, making him look at him. "I took care of you because I wanted to. Not because I had to. There's a big difference there, Johnny."
"I know but what were you going to do? Leave me crying? Come on Kenshi-"
"I am not only your Dada, but your boyfriend, and I ever left you like that, then I really don't deserve to be either," Kenshi said firmly, kissing Johnny's forehead. "I love you very much but I need you to get it out of your head that I'm forced to do anything. Because I'm really not and it's just hurting yourself by thinking that."
Johnny didn't like Kenshi's explanation. He wanted to tell Kenshi that he was wrong . . . But he was right. And they both knew he was right.
"Still woke you up early," Johnny tried to argue. "And made you look around the house for my teddys."
"And I'd do it all over again if you asked," Kenshi gently cupped Johnny's face. "Now knock those silly thoughts off, or I'm gonna put Johnny Bear in time out."
Johnny giggled at the threat, he could just feel himself slipping further, "Why Johnny Bear?"
"Because someone needs some extra cuddles .. . And a nap."
Johnny huffed, although couldn't hide his smile, "Don't need a nap."
"I'd beg to differ," Kenshi said, grabbing Johnny's utensils and cutting his food. Before Johnny could even try to complain, Kenshi pointed at him accusingly. "Don't start."
"Wasn't gonna!" Johnny whined, kicking his feet. "Your so mean sometimes!"
Okay, maybe he did need a small nap.
". . . Dada?" Johnny whispered, tugging at Kenshi's shirt.
"Yeah?"
"Can we get teddy?"
"Which one?" Johnny kept quiet, looking at his pants, fiddling with them. ". . . Would you like to take them all on a field trip to the living room for some Tangled?"
"Really!" Johnny gapsed excitendly. He gets all his teddys? And they got to watch Tangled!? He loved Tangled!!
"Really really," Kenshi ruffled Johnny's hair before sitting down. "Food first, cuddles and movie later."
"And no nap time?" Johnny eyes him suspiciously.
"No nap time," Kenshi promised, holding out his pinky.
He wasn't going to make nap time official . . . But he wasn't expecting either men to stay up for the entire movie. A trick? Maybe. But one with a bunch of love.