Chapter Text
Mitsuba had his sleeve up to his mouth. That was the first odd thing Kou noticed. Normally Mitsuba kept one sleeve covering his right hand, and that was normal. Something about long sleeves being cuter than normal-length sleeves on such a cute person as himself. However, having the sleeve pressed up against his mouth as though he was chewing on his nails wasn’t normal.
Kou sighed and leaned forward across his desk to place his chin on the boy's shoulder. “Don’t chew your nails, it’s bad for your teeth.”
Mitsuba jumped in his seat and whipped around to face Kou. “Don’t scare me!” he hissed. The sleeve fell away from his face, expression morphed to a pout. “And I wasn’t chewing my nails! They’re far too perfect to ruin like that!”
Kou rolled his eyes and slumped back in his seat. “Then why did you have your hand up like that?”
“None of your-“
“Ahem. Eyes forward, Mitsuba-san.”
“…Sorry, sensei…”
Mitsuba turned back around and faced the board, and Kou thought things might return to normal. But then, that darn sleeve found its way back up to Mitsuba’s mouth.
Lunchtime rolled around, and Kou decided to try again to figure out what was going on with his best friend. He brought out his lunch as Mitsuba turned his desk to face him. As the pink-haired boy turned around, Kou could still see that pout present. He snickered.
“What’s so funny, lame-ass?!” Mitsuba demanded.
Kou shook his head and waved Mitsuba off. “It’s nothing, don’t worry.”
“Oh that’s rich coming from you.”
Kou rolled his eyes and took a bite from his lunch before offering one to Mitsuba. When the chopsticks were between his lips, Kou popped his question. “So, what was up with you earlier?”
Mitsuba coughed roughly. “What d’you mean?” he asked once his throat was cleared.
“You with your sleeve! You’re acting weirder than normal about this.” Kou huffed, annoyed at his friend for being so stubborn and secretive.
“I’m acting weird? You’re the one demanding the details of my personal life!”
“You’re doing it in class, that’s not the most personal thing.”
Mitsuba glared at Kou. Then instead of an answer, demanded another bite of lunch. This was going to be more difficult than Kou thought.
“Ready to go?” Kou asked, hauling his backpack over his shoulder. He held out a hand for Mitsuba as the pink-haired boy stuffed his papers in his own bag. Then it seemed he pulled something else out with his right hand.
“Ready!” Mitsuba snatched Kou’s hand with his left and proceeded to drag the blond out of the classroom as quickly as he could.
“Woah, woah, slow down!” Kou yanked them to a near halt in the hall. “What’s with the hurry?”
“No hurry! Just ready to get home!” There went that damn sleeve again. Kou glared at it, though Mitsuba seemed to take it as a glare toward him. “Quit looking at me like that, you don’t need to undress me with your eyes!! Disgusting!” He yanked his hand free from Kou’s and took off running.
Kou cursed under his breath and ran off after him. “Mitsuba! Get back here!”
“No!”
Unfortunately for Mitsuba, Kou was faster. Curse his non-athleticism. Kou snatched his wrist, and he noticed that there was a distinct lack of screams for help that should normally accompany this kind of behavior between them. That sleeve still remained over Mitsuba’s mouth, covering his wincing face.
“…Hey, it’s okay, Mitsuba…what’s going on with you?”
Mitsuba finally met Kou’s eyes with his watery ones, and he sighed. A muffled “Promise not to laugh?” made its way from his lips, and Kou offered him a gentle smile. With a deep breath, Mitsuba finally let his sleeve fall away from his mouth, and in its place was…a pacifier? A pink baby pacifier with a white button center…and pink and purple stars…it looked more like it belonged to Kou’s baby sister than it did to his best friend. “Well…? Say some’fin’…”
Kou snapped out of his stare, blinking hard. “Why…?” is all he managed.
Mitsuba puffed his cheeks and yanked the pacifier from his mouth. He snatched up Kou’s hand and started walking, wanting to get away from the school before anyone else saw. “It just makes me comfortable…like how some people sleep with stuffed animals even when they’re too old for it.”
“…But you do that too.”
“Shuddup!”
Kou snickered and apologized, then he started swinging their hands. “Y’know, I wouldn’t have made fun of you if you told me sooner.”
“…Yeah, I know…”
“You can tell me anything, okay? I’ll never make fun of you, or stop being your friend, just because you’re different.”
Mitsuba stopped them this time, and Kou looked back in concern. Had he said something he shouldn’t have? No…he was nothing but supportive. Had Mitsuba dropped his pacifier? No, there it was wedged between his teeth…
“You okay?”
This time Mitsuba wouldn’t look at his eyes, and his cheeks were tinged pink. “There’s more to it than just the pacifier, Minamoto-kun…”
“Oh? What more?”
Damn Kou for not reading the room. Couldn’t he see that this was hard!? Why did he always have to be so nonchalant about these sorts of things!?
“…Age regress. Regression. It’s – um…it’s when you act like a little kid again to deal with crap. Sucks.” Not the most eloquent explanation Mitsuba could have offered, but it was as good as he could get when he was so nervous. Knowing Kou, he’d pry and try to find out why he did this, and Mitsuba wasn’t sure he could deal with that right then.
“Oh. Okay…how’s that work?”
Well…better than Mitsuba thought. “…Sometimes my brain tries to act like I’m still a little kid, and stuff like this helps me feel comfortable and grounded…” Surely now Kou would lead into the more prodding questions.
“You feel like a little kid? Like, Tiara little?”
Mitsuba shrugged. “Somewhere around there…”
“Does your mom know?”
“No way, and I’m not telling her!”
“Okay, okay, you don’t have to I guess…but, how do you deal with it if you’re that little in your head? Don’t you need someone to help you?”
Yes, actually, Mitsuba did need someone to help him! He’d love that, actually! However, the only person to ever ask him about it just so happened to be his best friend/crush, and there was no way he was going to ask him! Not until hell froze over!
“No thanks,” Mitsuba said instead, “I’ll stick with eating tons of candy and watching a ton of Blue’s Clues by myself.”
“Just candy?”
Mitsuba gulped. Oh, he was screwed. “I’m fine, Minamoto-kun!”
“I think you need someone to watch you and take care of you.” Kou started pulling Mitsuba along toward his house, ignoring the indignant protests behind him.
“No! I’m fine! I can take care of myself! Candy’s a meal! I don’t need a daddy to take advantage of me, I’m too cute a baby for that!!”