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“You two will be fine if I run to the store, right?”
Sugawara glanced over his shoulder as he pulled on his shoes, eyes finding Kei and Tobio sat on the couch together with enough space between them to indicate that they were not little.
It wasn’t often that the three had the chance to be together like this. The older boy’s work schedule had - for once - given him a weekend off and he decided to spend it with his boys. In all honesty, Sugawara was a bit disappointed that neither boy felt the need to regress but he enjoyed spending time with them nonetheless.
“Mm,” Kei grunted in affirmative, eyes not straying from the television screen. “Get some chips too.” Sugawara hadn’t noticed how low he was on groceries until the boys arrived. Luckily they weren’t small yet - he could run there and back without worrying about leaving them alone.
“And juice boxes,” Tobio spoke up as well, voice softer than Kei’s and laced with a bit of embarrassment. He wasn’t regressed but Sugawara could tell he would slip in the next few hours. He offered the boy a sweet smile and received pink cheeks in response and his head snapping back over to the television.
“Chips and juice boxes, got it. I’ll be back soon. Call me if you need anything!”
The door clicked shut behind him and Kei finally let his gaze stray from the screen to glance back at the closed door. It made something bitter rise in his throat and he swallowed the feeling down. Sugawara would be back. He said he would. He wouldn’t lie.
Tobio shot Kei a nervous glance and shuffled a bit closer on the couch. His usual stiff stature was slowly becoming more relaxed and Kei noticed his fingers twitching in his lap, an obvious sign he was already beginning to regress. He wanted to suck his thumb. Kei reached out and laid a hand over Tobio’s, wrapping it around the setter’s fingers. Tobio looked up at him with wide eyes.
“He said he’ll be right back. Stop worrying,” Kei muttered, looking back at the television screen and ignoring the blush that rose in his cheeks. They had become close after regressing together with Sugawara but they still were not exactly friends. Having this kind of close contact while both still (partly) big was new territory.
It only took Tobio ten minutes to fully drop, and Kei only noticed when the fingers held in his hand began to twist and fidget. He glanced over to see Tobio wiggling in place.
“What?” Kei asked, startling the setter.
Tobio looked up at him, eyes nervously shifting. “Gotta go potty, Kei-Kei.”
Kei blanched. He wasn’t a caregiver; he didn’t know how to take care of a little. He glanced over at the clock and then back at the still closed door. How long did it take to go grocery shopping anyways? “Can’t you hold it until Su- uh, until Dad gets home?”
“Can’t, Kei…” Tobio shook his head, squeezing his legs together. Sugawara had offered to diaper him earlier when he arrived but Tobio hadn’t been little yet and refused with bright red cheeks and a stubborn frown.
Kei sighed and stood, tugging at their joined hands. “Come on. Can you go by yourself?” Tobio stood clumsily and tried his best to keep up with the blonde as they walked down the hall to the bathroom.
“U’huh,” Tobio murmured, free hand coming up to shove his knuckles in his mouth. Kei stood outside the door and waited as Tobio darted into the bathroom. Kei leaned up against the wall and crossed his arms tightly over his chest.
Kei wasn’t cut out to be a caregiver to even himself, let alone a baby like Tobio. He nervously chewed on his lower lip. He hoped Sugawara would come back soon.
He looked up as the door opened, watching Tobio waddle out with a blush high on his cheeks. He looked especially little now, shuffling up to stand close to Kei and the blonde felt the slow crawl of his own regression rise up.
But he had to watch Tobio now - he had to stay big.
“Did’ja wash your hands?” Kei asked and Tobio nodded, raising one hand to slide his thumb into his mouth. Kei wrinkled his nose. “You better have. Let’s go back to the living room and wait for Dad.”
“We pway i’stead?” Tobio asked around his finger, pointing towards the bedroom. “Wanna pway bwocks.”
Kei didn’t particularly like playing blocks. Tobio was a baby and Kei’s regression didn’t drop to the age that shapes and colors were all it took to entertain him like Tobio did.
But Tobio was already toddling off into the bedroom, digging into the toybox and pulling out the container of soft building blocks.
“Fine,” Kei sighed, taking the blocks from the boy. “I’ll bring it into the living room. But I want to watch my show, so you’ll have to play by yourself until Dad gets back.”
Tobio frowned but let Kei take the blocks from his hands. “‘Kay.” He turned back to the toybox and pulled out a few small chapter books, bundling them in his arms. “F’r Kei!” He announced, turning around with a smile. “Tobi pway, Kei wead!”
Kei thought longingly of the television but nodded anyway, holding out a hand for Tobio to take as he led them to the living room once again. He wasn’t small yet, maybe Sugawara would come back soon and he could escape to watch on his own.
Tobio dropped his pile of books onto the couch before falling to his bottom on the carpeted floor, holding out his arms for the blocks Kei still held. Kei willingly handed them over and then sat back onto the couch, picking up one of the books curiously. He didn’t really want to read, but… this one was new.
Kei glanced down at Tobio - the little was sprawled out on his stomach, chewing on the collar of his shirt as he stacked the blocks on top of one another. He seemed fine - Kei didn’t need to watch him too closely. His eyes flickered back to the book in his hand, slowly flipping open the cover. He would just read a little bit and then go back to watching his show. Just the first few pages. After all, it was a kid’s book, and he was big.
A hand gently nudging his knee made Kei jolt in surprise, the book in his hands falling down onto his lap. Kei’s eyes followed the hand to find Tobio knelt down by his feet, pouting up at him.
“Kei, you wead to me?” Kei blinked down at his brother, eyes glancing between the new book he had just opened and the four already read books off to the side.
“‘Kay,” Kei nodded, picking up the book again and holding out an arm. “It’s a chapter book. ‘S not like the books Dad reads to you.” Tobio didn’t seem to care, hauling himself onto the couch and onto Kei’s lap, curling up against his chest and sliding his thumb into his mouth again.
Kei picked up the book once more and began to softly read aloud. “Once upon a time…”
“Ah, I’m back!” Sugawara called out as he opened the door, pushing it open with his hip as he lugged the multiple grocery bags inside. “It was so busy - I almost had to fight an old lady for your juice boxes, Tobi, but I got ‘em!”
He was met with silence but he shrugged, carrying the bags to the kitchen to put away. They were probably engrossed in the television. He finished up the groceries and finally made his way out into the living room.
“Tobi? Kei?” He stepped inside and paused when he saw the two on the couch - Kei sprawled out on his back, glasses askew as he slept and Tobio curled up on top of him, thumb hanging slack from his lips. The floor was littered with the new chapter books Sugawara had picked up and Tobio’s play blocks - apparently he had been gone longer than he thought.
“Oh,” Sugawara’s voice fell to a whisper and he smiled. He knelt down next to the couch and carded a hand through Kei’s blonde locks, gently stirring him from his impromptu nap. His eyes slowly blinked open, darting around lazily until they landed on Sugawara.
“Hi, baby,” Sugawara murmured as Kei smiled sleepily at the sight of his caregiver. “Sorry I took so long.”
“‘S’kay,” Kei whispered, looking towards Tobio, still dozing across his chest. “I big ‘nd take care of Tobi.”
“You did?” Sugawara beamed. “Thank you for helping, my big brave boy.” Kei blushed and leaned into his caregiver’s hand. “You can be little now. I’m here.”