Chapter Text
"This seems silly," Raiden said as Fujin filled up a sippy cup- A sippy cup??- with some yummy juice. "Why must I do this?"
"You don't have to do anything," Fujin rolled his eyes. "I suggested it, you agreed. If you don't like it, we don't have to try this again."
"But it seems . . . unfit for us beings," Raiden mumbled, accepting the cup as Fujin handed it to him.
"We don't have to," Fujin smiled. "I just thought about providing you another coping mechanism. Perhaps it'll work, perhaps it won't. You've been quite stressed recently."
Raiden was always stressed, Fujin made no sense.
No, Fujin was just trying to help. Raiden's usual coping mechanisms, including sleeping and meditation, weren't working as much as they used to. He had been slightly snappish at everyone the past few days, and some of the monks were a bit on edge, not wanting a scolding from the God.
But . . . this? Raiden knew of age regression, in fact, he took care of Fujin when his brother was small! But he himself has never regressed. And he wasn't sure how good this plan would go.
He's the protector of Earthrealm, he needed to be out there. What if someone attacked? Or someone needed him? What would they say? Seeing their main God like this.
. . . It was almost like Fujin had suggested this because of the stress Raiden had. The burdened weight of his duties, the constant cycle of violence. He just wanted his brother to be okay, even if it was for a brief time.
"I suppose I'll try," Raiden mumbled.
"Yippie!" Fujin smiled. Raiden wanted to glare at him, it was a word he learnt from the mortals.
"Whose is this?" Raiden asked, eyeing the sippy cup suspiciously.
"Oh, it's mine. I cleaned and washed it, I can get you another cup if you'd like," Fujin offered. Raiden gave a hesitated head shake. "Are you sure? We have some silly straws and-"
"No," Raiden said softly, looking away from his brother. He didn't know why he wanted to use the sippy cup, but he wanted to. He just didn't want to tell Fujin that.
Fujin smiled at this, "Is there anything you wish to do? Outside time? Tv?"
Raiden shrugged, not knowing what he wanted at all.
"Well that's a pickle," Fujin frowned, Raiden this time shot him a glare, a god using mortal slangs. Fujin seemed to ignore his glare. "How about we get some yummy snacks? Anything you'd like?"
Raiden shrugged again.
Fujin ended up grabbing some cookies, setting them on the living room table.
Raiden shuffled nervous behind him. Why was he so nervous? He didn't understand himself.
Fujin seemed to notice his nervousness, "How about we let your hair down? Would that be okay?"
Raiden rarely ever let his hair down. It was always kept up and in his cap. Secret and kept away. Truthfully, his hair was incredibly nice. It was long, a little past his shoulders. And he maintained it well.
"I could brush it and we can put it into a nice ponytail," Fujin offered, Raiden gave him a small nod.
Raiden sat on a pillow on the floor, while Fujin sat on the couch. Raiden was tall, too tall to sit beside Fujin and be able to have his hair brushed.
They ended up watching some tv show. Fujin tried to find one that Raiden might like, but he just kinda stared at the floor.
Raiden liked the show. It was . . . Octonauts? Fujin watched at it a few times when he was tiny.
Raiden declared Fujin a very good cg. He kept asking Raiden what color things were, what was happening on screen. Singing the song softly while he brushed Raiden's hair. Even when he put it up, he scratched his head.
It was extremely calming and peaceful.
. . . It was still unnerving.