Work Text:
Tango has been getting more and more frustrated with the redstone thing [I don't know what to call it :\ ] he is trying to fix, sitting on the floor of his workshop.
His hand slips and a sharpish bit of the redstone thing slices the heal of his right palm.
Tango drops it, hissing in pain.
The redstone thing drops to the floor, shattering into a million pieces.
Tango stares at it, pain and frustration mixing into something ugly.
He starts to cry, hours of work all gone like that.
The blazeborn is slipping before he knows it, sliding into a little mind space.
He panics, now wanting to be alone.
He grabs his comn, flipping it open, tears streaming down his face as he slips.
<TangoTek: Hlp, liiile >
He blinks his eyes, tears filling his vision.
The little drops the thing as it buzzes in his hand, not understanding what it says.
His hands are in his blond hair now, coating it in blood as he pulls on it, curling up into a ball and crying.
-♡-
Etho sees the message in chat.
<TangoTek: Hlp, liiile >
The fox hybrid intensely knows Tango ether is or has regressed.
He knows Impulse usually will take care of him, but the Demon hybrid is in the sever hub with Skizz, shopping.
Etho is used to taking care of a little, being Bdubs' usual caregiver.
<EthoSlab: I got you lil buddy <3 >
Etho pulls out his elytra, lighting a rocket to fly to Tango's base where he knows the blazeborn is.
The fox hybrid soars through the sky he see Tango's base.
He lands on the blaze hybrid's door, opening the unlocked door (the Hermits only lock their doors when they want to left alone, or when they leave their base, trusting each other.).
Etho shuts the door before starting his search for the regressed Hermit.
First he checks his bedroom, then living room, kitchen, and finally his workshop.
Etho can hear sobbing before he even opens the door.
When he does open it, he sees Tango laying on the floor, curled up into a little ball, crying.
Etho slowly approaches him, "Hey Tango." he says crouching down next to the blazeborn, "Hey, it's okay, I'm here, it's okay." He says, gently rubbing Tango's right uperarm.
The blond uncurls from himself, looking up at Etho with tears still in his eyes from crying, "Etho?" He says quietly.
"Hey buddy." Etho says, "What happened?"
"B-big me was workin' on dat." Tango says, sniffling as he gestures to what looks like a smashed redstone thing, "And got owie." He says, showing Etho his right palm.
Etho frowns under his mask, "That is an owie." He says, "Let's go get it fixed up," he noteces all the blood and redstone dust in Tango's hair, "And get you a bath."
"Okay." Tango says.
Etho stands up, offering Tango his hand.
Tango takes it with his left, and Etho and him walk to Tango's bathroom.
Etho has Tango sit down on the closed toilet lid.
"It hurts." Tango says, watching as Etho plugs the bathtub, before turning the facet on, warm water pouring into the tub.
"I bet it does." Etho says, "Do you know where your first aid kit is?"
"Uh, da band aid box?" Tango asks.
Etho nods.
"It's right dare!" Tango says, pointing to a little white box Etho missed on the shelf by the door with towels on it.
"Thank you Tango." Etho says, grabbing the box.
He sets it on the sink counter before opening it.
Inside he sees wound dressing and some regen and healing potions.
He pulls out two, a healing and a regen.
"Can you stand up and hold your hand over the sink please?"
Tango nods, standing up and doing so.
"This might sting a bit." Etho says, uncorking the regen potion, "Can you be a brave boy for me?"
"Im hm." Tango hum, nodding his head.
Etho carefully pours the potion over Tango's wound, cleaning it out.
"Ow, ow, ow." Tango says, closing his eyes.
Etho stops, the potion gone.
He grabs a gauze pad from the kit, lightly dabbing it on Tango's cut.
"All done with that." Etho says, throwing the dirty pad into the waist basket.
"Weally?" Tango asks, opening his red eyes.
"Yup, now I just need you to drink this and I can show you a magic trick." Etho says, handing Tango the uncorked healing potion.
Tango takes it with his left hand, taking a sip of it.
"Yucky." Tango says, sticking his tongue out and making a face at the sour taste.
"Sorry, but you need to drink it." Etho says, "Can you do it for me?"
Tango looks at Etho, then at the bottle, then back at Etho, "Okay."
Tango downs the rest of the bottle, handing the now empty bottle to Etho.
"Thank you." Etho says, "Now why don't you look at your hand."
Tango looks down at his hand, "Whoa." He says in amazement as he watches his hand stitch it'self back together until it's a light pink scar on his hand.
Etho shuts off the water now since the tub is full enough, testing the water before shutting the first aid kit, putting it away.
Tango watches him as he opens up the cabinet below the sink.
The fox hybrid sees a basket with soaps and toys in it.
He pulls out a bottle of bubble bath, "Is Strawberry okay Tango?"
"I love Strawberry!" Tango says, "Especially the ones Imppy grows." he says, a smile on his face, "Where is Imppy?"
Etho putts bubble bath into the warm water, "He is out with Skizz right now, sorry buddy."
"Dat's okay, 'cus I get you." Tango says.
Etho smiles under his mask.
"Any specific bath toys you want?" Etho asks, putting the soap back.
"Is Mr. Jimmy Duck under dare?" Tango asks.
"Mr. Jimmy Duck?" Etho asks, "who's that?"
"He's a duck dat looks like Jimmy's wings." Tango says.
"Is this Mr. Jimmy Duck?" Etho asks, holding up a hand sized yellow rubber duck.
Tango's face lights up, "Uh hun."
Etho puts Mr. Jimmy Duck into the bubbly bath water.
"Now we need to get you undressed and in the water." Etho says.
"Okay." Tango says, already taking his shirt off.
The blazeborn manages to get it stuck around his head, "Helps?"
Etho helps Tango get the shirt up and off his head.
Tango undoes his pants, stepping out of them, lastly he removes his boxers before getting into the bathtub by himself.
When the Hermits found out Tango regressed they had talks about what Tango is comfortable with when he is regressed.
Of course Etho has seen the blazeborn naked, and he knows Tango is completely fine with it, but Etho attempts to avoid looking at him more then he has too.
Etho roles up a towel placing it on the floor before grabbing a bottle of shampoo, conditioner, and a cup to wash Tango's blond hair.
Etho listens to Tango make quacking noises as he plays with the duck as he wets Tango's hair, applying the tearless shampoo they use when Tango is regresses to the blazeborns hair.
He massages the soap in, making sure to get all the dried blood out.
He washes the soap out before conditioning it.
"My finger are wrinkleficating." Tango alerts Etho as he washes the last of the conditioner out.
He holds up a hand showing that his fingers are indeed wrinkly.
"Good thing you hair is done then." Etho says, "Don't want your's whole body to become wrinkly."
Etho unplugs the tub.
Tango watches as the water starts to go down the drain, holding tightly onto Mr. Jimmy Duck.
Etho grabs a bath pouf from the basket and a bottle of body wash.
He squirts some of the (also strawberry sentenced) soap onto it before putting the bottle back.
The fox hybrid turns around and sees the water is almost all drained.
"Can I have Mr. Jimmy Duck?" he asks.
Tango hands the duck to Etho, who puts it on the counter (much easier than Bdubs, who would have been screaming at the though of it).
"Tango, can you do something for me?" Etho asks.
"What?"
"Can you wash your body well I get you your clothes?" Etho asks, turning the shower head on, unhooking it and letting it dangle into the tub so it can warm up.
"Okay." Tango says, making grabby hands for the pouf.
Etho hands it to him, "I'll be right back."
Tango nods, already standing up and washing his body.
Etho walks out of the bathroom, keeping the door open just in case, his white furred tail swishing behind him as he walks.
He walks into Tango's room, right to his dresser.
He finds a set of redstone themed pajamas he had given the Hermit for his birthday and a pair of boxers.
Etho's ears are trained on the bathroom the entire time, even up until he walked back in.
The fox hybrid walks back in to see Tango finishing up washing himself off.
"Look wha' I did." Tango says, turning the water off, big smile on his face now he has no more soap on his body.
"Wow, thank you." Etho says, "I found your redstone pajamas, is that okay?"
"I loved d'oes ones!" Tango cheers, "You got dem for me."
"I did." Etho says, setting them down on the sink counter.
He goes through the linen shelf next to the door, looking for a towel for the little.
"Aha." Etho says, pulling out a towel.
Stress had made some mob themed hooded towels for the blazeborn.
Tango's favorite?
His ravenger one.
Etho helps Tango step out of the tub before putting the hood on Tango's head, wrapping the towel around him.
Tango's face lights up, tail wagging excitedly behind himself, hitting the bath tub behind him.
Etho helps the little dry off, asking his a quick question, "Did you have dinner yet?"
"No, big me was going to when I was done workin', but..." Tango says, "I don't know."
"Are you hungry?" Etho says, grabbing Tango's clothes.
Tango nods, "Yeah."
"How does chicken nuggets and spiders sound?" Etho asks.
"You eat spiders!?" Tango says, "Dat's gross!"
"Not real spiders, but ones made with pasta and some hotdogs." Etho says, "Bdubs loves it when I make them for him."
"If Bdubs eats dem, I'll eat dem." Tango says.
Etho hums, smiling, "I think your all drys mister. Can you get changed for me?"
"Okay." Tango says, taking off his towel and getting dressed, throwing on underwear and his pajamas.
Etho leaves him, going to quickly try and clean up the redstone mess, fluffy fox ears trained on the sounds of Tango changing.
Etho sweeps up the mess, throwing it out right as Tango walks out of the bathroom, closing the door.
"I put me clothes and towel in da hamper." Tango says.
"Wow, your so responsible." Etho says, tousling Tango's hair.
"Dank you." Tango says, hugging Etho's leg.
Etho smiles at Tango, "Let's make you some food."
"Yay!" Tango cheers.
Etho and Tango walk to the kitchen.
Etho searches through the cupboards, finding a pot.
He takes the pot, filling it with water, and putting it on the stove.
"Don't touch this Tango." Etho says, "It's hot."
"Okay." Tango says.
Etho looks through Tango's fridge for hotdogs.
"Do you have hotdogs?" Etho asks after not being able to find them.
"I don't dink I do." Tango says, "Why?"
"We need them to make the spiders." Etho says, "I'll ask if anyone has any."
Etho pulls out his comn.
<EthosLab: Anybody got some hotdogs?>
<Pearlecentmoon: I do, but why?>
<EthosLab: I'm making spaghetti spiders for lil Tango>
<Pearlecentmoon: awww.>
<Pearlecentmoon: I'll bring them right over. your at his right?>
<EthosLab: Yup.>
"Did you get dem?" Tango asks.
"Yes, Pearl is drooping them off." Etho says, putting his comn away.
"Will I get to say hi to her?" Tango asks.
"Of course." Etho says.
Etho pulls a bowel from the cupboards to make cookies.
He pulls all the ingredients he needs, putting them down on the counter, the recipe memorized already.
"What are you doing?" Tango asks.
"We can make cookies for desert." Etho says.
Tango's lips make an 'o'.
"Can I help?"
"You can." Etho says.
Etho hears a knock on the door.
"Coming!" Etho shouts, walking to answer the door.
Etho opens the door.
"Hello." She says.
"Hi Pearl." Etho responds.
"I got them for you." She says, "Here you go mate."
"Thank you." Etho says, taking the package of hotdogs.
"Your welcome." Pearl says.
"Hi Pearly!" Tango says from behind Etho.
"Hi Tango." Pearl says, a smile on her face, "Are you having fun with Etho?"
"Yeah!" Tango says, "He said we are goin' do make cookies!"
"He did?" Pearl asks, "Will I get any?"
Tango looks at Etho.
"Of course, I'll drop some off later." Etho says.
"Thanks." Pearl says, "Enjoy you hotdogs!"
And with that the postmaster is off, moth wings taking her to the skies.
Etho shuts the door and they walk to the kitchen.
He opens the hotdogs, putting two on a plate and grabbing a knife from the drawer.
"Can I cut dem?" Tango asks.
"No, sorry." Etho says, "I don't want you to hurt yourself."
"Oh, okay." Tango says.
Etho cuts them up into smaller pieces.
The fox hybrid digs through the cupboards again, finding angel hair pasta.
He puts the box on the counter.
"Do you want to help with this?" Etho asks, pulling some uncooked pasta from the box.
"Yes!" Tango says.
"So your going to do this, okay?" Etho asks, putting the pasta through the hotdog bit where he had cut it, "We need to do this four times each."
"Okay." Tango says.
He pulls some pasta from the box, copying what Etho did.
When the both of them are done, Etho puts the spiders in the boiling water and they start making cookies.
Etho measures out the ingredients, and Tango mixes them together.
Etho and Tango spoon them out onto a cookies sheet and Etho puts it in the oven.
As the cookies cook, Etho plates up Tango's food.
Tango eats the spiders, a big smile on his face.
When Tango is done eating Etho puts his plate and water cup in the sink.
Etho has taken the tray out of the over, putting the cookies on a rack to cool, and putting more dough on the tray.
"Have the cookies coolaficated yet?" Tango asks.
"I'll check." Etho says, he touches a cookies and feels that it's warm but not hot, "I think these are done."
"Can I have one?" Tango asks.
"What's the magic word?" Etho asks, picking one up for the blazeborn.
"Pretty please?" Tango asks.
"Here you go." Etho says, handing Tango the chocolate chip cookies.
"Dank you." Tango says, taking the cookies.
"Your welcome."
"Can I watch Bluey?" Tango asks.
"Yeah." Etho says, "I'll be out there in a minuet."
Tango runs into the living room, cookie in hand.
The timer Etho set dings and he puts a mit on, taking the tray out and turning the oven off.
He transfers the cookies over to the cooling rack before walking out to the living room, right as the Bluey theme song starts to play.
He can hear Tango sinning along as he walks over to the couch where Tango is curled up with a blanket and a warden stuffed animal Gem bought him in the sever hub that was stored in the little hidden spot in the ottoman.
Etho sits down next to Tango, pulling his legs up so his feet are pointing to the armrest and his knees the other way.
"Can I please pet your tail?" Tango asks.
"You may." Etho says, he carefully takes his tail from where it was curling around his leg and puts it in Tango's lap, "Thank you for asking."
Tango slowly runs a hand through his white tail fur.
The blazeborn sets his head on Etho's shoulder, watching the show.
Tango's hand slows down as the night goes, eventually stopping.
Etho can hear quit snores coming from the netherborn next to him.
He carefully maneuvers himself to get out from under Tango.
He then stands up, scooping the shorter man in his arms.
The fox hybrid walks with the regresser in his arms, laying him in his bed.
Tango's eyes crack open as Etho is tucking him in, "Are you going to leave?" He asks, sleep evident in his voice.
"No." Etho says, "I'll sleep on the couch. I'm not going to leave."
"Promise?"
"I promise." Etho says, "now good night." He says, pressing a light kiss to Tango's forehead, "I love you."
"I love you..." Etho hears Tango mumble as he falls back asleep.
Etho quietly walks out of the door, shutting the door, leaving it open just a crack.
Etho goes to the kitchen, putts the cookies away, cleans up the dishes he used, putts them out to dry before curling up on Tango's couch to sleep, the blanket the blazeborn had no laying over the fox hybrid.
Etho closes his eyes, tail curling over himself under the blanket.
-♡-
Etho stands in the kitchen flipping blueberry pancakes for Tango and himself when he hears Tango's bed room door open.
"Good morning." Etho says, "How'd you sleep?"
"Good..." Tango says, confusion in his voice.
"Nice." Etho says, "Could I get an age check?"
"Oh." Tango says, "I'm big again, uh...thank you."
"No problem." Etho says, "If you ever need help again, I'm here for you." he says, plating up some pancakes for Tango, putting them down in front of the blazeborn.
"Thank you Etho."