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Meal time with Genya was hard enough as is. The boy never seemed to like eating and could be rather picky about what he would eat. He was always hesitant to try new foods, and if the few foods he did like had a weird texture Genya would just stop eating.
These issues were only exacerbated when Genya was regressed.
When Genya was a bit older Sanemi was at least able to get him to eat some plain foods like rice, but when Genya regressed to a younger age getting him to eat was nearly impossible.
And this was one of those times when it was nearly impossible.
“Come on Gen, just one bite,” Sanemi was practically begging his brother as he held a small spoonful of plain rice to his mouth.
Genya turned away with a whine, which had been his standard reaction for the past twenty minutes.
Sanemi placed the spoon into the bowl with an aggravated sigh. He already wasn’t the most patient person. In fact if he didn’t have so many younger siblings there was no way he would be able to deal with this.
“Okay, let's try this again,” Sanemi grabbed the spoon, “just one bite.”
Genya again moved his face again and tried to pull away from Sanemi. Sanemi in turn held Ganya tighter so he wouldn’t fall off his lap.
Sanemi brought the spoon closer to Genya’s mouth which only caused Genya to struggle more.
And maybe because he had been at this for twenty minutes, Sanemi at the end of his rope, carefully forced the spoon into Genya’s mouth.
He regretted that seconds later, not just because Genya immediately spat the rice out, and not just because Genya started crying, but because he lost his patience and upset his brother.
Sanemi cursed under his breath and put the spoon down, then held Genya closer.
“I’m sorry Gen,” Sanemi murmured as he rubbed his brother's back, “Nemi shouldn’t have forced you to eat when you didn’t want to.”
Sanemi softly bounced Genya on his lap hoping to calm him down. After a few minutes of that not working, Sanemi stood up and awkwardly balanced Genya against his hip and carried him into the kitchen.
“Why don’t we try a bottle, ‘kay?” Sanemi carefully brushed some of the tears from Genya’s cheek.
Genya didn’t respond, still upset and crying as he clung to Sanemi.
Sanemi placed Genya on the counter, which was much easier said than done as Genya refused to let go. When Sanemi finally did break free from Genya, it only made the little more distraught, causing him to cry more.
Sanemi grabbed one of Genya’s bottles, filled it with milk, then put the bottle in the microwave for a few seconds to warm up. When the microwave timer went off, Sanemi grabbed the milk and checked its temperature.
“Okay bud,” Sanemi lifted Genya off the counter, who immediately latched on to Sanemi again with all his strength.
Sanemi went into the living room and sat on the couch and with some difficulty managed to position Genya onto his lap.
When Sanemi offered Genya his bottle, the little happily took it. Sanemi sighed, happy that his brother was finally getting something into his stomach.
By the time the bottle was empty Genya’s tears had stopped and he was resting his head against Sanemi’s chest. Sanemi just gently brushed his fingers through Genya’s hair.
It was a nice and quiet moment after a hectic lunch.
Sanemi sighed again, this time in relief, happy that his brother had finally calmed down.
Eventually Genya had his fingers in his mouth, and Sanemi gently removed him, “none of that bud, let's go get your pacifier.”
Genya made a small sound of acknowledgement, then Sanemi stood up still holding Genya and brought him to his room. Once in the room Sanemi grabbed Genya's pacifier and gave it to him.
As they were about to leave the room Genya started making grabby hands and it only took Sanemi a few seconds to realize Genya wanted his Bingo plushie.
Sanemi went back to the couch and again sat Genya on his lap. The little happily played with his plushie.
Sanemi smiled, happy that after a disastrous lunch Genya had calmed down and seemed to have totally forgotten the whole ordeal.
Without asking, Sanemi turned on the TV and put Bluey on for Genya. At this point they had probably watched the series three times over, but Genya loved it, and Sanemi liked that it was a relatively calm show for his brother to enjoy.
Genya rested his head against Sanemi’s chest, watching the TV. After a few episodes, Sanemi noticed Genya slowly nodding off.
Sanemi again found himself slowly running his fingers through his brother's hair. He found himself growing tired as well.
Soon the two had drifted off to sleep on the couch. Bluey still playing on the TV, and Sanemi still holding Genya close.
A couple hours later Giyuu returned home, and saw Sanemi and Genya fast asleep on the couch, with Bluey turned on.
He walked over to the couch and poked Sanemi’s shoulder.
Sanemi woke up slowly and looked up to see Giyuu above him.
“He’s still asleep,” Giyuu whispered.
Sanemi looked down to see Genya still curled up in his lap, fast asleep with Bingo held close to his chest. At some point during their nap Genya’s pacifier had fallen from his mouth and was sitting next to Bingo.
“We had a rough lunch,” Sanemi told Giyuu.
“Mh, sorry to hear that.”
“It happens,” Sanemi brushed back Genya’s bangs, “I shouldn't have forced him to eat while he is like this. Did at least manage to give him a bottle.”
“Thats good.”
“Yeah,” Sanemi whispered, “maybe I can get him to eat dinner.”
“Hopefully.”
“He can be such a handful,” Sanemi sighs.
“I know,” Giyuu replied flatly.
“Can’t help but love him though.”
“I know,” Giyuu repeated.
“Speaking of dinner, I should get that started soon,” Sanemi didn’t want to wake Genya from his peaceful slumber. Especially after the afternoon they had.
Giyuu leaned down and kissed Sanemi on the forehead, “I can make dinner,” he offered.
“Please,” normally Sanemi wouldn’t take Giyuu up on the offer, after all it was his home and he should be the one doing the cooking, but he still didn’t want to wake Genya up.
“Anything you want me to make?”
“Maybe rice and something else,” Sanemi suggested, “just something simple.”
“Okay.”
“Thanks Giyuu,” Sanemi replied, leaning his head back.
“No problem,” Giyuu said with a rare smile, then went into the kitchen.
A few minutes later Genya began to stir, slowly waking up from his nap.
He blinked a couple times in confusion and Sanemi wondered for a moment if Genya had come out of his little headspace.
“Nemi,” Genya mumbled seeing his brother.
Sanemi smiled at his brother who was still in his little headspace.
“Have a good nap bud?”
Genya nodded and brought his thumb to his mouth, which Sanemi quickly intercepted, grabbing Genya’s pacifier and giving it to him.
Genya whined, causing Sanemi to chuckle. “Sorry Gen, but you know the rules.”
Genya replied by nuzzling into Sanemi’s chest.
The two sat on the couch silently, Sanemi just running his fingers through Genya’s hair as Genya played with his Bingo plush.
“Dinner’s almost ready,” Giyuu told the two flatly.
“Giyuu made us dinner,” Sanemi explained to Genya. “Think you can try some?”
Genya was hesitant but slowly nodded.
“Thanks Gen,” Sanemi said, standing up from the couch still holding Genya.
He brought Genya to the kitchen table and placed him down in one of the seats. Genya reluctantly let go of his brother and switched to holding onto Bingo for dear life.
Sanemi tried to make a rule against toys at the table, mostly because he didn’t want Genya to get them all dirty or sticky. But the rule never stuck, especially when it came to Bingo.
Sanemi came up to Giyuu from behind and kissed him on the cheek, “thanks again for making dinner.”
“It’s no problem,” Giyuu told him, “you’ve had your hands full with Genya today.”
Sanemi smiled softly, “true, but I should still thank you.”
Soon dinner was ready and Sanemi dished up a small bowl of rice for Genya and took it to the table.
“Wanna sit on my lap when you eat?” Sanemi asked his brother who quickly answered with a nod.
Sanemi smiled, sat down then pulled Genya onto his lap.
“Can you put Bingo down bub? We don’t want her getting dirty.”
Genya held Bingo tighter for a second before reluctantly putting her down on the chair he was just sitting on.
“Thanks Gen.”
Genya nodded.
Sanemi scooped up a small bit of rice from the bowl then took Genya’s pacifier away from him.
“Kay bud, just need you to take a couple bites of dinner, okay?”
Genya frowned when the spoon was brought to his mouth, but after a couple seconds he opened his mouth allowing Sanemi to feed him the rice. Genya chewed it slowly then swallowed it.
“Good job Gen!” Sanemi praised his brother enthusiastically. “Think you can eat a bit more?”
Genya nodded and opened his mouth for the next spoonful. In the end he ate about half the bowl of rice before getting fussy and Sanemi decided that was good enough, happy that his brother ate anything at all.
“Thank you for eating,” Sanemi thanked his brother before kissing him on the forehead.
“I’m glad he liked it,” Giyuu remarked across the table.
“Maybe you should make dinner more often,” Sanemi joked.
“I can do that,” Giyuu agreed, completely missing that Sanemi was joking.
“I was joking,” Sanemi clarified.
“Oh.”
Sanemi turned his attention back to Genya who was trying to grab Bingo. Noticing this Sanemi grabbed the plush and gave it to Genya, “there ya go bud.”
Genya hugged the plush close and Sanemi couldn’t help but smile.
“I’m gonna put you down so I can eat now,” Sanemi warned Genya as he moved his brother to the empty chair beside him.
Genya whined a bit, then rested his head on the table.
Sanemi ate his dinner as Genya watched him.
“I can wash the dishes,” Giyuu offered after dinner.
“No, you made dinner. I can clean the dishes after Genya goes to bed,” Sanemi replied.
“You sure?”
“I am.”
One thing Sanemi liked about his brother being little was that it was much easier to get him to bed.
After that, Sanemi placed Genya on the floor by the couch, Genya in turn happily played with his Bingo plush as he babbled around his pacifier.
Sanemi smiled and picked up the remote for the TV then switched it to the show he and Giyuu had been watching. With the show on, Giyuu sat by Sanemi on the couch and despite that fact neither of them liked physical contact, Giyuu had his head resting against Sanemi’s shoulder.
The whole time Genya sat on the floor fully content with just Bingo.
Eventually Genya’s babbling died down and he moved to sit closer to Sanemi resting his head against his brother’s leg.
“Getting sleepy bud?” Sanemi asked softly.
Genya just nodded.
Giyuu sat up so Sanemi could stand up. The second Sanemi was on his feet Genya reached up to his brother.
Sanemi smiled and lifted his brother up, making sure to grab Bingo at the same time, and took him to his bedroom. Once in Genya’s room, Sanemi got his little brother changed and ready for bed. After that he brought Genya to the washroom and brushed his teeth, then took him back to his room.
He put Genya on his bed, handed him Bingo, then tucked him in.
“Want the night light on Genya?” Sanemi asked, brushing his brother's bangs aside, knowing Genya was afraid of the dark when he was little.
“Please,” Genya said softly.
“Can do bud,” Sanemi then leaned down and kissed Genya on the forehead.
As he was leaving the room he stopped and turned Genya’s night light on.
“Good night Gen,” Sanemi told his brother when he reached the door.
“Night Nemi,” Genya replied, his voice still soft and quiet.
Sanemi switched off the big light then closed Genya’s door and rejoined Giyuu in the living room.
“Bedtime went smoothly?” Giyuu asked.
“It did. Now I’m gonna get those dishes done,” Sanemi told him before heading to the kitchen.
Giyuu followed Sanemi to the kitchen, and stood beside Sanemi as he filled the sink with hot water.
“I told you, I’m fine doing the dishes.”
“I’m helping,” Giyuu stated.
Sanemi sighed, switching the tap off, “fine you can help.”
Giyuu didn’t respond, he just waited until Sanemi washed the first dish, then after it was rinsed off, Giyuu dried it off and put it away.
Dishes were done in a comfortable silence, and before long the dishes were done and put away.
Sanemi and Giyuu went back to the couch to continue watching their show.