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Genya had woken up that morning with a headache. It was different from the type he was used to getting, a dull ache in his head that sat more in the front of his skull than anywhere else.
That mixed with a stuffy noise and sore throat, Genya knew he was sick. He had no idea how he got this way, but he had.
He got dressed then made his way to the kitchen, where his brother already was.
“Morning,” Sanemi greeted.
“Morin’,” Genya replied, taking his seat at the table.
“You feeling okay, Gen?” Sanemi asked before reaching over the table and placing a head on Genya’s forehead. “You do feel warm.”
“It’s just a headache,” Genya brushed Sanemi’s hand away.
His brother frowned, clearly not believing him. “I’ll get you some pain killers.” Sanemi pushed his chair back from the table and stood up; he then made his way down the hall to the bathroom, returning with the small bottle of Tylenol. Sanemi opened the bottle, got out two pills then handed them to Genya.
Genya took the pills dry, before Sanemi could hand him a bottle of water.
“You gonna eat breakfast?” Sanemi asked.
Genya shook his head, “don’t have an appetite.”
“At least try to eat something at lunch,” Sanemi sighed, taking his seat at the table.
“I will,” Genya told his brother.
An hour later, Genya and Sanemi were out the door and driving towards the academy.
Genya was starting to feel worse. The painkillers Sanemi gave him weren’t helping with his headache at all, in fact the early morning sun was only making the headache worse and he was starting to get clammy. Then the sniffling started.
Sanemi turned to face his brother when they were stopped at a red light. “You sure you're okay, bud?”
Genya nodded, “I think it’s just a cold.”
“So you are sick.”
“Not really,” Genya argued, which was quickly followed by more sniffles.
“God damn it,” Sanmei uttered under his breath.
“Sorry,” Genya mumbled.
“No, don't apologize,” Sanemi sighed, starting to drive as the light turned green.
“I’m sorry cause I lied to you this morning.”
Sanemi sighed again, “Yeah that was pretty fucking stupid.”
Genya looked down at his feet in shame. He normally didn’t lie to his brother, but he felt he was fine enough to go to school and didn’t want to be a burden to his brother and keep him home from work.
“Let me know if you start feeling worse,” Sanemi told Genya as he parked the car in the academy facility parking lot.
Genya nodded.
The two got out of the car and Genya went to his classroom.
Hours later it was lunch time and Genya did in fact feel worse. He couldn’t stop sniffling at this point, his throat hurt so much he didn’t even want to talk, his head still hurt and the calmness of his skin was starting to make him feel gross.
“You look really pale Genya,” Tanjiro commented when Genya sat down at their usual lunch table.
“He always looks pale,” Zenitsu replied.
“More pale than usual,” Tanjiro explained.
“I’m fine, I think I'm just coming down with a cold,” Genya explained and he almost cringed at how rough his voice sounded.
“I think you already have a cold, Genya,” Tanjiro told him, placing a hand softly against Genya’s forehead.
Genya couldn’t help but lean into the cool touch.
“You have a fever. Maybe you should see Ms.Tamayo.”
“I’ll be fine,” Genya said, trying to assure Tanjiro as he opened his lunch.
Genya's stomach turned at the sight of the food. He had to eat though, if only to prove to Tanjiro that he was fine. He took only small bites, which wasn’t unusual for him so he was sure it didn’t lead to anything suspicious.
He still didn’t eat much of his lunch until the nausea became too much and Genya was slowly starting to worry he had caught something worse than a cold.
“You didn’t eat a lot today,” Tanjiro noted, seeing Genya mostly untouched bento.
“Not a good food day,” Genya half lied.
Tanjiro frowned, but before the conversation could go any further the bell rang, and the boys began collecting their lunch as they got ready to head back to their classroom for their afternoon classes.
Genya’s first afternoon was math, and despite his brother keeping a close eye on him he managed to make it through the class without incident.
Things started to fall apart when he got to his last class which was history with Mr. Rengoku.
Genya normally enjoyed this class, everyone did, Kyojuro was a great teacher who was passionate in what he taught. But his loud voice was not helping Genya’s headache at all, and as his headache got worse everything else seemed to get worse as well.
Then Genya’s head started to feel fuzzy. This only made him more upset, he didn’t want to be little right now. He hated when he regressed at school, especially since the last incident.
He tried hard to focus on what Kyojuro was saying but as he went on the words made less and less sense until Genya had no idea what he was talking about at all.
“Shinazugawa?” Kyojuro called his name and Genya tensed up. The teacher crossed the room and came to his desk. “You’re crying, is something wrong?”
Genya hadn’t even noticed he was crying until Kyojuro had pointed it out, he quickly brought a hand to his cheek and started trying to rub them away.
“Do you need to step outside for a moment?”
Genya didn’t like the soft and kind voice Kyojuro was talking to him with, it just made him feel smaller.
“‘M fine. Head hurts,” Genya tried to explain mumbling.
“If you need to step out, feel free to do so,” Kyojuro told him in a low tone.
And as Kyojuro returned to the front of the class, Genya heard his classmates start to mutter stuff to each other, and he knew they were talking about the time he had an accident at school.
Genya put his head down on his desk, still sobbing softly, suddenly wanting his brother but knowing he would have to wait until school was over. At least the cool top of the desk was helping with his headache.
When the final bell rang Genya flinched, not ready for the sudden loud sound. He watched as his classmates quickly packed up their things to get ready for afterschool activities, but Genya just sat at his desk.
He knew he wanted to stand up, he knew he wanted to go to the teachers office and find his brother but he couldn’t get his body to it which only made him cry harder.
“Genya,” Kyojuro said his name so softly as he knelt down by Genya’s desk.
Genya didn’t respond, he just kept sobbing. He was little and felt icky and wanted his brother and couldn’t get his body to do what he wanted.
Kyojuro placed a gentle hand on Genya’s shoulder, “you okay?”
Genya shook his head.
“Can you tell me what’s wrong?”
It took Genya a few moments before he was finally able to tell Kyojuro what was wrong and even then it was only a couple words. “Want Nemi.”
“You want your brother?”
Genya nodded.
“He’s probably in the staff room,” Kyojuro told him, his voice still soft. “Do you need help getting there?”
Genya nodded again.
“Okay!” Kyojuro raised his voice a bit, but not enough to further upset Genya. “Can you walk on your own?”
Genya sniffled and shrugged, he probably could but he also wasn’t sure, he knew he couldn’t get his body to do it on his own.
“I don’t think I can carry you, buddy.”
Genya whined.
“I can help you walk to the teacher's office,” Kyojuro offered.
Genya nodded, and Kyojuro grabbed the little’s hand and helped him to his feet. It took a moment for Genya to find his balance but once he did Kyojuro led him down the hall and to the teachers office.
But when the two entered the room, Sanemi wasn’t at this desk, luckily the other teacher present in the room was Giyuu.
“Tomioka, do you know where Shinazugawa is?”
“I think he’s doing extra math classes right now. I don’t know when he’ll be back,” Giyuu replied, not looking up from his laptop.
“That’s not good,” Kyojuro commented, leading Genya to the couch that was in the room.
Giyuu finally looked up from his laptop. “Why?”
“Genya’s not doing so well,” Kyojuro explained. “He’s not really himself right now.”
Giyuu sat up from his desk and rushed over to Genya. “Hey Genya,” he cooed, “can you tell me how old you are.”
Genya just sobbed then slowly held up two fingers, he wasn’t actually sure how old he was, all he knew was that he wanted his big brother.
“Oh, that’s what’s going on,” Kyojuro said.
Giyuu looked at Kyojuro. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“He’s regressed right now.”
“He is,” Giyuu said flatly.
Kyojuro sat down on the couch beside Genya, “I can keep him company until Shinazugawa is back.”
“It’s okay, I can take care of him.”
“It looks like you were busy with work, I have the time to sit with him right now,” Kyojuro explained.
Giyuu hesitated, he knew that Sanemi and Genya were both very careful about who learned about Genya’s little headspace. But Giyuu knew he could trust Kyojuro, so he sighed. “I’ll only be at my desk.”
Kyojuro smiled at Giyuu, “then there is nothing to worry about.”
“If you need anything just say my name,” then Giyuu returned to his desk.
Genya sat on the couch remaining quiet. His head and throat still hurt and his clothes were only becoming more uncomfortable.
“Genya,” Kyojuro said softly “Are you okay?”
The only response Kyojuro got was a small whine.
“You do look pale,” Kyojuro noted, putting the back of his hand against Genya’s forehead, noticing how warm Genya was he frowned. “Tomioka.”
Giyuu looked up from his work again, “What?”
“I think young Genya here is sick.”
Giyuu again stood up and walked over to the couch and cupped Genya’s face in his hands. “He does feel warm.”
“Maybe we should let Shinazagawa know,” Kyojuro suggests
“Maybe,” Giyuu agreed, letting go of Genya's face, causing the little to let out a weak whine. “I’ll go find him.”
“I’ll stay here with Genya,” Kyojuro replied.
Giyuu nodded, “I’ll be right back Genya,” he told the little.
Giyuu left the room, leaving Giyuu and Kyojuro alone.
Genya whimpered, he wasn't used to being left with people who weren't his brother or Giyuu.
“It’ll be okay,” Kyojuro told Genya softly.
Genya whimpered again, Kyojuro words not seeming to comfort him much at all.
“Tomioka is getting your brother,” Kyojuro said, doing his best to comfort Genya.
Genya inched closer to Kyojuro and rested his head against the teacher's shoulder, his thumb then finding its place in Genya's mouth.
Kyojuro looked down at Genya, for a moment he considered pulling Genya’s hand from his mouth but he knew that would upset the little, and he didn’t want to make the situation worse. “Your brother will be here soon.”
Genya nods slightly still pressed against Kyojuro.
Kyojuro can’t help but find the sight cute. Genya always gave off the impression of being a troubled teen, but in this moment he was truly the opposite of that.
Sometime later the door to the teacher office opened and Sanemi stormed into the room and came up to Genya. “Are you okay?” he asked kneeling in front of his brother
Genya let out a small but happy sound when he saw his brother.
Sanemi then placed his hand against Genya forehead, “Fuck, you’re warmer then you where this morning.”
Genya responded by doing grabby hands at his brother.
Sanemi sighed standing up then lifting his brother up off the couch. “I'm sorry about this Rengoku.”
“No worries, he was no trouble at all,” Kyojuro replies.
“Still,” Sanemi insists, as Genya nuzzles into the crock of his neck.
“I have my own younger brother, he doesn’t age regression like Genya, but I know what it’s like taking care of someone,” Kyojuro explains.
Sanemi sighs knowing there is no point in arguing with Kyojuro over this. “Thank you either way, Rengoku.”
“Of course, and I am always willing to help if you ever need it.”
Sanemi wasn’t keen on bringing more caregivers into his brother's life, he already had himself and Giyuu and Tanjiro on the odd occasion. It wasn’t that Sanemi didn’t trust Kyojuro either, he was sure Kyojuro would be an amazing caregiver. Sanemi just wasn’t sure if having so many caregivers around would be overwhelming for his brother.
Genya sniffled, bringing Sanemi’s attention back to his sick brother.
“I’ll keep that in mind,” Sanemi told Kyojuro. “But for now I should get him home.”
Kyojuro nodded, “get better soon Genya.”
Genya nodded the best he could with his face still pressed to his brother's neck.
“I’ll see you later Kyojuro,” Sanemi said just before he left the teachers office.
He wasn’t sure if he would be in tomorrow, it seemed unlikely with Genya being sick, perhaps the biggest downside of being the sole guardian of his brother, was that he would miss work if Genya had to stay home.
“You really can be a pain in the ass,” Sanemi whispered teasingly to Genya.
Genya responds by making a small sound and pressing himself closer to Sanemi.
“I know, let's just get you home.”
Sanemi carried his brother to his car, happy that no students saw him doing so. He opened the door and placed his brother in the front seat, Genya whining as Sanemi let go of him, he then clipped in his brother's seatbelt. Once he had Genya settled in the car he went to the drivers side and got into the car himself.
He started his drive home, it was a quiet drive just the sounds of sniffles and small coughs from Genya as he drove.
Once they reached the apartment, Sanemi carried his brother inside, gave him some medicine, which was much harder than Sanemi expected, then gave him a quick bath afterwards changing Genya into comfortable clothing.
With Genya changed Sanemi brought him to the livingroom, the two sat on the couch, Genya leaning against Sanemi. Sanemi turned Bluey on for his brother, though only after a few episodes Genya had fallen asleep.
Sanemi lifted Genya off the couch and brought him to his room. He carefully placed his brother down on the bed then tucked him in. Sanemi kissed his brother softly on the forehead and noted that he wasn’t as warm as he was before they left the academy.
Sanemi stayed in Genya’s room for a few extra seconds, smiling as he watched his brother sleeping peacefully, happy he was able to give his brother this comfort.