WARNING: Mild blood reference and loss of a tooth. Anxiety response to stress.
Its vague, but beware all the same.
xx-x-x-xx
It was a Saturday and the Watson household was positively rumbling with the sound of rushed thudding foot falls of the two elder boys. Wilbur burst out of the hallway into the living room with a shrill laugh, darting directly forwards towards the large armchair on the other side. Techno was close behind him, arm outstretched as he tried to catch hold of his elder brother's shirt.
Wil swiftly dipped between the armchair and the sofa, careening through the room with the grace of a hurdling newborn fawn. While he stumbled over the carpet he was still better coordinated than Techno, who had bounced off the corner of the sofa taking the turn into the heart of the living room. He hadn't been able to adjust his speed well, but he wasn't giving up just yet.
As Techno corrected himself Wilbur had time to gain ground, rushing past Tommy's playpen where the small blond child watched the pair. Tommy's eyes were following the two with upmost excitement, a peel of laughter dancing into the air as he reached for his speeding elder brothers with both hands. It was a grabby motion he had picked up recently but at the moment neither sibling was paying much attention to it.
Instead Techno, without even glancing towards the pen, tore passed it in the hopes of catching up to Wilbur once more. The two thundered back into the hall and back down towards the end, the echoes of there feet and giggles quieting only a small bit. As they reached the end there was a short shout from their father about calming down, but it was ignored.
There was the swinging of doors, the sound of bed springs and then racing feet back towards the other end of the house. Tommy waited in his pen, watching the opening to the hallway with giddiness. His hands tried to make a clapping motion in his excitement but it was haphazard at best. He was close to shoving a hand into his mouth just as both boys re-emerged into the room.
Tommy squealed at the sight, laughing loudly and once more doing 'grabby hands' as Wilbur turned to make the same pass he had through the living room for the last few laps. Techno was close on him again, fingertips almost brushing his elder brother's back. He stumbles for a second as he tries to turn in time with Wilbur at the furniture, but the carpet almost does him in. Again, Wilbur gains a few precious seconds of time.
However, this time around is different. As he goes to pass by Tommy's pen again Wil's eyes glance over at the smaller bubbling baby. Warm chestnut brown eyes meeting bright baby blue for the barest of second. A spark of mischief ever present flick behind Wil's eyes as the older boy turned sharply without any warning.
Techno ran headlong into Wilbur, almost sending both boys to the ground. If Wilbur hadn't had the briefest of seconds to brace then they might well had toppled over. As it was, they remained upright with Wilbur holding the pair of them on their feet.
Without a word and with a grin spreading over his face rapidly Wil wrapped his arms around Techno's middle and lifted upwards. Confused as to what was happening Techno could only wiggle with a startled squawk before he was sent sideways into Tommy' pen.
With a soft 'oof' Techno landed on little Tommy's nest of blankets and stuffed toys. The smallest child let out a delight string of gibberish as he jerkily started to crawl over towards the five year old. By the time Techno was pushing himself up enough to peer out at his elder brother with a disgruntled frown he was surprised to see the other was already gone.
Quickly, and ignoring Tommy trying to tug on him in their proximity, Techno stood and peered out of the pen as he tried to locate the eldest sibling. It didn't take long as Wilbur stepped out of the kitchen, panting for breath but with the same while grin as a moment prior.
"H-hey! That's mine!" Techno shouted as he spotted the item in Wilbur's hand.
It was a small chocolate ice cream pop that was meant to be his snack for later, Wilbur having already eaten his own.
"Not now it isn't." Wilbur panted out as he moved to open the wrapping, "Ice pops aren't for babies, and your in the baby jail. So none for you."
Techno huffed and stomped his foot at that, an annoyed whine crawling out of his mouth.
"Give it back!" He demanded, reaching out for it from where he stood.
Wilbur only hummed an 'uh-uh' at him before turning to walk down the hall towards their shared bedroom.
"H-hey! Let me out!" Techno shouted after him, a mix of angry and distressed, "Come back and let me out! And- and give that back!"
All his shouts and calls were ignored by the elder as he vanished out of sight. Techno watched him with another whine, this was more distraught sounding.
Looking down at the weight on his leg Techno shook Tommy off, sending the smaller child back down to the pen floor. Tommy didn't seem at all put off by this, smiling up at his brother and giving fresh grabby hands at him. He wanted to play not realizing how upset the other was growing.
With a huffed breath Techno looked back to the hall where Wilbur had been. He wasn't a baby. Tommy was a baby. Techno was a big kid, just like Wilbur. He'd show him. Techno would escape and take his ice cream back like a real big kid would.
Pushing Tommy off of his leg once more Techno gripped onto the top of the playpen bar and tried to pull himself up onto it. He struggled and didn't get far though. Looking around himself he took up the bundle of Tommy's pen things and made a pile. Standing atop of it he was…honestly not all that higher, but it would have to do.
Tommy let out a strange noise at this, presumably at seeing his things all tucked in and stepped on like that. He still reached for Techno even as the other hoisted himself up with what passed for his arm strength. Techno wheezed as the railing dug into his stomach, but he didn't care. He was so close to freedom. So close to proving his brother wrong.
And then the world tilted quickly.
In the next moment there was a heavy 'thud' that seemed to echo though the house, followed by a silence. It was brief though as in the next second the air was split by a sharp shrieking.
Rapid footsteps rushed down the hall and Wilbur slid into the room with wide eyes. His bewildered face promptly scrunched with worry as he saw his brother struggling to push himself up off the floor from before the playpen. The smaller boy was shaking and his body heaved with the sobs that tore from his lips.
Moving to help his brother up to comfort him Wil froze and his face paled sharply. Techno had picked his head up in a cry, eyes pinched and overrun with tears as crimson dribbled down his chin. Wilbur's heart fluttered with a fresh panic as he dropped beside his brother, hugging the smaller distraught boys head to his chest.
Techno pushed away at first, the hug pressing painfully onto his mouth which hurt so so much at the moment. Wil moved a hand over Techno's mouth in an attempt to stop the bleeding but he was afraid to press down at all sounds of pain his little brother was making.
"Mom! Dad!" Wilbur shrieked towards the hallway.
The footsteps that had been coming up the hall already shifted into a faster pace at hearing the panic in his voice. Within the next heartbeat both of Phil and Kristin erupted into the room with a look of fear over their faces. Seeing their kids curled up with the younger one bleed had Phil cussing under his breath as he rushed towards the two. Kristin having turned sharply towards the kitchen.
"Shit. Techno, are you okay? Come here mate." Phil breathed out hoping he sounded more comforting than panicked as he dropped before his boys.
He made to pick Techno up but he was currently clinging onto Wilbur, his body shaking but his grip firm.
"Its okay Tech. I got you. I need you to let go of your brother, can you do that?" Phil tried to coax, trying to slid his fingers between Techno's hand and Wil's shirt.
"I'm here to Techno, but, but you need to go with Dad. Okay? He's-he's going to make it all better." Wilbur tried as well, shuddering for a steady breath as e tried to be brave like his father.
It wasn't easy, but Techno allowed his hand to loosen just enough for his father to detach him from Wilbur. Less than a second later he was lifted into the air and pressed firmly against his father's chest. Latching on Techno continued to sob, mouth agape and red leaking far too freely over his lips.
Kristin met the pair at the doorway of the kitchen, a damp washcloth in one hand and a the small emergency medical kit in the other. Techno was brought to sit on the counter beside the sink as both his parents fussed and inspected the damage.
Wilbur remained at the doorway watching from a distance, both hands tightly gripping at his shirt where Techno's hands had been moments before. He pulled in a breath with a bit of a struggle, air fighting to even reach his lungs. He was shaking badly, but not nearly as much as Techno was. He was terrified and the pit of his stomach sat heavy as if he'd been eating stones all morning.
Behind Wilbur in the living room Tommy was crying in his playpen, the whole ordeal having scared and confused him. Wilbur looked back at the pen and the crying child and swallowed hard. He wanted to go comfort Tommy, he did. But he also wanted to make sure Techno was okay. Glancing back at his preoccupied parent Wilbur made his decision.
With a weight on his chest Wilbur turned and made his way to the playpen. Still shivering he reached a hand between the bars for Tommy to grab.
"Shhh, its okay Toms. Its okay." He tried to sound reassuring even as his voice broke.
Tommy continued to cry, but he held onto Wilbur's hand tightly, looking up at him with pleading eyes. He didn't know what to. He just…didn't. All Wil could do was hold Tommy's hand and mutter words at him. With the bars between them he couldn't even offer a hug.
Wilbur wiped at his face as tears started to fall from his own eyes, a hiccup on his breath as a warm hand gently settled on his back. Looking up Wil was met with the half worried and yet half relieved eyes of his mother.
"You okay Wil?" She asked as she moved to pick up the still crying Tommy.
Her eyes remained mostly on her eldest son as she started to rock Tommy back and for soothingly. The youngest, not understanding the fear that had just passed through the room, quieted quickly as he grabbed full fists of his mother's shirt and listened to her gentle hums of assurance.
Wilbur watched them a moment, his lower lip quivering as he tried to nod a 'yes' to her question. She didn't seem convinced though and, shifting Tommy onto one hip, she offered a free hand to Wilbur for a hug. He didn't even fully consider it before standing and pressing into her arms wrapping around her tightly. He was still trembling and now, with the added consoling hand of his mother on his back, Wilbur let his tears fall freely. He cried into her side as she rubbed calming circles on his back.
xx-xx-xx-xx
Techno swung his legs lazily, letting his heels thud against the cabinet he was seated above. Phil had cleaned him up for the most part at this point, aside from his shirt which currently was spotted near the collar with red. The pain in his mouth was far duller after the warm salt water his father had insisted he rinse with. Truly, now that the initial pain and panic were gone Techno couldn't help but think that the ordeal as a whole wasn't even all that scary. Though, most of that might be due to Techno's newest fascination.
With a lingering sniffle Techno watched his father with interest as the man shuffled through the kitchen as he struggled to locate something. It only took him another moment or so to return, a clear zip lock baggy in hand which housed a now freshly washed off tooth. Phil was looking at it with a mild grimace before looking back to Techno with clear reluctance.
"You sure, mate? We could just, tuck it under your pillow for the tooth-fairy later." Phil asked as he held the bag up a touch higher.
Techno nodded with a grin, a gap now clearly visible at the front of his mouth.
"I'm gunna make a collection." He stated with a disturbing confidence.
"No." Phil replied bluntly as he fought a shiver down his spine at the far to vivid thought of an actual collection of baby teeth in his sons possession.
"But-"
"Techno, we are not collecting your teeth as they come out." Phil cut him off before the younger could even try to make a case, "I will allow one tooth. The rest go to the tooth-fairy when its time."
Techno huffed and crossed his arms with a pout.
"Its my teeth. I wanna keep 'em." The boy argued as he stared at his father in full seriousness.
"But why?" Phil questioned, a tone of begging in his voice to understand what phase Techno was about to go through that made him want to keep TEETH of all things.
"Cus their mine." Techno answered him simply.
"Tech" Phil breathed out before pausing.
Technically….he had a point didn't he?
"...We'll talk to your mother about it." Phil caved easily bringing a fresh tooth gaped smile to Techno's face as he handed over the bagged incisor.
xx-xx-xx-xx
Wilbur sat on the sofa alone staring at his feet and tugging at the hem of his shirt. Kristin had gone to put Tommy down for his nap and his father had insisted Wil remain there while he helped Techno pick out a new shirt to change into. It wasn't a time out officially, but the longer it took his father to return the more it felt like one.
Wilbur couldn't help the tension that grew in his stomach when he heard his father returning from down the hall. He turned to watch the man enter the room, Wil's heart dropping at not seeing Techno with him. While his brother had seemed fine in the brief moments he'd walked through the room to the hall Wilbur was still worried. A feeling that only grew as he took in the serious look on his fathers face.
Phil let out a sigh as he took a seat on the sofa beside Wilbur, facing him with a look that was just shy of being 'scolding'. Wilbur held his breath as he tried to swallow the awful feeling building up in his chest.
"So, what have we learned?" Phil began, looking at his eldest expectantly as he crossed his arms for good measure.
His voice was even and bore no hint of sign anger, but Wilbur still couldn't help the sense of dread at the question. He had always hated tests and the question before him felt like a pop quiz he'd never studied for. He didn't know what he was supposed to say, what he was supposed to have learned. He just knew he felt horrible and scared and just wanted to go back to playing with Techno again.
The silence between the two grew and Phil's brows shifted from expectant to confused as Wilbur failed to respond.
"Wil?" He prompted, uncrossing his arms and reaching a hand towards Wil's shoulder.
"'m srry" Wil's voice came out small and mumbled before he bit his bottom lip.
He hoped it was the right answer because he didn't have anything else.
Phil paused, looked his son over and then let out a breath. He slid his arm around Wilbur's shoulders and pulled him close into a light hug.
"You're not in trouble Wil. It was an accident." His father assured him with a squeeze.
Wilbur nodded his head to his father's words because, yes, of course it was an accident. He hadn't meant for his brother to get hurt. He'd never mean for that. Not ever!
"I just-" Phil trailed off, taking a deep breath before he leaned out enough to be able to look down at his son once more, watery brown eyes meeting his own, "While it was an accident, it was also an avoidable one. We're lucky he only lost a tooth-"
"He lost a tooth?!" Wil blurted out as his eyes burst open.
"Yeah. Front tooth." Phil nodded, pointing at his own to emphasize before getting back on track, "He fine now, but that might not have been the case. This is why we keep warning you two to be more careful. Its a small house Wil, and your brothers are both much smaller then you. Running around and throwing your brothers around can be dangerous."
Wilbur sat still, barely daring to nod as he listened. The pit in his stomach tightened again and he bit his lower lip once more.
"Its your job to help keep them safe. Just like ours." Phil went on as he placed a hand on Wil's head to ruffle his hair lightly, "You're a good brother, Wil. But please, just be more careful with them. Okay?"
Wilbur nodded, unable to get words to form just yet. His father seemed to accept the answer all the same, pulling him into another hug and placing a kiss on his head.
"Okay, go on now. Techno's in your room playing…with his tooth." His father informed him as he shiver of disgust seemed to travel down him, "Do not take it out the bag."
xx-xx-xx-xx
The rest of the day was spent far calmer than before, the two boys mostly remaining their room. Techno spent a good portion of it inspecting every part of his outed tooth, kept in the bag mostly due to Wilbur's intervention. Along with that Techno took great pride in showing off his new gap with each smile, doing so more often just for the chance to flick his tongue over the weird space that now rested at the front of his mouth.
As excited at Techno seemed by the change Wilbur couldn't help the feeling of guilt that bubbled up each time he saw empty space in his younger brothers smile. Enough so that later that night Wilbur ended up giving Techno the majority of his dessert as an apology. If any of the family noticed him do this for the next few days as well no one mentioned it.