"Your foot touched the ground, Tech. You're out and I win!" Wilbur cheered with a wide grin.
"I did not! I'm on the pillow, see?" Techno protested as he pointed towards his toes.
He was, in fact, still on the pillow he'd tossed on the floor in order to traverse it. It was deflated under his weight, but he was technically still safe. However, Wilbur wasn't paying this fact much mind and was already celebrating his victory as he wiggled a small dance from atop Techno's toy chest at the foot of the youngers bed.
It was their usual game of 'lava' where in any contact with the floor would result in their immediate 'death', or loss of the game. They each needed to do laps of the room however they could until one of them inevitably fell. Techno had using his reliable method of tossing things on the floor to step on while Wilbur, being taller and a bit more daring, was climbing over whatever furniture he could struggle up onto. While this left Techno closer to the floor it also made the smaller boy more careful, which is why he knew full well he wasn't out.
Not that Wilbur cared. He was already climbing back down onto Techno's bed.
"I'm not out yet, Wil." Techno continued to protest, stamping his foot as he continued to point to where his toes were, "Wil. Wil, look. I'm not out!"
"Too late, Tech. Toe touching counts." The older boy grinned.
" I didn't touch my toes!" Techno shouted in annoyance, stomping his foot once more, this time off the pillow so that it made a louder noise against just the carpet.
Wilbur snorted as he grinned with satisfaction.
"You did now." He stated smugly.
Techno let out a whine as he pouted at his brother, scowl set firm on his face as he crossed his arms. Wilbur flopped onto Techno's bed with a short laugh.
"New round. Do you want to start from your bed again, or mine?"
"I don't want to play 'lava' anymore." Techno stated with a huff.
"One more round."
"No. You cheated. You always cheat when you start losing." Techno accused as he turned to face away from his brother.
"Hey, I don't always cheat." Wilbur protested this time as he sat a bit straighter.
"Yes you do. You do all the time." Techno insisted, looking back at his brother with a deeper frown than before.
Before Wilbur could get his next words out a familiar cry rang from across the hall. Both boys looked towards the door for a moment as Tommy's voice rose into what was sure to be another fit. He was supposed to be taking his nap right now and so the boys opted to ignore him. He was with their mother anyway. Surely she would have him hushed up and back to sleep soon enough.
"You're just a sore loser, Wilbur. That's why you cheat." Techno started in again, now moving off towards his toy chest, "Dad and mom say cheating it wrong so I don't want to play with you anymore."
Wilbur let out an insulted huff as he jumped to the floor from his brothers bed.
"I am not a sore loser cus I didn't lose. Besides, I don't cheat." He insisted once more as he followed the other, "Lets play something else then if you don't want t-"
"I'm playing by myself now." Techno informed his brother as he started to pull a few dinosaur figures from his toy chest.
Wilbur let out a puff of a breath as he watched, brow furrowing.
"Come on, Tech. Playing alone is no fun. You can choose the next game if you want." Wilbur suggested as he leaned beside his brother.
"No." Techno replied bluntly as he started to line up his figures beside the chest.
"Technooooo-" Wil started to whine before a sharper cry from Tommy echoed into their room.
Wilbur stopped and looked towards the door as Techno just frowned deeper and continued what he was doing. With a tilted of his head Wil listened for any signs of his mother dealing with their brother. The only noise coming from outside their room was from Tommy and…oh. Right, their mother had mentioned taking a showed while Tommy napped. He could hear the water running, just barely.
Looking towards Techno for a moment Wilbur sighed and stepped away. If Techno was going to ignore him now and his mother was busy he might as well try to see what was making Tommy upset when he should be sleeping.
As he left his room he winced at how much louder Tommy sounded in the hallway. He dreaded to think of how shrill that voice would be once he reached the parents room, where he was usually placed for nap time. Mostly because their mother worked in there on her laptop while he rested, or so he'd been told.
Pushing the door open gently Wilbur peeked into the room in question, once more wincing at the volume. Tommy seemed to have noticed the light from the now partly open door because he twisted his head in an effort to face it. His face was red and twisted in distress from what Wil could see. Wil froze up at the sight as he felt his chest tighten and strain with a feeling he didn't know how to describe. It was the same feeling he got when Techno cried.
He hated it.
Without waiting another moment Wil shuffled over to the bed, reaching a hand out to lay on his brothers back with a few short and soft 'shush's on his lips. Tommy's hollering subsided into harsh hiccuping sobs instead. He was still upset of course, but at least Wilbur's presence seemed to calm him somewhat.
"What's wrong, Toms? What's wrong?" Wilbur whispered at him, trying to keep his voice low like his parents did when putting his brother to sleep, "Don't you know you're supposed to be sleeping?"
He didn't expect much of a reply from his brother of course. The baby could only get a few small sounds out that could be words. No, he didn't expect an answer, but his parents seemed to ask Tommy all sorts of things and Tommy seemed to like that. Usually anyway.
Tommy rubbed his face on the bed under him sloppily as he once more tried to turn enough to face Wilbur. Wil kept his hand on Tommy's back, patting him in the hopes that that would help. He could feel how heavily his brother was breathing and he wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not. Biting his lip he debated running to get their mother, but even if he did, she was in the shower. Tommy needed comforting now.
Taking a deep breath Wilbur moved to climb up onto the bed with Tommy, though be moved further from Tommy himself so as not to accidentally fall onto him or something. Their parents had given both he and Techno plenty of warnings about that.
Tommy had started to fuss when Wilbur moved out of his sight, but the boy was quick to offer a verbal assurance he was still nearby as he climbed. The shaking of the bed that followed seemed to help inform Tommy of his brother remaining with him and so his noises once more returned to a more manageable crying.
"See? All fine. I'm still here, Toms." Wilbur stated as he crawled back to Tommy's side.
Tommy turned his head to look at Wilbur, his eyes filled with tears and his mouth open in huffed panting between whines. With his brother beside him Tommy seemed to be settling down further, thought his fit didn't seem to be over just yet. Wilbur was at least glad that Tommy seemed to accept him as a source of comfort.
"See? Nothing's wrong. You're all fine and not hurt or anything. Just awake when you shouldn't be." Wil stated as he put on what he hoped would be an assuring smile.
He didn't know what to do really and he doubted talking to Tommy would keep him quiet for much longer. His fits were never that easy to deal with. At least, not usually.
Wil reached out a hand and this time tried to take hold of Tommy's tiny little fist, hoping his brother would hold onto it like he usually did. It was cute and made Wil's heart feel like it was melty and gooey. A strange but oddly nice feeling.
Tommy, however, did not at all seem interested in the contact. He tugged his little hand away with a gargled noise of distress before his face once more warped into one if anger and upset. Wil wasn't sure what to do or what was wrong with little Tommy, but whatever it was he didn't like the faces it made his baby brother make.
"Shhh, sh, Tommy. Please." Wil pleaded, this time rest his hand back on Tommy's back and patting him.
Tommy kicked and cried hard for a few seconds before sucking in a deep breath once more and taking time to just breathe. Again his breaths were shaky and gasped and made Wilbur anxious hearing him, but he kept patting for lack of any other idea of what to do.
"What are you doing?" Techno's voice came in from the doorway.
Looking up Wilbur was met with his other brother, Technopig in his arms, and staring from the left open door. He looked confused and worried but remained at a distance. He really didn't like it when Tommy cried, the noise hurting his ears.
"I'm trying to help him back to sleep. Mom's busy." Wilbur explained simply as he bit his lower lip once more, "I…think this is helping."
"He's still loud." Techno stated just shy of a complaint.
"He's still upset." Wilbur replied with as he shifted his legs to be more comfortable.
"Is he sick?"
"No, I…I don't think so? I think he's just…" Wilbur trailed off as he furrowed his brow.
He had no idea what Tommy was feeling. His face was scrunched up and Wil couldn't tell anything by just the tears alone. Tommy cried about most things so there wasn't really much for him to grasp onto for an answer.
"Is he sad?" Techno asked, slowly inching into the room.
"I..don't know. Maybe? Seems more angry than sad though." Wilbur considered as he tilted his head.
How was he supposed to know what to do if he didn't know what the other was feeling? He didn't want to hold Wil's hand so, he wasn't lonely or anything…Maybe.
"Is that what's wrong with you? Are you sad, Tommy?" Wilbur asked, just like their parents would.
"He can't answer you. He's a baby." Techno informed his brother as if the older might not be aware.
"He can't answer, but he might feel better if we ask anyway." Wilbur reasoned, or at least parroted his parents reasoning.
With a hesitant hand Wil moved his fingers until they were at Tommy's sides. He had to try something to cheer him up and what better to do that than with a tickle? It made him and Techno feel better when their father did it to them when they were upset. Though….not all the time. Wil could only hope that his father's trick would work on Tommy now.
"Tickle, tickle, Tommy." Wilbur said with a false cheerful voice as began to wiggle his fingers into his brother's side.
The reaction was instantaneous and absolutely not what Wilbur intended. Tommy had flinched at the feeling and had tried to jerk away from him. He screamed out louder with a fresh shrieked sob bursting from his mouth. The tears fell heavily as struggled to get away from Wilbur.
Wil had pulled his hand back as if Tommy had somehow slapped it away, his expression falling as he started to panic.
"Tommy, Tommy, shhhh! I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I wont do it again!" Wil apologized, hesitating to pat his baby brother on the back.
"You're make it worse." Techno huffed as he moved closer despite the displease expression on his face.
As he approached the bed Techno lifted his plushie up to set down first, taking a firm hold of the blankets in his fists.
"I'm gunna help." He declared before trying to pull himself up onto the bed with the other two.
"W-wait, Tech-" Wil panicked as he felt and saw the baby blanket beneath Tommy start to shift.
The second Techno tried to lift himself off the ground and his full weight was on the blankets in hand everything seemed to move rapidly. Techno's feet left the ground as he reached up further onto the bed, Tommy's blanket ending up in his fist as he climbed. The blanket and Techno suddenly pulled backwards towards the floor, little Tommy sliding along with it. Wilbur's heart stopped at seeing the small fragile body heading towards the edge of the bed. Within the space of one gasped breath the choked noise of surprise that came with it Wilbur had snatched up Tommy into his arms, the end of the blanket vanishing from sight not a moment later.
There was a small thud and an 'oof' from below the edge of the bed, but Wilbur didn't fully hear it. His heart was pounding in his ears and his breathing was tense as he hugged the warm and wiggling body to his own. Sparked by fear Wilbur awkwardly shifted away from the edge of the bed, glancing between it and his brother in his arms. Tommy was…heavier than he looked but…but he was….so small too. Just a tiny little thing.
Techno let out an irritated whine as he picked himself up off the floor, but Wilbur didn't even pass him a glance. His attention was fully on Tommy who was, despite the tense moment, quieter than he had been just before. Even with the wiggling he was calmer then he'd been since Wilbur had arrived.
Wilbur had Tommy rest on his lap, using his knees to support Tommy's back while he used his arms to keep his upper body and head in a position that looked comfy enough. Wil stared down at the tiny form, running a free hand over Tommy's head until his finger rested on the babies cheek.
Tommy was still panting for breath but looked far better than before. He didn't seem to mind Wilbur's face touching despite the tantrum he threw at not wanting to hold hands. In fact, Tommy had reached out a hand to Wilbur and now had a fist of his shirt tightly trapped in a vice grip.
Tommy let out a warbled cry, but it was nothing like the ones before. This was seemed as if he was unsure if he was still upset or not. Wil did the only thing he could think to do in this position. He leaned down and placed a small kiss to his brother's head, giving a few more gentle 'shush's as well. Techno watched from off the side of the bed, sore at his failure to climb and unwilling to try again so soon as he'd bumped his head.
After another minute or so Wil's sense came back to him as stared down at his brother. Tommy retained the redness of his face from his fit, but was now looking up at Wilbur curiously. Neither seemed to know what to make of the moment, but Wilbur at least decided not to waste it. Not when it took so much effort and failures to reach this point.
Taking what he could remember about how his parents took care of Tommy and Techno both Wilbur, careful as he could, started to rock back and forth. He couldn't do it the same way his parents did since Tommy was half in his arms and half in his lap, but this would do for now.
"that's it, tommy. all soft and quiet time now." Wilbur whispered as he tried again to smile comfortingly.
Tommy stared back up at him, red puffy eyes just looking into Wil's own uncertain ones.
"Boys? What are you doing in here?"
Wilbur peeled his eyes off of Tommy's face and Techno turned quickly to face the doorway. There, hair wrapped in a towel and dressed in new set of house clothes, stood their mother. Her expression was one of concern and confusion as she took in the scene before her.
"What's going on? Its supposed to be Tommy's nap time." She stated as she made her way to the bed.
"He started crying and Wilbur was making it worse." Techno explained simply as he took a step towards his mother and raised his hands to be picked up.
"I wasn't 'making it worse'." Wilbur huffed with a sour look on his face towards Techno, "I was trying to help."
"You made his cry more." Techno pointed out as he was lifted into the air and held against his mother's hip.
"That doesn't sound good." Their mother replied, but in a tone that Wil recognized as her 'I am listening to you' voice even if she didn't believe what was said.
"I didn't know what was wrong so, I just sort of, tried things." Wilbur informed truthfully before he was even asked.
"I appreciated the help, Wilbur, thank you." His mother praised him with a smile and a nod, "Babies can be fussy about sleep. I doubt anything was 'wrong'. Seems to me like he just wanted to be held a bit more."
She nodded her head down to the baby, Wilbur following her gaze. Tommy's eyes were drooping a bit as he kicked weakly with a bit of babble on his lips.
"I'll put him back to sleep now if you want to take Techno back to your room to play." Kristin offered as she gently placed Techno on the edge of the bed.
She reached her arms out to pick Tommy up from Wil's hold, but her son pulled away from her, arms wrapping around Tommy more.
"I-I'm fine here. I…I think he wants to stay with me anyway." Wilbur protested awkwardly as he once more looked down at his youngest brother.
Kristin stared at her son a moment, taking in how gently he was trying to hold onto Tommy without dropping him. Wilbur's shoulders were tense, but his expression was held in a state of both awe and anxiety. Tommy, for his part, did look content to be held by his brother, if not a bit uncomfortable. It honestly made her heart squeeze with affection for them both.
"Do you want me to show you how to hold him?" She offered as she sat on the bed now, right beside Techno.
Techno was looking up at her, glancing between her and Wilbur with a small frown.
Wilbur looked down at Tommy a moment before meeting his mother's gaze with a nod. He didn't think Tommy was exactly comfy how he was and if he was going to be able to rock him properly he'd need to know how to do it.
It took a few minutes, his mother having to pick up Techno and use him as an example, but Wilbur managed to shift Tommy up and into his arms properly. He gently rocked Tommy side to side instead of backwards and forwards, which instantly had Tommy's eyes fluttering. All his crying form earlier having tired him out a great deal. Though Wilbur considered it might just be a magic thing because even Techno was starting to look sleepy as their mother continued to rock him as well.
Wilbur couldn't help the smile that stretched over his face as he watched little Tommy slowly close his eyes, a large yawn leaving the small bean of a baby. Tommy's little fist was still holding onto Wil's shirt even as he nodded off. Wilbur believed he could sit in this moment for hours and still be awed by this new ability of his. He had learned how to put his babiest brother to sleep.