Rough Hands, Gentle Love

(Age: Two) Sick Day

"Y/N." You hear Tomura call from further in the apartment.
"I'm in the bath." You call back, rolling your eyes in vague annoyance.
You'd barely left him alone with Tomo for ten minutes, needing the break from the toddler after he'd done nothing but cry and act up all day. Your body was aching, and it wasn't often you got the chance to soak your aching bones in the bath like you used to before he was born.
You hear Tomo's crying coming closer and closer to the bathroom, your eyes narrowing as you look at the bathroom door distrustfully.
Sure enough, Tomura tries the door handle.

"Don't come in here!" You snap, the water you're in splashing as you sit up quickly and cover your chest with your arm preemptively.
"Why?" Tomura asks, suspicion evident in his voice.
"Because I'm naked?" You reply sourly.
"So?"
"So I don't want Tomo in here?" You retort.
There's a small pause, Tomo's crying hushing for a second before starting up again.
"He literally came out of your-"
"Tomura." You warn.
Another pause from Tomura in the other side of the door and Tomo begins crying for you, Tomura hushing him outside of the door.
You sink into the water, hoping the water will block your ears enough to tune most of it out.

Except when you lift your head again and wipe your eyes free of water, you're met with the sight of your child trying to climb into the bath fully clothed with you.
"Tomura!" You snap angrily. "That's the fifth door handle this year!"
Tomura shrugs as he hauls Tomo up into his arms again as the toddler screams and kicks in retaliation, passing your towel to you.
"I hate you both." You mutter sourly to yourself as you get out of the bath.
Tomura just kisses your cheek the second you're standing, holding Tomo's head as well as he can to his shoulder.

"Mama! Mama!" Tomo cries pitifully.
"You didn't want me all day!" You reply, exasperated, as you wrap the towel around yourself.
Once it's tucked in on your chest you're being passed the tearful toddler, his wet pink eyes looking up at you with the saddest expression you've seen on his little face before.
Your heart cracks a tiny bit as you hold him close and kiss his fluffy black hair.
"What's the matter, Tomo?" You ask, sad instead of annoyed now. "You've been acting out all day..."
And he usually behaved for Tomura.

Tomo sniffles, clinging to you like he's terrified of you disappearing from between his fingertips.
You settle down on the closed toilet lid, burying your face in his hair and giving him a little squeeze. Tomo wasn't the most affectionate with you. Tomura, Dabi, Spinner and Compress all got more affection than you ever did.
You were going to soak it up while you could.
"He cried for you the entire time." Tomura states, rubbing the side of Tomo's head.
"Mama..." Tomo says sadly as if he knows his dad was talking about him.
"What is it, baby?" You ask softly, rubbing your cheek against his head.

"Bad."
"Bad?" You repeat, frowning.
Tomo grips your skin a little tighter, but the single word from him has Tomura concerned too, the scarred skin on his brow pulling together slightly as he crouches in front of you both, his hand rubbing Tomo's back comfortingly.
"What's bad?" You ask again, trying to peel his face from your shoulder.
He sniffles, but does pull away from you a little bit to point at his stomach, his pink eyes watery with tears unshed.
"Your tummy's bad?" You ask. "Ouchie?"
He nods, flopping his face onto your shoulder again, crying once more.

"Tomo..." You sigh, cuddling him tight again. "Why didn't you just tell mommy?"
Tomura kisses the side of his head and then the top of yours before rifling through the bathroom cabinet.
Tomo seems to quieten down the longer you hold him, but still sniffles away sadly while Tomura tries to find a little medicine spoon in the kitchen.
"Love you, Tomo." You murmur, like you always do whenever he gives you the rare chance to cuddle up like this.
"Mama." Tomo says, sniffling but pulling away from your shoulder, pressing a snotty, wet 'kiss' to your cheek.

It's gross, of course, but it's the first time Tomo's done that, so your heart melts, and you immediately start tearing up, kissing his head back in response.
"Here, Tomo." Tomura says, crouching with a spoonful of medicine. "Ah."
Tomo ducks his head away like he usually does whenever you try to encourage him to eat something.
"Tomo, it'll make you feel better." You try to bargain, moving your head to try to catch his eyes.
He rarely, if ever, listened to you, but you always tried anyway.
And today, it apparently pays off because his eyes slide up to meet yours, his little bottom lip quivering.

"It'll stop your belly being bad." You tell him. "No more ouchies."
A single silent tear rolls down his cheek and Tomura tries pressing the plastic spoon to the corner of his mouth gently again.
This time Tomo reluctantly opens his mouth, swallowing the medicine with a scrunched up face.
"Good boy." Tomura praises, ruffling his black hair as he stands.
"Yucky." Tomo sasses.
"Only for a little bit." Tomura replies back, hauling him up. "Let mom finish her bath."
"Mama!" Is the immediate cry, and you sigh, standing up too.

"Let me get dressed and then we can cuddle." You promise Tomo, kissing his wet cheek and leaving quickly to change.
You didn't mind giving up your alone time if it meant feeling wanted and needed by Tomo for a little while.
You hear Tomo crying for you while you throw some pyjamas on, Tomura unused to being ignored by Tomo and unable to soothe him.
"Cut it out, Tomo." You hear him sigh as you come back out and hold your arms out for him.
Tomura eagerly places him in your arms, keeping a hand overing over the small of your back as you walk towards the couch.

When you settle down, holding Tomo close to your chest while rubbing his back reassuringly, you feel Tomuras eyes piercing into the back of your head for a moment or two before he eventually settles down next to you both, tapping away on his phone, his long white hair blocking his face from your view.
Tomo falls quiet pretty quickly with you for once, and when his hands loosen on your shirt, you get the feeling he's fallen asleep. You find yourself wishing he could be like this all the time, but are immediately hit with guilt afterwards when you remember he's only like this because he has a bellyache, and you don't want your child to suffer.

Tomura seems to pick up on Tomo being asleep, crimson eyes scanning him and you as you smile down at him.
His phone is soon put on the arm of the couch and his lips are pressed against your neck, his nose running along your jawline.
"Another." He says huskily.
"Tomura." You warn.
"You look good with him." He insists, kissing your jaw gently, his cracked lips scratching against your skin slightly,
"He's sick, and asleep on me and your mind is in the gutter. Sort it out."

He huffs in annoyance against your skin, but peels himself away from you.
He pets Tomo's head gently, looking at him with a fondness that Tomura didn't often show anyone.
The kind that means 'I love you' without directly saying it.