Do Over

Seven

A/N: **trigger warning for violence in the italic text**

—few days later—

Tyler watched as Troye got more and more frustrated with the task at hand. They were sitting at the table in Lilly's office, which was empty, it was just the two of them. Tyler was attempting to teach Troye how to use a spoon, a task that all children have beyond mastered by his age, but he hadn't.

They were trying with lukewarm chicken noodle soup, one of Troye's favorites, but he was getting more and more upset at his incapability to get the spoon into his mouth without spilling most of the liquid on the table or himself.

The bowl of soup was nearly empty and Troye had only half managed to get about 5 spoonful amounts into him mouth. "I can't do it" he sniffled giving up

"Yes you can. you're doing a great job" Tyler said trying to praise Troye so that he didn't give up. His fine motor skills were slow, that wasn't his fault, he just needed so practice.

"But I can't do it, make mess all over" Troye sniffled "a-and I hungry. I used hands please" he asked as tears began to dribble from his eyes.

"Troye, don't cry you are doing a great job...you just need to practice with the spoon and fork" Tyler said moving to sit next to Troye properly "You have something I eat with hands?" Troye asked, he wanted nothing to do with the metal contraptions that Tyler had been teaching him to use, he just wanted to eat with his hands like he usually did.

"I do have a sandwich for you, but you need to finish all of your soup first" Tyler explained pointing to the four or five scoops he had left in the bowl. Troye frowned again "I no can do it" he said trying not to cry. "you feed me?"

"Come on Troye, you can do it. Try one more time" Tyler said pushing the curls out of Troye's face.

Troye couldn't hold back his tears anymore the salty drops cascading from his eyes with his quivering lip "I can't" he cried "I stupid and I no no how"

"Troye you are not stupid, why would you say that" Tyler rushed

Troye sniffled again "Andrew and Alexis and Trevor say I is stupid because I no no things"

Troye put down the spoon and pushed the bowl away as Tyler looked at him with sad eyes "Thats not true bud, you are getting smarter and smarter, don't listen to them" he said

"No! I is stupid, I can't do things right" he croaked out between thick cries

"Yes you can. you are very smart Troye" Tyler said, he didn't even know what to say to make the boy feel better, Tyler himself wasn't lying. Lilly told him yesterday that Troye had advanced one or two mental years according to her textbooks since he got to the center. So Troye was wrong, he was smart. He was slowly learning things even if he didn't think so.

"Can you do it" Troye sniffled pushing the bowl towards Tyler. "Troye I-I really think you should try it again" Tyler pushed, in all honesty if Troye really wanted him too Tyler would gladly feed him, especially since he'd been working so hard.

"I no want to anymore, I'm hungry and not good" Troye explained with teary frustrated eyes

Tyler sighed and pulled the bowl closer to himself along with the spoon, quickly giving into Troye's request and moving spoonfuls of chicken noodle soup into Troye's mouth. Troye avoided Tyler's gaze as he opened and closed his mouth for the last few bites. Tyler tried to smile reassuringly but he knew that Troye was upset so he did't say anything.

Once the soup was finished Tyler set up the rest of Troye's dinner that consisted of a sandwich and apple slices. Tyler could tell that Troye was relieved of the fact that the rest of his dinner was meant to be eaten with his hands.