HOWDY!!
I'm back with part two of "Sweet brother of mine", cos I love writing agere Ritchie soooo-
REMINDER THAT AGE REGRESSION IS A COMPLETELY SFW COPING MECHANISM.
Aaaand I hope you enjoy.

"Bwandon?"

The air mage glanced up from his paperwork to fondly smile at his brother. Ritchie was wearing a baby blue sweater that hung over his hands and reached well past his knees. As well as this, he wore a pair of soft looking grey pajama pants. Blinking slowly, he toddled towards his mentally older brother. Brandon placed his pen down on the desk, before standing up to meet the blue haired boy halfway across the room. As he crouched down to reach the other's current hunched over height, he was greeted by two cold hands gently slapping his cheeks.

"Oi! You little munchkin!"
He scooped the devil into his arms, twirling him around, which caused the regressor to erupt into a fit of giggles.
"Pu' meh dooowwwnnn!!!"
"Hmmmm...."
Pausing the relentless 'attack' he took a moment to pretend to contemplate his twin's request. Of course, that didn't last long, for he immediately flew them both into the air and zoomed round the room at seemingly impossible speeds.

That was until he felt a desperate tug on his sleeve, meaning he should stop before he had to deal with a puking little. Gently, he lowered them to the ground, where he placed Ritchie to sit on the carpet.
"Now, what do you wanna do bud?"
"Hide 'n seeks!"
"Alright, alright. We can do that!"

After several minutes of Brandon reminding the younger of the basic rules to every game they played, he covered his eyes so he could begin to count. Every time his brother was regressed, he needed to make sure he never left their office or bedroom, because neither of them thought it was a good idea for any of the guild to know. It was their special secret; brotherly bonding if you will.

"...eight....nine....ten! Ready or not! Here I come!!!"
He could obviously see the vibrant blue tuft of hair that poked up from behind Ritchie's bed, but he decided to humour his brother for a while. Every corner and every curtain was checked. Tiny giggles followed him wherever he went, filling his heart with an indescribable warmth.
"Now where could my little brother be?"
An adorable sneeze that sounded more like a squeak erupted from behind him. Having to cover his mouth with both hands, Brandon just barely managed to surpress his own laughter.
"Who was that? Can you help me find that little demon? It appears that I've lost him."
"Da's cheatin' Bwandy! Gots ta 'lay pwoperly."
"Ah, of course. Let me put on my detective's hat then."
His hands tugged on an imaginary 'hat', the movements exaggerated to allow the other to see even from his hiding spot.

Soon, he was crawling on the mattress, with his face mere inches above his target.
"Boo!" he whispered into Ritchie's ear, earning a loud shriek and a blue blur leaping at least a metre away.
"Nu faiw!!"
All Brandon could do was cackle, rolling around on his twin's bed while he did so.
"Meanie! Yous meanie! Mean-"

"Is everything alright in here???!"

That wasn't Ritchie. Or Brandon.

A familiar brunette peered around the open door, giving a confused smile to the two guild leaders. His ruby red eyes danced between them, clearly scanning for some kind of threat, only relaxing when they found none.
"S-sorry! I heard yelling and I guess my anxiety got the best of me, heh!'
"It's quite alright Devin, no worries."
Truthfully, Brandon doesn't think he has ever panicked so much in his life. He knows his brother is not ready to reveal how he copes (healthily), especially to his boyfriend. Well, he's fairly certain they're dating, if the flirting is anything to to by, though that isn't important right now.

Both mages are torn from their thoughts by the sound of sniffling. They turn their heads in unison towards the shaking bundle of blue backed into a corner.
"Brother...?"
"Ritchie?! Oh god!"
Devin practically sprinted to his supposed lover, immediately dropping to his knees besides the boy. His hands hovered, clearly unsure if he was allowed to physically comfort the other.
"What's wrong sweetheart?"
A low mumble.
"I'm sorry I couldn't catch that. Could you repeat that please?"
"Yous gon' hate meh now..."
A look of pure hurt spread across the creation mage's face, seemingly shocked at simply suggesting such a thing.

"Ritchie? Can you look at me?"
Shimmering ocean eyes meet determined scarlet.
"Nothing and I mean nothing could ever make me hate you. If you want me to leave I will, but I promise I don't hate you."
Leaning in so only Ritchie could hear the next part, he muttered:
"I love you."
The lighting mage hesitantly raised his hands towards Devin, who took that to mean he wanted to be scooped into a hug. Luckily, he was correct, as the regressor began to calm down quickly after that.

"Hey, brother?" Brandon spoke up a few minutes later, "is it okay if I explain what's going on?"
"Mmm.....oki! Dev pwomise no be mad?"
"I promise sweetie."
Ritchie became occupied with happily clapping his hands together, letting the grown ups have a boring talk.

"Do you know what age regression is?"
"Yes! I've read up on it quite a lot actually. So is he a little?"
A sigh of relief escaped the white haired man's lips; he should have known Devin would be wonderful about this as usual, but he could never be too trusting.
"Yeah he is. He only told me a few weeks ago."
"I see, well, I definitely don't hate him for it and actually I think he's really adorable like this."
"Agreed."
This seemed to catch Ritchie's attention, if his 'angry' pout was anything to go by.
"Oi! 'M not ado- aro- adwo-"
"Adorable?"
"Ye! I not dat!"

As the older pair burst into laughter, the toddler angrily babbled between them, shaking his fists close to the ground. However, he quickly shifted his focus to the pretty metal hanging off Devin's right ear. He carefully grabbed the dangling part, practically cradling it in his hands.
"What're you doing Ritchie?"
"Is pwetty. I wants one!"
Brandon visbily paled at that.
"H-how about we wait and see if you still think that when you're big, okay?"
"Awww but I wanna get one nooowww."
"Big you may not agree though."
"Hmph then he a meanie!"

Checking the time, Brandon realised he should probably get his brother to bed soon.
"Do you mind watching him while I heat up some milk?"
"Sure! I got him!"
"Bwother leavin?"
"Don't worry bud I'll be back in just a sec and I'll even bring you're favourite drink too!" he enthusiastically ruffled his twin's hair, before peeling himself off the floor.

Once the couple were left alone, Ritchie curled even closer to his boyfriend (a feat that Devin didn't even know was possible), to where he was being cradled on the mentally older's lap.
"Loves you too Devy." he whispered at a just barely audible volume.
"Aww, well I love you more my little blueberry."
This earned him a hand covering his entire face.
"Deevvvyyyyy staaahpp!!!"
"But it's true! You're my itty bitty blueberry! My favourite, gorgoeus star!"

Ritchie stubbornly turned away, sticking his chin up in the air.
"Don't be like that sweetie!"
"Hmph, no deserve talkin to me no more."
Overdramatically, Devin threw a hand to his heart, gasping in feigned sadness.
"My darling boyfriend is ignoring me! Whatever shall I do? I guess I'll just keel over!"
He flopped onto the floor, which was much more painful than he anticipated, and played dead.
"Devy nu!!! I pay 'tension again!! See?!"
Devin cheekily opened one eye to glance at the little. Then he decide to sit back up before he actually upset him.

"Horray! You brought me back to life!"
"Hehe I is stwong! Saves you from all da monsters!"
"Ah yes, my hero."

Devin swore from that moment on he would do everything to protect this side of his lover. It was clear Ritchie needed this and maybe he did too.