Baby Iida

The reflection of his face in the chrome finish of his brother's helmet was warped, turning his eyes into tiny pinpoints while the delighted curve of his mouth magnified. Tenya fought the urge to see how bizarre he could make his expression; this was no toy to play around with, it was the important tool of a hero's beloved costume. Every smudge of his fingers against the surface could have been a tarnish on Tensei's reputation, so he took great care to buff every mark away with the hem of his crisp dress shirt.

"Still admiring yourself, huh?" In walked the man of the hour, grinning down at Tenya with indulgence he reserved exclusively for the family's youngest. "You know, it won't be long before you've got one of those for yourself." Suited up but for the final piece of his costume, Tensei looked portrait-ready, the very picture of an upstanding hero with a presence that Tenya thought even outclassed their much-respected father.

His brother was going to make a name for himself, young as he was, Tenya knew it to his very bones. He only hoped he might be able to follow in Tensei's footsteps.

"Do... Do you really have to go?" He hated how his voice wobbled as he asked, hated that he was even asking at all. They both knew the answer, and it was nothing that would change from a child's selfish plea.

With a sigh, Tensei bent down, the metal fixtures of his armor clanking with each movement, and reached over to ruffle his hair. It prompted Tenya to look up, only to wish he hadn't. His brother's smile, though soft, was watery and he made no move to withdraw his hand. He looked far too young to have worry lines between his brows or dark circles underneath his eyes, like the world had already tried to chew him up and spit him back out.

"You know I do, kiddo." The quiet lapse into affection made Tenya's eyes sting, and now look what he'd done, getting teardrops all over his poor brother's helmet. Rather than focus on his words, Tenya swiped a tiny fist across his eyes and worked to shine the piece so that it looked brand-new, but years of listening to Tensei with rapt attention meant he couldn't shut out the truth. "I'll be doing more good in the city, starting up my own agency, and finally kicking off my career away from home. There are villains all over that need to be taken care of, and it's my job to do what I can to stop them."

The bitter urge to protest there were plenty of heroes in the city already and they didn't need Tensei's help to keep order died on his tongue. How could they not want the best, the brightest, the greatest incarnation of Ingenium there's ever been? The city would love Tensei just as much as he did, no matter how much it would hurt to let him go. With a sniff, Tenya nodded, clutching his prize for all it was worth. "I understand, brother." Though his voice was thick from crying, it didn't waver.

"There's my Tenya," he said, the smile evident in his voice even if he couldn't see it. "You'll get your chance soon, I promise. You'll be a better hero then I'll ever manage, because you care so much. Don't ever forget that." Tugging him close, Tensei pulled him into a tight hug, the helmet between them bumping against his chest. "And keep that safe for me, promise?"

Shock had Tenya fighting his brother's grip, staring up at him in sudden dismay. "But that's-- this is yours! I couldn't--!"

Then came the hand on the top of his head, steadying him and running through his hair. "I can get another, easy as breathing. But I know you'll cherish that one-- it's special. And once you've finally grown into it, you can come to my agency, yeah? We can fight villains together."

More than anything, the thought of fighting side-by-side with his beloved elder brother had him starstruck. The helmet still in his grasp trembled with how hard he clutched it, ducking his head so that Tensei wouldn't see him cry again. "Yes, please... Ingenium."

It was a hope that could carry him through anything, no matter how hard the road got. As long as he had Tensei walking ahead of him, he could always reach forward until eventually, they would stand shoulder to shoulder.