Nutella (Alternate Version)

. 68 .

"Luke, Mikey wants to talk to you honey." Calum sighs as he comes into the playroom where Luke is coloring. Calum came out of headspace when Michael had brought up needing to talk to Luke about calling Ashton about a half hour ago and the two have been bickering since until they came to a draw.

Luke looks up with a worried expression and Calum gives him a comforting smile.

"You're not in trouble, don't worry. Listen, you're gonna have to be big, so would you like me to take you out of headspace or would you like Mikey to?" Luke whines and rubs his eyes.

"I don't wanna be big." He argues and Calum squats and smiles.

"I know bubba." He says and Luke sighs and reaches his arms out, letting Calum pick him up and carry him to Michael. Michael smiles at the two as they come into his room and Calum deposits Luke on the bed in front of Mike and sits next to him.

"Can cali stay?" Luke asks and Michael smiles and nods.

"You need to be big lu. You need help?" Michael asks and Luke frowns and thinks about it before squeezing his eyes shut tight. It takes him longer than usual and he feels horrible when he's big, but he ignores it, scooting closer to Calum for comfort and looking at Michael to figure out what he wanted to talk about.

"What's up?" He asks timidly and Michael smiles.

"I wanted to let you know ashtons out of rehab and back at the apartment now. That does not mean you have to do anything, to be clear. You're welcome to stay here as long as you like. He called me and let me know the other day and wanted me to let you know that he loves you and misses you and is there for you whenever you may be ready, and if you'd ever like to call him on the phone he'd love that, but you are under no obligation to do so." Michael tries to keep it short so that Luke can go back into headspace as soon as he wants.

"Oh. Um. Okay. Th-Thankyou. D-did he ask me to call him?" Luke asks nervously.

"You don't have to-" Calum starts and Michael gives him a look.

"Yes, he asked if I thought you'd be comfortable talking to him on the phone, at the time you were in headspace and I didn't want to take you out or ask you without talking to you first, so he asked me to talk to you about it." Michael explains. "But you are always allowed to say no."

Luke nods and is quiet for a minute, leaning into Calum who smiles small and comforts him, playing with his blonde fluffy hair.

"I don't wanna make up my mind right now." He sighs and Michael nods.

"That's okay. I have one more question, really quick." Michael says and Luke nods and looks at him attentively.

"If you're in headspace and ask to talk to Ashton or Ashton calls and wants to talk to you when you're in headspace, would you like me to let you?" Michael asks and Luke frowns and thinks for a moment.

"Um, I guess if I'm little and I want to, yes? If you think it's what's good for me in the moment? I'm not... I'm not really sure." Luke replies and Michael smiles and nods. "I just want someone else to make all my decisions for me." He mutters under his breath and hides his face in Calums arm. Calum chuckles and Michael gives a sympathetic smile.

"Okay, sounds good. You can go back in headspace if youd like? Would you like help?" Michael asks and Luke frowns.

"I wanna try being big for a little bit." He answers and Michael smiles.

"That is completely okay too. Is there something you wanna do? Maybe we could do something fun, we haven't been shopping in a while? I feel like we all need a couple things." Michael suggests and Luke bites his lip.

"B-but what If I get stressed and slip?" Luke worries and Michael frowns.

"We can always come home honey, if you get uncomfortable we can leave at any time." Michael assures and the blonde thinks again and then nods. "Yeah, that sounds fun." He smiles small despite his chest tightening with anxiety.

Calum smiles and ruffles his hair. "Let's go change then." He says, as they're both still in pjs. Luke nods and the two go and put on big clothes, meeting Michael downstairs.

Lukes visibly nervous but he feels a bit excited too. He hasn't been out since seeing ashton, really. The other two ignore his bouncing leg in the car and he shyly sticks right behind Michael. Calums a bit surprised and slightly jealous it's not him lukes clinging to, but he understands, since Michael's lukes caregiver now, that he's going to be who feels the safest and most protective. He sides up next to Luke and holds his hand comfortingly, hoping to provide extra security and assurance. Luke smiles and Michael looks around.

"Alright, luke, you need a pair of shoes and at least one pair of jeans and a jacket, and probably some more comfy things for when you're little. Calum you need more shirts because you cut the damn sleeves off all yours and it's about to be cold, you need some sweats too, and I need sweats and shoes and a pair of jeans." Luke smiles at Michael's organized and parental method of shopping.

"I wanna go to the vans store!" Calum insists and Michael rolls his eyes.

"You do not need anymore shoes cal. We can go for lukes shoes." He says and Calum pouts.

"I'll pay for them though!" Cal says, then quietly mutters "with your money." So that Luke can hear and the blonde giggles. Michael hears too and scoffs, humming sarcastically.

The three shop for a while, Calum thrives and is energetic but Michael can tell that lukes becoming exhausted and is going to start slipping. He doesn't mind too much, as long as he's quiet. The problem is keeping calum from slipping if Luke does while Calums in this excited mood, because managing them both might be difficult. He tries to rush the rest of their shopping but Luke's tiredly dragging his feet and Calums being a distractible little squirrel, slowing them down.

"I don't wanna try anything else on!" Luke whines, rubbing his eyes. "I don't even want you to buy me any stuff."

"I hear you Luke, but you don't have to worry about money. It's my job to keep you dressed and cared for. I know you're tired and don't feel like trying things on but I want to make sure these will be comfy and fit you before we buy them. Just this last thing is all we need, okay baby?" Calum offhandedly notices the petname he called Luke and smiles.

"I'll come with you and help you Lukey." Calum grins and Michael raises an eyebrow. Before he can contest Calums dragging the blonde into the dressing room with the sweatpants.

Michael hears a bit of giggling and grunting and waits for Calum to drag Luke out in the sweats. "Are they comfy bub?" He asks and Luke nods. Michael nods and gives him permission to go change and let's them know they can head back to the car once they buy them.

When they get home, Michael sends Calum, who's slipped, to go play and sits a sleepy Luke down.

"Hey, how was being big all day? Seems like it wore you out pretty good, huh bud?"

"Yeah, but it was good, I was okay."

"Okay, good. Not too much anxiety or anything?"

"A little bit. I'm okay... I just wanna be little."

"You can do that, but I think you should go down for a nap." That's all it takes for Luke to slip and he whines loudly, hands going to his eyes to rub and he protests.

"I don't wanna, I wanna play with cali!"

"I know babyboy, I hear you, but you are so sleepy and it's making you grumpy. You can play once you wake up and you will feel so much better. I'll cuddle you until you fall asleep, okay?" Michael says while he picks the blonde up and carries him upstairs and to his and Calums room.

Luke just whines and cries quietly in response as he's carried and Michael coos.

"I know bubba, you're so sleepy." He hums and turns the light off, laying Luke down and laying beside him, cuddling him until he falls asleep and then going to check on Calum.